26 May

ON IP TI SC R SU B

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

Libyan rebels battle Sudan mercenaries

Pakistan officers taught anti-US courses: Cable

NO: 15100

150 FILS

7 40 PAGES

JAMADI ALTHANI 23, 1432 AH

11

Oprah bows out with simplicity, gratitude

37

www.kuwaittimes.net

Bin Hammam and Warner face FIFA ethics probe

20

Interior warns over ‘Day of Rage’ protest MPs fume over release of pro-Iran bomber

Max 40 Min 29 Low Tide 00:22 & 12:55 High Tide 07:03 & 18:23

By B Izzak

in the

news

4 protesters jailed DUBAI: A special Bahrain security court has sentenced four demonstrators to a year in jail for involvement in anti-government protests, a human rights group said yesterday. Three of the protesters were convicted a day earlier on charges that included taking part in illegal protests, according to the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights. It said the fourth was found guilty of possessing pamphlets calling for the overthrow of the country’s ruling system. The reported convictions were part of a series of closed-door trials in a special court set up in March during a crackdown on the Shiite-led protests. In other cases, a military prosecutor has presented evidence before the court, which is presided over by military and civilian judges, the group said. The rights group has also raised concerns about a 15-year-old it says is being tried before the court. The teenager, Mohammed Ebrahim Khatem, faces charges of gathering in a group of more than five people without authorization and rioting, according to the group. A government spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment on the cases.

Briton on trial for kicking dog DUBAI: A British man is on trial in Dubai for allegedly kicking his neighbor’s dog while under the influence of alcohol. The Dubai resident appeared in court yesterday. He admitted consuming alcohol, but pleaded not guilty to charges of trespassing on the neighbor’s property and assaulting the animal. The trial resumes Monday. Foreign residents must have a license to legally drink alcohol in the Gulf emirate. It’s the latest in a string of court cases involving Britons in Dubai, home to a significant British resident population and a popular vacation spot. A British couple was sentenced to a month in jail last year for passionately kissing in public. In 2008, two Britons faced trial for allegedly having sex on the beach.

‘Beat women drivers’ RIYADH: A campaign has been launched on Facebook calling for men to beat Saudi women who drive their cars in a planned protest next month against the ultra-conservative kingdom’s ban on women taking the wheel. The call comes as activists are demanding the release of Manal Al-Sharif, a Saudi woman who was jailed for defying the ban.

The page, titled “The Iqal Campaign: June 17 for preventing women from driving,” refers to the Arabic name for the cord used to hold on the traditional headdress worn by many men in the Gulf, advocating the cord be used to hit women who dare to drive. It has drawn over 6,000 “likes” on the popular social networking website. Some on the page proposed distributing boxes of Iqals to youths and encouraging them to use them to hit women who participate in the June 17 protest. One joked about the price of Iqals going up due to men buying them before the protest. The issue has sparked debate in the Saudi press. The renowned novelist Abdo Khal, writing in Okaz, deplored the ban on women driving, and said he did not know “whether to laugh or cry” over the proposed Iqal campaign.

MISSOURI: Debbie Surlin salvages items from her parent’s home in Joplin, Mo yesterday. The tornado that ripped through the town of about 50,000 people is being called the deadliest single tornado in 60 years. — AP (See Page 10)

Day of diplomacy for Obama in UK LONDON: President Barack Obama said yesterday that American and European influence remains as dominant as ever, even as rising powers like China and India assert themselves. To the British Parliament seated at majestic Westminster Hall, Obama declared: “The time for our leadership is now.” “Even as more nations take on the responsibilities of global leadership,” Obama said, “our alliance will remain indispensible to the goal of a century that is more peaceful, more prosperous and more just.”

“After a difficult decade that began with war and ended in recession, our nations have arrived at a pivotal moment once more,” he said. Obama was granted the honor of being the first US president to speak from the grand setting of Westminster Hall, and he received a deeply friendly welcome. He recounted a history between two countries an ocean apart that was conceived in war but matured into an indispensable global force for economic growth, security, democracy and peace.

His speech came not long after Obama stood with Prime Minister David Cameron in promising jointly to continue a relentless and punishing campaign against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces in Libya, saying there “will not be a let-up” in pressure to force Gaddafi out. At a news conference with his British counterpart, Obama ruled out a deadline for ending NATO’s military assault but said it would be over “in a timely fashion.”

Continued on Page 13

Yemen on the brink of civil war death toll rose to at least 63. The latest violence comes just days after a failed Arab mediation effort to end the three-month uprising and ease Saleh from power.

Saleh’s statement yesterday - read by spokesman Ahmed Al-Soufi in a meeting with tribal allies - ruled out a voluntary departure and blasted US-backed efforts to negotiate his exit after 32 years of authoritarian rule. “I will not leave power and I will not leave Yemen,” the statement said.

“I don’t take orders from outside.” Saleh also threatened that his ouster could turn Yemen into a haven for Al-Qaeda - directly touching on US fears that chaos in Yemen could open room for more terrorist footholds.

The Yemeni branch of Al-Qaeda is linked to the attempted Christmas Day 2009 bombing of an airline over Detroit and explosives found in parcels intercepted last year in Dubai and Britain. “Yemen will not be a failed state. It will not turn to Al-Qaeda refuge,” the statement said.

Saleh also said he would work to prevent the recent violence from “dragging the country into a civil war.” US President Barack Obama has called on Saleh to SANAA: A hospital staff shows the bodies of tribesmen loyal to transfer power - a change from an adminSheikh Sadeq Al-Ahmar, the head of the powerful Hashid tribe, to istration that once considered the Yemeni members of the media, who were killed in clashes with Yemeni ruler a necessary ally against terrorism.

Continued on Page 13 security forces. — AP SANAA: Yemen’s embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh vowed yesterday he would not step down or allow his impoverished nation to become a “failed state” even as urban combat between government troops and armed tribesmen engulfed parts of the capital. Both sides raised the specter of civil war as the three-day

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Interior Minister Sheikh Ahmad AlHumoud Al-Sabah yesterday issued a stern warning to youth activists planning a “Day of Rage” protest calling for the removal of the prime minister. The controversy between authorities and the activists is over the site of the planned protest on Friday, as the opposition-backed youths insist on holding the rally at a square in the heart of the capital Kuwait City.

Authorities are offering a seaside square opposite the parliament building, saying the location can be easily protected. “Security authorities will not allow any demonstrations or processions outside this square (opposite parliament),” Sheikh Ahmad warned in an interview with the official KUNA news agency yesterday.

The minister, however, said the government believes in the right of assembly for citizens and their right to freedom of expression. Last Friday, several hundred activists staged a rally in the heart of Kuwait City and then moved to a site just outside the government seat to demand the removal of Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad AlAhmad Al-Sabah. Activists are protesting against the prime minister for refusing to face questioning in parliament for allegedly squandering public funds and committing financial and administrative irregularities.

Pro-government MPs backed by cabinet ministers voted on May 17 to refer the quiz filed by opposition MPs to the constitutional court on suspicion of breaching the Continued on Page 13

A

y

e niv rsar n

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

Years

LOCAL

KUWAIT: His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah attending the ceremony yesterday. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

Deputy Amir attends Informatics prize ceremony KUWAIT: His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah represented His Highness the Amir yesterday and attended the ceremony honoring winners of the 10th Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah Informatics Award, at Salwa Sabah Al-Ahmad Hall at Marina.

The ceremony was attended by National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi, senior sheikhs, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad AlSabah, and senior state officials.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees Sheikha Aida Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah addressed the gathering, as did Prize Director Dr. Khalil Abul.

His Highness the Deputy Amir presented the winners with their prizes in the different categories, and was in turn presented with a commemorative token on this occasion. — KUNA

Police to stop Safat Square gathering KUWAIT: Deputy Prime M inister and I nterior Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah says that the events taken place last Friday when protestors closed public roads and places to express political positions “will not happen again”.

The minister told senior ministry officials during a recent meeting that take “all necessary measures” to prevent people from gathering at the Safat Square in downtown Kuwait City, adding that protestors are free to gather and demonstrate at the Iradah (determination) Square next Friday.

Al-Hmoud chaired a special meeting featuring high ranking ministry officials on Tuesday, to discuss the events that happened on Friday and preparations to be taken for a planned demonstration tomorrow. Regarding last week’s events, sources with knowledge of the talks during the meeting indicate that Al-Hmoud said that the gatherers “went too far” by causing chaos and marching towards busy areas which damaged the commercial activity there.

He insisted that such event should not be allowed to happen again, as he assigned the undersecretary assistant for special security affairs, Lt Gen Sulaiman Al-Fahad as the field commander for operations at the Safat Square to prevent gatherings from taking place there tomorrow.

Moreover, the minister instructed the senior officials to take all necessar y measures to enforce the law “even if the use of force became necessary”. — Al-Qabas

‘KNPC has answered queries’

NA grilling motion ‘a golden opportunity’ to boost image Sheikh Ahmad opts to face questioning KUWAIT: Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah will face the grilling motion filed by National Action Bloc (NAB) members Marzouq Al-Ghanim and Adel Al-Saraawi, reported AlRai citing sources. The officials who spoke on condition of anonymity indicated that Sheikh Ahmad believes that there is a majority in the Parliament that enjoys his support, in addition to seeing the grilling motion as a “golden opportunity to boost his popular image and convince the public of the [soundness of his cause].”

Sheikh Ahmad had reportedly been concerned about two Articles included in the grilling motion, one concerning the sports issue and the subject pertinent with the headquarter building of the Olympic Council of Asia that he chairs. Nonetheless, the deputy premier has since decided to stand up for the grilling motion’s debate, with reports indicating that he is going to carry out two rehearsal sessions, the first of which will be held this weekend, and the other will be held during the Cabinet meeting on Sunday. Regarding the two topics

in question, officials indicate that Sheikh Ahmad will decide on whether to have them referred to the Parliament’s legislative panel after analyzing the events on Friday when a public gathering is set to be staged.

It will be held in protest of the decision taken to refer the prime minister’s grilling motion that was presented by the Popular Action Bloc to the Constitutional Court.

“Sheikh Ahmad wants to avoid clashing with the angry group of youths, and his stance pertinent with the grilling motion will be decided as per what he sees,” officials said.

Meanwhile, an official from the Parliament says that facing the grilling motion is the best option that Sheikh Ahmad has, explaining that requesting for constitutionality verification for some of its articles “would open the door for controversies in the Parliament.”

The grilling motion will be debated during the Parliament’s session on May 31, 2011. The same day is also scheduled to feature the debate for a grilling motion filed by the Development and Reform Bloc(DRB)

ADTA promotes ‘Summer in Abu Dhabi’

KUWAIT: The Kuwait National Petroleum Company(KNPC) has answered all the queries put forward by the Supreme Petroleum Council pertinent with the new refinery and environment-friendly fuel projects. Asad Al-Saad ,Deputy Chairman of Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) made the announcement, reported Aljarida. Al-Saad added that both KNPC and Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) were jointly working toward obtaining the approval of the Supreme Council of both projects.

KUWAIT: Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority officials addressing the press conference. — Photo by Fouad Al-Shaikh

By Nisreen Zahreddine KUWAIT: As part of a GCC promotional tour conducted by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority(ADTA), an orientation program entitled ‘Summer In Abu Dhabi’ was held at the Sheraton Hotel. Hamid Al-Muhairi, Ati Al-Dhaheri, and Ahmed Al-Fahim explained about the campaign aimed to make the fourth leg of the festival a success. It begins on June 30 and will last till July 30, 2011.

Ati Al-Dhaheri, General Manager explained the campaign’s aim this year, which is to accrue two million hotel guest nights. He added that every event in the dynamic year-round calendar meets the objective of raising the profile of the destination, which continues to mature and offers more, and at a better value than ever before with hotel rates having reduced by almost a quarter in the past year.

The activities of the festival were explained through a presentation held

by Ahmed Al- Fahim who went familiarized the audience on ‘Adventure World,’ ‘Smurf World,’ ‘Cartoonival,’ ‘Show World.’

These activities are held at the exhibition center, ADNEC show hall, with a focus on children. The rates will be KD 1.5 for children aged up to 12 years and KD 3.5 for adults covering the majority of ADNEC activities. Visitors can try out all activities and receive two free tokens for fairground rides.

Kuwait features on top of ADTA’s target customers list. Etihad the national airline of the UAE, flies from Kuwait to Abu Dhabi 20 times per week. He stated that a package of deals have been introduced during the festival for the first time like one to Yas island, a purpose-built entertainment destination that is ten minutes away from Abu Dhabi International Airport. The delegation that visited Kuwait includes representatives of AlRaha beach resort Abu Dhabi, Cristal Hotels and resorts, Al-Ain new Ayla Hotel, Danat’s Jebel Dhanna Resort, the opulent Emirate Palace hotel, the five-star Intercontinental Abu Dhabi, Net Tours and Travel, Nirvana Travel, Qasr Al-Sarab Desert hotel, four-star Aloft Abu Dhabi adjacent to ADNEC, four-star Tial Liwa hotel and Mourouj Hotel Apartments.

against His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah. Meanwhile, by a new decree, the government will not accept any interpellation motions that are filed against the prime minister.

Officials said that complete coordination has been achieved between the government and most MPs on leading the council for the sake of Kuwait’s future, and public interest. The grilling motion that has been filed against Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah which will be discussed on May 31, has been deemed as being unconstitutional. They opined that such acts destabilizes national unity.

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister has been subjected to the same pressure. He wishes to prove the facts to public, and stand up to accusations, reported Al-Anba.

Regarding Sports and Asian Olympic Council topics that will be covered by the grilling motion, officials said that he has the right to make reservations, and that most MPs will approve him.

‘Decent life to bedoons boosts Kuwait’s security’ KUWAIT: Giving top priority to Kuwait’s security and making sure that it remains intact doesn’t mean that stateless residents in the country are to be subjected to injustice, but instead means that work should be done to insure that ‘bedoons’ receive all their rights.

This was stated by head of the Central System for the Remedy of Status of Illegal Residents (CSRSIR) Saleh Al-Fadhala, in a statement made inside his office at the new building for the body inside the Nayef Palace. “[The CSRSIR] was established to come up with a solution to end a problem that has been persisting for decades, and to cooperate with other specialized bodies so that no longer a bedoons resident is subjected to injustice”, he said to reporters.

Furthermore, Al-Fadhala insisted that “only candidates who are deserving to be naturalized will receive the

Kuwaiti citizenship”, indicating that the citizenships will not be granted to undeserving stateless residents.

“Kuwait’s security is a red line”, he reiterated, noting that imprecise naturalization can negatively affect the national security.

Meanwhile, Al-Fadhala strongly rejected rumors which suggested that the CSRSIR would look into the possibility of naturalizing Arab residents born in Kuwait before 1965 or have been living in the country before that date.

Al-Fadhala also clarified that the system’s duties expand beyond looking into candidates worthy of naturalization, as it also looks into ways to insure that all bedoon residents receive their civil and social rights. “The Kuwaiti government is keen on enabling bedoons to overcome the obstacles ahead of them and live a decent life in Kuwait”, he said. — Al-Qabas

A

y

e niv rsar n

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

Years

LOCAL Kuwait Digest

Grilling leads Kuwait into a dark path

By Abdullah Al-Naibari

P

arliament members are entitled to discuss matters pertaining to Kuwait’s foreign policy. That is why there is a committee in charge of foreign affairs in Kuwait’s National Assembly. There is a similar panel in other parliaments around the world, such as the United States Congress and the British Parliament.

There, committees addressed the issue of military intervention in Iraq in 2003.

Exercising this right, however, must always be characterized with subjectivity and a consideration for the best national interest. The circumstances taking place on both the local and foreign scenes are also of consideration there.

Kuwait’s foreign policy related to the events in Bahrain contain no serious defects that require a special address and a grilling. I believe that neither the recent grilling filed by MPs Mohammad Hayef, Waleed Al-Tabtabaei and Mubarak Al-Wa’lan against the Prime Minister, nor the one filed by MP Saleh Ashour against Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister prior to the cabinet’s resignation, were subjected or have taken into consideration what is best for the interest of Kuwait. On the other hand, both interpellations are likely spurred by sectarian prejudice that contradicts with the political reform standards which public revolutions in the region aim to achieve.

The ‘grillers’ now are against the reform-seeking opposition in Bahrain and clearly announce their alignment with the government there. On the other hand, the same lawmakers are enthusiastically supporting the similar reform-seeking protests in Syria and express their rejection of the Syrian regime. Likewise, supporters of the first grilling expressed support to the Bahraini opposition while on the other hand strongly defend the Syrian regime against protestors.

The stances shown by presenters of both grillings which is highly influenced by the sectarian approach are not concerned with the demands of reform and eradication of corruption. This sectarianism that influences both interpellations can lead to damaging the unity in society.

The recent grilling demands that Kuwait takes a similar approach to that of Saudi Arabia, who sent troops to Bahrain as par t of the Peninsula Shield. What the presenters ignore here is the fact that Saudi Arabia’s stance came as per their own policies and their concern that the situation in Bahrain could affect their internal situation, therefore the decision to send the troops was a symbolic move from a political standpoint. What happened in Bahrain was an internal struggle during which protestors committed a mistake by raising slogans without keeping in mind the social or political balance.

This has provoked the government and social parties both in the Kingdom and the neighbouring countries. Meanwhile the situation was agitated by provocative statements from Iran and other parts in the region. This has raised concerns within the Gulf Cooperation Council states, and has unfortunately created sectarian tensions which resulted in heated confrontations between extremists from both parts. One such incident was the fistfight that happened inside Kuwait’s parliament on May 18th.

I believe that the grilling presented by MPs Hayef, Al-Tabtabaei and Al-Wa’lan comes from a fundamentalist sectarian standpoint that cannot be subjectively justified. Kuwait’s foreign policy has always been something that the majority in the country agreed on. Since the tenure of the late Amir Sheikh Abdullah AlSalem Al-Sabah, Kuwait’s foreign policy always maintained balance and an unbiased stance towards par ts of Arab struggles. This has enabled Kuwait to maintain good relations with all Arab states for decades. The exact same approach was taken by the current government towards the events in Bahrain. Kuwait took a wise stance when they encouraged dialogue as the basis for solving Bahrain’s crisis - a stance adopted by the King and Crown Prince of the Kingdom as well as the international community. To quote US President Barack Obama’s recent address on the Middle East: “...we have insisted publically and privately that mass arrests and brute force are at odds with the universal rights of Bahrain’s citizens, and will not make legitimate calls for reform go away. The only way forward is for the government and the opposition to engage in a dialogue. You can’t have a real dialogue when people from the peaceful opposition are in jail. The government must create the conditions for dialogue, and the opposition must participate to forge a just future for all Bahrainis”.

His Highness the Amir helped extinguish the sectarian fire when he observed the reconciliation between lawmakers who engaged in the May 18th fight. However, we can’t tell for sure if these efforts have helped eliminate prejudice that might still be in MPs’ hearts and minds. The debate of the premier’s grilling will pave the way for countless sectarian conflicts to take place in the parliament. Therefore, I hope that its presenters would take it back and spare the country from suffering from another problem other than those already exists. — Al-Qabas

Information security, e-governance discussed at Kuwait exhibition

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: With the aim of executing e-government projects, the Third Kuwait Info Security Conference and Exhibition was launched yesterday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. It will be held on May 25 and 26 and is being organized by Pro Media. Apart from different workshops, an exhibition accompanying this conference will also be held.

“Information security is an important issue that is related to the life of all those who deal with Information Technology. It depends on safety as well as its security and ability to reach out,” said Abdullatief Al-Suraie, Director General Central Agency for Information Technology (CAIT). He was speaking during the opening ceremony yesterday.

“All evidences prove that Kuwait has entered the era of information to establish an information community that fulfills the wishes of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah in transforming Kuwait into financial and commercial center,” he added.

their different fields of work.

Hackers led the public and private sector organizations to search for new tools to protect their information,” he concluded.

Abdullateef Al-Abdulrazzaq, Chairman Kuwait Information Technology Society (KITS) noted that this conference is an opportunity to benefit from the experiences of experts and specialists in IT security and e-crimes, “Not preserving and protecting confidential information may lead to disasters, not any less than natural catastrophes,” he said.

The recent spate of earthquakes that devastated Japan has taken a toll on companies as well, “For instance, the Japanese Sony Company recorded losses that amounted to $208 million. Later, some hackers penetrated into the security system of the Company, which caused losses that amounted to $171 million. This shows that the electronic pirating caused 71 percent of the loss by natural disasters,” concluded Al-Abdulrazzaq.

KUWAIT: Abdullatief Al-Suraie launching the Exhibition at Crowne Plaza Hotel yesterday.

KUWAIT: Al-Suraie on a tour at the exhibition.

— Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Environmental impact studies for oil excavations

Mediocre results for KG teaching program

CSC committed financial violations

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) will soon start providing the Environment Public Authority (EPA) with environmental impact assessment studies for excavation projects on land and sea. The step will be taken as per a recent agreement reached between the two bodies. “ The studies required include seismic reflection, exploratory drilling and post-excavation production procedures,” said Samira AlKandari, Director of the EPA’s Planning and Environmental Impact Assessment Department, reported Al-Qabas.The agreement will be made as per a decision that was issued in 2001, and has been listed in the executive list of the EPA, clarified Al-Kandari.

KUWIT: A new report has found kindergarten teachers are not qualified enough to teach the English language curriculum that was introduced two years ago as part of a tri-skilled program combined with Arabic language and mathematics. This was mentioned in an evaluation report for the program that was first applied at 12 Ministry of Education kindergartens in the 2009/2012 school year, which includes recommendations “not to rush” in applying the program on all public kindergartens in Kuwait. The detailed report notes on the inadequate performance of the female teachers’ abilities in teaching the English language curriculums to the KG students, in addition to the pressure that a number of them are subjected to by having to teach three different subjects. — Al-Qabas

KUWAIT: A report recently issued by the Audit Bureau stated that the Civil Services Commission (CSC) had committed some severe administrative and financial violations concerning national labor support, tenders and citizens dispatched abroad for various reasons, that had cost the state budget considerable amounts of money. The report also showed that CSC did not collect KD 3 million in debts from citizens and employees who had been dispatched abroad due to some flaws in proving and verifying the debts through documents.

In addition, the report also said that considerable sums of money (KD 11 million) had been spent on a project to train national personnel in the private sector, whereas the sums spent on training public employees were only KD 14 million. The report also criticized the national labor support act that had been originally designed to encourage more citizens work for the private sector and ended up doing the opposite. — Al-Jardia

Transformers maintenance in progress, says MEW KUWAIT: The manager of the power grids department at the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW), Abdul Wahab AlTorki stressed that power transformers maintenance operations were in progress throughout the country in a bid to get them ready for overloads during the summer season.

Al-Torki added that the annual maintenance season starts by October and ends in May, when they stop to avoid causing any inconvenience for consumers during summer heat.

In addition, Al-Torki stressed that MEW recently started a new program of forming special inspection committees that would visit various ministries and government and private establishments, commercial facilities, schools and others during the summer time to make sure they were reducing their power consumption, particularly during peak consumption hours.

Sources said that four inspection teams comprising of 286 employees to be known as ‘liaison officers’ to inspect facilities of the ministries of Awqaf and of education, commercial malls and government facilities, companies and factories and private residences between 11 am and 5 pm daily until Sept 20 .

They added that consumers would be advised to rationalize power through SMS messages, phone calls or visits such as those of last year that succeeded in saving around 220 megawatts on daily basis. — Al-Jarida

‘Quran centers use faith to prepare inmates before release’ KUWAIT: The Islamic Studies Department of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs is keen on fostering care of inmates at correctional facilities through disciplinary programs that aim to rectify the bad ideologies they may harbor. This is in addition to using faith to help them better their lives. This was stated by the department’s Director Mohammad AlOmar, who said that Quran teaching cen-

This conference will be held in cooperation with the different state bodies to develop the IT sector. It aims to increase efforts made to realize the e-government system, “ This will help the public work improve the performance, which will provide better government ser vices to public,” stressed AlSuraie.

The e -government projects, supervised by the Central Agency, deals with the information security and its privacy, “The Agency also works toward improving and developing the tools and ways of using and protecting information according to international standards applied in this field,” he added.

According to Al-Suraie, in order to safeguard oneself from security dangers, users have to be aware of the threats and dangers of authorities, “The companies and utilities should build a network of trustful relations with companies working in the field of consulting and information locally, regionally and internationally. Companies and individuals need the information security for

ters at jails aim to ‘bring the inmates closer to the Creator and make them more enthusiastic to carry out good deeds and avoid evil acts.’

Al-Omar’s comments were made a few weeks following news about Quran teaching centers in the Central Jail that reopened after being briefly closed during investigations that followed the escape of an inmate, reported Al-Rai.

y

A

4

e niv rsar n

Years

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

LOCAL kuwait digest

Reconciliation in effect

By Hisham Essa Al-Sultan is Highness the Amir has managed to help lawmakers who scuffled together in parliament get over their dispute by inviting them to a banquet.

However, religious sectarianism lives within the hearts of some MPs as they fail to forget the incident.

To settle scores and achieve reconciliation is great, to have fighting MPs shake hands is better but what we need are both sides to forgive the incident entirely.

Instead of fighting each other, those MPs ought to establish a coalition to fight sectarianism and avoid tumults that might ultimately destroy our national unity.

For doing so, they can achieve to be role models for young men wanting to bridge the gap between the sects. Those who were present on Friday, May 20, their voters and supporters of discarding sectarianism and the rest of the Kuwaiti people should band together at the Flag Yard, where the MPs should first apologize to the Kuwaiti people for what they have done in front of live television to be broadcast worldwide, secondly they should come up with a solemn oath they all take in public vowing to alienate sectarianism and finally, circulate that oath to various schools where pupils and students should repeat and teachers should be made to teach the dangers of sectarianism giving examples of the damage it had done to previous communities that have been suffering from its consequences.

This ought to be done for at least five minutes weekly, provided the content of such lessons be sent directly from the minister of education’s office to all schools. —Al Sultan

H

KUWAIT: Bulgarian ambassador to Kuwait, Ilko Shivachev hosted a reception on the occasion of his country’s national holiday celebrating Bulgarian culture and literature. The event was held in the Bulgarian embassy in Jabriya. —Photos by Joseph Shagra

World is monitoring developments in Arab countries, says FM Kuwait reiterates commitment to NAM BALI, Indonesia: Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah reaffirmed here yesterday his country’s abidance by the principles and goals of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Addressing the ongoing NAM ministerial meeting, held here on the occasion of the NAM’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of its creation, Sheikh Mohammad vowed that his country would continue working with the movement in order to coordinate stances on international issues and to meet stupendous challenges facing the international community in terms of world peace and security, development and human rights.

BALI: Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah met here yesterday Sri Lanka’s Minister of Justice Rauff Hakeem on the sidelines of the ongoing ministerial meeting of the NonAligned Movement. During the meeting, they discussed ways and means of promoting and cementing bilateral relations between Kuwait and Sri Lanka in various fields and issues of mutual interest.

He said the NAM’s celebrations come at a time when “we are determined to fulfill the hopes and expectations of our fathers, who are the co-founders of the NAM, by means of consolidating cooperation among the NAM member states.”

Sheikh Mohammad also reiterated Kuwait’s full backing to the continuous review of the NAM’s role and activities with a view to boosting its capabilities for meeting the expectations of its member states’ peoples, who are yearning for a decent life where they can enjoy justice, equality, security, stability and welfare.

Regarding the current situation in the Arab world, he said the world is monitoring the

swift and subsequent developments in Arab countries, which necessitate a pause for thinking about the causes and reflections of such events and then setting out effec tive initiatives for attaining people’s legitimate requests, primarily better economic, social and developmental conditions.

Given the global financial crisis and soaring food prices, Kuwait, through its development fund, has extended loans and grants worth USD 15 billion to many world countries, mainly NAM member states, mainly for bankrolling infrastructure projects there, he reminded.

Kuwait has also adopted several initiatives aiming to push economic for ward and to

improve the living conditions of poor countries; mainly a USD100-million fund for decent life, the Kuwaiti deputy prime minister and foreign minister boasted.

On Palestine, Sheik h Mohammad said the Palestinian issue is the root cause of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the current state of chaos and instability in the Middle East region is due to failure to find successful solutions to this issue.

Now that Israel is still intransigent and the Palestinian people are still suffering, the international community should live up to responsibility by putting the squeeze on Israel to observe relevant international resolutions, he concluded. —KUNA

MoE to terminate contracts KUWAIT: After tasting success in directly recruiting cleaning workers, the Ministry of Education(MoE) will terminate the services rendered by cleaning companies that had been contracted to work in Farwaniya schools.

The move will come into effect next academic year, announced Tamadher Al-Sadairawi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Education, reported Annahar. She was speaking to reporters after chairing a meeting with the preparations committee. Al-Sadairawi said that the ministry would, instead, ask the Finance Ministry to allocate special funds to purchase tools and materials.

Crackdown on Jleeb roaming vendors KUWAIT: The Farwaniya Municipality seized three tons of food items during a crackdown carried out in Jleeb AlShuyoukh. It is the second to be held against roaming vendors and other illegal activities around the governorate. The campaign also saw the arrest of eleven roaming vendors belonging to different nationalities; some of whom were flouted residence permit laws. Four tons of food items were seized in a similar raid carried out in Khaitan earlier this week, reported Al-Rai. Separately, Agricultural Violations Removal Supervisor at the Committee in Charge of Removing Encroachments from State Property Abdulaziz Al-Jeri, warned owners against using their property to run illegal activities such as unlicensed commercial and industrial activities, and housing low-wage expatriate workers.

News

in brief

Scholarship grants increased KUWAIT: Students who benefit from government scholarship and are studying abroad can now take advantage of increased financial grants. As per an agreement arrived at during a meeting held by the Scholarships Committee of Kuwait University, scholars will now be awarded grants that have been raised by 25 percent, reported Al-Rai. According to an official, the decision was approved by all deans of the KU colleges who were present in the meeting. It will be passed by rector Dr Abdullatif Al-Badr early next week. A KD 200 increase will be made, depending on the standard of living of the countries to which students have been sent, the official said.

Labor department heads to be reshuffled KUWAIT: The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (MSAL) will issue a series of decisions meant to boost the work process in various labor departments, and carry out unscheduled inspection campaigns to check employees’ performance. In this regard, informed sources said that following the recent decisions taken by Dr Mohammed Al-Afasi Justice Minister and Minister of Social Affairs and Labor to reshuffle all labor departments’ managers, more reshuffles wil take place among heads of labor sections all over Kuwait, reported Aljarida. These were held with the aim of boosting productivity prior to establishing the proposed the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM).

No work residency for 5 nationalities KUWAIT: Sources revealed that the Immigration Department has stopped making residency for expats from the following five nationalities, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. They refused completing their files, in spite of them already finalizing parts of the file requirements like medical reports and finger printing.

Security sources said that all expats who came to Kuwait through objection certificates or through dependent visas, immigration department refused completing residency arrangements.

PAHW approves loan increase for women KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Housing Welfare(PAHW) has officially increased the housing loan allowed for Kuwaiti women who are widowed or divorced from KD 40,000 to KD70,000 during the latest meeting held on Tuesday. Certain conditions were announced during the PAHW meeting, by which a divorced Kuwaiti woman is entitled to apply for a housing loan. She would be divorced for at least three years, and to be at least 30 years of age, reported Al-Qabas. Furthermore, an applicant must be an employee with the public sector and is entitled to receive social insurance, as well as live permanently in Kuwait.

KUWAIT: Head of the Municipality Affairs follow up office, and Secretary General of the National Committee to prepare national Kuwaiti building codes Engineer Abdelkareem Al-Zaid said the committee chaired by Minister of Public Works and State Minister for Municipality Affairs Dr Fadhel Safar signed a contract for administrative consultation services with Kuwait University. Al-Zaid said the project is to establish an electronic gate that contains all standards related to construction and the required procedures in buildings in addition to all codes adopted in Kuwait. —Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

Reshuffling of Interior Cabinet

Arab woman raped

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: Sources revealed that Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hmoud is working to make full streaming to the Interior Ministry leaders and retire the majority of Assistant Undersecretaries.

Sources said that Interior Minister wishes to have full change that covers the majority of security leaders, if not all of them and use instead young leaders. The minister is studying the defects that administrations have in the ministry and that he indeed put his hands on the defects in the departments which lack coordination among them.

Sources said that Assistant Undersecretaries general Sulaiman Al-Fahad is a candidate for the post of Undersecretary to succeed AlOmar, while the Ex-Minister office manager retired Lt. General Saud Al-Shatti is a candidate for the post of a governor. —Al Shahed

KUWAIT: An Arab woman lodged a complaint with Al-Sharq police station stating that a young man raped her at a rented apartment. The petitioner added that the rapist was a Ministry of Defense employee. Investigations into the case are ongoing.

Asians arrested Farwaniya security officers arrested a number of Asian offenders during a raid that targeted prostitution rings and illegal international telephone centers.

Tire theft Several truck drivers reported to police the tires of their vehicles were stolen after parking them at a location in Al-Abdali. Police launched an investigation into the case.

Drug overdose The corpse of a man in his thirties

was found at a home in Al-Jahra.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the victim died as a result of drug overdose. The body was removed for an autopsy.

Road accidents A 42-year-old Egyptian sustained a broken thigh bone and lacerations behind his head, while a 40-year-old Egyptian has cuts on his scalp and 22 year old Kuwaiti lost consciousness, following a car accident near Sulaibikhat. All were taken to Sabah Hospital for treatment.

A 24-year-old Kuwaiti sustained a broken left arm while a-70-year old various cuts on the leg, following a car accident on Fahaheel road. Both were taken to Adan Hospital.

A 74-year-old Kuwaiti had a suspected broken right arm during a car accident on Second Ring Road between Qadisiyah and Nuzha. He was taken to Amiri Hospital.

A 25-year-old Kuwaiti suffered lacerations on his scalp following a car accident on Sixth Ring Road, over Amghara Bridge. He was taken to Jahra Hospital.

A 23-year-old bedoon sustained a broken left shoulder when his car flipped over on Sixth Ring Road near Sheikh Saad Farm. He was taken to Farwaniya Hospital.

A 9-year-old had a bruised chest and became drowsy following a car accident in Fahaheel. He was taken to Adan Hospital.

Two Kuwaiti women complained of pain in the chest and back following a car accident on King Fahad Road near Mishref. They were taken to Mubarak Hospital.

Hawally fire A 35-year-old Syrian suffered various first degree burns over 35% of his body during a fire in Hawally. He was taken to Mubarak Hospital.

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

local

Special Report

Kuwait Digest

Liberation from Dependency

By Dr Mubarak Al-Therwa

“G

ive a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime.” - Author

unknown.

We have learnt to take whatever supply of fish that we are given, making us more dependent. We have learnt to always listen without necessarily thinking about what we are listening to. We were told that those who are older than us, and those who come from other countries always have more knowledge than we do. This has spread sloth in our societies. We have been taught that victory can only be achieved with company of the strong, and by strong I mean, those with influence and wealth. We forget that victory is achieved through patience, research and hard work. We have became used to the notion that our means of livelihood was granted to us by Almighty God, to the point that we forgot that God has instructed us to earn our daily bread.

We parted ways with dialogue, so the mistakes we committed have increased. We judge a situation based on the obvious, disregarding circumstances that need to be investigated. In this manner, our judgments has suffered. We became used to punish the wrongdoer without doing anything to stop it. We have become unable to tell between what is right and what is not.

The culture of dependency, whether created by the government or through lawmakers’ practices, is only adopted by a ‘defeatist’ nation. It has emerged from the old times when grants were bestowed on people by rulers, creating obedient nations whose gratefulness overpowered their duty of holding their leaders accountable.

As long as they are used to living with ‘rights’ that are only granted as a blessing from mighty leaders, Arab nations will be unable to think or be free. Instead, our societies need to build human beings that are capable of facing challenges, and make their own future. This is what God means for us to seek; to earn our profit, to be free. After all, Zechariah was a carpenter, Enoch was a tailor, David was a blacksmith and Moses was a shepherd.

When a nation becomes dependent, its destruction becomes imminent. This age has no place for generous endowments, except for generations that are able to create and achieve.

It is sad to look at the situation in Kuwait today, with voters racing to representatives in the Parliament and ask help to solve certain matters.

This was created by state departments with its procedures that made citizens seek help from lawmakers. MPs have never been able to focus fully on legislation and monitoring duties. The time has come for civil institutions to help Kuwaiti people out of the dependency swamp. — Al-Rai

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

Travel, cultural experience, freedom lure Kuwaiti students abroad US preferred destination for most aspirants

By Lisa Conrad KUWAIT: Masses of Kuwaiti students leave to study abroad each year. From the US to the UK, Lebanon to Egypt, Kuwaiti students span the globe in their endeavor for higher education. But is it really that simple? Studying abroad comes with more connotations than just education. The attraction of travel lasting more than a few weeks, to experiencing a society totally different than your own, are both very alluring. Cultural experience may, therefore, be another reason for pursuing education elsewhere. The external reasons are obvious, culture, travel, more freedoms and attending some of the most renowned institutions in the world. But are the students running toward opportunity, or away from social pressures? Kuwait Times investigates how and why Kuwaiti students are flocking abroad.

Beyond borders There are three elements that usually have the effect of making something particularly alluring: if it is enjoyable, if it is easy to attain, and if it is beneficial.

Studying abroad certainly has the potential to be a lot of fun, and can allow students to return ‘enlightened’ in their particular field. But how easy is it really to arrange studying abroad? The Ministry of Higher Education has opened cultural offices in Ireland, Dubai, Washington, Riyadh, London, Oman, Paris, Cairo, Manama, Bahrain and Australia, all with the goal of ‘facilitating placement of Kuwaiti candidates,’ AMIDEAST, a nonprofit organization which works toward providing opportunities to study abroad, opened new offices in Sharq recently.

The extensive amount of work they have done in helping students prompted US Ambassador to Kuwait, Deborah K Jones to remark, “The numbers of students that AMIDEAST’s Kuwait staff has helped is truly impressive. I was surprised to discover that last year alone, they provided information to over 30,000 individuals.”

So, if you really want to study abroad, there are multiple ways to find out about it. Paperwork is never overly exciting, but the point is that there are organizations with the specific objective of facilitating

The upcoming academic year is set to see another surge in students flying across continents. the pursuit of education oversees, as well as government support and scholarships.”

Studying abroad “ Therefore, the first aspect of our make-shift characterization of what makes something alluring has been met it is relatively easy to find out about and receive help if you want to study abroad.

This could explain why there are currently around 3,000 Kuwaiti students pursuing education in America, as reported by Ambassador Jones in her May 8 speech ‘The History and Influence of US Higher Education in the Middle East,’ delivered to students, board members, faculty and staff at the American University in Kuwait (AUK). She added: “...there are tens of thousands of Kuwaiti alumni of US institutions.” The annual report on international academic mobility, ‘Open Doors,’ which is published by the Institute of International Education (IIE) with support from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State, found that the last academic year saw a 20.2 percent increase in Kuwaiti students studying in the US. The report also revealed the States with the most Kuwaiti students are California, Florida, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Virginia/Ohio, Arizona, Oregon, Wisconsin and Texas. Why the US? US Embassy Public Affairs Officer, Katharina Gollner-

Sweet said, “The US remains a preferred destination for students from Kuwait who want to study abroad because of the quality and prestige associated with an American degree.”

Prestige Is it the quality and prestige of the education sought abroad drawing in increasing numbers of students? 23-yearold Khaled, who pursued his degree in California said, “It is respected if you have a degree from the US. Your opinion suddenly becomes more valid if people believe there’s an American education behind it. How accurate that is I don’t know, but that’s how it works.” When asked if he studied abroad for the education, he remarked: “Partly. It’s good for your career in the long-run, but the majority of what you learn in your degree isn’t usually that helpful when you actually start working. It gets you the job but won’t be the main influence in whether you keep it or not. I was more drawn to the freedom of being in the US.” Kuwait Times had reported in September that our polls revealed that segregation had been a key factor in encouraging students to complete their education abroad. Khaled commented, “Studying abroad is really eye-opening. I was kind of in a bubble here, and when I travelled I realized how major the differences really are. Segregation was not an appealing factor when I was thinking

about studying in Kuwait, but I also wanted to experience living somewhere else.”

27-year-old Fatima, who studied in Pennsylvania explains, “Studying abroad is the perfect chance to really experience something different. I love Kuwait, and I want to spend my life here, but I was curious and wanted to experience another country. If I left to work somewhere it would be so much more taboo, studying is more acceptable though. It’s like an extended vacation before you fully settle back home.”

The experience of studying abroad can be an education in itself, as Fatima discovered, “It really opened my mind and forced me to think about how I saw things. I think I was a bit spoilt when I left, but the experience really brought me back down to earth, and made me appreciate the life we have here. It was hard, but I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

Combined with the freedoms and novelty of studying abroad, it is understandable why so many are continuing to apply. In February, over 3, 000 students visited the Annual Kuwait Study Abroad Fair. So, the upcoming academic year is set to see another surge in students flying across continents in pursuit of something. Whether it’s for an academic education, to learn the life lessons that usually come along with being away from home, or just to enjoy living abroad, their initiative and courage is certainly commendable.

A

y

e niv rsar n

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

Years

LOCAL

Two in police custody for armed robbery in Nugra Maid raped in Fintas KUWAIT: Hawally police arrested two burglars who attacked a shop owner in Nugra and made away with his money. Police headed to a baqala (grocery store) located in the area where a Pakistani man was reportedly stabbed during an armed robbery, reported Al-Watan.

Two hours later, officers apprehended a bedoon (stateless man) and Jordanian suspects. They were referred to higher authorities.

Body found A citizen’s corpse was found at his place of residence in Faiha.

Paramedical staff members who reached the place ruled that his death resulted from natural causes.

Police officers accompanied by criminal investigators were also present at the scene after a citizen reported that his brother was found dead, reported Al-Qabas.

Preliminary check revealed that the victim had died at least four days before his death was discovered. No

Kuwait Digest

By Hassan Al-Essa

W

ith the rather ‘miserable’ grilling motion that was filed against His Highness the Prime Minister, MPs Hayef, Al-Tabtabae and Al-Waalan have presented him with the most valuable gift. The grilling motion accuses the PM of conspiring with the Iranian regime, which is totally unjustified. It does not appear that they realize that some phrases such as ‘jeopardizing Gulf security, jeopardizing relations with GCC states and negligence before Iranian infiltration’ mean. They are clear that accusations of treason are being leveled against the PM. They have confused the PM’s personal relationship with some individuals’ well-deserved, political and legal questioning.

Come on, the distinguished lawmakers have given us some reasonable accusations to believe in!

What do you mean by: ‘conspiring with the Iranian regime’? Did you want the PM to mobilize armies and station Kuwaiti troops and fleets to help Bahrain, as if it was under foreign threat from an enemy trying to assume power. Should Sheikh Nasser wage a preventive war against the ‘Safavid State’ to protect national security and keep Kuwait’s commitment to the ‘Peninsula Shield’ states without receiving a ‘go’ from the US? Tell us what you really want! We assume that you enforce the law neutrally, and that you do not wish to deepen the ugly sectarianism by using Iran’s aspirations to undermine Kuwaiti Shiites, and brand them as official agents of the Iranian Republic!

What, in your opinion, should the PM have done to avoid your despicable grilling motion? In fact, there are hundreds of reasons why the PM should be grilled. The entire Cabinet and their assistants blamed the Parliament for Kuwait’s tumultuous political situation. However, portraying the PM as a coconspirator with Iran, as you claimed, is hard to believe or accept.

Instead, you should be more concerned about discussing our problems, starting with the absence of law, political bribes paid by the government, and the spread of corruption.

They despised the Constitution’s spirit and political accountability by both the government and its ‘tails’ (allies). Suspending an interpellation motion for a whole year with the excuse of not using constitutional terminology! Come on! Look for something you can do to save this nation from a crisis. We don’t have to waste our life listening to such trivialities. You better say something good or keep silent forever! —Aljarida

Maid raped A domestic worker filed a complaint with Fintas police station stating that a former employer had raped her. The victim, an Ethiopian woman, was helped to the station

KUWAIT: The Iraqi parliament will summon Hoshiar Zibari Iraqi Foreign M inister, Hadi Al-Amri Transportation Minister following parliamentary recess to discuss the construction of Kuwaiti Mubarak Al-Kabeer port. Iraqi MP and member of the Kurd coalition, Bakr Hammah Seddiq made the announcement.

He asserted that the Iraqi government should find a solution to the problem in a manner that does not endanger Iraq’s economy. “If built, the port will hinder

navigation towards Iraqi ports and Iraq will not be able to access its ports in Umm Qasr and Khor AlZubair ports,” he stressed. The Iraqi Speaker of the House, Osama Al-Nejaifi confirmed the Parliament’s decision to summon both ministers.

Iran relations Iran’s new Ambassador to Kuwait, Rouhallah Qahramani Jabak emphasized on Tehran’s eagerness to cement relations with Kuwait. He said that he would work toward expanding cooperation between both countries. Jabak referred to the historic ties that both countries share, noting that Kuwait was a Muslim

Man duped Investigations are currently ongoing into the incident where a bedoon was conned by an Iraqi man. He was duped into believing that the man could help obtain Kuwaiti nationality in exchange for a sum of money. The victim told Sulabiya police that the suspect had disappeared after handing over KD 10,000 which he requested to finalize the alleged naturalization process, reported Al-Anba.

Meanwhile, police are trying to find whether the case is part of a organized crime.

neighbor with whom Iran is keen to share the best relations. “We have to act toward clearing any misunderstanding that has arisen between the two countries,” he added. He highlighted that Iran was keen to boost its relations with other neighboring countries.

Murder case Kuwait’s Criminal Court yesterday adjourned hearing in the murder case of citizen Mohammed AlMaymouni to June 14. He died during detention at Ahmadi Investigation Department. The testimony of three doctors who examined the deceased will be recorded on that day.

Lulu Hypermarket welcomes summer with Mango Mania KUWAIT: Lulu Hypermarket’s Mango Mania 2011 kicked off at the hypermarket’s Al-Rai Branch on May 25, with the formal inauguration by Dr Vidhu P. Nair, chargé d’affaires at the Indian Embassy, Kuwait.

Mango Mania celebrates over 100 varieties of mangoes from various countries including India, Brazil, Kenya, Th ailan d, S r i L an k a, Pak istan an d Yemen. Some of the varieties displayed at the festival include, delicious and exotic Alphonso and Totapuri mangoes from India, Tommy Atkin from Brazil, Apple Mango from Kenya and Sensation from Yemen among others.

Lulu Hypermarket is running their exclusive Mango Mania festival for the fourth consecutive year, bringing in th e summer with mouth -water ing man goes an d man go delic ac ies.

Various hot foods will also be available, including specialties like mango and chicken kebabs. Apart from the wide array of dishes to choose from, scrumptious cakes, pastries and tarts made exclusively by Lulu Hypermarket will be sold in the confectionery section.

Mango’s rich content, full of essential vitamins, dietar y minerals and antioxidants, qualify it as a model “super-fruit”. Mango Mania will continue for 10 days and is expected to draw a huge and enthusiastic response from shoppers who eagerly look forward to this exceptional annual food event at Lulu Hypermarket.

“We have always tried to bring the best of the world for our loyal shoppers and this is yet another initiative in that direction”, said the management.

KUWAIT: National Guard Chairman Sheikh Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah met Deputy Chief King Abdelaziz yesterday at the City for Science and Technology Prince Turki bin Saud Al-Saud. During the meeting, the Saudi prince voiced thanks and appreciation to Sheikh Salem for honoring the Saudi city by awarding an informatic prize. He hailed the award for greatly contributing to the fields of information development at the Arab level.

Educational revolution taking place in Gulf

Mass grave of Iraqi soldiers in Al-Mutlaa KUWAIT: A mass grave containing remains of who are believed to be Iraqi soldiers who died during Kuwait’s Liberation War in 1991, have been discovered in Al-Mutlaa area northwest of Kuwait City, according to a report published by Al-Rai daily.

The report which quoted security sources speaking on the condition of anonymity indicated that the discovery was made as per a map provided by the American Army which is similar to a map announced before which led to the discovery of the first mass grave of this kind in Kuwait last year.

And while artiller y from the Ministr y of Interior’s Criminal Investigations Department have already currently being prepared to be sent to the location, the report indicates that the remains of 27 to 30 soldiers were buried by the US Army in an organized manner; along with the soldiers’ belongings.

The sources further confirmed the remains will be handed in caskets to the Iraqi authorities through the Salmi northern border checkpoint after they are retrieved from the location. — Al-Rai

Asian man mugged Police are currently seeking four suspects who robbed an Asian man behind a mall in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh.

The suspect offered him a lift to his destination. As soon as he placed the items purchased in the trunk, the man emerged from the passenger seat before stepping back into the car and driving away, reported Al-Rai. A citizen helped the victim to the area’s police station after witnessing what had happened. He could not jot down the license plate number of the suspect’s car. The victim told police that two veiled women who spoke Bangla were seated in the vehicle.

by an owner of a recruitment agency. He explained that she had returned to the country four months after being hired by a citizen, reported Al-Rai. Two weeks later, she learnt that she was pregnant. She then revealed that she was sexually assaulted.

Investigations into the case are ongoing.

Iraqi parliament to discuss Mubarak Al-Kabeer port

By A Saleh

Say something good or keep quiet!

evidence of foul play was found.

KUWAIT: Dr Vidhu P. Nair, chargé d’affaires at the Indian Embassy inaugurating the Lulu Hypermarket’s Mango Mania 2011 at the hypermarket’s Al-Rai Branch.

Over 100 varieties of mangoes from various countries are for sale.

Restructuring Labor Authority KUWAIT: Sources at Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor revealed that Civil Service Commission has approved the organizational cadre, for the labor authority, same was sent to the council of ministers for approval, thereafter will be sent to NA council in order to issue necessary law. Sources said that organization chart for the authority is divided into five sectors - the board of directors of the authority which includes director in the grade of undersecretary and five deputies in the grade of assistant undersecretaries.

Administration and financial sector, labors recruitment sector, and this includes all administrations directly relat-

ed to labors. Sector of protecting manpower, and it includes work relation administration, inspection, and national labors growth, and the legal affairs sector which reports directly to the general director of the authority.

Sources said that nomination for the post of general director is still not disclosed and all is published anticipations, one of the names talked about for this position is the assistant undersecretary for labors sector Mansour Al Mansour, and the director of manpower and restructure organization director Dr Waleed Al Waheeb. There is also a hint to the possibility to nominate the husband of one female MP. — Alanbaa

BRUSSELS: A German intellectual and academician has published a book titled “The Education Revolution in the Gulf” to spread the message that there is a revival taking place in the Arab Gulf region based on the Arab-Islamic tradition and sciences of the 9th century.

“There was a great development of universities around the Gulf. It started in Iraq in the ninth century called the House of Wisdom (Bait Al-Hikma) and the new universities in the Gulf want to install a new House of Wisdom,” said Dr Frank Hoeselbarth, Chairman of the German-Oriental Society for Higher Education which is based in Frankfurt.

Speak ing in Brussels where he attended a conference, the German philosopher said “the first message of my book is the re-installment of the House of Wisdom and secondly I want to inform Europe that there is a educational revolution.”

“The Europeans didn’t notice it but now there is a great resonance in Europe,” he said.

Hoeselbarth said he wants to convince the German government to build universities in the Gulf and the best university to do it is the Humboldt university of Berlin. “ The combination of idea and

research is a purely German idea of the 8th century and another message of my book is to revitalize this concept to enhance education in the Gulf,” he said.

The German thinker stressed that the religion of Islam is very important in this process noting that Islam played a leading role in the development of education and sciences in the ninth century.

Hoeselbarth who spends half the time of the year in Dubai and half in Frankfurt in teaching and research said he supports cooperation between elite European and Arab universities.

“The Gulf is US dominated but now the Europeans see that there is an education revolution and my aim is to strengthen and enhance the education by German universities,” he said.

The German educationist citied as an example the cooperation between leading US universities with Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Hoeselbarth has studied philosophy and Orientalism (alistishraq) in Germany and also Arabic, Persian and Hebrew languages.

His 241-page book in both English and German serves as a guide to all the important educational institutions in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE and also in Iraq and Iran. — KUNA

Torture trial continues KUWAIT: Three police investigators gave conflicting testimonies during the most recent trial in the case of a Kuwaiti citizenís torture to death by police, while the criminal court adjourned the case to June 14 in order to hear testimonies from three psychiatrists.

During Tuesdayís session, two of the interrogated investigators denied knowledge of the incident or seeing the victim being subjected to torture.

However, the third investigator stated

that they in fact were present in the same cell as citizen Mohammad AlMaimouni while he was being beaten.

Meanwhile, a paramedic also testified that Al-Maimouni was suffering from breathing problem as well as inflammation and swelling in his hands and feet when he was called to check on him inside his cell, adding at the same time that police investigators prevented the victim from being hospitalized. — Al-Qabas

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

Netanyahu offers no hope for peace: Abbas

Obama and Cameron in talks on Arab Spring Page 10

Page 12

Libyan rebels battle mercenaries MISRATA: A man practices with an RPG rocket launcher during a rebel military training session.

According to rebel military authorities, after six days of military training, new recruits are ready to go to fight on the front line against Muammar Gaddafi forces. —AP

BENGHAZI: Libyan rebels clashed yesterday with Sudanese mercenaries fighting for Muammar Gaddafi near the border with Sudan, as President Barack Obama predicted the Libyan leader would be forced to step down if NATO keeps up its military campaign with the US playing a key role. Speaking at a news conference in London, Obama said the US-led NATO coalition was engaged in “a slow, steady process in which we’re able to wear down the regime forces.” “There will not be a let up in the pressure we are applying” on Gaddafi, Obama said.

“I believe that we have built enough momentum that as long as we sustain the course we’re on, he will step down.”

Government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim

reacted angrily to Obama’s assertion, saying “Gaddafi’s destiny, Gaddafi’s future, is for the Libyan nation to decide.” “It would be a much more productive statement to say that the Libyan people need to engage in an inclusive peaceful democratic transparent political process in which they can chose the shape of their political system and the leaders of their system,” he said.

Meanwhile, a rebel commander in southeast Libya, Ahmed Zway, said rebel fighters had destroyed a weapons-laden vehicle belonging to a Sudanese mercenary force in clashes about 18 miles (30 kilometers) west of the southeast oasis of Kufra. The rebels had surrounded and were trying to capture six other

Sudanese vehicles mounted with heavy weapons, he said.

In previous clashes at the southern border, captured Sudanese mercenaries have said they belonged to the Darfurbased rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement. It was not immediately known if the mercenaries captured yesterday were members of JEM. Gaddafi has long provided arms, training and vehicles to various rebel groups in Sudan.

Witnesses in Libya have reported African mercenary fighters shooting at protesters or being captured by antiGaddafi forces. Some were flown in to put down the rebellion, but most fighters were already in the war-torn country.

Gaddafi has used Libya’s oil wealth to aid neighboring African nations, including Sudan, and to fund the transformation of the old Organization of African Unity into the African Union, which has helped resolve conflicts on the continent. In February, the AU condemned attacks on civilian protesters in Libya.

Meanwhile, in NATO airstrikes overnight, British aircraft hit four of Gaddafi’s armored vehicles near the Libyan city of Zlitan, British military spokesman Maj Gen John Lorimer said in a statement. Tornado and Typhoon jets also destroyed a radar station in the coastal city of Brega during the Tuesday night raid. Libya’s deputy foreign minister, Khaled Kaim, called on the South

African leader Jacob Zuma to push forward negotiations to end the threemonth conflict when he arrives next week in the capital Tripoli. Zuma is the highest-ranking politician to visit Gaddafi since the fighting began in Libya.

Kaim said the Gaddafi government is hoping Zuma will help arrange a ceasefire between Libyan government forces, NATO and the rebels, and oversee a transitional period. “The idea is how to find a mechanism to implement the road map - a halt to fire, reconciliation, national dialogue, and then we’ll have a transitional period maybe for a year or two,” Kaim said, referring to an African Union initiative the Libyan government has embraced, but which rebels have

rejected.

Citing a deep mistrust of Gaddafi’s regime and emboldened by NATO strikes, the rebels have insisted Gaddafi must leave power before any negotiations can take place. Throwing into doubt the effectiveness of Zuma’s visit, the South African leader will not be meeting representatives of the interim government based in the de-facto rebel capital of Benghazi. Kaim said there was no need for Zuma to consult the interim government, saying they did not represent most of the rebel insurgents currently battling Gaddafi’s forces. “They are nine people. They don’t represent what is going on in Benghazi and other cities in the east,” he said. — AP

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

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

Sudan’s Al-Bashir gives ‘green light’ for attacks Sudan’s prez accuses Obama of double standards

PARIS: Oxfam international activists pose as G-8 leaders (from left) British Prime Minister David Cameron, US President Barack Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and Japan Prime Minister Naoto Kan, during a performance yesterday. — AP

G-8 leaders to marshal support for Arab nations PARIS: Arab uprisings are pushing aside deficits and austerity as the biggest worry of the leaders of the Group of Eight industrialized nations this year. President Barack Obama and the other leaders will seek to marshal their combined economic might behind the grass-roots democracy movements that have swept the Arab world - and driven away tourists and investors. Egypt and Tunisia, where popular revolts this year overthrew authoritarian regimes, want to show G-8 leaders and international financiers that they are still sound investment destinations - which might be a tall order as the future shape and policies of their governments remains unclear.

The discussions starting today in the chic Normandy resort of Deauville will see the host, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, bring together the heads of wealthy nations for what one of Sarkozy’s top advisers describes as “the founding moment” of a partnership between the G-8 and the Arab countries.

That partnership may be strained, however, by tensions over how to handle Libya’s rebel movement and entrenched leader Muammar Gaddafi.

NATO appears to have no exit strategy, and efforts to oust Gaddafi remain elusive. The leaders of the US, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, Japan, Italy and Russia will greet counterparts from Tunisia, Egypt and the head of the Arab League to hash out details of what some are calling a new “Marshall Plan” for these countries, similar to the massive US aid to Europe after World War II that helped

the continent rebuild and stave off communism.

The historic parallel is fitting, as Deauville is just a short drive along the English Channel from the D-Day landing beaches where the U.S. and its allies began to roll back the Third Reich in 1944. A top Sarkozy official drew another historical analogy, saying the aid and investment to be promised to the Arab nations would resemble that which the G-8 offered to Eastern and Central European nations after the collapse of communism in 1989.

Last week President Barack Obama said the UShas asked the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to present a plan at the G-8 summit that sets a path to stabilize and modernize the economies of Tunisia and Egypt. The US will forgive up to $1 billion in Egyptian debt and guarantee another $1 billion to finance infrastructure and new jobs.

Obama said he will ask Congress to finance enterprise funds that will provide money for investment in both countries a request that comes as Congress seeks to cut spending.

Tunisia, followed by Egypt, kicked off change around the Arab world, as broadbased popular movements took to the streets demanding greater rights and political representation from their authoritarian governments. But the street demonstrations in Cairo and Tunis that thrilled and inspired the Arab world also drove away the tourists and investors on which these economies are heavily dependent. — AP

After revolt, Egyptians vent fury in litigation CAIRO: When protests ousted Hosni Mubarak in February, many Egyptians unearthed old grievances against employers, politicians and neighbors, demanding justice from a legal system they had long seen as favoring the elite. “The barriers have come down,” said a lawyer in the public prosecutor’s Cairo offices. “Nobody is afraid of anything now. They know no one is immune.” The result has been a deluge of new corruption probes that has cheered many ordinary Egyptians but unner ved stockbrokers and bankers who worry an indiscriminate witch-hunt could stifle business and forestall economic recovery.

State authorities have already jailed a former interior minister on corruption charges, ordered Mubarak and his two sons to stand trial over the killing of protesters and graft charges, and are probing ex-prime ministers and other cabinet members. New complaints are flooding in every day.

Some legal filings barely hide their malice. One seen by Reuters referred to a prominent businessman’s “Satanic plans” to buy land in a Cairo suburb and called a local politician allegedly involved in the deal a “destroyer of jo ys”.

Egypt’s military rulers, who took over when Mubarak left on Feb. 11, face competing demands. Protesters want a wholesale clear out of a crony system but investors fear an indiscriminate widening of the net that will deter even legitimate business. “There is a political need for justice, and a need to maintain good relations with the business community to keep the economy going,” Gamal Soltan, a senior research fellow at the Cairo-based Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, said. “That’s why this is a grey area.”

Many bankers and brokers, rattled by slackening growth figures and rising inflation, have already starting calling for the state to step in and protect executives who they say made deals with Mubarak’s government in good faith. Reform-minded activists, on the other hand, fear remnants of the old ruling circle could use economic worries to prevent a full reck-

oning with the past and halt the changes they demand.

The uprising unleashed years of pent-up rage among ordinar y Egyptians who watched a well-connected elite reap vast riches while most people struggled to get by.

Many summed it up with the Arabic word “wasta”, which melds ideas of nepotism, connections and influence.

The right “wasta” was seen as the path to wealth, power and legal immunity.

During the revolt, protesters expressed their disgust with this system by torching commercial properties of businessmen like steel tycoon Ahmed Ezz, a senior member of Mubarak’s now-disbanded National Democratic Party.

Ezz, who denies wrongdoing, is in jail for questioning. Many Egyptians are still stunned by images of a man known for slick Italian suits now in prison garb and sat in a court cage for defendants. Others once seen as untouchable have joined him. The business community is starting to use another Arabic term, “shameta,” or to delight in another ’s troubles, to describe the current mood. Some lawyers say more and more new graft allegations seem driven more by jealousy than fact.

“Our problem is that a lot of these reports are not true. It’s just, ‘I hate someone, so I’ll file a report against him’,” the attorney at the public prosecutor’s office said, asking his name not be used because he was not cleared to talk to media. Lawyers often spent the night in their offices sifting through the more than 70 complaints filed each day during the first months after the revolt, he said. In an average day before the uprising, they rarely received more than a dozen.

“The issue is how do you differentiate between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ businessmen? And how is the level playing field being reinforced in order to help establish a new business class?” John Sfakianakis, chief economist at Banque Saudi Fransi, said. “In Egypt, you need a unifier. You need a Mandela figure that will bring people together.” — Reuters

JUBA: Sudan’s president gave northern troops a “green light” to attack southern forces if provoked, while gunmen from an Arab tribe fired on four UN helicopters taking off from a disputed border town at the heart of a new northsouth conflict, officials said yesterday.

Both Sudan’s north and south claim Abyei, a fertile region about the size of Connecticut that is located near several oil fields. Northern tanks and soldiers rolled into the disputed region Saturday following the attack on a northern army convoy last week, raising fears the dispute could trigger a return to civil war in Africa’s largest nation. President Omar AlBashir said his troops do not need permission from Khartoum to attack southern forces if they feel provoked, the state news agency SUNA said. He accused the US of double standards because he said it protested loudly over the occupation of Abyei by the north, but less loudly over the preceding attack on northern troops and UN forces.

President Barack Obama, speaking at a news conference in London, called for the rapid reinforcement of UN peacekeeping troops in the Abyei region, from which tens of thousands of civilians have fled over the last week.

Some UN peacekeepers remain in Abyei, although UN spokeswoman Hua Jiang said UN helicopters were fired on as they took off from there late Tuesday. She said about 14 rounds were fired from positions close to the UN compound. No helicopters were hit.

Southern Sudan voted in January to secede from the north, and it is scheduled to declare independence in July. But the north’s occupation of Abyei has greatly strained north-south relations. The two regions fought a twodecade-plus civil war that claimed 2 million lives. Northern aircraft are reported to have made bombing runs in the region, and the UN said gunmen set homes ablaze and looted in Abyei town. The accusations were supported by satellite images released yesterday by the Satellite Sentinel Project, which showed burnt structures north of Abyei town and fires burning in the region. “These images provide supporting documentary evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Abyei,” said Enough Project Executive Director John C

ABYEI: In this photo, the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), the first of 125 Indian soldiers serving with the international peacekeeping force arrive by helicopter. — AP Bradshaw. “It is imperative that the international community not reward these crimes by allowing the government of Sudan to improve its bargaining position at the negotiating table.” The group also released pictures of attack planes and Antonov transport craft, which the Sudanese government use as bombers, at an air base within striking distance of Abyei. Charlie Clements, the Harvard Carr Center Executive Director, said the military buildup indicates that the invasion of Abyei was premeditated and well-planned. The south has called the move into Abyei an act of war but has not yet responded with force. Its army is far weaker than the north’s and it fears endangering its upcoming independence.

The south’s secession vote was promised in a 2005 peace deal that ended the north-south civil war. The conflict over Abyei could scuttle the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that promised the January independence referendum and the July 9 independence date. A referendum on Abyei’s future was supposed to

have been held simultaneously, but the two sides could not agree on who was eligible to vote, and Abyei’s referendum wasn’t held. The black African tribe of the Ngok Dinka, which is allied with the south, and the Arab tribe of Misseriya, which is allied with the north, both claim the area. Jiang, the UN spokesman, said that Misseriya tribesmen are moving south into Abyei town, though she did not know how many.

The US has said it would reward al-Bashir’s government for a successful southern independence process by removing Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terror, helping it get relief for its debt burden and normalizing relations with the US Princeton Lyman, Obama’s Special Envoy to Sudan, said this week that those rewards are in jeopardy if the independence process is not completed. But Al-Bashir indicated he was no longer interested in those items. “We no longer fear the American stick nor do we desire its carrots,” Sudan’s news agency quoted him as saying. — AP

Son of Batman seeks change in Turkey’s darkest corner BATMAN: Unable to get a job in Istanbul, 26-year-old Kemal came home to Batman and now hopes another returning son can bring some of western Turkey’s prosperity to the conflict-ridden Kurdish southeast. Since Mehmet Simsek, Turkey’s 44-year-old finance minister, left in the mid-1980s to go to Ankara University, his hometown has become known for incidents of Kurdish militancy and for a high number of unexplained suicides among women and girls. Aside from the three-decades-old separatist conflict that has taken 40,000 lives, the other great blight on the area is rampant unemployment.

“All we want is new jobs, and this is what Simsek is promising,” said Kemal at a rally where the minister was speaking.

A clean-cut young man from a family of subsistence farmers, he wants to believe Simsek. Otherwise the only paid work he can find is as a seasonal labourer in the fields. Simsek is campaigning for one of Batman’s four parliamentary seats in June 12 elections, after switching his candidacy from another southeast town where he won a seat in 2007.

He is one of the core members of a cabinet closely identified with Turkey’s economic success along with Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Ali Babacan and recently retired central

bank governor Durmus Yilmaz. If opinion polls are correct, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s AK Party is set for an easy election victory and a third term, thanks in good measure to its success in transforming Turkey into one of the world’s fastest growing economies. It clocked 8.9 percent growth in 2010, and 4.5 percent is the government’s conservative forecast for this year.

Almost every indicator shows Turkey on the up and up, but the numbers mask stark regional imbalances and while unemployment has fallen, in February it was still 11.5 percent. The number of jobless in the 15-24 years age group was over 20 percent.

The unemployment situation is worst in the depressed southeast, where the population is younger than the national average of 28 years. Investors stay away because of the lingering insurgency, and Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants regularly exert authority by persuading shopkeepers to close down. “We have a holistic approach for Batman and for the region in general,” Simsek told a Reuters correspondent who accompanied him to the area. “The government has accelerated investments in recent years. But we also want people to change. Who would invest in a region where shops are forced to shut down?” he said. — Reuters

25 kids among dead in Syrian uprising BEIRUT: More than 25 children, some of them tortured, are among the victims of the Syrian government’s deadly crackdown on an uprising that has killed more than 1,000 people over the past two months, an opposition group said yesterday. The Local Coordination Committees in Syria, which helps organize the protests against President Bashar Assad, identified the children and the circumstances of their death. Syria has blocked media access in the country, making it impossible to verify the reports independently. Some of the children died “under severe torture,” the group’s statement said.

The children ranged in age from 5 and 17. Many appeared to have been killed in crossfire, such as Mahmood Alkadree, 12, who was struck by four bullets when he went out to buy bread for his family in the Damascus suburb of Douma, the statement said. The body of 15-year-old Ahmad Radwan was found in the orchards of the coastal town of Banias, shot once in the stomach and once in the chest. Majd Ibrahim Alrfaee, a 7-year-old girl from the southern province of Daraa, died from a gunshot to the abdomen, the report said. The statement said that 13year-old Saleh Ahmad Alkhateeb was kidnapped by security forces on April 29 in

Daraa, only to be found dead the next day “covered with the effects of severe torture.” Assad appears determined to crush the revolt, which is posing the most serious challenge to his family’s 40-year ruling dynasty. The harsh crackdown has triggered international outrage and US and European sanctions, including an EU assets freeze and a visa ban on Assad and nine members of his regime. Yesterday, the state-run Tishrin newspaper quoted Assad as promising reforms are in store.

This week, the government announced lower gasoline prices and promised to loosen media controls.

Protesters have brushed off similar pledges by Assad in the past, demanding that he step down. The protests have continued, taking place in the largest numbers after Friday prayers. In addition to the Friday protests, many activists in Syria are opting for nighttime protests and candlelight vigils - aiming for a time when the security presence has thinned out. Rami Nakhle, a prominent Syrian now living in exile in Beirut, says people have gotten better at manipulating security forces. “They gather in smaller groups but in several areas, almost simultaneously. By the time police arrive to one protest site, the protesters would have already dispersed and gone elsewhere. — AP

RAMALLAH: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attends a meeting of the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank city of Ramallah yesterday. — AP

Netanyahu offers no hope for peace: Abbas RAMALLAH: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Israel was offering “nothing we can build on” for peace and that without progress he will seek UN recognition of Palestinian statehood in September. He told the Palestine Liberation Organization yesterday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the United States Congress on Tuesday “travelled far from peace”, dictating solutions before negotiations even begin.

He said he would consult Arab states at the weekend about US President Barack Obama’s latest ideas for restarting the peace process and Netanyahu’s negative response to them.

“We said in the past and we still say that our choice is negotiation, negotiation and nothing but negotiation.

But if nothing happens by September we will go (to the UN to ask for recognition by its 192 member states),” Abbas said. “Our aim is not to isolate (Israel) or to delegitimize it. It is not an act of terror and not a unilateral act.” Abbas’s plan to seek UN recognition was criticized by both Netanyahu and Obama in speeches in Washington last week.

In a major policy speech, however, Obama said a future Palestinian state should be based on the borders as they existed on the eve of the 1967 Middle East, with land swaps mutually agreed with Israel. Netanyahu swiftly rejected the proposal saying it would leave Israel with “indefensible” borders. But Abbas described the idea as “a foundation with which we can deal positively”.

Palestinians and Israelis alike saw little prospect of a fresh start to stalled peace talks arising from Netanyahu’s speech, despite its enthusiastic reception

by Congress.

Netanyahu had pleased core supporters while offering nothing new, in the assessment of most Israeli commentators. He won standing ovations for extolling Israel’s democracy and military self-reliance while rejecting any Palestinian state based on Israel’s pre1967 borders. He ruled out dividing Jerusalem and urged Palestinian Abbas to “tear up” last month’s pact with the Islamist Hamas movement, promising to be be “generous” with West Bank land if Abbas would make peace. But he pledged to keep control of the Jordan Valley. Palestinians said it was a familiar offer of “leftovers” that could not divert them from seeking majority United Nations recognition of Palestinian statehood at the General Assembly. Hamas leader in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh said Netanyahu’s speech revealed “the real face of the occupation ... the real face of arrogance backed by the Americans”. — Reuters

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

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

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

1,000 flights cancelled in N Europe over ash cloud Iceland eruption ends, German airports reopen

KENSCOFF: In this picture, malnourished brothers David Paul (left) and Jameson, ages 4 and 6, stand outside their mud-walled home in Haiti. Haiti has long struggled with malnutrition, which UNICEF says is responsible for about 60 percent of all deaths in people under 18 in the country. The exact number of malnourished kids in Haiti is unknown, but health workers believe there are thousands of children just like the starving brothers, mostly in hard-to-reach rural areas, slowly suffering out of sight of the massive humanitarian effort in the capital. — AP

French minister in sex harassment case PARIS: French prosecutors have opened an inquiry into sex offence accusations leveled against a junior minister by two women, one of whom said the arrest of Dominique Strauss-Kahn on sex crime charges encouraged her to speak up. The two women filed sex harassment complaints this week against George Tron, a junior minister in charge of the civil service in the centreright government of President Nicolas Sarkozy, according to their lawyer, Gilbert Collard. Prosecutor Marie -Suzanne Le Queau told Reuters in response to a telephone query that a preliminary inquiry had been opened as a result of the accusations.

Collard, lawyer for the two women, said that the complaints by his clients contained an accusation against Tron of sexual harassment. Tron’s attorney, Olivier Schnerb, dismissed the complaints and said that he had been instructed to respond by filing a defamation complaint in return. Tron, quoted by Le Parisien daily as saying the accusations were “incredible”, told Reuters he had informed Prime Minister Francois Fillon about the matter and said the plaintiffs were women who had been dismissed from their town hall posts in Draveil, just south of Paris, where Tron is mayor.

“The complaint was sent by mail on Monday and reiterated by the plaintiffs this

morning,” Collard said. One of the women described the reasons for her complaint in an interview, under a false name, in Le Parisien.

She said the minister touched her inappropriately on various occasions during a two-year stint at Draveil town hall, where she worked for a time on the reception desk of Tron’s office. She said she felt encouraged to break her silence after former IMF chief Strauss-Kahn was arrested and charged with attempted rape on the basis of the accusations of a New York hotel maid in a case that has gripped France and the world. “When I see that a little chambermaid is capable of taking on Dominique Strauss-Kahn, I tell myself I do not have the right to stay silent,” said the woman, whom the newspaper called Laura, adding that this was not her real name.

Strauss-Kahn, who had been favorite to win next year’s French presidential election, was arrested in New York on May 14 and has been charged with attempting to rape a Sofitel hotel maid, charges he has denied and vowed to fight.

The arrest has triggered soul-searching and debate in France about tolerance of sexual harassment and media reluctance to pursue and highlight such issues more aggressively. —Reuters

STOCKHOLM/REYKJAVIK: Iceland’s volcanic eruption has died down and is no longer spewing out ash, officials said yesterday and airlines began to get back to normal after cancelling about 1,000 flights in northern Europe.

The explosion on Saturday of the Grimsvotn volcano caused much less chaos than an eruption last year at another Icelandic volcano thanks to new rules for airlines, but the incident showed problems remain with the regulations. Budget airline Ryanair was vocal in its criticism. “There are indications that it’s ceasing really,” said Hrafn Gudmundsson, a meteorologist at the Icelandic met office. He told Reuters that mainly steam was coming from the crater, with no ash plume detected since 0300 GMT. “I am cautiously optimistic the main ashproducing phase of this eruption has now ceased,” Dr David Rothery of Britain’s Open University Volcano Dynamics Group said in emailed comments. After the eruption, the most powerful by Grimsvotn since 1873 and stronger than Eyjafjallajokull that caused air traffic chaos last year, a massive plume of ash spread across northern Europe. Flights in Scotland and northern England were cancelled on Tuesday, while three German airports-Bremen, Hamburg and Berlin-closed yesterday. However, they were set gradually to reopen during the day. Dutch airline KLM resumed flights to affected destinations after a brief break.

European air traffic agency Eurocontrol said 500 flights had been affected on Tuesday and a spokeswoman said Eurocontrol expected 700 flights to be cancelled over Germany.

Eurocontrol said the ash could would drift to Poland, but a Polish air traffic control official said no traffic limitations were due. US President Obama, who left Ireland early on Monday to travel to Britain to avoid being caught by the ash, is due to arrive in Poland later this week.

The ash cloud from Grimsvotn belched as high as 20 km (12 miles) into the sky after the eruption, but it did not trigger the kind of travel chaos caused by Eyjafjallajokull when more than 10 million people were hit by a sixday European airspace shutdown. That cost airlines $1.7 billion. However, Grimsvotn’s eruption did expose disarray among the authorities who decide on aviation safety as they try to apply new rules to avoid another

Millions in cash missing in Somalia Govt accounts for $2.8m out of $75m NAIROBI: Somali politicians are returning from Arab nations with briefcases of cash, and a Somali government watchdog report obtained

by The Associated Press found that more than $70 million of it is missing instead of being used to fight terrorism, piracy or hunger. The large cash payments encourage politicians to hang onto power while paying little attention to crucial needs in a country devastated by two decades of war. A lack of attention to constituents’ needs may also be fueling an AlQaeda-linked insurgency, officials say.

“Politicians want to keep the status quo. They’re profiting from it,” said Abdirazak Fartaag, the head of the Public Finance Management Unit, a Somali government body charged with overseeing the country’s financial management. “We have to hold these big shots accountable.”

Somalia’s prime minister told AP that

the government is trying to be more transparent by working from a budget and making records public.

In a 22-page report released yesterday and obtained exclusively by AP, Fartaag documented cash payments that came from Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan and other donors in 2009 and 2010 totaling more than $75 million. Only $2.8 million was accounted for by the government. He based his report, which was written for the Somali government, on interviews with politicians who witnessed the payments or received money in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital.

Fartaag said in his report that the Somali government is missing more than $300 million once internal revenues from the port, airport, khat trade and telecommunications are added to the Arab millions that have vanished. A separate AP investigation established that cash payments from

MOGADISHU: A father carries his son who was wounded by mortar shrapnel during clashes between Somali insurgents and African Union troops, as he arrives at the Medina hospital yesterday. A medical official said scores of people were killed or injured in the clashes. — AP

Arab nations continue amid a lack of transparency over how much money politicians accept and what happens with it. Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed told AP in an interview in Mogadishu in April that his government received one payment of $5 million dollars from a Middle Eastern country this year that he “believed” to be the United Arab Emirates.

But Finance Minister Hussein Halane told AP in April that he accompanied the prime minister twice to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, this year and had seen Mohamed personally receive $5 million in cash each time. After more than 50 phone calls and e-mails from AP over six weeks, the government produced documentation showing that only one payment of $5 million was deposited into the country ’s Central Bank. The other payment remains unaccounted for.

Politicians in position to receive such payments have little incentive to reach out to armed groups to end conflict because then they’d have to share the money, Fartaag said in an interview in Nairobi on Tuesday. The weak UN-backed Somali government is fighting the Al-Shabab Islamist insurgency that has control of much of central and southern Somalia. AlShabab kidnaps children to use as soldiers, carries out public stonings and amputations and claimed responsibility for bombings that killed 76 people in Uganda last July. The government is constantly appealing for more cash to fight the insurgents, even as it fails to account for money already received.

Both Western and Arab nations pour aid into Somalia to try to combat piracy and terrorism and provide social services. The government gets very little cash directly from the West. Most goes to aid agencies. The US and Italy even insist on paying wages directly to Somali soldiers after it turned out that commanders were stealing soldiers’ salaries. Oil-rich nations like Sudan and the United Arab Emirates have a tradition of cash diplomacy in which visiting officials are handed stacks of $100 bills to take home. The foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates told AP he had no specific details at hand about funding for the Mogadishu government. —AP

EDINBURGH: Passengers make their way into the terminal to be flown to their destinations after their flights were canceled Tuesday at Edinburgh Airport yesterday. — AP

mass closure of European airspace.

New procedures put the onus on airlines to make judgments on whether it is safe to fly through ash, in coordination with the forecasting authorities, particularly the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre at the British Met Office, and civil aviation bodies. Highlighting problems, sources told Reuters that a British research plane designed to sample ash remained grounded for a second day in a wrangle over its deployment.

Ryanair on Tuesday said it had safely sent two planes into what authorities had deemed high ash zones over Scotland, and criticised “bureaucratic incompetence”. International Airlines Group Willie Walsh also said his com-

pany had flown a plane into an ash zone. “The simple answer is we found nothing,” he told BBC radio. He called for the British authorities to use multiple sources of data when deciding on how to react to ash problems.

“The potential for a patchwork of inconsistent state decisions on airspace management still exists,” IATA Director General Giovanni Bisignani said in a statement, calling on Tuesday for more coordination. Grimsvotn is Iceland’s most active volcano.

Though the Open University’s Rothery expressed optimism this eruption was over, he added: “However, it will be back next week, next year, or more likely next decade.” — Reuters

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

i n t e r n at i o n a l

Venezuela fumes at US oil sanctions over Iran CARACAS: President Hugo Chavez reacted with predictable fury at “imperialist” sanctions by Washington over Venezuela’s ties with ally Iran-but does not look ready to jeopardize his huge oil trade with the United States. Venezuelan officials from Chavez down lined up to condemn the measures against state oil company PDVSA, which were announced by the US government as punishment for two shipments to Iran of an oil blending component worth $50 million. “ This is an aggression against Venezuela and against OPEC,” Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said, likening the sanctions against his country with US pressure on Iran over its nuclear policy and the war to topple Libya’s Muammar

Gaddafi. Out of the public eye for once due to a knee injury, Chavez nevertheless popped up on Twitter to condemn the “new gringo aggression” and “imperialist government.”

Beyond such rhetoric, however, pragmatism probably will again prevail on both sides, analysts say. President Barack Obama’s government wanted to send a strong message to Venezuela, while avoiding further upset to oil markets or a cutoff in supplies from one of its top five suppliers.

So the sanctions, while showing disapproval of Chavez’s ties with Tehran, were relatively soft in practice. They bar PDVSA-but, crucially, not its US-based CITGO subsidiary —from US contracts and financing. Oil sales are not affected.

“This was just a rap on the knuckles,” local analyst Angel Garcia Banchs said.

“In practice, the company is not affected.” On the Venezuelan side, the sanctions give the socialist Chavez a pretext to rail against the United States for meddling with the nation’s right to befriend whom it wants.

That could be useful for Chavez as he seeks to bolster a nationalist image in the run-up to a 2012 re-election bid and may help the government distract attention from domestic problems like power and other service failures.

Yet there is no way, analysts say, that Venezuela is about to cut off commercial ties with the nation that buys about 45 percent of its crude and thus helps keep the economy afloat, especially as it

emerges from an 18-month recession.

“The deep mutual interdependence of the US and Venezuela in the oil sector is clearly a constraint on both sides,” the Eurasia Group consultancy said in a report, also predicting Venezuela would quietly desist from further sales to Iran.

“Chavez will have a lot to lose if the Obama administration imposes further sanctions, either in terms of oil exports or debt issuance,” it said. Chavez has threatened to disrupt oil supplies to the United States during the many flare-ups since he came to power in 1999 but the threats were unfulfilled. Ramirez hinted at possible Venezuelan action, saying it guaranteed oil supplies to its US subsidiaries but would study the impact of the sanctions on its other clients.

The United States also has more cards to play, should it deem that Venezuela again violated its Iran sanctions law.

Chavez ’s friendship with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad-as well as various other global leaders out of favor with the United States-is a source of pride for the Venezuelan in his avowed aim to create alternative axes of power in the world. Opponents, however, say he has a shameful record of befriending tyrants around the world.

“We must acknowledge that PDVSA’s shipments are only one example of Hugo Chavez’s support for the terroristsupporting Iranian regime,” said US representative Connie Mack, citing reports of military cooperation between the two nations. —Reuters

Tornado-struck US town rattled by fresh storm Joplin deaths rise, more twisters in US Midwest

LONDON: Protesters, both dressed in orange overalls, depicting detainees at the US military detention centre in Guantanamo demonstrate outside Britain’s Houses of Parliament yesterday. — AP

Obama and Cameron in talks on Arab Spring LONDON: US President Barack Obama held talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday, grappling with the turmoil across the Arab world and the NATO effort to dislodge Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi.

Obama, on the third day of a European tour, swapped the glitter of a royal state banquet and the tradition-soaked ritual of a British visit for testing diplomatic questions facing the transatlantic alliance.

The president and prime minister held 90 minutes of talks at Downing Street before dropping by a barbecue hosted by their wives in honor of military veterans, in a nod to the two nations’ decade of common war in Afghanistan and Iraq. They also had a press conference on their schedule, and then Obama was set to deliver what aides have described as the anchor speech of his tour of Ireland, Britain, France and Poland, on renewing ties with Europe. The talks come as European powers like France and Britain step up the pace of attacks on Libya, in which Washington is playing a support role, as the White House and Downing Street insist the effort has not hit a stalemate.

“We believe that the trends show that time is very much working against Gaddafi,” said Ben Rhodes, a US deputy national security advisor. “We believe that Gaddafi and his forces are under tremendous strain.”

Washington has given no sign however that it is willing to return to the lead firepower role it adopted at the start of the Libya operation before handing over to NATO in March.

Obama, facing a reelection campaign next year, is wary of embroiling Washington in a third war in a Muslim nation, and is facing rising questions from Congress over his constitutional authority to deploy US assets in Libya. Britain seems to accept Washington’s position, saying Washington is not taking a “back seat” in the combat mission, even as Britain and France prepare to send in ground attack helicopters.

“We couldn’t have done what we did at the beginning of the military operations in Libya-the destruction of the Gaddafi regime’s fixed air defenses-without the unique assets of the United States,” Foreign Secretary William Hague told BBC radio yesterday.

British media reports also suggested the two leaders would discuss the idea of seeking to open some kind of dialogue with the Taliban, as Washington seeks to transfer security to the Afghan government by the end of 2014.

The two leaders were also set to announce a joint national security task force to formalize cooperation between the two capitals.

Later, Obama was set to deliver a rare speech by a foreign leader to the two houses of parliament in Westminster Hall, focusing on Europe, a continent where some players have been disappointed with his engagement so far amid a growing US focus on Asia.

“Our focus is on maintaining the role that the US and Europe play together as a catalyst for action,” said Rhodes. “We believe that in the emerging context of the 21st century, not only is that as relevant as ever, but it’s going to demand contributions from all nations.”

US hopes for more burden-sharing on security from Europe face the reality that European defense budgets are being shaved, while the continent battles a debt crisis.

Obama is seeking European support for a new initiative to nurture democratic transitions in Egypt and Tunisia, and to spur other autocratic nations in the Middle East to embrace reform. The Arab Spring is also set to be a key issue at the G8 summit, which Obama and Cameron are due to attend from Thursday in Deauville, France. On Tuesday, Obama basked in the pageantry of a white tie state dinner at Buckingham Palace, designed to reaffirm enduring bonds between Britain and America. The queen said in her dinner toast that Obama’s visit recalled “our shared history, our common language and our strong intellectual and cultural links.”— AFP

Pakistan returns US copter from Osama bin Laden raid WASHINGTON: Pakistan has returned to the United States wreckage of a US helicopter destroyed during the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, a Pentagon official told Reuters on Tuesday, but the gesture was expected to do little to improve strained ties. The US Navy SEAL team that stormed bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, on May 2 blew up the Black Hawk helicopter after it was damaged during a hard landing. It had stealth features and they wanted to keep sensitive US technology out of enemy hands, US officials have said. But bits of the helicopter, including the tail section, remained behind and the United States demanded that Pakistan return them to US custody.

“It (the wreckage) was returned over the weekend and is now back in the United States,” Pentagon spokesman Colonel Dave Lapan said. The raid on the compound badly damaged US-Pakistan relations, and nagging questions remain in Washington about how bin Laden managed to go unnoticed for years in the garrison town of Abbottabad, only about 30 miles (50 km) from Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad. Some US officials speculate he must have had support.

In turn, Pakistan has branded the raid a

violation of its sovereignty, since Islamabad was not informed about the US operation until it was over. Pakistan’s parliament has threatened to cut supply lines to US.forces in Afghanistan if there are more military incursions. Senator John Kerry, on a trip to Islamabad on May 16, described a Pakistani pledge to return the helicopter’s wreckage as one step needed to rebuild trust between the two countries.

But Bruce Riedel, a former CIA official who has advised President Barack Obama on policy in Pakistan and Afghanistan, said returning the helicopter fell far short of what it would take to mend frayed ties. “It’s too little, too late to change the downward spiral in US-Pakistani relations,” Riedel said.

Arturo Munoz, another former CIA official now at the RAND Corporation, said failure to return the craft would have been seen as “an expression of hostility on their part.”

Even before bin Laden’s death, bilateral ties had reached a low point over Pakistan’s arrest of a CIA contractor and mounting US drone strikes in Pakistan’s western regions.

The government of President Asif Ali Zardari, along with Pakistan’s even more powerful military leaders, has denied any prior knowledge of bin Laden’s whereabouts. — Reuters

JOPLIN: This shattered town, still searching for survivors from one of the strongest tornadoes on record, was rattled early yesterday after a new storm unleashed deadly twisters in neighboring US states. A series of tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma late Tuesday, killing four people in a rural county and injuring another 60 across the state, according to local officials, who said the tornadoes narrowly missed the state capital. The belt of severe weather stretched across Oklahoma, nor thern Texas and Kansas, where two people died when high winds hurled a tree into a van on a highway, according to the state’s emergency management agency.

In Arkansas at least one person was killed early yesterday when a tornado swept through the small town of Denning, home to some 270 people, according to Tommy Jackson, a spokesman for the state’s emergency management agency. The fresh storms frightened residents in Missouri, where rescue workers in the town of Joplin are still searching for survivors and shocked residents have been digging their belongings out of the ruins of their homes.

But by early yesterday the storm appeared to have passed over the town without major incident, according to satellite imagery from the National Weather Service. A massive mile-wide funnel cloud, with winds of up to 200 miles (320 kilometers) an hour, tore through Joplin with devastating force late Sunday, leaving 123 people dead and hundreds more missing. Joplin city manager Mark Rohr told reporters that rescue efforts were driven by an increasing sense of urgency, saying: “People’s lives are at stake.” “We are still in search and rescue mode, and will be for the foreseeable future,” he said after the disaster flattened much of this town of some 50,000 people.

Officials said the tornado ranks as the eighth deadliest in American history and the deadliest single

JOPLIN: Heidi Ackerson, sits in the street near her home with one of her dogs on Tuesday, May 24, 2011. — AP twister to strike the United States picked from the wreckage of her any human can imagine without seeing it-it’s just a devastating since modern records began in grandmother’s home.

Miller’s grandmother, who took sight,” said fire chief Mitch Randles.

1950. It has already exceeded the toll of a tornado in Flint, Michigan shelter in the cellar with a neigh- “The fact that we are still retrieving in 1953 that left 116 people dead. bor as the house collapsed on top live people is adding a great boost More than 8,000 structures in this of them, survived. But her other and just pushes our folks harder.” town bordering the hear tland grandmother, who had been out Desperate residents meanwhile states of Kansas and Oklahoma for dinner Sunday evening to cele- phoned local radio stations seekwere damaged or destroyed when brate the high school graduation ing information about missing loved ones. The town’s Facebook the twister came roaring through of a family friend, did not.

“It’s not easy,” Miller told AFP. “I page has become an online kiosk with just a 24-minute warning.

It cut a swath of destruction don’t think the worst has come for news on which nearby restaurants are offering four miles (6.4 kilometers) long and yet. This is all adrenaline and copthree quarters of a mile (more than ing.” Some news reports said as free meals and where to find emera kilometer) wide. Brandon Hicks, many as 1,500 people were still gency shelter. US President Barack 26, was on an out-of-town fishing unaccounted for, though there Obama plans to tour the disaster trip when the twister struck, but was hope that some might have scene on Sunday. “Our thoughts came home to discover that his found their way to homes of and prayers are with the families house and his brother ’s house friends and relatives outside the that are suffering at the moment,” said Obama, who is on a fouracross the street were destroyed. immediate area.

On a hopeful note, 17 people nation European tour. “All we can “We’re trying to get everything salvaged, before the next storm hits,” were reported to have been pulled do is let them know that all of Hicks said as he sorted through alive Monday from under the America cares deeply about them, the ruins. Not far away, Lauren debris and rubble, but only two and we are going to do absolutely Miller, 23, wiped away tears as she emerged alive on Tuesday. “You’re everything we can to make sure sor ted through family photos looking at something I don’t think they can recover.” — AFP

Spain protests high on idealism, online power MADRID: Fired up with 60s-style idealism and fueled by online people power, the anti-crisis protesters who took Spain by storm hope they can be an example to the world.

There are plenty of Spaniards ready to help them, equally frustrated by political corruption, welfare cuts and the highest unemployment rate in the developed world. When an electrical generator powering their tent city in central Madrid’s Puerta del Sol square ran out of fuel, protesters got an instant response to their Internet appeals for fuel.

Within hours they were able to restore power to the kitchen, daycare, press centre and other facilities. “There is always someone willing to bring what is needed. Food, sunscreen, building material, there has never been a shortage of food,” said a spokeswoman, a 22-year-old journalism student who asked only to be identified as Blanca. The logistical organization is slick. Activists list their needs on hand-written placards at the camp but also on blogs, Facebook and Twitter.

In reply, a flood of donated goods has allowed the camp to grow from a handful of tents at the start on May 15 into a nerve centre covered in blue and white plastic sheets and sprawling across the entire square. It looks something like an Arab souk. The tents include three canteens serving three daily meals, an open-air reading room

MADRID: A demonstrator reacts as others spend the night at Sol square during a protest yesterday. —AP with sofas, and an area offering “reiki” massages to volunteers who keep the camp running.

Loudspeakers broadcast appeals for volunteers for tasks from sweeping to cooking. Impromptu concerts and theatrical performances punctuate the protests, especially at night. A camp’s infrastructure committee even set up two solar panels on Monday to provide electricity; its objective is eventually to use only renewable sources of

energy. The protest camp was timed to coincide with Sunday’s regional and local elections, which delivered a heavy blow to Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero’s ruling Socialist Party.

But the Madrid protesters decided at a general assembly in the camp Sunday to keep going at least another week and then hold another vote to decide the best course of action. “It is hard to build infrastructure when we don’t know how long

we will be here. We try to make the most of the materials we have,” said 20-year-old Jorge Sesma as he hammered in a new wooden counter for a canteen. The protesters describe themselves as “the indignant”, and are known variously as “M-15” in reference to their demonstration’s birth date, “Spanish Revolution” and “Real Democracy Now”.

Decisions on everything from strategy to mundane running of the camp are taken at assemblies where participants vote on proposals. Unanimity is required for adoption, so many proposals fall by the wayside. The protesters hope the Madrid camp and others like it in city squares across Spain will act as models of a participatory democracy they would like to create.

But as the sit-in has pressed on, their desire for unanimity has served to highlight the different and sometimes contradictory goals of the movement’s backers. At a daily assembly on Tuesday several motions failed to pass because at least one person objected to the proposal. Appeals for protesters to respect opposing opinions have become more frequent as the demonstration has dragged on.

“This has worked perfectly for eight days now. There is no historical reference of a society surviving without a leader. It is risky but if this works out we can be an example for the world,” Bianca said. — AFP

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

11

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

i n t e r n at i o n a l

Suicide bomb attack kills six in Pakistan Taleban claim retaliatory attack, destroy police station PESHAWAR: A suicide bomber drove an explosives-packed car into a police station yesterday as the Taleban intensified attacks against Pakistan’s security forces after the killing of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. At least five policemen and a soldier were killed in the attack in the northwestern city of Peshawar. The Pakistani Taleban said they were responsible.

The militants, allied with Al-Qaeda, have vowed to avenge bin Laden’s killing by US forces in Pakistani town on May 2.

AMRITSAR: Members of Sikh Students Federation shout slogans during a protest yesterday. The activists were protesting against the ban on Sikh employees at the Amritsar airport from wearing the Kirpan, a religious dagger, to work. —AP

Anti-Americanism rife in Pakistan army institution ISLAMABAD: Officers received training biased against the United States at a prestigious Pakistan army institution, according to Wikileaks, underscoring concern that anti-Americanism in the country’s powerful military is growing amid strains with Washington. A US diplomatic cable said the former US ambassador to Pakistan, Anne Patterson, found officers at the National Defense University (NDU) were “naive and biased” against the United States, a key ally which gives Pakistan billions of dollars of aid to help fight Islamist militants.

Fears the military could be harboring militant sympathizers have grown since US forces found and killed Osama bin Laden this month in a Pakistani garrison town, where the Al-Qaeda leader had probably lived for several years. Pakistan’s military also controls the country’s nuclear arms, and a series of attacks against military installations has heightened fears about the safety of those weapons. “ The elite of this crop of colonels and brigadiers are receiving biased NDU training with no chance to hear alternative views of the US,” the Wikileaks cable, which was published in the Dawn newspaper, quoted Patterson as saying.

“Given the bias of the instructors, we also believe it would be beneficial to initiate an exchange program for instructors.”

Some of the officers believed the CIA was in charge of the US media, the report said. Anti-Americanism runs high among many of Pakistan’s mainly Muslim people but it has deepened after bin Laden’s killing in a secret US raid which many Pakistanis see as breach of sovereignty.

Patterson said the United States must target a “lost generation” of military officers who missed training programs in the United States after Washington imposed sanctions against Pakistan in the 1990s for its nuclear program. The cables also documented the account of a US army officer, Colonel Michael Schleicher, who attended a course at NDU and corroborated the views expressed by Patterson.

“The senior level instructors had misperception about US policies and culture and infused the lectures with these suspicions, while the students share these misconceptions with their superiors despite having children who attended universities in the US or London,” the cables quoted Schleicher as saying.

Hamayoun Khan, a teacher at NDU, however denied that anti-Americanism was being taught at the university.

“I haven’t seen bias which she has mentioned here,” he said. Dawn said dozens of cables from US embassies around the world also showed that the United States continued to intensely monitor Pakistan’s nuclear and missiles programs. In 2008, the US deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Ankara, Nancy McEldowney, detailed her discussions with Turkish authorities about the US desire to see action taken against suspicious shipments to Pakistan.

US officials, according to the cable, “urged the GOT (government of Turkey) to contact the governments of Japan and Panama to request the shipment be diverted to another port and returned.”

Pakistan’s nuclear program came under increasing international scrutiny after the 2004 confessions of Abdul Qadeer Khan, the father of Pakistan’s atom bomb, about his involvement in sales of nuclear secrets to Iran, Iraq and North Korea. The government pardoned Khan but put him under house arrest. A court in 2009 ordered his release.

A militant raid on a navy base in the southern city of Karachi this week has raised fresh anxiety about the ability of Pakistani security forces to protect installations and the country’s nuclear arsenal.

A Taleban spokesman said militants had “so far ” no plans to seize Pakistan’s nuclear weapons. “We will protect these weapons from dangers from foreigners,” Ehsanullah Ehsan, a spokesman for the Pakistani Taleban told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location.

Many Pakistanis believe the United States and India would like to confiscate their nuclear weapons. —Reuters

US senators see Afghan hope, Pakistan worries WASHINGTON: US lawmakers on Tuesday saw momentum for political reconciliation in Afghanistan in the wake of Osama bin Laden’s death, but voiced fear that the fight against extremism was floundering in Pakistan. Senator John Kerry, who recently visited the region, said US forces’ killing of bin Laden in Pakistan along with “security gains” in the Taleban’s historic stronghold of southern Afghanistan “have created some political space.”

“This is a critical moment in the war in Afghanistan,” Kerry said at a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which he chairs. “It’s important that we seize that opportunity.”“Middle- and lowlevel Taleban fighters, many of them want to come in from the battlefield. We need to work with the Afghan government in order to make sure that those who wish to lay down their arms can, in fact, do so,” he said. President Barack Obama has tripled troops to Afghanistan but hopes to begin a withdrawal this summer and complete the pullout in 2014, some 13 years after the United States led the overthrow of the Taleban regime. With polls showing that much of the US public is tired of the war, the Obama administration has in recent months played down the prospect of a military solution in Afghanistan and called for a political settlement. But Kerry, a Democrat from Massachusetts and close ally of Obama, said that the United States should be concerned about extremists in Pakistan and the ease with which they cross the porous border with Afghanistan.

“It will take adroit and persistent diplomacy to convince the Pakistani military leaders that the real threat to their sovereignty comes not from its eastern border and not from across the Atlantic, but it comes from violent extremists in

their own country,” Kerry said. Senator Richard Lugar, the top Republican on the same committee, questioned why the United States was spending some $120 billion a year in Afghanistan, where some 100,000 US troops are deployed.

“The question before us is whether Afghanistan is strategically important enough to justify the lives and massive resources that we are spending there, especially given that few terrorists in Afghanistan have global designs or reach,” the Indiana lawmaker said. “To the extent that our purpose is to confront the global terrorist threat, we should be refocusing resources on Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, parts of North Africa and other locations,” Lugar said.

Lawmakers voiced concern about what they saw as support from Pakistan for the Afghan Taleban and Lashkar-eTaiba, a vehemently anti-Indian group accused of carrying out the 2008 siege of Mumbai that killed 166 people.

Senator Ben Cardin, a Democrat from Maryland, pointed to an ongoing trial in Chicago where David Coleman Headleywho admitted scouting sites for the Mumbai attacks-said that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence supported Lashkar-e-Taiba.

“I don’t know how the United States can just ignore this. It seems to me that we need to be able to confront Pakistan’s support for terrorist organizations,” Cardin said. At a separate House hearing, Representative Ed Royce worried that elements in Pakistan’s military supported bin Laden and may in the future share nuclear secrets with AlQaeda. “In the past 10 years, Pakistan has received nearly $20 billion in US aid.

Simply put, our Pakistan policy isn’t working,” said the Republican from California, who heads a House subcommittee on terrorism. —AFP

“We will continue attacks on security forces until an Islamic system is implemented in Pakistan, because the Pakistani system is un-Islamic,” Ehsanhullah Ehsan, a spokesman for the Pak istan Taleban, told Reuters, adding the attack was also in revenge for bin Laden’s death. The blast came two days after a brazen Taleban raid on a heavily guarded naval base in the southern city of Karachi that killed 10 military personnel and destroyed two aircraft. The police station, in a militar y neighborhood, houses an office of the Criminal I nvestigation Depar tment, which is responsible for investigating Islamist militants.

There is also a training facility for special forces and officers’ residen ces n ear by. S en io r provincial minister Bashir Bilour said up to 300 kg (660 lb) of explosives were used in the bomb that police said wounded 22 people. Residents said the explosion rattled windows throughout the city. By midday, volun teer s an d rescu e workers were removing rubble with spades while bulldozers removed broken slabs of concrete. Senior police officer Ejaz Khan said the bomber rammed his car into the station’s gate, on the main road leading to Afgh an istan th rough th e Khyber Pass.

Another police officer said

PESHAWAR: Pakistani paramedics give medical treatment to an injured blast victim at a hospital following a suicide bomb attack on the police Criminal Investigation Department building yesterday. —AFP about 20 policemen were in the building when the attack happened. “Three of our colleagues are still missing under the rubble and it will take another hour to clear the site,” said officer Bahadur Khan. “My colleague and I were on the roof, calling for dawn prayers, when all of a sudden there was a big explosion,” said wounded policeman

Muzaffar Khan. “We don’t know what happened but the roof collapsed and we fell on the ground.” “I was trapped in the debris,” he said. “I was screaming and crying for help. I was lucky that people pulled me out.”

The police station is about a k m (half a mile) from the US consulate and in the same area where Taleban militants deto-

nated a car bomb last week targeting a consular convoy. One man was k illed and about a dozen people were wounded, including two US nationals, in that attack. The string of attacks has raised concern about the possible presence of Islamist sympathizers within the military, which controls Pakistan’s nuclear weapons. —Reuters

Defense to grill govt witness in Mumbai case CHICAGO: An admitted American terrorist who scouted sites in the deadly 2008 Mumbai attacks was expected to face intense questioning from defense attorneys yesterday when he returns to the stand as the government’s star witness in the trial of a Chicago businessman accused of helping him. David Coleman Headley’s testimony has alleged close coordination between Pakistan’s main intelligence agency and militants in the threeday rampage that killed more than 160 people in India’s largest city. Headley, who pleaded guilty in plotting the attacks, is the government’s top witness in the trial of Chicago businessman Tahawwur Rana. His testimony also comes at a pivotal moment in US-Pakistan relations, just weeks after Navy SEALs found Osama bin Laden hiding outside Islamabad,

raising concerns that Pakistan may have been protecting the world’s most wanted terrorist.

Defense attorneys got their first chance to undermine Headley’s credibility before jurors yesterday. Attorneys for Rana, who is accused of helping Headley establish cover in Mumbai and for another plot in Denmark, have called Headley manipulative and claimed he had other reasons in implicating Rana, his longtime friend. “Some of the evidence that we expect to come in will show that David Headley absolutely had additional motives, including protecting his wife,” Rana attorney Charles Swift told reporters this week. “There’s written proof that she knew and there’s not going to be that same proof where Dr. Rana’s concerned.” Federal prosecutors have guided Headley through days of testimony where he

provided rare insight into the web of international terrorism.

Pakistan has deflected the accusations and repeated what it’s maintained since 2008: The Inter-Services Intelligence agency, known as ISI, had no links to Lashkar-e -Taiba, the Pakistani-based terrorists who claimed credit for the Mumbai attacks. The ISI knew about and helped fund and direct the Mumbai plot, Headley said. A “frogman” in Pakistan’s military even helped select a landing site in Mumbai where Lashkar terrorists would arrive by boat, he testified. Headley recalled an instance a few years before the Mumbai plot conception when Lashkar leaders wanted to get signoff from the ISI before making a decision that could have diplomatic consequences with the US. —AP

India’s political prince Rahul battles criticism NEW DELHI: The golden boy of Indian politics may be losing some of his sheen. Rahul Gandhi - the son, grandson, and great-grandson of Indian prime ministers - has spent years positioning himself to seize what is almost seen as his birthright and take charge of the country. But a series of electoral setbacks, an embarrassing Wikileaks revelation and his accusation, without proof, that police killed and raped protesting farmers in an opposition-led state has left some questioning whether Gandhi has the skill, experience or discipline to lead India.

A newspaper editorial titled “Rahul in Blunderland,” depicted Gandhi as a political amateur stumbling from gaffe to gaffe, while party leaders follow behind him trying to repair the damage. Political opponents have begun calling him “the former future prime minister.”

A stalwart of his Congress party called for his sister, Priyanka, to jump back into politics to help rescue the family’s legacy. “He’s been under immense pressure,” said Aarthi Ramachandran, who is writing a book on Gandhi. “There has been a sense that the Rahul Gandhi brand of politics is not going anywhere.” Gandhi, who bears no relation to peace icon Mohandas K Gandhi, grew up as the fawned-over heir to India’s version of the British monarchy or America’s Kennedy dynasty. The family patriarch was Jawaharlal Nehru, a hero of the struggle for independence from British rule who became India’s first prime minister.

Nehru’s daughter, Indira Gandhi, later took power, followed by her son Rajiv. Both were killed in political assassinations. Rajiv’s Italianborn widow, Sonia, then took over

RAE BARELLI, India: In this file photo, Congress party supporters lift Rahul Gandhi after his mother and party president Sonia Gandhi won the election. —AP the Congress par ty, becoming India’s most powerful politician and setting the stage for her son to eventually take up the family mantle. When Congress won the 2004 election, she gave the prime minister’s post to Manmohan Singh, a respected economist of limited political ambitions. He steered the country to record growth, but since his 2009 re-election, Singh has been seen as more of a regent, running the countr y while Rahul Gandhi gained the experience and stature to assume command.

Earlier this month, Gandhi shook off most of his security detail, hopped on the back of a motorcycle and rode out to join a farmers’

protest over land rights in the opposition-ruled state of Uttar Pradesh, which has an election next year. The maneuver cast him as a man of the people and brought national attention to the protests against the state’s chief minister, a political rival. He even managed to get himself briefly arrested, a rite of passage for Indian political leaders.

But upon his return to Delhi, Gandhi accused state police of a rampage of rape and killing in the farmers’ village and claimed there was a 70-foot (20-meter) pile of ash there with dead bodies inside. State authorities denied it and forensic tests on the ash turned up only melted plastic and burnt cow dung.

Gandhi said he was simply repeating what villagers had told him. His critics said he had transformed a political coup into an embarrassment. During last year’s elections in the state of Bihar, Congress, at Gandhi’s behest, eschewed its usual pre-election coalition with a regional ally and decided to run on its own. Despite Gandhi’s tireless campaigning, the party won a humiliating four seats out of 234. In election results in a series of other states announced this month, many of the young candidates he hand-picked to bring new blood to the party were defeated. Then there was the furor over the Wikileaks cable released last December, which revealed that Gandhi told US Ambassador Timothy J Roemer in 2009 that Hindu extremism could pose a greater threat to India than Islamic militants, including the Pakistanbased group blamed for the deadly 2008 siege in Mumbai. The Hindu nationalist opposition battered him as out of touch, and commentators slammed him as politically naive.

“Rahul Gandhi is yet to prove his intellectual ability to grasp issues and go deep into them,” said Arun Sharma, a 75-year-old playwright in the northeast city of Gauhati.

Rashid Kidwai, who is writing a book about the Gandhi family, said Rahul Gandhi would be better able to weather these hiccups if he had more achievements to his name.

As it is, the presumed prime minister-in-waiting has never held a Cabinet post, almost never gives interviews and rarely addresses the more controversial issues facing India, such as how to resolve violence in Kashmir or tackle the corruption scandals roiling the Congress-led government. —AP

y

A

12

e niv rsar n

Years

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

i n t e r n at i o n a l

Indonesia Islamist blasts US ‘infidels’ during trial Bomb threat grounds flight, two policemen shot dead JAKARTA: Indonesian Islamist cleric Abu Bakar Bashir used his final defense against charges of funding a militant group yesterday to denounce the United States for trying to stop Islamic preaching in the world’s most populous Muslim nation.

Prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for the frail Bashir, 72, who delivered a piercing speech accusing the government of being under US influence.

Bashir does not command widespread support in Indonesia, but the speech could inflame hardcore Islamists who have already vowed reprisal attacks following the US killing of Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.

Prosecutors said Bashir raised at least 350 million rupiah ($41,000) from supporters and funneled some to a militant training camp discovered last year in a remote mountainous part of Aceh, a province on the northern tip of Sumatra island that observes sharia law.

“Prosecutors accused me of being behind Aceh and being its biggest financier-it is an accusation and slander, with the interests of the pharaoh US for me to be diminished from Indonesian society,” Bashir told the South Jakarta court. “Because my preaching is considered dangerous, and with this lifetime of jail, the dream of the pharaoh US and its allies will come true.” Copies of the 55minute speech were being sold at the court for 20,000 rupiah (2.30), with a form attached to join Bashir’s group, Jema’ah Ansharut Tauhid, which has formally renounced violence but whose members have been involved in recent attacks including a suicide bombing at a police mosque on

Java island. Days prior to the trial, his followers invited people with text messages to attend “Bashir’s Islamic lecture” in court. Hundreds of men in skull caps and women in burqas arrived, filling the public gallery and spilling into the court car park to watch it on television.

Indonesia has seen success in

ing market favorite among investors, though security risks remain.

National airline Garuda Indonesia delayed a flight in the second biggest city of Surabaya on Java island after a bomb threat.

A navy official told a local news website that a bag was found con-

JAKARTA: Radical cleric Abu Bakar Bashir speaks to reporters from inside a holding cell prior to his trial at a district court yesterday. —AP recent years in tackling militant groups, and a period of political stability and strong economic growth has turned Southeast Asia’s top economy into an emerg-

taining explosive materials. To the north of the sprawling archipelago, on the island of Sulawesi, two policemen guarding a BCA bank branch were shot dead by uniden-

tified men. The area has in the past suffered from Muslim-Christian conflict, while on Sumatra island militant groups have previously robbed banks to raise funds.

Police say militants at the Aceh camp in Sumatra were hatching several plots including an attack on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and hoped to turn Indonesia into an Islamic state. As well as being the spiritual leader of JAT, Bashir was considered the spiritual leader of the outlawed and now-defunct Jemaah Islamiah, which police have blamed for several bombings including the country’s worst ever militant attack, the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people.

Bashir ended his speech with a prayer to crush those he considered enemies of Indonesian Muslims.

“Lord, you have showered the infidels, the zionists, the Americans, the Europeans and their allies with wealth, technology and strong-arm equipment but it was used instead to attack your religion and slaughter your fighters. “Lord, exterminate wealth, technology, and lock dead their heart, because they are faithless and therefore deserve bitter torture from you.” A verdict is not due until June. —Reuters

S Korea probes report of US army chemical dumping SEOUL: South Korea opened a second investigation in days into a report that the US military dumped toxic chemicals near the capital decades ago, a Defense Ministry official said yesterday, threatening to trigger an anti-American backlash. Experts have been sent to the former US base in Bucheon, west of Seoul, to check out the claims after South Korean media reported that a US veteran had said “hundreds of gallons” of chemicals were buried there between 1963 and 1964. The accusations could rekindle anti-American sentiment in the country, which saw big protests against the import of US beef in 2008 and over the deaths of two South Korean girls hit by a US military vehicle in 2002.

The United States has nearly 30,000 troops in South Korea, and the two countries are grappling with how to deal with North Korea’s nuclear program. South Korea’s foreign ministry said the two countries, which are close allies, consider the issue serious, and local media called on the U.S. to come clean on the “alarming” revelations.

“Even the slightest hint that the US military is hiding something could lead to widespread public distrust,” the top selling Chosun Ilbo newspaper wrote in an editorial.

The latest revelations emerged after South Korean media this week uncovered comments made on the “Korean War Project”, a website for ex-servicemen, a decade ago that “every imaginable chemical” had been dumped by US forces at the Bucheon base between 1963-64. The base, about 20 km (12 miles) west of Seoul, was returned to South Korea in 1993 and is now used by South Korean engineering troops.

The defense ministry official, who declined to be identified, said the Environment Ministry was also investigating the chemical dumping claims. The US military yesterday attempted to distance itself from the latest report.

“Once the installation was returned to the ROK government, it became their responsibility,” said United States Forces Korea (USFK) spokeswoman Cenethea Lofbom.

“The US-ROK Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) does not impose any liability upon the US government for the condition of former installations after they have been returned and accepted by the ROK government,” she said, referring to South Korea by the acronym of its official name, the Republic of Korea.

The latest allegations come after three ex-servicemen revealed last week that they had buried the toxic chemical defoliant Agent Orange at Camp Carroll in Chilgok, about 300 km (200 miles) southeast of the capital, in 1978. At the weekend, the South Korean and USFK launched a joint investigation into that report. —Reuters

TOKYO: Junko Nakazato poses for a photograph with rabbit’s clothes at a park yesterday. —AP

Chinese Mongolians ‘protest’ herder’s death BEIJING: A large group of ethnic Mongolians protested in front of a government building in northern China yesterday angered by inaction over the death of a herder, a rights group said, in a rare instance of unrest by the minority ethnic group. The New York-based Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Centre said that almost 2,000 students marched to the city government building in Xilinhot in China’s Inner Mongolia. They went “to urge the Chinese authorities to respect the rights and dignity of Mongolian herders” in Inner Mongolia, the group said in an emailed statement.

It was the latest in a series of protests by ethnic Mongolians in response to the “brutal” killing of a Mongolian herder by a Chinese coal truck driver, the group added. Pictures posted on Chinese microblogging sites showed at least 100 people, many of whom appeared to be students, gathered in front of the city government. Reuters was not able to independently verify the authenticity of the pictures or when they were taken.

The Xilinhot government did not answer repeated telephone calls seeking

comment. However, in a statement on its website (www.xlgl.gov.cn) yesterday, the government said police had arrested two Han Chinese for homicide. The area around Xilinhot is home to many coal mines. Decades of migration by the majority Han Chinese have made Chinese Mongolians a minority in their own land, officially comprising less than 20 percent of the roughly 24 million population of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region.

Inner Mongolia, which covers more than a tenth of China’s land mass and borders Mongolia proper, is supposed to offer a high degree of self-rule. In practice, though, Mongolians say the Han run the show. While protests in Inner Mongolia are far rarer than in Tibet or Xinjiang, two other parts of China with restive native populations, the Chinese government has still taken a tough line on Mongolians who seek greater respect of their rights. Human rights issues in Inner Mongolia generally receive little attention, as the Mongolians lack a well-known overseas advocate like Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. —Reuters

Taiwan women ‘plank’ for tourism TAIPEI: Lying face flat on the ground may not be the world’s most glamorous photo pose but two Taiwanese “planking” women have made a name for themselves on the Internet-and hope to use the craze to spread positive social messages. Eschewing the dangerous behavior that killed one man in Australia and left another seriously injured, Karren and Jinyu practice a safer version of the fast-growing global fad that involves lying face down stiff in often bizarre places for a photo op.

In fact, they use it to promote causes, such as planking with stray dogs to draw attention to the plight of the animals, or planking in famous tourist spots to pro-

mote travel. “It’s not really that difficult to plank and I really don’t mind getting dirty,” said the petite Karren, who wore a Japanese manga-inspired outfit and a red backpack, in an interview, her partner nodding beside her.

Calling themselves the Pujie Girls which literally translates to “falling on the street” in Mandarin, the name is also a pun on the Cantonese curse “Puk Gai” which means “may you drop dead”. The pair are Taiwan’s most well-known plankers, with almost 100,000 fans following them on Facebook. They are so popular that China’s version of Facebook, Weibo, has invited them as VIPs on the tightly controlled social network to promote their activi-

ties across the strait.

During a recent planking session, young people walked up to the pair to ask if they could take photos of them and with them, while older passersby gave them strange looks. Planking-savvy Hong Kong tourists shouted “Puk Gai, Puk Gai.” Karren, 28, who is a full-time photographer, and Jinyu, 25, a university student studying English, have also recently appeared on various national television talk shows to demonstrate how planking is done accurately and safely.

By posting their planking photographs taken at various tourist spots in Taipei, the two girls are aiming to promote Taiwan’s tourism not just to China but to

the world. “At first we did it for fun but then we realized that the photographs were very visual. So they could also be a very effective way to send out good messages,” Jinyu said. The two like to focus on positive messages. “The three golden rules for contribution are as follows: we don’t disturb people, we don’t do things to harm ourselves and we don’t damage public property,” they repeatedly emphasise on their Facebook page. Australian plankers have gotten in trouble for planking on moving cars, smokestacks, and industrial machinery, but the Taiwan pair ’s more moderate stance hasn’t harmed their popularity at all. “I love it! This is art!” one fan said. —Reuters

BEIJING: A stretch limousine believed to be carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong Il drives ahead of a convoy of cars traveling towards the Great Hall of the People yesterday. —AP

North Korea’s Kim holds summit with China’s Hu BEIJING: Visits to Beijing this week by top officials from North Korea, Myanmar, and Iran are spotlighting China’s cozy ties with nations widely shunned for human rights abuses and threatening behavior.

North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Jong Il arrived in Beijing yesterday for a meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao that would underscore the influence economic powerhouse China has with Kim’s ostracized regime, which struggles to feed its people.

Beijing is North Korea’s most vital diplomatic ally and economic supporter and is desperate to prevent a chaotic collapse of its hardline communist neighbor. Kim rarely makes foreign trips and his third visit to China in just over a year emphasizes his dependency on Beijing.

Today, Beijing will host a visit from Myanmar President Thein Sein, a former general and prime minister in the military junta that handed power to a nominally civilian government at the end of March. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi stopped in Beijing as part of commemorations of four decades of diplomatic ties. To many observers, such ties tarnish Beijing’s selfimage as a responsible rising power.

But to China, they represent a political kinship in rejecting Western-style democracy as well as the economic benefits of trade with partners whose markets are shunned by the West yet wide open for Chinese investment. China’s communist leaders are themselves accused of violating rights and locking up its critics and have little patience for Western accusations against similar regimes. “China views a number of countries in the world as in alliance in not having democracy or sharing Western human rights concepts,” said Michael Davis, a law professor and Chinese politics expert at Chinese University of Hong Kong. “It helps mobilize their legitimacy argument that the Western approach is not the only one.” China’s Foreign Ministry has refused to confirm Kim’s presence in China, although Premier Wen Jiabao has said China invited him to study, and hopefully adopt, Beijing’s market-oriented reforms. His previous stops during the trip, which began Friday, were said to be economically related.

Previous reform attempts have been abandoned by North Korea and it’s far from clear how much 69-year-old Kim or his anointed successor, son Kim Jong

Un - would be willing to change. South Korean media said Kim arrived in Beijing yesterday morning from the southern city of Nanjing aboard his personal train.

A motorcade believed to be carrying Kim and his delegation arrived yesterday evening at the Great Hall of the People, the seat of the legislature in the heart of Beijing where Hu usually receives official visitors.

In South Korea’s capital, Seoul, President Lee Myung-bak said he thought Kim’s China visits were a positive thing. “Visiting there often, watching and learning, and China’s assistance such things would bring about changes,” Lee said, according to the Yonhap News agency. North Korea’s exchanges with China have grown even more important since South Korea’s conservative government halted unconditional food and fertilizer shipments in early 2008 and suspended almost all trade with the North.

The UN and other groups also have enacted sanctions to punish the country for violating nuclear agreements. Iran for its part is under four sets of UN Security Council sanctions for refusing to stop uranium enrichment - an activity that can make both nuclear fuel and fissile warhead material. Like North Korea, Iran’s nuclear and missile programs are seen as a threat to its neighbors, while Myanmar’s crackdown on political opponents and ethnic minorities has seen it widely shunned by the international community.

Beijing, with its avowedly noninterventionist foreign policy, takes a different approach, emphasizing the need for continued dialogue and economic engagement. China also has a huge interest in avoiding the kind of unrest that could be unleashed at its borders if one of the regimes in North Korea or Myanmar should fall. But while these states may seem to have warm relations, they don’t necessarily share deep trust. North Korea and Myanmar may resent their dependence on China and often seem to want to go their own way, as shown in their unwillingness so far to undertake the economic reforms China is pitching, said Ian Storey of the Singapore-based Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, a think tank that focuses on social, political, economic and security trends.

“China’s influence over these countries tends to be greatly exaggerated,” Storey said. —AP

Australia refugee swap racist: UN CANBERRA: Australia and Malaysia’s agreement to swap asylum seekers for refugees jeopardized asylum seekers’ rights and was part of a racist and inhumane Australian policy, a UN human rights official said yesterday.

Under the arrangement, Malaysia would accept 800 asylum seekers who entered Australia illegally by sea and in return Australia would settle 4,000 registered refugees living in Malaysia.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay discussed the agreement yesterday with Prime Minister Julia Gillard at the end of a six-day visit to Australia to examine major human rights issues. Pillay criticized Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers, including the policy of holding them in immigration detention centers for months while their applications for refugee visas are assessed.

This arbitrary policy was partially explained by the backgrounds of asylum seekers who invariably are not white, western or European, said Pillay, a South African lawyer. She called on Australian lawmakers to “break this ingrained political habit of demonizing asylum seekers. “There is a racial discriminatory element here which I see as rather inhumane treatment of people judged by their differences in color, religion and so on,” Pillay told reporters in Canberra before leaving Australia. Immigration Minister Chris Bowen told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio yesterday

that he had “a very productive discussion” with Pillay on Tuesday and remained committed to finalizing details of the pact with Malaysia.

Pillay said Australia should process refugee applications rather than transporting asylum seekers to Malaysia, which has not ratified the UN Refugee Convention or Convention Against Torture.

She was not satisfied by Gillard’s assurances that Malaysia would provide written assurances that asylum seekers’ right would be protected. “In my view and as international jurisprudence has shown, assurances are not sufficient protection,” Pillay said.

Richard Towle, regional representative of the UN High Commission for Refugees which would judge the applications of asylum seekers sent to Malaysia, said that the deal had the potential to improve protections for refugees in the Asia-Pacific region.

Australia plans to pay Malaysia to agree to the deal in a bid to deter asylum seekers from using people smugglers to bring them to Australian shores by boat. Australia has long attracted people from poor, often war-ravaged countries hoping to start a new life, with more than 6,200 asylum seekers arriving by boat last year. Most are from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Iran and Iraq, and use Malaysia or Indonesia as a starting point for a dangerous sea journey to Australia. —AP

A

y

e niv rsar n

THURSDAY, MAY 26 , 2011

Years

ne ws

GAZA: Palestinian farmers harvest grapes from a field cultivated in the former Israeli settlement of Neve Dekalim which was dismantled in 2005, close to Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip. The grapes are for internal consumption in the Hamas-run Palestinian coastal territory. — AFP

Palestinian unity deal exposes divisions in Hamas GAZA: Divisions in Hamas have been brought to the surface by a reconciliation agreement with rival group Fatah, exposing splits in the Palestinian Islamist movement that could complicate implementation of the deal. It is the first time differences between Hamas leaders in Gaza and the movement’s exiled politburo in Damascus have been aired so openly in public, supporting a view that the group is far from united.

The disagreements have embarrassed a movement that has always denied talk of internal divisions. But analysts do not believe they signal an imminent fracture: neither wing of the Hamas movement can survive without the other. Signs of strain began to show in the Hamas response to the killing of Osama bin Laden, declared a holy warrior by the head of the Hamas-run Gaza government in remarks described by a member of the exiled leadership as “a slip of the tongue”.

Khaled Meshaal, head of the movement in exile, then

became the focus of criticism by Gaza-based leaders who said they were surprised by remarks suggesting a degree of support for peace talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israel. Meshaal had said Hamas was willing to give “an additional chance” to the peace process always opposed by his group, which is deeply hostile to Israel and has routinely declared negotiations a waste of time.

Mahmoud Al-Zahar, a senior figure in the Gaza administration, said the comments had surprised the entire Hamas movement and contradicted its strategy based on armed conflict with Israel. Meshaal was speaking in Cairo at a ceremony to launch the reconciliation agreement with the Fatah movement headed by President Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Palestine Liberation Organization that opened peace talks with Israel in 1993.

Zahar said Hamas had never backed negotiations nor did it support anyone else negotiating on behalf of the Palestinians. Though decisions within Hamas are sup-

Yemen on the brink of civil war Continued from Page 1 Yesterday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for an immediate end to the fighting, expressing concern that clashes “might further destabilize the situation,” UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said at UN headquarters in New York. The clashes broke out Monday after Saleh’s troops tried to storm the compound of Sheik Sadeq AlAhmar, the head of Yemen’s largest tribe, the Hashid. Hundreds of tribal fighters rushed to the capital’s northern Hassaba neighborhood, where clashes erupted with government forces.

Government troops yesterday shelled the neighborhood around Al-Ahmar’s house while gunmen in civilian clothes exchanged gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades with tribal fighters. The battles have ravaged the area, home to government offices and the headquarters of Saleh’s ruling party. The tribal fighters have occupied 16 ministries and other government institutions, while Saleh’s forces have used the interior ministry as their front-line base. Some militar y units also appear to have broken ranks and joined the opposition.

One breakaway unit trucked in stones to block streets in attempts to prevent government troops from moving in heavy weapons. ProSaleh forces, meanwhile, set up checkpoints in other areas, witnesses said. Gregory Johnsen, an expert on Yemen at Princeton University, said the current fighting could spread quickly if any of Yemen’s other armed groups jump in, especially

if the first armored division of Maj Gen Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar, a former Saleh confidant who sided with the protesters in March. He is not related to the tribal chief.

“If the first armored division gets involved, then it is no longer just a two-sided fight,” he said. “It gets much more complicated and the possibility of escalation across the country goes up significantly.” The fighting sent dozens of families fleeing the area and seeking refuge outside the capital. Eyewitnesses said that all roads entering Sanaa were blocked by pro-government Republican Guards, which are under the command of Saleh’s son, leaving hundreds of Yemenis trying to enter the capital stranded and forced to spend the night in their cars.

The fighting also appears to be widening into nearby neighborhoods. Volleys of mortars hit an army unit that had defected to the opposition side in the district of AlNahda, killing three and injuring 10 others, according to a military official. An airport official said that fighting north of the city forced a flight from the northern city of Hodeida not to land and return home.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to talk to the media.

Yemen’s Interior Ministry said 14 soldiers have been killed. Al-Ahmar’s spokesman Abdel-Qawi Al-Qaisi said 46 tribal fighters had been killed - bringing the death toll since Monday to 63. Scores more were injured. Yemen’s Interior Ministry blamed the tribal fighters for the violence. In a statement, Al-Ahmar

accused the regime of trying to “ignite discord and civil war between Yemenis.” The violence ended the most recent effort to negotiate an end to the crisis, which has struck Yemen’s already staggering economy.

A delegation of tribal chiefs sent

by Saleh to negotiate a cease-fire with al-Ahmar quit their mission yesterday after saying government troops fired on them near AlAhmar’s house. “It became clear to us that the president was not serious about the cease-fire and we the mediators decided to stop mediating and place the responsibility on the president,” the group said in a statement. The violence follows Saleh’s refusal to sign a US-backed agreement pushed by Yemen’s powerful Gulf neighbors that would have seen him leave power in exchange from immunity from prosecution. Other groups also criticized the attack on Al-Ahmar’s house that touched off the clashes.

A group of opposition parties that have sought to negotiate with Saleh called the attack “a planned crime of official violence to take revenge” al-Ahmar for supporting the anti-Saleh protesters.

Thousands of protesters marched through the capital yesterday, not far from the clashes, calling on Saleh to step down. Protest leader Mana Al-Matari said the marchers remained committed to nonviolence and accused Saleh of fueling the unrest. “The president seeks to ignite the military situation and cause a war to serve his own interests and distract from issue of his stepping down,” he said. — AP

Interior warns over ‘Day of Rage’ protest Continued from Page 1 constitution. The 71-year-old Sheikh Nasser, a nephew of the Amir, has been targeted by the opposition since he was appointed premier in February 2006. During this period, he resigned six times and formed his seventh cabinet just two weeks ago. Parliament was also dissolved three times and development plans have been stalled in this wealthy oil-rich state.

Meanwhile, MP Mohammad Hayef, one of three MPs who filed to grill the prime minister, yesterday said they are contemplating to add a new issue to the grilling after authorities have released one of the bombers of public cafes in 1985. The grilling, also filed by MPs Mubarak Al-Waalan and Waleed Al-Tabtabai, is based on allegations that Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah has been adopting a foreign policy that favors ties with Iran at the expense of relations with Gulf Arab states.

The deadly bombing of two public cafes on the Gulf Road in July 1985 was carried out by the Islamic Jihad, a proIranian terrorist network, at the height of the 1980-88 IraqIran war. Eleven people were killed and as many as 89 others wounded in the two bombings that happened at night of a

Thursday where people were sitting on the beach.

The bombings also came less than two months after a suicide bomber linked to a pro-Iranian organization tried to assassinate former late Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad AlSabah who escaped with minor wounds. Pro-Iranian elements also carried out several other attacks and plane hijackings in retaliation for Kuwait’s support of Iraq during the war. Hayef said that the government has released the bomber who is serving a life term in jail at the request of Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi during his visit to Kuwait last week.

The lawmaker said that this is another proof that the government is so close to Tehran which the grilling has claimed.

MP Tabtabai also slammed the government for releasing the bomber, whom he said had been sentenced to death. The government has not denied or confirmed the claim so far.

All the grilling is focused on what the MPs claim actions and policies taken by the seven governments under Sheikh Nasser since 2006 to prefer consolidating ties with Iran at the expense of relations with Gulf Arabs. The grilling is scheduled to be debated on May 31 unless the government requests a delay or decides to refer it to the constitutional court like the previous one.

posed to be taken through consensus, Meshaal’s influence is seen as overwhelming. He is seen as the channel for the political and material backing the group receives from Syria and Iran.

Experts on Hamas believe current tensions stem from the exiled leadership’s surprise decision to forge the reconciliation agreement with Fatah without proper consultation with the Gaza leadership. The unity agreement is seen as the Palestinians’ response to the popular uprisings that swept former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak from power in February and have challenged the rule of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, Meshaal’s host since 2001. Analysts say Hamas appeared to see reconciliation with Fatah as a way of allowing the group to build ties with Egypt’s new rulers, reducing the risk of its reliance on Syria as Assad faced unprecedented mass protests.

The unity deal outlines steps to end the four-year old feud between Fatah and Hamas, whose rivalry turned into

outright hostility culminating in the Islamist movement seizing control of the Gaza Strip in 2007. The sides agreed to form a technocratic government that will reunify the administration of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and hold elections within a year. Political analyst Hani Habib said what appeared to be a swift decision by Hamas to sign the reconciliation agreement with Fatah was driven by “the earthquake in Syria”.

In the resulting unity agreement, he said points of friction within Hamas include the fact that Moussa Abu Marzouk, Meshaal’s deputy, is the group’s main representative in a committee set up to agree on the new government. Hamas may have to reconcile its own internal disputes over who should be in the new cabinet before it tables the names. Habib said: “The reconciliation brought differences to the surface and in a deep way. We may witness more cracks but it will not lead to a division.” — Reuters

‘Manly’ hands linked to risk of knee injury NEW YORK: “Manly” hands might signal an increased risk of suffering a knee injury, if one study is correct. The study, which targeted more than 1,000 middle-aged and older US adults and was published in Arthritis & Rheumatism, found a higher risk of knee injuries among men with a bigger discrepancy in the lengths of their index and ring fingers.

In general, men tend to have relatively short index fingers and longer ring fingers, while women show more equality in those two digits. A greater difference between the two fingers, whether in a man or a woman, is thought to reflec t greater exposure to testosterone in the womb. Ida Haugen of Diakonhjemmet Hospital in Oslo, Norway, and her team analyzed data on 1,020 US

adults aged 51 to 92 in Framingham, M assachusetts, focusing on their history of knee injuries and arthritis symptoms.

They also looked at x-rays of subjects’ hands and knees. Overall, 28 percent of men and 23 percent of women said they ’d had a k nee injury that kept them off their feet for at least a few days.

The odds of having such an injur y were 78 percent higher among the one-third of men with the biggest finger-length disparity, versus the one-third with the smallest discrepancy. There was no link between finger length and knee injuries among women, nor was there a relationship between finger length and knee arthritis is men or women. S ome studies have linked the “male” finger pattern to higher aggression levels

and athletic prowess, while others have tied the pattern to certain health conditions, including arthritis in the knee and hand.

The cartilage that cushions the joints is sensitive to testosterone, so it’s possible that greater exposure to the hormone somehow makes the tissue more vulnerable to damage, wrote Haugen. Since the finger pattern has been tied to aggression and sports skills, it’s also possible that men with the pattern are more likely to be in situations where they could be injured. So, should men with long ring fingers worr y about their knees? Probably not, researchers said. The risk of any one person suffering a knee injury or arthritis would depend much more on factors like age, physical activity and body weight. — Reuters

Day of diplomacy for Obama in UK Continued from Page 1 “I believe that we have built enough momentum that, as long as we sustain the course we’re on, he will step down,” the president said of Gaddafi.

There was unity on Libya, but the news conference exposed a split between the two leaders on the Middle East peace process. Cameron backed Obama’s recently articulated call for a peace process to restart on the basis of Israel’s pre-1967 borders with mutually agreed land swaps. But while Obama strongly condemned the Palestinians’ plan to unilaterally seek statehood recognition from the United Nations, Cameron said it wasn’t the right time to weigh in on that.

After the news conference, Obama spoke to both houses of Parliament gathered in the cavernous 11th century Westminster Hall where generations of rulers have held coronation banquets and where many others lay in state while awaiting burial. His address came midway through a four-country European tour during which he’s connected with his unlikely Irish roots and enjoyed the hospitality of Queen Elizabeth II, even while keeping an eye on events at home where casualties are mounting from a virtually unprecedented monster tornado in Missouri.

The president spoke to grave global challenges of war, peace and economic strain, calling on Britain and the US to meet the issues head-on and together, and more broadly he exhorted the world to capitalize on momentum toward democracy and universal rights. As revolutions sweep the Middle East and North Africa, NATO forces bombard Libya, and US and British troops fight in Afghanistan, Obama gave a robust defense of the need for the US and Britain to put their military might at the service of people around the world seeking freedom. “If we fail to meet that responsibility, who would take our place?” the president asked.

“Our action - our leadership - is essential to the cause of human dignity. And so we must act and lead - with confidence in our ideals, and an abiding faith in the

character of our people, who sent us here today.” The president received a sustained, standing ovation for his defense of the American-British alliance and how the two “enduring allies” will be a defining force for good in the future, as well.

“As two of the most powerful nations in history, we must always remember that the true source of our influence hasn’t just been the size of our economy, the reach of our military, or the land that we’ve claimed,” the president said. “It has been the values that we must never waver in defending around the world - the idea that all human beings are endowed with certain rights that cannot be denied.” The president also got applause when he noted that it was possible for the grandson of a Kenyan who was a cook in the British army to stand in Westminster Hall as president of the United States.

And even on foreign soil, Obama sprinkled his speech with promotions for his political agenda at home. He called for spending on education and science even during austere times; for more progress on reducing the emissions that cause global warming; and for a government assurance that people can get health care.

Here, too, he said the United States and Britain can serve as model for emerging giants such as China, India, Brazil and others. “The successes and failures of our own past can serve as an example for emerging economies that it’s possible to grow without polluting; that lasting prosperity comes not from what a nation consumes, but from what it produces, and from the investments it makes,” he said.

After the speech, in a move rarely deployed in British politics, Obama worked the audience for almost 10 minutes, surprising lawmakers as he stopped for a series of brief chats. Yesterday was Day 3 of Obama’s four-country, six-day Europe tour, which began in Ireland and will take him to France today for an economic summit, and finally to Poland. The president was spending two days in Britain, staying at Buckingham Palace with first lady Michelle Obama at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II. — AP

y

A

14

e niv rsar n

Years

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

OPINION

THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF ESTABLISHED 1961

Founder and Publisher

YOUSUF S. AL-ALYAN Editor-in-Chief

ABD AL-RAHMAN AL-ALYAN EDITORIAL : 24833199-24833358-24833432 ADVERTISING : 24835616/7 FAX : 24835620/1 CIRCULATION : 24833199 Extn. 163 ACCOUNTS : 24835619 COMMERCIAL : 24835618 P.O.Box 1301 Safat,13014 Kuwait.

E MAIL :info@kuwaittimes.net Website: www.kuwaittimes.net

issues

Mubarak’s trial poses challenge to judiciary

By Samer Al-Atrush

he trial of ex-president Hosni Mubarak will pose several challenges to Egypt’s court system, chiefly how to assure a skeptical public that the ousted dictator will be judged impartially, legal experts say. The formal charges of murder and graft following Mubarak’s initial detention in April came amid the threat of mass protests which the ruling military-seen as rather out of its depthwants to avoid. That, according to human rights lawyer Gamal Eid, is reason to fear that Mubarak, who ruled Egypt for three decades, may still manage to escape justice if pressure is not kept on the military. “The problem is that justice has not moved according to the law, but because of popular pressure,” he said. “This increases suspicion that if people are not alert, there will be no justice.”

Mubarak is accused of involvement in the killings of anti-regime protesters and several counts of corruption. An official inquiry has said that at least 846 people died in the protests that overthrew him. His two sons, who face the same charges, are in a Cairo prison. But the former president, who turned 83 this month, has managed to avoid jail after he reportedly suffered a heart attack during an interrogation in April. He is in police custody in a hospital in the Red Sea town of Sharm El-Sheikh, which issues almost daily reports on his health.

His condition is said to have improved but the interior ministry, tasked by the public prosecutor with transferring him to a military hospital and then a prison hospital, does not appear close to carrying out the order. A medical report commissioned by the public prosecutor said Mubarak was in stable condition as long as he received treatment for his heart condition, but he had to be kept in a place ready to deal with any deterioration in his health. The delay in transferring Mubarak may indicate that putting him on trial will be very difficult, Eid said. “Maybe they’ll say Mubarak will be tried, but only when his health improves,” he said.

Mahmud al-Khodeiry, the former deputy head of the appeal court and a judicial reformer, said Mubarak was healthy enough to stand trial, even if he had stay in hospital between hearings.

“Mubarak’s health shouldn’t prevent him from being tried. He could go from the hospital to court appearances,” he said. The date for the trial of Mubarak and his sons, and its location, have not yet been set. The official MENA news agency reported it will be held in a Cairo district criminal court, but the court could be moved to Sharm elSheikh.

Ahmed Mekki, deputy head of Cairo appeal court, said such a move would have no precedent.

“But it is allowed by law. They can all be tried there, because of the security conditions, for example.”

Wherever it happens, the court must do its best to make the unprecedented trial as transparent as possible, Mekki and Khodeiry said. The Egyptian judiciary has avoided the purges that targeted the police and government after the revolt that toppled Mubarak on February 11. It generally enjoys a reputation of integrity, but it also has its doubters who point to serving judges famous for harsh sentencing of dissidents under Mubarak.

It has also never dealt with a trial on this scale.

Several ministers are on trial, on charges ranging from involvement in violence against anti-regime protesters to corruption, but trying a former president is a different matter. Mekki and Khodeiry said a moratorium on filming trials should be waived in this instance. “The trial should be filmed. We need it to be broadcast, because secrecy will make people suspect the proceedings,” Khodeiry said. “This is a unique trial, and it is a cause for anxiety. Can it be a fair trial? It will be a test,” Mekki said. —AFP

T

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.

Lagarde would change style, not substance at IMF

By Daniel Flynn n effective negotiator but no economic visionary, French finance minister Christine Lagarde would bring a change of style, not substance to the IMF and be unlikely to push for radical solutions to Europe’s debt crisis.

A labor and anti-trust lawyer by training, Lagarde lacks the academic pedigree, including a doctorate in economics, which helped former International Monetar y Fund chief Dominique Strauss-K ahn win the respec t of European leaders and IMF staff. But the charismatic 55-year- old, who on Wednesday announced her candidacy to succeed Strauss-K ahn af ter he resigned last week, has gained on-thejob experience of the challenges facing the IMF during France’s G20 presidency and the euro zone crisis.

She has won a reputation for brokering deals under pressure, overcoming Chinese resistance to the use by G20 governments of indicators to measure global economic imbalances, and allaying German fears over the creation of a euro zone bailout mechanism. As an official who helped to put together last year’s 110 billion euro ($155 billion) bailout of Greece by Europe and the IMF, Lagarde could be expected to maintain the Fund’s financial support of Athens while pushing it for privatizations and more spending cuts. She would almost certainly seek to avoid more drastic solutions such as a forced restructuring of Greek debt.

And at a time when the IMF has been seek ing to move beyond the “Washington consensus”-heavily market-oriented policies resented by some emerging economies-Lagarde would bring a French vision of the importance of social spending, plus her desire for a “multipolar” world in which China and other developing nations played a greater role. “Lagarde would be very much in the continuity of what StraussK ahn did,” said Gilles Moec, senior European economist with Deutsche Bank. “What’s interesting is that she would bring those French values, which are probably what’s needed, but also an understanding of the Anglo-Saxon approach.”

A

Lagarde appears to have enough support in Europe, the United States and China to handily defeat any potential challengers to head the IMF. Critics say she is an economic lightweight who has not distinguished herself with any landmark legislation during four years at the finance ministry; in this period, much economic policy has been dictated from the Elysee presidential palace.

But the former attorney, who rose to become the first female chairman of Chicago-based law firm Baker &

European nations rallying behind Lagarde, the main obstacle to her nomination could be a possible judicial probe into her role in awarding a friend of French President Nicolas Sarkozy a 285 million euro payout to settle a legal dispute. Judges are to rule on June 10 - the deadline to submit IMF nominations-on whether to launch an inquiry.

Although developing states have been pushing for an end to the tradition by which Europe has the final say in choosing the IMF head, Europeans say it is cru-

PARIS: French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde gestures as reporters raise their hand to ask a question during a press conference in Paris yesterday. —AP McKenzie, has fought hard to promote her positions. She has earned a reputation as the most uncompromising opponent of a Greek debt restructuring among euro zone ministers. “You can’t stroke an elephant a little bit,” Lagarde warned euro zone ministers in February, expressing fears of market turmoil if Greece were allowed to default.

Beneath her Chanel jackets and stylish shock of silver hair, the former synchronized swimming champion has a strong political sense, say those who have met her. “She’s thoroughly familiar with all the substantive issues and she’s a great negotiator with good political instincts,” said DeAnne Julius, head of the Chatham House think-tank. With

cial for them to retain their 65-year grip on the Fund while it is involved in Greece, Portugal and Ireland. Lagarde’s effectiveness as head of IMF could hinge on the manner in which this issue is resolved.

Any sense of a backroom deal between the United States and Europe to choose her could leave a legacy of bitterness that would undermine her. She herself has called for a transparent selection process and French officials say she has the backing of China, the IMF’s third-largest shareholder, which appreciated her sensitive handling of controversy over the yuan’s exchange rate at G20 meetings.

“To jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war,” has been Lagarde’s favorite phrase during France’s G20 presidency,

quoting Winston Churchill, and her negotiating skills may be important to rebuild bridges with emerging powers.

But given the risk of Greece becoming the first western European state to default in six decades, some economists say a European may not be the best choice to tackle the crisis. “To really solve the EMU crisis, it might be better if some leadership and authority came from outside of Europe with a fresh set of independent eyes,” said Goldman Sachs Asset Management Chairman Jim O’Neill, suggesting the zone faced a choice of kicking out weak states or tightening fiscal union.

If she is named the IMF’s 11th managing director, Lagarde would be the first not to have had a career path as an economist or civil servant at a national central bank or finance ministry. IMF insiders say Strauss-Kahn’s economic expertise was an asset during the global credit crisis of 2007-09, when it had to adapt fast to the worst slump since the Great Depression. In a break with the IMF’s traditional approach, Strauss-Kahn advocated Keynesian fiscal stimulus to world leaders. “It’s not just about reading staff reports: at some point managing directors need to act on their own ideas,” said one of his former IMF colleagues, who asked not to be named. “DSK was great at that because he had the economics background. If he took risks, they were not so great because he knew what he was talking about...With someone without that expertise, it would be different.”

An economics PhD, however, does not guarantee success: former Spanish finance minister Rodrigo de R ato’s chaotic 2004-07 tenure was regarded as a low point for the IMF, par tly because of a collapse in demand for its lending. S enior French officials acknowledge Lagarde’s lack of economic expertise compared with someone like Strauss-Kahn, but argue it would not necessarily harm her performance. “We were lucky to have someone as well qualified as Strauss-Kahn during the crisis...but the IMF is already full of economists,” said one source.

“What you need is someone who understands the issues, who can negotiate and give leadership.” —Reuters

Europe oil demand at 1995 lows as prices bite

By Zaida Espana uropean oil consumption this year will fall to its lowest since 1995 as high prices cut sharply into fuel use in debt-laden peripheral eurozone nations.

Efficiency gains have reduced European oil demand over the past five years. Crude price changes do not normally have as much impact on retail demand as in the United States because tax in Europe makes up a much larger share of total fuel costs. Now, with crude priced at $110-$120 a barrel, high prices are accelerating the decline.

“Europe is showing strong signs of demand destruction as the EU battles with rising debt problems among its member states which also feel the wrath of high fuel prices,” said David Wech from

E

Vienna-based JBC Energy consultancy. “As we went into higher prices it was always a risk that we would see demand erosion and destruction, and the numbers coming out are confirming this risk,” said Olivier Jakob at Petromatrix.

Energy consultants Wood Mackenzie say total European demand could fall by 200,000250,000 barrels per day this year from around 15.1 million bpd in 2010. Last time demand was seen at levels below 15 million was in 1995, versus a peak of 2006 at 16.42 million. “We are going back to 1995 levels this year and probably next year as well and then we expect it to start to grow again recovering a little bit as long as economic recovery continues and as long as prices don’t go too high,” said Wood Mackenzie ana-

lyst Francis Osborne.

Oil prices spiked as unrest in the Middle East and North Africa shut in around 1.5 million barrels per day of Libyan crude supplies and concerns emerged about how much spare capacity OPEC has left to cushion any new supply shortage. European refineries, which have far greater capacity than demand, kept over a fifth of their capacity shut in April for a second month running, data from industry monitor Euroilstocks showed.

Across the Atlantic, US gasoline demand fell in April for the first time in three months as high pump prices and expensive grocery bills took their toll on drivers.

Refineries in 16 European countries worked at 78.61 percent of capacity in April compared with 77.47 percent of capacity in March, and 80.63 percent a year earlier.

Most analysts attribute the low level of European crude runs to poor refining margins due to high crude prices. But as retail business tries to bring products prices at least partly in line with crude, it is also starting having a toll on demand amid austerity measures in many EU countries. Analysts expect to see the worse demand erosion in countries with mature and fragile economies. Data from south European countries already confirms the trend. Italy in April showed an acceleration in the drop of refined products use as consumption fell 1.6 percent versus a fall of 1.2 percent in JanuaryApril. Diesel demand for road vehicles inched up 0.5 percent but failed to offset a 6 percent fall in gasoline. “Very low demand for gasoline is basically showing the impact of oil prices,” said

Christophe Barret from Credit Agricole.

The West’s energy watchdog, the International Energy Agency, said this month that products demand in the 23 biggest European economies contracted by 4.1 in March year-on-year with gasoline use falling by over 6 percent. It urged OPEC to pump more oil added that it would consider releasing its own emergency stockpiles. The World Bank, the IMF and the Asian Development Bank have also all expressed concerns that high oil prices could undermine economic recovery.

“We expect to see in coming weeks more evidence in the statistics of oil demand destruction and this should maintain a strong cap on (oil price) rallies,” Petromatrix consultant Olivier Jakob said. —Reuters

y

A

15

e niv rsar n

Years

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

ANALYSIS

Many see rule crumbling if Gaddafi were killed

By Adam Tanner he elimination of rivals and accumulation of power that has kept Muammar Gaddafi in charge of Libya for four decades means that if he were to be killed his system of rule would probably collapse.

He has created a political system of overlapping entities and structures that, whatever their formal function, are subservient to the “brother leader” and his close circle. “The regime has already been shaken by the defection of core members,” said Ronald Bruce St John, author of several books on Libya. “It is highly unlikely that it could also survive Gaddafi’s demise.” NATO officials overseeing air strikes on Libya say they are not directly targeting Gaddafi, but have repeatedly hit his main compound in Tripoli and, according to Libyan officials, he had a near-miss when one strike hit a house where he was staying.

One of the world’s longest-serving leaders who took office at the age of 27 in 1969, Gaddafi has developed a very personalized ruling philosophy that incorporates elements of Arab nationalism and socialism. In recent years, the Libyan leader has given his sons greater authority but many say, were Gaddafi to die, power would fragment in a country already divided by tribalism and historical division, and rivalry among his sons.

“Once a key node collapses, regime collapse could come relatively fast,” said Shashank Joshi, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London. “Internally a key defection or a key death leads to others deciding the game is up and defecting or collapsing.”

The Libyan government still retains an army far better equipped and trained than the rebels and the Western powers say they will not introduce ground troops. Thus Gaddafi’s administration could fight on after his departure, even in the face of internal divisions and the whole system of rule splintering. Officials in Tripoli say the entire Libyan

T

people is engaged in the fight with the rebels and NATO, a battle they say will go on whether or not Gaddafi is in the picture. “The psychological blow to the regime would be huge but his death would not necessarily resolve this conflict and might even make things worse,” said Alex Warren, a director of Frontier, a Middle East and North Africa research firm.

“I think the regime will have made contingency plans for Gaddafi’s death. One of the

and Khamis, Libya watchers say. “No one son enjoys the support of the general public, military, intelligence and security services, and tribal leaders necessary to build the requisite political coalition, especially in a short-term, crisis milieu,” said St John, whose books include “Libya: From Colony to Independence”. “If the Gaddafi family and remaining regime members hesitate, that is do not immediately start shooting citizens demonstrating in favor of the rebellion, a

MISRATA: Rebel fighters rest in a makeshift military camp in the east front line against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces yesterday. —AP sons, probably Saif (al-Islam Gaddafi), might try to rally support and take on the father’s mantle, but that would be a very difficult task.” Powerful Arab rulers have enabled their children to take power after their deaths in countries as diverse as Syria and Morocco, but such successions have taken place during peacetime. Yet Gaddafi’s divideand-rule philosophy, which extends to his own sons, will make any succession messy.

Saif Al-Islam has clashed repeatedly in the past with his influential brothers Mutassim

widespread popular revolt could quickly develop in areas like Tripoli currently controlled by the Gaddafi regime.”

Even if the ruling system were to crumble, many dangers lie ahead. Iraq is an example of the chaos that can follow a dictator’s departure. US President George W Bush declared an end to major hostilities only weeks after Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein disappeared in April 2003. The Iraqi dictatorship’s government was ousted, but violence continued for years after Saddam’s December 2003 capture

and eventual execution.

Public sentiment against foreign occupation became a unifying force for many in Iraq. Because of Libya’s oil wealth-it has the largest proven oil reserves in Africa-the wellconnected have a stake in continuing some version of the current way of ruling and could try to rally under the banner of antiimperialism. “There may be pockets of loyalists in some areas who have a stake in the system and who want to flee with various assets, that sort of thing. But I don’t think it will be a catastrophe,” said Ashour Shamis, a UK-based Libyan opposition activist.

“If Gaddafi goes that will be the end of the regime. There is no chance of the regime coming back, or even a regime similar to his.”

In Egypt, the army stepped in when President Hosni Mubarak was forced from power. Gaddafi’s sidelining of traditional government power bases make this scenario unlikely. “The big difference with Egypt is that Libya doesn’t have an army that is powerful enough to hold the reins,” said Charles Gurdon, managing director of London-based political risk consultancy Menas Associates.

“If he goes, the family goes as well.” There are doubts in Western capitals about the ability of the rebels to step in and run the country.

From its base in the eastern city of Benghazi, the rebels’ Transitional National Council has been trying to cast itself as a government-in-waiting. “The opposition has organized a legitimate and credible interim council ... and when Gaddafi inevitably leaves, a new Libya stands ready to move forward,” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said this week. But there are divisions and rivalries within the council itself, with in some cases different officials vying with each other for control of important portfolios.

There are question marks too over whether a rebel movement that has its base in the eastern Cyrenaica region can overcome historical suspicions, dating back to when Libya was divided into three entities, and win over people in Libya’s west. —Reuters

NATO war-lite means Libyan rebels must improvise

By Matt Robinson olonel Juma Ibrahim still wears the wings of the MiG 25 fighter pilot and instructor he was until a few months ago, when he joined the rebellion in Libya’s Western Mountains against Muammar Gaddafi. Now, he’s grounded, helping to direct a war with Citizens’ Band radio, Google maps and Skype. Rebel spotters on the ground describe for him the artillery positions or movements of Gaddafi’s forces using a contour of the desert or a cluster of almond trees that fighters from these parts might know by name. NATO planes, flying at high altitude, are heard but rarely seen. They are fighting a war at arm’s length, keeping Gaddafi’s forces from the rebel gates, without removing the threat altogether.

The rebels are left to make it up as they go along.

“NATO is protecting us, but it seems they don’t want us to go to Tripoli,” said Ibrahim. The western front of the Libyan war amounts to a chain of towns running more than 200 km from the Tunisian border across the bleak mountain plateau to the rebel command centre of Zintan, some 150 km southwest of the capital. Gaddafi’s forces hold the desert plains and, at their closest point, sit level with Zintan some 10-15 km from the town centre, shelling the

C

desert and exchanging tank rounds and heavy gunfire with overstretched and ill-disciplined rebels.

The town itself has come under fire, most recently on Monday. This is a do-it-yourself war of stolen ammunition, smuggled fuel and aid supplies of tinned tuna and processed cheese. Their planes grounded by NATO, Gaddafi’s forces quite literally face an uphill battle to wrest the Western Mountains from the rebels, many of them ethnic Berbers who see the rebellion as a chance to reassert an identity denied them under the Libyan leader.

But it has not stopped Gaddafi from besieging both ends of the rebel-held strip-the border crossing to the west and Zintan to the east.

Battles last week, witnessed by Reuters, laid bare the limitations of the rebels on the ground and of an air war waged by NATO pilots at 12,000 feet. There is rising frustration among the mountain rebels at what they see as NATO’s half-hearted approach to war and its reluctance to engage with them directly. As proGaddafi forces rained artillery down on the desert to the east of Zintan, rebel commander Fethi Al-Ayab tried to coordinate the response using the kind of limited-range CB radio found in taxis.

Rebels in civilian cars and mismatched military

fatigues rushed to the front, some at the trigger of antiaircraft guns, others armed with shotguns. Spotters reported back to the control centre in Zintan, where Ibrahim or, on this occasion, a former pilot named Abdullah, tracked down the coordinates of the enemy positions using Google Maps and sent word via Skype to Benghazi, which passed the information to NATO advisers in the de facto rebel capital, Abdullah explained the evening after the fight.

Rebels in Zintan say that officially they have no direct contact with NATO and, unlike Benghazi, no advisers from the Western alliance on the ground to help coordinate the fight. “Sometimes it takes 40 minutes to see the plane. It’s a long time,” said Abdullah, a senior rebel with a wiry moustache and until four months ago a career as a transport pilot. NATO hit the artillery positions in the direction of the blockaded town of Yafran, driving Gaddafi’s forces back across the brook, and pounded huge weapons depots beneath the desert to the south to rebel cries of “Allahu Akbar!” But they kept coming.

Rebel commander Al-Ayab got word that a convoy of Gaddafi vehicles led by at least one tank had advanced through the village of Ryayna, outflanking the rebels who sped to reinforce. —Reuters

Little change after lots of Mideast talk

By Dan Perry fter a tense White House meeting and four speeches by the leaders of the US and Israel, the Israeli-Palestinian picture is becoming clearer: a resumption of peace negotiations is improbable, and the Palestinians seem headed to the United Nations to get recognition instead. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech Tuesday before a supportive US Congress was remarkable in its way: the right-winger who once opposed even timid peace moves promised to be the first to recognize Palestine one day.

But it also made clear to the Palestinians that his vision of their future state falls far short of what they want. Their reaction, predictably, was scathing. The Palestinians also face a challenge from the United States. While much has been made of the tension between Netanyahu and President Barack Obama at a meeting last week, the Palestinians also heard an identical message from both: Peace must be negotiated, so don’t go to the UN. They may ultimately drop the gambit if they conclude it promises to be a messy affair with a vague outcome.

But almost no one on the ground believes negotiations between the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships can lead to an agreement. And both have set conditions for even restarting talks that are unlikely to be met.

First, Netanyahu is demanding that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas cancel the three-week-old reconciliation agreement between his moderate Fatah party and the Hamas militant group. Hamas kicked Abbas’

A

forces out of power in Gaza four years ago, and it still rules the coastal strip with an iron fist.

Israel - like the US - views Hamas as a terrorist group bent on its destruction. Despite occasional hints of moderation, Hamas is unlikely anytime soon to bend to demands that it accept Israel, give up terrorism and adopt past peace accords. There is a way around the Hamas issue: Take Abbas at his word that he is the negotiator, representing the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organization, and not just the Palestinian Authority govern-

new construction in Jewish settlements. With East Jerusalem included in this along with the West Bank, that means freezing construction in areas where about a half-million Israelis live.

Netanyahu opposes that on principle. He allowed a 10-month slowdown on settlement construction to expire in September, resulting in a collapse in negotiations. And in Tuesday’s speech to Congress, he referred to the West Bank as the Jews’ historical heartland and vowed never to divide Jerusalem.

The Palestinians are sticking to

WEST BANK: A Palestinian family herd sheep near the settlement of Maaleh Adumim (background) in the West Bank. —AP ment. But Netanyahu chose not to take it.

The unity deal may yet fall apart for other reasons, but it is key to Abbas because it enables him to say he represents all Palestinians, including those in Gaza. If he goes ahead with an appeal for recognition at the UN in September, Palestinian unity will be a key building block of his case. Second, the Palestinians continue to demand Israel freeze

this demand. This equation might have changed if the Palestinians found enough to be tempted by in the visions of peace outlined in the four speeches: Obama’s on Thursday and Sunday, and Netanyahu’s on Monday and Tuesday.

Obama may have hoped to achieve just that when he said in his first speech that a peace deal must be based on the pre-1967 lines, and that elicited plaudits

from the Palestinians and shock in Israel. It accounted for the tension in his meeting Friday with Netanyahu, who afterward lectured the U.S. president on Mideast history in front of the cameras. But Obama also mentioned mutually agreed land swaps - a point that throws much open to discussion and which he amplified, apparently to the Israelis’ satisfaction, in his second speech.

The net result is a sense that borders based on the pre-1967 lines have yet to be negotiated, and the devil will be in the details. It’s a nuanced US nod to Abbas, but probably not a gamechanger for the Palestinians.

Netanyahu embraced Palestinian statehood in his speech to Congress, speaking warmly of his neighbors’ progress toward building institutions in the past two years, convincingly explaining why Israel must not rule the Palestinians, and promising to be the first to recognize an independent Palestine when the time is right.

He also said he knows some settlements will be abandoned in any feasible deal - hardly a revolutionar y concept, but the clearest such statement from him. To hear such words from any Israeli leader - let alone one from the right - would have been deeply startling just a few years ago. Now, it seems to be too little, too late. Netanyahu refused to agree explicitly to a deal based on 1967, although he seems to harbor few illusions that this is, more or less, what must be done. That would have been a gesture toward Obama, not just the Palestinians.

He ruled out any division of Jerusalem, where Palestinians

want the occupied eastern sector to be their capital. The complications there are huge: the Old City, which is in the occupied part, is holy not only to Jews and Muslims but to Christians as well.

And about 200,000 Israelis live on occupied Jerusalem land surrounding the Arab core, rendering the city an ethnically mixed jumble. He called on Abbas to tell Palestinians that Israel is the Jewish state.

And he ruled out any return to Israel of Palestinian refugees or their descendants, even though the right of return is a demand the Palestinians seem to be sticking to despite widespread expectations that they will ultimately drop it. Shaul Mofaz, a top leader of the center-left opposition Kadima party, said Netanyahu’s performance amounted to saying that “he intends to do nothing, he has no plan, and he does not intend to reach an agreement.” Top Palestinian official Nabil Shaath offered a very similar view.

“This is like a declaration of war against the Palestinians,” Shaath said. “He offered a solution based on ignoring the ‘67 borders, ignoring Jerusalem, ignoring the right of return.” “We have nothing (to do) but continue our struggle on the international arena,” he added, apparently referring to the UN plan. The Palestinians are still trying to figure out how to navigate the world body’s maze of procedures and politics. Normally, the UN Security Council recommends membership, and only then does the General Assembly vote on it. But the Palestinians expect the United States to veto that resolution in the council, and they are looking for an alternate path. —AP

focus

Faltering policy experiment ups stakes for Turkey

By Sujata Rao urkey’s yawning balance of payments deficit and an exodus of foreign investors suggest its unorthodox monetary policy experiment may have gone too far, threatening to make Ankara a new flashpoint for risk in global emerging markets. The country’s monthly foreign funding shortfall is running at almost $10 billion, latest data shows-a tough position to be in when confidence in developing markets is shaky and Western powers are preparing to wind down easymoney policies.

Financing such a deficit in recent years hasn’t been difficult, with Turkey’s stock and bond markets pumped up by huge foreign portfolio flows, its 2001 financial crash a distant memor y. But that pic ture could be changing. A Bank of America/Merrill Lynch poll last week showed equity fund managers are underweight in Turkey for the first time in more than three years. A separate JPMorgan survey showed foreigners cut Turkish debt and currency exposure in May and went significantly underweight on its bonds.

Non-residents had also pulled $325 million out of Turkish stocks by mid-May this year, central bank data shows. “There are very few countries in the world that run such a large current account deficit or are as vulnerable as Turkey to the withdrawal of capital from emerging markets,” said Julian Thompson, head of emerging markets at Axa Investment Managers. “It’s sufficiently worrying to have next to no exposure there,” added Thompson, who now has less than 1 percent of the money he manages in Turkish stocks, versus 5 percent last year.

The big issue for many foreigners is a central bank policy experiment that looks to have gone wrong. In a bid to avoid currency overvaluation, Turkey’s central bank six months ago shocked markets with an interest rate cut, arguing that this would drive out foreign hot money. To check a domestic credit boom, it raised banks’ required reserve ratios (RRRs), hoping this would cool the economy down.

Turkey wasn’t alone in trying unusual measures-central banks across the developing world used RRRs as a policy tightening tool after the so-called currency wars, that were triggered by a second bout of US money printing last year.

But unlike Turkey, none went so far as to also cut rates. “There are risks attached to this strategy because it’s in unknown territory,” said Pierre-Yves Bareau, head of emerging debt at JP Morgan Asset Management. The steps did check lira gains. But by cutting rates the bank may well have reignited inflation in an already overheating economy as loan demand remains brisk. Lower rates also leave Turkey horribly exposed to downturns in global risk appetite. At worst, Turkey risks a market meltdown followed by recession, harking back to its 20th century history of boom-and-bust economic c ycles. AXA’s Thompson notes Turkish interest rates are half of Brazil’s, yet it has a far greater deficit to fill.

“It’s a dangerous game they are playing as the funding environment is becoming less favorable,” he added.

The country’s banks, which escaped the 2008 financial crisis unscathed, may also be at risk. Not only do they expect profits to take a 20 percent hit from the hikes in RRRs, there are signs they are turning to borrowing to meet unabated loan demand. A BoA/Merrill client note estimated banks’ short-term external debt at $50 billion, twice the pre-crisis peak. All this has caused Turkish stocks and the lira to lag other emerging markets, with 9 percent equity losses in May alone. Bond yields are up almost 200 basis points this year.

“We get the impression investors have lost patience with Turkey,” said Michael Penn, global equity strategist at BoA/ML. “In many people’s minds the policy experiment has failed.”

Turkey’s central bank has said that its steps have helped cut short-term flows and that it is optimistic credit growth will slow over time, but analysts now think it could find itself forced into a policy-tightening U-turn in coming months. Foreign investors point to buoyant domestic demand fuelling relentless import growth and pushing the deficit ever wider. And nor are high oil prices entirely to blame-non-energy items comprise almost half the deficit. Investors also note other emerging central banks only used reserve ratios as a stopgap. JP Morgan’s Bareau noted that all other RRR users followed up with fiscal tightening and rate rises. In this way countries such as China and Brazil have retained investor confidence -the BoA/ML sur vey showed fund managers overweight in both these markets.

The consensus is that Turkey will eventually return to an orthodox monetary policy, probably once June elec tions are past.

Forward rates are pricing in 75-100 basis points in rate rises in 2011, while some like JP Morgan even predict 175 basis points in hikes as inflation expectations force a policy U-turn.

Bareau conceded the central bank’s current policy may yet work but he doesn’t plan to stick around to find out. He sold his Turkish bond positions last week and is now underweight. —Reuters

T

A

y

e niv rsar n

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

Years

sp orts Warne mentor Jenner dies SYDNEY: Former Australia test cricketer Terry Jenner, who mentored spin-bowling great Shane Warne, died at the age of 66 yesterday.

Jenner, who took 24 wickets in nine tests for Australia in the early 1970s, died at home in Adelaide just over a year after suffering a massive heart attack. “Terry passed away peacefully today just a month and a half after the anniversary of his heart attack,” his wife Ann posted on his website (http://terryjenner.blogspot.com/) Jenner served a prison sentence for embezzlement in the 1980s before going on to become spin bowling coach at the Australian Cricket Academy in Adelaide.

There he was credited with having a huge influence on turning fellow legspinner Warne into a world class bowler. “Working with Shane changed everything,” Jenner, who had struggled with problem gambling, said last year.

“I was out there earning the respect of people and the good news is that I felt like I’d redeemed myself for the downs I had.” — Reuters

MLB results/standings Major League Baseball results and standings on Tuesday. Colorado 12, Arizona 4; Arizona 5, Colorado 2; Cincinnati 6, Philadelphia 3; Baltimore 5, Kansas City 3; NY Yankees 5, Toronto 4; Boston 4, Cleveland 2; Detroit 7, Tampa Bay 6; Atlanta 2, Pittsburgh 0; Chicago White Sox 8, Texas 6; Chicago Cubs 11, NY Mets 1; LA Dodgers 5, Houston 4; Minnesota 4, Seattle 2; Milwaukee 7, Washington 6; Oakland 6, LA Angels 1; St Louis 3, San Diego 2 (11 innings); Florida 5, San Francisco 1.

American League Eastern Division W L PCT NY Yankees 26 21 .553 Boston 26 22 .542 Tampa Bay 26 23 .531 Toronto 24 24 .500 Baltimore 22 24 .478 Central Division Cleveland 30 16 .652 Detroit 25 23 .521 Kansas City 22 25 .468 Chicago White Sox23 27 .460 Minnesota 16 31 .340 Western Division Texas 25 24 .510 LA Angels 25 25 .500 Seattle 23 25 .479 Oakland 23 26 .469 National League Eastern Division Philadelphia 29 19 .604 Florida 27 19 .587 Atlanta 27 23 .540 NY Mets 22 25 .468 Washington 21 27 .438 Central Division St. Louis 30 20 .600 Milwaukee 26 23 .531 Cincinnati 26 23 .531 Pittsburgh 22 25 .468 Chicago Cubs 21 25 .457 Houston 18 31 .367 Western Division San Francisco 27 20 .574 Colorado 24 23 .511 Arizona 24 24 .500 LA Dodgers 22 28 .440 San Diego 19 30 .388

GB .5 1 2.5 3.5 6 8.5 9 14.5 .5 1.5 2 1 3 6.5 8 3.5 3.5 6.5 7 11.5 3 3.5 6.5 9

Singapore clubs suspended SINGAPORE: Singapore champions Etoile FC and Houngang United have been suspended from the top-flight S League after an all-in brawl caused their fixture to be scrapped before kickoff earlier this week.

A disciplinar y hearing has been scheduled for June 3 and matches involving either of the two clubs have been suspended.

“We have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to violent conduct both on and off the pitch,” Singapore Football Association (FAS) President Zainudin Nordin said.

“FAS has started investigations and will pursue the matter thoroughly. Any players and officials found guilty of misconduct will be severely dealt with.” Local

VIRGINIA WATER: World number one Lee Westwood led a glowing endorsement of the recent Wentworth changes made by Ernie Els on the eve of the European Tour’s flagship PGA Championship.

Second-ranked Luke Donald, US Open champion Graeme McDowell and world number six Rory McIlroy also praised the way Els had altered the eighth, 15th and 18th holes following criticism last year from many of the players.“ It was well documented I criticised the eighth and 18th greens and he has changed those,” Westwood told reporters yesterday. “So if they are not right you can blame me I guess.

“It’s nice to see those changed because the eighth was maybe a little severe. At the 18th everybody likes to see somebody having a chance to make an eagle three to win or having to be aggressive and making the target a bit bigger will encourage that.”

South African Els, who has a property on the Wentworth estate, has widened the 18th green from 380 to 586 square metres and also given the players extra room to the right of the putting surface to encourage a more attacking approach. — Reuters

White Sox outlast Rangers Al Alburquerque (1-1) earned his first major league victory in his 14th appearance after getting two key outs in the eighth. Joaquin Benoit pitched the ninth for his first save. Ramos (0-1) gave up hits to both batters he faced.

ARLINGTON: Carlos Quentin hit three home runs as the Chicago White Sox beat the Texas Rangers 8-6 on Tuesday in a game delayed nearly 3 hours by heavy rain and hail that sent fans scurrying for cover throughout the ballpark.

Fans were moved from the upper deck to the lower seating bowl and then told to take cover in tunnels beneath the ballpark as a storm approached that halted play in the fourth inning.

The game resumed after a delay of 2 hours, 58 minutes. The final out was recorded at 1:27 a.m. Quentin had his first career three -homer game and slumping Adam Dunn hit a tiebreaking shot in the sixth off Brett Tomko (0-1).

Mitch Moreland’s run-scoring single in the sixth got the Rangers within 6-5, but Dunn’s RBI double in the seventh restored the two-run lead. Quentin’s third homer — a solo shot off Dave Bush in the ninth — made it 8-6.

Orioles 5, Royals 3 At Baltimore Adam Jones capped a ninth-inning rally with a two-run walkoff homer against Joakim Soria to give Baltimore a victory over Kansas City.

Jones hit an pitch over the center-field wall to cap a three-run rally that gave Baltimore its third straight victory.

The Orioles improved to 1-21 when trailing after eight innings. Baltimore trailed 3-2 entering the ninth. After one out, J.J. Hardy doubled off the glove of third baseman Wilson Betemit. Pinch-hitter Felix Pie then grounded a double inside third base to tie it.

Red Sox 4, Indians 2 At Cleveland, Josh Beckett picked up his first regular-season win in Cleveland as Boston dealt the Indians their fifth loss at home.

Beckett (4-1) allowed one run and five hits in 6 2-3 innings for his only nonpostseason win at Progressive Field. He won here in the 2007 American League championship series, pitching eight

CHICAGO: White Sox’s Brent Morel (left) and Juan Pierre (right) celebrate Carlos Quentin’s (center) three run home run in the top of the third inning. —AP dominant innings in Game 5 as the Red Sox kept their season alive and eventually won the series.

Jason Varitek hit a two-run homer in the seventh off Fausto Carmona (3-5), and Jonathan Papelbon got his ninth save for the Red Sox, who are a leaguebest 15-7 in May. Adrian Gonzalez hit an RBI single for the Red Sox, who ended a five-game losing streak in Cleveland.

Travis Buck homered in the ninth for the Indians, who had their four-game winning streak stopped and dropped to 19-5 at home.

Yankees 5, Blue Jays 4 At New York, Curtis Granderson had a tying RBI single in the ninth inning then stole second base before Mark Teixeira singled him home to give CC Sabathia and New York the win over Toronto.

The Yankees rallied for two runs in the

Canucks roll into Cup finals VANCOUVER: Kevin Bieksa scored 10:18 into the second overtime as the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in 17 years with a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.

The Canucks ended the Western Conference finals in five games after getting even 2-2 with 13.2 seconds left in regulation when Ryan Kesler scored with goalie Roberto Luongo on the Vancouver bench for an extra skater.

It will be Vancouver’s first trip to the Cup finals since 1994, when the Canucks lost in seven games to the New York Rangers. The last NHL team from Canada to win the title was the Montreal Canadiens in 1993.

Exactly 17 years day after they earned their previous trip to play for the Cup, the Canucks rode 54 saves from Luongo and a lucky bounce to Bieksa to advance to the finals for the third time in the team’s 40-year history.

The puck caromed awkwardly off the glass on the sideboards and out to Bieksa just inside the blue line. His quick shot beat Antti Niemi inside the right post before the goalie — or mostly everyone else on the ice — knew where the puck was.

Vancouver was down 2-1 after Luongo’s gamble left Devin Setoguchi with an empty net 24 seconds into the third period. But Kesler, who left briefly in the second period with an apparent injury to his left leg, deflected Henrik Sedin’s shot through Niemi after a questionable icing call against San Jose.

Replays appeared to show that the puck hit Daniel Sedin, but icing was called anyway to set up an offensive zone faceoff for

media reported that the brawl was sparked by a minor altercation while the teams warmed up at Hougang’s stadium and swiftly developed.

Four people were treated at hospital for minor injuries, Singapore’s Straits Times newspaper reported. Both teams were quick to condemn such behaviour and were conducting their own probes into what had happened. “I am very, very angry to see such incidents happen.

Any player found guilty of violent conduct will be punished very heavily and the club will b e t h e f i r s t to t a k e a c t i o n ,” E to i l e chairman Johan Gouttefangeas said. His stance w a s re i te r a te d by H o u g a n g Chairman Bill Ng. — Reuters

Widespread praise for Els

Vancouver. After claiming the franchise’s first Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s top regular-season team, the Canucks are only four wins away from their first Stanley Cup title.

They will host Games 1 and 2 against either the Boston Bruins or Tampa Bay Lightning. The Bruins lead the Eastern Conference finals 3-2 and can advance with a Game 6 win at Tampa Bay on Wednesday. If necessary, Game 7 would be in Boston on Friday.

Antti Niemi made 31 saves, including Chris Higgins’ breakaway in the second overtime, for the Sharks, who lost the West finals last year to Chicago in six games. Niemi was the goalie for the eventual Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks.

It was Niemi’s first playoff loss in seven career series. Alex Burrows opened the scoring eight minutes in for the Canucks, but Patrick Marleau tied it for San Jose

with his sixth goal of the series on a power play midway through the second period. Setoguchi added his first into an empty net 24 seconds into the third after Luongo came diving out of his crease.

The Sharks, who were 5-0 in overtime in the playoffs, didn’t back off. After surviving an early flurry, San Jose fired 16 shots at Luongo in the first overtime, including a great glove save off Kyle Wellwood in the slot. Luongo was brilliant before and after Setoguchi’s goal, including the best of his 15 first-period saves while Vancouver killed a 1:24 twoman advantage. The shots were 21-7 for the Sharks when Marleau’s power-play deflection tied it in the second period — just as Kesler hobbled off after chasing a short-handed chance. Kesler, second in playoff scoring with 18 points, limped to the locker room favoring his left leg, but returned later in the period. —AP

VANCOUVER: San Jose Sharks’ Ryane Clowe (left) battles in front of the net with Vancouver Canucks’ Keith Ballard during the second of Game 5 of NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs Western Conference finals. —AP

eighth against relievers Casey Janssen and Marc Rzepczynski, and two in the ninth off Frank Francisco (1-2) for their sixth win in eight games.

Robinson Cano had an RBI double in the eighth and Russell Martin followed with a run-scoring single. Sabathia (5-3) retired the final 16 batters in his first complete game at home for the Yankees.

He gave up eight hits and four runs in the first four innings.

Tigers 7, Rays 6 At Detroit, Alex Avila’s second homer of the game in the eighth inning gave Detroit the lead over Tampa Bay. Miguel Cabrera hit a three-run homer in the fifth, giving him 34 RBIs this season, to help Detroit win its third straight.

Avila hit a solo drive in the sixth off starter Wade Davis and a go-ahead, tworun shot off Cesar Ramos in the eighth.

Twins 4, Mariners 2 At Minneapolis, Nick Blackburn came through with a desperately needed complete game and Denard Span had three hits and an RBI to lift Minnesota over Seattle. Blackburn (4-4) allowed seven hits and struck out six, throwing a careerhigh 127 pitches for his fifth career complete game and the Twins snapped a nine-game home losing streak.

Doug Fister (2-5) gave up four runs and nine hits with six strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings. He balked home the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and the Mariners saw their season-high six-game winning streak end. Miguel Olivo had a homer, a double and two RBIs for Seattle and Jason Kubel added two hits and an RBI for the Twins.

Athletics 6, Angels 1 At Anaheim, California, David DeJesus hit two homers and drove in four runs, and Guillermo Moscoso pitched six scoreless innings to win his first major league start, as Oakland snapped a sixgame losing streak.

DeJesus doubled his season homer total with a second-inning solo shot and a two-run homer in the fourth off Dan Haren (4-3), whose winless streak reached seven starts since he began the season 4-0. Moscoso (1-0), in his Oakland debut, gave up three hits and never allowed a runner to reach third base. Moscoso, who’s filling in for injured Tyson Ross, made brief appearances in the Texas Rangers’ bullpen the past two seasons.

Torii Hunter had a run-scoring single in the eighth inning against A’s reliever Craig Breslow, but DeJesus added an RBI double in the ninth. —AP

Reds snap 6-game skid PHILADELPHIA: Jay Bruce hit a tiebreaking, three-run double in the ninth inning as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-3 Tuesday to end a six-game losing streak. The Reds had lost eight straight against National League East-leading Philadelphia, including a three-game sweep in last year’s division playoff series.

Bruce came in swinging a hot bat. He had four homers in the last five games and was tied for the NL lead with 12. But he struck out three times and popped out in his first four at-bats before clearing the bases against Ryan Madson (2-1).

Logan Ondrusek (1-0) retired the only batter he faced to get the win.

Francisco Cordero finished for his ninth save in 10 tries.

Braves 2, Pirates 0 At Pittsburgh, Jair Jurrjens pitched six-hit ball into the eighth inning to lead Atlanta over Pittsburgh. Alex Gonzalez had three hits and scored a run for the Braves, who scratched out just enough offense to end Pittsburgh starter Charlie Morton’s three-game winning streak. Martin Prado had an RBI double.

D’backs 5, Rockies 2 At Denver, Carlos Gonzalez homered twice as Colorado became the first team to decipher Josh Collmenter’s tomahawk-pitching style, rallying past Arizona despite losing pitcher Jorge De La Rosa to a torn elbow ligament in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.

Then the Rockies lost the nightcap when Joe Saunders (1-5) snapped his six-game losing streak and Kelly Johnson hit a solo homer and had one of three RBI doubles off Jhoulys Chacin (5-3) in the sixth inning. Colorado manager Jim Tracy was ejected in the third inning of Game 2 after arguing a call at home plate. Between games, the Rockies

PHILADELPHIA: Cincinnati Reds shortstop Paul Janish (right) leaps over Philadelphia Phillies’ Carlos Ruiz after attempting to turn a double play in the sixth inning of a baseball game. —AP said an MRI showed a complete tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in De La Rosa’s left elbow.

That likely means surgery that would sideline the hard-throwing lefty for at least a year. Collmenter (3-1), the Arizona rookie with the unusually straight overhand delivery, blanked Colorado for three innings to run his scoreless streak to 24 before he gave up solo homers to Gonzalez and Seth Smith in the fourth.

Dodgers 5, Astros 4 At Houston, Jerry Sands hit a grand slam and Jay Gibbons also homered as Los Angeles snapped a three-game losing streak with a win over Houston. Astros starter J.A. Happ (3-6) walked Jamey Carroll with two outs in the third inning before a single by James Loney. Matt Kemp reached on an error by second baseman Bill Hall to set up the slam by Sands. The home run by Gibbons in the second put Los Angeles up 1-0.

Carlos Lee drove in two runs in Houston’s three-run third.

Cubs 11, Mets 1 At Chicago, Ryan Dempster pitched seven effective innings and Starlin Castro had three hits and two RBIs as Chicago pounded the stumbling New York Mets.

The Cubs kicked off a nine-game homestand with their 11th victory in their past 12 games against NL East teams, hours after putting right-hander Matt Garza on the 15day disabled list with elbow stiffness. The Mets dropped their first game since a pair of magazine articles about Fred Wilpon. The embattled owner first made a couple of chilly comments about three of the team’s biggest stars in an interview with The New Yorker, then told Sports Illustrated the club is “bleeding cash” and could lose up to $70 million this year.

Manager Terry Collins held a pregame meeting and urged his team to focus on its play on the field. The Mets all said they got the message, but it was hard to tell on an unseasonably cool night in Chicago. — AP

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

S P ORT S

Junqueira gives up ride at Indy 500 INDIANAPOLIS: Bruno Junqueira handled giving up his spot in the Indianapolis 500 better than one might expect. Perhaps that’s because the previous two years have prepared the Brazilian driver for the worst.

In 2009, he qualified a car for Conquest Racing, but gave up his spot to this year’s polesitter, Alex Tagliani, because Tagliani had more sponsorship.

Last year, Junqueira had to wait for Tagliani to qualify on Saturday because the FAZZT Race Team didn’t want to risk not having a backup car for Tagliani in case he crashed before qualifying.

Tagliani got through unscathed, and Junqueira posted a Sunday time that would have easily qualified on the first day. Despite that, Junqueira crashed in the race and completed just seven laps.

This year, Junqueira qualified 19th for the race in A.J. Foyt Racing’s No. 41 car, but Foyt and Andretti Autosport owner Michael Andretti made a deal Monday that put Andretti Autosport driver Ryan Hunter-Reay into the car for Sunday’s race.

Junqueira was fine as he hung around the Foyt garage on Tuesday. “My mind is OK,” he said. “I think I did my job well. I put the car in the field in good position, solid in the first day, and I did what I could.” Some fans didn’t handle the change as well as Junqueira, prompting a response from Michael Andretti. “I disagree with the idea that we

are doing something to hurt the integrity of the Indy 500,” he said in a statement. “We would never do that — ever. The rule is the fastest 33 cars make the race — not the 33 fastest drivers. And, that is what will be on track Sunday.”

Hunter-Reay wasn’t thrilled with the circumstances. “Am I happy to have the chance to run in the Indy 500? Sure, but this isn’t at all how I wanted it to happen,” he said in a statement. “I have the utmost respect for the Indianapolis 500, but this is not the way I wanted things to pan out. I’m in the race, but I’m not going to celebrate.

This race has a legacy and tradition that is undeniable. The reality is our car didn’t qualify and now I’m racing in the number 41.” HunterReay wished the situation didn’t cost Junqueira. “I feel awful for Bruno,” he said. “He did a great job getting the 41 car into the field, and I know how disappointed he must be to not be driving it on Sunday. I have a lot of respect for Bruno as a driver and as a person.” This is the second time HunterReay has played a role in Junqueira’s bad luck.

Junqueira qualified a car in a one-day effort in 2009. Af ter driving eight prac tice laps in Conquest Racing’s second car, he posted a speed that was good enough for the inside spot on the final row.

Tagliani, Conquest’s regular driver at the time,

thought his qualifying time from Saturday would hold up. But track conditions the next day were better, and he tumbled. The team sent him out to try and preserve his spot, but he was caught waiting in line at the end of the final qualifying session.

Hunter-Reay claimed the last position, a spot Tagliani could have taken if he had gotten another chance in qualifying. Hunter-Reay was driving for Foyt’s team at the time.

This year, teammate Marco Andretti bumped Hunter-Reay from the field at the end of Sunday’s session, leaving their boss searching for answers.

“When Sunday was over, we needed to find a way to take care of our sponsors — the same sponsors that get us to the racetrack every race, all season long, and keep the lights on at our shop,” Michael Andretti said. “Without them, we don’t exist. So, it wasn’t a tough decision from that perspective. We had to figure out a Plan B. Not getting them into the Indy 500 was not an option.”

It’s been an odd run of bad luck for Junqueira, a driver who a decade ago was one of the best at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He was the Indy 500 pole winner in 2002 and led 32 laps that year before a gearbox failure left him in 31st place. He placed fifth in 2001 and 2004.

Junqueira said he appreciated working with

Foyt this month. He said Foyt paid him to drive for him, a change from the usual expectation that a driver brings sponsorship to get a ride.

“It was the first time I drove for them and they gave me a great opportunity,” he said. “They’ve been very nice to tell me everything that’s happened. At least they gave me a chance.” Junqueira said Hunter-Reay is a good driver who shouldn’t be blamed for the transaction.

“It’s not his fault,” Junqueira said. “People are criticizing him, but he has no power from the team. Maybe he has fault of not qualifying. That’s his team as well because they didn’t give him a good car. Still, he was the guy driving. He was not qualifying. But to get him my ride is not his fault.”

Junqueira is not racing full time in IndyCar, instead driving in American Le Mans. Given his past success, he feels he should be in IndyCar. He feels there are some who are in the IndyCar series simply because they have financial backing, and that bothers him more than missing the Indianapolis 500. “It’s a little frustrating (to miss the race), but it’s more frustrating for me to see bad drivers getting good rides because they have money and I don’t,” he said.

“Some guys are on really good teams that don’t have that much talent because they have more sponsorship.”—AP

F1 rivals running out of ways to challenge Vettel

MIAMI: Heat’s LeBron James goes for a dunk over Chicago Bulls Luol Deng (9) during the second half of Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals basketball series. — AP

Heat scorch Bulls MIAMI: LeBron James scored 35 points and Chris Bosh added 22 as the Miami Heat overcame an early 11-point deficit to beat the Chicago Bulls 101-93 on Tuesday to take a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

Game 5 is today in Chicago, when the Heat can wrap up their first finals trip since 2006. Dwyane Wade went scoreless for nearly 33 straight minutes, before making a jump shot with 2:08 left to help Miami keep the lead. And after James made a contested jumper with 29 seconds left for a six-point lead, Wade soared to block Derrick Rose’s layup from out of almost nowhere on the

next Chicago possession. At long last, it was over. Bosh scored the first four points of overtime, and the Heat — now 8-0 at home in the playoffs — never trailed in the extra session. James closed it with two free throws with 1.4 seconds left, his 12th and 13th of the night, all without a miss. Bosh was 10 for 11 from the line, and Miami outscored Chicago 32-17 in that department. The Heat made their final 24 free throws. Rose scored 23 points for the Bulls, who got 20 apiece from Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer.

Chicago has lost three straight games for the first time this season. — AP

MONACO: Sebastian Vettel’s rivals are fast running out of ways to catch him, and the introduction of Pirelli’s new supersoft tire at Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix could prove to be yet another false dawn.

Vettel has already opened up a commanding 41-point lead over Lewis Hamilton by winning four of the opening five races, and the odds on the German defending his F1 title will shorten further if he wins in Monaco for the first time.

Because Monaco’s track traditionally also offers little scope for overtaking, Hamilton needs a strong performance in qualifying to threaten Vettel, who says “grid position is very important and can determine your race.”

The introduction of a new hard tire compound at last week’s Spanish Grand Prix, coupled with the aerodynamic advantage of the rear adjustable wing (DRS), briefly raised expectations that Vettel could be vulnerable after failing to take pole position for the first time this season.

But in the end it changed little, with the Red Bull driver beating Hamilton to win again. Now, for the first time, Pirelli’s super soft tires will be tested on a track considered the slowest on the calendar. Vettel enhanced his reputation for coolness under pressure with the skillful way he held off a strong challenge from Hamilton’s McLaren in the final few laps in Barcelona.

But even though he has a big lead, Vettel is far from complacent heading into Monaco, where he expects the circuit to throw up a few surprises.

“It’s a completely unique track and a unique challenge for the driver. You have to push as hard as on a normal race track, but the smallest mistake can bring a big penalty,” he said.

“Managing the traffic during qualifying in Monaco is also a big challenge. As an event, it’s one of the highlights of the year.

We did well there last year and I hope we can be very strong again.” Hamilton is the only driver to have beaten Vettel this season, when excellent team strategy helped McLaren outwit Red Bull in China, igniting hopes that the F1 championship would be thrown wide open — until Vettel won again in Turkey.

The English driver believes he is a match for Vettel in terms of ability and hopes the Monaco track will even out differences between their cars. One reason for Red Bull being so dominant in qualifying — Mark Webber took pole in Spain, and Vettel the other four races — is that the car has so much downforce and can afford to have the DRS open for a lot more of the lap in qualifying. That advantage then disappears in the race because it can only be used in one place.

MONACO: Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany plays with a Formula One simulator at the Monaco racetrack. —AP Hamilton hopes this plays to his advantage in Monaco. “It’s a circuit where high-speed downforce is less critical and where the driver can make a difference, so it should be a strong track for us,” Hamilton said. “I’m really looking forward to Monaco this year because I think we’ll see a different race from previous years. I think a combination of DRS, KERS Hybrid and the tires will really make the racing come alive, and I’d love to see some overtaking action and some hard racing.” Red Bull finished last year’s Monaco GP 1-2, with Webber edging Vettel into second place.

Webber will need a similar performance to genuinely kickstart his title challenge. Webber finished a disappointing fourth in Spain despite starting from pole and the Australian is already 51 points behind his Red Bull teammate.

“It’s a track that I’ve always seemed to do reasonably well at and I have some of my best memories as a racing driver there,” Webber said.

“It’s clearly a demanding street circuit, which requires incredible concentration and composure for the drivers throughout the weekend.”

Jenson Button, Hamilton’s McLaren teammate, is 57 points adrift, while two-time former champion Fernando Alonso is 67 back as Ferrari continues to struggle. McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh hopes Monaco brings the best out of Button. “Both our drivers have won the Monaco Grand Prix (before), and McLaren has an envi-

able record around the streets of the Principality,” Whitmarsh said. “We’ve won the race on 15 occasions which is more than any other team, and we go into next weekend aiming to make it 16.”

Frustration, meanwhile, has got the better of Whitmarsh’s Ferrari counterpart, Stefano Domenicali, after the team’s slow start to the season escalated into a nightmare scenario on Barcelona’s Catalunya Circuit last weekend.

Having started the race strongly, Alonso led for 18 laps and then dropped down to finish fifth, while Felipe Massa slid off the track and failed to finish, prompting Domenicali to call it the “worst race of the season.” He did not take long in responding.

Ferrari announced a shake-up in its technical team on Tuesday, with Aldo Costa stepping down as technical director. Costa was responsible for creating this year’s 150 Italia and has seemingly taken the lion’s share of the blame, although the technical team has been restructured in other areas.

Domenicali fears this year’s F1 title will soon be wrapped up if Vettel’s charge is not halted. “If Red Bull keep progressing like they have, then no doubt it (the championship) will not be easy,” Domenicali said. “They are very far ahead, so we need to make sure we do the maximum to recover.” —AP

Contrasting challenges for Cardiff contenders CARDIFF: England and Sri Lanka face differing challenges as they prepare for the first test in a three-match series opening in Cardiff today.

Andrew Strauss’s England team have set their sights on deposing India as the world number side after successful Ashes defence this year. India will play four tests in England after the Sri Lanka tour.

For their part, Lanka have not played a test outside the Asian sub-continent in more than three years. Adjusting to early season English pitches will provide a thorough examination of their batsmen’s technique and bowlers’ discipline.

However, Sri Lanka’s more pressing issue is finding a way to overcome the loss of off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan,

CARDIFF: Sri Lanka’s Dilhara Fernando throws a ball during a net practice at the Swalec stadium. England will play three Test matches against Sri Lanka with the first Test starting today. —AP

who played his final test in July after claiming a world record 800th test vic tim in the process.

Early indications are not promising as the Sri Lankans have drawn four tests and lost one since Muralitharan’s retirement.

Sri Lanka’s last test in England, at Trent Bridge in 2006, was a comprehensive 134-run victor y which enabled them to draw the three-match series, thanks to Muralitharan’s eight for 70 in the second innings.

They have also lost fast bowler Lasith Malinga, who has retired from test cricket because of knee problems, and have a new captain in dashing opener Tillekeratne Dilshan who replaces Kumar Sangakkara. Australian Stuart Law has been installed as interim coach after his compatriot Trevor Bayliss resigned.

England have no such concerns. Strauss and team director Andy Flower share a cohesive, efficient and successful partnership at the helm of the team.

The only change for this week’s match is Eoin Morgan’s inclusion at number six for the now retired Paul Collingwood. Morgan has already played six tests and his 193 against the Sri Lankans for England Lions last week confirmed his place ahead of Ravi Bopara.

England’s bowling unit, which demonstrated its strength in depth in Australia when Stuart Broad was injured and Steven Finn was dropped, will take the field witout the injured Tim Bresnan. —Reuters

Burgan Bank win KBC Bowling Championship KUWAIT: Burgan Bank Bowling Team recently celebrated the success at the Kuwait Banks Club (KBC) bowling championship on May 20th. Banks across Kuwait participated with two teams during the two-day tournament, Burgan Bank’s avid bowling team managed to overcome the tough competition, and add more trophies to their list of accomplishments. The KBC Bowling Championship was

held from May 19-20 at Cozmo’s Bowling Center in Salmiya. The knockouts based tournament was attended by local banks in Kuwait, each with two teams participating.

The KBC Bowling Championship is an annual bowling tournament between Kuwaiti banks, culminating in an exciting environment amongst participating teams as well as their fans.

y

A

18

e niv rsar n

Years

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

sp orts

Messi defines current Champions League era LONDON: At the age of 23, Barcelona’s Lionel Messi has already come to define an era of European soccer in a way only a handful of players have managed since the days of Alfredo di Stefano.

R ight now, as he prepares for Saturday ’s Champions League final against Manchester United, Messi is undisputedly the world’s best, though he may have to win a World Cup to secure a place alongside all-time greats Pele and Diego Maradona.

In the Champions League, his 11 goals in 12 matches make

Manchester United’s English forward Wayne Rooney

him the top scorer this season and the most recent of them, a virtuoso run and shot in the semi-final first leg against Real Madrid, took the breath away for sheer technique and timing.

His total for the season in all competitions is a staggering 52 and when you consider his value to the team goes far beyond the goals he scores himself, he is clearly the man the English side must fear most on Saturday.

“Right now Messi is the player who makes the difference,” Barcelona midfielder Xavi told El Pais this week. “He is a phenomenon for the team: he scores goals, plays the final ball, comes into midfield to help create superiority and understands the game, something which maybe he found harder before.”

It is a little over 10 years since Messi stepped off a plane in Barcelona as a slight 13-year-old and met youth team coach Carles Rexach, who according to legend made the player his first contract offer on a paper napkin.

Still possessed of boyish looks and floppy hair, he already boasts a formidable record for his club.

This will be

Barcelona’s third final since Messi made his Champions League debut but a thigh injury kept him out of the first of them, a 2-1 victory over Arsenal in Paris in 2006.

He was in the team that over whelmed Manchester United in the 2009 final in Rome, hanging in the air to score the second goal of a 2-0 win with a looping header-not bad for a player who

needed growth hormone treatment after moving from Argentina and stands at a modest 1.69 metres. His form over the past three years in Europe has been devastating, thanks to his skill and invention on the ball, coupled with a Houdinilike ability to work magic in the most confined spaces.

He has topped the Champions League scoring charts for the past three seasons and has produced performances that have at times defied belief.

The highlight was the fourgoal masterclass he provided to secure victory over Arsenal in last season’s quarter-finals but that was far from the only time he has set pulses racing at Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium and beyond.

In the Champions League era, which began in 1992, it is hard to think of another player who has marked the competition so memorably. There are players who have enjoyed more success-Clarence Seedorf has won the competition four times with three different teams since 1995 and Raul is just one of a bunch of Real Madrid players with three titles. Samuel Eto’o also has three, yet perhaps only Zinedine Zidane, a one-time winner with that sublime vol- Barcelona forward Lionel Messi ley in the 2002 final, has

Barcelona players’ penpix BARCELONA: Penpix of Barcelona players ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final against Manchester United at London’s Wembley stadium: Goalkeepers 1-VICTOR VALDES, Age 29. One of eight players in the probable starting lineup who came through the Barca youth ranks. A key part of Barca’s buildup play and a fine shot stopper, he conceded only 16 goals in 32 league games this season.

31-Ruben Mino, 22. The reserve team player, known for his penalty-saving ability, will be on the bench at Wembley thanks to Jose Manuel Pinto’s ban after his sendingoff for brawling in the semi-final first leg at Real Madrid.

Defenders 5-CARLES PUYOL, 32. The talismanic, shaggy-haired captain is loved by the fans for his passion and commitment and can play centrally or on either flank. Missed much of the second half of the season with injury but should be back in time for the final.

3-GERARD PIQUE, 24. Another youth system product. Spent three years at Manchester United and one at Real Zaragoza before returning to Barca.

Assured performances in central defence have led to him becoming a leader for club and country.

2-DANIEL ALVES, 28. The zippy Brazilian, who missed the 2009 final through suspension, is a dangerous element of Barca’s attacks and has forged a lethal partnership with Lionel Messi.

22-ERIC ABIDAL, 31. A question mark still hangs over the France fullback’s fitness after surgery on a liver tumour in March.

Had a superb season before the operation, is a calm and solid presence in defence and dangerous in attack.

19-MAXWELL, 29. Used sparingly this season but is a useful player to bring on in the latter stages to shore up the defence.

The Brazilian is not as mobile as Abidal or Alves and is less dangerous going forward.

21-ADRIANO, 26. A versatile utility player who filled in effectively for Abidal but is a potential weakness United could exploit if he makes the starting 11.

Midfielders 6-XAVI, 31. The creative fulcrum of most of Barca’s attacking play. United’s ability to disrupt his rhythm and starve him of possession will be central to their chances of success.

8-ANDRES INIESTA, 27. Barca are not quite such a fearsome attacking force when the agile Iniesta is missing. Scored the stunner against Chelsea that put his side in the 2009 final and the winner for Spain in last year’s World Cup final.

15-SEYDOU KEITA, 31. A solid performer in central midfield, the athletic Mali international also gets forward to score important goals.

28-SERGIO BUSQUETS, 22. Son of former Barca goalkeeper Carles Busquets, the lanky holding player has a fine touch and adds some grit to Barca’s other wise diminutive midfield. His willingness to go down easily to win free kicks has not won him many friends outside Catalunya.

14-JAVIER MASCHERANO, 26. ‘El Jefecito’ (Little Chief ) took time to adapt at Barca but has grown in stature in the latter part of the campaign when he helped to cover for injuries in midfield and defence.

An experienced and combative substitute when required.

Forwards 10-LIONEL MESSI, 23. With an unrivalled 11 goals in the Champions League this season and a total of 52 in all competitions, the World Player of the Year is in irresistible form. When he is not scoring goals he is setting up team mates so restricting his time on the ball is crucial.

7-DAVID VILLA, 29. Settled in quickly at Barca and weighed in with 18 league goals but they have been hard to come by recently. With his tireless running off the left flank, where he lives on the edge of the offside line, he will look to open spaces in United’s backline.

20-IBRAHIM AFELLAY, 25. A pacy and tricky winger who has mainly made substitute appearances since joining from PSV Eindhoven in January.

17-PEDRO, 23. Barca’s second-highest scorer in Europe with four goals, the winger has struggled with injury. Like Villa, has found goals hard to come by of late but will work tirelessly down the right, making darting runs and harrying defenders.

11-BOJAN KRKIC, 20. His pace and t r i c k e r y a re a u s e f u l a s s e t w h e n h e comes off the bench late on, but he has played only 60 minutes in Europe this season. —Reuters

Key tactical battles in Champions League final Who stops Lionel Messi?

The 23-year-old World Player of the Year has turned in a slew of brilliant per formances in Europe’s elite club competition in recent years, destroying teams including Arsenal and Real Madrid with his pace and trickery.

Deployed mainly on the right wing earlier in his career, he has since taken a more central role and started to drop deeper into midfield to collect the ball.

The tactic has the effect of giving already hard-pressed midfielders extra work and drawing defenders out of position, leaving holes behind to be exploited by players such as David Villa, Pedro or Andres Iniesta.

United will have seen how Real Madrid have used centre back Pepe as an extra defensive midfielder in a largely successful attempt to negate Messi’s impact but manager Alex Ferguson is unlikely to upset his well-established patterns to copy that approach.

However, with his midfielders likely to be otherwise engaged,

either Rio Ferdinand or Nemanja Vidic will have to step up to confront Messi in areas where the centre backs usually prefer not to venture. Vidic has been superb all season but if he has a weakness it is against speedy, close-controlling, small forwards so the theoretically more mobile Ferdinand, who has struggled for fluidity all season, is more likely to be given the job.

The task will put a huge strain on the back four used to a flatter system and how they adapt to the ever-changing threat that Messi provides will be vital to United’s prospects.

Chase all night or wait and strike?

Barcelona’s midfield, marshalled by Spain playmaker Xavi, love to pass the ball and they are extraordinarily good at it.

In their semi-final first leg against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, Barcelona had 72 percent of possession, an impressive feat in the lair of their arch enemy. At times they appear to be toying with opponents. They pass and move brilliantly, and often instantly, but too often are

allowed to do so unmolested.

Park Ji-sung, in particular, will see it as his personal mission to be in the face of any Barcelona player who has the ball, harrying and rushing him so that eventually one of those passes will go astray.

However, as others who have tried that approach before have found, it is exhausting work and extremely difficult to sustain for 90 minutes.

So United will have to find the balance of knowing when to press and when to stand back and say: “Well done, you’ve just completed 32 passes and advanced precisely nowhere”.

Barcelona beware-United can score too.

United have not progressed to their third Champions League final in four years by spending all their time worrying about the opposition-they can play a bit too.

They are at their best on the counter-attack, which is likely to be their approach on Saturday whether they want it that way or not. If they stay patient and

avoid conceding an early goal as they did in the 2009 final, United will have plenty of opportunities to get forward.

When they do, they are less concerned with creating neat patterns around the centre circle than with getting the ball forward to a striker in a dangerous position as quickly as possible.

Antonio Valencia has added real verve since his return from injury and though Ryan Giggs’s 37-year-old legs might not cover the ground as they did a decade ago, his brain and feet still make him a potent creative force. Wayne Rooney’s gradual development into a deeperlying threat and his partnership with razor-sharp Javier Hernandez complete an attack that not many teams have been able to keep at bay for long.

Rooney, Valencia and Hernandez are exactly the kind of pacy forwards able to expose Barca’s relatively slow back four, although beating their in-form goalkeeper Victor Valdes in a one-on-one has proved elusive to many forwards. — Reuters

made such an indelible mark as Messi.

You have to go back further to find players who have had a greater influence. Paco Gento played in Real Madrid’s six wins from 1956-60 and in 1966 but that era will be forever remembered as belonging to Di Stefano, with five titles, and Ferenc Puskas with three. Like Messi, Di Stefano was an Argentine whose genius flowered after a move to Spain. Those who saw him play remember how he would charge the length of the pitch with the ball at his feet, playing his own irresistible brand of total football.

Eusebio finished his career with just one winner’s medal but played in four finals and was the first great player to follow Real Madrid’s early period of dominance.

Johan Cruyff helped Ajax Amsterdam to three successive trophies from 1971-73, a feat matched by the equally influential Franz Beckenbauer for Bayern Munich from 1974-76.

Since then players such as Kenny Dalglish of Liverpool, Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit of AC Milan and of course their team mate Paolo Maldini, who won the competition five times in total as European Cup and Champions League, have made contributions that will live long in the memory.

Van Basten was quoted earlier this year as describing the current Barcelona side as the greatest of all time, better even than the Ajax of Cruyff or the Milan team he graced himself.

If they are, it is down in large part to Messi-a player already synonymous with all that is good about the Champions League and who one day may be remembered as the best there has ever been. —Reuters

Man United players’ penpix LONDON: Penpix of Manchester United players ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final against Barcelona at Wembley: Goalkeepers 1-EDWIN VAN DER SAR, age 40. This will be the final game for the long-lasting Dutchman who has previously won the Champions League with Ajax Amsterdam and United. Like one of his manager’s fine red wines, he has improved with age and remains alert, agile, dominating and reliable.

29-THOMAS KUSZCZAK, 29. Back-up keeper who makes good saves but lacks consistency and has struggled to convince fans that he has the quality to become the club’s regular number one.

Defenders 20-FABIO DA SILVA, 20. Has emerged as Ferguson’s favoured right back. Full of energy and, for a little man, fiercely aggressive in the tackle, though the Brazilian can be guilty of wandering.

21-RAFAEL DA SILVA, 20. Fabio’s twin and an equally mobile rival for the rightback role.

5-RIO FERDINAND, 32. Another injury-plagued season has taken the edge off some of his performances but he is still an elegant, calming influence at the heart of United’s defence. His mobility will get the ultimate test against Barcelona, particularly when Lionel Messi runs at him.

15-NEMANJA VIDIC, 29. Voted the club’s player of the season by fans and team mates alike, the Serbian has been a colossus this season. Has all the granite qualities of the best centre halves but is also unflappable and has weighed in with some important goals. Loves a bruising battle with a big forward but is less comfortable against a tricky small man.

3-PATRICE EVRA, 30. The France left back has been one of United’s most consistent players for years and he has barely missed a game this season. Calmly efficient in defence and always a willing support runner in attack.

22-JOHN O’SHEA, 30. Ferguson’s goto man to fill a defensive hole for more than a decade. Nominally a centre back, he has played all across the back four and as a solid, safe but unspectacular performer and he is the perfect defensive substitute.

23-JOHNNY EVANS, 24. Talented centre back whom Ferguson rates highly and would be first choice at most clubs but he is destined to spend most of his time watching Vidic and Ferdinand perform.

12-CHRIS SMALLING, 21. One for the future. Has looked assured in the few games he has played, even in some big matches, and could be the man to replace Ferdinand sooner rather than later.

Midfielders 25-ANTONIO VALENCIA, 25. His return in March after a six-month absence with a broken ankle really galvanised United. Full of energy, the Ecuador international gets into dangerous positions and more often than not picks out his target with the final ball.

11-RYAN GIGGS, 37. Ridiculously experienced midfielder who last week picked up his 12th Premier League win-

ner’s medal. Rarely goes past a defender any more but still brilliantly able to create holes in defences with the angle of his passes, his movement and his superb ball control. Off-field controversies are unlikely to distract him on the night.

18-PAUL SCHOLES, 36. Clinging on to past glories, he can still ping a superb pass, strike a stinging shot and manoeuvre defenders into a spin. Comfortably the worst tackler in the team, if not the country, and Ferguson will be wary of risking him against the quicksilver Barcelona midfield.

13-PARK JI-SUNG, 30. The South Korean’s extraordinary work rate and passing accuracy have slowly but surely turned him into a crowd favourite-having convinced Ferguson years ago. Could well be United’s most important player on Saturday as he will run himself to exhaustion in his bid to upset Barcelona’s midfield passing patterns.

24-DARREN FLETCHER, 27. Fighting for match fitness after a long-term absence through illness, the Scot would have been another man ideally suited to ensure Xavi et al would not be able to pass their way through the game unmolested. Likely to start on the bench but could well come on to take over the firefighting duties when Park runs out of gas.

Missed the 2009 final through suspension and was an unused substitute in 2008.

17-NANI, 24. Hugely skilful, creative, dangerous but lightweight winger with an eye for goal. Too often this season his final pass has been wayward and the Portuguese could be edged out of the starting lineup by the revitalised Valencia.

16-MICHAEL CARRICK, 29. After the slowest of slow burns, the elegant England midfielder seems finally to have established himself though there are still not many United fans complaining when Carrick’s name is missing from the team sheet. Superb passer of the ball, short and long, and though his defence is good, it could be stretched on Saturday.

9-ANDERSON, 23. Talented but inconsistent, the Brazilian has become a second-string stalwart.

Forwards 14-JAVIER HERNANDEZ, 22. The Mexican has been a huge bonus for United after they bought him with an eye on the future. Has pace and the uncoachable ability to drift into the right positions around goal as well as the wide-ranging technical ability to put away chances of every type.

10-WAYNE ROONEY, 25. A strong end to a strange season for the England centre forward who has looked at his best playing in a slightly deeper role behind Hernandez. Immensely powerful and aggressive, he will relish the occasion. His muscular approach will pose new problems for the Barcelona defenders but they will do their best to provoke him in a bid to light his short fuse.

9-DIMITAR BERBATOV, 30. Despite being the Premier League’s joint top-scorer with 20 goals the Bulgarian has been forced on to the bench by the success of the Rooney/Hernandez axis. However, his unquestionable talent and ability to conjure up something special make him the ideal man to be brought on to change a game. —Reuters

A

y

e niv rsar n

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

Years

S P ORT S

Qatar seeks to avoid ‘white elephant’ stadiums DOHA: Qatar has already attracted plenty of attention for the futuristic and colorful designs of its dozen proposed World Cup stadiums — including one shaped like a traditional Arabic fishing boat and another like a sea urchin.

Now the architects have unveiled detailed plans that will allow organizers in the tiny Gulf nation to remove as many as 170,000 seats — including one entire stadium — from nine of the venues and send them to 22 locations in the developing world.

At a stadium conference in Doha this week, they said the initiative was aimed at insuring the World Cup would leave a lasting legacy.

“If we build up to the capacity which FIFA requires, afterward we would have a lot of white elephants around this area,” said Karin Bertaloth, whose firm is designing six new stadiums and two that will be upgraded.

“I don’t think Qatar needs this capacity. We have the concept to build first tier of the stadium permanently and the second would only be for 2022.”

Many of the stadiums also have plans to incorporate hotels, parks and even a spa, or the flexibility to be converted for athletics or other sports.

The push to consider the future of World Cup stadiums is nothing new, but has taken on much greater emphasis in Qatar, where a population of 1.6

million people means football clubs can barely fill a 15,000-seat stadium let alone some of the 80,000 behemoths that are required for a World Cup. It also coincides with changing attitudes in stadium design, with developers under pressure to build facilities that are cheaper, more sustainable, and which have a long-term use beyond a sporting venue. “Cities need to think about how a stadium can be used for alternative uses in the context of city, of the neighborhood, of the community it is in,” said Mark Fenwick, a director and partner with the designer of Education City, which will reduce from 45,000 seats to 25,000 after the World Cup. Fenwick and others said Qatar’s approach also was inspired by the mistakes of past World Cups and Olympics, with several architects complimenting their presentations with photos of stadiums like those from the 2004 Athens Olympics which largely have gone unused or the Bird’s Nest in Beijing which is now little more than a tourist attraction.

South Africa, too, is struggling to make use of its 2010 World Cup stadiums. Those in the northern cities of Rustenburg, Nelspruit and Polokwane, and in Port Elizabeth and Cape Town were all built from scratch. They occasionally host games, but the cost of running the modern sites outweighs the income derived from small local crowds. The company man-

aging Cape Town’s $600-million, 65,000-capacity stadium — which held a World Cup semifinal — decided not to continue its contract after the tournament. It has hosted just six club football matches this year.

Durban’s new Moses Mabhida Stadium is also rarely used, but will form the centerpiece of an expected Olympic bid from the east coast city. “We are concerned,” said Eugene van Vuuren, a technical adviser for the 2010 World Cup who spoke at the three-day, Stadium and Venue Design and Development conference. “We are sharing the stadiums and it is going well with all the existing stadiums. But the new ones in Cape Town, in Durban, until they get it right where the rugby guys are joining the party they will always have a tough time.”

Qatar not only wants to ensure it avoids empty stadiums but is hoping its venues can help transform and even build communities outside of the capital Doha.

Many of the 12 are being proposed for areas that are little more than patches of sand, and are expected to either be a destination for sports or education or the anchor for new residential developments.

“In Qatar, it’s less about the financial aspect of it as it is about what the World Cup can do for the country,” said Dan Meis, whose firm is building

Sports City stadium which will have moving seats, a moving pitch and a retractable roof.

“The idea of creating buildings to be multipurpose and long use, it ends up developing a lot more and that becomes a legacy for Qatar. The World Cup comes here, changes the country and creates development and experiences the country didn’t have before.”

But Qatar is also using the World Cup to raise its profile on the international stage and that is where the stadium donations come in. It plans to donate two 15,000-seat stadiums, eight 10,000-seat stadiums and 12 5,000-seat stadiums as part of a larger football development program that it says will “contribute emphatically to development of football and local society.” Van Vuuren welcomed Qatar’s offer to give away the seats but warned that it needs to factor in the upkeep and management of these new stadiums.

“It’s not just good to give facilities but you have to maintain and upkeep it,” he said. “When you are in poorer countries, they just can’t do it.” Markus Pfisterer of the firm GMP also cautioned Qatar not to go too far in removing stadiums after the games, warning “that if you take it away and give it to somebody, you will have an empty parking lot at the end.

This is in our opinion not good for Qatar.”—AP

Powell doesn’t know what to expect vs Bolt

Sebastian Loeb in action in this file photo

Loeb aims to keep Citroen winning CORDOBA: French drivers Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier will be bidding to extend Citroen’s winning streak in the Rally of Argentina starting here today.

The French manufacturer have been the team to beat this season and arrive in Argentina, where they remain undefeated since 2004, fresh from notching up four straight wins in their new DS3.

Loeb claimed wins on gravel in Mexico and Sardinia and Ogier in Portugal and Jordan but things will change slightly in Cordoba with a 20 percent asphalt surface which could favour Ford drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala.

Seven-time world champion Loeb remains the clear favorite however after five consecutive wins in Cordoba from 2005 to 2009 and the French driver is boosted by leading Hirvonen, who won the opening rally in Sweden, in the standings.

“We’ll have to be quick right from the start, and go pedal to the metal till the end as with a stage of 48 kilometres to start the last day, there’s no question of letting up,” Loeb told wrc.com.

Challengers include Ogier, who finished seventh in 2009, Citroen teammate Petter Solberg, who got his first podium finish this season in Sardinia, and Argentine Federico “Coyote” Villagra, who achieved a careerbest fourth in his home town two years

ago. “We’re coming here with much greater ambitions than two years ago,” said Ogier.

“The route’s fantastic and very varied.

You have to have very accurate pace notes as certain passages are very narrow with big stones on the edge of the line like Mina Clavero and El Condor. Others are more sandy but bumpy as always.”

The Ford team will be looking to put the problems suffered during Argentina’s last appearance in the world championship series back in 2009 behind them.

“There is a little bit of everything in this rally - gravel, asphalt, river crossings, long stages,” said Hirvonen, who retired with engine problems two years ago.

“My speed on the last round in Italy was good and I was happy with the pace of the car, so I’m confident I can reproduce that.”

The M-Sport Stobart squad is down to Argentine rookie Mads Ostberg and Matthew Wilson after Henning Solberg withdrew to focus on his programme for the rest of 2011.

Wilson has competed five times here and earned his first world championship point and stage win back in 2006. The race will open today with a 3.02km super-special around Villa Carlos Paz with Friday’s largely technical specials including runs at more than 2000m altitude in Mina Clavero and El Condor. — AFP

ROME: Former world record-holder Asafa Powell is just as nervous as current holder Usain Bolt ahead of their 100-meter showdown at today ’s Golden Gala meet. It’s the Diamond League season debut for both Jamaicans, and Bolt acknowledged Tuesday that he’s “slightly nervous” for the first time in his career. “ That makes two of us, because it’s pretty much our first real competition,” Powell said yesterday. “Ever y sprinter when they ’re going to run their first competition they’re a bit nervous about seeing where they’re at, or if they forget how to run.

“I’m just going out to give my best, just go all out and see what the results will be.” Since Powell set a world record of 9.74 seconds in Rieti, Italy, in 2007, Bolt has broken the mark three times, the last being a 9.58 at the 2009 world championships in Berlin.

European champion Christophe Lemaitre of France is also in the 100-meter field for the annual meet the Stadio Olimpico.

“I want to keep up with them at the star t so I don’t get left behind like last year,” Lemaitre said. “In terms of a time I want to try to run around 10.0 or less, if the conditions are there.”

Lemaitre’s personal best is a 9.97.

Powell held the world record for three years between June 2005 and May 2008, when Bolt became the world’s fastest man.

Bolt has beaten Powell in eight of their nine meetings, with Powell’s only win coming in Stockholm in 2008. Never one to get too riled up, Powell answered courteously each time a reporter asked him about Bolt.

“Bolt is the man now so there’s definitely questions about him,” Powell said, taking off his dark sunglasses as he sat down in front

ROME: France’s Christophe Lemaitre (right) and Jamaica’s Asafa Powell arrive for a press conference in Rome. — AP of a huge photo of Bolt. “I don’t mind. I know what to say and I k now how to answer to those questions.” Powell also said that Bolt’s performances have pushed him “to work harder than you normally do.”

However, Bolt has also been working hard. This is Bolt’s first race since being beaten by Tyson Gay in Stockholm last August to end his two-year unbeaten streak and he has been adding more muscle mass during offseason training.

Bolt pointed to his flexed biceps to demonstrate the fact during his packed news conference. Powell told a smaller crowd a day later that he hasn’t been obser ving his rival’s new physique.

“Well I wasn’t looking so closely to see. But it’s always good to put on some muscles,” said Powell, who still appears more muscular than the tall and lanky Bolt. “Maybe he’s really using the gym right now. Maybe it’s a good thing.” Powell is running for the

eighth time in Rome, while this marks Bolt’s debut. Last year here, Powell won in 9.82 and Lemaitre edged fellow Frenchman Martial Mbandjock in a photo finish for second in 10.09.

All three runners are preparing for the Aug. 27-Sept. 4 world championships in Daegu, South Korea. Powell has never won an individual gold medal at a worlds or Olympics.

“It’s a step by step thing for world championships, you have competitions leading up and you have to really get your times down and get in shape,” he said.

Lemaitre may also race the 200 at worlds. Bolt said the Frenchman has the potential to be among the best if he stays focused on himself. “ That ’s nice of him,” said Lemaitre, who turns 21 nex t month. “He’s right on one hand — I have to focus on myself, take one step at a time, and give my all in every race. I’m still young and I can still improve.” Matching what Bolt has accomplished seems

impossible, however. “To be like him you have to be a triple world (and Olympic) champion and world record holder, so it’s going to be a bit difficult,” Lemaitre said.

Meanwhile, standout American sprinters Allyson Felix and Sanya Richards-Ross will go head-tohead in the 200 and 400 over the space of 45 minutes.

“It’s going to be an extremely difficult double because there are amazing fields — not only Sanya,” Felix said. “Both races are stacked.”

Felix is the world champion in the 200, while Richards-Ross holds the title in the 400.

Richards-Ross missed most of last year with a quadriceps injury, and ran a relatively slow 51.62 in Kingston, Jamaica, earlier this month.

“I’m just getting the rust off. I kind of felt I was on a training r u n i n J a m a i c a a n d I h o p e to change that here,” Richards-Ross said. “Most of the time we don’t have the 2 and the 4 at the same meet, so the opportunity to do that here is something I’m looking forward to.” The star-studded field also features shot put world champion Christian Cantwell of the United States and Olympic javelin gold medalist Barbora S p o t a k ov a o f t h e C ze c h Republic.

Croatian high jumper Blanka Vlasic, the 2010 world athlete of the year, is also looking to kick s t a r t h e r wo r l d s p re p a r a t i o n after skipping the indoor season. Vlasic won at a relatively low 1.94 meters in Shanghai 10 days ago — far off her personal best of 2.08. “I had a long period of training until three days before Shanghai and I was still ve r y t i re d,” V l a s i c e x p l a i n e d. “ That ’s why this feels like my first meet.”—AP

Poland’s national stadium faces delays WARSAW: Faulty construction of evacuation stairs at Poland’s new national sports stadium in Warsaw may delay the opening of the arena built for soccer’s 2012 European Championship, officials said yesterday.

The stadium on the bank of the Vistula river was scheduled to be ready by the end of June, one year before Poland is due to co-host Euro 2012 with Ukraine.

Mikolaj Piotrowski of PL.2012, the firm responsible for co-ordinating preparations for the tournament, was asked if completion of the stadium would be delayed. “Yes, we have identified such risks, as well as some related to quality and security.

Key now are talks with the builder that should result in a detailed schedule for fixing this,” he told reporters.

“It’s too early to speak precisely about exact dates now. There is no risk for Euro 2012 as it is still 380 days ahead of us.” Polish daily Dziennik Gazeta Prawna estimated possible delays of up to 10 months, adding that there were also problems with electricity installations.

Yesterday, fears about the consequences of future delays Polish media estimate penalties of above 1 million zlotys ($356,600) per day-dragged down the shares of two Warsaw-listed construction companies, PBG and Hydrobudowa, that are building the arena in collaboration with Alpine Bau, an Austrian unit of Spain’s FCC. Another new sports venue under construction for Euro 2012, the PGE Baltic Arena in the coastal city of Gdansk, this week lost the right to host a soccer friendly between France and Poland scheduled for June 9 because it was not ready. — Reuters

ITALY: Italy’s Diego Ulissi (center) outsprints Spain’s Pablo Garcia Lastras (left) and Italy’s Giovanni Visconti to win the 17th stage of the Giro díItalia. — AP

Contador retains Giro lead, Ulissi wins stage TIRANO: Diego Ulissi won a contentious three-man sprint finish in the 17th stage of the Giro d’Italia yesterday, while Alberto Contador maintained his overall lead.

Giovanni Visconti crossed first but was relegated by the race jury to third place for pushing Ulissi out of the way with his hand. “I was ahead and I just did my own sprint,” Ulissi said. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Visconti maintained that Ulissi altered his trajectory.

“It’s incredible. I screamed at Ulissi 10 times,” Visconti said.

“I nearly wasn’t able to stay upright.” Ulissi rode the 230kilometer (143-mile) leg from Feltre to Tirano, which included a major climb over the Tonale pass and a smaller climb over the Aprica pass, in 5 hours, 31 minutes, 51 seconds.

Pablo Lastras Garcia of Spain crossed third but was awarded second place. The winners were members of what was once a 16-man breakaway that gained a lead of 7 minutes, 45 seconds over the main pack at one point.

The main pack featuring all of the overall leaders crossed 2:59 later. Contador remained 4:58 in front of Michele Scarponi in the overall standings, with Vincenzo Nibali 5:45 behind. Stage 18 Thursday is a 151-kilometer (94-mile) leg from Morbegno to San Pellegrino Terme, featuring one major climb 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the finish. The three-week race ends Sunday in Milan with a 31.5-kilometer (19.6-mile) individual time trial. — AP

F1 rivals running out of ways to challenge Vettel

Canucks roll into Cup finals

17

16

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

Qatar seeks to avoid ‘white elephant’ stadiums Page 19

PARIS: Germany’s Sabine Lisicki returns the ball to Russia’s Vera Zvonareva during their second round match of the French Open tennis tournament. (Inset) Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny salutes after defeating Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin.—AP

Djokovic, Federer advance in Paris PARIS: Novak Djokovic’s perfect season is still intact, his winning streak is still alive and his claycourt form still looks devastating after he reached the third round of the French Open when Victor Hanescu retired yesterday because of injury.

The second-seeded Serb, who joined 2009 champion Roger Federer in the third round at Roland Garros, improved to 39-0 in 2011 after Hanescu retired while trailing 6-4, 6-1, 2-3.

Djokovic also has won 41 straight matches dating to last year ’s Davis Cup final.

“I keep on thinking only about the winning. I’m tak ing one match at a time,” Djokovic said.

“Really, I’m not thinking about when this streak — this amazing streak — will end. So I guess that’s the right mental approach.”

If he makes the final, Djokovic will be assured of the No. 1 ranking in men’s tennis for the first time. Top -ranked Caroline Wozniacki and 2010 French Open finalist Sam Stosur also advanced to the third round. On the men’s side, No. 7 David Ferrer of Spain, No. 9 Gael Monfils of France and former U.S. Open champion Juan Mar tin del Potro made it through. Later yesterday, defending women’s champion Francesca Schiavone was playing on center court. Djokovic, who won three clay-court tournaments leading up to Roland Garros and beat top-ranked Rafael Nadal in two of them, won seven straight games at one point and didn’t face any trouble from his Romanian opponent. Hanescu called for a trainer to look at his left leg after losing the second set. The trainer came back out after Hanescu held to make it 3-2 in the third.

Djokovic then won the next two points before Hanescu called it quits.

In the next round, Djokovic will face Del Potro, who defeated Blaz Kavcic of Slovenia 6-3, 6-2, 6-

4. “Well, it’s a big challenge for both of us,” Djokovic said. “He’s a fantastic player who always deserved to be in the top five in the world, and I’m sure he’s going to come back very quickly there, because he has amazing ground strokes and a big serve.”

Federer, playing an opponent who had never lost a match at the French Open, beat French wild card Maxime Teixeira 6-3, 60, 6-2 to reach the third round.

Teixeira is now 1-1 at the French Open after winning his first tourlevel match on Sunday.

The 16-time Grand Slam champion, despite being broken early in the match, made it look easy by winning 13 straight games from the first set to the third. “He fought hard, and afterwards he was trying to get the best score,” Federer said of his 22year-old opponent.

“The score was balanced for 1 1/2 sets, but even then he fought hard.” Federer didn’t face a single break point in his opening match, and Teixeira managed only one yesterday - and he conver ted it. But then after the Frenchman held to go to 3-3, Federer dominated and didn’t lose another game until the Teixeira made it 4-1 in the third set. Teixeira had beaten another French wild card, Vincent Millot, in the first round.

“I gave it all. I did what I could,” Teixeira said. “ To play against Roger is an incredible experience. I’ll never forget it and it will be great memories.” Federer will next face 29th-seeded Janko Tipsarevic, who beat Pere Riba of Spain 6-1, 6-3, 6-0. Tipsarevic took Federer to five sets in the third round of the 2008 Australian Open, eventually losing 10-8.

“I think he’s a dangerous player on the big courts against the big players. He played really well against these players, so let’s be careful,” Federer said. “Let’s be

ready in advance, because he can vary his game on hard courts, on clay as well. He can do all sorts of things.” Ferrer advanced by beating Julien Benneteau 6-3, 6-4, 62. The Spaniard has twice reached the quar ter finals at Roland Garros, in 2005 and ‘08.

No. 12 Mik hail Youzhny of Russia, No. 13 Richard Gasquet of France, No. 23 Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil and No. 31 Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine also made it through. Wozniack i beat Aleksandra Wozniak of Canada 63, 7-6 (6). The Dane trailed 6-3 in the tiebreaker but won the final five points, saving three set points to reach the third round.

“I started off really well, and everything was going the way I wanted it to,” said Wozniacki, who is still chasing her first Grand Slam title. “Second set, she played better. I started to play a little bit worse.” Wozniacki, who won despite hitting nine fewer winners than her opponent, again played with a bandage on her left thigh.

“It’s preventative,” Wozniacki said. “I felt it a little bit last week and I didn’t want to make it worse, so I just do it for protection, because, I mean, there is no reason to make it worse.” Stosur, who lost to Schiavone in last year ’s final at Roland Garros, advanced to the third round by beating Simona Halep 6-0, 6-2.

The eighth-seeded Stosur had 21 winners and broke her opponent six times before she served out the match at love.

No. 10 Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, No. 11 Marion Bartoli of France, No. 13 Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia, No. 14 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia, No. 17 Julia Goerges of Germany, No. 28 Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and No. 29 Peng Shuai of China also won, while Gisela Dulko of Argentina eliminated No. 32 Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria—AP

Bin Hammam, Warner face FIFA ethics probe ZURICH: Mohamed bin Hammam will face an ethics investigation just days before he is due to challenge Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency after a report from within the organisation’s executive committee alleged possible bribery.

FIFA said yesterday it had begun ethical proceedings against Bin Hammam, the Qatari head of the Asian Football Confederation, along with CONCACAF president Jack Warner and two other officials. All four have been summoned to appear before FIFA’s ethics committee on Sunday, three days before the vote for the most powerful job in world soccer, in response to a report from Chuck Blazer, CONCACAF’s general secretary, and another executive committee member.

Bin Hammam and Warner issued statements denying any wrongdoing. FIFA said Blazer’s report, which included “bribery allegations”, referred to a Caribbean Football Union (CFU) meeting attended

by Warner and Bin Hammam on May 10/11 and was linked to the election campaign. Bin Hammam strongly denied any wrongdoing and said he was confident he would still be allowed to stand in the June 1 vote, when he is the only challenger to Blatter.

“This has been a difficult and painful day for me today,” Bin Hammam said in a statement. “But, if there is even the slightest justice in the world, these allegations will vanish in the wind.

“This move is little more than a tactic being used by those who have no confidence in their own ability to emerge successfully from the FIFA presidential election. “Here I completely deny any allegations of wrongdoing either intentionally or unknowingly while I was in the Caribbean. “I am confident that there is no charge to answer and that I will be free to stand in the FIFA presidential election on June 1 as originally planned.”

Warner was quoted on The Daily Telegraph website (www.telegraph.co.uk) as telling the British newspaper he “was unaware of any wrongdoing on my part” and implied the charges were linked to

the presidential election, in which Blatter is standing for a fourth term.

“I take note of the initiative by FIFA’S Ethics Committee and confirm that I have been invited to attend a hearing this week Sunday, May 29, 2011 in Zurich,” Warner told the newspaper.

“I am unaware of the particulars of the matter being investigated by FIFA at this time, so I will therefore abstain from any comment until such time as I have been

Mohamed bin Hammam made aware of all that has been submitted to FIFA. “It is interesting to note the timing of these allegations and the hearing scheduled days before the FIFA presidential elections. “As this is now a formal procedure, I shall not be offering any further comment prior to the hearing on Sunday.”

The meeting referred to by FIFA was organised so Bin Hammam could state his election case to delegates. He had been unable to attend the CONCACAF Congress in Miami on May 3 after being denied a visa for the United States.

Bin Hammam has used the campaign to call for reform at FIFA, which has been mired in claims of corruption surrounding last year’s vote to choose hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Unlike last year’s scandal, in which two executive committee members were banned following investigations by Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper, the allegations came from within FIFA for the

first time. CONCACAF, the North and Central America and Caribbean Confederation, holds 35 of the 208 votes at the FIFA Congress which will choose between Bin Hamman and incumbent president Blatter.

Warner has always been regarded as a staunch Blatter supporter but said his confederation had not yet chosen who it would back this time.

FIFA would not comment on whether the election might now be postponed.

Spokesmen for Blatter and CONCACAF also said they would not comment.

“On May 24, FIFA executive committee member and CONCACAF general secretary Chuck Blazer reported to FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke possible violations of the FIFA code of ethics allegedly committed by officials,” FIFA said in a statement.

“In view of the facts alleged in this report, which include bribery allegations, Jerome Valcke requested the FIFA Ethics Committee to open ethics proceedings.”

FIFA added that the ethics committee would be headed by Namibia’s Petrus Damaseb as its usual chairman Claudio Sulser shares the same nationality as Swiss Blatter. CFU officials Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester have also been asked to attend the ethics committee hearing. Allegations of corruption and lack of transparency have dogged FIFA since the campaign for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosting rights, won by Russia and Qatar respectively.

Earlier this month, a British parliamentary inquiry into why England failed to secure the 2018 finals was told by member of parliament Damian Collins there was evidence from the Sunday Times that Issa Hayatou of Cameroon and Jacques Anouma of the Ivory Coast were paid by Qatar.

Qatar have categorically denied the allegations as have Hayatou and Anouma.

Blatter, standing for a fourth term in the post he has held since 1998, already has the support of Europe, Africa, South America and Oceania.—Reuters

y

A

HDFC presents ‘India Homes Fair’

e niv rsar n

Years

Page 23

Crisis, stagflation stalk global recovery: OECD Page 25 THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

VIVA opens a new branch in Hawally

KSE equities lose ground Page 24

Page 22

MINSK: Women buy second-hand clothes on a street market in Minsk yesterday. Belarus consumers are sweeping store shelves in a frantic attempt to spend their devaluing savings as prices on imported goods have grown astronomically in the cash-strapped ex-Soviet state. Belarus officially devalued its ruble by 36 percent, fixing it at 4,930 rubles to the US dollar on Tuesday.—AFP

Carstens is also good for IMF post: US Lagarde launches IMF bid, BRICS complain WASHINGTON: US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is praising French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, but stops short of endorsing her candidacy to take the helm of the International Monetary Fund.

Geithner says that Lagarde and Agustin Carstens, the head of Mexico’s central bank, are both “very capable” candidates to lead the institution. The IMF loans billions of dollars to troubled countries.

Geithner also called for an open process to select the next IMF chief.

The position has traditionally gone to a European, while the US has picked the World Bank’s president, an arrangement that developing

countries have strongly criticized.

Geithner says the United States, the largest contributor to the IMF, will eventually weigh in on the selection. He says Lagarde’s strength “is not that she’s European” but her skills and experience.

Meanwhile, France’s Christine Lagarde has entered the race to head the IMF despite anger in big emerging economies over Europe’s “obsolete” lock on the job. France’s finance minister announced her candidacy yesterday, the eve of a G8 summit, after securing the unanimous backing of the 27-nation European Union and, diplomats said, support from the United States and China.

“It is an immense challenge which I approach with humility and in the hope of achieving the broadest possible consensus,” Lagarde told a Paris news conference.

The 55-year-old former corporate lawyer, who speaks fluent English, has won plaudits for her deft chairing of the G20 finance ministers and communications skills.

But unlike Dominique StraussKahn, who resigned last week after being charged with attempted rape, she is not an economist and may struggle to match his thought leadership over the management of the world economy. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa criticized EU officials in a joint statement for sug-

DP World to list shares on LSE DUBAI: Shares in DP World, the third largest ports operator in the world, will begin trading on the London Stock Exchange on June 1, a company statement said yesterday, as the firm seeks to boost liquidity.

DP World - considered one of the more profitable units of debt-laden Dubai World - said in April that it planned for a one-for20 share consolidation to put its share price more on a par with global companies.

“It is anticipated that, subject to the approval of the UK Listing Authority, the first day of trading will be Wednesday 1 June 2011,” the statement said. At the time of writing, a copy of the prospectus had not yet been published. The port operator said its consolidated volume growth in the first quarter was 7.5 percent, adding that its gross volumes were up by 12 percent.

DP World has said its free float would remain unchanged at 19.55 percent. The consolidation will reduce the number of issued shares to 830 million from 16.6 billion. Citi and Deutsche Bank are joint sponsors to DP World while HSBC is the company’s financial advisor.

Shares in DP World, listed on Nasdaq Dubai, ended 1.8 percent lower yesterday.—Reuters

gesting the next International Monetary Fund head should be a European, a convention that dates back to the founding of the global lender at the end of the Second World War. However, the countries known as the BRICs failed to unite behind a common alternative candidate, leaving the way clear for Lagarde unless she slips on a pending French legal case.

Diplomats said the complaint was mostly aimed at securing a commitment from developed countries that nationality will no longer be a covert criterion for selecting future IMF chiefs.

In a nod to the emerging nations’ concerns, Lagarde said she would

work for “greater representativity and greater flexibility” at the IMF if elected. In the first joint statement issued by their directors at the Fund, the BRICs said the choice of who heads the IMF should be based on competence, not nationality. They called for “abandoning the obsolete unwritten convention that requires that the head of the IMF be necessarily from Europe.”

Lagarde said she was running as a candidate to serve all IMF members, not just Europe, although she noted her experience and good relations with European officials would be an advantage in steering the IMF’s role in the bloc’s debt crisis. “Being European shouldn’t be a

Agustin Carstens

plus, but it shouldn’t be a minus either,” Lagarde said.

Hours before the statement was issued in Washington, France’s government said China would back Lagarde. The Chinese Foreign Ministry declined comment. —Agencies

Businesses cut orders for US durable goods in April

Employee Brian Sarver works in the showroom of Lowe’s Audio/Video in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Businesses cut back on their orders for heavy machinery, computers, autos and airplanes in April, reducing demand for long-lasting manufactured goods by the largest amount in six months.—AP

WASHINGTON: US businesses cut back on their orders for heavy machinery, computers, autos and airplanes in April, reducing demand for long-lasting manufactured goods by the largest amount in six months. Orders for durable goods fell 3.8 percent and a key category that serves as a proxy for business investment was down 2.8 percent, the Commerce Department reported yesterday.

The weakness was widespread across a number of industries and likely was influenced by supply chain disruptions stemming from the Japanese earthquake in March.

Demand for motor vehicles and parts, an industry heavily dependent on Japanese component parts, saw a decline in orders of 4.4 percent in April, the biggest drop since last August. Jennifer Lee, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets, said that the April durable goods report was just another sign that “the US economy is encountering its

fair share of speed bumps” at the moment.

The April decline left orders at $189.9 billion in April, still 18.3 percent above the recession low hit in March 2009. The big drop in April came following a 4.4 percent increase in March, a gain that was revised up from a previously reported 2.9 percent increase. In addition to the weakness in autos, demand for commercial aircraft fell 30 percent in April. Analysts had expected a big drop in this highly volatile category because new orders at Boeing slowed sharply in April.

Orders for nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft, a category viewed as a good indication of business investment plans, fell 2.6 percent in April after a big 5.4 percent rise in March. Despite the April drop, economists are forecasting strong gains in business capital spending for the rest of this year as companies boost purchases of equipment to take advantage of a one-year tax

break that Congress passed in December.

Excluding all transportation categories, orders would have been down 1.5 percent in April after rising 2.5 percent in March.

Other industries seeing a drop in demand in April included primary metals such as steel, down 1.5 percent, and computers, down 4.4 percent. Demand for machinery fell 3.4 percent in April.

Analysts expect the April declines to be temporary. Strong demand domestically and overseas has kept US factories humming, making manufacturing one of the strongest sectors of the economy since the recession ended in June 2009. The overseas demand has been supported by a weaker dollar, which makes US products cheaper in foreign markets. US factories have added 167,000 jobs over the past six months, the best stretch of hiring gains in manufacturing since 1997. — AP

22

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

business

VIVA opens a new branch in Hawally Expansion to ensure emphasis on customer service

Rotana family of brands head to GCC bu Dhabi-based Rotana, the leading hotel management company in the Middle East & Africa is preparing for a tour of the GCC as part of its annual sales mission. The Rotana sales team are heading to the GCC region for two weeks road show to promote its Family hotels.

The sales mission k icks off in Kuwait and concluding in Bahrain. In addition to showcasing its portfolio of 70 proper ties throughout the Middle East & Africa, the sales team will promote and sell new and existing products to the GCC market such as Rotana properties in Abu Dhabi, Syria, Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, Dubai, Rask Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Lebanon, Sudan and Erbil.

This annual trip will certainly help us to develop our strategic account relationships, where our effort and focus is effectively used. The sales mission will help us to open new avenues and opportunities for each of the individual hotels in the region and for the regional sales offices. The GCC commands the largest outbound and inbound travel market in the region, both in terms of volume and value, and we want to increase

A

our market share. We are very keen to attract new tour operators and hopefully loyal guests to our Brands commented Ahmed Ibrahim, Director of Sales - GCC. Rotana announced that it will open six new hotels in the UAE in 2011, bringing its total to 33 in the emirates, the largest by any single hotel brand, local or foreign. Rotana is also scheduled to open one new hotel in Qatar as part of an aggressive, yet tactical expansion strategy in the region that will see the hotel group managing a massive 12,515 rooms across its portfolio of hotels in the region by the end of 2011.

The Rotana brand is driven by passion, personal warmth, and the delivery of consistent quality standards, combined with a keen understanding of regional markets, commitment to research, and significant investment in systems and people.

Development of the brand is rigorously planned and meticulously managed across all operations simultaneously evoking confidence and trust among property owners, and creating satisfying experiences for corporate and leisure travellers alike.

KUWAIT: Aiming to provide customers with the most efficient customer service, Telecommunications Company VIVA, Kuwait officially opened its new branch in Hawally, as part of the implementation of its continuous strategic expansion.

The newest branch is the fourth branch to join the network of branches this year and will be located on Beirut Street, in Hawally.

On this occasion VIVA CEO, Salman Al-Badran once again emphasized the company’s constant growth during a short period of time since its establishment in 2008. Commenting on the company’s latest achievement Al-Badran stated, “By the spread of various branches around Kuwait, assures

our determination to compete in the local telecommunications market.”

Salman Al-Badran said that the new Hawally branch reinforces the company’s target to reach customers’ needs and requirements within a convenient location. He concluded, “VIVA welcomes the public to visit the latest branch in Hawally and discover the new offers and services.”

VIVA is the newest, most advanced mobile telecommunications service provider in Kuwait.

Launched in December 2008, VIVA makes things Possible for our customers by transforming communication, information and entertainment experiences. The company

has rapidly established an unrivalled position in the market through our customer and employee centric approach. VIVA’s quest is to be the mobile brand of choice for Kuwait by being transparent, engaging, energetic and fulfilling.

VIVA continues to take a considerable share of the market by offering an innovative range of best value products, services and content propositions; a state of the art, nationwide network and worldclass service. VIVA offers Internet speed up to 21.6Mbps due to the implementation of the most advanced third generation (3G and HSDPA) network in Kuwait resulting in superior coverage, performance and reliability.

VIVA CEO Salman Al-Badran

Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive offers first Arabic-language iDrive System BMW takes the Joy of driving to another level KUWAIT: Adding to its range of driver assistance technologies that bring unmatched driver engagement, handling and safety features to the luxury performance segment, BMW offers customers the industry’s first Arabic-language iDrive control system. The new system is available through Al Alghanim & Sons Automotive, the official BMW Group importer in Kuwait, as a standard feature for most BMW models fitted with navigation.

The BMW iDrive control system has an up to 10.2 inch Control Display with standardised menu guidance that grants easy access to the radio/CD, telecommunication functions and satellite naviga-

tion. The interface for the satellite navigation system comprising maps, menus, directions, data entry and voice guidance. All these functions are provided in Arabic with a male Arabic voice, and with an option to switch to English and other languages.

The BMW onboard navigation system is easy to operate and guides you quickly to your destination. Your current location is established automatically by the navigator with the help of the Global Positioning System (GPS), down to an accuracy of 10 metres. Using this information, the system calculates the best route to your destination, and guides you step by step to your goal. Instructions

are given visually as easy-to-follow arrows, and/or as clear verbal instructions over the sound system.

Yousef Al Qatami, General Manager of Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive says: “We are very excited to offer this feature to our Arabic-speaking customers in Kuwait. This project proves our ongoing commitment to servicing our Arabic-language customers with an added driver-assist benefit.” BMW’s iDrive system is one of the numerous BMW ConnectedDrive optional driver assistance technology features for enhanced comfort and safety. Some of these include: rear-view camera; Surround View; BMW Night Vision with pedestrian recognition; and BMW Park Assistant.

Saudi’s Atheeb blames rival for losses, shares halted DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Atheeb Telecom yesterday said unfair competition was to blame for mounting losses that led to its shares being suspended on the kingdom’s bourse.

The fixed line provider, which is 15 percentowned by Bahrain Telecommunications Co, now has accumulated losses of 95 percent of its capital, according to a statement on the Saudi bourse website. Saudi market rules call for a suspension if losses exceed 75 percent.

“The company incurred in the recent period large losses of capital as a result of uncompetitive behavior and practices from the controlling operator,” Atheeb chairman Prince AbdulAziz Ahmed bin Abdul-Aziz said in a statement to Reuters. “The company was prevented from offering some services such as international calls and prepaid cards as stipulated in the license.” He also blamed the telecoms regulator, the Communication and Information

Technology Commission, saying a hearing against this body would be held on May 28.

In February, Atheeb filed a case against incumbent Saudi Telecom Co, claiming it had breached anti-monopoly laws. STC refuted the allegations. Atheeb posted a loss of 575 million riyals ($153.3 million) for the financial year ended March 31, prompting the Capital Market Authority (CMA) to halt trading in the shares from yesterday. —Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2700000 .4420000 .3820000 .3090000 .2790000 .2880000 .0040000 .0020000 .0747670 .7284350 .3810000 .0700000 .7140980 .0040000 .0430000

.2765000 .4530000 .3950000 .3210000 .2890000 .2970000 .0072500 .0035000 .0755190 .7357560 .4010000 .0770000 .7212750 .0072000 .0530000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2754000 .4445090 .3856290 .3117500 .2813940 .0517120 .0431880 .2903130 .0354180 .2206020 .0033830 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0750100 .7306980 .0000000 .0734600 .7155110

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

.2775000 .4478990 .3885690 .3141270 .2835390 .0521070 .0435180 .2925270 .0356880 .2222850 .0034090 .0061800 .0025340 .0032360 .0038140 .0755820 .7362700 .3925040 .0740200 .7209660

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka

3.394 6.110 3.229 2.513 3.829 221.830 35.619 3.750

Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal - Transfer Irani Riyal - Cash

6.357 9.094 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

73.883 76.127 719.630 735.690 75.427 ARAB COUNTRIES

Egyptian Pound - Cash Egyptian Pound - Transfer Yemen Riyal Tunisian Dinar Jordanian Dinar Lebanese Lira Syrian Lier Morocco Dirham

49.500 46.503 1.268 199.240 391.260 183.800 5.981 35.101

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 276.950 Euro 390.500 Sterling Pound 448.660 Canadian dollar 283.760 Turkish lire 172.770 Swiss Franc 316.150 Australian dollar 290.380 US Dollar Buying 275.750 GOLD 20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

282.000 142.000 73.500

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees

SELL CASH 294.400 736.160 4.000 286.300 543.700 14.100 54.100 167.800 47.710 393.500 36.300 6.380

SELL DRAFT 292.900 736.160 3.755 284.800

223.400 46.605 392.000 36.150 6.115

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 U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal

10 Tola TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE Sterling Pound US Dollar

0.033 0.240 0.242 3.480 392.570 0.187 94.390 47.600 4.340 223.400 1.877 51.600 718.990 3.330 6.630 76.570 73.910 223.390 41.960 2.662 452.100 45.300 316.500 5.900 9.510 198.263 75.470 277.200 1.240

0.033

391.240 0.186 94.390 3.840 221.900

3.236 3.758 6.368 678.726 3.479 9.216 6.036 3.920 91.000

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co. 718.810 3.240 6.375 76.140 73.910 223.390 41.960 2.513 450.100 317.000 5.900 9.290 75.370 276.800

GOLD 1,580.650

Currency

Rate per 1000 (Tran)

US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Nepali rupee Yemeni Riyal Jordanian Dinars Syrian Pounds Euro Canadian Dollars

450.100 276.800

276.750 3.245 6.110 2.530 3.765 6.405 75.440 73.995 735.600 46.505 452.900 0.00003280 3.910 1.550 393.100 5.750 394.100 288.100

Al Mulla Exchange

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees

Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

Selling Rate 276.700 286.245 446.875 391.755 312.706 732.342 75.312 75.980 73.756 390.866 46.518 2.514 6.124

Currency 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

Transfer Rate (Per 1000) 275.350 391.800 449.900 284.600 3.390 6.097 46.500 2.512 3.745 6.356 3.230 735.600 75.300 73.825 *Rates are subject to change

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

business

HDFC presents ‘India Homes Fair’ KUWAIT: HDFC Kuwait is hosting ‘India Homes Fair’, a property exhibition on 27th and 28th of May, 2011 exclusively for the NRIs at the Ramada Kuwait Hotel, Riggae in conjunction with its ser vice associates Moashk. The exhibition will be inaugurated by Vidhu P Nair, ChargÈ d’Affaires, Embassy of India, Kuwait. Also gracing the occasion will be Gautam Bhagat- CEO-HDFC Sales and Ajay Sachdewa- Head GCCHDFC Ltd. This two-day exhibition has over 30 leading developers exhibiting prime properties from all across India including Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, New Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), Goa, Hyderabad, Kerala,

Kolkata, Mumbai, Mangalore, Mysore and Pune.

At HDFC’s ‘India Homes Fair’, the many projects on display will include varying options like flats, villas, penthouses, plots, etc. Customers can choose from a wide range of properties starting with INR 20 lakh to premium properties up to INR 10 crore with sizes ranging between 400 sq ft to 6,000 sq. ft. In addition, one can get exclusive offers and value added benefits during these two days of the exhibition.

HDFC has been serving the NRI community in the Middle East Region for over 15 years and are proud to be organizing events such as this that showcase developers projects from across India.

As pioneers of housing finance in India, HDFC has over three decades of experience and the requisite processes in place to guide and empower customers to take an informed

and convenience to customers under the same roof. This exhibition is an excellent platform and opportunity for customers to directly interact with developers not only in the metros

ognize the market pulse and thereby set higher benchmarks of service delivery on a continuous basis. In addition to the full suite of home loan options, we provide Total Housing

An exclusive property exhibition in Kuwait with over 30 leading developers showcasing prime properties across India decision on buying a property back in their home land.

HDFC’s attempt has been to bring reputed developers with a multitude of offerings in order to offer maximum choice

but also tier 2 and 3 cities and get first-hand knowledge about the property best suited to them. Customer satisfaction is the hallmark of all HDFC offerings. HDFC is quick to rec-

Solutions to Non-resident Indians (NRIs) wanting to buy properties across India.

HDFC’s strength lies in its well-trained personnel who have in-depth domain knowl-

edge and expertise. HDFC’s specialized team of counsellors not only provide customers personalized home loan counselling, but also provide advice to identify and buy properties in India, in-house legal and technical advise relating to property related documentation and flexible repayment options tailor made to suit their requirement. Open for visitors between 10 am to 8 pm, the ‘India Homes Fair’ is an opportunity for customers to view projects depending on their unique needs and requirements. So walk-in with your family on the 27th & 28th of May, 2011 and allow us to assist you in your home buying process by being ‘With You, Right Through’.

Saudi developer Emaar gets $1.3bn govt loan

Bernie DeVold conducts a quality inspection on a 2011 Chevrolet Volt on the production line at the General Motors Hamtramck assembly plant in Hamtramck, Michigan. General Motors said yesterday, it will add 2,500 jobs at a Detroit-area plant that now makes the Chevrolet Volt electric car.—AP

RIYADH: Saudi developer Emaar Economic City has received a 5 billion riyal loan ($1.33 billion) from the kingdom’s finance ministry to speed up construction of a project, it said yesterday.

Two sources familiar with the deal told Reuters last year that the Saudi developer would receive the loan. Emaar Economic City, affiliated to Dubai developer Emaar Properties, is

spearheading the development of King Abdullah Economic City, a project aimed at diversifying the kingdom’s oil-based economy.

“The loan will serve to accelerate the development and construction of the second phase of King Abdullah City after the completion of phase one, which was completed at the end of last year,” the developer said in a

MENA’s latest salary insights firmly locally oriented and to look beyond the obvious”, added Zureikat.

Zeina Kassab, HR Manager - Nestle Qatar Trading LLC said, “It was a very good opportunity to network with other reputable companies and check their way of doing business point of view.”

The event was organized in three parts. The first, Salaries: Are they the only retention factor?, was run by Ibrahim Badredeen, Unit Manager, Bayt.com - Qatar and discussed whether salaries are still a key path to employee loyalty in addition to other top employee motivators in the Middle East today including the importance of good working conditions. Next, Amer Zureikat, Sales VP, Bayt.com, discussed the satisfaction of the MENA region’s professionals with their 2011 income, competitive packages and raises as per most recent Bayt.com Middle East Salary Research Survey that has just been released. Finally, Muhammed Younas, Product Manager, Bayt.com, gave an informative session on the best Middle Eastern salaries earned today and pay structure comparisons using Bayt.com’s online Salar y Calculator tool which is the latest innovative technical product offering from Bayt.com and the first and only comprehensive pan-regional, pan-industrial online Salary benchmarking and analysis tool in the Middle East.

The final part of the event featured an Employers Round Table Discussion where guests were encouraged to initiate fruitful dialogues with the support of Bayt.com’s professionals. Bayt.com highlighted its latest innovations in HR research, tools techniques and technologies including its highly anticipated and widely acclaimed 2011 Bayt.com MENA Salary Survey as well as its polls on workplace motivation and employee engagement and satisfaction.

“The employer’s round table event has been very informative in general and good to understand the local trend considering you had Qatari invitees,” Mukund Joshi, Operations Manager - Proscape LLC Hiba Abboud, Senior HR Advisor Halcrow Consulting Engineers and Architects added, “Well presented.

Useful information. Healthy discussion.

Very well organized and good sector representation. Would come again.”

“As the Middle East’s leading online business and recruitment intelligence platform, we welcome the opportunity to network with new and existing employers in Qatar and present an overview of what the market sentiments are and importantly promote useful dialogues that provide perspectives about the very latest pan-regional trends to proactively benefit Qatar. We received a very positive response from top employers in Qatar at this event and plan to hold many more best-practice sharing regional forums in the near future,” added Zureikat, Bayt.com.

al, leisure and residential estates as well as a giant port has been dogged by delays and lowerthan-expected demand from local and foreign investors.

King Abdullah Economic Cit y is among five so - called economic cities planned in the world’s largest oil exporter to speed up job creation for the country’s rapidly growing population. —Reuters

Auditor: Turkmen gas field second largest

Bayt.com holds ‘Salary Trends 2011’ in Doha DOHA: Bayt.com, the MENA region’s number one job site, held its “Salary Trends 2011” event at the Holiday Villa Hotel & Residence City Centre, Doha.

The round table discussions were attended by prominent HR executives and featured Bayt.com’s top professionals who answered the question “Where do we stand today when it comes to salaries?” and revealed informative up-to-date insights on the MENA region’s current salaries.

“At Bayt.com we are committed to sharing valuable insights and best practices that would be beneficial to the growth and development of job seekers and employers. We have a long tradition of hosting round table events with our peers to continuously add value and contribute to the betterment of the Human Resource ecosystem in the Middle East region. These unique initiatives use our expertise to proactively benefit Qatar ’s companies and HR practices,” said Amer Zureikat, VP Sales, Bayt.com In addition to gauging and analyzing salary and raise levels, this year’s Bayt.com Middle East Salary Survey also looked at the respondents’ level of satisfaction with the pay rise they received. For the most part, the region’s respondents did not receive a pay rise, with a sizeable 38% missing out on a pay rise. In Qatar, just 4% of professionals said they were very happy with their salary increase, 7% were very unhappy, 14% consider themselves as unhappy, and 4% agreed that their pay rise was fair given the economic circumstances.

Across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the average monthly salary differs considerably from country to country, the survey found. However, Qatar recorded the highest number of professionals with the biggest salaries in the region, with 10% earning $8,001 or more each month. Furthermore, the best savers were respondents in Qatar - 36% of those sur veyed managing to save between 16% and 75% of their salaries each month. However, as found in previous Bayt.com research, professionals resoundingly felt that the average salary increase did not reflect the rise in the cost of living in any of the surveyed countries. Overall, professionals across the Middle East felt that the cost of living had increased by 24.6%, yet the average salary increased by just 7.6% - more than two thirds less. In Qatar respondents felt the cost of living had increased by 20.6%, while salaries had increased by just 7.4%.

“This is a clear indication as to why HR practitioners and professionals alike need firm measures and benchmarks such as those provided by the annual Bayt.com Salary Survey analysis and Bayt.com’s new online Salary tool to gauge market levels and trends before setting internal salary levels. These roundtables hosted by Bayt.com - lend themselves to being deep, informative,

statement yesterday.

The loan has a 10 year tenor with repayment starting after an initial 3 year grace period, it said, adding the developer made guarantees against the loan by collateralizing a land area of 24 million and 724,000 square meters.

The project, aimed at building a new high-tech city on the Red Sea coast with business, industri-

BEIJING: A man pushes recyclable goods on his tricycle in Beijing yesterday. In a bid to keep the lid on soaring inflation, authorities in Beijing have hiked interest rates four times since October and increased the socalled reserve requirement ratio on several occasions, effectively limiting the amount of money banks can loan out.—AFP

Emirates seeks to give up assets on bond default DUBAI: Dubai flagship carrier Emirates’ groundbreaking attempt to allow investors in its planned dollar bond to seize assets if it cannot repay could be undermined by conflicting laws in the country.

Emirates, which is wholly owned by the Dubai government’s investment arm, has exempted investors from a decree that blocks the seizure of its assets in a default, according to its bond prospectus. The move, unusual for Dubai government-linked firms, may have been aimed at easing investors’ concerns about Dubai, whose 2009 debt crisis brought the emirate to its knees.

But the Arab world’s largest carrier warned there were “uncertainties” on whether the exemption would stand given another Dubai law that gives the government and linked firms immunity.

Emirates Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid AlMaktoum, uncle of the ruler of Dubai, made the exemption on Feb. 28 at a time when the carrier was first testing the market for a potential bond issue.

Emirates, one of the region’s most recognized brands globally, postponed that plan after uprisings in North Africa made rates more expensive. The prospectus noted a 1985 decree that founded Emirates, has provisions that prohibit the seizure of its assets to meet obligations owed by the carrier.

“However, the chairman of Emirates has ... issued an irrevocable written decision, dated 28 February 2011, which exempts the noteholders from these provisions,” the prospectus said.

“Notwithstanding this, there are some uncertainties under the laws of Dubai as to the effectiveness of the exemption afforded by the decision ... as a result of Dubai Law No. 3 of 1996 on Government Lawsuits.

“The Dubai Lawsuit Law grants the Government of Dubai (which includes its corporations) immunity in respect of its assets.”

Emirates picked four banks for a possible dollar bond issue last week, on the back of posting record profit as it seeks to raise cash for massive expansion plans. —Reuters

AVAZA, Turkmenistan: The isolated former Soviet nation of Turkmenistan is likely sitting on top of the world’s second-largest gas field, British energy auditor Gaffney, Cline & Associates said yesterday. Peter Holding, the company’s senior manager for Russia and the Caspian region, told an energy conference at a seaside resort in Turkmenistan that the vast South Yolotan field covers an area of about 3,000 square kilometers (1,160 square miles) — bigger than the country of Luxembourg. “The South Yolotan field is so big that it can sustain several developments in parallel,” Holding said. “We now need to concentrate on producing and delivering results.” Under a previous estimate made by the company, the field was believed to hold up to 14 trillion cubic meters of gas. Turkmen officials have repeatedly stated the top tier may be closer to 21 trillion cubic meters. That would put South Yolotan second in size only to the South Pars field, shared between Iran and Qatar.

Holding said his firm will issue fuller details on the latest survey of the field next month. Although foreign investors are eagerly eyeing the prospect of developing the reserves, the Turkmen government has so far resisted such overtures.

In late 2009, the government itself began industrial exploration of South Yolotan and signed deals worth a total of $9.7 billion with companies from South Korea, China and the United Arab Emirates to do the work.

Much of the funding for that operation has come from China, which has pledged loans worth $8.1 billion to Turkmenistan to develop South Yolotan.

Turkmenistan began delivering gas to China through a newly built pipeline in late 2009. That route is expected to reach

full capacity of 40 billion cubic meters a year in 2015, although Beijing has sought guarantees that Turkmenistan will eventually deliver up to 60 billion cubic meters.

Russia also buys gas from Turkmenistan, but Moscow’s demand has flagged over the past two years.

Plans to build a pipeline from Turkmenistan along neighboring Kazakhstan’s Caspian coast up to Russia have fallen by the wayside. The sheer size of South Yolotan will bolster Turkmen hopes to increase supplies to existing clients in Russia, China and Iran, as well as sell to prospective buyers in Western Europe, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Turkmen officials say total gas production is expected to reach 230 billion cubic meters per year by 2030.

Industry insiders have questioned, however, whether Turkmenistan will be able to successfully pull off such a largescale operation without the direct involvement of experienced foreign investors. The field, which is located near the border with Afghanistan and some 350 kilometers southeast of the capital, Ashgabat, was discovered at the end of 2006, shortly before the death of the country’s eccentric longtime President Saparmurat Niyazov. Current President Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov has repeatedly stressed his goal to increase the number of export routes out of Turkmenistan - a policy eagerly supported by Western suitors.

The European Union is hoping to claim a share in Turkmen gas on the planned $12 billion Nabucco pipeline, also supported by the United States, which would run 3,300 kilometers from to Turkey through Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and end in Austria, circumventing Russia. —AP

India: ‘Difficult’ to appoint non-European to IMF NEW DELHI: India has conceded there is little hope of an emerging market candidate being chosen as head of the IMF unless the election process is changed to reflect “the new economic realities”. French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde has emerged as front-runner for the post, receiving wide European backing, after Dominique Strauss-Kahn quit following his arrest in New York on charges of attempted rape, which he denies.

Emerging economies have been pushing for the job-traditionally held by a Europeanto be opened up to their candidates, citing the growing economic clout of developing nations. But New Delhi’s IMF representative Arvind Virmani told India’s NDTV news channel in remarks aired Wednesday that change was unlikely under the current set-up.

“Unless the voting shares which various countries hold in the IMF are changed to reflect the new economic realities, it is going to be extremely difficult for any nonEuropean candidate to win the election,” he said. Currently, European nations hold close to a third of the voting power at the International Monetary Fund while the United States has nearly 17 percent. Asian

nations hold around 20 percent, with the rest held by other countries.

India’s Premier Manmohan Singh yesterday urged developing nations to “stand united” in seeking to transform the power structure at the IMF and its sister organization, the World Bank. He said at the India-Africa trade summit in Addis Ababa that “those who wield power (at the IMF and World Bank) do not wish to yield ground very easily”.

Reform of global financial institutions had long been high on emerging economies’ agendas but change was a “long process in which all the developing countries will have to stand united,” Singh said. Traditionally, Europe has named the head of the IMF and an American has run the World Bank. The Indian statements came after the world’s largest emerging economies, India among them, on Tuesday slammed Europe’s push to retain the top job at the IMF, calling the continent’s hold on the position “obsolete”. IMF directors from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa-the so-called BRICS economiessaid in a declaration that Europe’s longstanding grip on the IMF leadership “undermines the legitimacy of the Fund”. —Reuters

A

y

e niv rsar n

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

Years

business

KSE equities lose ground GLOBAL DAILY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) continue losing ground for the third day in row yesterday in reaction to the negative feed coming from the international markets. Zain closing down by 1.92 percent, reaching its lowest level since Februar y 08, 2010, at KD1.020 impacted negatively to the market’s performance. Investment sector was also hit hard during the session, shedding 2.09 percent. All these factors helped in pulling the major indices down in yesterday’s session.

Global General Index (GGI), market weighted, ended the day down by 0.62 percent, at 196.01 point.

Market capitalization was down for the day at KD32.14bn. On the other hand, KSE Price Index closed at 6,369.6 point, shedding 41 points (0.64 percent) to its previous close.

During the session, 102 companies were traded. Market breadth was skewed towards decliners as 60 equities retreated versus 19 that advanced.

Trading activity was down this session. The trades conducted in the services sector. Total volume traded was down by 43.78 percent with 113.21mn shares changing hands at a total value of KD15.15mn (56.20 percent higher compared to the day before). The services sector was the volume leader yesterday, accounting for 41.16 percent of total shares.

The same sector was the value leader, with 35.46 percent of total traded value. Zain was the most active in terms of values of shares traded during with 1.65mn shares exchanged at an aggregate value of KD1.68mn.

In terms of top gainers, Heavy Engineering Industries and Shipbuilding Co took the top spot for the day, adding 6.25 percent and closed at KD0.340. On the other hand, International Finance Company shed 31.53 percent and

closed at KD0.152, making it the biggest decliner in the market.

Sector-wise During the session, sector’s performance was in favor of decliners, with five sector indices ending the day at lower levels against three advancing. Investment Sector Index topped the loser’s list, dipping by 2.09 percent, as 16 out of its components ended the day on a negative note while just 2 stocks closed up.

Among the sector ’s losers were: Global Investment House and Kuwait Projects Company (Holding), which saw their share prices declining by 5.56 percent and 1.25 percent, respectively.

Heavyweight stocks among the services sector pulled the index

down by 1.28 percent, among which was Zain as we mention above.

Among the sector’s losers were the share prices of Agility and Sultan Center Food Products Company, which plunged by 1.33 percent and 1.79 percent, respectively.

On the other hand, Global Insurance Index and Global Industrial Index rose 0.32 percent and 0.13 percent, respectively. In the Insurance sector front, Kuwait Insurance Company was up by 1.67 percent; while in the Industrial sector, Boubyan International Industries Holding rose by 1.82 percent.

Corporate news Gulf Franchising Holding Co (GFC) convened an ordinary shareholder meeting yesterday. Shareholders

gave a nod to withholding dividend for the fiscal year that ended on December 31, 2010, as well as offsetting KD7,057,878 retained losses from general and legal reserves and issue premium.

A new board was also elected for the coming three -year term.

Meanwhile, the extraordinary shareholder meeting was delayed due to lack of quorum.The Kuwaiti crude oil price increased $1.56pb in Tuesday’s trading, hitting the level of $104.61pb compared to $103.05pb on Monday, said the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) yesterday. The increase of oil prices is due to correction operations in the oil market after the decrease of the US dollar against main currencies.

Brent hovers beneath $113 on demand fears LONDON: Brent crude futures hovered below $113 a barrel yesterday as concern about weak gasoline demand ahead of the US driving season and a rebounding US dollar weighed on prices.

Crude oil inventories fell less than expected, renewing fears high prices are cutting into US gasoline consumption, where the start of the driving season will be officially marked by Memorial Day this weekend.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) said crude inventories fell 860,000 barrels for the week ended May 20, lagging expectations of a 1.3 millionbarrel draw.

Gasoline stocks also hinted at weakening demand, rising 2.4 million barrels, after analysts had forecast a 300,000-barrel build. “The API stats yesterday appear to show weakness in gasoline demand and it seems the support from gasoline could disappear reflecting the impact of high demand on prices,” said Christophe Barret, oil analyst at Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank.

Falling consumption would prompt a correction in oil prices and forecasts Brent will drop to $85 a barrel by the second half of the year, he said.

Brent crude for July was up 22 cents a barrel at $112.75 a barrel at 0931 GMT, up from as low as $111.14 a barrel earlier in the session. US crude was down 8 cents a barrel at $99.51 a barrel, up from a low of $98.26. The recovery in oil prices accompanied a jump in the euro, which briefly rose yesterday after Finland’s parliament approved Portugal’s bailout package, quelling some concerns about the euro-zone debt crisis. Data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) is due at

1430 GMT and has supported markets of late, showing 11 successive weekly motor fuel draws.

Bullish comments from the oil trading community have not so far this week shielded the market from pressure exerted by a stronger dollar and signs of demand weakness.

“Despite all the TVs and the financial websites running the large ‘Goldman sees oil at $130 /bbl’ banner the whole day, WTI did not manage to break the resistance of $100/bbl,” said Oliver Jakob, an analyst at Petromatrix, in a note.

“We are convinced that we will see Goldman Sachs trading at 130 before we see Brent trading at $130/bbl,” he added.

That said, yesterday Glencore International Chief Executive Ivan Glasenberg joined the chorus saying commodities fundamentals remain strong as buoyant demand from emerging markets strains tightening supplies.

The comments followed Goldman Sachs’ report on Tuesday, which said the market was “structurally bullish” as fuel demand growth was set to sap global inventories and strain OPEC’s spare oil output capacity.

South African President Jacob Zuma plans to visit Tripoli next week to discuss an exit strategy for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in cooperation with the Turkish government.

Intensifying NATO airstrikes on Tripoli have helped keep a floor on oil prices.

US regulators launched one of the biggest ever crackdowns on oil price manipulation on Tuesday, suing two well-known traders and two trading firms owned by Norwegian billionaire John Fredriksen for allegedly making $50 million by squeezing markets in 2008. — Reuters

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

Business

India inks catchup cooperation deals with Africa Singh offers $5bn credit line to Africa ADDIS ABABA: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh signed trade and investment deals yesterday to expand India’s economic footprint on the African continent, where China has made huge advances.

The Indian premier offered a $5-billion credit line for its trade partner at the start of a two-day summit with some 10 African leaders in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. Singh also signed the Addis Ababa Declaration, a political agreement calling for a comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including an expanded Security Council in which Africa and India have pledged each other’s support for a permanent seat.

“We share the view that the UN should function in a transparent, efficient and effective manner and that the composition of its central organs must reflect contemporary realities,” according to the declaration of the summit which ended yesterday.

He also promised an additional $700 million to set up a raft of institutions and training programs in different African regions in fields ranging from food processing to weather forecasting. India is stepping up its foray into the Africa market, where its Asian competitor China has outpaced it in trade and investment over the past decade.

Asked why he was confident to invest in Africa where many countries suffer from political instability, Singh said: “An act of investment is an act of faith.” He said: “The people of and the government of India have enough faith in the people and the governments of Africa that whatever temporary difficulties they may be facing ... they have the will, the resources and the inclination to overcome.”

India will fund the formation of the India-Africa Institute of Foreign Trade in Uganda, the India-Africa

Institute of Information Technology in Ghana, the IndiaAfrica Diamond Institute in Botswana, and the IndiaAfrica Institute of Education, Planning and Administration in Burundi. The two sides also agreed a cooperation framework to further bolster the economic relations that got a boost after the first India-Africa summit in 2008 in New Delhi.

At the 2008 New Delhi summit, India offered $5.4 billion in concessionary credit lines over a five-year period.

“In the three years since the first India-Africa summit, Indian trade and investment in Africa have significantly increased,” noted Alex Vines of the London-based thinktank Chatham House in a report last week.

Last year, India’s imports from Africa were worth $20.7 billion, compared with $18.7 billion the previous year, and its exports stood at $10.3 billion the same year.

But those numbers are far outweighed by China. Beijing

has funded infrastructure projects in exchange for access to resources and its bilateral trade with Africa in 2010 totalled $126.9 billion.

India and China have turned to Africa to seek energy resources to power their fast-paced economies, but while China prefers government-to-government deals, Indian investment is mainly in the private sector, notably in telecom, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing.

India, which deployed its navy in 2008 as part of an international armada fighting piracy in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, is also ramping up its security ties with Africa and pledged $2 million for the African Union Mission in Somalia tasked with protecting the transitional government. “Africa welcomes India’s support to efforts to safeguard shipping in the Gulf of Aden, Arabiam Sea and the Indian Ocean from piracy,” the final declaration said. — AFP

Crisis, stagflation stalk global recovery: OECD Japan set for recession this year

TURIN: Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne (right) and Fiat President John Elkann pose by the new Lancia Ypsilon car on the occasion of its presentation, in Turin, yesterday. Marchionne says market conditions will determine the timing of an initial public offering for Chrysler. Marchionne arrived in Turin for a new car launch a day after repaying $7.6 billion in US and Canadian government loans that kept Chrysler afloat. Fiat recently raised its stake in Chrysler to 46 percent. — AP

Greek PM insists govt will see through reforms ATHENS: Greece’s prime minister insisted yesterday his government would see through newly announced austerity measures, despite failing to secure broad support from opposition parties as called for by the European Union.

George Papandreou renewed his commitment as international debt inspectors returned to Athens to continue a crucial review of Greece’s progress in meeting the terms of its 110 billion euros ($155 billion) bailout package from other European Union countries and the International Monetary Fund.

They will determine whether the country receives the next 12 billion euros installment of rescue loans in June — and could indicate whether Greece will need extra help beyond the current rescue loans.

“We have achieved very difficult targets in a critical time, and this is what we must continue.

We are entering a new phase of the program with determination,” Papandreou told reporters after briefing the country’s president, Karolos Papoulias, on the latest developments. The prime minister met with the heads of the political parties on Tuesday, seeking support for a midterm package of measures which will run to 2015 — two years beyond his government’s mandate. But he failed to win consensus. The new plan includes more than €6 billion in savings for this year, tax increases and pledges an immediate start to previously announced privatizations. It aims to narrow the country’s budget deficit from 10.5 percent of gross domestic product last year to 7.5 percent by the end of 2011.

Top EU officials have argued that Greece, which is struggling to meet the terms of the bailout extended last year and could need more help, needs opposition parties to back the debtcutting plans to ensure they can be implemented smoothly.

But Antonis Samaras, the head of the main opposition conservative party, said that while he agreed with several elements, including the privatizations, the overall direction of the plan, and the hike in taxes in particular, was wrong.

“To this demonstrably mistaken recipe, I will

ATHENS: Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou makes a statement to the media after his talks with the Greek President Carolos Papoulias yesterday.

Greek unions threatened strikes against a new tax drive and emergency privatizations by the government as it struggled to convince its political opponents and avert a new debt crisis. — AFP not agree,” Samaras said.

Papandreou insisted the government would move forward, and was open to suggestions from the other parties. “As I have stressed before, always the aim for me in these crucial times is for national cohesion,” he said. “And I am totally open, as I have stressed to the political leaders, to every new idea, proposal that is realistic, effective ... from the parties and from every responsible body in our country, provided these proposals result in the achievement of the difficult targets our country has set.” The prime minister did not answer a question on whether he was considering holding a referendum on the austerity measures — as press reports have indicated. The head of Greece’s industry federation, SEV, said late Tuesday he saw little prospect of the parties settling their differences, and urged for a referendum. — AP

Credit Suisse upgrades CIB CAIRO: Commercial International Bank (CIB) would benefit from a rebound in fee income and the flow of global aid to Egypt, Credit Suisse said and upgraded the stock to “outperform” from “underperform.”

“We expect IMF, GCC countries, and foreign allies to contribute as well, albeit the question is whether this would happen before or after some improvement in the political process,” analyst Mohamad Hawa wrote in a note to clients.

On Tuesday, the World Bank had announced $4.5 billion in loans to Egypt over 24 months. Egyptian banks were badly hurt by the political unrest that led to the Feb. 11 resignation of President Hosni Mubarak that prompted the central bank to shut banks for almost two weeks. Shares of Egypt’s biggest private bank by assets have fallen 35 percent year to date, reflecting most of the impact of the political unrest, the analyst said. The analyst maintained his price target of 36 Egyptian pounds on the bank’s stock. Commercial International’s shares were up about a percent at 30.70 Egyptian pounds by 0924 GMT yesterday. — Reuters

Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of Indian Planning Commission.

IMF executive director Arvind Virmani said yesterday senior Indian economic adviser Montek Singh Ahluwalia was a fine candidate for the IMF post, but he was over the International Monetary Fund’s age limit of 65. — AFP

Crisis still stalks the global economy with stagflation lurking and Japan set for recession this year despite moderate overall recovery, the OECD said yesterday, warning against complacency.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development held its 2011 global growth forecast steady at 4.2 percent in its latest semiannual Economic Outlook report, but warned of negative uncertainty.

“The recovery is gaining strength but takes place at different paces,” the OECD’s chief economist Pier Carlo Padoan told reporters, adding there was “no room for complacency.”

The OECD’s secretary general Angel Gurria said: “ The crisis is not over yet, it has just changed its skin.”

He warned that “downside risks dominate,” including the debt crisis in Europe and the threat of a slowdown in China. Recovery is uneven, the OECD report said, switching its forecast for Japan to show a recession of 0.9 percent owing to the short-term effects of the March earthquake and tsunami. But it sees a strong recovery to 2.2-percent growth next year.

In the last forecast in November before the earthquake, the OECD had forecast that the Japanese economy would slow but still show growth of 1.7 percent this year and 1.3 percent in 2012. The latest report said: “The earthquake and tsunami hit when Japan’s expansion appeared to be back on track, thanks to buoyant exports and improving labor market.”

The OECD raised its 2011 forecasts for the United States to 2.6 percent and for the eurozone to 2.0 percent. But dangers off stage include possible increases in oil and other commodities prices, a slow recovery in Japan, a steep slowdown in China, euro-zone debt problems, and the unsettled fiscal situation in Japan and the United States.

“All this suggests that the global crisis may not be over yet,” warned Padoan in his introduction to the report. “A concern is that, if downside risks interact, their cumulative impact could weaken the recovery significantly, possibly triggering stagflationary developments in some advanced economies.”

Stagflation is a vicious mix of low economic growth and high inflation. It can defy conventional policy tools which tend to improve one while aggravating the other.

PARIS: OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria delivers a speech during the presentation of the 2011 global growth forecast at the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) headquarters in Paris yesterday 2011 during the OECD 50th anniversary forum. — AFP

The OECD, which groups 34 of the world’s advanced economies, said it expected overall inflation in its members to be 2.3 percent this year, up from 1.8 percent in 2010, before slowing to 1.7 percent in 2012. It forecast unemployment to fall to 7.9 percent this year in OECD countries from 8.3 percent in 2010, and then drop to 7.4 percent in 2012.

“The global economy is exiting the recession but is not returning to business as usual,” Padoan said.

While forecasting that moderate economic recovery would continue, the OECD urged many of its members to undertake structural reforms to boost growth. Fiscal consolidation needs to continue in many countries to stabilize debt levels, let alone get them back down below pre-crisis levels, it said.

“The United States and Japan, for which such requirements are among the largest, have yet to produce credible medium-term plans while other countries need to bolster medium-term fiscal targets by specifying the measures that will be implemented to achieve them.”

The easy money policies which have underpinned the recovery should be kept in place

Oil price view schism widens after volatility LONDON: Sharp upward revisions of oil price forecasts by Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley have deepened the schism between oil bears and bulls to levels unseen since prices peaked in 2008.

A Reuters monthly poll of 30 analysts showed Brent crude oil averaging $108.80 a barrel in 2011, $107.20 in 2012 and $110.70 in 2013, little changed from the previous monthly forecast and not far away from yesterday’s price of above $112.

But while bears cited weak demand and ebbing geopolitical risk premiums as reasons for oil to plunge to $75 per barrel, bulls saw it soaring to $140 due to supply shortages and the limited ability of OPEC to cushion any new disruption. “It is only a matter of time until inventories and OPEC spare capacity will become effectively exhausted, requiring higher oil prices to restrain demand, keeping it in line with available supplies,” Goldman Sachs said this week predicting oil at $140 by the end of 2012.

Price volatility increased with a sharp correction in May as concerns about the financial stability of the euro-zone and the end of the US bond buying program outweighed worries about the loss of Libyan crude. “We expect oil prices to peak this summer as the loss of Libyan crude capacity and increased seasonal demand, alongside a potential increase in Japanese demand, play out,” Nomura’s Michael Lo said.

“Post the summer peak, prices could moderate as strong fundamentals face reduced global liquidity, which have partly driven prices higher in recent years”.

In the bear camp, analysts argue that

the strength in prices will soon bite into demand, adding that the political risk premium has dwindled in the Middle East and North Africa.

“We expect to see in coming weeks more evidence in the statistics of oil demand destruction and this should maintain a strong cap on rallies,” Petromatrix consultant Olivier Jakob said.

“If the statistics confirm the demand destruction it will be hard to print higher yearly highs without a new significant supply disruption,” he added.

LBBW analyst Frank Schallenberger said he thought prices could still be carrying a major political risk premium. “With very high oil inventories and worldwide economic growth showing signs of slowing down, oil prices should tend lower in the next few months.”

Credit Agricole said it believed that if prices remained above $110 for longer, the world may end up no longer needing Libyan oil because of demand destruction from high prices. “In our base case, which assumes no major destruction to oilfields in Libya, Brent prices are expected to return to $85 in the second half of the year,” the bank said.

However, Morgan Stanley, with Goldman one of the biggest bulls in the market, said oil supplies could get very tight without any action from OPEC as demand from emerging countries remained strong.

“It is very likely that OPEC will respond to tightening inventories by lifting their production; in response, we see flat prices moving higher as spare capacity continues its fall to untenable levels,” the bank said. — Reuters

through 2012, the OECD said but also warned that interest rates should to start move up to avoid bubbles and dent inflation expectations.

“The need to keep close-to-zero policy rates for risk management reasons has now faded and an early upward adjustment in policy rates to establish a visibly positive level, as in the euro area, is merited in the United States and the United Kingdom, but not yet in Japan,” the OECD advised.

A rise in interest rates could also temper a rise in commodity prices, it suggested. It said one economic model had shown that a one percentage point drop in three-month US real interest rates added $4 to the price of oil. The OECD found concerns that speculation had fuelled commodity price inflation to be misplaced.

“Recent commodity price increases have been broad-based, including in particular certain food commodities for which organized futures markets do not exist,” it commented.

The OECD said that although increased oil prices could feed through to other goods, it also noted that rising incomes in emerging countries combined with greater use of biofuels made from food crops had pushed up demand. — AFP

Travel firm Hogg Robinson shrugs off ash, unrest LONDON: Corporate travel firm Hogg Robinson shrugged off the latest volcanic ash cloud to hit Europe and unrest in North Africa and the Middle East, saying short-term travel disruption was often good for business. “We don’t see this having any impact on our business at all,” Finance Director Julian Steadman told Reuters.

“Whenever travel plans have to change, that creates work for us, and this inevitably means that we create some additional revenues from that.”

Two German airports halted flights yesterday after ash from an Icelandic volcano drifted south into European air routes. Steadman’s comments came as the British company predicted 10 percent operating profit growth this year thanks to a rebound in demand for business travel and posted slightly better than expected results, helping send its shares up as much as 7 percent.

“We are comfortable with the numbers in the market ...

They are generally looking at about a 5 percent increase in revenue, with nearly two times that in terms of operating profit increase,” Steadman said in a telephone interview.

Hogg Robinson, which was established in 1845 and whose customers include Britain’s Ministry of Defense and German carmaker Volkswagen, also raised its final dividend 25 percent.

“The macro numbers clearly show that we are back pretty much at the levels of the pre-recession, and for airline passengers slightly ahead,” Steadman said.

International air freight and passenger traffic picked up in January, but political unrest in the Middle East and Africa and natural disasters in Japan could make 2011 a challenging year for many travel firms, according to airline body IATA. The company, headquartered in Basingstoke in the southeast of England, posted a 16 percent rise in full-year underlying pretax profit to 32.9 million pounds ($53.4 million) on revenue of 358 million pounds, up 10 percent.

Client travel transaction activity was up 17 percent in the year to the end of March, while travel spend grew 23 percent.

Analysts had on average expected a pretax profit of 32.2 million pounds, according to Thomson Reuters. — Reuters

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

BUSINESS

Watchdog: SEC could owe millions over lease deal WASHINGTON: The US Securities and Exchange Commission faces a $94 million claim after it backed out of a bungled deal to lease office space in Washington, D.C. SEC Inspector General David Kotz said in a report issued publicly that the SEC made numerous mistakes in securing roughly 900,000 square feet of space in the newly renovated “Constitution Center” building on 7th St SW. The SEC signed the 10-year, $556.8 million leasing deal last year after it anticipated it would need room for additional employees to implement the Dodd-Frank financial oversight law.

The agency was later forced to renege on the deal after Congress did not provide the expected funding. Roughly 600,000 square feet will now be used by other federal regulators, but the SEC has been unable to sublease the remaining space.

The SEC’s leasing woes have been of great interest to lawmakers, and the report could provide ammunition to some Republicans seeking to deny extra money for the SEC to implement Dodd-Frank.

In his report, Kotz depicts SEC staff as desperately rushing to secure the rental space at Constitution Center, an opulent 10-story building complete with Jerusalem limestone floors, marble walls and a floorto-ceiling glass wall. SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro preferred to obtain office space closer to the SEC

headquarters, Kotz said in his report. But agency staff convinced her the SEC urgently needed to sign a lease to accommodate the new employees that would be hired under Dodd-Frank and that the SEC had already run out of options for other locations.

Just a few days after President Barack Obama signed the Dodd-Frank bill into law, the SEC was preparing to ink a deal on the lease even though there was no guarantee they would have the funds to do it. Kotz said the SEC’s Office of Administrative Services conducted a “deeply flawed and unsound analysis,” including a 300 percent expansion projection over 10 years. “We found OAS grossly overestimated the amount of space needed... and used these groundless and unsupportable figures to justify the SEC committing to an expenditure of $556,811,589 over 10 years,” said his report dated May 16.

SEC spokesman John Nester said the agency is reviewing the report, and is moving forward to implement its recommendations to improve the leasing process. He also said the agency believes the owner of the building gave up its claim on the SEC once other tenants were secured.

Kotz said the agency may have violated numerous rules and regulations governing the procurement and budgeting process, including a failure to

have a competitive process, a lack of review, and even the backdating of key documents. “SEC leadership should be ashamed of themselves,” said Representative Randy Neugebauer, a Republican from Texas. “The OIG report speaks for itself - the agency that holds the private sector to high standards have made a mess of their own internal operations and have wasted taxpayers’ money in the process,” said Neugebauer in a statement.

Another report, issued by Kotz last year and reported by Reuters earlier on Tuesday, found the agency wasted $1 million when it acquired data storage technology through a no-bid contract that failed to work as intended.

In the leasing report, Kotz cited numerous other problems with leased office space over the years. In 2005, for example, the agency disclosed it had $48 million in unbudgeted costs due to improvements at the SEC’s current headquarters.

The SEC was granted independent leasing authority from Congress in 1990 to improve efficiency, but it was not until 2009 that the agency established an office for leasing matters.

“The report portrays the SEC’s leasing operation as incompetent in just about every way,” said Senator Charles Grassley, a Republican from Iowa.

David Nassif Associates, the owner of the building,

has demanded roughly $94 million in damages from the SEC. The company’s managing general partner did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

Kotz recommended disciplinary action against the main employees involved in the leasing project, including Sharon Sheehan, the associate executive director of the Office of Administrative Services. The name of a second employee recommended for disciplinary action was redacted.

Kotz also raised serious concerns about the conduct of former SEC Executive Director Diego Ruiz.

Ruiz served as the agency’s executive director from August 2006 until his departure in April.

Ruiz, who announced in February that he was leaving the SEC, declined to comment on Kotz’s report. Sheehan did not reply to an email from Reuters. SEC spokesman John Nester said she would have no comment beyond his statement.

“When it became apparent that the SEC would not be receiving funding for FY 2011 to support the necessary additional staff, the leasing office worked with the landlord to swiftly identify two self-funded agencies that were able to take the majority of the space allotted to the SEC,” Nester said.

Even before the report was issued, the SEC hired a new chief operating officer who is required to approve leasing decisions, Nester said. — Reuters

Japan books trade gap as crisis batters output Exports fell 12.5% from a year earlier

HONG KONG: Visitors tour the Bombardier Global Express XRS corporate jet during the Asian Aerospace Show in Hong Kong. China’s soaring economy is creating a class of wealthy entrepreneurs who have plenty of money to spend on one of the ultimate symbols of success: the executive jet. — AP

Private jet sales in China cleared for take-off HONG KONG: China’s private jet market is cleared for take-off. The country’s soaring economy is creating a class of wealthy entrepreneurs who have plenty of money to spend on one of the ultimate symbols of success: the executive jet. Airplane makers are rushing to fill that demand. They’ve been showing off models, some with touches aimed at Asian tastes, at air shows and luxury expos around China this spring to crowds of potential buyers. Authorities, meanwhile, are gradually loosening restrictions on airspace and easing bureaucratic formalities that still pose hurdles for luxury fliers. A decade ago, there were essentially no private jets in China and only a handful in Hong Kong, said Justin Lee Firestone, managing director of Firestone Management Group, a private jet consultancy.

At the end of April this year, there were 90 registered in China and 10 of those — worth about $500 million in total — were delivered since the start of January, he said. “That’s significant in any scenario but especially considering the global economy ” is hardly robust, Firestone said. “ Those numbers are explosive.” Jason Liao, who left his job as Beijing-based managing director at Bombardier last year to set up his own company helping people buy business jets, forecasts that 70 private jets will be delivered in China this year. That would be an impressive jump in sales because it would double the number in the country last year.

Liao’s company, China Business Aviation Group, has already signed eight deals since it opened in September.

Airbus has sold 20 corporate jets in China so far and predicts demand for five large corporate jets a year. “We used to say that was maybe the total market but now we think that’s the Airbus part of the market,” said Francois Chazelle, vice president of the European plane maker’s corporate jet division.

At a Hong Kong airshow in March, Airbus unveiled its Asian cabin concept, dubbed Phoenix, which features karaoke equipment and a red color theme, an auspicious color in Chinese culture. A round table for family style dining preferred in many Asian cultures can be converted to a square to allow a post-meal game of mahjong. “The very first aircraft we delivered to a Chinese customer had a karaoke on board,” said Chazelle. Rivals are just as upbeat. Bombardier expects China to be its third biggest market in the next decade, after North America and Europe. The Canadian company forecasts that aircraft makers will deliver 960 business jets to China by 2020, and another 1,400 by 2030.

Boeing is delivering two business jets to Chinese customers this year. While there is much optimism among plane makers, there are still some restrictions that have hindered industry growth.

Private jets registered in China must be operated by one of five licensed companies. That’s different from the US, where big companies that own private jets will usually have their own corporate flight departments. One big challenge is military control of airspace, with only 30 percent open to civil aviation. In the US the figure is about 70 percent.

Passenger flights in China are often held up by frequent air drills or weapons tests held at short notice. Aircraft can only fly on fixed routes between airports, which also means they cannot detour around bad weather and get grounded instead.

A shortage of trained Chinese pilots is also a problem. Some operators will either hire pricey foreigners or use pilots working for commercial airliners. That could cause safety problems if they aren’t completely familiar with the controls, said Firestone.

A limited number of slots for private flights at China’s airports also makes it difficult for a time-pressed executive to change schedules.

“Some clients, what they’d rather do is take commercial because then they can meet their schedule on the other side,” said Jolie Howard, Hong Kong-based director of business development at TAG Aviation Asia, a private jet charter company. “That defeats the purpose of having your own private plane.” But some improvements have been made and others are in the pipeline that are expected to boost nonmilitary aviation in China and ease pressure on crowded flight paths, even if not directly aimed at private jets. Several years ago, applications for flight permits had to be submitted at least a week in advance to civil aviation authorities. Now, approval takes one to three days, and in some cases as little as a few hours. Under proposed new guidelines, reported by state media late last year, aircraft flying up to 4,000 meters would no longer need to wait for approval as long as they file a flight plan in advance. Aircraft flying at low altitudes — 1,000 meters or less— will not need to file any paperwork at all.

A trial of the new guidelines began in January, when authorities allowed four helicopters to fly at low altitudes over the southern island of Hainan, a popular tourist destination. Low-altitude trials will be expanded to other areas around the country.

Despite the hurdles, industr y observers believe the only way is up for sales as corporations and the rich realize private jets are more of a tool than a toy.

“Boardroom folks are saying we have a chance to use a business tool to reach clients and factories. On a single day we can go to multiple locations and have productivity gains,” Firestone said.

“A few years ago they were saying: Hey, I have a private jet. I can go on vacation to Koh Samui” in Thailand. — AP

TOKYO: Japan fell into a trade deficit in April as exports tumbled at their fastest pace in 18 months on supply chain disruptions after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, official data showed yesterday.

Exports fell 12.5 percent from a year earlier, data released by the finance ministry showedthe largest fall since October 2009, when trade activity was still weak after the global financial crisis.

Japan logged a deficit of 463.7 billion yen ($5.6 billion), reversing a year-before surplus of 729.2 billion yen, with shipments of cars diving 67.0 percent and those of electronics parts such as microchips dropping 9.0 percent.

Japanese factory production plunged by a record 15.3 percent in March from February due to the impact of the quake, tsunami and a subsequent nuclear crisis, considered the worst since Chernobyl in 1986.

The tsunami halted many nuclear reactors and crippled an atomic power plant on the northeast coast, causing electricity shortages and sparking demand for fuel to be used in thermal power generation.

Exports to China, the biggest market for Japanese products, decreased 6.8 percent to log their first year-on-year fall in 18 months as shipments of cars and car parts plunged.

The overall deficit, however, was smaller than the market average forecast of 700 billion yen as imports marked a slower-than-expected rise. Japan last ran a trade deficit in January, when the sum reached 479.4 billion yen due to rising commodity prices and weak demand from China ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.

Overall imports in April rose 8.9 percent to post growth for the 16th consecutive month as purchases of petroleum products shot up 62.2 percent on higher prices and demand.

Economists agreed that Japan would return to trade surplus later this year but were divided on whether the deficit would expand in the coming months. Hiroshi Watanabe, economist at Daiwa Institute of Research, said Japan’s “deficit could widen until after summer as imports are likely to keep expanding”.

Exports may have hit bottom in April or may hit in May, while imports are continuing to grow

TOKYO: Container trucks leave a port in Tokyo yesterday. Japan’s exports dropped in April, bearing the brunt of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, which destroyed factories and caused massive production losses across the nation, the government said yesterday. — AP steadily, he said.

“Imports in April did not grow as much as expected... but they will continue to rise (in the coming months) on higher demand for fuel due to the electricity shortage,” he said.

Imports of general-use parts for electronics and cars are also likely to increase due to constraints on production in Japan, Watanabe said.

“April was the worst for Japan’s trade and I don’t think deficits will worsen in the months ahead,” said Norio Miyagawa, a senior economist at Mizuho Research and Consulting.

“We may see several more red figures but they will be much smaller than April’s,” he told Dow Jones Newswires. The “recent casual surveys suggest a somewhat quick recovery in Japanese exports is likely”, he added.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) slashed its growth forecasts for Japan due to the quake and tsunami, saying it expected a 0.9 percent contraction this year, but a strong rebound of 2.2 percent in

2012.

“Given the experience of past disasters in Japan and elsewhere, the large negative impact on GDP in the first and second quarters is expected to be reversed quickly as reconstruction efforts get underway,” the OECD said. It had forecast 1.7 percent growth this year and 1.3 percent in 2012 in its previous semi-annual Economic Outlook report before the earthquake.

Bank of Japan Governor Masaaki Shirakawa told an economic forum in Tokyo signs of recovery were already beginning to emerge. An increasing number of factories are resuming production while there are signs of improved sales at department stores, snapping a plunge in consumer spending immediately after the quake, the central bank chief said.

“Therefore, in the second half of fiscal 2011, the sense of recovery will be somewhat more noticeable, although it will fall short of a Vshaped recovery,” he said. - AFP

Glencore makes weak Hong Kong debut HONG KONG: Shares in Swiss commodities giant Glencore slipped in their Hong Kong trading debut yesterday, following a similarly tepid launch in London for the year’s biggest initial public offering.

The firm touched HK$64.65 ($8.31) in early trading, down from their HK$66.53 IPO price, before it ended its first trading day at HK$64.90. Despite the sluggish start, Glencore Chief Executive Ivan Glasenberg said he remained “bullish” on the company’s potential.

HONG KONG: Glencore International PLC chief executive, Ivan Glasenberg (left) presents a scale model mining truck to Hong Kong Stock Exchange Chairman Ronald Arculli during the first day of trading at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange yesterday. — AP

The world’s biggest commodities trader by revenue raised about $10 billion ahead of the dual listing.

“We are still bullish with commodities and the strength in the commodities market,” he told reporters at the firm’s listing ceremony in Hong Kong. “At the end of the day, the demand for commodities still continues robustly. “The big question is whether the big mining companies in the world will continue to increase production to match the demand in Asia,” said Glasenberg, who flew in from London.

Glasenberg rejected suggestions the listing’s weak start was tied to a recent dip in commodities prices.

“We thought it was the time to become a public company, and this was just the time,” he said, adding that “it’s irrelevant the actual time of listing... The underlying market is still very strong.”

Oil prices have slipped in recent weeks-after touching two-year highs-amid concerns over the global economy and easing demand, while gold has fallen about five percent from its record at the beginning of May. Analysts said Glencore’s weak debut was likely to have been partially caused by the selloff in commodities recently but expressed confidence in its longer term performance.

“Ultimately, if the market becomes more bullish (on) commodities, which I suspect it will, we should see more interest in Glencore,” Jeremy Friesen, a commodity analyst at lender Societe Generale in Hong Kong told AFP. The Swiss company, which posted revenue of $145 billion in 2010, deals in a range of products including oil, coal, gold and foodstuffs, but also owns a number of mines worldwide. The

dual listing values Glencore at nearly $60 billion.

Glencore shares in London sank to 525 pence ($8.49) by the close Tuesday, or 0.84 percent below their IPO price of 530 pence, despite the float being among the most anticipated of the year amid soaring commodities demand in Asia. Glencore sold 31.25 million shares in the Hong Kong offer, with the retail portion representing just 2.5 percent of the total sale, while the remainder was sold in London.

It plans to use funds raised by the listing to pay down debt, boost its stake in Kazzinc, a zinc producer with core operations in eastern Kazakhstan, and finance other projects to expand its business.

The commodities behemoth has said it secured $3.1 billion from so-called cornerstone investors, including sovereign wealth funds in Singapore and Abu Dhabi, who have subscribed to 31 percent of the shares on offer.

The firm earlier described its secondary listing in Hong Kong as a means to build a “longterm mutually beneficial relationships” with the city ’s investors, and enable it to draw on demand from resource-hungry Asian markets, with China and India increasingly keen on resources to power their economies.

Founded in April 1974 by trader Marc Rich, Glencore operated initially out of an apartment in central Switzerland’s Zug canton before quickly emerging as a major player in commodities trading.

From metals, minerals and crude oil, the group moved into agricultural goods and started in the late 1980s to expand into mine ownership. — AFP

y

A

27

e niv rsar n

Years

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

TECHNOLOGY

Spacewalking astronaut gets something in eye CAPE CANAVERAL: A spacewalking astronaut almost had to retreat into the safety of the International Space Station yesterday when something got into his eye and made it sting “like crazy.” Several minutes after he reported the discomfort, Andrew Feustel assured everyone his eye was feeling better and the third spacewalk of shuttle Endeavour’s final voyage continued as planned. The incident came as the spacewalk hit the five-hour mark. Feustel and Mike Fincke had just finished running power cables from the US side of the orbiting house to the Russian half.

Feustel spoke quietly and calmly as he

alerted his crewmates about the problem with his eye. “Just as an FYI, my right eye is stinging like crazy right now. It’s watering a lot. Must have gotten something” in it, Feustel called out. “Sorry buddy,” Fincke said. “Oh boy,” Feustel moaned. Feustel was assured that he and Fincke were “close to home” - near the hatch leading into the space station - and was asked again how he felt. He managed to rub his eye against a strap in his helmet and said that helped.

“Almost got the better of me,” Feustel said.

“Ah, my eye feels much, much better.”

The spacewalkers noted that the problem with tears in space is that “they don’t

fall off of your eye ... they kind of stay there.”

Until Feustel’s eye irritation, everything had been unfolding uneventfully 220 miles up, a relief for the spacewalkers who struggled with loose bolts during Sunday’s excursion.

And during the first spacewalk late last week, a spacesuit malfunction forced an early end to the work. Early on yesterday’s spacewalk, when told they were running ahead of schedule, Fincke replied, “I want to enjoy it while it lasts.” “Knock on wood somewhere and don’t talk about it again,” Feustel added.

Feustel and Fincke turned cable installers to carry out their job. The new power lines

they installed ultimately tap into the space station’s huge US solar wings and provide a power backup to the Russian systems. The astronauts also hooked up a grapple fixture for the space station’s robot arm, putting it on the very first piece of the outpost, a Russian compartment launched in 1998.

They also finished wiring up antennas, work left over from the first spacewalk.

As he got started on all the work, Fincke promised Russian flight controllers that he’d tackle the job with “much enthusiasm.” He relayed the message in Russian, then asked his shuttle crewmate Gregory Chamitoff in English: “OK, Greg, what’s next?” “Russian or

English?” Chamitoff joked. “How about Italian?” Fincke replied. All three countries are represented aboard the orbiting shuttlestation complex right now: six Americans, two Russians and one Italian.

Before stepping out in the wee hours yesterday morning, Feustel and Fincke tried a new spacewalk preparation method of light exercise. This is NASA’s next-to-last space shuttle flight. One more spacewalk is planned, then Endeavour will undock from the space station and head home. Landing is set for June 1. NASA will close out the 30year shuttle program in July with one last flight by Atlantis. — AP

Facebook revolution comes to French presidency Blogs and Tweets oiling wheels of revolution

BEIJING: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer introduces the upcoming Windows Phone, which will arrive in China over the next few months, in Beijing yesterday. The number of Internet users in China, already the world’s largest online market, hit 477 million at the end of March 2011, state media reported. — AFP

NASA gives up on Mars rover Spirit recovery CAPE CANAVERAL: NASA is giving up on recovering its Mars rover Spirit, which it said likely fell victim to the planet’s frigid winter after seven years of work, officials said on Tuesday. The US space agency made the announcement as it was reviewing safety procedures after a crane accident at the Kennedy Space Center involving part of its new Mars rover, which is slated to launch in November. Spirit and a sister craft named Opportunity landed on Mars in 2004 for what was to be a three-month mission roaming opposite sides of the planet’s equator for signs of water.

Opportunity remains in good health, but NASA lost radio contact with Spirit some 14 months ago. Ground control teams had hoped that, as the Martian spring advanced to Spirit’s location, the rover would be able to recharge its solar power arrays and radio home. “We no longer believe there is a realistic probability of hearing from Spirit,” NASA said in a statement, adding that it would make one last attempt on Wednesday to make radio contact with the rover. NASA says critical components on the rover probably failed from extremely cold temperatures during the past Mars winter. The rover explored a region known as Gustav Crater.

The ambitious follow-up mission slated for November will tackle a thornier question about the Martian environment by attempting to determine if the planet has or ever had the chemistry to support life. Part of the spacecraft’s launch preparations were put on hold, however, after the crane accident. The mishap on Friday involved part of the protective aeroshell cover for the $2 billion Mars Science Laboratory. The rover must be launched

between Nov. 25 and Dec. 18 when Earth and Mars are optimally aligned for the nine-month journey to Mars or face a two-year delay.

During a practice run on Friday to attach the two sections of the 15-foot diameter aeroshell, a crane operator from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, accidentally hit the wrong button and lifted the dome shaped backshell while it was attached to a table weighing approximately 2,000 pounds, project manager Richard Cook said. “The lift engineer says ‘Go down,’ and the crane operator says ‘Going down’ and unfortunately, in this particular case, pushed the other button and so the crane went up rather than down,” Cook said. “The backshell was lifted up a little bit and because the table that it sits on was attached to it still, it also lifted the table up.”

The attachment points to the table are not the same ones that will be used to clamp together the actual flight hardware, but NASA was concerned lifting the extra weight, even for a few seconds, could have weakened the backshell’s structure. “ We’ve been doing stress analysis for the last couple of days.

Essentially the initial results of that look like we basically are OK,” Cook said. There are concerns, however, about processing procedures and NASA has halted the rover’s crane operations while a review is under way. The hiatus is not expected to impact the launch date, Cook said. The aeroshell, built by Lockheed Martin, and the rover’s cruise stage arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 12. The rover, currently at Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, is due to arrive in June. — Reuters

HONG KONG: In this Saturday, May 7, 2011 file photo, local and mainland Chinese universities’ students, dressed as the Foxconn workers, hold mock iPads with a skeleton print outside an Apple Premium Reseller shop in Hong Kong.

China is urging Foxconn Technology Group and other Taiwanese companies to pay closer attention to safety in their mainland factories after a fatal blast at a facility that makes Apple iPads. — AP

PARIS: The Internet revolution reached the top level of world leadership yesterday when Facebook pioneer Mark Zuckerberg met with President Nicolas Sarkozy on the closing day of the first “e-G8” summit. The 27-year-old American founder of the social networking site-on which Sarkozy himself has a page-visited the Elysee palace between the president’s meetings with the cabinet and the Japanese prime minister. The encounter came on the sidelines of the “e-G8”, which on its second day was fast becoming a face-off between the powers that be, big business and web rebels.

Sarkozy kicked off the summit of top online and media barons on Tuesday, hailing their “Internet revolution” but warning them that some degree of government regulation was inevitable to avoid “democratic chaos.”

Google’s executive chairman Eric Schmidt hit back by warning governments to “be careful about regulating the Internet” for fear of choking its potential, while web freedom group Access Now petitioned against Sarkozy’s stance.

“After the first day of discussions at the socalled ‘e-G8 forum’, President Sarkozy’s disastrous design for the Internet has become glar-

ingly apparent,” said a statement yesterday from campaign group Access Now. “ The world’s most developed economies (the G8) are poised to impose strict copyright enforcement and heavy-handed government regulation of the Internet,” it added, citing leaks of drafts of the e -G8 final declaration.

Zuckerberg left the Elysee without commenting to the media but was due to address the forum later.

The e-G8 aims to draw up a declaration for the Group of Eight Leaders who meet in Deauville, northwestern France, on Thursday and Friday, with discussions covering sensitive issues such as online copyright and censorship. Major players on the industry and political side approved Sarkozy’s stance on regulation, particularly on protecting intellectual property from online privacy. Sarkozy “did well in putting these questions in the agenda,” the European Union’s Digital Agenda Commissioner, Neelie Kroes, told the forum yesterday. “Sometimes you need rules in the game, in particular when it’s about global issues.”

Rupert Murdoch, the billionaire head of the News Corporation empire and arguably the

world’s most powerful media mogul, also weighed in, calling for the G8 to protect intellectual property. “We hope that the G8 will strongly affirm that the property rights of artists and creators are more than just a matter of protecting cultures,” he told the gathering Tuesday. “In this new century, they are essential requirements for a dynamic economy and the digital future.” Several media rights and civil society groups including Reporters Without Borders meanwhile held a news conference complaining that the forum was giving a voice mainly to big businesses.

With blogs and Tweets oiling the wheels of revolution in some countries and scans and downloads sparking trade disputes in others, the stakes are high for leaders seeking to profit from the web but also to rein in online crime.

Top executives from online giants including Microsoft, Facebook, eBay and Amazon attended the gathering to tout the economic potential of the Internet, which Sarkozy has put on the agenda of the G8 summit he will host. Zuckerberg and other big hitters are due to personally deliver the e-G8’s declaration to G8 leaders in Deauville. — AFP

Safest countries for Internet Germany, Serbia, Czech, Japan, Luxembourg named safest BERLIN: Kaspersky Lab, a leading developer of secure content and threat management solutions, presents statistics for IT threats in the first quarter of 2011. All the data was obtained from consenting participants of the Kaspersky Security Network which brings together millions of users of Kaspersky Lab’s products from 213 countries around the world.

According to the company’s research, in the first quarter of 2011, the number of web-borne attacks blocked stood at 254,932,299. Notably, 89% of all web resources used for hosting malware were detected in just 10 countries. The United States still tops this list - between January and March 2011, the share of malicious hosting sites in the US increased by 1.7 percentage points. The bulk of the malicious content is located on compromised legitimate sites. The number of malicious hosting sites continued to fall in China and

Germany, with the volume of web attacks originating from the two countries falling by 3.33 and 3.28 percentage points respectively compared to the final quarter of 2010.

Those facing the highest risk of infection via the Internet were users in Russia and Oman. Nearly every second computer (49%) in those two countries became the target of a web attack during the first three months of the year.

Other high-risk countries included Iraq, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. The safest countries for Internet surfing were Japan, Germany, Serbia, the Czech Republic and Luxembourg.

During Q1 2011, Kaspersky Lab’s solutions successfully blocked 412,790,509 attempted local infections of users’ computers connected to the Kaspersky Security Network. The Top 10 list of countries where users’ computers were exposed to the highest

risk of local infections consisted entirely of Asian and African countries.

First place in the ranking is occupied by various malicious programs detected with the help of cloud-based technologies.

These technologies work when a malicious program first enters circulation and the antivirus databases do not have signatures or heuristic tools to detect it; at this time, information about this malware may well exist in the cloud.

The main point of interest in the Top 10 vulnerabilities detected on users’ computers was the presence of just a single Microsoft product vulnerability in 8th place.

Vulnerabilities in Adobe products occupied a total of five positions in the list, including 1st and 2nd places.

“The statistics collected from computers belonging to KSN subscribers show that users’ computers in the developing countries are at the highest risk of both

local and web-borne infection.

With local infections, the groups within the maximum and high risk brackets consist exclusively of developing countries. In the countries that fall into the maximum risk bracket, local threats are blocked on over 60% of all computers that have Kaspersky Lab’s security products installed on them, while the corresponding figure for the high risk bracket is 40-60%.

IT penetration is increasing rapidly in these countries, and levels of IT security awareness may not always advance at the same pace,” explains Yury Namestnikov, Kaspersky Lab expert and author of the quarterly report. “However, the most advanced Trojans such as TDSS, Sinowal and Zbot, etc., primarily target users in developed countries, including the US, Germany, the UK, Italy, France and Spain. It is the digital wallets of users living in these countries that the cybercriminals are really after.”

Latest-generation ‘Nexus S’ smartphone with NFC chips SAN FRANCISCO: Google will launch a mobile payment platform today that lets people use smartphones to pay at shops as easily as they use a credit card, according to a source familiar with the matter. Google is to unveil the system at a press conference in New York with the help of major financial institutions that have partnered with the Californiabased Internet giant on the project.

Google has invited news reporters to see its “latest innovations” but declined to provide any details. The mobile payment system will take advantage of near-field communication (NFC) chips in smartphones to essentially transmit financial transaction data with taps, waves or swipes at store checkouts, the source said.

Google built its latest-generation “Nexus S” smartphone with NFC chips that turn devices into virtual wallets, allowing users to “tap and pay” for financial transactions.

South Korea’s Samsung built the touch-screen handsets, which are powered by Google’s Android mobile operating system. Google chief executive Eric Schmidt said shortly before the Nexus S hit the market in December that he expects the tap-and-pay mobile technology to “eventually replace credit cards.”

A mobile payment system centered on Android-powered gadgets could add to the momentum of Google smartphones in the fiercely competitive market. — AFP

JAKARTA: A vendor displays a Samsung Galaxy tablet computer at a market in Jakarta on May 12, 2011. Indonesians are among the hungriest gadget consumers in the world, and the most coveted products can be found at slashed prices on the country’s thriving black market. — AFP

Beijing urges safety after iPad plant blast BEIJING: Beijing urged Foxconn Technology Group and other Taiwanese companies yesterday to ensure safety in their mainland China factories after a fatal blast at a facility that makes Apple iPads. Last Friday’s explosion at the facility owned by Foxconn, Apple’s main manufacturing contractor, killed three employees. Foxconn blamed combustible dust in a workshop that polishes products and suspended production at the factory in the western city of Chengdu, prompting questions about whether supplies of the popular iPad 2 might be disrupted. “We hope Foxconn and other Taiwan-invested enterprises can learn from this, carry out their safety responsibilities, strengthen internal inspection and management, root out hidden dan-

gers in a timely way and ensure safe production,” said Fan Liqing, a spokesman for Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office.

Taiwanese companies have invested billions of dollars in the mainland despite their government’s lack of formal ties with Beijing, which claims the self-ruled island as part of its territory. Fan said the Chengdu explosion was believed to be a “production safety incident” but gave no details. Foxconn, a unit of Taiwan’s Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, manufactures mobile phones, computers and other products under contract for Apple Inc. and other global brands such as Hewlett Packard Inc. The company employs an estimated 1 million to 1.1 million people in China at a series of huge factory campuses. — AP

28

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

health & science

Iran’s largest lake turning to salt OROUMIEH LAKE: From a hillside, Kamal Saadat looked forlornly at hundreds of potential customers, knowing he could not take them for trips in his boat to enjoy a spring weekend on picturesque Oroumieh Lake, the third largest saltwater lake on earth. “Look, the boat is stuck...

It cannot move anymore,” said Saadat, gesturing to where it lay encased by solidifying salt and lamenting that he could not understand why the lake was fading away.

The long popular lake, home to migrating flamingos, pelicans and gulls, has shrunken by 60 percent and could disappear entirely in just a few years, experts say - drained by drought, misguided irrigation policies, development and the damming of rivers that feed it. Until two years ago, Saadat supplemented his income from almond- and grape-growing by taking tourists on boat tours.

But as the lake receded and its salinity rose, he found he had to stop the boat every 10 minutes to unfoul the propeller and finally, he had to give up this second job that he’d used to support a five-member family. “The visitors were not enjoying such a boring trip,” he said, noting they had to cross hundreds of meters of salty lakebed just to reach the boat from the wharf. Other boatmen, too, have parked their vessels by their houses, where they stand as sad reminders of

the deep-water days. And the lake’s ebbing affects an ever-widening circle.

In April, authorities stopped activities at the nearby jetty in Golmankhaneh harbor, due to lack of water in the lake, now only two meters deep at its deepest. Jetties in Sharafkhaneh and Eslami harbors faced the same fate. The receding water has also weakened hotel business and tourism activities in the area, and planned hotel projects remain idle since investors are reluctant to continue. Beyond tourism, the salt-saturated lake threatens agriculture nearby in northwest Iran, as storms sometimes carry the salt far afield.

Many farmers worry about the future of their lands, which for centuries have been famous for apples, grapes, walnuts, almonds, onions, potatoes, as well as aromatic herbal drinks, candies and tasty sweet pastes.

“The salty winds not only will affect surrounding areas but also can damage farming in remote areas,” said Masoud Mohammadian, an agriculture official in the eastern part of the lake, some 370 miles northwest of the capital Tehran.

Other officials echoed the dire forecast. Salman Zaker, a parliament member for Oroumieh warned last month that, “with the current trend, the risk of a salt tsunami is increasing.” Warning that the lake would dry out within three to five years - an assessment agreed to by the local

environment department director, Hasan Abbasnejad - Zaker said eight to 10 billion tons of salt would jeopardize life for millions of people.

Masoud Pezeshkian, another lawmaker and representative for city of Tabriz in the eastern part of the lake said, “The lake has been drying but neither government nor local officials took any step, so far.” How did this disaster develop, and what can be done now? Official reports blame the drying mainly on a decade-long drought, and peripherally on consumption of water of the feeding rivers for farming. They put 5 percent of the blame on construction of dams and 3 percent on other factors. Others disagree about the relative blame. The first alarm over the lake’s shrinking came in late 1990s amid a nagging drought.

Nonetheless, the government continued construction of 35 dams on the rivers which feed the lake; 10 more dams are on the drawing boards for the next few years. Also completed was a lake-crossing roadway between Oroumieh and Tabriz, cities on the west and east of the lake. No environmental feasibility study was done in the planning for the road, and environmentalists believe the project worsened the lake’s health by acting as a barrier to water circulation.

Nasser Agh, who teaches at Tabriz Sahand

University, suggested miscalculations led to late reaction to save the lake. “Experts believed it would be a 10-year rotating drought, at first,” he said. But long afterward, the drought still persists, with devastating effects. In the early 2000s, academic research concluded that the lake could face the same destiny as the Aral Sea in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, which has been steadily shrinking since rivers that feed it were diverted by Soviet Union irrigation projects in 1960s. It is now less than one-tenth of its original size.

In April, the Iranian government announced a three-prong effort to save the lake: a cloud-seeding program to increase rainfall in the area, a lowering of water consumption by irrigation systems, and supplying the lake with remote sources of water. Mohammad Javad Mohammadizadeh, vice-president to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in charge of environmental affairs, said the government approved the three-part approach. Some experts termed the weather control portion of the program as only a “symbolic action” by government, saying the best answer would be to release more water currently being held back by dams. The evaporation rate has been three times the rainfall rate, making the rivers’ historic role vital to sustaining the lake. —AP

UN puts off destroying last smallpox viruses ‘We’re very committed to consensus decisions at WHO’

FRANKFURT: Two baby Sumatran tiger cubs dose in their enclosure at the zoo in the central German city of Frankfurt am Main yesterday. — AFP

‘Left-behind parents’ seek help to get kids WASHINGTON: Eli is a little boy packs a powerful hug, but hasn’t given one to his mother for more than a year. Eli last year was taken to Turkey by his father, completely blindsiding his mother, Sara Edwards, one of America’s “left-behind” parents. On the eve of US National Missing Children’s Day, which the United States marked Wednesday, Edwards testified before US lawmakers, telling them in an airless room of her almost hopeless quest to get Eli back.

“Eli gives the most amazing bear hugs but I have not held him since March 4 last year when my husband took him to Turkey,” Edwards told a hearing of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights. “Every day I wonder if he is thinking about me and missing his mother the same way I am thinking about him and missing him,” she said, repeatedly interrupting her testimony to quell tears.

Sage was taken to Mexico by his mother when he was one, his father Carlos Bermudez said. “In June 2008, my wife went to Arizona with my son for what was supposed to be a two-day visit, but once there, she turned off her cellphone and only sent me occasional emails,” Bermudez told the hearing. A software engineer, Bermudez traced the origin of his wife’s emails to Mexico and began legal proceedings to have his son returned to the United States under the Hague Convention, an international agreement that requires the prompt return of children to their country of “habitual residence.”

That was three years ago. Since then,

Bermudez has been through 13 hearings and tens of thousands of dollars but has got nowhere in bringing home Sage, largely because the Hague Convention, an international agreement that requires that kidnapped children be promptly returned home, has no teeth, he said. Navy Captain Paul Toland’s wife took their child to Japan when the little girl was an infant.

Shortly afterwards, the mother committed suicide. “I’m Erika’s only living parent and I’ve had no access to her for eight years,” Toland said.

He described Japan as “one of the worst countries in the world” for returning abducted children. “ The State Department doesn’t have a single case of a Japanese court ordering the return of a child. When they’re abducted to Japan, they’re gone forever,” he said.

Japan is not a signatory of the Hague Convention, but said last week that it would join the international agreement on child abduction. “The question is, do they ever intend to comply? It seems to me they’re signing it just to get international pressure off their backs. They really need to sign it with the intent to cooperate and facilitate the return of children,” Toland said. “Success is not defined by Japan signing the convention. It’s defined by children coming back to the United States.”

Children like Eli, Erika and Sage are “held in violation of US and international law,” said the left-behind parents’ unofficial spokesman David Goldman, who is one of a rare few parents who are able to bring their children home. —AFP

GENEVA: Health ministers from around the world agreed Tuesday to put off setting a deadline to destroy the last known stockpiles of the smallpox virus for three more years, rejecting a US plan that had called for a five-year delay.

After two days of heated debate, the 193nation World Health Assembly agreed by consensus to a compromise that calls for another review in 2014. The United States had proposed a five-year extension to destroying the US and Russian stockpiles, arguing that more research is needed and the stockpiles could help prevent one of the world’s deadliest diseases from being used as a biological weapon.

But opponents at the decision-making assembly of the World Health Organization said they saw little reason to retain the stockpiles, and objected to the delay in destroying them. Dr Nils Daulaire, head of the US Office of

in 2007, the health assembly asked WHO’s director-general to oversee a major review of the situation so that the 2011 assembly could agree on when to destroy the last known stockpiles.

Daulaire said the US would act in accordance with the decisions made by the assembly. “We’re very committed to consensus decisions at WHO,” he said. “We believe even more strongly that WHO is a very important institution and that it has moral force and that maintaining consensus and acting on the basis of that consensus is critical for global public health.” WHO officials said in a statement that the assembly “strongly reaffirmed the decision of previous assemblies that the remaining stock of smallpox (variola) virus should be destroyed when crucial research based on the virus has been completed.” — AP

Germany ‘worried’

by E. coli outbreak BERLIN: Germany ’s consumer minister expressed deep concern yesterday at an outbreak of poisoning by dangerous bacteria believed to have killed three women and left hundreds ill. “This is really worrying,” Ilse Aigner said on ARD public television. “We do not know what is the source (of the poisoning) and we cannot rule out there will be more cases.”

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Germany’s national disease agency, more than 80 people have become seriously ill in the past two weeks after ingesting enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC).

Across Germany, mostly in the north, there are hundreds of other suspected cases, including some 200 in the state of SchleswigHolstein, 100 in Lower Saxony, and in Hamburg close to 50.

Three women, including two in their eighties, are believed to have died as a result over the past week, although tests have yet to confirm this. RKI head Burger on Tuesday called the recent number of recorded cases “scarily high”.

Normally in a year there are around 1,000 EHEC infections and some 60 cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening disease caused by EHEC infection.

According to the World Health Organization, HUS is characterized by acute renal failure and blood problems, with a fatality rate of between three and five percent. It can also cause seizures, strokes and coma. E. coli is commonly found in the gut of humans and warm-blooded animals.

Most strains of E coli are harmless but some, like EHEC, can cause severe foodborne disease, resulting in several outbreaks in recent years. It is transmitted to humans primarily through contaminated foods such as raw or undercooked meat and unpasteurized milk, as well as by animal faeces getting into water and food and by cross-contamination during food preparation. —AFP

Philippines outraged at coral reef plunder MANILA: The Philippine government expressed outrage yesterday at the plunder of corals and turtles that may have destroyed thousands of hectares of precious reefs. President Benigno Aquino’s spokesman also vowed to step up marine patrols following this month’s seizure at Manila’s port of 158 stuffed sea turtles and about 124,000 pieces of coral, which were valued at about $80,000. “( We are) appalled because the plundering of our marine resources shows much remains to be done to safeguard our marine biodiversity,” spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a

Global Health Affairs and the chief American delegate to the assembly, expressed some disappointment but said the compromise was satisfactory. “We were disappointed that despite the fact that we had extremely strong support for a resolution that would have even more strongly endorsed the program of research and that a majority of that support came from the global south, that Iran almost unilaterally blocked that,” he said.

“We could have won a vote if we had chosen to go that route, but it was not the way we view the well-being of both WHO processes and global health.” The assembly, like the UN General Assembly, is a world forum whose decisions aren’t legally binding. It declared smallpox officially eradicated in 1980, and the UN health agency has been discussing whether to destroy the virus since 1986. Then

statement.“The monetary value of the black coral and sea turtles confiscated in the Port of Manila is tiny compared to the ecological devastation they represent-hundreds, possibly thousands, of hectares of coral reefs and all the ecological complexity they represent, either killed or seriously damaged,” Lacierda said. The corals and turtles were apparently stolen from the pristine waters of the Moro Gulf and the Sulu Sea off the main southern island of Mindanao, according to Lacierda.

“It is our duty to safeguard these areas,” he said, adding that the Philippine Navy

and Coast Guard would step up patrols to protect the nation’s coastline from such plunder as they acquired more modern vessels. The dead turtles and corals, as well as 209 boxes of shells, were misdeclared as “rubber” and hidden inside two huge containers that had been shipped from the southern Philippine city of Cotabato.

Customs officials said they were still tracking down the owner of the shipment, who could face up to four years in jail. It is illegal in the Philippines to gather and sell endangered coral, although other countries allow it to be traded. —AFP

MARSEILLE: A nurse learns intensive care procedures on a computerized dummy yesterday at the Intensive Care learning center (CESU) in Marseille, southeastern France.

The CESU offers care training simulating accident on programmable baby and adult dummies. — AFP

Central China drought worst in over 50 years BEIJING: Central China’s worst drought in more than 50 years is drying reservoirs, stalling rice planting, and threatens crippling power shortages as hydroelectric plants lie idle, state media said yesterday.

Rainfall levels from January to April in the drainage basin of the Yangtze, China’s longest and most economically important river, have been 40 percent lower than average levels of the past 50 years, the China Daily said. The national flood and drought control authority has ordered the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydroelectric project which lies on the river, to increase its discharge of water by 10 to 20 percent for the next two weeks. The measure is aimed at sending badly needed water to the Yangtze’s middle and lower reaches for drinking and irrigation.

Water-marks in more than 1,300 reservoirs in Hubei province, where the dam is located, have dropped below allowable discharge levels for irrigation, the paper quoted Yuan Junguang, Hubei’s reservoir management director, as saying. Rainfall in some areas is up to 80 percent lower than usual while the provinces of Anhui, Jiangsu, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi and Zhejiang along with Shanghai municipality are mired in their worst droughts since 1954. “Without adequate water, we lost the spring planting season for rice,” Hubei farmer Zhou Xingtao

was quoted as saying.

It said many other farmers in Hubei have lost their existing crops or given up on planting summer rice, fearing the emergency water supplies will be inadequate to sustain their fields, with more hot and dry weather forecast. China-and the Yangtze river region in particular-is prone to the alternating threats of crippling drought followed by devastating flooding. Just last summer, sustained torrential rainfall across the Yangtze basin and beyond caused widespread flooding and even some concern over whether the giant Three Gorges Dam would be able to contain the deluge.

More than 3,000 people were reported killed in the flooding and related landslides.

Nearly every year, some part of China suffers its worst drought in decades, and meteorological officials have said previously the extreme weather is possibly due to climate change. The State Grid, China’s state-owned power distributor, reportedly said this week that 10 of its provincial-level power grids were suffering severe shortages due to the drought’s impact on hydroelectric generation, including Shanghai and the heavily populated southwestern Chongqing region. The company said China could face a summer electricity shor tage of 30 gigawatts-the most severe power shortfall since 2004.— AFP

A

y

e niv rsar n

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

Years

H E A LT H

Farmers gain, forests at risk from Brazil land bill Critics warn of deforestation, water sources, erosion BRASILIA: Lawmakers passed an overhaul of Brazil’s forest code on Tuesday that relieves farmers of part of $304 billion in potential costs in one of the world’s breadbaskets but that environmentalists say will cause deforestation to surge. The new law governing land use would reduce the amount of forest that farmers must preserve, relax the conservation of hilltops, and give partial amnesties for massive fines for past deforestation in Latin America’s largest country.

The bill, which passed by the lower house of Congress but still must be approved by the Senate and President Dilma Rousseff, should reduce legal uncertainty over the farmers’ obligations, which have long been loosely enforced by the government. Brazil’s farmers say more flexibility on environmental regulations will help them compete against other big farming nations such as the United States and

Argentina. Environmentalists say the bill gives too much weight to the economic interests of the influential farm lobby and will set back Brazil’s recent progress in reducing destruction of the Amazon, the world’s largest forest.

Under the bill small-scale land owners, who make up 86 percent of Brazil’s farmers, will be exempt from recovering deforested land. Fines and lawsuits against many farmers will be mostly dropped. “It’s a disaster. It heightens the risk of deforestation, water depletion and erosion,” said Paulo Gustavo Prado, head of environmental policy at Conservation International-Brazil. Prado estimates the new code will lead to a destruction of 10 percent of Brazil’s remaining vegetation, particularly in the Amazon and northern savanna states Maranhao and Tocantins. The relaxed rules on clearing hilltops and slopes will put at risk riverheads and other

water sources and is likely to fuel soil erosion, Prado and other environmentalists say.

BOOST TO COMPETITIVENESS The current code, which dates to 1965, was advanced for its time, requiring farmers to maintain 35 percent of their land covered by forest in the cerrado, or savanna, 80 percent in the Amazon, and 20 percent elsewhere. Only about 10 percent of farmers are estimated to be in compliance with the law. For decades military and civilian governments encouraged people to settle the country’s interior and chop down trees to raise cattle and grow food. Under the current code, farmers would be obliged to reforest around 62.5 million hectares of land at a cost of 490 billion reais ($304 billion), congressional studies show. Much like a partial tax amnesty, the proposed law forgives farmers in hopes of achieving better compliance. —Reuters

Why coffee can hinder conception LONDON: Scientists may have discovered why drinking coffee makes it harder for women to conceive, it was revealed yesterday. Caffeine, the stimulant in coffee, impairs the transport of eggs from the ovaries to the womb, a study published here has found. Previous research had already shown that consuming too much coffee can affect female fertility. One study of 9,000 Dutch women found that drinking more than four cups a day cut the chances of conceiving by about a quarter.

But until now the reason for the link had remained a mystery. The new study, conducted on mice, showed that caffeine inhibits contractions of the Fallopian tubes which are needed to carry eggs to the womb.

The stimulant de-activates specialized pacemaker cells in the walls of the tubes. These cells co-ordinate waves of tube contractions which move the eggs towards the womb. The research suggests the contractions play a bigger role in egg transport than the beating hair-like cilia

that line the walls of the Fallopian tubes. Previously it was thought the reverse was the case.

Study leader Professor Sean Ward, from the University of of Nevada in Reno, US, said “This finding goes a long way towards explaining why drinking caffeinated drinks can reduce a woman’s chance of becoming pregnant. “This provides an intriguing explanation as to why women with high caffeine consumption often take longer to conceive than women who do not consume caffeine.”

The findings are published today in the British Journal of Pharmacology. A spin-off of the research is likely to be greater insight into how the Fallopian tubes work, said the scientists. This could help doctors treat pelvic inflammation and sexually transmitted diseases. Another benefit could be improved understanding of ectopic pregnancy, a painful and potentially life-threatening condition which results in embryos growing within the Fallopian tubes. —KUNA

y

A

30

e niv rsar n

Years

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

W H AT ’ S O N

AOU hosts Arabic language lecture

IES crowned with glory

T

he undergraduate studies department of the Arab Open University in Kuwait held a lecture to discuss succinctness in the Arabic language, presented by Arabic language courses coordinator Dr Mohammad Al-Tayyan, and supervised by director of the AOU - Kuwait branch Dr Abdulaziz Al-Ghanim.

Dr Al-Tayyan focused during the lecture on giving examples for the use of succinctness in the Arabic language throughout history and its role in solidifying rhetoric speech, pointing out on the language’s flexibility and richness expressive vocabulary.

I

IPS students excel

A

stounding Results of Indian Public School at the ‘All India Senior Secondary Certificate Examination’ conducted by CBSE New-Delhi 2011 The Management, Principal, staff and students of Indian Public School - Kuwait congratulate all the students of the All India Senior School Certificate Examination 2011 on their stupendous performance at the CBSE Class XII Examination. It is indeed an astounding performance as per the results which was announced on 23rd May 2011 by the Board. The School toppers and subject toppers for the Science Stream and Commerce Stream are as under mentioned: Toppers in XII 2010-2011 Science Stream: Mustafa Captain (483/500) English - 95, Maths - 97 Physics - 96, Biology - 98.

Elton Savio (469/500) Comp Sci - 99, Ahlaam Akber (449/500) Chemistry - 99.

Subject toppers: English - 95/100 Richa Gurudas and Hussain Abbas Ali. Toppers in XII 2010-2011 Commerce Stream: Nafeesa Bano (453/500) English - 95, Economics - 93, Informatics - 96.

Gudisela Yesterrani: (448/500) English - 95, Business Studies 95.

Neha Shaikh: (445/ 500) English - 95, Business Studies - 95, Accountancy - 85.

Subject Toppers English-95/100 Yesterrani, Nabil Nazir.

Business St: - 95/100 Yesterrani and Tisha Islam.

Hussain Hamza Accountancy - 85/100.

Mustafa Captain

Elton Savio

Ahlaam Akber

Resplendent results as Carmel conquers

J

oy knew no bounds at the Carmel Campus as the AISSE results were declared by CBSE. Exultant cheers echoed through the corridors as Carmelites displayed their diligence in full luminosity like the early morning sunshine in Kuwait.

Aastha Shah lived up to her title, “Brilliance par Excellence” as she clinched the prized 1st position with a grand aggregate of 97%. Closely followed by our delicate Sherilyn Dcosta with 96.2% and Pawan Kumar with 96%( truly integrity exemplified as he has achieved this feat without tuitions) Shy, petite Candice Miranda once again proved her magic with numbers (Remember her incredible 100 in Social Science in grade 10) with a perfect score of 95 in all subjects.

The list of luminaries goes on: Karan Soni and Mukta Anant94.4%,Fabliha-94.2% Radhika Gomes 94%, Asheley James93.4%,Samreen Saleem-92.8%,Shruti Acharya-92.6%,Steve Solomon92.4%,Meghana Thakur-91.4%,Arjun Mohindra 91%,Krystal Lewis 90.8%,Prema Mathews 90.4%.

The Commerce Stream also accomplished remarkable feats.

Formidable and fastidious Fatema Lokhandwala bagged the 1st position with 94.8%, tenacious and multitalented sportsperson Manik Anant 2nd with 93.4% and the suave and sensible Uzair Sarfaraz earned

3rdplace with 92.6%.

Subject wise toppers English Core: Ashley, Asif, Candice, Fabliha, Krystal, Nusrat, Pearl, Prema, Radhika, Samreen, Karen, Shannon, Shivmangal, Shruthi A, Aaron, Anjali, Pawan, Osama, Samira, Sini, Fatema, Geetha, Jickie, Delcina, Delicia, Uzair all scored an all time high of 95 marks; Sanjana, Depali, Sahar earned-94 marks; Aastha, Sherilyn, Arjun, Arwin, Jolene, Mitthi, Tessa-93 marks; Tharindu-92marks; Fahad, Sruthi G, Dionne-91marks; Adel, Shobha, Aafreen -90 marks.

Maths: Aastha and Mukta-99 marks; Radhika, Fathema, Pawan-98 marks; Asheley, Fabliha, Karan, Samreen, Sherilyn, Meghana, Manik, Robin-95 marks; Shobha - 94 marks; Arjun-93 marks; Gopi-90 marks.

Physics: Aastha-99 marks; Sherilyn-98 marks; Candice, Karan, Pawan, Mukta-95 marks; Radhika, Samreen94 marks; Krystal-92marks; Pearl, Steve-91 marks and Edson-90 marks.

Chemistry: Aastha, Sherilyn, Shruti-98 marks; Karan-97 marks; Asheley, Candice, Fabliha, Samreen, Sanjana, Pawan, Joel, Meghana, Mukta-95 marks; St eve-93 marks; Krystal, Samira-92 marks; Arjun, Tessa-90 marks.

Biology: Karan-98 marks; Fabliha, Sherilyn-97 marks; Aastha,

Radhika-96 marks; Asheley, Candice, Prema,Shruti, Steve-95 marks.

Economics: Fatema-96 marks; Manik-95 marks; Karen-90 marks.

Business Studies: Sahar-95 marks; Uzair-94 marks; Karen, Manik-93 marks; Fatema-90 marks.

Accounts: Fatema, Manik, Sahar, Uzair-95 marks.

Computer Science: Pawan, Mukta-97 marks; Anjali95 marks; Meghana-94 marks; Shobha-92 marks; Arwin, Bryce Gopi-91 marks; Arjun-90 marks.

Infomatics: Delcina-97 marks; Depali, Uzair96 marks; Aafreen, Joanna, Steve95 marks; Delicia-94 marks Adel-92 marks; Lester-90 marks.

Of the 90 students who answered the examination 51 have scored distinctions, the highlight being that 19 of them have scored an astounding 90% and above. The elation at the mettle and determination displayed by Carmelites has surely made their parents and educators proud. The Carmelite Sisters acknowledge all their efforts believing that success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest within us.....and Carmel has done that!

Excelsior!!

Richa Gurudas

Hussain Abbas Ali

Nafeesa Bano

Gudisela Yesterrani

Neha Shaikh

Nabil Nazir

Tisha Islam

Hussain Hamza

Kala holds Naynar memorial function

T

‘Convention Center’ hosts Chef Chris Lenning

T

he Convention Center & Royal Suites hotel is hosting the British chef Chris Lenning, who is known for working in kitchen management as an

executive chef, as he supervised a training course for the hotel’s chefs to improve the hotel’s menus with the latest in the cookery field. This comes as part of the hotel’s plans

to improve the quality of catering services at its restaurants, which include adding new items to the menus characterized by high quality and great design.

he Kerala Art Lovers Association (Kala-Kuwait) conducted the yearly commemoration to EK Naynar the former chief minister of Kerala State in India on 19.05.2011 with its due respect. PV Mustafa delivered the principal address while inaugurating the function. Kala president Sam Painamood presided over the function and Naganathan Kala General Secretary welcomed all. Representatives from various organizations Shijo Philip, John Mathew, Vik as.K, J.Albert, Abdul Fatah, Chandramohan Kannur, Salam Kalanad and M.N. Manikndan Conversed the function. Shinoj Mathew rendered the vote of thanks.

ndian Educational School (IES) was crowned with glory when the CBSE 12th Standard results were recently announced. The inaugural batch appearing for the CBSE exams from IES, honored their alma mater with the luminous achievement of a 100 percent pass result that endowed the school fraternity with gratification and jubilation. The prestige conferred by the first batch will forever be enshrined in the annals of IES as a testimony to the ingenuity of students and skillful guidance of their teachers.

The enterprising Bhavanites, who excel in steadfastness to their studies and co-curricular activities, have always won plaudits for their hard work and persistence, which eventually culminated in this sterling result for the school. The enterprising engineers, devoted doctors, sharp scientists, brainy businessmen and witty writers of the future, left a distinct impression with their outstanding CBSE results.

The English Department soared high with 23 students winning A1 grades and with 8 out of the 23, securing 95 percent in English. The reputation of the English Department was further cemented with 79.3 percent of the students who appeared for the boards scoring more than 80 percent marks. The Department of English headed by Mrs. Rajashree Menon, who believes in innovative classroom interaction and kindling creativity in children, extolled Bhavanites for placing the department on the high pedestal with their outstanding performance. The faculty expressed their pride in the Bhavanites.

The Science Department was honored with 6 students winning A1 grades in Physics, 11 obtaining A1 Grades in Chemistry and 4 receiving A2 Grades in Biology. The topper in Chemistry scored a magnificent 99 percent. Of the students who appeared for the exam 29 percent scored more than 80 percent in Physics, 68 percent of the students scored more than 80 percent in Chemistry and 71 percent of the students scored more than 71 percent in Biology. The Science faculty headed

by Mrs. Bessy Varkey, the class teacher of the Science batch, appreciated the genuine efforts of Bhavanites to always come out as the best. The results have crowned these efforts and bring tears of joy into the eyes of the teachers.

The Mathematics Department gained credit with 7 students winning A1 grades and 7 receiving A2 grades. The topper of the school received to her credit a dazzling 99%. Of the students who appeared for the exam, 42.4 percent scored more than 80 percent marks. The Head of the Department, Mrs. Beena Krishna expressed her gratitude to the teachers for their timely guidance and students for their genuine efforts.

The Department of Commerce headed by Mrs. Anita Sadanand also had one student winning A1 and 2 receiving A2 grades in Economics; one A1 and three A2 grades in Business Studies and one A1 and one A2 in Accountancy to their credit. Of the students who appeared in the exam 10 percent scored more than 80 percent marks in Economics. 67 percent of the students scored more than 80 percent in Business studies and 17 percent of the students scored more than 80 percent in Accountancy. Mrs Anita and Mrs Srikala Dileep put on record their sincere appreciation for the students who worked day and night to achieve their excellent results.

The Computer Science Department headed by Mrs. Asha Ebey was crowned with seven students winning A1 grades and four receiving A2 grades.

Of the students who appeared for the exam, 76 percent scored more than 80 percent marks in Computer Science and Informatics had centum results with 80 percent marks to their credit. The department praised the remarkable efforts of the students.

For Bhavans every child is precious and IES does not believe in laying hands on a child’s future with the so called ‘filtering’ system. IES has only molded the gifts that came to it in the form of these children with care and concern. Not tampering with the innate ingenuity of the Bhavanites, IES has only enriched their vistas of wisdom. Many thanks for this humane philosophy are due to the school chairman Mr. N K Ramachandran Menon, a man with a vision. Thanks are also especially due to T. Premkumar, the unassuming school principal who believes in team spirit. The Principal lauded the teachers for their genuine guidance and dedicated efforts in molding students to become holistic citizens and the pride of tomorrow.

Subject toppers of IES English: Nada Ali Imran, Pooja Jaya Kumar, Kottieth Korambeth Khorajat, Meenu Mary Mathews, Anuja Sadanandan, Namini Jennison Reddy, Sofia Barkat Ali Shaikh and Sara Chugle scored 95%.

Physics: Naitik Mukeshkumar Gandhi scored 92%.

Chemistry: Rinsha Madathiparambil Gafoor scored 99%.

Biology: Aditya Ravindra Shantagiri, Namini Jennison Reddy scored 95%.

Maths: Varsha Balachandran scored 99%.

Economics: George Vijay Koshy scored 95%.

Accountancy: Anas Toufiq Ahmed Dadarkar scored 93%.

Business Studies: Rahul Hari Menon scored 95%.

Computer Science: Rinsha Madathilparambil Gafoor scored 95%.

Iinformatics: Mileva Mathias Saldanha scored 89%.

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

y

A

31

e niv rsar n

Years

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

W H AT ’ S O N Announcements Dedication service The dedication service of the new hall for Kuwait St. Peters Mar Thoma Church in Abbasiya will be inaugurated by the Mar Thoma Metropolitan, Most Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma on Thursday 26th May at 7 pm. This meeting would be presided by the Parish Vicar Rev. Chacko Thomas in the auspicious presence of Episcopal Churches Vicars in Kuwait and distinguished invitees. All are cordially invited”.

Prayer meeting Prayer and healing meeting Pastor Dave Hess will be held in Mahboula on 27 May between 4 pm and 7 pm. Limited free transportation available.

For details contact Anil 99656778, Max 97428039 or Yesu 99863584.

Exciting drama workshop at KES with British actor

R

enowned British actor, Nikki Fearon, treated Kuwait English School students to an exciting drama workshop last weekend. Nikki Fearon presented lots of activities to enhance focus whilst on stage to members of KES Senior Green Theatre, an inclusive drama group which combines students from the main school with youngsters with special needs. “It was lots of fun” said Christine Dunne, Green Theatre Coordinator. Nikki led the special two-hour session on Saturday at KES Drama Workshop.

The event was sponsored by Mais Al Ghanim and Mr and Mrs Chawki Barakat.

‘Mahakte Lamhe’ Indian Cultural Society (ICS) presents “Mahakte Lamhe” with Udit Narayan with Deepa Narayan.

Another attraction of the evening will be reality shows fame Neha Chouhan & Nayan Rathod on 10th June 2011 Friday at Auditorium Kamil Al Rays, American International School, near Police Station Maidan Hawally Kuwait at 7.30 pm sharp.

The Chief Guest for the event will be Vidhu P Nair Charge d” Affaires Embassy of India, Kuwait and the guest of honor will be prominent personalities from Kuwait. For details contact: 97690035, 66568147, 94450833, 97270386, 97286577, 67030839, and 99757214 Email ics.kuwait@gmail.com Silver jubilee anniversary Ahmadi Marthoma Youth conducts its silver jubilee anniversary celebrations on Friday, May 27, 6 pm, at Fintas Co-operative auditorium. The function will be inaugurated by Dr Joseph Mar Thoma Metroplitan. Idea Star singer fame Roshan will lead the orchestra.

Kurt Ritter, Adwan Al Adwani and Pascal Gadet

Grand opening celebrates Hotel Missoni’s arrival in Middle East

T

he Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the fastest growing hotel companies worldwide, in collaboration with prominent Italian fashion house Missoni marks the arrival of the first Hotel Missoni in the Middle East.

The celebration will be held today under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Amir of the State of Kuwait and in the presence of His Excellency Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Deputy Prime Minister of Economic Affairs, Minister of State for Development Affairs and Minister of State for Housing Affairs, marking an important milestone for the unique lifestyle brand. The hotel brings a truly new travel experience to the region, an authentic experience-something that is uniquely Missoni.

Taking place at the hotel, the Grand Opening brings together all those who brought the concept to life. Rosita Missoni, Creative Director at Hotel Missoni Kuwait will join Kurt Ritter, President and CEO of Rezidor Hotel Group and Mr Adwan Al Adwani Vice Chairman for Al Tijaria Commercial Real Estate Company-owners of the hotel- to celebrate the opening of the second Hotel Missoni in the world.

The event will be attended by a host of VIP’s including three generations of the Missoni family; Rosita Missoni, Rosita’s daughter Angela, Creative Director of the Missoni fashion brand and Teresa Missoni, Rosita’s granddaughter. Missoni is one of Italy’s leading fashion houses, recognized throughout the world for its distinctive fashion and design, striking colours and use of pattern.

Hotel Missoni focuses on giving guests a genuine and uncomplicated experience - providing the luxurious touches that really matter. Each Hotel Missoni is unique in its design, reflecting the local style and culture. For Hotel Missoni Kuwait Rosita took her inspiration from the dazzling hues of the Arabian Gulf, the golden sands and the year round sunshine.

Designed for people who share a passion for fashion, comfort and design, further Hotel Missoni’s are planned around the world.

“The Middle East is a key market for us in terms of development; Hotel Missoni Kuwait is a wonderful

Kurt Ritter, Adwan Al Adwani and Rosita Missoni addition to the growing Rezidor portfolio. We have a long history here so it seems fitting that our first Hotel Missoni in the Middle East should open in this location. We are committed to the long term development of this brand and will continue to focus on opening in key cities and beach front locations,’ said Kurt Ritter, President and CEO of Rezidor Hotel Group.

Rezidor Hotel Group’s subsequent collaborations with Missoni include Hotel Missoni Jebel Sifah in Oman scheduled to open in 2013, Hotel Missoni IIha de Cajiba in Brazil and the recently signed Hotel Missoni, Antalya in Turkey.

JW Marriott Hotel launches exclusive wedding packages

J

W Marriott Hotel announced yesterday that it is offering exclusive wedding packages across the year. The hotel’s package includes a lavishing bridal suite, in-room breakfast for both the bride and groom, a heart shaped cake in the newlyweds’ suite, creatively decorated buffet floral arrangements, wedding cake, as well as specially designed decoration for tables and chairs.

JW Marriott’s Director of Event Management, Rita Saadeh, said: “JW Marriott Kuwait’s elegant ballrooms are perfect for weddings; they are a symbol of elegance and luxury. Our Al Jahra Ballroom, which is located on the 1st floor, offers our guests flexibility in their planning variations. It accommodates up to 500 persons and can be divided into 3 separate sections.

Our Al Thuraya Ballroom, which is located on the 16th floor, is the highest ballroom in Kuwait and can be divided into 2 sections. It also has an exclusive pre-function and areas and a vast foyer.”

JW Marriott Kuwait’s exclusive package is further complemented with an award winning culinary team that delivers tailor made menus that caters to every event. JW Marriott Kuwait’s dedicated chefs constantly explore and bring to the hotel’s guests a wide range of exciting experiences to each event.

The wedding package is available all through the year and has been designed to do justice to the JW Marriott’s philosophy that service should be as attentive as it is discreet, and as thoughtful as it is intuitive.

McDonald’s Kuwait sponsors KFSAC school’s football tournament IKEA Restaurant & Cafe offers family meals at competitive prices

M

cDonald’s Kuwait recently organized the KFSAC Football tournament at Shaab Park, where 20 teams representing the international English schools in Kuwait competed against each other. Football teams represented Dasman, The New English School, The British School of Kuwait, Kuwait English School, The English Academy, A’Takamul, TES, Gulf English, The English Playgroup, English School Fahaheel and ABS. There were twelve teams in the Year 4 competition (8-9 years) and eight teams in the Year 5 event (9-10 years). Matches were organised across four pitches, with over twenty group matches to be played during the three day event, culminating in the play offs and finals.

All teams were well organised by their teachers and encouraged by the large turn-out of parents, which resulted increating a sense of competition, where all the players demonstrated high standards and individual skills and talent. Matches were refereed by coaches from the Premier GOAL Academy, who ensured that all the

I games ran according to schedule with free flowing football which led to plenty of goals and energy on the field.

Dasman Model School won against the New English School in the final match in the Year 4 tournament. The English School won in the Year 5 competition, while the British School of Kuwait was announced as a runner-up. At the end of the competi-

tion, the players were presented with trophies, individual medals and gifts. The tournament proved to be a resounding success for all participating schools. Adam Gibson, tournament organizer, teachers and parents gave a round of applause, expressing their appreciation to McDonald’s for their sponsorship and support of the competition.

KEA Restaurant and Cafe announced that it has introduced its scrumptious and very popular family meal promotion at competitive prices.

The new promotion offers families to combine a wide variety of delicious dishes that are served at the restaurant in different combinations. Shoppers at IKEA store can enjoy a dish of the traditional Swedish meatballs, chicken breast or vegetable pasta for two adults, along with fish fingers and burgers with mashed potatoes for two children.

It is interesting to note that the growing popularity of the family offer has ensured that this promotion is now a regular feature which provides the perfect family atmosphere to dine after an enjoyable shopping experience at the IKEA store.

IKEA Restaurant and Café upholds international quality standards and cultural preferences in its kitchen and the food and beverage service with a main task of giving visitors the ability to take a break while shopping, and enjoy a quality family time in a pleasant and relaxing environment.

BAIA presents the delightful new children’s musical BUZZ the STORY of GLORY BEE! From the pens of Dream Dealer Duo Harriet Petherick Bushman and Marita Phillips and the A TEAM , the Creative Team of The Lion King comes BUZZ! The Story of Glory Bee. Glory (Isabella Wellinkar) is a newbee who doesn’t want to be just a Gatherer Bee and has adventures involving Humungus the Beekeeper (played by Augustin ‘Mufasa’ Tchantcho) and the villainous Hornet (Aidan Scott). Performed by the wonderful talent of the Kool Kidz Children’s Theatre BUZZ runs from 26 to 28 May at the Shakespeare Theatre, The British School of Kuwait. Box office open now.

Mobile number 60052087 and box office@baia.com.kw or visit our office Salwa 1 Street 1 villa 32. Full details of all events and courses are available on www.baia.com.kw BAIA Summer Camp now open for registrations 2011 ON STAGE summer camp from 19 June to 06 July. Last year High School Musical, this year Camp Rock, Tangled, Cars...many more! From Page to Stage in just 3 weeks, through costume design, technicals, acting, singing, dance, music, make-up, film and lighting. Create a fabulous performance ON STAGE. Discounts available if registered before 01 June. Call 60052087 or mail administrator@baia.com.kw. Full details of all events and courses are available on www.baia.com.kw Hairspray at KLT Hairspray is the latest musical performed by the Kuwait Little Theater. It’s directed by Kirsty McDonagh with an all singing, all dancing KLT cast of talented actors. Most of the performances are already sold out but they still have some openings available so if you’re interested you need to book right away. Location: Kuwait Little Theater. Dates still available: May 24th and 25th. Time: 7:30pm.

Ahmadi Music Group The Ahmadi Music Group, directed by Richard Bushman, is delighted to announce the forthcoming production of The Desert Song by Siegmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein. Fully-staged, with costumes, dancing, professional soloists, a cast of around fifty people and a full symphony orchestra, this will be a wonderful opportunity to experience an evening of musical theatre in the stunning new Performing Arts Centre at The English School Salmiya. Tuesday 31 May, Preview Performance for students. Wednesday 1 June, Black-tie Gala Opening Performance followed by Buffet Supper. Thursday 2 June, Performance.

Friday 3 June, Performance. All performances start at 7pm at The English School, Salmiya. Emailing invitations@ahmadimusicgroup.com AWARE Arabic course The AWARE management is glad to inform you that Summer 2 Arabic language courses will begin on June 12 until July 21, 2011. AWARE Arabic language courses are designed with the expat in mind. The environment is relaxed & courses are designed for those wanting to learn Arabic for travel, cultural understanding, and conducting business or simply to become more involved in the community. We cater to teachers, travelers and those working in the private business sector.

AWARE Arabic courses highlights: Introductory to Level 4 Arabic language basics; Ccmbine language learning with cultural insights; taught in multi-nationality group settings ; and provides opportunities to interact with Western expatriates and native Kuwaitis/Arabs. For more information and/or registration, call 25335260/80 ext 105 or 0 or log onto: www.aware.com.kw

A

y

e niv rsar n

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

Years

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 Untamed And Uncut 01:40 Zebras On The Move 02:35 Wildest Africa 03:30 Queens Of The Savannah 04:25 Buggin’ With Ruud 05:20 Last Chance Highway 06:10 Must Love Cats 07:00 Meerkat Manor 07:25 The Really Wild Show 07:50 Baby Planet 08:40 Breed All About It 09:10 Extraordinary Dogs 09:35 Project Puppy 10:05 Elephants: The Twilight Of The Giants 11:00 Animal ER 11:55 Wildlife SOS 12:50 Animal Cops South Africa 13:45 SSPCA: On The Wildside 14:10 Vet On The Loose 14:40 Killer Jellyfish 15:30 Planet Wild 16:00 The Really Wild Show 16:30 Crocodile Hunter 17:25 Dogs 101 18:20 Wildest Africa 19:15 Michaela’s Animal Road Trip 20:10 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 21:05 Cheetah Kingdom 22:00 Max’s Big Tracks 22:55 Shark Bait Beach 23:50 Running With Wolves

00:00 Last Of The Summer Wine 00:30 The Weakest Link 01:15 Casualty 02:10 Desperate Romantics 03:00 Eastenders 03:30 Doctors 04:00 Last Of The Summer Wine 04:30 Me Too 04:50 Tweenies 05:10 Teletubbies 05:35 Bobinogs 05:50 Me Too 06:10 Tweenies 06:30 Teletubbies 07:00 Me Too 07:20 Tweenies 07:40 Teletubbies 08:05 Bobinogs 08:20 Me Too 08:40 Tweenies 09:00 Teletubbies 09:25 Bobinogs 09:40 Last Of The Summer Wine 10:40 The Weakest Link 11:25 Doctor Who 12:15 Doctors 12:45 Eastenders 13:15 Casualty 14:10 Last Of The Summer Wine 15:40 Doctor Who 16:25 The Weakest Link 17:10 Doctors 17:40 Eastenders 18:10 Casualty 19:00 Doctor Who 19:50 Doctor Who Confidential 20:00 The Weakest Link 20:45 Doctors 21:15 Eastenders 21:45 Casualty 22:40 Ray Mears’ Northern Wilderness 23:30 Last Of The Summer Wine

00:40 01:30 02:15 03:55 04:50 09:50 10:15 11:05 12:45 13:10 14:00 14:45 15:35 16:20 18:00

Come Dine With Me The Home Show Holmes On Homes The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook Daily Cooks Challenge The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook Antiques Roadshow Holmes On Homes The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook Antiques Roadshow Cash In The Attic Bargain Hunt Come Dine With Me Holmes On Homes The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook

18:30 18:55 19:50 20:35 21:20 22:10 23:00

The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook Antiques Roadshow Cash In The Attic Bargain Hunt Come Dine With Me The Home Show Great British Menu

00:00 BBC World News 00:30 World Business Report 00:45 Sport Today 01:00 BBC World News America 01:30 Asia Business Report 01:45 Asia Today 02:00 BBC World News 02:30 Asia Business Report 02:45 Asia Today 03:00 BBC World News 03:30 Asia Business Report 03:45 Asia Today 04:00 BBC World News 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Asia Today 05:00 BBC World News 05:30 Asia Business Report 05:45 Asia Today 06:00 BBC World News 06:30 Hardtalk 07:00 BBC World News 07:30 World Business Report 07:45 BBC World News 08:00 BBC World News 08:30 World Business Report 08:45 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 Sport Today 10:00 BBC World News 10:30 World Business Report 10:45 Sport Today 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Hardtalk 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 World Business Report 12:45 Sport Today 13:00 BBC World News 13:30 World Business Report 13:45 Sport Today 14:00 GMT With George Alagiah 14:30 GMT With George Alagiah 15:00 BBC World News 15:30 World Business Report 15:45 Sport Today 16:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 BBC World News 18:30 Hardtalk 19:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 20:30 World Business Report 20:45 Sport Today 21:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:30 World Business Report 22:45 Sport Today 23:00 BBC World News America 23:30 Hardtalk

00:05 Cow And Chicken 00:30 Cramp Twins 00:55 George Of The Jungle 01:20 Adrenalini Brothers 01:45 Eliot Kid 02:10 Ed, Edd N Eddy 02:35 Ben 10: Alien Force 03:00 The Powerpuff Girls 03:15 Chowder 03:40 The Secret Saturdays 04:05 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 04:30 Ben 10: Alien Force 04:55 Best Ed 05:20 Skunk Fu! 05:45 Cramp Twins 06:10 Eliot Kid 06:35 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 07:00 Codename: Kids Next Door 07:25 Cow And Chicken 07:50 Angelo Rules 08:05 Cartoon Network Dance Club 08:15 Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends 08:40 Ben 10: Alien Force 09:05 The Secret Saturdays 09:30 Batman: The Brave And The Bold

09:55 The Powerpuff Girls 10:20 Robotboy 10:30 Hero 108 10:55 Ben 10 11:20 Chowder 11:45 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 12:10 Camp Lazlo 12:35 George Of The Jungle 13:00 Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends 13:25 Codename: Kids Next Door 13:50 Ben 10 14:15 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 14:40 Squirrel Boy 15:05 Eliot Kid 15:35 Ed, Edd N Eddy 16:00 Cow And Chicken 16:25 Chop Socky Chooks 16:50 Skunk Fu! 17:15 Chowder 17:40 Best Ed 17:50 Cartoon Network Dance Club 18:05 Hero 108 18:30 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 18:55 Star Wars: The Clone Wars 19:20 Ben 10: Alien Force 19:45 The Secret Saturdays 20:10 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 20:35 Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes 21:00 Cartoon Network Dance Club 21:15 The Powerpuff Girls 21:25 Ed, Edd N Eddy 21:50 Robotboy 22:00 Camp Lazlo 22:25 Hero 108 22:50 Ben 10 23:15 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 23:40 Chowder

00:40 01:35 02:30 03:25 04:20 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:50 08:45 09:10 09:40 10:55 11:25 12:20 13:15 14:10 15:05 16:00 16:55 17:50 18:45 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:55 22:50 23:45

Dirty Jobs Deconstruction Ultimate Survival Mega Builders Mythbusters How Do They Do It? How Stuff’s Made Dirty Jobs Mega Builders American Chopper How Stuff’s Made How Do They Do It? Mythbusters Border Security Motor City Motors Ultimate Survival Mythbusters LA Ink Dirty Jobs Motor City Motors Mythbusters River Monsters Cake Boss Border Security I Could Do That How Stuff’s Made How Do They Do It? Worst-Case Scenario Get Out Alive Surviving Disaster River Monsters

00:30 The Gadget Show 00:55 Kings Of Construction 01:45 How It’s Made 02:35 How Stuff Works 03:25 How Does That Work?

03:50 Thunder Races 04:45 What’s That About?

05:40 One Step Beyond 06:10 Engineered 07:00 Scrapheap Challenge 07:55 Head Rush 07:58 Sci-Fi Science 08:25 Weird Connections 08:55 Space Pioneer 09:45 The Gadget Show 10:35 What’s That About?

11:25 Savage Planet 11:50 Scrapheap Challenge 12:40 One Step Beyond 13:05 How Stuff Works 13:55 Human Body: Ultimate Machine

CLASH OF THE TITANS ON OSN CINEMA

14:45 Kings Of Construction 15:35 The Gadget Show 16:00 Head Rush 16:03 Sci-Fi Science 16:30 Weird Connections 17:00 Brainiac 17:50 The World’s Strangest UFO Stories 18:40 Bang Goes The Theory 19:30 The Future Of...

20:20 Weird Connections 20:45 How Stuff’s Made 21:10 The Gadget Show 22:00 Bang Goes The Theory 22:50 The Future Of...

23:40 Colony

00:00 00:25 01:15 02:00 02:50 03:35 04:25 05:15 06:00 06:20 07:05 07:25 07:30 07:55 08:20 08:35 09:00 09:25 09:50 10:10 10:35 10:50 11:15 11:35 12:00 12:25 12:45 13:10 13:30 13:55 14:20 14:40 14:47 14:55 15:20 15:40 16:00 16:20 16:25 16:45 17:10 17:35 18:00 18:25 18:45 19:10 19:30 19:35 20:00 20:25 20:50 21:12 21:15 21:35 22:00 22:25 22:50 23:15 23:35

Kim Possible Fairly Odd Parents Stitch Replacements Emperors New School Stitch Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Emperors New School Phineas And Ferb Suite Life On Deck Cars Toons Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie Fairly Odd Parents Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Handy Manny Special Agent Oso Jungle Junction Imagination Movers Phineas And Ferb Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Good Luck Charlie Fish Hooks Fairly Odd Parents Phineas And Ferb Hannah Montana Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place Suite Life On Deck Cars Toons Have A Laugh Good Luck Charlie Jonas LA Wizards Of Waverly Place Hannah Montana Cars Toons Wizards Of Waverly Place Good Luck Charlie Jonas LA Wizards Of Waverly Place Hannah Montana Suite Life On Deck Phineas And Ferb Good Luck Charlie Cars Toons Wizards Of Waverly Place Sonny With A Chance Jake And Blake Hannah Montana Have A Laugh Phineas And Ferb Fairly Odd Parents Replacements Hannah Montana Sonny With A Chance Wizards Of Waverly Place Jonas

06:00 Kid Vs Kat 06:20 Kick Buttowski 06:40 Pokemon 07:05 Phineas & Ferb 08:05 American Dragon 08:30 Kick Buttowski 08:50 Cars Toons 09:00 Zeke & Luther 09:50 I’m In The Band 10:15 The Super Hero Squad Show 10:40 Suite Life On Deck 11:30 Kid Vs Kat 11:55 Phineas & Ferb 12:45 Kid Vs Kat 13:10 Cars Toons 13:20 Kid Vs Kat 13:50 The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody 14:40 Zeke & Luther 15:05 Suite Life On Deck 15:25 Cars Toons 15:35 Kick Buttowski 16:00 I’m In The Band 16:25 Suite Life On Deck 16:50 Zeke & Luther 17:40 Phineas & Ferb 18:30 Escape From Scorpion Island (Cema) 18:55 Pokemon 19:20 American Dragon 19:45 Aaron Stone 20:05 Cars Toons 20:15 Kid Vs Kat 20:40 Phineas & Ferb 21:05 I’m In The Band 21:30 Zeke & Luther 21:50 Phineas And Ferb 22:00 The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody 22:20 The Super Hero Squad Show

00:25 Kendra 00:55 Then And Now 01:25 E!es 02:20 THS 03:15 25 Most Stylish 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Extreme Hollywood 06:00 50 Cutest Child Stars: All Grown Up 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane 10:15 THS 12:05 E! News 13:05 Extreme Close-Up 13:35 Extreme Close-Up 14:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Holly’s World 17:55 E! News 18:55 Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane 19:55 THS 20:55 Chelsea Lately 21:25 Kourtney And Kim Take New York 21:55 Kourtney And Kim Take New York 22:25 E! News 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Kourtney And Khloe Take Miami

00:15 Fantasy Factory 00:40 Mantracker 01:30 World Combat League 02:20 Fantasy Factory 02:45 Fantasy Factory 03:10 Aiya TV 03:35 Aiya TV 04:00 Fight Girls 04:50 Mantracker 05:40 World Combat League 06:30 Ride Guide Mountainbike 2008 08:00 Quattro Events 2009 08:25 Summer Dew Tour 2010 09:15 Lucas Oil Motocross Championships 2009 10:05 Lucas Oil Motocross Championships 2009 10:55 Dr Danger 11:45 Glutton For Punishment 12:35 Fantasy Factory 13:25 Mantracker 14:15 World Combat League 15:05 Dr Danger 15:55 Glutton For Punishment 16:45 Quattro Events 2009 17:10 Summer Dew Tour 2010 18:00 Lucas Oil Motocross Championships 2009 19:40 Mantracker 20:30 Fantasy Factory 21:20 Crusty Demons: Night Of World Records 22:10 World Combat League 23:00 Man’s Work 23:50 Fantasy Factory

00:30 01:20 02:10 03:50 Cases 04:45 05:15 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:40 09:30 10:20 11:10 12:00 13:40 14:30 15:20 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:30 20:20 22:50 23:40 Cases

Ghost Lab A Haunting I Almost Got Away With It Autopsy: Most Shocking Black Museum Ghost Lab Diagnosis: Unknown Forensic Detectives On The Run Diagnosis: Unknown Real Emergency Calls Solved FBI Files On The Case With Paula Zahn Diagnosis: Unknown Real Emergency Calls Solved Forensic Detectives On The Run FBI Files Diagnosis: Unknown Real Emergency Calls On The Case With Paula Zahn True Crime Scene Autopsy: Most Shocking

00:00 Market Values 01:00 Departures 02:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 03:00 Long Way Down 04:00 Pressure Cook 04:30 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 05:00 Food Lovers Guide To Planet 05:30 Exploring The Vine 06:00 Market Values 07:00 Departures 08:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 09:00 Long Way Down 10:00 Pressure Cook 10:30 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 11:00 Food Lovers Guide To Planet 11:30 Exploring The Vine 12:00 Market Values 13:00 Departures 14:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 15:00 Long Way Down 16:00 Pressure Cook 16:30 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 17:00 Food Lovers Guide To Planet 17:30 Exploring The Vine 18:00 Market Values 19:00 Departures 20:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 21:00 Long Way Down 22:00 Pressure Cook 22:30 David Rocco’s Dolce Vita 23:00 Food Lovers Guide To Planet 23:30 Exploring The Vine

The

The

The

The

00:00 It’s Alive-R 02:00 Deadly Impact-18 04:00 Blood And Bone-18 06:00 Snake Eyes-PG15 08:00 Heaven’s Fall-PG15 10:00 Kiss The Girls-18 12:00 Arlington Road-18 14:00 Heaven’s Fall-PG15 16:00 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon-PG15 18:00 Arlington Road-18 20:00 The Gene Generation-18 22:00 Blood: The Last Vampire-18

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00

Perrier’s Bounty-18 Five Minutes Of Heaven-PG15 Remember Me-PG15 Astro Boy-FAM The Informant!-PG15 The Dust Factory-PG15 Moon-PG15 Me And Orson Welles-PG When In Rome-PG15 Crazy Heart-PG15 Clash Of The Titans-PG15 Paranormal Activity-PG15

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 South Park 02:00 The Big C 02:30 Weeds 03:00 Just Shoot Me 03:30 30 Rock 04:00 South Park 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Will And Grace 06:00 Yes Dear 06:30 The Drew Carey Show 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 08:30 Dharma And Greg 09:00 Just Shoot Me

MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN ON OSN MOVIES ACTION 09:30 Will And Grace 10:00 Yes Dear 10:30 Melissa And Joey 11:00 The Drew Carey Show 11:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:30 Dharma And Greg 13:00 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 13:30 Will And Grace 14:00 Yes Dear 14:30 30 Rock 15:00 Melissa And Joey 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 The Drew Carey Show 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Just Shoot Me 18:30 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 19:00 Melissa And Joey 19:30 Community 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 The Ricky Gervais Show 22:30 Weeds 23:00 South Park 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 22:00 23:00

American Idol Game Of Thrones The Ellen DeGeneres Show Glee The View Good Morning America C.S.I. New York Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View American Idol Glee Live Good Morning America C.S.I. New York The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Look-A-Like Bones American Idol The Gates C.S.I. New York

00:00 Cold Case 01:00 C.S.I. 02:00 Game Of Thrones 03:00 American Idol 04:00 Glee 05:00 Psych 06:00 Cold Case 07:00 The New Adventures Of Old Christine 07:30 Coronation Street 08:00 Huge 09:00 Psych 10:00 American Idol 11:00 Glee 12:00 The New Adventures Of Old Christine 12:30 Coronation Street 13:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 14:00 Huge 15:00 Cold Case 16:00 The New Adventures Of Old Christine 16:30 The New Adventures Of Old Christine 17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 18:00 Huge 19:00 Bones 20:00 American Idol 22:00 The Gates 23:00 The Philanthropist

01:00 The Day After Tomorrow-PG 03:00 Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels-18 05:00 Into The Blue 2: The Reef-18 07:00 House Under Siege-PG15 09:00 Bad Girls-PG15 11:00 Serbian Scars-PG15 13:00 The Bodyguard 2-PG15 15:00 Bad Girls-PG15 17:00 The Marine 2-PG15 19:00 Unbreakable-PG15 21:00 Midnight Meat Train-18 23:00 Paranormal Activity 2: Tokyo Night-PG15

00:00 02:00 04:00 PG15 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Old Dogs-PG Head Over Heels-PG15 The Lizzie McGuire MovieGreen Card-PG15 Management-PG15 Monsters vs. Aliens-PG Bitter Suite-PG15 Exterminators-PG15 Old Dogs-PG The Invention Of Lying-PG15 Stan Helsing-PG15 Miss March-18

01:30 03:15 05:30 07:15 09:00 11:00 13:00 14:45 17:00 19:15 21:00 23:00

Welcome To Sarajevo-18 Dead Man Walking-18 Multiple Sarcasms-18 45 R.P.M.-PG15 Sugar-PG15 A Dance For Bethany-PG15 Crimes Of The Past-PG15 Finding Forrester-PG Julie And Julia-PG15 Cairo Time-PG15 Husbands And Wives-18 Gal-18

01:00 Precious-18 03:00 G-Force-PG 05:00 The Brothers Bloom-PG15 07:00 Witness To Jonestown-PG15 09:00 Ice Age 3: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs-FAM 11:00 Enid-PG15 13:00 Saved!-PG15 15:00 Everybody’s Fine-PG15 17:00 Ice Age 3: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs-FAM 18:45 The Boat That Rocked-PG15 21:00 Clash Of The Titans-PG15 23:00 Stan Helsing-PG15

00:00 Scooby-Doo! Summer Camp Scare-FAM 02:00 Dark Crystal-PG 04:00 Winx: Secret Of The Lost Kingdom-PG 06:00 Fly Me To The Moon-PG 08:00 Christopher Columbus-PG 10:00 Dark Crystal-PG 12:00 Scooby-Doo And The Reluctant Werewolf-FAM 14:00 Fly Me To The Moon-PG 16:00 Cars-PG 18:15 Inspector Gadget’s Last Case: Claw’s...-FAM 20:00 Inspector Gadget’s Biggest Caper Ever-FAM 21:45 Scooby-Doo And The Reluctant Werewolf-FAM 23:45 Cars-PG

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 PG15 10:00 12:00 13:45 16:00 PG15 18:00 20:00 22:00

The Guitar-18 The Shock Doctrine-PG15 Everything’s Gone Green-PG15 The Building-PG15 Hey Hey Its Esther Blueburger-

00:00 03:30 05:30 06:30 07:00 09:00 12:30 13:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 23:30

Premier League Darts Scottish FA Cup AFL Highlights Asian Tour Golf Show State Of Origin Premier League Darts ICC Cricket World Live Test Cricket ICC Cricket World Futbol Mundial NRL Full Time Live RFL Championship State Of Origin

01:00 01:30 02:30 03:00

World Hockey Trans World Sport Futbol Mundial Asian Tour Golf Show

Coco Before Chanel-PG15 Tooth Fairy-PG The Blind Side-PG15 Hey Hey Its Esther BlueburgerThe Box-PG15 Couples Retreat-PG15 The Wolfman-18

03:30 European Tour Weekly 04:00 European PGA Highlights 05:00 AFL Highlights 06:00 Trans World Sport 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 European PGA Highlights 09:00 European Tour Weekly 09:30 Asian Tour Golf Show 10:00 World Hockey 10:30 Trans World Sport 11:30 Total Rugby 12:00 State of Origin 14:00 Total Rugby 14:30 Weber Cup Bowling 15:30 Golfing World 16:30 Scottish FA Cup 18:30 European Tour Weekly 19:00 Live Senior Championship 22:00 European PGA Tour

00:00 01:00 02:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Tour

Tour

PGA

UFC 130 Countdown Intercontinental Le Mans Cup V8 Supercars Championship WWE Vintage Collection UFC Unleashed UFC Unleashed WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line Intercontinental Le Mans Cup V8 Supercars Championship WWE Bottom Line WWE SmackDown Live PGA European Tour WWE NXT UFC The Ultimate Fighter UFC 130 Countdown WWE NXT

00:00 Julian and Camilla’s World Odyssey 01:00 Hollywood and Vines 01:30 Distant Shores 02:00 Inside Luxury Travel-Varun Sharma 03:00 Globe Trekker 04:00 Globe Trekker 05:00 Julian and Camilla’s World Odyssey 06:00 World Class 06:30 Destination Cuba 07:00 Globe Trekker 08:00 Inside Luxury Travel-Varun Sharma 09:00 Travel Notebook 10:00 Essential 10:30 The Seasoned Traveler 11:00 The Big Fish 11:30 Word Travels 12:00 Globe Trekker 13:00 Distant Shores 13:30 The Thirsty Traveler 14:00 World Class 14:30 Inside Luxury Travel-Varun Sharma 15:30 Travel Today 16:00 Globe Trekker 17:00 Riding Eastern Europe 17:30 Four Men and a Lady 18:00 Distant Shores 18:30 The Thirsty Traveler 19:00 Globe Trekker 20:00 Nomad’s Land 21:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 22:00 Glutton For Punishment 22:30 Angry Planet 23:00 Globe Trekker

01:00 02:50 04:30 06:25 07:50 09:45 11:40 11:55 13:25 14:50 16:20 17:50 20:20 22:00 23:30

The Red Shoe Diaries Crisscross American Heart L.A. Bounty Scorpio Comes A Horseman Big Screen 2

By Duty Bound It Runs In The Family Madhouse The Wrong Girl The Group Trip With Anita Friday Foster The Tempest

Classifieds THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

ACCOMMODATION Fully furnished sharing accommodation with separate bathroom available for bachelor in Sara Complex, Salmiya. Please call after 4 pm. Contact: 25613581/ 99553240. (C 3384) Sharing accommodation available in Salmiya near Apollo Clinic for decent family or working lady.

Contact: 99094516.

(C 3387) 26-5-2011 Accommodation available for family or working ladies in Abbassiya. Contact: 97193304. (C 3378) Sharing accommodation available in a studio flat in Khaitan (opp. Jamaya behind petrol pump) with a Mangalorean R.C bachelor.

Rent KD 25. Call: 66036893.

(C 3380) Sharing accommodation available in Abbasiya (double bedroom, double bathroom) with Indian family, family or working ladies preferred.

Contact: 99509436. (C 3383) 25-5-2011 Family on vacation, flat available for 2 months in Abbassiya (June - July), Keralites family only. Contact: 97121669. (C 3373) To-let, one semi furnished spacious room with attached mini room consisting of toilet, for decent couple or executive bachelors in a flat in Bneid Al-Ghar. Please call: 60046720 for detail and viewing. (C 3375) 24-5-2011

gle room available in Salmiya near American University, opposite Salmiya Palace Hotel. Sharing with Indian family, couples only required.

Contact: 99111612/ 25755636. (C 3371) 23-5-2011

FOR SALE Suzuki Grand Vitara 2004 model, Red Color, Single user, 2 door, very good condition. Contact: 66619705.

(C 3381) 25-5-2011 2003 Toyota Rav4, full options - 4 doors, automatic transmission, excellent shape, price KD 2450. Tel: 99419677. (C 3368) 23-5-2011

Sharing accommodation sinEngineer leaving Kuwait selling all household appliances and furniture very cheap. Contact: 66271658/ 97686139/ 24728413.

(C 3367) 22-5-2011

SITUATION VACANT Need driver for house.

Contact: 97600588. Fax: 25755751. (C 3388) 26-5-2011 A Kuwaiti family is seeking to recruit a cook adequate with the Kuwaiti cuisine.

Tel: 22633624/5, 97803627.

(C 3367) Urgently required maid (Pilipino, Sri Lankan, Indian)

for an Indian family in Farwaniya (part time or full time). Call 97220933.

(C 3377) 24-5-2011 Urgently wanted housemaid full time/ part time for Indian family in Shaab.

Contact: 94064839.

(C 3372) 23-5-2011 MATRIMONIAL Marriage proposals are invited for a Jacobite Christian girl (Engineer, 26 yrs, 150cm, fair, B/B in Kwt) employed in MNC in Kuwait, from parents of professionally qualified boys (Jacobite, Orthodox or Marthoma) employed in India or abroad (preferably in Middle East). Kindly respond with details to mprop9@gamil.com (C 3382) Proposals invited for Marthoma boy, 35 yrs, ht 167cm, wt 80, hotel management, settled in Thiruvanandapuram, working in Kuwait MOH Chef (private firm), family status, seeking alliance from girls working in Kuwait or abroad. Please Email: alexandarjon@yahoo.com (C 3385) 26-5-2011 Proposals are invited for a Keralite, 28 yrs old, Brethren, born-again Baptised software engineer boy, currently working in a Multinational Company in Bangalore, seek alliances from similar background.

Please contact Email:

sunjack777@gmail.com (C 3369) 23-5-2011 SITUATION WANTED Indian male B.Com, 25 years Gulf experience (Kuwait & UAE) in management, procurement, sales, seeks senior position, experience in oil field materials, hard wares, power and hand tools, timber, steel, building materials etc. Contact: 66889375.

(C 3374) 24-5-2011

No: 15100

Indian male (28 yrs) B.Com, MBA (Finance) having 5 years experience in Accounting and Investment, is seeking suitable opportunity, proficient on MS-Office and Tally.

Visa # 18, transferable. Please Contact: 66516791.

(C 3370) 23-5-2011

CHANGE OF NAME I Muthukumar, holder of Indian Passport No. F1371132 here by change my name to MUTHU MOHAMED. (C 3386) 26-5-2011

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION In case you are not travelling, your proper cancellation of bookings will help other passengers to use seats Airlines JZR THY ETH UAE DHX ETD FDB GFA QTR JZR FCX JZR KAC BAW KAC KAC IRA KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC UAE QTR ABY ETD GFA MEA JZR JZR KNE JZR KAC MSR UAL RJA MSR FDB SYR OMA JZR SVA KAC KNE KAC JZR QTR

Arrival Flights on Thursday 26/5/2011 Flt Route 267 BEIRUT 772 ISTANBUL 620 ADDIS ABABA 853 DUBAI 370 BAHRAIN 305 ABU DHABI 67 DUBAI 211 BAHRAIN 138 DOHA 503 LUXOR 201 DUBAI 555 ALEXANDRIA 412 MANILA / BANGKOK 157 LONDON 206 ISLAMABAD 382 DELHI 605 ISFAHAN 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 53 DUBAI 352 COCHIN 284 DHAKA 362 COLOMBO 855 DUBAI 132 DOHA 125 SHARJAH 301 ABU DHABI 213 BAHRAIN 404 BEIRUT 165 DUBAI 121 BAHRAIN 789 JEDDAH 561 SOHAG 672 DUBAI 610 CAIRO 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 640 AMMAN 621 ASSIUT 57 DUBAI 341 DAMASCUS 645 MUSCAT 357 MASHAD 500 JEDDAH 552 DAMASCUS 745 JEDDAH 788 JEDDAH 257 BEIRUT 134 DOHA

Time 0:35 1:15 1:45 2:25 2:55 2:55 3:10 3:15 3:20 5:15 5:25 6:10 6:15 6:30 7:15 7:20 7:40 7:50 7:55 7:55 8:05 8:10 8:20 8:25 9:00 9:10 9:30 9:35 10:55 11:10 11:15 11:40 12:30 13:15 13:20 13:30 13:35 13:40 13:50 14:00 14:00 14:10 14:30 14:35 14:45 14:50 15:10 15:15

LMU KAC JZR KAC MLR ETD UAE GFA SVA JZR TAR JZR ABY ALK JZR JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC SIA JAI IRA FDB VOS OMA JZR MEA KAC KAC MSR DHX KLM UAE GFA QTR UAL AIC JZR LMU JZR MSR DLH AXB JZR PIA

407 546 535 118 403 303 857 215 510 777 327 239 127 227 177 203 104 502 542 618 786 614 774 674 458 572 617 61 93 647 179 402 187 562 618 372 445 859 217 136 981 981 135 409 185 612 636 389 539 205

ALEXANDRIA ALEXANDRIA CAIRO NEW YORK COLOMBO / DUBAI ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH JEDDAH TUNIS / DUBAI AMMAN SHARJAH COLOMBO / DUBAI DUBAI DAMASCUS LONDON BEIRUT CAIRO DOHA JEDDAH BAHRAIN RIYADH DUBAI SINGAPORE / ABU DHABI MUMBAI AHWAZ DUBAI KANDAHAR / DUBAI MUSCAT DUBAI BEIRUT GENEVA / FRANKFURT AMMAN ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN AMSTERDAM DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA BAHRAIN CHENNAI / AHMEDABAD BAHRAIN ASSIUT DUBAI CAIRO FRANKFURT KOZHIKODE / MANGALORE CAIRO LAHORE

15:25 15:30 15:50 16:15 16:40 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:25 17:30 17:35 17:40 18:00 18:00 18:30 18:35 18:45 18:50 18:55 19:00 19:20 19:25 19:25 19:35 19:35 19:45 20:00 20:00 20:10 20:10 20:15 20:45 20:50 20:55 21:00 21:05 21:15 21:25 21:35 22:00 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:35 22:50 23:00 23:10 23:30 23:55

Departur AXB MLR DLH AIC KLM PIA THY ETH UAE FDB DHX ETD QTR JZR JZR GFA JZR JZR BAW KAC IRA FDB JZR KAC KAC KAC JZR KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD GFA KAC MEA KAC JZR JZR KNE KAC KAC JZR MSR RJA FDB MSR UAL SYR OMA KAC

Depurture Flights on Thursday 26/5/2011 Flt Route 394 COCHIN / KOZHIKODE 1405 COLOMBO 637 FRANKFURT 576 GOA / CHENNAI 447 AMSTERDAM 216 KARACHI 773 ISTANBUL 620 ADDIS ABABA 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 306 ABU DHABI 139 DOHA 560 SOHAG 164 DUBAI 212 BAHRAIN 120 BAHRAIN 356 MASHAD 156 LONDON 545 ALEXANDRIA 606 MASHAD 54 DUBAI 534 CAIRO 787 JEDDAH 671 DUBAI 551 DAMASCUS 256 BEIRUT 101 LONDON / NEW YORK 856 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 133 DOHA 302 ABU DHABI 214 BAHRAIN 165 ROME / PARIS 405 BEIRUT 541 CAIRO 776 JEDDAH 238 AMMAN 790 JEDDAH 501 BEIRUT 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 641 AMMAN 58 DUBAI 622 ASSIUT 982 BAHRAIN 342 DAMASCUS 646 MUSCAT 673 DUBAI

Time 0:15 0:20 0:40 0:50 0:55 1:10 2:15 2:30 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:05 5:00 5:55 6:55 7:10 8:20 8:20 8:25 8:35 8:40 8:40 8:50 8:55 9:00 9:10 9:10 9:30 9:40 9:50 10:00 10:15 10:20 11:45 11:55 12:00 12:00 12:10 12:25 13:00 13:30 13:40 14:20 14:30 14:35 14:40 14:45 15:00 15:00 15:10

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

KNE KAC KAC JZR SVA JZR KAC QTR KAC LMU JZR VOS ETD MLR KAC UAE GFA TAR ABY JZR JZR SVA ALK JZR KAC KAC JAI FDB IRA KAC KAC OMA MEA SIA MSR DHX KLM KAC UAE GFA FCX QTR KAC KAC JZR JZR LMU JZR KAC UAL MSR KAC

746 617 561 178 505 202 773 135 613 408 538 82 304 404 543 858 216 328 128 184 266 511 228 134 283 361 571 62 616 331 351 648 403 457 619 373 445 677 860 218 102 137 301 205 502 554 410 222 411 981 613 415

JEDDAH DOHA AMMAN DUBAI JEDDAH DAMASCUS RIYADH DOHA BAHRAIN ASSIUT CAIRO BAGHDAD ABU DHABI DUBAI / COLOMBO CAIRO DUBAI BAHRAIN TUNIS SHARJAH DUBAI BEIRUT RIYADH DUBAI / COLOMBO BAHRAIN DHAKA COLOMBO MUMBAI DUBAI AHWAZ TRIVANDRUM COCHIN MUSCAT BEIRUT ABU DHABI / SINGAPORE ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN BAHRAIN / AMSTERDAM DUBAI / MUSCAT DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DOHA MUMBAI ISLAMABAD LUXOR ALEXANDRIA ALEXANDRIA ALEPPO BANGKOK / MANILA WASHINGTON DC DULLES CAIRO KUALA LUMPUR / JAKARTA

15:30 15:35 15:45 16:00 16:00 16:05 16:05 16:15 16:20 16:25 16:40 17:00 17:35 17:40 17:55 18:05 18:15 18:20 18:20 18:25 18:30 18:35 19:10 19:10 20:00 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:45 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:20 21:55 22:00 22:05 22:10 22:25 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:55 23:05 23:10 23:20 23:25 23:40 23:40 23:50 23:50

34

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

s ta rs CROSSWORD 329

CALVIN & HOBBES

STAR TRACK Aries (March 21-April 19) Career gains are available now because you have done the work and have gained the experience. When it is time for an employee review, let your light shine. You have an eye for what you need to eliminate that may slow your progress. Searching, research, detective work and such may be the activity of the day. Relationships and the social scene are very important to you. Your positive attitude can have a very decided influence on your career and workplace. You could be more than a little curious today. Your current appreciation for just about everything may lead you to overspend. You will benefit by getting to the heart of any personal problems this evening. You will have no trouble putting your feelings into words.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. System of measurement based on centimeters and grams and seconds.

4. A port in western Israel on the Mediterranean.

9. Earlier than the present time.

13. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.

14. Consisting of or involving a single element or component.

15. (used as a sentenced connector) Therefore or consequently.

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

17. Bar temporarily.

18. Slightly wet.

19. A genus of Ploceidae.

21. The sciences concerned with gathering and manipulating and storing and retrieving and classifying recorded information.

25. Innumerable but many.

29. A port city in southwestern Iran.

33. A percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance.

34. An esoteric or occult matter that is traditionally secret.

35. A drug combination found in some over-the-counter headache remedies (Aspirin and Phenacetin and Caffeine).

38. A digital display that uses liquid crystal cells that change reflectivity in an applied electric field.

40. (in Gnosticism) A divine power or nature emanating from the Supreme Being and playing various roles in the operation of the universe.

42. A plant hormone promoting elongation of stems and roots.

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

46. A federal agency established to coordinate programs aimed at reducing pollution and protecting the environment.

47. A public promotion of some product or service.

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

49. A television system that has more than the usual number of lines per frame so its pictures show more detail.

54. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.

56. Of or belonging to an aecium.

58. Wild and domestic cattle.

61. A narcotic that is considered a hard drug.

62. (informal) Of the highest quality.

63. Strong lightweight wood of the balsa tree used especially for floats.

64. The basic unit of money in Western Samoa.

DOWN 1. A sudden very loud noise.

2. An amino acid that is found in the central nervous system.

3. Any of a number of fishes of the family Carangidae.

4. An ancient kingdom of southern Palestine with Jerusalem as its center.

5. Used of a single unit or thing.

6. Of or relating to Fabianism.

7. Make secure by lashing.

8. A port in southwestern Scotland.

9. A tricycle (usually propelled by pedalling).

10. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

11. (computer science) A standardized language for the descriptive markup of documents.

12. Drink excessive amounts of alcohol.

20. Evergreen tree of eastern Asia and Philippines having large leathery leaves and small green-white flowers in compact cymes.

22. A small cake leavened with yeast.

23. Large brownish-green New Zealand parrot.

24. United States anarchist (born in Italy) who with Bartolomeo Vanzetti was convicted of murder and in spite of world-wide protest was executed (1891-1927).

26. A diagrammatic representation of the earth's surface (or part of it).

27. A communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia.

28. Liquid containing proteins and electrolytes including the liquid in blood plasma and interstitial fluid.

30. Surrealist Spanish painter (1904-1989).

31. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

32. A quantity of no importance.

36. Italian painter whose many paintings exemplify the ideals of the High Renaissance (1483-1520).

37. A small ball with a hole through the middle.

39. Of or relating to or characteristic of the Republic of Chad or its people or language.

41. The central area of a church.

44. Red Bordeaux wine from the Medoc district of southwestern France.

45. Lower in esteem.

50. The basic unit of money in Bangladesh.

51. Any of various minerals consisting of hydrous silicates of aluminum or potassium etc. that crystallize in forms that allow perfect cleavage into very thin leaves.

52. Any of numerous local fertility and nature deities worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples.

53. Primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stems and roots and leaves.

55. A nucleic acid consisting of large molecules shaped like a double helix.

56. An associate degree in nursing.

57. Standard time in the 6th time zone west of Greenwich, reckoned at the 90th meridian.

59. A metallic element having four allotropic forms.

60. A very poisonous metallic element that has three allotropic forms.

Yesterday’s Solution

There is optimism and foresight today. Your career may be tied more to your appearance and how you come across to others than what you do just now. You may find that success comes by concentrating on your outward manner—the way others see you. As you work, you will find yourself working in groups under favorable conditions. You could be planning or taking a vacation soon. You are well slanted toward friends and family. Companionship with others is most rewarding at this time and you should take every opportunity to be with others. This is one of your best days to build and deepen a love relationship. Your mind may be very clear now and your thoughts are brought into a sharp focus.

Communication of all kinds can be enhanced now.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) This is a time to pursue a more lasting set of values—be they religious or philosophical. Everything external and business-oriented should prosper, provided that honesty and truth are your guides. You may find everyone is as busy as you are today and stopping to chat or pass the time of day is a little more difficult just now. If you are in need of a break, take one out-of-doors, if possible, in order to have a different view, a distraction from the usual and perhaps, to recharge your own batteries. You might rethink a presentation or some information you heard and then offer your own input through a printed report. You have a great deal of mental drive and can lavish great energy on mental pursuits of all kinds. You are in a creative mood this evening.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

This day has the possibility of being an easy, calm day that should flow along in a smooth manner. Ideas and interaction with authority figures or older people may be in the forecast. Working with rather than against the flow of energy should be easy to manage. This is a real time to buckle down and consolidate your career. Opportunities are available now to make good use of your time. Your sense of responsibility will be what guides you and proves successful.

Whether you are working in a job, earning money or having the responsibility of raising a family, you will give it your full attention and you will create a successful outcome. Tonight, you may find yourself enjoying a long conversation, writing a letter or making a special phone call.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

ZITS

Positive energies are stirring with regard to your career or life path now. Success depends upon your own ambition and drive, which are strong. You are able to use good common sense and can feel the trends in order to make the right moves. This is the perfect time to get ahead by taking action. This could be some kind of high-water mark for your career, recognition, etc. At the same time, a change of direction may be in order, finding you in a gradual curve toward more inwardness. You will find that you can really use your mind to make clear choices and you are able to think clearly. Career decisions or ways in which to improve finances are straightforward and easy to make. A secret love or a lost love is on your mind this evening—romance is near.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Your work is productive and your kind nature wins friends and influences people. This is a good day for increased business that results from your hard work. Your creativeness is expressed this afternoon in your problem-solving abilities. Someone needs money and has asked for your help. You will be able to help solve the problem, but loaning out money is not the answer.

Lending money now could set you up for some negative results. This is a good day for increasing your own finances through an investment or sale of a personal possession. Young people will be in your life this evening. You love to be needed and these young people seem to fill that need with questions and problem-solving requests with which you can help—perhaps some homework.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

This is a great day to gain positive results from your hard work. You may find ways in which to secure a promotion or new job today.

You crave organization and practicality and you want to get things accomplished.

The good life and all that is fine and luxurious may be what you value just now.

Material things are foremost on your mind in many respects. You could enjoy making your own way and finding solutions to whatever problems present themselves.

Health and work goals take on a great deal of importance at this time. You are at your mental best with sharp ideas and clear thoughts. This is an excellent time to make decisions. After your workday has ended, your own plans could be put on hold by friends that want your attention.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) You may find yourself planning a garage sale for this upcoming weekend to put a little cash in your pocket. In the workplace, coworkers as well as higher-ups seek you out for your psychological insight. You do seem to have a grasp for abstract and spiritual ideas and the ability to make wise conclusions. Work goals are important and you work very hard to meet your goals or quota for this day. Since you have been overworking lately, your loved ones may decide to occupy your time this afternoon. This is a great time to be with those you love, in quiet and pleasant surroundings. You may talk about dreams or visit a pond and feed the birds or do any number of things that are conducive to sharing each others company. There is talk of UFOs.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Work flows in an uneventful way today. The most beneficial item that your company sells, produces or helps to produce may be in the process of improvement. The afternoon finds you busy with projects. You seem a bit impractical today and this is an excellent time to enlist others to your cause. Great rewards may come from group efforts, particularly if this continues for the remainder of the day. A young person may learn a little about money today from observing you.

If you have checked other prices in town you might want to go ahead with some purchase you have been thinking about lately. There are emotions that can manifest themselves in self-analysis or deep emotional experiences in romance—for good or ill. Remain objective.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Taking care of business is a major theme this Wednesday. You crave organization and practicality and you want to get things accomplished. You may also want to yell, scream and stomp your feet about some financial injustice. Instead, see what you can do to make the accounting difficulties come back into balance. Most people take pride in the fact that they are your friends and that they do business with someone as conscientious as you. People value you for your independence as well as your unique qualities. This is a great time to be with others and to work together, regardless of any delays or feelings. There is much mental busywork. Work, achievement and ambition are the things mean a lot to you now.

Yesterday’s Solution Aquarius (January 20- February 18) You may be sought after as just the person for a particular job today. You could be most persuasive with others and eloquent in speech and communication. Your self-expression is clear and lends itself to your particular ideas. You can demonstrate great understanding and sensitivity to the needs of others just now and are in a good position to lead or relate to groups and society in general. You could come up with new solutions or inventions. You crave organization and practicality. You aim to have a place for everything and everything in its place—and anything that gets in the way gets on your nerves. There is a kind of romantic wistfulness characterizing your approach to life this evening. Hugs are good!

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

You may find that your personal and career growth may depend on how you can handle the very sensitive psychological material coming up. You will benefit from analytical insights and getting to the heart of things.

Work and career should be a primary focus. An opportunity to make good decisions and clear choices is yours now—higher-ups are watching. You are at your most practical and what happens now may have a lasting effect on your professional and perhaps, life direction. Your work or career is in real harmony with the rest of your life.

You could gain from subordinates or young people this afternoon. Your home environment, friends and surroundings receive encouragement. Your personal life is positive.

A

y

e niv rsar n

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

Years

i n f o r m at i o n STATE ST TATE T OF KUW K KUWAIT WA AIT

Tel.: T el.: 161 e

DIRECTORA DIRECTORATE ATE T GENERAL GENE ERAL OF CIVIL A AVIATION V VIA ATION T METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT D PARTMENT DEP A

112

DA AY Y: W DAY: Wednesday eednesday

Ext.: 2627 262 27 - 2630

Fax: 24348714 WWW .MET.GOV V..KW W WWW.MET.GOV.KW

25/05/2011 25/05/201 1

Ministry of Interior

Issue T ime Time

07:00

Expected Weather Weather for the Next 24 4 Hours Hot wi with ith light to moderate freshen freshening ing gradually northerly to no north orth westerly wind, with spe speed ed of 15 - 40 km/h areas causing g raising dust over open area as

BY Y DA DAY: AY:

website: www.moi.gov.kw

Relatively moderate Relativ vely hot with light to modera ate north westerly wind, with h speed of 15 - 38 km/h with h a chance for haze

BY Y NIGHT NIGHT::

For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128

No Current Warnings Warnin a gs

WARNING W A ARNING STATION ST TATION T

Hospitals Sabah Hospital

FIRE BRIGADE

24812000

MAX. EXP EXP. P.

MIN.. REC.

KUW WAIT A CITY KUWAIT

40 °C

29 °C

KUW WAIT A AIRPORT AIRPOR RT KUWAIT

40 °C

25 °C

37 °C C

27 °C C

Amiri Hospital

22450005

NUW WAISEEB A NUWAISEEB

Maternity Hospital

24843100

WAFRA A WAFRA

40 °C

26 °C

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

SALMI

41 °C

26 °C

Chest Hospital

24849400

ABDAL LY ABDALY

43 °C

26 °C

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

ALIY YAH A JAL ALIYAH

41 °C

27 °C

Adan Hospital

23940620

FAILAKA A FAILAKA

38 °C

26 °C

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

POR RT AHMADI PORT

35 °C

31 °C

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

M UMM AL-MARADEM

35 °C

29 °C

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

WARBA A A - BUBYAN BUBY YA AN WARBA

40 °C

27 °C

Clinics

SFC. CHAR CHART T

25/05/201 1 0000 UTC 25/05/2011

4732263

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Thursday

26/05

Khaldiya

24848075

Friday

27/05

Keifan

24849807

Saturday

28/05

Shamiya

24848913

Sunday

29/05

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

Temperatures Temperratures DAY DA AY

DATE DA ATE T

WEA WEATHER ATHER T

MAX.

MIN.

Wind Wind Direction Direction

Wind Wind Speed

du ust hot + raising dust

41 °C

27 °C

NW -N NW-N

20 - 45 km/h

du ust hot + blowing dust

42 °C

29 °C

NW

25 - 45 km/h

du ust hot + blowing dust

43 °C

30 °C

NW

20 - 45 km/h

du ust hot + raising dust

43 °C

32 °C

NW -N NW-N

20 - 40 km/h

PRAYER PR RA AYER Y TIMES

RECORDED D YESTERDAY YESTERDA AY AT AT KUW KUWAIT WAIT A T AIRPORT AIRPORT

Fajr

03:19

MAX. MA AX. Temp.

Temp.

40 °C

22526804

Sunrise S i

04 51 04:51

MIN. Temp.

MI IN T IN. emp.

30 °C

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Zuhr

1 1:45 11:45

MAX. RH M

20 %

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Asr

15:20

MIN. RH M

08 %

Dasmah

22532265

Sunset

18:39

MAX. Wind MA AX. W ind

N 43 km/h

Isha

20:08

TOTAL RAINFALL T OT TAL AL RAI INF FALL A L IN 24 HR.

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Al-Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

3900322

Psychologists /Psychotherapists

un nless otherwise stated.

All times are local time unless

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

Al-Madena Police Station Al-Murqab Police Station Al-Daiya Police Station Al-Fayha’a Police Station Al-Qadissiya Police Station Al-Nugra Police Station Al-Salmiya Police Station Al-Dasma Police Station

22434064 22435865 22544200 22547133 22515277 22616662 25714406 22530801

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION about the Civil ID card is 1889988

00 mm

25/05/1 1 02:29 UTC 25/05/11

V1.00

T1.06

AIRLINES

PHARMACIES ON 24 HRS DUTY GOVERNORATE

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

PHONE

Ahmadi

Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Hawally

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy Ibn Al-Nafis Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Mishrif Coop Salwa Coop

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554 25721264 25380581 25628241

22547272

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari

22617700

Dr. Zahra Qabazard

Dr. Abdel Quttainah

25625030/60

Family Doctor Dr Divya Damodar

23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari

22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist 25340300

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon

Dr Anil Thomas

3729596/3729581 22641071/2

22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

25343406

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly

25739272

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Salem soso

22618787

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer

22610044

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher

25327148

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

Neurologists

Dr. Adnan Ebil

22639939

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

25633324

Dr. Mousa Khadada

22666300

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

25345875

Gastrologists

25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra

25355515

Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub

24726446

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

25322030

Dr Nasser Behbehani

25654300/3

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com

Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291 22666288

Rheumatologists:

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan

Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

Dentists

Internists, Chest & Heart

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

25655535

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

General Surgeons

22433377 177 22924455 22414400 22423888 22425747 22434940 22420002/9 22418064/5/6 22433388 22425635 22430224 22425566 22438184 22424444 22421578 22421516 22426306 22423073 22422493 22421044 22414427 22416474 22452977/8 22417901/ 2433141 22456700 22958787 22453820/1 22404838/9

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

25710444

Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

Kuwait Airways Jazeera Airways Jet Airways FlyDubai Qatar Airways KLM Air Slovakia Olympic Airways Royal Jordanian Reservation British Airways Air France Emirates Air India Sri Lanka Airlines Egypt Air Swiss Air Saudia Middle East Airlines Lufthansa PIA Alitalia Balkan Airlines Bangladesh Airlines Czech Airlines Indian Airlines Oman Air Turkish Airlines Aeroflot

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

Al-Shohada’a

Automated enquiry

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427

22418714

POLICE STATION

4 DA DAYS AYS Y FORECAST

Rabiya

Al-Madena

Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, Ph.D. 2290-1677 Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg, M.A. 2290-1677

Dr. Adel Al-Awadi

25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah

25722290

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 Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

2611555-2622555

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Anguilla Antiga Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands

0093 00355 00213 00376 00244 001264 001268 0054 00374 0061 0043 001242 00973 00880 001246 00375 0032 00501 00229 001441 00975 00591 00387 00267 0055 00673 00359 00226 00257 00855 00237 001 00238 001345

Central African Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Cyprus (Northern) Czech Republic Denmark Diego Garcia Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador England (UK) Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia

00236 00235 0056 0086 0057 00269 00242 00682 00506 00385 0053 00357 0090392 00420 0045 00246 00253 001767 001809 00593 0020 00503 0044 00240 00291 00372 00251 00500 00298 00679 00358 0033 00594 00689

y

A

36

e niv rsar n

Years

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

lifest yle G o s s i p

im Kardashian has become engaged to Kris Humphries.

The 30-year-old beauty - who has been dating the basketball star for six months - went into “shock” when she walked into her Beverly Hills home to see him on one knee holding a 20.5 carat Lorraine Schwartz diamond ring. She said: “I didn’t expect this at all. I was in such shock. I never thought it would happen at home, and I never thought now.”

Kris had Kim’s mother Kris Jenner on hand to help him pick the ring, and the pair celebrated with all of her family after

K

she said yes. She added to People magazine: “Kris really didn’t want a big celebration, but he had jokingly told my mom he’d be fine if there were mini-horses there. “Later that night at the party, my mom brought out two mini-horses, covered in glitter, for us. It was hysterical!” Socialite Kim has previously said she has not been able to find any fault with him since they began dating. She revealed: “I think I haven’t found one thing wrong with him, let’s just put it like that.”

Will.i.am stalked Depp ill.i.am “chased” Johnny Depp through a building. The Black Eyed Peas star is a huge fan of the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ actor and was determined to get his picture taken with the Hollywood hunk when they were both at a recent event. He said: “Who do I get star struck over? Johnny Depp. I chased that dude around the building. “We were backstage at this year’s Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards and he’d just finished presenting and somebody sad, ‘Johnny Depp just walked in.’ And I was like, Where did Johnny Depp go?’ “So I found him and took a pic-

W atherine Zeta-Jones is to be one of the presenters at next month’s Tony Awards. The 41-year-old star who, at last year’s ceremony, was named Best Leading Actress for her role in Broadway musical ‘A Little Night Music’ - will hand out one of the prizes at the prestigious event at New York’s Beacon Theatre on June 12.

Other stars who will be presenting awards include Daniel Radcliffe, Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Rock, Alec Baldwin, Samuel L. Jackson and Kelsey Grammer. The awards which will be hosted by ‘How I Met Your Mother’ star Neil Patrick Harris will be one of Catherine’s first official public appearances since she announced last month she had been to rehab to receive treatment Bipolar II disorder, which is also known as manic depression. At last year’s awards, after she was named Best Leading Actress, Catherine took to the stage to give a gushing speech, which included an intimate tribute to her husband Michael Douglas. She told the audience: “See that man there? He’s a movie star and I get to sleep with him every night.” However, she later admitted her comments her “crass”, saying: “It wasn’t the most elegant thing to say, was it? I was so caught up in the moment I don’t think I knew what I was saying. I had no control what was coming out of my mouth. “Standing up there I felt speechless but obviously I said something but it was such a surprise that my brain didn’t really connect to my mouth. “‘What I said about Michael was heartfelt. Although thinking about it now I can’t believe I said something as crass as that.”

C

Love wants rich boyfriend ourtney Love wants a “really, really rich” boyfriend. The Hole frontwoman - who has recently been linked to British aristocrat Henry Allsopp - says she is on the prowl for a “plurocrat” and thinks she would be a “real asset” to a man who has an abundance of wealth to share with her. Courtney - the widow of late Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain - said: “These days I’m only interested in plutocrats. Like really, really rich guys. I’m determined to land one sooner or later... the thing is, I think I can be a real asset to a wealthy man.” The 46-yearold musician - who in the past has battled addictions to heroin, cocaine and prescription drugs - also revealed that since becoming sober in 2005 she dedicates her spare time to “romances” and “luxury”.

When asked by addiction website TheFix.com what she enjoys most about being sober, she replied: “Keeping things

C

ture of him. I’m a big fan, I’m wowed by him. He’s a respectful artist and never caught up in dramatic drama. He’s not Hollywood. He’s like us.” As well as being in awe of Johnny, will.i.am is also a big fan of U2 and was thrilled when he got the chance to work with them. Asked how he chooses who to work with, he told LOOK magazine: I don’t know. Time.

Whenever a slot opens. “Even though I didn’t get paid I worked with U2. I still got paid - with inspiration.”

Bartha confirms split from Olsen J

ustin Bartha has confirmed his split from Ashley Olsen.

It was reported in March that the ‘Hangover Part II’ star and the fashion designer had decided to call time on their two-year romance and while they had initially refused to discuss the status of their relationship, Justin has now admitted he’s single. He said: “We’re not together anymore.” When it was reported the pair had split, sources close to them insisted the break-up was amicable and nobody else was involved. The news came just five months after it was reported Justin was planning to propose, with a friend saying: “He’s in love and just waiting for the right time.” When they first started dating in 2008, Ashley, 24, reportedly told friends she thought 32-year-old Justin was “the one” for her. A source: “Ashley is so in love and really happy with Justin, even though it’s only been six months. She has been telling her family how much she loves this guy and how sweet he is.” Last year, Justin revealed how Ashley wouldn’t give him fashion advice despite her having three successful clothing labels with twin sister Mary-Kate. When asked if she tells him what to wear, Justin said: “Clearly not. That’s what she does for a living, but she definitely doesn’t tell me what to wear - she’s not shallow.”

B

elly Osbourne’s dog almost died last week. The ‘Fashion Police’ host had to rush her Pomeranian pooch Sid to the vet after he accidentally swallowed some chewing gum, and his condition was only not-life threatening because it was still contained in its wrapper. Kelly explained: “Poor Sid ate half a packet of chewing gum, last week and I had to rush him to the vet.

“There’s Xylitol - a sweetener - in gum, which is the dog equivalent of giving cyanide to humans. “It causes their blood sugar to drop and shuts down liver functions.

He’s fine now, but it was traumatic. “The vet thinks, because he chewed it with the paper on, it didn’t go into his system as quick-

K

C

there! “They left together at 12.15. They seemed really comfortable together.” Over the weekend, Bradley and Olivia - who was recently romantically linked with Justin Timberlake following her split from husband Tao Ruspoli - were spotted “flirting” at the ‘Saturday Night Live’ after-party, where they were joined by the ‘SexyBack’ hitmaker and actress Mila Kunis. An onlooker told the New York Post newspaper: “It looked like Olivia was friendly with Justin, but flirting with Bradley.”

— Bang Showbiz

ly as it could have, which saved his life.” Kelly is now taking no chances on her pet’s health and has banned chewing gum from her home. She added in her column for Closer magazine: “I’ve banned chewing gum from my flat now - Sid’s so small he can jump up and get it from anywhere. I’m so pleased he’s better.”

Last July, Kelly was left devastated when her new puppy Woody died aged just 14 weeks old. The 26-year-old star - who has split from fiance Luke Worrall just weeks before - tweeted at the time: “My life could not get any worse right now I come home to find my dog Woody is dead.”

Kane’s neon love hristopher Kane loves “obnoxious” neon.

The 28-year-old designer featured the fluorescent colors in lace trims on his recent spring/summer women’s collection and says he always loves using a lot of color in his creations, though it can be difficult. He said: “There’s this idea that British people don’t like color but I think they do. I love neon. It’s so manmade and loud and obnoxious but that’s why I gravitate towards it. It gives you a total high when you work with it.

“The dyes were a nightmare, though. It was a tough one but we got there in the end. We just had to keep dyeing and trying.” Christopher has headed up Venus, Versace’s second line for two years and he admits he still finds it “weird” working with the fashion house’s head Donatella Versace, because he has admired her for so long. He told the Evening Standard newspaper: “You do need to tap yourself when you’re with her. “It was quite weird after being a kid, growing up and idolizing Versace, and then ‘boom’ you’re thrown into the dressing room backstage. But Donatella puts you at ease. She’s great that way. I’ve learned so much from working at Versace. You start to learn from them and it seeps into your own business.”

alive with little romances and sexuality and making sure things are really beautiful around you. “No matter what your income level, luxury is important and luxury is time, the time you give to yourself to care for yourself. Those are really enjoyable things.” Courtney also revealed that she loved writing most of Hole’s most recent album ‘Nobody’s Daughter’ while getting sober, although it was tough because she was on a strict diet which didn’t allow her to eat any carbohydrates. She said: “I wrote pretty much the entire record in this spa on the Atkins diet. You try writing an album eating only bologna and eggs. “But it ended up being one of my favorite records and it was really fun.”

radley Cooper is reportedly dating Olivia Wilde. ‘ The 36-year-old old actor was accompanied to the afterparty of his new movie ‘The Hangover Part II’ by the ‘Tron: Legacy’ star and onlookers at Monday’s bash at New York’s Boom Boom Room said they were “definitely” together. One insider told Life & Style: “Olivia was Bradley’s date. He was always taking her hand or putting his hand on her lower back, it was really sweet. He took care of her all night.

“They were definitely together. At one point, they even wanted some alone time and hiked up the stairs to the roof, but they had trouble getting

Osbourne’s dog nearly died

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

lifestyle Music & Movies Kimberly Adams of Chicago stands outside Harpo Studios before the final taping of ìThe Oprah Winfrey Showî in Chicago, Tuesday, May 24, 2011. —AP photos

File photo shows Oprah Winfrey acknowledges fans during a star-studded double-taping of “Surprise Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular, in Chicago.—AP photos

Oprah Winfrey focuses on fans during finale F

or the final episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” taped Tuesday, the talk show queen appeared alone on her Chicago stage, talking to viewers about what they’ve meant to her during the show’s 25year run. The finale will air today. Fans leaving Tuesday’s taping said Winfrey had tears in her eyes as the television icon said a final thank you. “She said, ‘This isn’t goodbye. This is until we meet again,” said Amy Korin, 32, who was in the audience. Winfrey then kissed and hugged her longtime partner, Stedman Graham, and made her way through the halls of Harpo Studios, saying goodbye to her staff, audience members said. She kept saying, “We did it! We did it!,” Korin said, and giving employees high-fives.

There was a single chair on the stage, but Winfrey stood most of the time, audience members said. “A lot of crying and hugs, crying and hugs,” Korin said. Audience members described a simply produced series finale filled with a sense of gratitude.

“It was just her the whole time, a recap of what she believed in, what we’ve given her as viewers and what she hopes she has given us,” said Nancy Evankoe, 60, who went to the

taping with her daughter. Winfrey announced in November 2009 that she would end her popular talk show after 25 years. Tuesday’s taping comes a week after Hollywood’s A-list and 13,000 fans bid Winfrey farewell during a double-episode extravaganza at Chicago’s United Center. The shows that aired Monday and Tuesday included Aretha Franklin, Tom Cruise, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jordan and Madonna, among other stars of television, music and movies.

The bare-bones final taping had its share of celebrities in the audience including Tyler Perry, Maria Shriver, Suze Orman and Cicely Tyson, but none of them joined Winfrey on stage.

There were 404 audience members, according to Harpo Productions.

Hundreds of giddy fans struck by their luck at getting tickets for the final show had gathered outside Winfrey’s television studio in Chicago Tuesday morning. Sarah Cranley, 32, of Chicago waited in line with her mother, who traveled in from Pittsburgh for the taping. Cranley said she felt very lucky to snag tickets to the last show and the prospect of seeing Winfrey live didn’t yet feel real.

“You think about how many bil-

Angelina Jolie is a ‘militant’ mother

T

he Oscar-winning actress - who raises adopted children Maddox, nine, Pax, seven, Zahara, six, and biological kids Shiloh, four, and twins Knox and Vivienne, two, with partner Brad Pitt - finds it easy to prepare her brood for their frequent trips around the world because she is so organized with the packing ritual. Brad said: “We’re quite comfortable living out of suitcases, we’re quite nomadic. “We’ve got it down and the kids have got their backpack. They have to carry their backpack and if they forget it, they forget it because there’s just too much to keep track of.

“Mom’s really good at packing. She’s militant, she’s really, really talented. I couldn’t do it.” Brad, 47, and Angelina think it is important to always take their family with them when they work, and try their best to establish a routine when travelling. He explained in an interview with The Sun newspaper: “They’re quite used to it. We try to travel at night so they sleep because it’s really difficult for everyone to be awake and the chaos that ensues. “We always take them to the locations.

We try to keep the family intact - we think that’s very important.” Brad adds he loves taking the children to foreign places as it is helping them learn about different culture. He said: “The thing I’m most proud of I think is that the biggest part of our kids’ education is getting to see the world and getting to experience the world and other cultures.”—Bang Showbiz

Brad Pitt a cast member in ìThe Tree of Life,î poses with his wife, actress Angelina Jolie, at a screening of the film, Tuesday.

—AP

lions of people around the world watch her and want to be here,” Cranley said. “What are the odds?”

Cranley’s mother, Sally Mowrey, 59, said Winfrey was a constant in her life when her husband’s job transfers had her family move 17 times.

“That was something I could count one, watching Oprah,” Mowrey said.

“That was one thing that didn’t change.” Fans said they went through the normal ticketing process for the final taping by submitting their names online. Some said they wrote letters explaining why they were Winfrey fans.

Winfrey’s best friend Gayle King mixed with the waiting fans and interviewed several with a camera phone.

For her, the show’s end is bittersweet.

“I have such mixed feelings about it,” King told fans. The finale of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” has remained a secret, even as Harpo Studios hyped it as a television event.

In a promotional video posted online May 16, clips of famous television finales plays over a sad song with the lyrics “It’s hard to say goodbye.” It includes Mary Tyler Moore, Walter Cronkite, Johnny Carson, “M.A.S.H,” ‘’The Cosby Show,” and “Cheers.” The

video asks viewers “Where were you?” and “Where will you be?” Another promotional video for the final three episodes prompts viewers to “Say farewell.” When Winfrey announced her show would end she promised her viewers she would use the final season to “knock your socks off.” On her 25th and final season premiere she danced onstage with John Travolta and told everyone in the audience they were going to Australia.

Other season highlights included interviews with President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, former President George W Bush and Michael Jackson’s family. Winfrey also revealed she found a sister who her mother gave up for adoption. Already a television journalist, Winfrey came to Chicago in 1984 to WLS-TV’s morning talk show, “AM Chicago.” A month later the show was No. 1 in the market. A year later it was renamed “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Winfrey opened Harpo Studios on Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood in 1990. On Jan 1 of this year she launched the Oprah Winfrey Network, which is based in Los Angeles.—AP

Winfrey: From childhood poverty to talk show queen

O

prah Winfrey, considered the most influential woman on US television, brings “The Oprah Winfrey Show” to a close today after 25 years. Winfrey, 57, is expected to focus in the next few years on her cable channel OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network), which launched in January 2011. Following are some key facts about Winfrey and her show.

• Winfrey was born to a poor, single mother in rural Kosciusko, Mississippi, where she grew up without a television at home, but at age 19 became the first female African-American news anchor.

• In 1984, she moved to Chicago to host a morning talk show which was renamed “The Oprah Winfrey Show” within a year. She came to own the program through her company Harpo Inc, and it was nationally syndicated in 1986.

• “The Oprah Winfrey Show” is the top-rated US daytime talk show. Its final season was watched by an average 6.4 million US viewers and millions more in 150 nations overseas.

• “The Oprah Winfrey Show” has won 48 daytime Emmy awards, including those for Winfrey as host.

• The Oprah Book Club has championed 65 titles and has almost two million members.

• Winfrey was ranked the thirdmost-powerful woman in the world on Forbes magazine’s 2010 list, behind US first lady Michelle Obama and Kraft Foods CEO Irene Rosenfeld. She was ranked 130 on Forbes’ 2010 US rich list, with an estimated fortune of $2.7 billion.

• Winfrey was Oscar-nominated for her role in the 1985 movie “The Color Purple”. She also produced the Broadway stage version of “The Color Purple” and the movies “Beloved” and “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”.

• Other Oprah Winfrey projects include her charity Angel Network, the “O” magazine, the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls near Johannesburg, South Africa, and the OWN cable TV channel.—Reuters

Hollywood deal for film of bin Laden killing US

film giant Columbia Pictures said Tuesday it has won the US distribution rights for a film about the killing of Osama bin Laden, to be directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow. Bigelow and journalistturned screenwriter Mark Boal, who won Oscars for Iraq bomb squad movie “The Hurt Locker” in 2010, had already been working on a project about the Al-Qaeda chief’s capture or killing, before his death on May 2. Immediately afterwards there were reports they were scrambling to decide what to do with the project, but Tuesday’s announcement by Amy Pascal of

Columbia’s parent company Sony Pictures Entertainment confirmed the plans.

“Bigelow and Boal have been developing the project since 2008 and plan to incorporate recent events into the film,” said a statement, adding that the film will focus on “the black ops mission to capture or kill” bin Laden. Pascal added: “With the death of Osama bin Laden, this film could not be more relevant. Kathryn and Mark have an outstanding perspective on the team that was hunting the most wanted man in the world. “Mark is second to none as an investigative journalist, and Kathryn will bring the same kind of compelling

authenticity and urgency that distinguished The Hurt Locker and made that film so memorable and special.”

Boal and Bigelow will produce the as-yet unnamed movie with Annapurna Picture’s Megan Ellison, and executive producer Greg Shapiro. Filming will start in late summer, with the film to be released in the last quarter of 2012. There is a long history of movies based on real events, from “JFK” to “Titanic,” or more recently “United 93” about the heroism of passengers who prevented a fourth plane from hitting its mark on 9/11. Bigelow has built her career via movies notable for their macho characters,

whether it’s bank-robbing surfers in “Point Break” to adrenaline-addicted bomb squads in “The Hurt Locker.”

She became the first woman to win the best director Oscar last year for “The Hurt Locker,” a nerve-jangling movie about a US Army bomb disposal squad in Baghdad.

The low-budget drama, based on a screenplay by Boal after he was embedded with a bomb squad in 2004, beat $500 million scifi epic “Avatar,” directed by her ex-husband James Cameron, at the 2010 Academy Awards.—AFP

Old CEOs can learn a few new tricks from Lady Gaga

A

merican singer Lady Gaga may be recognized by most for her provocative outfits and wild shows, but she can school corporations in strategic innovation, a German business researcher told Reuters yesterday Lady Gaga, whose second album, “Born This Way”, was released on Monday, is widely expected to produce strong sales and land atop the music charts, regardless of critical reception. A result that is largely due to her ability to vary how consumers relate to her brand, said Martin Kupp, a professor at the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin.

“Lady Gaga blurs the industry boundaries and it’s not really clear if she’s a musician, artist or fashion designer,” said Kupp, an author of a recent book on business lessons from artists such as singer Madonna and Renaissance painter Titian. “I think there may be people out there who associate her much more with fashion or with other sorts of entertainment than music,” Krupp added of the 25-year-old whose attention-getting attire has included a raw meat dress.

Billboard estimated 450,000 to 750,000 copies of her record released by Universal Music Group’s Interscope Records could be sold in the first week alone. High demand for a special 99-cent download of the album caused the servers of online retailer Amazon to crash.

Shake up Kupp and his colleagues in a recent case

study credit the singer’s social media strategy as a way for businesses to learn new methods to shake up an established industry. By using social network Facebook and micro-blogging site Twitter, Lady Gaga has developed an army of fans through virtual interaction and not by pushing traditional marketing principles of promotion, product and price onto consumers, Kupp said. “Social media is not a one-way communication and I think Lady Gaga understands that,” Kupp said. “It’s more about emotions, engagement and interactivity, so she’s very advanced.”

Lady Gaga refers to herself as “mother monster” and her fans as “little monsters”, Kupp noted, adding that such a bond is not lost on consumers. “That’s what you’re looking for in social media,” he said. “It’s to create much more intimacy than what you created with traditional marketing instruments.” Kupp said Lady Gaga’s business strategy has been able to breathe life into the music industry which has struggled to adapt its business model with the technological change to Internet downloads and online piracy. “She’s a role model to show that it’s not only about music but also about concerts, merchandising, art, fashion, media and daily life,” Kupp said, adding that her record label profits on all of her other activities, too.—Reuters Lady Gaga tapes an episode of “106 and Park” at BET Studios in New York, Monday.—AP photos

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

lifestyle Features

M

ichelle Obama packed a wardrobe of high-fashion clothes to accompany her husband on a state visit to England. She made quick changes from one dress to another on Tuesday, wearing

Queen Elizabeth II and US President Barack Obama pose with US First Lady Michelle Obama (2nd R) and Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh, in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace ahead of a State Banquet on May 24, 2011 in London, England. The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, and his wife Michelle are in the UK for a two-day State Visit at the invitation of HM Queen Elizabeth II. — AFP

designer labels that stretch from Los Angeles to London. To an elegant, formal state dinner hosted by Queen Elizabeth II, the first lady wore a white gown with a crisscross halter neckline by Tom Ford, a top-tier American designer who makes his home half the year across the pond. Mrs Obama’s hair was pinned up in a chignon, which showed off dangling earrings. She accessorized with white opera gloves and a silver clutch bag.

The queen also had on a white gown and a lot of sparkle. It might not have been a coordinated fashion statement between the two women, but InStyle fashion director Hal Rubenstein isn’t sure it was a coincidence, either. “There’s something awfully harmonious about the picture. The thing that’s cool about Mrs Obama’s white, which the queen tends to wear at events like this, is that she doesn’t compete. ... It’s a form-fitting gown but there’s no decollete, it’s very respectful and tasteful, yet it’s very striking.” President Barack Obama matched too, with a white bow tie, dress shirt and pocket square.

Earlier, at a daytime arrivals ceremony, Mrs Obama and the queen complemented each other in blue floral dresses. There was another fashion plate at Buckingham

Palace as well: The new Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, wore a sandcolored dress by the British label Reiss. Her appearance sparked such a rush in demand for the above-the-knee sheath, with a retail price of $340, that the retailer’s website traffic increased by more than 300 percent, resulting in several crashes throughout the day, according to the company.

The dress was sophisticated and chic, if not a bit understated, but the duchess put her own twist on the outfit with her black pointy-toe pumps and black satin clutch handbag by Anya Hindmarch. The bag was engraved with her initials. The 29-year-old newlywed “looks her age. I was afraid the minute she got in the royal family, she’d be wearing clothes that were too formal. I like that there’s no coat or suit,” said Kate Betts, author of “Everyday Icon: Michelle Obama and the Power of Style.”

Mrs Obama also hit it right, said Betts.

“She looks so pretty. The dress is so English.

In my opinion, she rarely makes a mistake, and today is no different.” Her ice-blue, floral-jacquard dress was by California designer Barbara Tfank, which she paired with a light purple bolero. “The color of her dress, the print - it all seems like a homage to the

queen,” said Betts, a contributing editor at Time magazine. Betts noted that Mrs Obama wore a cardigan sweater when she first met the queen two years ago, sparking debate whether she had taken too literally the casual sportswear style that is the signature of American fashion. “I think she wore that bolero jacket as a wink to the cardigan thing,” she said.

Obama also went with President Obama to Westminster Abbey and 10 Downing St, the official residence of British Prime Minister David Cameron. For that, she wore a purple dress by Serbian-born Roksanda Ilincic with a bright blue coat by New Yorkbased Narciso Rodriguez. That came after an electric blue ensemble by British label Preen she wore for her late-night arrival on Monday at the Stansted Airport. Her dangling, teardrop earrings were made by Hollywood favorite Cathy Waterman. — AP

Tips on converting little kids room to teen space T

hat cute duckie wallpaper or nautical furniture set were great for your child’s baby years and just barely tolerable through elementary school, but a bedroom makeover is hard to get around when a child heads for the tumultuous teens. Consider the four C’s-classic, comfort, cool and color — when providing older kids with long-lasting lairs, er, lovely hangout-study spaces. And keep in mind a transformation does not have to mean tossing everything and buying all new.

This product image courtesy of PBteen.com shows their Wailua Beach Quilt & Sham. In addition to walls, linens can add a blast of color and texture.

Spending selectively now may just carry your child through the college years and beyond, to his or her first apartment, said design guru Nate Berkus, host of the syndicated “Nate Berkus Show.” Jennifer Adams Meyers, an interior and home products designer in Scottsdale, Arizona, said furniture in distressed, whitewashed and some darker woods are hot trends in baby furniture, boding well for use in a teen room through simple sanding and painting.

Making a teen a partner in the redesign can be fun and fruitful, she said. “Let them have complete leeway. It gives them the motivation to

keep it clean and organized,” Meyers said. “Give them a cork board and have them cut out 10 images they like.”

Furnishings A completely new set of furniture is probably not necessary, but a few items might be, a bigger bed, for instance. Another piece to consider investing in is a chest of drawers. “Go for classic lines, not something too youthful,” Berkus said.

“Going with a vintage chest of drawers is a good idea, like English mahogany or Swedish Painted.

I’m more interested in people having something that’s an investment of a lifetime.

How can I not have to replace something because I’ve bought into a theme?” Teens have different priorities from little kids. They may not care much anymore about vast floor space to build Lego cities, for instance. Turn over some of that real estate to a couch and an overstuffed armchair for reading, and to creating a hangoutstudy nook worthy of having friends over, even if it means going for a laptop desk for homework over a freestanding one.

Bedside tables can be painted rather than This product image courtesy of PBteen.com shows their Cushy Lounge Sectional. — AP photos tossed and even double as desks, Meyers said. A lamp can be made new with a funky new fabric shade, and many home improvement stores carry but too embarrassed to say that they would like beaded chandeliers in a variety of colors. to display some of their growing-up stuff. In the Consider keeping a rocking chair with a new seat new room, that baby chair collecting dust in the corner might be more palatable with fresh paint cushion for a reading nook.

Berkus is a big fan of vintage. He also had covering the bears or ducks. The piece is saved some suggestions on how to avoid spending but the nerd quotient diminished.

Reserve shelf space for a favorite doll, toy and money unnecessarily. “The larger ticket items that I wouldn’t invest in would include wallpaper,” he a few old books, but not front and center. said. “That’s exclusively for a kid room. I wouldn’t Consider spacing mementoes between stacks of invest in a rug. Go with stripes, black and white, books, CDs or magazines. Offer storage in another room for anything else they might want to blue and white, or gray and white.” keep but not display.

Berkus said ownership of the new space can Color There’s no better way to let a tween or teen be fostered in many ways. “If your teenager really take control of his or her space than putting them wants a specific item for their room, I like the idea in charge of palette, but be prepared to accept of making them work for half of it, or coming up whatever crazy color scheme they come up with. with something else they can do so they really Besides walls, linens can add a blast of color and understand that pride of ownership,” he said. texture. “It makes sense to let them pick,” Berkus Closets are a sticky issue. Big kids have bigger said. “They have a shelf life. They can only handle stuff, more clothes, more shoes, more sports so many washes. Thematic is fine.” Wall art is huge equipment. Renovating a closet to make it deeptoo many teens, a poster of a favorite sports star er or wider may be unavoidable. Adding cubbies or horror movie. How about a collection of color- and a second hanging rod can help if expansion This product image courtesy of PBteen.com shows their Comfy ful album covers from the ‘60s, a surfer scene, or is not possible.

Sectional. Teens have different priorities than little kids. framed memorabilia such as photos of friends and family mixed with your child’s own artwork Do not forget to mount a full-length mirror on and souvenirs from vacations? How about hangthe back of a closet door. It is a cheap, easy way to ing skateboards or lacrosse sticks as art? more quickly extract a teen girl from a bathroom.

Meyers suggested vinyl wall decals with Extra pegs and hooks inside a closet can be quotes or special words (“Peace” or “Happiness”) added easily and used for robes, backpacks, as a way for a teen to personalize the room. Let handbags and scarves. them dress windows in wild designs and colors.

Looking to avoid dirty clothes as your child’s Curtains come funky and cheap these days, or new decor? Let them pick out a full-size hamper buy inexpensive shades they can paint themwith a lid to be stashed in a corner, rather than a selves. The idea is to cede some control, but not closet, as a reminder it needs to get used. You get thrown under the bus altogether on style, know all those baskets and containers that design and cost. caught the toys and baby books? Replace them Chances are your little kid already had some with vertical book storage, graduating storage throw pillows. Those can live on with new cases boxes than can be piled into a pyramid, or colthat accent the scheme. Teens read and study in lapsible crates with handles that come in fun teen strange positions, so a reading wedge or a body patterns and colors. — AP pillow that can be scrunched for comfort while working on a laptop would be a good addition.

Closets, shelves, containers Big kids may be more attached than you think

This product image courtesy of IKEA shows their EXPEDIT bookcase.

This product image courtesy of bedbathandbeyond.com shows the Self Expressions Pop Circle window panels and valance.

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

lifestyle Features

A photo shows Briton Joe Part and his girlfriend Emily Soyer watching local Khmu hilltribe ethnic guides cooking a soup for lunch in a jungle.

I

n a hilltribe settlement in the forest of northern Laos, an old man sits on the ground weaving a basket while another villager hangs out her washing to dry. It is a scene of everyday life for the Akha communities living in the Nam Ha Protected Area, where elephants, gibbons and leopards roam among giant bamboo near villages perched on the banks of a tributary of the Mekong river. The 220,000-hectare (544,000-acre) national park is at the forefront of efforts by the landlocked, impoverished nation to become a leading eco-tourism destination-an effort that appears to be paying off.

Lured by the wild beauty and cultural riches of the numerous ethnic minorities, almost 250,000 tourists visited northwest Luang Namtha province in 2010, up from 20,000 in 1999, according to the Laos tourism administration. “Compared to

A photo shows Briton Joe Part and his girlfriend Emily Soyer watching local Khmu hill tribe ethnic guides preparing a lunch in a jungle during a 4hour trekking at Nam Ha Park in the Northern province of Luang Namtha.

Thailand it is definitely a lot more authentic, better run and the fact that we were just a small group, just four people, makes it a much more genuine experience,” said 28-year-old British tourist Joe Park.

“We perhaps leave less of a footprint and not too much of our own culture in the area, so I think it was fantastic,” he said during a trek inside the park.

While some ethnic villagers, such as the Lanten, still wear their indigo traditional clothes, they make no particular effort to dress up for tourists and go about their normal lives as much as possible when they come. It is the fruit of years of planning by the Communist nation to attract more foreign visitors while preserving its cultural heritage. After opening up to foreign visitors in the 1990s, Laos “quickly saw that being a country in the middle of the Mekong region, with many visitors going to the surrounding countries, that it would be a good opportunity to develop the economy and create local jobs,” said Steven Schipani, who was involved in the Nam Ha ecotourism project as a UN advisor.

“But they were also aware that tourism, if not properly managed, can cause a lot of negative impacts,” added the American, who is now in charge of the Asian Development Bank’s Southeast Asia tourism program. The Laotian authorities, who have created 20 national parks covering 14 percent of the country, attempted to manage the explosion in tourism so as to avoid queues of coaches or rows of concrete hotels.”Laos will become a world renowned destination specializing in forms of sustainable tourism that, through partnership and cooperation, benefits natural and cultural heritage conservation and local socio-economic development, and spreads knowledge of Laos’ unique cultural heritage around the world,” proclaims the

A photo shows Briton Emily Soyer looking at local Khmu hilltribe ethnic women.

state run website www.ecotourismlaos.com.

The Nam Ha national park, thanks to a partnership with UNESCO dating back to 1999, has served as a model of development for ecotourism aimed at benefitting local communities. “Before, only backpackers, who often only rent a motorbike and drive around, not stopping in the villages, came to Namtha,” said Adrian Schuhbeck, a development expert with a German-backed agency in Luang Namtha province.”But this is changing. People with more money come, which is good for the communities-they get more return.” Thanks to the Nam Ha project, several dozen villages have signed agreements with local trekking agencies to supply guides, maintain the paths, share their traditional cuisine and offer a roof for the night, no more than twice a week.

For welcoming eight tourists-the maximum allowed in a single group-on a two-day trek, a village receives about $135, or more than a third of the ticket price, said Chittaphong Chanthakhoune, a local tour agent. Hundreds of similar projects are being set up elsewhere in the sparsely populated country, one of the poorest in the world. While it is not the answer to all the villages’ problems, Laos has at least avoided the pitfalls seen by its neighbors, where tour operators bring hordes of tourists to villages without consulting the locals.

Signs on the walls of local trekking agencies give advice to foreigners: take off your shoes before entering a home, respect sites of worship and do not take photographs without asking the subject’s permission. The villagers for their part have been educated about the needs of their visitors and ways to improve hygiene. While it lures avid adventurers to its steep-sided valleys and vil-

A photo shows a Lanten hilltribe ethnic woman selling handmade craft items to tourists in a village at Nam Ha Park. lages lost in the middle of the forest, Laos has also equipped its capital Vientiane and the ancient city of Luang Prabang with a solid tourism infrastructure, capable of accommodating a rising number of visitors. Tourist arrivals in the Communist nation have risen from scarcely 5,000 in 1991 to more than two million in 2009, according to official figures.

But the eco-tourism boom “will only be sustainable if both sides understand what is important for each other,” said Schuhbeck.—AFP

A photo shows foreign tourists touring a local Khmu hilltribe ethnic village at Nam Ha Park.

T

children who need the support. he carousel has chariots for wheelchairs. from one overcrowded ride to the next.

Reservations are encouraged because of the daiGenerously spread out, the park has about 20 Braille games decorate side panels on the jungle gym. And table-high sandboxes allow just attractions from active (Butterfly Playground) to ly attendance limits, though as general manager about any kid to build a castle. Morgan’s easygoing (a train circling a mile-long loop through Dave Force put it, “we’re not going to turn away a Wonderland aims to offer everything a special- the park and around a lake). Even more tranquil is family that’s driven all the way from Arkansas.” Each needs guest might enjoy at a theme park - while the Sitting Garden, a quiet and almost meditative guest is also given an electronic wristband that appealing to non-disabled visitors too. “If it wasn’t enclave that’s a favorite among parents with autistic allows families and caregivers to keep tabs on their group in the park, and scanning the wristbands on for searching Google,” founder Gordon Hartman children.

Inside Sensory Village is a mechanic’s shop with some rides emails a free photo back home. said, “it would’ve taken me a lot longer to put this Yet despite being completely designed for inditools mounted to a low table. A light touch of the together.”

The result is both inventive and heartwarming: a drill triggers the crank-like sound of a bolt driving viduals with special needs, the park is playful 25-acre, $34 million park catering every detail to flush into an engine block. Next door is a pretend enough to be enjoyed by any kid. The motto of people with physical or mental disabilities, down to supermarket with plastic lobsters, ears of corn and Morgan’s Wonderland is even “Where Everyone Can jungle gyms wide enough to fit two wheelchairs cans of tuna, and cashiers who always hand back Play.” That inclusion was important to Hartman, who on a family trip a few years ago, saw his daughter side-by-side, a “Sensory Village” that’s an indoor mall the right amount of invisible change.

Most interactive is a low-lit space with a touch- Morgan wanting to play with three kids tossing a of touch-and-hear activities, and daily attendance limits so the park never gets too loud or lines too sensitive floor, giving the illusion of walking across a ball in a pool but couldn’t interact. The kids, just as pond as the water ripples and colors burst with unsure how to interact with Morgan, stopped playlong.

Since opening last year, Morgan’s Wonderland every step. White canvases on the walls, meanwhile, ing. Five years later, Morgan’s Wonderland opened, has attracted more than 100,000 guests, despite transform into butterflies chasing a shadow anytime putting regular playground swings and swings for wheelchairs in the same park. That’s where 9-yearalmost no national marketing by the non-profit someone steps in front of the projector.

Sprouting from the sandboxes are “diggers” - old Kriste was on a recent May afternoon, her park. Admission for people with special needs is free, and adults accompanying them are $10. Three think shovels and rakes - that can be operated sit- wheelchair rolled onto a platform and being swung ting down from a wheelchair. Another nearby sand- back and forth by two park volunteers. “She doesn’t out of every four visitors do not have disabilities.

The park is the first of its kind in the nation, box is elevated 4 1/2 feet, next to a musical garden talk,” said her father, Michael Hernandez, “but you File photo shows Refugio Valls as he rides a according to Hartman, a San Antonio philanthropist of giant xylophones and chimes. The chariots on the can tell she really enjoys it.” — AP wheelchair swing. who named the place after his 17-year-old daugh- carousel are reserved for wheelchairs, and many of ter, who can’t perform simple math and struggles to the horses are fitted with high back cushions for form sentences because of cognitive disabilities. A map in the lobby entrance, where adults with special needs volunteer as greeters, offers a more visual way to gauge the park’s early popularity, with the 49 states and 16 countries visitors have come from marked in purple.

Persons with autism, orthopedic impairments, mental retardation or seizure disorders are among the most regular visitors. Tifani Jackson’s 11-year-old son, Jaylin, has Williams syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes learning disabilities and developmental delays.

Jaylin was showing off his new hat from the gift shop. Now he was coaxing his mom back toward the off-road adventure ride, where rugged-looking jeeps that are wheelchair accessible twist and turn through a short track. “It’s so nice to have a place like this,” said Jackson, who lives in nearby Austin.

Built on the site of an abandoned quarry, Morgan’s Wonderland is one-tenth the size of SeaWorld, the destination mega-attraction on the other side of San Antonio. But spending an afternoon at Morgan’s Wonderland - the average guest File photo shows Refugio Valls as he rides a wheelchair swing at Morgan’s stays about 2 1/2 to 3 hours - is deliberately File photo shows Fabian Mendoza as he rides a carousel at Morgan’s Wonderland in Wonderland. designed to not be an exhausting, endless trudge San Antonio, Texas. — AP photos

Kardashian engaged to Humphries

36

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011

Syrian whirling dervishes perform at the Syrian Opera House in Damascus late on May 24, 2011. Canada’s foreign affairs minister announced yesterday sanctions against Syria’s government over its “violent repression” of peaceful pro-democracy demonstrators.—AFP

Football star Hines Ward is new ‘Dancing’ champ H e judges wer s from the mpions of re o sc r te ies af n cha their troph ym Johnso d pose with e Hines Ward and K phy.—AP ar W es in H to nam n and ball tro Kym Johnso h the audience votes of the coveted mirror s it w er n d e in in w b com ” and ith the Stars “Dancing w

D a n c in g w right, Ch it h th e S ta r s c o elsea Ka n te s ta n ts ne appearan ce on Goo and Mark Balla H in e s Wa rd , s d Mornin g Americ arrive for an a.

ines Ward added a disco-ball trophy to his Super Bowl shelf Tuesday night after he samba-ed his way to the “Dancing With the Stars” championship. The Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver and former Super Bowl MVP won the title, besting actresses Kirstie Alley and Chelsea Kane to become the season 12 champion of the TV celebrity dance competition.

“You are the MVP of ‘Dancing With the Stars’ season 12,” judge Carrie Ann Inaba said after Ward and professional partner Kym Johnson finished their last dance.

“You learned how to lead the dancing, not only in the dance, but you led your partner out of injury. You dance with heart and it shows.” Ward said after the show that he owes the victory to his partner, hard work and the fans.

“The competition has been so close all year, we knew it was going to come down to voting,” he said, “so we want to thank our fans.” Judge Bruno Tonioli said Ward “really is like a ray of sunshine when he enters the arena.” Ward was chosen by viewer votes combined with judges’ scores. All three couples emerged with perfect scores after dancing Tuesday night, which kept the competition tight.

Ward came into the season finale tied for first place with Kane, who finished in last place when the votes were tallied. Alley finished second.

Alley was a fan favorite all season, whittling down her body as the daily dance exercise allowed her to take in her costume by 38 inches (97 centimeters) by Tuesday. She was also one of the most amusing contestants on the ballroom floor, losing her shoes during one per-

formance and always getting through her challenges with a smile and a quip. “I know I’m not alone when I say I love you for being you,” Inaba said Tuesday after Alley and partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy finished performing a cha cha. Alley wore the same dress she had worn on day one of the competition-nipped and tucked by 38 inches.

“I’m just going to miss dancing with Maks,” Alley said of her partner. Kane, who waltzed to the theme from “Harry Potter” with professional partner Mark Ballas, was the first to be eliminated Tuesday. But she wasn’t too upset.

“The fact that I’m here (in the finals) is super flattering,” the 22-year-old actress said after the season finale.

“For me, I’ll never experience anything like this ever again.” Wendy Williams, Kendra Wilkinson, Sugar Ray Leonard and other celebrity contestants cast off the hit ABC Kym Joh show earlier in the season brought scores. nson and Hines Ward react after their sometimes stunning, sometimes wacky moves back to the ballher room for the finale. sexy, booty-and-bosomThe show opened with an all-cast roushaking cha cha, then nearly fell off the tine and the Black Eyed Peas singing their judges’ table when she finished. new single, “Don’t Stop the Party,” to an Ralph Macchio, who dazzled judges energized audience. Besides the Peas, the when the show first started with his quick Go-Go’s played their classic “We Got the step, returned with partner Karina Beat” for a frenzied dance routine, and Smirnoff for a reprise. Williams was the Josh Groban sang “You Raise Me Up” while only contender who didn’t take to the Petra Nemcova danced. Sara Evans perdance floor. She instead interviewed herformed “A Little Bit Stronger” at the end of self during a segment where she said Alley the show, before Ward won the mirrorball would “be a perfect drinking partner.” The trophy. Famed sports announcer Michael 35-year-old Ward is the second professionBuffer called Leonard and pro wrestler al football player to win the “Dancing” Chris Jericho to the dance floor for a crown. Emmitt Smith won in 2006.—AP tough-guy dance-off. Wilkinson reprised

Ai Weiwei work on show at key Hong Kong art fair A

leading international art fair is to display a provocative work by detained Chinese artist Ai Weiwei in Hong Kong in a show of solidarity with the outspoken dissident amid a government crackdown. Director Magnus Renfrew said the organizers of ART HK shared the concerns of the international community over Ai’s fate, and called for “due process” of the law to be upheld in his case, which has sparked an international outcry. “Ai Weiwei’s works have been greatly admired,” he said.

The fair, starting today, is displaying Ai’s 2007 sculpture “Marble Arm”, which depicts an outstretched arm and hand-with its middle finger raised.

The artist was taken into custody in Beijing last month during the government’s biggest crackdown on dissidents and activists in years, with authorities later saying he was suspected of unspecified “economic crimes”. The US and European Union have

called for Ai’s release, but Beijing has rejected such calls, denouncing them as interfering and inappropriate. “Marble Arm” was brought to the fair by Switzerland-based Galerie Urs Meile, which also run a gallery in Beijing.

“By presenting his work, we believe his situation will be discussed,” the gallery’s assistant Rene Meile told AFP. Chinese police alleged last week that a firm controlled by Ai had evaded taxes, in a move that appeared to be aimed at building their case against the detained artist. Hong Kong maintains semiautonomous status from China and enjoys civil liberties not seen on the mainland. Artists and campaigners have staged a series of protests there calling for Ai’s release. ART HK, which is now in its fourth year, will see a record 260 galleries from 38 countries taking part in the four-day fair. It is expected to draw at least 45,000 visitors to see work by over 1,000 artists.—AFP

File images shows actress Kirstie Alley and her partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy perform on the celebrity dance competition series, ìDancing with the Stars,î in Los Angeles.—AP