7th Aug

CR IP TI ON BS SU

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

03:34 03:44 05:11 11:54 15:29 18:35 20:00

Egypt hunts ‘infidels’ after border massacre

Zanetti, Mustafina pounce; Chinese pair dethroned

Sikhs shocked and angered

by US shooting

Iran airs ‘confessions’ in murder of nuke scientists

NO: 15532

13 18 11 8 Opposition bloc threatens ‘unprecedented’ protests

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

www.kuwaittimes.net

RAMADAN 19, 1433 AH

‘Don’t take the country into a dark tunnel’

Max 46º Min 33º High Tide 03:17 & 15:03 Low Tide 08:53 & 21:04

By B Izzak conspiracy theories

KUWAIT: The government yesterday delayed for another week the long-awaited decision on whether to refer the electoral law to the constitutional court to rule if it is in line with the constitution amid fresh stern warnings by the opposition of unprecedented street protests. The statement by the cabinet following its weekly meeting made no reference to the issue as was expected apparently because the cabinet’s legal committee had not finalized the recommendations amid reports that the committee had in fact called for referring the law to the court.

The controversy began after a number of constitutional experts raised doubts that the electoral and voting systems, introduced in 2006, are in breach of the constitution, particularly the geographic distribution of constituencies and the number of voters in each district. That led certain quarters to call for referring the electoral law to the constitutional court in a bid to avert future challenges to the law that may lead the court to nullify future elections, thus plunging the country into political crises.

Continued on Page 13

Syrians are the victims

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

S

yria, Syria! What can you possibly say today? I feel so sad about the country and its people.

They are facing such a dead-end situation.

There is no light in the tunnel either. Their revolution is different from all the other Arab nations’ revolutions. It is not similar to Tunisia, Libya or Yemen.

The so-called Arab Spring in these three countries share certain similarities. In Libya, the leader used his army against the revolutionaries - a scenario which is closest to the case in Syria.

The people in Libya were so lucky that the international community had interests in Libya and Tripoli, so NATO and Europe jointly, with the US took a speedy decision to step in and use force against Gaddafi. Of course oil talks! When you are a country which has one of the best quality crude oil, everyone will run to help you and meddle in your affairs.

That was a lucrative loot for whoever stepped in to help Libya.

Syria is a totally different issue. It has a strategic geographical position. It has other political issues. I don’t know whether Syria is fortunate or unfortunate that the international community did not agree to step in and use force the same way they did in Libya. We all know Russia and China aborted every dream of Hillary Clinton to attack Syria. As it is the Russian fleet is already in the Mediterranean, not very far away from the shores of Latakia.

Of course, the US is not going to launch a worldwide war over Syria. Their warfare is already widespread. The only thing that was left to the international community in Syria was to interfere and strengthen the opposition in the country by supplying them with arms and military aid. This leads to bloodshed day and night. Syrians are becoming refugees like the Palestinians - thousands in Jordan and Turkey, others trying to flee but are unable to.

Thousands have been killed and houses are shelled in many cities.

Maybe the international community underestimated the force and the power of the Syrian army.

Syria, of course, has one of the best Arab armies. It is not easy to break it using the opposition alone. On top of that, the opposition groups in Syria are not united. Forget the Arab countries. Even if they take a decision they cannot implement it. They just meet and come up with drafts and plans.

One of the worst decisions taken is the resignation of Kofi Annan as a UN special envoy. He discovered he was powerless and he could not help. Syria is left floating. Assad has many followers, too. Even if the government steps down there will be a lot of bloodshed. Syria is a complicated conundrum. God help the Syrian people. In the end of the day they are the victims.

Syria PM defects LONDON: Kuwait’s Fehaid Al-Deehani winner of the bronze medal, in the men’s trap final at the London 2012 Olympic Games, celebrates at The Royal Artillery Barracks in London yesterday. (Inset) Al-Deehani kisses his bronze medal. — AFP

Al-Deehani grabs Olympic bronze LONDON: Kuwaiti shooter Fehaid Al-Deehani snatched the bronze medal of the Men’s Trap competition of the London 2012 Olympics yesterday. Al-Deehani was forced to

play extra shootings with Australian Olympic Champion Michael Diamond after 145 out 150 shoots draw. Al-Deehani succeeded in hitting the three targets while his rival

missed the last one. In the contest, Giovanni Cernogoraz of Croatia has taken the gold. Only one shot behind, Massimo Fabbrizi of Italy who took the silver medal. — KUNA

91 killed across Syria AMMAN: Syrian Prime Minister Riyad Hijab has defected to the opposition seeking to overthrow President Bashar Al-Assad, a spokesman for Hijab said yesterday, marking one of the highest profile desertions from the Damascus government. Syrian state television said Hijab had been fired, but an official source in the Jordanian capital Amman said he had been dismissed only after he fled across the border with his family.

“I announce today my defection from the killing and terrorist regime and I announce that I have Continued on Page 13

raped victims cry for help

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: “I was hysteric .... fighting his nasty hands off my body trying to get the knife he was holding in my throat as he was trying to take off my clothes,” says housemaid Mary, one of two Filipina rape victims attacked in the home of their sponsor in Shuhada area in Kuwait by three men. Narrating the harrowing story of the Thursday night when she and her co-worker were severely raped by thieves she said, “I tried to resist the attacker but he forced me on the floor and held me while he was raping me,” said Mary.

Lisa was as unfortunate as Mary. “I ran for my life because I wanted to live for my four children,” said Lisa, gasping for every breath of air while lying in her hospital bed in Al-Razi Hospital. Lisa, a Filipina in her mid-40s and a housemaid, was also raped by two of the three robbers who held her and the rest of the house staff in the home of her sponsor on Thursday.

Visibly scared, sobbing and unable to move due to her broken ribs, she recalled her ordeal, which ended with her leaping from the second floor of the house to escape being stabbed by the three young men. “The thoughts of my children helped me find the strength to run to the window and jump when I saw them preparing to slaughter us”, she said, shaking from the thought of that night. It happened on Thursday night (August 2, 2012), immediately after futoor at 8pm.

What was supposed to be a normal evening for the

three housemaids in Shuhada, Lisa said, turned into a nightmare starting with a simple ringing of a doorbell.

According to the two victims, the senior Indian housekeeper instructed Mary to open the door where three men, aged between 25 and 27 years, were standing.

Introducing themselves as close friends to the employer, the Filipina maid opened the gate and let the men in to wait for their employers, who were at the nearby mosque.

At that moment, the three men ordered the maid to keep quiet, threatening her with a knife. Lisa heard a commotion on the first floor and ran down to see what was occurring. When she came down she saw a knife being held to the head of her Filipina colleague, who was crying and begging for her life. The attackers instructed the women to keep quiet, surrender their cell-phones, and not attempt to call for help. The elderly Indian housemaid was then locked inside the bathroom while the two Filipina women were told to undress.

“I was in terrible pain but was ready to save my life,” Lisa recalled, noting that she did not even count the number of times “these attackers” raped her. Lisa was raped by two of the men. One attacker raped Mary. While two of the men were busy raping the women, the third man was collecting valuables, jewelry, laptop computers and cell phones. The men also wanted to know if there was a safe deposit box or cash hidden in the house. When the men were done gathering the valuables, they told the two terrorized women that they would be killed.

Continued on Page 13

Ramadan Kareem

Keep your promises

By Hassan Bwambale

NASA Curiosity lands on Mars PASADENA: In a show of technological wizardry, the robotic explorer Curiosity blazed through the pink skies of Mars, steering itself to a gentle landing inside a giant crater for the most ambitious dig yet into the red planet’s past. Cheers and applause echoed through the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory late Sunday after the most high-tech interplanetary rover ever built signaled it had survived a harrowing plunge through the thin Mars atmosphere.

“Touchdown confirmed,” said engineer Allen Chen. “We’re safe on Mars.” Minutes after the landing signal reached Earth at 10:32 pm PDT (0532 GMT), Curiosity beamed back the first black-and-white pictures from inside the crater showing its wheel and its shadow, cast by the afternoon sun. “We landed in a nice flat spot. Beautiful, really beautiful,” said engineer Adam Steltzner, who led the team that devised the tricky landing routine.

It was NASA’s seventh landing on Earth’s neighbor; many other attempts by the US and other countries to zip past, circle or set down on Mars have gone awry. The arrival was an engineering tour de force, debuting never-before-tried acrobatics packed into “seven minutes of terror” as Curiosity sliced through the Martian atmosphere at 13,000 mph. In a Hollywood-style finish, cables delicately lowered the rover to the ground at a snail-paced 2 mph. A video camera was set to capture the most dramatic moments - the first glimpse of a touchdown on another world.

Continued on Page 13

A

s Muslims, we always say Islam is a complete way of life. It covers every aspect of one’s life and beyond. Therefore, we should try our best to stick to all virtues and avoid all vices. Among the virtues that a Muslim has to be characterized with, is keeping promises. Allah says what can be translated as: “... and you shall not ever approach the wealth of the orphan in your care except in the fairest manner until he reaches full maturity then you return it to him. And you shall fulfill every covenant and promise you make.

For indeed, every promise and covenant will be answered for in the hereafter.” (17: 34). If an orphan’s property is touched, it should be to improve it or to give him something even better. The words of keeping promises are general and may be interpreted in Continued on Page 13

BENALMADENA, Spain: Fran Calvo and Monica Fraile celebrate their wedding in a Sea Life Aquarium yesterday in Benalmadena, where two couples took the opportunity to get into the pool to get married. — AFP

Handout image shows Curiosity rover and its parachute, spotted by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter as Curiosity descended to the surface. — AFP

local

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

Sheikh Fahad Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah hosts ghabqa

Sheikh Fahad Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah (left) is seen with Kuwait Times Editor-in-Chief Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan.

Sheikh Fahad Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah (left) poses with Qatar’s Ambassador to Kuwait Abdul-Aziz Al-Fuhaid.

Sheikh Fahad Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah (right) is seen with the Ministry of Information’s Undersecretary Sheikh Salman Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah.

(From left) Information Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Sheikh Fahad Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, and the Senegalese Ambassador Abdul-Ahad Embake.

(From left) Sheikh Fahad Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah, and former Information Minister Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-Ali Al-Sabah.

Sheikh Fahad Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah (third from right) stands with the Iranian Ambassador to Kuwait Rohallah Qahramani on his right, and members from the Iranian embassy.

Ambassador of Jordan to Kuwait Mohammad Al-Kayed (center) poses with guests.—Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

(From left) Ali Al-Ali from the Department of Decrees at the Foreign Ministry, Ambassador of Greece to Kuwait Constantine Darakakis, Ambassador of El Salvador to Kuwait, Kuwait Times Editor-in-Chief Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan.

Sheikh Fahad Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah hosted a ghabqa on Sunday night at the Qurtaba Palace. Ministers, state officials, diplomats and other dignitaries attended the event. Picture shows Sheikh Fahad Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah with children during the event.

Gulf Bank concludes Ramadan Girgian visits

KUWAIT: Gulf Bank staff recently visited the second batch of hospitals as part of their annual visits to children’s hospital units associated with Kuwait Association for the Care of Children in Hospitals (KAACH), to share the joys of girgian with them. Hospital visits started with Ibn Sina, Amiri and NBK and concluded with Farwaniya, Al Razi, Zain and Jahra Hospital.

These visits created an authentic Ramadan ambience for the children, giving them a chance to enjoy Ramadan by offering them bags filled with Girgian treats, in addition to several activities that took place including face painting, henna, hair braiding, as well as interaction with various superheroes from The 99 comic books. Gulf Bank is committed to maintaining its position as part of Kuwait’s integral social fabric and the Bank perceives such visits as a moral obligation to delivering great spiritual support to these young patients.

local

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Human Rights Society hosted a ghabqa on Sunday at the Abdullah Al-Mubarak Hall in Khaldiya, attended by guests including MP Musallam Al-Barrak, and head of Kuwait Football Association Sheikh Talal Al-Fahad AlSabah.—Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

LOCAL

letter to Badrya

In my view

Moderate Islam in the West

Excellent analysis Dear Ms Badrya,

A

lthough I am not a Kuwaiti, I consider Kuwait my second home. I have been living and working here for almost ten years now and wish prosperity and welfare for the country’s people. Your article entitled ‘’Egos, Arrogance and Ignorance’’ demonstrates excellent analysis.

By Labeed Abdal

Keep up the good work Walid Saada local@kuwaittimes.net

I

n recent history, Islam has been recognized as a religion of extremism and terrorism in Europe and the Americas...

Many Muslims in the west have suffered because of isolated Islamic viewpoints that focus on radical interpretations of Sharia law.

The new generations of moderate Muslims in Briton and elsewhere must take the lead to try and separate themselves from negative perceptions, reclaim Islam from radicalism and show the inherent peaceful and tolerant realities of the Islamic tradition.

These radical positions, not at all representative of true Muslim beliefs, have served to symbolize the violence, intolerance and restrictions many in the West see as indicative of modern Islamic tradition.

This twisted perception has had profound negative consequences for Muslims living in Western countries and have served to create a phenomena of Islam-phobia.

Peace-loving Muslims the world over should not be held responsible for the small minority of brainwashed radicals dedicated to violent Fatwas. It is a travesty that this small group of Muslims have come to represent the Muslim faith in the eyes of Westerners.

The new generations of moderate Muslims in Briton and elsewhere must take the lead to try and separate themselves from negative perceptions, reclaim Islam from radicalism and show the inherent peaceful and tolerant realities of the Islamic tradition.

At the same time, Muslims in the Arab world must act with solidarity and support those initiatives that reflect a new-age approach emphasizing modernity, tolerance and acceptance of all that share these values.

kuwait digest

Stop political stubbornness

By Sami Al-Nisf

kuwait digest

When Kuwaitis immigrate

By Dr Mohammad Al-Abduljader

K

uwait has been associated with immigration throughout much of its history. Before the oil era, the lack of water and natural resources drove Kuwaiti men to travel for trade and pearl diving through which citizens came into contact with the world. The discovery of oil in the meantime brought job opportunities which enabled Kuwait to become a destination for expatriates’ immigration.

Today, immigration outside Kuwait has resurfaced within the Kuwaiti community, especially young citizens. The most recent and notable example was the deal to purchase the Nottingham Forest Club. The funds of Kuwaiti businessman Fawaz Al-Hasawi have ‘crossed borders,’ so have Kuwaiti athletes who reportedly are negotiating to sign with the team.

There are several stories about citizens achieving success through better investment opportunities abroad, which indicate that Al-Hasawi’s case is not limited to an individual. The stories I know include the one about a citizen known as Bu Shaheen; an investor who had to relocate his business to another Gulf country due to lack of opportunities and transparency in this field in Kuwait.

Meanwhile, there is also the story of Bu Fahad, a retired government employee who after a failed experience in Kuwait’s real estate market (owing to

lack of organization) was able to achieve success in the same field in an Arab country that has limited resources and a high taxation rate.

Bu Fahad has moved on to live permanently at the said country, where he also volunteers to assist Kuwaiti students studying at universities there.

Another citizen who left Kuwait for good is Bu Husain; a retired serviceman who used his pension to buy an apartment in an Arab country where the revolution took place. His son was studying at a university there, and he eventually decided to remain there despite the ongoing unrest.

These are examples immigration made not for personal reasons, but rather for reasons pertinent with mismanagement of resources and facilities, lack of job and investment opportunities and public universities. The biggest loser in this case is Kuwait. And that is not only from a financial standpoint. This is because, in a country with limited human resources, there is double loss.

Efforts should be made to investigate the reasons why athletes, teachers, doctors, leaders and retired servicemen are migrating to different places, before this issue turns into a phenomenon where Kuwait fails to benefit from its own financial and human resources. — Al-Qabas

kuwait digest

What exactly happened?

By Khalid Al-Awadhi

T

NO: 15532

19

RAMADAN 19, 1433 AH

Who is the leader of Angels?

Angel Jibril (PBUH) Angel Michael (PBUH) Angel Israfil (PBUH)

he government managed to garner some public support during the past month, not because of good performance on their part, but rather the poor performance of the 2012 parliament. While the executive authority was supposed to work on maintaining the public support they have, it seems they are losing it due to their inability to properly deal with the consequences of the Constitutional Court order that reinstated the 2009 parliament.

So what exactly happened? The likely scenario is that the Cabinet became convinced of arguments presented by some of its advisors, which indicated that the opposition-dominated formation of the 2012 parliament needed to be changed and replaced with a pro-government majority that allows the government to “pass its programs”.

The only way for the cabinet to do that was through an urgent decree made per article 71 of the constitution, “To change the electoral system both with regards to the distribution of constituencies and the votes each voter is entitled to, and that on the pretext that the current system which divides Kuwait into five constituencies and allows a citizen to vote for four candidates” -a move this writer views as entirely unjust. (As if the previous 25 and 10 constituencies systems were fair to begin with).

Meanwhile, the Cabinet realized that the majority of the public disagree with the idea of changing the electoral system through an exclusive governmental action. Therefore, they decided to seek the help of the Constitutional Court in order to verify the constitutionality of the current five5-constituencies system. The verdict, which the Cabinet was confident would nullify the system, provided the legal basis based on which the urgent decree could be made. The wide public rejection to this idea, however, made the Cabinet very hesitant to refer the issue to the Constitutional Court. Coupled with current political instability, this uncertainty has cost the Cabinet the support it had earlier obtained.

What we need today is for the government to be convinced of the notion that a true democratic system is one in which sovereignty derives entirely from the people. The 2009 parliament needs to be dissolved as soon as possible, after which new elections should be held as per the current fiveconstituencies system. In the meantime, the Cabinet should be required to coordinate with all related parties in order to come up with the formula for a new electoral system accepted by all.

This would allow for the new system to be approved by the next parliament as soon as it convenes, and before the Constitutional Court makes verdicts in any appeals that might be made against the election process. This is the best way to protect the future parliament from dissolution.

Otherwise, we should prepare ourselves for even deeper political woes. — Al-Qabas

I

n Kuwait, we have a time honored tradition of tactful yet incessant complaining. In keeping with this tradition I’d like to discuss the stifling temperatures that have lately registered 55 degrees in the shade! Bearing the brunt of this heat is not even us, but the “compressor” of our prized air-conditioners. Many unpaid hours are spent by these miracle machines trying earnestly to drop temperatures to a more manageable degree.

In Arizona, home to numerous universities and even more sand, temperatures routinely eclipse 50 degrees yet complaints are rare. In fact Arizona’s population continues to rise alongside its temperatures as more and more people leave colder states for its hot arid climate. The elderly can routinely be seen on bicycles and on foot going to shops and movie theatres. Therefore let us follow this example and stop complaining and let us thank God for what He gave us. We have no floods, no Tsunamis, no volcanoes, no hurricanes, no storms or earth quakes.

Has anyone else noticed a strange creature who calls himself ‘Kuwaiti political activist’ on Youtube?

He brazenly abuses Kuwaiti security men who are supposed to separate unlicensed gatherings and claims they are cowards that have run away and could not face the army of Saddam. In doing so he wrongly accuses the brave Kuwaiti men of the security department and should be dealt with severely.

It should be noted that when the Egyptian Presidential candidate Hazem Abu Ismail sent his men to attack the Egyptian MoD at Al-Abbasia, his representative Jamal Saber said in a TV interview before he was dismissed that the Egyptian Army, “is a lion on them and an ostrich in the wars”. He was rightly punished for that slanderous talk.

Around the same time a university Phd professor reported in a TV meeting, “I don’t know why the army opposes my sons the students, who are demonstrating peacefully and are using only stones and sticks?!! The hypocrisy being that the entire basis of peaceful protest avoids both sticks and stones.

NOTE: Can we stop our destructive political stubbornness? A constitutional court has the right to foil the upcoming election. It says in advance that the current election system (five constituencies) is unconstitutional. Amazingly they still respond that they shall go to the upcoming election in the same contested system. — Al-Anba

kuwait digest

Lack of support for our athletes

By Abdellatif Al-Duaij

W

ith the London Olympics fully underway, Kuwaitis should be fervently supporting their countrymen as they compete for gold in various events. After all, these games represent both the individual effort of the competitors as well as the larger aspirations of the nation they hail from. In Kuwait, however, athletes are not held in the same high regards other nations bestow upon their representatives.

In many countries, sports are a way of life. They are a means of expressing oneself, an opportunity for advancement and development, and a concrete method of measuring and testing an individual’s ability.

At the collective level, they should replace the old structures and establishments such as the tribe, sect or family- a point of view still developing here at home. Many of us still depend on our family, tribe or sect to face social challenges and difficulties. Maybe that is why our basic participation for a long time was limited to team events such as football or basketball, while other more specialized athletics and individual games remained elusive for the average Arab.

Today, however, many of our qualifying athletes seem to hold their accomplishments in a personal light as opposed to a national honor. That is perhaps why we did not hear about the qualifiers who honored us by representation in London, except for champion Fuhaid Al-Daihani, whose name was heralded because he held the flag “bearing in mind that the most praise for him was tribal, because he is a Mutairi.” As for the rest of our national competitors, we did not hear about themn until after their competitions had concluded. What is also troubling is people using the participation of champion Fai Al-Sultan as an excuse to attack her religious MP, Khalid Al-Sultan. Fai Sultan went to hoist our flag high, but, with regret, received insults from those who insulted our flag by ignoring its salute, or describing it as just a cloth! Worse still is for champion Fuhaid Al-Daihani to receive encouragement as a “Mutairi” and not Kuwaiti by those with narrow vision among tribal individuals, while Fai Al-Sultan is being scolded by those who claim openness and liberalism. —Al-Qabas

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

LOCAL

‘Muslim expats practice traditions more while in Gulf than at home’ Traditions of Ramadan by global Muslims

Dama game patron visits yacht club KUWAIT: Sheikh Faisal Saud Al-Sabah, patron of the computerized Dama game, paid a visit to the yacht club, one of the facilities managed by the Touristic Enterprises Company(TEC).

He was received by Sheikh Ali Al- Yousuf Al-Sabah, sponsor of the championship and Dr Nouri Al-Watter, Chairman of the organizing committee. Sheikh Faisal toured the facility and got acquainted with the championship’s activities and hailed the organization, including the success it has achieved in the past years.

He praised the aim of the tournament to

develop the performance of game lovers and wished all participants success.

He pointed out that first three prizes will be allocated in the name of late Sheikh Khalid Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah’s memory and in appreciation of his support to the youth and sports. Sheikha Bibi Yousuf Al-Saud AlSabah added another prize for the participant who competes the most.

Al-Yousuf and Al-Wattar expressed thanks and appreciation for the visit of Sheikh Faisal Saud Al-Sabah which supports the championships and motivates participants to achieve better positions.

Maid flees after killing 74-year-old citizen KUWAIT: A 74-year-old female citizen was choked to death by her Sri Lankan maid who then fled the country. One of the victim’s relatives had become concerned when she could not reach the victim, who lived alone, on the telephone. When the relative went to the elderly woman’s home she found the door ajar, and discovered the woman’s body in her bedroom. Envelopes once thought to have contained money were scattered around the victim. After an inquiry, authorities learned the maid had fled the country.

The investigation is ongoing.

Young man snaps pics of girls, gets arrested A young man was taken into custody for secretly taking photos of women he did not know. His mobile had over 100 pictures of girls that the suspect found attractive.

The man was discovered when a citizen shopping in Salmiya market noticed him taking pictures of her. She confronted the man who denied any wrongdoing. The woman then asked the mall’s security officers to investigate, and they discovered nearly 100 pictures of girls he did not know on his cellular phone. The suspect was taken to the police station for further action.

Fight over girl Nine men were taken to Salmiya police station following a fight in a mall over a girl.

Three young men were walking after Iftar time in the mall and flirting with girls, when they had an encounter with six other young men who were reportedly harassing a young woman. The two groups began a verbal exchange which quickly turned into a fight in which knives were used and some of the young men were injured. All nine men were arrested and taken to the police station.

Farwaniya theft A citizen told Farwaniya police that a cheque book, laptop computer, printer and three passports were stolen from his parked car. The citizen left his car in a building parking lot in Farwaniya. Upon his return three hours later he found his car had been opened using a spare key, leading authorities to believe he knew the perpetrator.

Smoker caught A young man was caught smoking during the day in the parking lot of Jahra hospital. Police arrested him and brought him to the Naeem police station.

Al-Dhaber accident A 34 year old Indian sustained extensive lacerations and a broken right leg after falling from a roof in the Al-Dhaber area. The citizen asked the Indian to fix his satellite dish, then 30 minutes later heard a strong

thud, discovering the Indian on the ground screaming in pain. Paramedics rushed the Indian to Adan hospital as police are investigating.

Juwaihel continues hunger strike Special sources said that Mohammad Al-Juwaihel continued his hunger strike for the fifth day in protest of his being detained on charges he feels are unwarranted. AlJuwaihel is demanding to be released, noting he is being held for the simple misuse of a telephone, which he claims was stolen and his Twitter account hacked.

Meanwhile, the public prosecution released four suspects in the case of burning down the election headquarters of a member of the annulled 2012 national assembly, Mohammad Al-Juwaihel, on KD 500 bail each. The prosecution charged the four with gathering in a public place with the intention of violating security, participating in an unlicensed demonstration, not obeying police orders, damaging property of others and obstructing the job of public employees (firemen). The suspects denied all charges.

Escape attempt An official of a company in Ahmadi jumped from the second floor of his work building to escape from one of his employees who had beaten him in the office. The official said he could not find a way out other than jumping from the window. The official fell to the ground and sustained several fractures. Police summoned both employees for questioning.

Purse stolen A citizen told Aquaila police that her car was broken into and her purse was stolen.

The woman, who works as a teacher, said her purse contained KD 500 and ID cards. A Filipina restaurant employee stole the purse of a citizen with KD 1200 inside, and ended up in custody charged with theft and absconding. A security source said a female citizen was with her family in a restaurant when power was cut, so customers went outside. The citizen remembered that she left her purse behind and rushed back to retrieve it, but found it was missing. She informed the restaurant management but received no help, so she called the police. Investigations led to the Filipina, who was hiding the purse behind the clothes washers.

KUWAIT: Most Muslims living and working overseas practice cultural and religious traditions during the holy month of Ramadan even more devoutly than they did in their home countries, a newly released Western Union-sponsored study has found. The study entitled ‘ Traditions of Ramadan by global citizens of Muslim faith,’ was conducted in July by The Nielsen Company and covered Muslims of 11 nationalities living in 12 countries in the GCC, Asia-Pacific, the United States and Western Europe.

According to the survey findings, 65 percent of the respondents in the GCC stated that their behavior and religious practices during the holy month of Ramadan have changed, predominantly for the better, as compared to their practices back home prior to migrating. The practice of ‘fasting’ has been impacted the most according to 84 percent of respondents followed by ‘praying’ (77 percent) and ‘charitable giving’ (75 percent).

Furthermore, ‘Access to religious facilities,’ ‘Influence of loved ones’ and ‘Work commitments’ were cited as the three main drivers for these changes, according to 60 percent, 49 percent and 43 percent of the respondents respectively.

“Living in another country often brings different cultural influences along with new work and personal pressures. Global citizens of Muslim faith are upholding Islamic traditions and are even more devout during the Holy Month of Ramadan,” Sobia Rahman, Western Union’s Regional Vice President for Gulf, Pakistan and Afghanistan said.

“Western Union has been moving money for better, for more than 135 years. We know people move away from their home countries for many reasons, but a common factor is creating a better life for their families and loved ones through work opportunities,” Rahman added. “It is difficult for people of any faith or nationality to be away from home during traditional cultural and religious events and holidays. Ramadan working hours in the GCC are shorter which gives people more time to reflect and spend time with their families and loved ones. It is not surprising to see that family, loved ones and friends, along with commitment to work, are even more influential when people live overseas.”

In the GCC, Muslims from other countries were found to be more devoted to upholding a variety of traditions than migrants living in other regions,

with one in two surveyed (54 percent) saying they fasted more and engaged in more sharing and giving (44 percent), compared with when they were in their home countries. Globally, Arab Muslims, regardless of where they had emigrated to, also tended to engage in more Ramadan activities other than fasting and praying - such as reading the Quran, socializing with family and friends and the ritual of Umrah - compared with Non-Arab Muslims.

Rahman added, “Another key insight from the study was that nearly three out of four respondents (74 percent) in the GCC said that they paid zakat during Ramadan. Despite fulfilling their duty of zakat during Ramadan, a vast majority of the respondents continue sharing and giving to the less fortunate and those in need, which is an important aspect of Ramadan for every Muslim. 53 percent of the respondents said that they preferred to ‘donate to charity’ whether locally, back home or overseas, with a majority of them (94 percent) preferring to give ‘cash’ donations.”

Key highlights of the study: l Different traditions are observed during the holy month of Ramadan. Despite being away from family and loved ones, 96 percent practiced fasting, 89 percent prayed, 78 percent engaged in Iftar, or evening meals to break the day’s fast, and 75 percent read the Quran. l International citizens of Muslim faith residing in the GCC uphold a greater variety of traditions than their counterparts in Asia, Western Europe and the United States. l Breaking fast is popular with other people instead of alone, with family (75 percent) being the most favored companions, closely followed by friends (65 percent). l Accessibility to facilities for religious purposes (62 percent) and the influence of family, loved ones and friends (52 percent) are the most important influencers in fasting more during Ramadan. l Zakat, or the act of giving to others in need, is practiced more during Ramadan, with nearly nine in 10 Muslims abroad (89 percent) saying they fulfilled zakat. l Nearly three out of four (74 percent) respondents in the GCC said they did so only during the holy month. That compares with less than half of Muslims surveyed in Asia (44 percent) and Western

Europe and (42 percent) the United States (44 percent), who tended to spread zakat to other times during the year. l A vast majority (94 percent) uphold sharing and giving traditions during Ramadan.

The zakat obligation is most commonly fulfilled through sharing with people who are known to the giver locally or overseas (65 percent). Arab Muslims are more likely to share with people they know locally (42 percent) than overseas (29 percent) while the reverse is true for non-Arab Muslims (49 percent local; 56 percent overseas). Muslims from the Middle East and the United States are more likely to fulfill zakat through donations to charity (53 percent and 54 percent respectively).

Overall, the most common gift during Ramadan was cash (92 percent), followed by clothes (40 percent), food (36 percent) and other products (21 percent). Outside the Middle East, clothing was more popular (53 percent).

“Cash is very versatile and convenient to give, either locally or when helping people abroad, which explains its popularity,” Rahman said.

“However, the important finding is that the vast majority of Muslims continue to help meet real needs, both in their home and adoptive communities, by fulfilling their duty of zakat.”

The findings of the study were based on a survey of nearly to 550 Muslims emigrants originally from the Middle Eastern and North African countries of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia and the South Asian countries of Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. They resided in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia in the GCC; Malaysia and Singapore in Asia; the United Kingdom, Germany and France in Europe; and the United States.

This study was conducted in conjunction with Western Union’s mega regional consumer promotion in Kuwait, UAE and Qatar to reward customers for sending money through Western Union. One lucky customer in Kuwait will win KD 7,500 while another two customers will have a chance at winning KD 3,750 and KD 2,000 respectively. An additional 49 customers will have their transaction amount (up to $2,000) doubled. The promotion commenced on July 1st and will run through to Aug 18 and customers only need to transact during this period to automatically enter the raffle draw.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

LOCAL

Two citizens in police net for trading in drugs Imam attacked in mosque

By Hanan Al Saadoun KUWAIT: Drug enforcement officers arrested two citizens on charges of drug trafficking thanks to information gathered during a recent investigation. The men had been identified by authorities and were arrested separately. The first suspect attempted to escape during the arrest. Officers subdued the suspect and upon searching him, found amounts of the drug methamphetamine, various illegal narcotics and some money. Drug enforcement officers then went to the men’s apartment, where the second suspect was arrested.

Inside officers found 1/4 kilogram of heroin, 1/4 kilogram of hashish, opium, cash and drug paraphernalia.

Investigations revealed the men were trafficking the drugs using boats forcibly obtained through threats of violence. An Asian immigrant who leases boats for short trips testified that the men would force him to escort them to isolated coastal areas where the drugs would be picked up. The boat operator was able to identify the two suspects in a police line-up.

Imam attacked An assailant entered Amer Ben Faheera Mosque in Al-Riqqa, immediately before Fajr prayers and stabbed the Imam with a knife. A number of worshippers

who were present at the mosque came to his rescue. An eyewitness said that the attacker could be mentally unstable, and that no one

National School. It started at the ground floor and quickly spread to a car shop. The fire kept raging until late into the night. Six

ing in the arrest of a suspect wanted by police. Another five people were arrested for expired residency status and a lack of proper identification. Twentythree vehicles were stopped and sent to Mina Abdullah detention garage and 32 citations were issued in different areas of the governorate. The Ahmadi security administration said they will continue their crime-sweeping campaigns to help combat lawlessness around the governorate.

Immoral acts A 14 year old girl and a teenage boy were being held at the Capital governorate on charges of immoral acts after Iftar. Sources said that a Bedoon man in his forties alerted authorities after reportedly seeing an immoral act at the sea front.

Security men rushed to the location and arrested the suspects.

KUWAIT: The drug duo pictured after their arrest. noticed the knife he was holding.

The Imam was rushed to Al-Adan Hospital and is believed to be in a stable condition. Policemen arrested the man and he was detained.

Hawally fire A fire broke out at a building located in Hawally behind

ambulances with 12 paramedics were on standby to attend to any cases of casuality.

Security campaign During the weekend holiday of the 27th-28th of July, Ahmadi police carried out security campaigns in the governorate, result-

Road accident A man in his sixties died on impact when his car struck a dumpster on an airport road. The fatality was ruled as an accident.

Father assaulted In Umm Al-Haiman, a citizen reported to police that his son beat him and stole his car. In Ahmadi, an Asian expat was arrested after being seen eating and drinking in public.

KUWAIT: Shoppers at a Kuwait meat market check prices and the kinds of meat available. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Lack of quorum expected as bloc plans to attend Assembly session

By A Saleh

Group picture of students

NBK launches last session of Summer Internship Program

Talal Al-Turki

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

Talal Al-Turki, NBK public relations officer said, “NBK Summer Internship Program is specially designed for high school and college students as an extension of NBK’s education outreach services. The program demonstrates NBK’s long-standing social involvement as well as its national commitment towards providing the young generations with the appropriate opportunities to experience firsthand how the actual professional banking issues and

transactions are handled and processed.”

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

The 5-hour daily sessions of twoweek internship featured a mixture of theoretical and practical training dedicated to providing the interns with invaluable knowledge on a variety of subjects such as; the team work, creative thinking, means of self-expression and modern banking work procedure, in addition to helping interns to have greater exposure to daily banking work

KUWAIT: The National Action Bloc(NAB) plans to attend today’s session of the 2009 parliament. However, there are reports that the session may not be held due to a lack of quorum, the liberal group announced yesterday.

“The decision to attend is an assertion of our stance which sees the need to implement the Constitutional Court’s order to reinstate the 2009 parliament and allow ministers to swear in before lawmakers,” said Deputy Speaker Abdullah Al-Roumi.

Al-Roumi, along with fellow bloc members Marzouq Al-Ghanim, Aseel AlAwadhi, and Adel Al-Saraawi, as well as MP Salwa Al-Jassar where the only lawmakers who attended last week’s session of the reinstated parliament.

Today’s session, the second to be called for after June’s Constitutional Court verdict which ruled the 2009 parliament’s dissolution. The issue of a lack of quorum will be referred to HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah by Jassem Al-Kharafi. MP Yousuf AlZalzalah also announced that he is not attending today’s session in a statement released yesterday, in which he indicated that a law to change the electoral system is “imminent due to the unconstitutionality of the five constituencies’ system according to constitutional experts.”

Meanwhile, Yaqoub Al-Sanea, Secretary General of the Constitutional Union Bloc described the previous elec-

toral system which divided Kuwait into 25 constituencies to be “the most fair and effective system in tackling sectarianism and tribalism, as long as the government can tackle vote buying.” AlSanea called the government to change the electoral system “without involving the Constitutional Court into the political work,” vowing to appeal results of elections that follow the dissolution of the 2009 parliament if the cabinet fails to swear-in.

On a related note, MP Jamaan AlHarbash announced plans to “head to the Kuwait University” after Ramadan in order to obtain students’ support to a petition calls for boycotting elections if the current electoral system is changed.

The oppositionist lawmaker further indicated in a statement yesterday that at least 20,000 have so far signed the petition.

Sources close to the Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM) said that the group instructed its affiliated unions at the Kuwait University(KU) and the Public Authority of Applied Education and Training(PAAET ) “to make use of the students unions elections at the beginning of the next academic year to promote the idea of boycotting parliamentary elections” if the electoral system is changed.

Firefighters’ allowance MP Musallam Al-Barrak asked the government to pay allowances to firefighters similar to those enforced to servicemen in the army, police and

Appointments’ violations The Civil Service Commission has requested data from the Ministry of Information about dozens of employees who remain appointed and receive allowances despite earlier instructions passed to terminate them. “The CSC considers the fact that these employees continue to remain at the ministry as an administrative error which has resulted in squandering of public funds; a clear violation of state regulations,” said sources familiar with the subject. They added that the CSC is expected to refer the issue to the Civil Service Council(CSC).

Students’ camp The Ministry of Education(MoE) selected 78 Kuwaiti female students to take part in a training camp in the Czech Republic from the 17th until the 31 of August, in preparation of Arab Schools Sports Tournament. It will be hosted by Kuwait this year. The team will be accompanied by 26 ministry officials. A training camp featuring an undisclosed number of male students will also be held during the same time period.

Al-Dokbasi urges Arab leaders to protect Syrian people

New opportunities for students KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Manpower and Government Restructuring Program (MGRP) will provide 2,365 chances to Kuwaiti students who seek training at the private sector, an official at the program said yesterday.

Sheik ha Latifa Al-Sabah, Assistant Manager for MGRP said in a press statement that up to 988 trainees joined the program recent-

National Guard last year, and retroactively since the day of their enforcement to servicemen.

Al-Barrak also asked the government to provide firefighters with health insurance “given the hazards they face while tackling flames and dealing with flammable and toxic material, especially during summer.”

ly, and that they were trained to work in telecommunication companies, banks and the cooperative sector.

She added that the training program gives students an opportunity to be aware of their ambitions and jobs suitable for them after graduation, as well as qualify them for future careers. —KUNA

KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait(CBK) supervised a Girgian celebration held by the Infinity Entertainment Center at the 360 Mall. Various activities and competitions were held as part of the event. Several children, including three from the ‘Abeer 2’ voluntary team for people with mental disabilities took part in the festivities.

Cabinet holds weekly session KUWAIT: The Cabinet of Ministers held its regular weekly meeting at noon, yesterday, at Seif Palace presided over by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, following which Minister of Information and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah AlMubarak Al-Sabah gave a briefing of the meeting.

The minister said the Cabinet began with a review of a letter addressed to HH the Amir from Senegal’s President Macky Sall, which focused on bilateral relations and issues of common concern. The Cabinet also reviewed a report published by the Ministry of Interior on re-imple-

menting some laws, as well as being briefed by First Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Sheikh Ahmad AlHumoud Al-Sabah over the ministry’s plans to tackle traffic congestions and road safety.

The Cabinet then discussed a draft bill of encouraging direct investment in the country through, as the bill suggests, developing and improving the business environment and utilizing the latest in the fields of marketing and operation in order to provide more job opportunities for nationals. Moreover, the Cabinet approved a draft decree to appoint Sheikh Tamer Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah as Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. — KUNA

CAIRO: Arab Parliament speaker Ali Al-Dokbasi called on Arab leaders to take urgent action to protect the Syrian people from their “murderous regime” and to intervene in order to stop the genocide against Muslims in Myanmar.

Arab leaders were called on to take urgent measures to search for a radical solution to the crisis in Syria, where the regime’s killing methods are increasing in brutality.

He later called on Arab and Islamic leaders to intervene immediately to stop the massacres, ethnic cleansing and genocide being practiced by fundamentalist Buddhist groups against Muslims in Myanmar, which is leading to thousands of people dying or being displaced.

Authorities in Myanmar should capture these extremists and bring them to “international justice,” he said, calling on the international community and human rights organizations to also intervene and make sure this is carried out.

Furthermore, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud’s call to hold an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) conference in Makkah from August 14 to 15 was praised as being “for the good of Islam, Muslims and challenges facing the region.”

With regard to Palestine, the parliamentarian urged Palestinians to achieve national reconciliation in the face of “the Zionist Judaization of Jerusalem and attempts to destroy the Aqsa Mosque, amid the continued detention of several Palestinian and Arab prisoners.”

“Arabs should unify in a stance that stands in the path of Iran’s interference in Arab affairs like Syria, Yemen and Bahrain, its occupation of the Emirati islands and its recently discovered spy network in Kuwait,” he suggested. — KUNA

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

Hiroshima marks ’versary of 1945 atomic bombing Page 12

Clinton meets Mandela in rare visit at his home Page 10

NEW DELHI: Indian Sikhs holding swords shout slogans during a protest yesterday. — AP (See Page 11)

US Sikh temple shooter named Gunman a former psy-ops soldier, white supremacist OAK CREEK, Wisconsin: The gunman who killed six people at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin before he was shot to death by police was identified yesterday as a 40-year-old Army veteran and former leader of a white supremacist metal band. First Assistant US Attorney Greg Haanstad in Milwaukee identified the shooter as Wade Michael Page. Page joined the Army in 1992 and was discharged in 1998, according to a defense official who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release information yet about the suspect.

Officials and witnesses said the gunman walked into the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in suburban Milwaukee and opened fire as several dozen people prepared for Sunday services.

When the shooting ended, seven people lay dead, including Page.

Three others were critically wounded in what police called an act of domestic terrorism. Page was a “frustrated neo-Nazi” who led a racist white supremacist band, the Southern Poverty Law Center said Monday. Page told a white supremacist website in an interview in 2010 that he had been part of the whitepower music scene since 2000 when he left his native Colorado and started the band, End Apathy, in 2005, the nonprofit civil rights organization said.

He told the website his “inspiration was based on frustration that we have the potential to accomplish so much more as individuals and a society in whole,” according to the SPLC. He did not mention violence in the website interview. End Apathy’s biography on the band’s MySpace page said it began in 2005 and was based in Nashville, North Carolina. It said their music “is a sad commentary on our sick society and the problems that prevent true progress.”

Joseph Rackley of Nashville, told the AP on Monday that Page lived with his son for about six months last year in a house on Rackley’s three acres of property. Wade was bald and had tattoos all over his arms, Rackley said, but he doesn’t remember what they depicted. He said he wasn’t aware of any ties Page may have had to white supremacists. “I’m not a nosy kind of guy,” Rackley said.

“When he stayed with my son, I don’t even know if Wade played music. But my son plays alternative music and periodically I’d have to call them because I could hear more than I wanted to hear.”

Page joined the military in Milwaukee in 1992 and was a repairman for the Hawk missile system before switching jobs to become one of the Army’s psychological operations specialists, according to

the defense official. So-called “PsyOps” specialists are responsible for the analysis, development and distribution of intelligence used for information and psychological effect; they research and analyze methods of influencing foreign populations.

Fort Bragg, North Carolina, was among the bases where Page served.

Police in the temple’s hometown of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, planned to release more information about their investigation yesterday. Oak Creek Police Chief John Edwards said the FBI was leading the investigation because the shootings are being treated as domestic terrorism, or an

OAK CREEK, Wisconsin: A member of the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin weeps yesterday where a gunman killed six people a day earlier, before being killed in a shootout with police. — AP

attack that originated inside the US. Satpal Kaleka, wife of the temple’s president, Satwant Singh Kaleka, was in the front room and saw the gunman enter the temple, according to Harpreet Singh, their nephew. “He did not speak, he just began shooting,” said Singh, relaying a description of the attack from Satpal Kaleka.

Kaleka said the 6-foot-tall bald white man - who worshippers said they had never before seen at the temple - seemed like he had a purpose and knew where he was going. “We never thought this could happen to our community,” said Devendar Nagra, 48, of Mount Pleasant, whose sister escaped injury by hiding as the gunman fired in the temple’s kitchen.

“We never did anything wrong to anyone.”

Late Sunday, the investigation moved beyond the temple as police, federal agents and the county sheriff’s bomb squad swarmed a neighborhood in nearby Cudahy, evacuated several homes and searched a

duplex. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent Tom Ahern said warrants were being served at the gunman’s home.

Residents were allowed to return to their homes Monday.

During a chaotic few hours after the first shots were fired around 10:30 am, police in tactical gear and carrying assault rifles surrounded the temple with armored vehicles and ambulances. Witnesses struggled with unrealized fears that several shooters were holding women and children hostage inside. Edwards said the gunman “ambushed” one of the first officers to arrive at the temple as the officer, a 20-year veteran with tactical experience, tended to a victim outside. A second officer then exchanged gunfire with the suspect, who was fatally shot. Police had earlier said the officer who was shot killed the suspected shooter. The wounded officer was in critical condition along with two other victims early yesterday, authorities said.

Tactical units went through the temple and found four people dead inside and two outside, in addition to the shooter.

Jatinder Mangat, 38, of Racine, a nephew of the temple’s president, said when he learned that people had died, “it was like the heart just sat down.” Balginder Khattra of Oak Creek, said yesterday that his 84year-old father, Suveg Singh Khattra, was among the six people police said were killed. Khattra says his father didn’t speak English but loved living in America.

Sikhism is a monotheistic faith founded more than 500 years ago in South Asia. It has roughly 27 million followers worldwide. Observant Sikhs do not cut their hair; male followers often cover their heads with turbans - which are considered sacred - and refrain from shaving their beards. There are roughly 500,000 Sikhs in the US, according to estimates. The majority worldwide live in India. The Sikh Temple of Wisconsin started in 1997 with about 25 families who gathered in community halls in Milwaukee. Construction on the current temple in Oak Creek began in 2006, according to the temple’s website.

Sikh rights groups have reported a rise in bias attacks since the Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The Washington-based Sikh Coalition has reported more than 700 incidents in the U.S. since 9/11, which advocates blame on anti-Islamic sentiment.

Sikhs are not Muslims, but their long beards and turbans often cause them to be mistaken for Muslims, advocates say. The shootings also came two weeks after a gunman killed 12 people at movie theater in Colorado. — AP

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

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

Traditional stone walls help protect Palestinian land EIN YABRUD: It has taken four years for Amer Dahabreh to build a traditional stone wall around his land, in what appears to be the ideal solution for protecting it from Jewish settlers.

Within the safety of this stone enclosure, this 60-year-old farmer grows apricots, grapes, peaches and courgettes in the village of Ein Yabrud, which is overlooked by the neighbouring Jewish settlement of Ofra. The village is located in Area C, an area under total Israeli control which comprises some 60 percent of the West Bank. “ The idea of these enclosures was handed down to us by our ancestors; they were put up to protect the land,” explains Dahabreh, who owns an 80dunum (eight-hectare/20-acre) plot of land. “I think that the moment has come for all Palestinians to take an interest in building them because it is the ideal solution,” he told AFP. In the West Bank, Palestinian farmland that appears to be left untended can become a target for Jewish settlers looking to expand a nearby settlement or for creating a new outpost. Legal efforts to retrieve such land are often lengthy and rarely result in the landowners’ favour, so for Dahabreh, erecting a stone boundary is a fundamental way to both mark out and pro-

tect his territory. “If all Palestinians were to fence in their land this way, we might be able to protect it from settlement,” says Dahabreh, who spent 10 years living in the United States.

Much of the West Bank’s farmland is strewn with rocks and boulders, making it perfect for for building such enclosures, which are sometimes also surrounded by a barbed wire fence or a makeshift metal fence. Palestinians living in Area C are banned from using cement by the Israeli Civil Administration, a unit of the defence ministry which is responsible for all civilian affairs in the West Bank. But crucially, these traditional boundaries, which are basically dry stone walls, do not require cement. “They prevent us from using cement so that’s why we use these old stones,” Dahabreh says.

Abdullah Abdullah, an official at the Palestinian governmental department that handles issues relating to Jewish settlement and the separation barrier, said the Civil Administration has recently stepped up its restrictions on construction in Area C. “Following the recent European report on Palestinian development in Area C, Israel has imposed restrictions like a ban on using cement without permission, and has also introduced new taxes,” he told AFP.

In May, EU foreign ministers expressed concern about “worsening living conditions” for Palestinians in Area C and denounced the “serious limitations” imposed on Palestinian development

opment in Area C and expects such investment to be protected for future use,” a ministerial statement said, referring to the widespread demolition of Palestinian homes in the sector. The Civil

EIN YABRUD: Palestinian Nader Al-Taher walks across his land that he planted with trees and surrounded with traditional stone-built walls in this village near the West Bank city of Ramallah on June 10, 2012. — AFP there in a move which sparked Israeli anger. “The EU will continue to provide financial assistance for Palestinian devel-

Administration did not respond to AFP requests for comment.

Dahabreh’s neighbour, Nader Al-

Taher, has also built a traditional stone wall around a nine-dunum patch of land belonging to a Palestinian who is living in the United States. Every day, he comes to water the plot from a well which is also on the land. “The owner doesn’t want to get involved in legal disputes (with the Israelis); he has spent a lot of money to preserve his land,” says Taher, explaining that it took the workers 70 days of hard labour, with the help of a bulldozer, to gather all the rocks.

Statistics published in 2011 by the United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA show that Palestinian construction was only permitted in one percent of Area C, with a complete ban in force in 70 percent of the sector and very limited in the remaining 29 percent.

Around 150,000 Palestinians live in Area C alongside some 300,000 Jewish settlers out of a total of the 340,000 Israelis who lives in settlements across the West Bank, OCHA statistics show.

Dahabreh says the local settlers from Ofra settlement were less than impressed with his stone wall project, and tried to dissuade him by firing in the area as he was building it. “I wasn’t afraid of them,” he said. “On the contrary, I continued working on my land because I feel that this is the only way to protect it.” — AFP

Iran airs ‘confessions’ in nuke scientists’ killings People shown in documentary Israel agents: State TV

ANADAN, Syria: A Free Syria Army fighter waves from the top of a destroyed army tank in this town on the outskirts of Aleppo yesterday. — AP

Aleppo fight journey into unknown for rural rebels ALEPPO, Syria: The young rebel fighters’ mission was clear: to rid an Aleppo neighbourhood of Syrian army snipers who had infiltrated rebel lines on Saturday. But before they had reached their target, a skirmish with government troops forced them to make a diversion, throwing the group into confusion. All 40 were from rural areas outside Aleppo, and none could find their way through the city streets. “Wait, are we in the right place?” one rebel asked. “ Weren’t we supposed to turn at a mosque? Where’s that mosque? Have we passed it?”

A few minutes passed as the men circled around, peeking behind buildings into alleyways to see if they recognised them, unsure where to go next. “I guess we’re coming back as martyrs today,” one fighter joked darkly to his friend, who chuckled nervously in front of a Reuters reporter and photographer accompanying the fighters. Outgunned in Aleppo by President Bashar Al-Assad’s forces - who have stepped up their counter- offensive to retake Syria’s biggest city - the mainly rural fighters are also out of their element in a city of 2.5 million where relatively few local men have joined the armed revolt.

Saleheddine, the focus of fighting in Aleppo, used to be one of its busiest and mostly heavily-populated shopping and residential districts. Restaurants, pet shops, clothes and electronics stores - all shuttered - stand in tightly packed

rows, creating a maze that only longterm residents can easily negotiate.

“This is a street war in the full meaning of the term,” said a rebel who identified himself as Abu Zayd, as an explosion went off behind a building where he was taking cover. “We don’t know who is hiding in which building, who will pop up”.

Dodging sniper bullets, the fighters made their way to a small street where bullets whizzed overhead, bringing down pieces of concrete. Artillery, mortar rounds and tank shells pounded the district, filling the street with dust which caught in the eyes and throats of the rebels, caking their clothes and uniforms.

“Burst open one of these shops!” shouted Abu Ali, a military commander from the Amr bin al-Aas brigade who was leading the operation, pointing his rifle at the green shutters of a nearby shop. A young fighter began banging the door of a building with his foot to force it open.

The men took some time to find their bearings. “We are all fighters from rural Aleppo and we’re finding it very hard to orient ourselves in these streets,” Mohammed Khalifi, a deputy commander, said. “Ideally we have one man from the district to accompany us, but usually we can’t find anyone. So we have to play it by ear and deal with what the situation presents us with.” He said he didn’t know the name of the street the men were fighting on, or how far it was from the main front line. — Reuters

Turkish coup trial officers get last chance at defence SILIVRI, Turkey: Judges in the trial of hundreds of Turkish military officers accused of plotting to overthrow the government agreed yesterday to give the defendants one last chance to argue their case as the two-year trial approaches its end. In setting a new date for testimony, the court rejected the state prosecutor’s request for a verdict at the latest hearing in the “Sledgehammer” trial, which has harmed the standing of Turkey’s once all-powerful military. Chief Judge Omer Diken said the four justices had voted unanimously to adjourn the hearing until Aug. 16 to allow the defendants and their lawyers “one last opportunity to have their say” before issuing their ruling.

Prosecutors have demanded 15 to 20year jail sentences for the 364 serving and retired officers in the case, which revolves around a 2003 military seminar that prosecutors say was part of a plot to overthrow Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s government. The conspiracy is alleged to have included plans to bomb historic mosques in Istanbul and trigger conflict with Greece to pave the way for an army takeover. The Turkish army has traditionally played a dominant role in

politics, staging three coups between 1960 and 1980 and pushing the country’s first Islamist-led government out in 1997.

But its authority has been checked since Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power nearly a decade ago. A guilty verdict in the Sledgehammer case would underline further growing civilian dominance over the generals.

Public interest in a series of anti-government conspiracy cases has waned recently as the trials have dragged on amid growing suspicion among government critics that they were being used to crack down on dissent. The prosecutor, Huseyin Kaplan, recommended in June that the case be referred back to the prosecutor’s office, raising the possibility of a retrial. But he said on Monday this would unnecessarily lengthen pre-verdict detention periods of 250 officers held on remand.

The court also rejected requests by defence lawyers to release the defendants from custody pending a verdict and for further witnesses, including the former chief of the military General Staff Hilmi Ozkok, to testify. — Reuters

DUBAI: Iranian state television aired what it described as confessions of individuals accused of assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists, saying they worked as Israeli agents to sabotage the country’s nuclear program. Five Iranian scientists and academics have been killed or attacked since 2010 in incidents believed to have targeted Iran’s disputed nuclear program, which the West says is aimed at producing a bomb. Iran denies this, saying its nuclear program has peaceful purposes, and denounced the killings of its scientists as acts of terrorism carried out by Western intelligence agencies and the Israeli Mossad.

In a documentar y aired on Sunday evening, called “Terror Club” and set to a dramatic score, a group of men and women sit against black backgrounds and confess to receiving weeks of training in Israel, then returning to Iran to carry out the killings of nuclear scientists. One man interviewed, Behzad Abdoli, said he was taken to a training camp whose location was censored in the film. “I had military training there, training in riding motorcycles, shooting, personal defence,” Abdoli said. “They gave us information training as well ... how to take pictures, for example. It took about 40, 45 days.”

The film, which did not say whether the individuals had faced trial or when that might happen, showed re-enactments of the killings with the suspects narrating how they were carried out. It included pictures of a purported camp located outside Tel Aviv. Abdoli said he travelled to Israel via Turkey and Cyprus.

The documentary’s narrator said a “neighbouring country” had assisted in delivering the suspects to Israel undetected.

Iranian intelligence chief Heydar Moslehi said last month that the Islamic Republic had

shut down two networks inside and outside the country that he said were involved in training the killers. The killings, mysterious explosions at military sites and a computer virus, Stuxnet, which damaged Iranian centrifuges and was discovered in 2010, appeared to form part of a covert sabotage campaign aimed at impeding its nuclear program. The United States has denied involve-

duress,” Drewery Dyke, Iran researcher at Amnesty International, told Reuters in an email. “Accusations of torture are routinely ignored in court and not investigated, while ‘confessions’ extracted under duress are accepted as evidence.”

Iran’s English-language Press TV aired a documentary in 2011 showing the purported confession of Majid Jamali Fashi, a 24-year-old

A combo of image grabs taken from Iraní’s state-run TV yesterday shows six Iranians who are alleged to be part of a group of 13 who ‘confessed’ to killing four Iranian nuclear scientists after being trained by Israeli intelligence. — AFP ment in the assassinations, while Israel has remained silent. Human rights organisations including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have accused Iran in the past of obtaining bogus confessions from suspects in custody using physical abuse and threats. “In many instances, torture and other ill-treatment are used to extract ‘confessions’ under

kickboxer who Iran said had received training from Israel to kill Massoud Ali-Mohammadi, a 50-year-old Tehran University professor in January 2010. Ali-Mohammadi was killed when a remote-controlled bomb attached to a motorcycle outside his home in Tehran detonated. Fashi was hanged at Tehran’s Evin Prison in May. — Reuters

6 dead in predawn raid on Ivorian military camp ABIDJAN: Gunmen killed six soldiers and seized weapons in a pre-dawn raid on an army camp in Ivory Coast’s commercial capital Abidjan yesterday, military officials said, heightening fears of renewed instability in the world’s top cocoa-growing country. The West African state, where six soldiers were killed in a similar attack on a police station and army roadblock in another part of Abidjan only the day before, is emerging from years of political turmoil but remains awash with illegal weapons.

A group of unidentified heavily armed men in civilian clothes stormed the army camp in the Akouedo neighbourhood, on the eastern edge of the city, at around 3:30 a.m., an officer present at the base told Reuters.

Fighting lasted nearly three hours before the army took back control of the area. “ They attacked the two entrances to the camp simultaneously and opened fire. We’ve counted five dead on our side and one among the assailants,” said Colonel Cherif Moussa, the Ivorian army’s deputy chief of staff.

Reuters witnesses saw the bodies of four soldiers who had been shot in an office just inside the camp entrance. Another lay on the ground outside and appeared to have been beaten to death. Others were wounded in the gunbattle though officials did not immediately say how many. Dozens of government soldiers and five armoured vehi-

cles carrying peacekeepers from Ivory Coast’s United Nations mission, UNOCI, were positioned near the entrances to the compound on Monday morning.

Bullet holes covered the camp’s exterior walls. “There were many of them and they attacked the camp from all sides,” Corporal Ousmane Kone, who took part in the fighting, said. “They took lots of weapons, loaded them in a truck and drove off with them.

They took AK-47s (automatic rifles), machine guns and rocket-

propelled grenades,” he said.

Guillaume Soro, president of the Ivory Coast parliament, said the situation was back under control and the army was pursuing the attackers. “The prompt reaction of our forces put down the attack ... Our soldiers are currently carr ying out clean-up operations,” he said in a statement posted on Twitter. Heavily armed soldiers patrolled the streets in Abidjan’s eastern neighbourhoods in the late morning. Shops in the area

ABIDJAN: Bodies of three members of the Ivory Coast Republican Force (FRCI) lie in the guards’ station at the entrance of the Akouedo military camp yesterday. A raid on the army base left at least six dead in the latest of a string of attacks targeting the military in the Ivory Coast economic capital. — AFP

closed their doors and few vehicles circulated.

The West African nation has sought to re-establish normalcy after a decade of political deadlock and civil unrest that ended with a brief civil war in 2011 that killed around 3,000 people. The conflict erupted after thenPresident Laurent Gbagbo refused to admit defeat to rival Alassane Ouattara in late 2010 election. Gbagbo, who was captured during the fighting, is now awaiting trial before the International Criminal Court in The Hague on war crimes charges. While Ouattara, now president, has managed to improve security in most of the country, efforts to remove from circulation thousands of weapons left over from the conflict have faltered and sporadic violence persists.

There has been an escalation in armed attacks, mainly in the country’s cocoa-rich west, long the scene of ethnic violence and score-settling linked to disputes over land ownership. At least five soldiers were killed when gunmen fired on a police station and army roadblock on Sunday in Abidjan’s Yopougon neighbourhood, a former Gbagbo bastion.

More than twenty people, including seven UN peacekeepers, were killed in raids along Ivory Coast’s border with Liberia in June in what Ivorian authorities said were cross-border incursions by pro-Gbagbo militias and Liberian mercenaries. — Reuters

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

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

Niagara Falls takes broad approach to draw people NIAGARA FALLS, New York: In recent years, Niagara Falls has thrown open its doors to casino gambling, gay weddings and a tightrope walk that, until laws were relaxed, would have meant arrest. It even briefly considered taking in toxic wastewater from hydraulic fracturing. On the drawing board now is a plan to entice young people to move in by paying down their student loans. With its spectacular natural wonder - the famous waterfall that cascades over a cliff - tourism was the city’s main draw until the early 1900s, when the growth of numerous chemical plants fueled the rise of a hydropower-fueled industrial base. But industry started to lose steam in the late 1950s and ‘60s, and a long, slow decline set in as the region’s manufacturing withered away.

Meanwhile, across the border in Niagara Falls, Ontario, the focus on tourism never waned, as the Canadian city put up hotels, restaurants, museums and other attractions, even as its New York counterpart was dealing with the 1970s toxic Love Canal contamination that caused the abandon-

ment of an entire neighborhood. Now that the US city’s old strategy of industry over tourism has been abandoned, a new economic plan appears to have emerged: Try anything. “If you piece together a series of wins, then I think it becomes transformative,” Mayor Paul Dyster said, reflecting on efforts to reverse fortunes in a city where one in five people live in poverty and the population of 50,193 is less than half what it was in the 1960s.

There’s no hiding the obvious financial hardship for the city whose gateway landmark is a mothballed Shredded Wheat factory: Dilapidated houses and boarded storefronts dot the city, this summer’s Italian Festival was canceled for lack of sponsors and night games for varsity sports were scrapped for next season to save the school district the cost of lighting the field. About 22 percent of people live below the poverty level, compared with about 14 percent statewide.

And perhaps the most thriving business in Niagara Falls today, the Seneca Indian Nation’s 10-year-old Seneca Niagara Casino, largely operates as an

island with few surrounding businesses appearing to benefit from its estimated 7 million yearly patrons. For the past few years, the city hasn’t even seen its promised share of slot machine profits” $58 million and counting” because the Senecas have withheld it as part of a feud with New York state.

Making matters worse, more than $2 million in yearly block grants from the federal government could be in jeopardy if the city’s population dips below 50,000. “Less people means less attention in the government’s eyes. ...

You need people in your neighborhoods,” said Community Development Director Seth Piccirillo. The overarching goal is to get people to set up shop here, or at least stick around long enough to spend money. So, last July when it became legal for same-sex couples to wed in New York state, Niagara Falls organized an attentiongrabbing group wedding with hopes of reviving its onetime reputation as “the honeymoon capital” for same-sex and opposite-sex couples alike. A year later, wedding-related vendors say

business is up 20 to 25 percent.

“The general mission is to obtain business. Whether it’s new residents or new visitors, we’re all on the same goal to better Niagara Falls in general,” said John Percy, president of the Niagara Tourism & Convention Corp. City officials say redevelopment of the Niagara Falls Airport, which was barely used until the late 2009 opening of a $31.5 million terminal, has improved accessibility. The airport went from handling 37,014 passengers in 2009 to 197,208 in 2011.

Other successes include the 2010 grand opening of a three-block cobblestone stretch, Old Falls Street, to connect the state park with a convention center and hotels and serve as a destination for festivals and shows.

Niagara County Community College, meanwhile, plans to open a new culinary center in September after taking over part of a former mall near Niagara Falls State Park and a $22 million upscale hotel is planned in the same area. Now the cash-strapped city finds itself in an awkward dispute as it tries to collect $25,000 from high-wire artist

Nik Wallenda to cover public safety overtime expenses from his sensational June 15 US-to-Canada wire walk across Niagara Falls. Mayor Dyster says the state-approved legislation allowing the normally illegal walk entitles the city to reimbursement. Wallenda counters that he’s already paid the state for security and that the city should take from there.

The city’s latest idea to stem its population loss is to cover two years’ worth of student loan payments for recent university graduates who agree to live in a targeted neighborhood. The tuition program will start small, with about 20 people in the first round, but it has attracted interest from around the US. And that’s really the point, Dyster said, of using Niagara Falls as an incubator for new ideas. “Anything you do at Niagara Falls, because it ’s a famous place, you get this exponential increase in the level of interest and the level of publicity that’s generated,” he said. “When you do it in Niagara Falls, it’s the difference between speaking in a conversational voice and talking through a megaphone.” —AP

Second ’versary of Chile mine collapse marked President joins survivors at San Jose mine

This NASA GOES Project satellite image shows a GOES-East satellite photo of Tropical Storm Ernesto (bottom) in the Atlantic yesterday. — AFP

Ernesto treks west MIAMI: Tropical Storm Ernesto trekked westwards through the Caribbean yesterday and forecasters issued a hurricane watch for parts of the Yucatan peninsula as the storm looked on course to skirt the Honduran coast, US forecasters said.

Ernesto’s outer bands brought winds and rain to Jamaica as it passed south of the island on Sunday but the storm failed to dampen street celebrations there for sprinter Usain Bolt’s victory in the 100 meters track final at the Olympics Games.

Heavy rains also lashed Hispaniola and Puerto Rico on Sunday.

Mexico issued a hurricane watch for the east coast of the Yucatan peninsula from Chetumal northward to Punta Gruesa, the US National Hurricane Center in Florida said yesterday. Tropical storm conditions were expected along the coast of Nicaragua and Honduras by late yesterday.

A tropical storm warning for Jamaica was canceled, the hurricane center said.

Ernesto was 235 km east of the Honduras-Nicaragua border at 9 am EDT (1400 GMT) yesterday, moving west at about 12 mph (19 kph) with maximum sustained winds around 50 mph (85 kph). A g radual turn to west-northwest

was expected in the next 24 hours.

Its predicted track should keep it at sea until a forecast landfall, possibly at hurricane strength, over Yucatan tomorrow.“Some strengthening is forecast as Ernesto moves over the northwestern Caribbean Sea on Monday and Tuesday,” the National Hurricane Center forecasters in Miami said. Ernesto will be deemed a hurricane if its winds reach 119 kph. The forecasters expect Ernesto to move into the southern part of the Gulf of Mexico

by Thursday but it was too early to know if it could disrupt oil and gas operations in the gulf.

To the east, Florence, the six th n a m e d s to r m o f t h e At l a n t i c Caribbean hurricane season, weakened and was downgraded to a tropical depression on Monday, the hurricane center said. With maximum sustained winds of 55 kph, Florence was 2,590 km east of the Northern Leeward Islands at 5 am EDT (1000 GMT ). It is expec ted to fur ther weaken as it moves west, the hurricane center said.

August and September are usually the most active months of the AtlanticCaribbean hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov 30. —Reuters

SANTIAGO: A cross in the middle of the world’s driest desert now marks the spot where a mine collapse trapped 33 men a half-mile under the earth for 69 days. Chile on Sunday marked the second anniversary of the cave-in at the San Jose mine in the Atacama desert, honoring the miners who survived in entrapment longer than anyone else before.

President Sebastian Pinera traveled to the northern city of Copiapo to join the men at the mouth of the mine that nearly became their rocky grave. They unveiled a five-meter cross as part of a monument known as the “The 33 miners of Atacama: The miracle of life.” “In such extreme, difficult circumstances you were able to bring out the best in yourselves,” Pinera told the miners at a ceremony.

“You fought for your own lives with such strength, faith, hope and comradeship that it touched the fibers of men and women around the world.”

The miners said it felt like an earthquake when the shaft caved in above them on Aug 5, 2010, filing the lower ridges of the copper and gold mine with suffocating dust. Hours passed before they could even begin to see a few steps in front of them.

Above them tons of rock shifted constantly, threatening to bury them forever. People on the surface didn’t know for more than two weeks that the men had survived the collapse, and the 33 stretched a meager 48hour store of emergency food for 17 days, eating tiny capsules of tuna and sips of expired milk. A narrow shaft finally reached their haven and the world learned they were alive.

That shaft allowed food and water to reach the men while rescuers drilled a bigger escape hole. Finally, in a flawless operation that ended in the early hours of Oct 13, the miners were hauled up one-by-one in a cage through 2,000 feet of rock. Back on the surface they were received as heroes for surviving so long in the sweltering, dark depths of the overexploited century-old mine. Their globally televised rescue mesmerized millions worldwide. They got paid trips to Greek islands, visited the Real Madrid stadium in Spain and paraded at Magic Kingdom in Disney World.

But the fantasy began to crumble on their return home. Many ran out of money and had to scratch out a living in the dusty, barren workingclass neighborhoods and shantytowns of the desert city of Copiapo.

Some began suffering from health

and psychological problems. Others took to alcohol and drugs. Most are still kept up at night by memories of their ordeal. “I still suffer from the nightmares,” said Alex Vega, 33, who vowed never walk into a mine again.

“I’m on psychiatric treatment because I haven’t been able to overcome all of it,” said Vega, who has traveled to Central America and the United States giving inspirational talks and works operating construction machinery. He receives a pension of $200 a month to compensate for his psychological problems.

But doctors say the aftermath could have been worse. “I still see them as great people who were able to go through something terrible,” said Alberto Iturra Benavides, the head psychologist who worked with

tive about the details of what happened during their entrapment, especially the days before they were found, hoping to strike gold in a film deal.

Now they’re banking all their financial hopes on a Hollywood movie deal signed with “Black Swan” producer Mike Medavoy. The production will draw on a book being written about them by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Hector Tobar. “The 33”, as they are known, will appear as extras in the film, said Remberto Valdes, a lawyer who represents the men. He said they have already received about $9,000 each for the film and $2,500 for the book and will get royalties from ticket sales.

Their survival story sent the president’s popularity ratings soaring. The

returned to democracy in 1990.

The San Jose collapse brought the mine’s safety record into focus and put mining, Chile’s top industry, under close scrutiny. A congressional commission last year found its owners responsible for the cave-in at the 125-year-old mine. Mining-related deaths fell 36 percent last year to 27, compared to 41 in 2010, the year of the cave-in, according to a report by the Mining Ministry. The report says accidents at Chile’s 8,500 mines last year also fell by 40 percent, their lowest level in 21 years thanks to increased oversight by inspectors. “ The accident left us lessons,” Mining Minister Hernan de Solminihac said in a story published Sunday by the newspaper El Mercurio. “We took those seriously to

COPIAPO, Chile: Chile’s President Sebastian Pinera, center, poses for pictures surrounded by the miners who survived in entrapment longer than anyone else before during an event marking the second anniversary of the cave-in at the San Jose mine in the Atacama in front of a monument on Sunday. — AP the miners. “What surprises me most is the strength of their commitment to life. They could have had deep personality alterations, but it hasn’t happened. People can’t even begin to understand how terrible it was for them down there,” he added.

Chile announced last year that 14 of the miners who are older than 50 or suffer from health problems that keep them from working would receive a lifetime pension of $540 a month. The miners have been secre-

billionaire businessman supervised the 22-hour rescue and bear-hugged the miners on their way out. Pinera also traveled the world showing the handwritten note by one of the miners that first alerted rescuers: “We are all well in the shelter, the 33 of us.”

Since then, widespread protests demanding improvements in education and a wider distribution of wealth have eroded Pinera’s support and he has become Chile’s most unpopular leader since the country

avoid a tragedy.” At the San Jose mine, Pinera urged lawmakers to fasttrack the passing of a mining law that is stuck in Congress. If passed, it would create a new system of information safety, increase the number of inspections at mine sites and put harsher penalties on those who break the law. “We all know this law is necessary,” he said. “It sanctions anyone who doesn’t abide by their duty to protect the security and dignity of miners.” — AP

Some return to shelters as US wildfires burn OKLAHOMA CITY: Some Oklahoma residents have returned to emergency shelters despite evacuation orders in many areas of the state being lifted, as wildfires continued to burn.

Pastor Greg Mack at Slaughterville Baptist Church, where a shelter was set up for those forced from their homes by the fires in Cleveland County, said Sunday that some residents have not been able to reach their homes and others are finding theirs burned. “They’ve been leaving here, trying to get to their homes. Some of them are and some of them aren’t” able to return home, Mack said.

Ok lahoma Depar tment of Emergenc y Management spokeswoman Keli Cain said the agency did not know how many evacuation orders remained in place. She said officials would start Monday on helping in areas where requested. “We’ll be watching the fires and sending resources as needed,” Cain said. Many residents forced to leave their homes as wildfires raged were allowed to return Sunday, even though some fires were still burning and emergency shelters remained open in four communities.

A “monster” fire had devoured almost 91 square miles and continued to burn between

Mannford and Kellyville in northeastern Oklahoma’s Creek County as light rain and cooler temperatures gave firefighters a brief respite early Sunday, said Oklahoma Forestry Services spokeswoman Michelle Finch-Walker. She said the blaze hopscotched, burning some areas and leaving others untouched. “It’s not like an inferno moving across the landscape,” Finch-Walker said. “You can drive for miles down the highway and see nothing but black, but then you can see pockets of green, pockets unburned. “Maybe there was a creek (that stopped the fire),” she said. “Maybe the wind blew it in a different direction.” Finch-Walker said residents of the town of Mannford, which was evacuated Saturday, were allowed to return. Gov Mary Fallin traveled to Mannford and nearby Drumright on Sunday and met with residents and local officials. She told reporters afterward that the state is doing all it can to assist in putting out the flames. “This has really stretched the resources of the state of Oklahoma,” she said. “It’s just been a huge fight.”

Finch-Walker said Forestry Services had sent pumper trucks with water and bulldozers to fight the fires, while the Oklahoma National Guard provided helicopters to dump water on the flames. “They don’t put out the fire, they cool

down the area,” by dropping water on a blaze, Finch-Walker said. “To allow firefighters to get in and fight.” Nigel Holderby, a spokeswoman for the American Red Cross, said four shelters remained open Sunday: at a senior center in Cushing and churches in Sand Springs, Lexington and Choctaw. As many as 18 fires have been reported since late last week. No serious injuries have been reported. Three firefighters were treated and released Friday after suffering burns, Finch-Walker said. The National Weather Service said .15 to .16 inches of rain fell early Sunday in the area, but no more was expected until at least midweek. Temperatures for the next two to three days are expected to be somewhat milder, in the 90s rather than above 110 degrees, meteorologist Bart Haake said.

Firefighters welcome the news about milder weather, Finch-Walker said, but realize those temperatures will only last a couple days. “We’re not out of the woods by any stretch,” she said.

The fire season is just getting under way, she said, and whether it will be as severe as 2011 cannot be projected. Forestry services firefighters battled about 1,800 blazes in 2011, including an estimated 93 square-mile fire in the Wichita Mountains of southwestern Oklahoma. —AP

DRUMRIGHT, Oklahoma: Jonathan Bell looks at what is left of a relative’s home with his daughter Abigail, 5, on Sunday in the community of Oak Grove after wildfires moved through the area Saturday. — AP

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

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

Mali at toughest tipping point since independence BAMAKO: Mali is on the brink. The West Africa nation, once hailed as a beacon of democracy in a region shaped by destructive power shifts, could enter a period of decay and violence if it fails to solve its myriad crises. A coup by Captain Amadou Sanogo in March demolished the civilian administration of then-president Amadou Toumani Toure and exposed the rot at the core of the military, which suffered from corruption at the top and neglect of the lower ranks.

A rebellion in the north has, since April, left more than half the country under the control of radical Islamist groups imposing strict rule on a population that fears for its tolerant way of life. In the capital Bamako, these precarious undercurrents remain veiled. On the surface, life moves on at a normal speed, although the economy is estimated to have lost about 2 billion dollars to the malaise.

“What money I earn today, I use to

buy food tonight. When business is bad, it is bad for my family,” says Abdilyahi Boubacar, selling toiletries at a market. He hopes Mali’s elite political class reaches a deal on establishing an administration in the south, so that the north can be recaptured.

In order to defeat the Islamists, Mali will need help from the West African regional bloc Ecowas, which has offered to send thousands of troops. But it is unclear where the soldiers would come from and whether they would have the skills to take on the rebels. Moreover, without a stable regime, military intervention could prove futile or worse. “It could end up like Afghanistan,” is a refrain heard at ministries, civil society meetings and even from diplomats. “A foreign solution that is not acceptable to Malians will only create more problems down the line,” says Michel Diawara, a prodemocracy activist who nevertheless remains an optimist.

The country has several factors

Romania interior minister resigns BUCHAREST: Romanian Interior Minister Ioan Rus resigned yesterday, citing “unacceptable” pressures amid controversy over his ministry’s organisation of an impeachment referendum against President Traian Basescu. “I have submitted my resignation for my own honour,” said Rus, a member of Prime Minister Victor Ponta’s centre-left coalition, the Social Liberal Union (USL).

Condemning “criticism and pressure” from political figures, including both suspended centre-right Basescu and interim president Crin Antonescu, Rus also announced the resignation of Victor Dobre, the junior interior minister tasked with organising the vote. “We have been subjected to multiple forms of pressure, discussions, and criticism, coming from Romanian political figures from Traian Basescu to Crin Antonescu,” he said. “From my point of view and from (Dobre’s) point of view, these things are unacceptable. We think we organised this referendum sufficiently well.”

After Rus’s resignation, Ponta announced a cabinet reshuffle, replacing Rus by Mircea Dusa, whose post as minister for parliamentary relations will be taken over by Dan Sova, a senator with the ruling USL coalition and former spokesman for Ponta.

Justice Minister Titus Corlatean was moved to head the foreign ministry, replacing Andrei Marga, and Corlatean’s job given to a judge, Mona Pivniceru. Ponta said he regretted having to make the changes. “I would have liked the government I appointed in May to have remained in place until the legislative elections planned for November,” he said. “But the exceptional situation caused by the actions of suspended president Traian Basescu has forced us to adapt.”

Romanian politics have been thrown into turmoil by the July 29 impeachment referendum organised by Ponta’s government to remove Basescu, which has been sharply criticised by the European Union and the United States. Antonescu, who took over as interim president after Basescu was suspended last month, is a leading figure in the USL, which contested the accuracy of electoral registers after the referendum failed to meet the 50-percent turnout threshold required to oust arch-rival Basescu.

Romania’s Constitutional Court last week delayed giving a ruling on the validity of the referendum. The court asked for the updated lists of eligible voters used in the balloting, saying “contradictory data from state

meant years of stability were not utilized fully to develop the land. The rebellion in the north is the fourth ethnic Tuareg uprising since Mali’s independence in 1960, as earlier problems were not solved, only deferred - often through payoffs.

The country is also suffering from the problems of its neighbours.

Nigerian Boko Haram jihadists, Algerian Salafists and former fighters for Moamer Gaddafi in Libya are all part of the aggressive mix in northern Mali. Islamists in the nor th are destroying ancient tombs and UN recognized World Heritage sites in Timbuktu, and driving out locals. “I left because the fighting was so scary, but also I do not want to live under Islamist rule. The regime in Timbuktu is too strict,” says Naimoye Alidji, a school teacher and mother-of-five.

She is staying with relatives in Bamako.

In the capital bars stay open, even during Ramadan. Casinos are flooded

by rich Malians and Chinese workers.

Discos play gyrating music - one club pounds out a beat broken by the sing-song refrain of the Arab greeting “Salam Alaikum” (peace be with you).

So how did it all fall apart? “Stability made people sleepy, we couldn’t see what was coming,” says government spokesman Toure.

The complacenc y angers Coumbah Ba Traore, an energetic woman in a bright pink hijab. The airport employee had a comfortable life and never thought about politics until March. The deaths of innocent people, the looting and the failure of the leadership changed that. She has since gathered hundreds of activists from across the country into a grassroots platform demanding that politicians put the people of Mali first.

“Complete chaos has taken over Mali, but we will emerge from this stronger, like how the Western countries came out of their revolutions stronger,” Traore insists. — dpa

Clinton meets Mandela in rare visit at his home US business delegation holds trade meetings

Ioan Rus institutions” had forced it to delay its decision to August 31. But the court on Monday contradicted the prime minister, who had told local authorities last week that they needed to update their election lists by the end of August to comply with the court’s request.

The court has “asked the government for the permanent updated electoral lists that served as the basis for the July 29 referendum,” it said in a letter to Ponta posted on its website.

The letter said the clarification needed to be made “after divergent interpretations appeared in the media and at a government press conference” - a reference to Ponta’s statements on Friday. Official results showed that 86 percent of those who cast ballots in the referendum voted to impeach Basescu. But voter turnout was only 46.24 percent, shy of the 50 percent required by the Constitutional Court to validate the result. The USL claimed after the referendum that the voter lists had not been updated and that some registered voters should not have been on the rolls despite Rus having said five days before the referendum that the lists were up to date as of July 10. Rus said again yesterday that the lists had been purged of deceased and ineligible voters before the referendum, putting the number of deleted names at more than 21,000. “I’m an honest politician,” he said. —AFP

Cameron faces poll test after MP quits LONDON: British Prime Minister David Cameron’s increasingly unpopular government faces a test at the polls after a highprofile legislator and author of best-selling “chick-lit” romantic fiction said she was quitting for family reasons. Yesterday’s decision by Louise Mensch, married to the manager of rock band Metallica and a Conservative member of parliament (MP) since the 2010 national election, will trigger a by-election for her seat in Corby in the English Midlands.

Cameron’s centre-right Conservatives, the senior party in the two-year-old coalition government, are trailing in the polls behind a resurgent Labour opposition as the economy struggles to recover from the effects of the global financial crisis. Labour will hope to regain the constituency after narrowly losing it at the last general election, inflicting a short-term blow on Cameron, although doing little to dent the coalition’s 83-seat majority in parliament.

The Conservatives’ standing with British voters has declined after a poorly received budget in March that cut earnings tax for the richest and raised levies on the elderly, prompting accusations the coalition was out of touch with ordinary people.

Cameron is under further pressure from rebel legislators in his own party who believe traditional Conservative scepticism towards Europe and state welfare is being constrained by the coalition with the leftleaning Liberal Democrats.

Mensch, 41, who wrote best-sellers such as “Career Girls”, “Glamour” and “Desire” under her maiden name Louise Bagshawe, won praise for her close questioning of

working in its favour. The majority of Malians reject the Islamists’ agenda.

Citizens do not want to see their country divided and are willing to find common ground for peace. Also, there is a highly educated class. Many worked for the United Nations and came back after a shaky regime was established this year by interimPresident Dioncounda Traore. He was wounded by a mob in May and was flown to Paris for treatment.

Since returning in late July, Traore has held wide-ranging consultations and appears set to form a unity government. “The goal ... is to ultimately hold elections that are free and fair and credible,” says government spokesman Hamadoun Toure, a former UN official. After the coup, he received a phone call begging him to come back and help his homeland.

Mali’s problems are complex. A drought is threatening millions of people with hunger. Corruption, poverty and navel-gazing politicians

Louise Mensch Rupert and James Murdoch in a parliamentary committee inquiry over phone hacking. A prolific user of the Twitter messaging service not afraid to pose for glamorous magazine portraits, Mensch said she was resigning as an MP and moving to New York, where her husband lives, as the “best outcome for my family life”. She previously said it was difficult balancing work as an MP with looking after three small children from her first marriage and having a husband living in New York. She married Metallica manager Peter Mensch in June last year. —Reuters

QUNU, South Africa: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met Nelson Mandela yesterday at his rural homestead where South Africa’s first black president is living out retirement far from the public eye. Her private lunch with the Nobel Peace Prize winner was the first event of her South African visit, an indication of the prestige still enjoyed by the man who led the fight against white-minority rule. The two chatted in his home ahead of the meal, an honour that few receive as Mandela’s health has become more fragile with age.

“Madiba not only repesents all that there is great in the world, but (is someone) who to the secretary is a close friend... somebody who she has learned a lot from,” a US official said ahead of the meeting. “I think she is very excited about that.”

Mandela was elected president in South Africa’s first all-race elections in 1994, after spending 27 years as a political prisoner under the segregationist apartheid regime. Clinton’s husband, Bill Clinton, was the US president when Mandela took office.

Their two families developed close ties, with Bill Clinton paying a visit to Qunu last month on the eve of Mandela’s 94th birthday. A dozen police stood guard outside the homestead in Mandela’s village in Eastern Cape province.

Long accustomed to high-profile international guests, Clinton’s motorcade attracted little attention as it rolled through.

Hillar y Clinton last met Mandela almost exactly three years ago at his Johannesburg home, when she praised the influence that he had on her own life. “It of course inspires in me an even greater admiration for his

QUNU, South Africa: US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton meets Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa, at his home yesterday. — AFP public work but an even greater affection for the man,” she said after viewing the mementoes in his home in Aug 2009. She also hailed the “the discipline that he brought to a life filled with so many great achievements, not only for him personally but for South Africa and the world.”

While she was meeting Mandela, an American business delegation was holding a trade meeting with South African executives in Johannesburg, the commercial hub of Africa’s largest economy. Members of the American business delegation include senior executives from Black & Veatch, Boeing, Chevron,

EMD/Caterpillar, FedEx Express, GE, Symbion, Trimble, Wal-Mart, and Zanbato. A trade mission also includes the heads of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the US Trade and Development Agency, as well as Robert Hormats, undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment, and Francisco Sanchez, undersecretary of commerce for international trade.

“South Africa is critically important to America’s commercial interests on the continent,” said Scott Eisner, vice president of African Affairs at the US Chamber

of Commerce. “Expanding the USSouth African commercial relationship is in the interests of companies and workers who produce goods exported and sold in South African markets.

We applaud Secretary Clinton’s attention to the importance of the growing economic relationship between our two countries.”

Clinton is set to leave South Africa on Thursday for Nigeria and then Benin. She is also expected in Ghana for the state funeral of late president John Atta Mills, before heading to Istanbul for talks on the crisis in Syria. —AFP

Mali radio presenter beaten, hospitalised BAMAKO: A radio presenter was badly beaten by Islamists occupying the northern Mali town of Gao after he reported on a protest in which they were stopped from cutting off a thief’s hand, hospital sources said yesterday. As the Islamists attempt to deepen their hold on the north of the country, government vowed yesterday it was working flat out to win back its territory lost to the extremists, and its commitment to a secular state. “The presenter Abdoul Malick Maiga, beaten by the Islamists on Sunday night, is still in hospital. He regained consciousness but is still in intense pain,” a doctor at the hospital told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“I saw him this morning (Monday). He has scratches on his eye. He explained that the Islamists came to arrest him as he was commenting on the population’s refusal to accept the amputation of a thief’s hand,” he added. Another doctor said the presenter had been beaten “with a stick by the Islamists who accused him of criticising them.” Hundreds of people protested on Sunday night in Gao against Maiga’s detention and demanded his release, setting fire to a car belonging to a leader of the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) which controls the town.

The Islamists fired shots into the air to disperse the crowd. On Saturday MUJAO announced on private radio they would amputate the thief’s hand at a town square, but were met by hundreds of protesters on Sunday who stormed the square, prevent-

ing the sentence from being carried out.

According to local sources, the accused was a young MUJAO recruit who had stolen weapons to re-sell them. “We don’t want to know what this young man did, but they are not going to cut his hand off in front of us,” a resident said on Sunday.

This is the first report of the extremists attempting to carry out an amputation since they occupied the north of the country four months ago, enforcing strict sharia law. The residents of Gao have kicked back against the occupation, and MUJAO had eased up on the application of sharia after violent anti-Islamist protests in May left one dead. In the small town of Aguelhok, another armed Islamist group Ansar Dine (Defenders of Faith) publicly stoned an unmarried couple to death late last month.

The Islamist groups, which security experts say are acting under the aegis of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), seized key northern cities in the chaos following a coup d’etat in Bamako on March 22.

The embattled west African nation is currently under the stewardship of a transition government which took over from the military junta. In a statement yesterday, government vigorously condemned both the attack on the protester and the attempted amputation, reaffirming its “commitment to freedom of the press as well as the irreversible secularity of the Malian state”.

The government said it was working “flatout for the total recuperation of the occupied zones and the restoration of the

authority of the state.”

Thus far the interim government has stood by helplessly as the extremists deepen their hold on the north. Mediators from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ordered the interim government to form a more inclusive unity government which would be better equipped to deal with the various crises. An initial deadline of July 31 was postponed, and it is not clear when the government will be in place. ECOWAS wants to send a 3,000strong military force to Mali but is waiting for United Nations approval and a formal request from a more inclusive government.

France has said an African military intervention was “desirable and inevitable” but Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the former colonial power would not take the lead.

In neighbouring Mauritania, President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz ruled out sending troops to Mali but said his country would support international efforts to restore peace. “There will be no Mauritanian military intervention in Mali,” he said yesterday. “The problem there is very complex and we don’t have the solution.” Abdel Aziz warned against “the terrorist risk which will grow and can be a catastrophe for the entire world.” “We saw this problem coming, we said it and history proved us right,” Abdel Aziz added, underlining the role of his army which has carried out raids against AQIM bases in Mali to protect his country against their attacks. —AFP

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international

Shootings a new blow to beleaguered US Sikhs NEW YORK: The killing of six worshippers at a Sikh temple in suburban Milwaukee brought fresh worries Sunday to the half million US followers of a faith whose congregants have worried about their safety since the Sept 11, 2001, attacks, when some began targeting adherents of a peaceful religion that stresses the equality of people. Several leaders of Sikh organizations nationwide say the killings have brought to the surface fears that have lingered since 9/11 when some ignorant about their beliefs began mistaking them for potential terrorists.

“This is something we have been fearing since 9/11, that this kind of incident will take place,” said Rajwant Singh, chairman of the Washington-based Sikh Council on Religion and Education.

“It was a matter of time because there’s so much ignorance and people confuse us (as) being members of Taleban or belonging to (Osama) bin Laden.” Valarie Kaur, 31, a New Haven, Connecticut, filmmaker who has chronicled Sikh attacks for 11 years, said the shooting “is reverberating through every Sikh American home,” where the worst is feared. “We are experiencing it as a hate crime,” she said.

“Every Sikh American today is hurting, grieving and afraid.”

The cloth turbans worn for centuries by members of the Sikh faith so they could better serve their communities through a commitment to the oneness of God in all faiths and equality for all people has ironically made them targets of

those ignorant of their history, she said. “That turban has tragically marked us as automatically suspect, perpetually foreign and potentially terrorists,” Kaur said.

Amarjit Singh, vice president of the Wheaton, Illinois-based Illinois Sikh Community Center, which serves 5,000 Sikhs, agreed about the Sept.

11 fears and said the congregation prayed for the slain victims as word of the shooting spread. “We have a lot of families who have family members that attend that temple,” Singh said. “It seemed so random.”

Two elderly men wearing turbans were shot to death in March while taking a walk in Elk Grove, California, and police are investigating it as a hate crime. Days after the 2001 terror attacks, a Sikh man was killed in suburban Phoenix.

The man who was later convicted of his death had told his wife that “all Arabs should be shot”. And at airports, controversy has erupted when airport workers try to search or remove Sikh turbans, considered sacred in the Sikh faith.

Though there were no known threats, the New York Police Department announced it was increasing coverage in an abundance of caution in and around Sikh temples.

Harkirat Sandhu, 45, of Hanover Park, Illinois, a member of Sikh Religious Society of Chicago for more than 10 years, said he worried more Sikhs could be targeted.

“The Sikh community is a peaceful community,” he said. “We don’t believe in this type of hate and crime. We condemn this situation.”

“Americans of all faiths should stand in unified support with their Sikh brothers and sisters,” said Sapreet Kaur, executive director of the New York-based Sikh Coalition, the largest Sikh American civil rights organization in the US. President Barack Obama and his presidential challenger, Mitt Romney, expressed their sorrow in statements. South Carolina Gov

“That gives me hope. Any expressions of solidarity, messages, prayers, will be felt not only by Sikhs in Milwaukee but all over the country.”

Kavneet Singh, managing director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, said that the community could not recall an attack of similar proportions in recent memory.

OAK CREEK, Wisconsin: Unsure of the whereabouts of her family members, a woman waits to be escorted into the building of survivors after a shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin on Sunday. —AP Nikki Haley, whose parents are Sikh, posted a statement with condolences to “the innocent victims and the family of the heroic officer” on her Facebook page.

Kaur, the filmmaker, said she was encouraged by the outpouring from others, unimaginable a decade ago. “My phone has been ringing off the hook,” she said.

“This is a true American tragedy for people to be targeted at their houses or worship in a country that was founded on religious freedom and the belief in civil and human rights,” Singh told AFP. In other incidents this year, a Sikh family in the Virginia suburbs of Washington received a letter threatening violence if they did

not leave the United States and the foundations of an under-construction Sikh temple, known as a gurudwara, were vandalized in Michigan.

The violence has been so alarming that nearly 100 lawmakers in April appealed to the Justice Department to start collecting data on hate crimes against Sikhs. US Representative Joe Crowley of New York, who spearheaded the effort, said in a statement Sunday that while it was unclear who carried out the Wisconsin attack, “we do know that Sikh Americans are too often the victims of intolerance and hate.”

While not all Sikh Americans have experienced violence, community members say that they face regular stigmatization including bullying at schools and screenings of their turbans by airport security officers. But Sikh Americans have also seen signs of growing acceptance. Obama has introduced celebrations at the White House of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the religion’s founder. Obama, however, dropped plans to visit Sikhism’s holiest site, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, during a 2010 visit to India, raising charges that he was worried how his opponents would use images of him alongside turbaned men.

The US military in recent years has begun to allow Sikhs to serve in uniform while keeping their articles of faith. Several other countries including Britain,

Canada and India already allowed observant Sikhs in the armed forces. In May, Washington became the first major US city to allow turbaned Sikhs to serve as police officers. In 2010, voters in South Carolina elected as their governor Haley, who was raised Sikh. However, Haley identifies as Christian and a lawmaker derided her as a “raghead” during her election campaign.

Coincidentally, Sikh community members said they they faced little hostility in Wisconsin where the gurudwara has tried to reach out to neighbors. A Sikh gas station magnate, Darshan Dhaliwal, has been prominent for years in the Milwaukee area and active in Wisconsin politics. Singh, of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, said that persistent violence was partly due to a lack of follow-up and media focus after previous incidents.

Balbir Singh Sodhi, who owned a gas station in Mesa, Arizona, was shot and killed on September 15, 2001 by an assailant who said he wanted to kill a Muslim out of patriotic sentiment. The killing was widely condemned, but a decade later, an Arizona lawmaker attempted to remove Sodhi’s name from a state September 11 memorial, saying that hate crimes after the attacks were a myth. Sodhi’s brother was killed in a separate suspected hate crime. “I think 9/11 proved to Sikhs that we need to be a little more proactive,” Kavneet Singh said. —Agencies

India Sikhs shocked and angered by US shooting Prime minister condemns rampage AMRITSAR, India: Indian Sikhs, led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, voiced shock and anger yesterday at the killing of worshippers at a Sikh shrine in the US, with some suggesting Muslims may have been the intended target. “I am deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the shooting incident that has resulted in the loss of precious lives,” said Singh, himself a Sikh. “That this senseless act of violence should be targeted at a place of religious worship is particularly painful,” Singh told

attack on innocent devotees and that they will ensure that such ghastly events do not take place,” Singh said. By religious tradition, Sikh Indians wear turbans to cover their uncut hair and sport long beards.

In the United States, they have often been confused with Muslims and targeted by antiIslam activists, particularly after the Sept 11, 2001 attacks. Leading Sikh politicians in India said the temple shooting in Wisconsin may have followed a similar pat-

and identity,” he said.

At Sikhdom’s holiest shrine, the Golden Temple in the northern Indian city of Amritsar, the atmosphere was tense and sombre as shocked devotees went to offer their prayers, amid the daily influx of tourists. “This attack on Sikhs in the US is shameful. People come to the gurudwara (temple) to find peace. It is a holy place,” said Kulwinder Singh, 50. “Sitting in India we are helpless,” said Nita Singh, 45. “The US government must take steps to see such inci-

JAMMU: Indian Sikhs shout anti-US slogans in front of burning tyres yesterday after a gunman in the US shot worshippers at a suburban Sikh temple in Wisconsin. —AFP reporters in New Delhi.

In Sunday’s attack, a gunman shot worshippers at a suburban Sikh temple in Wisconsin, in the mid-western United States, killing at least six people before he was shot dead by police. “I hope the American authorities would investigate who is behind this dastardly

tern. “I think it is a case of mistaken identity. Sikhs are often mistaken to be from the Middle East,” Manpreet Singh Badal, founderpresident of the People’s Party of Punjab, told AFP. “ This is an opportunity, although a very sad one, to raise awareness among Americans about the Sikh culture

dents never occur in the future.”

Separately, Indian Foreign Minister S M Krishna said he “condemned this incident and every right-thinking person has to condemn this”.

He told reporters in New Delhi that India would “like to assure the Sikh community the govern-

ment of India would do everything within its powers to ensure their (US) places of worship are going to be protected”. Asked whether the shooting was a result of a “gun culture in the United States,” Krishna replied New Delhi was “certainly not going to interfere in the internal affairs of United States”. At the same time, he added, Americans “will have to certainly take a comprehensive look at the this kind of (gun culture) tendency, which certainly is not going to bring credit to the United States”.

In Indian Kashmir, which has a large Sikh community, protesters blocked a national highway and brandished banners calling for stronger US gun laws. In Delhi, several dozen Sikhs demonstrated outside the US embassy and chanted slogans denouncing “hate crimes”. “Sikhs contribute a lot to America, they are an important part of America,” said Manjit Singh, president of a Delhi-based Sikh party. “This is a racially motivated case and the (US) government needs to educate people about different communities so it doesn’t happen again.”

US ambassador Nancy Powell visited New Delhi’s largest Sikh temple to show solidarity with the grieving community over what she described as “this ghastly act of violence”. “We hope that families find comfort in the fact that so many around the world share their grief,” she told reporters. In Amritsar, Giani Gurbachan Singh, head priest at the Akal Takht, Sikhdom’s highest seat of religious and temporal authority, urged all Sikhs in the United States to “remain vigilant”.

“This is a security lapse on the part of US government wherein Sikhs have become the victims of violence,” Singh said, adding that a “chain of prayers” would be held in Sikh temples across India, including the Golden Temple. —AFP

Russia’s punk trial nears verdict as West watches MOSCOW: The trial of all-girl punk band Pussy Riot, who per formed a song criticising President Vladimir Putin in Moscow’s biggest church, resumed yesterday with sentencing expected as early as this week. Western diplomats squeezed into the courtroom as day six of the trial got under way, with Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich sitting inside a glass enclosure reserved for defendants. “Everyone I’ve spoken to assumes conviction but hoping for lighter sentence, not seven years,” British parliament member Kerry McCarthy tweeted from inside the crammed courtroom.

Britain and other Western states view Moscow’s latest politically-tinged trial as symbolic of renewed pressure on freedoms in Russia since Putin’s return to the Kremlin for a

third term. The Kremlin has already introduced tougher penalties on protests and labelled Western-funded rights organisations “foreign agents” subject to stringent new government checks, since his re-election in February. The three women, all in their 20s, have been charged with “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred” for shouting out their anti-Putin song from the altar of the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in February.

Putin himself weighed in on the incident for the first time last week, saying he personally thought the band “should not be judged too severely”. Prominent heads of the youth-driven protest movement that shook Moscow this winter meanwhile are facing probes and various criminal charges. Russia charged one of Putin’s most vocal critics, anti-corruption blogger

Alexei Navalny, with embezzlement last month, reviving a case that could put him behind bars for 10 years.

The Pussy Riot case stems in part from those protests and a time when parts of the ruling elite - including the Russian Orthodox Church began feeling waves of resentment for the first time since the days of the Soviet collapse.

Russian opinion polls show growing numbers numbers condemning the group’s performance while calling the state’s response too harsh. Yet the band’s lawyers remain pessimistic after the judge on Friday threw out most of the planned defence testimony. Russia’s courts are officially independent but have rarely strayed far from the Kremlin on rulings watched by the national media and of importance in Moscow’s relations with the West. —AFP

KAJAB, Afghanistan: This photo taken on July 19, 2012 shows Afghan Hazara tribesmen looking over the remains of their property, destroyed during a recent attack by nomadic Kuchis in this valley of Behsud district, Wardak province. —AFP

Afghan nomad clashes raise ethnic strife fears KAJAB, Afghanistan: Bloody raids by nomads armed with machine guns and rocket launchers on villages near Kabul are raising fears about a return to ethnic conflict in Afghanistan 18 months before NATO combat troops leave. For more than a century, ethnic Pashtuns known as Kuchis have wintered in the south and east where the weather is better, and migrated in the summer to let their herds graze in the cooler north. But a land dispute between the Kuchis and the settled ethnic Hazaras dating back 130 years has since 2005 disintegrated into seasonal violence in the Kajab valley west of the capital.

With NATO forces due to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014, there are fears that the country could slide back to the chaos seen in the 1990s, when ethnically aligned factions fought a bloody civil war. From the early 1990s to 2001 fighting between the Pashtundominated Taliban and Hazaras led to tens of thousands of deaths, particularly on the Hazara side. “Afghans have suffered a lot in internal and mainly ethnic wars in the past, and this problem, if left unsolved could hurt the volatile national unity among Afghans even further,” said author and analyst Waheed Mujda.

In early June, up to 2,000 Kuchi nomads swept into Kajab, according to residents and local officials, ransacking several villages and burning hundreds of buildings. Most of the valley’s population of ethnic Hazaras, who are also part of the Shiite minority, fled. According to villagers, the Kuchis killed four Hazaras and seven soldiers. Two months on from the raid, Kajab looks like a post-apocalyptic wasteland dotted with gutted, fire-blackened mud buildings. “In each burnt home, there was a Quran. When the Americans set fire to them in the spring, the whole world cried out,” said village elder Ewaz, 55. “But here, no one’s said anything. Who are we? What have we done? We’re also Muslims, aren’t we.”

The madrassa in Dahane Gandob village was almost totally destroyed, apparently by rocket fire. The walls of the seminary’s mosque are pockmarked with small-calibre bullet holes. A prayer room was saved, though the carpets were

stolen. The village’s two medical clinics were badly damaged - the older one was completely destroyed and the other, which was not yet in service, is now unusable. Local authorities and villagers say there were Taleban among the Kuchi raiders, suggesting that the Pashtundominated insurgent group could be using the Kuchis to win land away from the government and its NATO allies.

Kajab is in Behsoud district of Wardak, a province dominated by Pashtuns where the local government denies what is widely assumed to be a strong Taleban presence.

In neighbouring Uruzgan province last week, a Hazara local police commander reportedly rounded up and killed nine Pashtun civilians in revenge for the death of two local Hazaras.

Authorities say the case is still under investigation. Behsoud lawmaker Ghulan Hussein Nasseri accused the government of President Hamid Karzai, himself a Pashtun, of discriminating against Hazaras and said they would defend themselves if they were not given protection. “The attacks of the nomads were under the support of the government,” Nasseri said. He said he warned the national and provincial authorities the day before the attack and on the day itself, but claimed the army only arrived in Kajab five hours after the Kuchis left.

Shahidullah Shahid, spokesman for the Wardak governor, blamed a lack of resources. “We don’t have enough security forces in the area, although we have asked the central government to send us more, and even make a special force to control the Kuchis and Hazara brothers’ conflict,” he said. The clashes stemmed from a “legal issue” which was beyond the remit of the provincial authorities and should be solved through judicial channels, he added. The nomads say they want to reclaim land given to them by a royal decree 130 years ago, which the settled communities have been living on for generations. Hazaras make up an estimated 15 to 20 percent of the population. They suffered brutal persecution under the 1996-2001 Taleban rule, but have prospered since the 2001 USled invasion.—AFP

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international

Hiroshima marks ’versary of 1945 atomic bombing Thousands stage anti-nuclear demonstrations HIROSHIMA, Japan: A bell tolled to mark a moment of silence while people joined hands in prayer as tens of thousands marked the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima yesterday. Ageing survivors, relatives, government officials and foreign delegates attended an annual ceremony at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park commemorating the US bombing of the city nearly seven decades ago, as a rising tide of anti-nuclear sentiment swells in post-Fukushima

named Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on Aug 6, 1945, turning the western Japanese city into a nuclear inferno and killing an estimated 140,000 in the final chapter of World War II. At 8:15 am yesterday, the time of detonation, the toll of a bell set off the minute of silence as pedestrians came to a standstill and bowed slightly, linking hands under a scorching sun. Some 50,000 people attended the official ceremony, while thousands of others joined demonstrations, marches,

argued that the bombings brought a quick end to the war by speeding up Japan’s surrender, preventing millions more casualties from a land invasion planned for later in the year. Daniel is the first Truman relative to attend the anniversary event in Japan.

In separate rallies yesterday, more than 7,000 people, including atomic bomb survivors and evacuees from the Fukushima area, staged anti-nuclear demonstrations, the latest in a series of protests triggered by last year’s cri-

HIROSHIMA: Doves fly over the cenotaph dedicated to the victims of the atomic bombing at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park during the ceremony of the 67th anniversary of the bombing yesterday. —AP Japan. “On this day, in this city, let me proclaim again: there must never be another nuclear attack never,” said Angela Kane, UN high representative for disarmament affairs, reading a message from Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

“Such weapons have no legitimate place in our world. Their elimination is both morally right and a practical necessity in protecting humanity.”

An American B-29 bomber

forums, and concerts held across the city, a long-time focal point for the global movement against nuclear weapons.

Among the attendees were the ambassadors of nuclear-armed France and the United States, as well as Clifton Truman Daniel, 55, grandson of former US president Harry Truman, who authorised the bombing of Hiroshima and the port city of Nagasaki three days later. The Allied powers have long

sis. An earthquake-sparked tsunami left some 19,000 dead or missing and knocked out cooling systems at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, causing meltdowns that spread radiation over a large area and forced thousands to leave their homes. Usually sedate Japan has seen a string of antinuclear protests since Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda in June ordered the restart of two reactors.

Many atomic bomb survivors,

known as “hibakusha”, oppose both military and civil use of nuclear power, pointing to the tens of thousands who were killed instantly in the Hiroshima blast and the many more who later died from radiation sickness and cancers linked to the attack. “We want to work together with people in Fukushima and join our voices calling for no more nuclear victims,” said Toshiyuki Mimaki, 70, an atomic bomb survivor. Kumiko Okamoto, a 38-year-old mother of two, said: “There is no difference between atomic bombs and nuclear accidents.”

Noda has defended the restarts, citing looming power shortages after Japan switched off its 50 nuclear reactors - which once provided the resource-poor country with a third of its energy in the wake of the Fukushima crisis. Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui called on the government “to establish without any delay an energy policy that guards the safety and security of the people”. But Noda, who also attended the event, only said: “We will establish an energy mix with which people can feel safe in the long- and medium-term, based on our policy that we will not rely on nuclear power.”

Demonstrators marched around the headquarters of Chugoku Electric Power, a regional utility which has reactors of its own, chanting: “Noda should quit.

We oppose nuclear power.” Weekly demonstrations outside the prime minister’s official residence have drawn thousands, while a rally in west Tokyo last month saw a crowd that organisers claimed swelled to 170,000. There are fears it could be decades before the area around Fukushima is deemed safe for human habitation. But Tamotsu Baba, the mayor of Namie, a community within a nogo zone near the plant, told reporters ahead of the ceremony: “I renewed my determination to rebuild our town like Hiroshima did.” —AFP

JAKARTA: Indonesian Muslims holding placards saying “Stop Killing Rohingya” attend a rally outside the Myanmar embassy yesterday. Decades of discrimination have left the Rohingya stateless, with Myanmar implementing restrictions on their movement and withholding land rights, education and public services. —AFP

Three more die in fresh Myanmar sectarian unrest YANGON: Renewed violence between Buddhists and Muslim Rohingya has left three people dead in Myanmar, a government official said yesterday, amid growing international concern about the sectarian unrest. The fighting in western Rakhine state has killed 80 people from both sides since June, official figures show, although authorities say the situation has been generally calm in recent weeks.The new casualties, who were not identified, died on Sunday in Kyauktaw about 100 km north of the state capital Sittwe, said the official, who did not want to be named. Five others were reported wounded.

“The situation is calm and back to normal already,” the official told AFP. “We do not know why it started again.” The violence initially broke out in June following the rape and murder of a Rakhine woman and the subsequent lynching of 10 Muslims by a crowd of angry Buddhists.

The bloodshed has cast a shadow over widely praised reforms by President Thein Sein, including the release of hundreds of political prisoners and the election of

opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to parliament.

Myanmar’s government has rejected accusations of abuse by security forces in Rakhine, after the United Nations raised fears of a crackdown on Muslims. The entire state has been under emergency rule since early June with a heavy army and police presence. New York-based Human Rights Watch has accused Myanmar forces of opening fire on Rohingya, as well as committing rape and standing by as rival mobs attacked each other. The authorities failed to protect both sides and then “unleashed a campaign of violence and mass roundups against the Rohingya,” the group said in a report released last week.

Decades of discrimination have left the Rohingya stateless, and they are viewed by the United Nations as one of the world’s most persecuted minorities. Speaking a Bengali dialect similar to one in neighbouring Bangladesh, the Rohingya are seen as illegal immigrants by the Myanmar government and many Burmese, and many have attempted to flee overseas in rickety boats. —AFP

Macau police detain 150, HK 130 on gang war fears

BULACAN, Philippines: Residents ride a boat along a flooded area in this province north of Manila yesterday. Heavy rains forced some classes to be suspended as hundreds of residents living in low-lying areas evacuated their homes due to high floods and rising of dam levels. —AP

Philippine lawmakers speed birth control vote MANILA: Philippine legislators yesterday voted to terminate heated debates on a controversial birth control law after President Benigno Aquino urged its speedy passage. A “voice vote” at the 285-member House of Representatives ended further debates on the bill which has polarised the largely Catholic nation of almost 100 million. Congressman Edcel Lagman, the main proponent of the bill, said the loud, vocal support for accelerating its passage was a “positive indication” that it would be passed by the House this month. “We are at the threshold of victory but we are not yet at our victory because we will have to wait for final voting,” he told AFP. Earlier yesterday, Aquino met with leaders of the House and expressed his desire to see the law passed, his spokesman Edwin Lacierda said. “The president echoed the view that the responsible parenthood measure had been discussed thoroughly over the past several years and expressed his desire that Congress move on to the next step in the legislative process,” he said. In the past opponents of the bill used lengthy debates and long-winded

speeches to delay its passage until Congress adjourned, effectively preventing it from being passed.

The church, whose opinion on key issues helps to shape public opinion, led thousands in a rally on Saturday to call on congressmen to junk the bill.

The bill seeks to make it mandatory for the government to provide free contraceptives as well as introducing sex education in schools, which the politically influential Catholic church has rejected.

Lagman said that the next legislative process would be to open the bill for amendment ahead of its passage.

The Senate, or the upper chamber of congress, needs to separately pass the bill before it can effectively become law, and some of its leaders have openly said they would reject it. Yesterday, over 100 activists favouring the bill held a peaceful rally outside congress to press for its passage. Women’s groups as well as the United Nations have been pushing for the law to be passed, saying it would help to bring down the maternal mor tality rate in the Philippines, which is one of the highest in the region. —AFP

HONG KONG: Police detained more than 150 people in weekend raids on casinos and hotels in Macau after a recent spate of killings raised fears of a new gang war in the world’s largest gambling destination. In Hong Kong, police raided 21 locations on August 2 as part of the joint operation and arrested 130 people on suspicion of various crimes including money laundering involving HK$300 million, illegal gambling and prostitution. Police also seized cash, watches and cars worth more than HK$11 million.

Macau, a former Portuguese territory, was gripped by gang wars in the late 1990s and the recent murders of three people in two weeks, thought linked to the gambling industry, come just months ahead of the release from jail of triad boss “Broken Tooth” Wan Kuok-koi, who wreaked havoc at that time. About 1,300 people were rounded up on Friday and Saturday in Macau, a one-hour ferry ride from Hong Kong, and 150 of them were taken in for questioning in the operation codenamed “Thunderbolt”.

“This operation is an annual exercise to maintain public security. It is a joint exercise undertaken by police in Guangdong province, Macau and Hong Kong to crack down and prevent crime in this region,” a Macau police spokeswoman said. The Macau raids came just weeks after a Chinese woman was found murdered in a residential area minutes away from the cavernous gambling halls of gaming magnate Sheldon Adelson’s Venetian casino. That followed the murders of two Chinese nationals at the five-star Grand Lapa hotel in Macau and an attack at the end of June on a senior figure in Macau’s junket industry, which extends credit to rich gamblers.

By contrast, only five homicide cases were recorded between June 2011 and May 2012, according to Macau police statistics. “We are not too concerned about these operations. Macau is a gambling city and whenever gambling is involved, sex and drugs will be involved,” said Macau legislator Au Kam San. “Most times the government will keep one eye shut, but sometimes it needs to show it is doing something ... because when such vermin that breeds gambling and drugs exist and you completely ignore it, it could become uncontrollable.”

Macau, which like Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, has boomed since the 1999 handover from Portugal, with Las Vegas moguls including Adelson and Steve Wynn setting up glitzy casino hotels. That growth, however, has slowed significantly in the past three months, forcing junket operators into more aggressive debt-collecting tactics. Many of the smaller junket companies, which collect gambling debts in exchange for a commission from casino operators, are struggling to stay in business. The raids and recent upsurge in violence will likely draw unwanted attention to gambling operations in Macau and the companies that operate there.

In addition to Sands and Wynn, tycoon Stanley Ho’s SJM Holdings also has casinos in Macau. Other operators include MGM Resor ts MGM China, Galax y Entertainment and Melco Crown. —Reuters

TALAYAN, Philippines: Students walk past Philippine troops manning a checkpoint in Maguindanao province on the southern island of Mindnano yesterday, after members of a breakaway Muslim rebel group launched simultaneous attacks across 11 towns in the southern Philippines. —AFP

Three dead in breakaway rebel attack in Philippines DATU SAUDI AMPATUAN, Philippines: A breakaway group of Muslim rebels used chainsaws to launch simultaneous attacks across 11 towns in the southern Philippines yesterday, leaving at least three dead, officials said. A civilian died in crossfire, while the army said the bodies of two Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) had been recovered hours after the attacks in Maguindanao province. The rebels used chainsaws to bring down electricity pylons before dawn, plunging several towns into darkness, and then opened fire on army detachments, police and the military said.

“Sporadic heavy fighting continued in the morning, but we set up roadblocks while the military went after the rebels,” provincial police chief Senior Superintendent Marcelo Pintac told AFP. “They used chainsaws to sabotage the power lines. Heavy fighting is ongoing,” he added. He said the rebels were also believed to have planted improvised bombs along a major highway that runs through the strife -torn province of Maguindanao, where the fighting erupted.

At least six armoured vehicles were seen rolling down the highway as attack helicopters flew overhead, while explosions and machine - gun fire echoed in the distance. Provincial governor Esmael Mangudadatu said “hundreds” of villagers were believed to have fled their homes as government forces repelled the rebels. “They sabotaged power lines and attacked 11 towns. We are now largely in control except for a section of the highway that remains closed,” he said. The governor said he was asking the rebel fighters to call a truce but advised commuters to avoid the area.

The government’s chief presidential adviser on the peace process, Teresita Deles, said the attack was apparently meant to derail negotiations with the larger, more mainstream Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The BIFF is headed by Ameril Umbrakato, a hardline Saudi Arabian-educated guerrilla who split from the 12,000-strong MILF after it dropped its bid for full independence to negotiate for an autonomous region. Umbrakato has boasted of having about 5,000 armed fighters, though militar y officials believe he only has a few hundred under his command. “ This ac t of aggression... is meant to derail the peace process,” Deles said in a statement, as she sought to assure the public the violence would not affect a new round of talks set to resume in Malaysia this week.

Umbrakato had previously accused his former comrades of betraying the rebellion’s ultimate goal of an independent Islamic state in the troubled south.

The government has said it hopes to sign a peace deal with the MILF by the end of the year, but has asked the MILF leadership to help contain Umbrakato’s forces. BIFF opposes peace talks with the government. The Muslim insurgency on the island of Mindanao began in the early 1970s and the fighting has killed some 150,000 people, miring large parts of the south in deep poverty. Abu Misri, a spokesman for Umbrakato, told AFP by phone that the attack was launched to avenge the alleged unprovoked killing of a BIFF member by troops in June. He said his men were under instructions not to stand down, despite rebel positions being pounded by helicopter gunships.

“We are not harming civilians. But we are prepared to die,” he said. —AFP

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

NEWS

Egypt hunts ‘infidels’ after border massacre Brotherhood blames Israel’s Mossad RAFAH: Egypt branded Islamist gunmen who killed 16 police near the Israeli border as “infidels” and promised yesterday to launch a crackdown following the massacre that has strained Cairo’s ties with both Israel and Palestinians. An Egyptian official said jihadist militants crossed into Egypt from the Gaza Strip before attacking the border station on Sunday. They then stole two vehicles and headed to nearby Israel, where they were eventually killed by Israeli fire.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said yesterday that up to eight assailants died in the attack, adding that he hoped the incident would serve as a “wake-up call” to Egypt, accused by Israel of having lost control of the desert Sinai Peninsula. The bloodshed represented an early diplomatic test for Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, an Islamist who took office at the end of June after staunch US ally Hosni Mubarak was overthrown last year in a popular uprising.

Morsi visited the border area yesterday, accompanied by the head of Egypt’s military, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi. The army sent in reinforcements and stepped up checkpoints. Mubarak cooperated closely with Israel on security and suppressed Islamist movements such as Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood which rejects violence to achieve its goals but whose leaders often voiced hostility towards the Jewish state.

Egypt’s military, which still holds many levers of power, called the attackers “infidels” and said it had been patient until now in the face of the instability in Sinai. “But there is a red line and passing it is not acceptable. Egyptians will not wait for long to see a reaction to this event,” it said in a statement on its Facebook page.

Meanwhile, Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood said on its website that the attack on a police station in Sinai on Sunday in which 16 policemen were killed “can be attributed to Mossad” and was an attempt to thwart Islamist President Mohamed Morsi. The statement said Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, was trying to abort the Egyptian uprising that toppled president Hosni Mubarak last year and that it was “imperative to review clauses” of the agreement between Egypt and Israel.

A largely demilitarized Sinai is the keystone of the historic 1979 peace deal between the two countries. But for the past year there has been growing lawlessness in the vast desert expanse, as Bedouin bandits, jihadists and Palestinian militants from next-door Gaza fill the vacuum, tearing at already frayed relations between Egypt and Israel. Morsi has promised to honor Egypt’s 1979 peace treaty with Israel and has done little to suggest a major shift in ties. He has also reached out to Hamas, the Islamist rulers of the Gaza Strip that borders Egypt and Israel, and Sunday’s killings put an instant strain on their relations.

Egypt closed its border crossing into Gaza “indefinitely”, cutting off the sole exit route for most Palestinians at the height of the Muslim-fast month of Ramadan. Hamas, which condemned

the killings of the Egyptians, also sealed a warren of smuggling tunnels after Cairo said the gunmen had used these underground links to reach Egypt. Many key goods, including oil, pass through the tunnels, and a prolonged closure could bring hardship to the coastal enclave. Hamas said it was working with Egypt to try to identify those behind the bloody operation.

“No Palestinian could take part in such an ugly crime and in the killing of our beloved Egyptian army men in such a horrible manner,” said Hamas’s Gazan government spokesman Taher AlNono. Deeply hostile to Israel, Hamas is nonetheless considered overly moderate by many Islamists, who condemn Egypt’s 1979 peace accord and seek constant war with the Jewish state. Last August, eight Israelis died in a cross-border Sinai attack blamed on Palestinian militants from Gaza. In June, an Israeli worker died in another incident on the desert frontier.

No one claimed immediate responsibility for Sunday’s attack.

“I think it is clear that Israel and Egypt have a common interest in keeping their border quiet,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, sending his condolences to Egypt for its loss of life. Israel urged it citizens last week to leave the Sinai, citing the threat of a possible assault. On Sunday morning, an Israeli air strike killed a Palestinian gunman from a radical Islamist group in southern Gaza near the Egyptian border. Hours later, the group of gunmen ambushed the border police who had gathered to break the Ramadan fast after sunset - and opened fire, killing 16 and wounding at least seven.

Egypt’s army said 35 militants took part in the assault, adding that mortars fired from Gaza landed in the area during the attack.

Some of the gunmen then sped off in the two stolen vehicles, one of which exploded at the fence, while the second, an armored personnel carrier, travelled some 2.5-km into Israel before it was disabled by an Israeli air force missile.

“A very great disaster was prevented here,” said the chief of the Israeli armed forces, Lieutenant-General Benny Gantz, adding that it was “a very complicated attack by terrorists linked between the Sinai and Gaza”. The mountainous Sinai Peninsula is home to seaside resorts on its southern shores, while the Suez Canal stretches down its western edge. Both are economic lifelines for Egypt. But Israel says the territory is also home to Islamist militants with links to jihadist groups in Gaza and Al-Qaeda.

Any tough Egyptian response in the area could draw a hostile reaction from a population that has an ingrained suspicion of the government in Cairo, the result of years of official neglect and heavy-handed security tactics during the Mubarak era. Most police left the towns of Sheikh Zuwaid and Rafah after Mubarak’s overthrow and have not returned. Several locals interviewed by Reuters said they would not be welcome back unless they apologies for the way they had treated the people. — Agencies

NASA Curiosity lands on Mars Continued from Page 1 Celebrations by the mission team were so joyous over the next hour that JPL Director Charles Elachi had to plead for calm in order to hold a press conference. He compared the team to athletic teams that go to the Olympics. “This team came back with the gold,” he said. The extraterrestrial feat injected a much-needed boost to NASA, which is debating whether it can afford another Mars landing this decade. At a budgetbusting $2.5 billion, Curiosity is the priciest gamble yet, which scientists hope will pay off with a bonanza of discoveries.

President Barack Obama called the landing “an unprecedented feat of technology that will stand as a point of national pride far into the future.” Over the next two years, Curiosity will drive over to a mountain rising from the crater floor, poke into rocks and scoop up rusttinted soil to see if the region ever had the right environment for microscopic organisms to thrive. It’s the latest chapter in the long-running quest to find out whether primitive life arose early in the planet’s history. The voyage to Mars took more than eight months and spanned 352 million miles. The trickiest part of the journey? The landing.

Because Curiosity weighs nearly a ton, engineers created a more controlled way to set the rover down. The last Mars rovers, twins

Spirit and Opportunity, were cocooned in air bags and bounced to a stop in 2004. Curiosity relied on a series of braking tricks, similar to those used by the space shuttle, a heat shield and a supersonic parachute to slow down as it punched through the atmosphere. And in a new twist, engineers came up with a way to lower the rover by cable from a hovering rocket-powered backpack. At touchdown, the cords cut and the rocket stage crashed a distance away.

The nuclear-powered Curiosity, the size of a small car, is packed with scientific tools, cameras and a weather station. It sports a robotic arm with a power drill, a laser that can zap distant rocks, a chemistry lab to sniff for the chemical building blocks of life and a detector to measure dangerous radiation on the surface. It also tracked radiation levels during the journey to help NASA better understand the risks astronauts could face on a future manned trip. Over the next several days, Curiosity was expected to send back the first color pictures.

After several weeks of health checkups, the six-wheel rover could take its first short drive and flex its robotic arm.

The landing site near Mars’ equator was picked because there are signs of past water everywhere, meeting one of the requirements for life as we know it. Inside Gale Crater is a 3-mile-high mountain, and images from space show the

base appears rich in minerals that formed in the presence of water.

Previous trips to Mars have uncovered ice near the Martian north pole and evidence that water once flowed when the planet was wetter and toastier unlike today’s harsh, frigid desert environment.

Curiosity’s goal: to scour for basic ingredients essential for life including carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, sulfur and oxygen. It’s not equipped to search for living or fossil microorganisms. To get a definitive answer, a future mission needs to fly Martian rocks and soil back to Earth to be examined by powerful laboratories. The mission comes as NASA retools its Mars exploration strategy.

Faced with tough economic times, the space agency pulled out of partnership with the European Space Agency to land a rock-collecting rover in 2018. The Europeans have since teamed with the Russians as NASA decides on a new roadmap.

Despite Mars’ reputation as a spacecraft graveyard, humans continue their love affair with the planet, lobbing spacecraft in search of clues about its early history. Out of more than three dozen attempts flybys, orbiters and landings - by the US, Soviet Union, Europe and Japan since the 1960s, more than half have ended disastrously. One NASA rover that defied expectations is Opportunity, which is still busy wheeling around the rim of a crater in the Martian southern hemisphere eight years later.— AP

Keep your promises Continued from Page 1 the general sense. In another verse, Allah warns us against saying what we don’t do. That is definitely a grave sin. He says in what can be translated as: “O you who believe! Why do you say what you do not do? It is greatly abhorrent in the sight of Allah that you say what you don’t do.” - (61:2-3) On all occasions, when man’s deeds are not compatible with his words, then his conduct is odious and abhorrent in the sight of Allah (SWT), and it is only due to Allah’s infinite mercy if they happen to be saved from a disaster. Consequences of reneging on one’s promise: If you promise someone and then you renege on it, it is tantamount to saying what you don’t do. Unfortunately, many Muslims, especially parents, take it lightly to promise children that they will, for example, take them out if they do their homework correctly or if they behave in a way that pleases them.

But when the children do their duties, they end-up not receiving what they were initially promised. This is a sin in Islam and is recorded as a lie against the parents or anyone else - for that matter. It was narrated by Abdullah bin Amer bin Rabia (Prophet Muhammad’s companion) that Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) visited them. While there, Abdullah wanted to go out and play - when his mother saw him she called him saying: “come I will give you something.”

The prophet there and then inquired: “What do you intend to give him?” she replied: a date. He then said what can be translated as: “If you don’t do as promised, it will be recorded as a lie against you.” (Reported by Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawud). We should not underestimate whatsoever the intellect and needs of children.

Whatever you don’t want to be done to you, don’t do it to children even if they are your own. Whatever you promise them, you must give it to them after they have

done what you want or after they have behaved in the manner that you wanted - you have to fulfill your promise. If you don’t, you will be accountable for that on the Day of Judgment.

It is clear to every Muslim that lying is among the serious sins in Islam. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says in what can be translated as: “... and indeed lying is regarded as immorality and immorality leads to hell-fire.

And a man would continue to lie until he is recorded in front of Allah as a liar.”

If you promised to help someone, you must fulfill your promise. Likewise, if you promise to meet with someone at 6:00pm, for example, you should be on time. Sometimes, when you give someone an appointment, he would ask: “is it an English appointment or not?” This question is wrong - the question should be: is it an Islamic appointment?

Failing to fulfill your promise and appointment is among the traits of hypocrisy, which every Muslim should distance himself from to avoid the severe consequences of hypocrisy and the subsequent humiliating punishment that will be meted out to hypocrites who died before repenting. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in what can be translated as: “The following three are among the signs of a hypocrite: when he speaks he lies, when he promises he reneges on his promise and when he is entrusted with any trust, he fails to keep it.”

(Reported by Imam Al-Bukhari 33 and Muslim 59/107).

Imam Muslim added in his collection regarding this hadith: “... even if he fasts and prays and claims to be a committed Muslim.” (Muslim 59/109) Finally, Anas bin Malik (Prophet Muhammad’s companions) said: There is no any time that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) gave us a sermon without saying: “His faith will remain shaky whoever doesn’t keep the trust and his religion won’t be complete whoever reneges on his promises.” — Courtesy AWARE Center:

RAFAH BORDER: The Rafah border terminal between Egypt and Gaza, and the only gateway for Gaza’s people, is closed and guarded by Egyptian border guards. (Inset) An Israeli soldier inspects a burnt armored vehicle near the Kerem Shalom border crossing after unidentified gunmen crossed into Israel from Egypt yesterday. — AFP

raped victims cry for help Continued from Page 1 “I started begging for my life. I told them I have four young children,” she said. They ignored her pleas and brought the Indian woman from the bathroom to kill her, also. At this moment Lisa broke away and jumped from a window. Appearing visibly confused, the three men fled from the house as the neighbors had been alerted when they saw Lisa lying in a pool of blood and badly injured.

Within minutes an ambulance transported Lisa to Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital in Jabriya, and later transferred to Al-Razi Hospital where she underwent surgery.

The thoughts of her children have kept her alive. “My

work contract is about to finish this month, but I told my sponsor to extend it until December. I still need to work for my family. My youngest is only five, my oldest is in high school. I still want to see them. I came to give them a better future since my husband could not work at all because of sickness.

I want him to be brought to hospital, too, and restore his good health. I came only because of them and I met this,” she said. Mary, a mother of three kids, was also panicked and scared. “I was thinking about my children and I was in pain,” she said. The Philippine Embassy is now assisting Lisa and Mary. The police is doing an investigation but the perpetrators, Mary said, have not been caught yet.

Syria PM defects Continued from Page 1 joined the ranks of the freedom and dignity revolution,” Hijab said in a statement read in his name by the spokesman, which was broadcast on Al Jazeera television. “I announce that I am from today a soldier in this blessed revolution.” Syrian state television reported Hijab’s dismissal as government forces appeared to prepare a ground assault to clear battered rebels from Aleppo, the country’s biggest city.

The opposition Syrian National Council said a further two ministers and three army generals had defected with Hijab. That assertion could not immediately be verified. Hijab was a top official of the ruling Baath party but, like all other senior defectors so far from the government and armed forces, he was also a Sunni Muslim rather than a member of Assad’s Alawite sect, which has long dominated the Syrian state.

“Hijab is in Jordan with his family,” said the Jordanian official source, who did not want to be further identified. The source said Hijab had defected to Jordan before his sacking. Assad appointed Hijab, formerly agriculture minister, as prime minister only in June following a parliamentary election which authorities said was a step towards political reform but which opponents dismissed as a sham. Hijab’s home province of Deir al-Zor has been under heavy Syrian army shelling for several weeks as Assad’s forces try to dislodge rebels from large areas of countryside there.

Syrian television said Omar Ghalawanji, who was previously a deputy prime minister, had been appointed to lead a temporary, caretaker government yesterday. Assad and his father, who was president before him, have consistently appointed premiers from the majority Sunni community. However, the position is largely powerless and control has remained with Assad, his family and security chiefs from the Alawite community, an offshoot of Shiite Islam.

“Defections are occurring in all components of the regime save its hard inner core, which for now has

given no signs of fracturing,” said Peter Harling at the International Crisis Group think-tank. “For months the regime has been eroding and shedding its outer layers, while rebuilding itself around a large, diehard fighting force,” he said. “The regime as we knew it is certainly much weakened, but the question remains of how to deal with what it has become.”

Meanwhile, Syria’s army shelled rebel-held areas of commercial capital Aleppo yesterday as violence killed 91 people across the country, including 57 civilians, 24 troops and 10 rebels, a watchdog said. At least 17 civilians were killed in the city of Aleppo, while four were killed elsewhere in the same province, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Clashes broke out in the southwestern district of Salaheddin, where a rebel commander and another fighter were killed yesterday after three tanks moved in the night before, said the Britain-based group.

“Rebels and regime forces also clashed fiercely in the Shaar, Hanano and Sakhur districts,” it said, adding that six civilians were killed in Sakhur alone.

Earlier in the day, a bomb blast hit the Damascus headquarters of Syria’s state broadcaster as troops backed by fighter jets kept up an offensive against the last rebel bastion in the capital. The bomb exploded on the third floor of the state television and radio building, state T V said.

However, while the rebels may have struck a symbolic blow in their 17month-old uprising against Assad, Information Minister Omran Zoabi said none of the injuries was serious, and the channel continued broadcasting.

Rebels in districts of Aleppo visited by Reuters journalists seemed battered, overwhelmed and running low on ammunition after days of intense shelling of their positions by tanks and heavy machinegun fire from helicopter gunships.

Emboldened by an audacious bomb attack in Damascus that killed four of Assad’s top security officials last month, the rebels had tried to overrun the Damascus and Aleppo, the country’s commercial hub, near the

Turkish border. But the lightly armed rebels have been outgunned by the Syrian army’s superior weaponry.

They were largely driven out of Damascus and are struggling to hold on to territorial gains made in Aleppo, a city of 2.5 million.

Damascus has criticized Gulf Arab states and Turkey for calling for the rebels to be armed, and state television has described the rebels as a “Turkish-Gulf militia”, saying dead Turkish and Afghan fighters had been found in Aleppo. Paralysis in the UN Security Council over how to stop the bloodshed forced peace envoy Kofi Annan to resign last week, his ceasefire plan a distant memory. The violence has already shown elements of a proxy war between Sunni and Shiite Islam which could spill beyond Syria’s border.

The rebels claimed responsibility for capturing 48 Iranians in Syria, forcing Tehran to call on Turkey and Qatar - major supporters of the rebels - to help secure their release. yesterday, Syrian army tanks shelled alleyways in Aleppo where rebels sought cover as a helicopter gunship fired heavy machineguns. Snipers ran on rooftops targeting rebels, and one of them shot at a rebel car filled with bombs, setting the vehicle on fire.

Women and children fled the city, some crammed in the back of pickup trucks, while others walked on foot, heading to relatively safer rural areas.

The main focus of fighting in Aleppo has been the Salaheddine district. One shell on Sunday hit a building next to the Reuters reporting team, pouring rubble on to the street and sending billows of smoke and dust into the sky. State television said Assad’s forces were “cleansing the terrorist filth” from the country, which has been sucked into an increasingly sectarian conflict that has killed about 18,000 people and could spill into neighboring states. The army appeared to be using a similar strategy in Aleppo to the one used in other cities where they subjected opposition districts to heavy bombardment for days, weakening the rebels before moving in on the ground, clearing district by district. — Agencies

Opposition bloc threatens ‘unprecedented...

Continued from Page 1 But the opposition majority bloc had repeatedly warned that the government should immediately dissolve the 2009 National Assembly after it was revived by a court verdict in June and call for fresh election. It added that the next assembly should be the only place to discuss any proposals to change the electoral law to make it in line with the constitution.

Sources said that the government’s legal team has already reached the conclusion to recommend referring the electoral law to the constitutional court before dissolving the National Assembly and calling for fresh election so that future assemblies will not be scrapped or nullified. To counter the government plans, the majority bloc in cooperation with youth activists have launched a signature campaign on a petition that warns against amending the electoral law or delaying dissolving the 2009 assembly.

So far, more than 21,000 people have signed the petition but opposition figures are hoping to collect at

least 100,000 signatures to press their demands and show their popular support. The opposition received the support of two key components, the Kuwait University Students Union and several trade unions.

Opposition MP Khaled Al-Tahous said the trade unions have expressed their total support for any popular actions if the government referred the electoral law to court.

Tahous said that the opposition has explained to the government that referring the law to court will carry a very expensive cost and will severely weaken the position of the prime minister “who will face popular rallies opposing the measure”. The lawmaker warned the government against “taking the country into a dark tunnel” because the consequences of their action will be very serious. “We advise all sides in the regime including those in the ruling family and the government not to drag the country into a tunnel that has no end because facing the people is not simple and the ceiling of demands will be too high” said Tahous, adding that the government is effectively in confrontation with the people.

14

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

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Issues

China’s Gu to be found guilty but spared execution

By Carol Huang he wife of disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai is all but certain to be found guilty of murder when she goes on trial Thursday, but will likely escape execution, legal experts say. China’s official news agency Xinhua has already declared that the evidence against Gu Kailai, who along with a family aide is accused of poisoning a British man with whom she and her husband did business, is “irrefutable”. That, said experts, left little doubt that Gu-herself a former lawyer-would be found guilty, and may indicate she has confessed to murdering Neil Heywood, who was found dead last November in his hotel room. The scandal ended Bo’s high-flying political career and exposed deep rifts in the Communist party ahead of a once-in-a-decade leadership handover, and Thursday’s trial in the eastern city of Hefei will be China’s most watched in years.

But it is expected to be brief at just one or two days, and closed to journalists, although British diplomats will attend-an extremely rare concession in China. Margaret Lewis, an expert on Chinese law at Seton Hall University in the United States, said it was unclear whether Gu’s government-appointed lawyers would even mount a defense at all. “It would be absolutely shocking if this case went to trial and there was not a guilty verdict,” she told AFP by telephone. “The conviction rate is exceedingly high across the board, even when you don’t have tremendous political considerations on the table.”

Communist party authorities ousted Bo as party chief for the southwestern megacity of Chongqing and from the powerful 25-member Politburo in the spring, putting him under investigation for violating party discipline-usually code for corruption. The scandal erupted in February when Bo’s former right-hand man and police chief Wang Lijun fled to a US consulate to seek asylum after reportedly confronting Bo with information related to Heywood’s murder.

Chinese activists fear the Communist leadership, keen to see the back of the scandal, is seeking use the high-profile murder trial to detract attention from the potentially politically explosive corruption allegations against Bo. Gu was born into an influential family-her father was the renowned general Gu Jingsheng-while her husband Bo is the son of a Communist revolutionary, and China’s state media has portrayed the case as a sign no one is above the law.

The Xinhua announcement said Gu feared Heywood posed a threat to her son’s safety-an indication, some experts believe, that she will be spared the maximum sentence. “That could be considered-and it occasionally is considered-a mitigating circumstance, to have a socalled good motive for doing a bad thing,” said Jerome Cohen, an expert on the Chinese legal system. “Another factor that will affect the sentence is how she behaves,” said Cohen, a law professor at New York University. “Is she being cooperative? Has she spilled the beans about everything they’ve been asking her about for many weeks?”

Xinhua’s announcement on the charge against Gu was announced shortly after French architect Patrick Devillers flew to China to assist with the investigation after being detained at Beijing’s request in Cambodia.

Devillers, 52, is understood to have been a close business associate and friend of Gu and Bo, but his role in the case is unclear and it is not known whether he will give evidence in court. Intentional homicide, the charge Gu and her co-accused Zhang Xiaojun face, carries the death penalty, but courts can sentence those found guilty to as little as as three years in jail. Gu is most likely to face a commuted death sentence, and to serve as little as 15 years in jail, said Cohen, adding that elite figures who are imprisoned normally find themselves in better-than-average conditions. Experts said Zhang, who Xinhua has described as an orderly in Bo’s home, would likely receive a similar sentence if he carried out the poisoning on Gu’s orders. “Relatively speaking the one who gave the order should face a heavier sentence, but the details are not clear,” said Cheng Guangzhong, a professor at the China University of Political Science and Law. “If he carried it out directly, putting the poison, etcetera, then he cannot avoid punishment. I reckon their sentences will be about the same.” Chinese rights lawyer Mo Shaoping said the trial was likely being held in Hefei because the city lies outside Gu and Bo’s sphere of influence. “They often change the location of trials if they feel that the influence of people in the main location is too big,” Mo said. “They don’t want these people to use their relationships to influence the case.” — AFP

T

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Key political risks to watch in Pakistan

By Rebecca Conway akistan’s parliament elected former water and power minister Raja Pervez Ashraf as the new prime minister in late June after the incumbent Yusuf Raza Gilani was disqualified by the increasingly assertive Supreme Court. In April, the court found Gilani guilty of contempt for refusing to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. While the latest decision was another blow to the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), it is unlikely to lead to the fall of the unpopular government. The decision comes at a time when ties between Islamabad and Washington have been stuck at their lowest in years.

Relations between the United States and its ally Pakistan deteriorated after a NATO cross-border air attack that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers last November.

The incident prompted Pakistan to reassess ties with the US, and in mid-April, parliament approved recommendations from its national security committee, including a demand that America ends drone strikes in Pakistan. In early July, the US apologized for the November incident and Pakistan agreed to reopen land routes that supply NATO troops in Afghanistan that it closed in response to the November incident. The move brought Islamabad some diplomatic relief, but protests from thousands of Pakistanis.

The US wants Pakistan to chase the militant groups on its soil which take advantage of the porous border with Afghanistan to attack NATO and Afghan troops there. Pakistan’s cooperation is critical to US-led efforts to stabilize Afghanistan as NATO combat troops prepare to leave the country by the end of 2014. Tensions have heightened further over the sentencing of Pakistani doctor Shakil Afridi, said to have helped the CIA find Osama bin Laden. His 33-year jail term drew sharp criticism from Washington, which responded by cutting aid to Pakistan by $33 million.

P

POLITICAL VIOLENCE, GOVERNMENT WEAKNESS New prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf is already coming under similar pressure from the Supreme Court as did Gilani. He has been ordered to re-open cases against Zardari or face the threat of disqualification, a move which would further discredit a widely scorned government. In the latest twist of the ongoing confrontation between the government and the judiciary, at the start of August the Supreme Court threw out a hastily-passed law designed to protect the prime minister from contempt charges, and save Ashraf from the same end as Gilani.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry has won notoriety by taking on senior politicians, and while the stability of the government has been called into question by the recent changes in personnel, for ordinary Pakistanis, the latest ructions have only deepened frustrations with their everyday hardships. Many political leaders are viewed as incompetent and corrupt, and have offered little guidance. President Zardari’s government is weak, dependent on unreliable coalition partners, and has limited control over the military. It has failed to tackle corruption or implement economic reforms. Serious problems in formulating and implementing policy will continue to deter investment. The Pakistani military, which has governed the country for more than half of its history, is often seen as the real driving force behind Pakistan’s foreign and security policies.

WORSENING RELATIONS WITH US An American investigation into the November border incident found that both US and Pakistani forces were at fault, putting further strain on already deeply damaged ties. Pakistani officials said the attack was “deliberate”. Though the reopening of the NATO supply lines has ended one diplomatic dispute, fresh disagreement is brewing over the sentencing of Shakil Afridi, who is alleged to have helped the CIA find bin Laden using a house-to-house vaccination drive as a cover.

His 33-year jail term brought swift condemnation from Washington, including from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who said the decision was “unjust and unwarranted”. The US has cut aid to Pakistan by $33 million in response, $1 million for every year that Afridi faces jail. Tension also remains over Pakistan’s perceived unwillingness hunt down certain militant groups.

Washington has long pushed for action, military or otherwise, against the Haqqani militant network, one of NATO’s deadliest foes in Afghanistan, which is thought

to operate mainly from Pakistani region North Waziristan.

Islamabad has repeatedly said its forces are overstretched and it cannot afford to provoke a general tribal uprising. Reflecting American frustration with Pakistan, and the suspicion that there are links between Pakistan’s powerful spy agency and militant groups, there have been many proposals to make US aid conditional on more cooperation in fighting militants.

WHAT TO WATCH Pakistan-U.S. negotiations over changes to their relationship after Pakistan’s parliament reviewed ties. When reached, any agreement will impact Pakistan’s cooperation in stabilizing Afghanistan. Any further attack on Pakistan by NATO forces in Afghanistan could conceivably break the alliance completely, putting the war effort in Afghanistan at risk. More aid cuts. Pressure is mounting in the United States to penalize Islamabad for failing to act against militant groups and, at worst, helping them. Any further accusations from Washington, how Islamabad responds, and the tone of the rhetoric from both sides. The United States wants Pakistan to bring the Haqqani network into peace negotiations, but is wary of exerting too much pressure on Pakistan and forcing a break in ties.

INTERNAL SECURITY Violence continues to affect parts of the southern port city of Karachi, Pakistan’s financial hub. After several months of relative quiet in the city, violence - some of it politically motivated - has flared again recently. More

than 1,600 people were killed in the city last year, over half of them in political and sectarian violence, and Pakistan’s paramilitary forces are often deployed there to stabilize violent districts. The violence and instability are a huge deterrent to foreign investment. Investors are particularly sensitive to attacks in Karachi, home to key financial markets and the central bank. Violent but isolated protests against Pakistan’s increasingly severe power crisis have occurred in several towns across Pakistan’s largest province of Punjab. Although the trouble is not on a scale to widely disrupt law and order, frequent power outages across the country have in the past led to street violence.

EXTERNAL SECURITY Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan are strained, with cross-border attacks reported by both sides. Tensions will only be strained by Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik’s allegation in early August that elements of the Afghan government are likely to be supporting a senior Pakistani Taleban commander who wants to overthrow the Islamabad government. Those charges may be an attempt to divert attention from repeated accusations from some Afghan lawmakers that Pakistan’s spy agency, the Inter-services Intelligence (ISI), is behind assassinations and suicide bombings in Afghanistan, something Pakistan vehemently denied. Pakistan is critical to the stability of the region, and in late February it urged the Afghan Taleban to enter direct peace talks with the Afghan government, a sign that Islamabad may be increasing its support for reconciliation across the border. — Reuters

Why Mars matters ASA and the California Institute of Technology’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory face a critical test Sunday night: The spacecraft carrying their latest Mars rover, Curiosity, will execute a perilous sevenminute series of maneuvers after it enters the planet’s thin atmosphere at more than 13,000 miles per hour, trying to slow itself enough to drop the rover safely into the deep Gale Crater.

The size of a small car, Curiosity is a 1-ton mobile laboratory designed to collect and analyze samples of Mars’ crust as it scales the side of a 3-mile-high mountain. Its fate rests with the ability of the spacecraft’s oversized heat shield, parachute and thrusters to brake its hurtling descent. No matter what the craft may encounter, the mission’s engineers will not be able to alter its course after it enters Mars’ atmosphere.

With handicaps like these, it’s no surprise that more than two-thirds of the previous Mars landing attempts failed. As nerve-wracking as that may be - the entire $2.5 billion, eight-year endeavor could come crashing down, literally, during that seven minutes - it’s not the only challenge facing the Mars program and the engineers it employs. In the face of recession and hard budget choices, the program is again under pressure from spendingcutters and backers of rival NASA programs, such as climate research.

This year, the Obama administration has proposed slashing the funding for Mars exploration by more than $200 million, or almost 40 percent, effectively putting the program on pause, with no projects in the pipeline after 2014. Even NASA’s ardent backers concede that the government has to start tightening its belt, and that giving the agency more money means giving some other program less. But the United States can’t afford to risk its technological leadership in space exploration, or squander the gains that could come from firsthand knowledge of Mars.

It’s worth noting that the administration proposed to keep NASA’s overall budget at the same level in the coming year as it was in fiscal 2012. But the agency has been plagued by cost overruns inside and out of the Mars program (the Curiosity project is expected to cost 50 percent more than initially estimated), and it’s been forced

by Congress to fund projects of uncertain value, such as a massive new rocket that has yet to be assigned a specific destination. The congressional meddling is an irritant, but the cost overruns are like a cancer eating the agency from within.

Complicating matters, NASA’s plans for manned space flight have been in flux over the past decades, as

N

the Bush and Obama administrations phased out the space shuttle program and struggled to decide what to do next. The current goal is to put an astronaut on an asteroid by 2025 and on Mars the following decade. That shift in thinking contributed to the break imposed in the robotic missions to Mars; NASA recently convened a panel of in-house experts to help decide what the Mars program should do next, and one of its assignments is to see how those missions might also serve the goals of manned spaceflight.

Nevertheless, the scientific community has already given NASA clear guidance on what its priorities for Mars should be. In a definitive report issued just last year, the National Research Council said the most important mission in planetary science was to obtain samples from Mars and return them to Earth. That’s what NASA and the European Space Agency had been planning to do in 2018, two years after they were due to send an orbiter into Mars’ atmosphere to look for signs of past life.

The administration’s proposed cuts led NASA to withdraw from both of those projects, which the Europeans are expected to continue with a different partner. NASA also worried that the Europeans wouldn’t be able to cover their share of the sample-and-return project’s $3.5-billion budget. Having the right mission at the right budget is obviously a requirement for going forward. But it’s also important that NASA not sacrifice its leading position in planetary exploration - a position that attracts brainpower, promotes innovation and spurs the private US space industry. Those benefits are on top of the well-documented dividends paid by the taxpayers’ investment in the space program, including the development of groundbreaking technologies and the inspiration of generations of new scientists, engineers and adventurers. The point of exploring Mars in particular is to glean something profound about Earth from the one planet in the solar system that appears to have been formed in a similar way, and whose stable surface has preserved a record of the solar system’s history.

As the National Research Council put it, “It is now possible to select a site on Mars from which to collect samples that will address the question of whether the planet was ever an abode of life.” And if evidence of some preexisting life were found, what happened to the atmosphere that helped to sustain it? Answering that question could provide invaluable lessons for us as we pump more carbon and ozone-destroying chemicals into our air. It would be tragic if NASA came so close to unlocking some of life’s great mysteries on the Red Planet, only to drift out of orbit.— MCT

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

sp orts

Bradley triumphs, Furyk fades AKRON: Keegan Bradley stunningly clinched the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational by one shot on Sunday after playing partner Jim Furyk, a stroke in front playing the last, doublebogeyed the 18th to tumble back into a tie for second.

American Bradley, who won his first major crown at last year’s PGA Championship, coolly sank a 15-footer to save par on the final hole for a sixunder 64 and a 13-under total of 267 at a rain-softened Firestone Country Club.

It was an agonising end for tour veteran Furyk who had led the tournament from the first round and it came after he fell out of a tie for the lead with three holes to play at the US Open in June.

“This just feels so great,” an elated Bradley told reporters after landing his third PGA Tour title and the winner’s cheque for $1.4 million. “I just felt so strong coming down the stretch. I just enjoyed every minute of it.

“My hope standing on the 18th tee was to make birdie and maybe force a playoff, but you just never know what’s going to happen, especially with that pin on 18. That’s a really difficult pin.”

Bradley all but sewed up an automatic spot on the 2012 US Ryder Cup team with his come-from-behind triumph. “I just want to be on that team so badly,” said the 26-year-old. “I hope this is enough to get on there.”

Bradley had been in trouble playing the par-four last, finding a plugged lie in a greenside bunker with a wayward approach and splashing out well

beyond the hole with his third shot.

However he coolly sank the par putt coming back before pumping his right fist in delight, then watched in amazement as a distraught Furyk butchered the hole.

Overnight leader Furyk missed a five-footer for bogey to take the tournament into a playoff and tapped in for a six and closing 69 to finish at 12 under with fellow American Steve Stricker, who birdied the last three holes for a 64.

South African Louis Oosthuizen, alone in second place after the third round, was a further stroke back in fourth after carding a four-birdie 69.

Seven-times champion Tiger Woods, who had struggled with his putting in the first two rounds, signed off with a 66 to tie for eighth at fourunder 276.

Furyk, seeking a 17th PGA Tour title after firing a best-of-the-week 63 in the opening round, appeared to be heading for a wire-to-wire victory as he played the final hole.

Like Bradley, he miscued his approach and his ball ended up in the rough on the edge of the right greenside bunker from where he had an awkward stance, and chunked his chip to just short of the fringe. From there, he chipped to five feet short of the hole before missing the putt to hand the title to Bradley. “I’ve lost some tournaments in some pretty poor fashions, but I don’t think I’ve let one ever slip nearly as bad as this one,” Furyk said.

“This was my worst effort to finish off

an event.”

Bidding for his first PGA Tour title in two years, Furyk led by three shots midway through Sunday’s final round before Bradley mounted a spectacular charge with a blistering run of three birdies in five holes after the turn.

Four shots off the pace overnight, Bradley covered the back nine in fourunder 31 to end an unforgettable week in the best possible way for his PGA Championship title defence which starts at Kiawah Island in four days’ time.

The final round was halted early on by just under three hours due to the threat of lightning before Furyk fended off an early charge by 2010 British Open champion Oosthuizen as both players birdied the first two holes.

Furyk then moved two ahead by sinking a 10-foot birdie putt at the parfour third and Oosthuizen’s title bid effectively ended after he bogeyed the fifth and ninth.

Furyk reached the turn in two-under with a commanding three-shot cushion but, at that point, Bradley launched his assault. He drained a 24-footer at the 10th, a seven-footer at the 11th and a 10-footer at the 14th to trim Furyk’s lead to just one shot.

Furyk sank a curling 18-footer to birdie the par-five 16th, pumping his right fist in celebration, but remained a stroke in front when Bradley followed suit with a 10-footer. Two holes later, the tournament ended in dramatic fashion as Furyk imploded and Bradley courageously saved par to triumph by

Henry wins Reno-Tahoe Open RENO: JJ Henry figured he’d fight altitude with attitude at the Reno-Tahoe Open on the edge of the Sierra Nevada. It worked.

Thanks to some help from his veteran caddie calculating yardages at the higher elevation, Henry claimed his second PGA

ure out how long a shot is playing,” said the 37-year-old Henry, who was a member of the 2006 U.S. Ryder Cup team. “You have elevation, you have wind, you have uphill, downhill. The greens get firm and fast,” he said. But Henry said he’d been playing well

RENO: JJ Henry kisses the trophy after his win during the final round of the Reno-Tahoe Open at Montreux Golf and Country Club. —AFP Tour victory by holding on Sunday to beat Alexandre Rocha by a point in the modified Stableford scoring format.

“A lot of it is attitude - wanting to be here, wanting to play, wanting to try to fig-

the past six weeks and has a good track record at Reno where he had had three previous top-10 finishes at Reno - a tie for ninth in 2009, tie for fourth in 205 and tie for third in 2002. “I even said to some friends and my

caddie (Pete Jordan) - not to sound cocky or full of yourself, but I really thought I was going to have a great week,” Henry said.

“Sometimes when you believe it, good things happen. And that’s exactly what happened this week for me.” Henry had seven points with four birdies and a bogey Sunday to finish with 43 for the tournament. Players received eight points for double eagle, five for eagle, two for birdie and zero for par. They were docked a point for bogey and three points for anything worse.

Argentina’s Andres Romero was third with 37 points, followed by John Mallinger with 34. John Daly and Justin Leonard tied for fifth at 33. It was Daly’s best finish since 2005. Henry had three birdies during a fourhole stretch on the front nine, then mostly stayed out of trouble on the more difficult back nine as the wind picked up late in the day at the 7,472-yard Montreux Golf & Country Club course on the edge of the Sierra. Rocha, who led after the second round, needed to eagle the par-5 18th to have a chance to become the first Brazilian winner on the PGA Tour, but had to scramble for birdie after his approach bounced into the gallery left of the green. Henry twoputted for par from 12 feet to secure the victory, which also secures his tour card for another two years.

“Alex played great and really kept the pressure on down the stretch to make it interesting out there,” Henry said. “To be honest, those are some stressful holes coming in - 16, 17, 18. There’s a lot of drama and a lot of things that kind of go through your mind, good, bad and indifferent on those last couple of holes.” —AP

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

sp orts Fletcher to train with Scotland

River lose to Belgrano

Dolgopolov wins Citi Open

LONDON: Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher is a step closer to returning back to competitive football after it was confirmed he would train with the Scottish national team.

Fletcher has been sidelined by ulcerative colitis — an inflammatory bowel condition — and hasn’t played for almost 10 months. Scotland will face Australia in a friendly next Wednesday at Easter Road Stadium and while the 28-yearold has not been named by manager Craig Levein, it was confirmed he would link up with the national team.

“Darren will be with us at the weekend, he is back in training and he played 45 minutes in a practice match last week,” Levein was quoted as saying by BBC Sport.

“He is not in the squad because he has not played for Manchester United but he will do a bit of training with us.” Fletcher’s last appearance for Manchester United was November 22 last year during a Champions League match with Benfica. —Reuters

BUENOS AIRES: River Plate made a losing return to the Argentine first division with a 2-1 defeat at home to Belgrano, the team who sent them down just over one year ago.

River missed an 87th minute penalty when Rogelio Funes Mori fired his effort high and wide of the goal and Belgrano goalkeeper Juan Carlos Olave was sent for his celebration in which he appeared to make gestures at the referee.

The referee was surrounded by protesting Belgrano players and the visitors, who had already made three substitutions, ended the game with centre forward Juan Martin in goal.

River, one of the country’s biggest clubs, were given a rapturous reception on a foggy evening but left the pitch amid jeers and insults.

Their problems began two minutes before halftime in Sunday’s match when goalkeeper Daniel Vega failed to hold a cross and Lucas Melano headed the visitors in front.

Another mistake, this time by Ezequiel Cirigliano, led to Belgrano’s second goal at the start of the second half as Martin Zapata set up Cesar Carranza to score with a clinical finish.

Manuel Lanzini pulled one back with 15 minutes left before River were awarded a hugely controversial penalty which Funes Mori blasted over. River were relegated just over one year ago to Belgrano in a twoleg playoff. —Reuters

WASHINGTON: Second-seeded Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine won the Citi Open on Sunday for his first ATP World Tour 500 event title, beating fourth-seeded Tommy Haas 6-7 (7), 6-4, 6-1.

The 25th-ranked Dolgopolov’s previous three finals appearances, including one victory, came in 250-level events. Dolgopolov relied in his high-risk, high-reward approach.

“It’s a part of me, my personality,” said Dolgopolov, who added that he enjoys racing cars. “I like risking in life, so I do that on the court. I’m just a risky person. I don’t think about the percentage. I like to do it my way.” Dolgopolov agreed with his opponents who said his unorthodox shots keyed his success.

“They are a bit unique. They are a bit crazy,” Dolgopolov said of the shots. “Sometimes, it works. Sometimes, it doesn’t.

But that’s my way to play, and I’ll be playing pretty much the same way.” — AP

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

American League National League Eastern Division Eastern Division Washington 65 43 .602 W L PCT GB Atlanta 62 46 .574 3 NY Yankees 63 44 .589 NY Mets 53 56 .486 12.5 Baltimore 57 51 .528 6.5 Philadelphia 49 59 .454 16 Tampa Bay 56 52 .519 7.5 Miami 49 60 .450 16.5 Boston 54 55 .495 10 Central Division Toronto 53 55 .491 10.5 Cincinnati 66 42 .611 Central Division Pittsburgh 61 46 .570 4.5 White Sox 59 48 .551 St. Louis 59 49 .546 7 Detroit 58 50 .537 1.5 Milwaukee 48 59 .449 17.5 Cleveland 50 58 .463 9.5 Chicago Cubs 43 63 .406 22 Minnesota 47 61 .435 12.5 Houston 36 73 .330 30.5 Kansas City 45 62 .421 14 Western Division Western Division San Francisco 59 49 .546 Texas 63 44 .589 LA Dodgers 59 50 .541 0.5 Oakland 58 50 .537 5.5 Arizona 55 53 .509 4 LA Angels 58 51 .532 6 San Diego 46 64 .418 14 Seattle 51 59 .464 13.5 Colorado 38 68 .358 20

Tigers defeat Indians DETROIT: Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run homer to cap a five-run rally by Detroit with two outs in the 10th inning Sunday, giving the Tigers a 10-8 victory over Cleveland that sent the Indians to their ninth straight loss.

With the Indians up 8-5, Chris Perez (0-3) walked Alex Avila and pinch-hitter Andy Dirks. Austin Jackson doubled in a run, Omar Infante’s two-run single tied it and Cabrera homered to left-center.

Travis Hafner and Ezequiel Carrera had hit back-to-back solo homers for Cleveland in the 10th.

White Sox 4, Angels 2 At Chicago, pinch-hitter AJ Pierzynski equaled a White Sox record by homering in his fifth consecutive game, a two-run drive in the seventh inning off Jason Isringhausen (3-2) as Chicago downed Los Angeles. Nate Jones (5-0) allowed one run in two innings after Francisco Liriano left with bruised right quadriceps, and Addison Reed struck out two in the ninth for his 18th save. Chicago took two of three in the weekend series and has won nine of 12 games.

Yankees 6, Mariners 2 At New York, Raul Ibanez homered and drove in three runs as Freddy Garcia got his 150th career victory, just the sixth win for the Yankees in 16 games.

Garcia (5-5) hung around for five innings and preserved a one-run lead with his final pitch, retiring Kyle Seager with two on. Ibanez hit his 15th homer in the fifth, a solo drive off Hisashi Iwakuma (2-3) that put the Yankees ahead 4-2.

Ibanez delivered again in the sixth with a two-out, two-run single off Oliver Perez with the bases loaded. Seattle had won eight of nine.

Red Sox 6, Twins 4 At Boston, Adrian Gonzalez hit a tworun homer and had three RBIs, and Carl

Crawford added three singles, an RBI and a leaping catch on his 31st birthday as Boston beat Minnesota to avoid a fourgame sweep. Franklin Morales (3-2), taking Josh Beckett’s turn in the rotation after the right-hander left his previous start with a back spasm, gave up one run and three hits in six innings.

Pirates roll over Reds CINCINNATI: AJ Burnett remained undefeated against the Cincinnati Reds this season and Starling Marte hit a tiebreaking two-run triple in the fourth inning to help the Pittsburgh Pirates salvage the finale of their three-game series with a 6-2 win on Sunday.

Neil Walker hit a two-run homer and AllStar center fielder Andrew McCutchen added a solo shot as second-place Pittsburgh stopped Cincinnati’s winning streak at five and closed within 4 1/2 games of the National League Central leader. Burnett (14-3) allowed two runs and three hits in 8 2-3 innings, improving to 30 against the Reds this season. Joel Hanrahan got the final out for his 32nd save.

allowing one run and five hits in six innings.

After going 4-9 with a 5.26 ERA in 18 starts from the beginning of May through July 25, he is 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA in his last two outings against the Mets and Rockies.

Tyler Chatwood (1-2), recalled from minor league Double A Tulsa prior to the game to

Nationals 4, Marlins 1 At Washington, Stephen Strasburg (12-5) allowed just three hits over six shutout innings and drove in two runs as Washington downed Florida. Strasburg struck out six and walked one, extending his scoreless streak against the Marlins to 27 innings. He hit a two-run single in the second off Ricky Nolasco (8-11) and raised his batting average to .343 (12 for 35) with seven RBIs. Drew Storen pitched a one-hit ninth for his first save since Sept. 28. Miami’s Jose Reyes hit a fourth-inning single that extended his hitting streak to 24 games, the longest in the majors this season.

take the rotation spot of injured Christian Friedrich, allowed three runs - one earned two hits and four walks in 3 1-3 innings.

Giants 8, Rockies 3 At Denver, Tim Lincecum won consecutive starts for the first time since April and Hunter Pence had three RBIs as San Francisco completed a three-game sweep and maintained a half-game lead over Los Angeles in the National League West. The Giants had lost seven of eight games entering the series.

Lincecum (6-11) worked around five walks,

Dodgers 7, Cubs 6 At Los Angeles, Hanley Ramirez lined an RBI single over a drawn-in infield in the ninth as Los Angeles completed a three-game sweep of Chicago.

Shawn Camp (2-5) walked Matt Kemp on four pitches with one out and Andre Ethier’s single put runners at the corners for Ramirez.

Cubs talented rookie Anthony Rizzo had

CINCINNATI: Pittsburgh Pirates Starling Marte watches his single off Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Jose Arredondo in the sixth inning. —AP

three RBIs including a tying solo home run leading off the top of the ninth against Kenley Jansen (5-3), who blew a save for the sixth time in 27 chances.

Braves 6, Astros 1 At Atlanta, Chipper Jones had two hits and scored the go-ahead run off a sixth-inning wild pitch by Bud Norris (5-9) as Atlanta completed an 8-2 homestand against Houston.

Jones added a run-scoring double off Xavier Cedeno in the seventh. Jonny Venters (4-3) pitched out of a second-and-third, oneout jam in the sixth to win in relief of Kris Medlen, who allowed one run and five hits in 5 1-3 innings.

Phillies 5, D’backs 4 At Philadelphia, Ryan Howard singled home the winning run in the ninth inning off Josh Collmenter (3-3). He had been in a 5 for 35 slide with 20 strikeouts. Jonathan Papelbon (3-4) pitched a scoreless ninth, stranding the go-ahead run on second. Chase Utley homered for the Phillies. Philadelphia starter Cliff Lee remained winless in eight home starts this season (0-4), giving up four runs and eight hits in eight innings.

Padres 7, Mets 3 At San Diego, Chase Headley and Yonder Alonso each hit two-run homers off rookie Matt Harvey (1-2) in San Diego’s win over New York. Headley’s homer, his 15th, came in the first inning. Alonso hit his sixth homer in the third for a 5-0 lead. Jason Marquis (5-6) gave up Ruben Tejada’s single to open the game and then retired 14 consecutive batters until his leadoff walk to Mike Baxter in the sixth.

Marquis allowed three runs and four hits in 6 1-3 innings. — —AP

Royals 7, Rangers 6 At Kansas City, Missouri, errors by shortstop Alberto Gonzalez and third baseman Mike Olt in a three-pitch span allowed Kansas City to score the tiebreaking run against Texas in the 10th inning. With the score 6-6, Michael Kirkman (0-2) walked Billy Butler leading off the 10th. Gonzalez, who entered in the ninth when Elvis Andrus left because of a sore shoulder, booted a routine grounder by Salvador Perez as pinchrunner Eric Hosmer advanced, Jeff Francoeur took a ball and then grounded to third. Olt, who made his major league debut Thursday, threw the ball into right field as Hosmer came home.

Orioles 1, Rays 0 At St. Petersburg, Florida, Taylor Teagarden broke out of a long slide with an RBI double in the 10th inning as Baltimore blanked Tampa Bay. Joel Peralta (1-4) walked Mark Reynolds with one out in the 10th and threw a called third strike past Omar Quintanilla. Teagarden, in a 1-for-25 slide, lined a two-out drive to left-center.

Luis Ayala (3-3) got three outs in the ninth, and Jim Johnson finished for his 32nd save. Baltimore has won 10 consecutive one-run games dating to June 22.

Blue Jays 6, Athletics 5 At Oakland, California, Edwin Encarnacion hit a homer and drove in two runs, and Yunel Escobar also drove in two runs as Toronto salvaged a fourgame split with Oakland. — AP

KUWAIT: On the 17th day of the Late Abdullah Musharies Al-Roudan tournament for indoor football Al-Nar Sport team suffered 6-1 defeat by Kuwait Steel.

In the second game, Al-Salmiya demolished France 7-1 while Al-Homaizi edged Bobyan 3-2.

TEC tournament concludes KUWAIT: The tournament organized by Touristic Enterprise Company came to a close recently. Jassem Al-Shumais, Director of Sea Clubs and Beaches Administration and Salem Al-Jeeran, Al-Shaab Club Supervisor and a

number of the employees of TEC were present at the event.

The event was held at Al-Shaab Club ground for TEC employees. Nine teams participated. The final game was held between TEC’s

purchasing department team and financial administration. The financial team emerged victorious with 7-2 score. Al-Shumais and AlJeeran honored the winning team and handed over the championship trophy.

AFC probe into bin Hammam intensifying DUBAI: Former FBI director Louis Freeh has been brought in by the Asian Football Confederation to assist in the corruption investigation of its suspended president Mohamed bin Hammam in a sign that the probe is intensifying.

AFC acting president Zhang Jilong called on the 46 federations to cooperate with the investigation into allegations that bin Hammam enriched himself and his family and rewarded supporters with tens of thousands of dollars in cash, among other charges.

The allegations were uncovered in an internal audit that resulted in the AFC giving bin Hammam a 30-day provisional ban last month.

The suspension came three days before the Court of Arbitration threw out a lifetime ban imposed by FIFA against bin Hammam in an unrelated case, in which he was accused of trying to bribe voters during his 2011 presidential campaign against FIFA President Sepp Blatter.

“We would like to point out that it is crucial that the Freeh Group receive unconditional and unreserved support and cooperation by all AFC officials, bodies,

and Member Associations,” Jilong said Monday in a statement. “The proceedings presently relevant are not about incriminating or discrediting certain persons but aim at establishing the truth and, on a broader scale, at safeguarding the integrity and interests of football under the AFC’s jurisdiction.”

Bin Hammam has not spoken about the latest allegations, but his lawyer said they are a FIFA tactic to block his return to world football.

The audit, prepared by the international accounting firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers and dated July 13, claims the 63-yearold Qatari received millions of dollars from individuals linked to AFC contracts during his tenure that dates back to 2002 and spent tens of thousands on items such as a honeymoon for his son and dental work, haircuts and cash payments for his family.

Bin Hammam is accused of spending $700,000 from AFC coffers on himself and his family, including $100,000 for his wife, $10,000 on a Bvlgari watch for himself and nearly $5,000 for his daughter’s cosmetic dentistry.

Payments are alleged to have been made to Asian, African and Caribbean football officials, including $250,000 to Jack Warner, the former longtime head of Caribbean football.

The audit found that a contract for commercial rights with World Sports Group and its subsidiary World Sports Football

Mohamed bin Hammam were no-bid contracts that were “considerably undervalued.” A $14 million payment from companies with stakes in WSG, Al Baraka Investment and Development Co. and International Sports Events Company was made to the AFC for the “personal use of its president,” the report said.

Bin Hammam is also accused of approving several lucrative, no-bid contracts for commercial rights, including one for Qatari-

owned Al-Jazeera Satellite Network.

The audit said its review of the AFC accounts found that tens of thousands of dollars in cash were routinely given to federation presidents and their relatives.

Most of it went into their personal bank accounts and none of it was for football-related expenses, it said.

Gaurav Thapa, whose father heads the Nepalese federation, reportedly received $100,000m while Filipino football official Jose Mari Martinez was supposedly given $60,000 and had $11,226 in hospital expenses paid. Another $50,000 went to East Timorese football official Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, the audit found.

The audit said a Bangladesh football federation spokesman received $25,000 for tuition expenses and that its general secretary was given $20,000 to cover the cost of cancer treatment.

The auditors advised the AFC to seek “legal advice in respect of ... whether the actions of Mr. Hammam, and other par ties identified in this report, constitute criminal and/or civil breaches.” —AP

17 TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

Even Shakespeare would struggle to capture these Games LONDON: If only Shakespeare could have tweeted. Transported 400 years into the future, he would have relished trying to sum up what he saw at the London 2012 Olympics in 140 characters or less. He came closer than most in around 1599 with lines from the prologue of “Henry V”: “A kingdom for a stage, princes to act/And monarchs to behold the swelling scene!”

But not even a full five acts of the Bard at his best could do justice to the endless twists and turns of the Games, which enter the home stretch of the final week yesterday.

The Olympics began with an exuberant, and distinctly British ceremony called “Isles of Wonder”, inspired by Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”.

As the sporting drama unfolded in boxing rings, on rowing lakes, along running tracks and beyond, the playwright’s famous phrase “all the world’s a stage” seemed more apt.

Some 10,500 athletes from 204 countries are taking part, including Libya and Egypt which have emerged from the tumult of revolution. Seeds of social change were reflected in Saudi Arabia sending its first women to the Olympics.

On the field of play there has been the spectacle of agonisingly close con-

tests. Nicola Spirig of Switzerland was declared winner of the women’s triathlon against Lisa Norden of Sweden only after judges examined the photofinish. Following two hours of running, swimming and cycling, 15 centimetres separated them.

At the other end of the spectrum, a handful of athletes destroyed their rivals in something bordering on disdain.

Cyclist Bradley Wiggins became the host nation’s most decorated Olympian, and contender for a knighthood, by dominating the men’s time trial just 10 days after winning the “greatest race of all”, the Tour de France, the first Briton to do so. Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt proved that lightning can strike twice by retaining the 100 metres sprint title, the most coveted of all Olympic golds, in a searing 9.63 seconds - the second fastest run of all time. Television viewers may have wondered if they were watching on a loop as American swimmer Michael Phelps kept on adding to his medal tally in the pool.

Four more gold in London helped his total to 22, including 18 golds, beyond the previous Olympic record of 18 held by former Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina. “I think that keeping the Olympic world record for 48 years is long

enough,” Ukraine-born Latynina generously declared. Some competitors inspire awe, others affection.

American 16-year-old gymnast Gabby Douglas won the women’s all-round gold, and the world’s hearts, with her perky smile and acrobatic prowess that earned her the tag “Flying Squirrel”. A tearful Russian world champion Victoria Komova told the other side of every happy Olympic tale by removing her silver medal in disappointment before leaving the arena following the medal ceremony. “It was too heavy,” the gymnast told reporters. “The lady doth protest too much,” Shakespeare may have said of South Korean Shin A Lam, who, in one of the Games’ most abiding images, sat alone on the fencing piste weeping for an hour in protest at her elimination from an epee semi-final.

The official clock was reset in error, giving her German opponent just enough time to launch a last-ditch attack to win. Two of the biggest stories of London 2012 have been furores involving female Asian athletes.

In the case of Ye Shiwen, the 16-yearold swimmer from China, her world record win in the 400 metre individual medley including final leg times that would have beaten the fastest men

raised eyebrows as well as cheers.

An American swimming coach openly voiced suspicion of the involvement of performance-enhancing drugs, and, despite the swimming community in London rallying behind the young prodigy, Ye was mired in a controversy that took on a life of its own.

Privately, her 396-strong team and the big Chinese media contingent fumed at the insinuations. By the halfway stage, four athletes had been suspended for doping by the International Olympic Committee since the start of the Olympic period on July 16. Eight more, all Asian badminton players, were expelled for breaking the spirit of the sport by deliberately losing before angry crowds in order to manipulate the draw, skewing the ancient Olympic motto of “Faster, Higher, Stronger”.

A member of Britain’s gold medalwinning cycling sprint team then admitted to crashing deliberately following a stumble in order to gain a restart, sullying the later victory and blurring the boundaries of where games end and gamesmanship begins.

Disgraced Chinese badminton player Yu Yang, who was thrown out despite playing within the rules, reacted by quit-

ting the sport in a posting on her Tencent microblog.

“Goodbye my beloved badminton,” she wrote, blaming organisers for putting rules in place that encouraged “throwing” matches. “You have heartlessly shattered our dreams.”

Yu’s “coup de theatre” was delivered through social media, underlining how, in one way at least, London 2012 is like no other Olympics in history. Little wonder the media have dubbed it the “Twitter Games”. While the site has been crammed with celebratory messages to and from winners, it has also provided a platform for unsavory comments which ended the Olympic dreams of two athletes. Two days before the opening ceremony, Greek triple jumper Paraskevi Papachristou was withdrawn from the team after tweeting a racist remark. Five days later a Swiss soccer player was thrown out for an offensive remark about South Korea, and British police arrested a man after offensive tweets were sent to British diver Tom Daley when he failed to win a medal in his first event. Queen Elizabeth I would have watched Shakespeare’s plays in the privacy of her own court. Queen Elizabeth II and her family have been far more public in their participation at the Games.—AP

For some Olympians, glory is about showing up

LONDON: China’s Fu Baorong (left), Japan’s Keiko Manabe (left on ground) and Nagisa Hayashi vie for the ball in the preliminary round women’s hockey match at the 2012 Summer Olympics.—AP

NZ women reach Olympic hockey semis for first time LONDON: New Zealand reached the women’s Olympic field hockey semifinals for the first time by knocking out Germany, and Britain advanced without hitting a ball when China lost to Japan yesterday. The surprising New Zealanders, who have come last three times in the Olympics, fought for a 0-0 draw, which ensured they finished in the top two of Pool B, leaving Argentina and Australia to fight for the last spot in the last match of the day.

World champion Argentina could qualify with a win or draw over three-time Olympic champion Australia, which needed to win.

Britain joined the defending champion Netherlands in the semis from Pool A, rendering their pool match late Monday to bragging rights only. China, the Beijing finalist, beat Britain on Saturday to revive its chances and needed another win over winless Japan. But Rika Komazawa was credited with the only goal in a goal-mouth scramble after a penalty corner in the 53rd minute.

Germany, the 2004 champion, had to defeat New Zealand by three goals to have a chance of advancing, and had two goals disallowed on video review. Germany and coach Michael Behrmann were frustrated.

“It’s hard to understand that we have eight cameras in HD and in the end there is no advice possible. For me, it’s unbelievable,” Behrmann said. New Zealand had not so much as drawn with Germany in eight years,

and only three weeks ago was hammered 5-1 in a friendly. But it has peaked at the right time. “I was more anxious than the girls (before the Olympics),” New Zealand coach Mark Hager said. “But I was listening to a couple of them talking to other people and they were saying, Tell them to settle, we’re OK, we know where we’re at, we’ll be right, we’ll switch on when we’re ready.’ And true to their word they have.” The Black Sticks started and finished better, while Germany dominated around halftime in a match in which the goalkeepers starred: Bianca Russell for New Zealand and Yvonne Frank for Germany. It didn’t make for an eye-catching game but Hager didn’t care. “As I said to the girls, it doesn’t matter how you win or draw or get to the semifinals - if it’s ugly it’s still well and good,” he said. “Teams have played good hockey in the past and never made it. For this group, I think it’s fantastic.”

For Germany, who haven’t a major tournament medal since 2008, it was more bitter disappointment. “We are our biggest opponents, maybe it is mental,” said Julia Mueller, who was sin-binned. “We have to grow up.”

Japan goalkeeper Sakiyo Asano was the biggest problem for China in a first half it dominated. But Japan ruled the second spell and the reward came after a third successive penalty corner, when the initial shot was blocked, Aki Mitsuhashi’s shot was saved, and the rebound rolling toward goal was deflected in for certain by Komazawa.—AP

LONDON: For Timi Garstang, a sprinter from the Marshall Islands, the Olympic experience boils down to this: He was the slowest man in the race to find the fastest man on earth.

He chugged in two and a half seconds behind the winner in a preliminary heat - for an event that elite runners don’t even take 10 seconds to complete.

Jennet Saryyeva of Turkmenistan was nearly lapped in a swimming heat. Zamzam Mohamed Farah of Somalia completed the women’s 400 meters track race in 1 minute, 20.48 seconds - a whopping 30 seconds behind the winner, and no better than a reasonably fit woman in the stands at Olympic Stadium could have mustered. For athletes from the world’s smallest countries, or those suffering through conflict and turmoil, the Olympics are not about winning, but there is victory and honor in just showing up. Perhaps no competitor exemplifies that spirit more than Farah, whose training regimen consisted of early-morning jogs through the streets of war-ravaged Mogadishu, where she had to navigate roadblocks manned by competing militiamen. “Sometimes the soldier on guard would mistake us for being suicide bombers or attackers, and they would order us to stop or they would shoot,” she told The Associated Press in a July interview.

The 21-year-old’s time in the 400 meters in London was just two seconds better than the world mark held by American Jean Daprano the world mark in the women’s 75-and-older category.

Nonetheless, she was cheered back home, where talk of her accomplishment was mixed with pride, and nostalgia for a time when the country’s name was not synonymous with chaos, piracy and early death. “We are very proud to have taken our flag to the world stage,” said Liban Yusuf, who lives in Mogadishu.

Abdirizaq Mohamud, another city dweller, said he hoped Farah’s time would be the first step on a path back to respectability.

“We could surprise many people if we got better results, so that we could reclaim our reputation,” he said, and it was clear he meant more than just sports. Many athletes from the world’s forgotten or forlorn countries came to the Olympics via wild card berths granted by international sports federations, part of a drive to include as many countries as possible in the games. Some 204 nations are represented in London, 11 more than there are member states at the United Nations, and four athletes are competing independently under the Olympic flag.

happen to be sitting next to a judo player,” Coe added. A police spokesman said a man had been heard shouting abuse and was then seen throwing a bottle, which landed behind the sprinters just after the starter told the runners to “set”.

Luckily the bottle ended up behind the runners and the show-stopping race went off in style with Bolt retaining his Olympic title in the second fastest time on record.

There have been many notable fan “interventions” at major sporting occasions over the years, ranging from the downright dangerous to the mildly amusing and bemusing. This year’s annual Oxford versus Cambridge rowing race was stopped halfway by 35-year-old Trenton Oldfield who swam into the path of the boats, narrowly avoiding the swishing oars. In 2003 former priest Neil Horan, dressed in a kilt, ran across the track at the British Formula One Grand Prix as cars raced towards him at 200mph. A year later he bundled the race leader Vanderlei de Lima off the course at the Olympic Marathon in Athens. In 1993 James Miller parachuted into the ring as Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe fought for the world heavyweight boxing title at Caesar’s Palace and was promptly beaten up by spectators.—Reuters

Sometimes, having such a large field stirs controversy. There have been protests against a Syrian equestrian rider who has voiced support for President Bashar Assad, whose forces have killed thousands in a bloody civil war.

And hardline Saudi clerics - as well as some sports purists here in London - have decried the participation of a novice Saudi judo fighter in a field of high-level black belts. The former said she was defiling Islam, the latter the sanctity of sport. But it is also a chance for athletes to push cultural boundaries. Who knows whether there is a little girl in Afghanistan right now who will be inspired by Tahmina Kohistani, who finished her women’s 100-meter heat in a molasses-like 14.42. Kohistani has talked about being kicked out of taxis by male drivers who disapproved of her ambitions, but also of the importance of her carrying on.

“I hope the next generation of women will be proud of me and that they will never forget me,” she said. For Garstang, the Marshall Islands sprinter, the Olympics has been more about meeting Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, who broke the Olympic record in the 100-meter final

Sunday night, than competing against him.

Garstang ran into Bolt in the athletes village but said he was too shy to introduce himself. He also acknowledged a strong case of nerves when he lined up in his heat before 80,000 screaming fans at Olympic Stadium. And who can blame him?

“There were more people there than in my entire country,” he said, and he wasn’t exaggerating. The Pacific island nation has a population of 68,000.And it’s not just athletics and swimming that have produced unusual results from unlikely competitors.

Anolyn Lulu carried the hopes of teeny Vanuatu with her into her premliminary-round table tennis match against Brazilian Ligia Silva, only to go down 4-0. Games are usually played to 11 points. Lulu’s best score was nine, and she was crushed 11-2, 11-3 and 11-5 in the other games. Niger’s Hamadou Djibo Issaka, a rower who had trained only three months, and in an old fishing boat, was cheered enthusiastically start to finish in the men’s sculls, though he came in last of 33 competitors, a full minute behind his nearest competitor.—AP

Aussie Slingsby sails to Laser Olympic gold

No sympathy for bottle thrower who gets a slap LONDON: With 80,000 sets of eyes locked on the world’s best sprinters and an electrically-charged silence hanging heavy inside the Olympic Stadium one lucky ticket holder decided to add to the drama on Sunday and lob a bottle towards Usain Bolt. Hardly the most sensible of things to do, especially when sitting next to Dutchwoman Edith Bosch, a black belt in judo who won a bronze medal at the Games. She gave him a slap around the head before he was removed from the stadium and arrested by the Metropolitan Police. London 2012 chief Sebastian Coe confirmed on Monday that a “zero tolerance” policy was in place and that anyone contemplating a similar act of lunacy would be treated harshly.

“Throwing a bottle on to the field of play is unacceptable, and it’s not just unacceptable at an Olympic Games, it’s unacceptable at any sports venue,” Coe told reporters on Monday.

“The guy was removed and anybody that does that in future will be removed.

There is zero tolerance to anything like that.” “I am not suggesting vigilantism but it was actually poetic justice that they did

LONDON: In this July 27, 2012, photo, Jennet Saryyeva of Turkmenistan puts on her goggles during a practice session. For athletes from the world’s smallest countries, or those suffering through conflict and turmoil, the Olympics are not about winning, but there is victory and honor in just showing up. —AP

LONDON: Australia’s Tom Slingsby celebrates after winning the gold medal of the laser class sailing competition at the London 2012 Summer Olympics.—AP

WEYMOUTH: A dip in the English Channel never felt so good. Tom Slingsby of Australia won the Olympic sailing gold medal in the men’s Laser class Monday by match-racing his closest competitor, Pavlos Kontides of Cyprus, to the back of the fleet. After crossing the line in ninth place in the medals race, Slingsby, a tactician with America’s Cup champion Oracle Racing, capsized his boat in celebration.

As he continued to celebrate, Slingsby tipped his boat over again, righted it, climbed back in and then waved the Australian flag at a big group of supporters watching from Nothe Fort, including his parents. The Australian came into the medals race leading Kontides by 14 points, leaving them the only two with a chance at the gold. Slingsby got ahead of the Cypriot at the start and kept him pinned at the back of the fleet, making sure he couldn’t break free. Kontides took the silver, securing the first-ever Olympic medal for his small island nation.

“I feel really wonderful,” Kontides said. “I guess when I have the silver medal around my neck and be back home, then all the celebrations will start, and I will really understand

what I have done. It’s a historic day for Cyprus sport and for myself as well. I guess I wrote my name in Cyprus sport in golden letters.” Cyprus started taking part in the modern-day Olympics in the 1980 Moscow Games.

Sweden’s Rasmus Myrgren took the bronze.

The equipment inspection committee filed a protest against Myrgren just before the start, but the Swede prevailed and keeps the medal.

Slingsby was unbeaten in four regattas held at Weymouth in the lead-up to the games and led this one from the start, winning four of the first 10 races.

He’s the second America’s Cup sailor to win gold in these games. On Sunday, British star Ben Ainslie won the Finn class gold medal.

Ainslie’s four straight gold medals, combined with his silver from 1996, made him the most successful sailor in Olympic history.

Now it’s off to their day jobs. The second season of the America’s Cup World Series begins with a regatta in San Francisco from Aug. 21-26. Ainslie will skipper Ben Ainslie Racing. He will then join Oracle Racing for the 34th America’s Cup on San Francisco Bay next summer. Slingsby gets a little bit of a break before reporting back to work with Oracle in September.—AP

18

London 2012 Olympic Games

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

Hungary pounds US

LONDON: Great Britain’s Nick Skelton, Ben Maher, Scott Brash and Peter Charles (from left) show their medals after receiving the gold medal in the equestrian show jumping team competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics.—AP

Britain end 60-year wait for show jumping gold LONDON: Great Britain claimed the Olympic Games team show jumping gold for the first time in 60 years yesterday after a gripping jump-off against the Netherlands at Greenwich Park.

The head-to-head showdown was required to split the two teams after they had finished the competition in a tie for first with eight penalty points. Saudi Arabia, with 14 points, finished in the bronze medal position.

This was only the London 2012 hosts’ second ever team title, and it came 60 years after the first in Helsinki, sending the Union Jack flag-waving capacity 23,000 crowd into raptures.

Britain claimed gold when Peter Charles, the fourth rider to go in the jump off, held his nerve to go clear, matching the faultless displays of veteran Nick Skelton and Ben Maher.

The Dutch, seeking to follow up their team gold in Barcelona in 1992, were undone when Maikel van der Vleuten, riding Verdi, knocked two fences down and Marc Houtzager one down on Tamino.

This was only the second time in Olympic history that a jump off was needed to determine the destination of the team title after the United States, tied for sixth on Monday, defeated Canada in Beijing four years ago.

The British jumping team were going one better than their three-day eventing colleagues who last week took silver behind

Germany. The home nation’s work at Greenwich is far from over, with Skelton joint top of the standings and favourite to land gold in the individual show jumping competition which concludes on Thursday.

And they also have strong claims on the team and individual dressage titles. For the 54-year-old Skelton this success, his first Olympic medal of any hue, was coming at his sixth Games.

“He said: “It has taken me 54 years. It is unbelievable and what a place to do it. I have got a wonderful horse and it is a dream come true.” “It is great for our country and great for our sport.

The lads have done great,” added the rider, who missed Sydney in 2000 after being advised by doctors to retire after breaking the C1 vertebrae in two places in his neck.

Saudi Arabia, featuring Prince Abdullah alSaud, King Abdullah’s grandson, were emulating the individual jumping bronze picked up in Sydney.

Prince Abdullah, who knocked one fence down in Monday’s second round on his grey gelding Davos, was thrilled to have finished third and he paid tribute to his grandfather.

“Despite all his busy work back home he is our biggest supporter, he’s been following the competition on television and by phone,” said the 27-year-old law graduate. “I am speechless this thing has happened and it means everything to us. We have been training in Belgium all together for three months and we have a great team spirit.”—AFP

LONDON: Norbert Hosnyanszky scored three times to power defending champion Hungary to a dominating 11-6 win yesterday over the US in the teams’ final preliminary-stage game in men’s water polo, while Australia upset Greece 13-8 to become the last team to reach the quarterfinals.

After two losses to open the games, Hungary finally found the form that won it the last three Olympic titles. Zoltan Szesci made eight saves in goal in Hungary’s strongest defensive performance of the tournament. “This was our best match of the tournament and I’m very happy about this performance and our defense was perfect,” Hungary star Tamas Kasas said. “We have to immediately forget this match and look to the next one in two days because that will be more important. We have a chance. The team is very good now, but we have to continue on this road.”

Both the US and Hungary had both already secured spots in the quarterfinals, although their seeds for the knockout stage will only be set after the last Group B game later Monday between medal contender Montenegro and winless Britain.

The US loss leaves it even with Hungary in Group B with six points, but behind in the head-tohead tiebreaker. After a tight first quarter, Hungary broke the game open early in the second with three goals in quick succession to seize the momentum and a 4-0 lead. US captain Tony Azevedo converted a penalty to pull one back, but the Americans never looked capable of truly cracking a Hungarian defense that clearly wanted to prove itself after a string of shaky performances earlier in the tournament.

On the other end of the pool, the Hungary attack whipped in goals from long distance, underlining the defensive woes that have hurt the American in two straight losses in London after opening the games with three wins.

A clearly frustrated Azevedo, who is playing in his third Olympics, said the Americans’ problem was simple: “It’s defense, that’s it.”

“Six goals is not enough, but that’s fine,” he said. “But when on defense you can’t make a stop, you can’t expect to win. Defense is the part of the game that’s really the easiest to change. It’s heart and it’s passion, and right now we’re not playing with it, and I honestly can’t tell you why.”

Yesterday’s game was a rematch of the 2008 Olympic final in Beijing, which Hungary won 14-10.

Earlier, Australia filled out the quarterfinal

bracket, advancing to the knockout stage by upsetting Greece 13-8 behind three goals from Rhys Howden.

Needing a victory to advance to the quarterfinals, Australia used a five-goal second quarter to grab an 8-5 lead by halftime, then scored the first three goals after the break to extend it to 11-5.

Greece, which could have advanced with just a draw, never recovered.

“It was a relief. We had a lot of criticism, and we had a long meeting yesterday that was player driven so the accolades go to those guys,” Australia coach John Fox said.

Australia reaches the quarterfinals as the fourth seed out of Group A, and will play Serbia, which beat Kazakhstan 12-4 to win Group B, in the knockout stage.

Greece fell to fifth in Group A with the loss and was eliminated from the tournament. Croatia, meanwhile, had little trouble with winless Kazakhstan, pouring it on early to open up a 5-0 lead and cruise to an easy win. Niksa Dobud scored five goals for Croatia, which already had

secured the group’s top seed for the knockout stage.

“It don’t mean nothing before the quarterfinals,” Dobud said in English. “If we lose there we go home, so we need to be good at the right time in the quarterfinal and then we go for medals, and that’s the reason we came here.” With the loss, Kazakhstan finished at the bottom of Group A. While Croatia, which won the FINA World League title last month, emerges from the preliminary stage unbeaten and largely untested, it faces a much harder road in a knockout stage where it will have to tangle with four powerful teams advancing from Group B: gold medalfavorite Serbia, three-time defending champion Hungary, 2012 European championship silver medalist Montenegro and 2008 Olympic silver medalist the US. In the late games, Montenegro closes out Group B play against winless Britain, which only qualified for the tournament as the host nation. In Group A, Spain plays Italy for the No. 2 seed out of Group A in the quarterfinals.—AP

LONDON: Jeff Powers (No 4 blue cap) of the United States shoots and scores as Peter Biros (left) of Hungary goes to block during their men’s water polo preliminary round match at the 2012 Summer Olympics.—AP

Marshall suffers early exit Mary Kom assured of bronze, eyes gold

LONDON: Chinese gymnast Chen Yibing performs on the rings during the artistic gymnastics men’s apparatus finals at the 2012 Summer Olympics,—AP

Chinese pair dethroned as Zanetti, Mustafina pounce LONDON: Chinese pair Chen Yibing and He Kexin were deposed as Olympic champions yesterday as Brazilian Arthur Zanetti and Russian Aliya Mustafina accelerated the disintegration of gymnastics’ world order.

Chen, a four-time world champion on the still rings, looked destined to retain his title from the 2008 Beijing Games until Zanetti pipped him to glory with the last routine of the men’s rings final.

The women’s uneven bars champion four years ago, He also made a strong start in her event final, only to see the gold medal adroitly prised from her grasp by a resurgent Mustafina. Having claimed nine of the 14 golds on offer in Beijing, Chinese gymnasts have won only two to date in London. Chen was the first gymnast to perform at the North Greenwich Arena on Monday and he finished his assured routine with a broad smile on his face. His score of 15.800 points was not enough, however, as Zanetti edged him by just 0.100 points thanks to a higher execution mark, earning Brazil their first gymnastics gold in Olympic history.

“I hope this medal will open lots of doors for all the gymnasts in Brazil,” said Zanetti, who will bid to defend his title at the Rio Games in 2016. “I hope that in Rio we’ll be able to have a full team, in order to defend this title and fight for others on home soil.” Italy’s Matteo Morandi took the bronze medal behind 27year-old Chen, who revealed his plans to retire after the London Games.

Bulgarian veteran Jordan Jovtchev, 39, also bade farewell to the Olympic arena, finishing in seventh place in the rings final on his record sixth Games appearance.

Mustafina made up for the disappointment of missing out on the individual all-around gold medal by claiming victory on the uneven

bars, while Great Britain’s Beth Tweddle took home a crowd-pleasing bronze. Mustafina, 17, had already won individual bronze and team silver in London and she completed her medal collection thanks to a superb 16.133 display that left He with silver. “I am very, very happy that I’ve won gold,” said Mustafina. “Every medal represents its own thing. I was hoping very much to win and I was very happy with my routine. I didn’t know what to expect of myself today. I did my own thing.”

It was Mustafina’s first major title since she ruptured knee ligaments at last year’s European Championships, and it gave Russia their first gymnastics gold medal of the London Olympics.

Tweddle bows out of the sport after finally adding an Olympic honour to her three world titles, her six European crowns, and her 2002 Commonwealth Games success.

“It was the one that was missing from my collection,” said the 27-year-old, who finished fourth in the Olympic uneven bars final in Beijing. “I wasn’t bothered about what colour it was. I saw myself in third and I thought: ‘Please don’t be fourth again.’ I just can’t put into words what it means to me.”

As China faltered, South Korea were able to celebrate a breakthrough success, after Yang Hak-Seon gave the country their first Olympic gymnastics gold in the men’s vault.

The softly spoken 19-year-old averaged 16.533 points with his two vaults, putting him on top of the podium above Russia’s Denis Ablyazin and Igor Radivilov of Ukraine.

“We haven’t had a gold medal in Olympic gymnastics before and the training didn’t go very well, so I was nervous,” said Yang.

“But I’m happy that I got over that and won the gold medal.”

The artistic gymnastics competition concludes today with finals in the men’s high bar and parallel bars and the women’s floor exercise and balance beam.—AFP

LONDON: Britain’s world champion and middleweight favourite Savannah Marshall suffered a shock Olympic Games quarter-final exit yesterday falling to defeat in her opening bout.

The 21-year-old Briton, who won the world title in May, suffered a 16-12 upset to Kazakhstan’s Marina Volnova. After matching Marshall over the first two rounds, Volnova raised the pace as the favorite made an early exit from London, where women’s boxing is making its Olympic debut.

“I am very disappointed to go out of the Olympics at the first hurdle,” said Marshall. “I have got no excuses. The preparation was right, I didn’t box to my full potential.”

Volnova now faces Claressa Shields of the USA in tomorrow’s semi-final after the American’s 18-14 last eight win over Anna Laurell of Sweden.

World silver medallist and second seed Nadezda Torlopova of Russia will face China’s Li Jinzi in tomorrow’s other semi after they both comfortably won their quarter-finals.

Ireland’s Katie Taylor remains favorite for lightweight gold after her impressive 26-15 quarter-final demolition of Britain’s Natasha Jonas.

Taylor, who faces Tajikistan’s Mavzuna Chorieva in tomorrow’s semi, won her fourth straight world title in May, out-classed Jonas.

“Hats off to her, there is nothing else I could have done, maybe thrown the kitchen sink or driven a bus into her,” said the 28-yearold world semi-finalist.

World silver medallist Sofya Ochigava of Russia is on a collision course with Taylor for Thursday’s final after hammering New Zealand’s Alexis Pritchard 22-4.

It set up a semi-final clash against Brazil’s Adriana Araujo, who beat Morocco’s

LONDON: Sweden’s Anna Laurell (right) fights United States’ Claressa Shields in a women’s middleweight 75-kg quarterfinal boxing match at the 2012 Summer Olympics.—AP Mahjouba Oubtil 16-12 in yesterday’s last eight bout. At flyweight, world champion Ren Cancan of China reached the last four with a 12-7 quarter-final win against Russia’s Elena Savelyeva, but the world champion admitted feeling the strain.

“Yes, there is pressure but I am still prepared and I never look down on any opponent,” said the 24-year-old who has won gold at the last three world championships.

Ren will face Marlen Esparza of the USA in Wednesday’s semi after the American’s convincing 24-16 quarter-final win over Karlha Magliocco of Venezuela.

In the other semi-final, India’s five-time

world boxing champion M.C. Mary Kom takes on Britain’s Nicola Adams, who beat her in the world championships last eight in May. Kom, 29, enjoyed a commanding 15-6 win over Tunisia’s Maroua Rahali to reach the semi-finals, where the losers are guaranteed at least a bronze medal.

“I am extremely happy, now I hope my dreams come true,” said Kom, who has stepped up a weight division for the Olympics and won the last of her five world crowns in 2010.

World silver medallist Adams made sure of her place with a comfortable 16-7 last eight win over Bulgaria’s Stoyka Petrova.—AFP

Japan down France for final spot

LONDON: Japan’s Mizuho Sakaguchi (left) celebrates with her teammate Yuki Ogimi during the women’s soccer semifinal match between Japan and France at the 2012 Summer Olympics.—AP

LONDON: Japan edged closer to their dream of a rare footballing double yesterday after holding off a late onslaught from France to reach the final of the Olympic women’s football tournament.

Japan, bidding to become only the second side in history to hold the World Cup and Olympic crowns at the same time, advanced to a final showdown with either the United States or Canada after a 2-1 victory. Goals in each half from Yuki Ogimi and Mizuho Sakaguchi appeared to have left the Japanese cruising into Thursday’s final.

However France staged a desperate late fightback to run the Japanese close, with Eugenie le Sommer pulling a goal back to make it 2-1 on 76 minutes.

France then appeared poised to equalise after Le Sommer was bundled over in the penalty area by Sakaguchi to earn a penalty.

But the pressure was too much for France’s Elise Bussaglia, who blasted her spot-kick well wide as a golden chance to level went begging.

Japan could have extended their lead in the dying seconds when Ogimi broke free to go one-on-one with the France goalkeeper only for her shot to hit the woodwork.—AFP

19 TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

Kenny and Pendleton keep British rolling at velodrome LONDON: It was hard to tell what sounded more deafening: Britain’s Jason Kenny winning a sprint gold medal or Victoria Pendleton moving one step closer to doing the same thing.

The home nation’s dominance of the London Velodrome continued Monday when Kenny swept Gregory Bauge of France in their best-of-three final to give Britain its fifth Olympic gold through seven track events.

Hoy will be back Tuesday to contest the men’s keirin, and Laura Trott will start the final day of the program tied with Sarah Hammer of the United States in the multidiscipline women’s omnium. If Britain sweeps all three events, it would surpass the seven golds it won at the Beijing Games - the kind of dominance that has left rivals trying to figure out just how they’re doing it. “If I knew, I would tell you,” Bauge said.

The only time Britain has missed out on gold was in the men’s omnium, won by Denmark’s Lasse Hansen, and the women’s team sprint,

LONDON: Cyclists compete in the track cycling women’s omnium elimination race, during the 2012 Summer Olympics.—AP It was the second gold for Kenny, who teamed with Philip Hindes and Chris Hoy to win the team sprint earlier in the program.

“It’s amazing. I hadn’t thought about it until the last lap, then it suddenly dawned on me. It was quite the battle to get here,” Kenny said. “I didn’t want to mess that one up.” He certainly didn’t do that. Neither did Pendleton, the reigning world champion who earlier in the day cruised through the quarterfinals in the women’s version of the sprint event.

when Pendleton and teammate Jessica Varnish were relegated from medal contention because of an illegal changeover.

Germany went on to win the gold medal when China also was relegated. Pendleton didn’t toy around with Olga Panarina of Belarus in the women’s sprint quarterfinals yesterday, easily winning the first match race and then using an explosive kick to win the second.

The reigning Olympic gold medalist remained in position for a showdown on the

boards with her Australian rival Anna Meares. It was Meares who ended Pendleton’s run of four straight world titles in 2011, and who Pendleton eliminated in the semifinals in May to regain her championship.

Meares took care of Lyubov Shulika of Ukraine to reach the semifinals, showing her own strong kick down the back stretch to win both their match races.

Also advancing to the semifinals was Kristina Vogel of Germany, part of the gold medal-winning sprint team, who beat Simona Krupeckaite of Lithuania in two straight races. Guo Shuang rallied after losing her first match race to take two straight from Lisandra Guerra Rodrgieuz of Cuba. Trott won the 250-meter flying start and the elimination race during the six-event omnium, but she only finished 10th in the points race, leaving her tied with Hammer at the midway point. Hammer, an individual pursuit world champion, was more consistent through the first three events and has her best disciplines still to come. Annette Edmondson of Australia is also within striking distance after finishing third in the flying lap and elimination race.

Hoy, the defending keirin champ, goes into today’s event tied with Britain’s Bradley Wiggins and Burton Downing of the US with a record six Olympic track cycling medals.

The flying Scotsman will be challenged by world silver medalist Maximilian Levy of Germany, and Shane Perkins of Australia and Njisane Nicholas Phillip of Trinidad and Tobago, who faced off for the bronze medal in the men’s sprint. Perkins landed on the podium by winning both match races.

“The form’s there,” Perkins said. “Having a few wins under my belt gives me the confidence to go out and do my best.” One rider Hoy won’t have to contend with his Kenny.

New rules put in place for the London Games limit any nation to one rider per event, which means there will be no repeat of Beijing, when Hoy edged teammate Ross Edgar for the gold.

The way things have been going, that’s a welcome relief for the rest of the competition.

“We are all very far behind (the British),” conceded French track cycling director Isabelle Gautheron. “I have to give homage to their performances, even if it feels bitter. We have to see how to avoid this scenario repeating itself.”—AP

Bulgaria clinches top spot

LONDON: Bulgaria’s Tsvetan Sokolov (19) and Nikolay Nikolov (18) go up to block a shot by Italy’s Cristian Savani (11) during a men’s volleyball preliminary match at the 2012 Summer Olympics.—AP

LONDON: Tsvetan Sokolov scored 21 points and Bulgaria finished the preliminary round with a straight-sets victory over Italy to secure the top seed in its pool for the men’s volleyball quarterfinals at the London Games.

Todor Aleksiev added 13 in the 32-30, 25-20, 25-19 victory for the Bulgarians, who dropped only one of five preliminary round matches.

Ivan Zaytsev had 15 points for Italy, which finished the opening round 3-2 for a spot in the quarterfinals. Argentina and Poland also advanced.

The top four teams in each six-team pool move on to the knockout round. The top finishers in each pool face the fourthplace finishers in the opposite pool, while the other matches are determined by drawing lots.

The defending Olympic champion US men had already made the quarterfinals because of three earlier victories in the round, but would clinch the top spot in their pool with a victory against Tunisia in a late match yesterday. The ninth-ranked Bulgarians have been the surprise of the preliminary round because the team came to London in such disarray.

After Bulgaria earned an Olympic berth at a qualification tournament in Sofia, the coach and a top player suddenly resigned to protest their country’s leadership of the sport. Coach Radostin Stoychev and spiker

Matey Kaziyski have called for the resignation of Bulgarian federation chief Dancho Lazarov. Nine players on the 12-man team are first-time Olympians.

“We have created this really good climate among all the players,” coach Nayden Naydennov said. “That’s why we are playing so well, they are a really good team.”

The biggest upset yesterday came in the first match of the day, when No. 22 Australia surprised No. 3 Poland 3-1 (25-21, 25-22, 18-25, 25-22). Travis Passier’s ace proved the match-winning point and the Volleyroos earned a standing ovation from the Earls Court crowd.

Poland had already qualified for the quarterfinals, but the loss kept them from clinching the top seed. “We lost control in the beginning and we were not really fighting,” Poland coach Andrea Anastasi said. “I have no explanation.”

Poland has been on the upswing since hiring Anastasi early last year and the team won the recent World League, beating topranked Brazil three times in the early round and again in the finals.

Poland, which won the Olympic gold medal in 1976, finished fifth in Beijing. The Volleyroos, making their first-ever appearance in Olympic volleyball, needed winless Britain to defeat Argentina in an afternoon match to advance. But the eighth-ranked Argentineans defeated the hosts 25-18, 2518, 25-15. Russia defeated Serbia 3-1 (2515, 25-20, 25-17) to secure a spot in the quarterfinals.—AP

Russia dominate synchro swimming LONDON: Go ahead and give another Olympic gold to the Russians in synchronized swimming.

Natalia Ishchenko and Svetlana Romashina are mainly competing against their own standards.

Extending the country’s domination in the sport, Ishchenko and Romashina headed into the duet final as top qualifiers after the preliminary free routine yesterday.

Performing to music that included the theme from Tim Burton’s movie “Sleepy Hollow,” the Russians glided effortlessly through the water to add to their leading marks in the technical preliminary. They easily claimed the top spot with 196.800 points, leaving everyone else to battle for silver. The leaders are looking for perfection.

“Maybe about 90 percent happy,” Ishchenko said. “We have small things to fix for the final. I hope that the judges did not see those mistakes that our coach saw.” Apparently not.

The Russians were comfortably ahead of the other medal contenders, China’s Huang Xuechen and Liu Ou in second with 192.810, followed by Spain’s Ona Carbonell

and Andrew Fuentes at 192.590.

“We don’t care about Russia because they’re (four) points ahead,” Fuentes said. “We’re at bronze currently. Our fight now is with China.”

The top 12 teams advanced to today’s final. Among those getting through: The home British duo of Olivia Federici and Jenna Randall in

lose this competition. They haven’t dropped a synchro event at the Olympics since the 1996 Atlanta Games. “We have made a few changes, upped the tempo, sped up our program,” Ishchenko said.

The Russians aren’t taking anything for granted. Asked how she would prepare for the final, Romashina said the country’s ath-

LONDON: Natalia Ishchenko and Svetlana Romashina from Russia compete during the women’s duet synchronized swimming free routine at the Aquatics Centre during the 2012 Summer Olympics.—AP ninth, along with the American pairing of Mary Killman and Mariya Koroleva in 10th.

But it would take some sort of major blunder for the Russians to

letes were told to avoid distractions by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

“No shopping,” she said, laughing. “Medvedev has given the

order to all athletes that they are not allowed to shop or walk around London. We only relax in the Olympic village.”

The Chinese brought in a new duet after twins Jiang Wenwen and Jiang Tingting finished fourth at the Beijing Games. “The world of synchronized swimming went into a new generation,” Liu said.

“Because the twins’ physical condition was not too good ... that’s why they are not competing here.

That’s why we were selected.”

No one works harder that the Chinese, which helped boost their standing in a sport where reputation plays a large role in the judging.

“Our training is very tough,” Liu said. “The longest session we’ve had is 10 hours nonstop training.”

The US, which dominated the sport in the 1980s, didn’t even qualify for the team event in London, leaving Killman and Koroleva as its only entries in synchro. Clearly, the Americans have some catching up to do.

“The other countries have really developed their programs and reached above and beyond,” Koroleva said. “The US fell behind by just doing what we used to do.

We need to think about how to revitalize the sport and how we run the sport in the States.”—AP

LONDON: Medals table after 10 of 18 events yesterday.

Nation G China 31 United States 28 Britain 18 South Korea 11 France 8 Italy 7 Kazakhstan 6 Russia 5 Germany 5 Hungary 4 North Korea 4 Netherlands 3 South Africa 3 New Zealand 3 Japan 2 Australia 2 Denmark 2 Romania 2 Belarus 2 Cuba 2 Brazil 2 Jamaica 2 Poland 2 Croatia 2 Ukraine 2 Ethiopia 2 Iran 2 Canada 1 Czech Republic 1 Sweden 1 Kenya 1

S 19 14 11 5 9 6 0 17 10 1 0 3 1 0 12 12 4 4 2 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 3 3 3 2

B 14 19 11 6 9 4 0 16 7 3 1 4 0 4 14 8 2 2 3 1 5 1 1 0 6 1 1 6 1 1 2

Tot 64 61 40 22 26 17 6 38 22 8 5 10 4 7 28 22 8 8 7 5 8 4 4 3 8 3 3 10 5 5 5

Slovenia Georgia Switzerland Lithuania Venezuela Mexico Colombia Spain Slovakia Azerbaijan Belgium India Armenia Indonesia Mongolia Norway Serbia Cyprus Egypt Guatemala Malaysia Taiwan Thailand Greece Moldova Argentina Hong Kong Kuwait Qatar Saudi Arabia Singapore Tunisia Uzbekistan

1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

1 1 1 0 0 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

2 0 0 1 0 2 1 1 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

4 2 2 2 1 5 4 3 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

LONDON: Prince Abdullah Al Saud of Saudi Arabia rides his horse Davos during the equestrian show jumping team competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics.—AP

Saudis shrug off dope row for princely bronze LONDON: Saudi Arabia celebrated their first medal of the London Olympics yesterday after they claimed the team show jumping bronzedespite a pre-Games row when one of their horses failed a drugs test.

In April, Abdullah Sharbatly, world silver-medallist in 2010, was handed an eight-month ban after his horse tested positive for banned anti-inflammation products.

But the suspension was reduced to two months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in June, a decision that freed him to take part at London’s Greenwich Park. Sharbatly put the affair behind him when helping his country, in a team also featuring Prince Abdullah al-Saud, King Abdullah’s grandson, take third behind Great Britain and the Netherlands in the jumping competition. “No comment” was Sharbatly’s compact reply when tackled about the positive test at the post-competition press conference.

But his team-mate, Kamal Bahamdan, said: “Everything that happened in the past with doping went through all the official challenges, nothing that happened was outside the official process, enough has been written about that.”

Prince Abdullah paid tribute to the

support of his grandfather, King Abdullah. “Despite all his busy work back home he is our biggest supporter, he’s been following the competition on television and by phone,” said the 27-yearold law graduate.

Millions of pounds have been poured into preparing the team for the Olympics, and Bahamdan declared the sport was developing fast in his oil-rich country. Saudi Arabia also won individual bronze at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

“The biggest boost was that bronze in Sydney. Since then we’ve seen the quality of equestrian shows and the number of riders increase. It’s definitely heading in the right direction.”

Team-mate Ramzy al-Duhami said that despite their underdog status, the Saudis were not surprised by their achievement at making the podium ahead of equestrian giants such as defending champions the United States, Belgium and Canada.

“We’ve had this goal in mind for such a long time. This was our one focus, the Olympics, we’ve worked hard to get the horses ready for the Games,” he said.

“We wanted to be at the top of our game and now we’ve got this result. We are a young country in this sport.”

Sharbatly added: “Thanks to God and thanks to the king.”—AFP

Saudis shrug off dope row for princely bronze

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

19

LONDOn: Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva practices ahead of the women’s pole vault final at the athletics event of the London 2012 Olympic Games.—AFP

Disqualified Algerian reinstated Kuwaiti athlete Al-Azemi disqualified for obstruction in 800m LONDON: Algerian medal contender Taoufik Makhloufi was yesterday cleared to run in the Olympic 1500m final after he was earlier thrown out of the Olympics for not trying hard enough in his 800m heat.

Makhloufi, who had already qualified for today’s 1500m final by winning his semi-final, ran in heat five of the first round of the 800m yesterday but failed to finish. An earlier IAAF statement said “the referee considered that he had not provided a bona fide effort and decided to exclude him from participation in all further events in the competition.”

But Olympic organisers later released an official communication confirming the disqualification had been revoked. “After reviewing evidence provided by a LOCOG (Games organisers) medical officer, the disqualification of athlete 1008 (Taoufik Makhloufi) from further participation in the athletics competition of the 2012 Olympic Games has been revoked by the IAAF technical delegates. Consequently, Makhloufi is able to compete,” it said. Makhloufi, 24, qualified for today’s men’s 1500m final when he won his semifinal in commanding fashion on Sunday evening in 3min 42.24sec, beating defending Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop of Kenya into second place. He started his 800m heat yesterday morning but immediately fell to the back of the pack

and dropped out after less than 150m. An IAAF spokeswoman earlier told AFP that the athlete could be reinstated with a medical certificate from a local doctor explaining he had an ailment that troubled him but which could clear up and allow him to compete in coming days.

The spokeswoman told AFP that the report could not come from the team doctor as it would have to be independent.

It came after eight badminton players were disqualified from the Olympics last week after a scandal over “throwing” matches. Kuwaiti athlete Mohammad Al-Azemi was disqualified from the same 800m event yesterday for obstruction. AlAzemi crossed the finishing line in third place in heat one. Polish runner Marcin Lewandowski will go through to the next round “considering that he was pushed by Al-Azemi and lost his pace,” another statement said. Meanwhile, Italy’s reigning 50km walk champion Alex Schwazer admitted doping yesterday and said his career was over after he was withdrawn from the Olympics for failing a drugs test, according to Italian media reports.

“My career is over. I made a mistake,” Schwazer told ANSA news agency by telephone. “I wanted to be stronger for this Olympics, I was wrong.”

Schwazer, 27, tested positive for the banned blood booster EPO during a test conducted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) at a training camp in Oberstdorf, Germany, a source with

knowledge of the case told AFP. His coach, Michele Didoni, was quoted in the Italian media as saying that there were “no justifications” for doping. He slammed Schwazer for immaturity and for letting so many people down.

“Schwazer called me and told me he had bad news: that he was the one caught for doping. I didn’t even want to ask him why he did it,” he said.

“There are no justifications. Alex needs to grow up and change his life. He kept telling me he will take all the responsibility without realising his actions will affect so many people,” he added.

Schwazer’s mother was distraught by the news, Didoni said. The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) said in a statement that an athlete had been withdrawn from the Olympics for failing a drugs test. “The president of the Italian Olympic Committee... has immediately excluded from the Olympic team an athlete who had not yet gone to London,” it said. CONI said it had been alerted by WADA after an anti-doping control. Schwazer was a bronze medallist at the 2005 and 2007 World Championships before striking gold at Beijing four years ago. He had been one of Italy’s best medal hopes in London after a solid start to the season which saw him clock the fourth best time of his career. WADA has warned the London Games would see the most rigorous testing regime in history, with more than 6,000 tests expected to be carried out during the fortnightlong sporting extravaganza.—AFP

LONDON: Ryutaro Matsumoto of Japan competes against Omid Haji Noroozi of Iran (in blue) during the 84-kg Greco-Roman wrestling competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics.—AP

Iran wins wrestling gold LONDON: Omid Noroozi of Iran won the gold medal yesterday in men’s 60-kilogram Greco-Roman wrestling at the London Olympics. Noroozi, the defending world champion, beat Georgia’s Revaz Lashkhi 1-0, 1-0 to give Iran its second

Greco-Roman medal in as many days. Hamid Soryan won the country’s first Greco-Roman gold on Sunday. Noroozi beat Kazakhstan’s Almat Kebispayev in a rematch of the 2011 world championship final, then took out Lashkhi for his first gold medal. Russia’s Zaur Kuramagomedov and Japan’s Ryutaro Matsumoto won bronze medals.—AP

China reach men’s final despite Zhang defeat

LONDON: China’s Ding Ning eyes the ball as she serves against South Korea’s Kim Kyungah in the Women’s Semifinal between China and South Korea of the London 2012 Olympic Games.—AFP

LONDON: Olympic champion Zhang Jike suffered a shock defeat as China survived a couple of unexpected wobbles before beating Germany 3-1 to reach the final of the men’s team event yesterday.

Zhang lost in four games to Timo Boll, the former world number one, but China recovered to beat Germany 3-1 and emulate their women, who reached their final by beating South Korea 3-0 in the morning. Few visualised such a setback for Zhang, who only four days earlier had added the singles gold medal to his world title.

Instead he found it impossible to contain the lefthanded loops and hits of Boll from positions all over the table, and the German’s 8-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-8 victory ignited the match.

It put Germany and China level at 1-1, and when Boll and Bastian Steger took the first game in the doubles which followed, there was a hint of possible defeat for China, who not only hold the Olympic team title but have captured 18 out of 26 world team titles.

“For 20 or 30 minutes I was a little bit nervous,” said coach Liu Guoliang. “But I actually thought the doubles was the more important match. We have three players all of a similar standard and they have two, and we needed to get Ma Long into action against their number three.” Ma, a former world number one, comfortably wrapped up the match for China with an 11-3, 11-5, 11-7 victory over Bastian Steger, the world number 23. However in the opening encounter Ma had appeared to be slipping into trouble too, before a slice of luck helped him overcome Dimitrij Ovtcharov, the Olympic bronze medallist.

Ovtcharov should have reached game point at 109 for a two games to one lead, but somehow missed a smash against a ball which bounced up invitingly only about three feet from the net.

“Ninety-nine times out of a hundred I would have hit that for a winner,” admitted Ovtcharov. “It’s very important to win those close games, and I didn’t handle that today, sadly. It could have been 2-0 to us.”

After that glaring error he fell away calamitously, losing 12 points in a row and the match 10-12, 11-5, 11-

9, 11-1. He would have lost all 13 in succession had not Ma generously served into the back of the table on the penultimate point.

China’s recovery was aided by some atonement for Zhang Jike, who returned to form a doubles partnership with Wang Hao, the three times Olympic silver medallist. They recovered from losing the first game against Boll and Steger, crucially to put China 21 up. Earlier, China’s head coach blasted his rivals, claiming a stronger work ethic will guarantee his players remain top of the international pile. Shi Zhihao saw his women’s team reach the Olympic final with a 3-0 win over South Korea and will tackle Japan in the title match. China have already captured the men’s and women’s singles gold in London. “China players work for three or four hours every day. Europeans only work for one, or one and a half,” said Shi. “China works harder than anyone else.”

His opinion was backed up by yesterday’s events as women’s singles champion Li Xiaoxia enjoyed a 116, 11-6, 12-10 win over Seok Ha-Jung in the opening game against South Korea.—AFP

Dubai ends lower as investors book gains Page 22

Iran rial sinks 5% against dollar, devaluation expected Page 23

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

China poised to recover but not roar

Page 24

India new finance minister vows to ‘restart growth’ Page 25

Zain Group nets KD 141.89m in H1 Active customer base grows to reach 41.4 million KUWAIT: Zain Group, the pioneer in mobile telecommunications in eight markets across the Middle East and North Africa, announces yesterday its consolidated financial results for the half-year ended 30 June, 2012.

The results reflected a stable performance year-on-year in the face of a challenging industry and global economic environments.

pared to the same period in 2011, which is a positive outcome given the challenging environment in the sector. The increase in consolidated revenues to KD 663.5 million ($2.384 billion), up around 1% year-on-year, highlights Zain’s ability to sustain a high level of performance despite substantial competitive pressures and currency fluctuations in many of the

Burgan Bank posts net profits of KD 31.2m

H1, 2012 Key Performance Indicators Total Active Customers Consolidated Revenues EBITDA Net Income EPS

41.4 million KD 663.5 million KD 299 million KD 141.9 million KD 0.036

For the first half of 2012, Zain Group generated consolidated revenues of KD 663.5 million ($2.384 billion), reflecting around 1% increase over the same period of H1, 2011. The net income witnessed an increase of 1% year-on-year to reach KD 141.9 million ($509.6 million). The Group’s consolidated EBITDA reached KD 299 million ($1.074 billion) up 2% over the same period of last year, and reflected an EBITDA margin of 45.1% (up 0.6 pp). The earnings per share reached 36fils ($0.13).

Year-on-year customer growth across all Zain operations was almost 5%, with the Group serving 41.4 million active customers as of 30 June, 2012.

Commenting on the results, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Zain Group, Asaad Al Banwan said “The Group’s consolidated revenues for H1-2012 grew around 1% as com-

up 5% on H1, 2011 (US$ 2.384 billion) (US$ 1.074 billion) (US$ 509.6 million) (US$ 0.13)

markets in which it operates.”

Al Banwan also noted that “A growing number of customers continue to benefit from utilizing Zain’s services, with 1.8 million customers added in the 12 months to 30 June, 2012, representing almost 5% growth rate. Our strategy is focused on achieving greater leadership across all our operations, and we remain determined to provide the latest technology along with high quality services to our customers.” Zain Group CEO Nabeel Bin Salamah said “Zain continues to be a pioneer in the markets in which it operates despite competitive, economic, and political pressures in many of our countries of operation.

We are facing these challenges headon, having reduced our funding costs, as well as continuing with our policy to actively reduce administrative and operational expenses.”

Bin Salamah continued “Our oper-

Asaad Al Banwan

Nabeel Bin Salamah

ations achieved great success in data services during H1, 2012 due to a favorable series of expansion and development programs that were launched last year and have since gained traction.

Mobile broadband and data transfer remain definite growth areas for Zain Group and we intend to continue investing in these areas in order to meet customer expectations while also increasing shareholder value.”

Bin Salamah pointed out that there will be greater emphasis placed on data due to pent-up demand for such services, particularly in light of the growth in the usage of smartphones. Commenting on Zain operations in Sudan and South Sudan, Bin Salamah revealed that Zain Group is currently facing challenges in the two countries, but hopes that the recent rapprochement between them will ultimately result in an improvement

in the political and economic situation in both countries and may reflect positively in reducing the impact of such challenges.

Detailing developments within its operation in Saudi Arabia, Bin Salamah said “Zain KSA is witnessing a radical shift given the successful completion of its rights issue, where the Group increased its stake in the company from 25% to 37%. Our faith and confidence in Zain KSA remains high, and we remain optimistic regarding the company’s prospects in the future.”

Bin Salamah went on to say “Zain KSA’s capital restructuring is going to be a major factor in boosting its operational and financial performance and its relationship with Zain Group will definitely become stronger resulting in more intense continued support for its new operational strategy.”

KUWAIT: Burgan Bank Group announced yesterday its earnings results for the first half of 2012. Net profits grew by 23% to reach KD 31.2 million for the period ending June 30, 2012, from KD 25.3 million reported in the same period last year. Earnings per share (EPS) stood at 21.1 fils compared to 16.7 fils in 2011. While Provision charges reported at KD 15.5 million.

The group continues to report quarter-to-quarter solid performance reflecting a healthy growth trend.

While comparing with the same period of 2011, the second quarter in 2012 reflected a growth of 13% in operating income to reach KD 48.1 million Comparing the growth from the first quarter of 2012, the group realized an annualized growth of 16% in customer deposits to reach KD 3,164 million while loans and advances annualized growth stood at 31% to reach KD 2,592 million. Non-performing loans ratio (Net of collateral to gross loans) was reduced to 2.8%.

The consolidated financials encompass the results of the group’s operations in Kuwait, and its share from its regional subsidiaries, namely Jordan Kuwait Bank, Gulf Bank Algeria, Bank of Baghdad, Tunis International Bank, in which Burgan Bank has a majority stake in.

Burgan Bank’s Chairman, Majed Essa Al-Ajeel said: “We are pleased with our results for the first half of 2012. Our consistent positive performance in Kuwait and across the markets

Majed Essa Al-Ajeel in which we operate from is backed by a strong & excellent execution of the strategy and a business model that has proven to be resilient to a less favorable economic and business climate.

The group’s subsidiaries remain profitable, and synergies among the group members started to pay-off by which cross business origination has been increasing noticeably and as per planned. Burgan Bank Group’s key leading financial indicators are pointing to the right direction.” “On behalf of the board, I take this opportunity to thank the Central Bank of Kuwait, our customers and shareholders for their confidence in our capabilities. I would also like to thank our executive management team for their leadership and the excellent execution of the strategy, and to our staff for their continued support and commitment,” concluded Al-Ajeel.

22

MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

BUSINESS

Asian gains to support Gulf, Mobily in focus RIYADH: Gulf sentiment is likely to be supported by further gains in global shares following stronger-thanexpected US jobs data, but investors in Saudi Arabia may take lower oil prices as a cue to book recent gains.

Asian shares rallied to a threemonth high yesterday as US data and emerging optimism for European action on the debt crisis sharpened investor appetite for risk. Brent crude fell 31 cents to $108.63 a barrel by 0509 GMT as a recent surge in prices gave some investors a chance to sell

their holdings for profit.

Caution is likely to remain on global markets until concrete policy measures in Europe are taken, which may be weeks away, and investors in the near term will be looking to data out of China starting Thursday-from trade to bank loans and investment-to give the global economic outlook a further lift. In the Kingdom, Saudi telco Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) will also be focus after it awarded IBM a five-year contract worth 1.05 billion riyals ($280 million) to outsource its information

UAE’s NBAD picks 4 banks for 7-yr benchmark bond DUBAI: National Bank of Abu Dhabi , the largest lender by market value in the United Arab Emirates, picked four banks to arrange a benchmark-sized bond issue which could price within a day, lead arrangers said yesterday.

Initial price guidance for a seven-year, dollar-denominated deal has been given in the area of midswaps plus 200 basis points, with books closing as early as yesterday, a document from the leads said.

While bond issuance in August is traditionally rare, with many in the finance sector away on vacations, the turbulent market conditions of recent months mean issuers are keen to take advantage of windows whenever they appear.

“In the dollar market, we hit significant volumes last week from some big names like American Movil so the market is hot right now,” said one Gulf-based banker. “I’m surprised they are doing it, especially as it’s the middle of Ramadan so local investors will probably be asleep.

However, the market is open right now for sure.”

Much of the Middle East works reduced working hours during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which began in the UAE on July 20.

NBAD mandated Citi, JP Morgan, Standard Chartered and itself for the deal, which is its second dollar-denominated bond of 2012.

The bank’s $750 million five-year 3.25 percent bond , which launched and priced at 190 bps over midswaps on the same day in March, was bid at 103.4 cents on the dollar to yield 2.462 percent on August 6, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Last week, Abu Dhabi repaid a $1 billion sovereign bond and fund managers could possibly look for similar exposures to replace the maturity on their portfolio.

“Money from the Abu Dhabi sovereign bond that matured this week has started flowing into certain names, especially Abu Dhabi 2019 bonds, which tightened by around 25 bps last week,” said a August 5 note from fund manager Invest AD. — Reuters

technology operations. Shares in Mobily edged lower 0.8 percent on Sunday in heavy trade ahead of the announcement.

Saudi Arabia’s index slipped 0.1 percent in the previous session, easing away from Saturday’s nine-week high.

“Trading activity should slow down this week because traditionally, Ramadan is weak in terms of volumes,” says Muhammad Faisal Potrik, research analyst at Riyad Capital. The Muslim month of fasting is in its second half, the end of which will be

marked by a holiday. Many investors tend to book their gains ahead of it.

“Prices have rallied quite a bit but where the market goes from here will depend on global markets and oil prices.”

In the United Arab Emirates, conglomerate Dubai Investments , is likely to witness selling pressure after it posted a 54 percent decline in second-quarter net profit on Sunday as revenue dropped. The company, in which sovereign fund Investment Corp of Dubai (ICD) owns 11.5 per-

cent, reported a net profit of 63.4 million dirhams ($17.3 million) in the second quarter.

Elsewhere, Qatar Telecom unit Indosat has concluded a sale and leaseback agreement worth $406 million with Tower Bersama Infrastructure (TBIG), the Qatari firm said in a statement on Sunday.

The deal, which covers 2,500 towers, will be financed using cash and newly-issued shares worth 5 percent of TBIG’s enlarged share capital, the statement said. — Reuters

Dubai ends lower as investors book gains Kuwait index drops 0.26% to 5,732 points DUBAI: Dubai’s bourse fell yesterday, giving back gains from the previous day’s rally, as investors booked profits on property stocks and weak earnings from Dubai Investments dampened sentiment.

Shares in Dubai Investments, in which sovereign fund Investment Corporation of Dubai owns 11.5 percent, fell 4.7 percent from a three-month high. The company’s secondquarter net profit dropped 54 percent amid lower revenues.

while developer Deyaar sank 5.3 percent.

Abu Dhabi’s Aldar Properties and Sorouh Real Estate also declined 2.4 and 0.9 percent respectively.

The UAE capital’s benchmark dropped 0.3 percent. Elsewhere, Qatar’s measure recovered early-session declines and ticked up 0.05 percent to 8,345 points, its highest close since May 31.

“Over the past couple months, we are seeing the emergence of a reverse head and

Indonesia Q2 growth up 6.4%, beats forecasts JAKARTA: Indonesia yesterday said its economy grew a faster-than-expected 6.4 percent in the second quarter from a year ago, buoyed by robust domestic demand and investment. Private consumption increased five percent yearon-year, government spending rose seven percent, while investment climbed 12.3 percent, said Suryamin, the head of the Central Statistics Agency.

Th e d a t a s h o u l d h e l p a l l e v i a te concerns about Southeast Asiaís largest economy which posted a 6.3 percent on-year expansion in the first quarter from 6.5 percent in the previous quarter.

The strong growth came even as the global downturn has hit Indonesiaís exports, with the country recording its largest monthly trade deficit of $1.3 billion in June. Exports, which account for roughly a quarter of GDP, increased by

1.9 percent in the second quarter, but imports also shot up by 10.9 percent year-on-year.

The 6.4 percent figure for on-year growth beat the median forecast of 6.05 percent in a Dow Jones Newswires poll of 12 economists and 6.3 percent predicted by Bank Indonesia. Experts say domestic demand has made the nation of 240 million people with a growing middle class broadly resilient to the global economic slump and eurozone debt crisis that have hit other Asian nations.

But Credit Suisse said in a statement that it was ìsceptical that the current pace of economic expansion is sustainable over the long termî because of the slow pace of reforms. Bank Indonesia will meet Thursday to set the benchmark interest rate, which has sat at an all-time low of 5.75 percent since February. — AFP

DOHA: Qatar’s measure recovers early-session declines and ticks up 0.05 percent to 8,345 points, its highest close since May 31. — KUNA Dubai’s index ended 1 percent lower, giving back gains from a 13-week peak on Sunday. “Dubai Investments’ numbers soured market sentiment and there’s profit-taking in general because uncertainties still persist on euro zone debt and economic growth worries in China and the US,” said a Dubai-based trader who asked not to be identified.

Investors booked profits on property stocks which have rallied in the wake of estimate-beating earnings from top real estate firms. Emaar Properties dropped 1.2 percent

shoulders (chart) formation - this is a bullish sign after a drop (between April and June),” Zaid al-Nafoosi, institutional sales trader at QNB Financial Services, said of the Qatar market.

Nafoosi said the market was testing a range between 8,320 to 8,360. “(That) has been a resistance for quite some time. If we break that, we should be heading to 8,533 levels,” he said. National Leasing Holding gained 1.5 percent and Qatar Co for Meat and Livestock Trading rallied 2.4 percent. Retail

traders, dominating Qatar’s market recently, are betting on mid- and small-caps for shortterm gain, analysts say.

Barwa Real Estate slips 0.7 percent, extending declines since it said its first-half net profit fell 21.1 percent. Saudi’s benchmark and Kuwait’s index ended near-flat.

In Kuwait the action ended at Kuwait Stock Exchange yesterday with main indices all in red and about half of sector indices also showing slump. While the weighted index came to 393.75 points on a loss of 0.26 points, the price index also came to 5,732.08 points on a down of 0.91 points, and the KSX 15 came to 947.29 points on a loss of 0.33 points.

Trades came to 1,975 transactions worth KD 13,914,471.146, with 94,325,538 shares changing hands.

Gainer share for the day was First Takaful Insurance Company, while top volume-share for the day was International Resorts. Worst hit was meanwhile share of Salbookh Trading company.

ABU DHABI The benchmark slipped 0.3 percent to 2,505 points.

DUBAI The index dropped 1 percent to 1,559 points.

QATAR The benchmark climbed 0.05 percent to 8,345 points.

SAUDI The index slipped 0.02 percent to 6,944 points.

OMAN The measure declined 0.08 percent to 5,434 points.

KUWAIT The index dropped 0.02 percent to 5,732 points.

EGYPT The measure dropped 0.3 percent to 5,022 points.

BAHRAIN The measure declined 0.5 percent to 1,090 points. — Agencies

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Egyptian pounds

.2740000 .4370000 .3460000 .2880000 .2790000 .2950000 .0040000 .0020000 .0762840 .7432150 .3860000 .0720000 .7285900 .0430000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2810000 GB Pound/KD .4395820 Euro .3481170 Swiss francs .2896310 Canadian dollars .2806910 Danish Kroner .0467830 Swedish Kroner .0418990 Australian dlr .2970590 Hong Kong dlr .0362360 Singapore dlr .2262480 Japanese yen .0035810 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0765350 Bahraini dinars .7456550 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0749530 Omani riyals .7301550 Philippine Peso .0000000

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Malaysian Ringgit

3.553 5.072 3.053 2.141 3.173 220.090 36.173 3.425 6.439 8.876 89.338

.2840000 .4500000 .3560000 .2980000 .2840000 .3030000 .0070000 .0035000 .0770510 .7506840 .4060000 .0780000 .7359120 .0510000 .2831000 .4428670 .3507180 .2917960 .2827890 .0471330 .0422120 .2992790 .0365060 .2279390 .0036070 .0051060 .0021530 .0030020 .0034820 .0771070 .7512270 .4004240 .0755130 .7356110 .0068220

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

GCC COUNTRIES 74.883 77.158 729.380 745.850 76.464

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 48.250 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 46.466 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.309 Tunisian Dinar 176.65 Jordanian Dinar 396.190 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.884 Syrian Lier 4.899 Morocco Dirham 32.64 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 280.700 Euro 354.52 Sterling Pound 441.820 Canadian dollar 274.79 Turkish lire 152.400 Swiss Franc 295.01 US Dollar Buying 279.500 GOLD 293.000 148.000 75.250

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria

SELL CASH

300.400 750.620 3.710 285.300 554.300 46.000 47.400 167.800 48.810 353.300 37.090 5.310 0.032 0.161 0.237 3.710 399.980 0.191 92.430 44.600 4.340 234.800 1.828

48.000 733.150 3.080 6.970 78.070 75.360 227.950 36.440 2.688 445.400 42.600 294.500 4.400 9.270 198.263 76.960 282.600 1.360

10 Tola

GOLD 1,693.000

Sterling Pound US Dollar

732.970 2.990 6.748 77.640 75.360 227.950 36.440 2.137 443.400 293.000 4.400 9.160 76.860 282.200

COUNTRY

Currency

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 443.400 282.200

SELL DRAFT

298.900 750.620 3.447 283.800

227.900 48.429 351.800 36.940 5.090 0.031

SELL DRAFT

Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

302.65 286.24 295.56 352.84 281.80 444.51 3.67 3.449 5.082 2.140 3.194 3.001 76.79 750.34 46.41 401.47 733.41 77.82 75.36

SELL CASH

310.000 286.000 295.000 352.000 283.000 445.000 3.630 3.580 5.300 2.350 3.650 3.150 77.450 750.00 47.700 399.000 736.000 78.000 75.800

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd 399.940 0.190 91.430 3.200 233.300

Rate for Transfer

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro

Selling Rate

282.150 285.710 444.285 349.825

Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

286.710 746.985 76.795 77.445 75.205 397.730 46.439 2.136 5.059 2.990 3.448 6.723 692.115 4.585 9.015 4.375 3.235 89.740

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY

Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

Rate per 1000 (Tran)

US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Yemeni Riyal Euro Canadian Dollars Nepali rupee

282.300 2.996 5.106 2.145 3.457 6.795 76.965 75.440 750.500 46.448 447.400 2.990 1.550 354.800 288.700 3.195

Al Mulla Exchange Currency

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change

282.200 351.900 442.250 283.910 3.650 5.087 46.470 2.139 3.445 6.738 2.998 750.400 76.800 75.300

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

BUSINESS

Gold rises on expectations for more US stimulus LONDON: Gold prices rose yesterday, extending the last session’s recovery from four days of declines, as investors bet that Friday’s betterthan-expected jobs data would not be enough to head off another round of monetary easing in the United States.

The precious metal briefly dipped in the wake of data showing US employers added more jobs than expected last month, but quickly rebounded as traders digested a rise in the jobless rate to 8.3 percent.

Speculation that the Federal Reserve may have to unleash another round of quantitative easing - essentially, printing money - to boost US growth has firmly underpinned gold prices this year.

Further monetary easing would maintain pressure on long-term interest rates, keeping the opportunity

cost of holding gold at rock bottom, as well as weighing on the dollar and boosting inflation expectations in the longer run.

“There is still room for easing if it is required, and there is still a perception that it may be required,” Mitsui Precious Metals analyst David Jollie said. “The question of when that is, with the US elections approaching, makes it difficult to be super bullish on gold, but that doesn’t alter the fact that (the perception is there).”

Spot gold was up 0.4 percent at $1,608.20 an ounce at 0958 GMT, while US gold futures for December delivery were up $1.90 an ounce at $1,611.20. Prices have traded within a tight $75 range for the last four weeks, supported by QE expectations, but under pressure from soft physical investment flows, lighter demand in key Asian markets, and threats to the

euro from the euro zone debt crisis.

The single currency edged lower early yesterday, with investors still cautious about how effective European polic ymakers’ latest pledges to resolve the bloc’s debt crisis would be.

European equities rose meanwhile to touch fresh four-month highs yesterday, with investors reluctant to push the market too far down in the face of the European Central Bank’s pledge to step in and fight the euro zone debt crisis.

“We expect the wider June-July range to remain intact, with some dull trading for gold at the start of this week as players take a breather from Friday’s action, focusing on euro zone headlines,” VTB Capital said in a note.

Gold shipments from Hong Kong to mainland China - which is challenging India to become the world’s

biggest gold market - fell 10 percent in June from the previous month to 67,747 kg, the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department said.

“Although this was down on the previous month’s figure, it was well above the year-on-year level,” Commerzbank said in a note. “In the first half year, China thus imported 382.79 tons of gold from Hong Kong, following a figure of 64.95 tons in the same period last year.”

“Considering that gold mining production in China itself climbed 7.7 percent to 177 tons in the first six months of the year, according to the China Gold Association, it is clear that there has been a pronounced rise in gold demand in China.”

Hedge funds and money managers sharply raised their net long position in US gold and silver futures and options in the week to July 31, as

price gains based on speculation of more Fed stimulus prompted speculators to boost bullish bets, data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission showed on Friday.

Inflows into gold-backed exchange-traded funds also picked up after a soft July, with data from the largest showing its holdings up 3 tonnes so far this month. Among other precious metals, silver was flat at $27.75 an ounce, while spot platinum was down 0.1 percent at $1,395.49 an ounce and spot palladium was up 1.3 percent at $574.47 an ounce.

Gold maintained its premium over platinum at above $200 an ounce on Monday, a level it surpassed last week for the first time since early January.

Platinum prices are being held down by worries over demand from carmakers, the main consumers of the autocatalyst material. — Reuters

Iran rial sinks 5% against dollar, devaluation expected CB to change official ‘reference rate’

TOKYO: People walk by an electronic stock indicator in Tokyo yesterday. Asian stock markets rose sharply in early trading yesterday, boosted by stronger-thanexpected US hiring figures for July following three months of weak job gains. —AP

Shares edge up on ECB plan but doubts linger LONDON: European shares inched to fresh four-month highs yesterday although cautious financial markets awaited greater clarity on the next steps in Europe’s three-year debt crisis, while the euro steadied below a one-month peak.

Markets enjoyed a strong finish to last week after robust US jobs data eased concerns about global growth, and the Frankfurt-based European Central Bank sketched out a plan for a new wave of bond purchases aimed at helping to calm the euro zone’s turmoil.

But with Germany yet to approve Europe’s new rescue fund, Spain’s 10-year bond yields dangerously high and Greece still to secure new bailout funds, investors remained worried about what could happen next. “ The market has been rallying on expectations that Spain and Italy will request assistance but this will take some time, so markets are waiting to see what happens,” said Danske Bank economist Anders M¯ller Lumholtz.

“How long it could take will be influenced by how much pressure there is in the market.”

“We currently think it could be a couple of weeks or more, but it will also depend on any details coming out of Frankfurt on the bond buying programme and also what reaction the market has to it,” he added. With European stocks crawling up, US shares looked likely to follow suit and add to a 3-month high hit at the end of last week. The MSCI World Index, which captures the world’s biggest stock markets, was up 0.42 percent to its highest level since early May. In another sign of the wait-and-see mood, oil prices fell roughly a $1 a barrel, with buyers caught between euro zone hopes and still struggling growth in

many large economies. Gold nudged back up after a four-day drop.

The euro zone’s problems remain the focus for many major investors. The ECB promised last week to stabilise the bloc’s bond markets but tensions remain as details of exactly how to achieve this have yet to be settled.

Those unresolved questions saw the euro treading water at lunchtime in Europe at $1.2380, having made significant gains in recent days. Greece also continued to niggle. Inspectors from the International Monetar y Fund, the European Commission and the European Central Bank - known as the troika - concluded a visit to Athens on Sunday, saying they would return in September to give their final verdict.

In Spain, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy appears to be manoeuvring the country towards a full sovereign aid package.

After the gains of the past week, European equities continued to tick higher on Monday. The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European company shares edged up to a new four month high of 1,084.18 points. Last week’s rally was the ninth consecutive weekly gain for the main the European index.

Bucking the trend, the euro was below a peak of $1.2444 hit in Asian trade, which was its strongest level since July 5. “When you think about the fact that something positive will probably materialise even if it takes some time, the euro could see a bit of a rebound,” said Hiroshi Maeba, head of FX trading Japan for UBS in Tokyo. But traders in Europe were more sceptical. “We haven’t had any concrete improvement in the situation in the euro zone,” said Niels Christensen, currency strategist at Nordea in Copenhagen. — Reuters

HK Airlines plays down growth ban HONG KONG: Hong Kong Airlines yesterday played down the impact on its business of an unprecedented aviation authority ban on expanding further until it meets all safety requirements for operating a larger fleet.

The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) on July 17 added a condition to the carrier’s air operator’s certificate limiting the types of aircraft the company could operate. “With a very rapid expansion of HKA’s aircraft fleet in recent years, the CAD considered that it was time for HKA to catch up with its current fleet size by consolidating their existing operations,” a CAD spokeswoman told AFP. “The air operator’s certificate variation does not affect HKA’s operations of its current aircraft fleet and types,” the spokeswoman said, adding that the flight safety of HKA’s operations “has not been compromised”.

The conditions may be lifted as soon as the airline can demonstrate “that it has the necessary equipment, organisation, staffing, maintenance and other arrangements in place to secure the safe opera-

tion of a bigger aircraft fleet”. Hong Kong Airlines was established in 2006 and operates 21 aircraft servicing locations in mainland China and international destinations ranging from Yangon to London.

The airline said it supported the CAD decision, the first such ban by the authority, adding the imposed conditions were “sensible for a company at (their) stage of growth”.

“Given the profitability of our regional routes, we believe that we now have the optimal fleet to continue to build a business... focused on Asia Pacific”, an HKA spokeswoman told AFP. HKA flights were severely delayed and cancelled when a typhoon lashed Hong Kong last month, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded, the South China Morning Post reported.

The service disruptions, which occurred a week after the restrictions were imposed on the airline, were caused by a change of maintenance provider, the airline told the Post. The storm caused a total of 44 passenger flight cancellations and delayed more than 270 flights at Hong Kong airport. — AFP

DUBAI: Iran’s rial sank about 5 percent in trading against the US dollar yesterday after the central bank said it would change the currency’s official exchange rate, prompting fears of another devaluation as the economy suffers from international sanctions.

The rial was trading in the free market at around 21,510 per dollar, according to Persian-language currency tracking website Mazanex, down from about 20,440 on Sunday.

Most dealers in Tehran’s major currency trading district stopped selling dollars yesterday and removed signs from windows adver tising their rates, Mehr News Agency reported. It said the rial fell as low as 22,000 before par tly recovering to 21,400.

Central bank governor Mahmoud Bahmani said on Sunday he would announce a change to the government’s “reference rate” of 12,260 rials to the dollar “within the next 10 days”, Iranian media reported.

He did not elaborate, but Iranian media speculated the new reference rate might be between 15,000 and 16,000 rials.

Most Iranians are unable to obtain dollars at the official rate and must instead use the free market, which is far more expensive.

Iran’s economy has been hit hard in the past year by sanctions imposed over its disputed nuclear programme.

The country has largely been cut off from the international banking system and the rial has lost about half its value against the dollar in the free market.

The sanctions have slashed Iran’s oil exports, which in normal times accounted for nearly fourfifths of its total exports and twothirds of government revenues.

In June, Tehran admitted its oil exports had shrunk between 20 and 30 percent.

In Januar y this year, Iran announced an 8 percent devaluation of the rial to 12,260 against the dollar and said it would enforce a single exchange rate, aiming to stamp out black mar-

ket traders. But that proved impossible with the sanctions cutting inflows of hard currency into the country.

In March, authorities said they would allow free market trading to coexist with the official rate, and last month they introduced a three-tiered system; the official rate would be used to impor t basic goods such as meat and medicine, a rate of 15,000 to buy factory machinery and intermediate goods, and the free market rate to import luxuries and other goods.

Mehr quoted Hamid Safdel, deputy minister in the Ministry of Industry, Mining and Trade, as saying the new official rate would be somewhere between 12,260 and the free market rate.

Iran’s decision to depreciate the exchange rate may indicate its foreign exchange reserves are being drained by the sanctions and that in order to conserve them, it realises it must

make hard currenc y more expensive.

Bahmani was quoted by Mehr as saying on Sunday that the government had no problem securing foreign currencies.

At the end of last year Iran had $106 billion of official foreign reserves, enough to cover an ample 13 months of imports of goods and services in normal times, according to the International Monetary Fund.

That suggests Tehran probably faces no balance of payments crisis in the near term.

But with oil exports shrinking, a global economic slowdown threatening to push oil prices down fur ther, and bank ing sanc tions mak ing it more expensive for Iran to impor t many goods, Tehran may feel a growing need to protec t its reserves.

In April the IMF predicted Iran’s crude oil exports would shrink to 2.0 million barrels per

day this year from 2.5 million last year, causing its current account surplus to drop from 10.7 percent of gross domestic product to 6.6 percent. A deeper cut in oil exports, combined with lower oil prices, could conceivably push Iran into running an external deficit.

Currency depreciation is a risky strategy to deal with this threat, however, because it could fuel inflation. Consumer prices have been rising at annual rates above 20 percent, becoming a political liability for the government.

Ayhan, a university professor in Tehran who declined to give his full name because of the sensitivity of the issue, said any depreciation of the official exchange rate might fuel Iranians’ expectations for even more rial weakness. “If the government rate becomes 17,000 rials to the dollar, the free exchange rate will become 26,000,” he said. — Reuters

TEHRAN: A picture taken on April 11, 2011 shows 100,000 and 50,000 Iranian rials in Tehran. Iran’s currency plunged five percent in street trading yesterday after the central bank announced an imminent decision to revise upwards its official fixed exchange rate used as a market reference. — AFP

Knight Capital gets $400m deal rescue NEW YORK: A group of investors will rescue embattled market maker Knight Capital Group Inc in a $400 million deal that keeps the company in business, Knight said yesterday, but comes at a huge cost to investors.

The New York Stock Exchange said it will temporarily transfer Knight’s market-making responsibilities on more than 500 stocks and related Knight employees - to Chicagobased Getco, until the recapitalization is complete. The exchange said both companies cooperated with the transfer.

The rescuing companies will buy convertible preferred stock with a 2 percent dividend to save Knight, which was brought to its knees last week by a software glitch that caused errant trading in dozens of stocks.

The deal is expected to close later Monday morning.

The preferred shares are convertible into about 267 million shares of common stock, Knight said in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing, implying the investors would get a stake of a little more than 70 percent in the company.

The filing did not name the investors. On Sunday, sources familiar with the talks identified private equity firm Blackstone Group LP, Getco and financial services companies TD Ameritrade Holding Corp, Stifel Nicolas , Jefferies Group Inc and Stephens Inc as the prospective buyers.

J.P. Morgan analyst Kenneth Worthington,

in a client note after the initial reports on the rescue Sunday night, said the deal presaged Knight’s eventual breakup. “We don’t expect investors to value Knight as an ongoing entity given its technology glitch generated a pre-tax loss equal to (about) 30 percent of shareholders equity and nearly wiped out the company in just 30-45 minutes of trading,” he said.

Shares fell 30 percent to $2.85 in heavy premarket trading after closing at $4.05 on Friday. Less than three weeks ago Knight traded for more than $12 a share.

But even if Knight has been saved for now, the company could face litigation from shareholders who have seen the value of their holdings plummet.

The potential liability could increase if it were found that Knight violated market rules. The top U.S. securities regulator said on Friday that government lawyers were trying to determine if Knight violated a new rule designed to protect the markets from rogue algorithmic computer trading programs. Knight’s problems started early Wednesday, when a software glitch flooded the New York Stock Exchange with unintended orders for dozens of stocks, boosting some shares by more than 100 percent and leaving the company with the trading loss.

As the nation’s largest provider of retail market-making in New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq-listed stocks, Knight buys and

sells shares for clients. It also provides liquidity to equity markets by stepping in to buy and sell stocks, using its own capital to ensure orderly, smooth activity.

Knight’s computers had been loaded with new software Tuesday that was designed to accommodate a change on the NYSE, according to people familiar with the matter.

When trading began, however, the computers poured a huge number of orders into the market.

For about 10 minutes it was unclear where the orders were originating, according to people familiar with the matter. After NYSE officials identified Knight as the source, it took another 10 minutes for the company to figure out the source.

The damage to Knight was swift. Whereas Knight once accounted for 20 percent of the market-making activity in shares of Apple Inc, by midday Friday it was the market maker for just 2 percent of the share volume, according to data from Thomson Reuters Autex.

Knight’s troubles highlight how vulnerable market makers are to the complex web of computers and software that constitute the modern marketplace. For investors already suspicious that the system might be fundamentally broken after the “Flash Crash” of 2010 and the botched Facebook initial public offering in May, the troubles at Knight have only added to concerns. — Reuters

24

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

business

Is Social Security still a good deal for workers?

WASHINGTON: People retiring today are part of the first generation of workers who have paid more in Social Security taxes during their careers than they will receive in benefits after they retire. It’s a historic shift that will only get worse for future retirees, according to an analysis by The Associated Press.

Previous generations got a much better bargain, mainly because payroll taxes were ver y low when Social Security was enacted in the 1930s and remained so for decades. “For the early generations, it was an incredibly good deal,” said Andrew Biggs, a former deputy Social Security commissioner who is now a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. “The government gave you free money and getting free money is popular.”

If you retired in 1960, you could expect to get back seven times more in benefits than you paid in Social Security taxes, and more if you were a lowincome worker, as long you made it to age 78 for men and 81 for women.

As recently as 1985, workers at every income level could retire and expect to get more in benefits than they paid in Social Security taxes, though they didn’t do quite as well as their parents and grandparents. Not anymore.

A married couple retiring last year after both spouses earned average lifetime wages paid about $598,000 in Social Security taxes during their careers. They can expect to collect about $556,000 in benefits, if the man

lives to 82 and the woman lives to 85, according to a 2011 study by the Urban Institute, a Washington think tank.

Social Security benefits are progressive, so most low-income workers retiring today still will get slightly more in benefits than they paid in taxes. Most high-income workers started getting less in benefits than they paid in taxes in the 1990s, according to data from the Social Security Administration.

The shift among middle -income workers is happening just as millions of baby boomers are reaching retirement, leaving relatively fewer workers behind to pay into the system. It’s coming at a critical time for Social Security, the federal government’s largest program.

The trustees who oversee Social Security say its funds, which have been built up over the past 30 years with surplus payroll taxes, will run dry in 2033 unless Congress acts. At that point, payroll taxes would provide enough revenue each year to pay about 75 percent of benefits.

To cover the shortfall, future retirees probably will have to pay higher taxes while they are working, accept lower benefits after they retire, or some combination of both. “Future generations are going to do worse because either they are going to get fewer benefits or they are going to pay higher taxes,” said Eugene Steuerle, a former Treasury official who has studied the issue as a fellow at the Urban Institute.

How can you get a better return on

your Social Security taxes? Live longer.

Benefit estimates are based on life expectancy. For those turning 65 this year, Social Security expects women to live 20 more years and men to live 17.8 more. But returns alone don’t fully explain the value of Social Security, which has features that aren’t available in typical private-sector retirement plans, said David Certner, legislative policy director for AARP. Spouses can get benefits even if they never earned wages. Children can get benefits if they have a working parent who dies. People who are too disabled to work can get benefits for life.

Because of spousal benefits, most married couples with only one wage earner will continue to get more in benefits than they pay in taxes for the foreseeable future. “You are buying this lifetime inflation-protected benefit that you can never run out of and that will always be there for you,” Certner said. “It protects your spouse, protects your family and protects you from disability.”

Certner noted that private pensions, retirement savings and home values took a big hit when the economy collapsed, putting a dent in the retirement plans of many Americans. “When you have that combination of factors, Social Security becomes more and more important,” Certner said. Social Security is financed by a 12.4 percent tax on wages. Workers pay half and their employers pay the other half. Selfemployed workers pay the full 12.4 per-

cent. The tax is applied to the first $110,100 of a worker’s wages, a level that increases each year with inflation.

For 2011 and 2012, the tax rate for employees was reduced to 4.2 percent, but is scheduled to return to 6.2 percent in January.

The payroll tax rate was only 2 percent in 1937, the first year Social Security taxes were levied. It didn’t surpass 6 percent until 1962. Even with low tax rates, Social Security could afford to pay benefits in the early years because there were more workers paying the tax for each person receiving benefits than there are today. In 1960, there were 4.9 workers paying Social Security taxes for each person getting benefits. Today, there are about 2.8 workers for each beneficiary, a ratio that will drop to 1.9 workers by 2035, according to projections by the Congressional Budget Office.

About 56 million people now collect Social Security benefits, a number that is projected to grow to 91 million in 2035. Monthly benefits average $1,235 for retired workers and $1,111 for disabled workers. Social Security provides most older Americans a majority of their income. About one-quarter of married couples and just under half of single retirees rely on Social Security for 90 percent or more of their income, according to the Social Security Administration.

“Social Security is what’s carrying me,” said Neta Homier, a 79-year-old

retired hospital worker from Toledo, Ohio. “ There’s no way I would have made it without it. The kids, they’re on their own, now, and I’m not going to be a burden for them. That’s what it would have been if I hadn’t had Social Security.”

Homier said she started receiving Social Security when she was 63 and now gets about $800 a month, after her Medicare premiums are deducted. She said her father died at 51, so he never received Social Security, and her mother died at 71 and collected benefits for only a few years.

“It’s definitely worth it,” she said. At 52, Anthony Riley of Columbus, Ohio, has a different perspective. Riley said he has a private retirement account because he worries that Social Security won’t provide adequate benefits throughout his retirement. “I use to think that it was worth paying for your Social Security, but now I don’t think so,” Riley said. At 22, Mackenzie Millan of Los Angeles has even greater doubts about whether Social Security will be a good deal for her.

“The money that I put aside now, it’s not like that money is going to be waiting for me. That money is going toward someone else,” the recent college graduate said. “If I wanted Social Security 50 years from now, when I wanted to retire, I would have to hope that someone else is still working and putting money aside in their paychecks to pay for my Social Security at that point.” — AP

Shares rally, euro up on US job data, ECB hopes Investors look to China data for further lift

MOUNTAIN VIEW: In this May 19, 2011 file photo,the LinkedIn logo is displayed in the foyer at headquarters in Mountain View, Calif.

LinkedIn Corp. had strong revenue in the second quarter thanks to growth from ads and the fees it charges for deeper access to its vast trove of professional profiles, the company said. — AP

China poised to recover but not roar LONDON: Investors will be looking to a data deluge from China this week to give the global economy a further lift after Friday’s strong US jobs report. They risk being disappointed. Figures for July, starting on Thursday and covering everything from trade to bank loans and investment, are likely to show the world’s secondlargest economy is, at best, stabilising rather than recovering briskly.

And while Beijing has both the will and the means to provide extra fiscal and monetary stimulus if growth flags, China-watchers rule out a repeat of the massive expansion of credit that successfully rebooted the economy after the global financial crash of late 2008.

That means China, and Asian economies increasingly tied to it, can do little to overcome the headwinds blowing in from the United States and, especially, Europe. “The problems in Asia that are causing the slowdown come predominantly from outside the region,” said Rob Subbaraman, chief economist for Asia at Nomura in Hong Kong. “Europe is a bigger than the US as an export market for most Asian countries now, and it’s a big investor in the region.”

In today’s interlocking global economy, Asia’s travails are rebounding on the rest of the world. Siemens, Europe’s biggest engineering conglomerate; BASF, the world’s top chemicals maker; U.S. blue chip United Technologies ; and Japan’s Hitachi have all recently reported the impact of lower Chinese demand.

Asia as a whole wants to wean itself off exports and generate more domestic growth. China’s current account surplus is just a third of what it was in 2007. The process, though, is generally slow.

“Over the next decade we will see domestic demand becoming a bigger engine of growth for China, and that will change the picture quite a lot for Asia,” said Rajiv Biswas, chief Asia-Pacific economist for IHS Global Insight in Singapore.

“But we’re not yet in a situation where the growth engine in Asia is strong enough to cruise through a recession in Europe and stagnant growth in the US,” he added.

China’s economy expanded 7.6 percent from a year earlier in the second quarter, the slowest pace in three years. Economists expect growth to pick up moderately in coming months since Beijing has cut interest rates and is speeding up the approval of investment projects.

But this year has been remarkable so far for what has not happened in China: the ruling Communist Party has not gone flat

out for growth despite the imperative to preserve economic and financial stability ahead of a once-in-a-decade leadership transition.

That is because the 2008 pump-priming has swapped one sort of dangerous imbalance for another: China’s external surplus has shrunk, but the economy has become more dependent than ever on investment, which accounts for close to 50 percent of GDP. Personal consumption, by contrast, is no more than 35 percent of GDP, half that of the United States.

Beijing wants better-balanced growth and so, to the surprise of some, it has kept in place curbs to tamp down house prices.

It has also kept local government investment on a fairly tight leash.

Seen in this light, the danger from this week’s figures is not so much that growth undershoots but that, if it does, Beijing presses the panic button and puts investment spending back on the fast track.

“The risk is that you get more stimulus but it leads to a more unbalanced economy,” Nomura’s Subbaraman said. As such, he said he would be paying particular attention to the relative strength of July’s data on retail sales and fixed-asset investment.

Economists have been paring their fullyear growth forecasts for China to 8 percent or less. Markets would react badly to a further slowdown, but Ting Lu, Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s China economist, said even a 7 percent pace would not be bad given the weakness in the global economy.

“We expect China to achieve a growth soft-landing if the euro zone does not break up,” Lu, who has an 8 percent forecast, said. “We see many risks, but the Chinese economy is still far from collapse.”

Economists at Barclays Capital agreed that the overwhelming likelihood was recovery rather than relapse in China over the rest of the year as the government steps up efforts to support growth.

But they said financial markets needed to adjust their expectations to a China that grows at 8 percent a year and not the 10 percent average annual rate of the past three decades.

“Unlike post the 2008-09 crisis, China will not save the world. Political and economic constraints in China (as well as in the other economies) suggest there will be no silver bullet or panacea to quickly pull the global economy out of the doldrums, and 2012 will be a difficult year,” they said in a report.— Reuters

TOKYO: Asian shares rallied to a three-month high and the euro touched a one-month peak against the dollar yesterday, as stronger-than-expected US jobs data and emerging optimism for European action on the debt crisis sharpened investor appetite for risk.

European stocks were likely to extend gains after surging to four-month highs on Friday, while US stock futures signalled a firmer Wall Street start.

Financial spreadbetters called the main indexes in London, Paris and Frankfurt to open 0.4 percent higher.

But caution is likely to remain until concrete policy measures are taken, which may be weeks away, and investors in the near term will be looking to data out of China starting Thursday-from trade to bank loans and investment-to give the global economic outlook a further lift.

China’s central bank on Sunday pledged to intensify monetary policy fine-tuning and improve credit policy to bolster the world’s second largest economy, which has at best shown signs of stabilising rather than picking up briskly.

With the euro zone debt crisis hobbling global economic activity, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, Indonesia, provided some relief as its economic growth surprisingly picked up in the second quarter of this year to underscore its resilience to the global slowdown.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 1.7 percent to its highest in three months, with Hong Kong shares rallying 2 percent to be among the region’s top performers. Japan’s Nikkei stock average jumped 2 percent. “Time has come to shift funds to risk assets, as markets have very limited room for further downside from here,” said Tetsu Emori, a Tokyo-based commodities fund manager at Astmax Investments.

“Investors may be questioning why they rushed to sell when the ECB and the Fed both have been saying they will take action when necessary. They never said they won’t do anything.” Looking back, June might have marked the turning point when European policymakers agreed to a broad framework to shore up the region’s troubled banks, and markets’ sharp swings in the past month may have only helped consolidate the bottom, he said.

Investors re-evaluated the European Central Bank’s statement after its policy meeting on Thursday which hinted at upcoming policy steps to contain surging borrowing costs in Spain. Betterthan-expected US jobs data spurred unwinding of safe-haven holdings in treasuries and the dollar while boosting global equities and oil on Friday. At the same time, a rise in the jobless rate left most economists still expecting further monetary stimulus from the Federal Reserve as soon as September.

“We think the likelihood of further central bank moves remains high, particularly in Europe ... this bodes well for risk,” Barclays Capital analysts said in a research note. The euro earlier on Monday rose to its highest since July 5 of $1.2444, while the dollar was at 78.41 yen, off a two-week high of 78.77 hit on Friday when weakening safe-haven demand weighed on the yen.

“When you think about the fact that something positive will probably materialise even if it takes some time, the euro could see a bit of a rebound,” said Hiroshi Maeba, head of FX trading Japan for UBS in Tokyo, referring to possible ECB measures.

A rebound in riskier assets improved sentiment in Asian credit markets, narrowing the spread on the iTraxx Asia ex-Japan investment-grade index by 7 basis points. Oil eased after rallying on Friday, with Brent down 0.3 percent at $108.62 a barrel and US crude futures down 0.1 percent at $91.28 a barrel.

As the dollar eased and the euro rose, spot gold inched up 0.3 percent to $1,607.56 an ounce.

SEOUL: Currency traders smile at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Korea Exchange Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, yesterday. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 2.01 percent, or 37.20, to close at 1,885.88. — AP

US concerned over intrusion in Grameen WASHINGTON: The United States showed deep concern yesterday about the Bangladeshi government’s expanding role in Grameen Bank, urging officials to ensure the pioneering microfinance institution’s independence.

Bangladesh’s cabinet ordered a new probe into Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus on Thursday to check for irregularities during his time as head of microfinance pioneer Grameen Bank. The 72-year-old “banker to the poor”-a leading anti-poverty activist with many powerful foreign supporters-was forced from the institution last year, due to what his supporters say is a government vendetta against him.

“The United States is deeply concerned about recent actions the government of Bangladesh has taken to give the government-appointed chairman of the Grameen Bank Board control over the selection of the bank’s new managing director,” Patrick Ventrell, acting deputy State Department spokesman, said in a statement.

“There is a greater degree of optimism in commodities surrounding the euro zone than 2-3 weeks ago,” Michael Creed, an economist at the National Australia Bank.

The CBOE Volatility index, which measures expected volatility in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index over the next 30 days, plunged 11 percent to close at 15.64 on Friday. Some analysts warned the VIX nearing the 13.70-15.30 support area has always provoked at least an interim reversal in trend.

Spain’s economy minister told a newspaper on Sunday that Madrid has time to wait for clarity on what a full European rescue would involve as it has already covered the majority of its debt needs for the year.

Greece, which faces a 3.2 billion euro bond maturity on August 20, is leaning towards issuing treasury bills to plug a cash squeeze this month, its deputy finance minister said, as Greece’s international inspectors held their final verdict on Athens’s budget cutting efforts until next month.— Reuters

“This move would diminish the role the largely female borrower-shareholders play in shaping the direction of an institution that has made a difference to millions of impoverished women in Bangladesh, and indeed around the world.”

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a personal friend, heaped praise on Yunus during a visit to Dhaka in May and urged the government to maintain “an environment where civil society groups operate freely”. The same month Yunus expressed fears that the bank he founded to put his concept of microfinance into practice would be taken over by the Bangladesh government.

“We urge the Bangladeshi Government to ensure transparency in the selection of a new managing director who has unquestioned integrity, competence, and dedication to preserving Grameen Bank, its unique governance structure, and its effectiveness in bringing development and hope to 8.3 million of Bangladesh’s most vulnerable citizens, mostly women,” Ventrell said. — AFP

Slight rise in new London city jobs LONDON: The number of new jobs created in the City of London (the financial and banking district of London) increased slightly in July compared with the previous month, but was still well down on a year ago, according to new research yesterday. A study by recruitment firm “Astbury Marsden” showed there were almost 3, 000 new jobs in the City last month, a 3 percent increase on June but 39 percent fewer than the same time in 2011. The report said the jobs market in the sector had now stabilised after a slump, although the appetite to hire new staff was described as “pretty thin.”

Mark Cameron, chief operating officer at Astbury Marsden, said “Banks are hiring new staff, although this is more often than not to replace departing staff, as opposed to reacting to an anticipated growth in investment banking revenue. “With the uncertainty generated by the on-going rumblings from the Spanish banking sector and the seemingly ever-present eurozone problems, we’re not expecting things to improve dramatically this year. Still, in this context, a stabilisation in new jobs is a positive.” The banking sector in the US and the UK faced the severe crisis of the credit crunch in 2009. In addition, Europe was now facing the eurozone mounting turbulence that has cast a shadow on the prospects of recovery in the EU, analysts said. — KUNA

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

BUSINESS

Deadly India car factory riot sounds alarm bells for industry MANESAR: Hiding in his office near the Indian capital as workers armed with iron bars and car parts rampaged through the factory, Maruti Suzuki supervisor Raj Kumar spent two terrified hours trying to comprehend the warzone his workplace had become. By the end of the day, one of his colleagues had been burnt to death and dozens wounded, many with broken bones, as a long-running struggle between the shop floor and management exploded at a factory racked by mistrust.

While police investigate and the carmaker counts its mounting losses, the July 18 clash has rattled corporate India and shone a light on outdated and rigid labour laws in a country where cheap labour drives manufacturing and draws foreign investment. High inflation, a shortage of skilled labour and rising aspirations have emboldened workers’ demands.

“There was always a strong sense of unease,” Kumar, 43, told Reuters as he stood outside the locked factory gates more than a week after the riot in the industrial town of Manesar. “We are living in fear... The kind of violence these guys showed was unbelievable.” Other foreign carmakers, such as Hyundai and Honda, have seen labour unrest at their Indian plants in recent years, and industry groups have renewed calls for the government to overhaul laws they say tie their hands.

“This is definitely sending a wrong message.

Investors will be reluctant,” P. Balendran, vice-president at General Motors’ Indian unit, said of the Manesar violence. “The need of the hour is flexible labour reforms. In 2012 you cannot afford to have a rule which is applicable ... from 1956.” India’s labour laws, some dating to the 1920s, make it difficult for large companies to fire permanent workers, forcing companies to hire large numbers of contractors - a bone of contention with many unions.

“We knew that something of this sort might happen sooner or later,” said Balendran. “It happened to Suzuki today, then tomorrow it could happen to us.” Maruti’s factory, which made about 1,700 cars a day, including its top-selling Swift hatchback, is now shut, costing tens of millions of dollars, while over 2,500 workers have gone to ground, fearing punishment from Maruti or police, say residents and unions.

Maruti, already hit by rising costs on a weak rupee and falling sales, has seen its market value fall by $550 million since the riot. Shares in Japanese parent Suzuki Motor Corp , which relied

on Maruti for 28 percent of its net profit in the last fiscal year, fell as much as 10 percent after the riot, and on Friday closed 3 percent lower than on July 18. Maruti says the violence was unprovoked and unexpected. But in a plant with a history of unrest, the union representing those on the production line said management practices made a clash inevitable.

“The workers have been provoked consciously by the management. Their plan is to provoke them so much that they commit mistakes and can be fired. Management does not want the union to run,” said a worker at Suzuki Powertrain, a sister factory in the same compound.

“The management thinks if they can accuse all workers of wrongdoing, they can easily fire everyone and dismantle the union, that’s their politics,” said the worker, who declined to be named as he feared he would lose his job.

Maruti’s labour headache began in 2000. A standoff at another plant close to Manesar saw workers demanding better pay embark on hunger strikes, closing the factory for weeks.

That union was eventually broken by Maruti and replaced by another which also represented staff at Manesar. Last year, workers launched strikes demanding recognition of a new, independent union. That was granted in October, but the slow formation of the Maruti Suzuki Workers Union and slow progress over fresh wage negotiations raised the temperature again.

Manesar’s best-paid manufacturing workers earn 25,000 rupees ($450) a month, and 1,500 of them, on temporary contracts, earn less than half of that. Maruti’s employee expenses as a share of net sales are the lowest among the five biggest domestic auto makers in India, at 2.4 percent in the last fiscal year.

The union was pushing for a 15,000-rupees-permonth increase over three years when the riot flared. “There was no normalcy even after the last year’s strike ended... Workers always behaved very rudely with supervisors, and that got worse,” said Kumar, who manages 30 welders.

With wage negotiations stalled, an argument broke out on the shop floor between Jiya Lal, a worker and union member, and Ramkishore Majhi, a supervisor.

Maruti says Lal attacked Majhi, while the the union says Majhi abused the worker using derogatory language. Neither was reachable for comment

by Reuters. After the incident, Maruti suspended Lal and rebuffed union demands to punish the official.

At 3 p.m., around 1,200 workers whose morning shift at the factory had ended stayed on the premises awaiting news on Lal’s suspension, and by 6 p.m. had blocked the gates of the factory, where around 30 policemen had gathered, police and Maruti said.

“What we were expecting was that they may put pressure... they will shout against the company or senior management,” S.Y. Siddiqui, Maruti’s chief operating officer, told Reuters. “What was not expected was this kind of barbaric violence.”

The union said the carmaker used hired thugs to beat the union workers, provoking the violence.

Maruti and police have denied this.

Union president Ram Meher, who has not spoken publicly since the riot, has been arrested alongside all the union’s office-bearers. Police have detained 114 workers in the investigation.

Shouting and screaming, some managers were forced to jump out of first-floor windows to escape the fire that blazed through the factory offices, witnesses say, before the mob torched the plant’s security office, damaging CCTV records.

“I saw bonfires burning by the gate, with workers tossing plastic barricades and other material into the flames,” said Vikram Singh, a member of the village council in Dhana, an informal settlement near the factory.

Awanish Kumar Dev, a senior human resources manager, was found burned to death. More than 100 other management staff, including two Japanese, were taken to hospital with injuries.None of the workers was admitted, according to police.

The factory is now guarded by 500 police as investigators try to piece together salvaged CCTV footage and statements from officials who were attacked to identify those involved.

The investigation will lay the blame on union leaders and find that at least 2,000 of the factory’s workers are innocent, a senior Haryana state police officer told Reuters.

Damage to the factory is estimated at $1 million, said a surveyor employed by one of Maruti’s insurers, who declined to be named as he was not permitted to speak to media.

“It was a small minority, not everybody... though we have no doubt that the workers are to blame,” the police officer with direct knowledge of the case said on condition of anonymity. That conclusion

would spell the end of the union, Maruti says.

“If the union is found in the investigation process to be responsible..., law will take its own course,” said Maruti’s Siddiqui. Union officials say that will only increase the anger.

“Suzuki failed to manage a large, global-scale industrial establishment ... The onus is on them to maintain industrial peace,” said Gautam Mody, secretary of the New Trade Union Initiative, a national umbrella group.

Suzuki, which began production in India 29 years ago, may have to strengthen communications with staff, Executive Vice President Toshihiro Suzuki said in Tokyo. “We have walked together with India for 30 years,” he said. “We want to overcome this situation as soon as possible and continue to provide good cars for the people in India.”

He said that the priority was to first secure a safe environment and declined to give a specific timeframe. Industry analysts expect the plant to remain shut for at least a month.

Groups like Mody’s have criticised Maruti’s use of temporary contract workers, some of whom work for a third of the wages given to permanent employees. But a Maruti spokesman said use of contract workers was standard practice to account for seasonal fluctuations in demand.

“Exploitation and inhumane working conditions were there, even for regular workers,” said D.L. Sachdev, national secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress.

The plant for now is quiet. Police played cards by the locked staff entrance on a recent morning, as handymen chipped away at charred plaster on the roof of the security building. Around 150 car-carrier trucks stood empty and scores more lined the roads around the 600-acre plot.

In Dhana, the streets were deserted after hundreds vanished to avoid arrest. Much of the local economy relies on Maruti wages. “They fled on motorbikes, stolen rickshaws, whatever they could find,” said Singh, the village official.

Stepping over an open sewer that snakes between two small food shops, Amina Shervani, a member of the executive committee of the Manesar Industries Welfare Association, said the conflict at Manesar was inevitable.

“There is ill-will, there is bad feeling, there is hatred,” she said. “If there is no justice and no transparency, there will be no peace... This will happen again.” — Reuters

India new finance minister vows to ‘restart growth’ Aims to cut deficit, clarify taxes

DUESSELDORF: In this Nov. 7, 2007 file photo a postman passes a letter box of Deutsche Post in Duesseldorf, Germany. German logistics company Deutsche Post DHL said, that it saw its profit fall 28 percent in the second quarter as a large tax bill took a chunk out of increased sales in emerging markets. — AP

Sharp shares hit by reports of Hon Hai deal rethink TOKYO: Shares in Japan’s Sharp, which slumped 28 percent at the end of last week after a poor earnings report, fell further yesterday after Taiwan’s Hon Hai Precision said it would renegotiate a deal to invest in it.

The electronics giant closed down 5.72 percent at 181 yen, its lowest level in four decades, after Friday’s tumble caused by the announcement Thursday that it lost $1.77 billion in April-June and warned of a bigger fullyear shortfall than first expected.

Hon Hai, parent company of manufacturing giant Foxconn which builds gadgets for Apple, said Friday it would seek to change a deal agreed in March that would see it take a 10 percent stake in Sharp for 550 yen per share.

The firm’s share price reached 570 yen days after the investment plan was unveiled.

In a media interview in Taiwan aired Sunday, Hon Hai chairman Terry Gou said: “I had not expected the huge loss of Sharp.” But he also said he has been assured by Sharp that “the price is renegotiable”, boosting Hon Hai shares yesterday.

Gou said he hoped to complete the investment in Sharp by March 31 2013, a deal he said will be a win-win situation as Sharp had the technological expertise while Hon Hai had access to huge markets.

Sharp on Friday denied news reports that the deal was being reviewed, confusing the market and forcing investors to the sidelines, traders said. “Investors are saying ‘I don’t care about the fine details, I just want out’,” CLSA equity strategist Nicholas Smith said.

“Nobody doubts that Sharp has great technology, but the capital alliance with Hon Hai could very well mean that a lower costbase firm will just walk away with Sharp’s bread-and-butter. Buying on the dip is OK for cyclical stocks, but this isn’t a cycle,” he said.

The deal between Hon Hai and Sharp came as Japan’s once mighty electronics sector struggles to haul itself out of the dire straits in which it has languished for several years. Japan Inc. has suffered from a loss of manufacturing work to rising Asian rivals, while it has fallen behind American competitors on the cutting edge of gadgets and software, while the strong yen has made their goods more expensive overseas.

Bank of America-Merrill Lynch said: “Given the lack of clarity over the pricing of this deal, one can expect the stock price to be volatile.

“And while we can see the stock pop on the back of belief for a re-pricing, any gain here could evaporate if the latter belief is negated.”. — AFP

NEW DELHI: India’s new pro-market finance minister yesterday pledged to takes steps to restore foreign investors’ faith in Asia’s thirdlargest economy and “restart the growth engine”. P. Chidambaram, in his first policy statement since taking over last week, said India’s stuttering economy faced a string of challenges from stubborn inflation to high interest rates and a spiralling fiscal deficit.

But “with sound policies, good governance and effective implementation, we will be able to overcome these challenges”, said Chidambaram, now in his third stint as finance minister. “ The key to restart the growth engine is to attract more investmentboth from domestic investors and foreign investors,” he said.

India’s once-booming economy grew just 5.3 percent between January and March-its slowest annual quarterly expansion in nine years. Chidambaram said there was still “enormous goodwill” globally for India, despite anger over recent government moves seen as hostile to foreign investors, and said most people were keeping “faith with the India growth story”.

His predecessor Pranab Mukherjee, who now occupies the ceremonial role of president, annoyed foreign investors in his March budget with sweeping anti-tax evasion rulessome of them retroactive.

Chidambaram promised to review the tax measures to find “fair” solutions, adding that India wanted a “non-adversarial” tax regime.

Indian business cheered Chidambaram’s efforts to woo back foreign investment while shares jumped by 1.25 percent to 17,412.96 points-their highest close in nearly a monthhelped by his statements.

“The minister’s statements should help restore confidence among foreign investors,” said the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India. Chidambaram said the government would aim to raise the level of investment to 38 percent of GDP, from 32 percent last year. He added it was key to remove any “distrust” in investors’ minds since investment “is an act of faith”.

Attracting foreign investment is needed to

Pakistan to halt mango exports to us K ARACHI: Pak istanis are abandoning much-publicised mango exports to the United States after just a year because American requirements made profit margins too narrow, members of the industry said yesterday. In 2011, Pakistani growers exported five tons of the country’s signature fruit to the United States and had hoped for a higher yield this year.

But if exports grind to a halt, it could prove embarrassing for efforts dubbed “mango diplomac y ” in 2010 when US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton offered to help Pakistan export the fruit in a bid to ease anti-Americanism.

The US embassy was unavailable for comment, but announced in January that

US support had helped select mango growers increase regional exports by more than 60 percent and revenue by more than $4 million over the past year.

Pakistani officials confirmed the assistance, but said sending mangoes to the United States was not cost effec tive.

“Pakistan cannot export mangoes to the United States this season because of certain restrictions, which the growers feel makes the business unprofitable,” Kashif Niazi, an official at the commerce ministry, told AFP. An official at the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, which regulates exports, said producers had been annoyed by compulsory US irradiation in Chicago

that ate into their profits.

Although Pakistan has its own irradiation plant, it has not been approved by the United States. Transporting the mangoes to the United States has been another expense and complication, the Pakistanis added. Asif Iqbal, a mango grower in Sargodha district of Punjab province, told AFP that unless the irradiation issue was resolved and more US markets found “it will never be profitable for us to do business with America”.

A Pakistani official speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity confirmed that US aid had helped modernise mango production and improve exports, particularly to the Gulf. — AFP

upgrade India’s dilapidated airports, roads, ports and other infrastructure in order to ease bottlenecks and spur growth. Chidambaram took over the portfolio on the same day as India suffered a massive power outage that highlighted its creaking infrastructure.

The Congress party-led government, he said, would take steps to attract investment in mutual funds and insurance and bring India’s fiscal consolidation process back on track. But with the threat of India’s third drought in a decade looming, he said the left-leaning government would have to provide extra relief to parched farm areas and that the “fiscal correction” would have to be fairly shared.

To revive growth, he appealed for the “cooperation of all political parties” in parliament, whose next session opens on Wednesday, and an end to the logjam over government moves to open up the inwardlooking economy.

Chidambaram, who has been keen on reforming the heavily regulated and statecontrolled economy-a legacy of socialist thinking in post-independence India-will have the job of boosting the economy ahead of the 2014 elections.

He indicated he wanted lower interest rates to spur investment and consumption.

The central bank has said it wants inflation to come down from elevated levels of over seven percent before cutting borrowing costs.

“Sometimes it is necessary to take carefully calibrated risks,” said Chidambaram, whose periods as finance minister included the time from 2004 to 2008 when India’s growth was near double-digits. — AFP

NEW DELHI: In this file photograph taken on June 12, 2012 Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram gestures during the inaugration of an automated parking place in New Delhi.

India’s new pro-market finance minister P. Chidambaram yesterday pledged to take steps to restore foreign investor faith in Asia’s thirdlargest economy and “restart the growth engine”. — AFP

Global fears shackle India’s outsourcing job-hoppers NEW DELHI: The normally high employee turnover rate in India’s job-hopping outsourcing sector has fallen sharply as a weak global economy hits the flagship industry, a study showed yesterday.

While still elevated compared with other industries, the turnover rate tumbled to 15-20 percent in the last six months of 2011, according to business lobby ASSOCHAM, down from 55-60 percent in the same yearearlier period.

“Employees are wary of switching jobs due to apprehensions about the economic slowdown,” said D.S. Rawat, secretary general of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), which prepared the report.

When the global outlook was brighter, workers in the IT and back-office process outsourcing sector were jumping from job to job in search of fatter pay cheques and better benefits, driving up corporate costs.

But now “a high employee retention rate can been seen almost across all levels”, Rawat said, with workers adopting a “wait-andwatch policy”. The decline comes as the main

US and European customers of India’s outsourcing sector struggle with low economic growth. US and European firms are spending around 40 percent less on new projects than in the past as clients hold back on spending, industry heavyweight HCL Technologies has warned.

The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) projects the outsourcing sector will grow by 11-14 percent this year-still a robust rate but half the pace the industry posted in the past decade.

US and other foreign firms, drawn by India’s English-speaking workforce and lower labour costs, have farmed out a wide range of jobs from answering bank client calls to processing insurance claims and equity analysis.

But the $69 billion industry now is under severe pressure, not only from a weaker global economy but also stronger competition from rivals in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.

The outsourcing sector, which propelled a technology revolution in India, now employs at least 2.5 million people, according to NASSCOM. — AFP

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

BUSINESS

Accreditation of ITQAN academy as a training center by ILM ‘Training plays a key role’ KUWAIT: Boubyan Bank (the fastest growing bank in Kuwait) announced the accreditation of its ITQAN Academy certificates by the Institute of Leadership & Management of the UK; thus allowing ITQAN Academy to provide a set of specialized programs in the area of business administration and leadership with the purpose of developing the managerial skills of Boubyan Bank’s staff. IML is regarded as the leading body for management and leadership development accreditation in Europe with a network of more than 2000 accredited centers all over the world.

ILM accredited certificates are distinguished by helping employees identify and realize their potentials as leaders, managers and references for others when seeking training and consultation. The training activities have been designed to be closely related to the scope of the participants’ jobs in a way that helps them achieve their goals.

Training activities are divided into three levels: In the first level, participants are granted a team leader certificate, and is targeted to the staff in official work teams and groups. Whereas in the second level, employees are granted a First Line Management certificate, and is targeted to first line managers or those being qualified to this level.

And finally, in the third level, employees are granted a diploma in management, and is targeted to middle management staff.

On this occasion, the Chairman and MD of Boubyan Bank, Adel Abdul-Wahab Al-Majed said: “We give top priority to providing the highest training levels through ITQAN Academy. And our accreditation by the ILM is considered a remarkable achievement for us in this regard, as it means that we now have an internationally accredited training academy through which we provide high level programs and qualifications in the area of business administration, the fact that will be of great benefit to the banking sector in Kuwait and the region in general.”

ITQAN Academy aims at providing international level educational programs and training courses in the area of consumer banking and Islamic finance to all individuals and corporates. These programs are carefully designed to develop the capabilities of managers and leaders all over the world to manage their institutions towards the highest levels of productivity, motivating their staff and upgrading their efficiency.

Al-Majed added: “Training plays a key role in giving institutions a competitive edge in terms of effi-

human capital in Kuwait, Amanda Kelleher said, “Excellent output requires excellent input, and Bank Boubyan is now the first Bank in Kuwait to display this commitment through adopting the Institute of Leadership and Management ILM qualification.”

“As the UK’s leading body for vocational management education, ILM is delighted with its partnership with Bank Boubyan. Bank Boubyan has made a tremendous effort and investment to develop and up-skill their staff and using ILM qualifications is a further

Adel Al-Hammad

Adel Al-Majed

ciency and ability to solicit skilled cadres. Institutions willing to realize success is aware of the importance of investing in its cadres and the advantages it provides over their competitors in the market. And we are delighted that ITQAN Academy will be a pioneer in this important field.” Regional Manager of City & Guilds Group Amanda Kelleher expressed her great pleasure for Boubyan Bank’s joining the elite club of accredited members.

Amanda said that the applicable process for selection of companies for club membership is precise and made according to very high standards. And Boubyan Bank is considered the best case assessed by the ILM throughout many years, as the Bank’s directions for development, growth and expansion in contribution to the economy were in match with those believed and targeted by the Institution. Lauding the Bank Boubyan for its investment in

important step in the right direction. With ILM, learners acquire vital skills and knowledge that they can transfer directly to their workplace,” she added.

ILM is one of the key specialized bodies in the area of leadership and management in the UK and on the international level as well.

Wherever there is a group of staff holding leadership certificates from ILM, there will always be high effectiveness, pure concentration on realization of the sought goal of the job or the role held by certificate holder. ILM has an international network of more than 2000 accredited centers, which granted more than 80000 training certificate last year.

On his part, Adel Al-Hammad, GM- Human Resources Group at Boubyan Bank, stressed that “IQTAN Academy’s attainment of ILM accreditation proves its ability to provide leadership training and

GE appoints Albahkali as President & CEO for Saudi Arabia and Bahrain KUWAIT: GE yesterday announced the appointment of Hisham Albahkali, a Saudi Arabian national, as the President and Chief Executive Officer for Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. He was previously Saudi Arabia’s executive for GE Energy.

Albahkali will lead the operations of GE, which has a heritage of over 80 years in the Kingdom, into strategic growth areas with a focus on localization and innovation. He will continue to strengthen the presence of GE in sectors such as oil & gas, power, water, aviation and healthcare, in addition to aligning the company’s development programs in line with the Saudi Vision 2020 to promote diversifica-

Hisham Albahkali tion and knowledge sharing.

Nabil Habayeb, GE’s President & Chief Executive Officer for the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, said: “Saudi Arabia is one of our core markets in the region, where we have established longterm partnerships in growth sectors that bring a positive difference to the wellbeing of the people. We will continue to partner with the Kingdom’s growth goals emphasizing on economic diversification, creating jobs for its talented youngsters and promoting regional research. Hisham Albahkali has tremendous insights into the Saudi Arabian market having been associated with several key projects, and will work towards further driving our growth in the Kingdom.”

Albahkali said: “Saudi Arabia is witnessing one of the most exciting developmental phases, with strong investments in new and emerging technologies. GE’s focus on creating localized solutions and investing in long-term development will be strong assets in supporting the

Kingdom. Our priority areas will be to strengthen our existing partnerships, and continuing to create more growth opportunities for skilled Saudi professionals.”

Hisham is a 15-year GE veteran who started his career with the company in 1997 as a Customer Service Manager for GE Energy, and since then has held a number of leadership roles within the business. Most recently, Hisham was the Country Executive for GE Energy in Saudi Arabia. He holds a Masters degree in Electronic Technology and a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Hisham assumes the new responsibility from Walid Abukhaled, who leaves GE at the end of 2012 to pursue external interests. Nabil Habayeb added: “Walid has been an important leader for GE in the region, responsible for directing the company’s operations and growth in the Kingdom and Bahrain. He has played a strategic role in fostering relationships with external customers and government officials, and been a driving force in building a diverse foundation to support GE’s future growth.”

Continuing GE’s over 130-year history of successful development in human capital around the globe, GE has steadily expanded knowledge-sharing initiatives in Saudi. The company has trained over 1,500 Saudi professionals in the healthcare, energy and aviation sectors. Recently, GE established a Technical Academy in partnership with the Technical & Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) to grow the Saudi technical talent pool. GE also has a robust Saudization plan backed by comprehensive training programs for young nationals and plans to double its workforce in the Kingdom by 2013.

Saudi is home to GE’s largest Middle East workforce with over 1,000 employees. Today, more than 500 GE turbines generate over 50% of Saudi’s electricity, and the company’s advanced technology produces 180 million liters of clean water, delivered to the country’s remotest corners. Over 20,000 GE healthcare technologies serve nearly 90% hospitals in the Kingdom. Focused on capacity building, GE’s footprint in the Kingdom includes the GE Energy Manufacturing Technology Center, GE Water & Process Technology Center, Air-cooled Heat Exchanger Manufacturing Facility (MEHECO) and the Non-destructive Testing Facility.

development programs aiming at greatly enhancing operational efficiency and helping create more teamwork-focused business environments.”

“The Academy has managed to fulfill all the requirements set by the review and assessment team of the ILM which conducted the review of “ITQAN Academy” last June. This accreditation by the ILM represents a further addition to the accreditation list attained by the Academy including the Agreement signed with GUST accredited by University of Missouri at St. Louis UMSL, as agreement has previously been made with GUST to act as the “exclusive academic partner” of Boubyan Bank in Kuwait.” AlHammad added.

Al-Hammad said: “ITQAN Academy programs offer participants special advantages represented in obtaining program certificate from the ILM in addition to the Institute’s membership, through which participants receive the Institute’s Electronic Magazine issued periodically, as well as have access to the Research Library, which is considered the biggest in the area of leadership training and management development researches. Meanwhile, we would like to express our appreciation to the Academy’s work team for the great efforts they exerted to ensure our attainment of ILM accreditation.

Noteworthy that the Academy provides the Bank’s staff with training opportunities throughout a whole year in many fields comprising specialized training programs in financial management, financial statements analysis, business administration, communication skills, human resources development, as well as advanced, distinguished programs in customer service and professional sales of banking products.

Moreover, ITQAN Academy programs are based on the “Blended Learning Approach” which includes training courses, on-job training, rotation among departments, guidance and instruction, e-learning and assessment centers.

8.5% of Jazeera Airways travelers book through mobiles KUWAIT: Kuwait-based Jazeera Airways revealed yesterday that 8.5% of total bookings in June were generated through one of its native mobile booking apps, which puts Jazeera Airways customers as one of the most adaptive and tech-savvy travelers in the world.

According to industry insiders, mobile booking apps typically generate between 0.5% and 2% of total airline bookings in any given month, as compared to web bookings that can generate between 10% and 90% of total bookings in a given month depending on the market and the airline’s network.

Jazeera Airways, which has consistently generated about 60% of bookings through jazeeraairways.com, had introduced an iPhone booking app, an Android booking app, and a facebook booking app in March of this year. The iPhone and Android apps enable customers to browse through flights, book and pay for seats and check-in.

The launch of the mobile apps follows a series of value-bolstering services introduced by the airline to offer more value to customers than any other offering by any airline in the Middle East.

Jazeera Airways launched in June this year the selfcheck-in service with the introduction of state-of-theart kiosks that empower travelers to check-in, choose their seat, and print their boarding passes independently. In addition to mobile apps and the easy and fast self-check-in kiosks, Jazeera Airways today offers passengers the online check-in alternative, year-round competitive fares and on-board duty free shopping service. Jazeera Airways is also ranked the highest in on-time performance (OTP) in the Middle East in the second quarter of 2012, as measured by FlightStats, the US-based global OTP tracker. The airline’s OTP for the second quarter was 94.21%.

The airline operates a two-class cabin comprising of a Business Class and an Economy Class. Jazeera Airways’ Business Class offering includes a separate cabin for passengers, exclusive check-in counters, Business lounge access at airports, in-flight ‡ la carte menu, and 60 kilograms in free baggage allowance.

The airline’s Economy Class offers travelers free baggage allowance of 40 kilograms, free on-board meals with a changing menu every month, and year-round value fares.

Jazeera Airways’ network originating from Kuwait includes high-demand business, leisure, family, and weekend destinations such as Dubai, Bahrain, Beirut, Alexandria, Amman, Damascus, Istanbul, Sharm El Sheikh, Assuit, Luxor, Mashhad, Sohag, Jeddah, Riyadh, Cairo and Al Najaf.

Jazeera Airways is an IATA-member airline and operates one of the youngest Airbus A320 fleets across the Middle East and North Africa.

Mercedes-Benz Actros wins 2012 red dot design award KUWAIT: Mercedes-Benz sets sustainable trends in truck design with maximum aesthetic appeal. The judging panel of the most internationally acclaimed design competition has acknowledged this fact by awarding the Stuttgart-based company the coveted red dot award for the new Actros truck.

1,800 manufacturers and designers from 58 countries submitted entries this year for consideration by the experts at the prestigious red dot awards, which are regarded as a seal of quality for outstanding design.

The high-profile jury of international and independent experts assessed over 4,500 products in a competition that recognises well-conceived innovative products, aesthetic quality and pioneering design.

The highly respected judging panel under Professor Peter Zec, the initiator and director of the red dot design awards, felt that the new truck by Mercedes-Benz met these ambitious criteria: “What is important is a durable and functional design idiom that continues to look appealing and modern for years to come. The new Actros balances function with perfect exterior form”.

Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle

design director Kai Sieber confirmed this assessment by saying that for this truck “both form and function are a key focus. It is made as if from a single cast”. The first generation of the Actros also won the coveted award back in 1998.

The publication ‘Dimensions’, produced to coincide with the market launch of the

new Actros by Mercedes-Benz Trucks, has also been honoured with a red dot award in the Magazines & Daily Press category.

The publication presents the truck as it has never been seen before, treating the new Mercedes-Benz Actros more like a design object than a business asset. The images are beautifully photographed and the unusual editorial layout adds to the overall presentation of the concept.

More surprises from VIVA in ‘Win A Car Every Week’ campaign KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s newest and most advanced mobile telecommunications service provider, announced the winner in its hugely successful “Win a Car Every Week” campaign. Stalizaja Bainsiz Halqam, Najindra Babu and Ms Amal Abdullah Alkhaldi were each lucky winners of a new Chevrolet Camaro V6 2012 in the campaign.

The winners expressed their happiness for being the lucky winners of the new Chevrolet Camaro V6 car as it is a dream come true and it has been made possible by VIVA. VIVA congratulated the winners and invited customers to participate in the ongoing campaign in order to be one of the many winners in the upcoming weekly draws. VIVA also reiterated its commitment to continuously provide unique and tailor made offers designed to better serve and reward its customers.

The offer is only applicable to prepaid customers where they can enter the draw through two options. The first option is to subscribe with 500 Fils per day which gives them infinite minutes and SMS within VIVA network. For every 500 fils spent, the customer is entitled 1 chance to enter the draw. The second option for prepaid customers includes subscribing to BlackBerry KD3.9 which gives them full and unlimited BlackBerry Services, where customers will gain 15

points automatically. For customers who purchase a new prepaid line will enter the draw automatically.

Customers are able to subscribe to both options in order to enter the draw to win a luxurious car, where their points will be accumulated and carried on to the next draw if they did not win. The upcoming prize draw will be for a brand new BMW 320i Executive Model.

To increase their chances to win a new car every week, prepaid customers can subscribe to the ‘Flavor of the Week’ which will be a ‘special service’ for that week allowing more opportunities to win every week. This week’s ‘Flavor of the Week’, started on 2 August and will last until 8 August 2012, and will give prepaid customers 1 chance to win the Chevrolet Camaro V6 upon using SurfOn for 500 fils by sending “On500” to 255 or “3” to 535 as well as earning 500MB data valid for 24 hours.

Prepaid customers interested in the full, unlimited, local KD 3.9 BlackBerry offer, can send an SMS with the number ‘2’ to ‘535’. For the full menu of the prepaid offers, send an SMS with the word “GO”, to number ‘535’.

To find out more about VIVA’s numerous competitive promotions, products and packages visit any of the 14 VIVA branches or visit our website at www.viva.com.kw.

CFC records great success for ‘Tayahna Wahda’ car campaign KUWAIT: Commercial Facilities Company (CFC) announced yesterday the great success of the newly launched ‘ Tayahna Wahda’ campaign, in which clients can pay their four-year car installments in a stretched period of five years. Customers are now able to own the car of their dreams whether it was new or used and regardless of the source, that is a car agent, supplier or individual, via the easy facilities provided by the company through this exclusive campaign.

On his part, Nasser Ali Al Mannai, Assistant Managing Director Marketing, CFC, said, “‘Tayahna Wahda’ campaign is playing a significant role in supporting the car market in Kuwait, which is measured by the growing popularity and demand by agents, suppliers and individuals, creating a considerable jump of car sales in one month only ever since its launch.

Furthermore, the call center and customer relationship departments have recorded a noticeable increase in client requests and inquiries to benefit from the campaign’s facilities, which reflects the importance of the campaign and the great demand achieved.”

‘Tayahna Wahda’ campaign is considered an innovative approach by providing exclusive facilities and unique solutions that help in refreshing the car sector in Kuwait. The campaign offers premium serv-

ices allowing clients to own their dream cars in an efficient and cost-friendly manner. ‘Tayahna Wahda’ covers new and used cars equally from car agents and suppliers through a lenient payment program allowing customers to pay their five-year installments with the costs of four years only.

Al Mannai added, “We are very keen on launching innovative campaigns that serve our clients’ needs while positively contribute to the growth of the consumer facilities sector in Kuwait. The great success achieved by ‘Tayahna Wahda’ was indeed exceptional, and has persuaded us to carry on organizing such constructive and strategic financing campaigns that would add to our growing business records. This is in addition to proving ourselves as a leading company in the region and in the local consumer finance sector for both individuals and businesses.”

Clients can make use of the campaign by visiting all 30 CFC branches and representative offices available at the local car showrooms. Applications are also accepted online via www.cfc-kw.com through which the CFC team will respond to in no less than an hour. CFC headquarters is located in Sharq, while its other four branches are distributed in Hawalli, Al Riggae, Fahaheel, and Jahra, in addition to its representative offices available in all car showrooms across Kuwait.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

Vodafone to open technology incubation centre LONDON: Vodafone is bringing its expertise in helping innovative start-up businesses to Tech City, Europe’s fastest growing digital hub. Britain’s biggest ICT Company will open a new technology and incubation centre in the East London area as it looks to nurture the next generation of British startup talent.

The new centre will provide innovative businesses in the mobile internet and creative media industries with technical expertise, potential financial assistance, logistical support and access to more than 400 million Vodafone customers across more than 30 countries worldwide. It will draw on the

expertise of Vodafone Ventures, the company’s corporate venture capital arm, which has been successfully investing in innovative new businesses for over a decade.

The decision to locate a new technology and incubation centre in Tech City builds on the success of Vodafone xone, which opened in Silicon Valley a year ago. Vodafone xone identifies innovative US start-ups and helps them move quickly to market. It offers companies support from a team of professionals whose expertise spans business development, network and device architecture, consumer electronics, payment and billing mechanisms, data

analytics and content delivery.

Trade and Investment Minister Lord Green said: “I warmly welcome Vodafone’s plans to open a technology lab and incubation centre in London’s Tech City. This announcement is an excellent reflection of Tech City’s success as a thriving hub of innovative technology companies, combined with ready access to Europe’s largest venture capital community.”

“With the world”s spotlight on the UK this summer, we are working hard through the British Business Embassy programme to help technology companies capitalise on the unique opportunity we have in 2012 to secure new trade and investment.”

Siavash Alamouti, Vodafone Group Research and Development Director said, “Vodafone is delighted to confirm its intention to set up a new R&D and incubation centre in Tech City. This exciting new centre will build on our existing Vodafone xone facility in Silicon Valley, giving cutting-edge British high tech start-ups access to the expertise and global reach of Britain’s largest ICT company.”

“We believe that the great talent, entrepreneurial spirit and wealth of start-up companies, in both the mobile internet and creative media industries that are to be found in East London, make Tech City a great location for this centre.” — Reuters

US researchers develop ‘glasses-free’ technology A new vision for 3-D television

BEIJING: A man walks past a ThinkPad logo during a promotional event for the new Thinkpad X1 Carbon laptop in Beijing yesterday. The Chinese computer maker unveiled the lighter, quicker ThinkPad notebook computer inspired by the convenience of tablets and smart phones. —AP

Lenovo unveils lighter, quicker ThinkPad laptop BEIJING: Lenovo unveiled a lighter, quicker ThinkPad notebook computer yesterday to appeal to customers who like the convenience of tablets and smartphones.

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon will go on sale later this month, the Chinese computer maker said. Lenovo Group acquired the ThinkPad brand with IBM Corp.’s personal computer unit in 2005.

Lenovo passed Dell Inc. last year to become the second-largest PC manufacturer after Hewlett-Packard Co. The latest ThinkPad has third-generation wireless connectivity and other features inspired by tablets and smartphones, said Dilip Bhatia, vice president of the ThinkPad business unit. He said that was in response to demands by customers who want a tablet’s convenience but need a notebook’s wider range of functions.

“They want faster. They want thinner,” Bhatia said. Lenovo shaved the 14-inch (35.5 centimeter) laptop computer’s weight to three pounds (1.3 kilograms) from the 3.7 pounds (1.7 kilograms) of last year’s

model, Bhatia. He said it would have up to eight hours of battery life and the startup time was reduced by as much as half to under 20 seconds.

The ThinkPad unit launched the first tablet version of its computer last year.

Despite tablets’ growing popularity, Bhatia said there will still be strong demand for notebooks to perform more complex functions in business, education and government. Forecasts call for global notebook sales to reach 230 million this year, versus 110 million for tablets.

“The clamshell format is going to be around for a long time,” Bhatia said. “We see a multi-device environment.”

Lenovo took the unusual step of unveiling the new computer in China because of the fast growth of its market and the local popularity of ThinkPads, said Bhatia.

The computer’s chief developer, Arimasa Naitoh, vice president of ThinkPad research and development, said he has met a Chinese collector who owns 100 ThinkPads. — AP

SANTA CLARA: An executive who studies the display imaging industry ought to have a pretty fancy televison set, and Paul Semenza does. He just bought a 60-inch, flat-screen, plasma television with all the bells and whistles, including the ability to display programs in 3-D. But Semenza, senior vice president at DisplaySearch in Santa Clara, Calif., isn’t going to watch any programs in 3-D. He’s not that thrilled with them, and besides, “I have no intention of buying the necessary 3D glasses,” he said.

Join the club. Sales of 3-D television sets have remained stagnant over the past year or so, at about 10 percent of all sets sold in North America, according to DisplaySearch, despite the best promotional efforts of manufacturers and programmers. The problems are varied: Sets cost 25 percent to 50 percent more than conventional televisions, according to DisplaySearch; just the battery-operated viewing glasses alone can cost $50; there isn’t much 3-D programming available yet; and consumer surveys are rife with complaints about the quality of the 3-D experience itself.

Enter a team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab. The Media Lab’s Camera Culture Group was scheduled to present its new “glasses-free” 3-D technology on Sunday at SIGGRAPH, the huge display technology and computer graphics conference in Los Angeles. The group hopes its approach will leapfrog current technology, and take years off the wait for better-quality, more affordable 3-D sets, viewable from all angles and without special glasses.

The Media Lab’s “tensor” display, which combines sophisticated imaging software with a prototype display that layers three LCD panels, is still three to five years away from being commercially viable, said Gregg Favalora, a principal at Optics For Hire, an Arlington optics design consulting firm, but it is promising. “I’m optimistic companies can and will make good, quality 3-D products without glasses, and MIT is going to help them get there,” he said. “It’s simply great stuff. I’m an impressed onlooker. The MIT display has very fluid motion, very impressive display capabilities.”

Eliminating the need for special glasses will be key to commercializing the Media Lab’s technology, analysts said. The makers of such wellknown brands such as Samsung, Sony, LG, and Panasonic are pushing hard to promote the potentially lucrative glasses-free 3-D sector, the Media Lab group said.

That’s assuming 3-D will sell more televisions.

“The question always is: Is this just another 3-D fad that’s going to go away again?” said researcher Douglas Lanman, who helped develop the MIT Media Lab technology.”You see 3-D fads about every 10 or 15 years, and they usually disappoint and then disappear.”

Glasses-free 3-D is now used within some mobile-game devices, such as the popular Nintendo 3-DS, but the quality of existing glasses-free 3-D technology is low, delivering dim images that must be viewed from within a narrow angle from the screen, said members of the Media Lab team.

The MIT system uses three standard LCD screens, one on top of the other, and conventional television backlighting. The device is then stuffed with special software to manage a flood of pixels; an image that offers a 3-D view from different angles must contain much more information than the kind that uses glasses to split the image for each eye of the viewer. Standard, 2-D film or video relies on one still image for each moment in time captured on screen.

Current 3-D display technology requires two still images. MIT’s software allows its system to pres-

ent up to 27 still images at once, all at different angles, to create a hologram-like effect.

There are a number of commercial benefits to the university’s glasses-free 3-D technology, said Media Lab researcher Gordon Wetzstein.Because the MIT technology uses existing LCD screens, “you wouldn’t have to produce a new manufacturing supply line,” he said.

A recent survey of 3-D TV users conducted by Parks Associates, a Dallas market research firm, found that a surprising number of respondents 56 percent - were “very” satisfied with their 3-D experience. But there was also a deep undercurrent of frustration, said John Barrett, director of consumer analytics at Parks, including such caustic comments as “waste of money,” “glasses are a pain in the neck,” “limited 3-D experience,” “not worth the trouble and expense,” “glasses not comfortable,” and “content is very limited.”

Ramesh Raskar, the Media Lab group’s director, said although there isn’t much his team can do about the lack of 3-D programs, its members hope their technology is pointing the way for manufacturers to produce much better displays.

“It could be transformational,” he said. “That’s what we’re trying to achieve.” — AP

SANTA CLARA: Matt Hirsch (foreground) with colleagues Ramesh Raskar and Gordon Wetzstein at the MIT Media Lab. — AP

Elite universities throwing open their digital doors to masses

New steps to treat gaming, internet addiction SEOUL: South Korea is perhaps the world’s leader in terms of identifying and treating gaming and Internet addiction. After wiring the nation with the world’s fastest broadband infrastructure, South Korea’s government spends millions per year to identify and treat gaming and Internet addicts.

About 8% of the country’s population age 9 to 39 suffer from Internet or gaming addiction, according to a 2010 government study.

Some see South Korea as a window into the future: Perhaps other nations, including the United States, will see a wave of gaming and Internet addiction when our technological infrastructure catches up. Others say it’s too soon to know if gaming addiction is really its own disorder.

In the United States, Internet and gaming addiction are not listed in the official Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. In the next revision of that list, however, the American Psychiatric Association has proposed that “Internet Use Disorder” be listed as warranting further study.

Some groups, however, have moved forward with treating Internet and gaming addiction.

One of the leaders in that field is Dr. Han Doug-hyun, from Chung-Ang University Hospital in Seoul, South Korea’s capital. Han’s research lab treats people who are addicted to games using techniques similar to those

used to treat alcoholics, including counseling and virtual-reality therapy (Check out this CNN video to see inside his research and treatment space).

As part of CNN’s feature on “Gaming Reality,” Han gave us his list of the top five warning signs that a person should seek professional help for Internet or gaming addiction. Take a look at the tips and let us know what you think of them, and of the science of gaming addiction, in the comments.

Here are Han’s top 5 warning signs of gaming or Internet addiction: 1. Disrupted regular life pattern. If a person plays games all night long and sleeps in the daytime, that can be a warning he or she should seek professional help.

2. If the potential gaming or Internet addict loses his or her job, or stops going to school in order to be online or to play a digital game.

3. Need for a bigger fix. Does the gamer have to play for longer and longer periods in order to get the same level of enjoyment from the game?

4. Withdrawal. Some Internet and gaming addicts become irritable or anxious when they disconnect, or when they are forced to do so.

5. Cravings. Some Internet and gaming addicts experience cravings, or the need to play the game or be online when they are away from the digital world. —-MCT

SAN FRANCISCO: When the Massachusetts Institute of Technology offered its first free online course this spring, Ashwith Rego jumped at the chance to learn from some of the world’s leading researchers-without leaving his home in India. “I never imagined that I would be taught by professors from MIT, let alone for free,” said the 24year-old engineer who works in Bangalore. From Harvard to Stanford, a growing number of elite universities are throwing open their digital doors to the masses. They’re offering their most popular courses online for no charge, allowing anyone with an Internet connection to learn from world-renowned scholars and scientists. Many colleges have offered Web-based courses for years, but the participation of top-tier research universities marks a major milestone in the expansion of digital learning.

The proliferation of so-called massive open online courses, or MOOCs, has the potential to transform higher education at a time when colleges and universities are grappling with shrinking budgets, rising costs and protests over soaring tuition and student debt.

Supporters say these online courses can lower teaching costs, improve learning online and on campus, and significantly expand access to higher education, which could fuel technological innovation and economic growth. “It holds the potential for serving many, many hundreds of thousands of students in a way we simply cannot today,” said Molly Corbett Broad, president of the American Council on Education.

Last month, a dozen major research universities announced they would begin offering courses on the online learning platform Cours era, joining Stanford and Princeton universities and the universities of Pennsylvania and Virginia. UC Berkeley said it would start making online courses available this fall through edX, a competing Web portal launched in May by Harvard University and MIT with $60 million in funding from the two schools. “I believe it will ultimately revolutionize education,” said UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau. So far students can’t earn college credit for the courses, but that hasn’t dampened demand. EdX officials say 154,000 students from more than 160 countries registered for MIT’s first online course, “Circuits and Electronics,” this past spring. Only about 7,100 students passed the course, but that’s still a lot more than can fit in a lecture hall. More than 120 universities have expressed interest in joining the consortium, said edX President Anant Agarwal, who heads MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. “Our goal is to reinvent education,” said Agarwal, who created the first MITx

course. “It will dramatically improve the quality, efficiency and scale of learning worldwide and on our campuses.”

So far, the new online courses are attracting mostly older workers who want to upgrade their skills and knowledge, but may not have the time or money to attend classes on campus. The new generation of online courses features interactive technology, open admissions, high-caliber curriculum and the ability to teach tens of thousands of students at once. The universities say the online courses are as rigorous as their campus counterparts. Some schools, including the University of Washington and University of Helsinki, say they will offer college credit for Coursera courses. If more schools follow suit, the online teaching could allow more students to attend college and graduate faster, experts say.

Besides potential cost savings, the new generation of online classes can change how students learn on campus by relieving professors of lecturing duties and freeing up more time for research and discussion with students. “It’s going to transform the work of professors,” said William Tierney, a higher education expert at the University of Southern California.

But many questions remain. Are the courses rigorous enough to justify college credit? How do schools prevent cheating? Can colleges keep charging students thousands of dollars for courses they can take free online?

Some educators say these cyber courses can’t replace the academic community and learning experience of a traditional campus education. But others warn that MOOCs have the potential to undermine the finances of colleges and universities-much like how free Web content has upended newspapers, magazines and other media industries. If students can get high-quality academic material for free, colleges and universities will be pressed to demonstrate the education value they offer beyond lectures and exams.

“I don’t think you can just dismiss this,” Tierney said.

“People think that what happened to the newspaper industry is not going to happen to academia.”

Once up and running, most courses can almost run by themselves. They typically feature short video lectures followed by quizzes that test students on the concepts they just learned. Most math and science exams can graded by computer, while students in humanities courses evaluate each other’s writing assignments.

The courses run on set schedules ranging from several weeks to several months, so that students can form discussion groups and help each other with homework assignments. —AP

Fornax to fire up computer research SYDNEY: A new $4 million terascale research supercomputer, funded under the Australian Government’s Super Science Initiative, will help researchers at the University of Western Australia to carry out leading-edge computational research.

Named Fornax, Latin for ‘furnace,’ the second of three supercomputers commissioned as part of the $80 million Pawsey Centre project, the computer was launched by the Minister for Science and Research Senator Chris Evans today. “As part of Pawsey Centre, Fornax is at the heart of Australia and New Zealand’s successful bid to co-host the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope,” Senator Evans said.

“Operated by expert researchers and technical staff, Fornax offers a supercomputing resource which is designed to take in masses of seismic and astronomical data, and forge complex computations out of them. “It gives Australian researchers access to the kind of computing power that is critical to astronomy signal processing needed for the international SKA project.

“This is the second of two forerunners to the more powerful petascale Pawsey Centre supercomputer system being installed in 2013. Fornax and its partner ‘Epic’ are helping researchers to develop the expertise needed to get the best out of the Pawsey supercomputer when it comes online. “With these systems, we’re building world-class supercomputing facilities, and expertise to match, that will put Australia at the forefront of research in radioastronomy, the geosciences and other high-end computational research.” Senator Evans said the Pawsey Centre was a pivotal component of the Australian Government’s investment of almost $9 billion in science, research and innovation since 2007.—DPA

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

Ageing US baby boomers face home healthcare challenge Demand for personal care aides soaring

ISERNHAGEN, Germany: This handout photo made available by German police shows a squirrel stuck in a manhole cover in a street on Sunday.

The squirrel was finally rescued and set free by the police after several attempts earlier using olive oil failed. — AFP

Ocean acidification could disrupt marine food chains CAMBRIDGE, England: Ocean acidification caused by climate change is making it harder for creatures from clams to sea urchins to grow their shells, and the trend is likely to be felt most in polar regions, scientists said yesterday. A thinning of the protective cases of mussels, oysters, lobsters and crabs is likely to disrupt marine food chains by making the creatures more vulnerable to predators, which could reduce human sources of seafood. “The results suggest that increased acidity is affecting the size and weight of shells and skeletons, and the trend is widespread across marine species,” the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) said in a statement of the findings.

Human emissions of greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels, and some of that carbon dioxide ends up in the oceans, where it dissolves to form acid. The ocean acidification makes it harder for creatures to extract calcium carbonate - vital to grow skeletons and shells especially from chill waters in the Arctic Ocean and around Antarctica, according to the study in the journal Global Change Biology. “Where it gets colder and the calcium carbonate is harder to get out of the seawater the animals have thinner skeletons,” Professor Lloyd Peck of the BAS told Reuters TV in an interview.

So a shift towards acidification in the ocean was likely to force animals to have smaller skeletons, he said of the study by scientists in Britain, Australia and Singapore. “We think that the polar regions, and especially Antarctica, are likely to be the first places where animals reach these critical problems for making skeletons,” he said. Changes under way in the chill waters were likely to be a sign of what to expect in future in temperate zones and the tropics, he said. The experts studied four types of creatures - clams, sea snails, lamp shells and sea urchins - at 12 sites, stretching across the globe from the Arctic to the Antarctic. “The fact the same effect occurs consistently in all four types suggests the effect is widespread across marine species, and that increasing ocean acidification will progressively reduce the availability of calcium carbonate,” it said.

In the past, animals had evolved to be able to live in places where calcium carbonate is relatively difficult to obtain - such as off Antarctica - by forming lighter skeletons, it said. So there was hope that they might be able to evolve again to adapt.

“Given enough time and a slow enough rate of change, evolution may again help these animals survive in our acidifying oceans,” said Sue-Ann Watson, of James Cook University in Australia. — Reuters

RUTURU: A sea lion is pictured at the entry of a cave at Avera Bay on Sunday 572 km south of Papeete, Austral Islands, south of French Polynesia. The sea lion was found yesterday on a beach by the inhabitants of Rurutu. — AFP

Reach out to someone with an eating disorder BERLIN: Someone who suspects a friend or relative has an eating disorder should talk to him or her about it, according to Ulrich Voderholzer, a member of the German Association for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (DGPPN).

But there is little use in giving wellmeaning advice on how to normalize eating habits, he said. It was important to express concern and offer help in seeking treatment.

The more severe an eating disorder is, the harder people try to hide it, the DGPPN noted. Anorexics often enumerate all of the things they have supposedly eaten that day to explain why they

are not hungry. Bulimics secretly induce vomiting after every meal so as not to gain weight. And people with a constant craving for food eat unobserved almost around the clock.

The DGPPN pointed out that psychological and emotional problems often underlay an eating disorder. An affected person may be trying to cope with suppressed feelings and needs, or showing mute protest or refusal. Eating or fasting typically dominates their lives. Treatment aims in part at restoring regular meals, improving self-esteem and body image, and raising awareness of the feelings behind the eating disorder. — dpa

PRAGUE: A turtle rests on the shell of another turtle on Sunday at the Troja Zoo. – AFP

CLEVELAND: For the past three years, Taura Tate’s mornings have revolved around caring for a woman who suffers from the effects of a stroke and diabetes. She cooks her oatmeal for breakfast, helps with showers and makes sure she takes the right medicine. Without the help of a home health aide, the woman, who’s in her 70s, would be in a nursing home instead of living on her own. But Tate has her own struggles. Until a recent promotion, her pay amounted to what she could make at McDonald’s. She doesn’t get health or retirement benefits and has worked at five agencies in the Cleveland area, some simultaneously, to guarantee she’ll have enough clients. “If they go into the hospital or go on vacation, you don’t get paid,” she said.

Demand for home healthcare workers is soaring as baby boomers - the 78 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964 - get older and states try to save money by moving people out of more costly nursing homes. But filling more than 1 million new home care positions over the next decade will be a challenge. Most home health aides are paid about the same as maids and manicurists and don’t get sick days or health insurance themselves. Many who are self-employed must pay for their own gas for driving to appointments and cover their own medical bills if they’re hurt on the job.

The US Labor Department projects that home health and personal care aides will be among the fastest-growing jobs over the next decade, adding 1.3 million positions and increasing at a rate higher than any other occupation. If those jobs can’t be filled, many older Americans are likely to face living with relatives or in nursing homes, which will only cost families and taxpayers more money.

Some aides say they have no choice but to say no when people call looking for help because they can’t afford to take on someone else. “It’s hard because I love helping people, but at the same time I’ve got three kids,” said Kimberly Ingram, a home health aide in Lancaster, South Carolina. “When you add up your miles, your gas money, you don’t make nothing.” Her parttime job delivering newspapers pays better when you factor in the time and travel some home care jobs need, she said.

Nearly half of all home care workers live at or below the poverty level, and many receive government benefits such as food stamps, unions and advocacy groups say. The median pay a year ago was $9.70 per hour - 4 cents less than fast-food workers and short-order cooks, according to the most recent statistics from the Labor Department. Agencies that supply home health workers blame states and the federal government for failing to increase reimbursement rates for Medicaid and Medicare patients at a time when costs are going up.

Home health services are an easy target for cuts because they’re not required by federal law, and legislators in states with big deficits say they have no choice but to cut Medicaid spending, the second-costliest item for states behind education. At the same time, some states, including Ohio, are changing how they coordinate medical care and trying to move some of the most expensive

and hard-to-treat patients into home and community-based settings instead of nursing homes.

The result, home care agencies say, is that there’s little room for them to make a profit.

And that means they can go only so far to attract new workers. “ We compete with McDonald’s, Wendy’s and the discount stores,” said Jennifer Witten, owner of Imani Home Health Co. in Cleveland. “You can’t afford to raise your salaries, yet you want to hire the best people.” Home care agencies say trying to fill jobs will become even more difficult in a few years if the economy improves and job options increase. “The real staffing challenge is 10 years away,” said David Tramontana, president of Home Care by Black Stone in Cincinnati. “If we can’t pay them more than they get at McDonald’s, we’re in big trouble.”

The qualifications and training for home care aides varies. A high school diploma isn’t usually a requirement, and some states call for only on-the-job training, while others insist on more formal instruction about basic nutrition and personal hygiene at community colleges or elder care programs. Home care agencies that are reimbursed by Medicare or Medicaid must hire aides who have passed a competency test or received state certification. Despite the relatively low pay, many aides say they like the flexible hours and find the work rewarding.

Tate, a home care aide since 1999, doubts she could get by if it weren’t for her husband, a truck driver who also has health insurance.

She could make more money at a nursing home or hospital but relishes the connections she makes in home care. “I get attached to the people,” said Tate, who made $8.50 an hour until she received a promotion and a $2 raise earlier this summer. “How could you not if you’re with them every day? Sometimes you’re the only person they see.”

Retired hospital nurse and home health aide Judith Mezey-Kirby, born a few years ahead of the baby boom, said she worries about who will take care of boomers in the coming years. Home healthcare workers need not only better pay, she said, but also better

training on how to take care of basic needs.

She had good and bad experiences with aides who help her with the laundry and chores that require heavy lifting around her home in Fairview Park, a Cleveland suburb. “It needs attention bad,” said Mezey-Kirby, 73.

“You just can’t take people off the streets.”

Wittens’ company considered adding a 401(k) plan for its workers but decided it was too costly. Home aides she hires start at $8.50 per hour and can earn up to $10. Most work 30 to 40 hours a week, and all but a few have other part-time jobs, Witten said.

Jareese Mitchell, a personal care attendant in Manchester, Conn., spends 30 hours a week with two quadriplegics, helping them eat, dress and bathe. He also goes to school and works three nights a week at a clothing store. “Everybody has a job outside; you pretty much have to,” said Mitchell, who until recently was receiving food stamps. He said he might look for different work if the pay doesn’t increase.

That’s not unusual. The turnover rate among home health aides is estimated to be anywhere from 30 percent to 50 percent, sometimes higher. The revolving door is especially tough on those who depend on home aides for help throughout the day.

“M y mom gets ner vous when she has brand-new people. There’s always a trust issue,” said Beth Cramer, who lives with her 74-year-old mother in the Cleveland suburb of Willowick. An aide comes to the house to help her mother with dressing and cooking while Cramer is at work. “They’re doing the most intimate of intimate things,” she said.

“I magine a stranger walk ing into your house and giving you a bath.”

Gail Williams, a personal assistant in Tampa, Florida, said many people have no one else. “ You just can’t quit the job because these people need you,” she said.

Chris Hradisky, who relies on a personal assistant to help him with meals and clean his apartment in Waukegan, Ill., said he wouldn’t be on his own without help. His aides, he said, are like family. “You build a bond with them.” — AP

EUCLID, Ohio: In this Aug 1, 2012 photo, Taura Tate (right) a home care aide since 1999, vacuums as Crell Johnson, 76, looks on at Johnson’s apartment. — AP

Tanning salons should be used with care BERLIN: People who visit a tanning salon should make sure it is super vised as a precaution against skin and eye damage, advises the non-profit organization German Cancer Aid. The group said it was important that salon staff be present to hand out protective goggles without being asked, warn of the possible side effects of ultraviolet (UV ) radiation and keep people with

especially light and sensitive skin off the tanning beds. In some countries minors are prohibited from using tanning beds and staff should make sure this is obeyed.

Artificial UV radiation, along with UV radiation in sunlight, is considered to be a major risk factor for skin cancer. An increasing number of young people are contracting skin cancer, particularly

Exercise helps to ease fibromyalgia BERLIN: Light endurance training can ease the symptoms of fibromyalgia, a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain. This is according to new treatment guidelines cited by the Association of German Rheumatologists (BDRh). The guidelines were developed by physicians, scientists and patients’ representatives after evaluating all qualitatively useful therapy studies available on the disorder.

They recommend that the training be combined with light strength exercises and meditative movement therapy such as tai chi or yoga, or with relaxation and psychotherapeutic techniques, medications should be used only intermittently in severe cases of fibromyalgia. Strong pain relievers containing opioids are not recommended at all because they are seldom beneficial in the long term and usually have unwanted side effects.

The guidelines advise patients to engage in an activity such as taking a brisk walk, Nordic walking, or cycling two or three times a week for 30 minutes at a time. As BDRh executive committee member Ludwig Kalthoff noted, the combination of exercise and relaxation evidently did a lot of patients good.

An estimated 4 per cent of the population in industrialized countries suffer from fibromyalgia, mostly women between the ages of 40 and 60. Typical symptoms are chronic pain in places such as the neck, abdomen or joints, sometimes accompanied by sleep problems, an irritable stomach or psychological problems such as anxiety. — dpa

those who have visited tanning salons regularly for years, German Cancer Aid said. Well-trained tanning salon staff determine the customer ’s skin type and ask when he or she was last on a tanning bed. They also inquire into possible sunburns, skin disorders and medication use, and point out that tanning beds may be used only without make-up and suntan lotion. Beyond that, they

work out an initial irradiation plan for the customer, draw up a personal dosage plan and hand out further information on proper use of the tanning salon. German Cancer Aid advises against patronizing a tanning salon if just one of the above-mentioned criteria is not met. Even better, it said, is to avoid tanning salons altogether for the sake of one’s skin. —dpa

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

Thousands of fish die as US Midwest streams heat up LINCOLN, Nebraska: Thousands of fish are dying in the Midwest as the hot, dry summer dries up rivers and causes water temperatures to climb in some spots to nearly 100 degrees.

About 40,000 shovelnose sturgeon were killed in Iowa last week as water temperatures reached 97 degrees.

Nebraska fishery officials said they’ve seen thousands of dead sturgeon, catfish, carp, and other species in the Lower Platte River, including the endangered pallid sturgeon. And biologists in Illinois said the hot weather has killed tens of thousands of largeand smallmouth bass and channel catfish and is threatening the population of the greater redhorse fish, a stateendangered species.

So many fish died in one Illinois lake that the carcasses clogged an intake screen near a power plant, lowering water levels to the point that the station had to shut down one of its generators. “It’s something I’ve never seen in my career, and I’ve been here for more than 17 years,” said Mark Flammang, a fisheries biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. “I think what we’re mainly dealing with here are the extremely low flows and this unparalleled heat.”

The fish are victims of one of the driest and warmest summers in history.

The federal US Drought Monitor shows nearly two-thirds of the lower 48 states are experiencing some form of drought, and the Department of Agriculture has declared more than half of the nation’s counties - nearly 1,600 in 32 states - as natural disaster areas. More than 3,000 heat records were broken over the last month. Iowa DNR officials said the sturgeon found dead in the Des Moines River were worth nearly $10 million, a high value based in part on their highly sought eggs, which are used for caviar. The fish are valued at more than $110 a pound.

Gavin Gibbons, a spokesman for the National Fisheries Institute, said the sturgeon kills don’t appear to have

reduced the supply enough to hurt regional caviar suppliers. Flammang said weekend rain improved some of Iowa’s rivers and lakes, but temperatures were rising again and straining a sturgeon population that develops health problems when water temperatures climb into the 80s. “Those fish have been in these rivers for thousands of thousands of years, and they’re accustomed to all sorts of weather conditions,” he said. “But sometimes, you have conditions occur that are outside their realm of tolerance.”

In Illinois, heat and lack of rain has dried up a large swath of Aux Sable Creek, the state’s largest habitat for the endangered greater redhorse, a large bottom-feeding fish, said Dan Stephenson, a biologist with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

“We’re talking hundreds of thousands (killed), maybe millions by now,” Stephenson said. “If you’re only talking about game fish, it’s probably in the thousands. But for all fish, it’s probably in the millions if you look statewide.”

Stephenson said fish kills happen most summers in small private ponds and streams, but the hot weather this

year has made the situation much worse. “This year has been really, really bad - disproportionately bad, compared to our other years,” he said.

Stephenson said a large number of dead fish were sucked into an intake screen near Powerton Lake in central Illinois, lowering water levels and forcing a temporary shutdown at a nearby power plant. A spokesman for Edison International, which runs the coal-fired plant, said workers shut down one of its two generators for several hours two weeks ago because of extreme heat and low water levels at the lake, which is used for cooling.

In Nebraska, a stretch of the Platte River from Kearney in the central part of the state to Columbus in the east has gone dry and killed a “significant number” of sturgeon, catfish and minnows, said fisheries program manager Daryl Bauer. Bauer said the warm, shallow water has also killed an unknown number of endangered pallid sturgeon. “It’s a lot of miles of river, and a lot of fish,” Bauer said. “Most of those fish are barely identifiable. In this heat, they decay really fast.” Bauer said a single dry year usually isn’t enough to hurt the fish

ROCK PORT, Montana: In this July 26, 2012 photo, dead fish float in a drying pond. — AP

population. But he worries dry conditions in Nebraska could continue, repeating a stretch in the mid-2000s that weakened fish populations.

Kansas also has seen declining water levels that pulled younger, smaller game fish away from the vegetation-rich shore lines and forced them to cluster, making them easier targets for predators, said fisheries chief Doug Nygren of the Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. Nygren said he expects a drop in adult walleye populations in the state’s shallower, wind-swept lakes in southern Kansas. But he said other species, such as large-mouth bass, can tolerate the heat and may multiply faster without competition from walleye. “ These last two years are the hottest we’ve ever seen,” Nygren said.

“That really can play a role in changing populations, shifting it in favor of some species over others. The walleye won’t benefit from these high-water temperatures, but other species that are more tolerant may take advantage of their declining population.”

Geno Adams, a fisheries program administrator in South Dakota, said there have been reports of isolated fish kills in its manmade lakes on the Missouri River and others in the eastern part of the state. But it’s unclear how much of a role the heat played in the deaths. One large batch of carp at Lewis and Clark Lake in the state’s southeast corner had lesions, a sign they were suffering from a bacterial infection.

Adams said the fish are more prone to sickness with low water levels and extreme heat. But he added that other fish habitat have seen a record number this year thanks to the 2011 floods. “When we’re in a drought, there’s a struggle for water and it’s going in all different directions,” Adams said. “Keeping it in the reservoir for recreational fisheries is not at the top of the priority list.” —AP

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WHAT’S ON

SEND US YOUR INSTAGRAM PICS hat’s more fun than clicking a beautiful picture? Sharing it with others! This summer, let other people see the way you see Kuwait - through your lens. Friday Times will feature snapshots of Kuwait through Instagram feeds. If you want to share your Instagram photos, email us at instagram@kuwaittimes.net

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Attention Kids!

EF VBS 12 starting from Aug 24, 2012. Six Exciting days of singing, games & bible stories for children of all ages. HURRY Limited Seats. Register Online www.cefkuwait.org.

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7 students complete Citibank Summer Internship Program

Competitions in Patriotic songs ndo-Kuwait Friendship Society, Kuwait (www.indo-kuwaitfriendshipsociety.com) is planning to conduct competitions in Indian and Kuwaiti Patriotic songs. This is the first time in Kuwait, an Indian Association is organizing contests in “Patriotic Songs” for both Indian and Kuwaiti School students.

The first 3 places will be declared separately by Judges who are experts in Indian and Kuwaiti Patriotic songs. Several prizes and awards will be handed over for the winning schools. Pradeep Rajkumar and A K S Abdul Nazar said that IKFS wants let our children learn what they mean as a “Patriotic” to their home country. 4 pages of spot Essay competition related to “Patriotism” also will be held in the same day as a spot registration. 1 Girl and 1 Boy student from each School can participate in the ESSAY contest. Dr. Mohamed Tareq, Chairman of the First Indian Model School in Kuwait “ Salmiya Indian Model School (SIMS) already confirmed as a Co-Sponsor of the Program.

Conditions apply 1) The competitions are meant for all the Schools located in Kuwait and should be nominated by school authority.

2) Each school can select group of 7 students for the “PATRIOTIC SONGS (Indian and Kuwaiti)” and nominate separately.

3) Children of above 12 years till 17 years (VII classes to XII classes) are eligible for the contest. But if School is permitted 4) Musical instruments or KARAOKE mixer should be accompanied by the participating students/Children and the school team should operate and select the mixers.

5) Time frame: 7 minutes - Names will be called as “First come” in the Registration.

The Event will be held at the auditorium of “Salmiya Indian Model School” on Saturday, 27th October 2012 from 09:30 am onwards. It will be a full day program with fun and full of entertainments. Food-stalls of different Kuwaiti and Indian tastes will installed.

Dr. Ghalib Al-Mashoor said in a press release that Invitations for all schools located in various parts of Kuwait are already been sent. Schools under one management but from different locations can also participate in the contest individually. As per the school directory, there 23 Indian schools in Kuwait. The last date of receiving names of the Participants is scheduled on 2nd day of October, 2012 Gandhi Jayanti day.

The entry is free to all and due to 2nd day of Eid Al-Adha holidays, a large crowd is expected to attend in addition to, Senior Kuwaiti and Indian citizens will also grace the function.

All the applications of interest should be sent to: ikfsociety@gmail.com Phone:99430786

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KIB announces Ramadan working hours uwait International Bank has announced its working hours during the holy month of Ramadan in a press statement released by the bank stating: “We would like to congratulate our valued customers on the start of the holy month of Ramadan, and we are glad to announce that the bank’s working hours will be from 10:00 am to 1:30 pm at the head offices and its 18 branches distributed around Kuwait.”

Similar to every year, KIB services and products will be accessible to all customers during the bank’s working hours, and around the clock customers can perform their banking transactions and submit their enquiries through Al-Dawli Weyak which offers a dedicated 24/7 call center and can accessed from anywhere around the world. KIB customers can also use Al-Dawli Online and SMS Banking to further manage their accounts and banking needs around the clock. For more information on KIB’s services and products, please visit the bank’s website on www.kib.com.kw or check the latest updates on www.facebook.com/aldawlibank or follow us on Twitter @alDawliBank.

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India’s Flag Hoisting Ceremony n the occasion of the Independence Day of India, a Flag Hoisting Ceremony will take place at the Indian Embassy premises on Arabian Gulf Street at 0700 hours on Wednesday, August 15, 2012. The flag hoisting will be followed by the reading of the message of the Honorable President of India and singing of patriotic songs. All Indian nationals are cordially invited to attend the function. The customary Open House Reception after the ceremony is not being held this year in view of the Holy month of Ramadan.

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Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

ith the aim of providing interns with the experience of banking and real work life situations, Citibank NA Kuwait completed its annual summer internship program. Seven young interns joined Citibank Kuwait’s annual summer internship program 2012. The interns, whose age group ranged between 17 and 27 years, were students studying at schools and universities from in and outside Kuwait. They were assigned to a number of departments within Citibank as per their academic majors including Corporate & Investment Banking, Finance, Treasury,

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IT, Operations, and Compliance.

Ozgur Kutay, General Manager for Citibank NA Kuwait said: “The summer internship program is a demonstration of Citibank’s social commitment towards providing Kuwait’s younger generation with appropriate opportunities to experience the banking profession firsthand.

We plan to continue welcoming summer interns at our premises to develop their banking skills and help them set foot on the path of their careers in the near future”. In addition to their departmentspecific training, the interns met with Ozgur Kutay and attended orientation

seminars on Citi globally, Citibank Kuwait, Code of Conduct, business etiquette, Information Security, Compliance, and Global Banking.

Lujain Ahmad Abdul Qader Mohammad, one of the interns commented: “Citibank is offering an amazing training program for university students.

This summer, I received training in different departments and had a positive experience of learning about the work field and the market. I would like to thank Citibank for giving us this opportunity to meet new people, discover the banking profession and learn how to

deal with several tasks and much more”.

Hany Magdy, Head of Human Resources at Citibank Kuwait said: “During these annual programs, we provide students with unique training, career management insights and a taste of recruitment opportunities. The interns gain valuable insight into working in a global banking environment, being given the tasks to complete that enhances their work experiences for the future.”

Gulf Express Co & Total Marketing Middle East launch the PITSTOP o strengthen TOTAL Lubricant’s retail presence, Gulf Express Co (an Al Babtain Group of Co) & TOTAL Marketing Middle East, have launched the PITSTOP concept at strategic locations in collaboration with Garage Al Madi , specialized in providing automotive technical checkup services reputed partners in Kuwait in the auspicious presence of Ghazi Saleh Al Babtain, Business Development Manager- Al Babtain Group, Philippe Cabus, Managing Director -Total Marketing Middle East FZE, and Taha Mohd Sulaiman,-Garage Al Madi, in addition to Management teams of Al Babtain Group & Total Marketing Middle East.

Ghazi Al Babtain emphasized that “being close to our end customers has been a core principal to our operations and we take pride in being one of fastest growing lubricant brands in Kuwait in a very short time. These strategically located service centers provide the customers an ideal solution for their automobile service requirements”. “TOTAL PITSTOP” is a highly professional concept developed by TOTAL globally and with its highly popular concept of 16-Point Check Up we try to serve the customers in the best possible manner” stated Philippe Cabus TOTAL PITSTOP stands for a warm welcoming team, professional Services, trust and a selection of high quality TOTAL lubricants. Al-Babtain Group is committed to improve service center standards in Kuwait over the next few years and by tying up with reputed and like-minded partners, TOTAL PITSTOP should become the preferred destination for customers seeking professional solutions for their service requirements. Taha Mohd Sulaiman added that Garage Al Madi “Total PITSTOP” is specially designed to provide all customers with the best oil change and maintenance services. The center operated by a team of specialized technicians with over 10 years of experience in car maintenance and repair.

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‘Leniency of Islam’ An unprecedented initiative of KTV2 (English channel) is the new program by the name ‘Leniency of Islam’ presented by Shaikh Musaad Alsane and directed by Hamid AlTurkait. The program is mainly meant to address the expatriates living in Kuwait. Religious questions are received through the program email qislam@tv.gov.kw and sms can be sent to- 97822021 and answered by the lecturer and Imam in Awqaf Ministry Shaikh Musaad Alsane - a Master Degree holder in Sharia and fiqih from Kuwait University.

So don’t forget to watch the program every Friday at 1:00 pm.

Registration for Ramadan STARS Squash Tournament begins Once again this year, the stage is set for the fourth annual ‘Ramadan STARS Squash Tournament’ to be held from August 3 to 9 at the Kazma Sporting Club, Adailiya.

Abdulrahim Al-Awadi, the Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee has announced that doors are now open for registration to all those who are interested in participating, stating that the deadline for registration will be August 1. The participation in this tournament is open to all and will fall under three categories this year. The first category is for amateurs from ages 17 and above, second category is for professional players from ages 20 and above and

the third category is for ladies 17 and above. Following its last three years of grand success, the 4th annual Ramadan STARS Squash Tournament is being organized during Ramadan for squash lovers who will have an opportunity to practice the sport while being encouraged to develop their skills in a healthy, competitive and social environment. All details pertaining to the tournament and means to participate can be found on the tournaments facebook page under ‘Ramadan Stars Squash Tourney’ or follow the official twitter page @RamadanStars for updates. The registration is taking place at GO SPORT store located at The Avenues Mall. Alawadi also pointed out the great interest the ‘Ramadan Stars Squash tournament’ received from the private sector, where companies took the initiative in sponsoring the tournament. Alawadi expressed his gratitude and thanks to Kazma Sporting Clun, Go Sport, Comtel, Vio, Unite Colors and Alawadi Photography guaranteeing unique prizes for all winners.

Aware Center Ramadan Diwaniya “The AWARE Center cordially invites you to its third Ramadan diwaniya presentation entitled, “The Fascinating and Delicious World of Dates,” by Claudia AlRashoud on Tuesday August 7th, 2012.

One of nature’s most perfect foods, the date holds a special place in the history, hearts, and homes of Kuwaitis.

Dates were once a vital source of sustenance for desert travelers and a staple commodity of Kuwait’s seafaring

trade. Today, the date is still one of the most important cash crops in the region, with between 600 to 700 varieties grown.

Of all the traditional foods eaten during Ramadan, nutritious and delicious dates undoubtedly have the most benefits for those who are fasting. With this Ramadan coinciding with the local date harvest, now is the time to enjoy them, whether you are fasting or not.

Join local photojournalist Claudia Farkas Al Rashoud for a diwanniya presentation that will immerse you in the fascinating world of dates on August 7th, 2012 at 8:00pm at the AWARE Center premises where you will learn about dates in local tradition, culture, cooking, and agriculture, and sample some of the different types of these healthy fruits of the desert.

Originally from California, Claudia Farkas Al Rashoud has enjoyed working as an author and photojournalist in Kuwait since 1979. She was the first female reporter/photographer for the Arab Times newspaper, and her photographs and in-depth feature articles continue to be published in this local daily as well as in many international publications. She has written a number of books, with photographs, about Kuwait which include Kuwait Before and After the Storm, Kuwait’s Age of Sail, Kuwait Kaleidoscope, Dame Violet Dickson (also available in Arabic), and a children’s book about Kuwait’s desert environment and the animals that live in it called What the Camels Said to Santa.

For more information, please call 25335260/80 or log onto: www.aware.com.kw

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WHAT’S ON

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Australian Embassy Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visas and immigration matters in conducted by The Australian ConsulateGeneral in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS) immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel: +971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (Visa Office); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). In Kuwait applications can be lodged at the Australian Visa Application Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-Banwan Building Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, opposite the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday - Thursday. Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens can apply for tourist visas on-line at www.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF ARGENTINE

The Embassy of Argentina requests all Argentinean citizens in Kuwait to proceed to our official email ekuwa@mrecic.gov.ar 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 Argentinean Government to contact and assist Argentineans living abroad in case of any emergency.

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EMBASSY OF BANGLADESH

The Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in Kuwait will follow the following office hours during the holy month of Ramadan. Sunday to Thursday: 9 am - 3:30 pm. Friday and Saturday: Weekly holidays.

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EMBASSY OF BRITAIN

UWAIT: Kuwait Bank Club celebrated ‘Girgian’ for bank’s employees and their families in the presence of the club chairman Ahmad Sultan, the treasuring Mohammad Al Sayegh, Chairman of the Sports Committee Khalil Al Blushi, the Chairman of the Social Committee Reem Al Waqyan and assistant general manager Abbas Al Bloushi at Hawally Park hall.

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Consular section at the British Embassy will be starting an online appointment booking system for our consular customers from Sunday, 01 July 2012. All information including how to make an appointment is now available on the embassy website. In addition, there is also a “Consular Appointment System” option under Quick links on the right hand side on the homepage, which should take you to the “Consular online booking appointment system” main page.

Please be aware that from 01 July 2012, we will no longer accept walk-in customers for legalisation, notarial services and certificates (birth, death and marriages). If you have problems accessing the system or need to make an appointment for non-notarial consular issues or have a consular emergency, please call 2259 4355/7/8 or email us on consularenquirieskuwait@fco.gov.uk. If you require consular assistance out of office hours (working hours: 0730-l430 hrs), please contact the Embassy on 2259 4320.

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EMBASSY OF INDIA During the holy month of Ramadan, the office timings of the Indian Passport and Visa Service Centres of BLS International Visa Services Co, Kuwait, situated at (i) Emad Commercial Centre, Basement Floor, Ahmed Al Jaber Street, Sharq, Kuwait, and (ii) Mujamma Unood, 4th floor, Office No. 25-26 Makka Street, Fahaheel, Kuwait, will be from 8.00 am - 3.00 pm from Saturday to Thursday (i.e. six days a week). Tokens for submission of applications will NOT be issued after 2.00 pm. Delivery of passports and visas will be from 11.00 am onwards. Embassy of India, Kuwait, will maintain its usual working hours.

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EMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to inform Kenyan residents throughout Kuwait and the general public that with effect from June 1, 2012 the Embassy has moved from its current location to a new location in Surra Block 1, Street 8, Villa 303.

Please note that the new telephone and fax numbers will be communicated as soon as possible. For enquiries you can contact Consular Section on mobile 90935162 or 97527306.

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Korean Embassy Girgean Party n 3 August, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea together with the Korean Culture Diwaniya hosted for the first time ever Gergean party for Korean Community in Kuwait and diplomats at the Embassy premises in Mishref, where numerous number of people took part in this unique celebration. The event was attended by the Korean Ambassador and his wife, who came dress up in traditional Kuwaiti Gergean clothes.

The event was held by the Kuwaiti members of the Diwaniya in order to allow the Korean community get familiar with Ramadan in general and Girgean in particular because it is a

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major aspect of the Kuwaiti culture during the fasting month of Ramadan. The Embassy was decorated inside as well as outside in the usual Ramadan traditional theme to create a festive atmosphere and to give a traditional flair. A delicious buffet of traditional Kuwaiti treats including sweats, nuts, delights and other popular dishes was prepared by the Kuwaiti members of the Diwaniya for everyone to savor. Also Kuwaiti traditional costume corner, Islamic book corner by IPC, Henna corner were prepared.

Korean men and women also came to the party wearing traditional Gergean customs to share with Kuwaiti participants the brotherly and delightful

atmosphere and had a good time celebrating Girgean.

It was joyable to see Korean children interacting with their Kuwaiti peers as they were dressed up in traditional Girgaan customs and accessories, carrying bags, singing folkloric Gergean songs and getting sweet and treats offered by the Embassy and the Kuwaiti members of our Diwaniya. The event was really exciting and we are so much indebted to the Kuwaiti members of the Korean Culture Diwaniya for the idea and for helping the embassy planning for the Girgean night, which would greatly increase understanding and cooperation between our two countries

and strengthen social bonds between our people.

Sharing with the Kuwaiti people on major social and religious occasions comes as part of an extensive social outreach program launched and implemented by the Embassy during the past months to strengthening social ties between our two countries and peoples.

The Embassy would like to congratulate the Kuwaiti government and entire Kuwaiti nation on the occasion of Ramadan, wishing them all the happy returns and blessings.

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, e-mail:myankuwait11@gmai1.com ■■■■■■■

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 PHILIPPINES

In reference to our announcement last July 14 2012 announcing the transfer and opening of our new Philippine Overseas Labor Office due on August 1 , we regret to inform Filipinos in Kuwait that due to unavoidable circumstances, the August 1 opening will be moved to new date August 5. POLO will be closed to public transactions on July 30, 31 and August 1 & 2. For emergency please contact the POLO hotline at Tel 99558527.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 Your Worst Animal Nightmares 01:40 Untamed & Uncut 02:35 Dogs 101: Specials 03:30 Cats 101 04:25 Monster Bug Wars 05:20 Monkey Life 05:45 Animal Battlegrounds 06:10 New Breed Vets With Steve Irwin 07:00 Baboons With Bill Bailey 07:25 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 08:15 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 08:40 Breed All About It 09:10 Baby Planet 10:05 Monster Bug Wars 11:00 Wildlife SOS 11:25 Gorilla School 11:55 Animal Cops Houston 12:50 Wild Animal Orphans 13:15 Wild Animal Orphans 13:45 Animal Precinct 14:40 Monster Bug Wars 15:30 Baboons With Bill Bailey 16:00 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 16:30 Growing Up...

17:25 Cats 101 18:20 Dogs 101: Specials 19:15 Wildlife SOS 19:40 Orangutan Island 20:10 Monkey Life 20:35 Animal Battlegrounds 21:05 Monster Bug Wars 22:00 Rescue Vet 22:25 Rescue Vet 22:55 Wildlife SOS 23:50 Animal Cops Houston

00:35 Come Dine With Me 01:25 Gok’s Fashion Fix 02:15 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 03:00 Saturday Kitchen 2007/08 03:30 Saturday Kitchen 2007/08 03:55 Saturday Kitchen 2007/08 04:25 MasterChef 04:50 Living In The Sun 05:35 Living In The Sun 06:20 Saturday Kitchen 2007/08 06:45 Saturday Kitchen 2007/08 07:15 MasterChef Australia 08:05 MasterChef Australia 08:30 Gok’s Fashion Fix 09:20 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow 10:05 Bargain Hunt 10:50 Antiques Roadshow 11:40 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 12:25 10 Years Younger 13:15 Holmes On Homes 14:05 Holmes On Homes 14:50 Bargain Hunt 15:35 Antiques Roadshow 16:25 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 17:10 Come Dine With Me 18:00 Rachel’s Favourite Food For Living 18:25 The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook 18:55 Rick Stein’s Far Eastern Odyssey 19:45 Come Dine With Me 20:35 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 21:20 Antiques Roadshow 22:10 Bargain Hunt 23:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 23:45 Holmes On Homes

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 01:45 02:00 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30

BBC World News America BBC World News America BBC World News London Live Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Asia Business Report

03:45 04:00 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:30 05:45 06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 07:45 08:00 08:30 08:45 09:00 09:30 09:45 10:00 10:30 10:45 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 12:45 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 15:45 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 17:45 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 22:45 23:00 23:30

00:10 00:35 01:00 01:25 01:50 02:15 02:40 03:00 03:25 03:50 04:15 04:40 05:00 05:25 05:50 06:00 06:15 06:30 06:55 07:20 07:45 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:05 10:30 Doo 10:55 11:15 11:40 12:00 12:15 12:40 12:55 13:20 13:35 14:00 14:50 15:15 Doo 15:40 16:00 16:15 16:40

Sport Today BBC World News London Live Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Hardtalk BBC World News London Live World Business Report BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live World Business Report BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Hardtalk BBC World News London Live World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Hardtalk BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live BBC Focus On Africa BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Hardtalk

Puppy In My Pocket Tom & Jerry Kids Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Flintstones Pink Panther And Pals Looney Tunes Popeye Classics Dexter’s Laboratory Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes The Scooby Doo Show Johnny Bravo The Flintstones The Jetsons Wacky Races The Garfield Show Tom & Jerry Kids Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Ha Ha Hairies A Pup Named Scooby-Doo The Garfield Show Johnny Bravo Dexter’s Laboratory Pink Panther And Pals The Scooby Doo Show Scooby-Doo And ScrappyDastardly And Muttley The Flintstones Wacky Races Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Puppy In My Pocket Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Scooby-Doo And ScrappyDastardly And Muttley Tom & Jerry Tom & Jerry Pink Panther And Pals

17:05 17:30 17:55 18:10 18:35 19:00 19:15 19:40 19:55 20:20 20:35 21:00 21:25 21:50 22:15 22:40 23:05 23:20 23:45

Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show The Garfield Show Johnny Bravo Dexter’s Laboratory Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Dexter’s Laboratory Johnny Bravo Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Popeye The Jetsons Duck Dodgers

00:30 Bakugan: New Vestroia 00:55 Bakugan: New Vestroia 01:20 Powerpuff Girls 02:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 03:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 03:25 Ben 10 03:50 Adventure Time 04:15 Powerpuff Girls 04:40 Generator Rex 05:05 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:30 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:55 Angelo Rules 06:00 The Marvelous Misadventures...

06:25 Casper’s Scare School 07:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 07:15 Adventure Time 07:40 Johnny Test 08:05 Grim Adventures Of...

08:55 Courage The Cowardly Dog 09:45 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 10:10 Redakai: Conquer The Kairu 10:35 Powerpuff Girls 11:25 Chowder 12:15 Ed, Edd n Eddy 13:05 Ben 10 13:30 Sym-Bionic Titan 13:55 Foster’s Home For...

14:20 Foster’s Home For...

14:45 Angelo Rules 15:35 Powerpuff Girls 16:25 The Amazing World Of Gumball 16:40 Johnny Test 17:00 Adventure Time 17:55 Green Lantern: The Animated Series 18:20 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 18:45 Young Justice 19:10 Bakugan: Mechtanium Surge 19:35 Adventure Time 20:25 Courage The Cowardly Dog 21:15 Grim Adventures Of...

22:00 Codename: Kids Next Door 22:50 Ben 10 23:15 Ben 10 23:40 Chowder

00:00 00:30 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00

Amanpour World Sport Piers Morgan Tonight World Report Anderson Cooper 360 Piers Morgan Tonight Quest Means Business The Situation Room World Sport African Voices World Report World Report World Sport Talk Asia World Business Today Amanpour News Special World One Piers Morgan Tonight News Stream World Business Today International Desk Global Exchange World Sport

THE POSTMAN ON OSN ACTION HD

19:30 News Special 20:00 International Desk 21:00 Quest Means Business 22:00 Amanpour 22:30 CNN Newscenter 23:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson

00:15 I Was Bitten 01:10 I Escaped: Real Prison Breaks 01:35 Hillbilly Handfishin’ 02:30 River Monsters 03:25 Robson Green’s Extreme Fishing Challenge 04:20 I Was Bitten 05:15 How Do They Do It? 05:40 How It’s Made 06:05 American Loggers 07:00 American Chopper 07:50 Mythbusters 08:45 Ultimate Survival 09:40 Border Security 10:05 Auction Kings 10:30 How Do They Do It? 10:55 How It’s Made 11:25 Rattlesnake Republic 12:20 Finding Bigfoot 13:15 Against The Elements 14:10 Border Security 14:35 Auction Kings 15:05 Ultimate Survival 16:00 American Chopper 16:55 Fifth Gear 17:20 American Loggers 18:15 Mythbusters 19:10 How Do They Do It? 19:40 How It’s Made 20:05 Border Security 20:35 Auction Kings 21:00 The Gadget Show 21:30 Rattlesnake Republic 22:25 Finding Bigfoot 23:20 Moonshiners

00:35 01:25 02:15 03:05 03:35 04:25 05:15 06:05 07:00 07:50 07:53 08:20 08:50 09:40 10:30 11:20 12:10 13:00 13:50 14:45 15:35 16:00 16:03 16:30 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:30 19:55 20:20 21:10 21:35 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:40

Building The Biggest How Stuff Works Mighty Ships The Gadget Show Scrapheap Challenge How The Universe Works Building The Biggest How Stuff Works Mighty Ships Head Rush Weird Connections Sci-Fi Science Sport Science Scrapheap Challenge Catch It Keep It Catch It Keep It Catch It Keep It Catch It Keep It Catch It Keep It Catch It Keep It The Gadget Show Head Rush Weird Connections Sci-Fi Science How Stuff Works Sport Science How The Universe Works Junk Men Junk Men Scrapheap Challenge The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Junk Men Junk Men Scrapheap Challenge Sport Science

00:25 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 00:55 Style Star 01:25 E!es 02:20 E!es 03:15 Behind The Scenes 03:40 Extreme Close-Up 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 E!es 06:00 THS 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Scouted 10:15 THS 12:05 E! News 13:05 Ice Loves Coco 13:35 Ice Loves Coco 14:05 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 15:00 Style Star 15:30 E!es 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 17:55 E! News 18:55 THS 19:55 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 20:55 Mrs. Eastwood And Company 21:25 Giuliana & Bill 22:25 E! News 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Fashion Police

00:30 01:20 02:05 02:55 03:45 04:30 05:20 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:40 09:30 09:55 10:20 Jones 11:10 12:00 12:25 12:50 13:40 14:30 14:55 15:20 Jones 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:05 19:55 20:20 Jones 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:40

Ghost Lab Dead Tenants Deadly Sins Scorned: Crimes Of Passion Extreme Forensics Ghost Lab Dead Tenants Disappeared Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Street Patrol Street Patrol Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Fatal Encounters Killer Kids Dr G: Medical Examiner

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 02:00 03:00 03:30 04:00 05:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00 23:30

The Green Way Up The Green Way Up Madventures Madventures Extreme Tourist Afghanistan Chasing Time Chasing Time Treks In A Wild World Meet The Natives: USA The Green Way Up The Green Way Up Madventures Madventures Extreme Tourist Afghanistan Chasing Time Chasing Time Treks In A Wild World Meet The Natives: USA The Green Way Up The Green Way Up Madventures Madventures Long Way Down Chasing Time Chasing Time Treks In A Wild World Meet The Natives: USA The Green Way Up The Green Way Up Travel Madness Travel Madness David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway One Man & His Campervan David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 1 Extreme Tourist Afghanistan Deadliest Journeys 2 The Best Job In The World

00:00 Keeping Up With The Joneses 00:30 Keeping Up With The Joneses 01:00 Latin America On A Motorcycle 01:30 Latin America On A Motorcycle 02:00 Departures 03:00 Banged Up Abroad 04:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 05:00 Gone to save the planet 05:30 Gone to save the planet 06:00 Keeping Up With The Joneses 06:30 Keeping Up With The Joneses 07:00 Latin America On A Motorcycle 07:30 Latin America On A Motorcycle 08:00 Departures 09:00 Banged Up Abroad 10:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 11:00 Gone to save the planet 11:30 Gone to save the planet 12:00 Keeping Up With The Joneses 12:30 Keeping Up With The Joneses 13:00 City Chase Rome 14:00 Departures 15:00 Travel Oz 15:30 Travel Oz 16:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 17:00 Gone to save the planet 17:30 Gone to save the planet 18:00 Kimchi Chronicles 18:30 Kimchi Chronicles 19:00 Madventures 19:30 Madventures 20:00 Extreme Tourist Afghanistan 21:00 Chasing Time 21:30 Chasing Time 22:00 Treks In A Wild World 23:00 Meet The Natives: USA

00:00 Megacities 01:00 Secret Shark Pits 02:00 Is It Real? S3 (1 hour) 03:00 Mega Bridges 04:00 Aftermath 05:00 Hunter Hunted 06:00 Nomads 07:00 Naked Science S2.5 08:00 Megacities 09:00 Secret Shark Pits 10:00 Is It Real? S3 (1 hour) 11:00 Megacities 12:00 A Traveler’s Guide To The Planets 13:00 Hunter Hunted 14:00 Nomads 15:00 Naked Science 16:00 Megacities 17:00 Secrets Of The Cross 18:00 Is It Real? S3 (1 hour) 19:00 Mega Bridges 20:00 Crash Science 21:00 The Last Lioness 22:00 Adventure Wanted 23:00 Naked Science S2.5

00:00 Predator CSI 01:00 Built For The Kill 01:55 Sahara 02:50 Expedition Wild 03:45 Hooked 04:40 Wild India (Secrets of Wild India) 05:35 Built For The Kill 06:30 Sahara 07:25 Expedition Wild 08:20 Hooked 09:15 Phantom Wolverine 10:10 Monster Fish 11:05 Rescue Ink 12:00 Fish Warrior 13:00 Big Blue (1 hour) 14:00 Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy 15:00 World’s Creepiest Killers 16:00 Animal Superpowers 17:00 Animal Autopsy (Inside Nature’s Giants) 18:00 Hunter Hunted 19:00 Sahara 20:00 Expedition Wild 21:00 Hooked 22:00 Phantom Wolverine 23:00 Monster Fish

00:00 01:00 01:55 02:50 03:45 04:40 India) 05:35 06:30 07:25 08:20

Predator CSI Built For The Kill Sahara Expedition Wild Hooked Wild India (Secrets of Wild Built For The Kill Sahara Expedition Wild Hooked

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES ON OSN CINEMA 09:15 Phantom Wolverine 10:10 Monster Fish 11:05 Rescue Ink 12:00 Fish Warrior 13:00 Big Blue (1 hour) 14:00 Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy 15:00 World’s Creepiest Killers 16:00 Animal Superpowers 17:00 Animal Autopsy (Inside Nature’s Giants) 18:00 Hunter Hunted 19:00 Sahara 20:00 Expedition Wild 21:00 Hooked 22:00 Phantom Wolverine 23:00 Monster Fish

00:15 02:00 PG15 04:15 06:00 08:00 PG15 09:30 11:15 13:15 PG15 15:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

The Alphabet Killer-18 Master And CommanderFright Night-PG15 The Net-PG15 Jesse Stone: Innocents LostGame Of Death-PG15 Vengeance-PG15 Jesse Stone: Innocents LostThe Postman-PG15 Vengeance-PG15 Arachnophobia-PG15 The Green Hornet-PG15

01:00 Bangkok Adrenaline-PG15 03:00 Page Eight-PG15 04:45 Passing Strange-PG15 07:00 What’s Wrong With VirginiaPG15 09:00 Bangkok Adrenaline-PG15 11:00 Page Eight-PG15 13:00 According To Greta-PG15 15:00 Shanghai-PG15 17:00 Prom-PG15 18:45 Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides-PG15 21:00 Winter’s Bone-18 23:00 Brighton Rock-PG15

00:00 King Of The Hill 00:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 01:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 01:30 Friends 02:00 Friends 02:30 American Dad 03:00 Whitney 03:30 Raising Hope 04:00 Weird Science 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Weird Science 06:00 Friends 06:30 Dharma And Greg 08:00 Weird Science 08:30 Whitney 09:00 Weird Science 09:30 Napoleon Dynamite 10:00 Happy Endings 10:30 Dharma And Greg 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Friends 12:30 Friends 13:00 Weird Science 13:30 Dharma And Greg 14:00 Raising Hope 14:30 Happy Endings 15:00 Napoleon Dynamite 15:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 16:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 16:30 Friends 18:00 2 Broke Girls 18:30 Perfect Couples 19:00 The Cleveland Show 19:30 The Office 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Wilfred 22:30 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 23:00 Seinfeld 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 Justified 01:00 Top Gear Specials 02:00 Missing

03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Suits Desperate Housewives Good Morning America The Practice Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Desperate Housewives The View Missing Suits Live Good Morning America The Practice The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Coronation Street White Collar Royal Pains House Perception Desperate Housewives

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

Criminal Minds Top Gear Specials Revenge Justified Suits Revenge Criminal Minds Emmerdale Coronation Street Necessary Roughness The Ellen DeGeneres Show Missing Suits Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Necessary Roughness Criminal Minds Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Smallville White Collar Royal Pains House Perception Revenge

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:15 13:15 15:00 17:15 19:00 21:00 23:00

Bats-18 Restitution-PG15 The Recruit-PG15 Enter The Phoenix-PG15 Hidalgo-PG15 The Recruit-PG15 The Last Airbender-PG Hidalgo-PG15 Fighting-PG15 Jonah Hex-PG15 The Green Hornet-PG15 The Nun-18

00:00 02:15 PG15 04:00 06:00 PG15 08:00 PG15 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Mystery Men-PG15 Inspector Gadget (1999)Last Holiday-PG15 My Girlfriend’s BoyfriendInspector Gadget (1999)Rat-PG15 Elevator Girl-PG15 Happy Ever Afters-PG15 Rat-PG15 The Chaperone-PG15 Molly-PG15 Defendor-PG15

01:00 PG15 03:00 04:45 07:15 09:00 11:00 13:15 14:45 16:45 18:30 21:00

Blame It On Mum-18 The Great Gatsby-PG Khao Niao Moo Ping-PG15 South Solitary-PG15 Spiderman 2-PG15 Bond Of Silence-PG15 South Solitary-PG15 Espions-PG15 Eat Pray Love-PG15 Evita-PG

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00

Nothing To Lose-PG15 My Last Five Girlfriends-PG15 Love N’ Dancing-PG15 Rango-FAM

09:00 Rio-FAM 11:00 Marion Jones: Press PausePG15 12:15 Ramona And Beezus-PG 14:15 Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Pt.1-PG15 16:45 Rio-FAM 18:30 Michael Jackson: The Life Of An Icon-PG15 21:00 Life As We Know It-PG15 23:00 The Town-18

00:00 I’ll Be Home For Christmas-PG 02:00 Rainbow Valley Heroes-FAM 04:00 Last Of The Mohicans-PG 06:00 I’ll Be Home For Christmas-PG 08:00 The Three Bears: Dreadful Dangers-FAM 10:00 The Three Musketeers (2008)FAM 12:00 Last Of The Mohicans-PG 14:00 The Enchanted Mountain-PG 16:00 The Adventures Of Elmo In Grouchland-PG 18:00 The Three Musketeers (2008)FAM 20:00 Hop-PG 22:00 The Enchanted Mountain-PG

00:00 Olympic Sailing 01:00 Super League 03:30 Cricket Test Match 10:30 Futbol Mundial 11:00 Olympic Sailing 11:55 Live Olympic Athletics 15:40 Olympic Men’s Water Polo OR Women’s Basketball OR Men’s Hockey 20:45 Live Olympic Athletics 23:25 Olympic Synchronised Swimming

01:00 NRL Premiership 03:00 Super Rugby Highlights 04:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 05:00 NRL Premiership 07:00 Super League 09:00 NRL Premiership 11:00 Olympic Wrestling 11:55 Live Olympic Men’s Diving 14:00 Olympic Gymnastics 16:55 Live Olympic Synchronised Swimming 18:45 Olympic Men’s Hockey OR Women’s Basketball 20:55 Live Olympic Men’s Diving 22:35 Olympic Women’s Water Polo

00:05 Olympic men’s Water Polo 01:30 AFL Highlights 02:30 Golfing World 03:30 World Match Racing Tour Highlights 04:30 Super League 06:30 Challenge Series Golf Highlights 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 Super Rugby Highlights 09:00 AFL Highlights 10:00 World Match Racing Tour Highlights 11:00 Olympic Men’s Shooting 11:55 Olympic Cycling 13:35 Olympic TBC 15:20 Olympic Women’s Handball 17:55 Olympic Cycling 20:50 Olympic Women’s Volleyball

The Thomas Crown Affair02:00 UFC 04:00 V8 Supercars 05:00 WWE SmackDown 07:00 WWE NXT 08:00 WWE Bottomline 09:00 V8 Supercars Extra 09:30 V8 Supercars 10:30 Mobil 1 The Grid 11:00 Olympic Men’s Weightlifting 12:55 Live Olympic Women’s Table Tennis 16:05 Olympic Men’s Beach Volleyball 17:25 Live Olympic Women’s Table Tennis 20:50 Live Olympic Men’s Hockey 23:05 Live Olympic Men’s Hockey

Classifieds TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines QTR JZR RJA GFA UAE ETD OMA FDB MSR RBG QTR KAC DHX JZR KAC BAW KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR FDB IRA ETD GFA UAE MEA MSR MSC JZR KNE JZR MSR KAC KNE QTR SVA RJA KAC QTR ETD JZR UAE UAL SVA GFA JZR JZR ABY KAC SYR KAC KAC KAC MSR MSC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC JAI AXB FDB OMA MEA QTR GFA ALK KLM UAE QTR QTR AIC FDB UAL JZR DLH MSR THY JZR PIA KAC

Arrival Flights on Tuesday 7/8/2012 Flt Route 148 DOHA 267 BEIRUT 642 AMMAN 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 643 MUSCAT 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 3553 ALEXANDRIA 138 DOHA 544 CAIRO 170 BAHRAIN 503 LUXOR 412 MANILA 157 LONDON 416 JAKARTA 206 ISLAMABAD 555 ALEXANDRIA 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 352 COCHIN 284 DHAKA 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 605 ISFAHAN 301 ABU DHABI 213 BAHRAIN 871 DUBAI 404 BEIRUT 618 ALEXANDRIA 401 ALEXANDRIA 561 SOHAG 978 JEDDAH 775 JEDDAH 610 CAIRO 514 TEHRAN 472 JEDDAH 140 DOHA 500 JEDDAH 640 AMMAN 546 ALEXANDRIA 134 DOHA 303 ABU DHABI 324 NAJAF 857 DUBAI 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 510 RIYADH 215 BAHRAIN 177 DUBAI 777 JEDDAH 127 SHARJAH 542 CAIRO 341 DAMASCUS 786 JEDDAH 166 PARIS 104 LONDON 624 SOHAG 403 ASSIUT 774 RIYADH 618 DOHA 1702 JEDDAH 674 DUBAI 742 DAMMAM 614 BAHRAIN 572 MUMBAI 389 KOZHIKODE 61 DUBAI 647 MUSCAT 402 BEIRUT 146 DOHA 221 BAHRAIN 229 COLOMBO 415 AMSTERDAM 859 DUBAI 136 DOHA 6130 DOHA 981 CHENNAI 59 DUBAI 981 BAHRAIN 239 AMMAN 636 FRANKFURT 614 CAIRO 772 ISTANBUL 539 CAIRO 205 LAHORE 1766 JEDDAH

Time 0:20 0:50 2:10 2:20 2:25 2:30 2:50 3:10 3:20 3:20 3:25 4:10 5:00 6:05 6:15 6:30 6:35 7:15 7:35 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:15 8:25 8:30 9:00 9:20 9:20 9:30 10:00 10:45 10:55 11:25 12:00 12:25 13:00 13:20 13:30 13:40 14:15 14:25 14:30 14:55 15:05 15:15 16:35 16:40 16:55 17:10 17:20 17:20 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:15 18:30 18:40 18:40 18:45 18:55 19:00 19:10 19:20 19:25 19:25 19:30 19:30 19:35 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:25 20:35 20:55 21:05 21:15 21:35 21:50 22:25 22:30 22:40 22:55 23:10 23:35 23:40 23:40 23:59 23:59

Airlines AIC UAL DLH JZR MSR KLM PIA THY UAE FDB OMA RBG ETD MSR QTR QTR JZR RJA GFA JZR KAC BAW ABY KAC UAE QTR KAC FDB ETD IRA GFA KAC KAC JZR MEA UAE MSR MSC KAC JZR JZR KAC KNE MSR KAC KNE SVA KAC RJA KAC QTR KAC KAC JZR ETD JZR QTR UAE GFA ABY UAL KAC SVA JZR KAC KAC SYR MSR MSC KAC JAI FDB KAC KAC OMA MEA KAC GFA DHX ALK KLM KAC UAE QTR KAC KAC QTR AXB FDB QTR KAC JZR

Depature Flights on Tuesday 7/8/2012 Flt Route 976 GOA 981 WASHINGTON 637 FRANKFURT 554 ALEXANDRIA 615 CAIRO 411 AMSTERDAM 240 SIALKOT 773 ISTANBUL 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 644 MUSCAT 3554 ALEXANDRIA 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 643 AMMAN 212 BAHRAIN 774 JEDDAH 545 ALEXANDRIA 156 LONDON 126 SHARJAH 513 TEHRAN 856 DUBAI 133 DOHA 101 LONDON 56 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI 604 ISFAHAN 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 165 ROME 776 JEDDAH 405 BEIRUT 872 DUBAI 623 SOHAG 404 ASSIUT 785 JEDDAH 324 AL NAJAF 176 DUBAI 1701 JEDDAH 979 JEDDAH 611 CAIRO 673 DUBAI 473 JEDDAH 501 JEDDAH 617 DOHA 641 AMMAN 773 RIYADH 135 DOHA 613 BAHRAIN 741 DAMMAM 538 CAIRO 304 ABU DHABI 238 AMMAN 141 DOHA 858 DUBAI 216 BAHRAIN 128 SHARJAH 982 BAHRAIN 1765 JEDDAH 511 RIYADH 266 BEIRUT 1703 JEDDAH 283 DHAKA 342 DAMASCUS 607 LUXOR 402 ALEXANDRIA 361 COLOMBO 571 MUMBAI 62 DUBAI 343 CHENNAI 351 KOCHI 648 MUSCAT 403 BEIRUT 543 CAIRO 222 BAHRAIN 171 BAHRAIN 230 COLOMBO 415 DAMMAM 381 DELHI 860 DUBAI 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 147 DOHA 390 MANGALORE 60 DUBAI 6131 DOHA 411 BANGKOK 502 LUXOR

Time 0:05 0:25 0:30 0:30 0:35 0:55 1:00 2:15 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:00 4:05 4:20 4:50 5:40 6:00 6:50 7:05 7:55 8:10 8:25 9:05 9:15 9:40 10:00 10:00 10:05 10:15 10:20 10:45 11:30 11:45 11:50 11:55 12:20 12:25 13:00 13:10 13:15 13:20 13:40 14:00 14:30 15:05 15:15 15:45 15:45 15:50 15:55 16:15 16:30 16:30 16:50 17:20 17:30 17:45 18:05 18:20 18:25 18:30 18:30 18:35 18:50 19:15 19:30 19:30 19:55 20:00 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:55 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:30 21:35 21:50 21:55 22:05 22:20 22:25 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:10 23:10 23:15 23:20 23:40 23:55

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

SITUATION VACANT A Kuwaiti family looks to hire an Indian or Filipino driver. Tel: 96156162 (Akram). (C 4093) 4-8-2012

CHANGE OF NAME I, Rajee Ramanathan Koolathu daughter of Koolath Velappan Ramanathan holder of Indian Passport No. K1677756 have embraced Islam religion with new name Fathima Raja. (C 4095) 6-8-2012

FOR SALE Toyota Prado 2006, golden color, 6 clr, full options, KD 4900. Tel: 50699345.

(C 4096) Mitsubishi Galant 2011, excellent condition, km 20000, KD 2950. Tel: 66729295. (C 4097) 7-8-2012

No: 15532

MATRIMONIAL Orthodox parents (Ex NRI) invite proposals for their daughter (22/166) B.Tech, fair from parents of professionally qualified boys (M.Tech, B.Tech) with good family background Orthodox or Jacobite.

Email: bsamuel@nascorporate.com.

(C 4094) 4-8-2012

GOVERNMENT WEB SITES Kuwait Parliament www.majlesalommah.net

The Public Institution for Social Security www.pifss.gov.kw

Ministry of Interior www.moi.gov.kw

Public Authority of Industry www.pai.gov.kw

Public Authority for Civil Information www.paci.gov.kw

Prisoners of War Committee www.pows.org.kw

Kuwait News Agency www.kuna.net.kw

Ministry of Foreign Affairs www.mofa.gov.kw

Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affair www.islam.gov.kw

Kuwait Municipality www.municipality.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Oil) www.moo.gov.kw

Kuwait Electronic Government www.e.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Electricity and Water) www.energy.govt.kw

Ministry of Finance www.mof.gov.kw

Public Authority for Housing Welfare www.housing.gov.kw

Ministry of Commerce and Industry www.moci.gov.kw

Ministry of Justice www.moj.gov.kw

Ministry of Education www.moe.edu.kw

Ministry of Communications www.moc.kw

Ministry of Information www.moinfo.gov.kw

Supreme Council for Planning and Development www.scpd.gov.kw

Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation www.awqaf.org

34

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

stars CROSSWORD 760

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19)

Are you waiting to hear some important news, Aries? Significant career matters may be involved.

This isn’t a good day to sit around waiting. Your call will probably come late, when you least expect it. Turn on your voicemail, get dressed, and go out and do something else for a while. Otherwise you could well drive yourself crazy hoping for the news. Hang in there.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

This isn’t a good day to travel, Taurus, especially by air. Long lines at the ticket counter, endless delays, and lost luggage could be the result. This may not even be a good day to plan a trip, although you can consider your options. If you must fly today, get to the airport early, travel light, and take something good to read. That will make it bearable.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. Psychoactive substance present in marijuana.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

4. (New Testament) One of the three sages from the east who came bearing gifts for the infant Jesus.

10. Animal reproductive body consisting of an ovum or embryo together with nutritive and protective envelopes.

13. An affirmative.

14. Naked freshwater or marine or parasitic protozoa that form temporary pseudopods for feeding and locomotion.

15. Being one more than forty.

16. A number of sheets of paper fastened together along one edge.

17. A genus of Ploceidae.

19. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

21. Of or relating to or characteristic of Thailand of its people.

23. Of or relating to or characteristic of Thailand of its people.

25. Open-heart surgery in which the rib cage is opened and a section of a blood vessel is grafted from the aorta to the coronary artery to bypass the blocked section of the coronary artery and improve the blood supply to the heart.

27. Being five more than fifty.

29. A midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region.

30. The academic world.

34. 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.

35. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

37. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

38. (Irish) Mother of the ancient Irish gods.

40. The cry made by sheep.

44. An artificial language that is a revision and simplification of Esperanto.

45. Large burrowing rodent of South and Central America.

47. A bachelor's degree in religion.

48. A clay pipe with a short stem.

50. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal.

51. Any of numerous ornamental shrubs grown for their showy flowers of various colors.

53. A woman of refinement.

56. Like a bulb.

60. American prizefighter who won the world heavyweight championship three times (born in 1942).

61. English scholastic philosopher and assumed author of Occam's Razor (1285-1349).

64. Formerly a large constellation in the southern hemisphere between Canis Major and the Southern Cross.

65. Aircraft landing in bad weather in which the pilot is talked down by ground control using precision approach radar.

66. The psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning.

68. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

69. Imperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time) from 206 BC to 221 and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy.

70. Distributed or spread over a considerable extent.

71. A depression in an otherwise level surface.

DOWN 1. A mistake in printed matter resulting from mechanical failures of some kind.

2. A collection of objects laid on top of each other.

3. A military trainee (as at a military academy).

4. A tight-fitting headdress.

5. Italian violin maker in Cremona.

6. A sodium salt of carbonic acid.

7. A tricycle (usually propelled by pedalling).

8. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

9. An intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in minute amounts in uranium ores.

10. A set of questions or exercises evaluating skill or knowledge.

11. Marked by lack of intellectual depth.

12. A river that rises in western New Mexico and flows westward through southern Arizona to become a tributary of the Colorado River.

18. (Irish) Chief god of the Tuatha De Danann.

20. Colloquial British abbreviation.

22. A master's degree in business.

24. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC).

26. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

28. A blood vessel that carries blood from the capillaries toward the heart.

31. A member of an Iroquoian people formerly living on the south shore of Lake Erie in northern Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania and western New York.

32. Produced by a manufacturing process.

33. Very dark black.

36. A small cake leavened with yeast.

39. An early French settler in the Maritimes.

41. An edge tool used to cut and shape wood.

42. 1 species.

43. A prearranged fight with deadly weapons by two people (accompanied by seconds) in order to settle a quarrel over a point of honor.

46. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

49. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

52. Lower in esteem.

54. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

55. A mound of fatty tissue covering the pubic area in women.

56. A light strong gray lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong light-weight alloys (as for airplane parts).

57. Toward the mouth or oral region.

58. Large sweet juicy hybrid between tangerine and grapefruit having a thick wrinkled skin.

59. A cleansing agent made from the salts of vegetable or animal fats.

62. (informal) Uncomplimentary terms for a policeman.

63. An emotional response that has been acquired by conditioning.

64. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

67. A state in north central United States.

Yesterday’s Solution

A friend or colleague involved in an enterprise with you could be inhibited in some way by lack of money, Gemini. This might involve some unexpected adjustment on your part, perhaps finding someone else to temporarily fill in. It’s a pain, but you and your colleagues will manage, and your friend should have it together in time. Find a way to work around the situation. Hang in there.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Career responsibilities may require a temporary separation from a love partner today, Cancer.

This is apt to be upsetting and rather disheartening, but there’s likely nothing you can do about it except work as quickly as you can so that you can finish and get back to your partner. Make sure your friend knows what’s going on. You don’t want to cause any more upset.

NON SEQUITUR

Leo (July 23-August 22)

Travel arrangements may have to be put off because of unexpected developments that keep you where you are, Leo. You may be worried about the consequences, but don’t waste your energy. You’ll be able to make the necessary trip, and accomplish whatever you’re hoping to do - just not today. Worry will only stress you out. The only productive way to deal with this is to keep moving.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

You may feel especially lonely, overworked, and passionate today, Virgo, and therefore longing for the company of your romantic partner. But responsibilities involving you both could well be keeping you apart. This could be more than frustrating - it could make you gloomy. Don’t let that happen.

Concentrate on your work and finish before evening.

You’ll see your friend then.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

Upsets in the home could occur today, Libra. You and other members of your household are on edge and liable to snap at the least provocation.

Someone could get all flustered over a minor problem and storm out. Don’t worry. At day’s end everyone should see events in their proper perspective and all be friends again. Hang in there.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Expected calls or deliveries may prove more trouble than they’re worth, Scorpio. You could get involved in endless games of phone tag, and deliveries might come when you’re out. This can be avoided if you’re prepared. Make sure everyone knows what you’re expecting so they can watch for it. Tell people the best times to phone and be available at those times.

Don’t worry. You’ll manage.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

A temporary delay in receiving some expected funds might force you to postpone a muchneeded purchase, Sagittarius. Don’t make yourself crazy over this. It isn’t worth the stress. The delay is disheartening, but it isn’t a cancellation. Your money will arrive and you’ll be able to go ahead with your plans. In the meantime, keep yourself busy. Hang in there.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

Some older visitors to your home, perhaps your parents, might be too vocal in their assessment of how you’re handling a situation, Capricorn.

You’re particularly sensitive today, and far less tolerant of criticism than usual. Don’t lash out. Causing a rift won’t solve anything. Change the subject and take whatever course of action you feel is best.

To

Yesterday’s Solution

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Yester

Beware that creative efforts involving modern technology, such as computer graphics, recording, or film, might suffer from “too many cooks.”

Everyone has a different idea of how things should be handled. If this is your project, make sure everyone knows you’re the boss. If you have partners, discuss the situation rationally with them. Don’t sabotage your enterprise because of disagreements. Talk it over.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

In spite of the leaps and bounds you’ve taken over the last several months, Pisces, a slump could set in as you start to doubt your ability to attain your goals. A disheartening and unexpected setback may have occurred, but you’ve never let this sort of thing stop you before. Don’t fall into this trap now.

Brace yourself, reassess your methods, and get back in the saddle.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Kaizen center

25716707

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Al-Mirqab

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Hawally

ST TATE T OF K KUW WAIT A

Tel.: e 161

DIRECTORA ATE T GENERAL GEN OF CIVIL AVIA V ATION T METEOROLOGICAL DEP PARTMENT A

WWW.MET.GOV V.KW .

BY Y DA AY:

Hot with light to moderate north westerly to light variable wind, with speed of 06 - 28 km/h

WA ARNING

No Current Warnings aarnin

MAX. REC.

MIN. N. EXP P.

KUW WA AIT CITY

46 °C

34 °C

KUW WA AIT AIRPOR RT

46 °C

33 °C

22456536

NUW WAISEEB A

43 °C

32 °C

Sharq

22465401

WAFRA A

47 °C

31 °C

Salmiya

25746401

SALMI

44 °C

27 °C

Jabriya

25316254

ABDAL LY

46 °C

30 °C 29 °C

25623444

JAL ALIY YAH A

45 °C

Maidan Hawally

FA AILAKA

45 °C

32 °C

Bayan

25388462

AHMADI POR RT

41 °C

35 °C

Mishref

25381200

UMM AL-MARADEM

38 °C

34 °C

W.Hawally

22630786

WARBA A A - BUBY YAN A

38 °C

34 °C

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

SFC. CHART

06/08/2012 1200 UTC

4 DA AY YS FORECAST

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Temperatures WEA ATHER T

MAX.

MIN.

Wind Speed

Wind Direction

Tuesday

07/08

hot

46 °C

34 °C

NW-N

08 - 30 km/h

Wednesday e

08/08

hot

46 °C

34 °C

N-NE

15 - 40 km/h

Thursday

09/08

hot + raising dust

47 °C

36 °C

NW

20 - 45 km/h

Friday

10/08

very hot + blowing dust

48 °C

36 °C

NW

25 - 45 km/h

RECORDED YESTERDA AY AT KUW WAIT A AIRPOR RT

PRA AY YER TIMES Fajr

03:43

MAX. Temp.

47 °C

Sunrise

05:11

MIN. Temp.

37 °C 14 %

Firdous

24892674

Zuhr

11:54

MAX. RH

Al-Omariya

24719048

Asr

15:30

MIN. RH

05 %

Sunset

18:37

MAX. Wind

N 57 km/h

Isha

20:01

TOT TA AL L RA AINF FALL A L IN 24 HR.

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

23900322

.03 mm

All times are local time unless otherwise stated.

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. Khaled Hamadi

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist

25665898 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535

Dentists

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

22618787

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

General Surgeons Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart Dr. Adnan Ebil Dr. Mousa Khadada Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

22666300 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

3729596/3729581

Neurologists

22639939

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Kaizen center 25716707

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

22666288

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

Dr Anil Thomas

Dr. Salem soso

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Fayhaa

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Al-Jahra

25610011

Al-Salmiya

25616368

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

Relatively hot with light to moderate north westerly wind, with speed of 10 - 32 km/h

DA ATE T

Al-Shohada’a

Fax: 24348714

BY Y NIGHT:

DA AY

22418714

Ext.: 2627 26 - 2630

Expected Weather e for the Next 24 Hours

ST TAT TION

Al-Madena

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart DR.Mohammes Akkad

24555050 Ext 210

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Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands) 0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686 Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland) 0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK) 0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Portman marries Millepied atalie Portman has married Benjamin Millepied. The ‘Black Swan’ actress and her French-born choreographer fiance tied the knot in a Jewish ceremony at a private home near Big Sur in California. According to Us Weekly The simple ceremony was held under a chuppah in front of just 60 guests.

Natalie, 31, and Benjamin met on the set of ‘Black Swan’ and welcomed their first child, son Aleph, into the world 13 months ago. It was previously revealed that the couple would

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marry in Big Sur as the place is special to the actress. A friend said: “Natalie and Ben will marry in Big Sur. It’s one of Natalie’s favourite places - whenever she needs a break from LA she goes there. “This wedding is for their closest friends and family. It will be a very relaxed affair. They’re not sending out invites. Natalie may not even buy a new dress!” When Natalie won the Best Actress Oscar for ‘Black Swan’ in 2011, she paid tribute to Benjamin, calling him her

“beautiful love” and thanked him for giving her the “most important role of my life”. At this year’s Academy Awards there was speculation they had already tied the knot as they both wore bands on their wedding ring fingers.

Humor key to beauty, Julia Roberts says ulia Roberts says optimism and a sense of humor are the keys to looking beautiful. The stunning actress says she always feels better about her looks when she is happy with her personal life and as Julia is currently blissfully wed to cameraman Danny Moder, the father of her five-year-old son Henry and threeyear-old twins Phinneas and Hazel, she has never felt more confident. She told You magazine: “I think optimism and having a sense of humor definitely help but happiness is something you cultivate. Once you find it, that’s the key to looking beautiful. “That, Lancome eye cream and kissing”.

While Julia is feted for her looks, she says it takes a lot of work to keep her movie star perfect for events. She said: “I don’t wake up with some sense of fabulosity. I’m perfectly aware of how many people it takes to put this movie star appearance on. I’m a regular person doing an extraordinary job.” Julia also admitted she doesn’t understand why people opt for cosmetic surgery. She explained: “With today’s science, people have become crazy with trying to move their face around, it’s bizarre.”

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Ross willing to take on Jackson’s children iana Ross is willing to take over guardianship of Michael Jackson’s children. The Motown legend was named as a back-up guardian for Prince Michael, Paris and ‘Blanket’ in their late father’s will and although they are now under the shared custody of their grandmother Katherine and cousin Tito Joe ‘TJ’ Jackson, she has made it clear she will step in and care for her godchildren if needed. A family member who was present during Diana’s recent visit to see the kids told the New York Post newspaper: “For the first time, Ross said she was willing to step in ‘if needed’. She had never spoken like that before. “Whether she wanted to be listed as guardian or not, she’s not going to abdicate any authority.” After the recent drama of Katherine losing and then regaining guardianship, Diana wanted to make sure the children were fine and travelled to see them in person in Calabasas, California. The source added: “[After Michael’s death in 2009, Diana would phone the kids to see] if they needed advice or anything else. But last week, she wanted to meet with the children in person to make sure she heard all the right things.

Things you can’t easily detect on the telephone, like body language.” Diana, 68, also made Paris, 14, promise to call her if she or her brothers ever need her help.

According to the source, Diana left the warring Jackson family with the message “mess with Michael’s kids, and you’re messing with her”. Diana was also anxious to ensure Katherine, 82, is coping with her responsibilities and many of the Jackson family members would welcome her taking over. The insider added: “It wasn’t just Michael who loved her - we all do. His kids like her a lot. Who wouldn’t? She’s Miss Ross!”

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Jonas wants to join ‘American Idol’ he 19-year-old singer confirmed reports he is in talks to take on one of the two vacant positions on the judging panel of the US show and said it would be a “dream come true”. He tweeted: “The rumors are true ... I am being considered to be a judge on American Idol, and it would be a dream come true if it happens. #nickonidol (sic).” It was recently revealed that Nick and Pharrell Williams are in talks to join the panel alongside Mariah Carey after Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler quit and amid speculation that Randy Jackson is expected to move to a mentoring role. A source said: “Nick is pretty close to signing to be the ‘Idol’ judge. They flew him in to L.A. for final meetings. “‘American Idol’ producers think he can help bring that younger demo to the show.” Pharrell is currently negotiating the terms of his contract with the source adding: “Everything is looking good, but they’re still working out details.”

Mariah recently spoke out about her excitement at signing a deal with the television talent show. She said: “As a singer, songwriter and producer, it’s going to be fun and rewarding to help find new talent and give back to ‘American Idol’. “I’m currently in the studio working on my new album and its first single, ‘Triumphant,’ which will be out early next month. I can’t wait to channel my creative energy as a part of this show which is a massive global phenomenon.”

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West debuts new songs anye West debuted new songs during a night out on Friday. The rapper was partying at New York’s Dream Downtown with Leonardo DiCaprio, Erin Heatherton and ‘The Hangover’ director Todd Phillips and stunned fellow revellers when he pulled out a laptop and got DJ Reach to play the tracks he had on it. One onlooker told the New York Post newspaper: “He was dressed in black pants and a leather T-shirt. He danced and lip-synced [to his songs]. “The room looked stunned. People were standing around with jaws literally dropped.” It was recently claimed that Kanye - who is in a relationship with Kim Kardashian wants to make an album composed of animal noises. The 35-year-old rapper experimented with them on his ‘Watch The Throne album with Jay-Z and wants to take the sounds further by developing them into an entire record. A source said: “Kanye’s telling friends this is his next ingenious plan. “He’s become so obsessed with roars, barks and jungle noises that he’s experimenting with putting them on a recording.”

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Minogue isn’t happy ‘all the time’ he 44-year-old singer accepts she is blessed to have such an incredible career but admits she can become frustrated and she was pleased to return to acting in forthcoming movie ‘Holy Motors’ because it allowed her to explore other sides of her personality. She said: “No one’s shiny and happy all the time. There are other sides of me that an experience like this has allowed me to explore. “My persona is ‘Kylie’. As soon as I step out of my house I have that projection of me. But that isn’t necessarily who I am. What face do I show?” In 2005, Kylie was diagnosed with breast cancer and battling the disease left her so ill, she couldn’t even concentrate on watching a movie. She admitted: “Lots of friends sent me DVDs and I just said, ‘I can’t concentrate for a whole film.’ A trip to the shop for a drink was a massive excursion.” The ‘Spinning Around’ hitmaker’s drive to beat the illness and get well again stemmed from her desire to return to the stage. She told Total Film magazine: “Possibly because I was diagnosed mid-tour, that was my goal, to get back and perform. I just realised that no, this is what I do, and I want to do it better than before.”

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Marvin Humes: Rochelle looked stunning on wedding day arvin Humes thought Rochelle Wiseman looked “stunning” on their wedding day. The JLS star and The Saturdays singer married at Blenheim Palace on June 27 - in front of numerous guests including Olly Murs, Pixie Lott and Nicola Roberts - and he admitted not seeing her the night before the nuptials was tough, and he was relieved when he finally got to make her his wife. He said: “We hadn’t spoken all day and had spent the previous night apart. I’d missed her and I couldn’t wait to see her. “But so many people had said to me that I shouldn’t turn around - that it was unlucky. Even my mum told me not to. Then, when I looked to my left and she was there, oh man, she looked unbelievable; more beautiful than I’d ever seen her look. Her face, her smile, the dress; she was absolutely stunning.” Marvin, 27, is “looking forward” to starting his life with his new wife, and they have already begun looking at family homes.

He added to the UK edition of HELLO! magazine: “I’m looking forward to everything. We’ve made no secret of the fact that we want to have kids and although I don’t think it will happen for a couple of years, we’re already looking for a new house, somewhere big enough to raise our family.” Marvin and Rochelle have now arrived back in the UK following a brief honeymoon in Portugal.

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Star gazer Simon Cowell imon Cowell has installed a “space room” in his American home. The 52-year-old music mogul is “fascinated” by the galaxy and so has had a room in his Californian mansion converted to include a specially-designed sliding glass roof so he can have a spectacular view of the night sky, which he looks at using a state-of-the-art telescope. A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “Simon is fascinated with all things space-related, and has been for some time. After reading up on the subject, he decided to create a special ‘space room’. “At a touch of a button, the ceiling slides back giving an incredible view of the skies. It is absolutely beautiful at night.” Simon finds the room in his luxurious home - which he moved into in April - very relaxing and the ‘X Factor’ chief finds it “therapeutic” to spend hours studying the sky. The source added: “Simon loves nothing more than relaxing in the evening with his telescope, staring up at the stars. He finds it incredibly therapeutic.” Simon previously admitted he would “love” to go on Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic commercial space flight and considered buying a ticket for the ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ winner as part of their prize. He said: “This is worth tens of millions of pounds, but Richard genuinely is up for doing it. I’m being serious. You could be the first singer or dog act, whatever, performing in space. “I would go on the spaceship myself - you have to have a lot of training. “I love the idea that, if they are up for it, then they have the option of performing in front of the whole planet in space.” —Bang Showbiz

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

lifestyle M u s i c

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M o v i e s

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n eccentric South Korean K-pop singer has become a global online hit after a video of his latest song was viewed more than 15 million times on YouTube. Park Jae-Sang, 34, better known by his stage name “Psy”, is riding high in the charts inside and outside Korea with “Gangnam Style”, the title track of his sixth album.

The video featuring Psy performing the socalled “horse dance”-similar to riding a horse-has

This handout photo taken on August 3, 2012 and released by Expo 2012 Yeosu shows South Korean singer Park Jae-Sang, better known by his stage name “Psy”, during an Asia song festival in the southern port city of Yeosu. — AFP

gone viral and pop stars overseas have tweeted and commented on the wacky performance.

Fans all over the world have created parody versions of the song and posted them on YouTube to share with others. The song has been number one on Korea’s major music charts for over three weeks and is also high on the iTunes store in the US, Canada, Finland, New Zealand and Denmark.

Psy could not be reached for comment yesterday. But he told Yonhap News Agency Sunday

Mexican icon Chavela Vargas dies at 93

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he Batman film “The Dark Knight Rises” topped the North American box office for a third consecutive week despite last month’s mass shooting at a screening, industry estimates showed Sunday. The final installment in the Batman trilogy finished well above its competitors, bringing in $36.4 million, according to movie tracker Exhibitor Relations.

Twelve people were killed and 58 wounded when a gunman sprayed bullets into a midnight premiere of the film in Aurora, Colorado, on July 20.

Second place, with $26 million in its debut weekend, went to science fiction action remake “Total Recall” starring Colin Farrell alongside Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel. Coming in third was teen comedy “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days,” which opened with $14.7 million in box office receipts. Next came the fourth installment of a popular animated series, “Ice Age: Continental Drift”-featuring voic-

es from an all-star cast including Jennifer Lopez and Nicki Minaj at $8.4 million.

Fifth place went to “The Watch” starring Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn as part of a suburban neighborhood watch team fighting off an alien invasion. The film brought in $6.5 million.

The sixth slot with $5.5 million went to Ted, a comedy directed by “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane in which Mark Wahlberg’s childhood toy comes to life. It was followed by “Step Up: Revolution” ($5.3 million), “ The Amazing Spider-Man” ($4.3 million) and Pixar studio’s 3-D animated fairytale “Brave” ($2.9 million). Rounding out the top 10 was “Magic Mike,” starring Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey as male strippers, with $1.4 million. — AFP

conic Mexican singer Chavela Vargas, known for her mastery of the sad and sultry bolero, died Sunday. She was 93.

“Here ends my story that started from nothing,” read one message that appeared on the Costa Rica-born star’s Twitter account moments after her death at a hospital in the southern Mexican city of Cuernavaca. “At around one in the afternoon, a few minutes ago, Chavela died. She went peacefully and did not complain,” said the artist’s close friend Maria Cortina, outside the hospital.

“Silence, silence: After today, bitterness will again be bitter,” read another message on her Twitter account. According to the post-mortum Tweets, Vargas left “like the greats: with her (signature) shaman medallion and her red” poncho. During her stay of just over a week in intensive care after returning from a trip to Spain to promote her album “La Luna Grande,” the artist asked for her shamanic medallion, a gift from the Huichol indigenous people, who called her a shaman. The Huichol believe that among other spiritual gifts, shamans can transcend death.

“I’m not going to die, because I am a shaman and we do not die, we transcend,” Vargas said Friday. That night, a group of fans came to the hospital to serenade her.

Born Isabel Vargas Lizano, she moved to Mexico when she was a teenager. Vargas began her career singing with a guitar on

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he Locarno Film Festival is perhaps the world’s most discreet, but also among the most glamorous, held in a small Swiss town every summer on the shores of Lake Maggiore. Between August 1 and 11, the 65th edition of the festival will welcome such celebrities as singers Kylie Minogue and Harry Belafonte, and screen stars Ornella Muti, Charlotte Rampling and Alain Delon, who will rub shoulders with the public in the Piazza Grande. This immense square in the centre of Locarno, bordered by historic palaces and arcades, nightly becomes a vast open-air cinema with a giant screen, where almost 8,000 people can watch a film after dark.

In 2012, the Locarno festival, which has found its annual slot between Cannes in May and Venice in late August, will present about 300 films, many of them to be shown in a dozen cinemas in the town. The large number of movies is due to extensive tributes paid to actors such as Delon, as well as this year’s retrospective devoted to the Austrian-born US director Otto Preminger (1905-1986).

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aul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master,” a prestige September release that had been conspicuously missing from the announced lineups of the Toronto and Venice film festivals, will indeed make its North American premiere in Toronto, TheWrap has learned. According to a person with knowledge of the film’s release plans, “The Master” has been added to the Toronto lineup as a special presentation.

The Weinstein Company declined to comment to TheWrap, and representatives of the Toronto Film Festival did not respond to requests for comment. Deadline reported that the film was added to the lineup at Venice as well. Last week, the Weinstein Company moved the release of the film, in which Philip Seymour Hoffman plays a charismatic religious leader at least partially based on Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, from Oct. 12 to Sept. 14.

The festival bookings will place the film in the

thick of the awards race, which unofficially launches with the Venice, Telluride and Toronto festivals. It will also premiere at a time when Scientology has been receiving massive media attention in the wake of the divorce of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. The Toronto Film Festival runs from Sept. 6 through Sept. 16; Venice takes place from Aug. 29 to Sept. 8.

Weinstein opted to move up the release date of “The Master” as soon as Anderson finished the film, his first since the Oscar-nominated “There Will Be Blood.” The move was one of a few recent changes in the fall release landscape. Steven Spielberg’s previously unscheduled Disney/DreamWorks film “Lincoln” has now been slated for a Nov. 9 release, while Warner Bros. moved “Gangster Squad” - which is hardly a competitor for the same audience as “ The Master” - from Sept. 7 to Jan. 11.

Those moves helped clear space for “The Master,” and Weinstein made an additional

that “My motto is ‘be funny but not stupid’.” The singer suggested he picked Gangnam-a wealthy district in southern Seoul-as the setting for his satirical song in order to depict the gap between rich and poor in South Korea. — AFP

the streets of Mexico City, where she was discovered by composer Jose Alfredo Jimenez. Famed around most of the Spanish-speaking world and with many fans elsewhere, the hoarse-voiced singer, was perhaps best known for songs such as “De un mundo raro,” “La Llorona” and “Paloma Negra,” was also a living legend for her relationship with alcohol, her homosexuality and her friendship with other Mexican cultural icons such as painters Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. — AFP

The artistic director, Frenchman Olivier Pere, will be presenting his third selection, which includes 19 films vying in international competition for the prized Golden Leopard, 13 of them in world premieres.

Highlights of the films in competition include “Magic Mike” by Steven Soderbergh, with Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey, “Bachelorette” by Leslye Headland with Kirsten Dunst, “No” by Pablo Larain, with Gael Garicai Bernal, and “Ruby Sparks” by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris with Antonio Banderas and Annette Bening.

The film set to open the festival on August 1 in the Piazza Grande is “The Sweeney” by England’s Nick Love, which is not in competition. The movie is a big-screen revival of a renowned TV police series from the 1960s. The festival will this year pay tribute to several directors and actors.

The Leopard of Honour will be awarded to French filmmaker Leos Carax, while Rampling is lined up for the Excellence Award, to crown a career’s work. An Otto Preminger retrospective has been prepared with the help

Chavela Vargas

of the Swiss and French film archives, and will feature actors come to talk about their work with the director, including Belafonte (“Carmen Jones” in 1954) and Mylene Demongeot (“Bonjour Tristesse” in 1958). This year’s jury will be headed by the Thai director and screen-writer, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 42, who achieved international recognition when he won the Palme d’Or in Cannes in 2010 for his film “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives”.—AFP

change by pushing its release of Andrew Dominick’s “Killing Them Softly,” which was originally scheduled for Sept. 21, to Oct. 19. Asked whether the Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes divorce had an impact on moving up the release date, the source close to the film said, “Well, it sure as hell helps.”

In May, TheWrap reported that Anderson screened the film for Cruise in hopes of heading off a conflict with Scientology. Cruise, who starred in “Magnolia” for Anderson, “had issues” with parts of the film, according to two individuals close to the film. Weinstein has won the last two Best Picture Oscars, for “The King’s Speech” and “The Artist.”-Reuters American actor Bruce Willis, playing the role of John McClane, gets in a car during the shooting of a scene of the film A Good Day to Die Hard, the fifth part of the Die Hard series at Liszt Ferenc International Airport in Budapest, Hungary, yesterday. — AP

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

lifestyle T r a v e l

Seattle’s Space Needle is centerpiece to the skyline view from Kerry Park on Queen Anne Hill.—MCT photos

By Christopher Reynolds

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ike Place Market. The Space Needle. Pioneer Square.

Check, check and check. If you’ve hit these obvious Seattle destinations, you’re not a newbie. But maybe you’re not an insider either. So, this 21-stop Seattle checklist is for you. It skirts those three attractions and several other popular stops to make more room for Ballard, Capitol Hill, Fremont and the University District — four asset-rich Seattle neighborhoods my family and I explored on a visit last summer. Right about now, as Seattleites embrace the (maybe) warmer weather and longer days of summer, these neighborhoods are increasingly busy.

In fact, were you to follow this tour to its end, you’d encounter salmon swimming upstream, free hairnets, absinthe floss, dodge ball, a Tuesday-night regatta, a tree of stainless steel and an address near the University of Washington where you can get chilaquiles with your kayak rental. These Seattleites take their summers seriously. Be warned, though: On bad days, Seattle freeway congestion can rival that of Los Angeles.

Elliott Bay Book Co., a Seattle institution, moved in 2010 to the city’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.

Our list starts with three stops in Ballard, in northwestern Seattle.

Golden Gardens Park includes a stretch of beach with classic views of Puget Sound and mountains, a little loop trail, a fishing pier and at its northern end, an off-leash dog zone. While we were strolling on the sand, Guila Muir, a devoted, fiftysomething open-water swimmer, came splashing ashore in her blue goggles and orange bathing cap. The water, she said, was about 55 degrees. Then she dashed off to warm up.

Ray’s Boathouse & Cafe, which dates to 1973, offers fresh seafood and a wide window onto the sound and the Olympic Mountains. Its location is advertised by a towering red neon sign. Describing one dish, our waitress cited where the fish was caught and the names of the fisherman and his wife. In the fancier Boathouse dining room downstairs (dinner only), main dishes run $21-$55.

Ballard Locks. OK, this is no secret, but it’s worth a visit, and it’s free. This concrete channel is how boats get from the sound (saltwater at sea level) to the Lake Washington Ship Canal, Lake Washington and Lake Union (fresh water, 20 to 22 feet above sea level), and it’s always interesting to join the old salts and fresh tourists watching big and little vessels as the water levels change. On a busy day, a worker told me, 500 vessels pass through. Next to the channel is a fish ladder for salmon; you can also watch through an underwater viewing window, and there’s a botanical garden handy _ a nice mix for kids. By the way, officially, these are the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, but nobody calls them that.

South and east of Ballard lies Fremont, known for its bohemians and unpredictable statuary. This includes Vladimir Lenin at Evanston Avenue North and North 36th Street; the aluminum commuters “Waiting for the Interurban” at North 34th Street and Fremont Avenue North; spiritual leader Sri Chinmoy on the Burke-Gilman Trail under the Aurora Bridge; and a concrete troll, also under the Aurora Bridge, at North 36th Street at Troll Avenue North. The troll was a disappointment for me _ a brilliant idea undercut by crude craftsmanship _ but the rest of the family loved it. The real heart of Fremont is its independent spirit, including businesses such as the five that follow: If Willy Wonka were a Whole Foods supplier, Theo Chocolate would be his factory. Theo, opened in 2006, bills itself as the first organic, fair-trade, kosher, bean-to-bar chocolate factory in the U.S. For $6 a person, you get an hour-long factory tour, samples included, personal fragrances forbidden. Fair warning: You will be asked to don a hairnet. In fact, you get a free hairnet with the tour.

Reservations are required, except for the daily 2:30 p.m. walk-in tour. Even with as many as 10 tours offered daily, summer weekend tours are sometimes reserved weeks ahead.

Jive Time Records, where, in a time and place preoccupied with digital everything, aisles of vinyl await. And cassettes. Next door is Ophelia’s Books, where owner Jill Levine told me how she bought the 14-year-old bookstore in early 2011 and insisted that the deal include the shop’s two resident cats, Oliver (black) and Claudia (calico). As Levine spoke, Oliver reclined on the counter right where a customer would place his purchases, if he could. (Since then, a clerk reports that Oliver has moved to a private home in Ballard. Claudia remains.)

Still on Fremont Avenue, Homegrown is part of a threelocation Seattle chain offering sandwiches and salads with emphasis on sustainable practices. Lunch $6-$11.

Dusty Strings Acoustic Music Shop is a den of folkies selling guitars, DVDs and tube amps. They also make harps and dulcimers and give music lessons and workshops. The bad news is you’ve missed the ukulele festival (it was in late June).

Not far from Fremont, you’ll find Green Lake to the north, Lake Union to the south and these possibilities (among others) in between.You can walk, run or ride the 2.8 miles around Green Lake whenever you like, but the Green Lake Boathouse is a spring and summer thing.

Usually open April through mid-September (subject to weather), the boathouse stands at the lake’s northeastern end, renting kayaks, canoes, paddle boats, rowboats and paddleboards for $17 to $20 an hour. Even if you’re just taking a paddle-boat spin for half an hour, as we did, it’s a chance to check out the grand old houses lining the lake and admire the daredevils using the floating high-dive platforms. (Yes, there are lifeguards.) There’s also a cafe open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and a Green Lake Park wading pool near Wallingford Avenue North and East Green Lake Drive North, open through Sept. 3 this year.

If you’re traveling without children and like the idea of a genteel suite in a grand old building on a quiet street, consider the Chelsea Station Inn Bed & Breakfast. The two-story brick B&B features four units, each about 900 square feet with a living room, dining room, kitchenette and bedroom.

It stands near the entrance to Woodland Park Zoo, a short walk from Green Lake Park. Rates from $159, depending on the day and season.

For some people, it’s just not a vacation until they’ve purchased that inflatable unicorn horn. That’s why Archie McPhee is on this itinerary. From catalogs and the Web, plenty of people know of this vendor of goofball gifts and toys. (Onion-scented breath mint? Albino bowler oil painting?) But since 1983, the McPhee empire has included a retail shop, which thrives (with free parking) in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood.

Gas Works Park is a 19-acre series of grassy (and formerly gassy) hills with a perfect perch overlooking Lake Union.

The ruins of an old utility plant give the site a certain postapocalyptic “Planet of the Apes” vibe, and the city says you can’t swim, fish or launch watercraft here because of hazardous substances still lurking in the sediment. But on Tuesday evenings in summer, you can watch the Duck Dodge sailing regatta (www.duckdodge.org), a Seattle tradition that goes back nearly 40 years. With or without the regatta, the skyline at dusk looks great.

Speaking of views after dark, the place to get that classic Space Needle shot is tiny Kerry Park on the southern slope of Queen Anne Hill. It covers barely an acre, but that’s enough to give you the panorama of Elliott Bay,

The Chambered Nautilus, a bed and breakfast in the University District of Seattle, includes 10 units.

downtown and the needle, which turns 50 this year. (It was built for the 1962 World’s Fair.)

Next up, four stops on Capitol Hill, a community known for its large gay population and rollicking night life. Then three stops in the University District, and one downtown.

Oddfellows Cafe & Bar took over an old Oddfellows Lodge in 2008, 100 years after the building went up. The restaurant is open from 8 a.m. until “late,” which in this barrich neighborhood means something. About 90% of the interior, furniture and fixtures are said to have been salvaged, recycled or repurposed. The ceilings are high, some of the walls are brick and dinner main dishes go for $12 to $18.

Elliott Bay Book Co., a local institution with big inventory and frequent readings, endured on Main Street at Pioneer Square for more than 35 years. Then in 2010, the bookshop moved to new Capitol Hill headquarters with wood floors and exposed rafters.

Cal Anderson Park is an urban reinvention story: The park was expanded and transformed in 2005 by covering an old reservoir. On the evening we showed up, the tennis court was packed with grown-up hipsters (and one brave kid) playing dodge ball. Other days they do bike polo, hula-hooping and “cardboard tube fights.”

Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream is a chain with five locations and a seasonally evolving menu that recently included vegan coconut chunk, honey lavender and Earl Grey. The Capitol Hill Molly Moon’s stands across the street from Cal Anderson Park, around the corner from the Oddfellows Cafe and Elliott Bay Book Co. Breakfast, lunch or dinner would be enough to lure me to the University District’s Agua Verde Cafe & Paddle Club, especially considering the prices and the Mexican regional dishes. (Most dinner main dishes about $8 to $14.) But this little cafe sits at the edge of quirky, scenic Portage Bay, which connects Lake Union and Lake Washington. The other half of the enterprise is a paddle club that rents single and double kayaks and stand-up paddleboards for $15 to $20 an hour.

The Hotel Deca is a striking 16-story slice of Streamline Moderne, built in 1931 near the University of Washington

Olympic Sculpture Park overlooks Puget Sound in Seattle.

A sailboat in transit through the Ballard Lacks, Seattle.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

lifestyle T r a v e l

In summer, divers make use of floating platforms in Seattle’s Green Lake.

Braving 55-degree waters, children play at Golden Gardens Park in the Ballard area of Seattle.

campus in the heart of the often-scruffy University District.

Rooms for two from $159.

The street parking and 27-step climb to the front door will scare away some people, but once you’ve ascended, the Chambered Nautilus Bed & Breakfast Inn is a pleasant hillside property in the University District. The main house is a handsome blue-and-white Georgian Colonial, almost 100 years old, and the four suites are basically one- and two-bedroom apartments, with full kitchens, in a newer neighboring building. Ten units in all. Rates from $149 in summer.

Passing a lazy afternoon on a houseboat on the Mississippi River.

As these signs suggest, the Seattle neighborhood of Fremont just might consider itself the center of the universe.

All Fun ‘N the Sun boats have a gas grill on the mighty Mississippi.

By Josh Noel

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OK, admit it, you’re going to Pike Place Market, even though you’ve already been a time or two. Don’t feel guilty for being an obvious tourist. But do leave time for another stop about a mile west. Olympic Sculpture Park rises at the edge of Elliott Bay. It’s a cunning use of 9 formerly industrial acres, with works by about a dozen artists, including a big, orange “Eagle” by Alexander Calder; a stainless steel tree (“Split” by Roxy Paine); and a series of rippling, rusty steel slabs from Richard Serra called “Wake.” Its cafe, Taste, is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekends in summer. — MCT

hey say anyone can drive a houseboat on the mighty Mississippi, and they’re mostly right. But when you gather a handful of the people dearest to your heart and rent a houseboat for a weekend in thick, leafy Midwestern bluff country, a certain daunting comes with all that floating domesticity: so much to remember, so much to do, so very much house on that boat. Anyone can do this? It’s everyone’s first question for a reason.

But the answer is yes, once you accept that operating a 55-foot houseboat on the Mississippi is simply like maintaining an apartment crossed with operating a large vehicle crossed with avoiding 3-million-pound barges. See? No sweat. Of the handful of companies offering houseboat rentals on the upper Mississippi, we opted for Fun ‘N the Sun, just south of Alma, Wis., and arrived there on a Friday night.

We loaded three nights of stuff _ suitcases and coolers, mostly _ onto our floating home, nodding happily at its comforts: electricity, running water, a microwave, a refrigerator, a gas grill on the bow and enough beds to sleep eight. We spent that first night tied to the dock, gladly watching a summer lightning show as dusk fell.

The next morning, a dreadlocked, tattooed 32-year-old named Matt showed up. He is a local guy who is, by his own account, something of a legend in the bluff country houseboating community. We flipped through the binder of instructions, flipped through another binder full of maps, and Matt turned the key. Our living space began gliding across the glassy Mississippi, and in those first moments, there was a shred of surreal joy: Our hotel room would go wherever we chose to take it.

Matt spent 90 minutes with us, discussing every conceivable detail: starting, stopping, avoiding barges, avoiding submerged rocks, passing through locks and dams, operating the CB radio and the all-important how to beach the boat at night so we wouldn’t be swept into the river as we slept.

Plenty of people don’t want to remember those things. They just want to be on a houseboat and beached. Fun ‘N the Sun will do that, steering those people to one of the popular

Mississippi River party beaches (accessible only by boat), then come back a few days later to return them to shore.

“Bachelor parties are good for that,” Matt said. Others, it turns out, just can’t handle driving the boat. Last summer Matt had to take the keys away from a lawyer who couldn’t get his head around how to steer the behemoth. “He was just so scared of the unknown,” Matt said. In a sense, that turned out to be the key to houseboating: Don’t be paralyzed by the unknown. It’s a big world out there, and the Mississippi is almost just as big. Don’t be scared. The boat goes forward and the boat goes backward, and it is your home: your bedroom, your living room, your kitchen and, best of all, your pool.

Confident that I knew what I was doing _ probably more than I was _ Matt called a boat to pick him up. Just like that he was gone, leaving us four as the proud, underqualified renters of a houseboat. We had nowhere to be and nowhere in mind that we wanted to be. We were already there. So we shrugged and I steered the boat north, careful to stay between the red and green buoys lining the channel. Leave the channel and the houseboat could meet a few rocks.

We puttered along at about 5 mph, settling quickly into the simple joy of houseboating on the Mississippi; it’s difficult to miss when every window and sliding door is open and a clean summer breeze blasts through.

I decided that I wanted to see Lake Pepin, a portion of the Mississippi about 20 miles north that is so wide they call it a lake. It involved passing through a lock at a dam _ one of the more technical maneuvers we would have to execute all weekend _ near the picturesque little town of Alma. I reached overhead for the white radio and probably should have said something like, “Lock Four, this is pleasure craft. Do you copy?

Over.”

Instead, I said, “Uh _ Lock Four? Hello?” “Lock Four, over,” came the reply. “This is a pleasure craft wanting to pass through. Is that, uh, possible?” Pause. “Over!” I said. That would be no problem, she said. We slowed to a crawl alongside Alma and waited for the lumbering gates to open. We pulled alongside a wall, where the lock operator tossed down a couple of ropes so we could steady the boat as water

Matt Gleiter of Fun ‘N the Sun houseboat rentals, left, teaches Chicago Tribune travel writer Josh Noel the finer points of operating a houseboat. — MCT photos poured into the lock. Ten minutes later, the other side opened and we puttered out.

Up the Mississippi we went. I gave my father a couple turns at the wheel, and comfortable now, we listened to music, some easy, breezy stuff fit for the river. We cut through the bluffs, craggy and green and rolling. Lake Pepin was so wide and empty that I could cut the engine and ignore the wheel. I threw on my bathing suit and launched myself into the brown Mississippi. It was warm, then cold, then warm, then cold. I swam around the boat, getting pushed where the current wanted me. After a couple of trips down the water slide, we fired up the engine again to head back south.

When the sun started to dip, we found ourselves a slice of beach on the Minnesota side of the river and set the weighty metal anchors into the sand just as Matt had shown us. We threw steaks and veggies on the grill .

On our second day we headed south, back through Lock Four, and this time, I called out my intentions like a pro. I was even called captain over the radio. I had arrived. While my passengers were happy to sun themselves, read and watch the sights, I was happiest driving the boat. Music playing, a soft drink at my side, it was a slow, rhythmic joy, the green bluffs slowly dragging by. We spent the whole day like that.

That second night we beached in a bend in the river that allowed a long view toward watery infinity to the south. We got our anchors out and squared away just in time for the storm. Wind kicking up, river turning angular and wavy, the current picked up and clearly wanted to take the boat with it.

But our anchors dug into the sand, keeping us just as steady as they should. Secure, we turned our attention to a thick rain drumming the river just outside our back door. Half an hour later it was gone, replaced by a rainbow to the south, an orange sherbet sky to the north and miles of placid Mississippi in between.—MCT

Watching the Mississippi River flow after a day on the houseboat.

After a storm, a rainbow emerges over the Mississippi River.

Portman marries Millepied

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012

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I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.’

— Marilyn Monroe

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Fan Eric Woodard from Florida leaves roses at the crypt of Marilyn Monroe before a memorial service to mark the 50th anniversary of the Hollywood legend’s death at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery . — AFP photos

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ome 300 Marilyn Monroe fans gathered Sunday at the Los Angeles cemetery where she is buried, commemorating the iconic sex symbol on the 50th anniversary of her death. Culminating a week of celebrations organized by various fan clubs, the ceremony was held at her final resting place in Westwood Village Memorial Park, a small patch of greenery between a parking lot and a residential part of the city. Fans as well as friends and relatives paid homage to the actress, who died on August 5, 1962, from a barbiturate overdose at her home in the upscale Brentwood neighborhood. The hall where the tribute was held was too

Marilyn Monroe lookalike Suzie Kennedy poses beside a painting of Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe before a memorial service.

small to accommodate everyone, and so a white tent was erected among the trees where others could watch the ceremony via video transmission.

Most of the attendees listened attentively, standing and shielding their eyes from the blazing sun with programs that had been distributed.

Debbie Elder, a Monroe fan for 25 years, traveled to Los Angeles from her home in the faraway midwestern city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the week of tributes. “She was such an icon. I don’t think people took her seriously at all. She really was a very serious actress,” Elder told AFP. “One of the things I love most about her were her clothes. Nobody could wear clothes like her. She was so sexy,” Elder added, her voice calm yet full of emotion.

Monroe’s grave was covered with flowers, photos of the icon, as well as with messages and letters. Several Monroe impersonators-both men and women-were also present. While not among them, Christina Patchett from Nova Scotia, Canada, sported the icon’s signature platinum blonde hair. Like Elder, Patchett had traced the star’s footsteps in old Hollywood during the week’s festivities. Patchett divulged that she watches Monroe’s films “over and over and over,” never taking her eyes off the star. “Has there been anyone since? Not really,” Patchett said. “There are beautiful women and actresses today, but no one like her.”—AFP

Fan Alyssa Springer from Calgary, Canada, with a Marilyn Monroe tattoo on her arm.

A woman’s purse with the image of Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe is pictured before a memorial service.

he world’s favorite jeweler, Joyalukkas opened the largest jewelry showroom in the thriving commercial town of Trichy on 5th August, 2012. Joyalukkas Group, a multibillion dollar global conglomerate and one of the largest jewelry retail chains in the world, has presence across nine countries Singapore, UK, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and India. The Joyalukkas’ Trichy showroom was inaugurated by Hon. Mayor Ms. Jaya M.A. The inauguration was attended by local VIP’s and dignitaries of Trichy. Bollywood celebrity R. Madhavan was the chief guest at the function.

“This is our 12th showroom in Tamil Nadu and the first one in Trichy. I must say we have been blessed with the overwhelming support and patronage of the Tamil Nadu population for a long time now. Trichy feels very special because we are now going to be present in the heart of Tamil Nadu, which also has so much commercial and cultural significance.

We want to give our best to the residents of Trichy hence we have planned the largest jewelry showroom in this town to give them the best mix of choice, value, convenience and service. Our showroom here is of international standards and me and my team promise Trichy the best experience in jewelry shopping,” said Joy Alukkas, Chairman of Joyalukkas Group.

Conveniently located on College Road, opposite St. Joseph’s College the first Joyalukkas showroom in Trichy offers ample parking space and a massive 20,000 sq. foot of shopping area spread across 3 floors. The showroom features the widest range of collections in gold, diamond, precious stones, platinum, pearl and sliver. The mix of jewelry offered is the largest choice of traditional and contemporary jewelry design to meet all the needs of jewelry lovers in Trichy.

R. Madhavan said “I am excited to come to Trichy to open the first Joyalukkas showroom which is the largest jewelry showroom of this great city. In my association of over 3 years with this renowned global jewelry brand, I have always seen them giving the best to customers. I would like to invite Trichy residents to the very special Joyalukkas experience.”

Joyalukkas is world renowned for offering the best prices on jewelry and its showroom will showcase over a million designs. The global jewelry retail chain also recently announced for the first time in India, the unique concept called ‘Clear Price Tag’ (CPT) to ensure100 percent transparency on its pricing of jewelry. The Joyalukkas CPT

ensures the best value on jewelry and is the most reliable gold price indicator.

“We have recently introduced the concept of ‘Clear Price Tag’ (CPT) across our showrooms in India and we have this at our Trichy showroom also. At Joyalukkas, our commitment to customers is 100 percent and we understand transparency in pricing is one of the key factors to satisfying customers. Our unique CPT concept will ensure 100 percent transparency in pricing. Joyalukkas jewelry’s vision is to ‘ornament the world’ by offering customers the best mix of Price, Choice, Convenience and Service and me and my team work every single day to ensure this at all times.” added Mr. Joy Alukkas.

The Trichy Joyalukkas jewelry showroom showcases the signature Joyalukkas format with stylish, convenient interiors and the best mix of jewelry collections from around the world.

Joyalukkas, is the first and only ISO 14001:2004 & ISO 9001:2008 certified jewelry retail chain, which also ensures and adheres to quality standards like the BIS Hallmark for gold jewelry, IGI certification for Diamond jewelry and PGI certification for Platinum jewelry to ensure the customers trust, assurance and total peace of mind. Other unique feature of Joyalukkas jewelry includes consumer friendly value added schemes like ‘Easy Gold schemes, Joyalukkas Golden Rewards Card, 100 percent buy back guarantee and more.

This international jewelry retail chain is also one of few retail chains to be recognized with many awards and accolades for its exceptional standards in jewelry retailing. Its popular Chennai showroom has been recognized by the Limca Book of records for being the largest jewelry showroom in the world.

Joyalukkas’ Bengaluru showroom was recently awarded the ‘Best Single Store of the Year’ by the ‘All India Gem and Jewelry Trade Federation’. Joyalukkas has also received the prestigious ‘Superbrand’ status, three years in a row in UAE.