9th Jul

CR IP TI ON BS SU

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Egypt president recalls parliament, generals meet

SHAABAN 19, 1433 AH

France, Germany fete 50 years of post-war reconciliation

Indian state’s grip on rare lions may be too tight

www.kuwaittimes.net

Federer seals seventh Wimbledon title

NO: 15503

to cut number of votes

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10 14 20 8Pro-govt MP proposes Opposition still undecided about election boycott

By B Izzak

in the

news

KUWAIT: Pro-government MP Ali Al-Rashed yesterday submitted an amendment to the election system proposing that voters should be allowed to pick only one candidate down from a maximum of four, a move that came under heavy criticism from the opposition.

Rashed said that the proposed amendment would provide better chances for minorities and small tribes and groups to be represented in the National Assembly.

Such an amendment however must be passed by the Assembly and accepted by the government in order to become law and then be implemented. The opposition has fiercely rejected any attempt to hold the revived 2009 Assembly, saying that any attempt to change the election law must be handled by the next Assembly.

Others, mostly pro-government MPs and circles, are pressing to convince the government to pass the amendment in the form of an urgent Amiri decree issued in the absence of the Assembly.

Continued on Page 13

Influential Saudi prince dies RIYADH: Saudi Arabia yesterday announced a senior prince and former defense minister has died. The 78-year-old Prince Mohammed bin Saud was not in line for the Saudi throne, but wielded influence as part of a council of royal family members that helps select the heirs to rule the oil-rich Western ally. The official Saudi Press Agency said Mohammed died yesterday, but gave no other details. Mohammed served as defense minister in the early 1960s.

Saudi Shiite cleric arrested DUBAI: A prominent Shiite cleric and Saudi government critic, Sheikh Nimr Al-Nimr, was arrested in the Sunniruled kingdom’s eastern province yesterday, his brother and a Shiite advocacy group said. “The police carried out an ambush in AlAwamiya, intercepting my brother’s car and arresting him,” Mohammed Nimr said. “On learning the news, I went to the place and found the empty car,” he added. Activists from the Shiite group Justice and Human Rights confirmed the arrest of Nimr.

Max 44º Min 33º High Tide 03:30 & 14:24 Low Tide 08:31 & 21:03

KAC grounds planes

KUWAIT: Families cool off at the beach yesterday as heat and dust continue to torment the country. — Photo

by Yasser Al-Zayyat

KUWAIT: Kuwait Airways Corp has decided to ground several ageing planes for repeated malfunctions, KAC chief Salem Al-Othaina was quoted as saying in report yesterday. Othaina told Al-Rai newspaper that “initially three to five planes” would be grounded this week “in prelude to take new decisions to ground further aircraft”.

Continued on Page 13

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

LOCAL

Driving through red traffic light could trigger deportation MoI sets expats deportation regulations

By Ben Garcia

NBK Academy welcomes fifth batch of newly hired young Kuwaitis KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) recently welcomed the fifth batch of newly hired young Kuwaitis in the NBK Academy. NBK Academy aims to training and developing the professional skills of young Kuwaitis as part of NBKís strategy to attract and develop national human resources.

NBK organized a special welcoming ceremony for the newly hired employees. The ceremony was attended by Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer Isam J. Al Sager, Mazin AlNahedh, General Manager, Consumer Banking Group, Adel Hechme, General Manager, Human Resources Group, and Emad Al Ablani, NBK Assistant General Manager Human Resources, along with a group of NBK officials.

ìNBK Academy is the first initiative of its kind in the private sector in Kuwait, and is part of NBKís strategy to attract young Kuwaitis by offering them a range of career and professional development opportunities,î said Al Sager. ìI welcome the new employees to NBKís family and call on them to exert every effort in order to continue their path of professional excellence,î Al Sager added. ìThis program marks the start of what will be a continuing process to nurture and grow our young talent.”

NBK Academy programs run for five months and are specially tailored to provide trainees with theoretical and practical skills covering the different aspects of the banking industry in addition to on job training.

MP Rashed slams 2012 assembly

By A. Saleh KUWAIT: Member of Parliament Ali Al-Rashed has described the 2012 assembly as being a nightmare and catastrophe, and hopes to see it dissolved. He charged that the assembly was being run by four MPs and the remaining members were simply followers, and any member who sought to submit a grilling is told to relax if the assembly was not to their liking.

Al-Rashed Al-Rashed said, “I tell the 2012 assembly members that you are not former MPs and your speaker is not the current speaker...your speaker was from the 90s, during the days of Hosni Mubarak.”

He noted that there is a big difference between Speaker Al-Kharafi and Al-Saadoun, because the first respected the views of all members, but Al-Saadoun recognized only his majority.

Al-Rashed also said the Parliamentary majority worked on distancing the minority in any way and members of the minority who speak are insulted, adding that the speaker was biased to the majority.

He further said the 2012 National Assembly harmed the Parliament storming issue by attempting to change eyewitness statements.

Indeed, he claimed an official was threatened that he would lose his job if he did not retract his statement.

Al-Rashed added that he has filed two cases, including a felony, which was accepted, and an administrative

case, which was rejected in court.

Al-Rashed said that there should be a body that passes judgment in cases when there is a difference between the assembly and government, and in this case it should be the constitutional court. In other news, the Kuwait Doctors Union condemned what it called deliberate laxity by Kuwait University Rector Dr. Abdellatif Al-Bader in paying the allowances of university scholarship recipients and described his administrative practices as cruel towards the doctors’ financial rights.

Union President Dr. Hussein AlKhabaz said despite the union’s demands to pay the money to those who deserve it, and the petitions presented to the Education Minister, as well as other questions, no decision has been made on issuing the allowances.

Al-Khabbaz said it is clearly unjustified that the Kuwait University rector is imposing a central opinion not to make payments to doctors.He said doctors have been prevented from receiving KD 800 thousand because of Al-Bader’s actions.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Dr. Bader Al-Hajraf said outstanding Bedouin students are Kuwaiti children and he would not accept any criticism in this regard.

He noted that he asked the Dean of Admission at Kuwait University, Dr. Muthanna Al-Rifae, to look into the possibility of accepting more outstanding Bedouin students.

He said the number of Bedouins who earned 90% and over has reached 135 students and the university cannot accept them all because there are priorities and rules, but officials will study the possibilities, then will consider accepting more than 15 Bedouin students.

As for the sit-in that was organized by a group of 29 in front of the university, along with several human rights activists and university students, group member Dr. Rana Al-Abdelrazaq said the demonstration was a success and peaceful.

Demonstrators said the minister advised them that he was committed to solve all issues regarding Bedouin students, including problems with admissions and with new students. Al-Abdelrazaq thanked all those who participated in the sit-in, especially Kuwaiti students.

KUWAIT: It is summer and the roads are largely empty in many areas in Kuwait since many people are on vacation, so the tendency for some drivers is to speed up their cars as if they are flying an airplane. In fact, the traffic department reports that over 8,327 traffic citations were issued and 357 vehicles detained just over the past weekend. Traffic department sources detailed how 1,324 tickets had been filed and 9 vehicles were detained in the capital governorate. There were 930 tickets and 30 vehicles detained in Farwaniya, 2,743 tickets were filed and 100 vehicles held in Hawalli, 1,243 tickets were filed and 4 vehicles detained in Ahmadi, 461 tickets were filed and 12 vehicles detained in Mubarak Al-Kabeer and 930 tickets were filed and 70 vehicles detained in Jahra.

But just a quick reminder to expatriates. If you are driving wildly on Kuwaiti streets it might well end your residency here. The Ministry of Interior (MoI) is seriously considering how it might bring deportation penalty proceedings against expatriates who violate state regulations and laws. Further, the MoI will implement deportation proceedings against anyone stopped for driving through red traffic lights or those who are caught driving faster than 180 kph. “Given the traffic violations which endangered our lives on the streets, I think it’s about time to reconsider the law,” said a source from the traffic department, who spoke anonymously with the Kuwait Times.

But not many are in favor of the plan. “We have lots of laws and unfortunately those laws are created for expats. The real law breakers are mostly Kuwaitis who can easily evade laws and get away with violations instantly,” a Kuwaiti female government employee told the Kuwait Times. “If you are talking about safety, enforcement must be in the interest of the entire population, not just for the expats alone,” she explained.

Also, there are expats who do not believe that certain laws will be implemented. “I think it’s only a scare tactic by the MoI,” suggested

an Indian driver. “Maybe there are first and second offense warning before they could implement deportation. It’s a harsh law if implemented.

What about law-breaking Kuwaitis, what penalties awaits them?” he asked. Some drivers don’t mind implementing new traffic regulations. “I follow the traffic rules, so why should I be scared? I drive according to the speed limit...my advice for everyone is to just

[KD50] for driving through red lights in Kuwait, and [KD30] for disregarding yellow lights. Also, illegal parking is now up from KD5 to 10. Besides beating red lights, expatriates in Kuwait could also be deported if they are caught selling illegal merchandise, for working for others than their sponsors, for holding expired residency or work permits or expired health certificates, those committing commercial fraud, those who don’t pay various

KUWAIT: A man pulling a wheelbarrow is waiting for his turn to cross a busy street in Kuwait City. The Ministry of Interior is seriously considering to implement deportation proceedings to anyone who are driving through red traffic lights or those who are caught driving faster than 180 kph. —Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat follow, why jump to debate or challenge their authority, they have the right to control or implement a law they think is good or necessary for their own country,” a Filipino expat commented.

Based on studies abroad, traffic cameras significantly help reduce traffic accidents on many streets as drivers are now more than aware that how they drive affects them. The MoI has also introduced higher penalties

state overdues and those who evade court verdicts.

Kuwait Times sources added that a special committee made up of representatives from the ministries of interior, health, commerce and industry, and the Kuwait Municipality, is to be formed to follow up on the execution of immediate deportations for those expats who have received certain citations and violations.

Drugs seized from kuwaiti citizen

By Hanan Al -Saadoun KUWAIT: Detectives from General Department for Drug Control (GDDC) arrested a citizen who was in possession of 500 grams of methamphetamine (ICE)drug and 1,000 hallucinogenic pills. The suspect was arrested in Salmiya. The drug was found in his car.

Upon raiding his house, an additional 400 grams of the drug, three sensitive scales, small hashish bars and 1,000 tablets were found.

The suspect is an ex-convict. He was referred to the public prosecution department.

Ramadan, the Interior Ministry has issued a ban on trucks during the holy month between 7 am to 9:30 am, and from 12:30 am to 3 pm to maintain proper flow of traffic.

‘Kidnap’ attempt In a rather unusual incident, three female citizens attempted to kidnap an 18-year-old

Saudi national near a mall in Jahra. Police sources said that the young man was taken a b a c k a f t e r t h e t h re e wo m e n w a l k e d towards him and attempted to pull him o u t o f h i s c a r. H o we ve r, p o l i c e w a s p a t ro l l i n g n e a r b y a n d t h e t h re e we re a r r e s t e d . A n i nv e s t i g a t i o n h a s b e e n launched into the case.

Drug peddlers held Two Asians were arrested in connection with selling marijuana. Police were tipped off on the man’s activities. A warrant was obtained, and the suspect was searched.

Marijuana was found in his possession, in addition to another quantity of drugs found in his room. The suspect told police that he sold the contraband to another Asian. The first suspect said he sourced the drugs from a third compatriot.. The suspects and materials were referred to the Public Prosecution Department.

Ban on truck movement In view of the approaching month of

The drug dealers pictured after their arrest.

Global demand for gas witnesses dynamic growth KUWAIT: The global demand for natural gas has seen a remarkable growth in 2011, while the majority of gas reserves concentrated in the members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, a new study showed. “Against the background of an energy market beset by the Fukushima crisis, the Arab spring and economic uncertainty, 2011 saw dynamic growth in demand for natural gas, although developments varied widely from region to region,” reads the study compiled by French energy expert Armelle Lecarpentier.

Lecarpentier also noted that gas supply has adapted to the dynamic growth seen in some regions (Asia particularly) and the climatic and economic variations seen in other markets (Europe).

“Growth in production continued in North America and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and was particularly dynamic in the Middle East. On the other hand, a lack of market outlets and the (maintenance) shutdown of several plants triggered an exceptional decline in European,” she added.

The study pointed the growth in gas demand is led by the consumption of the emerging economies, particularly China and India. “Led by China and India, Asia-Oceania was undoubtedly the powerhouse behind the rising global demand for gas, while the Middle East confirmed its leading international role as a producer and exporter.

“2011 also saw a turnaround in the market for LNG, which, impacted by the Fukushima

disaster, saw its previous “bubble” reabsorbed.

According to the provisional estimates published by Cedigaz, consumption of gas worldwide will have grown by around 3 percent in 2011 (3,216 billion cubic metres (Gm3) in 2010), and therefore in line with the general trend for the previous 10 years.”

Data also showed that majority of gas reserves concentrated in the members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

“According to Cedigaz, proven reserves of natural gas worldwide grew by 2.8 percent in 2010 to reach 195,308 Gm3 on 1st January 2011. They are concentrated in OPEC member countries (which hold 50 percent of global reserves) and the CIS (32 percent),” reads the study. — KUNA

Officers club holds recreational ceremony KUWAIT: Officers club held a recreational ceremony for its members and their families. The ceremony included several activities and competitions for young and old. Drawing was made for all presents with valuable gifts.

Activities will continue throughout the summer.

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

LOCAL

Kuwait Airways grounds three ageing planes ‘Passenger safety first’ KUWAIT: Financial losses incurred as a result of an initial decision to suspend the flights of three to five Kuwait Airways aircraft “are not important, as long as passenger safety is not endangered,” said a senior Kuwaiti official yesterday. Salem Al-Othainah, Minister of Communications and Acting Minister of Social Affairs and Labor said that the decision will be made after the recent breakdown of some state - owned flights, adding that “there is no room for courtesy at the expense of the lives of people.”

The minister had earlier stated that the decision is a prelude to similar ones taken at easing the burden and pressure on planes until a National Assembly decision is passed to take

procedures over airline’s privatization.

The state-owned carrier has a fleet of 15 Airbus and two Boeing aircraft that were acquired about 20 years ago and have encountered many technical problems in the past few years.

“Safety conditions have deteriorated because of repeated malfunctions in some planes which necessitated taking such a decision,” said Al-Othaina.

His comments came as media reported yesterday that a KAC flight from Kuwait to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia narrowly escaped disaster after one of its engines burst and a second broke down.

The Airbus A300 with 186 passengers on board made an emergency landing Wednesday in the city of

Madinah, the latest of a series of reported breakdowns in the KAC fleet.

Kuwait’s parliament passed a law in January 2008 to privatise the loss-making carrier but the government in October put the brakes on the plan and agreed instead to restructure KAC after private buyers offered a low price.

International firms have valued the assets of Kuwait Airways at KD220 million.

The government sent a new draft law to parliament in June proposing to delay the privatisation plan for at least three years during which 10 new aircraft will be purchased and the government would pay the carrier’s deficit.

Parliament did not discuss the new draft bill because it was scrapped in a

constitutional court ruling that also reinstated the previous parliament, citing flawed procedures.

The airline’s privatisation law stipulates the sale of 35 per cent of the company to a strategic investor and 40 per cent to citizens in an initial public offering.

Five per cent will be granted to Kuwaiti employees while the remaining 20 per cent will be held by Kuwait Investment Authority, the OPEC member’s sovereign wealth fund.

Kuwait Airways has posted a loss in all but one of the past 21 years, amounting to more than $2.7 billion.

Losses are paid by the state because the carrier is entirely governmentowned. —Agencies

News

in brief

Weather keep seaports closed KUWAIT: Operations were halted at Kuwait’s only two seaports of Shuaiba and Shuwaikh yesterday as a result of extremely dusty weather, with wind speeds ranging between 50 to 60 kilometer per hour. At Shuaiba Port, some eight incoming vessels are currently anchored in a waiting area outside the port, while another four await departure in the offloading zone, Chief Port Official Tawfiq Shihab said.

Meanwhile, one ship is pending arrival with another waiting to depart at Shuwaikh Port, said chief watchman at the port, Adel Al-Obaid. Shuwaikh Port did run for a short time yesterday, before weather conditions began to worsen once again.

3,420 people on travel ban KUWAIT: The Criminal Sentences Execution Department has begun preparations to list nearly 3,420 people who are wanted in connection with financial scams. Their names have been listed on travel ban lists, said informed sources. Some 1,300 citizens are among those that have been listed. The announcement was made by Mohammed Rashid Al-Duaij, with an international collaboration.

Sources added that those facing a ban have been indicted in cases related to press, Municipality, traffic, commerce and MSAL laws from the period between 2000 and 2012.

Dust laden highways KUWAIT: Many of Kuwait’s highways are partially covered in dust that accumulated after the recent three-day sand storm, similar to what happens after a heavy snow fall in Western countries when roads are blocked by snow. To remove dust, trucks and bulldozers from the Ministry of Public Works were dispatched on highways, especially those surrounded by open areas like Al-Salmi highway.

Displaced Syrians receive aid in Lebanon

KUWAIT: Ward 1 of Jahra hospital was opened yesterday in the presence of several Health Ministry officials. — Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

Kuwait, Peru ink economic coopration protocol KUWAIT: Kuwait signed an economic cooperation protocol with Peru yesterday aimed at bolstering ties in this particular domain.

The protocol was signed by Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Deputy Chairman Khaled AlSagar and the visiting Peruvian Deputy Foreign Minister Jose Beraun.

During the signing ceremony, Beraun urged Kuwaiti and Peruvian private companies to bolster ties and economic cooperation.

“The Peruvian government is exerting strenuous efforts to reach Arab and Asian markets,” he said.

For his part, Al-Sagar voiced hopes the agreement would help upgrade

bilateral cooperation. He invited Peruvian companies to contribute to Kuwait’s state development plan’s projects.

He also expressed readiness to organize a gathering for Kuwaiti and Peruvian businessmen and investors to strengthen bonds and exchange experience. —KUNA

KUWAIT: Officials exchange documents after signing the economic cooperation protocol.

Ramadan family exhibition opens KUWAIT: The annual Ramadan family exhibition will open today and continues through July 19. It is organized by

Mariam Al Dawsari

the Kuwait International Fair Co at the fai rground in Meshref with participation from local and international companies. More than 340 stands have been booked, representing different countries, including Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Turkey, China Thailand, Pakistan, India, South Africa, and Tunisia. Exhibition Director Mariam Al Dawsari said the exhibition provides an ideal opportunity for families to learn about new goods and to see latest design and special models, which reflect the diversity of the exhibition as it seeks to attract different sectors of society and satisfy their tastes.

Al Dawsari said the exhibition opens before Ramadan, which is the most important period for shopping, and attracts many seeking to buy goods for their families, especially those consumed during Ramadan, since the exhibition meets family

requirements for Ramadan, as well as other needs. Consumable goods, such as clothing, accessories, handcrafts, perfumes, cosmetics, bedroom accessories, bags, shoes, and babies clothing are available.

She noted that the family exhibition is very well attended each year and is successful due to the goods that can be found there, as the exhibition offers goods, services and new products in two halls, 5 and 6, which has been completely renovated. The ex hi b i t io n cover s 4000 square meters, which makes it difficult for similar exhibitions to compete. Al Dawsari invited the public to visit the exhibition and benefit from what it provides, adding that halls 5 and 6 are open from 10 13:00 and again in the afternoon from 5 - 10 pm. On Friday the hall is open from 5 - 10:30 pm.

Agreement signed to exchange expertise KUWAIT: A bilateral agreement for the exchange of expertise and news between Kuwait and Peru’s state news agencies was signed here yesterday.

The agreement was signed by the Chairman and Director General of KUNA Sheikh Mubarak Al-Duaij AlIbrahim Al-Sabah, after having been earlier signed by Editora Peru. The signing ceremony was attended by Peru’s Deputy Foreign Minister Jose Beraun, the Ambassador to Kuwait Amador Velasques, the First Secretary Julissa Macchiavelo, the Third Secretary and Deputy Chief of Mission in Kuwait Gustavo Bravo Espinoza and KUNA’s Editor-in-Chief Rashid AlRowaishid. The agreements states that both sides provide exchanged adequate facilitations for each of their correspondents, during their role, that each side may aid one another in providing information on events and official visits in both countries and unite their positions during official meetings. Other issues stated in the agreement include exchanged employee training and an emphasis on exchanged bilateral visits.

During the event, Sheikh Mubarak underlined the importance of media, describing it as something that comes to “complete politics.” For his part, the Peruvian official expressed his country’s optimism towards KUNA’s role in covering the upcoming, Summit of South American-Arab Countries, scheduled in Lima in October. —KUNA

BEIRUT: More than 30,000 displaced Syrians in Lebanon have been receiving assistance and support, including 27,000 who are registered with the concerned official bodies, according to the United Nations.

Worsening tensions in the North of Lebanon, namely recurring violent clashes, gunfights on the border of Lebanon and Syria and banditry in the region of Wadi Khaled have prevented international relief teams from reaching regions where the relocated Syrians have taken up refuge, thus aid could not be delivered to them, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said in a statement. It added that the Lebanese Higher Relief Authority have stopped covering the cost of medical care for some of the Syrian refugees last month due to lack of funding.

The UNHCR, in association with the World Medical Association, has taken charge of covering the costs for the displaced Syrians, after a halt of the Lebanese financial assistance. Many Kuwaiti, Gulf associations and activists distribute aid for the displaced Syrians in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan. —KUNA

Gatehouse acquires complex in Scotland KUWAIT: The Gatehouse Bank, a subsidiary of the Securities House of Kuwait, has acquired a 59.9-million-pound complex in Scotland. Fahed Boodai, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Gatehouse Bank said in a release here yesterday the acquisition maintains the bank’s solid reputation in the UK real estate market, to deliver high quality investment opportunities that generate solid returns on behalf of the bank’s investors.

He said the multi-million pound acquisition of the Bridge View and Consort House in Aberdeen would provide a projected average annual cash yield of 7.50 percent.

The 159,170 sq ft property is occupied and fully let to leading oil and gas service provider Petrofac as their North Sea office headquarters, as well as The Scottish Ministers (NHS), for a long lease term of 14 years.

London-based Gatehouse Bank is one of the most active non-institutional investors in the market and specializes in originating, structuring and funding investments in a Shariah compliant manner. To meet continuing investor demand for high quality property investments, Gatehouse provides leading advice and opportunities to investors across a diverse range of properties ranging from office, student and logistics sectors. — KUNA

4

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

LOCAL

Local Spotlight

In my view

Kuwait bedoon issue again!

When will they ever rest?

By Labeed Abdal

Muna Al-Fuzai

local@kuwaittimes.net

muna@kuwaittimes.net

n its issue on Monday, June 18, 2012, the UAE’s Etihad newspaper published a story about a 15year-old girl who peacefully slept for several months. The girl, who suffered from a rare sleeping disease that affects one in one thousand people in the world, went to sleep in April and awoke in June, missing her GCE exams, according to the story that quoted the SUN newspaper, UK. Here in Kuwait, we wouldn’t want our development plans, income diversification, environmental protection and economic openness programs to suffer politically from this rare sleeping disease.

Unfortunately, the constant tension and political disagreement that went as far as exchanging insults and personal slander among members of the parliament has hindered and delayed all future development plans that might substantially push Kuwait forward and steer everybody living in it to

I

I

kuwait digest

A little sparrow and camels!

By Nasser Ahmed Al-Ammar

Unfortunately, the constant tension and political disagreement that went as far as exchanging insults and personal slander among members of the parliament has hindered and delayed all future development plans that might substantially push Kuwait forward and steer everybody living in it to more prosperity.

more prosperity. Alas, there is not even a glimpse of such hopes at a time when everybody is roaring with calls for change.

We want a limitless wake up that will continue advancing upon unified views from everybody, a move to a better future based on development and coping with modernity, and an organized living system that Kuwait and its people deserves. We don’t need this state of ‘beautiful’ sleep nor irritating insomnia or any other state of being.

The questions everybody in this country will always be haunted by are: Will the former tension creators, their groups and idols from the nullified parliament respond to such calls? Will they see glasses as half full or half empty? Will they ever remember the numerous financial and occupational benefits they and their families have achieved?

Will they go on thinking that the public will not find out about such benefits?

Many of them have contributed to corruption and public fund losses that are spoken about in the press and cursed and used as a topic for loud propaganda day and night in parliament. The final question is: will they ever calm down, rest, stop annoying people, lying to them and when.....will they ever leave the parliament? —Al-Qabas

kuwait digest

nviting her to dinner, she looked at me with One summer, I was awaiting my wife and kids, mockery and pride....she never used to reject my who were shopping, in New Jersey, USA, at a place invitation in this ridiculous way. She showed no especially prepared for people to sit and relax. I courtesy or shy signs of refusal. I repeated my invita- reached for the one thing I can’t do without; my Ition only to suffer considerable damage to my vehi- Pad to pass the time, and started eating some nuts. cle’s windshield and strong kicks to its sides. It was- She approached from afar and landed near me. I n’t the first time this happened. But I was more wonder why me, in particular? I sat upright and predetermined to tame her. tended to be reading while gazing at her through Bo Khaled, my cousin, looked at me angrily. I the corner of my eye. She left for a while then wonder if that was out of jealousy or trying to stop returned and came much closer. She started looking me from playing with fire. at me. I decided to encourage Nevertheless, I was still deterher by showing some friendlimined because she was the ness. At this time, a group of most beautiful and agile A shor t while later she came her friends arrived. They had a amongst her peers and I want- back alone and landed at the conversation I could not ed to invite her to share my understand and the one who dinner, if only to tame her. A same place, coming closer than I seemed to be leading them friend of hers kept furiously ever expected. I reached out my ordered them to leave immegazing at me with disgust. hand and, to my surprise and diately. A short while later she “Maybe she’s jealous”, I told the reminisce about my cousin’s came back alone and landed myself, before I decided to at the same place, coming yield to Bo Khaled’s warnings camels, the little wonder ful closer than I ever expected. I and explanation that relations sparrow touched my hand. reached out my hand and, to with this one, in particular, Again I said: Sonhanallah! What my surprise and the reminisce would not be easy because my cousin’s camels, the a wonder ful, beautiful little about she’s known to only love one little wonder ful sparrow chosen person and his love creature. touched my hand. Again I said: had to be based upon deep Sonhanallah! What a wonderaffection, rather than first ful, beautiful little creature. It sight. “Even that one gazing at was beautiful beyond an you from afar, she’s more dangerous and you’ll only artists’ creativity. have yourself to blame if you go too far and keep on It stood on my hand eating from the little seeds flirting with her friend”, said Bo Khaled. before I smashed a biscuit into small pieces so that it “OK, Ok....I got the message”, I interrupted my could eat easily. At this particular moment, and withcousin and left with the shepherd, Adam, who was out prior notice, my wife and kids stormed the place, serving dinner to her and to the rest of my cousin’s scaring the poor little thing away. herd of camels. “Sobhanallah”, I said to myself, recitWow! Those were two different experiences with ing the holy words: “Will they not regard the camels, two of Allah’s creatures; New Jersey’s sparrow and my how they are created?( Verse 17, Al-Ghashiya). cousin’s camel. I mediated about how startled and For sure, there is something special about these annoyed the camel looked, despite its size and animals, besides their size and beauty, there must be aggressiveness towards strangers, while this little a biological and psychological explanation to their bird that wanders all skies without knowing anybody behavior. You only have to have an experience with was so assured and friendly to me. It’s probably relatthem to realize the difference that all camel herders, ed to the environment, surroundings and the people like my cousin, know. each of them is used to dealing with! —Al-Watan

I

Hormuz Strait shut down

Why object to changes?

By Sami Al-Nisf

S

kuwait digest

Privatization of education

kuwait digest

By Talal Abdul Kareem Al-Arab omeone in the Iranian regime from the city of Qom lost his wisdom and has turned into an international topic of mockery. How can a Parliament demand that an international strait be blocked? Have the involved decision-makers ever thought that such demonstration of powers might prove to be fatal?

A while ago, Iran announced its intention to stop oil exports to many European countries, and all those who second sanctions against Iran, do not care about these sanctions. Why, then, is Iran so appalled over Iranian oil imports ban? Iran knows for sure that those sanctions were imposed because of its uranium enrichment program.

Hormuz Strait, folks, is the world’s most important water strait. It is even more important that the Tiran Strait that Gamal Abdul Nasser blocked, thereby triggering a war with both the West and Israel. It is more important than the occupation of Kuwait by a reckless tyrant and controlling 20 percent of the world’s oil supply until he was fought and toppled by the West. It is even more important than Iran itself, which we consider as the next in line after Israel.

For the whole world, the Hormuz Strait is more important than any single country. Closing it would mean choking the most countries of life-blood supply of energy, which means declaring war. It would be an invitation to force the whole world occupy the entire Hormuz Strait region and turn it into an international passage dominated and controlled by the United Nations.

We still believe that striking Iran is not priority for the United States because Iran failed to hurt the West or threaten interests. Israel does not want to strike Iran, either as it would always want it to form a ‘pain in Arabs’ neck,’ as long as it remained toothless. Therefore, the decision to shut down must have been made by an overexcited fanatic that does not understand the game of the nations nor the balance of power. Unless they sober and reason up, it will cost Iran its view of the Hormuz Strait! —Al-Qabas

keep wondering how the bedoon issue became a fire ball today and why we the Kuwaiti people are bearing the burden to be blamed for something we did not do and did not have a hand in through the years ?

The bedoons have conducted repeated protests in Jahra calling for their right to have Kuwaiti citizenship. The problem here is not that they hold protests, but for them, as well as the international media, to blame the Kuwaitis for their misery is not fair at all and also showing us as monsters is not fair. No one says anything about the government and what hand they hold in this.

First, did anybody wonder how the number of bedoons has doubled if not tripled in the last ten years, how all those people are making their living now and whether the government is working on a solution to end their troubles?

The problem here is that the government is to be blamed for not finding any solution to either give those people their rights or send them back home. Yes, it is very much normal for any country to send anyone who sneaks into their countries back home. Isn’t that what the Kuwait government should do when they learn that a bedoon who protests is actually holding a document that proves his citizenship in another country? They are suppose to send him back to his country, instead of letting him call for a citizenship that he is not due and even begins fighting with security forces, claiming that his rights are being violated.

We need action here to stop this chaos and fuss around the bedoons. Those who deserve citizenship must be given this ticket so they can manage their lives and those who don’t, should not, and must be immediately sent out to wherever he or she belongs. How difficult is that?

It is not difficult and I’m really angry to see the security forces descending into violence in doing their job against some of the bedoons, who might know they have nothing to lose and will not be punished for violating the country’s laws.

The Friday protests are not achieving their objective and will not end the Bedoon’s troubles.

That is very clear now.

The government must assign a special representative to work on this issue only, the Bedoon file, and be the official spokesperson on this issue with them and for them. I know the government has tried to do so by forming the central committee to examine the situation of the illegal residence and detect the stateless situation, but this committee’s work has been so slow and this case must not be delayed more.

I also believe these people should not be given the false hope that they will receive citizenship if they are not eligible for it.

ome days, why object to changes for which we unity, as killings and explosions among their political call, such as changing to one constituency and parties occur on a daily basis due to the size of the political parties and popular government....etc.? prize, which represent the general budget of the state As those in their views shall provide relief to the politi- which will be controlled by the party that controls govcal problem along with the economic slow down. Our ernment. No one believes what we see in Iraq, that the situation, as per this opinion, will not be worse than killings and explosions are due to religious reasons, as Iraq in its modern history never witnessed sectarian what is going on. Is this diagnose correct?

First thing, the required changes in the advanced fighting. The truth about what is happening is that this countries are changing for the better and not for the is political fighting for the big prize and the ruling cake, worse, as happened after the fall of the kingdoms in which is covered by sectarian conflicts.

Accordingly, our current situation, about which we Egypt, Iraq and Libya. A good example about what we complain, is a million times are talking about concerns what better compared to the Iraq sitwe earlier warned about, in uation or Somalia or Yemen respect to the changing to five constituencies, which will put Those who promote the solutions and many other countries where political parties and an end to sectarian and tribal concerns and the effect of politi- of one constituency and political popular governments have parties and the popular govern- destroyed them. The road is full cal money and vote buying.

We said at that time that ment forget that these have been of well-intended people and bad-intended people and both change would increase the negative aspects, such as completely implemented in Iraq, are available in our political enlarging constituencies would our neighbors, and those systems yard.At least changing our increase the size of the prize caused the people to live in fear political system, as suggested, shall not change us for the betfrom two green chairs to 10 green chairs, which will increase and has scattered their unity, as ter, but it will make the prize siding for sectarian and tribal killings and explosions among bigger and bigger until it reasons. That expansion shall their political parties occur on a becomes the size of the state and its budget and then politimake it difficult for honest cal powers shall take sides and nominees to bear the financial daily basis. bloody fighting will be similar cost for the election campaign to what is happening to the and thus the influence of politinorth of our border. Our fightcal money will increase, along ing political parties will then seek help from abroad with vote buying.

Those who promote the solutions of one con- and they will come with their intelligence and arms stituency and political parties and the popular govern- and explosions and killing at random. This will be the ment forget that these have been completely imple- same as the wars involving all political parties in the mented in Iraq, our neighbors, and those systems region in states in which the people are more educatcaused the people to live in fear and has scattered their ed than our young people. —Al-Anbaa

S

By Waleed Al-Rujaib s reported in July 3 newspapers, and in view of the fact that many families tend to teach their children by enrolling them in private schools, the minister of education and higher education announced the ministry’s intention to privatize a few public schools in a bid to improve education.

I wonder if the minister realizes that when the privatization law was enacted in 2010, the oil, health and education sectors were exempted from the decision, as they were considered citizens’ basic rights that ought to be provided and taken care of by the government.

We may agree with the minister that public education had been lagging behind modern needs and demands and that many public high school graduates have been seen as weak at cognitive and scientific levels. The obvious solution to such deterioration is to develop educational facilities and services, starting with overhauling school curriculums that destroy students’ creativity. Too much emphasis is placed relies on memorizing and useless repetition that resulted in primary school children memorizing words and sentences using shape and image, instead of learning how to use and form words, which created semi-illiterate students.

Further, since teachers are responsible for future generations, the problem also lies in a lack of proper teacher training.

The minister seems to have not followed the tragedies of other countries who beat Kuwait in privatization of education. Some of the former Soviet countries previously had zero levels of illiteracy in the 1940s and 1950s. The situation is different now, after winning their independence and privatizing education. Illiteracy is spreading at an alarming rate, which is logically against advancement. Illiteracy should have disappeared, like old epidemics that vanished with modern technology and advancements. Education privatization means selling educational facilities to private sector companies that are mainly profit-focused. Such a capitalist concept can only be achieved by reducing costs and expenses by hiring less expensive teachers and charging higher fees from students, which overburdens families with children. Some of these schools may also more easily grant certificates in the same way some commercial universities do. —Al-Rai

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KUWAIT: The fire prevention exercise in progress.

Fire prevention exercise at Al-Rai

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: An exercise was held in the workshops complex in the Al Rai area to test the readiness of high rise ladders, in addition to new airport engines. Also, water pumps filled with foam were also tested in difficult weather conditions and during winds measured at 45 km/h.

According to officials, water and foam discharged from pumps was found to be effective during the three hour exercise.

Deputy Director General for Fighting and Human Resources Development, Brig Yousuf Al-Ansari, supervised the exercise, while deputy director general Brig Khalid

Al-Mikrad, Capital Fire Director Colonel Hamad Al-Hadlaq, Operations and back up center Director Lt Colonel Bader AlOtaibi, head of technical rescue shift captain Ayman Al-Mufarreh and head of the rescue center shift captain Hamad AlRashid, were present.

Meanwhile, as the “Nabeeha Towsal” campaign by Kuwait Fire S er vice Direc torate (KFSD) and Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) continues, an educational exhibition was held at Souq Sharq on the dangers of fire and how to avoid its causes and devastation.

Director of the export and marine operations at KOC Fadhel Bourisli said KOC is

Kuwait FM discusses bilateral, rgn’l affairs with Egypt counterpart KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah discussed bilateral relations and developments on the regional front with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amro. The discussions between both officials were held over a telephone call yesterday. —KUNA

To boost e-learning in Jordanian schools eLearment organizes specialized workshop on interactive e-learning KUWAIT: eLearment, the Arab leading provider of e-learning systems and solutions, has recently held a specialized workshop in which it explored the evolving techniques of interactive vir tual learning and means of supplying Jordan’s education infrastructure with the latest interactive applications and solutions.

The workshop, held in Crowne Plaza Hotel and attended by a large number of the nation’s private school heads and Ministry of Education officials, aimed to acquaint par ticipants with the most recent tools that can be deployed to create an ideal learning environment that uses multimedia presentation tools and sophisticated means to enhance educational delivery and facilitate learners’ understanding of different pedagogical concepts.

In his comment, eLearment’s CEO, Ashraf Nairoukh, said: “Over the past few years, most of the academic institutions in the Arab world have been seeking to automate their curricula content and upgrade their education programs in an attempt to imitate the paths of the successful implementation of interactive elearning infrastructure in the developed countries. However, such attempts did not produce satisfactory results given that the previous c-solutions suffer from a lack of flexibility.”

“We devoted our programming capabilities and field expertise to design technologically-advanced solutions to give students a unique interactive learning experience. We at eLearment have a wide range of curricula-related e-solutions, such as the Active Flip Book which allows direct interaction between students and tutors inside or outside the classroom on one hand, and among curricula authors on the other,” Nairoukh added.

In addition, Nairoukh pointed out that curricula authors can directly alter elec-

tronic materials at any time, a feature which is not available in other similar systems. Besides to enabling teachers to both correct home assignments and send remarks to students electronically, the system has the advantage of evaluating students’ proficiency in a particular subject and providing them with additional details and information if they perform below the requested grade level, thus helping them k now the level of the course in which they should be placed.

Par ticipants at the workshop discussed the important role that recent technologies can play in presenting curricula content in a lively and interactive manner that promotes students’ selfreliance, independence in learning, and ability to identify, investigate and solve problems.

Remarkably, eLearmnent, resorting to its state-of-the-art programming techniques and field expertise, created a massive range of technical solutions, including the Active Flip Book and virtual performance -based assessment, to help reduce poverty rates and address the state of stiffness in the e-learning environment which was caused by previous poorly-developed e -learning systems.

Founded in 2011 as part of KHX group of education and training companies owned

by Beyout Investment Group (BIG Holding) in Kuwait, eLearment company is a leading content services provider with excellent experience in the development of educational and professional virtual and collaboration learning environments.

The profound and conceptual understanding of e -learning as providing up to date and sophisticated means to clarify an abstract educational thought by finding the appropriate way to present, simplify and facilitate comprehending that thought using well-developed e-learning systems is all exclusive to eLearment.

KUWAIT: Participants of the “Nabeeha Towsal” campaign by Kuwait Fire Service Directorate and Kuwait Oil Company pose for a group photograph yesterday.

one of the pioneering companies in providing awareness and activities in Kuwait, so the company cooperated with KFSD to organize this campaign to increase awareness among society about fires and how to prevent them.

Further, Bourisli praised the role of firemen in serving their country and society, as well as their sacrifices in assuring the nation’s security and safety.

Ac ting Direc tor of KFSD Public Relations Lt Colonel Nasser Al-Ansari said KFSD has often participated with KOC in the field of fire fighting and rescue and this participation is yet another way to serve society.

Smart phone business Mushrooms in Kuwait Android lures customers KUWAIT: The business of mobile telecommunication sets is booming worldwide and statistics show that five billion smart-phone sets are used all over the world, which means 80 percent of the earth population possess these sets. Android operating system of Google controls up to 47 percent of smart phones’ market, followed by iPhone of Apple, which operates on the iOS system, at a rate of 29 percent. The first iPhone saw the light in 2007, while Android was created in 2008.

Statistics show that iPhone sales reached 218 million sets in last March. The number of Android sets have amounted to 300 million till last Februar y, according magazine, Bloomberg.

In Kuwait, the smart-phones business is mushrooming, with the market flooded with the various sets and software, provided mainly by Apple, Google and Blackberry, followed in line by Nokia and Microsoft.

Most managers of telecommunication companies and citizens say that sets operated by Android have the lion’s share in the domestic market, in 2012, on the basis of two criteria; hike of daily sales and possession of these gadgets by large segments of the Kuwaiti society.

Some dealers say that each day, four Android-operated sets are sold, compared to a single iPhone. They attribute the much higher sales of the Android phones to the larger number of companies that make this software service. This results in greater and diverse specifications and lucrative prices, starting from only KD 40. They also refer to the competitor’s monopolization of its iOS system, along with fixed prices and scheduled production of the sets per year.

Christian Axpedito, an employee at a major telecom company, said he sells up to 40 Android sets per day-compared to only 10 iPhone-operated ones. Lucas Mirto, a dealer, said Android has proven largely lucrative on the local market due to the customers’ desire

for the best service at the lowest possible prices.

Android-operated sets’ prices range between KD 37 and KD 190 compared to the prices of the iPhone, least of which is KD 190 per set for 16 GB memory.

Khaled Al-Ali, who uses an iPhone, says that he no longer uses his personal computer, having experienced ease of use of the software, which also provides online reading of books.

Another citizen, Yousef Al-Mutairi, said that 60 percent of Android applications can be done free of charge, compared to only 25 percent of those of Apple.

Dalal Al-Gattan says Google has succeeded through its operating system Android, in providing the customers with additional memory, a high-capacity camera and a longlife battery.

Mohammad Al-Kanderi, who serves at a financial brokerage company, says possession of the smart-phone has become a necessity considering rapid technological development and modern-day needs for high speed to accomplish tasks easily and staying abreast of local and external developments and issues. He uses the iPhone to gain access to world stock markets, monitor news and stay in touch with loved ones. — KUNA

Power struggle within MoI KUWAIT: In a wave of developments taking place within the Interior Ministry, Undersecretary Lieut General Ghazi Al-Omar asked the heads of various sectors to give top officers, ranking brigadier upwards, the choice to remain in service and be deprived of privileges and allowances, said informed sources.

The officers rejected the manner in which the issue was raised, describing it as a ‘polite way of sending them into retirement.’

Instructions were issued stating that officers wishing to retire should file written applications stating such wishes, making many of them wonder about who is really behind such a decision at this juncture when a new Cabinet is formed.

Sources explained that MoI has been lenient over the past year because the formation of a new Cabinet was delayed several times owing to political pressure.

“This is the reason behind the many vacancies present at the ministry,’ stressed sources, noting that this created a sense of competition and conflict among MoI’s assistant undersecretaries who do not want to retire and look forward to being promoted to higher ranks.

I t created conflict and cautiousness between undersecretaries, for instance, especially managers working in their jurisdiction. — Al-Rai

Nov 1 set as date to begin charging new meat prices

Municipal delegation arrives in Turkey

KUWAIT: The Council of Ministers has set November 1 as the date to begin charging KD 1 for meat with bones and KD 1.250 for boneless meat. Also, the price of meat will be freed in local markets in time for selling meat using ration cards in food supply centers at a price that does not exceed KD 1.250 with bones, while boneless prices were not fixed.

The decision on the price of meat will be applied in two steps. The first plan is a short period that ends on 1st November, by which companies who receive subsidies from the government will agree to sell meat at the ordered government prices, and the second plan star ts after 1st November and includes freeing prices of meat in the local market when ration cards will be used.

ANKARA: A delegation from the Municipality of Kuwait arrived in Turkey yesterday on an official visit aimed to examine the Turkish experience in the field of municipal organization and hold meetings with those responsible for Municipal Affairs in the capital Ankara.

The three-day visit comes to answer an invitation extended by Municipality of Greater Ankara to discuss the possibility of cooperation between the two countries in the Municipal Affairs and the possibility to benefit from the Turkish experience in the field of municipal work, especially in organizational and structural plan of the capital.

The delegation is scheduled to tour a number of sites in the municipality of Ankara to become acquainted with the major projects implemented by the municipality in the capital and the nature of municipal services, as well as exchange of experience in municipal affairs as well as strengthening ties of mutual interest of Kuwait and Turkey in this context. —- KUNA

The Council of Ministers has asked a committee headed by the investment authority to study the technical and legal difficulties that face Kuwaiti livestock and transport companies and prepare necessary arrangements to take over ownership of these companies by the state.

Officials added that the aims of the growth plan seeks to support the private sector. It was noted that meat is a basic good like bread, and the government maintains complete ownership of Kuwait Flour M ills Company and Bakeries.

Freeing the prices of meat, however, might cause problems to citizens and expats, especially since meat sold in food supply centers will be limited to Kuwaitis holding ration cards and will not include expats.

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

LOCAL

Husband throws out wife for denying ‘matrimonial rights’ Father refuses to help son KUWAIT: A citizen reported that her husband had beaten her and then threw her out of her house in Jabriya in her underwear, said security sources. Case papers indicate that a passerby and a grocer in Jabriya stood speechless when seeing the woman run with only her underwear on. The woman called the police, reporting that her husband had beaten her and thrown her out. A police patrol arrived and the woman asked the maid to get her an Abaya and veil to wear. When summoned to the station, the husband denied throwing her out of the house, which was verified by their eldest daughter. The man explained that he had been married to his expatriate wife for 19 years, during which they had four children.

“Ever since I got her Kuwaiti citizenship four years ago, she has been reluctant to me and refused to give me my ‘rightful matrimonial rights’. Getting fed up with her rejection, I slapped her, which angered her and she ran out into the street”, explained the husband, noting that his wife vanished after filing a case against him.

Bedoons interrogated The public prosecution yesterday began interrogating 11 bedoons who were arrested for demonstrating and resisting riot police in Taima, Jahra, on Friday, according to security sources. Also, a Kuwaiti lawyer who had been arrested with the bedoons and charged with threatening and insulting police has been released on bail. The suspects demonstrated as they called for being treated as bedoons once more, claiming they had been forced to hold Arab passports in order to legalize their living in Kuwait. Security sources noted that when checking on those arrested, it was found that their fathers were not included in the 1985 census.

Pharmacy robbery A pharmacist reported that unidentified

robbers had broken into the pharmacy he ran in Midan Hawali and stolen drugs and cash.

Angry father A 19 year old ‘she-male’ was appalled when his father refused to come for him when he was held in the criminal investigation department, said security sources. Case papers indicate that the suspect had been arrested in Salmiya last Wednesday while dressed in women’s clothing and wearing heavy makeup. To the surprise of those present, the father refused to take him back home. “I don’t want him, let him rot in a cell”, said the father.

Traffic citations The traffic department reports that 8327 traffic citations had been filed and 357 vehicles detained over the weekend, said security sources. The sources were more specific about the locations of the citations, saying that 1324 tickets had been filed and 9 vehicles detained in the capital governorate, 930 tickets and 30 vehicles detained in Farwaniya, 2743 tickets were filed and 100 vehicles detained in Hawalli, 1243 tickets were filed and 4 vehicles detained in Ahmadi, 461 tickets were filed and 12 vehicles detained in Mubarak Al-Kabeer and 930 tickets were filed and 70 vehicles were detained in Jahra.

Chalet attack An employee of one of the GCC embassies to Kwuait repor ted that unidentified assailants assaulted his two sons for unknown reasons. The man said that the attack occurred at a chalet they rented over the weekend. Further investigations are continuing.

Girl missing A citizen reported that his 19-year-old daughter, who had caused him problems

because of her reckless adventures and uncontrollability, had gone missing, said security sources, noting that investigations showed that the girl was living with two boyfriends in a ‘pleasure den’ they rented near Ahamdi. On storming the location, the trio was arrested while having a party, in addition to a friend who arranged the rental for them.

Citizen arrested A citizen was arrested for possessing 50 hallucinatory pills, said security sources, noting that a police patrol stopped the suspect, who was heavily drugged. On searching his vehicle, the pills were found.

Confused citizen A citizen, who is wanted for compiling debts of KD 500,000 and for four cases in which he was indicted, was recently arrested, said security sources. Case papers indicate that police at a routine check point became suspicious about the man when he appeared confused and attempted to avoid the check point. Stopping the man and checking him, he was found to be wanted in four cases with total claims of KD half a million.

Robbery attempt A citizen reported that unidentified ‘robbers’ had smashed her vehicle’s windows while it was parked outside her house in Sabah Al-Salem. The woman, who did not accuse anybody, explained that on going to her auto in the morning she found all the car’s windows broken. She added that nothing was stolen, as she leaves no valuables in her car.

Jabriya fight A 22 year old citizen’s arm was amputated during a fight in which those fighting used knives, daggers and swords in Jabriya, said security sources.

Malta to open embassy in Kuwait

KUWAIT: The raid in progress

Municipality raids wholesale market, butcher shop

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: The Municipalityís emergency team carried out a major campaign in the capital to ensure that commercial enterprises are complying with safety conditions, based on the directions of Ahmad Al-Subaih, Director General of Municipality.

The wholesale market and butcher shops are among places being inspected in the presence of Faleh Al-Shimmari Capital Municipality branch director in cooperation with the Public Relations Department.

Tariq Al-Qattan, Head of the emergency team said that the cam-

paign was split in two parts, the first team inspected a wholesale market while the other inspected butcher shops. He said that inspectors issued 11 citations, even for transporting food stuff on an unlicensed vehicle.

They also found a store that operated with an expired health license, and sold expired goods in May and April 2012.

This included olives, biscuits, sweets, mayonnaise, white oats. All items were confiscated and destroyed.

Al-Qattan said that campaigns will be held routinely to check for production and expiry dates.

VALLETTA: The government recently announced it will be opening a Maltese Embassy in Kuwait City in September, which is a clear sign of the growing level of friendly relations and cooperation between Malta and Kuwait.

This is the result of the intensified efforts the Maltese government made in recent years to expand relations with the countries of the Gulf with a view of benefiting from closer cooperation both politically and commercially.

To date, Malta is represented in the region by the Maltese Embassy in Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Work is also underway for the opening of a Maltese Embassy in Qatar.

In April 2010, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tonio Borg and Finance Minister Tonio Fenech visited Kuwait, accompanied by a business delegation. During this visit, five agreements were signed and a commitment was made by the Kuwaiti government to reopen its Embassy in Malta, which it did in 2011. The opening of a Maltese Embassy in Kuwait City this year is of particular satisfaction, as it is proof of the progress achieved in expanding bilateral contacts between our two countries in recent years.

Efforts have borne fruit as evidenced by the recent visit of Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg to Kuwait at the end of June 2012. During talks with HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed AlJaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait, both sides acknowledged that Malta and Kuwait in the past and at present, albeit geographically distant, have continued to share common view points as small independent states at the centre of politically dynamic regions. Indeed in the 1990s, Malta acknowledged Kuwait’s need for political support in the wake of the Iraqi occupation and annexation of Kuwait during the Gulf War. During this visit, Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs signed an agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation with his counterpart Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Hamad Al-Sabah. In the run-up to the signing of this Agreement and in a bid to attract FDI to the island, Dr Borg highlighted Malta’s potential in the aircraft maintenance sector and the fields of ICT and health.

This was done with the conviction that the strength of the Maltese economy can only be guaranteed through diversification and the exploration of high-value added industries and sectors that could make use of Malta’s particular resources and broaden its economic base.

Dr Borg also referred to the SmartCity Project with investment from the United Arab Emirates, as a fine example of cooperation. Furthermore, in a meeting with Kuwait’s Chamber of Commerce, Dr Borg explained how Malta has fast established itself as a regional hub of aircraft maintenance and made reference to the Gulf-owned, Swiss-based SR Technics, which has set up shop in Malta.

This recent visit to Kuwait also served as an excellent platform for the promotion of services offered by Malta in the field of education. This was done because the University of Malta has an excellent record in providing high quality education and training. The University of Malta currently has around 160 Kuwaiti students following courses in medicine and engineering. Dr Borg underscored the excellent services provided by the more than 40 certified English language schools teaching English in Malta. The government believes that Kuwait is a state that holds huge potential for the attraction of investment to Malta. The burgeoning relations that are being enjoyed at present should be taken full advantage of, and the opening of a Maltese Embassy in Kuwait shortly is certainly another step in the right direction.

Gulf Bank visits Bayt Abdullah Hospice KUWAIT: Gulf Bank visited Bayt Abdullah Children’s Hospice, which has been fitted out with advanced state-of-the-art medical equipment to receive and treat children suffering from cancer.

Visiting the hospice were Fawzy AlThunayan, general manager—board affairs at Gulf Bank, and a team from the bank who presented a contribution from Gulf Bank to the Kuwait Association for the Care of Children in Hospitals (KACCH). This participation falls under Gulf Bank’s annual contribution to KACCH to ensure excellent medical care and accommodation for children staying at the hospice.

Gulf Bank’s visit helped keep the bank updated on the progress of the project and the preparations undertaken to receive children. The bank has been involved throughout all the phases of the project starting from the preliminary layouts. Dr Hilal Al-Sayer, former minister of health and Margaret Al-Sayer, founder and director of KACCH, shared the latest developments of Bayt Abdullah with Gulf Bank’s team while providing the team with an overview of the recent progress.

Commenting on the occasion, AlThunayan said: “I am very proud to see the most advanced Hospice of its kind in the world being set up in Kuwait. Bayt Abdullah is a fully-integrated medical care facility that we can be proud of, and which will help save the lives of many.

The progress since its inception is tremendous. Walking through the corridors of Bayt Abdullah and viewing the fully-equipped rooms and the furnished chalets for patients’ families makes me very delighted that the promise of Bayt Abdullah has become a reality. I am sure this exemplary charitable model is one to follow in the future”.

Dr Hilal Al-Sayer said: “Bayt Abdullah is the culmination of numerous contributions over the past years by several private sector entities and individuals, reflecting their belief in CSR and great achievements through concerted efforts, for such a free of charge treatment providing edifice. I am proud to state that preparations are being made to receive children and their families, and not only outpatients.”

Towards the end of the visit, AlThunayan presented Gulf Bank’s donation to Dr Al-Sayer and Mrs Al-Sayer, who expressed their thanks and appreciation for the pivotal role Gulf Bank has made in caring for hospitalized children. AlThunayan commended the enormous efforts exerted by KACCH members to create a proper environment for children and ensure suitable accommodation for them at the hospice.

Gulf Bank is a socially responsible Kuwaiti leading financial institution which is fully committed to charitable events that benefit Kuwait’s community.

Students laud efforts of KFAED in Turkey ISTANBUL: A delegation of academically brilliant Kuwaiti students visiting the city of Istanbul lauded here yesterday, the role played by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) in projects throughout Turkey.

On the sidelines of KFAED’s outstanding program, students told KUNA on separate occasions that their visit to the country was an eye-opener with regard to the fund’s involvement in developing the city of Istanbul, adding that they were introduced to the KFAED’s role in relief aid efforts during time of crises and natural disasters.

Sarah Al-Enizi said that the trip was fully reflective of the KFAED’s efforts in Turkey, noting that the program encouraged her “to continue excelling in studies as well as develop a sense of national pride towards the role played by KFAED

in helping others.”

On her part, Sarah Ahmad asked Kuwaiti students to pursue higher levels of knowledge to serve their country as well as support and help nations. She added that the current visit to Istanbul helped her open up to a new culture and educate her on Turkish traditions and customs.

Another student, Lujain Abdulhadi, expressed pride towards KFAED’s contributions in Istanbul during natural disasters, indicating that the fund’s numerous projects will aid in rebuilding earthquake stricken areas making her a proud citizen.

The students thanked the fund for this special experience and expressed hope that other students will join future tours conducted by KFAED to other nations. —KUNA

Saudi Arabia completes preparations for Umrah in Ramadan JEDDAH: The Saudi authorities announced on Saturday that they have completed preparations to receive pilgrims from the Two Holy Mosques who are willing to perform Umrah (minor pilgrimage) during Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, due to start late this month.

“The pilgrims will enjoy quality accommodation thanks to the completion of the initial expansion project of Al-Masjid Al-Haram (the

holy shrine in Makkah city),” Chairman of the General Presidency of the Two Mosques Affairs Sheikh Dr Abdulrahman Al-Sodeis told reporters here.

“Under the expansion project, named after King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, the ground floor will now be able to accommodate AlMasjid Al-Haram to 200,000 worshippers,” he disclosed.

“The internal designs, construction and

decoration, including power and water supply lines, are being completed,” Dr Al-Sodeis said, noting that these works meet the latest, mechanical, architectural and technological standards.

The site of Ajyad Hospital, close to the Holy Mosque, will be furnished with up to 12,500 new toilets. The Mosque will be supplied with 18,000 zamzam water taps, he added. —KUNA

ISTANBUL: The delegation of Kuwaiti students visiting the city of Istanbul yesterday.

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Islamists protest NATO supply line in Pakistan Page 12

France, Germany celebrate friendship amid crisis Page 10

TRIPOLI: Collected ballot boxes, from different polling stations, sit in a salon at Maatiga airport to be checked for the final counting in Tripoli yesterday.—AFP

Liberals claim early lead in Libya vote count Votes still being tallied, results mixed TRIPOLI: Liberals claimed an early lead yesterday in counting of votes across the country after Libya’s first free elections following the ouster of dictator Muammar Gaddafi. “Early reports show that the coalition is leading the polls in the majority of constituencies,” the secretary general of the National Forces Alliance, Faisal Krekshi, told AFP. The alliance of liberal forces is headed by Mahmud Jibril who played a prominent role as rebel prime minister during the popular revolt that toppled Gaddafi last year. The leader of one of Libya’s main Islamist parties acknowledged that the rival coalition had the advantage in the country’s two largest cities. “The National Forces Alliance achieved good results in some large cities except Misrata.

They have a net lead in Tripoli and in Benghazi,” said Mohammed Sawan, who

heads the Justice and Construction party.

“But it is a tight race for us in the south,” added Sawan, a former political prisoner and member of Libya’s Muslim Brotherhood, which launched the party.

The bulk of Libya’s population and registered voters are concentrated in the capital, which lies in the west of the oil-rich desert country, and in the eastern city of Benghazi. Libyans on Saturday voted for a General National Congress, a 200-member legislative assembly which will steer the countr y through a transition period.

Turnout was above 60 percent, the electoral commission said. A total of 80 seats in the incoming congress are reserved for political entities while the remaining 120 are held for individual candidates, some of who are openly allied to specific parties.

Altogether, 3,707 candidates stood in 72

districts nationwide. Sawan told AFP the results were mixed in terms of which party was performing better at the polls when it comes down to allies and sympathisers who are running as individual candidates.

Votes were still being tallied by Libya’s electoral commission with preliminary results expected by Monday night. The world is waiting to see whether Libya, a conservative Muslim country with no significant minorities, will deliver a win for Islamists like in neighboring Egypt and Tunisia. From the parties, the National Forces coalition and two Islamist contenders, Justice and Construction and AlWattan, stood out from the start. But early reports by local media seemed to back the party leaders’ claims. Private channel AlAssima T V reported overnight that the coalition was well ahead in the capital,

scooping 80 percent in the district of Tripoli Centre, and 90 percent in the impoverished district of Abu Slim. Its edge, the channel said, was also sharp in the troubled east, with preliminary figures giving it 70 percent in Benghazi and 80 percent in Al-Bayda, hometown of Libya’s interim leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil.

These figures, however, were unofficial.

“The first winner is the Libyan people,” declared a beaming Nuri Abbar, head of the electoral commission, at the end of a rollercoaster voting day which was briefly clouded by unrest in the east of the country. Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, who heads a team of 21 European Union observers, said large numbers voted “peacefully and free of fear and intimidation, despite some disturbances in the east and some tensions in the south.” “The election, however, is far

from over. Counting, tallying and the publication of results are the other important steps in this electoral process,” Lambsdorff cautioned. The make-up of the congress being elected has been a matter of heated debate, with factions such as the federalist movement in the east calling for more seats and staging acts of sabotage both before and during the elections. The outgoing National Transitional Council (NTC) says seats were distributed according to demographics, with 100 going to the west, 60 to the east and 40 to the south.

Libya has not seen national elections since the era of the late King Idris, whom Kadhafi deposed in a bloodless coup in 1969. Political parties were banned as an act of treason during Kadhafi’s iron-fisted rule. On Saturday, 142 parties fielded candidates.—AFP

Annan heading to Syria to save peace plan DAMASCUS: Kofi Annan will visit Damascus today, Syria’s foreign ministry said, after the international envoy’s admission that his peace plan has so far failed to end nearly 16 months of carnage. “It is confirmed that Mr Annan will visit Damascus, within the framework of his mission, for discussions with the Syrian leadership on the subject of the six-point plan,” ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi told AFP. The announcement came after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton yesterday warned time was running out to save Syria from a “catastrophic assault,” and as dozens more people were reportedly killed in the unrest-swept country.

Annan himself said that his UN-backed mission has so far failed to halt the bloodshed, while stressing that Russia and Iran must not be sidelined from the peace efforts. “Russia wields influence but I am not sure that the events will be determined by Russia alone... Iran is an actor. It has to be part of the solution. It has influence and we cannot ignore it,” Annan told France’s Le Monde daily.

Annan also expressed irritation that while Russia and Iran were mentioned by some as stumbling blocks to peace, “little is said about

other countries which send arms, money, and have a presence on the ground.” Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has accused the United States and its allies of opposing President Bashar al-Assad’s regime with the goal of dominating the Middle East and propping up Israel. Earlier, Clinton acknowledged that efforts led by Annan to get Assad’s regime to halt its brutal crackdown on dissent were proving difficult. “The sooner there can be an end to the violence and a begetting of a political transition process, not only will fewer people die, but there’s a chance to save the Syrian state from a catastrophic assault that would be dangerous not only to the country, but the region,” she told reporters.

“It should be abundantly clear to those who support the Assad regime their days are numbered.” Clinton was speaking in Tokyo after attending talks in Paris on Friday in which countries pledged to increase pressure on Assad to step down by seeking a tough UN resolution backed by a threat of sanctions. More than 17,000 people have now died since the uprising began in March last year, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human

Rights. 37 killed, including 19 civilians- UN Secretar y General Ban Ki-moon, who also attended the donors’ conference in Tokyo, renewed his call on the UN Security Council for collective action to pressure Syria to stop the violence.

“It is crucial for the Security Council... to pressure the parties to prevent any further escalation of the conflict,” Ban told a separate news briefing yesterday. “President Assad must understand that things cannot continue as they are.

Fundamental change is needed,” he said. The UN chief added: “Syrian people have suffered too long and too much. I sincerely hope that the member states of the UN Security Council will look into this issue more seriously... sharing the common responsibility by taking collective action as soon as possible.”

On the ground, at least 37 people, including 19 civilians, were killed in violence across Syria yesterday, according to the Observatory. Syrian forces, under the cover of heavy shelling, attempted to storm the rebel strongholds of Qusayr and Rastan in the central province of Homs, triggering fierce clashes, the watchdog said.— AFP

IDLIB: In this citizen journalism image provided by Shaam News Network SNN, taken on Friday, a Syrian boy holds a placard with Arabic which reads, “Friday of, war, liberation, and the people,” during a demonstration in Idlib, north Syria. —AP

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

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Sudan protesters tear gassed, politician arrested Crackdown follows opposition call for protests

WEST BANK: A Palestinian policewoman shows her skills during the inauguration ceremony of an EU-funded police academy in the West Bank city of Jericho yesterday. — AFP

Abbas to visit Iran for international conference AMMAN: The Palestinian president has accepted an invitation to visit Iran, a patron of his political rival, the Islamic militant Hamas, a top Palestinian official said yesterday. In Tehran, Mahmoud Abbas will attend a conference of the Non-Aligned Movement at the end of August, said his foreign minister, Riad Malki. The trip “reflects our appreciation of this movement, which always supported the Palestinian position and the Palestinian cause,” Malki said. “We cannot be absent from the summit of the non-aligned countries.”

Malki’s comments suggested that Abbas’ planned visit to Iran is not signaling a thaw in relations. In the past, Abbas has spoken out against Iran’s backing for Hamas, which seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, leaving him with only the West Bank. Israel has charged that Iran sends weapons and cash to Hamas. Iran and the Western-backed Palestinian Authority that Abbas leads do not have close relations, as Hamas poses a threat to his rule in the West Bank. There have been no diplomatic moves to indicate that relations have improved.

Abbas relayed his acceptance of the Iranian invitation in a meeting with Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian in Jordan yesterday.

Abdollahian said Tehran wants the two rival Palestinian factions to reconcile to

bolster “Palestinian steadfastness and reach common ground on resistance in the face of threats by the Zionist entity.”

He added, “We also support Hamas.”

Abdollahian said another invitation was given to Jordan’s King Abdullah II through his prime minister.

Malki said foreign ministers from a number of Non-Aligned Movement members are expected in Ramallah at the end of July or beginning of August to work on a “Declaration of Palestine” to be adopted at the summit in Tehran. The declaration would sum up the NonAligned Movement’s support for Palestinian political demands, including recognition of a state of Palestine in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war. Malki said that among those expected to attend are foreign ministers from countries that don’t have diplomatic ties with Israel, such as Indonesia, Algeria, Cuba, Malaysia and Bangladesh.

The Palestinian Authority is trying to arrange for Jordanian helicopter transports for those foreign ministers so they could avoid Israeli border crossings, Malki said. Israel controls all passage in and out of the West Bank. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said such visits would have to be coordinated with Israel, but he did not elaborate. — AP

Iraq VP death squad trial delayed on defence appeals BAGHDAD: The trial of Iraq’s fugitive Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, accused of running death squads, was postponed yesterday as judges await an appeals court ruling on the conduct of the trial. Hashemi, last known to be in Turkey, is being tried in absentia along with several of his bodyguards in a case which when initially filed in December as US troops were pulling out worsened a brewing political crisis. The vice president, a Sunni, insists the charges filed by the Shiiteled government are politically-motivated.

Hashemi’s legal team said they presented an appeal to the federal appeals court after their requests for top government officials, including President Jalal Talabani, to testify were rejected by judges. “Initially, we presented requests to the court about calling witnesses such as Talabani, (exvice president) Adel Abdel Mahdi, (Talabani’s office manager) Nasser alAni and five MPs,” Muayad al-Izzi, who heads the vice president’s legal team, told AFP, referring to a May 31 request.

“This request was rejected so we decided to present the request to the federal appeals cour t. The cour t demanded that the whole case be brought to them to review it, and to review our request.” Earlier, a judge presiding over the Hashemi trial said: “We are obliged, as a court, to listen to the appeals court’s ruling. They will

examine it, and we will wait to see what they decide.” The judge did not set a date for a further hearing, but Higher Judicial Council spokesman Abdelsattar Bayraqdar told AFP that it had been delayed until July 24.

Bayraqdar added that another case against Hashemi was due to begin October 1, but he did not give further details. The case had previously been heard at the Central Criminal Court of Iraq’s (CCCI) offices in Harithiyah, west Baghdad, but yesterday marked the first hearing of the trial in the CCCI’s new location inside the Green Zone, in the building where now-executed dictator Saddam Hussein was tried. The trial, which began May 15, has previously heard testimony that silenced pistols were found in raids on Hashemi’s house and that his son-inlaw, bodyguards and other officials say they were offered money, or were coerced, into carrying out attacks on the vice president’s orders.

Hashemi, one of Iraq’s top Sunni Arab officials, was accused in December of running a death squad and, along with his staff and bodyguards, faces around 150 charges.

After the initial charges were filed, he fled to Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region before embarking on a regional tour that has taken him to Qatar, Saudi Arabia and then Turkey. Ankara has said it will not extradite him to Iraq.— AFP

WEST BANK: Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad (R) holds a joint press conference with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso in the West Bank city of Ramallah yesterday, for talks expected to focus on a financial crunch that has left the Palestinian government in the West Bank unable to pay wages on time. —AFP

KHARTOUM: Police in Sudan fired teargas at university student protesters in Khartoum yesterday after authorities arrested an opposition politician the day before, in the latest crackdown on public dissent against President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.

The Arab-African country has so far avoided the sort of mass unrest that overthrew rulers in Egypt and Tunisia last year, but small anti-government demonstrations have broken out over the last three weeks, driven by rising anger over austerity measures and Bashir’s 23 years in power.

Authorities have so far swiftly put the protests down, using batons and teargas. About 1,000 University of Khartoum students chanting “The people want the downfall of the regime” and “Down, down with military rule” tried to force their way out of their campus yesterday, but were driven back inside by police who fired volleys of teargas at them, witnesses said. Some 150 students temporarily broke through the cordon after throwing stones at police, before also being driven back inside, a student and an activist told Reuters.

The police were not immediately available to comment. On Friday, security forces also fired teargas at worshippers trying to leave a mosque to demonstrate after prayers, witnesses said. The University of Khartoum has symbolic significance in Sudan’s political history as it was the centre of popular uprisings in 1964 and 1985, both of which ousted military rulers. Bashir is one of Africa’s longest serving rulers.

On Saturday night, security agents arrived at the house of Kamal Omar, a prominent member of the opposition Popular Congress Party, at around 11:00 p.m. (2000 GMT) and arrested him, his wife said. “Two cars came to our house and about five security officers came inside,” she told Reuters. Another party leader confirmed the arrest. There was no immediate comment from the security services. The arrest followed a declaration on Wednesday signed by the country’s main opposition parties that backed the demonstrations, even though they have not yet brought their supporters onto the streets in large numbers. Omar’s party is headed by Hassan al-Turabi,

once one of Sudan’s most influential politicians and a former spiritual mentor to President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who came to power in a bloodless 1989 coup. Turabi himself has been arrested a number of times. The two men fell out in the late 1990s and Turabi has since become one of the government’s most outspoken critics. Sudan has been battling an economic crisis - including a budget deficit, high inflation and a depreciating currency - since South Sudan took three-quarters of the country’s oil production with it when it seceded a year ago.

Oil was previously Sudan’s main source of revenues and foreign currency. Last month, the government announced tough austerity measures aimed at stabilising the economy, a move which triggered a spate of small demonstrations, that began on university campuses before spreading beyond the capital. The protests have rarely gathered more than a few hundred people at any one time, but are an added challenge for a government which is already trying to quell multiple armed rebellions. — Reuters

Israel’s Netanyahu backs ‘conscription for all’ plan JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced yesterday he will back a controversial plan to compel ultra-Orthodox Jews and Arab Israelis to complete compulsory military or community service. The decision was an about-turn for Netanyahu, who just last week dissolved the panel whose recommendations he has now endorsed, after a key coalition partner threatened to withdraw from the government.

“We are citizens of one state, and must all share the burden of its service,” he said at the opening of his weekly cabinet meeting, after the Likud party voted to endorse the findings of the so-called Plesner committee. Netanyahu cautioned that moves to expand the national service of Arab Israelis and ultra-Orthodox Jews “must be executed gradually and in a way that will not cause a rift in the national unity.”

“The new law to be proposed will be applied to everyone: secular, ultra-Orthodox Jews, Jews, Arabs-everyone,” he added. Before the cabinet meeting, the Likud party voted unanimously to adopt the proposals that the committee head, Yohanan Plesner, made public last week despite Netanyahu’s dissolution of the panel.

Netanyahu’s government will now move towards drafting a law requiring all sectors of Israeli society to complete either military or community service, with penalties to be levied on those who fail to comply. The Plesner panel also called for increased incentives and benefits for those who serve, as well as efforts to combat draft-dodging. The new law will replace the socalled Tal Law, which contained national service exemptions for ultra-0rthodox Jews and Arab Israelis, but was overturned by Israel’s High Court earlier this year.

Netanyahu’s decision to endorse the Plesner committee’s findings appeared to head off the possibility of a coalition crisis. The Kadima party headed by Shaul Mofaz, which joined the government in May, giving Netanyahu a massive parliamentary majority, had threatened to quit the coalition over the issue of military service for

JERUSALEM: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at his office in Jerusalem yesterday.—AP all. But after the Likud party decision, Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister and Mofaz had agreed on the formation of a panel to draft the new law. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and vice prime minister Shaul Mofaz are in agreement on the formation of a commission charged with drawing up a law on the equality of service to be presented at the next government meeting,” it said.

Mofaz and deputy premier Moshe Yaalon will be part of the commission, as well as Plesner, a Kadima member of parliament. Mofaz made no public statement following the decision and sources in his party were reserved in their reaction to an apparent political victory for the Kadima leader over Netanyahu. “We are carefully considering it a step in the right direction,” a

Kadima official told AFP. “But ultimately, the real test will be in the legislation, which must uphold the principles of equal service to all and create a historic change.”

The issue of expanding national service to all sectors of Israeli society has proved thorny for Netanyahu, whose coalition groups secular parties like Kadima and the ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beitenu as well as ultra-Orthodox parties opposed to compulsory service. The issue has also resonated throughout Israeli society, with thousands of Israelis taking to the streets in Tel Aviv on Saturday night to call on the government to require all sectors of society to participate in national service. Military service is compulsory for most Israelis over the age of 18, with men serving three years and women two. — AFP

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in brief

Iraq’s Kurds sending oil to Turkey: Kurd official

CAIRO: A handout picture released by the Egyptian presidency shows Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi (R) meeting with Arab League Secretary General Nabil alArabi, at the presidential palace in Cairo yesterday. —AFP

Egypt: President orders dissolved parliament back CAIRO: Egypt’s president yesterday ordered the country’s Islamist-dominated parliament to reconvene in defiance of a military decree dissolving the legislature last month following a court ruling that a third of its members were illegally elected, the state news agency reported. The surprise move by the Islamist Mohamed Morsi will almost certainly lead to a clash with the powerful generals who formally handed power to him on June 30 after spending 16 months at the nation’s helm following the ouster of Hosni Mubarak in a popular uprising.

The decree by Morsi, a longtime Muslim Brotherhood member, also called for new parliamentary elections to be held within 60 days of the adoption of a new constitution for the country, which is not expected before late this year. Last month, the thenruling military generals dissolved the legislature based on the ruling by the Supreme Constitutional Court, the country’s highest tribunal.

The military announced a “constitutional declaration” on June 16 that gave it legislative powers in the absence of parliament and stripped Morsi of much of his presidential authority. It also gave the generals con-

trol over the process of drafting a new constitution and immunity from any civilian oversight.

Morsi came to power after narrowly defeating Mubarak’s last prime minister, Ahmed Shafiq, in a June 16-17 runoff. He was declared the winner on June 24. He symbolically took the oath of office five days later at Tahrir Square, birthplace of the revolt that toppled Mubarak’s regime on Feb. 11, 2001. He took the formal oath the next day before the Supreme Constitutional Court and later during a speech at Cairo University before hundreds of his supporters, including many of the dissolved legislature’s lawmakers. A conservative Islamist, Morsi’s move may have been inspired in large part by a desire to assert his authority in the face of the military, which has been the country’s de facto ruler since army officers seized power in a 1952 coup that toppled the monarchy. But Morsi’s defiance of a ruling by the country’s highest court could backfire, leading to charges that he has no respect for the judiciary. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, the formal name of the body that groups the country’s top generals, has yet to comment on Morsi’s decree. — AP

ARBIL: Iraqi Kurdistan has begun sending oil produced in its three-province autonomous region out of the country without the express permission of the central government, an official said yesterday. The central government in Baghdad, meanwhile, insisted that it reserved the sole right to export oil, which accounts for the lion’s share of the country’s income and is at the centre of a dispute between the capital and Kurdistan. “We started exporting limited quantities of crude oil to Turkey a few days ago,” Seerwan Abubaqr, an adviser to the Kurdistan government’s natural resources ministry, told AFP. He said the crude was being exported to Turkey so it could be refined into various products before being brought back to Kurdistan. “If we need to, we will export oil to Iran,” Abubaqr added. “We will continue exports of crude oil until the central government provides the region with oil products.”

Israel to bring remaining Ethiopian Jews by 2014 JERUSALEM: Israel’s Cabinet has approved plans to bring in the last of Ethiopia’s Jews over the next two years. More than 120,000 Ethiopian Jews live in Israel after waves of immigration over the past three decades. Advocates say some 2,200 Jews remain in Ethiopia. They are Falash Mura, members of a community that converted to Christianity under duress more than a century ago but have reverted to Judaism. Some in Israel have questioned whether the Falash Mura are actually Jewish. Ethiopian immigrants are routinely required to go through a religious conversion process. Once in the country, many face problems assimilating because of cultural differences. Some say they encounter racism. The government said yesterday in a statement that it will open a $4.3 million absorption center in September to accommodate the newcomers.

Yemen frees 25 southern separatists ADEN: Yemeni authorities have released 25 activists hours after they were arrested in the south following deadly clashes between police and separatists, activists said yesterday. The capital of the formerly independent South Yemen, Aden, was cautiously calm yesterday, a day after a gathering by separatists commemorating the north’s seizure of the south in 1994 turned into a gunbattle. Two protesters were killed and one man was left “clinically dead” in the clashes which took place in Aden’s Mansura district, a medical official from Al-Naqib hospital told AFP. Further east, in the town of Seyun in Hadramawt province, one protester was killed and four others were wounded on Saturday when police opened fire on another group of demonstrators, activists said.

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

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

Congo rebels seize town after army flees KINSHASA: Rebels have seized a town on volatile eastern Congo after the army fled their advance, a local official said yesterday. Omar Kavota says the M23 rebels seized the town of Rutshuru yesterday. Kavota says the army looted during their retreat. “We appeal to the international community to do something to protect the civilians who fled the fighting and are living in fear,” he said.

Panicked residents were fleeing Rutshuru on Friday night amid reports that the rebels had advanced within shelling distance, according to a statement from the Nor th Kivu Civil Society. Fears were heightened by the

evacuation of UN and independent aid agencies, followed in the late afternoon by the retreat of Congolese army soldiers, it said.

An Indian peacekeeper was killed overnight on Thursday as M23 fighters attempted to take the town of Bunagana, said Madnodje Mounoubai, the United Nations spokesman in Congo. Congo’s twoyear long peace was shattered in April when an army unit led by Gen. Bosco Ntaganda defected. They fled into the bush, where they regrouped as the M23 rebels, named for the date in March 2009 when the former rebels signed a deal with the Congolese gov-

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Suspect held in slaying of family in England LONDON: British police say a man thought to be the prime suspect in the slaying of a family of four in England has been arrested in Morocco.

The Northamptonshire Police force says a man fitting the description of 53-year-old Anxiang Du was detained Saturday in Tangier. The force said Moroccan police “strongly believe” that the arrested man is Du, who is wanted for the deaths of university lecturer Jifeng Ding, his wife Ge Chui and their daughters Alice, 12, and Xing, 18.

The family was found stabbed to death at home in Wootton, central England, on April 29, 2011.Detectives said last week that they believed Du had fled Britain after the killings and traveled through France and Spain to Morocco. British police said yesterday that they would seek Du’s extradition.

German graves vandalized in France PARIS: France’s Interior Ministry says about 40 graves of Germans killed in World War I have been vandalized. The incident came just before the leaders of the two countries meet yesterday to honor their reconciliation after two world wars. The ministry said in a statement late Saturday night that the graves targeted are in a military cemetery in Saint-Etienne-a-Arnes in northern France. It calls the vandalism “totally intolerable.” The reason for the attack is unclear.

French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are meeting yesterday in Reims, France, to mark the 50th anniversary of a meeting between France’s Charles de Gaulle and Germany’s Konrad Adenauer that paved the way for the ensuing decades of partnership and greater European unity.

Spanish police break up forged art ring, arrest 9 MADRID: The Interior Ministry says police agents have broken up a forged art ring and arrested nine people on suspicion of producing fake works by famous painters to sell them illegally on the black market. Investigators made the arrests in the Spanish cities of Madrid, Cordoba and Albacete and seized 60 fake paintings attributed to artists including Francisco Goya, Pablo Picasso and Joaquin Sorolla, a ministry statement said. Among other items seized were also four allegedly illegal elephant tusks, 30 pieces of carved ivory, 35 bars of gold bullion and a handgun. The forged art works were destined for sale through a well-known Madrid gallery and each piece was accompanied by a counterfeit certificate of authentication, the statement released yesterday said. It was not clear when the arrests took place.

ernment, a deal brokered as the army was in full retreat and the dissidents threatened to take the eastern provincial capital of Goma.

Under the accord, the rebels were integrated into the very army they have now deserted once more. After controlling mountaintops along Congo’s border with Rwanda, the rebels earlier this week made a push and seized the strategic village of Jambo, cutting access to the border crossing of Bunagana into Uganda and Rwanda. Then overnight Thursday, they took Bunagana, according to a spokesman for the rebels as well as a resident of the town

who requested anonymity fearing reprisal.

A United Nations report says that the rebels are led by Ntaganda, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, and backed by Rwanda - a charge Rwanda denies. The notoriously ill-equipped Congolese army has been struggling to contain the rebellion. On Friday, the spokesman for the Ugandan army Capt. Peter Mugisa said that around 600 Congolese soldiers had sought refuge in Uganda after an intense battle with the rebels.

Mugisa were in the custody of the Ugandan military and did not want to go back home yet, fearing they might

Putin seeks answers over deadly floods Death toll hits 150 GELENDZHIK: Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered investigators to find out whether local officials could have done more to prevent floods killing 150 people in southern Russia after flying to the region to handle the first big disaster of his new presidency.

Putin, who was criticised for his slow reac tion to disasters earlier in his career, has promised money for new homes for victims of the worst flooding in decades in Krasnodar, a prosperous region with thriving agriculture and tourism.

He declared today a day of mourning for the dead, most of whom drowned.

Many were elderly people caught unawares as they slept when water swept through their homes after two months’ average rainfall fell in a night. “I have asked the leadership of the (federal) Investigative Committee to come down,” Putin said late on Saturday during a meeting with officials in Krymsk, the worst-hit town. “The Investigative Committee will check the actions of all the authorities - how notice was given, how it could have been given, how it should have been given and who acted in what way.”

Police said survivors climbed into trees and onto roofs to stay above the waters, which flooded entire ground floors of some buildings and created driving torrents in some streets. Almost 30,000 homes were also without electricity and gas in a region that is Russia’s traditional “bread basket ”, emergency officials said. In Krymsk, where 139 people died, residents were

without drinking water and the Health Ministry, concerned about potential infection from a local cemetery eroded by floodwaters, began vaccinating residents. Rains continued there yesterday.

But the sun was shining and the waters had receded from the resort town of Gelendzhik, on the Black Sea coast, where nine people were killed.

The town had appeared badly flooded in aerial photographs taken on Saturday. Emergencies Ministry aircraft were taking off from Gelendzhik airport, the nearest regional airport to Krymsk. Most passenger rail traffic resumed yesterday and Russia’s biggest port, Novorossiisk, a major outlet for crude oil from the world’s largest producer, resumed normal operations, an official at the port operator said.

Novorossiisk is also a major outlet for wheat from Russia, the world’s second largest exporter this past year. The official said Novorossiisk Grain Terminal was ready to resume exports, though none were scheduled for yesterday.

The consequences of the flash flood could be more lasting for Putin, though he moved swiftly to show he was on top of the rescue effort. On Saturday, Putin and the regional governor surveyed the flood zone from a helicopter and bumped over a country road in a minibus with the head of the Krymsk distric t, discussing the disaster response in the town worst hit by the flooding. A criminal investigation was opened into whether the deaths were caused by negligence, Russian media reported. It was the first major disaster

KRYMSK: This picture taken yesterday shows a general view of the flooded town of Krymsk. —AFP in Russia since he returned to the Kremlin for a third term as president after a four-year interlude as prime minister. The former KGB spy, now 59, has increasingly struggled to project his customary image of mastery since the outbreak of protests against his rule last December. In his 12 years in power, both as president and prime minister, Russia has been plagued by natural and man-made disasters that have laid bare a longstanding shortfall in investment and management of Russia’s transport and infrastructure. These include deadly

forest fires in 2010 and the sinking of the Kursk nuclear submarine in 2000 which killed 118 sailors and officers.

Putin was accused of responding slowly to the Kursk disaster because attempts by foreign rescue teams to save the sailors were initially not allowed. Putin on Saturday ordered the Emergencies Ministr y to check a reser voir near Kr ymsk. The state water resource agency has rejected suggestions by residents that a release of water from a nearby reservoir was responsible for the severe flooding in Krymsk.—Reuters

Raids and reprisals in central Nigeria kill 37

Woman held in UK terror probe freed without charge LONDON: One of seven people arrested over an alleged plot to launch a terrorist attack in Britain has been released without charge, police said yesterday, as detectives continued to question more than a dozen other people over two alleged plots. The Metropolitan Police said the 30-year-old woman detained in London on Thursday has been freed.

Five men and a woman are still being questioned over allegations of “the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.”

The suspects include a British Muslim convert who once appeared in a documentary about Islamist extremism and three brothers who were detained by armed police at their home near London’s Olympic Park. Counter-terror officers are on high alert ahead of the Olympics, which begin July 27, but police say the arrests are not connected to the Summer Games.

They are among a spate of pre-Olympics arrests and security scares. The Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported that a terrorist suspect who is subject to limits on his movements under a contentious order known as a Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measure was arrested in May after traveling by train five times to Stratford railway station, beside the Olympic Park. The man, suspected of ties to Somalia’s al-Shabaab militants and identified in court documents as CF, did not enter the Olympic venue.

Separately, police in central England are questioning seven men arrested after a car stopped by police on a highway for being uninsured was found to contain guns, ammunition and other weapons. Police have not given full details of the haul but say the guns were not automatic and were not loaded. On Thursday, armed police closed a highway in central England, evacuated dozens of passengers from a bus and sent in bomb disposal units after a passenger reported vapor coming from a bag. The source turned out to be an electronic cigarette, designed to help smokers quit.

Britain’s terrorist threat risk remains at substantial, the middle point on a five-point scale, meaning an attack is a strong possibility. Intelligence officials say there has been an expected increase in chatter among extremist groups ahead of the Olympics, but there are no specific or credible threats to the games.— AP

be massacred by the rebels they were sent to fight. Analysts fear that the new conflict could once again drag Congo into another cycle of violence.

In the country’s lawless east, entire wards have been set up to treat rape victims, one of the many atrocities that have become widespread as a result of years of fighting.

The rebellion has caused more than 200,000 people to abandon their homes and flee, some displaced inside Congo others across the borders into Rwanda and Uganda. The UN World Food Program is asking for an additional $45 million to feed them.— AP

REIMS: France’s President Francois Hollande listens to German Chancellor Angela Merkel as they attend a day of ceremonies to commemorate the 50th anniversary of renewed Franco-German relations after World War II yesterday in Reims. —AFP

France, Germany celebrate friendship amid crisis REIMS: The leaders of France and Germany joined in a symbolic celebration of unity yesterday, hailing a relationship that has brought peace to Europe for 50 years but must now prove it can survive its most serious crisis to date. Taking a pause from more than two years of constant crisis management that has strained FrancoGerman ties, President Francois Hollande welcomed his German counterpart, Chancellor Angela Merkel, to the city of Reims in eastern France.

The event replicated an encounter in 1962 between former French president Charles de Gaulle and German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, when the two leaders enshrined Franco-German ties in a city that once bore the brunt of shelling in World War One. But while De Gaulle and Adenauer’s encounter sealed a reconciliation after two wars, yesterday’s meeting was held against a backdrop of acrimony over how to handle Europe’s debt crisis.

“The European Union is going through a crisis - it won’t be the first, it won’t be the last,” Hollande said in a speech by the giant double-doors of Reims’ Notre Dame Cathedral, where French kings were once crowned. “But ... it forces us to move toward a new phase of development.” “Mrs Chancellor, I propose to you that we, together, walk through a new door to years that will make the friendship between our two countries even deeper,” he added.

The meeting was a faithful reenactment of the 1962

encounter down to the lunch menu. Even the rainy weather was the same. Like their predecessors, Merkel and Hollande stood side-by-side to review a parade of French and German troops before listening to a children’s choir in the cathedral’s knave, where one of the most famous photographs of De Gaulle and Adenauer was taken. Lunch, hosted by Michelin-starred French chef Philippe Mille, was a historical throwback: cold salmon, filet of beef with peas, braised carrots and potatoes, with raspberry macarons for desert. The meal was accompanied by three bottles of vintage Champagne from the region.

For people who witnessed the first Reims meeting, the progress since that day from friendship to a political and economic union is a subject of wonderment. “ This was a historical turning point,” said Pierre Maillard, a former diplomatic advisor to the French presidency, in a documentary produced by the OFAJ Franco-German Office. “The idea of an association of interests between our two countries was nothing short of revolutionary,” he said, noting that public opinion in France at the time was stacked against the idea of a partnership with Germany.

But underneath the sense of elation about the past, anxiety over the present ran high as the euro zone - the crowning legacy of Franco-German entente - struggles to restore confidence in the creditworthiness of its peripheral members. — Reuters

JOS: Raids and reprisal attacks have left 37 people dead in Christian villages near a Nigerian city where authorities have struggled to contain religious violence, authorities said yesterday. Mustapha Salisu, spokesman for a special taskforce made up of policemen and soldiers deployed in the area to curb years of violence, said assailants launched “sophisticated attacks” on several villages near Jos early Saturday. “They came in hundreds,” said Salisu, “Some had (police) uniforms and some even had bulletproof vests.”

He said the special taskforce fought back for hours and lost two policemen in the battle. He said 14 civilians were killed in the raids and that the taskforce killed 21 assailants. “More than 100 people have been displaced,” said Andronicus Adeyemo, an official with the Nigerian Red Cross. Authorities declined to comment on who they suspect, but similar raids have been blamed on Muslim herdsmen in the past.

Mark Lipdo, who runs a Christian advocacy group known as the Stefanos Foundation, gave a list of the 13 villages where he got reports of attacks. He said they were all Christian. He blamed Muslim herdsmen of the Fulani ethnic group for the attacks. However, Nurudeen Abdullahi, Plateau State Chairman of Miyetti Allah Fulani Herdsmen Association, denied any involvement by the herdsmen. “This a usual propaganda used on our people but we are not the ones that attacked the villages in the area,” he said.

Abdullahi accused Christian farmers of attacking Muslim settlements and stealing their cows. Jos and surrounding Plateau state have been torn apart in recent years by violence pitting its different ethnic groups and major religions Christianity and Islam - against each other. While divided by religion, politics and economics often fuel the fighting. These are just the latest killings to target the Riyom and Barkin Ladi local government areas, regions of farmlands that supply produces like potatoes, corn and tomatoes to the rest of the nation.

Nigeria, a multiethnic nation of more than 160 million people, is largely divided into a mainly Christian south and a predominantly Muslim north. Jos is located in the “middle belt,” at the meeting point of these two regions. Human Rights Watch says at least 1,000 people were killed in communal clashes around Jos in 2010. However, the rise of a northern-based Islamist insurgency known as Boko Haram has added a new dimension to the long-running conflict, fanning religious tensions in this flashpoint area.

Salisu said authorities discovered a bomb and safely detonated it late Friday in a populated neighborhood in the city of Jos. They declined to say who they suspect but sect members have claimed responsibility for bomb attacks in Jos in the past.

All previous Jos attacks have targeted churches, a deliberate move to trigger more religious violence, many have said. They all sparked reprisals.—AP

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

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

Evangelicals grow in number, clout in Brazil BRASILIA: Roman Catholics are scrambling to shore up support among the faithful in Brazil, the world’s largest Catholic country, ahead of a visit next year by Pope Benedict XVI and amid a growing tide of conversions to Protestantism. Out of a Brazilian population of 191 million, 123.2 million define themselves as Catholics, more than any other country in the world.

But census figures highlight decades of decline in the ranks of Catholics here, who in 1970 were almost 92 percent of the population, but by 2000 comprised just 74 percent and today account for a mere 64.6 percent, according to 2010 census data.

Meanwhile, the percentage of Protestant evangelicals has soared by 42.3 million-a figure equivalent to the entire population of Chile-increasing in the decade between 2000 and 2010 from 15.4 percent of Brazil’s population to 22.2 percent.

Jose Diniz, a professor at Rio’s National School of Statistics, predicts the downward trend for Catholicism will continue and that by 2030, Catholics will represent less than 50 percent of the population. This is not welcome news for Pope Benedict XVI, who is to make his second visit to Brazil since 2007 next July to attend World Youth Day, a Catholic church event expected to draw hundreds of thousands of youths from around the world to Rio. Last year Silas Malafaia, a 54-year-old television evangelist who openly attacks abortion and gay marriage, launched an online mission to “lure a million souls” to his Victory in Christ Assembly of God church. The church has almost 20,000 members in Rio state and 90 other branches across Brazil.

According to the church’s electronic membership registry, more than 60,000 faithful have joined the

preacher’s campaign after making a “voluntary donation” of at least $500.

“I believe that evangelicals will become a majority in Brazil within 20 years,” Malafaia told AFP. New followers are recruited via the Internet or during mega-events organized by Malafaia. who rents commercial spaces on national television stations and owns a publishing house. The Assemblies of God, the largest evangelical group with roots in Brazil dating back more than a century, has 50,000 pastors and 100,000 churches, including megachurches, according to Malafaia. By contrast, the Catholic church says it has less than 25,000 priests and 11,000 parishes.

“Most evangelicals are former Catholics, but being Catholic does not mean being a practicing Catholic. By contrast, an evangelical lives his faith at work, in school and in the community,” Malafaia

said. Evangelicals also are increasing their political muscle. In Brazil’s 594-member Congress, they now form a powerful bloc of 73 deputies who espouse conservative views, including support for “the natural family made of a man and a woman,” said lawmaker and pastor Ronaldo Fonseca. Analysts link the defection of many Catholics to internal migrations of the past few years, in which tens of thousands of Brazilians have flocked from their home regions to the outskirts of major cities for economic reasons.

“They leave Catholic northeastern and southern Brazil and congregate in poor suburbs where the state is absent and where the Catholic church has a very low profile,” said Cesar Romero Jacob, a political scientist at Rio’s Catholic University and a leading expert in religious trends in Brazil. “Pentecostal groups,” he said, “have occupied this space.”— AFP

Mass Mexico City protest against Pena Nieto win Marchers claim Nieto ‘bought’ victory

NEW JERSEY: In this Jan 8, 2012 file photo, Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, campaigns with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, center, and Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., right, in Exeter, N.H. —AP

Leaks, lies, auditions all part of veepstakes WASHINGTON: Leaks are springing. Trial balloons are floating. Egos are being stroked.

Wanna-bes are auditioning. And, chances are, lies are being told. Somewhere, amid all of the shenanigans, Republican Mitt Romney is considering his choices for a running mate, one of the most significant decisions of his presidential campaign. The secrecy that shrouds the selection of a modern presidential running mate has given rise to political sideshows that play out in public while the more serious search operation takes place at a largely subterranean level.

Names of new Romney short-listers emerge; others fall by the wayside. Any kind of proximity to Romney - or his opponent - generates questions about GOP veep ambitions.

Why did Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire walk in a July Fourth parade with Romney?

Why did Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota turn up in Ohio and Pennsylvania during President Barack Obama’s Midwest bus trip? Why did Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio write a Cleveland newspaper column criticizing the president’s policies just as Obama headed for the state?

Comments by Romney and his team are parsed for deeper meaning. What to make of Ann Romney’s remark this past week that women are under consideration? What about Romney’s earlier comment that outspoken New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie “really is something?” Why did Romney pull back the veil last month to announce that Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida was being “thoroughly vetted” for vice president after reports to the contrary emerged? Consultant Bob Shrum, who’s worked on numerous Democratic presidential campaigns, says a closely held search operation is a good thing because it protects the people who open up their lives to the campaign to be thoroughly checked out as potential running

mates. But the lack of public information creates an opening for all sorts of political gamesmanship, including self-promotion by short-listers who aren’t on the short list at all and denials by actual short-listers who feign nonchalance. That makes it hard for voters to know what’s real and what’s simply for show. Which is just fine with Romney. Take all the recent attention on Portman, busy raising his own profile.

He invited reporters to an off-the-record dinner during the primaries, chatted them up on the press bus during a Romney tour of Ohio, and held a round-table with national media Saturday in New Hampshire, where he headlined a fundraiser for the state GOP. He said he was in the state “mostly on a college tour” with his daughter, but also expected to speak at some events in Boston on today to benefit Romney’s campaign.

Who’s really floating his name as a veep contender? “Is that a Romney float or is that a Portman float or is that a friends-of-Portman float?” asks Paul Light, a professor of government at New York University. “You just don’t know.” There’s an easy remedy available to wanna-be contenders who’ve been left off the short list, says Light. All it takes is a well-placed whisper from a friend of a friend to land on the veep list. “Instead of saying, ‘I could’ve been a contender,’ you can say, ‘I am a contender’ even if you’re not,” says Shrum.

No one’s owning up, but Rep. Eric Cantor, RVa., managed to get mentioned as a veep contender in 2008 although the notion that he was under consideration was laughable to GOP nominee John McCain’s campaign. Shrum, who worked on Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry’s 2004 campaign, when John Edwards was the running mate, says then-New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson “very much wanted to be seen as being vetted in 2004, until he pulled his own name out of contention.” —AP

Temps across US cool slightly, but it’s still hot PHILADELPHIA: Americans will be getting a slight break from the oppressive heat yesterday, one day after temperatures rose to above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) from the central states to the midAtlantic. Yet for many, the cooler temperatures won’t exactly be comfortable, falling only into the 90s F (low to mid 30s C).

Cooler air is sweeping southward in the eastern half of the country, bringing down some temperatures by 15 or more degrees from Saturday’s highs, which topped 100 F (38 C) in cities including Philadelphia, Washington, St. Louis, Indianapolis and Louisville, Kentucky.

For many areas, the cooler temperatures were ushered in by thunderstorms that knocked out power to thousands. In New Jersey, a line of strong, fast-moving storms knocked out power to nearly 70,000 on Saturday night. The heat also is blamed for more than 30 deaths across the country. A 4-month-old girl died and a 16-month-old girl was hospitalized Saturday in separate incidents in suburban Indianapolis when both were found trapped in cars during near-record 105-degree F (40.5-degree C) heat. Residents from Iowa to New Jersey spent the trying to stay cool. They dipped into the water, went to the movies and rode the subway just to be in air conditioning. If people ventured outside to do anything, they did it early. But even then, the heat was stifling. “It was baking on the 18th green,” said golfer Zeb Rogerson, who teed off at 6 am at an Alexandria, Virginia, golf course but was sweltering by the end of his round.

Micah Straight, 36, brought his three

daughters to dance in jets of water spurting from a “sprayground” near Philadelphia’s Logan Square fountain to cool off.

“We got here early, because I don’t think we’ll be out this afternoon - we’ll be in the air conditioning,” he said. “So I wanted to get them out, get some sunshine, get tired.” In South Bend, Indiana, serious kayakers took to the East Race Waterway, a 1,900-foot (579 meter) long manmade whitewater course near downtown. “A lot of times I’ll roll over just to cool off,” said Robert Henry of Carmel, just north of Indianapolis. “The biggest challenge is walking coming back up carrying a kayak three-eighths of a mile in this heat.”

In Manhattan, customers who stepped in to see “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” at an IFC movie theater were there for more than entertainment. “Of course we came to cool off!” said John Villanova, a writer who was on his second sweaty T-shirt of the day expecting to change again by evening. He said that earlier, he rode a Manhattan subway back and forth for a half an hour, with no destination in mind, “because it really keeps you cool.” In Chicago, street magician Jeremy Pitt-Payne said he has been working throughout the three-day stretch of tripledigit temperatures, but acknowledged that he might doff the Union Jack leather vest by the end of the day, even though it’s part of his British magician character along with the black top hat. But he had a secret for beating the heat - he starts his shows at 2 pm “when the Trump Tower is gracious enough to block out the sun” along his stretch of sidewalk. — AP

MEXICO CITY: Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched through Mexico City Saturday against the presidential election win of Enrique Pena Nieto, accusing him and his party of widespread vote-buying. The marchers claim Pena Nieto, from the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), “bought” his way to victory by handing out gift cards and securing paid favorable media coverage from the country’s two main TV networks. “Get out Pena, Mexico without the PRI!” the protesters chanted as the massive crowd made its way down the Paseo de la Reforma-a main thoroughfare in the capital-to the Zocalo, the city’s giant downtown square.

Mexico’s independent election authority on Friday ratified Pena Nieto’s victory in the July 1 vote, saying he bested his nearest opponent, leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, by nearly seven percentage points. But many in this country of 112 million have refused to accept Pena Nieto’s victory, which marks the return to power of the PRI, the party that ruled Mexico for seven decades until 2000, amid accusations of rigged elections and repression.

“We would look really bad if Pena Nieto would take office and we did nothing,” said Mara Soto, a 21 year-old student at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

Lopez Obrador, from the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), also came in second in the 2006 presidential election, that time by the slimmest of margins-less than one percentage point. He led protests that virtually paralyzed Mexico City for more than a month, claiming fraud in the contest in which outgoing President Felipe Calderon was elected.

Lopez Obrador however has said he was not behind Saturday’s march, which participants said was organized online via Facebook, Twitter and activist blogs. Students of the #YoSoy133 protest movement also said they did not organize the demonstration. Pena Nieto, 45, is set to take office in December. He inherits a country engaged in a brutal drug war and an economy struggling to create jobs. Nearly half of all Mexicans are poor, according to government figures.

Most of the marchers on Saturday appeared to be in their 20s, but families with young children and plenty of middle-aged protesters also attended. “I’m not young, but I’m with you!” cried out Noe Santillan Ortiz, 50, who addressed the

MEXICO CITY: Demonstrators show a sign depicting Enrique Pena Nieto as Dracula as they gather at the Zocalo Plaza in Mexico City, Saturday. —AP crowd from the base of the Angel of Independence monument, where the march began.

He then screamed himself hoarse leading expletive-laden anti-PRI chants. The crowd followed and roared with approval. Much of the anger was directed at Televisa, the largest media conglomerate in the Spanish-speaking world, and the smaller TV Azteca. According to a March survey by Defoe consultants, 90 percent of Mexicans get their news from TV-which, outside of cable TV, the two networks dominate.

Pena Nieto’s wife, Angelica Rivera, was a Televisa soap opera diva and star of telenovelas that include the 2007 hit “Distilling Love.” Critics point to documents leaked to local and foreign media alleging that Pena Nieto paid Televisa for years of glowing coverage. Both Pena Nieto and Televisa deny the charges. Plenty of anger was also directed at Soriana, Mexico’s giant supermarket chain. Pena Nieto “took advantage of the need of poor people to buy votes,” said Gabriel Mendoza, a 54 year-old carpenter, pointing to a yellow Soriana gift card allegedly handed out by

the PRI. The card had the logo of a pro-PRI union.

Immediately after the vote, Soriana supermarkets were swamped with people armed with yellow gift cards they said came from the PRI, fearful that the cards would be canceled after the election. The PRI insists it ran a clean election, and Soriana said the cards with union logos are part of a special buyer’s program. At least one PRI governor said the cards were part of a state program to help school children.

On Saturday Lopez Obrador-who said he will contest the results legally and peacefully-urged authorities to investigate the vote buying charges, and called on Calderon’s conservative National Action Party (PAN) to join efforts to prove that the PRI broke campaign spending limits. Octavio Aguilar, a senior campaign official for failed PAN presidential candidate Josefina Vazquez Mota, told AFP Friday that he estimates that the PRI spent up to $500 million on the campaign, far beyond the legal limit of $30 million. “This isn’t going to stay like this,” threatened Humberto Sanchez, 19. “There will be more marches.”— AFP

Obama challenges Romney on China trade in new ad WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama is challenging Mitt Romney’s promises to crack down on China’s trading practices, saying in an ad that the Republican candidate profited by allowing China to strip away US jobs. Obama’s ad, released Saturday, turns again to a recent Washington Post report that several businesses backed by Romney’s former private equity firm moved American jobs to China and India to cut costs. In a parting shot, a narrator says Romney is “not the solution. He’s the problem.”

The ad follows Obama’s two-day bus tour in Ohio and Pennsylvania, where the president announced plans to file a trade complaint against China at the World Trade Organization for unfairly imposing duties on US -produced automobiles. Ohio is home to several auto plants and tens of thousands of workers directly employed by the auto industry. China remains a flashpoint in the presidential campaign. Romney has accused Obama of failing to live up to promises to get tough on the economic powerhouse, saying he would label China a currency manipulator on his first day in office and fight the theft of intellectual property and job losses.

Obama’s administration says it has taken a broad effort to crack down on what it calls unfair Chinese trading practices, filing seven trade cases with the WTO against Beijing. The 30-second spot opens with a clip of Romney during a 2011 Republican primar y debate. He says “the Chinese are smiling all the way to the bank taking our jobs and taking a lot of our future. And I am not willing to let that happen.”

A narrator responds that Romney “made a fortune letting it happen.” The Obama ad refers to the Post account about the role Romney’s firm played with companies that were “pioneers” in helping outsource jobs. It pointed to one business that said it was a “one-stop shop for their outsource requirements.” “Mitt Romney’s not the solution. He’s the problem,” the narrator says.

Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul said it was “no surprise President Obama would want to distract Americans from the devastating June jobs numbers, but the American people deserve better than dishonest ads.”

The accusations over China come against the backdrop of a sluggish economy. The June jobs

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama smiles as he returns to the White House in Washington yesterday from Camp David, Md. —AP

report released Friday found that the economy added only 80,000 jobs during the month and unemployment stayed at 8.2 percent, fueling Romney’s charges that Obama has failed to guide the economy out of the recession. The Obama spot is part of a $25 million ad buy in

July and will run in New Hampshire, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Iowa, Colorado and Nevada.

The ad represents the latest attempt by Obama’s team to discredit Romney’s argument that his private sector experience makes him more qualified than the president to steer the economy during high unemployment. Obama’s campaign has repeatedly cited the recent Washington Post story outlining how several businesses backed by Romney’s former firm, Bain Capital, transferred jobs to lower-wage countries such as China and India.

Romney’s campaign has questioned the accuracy of the report and asked the Post for a retraction. The newspaper stood by its report. At campaign events, Obama has pointed to the outsourcing charges, saying he would end tax credits for companies that shipped jobs overseas, similar to a pledge he made during his 2008 campaign. “You want somebody who will give tax breaks to companies that create jobs in manufacturing here in the United States, not ship them overseas,” Obama said last month in Miami Beach, Florida.— AP

Tragic ‘guys day’ for NY clan; boat crash kills 3 SYLVAN BEACH: It was a “guys day,” a celebration of family and summer. Three boys and their dad took a 20-foot powerboat out on the central New York lake where they grew up, partly to mark the oldest boy ’s upcoming engagement. The family patriarch and two sons would die on Oneida Lake that Thursday night. A third son was badly injured, and his mother said he now carries the burden of surviving.

The oldest boy, Stephen Aceto, had told his family he was there to propose to his girlfriend, Krista Zeisman. She suspected the big question was coming her way but didn’t know for sure, said Stephen’s mother, Carolyn Aceto. Up from Tampa, Fla., where she and Stephen lived, she was meeting the large, close-knit Italian family

for the first time since they started dating a year ago. As the women, Carolyn and Krista included, mingled at home in nearby Utica, the men were on Oneida Lake, watching fireworks a day after Independence Day. It was a lake, Carolyn said, they knew “like the back of your hand” from family outings over the decades before. “They were just going to have a guys’ day,” Carolyn Aceto said in a strong voice that yielded to occasional cracks. “Just a guys’ fun day, then all of us all together.”

Shortly after 10 p.m., the pilot, believed by Carolyn Aceto to be 33-year-old Timothy Aceto, got distracted by fireworks. He looked away for a second and hit the concrete base of a buoy, wrecking the boat and sending all four men into the water. None wore a lifejacket. —AP

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

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

Islamists protest NATO supply line in Pakistan Clinton meets with Pakistani FM

CHAMAN: Afghan men comfort their relatives, who were injured in a trio of blasts in Arghistan district, as they receive treatment at civil hospital in Chaman, a Pakistani town along Afghan border yesterday. — AP

Bombs, attacks kill 23 in southern Afghanistan KABUL: Roadside bombs and insurgent attacks killed 16 Afghan civilians, five policemen and two members of the USled coalition in southern Afghanistan where militants are trying to reclaim territory, Afghan and NATO authorities said yesterday. A surge in Afghan and coalition forces during the past two years routed Taliban fighters from many of their strongholds in the south, but the insurgents stepped up their attacks this summer to take back key areas.

The civilians, including women and children, were killed in a trio of blasts in Arghistan district, along Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan. Kandahar province spokesman Ahmad Jawed Faisal said one bomb exploded when a minivan ran over it yesterday morning.

A second went off when other civilians riding a tractor arrived to help the wounded. A third explosion occurred about two hours later when a civilian vehicle hit a roadside bomb in another area of the district, killing two women.

At least 10 other civilians were injured in the three blasts. According to the United Nations, last year was the deadliest on record for civilians in the Afghan war, with 3,021 killed. The number of Afghan

civilians killed dropped 36 percent in the first four months of this year compared with last year, but the UN says that too many are still being caught up in violence.

The policemen were killed while responding to a gun battle being waged against insurgents early yesterday at a checkpoint in the Musa Qala district of neighboring Helmand province. Daoud Ahmadi, the spokesman in Helmand, said a group of Taliban fighters attacked the police checkpoint at about 3 a.m.

Afghan police called for reinforcements, but on the way, one of the police vehicles hit a roadside bomb, killing the five policemen. Ahmadi says three other policemen were wounded in the fourhour gun battle against the insurgents. He says the bodies of 20 insurgents were recovered from the battlefield.

Separately, two NATO service members were killed in southern Afghanistan -one in a roadside bomb explosion on Saturday and the other during an insurgent attack yesterday.

NATO did not disclose where the incidents occurred, or provide the nationalities of the soldiers killed. So far this year, 225 NATO service members have been killed in Afghanistan. —AP

Castro meets Hanoi top brass HANOI: Cuban President Raul Castro met with Vietnamese leaders yesterday following a visit to China, as Havana looks to old communist allies while it attempts to push through historic economic reforms.

Castro, who arrived Saturday in his first visit to Hanoi as head of state, is in the country to “consolidate and reinforce relations” between the two states, Vietnam foreign ministry spokesman Luong Thanh Nghi said.

The Cuban leader was given a guard of honor yesterday as he embarked on a series of talks with the top three figures in the autocratic regime- Communist Party secretary general Nguyen Phu Trong, President Truong Tan Sang and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. His appearances in China and Vietnam, two of a handful of remaining communist countries left in the world, come as Havana seeks to emulate their achievements in incorporating elements of capitalism into economic reforms.

During Castro’s earlier four-day visit to China he met President Hu Jintao and secured pledges from Beijing for financial aid, among other measures, to help the country in sectors such as technology and healthcare. Vietnam, which launched its own economic transformation to incorporate capitalism 25 years ago, will present an “economic model” for Castro to study,

according to a Vietnamese diplomat, who declined to be named.

The visit “is important for Vietnam because it will help to consolidate a traditional political and ideological alliance” at a time when Hanoi and Beijing are at loggerheads over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, he said. In 1986, Vietnam launched its “Doi Moi” policy, meaning revival, which gradually opened up the country to a market economy. Communist Party secretary Trong travelled to Havana in April, meeting the Cuban leader and his brother Fidel Castro, the father of the Cuban revolution, who stepped down from power in 2006 for health reasons.

At the time Trong said Cuba was undergoing economic reforms that Vietnam went through in the 1980s, which he said brought “very positive changes” to his own country. A Vietnamese diplomatic source close to the visit said there was no plan to sign any specific agreements during the trip.

Vietnam is an important economic partner for Cuba, particularly in the agricultural and electronics sectors.

The Southeast Asian nation is Cuba’s main supplier of rice, a staple food on the island. Bilateral trade was more than $250 million in 2010 and $274 million in 2011, according to official Vietnamese statistics. —AFP

HANOI: Visiting Cuban president Raul Castro (L) shakes hands with Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang as they meet at the presidential palace in Hanoi yesterday. —AP

LAHORE: Thousands of hardline Islamists streamed toward Pakistan’s capital in a massive convoy of vehicles yesterday to protest the government’s decision to allow the US and other NATO countries to resume shipping troop supplies through the country to Afghanistan. The demonstration, which started in the eastern city of Lahore, was organized by the Difah-e Pakistan Council Defense of Pakistan Council - a group of politicians and religious leaders who have been the most vocal opponents of the supply line.

Pakistan closed the route in November in retaliation for American airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani troops. After months of negotiations, Islamabad finally agreed to reopen the route last week after US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton apologized for the deaths. Clinton met with Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar for the first time since the apology yesterday on the sidelines of an Afghan aid conference in Tokyo and expressed hope that resolution of the supply line conflict would lead to better relations between the troubled allies.

One of the reasons Pakistan waited so long to resolve the conflict is that the government was worried about domestic backlash in a country where anti-American sentiment is rampant despite billions of dollars in US aid over the last decade. The protest started yesterday in the center of Lahore, where several thousand people assembled with scores of buses, cars and motorbikes. They linked up with thousands more supporters waiting on the city’s edge and drove toward Islamabad in a so-called “long march” against the supply line. The convoy included about 200 vehicles carrying some 8,000 people when it left Lahore, said police official Babar Bakht.

After completing the four-hour journey to Islamabad, they plan to hold a protest in front of the parliament building Monday. “By coming out on the streets, the Pakistani nation has shown its hatred for America,” one of the Difah-e-Pakistan leaders, Maulana Samiul Haq, known as the father of the Taliban, said in a speech on the outskirts of Lahore.

Supporters showered Haq with rose petals as he rode through Lahore in the back of a truck with other Difah-e-Pakistan leaders, including Hafiz Saeed, founder of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group; Hamid Gul, a retired Pakistani intelligence chief with a long histor y of militant suppor t; and Syed Munawar Hasan, leader of Pakistan’s most powerful Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami.

Many demonstrators rode on the tops of buses, waving party flags and shouting slogans against the US and NATO. “One solution for America, jihad, jihad!” they shouted. The crowd was dominated by members of Jamaat-ud-Dawa, widely believed to be a front group for Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is

blamed for the attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai in 2008 that killed more than 160 people. Jamaat-ud-Dawa is led by the group’s founder, Saeed.

“The movement that has been started to reverse the government’s decision to restore the NATO supply will go on until America leaves this region for good,” Saeed said in a speech on the outskirts of Lahore. “The mission is noble because it is to save the country and the nation from slaver y.” The US announced a $10 million bounty earlier this year for information leading to the arrest or

journey from the southern port city of Karachi to the Afghan border. But if the group has army backing, it could moderate its actions.

Although the army was outraged by the US attack on its troops, which Washington said was an accident, it was eager to repair the relationship to free up more than $1 billion in military aid that had been frozen for the past year.

The US waited so long to apologize in part because the Obama administration was apparently worried such a move would expose it to criticism from Republicans in a presidential election year. Many US officials and lawmak-

TOKYO: Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba (C) watches as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L) shakes hands with Afghan President Hamid Karzai during a group photo session prior to the opening session of the Tokyo Conference on Afghanistan in Tokyo yesterday. —AFP conviction of Saeed, but he operates freely in the country. Pakistan says it doesn’t have enough evidence to arrest Saeed, but many suspect the government is reluctant to move against him and other militant leaders because they have longstanding ties with the country’s military and intelligence service.

Rehman Malik, a government security adviser, said members of banned militant groups would not be allowed to enter Islamabad for the Difah-e-Pakistan protest Monday, but all others would be welcomed.

“They are patriots. They are not anti-state people,” Malik told reporters. “We will welcome them with open arms.” It’s unclear if they will try to prevent Saeed from attending the protest. Difah-e-Pakistan is widely believed to be supported by the Pakistani army as a way to put pressure on the US Its leaders have vowed to stop NATO trucks from making the

8 Chinese miners rescued after 3 days underground BEIJING: Eight Chinese miners were rescued yesterday after being trapped underground for more than three days in a flooded coal mine, while seven workers in another mine were killed by a gas explosion.

State broadcaster CCTV said the eight miners were lifted to the ground in Leiyang, a city in central Hunan province. Three other miners were believed to be still alive underground.

State television showed rescuers in orange suits and helmets lifting the workers on stretchers while a crowd of miners and others applauded. The survivors were placed in ambulances where nurses treated them before they were driven off to hospitals. At another coal mine in the same province, a gas explosion killed seven workers yesterday morning in the city of Lianyuan, the official Xinhua News Agency said. Thirty-nine other workers managed to escape and an investigation into the cause of the accident is under way, the report said.

Calls to the Lianyuan city work safety bureau rang unanswered yesterday. The Leiyang mine flood trapped 16 workers on Wednesday and 11 of them were confirmed alive on Saturday, said a provincial official who refused to give his name as is customary. Many of the miners were injured, Xinhua said. It said the flood in the mine occurred when 40 miners were working underground, and two dozen escaped.

Managers of the mine failed to report the accident in the required time, causing rescue efforts to be delayed by at least 12 hours, the agency reported. Mine managers often attempt to avoid punishment by either rescuing miners themselves or covering up accidents. The mine owner is under police custody, Xinhua said. Mine floods usually occur when miners drill through to abandoned shafts that have been allowed to fill with water. Along with gas explosions and cave-ins, they make China’s coal mines the world’s deadliest, although the death rate has fallen.

Safety improvements have cut annual fatalities by about one-third from a high of 6,995 in 2002.

That improvement has come despite a tripling in the output of coal, which generates most of China’s electrical power. Technological advances, better training and the closing of the most dangerous, small-scale mining operations have also made rescues more successful. In April 2010, 115 miners were pulled from a flooded mine in the northern province of Shanxi after more than a week underground. They survived by eating sawdust, tree bark, paper and even coal. Some strapped themselves to the walls of the shafts with their belts to avoid drowning while they slept. —AP

ers harbor deep suspicions of Pakistan, citing the country’s alleged support for militants fighting US troops in neighboring Afghanistan.

While the supply line through Pakistan was closed, the US was forced to rely on a longer, more costly route that runs into Afghanistan through Central Asia. The route cost the US an extra $100 million per month. The US also wanted to resolve the conflict because it needs Pakistan’s help to strike a peace deal with the Taliban in Afghanistan so that American troops can withdraw without the country descending into further chaos.

Pakistan is seen as key to an agreement because of its strong historical ties with the Taliban and its allies. Abbot reported from Islamabad. Associated Press writer Zarar Khan in Islamabad and Bradley Klapper in Tokyo contributed to this report. — AP

‘No Parking’ scrap prompts US army apology in S Korea SEOUL: The chief of US Forces Korea (USFK) apologised yesterday for an incident near one of the main US bases in South Korea during which military police handcuffed local residents over a parking infringement.

The US military’s presense on the peninsula is a sensitive issue, and incidents involving American servicemen have set off huge protests in the past calling for their withdrawal.

Last week’s incident occurred at Pyeongtaek, 70 km (40 miles) south of Seoul and home to Osan Air Base, when a patrol of US military policemen began arguing with a local car owner over his parking spot, local police said.

The incident sparked a scuffle and a crowd quick ly gathered at the scene, prompting the military police

to handcuff three locals to take them for questioning.

“I am very sorry this occurred. I want to express my sincere apology to the individuals and community affected by the incident,” General James D. Thurman said in a written statement. In 2002, the deaths of two schools girls hit by a US military vehicle conducting exercises and the subsequent acquittal of the involved servicemen in a US court martial led to a massive public outcr y and a series of nationwide anti-American protests.

The United States has about 28,000 troops in South Korea, in the allies’ defence against North Korea. The two Koreas are still technically at war after signing only an armistice treaty to end their 1950-53 war. — Reuters

Hong Kong leader heckled a week after taking office HONG KONG: Scuffles broke out yesterday between a large group of protesters and police, following a town hall-style meeting held by Hong Kong’s new leader, one week after he took office. New chief executive Leung Chun-ying smiled as he was escorted out of the community hall building by police while protesters shouted and threw balled-up paper at him.

Officers were forced to surround Leung’s car as it was driven away to protect him from the protesters.

Television news footage showed multiple people knocked to the ground during the conflict.

Yesterday’s session was supposed to be part of Leung’s charm campaign to address simmering public discontent and distrust over his administration, which is seen to be heavily influenced

by Chinese leadership in Beijing.

“The matter of trust is very important... in citizens’ right and freedom to express their views, including the issue of the freedom of the press,” said Leung during the meeting. A poll released by the University of Hong Kong last

month showed Leung’s popularity rating falling to 51.5, with nearly 40 percent of people saying they did not trust the government. Last Sunday rally organisers claimed 400,000 people turned out to protest against the new chief executive and Beijing’s meddling in local affairs, just hours after Leung was sworn in by Chinese president Hu Jintao.

Police gave a much lower estimate, putting the rally and march turnout, on the 15th anniversary of the former British colony’s return to China, at 63,000.

However both estimates were the highest respective figures for eight years. Less than a week ago a similar community hall meeting hosted by Leung was ended early after he was heckled by protesters before police escorted him out of the building. Hong Kong does not get to choose its leader via universal suffrage.

But Beijing has promised a direct election for the chief executive post in 2017, and for the legislature by 2020. —AFP

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

NEWS

PAMPLONA: A bull jumps over revelers in a bullring during the second running of the bulls at the San Fermin fiestas in northern Spain yesterday. — AP

Breakaway bull causes havoc in Pamplona

This undated handout image provided by The DNS Changer Working Group (DCWG) shows the webpage resulting from not having the DNS malware. — AP

Remember to check computer for malware WASHINGTON: Internet users scanning their Twitter feeds or Facebook accounts might want to add one more quick click to check their computer for malware.

Thousands of people whose computers were infected with malicious software more than a year ago faced the possibility of not being able to get online after midnight EDT (0400 GMT). FBI officials have been tracking the number of computers they believe still may be infected by the malware. As of Wednesday, there were about 45,600 in the US - nearly 20,000 less than a week ago.

Worldwide, the total is roughly 250,000 infected. The numbers have declined steadily, and recent efforts by Internet service providers may limit the problems today.

At 12:01 am EDT (0401 GMT), the FBI planned to shut down the Internet servers set up as a temporary safety net to keep infected computers online for the past eight months. The court order the agency obtained to keep the servers running expired, and it was not renewed. The problem began when international hackers ran an online advertising scam to take control of more than 570,000 infected computers around the world. When the FBI went in to take down the hackers late last year, agents realized that if they turned off the malicious servers being used to control the computers, all the victims would lose their Internet service.

In a highly unusual move, the FBI set up the safety net. The bureau brought in a private company to install two clean Internet servers to take over for the malicious servers so that people would not suddenly lose their Internet. The FBI arranged for a private company to run a website - http://www.dcwg.org - as a place where computer users could go to see if their computer was infected and find links to other computer security business sites where they could find fixes for the problem.

From the onset, most victims didn’t even know their computers were infected, although the malicious software probably has slowed their web surfing and disabled their antivirus software, making their machines more vulnerable to other problems. Many computer users don’t understand the complex machines they use every day to send email, shop, and cruise for informa-

tion. The cyberworld of viruses, malware, bank fraud and Internet scams is often distant and confusing, and warning messages may go unseen or unheeded.

Also, some people simply don’t trust the government, and believe that federal authorities are only trying to spy on them or take over the Internet. Blogs and other Internet forums are riddled with postings warning of the government using the malware as a ploy to breach American citizens’ computers. That’s a charge the FBI and other cybersecurity experts familiar with the malware quickly denounce as ridiculous.

Still, the Internet is flooded with conspiracy theories: “I think the FBI just wants everyone to go to that website to check our computers so they can check our computers as well. Just a way to steal data for their own research,” one computer user said in a posting on the Internet. Another observed: “Yet another ploy to get everyone freaked out ... remember Y2K.” There also is an underlying sense that this will be much ado about nothing, such as the approach of 2000. The transition to that year presented technical problems and fears that some computers would stop working because they were not set up for the date change. In the end there were very few problems.

Considering there are millions of Internet users across the country, several thousand isn’t a big deal, unless you’re one of them. Rep Jim Langevin, co-founder of Congress’ cybersecurity caucus, said computer users have a responsibility to practice good sense and make sure their computers are not infected or being hijacked by criminals. “These types of issues are only going to increase as our society relies more and more on the Internet, so it is a reminder that everyone can do their part,” he said.

Tom Grasso, an FBI supervisory special agent, said many Internet providers have plans to try to help their customers. Some may put technical solutions in place that will correct the server problem. It they do, the Internet will work, but the malware will remain on victims’ computers and could pose future problems. Other Internet providers are simply braced for the calls to their help lines. — AP

PAMPLONA, Spain: A massive fighting bull broke away from the pack at Spain’s Pamplona bull run yesterday, parting crowds of runners and landing two in hospital with bad cuts and bruises. The 640-kg beast, Navajito, sped ahead of a pack of six bulls charging through the northern city, where daredevils dressed in white with red neck scarves fought for space to escape the horns. Two Spanish men were injured in the run: one 29-year-old suffered cuts and bruises to his face and a 35-year-old badly bruised his back, the regional Navarra government said. They were taken to hospital and discharged a few hours later.

The Red Cross said it also treated 80 others for minor injuries at the scene. At the outset, the bulls burst out of the holding pen and thundered down Pamplona’s narrow, cobbled streets. Very quickly, Navajito broke ahead of the pack, a dangerous development, parting crowds of runners who cowered by the side or ran along with the bull, some even trying to touch its sides.

As the beast tried to swerve into one corner, it smashed against runners huddling along the side of the wall.

Moments later a runner fell over and was left sprawling on the ground in its path. The bull lowered

its horns as it charged past, but the sharp tips just missed him. At the entrance to the bullring, with the rest of the pack chasing behind, the bull charged over another half a dozen men who tumbled over each other in a scramble to escape. The bulls took just two minutes and 27 seconds to cover the 850-m course.

“It was incredible. You really feel alive. Time goes by really quickly, you are so concentrated in staying ahead of the bulls,” said Carlos Saiz, 27, from Madrid who like many others carried a rolled-up newspaper used to tap the bulls.

People clung to street lights and sat on window ledges along the route to get a better view of the run, the centrepiece of the San Fermin festival, which wraps up on July 14. Some wore colourful wigs or large plastic sunglasses as they swilled back sangria and beer from plastic cups. “The bulls raced by much faster than I expected,” said 23-year-old Spaniard Victor Batres, who watched the run behind a wooden barrier near the city’s bullring where the course ends. “I could never take part in a run, I would be too scared.”

A 73-year-old retired architect, Victor Arrecivita Calvet, was gored in his left leg on Saturday during

the first bull run of this year’s festival. He underwent surgery to treat a 25-cm long gash which missed major arteries and remains in hospital. “These things happen and, this time, it happened to me,” the Pamplona native told local newspaper Diario de Navarra. “What bothers me the most is that it happened precisely on the opening day. Now I will have to watch the rest of the runs on television and I know I will miss being there.” Calvet has taken part in bull runs in Pamplona for the past 30 years. He was gored once before, in 1993.

Five others, including an Australian and a Japanese man, suffered cuts and bruises in slips along the route but were treated and released from the hospital on the same day. Last year 20,500 people took part in the festival’s eight bull runs, nearly half of them coming from abroad, mostly the United States, Australia and Britain. Three years ago a bull gored a 27-year-old Spaniard to death, piercing his neck, heart and lungs with its horns in front of hordes of tourists.

Pamplona officials expect about half a million people will flock to the city of 200,000 residents during the festival, which dates back to medieval times. — AFP

KAC grounds planes Continued from Page 1 The state-owned carrier has a fleet of 15 Airbus and two Boeing aircraft that were acquired about 20 years ago and have encountered many technical problems in the past few years. “Safety conditions have deteriorated because of repeated malfunctions in some planes which necessitated taking such a decision,” said Othaina, who is also Kuwait’s communications minister.

His comments came as media reported yesterday that a KAC flight from Kuwait to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia narrowly escaped disaster after one of its engines burst and a second broke down. The Airbus A300 with 186 passengers on board made

an emergency landing Wednesday in the city of Madinah, the latest of a series of reported breakdowns in the KAC fleet. Kuwait’s parliament passed a law in Jan 2008 to privatise the lossmaking carrier but the government in October put the brakes on the plan and agreed instead to restructure KAC after private buyers offered a low price.

International firms have valued the assets of Kuwait Airways at KD 220 million ($800 million). The government sent a new draft law to parliament in June proposing to delay the privatisation plan for at least three years during which 10 new aircraft will be purchased and the government would pay the carrier’s deficit. Parliament did not discuss

the new draft bill because it was scrapped in a constitutional court ruling that also reinstated the previous parliament, citing flawed procedures.

The airline’s privatisation law stipulates the sale of 35 percent of the company to a strategic investor and 40 percent to citizens in an initial public offering. Five percent will be granted to Kuwaiti employees while the remaining 20 percent will be held by Kuwait Investment Authority, the OPEC member’s sovereign wealth fund. Kuwait Airways has posted a loss in all but one of the past 21 years, amounting to more than $2.7 billion. Losses are paid by the state because the carrier is entirely government-owned. — AFP

Pro-govt MP proposes to cut number of votes Continued from Page 1 Under the current election system introduced in 2006 under pressure from the opposition, the country is divided into five electoral constituencies, with each constituency electing 10 MPs for the 50-member Assembly. Also, under the system, each voter is allowed to elect a maximum of four candidates with the aim to provide minority groups and individual candidates a chance to win seats.

However, the new election system has been criticized for failing to eliminate or even reduce the outlawed tribal primaries and also for failing to check sectarian and factional tendencies, particularly in the 2009 and 2012 elections. It was also criticized for the unfair distribution of voters. For example, the second constituency has around 46,000 voters against around 120,000 registered voters in the fifth constituency.

Former MP Nasser Al-Duwailah announced yesterday that he along with constitutional experts have decided to challenge the five-constituency election system for being unconstitutional. The best solution that has been repeatedly floated to resolve the ills of the system is to turn Kuwait into a single constituency where voters pick

up parties or coalitions instead of individuals. The idea has not been seriously discussed so far especially by the Assembly. So until a permanent amendment can be made, MPs have made a variety of proposals to resolve immediate problems.

Leading opposition MPs strongly criticized Rashed’s proposal, describing it as a part of attempts to change the election system with the aim to forge the “will of the nation” and subsequently the outcome of the election to reduce the presence of the opposition in the next Assembly. The opposition has threatened to take action if the election system is changed, with some opposition MPs threatening to boycott the election, but it became clear yesterday that no final decision had been reached by the opposition.

MP Jamaan Al-Harbash had said that the opposition would boycott the election if the election system was changed, while MP Mohammad Hayef said that so far no final decision was made. Leading opposition MP Musallam Al-Barrak said on his Twitter account yesterday that if the system was changed, the opposition will boycott the election but will not sit at home. It will go out in peaceful gatherings along with supporters, Barrak said.

14

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

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Issues

Arab Spring is ‘pulling plug’ on nuke ambitions

By Taylor Luck long with lifetime presidencies, emergency laws, and personalized security forces, the Arab Spring uprisings of the past year have claimed another illustrious victim: nuclear energy. “All the plans, all the agreements, all the studies; everything has stopped,” said Abdelmajid Mahjoub, director of the Arab Atomic Energy Agency (AAEA), a regional atomic energy body affiliated with the Arab League. According to the AAEA, nearly a dozen Arab states had either embarked upon or revived peaceful nuclear energy programs during the last decade to fuel energy-costly desalination projects and meet skyrocketing electricity demand spurred by demographic growth.

Yet, a few short years later, such atomic energy dreams have been shattered by the new political realities of the Arab Spring, as months of political upheaval have transformed a region once destined for a nuclear renaissance into a blackspot on the nuclear industry map. “No-one wants to invest in long-term projects in the Arab world, especially anything with the word ‘nuclear’ in it,” Mahjoub said. Industry observers say no nuclear program has been harder hit by the Arab Spring than Egypt’s, where popular protests pulled the plug on the country’s fifth attempt to go nuclear in nearly half a century.

“After years of moving ahead, everything changed in a single day,” said Ibrahim Shaway, vice chairman of the Egyptian Nuclear Power Plants Authority, which invited international firms to submit bids for the country’s first reactor the very day protestors began gathering in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. According to Shaway, the popular uprising and the resulting political instability “scared off” once eager investors, leaving energy officials struggling to find a firm willing to take a chance on a program that once envisioned the construction of four nuclear reactors. “Until stability is restored and we can regain investor confidence, we just can’t get anyone interested in taking part in our program.”

While the Egyptian program has grounded to a halt, nuclear energy has completely fallen off the policy agendas in countries such as Libya and Yemen, where revolutionaries face the tall tasks of uniting bitterly divided nations and building state institutions from the ground up.

“We have an entirely new set of priorities,” said Al Mukhtar Ashur of the Libyan Atomic Energy Establishment. “How can we even talk about nuclear now when we don’t even have a government?”

While the series of popular uprisings may have shattered investor confidence, the democratic governorates brought by the revolutions have been less than reassuring, energy officials say. The fall of various dictators has led to the rise of Islamist-led governments, who industry leaders view as “inexperienced” and “unpredictable” decision-makers unwilling or unable to make the difficult policy decisions or financial commitments required by national nuclear programs. “After the revolutions, investors face even more unknowns: will these inexperienced governments have an energy strategy? Will they uphold previous agreements?” Mahjoub remarked. “We have to answer all these questions before we can get the Arab nuclear drive back on track.”

Unlike their dictatorial predecessors, post-Arab Spring governments are also beholden to a public ready to mobilise at a moment’s notice - an additional condition that makes divisive issues such as nuclear energy a much harder sale to make. “If there is anything we have learned from the revolution is that we must take the public’s will into account every step of the way, from the technology selection to the site of the reactor,” Shaway said. “It has become a delicate process.”

Regional political shifts have even impacted the nuclear ambitions of more politically stable states such as Jordan where an Arab Spring inspired anti-nuclear movement has forced energy officials to relocate the site for the country’s planned nuclear reactor and even prompted parliament to vote to suspend the program entirely. “The recent changes have made public outreach a main goal and a challenge,” said Khaled Toukan, head of the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission, which aims to establish the country’s first reactor by the end of the decade. “If we can get the public on our side and show them the facts, we know we can succeed. Yet, as the fallout of the Arab Spring continue to reshape and recast the region’s political landscape, experts say the future of Arab nuclear programs remain as unclear as the very movements which brought them to a halt. “One day we will stop talking about the Arab Spring and talk about a nuclear spring,” said Mustafa Bahran of the Yemeni Atomic Energy Commission. “But first we may face a long winter ahead.” — dpa

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

Gujarat’s grip on lions may be too tight

By Katy Daigle peacock shrieks. A monkey scrambles higher into the fire-colored canopy of a kesudo tree. And an Asiatic lion - one of the last few hundred in the wild - pads across the dusty earth of a west Indian sanctuary that is its only refuge from the modern world. Within the guarded confines of this dry forest in Gujarat state, the lions have been rescued from near-extinction. A century ago, fewer than 50 remained. Today more than 400 fill the park and sometimes wander into surrounding villages and farmland. But the lions’ precarious return is in jeopardy. Experts warn their growing numbers could be their undoing. Crowded together, they are more vulnerable to disease and natural disaster.

There is little new territory for young males to claim, increasing chances for inbreeding, territorial conflict or males killing the young.

Conservationists agree these lions need a second home fast, and far from Gir. Government-backed experts in the 1990s settled on a rugged and hilly sanctuary called Kuno, where lions historically roamed with tigers in the neighboring state of Madhya Pradesh. Millions were spent preparing the park. But Gujarat rejected the plan. And no lions were sent.

Now, the uncertain fate of the Asiatic lions once dominant in forests from Morocco and Greece across the Middle East to eastern India - rests in the hands of bureaucrats, and the case has reached the Supreme Court.

“We are the only ones who have lions.

We have managed without interference until now,” Gujarat’s environment secretary, S K Nanda, said proudly from behind an enormous desk in an office complex decorated with lion posters reading: “Gujarat’s pride; World’s envy.” “Can we humans be arbiters of where these lions should live?

Should we move the mountains and the rivers, too?” Nanda said. “If the lions want to move, let them move on their own.”

The subject of saving lions is an emotional one in India. The lion also holds iconic status in religions and cultures. The multi-armed Hindu warrior goddess Durga is traditionally shown with a lion as her mount. Four lions make the national emblem - symbolizing power, courage, pride and confidence. Even the common Sikh name “Singh”, shared by the current prime minister, means “lion” in several languages. The Asiatic lions, a subspecies, are nearly as large as their African cousins, though the males’ manes are less fluffy and their tails have larger tufts. By the 20th century, they had nearly been wiped out by trophy hunters. The last Asiatic lion outside Gujarat was gunned down in Iran in 1942.

Within India, hundreds of thousands of lions, tigers, leopards and wolves were killed over decades of frenzied hunting, encouraged by British colonials. Three years after independence, the country’s Asiatic cheetahs were extinct. But the lions in Gujarat got a reprieve. A princely ruler banned hunting of the few dozen lions left in 1901. The state created Gir Sanctuary over more than 1,400 sq km, relocating all but a few hundred buffalo herdsmen who lived peaceably with the predators, mainly by giving them wide berth. The sanctuary became a model in conservation, with constant patrols against poachers and cultivated grasslands for the lions’ prey: spotted deer and blue-hued antelope. A veterinary hospital was built. The lions thrived.

Tourists from India’s newly minted middle class now flock to the park, riding opentopped jeeps to see lions lazing under trees or teaching their butterfly-chasing young to stalk small prey. A few dozen trackers keep count of the animals and fill artificial water holes. “Not everyone gets a job like

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this,” said Raju Vajadiya, idly swinging a stick, the only defense he and his colleagues usually have or need. “It is a godly thing to give a lion water on a hot day.”

Protecting the lions has been popular with locals, who consider the predators docile when not harassed. Farmers welcome them in their fields. Newly married couples visit them for good luck. Families break park rules to picnic by Gir’s streams, unaware or unconcerned that they are water sources for the big cats. “The lion is like a deity to us,” peanut farmer Sadik Hasein Chotiyara said. “If the lion attacks, it’s because that person made a mistake.”

At the same time, locals in general are

tion to the lions by letting some go. The lions urgently need a second sanctuary, they say - one outside Gujarat to ensure genetic diversification and protection from disease or natural disaster. Evidence suggests the gene pool is dangerously shallow, meaning a disease that affects one Gir lion could quickly affect many. Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park saw a third of its 3,000 lions wiped out in 1994 by canine distemper, likely brought by tourists’ dogs.

Decades earlier, Tanzania’s Ngorogoro Crater lions were decimated when rains spawned swarms of blood-sucking flies that left the cats with festering sores.

But Gujarat denies any need to move

In this March 25, 2012 photo, a lioness licks her cub at the Gir Sanctuary in the western Indian state of Gujarat. — AP more open to sharing the lions with other states than Gujarat’s leaders are. Gujarat officials insist lion attacks on humans don’t happen. Nonsense, say scientists and residents. Research indicates confrontations are increasing, as the growing cat population has pushed one in four lions into new mini-sanctuaries they get to by riverbeds that snake through farms and villages.

Droughts that kill prey can make matters worse. After a drought in the 1980s, there were 120 lion confrontations in 1989-91 killing 21 people - five taken as lion food, said biologist Ravi Chellam. Most of the estimated 15 lion attacks each year happen outside the park, where people are less lion-savvy, scientists say. In April, a lion killed a 35-year-old man who was reportedly pelting it with stones.

Gujarat’s conservation laurels now teeter on its next move. Experts say Gujarati officials can best show their devo-

lions from the state. It dismisses the idea that disease or calamity could pose a threat. To give the lions more space, Gujarat recently opened a small second sanctuary on its coast. Conservationists say the two populations are still too close together. To address gene pool concerns, Gujarat is breeding them in a zoo, but conservationists say it’s ridiculous to think those could be a substitute for lions raised in the wild.

“From a scientific perspective, this is the worst thing they could do. If they really cared about the species’ survival, they would want this second home,” said conservation biologist William Laurance, of Australia’s James Cook University.

The central government and Madhya Pradesh state have already prepared the second lion home in Kuno, relocating villages and hiring specialists to build up a prey base for the cats. In 2006, an ecologist on the project filed a lawsuit challenging

A lion rests at the Gir Sanctuary.

how such a plan could be enacted but no lions ever sent. The Supreme Court is now deliberating on the messy dispute and could - if it wants - resolve it within weeks.

“India risks becoming a champion of extinction,” said Faiyaz Khusdar, the ecologist who filed the lawsuit. “People would never forgive us if we lose these beautiful cats.”

Gujarat also doubts that other states will keep lions safe. And here, they echo global concern. Environmentalists increasingly question India’s commitment to its endangered wildlife, including half the world’s remaining tigers, its only black tigers, and more than half the world’s Asiatic elephants and one-horned rhinoceroses. As the country heaves with 1.2 billion people, it has quickly industrialized its countryside, destroying most of its forests along with wetlands and mangrove stands. More than 40 animal and plant species have gone extinct in a half-century and 134 more are critically endangered. Poaching and poisoning are rampant, despite a 1972 law criminalizing such killings. A recent study in the journal Biological Conservation counted 114 species being poached, including elephants and rhinos for their tusks, and tigers for body parts used in Chinese medicine.

Many sanctuaries have been powerless to stop the killings. There are not enough rangers, and some may take bribes. Some exasperated states like Maharashtra and Assam have told rangers they can shoot poachers on sight. While Gujarat’s lions have been spared the worst, they still face the same threats. The International Union for Conservation of Nature changed their status to “endangered” from “critically endangered” based on their numbers in 2008, but noted they were still falling to hunters and poison traps and drowning in village wells.

Statistics are difficult to find, but a reported 34 of Gujarat’s lions were poached in 2007. Another 10 were hunted in 2009 by criminals who passed the cat bones off as tiger parts. Tigers also came under attack that year, disappearing from two sanctuaries in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. “They are not able to conserve their own wildlife.

How can they protect ours?” said R L Meena, a Gujarat district wildlife warden.

He insisted the state would defy any court order not in its favor. “They will not take our lions.”

Conservationists say dangers outside Gujarat are an argument for better wildlife protection nationwide, but not an excuse for resisting the Kuno lion home in Madhya Pradesh. “Gujarat is fiercely proud of the lions, and rightfully so,” said biologist Luke Hunter of Panthera conservation group based in New York. “You would think they’d want to take the next logical step in conservation and establish other populations.”

Some accuse Gujarat of using its hold on the lions as a tourism draw. Gujarat fires the same allegation at states willing to take lions in. The central government supports moving lions to Kuno, but notes that Indian wildlife laws leave decisions to the 28 states. “We will not interfere,” environment secretary Tishya Chatterjee said.

But New Delhi has intervened to protect wildlife before. It launched a nationwide tiger-protection project in the 1970s. In a situation similar to the lions, it ordered the northeastern state of Assam to contribute rhinos for a second population to boost that gene pool in faraway Uttar Pradesh state. Environmentalists say the need for the central government to protect species is not declining but rising as India’s population and economy soar. “Conservation in India is not about managing animals anymore,” said Divyabhanusinh Chavda of the World Wildlife Fund in India. “It’s about managing people.” —AP

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

sp orts Giggs to captain Britain

Volleyball World League final

Australia summon Starc

LONDON: Welsh winger Ryan Giggs will captain Britain’s soccer team at the London Olympics, head coach Stuart Pearce said yesterday.

The 38-year-old, oldest of the three over-age players in the 18-man squad, is taking part in his first international tournament and will captain the side for the first time when they play Brazil in a warmup at Middlesbrough on July 20.

Pearce said at an Olympic presenation: “He is been a fantastic professional over the years and he was the standout candidate in a group that has got Aaron Ramsey the Wales captain, and Micah Richards who has captained Manchester City, and one or two other candidates.

“He has got the respect of all the members of the group and I am looking forward to working with him.” Giggs added: “Obviously I have the experience and there are a lot of younger players in the squad, so as captain hopefully I can pass that on to the younger players. “It’s a tremendous honor to be part of the Olympics and I am really proud to be involved. —Reuters

SOFIA: Olympic champions the United States and Poland will meet in the gold medal match in volleyball’s World League after straight sets wins over Cuba and Bulgaria respectively in the Armeets Arena in Sofia on Saturday.

The tournament’s finals were infused with an extra ingredient as five of the six competing teams put the finishing touches to their preparations for the London Olympics.

The US, who have won the premier annual men’s volleyball tournament only once in 2008, overpowered Cuba 25-23 25-22 25-23 while Poland reached their maiden final after beating hosts Bulgaria 25-23 25-20 25-18.

Cuba, a team made up of home-based players, were worthy opponents but the US broke them down thanks to effective performances by Clayton Stanley and Matthew Anderson.

The towering 2.05-metre captain Stanley scored 17 points, including four aces, and outside hitter Anderson added 13 points.

“When we play against Cuba, we always have close sets, so we expected it to be the same today,” coach Alan Knipe told a news conference. “The good thing is we have a high hitting percentage and the players have done well in reception.

“The most important thing is that we used the ability to create opportunities in defence and turn them into points.” —Reuters

LONDON: Australia have called up left-arm quick Mitchell Starc into their squad for Tuesday’s fifth and final one-day international against England at Old Trafford, it was announced yesterday.

The 22-year-old, already in England where he has been performing well for county side Yorkshire, was drafted in after both fast bowler Brett Lee and seam bowling all-rounder Shane Watson suffered calf injuries in a thumping eight wicket-loss at the Riverside on Saturday.

Watson bowled just one over before leaving the field while Lee went off two balls into his second spell. Australia’s latest heavy defeat gave England a series-winning 3-0 lead after Wednesday’s match in Birmingham was washed out without a ball bowled.

“We have called up Mitchell Starc as cover because we are still assessing the two injured players,” an Australia team spokesman told AFP. Prior to Saturday’s match, Australia had seen teenage quick Pat Cummins return home early from the tour with a side strain while left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson did not play at the Riverside because of soreness in his right foot. — AFP

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

American League Eastern Division W L PCT GB NY Yankees 51 33 .607 Baltimore 45 39 .536 6 Tampa Bay 44 41 .518 7.5 Boston 43 42 .506 8.5 Toronto 42 43 .494 9.5 Central Division White Sox 47 37 .560 Cleveland 44 40 .524 3 Detroit 43 42 .506 4.5 Kansas City 37 46 .446 9.5 Minnesota 36 48 .429 11 Western Division Texas 51 34 .600 LA Angels 47 38 .553 4 Oakland 42 43 .494 9 Seattle 36 50 .419 15.5

National League Eastern Division Washington 49 33 .598 NY Mets 46 39 .541 4.5 Atlanta 45 39 .536 5 Miami 41 43 .488 9 Philadelphia 37 49 .430 14 Central Division Pittsburgh 47 37 .560 46 38 .548 1 Cincinnati St. Louis 45 40 .529 2.5 Milwaukee 39 45 .464 8 Houston 33 52 .388 14.5 Chicago Cubs 32 52 .381 15 Western Division LA Dodgers 47 39 .547 .541 0.5 San Francisco 46 39 Arizona 41 43 .488 5 San Diego 34 52 .395 13 Colorado 32 52 .381 14

Pirates top Giants PITTSBURGH: James McDonald scattered four hits over seven innings and Mike McKenry homered as the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the San Francisco Giants 3-1 on Saturday.

Neil Walker doubled twice and drove in a run while extending his hitting streak to 11 games and Joel Hanrahan worked the ninth to pick up his 23rd save.

McDonald (9-3) struck out 10 and walked none, winning his fourth straight start and lowering his sparkling ERA to 2.37. The Pirates have won nine of 11 and are guaranteed at least a share of the NL Central lead through the All-Star break.

three starts against Miami this season.

Jason Motte pitched a shaky ninth inning for his 20th save.

D’backs 5, Dodgers 3 In Phoenix, Trevor Cahill pitched seven solid innings to steer Arizona past Los Angeles. Cahill (7-7) gave up six hits and improved to 17-1 in his past 22 starts when Arizona scores three or more runs.

Trailing 2-0, Arizona scored three runs in the fifth inning. Gerardo Parra had a tworun double and then scored on a sacrifice fly. Los Angeles’ Chad Billingsley (4-9) lost his fifth straight start. He allowed four runs in six innings.

Nationals 4, Rockies 1 At Washington, Gio Gonzalez pitched six innings of three-hit ball to earn his 12th win as Ian Desmond homered to power Washington to the victory.

Gonzalez (12-3) won his fourth straight start to move into a tie with R.A. Dickey of the New York Mets for the major league lead in wins. Gonzalez allowed one run, walked three and struck out six. It was the fifth victory in six games for the Nationals, who own the best record in the NL. Colorado finished with four errors, tying a season high. Dexter Fowler had three hits for the Rockies, who have lost six of eight and totaled 14 runs in their last seven games. The Nationals announced during the game that Desmond will miss Tuesday’s All-Star game with a left oblique strain.

Cardinals 3, Marlins 2 At St. Louis, Kyle Lohse tossed seven solid innings in strong heat and Tony Cruz hit a go-ahead two-run triple to help St. Louis stop Miami’s three-game winning streak.

Allen Craig had three hits and Skip Schumaker added an RBI single in the fourth for the Cardinals, who have won five of seven. All-Star David Freese was hit by a pitch twice, walked and singled to reach base safely in all four trips.

Giancarlo Stanton left in the third inning with right knee discomfort and the Marlins said he would have arthroscopic surgery on Sunday, shelving one of baseball’s best young sluggers for next week’s All-Star festivities in Kansas City.

Lohse (9-2) allowed two runs and three hits to improve to 3-0 with a 2.08 ERA in

Braves 6, Phillies 3 At Philadelphia, Tommy Hanson pitched effectively into the eighth, steering Atlanta past struggling Philadelphia. Hanson (10-5) allowed three runs, striking out six in seven-plus innings.

Brian McCann homered for the Braves.

Philadelphia, the five-time defending NL East champions, has lost nine of 10. Phillies starter Joe Blanton (7-8) allowed six runs in 6 1-3 innings.

Reds 6, Padres 5 In San Diego, Drew Stubbs and Chris Heisey homered as Cincinnati downed San Diego. Stubbs, who snapped an 0-for-32 hitless streak Friday, homered in the first inning. Heisey hit a two-run shot in the seventh inning.

Reds starter Homer Bailey (7-6) allowed a home run on his first pitch, then settled down and surrendered only a pair of unearned runs heading into the seventh.

Clayton Richard (6-9) took the loss. — AP

PITTSBURGH: Pirates pitcher James McDonald (53) is greeted by teammate Garrett Jones (right) after scoring from first base on a double by Pirates’ Neil Walker during the third inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants. —AP

Jones powers Yankees past Red Sox BOSTON: New York’s Andruw Jones hit two of the Yankees four homers as the visitors won 6-1 in the opening game of a double-header against their arch rivals, the Boston Red Sox, on Saturday.

Nick Swisher belted a threerun shot in the first and Jayson Nix added a solo drive in the fourth as the Yankees improved to 4-0 against the Red Sox this season. Swisher snapped an 0for-17 slide with his homer. New York starter Freddy Garcia (3-2) gave up one run over 6-2/3 innings.

The Red Sox have lost five in a row. Franklin Morales (1-2) lasted just 3 1-3 innings, yielding six runs, including all four homers.

Angels 3, Orioles 0 In Anaheim, Jered Weaver pitched eight scoreless innings in his final start before his third straight All-Star game, as Los Angeles beat Baltimore.

Weaver (10-1) won his fourth straight outing since coming off the disabled list, striking out five and walking one while lowering his ERA to 1.96. He joined Sandy Koufax (1963-64) as the only pitchers since 1950 with consecutive seasons of doubledigit wins and an ERA under 2.00 before the All-Star break.

Orioles starter Jason Hammel (8-5) gave up three runs over 6 2-3 innings.

Jimenez (8-7) allowed a two-run homer in the fourth, but otherwise was in command, walking only one.

Shelley Duncan hit a two-run homer for the Indians, who got three doubles in the second inning off rookie Matt Moore (56) as they jumped to a 3-0 lead.

The win kept the second-place Indians three games behind the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.

Rangers 4, Twins 3 In Arlington, Texas, Nelson Cruz hit an RBI double in the 10th inning to lead Texas over Minnesota, snapping a five game losing streak.

Texas’ Josh Hamilton had a home run, walk and a run scored, playing as designated hitter one night after suffering back spasms.

Cruz finished 3 for 5 with two doubles and two RBIs. Joe Nathan (1-2) pitched scoreless ninth and 10th innings for the Rangers, his longest outing in almost three years after ligament replacement surger y.

Minnesota’s Kyle Waldrop (0-1) failed to get an out in the 10th and took the loss.

Tigers 8, Royals 7 In Detroit, Prince Fielder hit a two-run home run in the first inning and Detroit kept its nose in front to edge Kansas City.

Delmon Young had a two-run homer to pad the lead in the seventh.

Detroit closer Jose Valverde started the ninth with a four-run lead and almost lost it, giving up a two-run homer to slice the lead to two, then seeing what appeared to be a three-run shot

caught at the wall. A sacrifice fly and a strikeout ended it.

Tigers starter Doug Fister (26) ended a personal three-game skid, while Bruce Chen (7-8) gave up six runs for the second straight game and lasted only 31/3 innings.

Mariners 7, Athletics 1 In Oakland, Jason Vargas (87) pitched a complete gamer to win for the first time in more than a month as Seattle snapped Oakland’s five-game winning streak.

Kyle Seager hit a basesloaded double to drive in three for the Mariners, Brendan Ryan added a two-RBI double in the second and Ichiro Suzuki singled in the fifth to snap a career-worst 0-for-23 hitless stretch. Jarrod Parker (5-4) got the loss for the Athletics. —AP

White Sox 2, Blue Jays 0 In Chicago, Gavin Floyd pitched 7 2-3 scoreless innings to lead Chicago past Toronto.

Floyd (7-8) improved to 3-1 with a 1.37 ERA in his past four starts.

Kevin Youkilis hit a two-run homer for the White Sox, who have won five straight to move a season-high 10 games over .500. The American League Central leaders also have won a season-high seven straight at home. Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero (8-4) allowed two runs in six innings.

Indians 7, Rays 3 In Cleveland, Ubaldo Jimenez struck out eight over six innings as Cleveland beat Tampa Bay.

BOSTON: New York Yankees’ Nick Swisher (left) is forced out at second base but Boston Red Sox’s Nick Punto cannot turn the double play on a hit by the Yankees’ Andruw Jones in the fourth inning. —AP

Reds’ title defence in balance MELBOURNE: The Queensland Reds’ stuttering start to the season and inadequate try-scoring appears set to deny last year’s champions a chance to defend their Super Rugby title in the post-season finals series.

The Ewen McKenzie-coached Reds survived a huge scare against the Highlanders at Lang Park on Friday to notch their fifth straight win but head into the final round of the southern hemisphere provincial championship’s regular season with their destiny in other teams’ hands.

The Reds lie seventh on the ladder on 53 points, one point out of the top six that will contest the finals, and praying that at least one out of the four vulnerable teams above them slip up against the competition’s cellar-dwellers.

The Reds should have little trouble beating the hapless New South Wales Waratahs in their last match at Lang Park, but will hope one of the Brumbies (58 points), Crusaders (56), Bulls (54) or Sharks (54) are upset in the final round.

None of the four appears likely to be.

The third-placed Brumbies need only a single point from their home game against the insipid Blues at Canberra Stadium to seal their playoffs berth as winners of the Australian conference.

A loss by less than eight points to the Blues would secure a bonus point and be enough for them to qualify and deny the

Reds any hope of stealing top spot in the conference. The Crusaders, in fourth spot, are also in the box seat as they head home to Christchurch to play the 14th-placed Western Force.

In hosting the Lions in Pretoria, the fifth-placed Bulls face a team fighting to avoid the wooden spoon with the Force and the Blues, while the sixth-placed Sharks have a marginally tougher assignment against the 10th-placed Cheetahs at home in Durban.

Even if one of the four hopefuls in the top six suffer a colossal upset to tumble out of qualifying, the Reds’ apple-cart could still be upset by a desperate Hurricanes side.

Lying eighth but equal with the Reds on 53 points, the Hurricanes would have a slight chance to slip into the playoffs with a win in Wellington against the table-topping Chiefs.

The Chiefs lost to the Crusaders 28-21 at home in Hamilton on Friday but have already wrapped up the New Zealand conference and will earn the privilege of a week’s rest in the first round of the finals as one of the top two teams at the end of the regular season.

Bonus points for scoring four or more tries could well prove crucial in the final round, but the Reds have been found wanting for firepower throughout their title defence, with playmaker Quade

Cooper sidelined for much of the season among a raft of other injuries.

With Cooper back in the side and improving week by week, however, the time had come for McKenzie to throw caution to the wind against the Highlanders and attack the try-line.

But the Reds managed a solitary fivepointer to prop James Slipper and instead elected to build pressure through penalty kicks. “ You have to win the game first,” McKenzie told local reporters in defence of the grinding win. “What people don’t understand is the scoreboard creates a lot of pressure.

“We have to play well over 80 minutes and you get the reward over 80 minutes so that’s the challenge there.”

A bonus point against the Waratahs could allow the Reds, who have a superior win-loss ratio to the Bulls and the Sharks, to leapfrog the South African teams if they finish on level points.

McKenzie will at least take heart from the form of mercurial flyhalf Cooper, who played his best game of a frustrating season against the Highlanders, and the likely return of explosive winger Digby Ioane from pneumonia.

Both players will be key to the Reds’ hopes of a big win against the Waratahs, should McKenzie order the floodgates opened. — Reuters

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

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Olympics can learn from F1, says Rogge SILVERSTONE: IOC President Jacques Rogge visited a rainswept Silverstone yesterday and suggested the Olympics could learn a lot from Formula One. He made light of the wet weather, which left fans sheltering under umbrellas and capes at the British Grand Prix, possibly casting a raincloud over his Games when they open in London in less than three weeks’ time in a stadium without a roof.

“I am living in Belgium, so whatever rain comes to Belgium is left over from England...no, we’ll manage,” the International Olympic Committee head told Reuters with a smile.

The British summer has proved a nightmare for Silverstone organisers, with tens of thousands of fans asked to

stay away on Saturday to allow repairs to churned up and rainsoaked fields that serve as car parks.

Waterlogged campsites produced huge traffic jams on Friday as campers were unable to get vehicles into the fields and clogged up approach roads.

Rogge, a guest of Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone, diplomatically swerved around the 81-year-old’s recent assertion that a London Grand Prix would be “better than the Olympics”.

“I respect his ambition, he respects mine. I want to make the Olympic Games the premium event in sports, and he wants it with Formula One,” he said.

“We want to go faster, higher, stronger. It’s exactly the same mind of Formula One, going faster and better.

We have the same pursuit of excellence.”

Ecclestone, accompanying the former Olympic sailor on a visit to the pit and paddock complex, chuckled when reminded earlier of his own words: “We’re not going to get on to that subject,” he said.

Formula One may be a sport whose image is far from enviromentally friendly and where money and technology make all the difference, but the governing International Automobile Federation has been a part of the Olympic family since January.

Formula One will never be a part of any Games, although the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi will be followed by a grand prix in the Russian Black Sea

resort using some of the facilities as a legacy project.

McLaren’s 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton will run with the London Olympic torch on Monday while Caterham team principal Tony Fernandes did so on Sunday and brought his into the paddock to show off afterwards.

Rogge was impressed by the organisation he was shown. “There’s a lot that we can learn from Formula One. We have many similarities, it’s a sport with great competitors who prepare very hard,” he said.

“I’ve been through the organisation this morning with Bernie. I went to the broadcasting centre, the pits, and everything is very well organised. Believe me

there are a lot of things we can learn from the organisation here.”

Rogge, whose former marketing director Michael Payne now works with Ecclestone, also took the chance to praise the London Olympics organisers ahead of the Games opening on July 27.

“They have respected the deadlines, they have stayed within budget, and they have shown a lot of creativity in everything they have done,” he said.

“We’re coming to a nation that invented modern sport in the second half of the 19th century. We’re also coming to a nation that has included sport in its school curriculum, and it’s a nation that loves sport, knows sport, and that will show.” —Reuters

Russia and Lithuania seal London basketball berths CARACAS: Former European champions Russia and Lithuania have claimed two of the last three remaining berths in the men’s basketball tournament at

challenge from Nigeria to beat the west African nation 85-77 while Lithuania blew away the Dominican Republic 109-83 in the fiercely competitive 12-

lock horns for the remaining Olympic slot. The United States, Spain, France, Argentina, China, Tunisia, Argentina and Brazil had earlier qualified alongside hosts

CARACAS: Mantas Kalnietis (left) of Lithuania, tries to dribble past Gil Coronado (right) of Dominican Republic, during their Pre-Olympic basketball game. —AFP the 2012 London Games following their victories in the semifinals of the ongoing Olympic qualifying tournament.

The Russians overcame a stiff

team tournament in Venezuela on Saturday.

The Nigerians and the Dominicans, who have been surprise packages in the event, will

Great Britain.

Former Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko led the Russians with 19 points and eight rebounds as the 2007

European champions opened up a massive 20-point lead in the third quarter.

Stubborn Nigeria, who had stunned Greece to reach the last four, refused to lie down and cut the deficit to 73-67 before Kirilenko and the game’s top scorer Alexey Shved, who had 22 points and six assists, stepped up and sealed Russia’s win.

“We worked very hard over the last two months and earned our spot in the Olympics,” an overjoyed Kirilenko told the world basketball governing body’s (FIBA) television.

“Credit to the Nigerians, they are a very good team and made it difficult for us and we know that every team in the Olympics will be tough to beat,” he said.

Lithuania, who won the 2003 European Championship but underperformed in last year’s event on home soil, brushed aside the Dominicans with five players in double scoring digits.

Jonas Maciulis led the way with 19 and Jonas Valanciunas added 17 as the Lithuanians nailed nine of 13 shots from the field in the second quarter to take a 16-point halftime lead.

“We are happy to have qualified for the Olympics, my second, it was a really tough tournament but once again we proved that we are a strong basketball nation,” said Maciulis. “Now we have to prepare to be at our best in the Games and we are looking forward to the challenge.” —Reuters

From pot-holed paddock to London Olympics MAJURO: When Marshall Islands sprinter Timi Garstang steps into London’s Olympic Stadium, he will be in a facility that holds almost 30,000 more people than the entire population of his Pacific nation.

Further adding to the 21year-old’s nerves will be the fact that he is taking on the world’s best 100-metre sprinters only a few weeks after attending his first ever track meet.

And if that was not enough, Garstang’s homeland-an impoverished western Pacific nation of 53,000, where the main exports are coconuts and fishdoes not even have a proper track for its athletes to practise on. Instead, Garstang has had to nurture his Olympic dream on a pot-holed, garbage-strewn paddock which has been likened to a cow pasture, a far cry from the five-star preparations enjoyed by the likes of Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay. “It was hard training on a flawed surface like the grass field, as it has holes in it and the ground is uneven,” Garstang told AFP. “While you’re running, you get worried about having injuries from tripping on a hole, broken bottles, animal excrement, other kinds of trash and get distracted from kids that run around. “So mainly you cannot train on

your top speed.”

The Marshall Islands is a relative newcomer to the Olympic Games, sending its first team to the Beijing Games in 2008 after finally winning recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) a year earlier.

The results for the nation’s runners in China were not encouraging: Roman Cress placed last in his preliminary 100m heat, while Haley Nemra was seventh in her women’s 800m heat.

However, the emphasis for small nations like the Marshalls is on participating on the world stage, rather than winning medals, which is why the IOC allocates wild card places for them to send athletes to the Olympics.

In track and field at the London Games, every country automatically gets two entries, one male and one female, even if they fail to achieve qualifying times.

After receiving his dream opportunity through a wild card, Garstang said he was determined to do his country proud.

“I think about the people who expect the best from me and those that support me back home-I don’t want to fail them,” he said.

Garstang’s personal best over 100m is 12.5 seconds, more than two seconds outside

the Olympic qualification time, although that was recorded on his “cow paddock” training ground in the Marshalls’ capital Majuro. To help prepare him for London, the IOC paid for Garstang to undertake two months of intensive training, beginning at the Oceania Athletics Association’s High Performance Training Centre on Australia’s Gold Coast.

While in Australia, he also participated in his first international track meet at the Oceania Championships in Cairns. Disappointingly, his 12.56 made him the slowest man in the field, as he failed to reach the final.

He then shifted to Britain to spend the final weeks before the Games acclimatising at a training camp for Pacific athletes at Edge Hill University near Liverpool.

The camp is designed to offer top-class facilities to Pacific athletes in a bid to help them achieve personal bests at the Games and then take skills back to their communities which can be used to help develop future generations.

Some at the camp, such as swimmer Debra Daniel from the Federated States of Micronesia, had experienced the same lack of facilities as Garstang.

“Back at home we don’t have a pool so I’m used to

training in the ocean or the rivers, so this will be different for me again, it will be very modern,” said Daniel, who went to the Beijing Games in 2008. “The last time I competed it was an amazing experience, we were treated like stars and I loved it. This time, for me I want to make sure I beat my own personal best.”

Marshall Islands track coach Rais Aho said everything about the Olympic experience-the track, huge crowds, tight security, even the food-would be far removed from what the team were used to in the islands.

“If we’re intimidated as coaches, I’m sure the runners are (too),” he said. “They have to adjust to running against the world’s best, and running on a surface they’ve never practised on.” Garstang summed up his feelings about London in one word: “Nervous.” “You can never feel ready, even after weeks of high-level training,” he added.

“All I can do is train and do the best that I can.” While the pressure to perform for the London crowds, as well as family and friends huddled around television screens half a world away, will be intense, Garstang said there was one thing he was happy about.

“It’s safer in a real track, and you don’t need to worry about debris,” he said. —AFP

SAN JOSE: Chalk flies from the hand grips of Paul Ruggeri III as he trains on the high bar during practice. —AP

Gymnasts find unusual ways to get a grip on things NEW YORK: As the US men head off to their final training camp before the London Olympics this week, several gymnasts will be toting plastic bears filled with honey. Or bottles of Karo syrup. Really. And no, it’s not for breakfast. Some of the equipment can be as slick as ice, and gymnasts have had to get creative in order to keep a grip on things.

“You start slipping off the parallel bars and you’re like, ‘How do I hold onto this?’” said Jonathan Horton, a two-time medalist in Beijing. “When you’re a kid, I guess you don’t really think about it.

Then you get older and you’re like, ‘Man, this should be easier.’ You just start figuring out, OK, what can I put that’s sticky on my hands to make me do this?”

For most, honey does the trick. Others use syrup. Whatever the sticky substance, they rub it on their hands, run their hands along the bars and then cover both with a layer of chalk. (The women have a similar routine on uneven bars, though most just spray water on them and then dust them with chalk.) Each gymnast has his own concoction, a recipe developed through trial and error.

“Growing up, I tried pancake syrup

and Karo syrup,” Horton said. “Then I was like, ‘OK, honey,’ and I tried a million different types of honey until I finally found one that really works. Everyone kind of has their own little combination of how they like it.” How they don’t like it, too.

Because so much of the chalk, honey and anything else gets rubbed off during a routine, most gymnasts don’t bother cleaning off the bars before applying their own layer of goop. Watch any international meet, however, and you’ll see whatever team follows China on parallel bars rushing to the equipment as soon as the Chinese are done to scrape and hose down the bars.

“I literally will spray down the bars and wipe all their junk off and start over,” Horton said. “The Japanese guys, after they do the bars? It’s like the stickiest grip I’ve ever felt. The Chinese guys, I don’t know what they’re doing to the bars and how they hold onto it, because it is not good to us at all. Everyone slips off of their stuff.”

So when you see guys carrying bottles of honey in London, you’ll know why. Or, in Horton’s case, two bottles. “I have one to drink,” he said, “and one to put on my hands.” —AP

CAMBRIDGE: This photo made available by LOCOG shows torchbearer Edward Roberts carrying the Olympic Flame on a punt on the River Cam during the London 2012 Olympics Torch Relay leg through Cambridge. —AP

LeBron, Kobe return to US team for Olympics LAS VEGAS: Five members of the gold medal winning lineup at the 2008 Bejing Games were included in the 12-man US Olympic basketball team announced by USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo on Saturday.

LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Deron Williams return for another bid for Olympic glory and will spearhead a potent roster in London where the US are favorites.

Colangelo announced the selections after two US team training sessions in Las Vegas, though final approval is still required by the US Olympic Committee.

“We projected we would have difficulty getting down to a roster of 12, regardless of the number of injuries that have taken place, because they are such an outstanding group of people and athletes,” Colangelo said in a statement.

“The final selections keep us in concert with our game plan to have athleticism, versatility and strong depth on our

roster. I think our final roster epitomizes all of that.”

The US team had been hit by a recent rash of injuries to several leading candidates, including Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls, Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat players Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

“We have benefited so much from having a pool of outstanding players who are committed, and as a result the selection is difficult,” US coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “But it’s the best challenge that you could have because everyone has been so committed.”

The 2012 US Olympic team: Carmelo Anthony (Knicks), Kobe Bryant (Lakers), Tyson Chandler (Knicks), Kevin Durant (Thunder), Blake Griffin (Clippers), James Harden (Thunder), Andre Iguodala (76ers), LeBron James (Heat), Kevin Love (Timberwolves), Chris Paul (Clippers), Russell Westbrook (Thunder) and Deron Williams (Nets). —Reuters

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

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And the gold medallist in pigeon killing is ...

LONDON: Live pigeon shooting, pistol duelling and club swinging won’t feature at the London Olympics, but there was a time when they were all medal events.

Live pigeon shooting featured for the first-and only-time at the Paris Olympics in 1900 where around 300 birds were killed.

Belgium’s Leon de Lunden was champion for downing 21 birds, one more than runner-up Maurice Faure of France; Australia’s Donald MacIntosh was third with 18 kills. There was also plenty of shooting going on at the Stockholm Games in 1912 when pistol duelling was staged. Instead of traditional duels of

honor at sunrise, this time there was no blood as competitors took aim only at dummies dressed in frock coats with the target placed at the throat.

Club swinging, the forerunner of rhythmic gymnastics, was a medal sport in 1904 at St Louis and in Los Angeles in 1932. America’s George Roth won the gold in 1932 when the Games were held in the midst of the Great Depression.

Reports claimed that unemployed Roth was awarded his gold medal and then hitchhiked home.

The tug-of-war, so beloved of school sports days, was part of the track and field programme and featured in the

Olympics of 1900, 1904, 1908, 1912 and 1920.

The 1908 gold was won by a team of British policemen, but it was a controversial victory as the United States protested over their rivals’ footwear.

A report at the time said the police team competed “in enormous shoes, so heavy, in fact, it was with great effort they could lift their feet from the ground”. Also long gone from the schedule is the standing high jump which last appreared in 1912.

Three-time gold medallist Ray Ewry of the United States was also the world record holder. Ewry had spent part of his

childhood in a wheelchair paralysed with polio.

If those long-disappeared events have no chance of a return to the Olympics programme, the same cannot be said for the likes of cricket, golf and rugby. Cricket was played just once as an Olympic sport in Paris in 1900 and the gold medal was contested by Britain and France after Belgium and Holland pulled out.

The British side was a touring team, the Devon and Somerset Wanderers while the French side was made up of expatriate Britons living in Paris.

Britain won the match, staged at the

Velodrome de Vincennes, while their opponents were sniffily written-off. “The French temperament is too excitable to enjoy the game and no Frenchman can be persuaded to play more than once,” said a newspaper report.

Golf, which was played twice in 1900 and 1904 and was dominated by the Americans, will return for the 2016 Rio Games.

Meanwhile, rugby union was held at the Olympics in 1900, 1908, 1920 and 1924 with the United States claiming gold in the last two editions. Rugby will be played in its sevens format in Brazil in 2016.—AFP

Olympics 100m wide open — Gay

Gagan Narang

India plots to erase dire medal record NEW DELHI: With 1.2 billion people and a rapidly growing economy, India should be an emerging Olympic powerhouse-yet it was delighted with a meagre haul of just one gold and two bronzes at Beijing 2008.

The gold medal, won by Abhinav Bindra in the men’s 10-metre air rifle, was the country’s first-ever individual success, and it triggered nationwide celebrations.

Now India’s coaches are hoping for further signs of progress at the London Games after a concerted campaign to identify and foster young medal prospects.

“Sport was not, and could not have been, a priority in a developing country like ours,” Indian former field hockey captain Viren Rasquinha told AFP. “Forget medals, taking part in the Olympics was itself a big deal.” “But not any more.

Increased government and private funding has ensured our sportspersons get the best.”

Rasquinha, who competed in the Athens 2004 Olympics but did not win a medal, is chief executive officer of the privately-funded Olympic Gold Quest, set up in 2001 to improve India’s dire Olympic record.

“I believe the medals we won in Beijing were a major catalyst for change,” he said.

“Now others are thinking that if they could do it, so can we. This sense of self-belief has made me confident that the future is bright.”

India’s per formed well in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, finishing an impressive second in medals table below Australia and above England.

But the country faces a long uphill battle to make any mark on the Olympic table, with almost all its sporting enthusiasm still channelled towards the national obsession of cricket.

Hockey, India’s one historically strong Olympic event, has declined drastically in recent years and the national team did not even qualify for Beijing 2008.

The team has made it through to London, but they are seen as unlikely to follow in the footsteps of their celebrated predecessors, who won eight team golds, one silver and two bronzes between 1928 and 1980.

Indian stars that the Olympic Gold Quest back include shooter Gagan Narang, five-time women’s world boxing champion Mary Kom and badminton player Saina Nehwal-all of whom are seen as serious gold medal contenders.

The initiative was co-founded by India’s six-time world billiards champion Geet Sethi, who believes the country is coming to understand that its growing international prominence should be reflected on

the sporting stage.

“I have found that emotional and patriotic sentiments are high in India when it comes to raising funds for an Olympic medal,” Sethi told AFP. “After all, the sporting culture of any nation is not defined by the mass hysteria generated by a single team event such as football or cricket or baseball, but by the country’s performance in Olympic sport.”

Bindra, who is set for his fourth Olympic appearance at the age of only 29, will carry the weight of national expectation on his shoulders but India’s only individual gold medallist is famous for his calm temperament.

He says he has struggled against Indian administrators who have a poor attitude to competing in elite international sport, often taking a pessimistic or parochial approach.

In his recently-released autobiography, Bindra recounts how in 1996, when he was just 13, officials refused to accept his perfect score of 400 at a local tournament because it had never been achieved before in India.

“Their mind,” wrote Bindra, “could not comprehend what the eyes had seen.” The officials refused to ratify the result and awarded the first prize to the secondplaced shooter.

And he said that when he was being kitted ahead of the Beijing Olympics, he was given a size-11 left shoe and a size-8 right shoe. “It’s not fine,” he said, “just hilarious.”

Bindra is suppor ted by the Mittal Champions Trust, another non-profit organisation devoted to producing world champions like the Olympic Gold Quest.

Lakshmi Mittal, one of the richest men in the world, put aside an initial purse of $10 million to promote sporting excellence in India after watching the country fare badly at the Athens Olympics in 2004.

He saw the investment come good in Bindra and now has high hopes for fellow shooter Ronjan Sodhi, a world record holder and 2010 Asian Games gold medallist in the Double Trap event. But the Trust’s administrator, Manisha Malhotra, said it would take many years to turn the tide. “That will happen when we go to an Olympics expecting at least 40 medals,” Malhotra, a former national-level women’s tennis player, told AFP. “Earlier our sportspersons were overawed by the world-class athletes they came across at an Olympics. But now our kids have started travelling abroad for coaching and playing in big tournaments.

“They realised they were not far off from the best and this gave them the self-belief that they can also win.”—AFP

Saina Nehwal

PARIS: The men’s 100m at the London Olympics is wide open and promises to be “spectacular”, according to the world’s second fastest man, Tyson Gay. Gay was speaking after outgunning US teammate Justin Gatlin, champion in the Athens Games in 2004, in the Diamond League meet in Paris on Friday, leaving it late to claim victory in 9.99 seconds on a wet track at Stade de France.

The blue ribbon event of track and field promises to be a sizzler in the British capital, with a host of sprinters hitting form just as reigning Olympic double sprint champion Usain Bolt showed he was fallible. Bolt was beaten twice in the Jamaican trials by training partner and current world 100m champion Yohan Blake, and has now withdrawn from the July 20 meet in Monaco after picking up what his coach Glen Mills labelled a “slight” injury.

That intrigue can only add to what is building up to be one of the most competitive events in recent history. “There are a lot of people now in the 100m, it is open for the Games,” said Gay, who claimed golds in the 100 and 200m at the 2007 worlds in Osaka.

“Bolt, Blake, Gatlin, my training partner Bledman. It will be spectacular!” Although Gay, whose 9.69sec is second only to Bolt’s world record of 9.58, recorded a good reaction time in Friday’s race, he wilted badly in the opening 15 metres to give Gatlin and France’s Christophe Lemaitre a headstart.

However, Gay proceeded to reel the duo in and flung himself at the finish line to nip Gatlin by four-hundredths of a second.

“I tried to be patient,” Gay acknowledged.

“I’m strong mentally and ready for challenges.

Trials was a faster race but here a better one for me technically.” Gay said his confidence was growing after a slow return from a hip injury that required surgery.

“I feel pretty good, considering I came back and made the team. I was under a lot of stress, mentally and physically, early in the season, but I feel a lot better now,” he said. A first defeat of the season did not dent Gatlin’s ever-high confidence levels.

“I won the gold in Athens and the same thing should happen in London,” said the 30year-old who came back from a four-year doping ban in May 2011.

“Obviously the trials were better because I won. I also had some jet lag.” Lemaitre, 22, was racing on home turf on the back of having sealed his second European 100m title in Helsinki.

And the French record holder in the 100m (9.92) again showed that he could be in the running to upset a US-Caribbean cleansweep of the sprint podiums at the Olympics, as he did in last year’s Daegu worlds when he claimed a surprise 200m bronze.

“I’m pleased with placing third,” he said of his 10.08sec performance. “Third behind such top runners is good. Also I reduced the gap between me and the two Americans. I’m now really close to them. “But I missed my start. I got out of the blocks behind everyone. Even I saw it. I was able to close the gap on the others, but the bad start killed me. There is still some work left to do.”—AFP

Tyson Gay celebrates in this file photo

China upgrade from niche to mainstream BEIJING: China rode a wave of success in niche sports to top the Olympic medals table for the first time in 2008 — but now, they’re looking to extend their reach.

Four years ago in Beijing, 38 of the hosts’ 51 titles came in table tennis, badminton, diving, shooting, gymnastics and weightlifting, the six Olympic sports China has long dominated. But in London, China will look for breakthroughs in other events, including swimming and track and field, as they seek not only to replicate Beijing, but to build on it.

While officials shy away from predictions, the unspoken aim is not just to stay top of the gold count, but also to win the most medals overall. In 2008, China had 100 medals, to 110 for the United States.

“The Chinese athletes have now had an additional four years of training in the exceptional facilities that were developed to prepare for the 2008 games,” said Rett Larson, of US firm Athletes’ Performance which is working with China. “ Therefore, anyone would expect their medal count be one of the best, possibly the best, performance in 2012. To exceed 51 gold medals and 100 overall would be very special.”

According to state media, China has hired foreign coaches in basketball, swimming, synchronised swimming, fencing, women’s field hockey, track and field, taekwondo and water polo in the build-up to London. It’s an extension of the model for Beijing, when China’s much-criticised, rigorous sports schools, which select and groom medal contenders from a young age, were successfully enhanced by foreign expertise.

To improve on Beijing, the Soviet-style sports system has extended its reach to new disciplines, spending big on worldclass coaches, new facilities and modern training methods.

Nowhere have such efforts been more apparent than in swimming. National team coach Yao Zhengjie is setting his sights on up to four gold medals in the London pool, four times the number won in Beijing.

Leading the charge will be Sun Yang, who smashed Grant Hackett’s 10-year-old 1,500m

world record last year and ranks number one in the 400m, 800m and 1,500m. No Chinese man has ever won an Olympic swimming title. “I hope I can become the first Chinese male swimmer to win the Olympic gold,” said Sun, who is among a group of Chinese swimmers who work in Australia with Denis Cotterell, former coach of the legendary Hackett.

Besides Sun, Ye Shiwen, Zhao Jing and Jiao Liuyang won women’s world titles in the 200m individual medley, 100m backstroke and 200m butter fly respectively.

China’s men also appear

primed to medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay, while Liu Zige will look to defend her Beijing title in the women’s 200m butterfly.

In athletics, China looked to American doctors to repair the achilles injur y which took defending 110m hurdles champion Liu Xiang out of the Beijing Games. Liu also does much of his training in the United States.

In June, he equalled the world record in a wind-aided 12.87 seconds against top competition in Eugene, Oregon, proving he is back in top form.

Besides Liu, Zhang Wenxiu is favoured to win gold in the women’s hammer, while Wang

Sun Yang

Zhen is among the world’s best in the men’s 20km walk.

Chinese journalist Norman Li said China also had medal chances in taekwondo, judo, women’s water polo, women’s volleyball, women’s beach volleyball and trampoline, in which they have numerous world champions.

“China will do quite well again in the six main sports,” Li, who follows China’s Olympic Team for Internet portal Tencent, told AFP. “But I believe we also have some other chances to win medals or even gold medals.”

Athletes’ Performance, which has had success in American football, baseball and European soccer, is a prime example of how China has drafted in help from abroad, and is positive about the country’s prospects.

Larsson, the company ’s Beijing-based project manager, said much of the work was concentrating in athletes’ individual needs and preventing overwork or “blind” training, in which all competitors were given the same drills. “ The Chinese athletes are unrivaled in their dedication to skill training. Each of these athletes lives a life dedicated to becoming the best they can possibly be,” he said. “The Chinese coaches are even more committed to success.”—AFP

Boxer is Philippines’ main hope for Olympic medal MANILA: Boxer Mark Anthony Barriga is the Philippines’ main hope for gold at the London Games, sports officials said Saturday, with the light-flyweight aiming to be the country’s first Olympic champion. The 19-year-old, a quarterfinalist at the world championships in Azerbaijan last year, is facing tough odds, said Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines executive director Ed Picson.

But he added: “We think he has a decent chance of winning. That is why he is there. If we did not think he had a chance, we would not send him.”

The Philippines has an impressive record in professional boxing, with two current world champions-Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire.

And Barriga also has a good record, with wins at the annual Sydney Jackson M emorial Tournament in Uzbekistan in 2011 and 2012.

The head of the Philippine Sports Commission, Richie Garcia, said: “He has a very good chance of

winning in his weight category. He seems to have the spirit and determination to win. “He is not somebody who came out of nowhere. He has a track record and he can win.”

Garcia said the Philippines will have only a small squad of 11 athletes in London after many promising contenders failed to qualify in their respective sports.

The country has suffered a long medal drought, with its last podium finish a silver in boxing-coming in the Atlanta games in 1996. It has never won gold but did bag bronze medals, also in boxing, in 1992 and 1988.

Garcia, whose agency is in charge of funding national athletics programmes, said he favored a proposal to bring in more foreign coaches.

The boxing association is considering hiring a “consultant”, possibly from Kazakhstan, the United States or Britain to help upgrade its programme, Picson said.—AFP

18

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

sp orts

Pedrosa wins, Stoner crashes

GERMANY: Honda rider Dani Pedrosa from Spain leads a pack of riders during the MotoGP race at the Grand Prix of Germany. —AP SACHSENRING: Sachsenring specialist Dani Pedrosa won his third successive German MotoGP to open his account for the year here yesterday.

While the Spaniard took the honours, his Honda teammate Casey Stoner, destined to take second, crashed out with two bends of the final lap remaining to dent his hopes of defending his world title before he heads into retirement. The main beneficiary of Stoner’s spill was Yamaha’s former champion Jorge Lorenzo who was gifted the runner up spot to move clear at the top of the riders standings on 160 points.

Pedrosa climbed into second on 146 with Stoner, pointless here, on 140. First corner carnage in Assen last weekend had checked Lorenzo’s title charge with Stoner arriving at Sachsenring level on points with the Spaniard.

Alvaro Bautista was found guilty for that spill and as a punishment the Honda rider was consigned to the back of the grid here.

In contrast to Saturday’s wet weather qualifying, a dry track greeted the grid headed by Stoner on pole but the Australian was beaten to the first corner by Pedrosa, who started in third. Stoner

though reclaimed the lead from his teammate on turn nine of the opening lap, with Yamaha duo Ben Spies and Lorenzo racing in third and fourth.

The Hondas quickly opened up acres of daylight around the sinuous Sachsenring track, with a near three second gap between Pedrosa and Spies by lap six.

With ten laps gone Lorenzo was up to third as in front Pedrosa stalked Stoner. The Spaniard duly pounced and passed his Honda colleague with a dozen laps remaining, but was unable to pull clear, setting up a thrilling last third of the race

with Lorenzo out of the picture, eight seconds adrift.

Stoner was all set to take second and add another valuable 20 points to his push for the championship until his front wheel went from under him on the last lap, the Australian sliding off, thankfully ending up unharmed in the gravel.

Pedrosa cut a happy figure afterwards, saying: “At the start I wasn’t comfortable because of changes to my bike. “As I became used to all the changes I passed Casey, and was feeling good.

“Towards the end I had to fight for the

win, on the last lap I was racing at my maximum.” Lorenzo, reflecting on a dramatic turnaround in fortune after his Dutch disaster, told BBC Sport: “Things can change completely in two races. “At Assen we have zero points and were very disappointed but then we have luck from Casey’s crash today. I would have been happy to finish third as the bike was not so good but we were lucky.” The Moto2 race was won by Marc Marquez while Germany’s Sandro Cortese gave the home fans something to cheer about when taking the Moto3 division —AFP

Klitschko stops Thompson

LOS ANGELES: IBF junior featherweight champion from South Africa, Jeffrey ‘Mongoose’ Mathebula (left) and four-division world champion Nonito Donaire the ‘Filipino Flash,’ from Philippines, pose at the Fortune Gym in Los Angeles. —AP

Donaire defeats Mathebula CARSON: Nonito Donaire added the IBF super bantamweight title to his WBO belt with a unanimous decision over South Africa’s Jeffrey Mathebula on Saturday, earning his 28th consecutive victory.

Donaire (29-1, 18 KOs), the four-division champion born in the Philippines and raised in California’s Bay Area, landed bigger shots and showed more aggression throughout the bout. He knocked down Mathebula with a vicious left hook in the fourth round, but Mathebula used his 11-centimeter height advantage and a tremendous work rate to keep the bout competitive.

The Filipino Flash finished with a strong 12th round, winning comfortably on all three judges’ scorecards at Home Depot Center.

“It was tough. He got me off the jab really well,” Donaire said. “That jab really took me out of my power range. He’s a great champion. He wouldn’t let me get in there and let me work.”

Donaire used an extensive variety of punches against Mathebula (26-4-2), repeatedly attempting to land knockout shots from all angles. He didn’t succeed because Mathebula adeptly avoided punishing exchanges, but Donaire largely controlled the early and late rounds.

The judges scored the bout 117-110, 118-109 and 119-108 for Donaire. The Associated Press also favored Donaire, 116-111. “I attacked, I had good balance, and I had a lot of fun in there,” Donaire said. “My goal is to be a unified champion. I want to unify all of the belts at 122 (pounds).”

Donaire landed his biggest punch in the fourth round, cracking Mathebula with a left hook that recalled Donaire’s knockout punch against Vic Darchinyan in July 2007, the fight that catapulted him to stardom. Mathebula’s feet left the ground when he tumbled into the corner right before the bell, but he gathered his

wits on his stool and came back with a courageous fifth round.

Mathebula’s camp said he cracked a tooth during the 11th round, and the pain affected his attack in a one-sided round. The Marvelous Mongoose had won his belt with a split-decision victory over Takalani Ndlovu in March, but he was fighting outside South Africa for just the second time in his career “It’s very hard to box a very tall fighter like that, but he broke him down round by round,” said Robert Garcia, Donaire’s trainer.

On the undercard, former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik also got a comfortable unanimous decision over Will Rosinsky in an all-American bout.

Although Pavlik (40-2, 34 KOs) didn’t dazzle, he won his fourth straight bout since taking a year off from boxing after losing his two middleweight belts to Sergio Martinez in April 2010. Pavlik has rebuilt his career and his life after breaking free of bad influences in his native Youngstown, Ohio, and moving his training camp to Ventura, California, under Garcia’s training.

Pavlik’s victory over Rosinsky (16-2) was his second fight in four weeks, and the former champ persevered through a cut above his left eye to pick apart his opponent with big edges in power punches (45-33) and total punches landed (227-159).

“He’s a very good, solid fighter, very busy,” Pavlik said of Rosinsky. “He gave me good work. I always thought I was ahead, but now I want a big fight in the fall.” Pavlik’s punches didn’t appear to have the same destructive power he possessed at the height of his career, but he landed more big shots and matched Rosinsky’s punch output after a slow start. Pavlik mentioned Lucian Bute and Andre Ward as his ideal next opponents. —AP

BERNE: Wladimir Klitschko retained his world heavyweight titles when he knocked down challenger Tony Thompson in the six th round of a one -sided contest on Saturday.

The 36-year-old Ukrainian, who knocked out Thompson when they met four years ago, extended his unbeaten run to 16 fights, his last defeat coming when he challenged Lamon Brewster for the WBO title in 2004.

Klitschko, who has won 58 and lost three of his professional bouts, holds the WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO titles while his older brother Vitali holds the WBC title.

Thompson was never in the contest and was floored for the first time in the fifth round with a big right hook. The American, the mandatory challenger nominated by the IBF, survived the count but looked groggy and struggled to hang on until the bell.

Dr Steelhammer wasted no time in finishing off the 40-year-old in the next round, knocking him over again with a flurry of punches to the head, prompting the referee to stop the fight. “”I didn’t have a doubt from the beginning of the fight that I would defend my titles,” Klitschko told reporters. “”It was really difficult to land the punches. He’s ver y sneaky, he sees the punches, he never loses eye contact which makes him super alert. “”I felt I had the strength, speed, condition and power,” he added. Thompson, who suffered his third defeat in 39 fights, praised his opponent.”

“I came up short for the second time,” the American said. “”Vladimir is a great champion and his physical attributes showed in the

ring tonight. “”I really feel I can beat any other heavyweight in the world, but if you can’t be the champions...” —Reuters

BERN: Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko of Ukraine (left) fights with contender Tony Thompson of the United States (right) during their world heavyweight championship title bout. —AP

Choi takes control of US Women’s Open WISCONSIN: South Korea’s Choi Na-yeon obliterated the field with a stunning sevenunder-par 65 to surge six shots clear in Saturday’s third round of the US Women’s Open in Kohler, Wisconsin.

On a breezy day with tricky hole locations at Blackwolf Run where only four other sub-par scores were recorded, Choi put herself in prime position to win her first major title.

WISCONSIN: Na Yeon Choi putts on the 12th green during the third round of the US Women’s Open golf tournament. —AP

The 24-year-old Korean, who has triumphed five times on the LPGA Tour, seized control of the tournament in masterly fashion with eight birdies and a sole bogey to finish at eight-under 208.

“I hit a lot of good shots today, my 14 clubs worked very well,” a beaming Choi told reporters after totaling 26 putts on fast-running greens. “I had a birdie on the first hole and a birdie on the second hole, then I got some good vibes from there, good confidence from there. It was really fun out there.

“I couldn’t believe how I got eight birdies today, but I did,” she grinned. “I’m very happy, I’m very satisfied and I’m very excited.”

Choi ’s 65 was the 11th carded at a US Women’s Open where only four lower rounds have ever been posted.

Compatriot Amy Yang was alone in second after carding a 69, the next-best score of the day, with American teenager Lexi Thompson (72), Japan’s Mika Miyazato (73) and Germany’s Sandra Gal (74) a further stroke back at one-under 215.

Overnight leader Suzann Pettersen of Norway endured a difficult day, battling to a 78 that included a pair of double-bogeys to finish a distant nine strokes off the pace.

Pettersen, who had led by one shot after the second round, briefly doubled her advantage when she birdied the par-five second.

However, she fell back into a tie for the lead with the first of her double-bogeys, at the par-four third, before Choi took control with a sizzling birdie display.

The petite Korean scorched the front nine in four-under 32 and then picked up further shots at the 10th, 11th and 12th to charge five shots clear at eight under.

Though she ran up a three-putt bogey at

the tricky par-three 13th, Choi recovered with another birdie at the 17th to stretch her lead to six.

Since turning professional in late 2004, Choi has established herself as one of the leading players on the LPGA Tour. In 2010, she won twice on the US circuit before ending the year by clinching the money list title and also the prestigious Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average, with 69.8.

Choi has yet to win a major title, but this week offers a golden opportunity to change that. “It will be a lot of pressure tomorrow, but I know what I have to do and I know what I can control,” she said of Sunday’s final round. “I cannot control winning. I just do my best.

“I have confidence and this is a good opportunity to be winning a US Open. So I just hope to get a good warm-up tomorrow morning, go out there with my caddie and have fun.” Pettersen, who won her first major title at the 2007 LPGA Championship, was dumbfounded by Choi’s display on Saturday in tough conditions.

“Today wasn’t easy. Today was kind of the biggest test,” the 31-year- old Norwegian said. “Na Yeon played phenomenal golf. I couldn’t believe the scores I saw, to be honest.”

Asked how she viewed her own task on Sunday, Pettersen replied: “There’s birdies out there. I think the wind is going to be a little bit less tomorrow from what I’ve seen.

“So if you get off to a hot start, hopefully put a number down early in the clubhouse, who knows?”

Taiwan’s world number one Yani Tseng, who has claimed five of the last 10 major titles, emulated Pettersen by carding a 78 on Saturday to lie a distant 16 strokes off the pace. —Reuters

19

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

SPORTS

Stewart makes late move to win at Daytona DAYTONA BEACH: There was no fire or rain. Still, another frantic finish at Daytona International Speedway. Tony Stewart emerged the winner, charging past Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth on the last lap and holding on as the challengers stacked up behind him Saturday night in one of Daytona’s trademark wrecks.

“I don’t even remember what happened that last lap,” Stewart said.

Stewart has 18 victories at Daytona, second only to the late Dale Earnhardt’s 34 wins. None of Stewart’s wins are in the Daytona 500, though. Stewart is 0 for 14 in NASCAR’s biggest race of the year and was a non-factor in February, when the race was delayed a day by rain and then stopped more than two hours for a massive jet dryer fire.

“I wish I could trade a couple of these races in for just one Sunday race in February,” he said of the Daytona 500.

But he’s always strong in the summer race at Daytona, and this visit was no different.

Stewart qualified second but dropped back to 42nd at the start of the race because his time was thrown out by NASCAR after his Chevrolet failed inspection. He quietly rode around which is his style at restrictor-plate races - and let Roush Fenway Racing teammates Kenseth and Greg Biffle control the front. “We were going to try to win the thing and be there at the end,” Biffle said. “We were right there.”

The Roush drivers thought they had the field covered - Kenseth led a racehigh 89 laps and Biffle led 35 - and they

probably still liked their chances on the final green-white-checkered restart.

Kenseth was the leader with Biffle on his bumper, as second-place Stewart was lined up with Kasey Kahne.

Kenseth and Biffle pulled away for a lap, but Stewart came quick on the outside, moved to the front, then crossed down the track in front of Kenseth for the lead. Seconds later, Biffle seemed to wiggle in traffic and cars began wrecking all over the track in what was tallied to be a 15-car accident.

“I’m not really sure what happened, they just started wrecking behind us,” said Kenseth, who started from the pole in his bid to become the first driver since 1982 to sweep the two Daytona races in the same season.

“It seems like we always end these things in green-white-checkers, and whenever you do, really anybody that’s in the front few tandems has a shot to win the thing. It’s so unpredictable. You do things those last two laps that you’d never do the rest of the race. It’s really hard to figure. You sit out there and ride around and be leading the whole race and come down to one of the greenwhite-checkers and have no idea where you’re going to finish.”

The final results showed Jeff Burton came from nowhere to finish second in a Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, followed by Kenseth in a Ford and Joey Logano in a Toyota.

Stewart teammate Ryan Newman, who was involved in a pit road incident with Kahne and Jeff Gordon, finished fifth. Roush driver Carl Edwards was sixth

and was followed by Kahne, Brad Keselowski in a Dodge and Michael Waltrip. Bobby Labonte rounded out the top 10. Denny Hamlin, who battled a

Harvick. “He got a hell of a shove off the front of Junior ... I’m like, ‘It’s impossible that somebody could get into that hole that quick,’” Biffle said. “But he got

DAYTONA: Tony Stewart (front) heads to the finish line for the victory as a multi-car crash takes place behind him during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway.—AP bad back all weekend, raced for the win late but was involved in an accident that dropped him to 25th.

“I could have done without it, that’s for sure,” said Hamlin, who added none of the on-track contact was too rough.

“I’ll be 100 percent by next weekend, for sure.” Biffle, who was in third on the final restart, dropped all the way to 21st and said the accident started when Dale Earnhardt Jr. gave Kevin Harvick a big push, and Biffle turned in front of

squirted off the bumper of (Earnhardt) and shot in there. It was my fault.”

Roughly 90 minutes before the race, NASCAR announced AJ Allmendinger had been suspended for failing a random drug test taken last week at Kentucky. Penske Racing rushed Sam Hornish Jr. in from North Carolina, where he was in the middle of a live television show, to drive Allmendinger’s car.

Hornish arrived just minutes before it was time to climb in the car.

“All the way up until the plane took off we didn’t know if we were going to make the race in time,” Hornish said. “I said that I would tell the pilot to fly faster, but I’m pretty sure that he was going to have the throttle pinned the whole way down.”

Hornish said he grabbed a sandwich and tried to hydrate as much as I could. I think I drank 18 bottles of water knowing how hot it was down here.”

He was doing an admirable job until a tire problem caused him to spin, bringing out the first caution just past the halfway point. Hornish finished 33rd, and Penske officials said they’ll meet this week with Allmendinger to get a better understanding of the situation.

“We just cut down a tire and it came apart and tore the car all up,” Hornish said. “I’m disappointed for the guys.”

Stewart, meanwhile, picked up his third win of the season, which ties him for the most in the Sprint Cup Series with Keselowski. The defending series champion has won this race at Daytona four times in his career, all within the last eight years.

The victory made the three-time champion feel much better his chances to defend his title because Stewart feels he has enough wins to ensure a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

“It’s not a guarantee, but it’s nice to know we’ve got those three wins,” he said. “I would think (the Chase) would be a virtual lock that we have those wins.

Hopefully, we won’t have to use them.”—AP

Pakistan hit back after batting collapse

KINGSTON: In this image released by DigicelCricket.com, West Indies’ Chris Gayle rises his bat and helmet to celebrate his century during their second OneDay International cricket match against New Zealand.—AP

Gayle, Samuels star as West Indies beat Kiwis KINGSTON: Centuries from Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels inspired West Indies to a 55-run win over New Zealand in the second one day international here at Sabina Park.

After three successive half centuries in the back-to-back Twenty20 matches in Florida and the first ODI on Thursday Gayle again showed the local fans what they had been missing after 12 months of international exile.

His contribution of 125 runs, featuring nine sixes, from 107 balls and with Samuels compiling 101 off 103 balls, lifted West Indies to 315 for five.

New Zealand were always going to be struggling to match that total and despite half centuries from BJ Watling, Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson were bowled out for 260 off 47 overs.

Saturday’s result gave the hosts a 2-0 lead in the five match series which they can seal in St Kitts on Wednesday. For Gayle this was his 20th ODI ton, a new West Indian record, surpassing the previous record sdet by Brian Lara.

He was prevented beating his careerbest score of 153 when in the 38th over one of his shots landed in the hands of

deep midwicket. For man of the match Samuels this was his third ODI century.

Gayle, reflecting on a good day in the office for him and his team, said: “What was really pleasing to see was the way we controlled the game from the start and turned up the tempo at the right time. We were strong in all departments, and the bowlers did another good job for us today.”

He praised the contribution made by Samuels, saying: “He is a quality player and to see him get a hundred after I got one earlier in the innings is something special.”

Samuels reflected: “Chris set the stage with his power at the top of the innings and then I was able to come in and add the finishing touches.

“It was an enjoyable day for me and the team. It was special to do it with so many people who have done so much for me in my life watching.

“It is my first hundred in the Caribbean, the others have been away. The others have been out of my ‘comfort zone’ ... but this one has been in my ‘comfort zone’. “It’s been a while since I last batted with Chris, so batting with him today was wonderful.”—AFP

SCOREBOARD KINGSTON, Jamaica: Scoreboard of the second one-day international between West Indies and New Zealand at Sabina Park on Saturday: West Indies L. Simmons c Watling b Southee 3 C. Gayle c Latham b Mills 125 D. Smith c N McCullum b Nethula24 M. Samuels not out 101 K. Pollard lbw b Southee 8 Dwayne Bravob Southee 3 D. Sammy not out 31 Extras (15w 5lb) 20 Total (for 5, 50 overs) 315 Did not bat: D. Ramdin, S. Narine, R. Rampaul, A. Russell Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Simmons), 2-98 (Smith), 3-227 (Gayle), 4-253 (Pollard), 5-272 (Bravo), Bowling: Mills 10-0-55-1 (1w), Southee 10-155-3 (2w), McCullum 6-0-35-0, Oram 10-0-68-0 (3w), Nethula 10-1-66-1 (3w), Nicol 2-0-14-0 (1w), Flynn 1-0-9-0, Williamson 1-0-8-0 New Zealand R. Nicol c Sammy b Rampaul

15

M. Guptill c and b Samuels 51 D. Flynn c Dwayne Bravo b Narine21 K. Williamson lbw b Rampaul 58 T. Latham c Sub b Samuels 2 B. Watling not out 72 T. Southee run out (Pollard) 2 N. McCullum lbw b Narine 1 J. Oram c Smith b Russell 10 K.Mills b Rampaul 6 T. Nethula run out (Russell) 3 Extras (3nb 11w 5lb) 19 Total (all out, 47 overs) 260 Fall of wickets: 1-24 (Nicol), 2-62 (Flynn), 3-121 (Guptill), 4-125 (Latham), 5-195 (Williamson), 6-200 (Southee), 7-214 (McCullum), 8-242 (Oram), 9-253 (Mills), 10-260 (Nethula), Bowling: Russell 9-0-51-1 (1nb), Rampaul 9-050-3 (1nb, 2w), Bravo 3-0-20-0, Narine 10-045-2 (1nb, 2w), Sammy 8-0-43-0 (1w), Samuels 8-0-46-2 (1w) Result: West Indies win by 55 runs

PALLEKELE: Young seamer Thisara Perera grabbed a career-best 4-63 as Sri Lanka bowled out Pakistan for 226 on the opening day of the final Test in Pallekele yesterday.

Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath chipped in with three wickets after Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene put the tourists in to bat for the second consecutive match. Pakistan hit back to reduce Sri Lanka to 44-3 by stumps as left-arm seamer Junaid Khan removed Dinesh Chandimal and danger man Kumar Sangakkara in the space of four deliveries. Chandimal was leg-before for eight, while Sangakkara was bowled for zero after making 199 not out and 192 in the previous two Tests.

Mohammad Sami then trapped skipper Jayawardene leg-before in the last over to cap an absorbing day’s play at the Pallekele International Stadium.

Pakistan, looking for a series-levelling win, failed to adjust to the moving ball on a responsive wicket and collapsed to 56-4 soon after the first hour of play.

They recovered through a fighting 75 from Asad Shafiq, who put on 85 for the fifth wicket with skipper Misbah-ul-Haq (40) before the innings terminated midway through the post-tea session.

“It’s game on at this stage,” said Shafiq. “We may not have got a big score, but having taken three quick wickets means Sri Lanka will be under pressure. “This pitch is not easy to bat on, especially in the morning and evening sessions where the ball does a bit. It will play the same way on the remaining days too.” Sri Lanka, who won the first Test in Galle before the second in Colombo was drawn, are seeking their first series win in three years, after defeating New Zealand 2-0 at home in 2009.

Perera, a 23-year-old playing only his sixth Test, made an immediate impact in his maiden appearance in the series by grabbing three wickets in his first eight overs.

Unlike the second Test where Jayawardene’s decision to field on a flat track backfired as Pakistan ran up 551-6 declared, the hosts finally found conditions that suited the bowlers. The bounce on the greenish pitch was less than expected-the wicket-keeper stood up to the stumps as early as the third over-but there was considerable movement in the air and off the wicket. “It is good

PALLEKELE: Pakistan’s bowler Junaid Khan (center) with teammates Faizal Iqbal (left) and Asad Shafiq celebrates after taking the wicket of Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara (unseen) on the first day of their third and final Test cricket match.—AP to get my best Test figures, but I am happier that I helped my team keep Pakistan to a low score,” said Perera.

“I hope it continues that way and we can win this Test.” Perera, taking advantage of overcast conditions, struck after Pakistan’s openers had rattled up 35 by the eighth over, bowling Mohammad Hafeez with a delivery that swung in sharply.

Hafeez, who scored 196 in the second Test, made 22 with four hits to the fence. Azhar Ali, another century-maker in Colombo, edged a wild drive off Perera to Thilan Samaraweera at gully before he had scored a run.

Sri Lanka earned two further wickets on either side of the morning drinks break when veteran Younis Khan was caught behind off Kulasekara and Taufeeq Umar was leg-before to Perera for 29.

Misbah defended stoutly for his 40 off 95 deliveries as he rebuilt the innings with Shafiq, but the pair found little support from the rest of the batting. Sri Lanka suffered a setback before the start when experienced opener Tillakaratne Dilshan opted out of the Test and returned home to Colombo due to health worries in his family. Dilshan was replaced by Chandimal, while Suraj

Randiv and Nuwan Pradeep made way for Dilhara Fernando and Perera.

Pakistan included Umar Gul and

Mohammad Sami, who both missed the second Test, in place of Aizaz Cheema and Abdur Rehman.—AFP

SCOREBOARD KANDY: Scoreboard on the first day of the third and final test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan yesterday: Pakistan first innings Mohammad Hafeez b Perera 22 Taufeeq Umar lbw b Perera 29 Azhar Ali c Samaraweera b Perera 0 Younus Khan c P Jayawardene b Kulasekara 0 Misbah-ul-Haq c P Jayawardene b Perera 40 Asad Shafiq c P. Jayawardene b Herath 75 Adnan Akmal b Herath 24 Mohammad Sami c Perera b Mathews 9 Umar Gul b Kulasekara 7 Saeed Ajmal lbw b Herath 6 Junaid Khan not out 3 Extras (lb-11) 11 Total (all out, 72.5 overs) 226 Fall of wickets: 1-35 2-41 3-50 4-56 5-141 6-175 7-198 8-217 9-217 10-226 Bowling: Kulasekara 16-4-44-2, Perera 18-5-63-4, Mathews 8-3-20-1, Herath 18.5-6-40-3, Fernando 12-1-48-0.

Sri Lanka first innings T. Paranavitana not out 13 D. Chandimal lbw b Junaid 8 K. Sangakkara b Junaid 0 M. Jayawardene lbw b Sami 12 Extras: (b-10 w-1) 11 Total (for three wickets, 14.4 overs) 44 Fall of wickets: 1-14 2-14 3-44.

To bat: T. Samaraweera, A. Mathews, P. Jayawardene, T. Perera, N. Kulasekara, R. Herath, D. Fernando.

Bowling: Gul 6-1-16-0, Junaid 6-0-15-2, Sami 1.4-0-2-1 (1w), Ajmal 1-0-1-0.

Grasscourt great? I don’t even like it, says Serena LONDON: She now has five Wimbledon singles titles, has a serve that is almost unplayable on the lawns and even named her dog after one of greatest men’s players to grace the surface, yet Serena Williams still says she really does not like grass. The 30-year-old American carved another landmark on the All England Club’s famous Centre Court on Saturday when she overpowered Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska to move level with her sister Venus’s singles haul at the championships.

Despite being a relative veteran of the women’s game, the American is clearly not finished yet and, should she stay fit and healthy, few would bet against her matching the six of fellow American Billie Jean King here in 12 months’ time. Yet the girl who learned her trade belting balls on the public hardcourts in Compton, insists the plush Wimbledon lawns

still have her scratching her head at times.

“I don’t love grass, to be honest,” Williams told reporters before heading back out to contest the women’s doubles final with Venus. “I always say that every year.

“I’m like, Gosh, the grass! I’m not the biggest grass court player because I always get bad bounces and I’m always complaining, and I hate it when I get a bad bounce. “But, for whatever reason, I do really well here.”

The serve certainly helps. During her seven singles victories here this past fortnight she slammed down 102 aces, 24 of them coming in the semi-final against Victoria Azarenka and another 17 against Radwanska. She also served a perfect game of four aces in the third set on Saturday to regain control of a match that she had let slip out of her control after breezing through the first set.Serena said she rarely prac-

tises the swing that she modelled on seventimes men’s champion Pete Sampras - one of the greatest servers of his generation.

“I used to want to serve just like Pete,” said Williams, who now has an identical grand slam haul to that of Sampras - 14 titles from 18 finals.

“But I think my motion changed. It doesn’t look anything like his. But I definitely wanted to.

That was the intention.” “I really loved Pete when I was younger,” added Williams. “My dog’s name is Jackie Violet Pete after Pete Sampras, so obviously I’m a little bit obsessed. “I didn’t realise I had the same stats. Clearly my career is not over, so I definitely want to do a few more.”

Williams, who has battled back from a careerthreatening foot injury and serious health problems since her previous grand slam singles title at Wimbledon in 2010, said all that she had achieved was inspired by her sister.—Reuters

Pakistan hit back after batting collapse

Pedrosa wins, Stoner crashes

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

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Choi takes control of US Women’s Open

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Murray weeps as Federer

sweeps crown

WIMBLEDON: Roger Federer of Switzerland blows kisses to spectators after winning the men’s singles final against Andy Murray of Britain at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships. (Inset) A combination of photographs created yesterday show Roger Federer of Switzerland holding up his 17 Grand Slam trophies. Swiss great Roger Federer won his seventh Wimbledon men’s singles title and his 17th career Grand Slam title at the Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament yesterday. Federer’s 17 Grand Slam victories are: Centre: Wimbledon 2012 (1st row, from left) Australian Open 2010, Wimbledon 2007, Wimbledon 2009, Roland Garros 2009, US Open 2008. (2nd row, from left) US Open 2007, US Open 2006. ( 3rd row, from left) Australian Open 2006, US Open 2005. (4th row, from left ) Wimbledon 2006, Wimbledon 2005. (5th row, from left) US Open 2004, Wimbledon 2004, Australian Open 2004, Wimbledon 2003, Australian Open 2007. —AFP LONDON: Roger Federer won a record-equalling seventh Wimbledon title and 17th Grand Slam crown yesterday, shattering tearful Andy Murray’s dream of ending Britain’s 76-year wait for an All England Club men’s champion.

Federer, playing in his eighth Wimbledon final and 24th Grand Slam championship match, won 46, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 to join Pete Sampras and William Renshaw as a seven-time champion.

The Swiss great, who has also regained the world number one ranking, is just the third man over 30 to win Wimbledon following Rod Laver in 1969 and Arthur Ashe in 1975.

Murray, 25, bidding to be the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936 to win Wimbledon, has now lost all four Grand Slam finals in which he has appeared.

“It equals me with Pete Sampras, who’s my hero, so it feels amazing,” said Federer, whose last Wimbledon title was in 2009 and was without a

major since the 2010 Australian Open.

“It feels great being back here as the winner. I think I played some of my best tennis in the last couple of matches. I couldn’t be more happy.”

Federer, who dominated the final after the Centre Court roof was shut early in the third set, admitted he had felt the sense of occasion with Murray chasing down history.

“Today was unique because of playing Andy.

Obviously, being able to play or finish a match under the roof, I don’t think that’s ever been done before here for a final. I know the occasion and how big it was for Andy and myself.”

Murray, the first British man to reach a Wimbledon final since Bunny Austin in 1938, broke down in tears at the closing ceremony, delivering his speech but faltering on numerous occasions.

“I’m getting closer,” said an emotional Murray, who had to gather himself before continuing. “I’m going to try this but it won’t be easy. Firstly I’d like

to congratulate Roger. I was asked the other day if this is my best chance? Roger’s 30. He’s not bad for a 30-year-old.”

In the opening exchanges of this eagerly-anticipated final, Murray was the stronger player, making the most of his five-year advantage as Federer looked fatigued and ragged. However, once the £80 million roof was shut the momentum shifted and Federer stormed into the ascendancy.

With the Duchess of Cambridge, sister Pippa Middleton, Australian great Rod Laver, British Prime Minister David Cameron and even the Beckhams looking on from the Royal Box, it was the Briton who started the stronger.

Murray, defeated by Federer in the 2008 US Open and 2010 Australian Open finals without winning a set, broke in the first game when an uncharacteristic nervy Swiss ballooned a drive volley and that break was backed up by a hold.

Federer held and retrieved the break before

Murray survived two break points in the eighth game.

He broke to lead 5-4 as Federer netted a forehand having had to take evasive action to avoid a Murray forehand missile.

The Scot then wrapped up the opener-it was the first set Murray had won in his three Grand Slam finals, with Federer’s 16 unforced errors to his opponent’s five proving key.

Murray saved a break point in the second game of the second set while Federer, the first 30-yearold in the final since Jimmy Connors in 1984, saved two in the fifth.

The two men served a pair of love games as Federer led 4-3 while Murray wasted two break points in the ninth game as the six-time champion clung on for a 5-4 advantage. The Briton again served a love game for 5-5.

But Federer held and suddenly carved out a set point with a magical drop volley in the 12th game

Webber clinches dramatic British GP SILVERSTONE: Mark Webber claimed the ninth win of his career yesterday when he swept to a dramatic and perfectly-judged victory in an incident-filled British Grand Prix.

In a race run in welcome, if rare, dry conditions, the 35-year-old Australian steered his Red Bull through 52 laps of complex tactical and strategic racing to overtake pole sitter nad lontime leader Fernando Alonso of Ferrari close home.

It was Webber’s second win this year, after triumphing at Monaco, and his second at Silverstone in three years. “Great day for us and a great day for me,” he said over the team radio.

Webber’s Red Bull team-mate and defending double world champion Sebastian Vettel came home third to ensure the champions had two men on the podium.

Webber’s win was watched by a capacity Silverstone crowd of 120,000 spectators who had braved torrential rain for most of the weekend. Alonso’s second place enabled him to stay on top of the drivers’ title race with 129 points ahead of Webber on 116.

Felipe Massa finished fourth in the second Ferrari ahead of his former Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen and his Lotus colleague Romain Grosjean.

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher of Mercedes finished seventh ahead of home favourite Lewis Hamilton who produced some spectacular racing on his way to eighth for McLaren.

Bruno Senna finished ninth for Williams and Jenson Button was 10th in the second McLaren. Alonso made a near-perfect start in the rare dry conditions when the lights went out.

Briton Paul di Resta was the first victim of the conditions and the traffic when, on the opening lap, Grosjean collided with him.

Russian Vitaly Petrov had also been forced

to retire before the start when his Renault engine failed in his Caterham. Vettel was the first of the leading men to pit after 11 laps when he came in from fifth, rejoining 15th.

One lap later, Massa threw his Ferrari past Schumacher at Stowe in one of many close battles before the German pitted and Pastor Maldonado appeared to lose control of his car and crash into the Sauber of luckless Mexican Sergio Perez.

Both cars spun and the resultant damage left Perez forced out of the race while Maldonado, frequently involved in collisions with other drivers, steered his damaged Williams back to the pits.

The stewards announced that the incident will be investigated after the race. Perez was livid with his fellow Latin American and said: “He doesn’t respect other drivers. I was already in front and he should have given space not to crash, but he tried to push me all the way.

“I don’t understand why he drives like that and I hope the stewards do something. It is not first time he has damaged my weekend. This guy will never learn if they don’t do something. He could hurt someone. Everybody has concerns about him.”

Alonso pitted after 16 laps and rejoined ahead of Webber, but Hamilton stayed out on his hard tyres and inherited the lead which he fought to retain during a remarkable battle with the Spaniard on lap 19.

First, Alonso passed the Briton, then Hamilton responded and regained the lead only to be re-passed by the Spaniard again in thrilling fashion. By lap 21, Alonso led Hamilton, who pitted to allow Webber back into third place. Hamilton was fast again, but as the leading cars pitted again for fresh tyres amid a flurry of fluctuating strategic decisions which also saw Alonso dash in for his set of compulsory soft tyres, 14 laps from the

which caused Murray to push a lob long. Another immaculate drop volley off his toes gave him the set 7-5. At 1-1 and 40-0 for Federer in the third, heavy rain drove the players off court for 40 minutes and the roof was closed.

In a dramatic sixth game, which lasted 20 minutes and went to 10 deuces, Murray took three tumbles to the ground, surrendered a 40-0 lead and Federer broke on a sixth break point for a 4-2 lead.

A ninth ace of the contest gave Federer the set 6-3 and a two sets to one lead.

Suddenly, the life and vibrancy seeped out of Murray. He felt his lower back, Victoria Beckham looked even more sombre, and the Scot slipped 3-2 down off a killer, crosscourt backhand drive.

A 12th ace in the 10th game took Federer to two match points, the first of which was saved but Murray went wide on a forehand to hand Federer victory.—AFP

Pinot triumphs

LONDON: Australia’s Mark Webber driving a Red Bull Racing-Renault Formula1 car takes village corner. (Inset) Australia’s Mark Webber (right) celebrates after winning the Formula One British Grand Prix. —AP finish, after 38 laps.

One lap later Japanese Kamui Kobayashi clattered into his own mechanics when he made a major error as he rushed into the pits.

Alonso, on fast-wearing tyres, was left to struggle to preserve them in the closing laps

as the field closed up and Webber moved within reach of the Spaniard, finally diving past him to take the lead at Brooklands on lap 49. That set up a thrilling finish with Webber pulling away ahead of Alonso in the final laps. —AFP

PORRENTRUY: Britain’s Bradley Wiggins defended the Tour de France yellow jersey on the race’s second climbing day after seeing his lead come under attack for the first time yesterday.

Frenchman Thibaut Pinot of FDJ won the eighth stage, his maiden win coming an an enforced debut, after 157.5 km of racing over several short but steep climbs in the Swiss Jura.

Defending champion Cadel Evans (BMC) finished second at 26sec, the Australian leading home a select group after a failed attempt to shake off Wiggins on the way to the last summit and during the 16 km descent to the finish.

Among the finishers with Evans was Italian rival Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas), Frank Schleck of Luxembourg (RadioShack), Belgian Jurgen Van den Broeck (Lotto) and Russian Denis Menchov (Katusha). After taking the lead thanks to a third place finish on Saturday, Wiggins retained his 10sec advantage on second placed Evans with Nibali still third at 16 and Menchov moving up on place to fourth at 54 after Estonian Rein Taaramae failed to keep the pace.

However the Englishman got a taste of what may be in store in the climbing stages ahead. With many pre-race hopefuls now several minutes in arrears the onus is now on them to attack if they are to claw back time.

And on the way to the summit of the Col de la Croix, the seventh and last climb, Van den Broeck and Lotto teammate Jelle Vanendert took on the challenge.

Only Froome was able to stick with Wiggins in the select group but the Briton showed his mettle by sticking close on the way to the summit and when both Nibali then Evans tried to shake him on the descent. Wiggins said he had not been surprised by their tactics. “I’m not surprised at anything in this Tour. You can’t underestimate or try to predict anything,” he said. “It was enjoyable, just like being in a junior race with everybody attacking.” A day after being isolated on the steep climb to La Planche des Belles Filles in the Vosges, Evans said riders like Van den Broeck and Spaniard Alejandro Valverde have everything to gain. “A lot of the leaders are isolated, especially guys like Van den Broeck and Valverde who have already lost time and they don’t have anything to lose, so they’re much more willing to put it out there,” he said.

“Opportunities don’t come often in this line of work so when they come you’ve got to grab them by the neck and go with it.” Stage glory, meanwhile, went to the youngest rider in the race. —AFP

Malaysia’s IPO boom is a one-off: Analysts Page 22

How plane giants descended into major global ‘price war’ Page 24

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

Italy’s GDP will shrink around 2% in 2012: CB

China’s premier Wen warns of further economic slowdown Page 25

Page 23

NEW DELHI: An Indian vendor sells balloons on the lawns in front of India Gate in New Delhi yesterday. India’s inflation, which was nudging double digits for most of 2011, has now fallen to just under seven percent but the previous rate hikes, along with a sluggish global economy, dragged on gross domestic product growth.— AFP

Euro-zone ministers meet as pressure mounts Economy slows as markets turn skeptical BRUSSELS: Euro-zone finance ministers will meet today to build on measures agreed last month to tame the debt crisis, seeking to provide fresh momentum as the economy slows and markets turn skeptical.

A June 28-29 EU summit was hailed as a breakthrough, promising fresh capital for Spain’s struggling banks, a European bank union to keep the lenders in line and making it easier for the bloc’s new bailout fund to help states in trouble. The financial markets soared in response, with borrowing costs for Spain, Italy and other weaker euro-zone members all falling sharply in relief that the 17-nation euro-zone was finally getting to grips with the near threeyear crisis.

This week, however, investors have turned increasingly dubious as critics note that the Spanish banks will have to wait some time for any aid until the European banking regulator is in place to oversee their restructuring. As a result, Spanish long-term borrowing costs have jumped back to dangerously high levels at around 7.0 percent-rates which forced Greece, Ireland, Portugal into seeking massive EUIMF bailouts.

Significantly, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced Saturday that Madrid would take fresh steps soon to cut its public deficit and called for speedy

action on the summit agreements.

“What will really determine their success is that they turn into concrete realities, in a supple, quick and effective way,” Rajoy said, adding: “Europe must fulfill the accords as swiftly as possible.”

The new bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism is still not operational pending full ratification while Germany, Europe’s hardline paymaster, continues to insist tough conditions still apply to any help given. Complicating matters further, Greece wants more time to implement its latest bailout, saying that while it accepts the tough terms, it needs some slack so as to ease the pressure on an economy stuck deep in recession for a fifth year.

Cyprus, which now holds the EU rotating presidency, has just asked the EU and close partner Russia-for help too, saying that the problems in Greece which have pulled it down and so the burden needs to be shared around. Against this backdrop, euro-zone finance ministers have to be seen to be pushing the agenda forward, especially on the most immediate problem of the Spanish banks, which need up to 100 billion euros, European sources told AFP. Germany, along with fellow hardliners Finland and the Netherlands, want strict conditions on wider economic policy tied

Gulf Air takes toll on Mumtalakat fund DUBAI: Bahrain’s $9 billion sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat said its full-year consolidated net losses widened due to higher provisions and reduced income from associate companies.

Mumtalakat, which owns stakes in firms such as Gulf Air and Aluminium Bahrain, made a net loss of 270.6 million dinars ($717.68 million) in 2011, it said in a statement on its website.

That compares with a loss of 234.3 million dinars in 2010. Losses from struggling national carrier Gulf Air in particular weighed on the fund’s income.

“Several restructuring initiatives were undertaken at Gulf Air to reduce operating losses, achieve cost efficiencies and improve the quality of product offering and customer service,” the statement said. Consolidated revenue and gross profit in 2011 increased 8.4 percent and 5.5 percent respectively, primarily due to the strong performance of Aluminium Bahrain, it said.

The fund, which appointed Mahmood Hashem al-Kooheji as chief executive in March, booked impairment losses of 316.5 million dinars in 2011 compared with 191.2 million the previous year.

Mumtalakat said its consolidated operating loss fell almost 88 percent to 5.9 million dinars in 2011, from 48.9 million.

Mumtalakat is one of the smaller sovereign wealth funds in the world’s top oil-expor ting region.

Its chief executive said this month the fund may offload a portion of its stakes in firms and reinvest the proceeds in the country’s economy. — Reuters

to any funding for Spain’s banks, the talks, the sources said. On Friday, a senior European official said Spain’s banks could not get any cash from the ESM until at least early next year because setting up the European bank regulatory system would “not occur before the first half of 2013.” The two have to go together, as agreed at last month’s summit.

“The first Spanish banks will need to be recapitalized by the end of this year and many others in the spring of next year,” the EU official said, adding that he hoped the deal could be nailed down this month.

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has meanwhile asked EU-IMF creditors for more time to meet the terms of the latest 130-billion-euro bailout.

“We ask for the adjustment (targets) to be reached not in two years but later,” Samaras told parliament. In exchange for extending the 2014 deadline to meet strict deficit benchmarks, Samaras promised that his newly elected government would meet all other commitments the country’s creditors have demanded. “Our problem is not adopting reforms, which we will do without question. It is not reaching an objective, which we will meet but it is finding an end to the recession,” he said.

Greece’s recovery program was “offtrack,” he conceded, but added: “We will do

everything to change what needs to be changed, fight against recession so that the country meets its targets ... while reinforcing our country in the heart of the euro and the European Union.”

In Brussels, an EU official said Greece would not get its next aid tranche “until the Eurogroup (of finance ministers) has determined that the program is back on track,” with no decision likely until August.

Today’s meeting will be “a first exchange of views on what the intentions of the Greek government are,” the official added.

As the positive gloss on the June 28-29 summit wears thin, International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde warned Friday that the global economy was slowing because Europe was not doing enough to fix the debt crisis. Lagarde said much depended on “the right set of actions being taken in Europe in order to avoid very significant deterioration and to eliminate major threats.”

The June 28-29 summit was progress, she said, but “from the IMF perspective, ... more needs to be done in order to really complete the architectural job of the eurozone-a monetary union, a banking union followed by a fiscal union.

“It’s also a question of implementationdiligent, rigorous, steady implementation,” Lagarde added. — AFP

Kuwait bourse flat; Egypt developer falls MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS DUBAI: Kuwait’s bourse gained 0.2 percent yesterday as political unrest continued to weigh on the market. HH the Amir on Thursday asked outgoing Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Sabah to form a new government, state news agency KUNA said, in a move that may ease a political crisis. Meanwhile, shares in Zain Saudi, the kingdom’s third telecom operator, slumped to a record low yesterday as investors extended selling after the date to qualify for a $1.6 billion rights issue passed, while Gulf markets ended mixed.Zain cut its capital to 4.8 billion riyals from 14 billion effective Saturday, while the rights issue will start tomorrow and close eight days later. Shares in the telecom fell 10 percent. The capital cut will help eliminate some of its accumulated losses, which stood at 10.1 billion at the end of the first quarter. Dar Al Arkan ticked up 0.5 percent, accounting for nearly two-thirds of all shares traded on the index.

The developer posted an 11 percent rise in second-quarter net profit

on Saturday, but missed analyst forecasts. Some mid-small cap stocks hit limit up ahead of earnings. Food processing firm Halwani Brother and Wafa Insurance surged 10 percent each. “People are buying on rumors of earnings-that’s why you will see sudden jumps near the end of the session,” said Tarek Al-Mady, an independent Riyadh-based analyst. The kingdom’s index eased 0.07 percent, trimming year-to-date gains to 6.8 percent. In Egypt, investors dumped shares of Talaat Moustafa Group (TMG), which slumped 10 percent and weighed down Cairo’s main index.

Egyptian judges recommended a court should cancel the settlement of a drawn-out legal dispute over TMG’s $3 billion flagship real estate project, Madinaty, threatening more turmoil for the struggling property sector.

TMG is Egypt’s biggest listed property developer. The court battle over the sale of state land near Cairo for the development threw Egypt’s property sector, a vital source of jobs and investment for the wider economy,

into a crisis in 2010 from which it is yet to recover. The country’s index ended 1 percent lower. In the UAE, the two bourses ended mixed with Qatar’s market edging up to an 18-day high in muted trade as investors were little encouraged to increase risk during the summer lull.

Dubai’s index slipped 0.4 percent, trimming year-to-date gains to 10.7 percent. Emirates NBD fell 1.9 percent and Dubai Islamic Bank shed 0.5 percent. Second-quarter earnings season may trigger some stock-specific buying, but bets are low ahead of the numbers. “We should have more positive surprises than negative but these will come during summer time, so unless you have something significant, investors will not react,” said Sebastien Henin, portfolio manager at The National Investor. “Liquidity is low with many investors out of the country.” In Qatar, the index ticked up 0.07, closing at its highest level since June 20. Barwa Real Estate and Qatar Gas Transport (Nakilat) rose 2.4 and 2.1 percent respectively. — Reuters

Cable: British banks are throttling recovery’ LONDON: Banks are “throttling” the recovery of Britain’s economy by failing to lend small firms desperate for loans, Business Secretary Vince Cable said yesterday.

Cable, a long-term critic of Britain’s large banks, said the government needed to focus on ensuring a 100 billion pound ($155 billion) credit boost announced in June reached companies that needed loans to fund their expansion. “Our leading banks are frankly throttling recovery by not making business lending available, particularly to small-scale companies,” Cable told BBC television.

“That is where the real problem is, we now have to focus single mindedly on that task, how to make sure that the additional money gets into British business,” he added. Britain’s largest banks are Barclays, Lloyds, Royal Bank of Scotland, HSBC and Santander. The country fell back into recession at the turn of this year, adding to pressure on the coalition government to come up with new ways to boost growth. Cable said he had been visiting “super” companies in the north of England. “(They) have got big export potential, got orders, and they just cannot get a loan from the bank to finance their exports and expansion. This is the issue we have to focus on.”

The Bank of England’s program of quantitative easing, where it effectively prints money and buys government bonds in the hope of stimulating extra investment in the economy, was not working as well as it should, Cable said. “Quantitative easing is necessary but not sufficient ... There has been a breakdown in the mechanism, in the transmission, it just does not get through to companies,” he added.

To reduce the cost of bank funding and encourage more lending, the government said last month it would back 80 billion pounds of new loans, with the Bank of England also providing banks with 5 billion pound tranches of six-month liquidity.

A scandal over the rigging of a key interest rate has reignited public anger over banks in Britain, which people blame for sinking the economy into a recession from which the country is struggling to emerge. Parliament this week agreed to open an inquiry into banking ethics after Barclays paid a 450 million pound fine over the manipulation of the London Interbank Offered Rate (Libor), sparking fierce criticism of its culture and risktaking. Cable said banks were holding back the growth of British industry because of “their existing culture, which is frankly anti-business, obsession with short-term trading profits, not focusing on the long-term.”

Banks, which are under pressure to rebuild their balance sheets following the 2007-09 financial crisis, say many companies are reluctant to borrow money in an uncertain economic climate.

Cable was sympathetic to a proposal floated by Labor opposition leader Ed Miliband yesterday for Britain’s big five banks to sell 1,000 local branches to create two new competitors on the high street.

“I want to see more competition. That’s a good idea,” Cable said. The government is already encouraging more entrants to the British banking market, and plans a radical shakeup of the sector, requiring banks to ringfence their high-risk investment operations from their retail operations. The Bank of England last week launched a third round of quantitative easing, saying it would buy 50 billion pounds of government bonds to counter a slowdown in euro-zone countries, Britain’s largest export market. The central bank has bought 325 billion pounds of government bonds to date, with the latest announcement taking this total to 375 billion pounds. — Reuters

22

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

BUSINESS

Malaysia’s IPO boom is a one-off: Analysts

Global CBs in action out of desperation!

By Hayder Tawfik s there something out there the global central bankers are seeing which cannot be much clearer to investors around the world? Without any doubt their action last week was a clear co-ordination between them. It started with the Chinese central banks cutting its benchmark borrowing rates followed by the Bank of England buying aggressively bonds from the market and then finally with 3 years delay the European Central bank has woken up and cut its refinancing rate by 25 basis points to 0.75% and its deposit rate to zero. In the short term, these actions will stabilize the financial markets and will give it a small boost. But the real purpose of cutting interest rates to near Zero is to crowd out savers and depositors into the financial markets or force them to spend their life savings so the economies can recover. I think the central bankers around the world had enough of the banks and by reducing deposit rates to near zero, they actually hurting the bank’s profitability by lowering money-market rates, potentially stopping credit lines to companies and consumers, and further forcing banks to stop lending to other financial institutions.

The simple message from the Global Central banks is that the main duty of banks is to attract savers and lend money. With deposit rates near Zero banks have to fight aggressively not only to attract savers but also to win their lost trust. If the Japanese experience gets repeated around the world then we will see some big names either merging or disappearing completely. The recent gamble by JP Morgan and Barclays Bank shows how desperate some banks are to make up the loss of profits. Some other large banks have increased their holdings of bonds that expose them to unwarranted risk as interest rates reaches zero levels.

Governments with top quality credit rating will be very happy to see their borrowing costs falling sharply. However, this will cause further alarm to central bankers as the plunge in bond yield may spell more trouble ahead. The expectation of bond yields to eventually rise, becoming less and less as the days go by and that could quite possibly be very bad news for everyone.

I think the magnitude of the financial and economic crisis facing Europe and the rest of the world requires more aggressive new policies than just keep cutting interest rates. I believe if they do not take these crises very seriously then it might be too late and a much bigger and more powerful plan will be called for at the end. Why I see this could happen is to do with my biggest concern which is the very high unemployment rate among the young generation who at some point will feel that they have been abandoned by their governments. My other fear is the risk of global deflation exported by China and the emerging markets.

Determined central banks should do whatever at their power to fight the upcoming deflation, even if this means printing money and giving them away. The only two central banks in the world that are taking the risk of deflation seriously and not talking about it are the Feral Reserve and the Bank of England the rest have not learned yet from the Japanese experience of the lost decade.

We at Dimah Capital believe that the global economic cycle has broken down and to rely on one economic block to save the rest is no longer valid. The economic globalisation has played very big part in this breakdown. To believe that this can be reversed is not realistic anymore. We believe if that governments will become the consumers of the future and they better start spending and worrying about inflation or debt accumulation.

We think unemployment rates will have to come down at some stage but will not go back to the low levels of the past.

Consumers will carry on spending on their day to day living and will either delay or totally cancel spending on big ticket items till they feel secure and comfortable. — Hayder Tawfik - Executive Vice President of Asset Management, at Dimah Capital.

I

Momentum likely to fizzle out KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is tipped to be Asia’s top IPO market for 2012 thanks to two of the world’s biggest company listings this year, but analysts say the momentum is likely to fizzle out. At a time of global economic distress, Malaysia’s drive for initial public offerings is being propped up by pre-election encouragement from the government and by cash-rich state funds, the analysts said.

But they are not convinced that the resource-rich, developing Southeast Asian country of 28 million people is on course to supplant better known IPO capitals in the region such as Hong Kong and Singapore. “Maybe this year is a record, but whether it can be sustained is a different thing,” James Ratnam, a research analyst with TA Securities, told AFP. Felda Global Ventures, an oil palm plantation giant, made its debut on the Kuala Lumpur stock exchange, known as Bursa Malaysia, last Thursday with an IPO that raised $3.25 billion.

Then on Tuesday, Asia’s largest hospital operator IHH Healthcare announced a plan to raise $2.01 billion through a dual listing in Malaysia and Singapore, targeted for July 25.

The public offerings were behind only Facebook’s troubled IPO of $16 billion this year, which suffered in part from the economic uncertainty gripping bigger stock markets around the world. While English football club Manchester United is now going ahead with a US listing, the volatile climate has forced the delay of other major IPOs planned in Asia, including a $2.5 billion listing by Formula One in

Singapore. But Felda Global and IHH seem set to defy that trend, helped by representing robust and growing industries in commodities and healthcare respectively.

Shares in the palm oil company has already surged since its IPO and analysts expect IHH stock will do well too.

“We are putting Malaysia on the glob-

cash-strong state funds keen to invest, as well as the government’s backing of the IPOs ahead of elections that must be called by next April at the latest.

“It’s time for the government to raise funds... The government is actually cashing in,” Ooi said. Felda Global is an arm of the Federal Land Development Authority, a government agency that

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s drive for initial public offerings is being propped up by pre-election encouragement from the government and by cash-rich state funds. al map. We are actually now considered a safe haven,” Ooi Chin Hock, a dealer with Malaysia’s M & A Securities, said.IHH has already attracted 22 socalled cornerstone investors, including international fund managers, who have committed to buying more than 60 percent of the 2.23 billion shares on offer. Ooi and others attribute their optimism in part to the support of

previously provided land to the rural poor. IHH is majority-owned by sovereign wealth fund Khazanah, which is chaired by Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Najib said the IPOs marked milestones in the government’s plan to divest state-linked firms and attract foreign investors for the country to achieve developed nation status by 2020. “I can safely say that this also

European crisis weighs on Aluminium Bahrain sales

Dubai Duty Free wins expanded $1.75bn loan DUBAI: Airport retailer Dubai Duty Free has secured a $1.75 billion loan facility that will be used to fund expansion of the emirate’s international airport.

The six-year senior, unsecured syndicated credit facility will comprise a conventional term loan facility and Islamic facilities, the company said in a statement on Thursday. The retailer had said in April that it mandated banks for a $1.1 billion financing facility to help fund the growth of Dubai’s international airport.

However, the size of the multi-tranche loan facility was increased following high interest from local and international lenders. The financing was significantly oversubscribed with support from a syndicate of 26 international, regional and local banks, the retailer said.

offers further evidence of the vibrancy and growing depth of our capital markets-once again underlining the fact that Malaysia can claim to be a bright spot on the otherwise dark canvas of global finance,” Najib said at the IHH prospectus launch Tuesday. Nazir Razak, chief executive of financial firm CIMB Group and Najib’s brother, said Malaysia looked set to be Asia’s top IPO market for this year. CIMB is the principal adviser and lead underwriter for the IHH listing.

Global accountancy firm Ernst and Young has said Bursa Malaysia was the third-biggest in terms of funds raised in IPOs in the second quarter of 2012, following NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange. It said in a release last week that the momentum of IPOs in Southeast Asia was driven by “resilient financial performance, the support of cornerstone investors, pension and other funds, and ample liquidity”.

But analysts said the Bursa Malaysia was unlikely to be able to sustain the momentum, noting that it had failed thus far to attract major listings from global players and remained far smaller than regional rivals. Before this year, the last major listing in Malaysia was in 2010 when Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd., a unit of state oil firm Petronas, raised $4.14 billion.

Bernard Ching, head of Alliance Research, said big names wanting to list in Asia were still more likely to turn to Hong Kong or Singapore. “In a volatile global market, Malaysia tends to do rather well,” he told AFP. “(But) when the global uncertainties dissipate, IPOs in other markets will also pick up.” — AFP

Duty Free said the interest rate for the deal was 25 basis points lower than what was initially proposed, but specific terms on pricing were not made available.

Citibank , Dubai Islamic, HSBC and Emirates NBD, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank acted as book runners and mandated lead arrangers.

Dubai, which has clawed back from the depths of a crippling 2009 debt crisis, has been examining ways of raising money to expand its existing aviation infrastructure after deciding to go slow on a $34 billion new Al Maktoum Airport facility designed to become the biggest in the world.

The Dubai government raised $1.25 billion in April through an Islamic bond. — Reuters

ABU DHABI: Aluminium Bahrain’s output edged up 1.7 percent in the first half of 2012 but sales were almost flat as weak economic growth in Europe dampened demand in the first quarter, Alba said yesterday. Production at one of the world’s largest aluminium smelters was 443,533 tons in the first half of the year, against 436,256 tons in the same period of 2011, a company statement said.

Sales edged up to 446,044 tons versus 445,370 tons in the first half of 2011.

“Our sales and production figures reflect the company’s operational focus on delivering progress while facing challenges,” Chief Executive Laurent Schmitt said, pointing to a fall in aluminium prices and weak economic growth in Europe.

Bahrain’s state-run energy supplier raised Alba’s gas supply costs by $0.75 per million British thermal units (mmbtu) to $2.25/mmbtu on January 1, but Alba still enjoys cheaper fuel than its competitors outside the Gulf.The company plans to increase capacity from 881,000 tons to 1.28 million tons a year in 2015 with a new production line. — Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2740000 .4320000 .3430000 .2850000 .2730000 .2850000 .0040000 .0020000 .0758370 .7388600 .3850000 .0720000 .7243200 .0040000 .0430000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2806000 GB Pound/KD .4345930 Euro .3448710 Swiss francs .2871180 Canadian dollars .2752730 Danish Kroner .0463460 Swedish Kroner .0399680 Australian dlr .2865770 Hong Kong dlr .0361880 Singapore dlr .2205630 Japanese yen .0035220 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0764270 Bahraini dinars .7445930 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0748470 Omani riyals .7291150 Philippine Peso .0000000

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Malaysian Ringgit

3.553 5.072 3.053 2.141 3.173 220.090 36.173 3.425 6.439 8.876 89.338

.2830000 .4450000 .3560000 .2980000 .2810000 .2920000 .0070000 .0035000 .0765990 .7462860 .4030000 .0780000 .7316000 .0072000 .0510000 .2827000 .4378460 .3474520 .2892660 .2773340 .0466930 .0402680 .2887220 .0364590 .2222130 .0035490 .0051310 .0021270 .0030170 .0034700 .0769990 .7501660 .3998590 .0754070 .7345720 .0068120

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

291.200 748.360 3.670 280.100 552.700 45.900 47.500 167.800 48.490 350.700 36.970 5.290 0.032 0.161 0.236 3.630 398.780 0.190 91.730 44.900 4.320 228.600 1.823

47.200 730.940 3.110 6.950 77.840 75.130 222.850 36.340 2.680 440.400 41.100 291.800 4.400 9.270 198.263 76.720 281.800 1.350

10 Tola

GOLD 1,687.900

Sterling Pound US Dollar

730.760 3.000 6.743 77.410 75.130 222.850 36.340 2.100 438.400 290.300 4.400 9.100 76.620 281.400

SELL DRAFT

289.700 748.360 3.435 276.600

222.900 46.460 349.200 36.820 5.075 0.031

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 438.400 281.400

COUNTRY

SELL DRAFT

SELL CASH

Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

292.41 281.08 293.19 349.78 281.40 439.58 3.61 3.442 5.084 2.108 3.188 2.990 76.68 749.27 46.50 400.90 732.37 77.71 75.255.150

28800 27900 29900 35700 281.25 4420 3.65 3.550 5.950 2.260 3.650 3.200 77.000 745.150 48.200 397.500 732.00 78.00

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd 396.740 0.189 91.730 3.200 227.100

Rate for Transfer

Selling Rate

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro

280.750 278.155 438.550 351.875

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

292.990 743.276 76.415 77.060 74.825 395.200 46.304 2.091 5.050 2.976 3.431 6.634 688.675 4.530 8.895 5.910 3.165 88.595

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY

Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

Currency

Rate per 1000 (Tran)

US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Nepali rupee Yemeni Riyal Euro Canadian Dollars

280.800 2.970 5.135 2.105 3.429 6.780 76.555 75.035 746.500 46.367 443.400 2.990 3.250 1.550 357.400 282.500

Al Mulla Exchange Currency

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal *Rates are subject to change

281.400 349.500 439.050 278.850 3.570 5.085 46.500 2.108 3.430 6.725 2.987 749.300 76.650 75.150

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

BUSINESS Weekly commodity update

Commodities higher but strong dollar creates headwinds

By Ole S Hansen

T

he relief rally following the recent EU summit only lasted the usual 48 hours before the realization that once again we had been presented with a plan but that the reality of enforcing it would face numerous obstacles. A surprise rate cut in China also failed to convince investors that it would be enough to boost the economy of the world’s largest consumer of commodities. As a result the Euro sold off once again, not least helped by the European Central Bank which lowered its official rate to 0.75 percent, and the yield on German two year government notes falling to less than zero.

Commodities, especially oil, got caught up in the initial euphoria and have not looked back since then as supply side worries, at least for now, moved the focus away from global growth concerns and slowing demand. US grain markets continued to rally as the heat wave combined with lack of rain has increasingly put this year’s harvest at risk, especially corn which is up 40 percent in just three weeks.

Gold and silver struggled to keep up as the stronger dollar once again created some headwind.

The broad-based DJ-UBS commodity index has now rallied by 10 percent in just two weeks which is one of the strongest performances for many years and as the table below shows, the recovery following the June sell-off has happened primarily across agriculture and energy with the two sectors both rises by 8 percent over the last week.

Focus on Iran and Norway The beginning of July saw traders return their focus to Iran as the sanctions there kicked in and Brent crude reached triple digits once again. News that Iran was testing long range missiles and suggestions that it would be prepared to disrupt oil tankers passing through the important Strait of Hormuz caused some nervous market reactions before realization that such a move was not supported among the real decision makers. The loss of Iranian oil carries the risk of tightening oil markets again over the coming months despite Saudi Arabia’s best effort to keep supplies flowing in record amounts. Staying on the subject of supply Libya has seen its output drop by 300k barrels per day primarily due to political protests ahead of national elections.

For a change the attention also turned towards a much calmer and peaceful part of the world - Norway - as the week-long labor dispute escalated with Statoil the Norwegian oil and gas giant threatening to lock out workers and shut down production. If carried out it this could impact up to 2 million barrels of oil equivalent per day out of Norway’s daily production of 3.8 million. With the country being Western Europe’s largest oil exporter and one of the world’s largest exporters of gas the impact of a prolonged lockout could have a serious effect on supplies and on Norway’s reputation. It is therefore widely believed that the government, as seen before in other labor disputes, will step in and help dictate a solution.

Much of the rally was driven by buyers covering sold positions as the technical picture, up until the move back above 100 dollars, had pointed down towards 72 dollars.

This technical outlook had attracted the largest amount of short selling of Brent crude seen since this data first became available in early 2011. Having so forcefully rejected the recent low at $88.50 Brent crude is now likely to settle into a wide range between resistance at $103.75 and support at $95. The main focus in the week ahead is most likely to remain on worries about diminishing supplies from the two countries mentioned above but as long as economic data continues to point towards a slowdown additional upside from current levels seems to be limited and sellers may hold the upper hand as they may try to test the strength of support following the strong rally.

Gold investments Investors looking for a bullish move in gold have used exchange traded products to increase their exposure to a new record. This week, holdings in gold exchange traded products (ETPs) rose to a new record of 77.6 million ounces, thereby breaking the recent high of 77.4 set back on March 16. This continued “love” affair with gold through non-leveraged products such as exchange traded products has continued to increase despite the sideways and at times lacklustre performance of gold during the last few months.

There are many different providers of gold ETPs but currently the four biggest which are SPDR, ETF Securities, ZKB and iShares hold approximately 83 percent of the 77.6 million ounces invested. Speculative traders such as hedge funds have not been as convinced as the loss of momentum has seen them scale back positions since August 2011 from 25.6 million ounces to just 11.6 million ounces currently. The chart below shows how differently the two different investment types have fared in recent years. Gold continues to trade either side of 1,600 dollars while silver recovered from critical support at 26 dollars. Deteriorating economic data and official interest rate cuts in China and Europe helped gold along but once again these events led to a renewed rally of the dollar. The headwinds this caused were enough to see both metals retrace, not least following the weaker than expected employment report from the US which sent the dollar higher still. Until the dollar stabilizes or we see additional speculation about US quantitative easing gold will struggle to break higher from its current range despite all the good efforts being made by ETP investors.

US crop rally The rally in key US crops continues with little or no rain on the immediate horizon and every day without rainfall raises the risk of a sharp reduction in this year’s output.

Corn traded in Chicago has seen a dramatic three-week rally triggered by the worst US Midwest drought in almost a quarter of a century. This has resulted in corn crops rated from good to excellent plummeting from 77 percent to just 48 in less than two months. The move has also been driven by speculative traders as the strong momentum has continued to attract buyers but with the technical picture now pointing towards a significant overbought situation some profit taking can be expected short term. A major correction however cannot be expected as long as corn fields continue to swelter without rain during this very important time of pollination. Wheat prices in Europe have also been affected by the expected drop in US production of corn as it could see increased demand as a feed substitution. Paris Milling wheat has rallied by more than 20 percent in recent weeks on a combination of the deteriorating outlook for US crops but also due to expectations for a weaker Russian and Ukrainian export season.

The International Grains Council has reduced its forecast for Russian wheat production for the year ending in June 2013 by 6 million tons to 49 million tons and the Ukraine’s by one million tons to 13 million tons.

Bombardier swoops on AirAsia at Silverstone summit SILVERSTONE: Canada’s Bombardier is in talks with AirAsia about a more densely packed 160-seat version of its CSeries jet, in a surprise bid to loosen the stranglehold on Asia’s largest low-cost carrier held by European giant Airbus.

AirAsia founder and Formula One boss Tony Fernandes discussed the proposal with Bombardier’s chief executive Pierre Beaudoin during preparations for Sunday’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone, the two company leaders told Reuters on the eve of the Farnborough Airshow.

“We’ve got Pierre Beaudoin as a guest of mine. He’s brought us a very interesting product for a 160-seat Bombardier and we’re looking at that,” Fernandes said.

Bombardier wants to break into the lower end of the jet market dominated by Airbus and Boeing but has so far concentrated on appetite for aircraft up to 130 seats.

The 160-seater would be a denser configuration of its CS300 aircraft.

Asked how optimistic he was of breaking a record run of Airbus orders by Fernandes, Beaudoin told Reuters, “He had no choice before, but now he has a better product to look at.”

But, speaking to Reuters in his Caterham team motorhome in the rainy Silverstone paddock, Fernandes said talks were also continuing with Airbus

over the purchase of at least 50 more A320 jets as the two sporting and aerospace events overlap.

“Whether we can finalize it by Farnborough I’m not sure because there’s quite a lot to be done. Airbus is coming to see me . The clock’s against them to try... and I’ve got to get board approval,” Fernandes said. The potential new $4 billion Airbus order, first reported by Reuters in May, concerns the current edition of the 150seat A320. AirAsia is interested in more of the jets as it waits for the more efficient A320neo which is being developed for 2015. It placed a record 200-jet order for these last year. Asked about the deal’s volume, Fernandes said, “I still think we need 100. But we’d probably do 50 and 50 options.”

AirAsia is not talking to Boeing, he added.

Airbus declined to comment. Fernandes entered Formula One in 2010 as principal of Lotus Racing, a team that has twice changed its name and now races as Caterham - the niche British-based sportscar maker Fernandes purchased after falling out with Lotus Group.

The racetrack summit between Fernandes and Beaudoin suggests Bombardier is still nipping at the heels of the two largest planemakers, despite failing so far to make significant inroads into their core singleaisle markets. Its efforts to snag one of Airbus’s most important clients come as the European planemaker is

itself locked in a deepening market share battle with Boeing.

Airbus moved swiftly to dismiss the Bombardier threat. “I do not see how a CSeries aircraft would economically fit into the AirAsia fleet,” sales chief John Leahy told Reuters. Fernandes would not say whether any deals could be completed at Farnborough but said he would visit the July 9-15 event to pick up an airline award and announce a components deal. AirAsia targets growth in Indonesia and particularly Japan.

Bombardier dismissed any suggestions that AirAsia, one of Airbus’s largest customers, was using the CSeries or the timing of the sports and aerospace calendars to lower the Airbus price.

“We are not concerned about being used as bait - on the contrary, we are being seen as a lower risk alternative to the A320 family,” Benjamin Boehm, vice president of Bombardier Commercial Aircraft, said in a telephone interview.

The 160-seat proposal brings Bombardier into the middle of a market well defended by Airbus and Boeing, but the Canadian firm continues to see 130 as the sweet spot for its new aircraft.

“We compete with the A319. So it’s a shorter version of the A320 and this is where we have a real competitive advantage,” Beaudoin said. —Reuters

Italy’s GDP will shrink around 2% in 2012: CB Call to adopt new Italian spirit ROME: Italy’s economy will shrink by around two percent this year, the head of the Italian central bank said yesterday, as he called for adopting a “new Italian spirit” to tackle the euro-zone debt crisis. “Consensus forecasts indicate the GDP (gross domestic product) will shrink around 2.0 percent,” Ignazio Visco said in an inter view with the Corriere della Sera, revising down an earlier forecast.

At the end of May, Visco said the contraction could be kept to around 1.5 percent. “2012 will be negative, but if the situation does not get worse, if the risk on interest rates drops, if the crisis solution is shared on a European level, we could see light at the end of the tunnel by the end of the year,” he said.

Prime Minister Mario Monti used a June 28-29 crisis-busting summit to step up pressure on his proposal for a defence against high borrowing costs.

But while the markets were temporarily calmed by the talks, the rates demanded by investors to buy Italian debt are rising again. Like Monti, Visco said Rome was being unfairly punished by the markets. “Two fifths of the 470 base points difference between BTP (Italian bonds) and (the benchmark German) Bund are our ‘fault’; because of our public debt,

our lack of competitivity, our low potential for growth,” Visco said. “The rest is the risk recognition the Italian state pays for investor fears that at a certain point the single (euro) currency will be no more,” he said. Italy, which entered into recession at the end of 2011, saw its GDP contract by 0.8 percent in the first quarter of 2012, following a series of harsh austerity measures aimed at saving the country from the euro-zone debt crisis. The head of the Bank of Italy praised Monti for the reforms carried out so far but called for “an increase in investments in this country, which is weighed down by corruption and dishonesty.” “Believe me, the money can be found,” he said, particularly if Italy’s small and medium enterprises are given assistance in applying for European funds.

Italy would do well to set up a system “to help resolve administrative, legal, tax problems and give guarantees to single businessmen, rather than the multinationals, against bureaucracy and corruption,” he added. Monti, who heads up a technical government which came to power last November amid the debt crisis, is due to step aside in April when Italy will go to the polls. He has said he will not run for election. Visco

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said he could not predict what would happen when Monti steps down, but called on Italy’s political parties to “show their ambition to draw up growth plans, and not just for the economy. A new Italian spirit is needed,” he said.

A s e u ro - zo n e f i n a n c e m i n i s t e r s

prepare to meet today to build on measures agreed at last month’s summit, Visco said the key is financial integration. “The euro-zone’s financial system is fragmented, and the single currenc y cannot be successful like this,” he said. — AFP

Iraqi private banks hit capital goal

PYONGYANG: North Korean farmers tend a field on the outskirts of Pyongyang.

South Korea’s central bank said yesterday that North Korea’s economy grew for the first time in three years, thanks to a boost in agricultural production. —AP

N Korean economy posts rare growth in 2011: South SEOUL: North Korea’s moribund economy posted rare growth last year on robust harvests and a flurry of building activity in the capital Pyongyang, but it still remains one of the world’s poorest and least developed states, an official report by the South shows.

The reclusive state’s economy expanded by a real 0.8 percent in 2011, estimates

by South Korea’s central bank showed yesterday. It was only the second time in the past six years the closed economy has expanded. North Korea’s economy, which a few decades was the envy of its neighbors, went into freefall with the collapse of its main benefactor, the Soviet Union, in the early 1990s. The North now relies heavily on China for economic and political support. The North has been further isolated and squeezed by international sanctions, imposed for its nuclear and missile programs.

Despite the rare economic growth, percapita income in the country with a 24.3 million population stood at just 1.334 million South Korean won, or less than $1,200 when converted into the latest value of the South Korean currency, the Bank of Korea in Seoul said.

In nominal terms, the size of economy was estimated at 32.4 trillion South

Korean won ($28.54 billion), or less than 3 percent of South Korea’s, it said. The North does not release any official data and estimates by the South, one of the Group of 20 major economies, are widely used in the international community. Growth in 2011 was led by the agriculture, fishing and forestry industries which expanded by 5.3 percent after a 2.1 percent decline in 2010, thanks to good weather conditions and increased use of fertilizer, the estimates showed. Construction also grew a sharp 3.9 percent in 2011 after a 0.3 percent gain in 2010, owing to projects to modernize housing conditions in Pyongyang.

Pyongyang went on a building spree to mark the 100th anniversary this year of the birth of founder Kim Il-sung- including building 100,000 new homes in the capital. The Bank of Korea makes its estimates of North Korea’s economy based on data collected from private specialist institutions and releases the figures after going through cross-checking sessions with experts outside of the bank.

The North has suffered chronic food shortages for about two decades due to mismanagement, isolation and natural disasters, making it dependent on foreign donors to fill the food gap. —Reuters

BAGHDAD: Most of Iraq’s 34 private banks have reached the central bank’s 150 billion Iraqi dinar ($128.8 million) capital requirement level for 2012, a measure to enhance their financial capability, officials said.

The central bank laid out a three-stage program in 2009 for banks to raise their capital - a move intended to boost the banks’ ability to deal with any crisis they might face in a country still trying to rebuild its battered economy after years of war and economic sanctions.

The deadline for the first stage was the end of June 2011, when most banks reached capital levels of 100 billion Iraqi dinar.In June 2012, many banks increased their capital to $128.8 million and the third stage is June 2013, by which time capital levels need to be at $215 million.

“The capital increase of the private banks aims to strengthen the banks in order to have the ability to absorb the losses. The capital is actually a cushion to absorb the losses,” Mudher Kasim, deputy governor of the central bank, said last week. The Iraqi Private Banks league said

reaching the capital target had been fairly easy for many banks.

“80 percent of the banks have increased their capital, some of them have increased it even more than the required levels, it is not a dilemma,” said Abdul-Aziz Hassoun, executive director of the Iraqi Private Banks League.

According to the central bank website, OPEC oil producer Iraq has seven stateowned banks, 23 private banks, and 11 Islamic private banks.

Most banking activities are conducted by two state-owned banks, Rafidain and Rashid. Much of the private banking activity is limited to deposit services and a small amount is personal lending.

The banks which did not succeed in raising their capital have asked the central bank for a grace period until the end of the year, Kasim said.

“We are not very strict in this issue...but at the same time we cannot give a hint that our decisions could be rolled back,” he said. Hassoun said he would prefer the central bank to encourage failed banks to merge. — Reuters

Norway oil shutdown likely after pension talks fail OSLO: A costly shutdown in oil output in Norway, Western Europe’s top producer, looks set to go ahead next week after talks between striking workers and employers failed, the employers’ group OLF said yesterday.

“After thirteen hours of mediation with the ombudsman, he did not find a basis to present a written proposal he thought the parties could accept,” said OLF in a statement. “The strike is now on day 15, and the costs are 2.9 billion kroner (385.7 million euros, $474 billion).” Norwegian Employment Minister Hanne Bjurstroem called for a second round of negotiations to take place, OLF said. The lockout was announced by the energy industry Friday in response to a strike by more than 700 North Sea oil workers over pensions.

According to OLF, the strike, which started on June 24, has led to losses worth tens of millions of euros a day. State-owned energy

company Statoil had said the lockout would start Monday at 2200 GMT and “will halt all production” on Norway’s continental shelf, where about 50 companies operate, including BP and Royal Dutch Shell. The lockout would mean 6,515 workers covered by offshore pay agreements would not be permitted to enter their workplaces as of Tuesday, OLF said. Statoil said it expected a shortfall in production of around 1.2 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, costing 520 million kroner (69.3 million euros) per day. The dispute centers on employers cutting a pension add-on introduced in 1998 for workers who retire at 62, three years ahead of the general age for oil workers and five years ahead of Norway’s official retirement age.

The unions have branded the lockout “cowardly” and insisted their demands are legitimate but their employers say pensions are more than fair.—AFP

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How plane giants descended into major global ‘price war’ Prices pressured as market share battle spans continents FARNBOROUGH: Airbus and Boeing head into next week’s Farnborough Airshow locked in their fiercest market share battle for up to a decade, slashing prices to win key orders for their latest narrowbody jets and storing up potential trouble for future profit margins.

From Australia to Indonesia, the United States to Norway - and most recently, Reuters has learned, Turkey - the marauding plane giants have spent months taking or defending market share, with world No.1 Airbus aiming deep inside Boeing’s territory and its rival publicly vowing to defend a traditional 50-50 split. While Airbus unveiled an assembly plant in Boeing’s backyard this week, the battle behind the scenes - described as “hand-to-hand fighting” from airline to airline by one participant - has implications for the business case of the A320 jets to be built on U.S. soil as well as the profitability of Boeing’s rival 737.

Its outcome could shape the leadership of new bosses at both jetmakers: Frenchman Fabrice Bregier of Airbus and Boeing’s Ray Conner, cautious and publicity-shy insiders who reach the July 9-15 pageant facing pressure to draw a line under a period of risk and give investors a sober ride with predictable margins.

The latest firefight involves a back-andforth battle for 40-50 jets worth $4-5 billion sought by Istanbul-based budget carrier Pegasus Airlines, with Boeing resisting Airbus

efforts to poach one of its customers in a duel known as a “flip fight,” according to several sources familiar with the matter.

The airline is one of many looking to jump on a 15 percent improvement in fuel burn and therefore a significant reduction in costs offered by the latest revamped models of jets offered by Europe’s Airbus and its US rival Boeing. As with a series of other duels in the last year, according to multiple sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, Boeing has been fighting back after seeing one of its clients targeted by its competitor. Airbus maintains this is normal competition.

Contacted by Reuters, Ali Sabanci, Pegasus chief executive, said, “we are negotiating; no decision has been taken”. Airbus and Boeing compete for the lion’s share of a jet market estimated at $100 billion a year.

Although economies are stuttering, aircraft demand remains relatively strong as airlines modernize fleets to survive high fuel costs and the balance of growth shifts towards Asia, prompting Boeing to raise forecasts last week.

Best-selling single-aisle or narrowbody models - the 150-seat medium-haul A320 and Boeing 737 which serve airlines worldwide - sell for some $80-90 million each at catalogue prices but like most models are sold at undisclosed discounts.

Analysts say underlying discounts have risen as the aircraft makers seek to establish new fuel-saving versions known as the

A320neo and 737 MAX, fitted with new engines from mid-decade.

“Our markets intelligence suggests singleaisles are being offered at discounts of as much as 50 percent depending on the customer,” said independent aerospace analyst

nobody can agree who started it. Each accuses the other of dragging down prices but acknowledges being hurt in the process.

Although jets are sold at a discount to list prices, the business case for the revamped models relies on forecasts that they will get

Scott Hamilton.

This cannot be determined for sure and price is not the only factor in negotiations.

But cross-checking the leasing value of new jets suggests the data is not far out for the most contested sales, according to Hamilton and several aircraft financiers.

One thing is for sure: if there is a price war,

more than the base models. But analysts say each side faces the risk these premiums could narrow to a sliver.

“I would say that today as we look at the single-aisle market, the pricing has been aggressive. We’ve felt some pressure,” Randy Tinseth, marketing vice president at Boeing’s commercial division, told reporters in

London last week. “I think especially as we go through this process of introduction of new airplanes and some launch pricing from some competitors, hopefully that will work out and stabilize over time.”

Airbus insists it was Boeing that destabilized the market in an effort to catch up with the A320neo, which led Airbus to a record margin of victory over Boeing in last year’s order race. “They have started a price war. I think that shows the desperate situation they find themselves in. The MAX is unequal to the neo. They are discovering this and having to discount,” said the European firm’s New York-born sales chief John Leahy.

The spat comes a decade after a price war over the sale of similar models to low-cost carriers such as Europe’s easyJet, documented in a row between the United States and Europe over subsidies. The world’s largest trade dispute stirred to life in angry exchanges on the eve of next week’s air show. “Single-aisle pricing is important because these aircraft represent roughly 75 percent of production,” said Zafar Khan, aerospace analyst at Societe Generale in London.

“With most R&D paid, they are ‘cash cows’ and any extra you can get (on price) will hopefully fall to the bottom line.” Any damage to margins on the revamped models would not be felt until they get delivered from 2016-17 but some worry the models currently in production could come under pressure too.— Reuters

China boosts state firms as entrepreneurs struggle ZHANJIANG: Reformers say China needs more entrepreneurs like Liu Peijian. His chain of six furniture stores employs 60 people. But Beijing’s response to the deepest economic slump since the 2008 crisis is to pump money into state industry, leaving businesspeople like Liu who create jobs to fend for themselves.

Across town from Liu’s office is a project that exemplifies China’s ministimulus: A 69.6 billion yuan ($11 billion steel) mill being built by a government company and financed by state-owned banks that lend little to the private sector. It will employ 5,000 people - or one job for each $2.2 million of investment.

“We get no government help,” said Liu, as his office air conditioner struggled against the muggy heat of this southern city. “But we’re a small company, and small companies shouldn’t bother the government.” Spending like that of Baosteel Group, owner of the Zhanjiang mill, is expected to help push up economic growth later this year. But the emphasis on state industry that creates few jobs will come at a longer-term cost, setting back efforts to reduce reliance on investment and generate self-sustaining growth pow-

ered by consumer spending. The strategy will further entrench subsidy-guzzling government companies that dominate industries from oil to telecoms. That might hamper reforms the World Bank and others say are needed to keep the economy growing by curbing state industry and nurturing free-market competition and more dynamic private companies.

“When the economy gets into trouble, all those good intentions get thrown out the window, and we revert to Plan A, which is always to encourage more investment and ensure that funds keep flowing to state-owned companies,” said Mark Williams, chief Asia economist for Capital Economics.

Beijing has cut interest rates twice since the start of June and reduced fuel prices as it tries to buoy growth that declined to 8.1 percent in the first quarter. It has promised more spending on low-cost housing, airports and other public works. That will pour money into state-owned construction companies and suppliers of steel and cement.

Baosteel’s Zhanjiang mill is one of a series of industrial projects the government approved in May as stimulus

measures after previously blocking them to prevent overinvestment in unneeded facilities. State-owned Wuhan Iron & Steel Group also received approval for a new mill state media say will cost more than 60 billion yuan ($9.5 billion).

Both are to be financed by state banks, which still channel at least 80 percent of lending to state companies despite China’s three decades of market-oriented reforms and the growth of private business that has driven its economic boom. Leaders including Premier Wen Jiabao have promised to help the private sector with more bank lending and other measures, but entrepreneurs say they have yet to see changes. “I have never been able to get a bank loan,” said Deng Mingxin, owner of a company in Changshu, a city northwest of Shanghai, that makes components for zippers. He said state companies appear to get credit easily while bank employees expect bribes to approve loans for private borrowers. Deng’s workforce has shrunk by two-thirds to 10 people over the past six months as employees left after wage hikes of up to 30 percent failed to keep pace with rising living costs. —AP

Hitch in IKEA’s India entry plans NEW DELHI: A dispute over sourcing regulations is clouding plans by Sweden’s IKEA to open 25 of its trademark blue-and-yellow stores in India as it seeks new markets for its flat-pack furnishings.

IKEA last month asked India for permission to launch retail operations in India, promising to invest $1.9 billion over the coming years-part of a broader push into emerging markets including China and Russia. IKEA’s request gave a vital boost to India’s government which hailed it as a sign that global investor confidence “is still intact” despite a sharply slowing economy, a slew of corruption scandals and suffocating red tape.

But now New Delhi’s insistence that the world’s biggest furniture retailer source 30 percent of its supplies from small Indian manufacturers has become a sticking point.

India defines a small business as any firm whose plant investment does not exceed $1 million. But IKEA says small firms would fast outgrow the cap after they started supplying the Swedish giant and become much bigger players.

“Small industries need to be allowed to grow and develop,” IKEA spokeswoman Josefin Thorell told AFP by email late last week, adding it was important that the definition of small industry provide “flexibility”.

IKEA says suppliers should continue to qualify as small businesses even after they exceed the investment ceiling. It has also asked that its compliance with the sourcing target be calculated over a 10-year span rather than one year, saying it would be “impossible for the IKEA Group to meet this requirement from day one”. India’s media at the weekend reported government divisions over IKEA’s bid for relaxation of the sourcing rules that critics say discourage overseas investment.

The sourcing stipulation is part of efforts by the centre-left government to defuse populist opposition to the entry of big foreign retailers in a country where small mom-and-pop stores domi-

nate as well as to boost local industry.

India’s Business Standard newspaper said the government body responsible for industrial development had agreed to tweak the rules to suit IKEA. But the Times of India said the small business ministry opposed any dilution of the regulations on grounds it would hurt small enterprises. Given IKEA’s high-profile and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement on Friday that he wants to make the country a “more business-friendly place”, most analysts believe a compromise will be found.

IKEA, which in 2009 scrapped plans to enter the market due to regulatory concerns, says it has a “long-term vision” for India. “Keeping in mind IKEA’s stature, I’m sure the government will work out something,” Saloni Nangia, president of retail consultancy Technopak, told AFP. “Meeting the 30 percent sourcing target will take time-IKEA just wants some latitude,” she added. Privately-held

IKEA says it is “eager” to open stores in the country of 1.2 billion people but has set no target date. It made its investment announcement after India allowed foreign retailers selling one brand to own 100 percent of their Indian businesses, instead of 51 percent, as part of moves to liberalize the sector.

IKEA sees huge potential in India’s burgeoning middle class whose “wallet is still thin” but who want “inexpensive but nice home furnishings”, IKEA chief executive Mikael Ohlsson told AFP on a scouting mission to India two years ago.

“It will be good for IKEA to have such a large market. Even with the economy slowing, the retail market has a strong future,” said Technopak’s Nangia.

Technopak estimates the retail market is generating sales of $470 billion a year-of which only $27 billion comes from “organized retail” or chain stores.

Retail sales are seen hitting $675 billion over the next five years-out of which $85 billion will come from chain stores.—AFP

Customers relax on a sofa in the Ikea store in Aelmhult, that was the company’s first and inaugurated in 1958. A dispute over sourcing regulations is clouding plans by Sweden’s IKEA to open 25 of its trademark blue-and-yellow stores in India as it seeks new markets for its flat-pack furnishings. — AFP

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Central banks in crisis-fighting mode; dollar strong NBK WEEKLY MONEY MARKETS REPORT KUWAIT: Last week revolved around several central bank meetings, namely the ECB, BOE, RBA and PBoC. One common feature throughout these meetings was the need to take more actions to boost the different economies. The ECB cut its main interest rate by 25 basis points, the BOE expanded its asset-purchase program by a further GBP 50 billion, and the PBoC surprised the market also by cutting interest rates. Consequently, risk sentiment was negative across the board, and most of the major currencies weakened against the greenback as shown by the performance of the Dollar Index, which strengthened from an opening level of 81.60 to a high of 83.20 on Friday afternoon.

The Euro was the major loser last week against the US Dollar, and other major currencies as well. The Euro started the week at 1.2665 and had a downtrend for the entire week, reaching a low of 1.2260, and ending sessions at 1.2290. The Sterling Pound had a somewhat similar performance, dropping from a high of 1.5720 last Monday to a low of 1.5460 on Friday, before closing the week at 1.5495. The Swiss Franc followed suit with the Euro, weakening from a level of 0.9465 to 0.9795, before closing at 0.9775. The Japanese Yen range traded between a low of 79.30 and a high of 80.10, and closed at 79.65.

Gold started the week on a positive tone, strengthening from an opening level of $1,597 to a high of $1,625, but was not able to sustain these gains and dropped to a closing level of $1,584.

Manufacturing Manufacturing in the US unexpectedly shrank in June for the first time since the economy emerged from the recession three years ago, indicating

that one support of the expansion may be faltering. The Institute for Supply Management’s index fell from 53.5 in May to 49.7, worse than the most-pessimistic forecast, with figures less than 50 signaling contraction. Measures of orders, production and export demand dropped to three-year lows.

Payrolls rise ECB cuts rates The European Central Bank (ECB) cut its benchmark interest rate to a record low last week to spark economic growth, but gave little signs it would take further action soon to ease Europe’s financial crisis. By cutting its key refinancing rate by 25 basis points point to 0.75%, a move that was widely expected, the ECB sought to give Europe’s sagging economy a lift by making it cheaper for businesses and consumers to borrow. Financial markets were underwhelmed, though, and even ECB President Mario Draghi conceded during his press conference that the impact of the rate cut could be “muted” given the low demand for credit in the slow economy. Analysts noted that interest rates were already low, that banks remain wary of lending to each other and that businesses and consumers see little reason to take on more debt. The Bank didn’t change its baseline scenario of a muted recovery towards year-end. However, it acknowledged that the growth momentum has weakened further, and for the whole area - not just for the weak countries.

In a more surprising move, the ECB also cut the interest rate it pays banks on overnight deposits also by 25 basis points to zero. The move could push banks to lend more money, rather than sock it away with the ECB and earn no interest. But even that move could have limited effect, since there are other safe

havens for banks to park their money.

Unemployment climbs Euro-area unemployment reached the highest level on record as a deepening economic slump and budget cuts prompted companies from Spain

fering most due to their governments’ stringent austerity measures and deep recessions. The highest unemployment rate across the euro-zone was recorded in Spain, where 24.6% of people were out of work in May. Even more dramatically, 52.1% of the country’s youth were

WASHINGTON: The Microsoft headquarters campus in Redmond, Wash.

Microsoft Corp. said that it will take $6.2 billion charge for the declining value of online ad division. — AP to Italy to reduce their workforces. The jobless rate in the 17-nation euro area rose to 11.1% in May from 11% in April.

This is the highest level since the official data started in 1995. Europe’s companies are under pressure to lower costs to protect earnings as the worsening fiscal crisis erodes exports and consumer spending. 17.56 million people were unemployed in May in the whole area, an increase of 88,000 from the previous month and 1.8 million more than the level a year earlier. There are huge disparities across the Euro zone, however. The labor markets of those countries at the front line of the debt crisis, such as Greece and Spain, are suf-

unemployed. Greece’s youth unemployment rate also stands at 52.1% at last count in March. Northern European employment rolls seemed to be less battered by the protracted economic crises in the Euro zone, with Germany’s jobless rate in May at 5.6%, and Austria posting the lowest rate with 4.1%.

Retail sales Britain is officially in recession, defined as two consecutive quarters of negative growth. Many analysts expect the recession to extend into a third quarter as Britain continues to be buffeted by the debt crisis afflicting the 17-country euro-zone. Though

Britain is not part of Europe’s single currency, the Euro zone is the country’s main trading partner. As well as boosting the money supply, the Bank will soon launch its Funding for Lending program in an effort to get more credit flowing. In its statement, the Bank noted other initiatives to free up money within the banking system.

The price of goods leaving UK factories fell the most in more than three years in June as a plunge in crude-oil costs eased pipeline inflation pressures. Output prices fell 0.4% from May, when they dropped 0.2%, official figures showed last week. It was the biggest decline since November 2008, and lower than the median economists’ forecast of a 0.2% drop.

China cuts rates China’s central bank unveiled last week a surprise interest rate cut, lowering borrowing and deposit rates, while also enabling banks greater leeway in setting their own lending rates at a discount to the benchmark. The People’s Bank of China (PBoC) lowered its one-year Yuan deposit rate 25 basis points to 3%, and its one-year lending rate by 31 basis points to 6%, according to a statement posted on its website. The central bank also announced more relaxed rules on lending for commercial banks, allowing lending rates to be set as low as 70% of the benchmark rate, down from 80% currently.

The move, the second in a month, was seen as part of efforts to prop up lending after data showed credit growth in an apparent stall in June.

Kuwait Kuwaiti dinar at 0.28115 The USDKWD opened at 0.28115 yesterday morning.

China’s premier Wen warns of further economic slowdown Hopes of quick recovery dampened

Wedding bells for VW, Porsche while Opel gets last chance FRANKFURT: The road to success for German automakers, one of the key engines driving Europe’s biggest economy, is a bumpy one and while Volkswagen and Porsche are tying the knot, Opel is fighting to survive. The courtship between Europe’s biggest auto group VW and its long-time partner, luxury sports carmaker Porsche, has not always been an easy one.

It has long been the dream of Ferdinand Piech, VW’s supervisory board chief and patriarch of the Porsche family, to integrate the two businesses in a bid to overtake US giant General Motors as the world’s number one.

But when Porsche first tried to swallow the much larger VW, it failed, and then when VW acquired 49.9 percent in Porsche in 2009 with a view to a full merger, the complex deal ran into numerous legal and tax hurdles.

Accordingly, it came as a surprise last week when the two announced they had finally found a way to bring the merger forward by two whole years, with the deal unlocking hundreds of millions of euros in untapped synergies. Under the terms of the agreement, VW will buy the 50.1 percent in Porsche that it does not already own from holding company Porsche SE for 4.46 billion euros ($5.5 billion) plus one VW share.

The deal, which VW and Porsche say will generate 320 million euros in economies of scale, is being structured in such a way that VW will not have to pay vast amounts of tax. The fact that part of the payment is being made in a single VW share means the deal counts as a corporate reorganization rather than a straightforward sale, therefore saving VW as much as 1.5 billion euros in taxes.

At the end of the day, the operation will cost just over 100 million euros, according to finance chief Hans Dieter Poetsch.

VW chief executive Martin Winterkorn said the merger will “benefit customers, employees and shareholders alike. “The unique Porsche brand will now become an integral part of the Volkswagen Group. That is good for Volkswagen, good for Porsche and good for Germany

as an industrial location,” Winterkorn said.

“Combining their operating business will make Volkswagen and Porsche even stronger-both financially and strategically-going forward.

“We can now cooperate even more closely and jointly leverage new growth opportunities in the high-margin premium segment.” VW’s brands currently include Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, SEAT, Bentley, Bugatti and Scania and MAN trucks. Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, industry expert and head of the CAR Center for Automotive Research at at the University of Duisburg-Essen, said that with Porsche, Audi and Bugatti, VW will command a 40-percent share of the high-end car segment worldwide.

Porsche would enjoy economies of scale and also gain access to technologies developed by VW’s other brands.

“Porsche will benefit, Volkwagen will benefit. The only ones who won’t will be German taxpayers,” Dudenhoeffer said.

While the merger will bring VW forward closer to its goal of becoming the world’s biggest auto maker, another German manufacturer, Opel-owned by GM-is struggling to steer itself back to profit.

At the end of June, Opel’s supervisory board approved deep restructuring, massive investment in the product range of the Opel and Vauxhall brands, and a new marketing strategy.

Material, development and production costs would all be cut and “better use made of synergies arising from the tie-up between GM and French partner PSA Peugeot Citroen,” Opel said.

Opel is under pressure from GM to cut costs sd it suffers from high production costs and is vulnerable to the euro-zone crisis since GM will not allow it to export outside Europe so as not to compete with its own brands. Stefan Bratzel, auto industry expert at the University of Applied Sciences in Bergisch Gladbach, said the reorganization was Opel’s last chance but warned “it will be a few years yet before Opel is back on track.”

Dudenhoeffer agreed, forecasting that Opel will not return to profit before 2015, “since demand in Europe will remain very weak in the next three years.” — AFP

BEIJING: China’s economy faces “huge pressure” to slow further despite stimulus measures, Premier Wen Jiabao said yesterday, damping hopes for a quick recovery from the deepest slump since the 2008 global financial crisis.

Companies and investors are closely watching the world’s second-largest economy for signs of a further slowdown which could have global repercussions by hurting Chinese demand for goods from the United States, Europe and other struggling economies. “The economy is running at a generally stable pace, but there is still huge pressure for it to go downward,” the official Xinhua News Agency paraphrased Wen, the country’s top economic official, as saying during a weekend visit to eastern China.

The government has cut interest rates twice in a month, reduced gasoline prices and promised more spending on low-cost housing and other public works to revive growth that fell to a nearly three-year low of 8.1 percent in the first quarter. Despite that, forecasters expect data due out this week to show that growth fell as low as 7.3 percent in the second quarter.

The slowdown raises the risk of job losses and unrest at a politically awkward time for the ruling Communist Party. It is trying to enforce calm ahead of a once-a-decade handover of power to younger leaders. In his weekend remarks, Wen said government measures to boost economic growth were showing results, Xinhua reported. “The economic slowdown is tending toward stability,” Xinhua paraphrased him as saying.

The government is trying to reduce reliance on exports and investments to drive growth by boosting domestic consumption.

Wen said that is Beijing’s “fundamental standpoint” to improve the economy.

He said the government also is trying to diversify and promote stable export growth.

The government has set a 10 percent growth

target this year for trade, which the Commerce Ministry has said is achievable, barring unexpected setbacks in Europe or elsewhere. Wen promised to “fine-tune economic policies,” according to Xinhua, but no details or new initiatives were reported. He said the government will press ahead with changes in the tax system that should reduce the burden on many taxpayers, but gave no timetable.

Wen ordered local officials on Saturday to enforce rules aimed at cooling a surge in housing prices and called for those who tried to evade curbs to be punished, Xinhua reported. Wen also called for faster construction of affordable housing, saying that local authorities should facilitate the approval of land and improve the quality of construction by inviting all types of investors to participate in projects, Xinhua said. Wen said regulation of the

NANJING: People check a scale model of a housing project at a real estate fair in Nanjing, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province. State media reported yesterday that China’s top economic official has ordered local officials to enforce rules aimed at cooling a surge in housing prices. — AP On the same visit, Wen also vowed that the recent interest rate cut aimed at stimulating economic growth will not ignite a new bout of real estate speculation that would push up housing costs, state media said.

housing market is still at a “critical moment” and described the task as “tough,” it said. The measures to control the market include limits on home purchases and high down payments to qualify for mortgages. — AFP

Barclays scandal sends shockwaves across global finance LONDON: The Barclays rate-rigging scandal is sending shockwaves through world finance, putting ethics and regulation under scrutiny, and raising the prospect of criminal charges in a sector-wide global probe. Britain’s Serious Fraud Office said Friday it will investigate the interbank rate manipulation scandal which has engulfed Barclays, forced three top resignations, tainted the City of London and sparked a political firestorm.

Barclays was fined £290 million ($452 million, 360 million euros)

by British and US regulators just over one week ago, for attempted manipulation of Libor and Euribor interbank interest rates between 2005 and 2009. Barclays became the first bank to be fined

as part of a global probe into suspected manipulation of the twin interest rates that are crucial to the operation of short-term financing and global markets.

British lawmakers voted on Thursday to hold a parliamentary investigation into the scandal, instead of a full judicial inquiry.

“This is a multi-bank issue-albeit evidence and fines for other culpable banks will probably dribble out over a period of many months or years,” said Ian Gordon, banking sector analyst at Investec. “In broad terms, the issue itself and the associated fallout are damaging for the financial sector, both in reputational terms, the costs of investigation and fines-and any potential redress. “Moreover, the issue

helps to distract from and hence damage any initiatives to increase the flow of lending to the economy, with obvious negative consequences,” Gordon said.

BNP Paribas analysts agreed that the crisis had the potential to engulf other lenders. “As far as we are aware, the regulators have so far not disclosed a full list of banks being investigated,” they said in a research note to clients.

They added that “additional fines ... cannot be ruled out, although it’s impossible to assess the exact exposures”. Libor (London Interbank Offered Rate) is a flagship instrument used all over the world, affecting what banks, businesses and individuals pay to borrow money. Euribor is the euro-zone equivalent. — AFP

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MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

BUSINESS

Mercedes-Benz C Class Business Edition cars in Kuwait Upscale, featured loaded version from Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Company KUWAIT: Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Company, the Authorized General Distributor of Mercedes- Benz in Kuwait is pleased to announce the availability of the CClass Business Edition cars in Kuwait. The CClass Business Edition is the upscale, feature loaded version of the ever popular C-Class sedan. It is available across model types: C 200, C 250, C 300 and C 350.

From being one of the most popular cars in its segment in Kuwait, the new C-Class, launched in the spring of 2011 is a comprehensive modernization.

The front and rear sections of this bestselling model have a more striking design.

Together with the high resolution color display in the instrument cluster, the new dashboard with its elegant, grained surface and prominent decorative trim emphasizes the premium character of the interior.

The C-Class is the highest selling model series, and therefore of particular importance for Mercedes-Benz. The current series has found well over one million buyers worldwide since its launch in March 2007. Since the market launch of the first C-Class in 1982 (then known as the 190 model), Mercedes-Benz has sold more than 8.5 million vehicles in total globally, in this segment.

Warning and intervening: The new driving assistance systems With a total of ten new driving assistance systems ranging from Attention Assist drowsiness detection to Distronic Plus proximity control, the C-Class reaches a new level in safety.

The assistance systems are based on the latest radar, camera and sensor technology, and cover frequent accident causes such as driving too closely, fatigue and darkness. The new assistance systems, some of which only warn and some which actively intervene in hazardous situations.

Now with the introduction of the C-Class Business Edition, this very popular model is available with numerous features which are part of the Business Edition package: Command system with Navigation & Bluetooth The NTG 4.5 - even more functions as standard The arrival of the NTG 4.5 with the new generation

C-Class marks the beginning of a new era.

For this highly sophisticated generation of telematics and all its functionality will gradually find its way into virtually all MercedesBenz model series.

USB port in the centre console If used in conjunction with a Smartphone/mobile phone or USB stick, the playlists and folders for audio files will be shown on the head unit.

and welcoming ambience sun-blinds provide effective protection against direct sunlight easy operation thanks to multifunction switch in the overhead control panel.

Reversing Camera The reversing camera is switched on automatically when reverse gear is engaged. It helps the driver when parking in both parallel and end-on spaces. ● Provides the driver with a clearer view of the area immediately to the rear.

Additional Bluetooth functions such as audio streaming Music files stored on a Smartphone or mobile phone can be played through the head unit. If the mobile phone supports PBAP (Phone Book Access Profile), its phone book

can be accessed SMS messages can also be shown on the display with the optional Comfort Telephony. Display of important vehicle functions - histogram of consumption with graphic representation of the last 15 minutes.

Air-con data such as temperature, climate mode or demisting shown as an info bar at the bottom of the display - only when adjusted. Cover Art - displays the cover along with the title and track.

Panoramic Sunroof The panoramic sliding sunroof consists of a fixed panoramic glass roof and an electrically operated glass sunroof which slides over the exterior of the roof. The transparent surface area is very large and lets in plenty of light. ● creates a transparent surface area twice the size of conventional sliding glass sunroofs ● gives the interior a particularly bright

Parktronic Parktronic including Parking Guidance

assists the driver in finding a parking space and parking. The result is more comfort and less stress. ● Assistance in searching for parking spaces ● visual and audible steering assistance for parking ● Emits visual and audible warning of obstacles when Parking At speeds less than 35 km/h the system automatically searches for a suitable parking space. The “P” symbol in the instrument cluster indicates to the driver a suitably large space. In the instrument cluster the driver is then shown the steering wheel movements for ideal parking.

The system utilizes six ultrasonic sensors in the front bumper and four in the rear bumper for monitoring the surrounding area.

Intelligent Light System The Intelligent Light

System from Mercedes-Benz is an adaptive headlamp system that aligns itself automatically with prevailing weather, light and driving conditions.

In challenging weather conditions and when driving at night, it enhances safety through improved visibility. Mercedes-Benz’s innovation in lighting technology: the Intelligent Light System features five different light functions aligned with typical driving/weather conditions and offering a boost to perceptual safety an important means of avoiding collisions and reducing the risk of accidents when driving at night.

The Intelligent Light System on the C-Class

Business Edition is combined with bi-xenon headlamps. Five light functions represent the cutting edge of light technology.

The five light functions brighter and wider ranging illumination of Country mode replaces conventional dipped headlamps. ● Motorway mode enhances visibility by up to 60% in two stages. The enhanced fog light function supports the fog lamps, ensuring a broad dispersion of light and distributing it in such a way that peripheral areas in particular are fully illuminated.

The cornering light function is part of the Intelligent Light System’s functions, increasing safety at junctions and on tight bends through the interaction between the bixenon headlamps and the front fog lamps ● The

in the bumper. When the main headlamps are on, the cornering light function automatically switches on if the driver activates the indicator or turns the steering wheel when the car is moving at a speed of below 40 km/h.

The low-beam headlamps and the front fog lamps illuminate the area to the side in front of the vehicle at an angle of up to 65∞ across a distance of approximately 30 m.

The cornering light function is also active when taking bends more slowly at up to 40 km/h - which means that the driver can make out the course of the road better.

The active light function, improves illumination of the road surface in bends by up to 90 %. In other words: thanks to the active light function, in long bends with a radius of

190 m the driver can see 25 m further than with the conventional low beam headlamps.

The active light function works in both the low-beam and the main-beam headlamp function. The new Adaptive High beam Assist forms part of the Intelligent Light System. It adjusts the headlamp range automatically in line with the distance to oncoming vehicles or vehicles ahead.

The system ensures that illumination is optimized for every situation. Now you can identify the road layout, pedestrians or critical situations at an earlier stage and more effectively, enabling you to drive more safely at night.

Thanks to the daytime driving lights a vehicle is registered sooner by other road users - an added bonus where safety is concerned. They are integrated into the front bumper. The high performance light bulbs used are characterized by their particularly long life and low electrical consumption.

AGIREDCO launches sale of tourist residential compound in Egypt KUWAIT: The chairman of board at the Arabian Group for Investment and Real Estate Development Co (AGIREDCO), a subsidiary of Egypt’s Al-Noor

decided to put on sale a touristic residential compound comprising of 75 villas at the 3rd block of the area in the October 6th City, Egypt.

decree number 602 pertaining the approval of the project’s blueprints.

He explained that the project would cover 22 acres (92,400 square meters) in block number one at 3rd neighborhood of the 6th of October City’s touristic area. He also noted that the proj-

Bader Al-Rabee’a

Investment, Bader Al-Rabee’a announced that after conducting a feasibility study by the Ernest and Young Office, AGIREDCO

In a press release, Al-Rabee’a stated that AGIREDCO had claimed the project’s land in October 2010 upon ministerial

ect would include 75 villas with 500-900 square meters area each, a mosque, a public services building, a comprehensive shopping mall, vast greenery, main and side streets and car parking areas.

Further, Al-Rabee’a said that AGIREDCO had contracted a wellreputed Egyptian construction company to execute the project and that all the licenses and the approval of the city hall of the project’s infrastructure blueprints ( 78) had been already issued.

“Interested buyers will be able to purchase a villa with a 25 per cent of the total price down payment and up to 60- month interest-free installments”, stressed AlRabee’a.

On his part, the Egyptian Construction Co (ECC)’s board chairman, engineer Hakim AlAttar said that the project construction officially started on May 15, 2012 and that the first phase of it, that includes survey, landscaping and dividing the land plots, had already been done.

“About 30 per cent of the project is scheduled to be finished by the end of this year”, he stressed. AlAttar added that the project was estimated to be finished within three years s of commencement.

Gulf Express Co, Total Marketing ME launch series of Rapid Oil Change in Kuwait KUWAIT: To strengthen TOTAL Lubricants’ retail presence, Gulf Express Co (an Al-Babtain Group of Co.) and Total Marketing Middle East, have launched the Rapid Oil Change concept at strategic locations with reputed partners in Kuwait in the auspicious presence of Ghazi Saleh Al-BabtainGroup Business Development Manager- AlBabtain Group, Philippe Cabus, Managing Director -Total Marketing Middle East FZE & Management teams of Al-Babtain Group and Total Marketing Middle East.

Ghazi Saleh Al-Babtain emphasized that “being close to our end customers has been a core principal to our operations and we take pride in being the fastest growing lubricant brand in Kuwait in a very short time. These strategically located service centers provide the customers an ideal solution for their automobile service requirements”.

“TOTAL Rapid Oil Change (ROC) is a highly pro-

fessional 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

standards in Kuwait over the next few years and by tying up with reputed and like-minded partners, TOTAL ROC should become the preferred

possible manner,” stated Philippe Cabus.

TOTAL ROC 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

Philippe Cabus, Managing Director Total Marketing Middle East. destination for customers seeking professional solutions for their service requirements.

McLaren Formula 1 DNA meets thrill of open top driving in the new 12C Spider KUWAIT: McLaren Automotive yesterday announced the launch of its second model in the MP4-12C family: the stunning new 12C Spider. With a lightweight, high powered engine developing an incredible 625 PS (616 bhp), unique RHT folding roof system that may be operated while on the move, and carbon ‘MonoCell’ chassis identical to that of the groundbreaking 12C, the 12C Spider is a luxury convertible sports car that offers prospective owners a unique combination of spectacular performance with remarkable usability. The new 12C Spider is now available to order from bespoke new McLaren retailers across the globe. First deliveries to customers are planned for November this year.

Best-in-class performance The 12C Spider’s impressive 625 PS output from its bespoke 3.8-litre V8 twin turbo engine is transmitted to the car’s rear driven wheels through a 7 Speed SSG dual-clutch transmission, which itself provides lightning-fast gear changes through rocker-mounted shift paddles affixed to the rear of the steering wheel. A clear view of the 12C Spider’s lightweight M838T power plant is available through a glass screen positioned behind the tonneau cover.

Vehicle dynamics technology including Brake Steer, ProActive Chassis Control and the unique McLaren Airbrake combine to offer sublime comfort in all driving conditions; and yet deliver race car performance and handling on track.

Technical highlights McLaren is a carbon pioneer. In 1981 McLaren gave a debut to a carbon fibre monocoque chassis in Formula 1 with the launch of the MP4/1 race car, and in 1992 the legendary McLaren F1 introduced the advanced composite technology to the world of road cars. It was natural then for McLaren Automotive engineers to apply its carbon expertise when developing the groundbreaking onepiece moulded chassis of the 12C. With the 12C designed originally as a convertible, its 75kg ‘MonoCell’ requires no additional strengthening for it to feature in the 12C Spider. The result is a sports car almost identical to its fixed roof equiva-

lent in performance terms, and weighing only 40kg more with the addition of a convertible roof system.

The Retractable Hard Top of the 12C Spider is operated using a switch in the lower section of the centre console inside the cabin, taking less than 17 seconds to raise or lower. Unlike many other convertible models, the roof can be operated whilst the 12C Spider is moving at speeds of up to 30 kph.

Behind driver and passenger sits a rear windscreen which may also be electronically lowered and raised. With the roof lowered this acts as wind deflector to minimise disturbance to the 12C Spider’s occupants. With the roof raised the rear window can be lowered, allowing the exhilarating noise of the 12C Spider’s V8 twin turbo engine to flood the cabin on demand at any time.

With the roof raised the area under the tonneau can be used as an additional luggage area which provides 52 litres of useful storage space. Bespoke luggage has been designed specifically to fit this space and is supplied as standard with every 12C Spider.

The 12C Spider also features a passive Roll Over Protection System to maximise occupant safety. Each buttress contains a steel structure designed to absorb impact energy and protect both driver and passenger.

Launched in Volcano Red - one of 17 exterior paint finishes currently available for the 12C and 12C Spider- both 12C derivatives will also be available in optional Volcano Yellow, a striking new high quality paint which features in the ‘Elite’ range of exterior finishes.

Inside, an exclusive new interior trim has been developed for the 2013 model year 12C and new 12C Spider. High quality semi-aniline perforated leather and Alcantara may be selected in a variety of combinations to suit an owner’s personal taste.

The McLaren 12C Spider is now available to order at all of McLaren’s 38 retailers in 22 countries worldwide, with deliveries to first customers planned for November 2012. Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive Company is the sole dealer of McLaren Automotive in Kuwait.

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

technology

Users consider loss of financial data a dangerous threat DUBAI: There are many computer threats that can cause headaches for users. Among them, the most damaging are those which threaten the safety of our valuable information or, even worse, its confidentiality. And of all the personal data we store online, financial information is what gives us greatest cause for concern: 60% of users from Russia, the US and Europe surveyed by Harris I nterac tive in Februar y and

March 2012 said the exploitation of financial info was their biggest fear.

Information about passwords for online services comes a close second 58% of users are concerned about the loss or theft of this data by cybercriminals. Next, in descending order, come personal email and documents, address book contacts and different kinds of multimedia files. Despite their obvious concern about data safety,

however, a considerable number of users store information on poorly protected mobile devices.

In particular, 15% of respondents use their tablet to make credit card purchases online, work with electronic payment systems or to perform other financial operations; 12% perform the same ac tivities using their mobile phone. About one third of all users (31%) entrust their personal informa-

tion to their home computer or laptop.

What do users do to protect sensitive data? According to the results of the Harris Interactive survey, just under half of respondents (46%) choose to back up all their devices. 30% of users resort to encrypting valuable information, while another 32% protect documents with a password. These measures are obviously not sufficient in themselves, but coupled with high-

quality antivirus software they can ensure a decent level of protection. In this instance, the best option is to use a single security package with a full set of capabilities, such as Kaspersky CRYSTAL. This protec ts against modern Internet threats and offers tools for data backup, file encryption and safe password storage. This all helps to protect important information against unauthorized access, theft or loss.

From snail to cyclone, speeding up Windows Rights tips, tools can speed up your system

Steel Battalion - Heavy Armor console game

From Scottish highlands to Dubai deserts New console games BERLIN: It’s the time of year when games enthusiasts are still basking in the afterglow of the E3 video games convention.

But the titles featured there - Assassin’s Creed 3, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, etc - are not going to be released for ages.

Time to focus on what you can get right now. Even if things are a little dry during the summer months, there is still plenty to look forward to, with an adventure as a Scottish princess, another that requires you to keep the rhythm and yet another where players have the chance to save the world with a fighting robot, all waiting in the wings.

The action game Steel Battalion - Heavy Armor takes players to the year 2082. A virus has wiped out most microprocessors, catapulting the world back to the technology standards of the 1940s. Players are tasked with manning a new kind of weapon - the vertical tank, a kind of twolegged fighting robot - on the side of the US in the new superpower war.

The game allows support from a maximum of three friends in cooperation mode. What really makes Steel Battalion stand out is that the game lets players simultaneously use the Kinect motionbased controller and the regular controller.

That means the regular controller is used for picking targets and firing the main weapons, while the Kinect allows one to use one’s torso for controlling the periscope, the machine-guns and the gun turrets. Even the interaction with the tank’s crew is controlled with gestures, not buttons. Steel Battalion - Heavy Armor is being sold exclusively for the XBox 360.

2K Games has created a shooter game for adults with Spec Ops: The Line. Set in a Dubai destroyed by a sandstorm, it revolves around a group of soldiers sent in to save civilians that ends up going missing itself. That’s when players come in: as the head of a special forces unit to find out what has happened.

This, of course, leads to a series of shootings. But the developers have promised some curveballs, where players will be required to make some tough moral choices. Spec Ops: The Line is available for the

Playstation 3 and XBox 360 and costs about 55 euros. It is only for adults.

Things are a lot more peaceful with the Wii game Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise from Nintendo. It includes about 50 minigames for one or two players, all of which involve having fun while keeping the beat.

In these games, the right beat can help you manipulate a fork to skewer flying peas or keep a crib rocking at the right speed. There’s a tutorial mode to explain the game to newcomers, which can come in handy at parties. The rhythm challenge is presented in bright, friendly animation.

Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise is available for about 40 euros.

Pixar ’s new animated film, Brave, already has a game by the same name for the Wii. Scottish princess Merida dreams of taking charge of her own life. However her mother, Queen Elinor, would rather marry her off to the son of a clan leader in the kingdom - an option that does not appeal to a girl who would like to make her own way. Along with a story mode that bases itself on the movie, the game includes a series of mini-games where the titular character can show her skills in a variety of events, like bow and arrow. Brave costs about 30 euros.

Meanwhile, a new title in the long-lived skateboarding series Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater comes to the download portals XBox Live Arcade and Playstation Network.

There have been 11 predecessors.

However, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD is no sequel, rather a completely reworked version, in terms of visuals and gameplay, of the first two parts of the series, from 1999 and 2000.

Gameplay remains the same as with the older versions, with the goal of getting the skateboard up ramps and across various outdoor obstacles while performing breakneck tricks to earn points.

But there are multiple changes to the details. Players no longer gather VHS cassettes, but more modern DVDs. Multiple songs have been taken from the original games, but developer Activision has added a few new tracks. The download should cost about 15 euros. —dpa

SEOUL: This photo taken on May 15, 2012 shows LG Electronics’ OLED 55-inch-wide (140-cm) and just 0.16 inches (four mm) thick television displayed during a technology show in Seoul. South Korea’s LG Electronics, long overshadowed by Samsung Electronics, is confident it can outpace its bigger rival in the race to dominate the world’s next-generation TV market.—AFP

COLOGNE: It is no secret that the older a Windows system is, the slower it is going to work. The good news is that users have ways to reverse the process. Even better, you don’t have to be a computer expert to do so.

The rights tips, tools and tricks can speed up your system and save you the fuss of installing a new system. First, get rid of any pre-installed programmes that serve no purpose or just annoy you (crapware, as some call them). This job can be sped up with the freeware programme Decrapifier.

Other options for removing applications include AppRemover or Revo Uninstaller Free.

After employing these, unleash CCleaner Free.

This freeware programme removes erroneous registr y entries, temporar y files and data garbage. To get these programmes, it is best to go straight to the developer’s website.

“This is the only way you can be sure that the installed programmes are the most current,” says Germany ’s Federal O ffice for Information Security (BSI). Also, be sure to routinely check to see if a newer version has usurped the one you’ve been using or if there has been a security upgrade.

One possible reason for a Windows system that is to kick into gear are programmes or processes that automatically start up. To see everything stored in the operating system on your drive, type msconfig in the search field of the Start Menu.

Then choose System Start from the system configurations window that comes up. Any unnecessar y star tup programmes can be removed by unticking the box next to them.

The system-internal programme Autoruns from Microsoft packs even more of a punch.

Using this, it’s possible to not just deactivate autostart items, but to delete them entirely.

The downloadable tool doesn’t have to be installed, but can be started up directly.

By opting for Everything at the register page, it is possible to view all autostart program m es. Op t i ng fo r Lo gon s hows a ll autostart programmes that engage when a user logs in. Under Options/Hide Windows Entries is the option to remove system entries for security reasons.

Once all the unnecessary autostart items

are removed, the PC should already star t much quicker. If you want to take it further, you can stipulate in which order the autostart programmes should boot up, which you can do with the freeware programme Osrik.

This option ensures that all the pro grammes open up one after another in an orderly fashion, instead of vying to get ahead of one another and gumming up the whole system. This should also get the PC sped up.

To get an even deeper look at your system settings - assuming you use Windows 7 check out the event viewer in the operating system. Access this by typing “eventvwr” in the Start Menu search area.

After getting to the section for applications and ser vices, users will see events labeled ID 100 to see the startup times, while those labeled ID 200 show how long shutdowns took. It is also possible to call up a list

Freeware programme Decrapifier

Docking stations for smartphones and MP3 Plug in and stream FRANKFURT: Even though music is mostly carried around nowadays on smartphones and MP3 players, headphones are not always the best choice.

Those who want to listen to their music a little louder can try a docking station.

These compact amplifiers, usually with integrated speakers, were originally developed for Apple devices like iPhones and iPods. Now there are also opportunities to dock devices from other manufacturers or connect them without a cable to the music system. Whether it’s a cube form or shaped like a zeppelin, the docking speaker often has a ver y unusual design. Just as different as the speakers can look, the same goes for the spectrum of sound quality and additional functions. “The offering ranges from very simple iPod docks to the high end area,” said Roland Stehle of the German association for entertainment and communications electronics, the Gfu. Simply plugging in without a cable is mostly saved for Apple devices.

“Finding a dock with a physical port for devices from other manufacturers is still extremely difficult,” said Bernhard Rietschel, chief editor of the magazine Audio. “It’s not worth developing devices for other manufacturers because even the various models of the manufacturers have differing connections with differing functions.”

Docking stations and playing devices have different ways of connecting up. The simplest method is a cable connection with a mini-jack connection integrated into many docks.

“This variation is not exactly elegant,” said Rietschel. But the sound is in essence not any worse than via connection to the plug-in interface.

More elegant is the cable-free con-

of error warnings and information reports, as well as an overview of the system standards. If that is still not enough, consider defragmenting the hard drive.

This process brings together data pieces that belong together but that have been saved in different places on the hard drive.

This speeds up hard drive access and, thus, all computer operations. Consider the preinstalled defragmentation programme that came with your Windows system or the fast freeware Disk Defrag.

For a last step, consider speeding up your PC with new hardware. That could include installing an SSD hard drive. Bear in mind, this relatively new technology cannot work wonders and turn an old model into a speedster.

An SSD drive can only provide a speed boost if the computer has a dual-core processor and at least 4 gigabytes of RAM memory. — dpa

nection that also comes in various forms. “One possibility is transferring the music through Bluetooth,” said Lothar Wiemann from the HiFi association High End Society. But the sound quality suffers in that process. The alternative is using the internet. “More and more systems have network capability by now so they can be connected with the internet which makes streaming possible.”

For Apple products, that works through the company’s own Standard Airplay. “For devices from other manufacturers, a corresponding app must be downloaded to make this function possible,” said Wiemann. With a network-capable docking station, users can receive internet radio or access a central music memory in their own network or the Cloud.

Before purchasing a docking station, Stehle said one thing must be considered - where and how should the device be used? Will it only be placed on the desk or should a larger room like the living room be filled with sound? Does the user need an integrated speaker or should the dock be an addition for an expensive HiFi system? “The sound should definitely be tested beforehand to find out if the device is suitable for the desired purpose,” said the Gfu spokesman. The ideal sound is always a matter of taste and depends on what music you want to listen to with the system.

But good sound is not available for a bargain price. “Whoever wants good sound must invest somewhat more so starting at 300 euros (375 dollars) and up,” said Wiemann.

“A dock for 20 euros in the size of a stock cube is suitable at best for the guest bathroom.” Size, however, is not necessarily an indication of quality, said Rietschel. —dpa

Tech

briefs

Graphic cards can be loud BERLIN: Computer gamers should not only consider performance when buying a new graphics card. Nearly all of the upper class models can show the current and demanding games in high resolution, according to German magazine Gamestar, which tested 10 graphic cards priced from 360 to 620 euros (451 to 777 dollars).

The difference was more in the details. The large cooling units of the cards provide for lower temperatures but some of them are louder than others. When idle, all of the tested cards were at about 100 watts of power consumption. But the big difference came in full load. The most energy-saving card had a performance level of 270 watts while the card using the most needed more than 100 watts more. Despite the lofty prices, the manufacturers provide surprisingly few extras. Only a few devices have video cables and adapters.

FB email address Facebook users should check which email address the social network shows in their contact information. In many cases recently, the originally published email address is not shown but rather one ending with @facebook.com. The same goes for users whose email address was previously not visible for visitors. It can be changed by clicking on ‘Edit’ in Contact Information, where two drop-down menus allow for each email address to be set separately. Everyone who is registered with the social network has an email address with @facebook.com. It is usually generated from the user names that can be changed one time in Account Settings. The Facebook email address also receives regular emails from senders outside the network.

Firefox browser for Android Firefox developer Mozilla has published a new version of the internet browser for Android smartphones. The start page can now be personalized. In addition, the loading time for pages is shortened and overall performance improved. Previously-used bookmarks and passwords can be synchronized on an Android smartphone. The new version is based on the same open platform as the desktop version and offers the same data protection and security functions. To play videos and some games, it supports the Adobe Flash software. Firefox was developed by the non-profit organization Mozilla.

Chrome 20 now available Google has published a new version of its Chrome browser, with version 20 providing some new features and closing security breaches. All told, 14 of them had posed a high risk according to Google because hackers could take advantage of them to execute damaging code on victims’ computers. Usually the browser updates itself automatically. The user can quicken the process by going into settings and clicking on About Chrome and confirming Update Now. — dpa

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

What to do in the event of burns or scalds BERLIN: Scalding caused by a hot pot that topples off the hob or a burn from the barbecue can take place in the wink of an eye. Not only are they extremely painful, they can also cause permanent harm.

First aid applied properly and quickly can make a big difference, but prevention is even better. Scalding takes place typically in the kitchen. “Children are particularly at risk, when they pull a pot and its contents off the stove or tug at the cord of an electric kettle, overturning it,” says Stefan Markus, a paramedic in Germany.

The chance of this happening can be reduced by guards protecting the hobs, by using the rear hobs and by

Health

in brief

Disc problem, lie down BERLIN: If a problem with a spinal disc is suspected, the patient should lie down immediately to take the strain off the back. Symptoms include sudden back pain as well as a numb feeling and lack of feeling in the legs. Lying down and supporting the calves with a cushion help to ease the load on the spine and to relax the muscles that have tensed up. German neurologist Curt Beil advises taking a dose of painkillers, with the aim of preventing the muscles around the disc in question from going into spasm and exacerbating the pain. The cause of the pain should be investigated by a doctor to determine appropriate therapy. According to Beil, conservative treatment with medication and physiotherapy is sufficient in most cases. After two or three weeks, the symptoms should ease. Disc problems can be prevented by avoiding unbalanced strains on the spine, maintaining a healthy body weight, ensuring a well designed workplace and proper footwear. Those most at risk are usually between the ages of 30 and 50.

Get baby to drink from cup Infants should learn to drink from an open cup as soon as they learn to sit up so as to prevent them developing the habit of drinking only from a bottle.

While a baby’s bottle is an important aid to infant nutrition and calming, drinking from a bottle is often bad for the first teeth, particularly if the bottles are filled with drinks containing sugars or acids. The milk teeth will suffer if they are constantly immersed in these liquids, with severe tooth decay the result.

Parents should give their babies water or unsweetened tea to drink and not allow them to suck on a bottle constantly. The milk teeth are important not only for proper chewing of food, but also for speech development and the child’s psychological progress.

They also prepare the mouth for the arrival of the permanent teeth.

Think twice before loosening seatbelt Cars frequently end up on their roofs after an accident in which they have rolled. Passengers possibly uninjured in the accident itself still face dangers if they are hanging upside down, held in place by their seatbelts. The German DVW traffic authorities says that loosening the seatbelt could result in serious injury to the head or vertebrae in the neck and offers the following advice. Rule number one: If you roll your car, wait to orient yourself before going into action. Wedge yourself into position, possibly with the hands against the roof and your feet against the dashboard. Once the lower part of the belt is no longer under tension, the fastener can be opened with one hand. Then slowly relax you legs and roll over your shoulders and arms towards the centre of the car. Provided that the doors are not locked tight, leave the car on the side away from the road. Then call the emergency services and try to secure the site of the accident by warning other motorists.

Unborn baby causes car crash A particularly active unborn baby caused a traffic accident in Switzerland when it kicked hard inside its mother’s womb, causing her to lose control of her vehicle, police said. The woman, a German national, was driving near Basel on Thursday when she felt a sharp kick. She lost control of her car, which hit an electricity pole and a fence and then turned on its side. The mother, who is nine months pregnant, was only slightly injured. A police spokesman could not provide details about the unborn’s health, but confirmed that the car was completely damaged.— dpa

India plans free drugs NEW DELHI: India plans to provide essential drugs for free to patients at government-run hospitals and clinics under a five-year initiative costing nearly five billion dollars, officials said. “This year, a new and ambitious initiative has been proposed for supply of free generic drugs in the public health facilities in the states,” a federal health ministry official said.

“This new initiative, if approved, would be a giant step in vastly expanding people’s access to medicines,” she said. The proposal, part of India’s 12th five-year plan (2012 to 2017) would involve total spending of 267 billion rupees (4.8 billion dollars). Of this, 200 billion rupees will be paid by the federal government while state governments will contribute 67 billion rupees.

The scheme is likely to be approved by the government in August and the project will be launch by October, media reports said. Generic drugs to be provided for free are off-patent medicines that usually cost a fraction of their branded equivalents. India is one of the largest producers of generic drugs in the world.

Drug companies sell medicines worth over 11 billion dollars annually in India under various brands.

Government hospitals and facilities provide healthcare to about 22 percent of the country’s 1.2 billion population. Health ministry estimates this will increase to 52 percent by 2017 once medicines are provided for free from thousands of government-run health centres and district hospitals. — dpa

tucking cables out of reach. The same applies to cups containing hot drinks.

“A single cup can cause scalds to 30 per cent of the body surface of a child,” says Adelheid Gottwald, who works for a foundation helping children with burns.

Hot liquids flow downwards over the body, meaning that scalds spread more than burns, which are restricted to the part of the body in direct contact with the heat source. Burns happen most frequently at the barbeque.

“The most common cause here is incorrect use of starter fluids,” Markus says.

The physical damage caused by burns and scalds are similar, as both lead to damage to the skin. Their sever-

ity depends on the depth and area of the surface involved. The deeper the heat penetrates, the worse the damage to tissue under the skin.

The first thing to do in the event of an accident is to get away from the danger zone, dousing glowing coals or smouldering clothing with water. “As long as any burnt clothing has not become stuck to the skin, it should be removed carefully, but certainly not ripped off in a panic,” according to Hans-Richard Paschen, a specialist casualty doctor working with the fire services in Hamburg.

Gottwald says, however, that in the event of scalding, any wet clothing should be removed immediately. In the

case of small-scale first-degree burns or scalds, such as to a finger, the pain can be eased by placing the wound under lukewarm running water. A gel or ointment can then be applied.

Large-scale wounds should be treated differently. “Cold water poses the risk of harming the body through too severe cooling,” Markus says. This could promote infection. Larger burns should be immobilized, covered with a sterile cloth where necessary and a doctor consulted.

“In the case of adults, a burn or scald can be life-threatening when 10 per cent or more of the body surface is affected, and with children just 5 per cent,” Markus says. A doctor should in

any case be consulted if the burn affects, the face, joints or genital area.

The same is true when there is redness or any sign of pus around the burn that could indicate infection. Thirddegree burns should always be treated by a doctor. Paschen explains how to tell the difference: “First-degree burns affect only the outer skin, which turns red. With second-degree burns, the skin lying under the outer layer is also injured.” Blisters form in addition to the reddening.

“In the case of third-degree burns, all the layers of the skin are affected,” Paschen says. Cells, including nerve cells, are killed off, and the skin turns black. —dpa

Mysterious killer disease in Cambodia stumps experts Just one child survived the illness PHNOM PENH: It’s not bird flu or SARS, and nor does it appear to be contagious, but little more is known about a mysterious disease that has killed dozens of Cambodian children, some within 24 hours of being hospitalised.

Medical experts are scrambling to respond to what the Cambodian health ministry and World Health Organization (WHO) have labelled an “undiagnosed syndrome” that has claimed the lives of at least 56 boys and girls, mostly toddlers, since April.

Officials said just one child was believed to have survived the illness and the high fatality rate has spread concern among Cambodians, 30 percent of whom live below the poverty line according to the World Bank.

The WHO has put neighbouring countries on alert about the killer disease, that starts with a high fever and is followed by respiratory and neurologic symptoms “with rapid deterioration of respiratory functions”.

There have been no cases reported outside Cambodia so far. “We are looking at detailed information from the hospital records and analysing each and every case.

We hope to have a better picture in the coming days,” said Ly Sovann, deputy director of Cambodia’s Communicable Disease Control Department in a joint statement with the WHO on Friday.

Paediatrician Beat Richner, the founder of Kantha Bopha children’s hospitals, which see around 85 percent of Cambodia’s severely ill youngsters who make it to treatment, was the first to raise the alert over the illness.

The Swiss doctor, who told Cambodian health officials about the illness last month, gave a higher toll than the WHO, saying 64 children had died from the disease since mid-April, while two more had recovered.

The victims were aged seven and under

PHNOM PENH: This photo taken on July 5, 2012 shows a Cambodian woman (left) pulling a child on a gurney at Kantha Bopha children’s hospital in Phnom Penh. Medical experts are scrambling to respond to what the Cambodian health ministry and World Health Organization (WHO) have labelled an “undiagnosed syndrome” that has claimed the lives of at least 56 boys and girls, mostly toddlers, since April. — AFP with most being between two and three years old, Richner told AFP in an interview.

The most recent death was on Saturday. “All these children have encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and in the later hours of their life they develop a severe pneumonia with a destruction of the alveoli in the lungs. That is the reason they die,” he said.

The alveoli, or air sacs, are pockets in the lungs where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place. “We think it’s either a virus, an intoxication, or both,” Richner said. While it is impossible to rule out contagion at this early stage, Richner said he had yet to come across two cases in

the same family, and no health workers appear to have fallen ill after caring for the patients.

The WHO has also said it has found no clusters, though most of the patients came from central and southern parts of Cambodia. Like the WHO and the health ministry, Richner’s staff are racing to find the cause of the disease, sending blood and tissue samples to the Institut Pasteura renowned infectious disease research centre.

Early results from a selection of those samples show some of the children had been infected by a lethal strain of hand,

foot and mouth disease, although Richner said more analysis was needed.

He said all the patients who died were treated in private clinics in their local areas before being brought to the Kantha Bopha hospitals in the capital and the northwestern province of Siem Reap.

“They all got injections or infusions by private carers before coming to us,” he said.

“Some died four hours after arriving.” From his own figures, Richer said the two patients that lived were treated only by Kantha Bopha staff, suggesting that botched medical treatment may be a factor.

The WHO said it was too soon to draw conclusions. “We are looking at the possibility of this being something new, a collation of different diseases with similar clinical presentations but caused by a different pathogen,” said doctor Nima Asgari, a public health specialist at the WHO office in Cambodia.

The UN health body and Cambodian officials have urged parents to bring their sick children to hospital if they see any signs of “unusual illness”. Joining the daily queues of hundreds of families seeking treatment at Kantha Bopha, In Sitha said she first heard about the mystery illness while her three-year-old son was in hospital with pneumonia last month.

“I heard it develops very fast,” she said.

“As a mother, I feel very scared and helpless about this. I just hope this unknown disease can be cured so that my son and other people’s children can survive.”

Richner urged parents to stay calm saying “there’s no reason for hysteria,” and pointed out that an ongoing dengue fever epidemic was a much larger worry. In June alone, more than 5,000 children were hospitalised with haemorrhagic dengue fever, compared to just 34 cases of the unknown disease. “That’s the big problem,” Richner said. — AFP

Social engineering lets hackers take advantage of human foibles FRANKFURT: Manners and helpfulness are usually admirable traits. But they can turn into a problem online, where criminals take advantage of the good humour and fears of others.

Indeed, the stereotype of a hacker who sits in a basement eschewing all social contact couldn’t be more off base. A good hacker will be able to warm right up to possible targets, a practice experts have dubbed social engineering.

“Normal hackers rely on technical weaknesses,” says Melanie Volkamer, a professor at Germany’s Centre for Advanced Security Research. “Social engineering relies on human weaknesses instead.”

That means taking advantage of curiosity and greed. But the days when people fell for offers of riches from Nigerian businessmen are long gone. Nowadays, scams appear more respectable at first glance: free credit for coupon programmes or online shops, for example.

Others disguise themselves as photos or videos of celebrities or current events.

When the curious click on them, a virus or Trojan is allowed onto the computer.

Of course, not every social engineering trick relies on human weakness. Many appeal to positive traits, like good manners, willingness to help or respect for authority.

For example, respect for authority is tremendously useful for people who employ phishing emails or websites.

“Victims see a mail that looks like it comes from their bank and think ‘That should all be in order’,” says Volkamer. But that’s a mistake, as the access code a person reveals usually ends up with a swindler.

The Working Group on Identity Protection in the Internet, a German-based group, has tips for protecting oneself from phishing. Always check the security certificate when following links to a site by clicking on the padlock icon in the address list.

To be even further on the safe side, turn off Javascript on your browser, although that will disable many sites. If an email or site seems suspicious, it’s best to do a quick internet search on the email’s subject line.

If it’s a scam, the search will usually come back with warnings.

But new social engineering tactics make it hard for even experienced users to avoid

those with bad intentions. “Many phishing mails have become personalized in the meantime,” says Volkamer. Crooks use personal information floating around online, which make the initial contact more believable, since they’ll include the target’s proper name.

Hackers can also use knowledge about the names of one’s parents or pets to figure out passwords or correctly answer security questions. There are even programmes that analyse eBay auctions, says Tobias Scheffer, of the Institute of Computer Science at the University of Potsdam. “People then get spam with their proper name that makes new offers about the object currently being auctioned.”

Such attacks are based on classic phishing, coming with a link that, when clicked, helps to download malware and upload personal data. Another trick is using fake accounts on social networks. Hackers will check a target’s list of friends on one network and then see if the target has the same group of friends on a second. If that’s not the case, the hacker will pose as an existing friend not yet on the second site and try to pry information out of the target. Anyone can be the target of such an attack, says Volkamer. “People make false assumptions about who would attack and who wouldn’t.” A major target of social engineering attacks are companies and their workers. That’s because a lot of social engineering is now focused on industrial espionage, says Volkamer.

“This means an IT trainee might get a call from someone posing as a colleague,” she says. “He’s on vacation and can’t get his emails and would the colleague mind resetting his password for a few minutes?”

Social engineers also rely on impatience. “We always want things to move immediately on the internet,” says Volkamer. That means warning messages are routinely ignored, mails not read properly and links simply clicked on.

Hackers also know how to stress out targets and create a sense of urgency.

“Don’t let yourself get put under pressure,” advises Volk amer, noting that there’s nothing so urgent that people shouldn’t be able to think about it for a few seconds.—dpa

GIR: In this Sunday, March 25, 2012 photo, tourists take photos of a lion during a safari at the Gir Sanctuary in the western Indian state of Gujarat, India. Nurtured back to about 400 from less than 50 a century ago, these wild Asiatic lions are the last of a species that once roamed from Morocco and Greece to the eastern reaches of India. The subject of saving lions is an emotional one in India. The lion also holds iconic status in religions and cultures. The multi-armed Hindu warrior goddess Durga is traditionally shown with a lion as her mount.—AP

Fears about generic medications unfounded BERLIN: After years of receiving a particular prescribed medication from the pharmacy, patients may suddenly be confronted with a package that looks different and may feel they are being done down in some way but in general these generic medications are in fact the real thing under a different label.

Pharmacies may well be required to issue these cheaper medications in terms of contracts entered into with the patient’s health insurer.

“The pharmacist is compelled to issue the medication shown in the discount agreement,” says Christiane Eckert-Lill of the German ABDA association of pharmacists.

She notes that the cheaper medication is just as effective as the original and works just as quickly, citing laboratory tests.

Generics are simply imitation products with the same effective ingredients at the same strength and in the same format, but usually considerably less expensive.

The generics may well differ from the original in appearance - in shape, colour and imprints on the tablet. The auxiliary substances, such as lactose or starch, that go to

make up medication may also differ, and so tablets, for example, may look completely different. “But in fact generics have sideeffects no different to those of the original, because the active ingredients are what matter,” Eckert-Lill says. “It may on occasion happen that the auxiliary substances do not agree with a particular patient, but this is very rare,” she says.

Doctors are under pressure to take costs into consideration when prescribing medication, and thus often themselves prescribe generics rather than originals.

Increasingly, however, the prescribing doctor will enter only the effective ingredients on the prescription, along with the concentration and the form it should be administered in.

The pharmacist then decides which specific medication to issue on the basis of this and any relevant discount agreements entered into with the health insurer.

Pharmacists are able to raise concerns if they feel there is a difference between the generic and the original. Patients still in doubt should consult their doctor. —dpa

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

Whale meat is bad for health No to commercial whaling

MANILA: A member of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, BFAR, shows elvers or baby eels in a plastic bag in one of several boxes confiscated by authorities at Manila’s International Airport in suburban Pasay, south of Manila, Philippines yesterday. At least 46 boxes with an estimated 2 million baby eels were seized by Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources officials after they were tipped off about the Hong Kong-bound illegal shipment, which authorities said had a value of P22,000 (about $528) per kilo. — AP

Drink right sort of liquids to combat heat BERLIN: Summer temperatures can have a negative effect on reaction times and learning capacity, as well as impact on endurance and strength. The body also loses liquid and electrolytes rapidly.

“When taking exercise, these losses depend on the duration and intensity of the activity,” according to Michaela Baensch, a nutrition specialist at a German technical college for health management.

The aim should be to avoid dehydration and to balance the loss of electrolytes caused by perspiration.

“Liquid loss equivalent to 2 per cent of body weight will affect performance,” she says. Liquid must be taken in during vigorous exercise lasting an hour or more, particularly in warm weather.

“Isotonic drinks are the best - that is drinks that contain carbohydrates and salt,” Baensch says.

It is advisable to take in between 800 millilitres and a litre per hour, preferably around 250 millilitres every 15 minutes.

“The suitable drink for strenuous exercise is a mixture of 40 grams of glucose, 20 grams of fructose and between half a gram and a gram of sodium chloride, or table salt, in a litre of water,” she says.

This mixture is readily absorbed by the intestine and provides both liquid and energy rapidly. The sport drinks commonly available or a mixture of apple juice and water in roughly equal quantities are examples of isotonic drinks. — dpa

PANAMA CITY: The International Whaling Commission upheld the global ban on commercial whale hunting as it ended its week-long annual meetings.

A consortium of whale-hunting countries failed in its attempt to lift the commercial hunting moratorium in place since 1989.

Denmark’s request for a higher quota on behalf of its indigenous people on its Greenland commonwealth was rejected, while Japan withdrew for the time being its application to hunt whales along its coasts.

The IWC this week warned that eating whale meat is unhealthy, unanimously adopting a resolution introduced by Germany.

The countries of South America went away empty-handed as whaling nations blocked their lobbying to establish a protection zone for whales in the southern Atlantic.

Walter Duebner, chief of the German delegation to the IWC,

told dpa that the commission at this week’s meeting showed “that it is capable of making decisions.”

Denmark paid a high price for its attempt to raise its quota for indigenous Greenlanders by a single humpback whale - starting next year, Denmark may not hunt any more whales if it wants to remain in the IWC. Denmark ’s critics were outraged that whale meat intended for the Inuit’s self-use has landed in Greenland supermarkets and restaurants, where it is consumed by tourists.

The resolution introduced by Germany on Thursday and adopted unanimously said that whale meat was contaminated with harmful substances.

“What is important is that consumers in countries where they catch whales are informed of the risks,” Duebner said. “That is especially true for pregnant women, children and older people.”

Sandra Altherr, a biologist at conservation group Pro Wildlife, said: “Over their many years of life, whales accumulate large amounts of mercur y or polychlorinated biphenyl in their bodies.”

Both substances can cause nerve damage and other problems in humans. A Pro Wildlife report has shown links between the consumption of whale meat and such disorders.

Whale conservation organizations welcomed the IWC move.

“The resolution will help to reduce the demand for whale and dolphin meat - and both man and animal gain from that,” Altherr said. South Korea’s announcement that it would resume whale hunting provoked indignation from Australia and New Zealand, along with environmental organizations.

“Korea’s attempt was not totally surprising. We have observed for years how the collateral death rates for whales (from fishing) are

extremely high for South Korea and we know that the whale hunting lobby in South Korea is not sitting idly by,” Altherr said.

Denmark lost its bid to raise its quota because other European Union countries at the last minute formed a unified front against the proposal. According to sources in the delegations, Denmark will only keep its old quota through this year.

Greenland, an ice-covered commonwealth of the Danish kingdom, wanted to increase its catch of fin whales to nine per year, and catch one more humpback whale a year than its current maximum quota.

Early Friday, Japan had a proposal on the agenda to allow a limited whale catch along its coast, but it withdrew its application.

Monaco’s initiative to protect small whales such as dolphins, which have never been protected, was similarly withdrawn.—dpa

Relax properly after work to avoid stress BERLIN: Many modern professionals have difficulty switching off after work, constantly checking emails and always being reachable by mobile phone.

The evidence is that this is harmful. In Germany the government is aiming to act.

Labour Minister Ursula von der Leyen aims to compel employers to protect their employees from the constant stress generated by the tech gadgets that have come to dominate so many working lives.

She intends to draw up clear rules on the periods that employees can be required to be available and when they should receive time off in exchange.

Dirk Windemuth of the work and safety institute attached to the official German insurance body for accidents at work says professionals should do something completely different for the half hour after leav-

ing work. The professor of psychology lays down the following rules.

Firstly, turn the mobile off. Staff do themselves no favours by being constantly available for the boss or their colleagues. And all workers other than those in the top positions should turn their office mobiles off completely when on holiday.

There should be a taboo on checking emails, responding to queries or conducting phone calls on work after the working day has ended. “Otherwise you never come down from work stresses when at home,” Windemuth says.

Take exercise. Office staff with sedentary occupations need to do something physical.

“Workers should move for at least half an hour after work to shift their minds to other things,” the professor says, while not prescribing what form this should take.

Some like to garden, others get on their bikes. The important thing is to move and not to slump down immediately in front of the television. “The trick is not even to sit down when you get home,” Windemuth says.

Enjoy a sundowner. As long as alcohol consumption does not become excessive, an evening beer or glass of wine will do no harm, says Windemuth. For many people a beer after work or a meal is a good way of relaxing quickly after a difficult day. Workers should not deny themselves this pleasure, although it should stay at just one glass of drink.

Arrange to meet friends. Talking to friends or spending time with the family are the best ways to alleviate stress resulting from work.

“People with a functioning social network soon start thinking about other things after work,” the professor says.—dpa

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MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

WHAT’S ON

Announcements Indian Embassy passport and visa Passports and Visa applications can be deposited at the two outsourced centers of M/S BLS Ltd at Sharq and Fahaheel. Details are available at www.bls-international.com and www.indembkwt.org .

Isra Tariq

Consular Open House Consular Wing is providing daily service of Open House to Indian citizens on all workings days from 1000 hrs to 1100 hrs and from 1430 hrs to 1530 hrs by the Consular Officer in the Meeting Room of the Consular Hall at the Embassy. For any unaddressed issues, Second Secretary (Consular) can be contacted.

Furthermore, the head of the Consular Wing is also available to redress grievances.

Indian workers helpline/helpdesk Indian workers helpline is accessible by toll free telephone number 25674163 from all over Kuwait. It provides information and advice to Indian workers as regards their grievances, immigration and other matters. The help desk at the Embassy (Open from 9AM to 1PM and 2PM to 4:30PM, Sunday to Thursday) provides guidance to Indian nationals on routine immigration, employment, legal and other issues. It also provides workers assistance in filling up labour complaint forms. For any unaddressed issues, the concerned attachÈ in the Labour section and the head of the Labour Wing can be contacted.

Syeda Zaeem

Sadaf Yousaf

Naila Ashraf

Musadiq Ahmed

Mirza Baig

Maria Shehzad

Waleed Rafique

Safia Zainab

Omer Latif

Sembar Sohail

Excellent result for Pakistan School & College - Salmiya he student of Pakistan School & College showed excellence performance in the SSC exam of Federal Board of Intermediate and secondary education Islamabad. The result was declared previous week.

57 out of 61 students passed this examination, so the

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result was 93.4%. Syeda Nahel secured 975 marks and stood first in the institution. Isra Tariq secured second position by getting 968 marks. Maria Muhammad got third position y securing 965 marks. Naila Ashraf got 929 marks and secured fourth position and Musaddiq Ahmed got fifth position by securing 902 marks.

The management of the school including director Shakir Hassan Principal Mrs Zarina Ghulam, vice Principal Tahir Hussain congratulated these brilliant students and prayed for their further progress in future.

Legal Advice Clinic Free legal advice is provided on matters pertaining to labour disputes, terms of contracts with employers, death/accident compensation, withholding of dues by employers, etc. by lawyers on our panel, to Indian nationals on all working days between 1500hrs to 1600hrs.

Ambassador’s Open House The Open House for Indian citizens by the Ambassador is being held on all Wednesdays at the Embassy for redressal of grievances. In case Wednesday is an Embassy holiday, the meeting will be held on the next working day.

Dignitaries including filmmaker Kamal pay homage to late musician Johnson in a function organized by Mangaf based drama activist Babu Chakkola. The ‘In Memoriam’ function also honored a few people for their exceptional contributions to the fields of art, culture and humanitarian works.

‘Leniency of Islam’ An unprecedented initiative of KTV2 (English channel) is the new program by the name ‘Leniency of Islam’ presented by Shaikh Musaad Alsane and directed by Hamid Al-Turkait. The program is mainly meant to address the expatriates living in Kuwait. Religious questions are received through the program email qislam@tv.gov.kw and sms can be sent to97822021 and answered by the lecturer and Imam in Awqaf Ministry Shaikh Musaad Alsane a Master Degree holder in Sharia and fiqih from Kuwait University. So don’t forget to watch the program every Friday at 1:00 pm.

Zafran introduces summer Ramadan gourmet cuisine

Free Arabic course IPC is opening an Intensive Basic Arabic Course for ladies commencing from June 3 to July 8, 2012. The class will be from 5-7 pm for three days a week. Registration is on! For information, call 22512257.

Aware Diwaniya The AWARE Center cordially invites interested expatriates to its diwaniya presentation entitled, “Fasting in Islam, Judaism and Christianity,” by Iman Martin on Tuesday July 10th, 2012 at 7:00 pm. Is fasting unique to Muslims only? When and how do Jews and Christians fast? Is there any difference in Islam between fasting during Ramadan and other types of fasting? What is the meaning of Ramadan? What were the main reasons as to why people observed fasting in the past? In her 20minute presentation, Iman will answer all the questions and many more.

For more information, call 25335260/80 or log onto: www.aware.com.kw.

Summer Scrabble for kids ood news for kids still here during the summer vacations. You can join up with me to learn some tricks, tips and how to play Scrabble the right way! Need to know more? Then register with me Rohaina at 66634224 or at rainaveer@hotmail.com. You will be given Scrabble boards and have loads of fun games, mind games and quizzes. If this sounds fun, then call soon. Classes will end on July 26.

Classes are on Thursdays ONLY and from 2.30 4.00 pm. Loads of fun and games in store.

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Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

Iftar specialties with delicious Indian treats await you afran, the contemporary Indian restaurant by Foodmark invites you and your family to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan for the second year in a row with its special summer Ramadan gourmet cuisine. Enrich your evenings with heart-warming ambience and service at Zafran, located next to Centrepoint in Salmiya.

As the new crescent moon signals the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, it initiates an exciting time for Zafran’s chefs who delight in the daily preparation of the culinary Iftar feast.

Diners can enjoy an outstanding Iftar buffet menu which includes a variety of delicious hot and cold dishes, appetizers, soups, fresh salads, live cooking stations, an array of mouthwatering dessert as well as a selection of specialty beverages including Ramadan juices, tea and coffee.

Commenting on the Ramadan menu Sajan Alex, Country Operations Manager, Foodmark Kuwait said:”At Zafran during the holy month of

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Ramadan we aim to offer our guests gourmet cuisine from the old cities of India where traditional methods of cooking and natural ingredients define the recipes and carry the legacy of

to accommodate over 120 people to make their iftars and functions more memorable”.

Zafran is a combination of contemporary Indian cuisine using traditional

Indian cuisine over generations.

“With imagination and inventiveness we are delighted to craft a menu which is inspired from the summer season. We welcome guests to use our multi-functional party hall which has the capacity

cooking techniques with a modern flair and international ingredients. The fresh and innovative specialties on the menu offer bold yet simple flavours created by giving a new twist to the Indian classics.

This Ramadan, indulge in a great

selection of treats from a wide buffet spread which includes the traditional favorites, including Murg makhni(tandoor roasted chicken tikka with tomato & fenugreek fondue), Nalli boti keema curry (Hyderabadi lamb and mince stew), Machli curry dahee wali (East Indian Fish and Yogurt curry) and Mahi gomti (Awadhi style fish preparation) The Tandoor selection offers light, healthy and flavourful options such as the Gosht seekh kebab, Tandoori murgh tikka, Malai shrimps, Hyderabadi Gosht kee seekh, mixed vegetable grill etc. The Iftar menus also consist of a selection of dressings, chutneys and pickles.

Conceptualized by Foodmark (Landmark Group Hospitality), Zafran is a restaurant bursting with color in a vibrant setting and offers a delectable approach to Indian cuisine, prepared using a unique blend of authentic Indian spices along with the finest fresh ingredients to create exquisite dishes.

Competitions in Patriotic songs ndo-Kuwait Friendship Society, Kuwait (www.indokuwaitfriendshipsociety.com) is planning to conduct competitions in Indian and Kuwaiti Patriotic songs.

This is the first time in Kuwait, an Indian Association is organizing contests in “Patriotic Songs” for both Indian and Kuwaiti School students. The first 3 places will be declared separately by Judges who are experts in Indian and Kuwaiti Patriotic songs. Several prizes and awards will be handed over for the winning schools.

Pradeep Rajkumar and A K S Abdul Nazar said that IKFS wants let our children learn what they mean as a “Patriotic” to their home country. 4 pages of spot Essay competition related to “Patriotism” also will be held in the same day as a spot registration. 1 Girl and 1 Boy student from each School can participate in the ESSAY contest. Dr. Mohamed Tareq, Chairman of the First Indian Model School in Kuwait “ Salmiya Indian Model School (SIMS) already confirmed as a Co-Sponsor of the Program.

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Conditions apply: 1) The competitions are meant for all the Schools located in Kuwait and should be nominated by school authority.

2) Each school can select group of 7 students for the “PATRIOTIC SONGS (Indian and Kuwaiti)” and nominate separately.

3) Children of above 12 years till 17 years (VII classes to XII classes) are eligible for the contest. But if School is permitted 4) Musical instruments or KARAOKE mixer should be accompanied by the participating students/Children and the school team should operate and select the mixers.

5) Time frame: 7 minutes - Names will be called as “First come” in the Registration.

The Event will be held at the auditorium of “Salmiya Indian Model School” on Saturday, 27th October 2012 from 09:30 am onwards. It will be a full day program

with fun and full of entertainments. Food-stalls of different Kuwaiti and Indian tastes will installed.

Dr. Ghalib Al-Mashoor said in a press release that Invitations for all schools located in various parts of Kuwait are already been sent. Schools under one management but from different locations can also participate in the contest individually. As per the school directory, there 23 Indian schools in Kuwait. The last date of receiving names of the Participants is scheduled on 2nd day of October, 2012 (INDIA’s GHANDI JAYANTHI DAY). The entry is free to all and due to 2nd day of Eid Al-Adha holidays, a large crowd is expected to attend in addition to, Senior Kuwaiti and Indian citizens will also grace the function.

All the applications of interest should be sent to: ikfsociety@gmail.com Phone:99430786

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MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

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 BRAZIL The Embassy of Brazil requests all Brazilian citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the website www.brazil.org.kw (Contact Us Form / Fale Conosco) in order to register or update contact information. The Embassy encourages all citizens to do so, including the ones who have already registered in person at the Embassy. The registration process helps the Brazilian Government to contact and assist Brazilians living abroad in case of any emergency.

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EMBASSY OF BRITAIN

Al Huda Secondary School for Girls graduation ceremony Al Huda Secondary School for Girls held a graduation ceremony for their secondary students recently. It was attended by parents and officials in Kuwait. —Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

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 KOREA The Embassy of the Republic of Korea wishes to inform that it has moved to Mishref. New Address: Embassy of the Republic of Korea Mishref, Block 7A, Diplomatic Area 2, Plot 6 The Embassy also wishes to inform that it will be opened to the public on the following office hours: Saturday to Thursday Morning: 8:00 am to 12:30 pm Lunch Break: 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm Afternoon: 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to inform Kenyan residents throughout Kuwait and the general public that with effect from June 1, 2012 the Embassy has moved from its current location to a new location in Surra Block 1, Street 8, Villa 303.

Please note that the new telephone and fax numbers will be communicated as soon as possible. For enquiries you can contact Consular Section on mobile 90935162 or 97527306.

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EMBASSY OF MEXICO The Embassy of Mexico is pleased to inform that it is located in CLIFFS Complex, Villa 6, Salmiya, block 9, Baghdad street, Jadda Lane 7. The working hours for consular issues are from 9:00 to 12:00 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is closed from 14:00 to 15:00 hours for lunch break. The Embassy of Mexico kindly requests all Mexicans citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the e-mail: embkuwait@sre.gob.mx in order to register or update contact information. Other consultations or/and appointments could be done by telephone or fax: (+965) 2573 1952 ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy has moved its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, AlSalaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location.

Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, email:myankuwait11@gmai1.com ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF NEPAL The Embassy of Nepal has moved to a new location in Jabriya, Block 8, St. 13, House No. 514, effective from 15th April, 2012. Till the new telephone connections are installed, the Embassy may be contacted by email: info@nepembku.org ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has its new office in Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF THAILAND The Royal Thai Embassy in Kuwait, wishes to invite the Kuwaiti companies that deal business with Thai companies or those agencies of Thai commercial companies to visit the Embassy’s Commercial Office to register their relevant information to be part of the embassy’s business and trade database.

The Royal Thai Embassy is located in Jabriya, Block 6, Street 8, Villa No. 1, Telephone No. 25317530 -25317531, Ext: 14.

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EMBASSY OF UKRAINE We’d like to inform you that in response to the increasing number of our citizens who work in the state and the need for 24-hour operational telephone in case of emergency the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait has opened “hotline telephone number” - (+ 965) 972-79-206.

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 01:40 02:35 03:30 04:25 05:20 06:10 07:00 07:25 08:15 08:40 09:10 10:05 11:00 11:25 11:55 12:50 Irwin 13:45 14:40 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:25 18:20 19:15 19:40 20:10 20:35 21:05 22:00 22:55 23:50

Shark Feeding Frenzy Animal Cops South Africa Wildest Arctic Monster Bug Wars Wildest Africa Great Ocean Adventures Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 Karina: Wild On Safari Austin Stevens Adventures Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild Breed All About It Jeff Corwin Unleashed Wildest India Wildlife SOS Going Ape Animal Cops Philadelphia New Breed Vets With Steve Animal Precinct Wildest India Karina: Wild On Safari Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild Baby Planet America’s Cutest...

Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 Wildlife SOS Going Ape Cheetah Kingdom Predator’s Prey Wildest India Great Animal Escapes Must Love Cats Animal Cops Miami

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 10:55 11:15 11:40 12:00 12:15 12:40 12:55 13:20 13:35 14:00 14:25 15:15 15:40 16:00 16:40 17:30 18:10 19:00 19:15 19:40 19:55 20:20 20:35 21:00

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 Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Duck Dodgers Looney Tunes The Flintstones Wacky Races Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Looney Tunes Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Duck Dodgers The Looney Tunes Show Dastardly And Muttley Johnny Bravo Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show Dexter’s Laboratory Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Dexter’s Laboratory Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries

00:05 00:35 01:20 02:15 02:45 03:35 04:05 04:25 04:35 04:45 05:00 05:25 05:40 05:50 06:10 06:20 06:30 06:45 07:10 07:25 07:35 08:05 08:35 09:20 09:50 10:20 11:20 11:50 12:40 13:10 13:55 14:25 14:55 15:25 16:15 17:00 17:30 18:00 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:50 21:20 21:50 22:40 23:10 23:55

Walk On The Wild Side Doctor Who 20,000 Streets Under The Sky Blackadder The Third Spooks Walk On The Wild Side Balamory Tellytales Bobinogs Nina And The Neurons Teletubbies Boogie Beebies Little Robots Balamory Tellytales Bobinogs Nina And The Neurons Teletubbies Boogie Beebies Little Robots Allo ‘allo!

The Royle Family The Weakest Link Walk On The Wild Side Doctors Coast The Impressions Show New Tricks The Royle Family The Weakest Link Walk On The Wild Side Doctors The Impressions Show New Tricks The Weakest Link Eastenders Doctors Coast One Foot In The Grave Rev. Spooks Dinnerladies As Time Goes By 20,000 Streets Under The Sky Gavin & Stacey The Weakest Link Coast

00:30 Bakugan: New Vestroia 01:20 Powerpuff Girls 02:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 03:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 03:25 Ben 10 03:50 Adventure Time 04:15 Powerpuff Girls 04:40 Generator Rex 05:05 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:55 Angelo Rules 06:00 The Marvelous Misadventures...

06:25 Casper’s Scare School 07:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 07:15 Adventure Time 07:40 Johnny Test 08:05 Grim Adventures Of...

08:55 Courage The Cowardly Dog 09:45 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 10:10 Redakai: Conquer The Kairu 10:35 Powerpuff Girls 11:25 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 12:15 Ed, Edd n Eddy 13:05 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 13:30 Sym-Bionic Titan 13:55 Foster’s Home For...

14:45 Angelo Rules 15:35 Powerpuff Girls 16:25 The Amazing World Of Gumball 16:40 Johnny Test 17:05 Adventure Time 17:30 Regular Show 17:55 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 18:20 Batman Brave And The Bold 18:45 Young Justice 19:10 Hero 108 19:35 Ben 10 20:25 Courage The Cowardly Dog 21:15 Grim Adventures Of...

22:00 Codename: Kids Next Door 22:50 Ben 10 23:15 Ben 10 23:40 Chowder

00:10 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

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

00:00 00:30 01:00 03:00 03:30 04:00 05:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 10:30

Mainsail World Sport World Report Backstory Talk Asia Fareed Zakaria Gps CNN Newsroom Business Traveller World’s Untold Stories World Sport Inside Africa World Report World Report World Sport World’s Untold Stories

11:00 World Business Today 12:00 Backstory 12:30 African Voices 13:00 World One 14:00 Fareed Zakaria Gps 15:00 News Stream 16:00 World Business Today 17:00 International Desk 18:00 Global Exchange 19:00 World Sport 19:30 African Voices 20:00 International Desk 21:00 Quest Means Business 22:00 Amanpour 22:30 CNN Newscenter 23:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson

00:40 Inventions That Shook The World 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 Hillbilly Handfishin’ 12:20 Extreme Fishing 13:15 River Monsters: Lair Of Giants 14:10 Border Security 14:35 Auction Kings 15:05 Ultimate Survival 16:00 American Chopper 16:55 Fifth Gear 17:20 Gold Divers 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 Hillbilly Handfishin’ 22:25 Extreme Fishing 23:20 River Monsters: Lair Of Giants

00:35 01:25 02:15 02:45 03:35 04:25 05:15 06:05 07:00 07:50 07:53 08:20 08:50 09:40 10:30 15:35 16:00 16:03 16:30 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:30 20:20 21:10 21:35 22:00 22:50 23:40

The Future Of...

Mega World Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger Game Changers Mega World Catch It Keep It Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger Scrapheap Challenge Prophets Of Science Fiction Head Rush Bang Goes The Theory Sci-Fi Science Sport Science Da Vinci’s Machines Engineered The Gadget Show Head Rush Bang Goes The Theory Sci-Fi Science Science Of The Movies Sport Science Space Pioneer Mighty Ships Mega World The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Mighty Ships Mega World Sport Science

00:10 01:00 01:50 02:40 03:30 04:20 05:10 06:00 06:25 06:40 06:50 07:00 07:15 07:30 07:55 08:45 09:35 10:00 11:25 11:40 12:05

Replacements Fairly Odd Parents A Kind Of Magic Stitch Replacements Fairly Odd Parents A Kind Of Magic Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Handy Manny The Hive Mouk Fish Hooks Good Luck Charlie Phineas And Ferb Jessie Fish Hooks Avalon High Phineas And Ferb Shake It Up Shake It Up

12:30 13:20 14:10 15:00 15:50 16:15 17:00 18:20 18:45 19:10 19:35 20:25 20:50 21:15 21:40 22:05 22:55 23:45

00:25 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 00:55 Style Star 01:25 15 Most Infamous Child Star Mugshots 03:15 E! Investigates 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Then And Now 06:00 40 (More) Crimes Of Fashion 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 10:15 THS 12:05 Mrs. Eastwood And Company 13:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 14:05 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 15:00 Style Star 15:30 E!es 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Giuliana & Bill 17:55 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 18:55 E!es 19:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 20:55 Ice Loves Coco 22:25 THS 23:25 Chelsea Lately

00:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 00:30 Outrageous Food 00:55 Unwrapped 01:45 Grill It! With Bobby Flay 02:35 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 03:25 Meat & Potatoes 03:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 04:15 Outrageous Food 04:40 Unwrapped 05:05 Unique Eats 05:30 Chopped 06:10 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 06:35 World Cafe Asia 07:00 Food Network Challenge 07:50 Kid In A Candy Store 08:15 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 08:40 Paula’s Best Dishes 09:05 World Cafe Asia 09:30 Easy Chinese: San Francisco 09:55 Extra Virgin 10:20 Everyday Italian 10:45 Unwrapped 11:10 Unique Eats 11:35 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 12:00 Food Network Challenge 12:50 Grill It! With Bobby Flay 13:15 Cooking For Real 13:40 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 14:05 Mexican Made Easy 14:30 Kid In A Candy Store 14:55 Paula’s Best Dishes 15:20 Extra Virgin 15:45 Chopped 16:35 Cooking For Real 17:00 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 17:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 17:50 Unique Eats 18:15 Unwrapped 18:40 Andy Bates Street Feasts 19:05 Kid In A Candy Store 19:30 Food Network Challenge 20:20 Chopped 21:10 Extra Virgin 21:35 Extra Virgin 22:00 Andy Bates Street Feasts 22:50 World Cafe Middle East 23:40 Grill It! With Bobby Flay

00:30 00:55 01:20 02:55 03:45 04:10 04:30 05:20 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:40 09:30 09:55 10:20 11:10 12:00 12:50 13:40 14:30 14:55 15:20 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:05 19:55 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:40

ALIEN RESURRECTION ON OSN ACTION HD

A.N.T. Farm Jessie Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Phineas And Ferb So Random Dadnapped Wizards Of Waverly Place Jessie A.N.T. Farm Good Luck Charlie So Random Suite Life On Deck Fish Hooks Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Kim Possible

Stalked: Someone’s Watching I Was Murdered American Greed Scorned: Crimes Of Passion Stalked: Someone’s Watching I Was Murdered On The Case With Paula Zahn Mystery ER Disappeared Forensic Detectives FBI Case Files Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Street Patrol Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Who On Earth Did I Marry?

On The Case With Paula Zahn Disappeared Deadly Sins Scorned: Crimes Of Passion Dr G: Medical Examiner

00:00 Keeping Up With The Joneses 01:00 Chasing Che: Latin America On A Motorcycle 01:30 Chasing Che: Latin America On A Motorcycle 02:00 Departures 03:00 Banged Up Abroad 04:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 05:00 Into The Drink 06:00 Keeping Up With The Joneses 07:00 Chasing Che: Latin America On A Motorcycle 07:30 Chasing Che: Latin America On A Motorcycle 08:00 Departures 09:00 Banged Up Abroad 10:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 11:00 Into The Drink

12:00 Keeping Up With The Joneses 13:00 Chasing Che: Latin America On A Motorcycle 13:30 Chasing Che: Latin America On A Motorcycle 14:00 Departures 15:00 Banged Up Abroad 16:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 17:00 Into The Drink 17:30 Into The Drink 18:00 Keeping Up With The Joneses 18:30 Keeping Up With The Joneses 19:00 Destination Extreme 19:30 Destination Extreme 20:00 Extreme Tourist Afghanistan 21:00 City Chase Marrakech 22:00 Treks In A Wild World 23:00 Meet The Natives

00:00 01:30 04:00 06:00 08:15 10:15 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Don’t Look Up-18 Carlito’s Way-18 4.3.2.1.-18 Iron Man 2-PG15 Rocky II-PG15 No Time To Fear-PG15 Ladder 49-PG15 Rocky II-PG15 Blank Slate-PG15 Ladder 49-PG15 The Killer Inside Me-18 Alien Resurrection-PG15

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Gentlemen Broncos-PG15 The Art Of Getting By-PG15 A Trace Of Danger-PG15 Skirt Day-PG15 The Art Of Getting By-PG15 The Green Hornet-PG15 The Eagle-PG15 The Third Wave-PG15 The Conspirator-PG15 The Green Hornet-PG15 A Little Help-18 Killer Elite-18

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:30 Saturday Night Live 03:00 2 Broke Girls 03:30 Last Man Standing 04:00 Til Death 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 The Simpsons 06:00 Friends 06:30 10 Items Or Less 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Til Death 08:30 2 Broke Girls 09:00 The Simpsons 09:30 Two And A Half Men 10:00 Happy Endings 10:30 10 Items Or Less 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Friends 12:30 Til Death 13:00 The Simpsons 13:30 Mad Love 14:00 Last Man Standing 14:30 Happy Endings 15:00 Two And A Half Men 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:30 Friends 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 2 Broke Girls 18:30 Raising Hope 19:30 Happy Endings 20:30 King Of The Hill 21:00 The Daily Show Global Edition 22:00 Louie 22:30 American Dad 23:00 American Dad

00:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 06:00 07:00 08:30 10:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Bones Burn Notice Covert Affairs The Killing Good Morning America Terra Nova Coronation Street The Martha Stewart Show Bones Covert Affairs Live Good Morning America Terra Nova Suits Justified Missing Luck The Killing

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 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

Unforgettable Top Gear (US) Burn Notice Bones Covert Affairs The Nine Lives Of Chloe King Unforgettable Emmerdale Coronation Street Body Of Proof Bones Burn Notice Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Body Of Proof Unforgettable Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Body Of Proof Suits Justified Missing Luck Boardwalk Empire

00:45 02:30 04:30 07:00 08:45 10:30 13:00 15:00 16:45 19:00 21:00 23:00

The Transporter-PG15 Fade To Black-18 Kingdom Of Heaven-PG15 The Front-PG15 Behind Enemy Lines-PG15 Kingdom Of Heaven-PG15 Riddles Of The Sphinx-PG15 Behind Enemy Lines-PG15 Tron: Legacy-PG15 The Kingdom-18 Alien Resurrection-PG15 Open Graves-18

00:00 A Fork In The Road-PG15 02:00 Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale-PG15 04:00 My Sassy Girl-PG15 06:00 Sgt. Bilko-PG

THE GREEN HORNET ON OSN CINEMA 08:00 Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale-PG15 10:00 Feed The Fish-PG15 12:00 Sleepover-PG15 14:00 The Lightkeepers-PG15 16:00 Feed The Fish-PG15 18:00 Bob Roberts-PG15 20:00 Frenemy-18 22:00 How To Be A Player-18

01:00 03:00 PG15 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Extract-PG15 Justice For Natalee HollowayLove The Beast-PG The Tempest-PG15 The Spy Next Door-PG Lies In Plain Sight-PG15 A Soldier’s Love Story-PG15 Our Family Wedding-PG15 The Spy Next Door-PG I Am Number Four-PG15 Dinner For Schmucks-PG15 Killer Elite-18

00:00 Ulysses-PG 02:00 The Enchanted Mountain-PG 04:00 Emilie Jolie-PG 06:00 Pocahontas & The Spider Woman-PG 08:15 Legend Of Sleeping BeautyPG 10:15 Marco Antonio-PG 12:15 Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed-PG 14:30 Happiness Is A Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown-PG 16:00 Olentzero Christmas Tale-FAM 18:00 Marco Antonio-PG 20:00 Teo: The Intergalactic HunterPG 22:00 Happiness Is A Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown-PG 23:45 Olentzero Christmas Tale-FAM

03:30 Super Rugby 05:15 Super Rugby 07:00 NRL Premiership 11:00 Trans World Sports 12:00 Live NRL Premiership 14:00 Masters Football 17:00 Trans World Sports 18:00 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 18:30 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 19:00 Super Rugby Highlights 20:00 PGA European Tour Highlights 21:00 Futbol Mundial 21:30 LIVE Super League

01:00 NRL Premiership 03:00 NRL Premiership 05:00 Volvo Ocean Race 06:30 America’s Cup Highlights 07:00 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 08:00 PGA European Tour 12:30 Trans World Sport 13:30 AFL Premiership 16:00 NRL Premiership 18:00 Futbol Mundial 18:30 WWE SmackDown 20:30 Volvo Ocean Race 22:00 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 22:30 PGA European Tour Highlights 23:30 Super Rugby Highlights

04:00 Triathlon 04:30 Triathlon 05:00 Trans World Sport 06:00 World Pool Masters 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 AFL Premiership 10:30 World Match Racing Tour Highlights 11:30 City Centre Races 15:00 Trans World Sport 16:00 Sailing World Match Racing Tour 18:00 Golfing World 19:00 AFL Highlights 20:00 NRL Premiership 22:00 AFL Premiership

01:00 03:00 07:00 08:00 09:00

WWE SmackDown UFC 148 WWE Bottom Line WWE Experience NHL

11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

V8 Supercars V8 Supercars WWE SmackDown UFC 148 UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC Unleashed NHL

00:00 01:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00 23:00 23:30

Scots At War Gettysburg Scots At War The Universe Ancient Aliens Pawn Stars The Universe Patton 360 Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Ax Men Jesus: The Lost 40 Days Patton 360 The Universe Jesus: The Lost 40 Days Patton 360 The Universe Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Ax Men IRT: Deadliest Roads Pawn Stars American Restoration

00:00 01:00 01:55 02:50 03:20 04:15 05:10 06:05 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:55 11:55 12:50 13:20 13:50 14:45 16:35 18:25 19:25 20:20 22:10 23:05

Jerseylicious Wicked Fit Videofashion Daily Videofashion News How Do I Look?

Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

Married Away Clean House Videofashion News Videofashion News Videofashion Daily Open House Fashion Classics How Do I Look?

Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

Clean House Videofashion News Mel B: It’s A Scary World Clean House: New York How Do I Look?

Big Rich Texas The Amandas The Amandas Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane The Amandas Fashion Police

06:00 Kid vs Kat 06:20 Pokemon: Black And White 06:45 Rated A For Awesome 07:10 Kickin It 07:35 Phineas And Ferb 08:30 Cars Toons 09:00 Ratatouille 10:55 Zeke & Luther 11:20 Rated A For Awesome 11:45 Rekkit Rabbit 12:10 Pair Of Kings 12:35 Kick Buttowski 13:00 Phineas And Ferb 13:25 Phineas And Ferb 13:45 Scaredy Squirrel 14:10 I’m In The Band 14:35 Zeke & Luther 15:00 Fort Boyard - Ultimate Challenge 15:25 Iron Man Armored Adventures 15:50 Rated A For Awesome 16:15 Kickin It 16:40 Lab Rats 17:05 Lab Rats 17:30 Cars Toons 17:38 Cars Toons 18:00 Kickin It 18:25 Phineas And Ferb 18:50 Phineas And Ferb 19:15 My Babysitter’s A Vampire 19:40 Pair Of Kings 20:05 Zeke & Luther 20:30 Zeke & Luther 20:55 Mr. Young 21:20 Aaron Stone 21:45 The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes 22:10 Phineas And Ferb 22:35 Kid vs Kat 23:00 Programmes Start At 6:00am KSA

00:15 Little Einsteins 00:40 Jungle Junction 01:10 Little Einsteins 01:30 Special Agent Oso 01:45 Special Agent Oso 02:00 Lazytown 02:25 Little Einsteins 02:50 Jungle Junction 03:05 Jungle Junction 03:20 Little Einsteins 03:40 Special Agent Oso 03:55 Special Agent Oso 04:10 Lazytown 04:35 Little Einsteins 05:00 Jungle Junction 05:15 Jungle Junction 05:30 Little Einsteins 05:50 Special Agent Oso 06:00 Special Agent Oso 06:15 Jungle Junction 06:30 Jungle Junction 06:45 Handy Manny 07:00 Special Agent Oso 07:15 Lazytown 07:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 08:10 The Hive 08:20 Handy Manny 08:35 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 08:50 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 09:05 The Hive 09:15 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 09:20 Mouk 09:35 Mouk 09:45 Minnie’s Bow Toons 09:50 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 10:15 Minnie’s Bow Toons 10:20 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 10:45 Art Attack 11:10 Imagination Movers 11:35 Lazytown 12:00 The Hive 12:10 Handy Manny 12:25 Jungle Junction 12:40 Imagination Movers 13:05 The Hive 13:15 Special Agent Oso 13:30 Minnie’s Bow Toons 13:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 14:00 Minnie’s Bow Toons 14:05 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 14:30 Mouk 14:40 Pixie Hollow Games 15:15 Mouk 15:25 Handy Manny 15:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 15:55 Imagination Movers 16:20 Lazytown 16:45 Art Attack 17:10 Handy Manny 17:25 Handy Manny 17:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 17:55 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 18:10 Little Einsteins 18:35 The Adventures Of Disney Fairies 19:00 Minnie’s Bow Toons 19:05 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 19:30 Minnie’s Bow Toons 19:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 20:00 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 20:05 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 20:20 The Hive 20:30 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 20:35 Minnie’s Bow Toons 20:40 Animated Stories 20:45 Mouk 21:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 21:25 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 21:40 Special Agent Oso 21:55 Little Einsteins 22:20 Timmy Time 22:30 Jungle Junction 22:45 Handy Manny 22:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 23:20 Special Agent Oso 23:35 Special Agent Oso 23:50 Lazytown

01:50 03:45 05:20 07:00 08:45 10:15 11:55 13:45 15:30 17:45 20:15 22:00 23:30

Woman Of The Year-PG Wife vs. Secretary-FAM The Strip-PG The Wings Of Eagles-FAM Where Were You When The...

To Have And Have Not-FAM Show Boat-FAM Captain Nemo And The...-FAM All This, And Heaven Too-PG Where Eagles Dare-PG Easter Parade-FAM Reckless-18 The Appointment

Classifieds MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines JZR QTR JZR ETH RJA GFA UAE ETD THY FDB MSR QTR JZR KAC THY JZR DHX JZR KAC BAW JZR KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY KAC QTR FDB ETD BAB KAC GFA IRC MEA JZR MSR MSC JZR MSR GFA KAC FDB OMA KNE JZR QTR SVA FDB ALK RJA KAC JZR KAC QTR FDB SYR KAC KAC ETD UAE UAL SVA GFA JZR JZR ABY IRA KAC QTR BAB KAC FDB KAC MSC MSR KAC KAC KAC JAI KAC FDB MEA QTR GFA FDB ALK UAE JZR ETD JZR BBC ABY QTR BAB JZR AIC GFA UAL TAR JZR DLH MSR THY KLM PIA

Arrival Flights on Monday 9/7/2012 Flt Route 185 DUBAI 148 DOHA 267 BEIRUT 620 ADDIS ABABA 642 AMMAN 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 768 ISTANBUL 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 138 DOHA 503 LUXOR 544 CAIRO 770 ISTANBUL 1541 CAIRO 170 BAHRAIN 555 ALEXANDRIA 412 MANILA 157 LONDON 529 ASSIUT 206 ISLAMABAD 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 352 COCHIN 362 COLOMBO 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 284 DHAKA 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 301 ABU DHABI 436 BAHRAIN 344 CHENNAI 213 BAHRAIN 6521 LAMERD 404 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 618 ALEXANDRIA 401 ALEXANDRIA 561 SOHAG 610 CAIRO 219 BAHRAIN 672 DUBAI 57 DUBAI 645 MUSCAT 472 JEDDAH 535 CAIRO 140 DOHA 500 JEDDAH 8055 DUBAI 549 COLOMBO 640 AMMAN 788 JEDDAH 257 BEIRUT 546 ALEXANDRIA 134 DOHA 8053 DUBAI 341 DAMASCUS 118 NEW YORK 538 SHARM EL SHEIKH 303 ABU DHABI 857 DUBAI 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 510 RIYADH 215 BAHRAIN 177 DUBAI 777 JEDDAH 127 SHARJAH 3407 MASHAD 542 CAIRO 144 DOHA 438 BAHRAIN 786 JEDDAH 63 DUBAI 104 LONDON 405 SOHAG 620 ASSIUT 618 DOHA 674 DUBAI 742 DAMMAM 572 MUMBAI 774 RIYADH 61 DUBAI 402 BEIRUT 146 DOHA 221 BAHRAIN 59 DUBAI 229 COLOMBO 859 DUBAI 135 BAHRAIN 307 ABU DHABI 241 AMMAN 43 DHAKA 129 SHARJAH 136 DOHA 4440 BAHRAIN 539 CAIRO 975 CHENNAI 217 BAHRAIN 981 BAHRAIN 327 TUNIS 239 AMMAN 636 FRANKFURT 614 CAIRO 772 ISTANBUL 411 AMSTERDAM 239 SIALKOT

Time 0:15 0:20 0:50 1:45 2:10 2:20 2:25 2:30 2:50 3:10 3:20 3:25 3:55 4:10 4:35 4:55 5:00 6:00 6:15 6:30 6:40 7:15 7:45 7:50 8:05 8:20 8:25 8:30 8:45 9:00 9:20 9:30 9:35 9:45 10:00 10:15 10:55 11:05 11:25 12:00 12:25 13:30 13:40 13:40 13:45 14:00 14:15 14:20 14:25 14:30 14:40 14:45 14:55 15:00 15:00 15:05 15:15 15:55 15:55 16:00 16:10 16:35 16:55 17:10 17:20 17:20 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:10 18:15 18:20 18:40 18:40 18:45 18:45 19:00 19:10 19:20 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:40 20:00 20:15 20:25 20:35 20:45 20:55 21:15 21:15 21:20 21:20 21:25 21:30 21:35 22:00 22:10 22:25 22:35 22:40 22:55 22:55 23:10 23:35 23:40 23:40 23:45

Airlines AIC UAL DLH MSR JAI PIA THY ETH THY UAE FDB ETD MSR QTR QTR JZR RJA JZR GFA THY JZR KAC KAC BAW FDB JZR ABY KAC KAC UAE QTR FDB ETD BAB GFA IRC KAC KAC MEA JZR MSR KAC MSC KAC JZR GFA FDB MSR OMA KAC JZR KNE ALK FDB KAC SVA RJA JZR QTR KAC KAC FDB SYR ETD JZR QTR UAE GFA JZR ABY UAL SVA IRA QTR FDB BAB MSC JZR MSR KAC JAI FDB KAC KAC KAC MEA FDB KAC GFA JZR DHX ALK JZR ABY ETD UAE QTR KAC KAC BAB JZR BBC QTR GFA KAC TAR JZR

Depature Flights on Monday 9/7/2012 Flt Route 982 AHMEDABAD 981 WASHINGTON DC 637 FRANKFURT 615 CAIRO 573 MUMBAI 206 PESHAWAR 773 ISTANBUL 621 ADDIS ABABA 769 ISTANBUL 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 643 AMMAN 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 534 CAIRO 545 ALEXANDRIA 537 SHARM EL SHEIKH 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 256 BEIRUT 126 SHARJAH 671 DUBAI 787 JEDDAH 856 DUBAI 133 DOHA 56 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI 437 BAHRAIN 214 BAHRAIN 6522 LAMERD 541 CAIRO 165 ROME 405 BEIRUT 776 JEDDAH 619 ASSIUT 103 LONDON 406 SOHAG 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 220 BAHRAIN 58 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 646 MUSCAT 673 DUBAI 538 CAIRO 473 JEDDAH 550 ZURICH 8056 DUBAI 617 DOHA 501 JEDDAH 641 AMMAN 240 AMMAN 135 DOHA 773 RIYADH 741 DAMMAM 8054 DUBAI 342 DAMASCUS 304 ABU DHABI 238 AMMAN 141 DOHA 858 DUBAI 216 BAHRAIN 134 BAHRAIN 128 SHARJAH 982 BAHRAIN 511 RIYADH 3406 SHIRAZ 145 DOHA 64 DUBAI 439 BAHRAIN 402 ALEXANDRIA 184 DUBAI 621 ALEXANDRIA 283 DHAKA 571 MUMBAI 62 DUBAI 331 TRIVANDRUM 351 KOCHI 153 ISTANBUL 403 BEIRUT 60 DUBAI 543 CAIRO 222 BAHRAIN 502 LUXOR 171 BAHRAIN 230 COLOMBO 1540 CAIRO 120 SHARJAH 308 ABU DHABI 860 DUBAI 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 4441 BAHRAIN 554 ALEXANDRIA 44 DHAKA 147 DOHA 218 BAHRAIN 411 BANGKOK 328 DUBAI 528 ASSIUT

Time 0:05 0:25 0:30 0:35 0:50 1:10 2:15 2:45 3:40 3:45 3:50 4:05 4:20 4:50 5:40 6:00 6:50 6:55 7:05 7:10 7:30 8:10 8:20 8:25 8:25 9:00 9:05 9:20 9:35 9:40 10:00 10:05 10:15 10:25 10:45 11:15 11:30 11:45 11:55 12:15 12:25 12:30 13:00 13:10 13:20 14:25 14:25 14:30 15:00 15:05 15:10 15:15 15:30 15:40 15:45 15:45 15:50 15:55 16:15 16:25 16:30 16:35 16:55 17:20 17:30 17:45 18:05 18:20 18:20 18:25 18:30 18:35 19:10 19:20 19:25 19:30 20:00 20:05 20:10 20:15 20:35 20:40 20:50 21:05 21:15 21:15 21:25 21:30 21:35 21:45 21:50 21:55 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:25 22:35 22:40 22:45 22:50 23:00 23:05 23:10 23:30 23:40 23:45 23:50

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation available for decent Kerala bachelor in Abbasiya near German Clinic. Contact: 66941892. (C 4070) Sharing accommodation available for small Indian Manglorean or Goan family or bachelors share with small MG family, two bedroom flat near Al-Rashid Hospital, Shara Amman, Salmiya.

Contact: 55995437/ 99200186.

(C 4072) 9-8-2012 Sharing accommodation available for decent bachelor, non smoking, Amman street, one room, opposite to Al Rashid hospital.

Contact: 66232356.

(C 4069) 8-7-2012

CHANGE OF NAME I, Thiru D. Suresh, Indian Passport No: E6840843 have changed my name to D. Barakathali converted from Hindu to Islam.

(C 4068) 8-7-2012 SITUATION VACANT A part-time maid wanted urgently in Mangaf.

Interested applicants should call 60055305.

Full time live out maid/nanny for three months, starting mid July.

Must have own residency.

Work from 7am to 7pm, Saturday - Thursday in Salwa. Call 97687172 for interview.

7-7-2012

SITUATION WANTED Immediately available Indian Accountant / Secretary to deal all financial activities with sufficient experience in Kuwait holding Kuwait driving license and car & can speak Arabic well. Part time from 12:30 to 5:30 pm also considered.

Contact: 24315927/ 97669236. (C 4073) Looking for job as Store Keeper, experience 15 years, Visa #18 Transferable.

Contact: 99341164.

(C 4071) 9-7-2012 Academic teacher 33 years experience in teaching classical Arabic and Kuwaiti dialect all levels for foreigners and ASK, BSK students.

Also German language.

Contact: 99538080.

(C 4067) 5-7-2012

FOR SALE Mitsubishi Pajero 2000 model, maroon color, full option, good condition, price KD 1,250/-. Contact: 66395004. (C 4063) Mitsubishi Lancer GLX 2009, golden color, excellent condition, price KD 1,700/-. Contact: 50699345.

(C 4064)

112 Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw Prayer timings Fajr: Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

03:22 11:53 15:28 18:51 20:22

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988

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

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

stars CROSSWORD 731

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) Take everything you hear today with a grain of salt, so to speak.

Others could be difficult to understand if talk moves into emotional areas. Visit the library, a bookstore, listen to a book on tape or enjoy visiting a hobby store. Look in the paper at all the happenings and take a friend with you to enjoy the latest tourist attraction. If there is work ahead of you, think about the tendency that you have to behave more like Tom Sawyer, particularly when it comes to getting others to lend you a helping hand. If you really want help, you will receive it—one of your most important projects will end today. Celebrate this evening with a watermelon seed spitting party—praise everyone! You may be able to encourage and comfort an older person tonight.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) The accent today is on charisma! You could sell snowballs to Eskimos, just because they like you. That special someone will answer yes to you; your sincerity is heartfelt. A party will be a success. Also, this is a good day to think about redecorating because you would like your surroundings to have a scenery change. A domestic adjustment is beneficial. Saying or writing it with style comes natural. A yen for variety is a hallmark of this phase and this especially applies to romantic experience and artistic tastes. The latter tends to focus on literature in general and poetry in particular. A sociable, congenial, slightly frivolous orientation sets in now. There is a chance to understand those around you and to have a special time with those you love.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. Any property detected by the olfactory system.

5. An indehiscent fruit derived from a single ovary having one or many seeds within a fleshy wall or pericarp.

10. (Roman mythology) Goddess of abundance and fertility.

13. Have supper.

14. Of or relating to or resembling an axis of rotation.

15. Large brownish-green New Zealand parrot.

16. The capital and largest city of Bangladesh.

18. An ancient port on the Mediterranean.

20. Slanderous defamation.

22. Port city of Denmark in eastern Jutland.

23. Large burrowing rodent of South and Central America.

24. An antiviral drug used in the treatment of AIDS. 32. African tree having an exceedingly thick trunk and fruit that resembles a gourd and has an edible pulp called monkey bread.

35. A high wave (often dangerous) caused by tidal flow (as by colliding tidal currents or in a narrow estuary).

36. United States writer of poems and plays about racial conflict (born in 1934).

37. Covering that are used on a bed.

38. Bulky grayish-brown eagle with a short wedge-shaped white tail.

39. The compass point that is one point east (clockwise) of due north.

41. A member of the Siouan people inhabiting the valleys of the Platte and Missouri rivers in Nebraska.

42. An informal term for a father.

44. Any of several small ungulate mammals of Africa and Asia with rodent-like incisors and feet with hooflike toes.

47. A pale rose-colored variety of the ruby spinel.

50. A river in southeastern Australia that flows generally northwest to join the Darling River.

54. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

55. A member of a Muslim Turkic people of western Asia (especially in Kazakstan).

59. Plant with an elongated head of broad stalked leaves resembling celery.

60. The smallest multiple that is exactly divisible by every member of a set of numbers.

61. (Greek mythology) The Muse of lyric and love poetry.

62. On or toward the lee.

63. A state-chartered savings bank owned by its depositors and managed by a board of trustees.

64. Someone who drives racing cars at high speeds.

65. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

DOWN 1. The probability of a specified outcome.

2. The length of a straight line passing through the center of a circle and connecting two points on the circumference.

3. Belonging to some prior time.

4. A summary that repeats the substance of a longer discussion.

5. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

6. An edge tool with a heavy bladed head mounted across a handle.

7. An independent agency of the United States government responsible for collecting and coordinating intelligence and counterintelligence activities abroad in the national interest.

8. West Indian tree having racemes of fragrant white flowers and yielding a durable timber and resinous juice.

9. Primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stems and roots and leaves.

10. An endorsement.

11. A republic in western South America.

12. An impudent or insolent rejoinder.

17. A member of a widespread group of Amerindians living in northeastern South America.

19. (of linens or clothes) Smoothed with a hot iron.

21. The syllable naming the fourth (subdominant) note of the diatonic scale in solmization.

25. A Chadic language spoken in northern Nigeria.

26. Having edges that are jagged from injury.

27. Ulcerated chilblain on the heel.

28. A coenzyme derived from the B vitamin nicotinic acid.

29. A fee charged for exchanging currencies.

30. Interchangeable with `means' in the expression `by dint of'.

31. Formerly a large constellation in the southern hemisphere between Canis Major and the Southern Cross.

33. English monk and scholar (672-735).

34. An unofficial association of people or groups.

40. French novelist.

41. A state in midwestern United States.

43. Someone who asks a question.

45. An associate degree in nursing.

46. The capital and largest city of Yemen.

48. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

49. Young sheep.

51. A public area set aside as a pedestrian walk.

52. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

53. The United Nations agency concerned with atomic energy.

56. A constellation in the southern hemisphere near Telescopium and Norma.

57. Goddess of criminal rashness and its punishment.

58. An ancient Hebrew unit of capacity equal to 10 baths or 10 ephahs.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) You may take a serious attitude to just about all aspects of your life. This is an excellent time to get many things accomplished. You set the example for others as you perform your duties with care. When you are concentrating on the work you need to accomplish at any one time, you do not let distractions slow you. If you have not learned polite but firm phrases to keep others at bay, you will. Continual discovery, persistent search and transformation keep you on the move and growing; however, you are the one that remains in control over your own discretionary time and that is called freedom. Consider your time and find what is discretionary or not, interesting. Love is in full bloom, physical and spiritual; this evening is delightfully shared.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Religion, truth and the world of philosophy and ideas are of interest today. You enjoy discussing the parts of literature that back up your belief system and may find yourself in a lively discussion. Your love of simplicity is good for politics too. It brings out the truth and a sense of honesty in a group. As social situations arise from nowhere today, you seem to shine. You have a grasp for abstract and spiritual ideas and you enjoy expressing these ideas to others. As communication between friends is important to you, you may find that a shopping expedition or some form of entertainment with your friends is an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon. A science fiction movie may be in order as you and your friends seem to enjoy the imaginative approach to life.

NON SEQUITUR

Leo (July 23-August 22) You have a built-in sense of what is expected of you this Sunday, even without guidance. Today you may find yourself thrown into a job in which you will need to take control. This could include gathering the kids for a meal or perhaps taking or teaching a creative class in glass etching. You will find it easy to work with the emotions and feelings of others today—you have great imagination and can perform in brilliant and creative ways. You are a born arranger of atmospheres—you enjoy working with people. You find yourself otheroriented, with many thoughts and ideas for partnership, rather than doing things alone. There is an emphasis on close relationships and a preoccupation with ideas of fairness and harmony this evening.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) No one is a stranger today. Camaraderie with old friends and daily associates prevails. Your relationship with a loved one will improve, when you least expect it—or perhaps a new relationship will begin soon. Go out and be with people this afternoon. You have a love affair going with the mind and are open to new ideas and expressions. You love to talk, particularly if you can become involved in stimulating mental conversations—there is nothing like it! Any previous shyness should disappear and you could be the life of the party! Later today, someone who opposes you may challenge you or you may have trouble in getting a new project underway. In any case, you will wisely evaluate the situation and make good decisions.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) You have a basic self-esteem that is plain to all who meet you.

Your sense of discrimination and good taste means that you know good items from bad and can be a connoisseur of all that is fine and beautiful. You have a respect for authority figures plus an appreciation for your elders in general. You are welcome at any business or social scene. Your friends may need your help this afternoon. Fun times can be had, even if you are helping someone move today. You may also find yourself taking care of your friend’s children and enjoying every moment. You are great with kids and big on animals. You are an instant umbrella of warmth, friendship and self-expression. Dreams and illusions, forgiveness and understanding arouse deep feelings.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You are in a planning mood and are very clearheaded and able to view all the paths. Go ahead and make those decisions. You can see the road ahead and will make the right choices. You may want to spend some time driving around the neighborhood and nearby areas around town to see the new construction or improvements that have been taking place. Your own agenda may have distracted you from investigating your own city; take some time to drive around the community and note the changes and growth. Surprises are pleasant and you may find an open vegetable market from which all sorts of fruits and vegetables can be purchased. Visiting with a friend later today brings about a fun opportunity for visiting and chatting and catching up on the news.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

Yesterday’s Solution

This is a day of increased communication. This time manifests as interactions with others that may be opposed to your position.

Confrontations may be good—it could test the validity of ideas. This gives you the opportunity to discover flaws in your own thinking, as well as presenting you with opportunities to reconcile differences of opinion. Be self-critical so that your ideas become stronger and can stand up under the onslaught of any criticisms. Light will be shed on what had been a secret area. There is talk later about travel, publishing and fashion. You may discover that you have a massive yen for affection. Diversify, communicate and arrange some future entertainment with your mate; enjoy. Fun can be had in cooking a meal together.

This is a positive, upbeat sort of day! Friendships are a source of great pleasure and you, in turn, should be quite popular. The harmony today is useful in easing any past tensions in a relationship or in concluding some difficult decision-making matters. You will have an opportunity to enjoy your current friends. You may be sought after as just the person to organize a team for volleyball, baseball or a soccer game at a picnic today. Your management abilities are in high focus and you are able to guide others in whatever activity they may want to enjoy.

Take some time out this evening to rest and refurbish your energies—perhaps, to be with your own family. Enjoy their enthusiasm and use this time to express your own childlike energies with them.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Today your thoughts tend to turn inward, towards your situation in life. It may be time to set new goals or to check on your current goals. If you see some goal that you can work on at this time, this is a time well spent. You may want to plan your next step. Planetary timing may change the development of an idea or project and any delay will just give you more time to polish the end results. An attitude check today will put you, and the people around you, in an attitude of gratitude. There is an emphasis on close relationships and a preoccupation with ideas. This afternoon is a great time for a fun movie or some tourist attraction.

Perhaps you have never taken that tour near your house—this is the time! There are good things happening all day!

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

Life seems richer, more satisfying and more fun just now. You may feel a special bond with your friends and loved ones. Go out on a date with your special someone, or invite your friends over sometime today. You will enjoy their company and they will enjoy your company. Sometimes you can act as a minister to others. You are at home with the ideas of man’s essential unity. Religious and psychological ideas are natural and easy to talk about today. Each person enjoys the time of sharing. A home improvement convention or organic gardening show gives you lots of ideas for the improvement of your own surroundings. You may enjoy attending this show as a group. Your mind is quite clear and ideas are flowing—you can talk, talk, talk.

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Kaizen center

25716707

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

Hawally

ST TAT TE OF K KUW WA AIT

Tel.: e 161

DIRECTORA ATE T GENE GENERAL OF CIVIL AVIA V AT TION METEOROLOGICAL DEP PARTMENT A

Hot with moderate to fresh north westerly wind, with speed of 20 - 45 km/h causing raising dust

BY Y NIGHT:

Relatively hot with light to moderate north westerly wind, with speed of 15 - 35 km/h with a chance for suspended dust No Current Waarnings arnin

WARNING A

32 °C

22451082

KUW WAIT A AIRPOR RT

44 °C

31 °C

Al-Mirqab

22456536

NUW WAISEEB A

44 °C

31 °C

Sharq

22465401

WA AFRA

45 °C

32 °C

Salmiya

25746401

SALMI

43 °C

28 °C

ABDAL LY

45 °C

30 °C

Jabriya

25316254

JAL ALIY YAH A

44 °C

28 °C

Maidan Hawally

25623444

FAILAKA A

42 °C

30 °C

Bayan

25388462

AHMADI POR RT

42 °C

33 °C

Mishref

25381200

UMM AL-MARADEM

38 °C

32 °C

W.Hawally

22630786

WA ARBA A - BUBY YA AN

45 °C

27 °C

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

ST TAT TION

DA AT TE

WEA ATHER T

Monday

09/07

West Jahra

24772608

Tuesday

South Jahra

24775066

Weednesday

North Jahra

24775992

Thursday

North Jleeb

24311795

MAX.

MIN.

Wind Direction

Wind Speed

hot

45 °C

30 °C

NW

12 - 32 km/h

10/07

hot

46 °C

31 °C

NW-N

10 - 32 km/h

11/07

hot + raising dust

47 °C

33 °C

NW

15 - 40 km/h

12/07

dusty

45 °C

33 °C

NW

20 - 45 km/h

03:21

MAX. Temp.

42 °C

Sunrise

04:55

MIN. Temp.

32 °C

Zuhr

11:53

MAX. RH

15 %

Asr

15:27

MIN. RH

07 %

Sunset

18:51

MAX. Wind i

N 75 km/h

Isha

20:22

TOT TA AL L RAIINF FALL A L IN 24 HR.

24892674

23900322

RECORDED YESTERDA AY AT KUW WAIT A AIRPORT

RA AYER Y TIMES PRA Fajr

24884079

Fintas

08/07/2012 0000 UTC

Temperatures DA AY

24575755

24710044

SFC. CHART

4 DA AYS Y FORECAST

New Jahra

N.Kheitan

.12 mm

All times are local time unless otherwise stated.

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36

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Princess’s new job ritain’s Princess Beatrice has landed a job with a venture capital firm. The 23-year-old royal - who is the daughter of Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York - is now studying for her financial qualifications after landing the role with the unnamed Londonbased company following several work placement stints. A source close to Beatrice - who graduated from London’s Goldsmiths university with a 2:1 in history last September said: “She has been working really hard and she has been offered a job which she has accepted. Bea is already studying for her finance exams as a result. She really likes it and although the exams are tough, when you’re really into something like that it becomes easier. “I think she would like the idea of running her own business one day.”

Meanwhile, her younger sister Princess Eugenie, 22, has applied for jobs with leading art auction houses Christie’s and Bonhams after recently graduating with a 2:1 degree in history, English literature and politics at Newcastle University. A source told the Mail on Sunday newspaper: “Eugenie loves art and joining an auction house really appeals to her. “She plans to apply to all the big houses in central London and she wants to make a successful career in international arts.”

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Lily Allen pregnant ily Allen is pregnant. The ‘Smile’ singer and husband Sam Cooper - who became parents to daughter Ethel Mary last November - are said to be “thrilled” at the news they will welcome another child into the world in December. A source told the Sunday Mirror newspaper: Lily has started telling her friends and everybody in her close circle is so excited for her. It was a surprise but Lily and Sam are thrilled. The pair of them have loved every minute of parenthood so far and wanted to expand their brood quickly. So its great timing. Friends admit to being shocked by the news but couldn’t be happier for the couple, who married in June 2011 after two years together. One pal told The People newspaper: “I think everyone is a bit surprised they’ve decided to have another baby so quickly.”But they are great parents and absolutely devoted to Ethel. The pair of them is just delighted they’ve got another one on the way. “They’re

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such a happy family with Ethel. This is really great news.”

The 25-year-old star is said to be surprised people hadn’t already guessed her happy news as her figure has already noticeably changed shape. A source said: Lily was sure people were going to cotton on to the fact she had a pregnancy bump but she seemed to get away with it thanks to wearing very baggy clothing. Her bump has popped out very early - far earlier than the last pregnancy. Shes been joking she feels six months pregnant already. Almost two years ago, Lily and Sam, 34, were left devastated when they lost their baby six months into the singer’s pregnancy. In 2008, the brunette beauty - who recently confirmed she was returning to her pop career - suffered a miscarriage while dating Chemical Brothers star Ed Simons.

Wahlberg chose Hilton happy being single aris Hilton is happy being single. The 31-year-old star was recently linked to Dutch DJ Afrojack - the first man since her split from boyfriend Cy Waits - but denies they are close as she wants to be an “independent woman” at present. She said: “Every woman dreams of getting married and having a family one day, but right now I’m so busy travelling and working I wouldn’t have time for that. “When that time happens, it will be fantastic, but right now I’m just happy being single, and being an independent woman.” The 31-yearold socialite has recently reinvented herself as a DJ, and admits she has been undergoing extensive training to get herself to the highest level possible. She told Hello! magazine: “I’ve been training every day for six to eight hours for the past year. I was up until 4am most nights, and then I had to change my set when I found out it was going to be more of a pop crowd at the Pop Music Festival in S?o Paulo, Brazil, rather than a dance music crowd. “On the jet out, I spent the entire flight reworking the whole thing.”

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Benedict prepares

roles for respect ark Wahlberg used to choose movie roles that would get him “respect” from other guys. The ‘Ted’ actor - who was jailed aged 16 for robbing a pharmacy and assaulting a man - previously worried about what people would think of him if he portrayed vulnerable or uncool characters on screen. He said: “I grew up in a tough neighbourhood and it’s cool if you’re playing a tough guy but playing the vulnerable guy or someone who’s not so cool, that used to be a concern for me. “It is no problem playing a bad-ass or a hard guy, I love doing that but I decided I wanted to be an actor. Too often I have wanted approval from my peers back home and respect from guys in general, but to be a good actor you’ve got to be able to do all kinds of different things and certainly be vulnerable.” Mark - whose most recent action movie was ‘Contraband’, a remake of an Icelandish film - thinks it is important to look outside of Hollywood to find interesting roles. He added to the Daily Telegraph newspaper: “I just thought that ‘Contraband’ would be an interesting, fresh spin on the heist thriller.

Usually these days you have to go outside Hollywood to find something interesting and different. “There are a lot of really talented filmmakers and storytellers out there. So for me it was either go and look for interesting material out there, or just do a superhero sequel!”

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Kim always thinks about dad

for The Hobbit enedict Cumberbatch visited London Zoo to prepare for his role in ‘The Hobbit’. The British actor portrays Smaug the dragon in the forthcoming ‘Lord of the Rings’ prequel and found it helpful to study reptiles at the famous animal attraction. He explained to the British edition of InStyle magazine: “It’s an extrapolation of a performance into something other than an actor. But essentially, you’re still doing a scene.” The ‘Sherlock’ star - whose parents are actors Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham believes his professionalism is helpful in his career as it makes people want to work with him again. He explained: “I grew up surrounded by professional actors so it stood me in good stead. I know what a sin it is to be late, I’m really hot on those sorts of things. “It’s very easy to burn bridges and many actors don’t think it matters, but it does because people end up saying, ‘Yeah but you don’t want to work with him.’”

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im Kardashian thinks about her father “every single day”. The ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ star was devastated when Robert Kardashian died of cancer in 2003 and wishes he was still around to see all she has achieved. She said: “I think about him every single day and I wish he were here to see everything going on. “The peak of my life has been that I feel so blessed to have such an amazing family. The pit is the fact that my dad’s not here to experience this all with us.” Kim is very close to her mother, Kris Jenner, who is also her manager, but admits the fact they are so alike means they often clash.

She said: “My mom and I vibe together on a business life. We’re the most alike so that can mean a clash sometimes or extra-perfect.” Kim and her family’s lives are documented in a number of reality TV shows and the brunette beauty admits they “really” open up on camera. She added to InStyle magazine: “We really open ourselves up. The craziness, the arguments and the mistakes we make.

We show a lot.”

K

Kunis still not confident ila Kunis is “not confident” she is a good actress. The 28-year-old beauty rose to fame on ‘That 70’s Show’ at the age of 14 and has since starred in movies including ‘Black Swan’ and ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’, but she admits she has never been too

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sure she is any good in Hollywood. She told ELLE magazine: “I always assume that people underestimate me. Why not? Why wouldn’t they? “I have everything working against me at this point. I am a woman, I’m a child actress and I was on a television show for eight years. But I have worked really hard to prove them all wrong. “It’s the stubborn side of me, I still don’t have a f**king clue what I’m doing. I’m confident in my talent, whatever that may be, and I hope I never am. Working this hard is the thing that keeps me sane.”

Mila would not be upset if her career ended because she knows there are alternative jobs out there she could do. She said: “I’m grateful now that I don’t have to wake up every morning and worry about how I’m going to pay my bills. But I’m not going to sell my soul for it. I really do know it’s not the be-all and end-all.”

—Bang Showbiz

Faith has a crush aloma Faith has a crush on One Direction’s Niall Horan. Although the red-haired songstress is eight years older than 18-year-old Niall, she revealed the pair hit it off when they met recently and she would love him to become her toyboy. She told We Love Pop magazine: “He said he was going to marry me. I love him! I accept; you can put that in print. He can be my toy boy. I wouldn’t mind having a younger boyfriend.” However, she could have competition from Demi Lovato with Niall reportedly planning to move to the US to be closer to the ‘X Factor’ judge. A source said: “Niall told his family he’s crazy about Demi. “He’s already going to have to send at least six months a year in the States with One Direction, so he wants to base himself near her and make a proper go of it.” Demi recently admitted she thinks Niall is “awesome”.

When asked if she is dating the singer, Demi joked: “I don’t even know who One Direction is.”

However, she quickly added: “I’m kidding. Niall is a friend of mine. I do know who he is. We’re just friends and he’s awesome. He’s cool.”

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37

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

LIFESTYLE M u s i c

This undated handout photograph received from film director Noman Robin yesterday shows a dance sequence from the movie “Common Gender”. —AFP photos

&

M o v i e s

Bangladeshi men look at a poster advertising the film “Common Gender” at a movie theatre in Dhaka on July 6, 2012.

Bangladeshi men look at a billboard advertising the film “Common Gender” at a movie theatre.

Transgender romance movie a hit in Bangladesh A film about a love affair between a transgender person and a Hindu boy has become a surprise hit in Bangladesh with distributors yesterday saying that it would now be given a general release.

“Common Gender”, Bangladesh’s first film dealing with transgender people, often known as hijras, opened in just six cinemas two weeks

ago but full houses have encouraged cinema owners to extend its run and screen it nationwide. “We opted to release the movie only in six cinemas in the first week as it lacked big stars and some labelled it as an art-house movie,” said Enamul Karim, the film’s distributor. “But it’s a resounding success so far.

It is pulling in crowds and other cinemas

are taking it up.” He added that an Indian producer was in talks to buy the film rights. “We have had bumper shows and the trend is very good. We are now planning to show the film until the end of August,” Syed Razfature Rahman, manager of Balaka theatre in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, said.

In the movie, Sushmita, a hijra, falls in love

with a Hindu boy but the boy’s parents refuse to accept Sushmita, eventually leading to her suicide. Across South Asia, hijra communities of transvestites, eunuchs and asexual people are among the most marginalized groups in traditionally conservative societies. Director Noman Robin said he made the film after he saw a transgender person attacked for using

a female toilet at a shopping mall. “The hijra was beaten in front of hundreds of people,” he said. Last October more than 1,000 hijras rallied in Dhaka for a government-sponsored demonstration to raise awareness of their rights. —AFP

Russia dusts down Soviet Union’s forgotten 3D films s 3D cinema enjoys a revival with Hollywood blockbusters, an unexpected retrospective in Moscow reveals the Soviet Union began entertaining its citizens with homegrown 3D films as early as the 1940s. The films may lack the exotic plots of Hollywood 3D films such as James Cameron’s 2009 “Avatar” and Ridley Scott’s current release “Prometheus” but are of astonishing technical quality and sophistication.

In a color film called “In the Avenues of the Park,” a young woman in a print dress stretches her hand holding a rose towards the viewer, while young men in baggy trousers stroll and schoolboys in caps run about.

The crystal-clear film shows Moscow’s Gorky Park in 1952, a year before Stalin died, yet the 3D technology similar to that now filling multiplex makes it feel eerily current. “3D before our era,” Kommersant headlined a story on the films, which were shown in a special program at the Moscow International Film Festival.

The program of films have been restored and digitized by two enthusiasts, Nikolai Mayorov and Nikolai Kotovsky. “We have all got used to hearing various legends that 3D cinema came to us from the United States,” Mayorov told an audience at the festival. “In fact, it came there from Russia.” Surprisingly, the first showing of a 3D film in Russia was in 1911, several years before the first one in the United States. The first commercial Soviet 3D film was “Concert” or “Land of Youth”, first shown in 1941, a few months before the Soviet Union joined World War II. A tour de force showing off scenes from ocean waves to a ball in around 40 minutes; it was designed for viewing without glasses. Viewers watched the film through a wire grid that meant the left and right eye saw two different images at the same time, creating an illusion of depth. The system called stereo cinema was created by a Soviet inventor called Semyon Ivanov. The “Concert” film was mainly black-and-white but had sections where it burst into color-a technique also used in Hollywood for 1939 hit “The Wizard of Oz”-causing a sensation at the time.

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Ringo Starr, center, celebrates his 72nd birthday on Saturday, July 7, 2012 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville Tennessee. Among those performing with Starr and his All Starr Band were Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, Joe Walsh, Richard Marx and Gary Burr. —AP

Ringo Starr turns 72 in Nashville with peace, love he 1960s mop top is gone, but Ringo Starr is still flashing a peace sign. The former Beatle marked his 72nd birthday Saturday

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by holding a “peace and love” moment at noon. He asked people worldwide to do the same at 12 o’clock in their time zones. The idea

Ringo Starr, center, celebrates his 72nd bir thday on Saturday. —AP

came to him in 2008 when an interviewer asked him what he wanted for his birthday. Since then, he has held events each year in cities such as New York, Chicago and Hamburg, Germany.

“It’s sort of catching on more and more, the more we do,” Starr said before the festivities. “We got lots of blogs from Japan and China and all over the world saying, ‘We did peace and love.’ So it’s working.” Hundreds of fans joined Starr at Hard Rock Cafe, shouting “peace and love” at the magic hour and holding two fingers in the air. The crowd sang “happy birthday” and the chorus of “Give Peace A Chance.” One fan held up a sign declaring the last time she saw Starr in person. He pointed to her and joked, “I hugged this woman in 1964, and she still can’t get over it.”

Organizers presented him with a star magnolia tree that will be planted nearby. He also cut a cake shaped like a flower pot with a giant sun-

flower growing out of it. Party favors included frosted cookies and white, “peace and love” rubber bracelets.

Starr’s family and friends showed up, including country singer Vince Gill and Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh.

Walsh played in the 72-year-old’s first All Starr Band in 1989, which features a rotation of celebrity musicians. Now they’re related. Walsh married Marjorie Bach, who is the sister of Starr’s wife, Barbara Bach.

“He is my brother-in-law, so it’s kind of family business. I’ve been to the last couple, and I didn’t want to miss this one,” he said. “I think a peace and love moment would be good for the entire planet.” Starr is touring the US with his 13th All Starr Band and was set to perform at the Ryman Auditorium Saturday night.

—AP

Really worth watching Among the sections shown at the festival are scenes of storks in a pond and a cockatoo swinging on a ring, set to trilling music-somewhat short on thrills but showing off the technical possibilities of 3D. Mayorov found the negatives and sound recordings, still in a good condition, at the State Film Fund.

He worked first on the black-and-white sections, and has also restored some of the more complex color sections. He first showed the film, which he has adapted for viewing through modern 3D glasses, at a specialized archival festival in the Moscow region last year.

“Concert” was hugely popular, showing continuously from January 14, 1941 until the outbreak of war in June that year at a specially adapted cinema. “Half a million people watched it and only the war stopped the showings,” Mayorov said. After the war, the authorities opened a new cinema for 3D films on central Ploshchad Sverdlova, now Theatre Square, gaining a new audience for more ambitious acted films.

But 3D cinema never really took off like it did in the United States during its brief heyday in the 1950s and seems to have gradually faded away. “It had no booms nor disasters,” Mayorov admitted. Viewers clapped and chuckled at a charming short adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s comic stories called “The Burbot Fish” from 1954 — complete with budgerigars flying out from an aristocrat’s country estate. “The films really are worth watching because unlike a lot of foreign ones, the 3D is very good, really good quality,” Mayorov told AFP. “You just saw The Burbot Fish.

You saw what kind of film it is. And that was back in 1954.” A number of 3D films are now being produced again in Russia such the animated 2010 hit “Belka and Strelka: Star Dogs” about the two dogs from the Soviet Union who were the first animals to ever return from space.

Meanwhile, legendary Russian director Fyodor Bondarchuk is making a keenlyanticipated epic new 3D film about the World War II Battle of Stalingrad between Nazi German invaders and Soviet forces. —AFP

Jolie in Sarajevo for film festival S superstar Angelina Jolie, whose recent directorial debut dealt with the 1992-95 war in Bosnia, arrived on Saturday as a special guest of the Sarajevo Film Festival.

Jolie is to be made an honorary citizen of Sarajevo during her stay, an honor first announced in April, for her efforts in “keeping the truth about wartime events in Sarajevo and Bosnia-Hercegovina alive”. The award is given by the Sarajevo county every year to a foreign national who promotes humanity, democracy and tolerance.

Jolie’s film “In the Land of Blood and Honey”-shot in 2010 with several actors from the former Yugoslavia, and premiered in 2011

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— dealt with the issues of war crimes. While the project initially sparked concern in Bosnia, once it was shown, most victims’ groups welcomed it as objective and sincere. Jolie arrived without Brad Pitt but with at least three of their children on board a private plane at Sarajevo’s airport around 1400 GMT, an AFP photographer said.

She attended a workshop for young film artists from 13 countries, held on the sidelines of the 18th Sarajevo Film Festival, organizers said. “The Sarajevo Film Festival is such an important event to focus the world’s attention on the art, the music and the immense talent in the region,” Jolie was quoted as saying in a

statement issued by organizers. Jolie spoke about her experiences of numerous visits to conflict or poverty-stricken areas in her role as UNHCR goodwill ambassador. The Sarajevo Film Festival-born as an act of resistance when the Bosnian capital was under siege during the 1992-1995 war-has has grown to be one of the largest in Europe. —AFP

Madonna performs on stage at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam during her MDNA world tour on July 7, 2012. —AFP

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

lifestyle F E A T U R E

Arabian Court Reflecting Pool

Welcome to the

One&Only Spa ESPA Boutique

magic of Arabia O

ne&Only Royal Mirage is considered Dubai’s most stylish beach resort, where genuine care and hospitality blend with fantasy and tradition, creating an ambiance of Arabian influenced refinement and majesty. Overlooking Palm Island Bay, representing an oasis of calm in the heart of bustling “new Dubai”, the resort offers understated elegance and exclusive charm with a kilometre of private coastline and 65 acres of lush landscaped gardens.

One&Only Royal Mirage consists of three equally distinctive properties: The Palace, the Arabian Court and the Residence & Spa. The Palace at One&Only Royal Mirage conjures the magic of Arabia, a domain where guests may wander amidst the abundant gardens or stroll amongst the meandering water features. The property is generous, with 230 guest rooms and suites, on

Tagine

a private beach that offers rich leisure facilities, such as the impressive temperaturecontrolled swimming pools, water sports centre, tennis courts, golf putting green, ‘KidsOnly’ children’s facilities and, most importantly, a tranquil haven for rest and relaxation. The Palace has an outstanding array of dining venues; the Royal Ballroom caters for up to 350 guests, whilst three further meeting rooms offer a complete business solution. At first glimpse, the Arabian Court is illusive and mysterious, an ancient dwelling that is disguised behind a sheltered oasis, protecting the inner beauty. The property is crafted in the spirit of the orient with dramatic architecture creating symmetry, amidst a landscape of fountains, walkways and lush gardens.

The subtly angled entrance leads to the impressive grand gallery, the vertebrae of the hotel that links the two wings of the property and guides guests towards the 162 charismatic guest rooms and 10 elaborately styled suites, all of which are facing the sea, with private balcony or garden patio. The three restaurants and their lounges thrive on individuality. These include a journey from the grand kitchens of the past, to a modern voyage through the eclectics and vibrancy of the Near East and beyond.

The Residence & Spa at One&Only Royal Mirage belongs to the prestigious association “Leading Hotels of the World”. It is an intimate sanctuary for those who wish to languish in the comfort of prosperity. The Arabian styled private residences each cared for by a specially selected, dedicated team, house a retreat of 18 suites and 32 Prestige rooms that are spacious, created with the finest detailing. All are facing the sea, with private balcony or garden patio.

Charming and enticing, this elegant haven is linked to the discreet reception, private restaurant and lounge. The elegant Garden Villa also provides a luxurious and ornate

The Palace Royal Suite, Main Sitting Lounge again,” says Olivier Louis, General Manager, One&Only Royal Mirage.

One&Only Royal Mirage One&Only Royal Mirage Dubai is composed of three distinctive environments, each flowing into the next to ignite the senses: The Palace, the Arabian Court and the Residence & Spa. With 8 restaurants and lounges, a Health & Beauty Institute comprising the award-winning One&Only Spa and traditional Oriental Hammam facilities, it is considered Dubai’s most stylish beach resort.

One&Only Resorts

Oriental Hammam Pool

Friends at The Palace Shisha Courtyard.

environment within the most exclusive part of the resort.

The secluded gardens, pool and private beach offer an exclusive harbour, in which pampering is the predominant indulgence.

The shaded ‘gazebos’ on the pool deck provide solitude amidst the palm trees and water fountains, with the sound of the Arabian Gulf rolling ashore. Within the elegant entrance courtyard of the Residence & Spa lies the Health & Beauty Institute.

Architecturally impressive and reminiscent

of the great buildings of the region, towering domes, carved arches and the intricate design, it captures the values of the environs and ensures each experience is totally distinctive and ceremonial. The Oriental Hammam and One&Only Spa offer a service that is dedicated to nurturing beauty and the pursuit of well-being. “We strongly believe in providing an element of theatrical drama for our visitors and it is the enthusiastic response to our property and service that bring guests back, time and time

Created exclusively for the luxury resort market, One&Only Resorts are conceived as hallmarks of excellence. Set in some of the most beautiful locales in the world, each award-winning resort offers guests a distinctive style and personality borne of its local culture, a genuine hospitality and a lively energy that is unrivalled. These properties include One&Only Reethi Rah, Maldives; One&Only Le Saint GÈran in Mauritius; One&Only Royal Mirage in Dubai; One&Only Ocean Club in The Bahamas, One&Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, Mexico and One&Only Cape Town, South Africa.

One&Only The Palm, Dubai opened in November 2010.

Poland’s communist Monopoly’ board game goes global W

onder what it was like to queue for hours for toilet paper or butter in communist-era Poland? Now you can experience the ‘boredom’ thanks to a foreign-language version of a hit Polish history-in-a-box board game. The new multilingual, Monopoly-style “Kolejka” or “Queue” was unveiled with fanfare-and fun-recently by the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN), a state office set up to document recent history and prosecute Nazi and communist-era crimes. “Kolejka has been called ‘the world’s most boring game’, but ask anyone who has queued in any communist country in the ‘70s and ‘80s and they’ll tell you there’s nothing more boring,” joked IPN historian Tomasz Ginter.

“Waiting in line for six hours was normal for everyday food-like, for example, steaks-but if you were so unwise as to need furniture, it was a matter of weeks!” he said. While Monopoly has taught the rules of capitalism to generations of players, Kolejka shows them how to survive in a planned economy where shortages were chronic, meat a rarity, oranges exotic and queuing up for hours, even days, was all too common. And yes, it has a black market. The game’s makers say they wanted to give players the sense of tedium and absurdity that accompanied the now-simple task of shopping before the

Iron Curtain fell in 1989 — days when staple foods, petrol, cigarettes, washing powder, even shoes were rationed but shelves were crammed full of pots of mustard and bottles of vinegar produced by local communist factories. To win, you must buy everything on a shopping list. “But I can’t buy because there’s nothing in the bloody shop, is there?” said English teacher Barbara Stachowiak-Kowalska, 52, laughing and pounding the table as she tried out the game at the IPN presentation.

‘You feel the frustration’ All 20,000 copies of the Polish version have been scooped up since the game came out a year-and-a-half ago. Another 25,000 have been printed for the multilingual version, in Japanese, English, Spanish, German and Russian as well as Polish. The new edition comes with a booklet to explain the historical context, telling of a time when residents had to devise shopping “strategies” to cope.

These included paying “standers” to queue on their behalf, or borrowing young children or disabled relatives-mothers with youngsters and the handicapped were allowed to jump queues-to reduce the wait. —AFP

A participant poses with her body paintings creation during the 15th World Bodypainting Festival in Poertschach on July 7, 2012. Some 30,000 visitors are expected at the three-day event, with over 200 artists from 44 countries showing off their creations in the hope of taking home a prestigious World Award, the equivalent of a world championship title. —AFP

MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

lifestyle T R A V E L This June 4, 2012 photo shows the Mostovaya Bashnya tower which once housed archers guarding the approach to the Czar’s Country Estate on Silver Island in northern Moscow. —AP photos

free things to do in

A sculpture of a bull appearing to charge off the roof of a pavilion at the All-Russia Exhibition Center in Moscow. The pavilion is part of the former massive display of Soviet achievements, which now has become a hybrid of state fair, shopping center and recreation area that is one of Moscow’s most popular free attractions.

Moscow T

he Russian capital’s hotel prices are exorbitant enough to make an oligarch cry, but the city has some fine free sights that may dry up a tourist’s tears.

LENIN MAUSOLEUM Two decades after the Soviet Union died, a visit to the mummy-under-glass of its founder is more about creepy kitsch than political pilgrimage, but still a potent view into the totalitarian psyche. Open 10 a.m.-1 p.m. TuesdayThursday and Saturday-Sunday. Entrance is free, but bags, cameras and phones must be checked for a fee. To make this a true freebie, go with a companion who can hold your gear and then switch off. The line moves briskly and the tag-team method won’t eat up much extra time.

WINZAVOD This former winery on a careworn industrial street has been turned into Moscow’s modern art nexus. A dozen galleries, including that of internationally known art impresario Marat Guelman, an array of modish shops and a cafe draw the young and stylish on weekends - a way to get to this crowd without paying a cover charge at a club. Take a map; though it’s near the Kursky railway terminal, the neighborhood is confusing and the street’s name, Chetverty Syromyatnichesky Pereulok, is a tongue-twister if asking directions.

YAUZA VALLEY No one comes to Moscow to get close to nature, but if you need to get away from its dirt and din, a walk through the wetlands of the Yauza River, a tributary of the Moscow River, is a pastoral idyll just five miles (eight kilometers) from Red Square. Well-maintained paths and boardwalks lead through marshes and woods, past a 350-year-old country church, ending at a former nobleman’s estate.

The 21st century may seem a bit jarring when the two-mile (three-kilometer) walk is over.

The trail starts a couple of blocks from the Babushkinskaya subway stop.

SILVER ISLAND Although tourists jam the Izmailovsky sou-

The elaborate “peacock-eye” ceramic decoration on the exterior of the Intercession Church at the onetime Izmailove royal estate in northern Moscow. The estate, although little-visited by tourists, provides a free taste of Czarist life.

Photo shows people visiting Winzavod comtemporary art center in Moscow, Russia. venir market’s ersatz czarist-era buildings, few venture to the real thing right next door. This island in a small manmade lake was a royal estate when Peter the Great was a boy and contains a soaring church with peculiar peacock-eye friezes and a fearsome three-story structure dating to his time (he died in 1725), along with a sprawling 19th century ensemble. Peter learned to sail here and credited it as the beginning of his drive to make Russia a great naval power. The island is visible from the market area, but the buildings are hidden by thick trees, so coming upon them feels like discovering a lost village.

devices to luminescent panties; others are falling into picturesque disrepair. It’s a vivid summary of the Soviet Union’s ambitions and disintegration, especially the onetime space exploration building, now selling gardening supplies, where a giant, ghostly portrait of Yuri Gagarin watches over sellers of petunia seedlings. Take the subway to VDNKh and follow the crowd. —AP

achievements features Stalinist Gothic architecture (don’t miss the pavilion with a gargantuan bull charging off the roof ), exuberant fountains, a Vostok rocket like the one that put the first man into orbit, and usually a few thousand Russians strolling, flirting and scarfing down shish kebabs and beer. Some of the massive pavilions that once housed Communist propaganda exhibits have been given over to capitalism, filled with warrens of tiny kiosks selling everything from medical

ALL-RUSSIA EXHIBITION CENTER Larger than the country of Monaco, this complex originally built to laud Soviet

A 17th Century front gate of the Czars’ Yard on Izmailovo’s Silver Island in northern Moscow. The yard is part of the onetime country estate where Peter the Great learned to sail.

This April 16, 1997 file photo shows Vladimir Lenin, founder of the Soviet Union, embalmed in his tomb on Moscow’s Red Square.

This photo taken Oct. 7, 2009 shows the mausoleum of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin on Red Square in Moscow.

Another view of the mausoleum of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin on Red Square.

Transgender romance movie a hit in Bangladesh

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MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

A model performs during Jember Fashion Carnival, an annual event to showcase creations by local fashion designers, in Jember, East Java, Indonesia, yesterday. —AP

Seventeen magazine:

We celebrate all shapes, sizes S

core one for girl power. A 14-year-old Maine ballet dancer who led a crusade against altered photos in Seventeen magazine now has a promise from top editor Ann Shoket to leave body shapes alone, reserving Photoshop for the stray hair, clothing wrinkle, errant bra strap or zit. And when Shoket or her staff do manipulate images, she vowed in the August issue, they’ll post before and after shots on the magazine’s Tumblr page for full

Julia Bluhm of Waterville, Maine, holds petitions to “Seventeen” magazine.

In this May 2, 2012 photo, Julia Bluhm of Waterville, Maine, holds up a copy of “Seventeen” magazine as she leads a protest outside Hearst Corp. headquarters in New York. — AP photos

transparency. Shoket’s promises are included in a “body peace treaty” that also commits the magazine to always feature healthy girls and models regardless of clothing size.

The young activist, Julia Bluhm, said Friday from her summer camp she’s “really excited.”“I didn’t think it would get this big,” she said. “It’s a really great surprise for me.”Julia and her mom, Mary Beiter, sat down with Shoket in New York in early May to discuss the thousands of signa-

tures on the Waterville girl’s online petition at Change.org. Julia declared victory after Shoket’s announcement, ending with more than 84,000 signatures. Now, two of her fellow bloggers from SPARK Summit, a group of girls and young women trying to end the sexualization of girls in the media, are targeting Teen Vogue to make the same commitment. They’ve collected more than 15,000 signatures since Tuesday.

Shoket did not identify Julia by name in her full-page declaration, which also denied the magazine ever changed the shapes of bodies and faces. She had no further comment Friday.

The editor did cite the support of the National Eating Disorders Association. The group’s president, Lynn Grefe, lauded the effort as a first step but said far more must be done to promote positive body image and a more attainable standard of health and beauty in magazines and other media. “I’m not saying it’s a total victory,” Grefe said. “Seventeen, Teen Vogue, Vogue, Cosmo, every magazine still has ads for diet products and other things that we find problematic, but in terms of the Photoshopping stuff, I believe that Ann is sincere and wants to really educate the consumer and work with the girls and show them what has been Photoshopped and how to recognize that.”

Julia’s mother also was pleased but agreed: “Certainly there’s probably more that they could do, but these things probably come in stages, and something is something.

Something is good. It opens the door. That’s

always the biggest hurdle.” Julia had asked Seventeen to run at least one unaltered photo spread a month, saying Seventeen and other magazines put pressure on girls to emulate perfect-looking models without realizing images have been doctored. Manipulated images, Grefe said, contribute to eating disorders, depression and low self-esteem among girls as young as 8.

Grefe noted that 40 percent of newly identified cases of anorexia are in girls and young women 15 to 19 years old. She cited research showing more than half of teen girls and nearly one-third of teen boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors, such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting and taking laxatives. Girls who diet frequently are 12 times as likely to binge as girls who don’t diet, Grefe said, noting that most fashion models are thinner than 98 percent of American women. Izzy Labbe, a 13-year-old from Waterville who collaborated with Julia on the Seventeen petition, was thrilled at Shoket’s response but agreed she could have gone further.

“The measures they’re taking are fabulous, don’t get me wrong, but I feel like they never admitted to doing anything wrong,” Izzy said.

Audrey Brashich, a former teen model and editor of the now-defunct teen magazine YM, said the Seventeen pledge has far more potential for immediate, tangible changes in the minds of girls than a vow from Vogue editors around the world to ban models under 16 or those of any age with visible signs of eating disorders. —AP

Movies, TV and yes, toys, draw fans to Comic-Con

F

ootball fans have the Super Bowl. Soccer enthusiasts have the World Cup. Cinephiles have the Academy Awards. For pop-culture lovers - the self-professed geeks and nerds who delight in fantasy-inspired fun from anime to zombies - there is Comic-Con, the Olympic-sized celebration of movies, TV, video games, costumes and pop art that began as a humble comic-book convention 43 years ago and is now an annual marketing extravaganza.

From Thursday to Sunday, more than 100,000 pop-culture aficionados will flood the San Diego Convention Center, showing off their Storm Trooper suits, playing yet-to-be-released video games and attending panels featuring Alist filmmakers like Peter Jackson and such hot TV shows as “Game of Thrones.” But first comes Wednesday’s “preview night.” Available only to those who bought four-day passes to the soldout convention, the showing is decidedly low tech, yet high end: it’s all about collectible toys.

On display will be special-issue, limited-edition playthings and books made just for the pop-culture fest. These include not only the unique freebies that various booths are giving away, but also coveted collectibles that could fetch hundreds of dollars at Comic-Con and hundreds more in after-market sales.

“There are people who buy tickets for every day of the show so that on Wednesday night they can be the first in line for these exclusive collectibles. That’s their reward for going to a

destination like Comic-Con,” said pop-culture expert and host of G4’s “Attack of the Show” Blair Butler. “There are also people who flip that stuff on eBay for hundreds of dollars. They buy two: One to keep and one to sell on eBay.” Collectors will literally run across the massive convention center floor when the doors open Wednesday evening to cue up for products like Hasbro’s S.H.I.E.L.D. Super Helicarrier, a four-foot-

long replica of the flying superhero headquarters from the “Avengers” movie and Mattel’s quirky Dana as Zuul “Ghostbusters” figurine.

Others seek out small-run exclusives such as the golden Domo bobble-head doll (only 1,000 made) and Image Comics’ special hardcover comics collection “The Walking Dead: Compendium One” (only 900 available).

Toy companies and publishers large and

File photo shows all special-issue Comic-Con 2012 collectibles, shown in Los Angeles. — AP

small make special products just for the ComicCon crowd. Hasbro and Mattel each issue around 10 Comic-Con exclusives a year. These toys are introduced at Comic-Con and limited numbers are often made available for sale later at Toys “R” Us and on each company’s collector websites. “Everything is made in limited quantities. Products can double, triple, quadruple in price over the course of a year,” said Hugo Stevenson, president of Huckleberry Toys, which is offering zombies and other figurines based on the upcoming film “ParaNorman.” “There’s a whole group of people who actually make a business out of this: Going down and buying collectibles at San Diego Comic-Con and then selling them in their stores or on eBay.” For most collectors, though, adding exclusive items to a carefully cultivated collection is priceless. “No collector is going to sell their collection,” said Scott Neitlich, a marketing manager at Mattel whose personal toy cache includes “roughly 5,000” figures. “It’s not just about the physical price of the product, but the emotional connection each collector has about what figures they’ve decided to include.” Most toy collectors are men ages 25 to 40, he said, though women are getting into the hobby in growing numbers.

Mattel is aiming its limited DC Comics Vertigo Death statuette and Polly Pocket DCComics Villains set at female collectors. Hasbro hopes to tap the market with a special-edition My Little Pony: a gray Pegasus with blonde hair. —AP

Mickey Mouse takes N Korean stage in show for Kim

M

ickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh took the stage in Nor th Korea during a concert for new leader Kim Jong Un, in an unusual performance featuring Disney characters.

Per formers dressed as Minnie Mouse, Tigger and others danced and pranced as footage from “Snow White,” “Dumbo,” “Beauty and the Beast” and other Disney movies played on a massive backdrop, according to still photos shown on state TV. The inclusion of characters popular in the West - particularly from the United States, North Korea’s wartime enemy - is a notable change in direction for performances in Pyongyang. Actors and actresses also showed off new wardrobes, including strapless gowns and little black dresses. In recent years, performances such as the “Arirang” mass games featured performers dressed as panda bears in homage to North Korean ally China.

This appears to be the first time Disney characters have been included in a major performance, though Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse have been popular among children for several years. Backpacks, pencil cases and pajamas imported from China often feature Disney characters, and stories such as “Dumbo” have been translated into Korean for North Korean schoolchildren. However, it is unusual to make such images a central part of a North Korean performance and to publicize it on state TV. It was unclear whether the Disney characters were officially licensed. The performance was staged Friday by the Moranbong band, which was making its debut after being assembled by Kim himself, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said. Kim, who took power after his father, longtime leader Kim Jong Il, died in December, has a “grandiose plan to bring about a dramatic turn in the field of literature and arts this year,” KCNA said. The dispatch made no mention of Disney characters, but said the concert included the traditional folk tune “Arirang” as well as a number of upbeat foreign songs.

Featuring Disney characters signals that Kim may be seeking to carve out a different image than his father and grandfather by easing restrictions on Western culture, said Koh Yu-hwan, a North Korean studies professor based in Seoul, South Korea.

Kim, who is in his late 20s, has sought to project an image of youth, vitality and modernity. Early yesterday, he led top officials in paying their respects to his grandfather, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung, at the mausoleum where he lies in state. Kim died 18 years ago Sunday. Earlier in the year, a quintet of accordionists became a YouTube sensation for their arrangement of “ Take on Me,” a pop song by the Norwegian band a-ha.

North Korea and the United States remain in a technical state of war because they signed a truce, not a peace treaty, after three years of fighting in 1953. The foes do not have diplomatic relations.