10 Jun - Friday Times

Preparing pizza with passion

FR EE

8 Max 45º Min 33º

NO: 15115- Friday, June 10, 2011

www.kuwaittimes.net

Kuwait aids $180m to Libyan rebels ( See Page 13)

Sheikh Ahmad quits ( See Page 10)

ABU DHABI: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chats with Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed AlSabah at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, where she attended a meeting of the International Contact Group on Libya that US officials say will plan a “post-Gaddafi” future. — AFP

Local FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Chanting values: An interview with

Khalid Al-Haqqan

By Hussain Al-Qatari

T

His success in that venture pushed him to pursue this even further, broadening the subject matter of his work so that it includes topical timely issues, like revolutions against oppressive regimes in the different parts of the Arab world.

hirty-something Khalid AlHaqqan strongly believes in the magical powers of words. He believes that they can stir our emotions, awaken us and empower us in our everyday struggles. Starting as a hobby, he recorded a number of anasheed (plural of nasheeda), the Islamic religious poems recited with a musical beat, whilst he was a university student in his late teens.

His success in that venture pushed him to pursue this even further, broadening the subject matter of his work so that it includes topical timely issues, like revolutions against oppressive regimes in the different parts of the Arab world. In 2009, Al-Haqqan was invited by the National Union for Kuwaiti Students in the United Kingdom to perform at an event held to celebrate Kuwait’s national and liberation days. The Kuwait Times spoke with Al-Haqqan about his passion for anasheed and how he believes they can make a difference.

KT: How would you define the development of anasheed?

Al-Haqqan: Poetry existed since the dawn of Islam, even before the establishment of the Muslim faith.

There are many accounts of how, during battles between Muslims and the enemies, poets recited their writings to stir the emotions of bravery and courage in the soldiers. During the Islamic movements that followed, sung or chanted or recited poetry existed to describe the plight and struggle of scholars against the tyrants of that age. Anasheed are also written and performed in praise of God, especially in the Sufi sect, and also in the praise of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). In recent years, this tradition started to involve newer subjects like social values, Muslim ethics, pure love and even social commentary. Now there exists a chorus in the anasheed, and even musical

instruments which is something considered debatable among scholars.

KT: What do anasheed in Kuwait and the region discuss today?

Al-Haqqan: Numerous issues.

There are certain anasheed that are played in celebration of holy and auspicious occasions like Ramadan and Eid, and there are other anasheed that praise the holiness of places like Makkah and Jerusalem. There are anasheed that speak about the plight of Muslim minorities in Chechnya, Afghanistan, Palestine and other parts of the world. In Kuwait and the Gulf region in general, anasheed are starting to assume a different flavor, speaking about social values like enriching family ties, resolving personal conflicts, celebrating the ethics and values of Islam and so on. There are also many patriotic anasheed which celebrate Kuwait. During Hala February, certain events are held especially for anasheed. The market for this is continuously growing especially among the conservative sector of society.

KT: Can you elaborate on the debate of the use of musical instruments in the production of anasheed?

Al-Haqqan: Well, this debate has always existed and will always remain.

Many artists and producers overcome this by engineering the sound of the performers to create a tempo and a beat. However, there are others who use musical instruments like drums and the lute or kamanja, despite all the criticism they face for making such a bold move.

KT: What about you? Where do you stand on this issue?

Al-Haqqan: I don’t represent any religious affiliation or entity. I believe that music is fulfilling to the human spirit, and if good lyrics of high values and ethics are performed coupled with good music, I see no harm in that

at all. In fact I find it better for the audience, since it delivers the message to a wider audience. This kind of work sounds familiar to the ear of fans of pop music. However, many performers nowadays choose to produce two versions of their work: one with and one without music.

KT: Take us back a little to where you first started with anasheed.

Was it just a hobby you developed later, or have you always been interest in this work?

Al-Haqqan: I grew up in a pretty conservative religious family. We didn’t listen to music, and I ended up listening to a lot of anasheed. I used to imitate what I hear, and at a later age I began to innovate on my own. When I went to university, I recorded a few pieces during the student elections. I strongly believed in the conservative ideology of this student bloc, and I continue to help them by recording a whenever they need me. I’ve also worked on some commercials and campaigns for Ramadan and other events.

KT: Do you see yourself focusing on this as a main career?

Al-Haqqan: No. I’m an engineer and I love my job. This is my creative outlet, not something that I want to look at as a job. I know some people who make a very good income off this business, but I prefer to keep it as a hobby.

Local FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Satire Wire

How did people survive before A/C?

By Sawsan Kazak

Conspiracy Theories

Life’s mysterious ways

sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

I

s it just me or have Kuwaiti summers gotten ridiculous? Forget being able to cook an egg on the hood of your car due to the heat, I’m pretty sure I could cook a complete thanksgiving feast inside my car. I can only imagine what is happening to the inside of our bodies as we inhale pure heat. Just walking to or from your car will result in your clothes being soaked as though you just stepped into a sauna - and don’t even let me get started on the makeup situation. This kind of weather is inhumane, and should be reported to the United Nations, maybe they could do something about it.

Yesterday as I sat in my car hugging a bottle of frozen water and waiting impatiently for the air conditioning to start working, I thought of people who lived without A/C or refrigerators for generations. Kuwait didn’t always have temperature-reg-

ulated malls, offices or electricity for that matter, after all.

How did people do it before AC, frozen lattes and summer vacations abroad. My father tells me that people used to sleep on mattresses soaked in water with ice laid underneath. But according to my calculations that would only keep you cool for about half an hour in the Kuwait heat. How did people go about their daily life, cooking, cleaning and sleeping? How did they keep cool and comfortable and not completely dehydrate?

Were previous generations different genetically? Did they have certain genes that would cause their bodies to cool down during the summer months? Obviously not, but there must be an explanation for how they survived this heat. Maybe the principal idea wasn’t to be completely comfortable all the time, but simply

to survive. We are so spoiled these days that we expect the environment around us to be regulated while we do nothing about it. With a flip of a switch we want a warm room in winter, a cool room in summer so that we feel a constant state of ease.

We try our hardest to avoid any discomfort, be it hot, cold or pain.

Psychologically we feel like it is unnatural for us to feel variations in our environment, even in our emotions. But the opposite is true; feeling the changes in the weather and in ourselves is natural and staying in a constant state is not. Feeling hot and sweating or being angry or sad might be temporarily uncomfortable but we must keep in mind that this is normal and not something to be avoided at any cost. Facing life, and Kuwaiti weather with this philosophy might ease the pain; that’s what I’m telling myself anyway.

Local Spotlight

Juvenile crime: What’s the answer?

By Muna Al-Fuzai

muna@kuwaittimes.net

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lthough I don’t see the connection between juveniles and summer yet, it’s very common to hear and read more about juvenile crimes during this period.

This is possibly because many people leave the country in summer heading off on their vacations and leaving their homes and other properties unwatched or with a limited number of workers and staff so, those thieves assume that it’s easy to break in without being seen or worrying about being arrested. Funnily enough, although the theory is correct most of those juveniles end up being arrested before the end of summer.

What we really need to focus on today are two things: first, why are juveniles used to commit these crimes and second, do they receive the right punishment to help them - and I stress the term help rather than punish - and are we as a society giving the right support to our juvenile citizens? And what of non-Kuwaiti juveniles who commit the same crimes? Should these also be our responsibility?

For example, recently the police arrested five youngsters (from other GCC states and Somalis) for stealing cars, which they used to commit thefts! During interrogation the youngsters admitted that they had committed 12 crimes.

That’s twelve crimes - not one or two but 12! Whilst this number seems large enough it should ring alarm bells over whose mistake this is and why these boys were allowed to freely go about committing their crimes 12

times before they were arrested.

Those youngsters were referred to the Juvenile Prosecution Unit. While I know that they may spend some time in juvenile prison, this will still not end their problems or our concerns - and here’s why: according to the news, those juveniles are not Kuwaiti citizens, but from other GCC nations, with a number being from Somalia - so why should it be our job to take care of them and what about their countries also having responsibility for them?

Those adolescents should serve a sentence in juvenile detention here and when that is over they should then be transferred to their countries; we should not release them back into our society just because of their age. Another issue here is the Somali member of the group, all of whom are juveniles. I wonder how he ended up in Kuwait.

Social services don’t exist in our dictionary to teach the juveniles the lessons they need to learn. They need to learn how to pay the price of their crimes and I don’t think that prison is the only solution, especially given the kind of kids they may mix with there which could mean they come out of prison worse than they went in. I think this issue needs close attention. As a society, we are responsible for confronting our problems and saving our members from the possible threat of being victims of crime.

Juveniles are young and can make mistakes, so we should help them while not tolerating their crimes or the results thereof.

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

F

ull of appreciation for life, I had just got into the office to give a piece for Friday Times.

Honestly speaking, I had something totally different on my mind to write about. Unfortunately, life sometimes takes unexpected turns. As I walked in, I met our editor Velina and everyone was surrounding her to comfort her. I found out that she escaped a fatal accident in a nanosecond.

She was driving to work on the Fifth Ring Road but, bless her, she was a bit on the speedy side when her rear tire exploded. She hardly managed to control the car and to pull over into the emergency lane. As she was maneuvering, other cars tried to escape a collision. The best part, thank God, is that she managed to control her vehicle but look at the irony of what happened behind her. On the opposite side of the road one car flipped and overturned and definitely other cars behind him, also speeding, crashed into each other. It looked like a New York police chase on TV. After comforting Velina, I heard Lisa’s story. Lisa, a young American woman who joined the newspaper only two weeks ago, has already experienced her share of bad luck in Kuwait. She decided to go for a walk near the Scientific Centre in Salmiya.

Naturally, she left her handbag in the car, locking the car before she started jogging. All seemed well, despite the heat and a deeply unpleasant stench from the shore area, which you all remember from the Mishref sewage plant affair which remains unresolved and still affects the sea. The young lady managed to finish her jogging, returning to her car to find the glass smashed and her handbag missing. The worst part of the story is that she kept all her identification papers, ID, bank cards, money and passport in her bag.

Lisa went to the police station to report the theft, only to find out that seven other, similar incidents had taken place in the same area that night. I know this news might have given her peace of mind that she wasn’t singled out and the same thing happened to others on the same street at the same time, but this still didn’t resolve the problem of her money and documents being gone.

Another editor at the Kuwait Times, Xavier, was a victim of a similar theft, with his car windows also being smashed. Luckily, Xavier didn’t have any valuables in the car at the time, but the shock of someone breaking the car window was enough, with the pathetic thief even stealing the small change he kept in the vehicle for parking fees.

With these three incidents, I do not think I have the passion to write the story I came to write initially. Life has its peculiar ways. Have a good weekend and take care of your cars and bags because incidents like this can happen in important locations where we never think they could happen.

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FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

The heat heat is on

By Sunil Cherian

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he summer heat is on, flexing its muscles in ever-stronger ways as the days go by. In and around Kuwait, laborers are still working outside, treating their work as a challenge to their stamina. Here are a few pictures of sweat and strength.

le roll down their car , Sunday. “Many peop iya lm Sa ,” the in l na sig a a qu art er din ar or so A road cleaner at we ath er, to giv e me t ho the ite sp de , wi nd ow d.

Bangladeshi cleaner sai

The driver of a tow truck lies under his vehicle on the hot ground to fix an unexpected problem before the recovery truck can remove a broken down car to take it to the nearest mechanic.

Two workers fix a sign on a building in Jahra on Monday, May 30, when temperatures reached 47 degree Celsius.

Belay, an Ethiopian, pumps fuel in the afternoon, Tuesday, at a fuel station in Ardiya. Hot weather is no problem, he said, “because I’m from Africa.”

Mohammed Qasim buys a 100 fils ice cream on his way home from school.

The sight of the ice cream vendor on Jahra Road, one of many on Kuwait’s main thoroughfares, is a welcome relief for longdistance commuters.

Gardeners at work on Wednesday at the side of the Sixth Ring Road.

A Filipina w

oman on her

way to her af

ternoon wo

rk shift.

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FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

The dangers of direct sunlight

The pros and cons

of getting a suntan

By Nawara Fattahova

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ummer is the ultimate tanning season. Acquiring a glossy bronze color does not come as easily, however, and the effort to do so can sometimes jeopardize our health. Kuwait is sun-drenched on a year-round basis, so knowing when to sunbathe and how to expose your skin are vital tricks to learn. Being careful on the hottest of days is the key to good-looking and healthy skin.

Years of studies have proved that sun damages the skin and ultimately causes wrinkles. Leaving aside the sunburn factor, summer’s extremely strong heat can cause sunstroke if people’s heads are not protected from the sun’s direct rays.

Dr. Mohammed Lutfi, a dermatologist at the Bo Hamra Clinic, explained that there are different types of sunlight rays. “The sun’s rays are divided into visible light and ultraviolet rays,” he said. “The ultraviolet rays are divided into three kinds of rays: A, B, and C. The first type are useful, and we use them to treat vitiligo and psoriasis. The danger comes from the third type or the C rays. These are dangerous and most serious, as they can penetrate the ozone layer and reach the skin, with ultraviolet rays causing skin cancer.”

People should be careful when exposed to direct sunlight, warned Dr. Lutfi, cautioning sunbathers to avoid staying in direct sunlight or even in shadowed areas between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM. “If people want to get a tan, they should go to the beach in the early morning,” he advised. “They can also stay under the sun after 3 pm. They should protect their skin from the damage that the sun could cause to it,” he said.”

In all cases, he stressed, everyone who exposes their skin under the sun should always use UV protection. “In fact there is no 100 percent protection, as some products advertize, but they definitely protect the skin, and it’s always better and necessary to apply sun protection,” he stressed. “Also, there is no 24-hour protection as some products claim, so sun-lovers should always repeat application of sun protection products after swimming or spending an hour under the sun.”

Dr. Lutfi advised sunbathers to conduct a skin test before using any sun protection or other skin product to ensure that it won’t cause an allergic reaction, adding that sunbathers with fair skin, as well as small children, should use sun protection products with a high SPF rating of between 30 and 50.

This also applies to first-time sunbathers, he added.

As with so many other things, many people forget to follow doctors’ advice on the subject, however, with many holidaymakers feeling that it’s unimportant to use sun protection products.

Manal, a 30-year-old Lebanese sun-worshipper, loves going to the beach, and has already acquired the bronze color she prefers. “I can’t avoid going to the beach during the dangerous hours, otherwise I won’t get the tan shade I desire.

In fact I don’t use sun protection products for my body, only normal tanning oils. I go sunbathing between 10 am and 4 pm but I apply very high sun protection products on my face and neck with an SPF of 50 at least three to four times during the day. I wear sunglasses all the time and I put a hat on while in the open. I also stay in the water most of the time.

Also, I drink a lot of water during the day,” she noted.

Manal goes to the beach twice a week and enjoys being tanned. “The only unpleasant thing is that I get a migraine at the end of the day,” she says.

The End

Drive Now. Talk Later.

Local

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

The dominance of English It has become apparent that, in Kuwait at least, a weakness in one’s grasp of English is considered more of a problem than a weakness in Arabic.

By Lisa Conrad

“I

’m sorry, my English isn’t very good.” Since moving to Kuwait, embarrassed apologies offered from non-fluent English speakers have become a regular occurrence. English is regarded as the language to speak, with movies, songs, books and academic journals overwhelmingly dominated by it, but how does this affect society, especially for those who don’t speak it?

At its peak, the British Empire colonized over one-fifth of the world. It’s hardly difficult, therefore, to understand why the language became so widespread, especially after it was also absorbed by the USA, which later grew to become the subsequent superpower.

Schools across the world often include English in their curricula, with many others teaching wholly in English, with a few paltry hours per week dedicated to the local language. What are the implications, though, for those who don’t have the opportunity to learn English, especially in a country where many use it regularly? “It depends on how much you want to learn,” says 27-year-old Samer, adding, “I taught myself. I wasn’t taught it at school, and I left at 14 anyway to start working - and I still learnt. So what’s the excuse? I got books and watched movies in English, it’s so easy to find material to learn so why not?”

Statistics from the Public Authority For Civil Information (PACI, 2009) revealed that only 1,087,000 of Kuwait’s total population of 3,441,813, less than a third are Kuwaiti. The expatriate population is largely made up of Arabs, Asians and Westerners. For some Asian and Arab expatriates, however, accessing education can be difficult. Samer insists, nonetheless, that the ability to learn it doesn’t depend on education alone “If you really want to get out of the situation you’re in, or to really learn, you need to do that for yourself. Plenty of people finish university and come out still completely ignorant; education depends more on the person than on the place.”

For many expatriates, the combination of low salaries and commitments to send money to relatives back home can often greatly reduce the likelihood of their ever being able to learn a language that dictates much of their career advancement as well as, oftentimes, their social standing. Nadia, a 21-year-old university student, said, “It’s embarrassing if you don’t speak English. It’s assumed that your parents couldn’t afford to send you to a good school if your English is weak, even though non-private schools also teach English.”

It has become apparent that, in Kuwait at least, a weakness in one’s grasp of English is considered more of a problem than a weakness in Arabic. Speaking poor Arabic in Kuwait isn’t seemingly stigmatized, but speaking poor English appears to be perceived as an immediate indicator of social status and education levels.

“English is much easier to learn than Arabic,”

insisted Nadia. “Yes some expatriates, especially maids and drivers, learn Arabic first and become better at that.

But if, for example, a waiter working in a restaurant with Western food and an English menu doesn’t speak English, it’s ridiculous. The language depends on the situation, but it’s incredibly frustrating when you’re trying to communicate with someone and you can’t get anywhere. I think that’s why there’s judgment. It becomes more a matter of frustration. It doesn’t make it right or okay, but I don’t think that’s exclusive to Kuwait. I saw plenty of people in the States getting really annoyed about Mexicans who didn’t speak English. Again, I’m not saying it’s ok, but it takes a lot of patience to not become frustrated after repeating yourself multiple times.”

Nadia’s issue with non-English speakers seems to be situation-specific. But do fears of a negative reaction if one makes mistakes in the English language increase the hesitation of non-speakers to try? In a recent interview, one interviewee embarrassedly commented “I’m so sorry, my English isn’t good at all.” The strange thing, however, was that her English was fine. Basic, yes, but completely understandable over an interview that lasted nearly half an hour. Her lack of fluency, it appears, was the root of her embarrassment despite the fact that she was already fluent in two other languages.

David Graddol, an acclaimed linguist and the director of ‘The English Company (UK) Ltd.,’ which provides consultancy and publishing services in applied language studies, wrote in his book, English Next, “English is not the main reason for global language loss. The impact of English is mainly on the status of other national languages.”

This certainly rings true, as fluency in English seems to be more highly regarded than fluency in Arabic, certainly in Kuwait. It still seems extremely surreal in an Arab country to receive apologies from people excusing themselves for not speaking fluent English. Monolingual native English speakers, are in for an unpleasant awakening, however, with Graddol, amongst others, concluding that monolingual English speakers will face a bleak future in attempting to compete with their multilingual peers from across the world.

Speaking English can certainly make one’s life easier, but the implications of being unable to appear to be severe. Work opportunities aside, the social implications appear harsh: “She doesn’t even speak English,” a woman is heard snickering about an Asian expatriate, who happens to be fluent in Arabic. Not speaking English or Arabic is certainly problematic in Kuwait, but shouldn’t the mastery of Arabic be the priority in an Arab country? Unless you work at an English language newspaper...of course.

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FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Preparing with passion

Solo Pizza Napulitana puts authentic pizza on the map

By Lisa Conrad

“P

roducing real Neapolitan pizza is more complex than it seems. It has deep roots in Italian culture and history, so reproducing it properly is important in order to maintain that,” explains 28-yearold owner and chef of Solo Pizza Napulitana, Amr Alrefai.

Passionate about pizza, he explains how his enthusiasm for authentic, Neapolitan pizza began. Great passions and great stories go hand in hand, and in this case, some pretty outstanding pizza comes into the equation too.

Relaxed and contented, Amr is the image of a man following his dream. As the interview progressed, the woodburning oven gradually heated up, prompting him to keep a watchful eye on it in between sips of espresso -

After ten years, two ovens, countless pizzas and multiple trips to Italy, I decided it was time to my pizzeria.

Italian, of course.

“I work in an investment company during the day, and then I come here straight after”, explains Amr. “I don’t consider it a second job though: it’s my passion. When I come to the pizzeria, any worries I have disappear. The work is very methodical, which is so therapeutic. But it also has room for creativity, like today I put together a special of smoked mozzarella and mushroom. I enjoy every minute of it. I’m living my dream.”

As we settled in to the cozy, family-style restaurant, the differences between Solo Pizza Napulitana and other restaurants really began to stand out. It was understated, staffed wholly by Kuwaitis and completely full from the moment the doors opened. A large chalk board dominates the majority of one wall, advertising a modest menu of four pizzas. Italian scenes and personal photos speckle the walls, as do large, paddle-like pizza peels. The star of the show, however, is the wood-fired oven, quietly filling the entire space with the enticing aroma of freshly baking pizza.

Enchanted with pizza How exactly did Amr come to be the pizza enthusiast he is today? “I went on a trip around Europe with friends, and I really wanted to try an authentic Italian pizza,” he explains. “I asked around in Rome and the resounding answer was that I should seek out a Neapolitan place if I wanted a real taste of authenticity, so that’s what I did.

The difference between that and everything I’d tried before was huge.”

Realizing what he’d been missing out on, the experience stayed with him when he returned “I kept thinking

Perfecting simplicity: Amr goes through the steps of creating an authentic Neapolitan pizza. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

of how much Kuwait needs an authentic pizza place. The idea stayed with me; I’m a foodie in general, but the pizza I tasted was exceptional.”

By 2004, driven by his curiosity over how to recreate real pizzas and equipped with bricks and wood, Amr found himself constructing a makeshift wood-fired oven in his own backyard: “I cooked for family and friends, trying to recreate that first bite in Rome.”

Despite his relative success with al-fresco baking, Amr decided to head back to Italy to learn. “In 2007, I returned to discover the exact methods. This time, I went directly to Naples. I toured over 20 pizzerias, asking chefs about their trade and watching them work. I couldn’t believe all of the fine detail and skill that went into the work, so when I heard about a three-week Neapolitan pizza-making course, I enrolled immediately. It was run by Pizzaiolo [pizza maker] Enzo Coccia of Pizzeria La Notizia. I worked day and night.”

Simplicity, perfection Learning to execute simplicity to perfection, however, is clearly no mean feat. Amr returned again to Italy in 2008, filled with a desire to learn and reducing the intervals between each trip “When I returned to Kuwait, I realized that I still hadn’t gotten it just right. The difference each detail makes is huge, so I wanted to perfect each one. I met Guilio Adriani in 2008 in front of an ancient pizzeria from the 1830s, Pizzeria De Michele. He taught me some tips of the trade at his restaurant ‘Alla Corte dei Borboni’ in Ostia Lido, Rome, and trained me further in making Neapolitan pizzas. That summer, I attended the Ostia Lido pizza festival in Rome. It was unbelievable.”

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FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Amr and his mentor Enzo Coccia of Pizzeria La Notizia

The 2008 trip was the one that sealed the deal for Amr, who swiftly ordered a wood-fired Neapolitan pizza oven upon his return to Kuwait. As enthusiastic about the equipment as he is about the food, he explained, “The ovens are specially made in Naples by families who have been in the trade since the beginning. That’s what it’s all about really, the tradition. If you want it to be truly

Local press were intrigued by the story of a local pizzaiolo taking on a Kuwaiti apprentice.

authentic, you have to stick to the traditions. The design of them is specific to the pizza, so it cooks them fully in less than 60 seconds. It’s the first genuine wood-fired oven in Kuwait, which has many others including gas as well, which isn’t right. It’s tough to use though; the difference between perfection and burnt is a matter of seconds.”

Amr spent the next three years practicing with his new oven, cooking for family friends and calling travelling buddies to test his pizzas for authenticity. Having perfected the skill, he received confirmation of his

Family and friends work alongside Amr in his family-style restaurant.

accomplishment as a pizzaiolo: “There’s a non-profit organization in Naples with the specific purpose of protecting and promoting real Neapolitan pizza around the world. It’s called Vera Pizza Napolitana. Everything you do has to follow specific guidelines, from making the dough to sourcing the ingredients and having a 100 percent wood-fired oven. When I got my certificate of authenticity, I knew I had perfected the trade. I was the first in Kuwait to receive it, and the 353rd in the World.”

Flying solo By 2011, Amr felt confident enough to open Solo Pizza Napulitana “After ten years, two ovens, countless pizzas and multiple trips to Italy, I decided it was time to open my pizzeria. What had once been a hobby had become my passion. Part of it was about bringing something new to Kuwait, something people were missing out on. I wanted them to try the real pizza, the one that grabbed my attention and still hasn’t let go, ten years later.”

Watching Amr work, his attention to detail and respect for tradition becomes clear: each turn and stretch of the dough is met with another in the exact same manner as he quickly, yet carefully, produces pizza after pizza.

The question in the minds of bloggers and foodies alike, however, is why he picked a location off the beaten track for most eateries. Amr stresses the point that he didn’t take the decision hastily, explaining “I wanted the same food, and atmosphere, of what I saw in Naples. I wanted people to feel like they’re in Naples during their time here: park in Sharq, eat in Naples, then back to Sharq. When I found the location, I immediately renovated and started preparing it. You find the best places when you least expect it, and I didn’t want it to be commercial. I wanted the food to stand out more than anything.”

And how it did. The pizza was true to form: absolutely delicious. Fresh. Warm. Authentic. The Neapolitan pizza(s) I devoured rivaled my undying love for Roman pizza that I’ve harbored since my first visit to Rome; a feat

Amr’s Vera Pizza Napoletana certificate

no other pizza, including those in Italy, had achieved before.

A small restaurant tucked away in Sharq, Solo Pizza Napulitana is quite the hidden gem. What should aspiring pizzaiolos do to learn about the trade? “Come to me!”, Amr replies, grinning.

You can find Amr (and his pizzas) at Solo Pizza Napulitana, Kuwait City, Sharq (behind Omar Ben Alkhattab Street). Buon appetito!

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FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Sheikh Ahmad fails to attend panel meeting, resigns

By B Izzak KUWAIT: Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Housing and Development Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah submitted his resignation in protest against the government’s failure to support him in facing a grilling by two lawmakers.

It was not immediately known whether his resignation was accepted or not but according to sources and MPs it came after Sheikh Ahmad attended a high-level ruling family meeting held at Bayan Palace yesterday. The meeting was attended by the Amir, the crown prince, the head of the national guards Sheikh Salem Al-Ali, his deputy Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad, Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad AlSabah, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad and a number of senior ministers. Shiite MP Hussein AlQallaf regretted that Sheikh Ahmad had resigned, saying that the government has lost its best minister. He also criticized those trying to create a wedge between the prime minister and Sheikh Ahmad.

The resignation offer is expected to be decided before next Tuesday when Sheikh Ahmad is most likely expected to be grilled in the national assembly by MPs Adel AlSaraawi and Marzouk Al-Ghanem. The resignation highlighted a long-running dispute between the premier and Sheikh Ahmad which was highlighted during the national assembly session on May 31 when MPs known to be close to the prime minister voted against a request by Sheikh Ahmad to refer his grilling to the assem-

bly’s legal committee.

Sheikh Ahmad yesterday failed to attend the legal committee meeting “due to an emergency meeting” according to his legal team which represented him in the crucial meeting. The minister was supposed to have appeared in the committee meeting last Monday but apologized for the death of a senior member of the ruling family.

The committee was asked to investigate if the grilling is in line with the constitution as Sheikh Ahmad claimed and accordingly demanded it should be withdrawn.

Rapporteur of the committee MP Massouma Al-Mubarak said that the committee decided to hear the arguments of Sheikh Ahmad’s team and will not hold another meeting with him. She said the panel will meet on Saturday to make its legal viewpoint on the grilling and to decide whether Sheikh Ahmad should be grilled or not. But committee member MP Waleed Al-Tabtabai said the committee has already decided that two of four issues in the grilling are in line with the constitution and will decide on Saturday if the two others breached the constitution.

“Accordingly, Sheikh Ahmad will have to debate the grilling next Tuesday even on the two issues that are legal,” Tabtabai said.

Sheikh Ahmad’s legal team however insisted that the whole grilling is in breach of the constitution and must be scrapped, adding the issues in the grilling violated a 2004 ruling by the constitutional court which determined the parameters of the constitutional grilling.

KUWAIT: Safat Square was closed down yesterday in the wake of a protest planned for today. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Deputy PM misses third NA committee meeting KUWAIT: The Deputy Prime Minister failed to attend yesterday’s meeting of the parliamentary legislative committee held to discuss his memorandum concerning the two grilling motions, despite being summoned, the third such meeting which he has missed.

In the memorandum presented to the committee previously, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad AlSabah, who is also the Minister of State for Housing Affairs and Minister of State for Development, argued that the grilling motions filed against him by MPs Adel Al-Sarawi and Marzouq Al-Ghanim were unconstitutional. The manager of the deputy premier’s office apparently conveyed a spoken apology from Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad to the committee, expressing regret at the minister’s inability to attend the meeting due to unforeseen circumstances.

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad’s failure to attend any of the three committee meetings held to date to discuss the issue with him may result

in the committee endorsing the grilling motions as constitutional, given the lack of any countering argument. The committee has already requested its advisors to prepare a report to be reviewed on Saturday prior to the committee’s final report being submitted to parliament, said committee member MP Maasouma Al-Mubarak.

The MP added that the committee had decided that it had no option but to accept the documents presented by the deputy premier’s legal team as representing his stance on the issue and would not wait any longer for him to make his contribution. The committee has agreed to meet with the minister’s legal team prior to submitting its report, she added.

One parliamentary insider was skeptical that Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad would even consider taking to the podium to respond to the interpellation motions, predicting, “He’ll either resign or be dismissed.”

Bosnian Ambassador honors KJA head KUWAIT: The head of the Kuwait Journalists Association (KJA) has been honored with the Bosnian government’s Friendship Shield, an annual award presented to the individual or body deemed to have best contributed to boosting Bosnia’s relations with friendly nations.

The awards ceremony to present KJA Secretary General Faisal Al-Qinae with the shield was held at the association’s headquarters in Kuwait, with the Bosnian Ambassador to Kuwait Yaseen AlRawashdeh presenting the trophy in the presence of a number of KJA members who were in the delegation that accompanied Al-

Qinae on a recent trip to Bosnia-Herzegovina.

In a speech during the ceremony, Al-Qinae expressed his gratitude to the Bosnian government for its decision to present him with the Friendship Shield, saying that he considered this an honor for all Kuwaiti journalists.

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Al-Balad rejects allegations, threatens to sue imposters KUWAIT: Following the recent controversy over alleged connections between the new Al-Balad newspaper (which has not yet been officially established) and the Syrian intelligence authorities, the newspaper’s operators and owners, the Kuwait United Company for Advertising, Publishing and Distribution (KUCAPD), have denied all allegations and accused a former Editor-in-Chief of launching an unjust campaign for personal reasons.

The statement, signed by KUCAPD’s CEO Bashar Kiwan, denied allegations made by former Editor-in-Chief Yousef Al-Nassar.

Kiwan stressed that the company would file charges against all

those who slandered it regarding this issue, adding that MPs’ comments on the case were either made out of ignorance, or were a conscious attempt to take advantage of a fabricated story to cause a public outcry.

The statement said that the newspaper had been falsely accused, and the image of its owners tarnished, thus serving certain political agendas in which the newspaper had no part. It added that there was no substantial evidence to support the allegations made against the newspaper, and that the whole issue was simply rumors. Kiwan stressed that the company would file libel charges, insisting that he is ready to stand

before any court to refute any allegations. He went on to say that serious accusations have been made against him, including claims that he threatened the security of Kuwait, and that he was a spy in the service of other nations’ intelligence agencies.

He flatly denied the accusations, emphasizing his love for Kuwait, which he said he had served conscientiously for many years. He also said that the press is subjected to the Ministry of Information, which falsifies those allegations.

Furthermore, Kiwan said that the attempts to escalate the issue by MPs are based either on ignorance of the facts and details, or an attempt to take advantage of this

issue to cause uproar in Kuwait.

Kiwan asserted that the former Editor-in-Chief Al-Nassar had asked for a salary raise, and when his request was declined, he resigned and began tarnishing the company’s image, not to mention claiming that the company had threatened to legally take his claims to court. The company CEO also explained that the Kuwaiti Al-Balad Newspaper is totally independent from the Lebanese Al-Balad Newspaper, stressing that the relationship between both newspapers is purely technical, since the newspaper’s server is located in Lebanon. He was adamant that this does not mean that the Kuwaiti newspaper was being managed by

a foreign authority, adding that AlNassar had accused him of money laundering and offering to solicit women for prominent figures in Kuwait, challenging Nassar to provide proof of any of his allegations.

Kiwan went on to say that the newspaper works with overseas media agencies, stressing that this does not mean that it is related to any intelligence agencies anywhere.

KUCAPD ran full-page ads in four local Arabic dailies explaining the whole story and its own viewpoint, rejecting all allegations made against it and threatening to sue AlNassar through what it described as the honest Kuwaiti judiciary system. —Al-Anba, Al-Qabas, Al-Rai

Hunt on for rapists, thieves KUWAIT: Four Sri Lankan women told police that four unidentified Asian men had burst into the apartment they share, abducting one of them and raping her, as well as stealing a laptop and KD385 in cash from the flat.

A fifth man was apparently in the getaway car used by the attackers. A hunt is underway for the assailants.

Tragic fall A four-year-old boy died instantly when he fell from the balcony of a fourth-floor flat in Khaitan. The boy’s parents are being questioned to determine how the child came to fall to his death.

Subbiya suicide A 25-year-old Asian man committed suicide by hanging himself in a room in his sponsor’s chalet in Subbiya. The body was removed for autopsy.

Murder investigation continues Police are questioning the friends, family and acquaintances of the murdered 60-yearold Kuwaiti man whose body was recently discovered at his home in Surra to establish his movements in the period leading up to his death and attempt to find any leads to his killer. Work is also underway on tracing the man’s landline and mobile phone records in case these shed any light on the case.

Addict beats mother, siblings A Kuwaiti drug addict was arrested for beating his mother and siblings at the family’s home in Jahra. The mother called police after the assault, the latest in a number of similar attacks by her son, saying that she was no longer prepared to tolerate his behavior. He has been taken into custody and is awaiting trial.

Drug, drink busts Two Asian drug dealers were arrested in possession of a kilogram of marijuana after being caught in a sting operation.

An investigation was launched into the activities of one of the two men’s activities after the director of the General Department of Drug Control (GDDC), Major General Sheikh Ahmad Al-Khalifa Al-Sabah, received a tip-off informing him that the man was involved in drug-dealing. An undercover GDDC agent posing as a customer persuaded the man to sell him a half-kilo of the drug for KD900, with the dealer being arrested red-handed at the handover location in Salmiya. He then led officers to his accomplice, who had another half-kilo of the drug in his possession. Both men are in custody awaiting trial.

Meanwhile, customs officers confiscated 500 cartons containing bottles of vodka and a further 52 of whisky hidden in a shipping container that recently arrived from anther GCC state.

Eight hurt in accidents

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: An unidentified 17-year-old boy was rushed to Amiri Hospital after suffering serious head injuries and breaking his right leg when he was hit by a speeding car on the Gulf Road near the Lawyers’ Society headquarters.

In a separate incident, a 24-year-old Kuwaiti man, suffered multiple injuries, whilst a 15-year-old male compatriot sustained head injuries and another boy of the same age suffered internal bleeding, when the oldest of the three lost control of the steering on the car they were in, which overturned as a result.

Emergency personnel were quickly the scene

on Nuwaiseeb Highway and the three were rushed to Adan Hospital.

In another accident, two motorcyclists were hospitalized after escaping with heavy bruising when the driver lost control of the motorbike they were on near the Marina Mall pedestrian bridge.

Meanwhile, a 35-year-old Asian man was rushed to Adan Hospital after suffering heavy cuts and bruises, as well as cardiac and respiratory problems, in a car accident in Abu Hlaifa.

In a fifth accident, a 40-year-old Indian man suffered fractures to his left thighbone and leg in a collision on Wafra Road. He was taken to Adan Hospital.

KSE trials new stock-trading system KUWAIT: The Kuwait Stock Market (KSE) announced yesterday that it launched a trial run of its new stock trading system in recent days, operating according to its classifications.

Walid Al-Otaibi, the head of the KSE’s projects bureau, bureau’s head said that the new trial was amongst many that would occur within a specific time schedule to upgrade the trading system used at the stock exchange.

The trial is intended to determine the system’s strengths and weaknesses and will help to refine it in its final version, AlOtaibi explained.

Local FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

More fish deaths raise pollution concerns

News

in brief

Oil industry affected by regional turbulence: OAPEC chief KUWAIT: The current state of instability and turmoil in some countries in the Arab region is likely to have an indelible impact on the socio-economic and political situation in those nations, said the Secretary General of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries yesterday.

In his annual report for 2010, OAPEC chief Abbas Al-Naqi said that the uncertain conditions are also affecting the oil industry and its operations in these countries, in particular exploration policies, marketing, and transportation of crude oil and its byproducts.

He warned that other industries closely related to the oil industry will also be affected, voicing hope that the effects would be positive and beneficial.

Stressing that oil will remain as the engine running the world economy for many decades to come, Al-Naqi stated that he was mindful of the pressures which the oil industry has been under in recent years as a result of the global economic crunch. The secretary general’s report, the 37th one issued by OAPEC, is issued annually to summarize the relevant events in the oil industry over the previous one-year period.

KUWAIT: Following the discovery of a massive number of dead fish floating in the waters off a Salmiya beach earlier in the week, more dead fish have been discovered in the waters off the Kuwaiti coast in recent days.

During a boat trip led by divers from the Kuwait Environmental Protection Society (KEPS) to show them the scene where the first group of dead fish was discovered, journalists spotted more of them in the area off the Marine Rescue Center and Kuwait Sea Sports Club on the Salmiya headland.

Commenting on the latest find, KEPS chairman Mohammad Al-Ahmed explained that on making the latest grim discovery, KEPS personnel immediately carried out the standard tests which determined that there have been considerable increases in

water temperature levels coupled with a lack of tidal currents, leading to a lack of oxygen in the water, which he said could be responsible for the large numbers of marine deaths. He excluded any other reason for the phenomenon.

Prominent environmental activist Khalid Al-Hajri, the head of the Green Line Environmental Group (GLEG), however, insisted that the first reports of large numbers of dead fish in Kuwait’s waters were received on May 29, almost two weeks ago, slamming the Environmental Protection Authority’s (EPA) denials of any problems being behind the large-scale deaths.

“The EPA is not being transparent, and blaming water temperatures alone is unreasonable,” he said, accusing the government body of covering up the true reasons behind the fish deaths.

“Having 60 oil refineries, a petrochemicals factory, over 26 quays for oil export, dozens of distillation and desalination plants, power plants, steel, aluminium and copper factories operating along the Gulf coast without observing environmental conditions is a disaster,” he pointed out.

The head of the KEPS diving team, Jassem Al-Failakawi downplayed the extent of the incidents, saying that so far they could not be described as being part of any discernible pattern.

Reporters who had been on the boat trip where the latest discovery of dead fish was made said, meanwhile, that they had noted the presence of vast oil slicks covering an area of over a kilometer in diameter in the area where the fish were found, as well as spotting a pipe ejecting unidentified pollutants into the Gulf waters. —Al-Watan

KFAED signs $3 million grant to Sierra Leone KUWAIT: The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) announced yesterday that it has signed a $3 million grant agreement for Sierra Leone, as the administrator of the Comfortable Life Fund for Islamic countries.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the annual African Bank meetings held in Lisbon, Portugal on Wednesday.

KUWAIT: Dead fish floating in the waters off a Salmiya beach. —Photos by Yassar Al-Zayyat

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Yemen awaits Saleh return after surgery

Syrians flee to evade crackdown

Extrajudicial killing in public shocks Pakistan

15 18 14 Powers eye ‘post-gaddafi’ Libya Kuwait to transfer $180m to rebels

ABU DHABI: Foreign ministers pose in front of cameras during the third meeting of the Contact Group on Libya yesterday. —AP ABU DHABI: Major powers met yesterday to map out what Washington calls an inevitable “post-Gaddafi Libya” as hundreds of millions of dollars poured into an international fund to aid rebels. Kuwait’s foreign minister said yesterday his country would transfer $180 million to Libya’s rebel Transitional National Council (TNC), making use of a newly agreed mechanism for channelling funds. “Kuwait had promised $180 million to the temporary financial mechanism,” Sheikh Mohammad Al-Salem AlSabah told reporters at the summit. “Today it has been announced that this mechanism has been completed. We will transfer immediately this amount to the account of this fund,” he said. A member of an Arab delegation said the payment mechanism involved transfers to a Gulf bank.

Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, meanwhile, urged Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to step down, “the sooner the better,” as he became the first head of state to visit the rebels’ bastion of Benghazi in eastern Libya. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and counterparts from NATO and other countries participating in air strikes against Gaddafi’s forces held their third round of Libya talks in the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi.

“Gaddafi’s days are numbered. We are working with our international partners through the UN to plan for the inevitable: a post-Gaddafi Libya,” Clinton told partici-

pants, according to her prepared remarks distributed by aides. “Time is on our side,” the chief US diplomat said, adding the international military, economic and political pressure was mounting on the Libyan colonel who has been in power for four decades. “In the days ahead,” she said, “we have to coordinate the many plans taking shape and work closely” with the rebel TNC and Libya’s people. Each of these efforts helps us to protect the Libyan people and lay the groundwork for a unified, democratic, and peaceful future,” she said.

But Clinton offered no direct US financial contribution to the rebels, pledging instead another “$26.5 million to help all the victims of this conflict, including Libyan refugees”.

Such money will likely be distributed through relief agencies. US officials said the United States would urge Arab countries to offer more funds to the rebel administration.

The Obama administration, already criticised by some domestic opponents for allowing Britain and France to take the lead in the NATO mission after an initial US blitz, appears to want others to take the lead in offering financial aid to the rebels.

Libya’s former foreign minister and envoy to the United Nations, Abdurrahman Shalgam, told journalists the TNC needs at least three billion dollars over the next four months for current expenses. Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said Rome would provide the rebel council with loans and fuel

products worth Ä300 to Ä400 million ($438 million to $584 million). His French counterpart, Alain Juppe, said his government would release Ä290 million ($420.9 million) of frozen Libyan funds for the benefit of the TNC. A member of the NTC said on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi meeting that an international fund aimed at helping Libya’s rebels had “become operational” from yesterday. A State Department official later reporters “we have got commitments of something about 300 million dollars that came out of today’s meeting,” including the $180 million from Kuwait and $100 million from Qatar.

The opposition has complained that it has seen nothing concrete since the contact group last met on May 5 in Rome when the powers agreed to set up a fund to aid the rebels and promised to tap frozen Gaddafi assets. A US official told reporters on condition of anonymity on Wednesday that Washington could not determine whether the TNC was “ready to assume complete control” even if Gaddafi’s fall was only a matter of time. He also cautioned there was no international consensus over when Gaddafi should leave power, where he should go, or even whether he should leave Libya. In Benghazi, Senegal’s president issued an appeal to Gaddafi as he paid a visit to the rebel capital, saying: “I look at you in the eyes... the sooner you go, the better.”— Agencies

Weiner wife is pregnant WASHINGTON/NEW YORK: US Representative Anthony Weiner withstood calls for him to resign over his online sex scandal yesterday as word emerged that the wife he has publicly humiliated is pregnant. Huma Abedin, 35, an aide to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who married the congressman a year ago, is in the early stages of pregnancy with the couple’s first child, the New York Times reported, citing three unnamed people with knowledge of the Huma Abedin situation.

Weiner, 46, a fiery liberal and rising star in the Democratic Party who many had seen as the next mayor of New York, is resisting calls from fellow Democrats and Republicans that he step down for sending lewd photos of himself to women with whom he had held steamy online chats. “I think his hope and instinct is that he can stick it out,” said a senior New York Democrat, asking not to be identified. “We’ll see.” But there were deeper questions about Weiner’s political future after an explicit photo of the congressman reportedly surfaced on the Internet on Wednesday.

After vehemently denying for more than a week that he sent a picture of his bulging boxer briefs to a woman in Seattle, claiming he was the victim of hacking, Weiner tearfully admitted to lying about the scandal on Monday. — Reuters

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Saudi women take to their cars hoping for change JEDDAH/RIYADH: Fed up with having no driver to ferry her to hospital, Shaima Osama decided to take matters into her own hands and drive there herself, an act of defiance in a country where women are banned from sitting behind the wheel. Emboldened by the winds of change sweeping the Arab world, which has toppled leaders in Tunisia and Egypt, women in the conservative kingdom see no better time to seek greater freedoms by demanding the right to drive, something they would not have dreamed of doing a year ago. “I learned that there is no law banning women driving. I took the keys, took a deep breath and started the car,” Osama described how she drove in Jeddah last month.

Saudi Arabia has no written ban on women driving but Saudi law requires citizens to use a locally issued licence while in the country. Such licenses are not issued to women, making it effectively illegal for them to drive. Thousands of Saudi men and women joined Facebook groups calling for women’s right to drive and challenge the ban. But only a few, like Osama, turned those calls into action. Osama, 33, who has a severe vitamin D deficiency, drove herself to the hospital, received her vitamin injection but was stopped and arrested by police on her

way home. She was released just hours later.

She took to the wheel just days before Saudi authorities arrested another woman, Manal Alsharif, who posted a YouTube video of herself driving in the kingdom’s Eastern Province and calling on other women to do the same. Alsharif has been released but faces charges of “besmirching the kingdom’s reputation abroad and stirring up public opinion.”

Like Alsharif, Osama learned to drive in the United States. “The issue of women not being allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia has been in the public domain for more than 35 years,” said Khaled Al-Dakhil, a Saudi politics professor.

“This is not the first time women had driven cars but you could say that the revolutionary wave has added to momentum and added a new context.”

Women also drove cars in 1990, but the government cracked down, arresting and firing from their jobs, an indication of what the authorities may do if more women follow in Osama and Alsharif’s footsteps. The issue has also been raised by King Abdullah, who in an interview in 2005 said it was only a matter of time before women drive in the kingdom but that people have to be ready for it. Some women already drive in rural areas in the kingdom.

The two women and Facebook book groups are provoking a backlash from conservatives who oppose the idea of women seeking greater freedoms in a country where they must have written approval from a designated male guardian - a father, husband, brother, or son - to work, travel abroad and even undergo certain forms of surgery.

Conservatives have launched their own Facebook campaign calling on people to beat up any woman who tries to drive in the street.

It has attracted more than 500 supporters.

Some 1,000 women have submitted a petition to King Abdullah supporting the ban against women driving, local media reported.

Saudi Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Al-Obaikan, an adviser to the Royal Court, voiced his opposition while clerics have said that women driving would result in them being harassed in the street. But the reasons appear to have more to do with religion. “The religious establishment are trying to wrap the issue in the “sharia cloth” but they know that if women are allowed to drive it is a big change and a change in a direction they hate,” Dakhil said.

“The religious establishment are scared that society is changing faster that it should and that the revolutionary wave is driving this.”

Saudi Arabia, a US ally, has not seen the protests that have rocked much of the Arab world and Abdullah ordered handouts exceeding $100 billion earlier this year to discourage dissent. “It was a good time for the regime to give concessions but they did not,” said Mohammad Al-Qahtani, head of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association.

“They can either allow women to drive or there will be more public resentment and there could be public protests in the street if this continues.”

But allowing women to drive would also ease the financial burden on households and on the kingdom and would help reduce the kingdom’s dependence on millions of foreigners who work as drivers. Many families in Saudi Arabia have at least one driver with an average salary of around 2,000 Saudi riyals ($533) per month. Those who cannot afford this have a male member of family to drive them, often making it a time-consuming burden. “I do agree with women driving. It would ease costs but there need to be some rules,” said student Talal Al-Hussain. “Women shouldn’t drive from 18 years of age like we do, but from their early thirties when they can look after themselves better,” he said. —Reuters

Yemen awaits Saleh return after surgery Injured president out of intensive care

MOGADISHU: Somalis shout at an armed Somali government soldier during a demonstration yesterday. – AP

Somali leaders postpone polls NAIROBI: Somalia’s squabbling leaders agreed to postpone their country’s upcoming presidential vote by one year to help the government deal with security and political issues, leaders said in an agreement released yesterday. The deal calls for Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed to resign within 30 days to pave the way for the formation of a new government that guides the country through the transitional period and prepares it for new elections.

The international community has been putting a great deal of pressure on Somali leaders to reach an agreement before the fragile government’s term expires in August. The U.N. Security Council warned last month that the leaders risk losing financial support if they fail to end their bickering. The deal between President Sheik Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden was signed in Uganda’s capital, Kampala. The UN envoy for Somalia, Augustine P Mahiga said that he and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni mediated several days of meetings between Aden and Ahmed.

“We agree to defer elections of the President and the Speaker and his deputies for twelve months after August 2011 in order to adequately prepare and complete priority transitional tasks,” the two sides said in the agreement. “...Within thirty days of the signing of this agreement, the prime minister will resign from his position; and the president will appoint a new Prime Minister.” Ahmed and Aden have been locked for months in a dispute over what to do when the government’s term expires. Ahmed asked for an extra year in power because he said elections were distractions as the country was in a state of war with Islamist insurgents. —AP

SANAA/ADEN: Supporters of injured Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh fired shots into the air yesterday to celebrate reports he would soon return to Yemen, which is torn by fighting between his backers and opponents. “He has overcome the health difficulties after successful surgery to remove shrapnel ... Sources expected him to return soon after completing his recovery and treating some light surface burns,” the government website 26 September said. Wounded last Friday when what US and Arab officials say was a bomb in his palace rather than rockets as first thought, Saleh is being treated in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

The Yemeni government website said preparations were being made around the country to welcome back Saleh, who has rejected international calls for him to step down to end fighting that has grown out of months of pro-democracy protests.

Army units and supporters were heard in many areas of the capital Sanaa firing shots in the air overnight in celebration. The site described statements from US and Yemeni officials that Saleh’s health was in a dire state as fabrications, saying he was treated for burns to his face and had shrapnel removed from his chest. The officials said on Tuesday Saleh had burns over roughly 40 percent of his body.

In Riyadh, a Yemeni diplomat said Saleh would meet members of the Yemeni community in Saudi Arabia within days before heading back to Sanaa. He said he had had a second operation. “There was a small piece of shrapnel removed yesterday and he is now out of intensive care,” said Taha Al-Hemyari, head of Yemeni community affairs at the Yemeni embassy in Riyadh.

The volatile situation in a country that lies on oil shipping lanes alarms Western nations and neighbouring oil giant Saudi Arabia, who fear the chaos could give al Qaeda freer rein to establish itself in the impoverished mountain state.

A ceasefire has held in Sanaa since Saleh left, after more than 200 people were killed and thousands fled over two weeks in clashes between Saleh loyalists and forces of tribal leader Sheikh Sadeq Al-

SANAA: Supporters of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh kiss his portrait as they celebrate news that Saleh’s health is stable yesterday. —AP Ahmar, who backs the protesters. Many government ministries are not functioning as staff stay away and the city suffers from cuts in electricity, fuel and water supplies, while fighting continues in the southern town of Zinjibar where Islamist militants have taken over.

Some of Saleh’s opponents have accused the president of deliberately allowing al Qaeda militants to take over Zinjibar to demonstrate the security risks if he were to lose power. A government statement said yesterday 12 members of Al

Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula had died in clashes, including men described as leading figures, named Ammar Al-Waely, Abu Ali Al-Harthy and Ayman Al-Masri. A local official told Reuters eight militants and four soldiers died in the town of Al-Kod, an entry point to Zinjibar. Health officials and residents described dire scenes in Zinjibar this week, as dead bodies were left on the streets and wild dogs roamed. Once home to more than 50,000 people, now it is a ghost town without power or running water. —Reuters

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Sectarian divide widens after Bahrain unrest MANAMA: Sectarian tension between Sunni and Shiite Muslims has reached new heights in Bahrain after pro-democracy protests that the Sunni minority government crushed with martial law and foreign military forces. Inspired by the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, Sunni and Shiite Bahrainis took to the streets in early February to demand political reforms in a country where the ruling Al-Khalifa family appoints cabinet ministers and an upper house of parliament, neutering the powers of the elected assembly.

An idealistic movement began with slogans such as “No Sunni, No Shiite - Just Bahraini”, but now sectarian fear and anger are uppermost on this small island state where Saudi Arabia and Iran are playing out a proxy contest for regional supremacy. Sunnis and Shiites talk of friends lost and of a rift that once

seemed manageable. Sunnis feel threatened, Shiites abused.

Fatima, a Shiite accountancy graduate, recalled past tensions, when Shiites clashed with police and faced trials in the 1990s, but said the government response was harsher this time because the protest movement was so large and unexpected. “It hurts me. I have very close Sunni friends. People inter-married and had close personal relations,” she said. “Even if the government took a step back now, the Sunnis have been convinced that we are criminals.”

Shiites have long complained of discrimination in Bahrain, saying the government distributes jobs and housing on a pro-Sunni sectarian basis, to the extent of giving nationality to Sunnis from other countries to offset Shiite numbers. There are few Shiites in the army and their number in the state bureaucracy

Ahmadinejad under fire from own camp TEHRAN: Two years after his controversial re-election, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has seen off his reformist challengers but faces mounting opposition from within his own conservative camp. Ahmadinejad’s two main challengers in the June 12, 2009 election - Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi - who led months of mass protests against what they charged was massive fraud, have now been silenced. Both men are under house arrest and are denied any contact with the outside world. Reformist former president Mohammad Khatami who for long championed their cause has gone to ground.

After a massive crackdown by the security forces which saw scores of protesters killed and hundreds of reformist activists and journalists sentenced to hefty jail terms, the few reformist newspapers that have survived have adopted a low profile. But as the reformist challenge has waned, a simmering power struggle between Ahmadinejad and the dominant ultra-conservatives around supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has burst out into the open.

In mid-April, the president took the audacious step of challenging a ruling from the supreme leader - under the constitution in force since the Islamic revolution of 1979, the final arbiter on all matters. Khamenei intervened when Ahmadinejad sacked Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi. He promptly reinstated the spy chief. Ahmadinejad responded by withdrawing from public life for 10 days in a challenge to Khamenei’s authority that infuriated the ultra-conservatives close to the supreme leader.

The president’s critics charged that his attempt to replace Moslehi was linked to the intelligence minister’s role in vetting election candidates. Ahmadinejad is widely expected to field his own candidates against the ultra-conservatives who dominate the current parliament in elections due in March next year. With little desire to deepen the rift in the conservative camp, Khamenei played down Ahmadinejad’s antics, insisting he wanted the president to serve out his second and final term which ends in in August 2014.

But he allowed his followers to lash out at Ahmadinejad’s close entourage, including the president’s chief of staff and closest confidant Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie, whom the ultraconservatives accuse of being too liberal and nationalistic, and of wanting to undermine the Islamic regime.

Several of Ahmadinejad’s staff have been arrested in recent weeks on various charges and one of his vice presidents has been found guilty of abuse of power. Ultra-conservatives in the Shiite clergy and the elite Revolutionary Guard have repeatedly called for Mashaie’s dismissal, accusing him of leading “a current of deviancy” and saying he has too much influence over the president.

Ahmadinejad has so far adamantly defended his aides, including Mashaie, but has attempted to defuse the pressure on his entourage with repeated public expressions of allegiance to Khamenei. —AFP

has steadily dwindled since independence from Britain in 1971, Shiites say. The government denies this. Sunnis often point to the wealth of many Shiites and accuse them of clannishness in business.

Thousands of Shiites were detained, fired or suspended from work under martial law - 21 rights activists and political figures face military trial for trying to overthrow the system and 48 doctors and nurses are on trial for storing weapons, seizing control of a hospital and anti-government incitement. State media have used sectarian language to paint the democracy movement as a Shiite bid to overthrow the royal family and create a religious state with Iranian backing. Shiite doctors have made television confessions, saying they had aggravated the wounds of protesters to cast police in a bad light, or had helped protesters hide

weapons. Those released on bail say they were forced to record such confessions to accusations they consider ridiculous and which have rarely been levelled before in such political conflicts.

But many Sunnis take them at face value. “They (Shiites) are very aggressive, very rude. They want to take everything by force,” said Sunni taxi driver Ali Al-Balooshi.

Callers to state television refer to Shiites with slurs such as “sons of mut’a”, a reference to a Shiite form of temporary marriage, or “Safawi”, the Safavid dynasty that converted Iran to Shiism in the 16th century.

Officials suggest that Shiites, many from poorer rural areas, lack a work ethic and have too many children.

Shiites, many proud of having worked hard for university educations and qualifications since they cannot rely on getting government jobs, have their own stereotypes

about Sunnis and the ruling family’s Bedouin origins. “Sunnis are not used to suffering. They don’t want to do manual labour jobs. They just want to put on their ghutra (headscarf) and play cards,” said one young Shiite woman in a coffee shop in a mainly Shiite neighbourhood.

Sunni clerics and government officials assert with apparent conviction that opposition leaders had been in contact with Iranian officials and ultimately owe fealty to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - even though Iran’s novelty of clerical rule is questioned by most Shiites around the world. One even suggested opposition leaders dragged their feet in talks with the Crown Prince during the unrest because they were expecting the return of the Shiite Hidden Imam, who disappeared in 9th-century Iraq and in whose stead Khamenei rules. —Reuters

Syrians flee to Turkey to evade crackdown

France, Britain present draft UN resolution AMMAN: More than 1,700 Syrians have fled to Turkey to escape a feared army crackdown, officials said yesterday, in another sign that President Bashar Al-Assad’s struggle with protesters is disturbing Syria’s neighbours. With international concern growing over Syria’s repression of pro-democracy protests, Britain, France, Germany and Portugal have asked the UN Security Council to condemn Assad. However, veto-holding Russia has said it opposes any such council measure. World powers have shown no appetite for any Libya-style military intervention in Syria, which has so far shrugged off sanctions and verbal reprimands.

Residents in the area said about 40 tanks and troop carriers had deployed about 7 km from Jisr Al-Shughour, a northwestern town of 50,000 where authorities say “armed gangs” killed more than 120 security personnel earlier this week. Other accounts speak of a mutiny among troops who refused to fire on civilians after a pro-democracy rally in the town on Friday. Loyalist military units then attacked the mutineers.

Syria has barred most independent media from the country, making it difficult to verify accounts of the violence.

“Jisr Al-Shughour is practically empty.

People were not going to sit and be slaughtered like lambs,” said one refugee who had crossed into Turkey, who gave his name as Mohammad.

“Demonstrations in the villages are still going on. Women and children are carrying flowers and shouting ‘people want the downfall of the regime’,” he said.

Rami Abdulrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 15,000 troops had deployed near Jisr Al-Shughour. Turkish officials said the number of Syrian refugees crossing the border this week had reached 1,777, the Anatolian news agency reported. The refugees are being housed in a tented encampment just north of the border at Yayladagi. Thousands more people from Jisr Al-Shughour have fled to villages on the Syrian side of the border, residents say.

“Syria is causing concern for us,” Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Turkish radio. “We will always keep our doors open to our Syrian broth-

GUVECCI, Turkey: A Turkish soldier stands by as a group of Syrians wait inside Syria yesterday for the authorization to enter Turkey near this Turkish village in Hatay province, which borders Syria. —AP ers and sisters.” Assad, 45, has promised reforms, even while cracking down on unrest that has become the gravest threat to his 11-year rule. “Syria is committed to the missions of reform under the leadership of President Bashar Al-Assad and affirms it does not permit any foreign intervention in this regard,” the state news agency quoted a Foreign Ministry official as saying in response to critical statements by French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe.

Among the Syrians in Turkey was a 23-

year-old with a bullet wound to the leg.

Asking not to be named, he said militiamen, known as shabbiha, from Assad’s minority Alawite sect that has dominated the Sunni majority for four decades, had shot him. “We were leaving the mosque after Friday prayers to start protesting and then the shabbiha ... attacked us,” he said.

Turkish police barred reporters from the camp in a shady valley, but women could be seen hanging washing, while children played between tents and older men wandered around. —Reuters

International FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

The boy bread vendor who changed Turkey

ISTANBUL: When Tayyip Erdogan sold bread rolls as a boy on the old streets of Istanbul, Turkey was a country caught in a cycle of army coups. It languished on the fringes of Europe. Pious Turks were the underdogs of society. As Erdogan moves towards his second decade as prime minister, Turkey could not look more different.

It has one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, it is a European Union candidate and a regional heavyweight, and religious Turks have displaced the secularist elite from power.

An autocrat and a dangerous Islamist to his enemies, a hero and a man of the people to his admirers, Erdogan has transformed this Muslim democracy since his AK Party swept to power in 2002, on a scale unseen since Kemal Ataturk founded the Turkish republic in 1923 out of the ruins of a defeated Ottoman Empire.

Opinion polls show Erdogan, 57, will comfortably win a third term of single-party rule in an election on June 12. While the only uncertainty at the ballot box is

Erdogan’s margin of victory, the outcome will determine the future of this complicated country of 74 million people.

Erdogan has said that if AK wins he will rewrite Turkey’s constitution, drafted after a military coup in 1980, and there is speculation his next step could be to elevate himself to the presidency under a strengthened presidential system.

“Erdogan wants to be remembered as the man who made Turkey a global power,” said Henri Barkey, a Turkey expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. “And he wants to prove to the world that you can be a global player and a Muslim at the same time,” Barkey said. A hot-tempered but charismatic politician, Erdogan has taken risks as he has challenged the secularist military and the judiciary, while power has shifted from the Westernised, urban elites to a new class of observant Muslims from the heartland. Market-friendly reforms pushed by his socially conservative AK have tripled Turkey’s per capita income in the

Hamas considers hands-off approach RAMALLAH: After four years of turbulent rule in the Gaza Strip, the Islamic militant group Hamas is weighing a new strategy of not directly participating in future governments even if it wins elections. An approach aimed at avoiding isolation by the world community and allowing for continued economic aid. Hamas officials told AP the idea has gained favor in recent closed meetings of the secretive movement’s leadership in the West Bank, Gaza, Egypt and Syria, and that it helped enable last month’s reconciliation agreement with the rival Fatah group of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Talks on implementing that accord have dragged on, particularly over the makeup of a ‘unity government.’ The agreement envisions a government of nonpolitical technocrats, in line with Hamas’ emerging thought but Abbas wants to retain current premier Salam Fayyad, a respected economist viewed by Hamas as a political figure. The new approach reflects both the group’s rigidity and its pragmatism: On the one hand, Hamas refuses to meet widespread global demands that it accept Israel’s right to exist; on the other, its leaders grasp the price Palestinians would pay if the Islamic militants emerged fully in charge of a future government.

It also stems from a growing sense that its experiment with direct government in Gaza has cost Hamas popular support among Palestinians. “Hamas found that being in government caused huge damage to the movement, and therefore it has changed its policy” said a top participant in the Hamas talks, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the extreme sensitivity of the issue.

Some Palestinians criticize Hamas for softening its ‘resistance’ by not carrying out a suicide bombing in years in a bid to gain some international legitimacy. Others charge that its rocket attacks on Israel have worsened Gaza’s isolation and impoverishment. Some bristle at the stricter Islamic lifestyle imposed on the coastal strip, where alcohol is now hard to find, while others think this hasn’t gone far enough.

A survey in March by respected pollster Khalil Shikaki shows Hamas, which handily won elections in 2006; now has the support of only 26 percent of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, compared to 40 percent for Fatah.

The survey of 1,200 people had a margin of error of three percentage points. Other surveys show an even steeper decline in popular backing.

As a result, “Hamas is re-evaluating its choices and resetting its priorities,” said Yehya Mussa, a prominent Hamas lawmaker. —AP

last eight years. Bailout programs to clean up financial meltdowns and banking collapses are now a thing of the past.

Erdogan, who does not drink or smoke and is known for chastising his aides when he catches them smoking, has also changed Turkey’s place in the world. A long-time NATO member and US ally, Turkey has deepened ties with the Middle East, including Iran, and opened new markets in Asia and Africa.

Fears by secularists that AK, which evolved from banned Islamist movements, would turn Turkey into Iran have not materialised and investors have rewarded Erdogan’s pragmatism. His brief stay in prison for Islamist agitation when he was mayor of Istanbul came during his more ardent days. But despite this success story there are concerns about Turkey’s future. Critics accuse Erdogan of showing authoritarian tendencies and say he has accumulated too much power. Some fret a two-thirds AK majority would allow Erdogan to pass unilateral constitutional

changes and give free rein to a man known for disliking dissent and used to having his way.

The weakness of opposition parties, their continued disarray following the 2002 rout that first brought AK to power, only adds to the impression of Erdogan’s complete domination. If elected, Erdogan would not be allowed to run for a fourth term. But campaign materials intimate that he plans to remain on the political scene well beyond then; in posters and brochures he strikes an unsmiling, paternal pose reminiscent of Turkey’s revered founder Ataturk, and uses the slogan “Objective 2023” - the 100th anniversary of Turkey’s foundation. “Turkey is a more self-confident country with high growth, a banking sector and public finances looking good, with a consumer and housing boom, and young demographics, but there is clearly a concern about concentration of power,” Timothy Ash, a Londonbased analyst from Royal Bank of Scotland, told Reuters. — Reuters

Powers push Iran to address nuke fears Russia, China join West in backing IAEA chief VIENNA: Russia and China joined Western powers yesterday in piling pressure on Iran to address fears about possible military aspects of its nuclear program a day after Tehran said it would ramp up its uranium enrichment. The United States, Germany, France, Britain, Russia and China issued a statement at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) after Iran raised the stakes in the row by announcing it would accelerate sensitive nuclear work. Washington’s envoy said separately that Iran’s plan to speed up enrichment with a more advanced model of centrifuge machines in a mountain bunker showed its “brazen” and deepening defiance of international demands to curb the activity.

Enrichment can yield energy for electricity or, if extended to a higher degree, material for nuclear bombs. Iran’s representative hit back at a tense IAEA board meeting, vowing the Islamic state would resist Western pressure over a nuclear program it says has exclusively peaceful aims.

Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh also launched a verbal attack on IAEA DirectorGeneral Yukiya Amano and accused him of bias, highlighting increasingly strained relations between Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog.

The Japanese IAEA chief has taken a blunter approach to Iran than his predecessor Mohamed ElBaradei, saying in his first report on the country early last year that he feared it may be working to develop a nuclear-armed missile. “He is not doing his job. Instead, with his reports, he is paving the way for more confrontation between member states,” Soltanieh told reporters. But the six powers - including Russia and China who have been less inclined to try to isolate Iran - united to throw their weight behind Amano, who last month asked Tehran to provide access to sites and officials to help answer the agency’s queries. Iran rebuffed the

VIENNA: Iran’s Ambassador to the IAEA Ali Asghar Soltanieh (left) and Israel’s Ambassador to the IAEA Ehud Azoulay wait for the start of the IAEA’s board of governors meeting at the International Center yesterday. — AP request. The six powers said Iran’s “consistent failure” to comply with obligations under UN resolutions to restrain nuclear activity and allow more effective IAEA inspections had “deepened concerns” about its intentions. “We call on Iran to cooperate fully with the agency,” a joint statement read out at the closed-door session said. “Outstanding issues need to be resolved in order to exclude the existence of possible military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear programme.” It did not mention Iran’s plan to expand enrichment.

The statements at a session of the IAEA’s 35-nation governing board came a day after Iran announced a plan to triple its capacity to produce higher-grade uranium. Iran also said on Wednesday it would transfer the production of the material from its Natanz enrichment complex to a nascent, smaller site in a bunker, one seen as better protected from possi-

ble US or Israeli air strikes, at Fordow later this year. Western powers are concerned about the higher-grade enrichment because it takes Iran a step closer to producing potential atomic bomb-grade fuel.

Tehran denies such aims and says its nuclear program is for peaceful uses only.

US envoy Glyn Davies said the plan was Iran’s “most recent brazen example of its deepening non-compliance”. He added in a board statement: “Iran’s efforts to develop a nuclear warhead ... should demand the undivided attention of the international community.” Iran only disclosed the existence of Fordow, near the Shiite holy city of Qom, in September 2009, after Western intelligence agencies had detected it. The United States and Israel, Iran’s arch-adversaries, have not ruled out military action to knock out Iranian nuclear assets if diplomacy fails to resolve the eight-year-old dispute.— Reuters

International FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Australian camels could be shot to curb methane CANBERRA: Kill a camel, earn cash for cutting greenhouse gases: That offer may be coming soon in Australia, where vast numbers of the nonnative, methane-belching animals have been trampling the Outback for more than a century. The government has proposed that killing camels be officially registered as a means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Australia has the world’s largest population of wild camels - an estimated 1.2 million - and considers them to be a growing environmental problem.

The proposal, released for public comment this week, would allow sharpshooters to earn so-called carbon credits for slaughtering camels. Industrial polluters around the world could buy the credits to offset their own carbon emissions. Each camel belches an estimated 45 kg of methane a year, which is equivalent to a metric ton of carbon dioxide in its impact on global warming. That’s roughly onesixth the amount of CO2 that the US Environmental Protection Agency says an

average car produces annually.

A bill to create a carbon credit regime will go to a vote in the House of Representatives on Wednesday and is expected to become law within weeks. A government registry will be set up to determine what actions will qualify for carbon credits, and bureaucrats are expected to decide by the end of the year whether killing camels will be among them. Mark Dreyfus, the government’s parliamentary secretary for climate change, said he hopes the proposal wipes out camels from the Australian wild. “Potentially it has tremendous merit, because feral camels are a dreadful menace across the whole of arid Australia,” Dreyfus told AP yesterday.

First introduced in the 1840s to help explorers and pioneers travel through Australia’s arid interior, camels now cover vast tracts of the continent’s parched and sparsely populated center and west.

Camels compete with sheep and cattle for food, trample vegetation and invade remote settlements in search of water,

scaring residents as they tear apart bathrooms and rip up water pipes.

The government estimates camel numbers double every nine years, despite recent government-funded culls and a small export meat trade with the Middle East. “It’s not well understood because they’re in remote areas of Australia what extraordinary damage this very, very large wild camel population is doing in an economic, environmental and social sense,” Dreyfus said. Under the new environmental law, Dreyfus said, the camels could be slaughtered for their meat as well as carbon credits - adding to the financial return to those who currently herd and kill camels for human and pet food. Shooters in helicopters could also claim carbon credits if they proved that they had humanely killed a camel and abandoned its carcass.

Garry Dan, a central Australian cattle rancher who also catches camels for their meat, described the added carbon credit value for carcasses as “ideal”. He said while

camels were freely available in the wild, they are expensive to truck to abattoirs because they are too big for standard cattle trailers. The carbon trading business Northwest Carbon first pitched carbon credits for camels to the government. Its managing director, Tim Moore, said it was too early to place a dollar value on each dead animal.

“Obviously the higher the value, the faster we’re going to be able to eradicate the problem of the feral camel pest in Australia,” Moore said. Killing camels is one of three proposals currently being considered by the government for carbon credits under the new law. The others would extract methane from landfills and change how Aborigines manage fire in savannah grasslands. Australia plans to make its worst industrial polluters pay a tax on every ton of carbon gas they produce from July 1, 2012. The government aims to slash Australia’s greenhouse emissions to 5 percent below 2000 levels by 2020. —AP

China warns neighbors: Stop Spratlys oil search

WARSAW: Polish farmers rally with cucumbers outside the parliament building yesterday. The farmers sought to make lawmakers aware of the economic difficulty they are facing with a scare over a strain of E. coli bacteria that has sickened many in Europe and cut demand for their cucumbers. — AP

Dutch find different E. coli, pull sprouts AMSTERDAM: Dutch authorities recalled red beet sprouts from three countries yesterday after samples were found to be contaminated with a strain of E. coli bacteria that was apparently less dangerous than the one causing Europe’s deadly E. coli crisis. The Dutch Food Safety Authority said laboratories were still trying to identify the Dutch strain, but there have been no immediate reports of serious illness from it. But the agency said it was definitely not the same E. coli strain that has killed 27 people, sickened 2,900 others and left hundreds with serious complications, most of them in Germany. The cause of that outbreak, which began May 2, has so far eluded German authorities.

Only one grower, a company called Hamu, was found with contaminated beets, and other produce grown on its farms were cleared of suspicion, said Esther Filon, a spokeswoman for the Dutch regulation agency. “It’s not the same as in Germany.

You can become ill, but as far as we know at this moment, it is not lethal,” she told AP. She said the authorities were trying to trace all shipments from the grower. The agency said Hamu, based in the town of Kerkdriel 70 km southeast of Amsterdam, had exported beet sprouts to Belgium as well as selling them on the Dutch and German markets. There are hundreds of E. coli bacteria strains in nature, but only a few are deadly to humans and the bacteria is more commonly known as a source of food poisoning or severe stomach problems. — AP

MANILA: China warned Asian neighbors yesterday to stop searching for oil near the Spratly Islands and vowed to assert its sovereignty over the potentially petroleum-rich territory in the South China Sea that several nations claim. China and the Philippines have swapped diplomatic protests over the islands, with Filipino officials accusing Chinese forces of intruding into Manila-claimed areas six times since February and of firing shots at least once. Beijing denied the allegation yesterday and said it would use violence only when attacked.

Vietnam, meanwhile, has accused China of flaring tensions in Vietnamese waters by hindering the operation of a oil and gas exploration boat for the second time in two weeks. The Spratlys, which are believed to be atop vast oil and gas reserves, have long been feared as a potential flash point of armed conflict in Asia. The chain of barren, largely uninhabited islands, reefs and banks are claimed wholly by China, Taiwan and Vietnam and partly by the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. Addressing Manila’s complaints for the first time, Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao denied that his government committed any intrusion.

He said China has not started to drill for oil there and warned others to stop any oil exploration in the area without Beijing’s permission. China claims the entire South China Sea. “We’re calling on other parties to stop searching for the possibility of exploiting resources in these areas where China has its claims,” he told reporters. He said China is open to engaging other countries in joint oil and gas exploration. Asked what would happen if countries defy China, Liu said that Beijing would assert its right over the disputed region diplomatically. “We will never use force unless we are attacked,” he said.

In Vietnam, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Nguyen Phuong Nga said in a press briefing Thursday that a Chinese fishing boat supported by two patrol ves-

MANILA: Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Liu Jianchao gestures during a news conference at the ambassador’s residence in the country’s financial district of Makati City yesterday. — AP sels that morning damaged the exploration cable of the seismic survey boat operated by state-owned PetroVietnam.

She said the actions of the Chinese boats were “completely premeditated” and “seriously violating Vietnam’s sovereign rights.” The incident came just two weeks after Chinese patrol boats cut another cable on a survey boat off its central coast.

Hanoi says both incidents occurred well within the 200 nautical miles guaranteed to Vietnam as an exclusive economic zone by international law. Nga said Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry officials met yesterday with Chinese Embassy officials to lodge protests.

Last weekend, in rare protests spurred

by Facebook and text messages, thousands of Vietnamese took to the streets in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, demanding that China stay out of Vietnamese waters.

In the most serious incident reported by the Philippines, a Chinese navy vessel allegedly fired Feb 25 to scare away Filipino fishermen from Jackson Atoll,

which is claimed by Manila and relatively close to the Philippine shore. The Philippine government also accused two Chinese patrol boats of harassing a Philippine oil exploration ship on March 2 into leaving a vast area called the Reed Bank. A Philippine general scrambled two military aircraft, which arrived after the Chinese vessels had left, the Philippine military said.

Liu said no Chinese vessel fired on Filipino fishermen but suggested that Chinese forces took action to keep the exploration ship from the Reed Bank.

“That’s part of our exercise of jurisdiction.

It’s not harassment,” Liu said. Liu said some of Manila’s allegations were sparked by rumors, like a claim that Chinese fighter jets flew near Philippine patrol planes over Spratly islands claimed by Manila.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Tuesday the Philippines “should stop publishing irresponsible statements that do not match the facts”.— AP

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Public extrajudicial killing shocks Pakistan KARACHI: Pakistan yesterday arrested five soldiers for shooting dead a young man at point blank range in a park after the killing was filmed live and broadcast on television, shocking human rights activists. Five members of the Rangers paramilitary rounded on 25-year-old Sarfaraz Shah in Karachi’s most exclusive neighbourhood of Clifton on Wednesday, claiming he had tried to rob a policeman’s family. A police official later told AFP on condition of anonymity that only a toy gun had been recovered. The public park is named after assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, whose family home is in Clifton.

Footage of the incident, filmed by an unidentified cameraman, was broadcast repeatedly on local television stations and uploaded to Internet site YouTube. The cleanshaven man, wearing black trousers and a navy shirt, is seen crying and pleading for his life as a soldier cocked his rifle at his neck. A soldier is heard saying: “This is the man” to which the man responds: “I am helpless, my friend.” “Please do not fire, please not, please, please,” he cried.

After being shot in the hand and thigh, as blood seeps onto the ground, the man pleads: “Please take me to the hospital, please take

as soldiers appear to amble around, watching him fall unconscious and bleed to death.

Several hundred people attend-

KARACHI: Relatives gather around the body of Sarfaraz Shah during his funeral yesterday. Shah was shot by Pakistani paramilitary soldiers. —AFP me, please save me, o friend save me.” He tries to stand, but quickly crumples to the ground. A soldier is heard saying: “Ok, that’s enough”.

The man continues to beg for help

ed Shah’s funeral in Karachi, the country’s biggest city which has suffered scores of killings linked to political and ethnic tensions in recent months. Mourners chanted

“the Rangers are killers”. Late Wednesday, Shah’s relatives took his body to the house of the chief minister of Sindh province, of which Karachi is the capital, demanding that the soldiers be arrested.

The victim’s older brother Salik, who is a TV reporter, said Sarfaraz who was initially named wrongly by police as Sabir - was a student who had been looking for work to support his poverty-stricken family. “He was a decent and mannered person with no criminal record whatsoever.

Charges from the Rangers that he was a robber are ridiculous and criminal. He went to the park to pass the time. He was brutally shot and left to die because of profuse bleeding. What we want is justice.

Befitting justice.”

Leading human rights activists and lawyers condemned the killing as a sign of how brutalised Pakistan has become, after years of bomb attacks, targeted assassinations, kidnappings and a Taleban insurgency in the northwest. Interior Minister Rehman Malik ordered the arrest of the soldiers involved and a departmental inquiry. “This act is extremely unlawful, even if the youth was a robber it did not merit to kill him

like this,” Malik told TV channels.

“The suspects in the incident have been arrested. I have ordered for a thorough inquiry.”

The killing mirrored the killings last month of five unarmed Chechens, one of them a pregnant woman in southwestern province Baluchistan. Zohra Yusuf, chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, said the country had descended into a “trigger-happy society where shoot-to-kill has become routine practice for the law enforcement agencies”. “We condemn this extrajudicial killing and fear our society is getting brutalised and falling to anarchy, which is needed to be stopped.”

Amin Yousuf, secretary general of Pakistan’s Federal Union of Journalists, said the cameraman who had filmed the killing was now in danger and that the Rangers should merely have arrested Shah if he was involved in a crime. “A cameraman of a local TV channel happened to be there to do a story on the park, when he saw the incident and filmed it. “The cameraman’s life is in danger. He has got threats and we are making all efforts to save his life,” said Yousuf. —AFP

No US ‘rush for the exits’ in Afghanistan Gunmen kill 9 at Afghan wedding

PESHAWAR: Volunteers help injured victims of a bomb blast in Matani at a local hospital yesterday. —AFP

Taleban attack Pak post, 8 troops dead PESHAWAR: More than 100 Taleban armed with rocket launchers attacked a Pakistani check post near the Afghan border in South Waziristan yesterday, triggering gun battles that killed eight soldiers.

It was the second time in a week that scores of militants besieged a checkpost in Pakistan’s lawless tribal belt, underscoring the scale of the threat that Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked extremists pose to security forces. Washington has called Pakistan’s semi-autonomous northwest region the global headquarters of Al-Qaeda and US officials are increasing pressure on Islamabad to launch an all-out military offensive in North Waziristan.

The Taleban struck early yesterday in Marubi, 40 km from the Afghan border with North Waziristan, stronghold of the Haqqani network, which poses one of the most potent threats to US troops in Afghanistan. “Eight soldiers were killed and 10 were wounded in the attack. More than 10 Taleban were also killed in the retaliatory firing,” a security official told AFP in Peshawar, the main town in northwest Pakistan. Another security official in Wana, the main town of the tribal district, confirmed the incident, but said the Taleban left behind only one body. Taleban and other militants have carved out strongholds on both sides of the porous Afghanistan-Pakistan border, and last week Islamabad protested to Kabul and NATO over a deadly cross-border attack that took two days to quell.

Pakistan carried out a sweeping offensive in 2009 in South Waziristan targeting the the country’s main Taliban faction, but many of their commanders and foot soldiers are believed to have fled to North Waziristan. —AFP

BRUSSELS/JALALABAD: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said yesterday there will be no “rush for the exits” by the United States in Afghanistan, attempting to ease concerns after Germany warned that pulling too many Americans out of the 10-year war could risk NATO’s strategy. President Barack Obama is expected to announce soon how many troops he will cut from the 100,000-strong US force in Afghanistan next month, leading to fears that other NATO allies involved in the fight against Taleban insurgents may follow suit.

Gates sought to reassure allies at a meeting of defense ministers at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels, where he arrived this week direct from a 12th and final tour of Afghanistan before he retires at the end of the month. “Even as the United States begins to draw down next month, I assured my fellow ministers that there will be no rush to the exits on our part and we expect the same from our allies,” Gates told reporters.

NATO’s Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said he was confident the US troop withdrawals will not affect security in the war-torn country. “I know that the American administration will take decisions based on the security situation on the ground,” he said. Germany, which currently has some 4,800 troops in Afghanistan, urged Washington not to pull too many of its forces out. The country understands the US move, but “we have some concerns that if it is too much, then the (Afghanistan) strategy cannot be implemented as agreed. We hope for a moderate step by the American president,” Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere said.

Separately, a gang of masked gunmen stormed a wedding party in eastern Afghanistan overnight, killing the groom and eight others in an attack blamed on Talebanlinked insurgents, officials said. The groom was a cousin of the local district chief, while women and children were among the casual-

ties in the attack at the family party in Nangarhar province, which borders Pakistan, the provincial spokesman told AFP. The gunmen were armed with AK-47 assault rifles and stormed the house where the party was being held, said spokesman Abdulzia

DUR BABA, Afghanistan: Villagers stand over the body of a groom (centre) and others during their funeral ceremony after they were killed during an attack by gunmen on his wedding party in this district of Nangarhar province yesterday. —AFP Ahmadzai. “Nine people were killed and five others injured last night when armed opposition militants attacked a wedding party in Dur Baba district,” he said.

District chief Hamisha Gul Muslim told

AFP that his cousin was the groom and that he had been killed in the attack. Raees Khan, a senior member of the dead man’s family, said the wedding party had been taking place in the courtyard of a house when around 20 masked, armed men broke in. “Unknown armed men, their faces covered with masks, stormed the wedding and started spraying bullets at the guests,” he said. “They did this not because they had problems with the groom but because they accused the district chief of being with the government and cooperating with NATO forces.”

In Brussels, Gen David Petraeus, the top US commander in Afghanistan, briefed the ministers on progress in the war at a closeddoor meeting. He is slated to deliver options for troop reductions to Obama in the coming days. Despite the looming American troop reduction, Rasmussen told the meeting the alliance is on track to hand over responsibility for security to Afghan forces by the end of 2014. And he told Taleban insurgents to renounce violence and cut links with terror networks. “The successful operation against Osama bin Laden sent a clear message - extremism has no future,” Rasmussen told defense ministers. “It is time for the Taleban to make a choice: Cut links with Al-Qaeda and terror networks, renounce violence and respect the democratic Afghan constitution.” —AP

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Qatar’s big Libya adventure

Hackers access credit card data: Citigroup

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TEHRAN: A currency exchange bureau worker, checks the US dollars, in downtown Tehran yesterday. The Iranian currency, the rial, was devalued by 11 percent on Wednesday as the government tries to liberalize its economy and curb imports. The official exchange rate was 10,570 rials per US dollar on Tuesday, and on Wednesday the Central Bank announced it would be 11,750 to the dollar. — AP

Asian stock markets falter China’s major state-owned airlines tumble

BANGKOK: Asian stock markets faltered yesterday after a Federal Reserve report confirmed a slowdown in US economic growth.

Oil prices jumped to above $101 per barrel after OPEC unexpectedly left its production levels unchanged. In currencies, the dollar strengthened against the yen but slipped against the euro. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index fell less than 0.1 percent to 9,440.63. South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.2 percent to 2,086.73, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 1 percent to 22,425.13. Tokyo Electric Power Co, the embattled Japanese utility known as TEPCO, was down 5 percent.

TEPCO shares hit an all-time low earlier Wednesday, a day after a governmentappointed panel launched an investigation into a nuclear accident that took place at one of the company’s plants following a devastat-

ing earthquake and tsunami on March 11.

TEPCO has been struggling to get control of the plant since the quake and critics say the company was woefully unprepared for such a disaster. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.4 percent to 4,552.90, as banking and energy blue chips gained. BHP Billiton Ltd., the world’s largest miner, was 0.5 percent higher, while Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the country’s largest bank by market capitalization, added 1.1 percent.

But Australia’s economy showed some signs of strain, with government data showing only 7,800 new jobs were created May well short of the 25,000 expected and indicative of a slowdown, although “probably not as much as we’re seeing in the US,” said Ben Potter, a research analyst with IG Markets in Melbourne. “There are a number of head-

winds facing the Australian economy,” he said, including a strong currency that hurt manufacturers. Meanwhile, airline shares stalled as higher fuel costs threatened to cut into profits. Australia’s Qantas Airways Ltd fell 2 percent, and China’s three major stateowned airlines tumbled: China Eastern Airlines, by 4.1 percent; China Southern Airlines, by 5.3 percent; and Air China, by 3.6 percent. On Wall Street, more lackluster economic news sent stocks down Wednesday. A Federal Reserve report showed the economy slowed in several regions for the first time this year, largely due to the effect of higher oil prices. The report added to concerns that have been building since mid-April that the American economy is stalling. High oil prices, bad weather and production disruptions following the tsunami

and nuclear disaster in Japan have combined to dampen many investors’ outlook for the rest of the year. On Tuesday, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke acknowledged that the US economic recovery was “uneven” and “frustratingly slow,” though he added that he expected growth to pick up in the second half of the year. The Standard and Poor’s 500 lost 0.4 percent, its sixth straight loss. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 0.2 percent to 12,048.94. The Nasdaq composite slipped 1 percent to 2,675.38. Benchmark oil for July delivery was up 56 cents to $101.30 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract gained $1.65 to settle at $100.74 on Wednesday. The dollar strengthened to 80.04 yen from 79.94 yen late Wednesday in New York. The euro was up to $1.4621 from $1.4581. — AP

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Qatar’s big Libya adventure Qatar eyes energy deals, new influence if rebels win

BENGHAZI: Ahmed Awet dives in the Mediterranean Sea to escape the heat of the Libyan summer in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi. —AP

BENGHAZI: To get an idea of who might wield influence in post-civil war Libya, take a look at the flags flying in the rebel-held east of the country. Outside the courthouse in Benghazi-rebel headquarters and symbolic heart of the uprising against the 41year rule of leader Muammar Gaddafi-fly the flags of France, Great Britain, the United States, the European Union, NATO. There’s one other flag, too: Qatar’s. “Qatar, really, it’s time to convey our gratitude to them,” Abdulla Shamia, rebel economy chief said.

“They really helped us a lot. It’s a channel for transportation, for help, for everything.”

It has a population of just 1.7 million people, but the wealthy Gulf monarchy has long sought a major voice in political affairs in the region. It has brokered peace talks in Sudan and Lebanon, owns the influential pan-Arab news network Al Jazeera, and recently won the right to host the 2022 soccer World Cup. Now the gas-rich nation has placed a big geopolitical bet in Libya, splashing out hundreds of millions of dollars on fuel, food and cash transfers for the rebels. A representative from the Emir’s palace declined to comment on what products Qatar has delivered to Libya, and on the ruling family’s motivations behind its Libyan engagement.

It’s certainly a gamble. If the rebels win, Qatar is likely to pick up energy deals and new influence in North Africa. But if they lose, Qatar’s ambitions may further alienate it among its neighbors. “I guess ever since the late 1990s, Qatar has been trying to break the Saudi-dominated status quo and carve out a niche position,” said Saket Vemprala from the London-based Business Monitor International consultancy. “At the moment I think it’s more geopolitical, they

want to broaden their (influence in the) region and become a more significant player ... And it certainly makes it easy for them to portray themselves as being on the right side of history,” he said. That sentiment is on display on a huge billboard in front of the courthouse. Over a picture of Qatari ruler Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani reads the promise: “Qatar, history will always remember your support for our cause.”

‘WE ARE FINE’ Being on the right side of history doesn’t come cheap. Qatar was the first Arab country to contribute planes to police the UNbacked no-fly zone over Libya.

Simultaneously, hundreds of millions of dollars began to flow from the Qatari capital Doha to Benghazi from early March. While international oil traders pondered whether to brave the bombs and international sanctions to start buying oil from the rebels, Qatar was quick to throw a lifeline and help eastern Libya meet its most pressing needs including fuel, food, medicines and telecommunications equipment.

Qatar’s foreign ministry has confirmed that it has shipped four tankers full of gasoline, diesel and other refined fuels to Benghazi, which specialists estimate is enough to feed the large Benghazi power plant for one or two weeks. But people on the ground in Benghazi say they believe Qatar is behind much of the continuing delivery of fuel supplies, as well as food, medicine and cash payments. Given that oil production in the east has stalled and the economy generates no cash, they ask, where else are all the supplies coming from?

Overall, the Qatari shipments have covered 100 percent of eastern Libya energy

needs for a month and a half, Salah Fouad, a rebel oil engineer based in the eastern coastal city of Tobruk, said in May. “We are receiving a huge help from Qatar. Its role in unforgettable. Even the little child knows Qatar’s role and assistance to us,” he said.

A western consultant who worked in Benghazi in March and April supported this view. “You ask port workers how are they doing today and they say, ‘Oh, we are fine.

We just received aid from Qatar,’” he said, declining to be named because of the sensitivity of his mission. “You ask the council what’s the situation with diesel and they say, ‘Oh we are just fine, we’ve got new deliveries from Qatar.’ You tell Libyan officials to let you know if something goes wrong with power facilities and they tell you, ‘Oh we are just fine, Qatar is helping us.’”

A Gulf-based oil trader with knowledge of Qatari gasoline deliveries estimated monthly requirements at 10 gasoline and 5-6 diesel cargoes a month to help run vehicles and Benghazi’s huge power plant. As shipments are being settled on a government-to-government basis, they are usually not followed by satellite tracking systems, which monitor mostly commercial shipments. Those commercial shipments have included a test-case export cargo from the rebel-held east, shipped out in early May by trading house Vitol. Some traders say Qatar has gone further. “Everyone gets excited about one Vitol cargo and doesn’t see a fleet of Qatari tankers,” said another London-based trader.

BLOW TO QATARI RISK PROFILE Despite wide-ranging support in the West, Qatar’s actions in Libya have created unease among its neighbors. Qatar has long played the role of intermediary in the region. Though it is close to Washington

and Saudi Arabia, it also has ties to Iran.

Foreign firms, including almost all the world’s major oil companies, have invested tens of billions of dollars in projects with Qatar even though they know its gas reserves are, in effect, shared with Iran. The Iranian part is the South Pars field while the Qatari part is known as the North Field.

IMMENSE WEALTH What’s behind Qatar’s generosity? It helps that it is so rich. Qatar’s copious gas reserves have made it one of the world’s wealthiest countries, with a sky-high gross domestic product per person of $88,000 according to the International Monetary Fund. Its $60-billion plus sovereign wealth fund owns stakes in banks Credit Suisse and Barclays, as well as London’s iconic department store Harrods. “Qatar will soon-literally-have more money than it knows what to do with,” according to a 2008 US diplomatic cable, obtained by WikiLeaks and reviewed

by Reuters.

The largesse in Libya is part investment, part strategic. “They are looking to park investments around the world. They helped the Lebanon peace process, Yemen, they got the World Cup, Doha talks, Al Jazeera-these are all parts of a very big diplomatic game and a fight for influence,” says a London-based British diplomat. The big prize is energy. Libya produced 1.6 million barrels of oil per day before the war, or almost 2 percent of world output, and has enough reserves to sustain that level of production for 77 years, according to BP. Qatar would like to control a chunk of that oil supply as well as potentially large Libyan gas exports to Europe which otherwise would effectively rival Qatar’s own deliveries.— Reuters

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ECB and BoE keep key interest rates steady FRANKFURT: The European Central Bank kept its key lending rate at 1.25 percent yesterday as markets waited to see if it would tone down a dispute with Germany over making private creditors pay for any fresh Greek debt rescue. The ECB also kept two other benchmark rates, the marginal lending rate and the deposit rate, unchanged at 2.00 percent and 0.50 percent, a spokesman said. In London, the Bank of England left its key rate at a record low 0.50 percent and chose not to change its stimulus program known as Quantitative Easing, under which it has injected £200 billion (225 billion euros, $328 billion) into the British economy.

Observers now expect ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet to flag a rate hike in July by telling a post-decision press conference that the ECB’s position on inflation is one of “(strong) vigilance.” A more pressing issue has arisen however since German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble laid out this week Berlin’s position on getting banks and other investors to take part in a second rescue package for Greece. Writing to the ECB, International Monetary Fund, European Commission and eurozone finance ministers, Schaeuble said: “Any additional financial support for Greece has to involve a fair burden sharing between taxpayers and private investors.”

Barclays Capital economist Thorsten Polleit said: “Schaeuble’s move is certainly motivated by the German parliament having become increasingly hesitant to subscribe to another round of financial support for Greece.”Trichet and other senior ECB directors stress that forcing banks and other private investors to take losses on Greek public debt could amount to default and so completely undermine the country’s banking sector and possibly wreak havoc across the eurozone.

Berenberg Bank chief economist Holger Schmieding said a public clash between “the two most important decision makers politically in the European debt crisis” would be an “extremely dangerous” development. The ECB has said it could accept a voluntary rollover of Greek public debt by banks to give Athens a breathing space but Schaeuble pushed for “a bond swap leading to a prolongation of the outstanding Greek sovereign bonds by seven years.” That would surely be considered a credit default by ratings agencies, in which case the ECB could not accept Greek bonds as collateral, putting the squeeze on weak Greek banks that hold much of the nation’s debt.

An ING research note cited Bank of Greece figures that showed Greek banks have borrowed 86.8 billion euros ($127 billion) from the ECB as of the end of April. “For now there are few signs that the ECB is about to cave in,” Capital Economics economist Jonathan Loynes commented. He added however that “at some point, a major restructuring of Greece’s debts, and probably those of other peripheral economies, will be unavoidable-whether the ECB likes it or not.” “The European debt crisis is about preventing contagion” to countries like Spain and “an open dispute can be very unnerving” to financial markets, Schmieding said. —AFP

Leaner growth in strike-hit Greece New strikes in Greece as creditor pressure mounts ATHENS: New strikes hit debt-hit Greece yesterday and hopes for growth in its ailing economy were dashed as it came under increasing pressure from its international creditors to accelerate halting reforms. Employees at state companies earmarked for privatization staged a 24hour walkout supported by civil servants to reject a wave of fresh austerity cuts imposed after earlier wage and pension cuts came up short last year. A few hundred unionists from the postal service, state railways, the port of Piraeus and near-monopoly telecoms giant OTE demonstrated in Athens, chanting slogans against the country’s painful economic rescue under the EU, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank. “We say ‘no’ to selling out the country,” read one banner held aloft by dock workers.

Hopes for an rebound which would help ease the pain of the austerity medicine were hit meanwhile as first quarter growth figures were slashed to just 0.2 percent from the initial 0.8 percent, showing the economy slowing to a halt.

Worse still, after a series of sales tax hikes last year, inflation is still at 3.3 percentalthough in clear decline. Greece received a 110-billion-euro ($160 billion) bailout last year but with state debt having ballooned to some 350 billion euros and a deeper-than-expected recession lessening the impact of sharp spending cuts, a second bailout is considered unavoidable.

The EU and the IMF, which led last year’s rescue, have demanded proof of reforms in Athens before approving further aid. Prime Minister George Papandreou was to chair a cabinet meeting to finalize the details of a four-year economic recovery plan designed to economize more than 28 billion euros ($41 billion) by 2015. Time is running short as Greece has warned it will be unable to pay next month’s bills without a loan installment of 12 billion euros earmarked under the original EU-IMF rescue

ATHENS: State-employed port employees blow horns during a protest march against the Greek government’s austerity measures and privatization plans, in Athens yesterday. — AP package. The government hopes to push the reform package through parliament, where it holds a slim six-seat majority, by the end of June.

Ministers enlisted to brief the ruling party’s lawmakers on the package received a dressing-down on Tuesday, with many internal critics arguing that the recovery recipe mandated by Greece’s creditors is ill-thought. The plan was designed to help Athens regain access to borrowing markets but investors remain unconvinced and credit rates have risen instead of falling. Faced with opposition and resistance from unions, the government dawdled for more than three months on a 50-billioneuro privatization drive announced in February. The head of the Eurogroup of finance ministers, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, on Wednesday called for a “re-invigoration

of fiscal and broader structural reforms.

“We acknowledged the significant progress achieved so far by the Greek authorities, in particular as regards fiscal consolidation, although a reinvigoration of fiscal and broader structural reforms remains necessary,” Juncker said.

He was speaking after Greece’s main opposition leader Antonis Samaras, who is calling for a renegotiation of the country’s rescue deal, met senior EU officials in Brussels. “The adjustment of the Greek economy can only succeed when all relevant political parties subscribe to the objectives and main parameters of the program,” Juncker noted. Tens of thousands of Greeks have been gathering opposite parliament daily over the last two weeks to protest against the austerity policies which are seen to have pushed the economy into an even deeper hole. — AFP

Needy Belarus eyes $15 billion from potash sale MINSK: A Russian firm is close to winning control of Belarus’ state-owned potash producer for $15 billion, a report said yesterday, in an urgent cash injection after Minsk failed to repay an energy debt to Moscow. The Nafta Moskva firm of Russian magnate Suleyman Kerimov is seeking to buy a stake of 50 percent plus one share in Belaruskali for $15 billion, the Vedomosti business daily said.

Kerimov met Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on Wednesday and agreed the terms of the deal although it remains unclear if the transaction would be agreed owing to the murky political situation in Belarus, Vedomosti quoted sources as saying.

If agreed, the deal would create a global player to rival Potash Corp of Canada. Kerimov already co-owns

Russia’s Uralkali which last year bought its domestic rival Silvinit to create a global Russian potash giant. “If Belarus decides to put Belaruskali shares up for sale, then I do not exclude that Russian potash companies could take part in the dealing,” Russia’s ambassador to Minsk Alexander Surikov told reporters in Minsk.

Surikov declined to name any company but predicated that any negotiations could be completed in June. Lukashenko once stated that Belaruskali would never be put up for sale but as the economic crisis built this year, he softened his line, insisting any potential buyer would have to be prepared to pay the right price. “If they want it then let them buy it and if they don’t, then the price is not going down,” he said in January. Belaruskali is

indisputably the biggest economic asset in Belarus and the sale of a controlling stake would bring in a financial lifeline for the government. Past reports have also spoken of a Chinese interest in the firm. The importance of potash fertilizer has soared in recent years owing to mounting demand for food in the world, particularly China. Belaruskali accounts for 16 percent of global potash fertilizer exports. Belarus is battling an unprecedented economic crisis as its hard currency reserves run out and inflation soars, prompting consumers to hoard basic produce and scramble for dollars.

Economists blame the crisis on Belarus current account deficit, one of the widest in the world, which is under pressure from energy price hikes by Russia and the loose economic policies of the

Lukashenko government.

In the latest illustration of the cash squeeze, Russia sharply reduced its electricity supplies to Belarus because of unpaid bills amounting to tens of millions of dollars, a source said yesterday.

“Deliveries have been reduced to 200 megawatts,” a source close to Russia’s state electricity monopoly InterRao told AFP, saying that Russia usually supplied 400-500 megawatts to its neighbor.

Belarus owes 1.5 billion rubles (54 million dollars) to Russia in electricity debt, the source added, saying that if the payment failed to appear by June 19 then Russia would be obliged to cut all deliveries.

According to the Kommersant daily, Russian deliveries represent only 10 percent of the total electricity used by Belarus. —AFP

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Citi: Hackers access bank card data NEW YORK: Citigroup Inc said computer hackers breached the bank’s network and accessed the data of about 200,000 bank card holders in North America, the latest of a string of cyber attacks on high-profile companies. Citi said the names of customers, account numbers and contact information, including email addresses, were viewed in the breach, which the Financial Times said was discovered by the bank in early May. However, Citi said other information such as birth dates, social security numbers, card expiration dates and card security codes (CVV) were not compromised. “We are contacting customers whose information was impacted. Citi has implemented enhanced procedures to prevent a recurrence of this type of event,” Sean Kevelighan, a US-based spokesman, said by email. “For the security of these customers, we are not disclosing further details.” In the brief email statement, Citi did not say how the breach had occurred.

Another Citi spokesman, James Griffiths in Hong Kong, said the breach had affected 1 percent of North

American card customers, which the bank’s annual report says total 21 million. But like Japanese electronics and entertainment group Sony, which has declared several security breaches of its networks this year, Citi could come under fire for not telling customers sooner. “It may be the bank’s business, but it’s the consumer’s personal information so consumers deserve to be told about security breaches immediately,” said Dan Simpson, a spokesman for Australia’s Consumer Action Law Centre, an advocacy group. “It’s hard to see any reason why this sort of breach couldn’t have been disclosed much sooner.”

GROWING CONCERN Citigroup joins a growing list of companies that have suffered cyber attacks.

Data storage firm EMC Ltd this week offered to replace millions of electronic keys after hackers used data from its RSA security division to break into the network of arms supplier and information technology provider Lockheed Martin.

Sony has reported several attacks, including one in which hackers accessed the

personal information on 77 million PlayStation Network and Qriocity accounts.

Sony was criticized for a delay in telling account holders that their information had been stolen by hackers. Google Inc last week revealed a major attack on its Gmail accounts targeting, among others, senior US government officials that it said appeared to originate in China.

Washington has scrambled to assess if security had been compromised by the raid on Google’s Gmail system, reflecting increasing concerns among global policymakers about cyber security.

Citi said it had discovered the unauthorized access at Citi Account Online, an online banking service, through routine monitoring. “It’s definitely a serious security breach when that amount of data’s been stolen from a bank,” said Sydneybased Ty Miller, chief technology officer of Pure Hacking, a network security company. Citigroup global enterprise payments head Paul Galant, who previously ran the bank’s credit card unit, said in April that security breaches are a fact of life for financial institutions. “Security

Politicians bicker as US deficit worries mount China calls for US action on debt crisis

WASHINGTON: Warnings that the United States is playing chicken with a debt default came thick and fast Wednesday, but in Washington politicians appeared no closer to avoiding the unthinkable. As Fitch became the latest ratings agency to warn the US credit score could soon be downgraded, Republicans and Democrats continued to wrangle over a deal to avoid that fate.

As things stand, the US government will run out of room to spend more on August 2 unless Congress bumps up the borrowing limit beyond $14.29 trillion. But amid Washington’s poisoned political atmosphere, both parties are struggling to reach a deficit cutting deal-a key Republican demand for voting in favor of a debt limit increase. Yesterday, Vice President Joe Biden will visit Congress to

hold a fresh round of talks between lawmakers, one week after previous “frank” but inconclusive discussions. Republicans are demanding spending cuts in the trillions of dollars and no tax increases.

Democrats say they are open to cuts, as long as they do not hit healthcare for senior citizens, or other social spending, and are not so severe as to derail the recovery. As the two sides try to broach their differences, stakeholders from Wall Street to China appeared increasingly worried the political drama in Washington would imperil the already fragile economy. “The drama being played out in Congress over debt and spending has provided yet another source of uncertainty for the economy,” senior Federal Reserve policymaker Charles Plosser told a London audience on

ALEXANDRIA: President Barack Obama visits the Northern Virginia Community College Alexandria Campus’ Automotive Services classroom on Wednesday, June 8, 2011, in Alexandria, Va, to highlight the need to prepare the workforce to compete for manufacturing jobs across the country. — AP

Wednesday. “Progress in that arena would undoubtedly improve confidence going forward and reduce uncertainty.”

Fitch meanwhile warned that if the ceiling is not raised and the Treasury does not make timely payments, “the US sovereign rating will be placed on ‘rating watch negative.’” A downgrade would reflect a stronger likelihood of US default, sending the price of US borrowing sharply upward and worsening the country’s already dire fiscal position. It would also send shock waves through the financial world, which has long considered US debt a benchmark among safe-haven investments.

“The country is kind of like Thelma and Louise in that car, racing for the cliff,” said Democratic Senator Mark Warner, one of a parallel bipartisan group trying to ink a deficit reduction plan.

This was, he said, “the most predictable financial crisis we’ll ever face.” But with his group of six senators still struggling in their bid to reach a deal, Warner was left to simply assess the chance of default. “We all ought to be fired if this were to happen,” Warner said.

His Republican interlocutor, Saxby Chambliss, also shied away from specifics, saying he would not hazard a guess as to whether a deal would be reached, despite some optimism. “It is a very different atmosphere in Washington right now, from at any time in the 17 years since I have been here.”

Meanwhile, China, the top holder of US debt, urged Washington to put its fiscal house in order yesterday after a third ratings agency issued a warning over a possible US debt default. “I’d like point out that we hope the United States can adopt effective measures to improve its fiscal situation,” foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters. Ratings agency Fitch warned Wednesday that the United States could lose its sterling credit rating if it fails to raise its debt ceiling to avoid defaulting on loans.—Agencies

NEW YORK: The Citibank logo is shown on a branch office in this photo. Citigroup Inc said yesterday that hackers have accessed the credit card information of tens of thousands of its North American customers.

— AP breaches happen, they’re going to continue to happen ... the mission of the banking industry is to keep the customer base safe and customers feeling secure about their financial transactions and payments,” he told Reuters in an interview.— Reuters

Economy falters in several US regions WASHINGTON: For the first time this year, the economy has slowed in several US regions, burdened by high gas prices that have weakened consumer spending and crises in Japan that reduced manufacturing output. All 12 of the Federal Reserve’s bank regions grew this spring. But four regions endured slower growth in April and May compared with earlier this year, a Fed survey released Wednesday showed.

It was the weakest survey since fall, when two regions failed to grow at all. And it confirmed a slew of recent data that portray a national economy whose growth has faltered. Hiring has slowed, orders to factories have declined and home prices have fallen.

Still, many economists agree with comments Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke made Tuesday. Bernanke noted that the economy has weakened in recent weeks. But he suggested that the slowdown from high gas prices and Japan’s crises is temporary and that growth should pick up later this year.

“The report is consistent with the softening in consumption and production seen in recent data,” said Michael Gapen, senior US economist at Barclays Capital. “We believe that the main factors constraining activity - higher energy prices and supply-chain disruptions - will be transitory.” The Fed’s reports have generally brightened since it concluded that the economy slowed in all its districts in the fall of 2008, after the financial crisis erupted. By the spring of 2010, economic activity had accelerated in all 12 districts for the first time since the recession ended in June 2009.

Fears over Europe’s debt crisis contributed to downbeat reports last summer and fall. But by the end of last year, economic growth had picked up, and all 12 districts showed improvement. They continued to do so - until Wednesday’s report. Fed banks in New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Chicago said growth weakened in those regions. By contrast, the Fed regions in Boston, Cleveland, Richmond, St Louis, Minneapolis, Kansas City and San Francisco said growth there remained steady. The Dallas region was the only one to report accelerating growth.

That was mostly because of higher oil prices, which benefited its energy industry. The report, known as the “Beige Book,” is based on anecdotal information gathered by officials at the Fed regional banks.

It is released eight times a year and provides a more in-thetrenches review of the economy than government statistics do.

Wednesday’s report covered the roughly seven weeks between April 5 and May 27. Japan’s March 11 earthquake and tsunami disrupted auto production and sales. That helps explain why manufacturing output grew more slowly in five districts. Many factories in the United States owned by Japanese automakers, including Toyota and Honda, rely on Japanese suppliers for electronic components and other parts. They’ve had to cut output because of shortages of those supplies. Such production cuts, in turn, have reduced the flow of cars to dealers. —AP

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Builders flock to Makkah to tap into pilgrimage boom International hotel operators expanding

DUBAI: The Saudi holy city of Makkah is proving to be the exception to a Middle East property downturn, as more and more pilgrims flock to Islam’s holiest city and fuel a hotel construction boom. The more than 2.5 million pilgrims who flock to Makkah for the annual Haj pilgrimage, a duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it, are witnessing a transformation of the city’s skyline with luxury hotels, high-rise residential blocks and cranes now overlooking the Grand Mosque. “Makkah has now come of age,” said Shuja Zaidi, vice president of projects and general manager for Makkah Hilton & Towers in Saudi Arabia.

A forest of high-rise buildings just next to the Grand Mosque is emerging, built by Saudi developer Jabal Omar and costing more than $5.5 billion, where Hilton and others will open 26 new hotels and add 13,000 more rooms. “But there’s no doubt

that these rooms will also be fully occupied,” said Zaidi. “The simple growth of the Muslim population more than justifies the expansion.” A total of more than 6 million pilgrims enter Saudi for Haj and Umrah pilgrimages each year. The expected spending spree by the government and developers in Makkah and the second holy city of Medina is valued at some $120 billion over the next decade and at the present there are $20 billion of projects underway in Makkah alone, according to Banque Saudi Fransi.

Marriott International Inc and Hyatt International have also announced plans to manage and operate hotels built by Jabal Omar.

That is expected to boost Makkah’s ability to accommodate pilgrims by at least 50 percent over the next decade. Bringing more Muslims to the holy city for salvation, according to the writs of Islam, is something Saudi Arabia sees as its duty and the

European shares down for 7th day

LONDON: European shares fell for a seventh straight day yesterday in a choppy session, with retailers under pressure on a grim consumer spending outlook and banks falling ahead of the European Central Bank’s monthly rate-setting decision. At 1100 GMT the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares was down 0.1 percent at 1,092.91 points after moving in and out of positive territory. The index is down 2.6 percent so far this year. Retailers featured among the top fallers, with the Stoxx 600 Europe retail sector index down 0.7 percent and Home Retail, Britain’s biggest household goods retailer, slipping 12 percent after saying cash-strapped shoppers had cut back on purchases, raising fears of another downturn in spending. Investors traded cautiously ahead of a meeting of the ECB, which is expected to flag a July interest rate rise after lifting its main refinancing rate to 1.25 percent from 1.0 percent in April, its first tightening in two years. ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet is expected to say the bank will exercise “strong vigilance” over price pressures, using a phrase that in the past signaled a hike was a month away. He used that code in March to flag April’s rate rise. “I think the ECB will stick to its policy normalization approach and will revise higher the growth and inflation outlook, which will also be a justification for a rate hike,” said Klaus Wiener, chief economist at Generali Investments, which manages 330 billion euros ($482 billion).

“But if they think that current conditions do not warrant a rate hike it would be a negative signal for the market. It would show that concerns within the ECB are so deep that it would bring them away from the policy normalisation path they have chosen.” Meanwhile the Bank of England kept its interest rates at a record low as signs of economic weakness at home and abroad appeared to outweigh any concerns the bank’s monetary policymakers might have about inflation.

FINANCIALS DOWN Banks were under pressure, with the STOXX Europe 600 banking index falling 0.8 percent with Bank of Ireland down 2.8 percent and Commerzbank down 2.3 percent. Across Europe, Britain’s FTSE 100 was flat, Germany’s DAX rose 0.1 percent and France’s CAC 40 fell 0.1 percent. Greek shares fell 0.2 percent. The euro zone edged closer to a compromise on a second Greek bailout package under which private creditors would be asked to swap their sovereign debt holdings for bonds with longer maturities. Greece sealed a 110 billion euro aid-forausterity deal a year ago but has failed to restore confidence in its finances and a new package is in the works which could total 80-100 billion euros to cover Athens’ funding needs through 2014.

Chartists said the Euro STOXX 50, the euro zone’s blue-chip index, was approaching “oversold territory”, with the Relative Strength Index at 35.6. A level of 30 or below is considered oversold. The index was down 0.1 percent at 2,748.5, and technical analysts said 2,717 would provide support, while resistance would be at the 12-month positive trend line at 2,790. “The market looks oversold but turbulence might not be over yet. It’s too early to change our negative view,” said Valerie Gastaldy, technical analyst at Day By Day.—Reuters

kingdom has been behind the drive to develop and expand the city, despite grumblings by detractors.

“This is an absolute contradiction to the nature of Makkah and the sacredness of the House of God,” Sami Angawi, an expert on Makkah and Medina based in Jeddah. “Both (Makkah and Medina) are historically almost finished. You cannot go around a central area, and you do not find anything except skyscrapers.” The world’s largest clock tower, in the style of Big Ben, now towers over a high-rise hotel facing the Kaaba, the ancient Makkah shrine that Muslims around the world face when they pray.

PRICES SOAR Makkah has traditionally offered non-serviced accommodation for pilgrims, such as small rooms with basic facilities for washing and resting. They were seen as short-term, temporary residents, some even staying in private homes in Makkah

for a small charge. But all this has changed over the last few years with big, international and regional hospitality groups moving into Makkah.

Branded luxury hotels with 24-hour service from a team of male staff is now commonplace for tourists and pilgrims. The rooms are utilitybased, with bath tubs replaced with showers and facilities for ritual ablution. Commercial space close to the Grand Mosque can sell for as much as $100,000 per square meter, property experts claim, making it one of the most expensive, if not most expensive, in the world.

By comparison, the most expensive street in the world, reputed to be an avenue in Monaco, is estimated at around $180,000 per square foot. Dubai developers Emaar Properties and Damac Properties as well as construction firm’s Arabtec and Drake and Scull are also anxious to get into the Saudi market.

Those companies, along with rivals

from Qatar, Kuwait and Egypt are betting that success in Makkah could give them an edge in penetrating the broader Saudi market, which is seeing a severe housing shortage due to the kingdom’s booming population.

Banque Saudi Fransi estimates private and public developers need to build about 275,000 homes per year though 2015 to meet the country’s demands for about 1.65 million new homes. “Our biggest backlog of about 50 percent, which comes to 7.5 billion dirhams ($2 billion), is in Saudi Arabia,” said Zeina Tabari, chief corporate affairs officer at Drake. “We are tendering for a lot of projects in Jabal Omar and around the Makkah area. We expect a tremendous upside in Saudi Arabia.”

Later this month, the Saudi government is hosting a gathering of officials, developers and builders at a ‘Future Makkah’ summit on the city’s breakneck expansion. —Reuters

Oil gains; Supply concerns mount US inventory report shows big drawdown

LONDON: Oil prices rose yesterday, bolstered by concerns about supplies as investors assessed the impact of OPEC’s failure to agree a rise in output targets. Crude oil prices are at levels governments around the world fear is hurting demand and threatening economic recovery. Talks by oil ministers of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries broke down in acrimony on Wednesday but Saudi Arabia pledged unilaterally to ensure plentiful supplies, helping cap gains in oil. “The non-outcome reinforces the floor under oil prices and leaves the output gap in place, but there is clear evidence of a slowdown in the global economy keeping demand in check,” Harry Tchilinguirian, oil analyst at BNP Paribas said.

He noted the breakdown in talks didn’t move prices more because the fundamental supply situation remained unchanged, and individual countries would step in to meet demand as necessary. US crude for July delivery rose 33 cents to $101.07 by 0955 GMT. Brent crude fell 6 cents to $117.79 a barrel.

Lawrence Eagles at JPMorgan said in a report the bank retains its view that oil will reach $130 a barrel by 2011, “but arguably we now not only have to watch Saudi Arabian comments closely, but also those of the International Energy Agency.” The Paris-based IEA, the industrialized nations’ energy watchdog, said it stood ready to release oil stocks if Saudi Arabia could not fulfill all of the world’s oil needs.

US PRESSURE The United States, the world’s top

SHANGHAI: An investor reacts as she looks at the stock price monitor at a private securities company yesterday in Shanghai, China. —AP oil consumer, had put pressure on Saudi Arabia to deliver a credible deal to cap crude prices and underpin faltering economic growth. US President Barack Obama was keeping open the option of using strategic oil reserves to cover any supply gap in the world’s largest economy, but no decision had been made, a White House spokesman said. Dollar weakness also supported crude, as the euro gained on anticipation of hawkish comments from the European Central Bank after a rate decision due later in the session. A lower dollar lifts crude prices as it makes it more attractive to holders of other currencies. US inventory data on Wednesday provided a mixed

picture for the market with gasoline stocks up more-than-expected but domestic crude stocks tumbled 4.8 million barrels.

This surpassed analysts’ expectations for a 300,000 barrel decline. “The resulting tightening in oil stocks is something that we believe can be maintained, and causes us to continue to favour the long side of the market in the near term,” Tom Pawlicki of MF Global in Chicago said. Oil prices have rallied since the start of the year on the loss of Libyan oil production because of a civil war, and were approaching 2008 peaks before falling by more than 10 percent in early last month. They have traded in a narrow range since then. —Reuters

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Dubai eyes bond market return Gulf Arab emirate crawling out of massive debt pile

DUBAI: Dubai, buoyed by the success of airline Emirates’ oversubscribed bond last week, plans to come to the market itself for the second time since September, with a potential benchmark dollar bond, leads said yesterday. The Gulf Arab emirate, which is digging itself out of a massive debt pile after its 2009 crisis, has mandated three banks for the issue.

Dubai’s department of finance

appointed UBS, Royal Bank of Scotland and Emirates NBD for the issue which will be used for general budgetary purposes, according to leads. The emirate last came to the bond market in September when it issued a dual-tranche $1.25 billion bond. That issue was four times oversubscribed and reflected increased global investor demand for higher yields among investors. Appetite for Dubai debt has been rising in recent

Japan economy contracts

TOKYO: Japan’s economy contracted slightly less than first estimated in the January-March period, data showed yesterday, after the impact of a devastating earthquake and tsunami pushed it into recession. Japan revised upward its first-quarter GDP reading to an annualized 3.5 percent contraction from an estimated 3.7 percent shrinkage, but the change was smaller than economist forecasts of minus 3.0 percent. On a quarterly basis the reading was unchanged. Gross domestic product fell 0.9 percent in the first quarter compared with the previous three months, marking the second consecutive quarter of contraction, which economists define as a technical recession.

“The overall picture that private consumption and corporate capital spending dropped due to supply disruption and deterioration in consumer sentiment following the quake remains unchanged,” a Cabinet office official said. Before the disaster, analysts had predicted that the nation’s economy would return to growth in the first quarter on rising overseas demand, after sliding an annualized 2.9 percent in the October-December period. Instead, Japan’s biggest recorded earthquake and a tsunami, which left nearly 24,000 dead or missing, and a subsequent nuclear crisis forced the economy into its sharpest contraction since a record 18.0 percent tumble in January-March 2009.

In the aftermath of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake, industrial output saw its biggest ever fall and spending plunged as consumer and business confidence took a heavy hit. Private consumption, which accounts for nearly two-thirds of the economy, was down 0.6 percent in the quarter. Japan adopted a mentality of self-restraint in the aftermath of the disaster, which is slowly easing. Many of Japan’s biggest companies saw profits tumble in the quarter and delayed forecasts due to the scale of the disaster’s impact on production and sales.

The likes of Sony and Toyota were forced to halt production.

Many component manufacturers are based in the worst-hit regions of Japan, their facilities damaged by the earthquake or inundated by the giant wave that followed. Fears of an electricity supply-demand imbalance going into the summer months have eased slightly as the government imposes a 15 percent reduction of energy use on companies, but the situation remains volatile, analysts warn. On Wednesday the International Monetary Fund said it cut its growth forecast for Japan in 2011 to minus 0.7 percent from the plus 1.4 percent it had predicted in April.

Many analysts see the downturn continuing in April-June, as the effects of nationwide supply chain problems in the wake of the quake continue to disrupt production and the threat of power supply disruption prevails. The latest data will help boost expectations that the Bank of Japan will keep its loose monetary policy intact for the time being, say analysts. However, bodies such as the IMF say the economy should start to grow again in the second half as initial earthquake-related disruption is overcome and reconstruction spending starts to boost the official figures.

After enacting a 4 trillion yen ($50 billion) disaster budget last month, the government has said it will consider compiling an extra second budget in July. Analysts warn that funding the rebuild cost will further pressure a public debt that at around 200 percent of GDP is the industrialized world’s largest. On a brighter note, Japanese consumer confidence rose in May from the previous month for the first time in four months after a post-quake slump. —AFP

months, with the emirate seen as a safe haven amid the political instability engulfing the wider region.

The United Arab Emirates and Qatar are the only two states in the Arab region not hit by the waves of protests inspired by uprisings that toppled Egypt’s and Tunisia’s leaders. Dubai’s debt insurance costs fell back to levels last seen before its 2009 debt crisis after a successful bond from state-owned carrier

Emirates last week. Dubai’s five-year credit default swaps were at 321 basis points on Thursday, down 2 basis points from Monday, according to Markit data. They soared to above 600 basis points in November 2009 when state-owned flagship firm Dubai World shocked markets with plans to delay repaying $26 billion of debt. The conglomerate reached a $25 billion debt restructuring deal in September. —Reuters

Bangladesh’s teenagers drive outsourcing growth DHAKA: Like many teenagers, Abdullah Al Zahid spends most of his time holed up in his bedroom in his family’s modest Dhaka apartment glued to his computer. But Zahid, 16, is not checking Facebook or chatting to friends-he’s working as a freelance web developer, part of a new wave of young, tech-savvy Bangladeshis who are transforming their country’s nascent outsourcing sector. “There is so much demand for outsourcing, I am struggling to cope. I have to turn down many, many job offers,” said Zahid, who earns around $1,000 a month from several outsourcing contracts and is his family’s main breadwinner. “Many of my friends are interested in this work. I hope to set up my own office one day and hire other people like me to do more outsourcing,” said Zahid, who is still at school and wants to go on to university.

The Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) estimates there are some 15,000 freelancers like Zahid in Bangladesh doing outsourced work for technology companies from across the globe. The country also has some 500 registered IT outsourcing companies which collectively employ an additional 20,000 workers. Compared to neighboring India, which accounts for around 55 percent of the $3.4 trillion global market and employs 2.54 million people directly in the sector, Bangladesh is an outsourcing minnow.

But as outsourcing costs rise in other countries like India, China and the Philippines, impoverished Bangladesh, currently better known for cheap garment exports for top Western brands, may be able to cash in. “New companies are approaching with new orders now and that’s what we need to boost the industry as global IT spending is expected to rise over the next few years,” BASIS president Mahboob Zaman said. “We are just getting entry into the global industry but we have real potential,” he said, adding that Bangladesh’s low cost labor pool was a key competitive advantage. The average wage of an outsourced IT sector employee is around $8 per hour in Bangladesh compared to $20 per hour in India and $10 to $15 an hour in the Philippines.

Moreover, Bangladesh has one of the largest and youngest populations in Asia, with 150 million people of whom some 65 percent are under 25, Zaman said. Last December, leading technology research company Gartner ranked Bangladesh for the

DHAKA: Bangladeshi programmers work in a software firm in Dhaka. —AFP first time in its annual list as one of its top 30 countries for IT services outsourcing in 2010 thanks to its low costs and huge labor pool.

Bangladesh began developing an outsourcing sector in 2004 and it is now worth around $120 million. The country exported some $36 million worth of IT services last year, according to BASIS figures.

The government has declared developing the IT outsourcing industry to be a key priority, which fits with their ongoing campaign to create a “Digital Bangladesh” by 2020. But there are major challenges which must be addressed before the industry can flourish: Gartner gave Bangladesh a “poor” rating in three vital areas-infrastructure, language skills and data, and intellectual property security.

Poor infrastructure, including frequent power crises and slow and unreliable Internet connections are the most immediate problems for Ahmadul Hoq, president of the Bangladesh Association of Call Centre and Outsourcing (BACCO).

“We have told the government that we need an uninterrupted power supply and a second connection with high bandwidth,” Hoq said, adding that progress on these issues was slow. Bangladesh’s businesses have long suffered from an acute power crisis, as plants generate only around 5,000 megawatts of electricity a day, but demand is over 6,000 megawatts and growing at a rate of 500 megawatts a year. The country has only one submarine Internet cable and des-

perately needs a second line to prevent frequent disruptions, Hoq said.

“We are connected to submarine cable network SEA-ME-WE-4, which provides an Internet bandwidth of 24 gigabytes, but more speed needed and an alternative connection is essential to woo overseas clients,” Hoq said.

The government should also set up IT software parks in the capital Dhaka and at universities across the country to attract more graduates to the sector and ensure the right skills training is available, Hoq said. For BASIS president Zaman, Bangladesh should aim for its outsourcing service industry to export $500 million worth of services by 2014, a goal he said was within reach. “Two decades ago, many people could not imagine Bangladesh’s garment industry would become the country’s highest export earner-but it did.

I believe the outsourcing industry has the same potential,” Zaman said. Bangladesh’s garment industry accounts for 80 percent of the country’s $16-billion-plus of export earnings and employs over three million workers, mostly women. The country’s biggest advantage in terms of outsourcing, Zaman said, is its people-particularly the younger tech-savvy generation who are already helping the sector to take off without any government support. “Young men like Zahid (the freelance web developer) adapt to new technologies quickly and it is going to be them who will drive the outsourcing industry forward,” he said. —AFP

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All eyes on US Labor Department On-again, off-again economy could last for years

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providing continued spark, said Meyer, now vice chairman of Macroeconomic Advisers. For Meyer and other economists, the next important signposts will be Friday’s jobs report, then the next report on durable goods - big-ticket items such as refrigerators and data on international trade. Imports, primarily higher priced crude oil, offset the gains made by US exports and have lowered the US growth rate.

Some causes of the slowdown are clear. They include high energy prices that have more than sucked away any benefit from this year’s payroll tax holiday. Soaring pump prices have eaten into consumer spending, and consumption drives more than two-thirds of economic activity. The continued slide in home prices is also limiting people’s mobility and dampening their appetite to consume as they see the value of their most important asset continue to drop.

“We’ve got to be careful about hoping this is going to be a consumer-led economy as in the past,” warned Michael Hanson, an economist with Bank of America Merrill Lynch in New York. Consumers also have less access to credit than in the past, and they cannot count on their homes to create wealth for them as they did in recent years, he said.

The hard fact may be that the US economy is going to grow in fits and starts for several years, said Vincent Reinhart, the former top economist on the Fed’s rate-setting Open Market Committee. “Economies grow more slowly after a financial crisis. The unemployment rate stays persistently high, and house prices tend to keep declining well into an (economic) expansion,” he said. “We’re pretty much following that path.”

Together with his wife, Carmen MADRID: Protesters chat at the Puerta del Sol square in central Madrid during a protest to decry mainstream political parties, soar- Reinhart, a prominent economist, the former Fed official published research ing unemployment, corruption and welfare cuts. — AFP last summer that showed that the US, slowdown may be growing worse. like the US and almost every place you despite its status as the world’s leading cement expectations of the future.

The past two monthly jobs reports “There’s a certain trepidation right now look around the world has slowed, so economy, is following the script of other showed robust hiring, but ADP National that there wasn’t a month ago,” said there is a more fundamental loss of nations that suffered through a severe Employment Report, which measures Steven Ricchiuto, chief economist for momentum, not only in the US, but all financial crisis. “We also tend to react so that ‘it’ never happens again. So we private-sector payrolls, pointed to a Mizuho Securities USA Inc. “A month around the world.”

Although the Fed cannot lower rates require banks to hold more capital, we sharp downturn in hiring. That’s but the ago, people thought the end of QE2 (the latest disquieting note in a quickly Fed’s bond-purchase program) would further, he said, it could signal to mar- put in more regulation and we raise the developing trend; all kinds of other eco- be no issue. People are a little bit more kets that rates won’t rise for a longer cost of doing business,” he said. “We nomic indicators are also pointing to a worried that this is a repeat of last year, period than now expected. That would accumulate a lot of debt during the crislowdown. This week alone data on and to be honest with you, it is a very create an expectation of cheap borrow- sis, and that slows economic recovery.”

Indeed the gross national debt, now manufacturing, car sales, home prices difficult question to ascertain at this ing costs over a longer horizon and help boost long-term investments. at its ceiling of $14.3 trillion, factors and unemployment claims all pointed to juncture.”

Last year, the economy hit a soft spot Additionally, although the Fed this squarely into the question of whether a weakening economy. But how weak, and for how long? Forecasters aren’t in spring, and the Federal Reserve month will hit the zenith of its bond pur- this is a soft patch for the economy or stepped in with an aggressive plan to chases, that’s precisely when the pro- begins a slide back into recession. If sure.

On top of that, Washington is unlikely purchase $600 billion in Treasury bonds, gram’s supposed to have its biggest steep immediate cuts in federal spendto do anything more to spur the econo- a move credited with sparking life into spark for the economy. It will serve as a ing accompany the expected rise in the my. There’s little appetite in Congress for financial markets but also blamed for tailwind against the headwind factors debt ceiling later this summer, that more government spending; in fact, all driving up the price of crude oil and a that are slowing growth. “Stimulus is could further weigh down a slowing the momentum there is toward cutting range of agricultural commodities. Fed measured not by the rate of (bond) pur- economy. It all points to a long slog still spending in the name of debt reduction. Chairman Ben Bernanke suggested in a chases, but by the level of assets on the ahead. “People got sucked into belief In addition, at the end of this month, the rare April news conference that the bar Fed’s balance sheet,” Meyer noted, say- that one quarter is a trend. The economy Federal Reserve will end its unprece- would be awfully high for another round ing the purchases should be akin to cut- is doing the best it can given underlying dented $600 billion purchase of govern- of bond purchases, and some analysts ting rates, already at zero, by another conditions,” said Ricchiuto of Mizuho Securities. “I’m not sure policymakers ment bonds. It was intended to lower fear that the Fed may be out of bullets. half a percentage point.

In addition, even though the Fed is can jumpstart the economy ... it’s the bond interest rates and thus stimulate After all, its benchmark interest rate has financial markets by spurring investors been effectively at zero since late 2008, halting its purchases, it continues to post-crisis workout period. There’s a lot reinvest its earnings from the holdings, of uncertainty.” — MCT out of safe bond havens and into more so cutting rates further isn’t an option. hen the federal government releases its closely watched May jobs report, it’s likely to raise more concerns that the US economic recovery is losing steam. What’s not clear is whether this signals a temporary slowdown or something more ominous. All eyes will be on the Labor Department. Its monthly employment reports are economic indicators that point backward, but they also help

risk taking, such as stocks. Ending the Fed’s program removes that stimulus.

All this has led forecasters to lower their projections for near-term economic growth. Macroeconomic Advisers dialed back its 3.5 percent growth projection for the second quarter of 2011, dropping it to 2.7 percent, then another notch down to 2.6 percent. Few economists predict a return to recession, yet many are increasingly concerned that the

Laurence Meyer, a former vice chairman of the Fed, doesn’t think the central bank is out of bullets, but he acknowledges that the economy is in a rough spot. “It’s complicated because we can identify temporary factors that slowed the growth in the first quarter quite a bit.

The supply chain effects (from Japan’s natural disaster) clearly seem to have slowed second-quarter growth,” Meyer said in an interview. “But it does seem

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Gulf becomes fault line for Sunni-Shiite tensions War of words grow sharper, increasing risk of becoming a real conflict

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eing a Saudi football fan is no fun these days. The reason has little to do with the players’ sportsmanship, but with the abuses fans have been forced to put up with in recent matches in Iran. “Death to Saudi Arabia,” shouted the Iranian fans during a game between the Iranian club of Piroozi and the Saudi club of Al-Ittihad May 3, as they tried to burn a Saudi flag.

On both sides of the Gulf - a body of water whose name is even a source of contention with a debate on whether it should be the Persian or Arab Gulf - tensions have risen both in the corridors of power and on the street.

But rather than being defined as a struggle over national interests, both sides are determined to cast in religious terms - another chapter in a thousand-year-old contest between the Sunni and Shiite branches of Islam. And, unlike in the past, both sides are ready to talk about it openly, thereby fanning the flames.

“Arab Gulf countries have been concerned about Iran’s hegemonic plans for some time, but as a result of the Bahrain situation some of that fear has come to the fore in openly hostile rhetoric,” Salman Sheikh, director of the Brookings Doha Center, a Qatar-based think tank, told The Media Line.

The war of words in the Gulf is filled with risk for the West. The region contains the world’s biggest reserves of oil and Iran is believed by the US and Europe to be developing nuclear weapons to enhance its power.

The US has troops in Iraq and the US Navy Fifth Fleet is based in Bahrain. The issue that enraged the Iranian fans was Bahrain, a tiny island kingdom situated just off the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia - a potential tinderbox where Sunni and Shiites live side by side in a country adjacent to some of the world’s biggest oil fields.

With an estimated 70 percent Shiite majority, but ruled by the Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty, unrest erupted in the kingdom in February.

The protestors demand political reforms and an end to discrimination, but in the eyes of the government and Sunni minority the rioters quickly revealed their sectarian nature.

Blaming Iran for sparking the unrest, King Hamed Al-Khalifa, summoned Saudi and United Arab Emirates forces to quell the uprising in March, enraging Shiite Iran and failing to end the sectarian dispute. Dialogue between government and opposition broke down, and on May 17 seven Shiite parliament members from the Al-Wefaq party tendered their resignation, joining eleven Shiite colleagues who left parliament in March. But the violence on the Iranian football court only expressed what many Gulf Arabs regard as Iran’s deep-seeded animosity to Arab culture.

And now Arabs across the Gulf are starting to fight back.

Sectarian tensions have even spilled over into places like Kuwait, which traditionally enjoyed good inter-communal relations.

Three Kuwaiti Sunni Islamist lawmakers petitioned last month to question Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabah, barely two weeks into the tenure of his new government. A local version of a non-confidence vote, the question was titled “the damage caused to Kuwait’s national security as a result of his government’s foreign policy alignment with

Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi (left) walks with his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Mohammad Al-Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah at the 16th Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, May 25, 2011. —AP the Iranian regime”.

The move followed a visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi to Kuwait on May 18. Salehi was trying to calm Kuwaitis after an alleged Iranian spy chain was exposed in Kuwait. Two Iranians and a Kuwaiti were sentenced to death for forming the cell, reportedly associated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. Senior Iranian diplomats, including the ambassador, were banished from Kuwait.

“Loyalty to Arab land ... is the common denominator defining the identity of the Gulf Arab, in spite of those who do not call it ‘the Arab Gulf’,” wrote Abd Al-Latif Al-Atiqi in an editorial in the Kuwaiti daily Al-Qabs on May 23, referring to the age-old dispute between Iran and the Arab world on the correct name for ‘the Gulf’. “I have lived in Iran for 40 days and I speak some Persian. When watching a play in Teheran I witnessed all too well their deep hatred for everything Arab. I will not forget it my entire life,” Al-Atiqi wrote.

Sheikh warned that the failure to politically resolve the social unrest in Bahrain could lead to an open confrontation between Iran and Arab Gulf states. “I’m worried that if the situation isn’t handled carefully, it could spin out

of control,” Sheikh said, adding that even military confrontation could be imminent - stimulated by a host of unresolved political issues.

Among those are a territorial dispute between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iran over the tiny Gulf Islands of Abu-Mousa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb, which were allegedly illegally occupied by Iran in November 1971.

The political body spearheading the fight against what it dubs “Iranian expansionism” is the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Established in 1981 by six Gulf countries: Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia. Qatar, UAE and Oman, the GCC set out to contain the increasing Iranian influence in the Arab Gulf both economically and militarily. The Peninsula Shield Force, led by Saudi Arabia and deployed in Bahrain in March to quash Shiiteled anti government protests, was the GCC’s first tour de force in years.

GCC foreign ministers, traditionally cautious about arousing the Arab-Iranian tension, have broken their silence on Iran in recent months. In early March they condemned Iran’s “blatant” interference in Kuwait’s affairs after the spy chain was revealed. In April, the GCC condemned Iran again, saying the

Iranian actions “aimed at destabilizing national security and spreading division and sectarian strife in GCC countries.”

Abdullah Al-Shayji, head of the political science department at Kuwait University, says Kuwaitis were growing increasingly wary of Iranian ambitions in the Gulf. “We are in the midst of a cold war with Iran,” he says. “There is widespread belief among many Kuwaitis that Iran is causing a lot of mischief in the area,” Al-Shayji told The Media Line. “It has supported the Syrian regime in its repression of its own people, as well as many non-state actors.”

Al-Shayji noted that the GCC foreign ministers have met four times recently to discuss Iran, using harsher language than ever before.

But he says the cold war with Iran was unlikely to deteriorate into a full-fledged military conflict. “The Iranians are smart, they won’t directly fight but rather continue to use their proxies in the region,” Al-Shayji says.

However, the Arab Gulf is investing a whopping $120 billion in military purchases, including advanced fighter planes and anti-missile defence systems over the coming years, indicating that military engagement with Iran is a very real scenario. —Media Line

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011 www.kuwaittimes.net

Actress Alyson Michalka attends the Premiere of Paramount Pictures' "Super 8" at the Regency Village Theater on June 8, 2011 in Los Angeles, California— AFP

Te c h n o c o g y FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Search out the best search engines T

he major search engines still don’t do a great job of searching the vast stores of information on today’s social networking sites.

Google, Bing, and Yahoo! can find a lot of things on the Internet, but they can’t find everything. When you need to find specialized resources online, it’s best to turn to specialized search engines - ones that are designed to hone in on certain types of documents, files, or information and retrieve them with the least amount of hassle. Here are a few.

Sounds The Internet is filled with both words and sounds, but finding the sounds is not so easy - unless you use FindSounds.com (http://www.findsounds.com). With this unique search tool, you can find everything from the sound of a crowded street corner to the sound of one hand clapping. You can play most of the sounds directly from the search results page, but you can also download sounds, e-mail them, tweet them, or find similar sounds with one click. FindSounds is international, too, coming in flavors for seven languages.

Movies There’s movie information scattered all over the Internet. But if you’re a movie lover, you’ll probably find more of what you want in the warehouse of movie information known as the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), at http://www.imdb.com. IMDb houses the usual fare of actor biographies, movie synopses, and reviews. But it also gives movie fans their fill of news, videos, trailers, and upcoming attractions. As if that weren’t enough, visitors can keep each other company on the site’s message boards, where thousands of visitors discuss every imaginable topic related to films.

Freeware The Internet is all about downloadable software, but finding it is an exercise in frustration if what you’re after is software that’s free, with no strings attached. SourceForge.net (http://sourceforge.net) should be your first stop if you’re looking for open-source software, which by definition is free and usually of good quality. Other freeware you’ll find through repositories such as TotallyFreeWare.org (http://www.totallyfreeware.org) and NoNags (http://www.nonags.com).

News The big three search engines Google, Bing, and Yahoo - now each include a “news” link right on their main page to make finding news items relatively easy. But there’s still a place for search engines specializing in retrieving news and only news.

Among them, NewsLink (http://newslink.org) is one of the best.

NewsLink not only defaults to searching news when you type a search query. It also provides handy links to major newspapers and news outlets throughout most of the world.

Handy categories include radio/tv news, magazines, breaking news, and news broken down into typical categories such as “business.”

Images The major search engines are now a great way to find images tucked away online. Just click the “image” link on Google, Yahoo!, or Bing to browse to your heart’s content. If you need more, though, add Picsearch (http://www.picsearch.com), exalead (http://www.exalead.com/search/ima ge), and Pixsy (http://www.pixsy.com) to your bookmark list.

Social networks The major search engines still don’t

do a great job of searching the vast stores of information on today’s social networking sites. But 48ers (http://www.48ers.com) does. Social networking sites - everything from Twitter to the myriad forums on every topic imaginable - have transformed the web in many ways, not least because they provide a flow of information that is constantly updated.

48ers’ “real time search” focuses on those sites where information is continually updated. Type a search term, and you’ll get not just some stored or

cached data that may be months old but rather the latest mentions of whatever you searched for. Add these sites to your bookmarks list, and you’ll go well beyond what you can find in Google, Yahoo!, and Bing. You probably won’t use them every day, but when you need them, they’ll be indispensible. — dpa

Microsoft offers peek at new Windows

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icrosoft has offered the public a first peek at its next generation Windows operating system. The software platform features a new user interface that’s designed to work with touch gestures as well as a traditional mouse and keyboard and allow Microsoft to compete with Apple’s wildly successful iPad. Inspired by the Windows Phone operating system introduced last year, the new OS is designed to work on tablet computers as well as desktops and laptops. It features tiles on its home screen that allow the user to navigate to different activity hubs, but users will still be able to convert to the more traditional desktop and start button that has been a feature of Windows since 1995.

“Although the new user interface is designed and optimized for touch, it works equally well with a mouse and keyboard,” Windows developer Julie Larson-Green said on a company blog. “Our approach means no compromises you get to use whatever kind of device you prefer, with peripherals you choose, to run the apps you love. This is sure to inspire a new generation of hardware and software development, improving the experience for PC users around the world.”

Microsoft executive Steve Sinofsky took the wraps off the new program Wednesday night at the D9 technology conference in southern California.

He did not give release dates for the new OS or offer much technical detail.

Despite the new look Sinofsky said Windows 8 would be backward compatible with the current version of Windows. “Every program, everything that runs on Windows 7, every device that you can plug into that, will just run (on Windows 8),” he said. Sinofsky added that Microsoft would work to integrate the recently purchased Skype online communications platform into the new Windows. — dpa

Relationship FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Anything for the family

Grandparents sacrifice to shore up children’s finances

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ike Hennessy crouched behind a large beach ball to deflect a deluge of rubber balls delivered by his 5-year-old grandson, Braeden.

Playing daily rounds of a made-up game his grandson named “Dude Brother Russell” wasn’t how Hennessy, 58, imagined spending his retirement days. But when his daughter didn’t have thousands of dollars to pay for day care, Mike and his wife, Joan, willingly stepped in.

Grandparents helping their children and grandchildren is nothing new; that’s what family is for. But the extent of the support - whether it’s providing a place to live, caring for young grandkids, covering back-to-school shopping or paying college tuition - has increased with the fragile economy.

At the height of the Great Recession, nearly two-thirds of America’s grandparents were providing an estimated $370 billion in financial support to their grandkids over the previous five years, according to a survey by the MetLife Mature Market Institute. That averages out to $8,661 per grandparent household.

“Grandparents are filling the gaps,” said Amy Goyer, a grandparents expert with the AARP. “They’re paying for the school trips, the sports, the costs of extracurricular activities.”

But can they afford it? An increasing number of both baby boomers nearing retirement and current retirees find themselves in precarious financial situations. With the winding down of traditional pensions, people are more reliant on their own retirement savings to pay the bills. But many have failed to save enough. The median balance of retirement accounts for 55- to 64-year-olds is about $100,000, which would buy a retiree an annuity that pays $4,500 a year, calculates Anthony Webb, an economist with the Center for Retirement Research in Boston.

Consider declining home values, higher debt levels among seniors and rising medical costs, and “a lot of people are going to face the prospect of a very significant drop in their standard of living at retirement,” Webb said. According to the MetLife survey, two in five reported providing “general support,” a catch-all category that includes expenses such as purchasing a computer, taking a family vacation or stocking a young adult’s fridge. One in four assisted with educational expenses, while one in five contributed to a major life event such as buying a house or getting married.

The dollar amount doesn’t include money given to support adult children, an amount that trickles down to grandkids. This implies that grandparents are spending even more than the $370 billion figure suggests. A quarter of 1,077 grandparents surveyed said they were providing more financial assistance to their grandchildren than they had previously because of the tough economy.

Patrick Hagan, a Golden Valley, Minn.based certified financial planner with Ameriprise Financial, has listened as his aging clients wrestle with the desire to

help their children, even if they can’t afford to do so. Hagan said it’s a common refrain: ‘If my kids are having a hard time making their house payment and they could lose their house, we’d rather help them now.’ “ Convincing grandparents that they can’t afford to tap their nest egg to help

their own retirement before giving away too much money to their adult children and grandchildren, because it will come back to bite the family eventually,” she said. Timmerman is referring to a fear of most retirees - running out of money.

One estimate of the cost of health care in retirement is close to a quarter million

Mike Hennessy plays with his grandson, Braeden, at home in Plymouth, Minnesota.

Thoughts of traveling to dream destinations during retirement have shifted to reality of caring for his grandson while Hennesy’s daughter is at work. — MCT is “a tough conversation to have,” Hagan said. Baby boomers are also wrestling with the possibility that their kids may never be as financially successful as they are, said Goyer. That’s a key element of the American Dream, and one that’s hard to give up. “They want to help,” she said.

“They want the best for their grandkids.”

More than three-quarters of grandparents in the MetLife survey responded that it’s more important to provide smaller bursts of financial assistance when needed than to leave a lump sum inheritance at the end. That’s concerning, said Sandra Timmerman, director of the MetLife Mature Market Institute, the research center on issues of longevity and aging for insurer MetLife.

“Grandparents need to think about

dollars. Inflation is a worry. And there’s the uncertainty of investment returns and how much money one can safely withdraw each year from retirement funds. No child wants to see their parents struggling to make ends meet. No parent wants their children to take care of them in their later years. Yet for many families, the focus is on their kids’ current standard of living, not what will happen if they deplete their nest egg too soon.

Mick Endersbe, an adviser with SagePoint Financial in Duluth, Minn., has taught more college planning seminars than he can remember. In every one, there are well-meaning grandparents who remember when a college degree didn’t cost more than a starter home and

want to contribute. While he appreciates their desire to help, he says many haven’t thought it through. “They haven’t analyzed their retirement situation, and in many cases they don’t have a disciplined plan for helping the kids,” he said in an email.

The amount they are contributing is growing. Tuition paid for by family and friends spiked from $5,496 on average for the 2008-09 school year to $9,243 the next year, according to a report by student lender Sallie Mae. The report doesn’t break down the makeup of that group, but the student lender assumes the majority are grandparents.

What the MetLife report doesn’t measure is the amount of non-monetary help provided by grandparents, especially child care. According to research conducted last fall by the Wilder Foundation, seven in 10 Minnesotans who need child care rely on family and friends for some help. Of that group, 52 percent are grandparents. Just 38 percent of these caregivers are paid.

Amy McDonough’s mom watches her three kids every Monday. The 40-yearold from Stillwater, Minn., estimates savings of $24,000 over the past eight years.

“The monetary benefit is one thing, but the emotional side is huge,” said McDonough, whose mom cooks dinner on Mondays, serving up chicken and rice, goulash and other favorite meals from Amy’s childhood. McDonough thinks having her mom, who started weekly child care after retiring from teaching, has also allowed her greater success at work, giving her a day each week where she can work late, and someone to help with sick kid duty so she doesn’t miss too many days in the office. Timmerman said grandparents typically want to be more involved and don’t look at baby-sitting their grandchildren or taking them backto-school shopping as a burden.

“It’s a stage of life that’s very important to the baby boomers,” she said. A Pew Research Center report found that grandparents the center surveyed ranked spending time with grandchildren and more time with family as what they valued most in old age. Hennessy, who retired from an IT career in 2006, said the time he spends with Braeden makes up for the years he spent climbing the corporate ladder, when he had less time for his own kids. He and his wife, who live in Plymouth, Minn., don’t have a line item in their budget that tracks money they spend on their grandson.

But he estimates it’s “easily thousands” per year.

Joan, who stayed home to raise their three kids, has postponed her plan to enter the workforce part time. Still, Hennessy thinks their finances are on track because the money they’d expected to use for travel to Europe and Mexico goes to trips to the Minnesota Zoo and stocking the pantry with brownie ingredients instead. “There will be time for us to travel,” Mike said. “We have zero regrets about doing what we’re doing.” — MCT

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EVERYDAY COOKING

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Cold dishes I

t is ridiculously hot these days in Kuwait and the last thing I want to do is eat or prepare a hot meal. Well luckily for me there are other dishes that are served cold.

Yes we all know the typical cold salad, but there is a limit to how much lettuce I can actually eat. The following dishes will keep you cool and satisfied during the hot summer months.

Send suggestions to : sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

Hummus •1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans •1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas •3-5 tablespoons lemon juice •1 1/2 tablespoons tahini •2 cloves garlic, crushed •1/2 teaspoon salt •2 tablespoons olive oil

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rain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth. Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus. Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. Garnish with parsley (optional). Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, or cover and refrigerate.

Avocado gazpacho 2 avocados, diced 1 cucumber, diced 3 medium tomatoes, diced 1 garlic clove, minced 1 jalapeno, minced 1 -2 lemon, juice of 1 tablespoon honey sea salt, to taste 1/2-3/4 cup water, depending on how thick you would like it 4 -5 mint leaves (optional)

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ut everything into the blender and blend until smooth, about one minute.

Garnish with additional mint leaves. Eat at room temperature for a sweeter soup or chill until cold.

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EVERYDAY COOKING

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Cold cucumber soup 2 large cucumbers, peeled and seeded 1 1/4 cups nonfat sour cream 1 cup low sodium chicken broth 1 small onion, cut into wedges 4 sprigs fresh parsley, stems removed 2 sprigs fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dill weed, stems removed 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

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ut cucumbers into large chunks; place in a blender with remaining ingredients. Puree; pour into bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

4 envelopes gelatin 1 cup cold water 4 cups sugar l/4 teaspoon salt l 1/2 cups boiling water 1 teaspoon cinnamon extract (optional) 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract Red (optional) and green coloring

Jelly squares

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often gelatin in cold water. Bring sugar, salt and boiling water together to boiling point, add first mixture, stir until gelatin is dissolved, then boil slowly for 15 minutes. Divide into two portions - to one add red coloring and cinnamon extract (optional), to the other green coloring and peppermint extract. water) and let stand at least 12 hours. Turn onto board lightly covered with powdered sugar, cut into cubes with sharp knife and roll in powdered sugar.

Creamy and cold pasta

1 lb large elbow macaroni, cooked 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery 1/4 cup finely diced sweet onion 1 small red sweet bell pepper 1/4-1/2 cup sliced pimento stuffed olive 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise 2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish 2 teaspoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon celery seed 1/2 lb beef bacon, prepared

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ix cooled macaroni, celery, onions, bell pepper and green olives together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, pickle relish, sugar, salt, pepper and celery seed, stirring well. Stir dressing into the macaroni mixture. Stir in the crumbled bacon. Serve chilled.

Simple Peruvian ceviche

2 lbs tilapia fillets or other firm white fish fillets, cubed 8 -10 garlic cloves, chopped 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, chopped 1 chili pepper 8 -12 limes, freshly squeezed and strained to remove pulp 1 red onion, thinly sliced and rinsed

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ombine all ingredients except red onion and mix well. Place red onion on top and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours before serving. Before serving, mix well and serve with lettuce, corn, avocado or other cold salad vegetables on the side. It is important to use a juicer that presses the juice out of the limes, not one that will tear the membrane of the lime sections since this will make the lime juice bitter.

THEY ARE THE 99!

99 Mystical Noor Stones carry all that is left of the wisdom and knowledge of the lost civilization of Baghdad. But the Noor Stones lie scattered across the globe - now little more than a legend. One man has made it his life’s mission to seek out what was lost. His name is Dr. Ramzi Razem and he has searched fruitlessly for the Noor Stones all his life. Now, his luck is about to change - the first of the stones have been rediscovered and with them a special type of human who can unlock the gem’s mystical power. Ramzi brings these gem - bearers together to form a new force for good in the world. A force known as ... the 99!

THE FASCINATING STORY OF THE 99 Baghdad lies in ruins, destroyed by the marauding armies of Hulagu Khan. The brave librarians of the great Dar Al-Hikma rush to save the glory of the ancient world’s accumulated wisdom, little knowing that centuries later their efforts will bear strange fruit. While the Noor Stones were created to save the library, their power has transcended that task and in our own time has provided extraordinary abilities to an international group of young people, the world’s newest superheroes

www.the99.org

The 99 ® and all related characters ® and © 2011, Teshkeel Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

known as… The 99.

Tr a v e l FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Best Amsterdam museums to see in less than an hour

If you’re one of these people, or if your time in the Amsterdam is limited, try one of these impressive museums, all of which require an hour or less to enjoy.

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very Amsterdam visitor should see at least one or two of the city’s worldclass museums. But some take longer than others to visit, and many people are put off by the concept of spending hours on end inside one building. If you’re one of these people, or if your time in the Amsterdam is limited, try one of these impressive museums, all of which require an hour or less to enjoy.

Anne Frank House True, it is one of Amsterdam’s most treasured and most popular museums, but the Anne Frank House is also one you can easily see in an hour. The small size of the museum and the former working and living space requires that visitors keep a steady pace moving through the rooms, so it’s nearly impossible to spend more than 60 minutes viewing the site. The Anne Frank House certainly packs in a moving experience in a short time. Please note there is an interactive exhibition near the exit, called “Free 2 Choose,” which may push your visit beyond an hour should you participate.

The Rembrandt House Museum The Rembrandt House Museum, or Het Rembrandthuis, gives visitors a peek into the life of the Netherlands’ most renowned artist, Rembrandt van Rijn. Through not originally from Amsterdam, Rembrandt lived and worked in this 17th-century building from 1639 to 1658. In less than an hour you can easily peruse the works of art, collection of sketches and restored living

arrangements of this Dutch master painter.

Museum Van Loon Visitors can easily walk through this former residence of an aristocratic Dutch family in less than an hour. The patriarch Willem van Loon was one of the founders of the Dutch East India Company in the early 1600s. The grand canal-side mansion remained in the van Loon family until the early 1970s, when the house and its collection of stunning antiques and family portraits opened to the public. Tassenmuseum Hendrikje (Museum of Bags and Purses) Named for founder Hendrikje Ivo, this unique museum and its stunning collection show the history of the ladies’ bag with more than 3,500 tassen (“bags”), purses and accessories from Medieval to modern times.

The late-17th-century monumental mansion includes two exquisite period rooms with restored painted ceilings and dÈcor.

No time for the whole museum? Visit the gift shop to browse bags from contemporary Dutch and foreign designers.

Museum Willet-Holthuysen This palatial mansion dates to 1685 and is named after its last residents, Abraham Willet and his wife Louisa Holthuysen, who left the home and its contents to the city in 1895. Restored rooms and French-style manicured gardens offer a glimpse of the aristocratic lifestyle of the time. Compare this former home with the Van Loon-they’re in the same neighborhood and could easily be combined. — About

Museums worth the time 1. Rijksmuseum As the country’s largest national museum undergoes extensive renovation (the timeline for which has been pushed out several times, most recently until 2012-13), the Rijksmuseum now showcases an abbreviated collection of 17th- and 18th-century Dutch works of art in one wing of the massive Neo-Gothic building. “The Masterpieces” exhibition takes visitors through an evolution of the Dutch Golden Age, a time when the Netherlands’ colonization and trade efforts made it the world’s richest country. The collection features stunning samples of Delftware, silver and other artifacts, as well as paintings by Dutch masters Rembrandt, Vermeer and Frans Hals. The museum’s imposing exterior architecture alone is a sight worth seeing.

2. Van Gogh Museum A favorite Amsterdam attraction for all ages, the Van Gogh Museum allows visitors to get up close and personal with the dotted-and-dashed brush strokes and somewhat troubled life of one of the world’s most-loved European artists. The Van Gogh Museum contains the largest collection of Van Gogh paintings in the world, and also houses works by other 19th-century artists — including CÈzanne, Gauguin, Monet, Seurat, Sisley and Toulouse-Lautrec — in its permanent collection. Temporary exhibitions in the modern annex are also impressive.

Tr a v e l FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

La Tomatina What: Nobody is really sure how it beganpractical joke? A harmless food fight between two merchants? A prank? No one knows but this messy fiesta has been a strong tradition since 1945. On the last Wednesday in August, about 30,000 people descend on this little town to participate in the world’s largest food fight. Never had that massive cafeteria food fight when you were younger? Well, here’s your chance.

When: The last Wednesday in August.

Where: The tiny town of Bu?ol in the Valencia region of Spain Bring: Throw-away clothes and goggles!

Tomato juice in the eye stings!

Full Moon Party What: Legend has it that the Full Moon Party started as a birthday party in the 80s.

The backpackers decided to come back again and again. Soon word spread and every month, backpackers would head to KPG to party.

Over the years, the hippy party morphed into a 20,000 person festival. Even in the low season, the party still sees about 10,000 visitors. Many people will tell you that it’s lost its charm over the years but for a serious dose of all night (and all day) partying in Thailand, this is place to get it.

When: During the full moon, every month Where: Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand Bring: Your drinking shoes, a red bull, facepaint, and clothes you don’t care about.

Burning Man What: Looking for the ultimate arts extravaganza? Burning Man is for you! An 8 day festival that culminates in the burning of a 72ft wooden man, this festival is where you can cut loose. Each year has a theme (this year, it’s “American Dream”) and last

year 47,000 people decided to join the fun.

Photo by colvid daorado When: Starts 8 days before the American Labor Day, September Where: Blackrock Desert, Nevada USA Bring: Everything BUT money! Burning Man runs on a full barter system and the only things you can buy are water and ice.

Aside from the obvious supplies you’d take camping, other essentials include sunblock, a Camel Back and goggles. MOST importantly, bring something that allows you to participate-that’s what Burning Man is all about.

Songkran What: Songkran is the Thai New Year. It’s a spiritual festival designed to cool you down and wash away the sins of the previous year. What better way of doing that than by committing a few new ones, right away?

Songkran takes place all over the country with everyone embarking on possibly the world’s largest water fight.

When: Mid-April Where: Anywhere in the land of Smiles (Bangkok and Chang Mai have the biggest parties) Bring: Anything you don’t mind wearing only once, a water gun, extra water, and a good attitude.

Glastonbury Music Festival What: A 3 day music festival designed to celebrate the earth, music, and the arts, this festival brings in people from all over the world. Last year’s event had over 177,000 people and 700 musical acts.

When: The last weekend in June Where: Pilton, England Bring: Tickets, a tent, sleeping bag, food, and whatever else you “need” to have fun.

Holi What: Similar to the Thai holiday of Songrkan, Holi is a two day Hindu spring fes-

tival that occurs in northern India. The first night is marked by bonfires, and the second day is spent pleasuring your inner 2nd grader by splashing colored flour and water over everybody. It’s a celebration about renewal.

When: The full moon in March.

Where: India Bring: Red, orange, and green flour, lots of water, clothes you don’t need!

Australia Day What: Australians love two things: beer and bbqs. No day brings out the best in these two than Australia Day, when Aussies celebrate the first European settlement on the continent of Australia. Aussies, a normal-

ly festive bunch, kick it up a notch all over the country with bbqs, music, and beer.

From the cities to the towns, Aussies are out in full force. If you don’t already have an Aussie friend to take you under his/her wing, head to a beach with beer and make some new friends! Most Australians would love nothing more to break in a newbie!

When: January 26 Where: Anywhere in Oz! Bring: Your Australian pride, a case of Carlton draught or Coopers, and something for the grill. (www.matadornetwork.com)

Holi is a two-day Hindu spring festival that occurs in northern India.

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FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

George R R Martin Author Spotlight

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ailed as America’s own Tolkien, George R R Martin’s series Song of Ice and Fire brought the genre of fantasy to the main stream, especially after being adopted by HBO into a successful series. By creating a rich tapestry of knights and kings, queens and mistresses, hatred, greed, love and jealousy, Martin did more than delight the audience of the fantasy genre. Four of these books are out, and the latest in the series, A Dance with Dragons, is out in the United States on July 12. Immerse yourself in the medieval fantastic world of George R R Martin and forget about the heat of the summer with those titles.

About the

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author

s a child growing up in New Jersey, George R.R. Martin displayed an early interest in “the writing life” by selling monster stories of his own invention to the children in his Bayonne neighborhood. In high school he became an avid comic book collector and began to write for comic fanzines. He sold his first story to Galaxy in 1970 when he was 21 years old.

Martin received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism from Northwestern University. After graduation he served two years in VISTA, then worked as a teacher and chess tournament director in the Midwest, while continuing to craft awardwinning short fiction. His first full-length novel, Dying of the Light, was published in 1977. A dark, lyrical sci-fi tone poem set on a doomed world without a sun, the book was nominated for a Hugo Award.

Throughout the 1980s, Martin worked in television, writing for science fiction- and fantasy-themed shows like The Twilight Zone and Beauty and the Beast. At this time he became involved with Wild Cards, a long-running anthology series composed of “mosaic stories” written by multiple authors and set in a shared universe.

In addition to editing the series, Martin has contributed stories to the Wild Card books.

In 1996, Martin published A Game of Thrones, the first installment of his magnum opus, the epic fantasy series A Song of Fire

GOOD TO KNOW

and Ice. Set in the Seven Kingdoms, a realm resembling medieval Europe, the internationally bestselling series has provided the ultimate showcase for Martin’s formidable world-building and characterization skills.

During the course of his long, prolific career, Martin has accrued every major literary prize for science fiction or fantasy writing, including the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, Bram Stoker, Daedelus, and Locus awards. But what endears him especially to his readers is his extraordinary accessibility. A tireless participant in genre conventions and festivals, he maintains a cordial relationship with his fans through his website and blog. He is also a member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America.

A Game of Thrones

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ong ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing.

The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.

Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

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Christened George Raymond Martin, the author has this to say about his unusual name: “I arrived short one ‘R’ but fixed that at my confirmation 13 years later.”

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As a conscientious objector, Martin did alternative service from 1972-1974 with VISTA, attached to Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation.

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Martin was class valedictorian of his high school.

In 1970, he graduated summa cum laude from Northwestern University.

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In the mid-1970s, Martin supplemented his income by directing tournaments for the Continental Chess Association.

— bn.com

A Clash of Kings

ime is out of joint. The summer of peace and plenty, ten years long, is drawing to a close, and the harsh, chill winter approaches like an angry beast. Two great leaders—Lord Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon-who held sway over an age of enforced peace are dead...victims of royal treachery. Now, from the ancient citadel of Dragonstone to the forbidding shores of Winterfell, chaos reigns, as pretenders to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms prepare to stake their claims through tempest, turmoil, and war.

As a prophecy of doom cuts across the sky-a comet the color of blood and flamesix factions struggle for control of a divided land. Eddard’s son Robb has declared himself King in the North. In the south, Joffrey, the heir apparent, rules in name only, victim of the scheming courtiers who teem over King’s Landing. Robert’s two brothers each seek their own dominion, while a disfavored house turns once more to conquest. And a continent away, an exiled queen, the Mother of Dragons, risks everything to lead her precious brood across a hard hot desert to win back the crown that is rightfully hers.

A Clash of Kings transports us into a magnificent, forgotten land of revelry and revenge, wizardry and warfare. It is a tale in which maidens cavort with madmen, brother plots against brother, and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess mas-

querades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside.

Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, the price of glory may be measured in blood. And the spoils of victory may just go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel...and the coldest hearts. For when rulers clash, all of the land feels the tremors.

Audacious, inventive, brilliantly imagined, A Clash of Kings is a novel of dazzling beauty and boundless enchantment-a tale of pure excitement you will never forget.

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A Feast for Crows

A Storm of Swords

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f the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun.

Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King’s Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne.

Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world. . . .

But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others-a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the

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Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords.

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t seems too good to be true. After centuries of bitter strife and fatal treachery, the seven powers dividing the land have decimated one another into an uneasy truce. Or so it appears. . . . With the death of the monstrous King Joffrey, Cersei is ruling as regent in King’s Landing. Robb Stark’s demise has broken the back of the Northern rebels, and his siblings are scattered throughout the kingdom like seeds on barren soil. Few legitimate claims to the once desperately sought Iron Throne still exist-or they are held in hands too weak or too distant to wield them effectively. The war, which raged out of control for so long, has burned itself out.

But as in the aftermath of any climactic struggle, it is not long before the survivors, outlaws, renegades, and carrion eaters start to gather, picking over the bones of the dead and fighting for the spoils of the soon-to-be dead. Now in the Seven Kingdoms, as the human crows assemble over a banquet of ashes, daring new plots and dangerous new alliances are formed, while surprising faces-some familiar, others only just appearing-are seen emerging from an ominous twilight of past struggles and chaos to take up the challenges ahead.

It is a time when the wise and the ambitious, the deceitful and the strong will acquire the skills, the power, and the magic to survive the stark and terrible times that

lie before them. It is a time for nobles and commoners, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and sages to come together and stake their fortunes . . . and their lives. For at a feast for crows, many are the guests-but only a few are the survivors.

A Dance with Dragons

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n the aftermath of a colossal battle, the future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balancebeset by newly emerging threats from every direction. In the east, Daenerys Targaryen, the last scion of House Targaryen, rules with her three dragons as queen of a city built on dust and death. But Daenerys has thousands of enemies, and many have set out to find her.

As they gather, one young man embarks upon his own quest for the queen, with an entirely different goal in mind.

Fleeing from Westeros with a price on his head, Tyrion Lannister, too, is making his way to Daenerys.

But his newest allies in this quest are not the rag-tag band they seem, and at their heart lies one who could undo Daenerys’s claim to Westeros forever.

Meanwhile, to the north lies the mammoth Wall of ice and stone-a structure only as strong as those guarding it. There, Jon Snow, 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, will face his greatest challenge. For he has powerful foes not only within the Watch but also beyond, in the land of the creatures of ice.

From all corners, bitter conflicts

reignite, intimate betrayals are perpetrated, and a grand cast of outlaws and priests, soldiers and skinchangers, nobles and slaves, will face seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Some will fail, others will grow in the strength of darkness.

But in a time of rising restlessness, the tides of destiny and politics will lead inevitably to the greatest dance of all.

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ou may be able to find these books in the following bookstores. If not, you can ask for a special order and your books will be delivered within weeks.

Jarir Bookstore Location: Hawally Park, Tunis Street Telephone: 22610111 Virgin Bookstore Location: Marina Mall, Salmiya

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Al-Muthana Kuwait Bookstore Location: Al-Muthanna Complex, Fahed AlSalem Street Tel: 22424266 Better Books - Second Hand Books Location: Salmiya, block 10, Amman street.

Behind Al-Rashid Hospital Tel: 66637351.

Beauty FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

The “It”

Shoe of the moment: Worishofer granny sandals

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was recently diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, an incredibly painful foot problem that typically hits runners and overweight people. I am neither.

What I am is a 30-somethin who has been clopping around the streets of Manhattan in utterly inappropriate footwear for the past eight years and alas, has been left with grueling heel pain that will likely take months to heal.

So what is a girl to wear as she convalesces? I was advised by my podiatrist to get myself a pair of support shoes so off to the comfort (aka “crunchy”) shoe stores I went. Five visits. Four stores. I tried on more than a dozen pair, looked down at my feet clad in each one and thought to myself, “I can’t do this.”

Today I wandered into a hip shoe store in my Brooklyn neighborhood where I spotted the Worishofer orthopedic granny shoe and I realized, “This is it. These are them.” There was something “so bad, it’s good” about them. They really do look like the shoe of choice for the Boca Raton over-75 set which is why I was embarrassed to ask the super cute salesgirl for them. “Oh these are flying out of here like crazy!” she told me. “I own 2 pairs!”

One in sparkly gold, she said, and one in sparkly silver.

So, it turns out, they are super hip, at least in Brooklyn. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams have been spotted in them and Slate Magazine wrote an article about them.

They are also super comfortable. The heel is high enough that I don’t feel schlubby, and the shoe is not wide and clunky like most crunchy shoes. They are German-made, which in shoe terms also means well made. They provide just the support I need without making me feel like I’m visit-

ing NY from a commune near Boulder. But they aren’t for everyone. I showed them online to my friend N, who’s in her 50s and doesn’t mince words, and she said, “I would NEVER wear them. Not for one MILLION bucks. These are the most hideous things I’ve ever seen.”

I see her point, not everyone can pull them off.

You kind of have to have a certain look about you and the right clothes.

I bought a pair of the slingbacks in opal pictured here. Turns out, they are cheaper online than in Brooklyn.—About

Beauty FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Frizzy hair fixes 7 rules to live by if you suffer from Frizzy Hair Syndrome

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f you have curly hair and live in a humid environment, you likely suffer from frizzy hair. Curly hair tends to be dry and is particularly susceptible to humidity. It simply wants to soak up the moisture in the air, which causes the hair’s cuticles to expand, which therefore causes frizz.

So how to control the frizz? It’s possible to control frizz, but you need to arm yourself with the right products and proper styling. Here are 5 Frizzy Hair Rules to Live By: Rule No 1: Careful With That Shampoo Shampooing can strip hair of its natural oils, which are actually great frizz fighters. To avoid frizz, lather up only a couple times a week with a gentle shampoo, preferably one that contains no sulfates (see my list of the Best Sulfate-free Shampoos). Sulfatefree shampoos are gentler on the hair and the scalp. You can use baby powder or a dry shampoo to keep oil at bay between washings.

Also consider the “lo-poo” or the “nopoo” shampoos that are currently insanely popular among my New York friends with curly hair. Created by curly-haired women for curly hair, Deva Curl’s No-Poo and Lo-Poo shampoos, are sulfatefree, full of organic moisturizers and created for ultimate frizz protection.

Rule No 2: Deep Condition After Every Shampoo Unless you have super-fine hair (most curly hair is not fine), you should deep condition after every shampoo. A deep conditioner protects the hair’s shaft, coating it so it is less able to soak up the humidity in the air. Allow the conditioner to stay on for at least 5 minutes before rinsing.

See the best hair products for dry, curly hair and my list of the best frizz fighters.

Rule No 3: Never Rub Hair Dry With a Towel Rubbing hair dry with a towel only roughs up the cuticle, making it more prone to the frizzies once it dries. Instead, squeeze hair dry with the towel. I read once that Drew Barrymore swears by squeezing her hair dry with super-absorbent paper towels (think Bounty). My friend with curly hair dries her hair with a super-absorbent towel that she got from a travel store (like these). She says it’s the perfect size.

Rule No 4: Comb in a Silicone Serum Once hair is towel-dried correctly, comb in a leave-in conditioner or even better and especially if you are going to use a hair dryer, a curling iron or a flatiron, comb in a serum containing silicone (look for “dimethicone” on the bottle). Make sure each

curl is coated.

Silicone serums ensure the cuticle stays smooth and offers protection from humidity.

Rule No 5: The Right Kind of Blow Dryer Invest in an ionic hair dryer (see my list of the best hair dryers), which dries hair much faster, therefore creating less damage to the hair’s cuticles.

You should use a diffuser when blow-drying curly hair. Stylists swear by Deva’s hand-shaped diffuser which allows you to actually get into the curls to dry them.

Rule No 6: The Correct Way to Blow Hair Dry Not blow drying hair correctly will definitely cause frizz. To dry hair correctly, hold the blow dryer under hair, squeezing curls in your palm as you dry. If you don’t use a diffuser, aim the blow dryer nozzle downward, in the direction hair grows.

Rule No 7: Watch That Hairspray, Try a Gloss Spray Instead Most hairsprays and mousses have a high school content which is incredibly drying to that hair you just protected with the conditioners and the serums. If you must spray hair, use a hairspray with little to no alcohol.

Finish hair instead by spritzing a high gloss spray in your palm, rubbing your palms together and then “palming” your hair where the frizzies tend to pop up.—About

HEALTH FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Probiotics

What you need to know

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conversation about prebiotics is certainly not complete without mentioning probiotics. So what are probiotics and how were they discovered? The term probiotic literally means “for life.” Elie Metchnikoff, a Russian physiologist and Nobel Prize winner is credited for discovering probiotics, and was the first to suggest in the early 20th century that consuming bacteria could have a beneficial effect in the body.

His theory was based on the observation that the Bulgarian people lived long and healthful lives and regularly consumed yogurt. He determined that the acid-producing organisms in fermented dairy products could prevent “fouling” in the large intestine and as a result, if consumed regularly, would lead to a longer, healthier life.

What You Need to Know Probiotics are living microorganisms, “friendly” bacteria, usually lactic acid bacteria.

The benefits of probiotics are realized by shift-

ing the pH of the intestine downward; creating a less desirable environment for pathogenic (bad), bacteria. Probiotics are beneficial in the breakdown and absorption of certain vitamins, production of fatty acids improving the intestinal barrier, stool regularity, and possibly lessen the severity of certain allergies.

The World Health Organization (among others) suggests that probiotics, when consumed on a daily basis, help strengthen the body’s natural defenses. Keep in mind that seventy percent of the body’s immune system is inside the digestive tract! Microflora act as a physical barrier to help fight diseases; probiotics regulate the balance of bacteria and increase the “good bacteria” reinforcing this barrier. People over the age of 60 have 1,000 times fewer good bacteria than younger adults!

Probiotic research is constantly being updated and the list of possible benefits is impressive. It is important to keep in mind that the benefits are strain and dose-specific.

Not all probiotics have demonstrated health benefits and there is no guarantee that the organisms will be alive or effective at the time of ingestion. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there is no standard definition or consensus on health claims for probiotics. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) defines probiotics as “live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.”

According to this definition, bacteria that have not been studied can not be considered probiotic.

Some Quick Probiotic Tips: Check the “best by” or expiration date: This puts the odds in favor of the effectiveness of the probiotic.

Check for “live and active cultures”: All yogurt products DO NOT contain live cultures or probiotics - check for the “live and active” seal on the package - this requires that the

product contains at least 108 viable lactic acid bacteria per gram for refrigerated products and 107 for frozen. Read labels carefully.

Products labeled “made with active cultures” may have gone through a heat treatment that actually kills the beneficial bacteria!

Make sure the probiotics have been clinically tested and proven beneficial. Dose matters: make sure the product contains at least the amount of probiotic that the tests concluded to benefit health (these will decline if improperly stored, or not consumed by the “best by” date).

Decoding the science: probiotics are defined by their genus, species and strain- e.g.

Bifidobacterium lactis HN019. Keep in mind that many brands that are touting probiotics have actually developed their own “names” for particular strains. Make sure that the label lists exactly what benefit you will receive from the particular type of bacteria. (www.philsfoodsense.org)

HEALTH FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

How to build

big defined

calf muscles

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odybuilders have always complained that the calf muscles are the hardest to build. I am sure you have seen many big guys in the gym with incredibly out of proportion small calf muscle.

Building big strong calf muscles not only will make you lower body more pleasing to the eye, it will also help tremendously in your sports and games giving you more power in your sprints and jumps. You calf muscles along with your quadriceps will also help to support your knee joints, reducing wear and tear.

The great Arnold Schwarzenegger once said, “Everyday you walk around. When you walk you are using your calves. You are pushing at least your body weight every time you take a step. So, when you go to the gym and work out your calves with light weight, are you really stressing your muscles?”

Think about it. Whenever you walk, jump

or run, your calf muscles are pushing at least your body weight. That will mean that in order to build your calf muscles, you will have to lift heavy. Real heavy. So the kids gloves are off when you want to build a strong beautiful diamond shaped calves.

The major muscles on your calves are the soleus and the gastrocnemius muscles. The soleus muscles are the wide and flat muscle located on the tibia and the fibula. The gastrocnemius muscles are the large muscles located near the middle and goes to the top of the fibula and tibia.

The gastrocnemius muscle is made up of the medial head (inner calve) and the lateral head (outer calve) muscles.

So what are good calf muscles exercises?

Here are 2 of the more common calf muscle exercises.

DONKEY CALF RAISES One of Arnold’s favorite calf muscle exer-

cises is the Donkey Raise. He has 2 gym buddies sitting on his back whenever he does this exercise and you can imagine how big and heavy Arnold’s gym buddies are.

Just bend over and support yourself on a bench, have your gym buddy, the heavier the better to sit on your back as if you are a donkey, then raise your heels off the floor, and pause at the top and squeeze hard for full muscle contraction, then return to your original position by lowering your heels almost touching the floor. That will be one rep. If your buddy is not heavy enough, he may carry some weight plates when sitting on your back.

If you do not have gym buddies to help you, there are donkey raise machines which you can use to build your calf muscles.

SEATED CALF RAISES This exercise is commonly preformed using a machine where you sit, and a

padded section is placed above your knees.

If your gym do not have seated calf raises machines, you can still perform this exercise by sitting on a bench and putting a weighted barbell on your thighs, then raise your heels off the floor, and pause at the top and squeeze hard for full muscle contraction, then return to the original position with the heels almost touching the floor.

That will be one rep. If the barbell hurt your thighs, put a towel as a cushion on your thighs.

Now remember to use heavy weights.

How many sets and reps? Just perform the exercises until you just cannot lift any more even if I were to holler at you.

That will be one set. As for number of sets, depending on your time and your split routine for the day, do 3-6 sets of calf muscle fatigued reps. (www.articlesbase.com)

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Years

Arts FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

End of his reign? Muammar Gaddafi depicted as a blood-soaked dictator. —Guardian

The Libyan artists driving Gaddafi to the wall In cities that have fallen to the rebels, such as Benghazi, the beleaguered leader is the subject of taunts and derision, the visual outpouring of pent-up hatred

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n Tripoli, official portraits of Muammar Gaddafi are everywhere: on giant murals and billboards, in hotel lobbies, offices, shops, homes, and schools. The “Brotherly Leader and Guide of the Revolution” usually appears as a sort of deity or in military uniform with rays of light shining behind him.

Throughout Gaddafi’s reign, his obsessive control of how and where his image appears has been straight out of the dictator’s textbook.

In Benghazi, a day’s drive east along the Mediterranean coast, there are also lots of public pictures of the man who has ruled this desert country for more than four decades. But here, his image is used as a weapon against him.

Caricatures of the vilified leader and anti-regime or pro-democracy graffiti are popping up throughout the city centre and in recently trashed army bases, on building sites and on any suitable walls. There are posters of Gaddafi pumping petrol into a winged camel, Gaddafi with the tail of a snake and a forked tongue, Gaddafi as Dracula, Gaddafi as a clown, Gaddafi being bitten by a dog, Gaddafi getting a boot in the head. The variations are countless.

Another popular theme is an often bloodstained Gaddafi terrorising or slaughtering his people or plundering the oil-rich

nation’s wealth.

Tobruk, al-Bayda, Derna and other towns in the rebel-held east have also joined in this artistic act of rebellion, and their walls also sport caricatures ridiculing the flamboyant strongman whose many eccentricities make him a perfect target for satire.

But Benghazi is the centre of the movement. Agence France-Presse sent me to Libya in late April to replace a correspondent in Misrata, a coastal town which has been bitterly fought over. However, in the end, the agency decided to keep me in Benghazi.

From the moment I arrived, the city was buzzing. It was nearly three months since the anti-Gaddafi uprising had started there and the revolutionary fire burned brighter than ever. Gaddafi was still in power in Tripoli, his forces still controlling most of the country, but the frontline was, and still is, far from Benghazi, and the rebels are using the time to take stock, train their fighters and build for the future.

“We have a dream,” is the slogan - written in English - on giant billboards that have started to appear across the city. Benghazi’s seafront is where that dream is most evident. The red, green and black flag of the uprising is everywhere, alongside French, British and US flags, a sign of gratitude for

the Nato air strikes keeping Gaddafi’s forces at bay. Frenzied anti-Gaddafi rallies are held on most days in the seafront square, with tribal leaders, politicians or rebel fighters making fiery speeches, sparking wild applause and much celebratory gunfire.

The revolution has lifted the lid on a repressed society and the people of Benghazi are making up for the lost years.

They have quickly set up newspapers, radio stations and rap bands to say things that just a few months earlier would have got them locked up or worse. But the Gaddafi caricatures are the most striking manifestation of the new-found freedom of expression.

They weren’t the first thing that caught my eye when I arrived at the courthouse.

What did were the hundreds of posters bearing the photos and the names of those killed or missing since the uprising began.

But inside, and on the walls of most nearby buildings, the mocking pictures dominate. I started taking photos of the drawings with my iPhone, at first just to show my friends and family back at home. But it became a little obsessive when I decided it was my duty to catalogue these works of art that might not last.

The heady atmosphere in Benghazi made me speculate that this was what it might

have been like in Havana at the start of the revolution, and the revolutionary art reminds me of the murals of Che Guevara and other rebel motifs that still adorn walls in Cuba.

Nobody could tell me who was responsible for the wall paintings around the city, but I did find a group of young men who were churning out paper drawings of the detested dictator. They told me they had reached not for their guns but for their coloured pens and spray cans when Libya’s revolution started in mid-February. One of them had paid for it with his life, gunned down by secret police. The group now goes by the name of their dead colleague, Qais alHalali, and continues its work from a ramshackle office in a makeshift “media centre” next to the court.

When the uprising began, al-Halali and his friends started drawing caricatures on paper and distributing them around the city for people to show at demonstrations or hang on walls, one of the group, Akram alBruki, said.

“He got a message to stop”, al-Bruki continues. It was delivered by Gaddafi’s security agents before they were chased out of the eastern part of city. “But he didn’t stop.

When we started doing this we swore that no one would stop us.”—Guardian

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Arts FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

The 54th Venice biennale reviewed From rolling news footage to anti-capitalist slogans and the last work of an artist killed by sniper fire, the medium and the message went hand in hand at this year’s biennale

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Centurion tank flounders on the lawns of the Giardini, massively overturned, its undercarriage exposed like a giant cockroach beneath the blue Venetian sky. The gun barrel, laid flat, looks no more lethal than a limp proboscis. But as you gingerly approach, the whole machine abruptly starts up into motion, propelled by a runner on a treadmill harnessed to the tracks. Deafening, violent, shocking even in its impotence, the work is called Track and Field.

This is the eye-opener to the US pavilion at the 54th biennale and the loudest and punchiest affront in the place. The Centurion is a British creation, but let that pass, perhaps as further evidence of the special relationship. For this is an art tank, with a strong conceit and a cunning pun of a title, yoking imperialism, mechanisation, personal/political goals and much more, with the overall notion of pounding the world.

By the Cuban-American duo Allora & Calzadilla, it could also stand as an emblem of this biennale. For Venice, this time round, is nothing if not political. It is dense with an art of rapid response. It might have looked quite different in January, for instance, before the Arab Spring and the fleet reactions of international artists from Andorra to Azerbaijan, showing here for the first time along with Bangladesh, India, Saudi Arabia, Zimbabwe and many others in what seems to be a global scramble to secure the last of the 20-year spaces the city is currently leasing for up to £1.4m in the newly converted outreaches of the Arsenale.

From al-Jazeera to CNN to BBC World, newsreel spools its way through the entire event, almost to the point of becoming a medium in its own right.

Obama is in Ireland, then London, then back in the White House. Gaddafi appears and disappears in Tripoli. Strauss-Kahn takes the perp walk in Angel Vergara’s Belgian pavilion, in which TV news flashes across seven screens while a gentle paintbrush dabs away at the luminous glass surfaces, as if trying to make sense of the onslaught of appalling images of lust, violence, greed - the seven deadly sins in grim total - turning television into both the base and the source for a new kind of helplessly beautiful abstract expressionism. There are dark memorials to the Libyan dead and banners on the facade of the Romanian pavilion decrying western hegemony in global politics and culture (a dig at the “choking-on-money mercantilism” of the biennale itself). Bahrain was forced to pull out, and Lebanon could not make it after its coalition government dissolved in January. At the Welsh pavilion, Tim Davies is showing omni-purpose military ceremonies reduced to the absurd as raw recruits march round and round in ever faster and more meaningless circles.

There came a point, in the long march through the Arsenale, where it even seemed as though one was watching the

filmed burial of Bin Laden himself, somehow bootlegged into Venice, as two soldiers solemnly performed the exequies at sea. It turned out to be the remains of the Nazi Adolf Eichmann, secretly ejected as far from land as possible for exactly the same reasons, so there could be no future memorial and no nation could serve as a final resting place, a parallel most piquantly made in Israeli artist Dani Gal’s superb film Night and Fog. At the time of writing, a young woman has just been released from jail in Saudi Arabia for agreeing to stop campaigning against the ban on women driving. No driving, no voting, and yet women are apparently allowed to represent the nation at Venice as if their work was as harmless as tatting. Sisters Raja and Shadia Alem have juxtaposed a twinkling oval lagoon on the floor against an upright oval of obliterating blackness that looks as if it could be snapped shut like a clam. The artists speak obliquely in the catalogue of “the black silhouettes of Saudi women” and the eternal light of Venice. One would not wish to understate the political content of this piece.

And nobody could ignore the dreadful testimony in the Egyptian pavilion, where video of Ahmed Basiony’s last performance - 30 Days of Running in the Space, in which the artist runs on the spot dressed in a bubble of polythene, his breath misting its surface - is interposed with footage he shot in Tahrir Square during the prodemocracy demonstrations. This is where Basiony was shot and died. May he rest in peace. Reality for the biennale art crowd, such as it is, came on the VIP opening day as the vaporetti went on strike to protest against staff cuts. The Grand Canal flowed almost empty, just the odd gondola and barge, like some living Canaletto. The pavilions were eerily quiet, the Arsenale nearly deserted. Money stayed away, though it lurked in the monstrous yachts moored along the quayside, including Roman Abramovich’s palazzo-dwarfing liner.

In the Giardini, there were more publicists than collectors, pursuing more coverage than ever in the biennale’s century and more history. But eventually it was

business as usual. The latest variation on the principle that art is a safe bet in risky times: even the catalogue bags are now hailed as limited edition “artworks”.

The art of the 54th biennale, by contrast, is generally sober, inventive and intelligent. There is a preponderance of installations and environments. More than one artist conjured the ordeal of the Chilean miners with lift shafts and underground chambers. Sigalit Landau dreamed up a salt bridge to unite Jordan and Israel across the Dead Sea; some poetic hope. In the US pavilion, athletes performed heroic contortions to turn themselves, ever so briefly, into human

ered up through the nave. In the Arsenale, one of James Turrell’s immense lightworks was sucking the crowds into its numinous pink void.

I thought the Dutch pavilion was a fantastic reprise of a Mondrian painting in three dimensions, connected by stairways, but that’s the problem with the forced harvesting speeds at Venice. Four more hours and I might have understood, from laborious texts and performances, that this was in fact a trenchant critique of cultural infrastructures.

Cindy Sherman was being turned into wallpaper, her various self-transformations blown up to billboard size in

The UAE Pavilion opens at the 54th Venice Biennale. flags for the fought-over island of Vieques.

Japan had Tabaimo’s vast projections - a hybrid of animated manga and Hiroshige on acid - cascading down curved and mirrored walls in a dizzying fantasy of Japan “receding into isolation in the face of globalisation” (says the artist). Iraq’s inaugural pavilion had six artists’ interpretations of water, including a fine semblance of the rippling reflections beneath Venetian bridges ingeniously fashioned from ribbons and foil.

Across the lagoon, in Palladio’s great church of San Giorgio Maggiore, Anish Kapoor was raising the Holy Ghost with a cloud of smoke that spiralled and shiv-

ILLUMInations (get it?), the main group show organised by the respected curator Bice Curiger. Germany’s artist, film and theatre director Christoph Schlingensief died of lung cancer last year so his pavilion became a memorial self-portrait.

Films from his career were screened around a cathedral of pews and altarpieces, crowned with Beuys’s hare and alluding to other artists at the heart of Schlingensief’s Fluxus oratorio.

Harrowing, funereal, with the idea of art as tragic salvation, the experience was agonisingly oppressive and I was rapidly out of there. The British pavilion is supposed to be Mike Nelson’s crowning achievement, partly because it so con-

vincingly transforms that dainty tearoom of a building into a warren of interconnected backrooms of the sort you mind find in a Venetian workshop or a Turkish slum. Tools and benches, concrete floors and strip lighting, filthy mattresses and ancient tellies glowing in the windowless gloom: the atmosphere is of impoverished and unseen lives.

Not that there is anyone here, except the trespassing art crowd. You follow the clues - naked light bulbs, Turkish carpets, mysteriously marked calendars - through a labyrinth that seems to lead to the same empty chamber, except (of course!) that there are really two. Nelson has been doing this for so long he must know that the intellectual experience of his buildings within buildings is always countered by the human urge to work out the floorplan. And nothing dispels the mystery quite like having a guard warn against banging your head on the next low beam.

Generally atmospheric, specifically elusive: that’s what the installation should be. Each mise en scËne is conspicuously designed to evoke claustrophobia, bewilderment, unease. Yet I felt not the slightest frisson. Nelson will one day make a great work, one that exceeds the spectacle of his flawless craftsmanship to transport one to another chamber of the mind altogether. But this is not it.

The dominant triad at Venice always used to be Britain, America and Germany.

But Ireland, Wales and Scotland eventually got their own pavilions and Scotland is showing Karla Black, shortlisted for this year’s Turner prize, at her best with a palazzo full of sculptures, fashioned from soap, paper and even make-up, evoking Alps, stalactites and rococo architecture in cornetto colours.

Lately, though, France is the place to go and this year’s artist is surely its greatest: the veteran Christian Boltanski. The pavilion is filled with an immense and complex scaffolding around which images of newborns spool at a hectic pace, instantly summoning - the open structure is everything here - a vision of the brain reeling images through its unimaginable interstices.—Guardian

Comic

C R O S S W O R D

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FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Word Sleuth Solution

Yesterday’s Solution

ACROSS 1. Characteristic of a mob.

4. The prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races.

10. 10 hao equal 1 dong.

13. Any of various primates with short tails or no tail at all.

14. Paralysis of the vocal cords resulting in an inability to speak.

15. The sense organ for hearing and equilibrium.

16. Having leadership guidance.

17. Become wider.

18. Electrical conduction through a gas in an applied electric field.

19. A fraudulent business scheme.

21. A barrier constructed to contain the flow or water or to keep out the sea.

22. Greek mythology.

24. Jordan's port.

25. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

26. A woman hired to suckle a child of someone else.

29. An official prosecutor for a judicial district.

30. The capital and largest city of Bangladesh.

34. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

37. (Old Testament) The first king of the Israelites who defended Israel against many enemies (especially the Philistines).

38. (folklore) A small grotesque supernatural creature that makes trouble for human beings.

41. A river in central Europe that arises in northwestern Czechoslovakia and flows northward through Germany to empty into the North Sea. 42. Inspired by a feeling of fearful wonderment or reverence.

44. A metric unit of volume or capacity equal to 10 liters.

46. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

47. A Russian river.

48. Informal terms for a mother.

52. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.

56. A native of ancient Troy.

58. Mentally or physically infirm with age.

59. (used especially of persons) Having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age.

61. An African river that flows northwest into Lake Chad.

62. The ratio of the distance traveled (in miles) to the time spent traveling (in hours).

65. (physics and chemistry) The smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element.

66. A unit of length of thread or yarn.

67. Naked freshwater or marine or parasitic protozoa that form temporary pseudopods for feeding and locomotion.

68. The basic unit of money in Bangladesh.

DOWN 1. A master's degree in library science.

2. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

3. English monk and scholar (672-735).

4. A unit of absorbed ionizing radiation equal to 100 ergs per gram of irradiated material.

5. Surveying instrument consisting of the upper movable part of a theodolite including the telescope and its attachments.

6. West Indian tree having racemes of fragrant white flowers and yielding a durable timber and resinous juice.

7. Tropical American tree grown in southern United States having a whitish pinktinged fruit.

8. Be seated.

9. An unnaturally frenzied or distraught woman.

10. A collection of objects laid on top of each other.

11. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

12. Predatory black-and-white toothed whale with large dorsal fin.

20. A member of the Siouan people formerly living in the Missouri river valley in NE Nebraska.

23. Lower in esteem.

27. The sound made by a cat (or any sound resembling this).

28. A French abbot.

31. Young of domestic cattle.

32. An awkward and inexperienced youth.

33. Fermented alcoholic beverage similar to but heavier than beer.

35. A modified bud consisting of a thickened globular underground stem serving as a reproductive structure.

36. A nonmetallic largely pentavalent heavy volatile corrosive dark brown liquid element belonging to the halogens.

39. A public promotion of some product or service.

40. Capital of modern Macedonia.

41. Tropical American tree grown in southern United States having a whitish pinktinged fruit.

43. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

45. A Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Christ.

49. A Buddhist who has attained nirvana.

50. A member of a North American Indian people of the Klamath river valley in northern California.

51. (Jungian psychology) The inner self (not the external persona) that is in touch with the unconscious.

53. A strip of land projecting into a body of water.

54. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

55. A rich soil consisting of a mixture of sand and clay and decaying organic materials.

56. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

57. A collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn.

60. A light touch or stroke.

63. An intensely radioactive metallic element that occurs in minute amounts in uranium ores.

64. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkali earth group.

Yesterday’s Solution

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Years

Lifestyle

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

MF Husain

‘ The Picasso of India’ File photo shows Indian artist MF Husain, right, and socialite Parmeshwar Godrej posing for photographers after announcing the creation of a museum for art and cinema in Hyderabad.

File: Indian artist Maqbool Fida (MF) Husain finishes off a canvas he painted together with Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, unseen, during a fund-raising auction in central London’s auction house.

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rtist MF Husain, who died in self-imposed exile yesterday aged 95, was often referred to as “The Picasso of India” and was the most recognizable figure of the postindependence Indian art scene. But his vast body of work was overshadowed by controversy over his depiction of nude Hindu goddesses, which enraged ultra-nationalists, saw an $11.5million bounty put on his head and forced him to flee India. The dispute was evidence that religious sentiments could still be easily inflamedoften for political ends-in modern India, clashing with its desired image as a secular, multi-cultural and progressive state. Maqbool Fida Husain was born into a Muslim family on September 17, 1915 in Pandharpur near Bombay (now Mumbai) in western India and trained at the city’s famous Sir JJ School of Art. He first began by hand-painting Bollywood film posters but began to attract attention with

the Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group in the late 1940s after Indian independence from Britain. They tried to create a new art for a new country, combining Indian traditions with modern Western avant-garde styles. With an appealing style combining high and popular culturefilm stars regularly featured in his paintings alongside Hindu gods and goddesses-Husain exhibited in galleries across Europe and from New York to Tokyo. In 1967, his first film, “Through the Eyes of a Painter”, won the Golden Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival. Four years later, he met the Spanish painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso at the Sao Paolo Art Biennial.

Husain, who was awarded some of India’s highest civilian honors and even sat at one time in the upper house of parliament, became India’s best-paid painter. His works sold for more than $1 million and were sought after by leading European art collectors, Bollywood stars and

File: MF Husain stands against one of his paintings titled ‘Last Supper’ at the inauguration of his exhibition‘...and not only 88 of Hussain’ at the National Art Gallery in Mumbai. — AFP/AP photos

Husain paints a painting as a celebrationof Mother Teresa’s beatification in Bombay. rich industrialists. Nick Cohen, writing in the January-February 2011 edition of the British cultural magazine Standpoint called him “the grand old man of art”, even suggesting that “he may be the world’s greatest living artist”.

“Husain embodies the spirit of his country.

The struggles, the optimism and glories of India flow through his work,” he added. By then, Husain was more famous for controversy after a series of paintings from the 1970s depicting revered goddesses in the nude were published in a Hindi-language magazine in 1996.

The publication-even so many years after they were created-caused a furore among Hindu nationalists. Criminal cases were filed, ultra-right wing political groups vandalized his house and galleries showing his work. At one point, there were hundreds of court cases against him and death threats, including the bounty for his murder. Police were put on high alert for fear it could cause sectarian violence.

Further controversy came in 2006 over Husain’s “Bharatmata” or Mother India, depicting a nude woman posing across a map of the country with the names of various states on her body.

Husain fled the country, spending his time in the Gulf and in London, where he had a studio. Husain, who saw nudity as a sign of purity, was unrepentant, as major names in the Indian art world rushed to his defense, accusing Hindu groups of hypocrisy as depictions of nude goddesses had been part of the religion since antiquity. He told the Hindustan Times newspaper in November that year that he was homesick and longed to return to Mumbai, calling himself an “international gypsy”. But returning was out of the question as the attacks and threats continued. In March 2010, he accepted Qatari citizenship, resigned that his advancing years made it impossible for him to challenge his opponents, who decried his work as pornographic or blasphemous. He shrugged off the loss of his Indian citizenship but vowed to the television news channel NDTV that he would remain “an Indian-origin painter... to my last breath”. In a chat on the web site rediff.com in February 2005, the often barefoot Husain said he wanted to die painting “like a soldier with the boots on” but never set out to be deliberately controversial. —AFP

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FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Taylor Swift wins

video of year at CMT Awards T

aylor Swift’s fans gave her another trophy, Miranda Lambert’s “The House That Built Me” continued its extraordinary run and Sheryl Crow’s underwear stole the show at the fan-voted 2011 CMT Music Awards. Swift won the night’s biggest award, video of the year, for her song “Mine” thanks to her fans. Lambert took female video of the year for the life-changing song that’s earned her a Grammy and the major country awards already and her new husband, Blake Shelton, was the night’s only multiple winner.

Swift, who won the fan-voted entertainer of the year award at the Academy of Country Music Awards earlier this year, joined the show via live video uplink from Wisconsin where she’s on tour. “I wish I could be there, but I’m hanging out with 15,000 of my closest friends in Milwaukee,” Swift said as frenzied fans screamed in the background. Shelton and Lambert also weren’t able to make it and they missed some interesting moments.

Starting with Crow’s underwear. She wore a short, white skirt and sat on a stool to sing “Collide” alongside host Kid Rock. She briefly flashed the camera as she stood up. It happened in a blink of the eye, but in the age of DVRs, the moment went viral on Twitter, some-

thing Crow acknowledged about an hour later when she and Sara Evans presented an award.

“Well, at least you were wearing underwear,” Evans told Crow. “I was wearing underwear because I’m good, clean, wholesome family fun,” Crow joked. That wasn’t the night’s only surprising moment at an awards show known for its unlikely mashups and celebrity cross-pollination.

Swift joined Shania Twain for their prerecorded faux movie trailer recreating “Thelma & Louise” that included guest appearances by Donald Trump and Kenny Rogers. Justin Bieber induced tears from teenagers as he walked the red carpet with Rascal Flatts. Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and “Dancing With the Stars” champion Hines Ward wore cowboy boots and shook his hips on stage. Lady A turned in one of the night’s most interesting performances.

The trio opened with its record-setting single “Just a Kiss” before singer Charles Kelley jumped on the drums as the band morphed into Prince’s “Kiss.” Wynonna Judd put Kid Rock in his place and taught him a little something about country on a duet of his “Hell, Yes, I’m Country.” And near the end of the show, fans audibly gasped as Twain slipped and fell on her way to the stage to make an introduction.

Shania Twain presents the Male Video of the Year Award.

Zac Brown and his band accept the CMT Performance of the Year Award. — AP/AFP photos

Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush of the group Sugarland accept the Duo Video of the Year Award.

Justin Bieber, center, and Rascal Flatts accept the Collaborative Video of the Year Award.

(From left) Reid, Kimberly and Neil Perry from The Band Perry perform.

(From left) Reid, Kimberly and Neil Perry from The Band Perry accept the Breakthrough Video of the Year Award.

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FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Jason Aldean, who was shut out after earning a leading four nominations, topped off the night with a surprise version of his hip hopinfused hit “Dirt Road Anthem” with rapper Ludacris. It was a perfect end to a show that thrived on unlikely pairings.

Kid Rock, hosting for the second year, thought the song was a great illustration of where country is going. “I’ve said this before: Country and hip hop aren’t that far apart in spirit if you break it down,” he said after the show.

“They’re both blues music.” Shelton, who appeared via video uplink from the set of his reality contest show “The Voice,” won male video of the year for “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking” and best Web video for “Kiss My Country Ass.” Sugarland kicked off the night with the first win, taking duo video of the year for “Stuck Like Glue.” Lady Antebellum won group video of the year for “Hello World.” The Band Perry won breakthrough video for “If I Die Young.” Jimmy Buffett and Zac Brown won best CMT performance of the year for “Margaritaville.” And pop heartthrob Bieber added a CMT belt buckle to the pile of trophies

he’s won in the last year, taking home best collaboration with Rascal Flatts for “That Should Be Me.” Long a fan of Rascal Flatts, Bieber drew some of the night’s biggest cheers from the crowd in a corridor of the arena, where the red carpet was moved to avoid oppressive temperatures near 100. One of the night’s largest entourages included Rascal Flatts singer Gary LeVox’s daughters, 10-year-old Brittany and 8year-old Brooklyn, who were clearly smitten with the teen sensation. “If I wanted to go home, I had no choice but to bring them,” LeVox said. — AP

Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush of the group Sugarland perform.

(From left) Charles Kelly, Hillary Scot and Dave Haywood of Lady Antebellum accept the Group Video of the Year Award.

American Idol winner Scotty McCreery and runner-up Lauren Alaina.

Musicians Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow perform.

Nicole Kidman and her husband Keith Urban.

Keith Urban performs.

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FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Beatles music to be used

In this photo provided by the Las Vegas News Bureau, Paul McCartney and fiance Nancy Shevell walk the red carpet during the fifth anniversary of The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil. —AP

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n a historic nod, the surviving members and estates of the Beatles have granted the producer of an upcoming movie about ill-fated manager Brian Epstein the right to use the band’s songs in his film. Except for John Lennon’s first song “Hello Little Girl,” credited to Lennon/McCartney and performed in the 2010 biopic “Nowhere Boy,” films in which the Beatles figure as characters (“Backbeat,” “The Hours and Times,” “Two of Us”) have done without Lennon/McCartney songs.

But “The Fifth Beatle” will likely use cover versions of between six and 10 songs, said Vivek Tiwary, a Broadway producer (“The Addams Family,” “American Idiot”) making his feature debut with the $25 million project. He will draw from a list that includes “All You Need Is Love,” “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away,” “A Day in the Life,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “Yesterday,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “Help!,” “You Never Give Me Your Money,” “Girl,” “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Come Together.”

Jeff Jones, CEO of Apple Corps, the Beatles’ holding company, said, “Apple Corps has no comment on the film other than to say that the film will not include any of the original Beatles master recordings.” The Beatles (and the band members’ survivors’ estates) have not endorsed “The Fifth Beatle,” but a source said representatives have signed off on the script and enabled music rights to be used.

Epstein, a closeted homosexual in the days when it was illegal in the U.K, suffered with his outsider status even as the band he managed because hugely famous. He died of a sedative overdose in 1967, a month after homosexuality was legalized. “It’s definitely possible that ‘You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away’ is about Brian,” Tiwary said. Beatles expert Tim Riley told The Hollywood Reporter this has been “long speculated, but nothing Lennon ever said nails it down.”

“Brian Epstein was a deeply repressed, unhappy guy,” said David Browne, whose new book, “Fire and Rain,” details the Beatles’ last days. “There’s what seemed to be this happy world of the Beatles, and at the core of it this guy grappling with all these demons. The story is ripe to be told. There’s still something mysterious about him.” Tiwary hopes to start production ths year, but is still looking for a director (a source said Cameron Crowe and Gus Van Sant have passed). “I won’t wait two years, but if the right director wanted us to shoot later, we have flexibility in financing (from Nashville’s DIMI Entertainment),” he said.

Tiwary has also been talking with Tom Kitt, composer of “Next to Normal,” about a stage musical of “The Fifth Beatle.” There is even a plan for a graphic novel from Dark Horse Entertainment (no relation to George Harrison’s Dark Horse record label).—Reuters

Ang Lee proud of son’s role in ‘Hangover’ sequel

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scar-winning director Ang Lee played an important role in “The Hangover Part II” — at least off-screen. He is the father of one of the actors. The filmmaker’s younger son, Mason Lee, plays Teddy, the teenager the lead characters try to rescue as they struggle to piece together what happened during a crazy night in Bangkok.

Ang Lee was clearly a proud dad speaking to reporters after catching a showing with his younger brother and mother earlier this week in Taiwan, his home country. “My son’s performance was quite good,” Lee told reporters outside a Taipei theater in footage posted on the website of the Taiwanese newspaper Apple Daily. “He is quite a serious actor but this is just a comedy.”

Asked by an overeager reporter whether Mason was a future Oscar winner, the elder Lee responded with a smile, “He only has a small role in the movie.” Lee demurred when asked if he

File photo shows Taiwanese director Ang Lee discussing the difficulties in preparing to direct his new film ‘The Life of Pi’ in Taipei. —AP would cast Mason in one of his movies. “I don’t know. Kids should do whatever they want to do,” he said. Lee’s older son, Haan, played the toddler son of the family featured in Lee’s 1992 directorial debut, “Pushing Hands.” The Associated Press didn’t touch on Mason Lee’s performance in its largely critical review of “The Hangover Part II.” It gave the sequel one-and-a-half stars out of four, saying it was too much of a rehash of the first installment. —AP

Lohan wins restraining order against man

in Brian Epstein movie

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ctress Lindsay Lohan on Wednesday won a twoyear restraining order against a man she says sent her delusional phone text messages and left chocolates at her door. The order by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Joseph Biderman came after Lohan had obtained a temporary restraining order against David Cocordan.

Lohan did not attend the court hearing on Wednesday because she was serving a home detention sentence for jewelry theft. She is expected to be released around the end of June. The 24 year-old star of the films “Mean Girls” and “Freaky Friday” said in court papers last month that Cocordan believed he was in a romantic relationship with her. Lohan also accused him of contacting her with more than 100 unwanted phone calls and sexually explicit text messages since 2009.

Lohan, who was once considered one of Hollywood’s most promising actors, has barely been out of the news for four years due to repeated trips to jail and drug rehabilitation. —Reuters

Ja Rule sentenced to prison in NYC gun case

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a Rule headed to prison Wednesday for up to two years in a gun case, bidding a stoic but upbeat farewell-for-now to family and fans at a New York courthouse.

The multiplatinum-selling rapper and actor - whose gravelly voice, thuggish tough talk and duets with R&B divas made him one of rap’s stars in the early 2000s — signed autographs for fans on his way to be sentenced. He pleaded guilty in December to attempted criminal weapon possession; the case stemmed from gun found in his luxury sports car in July 2007.

“See y’all later,” he told family and friends in the courtroom audience as he was handcuffed. “Love you!” called the group, which included his wife, Aisha, and his mother and mother-inlaw. Dressed in a white T-shirt, gray pants and a gray hooded sweat shirt, he replied, “Love you, too.” With that, Ja Rule, 35, was led away to start serving his sentence. He’ll briefly be in a city jail before heading to a state prison yet to be determined. He also faces the possibility of a federal prison sentence for failing to pay taxes on

Ja Rule more than $3 million in income; he pleaded guilty to that in March. He faces up to three years in prison in that case, though his will push for any prison time in that case to be served at the same time as his New York term. His sentencing in the tax case has been set for Monday. But it will likely be postponed to later in the summer, said his lawyer, Stacey Richman. In the meantime, Ja Rule heads to prison with an album on the way and, he has said, plans to write and otherwise keep busy behind bars.

“Out on my patio having my last free moment,” he tweeted before heading to court. —AP

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FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Gibson’s ex files appeal over lawyer M

In this film publicity image released by Paramount Pictures, from left, Gabriel Basso, Ryan Lee, Joel Courtney and Riley Griffiths are shown in a scene from “Super 8.”—AP

JJ Abrams goes back to future in ‘Super 8’ J

J Abrams, the filmmaker behind the TV shows “Alias,” “Lost” and the movies “Mission: Impossible III” and “Star Trek,” returns to movie theaters today with what he calls his most autobiographical work to date. Abrams wrote, directed and produced “Super 8,” a sci-fi mystery that also boasts the imprimatur of producer Steven Spielberg. The story revolves around a group of kids in a small town in the late ‘70s who are making a home movie.

They witness a train crash and suddenly odd things start happening. Abrams, 44, talked with Reuters about the strange title, his own childhood, and working with kids.

Q: How is this your most personal film to date?

A. “The original idea of the film was to set it in a time that was based on my own ridiculous experiences making really bad movies as a kid on Super 8.

Obviously there is a lot of wild, hyper-real stuff and spectacle in this film that I certainly didn’t go through as a kid.”

Q: Which one of the kids in the film most represents you?

A: “I was definitely the chubby kid making movies (“Charles,” played by Riley Griffiths) but I wasn’t as confident and bullish as he is. I was more like the main kid, Joe (Joel Courtney), a little bit of an outsider. I love blowing

things up on film, but I wasn’t as obsessed about it as Cary (Ryan Lee), the kid in the film.”

Q: Elle Fanning was cast as the lone girl in a group of boys. Did they all have crushes on her?

A: “Yes! When she was on set, there was a marked difference in the way they would behave. When she was around, they always knew where she was. It was definitely a chemical thing.”

Q: Do you have a favorite scene in the film?

A: “What encapsulated the whole experience for me were really the scenes with all the kids together. There’s a scene where they are all having lunch in the diner. It’s six kids, it’s messy, it’s busy and they’re talking over each other. There was something about that scene that was the movie.”

Q: What was the biggest challeng about making “Super 8?”

A: “Finding the kids took forever. We needed real kids who looked the part and would go well together, as opposed to professional actors playing children. It was one of those things that took longer than I thought it would.”

Q: The title sounds like it belongs right beside cassette tapes and rotary phones. Do you worry that your audience may be confused by

the title since it’s not about a superhero?

A: “The fact that the title is not a known thing is probably a sign that we’re used to being pre-sold. I’m hoping that people see it, like it, and the title becomes what the title is. Certainly films like ‘District 9’ and ‘Inception’ had titles that didn’t quite make sense but once they became known, people went, ‘Oh yeah.’”

Q: Steven Spielberg produced this film with you. You’ve been a fan of his since you were a teenager. How did his early movies influence “Super 8?”

A: “I was profoundly influenced by the movies of that time. There was a love of those kids, the love of that era, certain elements like kids on BMX bikes in a small town and otherworldly elements.”

Q: You’ve got a new series this fall on CBS, “Person of Interest.” And next year on Fox you’ll have “Alcatraz” starring “Lost” actor Jorge Garcia.

Why re-team with him?

A: “I adore that guy and this was the first opportunity for me to work with him again. Jorge was the first person we cast on ‘Lost’ and he was the first person we cast on ‘Alcatraz.’ I tend to work with the same actors again and again. Michael Emerson from ‘Lost’ is on ‘Person of Interest.’” —Reuters

Marijuana possession will cost Willie Nelson $787

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ountry music legend and avowed marijuana aficionado Willie Nelson must pay a Texas court $787 to settle marijuana possession charges. Hudspeth County Attorney Kit Bramblett told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the 78-year-old Nelson can send the $500 fine and $287 court costs by mail. In March, Bramblett had suggested that County Judge Becky DeanWalker had ordered Nelson to perform “Blue Eyes Crying

in the Rain” in court.

At the time, Dean-Walker said Bramblett’s suggestion was a “joke that got out of hand.” On Wednesday, Bramblett confirmed that “he’s not coming, he’s not singing.” Nelson was arrested Nov. 26 at a Border Patrol checkpoint when an agent searched his tour bus because of a suspicious aroma coming from the vehicle. He was later released on bail. — AP

el Gibson’s ex-girlfriend has asked an appeals court to disqualify the Oscar winner’s attorneys handling a bitter custody dispute because she consulted with one of their partners in a paternity dispute with another actor.

Attorneys for Oksana Grigorieva asked the California 2nd District Court of Appeal to intervene in the case on Monday. They sought to either disqualify Gibson’s attorneys or require a judge hearing the case to review File photo shows records of the Russian musician’s Russian-born singer, dealings with the firm. songwriter Oksana Grigorieva met with a partner in Grigorieva, poses for the firm of Kolodny and Anteau photographers durin 2008 at Gibson’s suggestion, ing a news conferwhile she was dealing with cus- ence in Moscow. —AP tody issues involving her son with British actor Timothy Dalton, according to court filings. The appeal said Gibson’s attorneys sought records of the dispute with Dalton, including emails, text messages and other correspondence between the former couple. Dalton played James Bond in two films in the late 1980s. Stephen Kolodny, one of the Gibson’s attorneys handling his dispute with Grigorieva over their infant daughter, said in an email that he would not comment on Grigorieva’s appeal.

His partner, Ronald Anteau, has not appeared in the case, but Grigorieva’s filing named her discussion with him as important to her current fight with Gibson. “The matters discussed with Mr Anteau concerned the same subject matter that has been inquired into in the present case by Stephen Kolodny both in open court and at deposition,” her filing said. Grigorieva asked the court to issue a ruling before a key hearing this month. Last month, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Scott Gordon ruled that Grigorieva waited too long to raise the issue of a potential conflict with Kolodny’s representation of Gibson. —AP

Mel Gibson visits kids at Guatemala hospital

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el Gibson talked with Guatemalan children born with deformities during a stop at a hospital Wednesday, a visit that was part of a community service sentence for battering his exgirlfriend. The Oscar winner’s publicist, Alan Nierob, said Gibson has been in the Central American country for several days working with Mending Kids International, a children’s charity.

Nierob said Gibson is spending more time working in Guatemala than the 16 hours of community service that a plea deal calls for him to perform.

Gibson pleaded no contest in March to a misdemeanor charge for striking former girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva during a January 2010 fight, but did not admit guilt. A judge approved his working with the charity, which the actor-director’s estranged wife, Robyn Moore Gibson, once led. Mending Kids provides free surgery for children with cleft lips or spina bifida, a disorder in which the spinal canal and backbone don’t close prior to birth. Gibson, who wore a purple T-shirt with Mending Kids logo, said he has been coming to Guatemala the past 15 years to support the charity. He spoke to reporters on the condition of not answering questions about his personal life. He is currently in a custody battle with Grigorieva.—AP

Lifestyle FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Rothschild tiara

sells for over £1m in London

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dazzling pearl and diamond tiara once owned by a celebrated member of Britain’s de Rothschild empire on Wednesday sold at a London auction for £1,161,250 ($1,900,000, 1,305,908 euros). The bejeweled item belonged to Hannah de Rothschild, whom was at one time the richest woman in Britain and whom went on to marry dashing aristocrat and future prime minister the Earl of Rosebery. Three pieces of jewelry owned by the countess of Rosebery were sold for a combined total of £1,738,500 at Wednesday’s “Important Jewel Sale” at Christie’s auction house.

The 282 lots raised a grand total of £7,460,725 with a Cartier art deco bracelet alone fetching £1,150,050. “The Rosebery pearl and diamond tiara, bracelet and brooch were at the heart of Lady Rosebery’s vast array of magnificent jewels, which rivaled those of crowned heads of Europe at the time,” Keith Penton, Head of Jewels at Christie’s London, said.

“They are a rare survival of 19th century English aristocratic splendor, as so much ancestral jewelry has been sold anonymously, remounted or broken down,” he added. The granddaughter of Nathan Mayer Rothschild, founder of NM Rothschild & Sons, the countess became Britain’s richest woman when her father, Mayer Amschel, died in 1874. — AFP

Ex-maid to Marilyn Monroe dies in NYC at 86

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woman who worked as Marilyn Monroe’s maid and cowrote a book about the storied actress’ life has died in Manhattan. Lena Pepitone was 86. Pepitone’s family said Wednesday that she died from a heart attack at her Upper East Side apartment. They said she was found dead Tuesday when a family friend went to check on her.

Pepitone was Monroe’s maid from the late 1950s to the early 1960s. She co-wrote “Marilyn Monroe Confidential,” published in 1980. She was also known to cook for Monroe’s famous friends. A biographer of Monroe husband and baseball great Joe DiMaggio wrote that Pepitone kept Monroe’s bedroom in order and also cooked Italian dishes for DiMaggio. A son, John Pepitone, said his mother was born in Naples, Italy, on Feb 7, 1925.—AP

In this undated photo provided by Steven Cataneo, Lena Pepitone, center, poses with members of her family in Manalapan. — AP

A Christie’s auction house employee poses with a Rosebery Pearl and Diamond Tiara. — AFP

For this street artist, all New York is his canvas

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ames De La Vega has a message for New York — and he’s writing it all over the city.

A cigar-smoking street philosopher, De La Vega leaves mysterious sketches, sayings and exhortations in chalk on pavements, bike lanes, even garbage piles.

He’s so prolific that while few know his face, the sidewalk seer has become one of the Big Apple’s most famous artists.

“Become your dream,” urges his signature motto, scrawled over the line drawing of a fish leaping from a bowl into a drinking glass and the signature “DELAVEGA.” The curious words and designs, always in white chalk, appear outside subway stations or on sidewalks, often popping up overnight. Instead of a bowl, there could be an hourglass, a love heart, a raincloud, spear or other objects, with the fish sometimes replaced by a snake or turtle. The accompanying words are brief, ambiguous.

Like, “Sometimes the king is a woman.” Or, “Be mindful if your mind is full.” Every day, teeming crowds of commuters walk over the temporary inscriptions, then rain eventually washes them away. De La Vega is relentless: he said in an interview that he can execute about 100 a day.

“I’m planting seeds,” he said.

New York has a rich history of street art, but De La Vega-who prefers to be addressed by his last name-insists he has nothing in common with the destructive impulses of graffiti. He began in his home neighborhood of Spanish Harlem 20 years ago with murals on abandoned buildings

that were meant to “beautify, to give people something to be proud of.” Then along came the now iconic fish, “Become your dream,” and the rest of the growing repertoire. The fish, he says, “are not meant to beautify. These are strange things.”

De La Vega works at great speed, leaving his trace along

sticks. Mostly the runners went right past, but some lost concentration for a second, glancing at the 37-year-old, whose body is emblazoned with tattoos reading “Become your dream,” “Legends never die” and the Spanish version of his catchphrase: “Realiza tu sueno.” “This is a niche audience,” he said with compassion.

Artist James de la Vega draws with chalk on the running/cycling path in New York’s Central Park on May 25, 2011.—AFP streets in a pattern that seems to come instinctively, depending on where he is. Recently he has taken to working his way through the asphalted paths and roads of Central Park, which in summer teems with tourists and armies of fitness-mad locals running the Loop. De La Vega walked briskly against the torrent of runners, pausing briefly to sketch, throwing used stubs of chalk into the grass and reaching for fresh

“They’re very vulnerable. They probably have doubts about the future.” A few hand movements later, he’d sketched a fish with long legs running across the path of the constant human flow. “This stuff sinks in,” he said. In the middle of the flow, a runner halfturned in surprise on recognizing the signature on the tarmac: “Hey, De La Vega!” A little later, a woman also did a double-take when she saw the fish. —AFP

Stars

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Aries (March 21-April 19) You have a poetic license, as well as astrological permission, to be extra cute in the coming week. I mean you have a divine mandate to exceed the usual levels of being adorable and charming and delectable.

Here's the potential problem with that, though: Trying to be cute doesn't usually result in becoming cuter; often it leads to being smarmy and pretentious. So how can you take advantage of the cosmic imperative to be wildly, extravagantly, sublimely cute -- without getting all self-conscious about it?

That's your riddle of the week.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

It would be an excellent week for you to declare war on everything that wastes your time. Well, maybe "declaring war" is not quite the right spirit to adopt; after all, we don't want you to go around constantly enraged and hostile. How about if we phrase it this way: It's prime time for you to ingeniously and relentlessly elude all activities, invitations, temptations, trains of thought, and habits that offer you nothing in return for the precious energy you give to them. Of course this is always a worthy project, but it so happens that you're likely to achieve far more progress than usual if you do it now.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Primatologist Jane Goodall, who lived for years among chimpanzees in Tanzania, is one of the world's top experts on the creatures. Can you guess what her favorite toy was when she was young? A stuffed monkey, of course. There were no doubt foreshadowings like that in your own childhood or adolescence, Gemini. Right? Signs of the magic you would eventually seek to ripen? Seeds of destiny that had just begun to sprout? Now would be a good time to reflect on those early hints. You'll benefit from updating your understanding of and commitment to the capacities they revealed.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

After all these years, the American presidential election of 2000 still makes me cringe. Because of the archaic laws governing the process, the candidate who "lost" the election actually got 543,895 more votes than the guy who "won." How could anyone in good conscience, even those who supported the less-popular "winner," have sanctioned such a result? It was perverse. It was pathological. It was crazy-making. I'd say the same thing if the roles had been reversed, and Gore had become president with a half-million fewer votes than Bush.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

I dreamed you had been tending an unusual garden for months. Your crops weren't herbs or flowers or vegetables, but rather miniature volcanoes. Each was now ripe and stood about waist-high. They erupted with a steady flow of liquid blue fire that you were harvesting in large, gold, Grail-like cups.

Apparently this stuff was not only safe to drink, but profoundly energizing. You sipped some of the potion yourself and distributed the rest to a large gathering of enthusiastic people who had come to imbibe your tasty medicine. The mood was festive, and you were radiant. This dream of mine is a good metaphor for your life in the immediate future.

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

Darryl Dawkins played professional basketball from 1975 to 1996. One of the sport's more colorful personalities, he said he lived part-time on the planet Lovetron, a place where he perfected his interplanetary funkmanship. He also liked to give names to his slam dunks. The "Turbo Sexophonic Delight" was a favorite, but the best was his "Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Teeth-Shaking, GlassBreaking, Rump-Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam-I-Am Jam." I encourage you to try some Darryl Dawkins-like behavior in your own chosen field, Virgo.

Give a name to your signature move or your special play. With playful flair, let people know how much you love what you do and how good you are at what you do.

Libra (September 23-October 22) According to research published in The Journal of Personality, many college students prefer ego strokes to sex. Given the choice between making love with a desirable partner and receiving a nice big compliment, a majority opted for the latter. In the near future, Libra, it's important that you not act like one of these self-esteem-starved wimps. You need the emotional and physical catharsis that can come from erotic union and other sources of pleasurable intensity far more than you need to have your pride propped up.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) An uncanny stretching sensation will soon be upon you if it's not already.

Whether you're prepared or not, you will be asked, prodded, and maybe even compelled to expand. It could feel stressful or exhilarating or both.

And it will probably force you to rethink your fascination with anyone or anything you love to hate. For best results, I suggest that you don't resist the elongation and enlargement. In fact, it would be a very good idea to cooperate. As the odd magic unfolds, it will increase your capacity for taking advantage of paradox. It may also give you a surprising power to harness the energy released by the friction between oppositional forces.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

You're in a phase of your astrological cycle when you're likely to be as attractive and endearing and in demand as it's possible for you to be. I am not making any absurdly extravagant claims here -- am not implying you'll be as charismatic as a rock star and as lovable as a kitten -- but you will be pushing the limits of your innate allure. I bet your physical appearance will be extra appealing, and you'll have an instinct for highlighting the most winsome aspects of your personality. To help you take advantage of the potential that's now available, please add the following word to your vocabulary: "concupiscible," which means "worthy of being desired."

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

Nicolas Cage is a Capricorn. While performing his film roles, he often loses his composure. Of course the crazy things he does as an actor aren't real and don't lead to dire consequences in his actual life. But they afford him a great deal of emotional release. Let's hypothesize that, like Cage, you could benefit from expressing the hell out of yourself without causing any mayhem. Is there a cork-lined sanctuary where you could go and safely unveil explosions of extreme emotions? Or some equivalent? For inspiration, check this Youtube compendium of Cage uncaged.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18)

My divinations suggest that you'd be wise to assign yourself an errand in the wilderness. The precise nature of the errand has not been revealed to me, but I suspect it involves you going to an untamed place whose provocative magic will tangibly alter your consciousness, awakening you to some truth about your destiny that you've been unable to decipher. I also believe your task is more likely to succeed if you create a small, whimsical shrine there in your ad hoc sanctuary.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Do you have any idea of how many of your diapers your mother changed when you were a baby? It was almost certainly over 1,000. Have you ever calculated how many meals she prepared for you? That number probably exceeds 10,000. While we're on the subject, do you remember who taught you to read and write? Can you visualize the face of the first person besides your parents who made you feel interesting or well-loved or real? I encourage you to follow this line of thought as far as you can. It's a perfect time, astrologically speaking, to visualize memories of specific times you've been well cared for and thoroughly blessed.

COUNTRY CODES Afghanistan 0093 Albania 00355 Algeria 00213 Andorra 00376 Angola 00244 Anguilla 001264 Antiga 001268 Argentina 0054 Armenia 00374 Australia 0061 Austria 0043 Bahamas 001242 Bahrain 00973 Bangladesh 00880 Barbados 001246 Belarus 00375 Belgium 0032 Belize 00501 Benin 00229 Bermuda 001441 Bhutan 00975 Bolivia 00591 Bosnia 00387 Botswana 00267 Brazil 0055 Brunei 00673 Bulgaria 00359 Burkina 00226 Burundi 00257 Cambodia 00855 Cameroon 00237 Canada 001 Cape Verde 00238 Cayman Islands 001345 Central African Republic 00236 Chad 00235 Chile 0056 China 0086 Colombia 0057 Comoros 00269 Congo 00242 Cook Islands 00682 Costa Rica 00506 Croatia 00385 Cuba 0053 Cyprus 00357 Cyprus (Northern) 0090392 Czech Republic 00420 Denmark 0045 Diego Garcia 00246 Djibouti 00253 Dominica 001767 Dominican Republic 001809 Ecuador 00593 Egypt 0020 El Salvador 00503 England (UK) 0044 Equatorial Guinea 00240 Eritrea 00291 Estonia 00372 Ethiopia 00251 Falkland Islands 00500 Faroe Islands 00298 Fiji 00679 Finland 00358 France 0033 French Guiana 00594 French Polynesia 00689 Gabon 00241 Gambia 00220 Georgia 00995 Germany 0049 Ghana 00233 Gibraltar 00350 Greece 0030 Greenland 00299 Grenada 001473 Guadeloupe 00590 Guam 001671 Guatemala 00502 Guinea 00224 Guyana 00592 Haiti 00509 Holland (Netherlands)0031 Honduras 00504 Hong Kong 00852 Hungary 0036 Ibiza (Spain) 0034 Iceland 00354 India 0091 Indian Ocean 00873 Indonesia 0062 Iran 0098 Iraq 00964 Ireland 00353 Italy 0039 Ivory Coast 00225 Jamaica 001876 Japan 0081 Jordan 00962 Kazakhstan 007 Kenya 00254 Kiribati 00686

Kuwait 00965 Kyrgyzstan 00996 Laos 00856 Latvia 00371 Lebanon 00961 Liberia 00231 Libya 00218 Lithuania 00370 Luxembourg 00352 Macau 00853 Macedonia 00389 Madagascar 00261 Majorca 0034 Malawi 00265 Malaysia 0060 Maldives 00960 Mali 00223 Malta 00356 Marshall Islands 00692 Martinique 00596 Mauritania 00222 Mauritius 00230 Mayotte 00269 Mexico 0052 Micronesia 00691 Moldova 00373 Monaco 00377 Mongolia 00976 Montserrat 001664 Morocco 00212 Mozambique 00258 Myanmar (Burma) 0095 Namibia 00264 Nepal 00977 Netherlands (Holland)0031 Netherlands Antilles 00599 New Caledonia 00687 New Zealand 0064 Nicaragua 00505 Nigar 00227 Nigeria 00234 Niue 00683 Norfolk Island 00672 Northern Ireland (UK)0044 North Korea 00850 Norway 0047 Oman 00968 Pakistan 0092 Palau 00680 Panama 00507 Papua New Guinea 00675 Paraguay 00595 Peru 0051 Philippines 0063 Poland 0048 Portugal 00351 Puerto Rico 001787 Qatar 00974 Romania 0040 Russian Federation 007 Rwanda 00250 Saint Helena 00290 Saint Kitts 001869 Saint Lucia 001758 Saint Pierre 00508 Saint Vincent 001784 Samoa US 00684 Samoa West 00685 San Marino 00378 Sao Tone 00239 Saudi Arabia 00966 Scotland (UK) 0044 Senegal 00221 Seychelles 00284 Sierra Leone 00232 Singapore 0065 Slovakia 00421 Slovenia 00386 Solomon Islands 00677 Somalia 00252 South Africa 0027 South Korea 0082 Spain 0034 Sri Lanka 0094 Sudan 00249 Suriname 00597 Swaziland 00268 Sweden 0046 Switzerland 0041 Syria 00963 Taiwan 00886 Tanzania 00255 Thailand 0066 Toga 00228 Tonga 00676 Tokelau 00690 Trinidad 001868 Tunisia 00216 Turkey 0090 Tuvalu 00688 Uganda 00256 Ukraine 00380 United Arab Emirates00976

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FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Announcements BAIA Summer Camp now open for registrations 2011 ON STAGE summer camp from 19 June to 06 July.

Last year High School Musical, this year Camp Rock, Tangled, Cars...many more! From Page to Stage in just 3 weeks, through costume design, technicals, acting, singing, dance, music, make-up, film and lighting.

Create a fabulous performance ON STAGE. Discounts available if registered before 01 June. Call 60052087 or mail administrator@baia.com.kw. Full details of all events and courses are available on www.baia.com.kw

Tamilosai Poets hold 62nd monthly meeting

AWARE Arabic course The AWARE management is glad to inform you that Summer 2 Arabic language courses will begin on June 12 until July 21, 2011. AWARE Arabic language courses are designed with the expat in mind. The environment is relaxed & courses are designed for those wanting to learn Arabic for travel, cultural understanding, and conducting business or simply to become more involved in the community. We cater to teachers, travelers and those working in the private business sector.

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amilosai Poets Association held its 62th monthly meeting on 3rd June 2011 at old Miami Rest, Mirqab.

Kuwait. The meeting was presided by President Sivakumar. As usual Poets and the Singers proved their talent in great extravaganza. The meeting came to an end with delicious Lunch.

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South Africa mourns Sisulu

he South African Embassy in the State of Kuwait announces and mourns the passing away of one of South Africa s foremost matriarchs of the liberation struggle, Albertina Sisulu, also fondly known as Mama Sisulu. She was the wife of Walter Sisulu, a prominent leader in the African National Congress (ANC) who was jailed for life imprisonment with Nelson Mandela at Robben Island.

Albertina Sisulu wholeheartedly committed herself to the liberation struggle and lived a life with honor, courage and integrity in her effort to abolish Apartheid. She emerged as a political figure and grassroots leader in her own right as she abandoned her ambition to train as a teacher but continued her keen interest in education which she saw as central to the struggle against Apartheid.

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She joined the ANC Women’s League and initiated the formation of the Federation of SA Women in 1964 and played a prominent role in launching the Freedom Charter. As a true servant of the people of South Africa and a dedicated champion for gender equality and the advancement of women, she opposed segregated education, running schools from home and marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest the carrying of identification documents

by Black women in 1955. Albertina Sisulu was generally regarded as the Mother of the Nation and her legacy in establishing a free, democratic, just and non-sexist South Africa will remain forever.

In order to honor the legacy of Mama Sisulu and celebrate her immense contribution to South Africa’s liberation, the

President of the Republic of South Africa has directed that Albertina Sisulu be laid to rest with full military honors and that all South African flags including those at South African diplomatic Missions be flown at half mast, as a sign of respect for her selfless service to all South Africans and humanity at large, for her generosity of spirit and for teaching the nation humility, respect for human dignity and compassion for the weak, the poor and downtrodden.

A Book of Condolence will be opened in honour of Mrs. Albertina Sisulu at the South African Embassy from Monday 13 to Wednesday 15 June 2011 from 09:00 to 16:00 at the following address, Villa No 3, House No. 91, Street 1, Block 10, Salwa. For enquiries, please contact the following numbers: 99794483 / 25617988 / 25618456.

Writers Forum visits envoy

he office bearers of Writers Forum Kuwait met with the Charge d’Affaires, Embassy of India Vicihu P Nair on 5th June 2011. S Qamar Mmto apprised him of the various activities and also the future plans of the forum. He offered to extend his full cooperation in continuing the literary activities of the forum.

AWARE Arabic courses highlights: Introductory to Level 4 Arabic language basics; Ccmbine language learning with cultural insights; taught in multi-nationality group settings ; and provides opportunities to interact with Western expatriates and native Kuwaitis/Arabs. For more information and/or registration, call 25335260/80 ext 105 or 0 or log onto: www.aware.com.kw Mahakte Lamhe Indian Cultural Society (ICS) presents “Mahakte Lamhe” with Udit Narayan (a renowned playback singer from Indian cinema)) with Deepa Narayan (female singer).

Another attraction of the evening will be reality show fame Neha Chouhan & Nayan Rathod on 10th June 2011 Friday at 7.30 pm. The Chief Guest for the event will be Vidhu P Nair Charge d” Affaires Embassy of India, Kuwait and the guest of honor will be prominent personalities from Kuwait.

After hosting memorable events such as “Dil Ki Awaaz “ with Kavita Krishnamurti & Bharti Singh, Jashn e Bahara’n” with Talat Aziz & famous poets, “Nazar Ke Samne” with Kumar Sanu, “Taal se Taal” with Alka Yagnik, “Shaam e Ghalib” with Kader Khan, Shaam e Sangeet, Shaam e Shibani, Suroon- Ki-Shaam, Shaame-Ghazal, Geet & Ghazal Nite, Shab- e-Meraj, Jhoomte Sitare & many more. “Mahakte Lamhe” will be witness of new era & evergreen songs by Udit Narayan a reigning king of male playback singers. Nayan Rathod will entertain with his versatile singing style as he is famous in many reality shows. Nayan became famous in his marvelous performance in “K for Kishor”.

Simultaneously Lucknow born Neha Chouhan established herself as superb performer in maximum reality shows especially in Chak De & Comedy Circus.

Udit has sung in more than 2600 Hindi films and in 15 Indian language films like Hindi, Bengali, Assamess, Oriya, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani, Gujarati, Marathi, Kannad, Telegu, Garwali, Manipuri, Haryanvi and Maithili. Udit Narayan also acted in two Nepali films: Kusumey Rumal and Peerati. Some of his private albums are Bhajan Sangam ,Bhajan Vatika ,I love You ,Dil Deewana , Yeh Dosti ,Love is Life,Jhumka de Jhumka, ,Sona No Ghadulo , Dhuli Ganga , Ma Tarini, and many more...

Udit Narayan has performed appreciatively 1100 stage shows in India and abroad like US, Canada, West Indies, and Far East, UK South Africa and many European countries. These include Screen Videocon Award, MTV Best Video Award and Pride of India Gold Award.

He was in the panel of judges of Indian Idol 3 & Waar Pariwaron Sony TV. In 2009, he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India, India’s 4th highest civilian honor.

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FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF ARGENTINA In order to inform that 23rd of October 2011, will be Argentine national election where all Argentinean citizen residents permanently in Kuwait can vote only if they are registered at the Electoral Register of the Argentine Embassy. The procedure of inscription ended on 25 of April 2011. To register it is necessary that Argentinean citizens should come personally at the Argentinean Embassy (Block 6, street 42, villa 57, Mishref) and present the DNI and four personal photos (size 4x4, face should be front on white background). For further information, contact us on 25379211.

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Thanima presents Indian epic drama

‘O

ru Vadakkan Veerakatha’, the Dramascope mega Budget Visual entertainer directed by Babuji Bathery of Thanima, a prominent Indian expatriate organization created history as the long awaited play depicting the tale of Palattu Koman from Ballads of North Malabar of medieval Kerala unfolded in the Al-Jeel Al- Jadeed School auditorium, Hawally on the 20th May, 2011 evening.

The spectacular display of extravagance and the balanced blend of humor and satire were well received by the audience as the art direction took centre stage. The nostalgic moments of the good old days were revisited as the play progressed. Every Keralite in his or her childhood days of 70s and 80s witnessed similar traditional plays in their temple or church yards. The 18 sets prepared by the ace stage designer from India Artist Sujathan was a bit of reality glistening in the house of make-believe era of early 1800s.

EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Embassy encourages all Australians to register their presence in Kuwait through Smartraveller Online (see link below).

Australians who are registered are asked to update their details. The information provided will assist us in contacting you in an emergency. www.smartraveller.gov.au Kuwait citizens can apply for and receive visit visas to Australia online at www.immi.gov.au. This usually takes two working days. All others visa applications are handled by the Australian Visa Application Centre Tel. 22971110.

Witnessing and certifying documents are by appointment only, please contact the Embassy on 2232 2422.

The Australian Embassy is open from 8.00am to 4.00pm, Sunday to Thursday.

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Most theatres have to rely on that alone-the talent of the actor, that is to make the paint-and-plywood world come alive with the help of crew behind the scenes. And part of the thrill of theatre was witnessing that, of recognizing an entire atmosphere from frequent applauses and the chuckles from all present at Al Jeel Al Jadeed School auditorium. There were two shows at 4.30 pm & 8.30 pm.

The sacrifices made by 26 plus artistes on the stage and 30 plus technical team for the last 90 days were rewarding as the reviews of the play spread in and around Kuwait for the last few weeks.

This adventure not only gave the local artists a chance to perform along a professional team which included Artist Sujathan and Playback Music

Director Manoj Mavelikara and others.

And in filling the stage with apt props to the traditional attire by costume designers, making it all so literal, the designers did our imaginative work for us, and robbed us of the thrill of recognition. Mr. Cyriac Alencheril, one among the audience commented that he emphasize the term “recognition” because he thought that, as much as any of the beautiful language, music, or profound themes to be found in drama, is what moved us when we saw a piece of theatre like ‘Oru Vadakkan Veerakatha’.

The minute details of the play was choreographed by Associate director Johney Kunnil with the help of other technical support group to make this a memorable day for Team Thanima. The souvenir which was published on this occasion was released by Caesars Kumar, Gulf Mart Ramesh, Ajay Zenith & Adv. John Thomas.

All the technicians and crew who worked relentlessly were duly felicitated by John Mathew, Gulf Mart Ramesh & Kaipattur Thankachan. It was coinciding 60th Birthday of Artist Sujathan and in fact gift to his 4 decades of theatre life as John Mathew gifted him a traditional shawl along with a memento by B P Nazar. As a show of respect & gratitude, the organizers dedicated the Play to Artist Sujathan. The independent narratives integrate when the commentary during these journeys as their characters pass through Kerala traditions with a dance drama type depiction with symbolic impressions of the footage of Indian martial art form ‘Kalaripayattu’ (sword fighting ) to add colors to the play.

EMBASSY OF BRITAIN The Visa Application Centre (VAC) will be closed on the same dates above. The opening hours of the Visa Application Centre are 0930 - 1630 Application forms remain available online from the UKBAs’ website: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk or from the Visa Application Centre’s website: www.vfs-ukkw.com. And also, from the UK Visa Application Centre located at: 4B, First Floor, Al Banwan Building (Burgan Bank Branch Office Building), Al Qibla area, opposite Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City. For any further inquiries, please contact the Visa Application Centre: Website: www.vfs-uk-kw.com E-mail:info@vfs-uk-kw.com Telephone:22971170. The Consular Section will also be closed on the same dates.

For information on the British Embassy services, visit the British Embassy website: www.ukinkuwait.fco.gov.uk ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakel St., Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca.

Canada offers a registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service is provided so that Consular Officials can contact and assist Canadians in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform Canadians of a family emergency at home. The Embassy of Canada encourages all Canadian Citizens to register online through the Government of Canada Travel Website at www.voyage.gc.ca. The Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides visa and immigration services to residents of Kuwait.

Individuals who are interested in visiting, working or immigrating to Canada are invited to visit the website of the Canadian Embassy to the UAE at www.UAE.gc.ca.

Effective January 15, 2011, the only Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) application form that will be accepted by CIC is the Application for Temporary Resident Visa Made Outside of Canada [IMM 5257] form. All previous Temporary Resident Visa application forms will no longer be accepted by CIC and instead will be returned to applicants. Should old applications be submitted prior to January 15, 2011 they will continue to be processed.

TV Listings FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

00:45 01:40 02:35 03:30 04:25 05:20 06:10 06:35 07:00 07:25 07:50 08:40 09:10 10:05 11:00 11:55 12:20 12:50 13:45 14:40 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:25 18:20 18:45 19:15 20:10 21:05 22:00 22:55 23:50

Dogs 101 Untamed And Uncut Cheetah Kingdom Max’s Big Tracks I Was Bitten Animal Cops Phoenix Extraordinary Dogs Project Puppy Meerkat Manor The Really Wild Show Crocodile Hunter Breed All About It My Cat From Hell Dogs 101 Animal Cops Houston SSPCA: On The Wildside Wildlife SOS Clinically Wild: Alaska Animal Cops Phoenix Chimp Family Fortunes Animal Battlegrounds The Really Wild Show Farm Life America’s Cutest...

Cheetah Kingdom Cheetah Kingdom Great Savannah Race Dogs 101 Karina: Wild On Safari Whale Wars After The Attack Great Savannah Race

00:00 00:35 01:20 02:10 02:55 03:05 03:35 04:05 04:35 04:55 05:15 05:40 05:55 06:15 06:35 07:00 07:20 07:40 08:05 08:20 08:40 09:00 09:25 09:40 10:40 11:25 12:15 12:45 13:15 14:10 15:40 16:30 17:15 17:45 18:15 19:10 20:00 20:45 21:15 22:05 22:55 23:30

Last Of The Summer Wine The Weakest Link Casualty Doctor Who Doctor Who Confidential Eastenders Doctors Last Of The Summer Wine Fimbles Tweenies Teletubbies Bobinogs Fimbles Tweenies Teletubbies Fimbles Tweenies Teletubbies Bobinogs Fimbles Tweenies Teletubbies Bobinogs Last Of The Summer Wine The Weakest Link Ray Mears’ Northern Wilderness Doctors Eastenders Casualty Last Of The Summer Wine Ray Mears’ Northern Wilderness The Weakest Link Doctors Eastenders Casualty Ray Mears’ Northern Wilderness The Weakest Link Doctors The Planets Jekyll Supernova Taking The Flak

00:15 Rick Stein’s French Odyssey 00:40 Come Dine With Me 01:30 The Home Show 02:20 Rick Stein’s French Odyssey 04:00 New Scandinavian Cooking With Andreas Viestad 04:50 Daily Cooks Challenge 08:35 New Scandinavian Cooking With Andreas Viestad 09:00 Daily Cooks Challenge 09:30 New Scandinavian Cooking With Andreas Viestad 09:50 Antiques Roadshow 10:40 Rick Stein’s French Odyssey 12:25 New Scandinavian Cooking 12:50 Antiques Roadshow 13:40 Cash In The Attic 14:30 Bargain Hunt 15:15 Come Dine With Me 16:00 Rick Stein’s French Odyssey 17:45 Indian Food Made Easy 18:10 New Scandinavian Cooking With Andreas Viestad 19:00 Antiques Roadshow 19:50 Cash In The Attic

COURAGE UNDER FIRE ON OSN ACTION HD

00:00 00:30 00:45 01:00 01:30 01:45 02:00 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:30 05:45 06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 07:45 08:00 08:30 08:45 09:00 09:30 09:45 10:00 10:30 10:45 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 12:45 13:00 13:30 13:45

BBC World News World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News America Asia Business Report Asia Today BBC World News Asia Business Report Asia Today BBC World News Asia Business Report Asia Today BBC World News Asia Business Report Asia Today BBC World News Asia Business Report Asia Today BBC World News Peschardt’s People BBC World News World Business Report BBC World News BBC World News World Business Report BBC World News BBC World News World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News Peschardt’s People BBC World News World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News World Business Report Sport Today

14:00 GMT With George Alagiah 14:30 GMT With George Alagiah 15:00 BBC World News 15:30 World Business Report 15:45 Sport Today 16:00 Impact 16:30 Our World 17:00 Impact 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 World Have Your Say 18:30 World Have Your Say 19:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 19:30 BBC World News 19:40 Weekend World 20:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 20:30 World Business Report 20:45 Sport Today 21:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 21:30 World Have Your Say Extra 21:40 Weekend World 22:00 BBC World News 22:30 Middle East Business Report 23:00 BBC World News America 23:30 Peschardt’s People

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Cow And Chicken Cramp Twins George Of The Jungle Courage The Cowardly Dog Eliot Kid Ed, Edd N Eddy Ben 10: Alien Force The Powerpuff Girls Chowder The Secret Saturdays My Gym Partner’s A Monkey Ben 10: Alien Force Best Ed Skunk Fu!

05:45 Cramp Twins 06:10 Eliot Kid 06:35 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 07:00 Codename: Kids Next Door 07:25 Cow And Chicken 07:50 Angelo Rules 08:05 Cartoon Network Dance Club 08:15 Adventure Time 08:40 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 09:05 The Secret Saturdays 09:30 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 09:55 The Powerpuff Girls 10:20 Robotboy 10:30 Hero 108 10:55 Ben 10 11:20 Chowder 11:45 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 12:10 Camp Lazlo 12:35 George Of The Jungle 13:00 Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends 13:25 Codename: Kids Next Door 13:50 Ben 10 14:15 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 14:40 Squirrel Boy 15:05 Eliot Kid 15:35 Ed, Edd N Eddy 16:00 Cow And Chicken 16:25 Chop Socky Chooks 16:50 Skunk Fu! 17:15 Chowder 17:40 Best Ed 18:05 Hero 108 18:30 Cartoon Network Dance Club 18:45 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 18:55 Best Ed 19:20 Adventure Time 19:45 Cow And Chicken 20:10 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 20:35 Courage The Cowardly Dog

21:00 21:25 21:50 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:15 23:40

The Powerpuff Girls Ed, Edd N Eddy Robotboy Adventure Time Hero 108 Ben 10 Bakugan Battle Brawlers Chowder

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Backstory World Sport World Report World Business Today Piers Morgan Tonight Anderson Cooper 360 World Sport Cnngo Future Cities World Report Backstory World Report World Report World Sport The Best Of Backstory World Business Today CNN Marketplace Middle East World One World Sport The Best Of Backstory Piers Morgan Tonight News Stream World Business Today International Desk The Brief World Sport World Report CNN Marketplace Middle East International Desk Talk Asia Quest Means Business CNN Marketplace Africa Piers Morgan Tonight Connect The World

00:40 01:35 02:30 03:25 04:20 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:50 Junior 08:45 09:10 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:25 11:50 12:20 13:15 14:10 15:05 16:00 16:55 17:50 18:45 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:55 22:50 23:45

Dirty Jobs Worst-Case Scenario Ultimate Survival Ultimate Car Build-Off Mythbusters How It’s Made How Machines Work Dirty Jobs Ultimate Car Build-Off American Chopper: Senior vs

00:30 00:55 01:45 02:35 03:25 03:50 04:45 05:40 06:10 07:00 07:55 07:58 08:25 08:55 09:45 10:35 11:25 11:50 12:40 13:05

The Gadget Show Kings Of Construction Bang Goes The Theory The Future Of...

How Stuff’s Made Thunder Races Science Of The Movies One Step Beyond Ecopolis Punkin Chunkin 2010 Head Rush Sci-Fi Science Weird Connections Investigation X The Gadget Show Bang Goes The Theory Green Wheels Catch It Keep It One Step Beyond Weird Or What?

How It’s Made Mythbusters Cake Boss Border Security Time Warp Worst-Case Scenario Worst-Case Scenario Mayday! Bering Sea Ultimate Survival LA Ink Dirty Jobs Ultimate Car Build-Off Mythbusters Extreme Fishing Cake Boss Border Security Time Warp How Machines Work How It’s Made Extreme Engineering Huge Moves Mighty Ships Extreme Fishing

13:55 14:45 15:35 16:00 16:03 16:30 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:30 19:55 20:20 20:45 21:10 21:35 22:00 22:50 23:15 23:40

Sci-Fi Saved My Life Kings Of Construction The Gadget Show Head Rush Sci-Fi Science Weird Connections Brainiac The Sun How The Universe Works The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Weird Connections Cool Stuff And How It Works The Gadget Show The Gadget Show How The Universe Works The Gadget Show The Gadget Show Building The Future

00:20 00:45 01:10 01:30 01:55 02:20 02:45 03:10 03:30 03:55 04:20 04:45 05:10 05:35 06:00 06:25 06:50 07:15 07:40 08:00 08:10 08:20 08:30 08:45 09:10 09:20 09:30 09:55 10:05 10:25 11:15 11:35 12:00 12:10 12:35 13:00 13:25 13:40 13:50 14:05 14:15 14:25 14:50 15:15 15:40 16:05 16:20 16:30 16:40 16:55 17:20 17:45 17:55 18:05 18:15 18:35 19:00 19:20 19:45 19:55 20:05 20:50 21:10 21:20 21:30 21:55 22:20 22:35 22:45 23:00 23:20 23:30

Jungle Junction Special Agent Oso Little Einsteins Higglytown Heroes Jo Jo’s Circus Jungle Junction Special Agent Oso Little Einsteins Higglytown Heroes Jo Jo’s Circus Jungle Junction Special Agent Oso Little Einsteins Higglytown Heroes Jo Jo’s Circus Jungle Junction Special Agent Oso Little Einsteins Higglytown Heroes Special Agent Oso Special Agent Oso Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Timmy Time Handy Manny Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Hive Handy Manny Mickey Mouse Clubhouse The Little Mermaid Little Einsteins Jungle Junction Lazytown Imagination Movers Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jungle Junction Jungle Junction Timmy Time The Hive Little Einsteins The Little Mermaid Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Handy Manny Handy Manny The Hive Jake & The Neverland Pirates Imagination Movers Lazytown Jungle Junction Special Agent Oso The Hive Little Einsteins Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Little Mermaid Handy Manny Timmy Time Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Hive Handy Manny The Little Mermaid Little Einsteins Handy Manny The Hive Jungle Junction The Little Mermaid Timmy Time Jo Jo’s Circus

00:15 Untracked 00:40 BMX Megatour 01:30 World Combat League 02:20 Untracked 03:10 Aiya TV 04:00 FIM World Motocross MX3 Championships...

04:50 BMX Megatour 05:40 World Combat League 06:30 FIA European Drag Racing 2008 08:25 FIM World Motocross MX1/MX2...

10:30 Ticket To Ride 2010/11

TV Listings FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

10:55 11:45 13:25 14:15 15:05 15:55 16:45 17:10 18:50 19:15 19:40 21:20 22:10 23:00 23:50

Winter Dew Tour 10/11 Alpine Adventurer Eddie Jordan’s Bad Boy Racers World Combat League Winter X Games Europe 2010 Tread BMX Quattro Events 2009 FIM World Motocross MX1/MX2...

Ticket To Ride 2009/2010 Ticket To Ride 2010/11 Alpine Adventurer Winter Dew Tour 10/11 World Combat League Carpocalypse M1 Selection 2010

00:30 01:20 02:10 03:00 03:50 04:45 05:15 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:40 09:30 10:20 11:10 12:00 12:50 13:40 14:30 14:55 15:20 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:30 19:55 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:50

The Haunted A Haunting Autopsy: Most Shocking Cases True Crime Scene Dr G: Medical Examiner Ghosthunters The Haunted Mystery Diagnosis Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls FBI Case Files FBI Files True Crime With Aphrodite Jones Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Real Emergency Calls FBI Case Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift FBI Files Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Real Emergency Calls True Crime With Aphrodite Jones Who On Earth Did I Marry?

Serial Killers I Escaped Death

00:30 01:00 01:30 02:30 03:30 04:00 04:30 05:00 05:30 06:30 07:00 07:30 08:30 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 22:00 22:30 23:00 23:30

Market Values Bondi Rescue Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled Banged Up Abroad Destination Extreme Bondi Rescue David Rocco’s Dolce Vita Exploring The Vine

By Any Means Market Values Bondi Rescue Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled Banged Up Abroad Destination Extreme David Rocco’s Dolce Vita Exploring The Vine Weird & Wonderful Hotels Bondi Rescue David Rocco’s Dolce Vita Exploring The Vine Weird & Wonderful Hotels Bondi Rescue David Rocco’s Dolce Vita Exploring The Vine Weird & Wonderful Hotels Bondi Rescue

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

The Uninvited-18 Courage Under Fire-PG15 Jennifer’s Body-18 Phone Booth-PG15 12 Rounds-PG15 Bad Girls-PG15 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon12 Rounds-PG15 Heaven’s Fall-PG15 Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonFirst Strike-PG15 Killshot-18

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 14:45 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Malice In Wonderland-PG15 The Cake Eaters-PG15 Green Lantern: First Flight-PG Charlie And Boots-PG A Christmas Carol-PG The Last Song-PG15 Fly Me To The Moon-PG Sherlock Holmes-PG15 Furry Vengeance-PG15 Crazy Heart-PG15 The Bounty Hunter-PG15 Paranormal Activity-PG15

00:30 01:00 01:30 02:00 02:30 03:00 03:00 03:30 03:30 04:00 04:30 05:30 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:00 23:30

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report South Park The Ricky Gervais Show Weeds Rita Rocks The Ricky Gervais Show Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne Weeds South Park The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Will And Grace According To Jim Family Biz Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Happy Endings Dharma And Greg Rita Rocks Will And Grace According To Jim Happy Endings Family Biz The Tonight Show With Jay Leno Dharma And Greg Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne Will And Grace According To Jim Community Happy Endings The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report Family Biz Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Til Death 8 Simple Rules ...

Outsourced Modern Family The Tonight Show With Jay Leno The Daily Show With Jon Stewart The Colbert Report Funny Or Die Presents Eastbound And Down South Park Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

White Collar Burn Notice The Good Guys Bones Burn Notice Good Morning America Detroit 1-8-7 Emmerdale Look-A-Like The Good Guys The Martha Stewart Show The View White Collar Bones Live Good Morning America The Bachelor The Ellen DeGeneres Show One Tree Hill Drop Dead Diva Off The Map Big Love The Good Guys The Cape

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 18:00 19:00

Friday Night Lights The Good Guys White Collar Burn Notice Bones Surface Friday Night Lights 30 Rock Look-A-Like The Event The Good Guys White Collar Burn Notice 30 Rock Look-A-Like The Event Friday Night Lights 30 Rock Look-A-Like Covert Affairs Drop Dead Diva

20:00 Off The Map 21:00 Big Love 22:00 The Good Guys

01:30 03:15 05:15 07:15 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:15 23:00

The Tripper-18 Orphan-18 From Hell-18 The Betrayed-PG15 Surrogates-PG15 Obsessed-PG15 The Fan-PG15 Surrogates-PG15 The Marine 2-PG15 Se7en-18 Dead Snow-PG15 Blood: A Butcher’s Tale-PG15

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Love Happens-PG15 Patch Adams-PG15 Flirting Wth Flamenco-PG15 Mr. Magoo-PG 500 Days Of Summer-PG15 Dr. Dolittle-PG Dr. Dolittle 2-PG Sweet Home Alabama-PG15 Love Happens-PG15 Le Donk And Scor-zay-zee-PG15 Bulletproof-18 Wake-PG15

01:00 The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three (1974)-PG15 02:45 Quills-18 05:00 Che Part One: The Argentine-PG15 07:15 Free Style-PG15 09:00 Everybody’s Fine-PG15 11:00 My Sister’s Keeper-PG15 13:00 Mee Shee-PG 14:45 The Sting-PG15 17:00 Smart People-PG15 18:45 Che Part Two: Guerilla-PG15 21:00 Husbands And Wives-18

SURROGATES ON OSN MOVIES ACTION

01:30 Garage Days-18 03:15 Nativity!-PG 05:00 The Blind Side-PG15 07:15 Adventures Of A Teenage Dragonslayer-PG 09:00 The Soloist-PG15 11:00 Dean Spanley-PG 13:00 From Justin To Kelly-PG 14:30 The Fighting Temptations-PG15 17:00 The Soloist-PG15 19:00 Dare-18 21:00 District 9-PG15 23:00 The Ugly Truth-PG15

00:00 Catch That Kid-PG15 02:00 Barbie: A Fairy Secret-FAM 04:00 Dinosaur Island-PG 06:00 Looney, Looney, Looney Bugs Bunny Movie-FAM 08:00 Inspector Gadget’s Biggest Caper Ever-FAM 10:00 Catch That Kid-PG15 12:00 Sabrina The Teenage Witch: Friends Forever-PG 14:00 Ice Age 3: Dawn Of The DinosaursFAM 16:00 Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs-PG 18:00 102 Dalmatians-PG

00:00 Tetro-PG15 02:15 Dolan’s Cadillac-PG15 04:00 Freestyle-PG15 06:00 Maneater: Part II-PG15 08:00 Arthur And The Revenge Of Maltazard-PG 10:00 Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel-FAM 12:00 Amelia-PG15 14:00 Glorious 39-PG15 16:15 Arthur And The Revenge Of Maltazard-PG 18:00 Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief-PG15 20:00 District 9-PG15

00:00 01:00 05:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 09:00 09:30 10:30 14:30 15:30 19:30 20:00 21:00 22:00

Golfing World ATP Tennis Weber Cup Bowling World Hockey Futbol Mundial RFL Championship Total Rugby Super Rugby Highlights Live Super 15 Golfing World Live European PGA Tour Futbol Mundial Trans World Sport Total Rugby Live International Rugby League

03:00 05:00 05:30 06:30 07:00 08:00 10:00 10:30 13:30 14:30 22:30 23:00

RFL Championship Total Rugby Trans World Sports FEI Equestrain World Golfing World ATP Tennis ICC Cricket World Live AFL Premiership Trans World Sport Live ATP Tennis Futbol Mundial Super 15

00:00 01:00 02:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:45 15:00 16:00 17:00 17:30 18:30 19:00 21:00 23:00

WWE NXT UFC 131 Countdown UFC Unleashed Intercontinental Le Mans Cup UFC 131 Countdown UFC Unleashed WWE NXT Intercontinental Le Mans Cup Le Mans Series Full Throttle UAE National Race Day Series WWE NXT Mobil 1 Live NRL Premiership WWE NXT Intercontinental Le Mans Cup Le Mans Series UFC 131 Countdown V8 Supercars Extra Live Rugby Junior World Live Rugby Junior World WWE SmackDown

00:00 01:00 01:55 02:25 03:20 05:10 05:35 06:05 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:25 09:55 10:50 11:50 12:50 13:45 14:15 14:45 15:40 16:35 17:30 17:55 18:25 19:25 19:50 20:20 20:45 21:15 Don’ts 22:10 23:05

Jerseylicious Fashion Avenue Big Boutique How Do I Look?

Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

Homes With Style Area Clean House Big Boutique Big Boutique Homes With Style Homes With Style Fashion Avenue Fashion Avenue How Do I Look?

Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

Clean House Clean House Clean House Comes Clean Mel B: It’s A Scary World Jerseylicious Ruby Giuliana & Bill Top 10 Top 10 Giuliana & Bill Big Boutique Fashion Avenue Clean House Comes Clean Clean House Comes Clean Glamour’s 20 Wedding Do’s and

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 03:30 04:00 05:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 10:30 11:30 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:30 16:00 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:00

Julian and Camilla’s World Odyssey Nomad’s Land World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides Glutton For Punishment Angry Planet Globe Trekker Julian and Camilla’s World Odyssey Destination Art Cruise Today Globe Trekker Travel 360 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides Four Men and a Lady Working Holiday Riding Route 66 Globe Trekker Distant Shores Sophie Grigson In The Orient Destination Art Travel 360 Travel Today Globe Trekker Cruise Today Croissants In The Jungle Distant Shores Sophie Grigson In The Orient Globe Trekker Globe Trekker Travel Today Distant Shores Cruise Today Essential Globe Trekker

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 03:30 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

World War II: Lost Films Ice Road Truckers Declassified Sliced Sliced Tunnellers World War II: Lost Films World War II: Lost Films Ice Road Truckers Declassified Sliced Sliced Tunnellers World War II: Lost Films World War II: Lost Films Ice Road Truckers Declassified Sliced Sliced Tunnellers World War II: Lost Films Battle Stations Ice Road Truckers Declassified Lost Worlds Lost Worlds Ancient Discoveries

Bridalplasty How Do I Look?

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Information

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION In case you are not travelling, your proper cancellation of bookings will help other passengers to use seats Airlines RJA JZR THY ETH UAE DHX ETD FDB GFA QTR THY KAC JZR JZR BAW KAC KAC KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE QTR ABY IRA ETD GFA MEA JZR JZR IYE MSR RBG KAC KAC MSR UAL RJA FDB OMA KAC BBC KAC JZR QTR JZR JZR MLR ETD UAE GFA SVA JZR ABY ALK JZR KAC KAC

Arrival Flights on Friday 10/6/2011 Flt Route 642 AMMAN 267 BEIRUT 772 ISTANBUL 620 ADDIS ABABA 853 DUBAI 370 BAHRAIN 305 ABU DHABI 67 DUBAI 211 BAHRAIN 138 DOHA 770 ISTANBUL 544 CAIRO 503 LUXOR 555 ALEXANDRIA 157 LONDON 416 JAKARTA / KUALA LUMPUR 206 ISLAMABAD 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 53 DUBAI 678 MUSCAT / DUBAI 352 COCHIN 284 DHAKA 362 COLOMBO 855 DUBAI 132 DOHA 125 SHARJAH 619 LAR 301 ABU DHABI 213 BAHRAIN 404 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 121 BAHRAIN 825 SANAA 623 SOHAG 3553 ALEXANDRIA / SOHAG 618 DOHA 672 DUBAI 610 CAIRO 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 640 AMMAN 57 DUBAI 645 MUSCAT 546 ALEXANDRIA 43 DHAKA 788 JEDDAH 257 BEIRUT 134 DOHA 201 DAMASCUS 535 CAIRO 403 COLOMBO / DUBAI 303 ABU DHABI 857 DUBAI 215 BAHRAIN 510 RIYADH 239 AMMAN 127 SHARJAH 227 COLOMBO / DUBAI 177 DUBAI 166 PARIS / ROME 502 BEIRUT

Time 0:05 0:35 1:15 1:45 2:25 2:55 2:55 3:10 3:15 3:20 4:10 4:40 5:15 6:10 6:30 6:35 7:15 7:50 7:55 7:55 8:00 8:05 8:10 8:20 8:25 9:00 9:10 9:20 9:30 9:35 10:55 11:10 11:15 12:05 12:10 12:55 12:55 13:15 13:20 13:30 13:35 13:50 14:00 14:30 14:40 15:00 15:10 15:15 15:45 15:50 16:40 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:35 17:40 18:00 18:00 18:40 18:45

KAC JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC AIC JAI KAC JZR FDB OMA VOS MEA KAC SVA DHX GFA FCX QTR UAL UAE JZR JZR MSR DLH SAI JZR KLM JZR

542 213 744 674 774 102 575 572 562 787 61 647 81 402 786 506 372 217 304 136 981 859 135 185 612 636 441 539 447 481

Airlines AXB DLH AIC PIA THY ETH UAE FDB DHX ETD QTR THY JZR RJA GFA KAC VOS JZR BAW FDB JZR KAC KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR

Flt 390 637 982 206 773 620 854 68 371 306 139 771 164 643 212 545 94 120 156 54 534 177 671 117 256 787 617 856 126 133

CAIRO DEIREZZOR / ALEPPO DAMMAM DUBAI RIYADH NEW YORK / LONDON CHENNAI / GOA MUMBAI AMMAN RIYADH DUBAI MUSCAT BAGHDAD BEIRUT JEDDAH JEDDAH BAHRAIN BAHRAIN RIYADH DOHA BAHRAIN DUBAI BAHRAIN DUBAI CAIRO FRANKFURT LAHORE / KARACHI CAIRO AMSTERDAM / BAHRAIN SABIHA Departure Flights on Friday 10/6/2011 Route KOZHIKODE FRANKFURT AHMEDABAD / CHENNAI LAHORE ISTANBUL BAHRAIN / ADDIS ABABA DUBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN ABU DHABI DOHA ISTANBUL DUBAI AMMAN BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA DUBAI / KANDAHAR BAHRAIN LONDON DUBAI CAIRO FRANKFURT / GENEVA DUBAI NEW YORK BEIRUT JEDDAH DOHA DUBAI SHARJAH DOHA

18:50 19:05 19:15 19:25 19:25 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:50 20:00 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:15 20:20 20:35 21:00 21:25 21:30 21:35 22:00 22:00 22:10 22:35 22:50 23:00 23:05 23:30 23:35 23:50

Time 0:25 0:40 1:05 1:10 2:15 2:30 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:05 5:00 5:10 6:55 7:00 7:10 7:40 8:00 8:20 8:25 8:40 8:50 8:55 9:00 9:05 9:10 9:25 9:35 9:40 9:50 10:00

ETD GFA IRA JZR MEA KAC JZR JZR KAC KAC IYE MSR RBG JZR MSR RJA FDB UAL KAC OMA KAC KAC BBC JZR KAC QTR KAC JZR JZR ETD MLR UAE GFA ABY JZR SVA ALK JZR KAC KAC JAI FDB JZR KAC KAC OMA MEA SVA DHX GFA KAC QTR KAC KAC FCX JZR JZR UAE UAL KAC MSR SAI

302 ABU DHABI 214 BAHRAIN 618 LAR 200 DAMASCUS 405 BEIRUT 541 CAIRO 212 DEIREZZOR / ALEPPO 238 AMMAN 103 LONDON 501 BEIRUT 825 DOHA / SANAA 624 SOHAG 3554 ALEXANDRIA 176 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 641 AMMAN 58 DUBAI 982 BAHRAIN 561 AMMAN 646 MUSCAT 785 JEDDAH 673 DUBAI 44 DHAKA 480 SABIHA 773 RIYADH 135 DOHA 743 DAMMAM 786 RIYADH 538 CAIRO 304 ABU DHABI 404 DUBAI / COLOMBO 858 DUBAI 216 BAHRAIN 128 SHARJAH 184 DUBAI 511 RIYADH 228 DUBAI / COLOMBO 134 BAHRAIN 283 DHAKA 361 COLOMBO 571 MUMBAI 62 DUBAI 528 ASSIUT 343 CHENNAI 351 COCHIN 648 MUSCAT 403 BEIRUT 507 JEDDAH 373 BAHRAIN 218 BAHRAIN 381 DELHI 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 102 DUBAI 502 LUXOR 554 ALEXANDRIA 860 DUBAI 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 411 BANGKOK / MANILA 613 CAIRO 442 LAHORE

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

10:15 10:20 10:20 10:20 11:55 12:00 12:05 12:10 12:30 13:00 13:05 13:10 13:35 13:40 14:20 14:30 14:35 14:45 14:45 15:00 15:05 15:10 15:55 16:00 16:05 16:15 16:25 16:35 16:40 17:35 17:40 18:05 18:15 18:20 18:25 18:35 19:10 19:10 20:00 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:50 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:55 22:00 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:55 23:00 23:05 23:10 23:10 23:40 23:40 23:50 23:59

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FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation available for Indian decent Hindu or Catholic bachelors or small family with Mangalorean family two bedrooms, window A/C, opp.

Rashid Hospital, Shara Amman, Salmiya. Contact: 55995437. (C 3431) 9-6-2011 Furnished 1 bed, 1 hall, flat near German Clinic Abbasiya.

From end of June, Indian or Sri Lankan family. Contact: 99430379.

(C 3427) Sharing accommodation available in Khaitan behind petrol pump and opp.

Jamiya in a Studio flat with a Mangalorean R.C bachelor.

Rent KD 25. Contact: 66036893. (C 3428) 8-6-2011 Sharing accommodation available in Shara Amman opposite Al-Rashid Hospital for bachelors. Contact: 65515717. (C 3424) 7-6-2011 Accommodation available in Salmiya near Ceaser’s for a working lady in a 2 bedroom C-A/C flat. Call after 3 pm. Tel: 25643718. (C 3419) Sharing accommodation available in New Reggai with fully furnished flat up to 4 months June - September.

Contact: 99729608. (C 3422) 6-6-2011 Sharing accommodation available in Abbasiya near German Clinic for couples or

bachelors, South Indians or Sri Lankans preferred, can stay from July 1st. Contact: 66529575.

(C 3416) 5-6-2011 Sharing or rent a fully furnished 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, CA/C flat for 2 months July & August, specially for families on visit, nice location on main road in Khaitan.

Contact: 67797042 / 66674242.

(C 3411) Sharing accommodation available for families/two working ladies in a new building with two rooms and two toilets, behind United Indian School, Abbasiya from June 1st onwards. Please contact: 66772421 / 66552412.

(C 3412)

FOR SALE Toyota Corolla model 2009, white colour, 1.8 Engine, installment possible, cash price KD 3,350. Contact: 66507741. (C 3430) 8-6-2011 Toyota Corolla model 2009, color maroon, price KD 3400 only. Contact: 60951195. (C 3423) 7-6-2011 For sale full house furniture, bedroom, children’s bedroom, sofa bed, living room, fridge, washing machine, dining table, curtains, TV. For more information call: 99495795.

(C 3406) Brand new Samsung Galaxy Tab for sale, call for good price, made in Korea, 16 GB, BlackBerry Curve 3G. Contact: 94427488.

(C 3408)

MATRIMONIAL Nair girl Ph.D, Kollam (08.07.79), Moolam, MSc Biotechnology, currently working as Post Doctoral Fellow, Trivandrum, seeks alliance from professionally qualified, well placed boys below 38 years. KMID E 1424888. Email: pillaisurendran56@yahoo.com or bio_sumi@yahoo.co.in (C 3420) 8-6-2011 Marriage proposal for R.C.S.C boy 30yrs, 178cm, 79kg, Masters in Network Computing & Digital Communications. Resident in Australia and working in Govt. as an IT Infrastructure Officer. Proposals invited from god-fearing girls. Prefer professionals. Please contact: jpmatt2011@gmail.com (C 3425)

Proposals invited for a Keralite Pentecostal girl B Sc Nurse 271/2 years working in Kuwait.

Contact: thomgm@gmail.com 7-6-2011 Pakistani, Punjabi male 49, working in Civil Engineering department, needs life partner.

E-mail: veridical90@yahoo.com (C 3418)

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Sports

FRIDAY, JUNE 10 2011

KANSAS: Toronto Blue Jays’ Mike McCoy (bottom) slides into third, beating the tag by Kansas City Royals third baseman Wilson Betemit (top) while advancing on a single by Corey Patterson during the fifth inning. —AP

Red Sox go top of AL East Phillies down Dodgers PHILADELPHIA: Cole Hamels struck out nine in eight scoreless innings to direct the Philadelphia Phillies to a 20 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League on Wednesday.

Hamels (8-2) walked none while lowering his ERA to 2.58. He improved to 3-0 with a 1.18 ERA in five career regular-season starts against Los Angeles. Ryan Howard’s sixth-inning homer came off Hiroki Kuroda (5-7) and gave Philadelphia a 1-0 lead.

It broke a season-worst drought for the Phillies, who had gone 65 1-3 innings without a home run. Howard had been 0 for 13 with six strikeouts previously against Kuroda.

Braves 3, Marlins 2 In Miami, Freddie Freeman singled home the goahead run in the 10th inning as Atlanta extended Florida’s losing streak to seven games.

Braves veteran Chipper Jones walked with one out in the 10th against Mike Dunn (4-4), took second on a single

by Brian McCann and scored on the hit by Freeman, who had been 0 for 7 in the series.

The Marlins went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and are 8 for 54 (.148) in those situations during the first six games of their dismal homestand. Six of the Marlins’ seven losses during their slump have been by a single run.

The Marlins had tied the game one strike from defeat; Mike Stanton hit a two-run single off Braves closer Craig Kimbrel (2-2) to make the score 2-2.

The Marlins had two on with one out in the bottom of the 10th, but Scott Linebrink earned his second save in three chances by striking out the last man.

Brewers 7, Mets 6 In Milwaukee, Nyjer Morgan drove in the winning run with two outs in the ninth as Milwaukee edged New York.

The Brewers trailed 6-2 before scoring four times in the eighth, capped by Prince Fielder’s second two-run blast — his second homer of the game. Craig Counsell singled with one out in the ninth off Dale Thayer (0-1) and stole second. After a second out, Morgan then hit a ball down the right-field line to end it. John Axford (2-1) pitched the ninth for the win for the Brewers who have the best home record in the majors at 22-8 and haven’t lost consecutive games at home all season. The Mets saw their three-game winning streak snapped.

Pirates 3, D’backs 2 In Pittsburgh, Andrew McCutchen led off the 12th with a home run as Pittsburgh reached .500 for the season by pipping Arizona. —AP

NEW YORK: The Boston Red Sox went top of the American League East division on Wednesday in fitting style, beating the archrival New York Yankees 11-6. David Ortiz hit one of three Boston homers as the Red Sox extended their dominance of New York this season, making it seven wins from eight over the pinstripes in 2011, including all five at Yankee Stadium.

Carl Crawford and JD Drew also connected, both in the ninth inning to break the game open for a second time. Jacoby Ellsbury had three hits and Adrian Gonzalez added two RBIs. Tireless knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (3-1) took the win for the Red Sox. Rangers 7, Tigers 3 In Arlington, Texas, Alexi Ogando pitched an impressive 7 2-3 innings to remain unbeaten this season, guiding Texas to victory over Detroit.

Detroit scored 21 runs while winning the first two games of the series and had taken four straight overall but could find no answer to Ogando (7-0), who struck out seven to match a career high.

Ogando became the first major league pitcher to win his first seven decisions as a starter since Jered Weaver went 9-0 for the Los Angeles Angels in 2006. Adrian Beltre homered and Elvis Andrus had three hits for the AL West-leading Rangers. Phil Coke (1-6) gave up six runs in five innings in his return to Detroit’s rotation.

Rays 4, Angels 3 In Anaheim, Tampa Bay completed its first ever three-game sweep in Anaheim, downing slumping Los Angeles. Reid Brignac got Tampa Bay’s offense started with his first homer of the season and delivered the deciding run with a safety squeeze bunt in the 10th.

The Rays used two pinch-hitters to start the winning rally against Fernando Rodney (2-3). John Jaso walked and Evan Longoria reached on an infield hit.

Jaso stole third and scored on Brignac’s bunt up the first base line. Juan Cruz (3-0) pitched a perfect ninth to get the victory and Kyle Farnsworth got three outs for his 13th save in 14 attempts. The Angels lost their fifth straight game, equaling their longest skid this season.

Mariners 7, White Sox 4 In Chicago, Miguel Olivo drove in three runs, including a go-ahead two-run double in the 10th inning, as Seattle beat Chicago.

Justin Smoak started the winning rally with a leadoff bloop double off White Sox closer Sergio Santos (2-2). After a walk, Olivo — who had a solo homer in the eighth against his former team — drove in both runners with a grounder.

Mariners reliever Aaron Laffey (1-1) threw a scoreless inning to earn the win and Brandon League pitched a perfect 10th for his AL-leading 17th save of the season.

Blue Jays 9, Royals 8 In Kansas City, Adam Lind hit a grand slam and Jayson Nix added a three-run homer to power Toronto past Kansas City.

Corey Patterson snapped an 0-for-11 skid with four hits and scored two Toronto runs.

Blue Jays starter Carlos Villanueva (4-0) had one rough inning, the fourth when he allowed four runs, but pitched seven innings, allowing six hits. He has won his past eight decisions.

Royals starter Danny Duffy (0-2) was pulled after four innings and 96 pitches, allowing five runs and four walks.

Twins 3, Indians 2 In Cleveland, Ben Revere’s two-out RBI single in the 10th inning lifted Minnesota over Cleveland in a meeting of two teams going in opposite directions.

After Drew Butera doubled with two outs off Chris Perez (2-2), Revere flared his base hit into shallow left. Butera scored sliding ahead of the throw to the plate.

The last-placed Twins took the series and won for the sixth time in seven games, raising hopes of a revival after a diappointing start to the season. Matt Capps (2-3) got the win despite giving up a tying two-out homer in the ninth. Phil Dumatrait gave up a two-out double in the 10th before claiming his first career save.

Orioles 3, Athletics 2 In Baltimore, the hosts beat slumping Oakland to complete a three-game sweep.

Mark Reynolds homered and J.J. Hardy drove in a run for the Orioles, who completed their first three-game sweep of the A’s in Baltimore since 1998. —AP

MLB results/standings Major League Baseball results and standings on Wednesday. Chicago Cubs 4, Cincinnati 1; San Francisco 3, Washington 1; Colorado 5, San Diego 3; Baltimore 3, Oakland 2; Boston 11, NY Yankees 6; Minnesota 3, Cleveland 2 (10 innings); Philadelphia 2, LA Dodgers 0; Pittsburgh 3, Arizona 2 (12 innings); Atlanta 3, Florida 2 (10 innings); Texas 7, Detroit 3; Houston 4, St. Louis 1; Seattle 7, Chicago White Sox 4 (10 innings); Toronto 9, Kansas City 8; Milwaukee 7, NY Mets 6; Tampa Bay 4, LA Angels 3 (10 innings).

American League Eastern Division W L PCT Boston 35 26 .574 NY Yankees 33 26 .559 Tampa Bay 33 29 .532 Toronto 32 30 .516 Baltimore 29 31 .483 Central Division Cleveland 34 26 .567 Detroit 33 28 .541 Chicago White Sox30 34 .469 Kansas City 26 36 .419 Minnesota 23 38 .377 Western Division Texas 35 28 .556 Seattle 32 30 .516 LA Angels 30 34 .469 Oakland 27 36 .429

GB 1 2.5 3.5 5.5 1.5 6 9 11.5 2.5 5.5 8

National League Eastern Division Philadelphia 37 25 .597 Atlanta 34 28 .548 Florida 31 29 .517 NY Mets 29 32 .475 Washington 27 35 .435 Central Division St. Louis 37 26 .587 Milwaukee 35 27 .565 Cincinnati 32 31 .508 Pittsburgh 30 30 .500 Chicago Cubs 24 36 .400 Houston 24 38 .387 Western Division San Francisco 35 27 .565 Arizona 33 29 .532 Colorado 29 32 .475 LA Dodgers 29 34 .460 San Diego 28 35 .444

3 5 7.5 10 1.5 5 5.5 11.5 12.5 2 5.5 6.5 7.5

Sports FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Rory McIlory of Northern Ireland plays a shot in this file photo.

What makes McIlroy tick? Look to his roots HOLYWOOD: “Catch yourself on!” That’s the melodious phrase people in Rory McIlroy’s homeland of Northern Ireland direct at those they suspect have let their egos get the better of them. It means “Get real!” or “Come back to Earth!”

That phrase, and the peer pressure it describes of not getting too big for one’s boots, offers a vital clue to how McIlroy has managed to juggle the expectations of possibly being golf’s next big thing without taking on the surliness of Tiger Woods at his worst.

The prodigious talent has big ambitions, big hair but, so far, no big head.

When he finally wins his first major — perhaps at next week’s US Open — and his earnings go from merely huge to ridiculously stratospheric, the expectations behind that phrase also explain why those who know McIlroy think they’ll still be bumping into him at normal places like the Dirty Duck Ale House in his hometown of Holywood, perhaps sinking a pint and a plate of sticky toffee pudding while gazing at the choppy waters of Belfast Lough where the Titanic launched a century ago.

From his uncle, friends, his swing coach and former school headmaster, the verdict is unanimous: Even as his fame and wealth rocket skyward faster than a tee-shot, McIlroy hasn’t really changed. Nor will he, they say, in part because he’s always been mature beyond his age but also because the 22-year-old makes a genuine effort to stay as grounded in Northern Ireland’s earthy culture as the rhododendrons that sprinkle pink petals on the fairways where McIlroy’s father introduced him to golf as a baby.

“The worst crime you can probably commit in Northern Ireland circles is to ‘bum’ or ‘blow’ about yourself, as we would say. To be pompous, airs and graces, have an overblown sense of your own importance, to take yourself too seriously ... and Rory is steeped in that culture,” explains John Stevenson, the recently retired principal of Sullivan Upper School in Holywood where McIlroy was a star pupil.

Which means that if his uncle, Colm, teases McIlroy with a cheeky text message after he’s flopped at a tournament, the young star takes it with the humor with which it is intended, not with a “Don’t you know who I am?” sulk. “He would text back, ‘Well, I’m lying in a five-star hotel.

What are you doing?”‘ Colm says, laughing.

“He’s changed very little. There’s obviously things you have to change, you know? There’s a lot of those hangers-on now. But, you know, family-wise and friends-wise, you couldn’t have it better.”

Northern Ireland is too small for McIlroy to develop delusions of grandeur.

Spend any amount of time here and you are liable to bump into someone who says they recently spotted him in a cafe, a restaurant, a supermarket or whose friend of a friend knew someone who maybe once perhaps dated him.

That intimacy, that familiarity, seems not only to suit McIlroy but helps him recharge his batteries after private-jetting around the world to play golf. Northern Ireland is where he still has the friends and people he not only grew up with but appears to go out of his way to keep in touch with.

“This is one of the safest places to live, Northern Ireland. And I can see now, going to America and these places, that you would have to live in gated communities. ... But over here it’s different,” says Michael Bannon, McIlroy’s coach from boyhood who still coaches him today.

“There’s only, what, a million and half people living in Northern Ireland? It’s a small place. People get to know your business, get to know you. Rory, if he was mega, could still walk down the street and go to Belfast. He’s not going to change,” he says.

“He’s a home-bird, you know? He just loves to be at home, spend a week at home, drive about in the car, meet people and just be himself,” the coach adds.

“That’s very important so that you come back, you rewind, you get your R&R and then you head out again.” Holywood, the

quiet suburb of Belfast where McIlroy grew up in a red-brick house with an artificial putting green in the front yard, has two British Army barracks guarded by razor wire and cameras but is one of those pleasing and all too rare places where perfect strangers say “Hello!” and give you a nod in the street.

It escaped the worst of the bombings and shootings that scarred Northern Ireland for three decades but which largely have ended since the British territory’s 1998 peace accord. McIlroy grew up in the atmosphere of optimism that blossomed with that deal. Perhaps that is part of the reason he treads fairways with such bounce in his step. In that watershed year, McIlroy won a prominent under-10 tournament at Doral, beating 80 kids from two dozen countries.

Afterward, all freckles and cheeky grin, the 9-year-old chipped a golf ball into the open mouth of a washing machine, just as he did at home, and performed other tricks on Irish television. He could already drive a ball 200 yards, McIlroy told his envious interviewer, and said he practiced all day, every day when he could.

Asked if he wanted to become a professional golfer, McIlroy’s response was unhesitating: “Yes.” His grandfather, Jimmy, worked all his life repairing cranes in the Belfast docks where the Titanic was built, picking up golf in his 30s at the Holywood Golf Club in the lush hills above his home, overlooking Belfast Lough.

He transmitted the game to Rory’s father, Gerry, and uncles, Colm and Brian.

Rory’s cousin, Fergus, 12, now wants to follow in his footsteps, too. The club bent its rules to let Rory in as a member at age 7, after a mandatory induction interview where “he assured us that he wouldn’t be a nuisance to anybody and that he knew the rules,” says Eddie Harper, who organized the juniors. “We knew he was so good that it was stupid not to get him involved,” he says.

Even before Rory could walk, Gerry was bringing him to the club, adds Paul Gray, the general manager. —AP

Kerr ready to defend State Farm Classic title SPRINGFIELD: Defending champion Christie Kerr, reigning US LPGA player of the year Yani Tseng and last week’s winner Brittany Lincicome headline a loaded field at what will be the final State Farm Classic. This is the last year of sponsorship from State Farm Insurance Companies after 19 years. Playing with the uncertain future of the tournament, players are wary of the viability of Springfield bringing the US LPGA Tour back for a 37th year, though they’ll do what they can to help.

“I love this tournament. I’ve been here since I was a rookie and everybody is so nice,” said Tseng, the world’s top-ranked player. “I really love this place, so anything I can do.” Kerr echoed those sentiments.

“The LPGA is one of the best investments out there,” said Kerr, who is trying to win her third State Farm Classic.

“There is unlimited upside to what our tour can deliver, not only from a standpoint of customer entertainment, but the value we bring to any community.” Kerr has two runner-up trophies in a row among four top-10 finishes this season.

She was second at the Sybase Match Play Championship and tied for second with Jiyai Shin a shot behind Lincicome last week in New Jersey.

“I played great. I can’t complain,” Kerr said. “A couple of putts on the back nine on Sunday go in and I’m winning two tournaments in a row. It’s encouraging, a little bit frustrating, but it’s a good problem to have.” Lincicome hadn’t won on the US tour since 2009 at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, but had little time to enjoy her ShopRite win last weekend. “It’s been kind of crazy,” she said. “I had an outing Monday and I was rushing to the airport on Sunday and then got here late. Everyone was like, ‘Did you party?

Did you celebrate?’ I haven’t had time.” The win was a bit out of the blue for Lincicome, who finished second at the RR Donnelly Founders Cup in March and 13th at the Kraft Nabisco Championship. But she had struggled in between, and bringing a new caddie on board has been a big help.

“It’s been a great partnership so far,” Lincicome said of hiring AJ Eathorne. “I just needed that change. I just needed to hear something different.” Last year’s State Farm Classic was forced to finish on Monday after storms rolled through the area during the third round. Rough weather could be a factor again as strong thunderstorms are possible late yesterday todaay at Panther Creek Country Club. —AP

Sports FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Crusaders and Blues in crucial Super 15 clash WELLINGTON: The Canterbury Crusaders and Auckland Blues will play for the lead in the New Zealand conference of rugby’s Super 15 as the playoffs race becomes fierce in this weekend’s penultimate round.

The Blues have lost their last three matches to see their lead in New Zealand slashed to two points and could relinquish first place to the Crusaders — with it automatic qualification for the playoffs — if they lose in the South Island city of Timaru tomorrow.

The Cape Town-based Stormers, leaders of the South African conference, will meet the Pretoria-based Bulls later tomorrow in a match that will also bear heavily on the playoffs.

The Stormers lead in South Africa by six points from the Durban-based Sharks, with the defending champion Bulls a further two points behind and sixth overall. South African teams currently occupy three places among the top-six, which will contest the playoffs in two weeks time.

The Stormers are second overall on the championship table — a single point behind the Queensland Reds who play fellow-Australians the Western Force tomorrow. The Sharks are fifth behind the Reds, Stormers, Blues and Crusaders, while the Bulls are sixth after posting fivestraight wins in a dramatic late-season surge. The Bulls beat New South Wales last week to replace the Waratahs at sixth spot. New South Wales has dropped to seventh, two points behind the Bulls, ahead of Saturday’s clash with the Otago Highlanders, who are eighth and out of the playoffs race after two recent losses.

The Crusaders, seven-time Super rugby champions, will be without All Blacks captain Richie McCaw when they take on the Blues at one of the various home venues they have used since February’s Christchurch earthquake.

Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder said his players would have to reach a new level to hold out the Blues.

“It’s not a week for mediocrity and we need our guys to be switched on straight away,” Blackadder said. “We’ve got two tough games coming up to determine who is going to win our conference.” All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu returns to the Blues starting lineup to help his team stop its late-season free-fall. Coach Pat Lam said Auckland were underdogs “because we are playing the Crusaders on their home patch and we have been dealing with three losses.

“It will be a cauldron down there, it is sudden-death, there is a lot riding on this match,” he said.

Blackadder said the battle for top spot in New Zealand will be fought out over the last two weeks of the season, not just in tomorrow’s match. If the Crusaders win, they will - at best - draw three points clear of the Blues, leaving the conference lead to be decided in the final round.

The Crusaders play the Wellington Hurricanes and the Blues play the Otago Highlanders in final-round derbies.

The Stormers have the chance to put the South African conference lead out of the Sharks’ reach if they can beat the Bulls in Cape Town. It’s far from an easy task and made more difficult by the continued absence of flyhalf Peter Grant with an ankle injury. The Bulls will be without Springboks lock Bakkies Botha, who is prevented by injury from playing his 100th game. Botha’s place will be taken

by Danie Rossouw, who moves from the side of the scrum and whose place on the flank will be taken by Dewald Potgeiter.

“Bakkies was due to play in his 100th game so there is a lot of experience lost, but Danie will play in his 115th match,” Bulls coach Frans Ludeke said. “Dewald started with this loose trio in ten of our matches this year, so slots into an established unit. “We have good momentum and we will back ourselves in this one.” In other weekend matches, the Waikato Chiefs play a Wellington Hurricanes team rocked by coach Mark Hammett’s midweek decision to sack All Blacks Ma’a Nonu and Andrew Hore. Nonu is expected to join the Chiefs next season.

The ACT Brumbies play the Melbourne Rebels, who are trying to fight their way out of last place. The Waratahs must beat the Highladers in Sydney on Saturday to keep their playoffs hopes alive, while the Reds face the Force in a match made more urgent by their loss to the Brumbies.

The Sharks play the Lions in Johannesburg, also needing to win to keep up their challenge for the playoffs and first place in the South African conference.—AP

SAN ANTONIO: In this file photo taken June 14, 1997, World Boxing Council super featherweight champion Genaro Hernandez (right) of Los Angeles, lands a punch against challenger Anatoly Alexandrov, of Russia.—AP

World super featherweight champion Hernandez dies MISSION VIEJO: Two-time world super featherweight champion Genaro Hernandez has died of a rare cancer. He was 45. Hernandez’s wife, Liliana Hernandez, said he died at his home of rhabdomyosarcoma, which attacks muscle fibers.

Hernandez, nicknamed Chicanito (little Mexican), was born in South Central Los Angeles and began his professional boxing career at age 18 in 1984.

“He had been boxing from the age of 8 and dedicated his life to the sport,” Liliana Hernandez said in a telephone

interview Wednesday. He had to wait until 1991and his 24th professional bout to get a shot at a major title, and took it at the first opportunity, stopping Daniel Londas in the ninth round in France to claim the WBA World super featherweight belt.

He successfully defended that title eight times over the next three years before relinquishing it to challenge Oscar De La Hoya for the WBO lightweight title at Caesars Palace. De La Hoya knocked out Hernandez in the sixth round. He won the WBC super

featherweight title in 1997, taking a split decision against Azumah Nelson and successfully defended it twice, against Carlos Hernandez and Carlos Gerena before losing his last fight and the title to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 1998.

Hernandez retired later that year due to a small blood clot in his brain and finished his career with a record of 38-2-1 with 17 knockouts.

In addition to his wife of 21 years, Hernandez is survived by his son, Steven; his daughter, Amanda; three brothers; two sisters; and his father.—AP

Murray moves into q-finals LONDON: World number four Andy Murray ignored the pain of his ankle injury to reach the quarter-finals at Queen’s with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) win over Serbian 14th seed Janko Tipsarevic yesterday.

After edging past Xavier Malisse in the second round, Murray spent much of his post-match press conference delivering a prolonged assessment of the risks of playing with the ankle problem that has plagued him since the French Open.

He conceded that the recovery time for the ligament and tendon damage he sustained in Paris means he should really be resting this week, but a desire to get plenty of time on grass before Wimbledon has forced him to ignore his discomfort. The 24-year-old, once again wearing a brace on his troublesome right ankle and moving cautiously at times, did a reasonable job of disguising the pain as he secured a last eight match against Marin Cilic or Thomaz Bellucci.

“It was a high-quality match. We both played well, especially at the end of the

second set. It was a big test,” Murray said. “The ankle was the best it’s felt today.” In the circumstances, it was hardly surprising Murray looked a little sluggish as he allowed Tipsarevic to break in the opening game of the first set. But, although Tipsarevic has more than enough ability to hold his own against the best-he beat Murray here in 2006 — his temperament is rather less durable. Murray benefitted from that erractic nature as a careless double-fault brought up three break points, with the Scot taking the second thanks to a fortunate deflection off the net to level at 3-3.

With Murray 5-4 up, a heavy shower delayed play for an hour. The interval did little to improve Tipsarevic’s focus as a wild forehand on break point presented the first set to Murray.

Murray let his own concentration slip at the start of the second set and Tipsarevic broke immediately with a piercing return of serve.

Even so, there was no sign of Murray letting the injury wear him down and he kept the pressure on, forcing Tipsarevic into another extravagant mistake as he

missed a forehand that gifted a break back for 4-4.

A tie-break was needed to settle the set and Murray found the winning formula as a couple of sublime groundstrokes finished off Tipsarevic.

Elsewhere in the third round of the Wimbledon warm-up, Andy Roddick remained in the hunt for a record fifth Queen’s crown with a 6-4, 6-4 win over South Africa’s Kevin Anderson.

Since his last Queen’s triumph back in 2007, Roddick has been trying to break the record for most singles’ titles at the Wimbledon warm-up event which he currently shares with six other players including John McEnroe, Boris Becker and Lleyton Hewitt.

The American third seed, a threetime Wimbledon finalist, thrives on the lush lawns of west London and he did just enough to see off 15th seed Anderson and set up a last eight clash against Fernando Verdasco, who defeated David Nalbandian 7-5, 6-1.

“There are a lot of times when he hits his first serve in a good spot and you’re rendered a little helpless. —AFP

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FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Jayasuriya announces international retirement COLOMBO: Within hours of his first recall by Sri Lanka in more than a year, cricket great Sanath Jayasuriya announced yesterday he will retire from all internationals during this month’s tour of England.

Jayasuriya, the second-highest run scorer in the history of one-day cricket, was picked for the only Twenty20 and five limited-overs matches starting on June 25. But the batsman, who turns 42 on June 30, said he will play only the Twenty20 and one ODI before ending a 22-year international career.

“I invited you not to share the happiness of my being selected to play for Sri Lanka again, but to

announce my decision to end my international career of more than 20 years,” Jayasuriya said. “I consider it a privilege to have represented Sri Lanka to bring glory to my country and the town of Matara where I come from.

“The selectors picked me for the whole series but it was my personal decision to retire midway.” Jayasuriya was included in a 16-man squad in the wake of a a doping investigation involving opener Upul Tharanga.

Tharanga tested positive for a banned substance after the World Cup semifinal win over New Zealand, and an inquiry has been initiated.

Sri Lanka Cricket said Tharanga will not be available

for selection until the inquiry is over. Jayasuriya has not played a limited-overs international for Sri Lanka since December 2009, and played his last Twenty20 a year ago. Jayasuriya was never expected to play international cricket again after being dropped from the World Cup squad and failing to secure a contract with a franchise in this year’s Indian Premier League.

Jayasuriya was second in ODI history only to Sachin Tendulkar for appearances (444) and runs (13,428). His 322 wickets bowling left-arm spin rank him ninth all-time in ODIs. He played the last of his 110 tests in 2007. — AP

India ease to victory over Windies PORT OF SPAIN: Half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Parthiv Patel followed up Amit Mishra’s career-best bowling to lead India to a seven-wicket victory over West Indies in the rain-affected second One-day International on Wednesday.

Kohli struck six fours and one six in 81 from 103 balls to earn the Man-of-the-Match award, and Patel made 56 from 64 deliveries, as the Indians, chasing a revised target of 183 from 37 overs due to rain, reached their target with 20 balls remaining.

India captain Suresh Raina clinched victory, when he steered a delivery from Ravi Rampaul wide of point for two runs. India now lead the five-match series 2-0, following a four-wicket victory in the first ODI two days ago at the same venue.

“It was another good performance, especially Amit Mishra, who was unbelieveable, when he bowled in the Power Play,” said Raina. Mishra had upstaged half-centuries from Lendl Simmons and Ramnaresh Sarwan, triggering a batting collapse with a career-best spell, as West Indies posted 240 for nine from their allocation of 50 overs.

Mishra captured four for 31 from his allotment of 10 overs, as the Windies collapsed dramatically from a comfortable 175 for two in the 36th before the hosts’ captain Darren Sammy added some late order runs.

Munaf Patel bagged three for 35 from 10 overs, and Yusuf Pathan took two for 51 from eight overs to play their part in destabilising the West Indies’ batting.

“We got ourselves into a good position, but we did not capitalise on it in the end,” said Sammy. “Again, we were about 30 runs short.”

India suffered an early setback, when Shikhar Dhawan was caught at square cover off Ravi Rampaul for three in the third over.

But a second wicket stand of 120 between Kohli and Patel put India firmly on track, enduring two stoppages for rain.

Patel was caught behind down the legside off leg-spinner Anthony Martin in the 27th over, and Kohli was caught at long-off off Devendra Bishoo, the other West Indies leggie, in the 31st over.

Earlier, India were on the back-foot, when West Indies benefitted from three straight half-century stands. Sarwan’s 56 off 90 balls was the top score, and Simmons’ supported with 53 from 84 deliveries.

But five wickets - three to Mishra - fell for 22 in the space of 47 deliveries before Sammy struck one four and two sixes in 22 from 19 balls to push West Indies to a respectable total.

India’s new-ball pair of Praveen Kumar and Patel failed to make the early breakthrough, but Mishra had opener Kirk Edwards caught behind for 25 in the 13th over, leaving West Indies 57 for one. The Indians continued to find wickets hard to come, as Sarwan joined Simmons, and they added 67 for the second

TRINIDAD: India’s Virat Kohli (right) drives a delivery off West Indies’ captain Darren Sammy (unseen) as the wicket keeper Carlton Baugh looks on during their second one-day international cricket match in Port-of-Spain. — AP wicket. A back-foot drive off Pathan for a single carried Simmons to his 50 from 76 balls, but the off-spinner had the West Indies opener stumped in the 27th over.

A short delivery from Kumar was pulled over mid-wicket to usher Sarwan to his 50 from 80 balls, but he miscued a pull at a high full toss from Patel, and was caught at deep backward square leg in the 41st over.

The drama then began to unfold, when Mishra trapped Kieron Pollard lbw for a duck, getting down on one knee and trying to sweep in the 42nd over, and in his next over, the portly Indian leg-spinner struck twice.

Mishra had Dwayne Bravo caught at long-off for eight, and bowled Carlton Baugh Jr for two to leave West Indies 197 for seven in the 44th over. But India let West Indies off the hook, when Ravi Rampaul joined Sammy and they pushed the home team past their best total on home soil this season in a stand of 31 for the eighth wicket before Patel struck twice in his final over.

The beanpole fast-medium bowler had Rampaul caught at mid-wicket for 14, and Devendra Bishoo caught behind for a duck.

The third ODI will be played on June 11 at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua. — AFP

SCOREBOARD PORT OF SPAIN: Scoreboard after end of second one-day International between West Indies and India yesterday at Queen’s Park Oval: West Indies L. Simmons st P. Patel b Pathan 53 K. Edwards c P. Patel b Mishra 25 R. Sarwan c Pathan b M. Patel 56 M. Samuels st P. Pathel b Pathan 36 D.J. Bravo c Harbhajan Singh b Mishra 8 K. Pollard lbw b Mishra 0 C. Baugh b Mishra 2 D. Sammy not out 22 R. Rampaul c Raina b M. Patel 14 D. Bishoo c P. Patel b M. Patel 0 A. Martin not out 0 Extras: (b1, lb6, w16, nb1) 24 Total: (9 wkts) 240 Fall of wickets: 1-57 (Edwards, 12.1 overs); 2124 (Simmons, 26.5); 3-175 (Samuels, 35.6); 4-192 (Sarwan, 40.6); 5-192 (Pollard, 41.3); 6-197 (Bravo, 43.3); 7-197 (Baugh, 43.4); 8-228 (Rampaul, 48.2); 9-229 (Bishoo, 48.5) Bowling: Kumar 10-0-54-0 (w1); M. Patel 10-235-3 (nb1, w1); Mishra 10-2-31-4; Harbhajan

Singh 10-1-51-0 (w12); Pathan 8-0-51-2 (w2); Raina 2-0-11-0.

Overs: 50 India (revised target of 183 from 37 overs) P. Patel c Baugh b Martin 56 S. Dhawan c Pollard b Rampaul 3 V. Kohli c Pollard b Bishoo 81 S. Raina not out 26 R. Sharma not out 7 Extras: (w8, nb2) 10 Total: (3 wkts) 183 Did not bat: S. Badrinath, Y. Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, P. Kumar, M. Patel, A. Mishra did not bat Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Dhawan, 2.1 overs); 2-128 (P. Patel, 26.1); 3-173 (Kohli, 30.6) Bowling: Rampaul 6.4-0-32-1 (w2); Sammy 101-38-0 (w1); Bravo 3-0-20-0; Bishoo 7-0-37-1 (nb2); Martin 4-0-29-1; Pollard 3-0-27-0 (w5).

Overs: 33.4 Result: India won by seven wickets Series: India lead the five-match series 2-0

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FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011

Bruins rout Canucks, level series BOSTON: Just three days after looking down and out in the Stanley Cup series, the Boston Bruins cruised past the Vancouver Canucks 4-0 on Wednesday to square the series 2-2 and claim all the momentum in the NHL decider.

Tim Thomas made 38 saves in his third shutout of the playoffs and Rich Peverley scored two goals as a replacement for the injured Nathan Horton on Boston’s top line.

Michael Ryder and Brad Marchand also had goals for the Bruins, who chased Roberto Luongo early in the third period after Vancouver’s star goalie allowed his 12th goal in less than two brutal games in Boston.

“It’s always easier to be at home,” Marchand said. “We feed off the energy, off our fans. They just bring out the best in us. ...

Just seems everyone is so focused right now.” The finals are now effectively a bestof-three, with Game 5 in Vancouver on Friday.

Game 6 is Monday back in Boston. After outscoring Vancouver 12-1 over the past two games, the Bruins are halfway to their first NHL title since 1972 — but they’ll have to win at least once on the West Coast.

Luongo gave up four goals on 20 shots before Cory Schneider replaced him, ending yet another shaky defensive performance for the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Canucks, who were inexplicably passionless in Boston.

Vancouver needed just one win in Boston to earn the chance to win the franchise’s first championship on home ice. Instead, the Canucks headed home with huge questions about their mental toughness, defense and goaltending. “It’s not for lack of effort, not for lack of trying to win,” Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said.

“Give the other team credit. They’re playing a smart game, and right now they’ve been able to shut us down offensively the

last two games.” The Bruins rolled on an emotional high that began with a stirring pregame tribute to Horton. The right wing will miss the rest of the series after incurring a serious concussion early in Game 3 from a hit from Vancouver defenseman Aaron Rome, who was suspended for four games.

“When I personally got to see him in the locker room, I was incredibly happy,” Thomas said. “It gave me a big boost. He was there to pass the jacket on. The team would have been happy leaving it with Horty for the rest of the series, but he wanted to give it away and keep the tradition going. ...

BOSTON: Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo (1) looks into the goal after Boston Bruins center Rich Peverley (49) scored in the third period during Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup finals. —AP Horton thrilled his teammates by showing up in the locker room after the game. He awarded the Bruins’ jacket — a tattered, kitschy team jacket that’s been passed among the Bruins in recent months to the key player in every victory — to Peverley.

Watching him going down, we want to finish what we started for him.”

Thomas was outstanding yet again. He has allowed just five goals in four games in his first Stanley Cup finals, with Vancouver’s vaunted Sedin twins — the NHL’s last two

scoring champions — failing to beat him.

“That’s indicative of the way he’s had to battle to get here,” Boston coach Claude Julien said of his well-traveled veteran goalie, who didn’t earn a regular job in Boston until he was past 30. “He’s taken a real bumpy road to get to the NHL. He’s had so many obstacles in front of him that he’s had to overcome.

That makes him the perfect goaltender for our organization.” Despite the NHL’s warning to these teams about keeping their competition between the whistles, the third period featured another handful of skirmishes.

Thomas delighted Boston’s fans when he slashed Vancouver agitator Alex Burrows with 1:51 to play, precipitating another brawl.

Peverley, a Bruins newcomer after a lateseason trade from Atlanta, filled in for Horton on the Bruins’ top line, lining up with David Krejci and Milan Lucic. The hardworking forward isn’t known for his scoring touch, but came through twice in the new role.

Boston went ahead midway through the first period after Krejci alertly tapped a loose puck in the neutral zone ahead to Peverley, who blew past Raffi Torres and scored just his second goal in 19 games.

Ryder scored midway through the second period on an innocuous shot that somehow fluttered past Luongo. The puck might have deflected off the stick of defenseman Sami Salo, who played Ryder much too softly.

Boston took control 1:18 later during 4on-4 play when Patrice Bergeron forced Ballard’s turnover behind the Canucks’ net and chipped it in front to Marchand, who easily scored over Luongo’s left shoulder.

Luongo finally left after Peverley scored again early in the third period.

“We have two out of three with home-ice advantage, and that’s what we’ve worked for all season,” Luongo said. “We need to get playing the way we did in the first two games.”—AP

Hamilton hoping to end Vettel run MONTREAL: Two weeks on from his controversial exit at the Monaco Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton returns to the circuit where he claimed his first pole position and won his first Formula One race in this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix.

The 2008 drivers’ world champion, who departed Monte Carlo under something of a cloud after making a joking racist remark during a rant about the race stewards, did the racing drivers’ perfect double during his maiden season in 2007.

That year, he went on to miss out on the drivers’ title by a point to Ferrari’s flying Finn Kimi Raikkonen, but stormed back to win it 12 months later for his McLaren team.

This season, after one win in six outings, he remains hopeful that, despite a massive 58-points deficit behind defending champion and current leader Sebastian Vettel, of Red Bull, he can still mount a title bid.

But like everyone else chasing the 23-year-old wunderkind, he knows he, or another contender, has to stop

Vettel in his winning tracks to prevent the championship turning into a oneman runaway.

Hamilton looked fast enough on the narrow and unforgiving barrierlined streets of the Mediterranean principality to not only take pole there, but win before other circumstances intervened - and he clearly believes he can serve more of the same pure pace at the fast and dangerous Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on the Ile Notre-Dame.

“I think our car should be well suited to this track; we have a great engine, the best KERS (Kinetic Energy Regeneration System) in the sport and excellent traction out of slow corners,” he said.

“For me, all in all, it’s set to be another good weekend for us. I’ll be looking for a strong result on Sunday.”

His McLaren team-mate, fellow-Briton and 2009 champion Jenson Button is also optimistic after sensing that he now has the speed and performance available to enable him to set the pace ahead of Red Bull.

“I’ve never won in North America and I think we have the pace, the development and the momentum to have a good shot at changing that next weekend. I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.

McLaren’s confidence ahead of the race on a circuit known for its high rate of accidents, attrition and unique challenges — it combines high-speed straights with hairpins — is matched, however, by similar feelings at Red Bull and Ferrari.

Each team will have to set up their cars in a ‘new’ way after the relatively straightforward opening six events.

Due to the speed, they will adopt a low down-force configuration on the track with the longest full-throttle time of all and ensure they have maximised their braking performance.

Australian Mark Webber, of Red Bull said: “My favourite thing about Canada is the laid-back attitude of the fans, which makes the atmosphere very good.

“The track has traditionally thrown up very interesting races due to the

Louis Hamilton in action in this file photo. street circuit layout and because the low down-force configuration provides some good overtaking.

“It’s always nice to get the feeling that there’s a GP in town even when we’re away from the track and that’s certainly the case in Montreal.

His Red Bull team-mate Vettel said: “It is a very unique place. It’s not a real track because it’s on an island and also used for public roads. It’s a bit similar to Albert Park in Melbourne, as it’s mainly used for traffic with a second function as a race track.

“It’s also very slippery, the asphalt is very smooth and we saw last year that tyre degradation is huge, but it’s always good fun. It’s a great race, the

atmosphere is fantastic and the fans are very special.

“It’s the only time we go to North America to race and it’s really a cool place with the city and people.” In common with their main rivals, Ferrari are also more confident as they anticipate racing on the harder compound tyres supplied by Pirelli and, with new parts on their car, producing a competitive performance.

That, together with the harsh nature of the circuit and the many anticipated incidents and accidents, means another spectacular race in front of capacity crowds is in prospect as Hamilton, and the rest, seek to catch Vettel. —AFP

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Mattsson caught in political crossfire FREETOWN: Swedish coach Lars Olof Mattsson has found himself caught up in a fierce row between politicians and soccer officials in Sierra Leone, where the appointment of foreigners to key positions is a sensitive subject.

During and immediately after the West African country’s bitter civil war, foreigners were brought into leading posts, including the head of the police force, prompting debates about sovereignty.

Nine years on from the end of hostilities, Mattsson’s position at the helm of the national side is preoccupying public opinion and the local media.

The controversy began with a cabinet reshuffle at the end of last year. Among other moves President Ernest Bai Koroma created a new ministry of ‘Youths, Employment and Sports’.

An estimated 800,000 young Sierra Leoneans, out of a population of six million, lack proper employment and the new ministry formed part of a plan to create more opportunities for young people.

Appointed as minister was Paul Kamara, a journalist and football enthusiast, who has been involved in a long feud with the country’s football association (SLFA) after making allegations of corruption.

Kamara has long-standing connections in Sweden, and used his contacts to secure Mattsson to prepare the Leone Stars for their African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

“He has coached the Swedish U21 national team, he has been a scout for the Swedish national team,” Kamara told Reuters in an interview in Freetown. “You cannot compare such a coach to our own local coaches.”

Mattsson’s initial engagement was for one game against Niger, and was underwritten by the Scandinavian head of Leocem, a cement manufacturer in Sierra Leone.

The SLFA cried foul at the move though, saying the appointment of a coach was their prerogative, not the ministry’s, and that other administrative committees established

by Kamara represented an attempt to bypass them.

“He’s been pointing fingers, writing scathing, unfounded stories against the football association, even before he became a minister,” Abdul Rahman Swaray, acting general secretary of the association, told Reuters.

Swaray, standing in for Alimu Bah who has been suspended because of a corruption investigation, said he did not dispute the appointment of a foreign coach in principle, but he objected to the way the process was undertaken.

“It was just like a fait accompli,” he said. Kamara told Reuters the SLFA had not served football well. “All the money that FIFA gives them-last year they received over one million dollars-they do not spend on development,” he said. “The FA says we are creating parallel institutions, because they don’t want to be checked.” The football association concedes there have been problems, but maintains it is now trying to put its house in order. “It’s very much unfair to some of us who are trying to turn things around,” said Swaray.

Counter accusations flew between the two sides after the Leone Stars lost their Cup of Nations qualifier against Niger in Niamey in March 3-1. The ministry’s camp said local coach Christian Cole had refused to implement Mattsson’s substitution decisions while the SLFA accused the Swede of failing to prepare his players properly for the game.

Relations reached a nadir when Cole and Mattsson named separate squads for last Saturday’s return fixture against Niger in Freetown.

A truce was eventually agreed: Mattsson was to be head coach, with Cole as his deputy. The Swede also brought in some assistants of his own.

In the end, Sierra Leona beat Niger 1-0, a victory which appears to have cemented, for the time being at least, Mattsson’s position. Afterwards, Kamara said the Swede would prepare the team for their next fixture, a decision the football association accepted.

Speaking to Reuters before the Niger match, Mattsson glossed over the difficulties created by the row between the sports ministry and the SLFA. “Paul Kamara, he was pretty sure all the time everything would work out,” he said. “I don’t waste any energy to talk about the past,” added the Swede, wearing shorts embossed with Sierra Leone’s crest which bears the words ‘Unity, Freedom, Justice’. The players themselves admitted the coaching row had been a problem. “It’s not good for the football game,” said Mohamed Bangura, a 22-year-old who plays for Swedish club AIK Solna. —Reuters

MONTEVIDEO: Uruguay’s Diego Lugano (left) fights for the ball with Netherlands’ Robin Van Persie during a friendly soccer match. —AP

Netherlands pay the penalty

MONTEVIDEO: Striker Dirk Kuyt headed a stoppage-time equaliser for 2010 World Cup runners-up Netherlands in a 1-1 draw with Uruguay in a friendly at the Centenario on Wednesday.

Uruguay then lifted the Fraternity Trophy that had been put in play by winning a shootout 4-3 after Robin van Persie had blasted the opening penalty over the bar.

Luis Suarez, Kuyt’s Liverpool team mate, put Uruguay ahead eight minutes from time.

Edinson Cavani pulled the ball back from deep on the left into the middle where Suarez calmly picked his spot to place the ball inside goalkeeper Tim Krul’s left-hand post.

When a Uruguay win looked certain, Kuyt glanced a corner to the near post over midfielder Sebastian Eguren and goalkeeper Fernando Muslera into the net.

“I think it was a fair result,” Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez, preparing his side for next month’s Copa America in Argentina, told reporters.

In the shootout Krul, who kept a clean sheet on his debut in a 0-0 draw with Brazil in Goiania on Saturday, saved from Ajax Amsterdam’s Nicolas Lodeiro but Eljero Elia then missed for the Dutch.

Both sides, meeting for the first time since the Dutch won their 2010 World Cup semi-final 3-2 in Cape Town, had chances with Suarez being denied a first-half goal for offside.

Muslera saved well with his foot from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar who was through on goal and Uruguay captain Diego Lugano was lucky to not even be booked for a studsfirst foul on van Persie.

Meanwhile, nine players from Zambia

and Georgia and a Singaporean man accused of bribing them went on trial yesterday in a match-fixing investigation that has rocked the Finnish football league.

The probe centers on Wilson Raj Perumal, a Singaporean also suspected by world governing body FIFA of fixing international games involving African and Asian national teams.

Finnish prosecutors say Perumal offered the players bribes of §470,000 to fix matches in an international betting scam that targeted the local team in Rovaniemi, a northern city near the Arctic Circle.

Perumal, who was arrested in February, is also accused of attempting to bribe players at two other Finnish league clubs, entering Finland with a fake passport and trying to flee from officials guarding him.

He was guarded by two police officers as the charges were read in the Lapland District Court, where the trial is expected to continue for several weeks. Sporting a graying, ruffled beard, he remained silent, staring at the floor and fidgeting with a pen.

Perumal’s defense lawyer Pertti Poyko said Perumal has confessed to many of the charges, including some of the bribery allegations, while denying others.

The players-seven Zambians and two Georgians-were charged with accepting bribes of between euros 11,000 and euros 50,000 each to affect the outcome of matches. In cases where the desired result was not achieved, the money was paid back to Perumal, according to the charges.

Prosecutors demanded a prison term of two years and four months for Perumal.

They also asked for between 19 and 23 months for six Zambian players, and sus-

pended sentences for another Zambian and two Georgians.

In addition, the Rovaniemen Palloseura football club, which fired the players after the investigation started, is demanding §213,000 in damages for loss of advertising revenue and salaries for new players signed to fill out the roster.

The Finnish league, which is far removed from the big money and public attention of the bigger leagues in Europe, has been overshadowed by match-fixing scandals since it kicked off last month.

Three-time champion Tampere was suspended from the league after team officials acknowledged accepting §300,000 from a Singaporean company but were unable to explain why they took the money.

On May 6, two Zambian brothers playing for AC Oulu were convicted of taking §50,000 in bribes to play “below their normal level” in a 5-0 loss last year.

And on May 25, IFK Mariehamn said its Kenyan former goalkeeper was suspected of taking §50,000 in bribes in connection with two matches the club lost in 2010. The Finnish scandal appears to confirm that betting fraud worth millions of dollars is more widespread than previously feared.

FIFA has stepped up its response in recent weeks after being criticized for lagging behind European authority UEFA in acknowledging the problem. The world football body believes Perumal organized an infamous match last September, sending a fake Togo team to Bahrain for a friendly that the unwitting host easily won 3-0. Perumal also has links to fixing involving Zimbabwe national team matches played in the Far East. —Agencies

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Murray moves into Queen’s q-finals Page 60

www.kuwaittimes.net

MONTEVIDEO: Uruguay’s Luis Suarez (left) fights for the ball with Netherlands’ John Heitinga during a friendly soccer match.—AP

Netherlands pay the penalty Page63