25 Apr

RI PT IO N BS C SU THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF

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SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2010

Bedoons demand civil rights, new resolution

JAMADA ALAWAL 11, 1431 AH

Chinese automakers push to raise global profile

Thai PM rejects protesters’ peace offer

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United go top as Spurs pay penalty PAGE 20

Abbas urges Obama to impose peace deal Palestinian leader rejects state in temporary borders

KUWAIT: US Ambassador Deborah K Jones participates in a beach cleanup at the Green Island on Arabian Gulf Road yesterday. The cleanup was organized by the US Embassy in collaboration with the Kuwait Municipality and the Kuwait Voluntary Work Center to mark Earth Day. — Photo by Joseph Shagra (See Page 4)

Pillay chides Gulf over women’s employment ABU DHABI: UN human rights chief Navi Pillay yesterday criticised restrictions on women’s employment in some Gulf countries and called for those barriers to be lifted. “Women now have access to higher education in all six” Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Pillay said at a news conference in Abu Dhabi. “The next stage, which I hope will quickly gather momentum, is to ensure that all these educated young women have access to meaningful careers.”

In Saudi Arabia, “we met a young lawyer with ten years’ legal experience in the UK (she) cannot use it in her country,” Pillay told AFP. The lawyer “would like to come back, make a contribution, (but) doors are closed,” Pillay said. “It doesn’t ... make economic sense not to open up employment for women, and to lift restrictions.”

She also strongly condemned the system in some Gulf states under which women are required to have a male guardian, saying it “keeps women in a stranglehold of powerlessness”. “Nevertheless, I have been encouraged to see significant movement taking place on women’s rights” in the

ABU DHABI: UN rights chief Navi Pillay holds a news conference yesterday. — AFP Gulf, she said. Pillay said she has urged Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait, which she has visited as part of an ongoing tour of all six GCC countries, “to maintain, and if possible accelerate, the pace of reform” in the area of women’s rights.

Pillay also said she has raised the issue of torture in meetings in the four GCC countries she has visited so far.

Some countries in the GCC face torture allegations.

In a February report, Human Rights Watch accused Bahrain’s

security forces of torturing detainees.

And on Friday, Amnesty International called on the United Arab Emirates to investigate the alleged torture of 17 Indians who have been sentenced to death for murder.

The rights chief said she urges countries in the region to adopt the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture.

“I think that would provide relief in situations where state actors are involved, whether it’s a relative of somebody in authority or a law enforcement agent,” Pillay said. The Protocol requires signatories to create “national preventive mechanisms” to monitor for abuses, and also provides for regular monitoring visits by UN experts, according to the UN’s website.

Pillay also criticised the system under which migrant workers in most Gulf countries must be sponsored by a local employer. “Many problems have arisen through the lack of protection safeguards in the so-called ‘kafala’ or sponsorship system that leaves migrant workers vulnerable to an unequal power relationship with their employers,” Pillay said. —AFP

RAMALLAH: Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas urged US President Barack Obama yesterday to impose a Mideast peace deal, signaling the Palestinians’ growing frustration after nearly two decades of failed negotiations with Israel. Palestinian officials have said privately that they believe only strong US intervention can break the impasse with Israel. Still, Abbas’ blunt public appeal yesterday was unusual.

In a speech to leaders of his Fatah movement, the Palestinian president noted that the Obama administration has defined the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel as a strategic US interest. “Since you, Mr President and you, the members of the American administration, believe in this, it is your duty to call for the steps in order to reach the solution and impose the solution impose it,” Abbas said. “But don’t tell me it’s a vital national strategic American interest ... and then not do anything.” The traditional US position has been to act as a Continued on Page 14

RAMALLAH: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks to leaders of his Fatah movement in this West Bank city. — AP

Microsoft, Google eye Arabic potential CAIRO: The further integration of Arabic language capabilities in Internet and other technological architecture will grant millions access to the digital world, Microsoft and Google executives said. As devices and applications become more ubiquitous in less developed countries, their content will grow and an embryonic e-economy should flourish, they said. “(Microsoft CEO) Steve Ballmer and I a few years ago talked and believed Arabic would be an increasingly important language,” said Craig Mundie, Microsof t’s chief research and strategy officer. “And yet, because of the way the Internet was evolving, it wasn’t a language that was

getting a lot of use.”

But while Arab world internet use since 2000 has grown faster than anywhere else and access costs have shrunk, content still punches below its weight and ad spending remains tiny.

Arabic content is less than 1 percent of world totals though speakers constituting 5 percent of the global population. The Arabic portal of online encyclopedia Wikipedia carries less words than its Catalan site, Google’s regional marketing manager Wael Ghonim said.

“There is a lot of Arabic content but it is not well structured,” he said. “We want more structured content. We want more of the professional, niche

DBAYEH, Lebanon: A driver offers a lift to a Lebanese woman as she walks in a street north of Beirut on April 16, 2010. — AFP

pared to Britain’s $5.3 billion. Ghonim said Arabic speakers have historically engaged in poorly organised and difficult to archive forums, citing a message board used by 400,000 teachers in Saudi Arabia. Both Google and Microsoft place Arabic in their top ten languages in need of prioritised attention.

Microsoft’s Mundie was visiting the Cairo Microsoft Innovation Centre, a regional hub launched in 2006 that released Windows extension Maren, which converts Arabic written in Roman characters into Arabic script. It is Microsoft’s second most popular Continued on Page 14

Arab world deserves to host World Cup: Blatter

Victims of harassment speak out in Lebanon BEIRUT: On three occasions Doha had to jump out of her cab when the driver assaulted her in broad daylight. But now she has joined a growing number of women in Lebanon who speak out against sexual harassment.

While the subject remains taboo to a large part in the tiny Arab country on the eastern Mediterranean, a group of activists have launched a campaign to raise awareness.

A television ad features a young employee named Salwa who is summoned by her boss. When she enters his office, he is sprawled out in his chair, cigar in hand, and slyly holds out a promotion form to her. Salwa happily reaches out for the form when the boss tries to kiss her. Red with anger, she deals him a blow with her handbag before slamming the door as she leaves.

“We are not preaching violence. Our message aims to encourage women to defend themselves and not to fear social stigma,” said Leen Hashem of local non-government organisation IndyACT Continued on Page 14

sites, more businesses. One of our biggest missions is to enable Arabic users to find the right tools to enrich Arabic content,” Ghonim said. “It would be great to see more e-commerce in the region, more publishers, more news sites. We are committed to help them.” Asked how Google could aid such regional growth, Ghonim said: “We have a very ambitious plan in the next few months, we are working on many initiatives.” He did not elaborate.

Regional spending on online advertising was around $90 million in 2009, up from $66.5 million in 2008 and $38 million in 2007 but still miniscule com-

KOLKATA: An Indian hotel staff serves a preparation of prawn to guests during the Britain Curry Festival on Friday. — AFP

UK teaches India about Brit curries KOLKATA: Britain exporting curry to India? The idea seems ludicrous but a group of chefs are in the subcontinent determined to teach locals about British versions of traditional Indian recipes. Indian food has become a mainstay of the British diet, eaten in vast quantities across the country, but few people in the homeland of the curry have ever heard of the dishes that pass off for their national cuisine in

Europe.

Chicken Tikka Masala, known for its spicy red yoghurt-based sauce and said to be the most popular dish in British restaurants, is unheard of in India where even the word “curry” is seen as a British invention. Dishes with “gravy” are what Britons, or “Britishers” as they are still known in India, would recognise as a curry, Continued on Page 14

DOHA: FIFA president Sepp Blatter says the Arab world deserves to stage a World Cup, boosting Qatar’s bid to host the tournament in 2022.

Blatter, in Doha to meet with Qatar’s football officials, praised the bid’s infrastructure yesterday and said the government’s successful hosting of the 2006 Asian Games showed it was capable of organizing big international events. “The Arab world would deserve to have a World Cup and I say it publicly because 22 countries haven’t had any access to organize the World Cup,” Blatter said.

“Let us see and let us hope when the decision for 2022 will be taken in December.”

Blatter was careful not to openly endorse the Qatar bid, saying there was a long way to go before the hosts for 2018 and 2022 were announced in December. Along with South Korea, Qatar has applied only for the 2022 tournament. There are seven bids for either the 2018 or 2022 event. They are from Australia, Japan, United States, England, Russia and joint proposals from Spain and Portugal and Belgium and the Netherlands. Indonesia and Mexico had earlier withdrawn their bids. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the son of the emir, has said holding the tournament in the Middle East would improve relations between the West and Arab world. Doha has already begun its promotion, erecting huge billboards and hoisting flags along most roads encouraging support for the bid. There is even a shop in an upscale shopping center selling 2022 shirts, backpacks and water bottles. Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has even been announced as an ambassador for Qatar’s bid.

The small but wealthy Gulf nation has used sport to try to boost its international profile, stag-

DOHA: FIFA president Sepp Blatter speaks during a press conference yesterday. —AP ing the Asian Games and becoming a stop for several major tennis tournaments. Qatar will host the 2011 Asian Cup football tournament. Qatar’s searing heat may prove to be one setback, and it will be at its worst when the World Cup is usually played. Last year, neighboring United Arab Emirates refused a visa for Israeli tennis player Shahar Peer for a women’s tournament. The UAE later allowed an Israeli to play in a men’s tournament, but FIFA would want to ensure regional politics doesn’t spill over into sport should Qatar’s bid be successful. — AP

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Cabinet seeks to attract private investment KUWAIT: The Cabinet aims to pass the privatization draft law, without making any omissions, to attract private investment into the country. It believes that the draft law should not pose a hindrance to the private sector while undertaking the privatization process, and will assert on the necessity maintaining three main standards: Service quality control, prices

quality control, and safeguarding citizens’ rights at private firms.

Officials believe that the Cabinet is trying to garner parliamentary support on the matter, which is touted as a key move to transform Kuwait into a financial and economic hub.

On the other hand, several MPs voiced their reservation against the proposed draft law. MP Khalid Al-

Adwa called for several of its aspects to be re-evaluated, mainly those related to guarding the country’s main source of income, as well as maintaining the citizens’ rights at public sectors. MP Saadoun Hammad Al-Otaibi urged the Cabinet to take amendments made by MPs on the draft law into consideration, mainly concerning the oil sector’s exclusion

from privatization.

On a separate note, the parliamentary financial committee will hold a meeting today to discuss amendments that were proposed on the social insurance law. Also, a number of MPs held a meeting recently in which they reached a common consensus on the importance of reintroducing an amended form of the draft

law pertinent to writing off citizens’ loans, reported Al-Watan.

Another group of MPs agreed on giving importance to a proposed women’s civil and social rights law which will be featured among the priorities of the Parliament. There have been reports that MP Saleh AlAashour has been preparing to present this draft law in a special session.

Also, officials told Al-Anbaa newspaper that during next Tuesday’s parliamentary sessions, either of the two issues would be referred to the concerned parliamentary committees for further studies and discussion of suggested amendments.

Meanwhile, MP Dr Aseel AlAwadhi suggested some amendments to the privatization law that stressed

that investment in any of the state’s public facilities should only be done through a law that limits and regulates monopoly. Al-Awadhi enumerated examples of the facilities that could be privatized such as water, electricity, oil, natural gas, services and commercial projects, provided that the purchasing company own at least 35 percent of the shares.

Sun burns, inflammations widespread in summer KUWAIT: Sun burns, folds inflammations, photosensitivity and fungus infection with all its kinds as well as tinea versicolor are the most common dermatological diseases in summer, dermatologist and venerologist Dr Mohammad Al-Otaibi said here yesterday.

The specialist of dermatology and venerology at Assad AlHamad center for dermatologist diseases Dr. Mohammad AlOtaibi said in a statement that skin diseases differ according to the seasons of the year, pointing out that there are some diseases that become rife in winter like dandruff, psoriasis, inconvenience and sebaceous dermatitis.

Consequently, Al-Otaibi recommended people to wear white cotton clothes and to avoid putting alkaline kinds of soap, especially aromatic and cosmetics ones, on the skin areas that are subjected to sunlight.

He also recommeded people to shun off sunrays, especially during rush hours extending from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in order to preserve their epidermis and protect it against diseases.

Al-Otaibi also warned people

of being subjected to sunrays during the rush hours in order to avert photosensitivity, heat rash, Systematic Lupus Erythematosus, Lupoid Rosacea and the allergy resulting from perfumes after being subjected to sunlight.

Further, he pointed out that sun ultraviolet has a direct impact, when interacting with some chemical substances such as perfumes, soaps and remains of clothes’ detergents, on human skin in what might cause skin inflammations.

Finally, Al-Otaibi asked parents not to allow their children to spend long hours in the swimming pools or on the beach in order to protect them against dangerous skin diseases.

There are some skin diseases that often spread in the summer as a result of hot temperatures, humidity or drought, besides some other causes like working out and over-perspiration.

There is a hereditary proneness to some skin diseases such as the hereditary allergic diseases and lateral blood circulation, besides other diseases carried in genes like leukoderma and psoriasis. —KUNA

Gulf Media exhibition opens at Faculty of Arts KUWAIT: The Environment Public Authority (EPA) recently celebrated Environment Day. It was held under the patronage of the First Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, with the attendance of the Chairman of the Environment Public Authority (EPA), Dr Salah Al-Mudhhi, who delivered a speech on behalf of Al-Mubarak. The ceremony and the exhibition that was held on sidelines, was also attended by the Regional Marine Environment Protection’s Executive Secretary General, Dr Abdul Rahman Al-Awadhi.

kuwait digest

Constitution amendments

I

n his column with Al-Qabas yesterday, Abdullatif Al-Duaij wrote on MP Ali Al-Rashid’s proposal to amend the constitution. ‘While I don’t support the idea of amending the constitution, especially by an amendment proposed by MP AlRashid, I do support his right to present a proposal, and have faith in the good intentions behind his approach which regard developing parliamentary work,’ he wrote.

He explained that the reason he is opposed to amending the constitution is because he believes certain issues should be addressed before a proposal is made. He added that all parts of society should have their standards raised so that they can comprehend the democratic principles behind constitutional regulations.

‘The Principles of democracy are under attack these days,’ he continued, ‘and the same goes with constitutional regulations. While it’s sad to see some articles of the constitution be violated by the government, what’s even more sad is the fact that the constitution is under attack by members of the National Assembly who have expanded their stance against the democratic principles of freedom and equality,’ he added.

He wrote that the amendments proposed by MP AlRashid are not suitable for several reasons, especially because monitoring will remain intact. To propose the condition of making it mandatory for five MPs to propose an interpellation is not effective enough because gathering five votes in favor of a grilling is not a hard task to accomplish, he pointed out.

‘On the other hand,’ he added, ‘there is only one proposed amendment worth considering; increasing the number of MPs, which would result in an increase in the number of Cabinet members.’

‘What needs to be amended is the negative approach towards democracy,’ he urged, ‘which has sadly been passed on to the public through the spread of hate and fundamentalism. This has made the democratic principles of freedom, equality and justice the least of concern to Kuwaiti voters.

What we need is for the democratic concepts of our voters and MPs to be amended. This is what stands in the way of development these days, not the constitution,’ he concluded.

Kuwait human rights team extolled KUWAIT: Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Mohammad Al-Afasi lauded here yesterday the national team entrusted with the compilation of Kuwait’s report on human rights to be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in May 2010.

Speaking to reporters following a meeting with the national team, the minister stressed the significance of great efforts by, and cooperation among, all Kuwaiti quarters involved in the country’s

human rights report.

But, he said many questions raised by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay during her recent visit to Kuwait had to be addressed and clarified.

He added that he had discussed with the team several national issues bearing on foreign workers, trade unions, strikes and pays, women and children’s rights.

They also considered the dossier of the rights of bedoon “stateless” people, people

with special needs and housekeepers, the minister pointed out.

Recently passed pieces of legislation pertinent to human rights in Kuwait have undoubtedly contributed to the improvement of Kuwait’s human rights image on the international arena, he said.

He laid it bare that Kuwait would soon create a fresh national human rights agency, and enact a new legislation aiming to fight human trafficking. —KUNA

KUWAIT: Minister of Information Sheikh Ahmad AlAbdullah Al-Sabah inaugurated a media exhibition at the Kuwait University’s Faculty of Arts under the title: “7th Gulf Media” over the weekend.

Speaking to reporters following the inaugural ceremony, the minister said the exhibition represents the spirit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) through the representation by Kuwaiti media students of their Gulf brothers from similar universities in the media field.

He vowed that there would be more media freedom, espe-

cially for private media organizations, in the near future.

For her part, Dean of the Faculty of Arts Maimona AlSabah said the exhibition showcases links and cooperation among the GCC member states in all areas, development in general and national, cultural and media ones in particular.

The event, which shows how much Gulf mass media have developed, exhibits old valuable newspapers and books which gives a correct and objective image of the beginning of media in the GCC member states, she added. —KUNA

in the news Long-term affect of ash cloud KUWAIT: An environmental activist warned against the volcanic ash that was a result of the volcanic eruption in Iceland, reported Al-Watan. Dr Dhari Al-Ajmi, head of the environment and civil development department at the Kuwait Institution for Scientific Research (KISR) said the clouds of ash could cause trouble for human health in the long run. “Ash clouds consist of atoms from various minerals from the earth’s core,” Al-Ajmi explained.

“They will remain stuck in the atmosphere should they manage to elevate past the troposphere and reach the stratosphere.” He added that the ash cloud could continue to cause trouble for air aviation traffic should it move to the stratosphere. If it remains in the lower tier troposphere it could negatively affect human health because inhaling the atoms of metal could cause respiratory problems, he pointed out.

Egypt thanks Kuwait

KUWAIT: The National Guards Undersecretary Maj General Nasser Al-Deei is seen here with graduates of the first batch of Doctor Officers and the 18th batch of Infantry Officers.

KUWAIT: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah received a message yesterday from Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abul-Gheit thanking the Kuwaiti authorities for allowing an Egyptian family whose members’ travel documents were lost in a car accident to enter the country. Abul-Gheit thanked the Kuwaiti authorities for allowing the eight-member family to enter the country after losing the passports in the car accident.

Such a gesture depicts depth of the brotherly ties “which we are proud of between our two countries and brotherly peoples,” the Egyptian foreign minister said in the letter to Sheikh Mohammad. The Egyptian people were touched by the Kuwaitis’ special treatment for the family, he said, also thanking Kuwait for the excellent care it gives to the Egyptian community. In conclusion, Abul-Gheit wished Kuwait lasting progress and prosperity.

Earth Day celebrated KUWAIT: The Kuwait Scientific Center(KSC) yesterday said a program to celebrate the 40th World Earth Day has been prepared for today in order to spread awareness and maintain environmental systems. The Center’s Marketing and PR Manager Hind Al-Ghanim said in a statement that the program includes interactive scientific activities for children to learn about alternative energy in an interesting scientific way. She added that the program also includes a workshop to make hand bracelets using pressed paper and various workshops on how to contribute to preserving the earth. The program will deal with the launch of this celebration, she said, calling on the visitors of the center to encourage their children to attend such activities, she noted.

Dual citizenship law KUWAIT: The Ministry of Interior will take all the necessary legal procedures against dual citizenship holders, said Minister of Interior Sheikh Jaber Al-Khaled Al-Sabah. Responding to a query made by MP Ahmed Al-Saadoun on whether some citizens had voluntarily held other nationalities without being subjected to Article 11 of the Amiri decree number 15/1959, Al-Khaled stressed that the ministry would be enforced on all citizens that hold passports of other countries, reported Annahar.

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Sunday, April 25, 2010

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‘The issue was studied for decades, it requires a decision’

Bedoons demand civil rights, new resolution

By Ahmad Saeid KUWAIT: A number of MPs and political activists urged the Kuwaiti government to resolve the problem regarding the socalled bedoon - the stateless - population of Kuwait. The demands were made during a rally on Friday evening in Sulaibiyah, a predominantly bedoon area. The gathering, organized by the Stateless Committee (KSC), was made after the government decided to forward the issue of bedoons to the Higher Planning Council (HPC) for study. It also occurred before a review of Kuwait’s human rights record by the UN’s Human Rights Council, which is expected to take place on May 8 in Geneva, Switzerland.

KUWAIT: A partial view of the crowd at the rally called ‘Bedoons, between planning and nationalizing’. — Photos by Ahmad Saeid

New law to provide 54,000 housing units KUWAIT: A decision to establish shareholding companies to build residential areas was approved by the Parliament’s housing affairs committee, reported Al-Watan. The decision may begin the process of ending the country’s housing crisis within the next five years.

“According to the newly passed law, 54,000 housing units, 32,000 in Khairan and 22,000 in Mutla, will be available five years after the tender is completed,” said committee member MP Adnan Al-Mutawa.

He added that the Public Authority for

Housing Welfare (PAHW) will take on the responsibility of distributing the residential and commercial units.

Furthermore, the committee granted Kuwaiti women married to non-Kuwaiti men, Kuwaiti widows and divorced women the right to residential accommodations.

Mutawa explained that plans are being made to purchase residential units for these women so that they may remain integrated within society. Mutawa noted that a draft law to establish an additional six residential areas for expatriate laborers is ready for the

voting process. He explained that these projects will be carried out by shareholding companies and that 50 percent of its shares would be owned by citizens.

He added that their ownership would be shifted to the government in 40 years. The project is expected to help eliminate the trend of stray bachelor laborers living among families in residential areas.

The MP also noted a draft law to establish shareholding companies to build power plants capable of doubling the country’s power production capacity.

According to government statistics, there are about 90,000 bedoons in Kuwait. In a recently published report, the Human Rights Watch accused the Kuwaiti government of limiting the rights of bedoons to obtain essential documents such as passports, birth, marriage and death certificates.

According to international organizations, this compromises the bedoons’ right to proper education, medical insurance and freedom of travel.

“We’ve organized this rally to deliver our voices to the members of the HPC who are currently looking into the issue,” said Abdullah Fairouz, the chairman of the legal committee at KSC. The committee formulated a list of recommendations for the HPC members to take into consideration while looking into the bedoon issue.

“First and foremost, we require the approval of the civil and legal rights for stateless people, to cancel the title ‘illegal residents’ and to issue a civil ID for stateless people,” said Fairouz.

The head of KSC, Ahmad Al-Tamimi said that there is a lobby in the National Assembly (NA) standing in the way of any resolution to end the miseries of the bedoon. He urged the Salafi bloc to change their stance on the bedoon issue.

“They should know that it is against the values of Islam to turn their face away from the suffering of their fellow Muslims. These are the values of Islam and we ask them to go back to Islam,” he noted.

MP Askar Al-Enezi, secretary of the parliamentary committee for stateless people, said that there is now a tendency both in the government and the NA towards solving this problem. “We’ve almost fin-

Maureen Lynch ished redoing the bedoon civil rights bill, which was refused in the first reading. Now, we feel that the government is much more responsive than it used to be,” said Al-Enezi.

The MP expressed his hopes that a modified draft will pass in the NA soon. “We have also prepared legislation to give 4,000 citizenships a year for bedoons,” he said. “I would like people to know that we are doing everything we can to solve this problem.”

MP Adnan Al-Mutawwa said that this has been an issue in Kuwait for over 50 years. “This problem was discussed in the first Parliament after the establishment of the country in 1961,” he said. “In the second Parliament, in 1967, it was the most important issue on the agenda for my father Ibrahim Al-Mutawwa. I will continue to adopt this issue and demand a permanent resolution,” he stressed.

The MP added that the most important factor in this issue is the right for newborns to have birth certificates. “If someone is born into the world he deserves an official recognition of his birth,” he said. He added that he finds it strange that

Subbiya power plant ready KUWAIT: A view of the Bel Air boutique from outside. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Bel Air boutique opens in Arraya

By Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: Lulwa Al-Hajeri in front of the Bel Air store.

KUWAIT: Arraya Mall made a new addition to their fashion scene by opening the first branch of Bel Air on Thursday on the second floor of the mezzanine.

Since its conception, Bel Air has affirmed a strong and feminine fashion. Its ready to wear collection combines neutral colors and fine materials such as cashmere, silk, cotton and wool with elegance.

This is the first Bel Air store in Kuwait and the Gulf region.

“Bel Air was doing well as part of the multi-brands available at the Designer’s Lounge stores,” Lulwa Al-Hajeri, the owner of the store, told Kuwait Times.

“This was the reason behind launching a separate boutique with a wider collection.

Launching this store is the beginning. We look forward to expanding if the demand increases for this brand.”

The collection offers basic

items such as tee-shirts, shirts, pants and jeans as well as tunics, dresses and the allimportant accessories to complement fashionable women.

The success behind the brand is that, with each collection, Bel Air introduces fashionable and trendy styles that are practical and wearable.

Bel Air launched its first boutique in Paris in 1997. Now, the brand has 17 boutiques in the most prestigious locations of Paris, an additional three locations throughout France and is still expanding. Bel Air is found in the most luxurious department stores in Paris such as Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, as well as in highend multi-brand boutiques throughout the world.

The opening of Bel Air in Kuwait was successful, with several visitors at the opening, many of whom were already familiar with the brand, complementing the 2010 spring and summer collection.

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Electricity and Water recently issued a statement indicating that the Subbiya power plant would help meet the growing demand for power for the upcoming summer. The Plant’s Manager Mohiddin Najm told reporters that only one of the power units at the plant was undergoing repair according to scheduled programs. Another one, that was halted following gas leakage will resume operations by August, reported Annahar. Furthermore, Najm added that the Subbiya plant is one of Kuwait’s largest. It generated 25-30 percent of Kuwait’s electricity capacity of 2,400 Megawatts. He also noted that the maintenance operation was conducted in a professional manner.

Kuwait has to import labor from other countries, while this mass of human labor remains unused. “Why don’t they hire the bedoons?” he wondered.

MP Ali Al-Deqbasi said that the continuous violation of human rights like this is not acceptable. “We urge those in charge to make a decision on this matter. It does not require any more planning or study. It requires a decision to end the agony of these people,” he stressed. Al-Deqbasi added that there are families split in half between Kuwaitis and bedoons.

Maureen Lynch, a senior advocate of stateless initiatives with Refugees International, said that it is the right of every individual to have citizenship.

Refugees International has worked with many countries around the world where people live in similar circumstances.

She said that a number of countries in the world have taken steps to acknowledge this issue.

“In Bangladesh for example, there were 300,000 stateless people who were living like this for almost 37 years,” Lynch said. “In 2008, the high court made a decision to recognize

Askar Al-Enezi the citizenship of over 200,000 of them. When I visited the country for the first time in 2004 people in the Ministry of Interior of Bangladesh told me that the issue of stateless people would never be resolved.”

The advocate said that Refugees International will continue to come to Kuwait and urge the government to resolve the issue.

Naser Al-Shlaimy, a political activist, said bedoons should not believe everything MPs tell them. “They come here and play with your feelings and then go back home and sleep and nothing changes,” he said.

Al-Shlaimy argued that the problem of bedoons is being ‘ping-ponged’ between the government and the NA. “If the MPs want to resolve this issue they would’ve resolved it a long time ago. They would’ve threatened to grill the Prime Minister over it rather than argue about all these other less important issues,” he noted.

Al-Shlaimy asserted that the government is not willing to resolve this issue. “The very fact that they’ve forwarded the issue to the HPC indicates that they want to prolong the issue,” he concluded.

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Military man assaulted by fellow tribesmen in Salwa KUWAIT: A 27-year-old citizen, a first lieutenant in the Kuwait Army, was recently attacked on a street in Salwa by a number of men. They stopped him while driving and physically assaulted him. During the assault the citizen suffered stab wounds and was left behind bleeding. Police and paramedics responded to the emergency and brought the serviceman to Mubarak

Traffic campaign A traffic campaign in Ahmadi resulted in the detention of 56 cars and the issuing of 59 citations for reckless drivers.

Illegal operations Three Asians were arrested in Fahaheel for operating illegal international phone call centers.

Fugitives in Ahmadi When a citizen was pulled over in Ahmadi, a check of his ID revealed that he was wanted by the court for a previous case. He was arrested and referred to the proper authorities. Meanwhile, a Saudi and an Egyptian were arrested in Fahaheel after a check of their IDs revealed that they were wanted as well.

Trespasser caught A 50-year-old citizen caught a 30-year-old Indian expat in his home in Fahaheel. While on his way to visit some relatives, he was surprised to find the main door of his house open.

Concerned because his wife and children were not home, he returned to the house to see if anyone was inside. After searching the house, he found the Asian hiding in the maid’s room. He called the police and the Asian was arrested.

Car accidents While a 40-year-old Indian woman was trying to cross the street near the Kuwait Towers, a passing car struck her and broke

in the news Shaddadiya factories

—Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun and Joseph Shagra

Beach cleaning campaign KUWAIT: The Capital Municipality yesterday conducted a beach cleaning campaign that extended five kilometers into the Green Island beach. It was held in collaboration with the US Embassy in Kuwait. A large number of garbage bags were collected and disposed.

Commenting on the cam-

paign, Capital Municipality Manager Mohammed Al-Aradi said that the campaign coincides with 40th Earth Day celebrations that is being held worldwide.

He added that US embassy expressed interest in taking part in the festivity, and asked to be provided with the necessary tools and equipment. He

added that the campaign would continue to be held at other beaches.

On her part, the US Ambassador to Kuwait, Deborah Jones praised the Municipality’s cooperation with the embassy to help clean marine environment and protect it.

KBA to join employment conference KUWAIT: The Kuwait Banks Association (KBA) is to participate in a conference being held on April 26 to support small-sized enterprises and employment, under the auspices of His Highness the Prime Minister, Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed AlSabah.

KBA Secretary General Nabil Al-Seqabi said in a press statement that the association is keen to participate in, and support, such events in order to highlight the Kuwaiti private sector’s role in the success of small-sized enterprises and to provide job opportunities for young Kuwaitis. —KUNA

KUWAIT: The value of industrial investments that will be nationalized in Kuwait by the end of the year is expected to touch approximately KD 600 million, revealed the Minister of Commerce and Industry. He added that the targeted number within the upcoming four years exceeds KD 2 billion. In a press conference held with the Managing Director of the PAI, Ali Al-Madhaf and his deputies, Commerce and Industry Minister Ahmad Al-Haroun, who also serves as the CEO of the Public Authority for Industry (PAI) said that the five-year plan wants to reach a target income of KD 500 million. This comprises 12 percent of the national income, reported Al-Watan. While pointing out that the total number of industrial factories located in Kuwait has reached 875 in number.

Al-Haroun indicated that 1,062 factories will be built in Al-Shaddadiya industrial area, which is double the number of factories to be built in the country’s history.

Arab Media Forum KUWAIT: The seventh Arab Media Forum convention will be launched today at the Sheraton Hotel. The event will be held under the patronage of HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser AlMohammad Al-Sabah.

The upcoming session will feature participation from the Speaker of the Kuwaiti Parliament Jassem Al-Khorafi, reported Al-Qabas. He will take part in an open discussion with a number of media personnel regarding the relationship shared between the legislation and the media. The Secretary General for the Arab Media Convention Authority, Madhi AlKhamees, appreciated AlKhorafi’s decision to participate in the session given his profound experience in political work.

her left hand. She was taken to Mubarak Hospital.

A car accident on Arabian Gulf Road near the Kuwait Towers resulted in the broken right leg of a 20-year-old citizen and the death of a 51-year-old Jordanian woman.

The injured man was taken to Amiri Hospital.

A car accident on Istiqlal, street opposite Daiya, resulted in the injury of a 37-year-old Pakistani woman’s right leg and the broken left arm of a 53-yearold Pakistani woman. Also injured in the accident was a 22-year-old Lebanese woman, who injured her forehead, and a 49-year-old Pakistani man, who injured his head and broke his left arm. The three women were taken to Mubarak Hospital while the man was taken to Amiri Hospital.

A 24-year-old Egyptian expat broke his shoulder during a car accident on the Fahaheel Expressway. Another person was killed in the accident as a result of severe injuries to his head and rest of his body.

Hospital. During the investigation, authorities used the license plate number of the attacker’s car to identify the attackers. Police discovered that the victim and the attackers were from the same tribe. The attacked man refused to open a case against his attacker, most probably, as an attempt to prevent his fellow tribesmen from getting into trouble.

KUWAIT: An accessory shop at Souq Al Silah in Mubarakiya in which fire broke out yesterday. —Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

Bomb explosion A 32-year-old Asian man cut his left hand and broke his right when a bomb exploded in the desert. A helicopter was used to fly the man to Jahra Hospital.

Rai fight A fight in one of the commercial centers of Rai resulted in the broken shoulder of a 26-year-old Jordanian man. He was taken to Al-Razi Hospital.

KUWAIT: Three Asians who were arrested in Fahaheel for offering illegal international calls yesterday.

Procession of Porsche vehicles held

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: The Porsche Club Kuwait celebrated Ferry Porsche’s (inventor of Porsche vehicles) 100th birth anniversary yesterday. A procession of Porsche vehicles was held from the starting point at the Kuwait Towers. Around 30 Porsche cars from different models were paraded along the Gulf Road (the seaside) through Al Bida’a and Messila, which finally culminated at the Sixth Ring Road until Sahara Golf Club.

The participants of the parade then toured the Sahara Golf Club. “This is the first deal between our Club and the Sahara Golf Club, it has received special offers from Sahara. This Club is a very nice place that suits our members.

The Porsche Club frequently holds various activities for its members and this is one of them,” Zakaria Dashti, President of Porsche Club Kuwait told the Kuwait Times.

The Porsche Club Kuwait is officially recognized by Porsche AG in Germany (PAG). “The Club enables members to forge very close ties with the factory and the local importer, have access to exclusive information about Porsche and updates on all the latest news and events occurring in the World of Porsche,” he added.

A Porsche Club Kuwait membership provides great experience and allows members to enjoy their Porsche cars to

The Porsche GT the fullest, by building close friendships with other Porsche owners in Kuwait. All Porsche Club members have the opportunity to participate in a variety of special events that promote safe driving. The events also focus on enjoying driving, sport, technical and social aspects of your Porsche ownership experience and to be part of the international Porsche family, and experience the exclusive Porsche lifestyle.

Membership to the Porsche Club Kuwait is still open.

Members will be able to live

this new experience, join exciting events through the year, meet new and old Porsche friends, learn more about the great brand and feel the excitement of Porsche. “There are about 155 members. The conditions that qualify for membership are: Ownership of a Porsche of any model, Valid residency in Kuwait, and payment of annual membership fees,” highlighted Dashti.

The Porsche Club Kuwait events focus on enjoyment of driving and social interaction with other Porsche owners and

share their Porsche stories, as well as sporting events that focus on the essence of Porsche excitement on the track, and also the technical events that provide valuable facts and information about Porsche.

Safety is top priority during all of the events conducted by Porsche. Two police patrol vehicles escorted the parade to ensure safety and security. “I would also like to extend special thanks to the Ministry of Interior for their continuous support and cooperation,” concluded Dashti.

The different models of Porsche at the Kuwait Towers lot. —Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

Sunday, April 25, 2010

NATIONAL

5 Traffic ticket issue

Bedoon assaults two officers in Amghara scrap yard KUWAIT: A bedoon man with a clear criminal record assaulted two police officers for issuing him a traffic ticket in the Amghara scrap yard, reported Al-Watan. The two officers approached the man’s vehicle for being stopped in a suspicious manner. After an inspection of his identification it revealed that Bootleggers held Police arrested two citizens selling alcohol in the parking lot of a mall in Salmiya, reported Al-Watan. Meanwhile, another team of police officers arrested a bedoon man selling alcohol in front of a restaurant in the same area. A total of 12 imported liquor bottles were confiscated in the two operations. The bootleggers were taken to the proper authorities.

DUI A 37-year-old citizen was arrested at a checkpoint in Mangaf after he was found driving under the influence of alcohol, reported Al-Watan. When authorities asked to see his identification, the man claimed he was bedoon and had no ID. The police identified the young man by checking the license plate number of his car. He was placed under arrest and taken to the proper authorities.

Drunk turns self in A young bedoon man, addicted to alcohol, turned himself in to Sulaibiya police in search of help with his addiction, reported Al-Qabas. At first, police

thought they were being approached by a man with a mental disability but soon realized that the young man was under the influence of alcohol and looking to turn himself in. They placed him under arrest and sent him to the proper authorities.

Run over A 46-year-old Egyptian was killed after he suffered a severe head wound after he was struck by a speeding vehicle while crossing Maghreb Highway, reported Al-Watan. Paramedics pronounced him dead upon their arrival.

Fatal accident A 49-year-old citizen died in a car collision on Seventh Ring Road, reported AlWatan. His vehicle was struck by a trailer driven by an Arab man.

Theft A Kuwaiti woman officially accused her Egyptian husband of stealing KD 1,800 and KD 3,000 worth of jewelry with the Naeem Police Station, reported AlWatan. A case was opened and authorities

he was not wanted for a previous criminal case, they decided to issue him a traffic ticket for his vehicle’s broken window. The ticketed man then assaulted the two officers. They placed him under arrest and brought him to the local police station. are searching for the missing husband.

Fugitive found Capital Governorate investigators arrested a Kuwaiti fugitive wanted for a money related case, reported Al-Watan.

The investigation of the fugitive, who was wanted for issuing a fake KD 16 thousand check, led authorities to Salhiya where they arrested him. He was referred to the proper authorities.

Unusual theft Authorities informed a citizen that his home in Qayrawan was broken into, reported Al-Rai. They explained that the thief, instead of stealing money or jewelry, stole a number of the man’s pens. A case was opened and police are searching for the strange thief.

Ex accused An Iraqi woman in her 30’s filed an official complaint with the Salwa police station against her ex-boyfriend, reported Al-Anba. She accused her ex, a Kuwaiti in his 20’s, of smashing her car’s windows and threatening to cause her

harm. A case was opened and the citizen was summoned for questioning.

Public intoxication Police arrested a citizen and a bedoon found intoxicated in a car in Salmiya, reported Al-Seyassah. A search of their vehicle revealed two bars of hashish, two liquor bottles and a number of illegal drug pills. They were taken to the proper authorities.

Ex-bøoyfriend charged A young girl and her mother filed a complaint against a young man with whom the girl had a previous relationship, reported Al-Watan. They reported that the young man threatened to expose his ex-girlfriend’s photos online in protest of her breaking up with him. The girl explained that she decided to inform her mother of the relationship with the young man after she received the threat.

The two decided to handle the matter professionally and headed straight to the Taima police station. A case was opened and police are searching for the exboyfriend.

Kuwait to launch investment projects in Syria

KUWAIT: A citizen was killed after he and a friend were overcome by strong water currents while swimming in Khairan, reported security sources. His friend, who survived the ordeal, claimed the two went swimming in waters that had been deepened around Khairan for a special project. Security sources said that it took the coastguards seven hours to retrieve the young man’s corpse. The operation was supervised by Colonel Khaled Al-Mekrad, who urged all citizens and Khairan chalet owners to keep out of the project’s water within the Sabah Al-Ahmed area. — Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

DAMASCUS: Kuwaiti Finance Minister Mustafa Al-Shimali said on Friday Kuwait is on the verge of implementing a number of investment projects in Syria to embody the distinguished relations between the two countries and peoples.

This came in a statement to Kuwait News Agency at the conclusion of a two-day visit to Syria during which he held talks with Prime Minister Muhammad Naji Al-Otari and Ministers of Finance Mohammad Al-Hussein and Tourism Saadallah Agha.

Al-Shimali said he was honored to convey a message from

His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to his brother, Syrian Prime Minister Muhammad Naji AlOtari and also wishes to Syria for further progress.

He added that during his meeting with the Syrian Premier, many topics related to investment activity in Syria and Kuwait were discussed, in addition to progress of some projects implemented by the State of Kuwait in Syria.

He pointed out that the Kuwaiti delegation has found all the understanding, support and help from Syrian officials for the

steps taken to implement projects carried out by the Public Investment Authority and the Damascus-based Kuwait United Investment Company.

The minister accompanied

by Syrian Tourism Minister Saadallah Agha, held a tour of a number of Syrian sites where a project to revive the memory of late Kuwait Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and late Syrian President Hafedh Al-Assad is being carried out.

Upon receiving the invitation, Otari expressed his delight and approval of the gesture, offering his best wishes to His Highness the Amir of

Kuwait Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

He hailed the depth of Kuwaiti-Syrian relations, describing them as “good and historic,” noting to Kuwait’s pivotal role in the field of culture and as a knowledge provider.

Otari also indicated to numerous investment opportunities in Syria, especially in real estate and tourism in addition to oil, natural gas and petrochemicals.

Al-Shimali pledged Kuwait’s commitment to development of projects in Syria, which he said stem from

late President Hafedh AlAssad’s positive stance in support of Kuwait during the Iraqi invasion.

Al-Shimali called on Syria to display its investment and development prospects in the upcoming tourism conference scheduled to be held in Syria shortly, and to put more attention to touristic attractions that will do much to draw in nationals of surrounding nations.

The finance minister also pledged the Kuwaiti government’s keenness towards taking part in oil and gas-related projects, due to their benefits on both sides.— KUNA

NATIONAL

6

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Israeli action under fire at UN

Kuwait complains about desecration of cemetery UNITED NATIONS: Acting on behalf of the Arab Group, Kuwait complained to the international community about Israel’s desecration of the Maman Allah (Mamilla) Cemetery in Jerusalem on Thursday. They called for urgent action and warned that such action may further the tension and religious sensitivity in the region. Kuwaiti Ambassador to the UN, Mansour Al-Otaibi, sent identical letters to Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon, General Assembly President Ali Treki and Security Council President Yukio Takasu of Japan to draw their attention to the “serious matter” which is of “critical importance” to the group.

Kuwait marks World Malaria Day

By Dr Ali Sher KUWAIT: World Malaria Day (25 April) which was instituted by the World Health Assembly at its 60th session in May 2007 — is a day for recognizing the global effort to provide effective control of malaria. It is a day of unified commemoration of the global effort to provide effective control of malaria around the world. This year’s World Malaria Day marks a critical moment in time. The theme of this year’s World Malaria Day is “Counting Malaria Out”. The international malaria community has just over 257 days left to meet the 2010 targets of delivering effective and affordable protection and treatment to all people at risk of malaria, reducing the 2000 malaria burden by three quarters and reducing the number of preventable deaths to near zero and eliminating malaria by 2015 at least in 8 countries currently in pre-elimination phase.

World Malaria Day represents a chance for all of us to make a difference. Whether, a government, a company, a charity or an individual, everyone can roll back malaria and help generate broad gains in multiple areas of health and human development. Reducing the impact of malaria would significantly propel efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, agreed by every United Nations member state. These include not only the goal of combating the disease itself, but also to save the lives of thousands of women and children.

Malaria is a mosquito-born disease and approximately half of the world’s population (3.3 billion people) in 109 countries is at risk of malaria, particularly those living in lowerincome areas. Malaria is a serious problem in Africa, where one in every five (20%) childhood deaths is due to malaria. An African child has on average between 1.6 and 5.4 episodes of malaria fever each year and every 30 seconds a child dies from malaria. There are 243 million cases of malaria with 863,000 deaths in 2008 (WHO 2009). The burden of malaria is heaviest in sub-Saharan Africa but the disease also

afflicts Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and even parts of Europe.

The “Counting Malaria Out” campaign of WHO calls on malaria endemic countries, Roll Back Malaria partners - governments, international organizations, companies, academic and research institutions, foundations, NGOs and individuals - to put extra efforts to meet the 2010 targets of delivering effective and affordable protection and treatment to all people at risk of malaria.

The next three years is very crucial and a rare window of opportunity to save a million lives by delivering malaria interventions protective bed nets, new diagnostic tools, new anti-malarial drugs, and indoor insecticides spraying - to all people living in malaria endemic areas and to pave the way towards eradication of malaria by 2015.

The global funding for malaria control has increased ten-folds in the last six yearsfrom US$ 0.3 billion to US$ 1.7 billion annually. The Government of Abu Dhabi donation (in February 2010) of US$ 25 million, over five years, to support the work of Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RBM) to scaleup malaria control worldwide and contribute to achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) of eliminating malaria by 2015.

The UN aims to reduce the deaths from malaria to near zero in Africa by 2015. So far, more than $4 billion has been raised to fight the disease, mostly from the World Bank, government agencies and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

All the Gulf Cooperation Countries are free from local transmission of malaria except Saudi Arabia where P. falciparum is the main species. Malaria is still endemic in parts of this area, especially in its southern part (Jazan). Continuous Malaria importation from Yemen is a challenge for the elimination of malaria in this area. In 2004, the malaria elimination strategy was developed to interrupt the local transmission by 2010.

No local transmission of malaria has been reported in Kuwait due to the absence of malaria vector (female anopheles mosqui-

toes), screening of all new immigrants from malaria endemic countries in Malaria laboratory, clinical and radical treatments in Infectious Diseases Hospital and Preventive section of the department of Public Health, respectively. All the reported cases of malaria (about 250 cases every year) in Kuwait are imported from malaria endemic countries.

More than one-third of the 109 malarious countries (9 African countries and 29 outside of Africa) documented reductions in malaria cases of >50% in 2008 compared to 2000. The number of cases fell least in countries with highest incidents rates. Eight countries are in the pre-elimination stage of malaria control in 2009; 10 countries are implementing elimination programmes nationwide of which six entered the elimination phase in 2009, and a further nine countries (Armenia, Bahamas, Egypt, Jamaica, Morocco, Oman, Russian Federation, Syrian Arab Republic and Turkmenistan) have interrupted transmission and are in the phase of preventing re-introduction of malaria. Malaria has been and still is the cause of much human morbidity and mortality. Although the disease has been eradicated in most temperate zones, it continues to be endemic throughout much of the tropics and subtropics. Malaria epidemics have devastated large populations and poses a serious barrier to economic progress in many developing countries.

To eradicate malaria the endemic countries and international partners need to strengthen systems for collecting data at district, national, regional, and global levels.

Reliable data-collection, and proper analysis and effective data communications are very important to achieve the eradication goal.

The “Counting of Malaria Out” has begun to pave the way towards eradicating the malaria. Every individual has to join the world’s largest international effort to end the sickness and deaths due to malaria and make the lives of the every man, woman and child safe by collective effort to eliminate the malaria by 2015.

KUWAIT: Al-Anjari poses for a group photograph with some of the school’s teaching staff and students.

‘Vast possibilities for tourism’ KUWAIT: Tourism generates immense finance towards the country’s national income, said the former undersecretary assistant for tourism affairs, Nabila Al-Anjari. She was speaking during a seminar held recently at the ‘Jeel Al-Jadeed’ Girls School to discuss Kuwait’s tourism history.

Al-Anjari further explained how improving tourism would help push the country’s development process forward, adding that improving tourism would open the door toward vast possibilities. She urged the Kuwaiti government to accord more attention towards supporting

the country’s tourism sector.

She detailed the country’s history of tourism and development activities undertaken over the years, especially by mentioning the role played by the Touristic Enterprises Company (TEC). Al-Anjari spoke about the necessary steps to be taken in order to overcome the obstacles that have hindered development.

She urged that the country’s tourism strategy was developed by more than 20 firms. It considered all aspects that help improve the tourism sector in the country by establishing an organizational body.

“The Arab Group calls upon Your Excellency to give this matter urgent attention.

The international community must denounce the desecration of the Maman Allah Cemetery, must undertake all efforts to compel Israel to suspend completely its illegal and provocative actions in this regard and halt all construction in the cemetery, and to undertake efforts to properly, with utmost sensitivity and conscience, redress the matter in order to preserve and protect this historic, religious site of great importance to Palestinian Arab and Muslim heritage,” Otaibi said in his letters.

He argued that since the 12th century, the cemetery has been the burial site for thousands of Palestinian families as well as scholars, religious figures and officials. It was declared a historic site by the Muslim Supreme Council in 1927 and considered an antiquities site by the British Mandate authority in 1944, he added.

“Regrettably today many of the descendants of the families buried there are now tragically bearing witness to the malevolent uprooting and desecration of the human remains and graves of their ancestors by the Israeli authorities, who are bulldozing large areas of the cemetery for the purpose of establishing a so-called ‘Center for Human Dignity - Museum of Tolerance’ atop of the remains of the Muslim men, women and children buried there,” he said.

He added that in the past, the cemetery has been subject to vandalism, destruction and desecration by radical Israeli settlers. He argued that Israel’s actions are being made in total disregard of Palestinian heritage in Jerusalem, which should be preserved and protected.

Moreover, he added, “these actions are reflective

UNITED NATIONS: The Maman Allah (Mamilla) Cemetery in Jerusalem. of a deep and callous disrespect for the most basic values of tolerance and respect for the heritage, culture and religion of another people and clearly constitute yet another attempt by Israel to erase the Palestinian Arab identity, history and presence in the land and particularly in the City of Jerusalem.” He recalled that the protection of cultural heritage and cultural property, including religious sites such as cemeteries, is guaranteed by international human rights instruments such as the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Moreover, he noted, such actions constitute violations of the rights to manifest reli-

United States who oppose the Israeli plan to build the centre and the Museum.

“Ironically both the centre and museum bear names that do not befit this act of bigotry and contempt to dignity and worth of the human person.

Such reprehensible actions show that the Israeli Government intends to continue its adopted unlawful policy of discrimination and contempt towards Palestinian Muslim and Christian holy places as it has been doing for over 62 years with impunity,” Mansour said.

“If left unchecked,” he added, “the continuation of such unlawful policies and inflammatory provocations will certainly raise the tensions and pose a threat to peace and security.

Therefore, we expect that due action will be taken in this regard to put an end to these violations.” —KUNA

PAAAFR chief holds talks in Vietnam KUALA LUMPUR: Board Chairman and Director General of the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR), Engineer Jassim Al-Bader visited on Thursday the Governor of Can Tho in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Tran Thanh Man, where they discussed ways to promote agricultural cooperation between the two sides.

Al-Bader was accompanied during his visit by the Consul General of the State of Kuwait to the Republic of Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, Najib Abdulrahman Al-Bader.

Jassim Al-Bader told Kuwait News Agency in a telephone interview yesterday that the meeting was fruitful, especially since it comes in activation of the Memorandum of Understanding on agricultural cooperation signed between the two countries in 2009.

He added that during the meeting he listened to a review of agricultural activities in this region and exchanged views on various issues of common concern in the field of agricultural development and promotion of fish resources.

KUALA LUMPUR: Jassim Al-Bader pictured with Vietnamese officials over the weekend.

The Vietnamese official expressed his happiness in receiving the Kuwaiti delegation, meanwhile praised the distinguished relations between the two countries

and encouraged extra efforts in strengthening future cooperation in the agriculture sector.

Al-Bader visited the University of Can Tho, and

the Dragon Institute specialized in the field of climate and agriculture, in addition to visiting to the Research Institute of rice in the Mekong Delta. —KUNA

NA delegation hails Jordan, Syria talks DAMASCUS: The Chairman of the Kuwaiti-Syrian Parliamentary group, MP Dr Yousef Al-Zalzala said on Thursday that the tour conducted by the delegation which included talks with officials from Syria and Jordan was a success on all measures, noting that such meetings would bolster ties between Kuwait and the two countries.

Concluding their visit to Syria, AlZalzala told KUNA that talks with officials in Syria were fruitful, adding that both sides were keen on boosting bilateral relations not only on the political front, but also in all fields.

The Kuwaiti delegation hailed

KUWAIT: Al-Anjari speaks during the seminar.

gious beliefs, to family and culture, and to freedom from discrimination.

“These rights and principles have been invoked by thousands of petitioners, including Muslim, Christian and Jewish personalities from around the world, who have voiced their outrage and opposition to Israel’s immoral, unethical and illegal actions in the Maman Allah Cemetery,” he said.

He stressed that Arab countries “affirm their strong condemnation of these deplorable Israeli measures.”

Palestinian Ambassador Ryiad Mansour sent identical letters to Ban Ki-moon and Takasu. He enclosed a petition for “urgent action” on the issue filed by Palestinian individuals whose ancestors are buried in the cemetery and by several non-governmental organizations from Palestine, Israel and the

Syria’s positions in support of Kuwait, noting that Kuwaitis will always remember such stances, Al-Zalzala added.

The two sides also discussed developments in the Arab world, and stressed importance on Arab joint action in facing the challenges that threaten the region.

The Kuwaiti delegation also visited Jordan and praised talks with Jordanian Prime Minister and other high ranking officials.

Al-Zalzala noted to productive talks which highlighted bilateral relations, including finding mechanisms to bolster such ties particularly on the eco-

nomic field.

The Kuwaiti lawmaker discussed the role by Kuwait Fund for Economic Development (KFAED), Kuwaiti Public Investment Authority and Kuwaiti businessmen through investment in Jordan, adding that the two sides have identified a number of means to bolster joint cooperation.

For his part, Kuwaiti Ambassador to Syria Abdul-Aziz Al-Daihani hailed the success of such meetings and noted to the importance of exchanged visits between the two countries which the two political leaderships were keen on increasing in all fields. —KUNA

Sunday, April 25, 2010

INTERNATIONAL

7

Anti-US cleric offers help after bombings Sadr offers to use Mehdi Army to quell violence BAGHDAD: Anti-US Shiite cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr offered to help the Iraqi government maintain security after bomb attacks against Shiites killed 64 people in Baghdad in an apparent backlash by Sunni insurgents. Sadr’s offer of the use of his paramilitary Mehdi Army late Friday was made at a sensitive

HAMDANIYA: An armed Iraqi Christian guard patrols in front of the fourmeter high Jesus Christ statue in the predominantly Christian town of Hamdaniya, 30 kms east of Mosul. —AFP

Iraqi Christians defy threats to erect Rio-like Jesus statue HAMDANIYA: The Christians of northern Iraq have chosen to defy mounting attacks by extremists by erecting a statue of Jesus modeled on the giant Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro. The sculpture is only a tenth of the size of the 40-metre iconic statue that towers over the Brazilian city, but it has become a popular site for visitors in Hamdaniya, the north’s largest Christian town.

“The idea of the statue is not to say Christians were here in case we leave,” said Bashar Jarjees Habash, the city’s coordinator of Christian affairs. “But the idea of building the statue of Jesus opening his arms is to send a message of peace to everyone to say that we want to live in peace with all,” said the 48-yearold.

“The people of this area have always tried to live in peace with everyone, even those who fight and threaten them.”

In February, Human Rights Watch called on Iraq’s government to do more to bolster security and protect Christians after a string of deadly attacks on the community ahead of last month’s elections.

“The statue might be small if we compare it with what Christians did for Iraq over hundreds of years. The statue is stone and can be removed at any time, but the history of Christians cannot be abolished,” said Habash.

“We have a great history, we are very loyal to Iraq,” added the official charged by the church with preserving religious monuments.

The brick and plaster structure is in the middle of Hamdaniya, a city populated by 45,000

mostly Syriac Christians as well as a Kurdish Muslim community that makes up about 10 percent of the inhabitants.

Its construction was initiated and carried out by two local security guards who also have artistic skills. Using their bare hands, it was a labour of love. “With the help of 20 volunteers, we built the statue in less than a month and we spent about 150,000 dinars ($128),” said one of them, Alaa Naser Matti.

“It is built to last over 30 years. We painted it white, which is the color of peace, and we will restore it each year. “We have chosen to make a Jesus with open arms because it means that the city has been placed under his protection and he wants to spread peace in Iraq,” said the 41-year-old.

Eight Christians were killed in and around Mosul within 10 days in February, and since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, there has been no letup for the nation’s 550,000 Christians, most of them Chaldeans.

Pope Benedict XVI condemned the violence against them in his Easter message this month, and demanded that the Iraqi authorities do more to protect the “vulnerable” minority. In late 2008, a systematic campaign of targeted killings and violence saw 40 Christians murdered in Mosul, causing around 12,000 of the community to flee for safety. “When I pass by here, I cross myself and ask Jesus with all my heart to save us... and all those who kill without mercy,” said Badriah Jedi, 72, who came with her daughter and grandson to light candles near the statue. — AFP

Sadr had ordered his militia to lay down their weapons and turn to social work. But if the Mehdi Army is reactivated, it could raise tensions when Iraq’s security situation is still fragile and US troops aim to withdraw by the end of 2011. “I offer my readiness to provide hundreds of believers...to be formal brigades in the Iraqi army or police to protect shrines, mosques, markets, houses and cities,” Sadr said in statement.

It was up to the government whether to accept the invitation or not, he said. Iraqi government spokesman Ali AlDabbagh declined to comment on Sadr’s statement.

The bloodshed that followed the 2003 US-led invasion has lessened but tensions were stoked by last month’s election.

The cross-sectarian Iraqiya alliance of former prime minister Iyad Allawi backed by Iraq’s Sunni Arab minority won the most seats, coming just ahead of the mainly Shiite State of Law coalition headed by Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki.

Neither coalition won a majority in the 325-seat parliament.

Sadr’s party won some 40 seats in the election, making him a potential kingmaker in talks on forming a government.

Sunnis dominated Iraq under Saddam Hussein and their frustration at the ascendency of Shiites after the 2003 invasion helped fuel a fierce insurgency.

Friday’s blasts hit different areas of Baghdad, including Shiite Muslims at midday

prayer outside Sadr’s main office. Officials said the attacks were aimed at stoking sectarian tensions and were in revenge for a series of recent blows against Al-Qaeda in Iraq, including killing its two leaders. “We call on our people and (Iraq’s) national patriotic political powers to adhere to national unity,” Maliki said after Friday’s attacks.

Hakim Al-Zamili, a senior member of Sadr’s party, said the cleric’s statement was an invitation to cooperate with the government rather than reactivating the Mehdi Army. “This is not an invitation to the Mehdi Army to take up arms,” he said.

Hameed Fadhel, an analyst at Baghdad University, said Sadr’s statement was directed mainly at Maliki’s government for its “failure to protect the people”.

Sadr opposes a second term for Maliki, who sent troops backed

by US forces to crush the Mehdi Army in 2008. Adel Kadhim, an Iraqi political analyst, said Sadr’s move showed he wants to use his political power instead of violence. “The rules of the game have changed, Sadr has learned from the lessons of the past,” he said. “The Sunnis (and Sadr)... both realise they have a sole objective, which is not to see Mailki as the next prime minister.” But Iraqi political analyst Ibrahim AlSumaidaie said regardless of Sadr’s statement, he sees more violence. “What I fear is the reaction of the man in the street,” he said. — Agencies

time for Iraq following a March election that produced no clear winner and left a power vacuum for insurgents to exploit. Protracted talks on forming a government in 2006 led Iraq to the verge of sectarian civil war. The Shiite Mehdi Army played a major role in violence against Sunnis during the conflict.

Lebanon has yet to exorcise war ghosts Sectarianism still dominates Lebanese politics BEIRUT: A bullet-scarred concrete hulk squats in the heart of Beirut’s rebuilt downtown area, a visual affront to those who prefer to forget Lebanon’s civil war. A cacophony of car horns and construction clatter make the derelict former cinema a noisy place for contemplation. Lavish new buildings are growing around it to complete the restoration of a once-devastated city centre.

Lebanon is caught up in a property boom, which, along with an influx of tourists and bank deposits, is fuelling growth that hit 9 percent last year, despite a global economic downturn. So if the good times are here again, why dwell on the pain of a conflict that erupted in April 1975? To avoid repeating it, say the creators of war exhibits in the oval former cinema now known as the Dome.

“The problem about the war in Lebanon is its recurrence, the re-emergence of violence every year or so,” said Alfred Tarazi, a 29-year-old artist and graphic designer whose eerie collages of civil war-era photos fill several walls in the exhibition.

“Violence is a social habit rooted in our society and it always seems a plausible option to resolve a political crisis,” Tarazi said. “I am worried about what can happen.”

Visitors can write on the walls or record the names of loved ones killed in the 15-year war. The audio clips are looped into a ghostly chorus accompanying a video projection of black cloths swaying above a beach, with the Dome itself apparently afloat offshore-echoing the exhibit’s title: “In a sea of oblivion”.

Lebanon has no national war memorial, perhaps understandably in a land where sectarian tensions remain so deep-seated and contemporary events so disputed that school history textbooks do not go

beyond independence from France in the 1940s.

After a messy compromise ended the civil war in 1990 and ushered in an era of Syrian domination, many Lebanese, thirsting for normality, seemed to gloss over the cruelties of the past.

A formal amnesty made most warlords-turnedpoliticians safe from any accountability for the blood on their hands. Nevertheless, the families of an estimated 17,000 people still missing after the conflict refused to bury the issue. Hundreds of photos of those victims, many of them young, are displayed at the Dome as part of a project by the private Lebanese group UMAM to research and document the civil war.

Among them is a haunting portrait of a young Palestinian woman and her four small children, in a Red Cross convoy to escape a siege of their Beirut shantytown in 1976. “They never arrived,” said Marie-Claude Souaid, a researcher at UMAM. “That phase of the war saw the first big waves of displacement. How to displace people without massacres?”

She believes it will take many years for the Lebanese to overcome their troubled past or even to abandon violence. “There is still this fear,” she said of a country prone to conflict. Hezbollah and Israel fought a war in 2006. Lebanese factions flirted with renewed civil strife when Shiite fighters briefly seized mainly Sunni Muslim parts of Beirut in May 2008. “Our wars are not over yet,” Souaid said. “We have not yet taken the decision to use something other than weapons.”

The Lebanese state has formally taken up the issue of the missing, but a solution would take time, she said, recalling the 30-year struggle of the mothers of Argentina’s “disappeared”. — Reuters

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Sunday, April 25, 2010

Armenians commemorate WWI Ottoman massacre YEREVAN: Armenia marked the 95th anniversary yesterday of the World War One killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks, against a backdrop of failed peace with Turkey and fresh sabre-rattling with enemy Azerbaijan.

A deal between Turkey and Armenia to establish diplomatic ties and reopen their border collapsed on Thursday when Armenia suspended ratification over Turkish demands that it first make peace with Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The roadmap was crafted to overcome a century of hostility since the massacres and deportations of WWI, marked yesterday by a stream of thousands laying red tulips and white carnations at a hilltop monument in the Armenian capital.

But its failure has only fuelled further mistrust in the volatile South Caucasus.

Key to its collapse has been a backlash in Azerbaijan, a close Muslim ally of Turkey and oil and gas exporter to the West, that diplomats say has forced Turkey to back-

Turkish-Armenian peace deal collapses track. Azerbaijan branded the deal a betrayal of efforts to negotiate a solution to Nagorno-Karabakh, where ethnic Armenians backed by Christian Armenia threw off Azeri rule in the early 1990s in a war that killed 30,000 people.

Turkey closed its frontier with Armenia in solidarity with Azerbaijan during the war. Some analysts are skeptical whether the collapse of the TurkeyArmenia deal will do much to allay Azeri suspicions.

Azerbaijan has threatened war in the past to take back the mountain enclave, but the rhetoric has sharpened since Armenia and Turkey announced their rapprochement a year ago with the backing of the US, Russia and the European Union.

NEW ANIMOSITY On Friday, Azeri Defense Minister Safar Abiyev said his army was ready to

“hit any target on the territory of Armenia”, if given the order. In response, Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan said yesterday that Yerevan wanted to resolve the issue peacefully, but added: “If Azerbaijan tries to use force against our people, that will impact very badly on Azerbaijan, it will result in a very desperate situation, because we have another advantage in that we are defending our homeland.”

Animosity was on display as Armenians commemorated the WWI killings, a defining element of Armenian national identity that is recognized as genocide by a number of foreign states and Western historians.

Turkey rejects the term and denies that up to 1.5 million Armenians died. It says many Muslim Turks and Kurds, as well as Christian Armenians, were killed in inter-communal violence as Russian

forces invaded eastern Anatolia during World War One. “Turkey and Azerbaijan will always be our enemies,” said 22 year-old graduate Grigor Kafalian, an Armenian born in Lebanon, as he attended a march of several thousand through Yerevan late on Friday to demand Turkey recognize the massacres as genocide. Armenians around the world marked the anniversary. In Lebanon, thousands gathered in the capital Beirut, some carrying banners that read: “Turkey, the black file of justice” and “Impunity for Turkey nurtures culture of violence”.

Tens of thousands more flocked to the hilltop monument in Yerevan-twelve shields of grey basalt, leaning inwards towards a flame set in a sunken bowl.

“Our president did everything to fix relations, but now it’s up to Turkey,” said Alush Vartanyan, 48. — Reuters

UK Conservatives issue vote stalemate warning Brown’s Labor trailing; Lib Dems’ support still strong LONDON: Britain’s Conservatives warned yesterday a stalemate in the upcoming election would threaten the country’s economy as polls showed the tightest election race in nearly 20 years was likely to produce no outright winner. A surge in support for the Liberal Democrats has increased the prospect of a “hung parliament”, with no single party The latest surveys yesterday gave the Conservatives a five-point lead over their rivals. The Lib Dems and Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s Labor Party were neck and neck on 29 percent in one, while the other showed Labor trailing in third. The election race has been thrown wide open by a rise in support for the Lib Dems following the strong performances of the party’s leader Nick Clegg in Britain’s first US-style live televised debates.

Conservative leader David Cameron focused a campaign speech yesterday almost totally on the risk he said a hung parliament would pose, particularly to

the economy as Britain slowly emerges from the worst recession since World War Two. Polls say the economy is far and away the voters’ biggest concern and the issue has dominated the campaign.

“We need to win this argument in this election campaign that a hung parliament isn’t a change for the better, it would be a change for the worse,” said Cameron, adding it would leave politicians “bickering, horse-trading and arguing”.

RECORD DEFICIT The prospect of an inconclusive election result has worried financial markets which fear a coalition government would

in control, for the first time since the days of the global oil crisis in 1974. The opposition Conservatives’ once commanding lead in the polls has withered in recent weeks and they now lack the support needed to guarantee a return to power in the May 6 vote, after 13 years in opposition. fail to make spending cuts needed to tackle a record budget deficit. However, analysts have suggested markets might be coming round to the idea that a hung parliament would not be as damaging as initially feared. The Conservatives want to cut the deficit, running at more than 11 percent of GDP, more quickly and deeply than Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s Labor government. “Think about the threat of a hung parliament to our economy a hung parliament where there’s no agreement about getting on with dealing with the debt and deficit,” Cameron told supporters in Thurrock, east of London.

Labor say Friday’s lower-thanexpected GDP figures support their stance that it is too early to make cuts. “I will not hesitate to go round the country every day saying the Conservative Party are now the greatest risk to the economic recovery of this country,” Brown said in a speech in Corby, central England.

With Labor trailing in the polls and the Lib Dems holding onto recent gains, media reports said Brown’s party was rethinking its strategy. They said the prime minister was poised to become a more visible presence on the campaign trail, meeting with undecided voters rather than party supporters. — Reuters

Condemned killer to face firing squad SALT LAKE CITY: The state of Utah is set to execute a convicted killer by firing squad in June after a judge agreed to the inmate’s request for the method, renewing a debate over what critics see as an antiquated, Old West-style of justice. Ronnie Lee Gardner, 49, was given the choice of being killed by lethal injection or shot by a five-man team of executioners firing from a set of matched rifles, a rarely used relic that harkens back to the western state’s territorial history. “I would like the firing squad, please,” Gardner told State court Judge Robin Reese Friday morning, after Reese told him his avenues for appeal appear to be exhausted.

Gardner was sentenced to death for killing an attorney 25 years ago during a failed escape attempt and shootout.

Of the 35 states with the death penalty on the books, Utah is the only one to use the firing squad as a method of execution since the US Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment in 1976. Two men have died in a hail of bullets in Utah since that decision: Gary Gilmore, on Jan 17, 1977 - after famously uttering the last words, “Let’s do it” and John Albert Taylor on Jan 26, 1996.

Oklahoma is the only other state that considers a firing squad an acceptable option, but by law would only use it if lethal injection was deemed unconstitutional. The state has never used the method.

The hearing Friday was conducted amid heavy security with several officers standing guard around Gardner and his attorneys. Gardner wore an orange jumpsuit and white shoes and his arms were shackled behind his back. Gardner’s attorney, Andrew Parnes, said an appeal is planned, but it was not immediately clear what type of appeal it would be. The judge set the execution for June 18. Defense attorneys on Friday argued against signing the death warrant, saying a jury never heard mitigating evidence in the case that could have led it to decide against the death penalty. They also said to execute Gardner after so many years is cruel and unusual punishment.

Utah’s death row inmates were for decades allowed to

choose how they wanted to die.

State lawmakers removed that choice in 2004 and made lethal injection the default method, though inmates sentenced before then still have a choice.

The repeal of the firing squad wasn’t tied to any discomfort with the method itself. Rather, state lawmakers disliked the heaps of negative media attention that firing squads focused on the state, said Republican state lawmaker Sheryl Allen, who twice carried legislation to change the law.

In 1996, more than 150 media outlets descended on Utah to cover Taylor’s execution, painting the firing squad as an Old West style of justice that allows killers to go out in a blaze of glory that embarrasses the state. “I was just hoping to end that focus,” said Allen, adding that she’s displeased with the prospect of another firing squad execution. “I fear that the proper attention will not be paid to the victims of the crime and the atrocity of the crime.”

Still, lawmakers did not retroactively ban the firing squad out of fear that it would give condemned inmates a new avenue of appeal, she said. Gardner is one of at least four of 10 men on

Utah’s death row who have said they want to die by firing squad.

Lydia Kalish, Amnesty

International’s death penalty abolition coordinator for Utah said her organization opposes

the state’s effort to see Gardner executed. But despite Utah’s strong religious roots - it’s the home of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon church most here support the use of the death penalty. “I think in Utah, when it suits their purposes, they go back to the Old Testament and the ‘eye for an eye’ kind of thing,” Kalish said.

“These people may be the worst of the worst, but if the best we can do is repeat the same thing, it’s so obviously wrong.”

Gardner was convicted of the fatal shooting death of Utah attorney Michael J Burdell during an escape attempt and shootout at the old Metropolitan Hall of Justice in downtown Salt Lake City on April 2, 1985. Although he was handcuffed and surrounded by prison guards, a female acquaintance slipped Gardner a loaded, long-barreled .22-caliber handgun in the basement of the building just before the shooting. He shot Burdell in the head, wounded a court bailiff and was himself shot in the right shoulder before being captured on the courthouse lawn as he tried to flee. — AP

Pentagon disinvites ‘anti-Islam’ preacher WASHINGTON: The US Army has withdrawn an invitation to a Christian evangelist to speak at a Pentagon prayer service next month following an outcry over his references to Islam as a violent religion. Franklin Graham, the son of famed evangelist Billy Graham, said in a statement he regretted the Army’s decision and would keep praying for US troops.

The invitation prompted a harsh reaction, including from a prominent US Muslim group that said Graham’s appearance before Pentagon personnel would send the wrong message as the United States fights wars in Muslim countries. The Army said it did not invite Graham to the May 6 event organized through the Pentagon Chaplain’s office. The invitation was instead extended by the private, Colorado-based National Day of Prayer Task Force.

“Once the Army leadership became aware

that Reverand Graham was speaking at this event, we immediately recognized it as problematic,” said Colonel Tom Collins, an Army spokesman. “The bottom line here is that his presence would be inappropriate. His past statements are not consistent with the multifaith emphasis and inclusiveness of this event.” Graham acknowledged the decision, saying in a statement: “I will continue to pray that God will give them guidance, wisdom and protection as they serve this great country.”

The National Day of Prayer Task Force called the Pentagon’s decision part of an “assault on religious freedom and people of faith” driven by groups including the government and media. “The Pentagon, representing the most powerful military in the world, melted like butter and withdrew the invitation,” it said, citing opposition by “a small group of naysayers.” President Barack

Obama and the military have repeatedly sought to assure the Muslim world that the US fight against insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan should not be viewed as a war against Islam. Former President George W Bush heightened those concerns shortly after the Sept 11 attacks on New York and Washington in 2001 when he referred to his war on terrorism as a “crusade,” a remark critics warned raised images of Christian knights attacking Muslim cities during the Middle Ages. Franklin Graham gave the benediction at Bush’s 2001 presidential inauguration and famously declared after the Sept 11 attacks: “We’re not attacking Islam but Islam attacked us.” He called Islam a “very evil and wicked religion.” This year, the military discovered a US arms manufacturer had embossed biblical citations on rifle scopes sent to Afghanistan and Iraq. The manufacturer halted the practice. — Reuters

YEREVAN: Armenia’s President Serzh Sarksyan (right), his wife Rita and the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II (left) attend in Yerevan yesterday the ceremony marking the 95th anniversary of the 1915 mass killing of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. — AFP

US hikers detained in Iran in ‘poor health’ Washington deeply alarmed WASHINGTON: The White House said yesterday it was “deeply alarmed” over the fate of three US hikers in Iran, after relatives said two of them had fallen into poor health and all were pondering a hunger strike. Both the White House and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued statements injecting new urgency into US rhetoric on the hikers, who allegedly strayed into Iran from Iraq in July 2009. The statements come after relatives of Shane Bauer, 27, Sarah Shourd, 31, and Josh Fattal, 27, said that Swiss diplomats that visited the detainees on Thursday for the first time in nearly five months found them weak and demoralized.

“We thank the Iranian authorities for allowing Shane, Sarah and Josh to receive another consular visit at long last,” the families said in a statement. “But we are alarmed to learn of their physical and emotional state of health and fear their well-being will suffer even more unless their case is resolved without delay,” the families said. “Shane has a stomach ailment and Sarah is suffering from a serious health issue that requires specialist care as well as grappling with depression,” they added.

“We understand that they have spoken about starting a hunger strike because they are in such despair at the total lack of movement in their case.” President Barack Obama’s spokesman Robert Gibbs said Washington was “deeply concerned” for the hikers and “deeply alarmed” to learn of their physical and emotional health. “We fear their well-being will suffer even more unless their case is resolved without delay. We strongly believe these urgent developments are additional reasons for the government of Iran to release them immediately,” Gibbs said.

Clinton also weighed in, saying Washington was “disturbed” by the reports of the health of the hikers, saying they had been “unjustly held for almost nine months without formal charges or access to legal representation. “We ask the Islamic Republic of Iran to release these three

Americans and allow them to go home and be reunited with their families,” Clinton said in a statement. The trio was detained on July 31 after straying across the border during a hiking trip in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. They are being held in Tehran’s Evin prison.

After repeated requests the Swiss ambassador was granted the consular visit, her third to the prisoners, the State Department said.

“While we welcome this news, we continue to call for their release and request the families are granted visas to Iran to visit their children soon,” State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said. He insisted the three Americans were “simply innocent tourists” when they were detained and since held without charge.

“There is no justification for their ongoing detention. And they should be released without further delay,” Crowley said.

While Tehran and Washington have had no diplomatic relations for over three decades and animosity has grown since the Islamic republic’s defiant pursuit of a controversial nuclear program, the families said “it is wrong to make innocent citizens pay the price.” The two men are held together and Shourd remains alone in a separate cell. “This treatment is completely unjustified and we urgently call on the Iranian authorities to do the humane thing and let them come home,” their relatives said.

“We are convinced that if Iran had any evidence against Shane, Sarah and Josh, it would already have tried them in a public court of law and let them answer any allegations. We know that Shane, Sarah and Josh have nothing to hide.” Iranian Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi accused the hikers earlier this month of cooperating with “intelligence services,” without elaborating. He said Iran had “compelling evidence” of the ties. In mid-December, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Iran will put the Americans on trial after they “illegally” entered the country. — AFP

Rooftop farming booming in NY NEW YORK: Urban farming is a growth industry in New York city’s concrete jungle, and with little open land free agriculturalists and beekeepers have taken to the rooftops to pursue their passion. Andrew Cote uses the emergency fire ladder to climb up to the roof of his East Village building, where he tends to 250 bee hives.

Cote, a professor of Japanese literature doubles up as president of the New York City Beekeepers Association, and is happy that the city authorized beekeeping in mid-March after an 11-year ban. “The city wants to plant one million trees, and the trees need to be pollinated,” Cote said. The ban forced beekeepers into hiding, fearing a 2,000 dollar fine if caught. Now Cote believes the bees are vital to helping keep the city green.

“Our bees pollinate, and they clean the air. It is a way to connect with nature,” he said.

Bees also produce around 100 pounds of honey per hive per year, he said-honey that he sells at the city’s various farmer’s markets. Cote said he has received several requests to install rooftop beehives, and the demand is such that today he is scheduled to offer a course for aspiring apiculturalists. On the other side of Manhattan, in the posh Upper East Side, Eli Zabar, owner of the upscale “Vinegar Factory” delicatessen, inspects the crops he is growing on the

NEW YORK: Rooftop beekeeper Andrew Cote gets stung by a bee while checking one of his beehives on a rooftop in New York. — AFP roof of the old factory bought in 1991.

“I began the green houses 15 years ago,” Zabar said. “I grow heirloom tomatoes, lots of different kinds of lettuce, herbs, basil, rosemary, thyme, raspberries, figs, beets. We use the heat of the bakeries and pastries, we recycle the heat. With the use of the heat we have eliminated our (carbon) footprint. “You harvest in the morning, you sell in the afternoon, you don’t refrigerate, it tastes better,” said Zabar.

“We pick everything ripe and ready to eat. All our products here are organic.” Depending on the hour of the time of day, Zabar says with a smile, “the green houses smell of bread, brownie or croissant.”

About half of the items Zabar sells in his deli comes from rooftop farms. From Manhattan to Brooklyn, whether on rooftops, backyards or in any of the city’s 600 community gardens, urban farming is a growing phenomenon. — AFP

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Seven Mexican police officers slain CIUDAD JUAREZ: Gunmen ambushed two police vehicles at a busy intersection in this drug- and violence-plagued city, killing seven officers and a 17-year-old boy who was passing by, authorities said. Six of the police officers killed in Friday’s attack were federal, and one was a local police woman, said Enrique Torres Valadez, a spokesman for the state of Chihuahua, where Ciudad Juarez is located. Two local police officers were in critical condition.

Authorities said the police officers had stopped to talk to a street vendor who flagged them down for help when gunmen opened fire from behind their pickup patrol trucks.

The assailants fled in three vehicles.

Investigators said they don’t know why the offi-

Gunmen ambush two police vehicles cers were shot, although they don’t believe they were targeted because of any recent arrests they had made. No one has been arrested but police said they have recovered two of the three cars used in the shooting. Hours after the attack, a painted message directed to top federal police commanders and claiming responsibility for the attack appeared on a wall in downtown Ciudad Juarez. It was apparently signed by La Linea gang, the enforcement arm of the Juarez drug cartel.

The Juarez cartel has been locked in a

bloody turf battle with the Sinaloa cartel, led by Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. “This will happen to you ... for being with El Chapo Guzman and to all the dirtbags who support him. Sincerely, La Linea,” the message read. The authenticity of the message could not be independently verified. Ciudad Juarez, a city of 1.3 million across from El Paso, Texas, is one of the world’s deadliest cities, and a two-year turf battle between drug cartels has left more than 5,000 people dead.

Elsewhere, police in the Pacific coast state of

Arizona illegals law sparks fury Arizona governor signs toughest US immigration law WASHINGTON: Authorities in the US state of Arizona faced new protests yesterday after the governor signed a tough new law targeting illegal immigrants, which critics claim enshrines racial profiling and President Barack Obama branded “misguided.” One of the most severe measures on immigration in the statute books ignited fury among immigrant groups, and a fierce legal and political row, just as Democrats consider launching a comprehensive immigration reform bid.

The law, signed by Arizona’s Republican Governor Jan Brewer Friday, allows police to question and detain anyone in the southwestern border state they believe may be an illegal immigrant, even if they are not suspected of committing another crime. It would also require anyone in the state suspected of being an illegal immigrant to show some kind of document proving citizenship, like a “green card” permanent residency document or a passport. “This bill supports law enforcement and safe neighborhoods and strengthens the laws of our state,” Brewer said at a signing ceremony. “It protects all of us, every Arizona citizen and everyone here in our state lawfully.”

Opponents of the law say that if police demand papers from someone they suspect of being an illegal immigrant, and they turn out to be a US citizen, their constitutional rights will have been infringed. A long legal battle is likely over the law, possibly centering on a clause of the US Constitution which protects a citizen against unreasonably being stopped and searched. Obama, in a rare presidential intervention on a state matter, earlier described the law as “misguided.” He said he ordered top officials to monitor the situation “and examine the civil rights and other implications of this legislation.”

At a naturalization ceremony

for immigrant US service members at the White House, Obama said the measure threatens to “undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and our communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe.” Bill Richardson, the Hispanic governor of the neighboring state of New Mexico, described the measure on CNN as “a terrible piece of legislation” that nevertheless shows “the frustration of a lot of Arizonans

ARIZONA: Arizona Gov Jan Brewer signs immigration bill SB1070 into law in Phoenix. The sweeping measure would make it a crime under state law to be in the country illegally, and would require local law enforcement to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are in the country illegally. — AP

US border police train Mexicans for drug fight NOGALES: In a warehouse in this Arizona border city, a US Border Patrol trainer teaches a Mexican federal policeman to slip into a boxing stance and press a military assault rifle to his shoulder. Taking aim at a silhouette just a few paces away, the policeman lets off a rapid burst of practice fire in an exercise designed to recreate the urban drug war raging just across the border in Mexico.

“They’re getting into closequarter combat all the time with the drug smugglers and the cartels,” Border Patrol instructor Tom Pittman said during a break from training a group of nine Mexican federal agents on Friday.

“We’re hoping this will help them prevail, to win, to stay alive,” he added. Since taking office last year, US President Barack Obama has pledged increased support for his Mexican counterpart, Felipe Calderon, in fighting drug cartels that have killed some 22,800 people south of the border since Calderon took office in December 2006.

Mexican authorities along the nearly 2,000-mile border face lethal fire from well-armed cartels battling for lucrative cocaine, heroin, marijuana and amphetamine smuggling routes to US markets. Mexican police and soldiers are frequent targets of the drug gangs. On Friday, suspected cartel gunmen shot and killed six police officers and a 17-year-old civilian in a street ambush in

that recognize that we do need comprehensive immigration reform.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the law was “irresponsible,” but was “a reminder of the need for urgent, bipartisan action at the federal level to enact comprehensive immigration reform.”

Immigrant lobby groups, pressuring Obama and his Democrats to move on reform despite testy election-year politics, said the new law was a travesty. “This legislation is not just about immi-

Ciudad Juarez, Mexico’s most violent city, which is across the border from El Paso, Texas.

US officials are increasingly concerned the violence may take hold in US border communities.

“It’s a collaborative effort to make both sides of the border safer,” Mark Qualia, a spokesman for the Border Patrol in Washington, said of the program, funded under Plan Merida, the $1.4 billion US program started in 2007 to help Mexico fight the cartels. “It’s a win-win for both countries.” The training program is part of a pioneering effort allowing Border Patrol agents to pass on skills gained from policing the Arizona border corridorthe principal drug and immigrant smuggling route between the two countries-to carefully vetted Mexican federal police.

Since it started earlier this year, Border Patrol agents have trained 48 federal police officers assigned to battle drug traffickers and human smugglers in hot spots along the border. When the group now being trained graduates next week, the total will be 57. Aside from teaching police to enter buildings and fire assault rifles, the twice-monthly courses give first-aid training, teach patrolling in all-terrain vehicles and share tips for finding hidden vehicle compartments used to smuggle drugs north over the U.S. border, and illicit guns and bulk cash heading south to Mexico. — Reuters

grants,” said Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice.

“It’s now open season on all Latinos and it’s an absolute travesty that Arizona lawmakers would go to this extreme in the year 2010.”

Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, said Brewer’s move “shows a stunning lack of judgment and is an insult to our nation’s constitution.” But a recent poll showed that 70 percent of Arizona voters supported the measure - even though 53 percent said it could lead to civil rights violations. Immigration reform appears to be back on the agenda for Democrats, as they approach mid-term elections in November which could loosen their control of Congress.

Obama has promised advocates who want a path to legal status for 11 million illegal migrants that he will take up the issue, but only if he wins Republican support. But the volatile politics of an election year and a 9.7 percent unemployment rate have many observers doubting whether political momentum can be built on such a volatile issue. Some observers believe Democratic leaders see the potential of squeezing Republicans on immigration reform ahead of the election, since the issue is important to Hispanic Americans, a growing and powerful voting demographic.

Should the White House win passage of immigration reform, they would likely get a boost among Hispanics in politically significant states like Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico. Should they fail, and Republicans be blamed for blocking the move, the opposition party might be damaged in those same states.

Attempts to pass immigration reform failed in Congress in 2006 and 2007 in a bitter political environment similar to the current climate on Capitol Hill. — AFP

Guerrero said they found the bodies of five men who had been shot to death lying on a dirt road near the state capital, Chilpancingo. Three of the men were brothers, all in their 20s. The state has been a major battleground for warring cartels, including the Beltran Leyva gang, but it was not clear whether the shootings were part of the ongoing drug violence. In central Morelos state, federal police and the Mexican army raided two ranch homes and arrested 15 men near the town of Amacuzac. Those arrested were taken to Mexico City in a helicopter.

The men are suspected of working for alleged drug trafficker Jose Gerardo Alvarez Vazquez, who was arrested on Wednesday in Mexico City, said Ramon Pequeno, the head of the anti-narcotics division of Mexico’s federal police. Authorities say Alvarez Vazquez has been battling for control of the Beltran Leyva drug cartel with his partner, Edgar Valdez Villarreal, a US-born enforcer known as “La Barbie.” Pequeno said the men arrested provided security and carried out killings for Alvarez Vazquez and Valdez Villarreal. In the western

state of Michoacan late Friday, the mayor of a town arrested last year for alleged ties to drug traffickers was released from prison.

Genaro Guisar Valencia, who was stripped by lawmakers of his post as mayor of Apatzingan because of his arrest, told reporters outside the prison in the state capital of Morelia that he would ask the state’s legislature to reverse its decision. Guisar Valencia was among 12 Mexican mayors arrested last year in an unprecedented roundup of elected officials accused of protecting drug traffickers in Michoacan. He’s the ninth mayor released for lack of evidence. An estimated 22,700 people have been killed in Mexico’s drug war since December 2006. — AP

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China replaces party boss in region hit by unrest BEIJING: China replaced the unpopular Communist Party boss for a restive, far-western region yesterday, months after ethnic riots there killed nearly 200. State media reports gave no immediate reason for removing Wang Lequan, 65, who had served as party boss in Xinjiang since 1995. Wang was in charge last July when bloody street riots in the regional capital of Urumqi pitted

minority Uighurs (pronounced WEEgers) against ethnic majority Han Chinese. Almost 200 people were killed, mostly Han, in the country’s worst communal violence in decades. The Uighurs see Xinjiang as their homeland and resent the Han Chinese who have moved into the region in recent decades. A simmering separatist campaign has occasionally boiled over into vio-

lence in the past 20 years. Overseas Uighur activist Dilxat Raxit said the change in leaders was not enough.

He said Uighurs need more political rights and input into decision making. “China must make fundamental changes in the way of ruling through suppression in Xinjiang and respect the political demands of the Uighur people,” said Raxit, spokesman for the Germany-based World Uyghur

Congress.

The government says it has poured billions of dollars into the area and substantially raised living standards. The official Xinhua News Agency said the change was announced by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. It said Wang had been appointed as deputy secretary of a political committee of the Central

Committee. It is not known if he is still a member of the party’s Politburo, the 25-member body near the pinnacle of power in China.

Wang is an ally of Hu and has been known as a hard-liner in charge of Xinjiang as China carried out a massive migration of Han Chinese into the area. He was replaced by Zhang Chunxian, who turns 57 next month and has been the party boss in

southern Hunan province since November 2006. The announcement came one day after a meeting of the political bureau of the policy-setting Central Committee, presided over

by President Hu Jintao, Xinhua said.

The talks centered on “plans to boost economic development and maintain long-term social stability in Xinjiang.” After the riots and subsequent unrest in September, thou-

sands marched through the streets of Urumqi to demand the resignation of Wang and other local leaders. The party boss of Urumqi was replaced in September. China blames the rioting on overseas-based groups agitating for greater Uighur rights in Xinjiang, but has presented no direct evidence. The region was smothered in heavy security following the violence. — AP

Tehran boasts of replacing sanctions-wary oil majors

PYONGYANG: Photo shows a national meeting celebrating the 78th birthday of the Korean People’s Army in Pyongyang. North Korea yesterday warned it was prepared to use nuclear weapons if it was invaded by the United States and South Korea. — AFP

North Korea threatens to use nuke if invaded SEOUL: North Korea yesterday warned it was prepared to use nuclear weapons if it was invaded by the United States and South Korea. The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) carried the remarks by the North’s Joint Chief, General Ri Yong-Ho, during a national meeting on the eve of the birthday of the communist country’s armed forces. “The revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK (North Korea) are fully ready to frustrate any provocation of the aggressors at a single blow,” Ri said.

“They will mobilize all means including the nuclear deterrent... should the US imperialists and the south Korean puppet warmongers dare intrude into the inviolable sky, land and seas of the DPRK even 0.001mm,” he said. He added that “a grave situation is now prevailing on the Korean Peninsula” because of the neighboring South and its ally the United States, who he said

S Korea hoists sunken warship, finds clues wanted to start a war.

The harsh rhetoric comes as tensions between the two Koreas are high over the sinking of a South Korean warship last month near the disputed sea border in the Yellow Sea with a loss of 46 lives. Seoul has been careful not to point the finger directly at the North over the incident in the Yellow Sea, which has stoked already tense ties, and Pyongyang has denied it was to blame. The tensions prompted US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to say she hoped there would be “no miscalculation” that could spark a new war between the Koreas.

Meanwhile, South Korea yesterday raised the front half of a warship that exploded and sank a month ago near a contested sea border with North Korea, finding clues that support growing suspicions Pyongyang attacked the vessel.

Iranian cleric: Alms and prayer prevent quakes Tehran offers ‘outlaws’ amnesty TEHRAN: A prominent hardline cleric is urging Iranians to give alms and pray for forgiveness to prevent earthquakes a week after another prayer leader said promiscuous women were to blame for Iran’s seismic instability. Hours after making the appeal for prayer in a sermon Friday, four small earthquakes struck different corners of Iran. Iranian media reports say Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati told worshippers that only the pious could predict earthquakes with certainty and that they could be stopped with prayer and almsgiving. A week earlier, another hard-line cleric said promiscuous women were the cause of earthquakes. Iran is located on seismic fault lines and on average experiences at least one small earthquake every day.

In another development, Iran is granting amnesty to more than 100 “outlaws and terrorists” in its volatile southeast after the arrest of a Sunni Muslim rebel leader two months ago, a senior official said in comments published yesterday. Ali-Mohammad Azad, governor of Sistan-Baluchestan province bordering Pakistan, said security and economic activity had increased in the area after Iran captured Abdolmalek Rigi in February, the official IRNA news agency said. He said 300 criminals and militants, some of whom

belonged to Rigi’s Jundollah (God’s Soldiers) group, had sought amnesty “to return to the nation’s embrace.”

“So far letters of protection (amnesty) have been issued for 110 such outlaws and terrorists, and a number of them are turning in weapons and completing the legal procedure,” Azad said in the provincial capital Zahedan. Predominantly Shiite Iran has linked Jundollah to the Sunni Islamist Al-Qaeda network and accused Pakistan, Britain and the United States of backing it to destabilize the Islamic Republic, a charge the countries deny. Jundollah, which accuses the Iranian government of discrimination against minority Sunnis, has been blamed for many deadly incidents over the last few years.

Most people in SistanBaluchestan are Sunni Muslims and ethnic Baluchis. Iran rejects charges by Western rights groups that it discriminates against ethnic and religious minorities. Close to Pakistan and Afghanistan, the region has seen frequent clashes between security forces and heavily armed drug smugglers, as well intermittent rebel attacks in recent years.

Azad said people were feeling safer after Rigi’s arrest and investments were growing in Sistan-Baluchestan, an underdeveloped region in the major oil producer. — Agencies

The 1,200-tonne corvette Cheonan sank in what military officials said was likely a torpedo attack. Forty-six South Korean sailors were killed in what could be one of the deadliest strikes

by Pyongyang on its rival since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. The North has denied involvement.

South Korea’s president on Friday gave the clearest signal yet Seoul had no plan to launch a revenge attack, calming investors worried that armed conflict would damage the South’s rapidly recovering economy. “The probably catastrophic costs of a war on the peninsula will greatly constrain the US and South Korean options for a military response, which thus remains an unlikely trigger for major military conflict,” the global strategy group Control Risks wrote in a research note this week.

The front end of the ship was raised by a giant sea crane and drained before being placed on a barge. One body has been found so far in the just-raised wreckage and six sailors were still missing, Yonhap news agency reported. The bodies of most of the 46 missing were found in the stern section raised earlier this month. Another 58 were rescued alive. “The way a hatch (near where the ship split in two) had been thrown off its hinge indicates there had been a very strong external impact,” Yonhap quoted an unidentified military official as saying, adding weight to the torpedo theory.

A survey team that includes experts from South Korea, the United States and Australia said after the rear of the ship was raised the Cheonan had been destroyed by an external explosion. That stoked suspicions of the torpedo attack in waters

where the rival Koreas have had two deadly naval fights in the past decade. Seoul has said it would issue its final verdict on what caused the ship to sink after it had retrieved the front section but has not given a date for releasing its findings.

The sinking of the ship is fraught with risks for South Korean President Lee Myungbak, who seeks to calm investors, shake off criticism his government tried to deflect suspicions of links to Pyongyang and faces an angry public seeking vengeance. Lee also needs to prevent turning the affair into a weapon for his political opposition ahead of June local elections. A serious setback in the polls could damage his authority and ability to push through promised pro-business reforms.

The two Koreas, technically still at war, have more than 1 million troops near their border. The United States has about 28,000 troops in the South to support its military. — Agencies

Indonesia aims to tap volcano power KAMOJANG: Indonesia has launched an ambitious plan to tap the vast power of its volcanoes and become a world leader in geothermal energy, while trimming greenhouse gas emissions. The sprawling archipelago of 17,000 islands stretching from the Indian to the Pacific Oceans contains hundreds of volcanoes, estimated to hold around 40 percent of the world’s geothermal energy potential.

But so far only a tiny fraction of that potential has been unlocked, so the government is seeking help from private investors, the World Bank and partners like Japan and the United States to exploit the power hidden deep underground. “The government’s aim to add 4,000 megawatts of geothermal capacity from the existing 1,189 megawatts by 2014 is truly challenging,” Indonesian Geothermal Association chief

Surya Darma said.

One of the biggest obstacles is the cost. Indonesia currently relies on dirty coal-fired power plants using locally produced coal. A geothermal plant costs about twice as much, and can take many more years in research and development to get online. But once established, geothermal plants like the one built in Kamojang, Java, in 1982 can convert the endless free supplies of volcanic heat into electricity with much lower overheads-and less pollutionthan coal.

This is the pay-off the government is hoping to sell at the fourth World Geothermal Congress opening today on the Indonesian resort island of Bali.

The six-day event will attract some 2,000 people from more than 80 countries. “An investment of 12 billion dollars is needed to add 4,000 MW capac-

KAMOJANG: Two Indonesian workers of PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy examine one of its production wells in Kamojang. — AFP

ity,” energy analyst Herman Darnel Ibrahim said, putting into context the recent announcement of 400 million dollars in financing from lenders including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

“Field exploration can take from three to five years, suitability studies for funding takes a year, while building the plant itself takes three years,” he added. If there is any country in the world where geothermal makes sense it is Indonesia.

Yet despite its natural advantages, it lags behind the United States and the Philippines in geothermal energy production.

Southeast Asia’s largest economy and the world’s third biggest greenhouse gas emitter exploits only seven geothermal fields out of more than 250 it could be developing.

The case for geothermal has become stronger with the rapid growth of Indonesia’s economy and the corresponding strain on its creaking power infrastructure. The archipelago of 234 million people is one of the fastest growing economies in the Group of 20 but currently only 65 percent of Indonesians have access to electricity. The goal is to reach 90 percent of the population by the end of the decade, through a two-stage plan to “fast-track” the provision of an extra 10,000 MW by 2012, mostly through coal, and another 10,000 MW from clean sources like volcanoes by 2014.—AFP

TEHRAN: Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards boasted yesterday that they can fill the gap in the country’s energy sector left by Western oil firms pulling out in the face of new sanctions against Tehran. A top commander highlighted the unit’s growing influence in the economy even as Guards ground, air and naval forces flexed their muscles in a drill in the key Strait of Hormuz oil route that began on Thursday.

Brigadier General Yadollah Javani, who heads the Guards’ political bureau, also played down the impact of Western sanctions on its trading arms and personnel. “Today, the Revolutionary Guards are proud to declare that they have the ability and know-how to easily replace large foreign companies,” Javani told the ILNA news agency.

“For example, we can take up big projects in (the southern port and energy hub of) Assalouyeh and replace Total and Shell,” he said, referring to oil majors that had previously been involved in Iran. The Guards’ presence in the economy has risen under the presidency of hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, even as the United States and European Union target the body for “weapons proliferation” amid accusations it is involved in Tehran’s controversial nuclear program.

The Guards were formed by Iran’s revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini soon after the 1979 revolution to defend the Islamic republic from internal and external threats. They are one of Iran’s most powerful institutions and fall under the direct command of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who succeeded Khomeini as the nation’s supreme leader. In recent months Washington has been pushing for a fourth round of UN sanctions against Tehran that, among other measures, European diplomats say would specifically target the Guards’ business interests.

It is the growing economic power of the Guards that Washington has been targeting for several years with its own unilateral sanctions.

The Guards now permeate all of Iranian society, with their engineering arm picking up massive contracts. Iranian media have reported that the

Guards’ main industrial arm, Khatam-ol Anbiya Construction, which has some 25,000 engineers and staff, has been bidding for energy projects as multinational firms come under pressure to reduce their involvement in the face of UN and US sanctions.

In 2006, the Guards won a contract worth more than two billion dollars to develop phases 15 and 16 of Iran’s biggest gas field, South Pars, and another contract of around one billion dollars to build a pipeline towards Pakistan. They are also part of a consortium contracted to build a highspeed rail link between Tehran and the central city of Isfahan, shipping ports on the south coast and a major dam in Khuzestan province.

Yesterday, Oil Minister Masoud Mirkazemi raised possibilities of new contracts for the Guards, saying that if foreign companies fail to participate on time, “we will not wait for them and ink deals with domestic companies.”

Javani dismissed the sanctions threat, saying Western governments would not achieve their objectives. “Talk of imposing sanctions on the Revolutionary Guards is a bit funny,” he said.

“They could not achieve their goals by imposing sanctions on the Islamic republic. Surely, with the Guards too, they will fail to reach their objectives.” The general said the Guards are now “inseparable from the regime and from the people.” “The strength of the Guards comes from its reliance on the people. If they think they can impose sanctions on the Guards, they are wrong.”

Militarily, the Guards’ hundreds of thousands of personnel work in parallel with Iran’s regular armed forces and have their own land, sea, air and missile units. They have repeatedly warned they have US bases in Iraq and Afghanistan under watch, implying the force will pound them and could shut down the sea lanes to the oil-rich Gulf if the United States launches a military attack.

Yesterday, the Guards declared that by March 2011 they would be deploying a new “stealth super advanced drone bomber”. Iranian drones have raised concerns in the US military. — AFP

BANGKOK: Thai Pro-government supporters wave national flags and hold a placard rejecting the idea of dissolving parliament during a demonstration to counter anti-government “Red Shirt” protests yesterday. — AFP

Thailand’s PM rejects ‘Red Shirt’ peace offer Protesters threaten to lay siege to major department store BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday rejected a new compromise offer by antigovernment red-shirt demonstrators to end weeks of increasingly violent protests in return for early polls.

The red-shirted supporters of ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra immediately removed their offer to end a three-week occupation of Bangkok’s ritzy shopping area if the government dissolved parliament and announced elections in 30 days. Abhisit said the peace overture looked insincere and designed only to improve the protesters’ image.

“They keep saying they will escalate the situation.

That’s why the government cannot consider the proposal,” he told reporters. The mostly rural and working-class red-shirts responded by threatening more aggressive measures, including laying siege to Central World, the second-largest shopping complex in Southeast Asia, next to the stage at their main protest site. “If you want Central World shopping mall back safely, you must withdraw army forces out of the nearby Rajaprasong area immediately,” a protest leader Jatuporn Prompan told supporters.

The shopping centre has been closed since the protesters occupied the area on April 3. The risk of violence remains high after a series of grenade blasts that killed one person and wounded 88 on Thursday in Bangkok’s business district, an attack the government blamed on the red-shirts, who deny they were responsible. As part of their demands, the red-shirts also want an independent probe into an April 10 clash between protesters and the army that killed 25 people and wounded more than 800 in Thailand’s worst political violence in nearly two decades.

Thousands of troops, many armed with M-16 assault rifles, keep watch over red-shirts at several city intersections. Royalist pro-government protest-

ers often gather outside their fortress-like barricade, sparking clashes in which both sides hurl bottles and insults. Jatuporn encouraged some protesters to do away with their signature red shirts to make it more difficult to separate them in the capital city of 15 million people. “We will take off our red shirt and wear other colors, but our goal and our ideals are still the same,” he said.

RISK OF CRACKDOWN Tens of thousands of red-shirts remain encamped at the central Bangkok shopping district, vowing to stay until parliament is dissolved and defying a state of emergency that bans large gatherings of protesters. “This hardening of the battle lines between the two sides does not bode well for Bangkok’s security situation and a risk of another, and this time maybe even more violent, crackdown is immediate,” risk consultancy IHS Global Insight said in a note.

The military says the crowd includes “terrorists” willing to use violence to bring down the government and overturn the monarchy and wants to go after them, not peaceful protesters. “We’re ready to wipe out terrorists and we’ll do it at an appropriate time,” army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said. “We need to make sure very few innocent people are there before doing anything.”

Analysts say the protests are radically different from any other period of unrest in Thailand’s polarizing five-year political crisis-and arguably in modern Thai history, pushing the nation close to an undeclared civil war. Diplomats and analysts say the army’s middle ranks look dangerously split with one faction backing the protesters led by retired generals allied with Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and later sentenced in absentia for corruption.— Reuters

INTERNATIONAL

Sunday, April 25, 2010

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Attacks against contractors surging in Afghanistan KANDAHAR: The message, very often, is sent with bloodshed. A suicide bombing last week on a fortified Kandahar guesthouse shared by Western contracting companies killed four Afghans and injured several Americans. An Afghan engineer was shot dead in March as he helped inspect a school not far from the Pakistan border. An Afghan woman who worked for a US-based consulting firm was shot by motorbike-riding gunmen as she headed home in this southern city.

Attacks on US contractors, construction companies and aid organizations have been rising just as the United States pushes faster development of Afghanistan, one of the world’s poorest countries, as a priority in its strategy to counter the insurgency. The number of contractor attacks is elusive since the workers are from many nations and work for a number of different organizations, but the toll has jumped precipitously since President Barack Obama launched a massive troop surge last December.

Of the 289 civilians working for US contractors killed between the start of the Afghanistan war in late 2001 and the end of last year, 100 died in just the last six months of 2009, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service. To a

degree, those killings have mirrored an increase in US service member deaths, which roughly doubled in the first three months of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009.

Many of the recent attacks against civilian contractors have been around Kandahar, the one-time Taleban capital where the US is poised to launch a major operation in the coming weeks, but violence against contractors has spiked across Afghanistan. “The insurgents are trying to say ‘You can’t do it,”‘ Gen Stanley McChrystal said in a speech last week in Paris, shortly after two bombings shook Kandahar. “I think we’ll see that for months as they make an effort to stop progress. But I don’t think that they’ll be successful.”

In some ways, though, they already have been successful. Contractors say they are staying in the country, but they have been forced to retreat even further behind blast walls and heavily armed security perimeters.

The security drives up costs, making interaction with regular Afghans harder and slowing reconstruction projects. “We have become the targets of the Taleban,” said Azizullah, the owner of a construction company that builds bridges and irrigation projects in the southern provinces of Kandahar and

Helmand, insurgent strongholds. “If we travel, they try to kidnap us and hold us for huge ransoms. If we don’t pay, they kill us,” said Azizullah, who like many Afghans has only one name.

His workers travel in US military convoys for protection whenever possible, he said.

That doesn’t surprise Gulali, a tribal elder from Kandahar province. “Of course the Taleban are against any of these people working for the Afghan government or the Americans or other foreigners,” said the elder, who also uses only one name. He believes many of the recent attacks are by militants simply looking for softer targets.

While nearly all foreign companies in Afghanistan now work out of guarded compounds, they do not have the massive fortifications and overwhelming firepower found at nearly any American military installation.

The Taleban “want to use the easiest option,” he said. But the attacks are challenging a key part of America’s aims in Afghanistan. Washington’s counterinsurgency plans call for aggressive development to build up everything from Afghanistan’s roads to its sewer systems to its irrigation networks. Much of the actual work is paid for

by USAID, the government’s main international aid agency, then contracted through

KANDAHAR: A private guard stands at the scene of a suicide bombing in Kandahar city. A suicide bomber targeting a compound shared by foreign companies set off the massive explosion and killed at least six people. — AFP

corporations that often subcontract the actual the work to smaller companies.

On the ground, many employees are Afghans overseen by small groups of Western administrators. The attacks “are not about armed confrontation. They are about subversion of the government,” said Terrence K Kelly, a senior researcher at the Washington-based RAND Corporation who has studied how rebuilding efforts work in war zones. America’s strategy counts on development work to increase the legitimacy and reach of the Karzai government. With these attacks the Taleban can “turn off the delivery of services, which makes the government look bad,” he said.

USAID insists it will not scale back its work in Afghanistan because of the attacks, according to Rebecca Black, the agency’s deputy mission director for Afghanistan.

Contractors insist they are also staying. The Louis Berger Group/Black & Veatch, a joint venture building major infrastructure projects across the country, was among the companies based in the Kandahar guest house attacked last week. In a statement, the joint venture said they were “currently conducting a comprehensive review of the recent events in Kandahar to assess what changes, if any, are required to continue our work.” — AP

20 militants killed Troops pound insurgents in northern Afghanistan KABUL: Afghan security forces backed by NATO troops and air power killed around 20 Taleban insurgents in a region of northern Afghanistan that is becoming increasingly restive, officials said yesterday. In one

HYDERABAD: In this file photo, Indian protesters attempt to give the softdrink Coca Cola to a horse in Hyderabad in protest to a report stating CocaCola and PepsiCo contain unacceptable levels of insecticides. — AFP

India’s water crisis laid bare by clash with US cola giants NEW DELHI: A pollution fine for Coca-Cola and an order for PepsiCo to cut water use at factories in India have highlighted an intensifying conflict between big business and farmers over natural resources. Last month, a report commissioned by the southern state of Kerala ordered Coca-Cola to pay 47 million dollars in compensation for polluting agricultural land and extracting too much groundwater at a bottling plant.

A similar report submitted at the same time instructed PepsiCo to cut groundwater use by two-thirds at its plant also in Kerala’s Palakkad district. The twin investigations were ordered by the Kerala government after years of protests by farmers who say industrial projects like those run by the soft drinks giants leave just a small fraction of water for irrigating fields. “Operating waterguzzling bottling plants in drought-hit areas where farmers do not have access to water is highly unethical and criminal,” said R Ajayan, who is spearheading the campaign in Kerala.

A report by the World Bank released in March said about 60 percent of aquifers in India would be in a critical condition within 15 years if the trend of indiscriminate exploitation of ground water continued. Farmers in Kerala close to the Coca-Cola plant, which was only open between 1999 and 2004, say the water table dropped drastically and a sludge containing toxic chemicals dumped by the unit seeped into their soil making it infertile.

Similar accusations have been leveled against Coca-Cola by farmers near bottling plants in the town of Varanasi and on the outskirts of the desert city Jaipur. “They have ruined our fields completely. We wait and wait for water and what we

extract is not even worth feeding the cattle,” said Raghav Govind, a farmer living near the Varanasi plant. Coca-Cola closed its plant in Kerala after months of angry protests-led by the state’s powerful Communist and anti-American politicians.

Environmentalists say future clashes between farmers and industry will become increasingly fraught due to government failure to regulate the use of water, with the country’s annual consumption expected to almost double by 2050. Water shortages are one of the biggest issues restricting new towns planned outside fast-growing cities such as the capital New Delhi. “Fights over water will worsen if India does not define a clear policy on sharing,” said Ashima Roychoudhari, an environmentalist working for the government in New Delhi. “There has to be a point where we have to start prioritizing and rationing water to stop wastage and prevent conflicts.”

Farmers who are against industries such as the bottling plants say their opposition will not end until their demands are met.

“We will not allow factories to take water when communities do not have enough water to sustain their lives. Agriculture is more important than making a fizzy drink,” said Nandlal Master, a community organizer in Varanasi. Both companies deny all the allegations, which many observers see as politically motivated. “Based on scientific evaluation, our Palakkad plant operations have not been shown to be the cause of local watershed issues,” Coca-Cola said in a statement about its closed unit. PepsiCo said its plant was a model factory and one of the most water efficient examples of its type. — AFP

9 years on, NATO produces an exit plan for Afghanistan TALLINN: Nine years after USled forces invaded Afghanistan, NATO says it now has a coherent plan to begin handing over security and governing duties to Afghan provincial authorities by November. During talks in Tallinn, Estonia, alliance foreign ministers on Friday endorsed guidelines for passing control to the Afghans as foreign forces step up efforts to drive a resurgent Taleban and Al-Qaeda from the provinces.

“We agreed the approach, we will take to transition,” North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said after two days of talks in the city on the Baltic Sea. “As of today, we have a roadmap that will lead towards transition to Afghan control starting this year, at which point our publics will start to see the progress for which they have quite rightly been asking,” Rasmussen said.

He said he hoped that the Afghan government and the international community would endorse the plan at a conference in Kabul in mid-July, with the

transfer of duties starting by November, when NATO holds its next summit in Lisbon. In the capital Kabul, the Afghans have already taken the lead in security, he said. Mark Sedwill, NATO’s senior civilian representative in Afghanistan, said he expected Afghan local leaders to start assuming control in the more stable provinces stretching north and west from the Khyber Pass to Nimroz.

NATO planners, he told reporters, are trying to determine the conditions where the authorities are competent enough to take the lead in security as well as provide fair and good government service and economic development.

“Gradually, as the transition goes through, you would expect them to build up and us to draw down,” Sidwell said. Allied troops would pull back from frontline combat and play only a supporting role in preparation for an eventual pullout, he said.

The conditions, which are still being worked on, will also seek to make sure that the Afghan authorities reflect the

area’s right ethnic and tribal mix, Sedwill said. “If there were people excluded, even if it’s quiet now, you are just storing up problems for the future,” he said. The transition plan flows from the revamped strategy for Afghanistan that US President Barack Obama announced in December when he ordered the deployment of 30,000 new troops to the country. Under the plan, he set July 2011 as the date for their drawdown to begin.

However, Obama has repeated that the speed of the US drawdown and departure from Afghanistan of US and allied troops would be dictated by how successful they were in stabilizing the country and how quickly the Afghans can take over. The US and some 10,000 allied reinforcements are joining 90,000 troops drawn from more than 40 nations. NATO is also pressing for 450 more trainers to build up the Afghan army and police-a key part of the plan to turn security over to the Afghans and have allied forces assume a supporting role before eventually withdrawing. — AFP

Ibrahimi said the rebel commander, identified as Mullah Silab, was the most senior Taleban commander in the district, where the rebels have intensified their activities in recent years. Two other militants associated with Silab were captured, he added. Other raids overnight Friday killed a rebel “group commander” named Hamza and a dozen of his men in Dasht-i-Archi district, another troubled region in Kunduz, he said.

NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) confirmed its involvement in the clash, saying the alliance force along with their Afghan counterparts killed several militants. “Two of those killed were Taleban commanders, one of them being the targeted militant responsible for distributing insurgent funds, designating targets and planning bombings,” it said in a statement. Ibrahimi also said the raid was aimed at Hamza.

Three policemen and several other militants were killed in a clash with police in the province’s Imam Saheb district, Kunduz provincial governor Mohammad Omar told reporters separately.

He said up to 15 insurgents were killed in the clashes between Taleban fighters and Afghan and international forces.

Most Taleban activity in Afghanistan was until recently concentrated in the country’s south and east but has spread north since the opening of an equipment supply route for US and NATO forces from Tajikistan. Omar said up to 100 Al-Qaeda-linked “foreign fighters” were fighting alongside local Taleban in his province, highlighting the danger of further expansion of insurgent unrest in the north.

“There are up to 100 foreign fighters in Kunduz. There are Chechens, Pakistanis and Uzbeks,” he said, in reference to Al-Qaeda operatives believed to be active in Afghanistan. The Taleban, who were in power between 1996 and 2001, are fighting to topple the Westernbacked Afghan government.

There are about 126,000 international forces deployed in Afghanistan to help the warravaged nation fight back the insurgents. The interior ministry said three civilians were killed, also on Friday, when their vehicle hit a Taleban-style roadside bomb near Delaram, in Nimrooz province, where the insurgents have long held sway.

Suicide attack killed American The explosion that killed an American soldier on an Afghan military base this week was a suicide attack, the Pentagon has confirmed. It was not immediately clear how the attacker got into the base or how many people were wounded in Monday’s blast. NATO referred questions to Afghan military officials because it happened on their base. Yesterday, Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Gen Mohammad Zahir Azimi said he had received no information that the attack was a suicide bomb. The Taleban claimed responsibility in calls to news organizations in Kabul soon after the blast. — Agencies

NATO air attack late Friday in the Char Dara district of Kunduz province, which borders Tajikistan, a militant commander and another fighter were killed, said Daud Ibrahimi, a senior security official.

MUMBAI: An Indian doorman stands outside the main entrance to The Oberoi Hotel in Mumbai. — AFP

‘Mumbai attack’ hotel reopens MUMBAI: One of three luxury hotels in Mumbai attacked by Islamist militants nearly 18 months ago yesterday welcomed back guests for the first time, with a low-key reopening and promises of a fresh start.

About 40 guests checked in at The Oberoi, a spokeswoman said, as the five-star seafront hotel in the south of India’s financial capital begins to put the horrors of November 2008 behind it. A small reopening ceremony was held in the vast atrium of the hotel, but otherwise it was business-asusual, as bellhops in white, starched uniforms and other staff bustled around the polished marble lobby.

Outside, checks on vehicles, luggage scanning and body searches were evidence of tighter security now in place at all luxury hotels and landmarks in the city. “For the last 18 months we’ve got quite used to the extra security,” said Pravina Mecklai, an art gallery owner having lunch with her family at the lavish Fenix restaurant at the hotel.

“It irritated you initially, getting patted down or having your handbag searched. But it’s better safe than sorry.” The Oberoi, popular with business travelers and VIPs and part of the everyday social scene for

Mumbai’s elite, was reduced to a shell in the deadly three-day siege, with its rooms severely damaged by fire, smoke and water.

Between 35 million and 40 million dollars has been spent on its renovation.

Mecklai and her family, who were not directly caught up in the attacks but knew some of the 166 people who died, said they were impressed with the revamp and had been eagerly anticipating the reopening.

“When I came in today I found myself choked,” said Jamal Mecklai, who runs a financial risk management company and used to come to The Oberoi regularly before the attacks.

“Nothing happened to me but it’s beautiful, lovely to be back.” His daughter, Priyanka Rai, who works for British bank Barclays, described the reopening as “like a birthday party and Christmas” rolled into one. “I’m so glad it’s open. It’s fantastic,” she said. The adjoining Trident hotel and nearby Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, which were also stormed by heavily armed gunmen, both reopened within a month of the deadly attacks. Thirty-five people were killed in all in a hail of bullets and grenades at the Trident and Oberoi.

But unlike the Taj, which has a visible permanent memorial to its fallen staff and guests, or the Trident, where there is a more subtle plaque to the victims, The Oberoi has no permanent tribute to those who died. The “completely fresh beginning” that hotel management have promised also includes three of the hotel’s four restaurants being renamed. The head of Oberoi Resorts and Hotels, Liam Lambert, said this week that demand is expected to pick up slowly as the annual monsoon rains approach in June, which is low season for tourists in India.

Before the attacks, The Oberoi pulled in revenue of about 36 million dollars a year, he added. Both the East India Hotels Company, which runs the Trident and The Oberoi, plus the Indian Hotels Company Ltd, a unit of the giant Tata Group that operates the Taj, both saw profits plunge after the attacks. To recoup losses, The Oberoi, which has played host to dignitaries including former US president Bill Clinton and pop star Michael Jackson, has cut the number of rooms by 50 to 287 but added more suites.

Room rates start at 500 dollars a night and go up to 6,750 dollars a night for the top executive suite. — AFP

Nepalese expedition to clean Everest peak, retrieve bodies KATHMANDU: A Nepalese expedition left yesterday on a high-risk Everest clean-up to bring down garbage left by climbers and possibly retrieve the bodies of some who died in the “death zone” of the world’s highest peak. Twenty professional Nepali climbers, including some top summiteers, headed to the Everest Base Camp, from where they will begin their ascent of the mountain. Their target is the “death zone” above 8,000 meters, where successive expeditions have, over the years, left an ugly legacy of discarded climbing equipment, including tons of empty oxygen cylinders.

Almost 4,000 people have climbed Everest since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953. There is no definitive fig-

ure on how much trash has been left on the mountain, but the debris of 50 years of climbing has given Everest the name of the world’s highest dumpster. As well as oxygen canisters, the detritus includes food containers, discarded tents, ropes and backpacks. “Everest is losing her beauty,” said Namgyal Sherpa, 30, the leader of the team. “We are taking a big risk. Nobody has ever tried to clean up Everest at that height,” he said.

“Coping with extreme weather conditions like freezing temperatures, strong winds and blizzards will make our task difficult. But we are confident that we will rise to the challenge.” The team is also considering bringing down the bodies of several climbers who

perished near the mountain’s summit, such as Gianni Goltz, a member of a Swiss expedition who died in 2008. Other corpses in the “death zone” include those of New Zealander Rob Hall and American Scott Fischer, who were guides on Everest during the infamous 1996 disaster described in the best-selling book “Into Thin Air.” Since 1953, there have been 300 deaths on Everest, according to Ang Tshering Sherpa, president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association.

Many bodies have been brought down, but those above 8,000 meters have generally been left to the elements-their bodies preserved by the freezing temperatures. “Lifting a corpse is no mean feat,”

Tshering said. “It’s all ice up there, the team has got to chisel away chunks of ice before they can actually lift an object and they are going to be doing this under extremely harsh weather conditions,” he said.

Some of the relatives of those climbers whose bodies remain on the mountain have raised concerns over the expedition’s plans to retrieve the remains. “Rob didn’t have a desire to have a grave on Mount Everest certainly, but he wouldn’t want anyone to risk their lives to bring his remains down,” Hall’s widow Jan Arnold said. “The chance of anyone a) locating it and b) then being able to retrieve it would be crazy-a needle in a haystack, so I think it’s unlikely,” she said. — AFP

OPINION

12

Sunday, April 25, 2010

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issues

Waiting...and wasting time

By James J Zogby

T

he Arab World is once again waiting. This time they are waiting for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to respond to a series of demands it is believed the US made of him following the March, 2010 flare up over settlement construction in Jerusalem; or they are waiting for the Administration to respond to Israel’s lack of response. By waiting and not acting they are wasting precious time and an opportunity to define their concerns and a political path forward. Worse still, if the past provides a clue to the future, waiting will only lead to disappointment.

There was no question that seven weeks ago, the Obama Administration was angered by the Israeli announcement of new settlement construction in Jerusalem. The US reaction was immediate, harsh and sustained over several days. Our polling showed that American public opinion sided with the White House. Netanyahu reacted by mobilizing his US support base, appearing before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s annual conference issuing a direct challenge to Obama. When the President remained firm, Netanyahu mobilized his allies who organized letters from Congress and placed full page ads in major US daily newspapers taking Obama to task for publicly challenging Israel.

All during this time, not a single Palestinian leader visited the US to make the case for Jerusalem. Hollow protests were issued from afar, but these said nothing new and did not register here. The Arab League met and adjourned, but without offering anything newsworthy, and so many Americans were left wondering what the fuss was all about.

As our polling makes clear, US opinion: supports a balanced policy toward the conflict; wants a two state solution; and thinks the President ought to “get tough” about continued settlement construction. Our polls also show that while most Americans will support the President, they simply do not understand the Palestinians’ case or their concern with settlements. They, therefore, are susceptible to Israeli counter arguments (like: “these aren’t settlements, they are neighborhoods” or “Jerusalem isn’t a settlement, it’s our capitol”.

Because these claims are made to a largely uninformed American audience, they have the effect of confusing or neutralizing the issue.

And so, what began as “an insult to the Vice President ... and the United States” evolved into a “crisis in the US- Israel relationship” and ultimately ended up with the Administration reaffirming its “unshakable bond with Israel” while still holding firm to a set of irreconcilable goals: a “vital interest” imperative in solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; a continued insistence that Israel refrain from “provocative acts” (coupled with a call to Palestinians to end incitement); and an appeal to all parties to

restart negotiations. I say irreconcilable because the Netanyahu government shows no interest in ending its settlement construction or changing its other behaviors toward the Palestinians, and the Palestinian leadership cannot (or dare not, given the adverse domestic reaction it would create) enter negotiations absent a change in Israeli policy. When policy discussions have occurred during this period they have focused either on the value and nature of the US- Israel relationship, whether this current flare-up will make a difference in the stand-off with Iran or whether the President will outlast Netanyahu. The Palestinians, their rights and needs, are not mentioned.

A similar impasse existed between the 2008 election and the inauguration of the new president (with the devastating war in Gaza also occurring in this period) and last summer during the months in which Netanyahu refused to accept the settlement freeze President Obama insisted was needed to create a positive environment in which good faith negotiations could begin.

In both of these instances, instead of taking advantage of the opportunity provided by the impasse and using it as “teachable moment”, Arabs waited for others to act. The US public could have been educated and eventually mobilized. The resolve of the Obama Administration could have been reinforced. And the outcome might have been better. But because nothing was done, the period was defined by Israel and the US with no constructive Arab content provided.

What should have been done and still can be done is for Arab leadership and Palestinians, in particular, to directly engage American opinion to both make their case and provide concrete ideas for a solution to the conflict. As it is, the impasse is defined as a test of wills between what Israel wants versus what the US says must be done. Nowhere to be found in all of this, is the Palestinian story.

Abstract appeals to “international legitimacy” do not sway opinion, nor do references to an “Arab Peace Initiative” that most Americans do not understand.

The issue of settlements, for example, must be spelled out in concepts that can be understood - ancestral lands stolen, discriminatory housing projects built, rights denied, humiliating repression imposed on an entire people, and freedom denied.

And the matter of statehood must be presented as more than the solution to a pesky problem or a begrudging acceptance of a demographic reality, it must be elevated into a visionary right of people who have for too long been denied freedom. What is needed are real people telling real stories, making the Palestinian narrative come to life. As long as the Arab side in absent and/or passive and waiting, the game will be defined and won by others.

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

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

Tunisia’s antics should give the West pause

By Sarah Leah Whitson

T

he Tunisia most outsiders see is a small, peaceful, modernizing country with beautiful beaches and a GDP well ahead of its non-oil-producing neighbors. It has a well-trained workforce and a moderate Muslim population. But Tunisian citizens see another side of the country: a repressive state obsessed with maintaining the ruling party’s monopoly on power.

My Human Rights Watch colleagues and I came up against Tunisia’s harsher side last month when we traveled to Tunis, the capital, to release a report critical of the country’s authoritarianism. The report documented government harassment, surveillance and arbitrary measures that severely constrain the daily lives of former political prisoners. Many are required to sign in weekly or even daily at police stations, are denied passports and are confined to their hometowns — one was banished to a village he’d never lived in.

These measures continue despite years of appeals and court verdicts in the former prisoners’ favor. In some cases, the government reportedly has even blocked them from finding jobs, warning potential employers against

hiring them.

We didn’t expect serious obstacles when we planned our Tunisia trip. In both 2004 and 2005, we released reports at news conferences in Tunis no less critical than the new one, and our events were held without incident.

But this time was different. Soon after our arrival, the communications minister told us that a “sovereign decision” had been made that we not proceed. In subsequent meetings to try to work things out, senior justice and interior officials received us cordially but complained that our report failed to include their viewpoint. They acknowledged that the government hadn’t responded to our request for government input nine months earlier. But now they urged us to postpone the report until they could reply.

Soon after that meeting, the hotel where we had booked a conference room for our event informed us with regret that the space was “no longer available.” Three more hotels also couldn’t accommodate us. We found ourselves under surveillance by at least six plainclothes security agents at all times, and were followed by two cars and a motorcycle, day and night. The evening before our news conference,

we checked into a suite at a large hotel where we hoped to hold our event. But when we returned from dinner that night, we discovered that the suite had been mysteriously flooded by a burst pipe. The hotel regretted to inform us that it had no other rooms available.

I described the flood to a workman at a local cafe. “You won’t believe what happened,” I remarked. “You don’t believe this,” he responded, after hearing the story. “You’re not Tunisian.

Here in Tunisia, we believe everything; we’ve seen it all.” “But the hotel room is ruined,” I said. “They’ve ruined our entire country,” he replied.

“What’s a hotel room?”

We ultimately held our event at the law offices of a prominent human rights lawyer, but not a single journalist showed up. Security agents physically restrained some who tried to attend; others received calls warning them that our gathering was an “illegal” event.

The street outside the offices was crawling with plainclothes security men busily recording license plate numbers of cars parked on the street.

In the Middle East, where critical voices often face criminal sanction, simply having such a public event serves a purpose, carving out and protecting a

tiny space for free speech. Often we can say things locals can’t, protected by our status as an international organization.

The reality is that most Arabs are not free to speak their minds. In some of the relatively more open countries, such as Morocco and Egypt, independent newspapers are allowed to express a diversity of opinions. But even then, journalists and editors remain subject to prosecution for criticizing the government or Islam, and the courts uphold frivolous lawsuits by government officials to stifle investigative journalism. Arab states have responded to the recent explosion of news, information and opinion on the Internet and satellite news by extending their repressive speech laws to include these new media.

Tunisia is among the region’s most restrictive countries in terms of the criticism that its citizens may express publicly. The government recently ousted Mohamed Bouebdelli, founder and director of a private university, from the institution he and his family have devoted their lives to, ostensibly over minor infractions found during an inspection but more likely in reprisal for a book he published in France criti-

cizing repression and high-level corruption in his country.

If nothing more, this should give pause to Western governments that have praised Tunisia for its cooperation in “counter-terrorism” and provided aid accordingly. Many of the country’s security resources appear devoted not to addressing real threats to security but instead to shielding President Zine el Abidine ben Ali and his government from criticism. In our case, though, the government failed. Yes, the news conference was disrupted, but the report is widely available online (though blocked in Tunisia), and the government’s antics generated far more news than our report alone would have.

But we are concerned about what Tunisia’s desire to suppress our report says about the direction the country is heading. There is less space for critical discussion in Tunisia than even a few years ago, cut down by even “modern,” progressive-seeming government officials, for whom public service has apparently been confused with “sovereign service.”

NOTE: Sarah Leah Whitson is Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. — MCT

Identity crises and overpaid bankers

By Mike Dolan

O

versimplified economic credos were hugely responsible for the financial shock of the past decade, demanding greater attention now be paid to more subtle ideas of how employees behave. It may be that an average worker’s sense of personal identity has as much a bearing on the solutions to the global crisis as any devout belief in the efficiency of markets. For the myriad causes and effects of the credit crisis, the widespread failure of giant banking corporations in the United States and Europe was the most shocking and far-reaching.

Beyond the public outrage at taxpayers picking up the tab for the bailouts, a more puzzling question has been how chief executives and senior managers of these private institutions could have failed their shareholders so badly.

Alan Greenspan, who as US Federal Reserve chief for 18 years was the prime advocate of the freemarket philosophy blamed by many for crisis, has remained adamant that his sole error was in misjudging the behaviour of the bankers.

“I made a mistake in presuming that the self-interests of organisations, specifically banks and others, were such that they were best capable of protecting their own shareholders,” he told Congress as the crisis snowballed in 2008.Yet, others are

less willing to let him off the hook.

Trust in the efficiency of market mechanisms to safely and optimally distribute money and resources around the globe had become virtually unshakable in many quarters - most alarmingly among policymakers and reg-

ulators such as Greenspan.

Allowing banks an ever-freer hand in financial innovation, derivatives, securitisation, speculation and cross-border finance was just an extension of that. In a speech to a conference organised by the Institute for New Economic Thinking this month, Britain’s top financial regulator Adair Turner acknowledged the dangers of what many dub “market fundamentalism” and opined that “good” economics should be not be slave to any monolithic set of ideas.

“For while the simplified pre-crisis conventional wisdom appeared to provide a complete set of answers resting on a unified intellectual system and methodology, really good economic thinking will provide multiple partial insights, based on varied analytical approaches,” Turner said.

So, if a root of the crisis was leaving banks to their own devices in a belief they would act rationally and selfishly, how do experts account for the fact that they patently did not? The debate on excessive pay and bonuses for bankers remains central to thinking on this. The scale of the mismatch between UK-based bankers’ wages and the failure of their institutions was shown this

week by data from the Centre for Economic Performance. It said the increased share alone of total UK wages that bankers received in the decade to 2008 amounted to some 12 billion pounds a year.

With Britain’s general election due on May 6, UK politicians are queuing up to urge pay controls or taxes on bank bonuses. But economists reckon a better way of viewing the issue is to examine how employees respond to monetary rewards.

2001 Nobel Laureate George Akerlof this year co-authored a book with Rachel Kranston call “Identity Economics”.

Akerlof’s theory is that people make decisions and choices such as where and how they work - based partly on norms, value systems and their sense of identity and not solely on the direct economic rewards or benefits such as wages or incentives.

Although economists have previously taken behaviour and differing tastes into account, their models on workplace incentives have not included a variable of people’s “identity”.

For example, if you feel proud to work for a company and derive personal satisfaction from contributing to work of the organisation, you tend to put more effort into that work. Akerlof then makes a distinction between these sorts of employees, “insiders”, and those who clock in and clock out and care less about the firm, or “out-

siders”.

One conclusion is a firm needs to pay an insider less of a bonus to work hard than it needs to pay an outsider - creating an incentive for the firm to invest money in convincing outsiders to have a greater stake in the company’s performance.

The flipside - and this is where the banks come in - is that the more workers are dependent on monetary rewards, the more they are simply going to complete the personal tasks required and care less about the wider firm. “If you give too much economic reward and incentive, people are just going to game the system and that’s exactly what we’ve just seen,” Akerlof told Reuters at the INET meeting.

This amounts to the creation of more and more “outsiders” meeting personal targets with little interest in the long-term success or the viability of the company at large. Bankers were adept at meeting personal targets set for them - quarterly sales or profit goals, new products etc - and sealed complex contracts to reap associated short-term bonuses. But they had no incentive to make sure their work was healthy for the bank, its customers or its society longer term. “Because firms and other organizations are the backbone of all economies, this new description transforms our understanding of what makes economies work or fail,” Akerlof said. — Reuters

ANALYSIS

Sunday, April 25, 2010

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Civilian deaths hit Calderon in Mexico drug war

By Mica Rosenberg

A

jump in civilian deaths in Mexico’s drug war is hitting support for President Felipe Calderon’s army-led crackdown, leaving him looking weaker than ever as he heads towards regional elections in July. Many Mexicans are outraged at the deaths of dozens of civilians in recent cross-fire between cartels and security forces that have included babies, university students and two children shot at a military checkpoint during a family vacation.

Calderon, a conservative who took office in late 2006, has made stamping out drug cartels his government’s first priority, rolling out tens of thousands of troops and federal police to key smuggling corridors across Mexico. Mexico’s deep recession last year, the worst in Latin America, has had a bigger impact on Calderon’s personal standing among voters, but drug violence is a major concern.

Drug murders have skyrocketed to about 22,700 since Calderon took power and the brutality is shocking the public.

Hitmen dump severed heads in streets, hang bodies from bridges and leave threatening messages over corpses dumped on roads. More than half of Mexicans think the drug cartels, who make billions of dollars in profits each year, are winning the war, a recent poll showed. Some people, especially along the violent US-Mexico border, feel the army presence is only worsening the situation by sparking more turf wars between the cartels.

“The killings of children, women, people unrelated to the drug gangs has been provoked by the government. It’s easy to hit a hornet’s nest and see what comes out,” said a former feder-

Members of the Federal Police process a crime scene involving the death of policemen by the hands of drug traffickers in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on Friday. – AFP al police commander who has worked in drug hotspots along the border. He asked to remain anonymous for security reasons. Opposition politicians, looking to win state elections in July, accused Calderon of minimizing deaths when he said in a recent speech that almost all of those killed were criminals and that innocent people were “the least” of the casualties.

Milenio television edited the

clip from Calderon’s speech and flashed a figure of nearly 300 civilians killed so far. Mexico holds eight gubernatorial elections on July 4, including in northern states overrun by violence such as Chihuahua and Durango. Sinaloa state on the Pacific, home to Mexico’s top cartel with the same name, elects a governor in October.

Tamaulipas in northeastern Mexico, a stronghold of the

rival Gulf cartel, holds elections in November. Municipal posts and local congressional seats are up for grabs in 13 states this year.

Some analysts blame Calderon for stubbornly sticking to his military-heavy plan even when it is failing to contain the violence. In a video filmed by security cameras and leaked to the media, hitmen snorted cocaine and went on a daylight

rampage last month through the town of Creel in the northern state of Chihuahua, killing half a dozen people with no police in sight. “I never used to be afraid to leave my house when it wasn’t dark outside,” said Perla Montalvo, 32, a housewife in Tijuana across the border from San Diego. “(Now) I don’t like to be alone on the street.”

Washington still strongly backs Calderon and has

promised Mexico more than a billion dollars in funding to train police, buy helicopters and improve intelligence to break up trafficking networks that stretch deep into the United States. Calderon insists he will not back down in the drugs war and both his government and the United States say the spike in violence shows that security forces are weakening the cartels. “There are reasons that perhaps in the short term violence could increase ...

Obviously the cartels are going to react to all the actions being taken against them,” Carlos Pascual, the US ambassador to Mexico, said on Tuesday.

Calderon says Mexico, which has a lower per-capita murder rate nationwide than many Latin American and even some US cities, is suffering from an image problem.

Businesses have fled violent border cities and tourists are scared to visit popular beach resorts after US travel warnings. While Pascual lauded the government’s efforts to train 5,500 police since mid-last year, deep corruption penetrates virtually all levels of the security forces. With a promised overhaul of the justice system still incomplete, the bulk of crimes go unsolved and criminals are rarely prosecuted.

Human rights groups have complained of abuses by soldiers conducting house-tohouse raids looking for drug suspects. In March, a drug dealer was photographed being arrested by masked Mexican marines in Monterrey. The next day he showed up dead.

“There are people who say that the federal police and the soldiers are the ones who are out kidnapping, extorting and killing,” said a 34-year-old used car salesman in Ciudad Juarez across from El Paso, too afraid to give his name. — Reuters

No early Pakistan action seen on Lashkar-e-Taiba

By Myra MacDonald

P

akistan is unlikely to take on Lashkar-e-Taiba any time soon, since this could drive it into a dangerous alliance with the Pakistani Taleban and other Al-Qaeda linked groups, security officials say. That is a problem for India, which believes LeT not only runs its own sophisticated operations like the 2008 attack on Mumbai but is now encouraging disaffected Indian Muslims in the “Indian Mujahideen” to launch small-scale bomb attacks in Indian cities.

Security officials in Pakistan say the country needs to focus first on defeating Pakistani Taleban fighters in its tribal areas on the Afghan border rather than opening up a new front in its heartland Punjab province where Lashkar-e-Taiba is based. “If you are so up to your neck in the tribal areas, would you like to open another front?” asked one security official. Unlike other militant groups, LeT has been careful to avoid attacks within Pakistan itself, focusing on India and Indian Kashmir, and as a result has been left largely alone. “LeT continues to operate almost with impunity in Pakistan,” said Rifaat Hussain, who heads the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies at Quaid-i-Azam University in

Islamabad.

LeT - once nurtured by the InterServices Intelligence (ISI) agency to fight India in Kashmir - is estimated to have between 2,000-3,000 gunmen and another 20,000 followers, many trained to fight and who could be mobilised against a crackdown. The group could ultimately become a major risk for the West - LeT’s charitable wing has wide support and funding from the Pakistani diaspora - and even threaten Pakistan itself if it decided to try to impose its Islamist views across the country.

Yet Pakistani security officials argue success in its battle against militants depends on its ability to isolate the enemy. “Do not do anything where all the threat comes together,” said one security official. “If we open a front against LeT in central Punjab what would happen? What political support would be there? What is your capability? If you do it, would you overcome the militants or would the militants take over?”

Instead, as with other Punjab-based militant organisations, Pakistan prefers to monitor their activities closely rather than take action which could drive them further underground and create splinter groups which could prove even more dangerous. “We know who they are, and we try to keep

an eye on them,” said another security official. “There is no official support.”

Others, however, say its suits Pakistan to retain an organisation which could be used against India in the event of war, or, some say, to repay in kind what it sees as Indian support for separatists in its Baluchistan province. Indian security officials and analysts question whether Pakistan would really go after the LeT, regardless of timing, given what they see as close ties to the Pakistani security establishment.

After a lull following the Mumbai attack, analysts say LeT is again using the Indian Mujahideen - an organisation they say it has nurtured for years in a fresh wave of small-scale urban bombings in India in recent months.

“The recent bombings in Bangalore and before that in Pune appear to have borne out fears that the Lashkar was facilitating the regrouping of the Indian Mujahideen,” said Praveen Swami, an Indian journalist who has extensively researched both groups.

This could prove an obstacle to a resumption of talks between India and Pakistan, broken off after the Mumbai attack. “If we’re going to see a heightened bombing offensive leading into the Commonwealth Games (in Delhi in October), there’s obviously going to be

a problem, even if the scale of the attacks do not precipitate an IndiaPakistan crisis per se,” he said. Some analysts have dubbed the new campaign the “Karachi project”, named after the Pakistani city where they say disaffected Indian Muslims are brought for training. “The purpose of the project is to deploy Indian Muslims to carry out attacks in India using locally available bomb material so that the attacks are not traced back to Pakistan,” wrote Indian analyst Animesh Roul this month in the CTC Sentinel, published by the Combating Terrorism Center at US military academy West Point.

Pakistani officials say India is blaming Pakistan for “home-grown terrorism” fueled by anger over communal violence in which the majority of victims have been Indian Muslims. For example, several thousand Indian Muslims died in 2002 in riots in the state of Gujarat.

Analysts in both countries also see it as part of a propaganda campaign mostly aimed at Washington - in which India and Pakistan try to prove the other is the main cause of problems in the region.

Along with its alleged support for the Indian Mujahideen, LeT is believed to have fighters in Afghanistan’s Kunar

and Nuristan provinces, where US forces have taken a beating from a scrum of different militant groups working together. LeT has a history of involvement in Kunar and ran Kashmir training camps there for years, said Stephen Tankel, a US researcher who is writing a book on the group. “It’s questionable whether LeT is running its own operations there,” he said. “Its people are, however, taking part in training, recruiting, logistical support and fighting alongside other insurgent operations in and around Kunar.”

The group has also been linked to Al-Qaeda and, by Indian analysts, to February’s attack on Indian interests in Kabul. Pakistani officials dismiss such talk as Indian propaganda and say any former LeT fighters involved in Afghanistan, or linked to Al-Qaeda, belong to splinter groups.

This argument about splintering is often offered by Pakistani security officials, and is commonly used to explain the Mumbai attack which they say was not endorsed by LeT founder Hafez Saeed. It is an argument, however, that can cut both ways. “You don’t get splintering in small organisations,” said Hussain at Quaid-i-Azam University. “You begin to splinter only when you are sprawling, when you are trying to become too big.”— Reuters

Japan policy chaos hurts PM, irks investors L

By Linda Sieg

imp leadership, inexperience, and rivalry in the ruling party are snarling policy decisions as Japan faces a raft of challenges, from a huge debt and fast-ageing population to China’s rising clout. The disarray, which comes as Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama’s 7month-old government tries to craft plans to fix tattered state finances and spur growth, is eroding voter support ahead of an upper house election as well as damaging Japan’s image overseas.

In the latest sign of confusion, Transport Minister Seiji Maehara and ruling party election mastermind Ichiro Ozawa are clashing over a plan to revise highway tolls that critics say would contradict a campaign pledge to make expressways toll-free. Hatoyama is also struggling to meet a selfimposed end of May deadline to resolve a row over relocating a US Marines’ airbase that both countries say is vital to deter regional threats.

“You could say that open debate is healthy. But debate without decision is a luxury you can afford as the opposition, but as the ruling party, it spells death,” said Jesper Koll, director of equities research at JP

Morgan Securities Japan.

“Don’t underestimate how badly this reflects on Japan’s standing in the world,” he added.

Japanese media are also concerned about the policy confusion.

“It has already exceeded the level of disagreement among cabinet ministers and friction among ruling parties, and has reached a situation in which it risks chilling sentiment in companies and households,” the Nikkei business daily said in an editorial. The policy uncertainty is making wary some investors who might otherwise be tempted to buy Japanese shares given improvements in the world economy and a slightly weaker yen, and inclining Japanese politicians to keep up pressure on the central bank to fight deflation in the absence of other policy levers.

“It’s not really an open factor, but it is probably causing some investors to pull back a bit. I think foreigners in particular may have a bad impression,” said Hideyuki Ishiguro,

a

strategist at Okasan Securities.

“They’re indecisive, but also the party seems to have trouble working as one.”

Hatoyama, 63, the wealthy grandson of a premier, took office last year after his Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) trounced the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in a lower house poll, ending more than 50 years of nearly unbroken rule by the pro-business LDP. Central to the Democrats’ platform was a pledge to put politicians, not elite bureaucrats, in control of policymaking as well as to end the confusing rivalry between the prime minister and his cabinet on the one hand and party executives on the other that plagued the LDP during its years in power.

But critics - and there are many - say Hatoyama has failed to show the leadership needed on tough topics, rang-

ing from tax reform and privatising giant Japan Post to moving the US Marines’ airbase on Okinawa after promising to review a 2006 deal to move the base to a less populous site on the island. “Its a problem of policy coordination.

The ‘Kantei’ (prime minister’s office) is not functioning and everything is out in the open,” said Sophia University professor Koichi Nakano.

Even some in the DPJ publicly lament Hatoyama’s wavering. “In the morning he says ‘Go right’, at lunchtime ‘Go left’ and at dinner time ‘Go right’,” DPJ elder Kozo Watanabe told a media luncheon recently.

“Because he keeps changing his comments, the people have begun not to trust him.”

The problem has been compounded by the need to heed demands from two tiny coalition partners, especially banking minister Shizuka Kamei, whose People’s New Party helps make up a majority in parliament’s upper house to ensure bills are passed smoothly.

Ozawa, a former LDP heavyweight who has devoted a decade and a half to creating a viable second major party, has meanwhile increased his clout after helping mastermind the Democrats’ landslide win in

last year’s general election.

Despite disclaimers to the contrary, Ozawa has intervened in policymaking, this week demanding the government withdraw a plan for revising highway tolls that would raise some tariffs because it backtracks on the toll-free campaign pledge.

While Ozawa’s image as a scandal-tainted old-style fixer is contributing to sliding voter support for the Democrats, party heavyweights have shied away from openly urging him to step down. “Unless Ozawa himself decides to step down, no one can force him to quit,” said political commentator Atsuo Ito. “They are afraid he will leave and split the party.”

Some analysts say that if Hatoyama and Ozawa did resign, the government might improve its image and its policymaking.

Others are far less sanguine, given what they argue is a dearth of leadership across the political spectrum. “The most fundamental issue is that there is no political leader who is willing to tell the public what needs to be done to turn this country around,” said Columbia University professor Gerry Curtis, a long-time expert in Japanese politics. —Reuters

focus

Parties compete for populist title

By Liz Sidoti

R

epublicans and Democrats are furiously casting each other as the handmaidens of Wall Street, playing to election-year anger surging on Main Street. Neither party has clean hands when it comes to the financial industry. Both parties have accepted huge chunks of campaign cash from companies like Goldman Sachs.

Both welcomed big business’ chief executives to the White House when in power.

Both share the blame for deregulating the industry in the 1990s and bailing out Wall Street when the financial sector was on the brink of collapse.

Not that either side will acknowledge it. Instead, Republicans and Democrats are using President Barack Obama’s push for tighter controls on the industry to try to gain the political advantage with the proverbial Joe Six-Pack - the voters - ahead of critical November congressional elections, when the balance of power in Washington is at stake. “We need to enact a set of updated, commonsense rules to ensure accountability on Wall Street and to protect consumers in our financial system,” Obama said Thursday in New York, tapping into public outrage over excesses that led to the economic meltdown.

With polls showing voters favoring tighter controls on Wall Street, everyone wants to be seen as siding with the little guy. “Far from protecting consumers from Wall Street excess, this bill would provide endless protection for the biggest banks on Wall Street,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Looking to energize their voters and boost fundraising, the national parties are trading charges.

“For years, Republicans stood by while Wall Street ran wild,” says a Democratic National Committee television spot. “Risky bets. Lax regulation. When the economy collapsed, Republicans looked the other way. ...

Now Republicans are working with Wall Street lobbyists to block reform” that would “protect consumers and prevent a future bailout.”

Countering, the Republican National Committee rolled out a video claiming the legislation rewards Wall Street with a “permanent bailout fund. ...

Propping up Wall Street is what Obama does, and Obama does it well.” Yet, the Center for Responsive Politics found that both sides raked in cash from the very industry they’re vilifying.

In the current election cycle, the DNC collected $6.2 million from the financial services, real estate and insurance sectors and $3.7 million from other business interests. The RNC has raised $2.5 million from the industry and $2.7 million from other business interests. During the 2008 presidential campaign, Obama raised $40 million from the industry and $37 million

from other business interests while Republican John McCain collected $29 million and $16 million.

Deregulation is faulted for the financial industry’s crisis - and both parties played a role.

The Depression-era GlassSteagall Act separated commercial from investment banking, but in 1999 most of its restrictions were repealed by a Republican Congress and President Bill Clinton. In the fall of 2008, President George W. Bush and the Democratic Congress backed a massive bailout of the financial industry amid signs of impending economic collapse. Obama signed off on the second infusion of cash shortly after taking office. Such coziness with Wall Street and politicians’ lack of candor about it are likely factors in low job approval ratings for Congress and an overall cynicism about politics.

A recent Pew Research Center poll showed trust in government at one of the lowest points in a half-century, with nearly 80 percent having little confidence in Washington.

Just a quarter of people say the federal government and Congress have a positive effect on the country’s direction. The ratings are similarly low for large corporations, banks and other financial institutions. Still, the public is conflicted.

More than half - 58 percent - say that “the government has gone too far in regulating business and interfering with the free enterprise system,” and roughly half oppose government exerting more control over the economy. But, perhaps because their own pocketbooks are at stake, people make an exception for regulating the financial industry: Sixty-one percent say it’s a good idea for the government to more strictly limit the way major financial companies do business.

All that - combined with the fact that two-thirds of Americans own stock underscores why the White House as well as Republicans and Democrats are competing to be the most populist. It also explains why Democrats and Republicans are trying to agree on a bipartisan bill even as they publicly castigate each other.

“On one side are consumers and investors, families and businesses and the vast majority of Americans who want us to make sure the financial crisis they just lived through can never happen again,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

“Democrats are on their side, and we’re ready to act.”

House Republican leader John Boehner offered a different take.

“The president says that he wants to clean up Wall Street, but when you look at this bill, what he actually does is protect them from ever having a financial problem,” he said. “This is a bad bill and Republicans are going to stand with the American people, who are standing on their tiptoes yelling, ‘Stop’.”

The voters will have the last word - in the November elec-

14

NEWS

Sunday, April 25, 2010

GOMA, Congo: In this March 31, 2010 photo, magma churns and gushes in the lava lake of Mount Nyiragongo, one of Africa’s most active volcanos. Mount Nyiragongo is the ultimate symbol of death in Goma, the lakeside city it shadows and has overrun several times. Yet it’s also a symbol of rebirth and resilience for a nation slowly emerging from war. In March, park rangers cleared Rwandan militias from its slopes and reopened the summit for the first time in a year and a half. — AP

Yemen cleric fights draft law banning child brides Houthis kidnap man, briefly hold Saudis SANAA: Yemen’s most influential Islamic cleric vowed yesterday to gather a “million” signatures to protest a draft law banning child brides, in an increasingly vocal showdown against the country’s weak government which needs the support of powerful religious leaders to hold onto power.

The issue of child brides in Yemen has attracted broad international attention, most recently when a 13-year-old girl bled to death earlier this month after her 23year-old husband allegedly tied her down and forced her to have sex with him.

The cleric, Sheik Adbul-Majid AlZindani, said a ban on child brides “threatens our culture and society and spreads immorality”. Al-Zindani is Yemen’s most powerful Islamic scholar and believed by the US to be a spiritual mentor of Osama bin Laden. Speaking at a conference at Iman University in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, Al-Zindani called on the dozens of radical clerics and Islamic law students in the crowd to opposed the draft law. “You have to gather a million signatures ... that supports the demands of clerics,” said AlZindani. “If the issue calls on us to gather a million protesters, we’ll organize it,” AlZindani said.

Al-Zindani’s calls against the ban have become increasingly strident ahead of an expected vote by Yemeni lawmakers next month on raising the marriage age to 17.

The practice of marrying young girls is widespread in Yemen, where a quarter of all females marry before they turn 15, according to a 2009 report by the country’s Ministry of Social Affairs. In the country’s deeply tribal society, families prefer young brides because they are seen as more obedient and are expected to have more chil-

dren. It is also difficult for poor families in impoverished Yemen to ignore bride-prices of hundreds of dollars.

A Feb 2009 law set the minimum age for marriage at 17, but it was repealed and sent back to parliament’s constitutional committee for review after pressure from some lawmakers and clerics, led by AlZindani, who called it un-Islamic. In March, Al-Zindani signed a religious decree that declared people who supported the ban on child brides to be apostates, a particularly severe charge in the deeply Muslim country.

Pressure from Al-Zindani and other religious leaders have made the government reluctant to tackle the issue because they rely on their support to stay in power. A parliamentary committee was expected to make a final decision on the legislation this month, but that has now been delayed until May. It is widely expected that the government will raise the marriage age to deflect international pressure, but will not enforce legislation. Impoverished Yemenis are widely expected to ignore the law.

Separately, Shiite rebels have kidnapped a Yemeni man in the country’s north and also briefly held a group of Saudi citizens, the government said, incidents that threaten a fragile truce with Sanaa. The northern rebels seized the man in the Harf Sufyan district and took him to an unknown location, Yemeni security services said in a statement. A number of the rebels, who complain of discrimination by Sanaa, held a group of Saudis captive for a few hours but then freed them, said the statement which was issued on Friday.

Yemen’s government agreed a truce with the rebels led by Abdel Malek Al-

Houthi in February to halt the continual outbreaks of war since 2004 that have displaced 250,000 people. The ceasefire has largely held but unrest has risen in recent weeks, raising fears of greater instability in a country neighbouring the world’s biggest oil exporters and situated on a strategic shipping channel. Saudi Arabia was drawn into the war last November after insurgents seized Saudi border areas. Fighting between Saudis and the rebels has since ended.

In Yemen’s south, a separate group of secessionists shot dead a soldier in the province of Lahej, the defence ministry said. Security forces had earlier arrested Bassam Al-Sayyid, the ministry reported in its online newspaper “September 26”, describing the man as the leader of a local criminal gang. Southern media reported that the shooting was in revenge for Sayyid’s arrest on Thursday, but did not say whether any of those involved were secessionists. Yesterday, a court in the southern province of Hadramout sentenced four southern activists to 10 years in prison.

Opposition media named the men as local leaders of various secessionist groups in the province. The men were accused of committing “crimes against state security, including an attack on the constitution, inciting people against the authorities...and the dissemination of news aimed at disrupting the peace,” official news agency Saba said. North and South Yemen formally united in 1990 but many in the south, where most of impoverished Yemen’s oil facilities are, complain northerners have used unification to seize resources and discriminate against them. — Agencies

UK teaches India about Brit curries Continued from Page 1 though gravy for traditional English folk is something served with roast beef on a Sunday. “The Taste of Britain’s Curry Festival” has been running this week in Kolkata, eastern India, the first capital of the British empire on the subcontinent. Advertised widely across the city, the idea is to introduce Indians to some of the dishes that have developed in Britain in the 300 years since the two countries have been linked by trade and colonial rule. “The British Raj in the Indian subcontinent star ted from Kolkata and Britons had the first Indian

curries in this historic city,” festival director Syed Bilal Ahmed told AFP. “Bringing back curry to its original place is like a homecoming.”

The festival features 50 dishes by four Britain-based Indian and Bangladeshi master chefs. Some of the recipes on display are British curry house staples, such as Balti, Jalfrezi and Tikka Masala.

“British curries are healthier as they have less spice, less oil and less sugar and salt,” added Ahmed, who believes Britain no longer deserves its reputation for poor food.

The festival, which organisers plan to

take to Bangladesh and Spain, ends today but its impact might be long-term in Kolkata, a bustling city famed for its passionate gastronome residents. “We plan to continue some dishes of Britain curry even after the festival,” said Utpal Mondal, executive chef of host hotel Hindustan International, where sales are up 18 percent since the festival began. Locals appeared to be enjoying the fare on offer.

“We came here to get the taste of Britain curry. It’s delicious,” said Sutapa Sanyal, an employee of a city-based firm who walked into the restaurant with her husband for the first time. — AFP

Victims of harassment speak out in Lebanon Continued from Page 1 which is supporting the campaign.

Although Lebanon is widely considered more “Westernised” than its neighbours in the Arab world, it does not penalise what the West would consider sexual harassment, such as unwanted comments or touching.

On a daily basis, local women continue to suffer harassment in the streets, workplace and while using public transport.

According to a 2007 study by the social affairs ministry, three complaints of harassment and rape are filed in Lebanon each week. But activists say the figure falls far short of the reality.

“Unfortunately, this phenomenon is increasing,” Hashem said. “For many female victims of harassment, the issue remains taboo. Our slogan is, ‘Don’t shy away - speak out.’”

Raghida Ghamlouch, a social worker

with the non-governmental Lebanese Council to Resist Violence Against Women, said Lebanon’s social fabric does not encourage victims to speak out.

“Lebanese society is still macho and systematically places the blame on the woman,” Ghamlouch told AFP. “Women are told it is their fault if they hitch a cab off the street, if they are dressed a certain way, if they come home late, and so forth,” she added. “And for women who are adults, it is even worse: They are accused of having deliberately provoked the man.”

Another factor that silences victims are Lebanon’s unjust laws, which do not explicitly consider harassment a crime.

And a convicted rapist in Lebanon is let off the hook if he consents to marry his victim. “Even police mock women who come in to their station to file complaints of harassment or domestic violence,” Hashem said. Ghamlouch noted that

Lebanese authorities have yet to understand that these victims are scarred for life and sometimes require psychological intervention to overcome the trauma.

“Victims tend to give up, because they realise they will be victims whatever they do,” she added.

Eighteen-year-old Joy is a case in point. Shaking, she recounts the day a taxi-driver touched her genital area. “I screamed and cried but he did not stop,” Joy told AFP. “I had to throw myself out of the car. I felt hurt and betrayed. Those who harass women ought to go to jail.” While Salwa and her campaign are a significant step forward, activists say more collective action is needed to ensure victims feel safe enough to speak up and take action.

“If the complaints increase, perhaps then the authorities cannot discount it,” Hashem said. “Perhaps then they will see it is a real problem.” — AFP

Microsoft, Google eye Arabic potential Continued from Page 1 service by page views after Internet Explorer 8. Egypt and Saudi Arabia registered the first domain names written in the right-to-left Arabic script late last year, after global Internet regulator ICANN voted to allow non-Latin script to be used in web addresses in November.

In Egypt, Internet access is becoming cheaper and use of internet on mobile devices is blossoming. Egypt plans a $1 billion upgrade to its broadband capacity

over four years to quadruple penetration to 20 percent.

“The next few million Egyptian Internet users will be people who don’t really speak English,” Ghonim said. Such users will likely not foray deeply into the Internet’s marketplace initially, but will no longer be hindering from creating part of the fabric of the web by language constraints.

“Think of the guy running a very small one-stop shop in (Nile delta industrial city) Mahalla,” Ghonim said. “You

should facilitate for him a complete experience in Arabic, from the way he registers his domain to finding a hosting company to communicating to his customers.”

Mundie said the Arab world was wellplaced to skip PC-dominated use and go straight to mobile Internet. “The arrival of a very low cost form of computing coupled to the mobile network creates an alternative entry point into the world of computing and internet usage,” he added. —Reuters

Abbas urges Obama to impose peace deal Continued from Page 1 mediator, while treating Israel and the Palestinians as equal partners who in the end must make their own decisions.

Critics have said this approach does not take into account the imbalance of power - that Palestinians live under Israeli military occupation. Earlier this month, The Washington Post quoted Obama administration officials as saying the president is considering proposing an American peace plan for the Mideast. Since then, however, top US officials have reiterated the traditional view that the US can help, but that the final decisions lie with Israelis and Palestinians.

The US has tried in vain to restart Israeli-Palestinian negotiations that broke down in December 2008. The two sides remain far apart on the framework for such talks, and White House envoy George Mitchell returned to the region Friday to try to narrow the divide. The US has proposed indirect talks, with Mitchell acting as a go-between.

However, the Palestinians say they won’t engage unless Israel agrees not to start new housing projects for Jews in tradi-

tionally Arab east Jerusalem, the sector of the city claimed by the Palestinians as a future capital. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected a building freeze in east Jerusalem.

In his speech yesterday, Abbas also dismissed the idea of establishing a Palestinian state within temporary borders. He referred to recent proposals for such a provisional state, but did not elaborate. He said the Palestinians were being asked to “take a state with provisional borders on 40 or 50 percent, and after that we will see”. But he stressed “we will not accept the state with temporary borders”. An Israeli newspaper reported earlier this week that Netanyahu made such a proposal.

However, Abbas aide Nabil Abu Rdeneh and an Israeli government official both denied that Israel formally presented the idea.

The Israeli official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the diplomatic contacts. A Palestinian state with provisional borders is part of the US-backed “road map” peace plan as an interim step toward full

independence. The temporary state would only be established on parts of the territory the Palestinians want for their state. However, the road map never got off the ground and the Palestinians have repeatedly rejected provisional statehood, fearing the temporary borders would become the final ones.

In the Gaza Strip yesterday, Israeli gunfire wounded two Palestinians and a woman from Malta who were among a group of protesters marching toward the border with Israel, according to Palestinian health official Moawiya Hassanain. The military confirmed the shooting, and said soldiers opened fire to get protesters away from the border fence. Israel has declared areas of Gaza near its border to be no-go zones, citing security concerns. In recent months, farmers and foreign supporters have frequently marched toward the border to protest the restrictions.

The injured foreigner was identified by fellow activists as Bianca Zammit of Malta. “They had no reason to shoot us.

We posed no threat to them whatsoever,” Zammit told AP Television News from a hospital bed. — AP

SPORTS

Sunday, April 25, 2010

15

MLB results/standings Major League Baseball results and standings on Friday.

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

American League Eastern Division W L Tampa Bay 12 5 NY Yankees 11 5 Toronto 10 7 Boston 7 10 Baltimore 2 15 Central Division Minnesota 12 5 Detroit 9 8 Cleveland 7 9 Kansas City 6 10 Chicago White Sox 6 11 Western Division Oakland 11 7 Seattle 9 8 LA Angels 9 9 Texas 7 9 National League Eastern Division Philadelphia 10 6 Florida 9 7 Washington 9 8 Atlanta 8 8 NY Mets 8 9 Central Division St. Louis 10 6 Milwaukee 8 8 Pittsburgh 7 9 Chicago Cubs 7 10 Cincinnati 7 10 Houston 6 10 Western Division San Diego 10 6 San Francisco 9 7 Colorado 8 8 LA Dodgers 7 9 Arizona 7 9

PCT .706 .688 .588 .412 .118

GB 0.5 2 5 10

.706 .529 .438 .375 .353

3 4.5 5.5 6

.611 .529 .500 .438

1.5 2 3

.625 .563 .529 .500 .471

1 1.5 2 2.5

.625 .500 .438 .412 .412 .375

2 3 3.5 3.5 4

.625 .563 .500 .438 .438

1 2 3 3

KANSAS CITY: Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Carl Pavano throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals. —AP

Blue Jays snatch tight win over Rays ST. PETERSBURG: Toronto’s Brett Cecil pitched into the seventh inning in his first appearance of the season, setting up the Blue Jays’ 6-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in Friday’s American League action.

Cecil (1-0), recalled from the Las Vegas 51’s to replace the injured Brian Tallet, gave up six hits, one walk and struck out eight in 6 2-3 innings. He departed after allowing Gabe Kapler’s two-run homer in the seventh that got Tampa Bay to 6-4.

Vernon Wells hit an RBI double, Alex Gonzalez drove in two with a single and Jose Bautista added a run-scoring double as Toronto took a 4-0 lead in the first. Tampa Bay starter Matt Garza (3-1) allowed five runs in five innings.

Angels 6, Yankees 4 In Anaheim, Kendry Morales hit a tiebreaking two-run homer off Joba Chamberlain in the eighth inning to lift Los Angeles over New York.

Hideki Matsui, last year’s World Series MVP with the Yankees, led off the eighth for the Angels with a single.

Morales then drove a pitch from Chamberlain (0-1) to right field for his fifth homer.

Angels catcher Brain Wilson, making his first big league start, sustained a concussion and injured left ankle in a collision at the plate with Mark Teixeira. Los Angeles’ Fernando Rodney (2-0), back in the setup role since closer Brian Fuentes returned from the disabled list, pitched a hitless eighth for the victory. Fuentes put

down the Yankees 1-2-3 in the ninth for his second save.

Athletics 10, Indians 0 In Oakland, California, Kurt Suzuki homered for the second consecutive game as Oakland thrashed Cleveland.

Three Oakland pitchers combined to hold the Indians scoreless. Starter Justin Duchscherer (2-0) pitched six innings.

Kevin Kouzmanoff drove in two runs to snap out of a long batting slump with runners in scoring position. At 11-7, the A’s have their best record after 18 games since 1992.

Suzuki hit a two-run shot off Cleveland’s Jake Westbrook (0-2) in the sixth inning. He also had two singles.

Twins 8, Royals 3 In Kansas City, Jim Thome homered and drove in three runs to power Minnesota over Kansas City. Michael Cuddyer drove in two runs and J.J. Hardy homered for the Twins, who had 11 hits to clinch their first winning April for three years.

Twins starter Carl Pavano (3-1) overcame a shaky start to allow two runs in seven innings, including a bizarre inside-the-park homer by David DeJesus. Royals starter Gil Meche (0-2) struggled with his command, nibbling at the corners a little too much for his second straight earlyexit.

Red Sox 4, Orioles 3 In Boston, Jim Johnson walked

Adrian Beltre with the bases loaded to force in the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning, handing Boston victory over Baltimore. David Ortiz hit his first homer of the season as the Red Sox won their ninth straight over the Orioles. Adam Jones had a two-run homer for Baltimore, which rallied from a 3-0 deficit but dropped to a major league-worst 2-15 this season.

Boston’s Manny Delcarmen (1-1) got the win despite allowing an inherited runner to score in the eighth.

Jonathan Papelbon finished for his fourth save. Baltimore’s Matt Albers (0-2) took the loss.

White Sox 7, Mariners 6 In Chicago, Andruw Jones hit a game-ending home run in the ninth

inning and also homered in the first, leading Chicago past Seattle.

With two outs in the ninth, Jones came back from an 0-2 count to hit Mariners reliever Mark Lowe (1-2) into the left field bullpen.

Paul Konerko homered and drove in two runs and Alex Rios hit a tying RBI double for the White Sox, who had won just one of seven coming in.

Former Mariners reliever Matt Thornton (2-1) was dominant for Chicago, striking out five in 2 1-3 innings. Jose Lopez hit his first career grand slam in the seventh inning for the Mariners who had won seven of their previous eight.

Rangers 5, Tigers 4 In Arlington, Elvis Andrus drove in

Giants crush Cardinals

College QB Clausen for Carolina in NFL draft

SAN FRANCISCO: San Francisco pitcher Tim Lincecum won his initial four starts of a season for the first time in his career, as the Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 in the National League on Friday.

Lincecum (4-0) — the two-time reigning NL Cy Young Award winner — is 27-12 in 59 outings following Giants losses, including 3-0 this year.

San Francisco scored runs on a pair of errors and a wild pitch, and ended a four-game losing streak.

Yadier Molina singled in St. Louis’ lone run in the sixth, but the Cardinals could do little else against Lincecum. St. Louis pitcher Jaime Garcia (1-1) gave up four runs — two earned — in six innings. He also got his first major league hit.

Padres 10, Reds 4 In Cincinnati, San Diego extended its winning streak to seven games by trouncing Cincinnati.

Adrian Gonzalez hit his second career grand slam, Tony Gwynn Jr. added a two-run homer while Matt Stairs and Everth Cabrera drove in two runs each for the Padres. Kevin Correia (3-1) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and improved to 6-1 in his career vs. Cincinnati. Reds starter Bronson Arroyo (0-2) gave up eight runs in three innings.

D’backs 7, Phillies 4 In Phoenix, Mark Reynolds and Adam LaRoche hit consecutive homers during a five-run fourth inning to lead Arizona over Philadelphia.

Kelly Johnson added solo shots in the fifth and seventh innings and Chris Snyder also connected in the fourth. DBacks starter Kris Benson (1-1) threw six-plus strong innings, allowing just two earned runs while striking out five. Phillies starter Cole Hamels (2-2) allowed six runs over six innings.

Nationals 5, Dodgers 1 In Washington, rookie Luis Atilano pitched six strong innings in

the winning run with a ninth-inning single to lift Texas past Detroit. Justin Smoak, called up from the Oklahoma City Red Hawks earlier in the day for his major league debut, led off the ninth with a walk off Fu-Te Ni (0-1).

Smoak advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, and Ryan Garko was intentionally walked. Replacement pitcher Ryan Perry walked Nelson Cruz to load the bases, and Andrus drove in pinch runner Joaquin Arias from third with a line drive to right-center. Vladimir Guerrero homered and reached base three times for Texas.

The Rangers got strong work from their bullpen until closer Naftali Felix (1-0) faltered in the top of the ninth for his first blown save of the season. —AP

SAN FRANCISCO: St. Louis Cardinals’ Matt Holliday (right) slides across home plate to score as San Francisco Giants catcher Bengie Molina (left) looks on during the sixth inning of their baseball game. —AP his major league debut to steer Washington past Los Angeles.

Atilano, called up from the minor league Syracuse Chiefs to replace the injured Jason Marquis, allowed one run and walked only two.

Nationals slugger Adam Dunn broke a run of one homer in the first 16 games by going long in successive at-bats against Dodgers knuckleballer Charlie Haeger (0-2).

Atlanta. Davis delivered a monster drive while Atlanta’s prize rookie Jason Heyward struck out three times in going 0 for 4.

Emergency reliever Hisanori Takahashi (1-1) excelled for the Mets after starter John Maine left with an injury. Kenshin Kawakami (0-3) took the loss for the Braves, who have been beaten in three straight.

Mets 5, Braves 2 In New York, Ike Davis hit a 450foot shot for his first major league homer as New York downed

Cubs 8, Brewers 1 In Milwaukee, Chicago pitcher Ryan Dempster beat Milwaukee for the fourth consecutive time.

Dempster (2-0) gave up one run in 7 2-3 innings. He walked just one to improve 9-1 in his past 11 starts against the Brewers. His effort picked up the Cubs who had lost five of the past six games.

Dempster cooled off a Milwaukee lineup that had outscored Pittsburgh 36-1 during a threegame sweep. He didn’t allow a runner past second until the seventh.

Kosuke Fukudome and Tyler Colvin homered for Chicago. Milwaukee starter Jeff Suppan (0-1) was pulled after giving up three consecutive hits in the fifth.

Astros 4, Pirates 3 In Houston, Roy Oswalt moved into second place on the Astros’ all-time strikeouts list as Houston edged Pittsburgh.

Oswalt (2-2) struck out four to move past J.R. Richard with 1,494. Nolan Ryan holds the Astros record with 1,866. He didn’t give up a run until the seventh. Carlos Lee had a two-run double and Jeff Keppinger and Pedro Feliz also drove in runs for Houston. Garrett Jones and Jeff Clement homered for the Pirates.

Pittsburgh starter Paul Maholm (1-2) gave up four runs in seven innings. —AP

NEW YORK: Star college quarterback Jimmy Clausen had to wait until selection No.48 before being picked up by the Carolina Panthers on day two of the NFL draft Friday.

After the first round on Thursday, the selections Friday were about teams looking for some bargain selections, and the Panthers would not have reckoned on Clausen still being available that late. The former Notre Dame quarterback had been projected by some to be a first-round choice.

Clausen was 16-18 as a college starter after being one of the nation’s most sought recruits. The Panthers’ choice drew scattered boos from the crowd, but with Jake Delhomme gone and Matt Moore the incumbent, Carolina seems a good landing spot. “(Offensive) coach (John) Fox told me he said it was the same exact system I’ve played in the last three years. I’m really excited about that,” Clausen said. Clausen kicked off a spurt of more anticipated selections — and three All-Americans.

Safety Taylor Mays went to San Francisco, followed by cornerback-kick returner Javier Arenas to Kansas City, and running back Toby Gerhart, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, to Minnesota. The Vikings traded up 11 spots in the second round for Gerhart, a rarity as a white running back, and also a top baseball prospect. The Vikings needed a backup to star runner Adrian Peterson after losing Chester Taylor in free agency.

“I’m there to complement the best running back in the league, Adrian Peterson,” Gerhart said. “I remember when I first started college, Adrian Peterson was the man in college. I remember saying I want to emulate my game after him.”

Texas quarterback Colt McCoy finally was drafted, 85th overall, by Cleveland. That was one slot after his favorite college receiver, Jordan Shipley, went to Cincinnati. “It has been a long day,” McCoy said after speaking to Browns president Mike Holmgren.

“I told him, ‘You won’t regret it and we’ll win a lot of games.’ “ Wide receiver Golden Tate went 60th overall to Seattle. St. Louis was looking for a blocker for quarterback Sam Bradford, who went at No.1 on Thursday, and ignored several trade offers to stay put. They went for experienced tackle Rodger Saffold.

“Oh man, it was a long night,” Saffold said. “Your heart’s racing the entire time and I’m just glad St. Louis called. I didn’t know how much longer I could have taken it.” Minnesota, which traded out of the first round, has had injury issues at cornerback, so went for Chris Cook.

And Tampa Bay’s defensive line has been a sieve, which it addressed with the selections of Gerald McCoy at No. 3 overall and then Brian Price on Friday. Other notables on Day 2: Kansas City got a prime kick returner and receiving threat in slightly-built Dexter McCluster; giant defensive tackle Terrence Cody went to Baltimore; and Cincinnati selected linebacker Carlos Dunlap, who was arrested for drink-driving in December. The Bengals have a history of bringing in players with off-field issues.

“That was the only incident on my record,” Dunlap said.

“Pretty much, I told them that was my first and last incident. I learned from it. I apologized to everyone.” —AP

SPORTS

16

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Hurricanes triumph over Highlanders

FRANCE: Stade Francais’ fullback Hugo Bonneval (right) vies with Metro Racing 92’s hooker Benjamin Noirot during their French Top 14 rugby union match at the Charlety stadium. —AFP

Waratahs win over Brumbies SYDNEY: New South Wales Waratahs winger Lachlan Turner took a cross kick on his finger tips then tiptoed for 20 metres just centimetres from the sideline, to help his side to a 19-12 victory over the ACT Brumbies yesterday.

Turner’s try, from a pinpoint Berrick Barnes kick, put the Waratah’s 10 points in front, a lead they never relinquished to move to 33 points in a congested top

half of the Super 14 table.

“It was tough, both teams were desperate out there,” Waratahs captain Phil Waugh said in a televised interview. “A lot was on the line and... it was very physical.”

In a stop-start match, Brumbies’ captain Stephen Hoiles became increasingly exasperated with an early heavy penalty count against his side.

Such was his frustration, Hoiles told referee Steve Walsh one of his decisions was a “rubbish call”. Walsh immediately penalised the number eight and advanced the ball 10 metres for back chat. Waratahs flyhalf Daniel Halangahu capitalised, slotting three penalties to give the home side a 9-0 first-half lead before the Brumbies responded with three successive penalties by Wallabies

flyhalf Matt Giteau. Giteau’s third penalty, after the halftime hooter sounded, locked the score at 9-9 at the break.

Halangahu slotted his fourth penalty to give the home side a 12-9 lead before Turner produced his touchline magic to gather in Barnes’ cross kick and score under the posts.

Halangahu converted to give the Waratahs a 19-9 lead and while Giteau

slotted his fourth penalty with 20 minutes remaining neither side troubled the scoreboard again.

“It was a real grind. Just a really disappointing game,” Hoiles said. “I was disappointed with the number of scrum penalties, that’s neither right or wrong but it does get boring when you waste 10 to 15 minutes... repacking scrums.” —Reuters

Fraser maintains lead JEJU: Marcus Fraser of Australia maintained his lead in the weather-shortened Ballantine’s Championship when he shot a 2-under 70 in a windy second round yesterday.

Fraser improved to a 9-under 135 total to be one shot clear of defending champion Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand (67), Tano Goya of Argentina (70), and Gareth Maybin of Northern Ireland (68).

Thongchai and Goya finished their second rounds on Friday. Maybin moved into a tie for second on Saturday after posting his second consecutive 68.

Organizers reduced the tournament to 54 holes after fog disrupted play for more than six hours on Thursday. Conditions yesterday, however, were extremely windy on the Korean resort island of Jeju.

Fraser, who didn’t play on Friday but practiced, almost completed two flawless

rounds until he bogeyed his second-tolast hole yesterday, the par-4 8th at Pinx Golf Club. “I felt like I played just as well as I did on Thursday.

But it was just very tough conditions out there,” he said. Fraser’s lone win on the European Tour was back in 2003 at the Russian Open.

Ernie Els shot a solid 69 to stay in the hunt two strokes back of Fraser. Els is going for his third win worldwide this year. He is tied with Ted Oh of South Korea and Brett Rumford of Australia at 7 under. “My round could have been a lot better,” Els said. “I missed a lot of putts out there but I played pretty solidly.”

European Tour rookie Rhys Davies of Wales was in the hunt for the lead for most of the round before a triple bogey on the par-5 16th dropped him to the middle of the standings.

Record for Steyn, Bulls surge clear

Anthony Kim of the United States began the round with four birdies in his first six holes. But he faltered over the rest of the round, which included three double bogeys, on his way to a 74 and seven shots off the pace.

“I started out very well, but unfortunately couldn’t get anything going the rest of the day,” Kim said. “I’m starting to hit the ball better. If I can roll a couple of putts in (Sunday), I should be OK.” Hometown favorite Y.E. Yang failed to make the cut after shooting 6 over in his first two rounds. He played 35 of the 36 holes on Friday.

The US PGA champion was coming off a win at the Volvo China Open last week and hoping to impress family and friends.

The final round of the tournament, cosanctioned by the European Tour, Asian Tour and Korea PGA, will be today. —AP

Harrington back at Wentworth after changes VIRGINIA WATER: Ernie Els’ course design skills are so good they will lure world number 11 Padraig Har rington back to the PGA Championship at Wentworth next month for the first time since 2007.

“There are a lot of positives for me out there,” triple major winner Harrington told Reuters on Friday after playing a practice round at the famous West Course just outside London.

The 38-year-old Irishman has in the past been criticial of the venue for the European Tour’s flagship event but radical alterations by South African world number seven Els, who owns a house on the Wentwor th estate, have received a big thumbs up.

“I actually like the changes and I think they suit me. I know I’m putting pressure on myself but I’m looking forward to the tournament in four weeks’ time,” said Harrington after a round organised by his clubmakers Wilson. “Once I heard they were going to re-model the greens I said, ‘I’ll be one of the first there’.”

Few of the 18 holes remain

untouched, with the most eye-catching changes on the par-four eighth and the par-five 18th, which is now a true golfing test in Harrington’s view.

“I know it was iconic before but now it’s more substantial,” said the 2007 and 2008 British Open winner and 2008 US PGA champion. “It’s got that higher level of difficulty so nobody can just turn up and have an easy birdie or par.”

Harrington discovered that first hand on Friday when he found the water that now protects the 18th green from players seeking to reach the putting surface in two. “I think I’ll lay-up in the tournament,” he joked.

After claiming three majors out of six in 2007 and 2008, Harrington has not contended as much as he would have liked but he feels his game is back in shape.“I was maybe trying too hard at Augusta but I’m positive going forward and swing-wise, and mentally I’m ready to go,” he said referring to his missed cut at the US Masters earlier this month. Judging by his form at Wentworth, the bubbly Irishman is not far off the mark.

Despite using several caddies, a

throng of fans crowding around him throughout the round and cameras constantly snapping away, a broad grin never left his face as he effortlessly shot around level-par.

“Oh, doesn’t a good putt make up for a lot?,” he chirped on the second green after sinking a 20-footer for par.

Harrington is particularly keen to get to St Andrews for the British Open in July.

“It’s a good venue for me.,” he said. “I’ve won a couple of Dunhill Championships there and it’s a good track. “Although I think a lot of preparation will have to be done as traditionally I’ve found it quite hard to read the greens because they are so big.”

Harrington also said world number one Tiger Woods struggled with his putting on his U.S. Masters comeback after spending five months on the sidelines following the scandal over his extra-marital affairs.“His lack of competition showed up at Augusta,” said the Irishman. “He had more three putts than I’ve ever seen him have in an event but that’s just a lack of sharpness.”—Reuters

AUCKLAND: Wellington Hurricanes flyhalf Aaron Cruden ensured his side’s Super 14 slim playoff hopes remained alive with a 33-31 victory over the Otago Highlanders in Dunedin yesterday. Cruden scored a try and slotted three conversions while he had a hand in three more of the visitors’ five tries-four of which were scored in the first half.

“He is growing all the time and I think the coaches have blooded him pretty well,” Hurricanes captain Andrew Hore said in a televised interview. “They didn’t chuck him in there straight away and he’s coming along good.

“He will only get better and will be good for us in the years to come and it’s good to have a quality 10.” Like other matches in New Zealand and Australia this weekend, Sunday’s 95th anniversary of the First World War landings of ANZAC troops at Gallipoli was commemorated, with both sides standing silently while the Ode of Remembrance was read and the Last Post played before kickoff.

Both teams were prepared to attack at every opportunity with Cruden, widely seen as the successor for Daniel Carter’s role as the All Blacks’ backline general, in commanding form.

Cruden tested the Highlanders’ defensive line at every opportunity with two of his first half surges leading to tries for openside flanker Karl Lowe and lock Michael Paterson.

Scrumhalf Tyson Keats also scored a try before Cruden sauntered over for his team’s bonus point inside the first half after fullback Cory Jane, who was launching counter attack after counter attack from deep in his own territory, set him up.

The Highlanders, however, were also in an attacking mood, with captain Jimmy Cowan, flanker Alando Soakai and winger Ben Smith all scoring after sweeping movements to ensure the Hurricanes never got more than nine points ahead.

The home side, playing their last game of the 2010 season at Carisbrook, reduced the margin to 26-24 when tank-like Highlanders hooker Jason Rutledge barrelled over from in close just before halftime.

Cruden’s goalkicking radar, which had provided three conversions in the swirling first half wind, went astray in the second spell, and he missed two eminently kickable penalties.

The match then deteriorated with handling errors ending any flow or momentum before Cruden challenged the Highlanders line from an attacking scrum with 10 minutes remaining and his short pass put a rampaging Ma’a Nonu through under the posts.

The Highlanders hammered away at the Hurricanes for the final five minutes, but the visitors’ defensive wall held until replacement Otago prop Bronson Murray flopped over under the posts almost two minutes after the hooter sounded. The victory moved the Hurricanes up to sixth in the standings on 27 points. —Reuters

SOUTH KOREA: Rhys Davies of Wales plays a shot during the second round of the Ballantine’s Championship golf tournament at Pinx Golf Club on Jeju Island. —AP

PRETORIA: Fly-half Morne Steyn became the most prolific South African scorer in Super 14 yesterday when Northern Bulls surged five points clear at the top of the table.

Springbok Steyn contributed 26 points as the Pretoria franchise came good late in the second half to overwhelm neighbours Golden Lions 51-11 at cold, damp Loftus Versfeld after leading by just four points at half-time.

Steyn, who scored a try, kicked five penalties and converted three tries, entered the match level on 645 Super 14 points with injury-plagued former Lions fly-half Andre Pretorius. Victory lifted title holders Bulls to 39 points, five more than compatriots Western Stormers, seven-time champions Canterbury Crusaders of New Zealand and 2010 championship surprise package Queensland Reds of Australia. Topping the final group standings is crucial as it guarantees a home semi-final and, if successful, final, and the Bulls host Coastal Sharks from Durban and Crusaders before completing their schedule at the Stormers.

While the Bulls were overwhelming favourites to overcome a Lions team that have lost all their fixtures this season, the key issue for the home side was securing a four-try bonus point victory.

For much of a fiercely fought contest it looked as if a Lions team seeking a first Super 14 victory over the Bulls in five attempts might prove party poopers as they conceded only one try with 64 minutes gone.

Young right wing Gerhard van den Heever, drafted into the Bulls starting XV this season after Bok star Bryan Habana was lured to the Stormers, then turned the tide with two tries inside three minutes.

Fullback Zane Kirchner was the architect of both scores, kicking ahead for Van den Heever to win a race with Lions wing Wandile Mjekevu for the first and passing the ball for the wing to go over in the corner.

These strikes assured a Bulls side chasing a third Super 14 title in four seasons of victory, but another try was needed for the extra point and it came four minutes from full-time via Steyn. Relentless Bulls pack pressure close to the tryline wore down the Lions resistance and Steyn went over near the posts to the delight of those who braved the wintery conditions. As the Lions collapsed in the closing minutes, centre Wayne Olivier and left wing John Mametsa dotted down to give the scoreline a flattering appearance as the Lions were only 11 points adrift with 16 minutes remaining. Flanker Derick Kuun was the other Bulls try scorer while teenager Mjekevu crossed for the Lions late in the first half and fly-half Herkie Kruger succeeded with two penalty attempts out of four. — AFP

SPORTS

Sunday, April 25, 2010

17

Skier Miller says future hinges on US team NEW YORK: Bode Miller says what he hears from the US Ski Team will play a big role as he decides whether to retire.

The 32-year-old Miller says many of the issues that prompted him to start his own team two years ago hadn’t changed when he returned to the US team in the run-up to Vancouver.

Although the team has “some good stuff going on,” Miller says when it “comes down to nuts and bolts” the way the team operates has not changed.

“The team makes a big difference, the US Ski Team, in regards to what they’re going to do, where their funding is at,” said

Miller, who doesn’t expect to decide until the team’s preseason camp in August.

“Even philosophy and stuff, what they’re going to do next year. Because that makes a big difference for me.

“Obviously, it’s been an issue for a lot of years. That’s why I started my own team partly. ... They have some good stuff going on, but when it really comes down to nuts and bolts it has not changed at all really. Because it was the way it was, I just powered through it and got to the Olympics.” Miller won gold, silver and bronze at the Vancouver Olympics, helping US Alpine skiers to a record haul of

eight medals overall.

That’s probably why US men’s head coach Sasha Rearick is willing to listen and made it clear that he wants Miller back on the team.

“I take all the comments from all the guys and try to apply them. I want to make our team better,” he said. “We want to see Bode ski racing and part of our ski team family.”

Rearick said the 32-year-old Miller, a two-time World Cup overall champion who also won two silver medals at the Salt Lake City Olympics, has knowledge and leadership the team can use.

“He can challenge everyone to get better. He has experiences the young guys can learn from. When he trains, he trains harder than other guys,” Rearick said.

“That’s the kind of leadership we need, to show how hard you need to push yourself to achieve greatness in skiing.”

The US success at the Vancouver Games was a big turnaround from the 2006 Turin Olympics, where the Americans fared poorly, with Miller becoming the poster boy for underachievement.

He finished only two of five races, placing no better than fifth after coming in with a lot of hype, and gained a reputation for

caring more about night life than skiing.

He broke away from the US team in 2007 and skied independently for two seasons, taking time off last summer to recharge his batteries before rejoining the US squad in October 2009.

Miller credits that time away from skiing for his success at the Vancouver games.

“The mental aspect, the feeling of being happy and healthy and in a really nice place with my life, I felt that was much better than in Torino,” said Miller, who was making an appearance Friday in New York for watchmaker Hublot, one of his sponsors. “I

was not really that excited about going to Torino.

“This last year I had chance, I was away from the sport, I had the chance to kind of start over fresh. So when I got there this year I really felt happy, I was excited to be there and I was ready to really to push it.”

When he does retire from competitive skiing, will he miss it?

“I’m not one of those. I’ll be fine,” he said. “My uncle is super competitive and tells me, ‘You’re going to freak out when you quit.’ But I’m just not the same way.

“When I stop I’ll stop happy, and I’ll be fine doing whatever else I want to do.”—AP

Tadese aims to upset Kenyan plans in London LONDON: Eritrean Zersenay Tadese poses the biggest potential threat to Kenyan plans to dominate the men’s London marathon today after a sensational performance last month.

Tadese, who dropped out of last year’s London race, slashed 10 seconds off Olympic marathon champion Sammy Wanjiru’s world record when he clocked 58 minutes 23 seconds in the Lisbon halfmarathon in March.

Last year’s winner Wanjiru said on Friday that he would combine with world champion Abel Kirui and Duncan Kibet in a team effort in order to deliver a seventh consecutive men’s London title to Kenya.

Team tactics have been successful in the annual world cross country championships for Kenya, who swept the individual and team events this year.

“You cannot achieve things in this race alone,” Kirui told reporters. “Maybe after 35-km we will go it alone but at the end if one of us wins we will all celebrate because it will be an achievement for all of us.”

Despite Tadese’s heroics in Portugal, Wanjiru identified Tsegaye Kebede as the main threat to the Kenyans. The Ethiopian pushed the winner to a course record two hours five minutes 10 seconds last year.

“Today will be a wonderful race. It will be very difficult for me because everyone is so good. Abel is the world champion now so everyone wants to see the world and Olympic champions fight each other,” Wanjiru said.

The speed of Wanjiru and Tadese suggests Haile Gebrselassie’s world record of 2:03:59 could be under threat although the Kenyan said the slopes and curves of the demanding London course made a record unlikely.

Temperatures are forecast to be around 21 degrees Celsius after a week of glorious spring weather in London, with south-westerly winds also making conditions difficult.

Irina Mikitenko, aiming to emulate fellow German Katrin Dorre by completing a hat-trick of London women’s victories, had no complaints about the weather.

Mikitenko was forced to improvise her training routines during a savage European winter by moving to Spain for four weeks in January and training on an indoor track in Frankfurt in February. “The big advantage is I have had good experiences in London,” she said.—Reuters

‘Lightning’ Bolt plans to slow down for a change PHILADELPHIA: After spending the past few seasons running at lightning speed, sprint king Usain Bolt wants to spend some time in the slow lane.

With no Olympics or world championships this year, the Jamaican can ease off his assault on the record books. “My aim is to stay on beat this year and do it with as (little) energy as possible,” Bolt told a news conference on Friday. “This year I’m kind of taking it easy. Next year I’ll be working hard.”

True to his word, Bolt will make a lowkey start to 2010 by running at the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field in the Penn Relays on Saturday, the oldest US athletics competition.

The 23-year-old, returning to Franklin Field for the first time since 2005, will anchor Jamaica’s 4x100 metres relay team as part of the ‘USA v The World’ races.

Bolt, the world’s fastest man, said the one thing he remembered most about competing at the Penn Relays as a teenager was the cold weather.

The forecast for Saturday’s race is for a high of 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius). The Penn Relays, which began in 1895, feature top high school and college athletes from the US and around the world.

Bolt used to use the event as a warm-up for bigger races and said running in front of the large crowds helped his preparation.

Now, the competition does not play a major role in his training but still offers a chance to fine-tune his skills.

“It’s not a very big part but it helps sharpen me up a little bit,” Bolt said. “I’m feeling good in training, feeling better, feeling sharper.”

While Bolt is not out to rewrite the record books, he said training had not been all fun and games because he was due to face Asafa Powell.

Powell, his fellow countryman and former 100 metres world record holder, will compete in a second Jamaica team in the ‘USA v The World’ 4x100 relay.

“Our coach is taking this very seriously,” Bolt said. “We’ve been working on baton changes and talking about if you drop the baton you’ll probably get kicked out of the group.”—Reuters

GLENDALE: Goaltender Jimmy Howard No. 35 of the Detroit Red Wings makes a pad save on the puck as Martin Hanzal No. 11 and Petr Prucha No. 16 of the Phoenix Coyotes battle for a rebound with Nicklas Lidstrom No. 5 and Brad Stuart No. 23 in Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.—AFP

Sabres, Canadiens stay alive in playoffs BUFFALO: The Buffalo Sabres rebounded from a devastating loss to beat the Boston Bruins 4-1 on Friday and stay alive in their NHL Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

Adam Mair, Jason Pominville, and Mike Grier scored in the first 30 minutes for Buffalo, easing the jitters after Boston had won three successive tight games.

The Bruins still lead 3-2 and can clinch the series in Game 6 on Monday in Boston.

The Sabres broke through early in this one, with Mair scoring on Buffalo’s first shot, and Boston didn’t recover.

Johnny Boychuk scored the lone Boston goal late in the third, but Tyler Ennis added an empty-netter for the Sabres. Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller made 34 saves and was

helped at every turn by his teammates, who blocked 19 shots in the first two periods.

Canadiens 2, Capitals 1 In Washington, Montreal also took a must-win game, edging Washington to cut the series deficit to 3-2.

Thanks to terrific goaltending by Jaroslav Halak and a pair of early goals, eighth-seeded Montreal ensured Alex Ovechkin and Washington still have work to do in the first round of the playoffs. Halak made 37 saves in his return to the net, and Michael Cammalleri and Travis Moen scored on two of Montreal’s first five shots. The Capitals could have closed it out at home, but they will get another chance in Game 6 at Montreal on Monday. Canadiens coach

Jacques Martin went back to Halak — benching Carey Price, who took over in goal during Game 3 and started Game 4. The move worked against the high-flying, NHL-leading offense of the Capitals, as Halak limited Washington to Ovechkin’s second-period goal.

Red Wings 4, Coyotes 1 In Glendale, Arizona, Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard turned in another outstanding performance to lift his team over Phoenix and to a 3-2 series lead.

Tomas Holmstrom and Pavel Datsyuk each had a goal and an assist. They scored 1:10 apart midway through the third period to break a 1-1 tie and deliver a win that gave Detroit its first lead in the series.

Boubyan Bank Team.

Howard, coming off a shutout, finished with 30 saves, including two huge stops on Martin Hanzal’s breakaway with the score tied 1-1.

Henrik Zetterberg scored for the sixth time in the series and Drew Miller had a goal for Detroit, which can close out the series Sunday at home. Ed Jovanovski scored for Phoenix, and Ilya Bryzgalov had 25 saves.

Canucks 7, Kings 2 In Vancouver, Mikael Samuelsson scored twice and added an assist as Vancouver routed Los Angeles and grabbed a 3-2 series lead.

Daniel Sedin and Samuelsson scored 5 minutes apart in the second period to chase

Kings goalie Jonathan Quick. Samuelsson added his playoff-leading seventh goal on a power play in the third to send backup Erik Ersberg back to the bench.

Steve Bernier had two goals, Alexander Edler and Pavol Demitra also scored, and Roberto Luongo made 24 saves for Vancouver. After rallying in the third period to win Game 4 in Los Angeles and avoid a 3-1 series deficit, the Canucks can advance to the second round with a road victory on Sunday.

Vancouver’s Henrik Sedin, who led the NHL in regular-season points, set up both second-period goals. Michal Handzus, on a power play, and Fredrik Modin scored for the young Kings, who shook up their bottom three forward lines. —AP

Gulf Bank Team

Boubyan, Gulf Bank lead KBC Cup groups KUWAIT: The Kuwait Bank’s Club football cup for the 2010 season continued at the Ministry of Information ground, Boubyan Bank remained on top of Group A following the third week of competition

with 9 points, followed by the Kuwait Finance House with 7 points, the National Bank of Kuwait with 6 points, Al-Ahli Bank with 4 points, and Burgan Bank with zero points.

In Group B competitions, the Gulf Bank remained on top with 9 points, followed by the International Bank of Kuwait with 6 points, Al-Ahli United Bank with 3 points, and the Commercial Bank.

The first two teams from each group will advance to a Final Four playoffs tournament, in which the top team from each group will square off against the second team from the other group in two matches

to be held next Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.

The winners of these matches will advance to the final match to be held on Saturday, May 1 at Al-Arabi Sports Club.

SPORTS

18

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Doping could cost athletics top Olympic spot — analyst RALEIGH: The doping cases that have dogged athletics leave it at risk of being overtaken by swimming as the premier Olympic sport.

“Because of the drug issues, because it (athletics) is not terribly compelling, I think swimming has taken over a little bit in terms of Olympic sports popularity,” Bob Dorfman, creative director of San Francisco’s Baker Street Advertising and a nationally recognised sports analyst, told Reuters in a telephone interview.

His comments came in the wake of Olympic and world 400 metres champion LaShawn Merritt’s admission through his

lawyer on Thursday that he had failed three dope tests for a banned substance contained in an over-the-counter male enhancement product he had taken.

The positive, which is under investigation by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), will have a key impact on the sport both financially and audience-wise, analysts and sports officials said.

“These stories always amount to a huge setback in keeping the sport relevant to people who barely care to begin with,” Paul Swangard, managing director of the University of Oregon’s Warsaw Sports Marketing Center, said in a telephone inter-

view. “It is the type of thing that contributes to a general reluctance by fans and ultimately to sponsors.

“Every time the sport seems to be poised to hit the mainstream, these types of revelations tend to set the sport back further than other sports because there is so much history with past issues related to performance enhancing substances,” Swangard added.

Merritt, 23, is the latest high-profile US athlete to fall foul of the dope testers. The public’s image of the sport really took a nose dive when disgraced sprinter Marion Jones lied about taking drugs, Dorfman said.

“That probably was the biggest blow and I think that has made most followers of the sport cynical,” he said.

Jones was stripped of her three gold and two bronze medals from the 2000 Olympics after admitting using banned drugs following years of denial. She also served a sixmonth U.S. prison sentence for lying to federal prosecutors about her steroid use.

Former 100 metres world record holder Tim Montgomery and 2004 Olympic champion Justin Gatlin have also been suspended for doping violations.

Merritt has been one of the Unites States’ top gold medal-winners in recent

saying it showed athletics was serious about weeding out those who broke antidoping rules.

“However disappointing this news is, the image of athletics should be strong enough to survive,” Nick Davies of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said in an email to Reuters.

“Sponsors and fans will appreciate that the sport has no mercy when it comes to hunting down those who break anti-doping rules,” Davies said. “The alternative is not to try to catch the cheaters and that is the end of a credible sport.”— Reuters

years taking the 2008 Olympic and 2009 world titles and sparking the U.S. to 4x400 metres relay victories at both competitions.

The impact of his case will go far beyond Merritt, said Doug Logan, chief executive officer of USA Track and Field (USATF).

“Actions like this are costing them (athletes) paydays,” Logan said in a telephone interview. “It is this kind of behavior that diminishes the value of the sport in the commercial world.

“I am not planning any sponsor calls in the next 48 hours,” he added. However, a spokesman for the sports’ governing body downplayed the impact of Merritt’s case

Cavaliers say give Shaq time

SAN ANTONIO: Dallas Mavericks’ Erick Dampier (right) is blocked by San Antonio Spurs’ Tim Duncan (left) during the first quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series. — AP

Celtics cool Heat on buzzer MIAMI: Paul Pierce sank a 21-foot shot on the buzzer to give the Boston Celtics a 100-98 win over the Miami Heat on Friday and a 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven NBA first-round playoff series.

“That’s a shot I hit a number of times in playoffs and regular season,” Pierce said after getting mobbed by teammates in an on-court melee. “I told the coaches, ‘Give me the ball on the right side.’ I got to my sweet spot, made sure there wasn’t any time left and drained it.”

No team has ever rallied from an 0-3 deficit in a series, and Miami might have even bigger problems than that. Dwayne Wade hurt his left calf after missing a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left.

Pierce finished with 32 points, while Ray Allen added 25 for the Celtics, who got 17 from

Rajon Rondo and 16 from Kevin Garnett.

Wade finished with 34 points, eight assists and five rebounds for the Heat, who rallied from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to take the lead, then fell victim to Pierce at the end.

Boston led 85-76 early in the fourth, seeming to be in full control of the game, and with it the series. On the ropes, the Celtics poised to land the knockout blow, the Heat found a way to counter.

Michael Beasley scored six of the next eight Miami points to spark the rally, and when Dorell Wright hit two foul shots with 3:46 left after Pierce shoved him in the back jostling for a rebound, the Heat were up 92-91.

After the score was tied twice, Allen swished a 3-pointer off a quick catch-and-shoot

with 2:31 left, putting Boston back up 95-94.

Pierce made a 3-pointer — he missed a jumper, but Rondo swooped in, got the rebound and got the ball back out — to give Boston a threepoint lead, only to have Wright answer 13 seconds later with a 3 from near the Celtics’ bench.

Spurs 94, Mavericks 90 In San Antonio, Playing with a bandage across his broken nose after getting popped by an elbow, Manu Ginobili helped San Antonio hold on to beat Dallas in a wild fourth quarter.

Ginobili scored 11 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter. He was diagnosed after the game with a broken nose, and the Spurs said he would undergo a CT scan on Saturday. The Spurs took a 2-1 series lead beat the NBA’s

best road team, despite Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki scoring 35 points after a shaky Game 2. Game 4 is Sunday in San Antonio.

Tim Duncan scored 25 points for the second straight game for the Spurs. Jason Terry scored 17 points and J.J. Barea had 14 for Dallas, but Caron Butler never left the bench in the second half and finished with two points.

Nowitzki was 13 of 23 from the field and jump-started a 17-0 run in the third quarter that got the Mavs back into the game. Tony Parker had 23 points as San Antonio’s sixth man, a role Ginobili held for many years.

Jazz 105, Nuggets 93 In Salt Lake City, Paul Millsap had careerhighs of 22 points and 19 rebounds, rallying Utah from a bad start to beat Denver.

The Jazz lead Denver 2-1 in the series with Game 4 on Sunday in Utah, where the loud and rowdy fans lived up to their reputation Friday and added to the Nuggets’ misery with endless taunts. Utah limited Denver’s Carmelo Anthony to 25 points and flustered him into five fouls.

Deron Williams finished with 24 points and 10 assists for the Jazz, while Carlos Boozer added 18 points despite missing his first five shots.

Chauncey Billups also scored 25 points, but he and Anthony were the only Denver players to finish in double figures. Millsap made his first nine shots and finished 11 of 14 from the field for Utah, which dominated the second and third quarters after Denver had pulled away by 11 points in the first. — AP

Italy in control of Fed Cup semi ROME: Reigning Fed Cup champions Italy took control of their semi-final against the Czech Republic in Rome yesterday by winning the opening two singles rubbers.

Top seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta ground out a 6-4, 7-5 victory against Lucie Hradecka before Francesca Schiavone thrashed Czech number one Lucie Safarova 6-0, 6-2 on the Roman clay.

Should Italy progress to the final, they will meet either the USA, their beaten opponents in last year’s title match, or Russia, the team who defeated them in 2007.

Aiming for their fourth final in five years, Italy were off to the perfect start despite the brief inconvenience of a rain delay.

Pennetta took her time to get going and slumped to a 4-1 first set deficit before turning it around with five games on the trot.

Incredibly, the second set followed an almost identical pattern, with world number 15 Pennetta again going down 4-1 before hitting back to win that 7-5.

The second singles rubber was a walk in the park for Schiavone, two places below her compatriot in the world rankings, as the world number 38 Safarova offered almost no resistance.

The pair will swap opponents today and if the Czechs mount an unlikely comeback a doubles rubber will be needed, in which Italy can field Roberta Vinci, who has never lost a Fed Cup doubles match. — AFP

CHICAGOP: It’s not easy to fade into the crowd when you’re 7-foot-1, 325 pounds (2.16 meters, 148 kilograms), and your name is Shaquille O’Neal.

Yet, he’s been effectively invisible in the past two NBA playoff games for the Cleveland Cavaliers. After a solid playoff opener against the Chicago Bulls, O’Neal has just 14 points and 11 rebounds in limited minutes over the past two games.

To that, the Cavaliers said, give the big man some time. After all, he missed the final 23 regular-season games because of a torn ligament in his right thumb. “I’m not concerned,” LeBron James said. “I think we know we need him to pick up his play and he knows that also.

No matter who you are — no matter if you’re the best player in the world — if you have an eight-week layoff, it’s definitely going to take a toll on you to start. But we’re looking for him to try to be productive as much as he can with that layoff, be a force in the interior and help us win these games.”

The Cavaliers lead the Bulls 2-1 and next meet on Sunday. O’Neal has been quiet since the opener and hasn’t made himself available for comment. “I’ve got to get him more involved,” coach Mike Brown said.

At 38 and a 15-time All-Star, O’Neal may be past his prime, but he can still be a force.

He played well during the regular season, averaging 12 points and 6.7 rebounds in 53 games and helped the Cavaliers go 4-1 against the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers — two big championship obstacles and two teams that have given them trouble in the past — with him in the lineup.

Against the Bulls, O’Neal was solid in the opener with 12 points and five rebounds in about 25 minutes. In Game 2, he had eight points and seven boards in 15 minutes and delivered six and four while playing 20 minutes in Game 3, although Brown insisted he could have scored more.

“He had great looks, but it just popped out,” Brown said. “But those will go down as the series goes on. He’s going to be a factor for us, a big factor for us. A big factor. So I’ve got to do a better job trying to find some minutes for him.” Brown said there are no physical limitations, that the Cavaliers can push O’Neal “as hard as we want to push him.”

“Obviously, he hasn’t played in a while,” Brown said. “We’re not giving him consistent minutes right now so he may still have a little bit of rust on him, but right now, he’s good to go for as long as we need him.” The Cavaliers were eyeing a championship when they made the offseason trade with Phoenix, hoping O’Neal could help them get by Dwight Howard and the Magic and, ultimately, capture the title.

At the moment, Brown is having a tough time working Shaq back into the rotation. “If I feel like if there’s a group out there that’s playing well and he’s not part of that group, I’ll let that group run,” Brown said.

“I’ll let a group that’s playing well run for as long as they can before making changes so I’m not going to get him out on the floor if I think it’s going to hurt the team. But I need to try to figure out ways to get him some longer stretches on the court.”—AP

Soderling threatens Spanish reign

ROME: Czech Republic’s Lucie Hradecka returns the ball to Italy’s Flavia Pennetta during a Fed Cup tennis semifinal match. Pennetta won 6-4, 7-5. — AP

BARCELONA: Sweden’s Robin Soderling defeated Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker 6-1, 6-4 yesterday to reach the Barcelona Open final where he will aim to smash a long-standing Spanish stranglehold at the claycourt event.

Second seed Soderling, the 2009 Roland Garros finalist, will be the first from his country to bid for the title at the Real club since Magnus Larsson a decade and a half ago.

He will aim to become the first Swedish winner at the tournament since Kent Carlsson 22 years ago when he tackles Spanish fifth seed Fernando Verdasco in today’s title match.

Verdasco, last week’s runner-up to Rafael Nadal at Monte Carlo, denied compatriot David Ferrer a third straight final here with a 6-7 (3/7), 7-5, 6-1 comeback win in his semi-final.

Spaniards have played in the last 13 Barcelona finals dating back to 1997 and have won the trophy through Nadal (2005-2009), Tommy Robredo in 2004 and Carlos Moya in 2003.

Soderling, who opened his clay campaign only this week after resting a minor knee problem, ran away against De Bakker, playing his first semi-final on the ATP Tour.

He took the first set in 32 minutes and reached 4-0 in the second before his

21-year-old opponent could react. De Bakker broke for the first time for 2-4 and threatened again with a break point in the final game, which Soderling saved. The second seed managed his third ace with perfect timing to bring up match point, quickly wrapping up the tie after 75 minutes.

Ferrer lost title bids in 2008 and 2009 to Nadal as the four-time Roland Garros champion, who skipped this event, swept to his five straight titles.

Verdasco was proud of his fightback effort. “I’m very happy to be in my first final here. I’ll work to recover and hope not to wake up too tired,” said the world number nine.

Ferrer and Verdasco duelled for 66 minutes in their opening set before Ferrer took it in a tiebreaker. Verdasco got back into contention in the second, which he won by breaking Ferrer twice after falling behind 2-3 on a break of his own serve.

In the third, Verdasco was untroubled as he dominated to secure the victory. “The first two sets took two hours, but I gained confidence when I came back from a break in the second set,” said the winner. “I felt heavy in the legs in the first and was moving poorly. But I got better as we played on.”— AFP

SPORTS

Sunday, April 25, 2010

19

Soccer results/standings English Premier League results Arsenal 0 Man City 0; Bolton 2 (Klasnic 26, Davies 28) Portsmouth 2 (Dindane 54, 68); Hull 0 Sunderland 1 (Bent 7); Man Utd 3 (Giggs 58-pen, 86-pen, Nani 81) Tottenham 1 (King 70); West Ham 3 (Ilan 31, Kovac 45, Parker 77) Wigan 2 (Spector 4-og, Rodallega 52); Wolves 1 (Ebanks-Blake 81) Blackburn 1 (Nelsen 28) Playing today Aston Villa v Birmingham; Burnley v Liverpool; Chelsea v Stoke; Everton v Fulham English Football League results Championship Barnsley 0 QPR 1; Bristol City 2 Derby 1; Cardiff 3 Sheffield Wednesday 2; Doncaster 4 Scunthorpe 3; Middlesbrough 1 Coventry 1; Newcastle 2 Ipswich 2; Nottingham Forest 3 Plymouth 0; Peterborough 0 Blackpool 1; Preston 0 Leicester 1; Sheffield Utd 2 Swansea 0; Watford 3 Reading 0.

Division One Brentford 1 Yeovil 1; Brighton 2 Bristol Rovers 1; Colchester 1 Tranmere 1; Exeter 1 Charlton 1; Leeds 4 Milton Keyens Dons 1; Millwall 2 Leyton Orient 1; Norwich 2 Gillingham 0; Oldham 2 Southend 2; Southampton 3 Carlisle 2; Stockport 0 Huddersfield 6; Walsall 3 Hartlepool 1; Wycombe 2 Swindon 2.

Division Two Barnet 0 Rotherham 1; Burton 0 Bournemouth 2; Cheltenham 1 Aldershot 2; Chesterfield 1 Bradford 1; Crewe 5 Accrington 1; Darlington 0 Grimsby 2; Hereford 2 Rochdale 1; Lincoln 1 Bury 0; Morecambe 1 Dagenham and Redbridge 0; Northampton 2 Shrewsbury 0; Port Vale 2 Notts County 1; Torquay 1 Macclesfield 0.

Scottish Premier League results Falkirk 0 Hamilton 1 (M. Paixao 19); Hearts 0 Motherwell 2 (Saunders 42, Zaliukas 45-og); St Johnstone 1 (Nelson 90-og) Aberdeen 1 (MacLean 16); St Mirren 1 (Dorman 74) Kilmarnock 0.

Playing today Dundee Utd v Celtic; Hibernian v Rangers.

Scottish Football League results First Division Ayr 0 Inverness CT 7; Dundee 2 Raith 0; Dunfermline 4 Morton 1; Queen of the South 2 Airdrie Utd 2; Ross County 1 Partick 2.

Second Division Cowdenbeath 4 Brechin 0; Dumbarton 0 Arbroath 2; East Fife 1 Stenhousemuir 1; Peterhead 2 Alloa 0; Stirling 1 Clyde 0.

Third Division Berwick 1 Albion 2; East Stirling 3 Annan Athletic 1; Montrose 0 Livingston 5; Queens Park 0 Elgin 1; Stranraer 2 Forfar 0.

Italian Serie A results Inter Milan 3 (Milito 24, Mariga 35, Chivu 78) Atalanta 1 (Tiribocchi 5) Playing later Palermo v AC Milan Playing today Bologna v Parma, Fiorentina v Chievo, Genoa v Lazio, Juventus v Bari, Livorno v Catania, Napoli v Cagliari, AS Roma v Sampdoria, Udinese v Siena German League results Borussia M’gladbach 1 (Reus 60) Bayern Munich 1 (Klose 73); Nuremberg 2 (Frantz 30, Eigler 84) Borussia Dortmund 3 (Barrios 27, 63, 78); Hertha Berlin 0 Schalke 04 1 (Westermann 87); Bayer Leverkusen 3 (Kiessling 26, 87, Kaplan 64) Hanover 96 0; Mainz 05 3 (Bance 45, Simak 56, Bance 86) Eintracht Frankfurt 3 (Meier 13, 20, Korkmaz 62); Werder Bremen 1 (Frings 90pen) Cologne 0.

Playing today Hoffenheim v Hamburg, Freiburg v VfL Wolfsburg Played Friday VfL Bochum 0 VfB Stuttgart 2 (Cacau 14, Marica 18) Spanish League results Barcelona 3 (Suarez 14, Henry 24, Ibrahimovic 56) Xerez 1 (Bermejo 25); Real Zaragoza 1 (Colunga 61) Real Madrid 2 (Raul 50, Kaka 82) Playing later Valencia v Deportivo La Coruna

English Premier League table English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Man Utd 36 25 4 7 81 28 79 Chelsea 35 24 5 6 86 32 77 Arsenal 36 22 6 8 78 39 72 Tottenham 35 19 7 9 63 37 64 Man City 35 17 12 6 69 42 63 Aston Villa 35 16 13 6 50 35 61 Liverpool 35 17 8 10 57 33 59 Everton 35 14 12 9 57 48 54 Birmingham 35 12 11 12 35 43 47 Sunderland 36 11 11 14 47 53 44 Blackburn 36 11 11 14 38 54 44 Fulham 34 11 10 13 35 37 43 Stoke 34 10 13 11 33 37 43 Bolton 36 9 9 18 40 65 36 W’hampton 36 8 11 17 29 52 35 Wigan 36 9 8 19 35 69 35 West Ham 36 8 10 18 44 62 34 Hull 36 6 10 20 32 73 28 Burnley 35 7 6 22 37 74 27 Portsmouth 36 6 7 23 31 64 16 relegated Note: Portsmouth deducted 9 points for entering administration English Football League tables Championship Newcastle 45 29 12 4 89 35 99 promoted West Brom 44 26 11 7 87 46 89 promoted Nott Forest 45 22 12 11 63 38 78 Cardiff 45 22 10 13 73 52 76 Leicester 45 20 13 12 59 45 73 Blackpool 45 19 12 14 73 57 69 Swansea 45 17 17 11 40 37 68 Middlesbrough 45 16 14 15 58 48 62 Sheffield Utd 45 16 14 15 59 55 62 Bristol City 45 15 17 13 55 64 62 Reading 45 16 12 17 64 62 60 Doncaster 45 15 14 16 59 58 59 QPR 45 14 15 16 58 64 57 Ipswich 45 12 20 13 50 58 56 Preston 45 13 15 17 57 69 54 Coventry 45 13 15 17 47 60 54 Derby 45 14 11 20 51 63 53 Barnsley 45 14 11 20 52 68 53 Watford 45 13 12 20 57 68 51 Scunthorpe 45 14 9 22 60 82 51 Crystal Palace 44 14 15 15 47 50 47 Sheffield Wed 45 11 13 21 47 67 46 Plymouth 45 11 8 26 42 66 41 relegated Peterborough 45 7 10 28 44 79 31 relegated Note: Crystal Palace deducted 10 points for entering administration Division One Norwich 44 28 8 8 86 45 92 promoted Leeds 44 24 11 9 75 42 83 Millwall 44 23 13 8 73 40 82 Swindon 44 21 16 7 68 52 79 Charlton 44 21 15 8 68 48 78 Huddersfield 44 22 11 11 79 53 77 Southampton 44 22 14 8 81 44 70 Colchester 44 19 12 13 62 50 69 Bristol Rovers 44 19 5 20 58 65 62 Brentford 44 14 19 11 53 49 61 Milton 44 17 8 19 59 66 59 Walsall 44 15 13 16 57 61 58 Brighton 44 14 13 17 55 60 55 Carlisle 44 14 12 18 60 65 54 Oldham 44 13 13 18 39 52 52 Hartlepool 44 14 9 21 58 66 51 Yeovil 44 12 14 18 52 58 50 Leyton Orient 44 12 12 20 51 62 48 Exeter 44 10 17 17 45 58 47 Gillingham 44 11 14 19 46 60 47 Tranmere 44 12 9 23 40 72 45 Wycombe 44 9 15 20 53 74 42 Southend 44 9 13 22 48 68 40 relegated Stockport 44 5 10 29 34 90 25 relegated Note: Southampton deducted 10 points for entering administration Division Two Notts County 43 25 11 7 86 31 86 promoted Rochdale 44 25 7 12 81 45 82 promoted Bournemouth 44 24 8 12 56 42 80 promoted Rotherham 44 21 9 14 55 49 72 Aldershot 44 19 12 13 66 54 69 Bury 44 19 11 14 53 55 68 Port Vale 44 17 16 11 60 45 67 Morecambe 44 18 13 13 69 62 67 Chesterfield 44 20 7 17 59 59 67 Northampton 44 18 12 14 61 50 66 Dagenham 44 18 12 14 65 57 66 Shrewsbury 44 17 11 16 52 50 62 Burton Albion 44 15 11 18 66 70 56 Bradford 44 14 14 16 56 62 56 Hereford 44 16 8 20 50 63 56 Crewe 44 15 9 20 68 72 54 Accrington 43 16 6 21 58 73 54 Torquay 44 13 14 17 61 55 53 Macclesfield 44 12 17 15 49 56 53 Lincoln City 44 13 10 21 41 62 49 Cheltenham 44 10 17 17 53 65 47 Barnet 43 11 12 20 46 60 45 Grimsby 44 8 17 19 43 68 41 Darlington 43 7 6 30 31 80 27 relegated Scottish Premier League table Rangers 34 24 8 2 75 22 80 Celtic 34 21 6 7 65 37 69 Dundee Utd 34 17 11 6 54 41 62 Motherwell 35 13 12 10 43 41 51 Hibernian 34 14 8 12 49 46 50 Hearts 35 12 8 15 32 43 44 St Johnstone 35 11 10 14 53 57 43 Hamilton 35 11 9 15 33 43 42 Aberdeen 35 9 11 15 33 47 38 St Mirren 35 7 11 17 35 47 32 Kilmarnock 35 7 8 20 26 48 29 Falkirk 35 6 10 19 30 56 28 Scottish Football League tables First Division Inverness CT 35 20 10 5 71 32 70 Dundee 35 16 13 6 48 33 61 Q of the South 34 15 10 9 53 39 55 Dunfermline 35 16 7 12 53 44 55 Ross County 33 13 11 9 42 39 50 Partick 35 13 6 16 42 40 45 Raith 33 10 8 15 32 45 38 Morton 34 10 4 20 37 62 34 Ayr 34 7 10 17 28 57 31 Airdrie Utd 34 7 9 18 40 55 30 Second Division Stirling 34 18 9 7 64 44 63 Alloa 35 18 8 9 46 34 62 Cowdenbeath 34 16 10 8 56 35 58

Brechin 35 15 8 12 49 44 Peterhead 35 15 5 15 44 48 Dumbarton 35 14 6 15 47 54 East Fife 35 10 10 15 44 51 Stenhousemuir 35 9 12 14 37 41 Arbroath 35 10 9 16 39 53 Clyde 35 7 7 21 33 55 Third Division Livingston 34 22 6 6 60 25 Forfar 35 18 8 9 58 43 East Stirling 35 19 4 12 50 45 Queens Park 35 15 5 15 41 41 Albion 34 13 10 11 35 33 Berwick 35 13 8 14 45 50 Annan Athletic 35 11 10 14 41 41 Stranraer 34 12 7 15 45 52 Elgin 34 8 7 19 39 54 Montrose 35 5 9 21 28 58 German League table Bayern Munich 32 18 10 4 66 29 Schalke 04 32 19 7 6 53 29 Bremen 32 16 9 7 68 39 Leverkusen 32 15 12 5 63 36 Borussia 32 16 8 8 52 38 VfB Stuttgart 32 15 8 9 48 38 Hamburger SV 31 12 12 7 50 35 VfL Wolfsburg 31 13 7 11 60 55 Eintracht 32 12 10 10 45 49 Mainz 05 32 12 9 11 34 40 Borussia 32 10 8 14 41 53 Cologne 32 9 10 13 31 39 Hoffenheim 31 9 8 14 36 39 Nuremberg 32 7 7 18 31 54 VfL Bochum 32 6 10 16 32 58 Freiburg 31 7 7 17 29 56 Hanover 96 32 7 6 19 34 66 Hertha Berlin 32 5 8 19 32 52 Italian League table Inter Milan 35 21 10 4 68 31 AS Roma 34 21 8 5 61 37 AC Milan 34 18 10 6 55 35 Sampdoria 34 16 9 9 43 39 Palermo 34 15 10 9 51 43 Napoli 34 13 13 8 46 41 Juventus 34 15 6 13 49 49 Genoa 34 13 9 12 55 55 Fiorentina 34 13 7 14 47 41 Parma 34 12 10 12 37 44 Bari 34 11 10 13 41 43 Cagliari 34 11 8 15 52 53 Chievo 34 11 8 15 31 34 Catania 34 9 13 12 40 40 Udinese 34 10 9 15 44 50 Lazio 34 8 13 13 32 38 Bologna 34 9 9 16 37 51 Atalanta 35 9 7 19 35 48 Siena 34 7 9 18 37 59 Livorno 34 6 8 20 22 52 Spanish League table Barcelona 34 27 6 1 83 20 Real Madrid 34 28 2 4 89 30 Valencia 33 17 8 8 52 37 Mallorca 33 16 7 10 52 37 Sevilla 33 16 6 11 49 38 Villarreal 33 14 7 12 48 45 Bilbao 33 14 7 12 45 44 Getafe 33 14 5 14 48 43 Deportivo 33 12 8 13 33 42 Atletico 33 11 7 15 49 52 Osasuna 33 10 8 15 30 39 Almeria 33 9 11 13 34 45 Espanyol 33 9 11 13 26 40 Sporting 33 9 10 14 33 44 Racing 33 8 12 13 36 48 Zaragoza 34 8 10 16 39 58 Malaga 33 7 12 14 37 42 Tenerife 33 8 8 17 34 63 Valladolid 33 5 14 14 32 54 Xerez 34 6 9 19 31 59

53 50 48 40 39 39 28 72 62 61 50 49 47 43 43 31 24 64 64 57 57 56 53 48 46 46 45 38 37 35 28 28 28 27 23 73 71 64 57 55 52 51 48 46 46 43 41 41 40 39 37 36 34 30 26 87 86 59 55 54 49 49 47 44 40 38 38 38 37 36 34 33 32 29 27

Todayʼs matches on TV (local timings) English Premier League Aston Villa v Birmingham..................14:00 ShowSports 1 ShowSports 2 Everton v Fulham.............................17:00 Extreme Sports Burnley v Liverpool..........................17:00 ShowSports 4 Chelsea v Stoke...............................18:00 ShowSports 1 ShowSports 2 Spanish League Racing v Villarreal............................18:00 Al Jazeera Sport +5 Mallorca v Malaga.............................18:00 Al Jazeera Sport +6 Almeria v Espanyol...........................18:00 Al JazeeraSport +7 Atletico v Tenerife...........................20:00 Al Jazeera Sport +2 Getafe v Sevilla................................22:00 Al Jazeera Sport +2 Italian League Juventus v Bari................................16:00 Al Jazera Sport +1 Napoli v Cagliari..............................16:00 Al Jazeera Sport +2 Genoa v Lazio..................................16:00 Al Jazeera Sport +5 Fiorentina v Chievo.........................16:00 Al Jazeera Sport +9 AS Roma v Sampdoria......................21:45 Al Jazeera Sport +3

SPAIN: Real Madrid’s Kaka from Brazil celebrates with teammate Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal after scoring a goal against Zaragoza.—AP

Barca, Real both get crucial wins MADRID: Barcelona beat last-place Xerez 3-1 yesterday to stay top of the Spanish league ahead of title rival Real Madrid, which remained one point back of the defending champion after Kaka scored the winner in a temperamental 2-1 win at Zaragoza.

Jeffren Suarez and Thierry Henry put Barcelona 2-0 up before Mario Bermejo cut the lead in half with a rising shot in the 25th minute.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s second-half goal reestablished the two-goal cushion as Barcelona stayed ahead of Madrid, which won a hard-fought match thanks to Kaka’s 82nd-minute score.

The Brazil playmaker received a pass from Cristiano Ronaldo before slotting a low shot past goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez to mark his return from a groin injury.

Madrid had gone ahead through Raul Gonzalez in the 50th minute before Adrian Colunga equalized from a counter attack in the 61st — nine minutes after Zaragoza was left with 10 men when Matteo Contini was sent off for throwing an elbow at Gonzalo Higuain.

Barcelona has 87 points and Madrid 86

with four games remaining. Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola shuffled his lineup with Wednesday’s Champions League semifinal match against Inter Milan looming and the European champions needing to overturn a 3-1 first-leg defeat.

“Today we played with Inter on our minds — it was inevitable,” Guardiola said.

“It’s too important for us. We’ve just won six titles and there’s a feeling that if we don’t win the double we’ve achieved nothing.” Regulars Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique watched from the bench in the first half, while Daniel Alves was suspended and fellow defender Eric Abidal was rested with a sore groin.

Xavi was the architect of the 14thminute opener as the Spain midfielder put Suarez into the area with a pass from just inside the half. Suarez slipped to the ground as he ran onto the ball but then slid it to himself away from his marker, jumping up to score with a precise left-footed shot from a tight angle along the goal line.

The hosts doubled the advantage in the 24th after Seydou Keita played Ibrahimovic into the right side of the area, with Henry streaking in to push the Swedish striker’s

no-look centering pass in for his fourth goal of the season. Just as Barcelona looked ready to run away with it, Bermejo blasted a rising shot inside the near corner past well-positioned goalkeeper Victor Valdes.

Pique replaced Marquez as Guardiola looked to shore up the Catalans shaky defense, which was twice saved by Valdes after the restart as the Barcelona made key stops on Bermejo Emiliano Armenteros.

Barcelona looked more assured following Messi and Pique’s entrances and Ibrahimovic gave the Catalans extra breathing room in the 56th after finishing Yaya Toure’s break. The Ivory Coast midfielder played himself free along the left before finding Ibrahimovic in front of the net for his 16th goal of the season.

“Wednesday’s game is unique, and today’s was dangerous,” Guardiola said. “I don’t doubt my players but the weight of Wednesday’s game was heavy.”

Xerez, which finished with nine men after Matias Alustiza and Fabian Orellana were both red carded in injury time, has only four more games to avoid relegation.

At La Romareda, Ronaldo had several early chances, none better than after three min-

utes when Higuain put him clear on Jimenez only for the Portugal forward to shoot straight at the Zaragoza keeper.

Raul came on for the injured Rafael Van der Vaart after 15 minutes and Madrid’s alltime leading scorer swiveled in the 27th to unleash a dangerous shot that came off Jimenez’s fingertips to shave the far post.

The match was mired in tackles and bad blood from the start, and that didn’t change much even after Raul redirected Ronaldo’s pass home for his fifth goal after Jimenez had made fine saves on Higuain and Ronaldo.

Tempers flared as Contini was sent off but instead of buckling, Zaragoza responded with Abel Aguilar’s pass putting Colunga free on Casillas to score. Kaka replaced Fernando Gago in the 75th for his first appearance since March 10.

Zaragoza remained near the bottom of the standings just above the drop. A minute’s silence was being observed at all games in memory of former International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch after the 89-year-old Spaniard died on Wednesday. Valencia plays Deportivo La Coruna later.—AP

Hammers nail Wigan West Ham 3

Wigan 2

MILAN: Inter Milan Argentine forward Diego Milito (right) vies for the ball with Atalanta defender Paolo Bianco during an Italian League soccer match.—AP

Inter put title pressure back on Roma ROME: Inter Milan came from behind to beat relegation-threatened Atalanta 3-1 at the San Siro yesterday to leapfrog AS Roma at the top of the Serie A table.

Goals from Diego Milito, Kenya midfielder McDonald Mariga and Cristian Chivu saw the champions claim three vital points in the title race after Simone Tiribocchi’s opener for the visitors.

Inter now lead Roma by two points although the capital based club can return to the summit if they beat Sampdoria at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico on Sunday. Atalanta remain in the bottom three, two points from safety. The win allowed Inter to put Mario Balotelli’s shirt-throwing incident, against Barcelona in midweek, behind them although some fans demonstrated banners indicating they had not forgotten his petulant antics.

It was the second week in a row in which Inter played before Roma and once again they managed to heap maximum pressure on their rivals.

But following their Champions League exertions in midweek, coach Jose Mourinho rang the changes, with four of Tuesday’s starters on the bench and two left out altogether.

Those who came in took time to settle down and it was one of them who was at fault for Atalanta’s fifth-minute opener.

Thomas Manfredini played a long ball forward from left-back and World Cup winner Marco Materazzi was ill-advised in pushing up, trying to catch Tiribocchi offside, he failed and the forward buried a rasping drive from the edge of the box.

Inter, though, gradually found their stride and

took control but it was another mistake on 24 minutes that allowed them to equalise.

Wesley Sneijder hit a ball over the top on the counter-attack but it was heading straight for Paolo Bianco who should easily have cut it out.

Instead it skipped off his thigh and Milito ran onto it before flicking a delightful lob over Ferdinando Coppola from outside the area with the goalkeeper in no-man’s land.

Inter took the lead 10 minutes before the break as Sneijder fed Samuel Eto’o on the left before missing his centre, only for Mariga to pop up behind him and drill home from 10 yards.

The hosts threatened to put the game to bed before half time but Ivan Cordoba’s header was straight at Coppola and Eto’o blazed high over the bar at the back post on the volley.

Atalanta started the second half brightly with Tiberio Guarente firing just over from distance before Julio Cesar tipped over a Manfredini free-kick.

Midway through the second period Inter looked certain to score on the counter but Coppola stuck out a boot to block Muntari Sulley’s fierce shot from 20 yards, when teed up by Milito.

A quarter of an hour before the end substitute Thiago Motta brought a sprawling save out of Coppola with an acrobatic volley from the edge of the area. Then 12 minutes from time Chivu made the points safe as he was given time and space to hit a rocket from distance in off the post.

That allowed Mourinho to use his substitutes to ensure as many players as possible got some rest ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Spain.—AFP

LONDON: West Ham United all but assured themselves of a place in next season’s English Premier League with a tense 3-2 victory over Wigan Athletic at Upton Park here yesterday.

Scott Parker scored the decisive goal in the second half to complete a stunning comeback for the east London club and their under-pressure manager Gianfranco Zola.

Their win and Hull’s defeat by Sunderland means West Ham are unlikely to be caught by Hull due to their far superior goal difference, while second-bottom Burnley would need to win their last three games to catch Zola’s side.

West Ham are 100 million pounds (115 million euros) in debt and would struggle to survive relegation to the Championship.

Co-owner David Gold billed this match as one of the most important games in the club’s history after the disappointment of their 3-0 defeat by Liverpool last time out. If he thought the result at Anfield was bad, he would have had struggled to watch Jonathan Spector gift Wigan the opening goal as early as the fourth minute.

Ben Watson’s corner was not cleared and the ball struck American international Spector in the chest and bounced over the line for an own goal.

It was just the start the Latics needed and they were still clearly buzzing from their 3-2 victory over Arsenal. West Ham should have hit back in the eighth minute when Carlton Cole raced through on goal.

The striker beat goalkeeper Chris Kirkland but his shot was cleared off the line by Gary Caldwell, who did well to get back. Wigan pressed forward and James McCarthy was only denied a goal when his shot from 30 yards was tipped onto the bar by Robert Green.

It was a save that proved all the more valuable as seconds later West Ham drew level through Araujo Ilan.

The Brazilian started the 31stminute move when he fed Cole, who hustled his way into the Wigan box and crossed for Ilan to slide home.

Radoslav Kovac then put West Ham ahead on the stroke of halftime.

Mark Noble’s free-kick from distance was well saved by Kirkland but the goalkeeper was powerless to stop the Czech international from heading over the line.

But West Ham’s confidence quickly drained away as they again failed to cope with a corner from Watson that allowed Wigan to pull level early in the second half.

Watson’s delivery found its way to the far post where Hugo Rodallega was available to get the final touch. West Ham’s players appealed for handball and television replays looked to support their case but referee Alan Wiley ruled the goal stood.—AFP

Klose keeps Bayern top BERLIN: Germany striker Miroslav Klose spared Bayern Munich’s blushes yesterday with a second-half equaliser to seal a 11 draw at Moenchengladbach.

After Bayern beat Lyon 1-0 in the first-leg of the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday, Klose came off the bench to score only his third league goal of the season and keep his side top of the Bundesliga.

With two games left this season, second-placed Schalke’s 1-0 win at Hertha Berlin means the Royal Blues are now level on

points with Bayern, albeit with an inferior goal difference.

“We didn’t play very well,” admitted Bayern coach Louis van Gaal, whose centre backs Martin Demichelis and Daniel van Buyten are both struggling with calf injuries ahead of the return clash in Lyon. “We were the better team, but we didn’t win. However, I am pretty happy to take a point.”

German Cup finalists Bayern’s draw also keeps them on course for the treble with the Champions League semi-final second leg at Lyon to come on Tuesday.—AFP

www.kuwaittimes.net

United go top as Spurs pay penalty Man United 3

Tottenham 1

LONDON: Arsenal’s Samir Nasri (right) grapples with Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez during their English Premier League soccer match at the Emirates stadium. —AP

City stalemate ends Arsenal’s title hopes Arsenal 0

Man City 0 LONDON: Arsenal’s already slim hopes of pipping Manchester United and Chelsea for the Premier League title disappeared after a goalless draw with Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium yesterday.

The point, which left thirdplaced Arsenal seven points behind United with only six available from their remaining two games, was of more use to City.

Roberto Mancini’s men are currently fifth and hope to overtake Tottenham for fourth place and therefore qualify for the Champions League next season.

City’s hopes of doing just that, which will hinge on a home game with Tottenham

next month, have been hit, however, by what appears to be a serious injury to goalkeeper Shay Given.

The Republic of Ireland international was carried off on a stretcher in the second half after hurting a shoulder making a save. Former Arsenal title winners Patrick Vieira and Kolo Toure were both in the City starting lineup.

Emmanuel Adebayor began on the bench, however, on his return to the club he left acrimoniously before this season started, with the Togo forward barracked by a large section of the Arsenal fans.

Adebayor angered Gunners’ supporters earlier this season by running the length of the field to celebrate his goal in City’s 4-2 win over Arsenal at Eastlands in September.

Robin van Persie was handed the Arsenal captaincy on his first start since suffering an ankle injury in November.

Bacary Sagna, the Arsenal defender, headed wide from an early corner but opening exchanges saw no clear chances.

Arsenal winger Theo Walcott was dazed when Vincent Kompany’s fair challenge saw his head hit the turf, but he was soon able to recover.

City defender Wayne Bridge had already taken a knock and was replaced by Micah Richards just before the half hour mark.

Van Persie used his pace to get into a shooting position but Toure arrived just in time to block.

Arsenal forced a couple of corners as the first-half neared an end but the second saw Mikael Silvestre head harmlessly over.

Samir Nasri forced Given into a save before van Persie found the side-netting with another effort from a similar position on the left.

Van Persie headed a Nasri

cross over as Arsenal began the second half looking like they intended to change that sorry statistic. On came Adebayor in the 51st minute to a hail of abuse after Vieira had been applauded off.

The City striker had passed a pre-match fitness test on a thigh injury to make the bench and was soon the subject of a robust challenge by Alex Song.

Tomas Rosicky sent a drive from the edge of the box straight at Given, who hurt a shoulder tipping a Diaby drive round a post.

The Irishman needed lengthy treatment and was eventually replaced by rookie Gunnar Nielsen, the Faroe Islands international, who was making his City and Premier League debut.

Nielsen was far busier in the closing minutes than Given had been all game but kept his composure to ensure City went back to the north-west with a valuable point.—AFP

Bolton 2

Portsmouth 2

Pompey deny Bolton joy of safety BOLTON: Aruna Dindane scored twice as already relegated Portsmouth came from two goals behind in a 2-2 draw that prevented Bolton Wanderers securing their Premier League status yesterday.

Only a freakish combination of results are likely to deny Bolton top-flight survival this term but manager Owen Coyle will be unhappy his side failed to put the issue beyond doubt in front of their own fans at the Reebok Stadium.

Bolton were cruising at 20 up after two goals in three first half minutes from Ivan Klasnic and Kevin Davies.

But FA Cup finalists Pompey hit back after half time thanks to Ivory Coast forward Dindane’s double.

Bolton, now eight points above the relegation zone, could have had three goals before Klasnic struck but were denied by a trio of superb saves from England goalkeeper David James.

However, Klasnic broke the deadlock in the 26th minute when he headed in Jack Wilshere’s cross. —AFP

LONDON: Blackburn Rovers’ Keith Andrews (right) and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Sylvan Ebanks-Blake battle for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match. —AP

Wolves crawl out of drop zone Wʼhampton 1

Blackburn 1 LONDON: A late goal from substitute Sylvan Ebanks-Blake earned Wolverhampton Wanderers a 1-1 draw at home to Blackburn Rovers yesterday that all but secures their Premier League status.

Visiting skipper Ryan Nelsen put Rovers ahead in the first half but Ebanks-Blake drew his side level nine minutes from time.

Wolves, promoted from the second-tier Championship as champions last season, had not scored in their previous four games and had not tasted victory at Molineux since a 1-0 defeat of Tottenham on February 10.

But with Hull, who currently occupy the last relegation place, losing 1-0 at home to Sunderland, Wolves are now seven points above the drop zone with two games to play.

The Midlands side can only be caught by second-bottom Burnley, but will be assured of their status among England’s elite clubs if Burnley fail to beat Liverpool today.

Blackburn enjoyed the best

of the first half, with Michel Salgado seeing a penalty appeal tur ned down in the ninth minute and Mar tin Olsson scuffing a volley wide shortly after.

Turkish midfielder Yildiray Basturk, making his first start since joining on loan from Stuttgart in January, teed up Nikola Kalinic to head against the post before the visitors took the lead in the 28th minute.

Wolves goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann got caught beneath Morten Gamst Pedersen’s floated right-wing corner and New Zealand international Nelsen volleyed home from close range at the back post. —AFP

MANCHESTER: An exquisite finish by Nani helped send Manchester United back to the top of the English Premier League table after a 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford here yesterday.

Following a drab first half, Ryan Giggs opened the scoring from the penalty spot but United looked set for a frustrating afternoon after Ledley King powered in a 70th minute equaliser.

But Nani’s wonderful finish made it 2-1 10 minutes from time before Giggs sealed the points with his second goal from the penalty spot.

United are two points clear of nearest challengers Chelsea, who play host to Stoke on Sunday, with two games remaining while Tottenham still have work to do if they are to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Just as the sudden return of Wayne Rooney from injury lifted United in their recent Champions League game with Bayern Munich, his surprise absence from this game left the team subdued.

The England striker, who only returned from an ankle injury last week, was missing after suffering a groin strain in training on Thursday.

It was left to Dimitar Berbatov to lead the attack against his former club yet the Bulgarian endured another frustrating afternoon as he failed to find the target for the sixth successive game.

Both teams have produced some cracking entertainment this season and this was an eagerlyawaited showdown between two of the league’s in-form clubs.

Yet the high-stakes clash was a dull affair for half an hour, Tottenham enjoying plenty of possession but doing little with it while United looked anything but title contenders.

The second-versus-fourth game was so devoid of incident that the first shot of the match did not arrive until the 29th minute, Roman Pavlyucheko’s tame effort causing United keeper Edwin van der Sar no problems whatsoever.

Fortunately, the game livened up towards the end of the half with United carving out four chances in quick succession without hurting the visitors.

Berbatov was denied his 13th goal of the campaign by Ledley King’s excellent 29th minute block before Heurelho Gomes saved well from Antonio Valencia after the Ecuador international let fly with a vicious low effort.

Tottenham’s defence, which had remained solid, was starting to feel the strain as left-back Patrice Evra blazed another opportunity over the bar before half-time.

However, it did not look like it was going to be United’s day, particularly when Berbatov, who cost United 30.75 million pounds when they brought him from Tottenham in September 2008, failed to keep his composure after Rafael da Silva’s cross.

Tottenham, who had won seven of their previous eight league games, were living dangerously as they invited United to attack them.

The visitors survived another scare when Darren Fletcher narrowly failed to divert Berbatov’s header over the line before United’s pressure finally paid off when Benoit Assou-Ekotto upended Evra inside the penalty area.

Former Monaco full-back Evra had vomited on the pitch at the start of the second half but it was Tottenham who were feeling sick when Giggs kept his composure to beat Gomes from the penalty spot in the 58th minute.

Yet United’s lead lasted just 12 minutes as King stunned Old Trafford after taking advantage of sloppy defending to power home the equaliser following a corner by Gareth Bale.

But Nani, who was United’s best player, came to the rescue with a wonderful 80th minute finish to restore his side’s advantage after a great move involving Darren Fletcher and substitute Federico Macheda.

Tottenham’s hopes of stealing a point faded when Giggs kept his cool to make it 3-1 with his second from the penalty spot in the 86th minute after Nani had been fouled

by Wilson Palacios. —AFP

LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur’s goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes punches the ball clear under pressure from Manchester United’s Dimitar Berbatov during the English Premier League soccer match at Old Trafford. —AP

Bent pushes Hull to brink of relegation Hull 0

Sunderland 1 HULL: Hull City are on the brink of relegation from the Premier League after Darren Bent’s strike gave Sunderland a 1-0 win at the KC Stadium yesterday.

Iain Dowie’s third from bottom side are now six points from safety with just two games to play as a result of this defeat and West Ham’s 32 victory over Wigan.

The Tigers could theoretically still avoid the drop on goal difference if they win their final two matches by massive margins and West Ham lose twice, but it would take a miraculous sequence of results to overturn the 23-goal difference between the clubs.

That is an unthinkable prospect, leaving Hull facing up to the reality of a return to the Championship after two years in the English top-flight.

It could have been different

if Jimmy Bullard had not missed a first half penalty, while Hull’s Jozy Altidore and Sunderland’s Alan Hutton were sent off before the break following an off-the-ball clash.

Sunderland were on top at the start and Steed Malbranque found space inside the area to tee up Jordan Henderson, only for the youngster to shoot wide.

Steve Bruce’s side took the lead in the seventh minute as Hutton’s cross was headed across goal by Kenwyne Jones for Bent to tap in his 25th goal of the season from a tight angle.

Hull should have been level in the 26th minute when Bullard’s corner landed on the head of Anthony Gardner six yards out but his effort hit the chest of Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon.

It took another fine stop from Gordon to deny Caleb Folan and the striker was involved in the incident that should have seen the Tigers draw level in the 41st minute.

Folan was fortunate to get away with what appeared a tug on Hutton but the ball fell to Geovanni and he was fouled in

the penalty area by former Hull defender Michael Turner.

However, Bullard fluffed his lines as his penalty cannoned off a post to safety. With referee Lee Probert about to blow the whistle for half-time, both sides were reduced to 10 men.

Altidore and Hutton challenged for the ball near the byline, with the Sunderland defender then foolishly throwing the ball at the head of his opponent.

Altidore responded by headbutting Hutton, earning an immediate red card from Probert, who then waited for Hutton to receive treatment before also giving the Scot his marching orders.

Hull rarely threatened an equaliser after that and were grateful to Matt Duke for keeping them in the game in the 67th minute as the keeper tipped away Lorik Cana’s 25yard effort.

Bruce was sent to the stands for one complaint too many to the officials, but the Hull players were soon slumping to the turf as the final whistle all but sealed their relegation.—AFP

LONDON: Sunderland’s Alan Hutton (right) and Hull City’s Jozy Altidore clash resulting in a red card for both players during the English Premier League soccer match. —AP

NBK Equity Fund best performing fund in 2010

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Chinese carmakers closing quality gap

Wall Street Journal heads into New York hyperdrive

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Sunday, April 25, 2010

www.kuwaittimes.net

Obama links auto woes, financial overhaul WASHINGTON: Celebrating signs of a turnaround in the US auto industry, President Barack Obama said yesterday the financial system must be overhauled to prevent a repeat of the economic crisis that pushed carmakers to the brink. Senate Democrats have set a test vote tomorrow on a bill that aims to protect the overall economy by imposing tighter regulations on the financial sector. The auto industry was one of the biggest casualties of a recession fueled by risky lending and speculative trading practices of major financial institutions. But after shedding 400,000 jobs in 2008, bailed-out US automakers are rebounding.

General Motors Co said this week it will repay $8.1 billion in US and Canadian government loans five years ahead of schedule. Chrysler LLC, now run by an Italian company, said it boosted its cash reserves by $1.5 billion despite a first-quarter loss of almost $200 million. In his weekly radio and Internet address, Obama said that while the auto industry is on more solid footing, it will take more time for the economy to recover from the loss of 8 million jobs. He blamed the downturn on irresponsible risk-taking by Wall Street firms.

In a speech Thursday in New York in the shadow of Wall Street, Obama argued for new rules to protect consumers and hold financiers accountable. The changes would end taxpayer bailouts, bring complex financial dealings into the open and extend new rights and protections to consumers and shareholders.

“That’s how after two very difficult years we’ll not only revive the economy, but help to rebuild it stronger than ever before,” he said yesterday.

The White House, in a report timed to GM’s loan repayment, said the past nine months had produced the auto industry’s strongest job growth in nearly a decade, with the addition of 45,000 jobs.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has set a test vote on the financial overhaul bill for Monday, but conceded that the timetable could slip if bargaining with Republicans proved fruitful. Republicans say they don’t agree the bill would end government bailouts and they want to keep negotiating.

Without an agreement with the Republicans, Democrats would need 60 votes to move forward in the Senate. They have 59 votes. In the weekly Republican message, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said Republicans aren’t trying to block the bill but want to make sure it would end taxpayer bailouts.

“It’s time for the name-calling

to stop,” Hutchison said.

“Getting our economy back on track is too important to allow political games to sidetrack these efforts. Both parties agree that any financial regulation should do one essential thing: No company should be considered too big to fail.’ And never again should taxpayers be expected to bail out those who made risky financial bets with other people’s money.”

The President renewed his push for Wall Street reform, saying the country needed to tackle the underlying problems that caused the economic crisis.

“The economy is on a better footing. But people are still hurting,” Obama said in his weekly radio address. “No matter what the economic statistics say, I won’t be satisfied until folks who need work can find good jobs.”

The president noted that the main causes of the economic downturn were problems in the US financial sector, and Wall Street firms had taken “enormous, irresponsible risks” that hurt practically every sector of the economy. Obama is promising the most sweeping regulatory reform drive since the 1930s Great Depression, and is seeking to build momentum for efforts by Democrats in Congress to overcome Republican opposition and pass a new Wall Street reform law.

That effort got a boost on Wednesday, when a Senate panel approved new restrictions on derivatives, the shadowy financial instruments blamed in part for igniting the financial meltdown from which America is just emerging.

The Senate Agriculture Committee voted 13-8 to impose new rules on trading in derivatives, with just one Republican joining Democrats.

Republican leaders have so far united in opposition to the bill to impose tougher regulations on banks and finance firms and to frame a new consumer financial protection agency.

They say Obama’s reforms would introduce the heavy hand of government deeper into the US free enterprise system and would lead to a culture of financial bailouts, an accusation Democrats say is false.

But Obama said the reforms would put an end to taxpayer bailouts of big financial institutions and bring greater transparency to complex financial dealings.

“Folks will get clearer and more concise information when they make financial decisions instead of having to worry about deceptive fine print,” he pointed out. “And shareholders and pension holders will have a stronger voice in the boardrooms of companies in which they invest their savings.” —Agencies

President renews push for Wall Street reform

BEIJING: Dancers perform at the Beijing Auto China 2010 show in Beijing yesterday. Chinese automakers announced ambitious plans to expand abroad as global producers unveiled new models at the Beijing auto show aimed at boosting sales in China’s fast-growing market. (See Page 25) —AP

AIG eyes deal with local creditors KFH plays key role in revamping group KUWAIT: Aref Investment Group (AIG) said here yesterday that it was putting finishing touches to an agreement with local creditors for rescheduling its debts with the support of the Kuwait Finance House (KFH).

The KFH, which owns about 53 percent of Aref Investment Group’s capital, played a big role in restructuring the group and its subsidiaries. Besides it has a major role in devising a new mechanism for addressing the group’s indebtedness through signing a KD 132-million agreement, managing director of the AIG Ibrahim Al-Khozam said.

Al-Khozam added that this sum of money will be used in repaying the group’s debts owed to foreign banks and investment funds. He also said that in case an agreement was reached on

rescheduling the debts of Aref’s Group, the first installment will be due before 18 months of any signed agreement, namely the group will have enough time to repay, making clear that the group has currently liquidity to pay this premium.

He also pointed out that this facilitation will enable the group to focus on its investment activities and reschedule its debts in the coming stage without any cumbersome burdens on its budget that might lessen the management’s capability to perform its tasks. Al-Khozam asserted that the group did not default on a single premium up till now though it grapples with an severe crisis. He also said that the group’s plan is based on rescheduling its debts on the part of creditors and debtors in what makes

procedures go in two parallel lines as it managed to address a lot of issues related to the commitments of the Islamic finance debtors which had their indebtedness go down from KD 142 million in 2008 to KD 52 million this year.

He also asserted the important role played by the Kuwait Finance House in bolstering the capabilities of the group and pushing it to go beyond the repercussions of the global financial crisis along with supporting its plans and strategies for restructuring that kicked off last year in order to pave for its strong takeoff in the coming period.

On the group’s financial results in 2009, Al-Khazam said that it is known that Aref Investment Group is operating in various sectors and geographical areas that felt the brunt of the global

Greek debt plea hangs over IMF meeting WASHINGTON: Greece’s urgent plea for a 45 billion euro ($60 billion) lifeline to pull itself out of a sea of debt overshadowed a meeting yesterday of IMF finance ministers in Washington.

International Monetary Fund managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn has promised that the IMF will “move expeditiously” in response to Greece’s appeal on Friday for help-the first ever from a euro-zone nation.

“We have been working closely with the Greek authorities for some weeks on technical assistance, and have had a mission on the ground in Athens for a few days working with the authorities and the European Union,” he said.

The stability of the eurowhich closed Friday up one US cent from Thursday at 1.3384 dollars in New York-is at stake as Greece wrestles with a debt of 300 billion euros and Europe creeps out of recession. Divisions within the Group of 20 rich and developing nations over a worldwide tax on banks to claw back the cost of bailing out financial institutions will

also loom over the day-long conclave.

The IMF meeting is taking place against the backdrop of what the G20 on Friday portrayed as a better-thanexpected global economic recovery, led by Brazil, China and India.

“The global recovery has progressed better than previously anticipated largely due to the G20’s unprecedented and concerted policy effort,” a statement released after the meeting said.

“We should all elaborate credible exit strategies from extraordinary macroeconomic and financial support measures that are tailored to individual country circumstances.”

The Greek debt crisis is not on the public agenda for the day-long IMF meeting.

But it loomed large over the proceedings that will also take stock of Haiti’s reconstruction after its January 12 earthquake.

The European Union has said it sees no “obstacles” to Athens’ request to activate a three-year joint EU-IMF debt rescue worth up to about 45

crisis, asserting that the group’s assets were not away from the negative impact of this crisis.

He also noted that the biggest percentage of the losses sustained by the group and amounting to some KD 127,5 million came as a result of the financial allocations that it set for reevaluating and amounting to 37 percent, besides 31 percent that represents losses resulting from investment in subsidiaries.

This necessarily includes the financial allocations of reevaluating the group’s assets, he added.

Al-Khozam said that the debt’s percentage to the shareholders’ equity in the group’s budget amounts to some 1.9, a positive factor as it is relatively less than other groups.

He also expected that all restructuring plans of the group and all its subsidiaries to be finalized within less than two months through seeking the assistance of a worldwide consultative firm in what achieves in the end the longterm strategy of the group.

Finally, Al-Khozam asserted that there are three main goals of the this rescheduling system, the first is to repay debts, the second is to ease pressures on the company’s financial lists and the last is to study the best exit strategies at a time when the system is based on the centrality of goals and vision.

This invests the rescheduling system with greater flexibility to take off and resumes profitability, he concluded. —KUNA

Greek PM defends EU-IMF debt plea

WASHINGTON: US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (left) comments about being moments late to take his seat for a group photo of the International Monetary (IMF) and Financial Committee during the G20 Meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors at the World Bank headquarters in Washington yesterday. —AP billion euros in the first year at concessionary interest rates of about 5.0 percent.

Under a deal hammered out with EU leaders on April 11, the IMF would cover a third of the cost of the bailout.

But German Chancellor Angela Merkel-leader of the

biggest economy in Europesaid the rescue package would be activated only if the euro’s stability were threatened and if Athens implemented tough austerity measures.

The Greek press appeared resigned to having recourse to EU aid to dig the country out

of its crisis, while fearing a bitter pill from the IMF. The pro-government daily Ta Nea acknowledged in its editorial that the decision was “hard but necessary”, saying “the support mechanism of the EU and IMF is Greece’s only way out”. —AFP

ATHENS: Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said yesterday that an EU and IMF debt lifeline plan was “not pleasant” but vital, as calls grew in Germany for Athens to consider quitting the euro-zone.

Papandreou made a desperate request a day earlier for a 45-billion-euro ($60billion) aid package-the first ever from a euro-zone nation-overshadowing a meeting of IMF finance ministers in Washington yesterday.

The appeal prompted pledges of swift action from the European Union and International Monetary Fund, but caused anger in Greece where there have been months of strikes and protests at harsh austerity measures. “Because of our difficulties the European Union (experts) arrived and now the IMF is here too and they are in control, in a kind of guardianship,” Papandreou told villagers at Kremasti on the Greek island of Rhodes.

“This is not pleasant,” he said, adding that he understood posters claiming “IMF go home” and could have “co-signed” one that read “European Union, get out”.

“But they will not leave in a hail of stones, they will not leave with violence,” but only when Greece has regained its “credibility” and put its economy back on its feet, he added.

Papandreou said he was fighting to “regain our autonomy” and again blamed the previous conservative government for the debt crisis.

The Greek press yesterday appeared resigned to having recourse to EU aid but feared a bitter pill from the IMF. The pro-government Ta Nea branded the move “hard but necessary” but the left-wing Eleftherotypia urged the Socialist government to keep Papandreou’s promises to end waste, crack down on tax fraud and speed up development projects. —AFP

Goldman emails laud profit from subprime shorts WASHINGTON: Goldman Sachs Group Inc officials discussed making “serious money” in 2007 off the subprime crisis as mortgages were starting to falter in rapid numbers, according to a collection of emails released by a Senate panel yesterday.

“Of course we didn’t dodge the mortgage mess. We lost money, then made more than we lost because of shorts,” Goldman Sachs Chief Executive Lloyd Blankfein said in an e-mail dating from November 2007.

“Sounds like we will make some serious money,” said Goldman Sachs executive Donald Mullen in a separate series of e-mails from October 2007 about the performance of deteriorating second-lien positions in a collateralized debt obligation, or CDO. The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations is holding a hearing on Tuesday with Blankfein and other Goldman executives, scheduled to testify about the role Goldman Sachs played in the financial crisis. The firm has been sued for civil fraud by the Securities and Exchange Commission over its marketing of a CDO. —Reuters

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BUSINESS

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Investors sell off to monitor Q1 corporate results GLOBAL WEEKLY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: The Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) was down for the second week in row, however at a slower base this time.

Trading activity was more towards selling as investors cashed out to monitor the first quarter corporate results and take new moves according to the outcomes. Also notable changes in the values of some of large capitalization companies geared the index. As measured by Global’s weighted General Index, the Kuwaiti market closed the week shedding 0.62 percent, at 206.05 point. On a year-to-date basis, the index gains recoiled to 10.64 percent. Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) price index was also down by 129.70 points (1.76 percent) and closed at 7,254.80 points. Total market capitalization was lower at KD34.01bn. Market breadth was skewed towards decliners as out of 161 shares traded this week, 91 shares declined against 44 advancing.

Trading activity was down this week compared to the above average trading occurred the week earlier. Moreover, investors stood aside to monitor the term corporate results before taking new positions. Traded volume was down by 34.99 percent for the week reaching 1.16bn shares changing hands at a total traded value of KD294.58mn (-31.74 percent compared to the week before). High volume was seen on the Investment sector, accounting for 32.07 percent of the total traded volume in the market with 373.19mn shares traded. Al-Qurain Holding Company was the highest volume traded in the sector with 44.40mn share traded on its stock.

However, Al-Jazeera Airways Company topped the volume list last week with 56.68mn shares traded. On the value list, the Services sector took the lead with KD106.29mn traded, accounting for 36.08 percent of total traded market value. Zain was the highest value traded in the sector with KD35.50mn traded on its share. The biggest listed company retrieved some of its last week’s loss as its share price ended the week 3.13 percent higher. The value list was headed by Kuwait Finance House (KFH) this week with KD43.73mn traded on the scrip which ended the week lower by 3.64 percent. The traded value on KFH’s share accounted for 14.85 percent of the total traded value of the week.

Sector-wise, the services sector was the only advancer last week with Global Services Index adding 0.65 percent to its value. Al-Jazeera Airways Company was the top performer in the sector, adding 8.57 percent to its share value. Also the 3.13 percent rise in Zain’s share price helped lifting up the sectors’ index. All other sectors were seen down for the week. Global Insurance Index was the biggest loser, shedding 2.74 percent with only one gainer in the sector.

Kuwait Insurance Company was up by 1.61 percent while Gulf Insurance Company was down by 3.70 percent. All other insurance companies ended the week flat. Global Real Estate Index was the second biggest loser, closing lower by 2.26 percent. Real Estate Asset Management Company (REEM) was a major loser in the sector. The scrip lost 21.54 percent of its value. Global NonKuwaiti Index came third being down by 2.03 percent. Looking at individuals, the gainers list this week was headed by two investment companies.

Housing Finance Company (ISKAN) topped the list after adding 23.81 percent to its share price. Kuwait Projects Company followed with an increase of 8.97 percent in its share value. On the other side the top losers list saw services companies on the

added that this rating was amongst the top ratings granted by Coface to 17 countries in the region. “Kuwait’s oil and financial resources, in addition to its strategic alliance with the US, the UK and France were the key supporting elements in this rating, he added. The report also highlights the importance of continued reforms to diversify the Kuwaiti economy, allowing larger contribution by the private sector, apart from promoting FDIs and improving the quality of public services.

lead with Kuwait & Gulf Link Transport Company in the first rank, being down by 31.01 percent this week. KGL Logistics Company followed with a drop of 29.17 percent in its share value. This decline came after the resent buying activities on both scripts in anticipation that they would win a US Army contract, however, it was followed by a selling spree after all expectations are diminished.

Global’s special indices showed mixed performances. Global Large Cap (Top 10) Index was up by 0.78 percent while Global Small Cap (Low 10) index recorded the biggest loss, shedding 3.23 percent. The Islamic companies were hardly hit this week with only few managing to end the week with a positive figure. Global Islamic Sharia Index was down by 2.57 percent.

Macroeconomic news The Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) issued KD85mn ($296mn) worth of oneyear bonds on Wednesday, April 21, 2010, with a coupon rate of 1.25 percent. Bids for the bonds amounted to KD504.5mn, central bank data showed. This is the third week in row that the CBK issued bonds. The last issue was on April 14, for KD50mn, with 1.25 percent coupon. This is the seventh issue this year with a total amount of KD675mn and a maturity of one year each.

Oil related news Price of Kuwaiti crude oil was slightly up by $0.06 reaching $80.89 per barrel (pb) on Tuesday April 20 compared to a week earlier, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) said. This increase is attributed to the resumption of flights in Europe after the volcanic ash cloud which came from Iceland seemed to wane. The current global price was slightly over what OPEC was aiming for with the organization looking for $70 to $80 pd as a high margin. Minister of Information and Minister of Oil Sheikh Ahmad Al-

Abdullah Al-Sabah said this week that the price of oil would be up to around $90 pd, saying that such was due to growth in world economy. The current price is a far cry from when the price of a barrel was at $32 back in December 2008. The oil price had reach its highest margin of $136 pd back in July of the same year.

Kuwait sees oil trading in the foreseeable future in a range of $75 to $90, the country’s oil minister Sheikh Ahmad AlAbdullah Al-Sabah said. Sheikh Ahmad said last week that OPEC would consider whether to boost supply if oil passed $100.

The price hit a high of over $87 a barrel earlier this month. The producer group has left supply targets unchanged since late 2008, when it announced record cuts to halt a slide in oil prices to near $32 a barrel.

The Chairman of the Board of Director of Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI), Hussein Ismail said that feasibility studies and the environmental impact assessment for the China refinery project had been sent to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) in China. Ismail said that he expects the Chinese would finalize their review of the study to grant consent to the project for execution sometime this year. The refinery is expected to have a capacity of 300,000 barrels production of Kuwaiti crude oil per day.

The China project is a huge complex which will house a refinery and petrochemical plant in the Chinese province Guangdong representing an essential part of the KPI’s strategic policies to expand its business activities in the international market, he explained.

Kuwait Oil Company’s (KOC) Deputy Managing Director and representative overseas Mazin Al-Sardi announced that the new crude oil Gathering Center 24 (GC-24) in the northern part of Kuwait is finalized and now ready to produce 165 thousand barrels of oil and 85mn cubic foot of gas daily. Al-

Sardi praised the project describing it a “unprecedented,” adding that it is expected to raise its level of production to up to 3mn barrels of oil by year 2015.

Kuwait and Japan affirmed their commitment to conclude a bilateral investment agreement at the earliest possible time in order to further promote economic ties between the two countries, the Kuwaiti Embassy in Tokyo said. At their first round of negotiations that began in Kuwait this week, in a friendly and constructive atmosphere, the two sides also agreed to further exchange views on the deal and to resolve outstanding issues, the embassy said. The Kuwaiti side is expected to host the second round of negotiations from July 6 to 8, and the exact schedule will be subject to approval by Japan.

Other local news Bank Muscat Oman’s largest bank by market value, has opened a branch in Kuwait. The branch will initially offer corporate banking, trade and treasury services, a statement said. Bank Muscat has a branch in Saudi Arabia, a 49-percent stake in the Bahrain-based Bank Muscat International (BMI), as well as around 110 local branches.

The bank reported a 49 percent drop in net profit in the first quarter of 2010 to OR24.5mn ($63.64mn) from OR48.4mn in the same period in 2009. Director General of Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) warned that continuing with the current rate of oil consumption will leave Kuwait with nothing to export 30 years from now.

Speaking at the Arab Engineering Consultancy forum, the official stated that Kuwait’s consumption of electricity and water has increased threefold in 16 years, adding that the construction sector is the overriding consumer of natural resources.

He pointed out that the housing sector requires at least KD4mn per year to secure

its needs of concrete, while Kuwait intends to invest no less than KD25bn over the coming two decades to provide new housing facilities for about 750,000 citizens.

A number of MPs and the oil workers’ union have submitted key amendments to the privatization law which was passed in the first reading last week amid opposition from a large number of lawmakers. The main amendments submitted so far focus on three main issues; no privatization in the oil sector; the government must have a “golden share” in the privatized services and that additional protection must be provided for the national workforce.

Deputy head of the union Jassem AlNasser said that the union has also proposed amendments, mainly that the oil sector must be completely excluded from privatization. The oil sector has not been mentioned in the privatization bill because article 152 of the constitution, which is higher than any law, bans the privatization of production in the gas and oil sector. But that does not include oil and gas downstream sectors like refineries and other facilities.

The first private power station will be offered for public writing through a shareholding company in Kuwait in June 2010, high-ranking sources said.

“The Kuwaiti government is taking first steps toward privatizing public services by drafting a law to establish a shareholding company for the slated Subiya power plant,” source said. A team of legal experts is expected to finalize the draft law in June 2010. After completion, the new company will be the first of its kind established by the government in cooperation with the private sector.

Kuwait has been awarded a rating of A2 for its country risk, A3 for its business environment and overall “Good Risk” for the medium term by international rating agency, Coface, said Kuwait’s Finance Minister, Mustafa Al-Shamaly. The minister further

Kuwait Stock Exchange Global Investment House announced that its Global Al Ma’moun Fund, Global 10 Large Cap Index Fund, Global Local Fund and Al-Durra Islamic were among the top performing funds in Kuwait during the first quarter of this year. The Global Al-Ma’moun Fund was launched in April 2001 and seeks to achieve capital appreciation by investing in a diversified portfolio of Kuwaiti companies listed on the Kuwaiti bourse. It is ranked amongst the top funds in the region, and was one of the top performing funds in Kuwait during the first quarter of 2010. The fund was up 17.5% YTD as of March 2010, exceeding its benchmark by 4.1%. Global’s 10 Large Cap Index Fund invests in the 10 largest companies listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE). It increased by 18.5% during the first quarter of 2010 and was the top performing fund in Kuwait during that period. Global’s Local Fund, which invests in selected stocks of listed companies in the Kuwait Stock Exchange, also outperformed its benchmark and increased by 14.34%. The Al Durra Islamic Fund exceeded its benchmark by 3.36% and recorded an increase of 10.17% during the first quarter of 2010. The Fund invests in Sharia-compliant shares listed on KSE. National Real Estate Company is expected to start construction by yearend on its mega mixed-use project on Sorouh’s Reem Island, that would also include Abu Dhabi’s second largest shopping mall, a top official said.

The company’s AED3.2bn ($871.25mn) project on Reem Island’s Najmat Abu Dhabi community will include a shopping mall with a gross floor area of 360,000 square meters and a four start hotel.

Securities Group was granted the approval the approval from the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) to repurchase or offload up to 10 percent of its issued shares for further six month, ending on October 18, 2010. The company should abide by CBK buyback rules and regulations, in addition to the provisions of Article No 115 bis of Corporate Law. Al-Safat Investment Company reported that its wholly-owned subsidiary made a profit of about KD4.25mn from exiting an investment in China. The profit of about 5.5fils per share will be added to Safat’s Q2 results for the period ending June 30, 2010.

Highlights of the week Kuwait has all the capabilities for becoming an international oil capital, said CEO of Dana Gas Ahmad Al-Arbeed. Speaking at the Kuwait’s Fourth Transparency Forum this week, themed “Transparency in Oil Industries”, he said that transparency in the oil sector was required not only from governments, but also from local and foreign investors alike. Transparency aims to combat corruption and to deliver the required information at the right time, he stressed, while lauding the level of transparency in the Kuwaiti oil industry.

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2830000 .4380000 .385000 .2680000 .2810000 .2640000 .0045000 .0020000 .0779910 .7598420 .4020000 .0750000 .7448930 .0045000 .0500000

US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian dollars Danish Kroner Swedish Kroner Australian dlr Hong Kong dlr Singapore dlr Japanese yen Indian Rs/KD Sri Lanka rupee Pakistan rupee Bangladesh taka UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi Riyal/KD Omani riyals Philippine Peso

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2873000 .4402660 .3872940 .2700910 .2835820 .0520390 .0400400 .2667140 .0370090 .2088690 .0031010 .0064550 .0025310 .0034300 .0041940 .0782600 .7624540 .4063200 .0766520 .7466070 .0065140

US Dollar Sterling pounds Swiss Francs Saudi Riyals

TRANSFER CHEQUES RATES .2894000 .4433760 .2720040 .0771410

.2930000 .4460000 .3920000 .2770000 .2890000 .2720000 .0075000 .0035000 .0787750 .7674790 .4170000 .0790000 .7523790 .0072000 .0580000

292.310 195.310 272.500 267.600 287.000 ASIAN COUNTRIES

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal - Transfer Irani Riyal - Cash

3.105 6.512 3.428 2.529 4.061 211.110 37.220 4.168 6.510 8.977 0.301 0.292 GCC COUNTRIES

.2894000 .4433760 .3900290 .2720040 .2855900 .0524070 .0403230 .2685970 .0372710 .2103490 .0031230 .0065010 .0025490 .0034540 .0042230 .0787590 .7673160 .4091980 .0771410 .7513680 .0065600

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

77.054 79.384 750.620 767.400 78.690 ARAB COUNTRIES

Egyptian Pound - Cash Egyptian Pound Yemen Riyal Tunisian Dinar Jordanian Dinar Lebanese Lira Syrian Lier Morocco Dirham

54.50 52.140 1.286 205.200 408.010 193.830 6.296 35.220 GOLD

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

225.000 115.000 59.500

Bahrain Exchange Company

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer Euro Sterling Pound

Canadian dollar Turkish lire Swiss Franc Australian dollar US Dollar Buying

288.800 390.200 447.930

COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash

SELL CASH 272.700 767.850 4.420 293.400 567.000 15.800 53.600 167.800 54.360 391.500

SELL DRAFT 271.200 767.850 4.167 291.900

211.700 52.254 390.000

Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham US dollars Yemeni Riyal

37.910 6.800 0.035 0.293 0.258 3.200 409.870 0.195 92.340 47.100 4.260 209.300 2.183 50.100 750.040 3.510 6.720 79.860 77.090 211.710 41.600 2.736 448.500 41.300 273.900 6.400 9.310 217.900 78.790 289.100 1.380

37.760 6.500

406.140 0.194 92.340 4.090 207.600

272.400 9.120 78.690 288.700

1,235.340

Sterling Pound US Dollar

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co. Rate per 1000 (Tran)

US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Nepali rupee Yemeni Riyal Jordanian Dinars Syrian Pounds Euro Candaian Dollars

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 446.000 288.700

288.850 3.445 6.510 2.540 4.170 6.545 78.695 77.195 767.500 52.210 449.200 0.000032300 4.100 1.550 410.100 5.750 392.800 297.400

Al Mulla Exchange Currency

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Cyprus Pound Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees

2.533 4.174 6.501 3.096 8.943 6.297 4.049

Currency 749.860 3.450 6.505 79.430 77.090 211.710 41.600 2.530 446.000

GOLD 10 Tola

Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees

288.650 293.712 447.412 391.052 269.424 707.498 764.022 78.568 79.264 76.942 407.324 52.275 6.513 3.435

US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal

*Rates are subject to change

Transfer rate 288.400 387.800 446.000 291.400 3.120 6.488 52.135 2.531 4.166 6.495 3.445 767.000 78.600 77.000

Sunday, April 25, 2010

BUSINESS

23

Real estate sales surge in March KUWAIT: Real estate activity roared back to life in March, providing the first sign that recovery in the sector may be stepping up a gear. The total number of registered property sales (residential, commercial and investment) almost doubled to 760 in March, up from 383 in February and 97% higher than a year ago. This was the strongest performance in two years, putting volumes back at pre-crisis levels.

We know that these sales data can be volatile from month-to-month so we are a bit cautious. Nonetheless, the March data suggest that there may be scope for activity to surprise on the upside, helped by improving confidence and stronger demand for land, especially as the government pushes on with its economic development plans. Note that all three market segments recorded significant gains in sales in March.

Though by virtue of its large size, the biggest contribution came from the residential sector.

In KD value terms, sales also registered their highest level for nearly two years, reaching KD 206 million in March, up 107% on February. The year-on-year increase jumped from negative territory to 130%, helped by a base effect following very weak sales a year ago.

Residential sales more than doubled to 598 in March, from 255 in February.

This was the highest level for two years and well above the average of 464 per month seen over the past five years. Alongside strong volumes, the average value of residential transactions, at KD 237,000, rose to its second

any material improvement in underlying conditions. While the number of transactions was up in March, they were not of especially large value averaging KD 1.8 million each, well below the average of KD 3.1 million per transaction in 2009.

This sector’s relatively weak performance may signal a combination of difficult access to finance and perhaps uncertainty over the outlook for commercial property prices.

NBK ECONOMIC BRIEF

highest level ever, a decent recovery after the sharp drop seen through 2009.

The detailed weekly data suggests that a large number of relatively high value land sales at the Khairan Pearl development area in southern Kuwait contributed to high averages in March.

29%, is below that of the residential sector. But this partly reflects the fact that investment sector sales held up relatively well during the crisis, and are therefore due a less spectacular recovery. Average transaction values, at KD 322,000, have fallen back over the past two months, but are still up considerably (+47%) on their weak levels of a year ago.

Sales - investment The investment segment also enjoyed a decent March, though its improvement was less pronounced than that in other sectors.

The number of investment sales rose to 154 from 124 in February. This is well above the average of 100 per month seen through 2009.

The year-on-year improvement, at

Sales - commercial There were eight commercial property transactions during March, up from four in February. Despite this rise, the commercial sector is the segment where it is most difficult to spot

Savings and Credit Bank loans The NBK report concluded: The number of loans approved by the Savings and Credit Bank (SCB) rose 13% between February and March to 309.

This is still below the monthly average of 371 seen through 2009. Within this total, the number of loans approved for new construction remains at low levels - down to 60, or -76% on a year ago.

This is despite hopes that acceleration in the government’s land distribution program would stimulate lending.

By contrast, the number of approvals for loans for maintenance & additions purposes remains at historically strong levels, despite being broadly flat at 157 in March.

It is worth noting that at KD 11 to 13 million over the past few months; the value of disbursed loans - driven by payouts linked to various stages of construction - has been KD 3 to 4 million per month above the level of approvals.

The disbursal process in effect is steadier than the more volatile approvals.

NBK Equity Fund is best performing fund in 2010 Fund achieved a 20.9% return in first quarter KUWAIT: NBK Capital announced that the NBK Kuwait Equity Fund achieved a 20.9% return for the first quarter of the year, surpassing the Kuwait Stock Exchange’s performance, in which the price index registered a 7.54% gain for the same period. The fund was the best performing fund in a comparison with 33 funds focusing on Kuwaiti equities according to Zawya, the leading economic resource in the region.

The NBK Kuwait Equity Fund is managed by NBK Capital, and seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in stocks listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange. The Fund realized

Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein (left) and company president Gary Cohn, center, attend President Barack Obama’s speech in New York’s Cooper Union college. E-mails released by a Senate committee investigating the financial crisis show top executives at Goldman Sachs Inc boasting about money the firm was making as the housing market collapsed in 2007.—AP

Goldman Group CEO sued by shareholders over Abacus NEW YORK: Goldman Sachs Group Inc Chief Executive Lloyd Blankfein and other bank officials have been sued by shareholders in two lawsuits related to fraud allegations brought by the federal government. In complaints filed in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan, Robert Rosinek and Morton Spiegel accused Goldman executives and the bank’s entire board of breaching fiduciary duties by letting the bank enter transactions involving risky collateralized debt obligations tied to subprime mortgages.

They said the defendants had “engaged in a systematic failure to exercise oversight” over the transactions, known as Abacus, and did not properly vet how the deals were structured and marketed. The plaintiffs also said the officials had failed to ensure Goldman did not represent “conflicting interests.”

The lapses had subjected Goldman to “billions of dollars” of liability and serious damage to its reputation, they said. The lawsuits are derivative lawsuits, which shareholders bring on behalf of companies to enforce or defend rights that the companies fail to address on their own.

Goldman spokesman Ed Canaday declined immediate comment. He said the Wall Street bank had not reviewed the complaints, which were filed on Thursday and docketed on Friday.

Lawyers for both plaintiffs did not immediately return calls for comment. Legal experts expect Goldman to face more litigation, including classaction complaints, after the US Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil fraud lawsuit on April 16 against the bank and Fabrice Tourre, whom the regulator called a key architect of Abacus.

The SEC said Goldman had failed to tell clients that securities they were buying were created by hedge fund investor John Paulson, who stood to benefit if the securities lost value.

Paulson made about $1 billion on Abacus, roughly the amount other investors are believed to have lost. Late on Friday, the SEC Inspector General David Kotz, the regulator’s watchdog, said he would examine what factors drove the SEC to file its lawsuit.

Goldman shares fell 12.8 percent on the day the SEC filed its lawsuit. The company has called the SEC allegations unfounded. Paulson has not been charged. In the derivative complaints, Rosinek and Spiegel characterized Goldman directors as “antagonistic” to their lawsuits, making it “futile” to approach them. Thomas Dubbs, a senior partner at Labaton Sucharow LLP in New York, who specializes in class action cases, declined to comment on the Goldman litigation, but said derivative actions can face an uphill battle when shareholders do not go to the board first before suing. “Investors might argue that it would be an empty gesture to ask a corporation to sue its own officers and directors,” he said. But “courts almost always require that hurdle to be jumped,” he added.

The lawsuits seek declarations that the Goldman defendants violated their fiduciary duties, plus compensatory damages. Goldman itself is a “nominal” defendant. Companies sometimes accept governance changes in resolving derivative lawsuits. The law firm Faruqi & Faruqi LLP in New York represents both plaintiffs.

Spiegel is also represented by Gardy & Notis LLP of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. —Reuters

best in class returns achieving 20.9% for the first three month period ending 31 March 2010.

Nabil Maroof, Managing Director of Asset Management at NBK Capital, stated that the achievement of the NBK Kuwait Equity Fund is evidence of the successful strategy pursued by the Fund.

This is based on a comprehensive study of the market and then carefully selecting the best stocks after intensive research on the share and the company through regular visits to grasp a deeper understanding of the target companies’ long term strategies. In addition, the Fund’s management is based on sophisticated risk management systems

to avoid high-risk stocks.

Maroof reiterated that the Fund’s success is mostly linked to the efficiency of the management team and the successful strategies implemented by the Fund Manager.

These strategies are a reflection of NBK Capital’s long term strategy, which seeks to provide the best services and products to customers.

NBK Kuwait Equity Fund is one of three local and regional equity funds managed by NBK Capital, which include the NBK Gulf Equity Fund and the NBK Qatar Equity Fund. Subscription and redemption to NBK Kuwait Equity Fund is on a weekly basis and the minimum investment is KD1,000.

Nabil Maroof, Managing Director of Asset Management at NBK Capital

Calls mount in Germany for Greece to quit euro-zone BERLIN: Calls mounted in Germany yesterday for Greece to consider leaving the euro-zone after Athens begged for a 45 billion euro ($60 billion) EU and IMF lifeline to relieve its debt crisis.

The government of Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, has been been cool towards a bail-out, saying that a rescue plan should only be implemented if the euro’s stability is at threat and Athens adopts austerity measures.

Greece “must seriously consider leaving the euro-zone,” HansPeter Friedrich, a senior official of CSU, the Bavarian wing of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative Christian Democrats bloc, told Spiegel magazine.

The subject “should not be taboo”, he said.

Werner Langen, the head of the Christian Democrats group in the European parliament, agreed that

an aid package was not a lasting solution to Greece’s mounting problems.

A “viable alternative” was that Greece should “leave the eurozone and become competitive again with the help of tough structural reforms,” he told Spiegel.

“This is not an official position” of the party, a party source told AFP, adding that the issue would probably be discussed on Monday at a weekly meeting of conservative leaders.

Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, also from the Christian Democrats, rejected suggestions that Greece could leave the 16nation euro-zone.

“We have to resolve the crisis within the current (European) treaties,” he said in the Sunday edition of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. But he reiterated Germany’s demands in order for

the bail-out to go ahead, namely that Greece must guarantee extra economic measures in 2011-2012, and that a failure to act would threaten the stability of the euro.

Germany would be the biggest contributor to an aid package, providing around 8.4 billion euros.

Local media said the liberal Free Democrats party, part of the ruling coalition, could table a motion at its annual conference this weekend seeking to exclude from the euro-zone troubled countries requiring more aid than the EU alone can give. Several German newspapers backed this position.

“The only viable solution is a clear break: Greece must leave the euro,” said Bild, the country’s biggest circulation daily.

Berlin daily Tagesspiegel said it should be the “last resort” if IMF and EU aid does not work. —AFP

UAE prices up in March, first rise in 3 months DUBAI: Consumer prices in the United Arab Emirates rose 0.68 percent year-on-year in March, official data showed yesterday, following three consecutive months of declines.

The key housing and energy component rose 0.5 percent in March compared to the same period last year. The education component registered the biggest yearon-year rise, climbing 10.46 percent compared to 2009. The con-

sumer price index in the Gulf Arab country edged up to 114.13 points in March, compared to 113.36 points in March 2009.

Prices rose 0.09 percent month-on-month, the data showed, also the first increase after three consecutive months. Debt restructuring in the UAE member Dubai is expected to keep price pressures in the second largest Arab economy muted this year as it continues to recover from last year’s

downturn.

A Reuters poll showed analysts expected average inflation of 2.5 percent in 2010, after it slowed to a nine-year low of 1.56 percent last year.

The central bank has said inflation, which hit 12.3 percent in 2008, would stay low. The data also showed that consumer prices rose 0.87 percent in the first quarter of the year, compared to the same period last year. —Reuters

Saudi Arabia spent $5.6bn on projects in first quarter RIYADH: Saudi Arabia awarded development contracts worth 20.9 billion riyals ($5.6 billion) in the first quarter, down almost 50 percent from last year, as the oil exporter pursues a five-year infrastructure program.

The biggest Arab economy and top oil exporter has like other nations boosted spending on infrastructure, health care and education to underpin economic growth and has warned against early exits of stimulus packages. Saudi Arabia, a member of the group of biggest economies G20, plans to spend more than $400 billion until 2013 for projects such as roads, hospitals or other infrastructure to serve its mainly young population of 18 million nationals.

State news agency SPA gave no comparison but in May Finance Minister Ibrahim Alassaf put the value of contracts in the first quarter of 2009 at 40.6 billion riyals.

“The government is seeing clear signs of a recovery so it could be that spending is less spread over the full year more evenly,” said John Sfakianakis, chief economist at Banque Saudi Fransi in Riyadh.

“It is hard to sustain high spending from one quarter to the next but the government’s announced spending program is on course,” he said. In the fourth quarter the value of contracts had risen to 32 billion riyals versus 20 billion riyals in the same period a year ago, he added.

The largest chunk, 479 contracts worth 15.7 billion riyals, went to construction projects such as building roads, schools or hospitals, SPA cited the finance ministry as saying.

The government spent 4.7 billion riyals on building schools, 3.6 billion riyals on health or water projects, 2.4 billion riyals on city and town development and 1.7 billion riyals on road works and transport, SPA said.

Saudi Arabia said in December it plans to to raise investments by 16 percent to 260 billion riyals this year.

Central bank governor Muhammad Al-Jasser told Reuters in March the local lending growth is set to recover this year as the local banking system is liquid and confidence in the global economy rises.

The IMF expects the Saudi economy to grow by 3.7 percent this year after 0.15 percent in 2009. —Reuters

BUSINESS

24

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Kuwait equities retreat again on selloff spree KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) retreated for the second week in a row as selling activities continued to dominate the course of trades during the past week. Accordingly, the market’s price index dipped below the 7,300 points level after forgoing both the 7,500 and 7,400 points levels in the previous week. Midweek sessions witnessed traders’ intense engagement in selling transactions, causing the market to register significant losses, which were influenced by the negative atmosphere lingering from the week before, recorded declines in most of the neighboring stock markets, in addition to increased traders’ anticipation for the announcements of listed companies’ first quarter results.

As more than half of the disclosure period has passed, only 7% of companies listed in the regular market have announced their results for the period. However, KSE was able to display relative stability in its performance in the last two working days of the week, and therefore managed to compensate some of its incurred losses.

Bayan Investment weekly market report On the other hand, last week’s trades were significantly weak, as average daily turnover declined by 31.74%, compared to previous week’s levels, to reach KD 58.92 million, whereas trading volume average amounted to 232.74 million shares, at a decrease of 35%.

By the end of the week, the price index closed at 7,254.8 points, down by 1.76% from the week before closing, whereas the weighted index registered a 0.52% weekly loss after closing at 432.53 points. Accordingly, the market’s year-to-date gains were reduced as a result of last week’s incurred losses, as price index’s increase from the beginning of the year reached 3.56%, while weighted index’s gains became 12.13%.

Sectors’ indices All of KSE’s sectors ended last week in the red zone. Last week’s biggest loser was the Real Estate sector, as its index declined by 2.60% to end the week’s activity at 2,679.4 points. Whereas, in the second place, the Industry sector’s index closed at 5,768.6 points recording 2.39% decrease.

The Services sector came in third, as its index closed at 15,857.0 points at a loss of 2.30%. The Banks sector was the least declining as its index closed at 9,321.8 points with a 0.35% decrease.

the total market trading volume. The Services sector was second in terms trading volume as the sector’s traded shares were 29.20% of last week’s total trading volume, with a total of 339.79 million shares. On the other hand, the Services sector’s stocks where the highest traded in terms of value; with a turnover of KD 106.29 million or 36.08% of last week’s total market trading value. The Banks sector took the second place as the sector’s last week turnover of KD 82.02 million represented 27.84% of the total market trading value.

Sectors’ activity The Investment sector dominated total trade volume during last week with 373.19 million shares changing hands, representing 32.07% of

Market capitalization KSE total market capitalization declined by 0.62% during last week to reach KD 32.83 billion, as all of KSE’s sectors record-

ed a decrease in their respective market capitalization except for one sector. The Real Estate sector headed the decliners list as its total market capitalization reached KD 1.92 billion, decreasing by 2.24%. The NonKuwaiti companies sector was the second in terms of recorded decline with 2.08% decrease after the total value of its listed companies reached KD 3.27 billion. The third place was for the Industry sector, which total market capitalization reached KD 2.90 billion by the end of the week, recording a decline of 1.56%. The Banks sector was the least declining with 0.46% recorded decrease after its market capitalization amounted to KD 11.43 billion. On the other hand, the Services sector was last week’s only gainer as its total market capitalization increased by 0.54% to reach, by the end of the week, KD 9.14 billion. — Prepared by the Studies & Research Department

BUSINESS

Sunday, April 25, 2010

BEIJING: A model poses inside Chinese automaker Geely’s Gleagle IG displayed at the Beijing Auto China 2010 show in Beijing yesterday. —AP

25

BEIJING: A model poses next to China’s Geely Tiger GT displayed at the Beijing Auto China 2010 show in Beijing. —AP

BEIJING: A worker cleans the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG displayed at its booth at the Beijing Auto China 2010 show. —AP

BEIJING AUTO SHOW

Chinese carmakers closing quality gap BEIJING: When Ric Hull first looked at launching Great Wall Motor pickup trucks in Australia last year, he considered rebranding them, worried their obvious Chinese origins would raise questions about their quality.

Ateco Group, Hull’s auto importing and dealership company, decided against marketing the low cost models under “GWM” label, instead embracing the trucks’ made in China credentials, and sales are booming. “We initially thought: do we resolve the brand question, do we call them GWM? But then we thought that people would know anyway, and that seems to be working very well,” Hull said.

“The thing that’s fascinated us about China is how rapidly they are progressing. The cars, just a few years ago, would not have been saleable in markets like ours. But today they are,” Hull told Reuters at the Beijing Auto Show this week.

Global auto executives gathered at the biannual event are also recognizing the stiffer competition they face as Chinese rivals step up their quality standards. Chinese carmakers, some with the help of foreign partners, have rapidly improved vehicle quality as they prepare to take on established international brands such as Volkswagen, General Motors and Hyundai Motor in the higher segments of the

market that they dominate in China.

With such improved quality and cut-rate prices, established automakers could one day be competing against China’s most successful brands not only in China but on the global stage, executive said. “I have no doubt about it,” Nissan Motor CEO Carlos Ghosn told a small group of reporters at the Beijing auto show. “This may take time. Obviously today, when you take a look at a show like this, there is more improvement to be made.

“Some Chinese brands are going to...gain credibility.

They’re going to be acquiring know-how, like the Volvo acquisition,” he said, referring

BEIJING: Models pose near the Lancer EX from Mitsubishi Motors Corp. displayed at the Beijing Auto China 2010 show. —AP

viewed the offer as an “insult”.

Frenchman Vincent Bollore, who has a five percent stake in Mediobanca and is the leading foreign shareholder in the bank, will become vicechairman of Generali.

Bernheim joined the board of Generali in 1973, chairing it from 1995 to 1999 and since 2002.

A prominent financier in his native France as well, Bernheim helped shape French capitalism from the 1960s to 1990 as an investment banker at Lazard. Shareholders must approve Mediobanca’s nomination of Geronzi before the board can make him chairman.

Geronzi, 75, is considered a pillar of Italian finance, though some fear that his brushes with the courts may jeopardize Generali’s reputation.

Embroiled in several bankruptcy proceedings including the Parmalat scandal, Geronzi was convicted and sentenced to 20 months in prison in 2006 over the collapse of the Italcase real estate group, but acquitted on appeal. —AFP

US, Europe struggle to impose bank tax plan WASHINGTON: Americans and Europeans failed to convince G20 partners to approve a financial sector tax aimed at reimbursing bail-outs of banks that sparked the global economic crisis.

The initiative was first floated in November at a meeting of finance ministers from 20 leading developed and developing countries in Saint Andrews, Scotland, but sparked dissension at their latest meeting in Washington. A G20 statement called on the International Monetary Fund to continue work on the issue ahead of a G20 summit scheduled in June in Toronto.

The IMF presented finance ministers and central bankers with a report that proposed two taxes, one on each financial institution according to its level of assets, risky ones in particular, and another on profits and pay.

Fund experts said the taxes must be coherent among all G20 members to prevent banks from avoiding them by moving operations to countries where the levies were

not applied. But one of the meeting’s hosts, Canada, led opposition to the idea, refusing to impose a charge on institutions that made it through the financial crisis relatively unscathed.

“Some countries are in favour of that, some countries quite clearly are not,” said Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, who declared his own opposition to the idea.

He received backing from Brazilian counterpart Guido Mantega, who said: “I would prefer to curb risk by demanding that banks maintain higher reserves.

“The crisis did not originate in our financial systems,” Mantega noted. Their arguments were opposed by four major countries that support a financial sector tax: Britain, France, Germany and the United States.

“We explained to the Canadians that although the risk did not materialize this time, it could the next time around,” French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said.

I don’t know how they would actually drive, but the products on display look a lot better than they did in the past,” he said.

Some analysts say that Chinese brands could become rivals outside their native market sooner than most automakers reckon.

“Chinese car companies are climbing the technology and quality ladder at such a pace that we believe within a few years, some domestic brands will able to compete with global brands both at home and overseas,” Nomura International analyst Yankun Hou wrote in a recent report.

Hou said he saw SAIC, Geely, BYD, Great Wall Motor and Chery as potential winners

down the line.

To be sure, managing quality is not only a Chinese issue. The explosive growth in the China market has put major automakers on watch as well, especially after the global vehicle recalls that roiled Toyota earlier this year.

Established automakers are focusing on how to keep quality standards-and brand perception-from slipping even as they storm ahead with capacity expansion plans.

At GM, the mandate to ensure that Buick, Chevy and Cadillac quality standards are not compromised by booming growth comes right from Chief Executive Ed Whitacre, who has asked to be briefed on safe-

BEIJING: Visitors take photos of Italy’s Bertone Pandion futuristic concept car displayed at the Beijing Auto China 2010 show. —AP

Bernheim, 85, bitter on leaving Italy’s Generali TRIESTE, Italy: French financier Antoine Bernheim, stepping down from the helm of Generali yesterday, charged he was forced out of the Italian insurance giant by foes who used his advanced age as a pretext. “It appears that today, at age 85, I am an old man in his dotage,” Bernheim said in an emotional speech to shareholders.

Bernheim is to hand over the reins of Europe’s third largest insurer to Cesare Geronzi, head of Italy’s leading investment bank Mediobanca.

In a barb aimed at Mediobanca, Generali’s largest shareholder with a stake of 13.2 percent, the Frenchman recalled that Enrico Cuccia was 93 when he gave up the helm of Mediobanca.

“It is sad to leave a company after 40 years,” Bernheim said in the speech lasting more than an hour, indicating however that he was prepared to accept a position as honorary chairman-despite having told the French daily Le Figaro that he

to Geely Automobile’s deal last month to buy Volvo Cars from Ford Motor.

Mitsubishi Motors President Osamu Masuko agreed, saying he was impressed when he recently test-drove BYD’s F6 sedan.

“For a company that’s only been in this business for a few years, it’s remarkable,” he said.

“And they’re going to keep improving with every model change. One day, Chinese automakers could be a formidable competitor.”

Toyota Motor’s R&D chief, Takeshi Uchiyamada, also said he saw big improvements in the interior and exterior packaging as he walked around the auto show.

“These are show models so

She stressed however that “there was never any question of reaching an agreement today. We still need to examine the tax base, its rate and its target,” but acknowledged that “the countries are not all on the same wavelength.” The IMF must now come up with a compromise to its innovative plan for what has been dubbed a “Financial Activities Tax” (FAT) on profits and pay meant to discourage the kind of excessive risk taking that exacerbated the financial crisis.

Reaching such a compromise will be more difficult for G20 envoys than for their counterparts in the more homogenous G7 group of highly industrialized countries.

“There are always differences of opinion, especially between countries that paid a high price during the financial crisis and others that did not suffer such costs, in particular emerging economies,” German junior finance minister Joerg Asmussen noted. —AFP

ICICI Bank says Q1 profit jumps 35% MUMBAI: ICICI Bank Ltd, India’s largest private bank, said yesterday its quarterly profit rose by more than a third, missing expectations, as it continued to retrench its deposit base and cut back on risky consumer loans.

Net profit for the January to March quarter was 10.06 billion rupees ($224 million), up 35.2 percent from 7.44 billion rupees ($166 million) in the year ago period. Total income slipped 16.1 percent, to 77.18 billion rupees ($1.74 billion) from 92.03 billion rupees in the year ago quarter.

Despite rising demand for credit in India’s fastgrowing economy, ICICI shrank its loan book 17 percent for the year, to 1.81 trillion rupees ($40.4 billion) from 2.2 trillion rupees ($48.6 billion) a year ago, as it cut back on retail and overseas loans. Chief executive Chanda Kochhar said the bank has finished purging high-risk retail loans and is ready to increase lending going forward.

This fiscal year, she said outstanding loans should grow by 16 to 20 percent, on strong demand for mortgages and car loans as well as corporate financing for manufacturing and infrastructure projects.

She said the domestic loan book grew at a 26 percent annualized rate in the March quarter, after three quarters of sharp contraction.

“The restructuringdivesting some of our highrisk loan book-we are more or less through,” she said.

In the last year, the bank has reduced its unsecured retail loans from 7.5 percent to less than 5 percent of the total, she said. —AP

guards the US automaker is putting into place, executives say. “We are incredibly focused on the quality story,” GM’s president for international operations, Tim Lee, said in Beijing this week. “I have no fear that we will face it. We’ve seen the other side of the equation and our brands are too important.”

Ford, on track to increase its dealer network in China by 25 percent this year, is also focused on ensuring that it does not chase growth for the sake of growth.

“The quality of the dealership is more important to me than the number,” said Ford’s global marketing chief, Jim Farley. “I want to make sure

that we are getting the right partner for the next 50 years.”

Chinese automakers, for their part, are aware of the task still ahead of them.

With Beijing keen to weed out the weak and be left with only a handful of strong, globally competitive homegrown players, Chinese automakers are scrambling to raise their game, including by showing they can export and set up shop overseas. “We still have a gap to fill with international brands,” Jianghuai Automobile Group President An Jin told an industry conference in Beijing this week.

“This will be the driving force for us. We need to enhance our brand and quality.” —Reuters

BEIJING: Dancers perform at the Chinese automaker BYD’s booth at the Beijing Auto China 2010 show held in Beijing. —AP

Will tough love fix Greece’s escalating economic woes?

WASHINGTON: Global finance officials are sending Greece a tough love message: Move ahead on economic reforms and we’ll come to the rescue with an emergency loan package.

The rapidly escalating Greek debt crisis was expected to dominate discussions at yesterday’s gathering of the 186-nation International Monetary Fund and its sister lending agency, the World Bank.

Greek Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou was scheduled to have a separate meetings with IMF Managing Director Dominique StraussKahn, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and finance officials from Russia and Brazil.

Crippled by soaring borrowing costs, Greece triggered an emergency aid plan Friday to draw cash from the IMF and countries that use the euro.

There’s enough money in the package to prevent Greece from defaulting on its massive debts.

Euro-zone members will contribute $40 billion, while the IMF will pony up $13.4 billion this year.

Athens is already implementing a harsh austerity program that cuts civil servants’ pay, freezes pensions and raises taxes. But the country still faces years of painful cutbacks and doubts about its long-term finances. The IMF is expediting review of Greece’s request for emergency aid.

“You can read a much greater sense of urgency, and that is welcome,” Geithner told reporters Friday following a meeting of finance officials from the Group of 20 countries. “Based on what I heard, they (Greece) are going to move much more quickly to put in place a strong package of reforms.” The G-20 is composed

of the world’s wealthiest industrial countries plus major emerging economies such as China, Brazil, India, South Korea and Russia.

Greece’s debt crisis was discussed at the G20 meeting and is a “source of concern,” Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said after the meeting. But the countries didn’t directly address the matter in their joint communique. The EU’s monetary affairs commissioner, Ollie Rehn, did brief the G-20 officials on the Greek aid plan and it was discussed on the sidelines.

“Of course, we could not avoid discussing this issue,” Rehn said.

“It has potential implications for financial stability in the European Union and globally.” Rehn said he believed the EU-IMF aid package could be completed by early May. French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said she expected to have French parlia-

ATHENS: Stock price tickers flash green, indicating gains, at the Athens stock exchange on Friday. Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou called Friday for the activation of a joint euro-zone-International Monetary Fund financial rescue to pull his country out of a major debt crisis. —AP

mentary approval by May 10.

Other countries in the euro zone do not have to go to their parliaments for approval, she said. “It is a work in progress.” Despite the deepening Greek debt crisis, global financial leaders declared Friday that the world’s economy is recovering faster than expected from the worst recession in decades. However, unemployment in the United States and other countries remains high.

The G20 members papered over sharp differences over proposed new taxes on banks to keep taxpayers from being saddled with the cost of future financial bailouts. The proposed new taxes would also be aimed at restraining the kind of excessive risk taking that led to the crisis. The communique said that countries would work together to come up with ways to ensure that banks make a “fair and substantial contribution towards paying for any burdens associated with government interventions to repair the banking system.” The goal is to present a plan to President Barack Obama and other G-20 leaders when they meet in late June in Canada.

Canada is leading the opposition to new bank taxes, arguing that would not be fair to its banks _ which did not suffer costly failures in the recent crisis. “Some countries are in favor,” Flaherty said. “Some countries quite clearly are not. It depends on whether a country has had to use taxpayer dollars to bail out their banks.”

Geithner, however, said the Obama administration hoped to set a good example for other countries by winning congressional approval for a strong overhaul of financial regulations in the United States. Senate debate on the measure is expected to begin next week. —AP

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BUSINESS

Sunday, April 25, 2010

WALL STREET WEEKLY OUTLOOK

Profits still hold key; Greece could temper NEW YORK: Wall Street is heading into another earnings blitz next week and the prospects of strong results from bellwethers like Caterpillar Inc and 3M Co should propel indexes to new recovery highs. Another round of strong earnings would be further evidence that the US economic recovery is gaining strength and may help temper some of the risk associated with Greece’s debt woes after Athens formally requested aid from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund on Friday.

Of the 172 S&P 500 companies that have already reported earnings for the quarter, some 83 percent have beaten analyst expectations, well above the 61 percent in a typi-

cal quarter and above the 79 percent record set in the third quarter of 2009, according to Thomson Reuters data.

“Fundamentals are continuing to look great, earnings look great. But some market players continue to underestimate how strong this economy is. They continue to fight it, particularly in the retail and consumer sectors,” said Paul Zemsky, head of asset allocation at ING Investment Management in New York. “We continue to think that the economy is going to perform better than consensus. We have turned the corner on job growth.”

Although there are other events next week that could play on sentiment, earnings are still seen as the driving factor- unless other events

offer surprises.

The Federal Reserve also has a two-day policy meeting next week but analysts widely expect the central bank will keep interest rates near zero and stick to its pledge of low rates for an extended period to foster the recovery.

And top executives from Goldman Sachs are scheduled to testify before a US Senate panel of on Tuesday.

The testimony of Goldman Sachs Chief Executive Lloyd Blankfein and the bond trader at the center of a high-profile civil fraud case promises to be a major spectacle after the Securities and Exchange Commission leveled charges against the bank and the trader, Fabrice Tourre, a week ago.

The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has said it was using Goldman to probe the role of investment banks in the securitization of mortgage products and the “development, marketing and trading” of products such as collateralized debt obligations.

Although the hearing will command attention and put Goldman in the spotlight, corporate earnings are expected to support evidence of the economic recovery and drive the market higher.

“Looking for continued economic improvement and first-quarter corporate reports is more tangible in terms of gleaning the strength and direction of this recovery” as opposed to the noise of Goldman

and financial reform,” said Phil Orlando, chief equity market strategist at Federated Investors in New York.

Besides Caterpillar and 3M Co, other earnings highlights next week will include U.S. Steel Corp; chipmaker Texas Instruments; chemical maker DuPont, and credit and debit payments network Visa Inc. Energy heavyweights Exxon Mobil Corp and Chevron Corp are also on the earnings scoreboard.

There are also plenty of economic indicators to wade through, including the government’s advance reading on first-quarter gross domestic product on Friday.

“I think you could see some folks throwing in the towel right there, realizing that this economy is recov-

ering and growing a lot more strongly than the perma-bears believe,” Orlando said on the upcoming GDP report.

A Reuters poll of economists forecast GDP, the broadest measure of the US economy, grew at an annualized 3.4 percent rate in the first quarter, after a 5.6 percent increase in the prior quarter.

In addition, reports on consumer sentiment and consumer confidence are due on Tuesday and on Friday, respectively. One big question facing investors in the coming week on Greece is whether its formal request for EU and IMF aid will calm fears of default. The clamor among investors for something to be done about Greece’s debt had reached a crescendo before Prime

Minister George Papandreou announced on Friday he was asking for aid.

US stocks, nonetheless, have shrugged off worries over Greece, propelling both the benchmark S&P 500 and the Dow Jones industrial average to 19-month highs.

Technically, the S&P 500, up 80 percent since the March 2009 bottom, has spent the past week building a base in the 1,200 area.

The S&P on Friday close at 1,217.28 points. According to John Schlitz, chief US market technician at Instinet in New York, the S&P 500’s next upside target is the 1,225-1,235 area. “We could be testing those levels soon if the earnings and macro data continue to pleasantly surprise,” he said. —Reuters

Wall Street Journal heads into New York hyperdrive Murdoch aims to grab readers, advertisers from NY Times NEW YORK: The Wall Street Journal is offering some businesses firesale prices for full-page ads in its highly anticipated New York edition to seduce advertisers away from The New York Times. Wall Street Journal Managing Editor Robert Thomson and other executives plan to unveil the edition during a press briefing on Monday morning. The section will cover local news, culture and sports, and will be incorporated within the Wall

Street Journal. It will be circulated in the New York area. Rupert Murdoch, whose News Corp owns the Journal, is betting that New Yorkers want an alternative to the Times, and he is willing to risk the ire of any shareholders not interested in pulp and ink. David Joyce, an analyst at Miller Tabak, said investors “tend to hate” the newspaper assets of News Corp.

“They wish it could be spun out, but you have to go into News Corp assuming they’re going to be around. Newspapers, the power and influence that come along with (them), are integral to the News Corp strategy.” To entice advertisers onto the pages of the New York edition, the Wall Street Journal is deeply cutting the cost of a fullpage ad and, as a bonus, throwing in a full-page ad in the New York Post, also owned by News Corp.

NEW YORK: Steve Gelsi (left), with MarketWatch, and Kelsey Hubbard, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal Digital Network, record a show in the newsroom, in New York. —AP

G20 polite on China forex as yuan decision eyed WASHINGTON: After months under pressure from the United States, Europe and other economic powers, China’s controversial yuan currency peg drew no fire on Friday from world finance leaders.

Finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of 20 developed and emerging economies, including China, skated over one of the main bones of contention in international finance.

That could be a sign that policymakers are expecting China to allow the yuan to resume its rise in its own time. Many officials say there is no point adding to outside pressure now, which would anyway be counter-productive. “There wasn’t any talk about the yuan,” Japanese

Finance Minister Naoto Kan said. “I know everyone is interested. But it wasn’t discussed openly at the G7 or G20 probably because everyone there knew that China won’t like that very much.”

The heavyweights of the industrialized and developing worlds are just embarking on a process of rebalancing the global economy, “so we will for the time being watch how the situation unfolds,” Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said.

A joint statement at the end of the G20 meeting made no direct mention of currencies and Brazil, among countries expressing concern about the yuan in the run-up to the meeting, said the main problem for his country was a weak US dol-

lar.

The near silence about China’s foreign exchange policy, which many US economists say undervalues the yuan by as much as 40 percent, is a contrast to just a few weeks ago.

Under pressure domestically on the issue, US President Barack Obama took the rare step in March of calling on China to move to a more market-oriented exchange rate to help foster a more sustainable world economy. US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner then made a surprise trip to Beijing and signs have emerged that China is preparing to allow the yuan to resume strengthening against the dollar, something it suspended nearly two years ago as the global financial

Tanzania raises royalties in new mining legislation DAR ES SALAAM: Tanzania’s parliament has passed a new mining law that increases the rate of royalty paid on minerals like gold from 3 percent to 4 percent and requires the government to own a stake in future mining projects.

Tanzania is Africa’s third largest gold producer, but also has reserves of uranium, nickel and coal. Gold exports alone earned it $1.076 billion in 2009, up from $932.4 million the previous year.

The Mining Act 2010 passed late on Friday also requires mining companies to list on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange. As part of the new legislation, Tanzania will not issue new gemstone mining licenses to foreign companies.

Current agreements with foreign mining companies remain unchanged.

“This bill makes comprehensive provision for prospecting for minerals, mining, processing and dealing in minerals, for the granting, renewal and

termination of mineral rights, for payment of royalties, fees and other charges and for any other relevant matters,” said part of the legislation.

“The bill is a response to challenges faced and experience gained during 12 years of the implementation of the Mining Act ... that was enacted in the year 1998.”

African Barrick Gold has four gold mines in Tanzania while Australia’s third largest gold miner, Resolute Mining and South Africa’s Anglogold Ashanti also have gold operations there.

British mining company African Eagle Ltd. is raising funds for its nickel project in Tanzania.

Gemstones identified by the new law include diamonds, tanzanite, emerald, ruby, sapphire, turquoise, topaz, and others. Gemstone producer Tanzanite One, will not be affected by the new ownership rules. —Reuters

crisis brewed.

Geithner on Friday went out of his way to make sure he created no ripples.

“I’m going to repeat what I’ve said before-nothing new or different in how I respond to that basic question,” Geithner said, when asked about the yuan. “This is China’s choice.

And I believe that China will decide it’s in their interest to renew the (currency) reform process... suspended during the crisis.”

LET THEM BE Behind the softer tone is a growing sense among US policymakers that public pressure on China on how it should run its currency policy will yield little, a stance long held by Japan and shared by some Asian countries. “I would be a little reluctant to offer advice to another country about what the value their currency should be,” Sri Lankan Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal told Reuters.

“Rather than requesting others to change their policies, we need to look at our own policies to see how we compete.”

The argument is that China will see the value of letting the yuan move in keeping its inflation under control and balancing an economy set to grow 10 percent this year and next. “(Opponents of yuan appreciation argue that) the people who want to have revaluation are just succumbing to foreign pressure and not representing Chinese interests, so it makes it very difficult for the proponents of currency appreciation to gain a consensus in favor of appreciation,” said Nicholas Lardy, an expert on China’s economy at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. —Reuters

News Corp Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch listens to questions during a media conference at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

—AP file photo Some local businesses can buy a full-page ad for $19,000, according to a Wall Street Journal presentation to advertisers that was shown to Reuters by a source. That is a steep discount to full-page print ads in large newspapers that can cost up to $90,000.

A Dow Jones source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said only a few New York area businesses not currently advertising in the Wall Street Journal or the New York Post were being offered the discount.

“With News Corp having a vast array of diversified assets, they can afford to essentially buy market share in the New York newspaper market by offering cut-rate advertising,” said Miller Tabak’s Joyce. “That could perhaps hurt New York Times’ finances.”

The newspaper industry, already weakened by a migration of advertising to the Internet, has been roiled by one of the worst economic downturns in generations. Days before the new edition of the Wall Street Journal was due to hit the streets, several newspaper companies, including the New York Times Co, published quarterly financial results that revealed it could be a long road back to ad revenue growth.

The Wall Street Journal, however, showed advertising revenue growth in the first quarter.

“Competitors have been accusing each other of rate cutting since the beginning of time,” Michael Rooney, chief revenue officer of the Wall Street Journal, said in an emailed statement. “The simple fact is that the Times’ ad revenue is down 12 percent and our ad revenue is up 25 percent in the latest quarter.” —Reuters

Regulators seize bank linked to US Senate candidate CHICAGO: Regulators on Friday seized a Chicago bank owned by the family of the Democratic nominee running for the US Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama.

Broadway Bank was among seven Illinois banks whose failure was announced on Friday.

US regulators have seized 15 banks in the past two weeks, as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp ratchets up efforts to clean up the banking industry. Regulators have closed 57 banks this year.

Amcore Bank was the largest to close on Friday, with $3.8 billion in assets and $3.4 billion in total deposits as of Dec 31, 2009, the FDIC said. It will be purchased by Harris National Association, a part of Canada’s BMO Financial Group.

Broadway Bank, a community bank with $1.2 billion in assets, had been limping along for months under the weight of bad commercial real estate loans.

The bank is owned by the family of Alexi Giannoulias, the first-term Illinois state treasurer who is in a tight race for Obama’s previous post to be decided in the November election.

The FDIC said MB Financial is assuming the deposits of Broadway Bank. Obama backed Giannoulias, a banking scion, for treasurer, and the two have played basketball together. But White House aides tried unsuccessfully to recruit other prominent Illinois Democrats to run for the seat.

In comments late Friday, Giannoulias called the bank’s closing “an incredibly sad and heartbreaking day for me and my family,” adding when he left the bank in 2006 to become state treasurer “it was one of the best-performing in Illinois.”

He said he would only fight harder to win the Senate seat. Republicans have condemned Giannoulias’ role in the bank’s soured real estate portfolio that included loans to such figures as convicted prostitution ring operator Michael “Jaws” Giorango. Loans were also made to convicted influence peddler Antoin “Tony” Rezko, who also was a fund-raiser for Obama.

It is these loans, says DePaul University political science professor Michael Mezey, that could hurt Giannoulias even more than the failure of the bank.

“They’ve (the Giannoulias campaign) been talking about it (the bank) and claiming it would fail. ... It’s not news at this point,” he said. “The thing that may be more damaging than the closing is the loans to people of questionable character.”

The bank’s failure gives further ammunition to Giannoulias’ Republican opponent, five-term congressman Mark Kirk. “While years of risky lending schemes, hot money investments and loans to organized crime led to today’s failure, it’s a sad day for Broadway Bank employees who may lose their jobs due to Giannoulias’ reckless business practices,” Kirk campaign spokesperson Kirsten Kukowski said in an email statement.

Giannoulias has characterized Broadway Bank’s troubles as similar to those of other community banks hurt by the harshest recession in decades.

His links to the failed bank comes at a time when the Illinois Democratic party is already in disarray. The Illinois legislature impeached and removed Democrat Rod Blagojevich during his second term as governor in January 2009, after he was charged with racketeering, fraud, and lying to investigators-including an accusation he tried to sell Obama’s vacant US Senate seat.

In addition to Broadway and Amcore, the FDIC said five other Illinois banks failed on Friday. They are: New Century Bank, Citizens Bank&Trust Co, Wheatland Bank, Peotone Bank and Trust Company and Lincoln Park Savings Bank.

MB Financial is assuming the deposits of New Century, while Republic Bank of Chicago is assuming Citizens Bank & Trust Co’s deposits. Wheatland Bank will reopen as part of Wheaton Bank and Trust, First Midwest Bank, also in Illinois, will assume the deposits of Peotone Bank and Trust Company and Lincoln Park Savings Bank will become part of Northbrook Bank and Trust Company. —Reuters

NEW YORK: A Wall Street sign is shown in front of the New York Stock Exchange. Stocks are trading in a tight range on Friday as early gains from a strong report on new home sales dried up by late morning. —AP

TECHNOLOGY

Sunday, April 25, 2010

27

NATO’s cyber-brains gaze at future of war TALLINN: Behind the walls of a high-security lab, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s top cyber-minds are trying to predict the evolution of conflict in an Internet-dependent world. While they play down disaster-movie scenarios of total meltdown, experts warn cyber-attacks will be part and parcel of future fighting.

Tallinn is home to a cutting-edge unit known in NATO-speak as the Cooperative Cyber Defense Centre of Excellence. The city is the capital of Estonia, whose flourishing hi-tech industry has earned it the label “E-Stonia”. “Definitely from the cyber-space perspective, I think we’ve gone further than we imagined in science fiction,” said Ilmar Tamm, the Estonian colonel at its helm.

Its base is a 1905 building where military communications experts have toiled away since the days of

carrier pigeons and the telegraph. The centre’s dozens of experts second-guess potential adversaries, gazing into what they dub the “fifth battlespace”, after land, sea, air and space. “The whole myriad and complex area makes it a very difficult problem to solve, and at the same time it keeps a very convenient grey area for the bad guys,” explained Tamm.

“Many states have realized that this is really something that can be used as a weapon... That we should not ignore. It will have a future impact,” he said. “I’m not so naive that I’d say conventional warfare will go away. But we should expect it to be more combined,” he added. Bitter experience taught Estonia-one of the world’s most wired places and a NATO member since 2004 — all about cyber-conflict.

The minnow country of 1.3 million people suffered

blistering attacks in 2007 which took down business and government web-based services for days.

“It clearly heralded the beginning of a new era,” its Defense Minister Jaak Aaviksoo told AFP. “It had all the characteristics of cyber-crime growing into a national security threat. It was a qualitative change, and that clicked in very many heads,” he added. The assault came as Estonian authorities controversially shifted a Soviet-era war memorial from central Tallinn to a military cemetery.

The monument, erected when Moscow took over after World War II, following independence in 1991 became a flashpoint for disputes about the past with Estonia’s ethnic-Russian minority. Tallinn was rocked by riots as the memorial was moved. Estonia blamed Russia for stoking the strife, and also claimed

the cyber-offensive had been traced to official servers in Moscow. Russia, whose relations with Estonia are rocky, denied involvement.

For Aaviksoo, cyber-attacks may “present a standalone security threat or a combined security threat”.

An example of the latter, he noted, came during Russia’s 2008 war with ex-Soviet Georgia, as hackers hit Georgian websites while Moscow’s troops moved in. “Cyber-security, cyber-defense and cyber-offence are here to stay. This is a fact of life,” Aaviksoo said.

In a report this month, Canadian researchers said a China-based network had stolen Indian military secrets, hacked the Dalai Lama’s office and hit computers around the world.

A University of Toronto team traced the attacks to servers in Chengdu, China, but could not identify the

culprits. Chengdu is home to Chinese military communications intelligence units. “Some reports have, from time to time, been heard of insinuating or criticizing the Chinese government... I have no idea what evidence they have or what motives lie behind,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said.

Proving a formal state role in cyber-attacks is close to impossible, because of their fluid nature.

“We’re seeing opportunism in terms of citizens bandwagoning on these big events. The role of the state in this is all rather mysterious,” said Rex Hughes of the Chatham House think-tank in London. “I’m skeptical that we’ll see an actual cyber-war, where countries will exclusively attack one another over the Internet,” he said. “It remains to be seen if the great cyber Pearl Harbor or 9/11 comes,” he added. — AFP

YouTube now growing player in online films Google’s future TV plan eyes Youtube’s fan-following SAN FRANCISCO: YouTube turned five on Friday. In the scant time since the first video w as uploaded to YouTube on April 23, 2005, the w ebsite has rocketed to global stardom and become a key player in a shift to Internet televi-

BROOKFIELD: Veterinary technician Michelle Sefcik marvels at the long tongue of Jessi, an aardvark that had just had a CT scan at Brookfield Zoo. — MCT

Zoo finds high-tech tools to study aardvark’s teeth BROOKFIELD: Jessi, a 6-year-old aardvark, has a full set of 20 healthy teeth, it turns out, but it took an unusual sort of dental exam for Brookfield Zoo veterinarians to find that out last week. A 100pound female, Jessi was anesthetized and laid out so her head could undergo a three-dimensional examination in the zoo’s newly acquired CT-scanning machine.

In the past, the zoo would take animals like dolphins and gorillas to Loyola University Medical Center to undergo computerized tomography scans. But Loyola recently donated the machine to Brookfield - making it only the second zoo in North America to have one - and on Thursday, zoo officials showed it off to reporters.

The aardvark exam demonstrated the machine’s utility. When the ant- and termiteeaters’ mouths are wide open, less than an inch separates their upper and lower jaws. Their teeth are so far back in their long, pointy snouts that dental exams are impossible. “Even with X-rays we don’t see the surfaces and roots of the aardvark’s teeth,” said zoo veterinarian Michael Adkesson.

“This machine gives us a perfect, 3-D look.”

The scanner, worth 1 million dollars new, is an older model that Loyola gave to the zoo after installing updated medical imaging equipment,

Adkesson said. The zoo’s hospital also has recently digitized its X-ray technology, he said. The zoo’s veterinary staff already has used the scanner to examine aardvarks and turtles as well as a wolf, ferret, goat and otter.

The scanning device will be used not just to assist in immediate medical emergencies, but to learn more about the animals as a preventive medical measure, Adkesson said. “We have a 26year-old male aardvark, Bernard, who has had issues of tooth decay,” a malady common in older zoo aardvarks, he said. Native to Africa, the animals can live up to 30 years in captivity, about 20 more years than they typically live in the wild.

In order to watch for onset of dental problems in aging aardvarks, he said the CT scan images of young, healthy teeth will be valuable in the future. Zoos may have contributed to aardvarks’ tooth decay by feeding them a sort of grain-based slurry, Adkesson said. More recently, they have developed a special gritty food pellet for them. To install the CT scan machine, the zoo hospital had to renovate a wing, installing a lead-lined room big enough to hold the machine and support equipment like climate control to keep the machine at an optimal operating temperature. — MCT

PARIS: A customer with 3 dimensions (3D) glasses watches a 3D TV screen in a multimedia store in Paris on April 23, 2010. — AFP

US students suffer from net addiction NEW YORK: Crackberry is no joke. American college students are hooked on cell phones, social media and the Internet and showing symptoms similar to drug and alcohol addictions, according to a new study.

Researchers at the University of Maryland who asked 200 students to give up all media for one full day found that after 24 hours many showed signs of withdrawal, craving and anxiety along with an inability to function well without their media and social links.

Susan Moeller, the study’s project director and a journalism professor at the university, said many students wrote about how they hated losing their media connections, which some equated to going without friends and family. “I clearly am addicted and the dependency is sickening,” said one student. “Between having a Blackberry, a laptop, a television, and an iPod, people have become unable to shed their media skin.”

Moeller said students complained most about their need to use text messages, instant messages, e-mail and Facebook. “Texting and IM-ing my friends gives me a constant feeling of comfort,” wrote one of the students, who blogged about their reactions. “When I did not have those two luxuries, I felt quite alone and secluded from my life.” Few students reported watching TV news or reading a newspaper.

The American Psychiatric Association does not recognize so-called Internet addiction as a disorder.

But it seems to be an affliction of modern life. In one extreme example in South Korea reported by the media, a couple allegedly neglected their three-monthold daughter, who died of malnutrition, because they were on the computer for up to 12 hours a day raising a virtual child.

In the United States a small private U.S. center called ReSTART, located near Redmond, Washington, opened last year in the shadow of computer giant Microsoft to treat excessive use of the Internet, video gaming and texting. The center’s website cites various examples of students who ran up large debts or dropped out of college due to their obsession.

Students in the Maryland study also showed no loyalty to news programs, a news personality or news platform. They maintained a casual relationship to news brands, and rarely distinguished between news and general information. “They care about what is going on among their friends and families and even in the world at large,” said Ph D student Raymond McCaffrey who worked on the study. Loyalty “does not seemed tied to any single device or application or news outlet.” —Reuters

“A huge percentage of them go even further: they express themselves via parodies, celebrate their favorite videos with mashups, and use music in educational presentations.” Google is planning a series of celebratory events for closer to the fifth anniversary of the public launch of YouTube in October 2005.

Google bought YouTube in a 1.65-billion-dollar deal about 19 months after the online video-sharing service was founded in February of 2005.

The Internet giant has been carefully transforming YouTube into a money-making stage for enjoying works ranging from backyard videos to independent films. “YouTube has the potential to be a very instrumental part of Google’s future TV plan,” said Gartner technology analyst Allen Weiner. “In the meantime they will tweak features to be more user friendly and will carefully follow what happens to Internet in living room.”

YouTube says more than a billion videos are seen daily on its website, which serves up money-making ads to viewers. An average of 24 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube each minute in an amount of content equal to 150,000 full length films over the course of a week. The website boasts content deals with more than 10,000 partners including entertainment titan Disney, and on Friday expanded a fledgling online movie

MediaBugs, new website to report media mistakes WASHINGTON: A new website unveiled last week may have journalists in the San Francisco area feeling a bit antsy. MediaBugs, which went online in beta, or test, mode on Tuesday, is a site whose professed goal is “correcting errors and problems in media coverage in the San Francisco Bay Area.” “All over the Web people are finding problems with news coverage,” said MediaBugs.org founder Scott Rosenberg, an author and former journalist who spent nine years working for the San Francisco Examiner newspaper.

“What you have today, sadly, is a situation where readers, people in the public, don’t always feel that they’re going to bother reporting an error because they’re going to be ignored,” Rosenberg told AFP. “Some news institutions have not made it always so easy to contact them or to find where you’d go to correct an error,” he said. “We’re trying to see if we can make this whole area more efficient and do a little something maybe to repair what I see as a breakdown in the relationship between the media and the public,” Rosenberg said.

MediaBugs was launched with a 335,000-dollar grant from the Knight News Challenge, a contest organized by the philanthropic Knight Foundation to provide funding for innovative ideas in online news.

Rosenberg, who also co-founded Salon.com and served as managing editor of the online magazine, said MediaBugs was inspired by the open-source world of software developers.

“Software projects have bug trackers, which are public websites where you can go if you have problems,” he said. “And I thought ‘What if we think of a way to apply this model to errors in media coverage?’”

Readers who spot errors in a San Francisco media outlet-be it a blog, a website, a newspaper, a magazine or a television or radio station-can fill out a form on the MediaBugs site to report the “bug.”

MediaBugs will then alert the news outlet to the problem, which must be what the site defines as a “correctable error or problem” and not a “difference of opinion or a matter of debate.” Readers can then track the discussion in what Rosenberg called “a public and transparent exchange.” The MediaBugs.org founder said news outlets in the San Francisco area have been receptive to the venture, a not-for-profit operation.

“We’ve spent the last two or three months visiting as many editors and newsrooms in the area as we could,” he said. “We’ve gotten a range of reactionssome real enthusiasm, some more wait-and-see, no outright slammed doors.” Kathleen Wentz, the managing editor of East Bay Express, which publishes a weekly newspaper and is online at EastBayExpress.com, said her organization has had “one correction through MediaBugs and that worked fine.”

She welcomed the arrival of the site although she said she believed that the current corrections system at the East Bay Express “works pretty well.” “I haven’t heard from our readers that they have a hard time letting us know about a correction,” Wentz said.

“There’s multiple channels on our website where people can report something, they can write a letter, they can send an email, they can leave a comment.”

“It’s not like corrections get lost in the shuffle,” she said. “That said, if people feel more comfortable using MediaBugs, or it’s just another way for people to interact with us and let us know things, I totally welcome that.” While MediaBugs will currently concentrate only on the San Francisco area, Rosenberg said he would be interested in extending its antennas to other places “if we find it’s working well here and there’s interest in other communities.” “We have to prove what we’re doing,” he said. —AFP

sion. “Hundreds of millions of people around the w orld now use the Web to connect and interact w ith content online,” YouTube product manager Shenaz Zack said in a blog post on the eve of the w ebsite’s birthday.

rental service.

San Bruno, California-based YouTube was the brainchild of then PayPal co-workers Steve Chen and Jawed Karim.

“YouTube was started to solve a very specific problem,” said Weiner. “Early bloggers had a difficult time putting video in their blogs. I was one of them.” Bloggers flocked to YouTube, which let them seamlessly embed video commentaries in their websites, according to the analyst.

“Then it became a video community without a lot of business model to it,” Weiner said. “They weren’t charging anybody anything and it was hard to see how they were going to make money.” YouTube became a natural spot for users to upload controversial content, such as pornography or pirated snippets of television shows or films. It also became a springboard for unknowns to become international stars with home made videos showcasing wit, talent or just the incredibly odd.

Among videos that became sensations was one of explosive results caused by mixing Mentos mints with Coca Cola.

YouTube stars include ukelele maestro Jake Shimabukuro who went on to tour internationally and even performed for the Queen of England at a charity concert in December. YouTube was quickly targeted by the owners of rights to films and tele-

vision shows angry about copyrighted material being posted to the website.

“They have made a lot of progress at weeding out illegal content,” Weiner said. “They are serious about it. Their future depends on it.” YouTube is out to win the trust of content makers as it modifies its service to stream professional films and capitalize on a trend toward Internet television. “In the last year YouTube has really evolved,” Weiner said. “The big question is where YouTube plays in the TV 2.0 space of Hulu and Boxee.”

YouTube has the potential to be an instrumental part of a Google “media cloud” where people can access films, books, magazines, television shows and other digitized content. “That is clearly part of Google’s grand vision,” Weiner said. YouTube has added live content to its attractions and said this week that fans of Indian Premier League cricket in the United States will be able to watch the semi-finals and final of the season live on YouTube.

Many new models of Internet-enabled televisions feature built-in links to YouTube.”You will have Apple, Google and Amazon competing in the space to buy movies from them and watch them on whatever screen you desire — personal computer, laptop, iPad, smartphone, TV,” Weiner said. — AFP

New Swedish website helps stranded travelers STOCKHOLM: “Searching ride MadridAmsterdam or Belgium or Germany”: people stranded due to a giant flight-halting cloud of volcanic ash last week were not too picky, and just glad that a new website was helping organize the long journey home. Last weekend, as ash from an erupting volcano in Iceland grounded flights across Europe, two Swedish university students were so moved by the stories of despair from travelers stuck around the world that they decided to do something to help.

“The biggest problem seemed to be that there was no organization,” said economics student Maans Gaardfeldt, who co-built the www.volcanohelp.eu website that went online last Sunday. “Some people were paying extremely expensive taxi trips, and many people had no way to get home at all,” he said, adding that he start-

ed thinking about ways to help people “split rental cars or find a driver willing to pick them up.”

Searching Facebook, Twitter and other online social networks, Gaardfeldt found a “lot of people trying to find each other, but there was no organization.” So Gaardfeldt and his friend, computer programming student Jonas Larsson, quickly built their website, offering discussion threads for people looking to share rides to their destinations. “Word spread really quickly. We checked Sunday after being up for five hours and found we had had about 1,400 visitors per hour,” Gaardfeldt said.

After just three days online, the website had registered around 30,000 individual visitors and approximately 140,000 page hits, he said. “First and foremost, the page helps people ... somehow arrange

transportation home by car or bus,” he said. Many of the posts bore witness to the desperation felt by stranded travelers across Europe over the past week. “Hi, I am stuck in Madrid and need desperately out from here,” one post from early Wednesday reads, under the headline “Madrid to UK or France.”

“Hey, is there someone who planes to drive from Bucharest, or any other cities of Romania, or even Hungary to Berlin, or Germany?” another poster queried on Tuesday. The calls for help are interspersed with ride offers, at a variety of prices, to destinations across Europe.

“It’s very hard to know how many people have received help through the site, since people are mainly in a big hurry and post their emails or telephone numbers and organize what they need off the site,” Gaardfeldt explained. —AFP

HEALTH & SCIENCE

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Sunday, April 25, 2010

Like 9/11, volcano plane ban may hold climate clue OSLO: Plane-free skies over Europe during Iceland’s volcanic eruption may yield rare clues about how flights stoke climate change, adding to evidence from a closure of US airspace after Sept 11, 2001, experts say. The climate effects of jet fuel burnt at high altitude are poorly understood, partly because scientists cannot often compare plane-free skies with days when many regions are criss-crossed by white vapor trails.

Scientists will pore over European temperature records, satellite images and other data from days when flights were grounded by ash-trying to isolate any effect of a lack of planes from the sun-dimming

Understanding may have spinoffs on ticket prices, markets effect of Iceland’s volcanic cloud. “The presence of volcanic ash makes this event much more challenging to analyze,” said David Travis, of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, who found that an absence of vapor trails influenced US temperatures after the Sept 11 attacks.

One possibility was to study areas of Europe where ash was minimal and flights were cancelled mainly as a precaution.

“But this becomes very challenging to measure,” he told Reuters. Progress in fig-

uring out the impact of planes might make it easier to include aviation in any UN climate deal- international flights are exempt from emissions curbs under the UN’s Kyoto Protocol for combating climate change until 2012.

Carbon That might in turn push up ticket prices if flights include a penalty for emissions.

Flights in Europe emitted 186 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2007, the European

Environment Agency said, more than the total emissions of Belgium. Many studies estimate that aviation, the fastest growing transport sector, accounts for 2-3 percent of global warming from human activities that could bring more heat waves, species extinctions, mudslides and rising sea levels.

No one wants disasters that close airspace but scientists will seize on European data from days of clear skies, said Gunnar Myhre of the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research in

Oslo. “There will be initiatives,” he said, adding that it was hard to separate ash from industrial pollution. Travis’s 2002 study found that an absence of condensation trails during the Sept 11-14 closure of US airspace to commercial flights after the suicide hijacker attacks led to bigger swings in daily temperatures.

That was evidence that jets affect temperatures, but did not say if contrails were boosting climate change or not. The UN panel of climate experts reckons that avia-

tion is damaging the climate and that noncarbon factors-such as nitrogen oxides, soot or contrails-may have an effect 2 to 4 times as great as carbon dioxide alone.

The current European Union emissions trading scheme only covers carbon dioxide, and wants more studies. “All the impacts of aviation should be addressed to the extent possible,” European Commission spokeswoman Maria Kokkonen said. High clouds-such as contrails or cirrus cloudstend to trap heat, preventing it escaping from the thin atmosphere. By contrast, lower clouds usually dampen climate change since their white tops are better at reflecting sunlight. — Reuters

Potentially deadly fungus spreads in US and Canada Climate change may aid its spread WASHINGTON: A potentially deadly strain of fungus is spreading among animals and people in the northwestern United States and the Canadian province of British Columbia, researchers reported on Thursday.

The airborne fungus, called Cryptococcus gattii, usually only infects transplant and AIDS patients and people with otherwise compromised immune systems, but the new strain is genetically different, the researchers said.

“This novel fungus is worrisome because it appears to be a threat to otherwise healthy people,” said Edmond Byrnes of Duke University in North Carolina, who led the study. “The findings presented here docu-

ment that the outbreak of C gattii in Western North America is continuing to expand throughout this temperate region,” the researchers said in their report, published in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Pathogens.

“Our findings suggest further expansion into neighboring regions is likely to occur and aim to increase disease awareness in the region.” The new strain appears to be unusually deadly, with a mortality rate of about 25 percent among the 21 US cases analyzed, they said.

“From 1999 through 2003, the cases were largely restricted to Vancouver Island,” the report reads.

“Between 2003 and 2006, the outbreak expanded

into neighboring mainland British Columbia and then into Washington and Oregon from 2005 to 2009.

Based on this historical trajectory of expansion, the outbreak may continue to expand into the neighboring region of Northern California, and possibly further.” The spore-forming fungus can cause symptoms in people and animals two weeks or more after exposure. They include a cough that lasts for weeks, sharp chest pain, shortness of breath, headache, fever, nighttime sweats and weight loss. It has also turned up in cats, dogs, an alpaca and a sheep. Freezing can kill the fungus and climate change may be helping it spread, the researchers said. — Reuters

in the news FDA puts infusion pumps in cross-hairs CHICAGO: US health regulators are placing renewed focus on preventing problems associated with infusion pumps, widely used devices that deliver fluids, such as medication and nutrients, into the body through a built-in software interface. The new director at the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the US Food and Drug Administration, Dr Jeffrey Shuren, noted multiple issues in recent years with these pumps that have in some cases led to injury and death.

Omega 3s may help cut colon cancer risk NEW YORK: People who eat plenty of fish oil and other omega3 fatty acids could cut their risk of colon cancer, new research hints. Studies in animals and a couple of small trials in people suggest that fish oil supplementation can fight inflammation and may have cancer-fighting properties, Dr Sangmi Kim of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and colleagues note. But so far studies looking at the diets of larger groups of people have had equivocal results.

TEHRAN: One of two Siberian tigers, delivered by Russia in a swap deal in which Moscow has procured two Persian leopards, is pictured in Eram Zoo. — AFP

Russia swaps Siberian tigers for Iran’s Persian leopards TEHRAN: Russia has delivered two wild Siberian tigers to Iran in a swap deal in which Moscow has procured two Persian leopards, the official IRNA news agency reported yesterday. The swap on Friday was agreed earlier this year during a visit of Russian Natural Resources Minister Yury Trutneve to Tehran.

By procuring the Siberian tigers, Tehran hopes to re-introduce the species some 50 years after its extinction in the country. “In order to re-introduce the species, two Siberian tigers were brought from Russia, including a pregnant tigress expected to deliver a cub in two months,” said Mohammad Javad Mohammadizadeh, head of Iran’s environmental body.

He said the two animals will remain under observation in Tehran’s Eram Zoo for nearly a month, and then be taken to a habitat in the northern Mazandaran province. “Russian zoologists will manage the tigers’ habitat here (in Iran) for five years and we will do the same for our leopards there,” Mohammadizadeh said.

He said the Russian plane that brought the tigers was to head back with the leopards, which are to be kept near the city of Sochi. The reintroduction of the Persian leopard-extinct in Russia’s Caucasus since the start of the last century-is being championed by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. — AFP

1976 shot may protect against modern sw ine flu WASHINGTON: People who got immunized against the 1976 “swine flu” epidemic that never happened may have benefited from the shots after all-they may have been protected from the 2009 H1N1 swine flu strain. Tests of blood from medical staff and their spouses showed those who had been vaccinated in 1976 had evidence of extra immune protection against both the 2009 H1N1 swine flu and the seasonal strain of H1N1 that circulated the year before.

Value of B vitamins in cutting heart disease risk challenged NEW YORK: Two studies released this week reach contradictory conclusions on the value of B vitamins and folic acid (or folate in its naturally occurring form) in reducing the risks of heart disease. What are doctors and their patients to make of this? “Not much,” says Dr.Steven Woloshin of Dartmouth University’s Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice.

Drug users must be helped LONDON: Countries in eastern Europe and central Asia face spiraling AIDS epidemics if they fail to help people who inject drugs and stop the spread of infection, the head of the United Nations agency for HIV/AIDS said on Friday. Michel Sidibe told Reuters countries such as Russia, Ukraine and others could halt or buck the global downward trend in new HIV infections if they ignored the threat posed by drug users and failed to introduce effective “harm reduction” steps.

WASHINGTON: Demonstrators take part in a rally against commercial whaling hosted by Greenpeace. — AP

New whale plan draws fire from all quarters TOKYO: A “peace plan” by the International Whaling Commission to legitimize but reduce whaling drew fire yesterday as Japan demanded higher quotas and environmentalists warned of serious harm to the ocean giants. The chairman of the 88-nation commission, seeking to end decades of bitter conflict between its pro- and anti-whaling members, unveiled Thursday the compromise proposal to be voted on at a June meeting in Morocco.

Under the draft proposal, Japan, Iceland and Norway would reduce their whale kills over the next decade, subject to tight monitoring, with Japan eventually cutting its Antarctic whale culls by three quarters. The IWC said in a statement that the “10-year peace plan” would save thousands of whales and present “a great step forward in terms of the conservation of whales and the management of whaling.”

But it was roundly criticized by anti-whaling nations and environmental groups, which charged that it would end the moratorium in all but name and risked reviving a dwindling industry in whale meat. Japan now hunts whales under a loophole to a 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling that allows lethal “scientific research” on the sea mammals, while Norway and Iceland defy the moratorium altogether.

“It will be a major achievement if, despite some fundamental differences ... countries can put these differences aside for a period to focus on ensuring the world has healthy whale stocks,” IWC chair Cristian Maquieira said.

Japan reacted by saying it would push for higher cull quotas than those outlined in the proposal.

Japan, which now targets more than 900 whales in its annual Antarctic hunts, would have to reduce that number to around 400 whales in the next season and to just over 200 a year from the 2015-16 season onwards.

It would also be allowed to catch 120 whales a year in its coastal waters. Fisheries Minister Hirotaka Akamatsu, while welcoming the endorsement of coastal whaling, said: “Regarding the total catch allowed, it is different

from Japan’s position. We want to continue negotiating with patience.” But environmental groups voiced deep concern. “This is probably the biggest threat to the ban on commercial whaling that we’ve faced since it came into force,” said Nicolas Entrup of the Munich-based Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.

Greenpeace said the proposal would reward whaling nations. “It’s a bit like a bank robber who keeps robbing the bank. You can’t actually catch him, so you decide to just give him a big pile of money,” said its oceans campaigner Phil Kline. The World Wide Fund for Nature’s species program manager Wendy Elliott charged that the proposed quotas were “a result of political bargaining which has little if anything to do with the whales themselves.”

Australia’s Environment Minister Peter Garrett said Canberra could not accept the proposal and stressed that “the government remains resolutely opposed to commercial and so-called ‘scientific’ whaling.” In Wellington, Foreign Minister Murray McCully called the catch limits unrealistic and said “New Zealanders will not accept this”.

“The proposal to include fin whales in the Southern Ocean is inflammatory,” he said, pointing at a plan to allow Japan to catch 10 of the animals annually for three years, and five per year after that. The United States, which has helped spearhead the compromise, withheld a final judgment, anticipating further negotiations.

“The important thing here is that the IWC isn’t working right now,” said Monica Medina, the US commissioner to the IWC. “Even with the moratorium in place, the number of whales being killed is increasing and if we can turn that around and decrease the number of whales being killed, that would be a good thing.” The compromise would also allow the killing of 870 minke whales a year in the Atlantic, slightly down from the current total catch quotas by Norway and Iceland, along with Japan’s continued hunt in the Pacific Ocean. — AFP

Grass-roots warming meet calls for greenhouse cuts TIQUIPAYA: Big polluting countries must aggressively cut greenhouse gases and listen to ideas from small nations to reverse global warming, activists and left-wing leaders concluded on Thursday at a meeting billed as an alternative to the failed Copenhagen summit. The gathering in Bolivia’s Cochabamba region was meant to give voice to countries and environmental groups that said they were excluded from an active role at the Copenhagen summit in December, when world leaders negotiated behind closed doors.

Activists say the big industrial powers sabotaged the Copenhagen summit by not agreeing to major cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and insist the next big climate change meeting in Mexico in December must include other voices.

The Cochabamba summit called for leading industrial nations to cut emissions by 50 percent, a much more ambitious goal than the pledges of cuts from 7 percent to 16 percent in the Copenhagen Accord.

“Developed countries ... in the meeting of heads of state in Mexico in

Conclusions call for environment tribunal, referendum December, they’ve got to listen to the people, take decisions to better the lives of all,” Bolivian President Evo Morales told the summit. Earlier in the summit, Morales drew controversy when he said eating chicken fed with hormones causes “sexual deviation” in men and that European men lose their hair because they eat genetically modified food.

Capitalism, genetically modified food and global warming were all targets at the World People’s Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth, which drew some 20,000 environmentalists and representatives from 90 governments. Representatives from indigenous groups from all over the world took part in the meeting in the small village of Tiquipaya, which was free and included concerts, theater, a handicrafts market and artists painting murals.

Small countries could back resolu-

tions Bolivia, Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Ecuador, which belong to a leftist group of Latin American countries, as well as Sudan and Saudi Arabia, have been strong critics of the Copenhagen accord. “Climate change is a crisis that was created in the north and its effects are overwhelmingly lived in the south.

If you acknowledge that simple fact of justice and decency, that means that southern countries are no longer begging for aid,” said Canadian author Naomi Klein.

Klein, a prominent activist against global warming, said Cochabamba could help cement an alliance among nations that are already suffering the effects of climate change. “That’s a much more empowered position” which calls for “a lot more unity between developing countries,” she said. The Cochabamba meeting resolved that an international tribunal should be created to hold those

to blame for global warming accountable. It also called for a global referendum on climate change and the creation of a fund to help affected nations cope with global warming.

The resolutions are not binding, but countries and social organizations who took part in the summit have pledged to drum up support for them ahead of December’s United Nations summit on climate change in Cancun, Mexico.

Alicia Barcena, the top UN representative at the meeting, told reporters on Tuesday it was time for the organization to admit it had excluded grassroots groups from the Copenhagen summit, but she was pessimistic about Cancun.

“Rio+20 should be our goal, because I don’t think Cancun will solve the problems,” she said. Late last year, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution agreeing to hold the Rio+20 Earth Summit on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in 2012. — Reuters

NEW YORK: Tillman, the world’s fastest skateboarding canine (left) and Lyle take some practice runs in Central Park April 23, 2010 before he competed at ‘Bark in the Park’ at Citi Field yesterday. Tillman a 4-year old English Bulldog, who was named after the late NFL star and US Army Ranger Pat Tillman, is here with his owner Ron Davis from Southern California and is sponsored by Natural Balance Pet Foods. — AFP

HEALTH

Sunday, April 25, 2010

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Alzheimer’s doesn’t discriminate African-Americans twice as likely as whites to get Alzheimer’s disease OAKLAND: The close-knit siblings began to notice little things about their mother, Roberta Randolph. She started to repeat phrases. She would drive somewhere and forget where she was going. She began wearing the same clothes over and over again. Many families miss or ignore such warning signs. But because daughter Dolores Durley was a certified nurse assistant who had worked with Alzheimer’s patients, she took her mother in for testing and quickly got a diagnosis.

Doctors put Randolph on Aricept, one of several medications that treat the symptoms and may help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

“You could tell the difference right away,” Durley said.

Although no cure exists for Alzheimer’s, experts say an early diagnosis is key in getting

people the medical help and support needed to maintain their quality of life as long as possible.

Yet often, relatives refrain from having loved ones tested until the symptoms are advanced. This is especially true in the African-American and Latino communities, studies reveal. African-Americans are twice as likely as white people to get Alzheimer’s, but are much less likely to be diagnosed.

The same disparity exists for Latinos, who are 1.5 times more likely than white people to develop the disease, yet also lag in diagnoses. “I think we’re in denial a lot of times,” said Chris Mason, one of Randolph’s daughters who has taken her mother into her Oakland home to help care for her. “Our parents - we look up to them and

they’re our leaders. The thought of them not being able to function, it’s scary.”

“There’s a real need to increase awareness and work with health care providers on how they can do a better job with their African-American patients,” said Dr Ladson Hinton, director of the UC Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Center Education Core. “There also is a real need to work with the community to try to prevent Alzheimer’s,” he said. It is not entirely clear why AfricanAmericans and Latinos are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s, although several theories exist.

“There aren’t any known genetic factors that could explain the difference,” Hinton notes. Alzheimer’s gradually destroys brain cells, causing memory loss and problems with thinking and behavior that begin

to affect all aspects of a person’s life. The cause of Alzheimer’s is unknown, but high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and stroke are risk factors for developing the condition. These risk factors are prevalent in AfricanAmerican, Latino and lowincome communities.

“Things that keep the heart healthy also keep the brain healthy,” Hinton said. “Staying active both socially and intellectually is a really good thing, and reducing stress in your life.

Paying attention to these lifestyle things is important.”

Although an early diagnosis can be extremely beneficial, many family members may be reluctant to get a relative tested and may attempt to care for their loved one on their own, experts say.

“In some cases, there’s a distrust of doctors, of the sys-

tem,” said Anthony Randolph of Pittsburg, Calif., who is Roberta’s son. “So it’s hard for some people to go and get help.

They know something is happening, but they don’t want to find out.” Their mother’s early diagnosis enabled the Randolph siblings to discuss her financial matters and care preferences with her while she was alert enough to participate in those decisions, he said.

Today, Roberta, age 85, appears to be content and maintains an active life living with her daughter, Chris, and her daughter’s husband, Nate Mason, in their Oakland home.

Roberta washes the dishes and folds clothes for the family and attends a day program at the North Oakland Senior Center twice a week. Her husband of more than 65 years died several years ago. —MCT

OAKLAND: Roberta Randolph (left) laughs with her son-in-law Nathaniel Mason in the living room of his home. —MCT

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WHATʼS ON IN KUWAIT

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Arpan members visit the Mirror House group of Arpan members visited the The Mirror House of renowned Kuwaiti artist and writer Lidia Al-Qattan last week. The Mirror House is a phenomenon of mirror mosaic created by the artist herself. She transformed her house into an art-piece unique in the world with the entire ground floor and house exterior covered in mirror mosaics.

She, with her typical hospitality, took the visitors on a tour of the Mirror House and explained in detail as to how each house is made and what significance it holds in the context of formative art and scientific theories.

Each house, such as The House of the Universe, the House of the Galaxies, the House of Knowledge etc, and the rare and unique works of the pioneering Kuwaiti artist and her husband Khalifa Al-Qattan was exquisitely aweinspiring.

Lidia, who was born in Italy, began artistic career in Kuwait when she joined the Second Spring Exhibition of 1960. She has been taking part in every subsequent Spring Exhibition, and collective Exhibitions of the Kuwait Art Association, inside and

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abroad, since the Society was founded in 1969. She became a member of the KAA in 1975.

As an artist, she is inventive and original. She has a unique style of her own since 1979. Probably, the pioneer of formative art in Kuwait alongside her husband Al-Qattan, she began her intellectual journey through art with her second exhibition in 1981. Her work is based on her own philosophy and rooted in symbolism. She follows the Circlism School, which was founded by her late husband Khalifa Al-Qattan in 1962.

Also a prolific writer, Lidia believes that beauty exists everywhere.

She is an optimist, but she is also a realist. Her philosophy, often borders on mysticism, seeks harmony and happiness in life. Lidia enlightens and captivates her audience through her inimitable art and brilliant writing.

The tour was co-ordinated by Arpan executive member Anilkumar Viruvil with the support of Arpan Treasurer P A Menon, executive members Anil Kumar Das, Varghese Joseph and Janardhanan.

The photo shows Lidia Al-Qattan posing with the Arpan members.

Announcements ‘A Serene Poetry Evening’ WARE announces ‘A Serene Poetry Evening’ with Fatima H Alwan tomorrow at 7 pm, Fatima , an enthusiastic, anglophone, Kuwaiti writer and poet, and the author of two books of poetry; “A Dreamer’s Pulsing Thoughts” and “Poesy Whisperer”, escorts you in a thrilling journey to venture into the refulgent realm of classical poetry and wallow in the beauty and luxury of classical poetic forms. Fatima shall also uncloak her own creative poetic form, which she calls “Sparrowet”.

For further details contact AWARE by Tel: 25335280 or visit us online at www.aware.com.kw emails may be sent to info@aware.com.kw

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■■■■■■ Indian Lawyers Forum Kuwait ndian Lawyers Forum is convened for a family get together at the residence of Adv Sudheer Ramachandran on April 30 at 11 am at Abbassiya (next to BVP). To know the location, please call 99359680. All Indian lawyer members are cordially invited to attend the meeting. Those who are interested may contact: 97203939/ 97260159 or by email: lawyersforum@gmail.com

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■■■■■■ Kala Balakalamela erala Art Lovers Association-KALA will conduct Arts and Literature competitions for Indian school children on April 30 at Indian Community School, Khaitan. The items include classical dances, essay writing, elocutions, recitations, singing, classical music and skits. The event is named “Balakalamela2010”. Prizes to winners will be given away the same evening. Free entry forms are available at all Indian schools, J Saji, general secretary KALA, said. For assistance and details, the following numbers may be contacted: 97817100 / 99122984/ 24317875.

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Al-Thaalib Scholarship 2010 l-Thaalib Scholarship is a financial aid scheme for under privileged school

EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria wishes to invite all Nigerians residing in Kuwait to come and register with the Embassy. The registration is compulsory for all Nigerians residing /visiting Kuwait. Kindly bring the following documents along with you: • A photocopy of the Nigerian passport • One passport photograph • Copy of the civil identification card or visa For additional information please call: 25620278 or visit the Embassy at Block, 4, Malik Bin Anas Street, Avenue 44, House 31, Along Al-Aqsa Road, Rumaithiya. The Consular Section opens Sunday - Thursday from 9 am - 3 pm Your prompt response is highly solicited.

VOICE celebrates anniversary students in Kuwait, sponsored by Islam Presentation Committee (IPC) & Ministry of Awqaf in association with Friday Forum and Pakistan Kuwait Welfare Association.

Last year we were able to provide financial assistance to nearly 900 students of various Indian & Pakistani Schools in Kuwait for the academic year 2008-09.

These scholarships were given to the needy students irrespective of their religion or nationality. We are pleased to inform that the process for Al-Thaalib Scholarship for the current academic year, 2010-11, has begun for all Indian, Philippine and Pakistani Schools in Kuwait.This year we shall endeavor to reach the scholarship to as many needy students as possible to help them continue with their education without any financial hindrance. In order to avail this scholarship, applicants are requested to collect the Application Form, from Al-Thaalib Office located in CAMS, Ahmed Al-Jaber Street, Darwaza, Near Warba Insurance Co, Int’l Islamic Charity Organization Building, 2nd Floor, Al-Sharq. The duly filled application form shall be submitted to Al-Thaalib office on or before April 30, 2010 along with all supporting documents specified in the Application Form. For more information, you may contact 55046318 or 22418934 ext 204/202.

■■■■■■ Food competition n the occasion of MES Ladies Wing’s 5th Anniversary Celebration a food competition will be held on Friday April 30, 2010 at Kuwait Medical Association Hall - Jabriya from 3 to 6 pm. It is open to all residing in Kuwait. The first 15 entries will be accepted from each category. The three categories are Dessert, Snacks, Biriyani. Interested persons can contact on Tel: 99862430, 99135198, and 97299734 for registration. Valuable prizes will be awarded for the 1st 2nd 3rd prize winners from each category. The Judges interpretation and decision will be final. The judging panel headed by Dr Lakshmi Nair, from Kirali TV will select the winners.

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BEC Exchange’s Mega Raffle 2010 winners he BEC Exchange held the draw of its Mega Raffle 2010 on April 19, 2010. The draw was conducted by the Ministry Of Commerce Officials who took out the winning numbers. Also present at the draw was BEC Director, E D Titus, a large number of well wishers and BEC officials.

SL# PRIZES COUPON NO WINNER’S NAME REFR NO 1 USD5,000 585388 Iqbal K P 9080165 2 USD1,000 846120 W P B P Kumar 9008254 3 USD500 658619 Sunil John 8298082 4 Gold worth KDl00 913543 Md Younus Miah 1384590 5 Gold worth KD100 1013412 Abdul Razak Najmudden 3326820 6 Gold worth KD100 574670 Shriff Mohd 39671510 7 Gold worth KD100 688586 N G Wimala Tissa 10371439 8 Gold worth KD100 907326 Zahidul Islam 9042625 9 29” Television 709010 Md Abu Zaher 4020372 10 29” Television 956673 Caetano Falcao 38854779 11 29” Television 698468 Enamol Haque 9059671 12 Cash KD50 818834 Emral 9004484 13 Cash KD50 599022 Samir S Chari 3289775 14 Cash KD50 597377 Abu baker Seddin 15 Cash KD50 287132 Marlyn Jabfilek 80057753 SL COUPON NO EXTRA NAMES REF NO 1 831804 S Syed Basha 3309520 2 858536 F Abbukhader 1001822 3 786588 Sijo George 4 511046 Shaiju Varghese 70103516

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Note: If any of the 15 winners are not available to receive their prizes on time, that prize will be distributed among the ‘Extra Names’ serially.

Embassy information

EMBASSY OF UKRAINE The Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait informs that it has started updating the information about Ukrainian citizens, who live and work in Kuwait. In this connection, we are asking you to refer to the Embassy and update your file in consular register in order not to be excluded from it. For additional information please call: 25318507 ext.106 or visit the embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait (address: Hawalli, Jabriya, bl.10, str.6, house 5).

The consular section of the Embassy open every day from 09:30 till 14:30 except Friday and Saturday.

EMBASSY OF INDIA

iswakarma Organization for Ideal Career and Education (VOICE) celebrated its 5th anniversary on Friday April 23, at Carmel school, Khaitan. Kerala Viswakarma Sabha President P R Devadas, Pravasi Viswakarma Aikyavedi, the non-resident unit of the organization in the Gulf, President K Vijayan, General Secretary Adv B Radhakrishnan, Dubai representatives Chandran PS and CK Mohandas were the guests at the function.

Viswakarmites, comprising of carpenters, blacksmiths, goldsmiths, bronze smiths and masons have come under one united organization since 2001. It has around 450,000 members out of whom 3,000 are in the gulf region, namely Kuwait, Dubai, Muscat and Bahrain.

Kuwait has 600 members. In his inaugural address, P R Devadas said the viswakarmites have been reluctant to react against the exploiting nature of the political and bureaucratic red tape of Kerala governments and the PG Binu, President organization has raised its VOICE Kuwait collective voice demanding their rights to be representatives in Kerala legislative assembly. He assured the members gathered in Kuwait that the organization would hold up its continued support mainly in educational and social areas. As a revolutionary step the organization will start a new engineering college in Kerala.

Viswakarma organization’s gulf region (PVI) General Secretary Adv B Radhakrishnan (Oman) in his felicitation speech promised a new polytechnic college in Kerala with the help of donations from the expat members. P G Binu, President, VOICE Kuwait and treasurer of the gulf region

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exhorted the members to be united and excel in the diverse fields that the skilled artisans are working in various parts of the world.

There were cultural programs on Friday evening and the stars of the night were the visiting comedy stars Saji Sabana, Shaji P and Senthil Krishna. There were also various items presented by the members and their children.

IIS students excel in Hadith competition ntegrated Indian School students participated in Hadith competition held by Ministry of Education, Kuwait and excelled in performance and recitation skills. Abdul Rashid of Class I and Taha Haider of Class VIII won the first prize.

Ridha Fathima of Class VI bagged the second prize and Saad Munib of Class V secured the third place.

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Gulf Voice of Mangalore 2010 auditions fter the stupendous success of ‘Gulf Voice of Mangalore 2008’- a mega Konkani Singing talent hunt show, “Youth Recreation Center” is all geared up for the preliminary rounds of GVOM 2010 on June 11, 2010 at the Indian Community Girls School Auditorium, Salmiya, Kuwait. This competition is open to all Konkani speaking singers

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of Mangalorean origin born on or before October 15, 1992 and with valid residence permit holders in Kuwait. Six males and females each from the preliminary rounds will be chosen for semi-finals and one male and one female from each country will go to Dubai for finals to contest for the coveted title. Vinay Lewis of Kuwait was the winner of GVOM

2008.

Interested participants for registration and enquiries in Kuwait may contact: Lawrence Pinto 65828008; Louis Rodrigues 66561184; Wilson Saldanha 99719938 or email your enquiries to: gulfvoiceofmangalore@hotrnai1.com. Log on to: gulfvoiceolrnangalore.webs.com. Last date for registration is May 15, 2010.

The Embassy of India has further revamped and improved its Legal Advice Clinic at the Indian Workers Welfare Center, and made the free service available to Indian nationals on all five working days, i.e. from Sunday to Thursday every week. Kuwaiti lawyers would be available at the Legal Advice Clinic daily from Monday to Thursday, while Indian lawyers would be available on Sundays. Following are the free welfare services provided at the Indian Workers Welfare Center located at the Embassy of India: [i] 24x7 Helpline for Domestic Workers: Accessible by toll free telephone no. 25674163 from anywhere in Kuwait, it provides information and advice exclusively to Indian domestic sector workers (Visa No. 20) as regards their grievances, immigration and other matters. [ii] Help Desk: It offers guidance to Indian nationals on routine immigration, employment, legal, and other issues (Embassy premises; 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4.30 PM, Sunday to Thursday); (iii) Labour Complaints Desk: It registers labor complaints and provides grievance redressal service to Indian workers (Embassy premises; 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4.30 PM, Sunday to Thursday); (iv) Shelters: For female and male domestic workers in distress; (v) Legal Advice Clinic: Provides free legal advice to Indian nationals (Embassy premises; Kuwaiti lawyers 3 PM to 5 PM, Monday to Thursday; Indian lawyers 2 PM to 4 PM on Sunday); and (vi) Attestation of Work Contracts: Private sector worker (Visa No. 18) contracts are accepted at the Embassy; 9 AM to 1 PM; Sunday to Thursday; Domestic sector worker (Visa No. 20) contracts are accepted at Kuwait Union of Domestic Labor Offices (KUDLO), Hawally, Al-Othman Street, Kurd Roundabout, Al-Abraj Complex, Office No 9, Mezzanine Floor; 9 AM to 9 PM, Saturday to Thursday; 5 PM to 9 PM on Friday.

EMBASSY OF PHILIPPINES The Embassy of the Philippines wishes to inform the Filipino community in the State of Kuwait, that the recent supreme court decision to extend the registration of voter’s applies only in local registration in the Philippines under Republic Act no. 8189 and does not apply to overseas voters which is governed by Republic Act no. 9189, hence it has no impact on the plans and preparations on the conduct of overseas absentee voting.

The overseas absentee voting for presidential elections will continue uninterrupted until May 10, 2010 daily at the Philippine Embassy. Registered overseas absentee voters are advised to schedule their days off in advance to avoid complications in their schedules. Qualified voters are encouraged to get out and vote.

Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

Sunday, April 25, 2010

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TV PROGRAMS

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Sunday, April 25, 2010

Orbit / Showtime Listings 07:45 25 Most Stylish 08:35 E! News 09:25 E! Investigates 11:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 12:00 E! News 12:50 Leave It To Lamas 13:15 Leave It To Lamas 13:40 Glamour’s 50 Fashion Do’s And Don’ts 14:30 Kendra 15:25 E! Investigates 17:10 Behind The Scenes 17:35 Behind The Scenes 18:00 E! News 18:50 E! Investigates 19:40 Young, Beautiful And Vanished 21:20 Pretty Wild 21:45 Pretty Wild 22:10 E! News 23:00 Dr 90210 23:50 Bank Of Hollywood

00:00 House 01:00 Dawson’s Creek 02:00 Bones 03:00 Hotel Babylon 04:00 Dawson’s Creek 05:00 The Closer 06:00 CSI 07:00 House 08:00 Glee 09:00 Drop Dead Diva 10:00 Bones 11:00 Hotel Babylon 12:00 CSI 13:00 The Closer 14:00 Bones 15:00 Dawson’s Creek 16:00 Glee 17:00 Drop Dead Diva 18:00 House 19:00 CSI New York 20:00 Criminal Minds 21:00 Cold Case 22:00 Supernatural 23:00 Nip/Tuck

00:45 Human Prey 01:40 Untamed & Uncut 02:35 Untamed & Uncut 03:30 Animal Cops Miami 04:25 Animal Witness 04:50 Animal Witness 05:20 Animal Cops Phoenix 06:10 RSPCA: Have You Got What it Takes?

06:35 Jockeys 07:00 Meerkat Manor 07:25 Pet Rescue 07:50 The Planet’s Funniest Animals 08:15 The Planet’s Funniest Animals 08:45 Animal Cops Phoenix 09:40 Aussie Animal Rescue 10:05 Austin Stevens: Most Dangerous...

10:55 Miami Animal Police 11:50 RSPCA: On the Frontline 12:15 Going Ape 12:45 Animal Precinct 13:40 Wildlife SOS 14:05 Wildlife SOS 14:35 SSPCA: On the Wildside 15:00 SSPCA: On the Wildside 15:30 Dogs 101 16:25 Into the Pride 17:20 Killer Whales 18:15 The Animals’ Guide to Survival 19:10 Earthquake: Panda Rescue 20:10 Austin Stevens Adventures 21:05 Untamed & Uncut 22:00 Untamed & Uncut

00:30 The League Of Gentlemen 01:00 The League Of Gentlemen 01:30 Manchild 02:00 The Life And Times Of Vivienne Vyle 02:30 Suburban Shootout 03:00 The Smoking Room 03:30 Jack Dee: Live At The Apollo 04:15 Doctor Who 05:00 Doctor Who Confidential 05:15 Cash In The Attic 05:45 Cash In The Attic 06:20 Teletubbies 06:45 Me Too 07:05 Tweenies 07:25 Teletubbies 07:50 Me Too 08:10 Tweenies 08:30 Teletubbies 08:55 Me Too 09:15 Tweenies 09:35 Teletubbies 10:00 Cash In The Attic 10:30 Cash In The Attic 11:00 Doctors 11:30 Doctors 12:00 Doctors 12:30 Doctors 13:00 Doctors 13:30 Bargain Hunt 14:15 The Weakest Link 15:00 The Weakest Link 15:45 Cash In The Attic 16:15 Doctor Who 17:05 Doctor Who Confidential 17:20 Robin Hood 18:05 Casualty 18:55 Casualty 19:50 Hell To Hotel 20:45 Hell To Hotel 21:45 Silent Witness

00:30 Cash In The Attic 01:15 Bargain Hunt 02:00 Come Dine With Me 04:05 Chuck’s Day Off 04:30 Chuck’s Day Off 04:55 Trish’s Mediterranean Kitchen 05:20 Gino D’Acampo - An Italian In Mexico 05:45 Saturday Kitchen 06:10 Saturday Kitchen 06:35 Living In The Sun 07:25 Bargain Hunt 08:10 Saturday Kitchen 08:40 Saturday Kitchen 09:05 Living In The Sun 09:55 Cash In The Attic 12:10 Saturday Kitchen 13:30 Saturday Kitchen 14:00 Living In The Sun 14:45 Cash In The Attic 17:00 Bargain Hunt

00:00 Everyday Italian 01:00 Nigella Express 01:00 Return of the Chef 02:00 Nigella Express 03:00 Giada At Home 03:00 Nigella Express 04:00 Nigella Express 05:00 Giada At Home 05:00 Unwrapped 06:00 Daily Cooks Challenge 06:00 Unwrapped 07:00 Daily Cooks Challenge 07:00 Unwrapped 08:00 Daily Cooks Challenge 08:00 Unwrapped 09:00 Daily Cooks Challenge 09:00 Unwrapped 10:00 Daily Cooks Challenge 10:00 Unwrapped 11:00 Barefoot Contessa 11:00 Throwdown With Bobby Flay 11:50 Barefoot Contessa 12:00 Throwdown With Bobby Flay 12:40 Everyday Italian 13:00 Teleshopping 13:30 Everyday Italian 14:00 Teleshopping 14:20 30 Minute Meals 15:00 Teleshopping 15:10 30 Minute Meals 16:00 Rescue Chef with Danny Boome 17:00 Rescue Chef with Danny Boome 17:00 Teleshopping 18:00 Barefoot Contessa 19:00 Daily Cooks Challenge 19:00 Teleshopping 20:00 Daily Cooks Challenge 21:00 Daily Cooks Challenge 21:00 Teleshopping 22:00 Daily Cooks Challenge 23:00 30 Minute Meals 23:00 Daily Cooks Challenge

Universal Soldier: The Return on Show Movies action 17:45 Come Dine With Me 19:25 Come Dine With Me 19:50 Chuck’s Day Off 20:15 Chuck’s Day Off

00:00 Losing Isaiah-PG15 02:00 Le Grand Appartement-PG 04:00 Flags Of Our Fathers-U 06:30 The Bridges Of Madison CountyPG15 09:00 Calendar Girls-PG15 11:00 A Walk In The Clouds-PG15 13:00 Hard Ball-PG15 14:45 Nicholas Nickleby-PG15 17:00 Dialogue Avec Mon Jardinier-PG15 19:00 Land Of Plenty-PG15 21:00 The Juror-18

00:00 My Shocking Story 01:00 Half Ton Teen 02:00 Mythbusters 03:50 Nextworld 04:45 How It’s Made 05:10 Ultimate Survival 06:05 Brainiac 07:00 Fifth Gear 07:30 Fifth Gear 07:55 Heartland Thunder 08:50 Street Customs Berlin 09:45 How It’s Made 10:10 Destroyed in Seconds 10:40 Destroyed in Seconds 11:05 Ultimate Survival 12:00 Heartland Thunder 12:55 Heartland Thunder 13:50 Heartland Thunder 14:45 Heartland Thunder 15:40 Heartland Thunder 16:35 Heartland Thunder 17:30 How It’s Made 18:00 Brainiac 19:00 Nextworld 20:00 Mythbusters 22:00 Against the Elements 23:00 MacIntyre: World’s Toughest Towns

00:30 Building the Biggest 01:20 Cosmic Collisions 02:10 Human Body: Ultimate Machine 03:00 Nextworld 03:50 Building the Biggest 04:45 Weird Connections 05:10 Weird Connections 05:40 Test Case 06:10 Mighty Ships 07:00 The Kustomizer 08:00 The Gadget Show 09:00 Nextworld 09:55 Green Wheels 11:45 Build It Bigger: Rebuilding Greensburg 12:40 Build It Bigger: Rebuilding Greensburg 13:35 Ultimate Power Builders 15:25 How Stuff’s Made 15:55 Mighty Ships 16:50 Ecopolis 17:45 Engineered 18:40 Patent Bending 19:05 Patent Bending 19:30 What’s That About?

20:20 Space Pioneer 21:10 Building the Biggest 22:00 Eco-Tech 22:50 Ultimate Power Builders 23:40 The Gadget Show

00:00 Suite Life On Deck 00:20 A Kind Of Magic 00:45 Phineas & Ferb 01:10 Fairly Odd Parents 01:35 Replacements

02:00 Wizards Of Waverly Place 02:25 Lazytown 02:45 Imagination Movers 03:10 Handy Manny 03:30 Jungle Junction 04:00 Suite Life On Deck 04:25 Wizards Of Waverly Place 04:45 Jonas 05:10 Hannah Montana 05:25 Sonny With A Chance 06:00 Lazytown 06:25 Imagination Movers 06:45 Handy Manny 07:10 Jungle Junction 07:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 08:00 Fairly Odd Parents 08:25 Suite Life On Deck 08:50 Wizards Of Waverly Place 09:15 Jonas 09:40 Hannah Montana 10:00 Sonny With A Chance 10:30 Pocahontas 2 12:00 Hannah Montana 12:25 Jonas 12:50 Replacements 13:15 Fairly Odd Parents 13:40 Sonny With A Chance 14:00 Suite Life On Deck 14:25 A Kind Of Magic 14:50 Phineas & Ferb 15:15 Fairly Odd Parents 15:35 Replacements 16:00 Wizards Of Waverly Place 16:25 Hannah Montana 16:45 Fairly Odd Parents 17:00 Suite Life On Deck 17:25 Wizards Of Waverly Place 17:50 Jonas 18:10 Hannah Montana 18:35 Sonny With A Chance 19:00 Cadet Kelly 20:35 Hannah Montana 21:00 The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody 21:25 The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody 21:45 The Replacements 22:00 Hannah Montana 22:25 Jonas 22:50 Replacements 23:15 Fairly Odd Parents 23:40 Sonny With A Chance

00:30 Crime Scene Psychics 00:55 Crime Scene Psychics 01:20 Ghost Lab 02:10 A Haunting 03:05 Psychic Witness 04:00 Crime Scene Psychics 04:25 Crime Scene Psychics 04:55 Real Emergency Calls 05:20 FBI Files 06:10 Ghosthunters 06:35 Ghosthunters 07:00 Forensic Detectives 07:50 FBI Files 08:40 CSU 09:30 The Prosecutors 10:20 Forensic Detectives 11:10 FBI Files 12:00 On the Run 12:50 Fugitive Strike Force 13:40 Diagnosis: Unknown 14:30 Forensic Detectives 15:20 FBI Files 16:10 CSU 17:00 The Prosecutors 17:50 Forensic Detectives 18:40 FBI Files 19:30 On the Run 20:20 Fugitive Strike Force 21:10 Diagnosis: Unknown 22:00 Murder Shift 22:50 On the Case with Paula Zahn 23:40 Deadly Women

06:00 Jimmy Two-Shoes 06:25 American Dragon 06:50 Pokemon DP: Battle Dimension 07:15 Phineas & Ferb 07:40 KICK BUTTOWSKI 08:05 Suite Life On Deck 08:30 I’M IN THE BAND 09:00 K9 ADVENTURES 09:30 Zeke & Luther 10:00 The Suite Life of Zack & Cody 10:30 I’M IN THE BAND 11:00 Suite Life On Deck 11:30 SHREDUCATION 12:00 Jump In 13:30 Aaron Stone 14:00 Kid vs Kat 14:30 Phineas & Ferb 15:00 KICK BUTTOWSKI 15:30 Suite Life On Deck 16:00 I’M IN THE BAND 16:30 Zeke & Luther 17:00 Pokemon DP: Battle Dimension 17:30 Kid vs Kat 18:00 K9 ADVENTURES 18:30 SHREDUCATION 19:00 NEXT X EUROPE 19:10 Phineas & Ferb 19:40 The Suite Life of Zack & Cody 20:05 Zeke & Luther 20:30 Zeke & Luther 21:00 Suite Life On Deck 21:25 Suite Life On Deck 21:50 Power Rangers Jungle Fury 22:15 Aaron Stone

01:15 Gothic 02:45 Triumph Of The Spirit 04:45 Echo Park 06:15 Prime Target 07:50 The Hawaiians 10:05 Operation Lookout 11:40 A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum 13:15 Queen Of Hearts 15:05 Juggernaut 16:55 Alice’s Restaurant 18:45 Hennessy 20:30 Supernova 22:00 The First Time 23:30 The Spikes Gang

00:40 E!es 01:30 E!es 02:20 Sexiest 03:15 20 Most Shocking Unsolved Crimes 05:05 Dr 90210 06:00 Ths

00:00 Predator Battleground 01:00 Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy 02:00 Shark Nicole 03:00 Predator CSI 04:00 The Real Serengeti 05:00 Hidden Worlds 06:00 Predator Battleground 07:00 Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy 08:00 Shark Nicole 09:00 Predator CSI 10:00 The Real Serengeti 11:00 Fairy Penguins 12:00 Alaskan Killer Shark

13:00 Wild Chronicles 13:30 Savannah 14:00 Hippos: Africa’s River Beast 15:00 Dogtown 16:00 Kalahari 17:00 Fairy Penguins 18:00 Alaskan Killer Shark 19:00 Wild Chronicles 19:30 Savannah 20:00 Hippos: Africa’s River Beast 21:00 Dogtown 22:00 Kalahari

00:00 How I met your mother 00:30 Gary Unmarried 01:00 The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 01:30 The Colbert Report 02:00 Late night with Jimmy Fallon 03:00 Flight of the Conchords 03:30 Curb your Enthusiasm 04:00 Sauturday Night Live 05:00 How I met your mother 05:30 Late Night with Jimmy Fallon 06:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 07:00 Dharma & Greg 07:30 Three sisters 08:00 Frasier 08:30 Tyler Perry’s House of Payne 09:00 The Nanny 09:30 George Lopez 10:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:30 Dharma & Greg 11:00 Frasier 11:30 The Bernie Mac show 12:00 The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson 13:00 Gary Unmarried 13:30 Yes dear 14:00 The Nanny 14:30 Malcolm in the Middle 15:00 How I met your mother 15:30 The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Drew Carey 17:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 17:30 Frasier 18:00 Significant Others 18:30 Just Shoot me!

19:00 Better Off Ted 19:30 The Office 20:00 Curb your Enthusiasm 20:30 Entourage 21:00 The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Saturday Night Live 23:30 South park

00:00 The Martha Stewart Show 01:00 Downsize Me 02:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 03:00 The Monique Show 04:00 The Tonight Show with Jay Leno 05:00 GMA Weekend (Repeat) 06:00 Moms Get Real / Now you know / Amplified 07:00 GMA Health 07:30 What’s the Buzz 08:00 The Martha Stewart Show 09:00 Downsize Me 10:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live!

11:00 The View 12:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 13:00 The Martha Stewart Show 14:00 Parenting 14:30 Popcorn 15:00 GMA Weekend Live 16:00 Ahead of The Curve 16:30 Chef’s Table 17:00 The Tonight Show with Jay Leno 18:00 Downsize Me 19:00 The View (repeat) 20:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 21:00 The Best of Jimmy Kimmel 22:00 The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (Best Of)

00:00 Joe’s Palace-18 02:00 The Clan-PG15 04:00 Gracie-PG15 05:45 Honeydripper-PG15 08:00 Brideshead Revisited-PG15 10:30 Space Chimps-PG 12:00 The Bucket List-PG15 14:00 Quid Pro Quo-PG15 15:45 Brideshead Revisited-PG15 18:00 No Reservations-PG15 20:00 Crimes Of The Past-PG15 22:00 Lions For Lambs-PG15

01:00 Universal Soldier: The Return-18 03:00 Rec-R 04:30 Battle Of Wits-PG15 07:00 Room 6-PG15 09:00 Dragon Heart-PG 11:00 Elsewhere-18 13:00 Mercury Man-PG15 15:00 Dragon Heart-PG 17:00 From A Place Of Darkness-PG15 19:00 The Art Of War III: Retribution 21:00 The Uninvited-18 23:00 W Delta Z-18

00:00 I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry-PG15 02:00 Futurama: Bender’s Big Score 04:00 Sabrina-PG 06:15 Griffin And Phoenix-PG15 08:00 The Scout-PG15 10:00 Heartbreakers-PG15 12:00 Will You Merry Me-PG15 14:00 Short Track-PG 16:00 I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry-PG15 18:00 Futurama: Bender’s Game-PG15

20:00 Futurama: Into The Wild Green Yonder-PG 22:00 Election-18

00:00 Simba Junior To The World CupFAM 02:00 The Wild Thornberrys Movie-PG 04:00 The Gold Retrievers-PG 06:00 Yogi’s Great Escape-PG 08:00 Barbie Of Swan Lake-FAM 10:00 The Gold Retrievers-PG 12:00 Papelucho And The Martian-FAM 14:00 The Wild Thornberrys Movie-PG 16:00 Curious George: Follow That Monkey-PG 18:00 Superman: Doomsday-FAM 20:00 Just For Kicks-PG 22:00 Papelucho And The Martian-FAM

00:00 Psych 01:00 Law & Order: Criminal Intent 02:00 Breaking Bad 03:00 Survivor : Samoa 04:00 Every Body Loves Raymond 04:30 Coach 05:00 Repear 06:00 Emmerdale 06:30 Coronation Street 07:00 In Treatment 07:30 In Treatment 08:00 Every Body Loves Raymond 08:30 Coach 09:00 Survivor : Samoa 10:00 Repear 11:00 In Treatment 11:30 In Treatment 12:00 Emmerdale 12:30 Coronation Street 13:00 Every Body Loves Raymond 13:30 Coach 14:00 Psych 15:00 Law & Order: Criminal Intent 16:00 Repear 17:00 Survivor : Samoa 18:00 Emmerdale 18:30 Coronation Street 19:00 The Ex-list 20:00 Law & Order: Criminal Intent

00:00 Premier League 06:00 Premier League Classics 06:30 Premier League World 07:00 Premier League 15:00 Futbol Mundial 15:30 Live Toshiba Super Sunday 16:00 Live Premier League 18:00 Live Toshiba Super Sunday 18:15 Live Premier League 20:30 Premier League 22:30 Premier League World 23:00 Futbol Mundial 23:30 Live Portuguese Liga

00:00 Premier League 02:00 AFL Toyota Premiership 04:30 Super 14 06:30 ICC Cricket World 07:00 Premier League 09:00 Guinness Premiership 11:00 Super League 13:00 Premier League 15:00 Premier League World 15:30 Live Toshiba Super Sunday 16:00 Live Premier League 18:00 Live Toshiba Super Sunday 18:15 Live Premier League 20:15 Premier League 22:15 Premier League

07:00 Familiar Strangers-PG 09:00 Last Of The Romantics-PG15 11:00 10,000 B.C.-PG 13:00 A Shine Of Rainbows-PG15 15:00 The 11th Hour-U 17:00 Last Of The Romantics-PG15 19:00 The El Escorial Conspiracy-PG15 21:00 Heiress With A Gun-PG15 23:00 Synecdoch, New York-PG15

00:25 The Hunger 02:15 Butterfield 8 04:00 Grand Prix 07:00 Where The Spies Are 08:50 Anchors Aweigh 11:05 Seven Brides For Seven Brothers 12:45 Lust For Life 14:45 Where The Spies Are 16:35 The Sunshine Boys 18:25 The Glass Bottom Boat 20:15 Desert Bloom 22:00 Kelly’s Heroes

00:30 Dead Men’s Secrets 01:20 Cities Of The Underworld 02:10 Ancient Discoveries 03:00 Hubble, 15 Years of Discovery 04:20 The Tech Effect 04:50 Ancient Discoveries 3 05:40 Night of the Long Knives 06:30 Dead Men’s Secrets 07:20 Cities Of The Underworld 08:10 Ancient Discoveries 09:00 Hubble, 15 Years of Discovery 10:20 The Tech Effect 10:50 Ancient Discoveries 3 11:40 Night of the Long Knives 12:30 Dead Men’s Secrets 13:20 Cities Of The Underworld 14:10 Ancient Discoveries 15:00 Hubble, 15 Years of Discovery 16:20 The Tech Effect 16:50 Ancient Discoveries 3 17:40 Night of the Long Knives 18:30 Dead Men’s Secrets 19:20 Cities Of The Underworld 20:10 Ancient Discoveries 21:00 Lost Worlds 21:55 Seven Deadly Sins 22:50 Life After People 23:40 Ax Men 2

00:00 Clean House 01:00 My Celebrity Home 02:00 How Do I Look?

03:00 Split Ends 04:00 Dr 90210 05:00 Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane 05:30 Area 06:00 How Do I Look?

07:00 Style Star 07:30 Style Her Famous 08:00 Clean House 09:00 My Celebrity Home 10:00 Ruby 11:00 Giuliana & Bill 12:00 Dallas Divas & Daughters 12:30 Dallas Divas & Daughters 13:00 Dr 90210 14:00 Dr 90210 15:00 20 Best & Worst Celebrity Plastic...

17:00 Dr 90210 18:00 Dr 90210 19:00 E!ES 20:00 E!ES 21:00 How Do I Look?

22:00 Giuliana & Bill 23:00 Ruby

01:04 Sound System 01:45 Playlist 02:00 Urban Hit 02:45 Playlist 08:04 Africa 08:45 Playlist 13:04 Urban Hit 30 15:00 Code Compilation 15:24 Playlist 16:04 New 16:35 Playlist 17:00 Focus 18:00 Urban Hit 18:45 Playlist 20:04 French Only 20:45 Playlist

00:00 Globe Trekker 01:00 Temples In The Clouds 02:00 Chef Abroad 02:30 Chef Abroad 03:00 Planet Food 04:00 Top Travel 04:30 Destination Art 05:00 Distant Shores 05:30 Distant Shores 06:00 Distant Shores 06:30 Distant Shores 07:00 Globe Trekker 08:00 Globe Trekker 09:00 Swiss Railway Journeys 10:00 Swiss Railway Journeys 11:00 Intrepid Journeys 12:00 Rajasthan - A Colourful Legacy 13:00 Globe Trekker 14:00 Planet Food 15:00 Chef Abroad 15:30 Chef Abroad 16:00 Floyd On Africa 16:30 Essential 17:00 Globe Trekker 18:00 Grannies On Safari 18:30 Spring 19:00 Distant Shores 19:30 Wild At Heart 20:00 Angry Planet 20:30 Culture Shock 21:00 Secrets of Bangkok 22:00 Cruising the Spirit of Adventure 23:00 Globe Trekker

01:00 Vh1 Music 05:00 Chill Out 07:00 Smooth Wake Up 09:00 Vh1 Music 11:00 Vh1 Pop Chart 12:00 Top 10 Abba 13:00 Cover Power 14:00 Movie Soundtracks Weekend Weekend 17:00 Music For The Masses 18:00 Vh1 Music 19:00 Vh1 Viewer’s Jukebox Love Request 20:00 Vh1 Viewer’s Jukebox Love Request 21:00 Top 10 Abba 22:00 Sunday Soul 23:00 Storytellers Mariah Carey

01:30 Guinness Premiership 03:30 Super League 05:30 Mobil 1 The Grid 06:00 European Tour Weekly 06:30 Live PGA European Tour 10:30 Mobil 1 11:00 ICC Cricket World 11:30 Super 14 13:30 Futbol Mundial 14:00 Live Premier League 16:00 Live Snooker World Championship 20:30 Futbol Mundial 21:00 Live Snooker World Championship

00:00 UFC - The Ultimate Fighter 01:00 WWE Bottomline 02:00 WWE NXT 03:00 Bushido 04:00 NCAA Basketball 06:00 UFC Unleashed 07:00 WWE Vintage Collection 08:00 WWE Bottomline 09:00 WWE NXT 10:00 WWE Smackdown 12:00 LG Action Sport 13:00 NCAA Basketball 15:00 V8 Supercars Extra 15:30 Mobil 1 The Grid 16:00 WWE Smackdown 18:00 V8 Supercars Series 19:00 V8 Supercars Series 20:00 WWE Vintage Collection

01:00 A Scanner Darkly-PG15 03:00 Stan Lee: The Condor-PG 05:00 Barack Obama: The Man And His Journey-PG

Brideshead Revisited on Show Movies

Star Listings (UAE Timings) STAR Movies 20:50 Hackers 22:35 Sandlot 00:20 7-10 Split 02:00 Volcano 03:45 Hackers 05:30 Sandlot 07:15 Mr Saturday Night 09:15 Primeval 10:50 Volcano 12:35 I Love Trouble 14:40 The Delphi Effect 16:10 Scary Movie 17:30 Nothing To Lose 19:05 The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause STAR World 20:00 American Idol 21:00 October Road 22:00 [V] Tunes 23:00 [V] Tunes 00:00 Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

01:00 [V] Tunes 02:00 Kyle XY 03:00 Scrubs 03:30 The King Of Queens 04:00 Samantha Who? 04:30 Samantha Who? 05:00 EAST WEST 06:00 Grey’s Anatomy

07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:50 11:00 11:50 12:00 13:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:50 17:00 17:50 18:00 18:50 19:00 19:50

Samantha Who? Rules Of Engagement Australia’s Next Top Model The King Of Queens The Bold And The Beautiful Kyle XY Charlie’s Angels Grey’s Anatomy Who’s The Boss?

[V] Tunes Asia Uncut Scrubs The King Of Queens Samantha Who? Samantha Who? 90210 Jackie Chan Adventures Mental Charlie’s Angels The Listener Who’s The Boss?

Criminal Minds Jackie Chan Adventures

Granada World 21:00 Fat Club 21:30 City Cabs (Series 1) 22:00 Young, Posh and Loaded 22:30 The Sunshine Girls 23:00 Come Dine With Me (Primetime Series 2)

00:00 01:00 02:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:15 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:15

Divas II ** Stars In Their Eyes (Series 12) Prime Drama: What We Did On Our Holiday 60 Minute Makeover (Series 3) Warzone Coronation Street (Weekend Omnibus) Dirtbusters Revenge TV Fat Club City Cabs (Series 1) Confessions Of House of Horrors (Series 3) Vroom Vroom (Series 2) Hell’s Kitchen (UK Series 3) I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! (Series 7) Parkinson (Series 7) Life Begins (Series 2) Vroom Vroom (Series 2) Hell’s Kitchen (UK Series 3) I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! (Series 7) Parkinson (Series 7)

Channel [V] 21:00 [V] Tunes 21:30 [V] Tunes 22:00 Loop 23:00 [V] Tunes 23:30 [V] Tunes 00:00 [V] Tunes 01:00 XO

01:30 02:00 03:00 05:00 05:30 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 17:30 18:00 19:00 20:00

Loop Backtracks [V] Countdown [V] Tunes [V] Tunes Loop [V] Tunes [V] Tunes [V] Special XO Loop Backtracks Videoscope [V] Special [V] Tunes [V] Tunes Loop Amp Around Asia [V] Tunes [V] Special XO Loop Backtracks Videoscope [V] Special

Fox News 00:00 America’s News HQ Host host Brian Wilson 01:00 America’s News HQ Hosts Kelly Wright and Jamie Colby

02:00 The Journal Editorial Report 02:30 Fox News Watch 03:00 Glenn Beck with Glenn Beck 04:00 America’s News HQ hosts Gregg Jarrett and Julie Banderas 06:00 America’s News HQ hosts Rick Folbaum and Juliet Huddy 07:00 FOX Report Saturday host Julie Banderas 08:00 Huckabee with Mike Huckabee 09:00 Geraldo At Large with Geraldo Rivera 11:00 The Journal Editorial Report 11:30 Fox News Watch 12:00 FOX Report Saturday 13:00 Geraldo At Large with Geraldo Rivera 14:00 Huckabee with Mike Huckabee 15:00 FOX Report Saturday host Julie Banderas 16:00 Geraldo At Large with Geraldo Rivera 18:00 The Journal Editorial Report 18:30 Fox News Watch 19:00 FOX and Friends Sunday hosts David Briggs, Alisyn Camerota & Clayton Morris 20:00 FOX and Friends Sunday hosts David Briggs, Alisyn Camerota & Clayton Morris 21:00 FOX and Friends Sunday hosts David Briggs, Alisyn Camerota & Clayton Morris 22:00 America’s News HQ hosts Eric Shawn & Jamie Colby 23:00 America’s News HQ hosts Eric Shawn & Jamie Colby

National Geographic Channel 20:00 Warplanes -Jet Age 21:00 Air Crash Investigation -Air Crash Investigation Specia : Who’s Flying The Plane?

22:00 Diving The Labyrinth 23:00 Shark Men -Size Matters 00:00 Trapped -Cave Rescue 01:00 World’s Toughest Fixes -Leaky Cruise Ship 02:00 Diving The Labyrinth 03:00 Nat Geo Junior -Wild Chronicles : 11 03:30 Nat Geo Junior -Wild Chronicles : 12 04:00 Food Lovers Guide To The Planet -Fancy Fast Food 16 04:30 Food Lovers Guide To The Planet -Food Magic 9 05:00 Shark Men -Size Matters 06:00 Triumph Of Life -Eternal Arms Race 07:00 Locked Up Abroad -Philippine Terror 08:00 Food Lovers Guide To The Planet -Farm To Fork 08:30 Food Lovers Guide To The Planet -Taste Of Tasmania 09:00 Monkey Thieves -Street Life 18 09:30 Monkey Thieves -Home Hunters 19 10:00 Shark Men -Size Matters 11:00 Trapped -Cave Rescue 12:00 LG Borderless presents Nat Geo -Engineering Connections: Guggenheim Bilbao 13:00 Theme Week -Six Degrees Could Change The World 14:00 Theme Week -Shark Eden (aka Journey To Sha 15:00 Theme Week -Diving The Labyrinth

Sunday, April 25, 2010

33 Flight Schedule Arrival Flights on Sunday 25/04/2010 Airlines Flt Route Ariana 405 Kabul/Dubai Royal Jordanian 802 Amman Wataniya Airways 188 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 306 Cairo Kuwait 544 Cairo Gulf Air 211 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 408 Beirut Turkish A/L 772 Istanbul Wataniya Airways 322 Sharm El Sheikh Jazeera 513 Sharm El Sheikh DHL 370 Bahrain Emirates 853 Dubai Jazeera 241 Amman Etihad 305 Abu Dhabi Qatari 138 Doha Jazeera 503 Luxor Falcon 201 Dubai Jazeera 527 Alexandria Kuwait 412 Manila/Bangkok British 157 London Jazeera 481 Sabiha Kuwait 206 Islamabad Kuwait 382 Delhi Jazeera 529 Assiut Iran Air 615 Shahre Kord Kuwait 302 Mumbai Kuwait 332 Trivandrum Fly Dubai 053 Dubai Kuwait 676 Dubai Kuwait 284 Dhaka Emirates 855 Dubai Arabia 121 Sharjah Kuwait 286 Chittagong Qatari 132 Doha Iran Air 603 Shiraz Etihad 301 Abu Dhabi Iran Aseman 6801 Ahwaz Jazeera 425 Bahrain Falcon 203 Dubai Wataniya Airways 182 Bahrain Gulf Air 213 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 102 Dubai Jazeera 165 Dubai Jazeera 447 Doha Jazeera 113 Abu Dhabi Jazeera 171 Dubai Egypt Air 610 Cairo Oman Air 645 Muscat Kuwait 672 Dubai Kuwait 774 Riyadh United A/L 982 Washington Dc Dulles Royal Jordanian 800 Amman Wataniya Airways 432 Damascus Jazeera 257 Beirut Wataniya Airways 422 Amman Kuwait 512 Tehran Kuwait 562 Amman Saudi Arabian A/L 500 Jeddah Qatari 134 Doha Jazeera 173 Dubai Bahrain Air 344 Bahrain Etihad 303 Abu Dhabi Emirates 857 Dubai Gulf Air 215 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 402 Beirut Saudi Arabian A/L 510 Riyadh Jazeera 239 Amman Jazeera 367 Deirezzor Arabia 125 Sharjah Jazeera 511 Sharm El Sheikh Jazeera 343 Sanaa/Bahrain Wataniya Airways 304 Cairo Kuwait 166 Paris/Rome Wataniya Airways 106 Dubai Kuwait 542 Cairo Kuwait 502 Beirut Kuwait 618 Doha Kuwait 786 Jeddah Jazeera 177 Dubai Kuwait 744 Dammam Kuwait 614 Bahrain Kuwait 674 Dubai Kuwait 102 New York/London Kuwait 552 Damascus Srilankan 267 Colombo/Dammam Fly Dubai 061 Dubai Oman Air 647 Muscat Middle East 402 Beirut Rovos 081 Baghdad Wataniya Airways 404 Beirut Jazeera 459 Damascus Jazeera 183 Dubai DHL 372 Bahrain Gulf Air 217 Bahrain Emirates 859 Dubai Kuwait 172 Frankfurt Qatari 136 Doha United A/L 981 Bahrain Indian 981 Chennai / Ahmedabad Jazeera 429 Bahrain Jazeera 117 Abu Dhabi Jazeera 449 Doha Safi A/W 215 Kabul Lufthansa 636 Frankfurt Jazeera 185 Dubai India Express 389 Kozhikode/Mangalore KLM 0447 Amsterdam/Bahrain Pakistan 205 Lahore Wataniya Airways 108 Dubai

Time 00:05 00:05 00:30 00:50 00:50 01:05 01:05 01:15 01:20 01:45 02:15 02:25 02:55 02:55 03:25 05:15 05:25 06:05 06:15 06:30 06:40 07:15 07:20 07:30 07:35 07:50 07:55 07:55 08:00 08:10 08:25 08:40 08:45 09:00 09:20 09:25 10:15 10:25 10:30 10:45 10:45 11:05 11:05 11:10 11:20 12:50 12:55 13:15 13:15 13:20 13:35 13:35 13:35 14:10 14:10 14:20 14:20 14:30 15:05 15:55 16:40 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:15 17:20 17:35 17:40 17:40 17:45 17:55 18:35 18:40 18:45 18:50 18:50 18:55 18:55 19:05 19:15 19:20 19:20 19:25 19:40 20:00 20:05 20:15 20:20 20:30 20:50 20:55 21:00 21:00 21:05 21:15 21:20 21:35 21:55 22:05 22:15 22:25 22:25 22:30 22:35 23:05 23:10 23:10 23:55 23:55

Departure Flights on Sunday 25/04/2010 Airlines Flt Route Jazeera 528 Assiut Bangladesh 044 Dhaka Egypt Air 607 Luxor India Express 394 Cochin/Kozhikode Lufthansa 637 Frankfurt Indian 994 Mumbai/Chennai Ariana 406 Dubai/Kabul Turkish A/L 773 Istanbul DHL 371 Bahrain Emirates 854 Dubai Etihad 306 Abu Dhabi Qatari 139 Doha Wataniya Airways 101 Dubai Royal Jordanian 803 Amman Jazeera 164 Dubai Jazeera 112 Abu Dhabi Jazeera 422 Bahrain Jazeera 446 Doha Gulf Air 212 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 181 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 431 Damascus British 156 London Jazeera 256 Beirut Iran Air 614 Shahre Kord Fly Dubai 054 Dubai Kuwait 171 Frankfurt Kuwait 671 Dubai Jazeera 170 Dubai Jazeera 342 Bahrain/Sanaa Wataniya Airways 421 Amman Kuwait 561 Amman Arabia 122 Sharjah Emirates 856 Dubai Qatari 133 Doha Kuwait 511 Tehran Kuwait 773 Riyadh Kuwait 117 New York Etihad 302 Abu Dhabi Iran Air 602 Shiraz Iran Aseman 6802 Ahwaz Wataniya Airways 401 Beirut Gulf Air 214 Bahrain Falcon 204 Baghdad Wataniya Airways 303 Cairo Jazeera 172 Dubai Kuwait 541 Cairo Jazeera 510 Sharm El Sheikh Jazeera 366 Deirezzor Jazeera 238 Amman Kuwait 103 London Kuwait 501 Beirut Kuwait 785 Jeddah Egypt Air 611 Cairo Oman Air 646 Muscat Kuwait 551 Damascus Royal Jordanian 801 Amman Wataniya Airways 105 Dubai United A/L 982 Bahrain Jazeera 176 Dubai Kuwait 673 Dubai Wataniya Airways 403 Beirut Kuwait 617 Doha Saudi Arabian A/L 503 Medinah/Jeddah Jazeera 458 Damascus Kuwait 613 Bahrain Qatari 135 Doha Kuwait 743 Dammam Jazeera 182 Dubai Rovos 082 Baghdad Bahrain Air 345 Bahrain Etihad 304 Abu Dhabi Emirates 858 Dubai Gulf Air 216 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 305 Cairo Arabia 126 Sharjah Saudi Arabian A/L 511 Riyadh Jazeera 116 Abu Dhabi Jazeeras 448 Doha Jazeera 184 Dubai Jazeera 428 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 107 Dubai Wataniya Airways 321 Sharm El Sheikh Kuwait 283 Dhaka Jazeera 266 Beirut Kuwait 361 Colombo Fly Dubai 062 Dubai Kuwait 343 Chennai Kuwait 351 Cochin Srilankan 267 Colombo Oman Air 648 Muscat Middle East 403 Beirut Wataniya Airways 187 Bahrain Gulf Air 218 Bahrain DHL 373 Bahrain Kuwait 675 Dubai Emirates 860 Dubai Kuwait 381 Delhi Falcon 102 Bahrain Qatari 137 Doha Kuwait 203 Lahore Kuwait 301 Mumbai Jazeera 526 Alexandria Jazeera 502 Luxor Jazeera 636 Aleppo United A/L 981 Washington Dc Dulles Kuwait 411 Bangkok/Manila Kuwait 415 Kuala Lumpur/Jakarta

FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION 161

Time 00:05 00:15 00:15 00:25 00:50 00:55 01:45 02:15 03:15 03:45 04:00 05:00 06:50 07:00 07:00 07:15 07:35 07:40 07:45 07:50 08:10 08:25 08:35 08:35 08:40 08:55 09:00 09:00 09:00 09:10 09:15 09:20 09:40 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:10 10:20 11:15 11:35 11:35 11:45 11:50 11:55 12:00 12:10 12:20 12:30 12:30 13:00 13:30 13:55 14:15 14:20 14:30 14:30 14:50 14:55 15:10 15:10 15:35 15:45 15:50 16:20 16:20 16:25 16:50 17:00 17:25 17:35 18:05 18:05 18:05 18:20 18:35 18:40 18:55 19:00 19:10 19:40 19:45 20:00 20:05 20:20 20:50 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:20 21:35 21:55 22:00 22:10 22:25 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:20 23:30 23:35 23:40 23:40 23:50

ACCOMMODATION Sharing accommodation in Jabriya, separate room in mulhak for decent Muslim bachelor, rent KD 65, near Al Hadi hospital, from 1st May, phone facilities. Contact: 99546413. (C 2177).

25-4-2010 Sharing accommodation available for 1 Keralite bachelor in a C-AC flat in Abbassiya near Caesar始s cargo/ opposite Al Jas Int始l Shipping. Call 66349475.

(C 2173) Sharing accommodation available for Keralite couple to share with Keralite family in 2 bedroom 2 bathroom flat in Abbassiya. Call: 97168979. (C 2175) 24-4-2010 A sharing room available for a decent bachelor (preferably Mangalorean) with another Mangalorean in Abbassiya near United Indian School. Contact: 97539726. (C 2169) Sharing accommodation available in Abbassiya near Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan and Dar Al Saha polyclinic, for single family. Contact: 66533471. (C 2172) Sharing accommodation available in Abbassiya for visiting family or two working ladies or couples in new CAC fully furnished two bedroom, two bathroom (attached) flat with Keralite family from 7th June 2010.

Contact: 66013882, 99494359. (C 2170) Sharing accommodation available for a small family in a 2 bedroom, hall & kitchen central A/C flat near Emirates hotel Abu Halifa with Keralite Christian family. Contact: 97612421.

(C 2147) 22-4-2010 Sharing accommodation available in Kuwait City from 1st of May 2010 with bachelors, looking for a decent Indian person. Interested please contact 22452889, 60015811, 99539718.

(C 2166) Sharing accommodation available for a south Indian bachelor in a furnished studio room close to Khaitan cinema bus stop with a Mangalorean Catholic bachelor (kitchen and bathroom attached), rent KD 25. Contact: 66036893. (C 2141) Room available in C-A/C flat with separate bathroom in Sharq near Mughal Mahal restaurant for working ladies from May 1st. Contact: 99567689, 55197093.

(C 2154) 21-4-2010 Accommodation available for family or working ladies opp. German clinic. Contact: 66455687. (C 2155) Room for rent for Filipinos in a 3-bedroom, 2bathrooom C-A/C flat in Khaitan, along Airport Road.

Contact: 66882746 or 24712170.

Sharing accommodation available in Abbassiya Queen始s beauty parlor building, one room separate bathroom only Keralite decent bachelors. Call: 99153497. (C 2157) A sharing room available for a decent Mangalorean bachelor to share with another Mangalorean. Contact: 97539726. (C 2163) 20-4-2010

FOR SALE Nissan Pathfinder 2005, (XES 3.5), color grey, run 130,000 km, passing up to April 2011, new tires and very good condition. Price KD 3,100 (negotiable). Call 99338742. (C 2176) Laptop IBM Intel Centrino, RAM 512, HD 30 GB, WiFi, DVD-CD-WR, price KD 65 & IBM PC P4, CPU Intel original 2.8, RAM 256, HD 40 GB, price KD 35, all in excellent condition, call 99322585. (C 2180) Honda Accord, 2004 model, gold color, full options, 120,000 km, excellent condition. Price KD 2,800. Call: 55522942. (C 2181) 25-4-2010

price KD 3,400, done 12,000 kms only.

Contact: 55107856. (C 2158) Toyota Corolla 1.8 Xli, golden color, 2005, excellent condition, very low mileage, well maintained, ready to check, price KD 2,350, negotiable.

Contact: 66015265. (C 2156) Ford Tracer, 1998 model, insurance till next March 2011, price KD 750, serious persons contact: 99554160.

(C 2153) Laptop Suzuki 1333 new (made Taiwan) 2.16 GHz C2D, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB, DVD writer, 13.3 wide crystal screen, wireless, webcam, MIc. Call: 97250299 97698074. (C 2159) Laptop DELL Vostro 1400 new (made Ireland) 2.2 GHz C2D, 4 MB Cache, 2 GB RAM, 160 GB, DVD writer, wireless, Bluetooth, 14.1 wide crystal screen. Call: 22473767 - 97698074. (C 2160) Laptop DELL Vostro 1510 new (made Poland) 2.4 GHz C2D, 4 MB Cache, 2 GB RAM, 160 GB, DVD writer, wireless, Bluetooth, webcam, 15.4 wide screen. Call: 22473766 - 97250299.

(C 2161) 20-4-2010

Orthodox girl, 25 years, 165cm, B.Tech (E&C), working in a reputed firm, interested parties may respond with complete profile to seemaanniejohn@hotmail.com (C 2148) 19-4-2010

LOST I, Nayanam P.R., Pallikkattil House, note the public the loss of my mark lists and certificate of Bachelor of Commerce Degree examination 2004 September with Registration No.242077 of University of Calicut. I intend to apply for the duplicate mark list/certificate. (C 2167) 21-4-2010

CHANGE OF NAME Old name: Pichai Senthil Kumar, Passport No: F8462965. New name: P. Sayed Ahmed. (C 2174) 24-4-2010

SITUATION VACANT

Wanted a decent housemaid for a family in Mangaf.

Call 66391085, 23715767 20-4-2010 SITUATION WANTED

1998 GMC Sierra - 3500 pick up 6.5L diesel engine, double heel in very good condition, full options. KD 2,250. Contact: 66714700.

(C 2150) 1996 Chev Silverado pick up 2W in very good condition, loaded with options.

KD 2,050.

Contact: 97485532. (C 2149) 22-4-2010 2005 white mini-van, manual, 7-seater GM-Wuling Chinese made, service by Mutawa Al-Kazi Co, 55,700 km, regd. March 2011. Call: 99913384. (C 2164) Nissan Pathfinder, 2003 model, metallic golden color, km 170,000 SE.3.5, very good condition. KD 2,400, serious buyers can contact: 97615287. (C 2168) 21-4-2010 Mitsubishi Jeep, Nativa model 2009, silver color, excellent condition, cash

MATRIMONIAL Proposals invited from parents of well educated qualified boys for a Keralite Muslim girl, 22 years, 157 cm, studying B.B.A at Sharjah American University settled and residing in UAE. Only highly well educated parties may respond with complete profile, to najeebmanjamala@yahoo.com

(C 2171) 22-4-2010 Wanted bride, Keralite Orthodox boy, 29 years, B.Com, DCA, working in MNC Kuwait, seeks alliance from Christian nurses working in Kuwait. Email: jimmymathew1980@hotmail.com

(C 2165) 21-4-2010 Proposals invited from parents of well educated qualified boys for a Keralite

Indian male, B.Tech electronics + MBA Marketing, 2 years experience in sales/marketing/management, proficient in computer applications, good communication skills, seeks suitable employment. Tel: 65170157. Email: baby_eldhose@yahoo.co.in (C 2179) I need full/part-time job as accountant, I am commerce graduate, with 3 years experience in Kuwait. I can use different financial packages, good MIS skills. Call: 55355954. (C 2182) 25-4-2010 Indian male, MBA (HR) with 4 years UAE experience in Admin-Payroll-HR, specialized in Oracle HRMS, MIS reports, six sigma implementation experience, seeks job.

Call: 94061559, mrds1230@yahoo.com (C 2162) 20-4-2010

SPECTRUM

34 CROSSWORD 969

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Calvin Aries (March 21-April 19) It is interesting that your workday goes as well as it does because, like some others, there is much on your mind this morning. You could be looking forward to, or planning a fun social affair for the near future. First, however, some pressing business needs attention. Take this business situation one-step-at-a-time. This afternoon there will still be time to create those social plans you were thinking about earlier. Luck is certainly with you—good things happen. This evening is an excellent time to relate to others in social surroundings. Particularly people you do not know very well. Networking is a good idea. You are sure to make some new friends as well as a few new business contacts. You may be inclined to put a love interest on a pedestal; easy.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Progress in a work

situation will go rather well until late this afternoon. You could be entertaining thoughts of a job change today. Your work should give you a sense of purpose and structure. If your job does not do this, you may feel that it is time to find a new job with better pay and opportunities for greater self-fulfillment. A personal responsibility may interfere with your progress this afternoon. A bit of money will come to you from an unexpected avenue. There are opportunities this evening to have lots of chatter over the dinner table, whether you are outside or inside the home at the evening mealtime. The best technique for handling a frustrated youngster this evening is in the listening mode. They will find their own answers as they talk.

Pooch Cafe

ACROSS 1. A doctor's degree in preventive medicine.

4. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.

8. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

11. A former agency (from 1946 to 1974) that was responsible for research into atomic energy and its peacetime uses in the United States.

12. A small cake leavened with yeast.

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

14. Capital and largest city of Iraq.

17. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal.

18. An agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank.

22. A city in Indonesia.

23. The branch of computer science that deal with writing computer programs that can solve problems creatively.

29. A condition (mostly in boys) characterized by behavioral and learning disorders.

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

35. A small pellet fired from an air rifle or BB gun.

38. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

42. Related to or located at the back.

44. A rare silvery (usually trivalent) metallic element.

46. A rounded thickly curled hairdo.

47. A state in northwestern North America.

48. Divulge information or secrets.

DOWN 1. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

2. Small beads made from polished shells and formerly used as money by native Americans.

3. Hormone produced early in pregnancy by the placenta.

4. A port city in southwestern Iran.

5. An informal term for a father.

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

7. An official prosecutor for a judicial district.

8. part of the peritoneum attached to the stomach and to the colon and covering the intestines.

9. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

10. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

15. English theoretical physicist who applied relativity theory to quantum mechanics and predicted the existence of antimatter and the positron (1902-1984).

16. A light touch or stroke.

19. The Tibeto-Burman language spoken in the Dali region of Yunnan.

20. A public promotion of some product or service.

21. The syllable naming the fourth (subdominant) note of the diatonic scale in solmization.

24. A sharp hand gesture (resembling a blow).

25. A colorless and odorless inert gas.

26. A unit of magnetomotive force equal to 0.7958 ampere-turns.

27. 1/10 gram.

28. Light informal conversation for social occasions.

30. Coffee with the caffeine removed.

31. A logarithmic unit of sound intensity.

32. The compass point that is one point east (clockwise) of due north.

34. A town and port in northwestern Israel in the eastern Mediterranean.

35. Having undesirable or negative qualities.

36. Common Indian weaverbird.

37. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC).

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

40. East Indian tree bearing a profusion of intense vermilion velvet-textured blooms and yielding a yellow dye.

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

42. A soft silver-white ductile metallic element (liquid at normal temperatures).

Gemini (May 21-June 20) There are good practical job-related thoughts and ideas available today. The ability to say what you mean and describe technical transactions clearly is a talent that is always in demand. Obtaining and exchanging information takes on importance. There could be some snags with money today. Pay attention to your real needs and let that be your guide in decision making with money. Sharing your feelings with a loved one becomes most important this afternoon. This evening, you and your loved one may attend a community meeting. Both of you are willing to help make a difference in your community and may find yourselves heading a committee.

Non Sequitur

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Your mind is very sharp, with the result that you could become a bit irritable or say too much. Quick-witted you are, but this could also result in arguments and hard words. Concentrate on the current work and be grateful for your opportunities to show off your talents? higher ups are watching. If you think you really know what you want in life, challenges will help you focus on your goals. Your own abilities may be recognized today and someone may ask your advice.

You are able to cut through the red tape and get at the truth of a matter. This is a great time to reflect and understand your own situation; just how you feel about yourself. There is time this afternoon for a co-worker gettogether. Jokes and a general release of tension are good for all.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Someone could challenge you on a very sensitive issue today, resulting in a very intense discussion. Keep the facts straight and remove any emotions you may be feeling. This will allow you to think clearly and be successful in your problem-solving abilities. You are able to save the day, so to speak and come up with some acceptable results to the difficulties. You share your thoughts in positive ways. There are emotional beginnings, a fresh start, perhaps the establishment of new habit patterns—make sure they are good ones; they will set the tone for you for quite some time to come! This afternoon, excessive spending is possible. There is a basic drive to appreciate and taste life; plan to travel.

Zits

Virgo (August 23-September 22) If you have been considering signing a contract or entering into a partnership, it’s a good time now to decide. You can trade, sell, close a deal, or negotiate an agreement. You can expand your enjoyment of life with more recreation, entertainment and creative pursuits. There are new opportunities for romance. Pleasant social activities are on the increase—especially those related to educational, religious or cultural interests. It’s a good time to travel for pleasure. Sports or games with children can be great fun. Let your artistic expression and personal style flourish. It’s a good time to be more active socially. Go to a party or a reception with your mate. Give a gift, send cards. Now is the time to strengthen your friendships and make new acquaintances.

Libra (September 23-October 22) Today is the day to start new ventures. You have good practical jobrelated thoughts and ideas. You also have the ability to create a description that is inviting to anyone who reads your report. This may mean you are in advertising or perhaps a critic for a newspaper. You could be seen by others as just the person to be put in charge of some project. This project begins in the area of research. You may want to compare your ideas with other people’s work. There is a strong desire to create and gain approval of higher ups. You are apt to spend a great deal of time apart from work with coworkers this afternoon. You are a hard worker and to see you away from the work place with your co-workers is a rare sight. Networking is a plus today.

Mother Goose and Grimm

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Job-related subjects

take precedence today. Rewards, recognition or a promotion is evident. There may be strife in the work place; causing difficulty in keeping your mind on pressing matters. Projects, however, will turn out to be successful.

You have the passion to tackle problems that come to your attention. This is a good time to make some changes and reach new levels. A lot of personal and sensitive psychological material may be surfacing, but you can handle it and turn it to your advantage. You may look back on this time as very transforming. A loved one has joined an exercise group and encourages you to join in as well. Spend some time talking over future plans with your loved one this evening.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You may find yourself working overtime today. It is a good day to solve problems and make important decisions. You will find a way around almost any obstacle and are able to guide yourself with ease. Your sense of inner direction is good and should lead to opportunities. Today you will be able to tackle tasks that require real discipline or organization. You find yourself in a very practical mood and working with, instead of against, yourself. You may have some serious or contemplative moments. You could have friends over for a visit later. Your charisma shows and your friends will enjoy your company. Your need for attention can be satiated through your sense of humor and entertaining skills. It is time to really enjoy your friends.

Yesterday’s Solution

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Empty

yester

Yesterday’s Solution

to

INTERNATIONAL CALLS Kuwait Qatar Abu Dhabi Dubai Raas Al Khayma Al-Shareqa Muscat Jordan Bahrain Riyadh Makkah - Jeddah Cairo Alexandria Beirut Damascus Allepo

00965 00974 009712 009714 009717 009716 00968 009626 00973 009661 009662 00202 00203 009611 0096311 0096321

Tunisia Rabat Washington New York Paris London Madrid Zurich Geneva Monaco Rome Bangkok Hong Kong Pakistan Taiwan Bonn

0021610 002127 001212 001718 00331 004471 00341 00411 004122 0033 00396 00662 00852 0092 00886 0049228

Word Sleuth Solution

your mind of any limitations. Fresh challenges light your fires. There is lots of interest and a powerful urge to be first or come out on top at this time.

Away with the old and on to the new—let no one and nothing stand between you and your objective!

Headstrong impulses and rash courage can take you far—careful.

Financial gain and material well-being are among the brighter prospects looming before you now, as you focus in on how much things really mean to you. There may be a tendency to emphasize the material too much, which could lead to the feeling that the things you own, own you instead.

A brother or sister may confer with you this evening about future educational needs. You could have a lawyer in the family soon.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) There are many different levels of symbolism surrounding money and your day seems centered on symbolisms of money. Perhaps you are involved with the spending or earning of money— whatever the case, there are indications of a slow-down. A wise decision could be in not making any decisions surrounding money just now. Know that investments will improve soon. Help contribute to the success of a co-worker today. By being helpful, you too will profit. Fondness and appreciation for the past and for your roots in life take on greater importance. You may find yourself signing up to volunteer in a pioneer village, perhaps to learn, as much as to help. Projects surrounding a family tree seems to be the talk of the evening—fun times.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) A work-related problem may come to an end today due to a creative individual. By being helpful, you too will benefit. Fresh challenges and initiatives excite your imagination, as a new cycle begins in your life—lots of motivation. Enjoy some much-needed downtime after work today. An art exhibit or some performance or presentation can be fun and relaxing. All this process may give way to financial planning. There may be talk among family members about how some special savings can be accomplished. You have a greater appreciation for things of value and the idea of value itself. This could be a period of great material gain; it is certainly a time when material things have a great deal of importance for you.

INFORMATION

Sunday, April 25, 2010

35 FIRE BRIGADE Operation Room 112 Al-Madena 22418714 Al-Shohada始a 22545171 Al-Shuwaikh 24810598 Al-Nuzha 22545171 Sabhan 24742838 Al-Helaly 22434853 Al-Fayhaa 22545051 Al-Farwaniya 24711433 Al-Sulaibikhat 24316983 Al-Fahaheel 23927002 Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh 24316983 Ahmadi 23980088 Al-Mangaf 23711183 Al-Shuaiba 23262845 Al-Jahra 25610011 Al-Salmiya 25616368

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PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists: Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea Dr. Masoma Habeeb Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy Dr. Mohsen Abel Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly

25622444 25752222 25321171 25739999 25757700 25732223 25732223

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22434064 22435865 22544200 22547133 22515277 22616662 25714406 22530801

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22617700 25625030/60

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Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr.

Zahra Qabazard Sohail Qamar Snaa Maaroof Pradip Gujare Zacharias Mathew

25710444 22621099 25713514 23713100 24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari 22635047 Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan 22613623/0 Gynaecologists & Obstetricians: Dr Adrian Harbe 23729596/23729581 Dr. Verginia s.Marin 2572-6666 ext 8321 Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan 22655539 Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami 25343406 Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly 25739272 Dr. Salem soso 22618787 General Surgeons: Dr. Abidallah Behbahani 25717111 Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer 22610044 Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher 25327148

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25655535 Dentists:

Dr Anil Thomas

3729596/3729581

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

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22561444

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22619557

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22525888

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25653755

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25620111

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Internist, Chest & Heart: DR.Mohammes Akkad 24555050 Ext 210 Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Tel: 25339667 Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Consultant Cardiologist Tel: 2611555-2622555 Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri 25633324 Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

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Physiotherapists & VD: Dr. Deyaa Shehab 25722291 Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees 22666288

25345875

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22636464

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22633135

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25658888

Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr

25329924

Psychologists/Psychotherapists Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688 info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, Ph.D. 2290-1677 Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg, M.A. 2290-1677 William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

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SPECTRUM

K eat n a i n

Sunday, April 25, 2010

lash quit drinking and taking drugs because it “wasn’t fun” anymore. The former Guns N’ Roses guitarist - real name Saul Hudson - admits he has curbed his partying ways as he has got older because trying to get drunk or high has become too much of a “burden”. He explained: “Quitting drinking was very gradual. It’s not that much fun anymore anyway. With drugs and drink you’re always chasing some memory of having a really good time which is hard to recreate. “And my tolerance is so high that I had to drink so much or do so many drugs to make it worthwhile that it became a burden.” The 44-year-old rocker has also quit his

60-a-day cigarette habit after being spurred on by the death of his mother Ola, who passed away from lung cancer last August, despite admitting it was his only vice during her illness. He explained: “I smoked through the whole thing. I’d be sitting with her at the hospital and go out to spoke. Her illness was so sudden and the suffering went on for seven months and I was there through it all. “Every five minutes I needed a cigarette - it had became such a habit. But then I became ill with a severe case of pneumonia. I couldn’t smoke for two weeks so I have quitting a shot but I am finding it hard.”

Jennifer Lopez keen to feature in ‘Glee’

Slash’s partying burden

ng

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36

ennifer Lopez has ‘offered’ herself up for a guest role on ‘Glee’. The singer-and-actress - who stars in new romantic comedy movie ‘The Back-up Plan’ - admitted she plans to take on more funny roles in the future and has been in talks with ‘Glee’ producers about having a cameo on the show. She said: “I was like, ‘Yeah, yeah whatever. I’m a huge fan.’

Whenever you want... I’m good. I kind of offered myself up.”

When asked by US TV talk show host Ellen DeGeneres about when fans could expect to see her in the musical drama, Jennifer admitted the only issue was timing. She said: “I sat down with show creator Ryan Murphy and we talked me doing something on ‘Glee’. We want to. We want to do it. They have it all mapped out for the next like eight episodes, whatever is airing right now. So he’s like, ‘Let’s wait and do it really right when you do come on.’ “ If she does appear on the show, it is thought the 40-year-old star would play a cafeteria lady at fictional school McKinley High, with her character being given a makeover from Chris Colfer’s character Kurt Hummel.

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wants to be a hobbit he Boyzone singer auditioned for a role in upcoming fantasy movie ‘The Hobbit’ - based on the J. R. R. Tolkien novel of the same name, a prequel to the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy - and is still waiting to hear back. He said: “I don’t think I’ll get the role of the hobbit. But I would like to take on roles which nobody would expect. I don’t want to be reduced to love stories. I’d like to try dark, edgy roles. I need a challenge.”

Ronan - who has three children, Jack, 11, Marie, nine, and four-year-old Ali, with his model wife Yvonne - is even considering leaving his native Ireland to live in Los Angeles to pursue his big screen dream.

He added: “If it goes well with the movies we might be there

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more often. So far I planned to go there for holidays with my family in summer. But we return in September and the kids go back to school in Ireland. But we’ll see.”

Although he is ambitious to break into acting, Ronan has no plans to quit music and is loving working with Boyzone again, who were rocked last October when member Stephen Gately died suddenly.

Ronan told website freundin.de: “My future definitely lies in the music business. I will continue to work as a solo artist. But I’m now in a situation where I can take a break from my solo career. I don’t want to eliminate that possibility but currently Boyzone is my priority. I just love to work with the guys.”

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onah Hill partied with P Diddy to prepare for his new movie. The actor loved working with the rapper on ‘Get Him To The Greek’, but admits spending three days in Las Vegas with the star - who plays a record company boss in the film - wasn’t the best way to get ready for filming.

He said: “It was pretty cool working with him. I’ve got to say awesome. He really helped me get into character. He and his friends

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took me and my best friends to Vegas the weekend before we started shooting and gave us the full P Diddy experience for 72 hours. And I recommend, if you’re ever about to start a fourmonth shoot as the lead in a movie, the three days before should not be spent partying with Diddy in Vegas.” Jonah also praised eccentric movie director Woody Allen, revealing him to be his comedic inspiration.

Nash a fan of Cole Lennon lyricK R Ringo Starr defends

ingo Starr has defended referencing his late bandmate John Lennon in a new song, insisting it was a “normal” thing to do. Ringo Starr thinks it would be “weird” if anyone else wrote a song referencing John Lennon. The former Beatles drummer insists his new track ‘Peace Dream’ which features the lyrics ‘Can you imagine this coming true/ It’s really up to all of us to do/ Just like John Lennon said/ In Amsterdam from his bed’ - is a fitting tribute to his former bandmate, who was murdered in 1980. He said: “For me to write that was a normal thing to do. I knew the man. And I really believe that if anyone else had written it, it would’ve been weird. “I was around when he did all those bed-ins calling for peace.

Everybody thinks that the big thing was in Canada, but actually the first one was in Amsterdam. “I also wrote a song for George Harrison, ‘Never Without You in 2003, so it’s just part of it for me, they’re been my friends for so long.” Ringo is joined on the track by former Beatles star Paul McCartney and the musician admits he was delighted his former bandmate agreed to be involved. He added: “Paul came to my house with his bass, which was a good sign. Then I played him ‘Peace Dream’, and he said, ‘Sure, I’ll play on it.’ It had the John Lennon line so it was natural.”

ate Nash is a huge fan of “lovely” Cheryl Cole. The ‘Foundations’ hitmaker admitted she was surprised by how friendly the Girls Aloud star was when they first met. She said: “I think ‘Fight for This Love’ is really catchy. The night I won a BRIT award, in 2008, that’s the night I met Cheryl Cole. She’s lovely. It was an insane night.” The 22-year-old singer also believes Cheryl will cope with her husband Ashley Cole’s infidelities because of her rots in Newcastle, North East England. She said: “I want her to change her name back to Cheryl Tweedy and release music under that name. I think what’s she going through must be really hard.

But she’s a Geordie - she’ll survive!” Kate who is dating The Cribs rocker Ryan Jarman admitted she has also struggled with the pressures of success, with one incident in particular making her realize she needed a break. She explained: “One day, I got really drunk and I was also dealing with some emotional stuff.

When I finally made it to the festival, I felt so bad I had to lean against a tree and throw up.

People were walking past to see me perform and I was being sick in front of them! I was like, I need to go home, see my mum and sort my life out. I was naive and people wanted to manipulate me.”

Law fights ageing ude Law has reportedly splashed out thousands of dollars on antiageing products. The ‘Sherlock Holmes’ actor was recently spotted on a shopping trip to Nordstrom’s cosmetics department store in Washington, US, where he was seen handing over $3,000 for wrinkle creams by French line La Mer, claims the National Enquirer magazine. The 37-year-old star - who was in the shop with a female companion - was recognized by a girl in the queue, who later said: “His beauty products are more expensive than mine. He’ll be wrinklefree for life.” Despite his purchases, Jude - who reconciled his romance with one-time fiancee Sienna Miller over Christmas - recently insisted he found getting older “interesting” and thought it would make him more carefree. He said: “I think it will be interesting to be old. It involves a lot of possibilities. “That you can take a nap whenever you want and that you can finally say everything you really want to say.”

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achel Weisz’s favorite thing about acting is finding our more about other people.

Rachel Weisz became an actress to find out more about people. The ‘Agora’ star - who studied English at the prestigious Cambridge University - admits one of her favorite things about her profession is the research she carries out into her characters.

She said: “I liked acting because I love to ask people questions. “I like knowing about people and trying to imagine myself in other people’s shoes and other people’s skins. I do that all the time.” Rachel, 40, also spoke about her marriage to ‘The Wrestler’ director Darren Aronofsky - with who she has three-year-old son Henry - insisting the 41-year-old filmmaker is nothing like people expect from the subject matter of his movies. She explained: “Seeing his films, you’d think he is this weird, dark, intense guy. But I don’t live with a dark person. He’s really good at life, very good at going to the park and having a good time. “He’s also very organized. He doesn’t live in chaos. His parents are teachers and they have an easy sense of order and discipline.” —Bang Showbiz

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Inquisitive actress Rachel Weisz

Hill?sparty preparation

SPECTRUM

Sunday, April 25, 2010

37

Music & Movies

Experts see Polanski extradition in coming months oman Polanski’s loss of a crucial California court decision sets up his return to the United States more than three decades after he fled a statutory rape charge, Swiss legal experts said Friday. However, they predicted months of further legal wrangling before extradition. Caught up in the complexity and political sensitivity of the case, Switzerland has yet to issue a decision on delivering the fugitive Oscar-winning filmmaker to Los Angeles prosecutors nearly seven months after his arrest. Swiss authorities have cited the voluminous paperwork and said they would wait out a California court’s examination of whether Polanski could be sentenced in absentia for having sex in 1977 with a 13-year-old girl. But the US court rejected Polanski’s sentencing request Thursday without an opinion. While his attorneys could still appeal to the California Supreme Court, legal experts saw little basis for Swiss authorities to reject handing over Polanski.

“Extradition is likely now,” said Dieter Jann, a former Zurich prosecutor. “Not much has changed, and Switzerland has a legal obligation here.” The Swiss Justice Ministry said Friday it wouldn’t rush a decision since it still must receive and study the ruling by the California 2nd District Court of Appeal.

Polanski’s lawyers have argued he shouldn’t have to be present to be sentenced on one count of unlawful sexual intercourse, saying he should be let off with time served.

Polanski’s American attorneys have not outlined their next step. On

on a US warrant as he arrived in Zurich to receive a lifetime achievement award from a film festival. The Swiss imprisoned him for over two months before moving him to house arrest on $4.5 million bail at his

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Film director Roman Polanski is seen on the balcony of his chalet named ‘Milky Way’, where he has been under house arrest, in Gstaad, Switzerland, yesterday. —AP

Friday, Polanski’s longtime attorney, Douglas Dalton, issued a brief statement. “The Court of Appeal decision yesterday did not decide the question of extradition,” he said. “The formal US extradition request unquestionably contains a false sworn statement by Los Angeles prosecutors about Mr Polanski’s punishment which we have asked the United States Department of Justice and the Swiss authorities to investigate. The DA’s Office has known the true facts for over 30 years.” They were referring to a statement by Deputy District Attorney David Walgren in extradi-

tion papers submitted to the Swiss.

Walgren stated that when the original trial judge sent Polanski to prison for a 90-day “diagnostic evaluation” in 1977, Superior Court Judge Laurence J Rittenband “told the parties, including Mr Polanski” that it would put the judge “in a better position to reach a fair and just decision as to the sentence that he would finally and eventually impose...” But the lawyers have said in court that was incorrect because all the parties knew the judge promised during a meeting in chambers that the 90-day study would constitute Polanski’s entire sentence. When he was

released after 42 days, attorneys say the judge reneged and wanted to impose a longer term and require Polanski to deport himself.

Informed of the defense statement, district attorney’s spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said her office would not comment while the extradition matter is pending in Switzerland. Asked whether the director of “Rosemary’s Baby,” “Chinatown” and “The Pianist” would continue to fight extradition, his French lawyer Herve Temime said, “I think so,” but declined to answer specific questions. The Swiss arrested Polanski on Sept 26

chalet in the luxury resort of Gstaad.

Swiss Justice Ministry spokesman Folco Galli urged patience.

“We can’t make a decision based on media reports. We have to study the ruling,” he told The Associated Press. He declined to say in which direction Swiss authorities were leaning but said “if it was obvious that he couldn’t be extradited, we wouldn’t have arrested him.” If the Swiss government ultimately approves extradition, Polanski could still lodge court appeals in Switzerland that would delay his return to the United States for months. Peter Cosandey, another former Swiss prosecutor, said he expected a government decision soon, and that the extradition would likely be approved.

“Extradition is a rather formal procedure, and we look to see if the formalities are met,” he said. “I don’t

see many real arguments against.

Statute of limitations won’t work in the US, and he can’t say he wasn’t there.” Still, sending Polanski back to the US is a complicated and diplomatically sensitive decision for the Swiss, as it deals with a 33-year-old case that includes accusations of wrongdoing by a now-deceased Los Angeles judge, a confused sentencing procedure, the director’s own flight from justice and the wishes of the victim-Samantha Geimer-who has asked that the case be dismissed.

There is also Polanski’s status as a cultural icon in France and Poland, where he holds dual citizenship, and his history as a Holocaust survivor whose first wife was brutally murdered by crazed followers of cult leader Charles Manson in California.

Cosandey said Polanski’s extradition should remain a decision for justice authorities, even if there was some political grumbling in Switzerland.

Foreign Minister Micheline CalmyRey, for example, has noted a “lack of finesse” in how the arrest was handled.

“There might be discussions behind the scenes, but even lawyers not involved in the case are watching what’s going on,” Cosandey said. “It won’t be an obviously ridiculous decision.” In the US, Polanski’s attorneys have focused on numerous instances of apparent misconduct in the 1970s case by the judge, and two California courts have agreed without ordering an evidentiary hearing that could resolve the matter. While the attorneys may try a similar approach in Switzerland, it seems unlikely that the Swiss government

or appeals court would venture to rule on US judicial misconduct.

“These are all arguments for the competent courts” in the United States, Cosandey said. Still, the case could be delayed for several months if it climbs all the way to the Swiss Supreme Court, which intervenes on “especially important” extradition disputes. Polanski was initially accused of raping the girl after plying her with champagne and a Quaalude pill during a 1977 modeling shoot.

He was indicted on six felony counts, including rape by use of drugs, child molestation and sodomy, but he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of unlawful sexual intercourse.

In exchange, the judge agreed to drop the remaining charges and sent him to prison for a 90-day psychiatric evaluation. The evaluator released Polanski after 42 days, but the judge said he was going to send him back to serve out the remaining time.

Polanski then fled the US on Feb 1, 1978, the day he was to be formally sentenced. He has lived since in France, which does not extradite its citizens. US prosecutors now say Polanski could face up to two yearsand not 48 more days-in prison. The time length is important, because Switzerland cannot extradite him unless he faces a sentence longer than six months. Swiss officials say final decisions on extradition are usually reached within a year of a person’s arrest. It would be up to Los Angeles authorities to decide if Polanski’s prison time and house arrest can be deducted from the sentence he would have to serve in the United States. —AP

‘Star Trek’s Spock finally beams into Vulcan his Canadian small town has been obsessed about all things “Star Trek” for as long as anyone here can remember, but denizens always felt something-or someone-was missing. Until Friday. Leonard Nimoy, who will forever be Mr Spock from the 1960s TV series, finally fulfilled the dreams of the farming community that shares the name of the character’s home planet by paying a visit. His remarks to Vulcanites, many decked out in their homemade “Star Trek” uniforms, were, well, logical.

“I have been a Vulcan for 44 years-I figured it was time I came home,” the 79-year-old actor said to wild cheers at a ceremony at the center of the town. Vulcan, a community of 2,000 people about 100 km (62 miles) southeast of Calgary,

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Tom Grant, mayor of Vulcan, Alberta, gives a Vulcan salute in front of a poster welcoming actor Leonard Nimoy, who played Spock in the original Star Trek series. —AP

ocker-turned-reality star Bret Michaels suffered a brain hemorrhage Friday but was later reported to be conscious and in stable condition at an undisclosed hospital. A spokeswoman for Michaels confirmed reports that the 47-year-old musician was rushed to hospital overnight with an excruciating headache and was in critical condition. Doctors diagnosed a massive subarachnoid hemorrhage, or bleeding at the base of his brain stem. The rock singer’s spokeswoman said there would be no more information given until he has additional tests. Celebrity website TMZ.com reported later Friday that Michaels was awake and talking. TMZ said it spoke to the woman who won a dating reality show with Michaels in 2008 and who was in contact with those close to the singer.

Michaels was in intensive care and will be closely monitored for the next 48 hours.

Michaels rose to fame in the 1980s at the helm of Poison, a glam-rock band whose hits included the ballad “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.” He was diagnosed with diabetes as a child and In this April 9, 2008 file just last week disphoto, Poison lead singer closed he had an emergency appendectomy Bret Michaels poses for earlier this month. In a a portrait in the blog entry, he called it Hollywood area of Los a “wake-up call to be a little bit more diligent Angeles. —AP on keeping control of my health.” In recent years, Michaels found fame as a reality TV star in such shows as VH1’s dating contest “Rock of Love” and on the current season of “The Celebrity Apprentice.”

His latest album “Custom Built” is due to be released later this year and he recently recorded a song with Disney starlet Miley Cyrus. On “The Celebrity Apprentice,” which was filmed several months ago but is about halfway through its broadcast run on NBC, Michaels has raised $100,000 for his charity, the American Diabetes Association, and is a strong contender to win. “Apprentice” host Donald Trump said his thoughts and prayers were with Michaels. “He’s a great competitor and champion and I hope he will be fine,” Trump told celebrity TV news show Entertainment Tonight. —Reuters

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come Spock home, to welcome Leonard Nimoy back to Vulcan-his home community, his home planet,” Mayor Tom Grant, Vulcan ears affixed, told Reuters as he strolled down the main drag behind an Enterprise-theme parade float. Nimoy, who made the trip as part of an appearance in Alberta for a comic convention, left his handprint-fashioned in a Vulcan salute-for the town to cherish and he unveiled a bronze bust of himself in Spock character.

He listed numerous honors bestowed on him over the years for his work in the famous role, most recently being inducted into the US Space Foundation Hall of Fame. But he said the tribute paid to him by Vulcan was the most touching of all. “Wait until Bill Shatner hears about this,” he said. —Reuters

Quincy Jones talks music, life, love at ASCAP expo

US actor David Hasselhoff poses with a dog named ‘Snoopy’ for photographers during a visit on Gut Aiderbichl in Henndorf, Austrian province of Salzburg yesterday. —AP

Hasselhoff’s ex wife sentenced to jail avid Hasselhoff’s ex-wife has been sentenced to jail after pleading no contest to a drunken driving charge. Court records show Pamela Bach entered the plea Thursday in a Los Angeles court and was sentenced to 90 days. She will begin serving the sentence in May. She received 60 days of jail time because she was on probation for a previous drunken driving case when she was arrested in November. Authorities found she had a blood alcohol level of 0.14. The legal limit is 0.08.

Attorney Jon Artz says Bach “wants to do the right thing” and move forward with her life. Bach was married to Hasselhoff for 16 years until he filed for divorce in 2006.

She appeared as a cafe owner in several episodes of Hasselhoff’s TV series, “Baywatch.”—AP

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In this March 7, 2010 photo, Quincy Jones arrives at the 82nd Academy Awards in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. —AP

obody could say people walk all over Mel Brooks. Until now. The comedian, actor and producer who gave the world “Blazing Saddles,” “Young Frankenstein” and “The Producers” got a star Friday on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Brooks received the 2,406th star during a ceremony in front of the Egyptian Theatre.

His son, Max, and friend, Carl Reiner, attended. Brooks, who’s 83, has won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards. He’s working on a musical version of “Blazing Saddles.”—AP

N espite his record-breaking success in music for 60 years, Quincy Jones says his proudest achievements are his seven children and six grandchildren. The 77-year-old Jones talked about his life and music career during an hourlong on-stage conversation with Ludacris on Friday as part of

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the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers’ annual “I Create Music” expo at the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel.

The ASCAP Expo, which began Thursday and continues through today, features workshops, exhibitions and conversations with hitmakers like Jones,

Justin Timberlake, John Mayer and Bill Withers.

Jones says it’s been “a blessing” to have worked with “every major artist of the 20th centur y,” including Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson, but his No. 1 job is “being a good parent.” —AP

Bangladesh lifts ban on Indian films angladesh has lif ted a fourdecade ban on Indian films in a bid to boost attendances at cinemas, a government minister said yesterday, drawing loud complaints from local actors and directors. Films produced by India’s huge entertainment industry centered in Mumbai have been banned from cinemas in Bangladesh since the country’s independence in 1972 in a bid to protect the local movie

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industry.

“We lifted the ban to boost the cinema industry,” Bangladesh Commerce Minister Faruk Khan told AFP. Cinema hall owners, who have been clamoring to be allowed to show Indian films, said they expected to start showing Indian films shortly. The lif ting of the ban comes amid warming relations between India and Bangladesh after ties worsened between the neighbors when an

Islamist-allied government was in power in Dhaka from 2001 to 2006.

Pirated DVD copies of Bollywood movies circulate widely in Bangladesh in the absence of them being shown in cinemas. “The new order scraps the ban and allows screening of Indian and other South Asian films in local cinemas provided they have English sub-titles,” the government’s Film Censor Board chief Surat Kumar Sarker said. —AFP

Mel Brooks gets star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Bret Michaels stable after brain hemorrhage

has for years identified with the legendary sci-fi TV show.

It has become a tourist draw, especially for hard-core Trekkies.

There is a model of the USS Enterprise space ship at the turnoff from the highway.

Pictures of Spock as well as space scenes adorn buildings downtown. Town officials look for any opportunity to put on their uniforms and pointy ears. The annual summer fair is known as Spock Days. The town council had tried for years to attract Nimoy, who played the half-Vulcan, halfhuman first officer known for his logical solutions to crises facing Capt. James Kirk, played by William Shatner, and his crew. Nimoy didn’t stay long, but for Vulcan, the visit topped all. Locals called it “the Holy Grail moment.”

“It’s an opportunity to wel-

SPECTRUM

38

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Travel

Evelyn, then 4, plays with the chickens at Willow-Witt Ranch in Ashland, Oregon. Fresh eggs are available for purchase. — MCT photos

Evelyn, then 4, and little brother Joe, then 22 months, play in the ranch’s 440 acres.

Chickens and goats provide the entertainment at Willow-Witt Ranch ere are some unintended consequences of our family’s late-August vacation at the Willow-Witt Ranch in southern Oregon: Our children, then 22 months and 4, prefer fresh goat’s milk to the store-bought stuff from a cow. They also think it is appropriate to chase chickens and ducks, if they happen to be around. And our 22month-old son thinks “Gretchen” is the word for goat-maybe because he spent so much time with a goat by that name during the three days we stayed on the farm.

Americans’ surging interest in the origin of their food has led to a renaissance in farm stays in which vacationers, usually urban folk, pay to spend a few days on a working farm and even contribute a little labor. In some cases, the experience can be expensive. Farm folks’ eyebrows shot up last summer when the New York Times reported that one of its writers had paid more than $300 a night to stay in a tent on a farm in upstate New York-although it sounded like a very nice tent.

In California, where the value of agritourism has jumped from $6.6 million in 2002 to $34 million in 2007, the Philo Apple Farm in Mendocino charges $250 a night, plus $625 a person for weekend cooking classes, a fee that Penny Leff, the agritourism coordinator for the University of California’s Small Farm program, pronounced “impressive.” I almost hope they don’t hear about this in Oregon, where farmers have embraced the farm-stay concept and the rates are still relatively modest. For our visit, we had about a half-dozen

A Nicaragua wedding? I do!

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newly launched programs to choose from, including Pennington Farms, which began accepting guests about two years ago and specializes in berries, and the Leaping Lamb Farm, which has its own burbling creek. Scottie Jones, who owns Leaping Lamb, said she had advised about 25 other Oregon farmers on how to open their own overnight programs.

“This is actually how the farm is becoming sustainable,” Jones said, noting that most small family farms can’t make enough money from agriculture to get into the black. But Jones, like many farmstay operators, added that she had come to view her business as a community service, “a way to introduce Americans back to that farm culture.”

We chose Willow-Witt Ranch, which sits in a meadow about 4,600 feet above Ashland in the southern Cascade Range, because we liked the idea of being able to pop into Ashland with its fudge shops, actors in Elizabethan dress and gourmet restaurants. Even better for a late-August visit, we liked that the temperature was 20 degrees cooler at the farm than in town.

We arrived in the evening and were delighted to discover that our $135-a-night fee got us a charming studio with a sleeping loft, a wood stove, a full kitchen and enough board games to occupy our family for months. The price also included tutorials in how to milk a goat, approach a horse and talk to a piglet. For an extra fee, we could purchase sausage produced from the farm’s pigs, fresh eggs and goat’s milk. I confess that I pinched

ell anyone you’re headed to a destination wedding here, and they are likely to assume that the bride or groom is from this Central American country, more closely associated with war than weddings. But neither the bride nor the groom whose wedding I attended in late January has ties to the country. They simply knew they wanted to get married abroad. Their relationship, after all, had started with a passport stamp when they studied in Chile as undergrads.

So they sought a place that could impress people who have traveled extensively and those who rarely leave their hometowns.

“Nicaragua doesn’t have the same ring as Hawaii,” bride Theresa Vargas said. But she and husband Matt Lutkenhouse chose it because they did not want to be just one of many resort weddings taking place the same weekend.

They also liked the idea that the resort they chose, Piedras y Olas, has a partnership with a foundation that provides education and employment to young people in the community. “If you’re spending all this money, you want to know it is feeding the local economy,” said Matt, an economist. Not only has Central America grown in popularity as a travel destination in the last few years, but it’s also become a new locale for destination weddings. Although some people may question the choice of a developing country as a place to tie the knot, it has much of the same appeal to brides and grooms as it does for adventurous travelers.

It’s easy to get to: There are no long flights or excessive time zone changes, and airfare is relatively cheap.

“Honeymooners have long been beating a path to Central America for the combination of gorgeous beaches, photogenic jungles and the chance to experience other cultures,” said James Lohan, co-founder of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, which books luxury hotels for weddings. “But our concierge service is seeing a growing interest in brides and grooms wanting to take the whole wedding to Colombia, Guatemala and Belize.” A surge of couples has sought recommendations in Costa Rica and Panama as well, Lohan said. Adventurous brides and grooms who choose Central America like the idea of getting married on the Mayan Riviera, near a volcano in Puebla or in the jungles of Jalisco.

Holding weddings abroad gives couples the perfect excuse to trim their guest list and guarantee a select celebration with their closest friends and relatives, wedding planners say.

(Post-wedding, Theresa and Matt held a reception in San Antonio, Texas, for her large extended family.) It is equally important, planners say, to know the requirements of the country before going, such as whether blood tests and chest X-rays are needed.

Destination weddings have increased 400 percent since 2001, according to wedding

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Goat’s milk is a hit with small visitors to Ashland, Oregon’s Willow-Witt Ranch. some basil from the garden, as well as some blackberries growing wild around the place.

On our first morning, we discovered that our window looked out on a pasture of frolicking goats.

We could also see chickens, ducks, horses, pigs, cats and dogs scattered around the farmyard.

Towering above them was a dense forest of white

expert Danielle Andrews Sunkel, who cited industry statistics. Destination weddings account for 18 percent of the wedding market and are expected to increase in popularity, she said.

“Couples are getting more creative when it comes to where they say, ‘I do,’”said Sunkel, owner of theweddingplanners.ca, which encourages clients to think beyond the Caribbean and

fir, Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir.

We let the children go outside and sat down to watch as we drank strong coffee and goat’s milk and ate fresh sausage. After we finally had had enough coffee, we went to help milk the goats.

Willow-Witt is owned by Suzanne Willow and Lanita Witt, who during the last two decades have

a shuttle to San Juan del Sur from the airport.

That ride can take two to four hours, depending on the time and day of the week.

Despite looming clouds upon arrival, our driver strapped our American-size luggage to the roof of a 15-passenger van so we could all fit. The added weight slowed us down, as did our need to pull over for traffic on a stretch of road that inexplicably turned into a one-way

del Sur, and the reason became obvious. The coastal town, known for its beautiful, unspoiled private beaches, sat nestled along the Pacific.

Our resort, Piedras y Olas, was expansive enough to make foot travel difficult. So drivers were ready to ferry guests to their rooms. And the resort had warned us of some “eccentricities of life in Nicaragua,” such as erratic electricity causing short blackouts.

Marriage sometimes can be volcanic in nature, so it makes sense for the wedding guests to go see the real thing at Masaya Volcano National Park. — MCT the Bahamas.

Matt’s family was fine with the choice of Nicaragua from the start. Theresa’s family, however, needed persuading. They read the State Department Web site on travel warnings regularly before endorsing the idea. The Vargases made their wills first, then got their passports. Guests flew into Managua, then took

street.

Ox and donkey carts carrying goods and people dotted the landscape on our ride to the hotel, as did trash-strewn thoroughfares and corrugated-metal homes that appeared to lack electricity. Several wedding guests started to question Matt and Theresa’s decision to marry here. Then we rounded a turn toward San Juan

The rooms, however, were large and well appointed, with sweeping ocean or valley views.

As with any destination wedding, the guests wanted to see more than the resort before the main event. Options were abundant, but it’s best to plan to be gone awhile if you want a decent tour that ventures any significant dis-

tried to restore the wetlands, revitalize the forest and otherwise make the farm as environmentally sustainable as possible. This means they have installed solar panels and even a solar-powered shower. It also means they have hired several farmworkers and interns who bring a missionary zeal to their love of organic, sustainable farming.

As we wandered the farm, smiling workers stopped us to show our daughter the baby chickens that had just arrived by UPS that morning and to teach us how to milk a goat. We marveled at the labor involved: The farm’s seven milk goats are milked twice each day, which takes about an hour.

Workers said they got a total of about 9 gallons a day. Even our 4-year-old seemed impressed. Then she and her brother guzzled about a half-gallon of the stuff, laughing as they wiped milk mustaches on each other’s faces.

In the afternoons, we had a host of alpine activities to choose from. One day we drove a short distance to a 1 {-mile trail leading to Grizzly Peak, which afforded a view of rolling forests. On another, we visited one of the many nearby lakes for swimming. In the evenings, we returned to the farm and, as the sun set over the meadow, prepared simple dinners and then went to sleep. By our second morning, we found ourselves falling into the rhythm of farm life, waking as the sun began to rise over the trees. We lay in bed, thinking about getting up to help with the chores. Then we smiled and went back to sleep. After all, we were on vacation. — MCT

tance from your hideaway. We chose an eighthour tour that started in San Juan de Oriente, known for ceramics and pottery. At CeramicaARTE, Duilio Jimenez and his son gave us an old-school demonstration of pottery-making, foot-spun wheel included. An hour later, we saw similar handiwork for twice the cost at the crafts market in Masaya.

Our last stop was the Masaya Volcano National Park, or, as tour guide Eduardo called it, the “volcano for lazy people.” Paved roads lead to the smoking crater, making it accessible by car, compared with the treacherous climb necessary to scale Nicaragua’s other volcanoes, which range in dormancy and hiking difficulty.

After a passive day of touring, I opted for adventure on the day of the wedding. Instead of lounging on the beach, I took in spectacular views of the bay from a zip line. Da’ Flying Frog offers a 1.5-mile canopy tour. Reaching speeds of almost 45 mph on the fastest line, the ride provided quite a thrill and a chance to bond with other wedding guests. “People thought we were going to give them some social experiment and put them in huts,” Theresa said. “I think everyone was pleasantly surprised. We really think it changed some people’s perceptions of the country.”

Rosanna Obregon, events coordinator at Piedras y Olas, said that when the resort opened in 2004, guests suggested it would be ideal to host weddings. Yet Obregon still has to sell some couples on the destination. “You have to convince them it’s safe,” she said. “They are looking for insurance, in case there’s a war.”

Once a couple buys a wedding package, most of the communication is via e-mail. That was just fine for Theresa, who was not fussy about the details surrounding her special day.

She and Matt checked out the venue beforehand, but they did not fly back for a tasting or to smell the flowers in the bridal bouquet, instead trusting the resort to deliver. “Ultimately the people who come here don’t want something elegant and fancy,” Obregon said. “They want something simple and special.” Theresa and Matt had a sunset service overlooking the gorgeous bay. The wedding itself had all the efficiency of a city hall ceremony.

They chose not to exchange vows as the lawyer who officiated reeled off the passport identification numbers of the bride, groom and their two official witnesses. In keeping with the lack of tradition, there was no toss of the bouquet or garter. The couple did indulge traditionalists by cutting into a three-tiered buttercream confection and feeding each other pieces.

The cake was topped with bride and groom PEZ dispensers. So we ate. And we danced. A mariachi band brought some San Antonio flavor to the reception, which was followed by dinner and a Patron-fueled party lasting six hours. By the end, we were all family.

— MCT

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SPECTRUM

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Travel

Chesapeake Bay beckons Smith Island’s unique community apt Larry Laird ferries passengers and cargo to and from Smith Island twice a day, each time navigating the narrow channel that grants passage to his boat through the shallow Chesapeake Bay waters. A wrong turn to the left or right, and he’ll run his vessel aground. Shallow waters are part of daily life on Smith Island, the last inhabited island on Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay that has no roads connecting it to the mainland. For generations, the water has been the source of the island residents’ livelihood, providing crab in one season and oyster in another.

But now, erosion and rising sea levels in the Chesapeake threaten the island’s existence. “In the worst-case scenarios, Smith Island could be gone in, let’s say by 2025, 2030 or so,” said Raghu Murtugudde, professor at the University of Maryland’s Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center. “In the best-case scenario, if we slow everything down, if we took a lot of mitigating actions for reducing global warming, then it could go for another 50 years.”

The residents of Smith Island, a mostly older generation of retired watermen, are aware of the environmental threats the island faces, but many remain skeptical of the island’s outright demise. “I’m 72 years old, and the same thing was said when I was a little boy: ‘We’re gonna be under in 50 years,’” said Eddie Evans, a retired Smith Island waterman. “Now they’ve added another 50 on.”

The island has lost nearly 3,300 acres of wetlands in the last 150 years, according to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers report, as erosion has wiped out many of the natural barriers and submerged vegetation that protected its shorelines. Erosion is exacerbated by rising sea levels in the bay, the result of global warming. Globally,

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increasing temperatures have caused sea levels to rise at about 1.8 mm a year. Sea levels in the bay are rising at twice that ratewell over 3 mm a year, scientists say. At the same time, the land in the Chesapeake Bay region is sinking, a phenomenon known as post-glacial subsidence. In essence, the land is settling after thousands of years of continental shifts. This accelerates the rate of sea-level rise.

This dramatic rise increases the size and destructive power of waves and storm surges that harm the island’s shores and vegetation.

While residents and researchers differ on the potential damage erosion may cause, many agree not enough is being done to prevent it.

In the past decade, projects to protect Smith Island have been proposed and approved, but only a few have been completed. Among them was a bulkhead constructed by the Corps in 2002 on the shoreline of Tylerton, one of the three towns on the island.

The likeliest impetus for Smith Island’s salvation is its history and uniquely preserved culture. It doesn’t necessarily feel like 2010 on the island, “but it is,” said Bill Phillips, who’s planning a full-time move to Smith Island within the next year. “Some of the customs remain from the old ways, and that’s very nice.”

The earliest recorded instance of settlers on Smith Island dates back to 1686, and many current residents can trace their ancestry back to two original families: the Evanses and the Tylers. Eddie Evans has traced his family back 13 generations, when families farmed the fertile island land.

Centuries of erosion forced residents to start fishing and crabbing. Now Smith Island is in fact many small islands and marshes comprising 8,000 acres, 900 of which are inhabitable, according to

Smith Island, Maryland native Ed Evans, 72, talks about life as a waterman. He traces his family back 13 generations on the island. — MCT photos the Bay Journal. A series of waterways separating the islands, which the watermen call “ditches” and “guts,” are now large enough for boats to sail through. The waterways connect the island’s three towns: Ewell and Rhodes Point on one island, and Tylerton on another.

Each town has a church, a cemetery and a few dozen homes scattered near the docks, where watermen fix crab pots in the winter and bring back catches in the summer. The few roads are more likely to be traveled by golf cart or bicycle than by car. At its peak in the early 1900s, about 800 people called Smith Island home. Around 210 people still live there yearround today, with more residents leaving the island every year, according to several residents.

The average age on the island

The docks at Ewell, one of the three towns on Smith Island, Maryland can be seen.

in 2000 was 50, according to Census data. Most are retired watermen who’ve watched their children and grandchildren move off the island for easier work and better lives. Only 12 children attend school on the island in Ewell, with kindergarten through eighth grade housed in one building. Fewer students take the ferry to Crisfield each morning to attend high school.

“The native Smith Islanders is dying off,” said Evans. “We’re getting people that’s coming here in the summer homes, and people that’s moving in from other places that just like the lifestyle, but native Smith Islanders is a dying breed.” While skeptical of scientists’ predictions of demise, the residents don’t deny that Smith Island is changing. Some have had to move from one home to another

on the island, abandoning places where the water has crept up on the land. And it seems to be getting worse.

“I’ve seen tide get in the school twice,” said Michelle Bradshaw, a native who’s worked as the school janitor in Ewell for 30 years. “And that’s happened in the past 10 years.” Measures have been taken to promote the island’s history.

The Smith Island Cake, featuring eight to 15 thin layers filled with frosting, was named Maryland’s state dessert in 2008. The recently opened Smith Island Center provides a history lesson for an increasing number of tourists who come to see the last island.

By raising awareness, some hope they can prove the island is worth saving. “If somebody puts a value on Smith Island, then obviously engineering solutions are possible,” said Murtugudde, the University of Maryland professor.

“But we do have to remember that something like the post-glacial subsidence, where our entire continent in this region is going down, cannot be stopped. That’s a natural phenomenon.”

Some islanders, who have witnessed the decades-long decline of their island’s population, are realistic about their own futures. “The only thing you really can do is whatever you can to break the waves and the swells from coming in here and tearing apart the land,” said New Yorker Patrick DelDuco, whose family owns property on the island. “You won’t be able to hold it back forever, but something can help.”

For others, reasons for saving it are paramount. “Cause it’s home,” Evans said. “It’s very hard for me to put it in words, to explain that, how that would be to somebody that don’t have that same thing that they can call home for that long. “It becomes a part of you.”— MCT

Streets on Smith Island allow room for only one car, occasionally causing close encounters.

The frugal traveler: Road-warrior dining tips family emergency forced a last-minute road trip. Time was limited, and restaurant stops were not on the itinerary. Our solution? Swap out driving legs and take turns eating while in the passenger’s seat. Whether you are dining in your car because of business or family matters, there are ways to pull it off with minimal mess and maximum nutrition.

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Kitchen prep: Packing chores should include meal planning and food preparations. While one person handles clothing and shoes, others can assemble portable meals, snacks and beverages. For example, a thermos of brewed coffee will reduce road stops and save money. Other easy-topack meals include grilled sandwiches, fruit slices, chopped veggies and baked potatoes. Trail mix, protein bars and apples can all be eaten in the car with minimal fallout. Protein shakes provide energy along with recyclable packaging.

Hot dog rolls: Hot dog rolls are practical for movable feasts because only one side is susceptible to leaks, compared with the four sides of a standard sandwich. With the roll’s opening facing straight up, it’s possible to easily grip your sandwich from all sides. Stuff tuna salad or falafel balls into a hot dog roll and your meal is easier to eat, with fewer dry cleaning bills.

Auto toolkit: Keep your vehicle neat and clean by carrying travel mugs for coffee and reusable water bottles. The packing list should include eating utensils, napkins and plates. Use a carabiner clip to attach small trash bags with handles to head rest poles and a small cooler to keep

meal items organized.

Pullovers with purpose: Road trips with time crunches are stressful. When you must stop, make it count. Stopping at a rest area? Make sure to give your pet

some romp time and grab a power snack.

Pulling over for gas? Make sure to hit the restroom and recaffeinate. On multi-day road trips, look for gas station signs from the highway that are posted with numerous other resources. This is a good indica-

tion of a more populated area, with a high probability of finding a grocery store.

Stocking up on healthy grocery items during a mid-day gas stop will save you having to deal with it at the end of the day, when you’re tired and hungry. — MCT

Southwest Airline passenger Robin Bonner, of Solon, Ohio, places her luggage into the overhead compartment on a flight from Midway Airport in Chicago to Cleveland. — MCT

Air travelers wage a battle of the carry-on bags very airline passenger is entitled to overhead space, right? Wrong. On a typical domestic flight, six passengers share luggage bins that fit four wheelie bags, at most, leaving some fliers out of luck at a time when more of them are opting to lug their bags, rather than check them, to avoid airline fees.

There are also more passengers competing for that space because planes are again filled to near-record levels, the result of carriers’ capacity cuts and a rebound from last year’s recession. Boarding lines, rarely speedy, now often move in reverse when the last luggage bins fill and passengers are forced to back off a plane and return to the jet bridge to check bags.

The next obsession, at least for passengers of Spirit Airlines, may be cramming items under airplane seats.

The Florida discount carrier said Tuesday that it would charge customers as much as $45 each way to place bulky items in overhead bins, in an effort to get people on and off its planes faster. Other airlines will watch Spirit’s experiment.

Airline staff and passengers are still trying to figure out how best to cope with the changes in boarding and behavior resulting from the new fees on checked baggage, which were widely adopted as the travel market fell into a tailspin in 2008. Since the start of last year, the number of bags checked at the boarding gate by Chicago-based United Airlines has risen nearly 50 percent, while the volume of bags checked at ticket counters has dropped 18 percent. At American Airlines, more passengers now carry on bags than check them.

“Flying definitely has changed over the last 18 months,” said Tom Parsons, CEO of BestFares.com, a low-cost travel Web site. “It’s a roller-bag derby.”

One year ago, when many flights were only two-thirds full, only four people sat in the six seats that share a bin. Now, “in effect, you have 50 percent more contention for overhead space. What’s fine for four people isn’t for six,” said aviation consultant Robert Mann, president of RW Mann & Co. “When you compare the storage space available on board today to 20 years ago, the per-passenger number has to be double, even triple, what it used to be. And, yet, it’s never enough.”

Both the fees and space constraints can contribute to a breakdown in social conventions as passengers increasingly feel like they’re left to fend for themselves. “It’s survival of the fittest,” said Shelly Casale, a software consultant from Des Plaines, Ill., as she boarded a United Airlines flight at O’Hare International Airport last week that was bound for Boston.

Cabin baggage has been a growing inconvenience for airlines and passengers alike since the first wheeled luggage rolled onto the market in the early 1990s. “The truth is we’ve never had a good handle on this,” said Darryl Jenkins, founder of The Airline Zone, a Web site devoted to airline economics.

Carry-on bags didn’t become the primary source of luggage for passengers until carriers introduced fees for infrequent fliers and then raised them to $25 to check a first bag and $35 for a second item. United, among the first to adopt the fees, has seen the volume of checked bags fall for 25 consecutive months, said Cindy Szadokierski, United’s vice president of airport operations planning and United Express.

Every major US airline except for Southwest Airlines has introduced such fees since 2008, and no wonder.

The 10 largest US carriers collected $739.8 million in baggage charges during the third quarter of 2009, double prior-year totals, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

As planes fill and tensions rise, carriers are exploring ways to ease congestion in their aisles. American offers a valet service so travelers on its Eagle regional jets can easily hand off bags that don’t fit overhead. The Texasbased carrier also plans to begin scanning this luggage later this year to reduce the risk it is lost.

Airplane manufacturer Boeing Co.

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is finding a growing market for the new luggage compartments that it created for its 787 Dreamliner and revamped for its 747 and 737 jets. The hinged bins handle far larger bags than current compartments, giving every traveler access to overhead space. Chicagobased Boeing anticipated the carry-on squeeze, designing the new bins before baggage fees were commonplace.

Dozens of airlines have purchased the new 737 interiors, said Kent Craver, Boeing’s regional director for passenger satisfaction and revenue.

“We want to remove things that cause anxiety,” he said. “People like to fly; they just don’t like to fly today.”

United is also assigning teams of workers to flights most prone to baggage meltdowns during peak holiday travel periods like Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, a program it tested at O’Hare and is rolling out at other large airports.

The gate agents and ramp workers nab boarding customers with carry-on bags as the overhead bins fill and quickly tag and cart away that luggage to the cargo hold. They were on hand last week as Casale waited among the final group of passengers to board a packed Boeing 757 headed for Boston.

As she stepped down the jet bridge, there were still 27 people waiting to follow her to the few remaining empty seats, and all but a couple of them clutched black roll-aboard bags.

On board, a flight attendant hurriedly repacked overhead bins at the rear of the plane, returning coats to their owners and tilting bags on to their sides to maximize the little remaining empty space. Gate agents, meanwhile, checked about 15 bags from the final boarding customers.

This is how it is supposed to work.

But it’s not always the case.

Exclusive Chicago Tribune data shows that carry-on complaints to the US Department of Transportation more than doubled last year. They accounted for less than 1 percent of the total placed with the department and were offset by the fact that US carriers lost 942,000 fewer checked bags in 2009 than in 2008.

Still, the complaints show people irked and sometimes victimized by the bad behavior of other passengers or airline workers: belongings jammed in overstuffed bins falling out and striking travelers on the head, jewelry stolen from bags checked at the gate, and airline workers arbitrarily enforcing bag size limits.

Flight attendants, forced to be both baggage cops and peacemakers, say they are paying a heavy toll. More than 80 percent claim they pulled muscles or felt pain while dealing with bags or bins, according to the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. Overhead space typically starts to become a concern for flight attendants about halfway through boarding, said Sara Nelson, a United flight attendant and spokeswoman for its flight attendants union. The stress builds as the plane fills, since neither flight attendants, pilots nor gate agents want to be blamed for a late departure. Injuries are likeliest in those last minutes before the door closes, as flight attendants rush to stow bags. “Everybody feels the pressure,” Nelson said.

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Tips for traveling with carry-on bags To lessen the risk of theft, don’t pack iPods or jewelry in any bag that won’t fit under an airline seat.

Don’t overstuff outer pockets of roller bags, a magnet for airline staff trolling for oversize carryons, said Tom Parsons, CEO of BestFares.com.

Don’t test your carry-on in a bagsizer at your departure gate. “Go to an empty gate,” Parsons advises.

Do your homework to avoid being in the last group to board. On some airlines this means buying seats at the rear of a plane. On United, passengers who buy window seats board in Group 2.

United also sells passes for its priority security and boarding lines.

If your bag doesn’t fit in the cabin, don’t worry about a fee: Airlines almost never assess a charge for checking luggage at the gate.

— MCT

www.kuwaittimes.net

Hemp is becoming chic t’s not just for the stoner set.

The sturdy, versatile textile has been embraced by major designers. Plus, it’s easy on the environment. It’s durable. It’s versatile. And when it’s used in textiles, it’s easier on the environment than, say, cotton.

Yet its cannabis connection has slowed its widespread use. We’re talking about hemp, and, by extension, hemp fashion-a concept that seems like an oxymoron but is quietly being embraced by the mainstream as major designers and clothing retailers take on the material that has long been equated with burlap and granola-munching hippies.

Stella McCartney, Giorgio Armani and Calvin Klein are among the designers who’ve seen through the smoke and incorporated hemp textiles into their lines. And Whole Foods, Urban Outfitters, American Rag and Fred Segal are some of the better-known stores selling fashionforward hemp brands, such as Livity Outernational, Jung Maven, Satori and Hemp Hoodlamb, all of which exploit hemp’s various attributes in chic items that run the gamut from technical outerwear to dresses that would hardly be the first choice of the dreadlocks-and-doobie crowd.

“Hemp clothing has definitely come a long way,” says Al Espino, the owner of two hemp clothing boutiques called Hempwise in Santa Barbara and Isla Vista. “Ten years ago, a lot of the hemp clothing played on the connection with marijuana with labels saying ‘contains marijuana fabric.’ There was a lot of confusion and I think it held back the industry. Now, there are a lot of small [fashion-forward] companies.

It’s gone from a niche market with an illegal drug connection to appealing to the organic and natural crowd.”

Hemp is an industrial, nonpsychoactive plant that is part of the cannabis family; the fibers are different and stronger than a marijuana plant, making it suitable for textiles.

What’s drawing designers to hemp textiles are their natural performance attributes and their low impact on the environment. Hemp fibers are highly absorbent, UV resistant, antimicrobial and long lasting.

Growing it also requires less water and fewer pesticides than cotton.

Growing hemp in the US has been prohibited since the ‘50s, so most of the hemp used by American clothing designers comes from China. “It’s so high value and so much lower impact in every other way that it eclipses the carbon generated through shipping,” said Isaac Nichelson, founder of the Santa Monica-based hemp clothing line Livity Outernational.

Eco-chic is a rising tide in the fashion world, and the use of hemp is swelling-aided by technological advances that have produced appealing and increasingly refined hemp textile blends, the most common being hemp and organic cotton and hemp fibers woven with recycled plastic, both of which soften a material that can be coarse.

Still, hemp’s illicit image is hard to shed. Two teenage girls read the sign for Hempwise and giggled before walking into the shop on a recent weekday to peruse the women’s section, which is stocked with slinky hemp-blend T-shirts and Capri pants, and asymmetrical minidresses. All of it was set out in displays that play up the “eco” with only the merest hint of “Rasta.” A mint green Vespa was parked inside the doorway on bamboo flooring that led to displays of backpacks and wallets, hats and menswear-all made from hemp. One of the brands sold at Hempwise is Livity, which Nichelson started after a friend pointed out that the materials he was using as a clothing designer weren’t in sync with his environmental beliefs.

“I was using nylon, PVC, Teflonevery toxin known to man wrapped up in a garment that we were putting on ourselves and dropping in a landfill later,” said Nichelson, who started to look for alternatives and found one in hemp. Eight years later, he’s running a multimillion-dollar business that sells outdoor-wear to Whole Foods and Urban Outfitters.

On April 22 — Earth Day-he’ll be opening his first branded store on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica, Calif., so strong is his belief that hemp is “headed straight to the mainstream. Eventually it won‘t even be perceptible. Hemp is as high performance and functional and as cool and flashy and sexy as any conventional product, but it doesn’t impact the planet in terrible ways.

More and more, it’s going to be incorporated into things where the end user doesn’t even know or care it’s there. They’re just reaping the benefits.” —MCT

I

Store employee Emilie Freitag arranges clothing.

A selection of 100% hemp T-shirts are sold at the Hempwise Boutique in Santa Barbara, California, April 12, 2010.

—MCT photos Hemp blend with organic materials, hoodies and shirts are featured at the Hempwise Boutique.

A 100% hemp dress by Kanabeach sits on display.

Al Espino, owner of Hempwise Boutique in Santa Barbara, California, arranges hemp fashions.

(Right) A 100% hemp bag is sold at the Hempwise Boutique.

A 100% hemp dress by Kanabeach sits on display.

Macedonia fashion week

Models display creations of Macedonian designers Olgica Dojcinoska Momirovska and Milena Kuzmanovska, during a fashion show in Skopje, Macedonia, on Friday.

—AP photos