27th May 2012

CR IP TI ON BS SU

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

Man charged with murdering NYC boy in 1979

Error-hit Germany slump to defeat against Swiss

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RAJAB 6, 1433 AH

Tens of children among nearly 100 slain in Syria Kuwait rally slams massacre • UN observers rush to Houla

DAMASCUS/KUWAIT: UN observers rushed yesterday to a town in central Syria where scores of civilians were reportedly massacred, including 32 children, as the armed opposition renewed calls for air strikes on regime forces. The Free Syrian Army (FSA) also announced it was no longer committed to the UNbacked peace plan for Syria unless there was prompt UN intervention to protect civilians. The shelling of the town of Houla by regime forces began at around midday on Friday and continued until dawn yesterday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, adding that UN observers had visited the area.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Kuwaitis and Syrian residents including several MPs rallied outside the Syrian embassy in Kuwait yesterday to condemn the massacre and to demand the arming of the FSA. Islamist MP Jamaan Al-Harbash urged Turkey and all Arab states in the Gulf to act to provide protection for Syrian civilians, warning that if the governments cannot do so “they should open the door for people to fight”. Falah AlSawwagh, another Islamist MP, called for weapons to be sent to the FSA, and urged Kuwaitis to apply pressure on the government to provide more aid to the Syrian people.

In Damascus, UN mission chief General Robert Mood said in a statement the monitors had counted more than 92 bodies in Houla, and called the incident a “brutal tragedy”. “This morning UN military and civilian observers went to Houla and counted more than 32 children and over 60 adults killed,” the statement said.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius condemned the massacre and said he was “making immediate arrangements for a Friends of Syria group meeting in Paris”.

Continued on Page 13

Qaeda-held Saudi envoy in video plea CAIRO: Militants have posted online a video in which a man identifying himself as a Saudi diplomat kidnapped by Al-Qaeda in Yemen appeals to Saudi Arabia’s rulers to respond to his captors’ demands and save his life. In the four-minute clip that appeared on a militant website late Friday, a man saying he is Abdullah Al-Khaldi asks King Abdullah to grant the kidnappers’ demands, including the release of detained women. The video bore the logo of Al-Qaeda’s media arm, Al-Malahem.

Khaldi, who is Saudi Arabia’s deputy consul in the Abdullah Al-Khaldi Yemeni port city of Aden, was abducted in late March. Al-Qaeda’s Yemen branch claimed responsibility. “I appeal to King Abdullah, the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques and the Saudi government, to save me and get me out of (captivity by) the Al-Qaeda organization in exchange for releasing the detained sisters .. and the rest of the demands,” Khaldi said.

Continued on Page 13

Kuwaiti citizens and Syrian residents hold up a banner against Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad during a protest in front of the Syrian embassy in Kuwait yesterday. (Inset) An image grab taken from a video shows the bodies of Syrian children who were killed by regime forces in Houla in the central Syrian province of Homs. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat and AFP

Bahrain to quit Arabsat to protest Iran channels DUBAI: Bahrain will stop broadcasting its channels on satellite operator Arabsat to protest an Iran-led “hostile” media campaign, the state news agency BNA reported yesterday. “The Information Affairs Authority (IAA) decided to stop broadcasting Bahrain bouquet on Arabsat, starting from June 1,” BNA said quoting an English language statement. IAA criticised Arabsat for failing to heed repeated requests “to take an official measure” against Iranian channels which also broadcast on Arabsat. These channels, it said, were waging a “hostile media campaign” against Bahrain and Saudi Arabia “to incite sectarianism and shake security and stability,” in the Sunni-ruled kingdoms.

The IAA said it had “repeatedly requested” Arabsat to take measures against Iranian channels since February 2011, when a month-long Shiite-led uprising began in Bahrain against the regime. “The executive body of Arabsat did not respond to these requests,” said the statement. In 2009, Saudi-based Arabsat and another Arab satellite operator, Nilesat, briefly stopped broadcasting Arabic-language Iranian channel AlAlam. — AFP

Max 44º Min 28º High Tide 04:39 & 14:56 Low Tide 09:16 & 22:03

Egypt Islamist, ex-PM woo rivals after vote Third runner-up calls for recount

PARIS: Princess Sabika bint Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, wife of Bahrain’s king delivers a speech during a rally marking the Freedom Palm Day (La Palme De La Liberte) in front of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral yesterday, The Freedom Palm Day, in which Bahrain participated as the guest of honour, is dedicated to promoting religious freedoms. — AFP

CAIRO: The apparent winners of the first round of Egypt’s landmark presidential vote reached out to rival candidates yesterday ahead of a June run-off, as international monitors called the initial voting process “encouraging”. Final votes were still being counted, but unofficial results suggested that the top two out of 12 candidates were the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohammed Mursi and Ahmed Shafiq, a former premier under ousted Hosni Mubarak.

On Friday night, the Brotherhood said it was seeking to create a coalition of forces to challenge Shafiq, reaching out to Mursi’s former rivals, including Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh, who left the organisation to run for president. “We call on all sincere political and national forces to unite to protect the revolution and to achieve the pledges we took before our great nation,” it said. “The slogan now is: ‘The nation is in danger’,” Essam Al-Erian, the deputy head of the Brotherhood’s political arm, told AFP. The Brotherhood called a meeting of various candidates yesterday afternoon, but the campaigns of Abul Fotouh, former foreign minister Amr Mussa and Nasserist candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi said the three Continued on Page 13

Bosnia buries 66 war victims VISEGRAD, Bosnia-Hercegovina: Several thousand people gathered yesterday in Visegrad to attend a collective funeral of 66 Muslims killed in the eastern Bosnian town at the beginning of the 1992-1995 war.

Under light rain, imams prayed for the dead before the bodies, found in a lake 15 years after the end of the war, were buried. “In first months of the conflict, Serb forces killed my son, my husband, my two sisters, my brother and several other relatives, 13 in total,” said Meva Ahmetagic. One of her sisters and a brother-in-law were buried yesterday.

The remains of the 66 had been found in 2010 during a search of Lake Perucac, into which the Drina river marking the frontier between Serbia and Bosnia - runs.

The search was conducted after water levels dropped to an historic low due to repairs being carried out on a dam. “The youngest victim buried is a boy who was three-and-a-half years old at the time. He was killed together with his mother, whose body unfortunately has not been found yet,” said Hedija Kasapovic, president of an association of families of victims missing from Visegrad.

Continued on Page 13

CAIRO: Mohammed Mursi, the Muslim Brotherhood’s presidential candidate, is surrounded by reporters yesterday. — AP

Iran downplays UN find

VISEGRAD: A Bosnian Muslim woman weeps among coffins during a mass funeral in this eastern Bosnian town yesterday. — AP

TEHRAN: Iran yesterday downplayed a report by the UN atomic watchdog that uranium traces have been detected of a higher grade than any found before, as media voiced doubts about the next round of talks on Tehran’s nuclear program. Higher than expected traces of enriched uranium “are a normal technical issue that is being investigated by (IAEA) experts,” Iran’s envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency Ali Asghar Soltanieh was quoted as telling the official IRNA news agency. The agency report said that the traces found at the Fordo site, inside a mountain bunker near Qom, were of uranium enriched to purities of 27 percent. Previously, the highest level recorded by the agency in Iran was 20 percent.

The West fears that Iran could be covertly aiming to enrich uranium towards the 90 percent needed to develop atomic bombs, a claim Tehran vehemently denies. “Addressing technical and trivial issues, which also occur in the nuclear facilities of other nations, show media reports are seeking political goals,” Soltaneih said. “Highlighting and politicising a technical issue is a sign of efforts to damage the atmosphere of constructive cooperation between Iran and the agency,” he added. Soltanieh said the report “is more

proof of the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities and of our country’s success in the field of nuclear technology, in particular enrichment, and its full cooperation with the agency.”

Iran’s atomic chief Fereydoon Abbasi Davani urged IAEA head Yukiya Amano not to report such issues “while we are currently discussing (other) issues”. “We can enrich in higher purities since these machines have the capabilities. If technical glitches occur it can be discovered that it was an error. The issue of 27 percent enriched uranium is not a special issue to be converted into conflict,” Abbasi Davani was quoted by the ISNA news agency as saying.

Analysts cautioned that the 27-percent find could just be a processing glitch and not necessarily a sign of a deliberate effort to enrich above 20 percent. In the IAEA report, which was seen by AFP, Iran also explained that enrichment above 20 percent “may happen for technical reasons beyond the operator’s control”. The report said the IAEA was “assessing Iran’s explanation and has requested further details.” Early this month it took samples from the site that were being analysed.

Continued on Page 13

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SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

LOCAL

KUWAIT: Kuwaiti citizens and Syrian residents hold up the adopted Syrian revolutionary flag during a protest in front of the Syrian Embassy yesterday following the reported killing of some 92 people, including 32 children, in the central Syrian town of Houla. MP Osama Al-Shaheen said that the massacre of dozens of children and their mothers does not give reason for the Kuwaiti government to hesitate and shutting our embassy in Syria is not enough. ‘We should recognize the Syrian National Council as legal representative for the Syrian people and move next to arming the Free Syrian Army in order to protect the innocents and stop this 21st century tragedy,’ he said. MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei called upon the Saudi king and the Emir of Qatar to act immediately to help the Syrian people, press for an air embargo and create a security area to supply them with arms to defend themselves. —Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

NBK celebrates 60 years of achievements

KUWAIT: The head office of NBK when it was established in 1952.

KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) is celebrating this year its 60th anniversary. Established in 1952 as the first indigenous bank and the first shareholding company in Kuwait and the Gulf with a capital of one million Kuwaiti Dinars, NBK today continues crossing threshold of one billion dollar profits as the leading bank in Kuwait, the highest rated in the Middle East and one of the top 50 safest banks in the world. The commemoration of this inspiring and monumental anniversary comes as a culmination of a remarkable story of success, by means of which NBK has been transformed from a small bank that occupies the area of three shops and a handful of employees relying on traditional and manual banking tools to one of the largest and most profitable banks in the region.

NBK continues crossing threshold of one billion dollar profits by the end of

2011, achieving strong results thanks to the bank’s resilience, clear strategy, conservative culture, and high professional standards, all of which have limited the bank’s exposure to lower quality assets in and outside of Kuwait.

NBK was also recently named among the ‘World’s 50 Safest Banks’ for the fifth consecutive time, illustrating the success of the bank’s conservative strategy, prudent risk management dedication excellent customer service.

NBK enjoys the highest credit ratings among all the banks in the Middle East and North Africa region by international rating agencies Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s, and Fitch Ratings.

Today, NBK has the largest local and overseas banking network encompassing more than 176 branches, representative offices and subsidiaries strategically located within the main international and regional financial centers.

Kuwaiti govt struggles to contain Dow ruling Lawmakers demand answers KUWAIT: Still handling the developments concerning the unconfirmed resignation of the finance minister, the Kuwaiti government is scrambling to deal with the repercussions of a court order requiring the country to pay $2.16 billion compensation to Dow Chemical for a unilateral decision in 2008 to opt out of a deal signed between the two sides.

According to some local dailies’ reports yesterday, Prime Minister HH Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Sabah held an urgent meeting on Friday with the Minister of Oil Hani Hussein and leading Kuwait Petroleum Corporation officials to discuss the International Court ruling. The officials reportedly discussed the possibility of granting Dow Chemical projects in Kuwait as part of a compromise, reported AlRai quoting sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the news drew immediate reaction from lawmakers, who are demanding prompt procedures to contain the issue and to hold accountable those responsible for approving the penalty clause in the contract based on which the arbitration was made. The KPC has already denied rumors that the Oil Minister Hussein resigned after the news about the court ruling broke.

The subject is expected to become the center of discussions between the Cabinet and

parliament this week. “Losing more than $2 billion in this case requires transparent and detailed research into the massive losses in Kuwait funds”, MP Obaid Al-Wasmi posted via his Twitter account on Friday. “In either way, the MPs will look into the legal procedures available to deal with the cabinet regarding this case... appropriate and immediate action to deal with this case is the top priority now”, he further stated.

An opposition lawmaker has also called on HH the Prime Minister to make “urgent decisions and to suspend every individual who took part in or contributed to the deal”, insisting that “suspicions of collusion still exist”. AlWasmi also proclaimed that the only way by which HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak will evade responsibility over the case is by “paying the compensation from his personal account”.

Meanwhile, former member of the Supreme Oil Council Musa Ma’rafi told Al-Rai that all the council members in addition to cabinet members were aware of the penalty clause conditioned by Dow Chemical to cancel the contract when it was signed. “Anyone who claims he is not aware of this detail is a liar because everything about the project was approved by the [council] members”, said Ma’rafi; who along with Abdurrahman AlMuhailan and Abdurrahman Al-Haroun had

resigned in protest after the contract was canceled.

The former top oil official further demanded “full legal investigation” to reveal the parties responsible for the problem, arguing that the cabinet of former Prime Minister HH Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah “was responsible for yielding to MPs’ pressure”.

MP Abdulhameed Dashty has announced plans to take legal action against parties responsible for the ruling to fine Kuwait $2.16 billion, while MP Hussain Al-Qallaf demanded answers from ‘MPs who claim protection of public funds’ - in reference to opposition lawmakers who lobbied against the deal.

On the other hand, a leading opposition figure Musallam Al-Barrak saw the premier’s meeting with KPC officials as “an attempt by the Oil Minister to justify the sins they committed”. “We are aware of those who allowed Dow to take their attack on public funds”, Al-Barrak claimed. Al-Barrak, who led the efforts to investigate alleged irregularities with the deal before it was canceled, questioned the procedures which resulted in agreeing a penalty clause that would require Kuwait to pay 30% of the contract’s value in case of cancelation.

“Has the deal been viewed by the State Audit Bureau or the Fatwa and Legislation Department?” Al-Barrak questioned.

KUWAIT: Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Kuwait, Tural Rzayev, hosted an event recently to celebrate his country’s National Day. The event was attended by senior Kuwaiti government officials led by Minister of Education and Higher Education, Nayef Al-Hajraf, in addition to diplomats and other dignitaries. —- Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

We’re almost losing Kuwait: Al-Shamali KUWAIT: The debate of the Parliament majority’s grilling of Finance Minister Mustafa Al-Shamali lacked impartiality as the motion was mainly aimed to oust the minister for personal reasons.

This explanation was given by the minister himself in his first public statement to a local daily following the debate last Thursday which ended with a request for a vote of confidence, and reports about his resignation.

“The tyranny of the majority coalition in the parliament has reached the constitution before it moved to affect individuals”, said Al-Shamali, who is also a deputy for Kuwait’s Prime Minister HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. He further warned during an interview with Al-Qabas of “confusion of principles and loss of rights because we are almost losing Kuwait”.

“My approach did not go in line with theirs, which is exactly what bothered them”, Al-Shamali said, adding that each of the articles mentioned in his grilling “had a known agenda behind it”. On why he chose to go ahead with the debate despite claiming that his grilling is driven by hidden agendas, Al-Shamali explained that he wanted to “expose [the majority MPs] in front of the Kuwaiti people”, insisting that that his position in the cabinet is no longer a priority as long as he could achieve that goal.

The ‘Majority Bloc’ entered the debate session with more than 30 lawmakers in hand to secure the 25 minimum votes in order to pass a no-confidence motion against the minister, thus ending

his 5-year term in the cabinet. On that regard, AlShamali said during the interview that submitting his resignation was a decision to take a step ahead of the majority, further criticizing the bloc for “making their judgment before hearing my argument”.

Expressing no regrets of the way he handled his grilling debate, Al-Shamali indicated that the Kuwaiti people “cannot be summed in [the actions of] 50 lawmakers”, which is why he chose to “reveal the truth for all to see”.

The Cabinet is reportedly “dissatisfied” with the way by which the Majority Bloc is dealing with them, which is prompting discussions to study mechanisms through which they can avoid confrontation as much as possible. According to sources with knowledge of the cabinet’s thinking, the possibility of “appointing more ministers from the Majority Bloc” is on the table in order to reduce the effect of the bloc’s voting power.

The Majority Bloc, who were set to hold a coordination meeting last night at MP Mohammad Al-Khalifa’s dewaniya, agreed during a meeting Thursday to “focus on seeking more cooperation with the cabinet for the benefit of the public good”, said MP Ammar Al-Anjari.

In the meantime, Al-Rai reported yesterday quoting cabinet insiders that Minister of Education and Higher Education Nayef Al-Hajraf or Minister of Commerce and Industry Anas AlSaleh are the likely candidates to be handed the Finance Ministry’s portfolio on interim basis until

a successor for Al-Shamali is appointed. The sources, who requested anonymity to speak, further indicate that handling Al-Shamali’s departure could involve a cabinet reshuffle that sees Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Ahmad AlRujaib and Minister of Defense Sheikh Ahmad AlKhalid Al-Sabah; both of whom facing potential grilling motions, be moved.

The end of Al-Shamali’s grilling fiasco - which involved MP Dr. Obaid Al-Wasmi dropping his interpellation after the cabinet refused a request to merge it with a motion filed by Musallam AlBarrak, Khalid Al-Tahous and Abdurrahman AlAnjari - offers the Majority Bloc a chance to regroup and focus on legislative duties. “It’s time to move on past the grilling’s phase and join efforts to achieve priorities”, MP Nayef Al-Merdas said in statements to Al-Rai, adding that the Majority Bloc looks to “extend a hand of cooperation” with the cabinet while at the same time stay alerted with regards to monitoring duties.

Al-Watan daily in the meantime quoted sources close to Al-Shamali as saying that he has no plans to take back his resignation letter “despite efforts from the cabinet to keep him on board”. The sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity further indicate that Al-Shamali refused offers that involve assigning him with another ministry’s portfolio “because he refuses to stay in a cabinet incapable of facing a parliamentary majority dominated by MPs seeking to realize individual ambitions”.

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

LOCAL

KJA holds symposium on Egypt Corruption biggest problem

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: The Kuwait Journalists Association (KJA) held a symposium termed ‘Egypt from Presiding to Future’ on Wednesday evening.

This symposium also featured the release of a book ‘If Others Owned It Forever———’

by Husam Fat’hi. Dr Ayman Baker, Arab Literature Assistant at the Gulf University noted that the January revolution came 10 years late-as corruption has spread very much before the revolution, and has become uncontrollable by the regime. He mentioned some of the problems in Egypt.

“The level of illiteracy, increasing poverty, and the culture of corruption are the major obstacles facing the new government. It is difficult to figure out the best way to go,” stressed Baker.

According to Baker, Egypt has great material and human resources. “This is why it’s necessary to build a modern state,” he stated. Hasan Al-Saadi, Head of the

Consultants of Kuwait Stock Exchange said that nobody was expecting the revolution to end in the way it did. He expressed his disappointment on the present situation of things in Egypt. “I was invited to attend a discussion with one of the parties in Egypt, and I was baffled with what I saw. The party is not doing politics but just doing business.

This party is trying to establish a bank with its name. I think it’s better at this period to educate the people before sending them to the ballot boxes,” he added.

He said that Egypt is one of the strongest countries economically in the region.

“Manpower is the real wealth of Egypt. I see a booming economy as Egypt enters a new era,” he noted. “The Egyptian businessmen should be given another chance to correct their mistakes thus contributing in the development of Egypt,” he added. There are various investment opportunities in Egypt.

“Egypt’s location attracts Gulf investors,” he said.

180 traffic fatalities in 2012

Al-Shaheen laments political hardships Council. He addressed his speech to those who want the N.A. Council to be idle and told them that they will not succeed.

He added that he feels sorry for the Ministers given the difficult situation they inherited, and noted that they need more time, MPs and media suppor t. He also expressed displeasure at the deteriorating economic situation in the country. — Al-Shahed

7,272 traffic tickets issued in weekend raid

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Banks Club, led by Chairman of the Board, Ahmad Al-Sultan and Vice Chairman, Mahmoud Bastaki, along with other board members, hosted an event over the weekend to honor former chairman of the board, Hesham Al-Buaijan, and former secretary general, Osama Al-Rasheed.

KUWAIT: As a part of its weekly campaigns to stop violators during busy weekends, the traffic directorate launched several raids all over Kuwait this past weekend.

The raids resulted in 7,272 tickets being issued, 487 vehicles being detained and two drivers being arrested. Sources revealed that, according to the traffic direc-

in brief

KUWAIT: One hundred and eighty people were killed in traffic accidents in Kuwait since the beginning of 2012, a local daily reported yesterday quoting official statistics released on Wednesday.

Moreover, the figures show that 400 people were injured in accidents during the same period, with an estimated average of 90 injuries a month. The numbers indicate that an average of nearly 40 people are killed each month in Kuwait in accidents. The statistics were released by the Information and Statistics Division at the M inistr y of I nterior ’s General Department of Traffic. In the meantime, a different statistical report indicates that 30 people died as a result of drug overdose in Kuwait since the beginning of the current year. According to a security source with knowledge of the Criminal Evidence General Department statistics, the overdose death rate recorded so far this year has doubled compared to the same period in 2011.

KUWAIT: The symposium and book release at the Kuwait Journalists Association.

— Photo by Joseph Shagra

KUWAIT: MP Osama Al-Shaheen said that the considerable number of investigation committees at the N.A. Council is a ‘disturbing’ and tiring matter. He added, however, that they are necessary given the conditions Kuwait previously passed through. He added that the fighting, arguments and exchanging of accusations are from minority MPs against the majority with the goal of dissolving the N.A.

News

torate statistics, 1,533 tickets were filed in the capital and 116 vehicles were detained.

The sources added that 2,090 tickets were filed in Ahmadi, 37 in Mubarak Al-Kabeer, 512 in Jahra, 917 in Far waniya and 908 in Hawally, in addition to 270 at Kuwait international airport. The sources also noted that 281 of the filed tickets involved using mobile phones while driving.

Teachers protest at MOE decision KUWAIT: The minister of education’s decision regarding the promotion test for supervisory jobs, which allowed the merging of results from written tests with personal interview results, has sparked a new crisis. A number of teachers have filed complaints refusing the change accused the ministry of having double standards and discrimination between teachers. Sources revealed that some teachers went to the minister’s office on the weekend to protest against the decision and demanded change so that all applicants are treated equally.

Chinese invitation KUWAIT: Ahmadi Governor Sheikh, Dr Ibrahim AlDuaij Al-Sabah, received an invitation from the Ambassador of China to Kuwait, Cui Jianchun, to visit the Guangdong Province in south China during the ambassador’s recent visit to the governor’s office. The visit included talks on an initiative to achieve a twinning between the Ahmadi Governorate and Guangdong City.

First Green Building KUWAIT: The Minister of Public Works and Minister of Planning and Development, Dr Fadhel Safar, stressed recently on the Ministry’s keenness of shifting to green structures. “The green buildings concept has been spreading lately and Kuwait is one of the leading countries in this field,” stressed Safar, noting that the concept had already been adapted in many buildings starting with the expropriation building. He also noted that terminal 2 in Kuwait International Airport would be built according to the same concept and that its roofs and walls will include solar cells to produce power. Safar also highlighted the point that green buildings are an integral part of the state’s development plan and noted that suggestions have been made to include the concept in Kuwait municipality conditions for new buildings.

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

LOCAL

in my view

Local Spotlight

Minority vs majority!

Be your ‘Cyber Self’

By Sally Ghazal

By Muna Al-Fuzai

local@kuwaittimes.net muna@kuwaittimes.net

M

M

inority vs majority - there is no better place to hear this term again and again than in the Kuwait National Assembly. We have two superpowers — the minority and the majority. I’m not in favor of any of these groups because there are certain qualifications for each of them which they don’t have.

In fact, the minority seems like an ex-wife who is good in complaining — while the majority is benefitting from the large number of MPs and power they control in the National Assembly. They seemed to have immunity from the media.

Do we actually have a real minority group or is this something that was made to create a social sympathy with no real connections with the term? Political scientists say ‘minority is a sociological category within a demographic.’ The term refers to the category that lacks the power of the majority. In social science, the term ‘minority’ is used to refer to categories of persons who hold few positions of power.

The term ‘minority group’ often occurs alongside a discourse of civil rights and discrimination. If this is the case, none of these groups have the right to call itself a minority group because the MPs control more power than the ordinary citizens. They are deliberately calling themselves minority because they have failed to front the public interest in their political agenda. They claim that this was because the majority is not giving them the opportunity- an easy made excuse.

The ‘majority group’ in the National Assembly fights hard when it comes to their priorities and agenda. The Islamists, Salafists and some independents MPs should bear in mind that they owe a lot to their voters irrespective of their obstacles. What are the priorities of both groups? So far, the Majority Group is still not done with its old files. Grillings upon grilling have been the order of the day. Some of the former ministers like the Minister of Finance Mustafa Al Shamali have lost their posts. It was clear that some Shiite MPs took that issue very personal - which supposed not to be. In fact, the current Minister of Social Affairs is now in the ring of fire. I bless all efforts made by various MPs (majority or independent) in tackling some important issues like ‘residency trade’ and labor law which will make the society better. I hope this so-called minority and majority will draw their work plans and work in the interest of the nation as rumors about possible dissolution of the parliament are spreading all over Kuwait.

kuwait digest

‘Darwin theory’ and the puppets

By Thaar Al-Rashidi

A

n old man in his seventies, who is really very funny and more than most Arab comedians, shocked me when he said, “don’t you think that the Indian Kumar, looks very much like his sponsor...Bu Thamer”. I looked at Kumar, and found that he really looks like Bu Thamer, the owner of the diwaniya where we were sitting.

I smiled and did not comment.

The old man said, as if he wanted to prove his new Darwin theory.

“Believe me...every Indian driver...or cook or servant or shepherd....looks like his sponsor. I don’t deny that.

After his second statement, I started remembering my friends and imagining their photos and

tried to find some link between them and those who work for them.

Indeed, I found every Indian looks like his sponsor in one way or another. It is not necessary that someone looks alike in shape, but in their behavior, and sometimes in the way they move.

I found the matter natural, as the driver or the servant is one of the residents in the house and it is natural that he adopts, even partially, their behavior.

My old friend, who is in his seventies and the owner of the new Darwin theory, made me rethink at least for a change. This theory made me think of the political puppets, who are moved by the hands of the influential members

of the National Assembly or even those outside it. I found that each puppet resembles his sponsor, not necessarily in shape but in the tools and thinking and even the style.

The Indian looks like his sponsor, that is a fact and not just a theory and the political puppets looks like the puppet masters who move them or stand behind them and that is a reality.

NOTE: In addition to the theory of my friend of seventy years, I believe that every maid looks like her female sponsor or the other way round, but it is not important.

The important thing is that the theory gets closer to reality to the extent that it becomes a true scientific fact. — Al-Anbaa

kuwait digest

Facebook, Twitter stronger than arms

By Sami Al-Nisf

I

attended the 12th Doha seminar, titled “Enriching the future economy of the Middle East”. It was attended by hundreds of heads of states, ministers and specialists. Its organization was perfect, and was recommended by the Qatar Ambassador to Kuwait, Abdul Azil Saad Al-Fahad.

The ceremony was inaugurated by Sheikh Hamad Ben Khalifa, who reminded the audience that since its fourth session in 2004 the seminar has urged for change and political reform and economic reform in the region.

Had those calls been heard, then the history of the area could have taken different tracks during the past year, as per his speech. He said Arab cooperation and Arab integration will be real and no more a dream. Arab countries will be committed to this reality before their citizens.

Sheikh Hamed Ben Jassem Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, gave a speech in which he warned that the international economy is heading for a big new crisis due to a setback in the growth average in Europe and the USA. In addition to the wave of stagnation which is threatening the growing economies, it will negatively impact the under developed countries. They will face political challenges and economic ones.

The conference activities dealt with deep visions on the international political and economic scene, the effects of the democratic movements in the Middle East and the future of peace in the area. In brief, warnings were learned from the economic and security problems in the Arab Spring countries. A pessimistic view was reached concerning a solution to the Palestinian case. Speakers in their different viewpoints agreed that there is no hope at all in the near future for an amicable solution to this case.

A few days ago, I was called to give a lecture in the Kingdom of Bahrain about the 2010-2020 media strategy for the GCC countries. What I said is that 25 percent of the plan is over, and 25 percent was not achieved which means that we are going very slowly. I warned that the incidents in 2011 have proven that the soft power represented in the media has become stronger than the hard power represented by Armies and Arms. The proof is that the political regime in Egypt was not removed by the triple aggression in 1956, nor the 1967 Israeli war and the defeat of the Egyptian army. But it was defeated by television channels and electronic social media (Facebook and Twitter).

I demand that the GCC states should have stores of highly efficient media intellectuals to lead the GCC media on defenses and attacks in the same way that army leaders lead their armies.

The difference is that the attack of a strong power unifies us, as happened during the Iraqi invasion, while the soft power divides us internally, similar to the role of ‘intelligence’ who participate in the fall of states and nations before they themselves fall. —Al-Anbaa

ost of us use social media to communicate with the world around us. We use tools like Facebook, Twitter and many others to portray who we are.

We may have up to hundreds of friends or followers. How many of these are actually friends? Why do many people resort to chatting and making friends online rather than going out and making ‘real’ friends and socializing with actual people? How many of us find it easier to talk to others online? Strangers, who we know so little about? I have heard from many people that it is much easier to disclose personal information to a stranger in a chat room than to tell a friend or a loved one. I don’t find it hard to believe.

How often do you walk into a room full of people and get asked “What’s on your mind?” Facebook asks you this question every time you log on and you are entitled to share your thoughts and feelings with the world simply because you have been asked.

Though socializing may come naturally to some, many people find it more difficult to engage in a conversation or reveal aspects about themselves to others. We have so many barriers that inhibit us from sharing. We fear being judged and rejected. What if I am not liked? I can see it on the person’s face. . . What if we disagree? Will I have the right words to use? I won’t have the chance to think about it and process my words before I ‘type’ a reply back.

The way we dress, wear our hair, the tone of our voice all say something about us to people who we interact with. In the world of social science this is known as “impression management.” We all do it and it tells people who we are.. .or at least what we want them to know about who we are. In the cyber world we have the ability to manage these impressions to a totally different level.

Others will only see what we want them to see. We choose topics, pictures and information that we deem appropriate to share with others. We can choose not to share our photos when we were a few kilos overweight, we can choose to only share photos that show our best. Because, after all, we want to be viewed as attractive. Studies have shown that people who are perceived as attractive are also given other positive attributes such as kind, friendly and honest.

These people will be liked and therefore accepted by others, and at the end of the day, isn’t that what we all strive for; to be liked and accepted?

So is it easier to communicate online? I guess for many people it is. We have more control over what we say and how we look and therefore the fears we have of being rejected are diminished. We can decide to be ‘intellectual’ and use quotes from a famous philosopher. We can be cute and use the cutest smiley’s our laptops have to offer.

We can be cultured and post an invite to an art exhibition which we will never attend. All this and I haven’t even started on fabrications, or stretching the truth as some like to call it... .How many people actually change their age?

Their hobbies? Claim that they have read a book because they have skimmed through it at the book store? What worries me is that by the end of this ‘impression management’ we have managed so much that little of our true selves remain. This new ‘self’ or ‘Cyber Self’ we have created is more like everything we would like to be, and therefore more comfortable to chat with others. The ‘cyber’ self probably even has a much cooler and more exciting name than our own, that others naturally want to approach. I am not trying to say that we completely change who we are, what we do is bring out the best in us by emphasizing our best qualities and keeping what we don’t like about our real selves in the dark. This cyber self then adds new friends, engages in controversial topics and clearly states its mind and voices opinions that may even be unacceptable by some. This self is still ‘us’ only a more comfortable us. It is the ‘self we are proud to present to others, it has less inhibition than our ‘true selves’.

This leads me to my next question, what if we were to show our ‘true selves’ and speak our minds in the ‘real’ world? I wonder how many people would agree that this would allow us to form more meaningful relationships and lead to more stimulating conversation. After all, we psychologists always speak of body language and what an important role it plays in communication. Our body language including our posture, eye contact and facial expressions are all crucial in getting our message across to people. When you type a message to someone you don’t truly know how it was received; did the receiver have a smirk on his face? Did he really “laugh out loud” while typing LOL? They haven’t even heard your tone so they may not know if you were being sarcastic, serious or angry.

They can’t look you in the eyes and know how much truth is behind what you are saying. Without these cues we are risking misinterpretations by people around us. I guess to some, it is easier to risk being misunderstood than being clearly heard and rejected.

As a psychologist, I have always believed that one of our basic human needs is interaction with others. It is what helps us adapt and grow. Studies show that babies who were deprived of much social interactions have adjustment issues as adults. We all have the need to talk to a friend at some point because we need to share our lives with others, we may need advice or simply we need someone to listen to us. I worry when that friend is a ‘cyber’ friend, for so many reasons, one of which is we are not sure if we even know that friend. So, needless to say, I encourage people to go out there and socialize in the real world; replace the hundred plus friends in your chat groups with a few good real life friends.

This takes me back to the issue of people finding it easier to communicate with strangers or online, and this, in my opinion, is mainly due to our self image. We have a universal desire to be accepted and loved and we fear being rejected.

So rather than modifying our profiles and managing our images in cyber space, why not try to work on becoming our ‘cyber’ selves in real life? Why not manage our true selves to the point that we are proud to put this self forward whenever we meet people. Instead of saying on your profile that you like adventure, go and do something adventurous.

People can do so much to enhance their self image and they can do it best by understanding who they truly are. Many people feel that they simply cannot be more than they are, or do not have much to offer. They feel that they should safely hide in the chat room. I disagree with that, all we need is confidence and positive self image. There are many ways to improve how you feel about yourself. Simple techniques include monitoring yourself talk, reminding yourself of all the positive qualities you possess and doing something that makes you feel good about yourself. We cannot be satisfied with ‘managing’ our cyber self, we need to work on being the best real self we can be. We simply need to be our ‘cyber’ self in real life.

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

local

Seminar focuses on modern media’s influence on politics Intellectual dialogue with NGOs

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Laying an emphasis on modern media and its role in political work, the Institut Francais du Koweit (IFK) held a three-day symposium titled ‘Modern Media Tools and Democracy.’ It was held at the Graduates Society, the Bar Society, and the Kuwait

NGOs and academics in Kuwait. This is a great opportunity to exchange opinions and experiences on modern media and its role in political work. The modern media and social media tools have influenced politics in strengthening democracy and freedom of expression,” said Nada Yafi, French Ambassador to Kuwait. Dr Yves Gonzales-Quijano, Professor at the

KUWAIT: ‘Modern Media Tools and Democracy’ symposium in progress. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat Journalist Association (KJA). The last of these was held at KJA on Wednesday evening entitled ‘Modern Media and Arab Spring.’

“The subject of this symposium is very interesting and important. We, at the French Embassy and the French Institute (IFK) encourage engaging in intellectual dialogue with local

University of Lumiere, Lyon and Researcher at the French Institute at the Near-East, Beirut highlighted the importance of evaluating the role of modern media in the Arab Spring. “The Arab Spring movement has become very popular in Arab and western media. I think that this expression is not positive, and not 100 percent

precise. I think it was developed by the American Mcling in his analysis of the modern media,” he noted.

He opined that Kuwait’s political situation is unstable because of conflicts between political powers. “Also, there are some reports about religious issues like blasphemy, leading to political discussion about the criminal law related to what comprises insults to God and ridiculing religion,” he added.

He also spoke about the negative impact that the Arab Spring has on Egypt, Tunisia, Syria and Bahrain. “Social media like Facebook, Twitter did not result in massive changes, and Syria is an example. Social media is used differently in different countries. Then there are optimists and pessimists. We should study the social media deeply to understand its impact on the Arab Spring,” concluded Quijano.

Dr Fatiha Dazi-Heni, political expert in the Arab region and a teacher at the Institute of Political Studies in Paris thinks that the positive aspect of social media in inspiring the Arab Spring revolution should be preserved, even if a negative situation prevails in Yemen and Syria.

“We should adopt a pragmatic political opinion regarding the Arab Spring, which is not the case in some Arab countries like Syria and Bahrain. It is important to see how the youth use social media to consolidate power in attempting to bring in change, which is incomplete due Islamists being criticized in Egypt, and the Nahdha party in Tunisia. The social media did precipitate the revolutions. It only had a positive effect on it. They pose a danger to some totalitarian governments,” she explained.

Dr. Nada Al-Mutawa, an expert in Strategic Affairs at Kuwait University stressed that the Arab Spring resulted owing slow economic growth, absence of economic equity and poor administration, connecting the economic and administrative reforms with the political ones.

“In Egypt, social media played the role of a coordinator, and was a good tool of communication between young people. However, it failed in the executive phase. This is the situation of the modern media, which needs effective and continues administration,” she pointed out. She also spoke about the role played social media in the recent Kuwait elections. “These media were called the ‘electronic diwaniya.’ The main users were female candidates. Election news was announced on Facebook and this site was used as a way to stay in touch with voters and post news at election headquarters,” she explained.

Kuwaiti officials wrap up training course in France PARIS: A team of Kuwaiti senior government officials, led by Undersecretary of the Civil Service Commission (CSC), Mohammad Al-Roumi, completed on Friday a training course at the French state-run Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA) here.

Speaking on the sidelines of the graduation ceremony, Kuwait Ambassador to France, Ali Suleiman AlSaeed, expressed joy for attending the ceremony and presenting the certificate of the course to the participants. “The course falls in the framework of a larger pro-

gram for cooperation with friendly France in all fields,” he said, noting that such programs contribute to the strengthening of the bilateral ties.

“The training course provided a great opportunity for the Kuwaiti officials to benefit from the long experiences of a great country such as France,” Al-Saeed pointed out. The Kuwaiti diplomat said he hopes to organize similar courses in the future to build the capacity of the Kuwaiti civil servants and senior government officials. — KUNA

Achievements of GCC highlighted RIYADH: Dr Toufic Khojah, the director general of the executive bureau of the GCC health council, has affirmed significant role of the GCC’s specialized offices for service of joint Gulf action. Khojah, in a statement marking the 31st anniversary of the GCC, yesterday said that the “council is robustly proceeding the march in political, economic, military, health, educational, labor, media and youth sectors.

“Achievements and constructive resolutions that have been made by the GCC leaders at the Supreme Council sessions cannot be counted and they have all played substantial role for bolstering the bonds and mapping strategies and laying foundation of development and establishing successful ties among the member states of the council.”

He praised substantial support given by the top leaders for the joint health council, noting that the 31st anniversary coincided with the call by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz for transforming the GCC into a federation.

He lauded the contributions and achievements of the GCC bureaus and departments in the health, teaching, labor, youth, sports and media sectors. Khojah congratulated the GCC Secretary General, Abdul Latif Al-Zayyani, on the “precious occasion.” — KUNA

Kuwait, Cambodia to cement ties KUALA LUMPUR: Kuwait’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia, Dhrar Nasser Al-Tuwaijri, held talks with the Cambodian Minister of Cults and Religious Affairs, Min Khin, aimed at boosting relations between the two Asian nations.

In statements yesterday, Tuwaijri said the meeting is a part of a series of official

activities and meetings to discuss with senior Cambodian officials on the means to strengthen mutual relations in various fields. He revealed that the Cambodian minister has praised Kuwait’s support to some charitable projects in his country, particularly the recent project of building a big Islamic center for the sizable Muslim minority at the capital. — KUNA

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

local

Four-member bedoon gang arrested for kidnap in Kabd Maid tries to commit suicide KUWAIT: Quick police response helped save a young man from sexual assault following his kidnap ordeal recently in Kabad. Patrol officers had been looking for a vehicle described in an emergency call as used by four suspects in kidnapping a man in the area. Police were able to locate the car and arrest the bedoon (stateless) suspects in time before they assaulted the victim who reportedly has gender identity disorder.

Investigations revealed that one of the suspects is a wanted man.

Driver falls to death Officials have launched an investigation to uncover the circumstances behind the death of a man who fell off a height in Saad AlAbdullah recently. The Asian driver succumbed to his injuries inside the ambulance minutes before reaching Jahra Hospital.

Paramedics and police rushed to the scene following a report about a man falling from a height at his sponsor’s house. A case has been filed at the area’s police station.

Suicide attempt A domestic worker was hospitalized fol-

lowing a suicide attempt in Jabriya recently.

Paramedics and police rushed to an apartment building in the area where the Asian woman was reported falling off from a fourth floor. The woman was admitted inside the intensive care unit of the Mubarak Hospital. A suicide investigation has been opened at the Jabriya police station.

Serviceman saves life A National Guard officer saved a driver’s life recently near Khaitan after jumping to help him out of his burning car following an accident. The victim had lost consciousness following the collision that set his car on fire.

The officer identified as Ghazi Al-Otaibi from the National Guard, rushed to take him out of the car and called the police. The victim was rushed to Farwaniya Hospital while some firefighters put out the flames.

Man turns addict son in A Kuwaiti man reported his son to the police after growing too desperate of helping him to stop his drug addiction. The youngster was arrested inside the family’s house in AlQasr. The man gave police the address and

allowed the security officers to take away his son. The young man was found in possession of some drug kits.

Man stabbed in fight A man was hospitalized with severe bleeding after he stopped for help in front of Farwaniya police station recently. Security officers had approached a vehicle that was honking repeatedly, only to find out that the driver was bleeding heavily. After he was rushed to Farwaniya Hospital, the Kuwaiti man explained that he sustained the injuries during a fight. Investigations are underway in search for the suspects.

Fugitive ‘disappears’ Search is currently ongoing for a man who infiltrated through Al-Salmi border checkpoint out of the country despite his travel ban. The Bangladeshi man was among the Asian workers in a bus heading for an Omrah trip funded by their company. Officers realized he was actually blacklisted after being deported five years ago but before they could put him under arrest, the suspect reportedly disappeared in the dusty weather.

NBK’s grand prize McLaren at Kuwait airport KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) is showcasing the astonishing 2012 McLaren MP4-12C, its summer campaign grand prize, at Kuwait international airport for the public to view and inspect the fine details of this fascinating super car. NBK offers its cardholders the chance to win the 2012 McLaren MP4-12C as well as up to KD 180,000 in cash prizes in its annual summer campaign. This exciting promotion is valid until Sept 15.

NBK cardholders can earn unlimited chances throughout the summer to enter the three draws and stand the chance to win up to KD 180,000 in cash prizes in addition to the grand prize draw for the 2012 McLaren MP412C. For every KD 20 spent in Kuwait with NBK Credit or Prepaid Cards, cardholders will earn

one chance to enter the draws. Cardholders can triple their chances by using their NBK Credit, Prepaid and Debit Card abroad or by shopping on international sites. 18 winners will have their spending on their NBK Cards reimbursed up to a value of KD 10,000. NBK cards are accepted worldwide and are the safest, most convenient and rewarding way to pay. For more information log onto nbk.com, contact Hala Watani on 1801801 or visit your nearest branch. The new McLaren MP4-12C is one of the world’s most critically acclaimed luxurious supercars with its astonishing design that combines elegance and exquisiteness. Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive is the sole dealer of McLaren Automotive Ltd. and the exclusive importer of BMW Group vehicles in Kuwait.

Kuwaiti judiciary delegation visits Netherlands THE HAGUE: An 11-member delegation from Kuwait comprising judiciary officials, lawyers, academics, and representatives of civil society concluded a week-long visit to Netherlands yesterday which was aimed at promoting cooperation between the judiciary and civil society of the two countries.

The Kuwait delegation got acquainted with the Dutch judicial system and exchanged views and experiences on the working of the judicial system and civil societies in the two countries, members of the delegation said.

The Kuwaiti delegation was invited by an NGO called “Bridging the Gulf ” which is based in the Netherlands, Hajir Jasim Al Hajri, a public prosecutor said. She has compiled a

working paper on the role of women in judiciary a copy of which she presented to the NGO. They visited various institutions in the Netherlands including the supreme judiciary council as well as administrative and appeals courts and also attended a number of sittings in different courts.

“We profited a lot from this visit in the fields of judiciary, culture and academics and will convey this to the responsible authorities in Kuwait,” Al-Hajri noted.

They also held a photo session in one of the courts in the Hague in which Al-Hajri sat as the first Kuwaiti and Arab public prosecutor. Dr Mohammad Al Faili, professor of constitutional law at Kuwait university said that

the NGO “Bridging the Gulf “ is focusing on ties between Europe and the Gulf.

“The visit has various aims.

The first aim is to get acquainted with the experiences of the Dutch side in the fields of law, human rights, development of international relations which allows the Kuwaiti side to determine cooperation in more practical terms,” he said.

But also the Dutch side was informed about the views of the Kuwaiti side in the fields of cooperation. Moreover, it also helped in determining the programs of cooperation between the two sides, said the Kuwait professor.

What is important here is that the initiative came from civil society from the Dutch and Kuwaiti side, he added. Judge

Jasim Al-Dashti said the visit was “a great success” in gathering experience.

He said they learnt about the latest and important developments in the Dutch judiciar y through the visits to the courts and to the training institutes in particular the one focusing on cooperation in international judiciary.

The Dutch side presented their experiences and views and it was proposed that through the Kuwait ambassador in the Hague the judiciar y cooperation between Netherlands and Kuwait would be promoted, he said.

Meanwhile, Kuwait’s ambassador to the Netherlands Hafeez AlAjmi hosted a lunch in honor of the visiting Kuwaiti delegation at his residence. — KUNA

Wataniya Telecom presents Galaxy S III at competitive prices KUWAIT: Wataniya brings the latest in Android technology to its customers with the best and most awaited Samsung Galaxy S III. Stemming from its desire to always launch products and deliver services that are at par with international standards, Wataniya has launched a smartphone that understands you.

The Samsung Galaxy S III is the third generation of the popular Galaxy S product line, which features Google’s Android operating system. The Galaxy S line of smartphones has become the main rival to other smartphones, making its availability on shelves the most awaited event today.

The Samsung Galaxy S III has unique and advanced features such as the 4.8 inches Super AMOLED capacitive touch screen which offers more clarity and richer colors compared to its predecessors, along with an 8 MP cam-

era. The S III also recognizes voice command with S Voice, and S Beam allows you to share pictures by simply touching it to another S III. Wataniya Telecom offers its

Abdolaziz Al-Balool postpaid customers this device at competitive prices through installments. It is also available to cash buyers starting today at all Wataniya branches around Kuwait

and at Fono as well. Commenting on this new device Abdolaziz AlBalool, public relations director at Wataniya stated that “Wataniya strives to continuously provide its customers with the best through its services and products and meeting their expectations.”

He added saying “Subsequent to the successful launch of the latest different smartphones, today, we introduce the Galaxy S III so that our customers can stay connected to the latest in communication technology”.

Al-Balool concluded saying, “We will continue to spare no efforts in order to be leaders when offering high quality products and services to our customer base, as they are our number one priority.”

The Samsung Galaxy S III is available at all Wataniya stores in Marble White and Pebble Blue colors along with a variety of other Android and BlackBerry offers.

Kuwait reviews anti-tobacco experience in WHO assembly GENEVA: The Kuwaiti delegation to the 65th session of the World Health Organization’s general assembly has offered a presentation about the Kuwaiti efforts to reduce smoking and counter tobacco promotion.

“Kuwait was pioneering in taking practical moves to control tobacco addiction,” the delegation member Dr Sami Al-Nasser said.

Al-Nasser, chief of Kuwait National Program for Tobacco Control, said an Amiri decree was issued in 1995 to protect the society from tobacco products.

“Kuwaiti Health, Commerce and Industry ministers have also imposed a ban on public areas,” he said.

Al-Nasser pointed out that Kuwait is dealing with the smoking problems from its different angles and perspectives. “ This included taking legal actions, launching awareness cam-

paigns, conducting relative studies and offering help and treatment to tobacco addicts, “ he expounded.

He added that the Health Ministry has formed the Higher Committee for Countering Tobacco and launched the National Program for Tobacco Control.

“Kuwait has also increased duties and customs tariffs on tobacco products, and will impose a ban on publishing or displaying tobacco commercials in media, “ Al-Nasser revealed.

He went on to say that “the state of Kuwait had built seven clinics specialized in treating and offering psychological support for tobacco addicts who want to quit the deadly habit.”

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco use is the second cause of death globally (after hypertension) and is currently responsible for killing one in 10

adults worldwide. Tobacco use is one of the biggest contributors to the epidemic of non-communicable diseases - such as heart attack, stroke, cancer and emphysema which accounts for 63 percent of all deaths, nearly 80 percent of which occur in low- and middle-income countries. Up to half of all tobacco users will eventually die of a tobacco-related disease.

The Sixty-fifth session of the World Health Assembly took place in Geneva from May 21 to 26. At this session, the Health Assembly discussed a number of public health issues such as universal health coverage, non-communicable diseases, mental disorders, nutrition, Millennium Development Goals, adolescent pregnancy, polio eradication, research and development, International Health Regulations, and the WHO reform process. — KUNA

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

Yemen army recapture key rebel positions Page 8

Two dead, seven hurt in Finland gunman shooting Page 9

Russia picks Medvedev to reverse slide Russia’s new power structure MOSCOW: Russia’s ruling party United Russia confirmed yesterday Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev as its new chief in a bid to reverse flagging popularity that stoked opposition protests against the Kremlin. A party congress in Moscow overwhelmingly approved by a show of hands Medvedev’s candidacy to take over from President Vladimir Putin as party leader, with no apparent opposition and no other candidate contesting the post.

Medvedev’s move to become a card-carrying party leader is a key plank in Russia’s new power structure that saw him cede the Kremlin to Putin earlier this month after serving four years as president.

In a highly-orchestrated event, Putin formally announced Medvedev ’s candidacy at central Manezh hall next to the Kremlin to the crowd of 3,000 guests and delegates.

“I consider United Russia my key ally and partner,” said Putin, dispelling speculation that the party has been sidelined by the Kremlin and could even be disbanded after it lost support in December parliamentary elections.

Putin has been the leader of the party since 2007, although curiously never joined. He decided to fully step aside in April after announcing that leading the party is inappropriate for the president.

Medvedev-who previously criticised United Russia and compared it to political stagnation of the Soviet Union’s Brezhnev era-this week formally joined the party and vowed to

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin, second right, and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, second left, attend the United Russia party annual congress in Moscow yesterday. — AP reform it from the inside.

He said during the congress the party should undergo “revolutionary” changes in order be “more understandable to people” rather than seem “imposed from above” and vowed to

cleanse it of unworthy members.

“United Russia has been in power for a considerable amount of time,” Medvedev said. “There is a factor of tiredness beginning to play out against it.” But after suggesting more

democracy in party ranks and using social networks in its work, he made clear that the party’s target was to win the next parliamentary elections in late 2016.

“In five years, when there are new

elections into the State Duma, United Russia must win,” he said to roaring applause as a Russian flag waved slowly behind him on a giant screen.

Dominating the Russian parliament since 2003, the party supported

Vladimir Putin in his second election into the presidency in 2004 and has essentially been a rubber-stamping tool of the Kremlin.

But its lavish congresses, unattainable campaign promises and adulation of Russia’s executive leaders earned it comparisons with the Soviet-era Communist party that monopolised political life in the country for decades.

Last year the opposition waged a campaign ahead of the parliamentary polls asking voters to cast their ballots for any party but United Russia, dubbing it the “party of crooks and thieves” and inundating Internet blogs with videos and posters discrediting the faction.

A growing popular perception of United Russia as arrogant and corrupt fuelled the protests against Putin that broke out in December over claims the parliamentary polls were marred by ballot-rigging.

Faced with loss of popularity of the majority party, Putin created a new coalition, the All-Russia People’s Front, which he relied on in his presidential campaign. United Russia received only 49.3 percent of the popular vote in the December 4 elections, hanging on to more than half of the parliament seats only by a quirk of Russia’s electoral law. The party is also likely to face more resistance in regional and city elections as the notoriously disjointed opposition learns to better mobilise over the Internet, even holding primaries to select unified candidates. —AFP

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

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

Kidnapped Lebanese Shiite pilgrims ‘not in Turkey’ ANKARA: A group of Lebanese Shiite pilgrims kidnapped in Syria and said by Lebanese authorities to have reached Turkey are not in the country after all, a Turkish diplomatic source said yesterday.

“These people are not on Turkish territory. I think there has been some confusion,” the source told AFP on condition of anonymity. The 13 pilgrims, who were snatched in northern Syria earlier this week, were reported as having arrived in Turkey on Friday by Lebanese Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil.

But on yesterday, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib

Mikati said in a statement he was postponing a visit to Turkey following “information indicating that contacts and efforts to free the Lebanese still continue”.

Doubts about the pilgrims’ whereabouts first emerged a few hours after Khalil’s announcement when Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said the group’s return to Lebanon had been delayed over “logistics”.

“They are well but there is a delay due to logistical problems,” Charbel said, adding: “Maybe they are being debriefed (by Turkish authorities).” But an Istanbul-based member of the opposition Syrian National Council told

AFP he had information indicating that the pilgrims had never entered Turkey.

“As far as we know, the Lebanese abductees have not entered Turkey, as of noon Saturday,” he said, asking not to be identified. Mikati added to the confusion on Saturday saying he had cancelled a visit to Turkey.

“It was decided that I would visit Turkey today to express my thanks following the assumption that the Lebanese citizens had been freed,” Mikati said. “But since this has been delayed, I decided to postpone the visit.”

Mikati’s office declined to elaborate on the fate of the

missing Lebanese. Lebanon’s state news agency NNA said Tuesday the 13 had been abducted in northern Syria as they made their way home from a pilgrimage in Iran and accused the rebel Free Syrian Army of having kidnapped them.

But the rebel army denied the claim and said it was making “every effort” to locate and release the pilgrims.

The abduction followed deadly clashes in Lebanon between supporters and opponents of the Syrian regime, amid fears that the crisis in Syria would spill over into Lebanon. — AFP

Yemen army recapture key rebel positions At least 62 militants killed

PARIS: Princess Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa (2nd R), wife of Bahrain’s king and Bishop Camillo Ballin, Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia (3rd R) take part in a rally marking the Freedom Palm Day (La Palme De La Liberte) in front of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral in Paris, yesterday. The Freedom Palm Day, in which Bahrain participates as the guest of honour, is dedicated to promoting religious freedoms. — AFP

ADEN: The Yemeni army battled al Qaeda-linked militants deep inside Zinjibar yesterday, recapturing key positions in the rebel-held southern city and killing at least 62 Islamist fighters, a military official said.

The official said four government soldiers died and four were wounded in the fighting, part of an offensive that began earlier this month to uproot Islamist militants from southern Yemen. He said many of the dead militants were Somalis. Al Qaeda-linked Ansar al-Sharia (Partisans of Islamic Law)have exploited last year’s popular protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s 33-years in office and captured swathes of territory in the province of Abyan, including the provincial capital Zinjibar.

The expansion of the militants’ area of control has unsettled the United States and Saudi

Arabia, both targets of failed attacks by Yemen’s al Qaeda wing which earlier this week claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Sanaa on Monday that killed more than 100 soldiers.

Both countries have been pushing new Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Hadi Mansour, who took over after Saleh stepped down in February, to unite the army and roll back the militants’ gains.

Washington considers Yemen’s al Qaeda wing, which has attracted foreign fighters from places such as Somalia and Saudi Arabia, the network’s most active cell.

Yemeni forces last week recaptured parts of the strategic city of Zinjibar and fought militants in the city of Jaar, another militant stronghold, leaving 33 militants and nine soldiers dead.

The Yemeni military official said eight soldiers

Islamists disrupt Algeria parliament opening ALGIERS: Dozens of opposition lawmakers walked out of the first session of Algeria’s new parliament yesterday, condemning alleged fraud in this month’s elections. The 49 members of the three-party Green Algeria Alliance (AVV), a moderate Islamist coalition, led the boycott, waving protest placards before quitting the chamber immediately after the rollcall of newly-elected deputies.

They were followed out of the chamber by 28 lawmakers from the Political Front for the Safeguard of Democracy, a grouping formed after the results of the May 10 poll were announced, including parties which failed to win seats.As the remainder of the 462-seat house dominated by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s ruling National Liberation Front (FLN) went on to elect its new speaker, the 24 deputies of the extreme-left Workers’ Party left before the vote, saying it did not concern them.

The chamber chose its oldest member, FLN veteran Larbi Ould Khelifa, 74, to chair its proceedings by a show of hands with no other candidates standing. Condemning “a return to the era of single party rule”, the AVV said in a statement: “We decided to withdraw from the first session of the National Assembly and protest officially against the results of the ballot.”

Lakhdar Benkhelaf of the Islamist Front for Justice and Development, one of the parties in the Political Front for the Safeguard of Democracy, said the boycott of parliament was “a question of principle.”

The AVV, which had confidently predicted victory in the election, alleged fraud after it won fewer than 50 seats. On Thursday, the constitutional council accepted only 13 of the 167 appeals filed after the poll, yielding minor changes in the breakdown of seats.

The FLN saw its tally reduced to 208 from 221, while Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia’s

ALGIERS: Members of the Alliance for Green Algeria (AVV) hold placards which translate as “Denounce the fraud” during the first meeting of the new Algerian National Assembly in Algiers yesterday, as a mark of protest against the outcome of the May 10 polls. — AFP

National Rally for Democracy lost two seats but remains in second spot with 68 lawmakers, forming a comfortable majority with the FLN. The AVV was deprived of one seat but allocated another three, making its total 49, while the Socialist Forces Front, Algeria’s oldest opposition party that returned to the electoral fray this year after a 10-year boycott, saw

its tally rise to 27.

The main beneficiary of the constitutional council’s redistribution was the Workers Party, which reached the legal threshold to form a parliamentary group. Opposition parties and other critics argue that the results announced by the interior ministry and confirmed by the constitutional council have little correlation with reality. — AFP

Palestinian shot in West Bank clash NABLUS: A Palestinian was shot and wounded yesterday in clashes with Jewish settlers from the hardline Yitzhar settlement in the northern West Bank, witnesses and an

AFP journalist said. Dozens of settlers, some of them armed, set alight to a field of grain and to olive trees in Orif village near the settlement, the sources said. Some fired at

WEST BANK: Israeli soldiers stop a foreign peace activist from advancing during a protest against settlement expansion on Palestinian land in the Beit Omar village, north of the West Bank city of Hebron yesterday. — AFP

Palestinian villagers, one of whom was gravely wounded and taken to hospital.

Israeli soldiers then arrived and made the settlers go back to Yitzhar. The area has seen regular clashes between Palestinian residents and people from Yitzhar, considered to be a bastion of extremist Jewish settlers. On Monday, the Israeli military said it had begun an inquiry into an incident that was exposed by two video clips in which troops appeared to stand by without intervening as settlers shot at Palestinians.

Last Saturday’s incident took place during stone-throwing clashes between settlers from Yitzhar and Palestinian villagers from Asira al-Qibliya near Nablus. The footage, which shows a Palestinian being shot by two settlers in the presence of at least three soldiers, was captured by a volunteer for the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem.

The apparent indifference of the soldiers was widely covered by the Israeli press and was condemned by the Palestinian government in Ramallah. In response, the army said troops had arrived at the scene to break up a violent confrontation in which both sides were throwing stones at each other.

In one video clip, two settlers with M-16 assault rifles can be seen opening fire at a stone-thrower in a green shirt who collapses after being hit in the head. In the second clip recorded from a different angle, a third settler can be seen firing with a pistol towards the stonethrowers as three soldiers stand close by doing nothing. — AFP

were killed yesterday when a road-side bomb ripped through their vehicle near Jaar. In Zinjibar, troops had found the bodies of 25 militants killed in earlier clashes, he said.

American intelligence and counter-terrorism officials say their ability to conduct operations against AQAP inside Yemen has improved significantly since President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi replaced Ali Abdullah Saleh on Feb 25.

US officials say it has become easier to get men and equipment into Yemen for operations, allowing these to expand significantly, notably via drone strikes. Also yesterday, a Saudi Arabian diplomat kidnapped by al Qaeda militants in Yemen urged the Saudi king to meet his captors’ demand for the release of women prisoners, in a video message posted on the Internet yesterday. — Reuters

Iraqi president calls for dialogue to solve crisis BAGHDAD: Iraq’s president yesterday urged the nation’s bickering factions to resolve the bitter political dispute that has gripped the government for nearly six months, warning that the crisis threatens to split the country.

President Jalal Talabani’s statement, posted on his website, is the latest plea for an end to the crisis that has engulfed Iraq since Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s government issued an arrest warrant for the country’s Sunni vice president in December just as the last US troops left the country.

Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish politicians have been holding meetings for weeks to discuss how to resolve the deadlock, including whether to try to push alMaliki to step down before the end of his four-year term in 2014. Al-Maliki’s critics accuse him of consolidating power and sidelining both Sunnis and Kurds, touching off a political impasse that has brought government work to a near standstill.

Already, the president of Iraq’s northern self-rule Kurdish region has said he will hold a popular referendum on whether to secede if the deadlock is not solved by local elections set for September. “I am firmly convinced of the seriousness of the current circumstances which require that we speed up efforts to sit at the table of constructive and fraternal dialogue,” said Talabani, a Kurd, whose post is largely ceremonial.

Otherwise, he said, the crisis “could lead to growing tensions and exacerbate the risks and problems.” Talabani in the past has played the role of a media-

tor in Iraq’s frequent political disputes.

The political threat to al-Maliki has shifted over several months, and it’s not clear whether parliament will force the vote to oust him. The prime minister on Saturday issued his own plea for talks, saying “dialogue and clarity is what can bring good.”

“The dialogue should be objective and on the basis of acceptance of others,” al-Maliki said in a statement issued on his website. “Because (opposing) lineups do not bring any good to Iraq.”

After his political alliance fell short of winning the most seats in parliament to a secular but Sunni-dominated coalition in 2010 elections, al-Maliki kept his job only by cobbling together enough support from Kurdish leaders and hardline Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, his longtime rival.

But over the last two years, al-Sadr has shifted to the ranks of the prime minister’s Kurdish and Sunni critics, who complain that the government is corrupt and is not doing enough to provide jobs and public services like electricity for Iraqis.

Experts fear the political impasse will strain already simmering tensions and ignite more violence. On Saturday, a roadside bomb killed three Iraqi soldiers in Badoush, a town in northern Iraq, two security officials said.

Badoush is about 20 kilometers (12 miles) northwest of Mosul, Iraq’s thirdlargest city and a former al-Qaeda stronghold. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information. — AP

Tunisian Salafi Islamists riot, clash with police TUNIS: Hundreds of Salafi Islamists attacked bars and shops and clashed with security forces in a Tunisian town yesterday in the latest incident to raise religious tensions in the home of the Arab Spring uprisings.

Police and witnesses in the northwestern town of Jendouba said hundreds of Salafis - followers of a puritanical interpretation of Islam - began rioting to protest the arrest of four men in connection with previous attacks on alcohol vendors.

Police responded with tear gas, breaking up the crowd, but clashes had yet to die down, witnesses and police said. “ This morning, four men were arrested in connection with attacks on alcohol vendors in recent days,” Interior Ministry official Lutfi al-Haydari told Reuters.

“So hundreds of Salafis attacked the security base, pelting it with rocks and petrol bombs before they were dispersed by tear gas. They also set fire to a police station and attacked three shops in the town ... they are now in the centre of town and are being dealt with.”

He said police had fanned out across Jendouba to protect shops and public buildings from attack. One witness in the town said the rioters numbered about 500 and were armed with petrol bombs, terrifying residents.

“Masked Salafis armed with swords, petrol bombs and rocks attacked shops in the town and destroyed the goods inside and then set fire to the police

station,” said the witness, who declined to give her name, fearing a backlash from the Salafis. “The whole town is in a state of alarm and fear because of these clashes.”

The incident comes a week after Salafis fought with alcohol vendors in the central town of Sidi Bouzid, prompting the justice minister to promise they would be punished. Many Salafi Islamists were in jail or underground before the 2011 uprising that ousted secular strongman Zine alAbidine Ben Ali. But they have since become more assertive.

While Islamists did not play a major role in the revolt, the struggle over the role of religion in government and society has since emerged as the most divisive issue in Tunisia, which for decades was considered one of the most secular countries in the Arab world.

Ennahda, a moderate Islamist group, won Tunisia’s first elections since the revolt but formed a coalition with two non-religious parties and has promised not to ban alcohol, impose the veil or name sharia, or Islamic law, as the basis of law.

More conservative Salafis want a broader role for Islam, however, alarming secular elites who fear they will seek to impose their views and undermine Tunisia’s nascent democracy.

Since the revolution, violent incidents involving Salafis have increased.

Salafis have attacked a television station and a cinema that aired films they deemed blasphemous. — Reuters

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

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

History behind sobs in South African courtroom JOHANNESBURG: A lifetime ago, a young black South African student was on trial with 21 other suspects accused by the white racist government of treason, terrorism and working for the African National Congress.

This week Gcina Malindi, one of the suspects who is now a lawyer, is representing the ANC and its president in one of the most closely watched trials in the brief history of democracy in South Africa.

During a nationally televised hearing Thursday, Malindi broke down in tears, later saying he had been overcome by memories of the apartheid era. It was a wrenching demonstration that the past and its racial divides are close to the surface in South Africa, even as its citizens struggle to build a future together.

The case Malindi is arguing, recessed indefinitely after opening Thursday, might seem to have little to do with race. It pits two rights guaranteed by the constitution against each other. President Jacob Zuma is asking the High Court to issue an order that the display of a painting depicting his genitals violates his constitutional right to dignity. The gallery and the artist Zuma named in his suit counter that freedom of expression, also protected by the constitution, is at stake. Two men had walked into the Goodman Gallery Tuesday and defaced the portrait with paint, saying later they were acting to defend Zuma. The gallery then removed the painting and closed indefinitely. The case nonetheless continues, raising important constitutional issues as well as fueling debates about race, class and culture.

During Thursday’s hearings, Neels Claassen, one of three presiding judges, challenged Malindi on the question of race. The judge asked why, in court papers, Malindi had argued that the artist’s depiction of Zuma was akin to a “colonial attack on the

black culture of this country.” The soft-spoken Malindi, who is black, told Claasen, who is white, that art experts who defended the painting were arguing from the perspective of South Africa’s white, educated elite. Malindi said that in a country

JOHANNESBURG: In this photo taken May 24, 2012, advocate Gcina Malindi leaves the Johannesburg High Court where he appeared for South African President Jacob Zuma in a case to have a portrait of Zuma removed from a gallery and websites. Malinda broke down and cried during proceeding saying that he had been overcome by memories of the apartheid era. —AP divided by education and culture, the court should take into account not just the opinions of a “super class” of art experts, but also the views of the many black South Africans, denied education under apartheid, who are angered and humiliated by the

painting’s message. His argument drew murmurs of approval in the packed courtroom from onlookers who included two of Zuma’s children and several high-ranking ANC leaders.

Brett Murray, the artist, also raised race, in an affidavit presented to the court. Murray, who is white, said he produced anti-apartheid posters and other materials as an artist before white rule ended in 1994. “I am not a racist,” Murray said. Murray said the intention of his more recent work is to express a sense of betrayal that some post-apartheid leaders were greedy or corrupt. He also said that details of Zuma’s sex life had become part of the public debate in South Africa.

Zuma, 70, has been married six times - he currently has four wives, as his Zulu culture allows. He has 21 children, and acknowledged in 2010 that he fathered a child that year with a woman who was not among his wives. In court Thursday, the debate, in measured lawyerly language, moved from race and class to what the court could do in the face of the wide dissemination of the painting on the internet. Claassen quoted a British ruling in another case that said trying to control what’s on the Internet would make the legal system appear “an a...” Malindi responded that the law in South Africa, its 1996 constitution, had been earned at great cost. He said that while many of the rights the constitution enshrined - to clean water, housing - had yet to be realized by the majority of South Africans. But “the law is not an a..,” he said.

Then, he sank into his seat in sobs that could be heard throughout the courtroom. In the 1980s, when he was accused of treason, Malindi was represented and befriended by George Bizos, Nelson Mandela’s lawyer. In his memoir, Bizos recalls another moment when Malindi was reduced to tears in

court. On trial, Malindi was describing the impact of apartheid on black families. His father could not get permission to live and work in the city where his family lived in a shack, only allowed to visit his family for 72 hours at a time. Malindi, wiping away tears with his hand, recalled on the witness stand that when he was nine years old, he once tried to save his father from arrest by denying he knew who he was.

“I know him well,” Bizos said in an interview Friday. “He’s a friend. I am the godfather of his eldest daughter. He’s a sensitive man. “I wonder whether what happened to him in the witness stand came to mind” in court on Thursday, Bizos said.

Malindi told reporters after he had regained his composure Thursday that he regretted breaking down, and did not want to speak about it in detail.

He did say, though, that he had been affected by apartheid memories.

Bizos said the judge showed little sympathy for Malindi during what became known as the Delmas Treason Trial. The legal proceedings dragged on from 1985 to 1989, Bizos recalled. It was a period of turmoil and violence in South Africa, and the trial drew international attention.

Malindi was convicted, sentenced to five years and sent to Robben Island. A year later, the convictions were overturned on appeal and Malindi and the others convicted were released.

Bizos said Malindi was encouraged to study law by his wife, then an attorney and now a judge, and other lawyers. Many people denied opportunity under apartheid went on to careers in law, medicine and other professions in post-apartheid South Africa, Bizos said. He said that showed how far apartheid’s architects “misjudged the indigenous people of the country.” — AP

Two dead, seven hurt in Finland gunman shooting Police arrest 18-year-old man, motive unclear

VATICAN: Pope Benedict XVI puts a neckerchief of the Renewal in Spirit movement on his neck past monsignor Georg Gaenswein and the movement’s president Salvatore Martinezis, right, during his audience to followers in St. Peter’s square at the Vatican, yesterday. The Vatican has confirmed yesterday that the pope’s butler Paolo Gabriele was arrested in an embarrassing leaks scandal. — AP

Vatican confirms pope’s butler arrested in scandal VATICAN CITY: The Vatican confirmed yesterday that the pope’s butler had been arrested in its embarrassing leaks scandal, adding a Hollywood twist to an already remarkable tale of power struggles, intrigue and corruption in the highest levels of Catholic Church governance.

Paolo Gabriele, a layman who lives inside Vatican City, was arrested Wednesday with secret documents in his possession and was being held yesterday, the Vatican spokesman the Rev Federico Lombardi said in a statement.

Gabriele is often seen by the pope’s side in public, riding in the front seat of the pontiff’s open air jeep during the pope’s general audiences. Lombardi said Gabriele had two lawyers representing him as the Vatican judicial system takes its investigative course.

The “Vatileaks” scandal has seriously embarrassed the Vatican, at a time in which it is trying to show the world financial community that it has turned a page and shed its reputation as a scandal plagued tax haven. Vatican documents leaked to the press in recent months have undermined that effort, alleging corruption in Vatican finance as well as internal bickering over the Holy See’s efforts to show more transparency in its financial operations. But perhaps most critically, the leaks have seemed aimed at one main goal: to discredit Pope Benedict XVI’s No. 2, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state.

The scandal took on even greater

weight last week with the publication of “His Holiness,” a book which reproduced confidential letters and memos to and from Benedict and his personal secretary. The Vatican called the book “criminal” and vowed to take legal action against the author, publisher, and whoever leaked the documents.

The Vatican had already warned of legal action against the author, Italian journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi, after he broadcast letters in January from the former No. 2 Vatican administrator to the pope in which he begged not to be transferred for having exposed alleged corruption that cost the Holy See millions of euros in higher contract prices. The prelate, Monsignor Carlo Maria Vigano, is now the Vatican’s US ambassador.

Nuzzi, author of “Vatican SpA,” a 2009 volume laying out shady dealings of the Vatican bank based on leaked documents, said he was approached by sources inside the Vatican with the trove of new documents, most of them of fairly recent vintage and many of them painting Bertone in a negative light. At a press conference this week, Nuzzi defended the publication and said he wasn’t afraid of the Vatican.

In a related case, the president of the Vatican’s bank, Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, was ousted on Thursday by his board. Sources close to the investigation said he too had been found to have leaked documents, though the official reason for his ouster was that he had failed to do his job. —AP

Lawyers suspect Kenyan police in terror abduction NAIROBI: Human rights officials have accused the Kenyan police of eliminating suspected terrorists after armed men dragged a terror suspect out of a car. He was the third terror suspect to be abducted since April.

Lawyer Mbugua Mureithi said Friday that Sylvester Opiyo, also known as Musa Osodo, is the “usual suspect” in terrorrelated investigations. Opiyo was abducted by armed men Wednesday after the car he was traveling in with five other people broke down in western Kenya, Mureithi said. Police have denied they are holding him.

“When the police begin to say we are not holding that person, that is a very dangerous sign. People are never seen again when police say they don’t know where the suspects are,” Mureithi said.

“Who has the audacity to abduct people where there are witnesses?” Mbugua asked. Two terror suspects were abducted by armed men on the Kenyan coast last month. One was found dead two days later, mutilated. The other man has not

been found. Police spokesman Eric Kiraithe said Friday the allegation that police are responsible for executions and abductions “is the work of fiction.”

The three abductions are not the first time Kenyan police have been accused of extra-judicial actions against security threats. In 2007 the government-funded Kenya National Commission For Human Rights documented the executions and forced disappearances of more than 500 youths associated with a gang known for beheading its victims and running extortion rackets.Al-Amin Kimathi of the Muslim Human Rights Forum said a pattern is forming where suspects last seen in police custody disappear without a trace.

“I don’t doubt that he was taken by the police. I am fearing that this may be a forced disappearance,” he said.Kimathi in 2007 exposed the extraordinary rendition of about 150 terror suspects to secret jails in Ethiopia where they were being interrogated by Western security agents, including the CIA.—AP

HELSINKI: Police arrested yesterday an 18-year-old man suspected of killing two people and wounding seven others in a shooting targeting restaurants packed with teenagers in southern Finland.

The gunman had opened fire around 1:53 am (2253 GMT) from a rooftop in the centre of Hyvinkaa, a city about 50 kilometres (31 miles) north of the capital Helsinki, aiming at two restaurants outside which many young people had gathered, police said.

An 18-year-old woman was killed on the spot while eight others were injured, including two seriously. One of the casualties, also 18, later died in hospital from his injuries.

A police officer aged 23 was also wounded as she left her vehicle after arriving at the scene, a police spokesman said.

Eyewitness Jani Kuronen told public television YLE that “shooting erupted suddenly.”

“People starting running. One person had a horrible wound on the face. I called an ambulance,” said the man in his 20s.

Another witness, Santeri Silvenoinen, said he heard the gunshots and “then looking around me, I saw a woman lying on the ground and I started running.”

Police did not identify the suspect, but said he was dressed in camouflage fatigues. He had no previous criminal record and did not resist his arrest close to

HYVINKAA: A body covered with a sheet lies on the street in Hyvinkaa, Finland, yesterday. A gunman in southern Finland has killed two persons and wounded seven others in what appeared to be a random shooting, police said yesterday. — AP Hyvinkaa, a city of 45,000 inhabi- confirm anything.” dent who went on a murderous tants.

The spokesman told AFP how- rampage at a school at Kauhajoki Three firearms were seized ever that police did not believe in the southwest killed 10 people from the suspect, who was not in that the gunman knew his vic- before turning his gun on himpossession of any gun permits, tims. self. said police.

Hyvinkaa mayor Raimo Lahti In a similar incident on Asked about the gunman’s told YLE that the whole town was November 7, 2007 at Jokela, not motives, police spokesman Satu in shock. Finland has in recent far from Hyvinkaa, an 18-year-old Koivo said that an investigation years been hit by several cases of killed seven classmates and the was ongoing and that “for the deadly shootings by teenagers. headmistress then shot himself in moment, it was not possible to On September 23, 2008, a stu- the head.— AFP

Greek conservatives regain lead ATHENS: Greece’s conservative New Democracy party has regained an opinion poll lead that would allow the formation of a pro-bailout government committed to keeping the country in the euro zone, a batch of new surveys showed yesterday.

Greece was forced to call repeat elections for June 17 after a May 6 vote left parliament divided evenly between groups of parties that support and oppose the austerity conditions attached to a 130 billion euro bailout agreed with the

European Union and International Monetary Fund in March. Polls up to Saturday had showed pro- and anti-bailout parties running neckand-neck ahead of the vote, which could determine the country’s future in the single currency.

But the five new polls published in the country’s weekend press showed New Democracy, which supports the bailout, gaining a lead of between 0.5 and 5.7 points over the anti-bailout leftist SYRIZA party. SYRIZA has said it would ditch the country’s bailout

ATHENS: A homeless Afghan stands next to a washing line, under a rail bridge in central Athens on Friday. Most Greek parties have promised to crack down on illegal immigration, in campaigning ahead of June 17 general elections in the crisis-hit country. — AP

deal, that has led to record unemployment and severe wage cuts.

But the country’s lenders such as Germany have warned that if the country took such a step, they would cut its funding. That would lead to a chaotic bankruptcy and possibly force the country to leave the euro. New Democracy would get between 25.6 percent and 27.7 percent of the vote if the election was held today, according to the polls by Eleftheros Typos/Pulse, Proto Thema/Alco, Real News/MRB, To Vima/Kapa and Ethnos/MARC. SYRIZA was in a range of 20.1 and 26 percent.

According to the Pulse and MARC polls, New Democracy and the next-biggest pro-bailout party, the Socialist PASOK, would win combined a parliamentary majority of between 11 and 16 seats in the country’s 300-seat parliament.

The new readings came after conservative leaders Antonis Samaras launched a scathing attack on SYRIZA, accusing his rivals of flirting with disaster by promising voters that Greece can ditch the bailout without risking a chaotic exit from the euro. “If Greece unilaterally rejects the bailout deal it will be isolated for years ... it will have no food, no drugs, no fuel. It will have to live with permanent power cuts,” Samaras told party faithful in a rally. Responding to Samaras, SYRIZA reiterated its opposition to the

bailout. “It would mean new wage and pension cuts, new public sector firings, soaring unemployment and shuttered shops,” the party said in a statement.

The failure of New Democracy and PASOK - who have together dominated Greek politics for decades - to win a pro-bailout majority on May 6, and the success of SYRIZA which came second, sent shockwaves through Europe.

Greek election rules give the party that comes first an automatic bonus of 50 seats in the 300-seat parliament, so even a slim advantage could play a decisive role in determining which party forms the next government.

Analysts said New Democracy’s lead was precarious. “These polls show that people got scared from SYRIZA’s lead in previous surveys,” said political analyst John Loulis.

SYRIZA might find it easier to make inroads into the undecided voters, who are less likely to be swayed by fear from a euro exit, Loulis said. “This is still a very tight race. New Democracy has a small advantage but whoever called them favorites would be dead wrong,” Loulis added.

Polls since the May 6 election have shown SYRIZA, New Democracy and PASOK improving their performance at the expense of fringe parties. The share of undecided voters is also steadily declining. — Reuters

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

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

Oregon police find mother of 3 abandoned kids PORTLAND: The mother of three young children abandoned in a Portland shed was found by police on Friday, a day after the kids were taken to safety. Authorities did not immediately identify the mother or say why the boy and two girls were left in a shed next to a vacant house in southeast Portland. Lt. Robert King, a police spokesman, said investigators were questioning the mother and no other

information was expected to be released.

He said a tip from the public led police to the woman shortly after noon Friday. She was in Portland. The whereabouts of the mother had been a mystery since Thursday morning, when a neighbor called authorities to report hearing voices at the vacant house that is popular with homeless people. When officers investigated,

the squatters told them there were three small children there, and they had been abandoned by a woman the night before.

Another neighbor, Judy Baxter, 65, said that when police officers and social services workers arrived, they gave stuffed toys to the kids, all of whom appeared to be younger than age 4 . The youngest child, a girl Baxter estimated to be about 9 months old,

was carried out of the house by an officer.

“They were sure little cuties,” Baxter told The Associated Press. “It’s just so sad for the kids,” she said. “I won’t tell you what they need to do to her (the mother).” Baxter is the former owner of the vacant house - the property on which the shed is located - and lives across from it. She sold that house in 2006.

Baxter said that Thursday morning, she saw some young people entering the gates at the unkempt house, so she called the current owner. The owner also contacted police. “I’m just glad that I’m nosy,” Baxter said.

The children were in good condition and placed in foster care, said Jodi Sher wood of the Oregon Department of Human Services told the Oregonian. — AP

Obama, Romney try to play it safe in november gamble Romney has tighter state path

NEW YORK: In this courtroom drawing, Pedro Hernandez, second right, is arraigned at Manhattan Criminal Court before Judge Matthew Sciarrino Jr., via closed circuit television from Bellevue Hospital in New York, Friday. Hernandez, who worked in a local convenience store at the time, is charged with murdering 6-year-old Etan Patz in 1979. In the lower left corner of the monitor is Hernandezís attorney, Harvey Fishbein. — AP

Man charged with murdering NYC boy NEW YORK: Thirty-three years to the day after 6-year-old Etan Patz vanished without a trace while walking to catch a school bus, a man accused of strangling him and dumping his body with the trash was arraigned on a murder charge in a locked hospital ward where he was being held as a suicide risk.

Pedro Hernandez was a teenage convenience store stock clerk at the time of the boy’s disappearance in the landmark 1979 missing-child case. Hernandez’s lawyer told the judge that his client is mentally ill and has a history of hallucinations. Hernandez, now 51, appeared in court Friday evening via video camera from a conference room at Bellevue Hospital, where he was admitted earlier in the day after making comments about wanting to kill himself.

The legal proceeding lasted only around 4 minutes. Hernandez did not speak or enter a plea, but his courtappointed lawyer, Harvey Fishbein, told the judge that his client was bipolar and schizophrenic and has a “history of hallucinations, both visual and auditory.”

A judge ordered Hernandez held without bail and authorized a psychological examination to see if he is fit to stand trial.

Hernandez was expressionless during the hearing. He wore an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs. A police officer stood behind him. The prosecutor who appeared in court, Assistant District Attorney Armand Durastanti, said it was “33 years ago today that 6-year-old Etan Patz left his home on Prince Street to catch his school bus. He has not been seen or heard from since. It’s been 33 years, and justice has not been done in this case.”

Hernandez, a churchgoing father now living in New Jersey, was arrested Thursday after making a surprise confession in a case that has bedeviled investigators and inspired dread in generations of New York City parents for three

decades.

Etan disappeared on May 25, 1979, on his two-block walk to his bus stop in Manhattan. It was the first time his parents had let him walk the route by himself.

Next to the bus stop was a convenience store, where Hernandez, then 18, worked as a clerk.

When police, acting on a tip, interviewed him this week, he said he lured Etan into the basement with a promise of a soda, choked him to death, then stuffed his body in a bag and left it with trash on the street a block away, police said. Etan’s remains were never found, even after a massive search and a media campaign that made parents afraid to let their children out of their sight and sparked a movement to publicize the cases of missing youngsters. Etan was one of the first missing children to be pictured on a milk carton.

Hernandez’s confession put investigators in the unusual position of bringing the case to court before they had amassed any physical evidence or had time to fully corroborate his story or investigate his psychiatric condition.

Police spokesman Paul Browne said investigators were retracing garbage truck routes from the late 1970s and deciding whether to search landfills for the boy’s remains, a daunting prospect.

Crime scene investigators also arrived Friday morning at the building in Manhattan’s SoHo section that once held the bodega where Hernandez worked.

Authorities were considering excavating the basement for evidence.

They were also looking into whether Hernandez has a history of mental illness or pedophilia.Browne said letting Hernandez remain free until the investigation was complete was not an option: “There was no way we could release the man who had just confessed to killing Etan Patz.” — AP

New Mexico wildfire spreads heavy smoke ALBUQUERQUE: Firefighters are battling a massive wildfire in southwestern New Mexico that has destroyed a dozen cabins and spread smoke across the state, prompting holiday weekend air-quality warnings. The fire burned early yesterday through remote and rugged terrain around the Gila Wilderness and has grown to 85,000 acres or more than 130 square miles.

The heavy smoke apparently disoriented six hikers Friday, prompting the New Mexico National Guard to carry out a rescue. Col. Michael Montoya said one of them had an injured knee and had to be taken to safety by ambulance. The others were able to walk to a secure area.

More than 500 firefighters are battling the blaze that resulted from the merger earlier this week of two lightning-sparked fires. Fire officials say nearly all of the growth has come in recent days due to relentless winds.

The blaze has destroyed 12 cabins and seven small outbuildings, and the privately owned ghost town of Mogollon was placed under a voluntary evacuation order.

The strong winds pushed ash from the blaze 35 to 40 miles away, while smoke from the giant fire spread across the state and into Arizona. The haze blocked views of the Sandia Mountains in Albuquerque, and a smell of smoke permeated the air throughout northern New Mexico. Health officials as far away as Albuquerque and Santa Fe issued alerts for the holiday weekend,

advising people to limit outdoor activities, keep windows closed. They said the effects on most people would be minor but noted mild throat and eye irritation or allergy-like symptoms could be expected. Officials warned people with heart and lung conditions to be especially diligent in minimizing their exposure to the smoky air.

Meanwhile, in Colorado, officials said heavy air tankers and thousands of firefighters were on standby Friday as fire managers kept a close watch on high winds and hot temperatures at the start of Memorial Day weekend.

Fire danger remains high in the southern Colorado foothills and the South Park area.

Two heavy air tankers have been taken to Grand Junction in western Colorado, where the fire danger is highest, US Forest Service spokesman Steve Segin said. “ We’ve got the resources. We’ve got the firefighters,” Segin said. “We’re ready.”

The National Weather Service said wind gusts could reach 70 mph yesterday in some western Colorado valleys, with sustained winds of 25 to 40 mph.

Most of eastern Colorado also was under a high-wind watch, with sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph and gusts up to 55 mph possible Saturday.

In Southern California, firefighters worked to corral a wildfire that has chewed through 3,100 acres of tinder-dry grass and light brush since it broke out Thursday afternoon east of Julian. — AP

DES MOINES: President Barack Obama faces new warning signs in a once -promising Southern state and typically Democratic-voting Midwestern states roughly five months before the election even as he benefits nationally from encouraging economic news.

Obama’s new worries about North Carolina and Wisconsin offer opportunities for Republican Mitt Romney, who must peel off states Obama won in 2008 if he’s to cobble together the 270 electoral votes needed to oust the incumbent in November.

Iowa, which kicked off the campaign in January, is now expected to be tight to the finish, while New Mexico, thought early to be pivotal, seems to be drifting into Democratic territory.

If the election were today, Obama would likely win 247 electoral votes to Romney’s 206, according to an Associated Press analysis of polls, ad spending and key developments in states, along with interviews with more than a dozen Republican and Democratic strategists both inside and outside of the two campaigns.

Seven states, offering a combined 85 electoral votes, are viewed as too close to give either candidate a meaningful advantage: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio and Virginia.

“As of today, the advantage still lies with the president, but there is a long and hard road ahead in this election,” said Tad Devine, who was a top strategist to Democratic presidential candidates Al Gore and John Kerry but isn’t directly involved in this year’s race.

If Romney wins all the states Republican John McCain carried in 2008 plus North Carolina, as trends today suggest he would, he would still need 64 electoral votes to hit the magic number. That would require him to win a majority of the states that are up for grabs. Obama, on the other hand, faces the costly and labor-intensive challenge of defending those states in a much different environment than the one he enjoyed four years ago.

Big-spending, pro-Romney political committees are certain to be a factor, and already are running heavy levels of television ads in states where Obama is vulnerable, such as Florida. But Obama’s early spending - more than $30 million on advertising before Memorial Day - and new glimmers of economic hope across the battleground states demonstrate the size of Romney’s challenge.

The race is expected to be close, and the past six weeks have been volatile.

North Carolina is a case in point. Obama announced his support for gay marriage on May 9, one day after 60 percent of North Carolina voters approved a constitutional ban.

“That issue definitely hurts him down there,” said veteran Republican presidential campaign strategist Charlie Black, a top aide to 2008 nominee McCain who’s not directly involved in this year’s race.

North Carolina’s high African American and young voter population, keys to Obama’s 2008 wins there, give him the edge, aides say.

And the president so far has spent heavily there, $2.7 million on television, according to reports provided to the AP. But Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue gave Republicans an opening by not seeking reelection this year. And union leaders, a key Democratic constituency, are upset that this summer’s Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., is being held in a state where union rights are weak.

In Wisconsin, embattled Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s improving fortunes as a contentious June 5 recall election approaches could alter that state’s landscape. Walker, who

didates have won since 1988. Bright spots are developing for Obama, too. Public polls this month showed the president narrowly ahead in Virginia, a Southern state Republicans had carried nine times before Obama won it in 2008. Obama’s advantage among Latino voters is moving New Mexico his way. Neither campaign nor the super PACs have advertised there, despite close finishes in 2000 and 2004.

Obama also has seized on new economic data that could give him a lift across the contested map. April unemployment ticked downward in all of the up-for-grabs states except Colorado as Obama and Romney have

DES MOINES: Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney greets supporters after speaking at a campaign stop in Des Moines, Iowa.

President Barack Obama faces new warning signs in a once-promising Southern state and typically Democratic-voting Midwestern states roughly five months before the election even as he benefits nationally from encouraging economic news. — AP sparked mass protests by signing anti-union legislation last year, has pulled narrowly ahead of Democratic Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in recent polls.

If Walker survives, Romney aides say they have a real chance to carry Wisconsin, which no Republican has done since Ronald Reagan in 1984.

“I don’t think there’s been any better dress rehearsal for a presidential election than what’s going on in Wisconsin right now,” said Rich Beeson, political director for the former Massachusetts governor.

Indeed, the Wisconsin recall could signal a GOP shift in an arc of states from Iowa to Pennsylvania that have reliably voted Democratic in presidential elections for a generation. “Whether Walker wins or doesn’t is going to be a big indicator of how Wisconsin goes, and how the whole upper Midwest goes,” said Iowa’s Republican Gov. Terry Branstad. Romney has signaled plans to contest Iowa, where Obama’s 2008 caucus win propelled him to the Democratic nomination.

Romney also sees opportunity in his native Michigan, where Democratic presidential can-

fought over who is best equipped to lead an economic recovery.

In Des Moines, Iowa, this month, Romney blamed Obama’s spending for the recovery’s slow pace. A week later, on the other side of town, Obama said Romney’s career as a private equity executive was more suited for the boardroom than the Oval Office.

Obama’s attack dovetails with scathing ads on Romney ’s career at the head of Bain Capital, which ran briefly in Colorado, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Virginia. They remained on the air last week in Ohio, where Obama aides say Romney’s opposition to the auto industry bailout in 2009 hurts him with workers in the region’s auto manufacturing sector.

Obama has had an edge in getting out his message. For nearly two months, his campaign has aired spots across 11 states, heaviest in Florida, Iowa, Ohio and Virginia, according to the ad-tracking reports.

Romney has only been airing ads for two weeks in four states. But super PACs that support him have helped shave Obama’s advertising edge, airing $10 million in ads across 10 states. — AP

Students challenge Quebec anti-protest law MONTREAL: Students, trade unions and community groups in Canada’s Quebec province on Friday challenged a new law regulating demonstrations after months of protests and recent mass arrests.

The emergency law was passed on May 18 in the wake of clashes between police and students fighting an 82 percent hike in tuition at universities in the French-speaking province of eight million people.

Opponents of the law say it breaches their rights of assembly and free expression. “It’s the biggest constitutional crisis in Quebec because of the number of people affected,” student leader Leo Bureau-Blouin said outside the Montreal courthouse.

Nearly 140 representatives from 25 student, environmental and community groups as well as trade unions and artists asked the Quebec Superior Court to overturn the law. “This vile law effectively muzzles, crushes, controls and dominates the student movement as well as other groups that wish to publicly express themselves,” they said in a joint statement.

Petitions to suspend the law could be considered as early as Wednesday, and to quash it in early June, student leaders said.

The government reacted by

accusing the students of hypocrisy. “It’s interesting that (the lawsuit) comes from an association that has itself not given a damn about the courts’ rulings and is now seeking redress from them,” Quebec Finance Minister Raymond Bachand said, alluding to the militant student group CLASSE. The government has accused CLASSE of inciting violence and mayhem that triggered vandalism and clashes with police in Montreal, and of ignoring injunctions against protests at schools.

Eventually, Canada’s Supreme Court could be asked to consider whether the law requiring activists to notify police ahead of demonstrations is constitutional.

Quebec Premier Jean Charest’s centrist government says the law protects the rights of students who want to attend classes, but are being prevented by picketers outside universities, by simply outlining where and when protests may occur.

But six in 10 Quebecers — 60 percent-say the law will not return peace to their streets,

MONTREAL: Canadian students stage a protest against tuition fee increases yesterday in Montreal. The Quebec government invited student groups for talks to end a three-month conflict over a planned hike in tuition. Montreal, Quebec, Canada. — AFP

according to a poll published by public broadcaster Radio-Canada.

Only 30 percent backed the law, while 10 percent had no opinion.

And nearly half — 49 percentbacked negotiations between the government and students as the best approach to put an end to more than three months of protests, according to the CROP institute poll of 1,000 Internet users.

Since the special measure was adopted, more than 1,000 protesters have been arrested-but police opted to apply municipal bylaws already on the books instead of the new emergency measure to stop people, wary that it could be overturned in court. Quebecers have taken to the streets by the thousands each night, loudly hammering on pots and pans to express their distaste for the special law they say is draconian. The so-called saucepan movement was proposed by a professor a week ago on Facebook, echoing similar protests in Chile, aiming to get around restrictions on demonstrations.

This week, the government is expected to meet with student groups in what has been described as a last-ditch effort to resolve the unrest before the start of summer festivals and a Grand Prix racing event in Montreal. — AFP

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

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

Afghan road lifelines blocked by graft, kickbacks KABUL: When the Afghan government unveiled plans for a road linking his small village to larger centres elsewhere, Rahmanullah was so enthusiastic he offered a section of his farm for the route, thinking it would help move his produce to larger markets.

He even signed up for the construction gang, earning $6 a day to help build the 28 kilometre-long route from Gardez, the capital of east Paktia province, and Rahmanullah’s home in the mountainous Mirzaki district.

But two years on and Rahmanullah’s farming land has gone and the road has largely disintegrated, along with the hopes of local people for a less hardscrabble life in a province where the insurgency offers much-needed money for fighters.

“I gave my farming field for free to the builders to give us a road and this is the result,” Rahmanullah said, glumly pointing to a cratered and crumbling surface snaking from his village.

Like other similar projects meant to build prosperity under the counterinsurgent orthodoxy that people with jobs won’t fight, the Mirzaki road fell victim to shoddy construction and kickbacks in the award of lucrative building contracts.

More than $57 billion has been spent on Afghanistan’s reconstruction since the toppling of the former Taliban government in 2001, but crit-

ics says millions of dollars have been misspent as donor aid is parachuted on to an opaque maze of local and international contractors.

Afghanistan is regularly ranked close to the bottom of countries most affected by corruption, according to the Berlin-based graft watchdog Transparency International, with donors linking ongoing aid as the war winds down to improvement in its record.

“The village people hoped the new road would help them find good markets for their vegetables and fruit, getting them there on time before they spoiled,” said Rahmanullah, who like many Afghans has one name.

According to a Paktia provincial official, the $7 million contract for construction of the Mirzaki road was given to an Afghan company named Seven Star, but was then sold on to another local contractor for less than $6 million.

Qari Fahim, Seven Star’s owner, blamed the convoluted contracting process for failing to release the money on time. “I got only 25 percent of the contract upfront. Other instalments for the rest were delayed for months. Finally I had to hand over the project to another company for less money,” Fahim told Reuters.

Another 105-km road joining Paktia to neighbouring Khost province, to

the northeast, has also been crippled by graft and kickbacks, some Afghan officials concerned about the problem say on condition of anonymity, fearing repercussions.

That contract, worth $126 million, was awarded to an Indian-based company three years ago, but it was then onsold to an Afghan contractor for $84 million. The road is still incomplete.

Visiting a half-finished part of the route, Paktia governor Juma Khan Humdard fumed at the contract skimming, which forces contractors lower on the chain to skimp on costs and build less-durable roads guaranteed to deteriorate. “There has been corruption, kickbacks. That’s why this road can’t be built,” Humdard said.

Road-building has been a major priority for President Hamid Karzai and Western backers as his government’s popularity fades over its inability to deliver the progress sought by voters in a country where a third of the 30 million population live beneath the poverty line.

The US Agency for International Development promised to build as much as 1,900 km of roads but delivered less than a tenth of that when the programme was cut last year, after U.S. taxpayers had already spent almost $270 million.

USAid did not respond to Reuters emails and phone calls. Afghan offi-

cials said while 6,700 km of road had been asphalted across Afghanistan, around 4,000 km were quickly deteriorating due to shoddy construction and graft. The problem even extends to the capital, where poor drainage and heavy winter rains and snow left many major roads choked with traffic jams and impassable.

“We need around $70 million for maintenance of poorly constructed roads built with inadequate materials,” Ahmad Shah, the deputy minister of public works, told Reuters. Azizullah Ludin, the head of the government’s anti-graft unit in Kabul, criticised civilian/military Provincial Reconstruction Teams, or PRTs, for their method of awarding contracts, which sees kickbacks go to contracting companies.

“There is no transparency in contract letting by PRTs or other foreign military units. The contracting companies take a share for themselves and then pass contracts over to others desperate to break into potentially lucrative aid contracts.

“We have a case of a $50 million contract awarded to a foreign company with no equipment or machinery, who then passed it to an Afghan company for $30 million,” Ludin said. “It’s not only Afghan companies, but foreigners. There are many such cases, not only in roads, but in almost every part of construction.”

Ludin said construction of many buildings had also been suspended due to poor quality of materials used, from schools to hospitals and government buildings. “A $9 million health clinic was built in Bamiyan province.

When we inspected it, it was found to be vulnerable to collapse because of winter snow and even small earthquakes,” he said.

The governor in volatile southern Helmand province, Gulab Mangal, said he had suspended construction of three major roads through the province last month after complaints from local villagers that they had been poorly built.

The roads were meant to connect the provincial capital Lashkar Gah to Giresk and Nawa districts, as well as the town of Marjah, where US surge troops fought one of the fiercest battles of the Afghan war in 2010.

Mangal also blamed the bidding process and said construction companies had been awarded contracts based on their family or business connections with deciding officials in Kabul, rather than their ability to deliver or any knowledge of Helmand.

“Government officials, lawmakers and even the Taliban received a share of money from those contracts,” an official told Reuters in Kabul. “There have been amounts of money involved.” — Reuters

US drone ‘kills four militants’ in Pakistan Missile attacks violate sovereignty: Pakistan

WARDAK: More than 1,500 Afghans block the highway between Kabul and Kandahar in Seed Abad, Wardak province, Afghanistan, yesterday. The protesters demanded a stop to military night operations. — AP

Afghan parliament approves US pact KABUL: Afghanistan’s parliament yesterday voted by an overwhelming majority to ratify a strategic partnership agreement with the United States signed earlier this month, lawmakers said. “We voted with a majority in favour of the strategic pact,” MP Shukria Essakhil told AFP. “Only five MPs voted against it,” she said, adding that around 190 lawmakers out of 249 were present for the open vote. Earlier this month, President Barack Obama paid a surprise visit to Kabul to sign a deal with his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai that will cement post-war ties with Kabul after 2014, when NATOled combat forces leave Afghanistan.

The pact foresees the possibility of American forces staying behind to train Afghan soldiers and pursue the remnants of Al-Qaeda but does not commit Washington to specific troop or funding levels. The pact alarmed Afghanistan’s neighbours including Iran, and lawmaker Bakhtash Seyawash said that the Islamic republic had attempted to “sabotage” the vote. “There is no doubt that Iran tried to influence the vote, but it didn’t work”, he said. “There were accusations that Iran has tried to pay millions of dollars to MPs, that is why the parliament decided to hold an open vote,” he added. “Iran’s efforts to sabotage the vote failed,” he said. Relations between Afghanistan and Iran have been strained by the strategic pact, officials said, charging that Tehran had harassed Afghan diplomats in recent weeks. Lawmakers had warned Iran to

end its “interference” in Afghanistan’s internal affairs over the pact.

On Friday, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said that the agreement was not against the national interest of any neighboring countries. “Any pact we sign is not against Iran and it’s for the stability of Afghanistan and expanding relations with” its neighbours, Karzai said.

The deal, reached after months of painstaking negotiations, also states that the United States does not seek permanent military bases in Afghanistan. There are currently around 130,000 international troops in Afghanistan and all NATO-led combat forces are due to leave by the end of 2014. But amid a rising death toll, troubled domestic economies and the increasing unpopularity of the Afghan war in many Western countries, troop withdrawals are now getting under way.

New President Francois Hollande, on a surprise visit to Kabul on Friday, defended France’s imminent exit from Afghanistan. France is set to withdraw combat troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2012, a year earlier than Paris initially planned, and two years before NATO allies.

The US-led war in Afghanistan has cost the lives of around 3,000 US and allied troops, seen thousands of Afghans killed and cost hundreds of billions of dollars. The pact is now going to be sent to the Afghan senate where it is expected to be signed as early as next week, Seyawash said. — AFP

MIRANSHAH: A US drone attack early yesterday killed at least four militants in a northwestern Pakistani tribal district bordering Afghanistan, security officials said. The attack took place at a house near Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan tribal district, a known hide-out of Taliban and Al-Qaeda linked militants, the Pakistani officials said.

“A US drone fired two missiles at a house and at least four militants were killed,” a senior security official told AFP. “The identities of the militants killed in the drone strike were not immediately known,” he said. Two other officials confirmed the attack. Residents said they were woken up by the sound of low flying aircraft and the noise of the missile strike.

“The house caught fire after missiles hit it and militants immediately cordoned off the area and were searching in the rubble,” a local tribesman told AFP, asking not to be named. Washington considers Pakistan’s semi-autonomous northwestern tribal belt the main hub of Taleban and Al-Qaeda militants plotting attacks on the West and in Afghanistan.

North Waziristan is a stronghold of the Haqqani network-Afghan insurgents blamed for a series of spectacular attacks on Western targets in Kabul-and Pakistani Taleban chief Hakimullah Mehsud. Islamabad has been resisting US pressure to launch a sweeping offensive against militants in the area.

Pakistan says the missile attacks are counterproductive, violate its sovereignty, kill civilians and fuel anti-US sentiment. It was the fifth US drone strike reported in Pakistan since parliament in March demanded an end to such attacks. Relations between the uneasy allies plunged into crisis after US air strikes killed 24 Pakistani soldiers on November 26. The incident prompted Islamabad to shut its Afghan border to NATO supplies and evict US personnel from an airbase reportedly used as a hub for drones.

Despite Pakistani criticism US officials are believed to consider the drone attacks too useful to stop them altogether. They have argued that drone strikes are a valuable weapon in the war against Al-Qaeda and other Islamist militants.

Pakistan signalled last week that it was prepared

News

in brief

Gilani will not appeal ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will not appeal his conviction for contempt because the speaker of the national assembly has not disqualified him, his lawyer said yesterday. Gilani was found guilty by the Supreme Court last month over his refusal to ask Swiss authorities to re-open corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

The court briefly-but symbolically-held the prime minister in the courtroom for his sentence, which ended as soon as the judges arose for the day after announcing the verdict. Under Pakistan’s constitution, anyone convicted of defaming or ridiculing the judiciary is barred from being an MP. The speaker has to refer any disqualification process to the election commission. But on Thursday the speaker, Fehmida Mirza, said Gilani’s conviction for contempt was not a charge that meant he should be disqualified under the constitution. Mirza is a member of Zardari and Gilani’s Pakistan People’s Party.

British men drown NEW DELHI: A police official says two British men have drowned after their raft overturned and capsized in a river in southern India. Police superintendent Anupam Agarwal said yesterday that police divers have fished out the bodies of the two men from the Cauvery River. Ian Turton of York and Michael Easton of London were rafting on the Cauvery when their boat was swept away in the rapids, hit some rocks and capsized. A search was launched when the men did not return to their hotel.

Agarwal said the bodies and the raft were found Friday. He said the men’s families have been notified and the bodies are being sent to the UK. Turton, 45, was working for Tenneco Automotive, an American company. Easton, 62, was a research scientist with the energy giant Shell.

China official cancels UK visit

GAUHATI: Congress party President Soina Gandhi tries a traditional Assamese hat as she visits the north eastern state of Assam to celebrate the first anniversary of the Congress party run Assam state governments new term, in Gauhati, India, yesterday. Congress has formed a government in Assam for three consecutive terms. — AP

to end the NATO blockade, but hopes of clinching a deal appeared to break down over the cost of transit rights.

US President Barack Obama snubbed Pakistan at a NATO summit this week, only seeing President Asif Ali Zardari in passing and voicing frustration with Islamabad. Pakistan has been incensed by Washington’s refusal to apologise for the November air strikes and US officials have so far rejected Pakistani proposals to charge several thousand dollars for each alliance truck crossing the border.

The blockade has forced NATO to rely on longer, more expensive routes through Russia and Central Asia, even as it plans a large-scale withdrawal of combat troops and hardware from Afghanistan by the end of 2014. According to an AFP tally, 45 US missile strikes were reported in Pakistan’s tribal belt in 2009, the year Obama took office, 101 in 2010 and 64 in 2011.

The New America Foundation think-tank in Washington says drone strikes have killed between 1,715 and 2,680 people in Pakistan in the past eight years. — AFP

BEIJING: China’s top legislator cancelled a visit to Britain in anger over a meeting between British Prime Minister David Cameron and the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, a source said yesterday.

Wu Bangguo, the head of China’s parliament and nominally number two in the political system, was to have travelled to Britain this month, but the Dalai Lama meeting put an end to those plans, according to the source. The British government “was told that Wu Bangguo wasn’t coming because they were unhappy with the Dalai Lama meeting,” the source told AFP, asking not to be identified. The Dalai Lamaa Nobel Peace Prize laureate-was in London earlier this month to receive the £1.1 million ($1.8 million) Templeton Prize, which he said he would donate to charity. His meeting with Cameron and with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg was described as “private” and was not held at the prime minister’s Downing Street residence.

KATHMANDU: Nepalese police stand guard near the Constitution Assembly building while members of the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities hold a demonstration in Kathmandu, Nepal, yesterday. The protesters demanded that states proposed in the new constitution be determined on the basis of ethnic groups. — AP

India urges compassion in US deportation case NEW DELHI: India has appealed to Washington to show “utmost compassion” in the case of an Indian woman who was adopted and taken to the US in the 1980s but now faces deportation after being convicted of forgery.

The United States government has labelled 30-year-old Kairi Abha Shepherd, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, a “criminal alien” and says it plans to send her back to India.

Shepherd, an orphan, was adopted in India at the age of three months in 1982 by a single US woman, who adopted nearly a dozen children from across the world.

The Utah woman died of cancer when Shepherd was eight, after which she was cared for by guardians. The US government launched deportation proceedings against Shepherd after she was convicted in 2004 of forgery to fuel a drug habit.

US authorities say there are no records of any moves by her guardians or her adoptive mother to complete paperwork needed for her to receive US citizenship.

India’s foreign secretary, Ranjan Mathai, said on Friday that Shepherd’s deportation was “a tragic humanitarian issue and should be treated by the US with utmost

compassion,” the Press Trust of India reported.

But US authorities say her deportation would be consistent with the US immigration department’s focus on “deportation of aliens with felony criminal convictions.” Shepherd, who has no known relatives in India and has never visited since her adoption, is also suffering from autoimmune disorder multiple sclerosis, which can cause loss of movement and speech, her lawyers say.

After the deportation wrangle began, Shepherd’s lawyers produced her adoption papers and documentation to show that she qualified for citizenship. But US government prosecutors said she had missed qualifying for the Child Citizen Act by a few months and was now too old to apply for citizenship. Shepherd has said that deportation to India would be like a “death sentence.” “She just fell between the cracks,” Shepherd’s lawyer Alan Smith told the Times of India newspaper. “We want authorities to hold back deportation proceedings till we exhaust all legal avenues. Our biggest fear is that she might find it hard to survive in India with her multiple sclerosis condition,” he said. — AFP

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

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

Singapore votes in by-election seen as test of reforms SINGAPORE: Singapore voters were casting their ballots yesterday in a by-election seen as a referendum on reforms initiated by the ruling party to address rising discontent. The People’s Action Party (PAP), which has ruled the city-state since before independence, is hoping to capture the opposition bastion of Hougang, which has been held by the Workers’ Party for the past 21 years.

The Hougang seat was left vacant in February after

the Workers’ Party sacked its representative over allegations of extramarital affairs, giving the PAP an opportunity to redeem itself if it takes the seat.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has put his reputation on the line by campaigning all-out for PAP candidate, Desmond Choo, 34, who up against the Workers’ Party’s Png Eng Huat, 50. It is Singapore’s first by-election since the PAP suffered its worst showing yet in a general election 12 months ago. The PAP was jolted

when it got an all-time low of 60 percent of all votes cast and the opposition grabbed an unprecedented six seats in the 87-member parliament. The PAP, in power for 53 years, holds the rest. Issues such as a liberal immigration policy, a growing income gap, high salaries of cabinet ministers and overcrowding in public transport were seen to have frayed the PAP vote, analysts said.

The PAP-led government swung into action after the election rebuke, stepping up construction of public

housing flats, budgeting hundreds of millions of dollars to upgrade public transport as well as reducing the foreign worker intake.

Cabinet ministers also took a pay cut but they remain the highest-paid politicians in the world, with the prime minister still getting a basic annual salary of Sg$2.2 million ($1.73 million). Singapore says the high salaries are designed to deter corruption and attract talented people from the private sector. — AFP

Manila names envoy amid row with Beijing US to welcome Aquino amid China tensions MANILA: Philippine President Benigno Aquino named a veteran diplomat as ambassador to China amid a tense standoff over disputed territory in the South China Sea, a presidential spokeswoman said yesterday.

Sonia Brady, 70, who served as ambassador in Beijing from 2006 to 2010, was named to her old post amid a growing clamour for a skilled diplomat to handle the frayed ties caused by the territorial dispute.

Aquino wanted “someone who is already familiar with the politics and the culture of that country. That person can hit the ground running,” said spokeswoman Abigail Valte. However Brady cannot assume her post until Congress approves her appointment, Valte told AFP. The Chinese embassy could not be contacted for comment. Aquino had originally named a family friend, businessman Domingo Lee, as

ambassador last year but Congress refused to approve the posting, saying Lee was inexperienced. Relations between the two countries worsened after Chinese ships blocked Philippine vessels from arresting Chinese fishermen in the South China Sea in April.

Both countries have deployed vessels near the disputed Scarborough Shoal for more than a month to press their conflicting claims to the area. China claims the shoal along with most of the South China Sea, even up to the coasts of its Asian neighbours, while the Philippines claims the shoal as being well within its 200-nauticalmile exclusive economic zone.

Since then, China has impounded Philippine fruit shipments and warned tourists against visiting the Philippines while Manila has charged that Beijing is sending even more ships to the shoal. The Philippines, which has one of the

MANILA: A girl in a colorful costume participates in a dance during the celebration of Makati day, the financial district of Manila, yesterday. Makati is celebrating its 342th Foundation Day with a series of activities including parades and concerts. — AFP

Japan minister visits nuke plant amid safety worry TOKYO: Japan’s environment and nuclear minister visited the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant yesterday to inspect a spent fuel pool at the center of safety concerns and said it appeared to have been properly reinforced.

The visit by Goshi Hosono, apparently aimed at demonstrating the safety of the facility, came amid renewed concerns about conditions at the plant’s No. 4 reactor after its operator reported a bulging of the building’s wall. Nuclear regulators ordered a new investigation and seismic tests of the building and its pool.

The building was damaged by an explosion and fire soon after the Fukushima plant was hit by a massive magnitude-9.0 earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. The pool, located at the top of the building above the reactor, remains one of the plant’s biggest risks due to its vulnerability to earthquakes.

The plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co., has reinforced the structure and says it now can withstand temblors as strong as last year’s quake. A small group of journalists was allowed to enter the reactor building for the first time with Hosono. Inside there were piles of broken wall panels, pieces of cement and mangled equipment, showing the magnitude of the explosion. Hosono, wearing protective coveralls and a full-face mask, climbed a narrow scaffolding to the fifth floor to see the pool, which was covered with a protective tarp. TEPCO officials lifted part of the cover to

show the water surface. Hosono later told reporters that he could see that the pool had been sufficiently reinforced. “I could see steady progress being made toward removal of the spent fuel (from the pool), which is the next major goal,” he said. The fuel rods in storage pools are not enclosed as they are in reactor cores and could cause a greater release of radiation in case of a loss of water. Ikko Nakatsuka, a vice minister of reconstruction who saw the No. 4 reactor during a plant tour in April, said earlier this week that the building and its pool are more vulnerable than the other reactors and uncertainties remain.

TEPCO is preparing to move the fuel rods from the pool to a joint pool for all six reactors next to the building, but the process won’t start until late next year. The joint pool is located on the ground level and is considered safer, even though it already has 6,000 fuel rods in it, officials said. It is expected to take 10 years before the removal of melted fuel from three damaged reactors can start. Akio Komori, one of TEPCO executives who escorted Hosono, said the company will inspect the Reactor 4 building to reevaluate its safety to ensure its integrity while continuing with the fuel removal.

From early on, experts have raised concerns about the pool at the No. 4 reactor, where 1,535 fuel rods - the most of any of Fukushima’s six reactors - were stored because the reactor was undergoing major refurbishing and the fuel ordinarily inside its core was also stored in the pool. — AP

OKUMA: Goshi Hosono, Japan’s environment minister, minister for the Restoration from and Prevention of Nuclear Accident and minister of state for the Nuclear Power Policy and Administration, inspect the inside the No. 4 reactor building at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s (Tepco) Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant in Okuma Town, Fukushima Prefecture yesterday. Japan may look to generating 15 percent of its electricity needs from nuclear power, a minister said, as the country seeks to rebalance its energy supply after the Fukushima disaster. — AFP

weakest militaries in the region, has turned to its main defence ally, the United States, for support.

Aquino is due to meet with President Barack Obama in the White House in June. “This is no way in connection with the standoff (with China),” Valte said. It had been planned since Secretary of State Hillary Clinton extended the invitation during a visit to the Philippines in November, she added.

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama will welcome Philippine President Benigno Aquino next month, the White House said Friday, as the United States steps up support to the ally locked in disputes with China.

Obama will hold talks with Aquino at the White House on June 8, the latest sign of a growing alliance after a rare joint visit to Washington by the Philippine foreign and defense ministers at the end of April.

“The Philippines is a long-standing friend and ally of the United States, and the president looks forward to discussing with President Aquino the close strategic, economic and people to people ties between our two countries, and our cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region,” a White House statement said.

“The two leaders will also discuss ways to deepen bilateral cooperation.” The Obama administration has put a renewed focus on Southeast Asia, stepping up ties to the economically dynamic region where several countries are embroiled in territorial disputes with a growing China.

The Philippines has had particularly rocky relations with China. The two countries have both been posting non-military ships in disputed Scarborough Shoal to exert their claims.

The United States has been helping to upgrade the notoriously antiquated Philippine military and Aquino has agreed to let a greater number of US troops rotate through the country.

But both Aquino and the Obama administration have said that they do not plan a permanent military presence in the Philippines, which would be politically sensitive in the former US colony. — AFP

Brother of blind Chinese activist returns home BEIJING: The brother of blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng who was reported to have gone missing has returned to his village in northeastern China, a lawyer said yesterday. The short disappearance of Chen Guangfu had sparked concerns he was the latest target of government reprisals against the family of the activist, who escaped from his village in late April after 19 months of detention at home.

Shandong-based law yer Liu Weiguo told R e u te r s C h e n G u a n g f u h a d re t u r n e d to Dongshigu village. Liu earlier said the activist was “very worried” about his brother’s disappearance and was contacting friends to look for him.

“Brother Fu is now home,” Liu said, adding he had received a text message from Chen Guangfu last night. Chen Guangfu had left his village on Tuesday and arrived in Beijing on Wednesday to seek legal help for his son who is detained on a charge of attempted murder. Friends and family had tried to contact him since Friday evening after it appeared he did not return to his hotel room in Beijing that night.

His son Chen Kegui, 32, was charged with “intentional homicide” for using knives to fend off local officials who burst into his home on April 27, the day after they discovered his uncle had escaped.

He could face the death penalty. His lawyers, denied access to him last week, said he did not kill anyone. On Wednesday, Chen Guangfu had recounted to Reuters details of his own torture and reprisals by authorities since his brother’s escape. He said he was restricted from leaving his village, and police in Shandong warned him they would increase his son’s sentence if he gave interviews.

Activist Chen Guangcheng took refuge in the US embassy last month, where he stayed for six days and sparked a diplomatic crisis between China and the United States. That crisis, which overshadowed a visit by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, was finally defused last Saturday when China allowed Chen to fly to the United States to study. — Reuters

This undated picture released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency yesterday shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) having a photo session with service persons of KPA Unit 6556. — AFP

Myanmar power protests put new reforms to test YANGON: Protests in Myanmar over persistent power shortages have provided a test of how the country’s elected but military-backed government will respond to rising expectations sparked by the past year’s democratic reforms.

Small demonstrations over the last week in Myanmar’s two largest cities and several towns could be seen as an indicator of the new openness under President Thein Sein, who has overseen the country’s emergence from decades of authoritarian rule and diplomatic isolation.

From another point of view, the peaceful protests - which have been limited to a few hundred people - serve as a reminder of the early stages of past unrest. Previous uprisings have started as small affairs sparked by complaints over the economy and then snowballed into large-scale challenges to authority.

In 2007, the former military regime used force to put down the so-called Saffron Revolution led by Buddhist monks. That rebellion began as small, localized protests over fuel price hikes. “Protests like this in Myanmar always have the potential to escalate and lead to political unrest,” said Trevor Wilson, a former Australian envoy to Myanmar who now teaches at Australian National University. “It is hard to predict how these protests might develop.”

Thein Sein was prime minister of the previous repressive military government but shed his formal links with the army to run with its proxy political party in a 2010 general election.

Those polls were boycotted by the party of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest at the time.

Last year, Thein Sein embarked on a reform program whose main objective was to win the easing of economic sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union. That goal has already been largely accomplished.

Also as a result of the reforms, the government won the cooperation of Suu Kyi, the once-implacable foe of army rule and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who was freed after the 2010 elections. Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party even agreed to run for parliament in last month’s by-elections, snaring 43 seats to play a small but historically significant legislative role.

Along with the revival of parliamentary politics in Myanmar there has been a new assertiveness in civil society, especially in lobbying on environmental issues. One campaign, opposing the Chinese-funded Myitsone hydropower dam on the Irrawaddy River, won an astonishing victory when the government announced the cancellation of the project.

Still, the potential for conflict in Myanmar also known as Burma - lies in the space between the political reforms achieved so far and the shortfall in other fundamental changes, particularly in the economy.

Suu Kyi has endorsed the protests, which have seen demonstrators holding candlelight vigils and marching in public streets. Speaking Tuesday at the opening of a branch office for her party, Suu Kyi said “the country suffers from power shortages because of mismanagement. I believe that the system has to be

changed to get electricity or to get water or to get jobs.” The challengers to the government are the same activists who used to struggle against military rule, but are now emboldened by the new democratic opening.

Their antagonist is the same military that smashed their dreams five years ago. Though he came to power through election, Thein Sein heads a government that serves at the sufferance of the military, which together with its civilian allies controls parliament and security affairs.

The immediate prospects for strife are hard to calculate. The protests have been peaceful and relatively unassertive so far, with the crowd in Yangon - Myanmar’s biggest city topping out at about 300 on Friday night.

But out of habit, deliberation or misunderstanding, the authorities are clearly nervous. In the central city of Mandalay, Special Branch political police held several protesters briefly for questioning. On Thursday in the central town of Pyay, police pressure on demonstrators led to a brawl and six arrests. The angered comrades of those detained gathered outside the local prison until the detainees were released, then carried on protesting.

“Police violence encountered during the protests against power cuts shows just how Burma continues to grossly neglect and violate the basic rights to human dignity and freedom of expression,” said the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), a group that feels reforms have fallen way short of what is desirable. “It is clear that peaceful dissent is still not tolerated.”

Others are not so pessimistic. “The timing of these protests is interesting because the new laws about peaceful assembly are in place and the new government’s attitude is different from that of its predecessors,” said Australian National University’s Wilson. “One would expect both sides to be more reasonable and tolerant now, and early signs are that this seems to be the case.”

Thein Sein’s reforms included the passage of a bill allowing citizens to stage peaceful demonstrations - although still-existing security laws continue to put protesters at legal risk.

Myanmar has suffered from power shortages for more than a decade. It has plentiful natural gas supplies, but a poor power distribution infrastructure that has lagged even more as the economy has grown.

Sean Turnell, an economist at Australia’s Macquarie University, said he believes what is significant about the current protest movement is “how it highlights the way that economic reform, and the changes that need to be made to make life easier here for the great bulk of people, are seriously lagging.”

Up to now, much of Myanmar’s natural gas has been earmarked for neighboring Thailand and China, he noted. “For the previous regime, domestic considerations and the lives of the citizenry (as well as domestic business) took a back seat to the desire to secure foreign exchange,” Turnell said. “The current government, I think, is hopeful of doing something better, but at the moment the legacy of the past is weighing on them.” — AP

YANGON: This picture taken yesterday shows Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi accepting flowers from supporters as she leaves after the opening ceremony of the Kyauktada Township National League for Democracy (NLD) office in downtown Yangon.

Suu Kyi will travel overseas this week for the first time in more than two decades to attend an economic forum in Bangkok, her party said. — AFP

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

NEWS

Dutch Margot De Graaf competes in the final solo during the European Swimming Championships yesterday in Eindhoven. — AFP

Bosnia buries 66 war victims Continued from Page 1 “My only wish remains to find my son Samir. He was 17 at the time. I cannot even think of dying before finding him,” the 60-year-old woman said, bursting into tears. After the funeral, the mourning procession went to a bridge over the Drina, where roses were thrown into the river in memory of victims of the conflict. Meva Ahmetagic threw 13 roses, one for each member of her family killed. Between April and June 1992 Serb forces killed more than 1,500 civilians in Visegrad and surrounding areas, according to the Bosnian

Institute for Missing Persons. Some 600 people are still unaccounted for.

According to survivors, a number of bodies of the victims were thrown into the Drina and washed down into Lake Perucac. Before the war Muslims made up 60 percent of the some 21,000 inhabitants of Visegrad. All survivors were expelled from their homes in a Bosnian Serb-led campaign of “ethnic cleansing” in eastern Bosnia.

Crimes committed in Visegrad were particularly atrocious. People were locked in houses and burned alive, while hundreds of women were raped, according to findings of the

Iran downplays UN find International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY ) in The Hague. In July 2009 the ICTY sentenced two former Bosnian Serb paramilitaries, Milan Lukic and his relative Sredoje Lukic, to life imprisonment and 30 years respectively after finding them guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Visegrad. Their appeal process started in September and is still under way.

The inter-ethnic war in Bosnia left some 100,000 people dead and more than two million refugees and displaced people, almost half the country’s pre-war population.— AFP

Continued from Page 1 The report was published a day after Iran ended two days of crunch talks in Baghdad with world powers over its disputed nuclear drive. Little was achieved except scheduling another meeting in Moscow for June 18-19 and establishing that they are poles apart on crucial issues.

Iranian media yesterday expressed pessimism about the Moscow talks after this week’s negotiations, which one newspaper described as “fruitless”. “Solution: stop the negotiations,” ran the headline of an editorial in the hardline Kayhan daily. “It is better not to attend the talks because one can

expect right now that the talks in Moscow will not gain any achievement either,” said the newspaper’s managing director Hossein Shariatmadari, who was appointed by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It was the world powers who needed to keep the talks going so “they can control the oil prices,” he added.

“Nuclear talks in Baghdad ended fruitless,” the conservative Jomhuri Eslami newspaper announced, with an editorial pinning the failure of talks on Israel and its demands allegedly conveyed by representatives of the P5+1 powers - the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. Israel, the sole if unde-

clared nuclear-armed state in the Middle East, accuses Iran of masking efforts to acquire an atomic weapon.

It wants the Islamic republic to dismantle its Fordo nuclear site.

“The deadlock will be resolved when the West breaks the Zionist regime’s dominance. Until then Iran cannot hope for any change” in the Western approach, Jomhuri Eslami said. The governmental newspaper Iran said the talks suggested that the West was not seeking a resolution to the nuclear standoff. The reformist Etemad daily in its editorial suggested that for the talks to succeed in Moscow, sanctions should be lifted and military threats taken off the table. — AFP

Tens of children among nearly 100 slain...

Continued from Page 1 Amateur videos posted online showed scores of dead covered in sheets and blankets, some covered with chunks of ice to preserve them until burial. One video showed 14 dead children lined up on the ground, shoulder to shoulder.

Another had at least a dozen more, some with holes in their heads and faces, lying on what appears to be the floor of a mosque. Some were badly mangled, with at least one child’s head partly blown away. The sound of wailing filled the room.

“The circumstances that led to these tragic killings are still unclear,” Mood told reporters in Damascus.

“Whoever started, whoever responded and whoever carried out this deplorable act of violence should be held responsible. Those using violence for their own agendas will create more instability, more unpredictability and may lead the country to civil war,” Mood added, describing the violence as “indiscriminate and disproportionate”.

Earlier the FSA urged the Friends of Syria nations to launch air strikes against President Bashar Al-Assad’s forces. Turkey-based General Mustafa Ahmed Al-Sheikh, head of the FSA’s military council, urged “an appropriate stance after the heinous crime committed by Assad’s assassin regime in the Houla region”. “We are calling urgently on the Friends of Syria to create a military alliance, outside of the UN Security Council, to carry out targeted strikes against Assad’s gangs and the symbols of his regime,” he said.

Later the FSA issued a statement saying: “We announce that unless the UN Security Council takes urgent steps for the protection of civilians, (Kofi) Annan’s plan is going to go to hell.” The peace plan drawn up by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan technically began on April 12, and days later UN observers began deploying in Syria to monitor the truce. But the violence and bloodshed have not stopped.

The Britain-based Observatory

accused the international community of being “complicit” in the killing and standing “silent in the face of the massacres committed by the Syrian regime”. Earlier, opposition Syrian National Council spokeswoman Basma Kodmani said “more than 110 people were killed (half of whom are children) by the Syrian regime’s forces” in Houla. “Some of the victims were hit by heavy artillery while others, entire families, were massacred.” “ The Syrian National Council urges the UN Security Council to call for an emergency meeting to examine the situation in Houla and to determine the responsibility of the United Nations in face of such mass killings, expulsions and forced migration from entire neighbourhoods,” she added.

Abu Yazan, a local activist reached via Skype, said regime forces fired shells at the villages that make up Houla, an area about 40 km northwest of the city of Homs after an anti-regime demonstration Friday. He said local rebels fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army tried to fight the army off in clashes around the area before proregime thugs known as shabiha stormed the villages, raiding homes and shooting at civilians. Abu Yazan said 106 people were killed, most of them in the village of Taldaw. More than 40 were children, he said.

“They killed entire families, from parents on down to children, but they focused on the children,” he said. Another activist, Abu Walid, said that many of the women and children had stab wounds.

The Houla villages are Sunni Muslim. Activists said that the proregime forces all came from an arc of villages south of Houla that are populated by Alawites, members of the offshoot of Shiism to which Assad belongs. “Our area is Sunni and the surrounding villages are Alawite,” Abu Walid said. “I don’t like to talk about sectarianism, but it was clear that this was sectarian hatred.”

State news agency SANA blamed “armed terrorist groups” for the

killings, adding that “clashes led to the killing of several terrorists and the martyrdom of several members of the special forces”. Regime forces pounded rebel positions elsewhere in Homs province yesterday, according to the Obser vator y, which reported 18 people killed in violence across the country, including 13 civilians. Yesterday’s dead included a civilian killed in the Homs rebel bastion of Qusayr, the Observatory said, adding that three others died elsewhere in the restive province.

Protests took place yesterday against the massacre in Houla, antiregime activists said. In Kfarnabel, in the northwestern province of Idlib, scores of men and women took to the streets to honour the dead, chanting: “We sacrifice our soul and life for you, O people of Houla,” according to an amateur video on YouTube. Protesters were also angry with the international community.

One demonstrator held up a sign reading: “Annan is singlehandedly responsible for the Houla massacre,” blaming the former UN chief for continued violence.

The envoy is to travel to Syria “soon” as he continues efforts to find a peaceful solution to the crisis, his spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said.

Diplomats in Geneva said Annan would visit Damascus early next week. France’s foreign minister condemned “the atrocities committed daily by Bashar Al-Assad on his own people. With these new crimes his murderous regime plunges Syria further into horror and threatens regional stability.” Fabius said UN observers should complete their deployment in line with Annan’s plan. Saying he would speak to Annan today, Fabius added: “In the face of horror, the international community must mobilise still further to stop the martyrdom of the Syrian people.”

More than 12,600 people have been killed in Syria in the revolt against Assad’s rule, including nearly 1,500 since the UN-backed came into effect, according to Observatory figures. — Agencies

Egypt Islamist, ex-PM woo rivals after vote Continued from Page 1 men would not attend. Shafiq also called for broad support from former rivals, calling on his competitors by name to join him and promising there would be no return to the old regime. “I reach out to all the partners and I pledge that we would all work together for the good of Egypt,” he told a news conference. Addressing the youth that spearheaded the 2011 revolt, he said: “Your revolution has been hijacked and I am committed to bringing (it) back. I pledge now, to all Egyptians, we shall start a new era. There is no going back.”

As the top two candidates worked to rally support for the run-off, leftist candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi, who came third, is to file a lawsuit over alleged voting irregularities that may have affected the result of the first round, a lawyer for his campaign said. Sabbahi “will file a suit with the election commission over irregularities,” Mahmoud Qandeel told AFP. “The evidence we have and that we are still accumulating shows a big number of violations in many polling centers that would affect the final results,” Sabbahi’s spokesman Hossam Mounis said.

A Shafiq-Mursi run-off looks likely to further polarise a nation that rose up against the authoritarian Mubarak 15 months ago but has since suffered endemic violence and a declining economy. The contest presents a difficult choice for activists who led the revolt against Mubarak. For them, choosing Shafiq would be to admit the revolution had failed, but a vote for Mursi would threaten the very freedoms they fought for.

Independent analyst Hisham Kassem said the situation “is one of the most difficult political situations that Egypt has ever known”. “We face the risk of maintaining the Mubarak regime, or Islamising the country,” he told AFP. Former US president Jimmy Carter, whose Carter

Centre monitored the elections, told journalists yesterday that the process had been “encouraging” but noted that he and his monitors had faced unprecedented constraints. “I would say that these (elections) have been encouraging to me,” he said, adding that authorities had imposed “constraints placed on us as witnesses that have never been placed on us before”. He said minor “haphazard” violations had been observed, but there did not appear to be systematic irregularities that favoured any one candidate.

The electoral commission is expected to declare the official results tomorrow, but media tallies and Brotherhood figures put Mursi in first place and Shafiq second. And Erian said on Friday it was “completely clear” that Mursi and Shafiq had topped the vote and would compete in the June 16-17 run-off. He said Mursi had won 25.3 percent of the vote and Shafiq 24 percent, with Sabbahi at 22 percent.

Both Mursi and Shafiq had been written off as long shots just weeks before the historic election in which Egypt voted for the first time to elect a president after Mubarak’s ouster in a democratic uprising. The election, with 50 million eligible voters, was hailed by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who congratulated Egypt on its “historic” election and said Washington was ready to work with a new government in Cairo. Electoral commission officials said turnout was around 50 percent over the two days of polling.

The election follows a tumultuous military-led transition from autocratic rule marked by political upheaval and bloodshed, but which also witnessed free parliamentary elections. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, in power since Mubarak’s downfall, has vowed to restore civilian rule by the end of June, once a president is elected, but many fear its withdrawal from politics will be just an illusion. — AFP

Qaeda-held Saudi envoy in video plea Continued from Page 1 He did not say what those other demands were, but Saudi officials say the abductors also asked for a ransom.

Khaldi said in the video that his colleagues had worked as spies helping the Americans. He said three Saudi security officials were involved in “gathering information and data as well as monitoring Al-Qaeda’s sites and commanders .. and the information is being relayed to the American forces to send a plane to these targets.”

Khaldi, who appeared dressed in a Saudi-style white Arab robe and checkered headdress, begged the king to return him to his family.

Saudi Interior Ministry has confirmed the kidnapping and said that a Saudi citizen on the kingdom’s mostwanted list of terror suspects, Mashaal Rasheed Al-

Shawdakhi, relayed the demands by telephone to their embassy in Yemen. The Saudis say that Al-Qaeda’s demands included paying a ransom and releasing top Al-Qaeda prisoners, both Saudi and Yemeni, currently in Saudi jails, as well as half a dozen women prisoners held there.

The Interior Ministry said Shawdakhi warned that the diplomat could be killed if the demands were not met.

Yemen’s political turmoil has caused a security vacuum in the country, giving Al-Qaeda the chance to seize large swaths of territory across the restive south. Government forces have recently launched several offensives on militant-held towns. The United States has thrown its support behind Yemen’s new president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who has vowed to combat Al-Qaeda as a top priority. — AP

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SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

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Washington Watch

Romney: Going negative, subtly

By Dr James J Zogby epublican presidential challenger, Mitt Romney was given credit last week for refusing to endorse a proposed ad campaign that sought to link President Barack Obama with the controversial sermons delivered by his former pastor Jeremiah Wright. In doing so, Romney appeared to be demonstrating the same streak of decency that wouldn’t allow him to join in with the silly “birther” cabal, or the “Islamophobic” hysteria when these tendencies were all in vogue. So far, so good. But before pinning any medals on Mitt Romney, it is important to note some worrisome signs indicating that he and his campaign may have opted for a more subtle approach to establishing the “otherness” of Barack Obama.

The more ham-fisted approach was used in 2008 by then vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. It was both divisive and a failure. Beautifully catalogued by radio and TV personality, Bill Press, in his new book, “The Obama Hate Machine”, the GOP and their media echo chamber engaged in a multipronged assault against Obama in an effort to paint him as “radical,” “foreign,” and “different than the rest of us.” He was “Muslim,”“associated with terrorists,”“of foreign birth;” a “Black militant,” “not a loyal American,” or a “Marxist” - all of which Press termed “the ‘othering’ of candidate Obama”.

Republicans failed to defeat Barack Obama in 2008. But their efforts did leave a deep residual mistrust of the President. For example, recent polls show that an average of 40 percent of Republican voters in Southern states do not believe that Obama was born in the United States (and is, therefore, ineligible to be president) and more than a quarter of all Republicans still believe that Obama is a Muslim.

There was more subtle approach to establishing the “otherness” of Obama and it had its roots in the 2008 Democratic primary. A memo prepared back then by Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager, Mark Penn, pointed out the “diverse multicultural background” of her opponent, suggesting that “it exposes a very strong weakness for him - his roots to basic American values and culture are at best limited. I cannot imagine Americans electing a president...who is not at his center fundamentally American in his thinking and values.”

Based on this assessment, Penn then asked “how we could give some life to this contrast without turning negative?” And he answered his question with the following advice: “Every speech should contain the line you were born in the middle of America...and talk about the...deeply American values you grew up with...Let’s explicitly own ‘American’ in our programs, the speeches, and values. He doesn’t. Make this a new American Century, etc...Let’s add flag symbols to the backgrounds”.

While candidate Clinton rejected this approach, her surrogates, at times, did not. In any case, this Penn memo proposing a more subtle “othering” of Obama appears now to have been picked up by team-Romney in 2012. Earlier this week I received a mass fundraising mailer from the Romney campaign. It included a glossy full color photo of the candidate in wrinkled jeans and wind-breaker, standing in front of a weathered barn emblazoned with a massive American flag.

Under the photo was written: “James, Thank you for believing in America as much as I do...this is a moment that demands we return to our basic values and core principles. Mitt Romney” The fundraising letter that accompanied the photo featured, on just its first page, in only 15 lines of text, the words “America” and “American” 10 times. The letter began: “I believe in America...I believe in the American Dream. And I believe in American strength”. And continued: “This election is a battle for the soul of America.”

It concluded by asserting that this campaign is “to reclaim America for the people.” While only a touch more subtle than the rejected “paint him with the Jeremiah Wright is a radical brush”, the net effect of this Romney mailing is the same. In case you missed the point: Mitt Romney is the “real” American; he is the one who believes in “American values”; and he alone is fighting for the “soul of America”. And the subtext of the message, in case you missed that: Obama is different; he’s not like “us”; his ideas are foreign; and he and his supporters believe in values that are un-American. So while claiming to be the higher road, this GOP approach invites the same conclusion and opens the door to same bigotry that has for four years now tarnished our national discourse. This election can be about many things. It can be about approaches to job-creation, or philosophies of governance, or character, or even qualities of leadership. But in a time of great national stress, faced, as we are, with a struggling economy and an unsettling and rapidly changing world, what this election debate should not be about are subtle or not so subtle digs calling into question the “patriotism” or “otherness” of the incumbent.

R

NOTE: Dr James J Zogby is the President of the Arab American Institute.

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.

Revolutionaries see reversal in Egypt vote

By Samia Nakhoul

gypt’s revolutionaries did not take to the streets to replace Hosni Mubarak with another military strongman or to put an Islamist ideologue in charge, but that is the choice they woke up to after a first-round vote for the presidency. The youths who put national pride before religion when they protested against Mubarak’s autocratic rule last year have increasingly despaired, saying the revolution they initiated has been hijacked by generals and the Muslim Brotherhood. Their worst fears were confirmed on Friday, when initial results from Egypt’s first free presidential election sent the Brotherhood’s Mohamed Mursi and ex-air force chief Ahmed Shafiq, Mubarak’s last prime minister, into a June 16 and 17 run-off.

“I am in shock. How could this happen? The people don’t want Mursi or Shafiq. This is a catastrophe for all of us,” said Tareq Farouq, 34, a Cairo driver.

“They are driving people back to Tahrir Square.” With moderate candidates now out of the 12-man race, the run-off pits the two most polarising figures against each other, reviving the decades-old power struggle between Egypt’s secularled military elite and its powerful Islamist opposition. The protesters of Tahrir Square are shocked that the run-off has boiled down to a member of the “feloul”, the derisory Arabic term for “remnants” of Mubarak’s old guard, and an “Ikhwani”,

E

or a Brother, from the conservative Islamist group that has battled the authorities for most of its 84-year-old history.

“Ahmed Shafiq will mean the old regime - the revolution is liquidated and with the Muslim Brotherhood it means we are too near to some kind of religious state,” said Hassan Nafaa, a political scientist who sided with the street against Mubarak. For revolutionaries, Shafiq is a carbon copy of Mubarak.

Both were air force commanders and a Shafiq win would simply extend the 60year tradition of having military men at the helm.

But the Brotherhood, which has the biggest parliamentary bloc, is just as unattractive for many of them, with its pledge to apply Islamic sharia law that they fear will curb social freedoms, stifle liberal debate and squeeze out other voices. “What happened to our revolution? A Shafiq victory means a reproduction of the old regime and a Mursi victory will be a disaster. The Brotherhood will be in control of the presidency and parliament and will have a monopoly over everything,” said Mohamed Hanafi, 30, a factory worker. “We don’t know where it will all end,” he said.

It is not just the fate of Egypt’s 82 million people. What happens in the Arab world’s most populous nation will reverberate across a region convulsed by revolts and conflicts. An Islamist takeover could frighten liberal forces which have

played a big part in the Arab uprisings that toppled leaders in Tunisia, Libya and Yemen, as well as Egypt. The return of a military strongman could embolden Syria’s leadership which has used tanks to try to crush a rebellion.

Yet, 15 months after hundreds of thousands of people packed Tahrir Square to celebrate the end of Mubarak’s three-decade rule, exhilaration has given way to disillusion and anger. The transition, overseen by generals in charge since Mubarak fell and who have promised to hand over power by July 1, has been marred by violence, political gridlock and economic woes. The second round vote may bring more turbulence.

Activists and other Egyptians have already said they will go back to the streets if Shafiq is victorious, though this may be more difficult to sustain if the second round proceeds smoothly.

Whoever wins, the army is likely to remain the main power broker, giving it the upper hand in defining the prerogatives of the president. These have yet to be determined because of tussles over who should write the post-Mubarak constitution. The generals insist they will return quietly to barracks, but most Egyptians do not expect them to give up the privileges and influence they have enjoyed for decades. They say a Shafiq win will make rolling back the military harder still.

Whatever the president’s powers, the army will keep a tight grip on foreign

policy and will protect a peace treaty with Israel that brings in $1.3 billion of US military aid a year. This may restrict a Mursi presidency’s room to manoeuvre abroad, but put a bigger focus on work at home. Liberals and some other Egyptians fear the Islamists will want to stamp their mark by seeking to impose more religious values on society. “This is not what we wanted or what we fought for. As a woman I am deeply upset,” said Dalia Hamdi, an human resources manager, speaking in the upscale Cairo district of Zamalek. “Definitely we won’t be able to wear what we are wearing now,” she said pointing to a friend in a sleeveless t-shirt and jeans without a headscarf, which most Egyptian women wear.

Mursi has not defined what his call for implementing sharia law would mean in practice. But liberals fear it could mean more restrictive marriage and divorce laws for women. A stricter society might also deter tourists, a main revenue source. Near the Giza pyramids, on a street famed for its night life, some bar workers said they dreaded a Brotherhood president, recalling how an Islamist mob vandalised nearby casinos and bars last year, smashing liquor bottles seen as symbols of vice. “I am sure the Brotherhood will close us down if they get elected. They will ban alcohol,” said bar-tender Huda Husseini, 19.

“According to them, dancing, drinking, music is all forbidden. Everything is forbidden.” — Reuters

Pasta is serious business in Italy

By Nicole Winfield hey twirled, they sniffed, they slurped, they chewed. The dozen housewives who gathered in a Rome hotel on a recent afternoon took their work terribly seriously, rating plates of pasta for chewiness, saltiness, gumminess or done-ness that perfect balance known as “al dente”, or firm to the bite. Pasta is serious business in Italy, and the recent blind taste test organized by the world’s biggest pasta maker drove home that an awful lot of thought goes into making the simple combination of durum wheat semolina and water from which Italy’s national dish is made. “The simpler it is, the more testing it takes,” said Stefania Fochi, in charge of consumer testing for market leader Barilla, which organized the taste test.

Pasta sales worldwide have grown steadily over the past three years, to €22.3 billion ($28 billion) last year, according to Euromonitor research. In Italy, however, sales have fallen steadily over that same timeframe as the economy suffers and stores are forced to offer discounts.

National pasta sales dropped to €2.7 billion ($3.4 billion) last year from €3.1 billion ($3.9 billion) in 2009 - meaning spaghetti makers in these days of austerity need to try harder to keep their customers loyal.

Granted, in Italy, it’s not a huge challenge given that most Italians eat a plate of pasta - be it spaghetti alla carbonara, penne al ragu or orecchiette with broccoli at least once a day. But they are terribly discerning customers: A noodle is not just a noodle. “Some were sticky, some were good, al dente and cooked the right amount of time,” said Stefania De Rossi, a 46-year-old mother of three who was selected for the taste test because of her family’s daily pasta habit. “I liked the last one (identified only by its code name: V36).

It wasn’t super smooth, it was a bit rough

T

but seemed better.” Her pickiness stems in part from Italians’ particular obsession with food: Eating in Italy is taken very seriously on both a family and cultural level. The Slow Food movement was born here and you can smell, see and taste this way of life at this time of year in outdoor markets, exploding with bundles of fresh asparagus now that the green and purple hills of artichokes have begun to wane. And what better way to enjoy those asparagus tips than

National Pasta Museum in Rome. “It’s profoundly rooted in the culture, the lifestyle, the ‘being’ of Italy.” The museum, which is currently closed for renovations, seeks to enlighten visitors about pasta’s past, including the very Italian origins of dried pasta, the stuff that comes in packages and can be preserved, as opposed to egg-based fresh pasta that must be eaten quickly.

It turns out Marco Polo didn’t bring spaghetti to the West from China. Rather,

A group of women taste pasta in a hotel conference room in Rome on May 18, 2012. — AP to saute them in olive oil with bits of speck, a smoky cut of prosciutto, and toss the whole thing with a small mound of linguine?

“Pasta is truly the symbol, the emblem not just of Italian food ... but the principal plate of the Mediterranean diet,” said Amelia Germoleo, vice director of the

Germoleo said, the earliest known origins of dried pasta date from 12th century Sicily.

The Norman king of Sicily, King Ruggero II, instructed a geographer to write a book about all that was known of the world. In 1138, the geographer, Idrisi, reported back that the settlement of Trabia, west of Palermo, was making a type of vermicelli

that was “sufficient to provide not only for Calabria but also the Muslim and Christian territories, where numerous cargoes are sent by sea,” according a citation of the book in a museum publication, “Time for Pasta”. “This debunks the myth that Marco Polo brought it from China,” Germoleo said.

“Dried pasta is absolutely Italian.”

Agostino Macri, a food security expert at the National Consumer’s Union, said that pasta was in the “genome of Italians”. “A good dish of pasta puts you in a good mood,” he said. But he cautioned against going overboard in consuming it, particularly with specialties like spaghetti all’amatriciana, a heavy dish using tomatoes and bacon-like pancetta that is common on Roman trattoria menus. “It has a lot of calories,” he warned. The pasta that was served to the blind tasters had none of that: simply spaghetti tossed with a dash of olive oil.

Each of the five brands tested - Barilla, De Cecco, Gragnano and supermarket brands Coop and Conad - was cooked in 1 liter of water salted with 7 gm of sea salt for every 100 gm of pasta. While each sample cooked, women in white lab coats and latex gloves handed out small packets of noodles as they appear in the package, giving the whole affair a sterile, clinical feel when most Italians would tuck into a plate of pasta around the dinner table.

The testers ran their fingers slowly over the slender sticks, caressed them, noted the flecks of brown on the golden strands of semolina and the slight roughness of the grain in their hands. And then they answered an 11-page questionnaire asking them how the color, thickness, smell, taste and texture appealed to them. The results aren’t for public consumption, Barilla said.

“For us the pasta is very important, especially for me,” Gabriella Brescia said after sampling her five dishes as she packed up and headed home. “I could give up everything except pasta.” — AP

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

sp orts

Knicks ink coach Woodson

Hertha lose playoff appeal

NEW YORK: Mike Woodson, who guided the New York Knicks to the NBA playoffs after taking over as interim coach in March, signed a multi-year contract extension, the team said Friday.

“Mike took over the team under challenging circumstances and made it clear, starting on day one, that he was going to hold every player on our roster accountable,” said James Dolan, executive chairman of the Madison Square Garden Company that owns the Knicks. “We saw a significant improvement since Mike took over and believe our team will only keep improving under Mike’s direction.” Woodson was named interim coach when Mike D’Antoni stepped down on March 14.

Woodson led New York to an 18-6 regular-season mark over the final 24 games and the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Knicks fell to the Miami Heat in five games in the first round, their victory in game four of the series snapping an NBArecord 13-game post-season losing streak.

“I’m very humbled and honored to continue coaching the franchise where I started my NBA career,” Woodson said. “Our goal is to build off the success we had at the end of last season and to continue our quest of bringing an NBA Championship to Madison Square Garden.” — AFP

BERLIN: Hertha Berlin’s appeal against the result of a relegation playoff was rejected by the German soccer association’s (DFB) top tribunal on Friday ending a weeks-long court battle over a troubled second leg against Fortuna Duesseldorf.

The tribunal upheld a May 21 court decision that ruled there was no reason to replay the second leg that saw Fortuna triumph 4-3 on aggregate to gain promotion to the Bundesliga, sending the Berlin club down for the second time in three seasons. The return leg in Duesseldorf, which finished 2-2, was interrupted twice for a total of about 30 minutes by a pitch invasion and flares.

“The reason for the appeal that argued the Berlin club was weakened due to the incidents towards the end of the game could not be confirmed by the evidence,” said the DFB federal court’s presiding judge Goetz Eilers after a marathon 10-hour hearing.

The game was first stopped after Fortuna scored on the hour to take a 2-1 lead, leaving Hertha needing two goals. Dozens of lit flares from both groups of fans landed on the pitch, prompting referee Wolfgang Stark to stop play. —Reuters

Pedro eyeing Euro spot MADRID: Pedro is confident of making a return to the Spain squad for Euro 2012 after the Barcelona forward netted a double in Friday’s 3-0 King’s Cup final win against Athletic Bilbao.The 24-year-old’s season was disrupted by injury but in recent months he has come back into the kind of form that won him a place in the starting side in the 2010 World Cup final.Spain coach Vicente del Bosque is due to announce his final Euro 2012 squad on Sunday and with injured Barca team mate David Villa ruled out Pedro has a good chance of being selected for the tournament in Poland and Ukraine beginning next month.

“It has been a hard year for me but hopefully I will go (to Euro 2012),” he said in an interview with Spanish television. “I am confident of going. I was from the first moment and the coach is the one who will make the final decision.”Pedro, a product of Barcelona’s youth academy, has been a key player for departing coach Pep Guardiola and has shown a useful knack of scoring in the important games.

His double on Friday meant he has found the net in the finals of the Champions League, the Club World Cup and the King’s Cup and in both the European and Spanish Super Cups. “He surprises you, he is born goal scorer,” Guardiola told a news conference.—Reuters

Nationals extend lead over Braves ATLANTA: Washington’s Rick Ankiel hit a tworun triple in a four-run first inning that set up the Nationals for a 7-4 win over Atlanta on Friday, pushing the Braves two games behind Washington atop the National League East.

The Nationals took a 4-0 lead off Tim Hudson (3-2) in the first with Ian Desmond hitting a tworun single. Ryan Zimmerman padded the lead with a three-run double in the seventh.

Washington reliever Chien-Ming Wang (1-0) won in his season debut. He gave up one run in three innings after coming on in the fifth.

ARLINGTON: Texas Rangers Nelson Cruz watches his RBI single that scored teammate Josh Hamilton during the sixth inning of the baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays. — AP

Cruz powers Rangers over Jays ARLINGTON: Texas’ Nelson Cruz hit a grand slam and tied his career high with eight RBIs while Josh Hamilton added his 19th home run of the season as the Rangers belted the Toronto Blue Jays 14-3 on Friday.

Cruz’s grand slam came in the seventh inning and gave Texas a 14-1 lead. He also had a three-run double in the first and an RBI single in the sixth.

Toronto starter Brandon Morrow (5-3) was knocked out after recording just two outs in the first. The right-hander, who had two shutouts in his prior four starts, gave up six runs in the shortest start of his career. Rangers starter Derek Holland (4-3) struck out a season-high nine in 7 1-3 innings, and allowed two runs.

Blue Jays backup catcher Jeff Mathis pitched a scoreless eighth, becoming the sixth position player in Toronto history to pitch.

Rays 7, Red Sox 4 In Boston, Matt Joyce hit his second grand slam in six games and Elliot Johnson had a two-run shot in Tampa Bay’s win over Boston. Carlos Pena, inserted into the leadoff spot after a miserable slump, added a solo homer for the Rays.

The Red Sox (22-23) failed to move above .500 for the fourth time this season.

It’s the latest into a season they haven’t passed that mark since 1996.

Benches and bullpens cleared in the top of the ninth, when Boston reliever Franklin Morales threw at Luke Scott with the first pitch and hit him in the hip area. Scott was restrained by catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

White Sox 9, Indians 3 In Chicago, Adam Dunn hit his 15th homer, and A.J. Pierzynski and Dayan Viciedo each went deep for the second straight night, as Chicago beat Cleveland.

The White Sox seventh win in eight games moved them within 2-1/2 games of the Indians, who lead the American League Central.

Pierzynski also tripled and scored three runs while driving in two. Viciedo knocked in two runs and scored twice, as Chicago gave pitcher Jose Quintana (1-0) all the support he needed in his first major league start.

Dunn hit a two-run shot in the first and Pierzynski went long leading off the second, but the game remained a one-run affair until the hosts scored three times

with two outs in the sixth, against Jeanmar Gomez (3-3).

Orioles 8, Royals 2 In Baltimore, Jason Hammel pitched six shutout innings to steer Baltimore past Kansas City. Hammel (6-1) walked only one and struck out seven.

Chris Davis homered and drove in three runs, while Adam Jones and J.J. Hardy had two RBIs apiece for the Orioles, now 28-1 when hitting a home run. Davis hit Baltimore’s league-leading 70th homer of the season in the seventh inning with a man on to make it 8-0. Royals starter Bruce Chen gave up six runs in four-plus innings and made a couple of errant pickoff attempts.

Yankees 6, Athletics 3 In Oakland, Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher hit two-run homers to help New York to its seventh straight win in Oakland.

Robinson Cano also homered and Ivan Nova (5-2) won his ninth straight road decision, allowing three runs in seven innings.

The Yankees have won three straight while the A’s have lost three in a row. Oakland starter Tyson Ross (2-5) allowed the three long balls.

Angels 6, Mariners 4 In Seattle, Howie Kendrick hit a two-run single in the top of the ninth to complete Los Angeles’ comeback from a 4-0 deficit against Seattle.

Albert Pujols homered for the second straight game, a three-run shot in the sixth inning. That accounted for all of the Angels runs until the ninth-inning rally against Seattle’s shaky closer Brandon League (0-4), who has blown three of his last five save attempts. Jason Isringhausen (1-0) took the win with one inning of relief.

Tigers 10, Twins 6 In Minneapolis, Prince Fielder had three hits and two RBIs as struggling Detroit found some overdue offense and beat Minnesota.

Alex Avila drove in three runs on two doubles and Brennan Boesch added three hits and two RBIs for the Tigers, who bounced back from a three-game sweep at the hands of AL Central-leading Cleveland.

Detroit starter Drew Smyly (2-1) gave up six hits in five innings. Twins starter Anthony Swarzak (0-4) gave up six runs in 3 2-3 innings. — AP

Astros 3, Dodgers 1 In Los Angeles, Lucas Harrell took a shutout into the eighth inning, steering Houston to a win over Los Angeles. Harrell (4-3) scattered five singles during the longest of his 15 big league starts. The Astros clung on for their fourth straight win, using four relievers to get out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth. JD Martinez homered for Houston. Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw (4-2) was charged with three runs over seven innings.

Marlins 7, Giants 6 In Miami, Chris Coghlan snapped out of a season-long slump with a tiebreaking three-run homer in the sixth as Miami rallied past San Francisco.

Giancarlo Stanton became the first player to hit the Marlins’ home run sculpture in their new ballpark when he connected against Tim Lincecum (2-5), who has lost his past three decisions and has an unexpected 6.41 ERA. The Marlins improved to 17-7 this month, best in the majors, and broke the franchise record for victories in May. Miami reliever Dan Jennings (1-0) pitched a perfect sixth for his first major league win hours after being recalled from the minors.

Phillies 5, Cardinals 3 In St. Louis, Hunter Pence hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning to give Philadelphia victory over St. Louis. Pence is 3 for 10 against Jason Motte (3-2) with two homers and three RBIs. The Phillies won their third in a row after surviving a fourth inning in which Pence, the right fielder, and Shane Victorino, the center fielder, lost balls in the lights. The winning runs came too late for starter Cliff Lee, a 17-game winner last season still seeking his first win of 2012.

Instead, Raul Valdes (2-0) took the win by striking out two batters with two on in the ninth inning.

Rockies 6, Reds 3 In Cincinnati, Todd Helton homered and drove in three runs as Colorado ended Cincinnati’s winning streak at six. Helton had a two-run homer - his first since April 29 - and a run-scoring single off Johnny Cueto (5-2), who gave up a career-worst 11 hits in only 4 2-3 innings. Troy Tulowitzki had three hits, including an RBI single in the ninth.

Rockies rookie Christian Friedrich (2-1) went five innings, calming a Reds offense that had hit 10 homers in four games.

Mets 6, Padres 1 In New York, Dillon Gee struck out a careerhigh nine, won consecutive starts for the first time in nearly a year, and doubled and scored

ATLANTA: Washington Nationals center fielder Rick Ankiel (24) is tagged out by Atlanta Braves second baseman Dan Uggla (26) while trying to steal second in the fourth inning. — AP the go-ahead run to lead New York over San Diego.

Getting help from a fine catch and throw from left fielder Mike Baxter that led to an inning-ending double play in the first, Gee (4-3) allowed one run in seven innings. Lucas Duda hit a tying home run in the second off Anthony Bass (2-5).

Brewers 7, D’backs 1 In Phoenix, Ryan Braun, Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart homered as Milwaukee comfortably accounted for Arizona. Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo (3-4) held the Diamondbacks to one run through 7 1-3 innings to improve to 6-0 in six career starts against Arizona. That doesn’t count a victory in last year’s divisional playoffs.

turnout from our rugby fans and local community,” he said. “And it was good to see the team respond with a sound performance under very trying conditions.”

Hong Kong got off to the best of starts after just three minutes when centre Ally Maclay shrugged off two challenges before putting the ball down between the posts, giving outside half Michael Glancy an easy conversion.

As heavy tackles flew in from both sides Hong Kong’s backs were looking to attack at every opportunity, giving their fans at the newly renovated Mong Kok Stadium plenty to cheer about.

After 13 minutes it was 14-0 thanks to a try from lock Charles French and a second conversion from Glancy, before centre Lee Jones broke through the Kazakhstan defence to give Hong Kong their third try of the match.

Another conversion and two successful penalty kicks from Glancy saw Hong Kong enter the break with a 27-0 lead, with Kazakhstan’s misery compounded by the sin-binning of two players in quick succession. The flair and pace of Hong Kong’s backs proved too much for Kazakhstan and they wilted even further as the second half progressed. —AFP

Pirates 1, Cubs 0 In Pittsburgh, A.J. Burnett and four relievers worked out of trouble all game, as Pittsburgh sent Chicago to its 10th straight loss.

Burnett (3-2) struck out six and walked two over 5 1-3 innings and the National League’s best bullpen made it stand up. Joel Hanrahan worked out of a two-on, one out jam in the ninth for the save.

Cubs starter Ryan Dempster (0-3) remains winless since last August despite only giving up one run and one walk in 7 1-3 innings, dropping his ERA to 2.14. — AP

MLB results/standings Baltimore 8, Kansas City 2; Pittsburgh 1, Chicago Cubs 0; Tampa Bay 7, Boston 4; Miami 7, San Francisco 6; NY Mets 6, San Diego 1; Colorado 6, Cincinnati 3; Washington 7, Atlanta 4; Texas 14 Toronto 3; Chicago White Sox 9, Cleveland 3; Detroit 10, Minnesota 6; Philadelphia 5, St. Louis 3 (10 innings); Milwaukee 7, Arizona 1; NY Yankees 6, Oakland 3; LA Angels 6, Seattle 4; Houston 3, LA Dodgers 1.

American League Eastern Division W L Baltimore 29 17 Tampa Bay 28 18 NY Yankees 24 21 Toronto 24 22 Boston 22 23 Central Division Cleveland 26 19 Chicago White Sox 24 22 Detroit 21 24 Kansas City 17 27 Minnesota 15 30 Western Division Texas 28 18 Oakland 22 24 LA Angels 22 25 Seattle 21 27

PCT .630 .609 .533 .522 .489

GB 1 4.5 5 6.5

.578 .522 .467 .386 .333

2.5 5 8.5 11

.609 .478 .468 .438

6 6.5 8

National League Eastern Division Washington 27 18 Atlanta 26 21 NY Mets 25 21 Miami 25 21 Philadelphia 24 23 Central Division Cincinnati 25 20 St. Louis 25 21 Houston 22 23 Pittsburgh 21 24 Milwaukee 19 26 Chicago Cubs 15 30 Western Division LA Dodgers 30 15 San Francisco 24 22 Arizona 20 26 Colorado 17 27 San Diego 17 30

.600 .553 .543 .543 .511

2 2.5 2.5 4

.556 .543 .489 .467 .422 .333

0.5 3 4 6 10

.667 .522 .435 .386 .362

6.5 10.5 12.5 14

Force grind past Lions

Hong Kong relegate Kazakhstan HONG KONG: Hong Kong pummelled Kazakhstan 55-0 Saturday to relegate the Central Asian side to the second tier of the Asian Five Nations for the first time, while South Korea defeated the United Arab Emirates. The results meant Hong Kong finished third in this season’s competition, ahead of the UAE and Kazakhstan, and South Korea secured second place in their first season back in the top division with their 47-21 win in Seoul.

Japan, who have never lost a Five Nations match in the tournament’s fiveyear history, were crowned champions once more last week.

Last year’s runners-up Hong Kong, hurting after the 67-0 thumping by Japan in Tokyo last week, were determined to finish on a high and started quickly, all but ending the match as a contest after just 25 minutes.

Three tries and three conversions with just over quarter of the match gone saw Hong Kong race to a 21-0 lead, leaving Kazakhstan facing their first relegation in the tournament’s history.

Hong Kong’s head of performance Dai Rees was delighted with his team’s showing, particularly in the wet and humid conditions. “It was a great occasion and a great

Ian Kennedy (3-5), a 21-game winner last season, allowed four runs in 5 2-3 innings in his fifth straight loss.

PERTH: Toby Lynn (top-left) from the Western Force takes the ball from a line-out against the South African Lions. — AFP

PERTH: Australia’s coach-less Western Force prevailed in the battle of the Super 15 cellar-dwellers yesterday, beating South Africa’s Lions 17-11 to end a rotten losing run.

The match pitted two of the bottom three sides in the competition up against each other and their lowly standings were evident in a scrappy contest in Perth that featured very few highlights.

On a six-match losing streak, the Force got an early scare when they found themselves down 8-0 against a side with just seven wins from 71 previous matches outside their home country.

However, from there on the Force dominated possession and probably should have produced more points in notching their third win of the season, but they didn’t have the finishing class to capitalise.

Force skipper David Pocock, who bullocked his way over for the first of his side’s two tries, said the Force benefited from playing with more width after half-time, after going in at the break 8-3 down.

“Very happy with the win,” he said. “They were very tough for the whole game, we had to spread the ball a bit and get them running.”

Lions skipper Joshua Strauss said

his team again failed to maintain its form for the entire match. “Our discipline let us down in the second half, losing a man again near the end,” he said. “It is (a lack of ) concentration and it has been like that all season.”

The hosts, who have been in talks with former Ireland boss Eddie O’Sullivan over the vacant coach’s post, were up against their former mentor in John Mitchell.

Mitchell would have been pleased with his side’s best defensive effort of the season as they led at the break on the back of a Michael Killian try in the fourth minute.

However, the Force controlled the ball early in the second half and the Lions’ defensive wall finally broke in the 58th minute, as Pocock piled over for a try.

Ben Seymour’s conversion gave the home team a 10-8 lead, which was increased in the 71st minute when the Force capitalised on the Lions being a man down with Derick Minnie in the sin bin and added a second try.

Napolioni Nalaga, who had been an imposing figure for the Force all night, easily scored next to the posts and Seymour’s conversion extended their lead to 17-8, all but ending the Lions’ hopes. —AFP

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

sp orts

Webber takes Monaco pole

INDIANAPOLIS: IndyCar driver Graham Rahal (left) talks with Dario Franchitti, of Scotland in this file photo.—AP

IndyCar relishing rivalry with two familiar names INDIANAPOLIS: When Bobby Rahal was racing, he hung a picture of Michael Andretti in his workout room. That’s who Rahal wanted to beat more than anyone else on the track. And rest assured, Andretti felt the same way. Looks like they’ve passed on that vitriol to their kids.

Graham Rahal and Marco Andretti have developed quite an IndyCar rivalry, which was only heightened when Rahal took the blame for an April crash at Long Beach that catapulted Andretti’s car into the air before it slid into a tire barrier.

“He’s still all worked up about it,” Rahal snipped this week. “To me, I don’t even care about it anymore. Forget it. It took me out, too.” Then, with a healthy bit of sarcasm, he added, “Like I was meaning to do that.” IndyCar officials are loving all the bitter feelings, especially since it involves two of the sport’s most prominent families.

Mario Andretti won the Indianapolis 500 in 1969 and spent the rest of his long career futilely chasing another win. His son, Michael, led more laps than any other driver without actually winning the biggest race. Now there’s Marco, who nearly won as a rookie in 2006 but was edged at the line

by Sam Hornish in one of the closest finishes ever. “I still live for all this,” 72-year-old Mario said Friday. “I ride with Marco every inch of the way.”

The Rahals are just as passionate about the Brickyard. Bobby won the 500 in 1986, along with three series championships. His son became the youngest winner in IndyCar history at age 19, finished third in last year’s 500 and is viewed as one of the brightest young prospects in the series.

Not surprisingly, all that success has led to plenty of clashes between the two families.”We’re competitors. What is yours is not mine - and vice versa,” Mario Andretti said. “There’s nothing wrong with that. If it gets out of hand, that’s one thing. But it doesn’t.”

The second- and third-generation drivers can be respectful of each other off the track, as they were during a promotional appearance in New York earlier this week. They talked of the rivalry being healthy for the sport and fist-bumped each other on the way out of the room. But don’t look for them to become dinner buddies anytime soon. The 23-year-old Graham, especially, seems to thrive on the idea of butting heads with the Andrettis.

“I can flat out tell you, when I was in Star Mazda (a developmental series), the goal we set the first day we were a team was that we’d be faster than Marco at every single session of the year,” Rahal said. Why was that? “Because,” Rahal shot back, “he was an Andretti.” It’s not too surprising, given the

way Graham’s dad felt about Marco’s father. “When my dad worked out in our fitness room when I was a kid, on the wall was a picture of Michael,” Graham recalled. “It was motivation. That’s the way it is, that’s the way it’s always been.” Let the trash-talking begin!

“My dad beat the living you-know-what out of Michael,” Graham said. “Look at the history. Yeah, Michael won a lot of race of races, but he didn’t win an Indy 500 or three championships.”

Series officials know a good rivalry, with two recognizable names, can only help build interest in a series that still struggles mightily to get noticed beyond its signature event. Certainly, the folks over at ABC, which is broadcasting the race and desperately seeking out new story lines now that Danica Patrick has jumped to NASCAR, would love to see Marco and Graham battling for the win on Sunday.

“From our perspective in the booth, a head-tohead with a Rahal and an Andretti over the last 10 laps, that would be a great story,” said former IndyCar driver Eddie Cheever, who is now an analyst for the network. “You know that those two guys going into the last corner are not going to be thinking, ‘Oh, I hope he doesn’t get angry at me today.’

They’ve going to be going for the final jab.”

Cheever believes the animosity is genuine, not contrived, the result of natural competition passed down from father to son (or, in the case of the Andrettis, grandfather to grandson).

“It’s a deep-seeded, well-nourished animosity,” Cheever said. “It’s good. I like it that two new drivers have the right amount of ambition and are not embarrassed about saying what they’re thinking.

I’m sure it irritates the hell out of them when one goes faster than the other, as it should. If it didn’t, they’re probably in the wrong business.”

Marco seems more confident than ever, with good reason. All month long, he’s been one of the fastest cars on the track. Pole day was actually a bit of a disappointment, as he settled for the fourthbest time and a starting spot on the inside of the second row. He had the third-fastest time Friday in the final practice and the two guys ahead of him, Ganassi Racing stars Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon, figured Andretti was actually holding something back. “I think it’s ours to lose,” Andretti gushed.

Mario is impressed with his 25-year-old grandson’s increasing skill behind the wheel. Marco has always been able to go fast, and bravado has never been a problem, but he’s had trouble harnessing the enormous potential he showed during his first race at Indy.—AP

WUHAN: Chinese team pose for a group photo with the champion trophy and a Chinese national flag after defeating South Korea team in the Uber Cup badminton championships final.—AP

Tears of joy as China win Uber Cup WUHAN: World number one Wang Yihan dramatically survived four match points in an epic singles contest as hosts China won the women’s Uber Cup yesterday, laying to rest the ghosts of two years ago. “I saw the Uber Cup and thought, ‘what if I lose the match again like 2010?’. But then it made me more determined to prove that wrong,” said Wang after the 14-21, 22-20, 21-13 win over South Korea’s Sung Ji-Hyun. “I never thought I would cry on court today but when I shouted suddenly I felt tears, and then when I hugged Li Yongbo (China’s head coach) I saw there were tears in his eyes too. It was a very emotional match,” Wang said.

Later, Li jokingly denied there had been tears in his eyes. All week the world number one had said it was her responsibility to bring the Uber Cup back home since the South Koreans broke China’s run of six consecutive wins in the last tournament, in 2010. Wang rushed ahead in the first game as South Korea’s world number 11 looked stiff on court, nerves and tiredness taking their toll after a week of some punishing late-night thrillers.

But taking animated orders from Sung HanKook, her coach and father on the sidelines, Sung Ji-Hyun clawed her way back and as she edged ahead Wang’s game began to unravel.

The cool Sung closed out the first game and went ahead in the second, attacking fiercely and also benefiting from a host of Wang smashes that went wide.

The battle at the net was fierce, drop shot against drop shot, the shuttle barely clearing the net. As the South Korean reached four match points, the partisan Wuhan crowd fell to nearsilence. On the sidelines, coach Li told Wang to stop going for the lines, “he said I shouldn’t try to be so

precise because that is not my strength.” Wang’s sheer determination and refusal to give up took her on a stunning six-point winning streak, while Sung’s game fell apart, the chance of a fantastic upset so close forcing her into careless mistakes.

Once level going into the third and final game, Wang never looked back, emerging the winner in a nearly 90-minute contest.

“I have a bad habit of letting players reach match point. It is my weakness and I did it again today. I have to overcome this,” Wang said afterwards. A deflated Sung said nerves had hindered her at the crunch moment. “I played very well but I was just too nervous in the second game. That’s probably why I lost,” she said.

After Wang’s emotional triumph, the first doubles pairing Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli never gave the South Koreans a chance to get a grip on their match, setting the stage for world number two Wang Xin to secure the Cup for China. Coach Li said the loss two years ago had been as much his responsibility as Wang’s. “This time was different,” said Li, “last time I was complacent and didn’t take South Korea seriously... How players perform also reflects how coaches approach the match and their respect for the opponent.”

The 3-0 win makes it China’s 12th Uber Cup victory since the competition began in 1957. “This is a new beginning for Chinese badminton,” declared Li, somewhat ominously given China’s near-dominance of the tournament over the past three decades. “I hope the young players can build on this.”

The Chinese men’s team will look to make it a double victory over the South Koreans when they contest the Thomas Cup final today. —AFP

MONTE CARLO: Michael Schumacher rolled back the years yesterday with the fastest lap in qualifying for today ’s Monaco Grand Prix, although Australian Red Bull driver Mark Webber will start the race from pole position.

In this season of the unexpected and the unpredictable, few could have suggested that the 43-year-old German, a seven-time champion who has been under fire for his poor form, would have produced such a performance ahead of the season’s most glamorous race.

But he did it in astonishing fashion with a flying late lap in his Mercedes around the twisting barrier-lined street circuit to outdo the Red Bull of Webber.

It was a great lap, but to little real avail because he brought a five-place grid penalty with him to the Monaco race weekend from the Spanish Grand Prix, following his collision there with Brazilian Bruno Senna of Lotus. As a result, pole will be taken by Webber, who posted the second fastest lap.

Schumacher’s best lap of 1min 14.301secs stunned his team and his rivals and he drove a lap of the circuit with one finger in the air in celebration before blowing kisses to the fans and then kissing his car.

It would have been the 69th pole position of his astonishing career and would have given him a great oppor tunity-having made his comeback after a three-year retirement-to deliver a 92nd win. But, from sixth, it is a different story.

Fellow German, and Mercedes team-mate, Nico Rosberg was third fastest ahead of Briton Lewis Hamilton of McLaren, Frenchman

Romain Grosjean of Lotus, two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Ferrari and his team-mate Brazilian Felipe Massa. Finn Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 champion, was eighth for Lotus ahead of Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado of Williams and defending champion German Sebastian Vettel, who qualified 10th for Red Bull. Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn said of

Schumacher’s efforts: “I have to confess it took a little tear from my eye. He’s been in good shape all weekend.

“It all came together in qualifying. The penalty is frustrating but that’s the way it is.

“Making the best of the tyres is going to be the critical thing. That’s going to be the next challenge.”—AFP

MONACO: Mercedes Grand Prix driver Michael Schumacher of Germany (center) quickest time, Red Bull driver Mark Webber of Australia, second fastest time (right) and Mercedes Grand Prix driver Nico Rosberg of Germany, third fastest time pose after the qualifying session at the Monaco racetrack. —AP

Morrison surges ahead, McIlroy flops VIRGINIA WATER: Former England youth cricketer James Morrison hit his rivals for six with a stunning exhibition of golf in the PGA Championship second round on Friday while world number one Rory McIlroy missed the cut.

Morrison, a team mate of test cricketers-to-be Alastair Cook, Tim Bresnan and Ravi Bopara when they were all teenagers, raced into a fourshot lead on 12-under 132. Six birdies and a second eagle three in a row at the 18th gave him an eightunder 64.

Sharing second place on 136 were world number two and defending champion Luke Donald (68) and his fellow Briton David Drysdale (70).

Ireland’s Peter Lawrie (71) was a further stroke adrift alongside Spain’s Alvaro Quiros (70).

The leading quintet, who teed off early, were lucky with the draw but Britain’s McIlroy was among the late starters who had to contend with swirling winds that made good scoring almost impossible in the afternoon. Former cricketing all-rounder

Morrison, 27, bowled over the huge crowds who gathered on another sun-kissed day at the European Tour’s flagship event. “ This is my third year on the tour and that’s definitely one of the best rounds I’ve ever had,” the 2010 Madeira Islands Open champion told reporters at Wentworth on the outskirts of London. “It was also probably one of the easiest, or at least it felt easy. I wish golf was like that every day but it’s not.” Morrison focused on cricket as a youth when he played alongside Cook, Bresnan and Bopara. “Cricket was my life but not now,” he said. “I started playing golf when I was 16, went from an 18 handicap to scratch in 10 months and haven’t really looked back.

“Playing golf is better than standing in the field all day at cricket, I can tell you that.” A former opening batsman and spin bowler, Morrison hung up his cricket gear after hitting a century for Surrey’s under-17 team. “I wasn’t enjoying it,” he said. “I still follow the people I played with because I love watching sport. “I also used to

play county hockey too. I was playing all three sports at one time.”

Morrison, who hails from nearby Chertsey, said he had lost touch with Cook, Bresnan and Bopara. “I haven’t spoken to any of them for years,” he said. “I’m not sure but I probably wouldn’t have made it at cricket.

“You could always see that those three were far better than anyone else at 16, 17.” Morrison, who finished 61st and 57th in the order of merit in his first two seasons on the European Tour, said his golf had come on in leaps and bounds in the last two months.

“My coach and I have been working really hard and my game has turned full circle,” he said. “I used to be short off the tee and a bit crooked but I had a great short game.

“Now I’m 15, 20 yards longer than I have ever been and it’s helping around this course because it’s pretty long at 7,302 yards.”Nothing seemed to help McIlroy as he added an outof-sorts 79 to his opening 74.

“I think I might have taken my eye off the ball a little bit,” he said, refer-

ring to his second successive missed cut following his poor show at the Players Championship in Florida two weeks ago.

“Maybe I’m not practising as hard as I might have. I didn’t hit many fairways on the back nine today and from there it’s very hard to get close to the hole. “Pretty much everything went wrong the last couple of days,” added McIlroy after avoiding an 80 with a last-hole birdie.

The young Northern Irishman seemed at odds with himself all day and a rush of dropped strokes around the turn effectively ended his involvement in the tournament that carries a prize fund of 4.5 million euros ($5.63 million).

Ryder Cup team mates Graeme McDowell, Padraig Harrington, Peter Hanson and Ross Fisher, last week’s World Match Play champion Nicolas Colsaerts and British Open winner Darren Clarke also missed the cut.

World number three Lee Westwood made it through to the weekend by the skin of his teeth after a 75 for 145, one over.—Reuters

Sizzling Dufner takes control at the Colonial FORT WORTH: Red-hot Jason Dufner remained on track for a third PGA Tour victory in just four weeks by surging into a two-shot lead in Friday’s second round of the Colonial Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas.

The laid-back American, who won his second title on the US circuit at the Byron Nelson Championship on Sunday, fired a flawless six-under-par 64 on another hot and breezy day at the iconic Colonial Country Club.

“I’ve been really, really confident out there, playing some nice golf,” Dufner told reporters after reaching 27 of 36 greens in regulation over the first two rounds. “I just feel really comfortable with my game. “I’ve said it now for a couple of months, when I step to the first tee I feel like I’m going to play a good round of golf. That’s a nice way to play golf. It’s a comfortable way to play golf.”

Dufner covered his last nine holes in a sizzling four-under 31 to post an 11-under total of 129, two better than overnight leader and 2010 champion Zach Johnson, who carded a 67.

Fellow Americans Bo Van Pelt (64) and Tommy Gainey (67) were a further two strokes back at seven under, one better than compatriot Tom Gillis (69).

Dufner, who needed 164 PGA Tour starts before clinching his maiden victory at the New Orleans Classic four

FORT WORTH: Jason Dufner hits out of a bunker onto the eighth green during the second round of the PGA Colonial golf tournament.—AP weeks ago, continued where he left off on Thursday after shooting a 65.

A stroke behind the pacesetting Johnson overnight, the 35-year-old birdied the 13th and 17th to take over at the top after teeing off at the parfour 10th.

Dufner then picked up further shots at the first, second, third and fifth, where he rolled in an 18-foot

putt, to cement his status as the hottest player in the game.

Should he triumph today, he would become only the second player (after Ben Hogan in 1946) to win the Colonial Invitational and Byron Nelson Championship in the same year.

“It would be a great accomplishment to do that,” Dufner said. “After yesterday I felt pretty good about my

chances of playing well this week. “So we will just go into the weekend with the lead ... hopefully continue to play some good golf and maybe make a little bit of history.”

Rickie Fowler, who clinched his maiden PGA Tour victory at the Wells Fargo Championship three weeks ago, summed up Dufner’s dominance after playing with his fellow American in the first two rounds at Colonial.

“We’re going to have to play catchup this weekend,” smiled Fowler after shooting a second successive 68 to finish seven strokes behind Dufner.

Johnson, who led by one shot after the opening round, was happy with his 67 after having to contend with gusting winds in the afternoon.

“Today, it was good,” the 2007 Masters champion said after mixing an eagle at the first with four birdies and three bogeys. “I got off to a great start ... hit a couple of bumps along the way. I finished strong. “I got some momentum going on the back (nine) but it seems like every time I made a birdie I put myself in a pretty difficult predicament to make par. I’m excited about tomorrow.” The cut fell at threeover 143 with defending champion David Toms, US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III and exciting Japanese talent Ryo Ishikawa among those failing to advance.—Reuters

Devils in Stanley Cup finals

NEWARK: New Jersey Devils’ Adam Henrique (14) scores during the overtime of Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals.—AP

NEWARK: New Jersey’s Adam Henrique scored from a wild scramble in front of the net a minute into overtime to give the Devils a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers on Friday, completing a series victory and a place in the NHL’s Stanley Cup finals.

The Devils will be playing in the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in nine years, and will face the Los Angeles Kings in a series that will start on Wednesday here.

It’s a remarkable comeback for a proud team, with three Stanley Cup titles, that missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 1996.

Henrique’s series winner came after Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist stopped Ilya Kovalchuk twice and Alexei Ponikarovsky. The last shot lay in the crease and Henrique tapped it home. Ryan Carter and Kovalchuk also scored for the Devils, who blew a 2-0 first period lead.

Ruslan Fedotenko and Ryan Callahan tallied for top-seeded New York, which had a good flurry just before New Jersey scored.

After scoring the winner, Henrique, who is nominated for the Calder Trophy - given to the NHL’s top rookie - skated away from the crease and jumped against the end boards in the corner as his teammates

jumped off the bench and mobbed him.

The six Rangers on the ice stayed down in disbelief and frustration. This was very much like Game 5, which the Devils won 53. New York carried the play after the first period and had a 35-29 edge in shots. But when it came time for a game-deciding play to be made, it was a Devil who made it. Henrique, who also scored the game winner in Game 7 of the Devils’ openinground series against Florida, overcame injury to score this one. He seemed to take a stick from Brian Boyle in the groin area late in the third and had to leave the ice. He felt no pain after the game winner.

All the Rangers could do was bow their heads and then line up for the traditional handshake after losing to their cross-rival rivals in a series that was close.

Ageless Devils goalie Martin Brodeur, 40, kept the hosts alive in the third. He stopped a power-play shot by Brad Richards, made a save on Artem Anisimov between the circles and used his stick to deflect a pass from the boards by Carl Hagelin in the final minute just before it got to Marian Gaborik on the edge of the crease. Lundqvist’s best stop in the third was on Dainius Zubrus on a shot from behind the circles—AP

18

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

S P ORT S

Bolt labors in 100m Clocks 10.04sec at Golden Spike OSTRAVA: Usain Bolt won the 100 meters in 10.04 seconds in the wind at the Golden Spike meet Friday, his first victory in Europe leading to the London Olympics.

The Jamaican had a slow start but pulled ahead in the final meters. He failed to improve his season best of 9.82 from a May meet in Jamaica.

Kim Collins of St. Kitts and Nevis finished second in 10.19, followed by Darvis Patton of the US in 10.22. “It’s hard to explain,” Bolt said. “I don’t really know what went wrong.”

Double -amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius failed to secure an Olympic spot after he was timed in 47.66 seconds in the 400, finishing eighth. Pistorius needs to run 45.30 or faster once more before June 30 to earn a trip to London in line with South Africa’s Olympic criteria.

Before the race, Bolt said he was working on his notoriously slow start in hopes of bettering his world records in the 100 and 200 in London.

Bolt won three gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games.

“At the start I didn’t feel as explosive as I normally feel like,” he said. This was Bolt’s sixth competition in Ostrava. “I was looking to come here for a good time. I guess it’s one of those days,” he said. “I just never got going.”

The runners had to start twice after Simon Magakwe false started. That was something

familiar for Bolt, who failed to defend the world championship title in the 100 in Daegu, South Korea after he was disqualified for a false start.

But Bolt said that was not a problem for him in Ostrava.

“I did some starts and I was flying from the blocks so I said, Yeah this is good.’ I can’t tell you what happened.” Bolt will have another chance to lower his times in Diamond League meets in Rome on May 31 and Oslo, Norway, on June 7 before returning to Jamaica for the national trials.

In the meantime, he said he will seek advice from his coach. “I have to look at the tape and see what went wrong and call my coach to explain to me what I did wrong,” he said.

He plans to be back in Europe to run in the 200 at the Diamond League meet in Monaco on July 20, his last race before the Olympics start a week later.

Elsewhere, Olympic javelin champion Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic looked strong, winning with her best throw of 222 feet, 4 inches to delight the home crowd with the leading performance in the world this season. World champion Mariya Abakumova, who beat Spotakova at last year’s worlds, was second at 211-1.

“It’s a wonderful feeling,” Spotakova said. “I was hoping to win but to achieve also the world leading (distance) and meet record is fantastic. I

fulfilled my goals.” Renaud Lavillenie of France cleared 19-4 1/4 for the season’s best in the men’s pole vault, edging K arsten Dilla of Germany, who cleared 18-9 1/4. Steven Lewis of Britain was third.

Dexter Faulk led an American sweep of the 110-meter hurdles in a personal best 13.13, followed by Jeff Porter and Ryan Wilson.

Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt of the US dominated the men’s 400 in 45.13, with Luguelin Santos of the Dominican Republic was second and Nery Brenes of Costa Rica third. In the men’s 200, Wallace Spearmon of the US won in 20.14, beating Marvin Anderson of Jamaica.

“I hoped to get quicker,” Spearmon said. “But today was not the right day.” Veronica CampbellBrown, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 200 from Jamaica, eased to victory in her season best 22.38, edging Americans Bianca Knight and Tiffany Townsend.

Olympic champion Pamela Jelimo cruised to victory in the women’s 800 in 1:58.49, defeating another Olympic hopeful, former world champion Caster Semenya of South Africa, who was second in 2:00.80.

“Many athletes complained about the wind,” Jelimo said. “Of course, everybody wants to do the best because it’s so close to the Olympics. The conditions were the same for everyone.” —AP

Ostrava meeting results Men’s 100m 1. Usain Bolt (Jamaica) 2. Kim Collins (St Kitts and Nevis) 3. Darvis Patton (US) Men’s 200m 1. Wallace Spearmon (US) 2. Marvin Anderson (Jamaica) 3. Michael Mathieu (Bahamas) Men’s 400m 1. LaShawn Merritt (US) 2. Luguelin Santos (Dominican Republic) 3. Nery Brenes (Costa Rica) Men’s 800m 1. Adam Kszczot (Poland) 2. Andrew Osagie (Britain) 3. Abraham Rotich (Kenya) Men’s 3000m 1. Isiah Kiplangat Koech (Kenya) 2. Cornelius Kangogo (Kenya) 3. Andrew Baddeley (Britain) Men’s 110m Hurdles 1. Dexter Faulk (US) 2. Jeff Porter (US) 3. Tyrone Akins (US) Men’s 4 x 100m Relay 1. All Stars 2. Canada 3. Poland Men’s Pole Vault 1. Renaud Lavillenie (France) 2. Karsten Dilla (Germany) 3. Steve Lewis (Britain) Men’s Shot Put 1. Dylan Armstrong (Canada) 2. Tomasz Majewski (Poland) 3. Justin Rodhe (Canada) Men’s Hammer Throw 1. Krisztian Pars (Hungary) 2. Pawel Fajdek (Poland) 3. Aleksey Zagornyi (Russia) Men’s Javelin Throw 1. Vitezslav Vesely (Czech Republic) 2. Andreas Thorkildsen (Norway) 3. Dmitri Tarabin (Russia) Women’s 200m 1. Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jamaica) 2. Bianca Knight (US) 3. Tiffany Townsend (US) Women’s 400m 1. Sanya Richards-Ross (US) 2. Christine Ohuruogu (Britain) 3. Patricia Hall (Jamaica) Women’s 800m 1. Pamela Jelimo (Kenya) 2. Caster Semenya (South Africa) 3. Fantu Magiso (Ethiopia) Women’s 100m Hurdles 1. Tiffany Ofili-Porter (Britain) 2. Priscilla Lopes-Schliep (Canada) 3. Lolo Jones (US) Women’s 400m Hurdles 1. Vanya Stambolova (Bulgaria) 2. Zuzana Hejnova (Czech Republic) 3. Perri Shakes-Drayton (Britain) Women’s Hammer Throw 1. Betty Heidler (Germany) 2. Zhang Wenxiu (China) 3. Anita Wlodarczyk (Poland) Women’s Javelin Throw 1. Barbora Spotakova (Czech Republic) 2. Maria Abakumova (Russia) 3. Kathryn Mitchell (Australia)

10.04 10.19 10.22 20.14 20.41 20.45 45.13 45.76 45.84 1:44.90 1:45.24 1:45.52 7:37.14 7:39.73 7:39.86 13.13 13.29 13.31 38.59 38.77 38.88 5.90 5.72 5.72 21.29 21.01 20.84 82.28 80.36 78.40

OSTRAVA: Jamaica’s Usain Bolt is flanked by Kim Collins from St. Kitts and Nevis (right) and Lerone Clarke from Jamaica as he competes in the Men’s 100m race at the Golden Spike Athletic meeting. —AP

Magnini returns to edge out emotional Bernard DEBRECEN: Filippo Magnini stole the headlines at the European championships on Friday, the Italian 100m freestyle world champion in 2005 and 2007 claiming his first title in five years.

The unexpected 30-year-old winner claimed victory in a time of 48.77sec with France’s Olympic champion Alain Bernard relegated to second at 48.95s.

Magnini had only posted the fifth quickest time in the heats and the second in the semi-finals on Thursday, but made a giant leap forward to outpoint Bernard.

His career has been in freefall since the Beijing Olympics in 2008 when he was knocked out in the semi-finals. At the 2010 European championships he came in third and at the 2011 world championships he was knocked out in the semi-finals.

And up to this return to form only a place on the Italian 4x100m freestyle relay appeared accessible for Magnini at the London Olympics.

He said: “I want to dedicate this win to all those over the past three years who believed in me, and to all those

who spoke bad of me. I was getting bored not experiencing the taste of victory that made my life more beautiful.”

Setting off quickly Bernard turned at the midway point in front but Magnini clawed back his advantage to prevail, with Romanian Norbert Trandafir grabbing bronze. Magnini added: “I gave everything in this final. When I saw I was reeling in Bernard I said to myself ‘I hope there’s no one else in front of him’.”

For Bernard this was his eighth and last 100m freestyle medal as he is only planning to compete in the 4x100m freestyle in London. “What emotion! I was almost crying,” he said with a broad smile and slightly moist eyes.

He said: “The last metres were very tough but there was a lovely medal waiting at the finish, I’m really happy.

You have to believe, you have to dare...”

Favorite for the race was Amaury Leveaux who had posted the quickest times in the heats and semi-finals but paid the price for competing in his tenth race in five days and only came in fourth. —AFP

Gymnasts’ road to London begins at the US Classic CHICAGO: All eyes will be on Olympic champion Nastia Liukin at the US Classic. Martha Karolyi, however, will be keeping close watch on everybody.

Make no mistake. The national championships may be two weeks away and there’s still a month until the Olympic trials, but yesterday’s

meet is the first step in the selection process for this summer’s London Games.

“It is in the back of your mind,” said Gabby Douglas, a member of the team that won the world title last year. “This is the Olympic year, and Martha’s watching us and every little thing we do.”

85.67 84.72 81.37 22.38 22.85 23.18 50.65 51.19 51.75 1:58.49 2:00.80 2:01.03 12.65 12.80 12.94 54.15 55.28 55.82 78.07 76.99 74.81 67.78 64.34 64.34

HUNGARY: Russia’s Nikita Konovalov swims his 100-meter Butterfly final at the European Swimming Championships. —AP

TEXAS: This Aug. 21, 2008 file photo shows gymnast Nastia Liukin showing off her Olympic medals. —AP

Because the format of team finals at the Olympics is so unforgiving, teams can’t be picked solely by the standings at nationals and trials.

Three gymnasts compete on each event in team finals and all three scores count, meaning one mistake or one low-scoring routine could be the difference between a gold medal and a consolation T-shirt. So Karolyi is already looking at everyone to see what combination of gymnasts will give her monster scores on each of the four events, and who she can count on to be consistent no matter the circumstance or the stage.

“It may just be a tune-up but it’s an important competition in the selection process,” said 2008 Olympian Chellsie Memmel, who will compete on balance beam as she works her way back from February shoulder surgery. “You still need to come out and do well. There’s no doubt about that. You have to show up and be a competitor.” Regardless of who you are.

The Classic is the first competition since the 2009 national championships for Liukin, who announced last October that she was making a comeback. She is competing on beam, where she is the Olympic silver medalist, but plans to add uneven bars for nationals.

If the Americans have a weakness it’s on bars, and that just happens to be Liukin’s signature event. She was the silver medalist on bars in Beijing -

she and China’s He Kexin actually tied, but He won on a complex tiebreaker - and even her fellow competitors stopped to watch when she did parts of her routine.

“She needs a good consistency level, good execution and the ability to perform those routines in competition conditions,” said Karolyi, the national team coordinator. “That’s what we’re looking for. Right now this is the first step, we still have a little time. We’ll see and we’ll know a little bit more after we finish this competition.” Told that Liukin acknowledged having some nerves, Karolyi smiled.

“Every competition is a competition, and you feel the pressure and you know you have to do the good job,” she said. “Even if you’re a past Olympian or a newcomer, you will have some jitters. But the whole thing is how you can handle those, and that’s why you need these rehearsals, like I would call this competition. If you successfully complete this stage, the next stage will be a little bit easier and then the trials will be even easier. That’s why I was encouraging everybody, go ahead and compete.”

As the gymnasts went through training Friday, Karolyi wandered the floor observing and chatting with coaches. Liukin had her full attention as did Jordyn Wieber, the reigning world champion and favorite to get the lone guaranteed Olympic spot

reserved for the all-around champion after nationals and trials.

Even when Karolyi was standing halfway across the arena, the girls on uneven bars knew that not a single pirouette would go unnoticed.

“She’s the only one you’ll be doing bars and you’ll see her out of the corner of your eye,” Aly Raisman said.

“Wherever she is, you can always see where she is and you can always hear her.”

And if that unnerves somebody, well, Karolyi has no problem with that. Her exacting standards are known to all, and you can’t argue with the results. Since she became national team coordinator in 2001, the Americans have won 59 medals at the Olympics and world championships. No other country has had more than 35. At last year’s world championships alone, the Americans won the team and all-around title as well as gold on vault and bronzes on balance beam and floor exercise.

Oh, the Americans have produced the last two Olympic champions, too, in Liukin and Carly Patterson.

“You have to prove that ability and you have to maintain that ability.

And you cannot maintain it by training in your own little gym,” Karolyi said. “I’m part of it, and I think, yes, it’s a little pressure and I’m very glad if they feel a little pressure. “If you cannot handle this much pressure,” she added, “how are you going to handle the big pressure?” —AP

Sun down Stars UNCASVILLE: Connecticut’s Tina Charles had 18 points and eight rebounds to become the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 800 career rebounds, as the Sun beat the San Antonio Silver Stars 83-79 in the WNBA on Friday. Charles began the day four rebounds short of the milestone and got it with 2:02 remaining in the third quarter. She reached the mark in her 71st career game, besting the previous mark set by Yolanda Griffith, who did it in her 72nd game. Charles also had three blocks to help the Sun open the season with three wins for the second time in franchise history. Renee Montgomery top-scored with 23 points. Danielle Adams scored 21 for the Silver Stars.

Dream 100, Liberty 74 In Atlanta, Angel McCoughtry scored 23 points as Atlanta won its home opener over New York.

Lindsey Harding added 19 for the Dream who pulled away late in the last quarter and cruised through the second half. Cappie Pondexter scored 18 points for the Liberty, who have opened the season with four losses for the first time since 2006, when they went on to a franchise-worst 11-23 season record.

Fever 83, Sky 72 In Rosemont, Illinois, Tamika Catchings scored 22 points and Katie Douglas added 21 to lead Indiana past Chicago. The Fever won for the ninth time in the past 10 meetings against the Sky and improved to 20-5 in the all-time series. —AP

Preview

Chennai favorite in IPL final CHENNAI: Two-time defending champion Chennai Super Kings will start as the overwhelming favorite in the Indian Premier League final against Kolkata Knight Riders today following two dominating performances in the playoffs that saw them seal a place in the final for the fourth time in five years.

Chennai packed off star-studded Mumbai Indians in the “eliminator” - the equivalent of a quarterfinal - after just about scraping through to the four-team playoff. It then ran up the season’s highest total of 222-5 to bat league topper Delhi Daredevils out of the contest in the second “qualifier.” Opener Murali Vijay hit 113 from 58 balls to help Chennai win by a huge margin of 86 runs under lights at the Chidambaram Stadium, where a full capacity crowd of 40,000 is expected to cheer on the home team on Sunday when it chases a hat-trick of IPL crowns. Delhi coach Eric Simons backed Chennai to make it three titles in a row.

“They struggled through the league system but came good at the business end, which is the sign of champions, and that is what they are,” the South African said.

“Chennai is a very balanced side and they

sneaked into the playoffs with a mission. They are a tough team, balanced in both batting and bowling departments. They have eight batsmen and can rotate the strike well,” he added.

Kolkata, captained by India opener Gautam Gambhir, will be figuring in its maiden IPL final following a consistent run in the league phase and a confident 18-run win over Delhi in the first “qualifier”. “Every team can beat the other on a given day, so we need to be wary and cannot take things lightly,” Vijay said of Kolkata. “The only thing I can tell you is that we are geared up for the match.”

Off-spinner Sunil Narine has been Kolkata’s trump card and the West Indian is the second highest wicket-taker of the tournament this season with 24 victims from 14 games.

“Planning won’t work against him,” Vijay said.

“You have to watch the ball and play it accordingly.

I want to keep it simple. Ideally in Twenty20, every team wants to score as many as runs as possible and put the opposition under pressure. We were lucky, but (then) everything went our way,” opener Vijay said, referring to the game against Delhi.

Chennai, Kolkata and Delhi have qualified for the Champions League. —AP

Kuwait Airways honors National Team captain KUWAIT: The Managing Director of Kuwait Airways Mohammad Hussain AlHilal recently received the Kuwait National Team captain Bader Al-Muttawa following his ‘Goal Scorer of the Year’ award. Al-Hilal congratulated Bader Al-Muttawa for his

achievements which raised the name of Kuwait in the sports field. He said that Kuwait Airways is proud of him as he stood as an idol for the Kuwaiti youths not only in sports achievements but also in his commitments.

19

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

SPORTS

Spain blank Serbia

ITALY: Thomas De Gendt of Belgium climbs on his way to win the 219 km 20th stage from Caldes to Passo dello Stelvio of the Tour of Italy Giro díItalia.—AFP

De Gendt wins Giro stage ITALY: Belgian Thomas de Gendt put up a superb solo effort to win the fearsome Giro d’Italia 20th stage yesterday, with Joaquim Rodriguez retaining the overall leader’s pink jersey.

Spain’s Rodriguez, riding for the Katusha team, finished fourth and now holds a 31second advantage over Canada’s Ryder Hesjedal going into today’s 21st and final stage time trial.

Despite almost doubling his lead Rodriguez will have his work cut out to contain Hesjedal in Milan with the Garmin rider favoured by the 30km race against the clock. “Ryder (Hesjedal) is the favorite to win, I’m not saying that I can’t beat him but I’m being realistic, I’m telling myself that I need a miracle,” conceded Rodriguez, who nevertheless is taking comfort in the optimistic view adopted by his manager, Sebastian Webber. “He thinks that this time trial, with quite a few bends, will suit me,” said the pink jersey holder.

De Gendt’s astonishing display of power on this stamina-sapping 219km alpine ride, culminating in the Category I climb up the Passo Stelvio, which at 2757m altitude is the highest finish of any of the Tours, also pushed him into podium contention.

The 25-year-old Vacansoleil rider leapt from eighth to fourth in the general standings after crossing the snow-lined finish 55sec up on Damiano Cunego.

At the start of the stage de Gendt was out of contention, 5min 40sec behind Rodriguez, but after this fine effort he moved to within 2min 18 sec of the leader.

Mikel Nieve took third at 2min 50sec

with Rodriguez in fourth, 3.22 down to lift him one point above Briton Mark Cavendish in the red jersey points standings. Defending Giro champion Michele Scarponi, fifth on Saturday, is placed third in the GC, 1:51s adrift. Despite losing time on Rodriguez, Hesjedal did enough in sixth to give him a great chance of creating cycling history on Sunday in Milan by becoming the Tour of Italy’s first ever Canadian champion.

De Gendt made his ultimately successful bid for stage glory when slipping away from the peloton 57km from the finish at a time when the pack were tackling the dreaded Mortirolo climb. “I decided to attack on Mortirolo because I know the descent and I know it’s dangerous.”

With the help of a team member he maintained the pressure in the following valley to set out up the final punishing push to the Stelvio summit with a lead of almost four minutes.

He deployed his local knowledge to perfection - for the past six years he has used the mountain as a training camp. “The last few kilometres were very tough, but I couldn’t consider weakening,” he added.

“It was in last year’s Tour de France that I began to appreciate that I could defend myself in the mountains. This year I won’t be on the Tour de France as I’m getting married...”

His virtuoso feat not only ensured his place in the memory of the 2012 Giro but also put at risk Italy’s proud tradition of having a rider on the final podium for every year since 1995.—AFP

Strauss answers Sammy’s ton with unbeaten century NOTTINGHAM: England captain Andrew Strauss struck his second hundred in as many matches to answer one earlier yesterday from West Indies skipper Darren Sammy in the second Test here at Trent Bridge. At the close of the second day, England were 259 for two in reply to the tourists’ first innings 370, which featured Sammy’s 106 — the all-rounder’s maiden Test century. England were 111 runs behind, with Strauss 102 not out and Kevin Pietersen, who had struck a six and 10 fours, unbeaten on 72. They’d so far added an unbroken 136 for the third wicket as they both cashed in on an excellent batting pitch. Strauss, who had gone 18 months without a Test hundred before scoring 122 in England’s five-wicket series opening win at Lord’s, posted his 21st century in 96 matches at this level yesterday.

That meant the 37-year-old left-handed opener was now just one short of the England record of 22 Test tons held jointly

by Walter Hammond, Colin Cowdrey and Geoffrey Boycott.

“It’s always a special thing to get a Test match hundred,” Strauss told the BBC. “Having not had one for a while, I’m not going to get blase about that now.

“It’s nice to be back in form and I’m determined to make the most of it. It felt a lot easier today (Saturday) than at Lord’s because I wasn’t fighting against myself as much.” Alastair Cook, Strauss’s opening partner, had twice been caught behind off Kemar Roach no-balls when, on 24, he edged paceman Ravi Rampaul to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin.

But Strauss and Jonathan Trott took England to 123 for one at tea with a brisk stand of 80. But neither Trott nor England had added to their score when, on 35, he was lbw to a Rampaul delivery that cut back sharply. Trott called for a review but the decision was upheld. Pietersen wasted little time in attacking Shane Shillingford, left out at Lord’s, by going down the pitch to loft the first ball he received from the off-spinner for six over long-on.

England had their moments of good for-

TRENT BRIDGE: West Indies batsman Darren Sammy celebrates making a century during the second day of the second Test match between England and West Indies. —AFP tune-Pietersen was lucky when, on 25, he saw an inside-edge off Rampaul just miss the stumps before going for four.

But the West Indies were discovering, as England’s bowlers had before them, that there was precious little room for error on this pitch.

Rampaul, who missed the first Test with a neck injury, was the pick of the attack with two for 42 in 18 overs. Strauss cut the medium-pace of opposing skipper Sammy for a four that took him into the 90s before a boundary off Shillingford through midwicket saw him to a 192-ball century with 18 fours.

West Indies resumed Saturday on 304 for six, having collapsed to 63 for four, with Marlon Samuels 107 not out and Sammy a then Test-best 88 not out. Sammy went to 98 by slicing a drive off Stuart Broad over the slips and next ball had another lucky break when, aiming legside, he somehow got the ball through point for another boundary that took him to a century.—AFP

SCOREBOARD NOTTINGHAM: Scoreboard at stumps on the second day of the second Test between England and the West Indies at Trent Bridge here yesterday: West Indies 1st Innings (overnight: 304-6) A. Barath c Anderson b Broad 0 K. Powell c Anderson b Broad 33 K. Edwards b Anderson 7 D. Bravo c Swann b Anderson 3 S. Chanderpaul lbw b Swann 46 M. Samuels c Anderson b Bresnan 117 D. Ramdin b Bresnan 1 D. Sammy c Pietersen b Bresnan 106 K. Roach c Strauss b Bresnan 7 S. Shillingford st Prior b Swann 16 R. Rampaul not out 6 Extras (b8, lb18, w1, nb1) 28 Total (all out, 109.2 overs, 468 mins) 370 Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Barath), 2-26 (Edwards), 342 (Bravo), 4-63 (Powell), 5-125 (Chanderpaul), 6-136 (Ramdin), 7-340 (Sammy), 8-341 (Samuels), 9-360 (Roach), 10-370 (Shillingford)

Bowling: Anderson 30-12-73-2; Broad 27-4-812 (1nb); Bresnan 27-4-104-4 (1w); Swann 20.24-62-2; Trott 5-0-24-0.

England 1st Innings A. Strauss not out 102 A. Cook c Ramdin b Rampaul 24 J. Trott lbw b Rampaul 35 K. Pietersen not out 72 Extras (b9, lb5, w2, nb10) 26 Total (2 wkts, 68 overs, 268 mins) 259 Fall of wickets: 1-43 (Cook), 2-123 (Trott) To bat: I Bell, J Bairstow, M Prior, T Bresnan, S Broad, G Swann, J Anderson Bowing: Roach 15-1-48-0 (8nb); Rampaul 184-42-2 (2nb, 2w); Sammy 15-0-69-0; Shillingford 15-2-73-0; Samuels 5-1-13-0.

Match position: England are 111 runs behind with eight first innings wickets standing.

SWITZERLAND: Spain warmed up for a defence of their European title with a 2-0 friendly win over Serbia here yesterday.

Coach Vicente del Bosque fielded some of his fringe players with so many regular stars involved in Friday’s Spanish Cup final in which Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0.

That left the door open for the likes of Atletico Madrid’s Adrian Lopez to state his Euro case, and he didn’t disappoint, heading the world champions into a 64thminute lead.

This was the best possible way for Adrian, who came on as a second half substitute, to mark his first ever appearance in the national shirt.

Adrian was instrumental in Spain’s second goal 11 minutes later when he earned a penalty after being felled by Serbia captain Branislav Ivanovic, with the spot kick converted by Santi Cazorla.

Adrian’s Atletico teammate Juanfran will have also caught del Bosque’s eye as the coach puts the finishes touches to his 23man Euro squad which he is due to announce today. Serbia did have the ball in the back of the Spanish net but Dejan Lekic’s effort was ruled offside.

Spain kick off their Group C campaign against Italy on June 10, followed by the Republic of Ireland on June 14 and wrapping up with Croatia on June 18 with all their first round games in Gdansk.

Ireland 1 Bosnia-Herzegovina 0 DUBLIN: Shane Long gave Republic of Ireland the perfect Euro 2012 send-off as his late goal sealed a 1-0 win over BosniaHerzegovina in Saturday’s friendly at Lansdowne Road.

Giovanni Trapattoni’s side were playing their last match on home soil before their opening Euro 2012 clash against Croatia in Poznan on June 10.

And West Bromwich Albion

ST GALLEN: Spain’s Juanfran Torres (center) vies with Serbia’s Adem Ljajic (left) during the friendly football match. —AFP striker Long ensured Ireland’s confidence will be high when they head to a training camp in Italy and a final friendly in Hungary after he came off the bench to bag the winner with 12 minutes remaining.

There were plenty of positives for Trapattoni to take from a match that his side dominated for long periods, including a confident first start for James McClean and an inspired cameo role from Aiden McGeady. But the Italian, whose side are unbeaten in 13 matches, will know Ireland’s finishing must improve if they are to qualify from a tough group featuring Spain, Italy and Croatia.

Long said: “The gaffer put me on to get the winner and luckily I was on the end of a brilliant Aiden McGeady cross. “It’s a massive win. We joined up on Sunday and we wanted to start off on a

good foot and get a bit of a roll going before we go to Poznan.

“The whole country’s getting right behind us. Hopefully we’ll give them something to shout about.”

Trapattoni was without firstchoice goalkeeper Shay Given as the Aston Villa star recovers from a knee injury, while defender Sean St Ledger also missed out through injury despite being named in the starting line-up on Friday.

There was another injury scare for Trapattoni within the first 10 minutes when captain Robbie Keane needed treatment after taking a blow in the ribs.

But LA Galaxy striker Keane was quickly back on his feet to the relief of his manager and the focus returned to McClean, the young Sunderland winger making his first start for Ireland.

McClean has been called up for Trapattoni’s Euro squad after a superb second half of the season with Sunderland and he underlined his quality with a run and cross towards Damien Duff at the far post, but Senad Lulic got a touch to clear the danger.

Bosnia striker Edin Dzeko was back in action for the first time since helping Manchester City win the Premier League and he almost set up the opening goal with a low cross to Vedad Ibisevic, who got a toe to it but was denied by Kieren Westwood.

Trapattoni’s men appealed for a penalty in the 13th minute when Glenn Whelan got past Jahic and appeared to be fouled by Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic as he attempted to round him, but Swiss referee Nikolaj Haenni waved play on.—AFP

Prince Ali of Jordan hits out at FIFA’s headscarf advice BUDAPEST: Hitting out at FIFA’s medical advisers, Prince Ali of Jordan said he was disturbed by their tests which could prevent Muslim women football players from wearing headscarves to respect their cultural tradition.

The FIFA board member said on Friday he was “quite shocked” to hear its medical advisers describe two scarf designs as a danger to health.

“I’m usually not very emotional but I was very disturbed by the comment,” said Prince Ali, who has pushed efforts to reverse a FIFA ban on headscarves imposed for safety reasons in 2007.

Prince Ali won praise from FIFA’s rules-making body after presenting his case in March. The panel, known as IFAB, said it intended to approve the scarves for use but asked for a final medical opinion ahead of a scheduled July 5 meeting in Zurich.

However, FIFA’s medical committee chairman Michel D’Hooghe said on Thursday that female players wearing the scarves could sustain head and neck injuries, or overheat.

“I am a little disturbed about these being used as arguments,” said Prince Ali, a FIFA vice president representing Asia. “If they want to do a proper evaluation, do it on the pitch.”

Testing on two scarves was conducted in an office at FIFA’s Swiss headquarters last month.

One design from the Netherlands uses quickrelease velcro fasteners, and a Canadian scarf is fixed with light magnets.

“I am concerned there is no seriousness in the testing, or no desire. I hope this issue will be treated with the same respect and dignity that other issues are treated with, like goal line technology,” he said.

D’Hooghe, a Belgian doctor who also sits alongside Prince Ali on FIFA’s executive committee, said modified designs to update the rejected ones would arrive at FIFA “in the coming days.”

Denying this was accurate, Prince Ali said the two scarves were the finished design. Prince Ali said he felt “responsible” for the debate, which has won backing from the United Nations and the Nobel Prize Committee. “We are asking for women to be able to play football in the field, no matter who they are,” he said. FIFA does allow Islamic women to cover their hair with a scarf in matches sanctioned by confederations and national football authorities.

However, the ban extends to FIFA matches including finals tournaments and qualifiers for Women’s World Cups at all age levels and Olympics events. The Islamic nation of Azerbaijan hosts the Under-17 Women’s World Cup from Sept. 22-Oct. 13.

“I have done everything I can, and it’s an issue that won’t go away,” the prince said. The IFAB panel includes the four British football associations, which have one vote each, and FIFA which has a four-vote bloc. Six votes are needed to change a rule.—AP

LEIRIA: Portugal’s forward Ricardo Quaresma (left) vies with Macedonia’s Stefan Ristovski (right) during their Euro 2012 football championship friendly football match. —AP

Portugal held by Macedonia LEIRIA: Portugal lacked fire and flair and was held to 0-0 at home by Macedonia yesterday in a warm up match for the European Championship.

Portugal’s rare goal threats came mostly from Cristiano Ronaldo’s long-range efforts, but the captain had little support and couldn’t break down Macedonia’s packed defense on his own. Nani’s late entrance upped the pace but Portugal still lacked a spark. Portugal also drew its previous friendly against Poland in February.

Careless defense early in the second half almost cost the Portuguese as home fans jeered their team’s dull performance. Goran Pandev escaped his marker inside the Portuguese area soon after the restart but lost the ball. In the 57th Vance Sikov headed over the bar unchallenged.

Portugal will play against Germany, the Netherlands and Demark in Group B at the Euro 2012 next month. Portugal coach Paulo Bento handed rare starts to Rolando at center-back and Ruben Micael in midfield, with Ricardo Quaresma taking Nani’s usual place on the flank.

None of them impressed as Portugal failed to break the monotonous game.

Ronaldo’s first attempt came in the 10th, with a trademark thundering free kick that skimmed the crossbar. His low drive from just outside the area in the 25th skidded wide of Martin Bogatinov’s right post, and five minutes before halftime the Real Madrid forward struck a dipping free kick that Bogatinov scrambled to cover.

Poland 1 Slovakia 0 French-born Damien Perquis scored his first goal for Poland yesterday as the beefed-up Euro 2012 hosts beat Slovakia 10 during a pre-tournament friendly. Perquis blasted a header past Slovakia and Dundee United keeper Dusan Pernis in the 30th minute.

The Poles harried their opponents’ defence in both halves, with a string of strikes either saved by Pernis or shot wide.

Slovakia had few chances to level the score, though their captain, Napoli midfielder

Marek Hamsik, forced Poland and Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny into a lunging save minutes from half time.

“I’ve proved that I’m part of this team,” said 28-year-old Sochaux defender Perquis, who like a handful of other players with foreign ties has faced repeated criticism from Polish nationalists since winning his first cap last September.

Eligible for Polish nationality due to family roots, Perquis was allowed under FIFA rules to don a Poland shirt because he had never played beyond under-21 level for France. Perquis has said he will answer his adversaries on the pitch, where he is highly rated by team-mates, notably Szczesny who sings his praises. Szczesny was among a string of Poland stars in action against Slovakia, with manager Franciszek Smuda also opting to play his Borussia Dortmund trio of striker Robert Lewandowski, midfielder Kuba Blaszczykowski and defender Lukasz Piszczek. On Tuesday, when Poland beat Euro 2012 non-qualifiers Latvia 1-0 in a friendly in Klagenfurt, Smuda chose to rest his big names who had just wrapped up their club seasons and deploy a handful of understudies. They included Szczesny’s club and country substitute Lukasz Fabianski, whose hopes for a role at Euro 2012 were dashed on Saturday when it was announced that a shoulder injury will keep him out of the squad. With the stars absent, Hannover striker Artur Sobiech on Tuesday had marked his first appearance since 2010 with his debut international goal.

But despite their back to back friendly wins, Poland will have their work cut out at the tournament proper, with resilient opponents Greece, the Czech Republic and Russia in their group. Having failed to reach the 2010 World Cup, and with an automatic hosts’ berth at Euro 2012, Poland will have gone 968 days without a competitive match by the time they kick off the tournament, hosted with neighbouring Ukraine, on June 8 in Warsaw. Slovakia made it to the round of 16 at the 2010 World Cup but suffered a dip in form that saw them fail to qualify for Euro 2012.—AFP

Spain blank Serbia in friendly

Webber takes Monaco pole

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

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Prince Ali of Jordan hits out at FIFA’s headscarf advice

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HAMBURG: Brazil’s Romulo (left) and Denmark’s striker Michael Krohn-Dehli vie for the ball during the international friendly football match. — AFP

Hulk stars as Brazil down Danes HAMBURG: Brazil’s Hulk scored twice and created another goal to lead his team to a 3-1 victory over Denmark in a friendly match in Hamburg yesterday, with the error-prone Scandinavians in need of improvement ahead of next month’s Euro 2012.

With their first Group B match just two weeks away on June 9 against Netherlands, Denmark coach Morten Olsen will be no doubt reviewing their defensive operation after his players conceded by gifted the ball to Brazil three times in the first half.

The touring South Americans will also play three friendlies in the United States in the coming weeks as coach Mano Menezes prepares their assault on the Olympic gold medal - the only trophy missing from their vast collection.

It took his young and quick team eight minutes to take the lead with Porto’s Hulk winning

possession and releasing a sizzling strike from 28 metres with the ball bouncing awkwardly in front of keeper Thomas Sorensen and into the net.

They doubled their lead five minutes later when Christian Poulsen lost possession in his own half, Hulk stormed into the box and used an unlucky deflection from Niki Zimling to see the ball roll into goal. The introduction of Thomas Kahlenberg briefly added some pace to the Danish side and much-needed support for lone forward Nicklas Bendtner but another blunder, this time from Daniel Agger, allowed Hulk to wrongfoot Sorensen for his second goal of the game.

With Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho in the stands for a glimpse at the string of talented young Brazilians, Agger failed to make amends two minutes after the restart when he managed

to misfire from a metre out.

But Zimling did make up for his own goal, driving past three Brazilians into the box and setting up Bendtner for a simple tap in after 71 minutes with Brazil having taken their foot off the gas.

Denmark have been drawn in Group B in Ukraine and Poland alongside Netherlands, Portugal and Germany.

Meanwhile, a little over two years before the kickoff of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, nearly 40 percent of projects are yet to start, the government said, insisting there was no cause for alarm.

Brazil plans to spend $13 billion on 101 projects to build or modernize stadiums, airports, roads and public transport ahead of the World Cup, but work has begun on only 60 of them, the government said. Football’s governing body FIFA has for months complained about delays, but

Brazilian Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo insisted preparations for the first World Cup in the soccermad country since 1950 remain on track.

“We are not working on the possibility or the assumption of a delay. We have an eye on the current state of the projects and another on their completion,” said Rebelo, flanked by Planning Minister Miriam Belchior and Cities Minister Aguinaldo Ribero.

Six of the 12 stadiums that are to host World Cup matches will be ready in time for the 2013 Confederations Cup, the government said. “The projects are on schedule,” said Rebelo. “We expect the Confederations Cup will take place in the six planned arenas.”

The Confederations Cup, seen as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup, will be held from June 15 to 30 next year in four confirmed cities: Rio de

Switzerland crush Germany in friendly

Hodgson off the mark as England defeat Norway OSLO: Roy Hodgson made a winning start to his reign as England manager here yesterday after an Ashley Young goal gave his side a 1-0 victor y over Nor way at the Ullevaal Stadium.

Hodgson, who only took over as the successor to Fabio Capello earlier this month, saw his experimental England side record their first win over Norway for 32 years in a largely lacklustre encounter. With only four or five of yesterday ’s star ting England XI likely to feature in their opening Euro 2012 Group D game against France on June 11, Hodgson was given the opportunity to run the rule over several fringe members of his squad.

However despite an encouraging opening spell from striker Andy Carroll and another goal-scoring contribution from Young, there were few major English success stories in a low-key contest.

England had got off to a flying start with Young firing the visitors ahead after only nine minutes following a swift break up field. Carroll won the first of several aerial battles of the opening period and released the Manchester United midfielder into space.

Young still had plenty to do but twisted and turned away from the covering Norwegian defence -distracted by England’s fast-arriving support-and shot low into the bottom corner past Rune Almenning Jarstein.

England goalkeeper Rob Greenmaking his first start since his blunder against the United States at the 2010 World Cup-was forced into a nervous save moments later when he tipped Markus Henriksen’s shot wide.

Green was given a scare from Morten Gamst Pedersen’s subsequent corner, which had the England goalkeeper

scrambling before it cannoned off the near post.

England looked comfortable for the remainder of the half, and should have done better with another promising counter attack on 34 minutes when James Milner chose to shoot instead of squaring to the unmarked Carroll.

England captain Steven Gerrard then earned the opprobrium of the home crowd for a rugged and risky challenge on Norway’s right back Tom Hogli that forced the defender to withdraw from the contest.

Gerrard was fortunate to escape censure from German referee Michael Weiner but was nevertheless booed relentlessly for the remainder of the half.

That was to be Gerrard’s last involvement of the night, with Hodgson replacing his skipper with Gareth Barry at the interval.

England struggled to build any sort of momentum for much of the second half, their only meaningful chance coming from Leighton Baines’ 48th-minute low curling free-kick which was saved by Jarstein.

The introduction of Theo Walcott for Scott Parker gave England some badly needed pace down the right flank, but the Arsenal midfielder struggled to impose himself on proceedings.

As England toiled, Norway grew in confidence and Riise raised the home crowd’s hopes when he forced Green into a near-post save on 62 minutes.

However the game fizzled out as England emptied their substitutes bench, replacements which saw Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Martin Kelly make their senior debuts late on.

England also had an injur y scare when Barr y, who had replaced Gerrard, was himself taken off midway through the second half. — AFP

Janeiro, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte and Fortaleza.

Recife and Salvador could be added at a later stage depending on how work progresses.

The expansion and renovation of stadiums in the southern cities of Curitiba and Porto Alegre is less advanced than in other host cities.

Of particular concern is the mass transit system, particularly access to the host arenas for the millions of tourists who plan to attend the event, as well as the 2016 Summer Olympics.

As of April, only 28 of the 51 planned transport projects had begun. Bidding for seven others is under way and concessions for nine are in the process of being awarded.

Work has begun on only 13 of the 31 planned projects to upgrade airports. “The government is optimistic and confident about overcoming all the challenges,” Rebelo said. — Agencies

BASEL: Switzerland’s Erden Derdiyok (center) goes for a header with Germany’s Per Mertesacker (left) and Marco Reus (right) during an international friendly match. — AP

BASEL: Germany suffered for resting its Bayern Munich players as Switzerland forward Eren Derdiyok scored a hattrick in a wild 5-3 victory over the European Championship contender in a friendly yesterday.

Derdiyok exploited unusual disarray in the German defense to convert assists from the outstanding Tranquillo Barnetta in the 21st, 23rd and 49th minutes.

Defender Stephan Lichtsteiner and midfielder Admir Mehmedi added goals in the 67th and 74th to seal Switzerland’s first win over its neighbor since 1956.

Germany’s fight backs were never convincing despite goals from Mats Hummels in the 45th, Andre Schuerrle in the 64th and substitute Marco Reus in the 72nd.

As a Euro 2012 pointer, the match likely has little value beyond teaching Germany coach Joachim Loew that his back-up defenders cannot yet be relied upon to play together as a group. “The team hasn’t played together in that lineup yet, but that’s no excuse,” Loew said.

Germany’s coach allowed his Bayern players - including goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, defender Philipp Lahm and midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger the night off after their Champions League final loss against Chelsea one week earlier.

Switzerland’s German coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said he still believed in his home country’s chances in Poland and Ukraine. “I am convinced the Germans can win the Euro,” Hitzfeld said. “We explored some gaps in the German game. I don’t think Loew is going to play such attacking football at the Euro.” Germany is in the toughest Euro 2012 group with the Netherlands, Portugal and Denmark. Loew gave an international debut to Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

The Borussia Moenchengladbach goalkeeper scrambled across his goal in the 15th, when Derdiyok met Barnetta’s free-kick with a glancing header that looped just

wide of goal.

Switzerland then stunned the visitors as longtime Bayer Leverkusen teammates Barnetta and Derdiyok twice combined to score. Barnetta burst through and passed to Derdiyok who struck his first-time shot into the net from close to the penalty spot.

Two minutes later, Barnetta floated a cross from the left and Derdiyok rose alone to head past Ter Stegen who was poorly positioned.

“I told him not to let his head hang now. I was more angry about the defense not moving back fast enough,” Loew said of Ter Stegen’s troubles.

On both goals, Arsenal defender Pet Mertesacker appeared at fault, marking no Swiss attacker yet dropping too deep to allow Derdiyok extra yards (meters) of space without fear of being offside.

The ragged German defense was almost punished again in the 30th, but Mehmedi ended a three-on-two break by curling his shot wide from the edge of the penalty area.

Central defender Mats Hummels brought Germany back into the contest by heading in Mesut Oezil’s freekick. Loew removed both his Real Madrid midfielders, Oezil and Sami Khedira, at the break to give his lineup a yet more experimental look.

Veteran forward Miroslav Klose quickly forced a save from Benaglio, but Switzerland extended its lead controversially in the 49th.

Again, Barnetta’s delivery was met

by Derdiyok, with a glancing header that clipped Ter Stegen’s outstretched left arm on its way into the net.

However, television replays showed the ball also struck Mehmedi’s arm as he stood in front of the German goalkeeper.

Mertsesacker missed a simple chance to score when he stumbled near the goalline instead of meeting Benedikt Hoewedes’s header back across the goalmouth. Germany closed to 3-2 when Schuerrle’s swerving shot from distance eluded Benaglio. — AP

Business

India PM visits Myanmar amid quest for energy Page 22 Kuwait equities remain under pressure Page 24

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

Upbeat consumers boost US economic outlook

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Lagarde has little sympathy for Greece Page 23

ATHENS: Signs advertising that each item of merchandise is on sale for one euro are seen in a discount shop in central Athens on Friday. Uncertainty over Greece’s future in the euro-zone has hammered markets ahead of June 17 general elections in the crisis-hit country. — AP

No German money for Greek ‘bottomless pit’ Greece must honor promises, says minister BERLIN: Germany will not “pour money into a bottomless pit” and patience with Greece is growing thin ahead of a new election in the Mediterranean country, a conservative member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet was quoted yesterday as saying.

Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich told the Leipziger Volkszeitung newspaper that Germany, Europe’s largest economy and the biggest contributor to rescue efforts, is glad to help Greece help itself but expects it to honur its agreements. “We’re not willing to pour money into a bottomless pit,” he told the newspaper. “Anyone who wants to see help and solidarity from us has to accept that we expect from that country a certain amount of seriousness and a certain amount of reasonableness.”

Friedrich, who has long been a hardliner in Merkel’s cabinet on Greece, became the first German minister in February to openly call for the country to leave the euro-

zone. While his latest comments appear to be aimed at placating Germans who are increasingly anxious about the Greek situation, they are likely to reopen old wounds with Athens.

Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble also called Greece “a bottomless pit” in February but after being villanized in Athens has since refrained from using the term.

Greece was forced to call a repeat election for June 17 after a May 6 vote left parliament divided between parties that support and oppose austerity conditions attached to a 130-billion-euro ($163 billion) bailout package agreed with the European Union and International Monetary Fund in March. Anti-bailout parties are expected to repeat their strong performance, opinion polls show, increasing the risk Greece will renege on its austerity pledges, default on its debt and possibly leave the single currency. Merkel and European Union leaders said at a summit this week they

UK plans migrant curbs if euro folds: Paper LONDON: Britain is drawing up emergency immigration controls to combat any surge in economic migrants from Greece and other European Union countries if the euro collapses, its interior minister said in remarks published yesterday.

Theresa May did not say what steps Britain could apply. Every national in the single market has the right to work in a fellow member state, although temporary restrictions can apply to new member countries. “As in every part of government, it is right that we do some contingency planning on this,” she told the Daily Telegraph newspaper. “That is work that is ongoing.”

An increasing perception that Greece or other debt-laden countries might have to leave the 17-country single currency bloc has brought concerns that millions could lose their jobs and be forced abroad in search of work. Although Britain might appear attractive because it is outside the euro-zone, it depends on the euro-zone for 40 percent of exports, it fell back into recession in the first quarter of this year and unemployment is 8.2 percent. British media have said immigration controls might include temporary visas or worker cards. The Home Office (interior ministry) declined to comment on the newspaper report. —Reuters

Four EU leaders set June 22 crisis talks PARIS: The leaders of France, Germany, Spain and Italy will meet in Rome on June 22 to discuss the euro-zone crisis, the French newspaper Le Figaro said yesterday, citing Italian government sources. Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti had suggested a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, but there was difficulty setting a date. Merkel had appeared lukewarm on the idea, which Monti said was needed to clarify the issues at stake before a full EU summit on June 28 and 29.

“The four-way meeting on Europe should

take place in Rome on June 22, after elections in Greece and France,” Le Figaro said. Greeks are due to go to the polls on June 17 in a repeat general election, which many fear could result in a government intent on ripping up the international bailout program and lead to Greece’s exit from the euro-zone. France is due to hold parliamentary elections on the same day, where the new Socialist president hopes to secure a left-wing majority to help him implement tax-and-spend plans. A spokesman for Monti’s office could not confirm the date of the four-way meeting, but said he believed it would be after June 17. — Reuters

want to keep Greece in the euro zone. But sources told Reuters the Eurogroup Working Group - experts who work for the bloc’s finance ministers - had told member states to begin making contingency plans for a Greece exit.

“FAILED STATE” Juergen Fitschen, the designated co-chief executive of Germany’s largest commercial bank, Deutsche Bank, was quoted in online editions of German newspapers on Friday calling Greece a “failed state”. “Greece is the only country that we can in my view call a failed state,” he said. “It’s a corrupt state, its political leadership is corrupt.”

Friedrich, a leader in the arch-conservative Christian Social Union (CSU) that is the Bavarian sister party to Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU), said Greece made a mistake assuming joining the euro would give the country prosperity. “(They) evidently believed wealth would be

automatic if they got their hands on the euro,” Friedrich said. He added “a country needs a currency that matches its economic strength.” Public opinion in Germany is turning against Greece staying in the euro zone. A Politbarometer poll by ZDF TV published on Friday showed only 31 percent want Greece to stay with 60 percent opposed. In a similar ZDF poll in November, 41 percent wanted Greece to stay and 49 percent wanted to see it leave. Germany’s Nobel literature laureate Guenter Grass attacked Europe for its treatment of Greece in a poem published yesterday in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper called “Europe’s Disgrace”.

Greece was being disparaged as a country “below junk value”, he wrote, and added it was “close to chaos because you’re not fit for the markets”. He said Greece was being “abandoned as a naked debtor in the dock, a country suffers ... and is condemned to poverty.” — Reuters

Spain’s Bankia confident of getting 19bn-euro bailout MADRID: The new president of Spain’s fourthbiggest bank, Bankia, said yesterday he was confident of receiving from the government 19 billion euros ($24 billion) in the largest bank bailout in the country’s history. Jose Ignacio Goirigolzarri voiced his optimism that the struggling bank, which holds some 10 percent of the nation’s bank deposits, would receive all the state aid “in the month of July.”

The funding will be part of a recapitalization plan which the bank’s board approved on Friday and is backed by the government and the Bank of Spain.

At the press conference in Madrid, Goirigolzarri stressed that after the recapitalization, Bankia would be “solid, efficient and profitable.” The Spanish government has already spent 4.5 billion euros on Bankia after the lender was partially nationalized earlier this month. The new bailout will bring to 23.5 billion euros the total amount of the government’s rescue funding for the bank, which was formed in 2010 from a merger of seven troubled regional savings banks. Spanish banks are at the heart of market fears that Spain itself, the euro-zone’s fourth-largest economy, could be forced to seek an international financial bailout. Under the recapitalization plan it approved Friday, Bankia’s parent group Banco Financiero de Ahorros (BFA) will ask Spain’s bank restructuring fund FROB to subscribe to a capital increase of 19 billion euros.

Bankia will then launch a 12 billion euro capital hike which will be underwritten by BFA. Goirigolzarri yesterday defended the bank’s former management team and urged caution about passing judgement.

“We must be absolutely careful in our judgements,” he said, noting that his predecessor Rodrigo Rato had to deal with a “very complex” situation.

Rato, a former economy minister and head of the

International Monetary Fund, and his team had been forced to resign. Bankia had to revise its 2011 results to show, instead of a net profit of 309 million euros, a net loss of 2.979 billion euros due to writedowns in its loan portfolio.

Goirigolzarri blamed the massive loss on the economic crisis which has hurt Spain’s real estate market, forcing it to collapse in 2008 after a decade-long boom. Bankia had the sector’s largest exposure to the property market at 37.5 billion euros at the end of 2011, of which 31.8 billion euros were classed as problematic, according to figures from the Bank of Spain. The ailing lender was also subject to a credit ratings cut by Standard & Poor’s on Friday. S&P downgraded Bankia to BB+, one notch into junk status, from BBB- and also cut its rating for the bank’s

parent group BFA, which was already in the junk status of BB-, to B+, four notches into junk territory.

Standard & Poor’s also cut its rating for Bankinter, Banco Popular and Banca Civica.

Daniel Pingarron, an analyst at Spanish brokerage IG Markets, said Friday the injection of public funds into Bankia to save it “will not change things very much.” “What will happen is the FROB funds will run out, the fund will have to be replenished with public debt, and that does not sent a message of confidence” to markets, he added. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s conservative government this month instructed Spain’s banks to set aside an extra 30 billion euros in 2012 in case property-related loans go bad, on top of 53.8 billion euros required under reforms enacted in February. — AFP

MADRID: Bankia’s president Jose Ignacio Goirigolzarri is seen during a press conference at the bank’s headquarters in Madrid yesterday. — AP

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

BUSINESS

India PM visits Myanmar amid quest for energy Beijing’s clout in oil and gas sector unnerves Delhi

BRUSSELS: Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Monti (left) shakes hands with French President Francois Hollande (right) prior to a bilateral meeting on sideline of an EU summit, at the European Council building in Brussels. —AP

Monti faces protests over tax reforms ROME: Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti faced protests and catcalls yesterday as he defended tax authorities against attacks fuelled by his government’s unpopular austerity measures.

Monti’s speech to a passing-out parade of new officers of the Guardia di Finanza tax police in the northern city of Bergamo was met by a small plane trailing a banner reading “Enough with Monti, enough with taxes”.

“You are preparing to begin this profession, this service, at a moment of particular difficulty for Italy and Europe,” Monti told the parade in a speech which was interrupted several times by shouts from protestors. Monti’s technocrat government has imposed some 24 billion euros ($30 billion) worth of tax hikes to shore up Italy’s strained public finances and control a public debt burden equivalent to about 120 percent of gross domestic product.

Italy’s tax officials have been under growing pressure over recent months and Equitalia, the agency which collects taxes and fines, has been targeted by a string of attacks and threats by desperate small businessmen as well as anarchist groups.

Although the acts of violence against Equitalia offices and staff have been generally condemned, many commentators have expressed sympathy for the plight of struggling tax payers and attacked authorities for a heavy handed approach.

“The tax authorities are seen by many today as a true enemy,” Giorgio Squinzi, the

new head of Italy’s main business lobby Confindustria, said in a speech on Friday.

Monti’s personal approval ratings have dropped sharply and local election results this month showed a surge in support for protest parties opposed to his government and calling for renewal of the discredited political system.

He brushed off the hecklers at yesterday’s parade, saying the fight against the chronic problem of tax evasion, one of the priorities for his government, could not be won “with empty words and gestures of protest”. “The crisis that Europe and Italy are going through is a crisis which comes from a long way away. It is a crisis that can be understood not by sounding off but by reflection,” he said.

The government has faced particularly strong resistance in the prosperous regions of the north, Italy’s economic heartland, where there is strong resentment against tax increases seen as props for the poor and corruption-riddled southern regions.

Monti, who comes from Varese near the Swiss border, said “separatism” was not the answer but he said citizens from the north had a right to be especially concerned about tax evasion.

“We know that the competitiveness of our companies is frequently hurt because of the tax evasion which takes place throughout the country and perhaps more in other parts of the country than in this one,” he said. —Reuters

NEW DELHI: The visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Myanmar today is the latest sign that India now believes it needs to assert its presence in its eastern neighbor. The visit underscores India’s quest for energy supplies to fuel its economic boom and concerns about China’s strong influence in Myanmar, where the elected - but military-backed - government is opening up its economy for investment and trade.

In recent years, India has nervously watched Beijing’s domination of Myanmar’s oil and gas exploration projects. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese workers are in Myanmar working on infrastructure and other projects. Indian officials, however, are loath to admit that India’s Myanmar policy is being driven by China’s inroads there.

India wants to “secure a stronger and mutually beneficial relationship with a neighboring country that is integral to India’s Look East policy,” Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai told journalists Friday.

India has adopted a “Look East” policy of engaging with southeast and east Asia, reaching out and deepening bilateral ties with Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia among others in the region.

Singh’s visit will be the first in 25 years by an Indian prime minister, although the two countries share a 1,600-kilometer (1,000-mile) land border, as well as a maritime border in the Bay of Bengal. Myanmar, which was once known as Burma, had been an international pariah for decades under a military junta that quashed any hopes of democratic reform. A 2010 election, though, has led to at least some reforms and a gradual opening up to the rest of the world.

The competition between India and China in Myanmar is expected to surface again when Myanmar begins auctioning new natural gas blocks, both offshore and onshore, in which Indian companies are expected to participate actively. “It would be in Myanmar’s interest to not put all its eggs in one basket,” says Rajiv Bhatia, a former Indian ambassador to Myanmar, referring to China’s overwhelming presence in Myanmar’s oil and gas exploration sector.

Mathai said that during Singh’s visit, the two countries are slated to start a bus link between Imphal, capital of India’s Manipur state, and Mandalay, Myanmar’s second largest city.

India also will announce the creation of an IT training institute, an agricultural research center and a rice research park in Myanmar, Mathai said. Over decades of isolation by the West, China reached out to Myanmar, building billions of dollars in roads and gas pipelines in the impoverished country.

YANGON: Protesters hold candles during a candlelight vigil in Yangon on Friday. Small demonstrations in Myanmar’s two largest cities and several towns could be seen as an indicators of the new openness under President Thein Sein, who has overseen the country’s emergence from decades of authoritarian rule and diplomatic isolation. —AP

Oil edges up on Iran, posts 4th weekly loss NEW YORK: Oil prices rose for a second day on the lack of progress in negotiations with Iran over its disputed nuclear program, but crude futures posted a fourth straight weekly loss as Europe’s debt problems threatened economic growth and petroleum demand. Euro-zone political turmoil and economic uncertainty pressured the euro against the dollar, and along with recent signs of slowing Chinese economic growth and rising US crude oil inventories, helped limit gains of Brent and US crude futures.

This week’s negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program yielded little progress, though the six major powers and Tehran agreed to meet again in June, keeping the threat of conflict and supply disruptions in play for investors. News that Iran has enhanced its ability to enrich uranium and that UN inspectors found traces of uranium particles enriched at a higher rate than reported by Iran increased concerns in the oil markets

ahead of the three-day US Memorial Day holiday weekend.

US consumer sentiment rose in May to its highest in more than four years, the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan final reading for the month said. The bigger-than-expected increase added support for oil prices. Brent July crude rose 28 cents to settle at $106.83 a barrel, having swung from $106.02 to $107.24. The fourth straight weekly loss was only 31 cents, but Brent has fallen $13, or 10.85 percent, in that four-week period.

US July crude edged up 20 cents to settle at $90.86, having moved from $90.20 to $91.32, and remaining inside Thursday’s trading range. For the week, it fell 62 cents and losses during the four-week period total $14.07, or 13.4 percent.

Brent’s premium to US crude increased to $15.97, after dropping to $15.57 and reaching $16.25 intra-

economic sanctions on Myanmar. New Delhi insisted it had to follow a pragmatic policy, because it needed its neighbor’s help to crack down on Indian rebels who had built hideouts in the jungles along the India-Myanmar border India also argued that Myanmar’s military leaders could be nudged toward democracy only by engaging with them - not by isolating the impoverished nation.

Mathai said India also was opposed to the sanctions because Myanmar was a neighbor.

“When you are a neighboring country, you do not have the choice of a policy and engagement,” Mathai said. “You remain engaged irrespective of the situation.” In the past year, Myanmar’s military leaders have freed thousands of political prisoners, eased limits on the press and launched a series of economic reform measures. The military-backed regime allowed Suu Kyi’s political party to contest elections and ushered in an elected government.

In April, the European Union suspended most of its sanctions to reward Myanmar’s political reforms. Last week, the United States said it would suspend a ban on American investment in the country. — AP

New Delhi too has offered Myanmar aid and assistance, but not on the same scale as China.

In recent years, India has offered around $800 million in credit to Myanmar to help develop infrastructure such as railways, roads and waterways. New Delhi also is helping build a port in the coastal Myanmar city of Sittwe. That port, Indian officials hope, will act as a trade gateway between India’s northeastern states and southeast Asia.

Bilateral trade between India and Myanmar was around $1.2 billion in 2011. Both sides hope to push trade to $3 billion by 2015. Singh’s trip follows high level visits to India by Myanmar’s reformist President Thein Sein in October and visits by the foreign ministers of the two countries.

In the 1980s and early 90s, India was a strong supporter of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in her fight against the country’s military.

Singh will meet with Suu Kyi on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visited Myanmar in 1987, the last visit by an Indian premier. But in the mid-90s, India changed tack to engage with the country’s military junta, resisting pressures from the Western democracies that had imposed

day. Trading volumes were anemic, with US crude turnover 56 percent below the 30-day average. Brent dealings outpaced US volume, but were 37 percent b e low the Brent 30-day average.

US gasoline futures for June delivery edged up 1.64 cents to finish at $2.8929 a gallon, ahead of the busy summer driving season, but rose just 0.66 cents from the previous week’s close. All week long, the gasoline contract was range-bound and pivoted around its 200-day moving average, having moved below the gauge on Feb. 17 for the first time since Feb 2. At the settlement price, US gasoline futures had retraced half of their 41 percent rally from November to end-of March, during which prices rose $1 to $3.4455 a gallon. Technical analysts consider the so-called 50 percent Fibonacci retracement significant because it brings the price below a key level of support. — Reuters

Oman’s bank Nizwa draws $1.77bn in IPO MUSCAT: Omani lender Bank Nizwa, the sultanate’s first Islamic bank, attracted 681 million rials ($1.77 billion) of bids in its initial public offer of shares, 11 times the sum which it was raising, the lead manager for the IPO said yesterday.

The bank will be listed on the Muscat Securities Market on June 12, Oman Arab Bank said. Bank Nizwa raised 60 million rials by selling 40 percent of its capital.

Oman reversed its prohibition on Islamic finance last year and now intends to develop the industry, seeing economic and political benefits. Bank Nizwa is not yet operational and has only a representative office; three branch openings are planned after the IPO. Another Islamic bank under formation, Al Izz International Bank, is expected to conduct an IPO of 40 percent of its 100 million rial capital by June, the central bank said earlier this year. — Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2730000 .4360000 .3490000 .2900000 .2700000 .2700000 .0040000 .0020000 .0758510 .7389920 .3830000 .0710000 .7244490 .0040000 .0430000

.2820000 .4460000 .3590000 .3030000 .2810000 .2800000 .0070000 .0035000 .0766130 .7464190 .4000000 .0770000 .7317300 .0072000 .0500000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2794000 .2815000 GB Pound/KD .4382110 .4415050 Euro .3514290 .3540710 Swiss francs .2925960 .2947950 Canadian dollars .2723860 .2744330 Danish Kroner .0472850 .0476400 Swedish Kroner .0390690 .0393620 Australian dlr .2724150 .2744630 Hong Kong dlr .0359930 .0362630 Singapore dlr .2190860 .2207320 Japanese yen .0035140 .0035410 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 .0050290 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 .0021700 Pakistan rupee .0000000 .0030670 Bangladesh taka .0000000 .0034540 UAE dirhams .0761000 .0766720 Bahraini dinars .7414090 .7469820 Jordanian dinar .0000000 .3981610 Saudi Riyal/KD .0745270 .0750870 Omani riyals .7259970 .7314540 Philippine Peso .0000000 .0065130

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co. Currency

Rate per 1000 (Tran)

US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah

280.200 3.059 5.035 2.160 3.425 6.525 76.390 74.875 744.900 46.358 446.800 3.090

Yemeni Riyal Euro Canadian Dollars Nepali rupee

1.550 360.600 286.800 3.350

UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

Al Mulla Exchange Currency

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal

280.125 354.000 441.200 274.400 3.575 5.055 46.440 2.140 3.420 6.405 3.055 746.200 76.350 74.850

COUNTRY

SELL DRAFT SELL CASH

Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

278.95 277.69 298.30 356.03 280.20 442.79 3.60 3.428 5.038 2.148 3.187 3.052 76.35 746.38 46.43 399.20 729.26 77.38 74.92

288.00 280.00 302.00 358.50 281.00 445.00 3.65 3.550 5.330 2.400 3.850 3.200 76.50 744.50 47.85 396.00 730.00 77.55 75.00

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Selling Rate

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar

280.550 277.140 441.180 353.865 294.250 742.745

COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound

SELL CASH 277.400 746.370 3.670 276.100 551.200 45.700 48.300 167.800 48.090 355.700 36.830 5.270 0.032 0.160 0.238 3.620 397.720 0.190 92.350 44.400 4.310 215.000 1.818 47.900 729.000 3.170 6.700 77.630 74.930 220.580 36.250 2.674 443.400 40.100 296.200 4.300

9.310 198.263 76.520 281.000 1.350

9.080 76.420 280.600

GOLD 1,657.180

10 Tola Sterling Pound US Dollar

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 441.400 280.600

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.

Bahrain Exchange Company

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

Rate for Transfer

Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

76.360 77.005 74.775 394.915 46.424 2.155 4.987 3.054 3.431 6.452 688.185 4.520 8.990 5.005 3.225 89.005

SELL DRAFT 275.900 746.370 3.427 274.600

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Malaysian Ringgit

3.543 4.999 3.050 2.149 3.195 220.150 36.118 3.421 6.464 8.895 89.413 GCC COUNTRIES 74.803 77.075 728.600 745.050 76.382

220.600 46.471 354.200 36.680 5.060 0.031

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

397.680 0.189 92.350

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 48.300 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 46.378 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.307 Tunisian Dinar 177.81 Jordanian Dinar 395.770 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.882 Syrian Lier 4.854 Morocco Dirham 32.790

3.200 213.500 728.820 3.060 6.410 77.200 74.930 220.580 36.250 2.140 441.400 294.700 4.300

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 280.400 Euro 356.11 Sterling Pound 441.350 Canadian dollar 275.28 Turkish lire 153.020 Swiss Franc 296.81 US Dollar Buying 279.200 20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

GOLD 295.000 148.000 76.000

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

BUSINESS

Why that flat Facebook IPO isn’t so bad after all NEW YORK: The botched offering of Facebook stock has raised several troubling questions, but at least we don’t have to worry about the one that plagues many IPOs: How are a few select investors able to buy in early at lower prices and then pocket huge profits when the trading frenzy begins?

Among the many apparent missteps in its public debut, Facebook is accused of setting an opening price that was too high. Instead of spiking on the first day, shares inched up just 23 cents, to $38.23.

The stock has mostly fallen since. But some IPO experts don’t think this was problem at all. “The debacle was not the IPO but all the whining by speculators who didn’t make money,” says Lise Buyer, who helps companies plan initial offerings. Says Jay Ritter, a finance professor at the University of Florida, “Selling something for what it’s worth is the way most people think a market should work.” For all its flaws, the Facebook debut did fulfill the chief purpose of a stock offering- to raise money for a company to pay bills, buy rivals, invest and expand. That aim is often lost amid the inflated expectations accompanying high-profile debuts.

In an initial public offering, a company sells shares to investment banks at what’s called an IPO price. Those investment banks, called underwriters, then turn around and sell the shares to big investors who’ve signaled they are willing to buy at the same price. The higher this initial price, the better because it means the company can raise more money. The much-anticipated pops on the first day of trading are mostly relevant to the big investors, not the company, since it has already pocketed the cash. In fact, a big opening-day pop can

suggest the company got rooked and could have set the IPO price higher and raked in more money.

Last year, several Internet IPOs soared 50 percent or more on their first days, recalling the Main Street excitement of dot-com offerings more than a decade ago. Shares of the online professional network LinkedIn, for instance, doubled in value on the first day. “Some of the pops were excessive,” says Ann Sherman, a DePaul University finance professor who feared another “IPO bubble” was brewing. Though disappointing to many, the flat Facebook debut came as a relief to her. Whether Facebook blew it by committing the opposite sin - overpricing - is another issue.

The stock closed Friday at $31.91, down 16 percent from its IPO price last week. There are good reasons for pricing an IPO stock so it’s almost assured a small first-day rise of, say, 10 percent or 15 percent. Companies going public tend to be young, small and risky. A “guaranteed” profit helps entice big mutual funds, hedge funds and other big traders to take a chance. Walloping those big first investors with losses on the first day can make them less likely to buy when a company needs to raise cash by selling stock again in a secondary offering.

But for the pop, these funds might not bother to even study newly public companies, much less show up at their roadshows where they talk-up their prospects to potential investors. Ritter, the University of Florida professor, says “conflicts of interest” by investment bankers play a role, too. The bankers talk to potential IPO buyers to gauge demand for the stock, and then help the company

NEW YORK: Television correspondent Sabrina Quagliozzi reports from inside the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York’s Times Square. To say that Facebook’s debut as a public company was bungled is something like saying Facebook is a website you might have heard of. — AP

set that all-important IPO price.

Lowballing the price allows the investment banks to reward big funds. Those funds often are big customers of the banks, using them to help trade stock, design custom-made derivatives bets and provide other services.

The quid pro quo from the investment banks to the funds is this: We offer you a hot IPO stock on the cheap, you sell it after the pop for instant profits - and you do more business with us. How this benefits the companies selling the stock in the first place is unclear. Ritter, who probed the issue a decade ago in a paper titled “Why Don’t Issuers Get Upset?,”

attributes it partly to the psychological thrill that CEOs with big shareholdings feel if their stock surges on the first day.

“If you thought you were worth $18 million, and you turn out to be worth $21 million, you’re happy,” he says.

There also are positive headlines after a big jump on debut day, which can burnish a company’s image with customers and, perhaps, help it sell more goods and services to them. However, some have concluded that the benefit was minimal given the extra cash that the company passed up. Or as Buyer, a consultant at IPO Class V Group, put it, “You can purchase advertising for a lot less.” For our continuing fasci-

nation with outsize gains on the first day, you can blame the dot-com bubble. In 1999, the height of dot-com frenzy, stocks rose an average 72 percent on their first days of trading, according to IPO research firm Renaissance Capital. “A lot of people fondly remember those days, even if they don’t remember what happened next,” Buyer says.

Dot-com stocks collapsed causing billions of dollars in losses. Banks were sued for allegedly staging IPOs to line insiders’ pockets and lead to more business for themselves. In 2003, 10 large banks agreed to pay $1.4 billion and change their practices in order to settle regulatory charges that they rigged IPOs. In the ensuing years, IPO pops became passe.

Between 2007 and 2010, IPO stocks rose by an average 6.6 percent on their debut days. But then came a raft of Internet IPOs last year.

In April 2011, Zipcar Inc, an online car rental firm, rose by more than half on its first day. In July, Zillow Inc., a real estate website, rose 79 percent. And, in December, Angie’s List Inc climbed 25 percent, though the consumer review site had yet to turn a profit. The madness just might have lasted, but for Facebook. The downside of the Facebook faceplant is that it could discourage other companies from pursuing IPOs. Companies planning initial public offerings now number just 63, according Ipreo, a research firm. A year ago, there were 108 with debuts in the works. A successful Facebook debut “would have brought back confidence in the market,” says Reena Aggarwal, a finance professor at Georgetown University. Now “companies might say, ‘Forget it, I’m not going public.” — AP

IMF’s Lagarde says she has little sympathy for Greece ‘Tax evasion main cause of crisis’

ATHENS: A Roma trader sells live chickens for one euro each to immigrants in central Athens on Friday. Greece is in a fifth year of recession, with poverty and unemployment rapidly rising amid protracted harsh cutbacks implemented to secure vital international bailout loans. But political uncertainty ahead of new elections next month has intensified fears that the country could be forced to abandon the euro and revert to a devalued version of its old drachma currency. — AP

Greek right warns against euro ‘catastrophe’ ATHENS: Greek conservative party New Democracy yesterday formally launched its campaign for the June 17 election, warning a victory for the radical left would cause “catastrophe” and lead Greece out of the euro.

New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras laid into the radical left party Syriza, which has threatened to tear up a deal with international lenders that rescued Greece from bankruptcy.

“Everyone, centre-right, centre-left and green, whether they agree or not on the policies up to now on the loan agreement, all warn that opposing the loan agreement will lead Greece out of the euro,” Samaras told supporters at a televised party rally in Athens.

“That of course will be painful for the rest of Europe, but it will mean the end, absolute catastrophe for Greece,” said Samaras, whose party finished first during the May polls.

Latest opinion polls however show Syriza under its populist leader Antonis Tsipras, 37, could come on top in the next election after finishing second in an inconclusive vote on May 6. Tsipras has said Greece could reject the bailout yet still stay in the euro. New Democracy, which is part of the previous ruling coalition that signed on to the bailout deal has said it will seek to renegotiate parts of the package, under which it receives hundreds of billions of euros from the European

Union and International Monetary Fund.

However it would not seek to scrap it outright as Syriza has threatened. Samaras warned that breaking the terms of the deal would force it to return to the drachma, devaluing savings, driving up prices and lowering living standards. “There is no society, no economy and no democracy that can tolerate such a sudden collapse,” he said in a speech greeted by loud applause from supporters.

“If Greece terminates the loan agreement, it will remain isolated for many years internationally. It will not have food, medicine, or fuel. It will live in a constant blackout.”

Fed up with two years of salary and pension cuts, Greek voters on May 6 punished larger parties associated with the bailout and catapulted Syriza to second place, piling pressure on Samaras to reinvigorate his party. The liberal Democratic Alliance has merged with New Democracy and several members of the nationalist Laos party have also defected to it.

Outlining his policies yesterday, he vowed to stop the rise of unemployment-currently at 21.7 percent overall and 53 percent among the under-24s-by the end of the year and to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs.

Samaras attacked Syriza’s pledge to raise taxes on high earners and vowed “no more reductions of salaries and pensions, no more new taxes”. — AFP

LONDON: International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde says she has more sympathy for poor African children than Greeks suffering under the country’s economic problems and austerity measures.

Making clear that the IMF has no plans to relent on its austerity requirements for the country, Lagarde said she was aware that many Greeks were struggling to access services like healthcare because of the country’s economic crisis, but believed people in other countries deserved more sympathy.

“I think more of the little kids from a school in a little village in Niger who get teaching two hours a day, sharing one chair for three of them, and who are very keen to get an education,” she said in an interview with the UK’s Guardian newspaper published yesterday. “I have them in my mind all the time. Because I think they need even more help than the people in Athens.”

Lagarde pointed to Greece’s culture of tax evasion as a major factor behind the

country’s financial difficulties, saying: “So, you know what? As far as Athens is concerned, I also think about all those people who are trying to escape tax all the time.”

Greeks “should also help themselves collectively” by paying their taxes, she said.

Greece’s economy is being kept afloat on international loans provided by the European Union and the IMF, along with a harsh austerity package of cuts and higher taxes that is deeply unpopular with the country’s electorate. The government that agreed to the loan and austerity package was voted out of office in May. The new parties, who mainly campaigned on anti-austerity platforms have not been able to form a government and new elections are scheduled for June 17. One of the most popular parties in Greece, the left-wing Syriza party, wants to abolish Greece’s international bailout agreements, raising fears that Greece will leave the euro-zone and destabilize world markets. — AP

Morgan Stanley may refund some Facebook investors NEW YORK: Morgan Stanley, the lead investment bank in Facebook’s troubled initial public offering, will compensate retail investors who overpaid when they bought Facebook’s stock in Friday’s IPO, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The person said the firm is reviewing orders its retail clients placed for Facebook stock, and will make price adjustments if the clients paid too much. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

The person did not say what amount constituted overpaying for Facebook’s stock. The social network’s IPO was highly anticipated.

But technical problems on the Nasdaq Stock

Market delayed the stock’s open on Friday.

The stock closed nearly flat on its first trading day at $38.23.

Morgan Stanley and Facebook face at least two lawsuits over the IPO. Both suits allege that analysts at the large underwriting investment banks cut their second-quarter and fullyear forecasts for Facebook just before the IPO and told only a handful of clients. Morgan Stanley has declined to comment on the lawsuits. Facebook has called the lawsuits “without merit.” On Thursday, Facebook’s stock closed up $1.03, or 3.2 percent, at $33.03. This gives the company a market value of $90.4 billion, down from $105 billion at the end of trading on Friday. — AP

Japan chip maker Renesas may cut 14,000 jobs TOKYO: Japanese semiconductor maker Renesas Electronics Corp is considering cutting up to 14,000 jobs or 30 percent of its workforce as part of a major restructuring plan, news reports said yesterday. The company is also considering selling a major factory to a Taiwanese firm, while closing or scaling down other plants, said the Nikkei and the Asahi Shimbun newspapers as well as Kyodo News.

Renesas, which lost 62.6 billion yen ($785 million) in the year to March, also plans to raise 100 billion yen, mainly from its top shareholders NEC, Hitachi and Mitsubishi Electric, the Nikkei said.

The company wants to sell its major

factory in Yamagata to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the Nikkei said. The plant, with 1,400 workers, produces semiconductors used in televisions and other digital gadgets. But low domestic demand has forced the company to reduce operations at the factory, the Nikkei said.

In a short statement, Renesas distanced itself from the reports, saying no formal decision had yet been made. The scope of the newly reported plan is significantly higher than what was reported Tuesday by the Yomiuri Shimbun, which reported 6,000 job cuts and 50 billion yen in fresh capital. —AFP

SAO PAULO: Workers fill a vehicle with gasoline at a petrol station in Sao Paulo on May 25. Several economy related organizations called the day as “the day for freedom of tax” and made tax free events in several cities across the country. — AFP

IMF Chief Christine Lagarde makes a point.

Euro dips below $1.25 on Greek, Spanish woes NEW YORK: The euro extended its slide against the dollar Friday, dipping below $1.25, under pressure from uncertainty over the future of Greece in the euro-zone, and the risk of contagion from its debt crisis. The euro was at $1.2515 around 2100 GMT, down from $1.2532 at the same time Thursday.

Earlier the euro had fallen to $1.2496, its lowest level since July 6, 2010. The European currency also weakened against the Japanese currency, slipping to 99.66 yen from 99.74 yen. The dollar, meanwhile, edged up to 79.64 yen from 79.59 yen late Friday.

This week, the single currency shared by 17 eurozone nations has tumbled to a series of multi-month low points on the back of concern over the plight of debt-plagued Greece. “The euro remains firmly in a downtrend, investors continue to pile into German bunds (bonds) that are returning them next to nothing and Spain’s economy is continuing to be crippled by rising borrowing costs and more bank bailouts,” said Simon Denham, head of Capital Spreads trading group.

“The recipe is a toxic one that shows just how serious the European crisis is becoming and now that we’ve had the big shakeout in equities, it would seem that for now at least the selling has been exhausted.” On Friday the Spanish stock market suspended trade in Bankia’s plunging shares as the struggling lender asked the government for 19 billion euros ($24 billion) in what would be the largest bank bailout in the country’s history.

In a statement, the bank said its board had approved a recapitalization plan which will allow it “to meet all applicable regulatory requirements and confront a more adverse macroeconomic context.”

The dollar firmed against the Swiss currency, to 0.9596 francs from 0.9584 francs. The pound weakened, slipping to $1.5563 from $1.5668. — AFP

24

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

business

Kuwait equities remain under pressure BAYAN WEEKLY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended last week with two of its indices in the green zone. The price index ended last week with a decrease amounted to 1.40%, while the weighted index increased by 0.06% compared to the closings of the week before, where KSX-15 Index raised by 0.63%. Furthermore, last week’s average daily turnover increased by 35.83%, compared to the preceding week, reaching KD 23.36 million, whereas trading volume average was 293.41 million shares, recording decrease of 72.26%.

KSE whitened different effects during last week, as selective buying operations were present, especially on Banking and Technology sectors, while profit taking operations were more concentrated on the small stocks, as a result, both of the weighted and KSX-15 indices managed to end the week in the green zone, while the price index, which is more influenced by the small stocks, recorded retreat.

In addition, more companies announced its first quarter financial results during last week, the number of declared companies reached 85% so far. The total number of declared companies reached 174 out of 204 listed companies, realizing approximately KD 624.42 million, with a decline of

22.15% compared to same companies’ results for 2011. By the end of the week, the price index closed at 6,339.4 points, down by 1.40% from the week before closing, whereas the weighted index registered a 0.06% weekly loss after closing at 409.7 points. Moreover, the KSX-15 index recorded 0.63% weekly loss after closing at 976.1 points.

Sectors’ Indices With the end of last week, most sectors of the

Kuwait Stock Exchange closed Decline. The Telecommunications sector headed the losers list as its index declined by 3.96% to end the week’s activity at 923.59 points. The Financial Services sector was second on the losers’ list, which index declined by 3.49%, closing at 964.78 points, followed by the Industrials sector, as its index closed at 962.57 points at a loss of 2.29%. On the other hand, highest gainer was the Health Care sector, achieving 17.15% growth rate as its index closed

at 1,152.23 points. Whereas, in the second place, the Technology sector’s index closed at 1,145.44 points recording 7.39% increase. The Insurance sector came in third as its index achieved 5.63% growth, ending the week at 1,095.18 points.

Sectors’ Activity The Financial Services sector dominated total trade volume during last week with 658.73 billion shares changing hands, representing 44.90% of the total market trading volume. The Real Estate sector was second in terms trading volume as the sector’s traded shares were 20.99% of last week’s total trading volume, with a total of 307.96 million shares. On the other hand, the Financial Services sector’s stocks where the highest traded in terms of value; with a turnover of KD 38.44 million or 32.91% of last week’s total market trading value.

The Banks sector took the second place as the sector’s last week turnover of KD 25.73 million represented 22.02% of the total market trading value.

Market capitalization KSE total market capitalization grew by 0.05% during last week to reach KD27.88 billion. With the end of last week, most sectors of the Kuwait Stock

Exchange recorded a decline in value, The Oil & Gas sector headed the decliners list as its total market capitalization reached KD 391.53 million, decreasing by 1.81%. The Financial Services sector was the second in terms of recorded decline with 1.80% decrease after the total value of its listed companies reached KD 2.93 billion. The third place was for the Consumer goods sector, which total market capitalization reached K.D. 612.76 million by the end of the week, recording a decline of 1.55%. The Insurance sector was the least declining with 0.28% recorded decrease after its market capitalization amounted to KD 334.21 million. On the other hand, The Health Care sector headed the growing sectors as its total market capitalization reached KD 218.87 million, increasing by 9.55%. The Technology sector was the second in terms of recorded growth with 4.26% increase after the total value of its listed companies reached KD 79.97 million. The Consumer Services sector was the least growing with 0.38% recorded growth after its market capitalization amounted to KD 803.31 million.

— Prepared by the Studies & Research Department Bayan Investment Co.

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

BUSINESS

US economic data, Europe woes to set tone WALL STREET WEEKLY OUTLOOK NEW YORK: Investors will grapple next week with major US economic reports and the looming possibility of a Greek exit from the euro-zone, which is likely to keep dragging on equities for weeks to come. As contingency plans are made for Greece’s possible departure from the euro-zone, investors may not get a clear picture until Greece holds elections on June 17. As a result, US economic statistics may grab the spotlight during the holiday-shortened week.

Major releases include consumer confidence, gross domestic product and on Friday the May non-farm payrolls report, which could provide clues on whether the economy is running out of steam or has simply hit a soft patch.

US financial markets will be closed on Monday for the Memorial Day holiday.

Corporate news next week is expected to be light, with the first-quarter earnings season largely in the rear view mirror. Among S&P 500 companies, only government contractor SAIC Inc is scheduled to report next week.

“We are going to continue to worry about Europe no matter what. That is going to be a concern,” said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at

Rockwell Global Capital in New York.

“But with the two main events in Europe not taking place for several weeks, the market will probably concentrate more on the domestic economy and the economic numbers.”But Europe will continue to be closely monitored, with equities affected by any developments in the fiscally troubled region.

Increasing worries about the region, coupled with tepid US data, have sent the S&P 500 down more than 5 percent for May. But stocks rose this week. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 0.7 percent, the Standard & Poor’s 500 was up 1.7 percent and the Nasdaq composite index rose 2.1 percent.

As the Greek elections draw closer, headlines from Europe could unsettle investors. Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Didier Reynders said it would be a “grave professional error” if central banks and companies were not preparing for a Greek exit from the euro-zone. In addition, French banks, which are among the lenders most exposed to Greece, have stepped up their efforts on contingency plans for the debt-laden country leaving the euro-zone, sources familiar with the situation said.

Any US data in the coming week which points to an economy pulling out of the doldrums could divert attention from Europe and provide investors an incentive to jump into stocks, which have become cheap during the recent pullback.

Analysts have pointed to the 1,275 to

1,280 range for the benchmark S&P index, just below the 200-day moving average, as a key level of support the market is likely to challenge.

“You are looking at 1,277 on the downside. The market will test it, but when it gets there it is going to hold because there is a lot of money on the

sideline that needs to be put to work,” said Ken Polcari, managing director at ICAP Equities in New York. “People are using that number as the entry point, so you will find stability at that level.”

Another possible silver lining for investors may be the strengthening of the dollar, which has been a safe haven during the euro-zone’s sovereign debt troubles.

The dollar index is up nearly 5 percent for the month, and some analysts feel it could not only help equities stabilize but spur a move higher. “With sovereign debt default now a possibility, and some form of dissolution of the euro also possible, the hidden positive may be for the US dollar, and US dollardenominated assets,” said Brad Lipsig, vice president of investments and senior portfolio manager at UBS Financial Services in New York.

“Capital inflows could support US real estate prices, which could help stabilize US banks,” he said. “All of this could help support US stock prices during a difficult period for Europe’s economy. It’s not inconceivable that this dynamic could trigger a rally in the US stock market.” — Reuters

Upbeat consumers boost US economic outlook Job scenario improves, gas prices ease

OUGADOUGOU: People demonstrate against the high cost of living in the streets of Ouagadougou yesterday. — AFP

On top of big salaries, firms pile on perks In the small world of big CEOs, the perks can be spectacular. Drivers, country club memberships, use of company aircraft those splashy extras are fairly routine. And so are less-splashy extras, with companies often shouldering the cost for the boss’ personal financial planning or annual physical.

All those come on top of the CEO’s paycheck. Counting salary, stock awards and other types of compensation, the typical CEO of a big public company was paid a median $9.6 million last year, according to an Associated Press analysis. That included $161,337 worth of perks and other personal benefits, up 2 percent from the year before. Overall pay was up 6 percent.

Equilar, an executive compensation data company, calculated the CEO pay data for the AP by examining the 322 companies on the S&P 500 that had filed the relevant regulatory disclosures by April 30. Equilar looked only at companies that had the same CEO for at least two years. In regulatory filings, companies include perks in a category called “all other compensation.”

That category also includes other personal benefits that companies don’t classify as perks, such as contributions to the executives’ savings plans.

Among the perks showered on CEOs last year: Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia spent $73,230 on a weekend driver for its eponymous founder. It also paid for her personal trainer, “provided in her capacity as on-air talent.” Wynn Resorts spent $910,345 letting CEO Stephen Wynn use a company plane for personal travel. It also gave up $503,831 by keeping a suite at the Las Vegas resort constantly reserved for him, and gave him merchandise discounts worth $71,561.

Chesapeake Energy spent $250,000 to help CEO Aubrey McClendon sort out his personal finances, and $121,570 on personal security for him. Shareholders have taken aim at McClendon for borrowing money from companies that do business with Chesapeake. This month, the company ended a perk that let McClendon buy personal stakes in company wells.

Avon said in December that it would demote Andrea Jung from the CEO job. But it still spent more than $145,000 on perks for her, including paying for her personal car insurance and a $95,577 car service allowance. She remains the company’s executive chairman. Other companies make sure the CEO gets to use what the company makes. Top Goodyear executives get two sets of tires each year. Stanley Black & Decker, the power tool giant, gives

company products to executives as a way to promote them inside the company. The CEO got $1,251 worth last year. Disney’s top executives get free access to theme parks and some resorts, plus discounts on merchandise.

Macy’s used to offer its executives a discount on merchandise on top of the regular employee discount, for a total of 40 percent off. It cut that perk in 2010, saying it wanted to bring its pay policies in line with “best practices.” Perks count as compensation for executives, who usually have to pay income tax on them. Critics seize on them as proof of the disconnect between wealthy executives and their rank-and-file shareholders and customers.

By some measures, companies are pulling back. An earlier Equilar study found that Fortune 100 companies spent about $229,000 in perks and other personal benefits for their CEOs in 2010. That was down from about $356,000 in 2007.

That’s against the backdrop of the financial crisis, which made executive pay an especially contentious issue, as well as stricter government rules released in 2006 about what companies have to disclose around perks. Companies say they have to offer perks to attract the best CEOs, and to allow them to devote more time to work.

They say annual physicals, home security systems and private plane travel help keep them safe.

Coca-Cola says it offers personal financial planning for its top executives, including up to $13,000 for CEO Muhtar Kent, because many of them have dual citizenship or work outside their home countries, which complicates their tax situations.

Professional financial advice “helps to ensure they are compliant with local country laws,” the company says.

FedEx says the roughly $333,000 it spent in security for CEO Fred Smith in the most recent fiscal year was necessary given “the history of direct security threats against FedEx executives and the likelihood of additional threats.” According to the earlier Equilar study, the amount that Fortune 100 companies spent on security for their top execs more than doubled to about $85,000 in 2010 from $40,000 in 2009.

Deere & Co, which requires CEO Samuel Allen to use company aircraft for all travel, makes note of the company’s “geographic location in the Midwest, outside of a major metropolitan area,” which “makes personal and business travel challenging.” Deere is headquar tered in Moline, Illinois. — AP

WASHINGTON: A better hiring outlook and lower gas prices pushed a measure of US consumer confidence to its highest level in four and a half years.

The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan index of consumer sentiment jumped to 79.3 in May, up from 76.4 in the previous month. That’s the best reading since October 2007 - two months before the recession began. A high proportion of consumers say they are hearing about job gains rather than losses. The number of those who say they heard of job losses dropped to its lowest point since mid-2007.

Gas prices have also fallen steadily in recent weeks, freeing up more money for other purchases. The average gas price Friday was $3.67 per gallon nationwide, according to AAA. That’s down 17 cents in the past month.

American consumers appear to be more focused on the US economy than on Europe’s financial crisis, which has weighed heavily on stocks in May. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped another 75 points Friday to close at 12,455. The Dow has fallen 824 points this month since hitting a four-year high of 13,279 on May 1.

The survey found that “only a few consumers even mentioned” Europe. The percentage of consumers who said it is a good time to buy an appliance or other long-lasting household good

Chad Larsen Stauber (left), a student teacher at Lafayette School in Chicago, works with students from second left, Angela Rios, Jovante Ross and Devion Allen, on their reading skills. The 26-yearold who just received his master’s degree in education knows that later in 2012, he’ll have to start paying off debt of about $100,000. — AP

reached the highest point in a year.

Fears about rising prices are also abating, likely because of falling gas costs. Consumers expect lower levels of inflation in the months and years ahead, the survey found. “This is a good report,” said Yinbin Lei, an economist at

Chinese WTO suit strikes back at US import duties GENEVA: China launched a complaint at the World Trade Organization against US import duties on 22 Chinese products that the United States says are unfairly priced or subsidized, including solar panels and steel products.

“China firmly opposes the abuse of trade remedy measures and trade protectionism,” China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement. China’s complaint counterattacks in areas where the United States has hit Chinese products with punitive tariffs, known as antidumping duties or countervailing duties, in recent years.

In Washington, US trade officials criticized Beijing for bringing the case because they said the US Commerce Department was already working to address issues raised by China and which stem from an earlier WTO appellate panel ruling.

“China’s resort to dispute settlement is premature and not an appropriate use of dispute settlement system resources,” said Nkenge Harmon, a spokeswoman for the US Trade Representative’s office. “This step by China suggests that China does not really care what the United States does; rather, China has determined without benefit of the facts that whatever the United States does will fall short of what China would like to see,” Harmon said.

Beijing launched the action the same day that a WTO panel issued a confidential ruling in a high-stakes case aimed at prying open China’s huge electronic payments market for

US firms like Visa, MasterCard and American Express.

The US Trade Representative’s office in Washington confirmed it had received the decision, but said it could not comment until it is made public in coming weeks. Visa, MasterCard and American Express also declined comment on the case, which dates to late 2010 and challenges China UnionPay’s domestic monopoly over electronic payment services.

The United States argues China failed to follow through on its commitment to allow foreign companies to offer electronic payments services by December 2006, five years after its entry into the World Trade Organization.

China said its complaint covers exports worth $7.3 billion, encompassing diverse products like citric acid, kitchen shelving and lawn groomers. It also includes wind towers, even though the US Commerce Department’s preliminary decision on those wind tower imports is not due until Wednesday.

Eight days ago, the US Commerce Department set punitive tariffs on Chinese solar panels, which it said Chinese exporters had dumped on the US market at unfairly low prices.

The United States hit Chinese steel pipe imports with hefty anti-dumping duties in 2010. Later that year it launched a trade suit over Chinese government grants to wind power manufacturers, but it did not pursue the case.—Reuters

PARIS: World Trade Organization Director General Pascal Lamy (right) addresses reporters during a joint press conference held at the OECD in Paris. — AP

IHS Global Insight, in a note to clients.

“Consumer mood is slowly coming out of the ditch.” Still, consumers face plenty of challenges, Lei noted, such as weak wage growth, rising student loan debt, and a poor housing market. — AP

Lawmakers to vote before August on Bush tax cuts WASHINGTON: The US House of Representatives, led

by President Barack Obama’s Republican foes, plans to vote before its August recess on whether to extend tax cuts enacted under the previous George W Bush administration. “Knowing that comprehensive reform will take time, we must ensure that while Congress is working to bring about competitive change, government does not increase the cost of business,” House Majority Leader Eric Cantor wrote in a note to Republican representatives on Friday.

“Before we leave for August, I expect to schedule a vote on legislation preventing the largest tax increase in history.” The tax breaks passed in 2001 and 2003 were extended in late 2010 for two years after a prolonged standoff between Democrats and Republicans that ended with a compromise signed by Obama. Obama and his fellow Democrats had initially sought to extend the tax breaks for the middle class alone-or people making less than $250,000 per year-and not for the wealthiest Americans. Cantor also outlined a summer legislative program for June and July that would touch on other hot button issues, such as reversing parts of Obama’s landmark health reforms, which were passed under a Democratic majority in 2010. — AFP

Delphi in $1bn bid for French auto firm DETROIT: Delphi, the giant automotive supplier that was once part of General Motors, has offered just under $1 billion for the major piece of a French company that makes electronic connectors.

Delphi said late Thursday it was close to completing a deal to buy the motorized vehicles division of connectors maker FCI for $972 million. “This transaction will solidify Delphi’s position as one of the premier global automotive suppliers and will create significant shareholder value,” said Rodney O’Neal, chief executive and president of Delphi.

The motorized vehicles unit of the Guyancourt, Francebased company had revenue of $1 billion in 2011, accounting for 62 percent of FCI’s total $1.5 billion in revenue.

Delphi added that the deal would broaden its customer base and boost its business in Asia, giving it manufacturing and engineering facilities in China, India and South Korea.

Delphi was rescued from bankruptcy in 2009 by a consortium of hedge fund and private equity owners including Paulson & Co, Elliott Associates, Silver Point Capital and Oaktree Capital. — AFP

26

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

BUSINESS

A driving relationship that continues to span generations Jeep driver for over 2 decades, Ton Boon von Ochssee, Dutch Ambassador to the State of Kuwait, has been accompanied by his trusty 1991 Jeep Cherokee throughout his international career, which has seen him posted in the USA (during which time he travelled the length and breadth of the country in his Jeep Cherokee), Canada, Europe and Africa before being posted to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and subsequently to Kuwait.

The Ambassador’s classic Jeep has now been joined by the latest generation - the global award-winning 2012 Grand Cherokee -

A

which he recently took delivery of from Al Mulla and Behbehani Motor Company (MBMC), the official distributor for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep(r) and Ram vehicles in Kuwait.

“I’ve always really appreciated the flexibility and functionality offered by SUVs,” said the Ambassador. “My old 1991 Jeep Cherokee has been with me for 21 years and has always proved to be a loyal and highly dependable companion. So when it was time to look for a new car, it was obvious that I would check out the new 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee, although to be fair I did check out a number of other

brands as well.”“But after two months of extensive research I was convinced that I couldn’t go wrong with the 2012 Jeep(r) Grand Cherokee - it has presence, poise, power, is extremely well engineered, features exceptional technology and the perfect level of luxury and functionality. It is a welcome companion for my older Jeep which will continue to be used by my family.” Maher Abu Shaaban, MBMC’s Deputy GM of Sales and Marketing, who was recently re-elected to serve a second term as President of Chrysler Group Middle East’s DAA (Dealer Advertising

Association), personally delivered the Jeep Grand Cherokee to the Ambassador’s residence.

“We are extremely pleased to that the Ambassador has had 21 happy and memorable years with his 1991 Jeep Cherokee and long may his trust in the Jeep brand and the Grand Cherokee continue,” said Abu Shaaban, who is clearly delighted with the Ambassador’s final choice of vehicle, as is the Ambassador’s wife, Martine Boon von Ochssee, who said, “I am enjoying our new Jeep on a daily basis now to do my shopping,

MIB agents add Hamilton Ventura to iconic uniforms in ‘Men in Black 3’ Behbehani Group, Hamilton hold premiere show KUWAIT: Behbehani Group and Hamilton held an exclusive premiere show of The Men in Black 3 movie, for their VIP clients and media representatives at Laila Gallery Cinema.

Behbehani Group, the official agents for Hamilton Watches in Kuwait embraces the campaign through several media channels to support the global marketing plan of the brand.

In the highly anticipated action adventure comedy Men in Black 3, the Men in Black will once again add the distinctive Hamilton Ventura watch to their iconic uniforms. As Agent J goes back in time in Men in Black 3, different versions of the Hamilton Ventura help evoke different eras as all MIB agents wear the unique timepiece. Men in Black 3 was released on May 25, 2012.

In Men in Black 3, Agents J and K are back... in time. J has seen some inexplicable things in his 15 years with the Men in Black, but nothing, not even aliens, perplexes him as much as his wry, reticent partner. But when K’s life and the fate of the planet are put at stake, Agent J will have to travel back in time to put things right. J discovers that there are secrets to the universe that K never told him-secrets that will reveal themselves as he teams up with the young Agent K to save his partner, the

agency, and the future of humankind. Barry Sonnenfeld directs the film. The film’s screenplay is written by Etan Cohen, based on the Malibu Comic by Lowell Cunningham. Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald produce, and Steven Spielberg and G Mac Brown are the

executive producers.

Hamilton and Columbia Pictures are continuing the partnership with a global promotion campaign to support the movie’s international rollout. Hamilton watches also appeared in Men in Black and Men in Black II, and with each film, the scope of promotional

activity has increased. The Men in Black(tm) 3 creative campaigns showcases the watch’s versatility and features two contrasting Ventura models: the Hamilton Ventura XXL, appropriately styled with a black rubber strap and sleek black dial, and the elegant Hamilton Ventura Medium, favored by the Men in Black supporting agents, which complements a black dial with a classically elegant stainless steel case.

Hamilton’s long history with Hollywood includes watch appearances in more than 400 films, but Men in Black(tm) 3 represents a new milestone for Hamilton, as the brand loaned more watches to this film than it has to any other title.

Hamilton was founded in 1892 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. Hamilton watches combine the American spirit with the unrivalled precision of the latest Swiss movements and technologies. Known for its innovative design, Hamilton has a strong foothold in Hollywood, with products appearing in 400 films. The brand also boasts a strong aviation heritage. Hamilton is a member of the Swatch group, the largest watch manufacturer and distributor in the world with 160 production sites in Switzerland. www.hamiltonwatch.com

Gulf Bank announces winners of 20th Al-Danah weekly draw KUWAIT: Gulf Bank held its twentieth Al-Danah weekly draw on May 20, 2012, announcing a total number of ten Al-Danah weekly prize draw winners, each awarded with prizes of KD 1,000.

The 20th Al-Danah weekly winners are: Khaled Hamad Al-Majed, Badri Kameel Al-Rayes, Zainab Mohammed Ali Rahal, Atyah Saleh Ahmed Mosa, Dalia Jaber Sulaiman Ali, Bader Nasser Abdulhussain Maqwar, Ali Ata Abdullah Al-Fadhli, Eid Jassem Mohammed Jaber, Talal Gublan Salem Al-Shamari , Mahmoud Alhasan Shaikh Mohammad Hussain.

Gulf Bank encourages everyone in Kuwait to open an Al Danah account and/or increase their deposits to maximize their chances of becoming

a winner in the upcoming weekly (KD1,000 each for 10 winners). Gulf Bank’s Al-Danah allows customers to

win cash prizes and encourages them to save money. Chances increase the more money is deposited and the

(Left to right): Ahmed Baqer-Branch Manager at Gulf Bank’s Bayan branch congratulating Dr Badri Kameel Al-Rayes, one of Al-Danah’s weekly winners, Haneen Al-Ghanim- Assistant Manager, Consumer Banking at Gulf Bank.

longer it is kept in the account. AlDanah also offers a number of unique services including the Al-Danah Deposit Only ATM card which helps account holders deposit their money at their convenience; as well as the AlDanah calculator to help customers calculate their chances of becoming an Al-Danah winner. To be part of the Al Danah draws, customers can visit one of Gulf Bank’s 56 branches, transfer on line, or call the Customer Contact Center on 1805805 for assistance and guidance.

Customers can also log on to www.e-gulfbank.com, Gulf Bank’s website, to find all the information regarding Al-Danah or any of the Bank’s products and services or log on www.e-gulfbank.com/aldanahwinners, to find out more about AlDanah and who the winners are.

errands and to visit friends. Needless to say I am very pleased.” “The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee delivers the perfect blend of onroad refinement and off-road capability - it provides premium on-road performance, legendary Jeep craftsmanship, improved fuel economy, a world-class interior, sleek new exterior design, true craftsmanship and a host of safety and technology features that will give the Ambassador the sense of security to handle any journey with confidence, and we wish him and his family many more miles of safe and enjoyable Jeep driving.”

Behbehani unveils SEAT Ibiza 2013 KUWAIT: Mohammed Saleh and Reza Yousuf Behbehani Company recently unveiled the next generation of the popular Spanish car maker SEAT, the Ibiza 2013 which was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year. The model had undergone a major facelift last year and the 2013 version is a step further.

The Ibiza is available in the 3 door sports coupe, the 5 door hatchback and 5 door station wagon variants and buyers can also opt for the high performance sports version - SEAT Ibiza FR. The new model retains its predecessor’s turbocharged and supercharged engine and combined with the dual shift gearbox, it offers a torque superior in its class.

From a design standpoint, the new Ibiza is a testament of the enormous attention afforded by SEAT to the details.

The edgy style of the lamps is a hallmark feature of the new SEAT design language, while being perfectly integrated into the SEAT Ibiza’s sculptural form.

From the side, the vehicle looks like a precisely carved sculpture on wheels.

The characteristic “LineaDinamica” runs from the headlamps over the powerfully drawn wheel arches to the rear. A second, equally sharp character line runs across the muscular rear shoulders to the rear lamps. These powerful lines and the interplay of taut surfaces lend the Ibiza an athletic character. The distinctive centerpiece is the trapezoidal grille featuring the SEAT logo. The flatter proportions and horizontal honeycomb structure of the grille and the lower air intake emphasize the width of the new SEAT Ibiza.

The exceptional feeling of quality, the high precision of the workmanship, the wide choice of colors and materials ranging all the way to fine leather upholstery serve to underscore SEAT’s standards.

The level of detail can be sensed even on

the interiors of the vehicle. The seats are ergonomically formed, with a sporty, low-slung mounting position that can also be positioned higher, according to preference. The seats are generously padded with cold foam combining comfort with excellent body support and are outstanding over long distances.

All SEAT cars are designed based on its corporate philosophy of ENJOYNEERING, which combines superior engineer-

ing with pure enjoyment and the Ibiza is the greatest testament of this philosophy. With innovative technologies, improved functionality and quality, its fresh, youthful design and fun-to-drive zest, the new Ibiza is not just a design masterpiece but being built on the German Auto manufacturer Volkswagen Group’s platform, it offers more driving comfort, stability and a higher standard of safety. The new Ibiza signifies smart engineering simply based on the unique understanding of how technology enables people to live a life full of sensation and joy.

Hyundai provides vehicles for UEFA EURO 2012 SEOUL: Hyundai Motor announced that it will provide 366 of its most exciting vehicles for use by UEFA EURO 2012(tm) officials, guests and others during the matches next month in Poland and Ukraine.

During the handover ceremony at Poland’s National Stadium in Warsaw, the company unveiled the official national team buses, each one wrapped with a fan-created

slogan cheering on the teams of the 16 participating nations. Hyundai’s “Be There With Hyundai” contest allowed fans to submit slogans to adorn the national team buses with the 16 winners being announced on May 7.

“Football conveys dynamism, excitement and passion,” said CEO of Hyundai Middle East, Tom Lee. “These are precisely the emotions that Hyundai wants to share

with our customers. And while the action may be taking place many thousands of kilometers away, we know that fans of this great sport in the Middle East will be following the matches with equal enthusiasm.” “With only 23 days to go before the tournament begins, the vehicle handover is a key milestone in the preparation for U E FA E U R O 2 0 1 2 ,” s a i d G u y - L a u re n t Epstein, Marketing Director, UEFA Events SA. “Recognized as a leading global maker of stylish, reliable and comfortable vehicles, Hyundai will contribute to the tournament organization by providing teams, officials and guests with high quality transportation.”

To support the UEFA EURO 2012 matches next month, Hyundai will hand over a wide range of models from its acclaimed line-up including its top-of-the-range, luxury Centennial and Genesis cars, as well as Santa Fe, i40, Sonata, Elantra and the newgeneration i30. In addition, Hyundai will provide more than 200 H1 vans.

The UEFA EURO 2012 kicks off on June 8 and concludes on July 1. Hyundai is an official automotive sponsor of UEFA EURO 2012 and has sponsored the UEFA EURO tournament since 2000.

Four win KD 5,000 each in NBK’s Al-Jawhara draw KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) announced the four lucky winners in AlJawhara week ly draws during the month of May. Lulwa Abdulla Al-Khalifa, Nasser Farouq Abbasy, Naser Abdulrahman Al-Azmi and Abdulla Nayef Al-Otaibi each won KD 5,000. The winners expressed their gratitude and thanked NBK for its great services and promotions.

NBK recently re-launched Al-Jawhara account, by offering customers more chances to win bigger prizes. By offering a KD 5,000 week ly, KD 125,000 monthly and a grand prize of KD 250,000 quarterly draw.

Al-Jawhara is one of Kuwait’s leading cash prize accounts offering numerous

benefits to its customers. Not only is it an interest-free account with regular deposit and withdrawal privileges, it also entitles account holders to enter the weekly, monthly and quar terly AlJawhara draws. Each KD 50 in an Al Jawhara account entitles the customer to one chance in any of the draws. All prizes are automatically credited to the winners’ accounts the day after the draw.

The more money held in Al-Jawhara account, the greater the chances of winning. Al-Jawhara account is available to both Kuwaitis and expats and can be opened at any one of NBK’s branches around Kuwait. For further information visit www.nbk.com, or call Hala Watani at 1801801.

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

New Google data shows Microsoft’s piracy problems SAN FRANCISCO: Google’s Internet search engine receives more complaints about websites believed to be infringing on Microsoft’s copyrights than it does about material produced by entertainment companies pushing for tougher online piracy laws. A snapshot of Microsoft ’s apparently chronic copyright headaches emerged in new data that Google released Thursday to provide a better understanding of the intellectual property abuses on the Internet. Google has a good vantage point on the issue because it operates the Internet’s dominant search engine with the largest index of websites. About 97 percent of the copyright removal requests sent to Google are found to be valid by the company, prompting the offending links to be blocked from its influential search results. The new report includes a breakdown of all requests Google has received since July 2011 to remove copyright-infringing content from its search index.

Google Inc. has logged more than 2.5 million requests in the past 11 months to remove links believed to be violating Microsoft’s copyrights.

That ranked well above second-place NBC Universal, the operator of several television networks and a movie studio, whose copyrighted

content was cited in nearly 1 million removal requests during the same period. The data doesn’t identify the specifics of the reported infringements, but Microsoft Corp. confirmed virtually all of its complaints are about websites offering bogus versions of its Windows operating system and other software. “Each month, Microsoft requests the removal of links to web pages that infringe Microsoft’s copyrights so that customers are not deceived into purchasing or downloading counterfeit software,” company spokesman Lou Gellos wrote in an email.

Copyright-protected content owned by major music labels also spurred a high volume of removal requests. The Recording Industry Association of America, which has railed against digital piracy since the rise and fall of Napster’s music-sharing service more than a decade ago, was identified as the copyright owner in more than 416,000 requests. Other copyright owners on Google’s Top 10 list of removal requests include Universal Music and Sony Music and an adult entertainment site, BangBros.com.

Google decided to share its insights on copyright abuse amid a rising outcry for a crackdown against online piracy that media

companies have claimed is collectively costing them billions of dollars each year. The backlash inspired a piece of get-tougher legislation dubbed the Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA, that had the backing of most major music and move studios. The proposal caused dismay among major Internet companies who feared the law would stifle free speech and innovation. The bill was abandoned four months ago after fierce high-tech opposition that included a one-day blackout of popular websites such as Wikipedia and an online petition drive spearheaded by Google.

Microsoft also opposed SOPA, although it wasn’t as strident in its criticism as other major technology companies. The Business Software Alliance, a group that includes Microsoft, initially supported SOPA before reversing its position as the backlash to the proposal intensified.

Online infringements in the US are currently covered by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which requires the content owner to police sites for violations and then send requests to take down the material. Websites are required to respond promptly. Google says it now responds to requests within 11 hours, despite a rising volume of complaints. It sometimes

receives more than 250,000 removal requests in a week, exceeding the total number sent to the company during the entire year of 2009. In the past month alone, Google received 1.2 million removal requests on behalf of 1,000 copyright owners who believe their content was being infringed upon at nearly 23,000 different websites, according to a blog post Thursday by Fred von Lohmann, the company’s senior copyright lawyer.

In an interview Thursday, von Lohmann attributed the increased number of complaints to more sophisticated tracking technology that has enabled copyright owners to pinpoint violations more quickly than in the past. The websites most frequently targeted in the copyright complaints sent to Google were filestube.com (nearly 390,000 links requested or removal), torrentz.eu (more than 147,000 links) and 4shared.com (more than 132,000 links).

Google’s new report doesn’t include copyright removal requests sent to its popular video site, YouTube, or its Blogger service. But Google’s search engine receives the most copyright complaints, accounting for about 60 percent of the 5.4 million removal requests the company processed last year, von Lohmann said. — AP

Inmarsat launches Fleet Broadband multi-voice Inmarsat the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, announced the launch of FleetBroadband Multi-voice, a new capability that will allow up to 9 simultaneous telephone calls to be made through a single FleetBroadband terminal. The enhancement to FleetBroadband (FB) will enable vessel owners and managers to separate crew communications from operational use. It will also provide crew with more privacy, making it easier to make personal low-cost calls away from the bridge. The new capability is targeted at any vessel with the need to manage separate voice calls - particularly the merchant maritime market, but also other vessels that have similar crew or passenger communications requirements, such as superyachts or deep-sea fishing vessels.

Uniquely, FleetBroadband Multi-voice is integrated into Inmarsat’s core network and terminated into public telephone networks, ensuring a high-quality voice service.

There are two levels of FleetBroadband Multi-voice available: Standard, which supports up to four simultaneous calls from a FleetBroadband 150, 250 or 500. Enhanced, which supports up to nine simultaneous calls on an FB250

or FB500. FleetBroadband users have two ways to access the multiple voice calling capability. Users of Thrane & Thrane SAILOR FleetBroadband terminals can create a fully-integrated solution with just a firmware upgrade and additional handsets. For other FB terminals, Vocality has developed new PBX hardware that can be used alongside the terminal to access the additional telephone lines.

“FleetBroadband Multi-voice is a unique integrated solution that maintains Inmarsat’s well-earned reputation for high-quality voice,” said Frank Coles, President, Inmarsat Maritime. “It offers a far superior service to internet calling solutions, and is more cost-effective than accessing multiple voice calls on a standard VSAT. “This new capability increases the value of FleetBroadband, and ensures that the service is future-proofed for a vessel’s growing communications needs.” FleetBroadband Multi-voice can be accessed on existing FleetBroadband equipment, and with the same per-minute tariff for both pre-paid and post-paid calls. It also supports the “505” emergency calling capability that connects a vessel immediately to a Maritime Rescue Centre.

Kaspersky Lab releases new version of Anti-Spam Software Development Kit Kaspersky Anti-Spam SDK is a readyfor-use set of anti-spam tools that can be easily incorporated into any IT security product, be it a standalone antispam solution, comprehensive IT security suite, or a Unified Threat Management hardware solution. Used by the world’s leading IT security companies and national ISPs, Kaspersky Anti-Spam Software Development Kit combines the latest automated antispam technologies and human analysis, providing first-class detection and the lowest false positive rates, and ensuring an instant reaction to new spam outbreaks.

Spam, originally viewed as little more than a nuisance, has evolved into a veritable scourge of the Internet, causing enormous damage due to lost employee productivity, clogged data channels and even system infections due to malware-laden mail. Formerly sent by script kiddies and rogue ISPs - harmful, but relatively easy to deal with - now spam is broadcast by powerful botnets comprising hundreds of thousands of ‘zombie’ PCs and capable of sending millions of spam messages every minute. As a result, spam mail comprises up to 90% of all email traffic.

“The release of Kaspersky Anti-Spam SDK 5.0 signifies a big step in our fight against this threat,” says Eugene Kaspersky, Chairman and CEO of Kaspersky Lab. “It’s simply impossible to fight malware without addressing the spam threat - this is basically the bread and butter of the worldwide cybercrime economy. Spam includes malicious attachments or links to websites used to infect unsuspecting users with viruses and Trojans, and shanghai their computers into botnets. And then botnets go on spam-sending sprees, infecting other

users - and generating a tidy profit for their masters in the process. This is the vicious circle that we intend to break using our latest anti-spam product.”

Kaspersky Anti-Spam 5.0 Software Development Kit utilizes Kaspersky Lab’s landmark Hybrid approach, which gives access to cloud-based intelligence and information distribution together with advanced offline protection technologies. Thanks to the millions of users signed up to Kaspersky Security Network, any new spam message becomes tagged as such in a matter of seconds, and a corresponding signature gets added to the anti-spam databases with the next update (no later than 10 minutes). A powerful anti-spam engine based on various detection methods adds smarts to the cloud mind’s power and guarantees unparalleled detection rates for spam and phishing attacks while keeping false alarms to a minimum.

Kaspersky Anti-Spam 5.0 Software Development Kit is the result of several years of research and development, and incorporates numerous state-of-the-art tools and features. KAS SDK v.5 provides its host application with the following functionality: • Text Signature Analysis (“Fuzzy” and Words & regular expressions comparison algorithms) • Linguistic heuristics (22+ categories) • DNS-based methods (DNSBL, Sender Policy Framework, Reverse DNS Lookup, Spam URL Blacklists) • Analysis of formal message attributes (headers, sender IP analyses, etc.)

• Blacklisting/Whitelisting (IP, emails, phrases) • Native 64-bit support for all platforms

Kuwait’s first wireless alternative to high-speed internet

Mada Communications Marketing Manager, Shahad Ibrahim

Mada Communications yesterday unveiled Kuwait’s first real wireless and mobile alternative to broadband internet service with the launch of the “Mada Soho” wireless ISDN device and service, which provides internet speeds reaching up to 10 Mbps and voice as well. The Mada Soho device with ISDN service only requires a power outlet to run, thus providing high speed internet without data or voice cables and enabling users to carry it with them from the office to an off-site, or from home to the outdoors.

Mada Communications Marketing Manager, Shahad Ibrahim, said: “The new device is ideal for customers who work from construction sites, refineries, and for customers who are always on the go, and is available from Mada Communications at competitive prices.” Mada Communications is one of the leading wireless data providers in Kuwait. The company’s services includes a wide-range of data and voice mobile connectivity solutions that are always based on the latest available technologies.

EMC innovation makes Hybrid Cloud Transformation a reality At EMC World 2012, EMC Corporation today introduced its largest-ever wave of new transformative products and technologies: 42 in total. Today’s announcements mark the company’s most significant single-day launch of new capabilities for customers and partners, delivering a sweeping refresh that spans key products across its entire information storage, backup, virtualization and management portfolio. As a result, EMC is taking IT efficiency and agility to new levels within both traditional and virtualized data centers. Through its market-leading and enhanced information infrastructure portfolio, the company is making it easier for customers to more quickly take advantage of the shift to Hybrid Cloud computing with data at its core, and implement the changes needed as they transform their IT, their business and their talent base.

Just over one year ago, EMC announced a portfolio refresh with a wave of record-breaking storage systems, technologies and new capabilities.

This reinforced to customers, partners and the market at large EMC’s commitment to product innovation to handle the massive information growth being driven by the two hottest trends in IT-the transition to cloud computing and the management of Big Data. EMC is doing it again today-capitalizing on the company’s sustained aggressive investment in research and development and driving innovation to deliver the world’s broadest, highest-performing and most-efficient and costeffective portfolio of information storage and related products.

New Product and Technology Highlights The new EMC VMAX Family-consisting of the VMAX 10K, VMAX 20K and the VMAX 40K-is a comprehensive lineup of enterprise storage arrays.

Complementing the new EMC VMAX Family is a host of new software capabilities that streamline operations and extend the market-proven VMAX to new hosts and applications, while integrating customers’ existing storage assets into an integrated and unified pool of storage resources.

EMC is readying the next version of its industryleading EMC Isilon OneFS scale-out NAS operating system, code named “Mavericks.” File-based, unstructured data represents the fastest-growing component of today’s enterprise data centers. To

better support customers as they address the associated issues, OneFS will incorporate new levels of data protection, security, system performance and interoperability. EMC announced new VNX unified storage enhancements that transform the midrange storage market. The new channel-only VNXe(r)3150 delivers 50% more performance and capacity per rack unit. New VNX software lowers the starting price for Flash, delivers single-click application protection, and simplifies management in virtualized environments. In related news, EMC and VMware today extended their partnership to develop, sell and deliver storage analytics for VNX unified storage.

New Data Domain and Avamar systems and software transform the backup and recovery landscape and work seamlessly with a broad set of enterprise applications, workloads and processes, allowing customers flexibility and choice in how they attack their most pressing data protection challenges. The new combination of EMC VPLEX virtual storage with EMC RecoverPoint data protection is defining a new standard for Hybrid Cloud availability and protection. This combination delivers the industry’s first solution to combine activeactive data centers with third site disaster recovery protection.

EMC introduced a new suite of enhancements to the EMC Atmos Cloud platform that transform the way service providers and enterprises manage Big Data in large, globally-distributed cloud storage environments. EMC also announced new Atmos Cloud Accelerators that make it even easier and faster to move data in and out of Atmos-powered clouds. New EMC DataBridge enterprise management tool empowers IT operations teams with “single-pane of glass” management to easily build customizable dashboards for delivering ITaaS. With DataBridge customers will have real-time IT infrastructure management data at their finger-tips.

In addition, last week EMC introduced the EMC VMAX Service Provider (VMAX SP), a new platform that is purpose-built to deliver enterprise-class storage to service providers using a simple-to-consume and simple-to-manage approach. Rather than service providers purchasing individual storage, software and service components, then spending time and effort integrating them, they can now buy VMAX SP which is pre-packaged

based-on service-level options enabling them to deploy new cloud services.

“Beginning in 2009, Columbia Sportswear set out to dramatically transform its IT infrastructure.

We are now nearly 100% virtualized-and have a storage infrastructure that efficiently, powerfully and securely allows us to protect and manage our information. As a leading innovator in active outdoor apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment, we-like any innovator from any industryrequire the most powerful, flexible, efficient and agile technologies that allow us to focus on our business-developing and delivering new products while delivering the best possible customer satisfaction. For years we’ve relied on EMC technologies to continually improve and evolve our storage infrastructure and VMware virtualized environment. As the leader at the forefront of both cloud and Big Data opportunities, EMC understands Columbia’s IT requirements-and is delivering new technologies that enable Columbia to fully capitalize on the opportunities that cloud and Big Data offer,” said Dan Hein, Director of Global Information Shared Services at Columbia Sportswear.

Steve Duplessie, Founder and Senior Analyst at Enterprise Storage Group, said: “This year’s EMC World isn’t just about the sheer volume of announcements-it’s about impact all over the portfolio. The company, already booming, clearly isn’t sitting still-anywhere. It’s impressive to say the least.”

Pat Gelsinger, President and Chief Operating Officer, EMC Information Infrastructure Products, said: “Throughout the evolution of IT, the data itself has remained the ultimate source of value. We build ‘data centers,’ not application or server centers; but rigid technology constraints effectively forced data to a lower priority. The onset of virtualization, cloud computing and big data analytics, however, have restored data to its rightful place as the center of IT gravity. The shift is swift and irreversible, from dedicated infrastructure silos built around specific applications where data is either locked in a specific application or orbits the periphery, to a data-centric approach to computing.

Today’s EMC announcements address this fundamental shift head on and deliver to customers the next wave of technology required as they transform their IT, their business and themselves.”

FASTtelco, platinum sponsor of the Service Providers Exhibition held in Kuwait

Hamad Saleh Al Selmi

FASTtelco recently announced that it will be the platinum sponsor of the largest Service and Product Providers Exhibition in Kuwait. The exhibition organized by Brayton Media Group runs till tomorrow at the main Conference Center at the Movenpick Hotel, in Kuwait Free Zone, under the auspices of the Kuwaiti Minister of Commerce and Industry Anas Al-Saleh.

Commenting on this event, Public Relations Manager Hamad Saleh Al-Selmi mentioned that the participation of FASTtelco comes as part of the company’s role in offering innovative Internet and data communication services to both individuals and companies and in boosting the national economy with its innovative services which today compete head-to-head with the largest regional companies operating in the same field.

Al -Selmi added that this exclusive platinum sponsorship proves that FASTtelco offers one of the best properties in the local market by main-

taining high standards and considering further expansion beyond the national borders.

He further stated on the fact that FASTtelco is dedicated to continuously introducing top-ofthe-line services and products to both the consumer and corporate markets through its stateof-the-art infrastructure which allows the company to keep ahead of the latest technological innovations. He also added that the participation in the Ser vice Providers Exhibition allows FASTtelco the opportunity to showcase its latest services and highlights its leadership position in the Internet and Data Communication sector in Kuwait.

Al-Selmi continued that the national economic development depends on the expansion of the dominant data communications industry, adding that since its establishment FASTtelco has been looking forward to participate in to turning Kuwait into a financial and commercial center as

well as a regional economy portal through participating in its development cycle. FASTtelco is also working on developing large projects through its advanced infrastructure that emulates international standards.

According to Al-Selmi, FASTtelco has implemented the most resilient Internet and data communications networks and is today the preferred choice of customers in terms of internet services. Al-Selmi also stated that FASTtelco is dedicated to offering its quality services and products at competitive prices while providing the best after-sales support through its corporate and retail customer services department that is constantly committed to meeting the customers’ special requirements and dealing with their urgent problems.

The exhibition allows services providers to engage with their corporate and retail clients and showcase the top-of-the-line services specifically

designed to satisfy clients’ expectations and to boost the national economy.

Al-Selmi then stated that FASTtelco’s platinum sponsorship proves that the company is committed to playing a significant role in the social development process by continuously introducing the latest in the field of communication technology.

Furthermore, he added that the participation in this exhibition gives FASTtelco the opportunity to display its advanced Internet and data communications technologies, products and services, and to maximize on its state-of-the-art infrastructure which allows it to undertake larger projects and consolidate the national economy.

Al-Selmi finally concluded that FASTtelco would like to thank the Kuwaiti Minister of Commerce and Industry Anas Khaled Al-Saleh for supporting the Service Providers Exhibition and working on expanding the service sector and the Kuwaiti economy in general.

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SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

health & science

Slow progress since first Earth Summit PARIS: Twenty years after the Earth Summit in Rio pledged to save the environment for future generations, obser vers and polic y makers agree swifter action is required to avert climate catastrophe. But even as new warnings were issued last week of impending disaster -more severe droughts, disease spread and landeffacing sea level rises - climate negotiators gathered in Bonn continued to bicker over procedure. “Let’s consider climate change like you are in a car trying to stop before reaching a ledge. We are applying the brakes but we are still far away from decelerating enough not to fall from the ledge,” Wael Hmaidan, director of activist group Climate Action Network, told AFP on the sidelines of the talks which ended Friday.

On Thursday, climate researchers said the planet could warm by more than 3.5 degrees Celsius by 2100 if countries do not raise their game. The UN’s target is a 2 C limit on warming from pre-industrial levels for manageable climate change.

Paul Hare from German policy research group Climate Analytics said the gap between countries’ promised interventions and the reality was “getting bigger ”. And the International Energy Agency said CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion reached a new high last year, providing “further evidence that the door to a 2 deg C trajectory is about to close”.

The Earth Summit had yielded the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which in turn led to the Kyoto Protocol binding 37 rich nations to curbing greenhouse gas emissions. “I would say that the climate negotiations at their twentieth anniversary are definitely moving in the right direction, but not at the speed and not at the scale” required, UN climate chief Christiana Figueres said in Bonn. Scientists who monitor progress under the name Climate Action Tracker (CAT) say warming of 3.5 deg C could cause many plant and animal species to die out, deserts to expand and agricultural production to plummet.

They say the scenario can be avoided if governments raise their commitments considerably, and fast - cutting fossil fuel subsidies and boosting renewable energy production. “The only thing that is creating the gap is a lack of political will,” said Hmaidan.

Alden Meyer, director of strategy and policy with the Union of Concerned Scientists, said climate change posed the greatest threat to the well-being of people and ecosystems 20 years after the Rio conference. “It is not too late to address this threat, but scientists tell us the window for effective action is rapidly closing. Without much more ambitious action now, we will be condemning our children and grandchildren to suffer the consequences of truly dangerous levels of climate change.”

Countries agreed at UN climate talks in Durban, South Africa last December to draft a new climate pact by 2015. Due to take effect from 2020, it should bind all countries to greenhouse gas emission cuts. But gathered in Bonn for the past 11 days, negotiators tasked with laying the groundwork for the new deal got stuck in procedural bickering as battle lines were redrawn between rich nations and some in the developing world over apportioning responsibility for tackling global warming. “ The now-predictable drama and upheavals at the United Nations climate treaty talks underscored the precarious state of multilateral efforts to reach a new agreement to protect the world’s climate,” observed the Environmental Defense Fund. Fast-growing economies like China and India, fearing emission cuts may slow their development engines, insist the developed world, which polluted more for longer, should bear a greater mitigation burden.

But the West and small countries most threatened by climate change are eager for the emerging polluters to step up to the plate. Even as countries hurled accusations at one another in Bonn, all agreed on one thing: “it is getting very late”, in the words of EU climate commissioner Connie Hedegaard. Some progress has been made as the world prepares for the Rio+20 summit on sustainable development next month and the next round of UN climate talks in Qatar in December.

Twenty years ago, when United States climate negotiator Jonathan Pershing attended the Earth Summit “we met in a room for the entire world that was the size of the room here”, he said -gesturing at a press conference room in Bonn. “The most recent meeting than we had in Durban, we had 10,000 people and we had global coverage and we had heads of state.” Every major economy in the world has now made a commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Pershing pointed out. “I think the world is recognising how much damage could be caused but also the importance of acting.” — AFP

H E A LT H

SpaceX capsule has ‘new car’ smell, astronauts say WASHINGTON: SpaceX’s Dragon cargo vessel smells like a new car, said astronauts at the International Space Station after opening the hatches yesterday following the spacecraft’s landmark mission to the orbiting lab. The California-based SpaceX on Friday became the first commercial outfit to send its own unmanned cargo capsule to the ISS, heralding the start of a new era for private spaceflight after the end of the 30-year US shuttle program. With no humans on board, the Dragon capsule is delivering about a half ton of supplies and science experiments for the ISS, and aims to return a slightly larger load of gear to Earth on May 31.

Shortly after the hatches between the ISS’s Harmony node and the Dragon spacecraft were opened at 5:53 am EDT (0953 GMT), astronauts ventured in to the unmanned capsule for the first time. “Like the smell of a brand new car,” said US astronaut Don Pettit, who on Friday was the one who reached out with the station’s robotic arm and snared the Dragon as it approached the research outpost.

Wearing protective face masks and goggles, Pettit and station commander Oleg Kononenko, a Russian cosmonaut, entered the Dragon to get a first look at the inside of the new craft and the more than 1,000 pounds of cargo it carried. The two were joined at the entrance of the hatch by European Space Agency astronaut Andre Kuipers and Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, SpaceX said in a statement, adding that “Dragon’s interior looked good.” “The ship is in good shape,” said a NASA commentator. A news conference with the sixmember ISS crew is scheduled for 11:25 am EDT (1525 GMT).

Now that the doors between the two spacecraft are open, the crew is starting four days of work to unload and restock the world’s first commercial resupply vessel with gear to return to Earth. The Dragon has toted 521 kg of cargo for the space lab, including food, supplies, computers, utilities and science experiments. It plans to return a 660-kg load to Earth. The US space shuttle program ended in 2011, leaving only Russia capable of carrying astronauts and cargo to the ISS and back to Earth.

The space agencies of Japan and Europe have supply ships that can ferry cargo to the ISS but cannot return to Earth intact, and those missions are set to end in the coming years. That means SpaceX and its competitor Orbital Sciences Corporation would likely become the chief cargo servicers of the $100 billion space station, which is set to remain operational until 2020, NASA said. SpaceX has a $1.6 billion contract with NASA to supply the station over the coming years, and Orbital Sciences has a $1.9 billion contract to do the same. Orbital’s first test flight is scheduled for later this year.

SpaceX and a handful of other companies are also competing to replace the crew capability that the United States lost when the shuttle program ended. SpaceX’s Dragon was built to carry not just cargo but up to seven humans to the ISS. The company, owned by Internet entrepreneur Elon Musk, says it aims to begin taking humans to the space station by 2015. In the meantime, the world’s astronauts must rely on Russia’s Soyuz craft for ISS transport at a cost of $63 million per seat. — AFP

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

South Korean smokers start to feel the heat SEOUL: After decades of indifference, big businesses and the government are turning up the heat on smokers in South Korea, a nation with one of the developed world’s highest male smoking rates. Some firms are pressing workers to kick the habit or miss out on promotion and the health ministry will toughen warnings on cigarette packs. Seoul council plans eventually to make one fifth of the city’s total area smoke-free. Even the military is getting in on the act: army draftees undergoing basic training will get advice from a clinic on ways to quit.

But successive national governments - fearful of an electoral backlash-have held back from raising the tax on cigarettes. Some 44.3 percent of South Korean men smoked in 2009, according to the latest available data from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This compares to an average among all member nations of 26.5 percent for men. The smoking rate among Korean women is low due to social taboos.

Samsung Electronics, the country’s largest employer, is at the forefront of efforts to cajole workers to quit smoking. Executives of its Device Solutions (DS) department, which employs 35,000 people out of a total of 101,970 Samsung Electronics staff in Korea, recently called on staffers to join a non-smoking program. A company spokesman said almost all DS employees had made non-smoking pledges as part of what it called a “well-received” voluntary program.

The department “considers employees as the company’s most valuable asset, and their health and wellbeing are a top priority. The recent smoking cessation program is an extension of that belief,” a statement said.

The spokesman said the company as a whole was considering strengthening anti-smoking policies.

“Certain consequences for smokers are under consideration. They haven’t been finalised nor enforced,” he said, adding smoking could be a factor affecting promotion prospects. The Woongjin Group, which has wide ranging businesses, has also tightened its policies. It said promotions made in February took smoking into account and all new employees must sign an anti-smoking pledge. “The announcements were made prior to the promotion process, so there weren’t any complaints from those who didn’t get promotion,” said its spokeswoman. Woongjin conducts random hair and urine tests on a large number of employees at irregular intervals.

Media reports say some other major companies employ similar tactics, even though they publicly deny pressuring employees. Some employees say

they don’t object. “At first, I had negative feelings about the policy because it was too forceful. But as I followed along, I began to think it was good for me,” said Che Young-Jin, 31, who recently quit smoking.

Outside the workplace, Seoul city government has banned smoking in plazas and parks and near bus stops and schools. Offenders face a 100,000 won ($86) fine. “We caught 240 cases last year at main plazas and parks and this year, our 23 officers are going to random spots and catching about three to five smokers every day,” said Song Yo-Sang, a manager at the city government.

By 2014, the city plans to make 21 percent of its total area a non-smoking zone. It is considering a blanket ban on smoking in all public areas except for some designated spots. The health ministry will increase the size of warning messages on cigarette packs from 30 percent of the surface area to 50 percent. “Two more messages, which are a counselling hotline number and a message that inhalation of tar depends on smoking habits, will be printed with the

original message,” said Song Myoung-Jun, a ministry deputy director.

The ministry also plans to use graphic warning pictures, such as diseased lungs, on packs although it may take time to amend laws to permit this. But officials are still hesitant to raise the cigarette tax, the lowest among OECD nations. A pack of Marlboro costs just 2,700 won ($2.31). Song acknowledged the price was low but said a rise “requires social consensus”.

Some smokers say South Korea’s new-found zeal is excessive. “Conducting tests and constantly pressuring employees to quit smoking even after work clearly violates human rights,” said Hong Sung-Yong, director of the Korea Smoker’s Association. “People shouldn’t make smokers look like barbarians when smoking is legal and we pay the rightful amount of taxes,” he said, calling on Seoul city to designate public smoking areas. Prohibiting smoking is like pushing smokers off the brink and merely shows that they don’t care at all about smokers’ rights,” Hong said.— AFP

SEOU: This photo taken on May 21, 2012 shows a public information guide (L) standing by a sign (R) highlighting a non-smoking zone at a plaza in Seoul.

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SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

WHAT’S ON Greetings appy birthday to Mipa M Panna. May the good Lord guide you as you grow to be a blessing to your family Amen.

Greetings from mom, dad, friends and wellwishers.

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Announcements ‘Leniency of Islam’ An unprecedented initiative of KTV2 (English channel) is the new program by the name ‘Leniency of Islam’ presented by Shaikh Musaad Alsane and directed by Hamid Al Turkait. The program is mainly meant to address the expatriates living in Kuwait. Religious questions are received through the program email qislam@tv.gov.kw and sms can be sent to97822021 and answered by the lecturer and Imam in Awqaf Ministry Shaikh Musaad Alsane - a Master Degree holder in Sharia and fiqih from Kuwait University. So don’t forget to watch the program every Friday at 1:00 pm.

Media Night at Arirang Korean Restaurant wiss-Belhotel Plaza Kuwait recently hosted the media at its new Arirang Korean Restaurant. The General Manager, Ali Haddad, welcomed the guests and expressed his appreciation for their continuous support and in particular toward the newly opened restaurant ‘Arirang’.

Arirang aims to provide warm hospitality and unforgettable dining experience. It is the only Korean restaurant in Kuwait

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with a traditional Korean flair. Arirang Restaurant offers a range of traditional Korean a La carte menu. The cozy atmosphere lit up by handcrafted lamps and Korean music.

The environment in general, the aroma, the atmosphere, the food that absolutely delicious, rich with spices and will definitely satisfy every cravings. It accommodates nearly 70 guests and is suitable for a private gathering or event.

Arirang has a traditional setting in private room to comfortably seat on a half floor and experience Korea in a home style set up. Guests can dine with family, colleagues or friends; the dining experience starts as you enter with a warm welcome and smiling friendly staff. Arirang Korean Restaurant is located at Swiss-Belhotel Plaza Kuwait, in the heart of city.

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.

Open House for Indian Citizens The Ambassador of India will be holding an Open House for Indian citizens to address their problems/grievances on Wednesdays of the second and the fourth week of every month between 1500 hrs and 1600 hrs at the embassy.

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

Similarly, a labor wing Help Desk functions from 0830 hrs to 1300 hrs and 1400 hrs to 1630 hrs in the Labor Hall to address the labor related issue.

There is also a 24X7 Help Line (Tel No. 25674163) to assist labors in distress. For any unaddressed issues, the concerned Attaches in the labor section and the head of the labor wing could be contacted.

Basil Arts Kuwait The Basil Arts Kuwait requests all its registered members to attend the General Body / Family get-together, scheduled at 11:00am on Friday, the 1st June, 2012 at the HiDine Restaurant, Abbasiya. For further information contact General Secretary on 65003040

Aware presentation 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 Al-Furgi.

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

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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.

Angela Mary Mathew

Angela Susan Alex

Afiya Jamil Parkar

Ashly Ann Babu

Ansy Hanna Kurian

Ashima Haroon Rasheed

Bhadra Sreekumar

Blessen Sunny Paul

Christy Rose Peter

Christy Mathew

Nitin Nirmal

Charmiane Alexander

Fiona Sunny Kurian

Geethu Maria Jose

Georgy Alexander Karuval

Hebsy Susan Abraham

Jaseena Joseph

Jithin Jacob Koshy

Joyal Jose T K

Linta Mary Philip

Megan D’Silva

Merin Grace Geroge

Neeraj Sajeev

Neethu Cicil Zacharia

Nicole Diane Dsouza

Nimmy Philip Mathew

Princy Sara Korath

Raqeeb Mohamed NK

Reem Izaz Inamdar

Riya Raju George

Sanjay Sandhosh

Sheethal Sajeev

Sreelakshmi Rajesh

Tessa Susan John

Terrence Pinto

PALPK, ILF to hold legal seminar he Palakkad Pravasi Assocaition of Kuwait, (PALPAK) the association of Palakkad natives living in Kuwait and ‘Indian Lawyers’ Forum’, (ILF) the association of Indian Lawyers and Law graduates in Kuwait are conducting Legal Seminar, on 1st June Friday 2012, at 11.00 AM at Mangaf - Friends of Kannur (FOKE) Auditorium.

The Legal Seminar will focus on Kuwait New Labour Law, Traffic laws, Indian civil and criminal laws, and all legal related questions from the Indian community present. The seminar will be addressed by the ILF Advocates. A panel of ILF Team, which includes Adv. Thomas Panicker, President, Adv.Suresh Pulikkal, Gen.Secretary, Adv Rajesh Sagar, Adv. Stephen Thomas and Adv Sumod will be answering the questions and lead the discussions on the subjects. All Indian community members in Kuwait, especially Palpak members, families and friends are cordially invited to participate.

Your legal doubts/questions can be send by email to: palpaklegal@gmail.com and it will be answered in the seminar.

‘Indian Lawyer’s Forum’ has 85 Indian lawyers, law graduates and their family members as members.

Severl of ILF members are working with Kuwaiti Law firms and Corporations as Senior Lawyers and are with 15 to 20 years practicing experience in Indian courts.

For further information please contact, PNKumar: 99771830, Aravindhashan: 66535989 (PALPAK) or Thomas Panicker: 24346934, 97203939 or Suresh Pulikkal: 97260159.(ILF) Email: advpanicker@gmail.com

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Write to us

UIS in the lead once again

Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

his year’s AISSE results witnessed a new high with 35 students having the unique distinction of scoring a CGPA of 10. 109 students of the 225 who appeared for the Board exam have come with a commendable performance of CGPA - 9 and above, bringing glory to UIS. The dedicated teams of teachers have set a

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meritorious record through their sincere and genuine effort.UIS rejoices to present the subject wise grade.

SUBJECT GRADE - A ENGLISH 48 / 225 FRENCH 54/ 179 HINDI 12/ 46

MATHS 74/225 SCIENCE 65 / 225 SOCIAL SCIENCE 71/ 225 UIS holds steadfast to its age old conviction of commitment and prayer as she shows the beacon of success to the aspiring young generations.

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SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

WHAT’S ON

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

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EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakel St., Block 4 in Da’aiyah.

Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is closed from 12:30 to 01:00 pm for lunch break. Consular Services for Canadian Citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00 on Sunday through Wednesday. The Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides visa and immigration services to residents of Kuwait. Individuals who are interested in visiting, working or immigrating to Canada are invited to visit the website of the Canadian Embassy to the UAE at www.uae.gc.ca.

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

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

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EMBASSY OF FRANCE The French Embassy in Kuwait will be closed on Sunday, May 27, 2012 for Pentecost holidays.

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PGA organizes Gala Presentation Evening

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 ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF KENYA he Premier Goal Academy (PGA) in association with Everton FC and sponsored by Porsche Centre Kuwait, Behbehani Motors Company, held their first Gala Presentation Evening at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Farwaniya last week. Over 350 people packed into the Andalous Ballroom for a spectacular occasion under the Patronage of HE the British Ambassador, Frank Baker, which commenced with the playing of the national anthems of Kuwait and the United Kingdom.

Several other Ambassadors, Ministry officials and special guests graced the occasion as over 120 glittering awards were presented to selected players, coaches and sponsors at the end of a

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tremendously successful season of coaching courses, matches, festivals tournaments, overseas trips and special events involving over 500 young players.

Over 80 of these players, aged from 3 to 18 years, were nominated by their coaches to receive awards in several categories including; Most Outstanding, Most Improved, Go Sport Sportsmanship Award, GOAL award, Top Trainer, Star Player and Coaches Award.

These players had demonstrated an abundance of hard work, commitment and high standards of performance and conduct over the course of the season to earn their rewards. Special Presentations were made to Coaches Peter Mapendere and Nasser Dakak by HE the Canadian

Ambassador and to Coach Najam Alam

by HE the Bangladeshi Ambassador in recognition of their initiatives to support Global Football Development by promoting organized sports activities and donating footballs to Zimbabwe and Bangladesh and bringing visiting teams to Kuwait from Jerusalem.

Further awards were made to players involved in the Girls Coaching Courses, Schools Community Programmes, Freestyle Football tournament finalists and specialist Goalkeeping Awards. All the players were presented with trophies by HE the British Ambassador and special gifts were also provided by the awards sponsors Porsche Centre Kuwait, Behbehani Motors Company, GOAL! and

Go Sport. Chairman Ahmad Al-Shatti, Academy Director Mike Finn and Executive Director Baker Al-Nazer thanked the coaching team, sponsors and supporters for all their assistance in making the season such an enjoyable and successful one for everyone involved with the PGA. The climax to the awards ceremony was an amazing football freestyle display by Kuwait’s National Freestyle Champions, Karam, Abdulwahab and Arman, which was followed by a sumptuous buffet dinner courtesy of the event and venue sponsors, Crowne Plaza Hotel.

The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to request all Kenyans resident in or training through Kuwait to register with the Embassy.

We are updating our database. This information is necessary in order to facilitate quick assistance and advise in times of emergency. Kindly visit in person or register through our website www.kenyaembkuwait.com. The Embassy is located in: Surra Area Block 6 - Street 9 - Villa 3 Tel: 25353362 - 25353314; Fax: 25353316.

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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 will be moving from its current location to a new place in Jabriya, Block 8, St. 13, House No. 514, effective from 15th April, 2012. Till the new telephone connections are installed, the Embassy may be contacted by email: info@nepembku.org ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has its new office in Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF THAILAND The Royal Thai Embassy in Kuwait, wishes to invite the Kuwaiti companies that deal business with Thai companies or those agencies of Thai commercial companies to visit the Embassy’s Commercial Office to register their relevant information to be part of the embassy’s business and trade database. The Royal Thai Embassy is located in Jabriya, Block 6, Street 8, Villa No. 1, Telephone No. 25317530 -25317531, Ext: 14.

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EMBASSY OF UKRAINE We’d like to inform you that in response to the increasing number of our citizens who work in the state and the need for 24-hour operational telephone in case of emergency the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait has opened “hotline telephone number” - (+ 965) 972-79-206.

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

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

Untamed & Uncut Man-Eating Super Snake Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer Great Animal Escapes Great Animal Escapes Karina: Wild On Safari Karina: Wild On Safari Great Ocean Adventures Dogs 101 Escape To Chimp Eden Crocodile Hunter The Planet’s Funniest Animals Growing Up...

Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild Wild Animal Orphans Project Puppy Dogs 101 Wildest Africa Lions And Giants Wildlife SOS Safari Vet School Safari Vet School Must Love Cats Wild Africa Rescue Wild Africa Rescue Max’s Big Tracks Austin Stevens Adventures Great Ocean Adventures Baboons With Bill Bailey Baboons With Bill Bailey Wildwives Of Savannah Lane I Was Bitten Animal Cops South Africa

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

BBC World News World Features Talking Movies BBC World News Dateline London BBC World News The Doha Debates BBC World News Click BBC World News Newsnight BBC World News The Record Europe BBC World News Fast Track BBC World News World Features Talking Movies BBC World News World Features Dateline London BBC World News BBC World News BBC World News World Features BBC World News BBC World News Newsnight BBC World News World Features Mishal Husain Meets BBC World News Sport Today Click BBC World News Horizons BBC World News The Doha Debates BBC World News India Business Report BBC World News Mishal Husain Meets Sports World Have Your Say Sports World Have Your Say BBC World News Talking Movies BBC World News World Features Horizons BBC World News BBC World News BBC World News Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News World Features BBC World News

00:10 Duck Dodgers 00:35 The Perils Of Penelope Pitstop 01:00 Tom & Jerry Kids 01:25 A Pup Named Scooby-Doo 01:50 The Jetsons 02:15 Puppy In My Pocket 02:40 Popeye 03:00 Tom & Jerry 03:25 Looney Tunes 03:50 Scooby Doo Where Are You! 04:15 Droopy: Master Detective 04:40 Wacky Races 05:00 The Flintstones 05:25 A Pup Named Scooby-Doo 05:50 Popeye Classics 06:00 Wacky Races 06:10 Pink Panther And Pals 06:35 Dexter’s Laboratory 07:00 Bananas In Pyjamas 07:25 Jelly Jamm 07:50 Baby Looney Tunes 08:15 Gerald McBoing Boing 08:40 Ha Ha Hairies 08:55 The Garfield Show 09:15 The Looney Tunes Show 09:40 Tom & Jerry Tales 10:05 Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries 10:30 Yogi’s Treasure Hunt 10:55 Help! It’s The Hair Bear Bunch 11:20 Wacky Races 11:30 Scooby Doo And The Cyber Chase 13:00 Dastardly And Muttley 13:50 Looney Tunes 14:40 Scooby-Doo And ScrappyDoo 15:05 Tom & Jerry 15:55 Top Cat 16:20 Top Cat 16:45 Pink Panther & Pals 17:15 The Garfield Show 18:05 The Looney Tunes Show 18:30 Scooby Doo Where Are You! 18:55 The Scooby Doo Show 19:20 Pink Panther And Pals 19:45 The Jetsons 20:05 Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries 20:30 Tom & Jerry Tales 20:55 The Garfield Show 21:25 The Flintstones 21:50 Help! It’s The Hair Bear Bunch 22:15 Popeye 22:35 Scooby-Doo And ScrappyDoo 23:00 Wacky Races 23:20 Dastardly And Muttley 23:45 New Yogi Bear Show

00:30 Bakugan: New Vestroia 00:55 Bakugan: New Vestroia 01:20 Powerpuff Girls 02:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 03:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 03:25 Ben 10 03:50 Adventure Time 04:15 Powerpuff Girls 04:40 Generator Rex 05:05 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:30 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:55 Angelo Rules 06:00 Casper’s Scare School 06:25 Casper’s Scare School 06:50 The Powerpuff Girls 07:40 The Amazing World Of Gumball 08:05 Adventure Time 08:30 Angelo Rules 08:55 Eliot Kid 09:20 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 09:45 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 10:05 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 10:35 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 11:00 Redakai: Conquer The Kairu 11:25 Grim Adventures Of...

12:15 Courage The Cowardly Dog 13:05 Generator Rex 13:30 Powerpuff Girls 14:20 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 14:45 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 15:10 Best Ed

16:00 Fantastic Four...

16:25 Ben 10 16:50 The Amazing World Of Gumball 17:15 Adventure Time 17:40 Regular Show 18:05 Powerpuff Girls 18:55 Ben 10: Alien Force 19:20 Ben 10: Alien Force 19:45 Ed, Edd n Eddy 20:35 Grim Adventures Of...

21:00 Star Wars: The Clone Wars 21:25 Redakai: Conquer The Kairu 21:50 Cow And Chicken 22:00 Codename: Kids Next Door 22:50 Ben 10 23:15 Ben 10 23:40 Chowder

00:40 How Do They Do It? Turbo Specials 01:35 How Do They Do It? Turbo Specials 02:30 How Do They Do It? Turbo Specials 03:25 Wheeler Dealers 04:20 Wheeler Dealers 05:15 Wheeler Dealers 06:05 Wheeler Dealers 07:00 How It’s Made 07:25 South Beach Classics 07:50 South Beach Classics 08:15 South Beach Classics 08:45 South Beach Classics 09:10 South Beach Classics 09:40 South Beach Classics 10:05 South Beach Classics 10:30 South Beach Classics 10:55 South Beach Classics 11:25 South Beach Classics 11:50 South Beach Classics 12:20 South Beach Classics 12:45 How Do They Do It? Turbo Specials 13:40 How Do They Do It? Turbo Specials 14:35 How Do They Do It? Turbo Specials 15:30 Wheeler Dealers 16:25 Wheeler Dealers 17:20 Wheeler Dealers 18:15 Wheeler Dealers 19:10 South Beach Classics 19:40 South Beach Classics 20:05 South Beach Classics 20:35 South Beach Classics 21:00 South Beach Classics 21:30 South Beach Classics 21:55 South Beach Classics 22:25 South Beach Classics 22:50 South Beach Classics 23:20 South Beach Classics

00:05 Punkin Chunkin 2011 00:35 Flying Anvils 01:25 The Tech Show 01:50 Catch It Keep It 02:40 Catch It Keep It 03:35 Catch It Keep It 04:25 Catch It Keep It 05:20 Catch It Keep It 06:10 Future Weapons 07:00 Head Rush 07:03 Sci-Fi Science 07:30 Weird Connections 08:00 Future Weapons 08:55 Scrapheap Challenge 09:45 Scrapheap Challenge 10:35 Catch It Keep It 11:25 Catch It Keep It 12:15 Catch It Keep It 13:05 Catch It Keep It 13:55 Catch It Keep It 14:45 Head Rush 14:48 Sci-Fi Science 15:15 Weird Connections 15:45 The Tech Show 16:10 Future Weapons 17:00 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 17:50 Bang Goes The Theory 18:40 Punkin Chunkin 2011 20:20 Mega Builders 21:10 Nextworld 22:00 Punkin Chunkin 2011 23:40 Weird Or What?

00:10 Replacements 00:35 Replacements 01:00 Fairly Odd Parents 01:25 Fairly Odd Parents 01:50 A Kind Of Magic 02:15 A Kind Of Magic 02:40 Stitch 03:05 Stitch 03:30 Replacements 03:55 Replacements 04:20 Fairly Odd Parents 04:45 Fairly Odd Parents 05:10 A Kind Of Magic 05:35 A Kind Of Magic 06:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 06:25 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 06:40 The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody 07:05 So Random 07:30 Phineas And Ferb 07:55 Shake It Up 08:20 Good Luck Charlie 08:45 Wizards Of Waverly Place 09:10 Jessie 09:35 A.N.T. Farm 10:00 Austin & Ally 10:25 Aladdin & The King Of Thieves 11:45 Good Luck Charlie 12:05 Wizards Of Waverly Place 12:30 Wizards Of Waverly Place 12:55 Wizards Of Waverly Place 13:20 Wizards Of Waverly Place 13:45 Austin & Ally 14:10 Jessie 14:35 Wizards Of Waverly Place 15:00 So Random 15:25 Wizards Of Waverly Place 15:50 Wizards Of Waverly Place 16:15 Wizards Of Waverly Place 16:40 Wizards Of Waverly Place 17:00 Wizards Of Waverly Place The Movie 18:25 A.N.T. Farm 18:45 Austin & Ally 19:10 Shake It Up 19:35 Wizards Of Waverly Place 20:00 Good Luck Charlie 20:25 Jessie 20:50 The Return Of Jafar 21:55 Have A Laugh 22:05 Good Luck Charlie 22:30 Fish Hooks 22:41 Fish Hooks 22:55 The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody 23:20 The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody 23:45 Sonny With A Chance

06:00 Kid vs Kat 06:21 American Dragon 06:45 Rekkit Rabbit 07:10 Pokemon: Black And White 07:30 Phineas And Ferb 07:40 Phineas And Ferb 07:55 Kickin It 08:20 Kickin It 08:45 Kickin It 09:10 Kickin It 09:35 Kickin It 10:00 Lab Rats 10:30 Scaredy Squirrel 10:55 Zeke & Luther 11:20 I’m In The Band 11:45 Phineas And Ferb 12:10 Fort Boyard - Ultimate Challenge 12:35 Kickin It 13:00 Black-Victini And Reshir 14:35 Rated A For Awesome 15:00 Phineas And Ferb 15:10 Phineas And Ferb 15:25 Timon And Pumbaa 15:50 Pair Of Kings 16:15 The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes 16:40 Zeke & Luther 17:05 Mr. Young 17:30 I’m In The Band 17:55 Rated A For Awesome 18:20 Kickin It 18:45 Phineas And Ferb 19:10 Scaredy Squirrel 19:35 Kickin It 20:00 Black-Victini And Reshir 21:35 Scaredy Squirrel Splits 21:50 Phineas And Ferb 22:05 The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes 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 E! Investigates 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Then And Now 05:30 Then And Now 06:00 30 Best & Worst Beach Bodies 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Extreme Close-Up 09:45 Extreme Close-Up 10:15 E!es 11:10 Ice Loves Coco 11:35 Ice Loves Coco 12:05 E! News 13:05 Style Star 13:35 Style Star 14:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 14:35 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 15:00 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 15:55 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 16:55 Behind The Scenes 17:25 Khloe And Lamar 17:55 Khloe And Lamar 20:55 Khloe And Lamar 21:25 Khloe And Lamar 21:55 Ice Loves Coco 22:25 Fashion Police 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians

ALIVE ON OSN ACTION HD

00:30 01:20 02:05 02:55 03:45 04:30 Jones 05:20 06:10

A Haunting Ghost Lab The Haunted A Haunting A Haunting True Crime With Aphrodite Mystery Diagnosis Disappeared

07:00 07:50 08:40 09:30 09:55 10:20 Jones 11:10 12:00 12:50 13:40 14:30 14:55 15:20 Jones 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:05 19:55 20:20 Jones 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:40

Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite

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

Geo Sessions Geo Sessions David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 Food School Food School Somewhere In China Perilous Journeys David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 Food School Food School Somewhere In China Perilous Journeys Pressure Cook Pressure Cook Which Way To Bluelist Australia Bluelist Australia Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 Food School Food School Somewhere In China Perilous Journeys A World Apart Geo Sessions Geo Sessions Around The World For Free Departures Banged Up Abroad Adventure Wanted Nomads

Disappeared Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Behind Mansion Walls LA: City Of Demons Scorned: Crimes Of Passion

00:00 Air Crash Investigation 01:00 Taboo 02:00 Megastructures 03:00 World’s Deadliest Animals 04:00 Shark Men 05:00 Locked Up Abroad 06:00 Adventure Wanted 07:00 Departures 08:00 Air Crash Investigation 09:00 Taboo 10:00 Megastructures 11:00 World’s Deadliest Animals 12:00 Shark Men 13:00 Locked Up Abroad 14:00 Adventure Wanted 15:00 Departures 16:00 Air Crash Investigation 17:00 Taboo 18:00 Megastructures 19:00 Megastructures 20:00 Nat Geo’s Most Amazing Photos 20:30 Nat Geo’s Most Amazing Photos 21:00 Living With Big Cats 22:00 Breakout 23:00 Inside

00:00 Hidden Worlds 01:00 Kalahari Supercats 01:55 Killer Shots 02:50 Monster Crocs 03:45 Expedition Wild 04:40 Rhino Rescue 05:35 Wild Detectives 06:00 Wild Detectives 06:30 Planet Carnivore 07:25 Swamp Men 08:20 Monkey Thieves 08:45 Monkey Thieves 09:15 Python Hunters 10:10 Built For The Kill 11:05 Wild India (aka Secrets of Wild India) 12:00 Built For The Kill 13:00 A Man Among Bears 14:00 Monster Fish 15:00 Hummingbirds: Magic In The Air 16:00 Searching For The Snow Leopard 17:00 Snake Wranglers 17:30 Snake Wranglers 18:00 Search For The Giant Octopus 19:00 Hummingbirds: Magic In The Air 20:00 Searching For The Snow Leopard 21:00 Snake Wranglers 21:30 Snake Wranglers 22:00 Search For The Giant Octopus 23:00 Built For The Kill

00:00 Hidden Worlds 01:00 Kalahari Supercats 01:55 Killer Shots 02:50 Monster Crocs 03:45 Expedition Wild 04:40 Rhino Rescue 05:35 Wild Detectives 06:00 Wild Detectives 06:30 Planet Carnivore 07:25 Swamp Men 08:20 Monkey Thieves 08:45 Monkey Thieves 09:15 Python Hunters 10:10 Built For The Kill 11:05 Wild India (aka Secrets of Wild India) 12:00 Built For The Kill 13:00 A Man Among Bears 14:00 Monster Fish 15:00 Hummingbirds: Magic In The Air 16:00 Searching For The Snow Leopard

YOUR HIGHNESS ON OSN CINEMA 17:00 Snake Wranglers 17:30 Snake Wranglers 18:00 Search For The Giant Octopus 19:00 Hummingbirds: Magic In The Air 20:00 Searching For The Snow Leopard 21:00 Snake Wranglers 21:30 Snake Wranglers 22:00 Search For The Giant Octopus 23:00 Built For The Kill

00:00 02:00 04:15 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:15 14:30 16:30 18:30 20:45 22:45

Deadtime Stories-R Bram Stoker’s Dracula-18 The Cry Of The Owl-PG15 Returner-PG15 So Close-PG15 Alive-PG15 X2-PG So Close-PG15 Ip Man-PG15 X2-PG Full Metal Jacket-18 RoboCop 3-PG15

01:00 Fading Of The Cries-18 03:00 Dinner For Schmucks-PG15 05:00 Battle: Los Angeles-PG15 07:00 Freakonomics-PG15 09:00 Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale-PG15 11:00 Battle: Los Angeles-PG15 13:00 Prom-PG15 15:00 My Dog Tulip-PG15 17:00 Make It Happen-PG15 19:00 The Answer Man-PG15 21:00 Jonah Hex-PG15 23:00 Your Highness-18

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 03:00 Parks And Recreation 03:30 Wilfred 04:00 Weird Science 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Seinfeld 06:30 Melissa And Joey 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Weird Science 08:30 Parks And Recreation 09:00 Seinfeld 09:30 The Office 10:30 Melissa And Joey 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:30 Weird Science 13:00 Seinfeld 13:30 Melissa And Joey 14:00 Wilfred 15:00 The Office 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 The Simpsons 18:30 Last Man Standing 19:00 Two And A Half Men 20:00 Whitney 20:30 Napoleon Dynamite 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00

Criminal Minds Sons Of Anarchy Top Gear (UK) Warehouse 13 Pillars Of The Earth The View Good Morning America The Invisible Man Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View Criminal Minds Warehouse 13 Top Gear (UK) Good Morning America Charlie’s Angels The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street Covert Affairs Bones Burn Notice

22:00 Top Gear (US) 23:00 Pillars Of The Earth

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

Pan Am Top Gear (UK) Criminal Minds Sons Of Anarchy Warehouse 13 Eureka Pan Am Emmerdale Coronation Street The Practice Top Gear (UK) Criminal Minds Warehouse 13 Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Practice Pan Am Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Practice Covert Affairs Bones Burn Notice Top Gear (US) True Blood

00:30 02:00 05:30 07:00 09:00 11:00 12:45 PG15 15:00 17:00 19:00 22:00 PG15 23:30

Splinter-18 The Godfather II-18 The Collector-18 Fighting-PG15 The Last Airbender-PG Little Big Soldier-PG15 The Manchurian Candidate-

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 PG15 20:00 22:00 23:45

All Night Long-PG15 Bad News Bears-PG One Hot Summer-PG15 Mean Girls 2-PG15 Addams Family Values-PG Our Family Wedding-PG15 The Big Green-PG Elevator Girl-PG15 Our Family Wedding-PG15 The Secret Of My Success-

01:15 02:45 05:15 07:15 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:15

Game Of Four-PG15 Eat Pray Love-PG15 Guilty As Sin-PG15 Don’t Fade Away-PG15 Paws-PG Tresor-PG15 Bond Of Silence-PG15 Paws-PG Not Since You-PG15 Eight Below-PG Sideways-18 L’armee Du Crime-18

The Last Airbender-PG The Front-PG15 The Godfather III-18 The Burningmoore IncidentSleep Dealer-18

Held Up-18 Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee-PG15 The Big Green-PG

00:30 Indecent Proposal-18 03:00 Cats & Dogs: The Revenge Of Kitty Galore-PG 04:30 The Prince And Me 4: The Elephant Adventure-PG15 06:30 Winnie The Pooh-FAM 09:00 Hurricane Season-PG15 11:00 The LXD: The Uprising BeginsPG15 13:00 The LXD: Secrets Of The RaPG15 15:00 A Family Thanksgiving-PG15 17:00 Hurricane Season-PG15 19:00 The Roommate-PG15 21:00 Letters To Juliet-PG15 23:00 Your Highness-18

00:00 FAM 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00

The Three Musketeers (2008)Zorro’s Secrets-PG Jetsons: The Movie-FAM Supertramps-FAM Bat Cat And Bitsy-FAM

10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Good Boy!-PG Freddy Frogface-PG Jetsons: The Movie-FAM Last Of The Mohicans-PG Good Boy!-PG Shipwrecked-PG Freddy Frogface-PG

00:00 02:00 03:00 05:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 13:00 21:00

Super Rugby UFC Countdown Live UFC Prelims Live UFC 146 Live NRL Premiership Super Rugby Trans World Sport Live Test Cricket UFC 148

01:00 Super League 07:00 Live NRL Premiership 09:00 Super League 13:00 Trans World Sports 14:00 Live Super League 22:00 Live Senior Championship

PGA

00:00 Super Rugby 02:00 Top 14 04:00 AFL Premiership 04:30 Trans World Sport 05:30 Futbol Mundial 06:00 World Cup Of Pool 06:30 Futbol Mundial 07:00 Golfing World 07:00 Trans World Sport 08:00 European PGA Tour 08:00 Live AFL Premiership 11:00 NRL Premiership 12:30 Golfing World 13:00 NRL Premiership 13:30 Super League 15:00 Total Rugby 15:30 European Tour Weekly 15:30 Super League 16:00 Live European PGA Tour 17:30 Trans World Sport 18:30 Futbol Mundial 19:00 Super Rugby Highlights 20:00 European PGA Tour Highlights 20:00 Pro 12 21:00 Top 14 Highlights 21:30 NRL Premiership 22:00 AFL Premiership 23:30 AFL Highlights

03:00 05:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00

Live UFC Prelims Live UFC 146 WWE Bottomline WWE NXT WWE Vintage Collection WWE Experience This Week in WWE Mobil 1 The Grid V8 Supercars Highlights WWE SmackDown Live Pro 12 UFC Prelims UFC 146

00:00 Rides 01:00 01:30 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 05:30 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 13:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 16:00 17:00 Rides 18:00 19:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

World’s Greatest Motorcycle 4real Travel Today People Of The Sea The Blue Continent Globe Trekker Floyd On Africa Floyd Uncorked Sophie Grigson In The Souk Globe Trekker The Blue Continent People Of The Sea Think Green Riding Eastern Europe Travel Today Globe Trekker Down The Line Essential The Skinny Dip Intrepid Journeys Globe Trekker World’s Greatest Motorcycle Down The Line Globe Trekker The Blue Continent Megalopolis Globe Trekker

Classifieds SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines JZR QTR JZR JZR ETH RJA GFA UAE ETD DHX FDB MSR RBG QTR THY KAC CLX DHX FCX JZR KAC BAW KAC KAC IRA KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR FDB IRA ETD GFA IRC FCX MEA JZR MSR JZR AFR SYR KAC MSR KAC GFA KAC FDB KNE KAC QTR SVA RJA KAC JZR QTR JZR JZR ETD UAE SVA GFA UAL JZR JZR ABY KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB MSR JZR KAC KAC KAC JAI KAC AXB FDB OMA MEA QTR GFA JZR KAC ALK KLM JZR UAE ETD KAC ABY QTR DHX KAC AIC GFA UAL JZR DLH THY PIA

Flt 185 148 539 267 620 642 211 853 305 370 67 612 3553 138 770 154 792 170 201 555 412 157 206 382 615 284 53 302 332 352 855 125 132 55 603 301 213 6801 203 404 165 618 561 6708 341 742 610 672 219 774 57 472 538 140 500 640 788 257 134 213 535 303 857 510 215 982 177 777 127 502 542 166 786 63 624 787 618 674 102 572 562 389 61 647 402 146 221 481 514 229 417 135 859 307 172 129 136 372 678 981 217 981 239 636 772 205

Arrival Flights on Sunday 27/5/2012 Route DUBAI DOHA CAIRO BEIRUT ADDIS ABABA AMMAN BAHRAIN DUBAI ABU DHABI BAHRAIN DUBAI CAIRO ALEXANDRIA DOHA ISTANBUL ISTANBUL LUXEMBOURG BAHRAIN DUBAI ALEXANDRIA MANILA/BANGKOK LONDON ISLAMABAD DELHI SHAHRE KORD DHAKA DUBAI MUMBAI TRIVANDRUM COCHIN DUBAI SHARJAH DOHA DUBAI SHIRAZ ABU DHABI BAHRAIN AHWAZ DUBAI BEIRUT DUBAI ALEXANDRIA SOHAG PARIS DAMASCUS/ALEPPO DAMMAM CAIRO DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH DUBAI JEDDAH SOHAG DOHA JEDDAH AMMAN JEDDAH BEIRUT DOHA DEIREZZOR CAIRO ABU DHABI DUBAI RIYADH BAHRAIN WASHINGTON DC DULLES DUBAI JEDDAH SHARJAH BEIRUT CAIRO PARIS/ROME JEDDAH DUBAI SOHAG RIYADH DOHA DUBAI NEW YORK/LONDON MUMBAI AMMAN KOZHIKODE/MANGALORE DUBAI MUSCAT BEIRUT DOHA BAHRAIN SABIHA TEHRAN COLOMBO AMSTERDAM BAHRAIN DUBAI ABU DHABI FRANKFURT SHARJAH DOHA BAHRAIN MUSCAT/ABU DHABI CHENNAI/HYDERABAD/AHMEDABAD BAHRAIN BAHRAIN AMMAN FRANKFURT ISTANBUL LAHORE

Time 0:15 0:20 0:30 0:50 1:45 2:10 2:20 2:25 2:30 2:55 3:10 3:20 3:20 3:25 4:35 4:55 4:55 5:00 5:30 6:00 6:15 6:30 7:15 7:30 7:35 7:45 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:25 8:30 9:00 9:20 9:25 9:30 10:00 10:15 10:30 10:55 11:05 11:25 12:25 12:35 12:35 13:25 13:30 13:40 13:40 13:45 13:45 14:15 14:20 14:25 14:30 14:55 15:00 15:00 15:15 15:30 16:00 16:35 16:55 17:20 17:20 17:25 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:00 18:15 18:40 18:40 18:45 18:55 19:10 19:20 19:25 19:35 19:35 19:50 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:25 20:35 20:55 20:55 20:55 21:05 21:15 21:15 21:20 21:25 21:30 21:35 22:00 22:05 22:25 22:35 22:40 22:55 23:10 23:40 23:55

Airlines AIC UAL DLH THY ETH UAE FDB DHX RBG ETD MSR QTR QTR JZR RJA JZR GFA THY KAC CLX BAW FDB IRA KAC JZR KAC ABY JZR KAC KAC UAE JZR QTR FDB ETD IRA KAC KAC GFA IRC KAC FCX MEA KAC JZR MSR KAC KAC JZR JZR SYR AFR GFA FDB MSR KAC KAC KNE KAC KAC SVA RJA JZR QTR KAC ETD JZR JZR QTR UAE GFA JZR ABY SVA UAL FDB MSR JZR JAI FDB KAC KAC OMA MEA GFA JZR DHX ALK KLM ABY ETD UAE FCX KAC QTR KAC KAC JZR DHX QTR AXB GFA KAC JZR KAC

Departure Flights on Sunday 27/5/2012 Flt Route 976 GOA/CHENNAI 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 637 FRANKFURT 773 ISTANBUL 621 ADDIS ABABA 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 3554 ALEXANDRIA 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 643 AMMAN 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 537 SOHAG 792 VIETNAM 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 614 SHAHRE KORD 171 FRANKFURT 256 BEIRUT 117 NEW YORK 126 SHARJAH 534 CAIRO 671 DUBAI 787 JEDDAH 856 DUBAI 212 DEIREZZOR 133 DOHA 56 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI 602 SHIRAZ 74 DAMMAM 773 RIYADH 214 BAHRAIN 6802 AHWAZ 541 CAIRO 204 DUBAI 405 BEIRUT 501 BEIRUT 776 JEDDAH 623 SOHAG 103 LONDON 785 JEDDAH 480 SABIHA 176 DUBAI 342 ALEPPO/DAMASCUS 6708 DUBAI/HONG KONG 220 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 561 AMMAN 673 DUBAI 473 JEDDAH 677 MUSCAT/ABU DHABI 617 DOHA 503 MEDINAH/JEDDAH 641 AMMAN 786 RIYADH 135 DOHA 513 TEHRAN 304 ABU DHABI 238 AMMAN 538 CAIRO 141 DOHA 858 DUBAI 216 BAHRAIN 134 BAHRAIN 128 SHARJAH 511 RIYADH 982 BAHRAIN 64 DUBAI 621 ALEXANDRIA 184 DUBAI 571 MUMBAI 62 DUBAI 283 DHAKA 351 COCHIN 648 MUSCAT 403 BEIRUT 222 BAHRAIN 502 LUXOR 171 BAHRAIN 230 COLOMBO 417 DAMMAM/AMSTERDAM 120 SHARJAH 308 ABU DHABI 860 DUBAI 102 BAHRAIN 343 CHENNAI 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 554 ALEXANDRIA 373 BAHRAIN 147 DOHA 390 MANGALORE/KOZHIKODE 218 BAHRAIN 411 BANGKOK/MANILA 528 ASSIUT 415 KUALA LUMPUR/JAKARTA

Time 0:05 0:25 0:30 2:15 2:45 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:00 4:05 4:20 4:50 5:40 6:00 6:50 6:55 7:05 7:10 8:05 8:15 8:25 8:25 8:35 8:55 9:00 9:05 9:05 9:10 9:20 9:35 9:40 9:45 10:00 10:05 10:15 10:25 10:25 10:25 10:45 11:15 11:30 11:45 11:55 12:00 12:15 12:25 12:30 13:10 13:15 13:20 13:35 14:20 14:25 14:25 14:30 14:40 15:05 15:15 15:25 15:45 15:45 15:50 15:50 16:15 16:25 17:20 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:05 18:20 18:20 18:25 18:35 18:40 19:25 19:55 20:05 20:35 20:40 20:45 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:35 21:45 21:50 21:55 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:00 23:00 23:10 23:10 23:30 23:40 23:50 23:50

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

26-5-2012 FOR SALE Pajero model 2006, 3.8 liters full options, leather upholstery, always serviced by company, single owner driven, excellent condition, KD 3,500/- O.N.O. Contact: 24810860. (C 4027) 27-5-2012 Households for sale cheap prices with or without, 2 BR C-A/C flat at Fahaheel, family leaving June. BR set, sofa, fridge, thread mill, electronics, medicated bed etc.

Contact: 99232986.

(C 4021) Toyota Camry model 2010, white color, GL, CD, excellent original condition, cash price KD 4200/-, installation possible.

Contact: 66396517.

(C 4025) 24-5-2012 Fully furnished C-A/C, big hall: 8x4m. 2 spacious bed rooms, two bath rooms, one maid’s room/store room, and balcony, plus reserved shaded car parking, with complete good quality furniture (mostly from IKEA & Denmark) and Elect. Appliances for sale at Salmiya area 11 (Maidan Hawalli), behind petrol station. Contact: 66654074, Email: nisar_shaikh@hotmail.com (C 4020) 21-5-2012 SITUATION WANTED Accountant, MBA-Finance, B.com-Accounts & CA-Inter, having 5 years experience looking for part time job; can prepare your all business accounting reports and financial statements independently. Call Now: 55829223 or Email: acconline@ymail.com (C 4010)

United States citizen 15 plus year experience working on U.S. Military 3 non military tire including MRAP looking for employment with US Army contract company in Middle East. Contact: 60461658. (C 4023) 23-5-2012 CHANGE OF NAME I, Vinoth Kannan Kesavan son of Kesavan bearing an Indian passport No. E3242791, born on 3, June 1984, residing at No.1/8 West Street, Keezhupadi, Sathaputhur post, Sankarapuram T.K, Villupuram - 606 205, has converted to Islam with the name of Abdul Rahman .K on 6th May 2009. (C 4026) 26-5-2012 Sivakumar Krishnamoorthy, son of Krishnamoorthy and Theivanayagi bearing Indian passport No. F9732440 and having address New No. 151, Achuthampettai, Thirukandeeswaram, Sannanallur (P.O), Nannilam TK, Thiruvarur DT, Tamil Nadu, India have embraced Islam and changed the name as ABDURRAHMAN. (C 4024) 24-5-2012 I, Syed Arhad Ahmed holder of Indian Passport No. J5395460 do hereby change my name to Syed Arshad Ahmed. (C 4022) 23-5-2012 SITUATION VACANT Indian driver for Kuwaiti family. 1) Working as driver in Kuwait at least 5 years. 2) Knows to speak English. 3) Residence 20. Contact: 66343220.

(C 4017) 20-5-2012

AIRLINES Kuwait Airways Jazeera Airways Jet Airways FlyDubai Qatar Airways KLM Air Slovakia Olympic Airways Royal Jordanian Reservation British Airways Air France Emirates Air India Sri Lanka Airlines Egypt Air Swiss Air Saudia Middle East Airlines Lufthansa PIA Alitalia Balkan Airlines Bangladesh Airlines Czech Airlines Indian Airlines Oman Air Turkish Airlines Aeroflot

Prayer timings Fajr: Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

03:18 11:45 15:20 18:41 20:10

171 177 22924455 22414400 22423888 22425747 22434940 22420002/9 22418064/5/6 22433388 22425635 22430224 22921555 22438184 22424444 22421578 22421516 22426306 22423073 22422493 22421044 22414427 22416474 22452977/8 22417901 22456700 22958787 22453820/1 22404838/9

34

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

stars CROSSWORD 687

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) Your imagination and originality are stimulated. If you can focus on whatever is most important for your attention today, you may glean some new ideas on ways to make progress happen. You may find positive ways to bring more money into the home. This could be a shared garage sale with a family member, neighbor or friend. If a relative or friend has been ill or in the hospital, there should be good news at this time. This evening is a good time to turn your attention to a steady relationship. If you have a steady relationship, this could be a fun time to learn couples exercises. Why not declare new and positive things about each other. Look at how you are progressing with the goals you want to achieve with this person.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Work on eliminating the tendency to become too scattered today. There are lots of things on your agenda and if you concentrate on one thing at a time you will be very pleased with the result by the end of the day. You may also perceive how to proceed with plans and decisions regarding a life goal. This is a time of study and learning and a cycle of mental challenge, curiosity as well as social growth. You are sensitive to the thoughts and feelings of others and could be of tremendous help to an associate, stranger or friend at this time. You may find yourself guiding a young person in matters of importance. A young person is more likely to listen to the help you have to offer when you take some time to sit together in a quiet place.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. (computer science) The rate at which data is transferred (as by a modem).

4. A flock of geese.

10. (informal) Roused to anger.

13. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.

14. A genus of tropical American plants have sword-shaped leaves and a fleshy compound fruits composed of the fruits of several flowers (such as pineapples).

15. A Kwa language spoken by the Yoruba people in southwestern Nigeria.

16. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

17. A member of an agricultural people in southeastern India.

18. (British) A waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric.

19. A small cake leavened with yeast.

21. Be seated.

22. A Bantu language spoken by the Kamba people in Kenya.

24. A metric unit of length equal to one thousandth of a meter.

27. A republic in southwestern Africa on the south Atlantic coast (formerly called South West Africa).

31. The branch of engineering science that studies the uses of electricity and the equipment for power generation and distribution and the control of machines and communication.

32. Sea catfishes.

35. Tall woody perennial grasses with hollow slender stems especially of the genera Arundo and Phragmites.

38. An ugly evil-looking old woman.

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

40. A state in southeastern United States.

42. An official prosecutor for a judicial district.

43. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

46. A light touch or stroke.

48. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

51. A narcotic that is considered a hard drug.

52. Lower in esteem.

55. Sediment that has settled at the bottom of a liquid.

56. A symptom of some physical hurt or disorder.

58. A piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep.

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

60. (psychology) Characterized by avoidance or withdrawal.

62. Large brownish-green New Zealand parrot.

63. An insecticide that is also toxic to animals and humans.

64. Large bamboo having thick-walled culms.

65. A human limb.

DOWN 1. Divulge information or secrets.

2. A metabolic acid found in yeast and liver cells.

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

4. A humorous anecdote or remark.

5. Type genus of the Anatidae.

6. Large family of important mostly marine food fishes.

7. Any of various small biting flies.

8. A workplace for the conduct of scientific research.

9. Physicist honored for advances in solid state electronics (born in Japan in 1925).

10. Tropical American tree having wood like mahogany and sweet edible egg-shaped fruit.

11. Jordan's port.

12. Of or belonging to or suitable for a duke.

20. Only the bowfins.

23. Again but in a new or different way.

25. A condition (mostly in boys) characterized by behavioral and learning disorders.

26. Being or located on or directed toward the side of the body to the west when facing north.

28. A particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography).

29. Dignified manner or conduct.

30. A metrical unit with unstressed-stressed syllables.

33. Someone who is morally reprehensible.

34. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

36. Small creeping evergreen shrubs.

37. (of tempo) Moderately slow n.

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

44. State in northeastern India.

45. Done or occurring in a brief period of time.

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

47. A coffee cake flavored with orange rind and raisins and almonds.

48. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

49. A small nail.

50. (British slang) An absolute certainty.

53. A person with unusual powers of foresight.

54. Mild yellow Dutch cheese made in balls.

57. A liquid used for printing or writing or drawing.

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

Gemini (May 21-June 20) An ego boost is in the picture today. Everything conspires to reveal you at your most elegant. This could mean some sort of celebration is in the works and you help coordinate events or help with a charity of some sort. There are compliments and pats on the back for a job well done. Perhaps you have arranged all of the details for a wedding or baby shower. There is talk from old friends about goals and family. It would be good to keep the conversation light at this time—deep insights can come at another time. Your intuition is sharpened and if you listen to that inner voice, it could save you from getting into controversial conversations just now. You should open up to relatives or friends for support. There is that loving feeling all around you today.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Your creative and artistic pursuits enter into your life in many different ways. Today you may find yourself at an art gallery or museum. Perhaps you have invented or created a thing of beauty that others want and your art is on display. You may find yourself full of passion, enjoying the people that have come to either see your work or share in a common experience. You are apt to obtain success financially through the power of attraction. You may also spend a great deal of time beautifying your surroundings at home with colors and art. This could also mean cleaning and picking up miscellaneous items around the house, in order to create a comfortable atmosphere. Because of financial gains recently, you could fall into a new way of thinking.

NON SEQUITUR

Leo (July 23-August 22) What you could do to make your life easier may not be good for everyone. This is the consideration and contemplation of the day.

Working on improving your surroundings may call for baby proofing the area first. Go to the local library and look for those special ideas; you will be glad you did. Working in the garden may fill part of this day. An herb garden takes special care and continues to give back throughout several seasons. You may feel you are making slow progress, but remember that your hard work brings rewards. Your own inner need for change may be threatened by circumstances just now, perhaps just the weather. Financial responsibilities and investments will benefit from your close attention tonight; perhaps a new budget is in order.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Others may cut you off or make it difficult for you to express yourself today. You may work hard to influence someone to your way of thinking. This frustration is short term, however, and concentration toward the enterprise of the day will find you back on track soon. You have lots of eagerness to accomplish whatever you put your mind to achieve. Intellectualism, the exchange of ideas and the idea of being smart as a fox are all things that have a special appeal and importance today. This is a rewarding day, and with your determination, you will reap the rewards. Find ways to relieve the stress of this day; perhaps there are opportunities for outdoor activities and some group sports with your friends or young people.

Sporting events are good distractions.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) You may be enjoying a company picnic or some other similar gathering with your co-worker friends. This gives you an opportunity to see how the people you work with interact with their families or loved ones.

Acceptance by your co-workers is important to you. This is a fun, upbeat day. You will successfully influence others during the day—it may be that some people are equal to you in the workplace or from some other setting like community, religion, etc.

Cooperation and teamwork and a positive attitude are your best guarantees for continued positive relationships as well as success in the workplace. Later today you may want to do a little shopping to prepare for next week’s meals and other items. Love letters are in the mail.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) If you have been thinking of changing your job or improving your standing within a business, you will find many opportunities opening up to you soon. This is a good day to proof your resume and perhaps do some updating. You are becoming a walking encyclopedia, with a yen to know a little bit about everything and everyone and may find yourself on the Internet most of the afternoon. One of the things you enjoy is the research area for genealogy. Making phone calls, checking dates and talking with relatives is a big part of your day. Stop after a decent amount of time and schedule your time—you cannot discover the whole family tree in one day. There is some amount of burnout if you stay too long with one subject. Plan to do more research.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

Yesterday’s Solution

You will be very pleased with what you accomplished today.

However, it would be good to think through your obligations before adding to them. Be as considerate and praiseworthy of yourself as you are critical. If necessary, ask questions often in order to clear away any misunderstandings—emotionally or otherwise confusing. You will be receiving helpful advice on a personal matter today. Intuitive insights come in handy. Your energies are positive and you may consider taking on the responsibility of additional land ownership. Talking over plans to own property can be advantageous to all concerned. This may become a group effort as you have an interest to buy property for an investment or may decide on some lakefront property for fun.

Get a focus on your plans for the day and everything else will fall into place. This is a rewarding day. Recognition for your talents is easy to find. It is important to have some clarity when it comes to communication—when necessary, ask questions and be patient with others that ask you questions. You may not be as helpful to others as you would like to be just now. You could be in an art museum this afternoon—perhaps learning about styles and subjects that you can apply to your own art. Shopping for supplies on the way home may open your mind up to new techniques. There is still time to have a special time with someone you love.

Show your loved one the extent of your appreciation. There is a sense of support that makes this a happy time.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Take care that distractions do not get the better of you this Saturday. You have a lifetime to accomplish what you want to accomplish and the important thing for now is the ability to rise to whatever challenges come into your life. The challenges at this time are more like opportunities to teach and be taught—easy does it. By taking this attitude, you will be able to settle problems at a faster rate than if you were to just fuss over the interruptions. In the future, find a space where you can work, express your talent, read, study or talk on the phone without these interruptions. You could make plans to visit a library, rent a practice room, study in the bell tower, etc. This evening there are fun times with roommates or family members.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

This is a very busy day where there are many people and many responsibilities. You, however, may have your mind on something else much of the day. There is a particular item that you want to purchase but may not have all the money just yet. Keep saving for this item . . . you may decide you do not want the item by the time you do have the money. One question to ask yourself is how much energy are you willing to surrender in order to pay for the item of your desire? If the item is a necessity . . . there is a way to achieve the result without having to go too deeply into debt. Take some time to think outside the box, so to speak. Make it a point to be as low-key as possible around the home front this evening. A quiet evening can be very positive.

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

i n f o r m at i o n

112 GOVERNORATE

PHARMACY

Ahmadi

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

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Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

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Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

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Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

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36

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Watson responsive at NC hospital rammy-winning folk musician Doc Watson has regained some strength after undergoing colon surgery at a North Carolina hospital. Agent Mitch Greenhill of Folklore Productions said in an email Friday that Watson is resting and responsive following the surgery Thursday at Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem. A hospital spokeswoman said he remained in critical condition Friday afternoon. Watson’s daughter, Nancy, told The Associated Press that the 89-year-old Watson fell Monday. The blind singer and guitarist has won several Grammys, including a lifetime achievement award. He also received the National Medal of the Arts. He’s known as a master of the flatpicking style of guitar playing, He also started Merlefest, an annual gathering of musicians in Wilkesboro named after his son, who died in a tractor accident in 1985.

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Spears ritney Spears has been on the job just two days and she’s already proving to be a popular judge on “The X Factor.” The pop queen is also growing into her role as critic on the Fox singing contest show. “The X Factor” staged its first auditions for the upcoming season Thursday and Friday in Austin, Texas, and judging by the boisterous cheers and the “I love you Britney!” calls from the crowd, the Grammy-winning singer is already a hit in her new role. She’s also showing she’s not afraid to vote against contestants or disagree occasionally with show creator Simon Cowell and fellow judges Demi Lovato and L.A. Reid. “I feel like

B

debuts on ‘X Factor’ show

your song was just in the wrong key,” Spears told a contestant Friday, adding that choosing a different song would have been “more interesting.” She told another contestant, “Your voice is really sweet, but I feel like you need a little more training.” Spears has yet to develop the chattiness that Lovato, also a new judge, had with the often nervous contestants. While Spears was direct but brief with her opinions, Lovato demonstrated a more casual rapport with the singers, even when it was clear they weren’t going to be cut. Spears, 30, was brought in to help boost ratings for “The X Factor” after its debut season fell short of Cowell’s predictions. The

former child performer became an international star with her 1999 debut album, “... Baby One More Time.” Other hits have come (“Oops!... I Did It Again,”“Toxic”) but her personal life has been difficult, with rehab spells and time in a psychiatric ward. For her judging debut, Spears wore a bright neon pink dress and she sat next to Cowell during Friday’s auditions. The two routinely chatted during the breaks between singers.

stay away from

A

Barlow’s

surgeries during show merican Idol” winner Phillip Phillips had kidney surgery eight times during his journey to victory, his father revealed after Wednesday’s finale. And he’s not done with the doctors just yet. Phillips was plagued by kidney stones as he strummed and sang his way to the “Idol” title, though his chronic health issues nearly knocked him out of the running. His many trips under the knife over the course of the competition enabled him to stick it out and clinch the win, but he’s gearing up for yet another operation in coming days - this one to reconstruct his kidneys. “I’ve been sick this whole show,” Phillips admitted to Kelly Ripa during a call-in chat on Thursday’s “Live with Kelly,” adding that he was “getting prepared” to have the new surgery soon. “I’m ready to feel better, feel like myself,” he said. Philips Sr. told People that his son did his best throughout the season despite the eight surgeries but clearly hadn’t been able to give 100 percent. He said it would take “two to four weeks” for him to recover before heading out on the “Idols Live” tour. “He’s healthy, he’s good,” his dad said. “He’s going to have some fun.”

“A

Court orders woman to

judge on Friday granted Jeff Goldblum a temporary restraining order against a woman who has been repeatedly ordered to stay away from the actor in recent years. Goldblum’s attorneys obtained the order against Linda Ransom, 49, after she repeatedly went to the actor’s home three times this month. A previous stay-away order against Ransom from 2007 has expired and police claim she has told them that she will not stop trying to meet Goldblum unless a restraining order is in place. The filings state Ransom has been arrested three times for violating previous restraining orders. Goldblum first alerted authorities to her in 2001 after she attended one

‘Idol’s’ Phillips had 8 kidney

Goldblum

of his acting classes and then started waiting outside his home. “Over the past decade, I have experienced substantial emotional distress due to Ms. Ransom’s continuous stalking, harassing, and threatening behavior,” Goldblum wrote in a sworn court declaration. Ransom did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment. A judge will consider whether to grant Goldblum, who has starred in films as “The Fly,” “Jurassic Park” and “Independence Day,” a three-year restraining order during a hearing on June 12.

odd

Queen meetings

Burke’s

ary Barlow admits meeting Britain’s Queen Elizabeth is “really odd”. The Take That singer has met the monarch on several occasions, and finds it more “relaxing” than many would assume, and he thinks when he unveiled his Diamond Jubilee song ‘Sing’ for her recently she thought it was a “bit of fun”. He said: “It was a really odd situation. I don’t know if anyone has met the queen before, I’ve only met her a couple of times. It’s very relaxing; she obviously meets people all day every day. “She was quite excited [about the song]. If you think of her day and what it involves, I think it was a little bit of fun for 15 minutes to be honest. I think it was a little bit of a break for her to be honest more than anything else.

Luckily it turned out alright!” Gary met a number of people throughout his global tour of the Commonwealth to create the track - as part of documentary ‘On Her Majesty’s Service’ - and has even invited some to the UK for the special concert he is putting on to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s 60th year on the throne. He added: “We came back and obviously I’m putting all the concert together and my first words were, ‘Guys, we’ve got to fly some of these people over’. So the Slum Drummers and the Children’s African Choir are coming over for the concert. They’ve never been on a plane before, they’re going to meet the queen, meet Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, it’s going to be incredible.”

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colorful album lexandra Burke wanted to add “color” to her career with her second album. The ‘Elephant’ hitmaker wanted to represent the leaps forward she has made musically on the cover of her new album ‘Heartbreak on Hold’, by making it very colorful. She told NME magazine: “I am pushing colorful fake walls apart. It’s colorful, it’s pretty, it’s just really a step - not a step ahead, but with the last album it was all black and white and that’s what I didn’t want on this album. “I wanted color. It is a whole different thing. I’m hoping that when people hear this album, they can see the growth.” Alexandra has previously revealed she will duet with her mother, Mellissa Bell who was a singer for 90s band Soul II Soul - although it has taken a long time to record because Melissa suffers with a kidney disease. She said: “She is a big influence. She does backing vocals on it already. Now I want a duet with her. “I have to be careful because my mummy’s not too well. She can’t get up and sing as much as I want her to. But I’d like her on a track. It’s not finished until she’s on it.”

A

West gives

Crawford desperate to date Cole he 26-year-old actor was upset not to meet the “beautiful” singer on the set of his new movie, ‘What To Expect When You’re Expecting’, in which she has a cameo role, and would love for someone to arrange for him to spend time with her. He said: “If someone could arrange a date for me with Cheryl Cole, I’d be there straight away. “I didn’t get to meet her on the set, but I think she’s beautiful.” Chace also admitted he had a great time filming scenes for ‘Gossip Girl’ with Elizabeth Hurley, and is hoping the 46-year-old beauty will invite him to her forthcoming wedding to Shane Warne. He said: “Liz is so funny and charming; I could listen to her English accent for hours. “I’m hoping she’ll invite me to her wedding to Shane.”

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anye West has been giving Kim Kardashian fashion advice. The 34-yearold rapper thinks his 31-year-old girlfriend needs to take her image in a new direction according to an insider. A source told The Sun: “Kanye has been having chats with Kim about her style. “He thinks she should be more like him, edgy with her choices. He keeps saying she should ‘evolve’ as a fashion icon. The ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’ star helped run a clothing boutique with her sisters Kourtney Kardashian and Khloe Kardashian as well as her mother Kris Jenner before finding fame. The have since created a successful apparel line named Kardashian Kollection.

However her musician partner thinks Kim needs to be more adventurous with the image she puts out in the public eye. The source continued: “Kanye says she plays it safe too much so has been trying to pick outfits for her to wear and encourage her to be more daring.”

The couple was at Cannes Film Festival in the South of France this week for the premiere of Kanye’s new motion picture title ‘Cruel Summer’. —Agencies

K

Kardashian

style tips

37

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

LIFESTYLE M u s i c

&

M o v i e s

Matthew McConaughey pulls of Cannes double header o have one film competing at the Cannes Film Festival is a privilege. To have two, Matthew McConaughey says, is wonderful good fortune - and the reward for a spell of hard labor in the trenches of independent cinema. In Lee Daniels’ steamy Southern noir “The Paperboy,” McConaughey plays a journalist who returns to his Florida hometown to investigate a murder. In Jeff Nichols’“Mud,” which screened Saturday as the festival’s final competition entry, he is a story-spinning fugitive holed up on an island in the Mississippi who is befriended by two local boys.

McConaughey laughs when asked if having two movies competing for the Palme d’Or gives him divided loyalties. “That would be a highclass problem,” he said. “I’m really, really endeared to both of them for different reasons and they’re very, very different from each other.

“I’m very honored. I’ve got two films that I’m proud of, two experiences that I really loved, and I’ve got two characters that I really care about.” The two films take the Texas-born actor on a tour of the U.S. South - and of men on society’s margins.

In “The Paperboy,” McConaughey’s Ward James is a crusading reporter with dark depths to his psyche that imperil his quest for the truth.

His title character in “Mud” is being hunted as a dangerous fugitive, but may be a wild innocent driven by love. Critics have hailed McConaughey’s turn in “Mud,” and director

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has seen him take leads in a mixed bag of romcoms (“Failure to Launch,”“Fool’s Gold”) - and, as he noted at Cannes, play lots of lawyers, in films from “A Time to Kill” to “The Lincoln Lawyer.”“I

Daniels said he was wowed by McConaughey’s nuanced performance in “The Paperboy.”“I’m so happy that he’s so understated in the film,” Daniels said. “There were moments when I did-

(From Left) US actor Jacob Lofland, producers Aaron Ryder, Lisa Marie Falcone and Sarah Green, director Jeff Nichols, and actors Reese Witherspoon, Matthew McConaughey and Tye Sheridan pose during the photocall of “Mud” presented in competition at the 65th Cannes film festival yesterday. —AFP was looking for some characters that didn’t necessarily pander to convention, or even didn’t pander to plot,” he said, long legs stretched out

n’t recognize Matthew.”

McConaughey said the roles were the result of a decision to “shake things up” in a career that

on a sofa in a Cannes hotel. “They’re all kind of characters that live on the fringe, on the outskirts of society. But they’re really human characters. “What I was really looking for is some things where I could hang my hat and be the architect of my man, and it’s based on humanity and reality. It’s not based on morality or on good or bad or right and wrong.” That’s where the similarities end between his two Cannes films. “The Paperboy” takes a Pete Dexter crime novel and mixes in director Daniels’ fascination with shifting sexual and racial allegiances. In “Mud,” Arkansas-born director Nichols creates an affecting coming-of-age story with echoes of Mark Twain, rooted in the landscape of his home state. “Lee is very different from Jeff Nichols,” McConaughey said. “Lee’s not a linear thinker at all. Jeff Nichols was very linear - he wrote the script, wrote each word on purpose, and would be editing in his head after he thought he’d got his take.

“Lee grabbed this book but created his own world.” McConaughey’s Cannes double-header is the product of remarkable year of work that saw him shoot five independent films with strikingly different directors. As well as “The Paperboy” and “Mud,” he was a sheriff in Richard Linklater’s dark comedy “Bernie,” a club owner in Steven Soderbergh’s male-stripper movie “Magic Mike” and a hitman in William Friedkin’s thriller “Killer Joe.” The 42-year-old actor has never been busier - or, it seems, happier.

“I fired out of bed every morning so excited, and a little scared about going to work, but excited to go and get into it,” he said. “I love the energy of an independent film. Time is so precious. There’s no go-back-to-the-trailer time. It’s a very vital experience, and I like that.” It was also an education in modern American cinema from five filmmakers with strong personal styles.

“Friedkin, you’d do one take, maybe two,” McConaughey said. “Usually one. Soderbergh: minimalist. He’s more of a shaper. “With Linklater - this was our third time working together. We do all this character work together. ... We have a shorthand together.”

McConaughey will find out today, when the film festival wraps up, whether either of his Cannes films has taken a prize. Next up, he hopes, is “The Dallas Buyers’ Club,” a drama based on a true story about illegal AIDS drugs in the 1980s that he’s long sought to make with director Jean-Marc Vallee.

“I never had a rule on what to do, just keep trying to do different things,” he said. “But it’s got to be more than that. I was instinctually drawn to this kind of material where I was not necessarily drawn to some other comedies or things that I’ve done in the past. “I’m more fulfilled with the work probably than I’ve ever been, and more turned on by it, and I hope that continues.”—AP

Cannes’ ME films show Arab Spring unfurl he “Arab Spring” is the focus of two movies at Cannes this year as film makers present tentative steps towards democracy on the big screen, one year after political upheaval in Libya and Egypt. While both films deal with contemporary events in the Middle East, “The Oath of Tobruk” (“Le Serment de Tobrouk”) is a French-language documentary about the Libyan war with a highly subjective slant. “After the Battle” (“Baad el Mawkeaa”) is a fictional account of the uprising in Cairo from Egyptian director Yousry Nasrallah.

At the centre of The Oath of Tobruk - which is not included in the official competition in Cannes - is Bernard-Henri Levy, a prominent French left-wing intellectual, who is co-director, narrator and central subject. The film follows him meeting rebel leaders and convincing former French President Nicolas Sarkozy to take the lead in the West’s response to the crisis, which resulted in Muammar Gaddafi’s overthrow last year.

“It’s a film that tells how the international community ... can reverse the course of things, stop a massacre and save a population,” Levy told a news conference yesterday, accompanied by several Libyan representatives. Levy always appears camera-ready in his film, wearing a crisp suit as he walks through rubble, and we see him being cheered at rallies, greeted by politicians (one of whom likens Levy to the French Enlightenment writer and philosopher Voltaire) and interviewed on TV. We hear little from the rebel leaders themselves and nothing from the local population.

“Those with a cynical turn of mind might be tempted to rename it (the film) ‘How I Ran the Libyan Revolution’,” wrote British newspaper the Guardian. At yesterday’s press conference which prompted complaints because it was held before reporters had viewed the film - Levy was accompanied by two men, their faces covered by the Syrian flag, whom he introduced as dissidents who had slipped out of Syria to

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attend the film festival. Given the continued bloodshed there, Levy said his documentary should be viewed with a double focus - that of a “war won and one of a tragedy in process”. “The Benghazi of today is called Homs,” he said.

Love letter to Egyptians The messy clash between classes, and between the individual and society, is the subject of Nasrallah’s film, set against the backdrop of the protests in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. “Every day something new happened,” director Nasrallah told reporters, describing last year’s revolution. “All our energy, thoughts, and emotions were focused on these events and I thought, ‘This is the stuff of a film. This is what film is made of’.”

In the movie, the drop in tourism with the outbreak of the popular revolution has left horseman Mahmoud (Bassem Samra) out of work. Manipulated by President Hosni Mubarak’s forces, he and other horsemen terrorize protestors by riding at full speed through Tahrir Square in a brazen act of intimidation, a real-life incident that occurred in February 2011.

The film centers on the unlikely relationship between Mahmoud and a secular divorcee, Reem, played by Menna Shalaby, who crosses paths with him.

“The revolution is for you, so they stop paying you crumbs,” Reem implores Mahmoud, who struggles to understand how the demonstrators can help improve his lot in life. Nasrallah - who said his cast and crew were harassed while filming at Tahrir Square at the height of the demonstrations - called After the Battle a love letter to his country. “If I made this film, it’s because Egypt and the Egyptian people - who aren’t yet used to democracy, who are making their first steps to recover their dignity, because a dictatorship makes you hate yourself - these people deserve this love letter that we wrote for them with this film.” After the Battle is one of 22 films vying for the top prize at Cannes, the Palme d’Or, to be awarded today. —Reuters

Review

‘Chernobyl Diaries’: Creepy, spooky and nuke-y hernobyl Diaries” isn’t going to do the Russian National Tourist Office any favors, but it’s a solidly suspenseful (if somewhat disposable) horror movie that makes a haunted house out of a real-life disaster area.

Even if the attractive characters, and the order in which they die, feel like the kind of cookie-cutter stick figures that were so effectively spoofed in “The Cabin in the Woods,” first-time director Bradley Parker (working from a script co-written by “Paranormal Activity” creator Oren Peli) understands that suggesting is scarier than showing, and confusion generates more suspense than explanations do.

American tourists Chris (onetime teen idol Jesse McCartney), Natalie (Olivia Taylor Dudley) and Amanda (Devin Kelley) traipse their way across Europe on their way to Kiev, where they hook up with Chris’ ne’er-dowell brother Paul (Jonathan Sadowski). (The film opens with their travel videos, which plants the truly terrifying notion that this is going to be another firstperson handheld-camera

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movie, but thankfully it switches gears pretty quickly.)

The plan is to proceed to Moscow, but Paul hooks the group up with “extreme tour” guide Uri (Dimitri Diatchenko),

astating accident in 1986.

Russian soldiers at a checkpoint block the travelers’ way, but Uri takes them in through a back road so that they can take photos for a few hours and

who takes the foursome - along with backpackers Michael (Nathan Phillips) and Zoe (Ingrid Bols¯ Berdal) - to see Chernobyl, as well as the housing development at Pripyat, where nuclear plant employees and their families lived until they had to quickly flee the dev-

leave without having too much exposure to the radiation. But wouldn’t you know it, someone (or something) rips some of the important cables out of Uri’s van, and they’re stuck there.

And when night falls, things really start going badly.

You can pretty much guess

what happens next, but “Chernobyl Diaries” makes at least some effort to tinker with the horror formula, subjecting the characters to natural frights (feral wolves and other wild animals, an ever-escalating amount of radiation) and some unnatural ones that the film wisely keeps hidden for as long as possible.

Fans of gore and mayhem will be disappointed by the film’s tendency to put most of the violence off-camera, but the movie more than makes up for that by steadily increasing the suspense. The abandoned buildings offer an endless supply of blind corners and hidden nooks and crannies, made all the more mysterious by the fact that the tourists’ one flashlight is the only light source.

“Chernobyl Diaries” is not without its idiotic moments Paul chooses the most inconvenient times to forget that he speaks Russian - but it delivers enough jolts to make it a reasonably entertaining delivery system for 90 minutes’ worth of air conditioning and popcorn for audiences who’ve already seen “The Avengers.” —Reuters

Andie McDowell puts accent on beauty ou wouldn’t think that Andie McDowell would have confidence problems. But the US actress and long-time face of cosmetic giant L’Oreal insists she is like any other woman getting older. The 54-year-old star, whose latest film “Mighty Fine” is just out-to mixed reviews-also still recalls an early humiliation, when her southern accent almost made her “untouchable” after only her first movie.

McDowell, whose film roles have included “Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Sex, Lies and Videotape,” teams up with her daughter Rainey Qualley on the new comedy, and is clearly relishing the experience.

The blue-eyed 23-year-old also enjoyed making a film with her mother. “It was nice because on set it was just like we were working together, but we would go back to the hotel and she could be my mum,” said Qualley, who also sings. “Mighty Fine” tells the story of Joe Fine (played by Chazz Palminteri) who moves his Jewish family from Brooklyn to New Orleans. McDowell plays the 1970s housewife, and Qualley one of their two daughters, Maddie. “She auditioned. ... I was cast, but I hadn’t said anything about my daughter, because I don’t like to do that,” explained McDowell, sitting beside her daughter in a Hollywood hotel.

“But definitely she just did a really good audition, she wouldn’t have got the job because of me, I would never ask someone to hire my daughter,” she told AFP. Qualley has something of the beauty of her mother, who has been the face of L’Oreal for 25 years but still blushes when reminded that People magazine named her among the 50 most beautiful women in the world-twice. “Oh gosh - that People magazine thing,” she said.

But she then launches into why she thinks she has more responsibility as she grows older, and promotes anti-wrinkle cream among other products, in reflecting older women’s beauty. “It means more to me to represent women at 54 and to continue to say ‘Look, you’re beautiful, you have value, you have worth,” than it did when I was 30,” she said.

“Because I think it’s easy for our culture to accept young people as beautiful. I think it’s harder for our culture to accept women as they get older as beautiful.” And she added: “Like anybody, you have moments when you question yourself and you’re insecure.

“One of the things that I had to do is psychologically look at my mindset and look how

Y

Egyptian actress Yusra Ali smiles as she holds her lifetime achievement award after being honored at the 60th Catholic Centre Film Festival in Cairo on May 25, 2012. —AFP

Egyptian actor Ezzat Al-Alayli smiles as he holds his lifetime achievement award after being honored.

From second left, director Phillip Kaufman, actors Nicole Kidman, Clive Owen and Rodrigo Santoro arrive for the screening of Hemingway and Gellhorn at the 65th international film festival, in Cannes, southern France, Friday. —AP

my thoughts are about myself, because if I’m going to stand as the woman who says ‘you’re worth it’, then I have to feel worth it too. “But I’m human, so of course all of the struggle is something that you do day by day.” McDowell is quite open about challenges she faced starting out, as a model and actress: when she was 23 and starred opposite Christopher Lambert in “Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan,” in 1984.

Her accent as Miss Jane Porter was deemed too strong, and had to be dubbed by Glenn Close-as a result she had difficulty getting jobs, and took an enormous knock to her confidence.

“That was huge. Can you imagine? It’s hard to make it in this business, period. But to overcome that is a miracle. It is, truly was. Because that should have killed me,” she said. How did she overcome it? “I started taking classes. It was really a mindset. I did not want that to be the end of my story, I didn’t want that to be me saying to my kids ‘Well, I try to act, and this is what happened’. “I had to change it. It took a long time and it didn’t happen easy,” said McDowell-whose accent in “Mighty Fine,” it

Andie McDowell

must be said, has raised eyebrows among some critics.

Her breakthrough came when Joel Schumacher gave her a job in “St. Elmo’s Fire” in 1985. “I owe him everything, I owe him my life. He saved my live, he saved my career.

Because I was untouchable,” she said. Then came Steven Soderbergh’s Oscar-nominated “Sex, Lies and Videotape” (1989), which she did aged 30. “It was a miracle that I got the job ... I had to audition many times to keep proving it to the producers, because they were sort of like ‘What? You want who?’ But Steven (Soderbergh) wanted me.

Then came “Green Card” in 1990 with Gerard Depardieu, “Groundhog Day” with Bill Murray in 1993, and “Four Weddings” with Hugh Grant in 1994, which established her as a major Hollywood star. “And then I didn’t have to audition. It was amazing. Overnight,” she said. “Here’s the thing with the business, is that when people like your work, and you make them money, you’re set. When the critics like you and you make the studios money, doors opened,” she said, sighing. —AFP

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

lifestyle T R A V E L

California’s Coronado named America’s

best

beach

In this undated image released by O’ahu Visitors Bureau, a woman relaxes on Waimanalo Bay Beach Park in Oahu, Hawaii.

This undated file photo provided by Ron Dahlquist for the Maui Visitors Bureau shows Hamoa Beach in Maui, Hawaii.

Duke Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki, Hawaii.

People sit on a beach in Kiawah Island, SC.

In this Aug. 24, 2011 file photo, lifeguards keep watch over the beach along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore in Buxton, NC.

L

ike a Hollywood star, Coronado’s 1.5 mile-long beach literally sparkles, thanks to the mineral mica glinting in its sand. That’s one of the reasons why Coronado - flanked by the iconic hotel featured in Marilyn Monroe’s 1958 film “Some Like It Hot” - has been named the No. 1 beach in the United States in the 2012 survey by “Dr Beach” professor Stephen P. Leatherman of Florida International University. It is the first time “Dr Beach” has given the top slot to California in the more than two decades that he has been ranking beaches in the United States based on their environmental quality and safety for swimmers.

Coronado Beach, on a peninsula across the bay from San Diego, has near-perfect Mediterranean weather and a postcard backdrop. “I think it’s one of the most super beaches around,” said Leatherman, director of FIU’s Laboratory for Coastal Research.

Rounding out the top 10 this year were No. 2, Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii; No. 3, Main Beach, East Hampton, N.Y.; No. 4, St George Island State Park, Florida Panhandle; No. 5, Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii; No. 6, Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Mass.; No. 7, Waimanalo Bay Beach Park, Oahu, Hawaii; No. 8, Cape Florida State Park near Miami.; No. 9, Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, S.C.; and No. 10, Cape Hatteras in North Carolina.

Leatherman ranks beaches on 50 criteria, including the look and feel of the sand, water quality, weather, facilities and crowds. A top score is 250.

Coronado came in the 230s, losing points because its water temperature hovering in the 60s allows for only a quick dip for most, Leatherman said.

California’s chilly coastal waters have cost its pristine beaches points when they’ve been up against balmy contenders in Florida and Hawaii in the past.

Coronado Beach was runner-up last year to Florida’s Siesta Beach. Once a beach tops Leatherman’s list, it is retired from consideration for future rankings.

A No. 1 spot on the popular list typically brings a 15-to-20-percent boost in visitors. Leatherman said Coronado is great for skim boarding (gliding on the water with a small, finless surfboard) and walking.

The wide, flat beach is lined by majestic mansions and the Hotel del Coronado. Known as “Hotel Del,” the National Historic Landmark with its peaked red roof was built in 1888 and is the last of California’s Victorian seaside resorts. Coronado is also the name of the swanky-yet-quaint city on a peninsula populated by Navy officers and some of California’s wealthiest. It can be reached by ferry boat for a few dollars from downtown San Diego. There is free parking at the beach but it is on a public street so it can be challenging, Leatherman said.

On a recent spring afternoon, tourists from China

to Russia sprawled out on its beach in front of “Hotel Del,” lounging on blankets in the sun. A Navy ship dotted the horizon. One man aimed his camera upward, thrilled as the quiet lapping of waves was interrupted with the roar of a Navy jet from a nearby base doing a training exercise. Lifelong San Diego County resident 55-year-old Nellie Landeros said it is

This May 20, 2009 file photo shows the Cape Florida lighthouse at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, in Key Biscayne, Fla.

In this May 22, 2012 photo, a woman walks barefoot along the Coronado Beach in Coronado, Calif. her favorite beach. “It’s gorgeous,” she said. “Just the setting alone feels like we’re in another world.” Billy Pavlacka, 51, has been visiting Coronado Beach weekly for 30 years. Known as “The Sand Castle Man,” Pavlacka was building a towering castle with rows of arches and spheres. He said he spotted an aircraft carrier and submarine earlier that day. Flecks of the glittery mica mineral make the sand shimmer in the sunlight. “If you look at the sand you can see it sparkling,” said a tanned Pavlacka, with gray locks peeking out from under his baseball cap. “People ask me all the time if it’s gold.”

The top 10 list is in its 22nd year. Beaches do not pay to be evaluated for the top 10 best beaches list.

Leatherman said he visits top 10 candidates incognito to collect sand and water samples for study. — AP

In this May 22, 2012 photo, a child chases a sea gull on the Coronado Beach in Coronado, Calif. — AP photos

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

lifestyle T R A V E L

Tourists buy dolls at Chatuchak Market.

5

A Thai street food vendor prepares a meal for a customer in Bangkok.

Bangkok

free things for visitors to do

A Thai flower vendor prepares flowers for sale at a market.

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haos is part of Bangkok’s charm. But the savvy traveler quickly learns how to navigate Bangkok’s legendary traffic jams and discover its soul, a mix of urban jungle and Buddhist serenity where shopping and eating are national pastimes. Despite the weak dollar, Bangkok remains one of the best deals in Asia.

Some of the world’s tastiest street food sells for as little as 25 baht (80 cents) a plate. Beat traffic by zipping down side streets in a tuk-tuk or cruising up the Chao Praya on public express boats for stunning views of the city’s premier attractions - both for about a dollar. Other favorite outings are free: Lumpini Park: an oasis of tropical gardens and paved jogging paths in the middle of the city. Beat the heat by avoiding the park in midday. There are early morning tai chi classes and after work aerobics classes.

You can rent paddle boats, take the kids to one of Bangkok’s best outdoor playgrounds or marvel at the massive monitor lizards in the lake.

Chatuchak Market: Browsing is free at the largest outdoor market in Thailand, and it’s a sight to see whether or not you take something home. Chatuchak’s thousands of stalls are divided into sections that include

antiques, home decor, clothing and food.

You can find everything from Buddha statues and Thai handicrafts to handmade jewelry and the occasional endangered species in the live animal section. For upscale, airconditioned window shopping, head to shopping malls Siam Paragon, Emporium or Central World.

Temple Hopping: Catch some karma at Bangkok’s many Buddhist temples, known in Thai as “wats.” Some of the most popular, Wat Po and Wat Arun, ask foreigners to pay a minimal entrance fee but hundreds of others are free, including the impressive Temple of the Golden Mount, also known as Wat Saket. A temple compound’s shaded walkways and quiet corners are a perfect place to escape the sensory overload on Bangkok’s busy streets.

Thai Buddhist monks and Thai Buddhists pray at Suthat temple.

Flower Market: Bangkok’s largest flower market, Pak Klong Talat, is open 24 hours but it’s busiest just after 2 a.m. when traders unload their fresh-cut blossoms in bulk. It’s a kaleidoscope of colors with an incredible selection of orchids at jaw-droppingly cheap prices. The market is just south of Wat Pho and not far from the Grand Palace in the historical section of old Bangkok.

Patpong: For a walk on Bangkok’s wild side, take an evening stroll along Patpong Road. It offers the incongruous mix of go-go bars and evening shopping. A thriving night market selling T-shirts, pirated DVDs and other souvenirs runs through the red-light district and spills onto the adjacent Silom Road, which is packed with street food vendors, restaurants and bars. — AP

A Thai boy looks at fish inside a shop at Chatuchak Market in Bangkok.

A Thai worker arranges items in his shop at a flower market.

Matthew McConaughey pulls of Cannes double header

37

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012

Giant

bull head

draws drivers to SD sculpture park

(Left) A pair of monks and an upside-down hammer stand firm in the breeze as cars whiz by Porter Sculpture Park.

Wayne Porter and his Australian shepherd, Bambino, stand in front of a 60-foot-tall sculpture.

(Right) An Interstate 90 billboard billing a bull’s head sculpture as the world’s largest sits at the edge of Porter Sculpture Park.

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artoonlike buzzards wielding a knife and fork, anvil and oversized mallet might seem like an odd way to welcome tourists, but Porter Sculpture Park is no typical roadside attraction. The vultures representing reincarnated politicians are just a few of the more than 40 quirky creations originating in the mind of Wayne Porter, who uses his blacksmith know-how and appreciation of history to turn twisted concepts into metallic works of art.

The park’s signature piece is a 60-foottall Egyptian-style bull’s head that stares down Interstate 90 motorists as they head out to South Dakota’s Black Hills. Porter spent three years creating the 25-ton monstrosity out of railroad tie plates, dubbing it the “World’s Largest Bull’s Head” on a nearby billboard. “If anyone builds one bigger, I’ll know about it,” Porter said. “And if they did, they’re crazy. I’m not going to argue with them.”

The sheer size of the piece is amazing, and to weld it with such defined form and scale is even more impressive, said Kelly Ludwig, a Kansas City-based graphic designer who lists the park on the iPhone app she created called “Best Road Trip Ever!” “It is amazingly impressive on its scale,” Ludwig said.

Porter was born in 1959 in St. Lawrence, S.D., and learned to weld in his father’s blacksmith shop. He created his first piece of art, a bronze metal horse, at the age of 12. After earning degrees in political science and history from South Dakota State

University, he returned to the town of less than 200 to become a sheep rancher and help Dad in the shop. Porter passed the nighttime hours by creating sculptures, many of which found display spots around town. An oversized pink metal rocking horse was a favorite of tipsy residents exiting the local bars.

“Two o’clock in the morning, people would just have a ball on it,” he said. At some point, buses started arriving with people wanting to pay to view Porter’s creations. “I said, no, no, it’s right on Main Street. You don’t have to pay me,” he recalled. “They said we’re paying you.” The prospect of people handing over cash to see his art intrigued Porter more than sheep, so his brother helped him purchase some rolling prairie hills along an interstate exit in Montrose, S.D. He packed up his creations and opened Porter Sculpture Park in 2000. Winters are spent back home in St. Lawrence crafting in the blacksmith shop, but Porter’s summer home is an on-site camper shared by his trusty Australian shepherd, Bambino.

Porter offers guided tours whenever possible, providing insight into his inspirations while straying off on tangents ranging from his love of unsweetened iced tea and chocolate to the dangers of zombie

In this May 10, 2012 photo, Wayne Porter explains the concept behind a spiked mallet wielding Jack jumping out of Pandora’s Box, one of the more than 40 works of art at his Porter Sculpture Park, in Montrose, SD —AP photos attacks. A mowed path lets visitors meander through the many goldfish, dragons, flowers and birds constructed of such junk metal pieces as old farm equipment, a

Winners announced for Canon photography competition C

Winner 1st place Dina El Seyoufy

Winner 3rd place Mowafaq Ababneh

anon Middle East, a leader in imaging solutions, has recently announced the winners of ‘My Earth, My Lens’ - a photo competition that the company launched on March 31st in line with its celebration of Earth Hour 2012. The competition is part of Canon’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and invited participants to capture powerful images of nature - ranging from photographs of the ocean to pictures of gardens. These needed to be accompanied by a photo caption that best captured the essence of the image.

Dina El Seyoufy, a photographer from Cairo, was picked as the top winner for the region-wide competition and will walk away with a Canon Powershot A2300.

Dina’s photograph was captioned “Sun straggling to shine on a winter cloudy day” and the shot was taken with Canon’s S95 camera. The second position was taken by Meriem Chafai from the UAE. Meriem’s photograph was entitled “Palm of Life” and was captured using Canon’s D1100 camera. Her prize includes Canon’s POWERSHOT SX230 HS BLU camera. The third position was taken by Mowafaq Abaneh from Jordan. Mowafaq’s shot was entitled “Fields of flowers” and was captured using Canon’s IXUS 130 camera. His prize includes Canon’s IXUS 115 HS BLU camera. Mai Youssef, Winner 2nd place Meriem Chafai Corporate Communications Manager, Canon Middle East, said: “At Canon we are always trying to inspire people’s creativity and innovation and we are very pleased by the response we have received for this competition. We are committed to support the budding artistic talent in the region. At the same time, this competition aims to combine the power of image with awareness around sustainable environments. We hope that through this competition more people have come to appreciate the natural beauty around them.” The initiative complements Canon’s celebration of its 10 year anniversary in the Middle East, with CSR a major aspect of the celebrations.

cement mixer and hot water tanks.

A bright blue butterfly flaps its wings atop the pointed finger of a giant yellow hand. Goldfish pour from a two-story-high broken fish bowl as a fly armed with a flyswatter turns the tables on his pests. A spiked club wielding Jack pops out of Pandora’s box, and skeletal fish holding skeletal umbrellas await a rain that never comes. “I want to pipe in water someday,” Porter said, noting that the sculpture is created with actual pipe. A 20-foot-tall upsidedown yellow and pink hammer sits behind a pair of red monks that “people mistakenly think are grim reapers.” He originally wanted nine monks, and he hopes one day to add a musical element. “I love Gregorian chants,” he said.

Ludwig said Porter has curated his pieces in a beautiful way, using wide-open prairie spaces as a canvas while sprinkling hidden whimsies throughout. “He’s a really talented artist,” Ludwig said. “And for really not having any formal training, it’s really impressive.” The bronze colored bull head, which is guarded by four ram-head skeletons, whistles and hums with the passing prairie winds. Porter during a recent tour heads inside, points and warns of some bats hanging from the rafters. They look real, but they’re actually sub-sculptures he

uses on his tour. He laughs, then ascends the staircase and jumps into the porch swing for a few sways before continuing.

Porter also claims the “world’s largest ball of invisible twine,” but says he’s unsure where he placed the piece. How many people visit each year? Porter has no idea.

“When I’m really busy I can’t count them,” he said. “And when I’m not busy it’s not worth counting them.” Porter’s latest project is 40-foot-tall horse that will top Leonardo Da Vinci’s proposed masterpiece by about 16 feet and weigh more than the bull’s head. (Da Vinci was commissioned to build the largest horse statue in the world in the 15th century but he never completed the project, though modern versions have been made.) Porter’s horse is back in St. Lawrence and could take years to complete. He has no idea how he’ll transport it to Montrose. The man who’s had no formal art training has another ironic bucket-list item. “I want to take an art class sometime,” Porter said.— AP

Women ink in

enthusiasm for tattoos

T

hey may need more work to look like screen beauty Angelina Jolie or pop star Lady Gaga, but growing numbers of women are taking a step toward emulating the stars by having their skin tattooed. At the annual New York City Tattoo Convention last weekend, tattoo artists from Brazil, Europe, Japan and other spots around the globe unveiled their wares to a mixed crowd, and women were a strong presence. Lucy Challenger came all the way from London to finish a huge tattoo that had been started two years earlier by a Chinese artist, who herself had flown in from Los Angeles.

Challenger, a 28-year-old actress, lay almost unclothed on her stomach, headphones on and an iPad in front of her, while the artist worked on the design, a phoenix rising up from her left buttock. Her session lasted eight hours, from 4:00 pm to midnight, and cost $1,000 — not to mention the price of an air ticket from London. The work will have taken a total of 35 hours under the tattoo needle, two trips to Los Angeles, one session in London and one in New York, totalling thousands of dollars. “It is a big investment. Not everyone can spend that amount of money, but it is once in a lifetime,” Challenger said, pointing to the flames drawn over her back and describing the design as “very feminine”.

US women took over men for the first time this year in terms of numbers of tattoos, with 23 percent of females bearing a tattoo, compared to 19 percent of men, according to a Harris poll. Bill Tarr, owner of Totem Tattoo, said he saw the trend in his salon and that he’d be happy to see only women. Their tattoos are “not as violent”, he said. “It doesn’t express aggression and I like that. There is enough of that going on in the real world. I like to do feminine and positive tattoo things.”

A woman shows the tattoos on her legs during the 15th Annual Tattooing Convention in Manhattan in New York, May 19, 2012. —AFP

‘It’s a confidence thing’ Tarr was tattooing the neck of Ruth Washington, 25. She had a picture of the seaside to remember her grandparents on her arms and her parents’ marriage vows on her back. She said she favors butterflies, fairies, rabbits and especially color. Both Washington and Bill Tarr’s wife Ruth said female tattoos are now mainstream. “People used to stare at me, but now it’s so much more accepted,” said Washington, who shelled out $3,500 for the tattoos on one of her legs. “It used to bother me, but not any more.” For some, tattoos still feel rebellious. Rosemarie Osborn, a former policewoman, said she’d taken the plunge at 35 to celebrate her divorce. —AFP