27 Jun

ON IP TI SC R SU B

MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011

No more leniency for illegal residents

Israel begins removing part of West Bank barrier

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RAJAB 25, 1432 AH

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‘Dabangg’ dominates awards with nine prizes

Germany off to perfect start in women’s World Cup

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Syrian troops closing in on Lebanon border Opposition to meet in Syria after bloody weekend

Inflation hits 5-month high DUBAI: Kuwait’s annual inflation edged up to a fivemonth top of 5.4 percent in May, the highest level among Gulf Arab oil producers, data showed yesterday. Inflation in the Gulf, the world’s top oil exporting region, was expected to creep higher this year on robust global commodity prices, a weak dollar and increased government spending following unrest in the Arab world. However, slow lending growth and ongoing weakness in the property sector in some of the countries are seen keeping consumer price growth well below record, double-digit peaks seen in most Gulf states in 2008, despite oil prices staying above $90 per barrel now.

In Kuwait, the world’s No. 4 oil exporter, inflation has been hovering above 5 percent since the beginning of this year. It stood at 5.3 percent in April, after climbing to a nearly two-year peak of 6 percent in December. On the month, consumer prices in the OPEC member grew 0.3 percent in May, up from a 0.2 percent rise in the previous month, as food costs rose sharply for the third month in a row, statistics office’s data cited by the state news agency KUNA showed.

“As long as food prices don’t go up too much further than the international level, then I suspect we might be quite near a short term peak for year-onyear inflation, and it could ease back in coming Continued on Page 13

HATAY, Turkey: A Syrian refugee girl flashes victory signs as she looks out through fences surrounding their camp in the Turkish town of Yayladagi in this province yesterday. — AP

Hacker group says Net rampage over SAN FRANCISCO: Lulz Security hacker group said Saturday that it has ended an Internet rampage that included cyberattacks on videogame companies, police and even the CIA’s website. “For the past 50 days, we’ve been disrupting and exposing corporations, governments, often the general population itself, and quite possibly everything in between, just because we could,” the group said in a message uploaded to The Pirate Bay file sharing website. “It is time to say bon voyage,” the message concluded. “We must now sail into the distance.”

The Lulz farewell contended that the group had a crew of six people and implied the plan from the outset was for the hacking campaign to last 50 days.

While it remained to be seen whether members of the group would truly stop bedeviling the Internet, it was unlikely police would abandon efforts to track them down. Lulz Security has claimed

responsibility for hacking the websites of the Central Intelligence Agency, the US Senate, Sony and others. On Thursday, the group released hundreds of documents from the Arizona Department of Public Safety in its latest cyberattack.

Lulz Security, or LulzSec, provided a link to the more than 700 documents on its website, LulzSecurity.com. The group said it was protesting Arizona’s immigration laws. The documents included information on drug cartels, street gangs, informants, border patrol operations and the names and addresses of members of the Arizona Highway Patrol. Lulz Security said in a message at the time that it planned to release more classified police or military documents weekly.

In what appeared to be a farewell act, the group dumped a mishmash of evidently plundered data from US telecom giant AT&T, an Irish detective Continued on Page 13

Bourse float plan ‘flawed’ KUWAIT: Plans to float the Kuwait Stock Exchange, the Arab world’s second largest bourse, are flawed and will hurt its independence, the exchange’s head said yesterday. Hamed Al-Saif, the director of the Kuwaiti bourse, said the privatization plan for the exchange should not proceed as outlined in Kuwait’s new Capital Markets Authority law. Under the law, 50 percent of the stock market will be floated in an initial public offering for Kuwaiti citizens. The remaining 50 percent will be auctioned to listed companies, each of which can only buy a 5 percent stake in the market.

“This means that only 10 firms will control the stock market and elect its board...and I think this conflicts with the independence that the stock market’s board should have,” Saif told reporters. He also said the CMA, which was approved by the National Assembly last year, needs to have its own budget from the government and not depend on fees to run its business. “The separation between management and regulation was important, and I think we were the last Arab country to setup a markets regulator ... but I think that the (CMA) law contains some flaws that could affect the market’s future,” he said. — Reuters

“a dangerous provocation that is being organized by western and Islamic extremist elements to aid Hamas.” He warned journalists that taking part in the flotilla “is an intentional violation of Israeli law and is liable to lead to participants being denied entry into the State of Israel for 10 years, to the impoundment of their equipment and to additional sanctions,” Helman said. The letter, he added, was reviewed and approved

by Israel’s attorney general.

The Foreign Press Association, which represents hundreds of journalists working for international news organizations in Israel and the Palestinian territories, condemned the Israeli decision and urged the government to cancel the order. “The government’s threat to punish journalists covering the Gaza flotilla sends a chilling message to the international media and raises serious questions about Israel’s commitment to freedom of the press,” the FPA said in a statement.

Israel sees the flotilla as a provocation aimed at stirring up trouble and says that it has standard channels for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. Israel imposed its land and naval embargo on Gaza Continued on Page 13

DAMASCUS: Syrian troops pushed towards the Lebanese border yesterday as they pressed a deadly crackdown in central towns on the eve of an opposition meeting in Damascus on the country’s unrest, activists said. The latest violence in Kseir, near the flashpoint city of Homs, forced “hundreds” of people to flee over the border into Lebanon, the activists said. The exodus came as Turkey, where about 12,000 Syrians have already taken refuge in recent weeks, scrambled to build a border tent city to accommodate a possible new influx of refugees.

Rami Abdel Rahman, who heads the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP in Nicosia that shots rang out overnight in Kseir - 15 km from the border with Lebanon, and in Homs. “Shots were heard overnight Saturday in the town of Kseir,” he said quoting residents, adding that, further north, gunfire was heard in several Homs neighbourhoods.

“Yesterday (Saturday) hundreds of residents fled from Kseir to Lebanon,” Abdel Rahman said.

Four civilians were shot dead by security forces on Saturday, two of them in Kseir and the other two in Kiswah, south of the capital. Activists say that security forces have bolstered their presence in Kseir since Friday, while troops have been controlling areas of Homs for several days, as part of a policy to crush prodemocracy protests. The sweep against the opponents of the autocratic regime of President Bashar Al-Assad has also seen troops backed by tanks storm villages near the border with Turkey.

On Saturday, tanks rumbled into Al-Najia, after similar operations in Jisr Al-Shughur, seized on June 12, and Khirbet Al-Joz, where troops deployed on Thursday, according to activists. Pro-government daily Al-Watan Continued on Page 13

Row over remaining sessions of Assembly

By B Izzak KUWAIT: Controversy appears to be looming over the last few parliamentary sessions before the summer recess, with anti-government MPs demanding that a number of sensitive issues - including scrapping interest on citizens’ loans - be debated, although the National Assembly speaker has insisted that the sessions be dedicated solely to discuss the state budget. When Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi was asked about debating other issues other than the budget, he insisted that the parliamentary sessions should be governed by the constitution and the charter.

He said that the remaining three sessions of the current term have already been allocated to discuss the state budget for 2011-12. Khorafi’s comments came after MP Dhaifallah Buramia said that he has collected the signatures of 31 MPs to debate a previous bill that called on the

Israel warns journos over Gaza flotilla JERUSALEM: Israel said yesterday that any foreign journalist caught on board a Gaza-bound flotilla could face deportation and a 10-year ban from the country, in a move that threatened to worsen the nation’s already strained relationship with the international media. Journalists said they should be allowed to cover a legitimate news story, but Israel said the media would be complicit in an illegal breach of its naval blockade of a hostile territory ruled by a terrorist group. The announcement reflected Israeli jitters about the international flotilla, which comes just more than a year after a similar mission ended with the deaths of nine Turkish activists in clashes with Israeli naval commandos who intercepted them. Each side blamed the other for the violence.

Israel is eager to avoid a repeat of last year’s raid, which drew heavy international condemnation and prompted Israel to ease its blockade on the Hamascontrolled Gaza Strip. Many Israelis believe that the media’s coverage of the bloodshed contributed to their country’s image problems. In a letter to foreign journalists, the Government Press Office’s director, Oren Helman, called the flotilla

Max 48º Min 31º Low Tide 01:42 & 03:44 High Tide 07:50 & 10:14

government to write off interest on loans taken out by citizens from local banks and finance companies.

The bill was passed by parliament last year before being referred to the government which exercised its constitutional powers to reject it. MPs failed to override the government’s rejection in a fresh vote that fell short of the required 44 votes. Under Kuwaiti law, the government can reject bills passed by the National Assembly, which then has the right to override the government’s rejection by passing the bill again by a twothirds majority vote.

After the loans bill failed to get through the Assembly in the second vote, Khorafi took it off the Assembly agenda, saying it has failed. Buramia insisted, however, that based on the constitution, such bills can be revived if passed in the next term with a simple parliamentary majority, an assessment Continued on Page 13

Storied Beirut hotel aiming for comeback

BEIRUT: A picture shows the Saint Georges Hotel and Yacht Club in the Lebanese capital on June 15, 2011. — AFP

BEIRUT: Once a symbol of Beirut’s golden age, the St Georges hotel today is but a hollow shell at the centre of an epic real estate battle pitting its owner against powerful developers. “Before the (1975-1990 civil) war, Lebanon was the world’s capital and the St Georges was the capital of Beirut,” recalls Serge Nader, whose family ran the beach adjacent to the hotel until 1997. “We were the centre of the world.”

Built in the late 1920s, the hotel was synonymous with Lebanon’s glitz and glamour before the civil war broke out, hosting the likes of Hollywood stars Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton as well as royalty and other celebrities such as the Shah of Iran, Egyptian diva Oum Kalthoum and the notorious double agent Kim Philby.

The who’s who of Lebanon would also gather at the bar, the fabulous outdoor terrace that overlooked the blue waters of the Mediterranean, or the poolside.

It was there that political deals were struck, that journalists gathered to recover juicy tidbits to fill their columns or where spies like Philby, a British intelligence agent turned Russian spy, hung out. “The hotel was majestic and its location along the sea was magical,” said Georges Corm, a Lebanese economist and historian with fond memories of the St Georges. “It was the rendezvous of Beirut’s creme de la creme. “The view over the bay area was spectacular and it was pure bliss at the time to sit on the terrace of the hotel or the beach.”

Continued on Page 13

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MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011

local

kuwait digest

The negative effects of fear

By Faisal Al-Zamal

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KUWAIT: (From left to right) Director of Public Relations at the Ministry of Interior Col Adel Al-Hashah, Maj Gen Abdullah Al-Rashid and Brig Adnan Al-Kandari. (Right) A group photo from the press conference. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

MOH to recruit 1,300 nurses KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health (MoH) is currently negotiating with a number of private nursing agencies to provide a further 1,300 nurses for Kuwait’s state medical facilities. Dr. Qais Al-Duwairi, the MoH Assistant Undersecretary for Assisted Medical Services, revealed that the ministry has included a number of eligibility criteria for the agencies.

The health ministry has also launched a new online service which will allow Kuwaitis sent for medical treatment overseas to receive the latest updates on the medical and financial details of their cases. — Al-Rai

No more leniency for illegal residents Only 33% applied for Amiri amnesty

By Hussain Al-Qatari KUWAIT: A senior Ministr y of Interior official warned yesterday that illegal residents in Kuwait will no longer receive lenient treatment from July 1. MoI Assistant Undersecretary for Immigration Major General Abdullah Al-Rashid said that the amnesty period granted by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah which began in March will end on June 30. “During this grace period, all illegal residents are given the opportunity to resolve any problems concerning their residency in the country. When the grace period ends, those who have not resolved their legal status will face dire consequences,” warned Maj. Gen. AlRashid.

He further noted that the country’s security authorities, including police patrols, plainclothes officers and others will be using ever y available means at their disposal to arrest offenders and refer them to the relevant authorities for immediate deportation.

The MoI noted before the beginning of the amnesty period that it would overlook what could be seen as an obstacle to resolve any applicants’ issue, “Whether there

are kafeel conflicts, expired passports, or any other obstacles, we made it clear from the beginning that we will do all we can to resolve any dilemma. Our aim is to either resolve the dilemma of illegal residency, or send the illegal resident back to their country,” he added.

Since the amnesty was launched, 28,662 illegal residents have been deported after applying at the Immigration Department. At least 12,879 illegal residents managed to update their papers and solve their residence visa problems, bringing the total number of illegal residents who benefited from the amnesty to date to 41,541. A remaining 83,186 illegal residents still have not contacted the Immigration Department to resolve their status, however.

“The Ministry of Interior is very serious about resolving the issue of illegal residents,” warned Maj. Gen. Al-Rashid, adding, “There will be no extensions to this amnesty period, and there will be dire conse quences for those caught after the amnesty period ends.”

Sponsors will also be subject to legal prosecution, added the senior MoI official, explaining, “There are over 2,000 companies whose licenses were revoked, which face

legal charges over negligence towards their sponsored employees’ visas.”

Since Februar y, the MoI has implemented an official amnesty for expatriate residents who violated residency laws, who have since been allowed to leave the country without paying penalty or having their names blacklisted, with this four-month amnesty due to end in a few days on June 30.

The policy was introduced according to the amnesty issued by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on the occasion of this year ’s major national anniversaries, with the MoI making the announcement based on HH the Amir’s instructions. Expatriates living in Kuwait without a residence or with expired visas can leave the country so long as they have no outstanding security restrictions against them, without obtaining permission from any department, having to accumulated violation fees, or having their name listed on the state’s list of those banned from re-entering the country - meaning that they can return to Kuwait at a later date. Those who apply to leave after the amnesty period expires will face legal charges and have to pay violation fines.

uring a visit to a local diwaniya a few years ago, a government minister was asked about the reasons for the government’s change of heart over the Dow Chemicals project; the question came after the Supreme Petroleum Council first approved the project on Wednesday, with the Council of Ministers cancelling it four days later on Sunday. This confusing about-turn happened despite the fact that the same chairman headed both councils, with the minister in question sitting on one of the two bodies.

So, the diwaniya guests asked, what happened in those four days to make the government change its mind? The minister responded frankly, for which I remain grateful, saying that a certain individual “convinced us that the project was a loss.” “ The confused diwaniya guests were puzzled - the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, it’s technical staff and international consultants supported the project, they pointed out; so why was Mr X’s opinion felt to be so much more compelling than those highly skilled and knowledgeable people? Was this an issue of being suddenly convinced that the project had no merits or simply of fearing Mr X? At this point, the minister stood up and said his farewells before leaving. He left us bemoaning the number of crucial projects for the country that are suddenly scrapped when some Mr X, Y or Z steps in, with many of those present asking one another, ‘Where are the achievements?’ This fear of powerful politicians needs to be reconsidered. Whilst some ministers believe that acting in accord with these intimidating figures’ wishes will protect them, experience proves that this is a false belief and fearfulness has never protected anyone; our friend the minister lost his post despite all he had done and he is one of many.

Fear in politics also affects those MPs whose opinions are always voiced with one eye on the next day’s newspaper headlines. This means that they are not able to be honest with the public and is trying to please the newspaper editors, even if this is achieved at the expense of the lawmakers’ constituents or the country.

Unfortunately, fear is always present, even at the highest levels; we find it amongst responsible politicians who will cave in to the demands from certain groups who visit their offices to pressurize them. If these groups knew that the ministers were firm and resolute they wouldn’t bother. Those who bribe employees would be thwarted if those staff knew that detectives would raid their workplace and arrest them for corruption and would be less likely to touch this dirty money.

Fear should be the burden of the bad not the good and so long as we delay reforms to drive out these problems more and more people will continue to go from good to bad because they see the good being punished whilst the transgressions of the bad are ignored. — Al-Anba

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MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011

local kuwait digest

Change is a must

By Sherieda Al-Maosherji

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ow that meteorologists have assured us that the dust has dispersed, it appears as if it applies to political ‘dust’ too. Grilling motions, political disputes have come to a temporary halt till the next parliamentary term begins. It has become a must that the political leadership have more time to fully evaluate last year’s incidents.

Such an evaluation must cover all political problems, namely the dispute among some of the ruling family members, especially between the Parliament and the government. The study also covers the role played by the private media in promoting such disputes. One must not overlook allegations of the existence of a foreign role in promoting disputes, namely sectarian ones, which would be the most dangerous of all. If Kuwait had managed to tackle such honest and dishonest disputes previously, their continuation will only bring misery and have a negative impact on its path towards prosperity and development.

It is a golden opportunity to prepare such a study soon so as to make up for the precious time already wasted; time that could have been exploited in creating more benefits for citizens and the nation.

These have cost the state budget fortunes that will on be wasted unless justice has been achieved. Yes, we are short of time, but it is inevitable and cannot be delayed any further.

The situation is far worse than we think. It is related to the stability of a nation, the prestige of rulers and deep-rooted loyalty. — Al-Jarida

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah receiving His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah at Seif Palace yesterday.

‘GreenLine’ urges minister to sack director of EPA Mismanagement and corruption

News

in brief

MoH staff sent for prosecution KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health has referred a number of senior officials and medical staff to the Public Prosecutor on charges of committing violations in prescribing overseas medical treatment for patients.

One MoH insider insisted that the ministry’s decision has nothing to do with the parliamentary health committee’s recent report on the issue, saying that the health minister had taken the decision to penalize the ministry personnel in question after reading an internal report prepared by MoH staff.

No power, water cuts, vows MEW KUWAIT: Senior officials with the Ministry of Electricity and Water have been instructed to monitor current and future projects to ensure that they come in on schedule, with delays to result in penalties for those in charge of the projects.

These instructions were given in a directive issued by minister Salem Al-Othaina, who has demanded that every effort be utilized by ministry personnel to ensure that every consumer in Kuwait receives constant supplies of electricity and water throughout the summer.

The minister also met with employees who were recently empowered to take direct legal action against violating consumers. Al-Othaina urged them to work as accurately as possible and follow all the regulations to ensure success in their new mission. — Al-Qabas

LA consulate staff referred for prosecution KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has reportedly referred some staff in the Kuwaiti consulate in Los Angeles, California, to the Public Prosecution Service over their involvement in a reported major fraud case there.

According to news report citing foreign ministry insiders, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Al-Sabah has ordered that the case be referred to the PPS’ financial prosecution division based on the recommendations of a ministry investigative committee. The same report indicates that some controversy preceded the minister’s decision, after MoFA Undersecretary Khalid Al-Jarallah suggested that the State Audit Bureau be assigned to investigate the issue, a recommendation reportedly rejected by the minister. — Al-Rai

PPS launches new website KUWAIT: The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) has launched a new website that provides legal information to citizens and expatriates in Kuwait. The new site also provides details of the prosecution service’s divisions and units.

“The website will be regularly updated so that it achieves its goal of spreading public awareness about general rights and duties,” said Acting Attorney General Dherar Al-Asousi in a press release issued yesterday.

Among the first updates on the website is a report about the PPS headquarters building, which is currently under construction in Shuwaikh. — Al-Qabas

PM instructs ministries to expedite project paperwork KUWAIT: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah has reportedly asked ministries and other state bodies to conclude all the formalities concerned with development projects so that they can go ahead without further delays.

According to a government insider, senior officials from all the ministries and government bodies are set to meet shortly to expedite the completion of any outstanding paperwork related to the development projects in order to comply with the premier’s instructions and avoid any further delays.

The meeting is reportedly set to take place in the first week of next month in order to finalize all the related official procedures, with the insider revealing that each minister has been instructed to review the development plan-related items concerning their ministry, listing all the objectives already achieved and the procedures which still need to be completed to expedite work on the remaining projects. — Al-Shahed

KUWAIT: Khalid M. Al-Hajeri at GreenLine headquarters showing some documents to local press yesterday.— Photos by Joseph Shagra

By Ben Garcia KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti environmental group ‘GreenLine’ has appealed for prompt government intervention in the current situation at the state’s Environment Public Authority (EPA).

The group headed by Khalid M. AlHajeri, Chairman and General Coordinator of Kuwait GreenLine Environmental Group has appealed for immediate action against EPA Director Saleh Al-Moudhi. At a press conference, held at the group’s headquarters in Salmiya yesterday, GreenLine directed their appeal to the head of Kuwait’s Supreme Council of the Environment, Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak is also the current First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. The environmental pressure group has recommended that Sheikh Al-Mubarak should investigate corruption and sack the EPA director for alleged mismanagement and corruption.

The GreenLine head accused AlMoudhi of providing the head of Supreme Council of Environment with false but also inaccurate information about environmental issues in Kuwait.

Showing some documents on the alleged irregularities, Al-Hajeri accuses the EPA of fulfilling the agenda of unidentified individuals, who he said are acting against the person of Sheikh Al-Mubarak. “The EPA deliberately provided misleading information to serve its own purpose, he asserted, adding, “I plead with Sheikh Al-Mubarak to sack this current EPA director and cleanse the EPA of corruption.”

GreenLine also showcased some documents pertaining to an oil spill in August 2010, which the group claims was caused by a 5,000-barrel oil spill. “GreenLine has obtained KOC documents as you can see here and the oil firm has already advised the EPA about it,” Al-Hajeri said. “But they reported that the oil spill was a result of oil drilling [pertaining to the safety and training exercises which KOC regularly conducts].

They [the EPA] lied to you, they said there was no oil spill but the documents said otherwise.”

Other documents revealed by AlHajeri contained photos of a birthday party that took place at the EPA headquarters during office hours.

Whilst conceding that it was a small party, Al-Hajeri said that the point is

that it is illegal to hold such events there, more especially during working hours.

“The EPA is run by gangsters who use every means to harm every individuals in Kuwait,” he asserted.

Another document revealed by AlHajeri yesterday showed an affidavit from an engineer accused of widescale corruption that recommends sacking Environment Expert Jassem Al-Shawaf. Al-Shawaf is a known environmental activist who exposed financial irregularities at Shuiba which Al-Shawaf claimed were committed by the corrupt engineer. Al-Shawaf was indeed subsequently fired, but a local court ruled in his favor, ordering that he must be restored to his previous position.

After displaying the documents at yesterday’s press conference, AlHajeri addressed his concluding remark to Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak, saying, “Your Highness, we hold you responsible for stopping corruption and irregularities inside the EPA and we do not want our younger generations to suffer as a result of malpractices at the EPA. We shall help you to oppose the enemies of Kuwait’s environment.”

DRB calls for parliamentary boycott KUWAIT: The Development and Reform Bloc (DRB) has called upon all MPs to refuse to attend tomorrow’s parliamentary session if the issues of teacher pay rises, student grant increases and wage rises for military personnel are not included on the agenda. DRB member MP Jamaan Al-Harbish also demanded that voting on the state budget should be suspended until the aforementioned issues are included on the parliamentary debate agenda, warning that if they were not a mass walk-out by MPs in protest over this would be on the cards.

Science Journalists conference KUWAIT: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) is due to participate today in the three-day World Conference of Science Journalists 2011 in Qatar under the sponsorship of Scientific World Press Organization. The conference is expected to include some 600 international scientific reporters and will host various workshops and tackle different scientific topics prior to hosting the conference. Issues on the agenda include scientific press in the Arab world and issues regarding scientific press credibility and writing scientific news.

Steel prices rise by 12% KUWAIT: Steel prices have increased by 12 percent when compared to last month. They explained that as a result of international steel and material price increases, the price of a ton of steel has jumped from KD 220 to 250, reported Aljarida. Furthermore, officials added that the recent oil price rises have also had an effect on transport and shipment prices, and consequently, on steel prices.

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MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011

local SATIRE WIRE

Do grades translate into success?

No decision yet on increasing pension of defense retirees Budget raised by KD 1 billion

Sawsan Kazak

sawsank@kuwaittimes.net

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esterday, the grades for Arabic high schools in Kuwait were released. Nervous students and their parents were glued to the TV and their phones (where they get text messages) to k now what grade they had received for that year; a truly nerve-jerking moment I can imagine. The top students in all of Kuwait actually received grades ranging from 99.87 percent to 99.57 percent in certain programs. Receiving an almost perfect mark for the whole year is quite an achievement, but how does this translate into the real world and future success?

Not to downplay these students’ achievements because I am sure they worked really hard to obtain these grades, but are these numbers real indicators of talent and aptitude? Being able to study for exams or write term papers is a good skill to have in life, but it should not be the only aspect used to determine a student’s abilities.

There might be too much emphasis placed on a number and not enough on personal development. A student that spends all his or her time developing ‘school skills’ and no time developing social and personal skills will not be an allrounded person.

Many parents believe that if their students do not do well in elementary and high school, they will not have a successful future. Or even more erroneous is the belief that a high grade will automatically translate into a prosperous life.

Many of the world’s most successful people did not graduate or did really poorly when they were in school.

Thinking that every student should do well in school is believing in the fact that all children are the same. People’s brains function differently; some are able retain information and have the patience to read and write. Others have different abilities and skill.

All the students need to be reminded that grades are only one part of their intelligence that is being measured, they must have many more skills that cannot be tested in a state regulated exam. It should be stressed to all students that there is a life after high school and as important as it is to study hard and tr y to make good grades, it is also important to develop your personality and follow your passion.

KUWAIT: Parents of high school students across Kuwait were yesterday glued to their TV sets as the time came for the announcement of the endof-term exam results. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A 54-year-old Pakistani man was taken to Farwaniya Hospital after sustaining fractures to his right leg when he was hit by a car outside the Palestine Pharmacy in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh. In a separate incident, a 31-year-old Kuwaiti man suffered a broken collarbone in a motorcycle accident in Fahaheel. He was taken to Adan Hospital. In another accident, a 48-year-old Kuwaiti man complained of dizziness following a car crash in Jahra, whilst two compatriots aged 23 and eight suffered a nosebleed and bruising to the head respectively. All were treated at the scene. Meanwhile, two Kuwaitis, an Egyptian and a

Canadian were also treated at the scene after suffering minor injuries in another car accident.

Fight club A 21-year-old Palestinian man suffered lacerations to his forehead in a fight in Jabriya. He was taken to Mubarak Hospital. In a separate incident, a 31-year-old Indian man was taken to Farwaniya Hospital following a fight near the Ardiya Co-op.

Jet ski accident A 17-year-old Kuwaiti boy complained of neck pain following a jet ski accident in the Jlaiah area. He was taken to Adan Hospital.

KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) will limit student enrollment to 14, 000 this year. Registration for the 2011/2012 academic year will begin in early July.

This might cause inconvenience to students as it was earlier believed that approximately 18,000 new students will

be recruited next year, reported Al-Rai. The PAAET board plans to set a minimum cut off that is required for admission. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the cut off cannot be changed for Kuwaiti students, but will be increased for non-Kuwaiti students.

niques concerning global project management, including project implementation and resource management. CAIT Direc tor General Abdullatif Al-Suraye’e said learning such skills is considered vital for all employees, which is included in the broader government development plan. — KUNA

GCC security is vital to Egypt

KUWAIT: The Undersecretary of Amiri Diwan Affairs, Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah yesterday received writer Saad Abdullah Al-Azmi, with the author presenting Sheikh Ali with a copy of his work on the history of Kuwaiti martyrs as a gift to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Sabah.

KUWAIT: Ismail Mataqi receiving the award on behalf of KOC.

KOC awarded for health, safety standards PAAET to accept 14,000 students KUWAIT: Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) western Kuwait, Ismail Mataqi, the KOC

Aim of the workshops is to train the employee to use Microsoft solutions and implement them in their fields, departments and projects, CAIT said in a press statement. The statement also noted that the trainees were from various government sectors and able to utilize different types of tech-

CAIRO: Egyptian new Foreign Minister Mohammad AlOrabi said yesterday that the security of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Arab states is vital to Egypt, and there is no compromise regarding it, making clear that such issue draws Egypt’s attention.

Al-Orabi, who made the previous remark to the press after taking the constitutional oath as the new Egyptian Foreign Minister, said that there are other issues attracting Egypt’s attention like the situation in Libya, Sudan, and the Palestinian cause, asserting that Egypt will return to its pioneering role at various levels, “whether at the Islamic, Arab, African, European, or American level.”

because it would require that studies be based on database, reported Al-Rai. One of the subjects on the agenda of yesterday’s Cabinet meeting were the measures undertaken to counter the arbitrary increase in the prices of commodities during the holy month of Ramadan.

Citizens and residents are beginning to brace themselves to start shopping and stocking up food items. This starts in early August.

Some traders hiked the prices of items so as to achieve as much profit as possible.

Officials said that HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah will instruct Minister of Commerce and Industry Dr Amani Buresli to keep a close eye on the matter.

This is to ensure that ‘greedy traders’ do not profit from Ramadan shopping season, reported Al-Jarida. In another development, the National Action Bloc (NAB) lawmakers presented a draft law to prohibit MPs from seeking membership during their tenure in Parliament, reported AlQabas. Bloc member MP Adel Al-Saraawi explained that the project aims to “protect the legislative authority from conflict of interests.”

Eight hurt in road accidents

CAIT workshops for govt employees KUWAIT: The country’s Central Agenc y for I nformation Technology (CAIT) organized yesterday a number of workshops on project management for 35 government employees in cooperation with Microsoft Company to improve their (the employees) technical and information skills.

KUWAIT: The state budget has surpassed the KD 19 billion mark. The Minister of Finance Mustafa Al-Shamali requested that a KD 1 billion increase be made during the meeting convened by parliamentary budget committee meeting on Saturday, said committee member Naji Al-Abdulhadi. He stated that the panel approved the final draft of the state’s budget during its meeting yesterday. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Ahmad AlHumoud Al-Sabah is expected to attend a meeting today held by the interior affairs committee. The meeting will discuss allegations leveled by the editor-in-chief of a local news website on an Arab businessman’s involvement in manslaughter, reported Al-Qabas.

On Saturday, Minister Al-Shamali said that a draft law pertinent with raising the pension amount of Ministry of Defense retirees is still being studied. Therefore it was not likely to be listed for discussion during the weekly Cabinet meeting.

The draft law includes amendments made to a previous law that raised the pension of retired personnel in 2004.

Informed officials said that the government will not accept such a stipulation

He also said that Egypt will employ the “soft power,” in its ties with all countries in what includes cultural, economic, social dimensions, besides the political dimension, describing the Egyptian foreign policy as “well-established,” and emanating from the strength of Egypt and its people.

Al-Orabi also said that Egypt’s foreign policy is fully in tandem with the aspirations of the Egyptian people, and the goals set by “the 25th of January revolution,” making clear that Head of the Supreme Council of the Egyptian Armed Forces Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi gave him a number of instructions centering on Egypt’s interests all over the world.

The newly-appointed Egyptian Foreign Minister also said that the African continent is one of the political priorities of Egypt through cooperating with African countries in various fields, “regardless of differences over some issues like waters of the River Nile.”

In the meantime, Al-Orabi asserted that Egypt’s interest in Africa does not preclude its interest in other issues like the Palestinian cause, the Palestinian reconciliation, Arab issues, and various relevant economic issues, as well as the conditions of overseas Egyptians, noting the ability of Egyptian foreign ministry to tackle all issues “in parallel.” In the same vein, ambassador Somai Saad, Assistant Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs, the same post that Al-Orabi held before being tapped as Foreign Minister, said that economic, regional, and international dimensions will be at the focus of attention in the coming stage.

Al-Orabi will head tomorrow to Equatorial Guinea, in his first overseas visit, in order to attend the African Union (AU) summit there as part of the delegation led by Prime Minister Essam Sharaf.

Al-Orabi made clear, in his statements to the press, that African dimension will be one of the main themes within the Egyptian foreign policy in the coming stage, expressing his happiness that his first overseas missions will be in Africa.

Al-Orabi took the constitutional oath today as Egypt’s Foreign Minister before Field Marshal Tantawi, and in succession of ex-Foreign Minister Dr. Nabil Al-Arabi who was elected as the Arab League Secretary General and whom Al-Orabi held a meeting with earlier yesterday. — KUNA

revealed yesterday that it had won an international safety award from the British Safety Council, regarded leading specialists in the field of health and safety worldwide.

The award was received during a ceremony in London by KOC’s chief of its health, safety and environment squad in

said in a statement.

The achievement is a clear indication of the company’s commitment to the highest level of health and safety standards for all of its employees, Mataqi said. The award was presented to the Kuwaiti body from among 600 candidates around the world. — KUNA

Visa ban still in place KUWAIT: The temporary visa ban placed on citizens from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan is still in place pending further notice, said the Director of the Hawally Division of the Ministry of Interior’s General Migration Department.

In an interview published in AlRai, Brig Gen Talal Marafi explained that lifting the restriction which he termed “delayed entrance until fur-

ther notice,” depends on the security situations in these countries.

“Kuwait has the right to take precautionary security measures to protect its security from being affected by regional disturbances,” Marafi confirmed.

He insisted that no exceptions will be made to the law except for individuals who entered Kuwait prior to April 24 but failed to finalize

paperwork before the law’s enforcement, “The exception was made by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah based on humanitarian considerations,” he explained, reported Al-Rai. Among the topics discussed during the interview was a project to allow non-Kuwaiti residents to sponsor their parents.

KUWAIT: Interior Ministry organized a workshop yesterday to boost public awareness on the negative effects of drugs. It was attended by a large number of people.

—Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

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local

Al-Baz wins jet ski race

kuwait digest

The dark side of democracy

By Yousuf Al-Mejalhem

W

hen democracy is used as a means to achieve development, freedom of speech is used as a means to improve human dignity.

On the other hand, if democracy and freedom are only merely goals, it signals the end.

A prime example is Iraq; a country that is rich in resources that can bring about massive social and economic development. It has been struggling ever since democracy and freedom have been perceived as saviors.

What has happened in Iraq since the war began?

One million widows, four million orphans, one million civilian casualties, 340,000 prisoners, 4.5 million citizens. Three out of four marriages end in divorce, 40 percent of the population is below poverty limits.

There are 550 political entities, a majority of which are controlled by other countries or served personal ambitions. At least 126 security firms are run by foreign intelligences, 220 newspapers and 45 TV stations are mostly funded by foreign intelligences as well. Three currencies are used in the country (Iraqi dinar, Iranian riyal and the US dollar), thousands of forged college degrees, corruption is rampant in the state’s administrative and commercial structure. At least $7 billion is lost in oil revenues, contracts are signed with foreign companies that allow them the right to buy a barrel of Iraqi oil for $30 and then resell it for more than $100.

Given these statistics, every Kuwaiti citizen who believes that Kuwait must adopt democracy as a goal instead of a means towards development should ask themselves this question: Do you want to see Kuwait stoop to Iraq levels? Why do citizens today feel worried despite the life of luxury they lead? —Al-Qabas

Tweeters devise unique protest move in Kuwait KUWAIT: If you have noticed many Twitter accounts with their topsy-turvy icons, do not refresh the webpage because it is not a glitch. The unique move is part of a three-day campaign launched by Kuwait’s people in support of stateless residents who suffer despite the privileges announced by the government to resolve their situation.

Reading Twitter posts that contain the hash #Eqlb (Arabic for flip over), the net surfer can see that the campaign is a peaceful way in which citizens shed the light on the continuous suffering of people locally known as bedoons-the Arabic word for ‘without,’ alluding to the fact that these residents are stateless. The majority of posts are targeted at a state body’s practice of taking away special identification cards bedoons use without providing any justification.

Some of the posts state that stateless residents still deserve decent living conditions even if security conditions prevent them from being naturalized, reported Al-Qabas.

Furthermore, some citizens criticized parliament members who they accuse of being incapable of in tackling problems.

Some highlighted the names of lawmakers who participated in a demonstration held in Turkey to support anti-government protestors in Syria, but failed to stand by stateless residents in Kuwait.

KFAS, KU hold engineering exhibition KUWAIT: The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) gave its backing to the engineering design exhibition at Kuwait University ’s Faculty of Engineering and Petroleum as such projects lead the field in inventions and innovations in Kuwait, said a KFAS official yesterday.

Dr Jassem Beshera, the head of the KFAS’ Cultural Scientific Department at KFAS, explained that the foundation aims to support the creativity of talented engineers so they can develop and maximize their abilities in the field of architecture, as well as elevating it to a global level in addition to preparing students to enable them to promote creativity.

Beshara said that the exhibition aims to motivate graduating students to participate and display their abilities in architectural design.

Students are competing for the KFAS’ award for best project for the third successive year, due to its impor tance in societal development.

Around 349 students exhibiting a total of 96 projects are taking part in the competition, Beshara said, stressing that the KFAS is keen to contribute to this exhibition to highlight the talents of the students at KU’s Engineering and Petroleum faculty.

Beshara described the projects as creative, national and advanced, praising the cooperation between the KFAS and the university. — KUNA

People watch the race.

KUWAIT: Kuwaiti jet skier Mohammad Al-Baz won the first round of this season’s Kuwait Jet Ski Championship (1600 cc class). It was entitled ‘World Anti Drugs Race’ because it coincided with the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. Al-Baz was crowned the victor after a fierce competition with Kuwaiti jet skiers Mohammad Burabiea and Yousuf Al-Abdul Razaq. They finished second and third respectively. The first round was supervised by the Kuwait Sea Sports Club(KSSC) that organizes the whole tournament. It also featured a beginner’s 1600 cc class race that was won by Salem Al-Sarraf. The second round has been set for July.

The winners pose with KSSC officials following the ceremony.

Majority of women treated equally to men at work Middle East Workplace survey DUBAI: The latest research, gauging the perceptions and attitudes of working women on their role and experience at the work environment, was recently carried out by Bayt.com and YouGov. The interesting accumulated results derived from ‘The Women in the Middle East Workplace - 2011’ survey reveal various elements of women’s role in the workplace, focusing on numerous aspects including their opinions, approaches, capabilities and contentment. The survey also gave researchers a thought-provoking insight into women’s views in regard to their treatment in comparison to male counterparts.

To begin with, despite working the same amount of hours as men, a third (31 percent) of women feel they receive less pay than their male colleagues rising to almost half among GCC nationals and Asian expats. Also, more than half (52 percent) of married working women reveal they earn less than their spouse, with just one in five (19 percent) who claim to earn more. The comprehensive survey also shows that besides earning less pay than men, about a third (31 percent) of working women think they have less chance of being promoted than their male counterparts, again rising to about a half among GCC nationals. However, after disclosing that information, 25 percent of the same working women did state that they would prefer a male boss than a female boss.

This is probably due to the fact that most career women are used to working under male management, with three quarters (76 percent) of working women currently reporting to a male boss.

Having said that only 7 percent of working women feel that they work less hours than their male colleagues, and 17 percent claim they work longer hours while a majority of 63 percent feel they work almost an equal number of hours as their male colleagues.

Additionally, while 7 percent of the women, within the Middle East and North Africa, stated they worked in a ‘women only’ work setting; 84 percent said they worked with a mix of both genders, 9 percent said that although their work place has a mix of both men and women, they are segregated from their male colleagues - according to research.

Amer Zureikat, VP Sales, Bayt.com, said, “Bayt.com is considered as the number one job

site in the Middle East and North Africa, and together with research experts YouGov, we are devoted to studying and evaluating data that can help women in the region regarding their workplace environment. Through this study of exceptional analytical surveying skills, we have attained vital results that were needed - in order for Bayt.com to provide a better platform for women who are working and/or are pursuing a new and better professional career.”

Even though there are perceptions of lower

gestions that can eventually encourage change towards greater workplace equality. Data such as this concluded from ‘Women in the Middle East Workplace - 2011’ survey offers a wide array of benefits to HR industry professionals, recruiters and online jobsites like Bayt.com by providing detailed, considered insights into what it really means to be an employed woman in the Middle East and North Africa, while offering a highly interesting oversight of the reasons and meaning that women attach to their work,”

In this file photo, a Saudi woman checks a website at the Saudi Travel and Tourism Investment Market (STTIM) fair in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. — AP pay, two thirds (68 percent) of women feel they are treated equally to men at work and less than one in seven (15 percent) think they are treated unfairly when compared to their male colleagues; while nearly three in five (57 percent) who feel that the system of appreciating, recognizing or rewarding employees is based on performance alone and not on gender.

Almost 23 percent (three in five) feel that the prospects for women have substantially improved in their country of residence, but one in five (19 percent) do not think there have been sufficient improvements.

“These understandings help to offer sug-

commented Sundip Chahal,CEO, YouGov. Top benefits offered to working women are paid maternity leave according to 42 percent of working women in the region, family health insurance at 32 percent and training at 26 percent coming to the conclusion that women in government/semi government roles or internationally owned companies are better off with less chance that none of these benefits are offered. When it comes to maternity leave, over a quarter (27 percent) of working women are not satisfied with the maternity leave and benefits available to them, with 25 percent stating they get a maternity leave period of three

months or less.

The main barriers facing women in the region seem to be family ties and priorities at 24 percent and traditional society stereotypes and taboos at 14 percent. This is supported by the fact that half (17 percent) of single working women think their future marriage plans will affect their career choices to a large extent.

Interestingly, having children is seen as less disruptive than marriage with only a quarter (27 percent) of working women with children who think their kids have negatively impacted their career.

The top reasons given by women for seeking work are to become financially independent (52 percent) and to be able to support themselves or their household financially (48 percent). The importance of salary is also highlighted by the fact that a higher salary would be enough to influence over two thirds (69 percent) of women to change their job. However, women are clearly working for more than just money with almost two thirds (63 percent) who would continue to work even after achieving all their financial goals, and only 15 percent saying they would not.

“In following and observing this data, businesses and industries across the entire region can benefit from results, allowing women to adjust, or grow within their working environment, as well as change behaviors for promoting gender equality. The objective was to understand perceptions and attitudes of working women in their role and experience in the workplace, which is an immensely significant instrument in finding out the true nature of the business environment from a woman’s perspective in the Middle East and North Africa today,” concluded Zureikat.

Data for the ‘The Women in the Middle East Workplace - 2011’ survey series was collected online between 26 April and 23 May, 2011 with a total of 2,347 women participating from across the MENA region - UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, North Africa: Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia. A mix of local, Arab expat, western and Asian nationalities - all 18 years and above - were included in the survey. This and other Middle East research, as well as information on Bayt.com’s classifieds, are available online on www.bayt.com.

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LOCAL Kuwait Digest

It’s biased attitude

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

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ven though I do not share the same level of optimism with many of the so-called ‘Arab Spring’ revolutionary movements, I believe that Arabs need to do so much more than simply topple tyrannical regimes. I strongly support Kuwait’s unbiased approach towards the current events unfolding in Syria.

The Kuwaiti government remains silent on the violent crackdown against anti-government protestors in Syria. It did not condemn the use of violence against unarmed civilians. It can be argued that this approach is the official Kuwait’s policy that was adopted since the state’s establishment. This is to avoid interference with other countries’ internal affairs. This policy is alright, as long as the government remains unbiased towards a certain topic, and adopts the same stance.

The reason why I believe the Kuwaiti government is not neutral on the Syrian issue, is the fact that security forces were used to stop demonstrations that have been planned in solidarity with Syrian protestors. At the same time, they have banned nonKuwaitis from taking part in a similar demonstration, regardless of where it has been held.

In addition to violating people’s constitutional rights (both Kuwaitis and non-Kuwaitis). This stance implies a bias towards a regime that commits atrocities against people.

When the revolution began in Libya, the government supported the rebels, and went as far as to provide financial support to help them in their quest to end Gaddafi’s decades-long rule. I believe it is safe to say that there are not much differences between the regimes in Syria and Libya.

Furthermore, the similarities extend beyond that.

This is because they are known for their love of power and use of violence. I believe that the Syrian regime is worse than that of Libya, because it uses sectarian tensions that tighten their clasps around citizens’ throats.

I can understand if the government chose not to directly condemn the Syrian regime to protect bilateral relations, as a form of gratitude for their supportive stance during the 1990/91 Iraqi Invasion.

However, they do not have the right to instruct Kuwaiti security officers to stop people from assembling to condemn the crimes committed in Syria. As if police are utilized to serve the Syrian regime’s cause against reform-seeking protestors!

I would like to ask a simple question to MPs Mohammad Hayef, Waleed Al-Tabtabae and Faisal Al-Mislem. Since you claim that you support people’s right to demand freedom and reform, would you accept a demonstration held by Shiite citizens at the Iradah Square in support of Bahraini protestors? Will you file a new grilling motion against the prime minister if that were to happen? I would say that the second possibility is most likely to occur because the same issue was one of the main subjects addressed by a recent grilling motion which was not sectarian.— Al-Qabas

UNESCO, Ford unite to raise awareness of environmental grants KUWAIT: Ford Motor Company yesterday announced a partnership with UNESCO to help raise awareness of its conservation and environmental grants program. The partnership will help identify more local grassroots environmental projects that are in need of additional funding. The Ford Motor Company Conservation and Environmental Grants, supported by UNESCO, is offering a total of $100,000 to deserving, non-profit environmental projects that are currently ongoing in the GCC, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

Applications to qualify for the grants are open and entr y forms are available to download from me.ford.com. The deadline to submit applications is 10 September 2011.

Larry Prein, Ford Middle East’s managing director, said: “We are proud to join with UNESCO in identifying and helping the many unsung heroes of our planet.

UNESCO’s endorsement is testament to the success of this program over the past 12 years, and the tie-in with UNESCO will help us spread awareness of this initiative across the appropriate channels and widen its scope of coverage. With UNESCO, we will be able to reach more projects and help them fulfill their environmental missions. Through the Ford grants, we look to help sustain and grow these projects and continue to create an impact and instill environmental awareness across our communities.”

Dr. Benno Boer, UNESCO’s Ecological Sciences Advisor in the Arab Region, said: “The Ford Motor Company Conservation and Environmental Grants is one of the longest running and most commendable programs initiated by the private sector in our region and deserve to be supported. We will work hand in hand with Ford Middle East to identify deserving environmental projects and help them carry out their works through the funding that will be extended to them.”

The Ford Grants is part of the company’s efforts to support grassroots-level initiatives that protect and preserve the environment and natural resources in the GCC and Levant countries, and has awarded a total of $1.1million to more than 130 projects since its inception in 2000.

Last year’s winners included a broad mix of projects — from coral reef and Arabian Leopard preservation; to a campaign to reduce illegal trade in wild and endangered species; to beach cleansing using robots and student environmental networks and more. A noteworthy trend for 2010 saw youth spearheading initiatives, with students leading or actively involved in four of the ten winning projects.

Since the program’s global launch over a decade ago, Ford has awarded more than $2,000,000 in grants to over 300 high-quality projects throughout Asia-Pacific, Caribbean, Central America, Middle East and Puerto Rico to further their environmental initiatives.

Three expats held for defrauding Kuwaiti Passport-shredder detained KUWAIT: Three expatriate conmen have been arrested after defrauding a Kuwaiti man of up to $500,000.

The victim told officers at Sharq police station that the sad saga began after a Lebanese man promising quick profit and easy money who he met online put him in contact with a Syrian man who claimed to be a manager for a local projects company. The credulous victim said that he had decided to invest a large sum of money after receiving promises that he would make “100% profit” on it, with the fraudsters giving him the contact numbers of a Canadian broker who they said could keep him updated about his investments.

The victim began to suspect he had been scammed when he was told that a major project in which he invested his entire life savings had folded, with his money being lost as a result. He informed police who confirmed on reviewing photocopies of the ‘official contracts’ signed by the man that the whole scheme had been fraudulent. Arrest warrants were issued for the middleman, the company manager and the owner, and they were quickly detained. In the meantime, police are currently looking for the company owner who’s believed to have obtained millions of US dollars through similar fraudulent activities.

was pronounced dead at the scene.

The body was removed for autopsy.

Fatal accident A Kuwaiti man is being held in police custody after a pedestrian who he hit with his car in a Sulaibikhat Street died. Although paramedics rushed to the accident location, the victim, a man who was carrying no means of identification,

Gulf national held A Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) national who works as a journalist at a local daily was detained by state security services for questioning after tearing up his passport on live TV during coverage of a demonstration held last Friday in solidarity

Grim discovery An Egyptian woman returned to her family home in Mangaf after going shopping to find her husband unconscious on the floor. Despite paramedics rushing to the apartment, the man was pronounced dead at the scene. The body has been removed for autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Bad stepdad A Kuwaiti man is currently being held in police custody on suspicion that he instructed his seven-yearold stepson to steal an item of jewelry from a shop in a Salmiya mall.

Police responding to a report of a fight inside the jewelry shop found the shopkeeper and the boy’s parents involved in a heated argument.

The three adults were detained, with the boy’s mother and stepfather claiming during questioning that the shopkeeper had violently pushed their son after he playfully grabbed an item of jewelry.

Detectives grew suspicious, however, when the boy said that his stepfather had instructed him to pick up the jewelry and pass it to him. The stepfather is being held in custody pending the results of the ongoing investigation.

with anti-government protestors in Syria. The man could face charges of damaging Kuwait’s diplomatic relations with another nation. It’s still unclear whether Kuwaiti authorities plan to hand the man over to authorities in his home country or not, as local authorities fear that such step would garner international criticism.

Thugs caught Police have arrested two members of a gang responsible for several muggings and robberies in the Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh area. An investigation was launched after an expatriate resident of the area reported that he had been attacked and mugged at knifepoint, with the assailants stealing KD150 in cash from him. The two men detained, a Syrian and an Afghani, admitted to their part in the crime, as well as confessing that they and three other men had carried out a number of similar attacks in the area. The knife used to menace the victims was recovered from the Syrian man’s possession. A hunt is underway for the three remaining gang members.

Stray dog bites Police rushed to the assistance of a woman in Hutain who was attacked by four stray dogs which somehow got into her family’s home there, with one biting her when she attempted to force them out. The woman’s brother called police to report the incident after his sister called him to tell him what had happened. Officers found one of the dogs on the roof of the building, with the three others having escaped before they arrived. — Al-Rai, Al-Anba

KUWAIT: The Kuwait National Guards and the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) recently signed a cooperation protocol.

Diplomat urges Kuwaiti tourists to seek Indonesia visa before travel KUALA LUMPUR: Kuwaitis intending to travel to Indonesia should first obtain valid travel visas from the Indonesian Embassy in Kuwait, said a senior official at the Kuwaiti Embassy in Indonesia yesterday.

Khalid Al-Hassam, the Kuwaiti Embassy’s Consular Affairs Director, also urged tourists visiting Indonesia not to carry too much cash on them and to exchange any Kuwaiti money either for dollars or the Indonesian currency, Rupiah, before leaving Kuwait.

Al-Hassam stressed that it is important in Indonesia to carry clean, unmarked banknotes, explaining that it would be unwise to bring Kuwaiti dinar in the hope of exchanging them since it is difficult to find bureaus de change in Indonesia and that if they want to carry another currency than the Indonesian one, American dollars would be the best bet.

He stressed that tourists should not carry large amounts of cash with them, also urging them to carry a photocopy of their passports with them whilst keeping the original in their hotel’s safe deposit box.

The senior diplomatic official also underlined the need for tourists visiting Indonesia to use accredited travel agencies both in Kuwait and at Indonesia’s airports when making hotel reservations, as well as using officially authorized agencies when seeking a driver or tour guide or in exchanging money.

Indonesia’s laws should be respected by all tourists in order to guarantee a pleasant and safe stay in the country, Al-Hassam added, emphasizing that this includes observing the ban on recruiting any Indonesian national as a domestic or other worker in Kuwait. — KUNA

Kuwait military attache congratulates Saudi prince

Burgan Bank honors high ranking officials KUWAIT: Burgan Bank recently held a ceremony to honor officials from the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health and Kuwait Fire Department for efforts made to organize and attend the bank’s emergency evacuation drill. It served as a platform to

measure and enhance the staff ’s response to emergency procedures.

At Burgan Bank, the safety of employees is of paramount importance, and such activities reflect our commitment towards providing the best training to staff members with

the help of professionals who are committed towards everyone’s safety. Burgan Bank continues to facilitate and provide the best professional training to its staff. It also organizes in-house safety and emergency workshops.

RIYADH: The military attache of the Kuwaiti diplomatic mission, Maj Gen Mubarak Al-Rajehi, held a meeting yesterday with the Commander of the Saudi Ground Forces, Lieutenant General Prince Khalid Bin Bandar Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, at the Saudi Ministry of Defense headquarters.

Maj Gen Al-Rajehi, who was accompanied by his assistant, Maj Gen Humoud Al-Rashidi, told KUNA following the meeting that he conveyed congratulations of the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and other ranking officials to Lieut Gen Khalid Bin Bandar on his assignment to serve in the new post and winning the confidence of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

Maj Gen Al-Rashidi was relaying the greetings from the Kuwaiti Army’s Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Sheikh Ahmad AlKhalid Al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti ambassador to the kingdom, Sheikh Hamad Jaber Al-Ali Al-Sabah, and the Kuwaiti Army’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Lieut Gen Khalid Al-Jarrah AlSabah. During the meeting, the military attache also voiced gratitude for the aid and facilities accorded to his department at the embassy in Riyadh, as well as expressing his own good wishes to his host in his service in the new position. —KUNA

Guidelines for Kuwaiti tourists in Germany BERLIN: Kuwaiti Consulate in Germany has issued yesterday new guidelines to Kuwaiti tourists who plan to visit Germany this summer.

The statement by the Consulate, delivered to KUNA, appealed to them to adhere to German regulations in order to

facilitate their trips on German soil and prevent them from being subjec ted to legal accountability, which could result in the imposition of fines in case of any violation. The Consulate called on citizens to inform German customs during entry on the exact amount of cash they’re carrying, including stocks or

checks, noting that the amount needed to be reported to the customs must be above EUR 10,000.

The statement added that visas to Germany (Schengen) should be issued from the German Embassy in Kuwait should Germany be the first travel destination, and not from other European countries. —KUNA

RIYADH: Maj Gen Mubarak Al-Rajehi and Maj Gen Humoud Al-Rashidi with Prince Khalid Bin Bandar Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011

S Africa warns against Gaddafi ‘assassination’

Wheelchair bomber kills 3 Page 8

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Saleh injured by ‘planted bomb’ Saleh’s fate subject of conflicting reports RIYADH: Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh was injured earlier this month by a bomb planted in a mosque within the presidential palace, but he is recovering and will return to Yemen soon, a source close to Saleh said. Saleh’s health and fate have been the subject of conflicting reports in the three weeks since the attack, which forced him to seek treatment in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh. The circumstances of the attack on June 3 had also been unclear. “The bomb in the mosque was in close proximity to the president when it went off. He was really lucky to get out,” said the source who was with Saleh during the attack.

Yemeni officials had earlier accused an opposition tribal coalition of shelling the palace, a charge it denied. The source declined to say who he thought had planted the bomb. Saleh left behind a nearly failed state that has been rocked by months of protests against his three decades of rule. Some of his generals have defec ted while Yemen faces a rebellion in the north, separatist violence in the south and a resurSANAA: Female anti-government protesters pray during a demonstration demanding the resignation of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Injured gent wing of Al-Qaeda. earlier this month by a planted bomb in a mosque, Saleh is said to be recovering and returning to Yemen soon.— AP Less than 40 percent of Saleh’s body was burnt, the source, said, parliamentar y chambers, were but people from inside had Saleh’s health had improved in retary said in Sanaa yesterday that referring to widely circulated also injured and taken for treat- already pulled the president out,” hospital enough to allow him to Saleh would make a media details of Saleh’s injuries. Some 39 ment to different hospitals across added the source, who was also travel to Yemen soon. “He wants to appearance within 48 hours.

NOT IF, BUT WHEN? other Yemenis, including the Saudi Arabia. “Af ter the bomb injured in the attack on his legs address the people of Yemen via Last week, a Western diplomat the Yemeni television very soon,” prime minister, two deputy prime went off several rockets were fired and chest.

The source said in Riyadh that the source said. Saleh’s media sec- told Reuters that Saleh was unlikeministers and the speakers of both in the direction of the mosque,

ly to return home soon, as Saudi Arabia and the United States continue to push for a transfer of power under an existing Gulf Arab proposal for a transition in Yemen.

They fear the power vacuum and tribal warfare will be exploited by the local wing of al Qaeda to launch attacks in the Gulf region and beyond. From his hospital bed, Saleh remained in close contact with events in Yemen and made regular phone calls. Upon his return, Saleh aimed to propose two solutions, the source said. “The first is to shift all power to the parliament and become just a figurehead,” said the source. “The second will be to let a coalition government to be formed and then hold early presidential elections and leave quietly.” Saleh has remained an unpredictable figure, with political instincts honed over decades of ruling a country that he described as “dancing on the heads of snakes”.

Saleh backed out of the Gulf-brokered power transfer deal three times at the last minute. The proposal by Gulf Arab neighbors calls for Saleh to hand power over to his deputy, Vice President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who is acting president, as a step towards forming a new government and preparing for elections. “ The key is Saleh wants a peaceful transfer of power and that will not happen overnight, it takes time for a coalition government to be formed,” said the source.— Reuters

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MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011

INTERNATIONAL

S Africa warns against Gaddafi ‘assassination’ Africanleaders criticize NATObombing PRETORIA: South African President Jacob Zuma yesterday warned NATO against using its military campaign in Libya for the “political assassination” of Muammar Gaddafi, at the start of talks on the war. South Africa voted for the UN resolution for a no-fly zone over Libya, which NATO uses to justify its campaign, but in some of his sharpest language yet, Zuma warned the alliance against overstepping its mandate. “The continuing bombing by NATO and its allies is a concern that has been raised by our committee and by the AU Assembly, because the intention of Resolution 1973 was to protect the Libyan people and facilitate the humanitarian effort,” Zuma said, referring to an African Union peace mission on Libya. “ The intention was not to authorize a campaign for regime change or political assassination,” he said in opening talks in Pretoria of the AU panel on Libya, according to a text of the speech provided to AFP. “On the

Libya and the beginning of the process towards a democratic dispensation there,” he said.

Zuma urged both Gaddafi and the rebel’s Transitional National Council (TNC) to make compromises to reach a deal.

Saturday that they expected to receive a new offer from Gaddafi “very soon” through French and South African intermediaries.

Zuma met with Gaddafi in Tripoli on May 30 but was rebuffed in efforts to find a compromise.

PRETORIA: South Africa President Jacob Zuma (right), and Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz speak at the end of a meeting of the African Union panel on Libya yesterday. —AFP ground, there is a military stalemate which cannot and must not be allowed to drag on and on-both because of its horrendous cost in civilian lives and the potential it has to destabilize the entire sub-region,” he said. “The people of Africa want to see an immediate end to the conflict in

“The solution in Libya has to be political and lies in the hands of the Libyan people. Our Libyan brothers and sisters-those in authority and those in the TNChave to act boldly and show leadership,” he said. The meeting of the AU panel came after the Libya rebels said late on

Zuma was meeting with the leaders of Mauritania, Uganda and Mali as well as Congo Brazzaville’s foreign minister to find ways of pushing forward an AU “roadmap” for Libya.

The plan calls for a ceasefire and reforms “necessary for the elimination of the causes of the

current crisis”, but the rebels insist that Gaddafi end his grip on power before accepting any deal. Gaddafi has long used the African Union as a vehicle to promote his own ambitions on the continent, building a lavish complex in his hometown of Sirte which he dreamed would one day become the base of a United States of Africa. Libya held the AU’s rotating chair in 2009, but so far Gaddafi has appeared largely unmoved by the group’s efforts to resolve the crisis since the special panel was established in March. During the talks in Pretoria, Zuma will brief the panel about his meeting with K adhafi in Tripoli, his spokesman Zizi Kodwa told reporters.

Many African leaders have also criticized the NATO bombing, but Zuma has also had tough words for Gaddafi, accusing Tripoli of a “heinous violation of human rights against (Gaddafi’s) own people”.

Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who heads the AU panel, also told AFP on June 6 that Kadhafi “can no longer lead Libya,” and that “his departure has become necessary”. The meeting includes Presidents Amadou Toumani Toure of Mali and Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, as well as Congo foreign minister Basile Ikouebe. They are to prepare a report to deliver to a full summit of the African Union in Equatorial Guinea, which opens Thursday, Kodwa said.—AFP

Libya kids get taste of normal MISRATA: A few weeks ago, Ras Mouftah Elementary School in central Misrata was just another public building abandoned in the fight for this Libyan city.

Now two dozen boys aged 4 to 9 are watching as the rebel tricolor unfurls from the school flagpole. Hands on their hearts, they struggle to sing along to a t ape re cord i n g of t he reb el anthem. Their backpacks are emblazoned with the words “Feb. 17 Revolution.” Misrata, the por t cit y jolted into the i n tern a t i on a l h e a dl ines in Libya’s civil war, is struggling to regain its balance, even as rockets continue to hit its center daily and wounded rebels are brought in from the front lines a few miles away.

The craving for normalit y became evident as rebel control of Misrata solidified and parents i n t h e n e i g h b o rho o d around the Ras Mouftah School star ted think ing of ways to rebuild city life. The school principal, Souad Saffar, leaped into action. “I took my car and went a ro u n d to a l l t h e wo men I knew, urging them to get out a nd h e l p m e s t a r t up t he school,” she said. It took a week to mo p u p t h e s e ve n cl assrooms, set up the desks, and paint over the words “Libyan Jamahiriyah,” the official term fo r t h e re gi m e s e t u p by Muammar Gaddafi that is now under rebel attack. “I was really worried the project would fail, that pare nts would still be scared to let their kids out and that only five or six children

MISTRATA: A Libyan student sings the national anthem at the Ras Mouftah school. Libyan teachers opened the school last week in an attempt to return to normal life. —AP would show up,” Saffar said.

Instead, when it reopened, 250 children arrived. Unable to cope with such a large number, Saffar divided attendance by gender: girls one day, boys the next. Each classroom consists of 18 to 20 kids and is named after a child killed in the war.

Children paint various forms of the rebels’ star-and-crescent

flag. The girls learn to stitch small pillows as gifts to families who lost relatives in the fighting. Scrawled on a blackboard in Arabic is “Free Libya, out with Gaddafi.” But mainly, Saffar said, the school is a way for the children to play, meet their friends and act their age.

“Our goal was to allow the children to express their emo-

tions about what they have just gon e through,” s a i d S a f f a r.

“They are allowed to run free in the playground, sing, play, draw - whatever helps them to forget.” Shops are slowly opening, but most remain closed. In the mosques, the imams preach resistance and perseverance.

On Tripoli Street, scene of the fiercest fighting, all the buildings are pitted, blackened by shell fire or destroyed. Teachers at Ras Mouftah said the children’s behavior reflects what they have been through: They are rougher with each other, and new words have crept into their vocabulary - Kalashnikov, mortar, rape.

“Instead of cartoons they are now watching the news. They can even distinguish the types of rockets that fly overhead,” said Fatma Tuweilab, a volunteer at the school. She said that instead of cops and robbers, the children play rebels and Gadhafi brigades. “ We teach them to feel pride for their revolution, but we remind them that violence has never been our way of life,” said Tuweilab, 36. The teachers find their work therapeutic. “I go to bed so eager to w a ke up t he ne x t mor n in g j us t s o I c a n com e here,” said Awatif Taher, 37, a math teacher who volunteers her time at the school. During the fighting, “Our front doors became front lines,” said Taher. “ The simplest bang of a door will set us off into hysterics. We are in real need of psychological help.” —AP

Somalia pardons UK, US ransom couriers MOGADISHU: Somalia has pardoned six foreigners convicted of illegally carrying millions of dollars into the country with the intention of paying pirate ransoms, a government spokesman and presidency officials said. Somali authorities detained three Britons, an America and two Kenyans late last month, impounding their two aircraft and $3.6 million in cash. “Considering the humanitarian situation, the S omali President pardoned the six foreigners,” government spokesman Abdirahman Osman Yarisow said yesterday, adding that the ransom money the men were carrying would be kept.

The Somali government says it is illegal

to pay ransoms to the armed pirate gangs stalking the strategic sea-lanes linking Europe and Asia, but the practice remains common. A Somali court convicted the six of illegally taking money into the country, aiding and abetting piracy and undermining the integrity of the Somali state. They were handed jail terms of up to 15 years and ordered to pay fines of up to $15,000.

The government spokesman and officials at the presidenc y said the men would be allowed to leave Somalia with the two planes, after paying fines for each aircraft.

“Because of their illegal arrival, the two planes were each fined $50,000. And the $3.6 million in cash has been taken by the

government. They may fly today or tomorrow. It depends on their departure process.

The Somali government never encourages payments to pirates” he said.

A Reuters witness said the men were in a police building at Mogadishu airpor t yesterday morning. Maritime piracy costs t h e g l o b a l e co n o my u p to $ 1 2 b i l l i o n annually and has spawned numerous private security businesses offering armed protection for ships and ransom deliveries, which are often dropped onto hijacked ships from light aircraft. The security consultancy firm that had contracted the men to carry the ransom money declined to comment. —Reuters

SANAA: Yemenis jump into a swimming pool to cool off on a hot day in Sanaa, Yemen yesterday. —AP

Israel moves West Bank barrier after 4-year delay BILIN: Israel began repositioning part of its contested barrier in the occupied West Bank yesterday, four years after a court ruled it should be re-routed to give Palestinians greater access to farmland.

Israeli tractors tore down a section of the barrier, a metal fence, as a clutch of journalists watched. A new concrete barrier has been erected some 600 meters from the old route near the Jewish settlement of Modiin Illit. The Israeli military tore down a watchtower overlooking Bilin on Wednesday and protesters rammed a bulldozer into the fence on Friday.

The section covered by the ruling is in Bilin, a Palestinian village about 25 km east of Tel Aviv, and the scene of often violent weekly protests against a barrier Israel calls a security necessity and Palestinians condemn as a land grab. The Israeli courts ruled in 2007 that the fence had to be moved after a petition from Bilin landowners two years previously.

This prompted a to-and-fro with Israel’s Defense Ministry until a final re-routing plan was accepted.

Colonel Saar Tzur, commander of an

Israeli military brigade in the region, said moving the barrier would give Palestinians access to about 140 acres of farmland, though they still remain cut off from a further 50 of land. Mohammed alKhteeb, coordinator for Bilin’s Popular Resistance movement, said the move was good, but not enough. “It makes me happy but still we are far away from what we are looking for and what we want to achieve, because the largest part of the village lands are still confiscated by the new route,” Khteeb said.

Israel started building the network of metal fencing, barbed wire and concrete walls in 2002 following a wave of Palestinian suicide bombings. The World Court in The Hague said in 2004 that the proposed 720-km barrier cutting through the West Bank was illegal, citing its route inside territory that Israeli forces occupied in a 1967 war. Tzur said the total cost of the re-routing came to about $9 million, including Israel’s replanting of Palestinian-owned olive trees to prevent them from being damaged by the work. —Reuters

Israel adopts tougher sanctions against Iran JERUSALEM: The Israeli cabinet yesterday approved broad economic sanctions against Iran, bringing the Jewish state into line with measures taken by other governments. “The government of Israel authorized economic sanctions against Iran and companies that trade with it,” a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said. “These steps include a series of administrative and regulatory measures that will place Israel at the international forefront regarding the imposition of sanctions on Iran,” the statement said.

The measures, which do not need further parliamentary approval, were taken after a committee found in March that, despite years of calling for tough international ac tion against arch-foe Iran, Israel’s existing legislation did not live up to public policy. “The committee’s recommendations are an important step in the struggle against Iran’s nuclear program,” Netanyahu said at the cabinet meeting. “These recommendations ensure that Israel will stand alongside other countries at the forefront of sanctions against Iran, in order to cause the Iranian regime to abandon its plans to develop nuclear weapons,” he said.

The issue gained prominence in recent months after a prominent Israeli firm was named in alleged

illegal trade with Tehran. Israel’s Ofer Brothers Group owns a major international shipping business which is under investigation after being blacklisted by Washington last month for alleged dealings with Tehran. According to the US State Department, Ofer Brothers and its alleged subsidiary, the Singaporebased Tanker Pacific, were involved in selling a tanker to an Iranian firm under sanctions last September. The firm has consistently denied any wrongdoing, saying it had no ties to Tanker Pacific and that the State Department had made an “unfortunate mistake.”

The allegations caused uproar in Israel, which has repeatedly called for tougher international sanctions against its bitter enemy. Animosity b e t we e n t he t wo count r i e s ha s grow n und e r t he p re s i d e nc y of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has repeatedly spoken of the Jewish state’s demise. The United Nations imposed a fourth found of sanctions against Iran in June 2010, after Tehran refused to suspend uranium enrichment, the most sensitive part of its nuclear program. Israel, the United States and other governments suspect the program is cover for developing a nuclear weapons capability, an ambition Iran strongly denies. —AFP

Wheelchair bomber kills 3 Qaeda leader’s wife jailed BAGHDAD: A suicide bomber in a wheelchair blew himself up at the entrance to a police station north of the capital Baghdad yesterday, killing three people and wounding 18, officials said. Two police officers were killed and 10 injured in Tarmiyah, about 30 miles north of Baghdad, two police officers and one medical official said. The head of the Tarmiyah city council, Qassim Khalifa said that it was not clear whether the bomber was really handicapped or using the wheelchair as a way to deflect attention from security personnel.

The bomber went to the police station claiming to need a letter from the police certifying he’d been maimed in a terror attack, Khalifa said. Iraqis who have been disabled from a bombing or shooting can receive compensation from the government if their injuries are documented. “Police inspected him but not very carefully as he was handicapped or pretending to be handicapped, so they let him go inside the police reception area where the blast occurred,” Khalifa said.

In Baghdad, security authorities were out in force to protect Shiite pilgrims converging from around the country to commemorate the death of Imam Moussa Al-Kadhim, a revered Shiite figure. Pilgrims traditionally walk to the twin-domed shrine in the northern Baghdad neighborhood of Kazimiyah, where Al-Kadhim is buried. Predominantly Sunni militants often target the pilgrims as they are walking to and from the shrine from

cities and towns across Iraq. Yesterday morning a sniper shot and wounded two Iraqi soldiers near the village of Wahda, a mixed Shiite-Sunni village 20 miles south of the capital, said a police and hospital official.

The soldiers were manning one of the checkpoints set up to protect pilgrims as they walk to the shrine. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information.

Meanwhile, an Iraqi court has sentenced the wife of a slain Al-Qaeda leader to 20 years in prison on terrorism-related charges, an Iraqi judicial spokesman said. Hasna Ali Yahya, the Yemeni wife of Abu Ayyub Al-Masri, was convicted last Thursday, according to Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council spokesman AbdulSattar Bayrkdar.

Bayrkdar didn’t give details on the charges, but a government official said she was convicted of facilitating correspondence between insurgents and preparing explosive-laden belts. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to release information. Al-Masri’s wife, a mother of three has been in custody since the April 2010 joint US-Iraqi raid north of Baghdad that killed Al-Masri along with another prominent Al-Qaeda in Iraq militant.

Six months later, Iraq’s Al-Qaeda umbrella group, the Islamic State of Iraq threatened to kidnap family members of Iraqi politicians and ministers if Al-Masri’s wife and children were not released.—AP

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MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011

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UN’s Human rights chief sees promise in rights promotion GENEVA: Navi Pillay, the UN human rights chief, remembers a time when only white men could be judges in South Africa. Today, the woman who has been described as the voice of victims around the world, has gained prominence for her outspoken condemnation of government repression in the Arab world, including Libya and Syria.

And it is her experience in the apartheid era that acts as her moral compass. “I feel it’s very, very, very important to have some experience in your life that gives you a better understanding of suffering,” Pillay, the first non-white female judge to sit on the South Africa’s highest court, told AFP in an interview at her Geneva headquarters.” And apartheid gave us all that-a real appreciation of what it is like to be treated as a second class person, dehumanized, tortured, detained

and not given any opportunity.”

Besides speaking out against recent repression of popular protests in the Arab world, Pillay has also travelled widely, with Mexico - at the centre of a fierce drugs - her next destination. But while invitations are steadily increasing, countries such as Syria, Myanmar and North Korea have yet to extend a welcome. While pointing out that “there is no country in the world that has a perfect record for human rights,” Pillay noted that there is now an intergovernmental body-the UN Human Rights Council-that victims can look to for help.

“It may not be perfect in giving us that remedy that we’re all looking for justice, but we never had this mechanism before. It’s only five years old,” said Pillay, the daughter of a bus driver.

The former ICC judge believes that recent action taken by the council is a

preview of its potential. “I think what happened in June gives rise to a little optimism because when a situation arose like Libya, the council realised they had the power, they had the will to get together, and without any opposition, pass a resolution on Libya,” she said.

“I think if they are capable of doing that, they are capable of developing that further,” said Pillay, who was born in 1941 in Durban. In a rare show of unanimity, the rights council agreed by consensus to extend a probe into alleged violations in Libya. It also appointed a special rapporteur on Iran.

The council had previously come under pressure for reacting too slowly to pressing rights violations, or for focusing only on certain issues, such as abuses in the Gaza Strip.

Pillay acknowledged that flaws remain. “The weakness of the council

obviously is that like all international governmental fora ... states do act up their national and political objectives, so they do have a national interest or regional interest and they do get acted out when they decide to address a situation or not,” she said.

“I will continue to urge them to address all situations, irrespective of their relationships with theose countries, they should rather put in the forefront their commitment towards the human rights of victims,” she said.

Nevertheless, the council spells promise, she assessed. “I would say plus, minus, it’s a young body. It’s very promising if we look at their record for the last month,” said Pillay. She also has a fairly positive outlook on the situations in countries such as Cuba and Zimbabwe. Referring to an invitation from Cuba to visit, she said that she “definitely will respond to the invita-

tion because I see that there are initiatives for change.” Pillay also welcomed Zimbabwe’s recent interest in setting up a human rights institution, even though she is still seeking a visa to visit the country after two years.

Her positive outlook stems from her apartheid experience, she acknowledged. “The other great thing about my experience is that apartheid has ended so that enables us to be very positive, to know that change can happen,” she said. Recalling the day when her father, then 90, stood in line to vote for the first time, Pillay recounted how her daughter went up to poll officials to demand that the elderly man be allowed to vote first instead of waiting in the queue. “So in many ways, people now thought in terms of rights. Including my daughter, who thought in terms of her grandfather,” she said. —AFP

Envoy to Vatican sparks storm of controversy

Azerbaijan warns Armenia with show of military might

ROME: An Israeli official who caused a storm in the Jewish world by praising Pope Pius XII for saving Jews during World War Two backtracked yesterday, saying his judgment was “historically premature”. The comments made last Thursday by Mordechay Lewy, the Israeli ambassador to the Vatican, were some of the warmest ever made by a Jewish official about Pius. Most have been very critical of his record.

In an indication of how sensitive the subject of Pius is among Jews, Lewy was quickly assailed by some Jewish groups, including Holocaust survivors. In a statement issued in what appeared to be an attempt to calm the dispute within the world Jewish community, Lewy said his comments were “embedded in a larger historical context”.

“Given the fact that this context is still under the subject of ongoing and future research, passing my personal historical judgment on it was premature,” Lewy said. The question of what Pius did or did not do to help Jews has tormented Catholic-Jewish relations for decades and it is very rare for a leading Jewish or Israeli official to praise Pius. Many Jews accuse Pius, who reigned from 1939 to 1958, of turning a blind eye to the Holocaust. The Vatican says he worked quietly behind the scenes because speaking out would have led to Nazi reprisals against Catholics and Jews in Europe.

Lewy, speaking at a ceremony to honour an Italian priest who helped Jews, had said Catholic convents and monasteries opened their doors to save Jews in the days following a Nazi sweep of Rome’s Ghetto on Oct. 16, 1943. In his speech on Thursday night, Lewy said: “There is reason to believe that this happened under the supervision of the highest Vatican officials, who were informed about what was going on.” — Reuters

‘The war is not over yet’: Azerbaijan President BAKU: Azerbaijan paraded thousands of soldiers and hundreds of military vehicles through its capital yesterday, in a show of force two days after talks failed to resolve a bitter territorial dispute with Armenia. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who has overseen massive increases in defense spending, warned in his speech that he was ready to take back the disputed Nagorny K arabak h region, which was seized from Azerbaijan in the 1990s by Armenian separatist forces backed by Yerevan. “ The war is not over yet,” Aliyev said at the showpiece parade in the centre of Baku, vowing to end what he called the “occupation” of Karabakh. “ The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan must be restored and the territory will be restored,” he said. Six thousand troops marched in the parade, accompanied by tanks, armored cars and rocket launchers, as fighter planes and combat helicopters roared overhead and warships lined up in the nearby Caspian

Sea bay. In his speech, Aliyev also spoke approvingly about the increases in defense spending financed by the energy-rich state’s huge revenues from oil and gas exports.

“Azerbaijan has fulfilled the task that I set, which was that Azerbaijan’s military expenditure must exceed the entire state budget of Armenia,” he said, noting that defense spending reached $3.3 billion this year.

Military hardware manufactured in A zerbaijan, including unmanned drones, was on show for the first time to highlight the countr y ’s expanding defense industry. The parade in Baku was the third in the country’s postSoviet history and also marked this year’s 20th anniversary of independence. It was shown live on state television in a broadcast preceded by a series of patriotic songs accompanied by images of troops in action and President Aliyev wearing camouflage fatigues.

The parade was held after the leaders of A zerbaijan and

Monaco’s bride seeking to make her own mark MONACO: Charlene Wittstock has not one, but two tough acts to follow. As the future princess of Monaco and wife to longtime bachelor Prince Albert II, the Zimbabwe-born, South Africa-raised former Olympic swimmer is to succeed Grace Kelly, whose 1956 wedding to Prince Rainier III is still widely seen as the gold standard for royal nuptials.

And as if the blue-eyed Hollywood beauty-turned-beloved princess didn’t cast a long enough shadow, Albert’s long-awaited marriage to Wittstock comes on the heels of the royal wedding of the decade, Kate Middleton’s union with Britain’s Prince William.

It’s still the biggest thing to hit Monaco since Grace walked down the aisle in an elegant antique lace gown, ushering in a new era of high-wattage glamour into this tiny Riviera principality

known for its high-flying casinos and lax tax laws. The country still mourns Grace, who died in a car crash nearly 30 years ago, but Monegasques are eagerly awaiting their new princess. Though 53-yearold Albert has been romantically linked to some of Europe’s most eligible bachelorettes over the years, he long resisted marriage, and the upcoming wedding will be his first trip down the aisle.

It’s to be a grand affair.

It will be held over not one but two days in the princely palace - a fortressturned-Italian Renaissance residence, where members of the ruling Grimaldi dynasty have lived since the 15th century. And the guest list reads like a who’s who of Europe’s rich and powerful.

Several heads of state are expected, along with royals from Spain to Sweden, top names in the sporting and music

worlds and the celebrated couturier to the stars, Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld. A civil ceremony will be held on July 1 in the palace’s throne room, the red silk damask-draped hall where Grace wed the late Prince Rainier 55 years ago. The religious ceremony will take place the following day in the palace’s marble courtyard, before some 3,500 seated guests. Access to Monaco’s old town will be limited during the event, but the principality’s 7,600 citizens are to be allowed in to watch the ceremony on giant screens set up outside the palace.

World famous chef Alain Ducasse will be serving up a multi-course gala dinner for about 500 guests. Ducasse - who holds an astonishing 19 Michelin stars hasn’t revealed what exactly is on the menu but says it will be local and sustainable, with everything besides the Champagne and South African wines sourced from a six-mile (10-kilometer) radius from Monaco. A fireworks display over the azure waters of Monaco Bay will cap the festivities, which were so long in coming many Monegasques feared they might never come to pass.

“We’ve been waiting impatiently for my lord’s marriage for a very long time,” said Carine Dick, who runs a souvenir shop near “le rocher,” the giant rocky outcropping crowned by the palace. “We were getting kind of worried there, but in the end it’s better to wait and find the right person than get it wrong.” The Grimaldis - one of Europe’s oldest dynasties - have been beset by romantic scandals.

Princess Caroline, the eldest of Grace and Rainier’s three children, was divorced after an unhappy two-year marriage to French playboy Philippe Junot, and after her second husband was killed in a boating accident, remarried a German prince known for his explosive temper. Albert’s younger sister, Princess Stephanie, has had three children out of wedlock, including two with her former bodyguard, and was also briefly married to a Portuguese circus acrobat.— AP

Armenia failed to agree despite strong international pressure to a roadmap document that would have been a significant step towards a Karabakh peace deal.

The two enemies traded accusations after the summit in Russia on Friday, with Armenia saying that Azerbaijan had torpedoed the talks by wanting a dozen changes to the document and Baku saying that Yerevan was seeking to mislead the world.

The outcome was a major disappointment after hopes had been raised of a long-awaited breakthrough in the talks, which were presided over by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in the city of K azan. Seventeen years after the Karabakh ceasefire, the opposing sides still of ten exchange deadly fire across the frontline and Baku has repeatedly threatened to use force if negotiations don’t yield results. Fears have been raised of a return to war that could prove even bloodier than the 1990s conflict and potentially threaten pipelines taking Caspian Sea oil

BAKU: An Azeri boy waves the national flag during in a military parade which involved thousands of soldiers and hundreds of military vehicles. — AFP and gas from A zerbaijan to territory at some point in the Europe. The interim basic princi- future. But even if the document ples agreement would see an is eventually agreed, huge obstaArmenian withdrawal from areas cles remain to a final peace deal. around Karabakh that were also Armenia insists that Karabakh seized during the post-Soviet will never again be ruled by war. It also envisages interna- Baku, while Azerbaijan insists tional security guarantees and a that the region must remain part vote on the final status of the of its sovereign territory. —AFP

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US high court passing major, defining rulings WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court’s conservative majority made it harder for people to band together to sue America’s largest businesses in the two most far-reaching rulings of the term the justices are wrapping up today.

The two cases putting new limits on class-action lawsuits were among more than a dozen in which the justices divided 5-4 along familiar ideological lines, with the winning side determined by the vote of Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Women made up one-third of the ninemember court for the first time ever this year, but missing from the court’s docket was a case that could be called historic.

Next year and 2013 could look very different, with potentially divisive and consequential cases on immigration, gay marriage and health care making their way to the high court.

The makeup of the court, however, is not expected to change. Chief Justice John Roberts said the court would finish its business today when the justices will announce decisions in four remaining cases, including two First Amendment disputes. In one, video game makers are leading a challenge to a California law that bars the sale or rental of violent video games to children. The case was argued nearly eight months ago, when it appeared a majority of the court was inclined to strike down the law.

The other case involves a campaign finance law in Arizona that rewards candidates who accept public funds with additional cash when privately funded rivals and independent groups exceed certain spending thresholds. Also today, the justices are expected to decide whether to hear several important cases next term. They include: • Whether police need a search warrant before they place a global positioning device on a car to track a suspect’s movements.

• A challenge to the constitutionality of the Federal Communications Commission regulation of indecency on television.

• Suits against defense contractors over claims of abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

• Yet another business-backed challenge to class-action suits in state courts.

Justice Antonin Scalia was the author of the majority opinion in both classaction cases, Wal-Mart v. Dukes and AT&T v. Concepcion. The Wal-Mart decision blocked a sex discrimination suit on behalf of up to 1.6 million female employees and made it harder to mount large-scale claims against big companies in federal court. The AT&T decision endorsed the use of provisions that are common in consumer contracts for cellphones, credit cards and other goods

and services in which the customer waives the right to sue. Scalia’s opinion said those provisions were valid, even in the face of state laws that protect the availability of class actions.

Civil rights, consumer groups and plaintiffs’ lawyers like class actions because by pooling often individually modest claims into a case with a lot of money at stake, they provide a way to hold businesses accountable. Those groups say that individuals are not going to file suit, and would never find a willing lawyer, over the $30 at issue in the customer complaint that led to the AT&T decision. Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the law school at the University of California at Irvine and a liberal critic of the court, faulted the majority for “ignoring the human consequences of its decisions.” The rulings in those cases provided new fodder for complaints that the Roberts court has a pro-business tilt.

A frequent critic, Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Patrick Leahy plans a hearing this coming week about recent decisions’ effect on individuals’ access to the courts and on corporate behavior.

Robin Conrad, the head of the legal arm of the US Chamber of Commerce, dismissed the notion of a pro-business court as “a silly myth” that was undercut by a record of as many victories as losses in cases of interest to the Chamber of

Commerce. Yet Conrad acknowledged that the group won the three cases - the class-action disputes and a successful effort to block a climate change suit by six states - that were “easily the most important business cases of the term.”

Perhaps the most impassioned case of the term involved the fight by the father of a dead Marine to hold accountable the protesters who picketed his son’s funeral with anti-gay and other highly charged signs. By an 8-1 vote, the court said the grieving father’s pain must yield to First Amendment protections for free speech.

In other important cases, the court Limited challenges to government programs that use tax breaks to direct money to religious activities, a 5-4 ruling in favor of an Arizona tuition tax credit.

• Held that states have at least some role to play in the immigration arena, upholding by a 5-4 vote another Arizona law penalizing employers for hiring illegal immigrants.

• Unanimously ruled that former Attorney General John Ashcroft cannot be held personally liable for the arrest of an American Muslim suspected of ties to terrorism under a law aimed at ensuring the presence of witnesses at trials.

• Agreed, by a 5-4 vote, with a lower •

court that overcrowding at California prisons has led to inadequate inmate health care that is “cruel and unusual” under the Eighth Amendment and requires a significant cut in the prison population.

The prison ruling was one of only a few in which Kennedy sided with the liberals in the split decisions. “The court is still very solidly conservative,” said Supreme Court advocate Thomas Goldstein, who also publishes Scotusblog. President Barack Obama’s two appointees, Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, almost always voted with the other two liberals, Justices Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Kagan joined the court in August and had to sit out more than one-third of the court’s cases in her first term because of her prior job as Obama’s solicitor general. Most of those cases were early on, and her absence rarely affected the outcome. With the two new justices at either end of the bench, and Ginsburg close to the center, the court had three women serving together for the first time. That seems unlikely to change for at least a year or two. If Ginsburg is true to her word, she will be on the court until at least 2015. She turns 82 that year and has said she would like to emulate Justice Louis Brandeis, who retired at age 82. — AP

Canada MPs pass bill to end postal strikes Legislators pull two straight all-nighters

NEW ENGLAND: In this 1984 file photo, originally released by the FBI, organized crime figure James “Whitey” Bulger is shown. Bulger, a notorious Boston gangster on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted” list for his alleged role in 19 murders, was finally captured last week. — AP

US mobster ‘Whitey’ Bulger feared, loved BOSTON: The capture of notorious mobster James “Whitey” Bulger sent a wave of mixed emotions through residents of the accused killer’s former stomping ground.

His appearance in federal court Friday on 19 counts of murder reminded many of the horror that hung around his vicious criminal run here during the 1970s and 80s. “It’s opening up a lot of wounds for people,” said a life-long Bostonian named Peter.

Decades have passed, but like most in the close-knit Irish American enclave where Bulger once operated, Peter still isn’t comfortable giving his last name. “People from outside might see it as a fascinating story,” he said. “But in this community, there’s a lot of pain from the loss of brothers and fathers.” It’s complicated because Bulger, now 81, is also remembered as a protector. “Today, there’s a heroin problem and it started right after ‘Whitey’ left,” said Peter. Bulger’s legacy is as conflicted as the double life he lived as a close confident to the very FBI agents tasked with taking him down. He fled Boston in the mid-1990s after receiving an FBI tip that he would soon be charged with running a crime ring from the city.

Former FBI agent John Conolly was convicted in 2002 for obstruction of justice. But it wasn’t until last week that authorities finally caught up with Bulger, arresting him in Santa Monica, California, where he was living under an assumed name. It was a long way from the South Boston housing project where Bulger, the second of six children, grew up and got the nickname “Whitey” for the platinum blond hair he had as a child. Local lore holds that Bulger entered crime young to help his ailing parents support his brothers. He was sent to prison for robbing banks in 1956, but by the mid-60s he had returned to Boston and quickly became a major gang leader.

Bulger is accused of a crime spree spanning into the 1990s that included extortion, money laundering and, at one point, running guns to the Irish Republican Army.

Relatives of some of his victims packed the Boston courtroom Friday. Also in the audience was Bulger’s younger brother William, 77, whose career as a beloved Massachusetts politician has long added a tragic twist in the Bulger story. The Bulger brothers’ divergent rise during the 1960s and 70s coincided with a tumultuous time in the identity of IrishAmericans as the nation mourned the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy, America’s first and only Irish-Catholic president.

During the years that followed William Bulger lifted spirits by rising to the presi-

dency of the Massachusetts senate. He delivered fiery speeches from the same rostrum where Kennedy once told Bostonians “it was here my grandparents were born-it is here I hope my grandchildren will be born.” But “Whitey” took a different route, building an empire of crime that eventually won him a spot next to Osama bin Laden on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list. Popular movies have lionized his criminal exploits, most famous amongst them Martin Scorsese’s 2006 Oscar-winning blockbuster “The Departed.”

The film is fiction. But Bostonians turned out in throngs to see it, believing its main character, played by Jack Nicholson, was based on Bulger. Still, residents say realitynot movies-keeps Bulger’s name whispered in alleys at night. Bulger, they say, was a genuine American gangster in an era when thugs like bin Laden sought to grow their myths through media splashes. “He was the opposite, he wasn’t looking for press, he didn’t need it,” said one life-long resident who only gave his name as Pat. “It was a different time when I grew up here,” the 45year-old said. “You knew he was the boss and he ruled with an iron fist to people who crossed him.”

One of the more infamous examples of that rule came to light in 2006 when a federal judge ordered the US Justice Department to pay more than $3 million to the family of John McIntyre. McIntyre, a fisherman and IRA-sympathizer, was as a middleman in a Bulger operation shipping guns to Northern Ireland in the early 1980s. But things went sour between the two when a boat used to send guns to the IRA returned to Boston with a load of drugs on board. “McIntyre didn’t like it,” said Jeffrey Denner, a lawyer for the fisherman’s family. “He wasn’t a drug dealer.

So he went to the police, who in turn went to the feds.”

What McIntyre didn’t know was that Bulger had FBI ties. It didn’t take long before Bulger was tipped and his gang responded by kidnapping McIntyre. “They broke his bones, then they tried to choke him to death but he wouldn’t die, so they eventually shot him,” said Denner, who later sued the FBI on behalf of McIntyre’s family. Bulger had already been on the run for a decade when the case landed in court. But his absence didn’t stop the death threats from coming in. “I used to get phone calls,” Denner said. “An anonymous voice with a South Boston accent would be on the other end saying, ‘You’re a dead man, we’re gonna’ find you.’” — AFP

OTTAWA: Canadian mail should start moving again tomorrow, with postal workers expected to be forced back to work by hotly debated legislation that passed the House of Commons on Saturday night. The leftist New Democratic Party had held up the bill with 58 grueling hours of day-and-night debate but it finally made it through the House and now heads to a special Sunday sitting of the Senate, where its passage is assured because of the ruling Conservatives’ domination of the upper chamber.

“After a completely unnecessary delay, I’m nevertheless pleased that very soon Canadians will again have access to their postal service,” Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, whose party crafted the bill, said outside the House. Most members of Parliament-including Harper at times - had to sleep in their offices to avoid missing a crucial vote during the 2-1/2 days. Some played board games or strummed guitars in lounges when they were not speaking or sleeping.

The government expects the bill to become law on Sunday afternoon and postal employees would be back at work 24 hours later, said Harper press secretary Andrew MacDougall. The first full day of resumed mail service would then be tomorrow. Postal workers had begun rotating strikes on June 3 in a contract dispute with the government-owned Canada Post, the country’s primary postal operator. That led to a lockout on June 15 that shut the mail service down completely.

The bill provides for an arbitrator to pick either the union’s best final offer or Canada Post’s. The most controversial feature of the legislation sets pay increases that are smaller than Canada Post had offered, though they match raises reached with another public sector union.

If its offer were accepted by the arbitrator,

QUEBEC: Canada Prime Minister Stephen Harper waves as he arrives at celebrations marking Quebec’s Fete nationale. Harper’s party crafted and passed a bill on Saturday forcing postal workers back to work. — AP Canada Post would be able to offer new hires less generous salaries, pensions and vacations, providing big savings. Experienced employees currently get seven weeks of holidays and substantial sick leave. In an age of e-mail and electronic bill payments, Canada Post says it needs to cut its costs in order to be competitive, particularly with courier companies.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers, which represents the 48,000 urban postal workers, says that the company is still profitable and that

management demanded unfair concessions in wages, staffing and safety. “The government is clearly willing to side with employers to grind down wages and working conditions,” Denis Lemelin, the union’s president, said in a statement. “The Conservatives have shown themselves to be very anti-worker after only two months of majority government.” A poll this month showed that 70 percent of Canadians supported the legislation to force an end to the work stoppage. — Reuters

Doubts over Chavez spur talk of successor CARACAS: Speculation that Hugo Chavez could be suffering from a serious illness is putting attention on a predicament for the president’s allies: It’s unclear who could step forward if he had to step down. Few Venezuelans are talking publicly about the possibility of Chavez leaving office, partly because top government officials and close relatives have repeatedly said the president is recuperating in Cuba following surgery there two weeks ago. Still, Chavez’s silence and seclusion since the operation have spurred growing talk about his health, stirring fears among some supporters that their leader could be seriously ill.

The speculation has prompted some to ponder what would happen if failing health were to force Chavez to relinquish power. Until recently, even contemplating that possibility would have been considered absurd. Under Venezuela’s constitution, Vice President Elias Jaua would take the president’s place during “temporary” absences of up to 90 days. And Jaua would serve the rest of Chavez’s sixyear term if the socialism-preaching president were to die or resign. With a presidential election looming next year, such a scenario might put Jaua and other ruling party leaders in a tough position.

None of Chavez’s close confidants share his charisma and knack for connecting with Venezuela’s poor majority.

That constituency has ultimately decided elections in this politically divided South American country. Steve Ellner, a political science professor at Venezuela’s University of the East, believes the future of Chavez’s political movement would largely depend on whether ill health prevented Chavez from designating a successor. “There is no secondin-command in the Chavez movement,” Ellner said.

“If Chavez is unable to endorse anyone, there will inevitably be dissension.” Ellner said the situation would be much different if Chavez threw his sup-

port behind a would-be successor. “There is a great sense of loyalty within the Chavez movement,” he said.

“If Chavez himself is unable to run for physical reasons, but endorses a given candidate, the movement will not fall apart.” While there are no obvious candidates, some observers believe the president might tap Jaua or Rafael Ramirez, Venezuela’s energy minister. Diosdado Cabello, a former army officer who joined a 1992 coup attempt led by Chavez, was once perceived as Chavez’s closest confidant. But Cabello’s standing seems to have faded since he lost a 2008 re-elec-

BRAZIL: In this file photo, Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez attends a meeting with Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff. A prolonged silence by one of the world’s most talkative leaders is fueling speculation about the health of Chavez. — AP

tion bid as the governor of Miranda state to a prominent opposition leader. Venezuelan officials have limited their comments on Chavez’s health to saying he’s recuperating but have provided few details.

Jaua told an auditorium packed with government supporters Sunday that Chavez “is recuperating to continue the battle.” He condemned Chavez’s opponents for speculating about the president’s health, accusing them of using the president’s surgery to score political points before the next presidential election. “They know they cannot beat our commander, Hugo Chavez, in an election,” he said, adding: “Chavez is going to be around for a long time.” Meanwhile, Chavez’s Twitter stream has been active while not providing any information about his health.

One message on Friday saluted Venezuela’s military on a holiday marking a decisive independence battle. Three messages appeared within 30 minutes Saturday afternoon, including one mentioning visits by Chavez’s daughter Rosines and grandchildren. “Ah, what happiness it is to receive this shower of love!” the Twitter message read.

“God bless them!” Nobody has heard Chavez publicly speak since he told Venezuelan state television by telephone on June 12 that he was quickly recovering from surgery two days earlier for a pelvic abscess. He said medical tests showed no sign of any “malignant” illness.

It remains unclear when he will return to Venezuela. Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro urged Venezuelans on Friday to wish for Chavez’s complete recovery and express their “most authentic love so that his health is re-established.” “The battle that President Chavez is waging for his health must be everyone’s battle: the battle for life, for the immediate future of our fatherland,” Maduro added. —AP

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Taleban militant, wife hit Pakistani police station 12 policemen slain DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A Taleban militant and his wife carried out a suicide bombing on a police station in Pakistan on Saturday that killed 12 policemen, a Taleban spokesman said yesterday. The pair, armed with assault rifles and hand grenades, raided the compound and took a dozen policemen hostage for several hours in a town near the region of South Waziristan, a major Al-Qaeda and Taleban sanctuary on the Afghan border.

KHOST: US Lieutenant-Colonel Jesse Pearson, task force spader commander attending a command conference at the Salerno military base in eastern Afghanistan. The United States may be hopeful of a political deal with the Taleban as it withdraws troops from Afghanistan, but dealing with the main enemy in the east is another matter entirely. —AFP

‘Sopranos’ who could thwart Afghan peace KHOST: The United States may be hopeful of a political deal with the Taleban as it withdraws troops from Afghanistan but dealing with the main enemy in the east is another matter entirely. The Haqqani network, described as “thugs and gangsters” by one US commander, is the driving force of the insurgency along much of Afghanistan’s eastern border with Pakistan, where some of the war’s worst fighting takes place.

While it is allied with the Taleban, some experts say its links to Al-Qaeda and ruthless ambition to rule Khost, Paktia and Paktika provinces make it less likely to engage in reconciliation efforts with Kabul and the West. Despite US President Barack Obama saying there was “reason to believe that progress can be made” in talks with the Taleban after announcing 33,000 troops would leave Afghanistan by the end of next summer, any deal with them would only be one element of a settlement.

“The Haqqanis, although nominally under the larger Taleban umbrella, are extremely autonomous and closely partnered with the likes of Al-Qaeda,” said Jeffrey Dressler, a senior analyst at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War. “I think it would be unwise to entertain any sort of deal with Haqqani network leadership now or in the future. The best way to bring in the Haqqani senior leadership is either in handcuffs or a bodybag.”

Based in the eastern province of Khost and the neighboring Pakistani district of North Waziristan, the Haqqanis control their fiefdom through mafia-style intimidation and violence.

“The Haqqani network is the primary enemy force here,” said Lieutenant Colonel Jesse Pearson, who commands US troops along the border in Khost. “They are thugs and gangsters, not like some other insurgent groups who are motivated by radical Islamic ideology. They want power and money and they are going to fail.” The group, with 3,000 to 4,000 fighters, has been linked to a series of high-profile attacks including a suicide bombing by an Al-Qaeda double agent at a US base in Khost in 2009 which killed seven CIA operatives. It was founded by the now-ageing Jalaluddin Haqqani, a warlord who made his name during the 1980s jihad against the Soviets in Afghanistan, when he

received funding from Pakistan and the CIA. He allegedly helped Osama bin Laden elude American capture after the US invasion of Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks, but his ruthless son Sirajuddin now effectively runs the network.”The network collects protection money and illegal taxes, and profits from smuggling, but it also runs legitimate trucking firms and used car dealerships,” a US intelligence officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“This is mafia stuff and parallels to ‘The Sopranos’ TV show keep coming up.” The Haqqanis are seen as operationally independent from the Taleban but part of a broad coalition of groups operating under its aegis. This could pose a problem in any substantive peace talks-the United States says contacts with the Taleban are at a very early stage-if the Haqqanis did not agree to end their part in the insurgency.

Asked if the Haqqanis were less likely to renounce violence and ties with Al-Qaeda than some Taleban elements, an Afghan official speaking on condition of anonymity said: “We know that there will be people who will never want to reconcile and we have a strategy for that too, which is to continue to fight them.” Washington has pressured Pakistan to crack down on Haqqani havens in North Waziristan, where US military drones regularly target the network. It accuses elements in Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency of having ties with the Haqqanis.

But analysts say there is little prospect of Pakistan opening a new front now that Obama has fired the start gun on American withdrawals.

Seth Jones, an Afghanistan expert at the US-based Rand Corporation, said the answer to ending the Haqqani threat to overall peace lies within the complex social structures of eastern Afghanistan.”Haqqani has genuine support in the local tribal network, and the US finds that world very hard to understand,” he said. Pakistani analyst Imtiaz Gul believes the key to getting the Haqqani network involved in peace talks is reaching the elusive leader of the Taleban. “Once Mullah Omar falls in line or agrees to talks, I think the Haqqanis would also be amenable to talking,” he said. Afghan and Pakistani officials say they do not know where Omar is. —AFP

Intelligence shift shows change in Afghan war aims WASHINGTON: Military intelligence officers were scrambling a year ago to collect and analyze the social, economic and tribal ins and outs of each valley and hamlet in Afghanistan. This information wasn’t the kind of secret or covert material many military intelligence specialists were used to. But it was seen as crucial to helping commanders tell the good guys from the bad, learn what Afghans really needed from their government and undermine the Taleban-led insurgency by winning hearts and minds.

Since last fall, top intelligence leaders in Afghanistan have shifted their energies back to targeting the enemy the more traditional way, by mapping their networks, and analyzing what makes the Taleban tick. It’s not that they stopped collecting the other information, but the focus shifted to helping commanders on the ground learn what they needed to know to help them kill the enemy directly and drive that enemy to the negotiating table. President Barack Obama’s announcement Wednesday that the United States will start bringing home US troops next month is part of a gradual scaling-back of American operations and ambitions in Afghanistan.

That change is expected to drive a continued emphasis on raids, and less on governance, making tracking Afghan culture and bolstering the government less important, three current officials in Afghanistan said. The White House has been frustrated by Afghanistan’s corruption and President Hamid Karzai’s government’s inability to provide competent officials to serve far-flung provinces. That has helped shrink US goals, and the new

bottom line is a government strong enough to prevent terrorists’ safe havens from returning. Targeting insurgent leaders and their support networks is seen as an important part of the US exit strategy.

The thinking is that Taleban leaders will be more ready for a deal if they feel threatened personally. The US has confirmed preliminar y outreach to the Taleban, but Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said last week that fruitful talks are probably a long way off.

Ironically, the change in Washington policy comes just as the top official in charge of militar y intelligence in Afghanistan, Maj. Gen. Steve Fogarty, shifted his focus back to how the US gathers that social, economic and tribal data, and how to make sure the troops are getting access to it to help both understand local communities and foster local governance.

He may now face a closing window of opportunity to beef that up, as his programs face the looming drawdown of manpower and resources ordered by an administration fed up with the war’s $10 billion-a-month price tag. The White House’s decision to start bringing home troops, and start curtailing some of the larger nation-building projects follows a secret US National Intelligence Estimate on Afghanistan issued in February. That report said raids against the enemy and small-scale special-operations-led stability operations were showing progress, but projects meant to bolster Afghan governance were not yet taking hold, according to the officials. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters. —AP

The operation fur ther tarnished Pakistan’s security establishment, which has suffered one setback after another since the killing of Osama bin Laden by US Special Forces on Pakistani soil on May 2. The Taleban rarely use women suicide bombers. The attack on the police station suggests they are adopting new tactics in a campaign to topple the US-backed government. The Taleban husband and wife team shot dead five policemen and later blew themselves up after being attacked by commandos, killing seven more policemen who died of their wounds overnight, police said.

Ehsanullah Ehsan, a Pakistani Taleban spokesman, said the assault was carried out in retaliation for bin Laden’s killing and government attacks against militants. “The attackers were a husband and wife. We will keep carrying out attacks with different strategies,” he said by telephone from an undisclosed location.

Yesterday, a bomb planted on a stationary motorcycle just outside a police station in the eastern city of Multan wounded four policemen, police said.

The Pakistani Taleban movement, which is close to Al-Qaeda, has stepped up violence in Pakistan since the death of bin

KOLACHI: People offer funeral prayers for a police officer killed in the gun-battle with Taleban militants during an attack on a police station yesterday in Kolachi near Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan. —AP Laden, in operations that have embarrassed the military. The group said it was behind an assault on a major navy base in the city of Karachi last month. The Taleban killed nearly 100 people in a suicide bombing at a paramilitary compound. Large groups of Pakistani Taleban fighters have

also staged large-scale shooting attacks on security forces in other parts of the northwest.

The United States has been piling pressure on Pakistan to crack down harder on militancy since it was discovered that bin Laden may have been living in Pakistan for years. More Pakistani

cooperation is needed as Washington seeks to wind down the US-led war in neighboring Afghanistan and defeat Al Qaeda and its allies. But Pakistan’s generals are furious because the United States kept them in the dark over the bin Laden raid. —Reuters

Girl carrying bag of explosives explodes

WASHINGTON: A silhouetted President Barack Obama walks back to the Oval Office of the White House following his arrival on Marine One helicopter on Friday. —AP

Fugitive Thaksin vows not to seek revenge BANGKOK: Fugitive Thai ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has vowed not to seek revenge over the coup which ousted him from power if his party wins the restive kingdom’s upcoming elections. In a television inter view from his selfimposed exile in Dubai, he told the Al-Jazeera news network his top priority was reconciliation and reuniting Thailand, which has been riven with deep divisions since the 2006 coup.

“Never-I never want revenge,” said Thaksin, who fled Thailand before being convicted in his absence for corruption.

The interview was aired yesterday as up to two million voters were expected to submit advance ballots in Thailand’s first election since the kingdom was rocked by its worst civil violence in decades last year. “We have to join hands and move ahead,” Thaksin said. “We have to move our country ahead. We have been wasting too much time already.” Mass anti-government protests by Thaksin’s “Red Shirt” supporters last year triggered a military crackdown that left more than 90 people dead, mostly civilians, in street clashes between protesters and armed troops.

“If reconciliation (is) to unite, we need to forget the past,” Thakson said. “If we cannot forget the past, we are still talking about the past and there is no way we can move ahead.”

Although he lives abroad, Thaksin is widely seen as the de facto leader of the main opposition Puea Thai Party and his youngest sister Yingluck Shinawatra is pitted against his archfoe, current Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of the elite -backed Democrat Party. Yingluck, 43, is polit-

ically inexperienced and many in Thailand feel her nomination as the opposition candidate for premier confirms Thaksin’s central role in the kingdom’s political landscape despite living in exile.

But Thaksin defended her candidacy, saying her experience in business qualified her to be prime minister. Yingluck has made clear that an amnesty for those on political charges is a priority, but Thaksin said any amnesty should apply to both sides. “ We don’t want to see any more (violence),” he said. “That’s the reason we are asking for reconciliation. That’s the reason we are asking for Thailand to be one nation-not to be divisive any more.” Thaksin called for any process of reconciliation to be even-handed and led by neutral organizations, adding that any amnesty should apply to both sides.

He denied he had ambitions to return to office and agreed that his premiership had not been perfect, adding that he would “use more velvet glove, less iron fist” were he to return to Thailand. “I can say sorry, nobody’s perfect, when you rule the country for six years you might say something that is not satisfactory to different sectors of people, but what democracy is all about is the majority,” he said. “Every time we have elections, we have more and more majority and the last election we won with 377 (majority), before being ousted by coup d’etat. That’s 76 per cent of members of parliament.” Some 2.4 million of Thailand’s 46 million eligible voters registered for advance votes ahead of the July 3 poll, with opinion surveys showing the ruling Democrats lagging behind a resurgent opposition. —AFP

KABUL: An eight-year-old Afghan girl was killed when a bag of explosives given to her by Taleban insurgents exploded as she approached a police outpost in southern Afghanistan, the government said yesterday. “The insurgents handed over a bag with a homemade bomb to an eight-year-old girl and asked her to take it to police forces,” the Ministry of Interior said in a statement. “As the girl was getting close to the police, it exploded and killed the girl.”

There have been occasional cases of insurgents using female bombers-or more commonly of fighters dressing as women in head-to-toe burqa coverings-but the use of children had been almost unheard of until recently.

In May, Afghan police paraded four boys, all under 13, they said had been recruited as bombers from their homes in neighboring Pakistan. One of the boys said they had been told they would live through the suicide attacks.

The Taleban later denied they were recruiting children to carry out suicide attacks. The latest incident took place in the Char Chino district of Uruzgan province in southern Afghanistan. There were no police casualties. The death comes as four NATO troops were killed over the past two days, including two Spanish soldiers who died on Sunday after a homemade bomb exploded in western Afghanistan. A suicide car bomber killed at least 20 people, and possibly as many as 35, in an attack at a hospital in a remote district of the eastern Logar province on Saturday that damaged the hospital’s maternity ward.

Military and civilian casualties hit record levels in 2010, the most violent year of the war since US-backed Afghan forces toppled the Taleban in late 2001. This year is following a similar trend, with violence growing across Afghanistan since the Taleban announced a spring offensive at the beginning of May. It is also a worrying sign as Afghans prepare to take over security responsibility from NATO-led troops in seven areas across the country next month. That will coincide with the start in July of a gradual drawdown of US troops. US and NATO troops plan to hand over security responsibility for all of Afghanistan by the end of 2014, although critics warn the handover date is premature. —Reuters

Afghan election body slams bid to oust MPs KABUL: Afghanistan’s vote authorities yesterday said they would not implement a special election tribunal’s ruling in favor of throwing out more than 60 lawmakers over alleged ballot rigging.

The tribunal, set up to hear complaints over alleged fraud in last year’s parliamentary elections, ruled Thursday that 62 members of parliament (MPs) should have their victories overturned and be swapped with losing candidates. But Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission (IEC), which would be in charge of implementing any such move, said it strongly disagreed with the ruling by the court, whose legitimacy it does not recognize.

Some analysts accuse Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who ordered the setting up of the special tribunal, of using it to try and boost the number of his supporters in Afghanistan’s lower house of parliament, the Wolesi Jirga.

“Making changes in the election results... and particularly after the inauguration of parliament is in no-one’s authority and is against the country’s laws,” the IEC said in a statement. “The commission stands by its previous stance and no pressure or illegal actions would force it to step back from its decision.” The Wolesi Jirga was inaugurated in January after long delays amid a standoff between Karzai and lawmakers over the fraud claims.

But now that the special tribunal has delivered its ruling after months of deliberation, deep public splits have again surfaced in Afghanistan’s political system. On Saturday, Afghanistan’s parliament passed a vote of no confidence in the country’s chief justice and five other members of the supreme court following Thursday’s announcement by the special tribunal. —AFP

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China frees human rights activist Hu Jia BEIJING: One of China’s most prominent against Chinese HIV/AIDS sufferers and prisoners of conscience, Hu Jia, returned environmental degradation but later home yesterday after completing a jail spoke out on behalf of a wide range of term for subversion but looked likely to victims of government abuses.

As a result, he and Zeng have suffered be muzzled along with other top dissidents. The human rights activist ’s repeated detention or lengthy periods of release after more than three years in house arrest that they have criticised as prison comes after outspoken artist Ai unlawful.They made a short documenWeiwei emerged in Beijing last week tary, available on the Internet, detailing from nearly three months in police cus- one of these detentions from 2006-2007 tody amid a government crackdown on called “Prisoners of Freedom City ”. dissent. Hu is widely expected to be hit Regularly tipped as a potential candidate with the same strict curbs as those for the Nobel Peace Prize, Hu has won applied to Ai and a range of other overseas human rights awards from bodactivists and rights lawyers who have ies such as the European Parliament. apparently been ordered to keep quiet “China has been a dictatorship throughout its entire history,” Hu told AFP in a to gain their freedom.

Hu returned to his home outside 2007 interview. “Now... I believe that we Beijing yesterday morning, his wife and have a chance to bring democracy to this fellow activist Zeng Jinyan said on country for the first time in 5,000 years.”

He was taken into custody in Twitter. “On a sleepless night, Hu Jia December 2007 amid arrived home at 2:30 a previous crackdown am. Peaceful, very hapon government critics py. Need to rest for ahead of the Beijing awhile. Thanks to you Olympics and convictall,” she said.Hu, 37, was ed on subversion jailed on subversion charges. Rights groups charges in April 2008 have accused China’s just ahead of the ruling Communist Beijing Olympics after Party of abusing such angering the ruling charges as a way of Communist Party silencing government through his years of critics. Zeng said bold campaigning for police told her Hu was civil rights, the environnot likely to enjoy a ment, and AIDS suffer“normal” life after his ers. Ai’s detention had release, remarks she sparked an internationinterpreted to mean al outcry and his recent confinement to his release has been widely home like some other seen as an attempt by China to defuse criti- BEIJING: This file photo recently released dissicism during a visit by shows human rights activist dents. New York-based Premier Wen Jiabao to Hu Jia speaking while under activist group Human Rights Watch on Friday Europe now under way. house arrest. — AFP urged the Chinese govHu’s release at the end of his prison term, however, was ernment not to subject Hu and his family long expected. Aside from his jail sen- to “house arrest or other extrajudicial tence, Hu also faces one year of “depriva- deprivations of liberty”.

The government launched a major tion of political rights”-essentially a ban on political activities, and Zeng has indi- crackdown on dissent in February in an cated he would be making no public apparent bid to squelch any possible statements. “During this time, he must Chinese version of the “Arab Spring” treat his cirrhosis and take care of his uprisings in the Middle East. Normally family,” she said on Twitter last week. Hu outspoken detainees such as Ai have suffers from cirrhosis of the liver and uncharacteristically refused public comZeng has said the ailment has worsened ment after their release. Activists say during his time in jail, blaming the prison this indicates a systematic new government strategy to silence dissenters, posfor providing inadequate medical care.

Hu and Zeng have a young daughter. sibly through threats against them or It was not immediately clear exactly what their families. The rights group Chinese sort of restrictions Hu may face. Human Rights Defenders has said 49 Attempts to reach Zeng by telephone at people have been detained on suspithe couple’s home were unsuccessful cion of criminal acts in the ongoing and Chinese security personnel prevent- crackdown, most of whom have either ed AFP journalists from reaching their been formally arrested, sent to re-eduapartment yesterday. Hu began his cation camps, or released on bail awaitactivism by highlighting discrimination ing trial.— AFP

China, Vietnam vow to cool South China Sea tensions Olive branch between testy neighbors BEIJING: China and Vietnam pledged to resolve a row over the strategic South China Sea, state media said yesterday, in a bid to ease tensions that prompted accusations of Chinese bullying in the region. The apparent olive branch between the testy neighbors came as the United States and Philippines readied for joint naval exercises in the face of Chinese actions and after the US called for Beijing to help lower the temperature. Several recent incidents have put the security spotlight on the South China Sea, a strategic and potentially oil-rich area where China has sometimes overlapping disputes with Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan.

Recently, Vietnam carried out live-fire drills and the Philippines ordered the deployment of its naval flagship after accusing China of aggressive actions.

Representatives of China and Vietnam met in Beijing for weekend talks and agreed to resolve their maritime territorial disputes “peacefully”, China’s Xinhua news agency said yesterday.

They pledged to reach a “peaceful resolution of the maritime dispute between the two countries through negotiations and friendly consultations,” it said. The joint vow was made in a meeting Saturday between Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo, China’s senior foreignpolicy official, and Vietnamese Vice Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son. They agreed to take measures to “safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea”, work toward an agreement on addressing maritime disputes and seek speedy implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. The latter is a pact signed in 2002 between China and the 10member Association of Southeast

Asian Nations to prevent conflict until the myriad territorial disputes are resolved. However, the report gave no details on specific steps to be taken or a timetable. The United States on Saturday called for China to lower tensions through dialogue as they held talks on frictions in Southeast Asia.

Senior US official Kurt Campbell said he assured China during the talks in Hawaii that the United States welcomed a strong role for Beijing, which has warned

state of East Asian and Pacific affairs. China has in the past rejected calls for multi-lateral talks on the South China Sea disputes, insisting on one-on-one contacts with other claimants. Vietnam has accused Chinese ships of recently ramming an oil survey ship and cutting the exploration cables of another.

Meanwhile, Philippine President Benigno Aquino this month accused China of inciting at least seven incidents recently, including one in which a Chinese vessel

HANOI: Protesters shout anti-Chinese slogans next to a policeman (C) during a march in downtown Hanoi yesterday. China and Vietnam pledged yesterday to resolve the row over the South China Sea. — AFP Washington against involvement in the intensifying disputes. “We want tensions to subside.

We have a strong interest in the maintenance in peace and stability, and we are seeking a dialogue among all of the key players,” said Campbell, assistant secretary of

allegedly opened fire on Filipino fishermen. As tension climbed, China staged its own three days of naval exercises in the South China Sea. The United States has stepped into the fray, pledging to support the defense of its longtime ally the Philippines and help modernize its

the accused was taken to prison.

His joint trial with ex-head of state Khieu Samphan, former foreign minister Ieng Sary and his wife and ex-social affairs minister Ieng Thirith begins today.

It is the court’s second case after the landmark July conviction of former Khmer Rouge prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, better known as Duch. All four suspects face a string of charges including crimes against humanity and war crimes over the deaths of nearly a quarter of the population through starvation, overwork or execution in Pol Pot’s bid to forge a communist utopia. Like his co-defendants, Nuon Chea denies the allegations, making the hard-won revelations in the film all the more remarkable. The prosecution said it wants the “candid admissions” in the film to be used in the trial but Thet Sambath and Lemkin have refused repeated requests to hand their tapes to the court.

“The documentary has played a valuable role in helping to inform the public about the horrific crimes committed by the Khmer Rouge,” said Craig Etcheson, an investigator for the prosecution. “It can play an even more valuable role now in helping to bring justice for the millions of victims of this period, and we hope the film-makers will cooperate in making this important evidence available to the court.” But Thet Sambath said he promised Nuon Chea and other former cadres he would not use the information against them. “I told the court they can use what is shown in public,” he said. “But I will never hand it to the court myself. I must respect my promise to the people I worked with.”

The court has stopped short of seizing the footage, instead telling prosecutors they can seek to add the documentary to the case file during the trial once the film is in the public domain. The movie has yet to have a general release in Cambodia but it has been widely shown abroad and picked up numerous awards at film festivals. It remains to be seen how important the footage will be to the case but Thet Sambath believes Pol Pot’s right-hand man is unlikely to repeat the confession when he takes the stand.

“Before the court, he may say something else,” Thet Sambath said. “But what he told me was the truth.”— AFP

has said. The South China Sea has long been considered one of Asia’s potential military flashpoints due to the overlapping claims. That fear has risen as China has worked to upgrade its military in recent years and made more strident declarations of its claims.— AFP

Army hovers over tense Thai election

Court denies Khmer Rouge leader’s film confession PHNOM PENH: A Cambodian film-maker spent years to win the trust of a former top Khmer Rouge leader and capture a startling confession that he now refuses to hand over to a landmark genocide trial. In a dogged attempt to understand why up to two million people, including his own family members, died during the regime’s bloody 1975-1979 rule, journalist Thet Sambath sought answers from “Brother Number Two” Nuon Chea.

The ex-revolutionary, now 84, was not an easy man to befriend but after years of weekend visits he finally relinquished, saying: “I will tell you the truth.”

The unprecedented revelations that followed were captured in the award-winning 2009 documentary “Enemies of the People” and could now play a key role in Nuon Chea’s upcoming trial-despite the film-maker’s objections. “What I did is for the people, not the court,” Thet Sambath said.

In the film Nuon Chea, for once not donning his trademark sunglasses, can be seen sitting at a table in his modest wooden home, calmly telling Thet Sambath that the Khmer Rouge killed perceived traitors if they could not be “re-educated” or “corrected”. “These people were categorized as criminals... They were killed and destroyed. If we had let them live, the party line would have been hijacked. They were enemies of the people,” he said. A secretive cadre even by the standards of one of the world’s most enigmatic movements, Nuon Chea also opened up about his relations with “Brother Number One” Pol Pot, who died in 1998.

Ten years in the making, the muchlauded film is the product of a collaboration between Thet Sambath and Briton Rob Lemkin. It charts the complex friendship between Nuon Chea and Thet Sambath, who for years kept his own suffering at the hands of the Khmer Rouge a secret, not wanting the elderly man to think he was out for revenge. But shortly before Nuon Chea’s arrest by Cambodia’s UN-backed war crimes court in 2007, the journalist at last confided that he lost his parents and a brother under the regime-and received a rare apology. “I would like to say how deeply sorry I am,” Nuon Chea told him. The pair then shared a final meal together before

cash-strapped military. “We are determined and committed to supporting the defense of the Philippines,” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said last week.

The two countries will hold 11 days of naval exercises starting tomorrow off the southwestern Philippines in a show of unity.

Vietnam and the United States also are to hold joint naval activities next month but they were longplanned and are unconnected to the recent tensions, the US Navy

MANILA: This file photo shows US Marines and their Philippine counterparts during joint military training exercises. State-of-the-art US missile destroyers will join ageing Philippine warships for naval exercises this week in a timely show of unity as tensions with China escalate over a maritime dispute. — AFP

Philippines, American navies in show of unity MANILA: State-of-the-art US missile destroyers will join ageing Philippine warships for naval exercises this week in a timely show of unity as tensions with China escalate over a maritime dispute. The 11 days of exercises start tomorrow off the southwest Philippine island of Palawan in the Sulu Sea, close to the disputed waters of the South China Sea where Manila has complained of increasing Chinese provocation. Officially the training is an annual event not linked to the territorial row, but it nevertheless offers the Philippines comfort shortly after appealing to its longtime ally and former colonial power for help in containing China.

“The exercises show that the Philippines and the US are still very close. They (Philippine leaders) hope that the Chinese will be impressed by this,” said Ben Lim, a political science professor at Ateneo de Manila University. “It will give the Philippines confidence in regard to diplomatic leverage.

When they meet the Chinese again in peaceful negotiations, they can say ‘the Americans are on our side’.” The Philippines has in recent months complained of allegedly increasingly aggressive actions by China in waters claimed by both nations in the strategically vital and potentially resource-rich South China Sea. The Philippines and China-along with Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam-claim all or part of the South China Sea, and the area has long been considered one of Asia’s potential military flashpoints. Philippine President Benigno Aquino this month accused China of inciting at least seven incidents recently, including one in which a Chinese vessel allegedly opened fire on Filipino fishermen. He accused China of breaking international law by intruding within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile economic exclusion zone, and called on the United States for help in defending his country’s claims against the Chinese.

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario last week travelled to Washington, where he won some backing from the United States as the superpower offered to help modernize the cash-strapped Philippine military. “We are determined and committed to supporting the defense of the Philippines,” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told a joint news conference with del Rosario. No specifics were immediately announced but del Rosario later said that US authorities had vowed to help boost the Philippines’ intelligence capabilities in the South China Sea. Nevertheless, both nations have emphasized that the naval exercises starting tomorrow-named Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) - are part of long-term US efforts help the Philippine military. “The US and Philippine navies have a long history of working together, and exercises like (these) provide a great venue for us to hone our skills and increase our interoperability,” US CARAT commander Captain David Welch said. The United States will send 800 sailors and two guided missile destroyers, plus a diving and salvage ship, to the 17th staging of the exercises, the US military said in a press release.

Highlighting the disparity between the allies’ military capabilities, the Philippine navy said it would deploy two World War II-vintage vessels armed only with cannon for CARAT. About 300 Philippine sailors will take part, according to navy spokesman Lieutenant Noel Cadigal. The United States is scheduled to stage similar exercises with Vietnam next month, although it has insisted they too have nothing to do with South China Sea tensions.

Vietnam has made accusations similar to those of the Philippines over alleged Chinese actions in the South China Sea recently. Amid the spike in tensions, China has repeatedly said it wants to solve the territorial disputes peacefully while warning the United States it has no role to play in the spats.— AFP

PHO CHAI: A charm offensive by Thailand’s powerful military in rural opposition strongholds has raised fresh doubts about whether the generals will stay out of politics as an election looms. Thailand has seen almost as many actual or attempted coups as elections, although experts say the bloody crisis that has gripped the nation since tanks rolled through Bangkok in 2006 may make the army wary of intervening again.

On a whistlestop helicopter tour around the kingdom’s northeast this month, officers swooped into the heartland of anti-government “Red Shirts” to promote the development projects of the revered king. “We are trying to create love and faith,” Lieutenant General Darran Yutthawonsuk said as he explained the work of his unit within the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC). The Thai military sees itself as the guardian of the royal institution and frequently cites perceived threats to the beloved monarchy to justify its actions.

Darran denied the ISOC-responsible for communist suppression in the 1970s and 80s-had stepped up activities in the northeast ahead of the July 3 poll, but villagers said the visits only started in recent weeks. “I don’t know why they’re here,” said Noobang-on Sangngern, as troops swarmed around her home village of Pho Chai in Khon Kaen province during a ceremony for the king’s birthday, six months after the monarch turned 83. This impoverished chunk of Thailand remains a bastion of support for fugitive former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, ousted by the army in 2006 in a bloodless coup.

The controversial ex-premier lives in exile to avoid a jail term for corruption but still divides the Thai political landscape and seems determined to return one day. Protests by his red-shirted loyalists against the traditional Thai elite paralyzed central Bangkok last year and ended with a deadly army crackdownjust one chapter in a bloody political crisis sparked by the 2006 coup. Now his sister Yingluck Shinawatra, a political novice he describes as his “clone”, is the main opposition hopeful for premier and her unexpectedly strong popularity appears to have rattled Thailand’s army chief.

General Prayut Chan-O-Cha, a fervent royalist, made a surprise appearance on army-run TV channels a few weeks before the polls to call on voters to choose “good people” and “make our country and our monarchy safe”. “If you allow a repeat of the same election pattern, then we will always get the same result,” he added. Parties linked to Thaksin, deemed an authoritarian crook by his many critics, have won the most seats in the past four elections, so Prayut’s comment was seen as a thinly-veiled attack on Yingluck. The outburst was a “rather desperate move”, said political analyst and author Chris Baker, who believes Yingluck’s momentum has left the military unsure how to act, aware that toppling Thaksin had “kind of backfired on them”.

One of the more benign scenarios is that if the opposition wins by a landslide, it might be able to strike a deal with the army to stay in power while allowing the military top brass to keep their jobs. A close poll result could give the army room to intervene in the formation of a government, but a clear victory would make that “much more difficult,” said Baker. While King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest-serving monarch, is widely revered, many Thais are wary of the role of the royals’ staunch army backers, who have accused Red Shirt leaders of disloyalty to the throne.

Since the 2006 coup, a sharp increase in the use of rules against insulting the monarchy, which can incur lengthy jail terms, has alarmed advocates of free speech. Many of those arrested are opposition supporters. During another stop in one of hundreds of self-proclaimed “Red Shirt Villages” in the northeast, Darran presented a framed photograph of the king and queen for a house newly-renovated by soldiers. He denied the army’s activities were targeting opposition supporters in particular. “In the politics of this country, people have rights and freedom to vote for people they love, the party they like,” he said.

“But we explain to them not to insult the monarchy, because it violates the law.” Bearing a large picture of a smiling Thaksin, a large red sign marked the entrance to the village of Nong Hu Ling, but none of the residents wore their signature color for the army visit. —AFP

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Whales, plankton migrate across Northwest Passage

CASTRILLO DE MURCIA, Spain: A man representing the devil and called the Colacho jumps over young babies during the El Salto del Colacho in this village near Burgos, northern Spain, yesterday. The Colacho represents the devil who takes away the evil from newborn babies in the village as he jumps over them in this medieval religious custom. — AP

Israel warns journos over Gaza flotilla Continued from Page 1 after Hamas, an Iranian-backed group that rejects peace with Israel, overran the territory in 2007. Under international pressure, Israel eased the land blockade after last year’s flotilla raid, but the naval closure remains intact. Israel says the blockade is justified on internationally accepted legal grounds because it is effectively in a state of war with Hamas, which has fired thousands of rockets into Israel and killed hundreds of Israelis in suicide bombings and other attacks.

Critics say that while Israel is entitled to stop arms smuggling, the blockade has amounted to collective punishment and caused widespread suffering among Gaza’s 1.6 million people. The pro-Palestinian organizers of the flotilla say the mission is necessary to draw attention to the Gazans’ plight. It remains unclear when the current flotilla will actually set sail, but organizers have hinted it could be as soon as this week.

Organizers have said 10 boats, including two cargo vessels carrying aid supplies, will participate in the flotilla and that hundreds of people, including activists, journalists, politicians, writers and religious figures, will be on board. About two dozen activist groups, many of

them based in Europe, are organizing the journey.

Among them are IHH, a Turkish Islamic charity that helped organize last year’s flotilla and is outlawed in Israel.

There are already growing signs that this flotilla will be different. The Turkish boat that clashed with the Israeli navy has dropped out of this year’s flotilla. After a year of tensions, both Turkey and Israel have signaled that they are interested in repairing strained ties.

Greece has also urged Greek citizens and Greek-registered vessels not to participate, noting the risk of violence. Activists on “The Audacity of Hope,” an American boat in the flotilla that plans to sail from a Greek port, said police declared they could not leave because of questions about the vessel’s seaworthiness. In a statement, the activists speculated the delay stemmed from Israeli and US pressure.

Manuel Tapial, a Spanish activist, said a Spanish vessel in the flotilla planned to depart for Gaza this week in coordination with other aid boats and would be carrying 11 journalists, most of them Spanish. He criticized Israel’s warning to reporters, saying Israel did not want witnesses “to what they can do to us on the water”. — AP

Hacker group says Net rampage over Continued from Page 1 agency, a NATO online book shop, and elsewhere.

“Behind the mask, behind the insanity and mayhem, we truly believe in the AntiSec (anti-computer security) movement,” Lulz Security said.

“We’re not quitting because we’re afraid of law enforcement,” a LulzSec member said in a conversation with AP over the Internet voice program Skype. “The press are getting bored of us, and we’re getting bored of us.” In the interview yesterday, the hacker acknowledged that some of the material being circulated by rivals online - which purports to reveal the hackers’ online nicknames, past histories, and chat logs - was genuine, something he said had proved to be “a distraction”. He added that three or four of Lulz Security’s members were taking what he called “a breather” and said he was considering giving up cyberattacks altogether. “Maybe I’ll stop this hacking thing entirely. I haven’t decided,” he said.

He said he couldn’t speak for the others’ long-term plans, but said it was possible some of the members would continue to be involved with Anonymous, the much larger and more amorphous hacking group which has targeted the Church of Scientology, Middle Eastern dictatorships, and the music industry, among others. He said the six-member group was still sitting on a considerable amount of stolen law enforcement files. “It’s safe to say at this point that they are sitting on a lot of data.” Although the hacker declined to identify himself publicly, he has verified his membership with Lulz Security by posting a pre-arranged message to the group’s popular Twitter feed.

A British teenager suspected of involvement with the Lulz Security hacking spree has been remanded in police custody in London. Ryan Cleary, 19, was arrested at his home in Wickford, southeast England, as part of a probe by Scotland Yard and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation into Lulz Security. On Wednesday, British police charged Cleary with targeting the website of Britain’s Serious Organized Crime Agency - the British equivalent of the FBI - with a Distributed Denial of Service attack. DDoS attacks overwhelm websites with requests, causing them slow down or be inaccessible.

Lulz Security has staged a number of DDoS attacks on websites, including that of the CIA, but the group has also carried out a number of large-scale data thefts.

“In the Lulz group, they know what they are doing when it comes to breaking into places,” PandaLabs technical director Luis Corrons told AFP. “It’s their way to say the security here sucks and we are going to show you why,” he continued. “Based on the way they act, I would say they are young people.” For months, the hacker group brazenly ramped up its antics as waves of cyberattacks showed how poorly defended many networks are against Internet marauders.

Lulz has claimed in recent weeks to have cracked into Sony, Nintendo, the US Senate, the Public Broadcasting System news organization and an InfraGard, which works with the FBI. The group flaunted its notoriety with a telephone hotline for people to call and suggest targets for cyberattacks. “These guys are upsetting a lot of people,” said Corrons, whose cyberthreat research team is part of Spain-based Panda Security. “They think they will never be caught, and that could be their biggest mistake.” — Agencies

Syrian troops closing in on Lebanon...

Continued from Page 1 said Khirbet al-Joz was used as a “key crossing for armed groups from and to the Turkish” border. The army was “now cleansing” the village of any armed presence, securing roads and protecting residents. In Lebanon, a cleric and a village headman said hundreds of people, mostly Lebanese living in Syria, had sought safe haven in the northern Akkar region over the weekend.

Around 350 to 400 people streamed into Kuneissat on Friday and Saturday, said the headman of the Lebanese border village, Ali Hammud, adding that most came from Al-Hit and Dweik villages and some from Kseir. “They came after hearing rumours that the violence could spread,” said imam Sheikh Mustafa Hammud. Anti-government protests in Syria swelled on Friday with tens of thousands of people surging onto the streets in response to Syrian Revolution 2011 - a Facebook group and driving force behind three months of demonstrations.

Security forces used live ammunition and tear gas against the pro-

testers, killing 18 people and wounding scores more, activists told AFP. Funerals were held on Saturday for the victims. Friday’s protests contested the “legitimacy” of the Syrian regime, dominated by the ruling Baath party for nearly five decades, despite Assad’s offer earlier in the week of a “national dialogue” and a general amnesty.

Opposition figures, meanwhile, announced they will meet in Damascus today to discuss “how to solve the crisis” which has gripped Syria since mid-March. “We will talk so that we can formulate a national strategy on how to end Syria’s current crisis,” Abdel Karim Rihawi, president of the Syrian League for Human Rights, told AFP. But the one-day grouping of more than 100 independents, with no ties to political parties, will not be taking the place of “protesters in the street,” the rights activist stressed.

Anwar Bunni, a prominent rights lawyer who has spent five years in Syrian jail, played up its significance as “a first meeting of its kind at a public venue announced in advance”. The opposition will only take part in a “national dialogue” as

proposed by the authorities if peaceful demonstrations are authorised, political prisoners are released, the opposition recognised and the use of force halted, he told AFP. Writer and journalist Louai Hussein, who has also spent time behind bars, said he had called the meeting because “activists should have a chance to speak up about what is happening in the country”.

Another participant, well-known Syrian writer Michel Kilo, who spent years in Syrian prisons for his criticism of the regime, said those meeting today have “their own choices and positions” for ways of moving Syria to democracy. He said no one from outside the country had been invited, and participants belong to no political faction.

Syria’s military spokesman Major General Riad Haddad, quoted on CNN, said 1,300 members of the security forces have been killed in the revolt, in attacks which the authorities have blamed on “armed gangs”.

According to the Syrian Observatory, 1,342 civilians have been killed in the government’s crackdown and 342 security force personnel have also died. — Agencies

AMSTERDAM: When a 13-m gray whale was spotted off the Israeli town of Herzliya last year, scientists came to a startling conclusion: it must have wandered across the normally icebound route above Canada, where warm weather had briefly opened a clear channel three years earlier. On a microscopic level, scientists also have found plankton in the North Atlantic where it had not existed for at least 800,000 years.

The whale’s odyssey and the surprising appearance of the plankton indicates a migration of species through the Northwest Passage, a worrying sign of how global warming is affecting animals and plants in the oceans as well as on land. “The implications are enormous. It’s a threshold that has been crossed,” said Philip C. Reid, of the Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science in Plymouth, England. “It’s an indication of the speed of change that is taking place in our world in the present day because of climate change,” he said in a telephone interview Friday.

Reid said the last time the world witnessed such a major incursion from the Pacific was 2 million years ago, which had “a huge impact on the North Atlantic,” driving some species to extinction as the newcomers dominated the competition for food. Reid’s study of plankton and the research on the whale, co-authored by Aviad Scheinin of the Israel Marine Mammal Research and Assistance Center, are among nearly 300 scientific papers written over the last 13 years that are being synthesized and published this year by Project Clamer, a collaboration of 17 institutes on climate change and the oceans.

Changes in the oceans’ chemistry and temperature could have implications for fisheries, as species migrate northward to cooler waters, said Katja Philippart, of the Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research who is coordinating the project funded by the European Union. “We try to put the information on the table for people who have to make decisions. We don’t say whether it’s bad or good.

We say there is a high potential for change,” she said.

The Northwest Passage, the route through the frigid archipelago from Alaska across northern Canada, has been ice-free from one end to the other only twice in recorded history, in 1998 and 2007. But the ice pack is retreating farther and more frequently during the summers. Plankton that had previously been found only in Atlantic sea bed cores from 800,000 years ago appeared in the Labrador Sea in 1999 - and then in massive numbers in the Gulf of St Lawrence two years later. Now it has established itself as far south as the New York coast, Reid said.

The highly endangered gray whale sighted off the Israeli coast in May 2010 belonged to a species that was hunted to extinction in the Atlantic by the mid-1700s. The same animal - identified by unique markings on its fluke,

GUERRERO NEGRO, Mexico: In this Feb 21, 2011 file photo, a tail of a gray whale surfaces at the Ojo de Liebre lagoon. — AP or tail fin - appeared off the Spanish coast 22 days later, and has not been reported seen since. Though it was difficult to draw conclusions from one whale, the researchers said its presence in the Mediterranean “coincides with a shrinking of Arctic Sea ice due to climate change and suggests that climate change may allow gray whales to recolonize the North Atlantic.”

That may be good for the whales, but other aspects of the ice melt could be harmful to the oceans’ biosystems, the scientists warn. Plankton is normally the bottom of the marine food chain, but some are more nutritious than others. Plankton changes have been blamed for the collapse of some fish stocks and threats to fisheating birds in the North Sea, the studies show. The migration of a solitary whale and two species of plankton is not of much concern so far, Reid said. “It’s the potential for further ones to come through if the Arctic opens. That’s the key message.” — AP

Storied Beirut hotel aiming for comeback Continued from Page 1 But today, the four-storey pink stone building that was gutted by fire during the war that ended in 1990 still sits empty on the Beirut waterfront, dwarfed by modern high-rises and fancy shopping centres that have sprouted up in recent years. And while the hotel once enjoyed an unobstructed view of the sea from nearly all angles, it now is surrounded by a marina on one side, a two-metre seawall on another and a new development project built on a landfill into the Mediterranean.

A massive billboard hanging on the side of the hotel reads “Stop Solidere”, in reference to the bitter legal battle between the owner Fady Al-Khoury and the company he claims has prevented him from moving forward to restore the St Georges to its old glory. “ They (Solidere) have prevented the hotel from being rebuilt for 15 years,” Khoury told AFP, sitting by the hotel pool which is still open for business.

“They want us not to exist.”

Solidere spokesman Nabil Rached said the company, founded in 1994 by then Prime Minister Rafiq

Hariri, a billionaire businessman, did not wish to comment on the issue.

Hariri died in 2005 in a massive bombing that also gutted the facade of the St Georges, which at the time had partially been reconstructed. A bronze memorial statue of Hariri now stands to the left of the hotel, gazing at the huge “Stop Solidere” sign. Depending on who you talk to in Lebanon, Solidere is described as a company that should be credited with rebuilding war-ravaged Beirut or wiping out its heritage and driving its original residents and merchants out.

The battle between Khoury and Solidere erupted after he challenged the company’s bid to build a new marina, which he says infringed on the landmark hotel’s historical and legal access to the water. The legal fight, Khoury says, has stalled his plans to reopen the hotel which he believes will lose its historic and commercial value if access to the water is restricted. “What they did is apocalyptic,” said Khoury, referring to Solidere. “When you stand in the marina they built you can’t see the sun anymore, you are surrounded by enormous buildings and once they finish putting up all the other towers

the sun won’t reach the St Georges until very late in the day.”

But as the legal battle drags on, some question whether anyone really has the hotel’s interest at heart.

“Whether it be Solidere or the current owner of the hotel, neither give a damn about the St Georges, its history or the history of Beirut,” said Jacques Tabet, whose father Antoine designed the St Georges along with French architects. “This is not about the hotel, it’s about money.” Khoury however insists he will never give up the legal fight to preserve the Saint Georges and restore its lustre. “The right of the St Georges will prevail and I will not make a compromise,” he said. “And once I’m gone the St Georges cannot be sold by my inheritors. “The worst that could happen to it is that it be donated to a church or a mosque - anything but Solidere.”

He said that since Hariri’s assassination, literally at the hotel’s doorstep, he has worked to refurbish the St Georges which he hopes to reopen within 18 months to two years. “People may think I am a Don Quixote, but I am not,” Khoury said. “I can’t give up on this iconic hotel, witness to the civil war which destroyed it.” — AFP

Row over remaining sessions of Assembly Continued from Page 1 that not all MPs and constitutional experts agree with.

The controversial bill calls for scrapping interest worth several billion dollars, with the government insisting that doing so would be detrimental to the country’s economy in general and the banking and financial system in particular.

Buramia, who has been campaigning for the issue for several years, insists that banks have lured Kuwaitis into taking out unnecessary loans and have committed grave violations in calculating the interest and in applying the law in the absence of the supervision of the Central Bank of Kuwait and the finance ministry. This, he insists, has led to many Kuwaitis being unable to repay their debts. The government has played down the issue, saying that only a few violations had been committed and authorities took the necessary action in those

cases. The government also established the so-called defaulters’ fund to assist debtors unable to repay their debts.

Anti-government MPs are also intent on passing three other bills already approved by parliament, concerning major wage rises for military personnel and teachers and grant increases for students. The bills concerning the wage and grant rises for teachers and students were passed by a large parliamentary majority despite stiff opposition from the government which is widely expected to reject them.

MPs also want to pass the bill concerning wage rises for military personnel in the second round of voting.

Anti-government MPs have already called on their fellow lawmakers to walk out of the upcoming Assembly sessions and stop the house from completing the final three sessions of the term if the speaker refuses to allow debate on

the aforementioned issues. The current parliamentary term is officially scheduled to end on Wednesday, immediately after passing the state budget.

In another development, antigovernment activist Abbas AlShaabi who has been prevented from attending parliamentary sessions or even entering the National Assembly building staged a protest outside parliament yesterday, carrying a portrait of outspoken antigovernment MP Musallam AlBarrak. Abbas, who acquired the name ‘shaabi’ (popular) due to his strong support of the Popular Action Bloc, was recently barred from the Assembly for allegedly clashing with MPs. Barrak strongly condemned the speaker’s decision to bar Shaabi, adding that a lawyer has been asked to prepare a lawsuit against the Assembly’s move. Shaabi is due to appear on July 3 for investigation by the National Assembly.

Inflation hits 5-month high Continued from Page 1 months towards 5 percent,” said Daniel Kaye, senior economist at the National Bank of Kuwait. “Inflation remains not perhaps a burning issue for the (monetary) policy authority in the region yet,” he said.

Kuwait’s central bank governor was quoted yesterday as saying interest rates were at a suitable level, and a dinar peg to a basket of currencies was helping to curb inflation, mostly driven by rising import costs. The May inflation figure comes within the Kuwait central bank’s 5-6 percent forecast

from March. Central banks in the Gulf, which needs to import most of its food needs, have limited tools to combat price pressures as most of the region’s currencies are linked to the greenback.

A Reuters poll this month showed analysts expected average price growth at 5.1 percent in Kuwait. — Reuters

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Issues

Engaged Saudi youth create positive change

By Lulua Asaad hen we read or watch news about the Middle East and North Africa what we hear are politicians gathering to talk about the economy, employment rates or education; or an analyst breaking down headline news stories. What we don’t usually hear about are youth coming together hand-in-hand – regardless of their differences, their doctrines and their upbringing – to create a better world to live in, one city or one home at a time. These stories deserve to be heard and can serve as a powerful reality check, dispelling popular stereotypes about a country, a culture or a religion.

The Youth Initiative Group (YIG) is new in Saudi Arabia, founded in 2010 with the aim of bringing together volunteers in Saudi Arabia to work together for positive change in their society. YIG encourages individuals to volunteer their time and skills to benefit the society they live in. Many YIG initiatives began in the basements, garages and homes of founders and volunteers, where people came together to consolidate their efforts and donations (supplies, food, furniture, kitchen equipment, health supplies, etc.) to help those in need.

It is especially in times of devastation when the goodness in people really shows. For example, when Jeddah was hit severely by flooding, many people sought help to rebuild their homes. YIG volunteers gathered in the Al-Harithy Exhibition Center in Jeddah to reach out to private companies and individuals to donate food, supplies, cleaning products and other key items.

Doctors, students, bankers, experts and children reached out to over 2,000 people daily. Men and women worked together to help those who were in need. The official campaign ran for a week, but even after the centre closed volunteer efforts continued, distributing appliances – such as air conditioning units during the summer heat, refrigerates, stoves, etc. – to families in need.

Refreshing stories such as this one need to be highlighted. Filling the gap for this type of news, the online platform 1001 Stories of Common Ground, provided a space for me to post pictures showing these youth working together as a way to tell their story. 1001 Stories of Common Ground is an online initiative created by the international non-profit conflict transformation organisation Search for Common Ground, but the stories are driven by its members.

It provides an opportunity to share constructive stories of change in the Middle East and North Africa as an innovative way to reinterpret the renowned One Thousand and One Nights, bringing people together who believe that positive change in the world starts with sharing positive stories and perspectives at the interpersonal level.

To help further its goal of highlighting positive stories, the website is currently running a competition for the best original photos, videos and articles that showcase different groups working together for a shared goal. These stories of positive change are seldom mentioned in the media. However no act of kindness or positive thinking should ever be underestimated. No matter how small, it’s never wasted. The youth generation is today’s catalyst for positive change. Society can thrive only when its members share their knowledge, wealth, and advice with one another – when we are working together to build a better place for us, our children, our families and our friends to live.

The youth of the Middle East are already participating in the awakening of civil society, embracing their civic duty and encouraging one another. These initiatives should be highlighted, not only as encouragement to others, but also to show the world the real image of Arab youth, women and men, active citizens creating positive change in their society.

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NOTE: Lulua Asaad is a Saudi national based in Austria who has worked at the IAEA and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization. —CGNews

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.

S Korea’s religious harmony put to test

By Jonathan Hopfner any South Koreans concerned about the country’s increasing religious polarisation are haunted by a single image - their president on his knees. While attending a national prayer breakfast in March, Lee knelt to pray at the urging of Christian leaders.

Footage of the event shocked many in this pluralist country, where about half the population professes no particular faith and the remainder is split between Buddhists, Christians and homegrown creeds. The main Buddhist Jogye Order called the scene “unforgiveable,” and even right-leaning media outlets generally supportive of the conservative leader expressed reservations.

The Joongang Ilbo daily in an editorial urged Lee, a devout Protestant and an elder at Seoul’s Somang Church, to keep his beliefs private and avoid provoking public ire. “(The prayer breakfast) convinced people how dangerous the current situation really is,” said Park Gwangseo, head of the Korea Institute for Religious Freedom, a civic group that works to promote the separation of religion and state. “We’re at a peak as far as the relationship between politics and religion is concerned.”

South Korea’s constitution stipulates that there is no official religion and bars the country’s leaders from elevating one faith above others, but analysts say Lee’s outspoken religious beliefs and strong links with the Christian community have opened the administration to charges of bias. “We have for the first time very high-level conflicts going on, particularly between the Christian community and the Buddhist community,” said Hahm Sung Deuk, a professor of political economy at Korea University. “And most of these conflicts can be attributed to President Lee.” Buddhists, secularists and even some Christians have bristled at cases that they believe point to a rising Christian influence in the operations of government.

These include its failure to pass legislation supporting Islamic bond, or sukuk, issuances, which was strongly opposed

by Christian groups, and a reduction in funding for a program that lodges tourists at Buddhist temples. Many also believe Lee filled key government positions based on recommendations and advice from the Christian community, Hahm says.

Christian groups say they enjoy good relations with the administration, but deny having any direct influence. “Some people might say the church and state are too friendly, but it’s not favourable for the church to participate in politics,” said Kim Woon-tei, executive secretary of the Christian Council of Korea (CCK), which claims to represent around 8 million people under 69 protestant denominations. “We only give our opinions to the state, to show how Christians view politics and the political process.” The Council’s opposition to sukuk laws was not based on religion but because the proposals “(did not serve) the well-being of the economy and Korean people,” Kim said.

A sense they are being left behind has mobilised Buddhists, who are increasingly flexing their political muscle, observers say. “Buddhists think Christians are getting too much support (from the government)... so are organising more clearly to express themselves through political action and as a political movement,” said

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Yoon Yee-heum, an honorary professor of religious studies and Seoul National University.

In late 2010, the Jogye Order cut off relations with the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) over the temple funding row, barring its officials from attending official temple events even throughout the campaign period for April by-elections, when candidates frequently do the rounds of prominent temples and churches. The dispute appeared to reach a resolution on June 7, when the head of the order announced that despite the government’s “religious favouritism”, it would normalise ties with the ruling party and endeavour to resolve any issues through “communication and an open approach.”

The timing of the peace with the Jogye Order is fortuitous for the GNP as political parties move to galvanise support ahead of the presidential election next year. In an increasingly charged environment some fear religion could play a bigger role in the results.

Kim of the CCK says while the organisation does not officially endorse specific candidates or parties, its membership is largely conservative and some church leaders “may say they are favourable to certain politicians and candidates.”

Park of the Korea Institute for Religious Freedom said: “Most priests speak about politics and many people are affected by their opinions.” Others believe the impact of religious groups on the vote will be minimal and that elections could even ease the tensions that have characterised the Lee administration. “Voters don’t care much about candidates’ religion itself, but how it relates to their governing,” said Korea

University’s Hahm.

Hahm said the figures generally tipped as presidential candidates, including apparent frontrunner Park Geun-hye, are careful to be circumspect about their religious views. Park aides say she professes no specific faith. “Because of the Lee experience, many candidates will be very careful about the religious issue or selecting people from a particular religious group,” he said. “They know the majority of Koreans support the principle of separating religion and politics and

will try to get as much support as possible across religious communities.”

Yoon warns candidates who ignore the conflicts that have arisen in recent years and turn to religion to win support may further imperil the harmony that has so far characterised relations among Korea’s different faiths. “If politicians do not look at this change, no one knows where the situation will go,” he said.

“Politicians see religion as a voting matter, so they’re ignoring it ... (it is) clearly rising as a social problem.” — Reuters

Lee Myung-bak arrives at a party for Korean War veterans at the Korean War Memorial Museum in Seoul on June 24, 2011. – AFP

Ahmadinejad pushed into opposition

By Farshid Motahari ranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is finding it more and more difficult to fulfil his role as head of the country’s executive branch as conservatives in parliament find a way to block his every initiative. He has seen his efforts to merge the oil and energy ministries, name himself caretaker of the oil ministry, and appoint a sports minister and deputy foreign minister blocked or rejected by parliament. The parliament even ordered Foreign Minister AliAkbar Salehi this week to fire his deputy or face impeachment. Salehi sacked his second-in command.

Since April, Ahmadinejad has been involved in a row not only with the conservative faction dominating the parliament but also the clergy. Both used to firmly back the president, but his critics now charge him with backing a “deviant current,” a term used for his close aides and advisers accused of undermining the ruling Islamic establishment. Several of his aides have reportedly been arrested, including former deputy foreign minister Mohammad Sharif Malekzadeh.

What charges they might face are unclear.

Malekzadeh is accused of financial corruption, but observers said they question how Salehi was not aware of a criminal background before recently appointing him as his deputy for administrative and financial affairs. “The legal charges are just a pretext to cover the apparently very deep ideological rifts between the conservatives and the president’s men,” a political scientist in Tehran said.

The main target of the clergy and the conservatives is the president’s top adviser, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei, who is also the father-in-law of Ahmadinejad’s son. Mashaei is said to oppose the clergy-dominated framework of the Islamic republic’s establishment and to favour a more nationalist rather than Islamic approach to running the country.

Malekzadeh’s arrest is believed by political analysts to have been ordered because he is close to Mashaei.

Conservatives and several clerical circles seem to have lost faith that Ahmadinejad would continue to follow the

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principles of the country’s Islamic system. “Gradually, we have come to the conclusion that Ahmadinejad will no longer return to the arms of the conservatives,” said Hossein Kanaani Moqaddam, a senior member of a coalition of conservative factions. “ The conservatives still hope that Ahmadinejad would distance himself from the deviant current, but if not, then parliament would raise the issue of impeaching the president,” Moqaddam warned.

Some clerical circles even accused the Ahmadinejad faction of pursuing a plan to remove the clerics from power.

The Iranian political system is based on the absolute power of the supreme leadership, which is in the hands of religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to the constitution, he has the final say on all state affairs and hence can also veto presidential decisions. Ahmadinejad has so far denied all charges by his critics but at the same has not stopped his support for his advisers, especially Mashaei. “As I have said since my presidency in 2005, I do not agree with the political management so far made in Iran [since the 1979 Islamic revolution] and that my policies are 180 degrees different,” the president said.

Iran has been ruled since the revolution by either conservatives or reformists. Ahmadinejad has always said he represents the “third (political) wave”. “I do not approve the ideas of my predecessors, and their criticisms will have no impact on my work,” Ahmadinejad said. “I will go my way, as I have the vote and blessing of the people.”

Political observers said it was not yet clear what policies the third wave intends to pursue but they would certainly would not be in the interests of the Islamic establishment.

The ramifications of the political showdown in Iran could become more clear in March when parliamentary elections are scheduled. Observers said they believe Ahmadinead would no longer seek a coalition with conservatives but introduce his own team. “As strange as it may sound, it seems Ahmadinejad has gradually been pushed by the establishment into the opposition,” a Western diplomat in Tehran said. — dpa

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Turkey loses patience over Syria

By Ibon Villelabeitia urkey faces a growing danger Syrian economic and social disruption could spill onto its soil, with some fearing an influx of refugees could draw its troops into border operations uncomfortably close to Syrian forces. President Bashar Al-Assad’s crackdown on opposition has pushed oncewarm ties with Syria close to breaking point.

Assad’s increasingly bloody repression of protests has driven 12,000 Syrian refugees to move north and take shelter in camps in Turkey, while Syrian troops move up to seal the area.

Ankara has sharpened its rhetoric against Damascus - publicly nudging Assad to pass reforms and calling his crackdown “savagery” - but analysts say Turkey is still holding out hope for a change of heart in Assad.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Friday a speech by Assad contained “positive elements in it as signals of reform”, but said it was important that action followed. “The Turks seem to be quite worried about a lack of alternatives to a stable regime other than a cruel tyrannical succession,” said a Western diplomat with knowledge of the Turkish perspective. “Their last best hope - although they are not naÔve - is that somehow Assad, out of desperation to save his own skin, will undertake meaningful reforms.”

Syria, an ally of Iran, sits at the heart of numerous conflicts in the Middle East. An unstable Syria would have repercussions for Turkey, which also borders Iran and Iraq.

“The fear of the unknown is a major factor,” said Gareth Jenkins, an Istanbul-based security analyst. “AK is very conservative. It prefers to deal with the devil it knows and Assad is the devil it knows,” Jenkins said, referring to Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AK Party, which has improved ties with Syria and other Muslim countries. But Turkey could decide to ditch Assad should Syria descend into a civil war between religious and ethnic groupings. Though nonArab, Turkey’s demographics have similarities with Syria’s. Both have a Sunni majority

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with Kurdish and Alawite minorities, although Assad’s ruling family are Alawites.

“The strategic, political dimension says that the stability of Syria is vital for the fragile stability of the Middle East,” Murat Yetkin, editor of the Hurriyet daily, wrote recently. “But that doesn’t mean that the current regime will be supported at any cost, because the Baath rule cannot produce stability anymore, as it insists on the current policies.”

With refugees pouring across the border, media have reported that Turkish political and military leaders are considering setting up a buffer zone inside Syria in case the

guard when 500,000 people flooded across the border from Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War, many of them staying for some time after the war. The years that followed saw small contingents of Turkish troops policing what was an effective ‘buffer zone’ in the north of Iraq.

Having almost gone to war in the late 1990s because of Turkish Kurdish militants using Syria as a sanctuary, Damascus would not welcome the prospect of Turkish boots on Syrian soil. Ankara still faces an insurrection by Kurdish militants seeking their own state in the south-east. Turkey is eager to

Syrians refugees speak with relatives from behind a fence at a refugee camp in the Turkish border town of Yayladagi in Hatay province yesterday. — AFP number of refugees increases sharply.

Officials say they are not aware of such plans. Turkey’s 2nd Army Commander visited the Guvecci border post this week to take stock of Syrian troop deployments near the border and to see the situation of the refugees for himself. Turkey was caught off

see borders with Syria, Iran and Iraq that, while open to commerce, are well sealed against rebel infiltration. Jenkins said creating a buffer zone in Syria would carry risks given concerns of Turkish “neo-Ottoman” foreign ambitions in some Arab countries, but said Ankara might be forced to it in the

case of a mass influx of refugees. “If we start seeing a spillover that upsets the internal demographic dynamics of Turkey a buffer zone would be possible. The Kurds are the elephant in the room here,” he said.

While Turkey has failed to use its economic leverage to force a change in Damascus -Turkey is Syria’s largest trading partner - it is manoeuvring to adapt to any fallout. A few months ago, Turkey and Syria were holding joint cabinet meetings and military exercises and abolished visa requirements. Earlier this month, Turkey hosted a conference of Syrian opposition figures in the city of Antalya, and members of the outlawed Syrian Muslim Brotherhood operate out of Turkey.

Meanwhile, there have also been early signs of a thaw in frosty relations between Turkey and Israel, Syria’s enemy. Turkish-Israeli ties deteriorated sharply when Israeli commandos stormed a Turkish-backed flotilla bound for Gaza last year, killing nine Turkish activists. “The policy of warming up to Syria has collapsed, but rather than Turkey reaching a point in which its patience with Assad will snap we will see Turkey finding new margins of manoeuvre to whatever situation emerges,” said Semih Idiz, a foreign policy expert for Milliyet daily. The Syrian crisis has also pushed Ankara and Washington into closer cooperation after falling out of step over Iran. Erdogan, who once vacationed together with Assad, and US President Barack Obama have discussed Syria twice by phone recently and share a need for Damascus to implement reforms. Assad’s repression has triggered a gradual escalation of US and European Union economic sanctions against Syrian leaders, but Turks don’t agree on sanctions. “Turks hate sanctions.

Turks suffered greatly under generations of sanctions in Saddam’s Iraq and now with Iran.

The last thing Turkey wants is a third country on its eastern border under international sanctions,” the Western diplomat said. “They likely would not hesitate to point out to Assad the examples of Saddam and Iran, if he persists in oppressing his own people and defying world opinion.” — Reuters

Chaos feared as crisis nears impasse

By Tim Sullivan hen the Arab Spring came to Talkalakh, the little Syrian hill town a few minutes’ walk from this border village, it seemed to last barely a moment.

Squads of secret police descended on the town within hours of the first protests. Then the army came with its tanks, and the shadowy pro-government militia called the shabiha.

The May siege killed at least 36 civilians, activists say. Hundreds of people were arrested. Thousands fled. By mid-June, the Sunni Muslim town of 70,000 people had only a few dozen families remaining, according to residents who recently escaped into Lebanon, and those still there are constantly watched by security forces. But when night falls, the Arab Spring comes back to Talkalakh. Because that is when the young people slip quietly to the rooftops of their concrete homes.

And in the darkness they shout out for freedom and for the help of God. Silence returns only when soldiers begin blindly spraying gunfire.

As the early success of the Arab Spring has bogged down in turmoil - civil war in Libya, repression in Bahrain and anarchy in Yemen Syria has become mired in its own bloody grind of protests and repression. Its stalemate is a reflection of the new and more complicated chapter in the string of Arab uprisings. If much of the Syrian uprising has been cloaked by an authoritarian Damascus regime that expelled foreign journalists, the stakes could turn out to be far higher there than almost anywhere else in the Arab world. In the balance are political reform for one of the region’s most brutally repressive countries, and fear that the nation of 22 million people could descend into sectarian conflict that would draw in players from across the Middle East.

Residents of protesting towns describe relentless shelling of their neighborhoods. They pass around cell phone videos of young men so badly tortured that their corpses look like butchered meat. More than 1,400 Syrians have been killed in the crackdown, activists say, and 10,000 have been detained.

“Soldiers kick the faces of demonstrators under arrest, when they are handcuffed on the ground. They say: “You want freedom? This is your freedom!” said a bookish 21-yearold from Talkalakh who asked to be identified only by his first name, Zakariya, fearing retribution against relatives. “They think they can stop our protests by abusing us, but that is not going to work.”

Like many demonstrators, he was surprised to find himself in the streets at all. “We couldn’t even imagine that we could talk like this, that we could ask for freedom,” he said, standing in the shade of a tree on Wadi Khaled’s quiet main street.

But then satellite TV brought news of demonstrators overthrowing dictators in Tunisia and Egypt, and of

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political convulsions across the Middle East. “It gave us the courage to raise our voices,” he said.

However, three months after the protests spread to Syria, the country is in a political no-man’s-land, with President Bashar Assad’s regime unable to crush the tenacious grassroots opposition but unwilling to begin talks with them.

Assad’s most recent peace offering, a vague promise to consider political reforms, was quickly dismissed by the opposition as a ploy to buy time and hold onto power. The regime “still believes it can crush the protests,” said Rami Nakhla, a Syrian activist now living underground in Beirut who has spent months disseminating news and video clips sent from inside the country. “But it’s clear the regime has played all its cards and the protests are not burning out.

Israel are officially at war and Israel has occupied Syria’s Golan Heights since 1967, their quiet, behind-thescenes contact has sometimes been key to preventing the eruption of fighting. “People are afraid of what could happen if Assad falls from power,” said Elias Muhanna, a political analyst at Harvard University. At worst, it could become what he calls “an Iraq scenario”, with armed militias carving out ethnic fiefdoms.

It is a fear that Damascus has carefully nurtured in recent months, warning repeatedly that only Assad can keep chaos at bay. And while most analysts say Assad is exaggerating, few deny that such violence is a serious possibility. That is why many opposition figures are putting their hope on an unlikely player: the Syrian army. Dissidents say they are in touch with many lowerranking soldiers, and have publicly

Assad’s brother Maher and used to crush the biggest protests, as well as the Republican Guard, which is responsible for protecting the capital, Damascus. Then there is the shabiha, the mafia-style militia the regime uses as enforcers, a network of fearsome young Alawite men known for dressing all in black.

The Alawites rose from economic obscurity after the 1970 coup led

by Bashar Assad’s father, Hafez, gaining power and financial muscle in exchange for loyalty to the Assads. It is their support that the younger Assad sees as the key to continued power. Alawites claim they would be oppressed as Muslim heretics if the Sunnis come to power, and Sunnis claim they are unable to get the government jobs essential to reach the lower rungs of the middle class. Analyst Muhanna says the now-privileged Alawites would

In this April 22, 2011 file photo, a Syrian boy carries a banner during an anti-government demonstration in the coastal city of Banias, Syria. – AP They’re spreading.”

At the same time, the activists have not managed so far to draw in Syria’s middle class, resulting in protests that hopscotch across the countr y but seldom touch the largest cities. The Assad regime has long used sheer brutality to hold together a fragile jigsaw puzzle of Middle Eastern backgrounds Sunnis, Shiites, Alawites, Christians, Kurds, Druse, Circassians, Armenians and more. Sectarian violence is widely feared, and in the worst-case scenario the country could descend into a Lebanesestyle civil war.

At the same time, Syria is an important geopolitical linchpin. It borders five other nations, has close ties to Iran and powerful militant groups, and controls water supplies to Iraq, Jordan and parts of Israel.

Meanwhile, though Damascus and

urged top-ranking officers to oust Assad in a coup d’etat. “We don’t have other options right now,” said Radwan Ziadeh, a prominent Syrian exile and a visiting scholar at the Institute for Middle East Studies at George Washington University. “We need the army officers to take the initiative.” Getting to that point, though, would require crossing a deep sectarian chasm.

Syria’s deadlock is rooted in the divide between the Sunni Muslim majority and the Alawites, a Shiite offshoot that makes up about 11 percent of the country. The Assad family is Alawite, as are most key leaders in the army, the intelligence services and top businesses. While Sunnis dominate the military’s enlisted ranks, the top commanders are mostly Alawites. They also make up much of the army’s feared 4th Division, which is led by Bashar

see majority rule as a nightmare.

“They would see it as the end of Alawite culture,” he said. “ The Alawites look at Syria the way the Jews look at Israel.”

Whether or not the Alawite military commanders turn against Assad may depend on the new middle class. For now, Assad counts on the support of a small but growing Syrian middle class, a mixture of Sunnis, Alawites and other ethnic groups that live mostly in the cities of Damascus and Aleppo. This newly monied class, mostly traders and small manufacturers, has seen life gradually improve since Hafez Assad died in 2000, and his son began opening up the country’s economy.

“So far, they continue to think that Assad’s regime ensures stability and continuity,” said Hilal Khashan, a professor of political sci-

ence at the American University of Beirut. “If they reach the conclusion that Assad is not their man, and the regime is not one to rely upon, they will join the protest movement.”

That, he said, would be the point when the Syrian army would step in - when they believed a coup could keep economic chaos at bay while allowing Alawite military commanders to retain at least some power. “In order to avert the specter of civil war, you would have to include the Alawites in a postBashar Assad political order,” said Khashan. While there has been no sign of a split in the military, the protests’ momentum has yet to slow. For every Talkalakh where demonstrations are crushed, others break out. Dozens of protests have erupted across the country. Most recently, the government laid siege to towns along the northern border, sending thousands of refugees streaming into Turkey.

In many ways, Syria’s turmoil is not surprising. Across the Middle East, protesters have discovered that creating new governments is far more complicated than driving out old dictators. The chaos in countries like Libya and Yemen is welcome to the Assad regime, which has carefully mixed vague promises of eventual reform with none-too-subtle warnings that Syria could also spiral into violence.

Government officials blame the protests on mysterious gunmen or Muslim extremists, while warning that Israel or other unnamed foreign powers are stage-managing the demonstrations. The opposition insistently denies any foreign involvement, and the scattered nature of the protests appears to indicate broad grassroots support and little central planning.

Still, dissidents acknowledge they began preparing for protests early this year, when it became clear that calls for democrac y were spilling across the Arab world. According to Ziadeh, an informal exile network smuggled satellite telephones and other communications gear into the country, presuming the government would clamp down on communications if protests began.

That equipment has been essential to getting news out through the network of exile-activists.

But as for Assad himself, he has been nearly invisible. He has spoken only three times in public since the protests erupted. For the most part, he uses his speeches to talk about dangerous saboteurs and international conspiracies he insists are out to undermine Syria. But he also makes clear that violence may be the ultimate answer. “What is at stake is the homeland,” he said in March 30 speech to Parliament.

“The Syrian people are peaceful people, loving people, but we have never hesitated in defending our causes, interests and principles, and if we are forced into a battle, so be it.” — AP

Focus

No turning back for Obama on Afghanistan war

By Ben Feller President Barack Obama is determined to pull the United States out of the war in Afghanistan. There will be no more presidential talk of decisions based on conditions on the ground, no benchmarks to measure, no maybes at all.

Obama deliberately left out any wiggle room in declaring that a methodical withdrawal has begun.

His speech to the nation on Wednesday, a turning point in a fight most Americans don’t want, abandoned the caveats that commanders in chief often reserve for a war still being fought. Why? Because Obama wants Kabul and the American electorate to know there will be no turning back. This combat mission will be over by the end of 2014.

After that, the United States will have forces in Afghanistan for counterterrorism missions and advisory support. Just how many is still to be negotiated with the Afghan government and perhaps the next US president, whether that’s Obama or not. The White House is looking at a number in the range of 5,000 to 20,000, far fewer than the 100,000 US troops there now. Several factors led Obama to settle on a fast pace for withdrawal and an unequivocal tone. Mainly, he sees a military mission accomplished, without ever using those words. Yet the political context also has changed significantly. A sovereign Afghanistan has tired of the US presence, the financial toll of the war has become entangled with the US debt debate, and people in the US long for an exit.

As US troops start coming home in July, with more than 30,000 pulling out by September 2012, Obama’s emphasis has narrowed. Just as he looked homeward when he ended the combat mission in Iraq, Obama is talking less about boosting the Afghan people and more about helping struggling Americans. “We won’t try to make Afghanistan a perfect place,” the president said in his speech. “We will not police its streets or patrol its mountains indefinitely. That is the responsibility of the Afghan government.” That, not surprisingly, is what an economy-focused voting public wants to hear.

When President George W Bush announced the US-led invasion in Oct 2001 in response to the Sept 11 attacks, he warned Americans that their patience would be tested “in the months ahead”. Turns out the combat mission is on pace to stretch 13 years and was expanded under Obama, until now. Obama will go before the voters in Nov 2012 with more than double the amount of troops in Afghanistan than were there when he took office. Yet he will say that he is the president who accelerated the end of two wars.

Americans chiefly see Afghanistan as the home base of the terrorists who attacked America, and both Bush and Obama were driven to prevent that opportunity again. To regain control of the war, Obama in late 2009 ordered in more than 30,000 extra troops to Afghanistan, but always with an eye toward their withdrawal starting this July. Overruling his military commanders, Obama decided to bring back all the extra troops by about the middle of next year. He attributed his move to the diminished state of the Taleban, better training of Afghan forces, though their capability remains in doubt, and blows against AlQaeda in neighboring Pakistan.

For Americans consumed with matters at home, all that talk of progress was measured in one moment, when US Navy SEALs killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. “We pummeled al-Qaida,” Obama told donors in New York City on Thursday, using freer language than he had in his White House address a night earlier. “We took out bin Laden.” Obama’s military advisers acknowledged they had not wanted to pull troops out nearly so fast. “The president’s decisions are more aggressive and incur more risk than I was originally prepared to accept,” said Adm Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Some political voices still push for a slower withdrawal and warn that Afghanistan could slip back into a haven for terrorism, but they make up a lonely minority. This decision is done.

Obama did leave the military leeway on how and from where the troops would be pulled out. But he intentionally left out any mention of reviewing the withdrawal based on conditions on the ground.

Instead he set clear markers: 10,000 of the extra troops out in 2011, the remaining 23,000 or so out by summer of 2012. It was meant to signal to everyone that the transition to Afghan control is serious.

So is the deadline of turning over control of all Afghan security to Afghanistan by the end of 2014, as agreed to by NATO countries last year. Obama said that leaders of NATO nations would review how to proceed with the withdrawal next May during a summit in Chicago. “We don’t foresee a situation that would affect the fundamental direction here, which is we are moving to a reduced footprint,” said Obama deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes. The public mood has been headed in the same direction.

As recently as Jan 2009, about the time that Obama took office, only 26 percent of Americans said they wanted the number of US forces in Afghanistan to be decreased, according to a CBS News poll. That number has soared to 64 percent.

Pessimism about the US economic recovery has taken hold, and Obama knows it. When Obama unveiled his Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy in March 2009, he warned about the temptation of cutting aid for Afghanistan’s civil rebuilding effort during economically hard times in the United States. “Make no mistake,” he said. “Our efforts will fail in Afghanistan and Pakistan if we don’t invest in their future.” By Dec 2009 when he announced the surge, Obama’s language about all that was much leaner. He admonished Afghan President Hamid Karzai about corruption in his ranks and said of US financial support: “The days of providing a blank check are over.”

In his announcement last week, Obama spoke of building America’s public works, not Afghanistan’s. “His trajectory is, quite frankly, a sobering embrace of reality,” said Christine Fair, a political scientist at Georgetown University’s Center for Peace and Security Studies who closely follows Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“He’s reconciling his constraints, the limited stomach for this in the United States, the fact that we are broke, and the fact that our partners in Pakistan are not really partners. You have to make trade-offs, and he’s trying to make the best trade-offs he can.”` — AP

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Years

sp orts Song fined for refusing handshake YAOUNDE: Arsenal midfielder Alexander Song has been fined for refusing a reconciliatory handshake from Samuel Eto’o, reflecting continuing divisions in the Cameroon soccer team. Song was fined one million CFA Francs ($2,159) after a disciplinary hearing of the Cameroon Football Federation, state radio reported at the weekend.

Song had been charged along with Eto’o and Tottenham defender Benoit Assou Ekotto, who did not attend the hearing. Song, who has not played for his country since a bust-up with captain Eto’o during the World

Cup last year, had refused to shake hands with the African Footballer of the Year when the two met ahead of an African Nations Cup qualifier against Senegal earlier this month.

It was the first time that Song, who missed the match because of injury, had returned to the squad since last year’s World Cup in South Africa. His disagreements with Eto’o led to him being sidelined during the tournament, in which Cameroon lost all their matches. Eto’o was found not guilty at the hearing of missing a training session and showing indiscipline during the Senegal match when he disputed a substitution that coach Javier Clemente. — Reuters

Manaudou announces comeback

Teenage basketball star survives 2nd plane crash DETROIT: A 16-year-old high school basketball player with the promise of playing at the University of Michigan is fighting for his life after surviving the second plane crash of his young life. Austin Hatch, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was in critical condition Saturday in a northern Michigan hospital after the Friday evening crash that killed his father, Dr. Stephen Hatch, and his stepmother, Kim. Austin and his pilot father had survived a 2003 crash that killed Austin’s mother and two siblings. Austin had committed earlier this month to play basketball at Michigan, where his

PARIS: Former Olympic champion Laure Manaudou of France said yesterday she will come out of retirement, joining a growing list of swimmers returning to the pool before the 2012 London Games.

“Yes, the will to resume competing is back,” Manaudou told yesterday’s paper Le Journal du dimanche. “I need time. I’m not yet at world-championship level but I will work on it.”

The 24-year-old Frenchwoman won gold in the 400 metres freestyle at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. She announced her retirement in 2009, in the wake of disappointing results at the 2008 Beijing Games.

father and mother went to school.

Dan Kline, the basketball coach at Canterbury School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, told The Associated Press that the next 24 to 48 hours are going to be critical. He said Austin is physically and mentally strong — someone “who can handle things.”

“He’s a very mature young man,” he said. “You’d never know he was 16 years old.” Austin told the Journal Gazette of Fort Wayne for a story published last week that he talked to Michigan coach John Beilein by phone and accepted a scholarship to enroll in 2013.—AP

Mets demolish Rangers

Crusaders and Blues reach Super 15 semis

ARLINGTON: Lucas Duda matched a Mets record with three doubles while going 4 for 5 with four RBIs and New York had season highs for runs and hits in a 14-5 victory over the Texas Rangers in interleague play on Saturday.

The Mets led 3-0 after four batters against Alexi Ogando (7-3), who lost his third consecutive start without making it past the fifth inning.

Jonathon Niese (7-6) struck out seven in 5 2-3 innings and limited Texas to two runs on consecutive homers by Adrian Beltre and Michael Young in the fourth. The Mets said the right-hander left the game, which was played in sweltering heat, for precautionary reasons because of a rapid heartbeat. Niese is 5-2 with a 2.36 ERA his last eight starts. Carlos Beltran also had three hits for the Mets.

Yankees 8, Rockies 3 In New York, CC Sabathia tossed eight stingy innings to win for the seventh time in his last eight starts and Alex Rodriguez drove in three runs as the New York Yankees beat Colorado.

A dozen pitchers began the day with nine wins, but Sabathia (10-4) became the first to reach double digits.

The big lefty allowed one run while striking out nine, improving to 19-7 all-time in interleague play. He threw just 103 pitches, but manager Joe Girardi decided against letting him finish the game. Buddy Carlyle promptly gave up Ty Wigginton’s two-run homer in the ninth.

Angels 6, Dodgers 1 In Los Angeles, Tyler Chatwood pitched seven strong innings and Mark Trumbo and Vernon Wells each homered as the Angels defeated the Dodgers for their second straight win in the Freeway Series.

The Angels are 10-3 in their last 13 games at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers lost their third straight and eighth in their last 11. Chatwood (5-4) retired the first 10 Dodgers he faced before Jamey Carroll singled up the middle in the fourth. Andre Ethier then grounded into an inning-ending double play. The right-hander allowed one run and four hits, struck out five and walked three while improving to 3-0 in his first three career interleague starts.

White Sox 3, Nationals 0 In Chicago, Jake Peavy threw four dominant innings in his first career relief appearance as the White Sox beat Washington. Peavy (4-1) gave up a hit and struck out seven, combining with starter John Danks, Brian Bruney and closer Sergio Santos on a two-hitter that ended Washington’s five-game winning streak.

Danks left in the second inning because on an injury, Bruney gave up only one hit in 2 1-3 innings, and Santos followed Peavy by getting the last three outs for his 15th save. Peavy threw 55 pitches in his first appearance out of the bullpen after 238 career starts. Tom Gorzelanny (2-6) matched his longest outing of the season with seven innings, allowing one run and seven hits while striking out eight.

Giants 1, Indians 0 In San Francisco, Tony Sipp balked home the goahead run with the bases loaded in the seventh inning to give the Giants their fourth straight victory. Sipp flinched his left arm before throwing a pitch to Emmanuel Burriss, allowing Miguel Tejada to score from third. Cord Phelps also committed two errors in the inning to spoil a strong start by Justin Masterson (5-6). Matt Cain (7-4) gave up four hits, struck out six and walked one in seven-plus innings. Brian Wilson pitched a scoreless ninth for his 23rd save in 25 chances.

Tigers 6, D’backs 0 At Detroit, Justin Verlander struck out a career-high 14 to lead the Tigers past Arizona. Verlander (10-3) allowed four hits and walked only one batter in eight innings. He reached 100 miles per hour (160 kph) on the stadium scoreboard in the eighth inning — on his 116th pitch.

Alex Avila hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning for Detroit. Arizona rookie Josh Collmenter (4-4) allowed six runs and 10 hits in six-plus innings.

Marlins 4, Mariners 2 At Seattle, Chris Volstad pitched into the seventh inning to win for the first time since April. Volstad

PITTSBURGH: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Garrett Jones watches his seventh-inning solo home run off Boston Red Sox pitcher Matt Albers during an interleague baseball game. — AP allowed just two runs on five hits before leaving with two outs in the seventh. It was his first victory since April 26 and only the third Florida victory in the month of June.

Leo Nunez pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 21st save of the season. Jason Vargas (5-5) gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings for Seattle.

Braves 10, Padres 1 In San Diego, Jair Jurrjens pitched six strong innings to become the first 10-game winner in the National League. Dan Uggla hit a three-run homer and finished with four RBIs for Atlanta, which has won five of six and 12 of 17 overall. Jurrjens (10-3) combined with three relievers on a four-hitter and lowered his NL-leading ERA to 2.07. He joined CC Sabathia of the Yankees and Detroit’s Justin Verlander as 10-game winners.

San Diego’s Dustin Moseley (2-7) allowed three runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings. He walked four and struck out three.

Pirates 6, Red Sox 4 In Pittsburgh, Lyle Overbay hit a three-run homer as Pittsburgh spoiled Tim Wakefield’s homecoming with a win. Jeff Karstens (5-4) pitched effectively into the seventh inning as the Pirates matched a season high by posting their fourth straight victory. Joel Hanrahan worked the ninth for his 22nd save. Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Reddick and Jacoby Ellsbury all hit solo home runs for the Red Sox. Wakefield (4-3), who helped lead the Pirates within a game of the World Series in 1992, made his first start in Pittsburgh in 18 years, giving up five runs on seven hits in six innings, walking four and striking out two.

Reds 10, Orioles 5 In Baltimore, Joey Votto homered twice and drove in five runs as Cincinnati won a long-ball duel that featured nine home runs. Votto hit a three-run drive in the third inning and put Cincinnati ahead for good with a two-run shot in the fifth. Jonny Gomes, Scott Rolen and Drew Stubbs also connected for the Reds. The five home runs were a season high.

Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, Matt Wieters and J.J. Hardy homered for Baltimore. It was the first time the Orioles hit four homers in a game since last August.

Bronson Arroyo (7-6) won his third straight start despite allowing four homers in 6 1-3 innings. The right-hander gave up nine hits, walked three and struck out six.

Athletics 4, Phillies 1 In Philadelphia, Trevor Cahill pitched a three-hitter into the eighth inning and Adam Rosales homered to lead Oakland. Cahill (8-5) won his second straight start after dropping five straight and spoiled Phillies starter Cole Hamels’ bid to win his 10th game.

Cahill struck out six and walked three in 7 2-3 innings, and has allowed one run or less 10 times this season.

Hamels (9-4) lost his second straight start, but extended his streak of not allowing more than two earned runs to six straight outings.

Brewers 11, Twins 1 In Milwaukee, Prince Fielder hit one of Milwaukee’s four homers to give him an NL-best 67 RBIs this season as the Brewers beat injury-riddled Minnesota. Carlos Gomez, Yuniesky Betancourt and Corey Hart also homered as the Brewers won their sixth straight over Minnesota. The Twins dropped their fourth in a row overall and may have lost Delmon Young for a prolonged period after the left fielder jammed his right ankle against the wall in the fifth. Yovani Gallardo (9-4) gave up one run over seven innings.

BALTIMORE: Orioles’ Adam Jones (10) is out at second as Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips (top) throws to first to convert a double play on a grounder by Vladimir Guerrero during the fifth inning of an interleague baseball game. — AP

Royals 3, Cubs 2 At Kansas City, Missouri, Chris Getz drove in the go-ahead run with two outs in the eighth inning as Kansas City beat Chicago to end a season-high, sixgame losing streak. Greg Holland (2-1) pitched a perfect eighth to pick up the victory. Joakim Soria struck out all three batters he faced in the ninth to log his 12th save in 17 oppor tunities. Jeff Samardzija (5-4) walked two and retired only one of the five batters he faced. Aramis Ramirez and Geovany Soto hit back-to-back home runs in the

top of the sixth for the Cubs to tie the game at 2-2.

Rays 7, Astros 2 At Houston, BJ Upton homered and drove in two runs to lead Tampa Bay. Evan Longoria and Casey Kotchman added two RBIs apiece for the Rays, who won their third straight. Upton had an RBI single in the third inning and homered for the second straight day to make it 4-1 in the sixth. Longoria hit run-scoring doubles in both the first and ninth innings and Kotchman added a two-run single in the ninth.

Wade Davis (7-5) allowed five hits and a run in seven innings for his third straight win. Kyle Farnsworth allowed two hits in 1 2-3 innings for his 16th save. Houston starter Bud Norris (4-6) yielded six hits and three runs while walking three in five innings.

Blue Jays 6, Cardinals 3 In St. Louis, Carlos Villanueva (5-1) worked six solid innings and Juan Rivera hit a three-run homer as Toronto topped the Cardinals. Jaime Garcia (6-3) kept his home ERA at a minuscule 0.88 because four of the runs in Toronto’s five-run third inning were unearned due to third baseman Daniel Descalso’s two-out throwing error.

But the left-hander gave up Rivera’s sixth homer the next at-bat and walked three in the inning, including Jose Bautista intentionally to load the bases. Garcia had four strikeouts and four walks, one off his season high, in seven innings. — AP

MLB results/standings Results and standings from the MLB games on Saturday. NY Yankees 8, Colorado 3; San Francisco 1, Cleveland 0.

NY Yankees Boston Tampa Bay Toronto Baltimore Cleveland Detroit Chi White Sox Minnesota Kansas City Texas LA Angels Seattle Oakland

Philadelphia Atlanta Washington NY Mets Florida Milwaukee St Louis Pittsburgh Cincinnati Chicago Cubs Houston San Francisco Arizona Colorado La Dodgers San Diego

American League Eastern Division W L PCT 44 31 .587 44 32 .579 43 34 .558 38 39 .494 34 40 .459 Central Division 40 35 .533 41 36 .532 38 40 .487 32 43 .427 32 45 .416 Western Division 41 37 .526 39 39 .500 38 39 .494 35 43 .449 National League Eastern Division 48 30 .615 44 34 .564 39 38 .506 38 39 .494 34 43 .442 Central Division 43 35 .551 41 37 .526 39 37 .513 40 38 .513 31 45 .408 28 50 .359 Western Division 43 34 .558 43 35 .551 38 38 .500 34 44 .436 33 45 .423

Asked whether she wanted to be in London next year, she said: “Every swimmer who has been to Olympics wants to return but there’s a long way to go. First of all I need to qualify.”

France’s most prolific swimmer, Manaudou has won several world titles and held several world records. Her partner is top French swimmer Frederick Bousquet. The couple have a daughter, Manon, who was born last year.

Five-times Olympic champion Ian Thorpe and three-times champion Libby Trickett have also returned to the pool after the Australian duo ended retirements. — Reuters

GB .5 2 7 9.5

WELLINGTON: The Canterbur y Crusaders’ long season on the road grew longer when they beat South Africa’s Sharks 36-8 on Saturday to follow the Auckland Blues into the semifinals of rugby’s Super 15.

The Crusaders’ win over the Durban-based Sharks in the second elimination match, after Auck land’s 26-13 win over the New South Wales Waratahs on Friday, earned them a semifinal with the Stormers in Cape Town. The Blues will play the Queensland Reds in Brisbane in the first of the two semifinals nex t Saturday.

Since a Feb. 22 earthquake struck their home town of Christchurch, wrecking their stadium and leaving 181 dead, the Crusaders have been rugby itinerants, playing all of their matches away from home.

They now face a trip of more than 11,000 kilometers (6,000 miles) from Christchurch to Cape Town to meet the Stormers in the hope of keeping their deeply disrupted season alive.

Throughout the season, the Crusaders players have had to cope with continuing aftershocks in Christchurch which have further damaged their homes or the homes of their families, and added to the sense of anxiety in New Zealand’s second-largest city.

Their ability to reach Saturday ’s playoff and next week ’s semifinals after the traumas of the past four months, and af ter playing home matches at five venues as far-flung as London and Wellington, has brought some small relief to the people of their damaged town.

Coach Todd Black adder said the need to travel to Cape Town for Saturday ’s match against the Stormers was not a concern for his team. They had become seasoned travellers in the past 16 weeks and long journeys such as the one they face this week held no fears for them.

“We’re getting closer to the prize, that’s what it all about,” Blackadder said. “The guys are used to travelling so it’s not a problem. “We’ve shown this year we can travel and travel well.

We’ve obviously done well over there earlier this year. It’s always hard playing finals away from home but we’re confident we can do it.” The

Crusaders beat the Stormers 20-14 when they met at Newlands in Cape Town in May, demonstrating Canterbury’s ability to beat even the toughest teams in the tournament away from home. The Reds beat the Blues 37-31 in their only regular season meeting at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium last month.

The Crusaders conceded the first tr y on Saturday to Stormers backrower Willem Alberts, who started ahead of Springboks star R yan Kankowski. The Stormers dominated the first 30 minutes of the match but the Crusaders hit the lead with a 31st-minute try to All Blacks center Sonny Bill Williams and were never headed.

They led 13-5 at halftime and drew away in the second spell with tries to captain Kieran Read, from an intercept, and replacement prop Ben Franks. All Blacks flyhalf Dan Carter missed two of his first three shots at goal, then nailed six in succession to finish with 19 points. The Blues’ clash with the Waratahs at Auckland on Friday followed a similar pattern. The Waratahs had the best of the first 20 minutes but managed only a single try through center Tom Carter.

Auckland hit the front with a 24th-minute try to winger Lachie Munro and though New South Wales briefly regained the lead with a penalty to Kur tley Beale, a Munro penalty put the Blues ahead 10-8 after 33 minutes and they never relinquished the lead.

All Blacks lock Ali Williams added a second-half try in his best performance of the season, though his international locking partner Anthony Boric left the field with a foot injury and may miss next weekend’s semifinal.

The match was typical of playoffs rugby, was grim and physical and bore little relation to the Blues’ usual flashy attacking style. Williams said Au c k l a n d w a s h a p p y t o resort to no-frills rugby if it led to playoffs wins. “You’ve g o t t o l e a r n f ro m g o o d teams,” he said. “I don’t know if its the Crusaders, it’s rugby in general. “ You’ve got to grind out wins. Very few times do you win flashy. It’s about building pressure, making teams make mistakes and capitalizing. It’s not the prettiest of stuff.”—AP

3.5 8 9 2 2.5 6

4 8.5 9.5 13.5 2 3 3 11 15 .5 4.5 9.5 10.5

NEW ZEALAND: Crusaders’ Kieran Read is tackled by Sharks in the Super Rugby match at Trafalgar Park. — AP

A

y

e niv rsar n

MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011

Years

sp orts

The beautiful game and higher fitness levels

By Ricardo Guerra

I

was in Cairo-about a year ago-to watch the World Cup qualifying match between Egypt and Algeria. Other than feeling the exhilaration of witnessing an unforgettable match, there was one incident in particular that stuck in my mind-an incident that should have been unrelated to the match, but wasn’t.

I always have interesting conversations with taxi cab drivers and in this occasion an en passant comment made by a veteran driver struck me as an all too apt description of recent trends in men’s football: paralyzed by a massive traffic jam, the driver spat that the streets of Cairo were “like a busy parking lot with no roof”.

The idea that in a few years the football pitch is going to resemble the busy streets of Cairo, where space to move is practically non-existent, is not farfetched. In fact, the physical characteristics of the game have already changed radically over the last few decades as a result of players’ increased physiological capacity.

Players can now cover more ground, at a higher intensity, in less time. Consequently, the pitch has become congested.

There is less space available for the ingenuity of a star like Messi to develop or show his skills.

I recently spoke on the phone with Brazil’s most respected football announcer, Jose Carlos Ara˙jo (“O Garotinho”). He reminded me that in the 1970s, the game was narrated at a mellower pace unk nown today.

Nowadays, he told me, announcers move rapidly from one play to another in order to capture the frantic nature of the game.

On any given play, players are not able to keep the ball as long as they did in previous decades.

There is no open space in the field, and as soon as a player gets the ball, an opponent rushes in to steal it.

The traffic in Cairo and a congested football pitch are both nightmarish scenarios that we want to avoid at all costs. If the fitness of footballers continues to increase, and the existing data suggests that it will, then we will be heading toward a situation in which the game will become nearly unrecognizable.

No longer will it be characterized by the flamboyantly skillful play of previous decades.

Inevitably, the dormant FIFA will have to create rules to open up space, for example, enforcing the offside rule only in the offensive zones or sending players off when a team commits a certain number of fouls. As a player’s fitness increases, failure to impose rules of this nature may even make the game unbearable to watch.

TRACKING DISTANCE COVERED Professor Thomas Reilly, a world-renowned exercise physiologist from Liverpool John Moores University pioneered the research in motion analysis in football in the late 1970s. With the help of his students and aides he tracked the movement of the Everton players, relying on pitch markings and visual cues around the pitch boundaries. For each player, the studies required a separate observer, who tracked the player’s movements and spoke into a recorder to catalogue findings.

Most recently, newer technology using multiple synchronized cameras linked to computers have enabled the collection and tracking of movement information for all players on the field.

Over the last decades the total distance covered by a player has increased significantly, from about 8500 meters in Reilly ’s studies of the late 1970s to between 10,000 and 13,000 meters, depending on the country being examined, today.

However, over the last few years the total distance covered during a match has only increased marginally. The astounding change in the physiological capacity of the players in recent years is clearly more attributable to the ability to perform a higher quantity of high and ultra high intensity work over the

course of a match. The fact that currently such work is being performed and that we are far away from a limit is just astounding.

HIGH INTENSITY WORK QUANTIFIED The ability to perform high intensity bouts of work in the field has significantly increased in the men’s game. Previously unpublished tracking data, made exclusively available for this article, from the international match analysis company Prozone Sports, shows a staggering increase in the ability of players to perform or engage in highintensity bouts of activity (high speed running and sprinting) during a match.

Over the last 7 years in the Premier League there has been a 46 percent increase in the total number of high intensity activities (movement above 19.8 km/h). For example, in the 2003/4 Premier League teams on average per formed a total of 287 sprints (movement faster than 25km/h) during the season. Last season, however, the average total number of sprints was 487; almost a 70 percent increase in the number of sprints over the last 7 years.

FULL POTENTIAL NOT REACHED Football is a sport played in high intensity intermittent fashion. It requires a unique methodology of training to perfect multifaceted fitness related elements,

which are crucially important for playing the game at the highest level.

The ability to recover quickly during the course of a game, indicative of a robust aerobic capacity, and to engage in subsequent multiple short bursts of high-intensity activity, is of the utmost importance. At the same time, a high anaerobic capacity and the ability to buffer the acidic environment in the blood and muscle are also vital.Some footballers are endowed, more so than others, with the genetic predisposition to produce energy metabolically specific to the diverse physiological demands of the game.

Exercise physiologists have been able to design and implement training methodologies that tap into or stimulate such genetic predisposition to an even greater capacity. At present, such methodologies specific to the energy demands of the game, are only being implemented in a limited number of clubs worldwide. As a result, the potential to increase this capacity even further is far from being reached.

Over the next few years when this information-already at the disposal of exercise physiologists- becomes more readily available to head coaches worldwide we will see additional increases in the physiological capacity of footballers.

Consequently, the less physical and more skill full game of the 70s may very well become a relic of the past.

For a good example of how the men’s game was played in past decades, look to today ’s women’s football. Data tracking the movement of footballers in the pitch show that women cover on average less total distance during a match than male players. Moreover, fifty percent of the total distance female players cover during a match is the result of walking, whereas in the men’s game, walking accounts for only twenty four percent. Women also perform significantly less total high intensity work during a match. The amount of space on the pitch in the woman’s game is abundant. Consequently the brilliance of individual players is visible in a magical way.

The continuous upward shift in the fitness levels of male footballers is inevitable and a part of the natural evolution of the sport. However, higher fitness levels don’t necessarily have to mean a field of play with less skill. The skilful character of the game will continue to disappear as long as FIFA is paralyzed and unwilling to act in implementing laws that will create open space in the pitch. In such a scenario we are headed to a field of play that may ver y likely one day resemble the forever congested streets of Cairo.

Larrazabal bags BMW International Open

CROMWELL: Frederik Jacobson, from Sweden, eyes his tee shot on the 8th hole during the third round of the Travelers Championship golf tournament.—AP

Jacobson sparkles at Travelers CROMWELL: Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson put himself in position for his first PGA Tour victory by capping a flawless round at the Travelers Championship on Saturday with a birdie on the last hole for a one-shot lead.

Jacobson, who has not recorded a bogey all week, fired a seven-under 63 that moved him to a 16-under total of 194 to lead American Bryce Molder (64) into Sunday’s final round.

The Swede, who won three times on the European Tour in 2003 but nowhere since, started the day four shots off the lead but took advantage of ideal scoring conditions as the sun finallybroke through after days of rain at TPC River Highlands.

He carded three birdies on the front nine and four more af ter the turn, including one on 18 where he drained a monster 31-foot putt for the outright lead. “It was a little bit of a speedy putt and it had a bit of pace so I was hoping it would hit the hole,” Jacobson said. “I was certainly happy when it hit the hole.”

Molder, also seeking his maiden PGA Tour win, had seven birdies and a bogey to be well placed for late yesterday. American James Driscoll (64) was alone in third a further two shots back with a clutch of players tied fourth four strokes off the pace.

“It would mean a lot (to win a PGA

title). That’s why I came over and I’ve been here quite a long time now,” Jacobson said. “I won a few times in Europe and I came over because I wanted to see if I can win here. That’s always been my goal.”

Patrick Cantlay, who took a one-shot lead into the third round after becoming the first amateur to card a 60 on the PGA Tour on Friday, was five shots back after a bogey-bogey finish that saw him slump to a 72.

Cantlay, whose record round will be featured in a display at the World Golf Hall of Fame, made long birdie putts at the ninth and 11th but was unable to build on the momentum.

“I didn’t hit it very good today and I hit a couple bad drives coming in and it cost me,” Cantlay said. “I could have made a couple more putts, as it is in every round.

“But I’m in a good position and probably would have taken it at the beginning of the week, so I’m in a good spot and I’m going to play well tomorrow.” The second round was finished Saturday morning with the cut set at four-under, a tournament record.

Among those who missed the cut were former US Open champions Geoff Ogilvy and Jim Furyk, British Open winners Justin Leonard and Ben Curtis as well as Americans Anthony Kim and Kenny Perr y, the winner here in 2009.—Reuters

MUNICH: Pablo Larrazabal birdied the fifth playoff hole to win the BMW International Open by beating fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia yesterday, capturing his second European Tour tournament.

Larrazabal made his short put on the par-5 18th after Garcia missed from about 5 feet to add to his victory at the Alstom Open de France title in 2008. “I had nothing to lose,” Larrazabal said.

“If you tell me who you want to beat in a playoff, then I would say first Tiger Woods and then Sergio. I have a lot of respect for Sergio, he is one of my heroes. He is still for me one of the best players in the world; he’s one of the top five when he’s in form. Both players have now qualified for the British Open at Royal St. George’s at Sandwich next month. Their prize money won putting them top of a money list from six European Tour events, starting with the BMW PGA Championship and ending in Munich.

“I think my game is the type of game for the Open,” Larrazabal said.

“When we played the first hole of the playoff, we congratulated each other.” Garcia birdied the 18th during his final round to shoot 4-under 68 and join Larrazabal (68) on 16under 272 to force the playoff.

There was nothing between them for four playoff holes, matching each other’s score at No. 18 twice, No. 12 and No. 17 before playing the last hole for the fourth time yesterday. Garcia sent an eagle attempt four feet beyond the hole and missed his birdie chance.

MUNICH: Pablo Larrazabal of Spain celebrates after winning the. BMW International Open 2011 golf tournament.—AP Before the playoff, Larrazabal had birdies at Nos. 1, 6, 7 and 9 before two more at No. 10 and 11 gave him the outright lead.

Garcia’s started steadily with five pars but, having relinquished the lead, a long eagle putt on No. 9 took him back into a share of the lead at the turn. He picked up seven shots in six holes up to No. 11, which he eagled to move two shots ahead of Larrazabal, who bogeyed

No. 13. Garcia, however, then made three straight bogeys from No. 12 for Larrazabal to cut the lead.

“Pablo and I played some great golf in the playoff. It is a pity one of us had to lose,” Garcia said. “But seventh at the US Open and second now, this shows that my game is coming around.”

PGA Championship holder Martin Kaymer shot a 69 for a share of 18th place with Dustin Johnson (67) and

European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie (69) seven strokes back. Kaymer will drop out of the top three when the golf rankings are published today, allowing US Open winner Ror y McIlor y of Northern Ireland to rise to third behind English pair Luke Donald and Lee Westwood. It will be the first time that the top three has been filled by players from Britain and Ireland.—AP

Tseng extends lead to five PITTSFORD: World number one Yani Tseng made her the youngest winner of an LPGA Kerr, who romped to a record 12-stroke vicof Taiwan extended her lead to five strokes major golf at 18. “You never know what’s tory at Locust Hill, made four birdies on a f te r t h re e ro u n d s o f t h e L P G A going to happen tomorrow. I’m going to the back nine to register 67 and stand fiveChampionship, shooting a five-under 67 go out there and play my game and shoot under along with Kraft Nabisco winner Saturday at a chilly, overcast Locust Hill. as low a score as I can and we’ll see what Stac y Lewis (70), Lee Mee -na of South The 22-year-old Tseng, who led by one happens.”

Korea (70) and Paula Creamer (72). stroke overnight, had six birdies “ I d i d n’t p l ay we l l o n t h e and one bogey in reaching 13front,” said Kerr. “But I scrambled under-par 203 to take command my rear off. I’m proud of myself over Americans Morgan Pressel for the way I hung in there today and Cindy LaCrosse in her bid to a n d g ave mys e l f a c h a n ce to become the youngest player to shoot a good score to get back win a fourth major title. in it.”

Tseng, already the youngest Tseng was two-under on the to win three major LPGA crowns, front side with birdies at the secwo u l d ove r t a k e Pa k S e - r i o f ond and ninth holes but turned South Korea and Tiger Woods, up the pace after the turn. who both were 24 when they She birdied 12 and 13, and won their four th professional after her lone bogey following a majors. w ay w a rd d r i ve a t t h e 1 4 t h , The Taiwanese, whose first b i rd i e d 1 5 a n d 1 7 to m a tc h major came at the 2008 LPGA Kerr’s 13-under total through 54 Championship at Bulle Rock as a holes last year. Tseng also led 19 year old, said majors brought entering the final round of the the best out in her. “I just love it,” season’s first major, the Kraf t said Tseng. “I love the crowds.

Nabisco, but lost a two-shot lead The courses are hard and I love PITTSFORD: Yani Tseng watches her tee shot on the fifth hole during to winner Lewis by shooting 74. the third round of the Wegmans LPGA Championship golf tourna- Tseng believes she jinxed herself the challenge.”

LaCrosse, money leader on ment.—AP by lifting the trophy before her t h e 2 0 1 0 Fu t u re s To u r, s h o t a 6 9 a n d LaCrosse will play in the final pairing opening tee shot.

Pre s s e l p o s te d 7 0 to s h a re s e co n d o n with Tseng. “Yani’s an amazing player,” said “When I see a trophy I just want to grab eight-under-par 208 as the 24 year olds LaCrosse, whose best LPGA result was 11th it,” joked Tseng. “Before, it always worked further accentuated the LPGA youth move- in the Shop Rite Classic. “But I just have to out. But it didn’t at Kraft Nabisco. So I betment. focus on what I have to do.” Alone in fourth ter not touch it this time. That ’s how I “I’ve just got to be more aggressive place was Park Hee-young of South Korea, learn.” Pat Hurst, who began the round one tomorrow,” said Pressel, whose 2007 victo- who registered an even-par 72 for six- stroke behind Tseng, returned a 75 for r y at th e K raf t N abisco Ch a m p i ons hi p under-par 210. Last year’s winner Cristie four-under-par 212.—Reuters

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SPORTS

Top seeds still around for Wimbledon’s Week 2 WIMBLEDON: As the 125th edition of Wimbledon heads into its second week, all of the principal story lines are still there to be followed.

Roger Federer has yet to drop a set as he bids for a record-tying seventh championship. Rafael Nadal hasn’t lost a set, either — the first time he’s done that through three rounds — as he aims for a third Wimbledon title and 11th major trophy overall.

Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are around, too. Murray hopes to give Britain its first male champion at the All England Club since 1936.

And then there are the Williams sisters, whose comebacks are producing win after win so far. They have combined to win nine of the past 11 Wimbledon singles championships, and while Serena was sidelined for nearly a year with a series of health scares, and Venus missed about five months with a hip injury, both are clearly capable of producing top-level tennis at the grass-court Grand Slam

tournament.

“Yeah, I’m still alive, and it feels good,” said Serena Williams, who could become the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1991-93 to win Wimbledon three years in a row. “You know, I’m hoping to be around — and planning to be around — a lot longer.” Also in the picture are topseeded Caroline Wozniacki, hoping for her first Grand Slam title, and 2004 Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova.

After yesterday’s traditional day off, action resumes today with all 16 men’s and women’s fourth-round matches. Two stand out in particular.

Top-seeded Nadal takes on No. 24 Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina, while No. 23 Venus Williams faces No. 32 Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria in a rematch of the 2010 Wimbledon quarterfinal won by Pironkova.

Nadal slipped behind the baseline a couple of times during his thirdround victory over Gilles Muller, and

afterward, the Spaniard acknowledged he was bothered by a right leg muscle. But he also said he can “play with that, without problems.”

After so many years of dominance on clay — he won his sixth French Open championship this month — Nadal has become quite good on grass. Since the start of Wimbledon in 2006, he is 29-2 at the tournament.

His only losses were to Federer in the 2006 and 2007 finals; Nadal won the 2008 and 2010 titles, and was sidelined in 2009 by tendinitis in his knees.

“Against him, you should play unbelievable tennis. You should play everything perfect, and then maybe you have a little chance,” del Potro said. “He will be the big favorite.” Well, that might be true. But even though del Potro lost in the second round in all three previous visits to the All England Club, his chances against Nadal shouldn’t be dismissed entirely.

After all, at the 2009 U.S. Open, del

Potro did beat Nadal in the semifinals, then Federer in the final — the only time someone beat both Nadal and Federer in the course of a single Grand Slam tournament.

It’s also the only time in the past 25 major tournaments that a man other than Federer, Nadal or Djokovic took the title. Del Potro is working his way back into form after missing most of the 2010 season because of surgery on his right wrist, and while he’s seeded 24th, Nadal pointed out that “his ranking, for sure, is much better than what the ranking says today. His level is much better than what the ranking says today.” The top four of Nadal, No. 2 Djokovic, No. 3 Federer and No. 4 Murray filled out the semifinals at the French Open, and no one would be too surprised if they did that again at Wimbledon.

For Federer, who plays No. 18 Mikhail Youzhny on Monday, it’s been about 1 1/2 years since he won a Grand Slam title; his 16th came at the

Andretti wins in Iowa NEW TON: Marco Andretti grabbed the lead from Tony Kanaan with 18 laps left and held on to win Saturday night ’s IndyCar race at Iowa Speedway, his first victory in five years.

Kanaan, who won last year’s race at Iowa’s .875-mile (1.4-kilometer) oval, made a final run at Andretti, but Andretti managed to get his second career win, five years after he captured the road course race at Infineon.

“All I’ve gained is experience.

We’ve been in position to win a lot of races. We’ve come up short.

It’s more, I think, relieved is the word. I’ve never doubted the team. I’ve never doubted myself,” Andretti said. “I always said as soon as the stars were aligned and a little bit of luck goes my way that we’d be sitting here.”

Points leader Dario Franchitti was in front for much of the race, but he faded following a restart 51 laps from the end. The Scot finished fifth, though he grabbed sole possession of the points lead from Will Power. Kanaan, who crashed three years in a row at Iowa before winning in 2010, watched firsthand as Andretti struggled for years to end his winless streak.

The gregarious Brazilian had a little fun with Andretti after a spirited battle for the win went to Andretti. “I told him at the podium. I said ‘I hope it won’t take another five years for you to win another one,”‘ said Kanaan, who finished a season-best second. “He’s been driving great and he got it.” Scott Dixon started 23rd and finished third, followed

by JR Hildebrand.

Takuma Sato became the first Japanese driver to win an IndyCar pole, then nearly became the first one to lose it when he collided with Alex Tagliani in a late practice run

IOWA: Marco Andretti holds the trophy after winning the IndyCar Series’ Iowa Corn Indy 250 auto race. —AP after qualifying.

Sato’s KV Racing TechnologyLotus team was able to put his primary No. 5 car back together in time for the race, and Sato hung close to the leaders for much of the race. But Sato, like many drivers before him, lost

control through an increasingly bumpy second turn and hit the wall.

Power, the co-points leader entering the race, also ran into the wall just 90 laps in. He suffered a minor concussion and will have to be cleared by doctors to

race in Toronto in two weeks.

Franchitti jumped in front eight laps into the race and held a comfor table margin over a handful of challengers for the first 150 laps.

Andretti completed his long journey from his starting position of 17th to pass Franchitti about two-thirds of the way in, but the Scot retook the lead a few laps later. Franchitti had won two of the last three races at Iowa, but he didn’t have enough late to challenge Andretti or Kanaan, who swapped the lead for the final 62 laps. “The drought, so to speak, I think, just made me appreciate what we have here in IndyCar racing,” Andretti said.

Danica Patrick opened the race second, her best starting position since Nashville in 2008.

But she was hardly much of a factor once the green flag dropped.

Patrick quickly fell back as Franchitti maneuvered to the front, and she slipped into ninth after James Jakes hit the wall for the night’s first caution flag. She finished the race in 10th.

Power ’s problem’s began shortly thereafter, as he ran into Charlie Kimball as he was leaving pit row and Kimball was coming in. Kimball sustained heavy damage to the side of his No. 83 car, while Power stayed on the lead lap — though he had fallen way back.

Power’s night would only get worse. The rear end of his No. 12 Team Penske car flew open and smacked into the wall, ending his tumultuous night.

Power left Iowa in second place in t he s t a nd i ngs, 20 points behind Franchitti. But five of t he ne x t s i x I nd yCa r races are on road/street courses, and Power has proven to be th e best on t hos e s i nce t he start of last year. —AP

2010 Australian Open. “I don’t go through days thinking, like, ‘My God, I haven’t won a Grand Slam in so long.’

It hasn’t been that long, to be honest,” said Federer, whose six Wimbledon titles are one behind Willie Renshaw (who played in the 1800s) and Pete Sampras.

“I’m always hungry,” Federer added.

“And that’s a good thing.” Djokovic, whose 43-match winning streak ended with a loss to Federer in the French Open semifinals, takes on No. 19 Michael Llodra, at 31 the oldest man left and finally in the fourth round on his 11th appearance at Wimbledon.

Two-time semifinalist Murray faces No. 17 Richard Gasquet, while the last American man in the field, No. 10 Mardy Fish, plays 2010 runner-up Tomas Berdych. Women’s matchups include No. 7 Serena Williams against No. 9 Marion Bartoli, the 2007 runner-up; Wozniacki vs. No. 24 Dominika Cibulkova; and No. 5 Sharapova vs.

No. 20 Peng Shuai of China. —AP

Fever top Sun INDIANAPOLIS: Tamika Catchings had 13 points and 12 rebounds to help the Indiana Fever defeat the Connecticut Sun 75-70 on Saturday and move into

Tamika Catchings first place in the WNBA Eastern Conference. Catchings, who got her 70th career double-double, also had five assists.

Tammy Sutton-Brown had 12 points and Briann January added 10 for the

Fever. Sutton-Brown, who came off the bench for the first time this season, helped Indiana’s reserves outscore Connecticut’s 31-6.

Renee Montgomery had 19 points and Asjha Jones added 18 for Connecticut, which has lost its past two games.

Tina Charles, who had averaged 26 points in her previous three games, was held to 12.

Mercury 86, Sky 78 In Rosemont, Illinois, Diana Taurasi scored 23 points and Penny Taylor added 19 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as Phoenix won its fourth straight. Candice Dupree had 13 points and Kara Braxton grabbed nine rebounds for the Mercury.

Sylvia Fowles, the WNBA’s scoring leader, had 28 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Sky, who have lost three of their last four.

The Mercury began the third quarter with nine consecutive points, part of a 16-2 run that opened a 53-42 lead. The Sky’s first field goal came with 3:43 remaining on Fowles’ driving layup. Phoenix outscored Chicago 25-13 in the quarter to take control. —AP

Argentina triumph to begin field hockey title defense

AMSTERDAM: Ana Macarena Rodriguez Perez of Argentina (top) and Jiaojiao De of China, battle for the ball during the women’s Champions Trophy group A hockey match. —AP

AMSTELVEEN: A brilliant solo goal by field hockey great Luciana Aymar helped Argentina beat England 1-0 and launch its bid for a fourth successive Women’s Champions Trophy title on Saturday.

The Olympic champion Netherlands handled Australia 3-0, Germany pipped New Zealand 1-0, and China and South Korea finished 2-2 in the first Champions Trophy expanded to eight teams.

England had the better first half against Argentina, but the latter put more pressure on the England circle after the break. It took a magic effort from Aymar, the seven-time player of the year, to break the deadlock in the 52nd minute. From the England 25, she weaved past defenders into the circle and sent a reverse stick into the goal’s bottom left corner.

The Dutch posted their biggest win over Australia in tournament history. They dominated the pool match from the seventh minute, when Maartje Paumen’s penalty corner flew high into goal. Paumen’s 16th Champions Trophy goal left her one shy of equaling the Dutch record.

Lidewij Welten doubled the lead before halftime, and Wieke Dijkstra finished off the Hockyroos in the 57th.

Germany scored against the run of play in the first half when Julia Muller converted a penalty corner, but a relentless New Zealand couldn’t beat the defense with nine shots on target, one more than Germany.

After a scoreless first half, China came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with South Korea, which had late penalty corners deflected away. The Koreans collected their first Champions Trophy point since 2003. Cheon Eun Bi and Kim Jong Hee put South Korea up 2-0, and China replied through Zhao Yudiao and Mao Weilin. —AP

COLOGNE: WBA super middleweight world boxing champion Felix Sturm of Germany (right) fights challenger Matthew Macklin of Britain during their title bout in Cologne. —AP

Sturm retains WBA title COLOGNE: Felix Sturm retained his WBA middleweight title with a contentious split-decision win over Irish challenger Matthew Macklin in Lanxess Arena on Saturday.

Two judges awarded it 116-112 in favor of the defending champion fighting in his hometown, while the other scored 115-113 to Macklin after a thrilling fight. “I was very strong, stronger than Felix and I won, no doubt,” Macklin said in German.

“I hope Felix will give me another fight, maybe in November.” Sturm successfully defended his title for the 10th time since losing it to and winning it back from Javier Castillejo in 2006-07.

The 32-year-old said Macklin surprised him in the first three or four rounds.

“I made a mistake at the start and allowed him too much space.” Sturm said. “ We’ll see each other again soon.”

Macklin, a former Irish, British and European middleweight champion, had the better of the early rounds but Sturm used his experience and greater accuracy to fight his way back and convince the judges.

Sturm, a German of Bosnian parentage, improved his record to 36-2-1 with 15 knockouts, while the 29-year-old Macklin — who was born and fights out of Birmingham, England — dropped to 28-3 with 19 KOs. —AP

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sp orts

Olympics loom, but nobody is pushing Usain Bolt EUGENE: Even when he’s not running, Usain Bolt is there. His name and his world records hover over every athletics meet in every corner of the globe.

The shadow he casts is even more pronounced at big meets like this week’s US championships, where Bolt’s key challenger, Tyson Gay, pulled out with an injury and the other would-be contenders are a 29year-old on a comeback from a doping conviction and an Olympic bronze medalist who still needs to find a faster gear.

There are 13 months to go until the London Olympics. And in America — supposedly a breeding ground for some of the world’s fastest track stars — there are few signs that anyone is ready to give Bolt a go.

“They won’t do it running 9.9,” said Ato Boldon, the former Olympic medal winner from Trinidad and Tobago. Bolt’s world record is 9.58. In the US 100meter final on Friday, on one of the fastest tracks in the country and with a light breeze at their back, the best time was 9.94 by Walter Dix. Don’t know much about Walter Dix? Not your fault.

He was part of the “Footnotes To History” collection in Beijing, winning bronze medals in the 100 and 200 on the same nights Bolt was rewriting the record book. In Eugene this week, Dix barely beat Justin Gatlin, who is

returning to the sport after serving a four-year doping ban that deprived him of his prime years. And Gay? He wasn’t in the final — victim of a nagging hip injury that will deprive him, and the world, of a showdown with Bolt at the world championships, nine weeks from now. Before 2008, Gay was track’s biggest star, a defending world champion in the 100 and 200 and the early favorite to win gold at the Bird’s Nest in Beijing.

Then, Bolt got serious about the 100. At a meet in New York a few months before the Olympics, Bolt ran a world-record time of 9.72 seconds. Just as significantly, he beat Gay by .13 seconds — the track version of a 30-point blowout in a basketball game. Since then, Bolt has been setting records on bigger stages — at the Beijing Olympics, then again at the 2009 worlds — and everyone else has been racing for second. And during a period in which Gay should be trying to close the gap, he has spent the bulk of his time fighting off injuries.

He was grimacing while he warmed up on Friday, knowing he needed a top-three finish to make the trip to the worlds for a chance at Bolt this year. He conceded that shutting things down at the nationals was a nod toward the reality that the Olympics are what really matter in a sport that doesn’t get much time in the

spotlight.

“Pretty much,” Gay said in an interview with The Associated Press. “It’s an ongoing thing since February.

I’ve been bandaging it up, couldn’t really take no more. I decided to stay healthy.” This latest setback could end his year, making his form and his potential even harder to predict heading into 2012. Slowed by injuries in 2008, he missed the Olympic final in Beijing.

He turns 29 in August, while Bolt is still in his peak years at 24.

“As he gets older, it’s going to get more difficult for him,” Boldon said, referring to Gay. “That Olympic team is going to be difficult to make and it’s going to be hard for him to stay healthy in the Olympic year. I still say that he has to learn how to start better and not, in every race he runs, have to absolutely floor it to come from behind. I think that’s why he’s hurt so much.”

Without Gay in the mix, there are candidates to challenge Bolt, but no clear contenders. At least not in America. Dix is 25. He has the two bronze medals and his lackluster 9.94 this week could be explained away because of a leg cramp that hit him in the semifinals.

“Jamaicans, they’re fast. They’re about as good as us,” Dix said, conveniently leaving out the fact that he lost to Bolt by a combined 0.90 seconds on his third-place nights in Beijing.

In a different sort of denial is Gatlin, who once held a share of the world record _ back when Bolt was still a teenager and well before his own name was erased from the record book because of a doping scandal he tried to deflect by claiming a massage therapist rubbed a testosteronelike cream onto his legs.

“I don’t think anybody trains for a silver or bronze. If they do, then they don’t need to be in the sport anymore,” Gatlin said.

He’s in it to win it, but to get there, he’ll have a year to shave 0.3 seconds off what he ran this week in Eugene. Assuming, that is, that Bolt is still himself when he reappears. He did deal with injuries and actually lost to Gay in 2010, though it’s widely accepted that little matters during the middle year of the Olympic cycle. It starts mattering again now.

As the defending world champion, Bolt didn’t have to race at Jamaica’s championships, which are also being held this weekend.

But he was at the track — running down from the stands to congratulate his training partner, Yohan Blake, who finished second to Asafa Powell in their 100 final. Bolt’s presence was felt at the track in Eugene, too. He wasn’t there in person, but certainly in spirit — and still no closer to being caught at the next Olympics than he was at the last one.—AP

Vettel shrugs off doubts to coast to sixth F1 win

EUGENE: Allyson Felix (left) looks over at Francena McCorory (right) after Felix won the women’s 400 meters during the US Track and Field Championships.—AP

Felix first woman to win US 100, 200 and 400m titles EUGENE: Allyson Felix kept alive the possibility of a bid for a world championship double in the 200 and 400 metres as she clinched her first national 400m title at the US trials on Saturday.

Felix, challenged by runner-up Francena McCorory down the straight, ran strongly to the finish in 50.40 seconds and become the first woman to win U.S. titles in the 100, 200 and 400m.

“I knew it was going to be racing home,” said Felix, who has five US 200m titles and added the 100m last year. “I wanted to be in position to use my speed.” McCorory clocked 50.49 to beat world indoor champion Debbie Dunn, who finished in 50.70.

Felix, who will defend her 200m title at the August world championships in Daegu, South Korea, said she was undecided on whether she would attempt the double, but hoped to make the decision soon.

She also left open the possibility of doing as many as four events at the world championships and confirmed she would attempt the 4x100 and 4x400m relays.

Collegian Tony McQuay surprised former Olympic and world champion Jeremy Wariner for the men’s 400m title. McQuay passed a tiring Wariner on the straight to clock a personal best 44.68 seconds.

“I never dreamed of doing this,” he said of the win over Wariner, who eked out second place over Greg Nixon. Both were timed in 44.98.

But McQuay said he also had bigger

ambitions. “I want to break the world record,” the 21-year-old said. “I’ve got my mind set on that.”

Wariner had the disadvantage of a tight inside lane, but still had the lead off the final bend. “The last 100 metres were not what I wanted it to be,” he said. “I tightened up a little before he passed me.”

But Wariner said it was not time to panic. “By worlds, I will be perfectly fine,” he said. Top-ranked David Oliver claimed the 110m hurdles title in 13.04 seconds. Aries Merritt and Jason Richardson followed as two-time former Olympic silver medallist Terrence Trammell failed to make the team. Only the top three finishers in each event qualify for the American squad in Daegu.

The US team, already without injured 100m world silver medallist sprinter Tyson Gay, lost former world champion Brad Walker in the pole vault when he noheighted.

Walker had the best mark in the world this season at 5.84 metres.

In qualifying, former Olympic gold medallist Shawn Crawford caught a big wind to set the pace in 20.24 seconds in the 200m. Walter Dix, the new 100m US champion, was also comfortably through in 20.52.

Former Olympic and world sprint champion Justin Gatlin, who put a four-year doping ban behind him with a runner-up finish in Friday’s 100m trial, sat out of the 200m trial.—Reuters

VALENCIA: Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel won his sixth race of the season at the European Grand Prix yesterday to further strengthen his already commanding Formula One championship lead.

Vettel beat Fernando Alonso of Ferrari by 10.891 seconds for his second straight victory along Valencia’s street circuit. It was the German’s fifth win this season starting in pole and came in stifling 46 degrees Celsius (115 degrees Fahrenheit) heat.

Red Bull teammate Mark Webber was third after starting on the front row, pushing Lewis Hamilton down to fourth. Felipe Massa of Ferrari split the McLarens after Jenson Button finished sixth.

Vettel, the defending F1 champion, extended his championship lead to 77 points with his 16th career victory. Vettel leads with 186 points, Button and Webber both have 109.

“Fantastic race — better than anything I could have imagined,” Vettel screamed over his car radio before being handed the trophy from Spanish tenor Placido Domingo. The F1 season has previously been marked by exhilarating overtaking, thanks to new technology and tires.

However, those additions failed to spice up yesterday’s race for the 85,127 fans at the notoriously hard to overtake America’s Cup harbor course, even with a new engine regulation put into place this weekend that did nothing to dampen Red Bull’s leading pace.

Instead, Vettel continued his dominating title defense with a sixth victory from eight races — and second place in the other two. “It’s incredible this achievement and the steps the team has made in the past 21/2 years,” the young German driver said before brushing off fears he could sit on

his lead now.

“I don’t look at the (points) gap, it’s a long season. We’ve had a phenomenal season and we have to continue that way, that’s our target. The target is still to

VALENCIA: Red Bull’s F1 driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany displays the trophy on the podium after winning the European Formula One Grand Prix.—AP win races. “ We have to keep doing what we do and stay hungry.” Red Bull has won 18 of the past 30 GPs stretching to 2009, when Button won six of the first seven races on his way to the title for Brawn.

Tevez keeps place in Argentina’s side BUENOS AIRES: Striker Carlos Tevez, who seemed to be out of Argentina’s Copa America plans little more than a month ago, was named on Saturday in the hosts’ 23-man squad for the tournament.

There were no surprises among coach Sergio Batista’s selections, posted on the Argentine Football Association’s website (www.afa.org.ar) five days after their last warm-up-a 4-0 rout of Albania at the Monumental.

Batista dropped three home-based players from those named in his provisional squadBoca Juniors defender Luciano Monzon, Lanus midfielder Diego Valeri and Estudiantes winger Enzo Perez.

Goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo of River Plate, on loan from Lazio, is the only man in the squad to have played his club football in Argentina this season.

Tevez was dropped by Batista last year over a no-show for a friendly against arch-rivals Brazil in Qatar which Argentina won 1-0 with a goal by Lionel Messi.

However, the coach and player had a heartto-heart and Tevez, who last season became the first Argentine to finish as top goalscorer in the English Premier League, was included in Batista’s provisional 26-man squad on June 1.

The immensely popular Manchester City captain’s inclusion was reported as being at least partly down to the fans’ clamor. Tevez was a second-half substitute against Albania on Monday, scoring the fourth goal in added time as Batista displayed his 4-3-3 tactics with Messi as a roving centre forward. Favorites Argentina open the tournament against Group A rivals Bolivia in La Plata on Friday. The final is scheduled for July 24—Reuters

Hamilton, who had finished runner-up here the last three years, stayed four th with 97 points. Alonso trails Vettel by a huge 99 points on 87 after a second runner-up finish in three

races. “I think second place is the maximum we can have in these days, so to be here between the Red Bull cars is a great achievement,” Alonso said after earning his first podium in Valencia. “We are definitely moving in the right

direction, working to get closer to these guys.”

Hamilton surrendered his third-place start with a terrible beginning as both Ferraris passed the McLaren driver, who has been under pressure to curb his aggressive driving style following incidents at the last two GPs. Button also surrendered sixth to Nico Rosberg at the first corner, but a sly pass later on recouped it to leave the McLarens trailing both the Red Bulls and Ferraris.

After the first round of stops Hamilton had managed to get past Massa but still trailed Alonso, who was right on the back of Webber before passing the Australian at the end of the long straight near the close of lap 21. Webber recovered his place by the second round of pits while a poor stop by Massa dropped the Brazilian out of Hamilton’s reach. Alonso recovered second after the final round of stops but his hopes of catching Vettel were hampered as he was slowed by traffic after coming out of the pits. Webber regretted his last pit stop.

“It was probably my best race of the year until the last pit stop,” said Webber, who rued his decision to come in early to swap back to the soft tire while Alonso stayed out on the medium to get ahead. “It was my fault for missing second today. The three of us were nick and tuck to the end.”

Rosberg finished seventh for Mercedes ahead of Jaime Alguersuari, whose seat at Toro Rosso has been under pressure.

Adrian Sutil of Force India was ninth and Renault’s Nick Heidfeld was 10th.

Sergio Perez’s first race since crashing at Monaco yielded an 11th-place finish as Sauber opted for a one-stop strategy. The season continues on July 10 with the British GP. —AP

River facing demotion, police brace for trouble

DENMARK: Spain’s players celebrate winning the Under 21 Euro 2011 final soccer match against Switzerland, at Aarhus Stadium.—AP

Spain clinch Under-21 title AARHUS: Ander Herrera and Thiago Alcantara scored the goals as Spain beat Switzerland 2-0 on Saturday to win the European Under-21 championship. Spain, dominant at senior level where they are world and European champions, sealed their third continental Under-21 title thanks to a first-half header from Herrera and an audacious free kick from Alcantara in the 81st minute. Switzerland, who had been seeking their first trophy, managed to shackle the Spaniards well in the opening half hour in Aarhus and could have gone ahead when Xherdan Shaqiri half-volleyed a shot that goalkeeper David De Gea had to punch away.

Instead, the Swiss defence was breached for the first time in the tournament as Didac Vila’s pinpoint cross found Herrera arriving at pace, and the midfielder planted his header firmly past keeper Yann Sommer at

the near post in the 41st minute.

Innocent Emeghara had a great chance to put Switzerland back on level terms after 52 minutes but he scuffed his shot straight at De Gea. Switzerland upped the tempo and went close on several occasions from set pieces with Timm Klose and Pajtim Kasami heading wide from promising positions.

As the Swiss tired of chasing possession, Thiago put the result beyond doubt with a free kick in the 81st minute. Spotting Sommer off his line, the Barcelona midfielder floated the ball over his head from 40 metres out, triggering wild celebrations from the Spanish.

Earlier in the day, Yegor Filipenko scored an 88thminute goal as Belarus beat Czech Republic 1-0 in the third-place playoff and qualified for next year’s Olympic Games.—Reuters

BUENOS AIRES: River Plate is facing demotion to the second division for the first time, and Argentine security officials are bracing for possible violence with more than 2,000 police assigned to the match at River’s 50,000-seat stadium. The Buenos Aires club must win late yesterday’s game against second-division Belgrano by two goals, or it will be relegated for the first time in its 110year history.

Belgrano won 2-0 at home on Wednesday in the first leg, which was stopped in the 52nd minute when dozens of River Plate hooligans — at least one wearing a mask — ran onto the field and pushed and taunted River players.

Any outcome is potentially volatile in a country where football-related violence in and out of stadiums has been blamed for 14 deaths in the last 16 months. “It would be a very tough blow for Argentine football if River goes down,” said Juan Roman Riquelme, midfielder for River’s archrival Boca Juniors.

The object of fan anger has been club president Daniel Passarella, the captain of Argentina’s 1978 World Cupwinning team and a star defender at River Plate. The club is training in isolation on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, but TV images have shown Passarella running practice in place of coach Juan Jose Lopez.

Police with shields and batons marched behind a water cannon on Thursday, scattering several hundred demonstrators who tried to confront

Passarella at his office in River Plate’s Monumental Stadium.

The decision by Interior Ministry officials — after talks with the Argentine Football Association — to hold the match in a full stadium was announced on Thursday with many saying it should be played without fans. The deployment of more than 2,000 police is believed to be a record for a football match.

The nonprofit group, Let ’s Save Football, says 257 people overall have died in football-related violence in the country. It has blamed the AFA for much of the recurring violence, saying President Julio Grondona has ignored hooligan groups who often stir up trouble. The AFA says the violence is a social and police issue, not a football one.

“The lack of control is enormous,” said Monica Nizzardo, president of Let’s Save Football, in an email to The Associated Press. “ This match (Wednesday) crossed the line and put fans’ lives, and players’ live, at risk. We are in a country where even a 90-minute sports event isn’t safe.” River will be without three key players suspended for the game: Captain and midfielder Matias Almeyda, and defenders Paulo Ferrari and Adalberto Roman.

River Plate has won 33 league titles — 10 more than any other club — but its performance has been in free fall recently. The club — known by the nickname “The Millionaires” — has debts reported at $19 million and has sold off many of its top players to European clubs, hoping to save itself.—AP

Argentina win to begin field hockey title defense

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BERLIN: A fan wearing a colorful dress waits for the beginning of the Group A match between Germany and Canada at the Women’s Soccer World Cup.—AP

German women win World Cup opener Delie goal gives France win over Nigeria BERLIN: Hosts and defending champions Germany got their women’s World Cup campaign off to a flying start yesterday as they beat Group A rivals Canada 2-1 at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.

Having won both the 2003 and 2007 editions, Germany are bidding to complete a hat-trick of titles on home soil and had few problems against the Canadians, who threatened the German goal on only rare occasions.

First-half goals by midfielders Kerstin Garefrekes and Celia Okoyino da Mbabi put the hosts in control before Canada captain Christine Sinclair slotted home a late free-kick for the guests.

The win puts the Germans top of Group A after France’s earlier 1-0 win over Nigeria.

With Germany having gone through the entire 2007 campaign without conceding a goal, Sinclair became the first player to score against them at a World Cup since Sweden’s Hanna Ljungberg in the Germans’ 2-1 win in the 2003 final.

After a glitzy opening ceremony when a giant mirror ball released hundreds of football-shaped balloons into the Berlin sky, Germany got their campaign off to a good start with the first goal coming after just 10 minutes. Having been denied from a crisp shot just moments before, right winger Garefrekes headed home a cross from left-back Babett Peter to put the hosts ahead in front of a sellout crowd of 73,680.

Germany then punished some sloppy defending as centre forward Okoyino da Mbabi made it 2-0 just before the break.

A towering long-ball from Garefrekes put Okoyino da Mbabiwho turns 23 today-away and with the Canadian defence nowhere near her, she slotted her shot past goalkeeper Erin McLeod on 42 minutes.

It was the German midfielder’s fourth goal in her last five games.

Canada’s Italian coach Carolina Morace made two changes at halftime, while Germany’s Silvia Neid opted to switch captain Birgit Prinz for 20-year-old Alexandra Popp, while Okoyino da Mbabi made way for the experienced Inka Grings.

Both Popp and midfielder Kim Kulig clipped the crossbar with second-half shots as the hosts failed to add to their tally before Sinclair curled in a late free-kick to pull one back. The last time Germany lost was in March 2010 when the USA inflicted a 3-2 defeat at the Algarve Cup. Two-time women’s World Cup winners USA open their Group C campaign against North Korea in Dresden tomorrow.

Meanwhile, France opened their 2011 women’s World Cup with a hardearned 1-0 victory over Nigeria here yesterday thanks to Marie -Laure Delie’s goal in a crucial Group A encounter.

A near sell-out crowd of 25,475 in Sinsheim saw a number of good chances but no goals until Delie’s goal in the 56th minute gave France three points in the group with Nigeria remaining on zero.

“It is our first match and we have three points. They are in our pockets and nobody can take them away,” said France coach Bruno Bini.

“Tactically we were a little bit better than them and that allowed us to win the game. “Unfortunately it’s one of those things in football. That’s why it’s a game. We had it in the hand and suddenly it slipped off,” said Nigeria coach Ngozi Uche.

The game at Rhein Neckar Arena was considered a near must-win for both sides with two-time reigning champions and hosts Germany must likely to advance as the other team from Group A to the quarter-finals.

France were the dominating team right from the start, especially on the left side through Louisa Necib - for whom the Nigerians had no answer.

“There are not many players like her. She is just an artist. When I am cold and she gets the ball I am warm again. She is like a ray of sunshine,” Bini said about player of the match Necib. The French were unable to create a real chance though until Elise Bussaglia’s long blast at the 17minute mark, which Nigeria keeper Precious Dede did a fine job fending away.

A minute later Gaetane Thiney’s attempt off a corner struck the right post, followed by defender Wendie Renard shooting over the crossbar

from six yards out in the 23rd minute.

Nigeria slowly worked their way into the game and Desure Oparanozie was sent clear down the right side in the 25th minute.

But the 17-year-old failed to keep her nerves and shot well left of goal in a one-on-one situation against French keeper Berangere Sapowicz, missing clearly the best chance of the first half.

“The inability of the front players to convert hurt us in this match,” said Uche. Uche was forced to replace Faith Ikidi in favour of Josephine Chukwunonye after just 34 minutes.

And Necib had a long shot batted away for a corner by Dede a minute before the break.

France coach Bruno Bini made one switch at half-time, bringing in Eugiene Le Sommer for Sandrine Soubeyrand.

The move paid off for Les Bleus as Le Sommer received a through ball on the right side and the Olympique Lyon midfielder crossed into the box where Necib got her foot on the ball before Delie blasted it past Dede.

The French celebrated with Bussaglia acting as if she was shining Delie’s shoes. The 23-year-old Montpellier forward Delie is in fantastic form, having now scored 22 goals in 21 caps and 12 goals in her last six matches. “I give it my best each time the purpose of a striker is to score and voila!” said Delie. “It just keeps going. She is really unbelievable,” said Bini of Delie. Delie nearly struck again after 64 minutes, twisting and striking but only finding Dede.

Bini had to make a final substitution five minutes later with Renard coming out holding her groin area and replaced by Laure Lepailleur.

Nigeria went for broke and brought on 16-year-old starlet Uchechi yesterday in the 78th minute for another forward.

But the French defence held - just barely as left back Sonia Bompastor helped clear a dangerous header with four minutes to play.

France nearly finished off the African giants but Necib’s free kick went just over the crossbar in the 90th minute. France next play Canada on Thursday while Nigeria face hosts Germany that same day.—AFP

BERLIN: Germany’s Kerstin Garefrekes is congratulated by Germanyís Linda Bresonik (left) as she celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Group A match between Germany and Canada at the Women’s Soccer World Cup.—AP

Mexico clinch Gold Cup with 4-2 victory over US PASADENA: Mexico won the Concacaf Gold Cup on Saturday with a 4-2 victory over the United States in a hugely entertaining final played in front of 93,000 fans.

The pulsating game was a fitting finale to a tournament boasting plenty of goals and attacking games in front of bumper attendances and Mexico, with their exciting young team, were deserved champions for a record sixth time. Mexico had to fight back from 20 down after 23 minutes but with Giovani dos Santos at his sparkling best, Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez a constant threat and Pablo Barrera causing havoc on the right wing, they ran out convincing winners. “They’re as dynamic as any (Mexico) team I’ve played against,” US forward Landon Donovan told reporters. “They have a few guys who can change the game in a heart beat.

They have some special players and they’re explosive and if you give them space they’re going to make plays,” he added. A huge Mexican contingent in the crowd at the Rose Bowl brought a festive atmosphere to the ageing venue for the 1994 World Cup final but the

pre-game ‘Futbol Fiesta’ came to a halt soon after kickoff.

The US took the lead in the eighth minute when midfielder Michael Bradley, son of coach Bob, nodded in a Freddy Adu corner with a sublime angled glancing header. The hosts were forced into an early change, though, when fullback Steve Cherundolo sustained an ankle injury and was replaced by Jonathan Bornstein, a move that had a big impact on the game with the substitute struggling down the left.

The switch didn’t initially disrupt the attacking flow of Bradley’s team who kept surging forward to exploit opponents who appeared rattled by the early assault.

The approach paid off handsomely in the 24th minute when Clint Dempsey fed Landon Donovan, the United States’ all-time top scorer celebrating his return to the starting lineup with the coolest of left-foot finishes. The Mexicans soon woke up from their evening siesta and within five minutes Pablo Barrera had raced past Bornstein onto a long ball from Javier Hernandez and driven it past a station-

ary Tim Howard to reduce the deficit.

Suddenly bubbling with confidence, Mexico struck the equaliser in the 36th minute when Dos Santos cut in from the right-flank and hit a low shot into the area which hit defender Clarence Goodson. Andres Guardado pounced on the deflection to squeeze a shot under the body of keeper Howard. The US left the field looking shell-shocked at the break while Mexico’s confident body language told the story of a determined comeback.

The hosts needed to get a quick grip on the game in midfield if they were to stem Mexico’s attacking flow but their southern neighbors were in no mood to ease off. Guardado fed Barrera inside the area and his low shot beat Howard and went in just inside the far post to make it 3-2. The US came close to levelling when Clint Dempsey hit the bar with a fine strike from the edge of the area. But the game was settled in style by Dos Santos, who was forced to dribble away from goal after failing to round Howard but produced an inch-perfect chip that evaded defender Eric Lichaj on the line and floated into the top corner. -—Reuters

PASADENA: Members of Mexico soccer team celebrate their team’s 4-2 win against the United States in the Concacaf Gold Cup soccer final at the Rose Bowl.—AP

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Sudan seeks ‘blue gold’ with new dam projects Page 23 MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011

KFH, GIH in $180million debt restructuring Page 22

Bankers see economic fallout from ‘Arab Spring’ Page 26

Eurozone preparing for the worst Europe will cope if Greek package fails: Germany

BRUSSELS: (Left to right) Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso address the final press conference at the end of a summit of the EU heads of State in Brussels. European leaders dug out a fresh rescue for debt-ridden Greece to avoid global financial chaos, but on condition Athens rallies parliamentary support for new austerity measures.—AFP BERLIN: The eurozone is preparing for the worst in the Greek debt crisis and will cope should Athens default on its loans, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said in an interview published yesterday.

Schaeuble said he and his European counterparts fully expected the Greek parliament to pass a crucial austerity package this week despite massive street protests and resistance from the opposition, but would manage if it did not. “We are doing everything we can to prevent a perilous escalation for Europe but must at the same time be prepared for the worst,” he told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper.

Schaeuble said the experience from the 2007-2008 global financial crisis, triggered by the bankruptcy of the US investment bank Lehman Brothers, showed that the world economy could bounce back from a disaster. “If things turn out differently than everyone expects that would of course be a major breakdown. But even in 2008, the world was able to take coordinated action against a global and unpredictable financial market crisis,” he said. He acknowledged that gross national product in Germany, the eurozone’s biggest economy, fell 4.7 percent as a result-the worst performance in the postwar period. But he noted that the country had since returned to growth.

Schaeuble nevertheless warned the Greek parliament against failing to pass the

austerity package, underlining that it would have a major impact on the stability of the eurozone. “We would have to quickly ensure that the danger of contagion for the financial system and other euro states is kept in check,” he said. Debt-wracked Greece has been told by its European peers that it cannot hope to continue receiving aid out of a 110-billion-euro rescue package agreed with the EU and the IMF last year without biting budget reforms and privatizations. The EU wants private creditors-banks, pension funds and insurers-to contribute to a rescue in an “informal and voluntary” rollover of Greek government bonds whereby investors buy new bonds to replace ones that mature.

It fears that if the participation is not seen as voluntary, rating agencies could declare Athens to be in default. Schaeuble insisted it was in private creditors’ “most basic interest” to pitch in to help Greece for the sake of market stability. “I expect precise figures as to how much the private sector in Europe will voluntarily contribute at the special meeting of the Eurogroup (finance ministers from the 17-nation eurozone) on July 3,” he said. The head of the German federation of private banks, Michael Kemmer, pledged that its members would participate in the aid package but offered no details, in an interview with the daily Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung published Saturday.— AFP

Dissent, strikes ahead on crisis reform road ATHENS: Greece faces a strike this week and a momentous battle in parliament as the government struggles to quash dissent to additional austerity reforms needed to secure a vital new EU-IMF bailout. The country’s influential unions have called a 48-hour walkout from tomorrow on top of rolling power cuts by disgruntled electricity workers that have hit households around the country for the past week.

The labor unrest, accompanied by large protests outside parliament that have occasionally turned violent, is fuelled by government plans to sell 50 billion euros ($71 billion) worth of state assets to reduce the country’s crushing debt. Greece has been told by its European peers that it cannot hope to continue receiving aid out of a 110-billion-euro rescue package agreed with the EU and the IMF last year without these reforms and privatizations.

The Socialist government of Prime Minister George Papandreou has until Thursday to push austerity reforms worth an additional 28 billion euros through a divided parliament-on top of sweeping cuts last year.

“We are totally confident,” government spokesman Ilias Mosialos said. “These are extremely crucial votes. We believe lawmakers in parliament’s majority will act responsibly.” But Papandreou’s political opponents have pledged to oppose the plan and even some of his own lawmakers are grumbling about measures likely to alienate constituents. “I insist that I will not approve this plan,” said one Socialist lawmaker, Alexandros Athanasiadis, who opposes the sale of a 17percent stake in the near-monopoly Public Power Company.

Another deputy has criticized the government’s deference to the so-called “troika” of creditors-the EU, IMF and the European Central Bank. “Last week we managed to soft-

en some of the edges of the plan, then the troika told the government to take the changes back,” said Socialist lawmaker Thomas Robopoulos. “This means we have no role to play in parliament,” he said.

Papandreou has a five-seat majority in the chamber and a state treasury that is about to run out of cash by mid-July unless the international creditors agree to unlock a scheduled 12-billion-euro tranche of the EU-IMF bailout.

They have refused to release the loan without a clear reform commitment from Athens. The IMF has even threatened to pull out of the deal without pledges from Europe that the Greek problem will be addressed once and for all. To help Papandreou prevail at home, Brussels this week offered the hope of extra funds from regional cohesion funds to boost development and create jobs. Amid a deep recession exacerbated by the cuts, Greek unemployment has climbed to record levels (15.9 per cent of the workforce in the first quarter of 2011) and more than 800,000 people are officially out of work. The parliament vote is also linked to a new bailout that could reach 100 billion euros, though part of that will likely be on the tail-end of the existing 110-billion-euro EU-IMF package. The second bailout of Athens in just over a year would combine fresh eurozone loans and privatisation proceeds with a contribution from banks and other private investors who are being pressed to lend the Greeks more money in the form of a rollover of Greek bonds due for redemption over the coming months.

World markets are following the drama closely for fear that a wrong step now could cause far-reaching damage throughout the eurozone. EU leaders on Thursday called on “all political parties in Greece to support the program’s main objectives,” saying “national unity is a prerequisite for success.” — AFP

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B U S I NE S S

Sheikh Ahmed becomes Emirates NBD chairman Move signals more changes inDubai’s banksector DUBAI: Dubai’s ruler named his uncle and close advisor Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum as chairman of Emirates NBD yesterday, in a move that may signal changes to come in Dubai’s banking sector. Sheikh Ahmed, chairman of Emirates airlines and uncle to Dubai’s ruler, replaces Ahmed Humaid Al Tayer, who is also governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), state news agency WAM said. The two men also helm Dubai’s Supreme Fiscal Committee and were key figures during the emirate’s debt crisis.

“It’s an interesting change, it’s a change that the market was not expecting,” said Mohammed Ali Yasin, chief investment officer at CAPM Investments in Abu Dhabi.

“This could be signaling this summer will not be a dull summer after all. This could be signaling a new set of changes, going through local departments whether in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.” WAM said Hisham Abdullah Al Kasem was named ENBD’s deputy chairman, replacing Abdullah Mohamed Saleh, who resigned from the post in May. Three other members of the bank’s board of directors were also replaced by Mohammed Obaid Al Shehhi, Mohammed Hadi Ahmed Abdullah Al Husaini and Shoaib

Mer Hashim Khouri.

Dubai’s government owns a 55.6 percent stake in Emirates NDB, which was created in the 2007 merger of two local banks by order of Dubai’s ruler. The appointment of Sheikh Ahmed, a respected businessman who helped steer Dubai through its debt crisis, will lend stability and credibility to the changes, observers said. Sheikh Ahmed also took the helm of debtladen conglomerate Dubai World as chairman in December, as Dubai bid to rebuild its tarnished brand name after the debt debacle.

POTENTIAL CONSOLIDATION Revamping the board of Dubai’s largest bank by market

value, could show that the government is setting its sights on changes within the emirate’s banking sector, said Abdul Kadir Hussain, chief executive of Mashreq Capital. “People change senior management and board because they want things to move in another strategic direction,” Hussain said. “The general view is that Dubai’s banking sector is overbanked and if you were to get some consolidation, then you could get some critical mass in terms of balance sheet.”

Hussain said there were issues in Dubai’s banking sector that need to be resolved, including the fate of troubled Islamic lender Dubai Bank, which was taken over by

Dubai’s government in May. Talk has swirled that Emirates NBD’s Islamic arm, Emirates Islamic Bank, could step in to buy Dubai Bank. The government said last month it was considering whether to continue running Dubai Bank on a stand-alone basis or merge it with another state-owned bank. Separately, WAM said Sheikh Ahmed stepped down as chairman of Noor Islamic Bank. He will be replaced by Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum. Noor Islamic had also had been touted as a possible candidate to absorb Dubai Bank, but the speculation was denied by Sheikh Ahmed in a statement last month. —Reuters

X-Cite announces winner of Cadillac CTS-V COUPE KUWAIT: X-Cite by Alghanim Electronics yesterday announced the second winner of its grand summer raffle draw which was held on June 20, 2011 at Al Raii store.

The lucky winner of the brand new Cadillac is Amer Yasser AlAbdullah who purchased an iPod Touch 4G from avenues

showroom on June 9th, 2011. XCite is giving its customers the chance of a lifetime to win 5 dream cars. There are still three draws on the way: The Audi R8, Mercedes-Benz SLS and the Lamborghini Gallardo. Hurr y over and shop for 50KD at any XCite store to enter the weekly draw and win your dream car.

Rafiq bags CBK’s Najma KD 100,000 grand prize KUWAIT: The Commercial Bank of Kuwait awarded Ayoub Rafiq with the KD 100,000 grand prize he won in the Al-Najma account raffle draw held last Sunday, June 19, 2011. Rafiq was handed the prize check by banking services general manager Simon Clements, after which he expressed gratitude for the award as well as the ‘top quality service’ he’s receiving. This competition is one of four that the

CBK this year, and follows a raffle draw held on June 19 to celebrate the bank’s 50th anniversary. The Najma (star) account enables clients (Kuwaiti and nonKuwaiti) to receive many privileges including interests-free transactions, as well as entering daily raffle draws with chances to win a grand prize of KD500; the largest daily grand prize in Kuwait, with multiple entries for each KD25 deposited.

KFH, GIH in $180 million debt restructuring KUWAIT: Kuwait Finance House, the country’s biggest Islamic lender, said yesterday it signed a deal with Gulf Investment House to restruc ture the KD49.5 million ($180 million) it owes in debts.

The agreement “includes converting the current debts from shor t term to

medium term for a period of five years...

The agreement was signed in collaboration with Boubyan Bank and Burgan Bank,” KFH said in a statement.

KFH, which owns a 30 percent stake in GIH, said it “is confident GIH will be able to continue to operate in line with its vision over the upcoming period as a

result of the debt re -structuring.” The agreement comes under the financial stability law, it added.

Problems at Kuwaiti investment firms, led the government of the world’s fourthlargest oil expor ter to approve a “Financial Stability Law” rescue package worth $5.2 billion in 2009. —Reuters

Gulf Bank wins ‘Best Employee Training’ award KUWAIT: Gulf Bank yesterday announced that it has won the coveted ‘Best Employee Training’ award by Banker Middle East, the region’s leading banking industry magazine. Gulf Bank received the accolade at the Banker Middle East Awards Ceremony, held at the Ritz Carlton in Dubai on the 22nd June 2011.

Winners were chosen by a judging panel of international industry experts drawn from international rating agencies and the region’s leading financial centers.

Omar Al-Bassam, Assistant General Manager Human Resources at Gulf Bank said: “We are extremely proud to accept this prestigious award from The Banker Middle East, and the value the international recognition it represents. This is a great accomplishment for us and endorses our long-term strategy of recruiting, developing and investing in the very best people.

“At Gulf Bank, excellence in customer service and a commitment to developing innovative and relevant banking solutions have long been amongst our core values. Our staff are the backbone of our organization, and we recognize that investment in their skills and wellbeing has a direct bearing on how well we are able to carry out our commitments and services to our customers.

“This award reflects the efforts of a lot of people over a long period of time. I am very proud of the progress Gulf Bank has been able to make through listening to its staff and providing the training and the motivation needed to create the strong and dynamic organization the Bank has become today.”

The ‘Best Employee Training’ award is a measure of the success of Gulf Bank’s long term strategy of enhancing the skills, capabilities and knowledge of its employees. The Bank strongly believes in strengthening its human capital through listening to employees’ needs, addressing concerns and continually providing training and encouragement. The more its employees are satisfied and secure in their jobs, the greater their motivation and more they contribute to organiza-

tional success. Employee training has been of the utmost importance for the Bank and it is continuously seeking new ways to develop their capabilities.

In addition to today’s announcement, Gulf Bank has won many prestigious HR awards signifying the successful strategy it has in place. At the end of 2010, Gulf Bank achieved an unprecedented accomplishment by winning the coveted Localization Award for the sixth consecutive year from the GCC Council of Ministers of Labor and Social Affairs.

Gulf Bank also won the coveted “Employer of the Year” award at the 2nd GCC Human Resource Excellence Awards 2010 held in conjunction with the 5th Human Assets Middle East Congress.

In 2010, the Bank officially launched a new human resources development program, ‘Mentoring For Success’. This innovative program aims to enhance and develop the Bank ’s existing and prospective talent. ‘Mentoring For Success’ is a structured, expert led and project managed mentorship program where mentors and mentees are identified, selected, developed and retained.

Gulf Bank also offers specialized training courses for its employees to enhance their capabilities within their respective departments. For high achievers at the Bank, it has created STAR Awards, a form of employee award that is used to recognize individual staff, or teams, whose achievements are considered to be role models to others or where initiative is displayed beyond the call of duty.

The Banker Middle East Awards, which are held each year, recognize businesses in the region that have excelled in providing exceptional levels of customer service and innovation across a range of sectors, from basic banking products to high-end investment services. They were established to set the highest benchmarks for the industry. The award’s panel of judges nominates banks and financial organizations that have shown outstanding improvement and success over the past 12 months.

EXCHANGE RATES CommercialBankofKuwait 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 US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian dollars Danish Kroner Swedish Kroner Australian dlr Hong Kong dlr Singapore dlr Japanese yen Indian Rs/KD Sri Lanka rupee Pakistan rupee Bangladesh taka UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi Riyal/KD Omani riyals Philippine Peso

.2721760 .4390200 .3900000 .3234040 .2793990 .2881530 .0061030 .0024910 .0741320 .7221440 .3849730 .0725990 .7071350 .0062850 .0461310

.2774230 .4474840 .3914980 .3296380 .2847850 .2937090 .0062200 .0025390 .0755620 .7360660 .3923950 .0739990 .7207670 .0064070 .0470210

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2728500 .2764500 .4401070 .4459140 .3924670 .3976460 .3242040 .3284810 .2800900 .2837860 .0526200 .0533140 .0428560 .0434220 .2888660 .2926780 .0350280 .0354910 .2214690 .2243910 .0034030 .0034480 .0000000 .0061980 .0000000 .0025300 .0000000 .0032330 .0000000 .0037610 .0743160 .0752960 .7239320 .7334840 .0000000 .3910180 .0727790 .0737400 .7088850 .7182390 .0000000 .0063850

Al-MuzainiExchange Co.

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka

ASIAN COUNTRIES 3.449 6.117 3.204 2.506 3.833 223.350 35.323 3.693

Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal - Transfer Irani Riyal - Cash

6.304 8.998 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES 73.389 75.618 714.820 730.770 74.923

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Egyptian Pound - Cash Egyptian Pound - Transfer Yemen Riyal Tunisian Dinar Jordanian Dinar Lebanese Lira Syrian Lier Morocco Dirham

ARAB COUNTRIES 48.350 46.266 1.259 201.320 388.640 182.500 5.941 35.681

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 275.100 Euro 396.420 Sterling Pound 448.000 Canadian dollar 282.560 Turkish lire 172.260 Swiss Franc 327.890 Australian dollar 290.920 US Dollar Buying 273.900 20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

GOLD 283.500 143.500 74.000

BahrainExchange 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 SELL DRAFT 292.700 291.200 732.850 732.850 3.970 3.703 282.400 280.900 541.300 36.600 53.800 167.800 223.900 48.460 46.434 395.300 393.800 36.060 35.910 6.310 6.130

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

0.034 0.235 0.241 3.520 391.080 0.186 93.670 47.500 4.320 227.100 1.868 51.300 715.740 3.310 6.550 76.230 73.570 223.900 42.650 2.650 444.900 43.400 332.400 5.700 9.400 198.263 75.130 275.900 1.240

0.033

389.470 0.185 93.670 3.850 225.600

330.900 5.700 9.190 75.030 275.500

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 442.900 275.500

Sterling Pound US Dollar

DollarcoExchange 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

Selling Rate 275.450 282.495 440.460 393.430 330.678 729.605 74.971 75.609 73.416 387.728 46.386 2.509 6.129

3.214 3.708 6.336 675.655 3.523 9.056 5.792 3.913 91.494

KuwaitBahrainIntlExchange Co. 715.560 3.220 6.360 75.800 73.570 223.900 42.650 2.511 442.900

GOLD 1,549.830

10 Tola

Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

Currency 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

Rate per 1000 (Tran) 275.500 3.220 6.130 2.520 3.705 6.380 75.110 73.670 732.400 46.235 447.900 0.00003280 3.910 1.550 391.400 5.750 395.900 289.600

AlMulla Exchange Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000) US Dollar 272.200 Euro 393.600 Pound Sterling 442.800 Canadian Dollar 280.900 Japanese Yen 3.435 Indian Rupee 6.128 Egyptian Pound 46.230 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.509 Bangladesh Taka 3.685 Philippines Peso 6.340 Pakistan Rupee 3.205 Bahraini Dinar 732.750 UAE Dirham 75.000 Saudi Riyal 73.530 *Rates are subject to change

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MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011

BUSINESS

Sudan seeks ‘blue gold’ with new dam projects ROSEIRES DAM: Sudan is aggressively seeking to tap its abundant Nile waters with new dam projects as the oil-rich south’s independence looms, but experts warn of the social and environmental costs, and the bearing on the Nile water sharing dispute. Khartoum sits on the confluence of the Blue and White Niles. The cash-strapped government has good reasons for wanting to exploit its “blue gold,” a valuable resource that will help to offset the imminent loss of revenues from southern oil-some 36 percent of its income-when south Sudan proclaims independence on July 9.

“Sudan is clearly gearing up in terms of agriculture, because of the oil gap that comes with the separation of the south. To the extent that it can do more in the way of dams, that is its economic security,” said a Sudan-based environmentalist, requesting anonymity. Last week, during a ministerial visit, the engineer responsible for heightening the vast Roseires dam, on the Blue Nile, said the $400 million project, which is due for completion in June 2012, would create three million feddans (1.3 million hectares) of farmland.

It will also more than double the amount of water the reservoir can store to 7.4 billion cubic meters-and raise its 280 megawatts of power generation

capacity by 50 percent. The Atbara and Seteet dams being built in Kassala state, meanwhile, will add another one million feddans of new farmland and have a combined generation capacity of 320 megawatts when they are completed in September 2015, at a cost $840 million, according to their chief engineer. The Gulf-funded and Chinese-built dam projects that the Sudanese government has embarked on dwarf other public development programs.

“Sudan’s ambitious dam strategy has been the single biggest source of discretionary spending in the last few years and represents a key development priority,” said Harr y Verhoeven, an exper t on water and agriculture in Sudan, in a report published this month by the Chatham House think tank.

“The Merowe Dam alone (completed in 2009 at a cost of more than $2 billion) took up almost 40 percent of total public investment in national development projects between 2005 and 2008.” But there are doubts about the cost effectiveness of such massive schemes, and major concerns about the displacement of tens of thousands families, as well as the environmental implications of building the dams at relatively low altitude.

The raising of Roseires is expected to see the resettlement of 22,000 families, which the

NBF sees net profit lending up in 2011 DUBAI: Abu Dhabi-listed National Bank of Fujairah (NBF) expects double-digit loan growth in 2011 and net profit to beat last year’s figure, its chief executive said.

Vince Cook also said provisioning for bad loans is decreasing but ongoing corporate restructurings in the region remain a major concern. “We expect to see continued double-digit growth in our loan book this year,” Cook said in an interview. “We made a loss in 2008, largely as mark to market losses on our investment portfolio. Since then, we’re on a steady downward path in terms of provisions. We expect net profit to be better than last year.”

The UAE banking sector was hard hit hard by Dubai’s debt crisis, kick-started by a $25 billion restructuring at flagship conglomerate Dubai World in 2009. The company has since agreed on a debt deal but numerous other state-linked as well as private entities in the UAE are undergoing debt restructuring or refinancing talks with banks. “We are seeing underlying provisions for new accounts drop to pre-crisis levels. The challenge is the restructurings underway which are struggling to make headway. There are still large-scale restructurings which are not close to conclusion,” Cook said. Among NBF’s major shareholders are the governments of Fujairah and Dubai, both emirates within the UAE. Earlier this week, the bank announced it had signed a $235 million loan which Cook said was partly to refinance a $210 million loan. “The discussion (on the loan) was driven by who we want to work with. It’s the relationship aspect - the bank has followed a policy to give business to banks that provide debt,” Cook said. He added there were no immediate plans to raise debt through the capital markets but that was a method the bank could consider in a year or two. “We still have about 2-3 years before there is any significant repayment. We are not planning a bond issue in the near term,” he said. NBF has total outstanding debt of just over 2 billion dirhams ($544.5 million).—Reuters

Saudi railways to link Dammam, Jubail to mines JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia plans to link its industrial city of Jubail and Dammam port to a network that connects to mining centers, the head of the company that is overseeing the railway said yesterday. “We are preparing the design and tendering documents and will soon tender the project. This process will take several months and the construction is expected to star t at the end of this year or early next year,” Rumaih Al-Rumaih, chief executive of the Saudi Railway Co (SAR), said in an emailed statement. “The purpose of this project is to give access to factories in Jubail to use our railway network for transporting their products,” the statement said, without giving the cost of the planned 125 km (78 mile) DammamJubail railway.

SAR has invited Saudi and global companies to pre-qualify for the Ras Azzour-Jubail link and the deadline for tendering is July 30, according to another emailed statement. SAR is managing the kingdom’s longest railway projec t, the 2,400k m North/South railway, and is financed by the state-run Public Investment Fund (PIF). Last month, it started initial operations on a 1,392 km mineral line, linking phosphate mines at al-Jalamaid and a bauxite mine at Az-Zabirah to processing facilities at the industrial hub of Ras Azzour on the Gulf coast.

Saudi Arabia has two other railway projects and aims to link its lines to other Gulf countries in future.

The kingdom is spending billions of dollars boosting its infrastructure. The Haramain Railway in the west of the country will connect the spiritual heart of Islam, Mecca, and its second-most sacred city Medina, to the kingdom’s commercial hub in Jeddah on the Red Sea coast. The railway is also expected to connect to King Abdullah Economic City, an ultra-modern city and business hub. The kingdom is also studying the construction of a Landbridge railway line to link its eastern and western coasts.—Reuters

Minister of Electricity and Dams, Osama Abdullah, said would prevent them from being affected by the seasonal flooding of the Nile.

But others say the change will be a

traumatic experience for those forced to move, as with the more than 40,000 people who were ordered to leave their homes to make way for the Merowe dam and

its vast reservoir three years ago. In addition, as Verhoeven argues, if such projects had been built on Ethiopia’s stretch of the Blue Nile, at higher altitude, the evaporation

BLUE NILE: An undated handout picture shows the Roseires dam in the Blue Nile state in northern Sudan. Sudan is aggressively seeking to tap its abundant Nile waters with new dam projects as the oilrich south’s independence looms, but experts warn of the social and environmental costs, and the bearing on the Nile water sharing dispute. —AFP

rates would have been seven times lower than in Sudan and caused less displacement.

But Sudan appears in no mood to question its projects, and is negotiating with another Chinese contractor to build the Kajbar dam further downstream, on the third cataract of the Nile, at an estimated cost of $700 million. Some experts point to another factor motivating Sudan’s dam building strategy, namely concerns about its future allocation of Nile waters.

Upstream countries that share the Nile River basin have demanded the revision of colonial-era agreements that allot more than 90 percent of the river’s water to Egypt and Sudan and allow Cairo to veto upstream projects.

The revised agreement has been signed by Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi and seeks to allow irrigation and hydroelectric projects to go ahead without downstream consent. “ The sticking point in renegotiating the Nile basin treaty is the allocation of water quantities,” said the environmentalist who asked not to be named.

“Unlike Egypt, Sudan is not using all of its existing allocation. That is par tly why Sudan is so keen to build new dams. I t gives it a stronger position when they ’re negotiating the new treaty,” he added.—AFP

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BUSINESS

Investors focus on medium, small stocks Global Daily Market Report KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended yesterday’s session on a mixed note. Gains in select stocks sent Global general index higher. Investors focused on medium and small cap stocks in absent of market heavy investors and government portfolio.

Oil intervention replacing the US Fed intervention The summer lull in commodity markets will arrive late this year with raised levels of volatility on the back of a barrage of breaking news. The main market mover this week was the surprise and somewhat controversial announcement from the International Energy Agency that oil consuming nations will release 60 million barrels of oil over a thirty day period. This is indeed only the third time in three decades that such measures have been implemented by the IEA.

Market Indices Global General Index (GGI), market weighted, ended the day up by 0.02 percent, at 193.26 point. Market Capitalization was up for the day at KD31.57bn. On the other hand, KSE Price Index closed at 6,260.1 point, shedding 3.80 points (0.06 percent) to its previous close.

Market Breadth During the session, 91 companies were traded. Market breadth was skewed towards decliners as 31 equities retreated versus 28 that advanced.

Daily Trading Activity Trading activity was down this session. The trades conducted in the non Kuwaiti sector. Total volume traded was down by 35.72 percent with 71.47mn shares changing hands at a total value of KD11.72mn (33.01 percent lower compared to the day before). The non Kuwaiti sector was the volume leader today, accounting for 27.61 percent of total shares. The services sector was the value leader, with 35.40 percent of total traded value. Alafco Aviation Lease & Finance Co was the most active in terms of values traded during yesterday session, with 5.79mn shares exchanged at an aggregate value of KD1.99mn.

Top Gainers and Biggest Decliners In terms of top gainers, Pearl of Kuwait Real Estate Company took the top spot for the day, adding 11.11 percent and closed at KD0.025. On the other hand, Al Dar National Real Estate Company shed 7.32 percent and closed at KD0.019, making it the biggest decliner in the market.

Sectors Wise On a sector-by-sector basis, four out of the eight sectors managed to eke out gains. Non-Kuwaiti stocks bolstered the gains with a 0.37 percent climb. Gulf Finance House was the biggest percentage advancer within the sector during the day, clocking a 2.94 percent in gains. It closed at KD0.070 and topped the volume list for the day with 18.52mn shares changing hands. Meanwhile, Ithmaar Bank was back to its winning ways, adding 2.17 percent to its share price.

Global Services Index registered an increase of 0.18 percent and closed at 838.3 points, mainly on the back of the gains registered in Agility Company which saw its share price increase by 1.54 percent to close at KD0.330 and Alafco Aviation Lease & Finance Company’s scrip which rose by 2.94 percent to close at KD0.350 after stating that its name came as one of the three of the reservation companies (ranked 16) in the new KSE 15 index list.

Three investment companies were among the top losers for the day, among them was Al-Madina for Finance & Investment Company which lost 6.25 percent of its share value, Ekttitab Holding Company which declined by 5.08 percent,

and International Finance Company with a 5 percent drop in its share price, dragging Global Investment Index to lose 0.84 percent, making it the biggest decliner for the day.

Oil News The price of OPEC basket of twelve crudes stood at $106.08 a barrel on Thursday, compared with $107.96 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

Corporate News Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) announces receiving a letter from Heavy Engineering and Ship Building Co (HEISCO). The company stated that its foreign agent, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, had submitted the lowest bid for tender No WKM 45/2010/2001 launched by Ministry of Electricity & Water (MEW). Under the KD4.4mn worth of deal, the company will enhance and upgrade the combustion system for 8 boilers in Al Zour electricity generation and water desalination.

Accordingly, the company will inform KSE management of winning the tender immediately upon receiving the letter of award from Central Tenders Committee (CTC).

Ole S Hansen With OPEC having failed to reach consensus on a production increase and the US Federal Reserve ceasing quantitative easing in a week’s time it was felt that something else had to be done in order to stimulate the global economic recovery which has been failing recently, not least due to the high cost of energy. The reason why the market was caught so unprepared for this announcement was primarily due to the belief that Saudi Arabia was in the process of turning up its tap to ensure adequate supplies into the critical autumn period where the expectation is for a considerable tightness in the market. This has helped reduced prices over the last couple of weeks but the IEA clearly felt that more was needed as bottlenecks were still evident due to the continued loss of high quality Libyan oil.

The IEA has a total of 1.3 billion barrels of strategic reserves available for such actions with the U.S. alone holding more than 700 million government con-

trolled barrels in underground storage.

On that basis it was not a surprise that the U.S. will be contributing half of the 60 million barrels announced yesterday.

As expected the immediate reaction was a steep drop in prices. Brent crude, the leading benchmark for global oil transaction, lost 6 percent and is currently down some 15 percent from the April high but is still one third higher than the 2010 average.

Interestingly Brent crude failed to breach the April low of 105.15 on the news and this could indicate that although we will see a lower range over the summer, potentially between 104 and 115, we would be surprised to see a revisit of the 100 dollar level. For that to happen we will have to see global economic activity deteriorate even further, something that may just have been halted by this action from the IEA. The longer term risk still firmly points towards higher prices as rising demand will continue to challenge low levels of spare capacity. The IEA’s executive director said that a price spike was feared without the action taken. This is obviously a worrying sign for the future should the Libyan crisis continue as additional releases would not have the same effect. The Reuters Jefferies CRB index is down 2 percent on the week with all the gains for the year having been erased. Commodities have generally been struggling during May and June on the back of a slowdown in global economic activity and improved projections for agricultural production this autumn.

With the half-year mark coming up it is also worth having a look at the performance year to date and it is a very mixed picture that’s emerging. All three major commodity indexes are back to zero performance on the year so it is all to play for in the second half. Grain markets have come under some considerable pressure during June as much improved weather has removed some of the worries that caused prices to rally during the sowing season. The S&P GSCI grain index is currently down by 6.5 percent on the year as losses in especially wheat have helped remove some of the

inflationary pressures from this sector.

Russia has lifted its export ban on wheat and the Agriculture Ministry there now estimates that the total grain harvest may reach 90 million tons, up from 61 million tons last year.

Significant weather improvements and a 10 percent increase in planted acres should help bring about this much improved situation. The price of high quality milling wheat in Europe fell 6.5 percent on the week as the Russian news combined with the improved weather situation within the European Union has helped remove some of the previous price pressure.

The drought that hit Russia last year did not occur until July and August so until the crop is in the bag the market will continue to trade nervously with weather forecasts being the main driver over the coming weeks. Gold had an unusually volatile week as a break above the recent high at1,550 was followed by the biggest decline in seven weeks as it got caught up in a general round of risk aversion. Weak economic data from China to the US combined with the IEA announcement had investors heading for the exit across different assets and gold was not immune from this move. As we head into the summer months, which are normally a time of year with weak demand, further losses towards 1,485 can not be ruled out although fundamentals continues to support the yellow metal in the months ahead.

The European carbon market has been suffering heavy losses at one point dropping more than 15 percent to the lowest in almost 15 months. The outlook for the sector looks uncertain and the price has come under pressure due to an oversupply of EU Emission Allowances (EUAs) combined with concerns about future economic growth and industrial activity in the EU. Furthermore the European Parliament has postponed a vote which should target a 30% emissions reduction after 2013. Failure to reach such an agreement will leave energy utilities with a large amount of unused EUAs which they then can sell.

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Albisher & Alkazemi launches new C-Class Coupe KUWAIT: What more dynamic way to celebrate the invention of the automobile? The expressive C-Class Coupe sees Mercedes-Benz, now in its 125th year of corporate history, entering a new market segment and for the first time offering a compact Coupe with classic proportions.

From the side, the new Coupe beguiles the onlooker with its flat silhouette with powerful shoulders and narrow C-pillar in a classic threebox design. Typical Coupe features include the short front overhang, long bonnet, steeply raked windscreen and long, stretched-out roof.

The radiator grille has the doublelouvre style typical of a coupe.

The C-Class Coupe is a fully fledged four-seater and is one of the most spacious models in its segment. For example, there is 1372 mm and 1278 mm of shoulder room in the front and rear respectively. In terms of elbow room, the dimensions are 1443 mm and 1335 mm. All four seats feature sporty yet comfortable integral seats. At 273 mm, the C-Class Coupe offers the most scope for longitudinal seat adjustment in this market segment. The front seats come with electric height and backrest adjustment as standard.

There is an optional memory package which includes electric adjustment with memory function for the front seats, front head restraints, steering column and exterior mirrors, as well as four-way lumbar support for the driver and front passenger. Heating and ventilation for the front seats are also available as optional extras (the latter when combined with leather upholstery).

“By extending the C-Class portfolio, we are consciously targeting new customers. The new model is youthful, stylish and dynamic. What we are offering is an exceptionally sporty way to enter the world of the Mercedes-Benz coupe.” said Micheal Ruehle, General Manager Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Co. The dashboard reveals a strong, sporty and high-quality design including three tube rings with a galvanized finish. A large section of trim is a high-quality part of the dashboard instrument panel. This extends from the centre air vents across the front passenger side to the outer air vent, emphasizing the interior’s generous proportions. For the first time in automotive engineering, the trim parts are available

New generation of telematics with internet access

in a porcelain piano-lacquer look, so complementing the car’s exclusive interior feel.

The piano-lacquer look is available in conjunction with the style package or the Edition 1. There is a choice of two petrol engines to power the C-Class Coupe. Both are equipped with direct injection and the ECO start/stop function as standard. The BlueEFFICIENCY designation indicates that they are particularly efficient in their use of fuel. All automatic versions feature the further-enhanced 7G-TRONIC PLUS seven-speed automatic transmission.

Chassis: Agile handling, pure fun at the wheel The AGILITY CONTROL suspension, which is standard equipment and has a sporty configuration, complements the dynamic engines to perfection. This is based on an

amplitude-dependent damping system: when driving normally with low shock absorber impulses, the

damping forces are automatically reduced for a noticeable improvement in road roar and tyre vibration

The words that count in eurozone-Greece crisis PARIS: A single word, default, what it means, how it works and the damage it could spread around the world is the fulcrum of the next step in the Greek-eurozone debt crisis. An EU summit meeting at the end of this week endorsed an approach for a new bailout combining fresh eurozone loans and help from banks and other private investors, saying that a roll over of Greek debt bonds should be “informal and voluntary”. For weeks analysts on financial markets have debated two questions, when is a default not a default, and when is a voluntary restructuring of debt in fact an enforced loss for investors.

The European Central Bank has issued a stark warning, notably to Germany which led the case for a restructuring of Greek debt. The ECB said that if a redrawing or reprofiling of the debt were to provoke a “credit event” meaning a de-facto default, then the bank might cut off lifeline liquidity to Greek banks. Under a roll over, considered to be the least painful option, private creditors such as banks, insurance companies and savings funds, would agree to exchange existing loans with a given date for repayment for new loans to be repaid at a later date.

Based on the so-called “Vienna initiative” widely credited for having saved Eastern Europe’s financial system from collapse in 2009, private creditors would receive the same interest fixed at issue, and the same amount repaid at maturity.

But they would have to wait longer for their money, consequently suffering losses in terms of the rate of return on their investment and disruption to their own financial planning. A deeper form of restructuring would require private bondholders to take “haircuts,” market jargon for repayment of less than the full amount lent.

And a third element could theoretically involve a reduction of the interest paid. The negotiations turn on the lesser roll over solution. But the three top international credit ratings agencies have threatened to downgrade Greek sovereign debt even further to “default” status, even if the participation of private bondholders were declared “voluntary”. The agencies argue that if new terms were accepted only to avoid worse effects lat-

er, this would amount to agreement under duress. This is what the ECB fears would amount to a “credit event” with potentially disastrous repercussions, notably draining funds from Greece, and that it might then have to cease pumping liquidity into Greek banks.

Standard & Poor ’s downgraded Greece’s long-term sovereign debt outlook to ‘CCC’, an extremely low rating, on June 13. “In situations where investors consider a default to be possible and where the rating has fallen, it becomes more difficult to conclude that investors are exchanging securities voluntarily,” the agency has explained. “For example, while an exchange for longer-dated bonds may appear to be ‘voluntary,’ we may conclude that investors have been pressured into accepting because they fear more adverse consequences were they to decline.

“In such a ‘distressed’ exchange, holders accept less than the original promise, because of the risk that the issuer will otherwise fail to meet its original obligations,” it said. Fitch Ratings and Moody’s International take a similar line, indicating that they will examine whether bondholders reluctant to participate will suffer penalties. If so, the agencies would consider that Greece had defaulted. An economist and professor at the Frankfurt School of Finance, Horst Lochel, warned: “If there is nothing for creditors to gain from their participation, they won’t play the game.”

The president of the German private banking body BdB, Michael Kemmer, also said that it was “obvious” that there had to be incentives to attract creditors to participate. Economists at ING bank wrote recently, referring to the International Swaps and Derivatives Association: “A roll over will not be an ISDA defined credit event, but the ratings agencies will likely define it as a default.

“The defining element to avoid it being a credit event is that the principal is rolled over at par (meaning face value), and the coupon (interest paid) kept intact. “But classification as a default is likely as any sensible analysis would show that the roll over leaves the bond holder worse off than accepting redemption up front at par.”—AFP

characteristics - but without any compromise in handling safety.

When shock absorber impulses

are greater, for example when cornering at speed or performing evasive maneuvers, the maximum damping

forces are set and the car is effectively stabilized. The AGILITY CONTROL suspension is complemented by a rackand-pinion steering system. Speedsensitive steering with variable centering and a constant steering ratio is available as an option. In addition to the AGILITY CONTROL suspension as standard, there is an optional extra on the Coupe in the form of a 15 mm lower sports suspension with harder, shorter springs, tauter shock absorbers and stronger torsion bars.

Speed-sensitive sports steering is also included.

Driver assistance systems With nine airbags as standard, belt tensioners and belt-force limiters for all seats, the C-Class Coupe has extensive safety features. The airbags, which can deploy in milliseconds in the event of an accident, include front airbags for the driver

and front passenger, a knee bag on the driver’s side, sidebags and pelvis bags in the front, as well as window bags for the driver and the front and rear passengers.

With a total of ten new driving assistance systems ranging from ATTENTION ASSIST to DISTRONIC PLUS adaptive cruise control, the CClass Coupe attains a high level of safety. The assistance systems are based on the latest radar, camera and sensor technology, and cover frequent accident causes such as driving too closely, fatigue and darkness. Larger displays, new functions and internet access for the first time are among the main innovations of the new telematics systems from Mercedes-Benz, which are available for the C-Class Coupe. The Bluetooth functions have also been extended: a mobile’s phone book can now be transferred automatically en bloc when connected, and incoming text messages can be displayed on the color screen.

Emotion and high performance Mercedes-Benz presents the new C 63 AMG Coupe, a stand-alone, high-performance car that appeals to all the senses: unmistakable design is teamed up with a highper formance drive system and dynamic handling. The new Coupe rounds off the successful C-Class AMG model range, which includes the classic Saloon. The C 63 AMG Coupe also enhances the AMG family of Coupes: in addition to the CLS 63 AMG and the CL 63 AMG, Mercedes-AMG GmbH is now able to offer another dream car featuring a high-performance eight-cylinder engine. The market launch commences in July 2011. Looking particularly attractive is the “Edition 1” of the C 63 AMG Coupe, available from launch and featuring exclusive equipment.

The AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine in the C 63 AMG Coupe has a maximum output of 336 kW and peak torque of 600 Nm, delivering powerful traction and first-class performance figures: the Coupe accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and the top speed is 250 km/h (electronically limited). With this kind of specification, the new two-door vehicle is set to take the lead in its segment. For more information on C-Coupe or any other Mercedes-Benz product or service visits us online at www.mercedes-benz.com.kw or facebook.com/MercedesBenzKuwait.

Conflicting voices in euro crisis criticized US growingimpatientonGreece rescue effort PARIS: Europeans have struggled to speak in one voice since the beginning of the Greek debt crisis, but US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner’s criticism of the cacophony has brought the issue back into focus. A half-dozen stakeholders with varying fears and concerns give the impression of conflicting agendas in a crisis that has given Europe’s single currency its biggest test ever.

In Greece, the crisis erupted in October 2009 when the newly elected Socialist government discovered gerrymandered statistics hiding debt far more colossal than thought. Desperate in the face of bankruptcy, Prime Minister George Papandreou secured last year a 110-billion-euro ($155-billion) line of credit-to be released over three years-from core eurozone countries and the IMF in return for budget cuts and asset sales that were to impress markets into leniency. But that credit didn’t come easily from Germany. The electorate there frowned upon an expensive lifeline for southern Europeans many Germans see as economically undisciplined and unable to make hard decisions.

Afraid to rankle voters, Chancellor Merkel loudly resisted calls from European leaders to come to Greece’s rescue. But at the eleventh hour, Germany turned around and approved the bailout-after securing the IMF’s participation too-puzzling markets and outside observers-like Secretary Geithner. “I think it is very hard for people who invest in Europe ... to understand what [Europe’s] strategy is when you have so many people talking,” Geithner said at a CFO Forum organized by The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.

“The simple rule of crisis management is you want to have a simple, clear, unified declarative strategy.”

More recently, in the debate over a second Greek bailout, Germany differed strongly with the European Central Bank, another key player in the rescue packages. True to form, Germany demanded that private investors restructure their debt, a move almost certain to be deemed a default by ratings agencies and world markets-an impossible outcome to the ECB. The ECB, as the great protector of the euro, strongly faced down German intransigence.

Other eurozone players like France and Luxembourg rallied behind the ECB, with leaders at times making their views known bluntly, troubling markets in consequence.

Ratings agencies, another player in the eurozone debt drama, will look closely at how private investors participate. Anything resembling restructuring will be slapped with a default rating whose consequences could ripple dangerously through the world economy. Markets, the great aggregator of global economic sentiment, have largely integrated the likelihood of a Greek default of some sort over the coming months or years. But analysts fear that if it happens in a disorganized fashion, the crisis would prove contagious to other European peripheral nations like Portugal, Ireland and even Spain and Italy.

Meanwhile, the delay in finding a durable solu-

tion to the Greek debt crisis is causing impatience in the United States, where there is mixed support for any new bailout. The US has been watching the Greek situation for more than a year and now is paying closer attention to the latest developments from Germany, France and other EU members with the crisis threatening the overall global economy. “The US has been closely following the euro crisis since the outset. It has understood the potential upset that it could have on the world and the US economy,” said Domenico Lombardi, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington.

Officially, the US administration has simply urged Greece to undertake reforms. But some irritation is showing. US Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke said the Greek sovereign debt crisis poses grave threats not only to Europe but to the US and overall financial system. “If there were a failure to resolve that situation, it would pose threats to the European financial systems, the global financial system and to European political unity,” he told a news conference. Bernanke stressed that the Fed is not part of the negotiations to resolve the crisis, but has been “kept wellinformed,” citing a conference call over the weekend with the G7 (Group of Seven) rich countries on the issue.—Agencies

Price triggers mining revival in Germany OBERWIESENTHAL: A gaping hole in a mountain stands out in the otherwise picturesque landscape here near the Czech border, heralding an unexpected rebirth of industrial mining in Germany. The Oberwiesenthal pioneer venture in the Ore Mountains aims to prove that, with the meteoric rise of the price of raw materials on world markets, mining can be profitable again in high-wage, highly regulated Germany. The project is miniature compared to the vast open-pit mines in countries such as China and Namibia.

But its success would be welcome in this depressed corner of former communist East Germany, which has seen its population depleted and the jobless rate soar since unification in 1990. “Apart

from tourism, we don’t have much at the moment,” the town’s mayor Mirko Ernst, who enthusiastically backs the project, told AFP. A small ski resort is the only real source of income for the town, and the population has shrunk to 2,000 from 5,000 in the last two decades. But its other natural resources have remained untapped until now.

The Ore mountain chain bridging eastern Germany and the Czech Republic, is, as its name suggests, rich in silver, iron ore and uranium, which the East German mining group Wismut extracted and shipped to the Soviet Union until 1954. The company employed up to 6,000 people here at the time.

Prospecting carried out in the 1970s revealed the presence of fluorite, a mineral which, when it is

ground into powder, can be used in the metals industry and even in creating the synthetic material Goretex. But it was not until 2008 that a group of regional engineers, eyeing the skyrocketing prices of fluorite on global markets, came up with a scheme for mining it. “ That factor, combined with more modern extraction techniques, opened the door to a potentially profitable business,” said the technical director of the project, Martin Zimmermann. Mining has long been considered a losing proposition in most developed economies, according to the president of the German federation of raw materials, Heinz Norbert Schaechter. “You have the labor costs but also costs linked to security and environmental norms, trans-

portation and accessing the minerals,” he said. For these reasons, the western European mining sector has largely dried up, even in Germany’s once mighty Ruhr Valley.

But the demand for minerals from around the world is so hot that “there is a lot of reason to believe that (the revival of mining in Germany) can be more than just a pastime,” Schaechter said.

The Oberwiesenthal mine is the most advanced of a series of projects. Others are expected to follow, including a scheme to extract copper slate near the Polish border. The removal of fluorite is expected to begin in mid-2012 and produce 180,000 tons per year with turnover estimated at current market prices of about 70 million euros (around $100 million). —AFP

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business

Egypt likely to hold off on bond sale Foreign investors still avoiding local T-bills CAIRO: Egypt is unlikely to tap the international bond market in the next few months despite a hefty budget deficit since political uncertainty would drive up costs and the government wants to size up what foreign aid it can secure.

The country’s last eurobond, which was oversubscribed, was launched almost a year before President Hosni Mubarak was toppled on Feb 11. His government had been considering a new long-term issue. But officials now say the government, which forecasts a budget deficit of nearly 9 percent in the 2011/2012 fiscal year, is in no hurry. Economists say it may not tap the market until November or later.

The yield on a 10-year Egyptian eurobond has dropped to 5.70 percent from over 7.0 percent in late January during the uprising that ousted Mubarak, as the new government has won assurances of external help to shore up state finances. The yield was as low as 4.4 percent last year. Egypt was given breathing space when the International Monetary Fund agreed a $3 billion standby facility on June 6.

That and other pledges from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and others could mount to over $20 billion, if finalized.

“I think they do have the capability to hold off for now to get the most attractive pricing,” said Dina Ahmad, a strategist at BNP Paribas in London. “It is still quite uncertain in terms of the outlook, particularly with parliamentary elections in September and presidential elections shortly afterwards.” Cairo Treasury officials speaking on condition of anonymi-

ty indicated this week that they were in no hurry to seek fresh funds from the international debt market. “With all the funding we will receive, we may not even need to tap (the international market) for now,” said one, who would not be identified due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

HEADWINDS Egypt is not alone in deciding to bide its time. Economists say Bahrain and Tunisia, both rocked by political unrest, have delayed moves to raise fresh cash from abroad as civil strife that began in Tunis in January continues across the Middle East. Egypt’s economy shrank more than 4 percent in the January-toMarch quarter because of the turmoil, and it is battling the dual headwinds of growing public demands for subsidies and higher state wages alongside slowing tax income. The government has cut projected spending in the fiscal year that begins on July 1 and reined in its expected 2011/12 budget deficit to 8.6 percent from the 11 percent targeted in a budget statement given at the start of June.

Offers of external support include a $2 billion US plan to forgive debt and guarantee bonds for infrastructure and job creation, and $10 billion from Qatar for infrastructure. Despite the foreign pledges of support for the state budget and balance of payments, few have come to fruition for now and it could take months to get more clarity on the total.

“We believe that a big portion of international funding was actually going to materialize after the results of the par-

Abu Dhabi weathers effects of global financial crisis KAMCO Research ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi managed to weather the effects of the global financial crisis supported by the extensive pool of wealth generated through its hydrocarbon revenues. Underpinned by this oil wealth, as it holds 94 per cent of the UAE’s oil reserves, Abu Dhabi was able to sustain its expansionary fiscal policy over the course of the crisis whilst also providing financial support to its banking sector and the Emirate of Dubai. The government also injected AED 16 bn into the capital of its banks in Feb-09 to counter the effects of the financial crisis as well as enhance liquidity levels within its banking sector.

Nonetheless, in 2009 and 2010 companies were not immune to the effects of the crisis as witnessed through the drop in earnings.

In 2009 earnings fell by 23.5 per cent to AED 23.2 bn compared to AED 30.3 bn in 2008 driven by the drop in earnings recorded by the Real Estate, Energy, and Banking sectors. Accordingly, in light of the prevalence of a challenging economic environment throughout 2010 especially within the Real Estate sector, aggregate earnings further deteriorated by slumping 48.3 per cent in 2010 to AED 12 bn. This drop was mainly due to the AED 12.66 bn loss booked by Al Dar Properties in 2010 as a result of rising impairment charges.

Thereby eroding any profits registered by the remaining companies in the sector and ultimately leading the sector to post a net loss of AED 12.46 bn in 2010.

However, after excluding Al Dar’s loss, aggregate profits of the ADX would surge 6 per cent to AED 24.6 bn - fuelled by the profitability of the Banking, and Energy sectors, which remain the key drivers for the ADX profitability. Net profits of the Banking sector surged 33 per cent to AED 13.2 bn in 2010 against AED 9.9 bn the previous year.

Additionally, with oil prices ending 2010 on a higher note at an average of USD 77 pb, 18 per cent higher than 2009’s average of USD 60 pb, profits of companies in the Energy sector rebounded; leading the Sector’s net profits to grow by more than a threefold to AED 1.1 bn in 2010 against AED 271 mn in 2009. Also despite increased competition in the UAE market from the entrance of a second telecom operator - Du - and the drop in earnings, the Telecom sector’s profits continue to contribute a sizable share of aggregate earnings as Emirates Telecom posted AED 7.63 bn of net profit in 2010. As a result, going forward the performance of the Real Estate sector will likely limit the growth in ADX aggregate earnings; nonetheless growth among the Banking, Services, Energy, and Telecom sectors will drive the ADX’s earnings performance.

Banking and Telecoms remain major profitability drivers in Q1-11: Corporate earnings witnessed a marginal improvement during Q1-11 with aggregate net profit of ADX listed companies increasing by 2.35 per cent to AED 6.98 bn up from AED 6.82 bn reported in Q1-10. The Banking sector remains the main driver of profitability with a combined profit of AED 3.92 bn for Q1-11 accounting for 56 per cent of total market profits. On the other hand, Emirates Telecom remained the largest in the market in terms of profitability with Q1-11 profit of AED 1.82 bn albeit being 8.9 per cent lower than Q1-10 profits of AED 2.0 bn.

Banks & Financial Services Sector Higher Net Profits Led by a Growth in Loan Portfolios and Interest Income: Aggregate net profits of the Banking sector grew at a 5-year CAGR of 6.7 per cent to AED 13.2 bn in 2010 compared to AED 9.5

bn in 2005. Nonetheless, with the onset of the global financial crisis, the Sector’s profits took a dip as witnessed in 2009 where net profits fell to AED 9.9 bn, whereas net profits remained stable at AED 11.5 bn in 2008. However, overall the banking sector has remained resilient due to adequate capital, support from the government, and strong earnings despite the rise in non-performing loans and provisioning.

The noteworthy progress made through the Central Bank of UAE (CBUAE) after issuing new directives, which are aimed at strengthening banks’ financial stability, are set to better enable banks to handle any potential risks in the short-term.

Additionally, the government’s extensive spending plans on infrastructure development in the emirate will undoubtedly encourage banks to lend to the public sector, thus leading to a pickup in credit.

In 2010 aggregate net profits of the Banking sector surged 33 per cent to AED 13.2 bn up from AED 9.9 bn in 2009, mainly driven by the rise among sector heavyweights National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD), First Gulf Bank (FGB), Union National Bank (UNB), and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) as they represented 72 per cent of the Sector’s net profits. Despite the challenging conditions on the back of sluggish credit growth and the new directives issued by the CBUAE, which requires banks to book provisions on a quarterly basis, almost all banks recorded an increase in their net profits.

In terms of profitability, NBAD was the most profitable bank, with net profit reaching AED 3.7 bn - a 22 per cent increase from 2009 driven by the growth in net interest income. In 2010 NBAD’s loan portfolio grew 3.5 per cent to AED 136.8 bn, however at a slower pace compared to annual growth rates of 18 per cent and 40 per cent in 2009 and 2008, respectively. Nonetheless, despite bank’s precautionary measures towards increasing provisions in the aftermath of the crisis, NBAD’s provisions in 2010 stood at AED 1.2 bn compared to AED 1.4 bn in 2009. Additionally, core profitability ratios remained stable in FY-10 with ROAE reaching 16.53 per cent and ROAA 1.8 per cent. FGB, which represented 26 per cent of the Sector’s aggregate net profits, also managed to maintain its profits after growing 3 per cent to AED 3.4 bn in 2010 against AED 3.3 bn in 2009. The bank’s loan portfolio grew 5.8 per cent to AED 95.6 bn as of Dec-10. Similarly FGB’s customer deposit base reached AED 98.7 bn as of Dec-10, a growth of 14.3 per cent from last year. In tandem with the growth in loan portfolio, net interest and Islamic financing income increased 11 per cent to AED 4.3 bn in 2010 against AED 3.8 bn in FY-09. As for provisions, FGB also managed to lower its provisions in 2010 to AED 1.64 bn versus AED 1.8 bn in 2009. Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) managed to return its bottom line to positive territory in 2010 after recording a net profit of AED 381 mn compared to a net loss of AED 559 in 2009. The bank also solidified its position within the local banking market after successfully acquiring the banking businesses of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) in the UAE. ADCB also strengthened its balance sheet with assets growing 11 per cent to AED 178.3 bn as of Dec-10 versus AED 160.2 bn as at Dec-09. Despite a continuous challenging credit environment ADCB grew its loan portfolio by 5 per cent to AED 122.8 bn during 2010. Net impairments for 2010 reached AED 3.3 bn, 12 per cent lower than the AED 3.8 bn booked in 2009.

liamentary and presidential elections, which would have left a big financing gap if the government had continued with increased spending,” said investment bank Beltone in a note.

Finance Minister Samir Radwan said on Wednesday that the government was in talks to raise 14.3 billion Egyptian

ments, JP Morgan estimates. “You have pledges from countries not just for aid and loans, but also foreign direct investment (FDI),” said JP Morgan Middle East chief economist Brahim Razgallah. “But I don’t think FDI will be fast to recover.”

FOREIGNERS EXIT “Tapping the (international bond)

CAIRO: General view showing traders at the Cairo stock market yesterday.

Egypt’s economy was buffeted during the recent political upheaval that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak in February, with foreign tourists staying home and many Egyptian workers disrupting commerce with protests about pay and working conditions. — AP pounds ($2.4 billion) from Arab Gulf nations, the United States and the European Union, but did not give a deadline. With key industries and inward investment likely to remain depressed, Egypt will need to find $8-9 billion to make up a shortfall in its balance of pay-

market in these times could be challenging...It could be in November or December, once they have more clarity on their financing needs,” he added.

Foreigners are steering clear of Egyptian pound-denominated Treasury bills for now, despite an increase in yields. The

yield on 182-day T-bills was 11.921 percent when they were issued in mid-April.

Bills with the same maturity issued on Thursday carried a yield of 12.791 percent.

Economists say political uncertainty is prompting foreign investors to stay away from Egyptian T-bills for now but some could start buying again in the next three months or so. Foreigners now hold around 2 percent of Egyptian Tbills compared to 23 percent in September 2010, according to another JP Morgan estimate. Official figures were not available. Foreigners who dumped Egyptian equities when the bourse reopened after a shutdown of more than seven weeks have become more active in the market in recent weeks, traders say.

Strategists say takeover discussions focusing on Egyptian private equity firm Citadel Capital and appliance maker Olympic Group points to longer-term confidence in post-Mubarak Egypt. The central bank has shown it can defend the currency through the economic crisis, but until the army rulers show they can conduct fair, peaceful elections and ensure a stable government, doubts will hang over Egypt’s debt profile.

“Investors are in wait and see mode.

They want more clarity with regard to the political outlook,” said Razgallah. He said JP Morgan had been recommending investors sell off insurance on Egypt’s sovereign debt through credit default swaps because of notable improvement in Egypt’s risk profile, yet “we see only gradual tightening of spreads”.—Reuters

Arab bankers see economic fallout from ‘Arab Spring’ Budget stability under pressure; tourism plunge ROME: Arab bankers painted a sobering picture of the econ omic r esults of politic a l upheaval in their region at a c on fer en c e in Rome, say ing tourism has plunged and capital flight is on the rise. Capital flight is running into the hundr eds of million s of dollars (euros) per week and budget stability is under pressure as gover n men ts ar e for c ed to increase subsidies and salaries to keep social stability, they said.

But par tic ipan ts at the In ter n ation al Ar ab Ban k ing Summit held this past week said they were hopeful in the lon g-ter m as lon g as the region’s leaders move quickly to enact economic reforms that will h elp small busin esse s , boost trade and create jobs.

“These countries have significant potential” and the revolutions in the region will ultimately “show the benefits of democr atic c h an ge,” Adn a n Ahmad Yousif, chairman of the Lebanon-based Union of Arab Banks, told the meeting. He warned however that there will be short-term economic costs to pay for the upheaval in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

“There are clear challenges....

Inflation is up and unemployment has risen because of the revolts. It could reach 12 percent next year,” he said. A wave of protests in Tunisia earlier this year led to the ouster of that c oun tr y ’s pr esiden t Z in e El Abidine Ben Ali on January 14 and set in motion a dramatic popular upheaval in autocratic regimes across the Arab world.

Hosni Mubarak was forced out of power in Egypt in February.

Western countries and international financial institutions have promised multi-billion dollar aid programs to help new governments in the region, with European states calling for a new economic partnership with North Africa.

But economic turbulence in

BANHA: An Egyptian boy swims across a canal of the river Nile in Banha, Egypt, as his family wash dishes. A 1929 treaty between Egypt and Britain gives Egypt the majority of rights to the Nile’s waters, but upstream countries want to use the Nile waters for various development projects, and may be a flashpoint in future as water is a precious commodity in the region.—AP the region has persisted, particularly as the uprisings in Bahrain, Libya, Syria and Yemen have been violently repressed.

Tens of thousand of young Tunisians have also fled the country in the wake of the revolution in the hope of finding a better life in Europe. Joseph Torbey, head of the World Union of Arab Bankers, said: “We need an economic framework for sustainable and equitable growth... bridging the gap between rich and poor and empowering the middle class.”

“Stability is the name of the game,” he said. Shamshad Akhtar, a senior World Bank official for the region, said: “The future of MENA is very promising but it depends on how effectively the region can unleash its resources including

social and human capital.” She warned of the risks of high youth unemployment, oil price volatility and rocketing food prices in the wake of protests, as well as chronic problems in the region such as a lack of access to credit for small businesses.

“If there is protracted political unrest, particular pockets will experience vulnerability, particularly as regards the slowdown in tourism and the slowdown in foreign direct investment,” she said. Jordanian Finance Minister Mohammad Abu Hammour told the conference about the type of economic issues caused by the instability. “Five hundred million dollars (349 million euros) a week are leaving the Arab world. Tourism is falling, foreign direct invest-

ment is down,” he said.

“We need to guarantee job opportunities.... We need five million new jobs every year but we have only been able to generate three million jobs a year.”

Hammour called for greater economic integration between Arab countries, more assistance for small and medium-sized enterprises and development of the private sector as ways to improve the economic outlook for the region.

Many bankers were optimistic of the effects of popular movements over the longerterm but Mahmoud Al-Bouri, chairman of the Egypt-based Arab African International Bank based in Egypt, said emigration will go up. He added: “Instability in the Arab world will continue for years.”— AFP

Aussie 5 cent coin costing the Mint SYDNEY: Rising metal prices mean Australia’s five cent coin now costs more to make than it is worth, the government admitted Sunday, but added there were no plans to scrap the little piece yet.

The Royal Australian Mint in Canberra, which produces the copper and nickel coins stamped with the native echid-

na, or spiny anteater, has reportedly complained that they are so expensive to make they should be scrapped.”With the rising prices of metals and some of the ingredients which go into the five cent coin, they’ve certainly reported that it’s more expensive to make the five cent coin than five cents,” Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten said.

The circular five cent coin, which is 75 percent copper and 25 percent nickel, weighs 2.83 grams and has a diameter of 19.41 millimetres. Shorten said it was too early for the coin, worth about 5.25 US cents, to go the way of the copper-based one and two cent pieces which were withdrawn in the early 1990s after inflation reduced

their buying power.

He was concerned that donations to charities, which often receive loose change, would be affected and that retailers could react by rounding up prices, he added. “The one and two cent coins went and the sun came up the next day, but there’s no current consideration to scrap the five cent coin,” he said.—AFP

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The UAE is ranked 24th in the Global Information Technology report 2010-2011 DUBAI: The UAE ranks 24th in the world and 1st among Arab countries in its use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to enhance competitiveness and development, according to The Global Information Technology Report 2010-2011, Transformations 2.0, released by the World Economic Forum. Other Arab countries are prominently featured in the ranking as well: Qatar (25), Bahrain (30), Saudi Arabia (33), Oman (41).

Sweden and Singapore continue to top the rankings of The Global Information Technology Report 2010-2011, Transformations 2.0, released yesterday by the World Economic Forum, confirming the leadership of the Nordic countries and the Asian Tiger economies in adopting and implementing ICT advances for increased growth and development.

Finland jumps to third place, while Switzerland and the United States are steady in fourth and fifth place respectively. The 10th anniversary edition of the report focuses on ICT’s power to transform society in the next decade through modernization and innovation. The Nordic countries lead the way in leveraging ICT. With Denmark in 7th and Norway in 9th place, all are in the top 10, except for Iceland, which is ranked in 16th position. Led by Singapore in second place, the other Asian Tiger economies continue to make progress in the ranking, with both Taiwan, China, and Korea improving five places to 6th and 10th respectively, and Hong Kong SAR following closely at 12th.

With a record coverage of 138 economies worldwide, the report remains the world’s most comprehensive and authoritative international assessment of the impact of ICT on the development process and the competitiveness of nations. The Networked Readiness Index (NRI) featured in the report examines how prepared countries are to use ICT effectively on three dimensions: the general business, regulatory and infrastructure environment for ICT; the readiness of the three key societal actors; individuals, businesses and governments; to use and benefit from ICT; and their actual usage of available ICT. While the UAE scored relatively well in both the environment and usage categories (#25 and #30, respectively), its strongest performance is in the readiness measurement, where it finished 6th out of the 138 countries measured. In several subcategories, the UAE scored even higher: Its level of company-wide technology adoption in the private sector is 5th in the world, the government’s procurement of advanced tech products is 3rd, and its per-capita number of mobile telephone subscriptions is 1st.

Under the theme Transformations 2.0, this 10th anniversary edition explores the coming transformations powered by ICT, with a focus on the impact they will have on individuals, businesses and governments over the next few years. Since the beginning of the report, the sheer amount of information generated by today’s digital society has increased at an astounding rate.

“Innovation and ICT have proven a crucial lever for long-term growth, with countless social and economic benefits and the capacity to significantly improve people’s life around the world,” said Alan Marcus, Senior Director and Head of Information Technology and Telecommunications, World Economic Forum. “Countries fully integrating new technologies and leveraging the new data revolution in their development and growth strategies are laying the foundations for competitive, resilient economies for the future.” “As digital economies steadily become the norm, our goal at Booz &

Company is to continue exploring the economic and social benefits that ICT can bring - and the ways in which they are increasingly interconnected,” said Karim Sabbagh, Senior Partner and the global leader of the Communications, Media, and Technology practice. Booz & Company’s contribution to the GITR report discusses the ways in which broadband can enable digital communities, allowing leaders in government, health, transportation and other sectors to capitalize on ICT’s potential.

Globally, it is becoming more and more apparent that widely available and affordable highspeed broadband is essential in driving national competitiveness and enabling advancements in key priority areas including education, healthcare, energy and the environment, and civic engagement. Governments around the world are now spending billions and setting ambitious targets as they recognize that a crucial foundation for many areas of socioeconomic development are digital highways-defined as nationwide high-speed broadband enabled by a combination of fixed as well as wireless networks. Just as actual highways connect people and foster social and commercial activity, digital highways can facilitate the creation of virtual communities in vital areas. When policymakers and telecommunications operators collaborate with leaders in other sectors, such as health and education, they are laying the groundwork for profound improvements-boosting national competitiveness, innovation, economic productivity, and social inclusion.

However, accelerating the deployment of digital highways and deriving their full benefits is not a simple task. It requires fundamental changes in vision and action throughout the entire broadband ecosystem. Policymakers and network operators must first look beyond broadband networks alone and facilitate the development of a host of related services and applications (apps), then actively encourage citizens to use them. There is also a strong need for collaboration among other sector participants such as device manufacturers, application developers, and counterparts in adjoining sectors. Finally, the members of the broadband ecosystem must work with their counterparts in adjacent industries-such as health, energy, education, and transportation-to develop the apps that will help those sectors to reap broadband’s benefits. Only when all of these stakeholders are fully engaged can digital highways reach their full potential and facilitate efficiency, competitiveness, and prosperity in the communities they serve.

The state of digital highways “Despite digital highways’ socioeconomic impact and their importance as the foundation for digital communities, more than 83 percent of the world’s population lacks connection to a broadband network. High-speed broadband is available to just 6.2 percent of the global population,” said Sabbagh.

Notwithstanding the best efforts of governments and the private sector, the broadband digital divide persists as a significant challenge to inclusive and sustainable development, especially in emerging economies. These gloomy statistics, however, fail to show the progress that countries have made in recent years. Policymakers and network operators are taking major strides to accelerate the availability of national broadband networks.

Policymakers - Both in developed and developing

markets, policymakers are considering the establishment of digital highways to be a national imperative and they are introducing policies and regulations to ensure their rapid deployment. Qatar is taking the lead in the Middle East, with the Qatari government recently announcing the establishment a national broadband network company (Q.NBN) to accelerate rollout of nationwide broadband fiber to the home access.

Network operators - Along with policymakers, network operators are the dominant stakeholders in the sector, and they are increasingly playing an active role in the development of digital highways by adopting new business models that separate their network assets from services. These multi-layer business models allow operators to reduce their focus, investment, and dependency on traditional revenue streams and instead position themselves to scale next-generation networks and related apps and services. Often policymakers and network operators work together to forge solutions beneficial to them both. The fibre to the home deployment plans cur-

rently undertaken by Etisalat to ensure nationwide coverage in the UAE, and related infrastructure sharing framework set by the UAE telecommunications regulatory authority illustrate the operator-driven model.

Building communities around digital highways With national broadband networks around the world on track for continued deployment, participants in the broadband sector are recognizing that the true value of digital highways does not reside in their construction alone. If broadband represents a digital highway, then the applications that are enabled by broadband are the communities that will grow alongside it-and they are critical to realizing the maximum socioeconomic benefits from broadband.

“Policymakers, operators, device manufacturers, and application developers are unlocking the true potential of digital highways by facilitating the creation of apps that deliver better services and boost national

competitiveness,” said Sabbagh.

Each member of the broadband ecosystem has a clear role in building communities around digital highways. Policymakers will need to adopt a holistic approach that encourages the development and use of apps. Operators will need to focus on the opportunities generated by this shift in direction and seek out new revenue streams accordingly. And device manufacturers and application developers will need to collaborate with each other as well as with operators on the propositions that will most appeal to users.

Policymakers: Adopting an ecosystem perspective “The widespread adoption of broadband applications depends on whether ICT policymakers can take an inclusive, collaborative view of the broadband ecosystem” said Bahjat El-Darwiche, Partner. Three initiatives for ICT policymakers are clearly necessary.

First, they must collaborate with policymakers in adjacent industries-such as

healthcare, education, energy, and transportation-to develop sector-specific ICT policies. Second, policymakers must stimulate development of digital highway business and consumer applications, such as cloud computing or eGovernment including selectively investing in initiatives needed to drive their use. Finally, ICT policymakers need to move beyond simply tracking the availability and adoption of broadband services and establish tools for a holistic assessment of the broadband ecosystem socioeconomic impact.

Operators: Building new capabilities for new opportunities “In the next five years, revenue opportunities for operators worldwide will continue to shift from those generated on traditional networks (mainly voicedriven) to services enabled by digital highways, whether high-speed broadband access, or cloud computing, or software as a service and vertical segment specific ICT ventures,. In 2015, such services

could amount to a US$759 billion opportunity for operators,” said El-Darwiche. Operators that have been slow to invest in broadband, hoping to first get the full return on their investments in traditional services, will need to adapt to this shift to recognize the opportunities afforded by digital highways.

Operators around the world are already shifting their strategies accordingly; many have forged partnerships with application developers or other ecosystem stakeholders. In the Middle East, the opportunity in this field is significant: economic liberalization, government reform, increasing ICT literacy in the workplace and in society, and large public spending on national infrastructure and development projects offer a new opportunities for telecom operators in the digitization space, beyond high-speed broadband connectivity provision.

However, delivering these solutions and serving these markets requires operators to build a different set of capabilities than those required in providing traditional telecommunication services. First and foremost, therefore, operators need to enhance their ability to engage and incentivize large developer communities. Second, they need to build go-to-market partnerships that offer access to specialized skills.

Finally, they need to move away from their traditional focus on network deployment to emphasize services and applications.

Operators have traditionally operated closed networks and allowed new applications on a system only after intensive testing; moving to an approach that allows for frequent new services requires operators to significantly scale up their service provisioning and delivery platforms. In addition, operators need to establish open platforms, which allow small application developers to profitably develop apps for operators.

Device manufacturers and application developers: Collaborating to appeal to users Like operators, device manufacturers and application developers should collaborate with other ecosystem players to capitalize on the digital highways opportunity. In light of consumers’ and application providers’ growing demand for data services, manufacturers are responding with Smartphone devices that capitalize on upcoming digital highways. In terms of contributing to socioeconomic development, device manufacturers can forge partnerships with public- and private-sector players to drive adoption of apps in key sectors and underpenetrated segments. Device manufacturers can also play a central role in nurturing developer communities, which can drive the development and adoption of new broadband apps. To do so, they should team up with telecommunications operators, operating system providers, and application developers to enable open platforms and profitably bring new propositions to market.

Conclusion “UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently said in an address to the Broadband Commission for Digital Development that broadband has extraordinary potential for human progress. A campaign from that commission, a global NGO, calls for universal broadband with the slogan “B more.” However, to deliver on the promise of broadband and to “B more,” stakeholders across the ICT ecosystem need to take a holistic approach to its role in society,” concluded ElDarwiche.

Social gaming a big winner in smartphone boom ‘liberatinggamers from the confines ofthe home, oroffice’

VIRGINIA: Sales associate Ryan Welch looks at light bulbs for sale at the Batteries Plus store in Virginia. —AFP

US lightbulb rules spark new political fight WASHINGTON: With a January deadline looming on a US law mandating energy efficiency standards for lightbulbs, some political forces don’t want to turn out the lights. More than a dozen Republican lawmakers are backing efforts to repeal the 2007 law that requires bulbs to consume less energy. Meanwhile Texas has enacted a law that would exempt itself from the federal requirement, and other states are debating similar legislation. Some consumers have also begun hoarding the old incandescent bulbs based on an erroneous fear that these will be banned starting January 1 and consumers will be forced to buy compact fluorescent or other new types of bulbs.

The US law does not ban incandescent bulbs, but creates new standards for them, basically requiring increased efficiency, so that the bulbs with a lighting equivalent of 100 watts consume just 72 watts. Still, repeal backers including at least two Republican presidential candidates argue the law is an intrusion on Americans’ freedom of choice. Activists have launched petition drives calling the rules an example of a “nanny” state. “The government has no business telling an individual what kind of light bulb to buy,” said Representative Michele Bachmann, who is running for president, in introducing her “Light Bulb Freedom

of Choice Act” earlier this year.

And she told a party gathering in June: “President Bachmann will allow you to buy any light bulb you want in the United States of America.” A separate bill has been introduced by Representative Joe Barton, joined by 14 other congressmen including Ron Paul, another presidential contender. Barton said the 2007 law has resulted in “Washington-mandated layoffs in the middle of a desperate recession” and added “Washington is making too many decisions that are better left to people who work for their own paychecks and earn their own living.”

A similar bill has introduced been introduced in the Senate by Republicans Jim DeMint of South Carolina and Mike Enzi of Wyoming. Barton and others argue that the new law-which was signed by Republican president George W Bush-would force consumers to switch to compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), most of which are not made in the United States. Additionally, critics of the law claim CFLs contain toxic mercury, cannot be dimmed, and produce an inferior light. A survey of US consumers by the lighting firm Osram Sylvania showed 28 percent were worried about the demise of the traditional bulb and 13 percent may start hoarding 100-watt bulbs. —AFP

SINGAPORE: More virtual livestock looks set to be traded and petulant fowl hurled at targets as social gaming takes hold in the booming mobile phone market, industry experts say.

Social gaming, made popular by titles such as “Farmville” and “Angry Birds”, was one of the closely followed topics at last week’s CommunicAsia trade fair in Singapore, where telecom executives meet annually to check on new trends.

Internet- enabled smar tphones as well as tablets are liberating social gamers from the physical confines of home and office, and more titles specifically designed for handheld devices are on their way.

Asia-Pacific smartphone sales are expected to reach 200 million a year by 2016, a third of all mobile phones sold in the region, according to telecom consultancy Ovum.

“At least 90 percent of gamers will be on mobile in the future,” said Jeffrey Jiang, a director at Singapore -based Touch Dimensions, which develops games for various platforms.

He said his firm’s clients now favour social games designed for mobile phones rather than personal computers or consoles such as the Xbox 360.

“When I started in the industry, all the projects are mostly PC, hardly any mobile. But now most of the projects that people ask from us is about mobile,” he told AFP. Jiang, whose firm creates games for mobile brands such as the iPhone, Android and Nokia, said light social gamers rather than hardcore videogame players would be the drivers of

developer industry growth.

“The majority of the population are going to be casual gamers and casual gamers are not really that willing to play their games just on the PC...

Everyone has mobile devices so it’s the logical shift.”

“Farmville”, which enables players and their friends to turn themselves into rural folk ploughing fields and trading

a month play Zynga games which also include “CityVille”, “FrontierVille”, “CafÈ World ”, “YoVille” and “ Vampire Wars”, according to the developer. AFP In “Angry Birds”, developed

by Finnish company Rovio, players catapult birds at enemy pigs which have stolen their eggs — players post their scores and discuss the game on social

SINGAPORE: Photo taken on June 21, shows a visitor playing an online game with a Blackberry ‘play book’ at the CommunicAsia exhibition and conference in Singapore. —AFP pigs and cows, is the most popular game on Facebook and has made its developer Zynga a fortune.

With Zynga preparing to offer its shares soon, The Wall Street Journal has quoted sources as saying the developer could be valued at $7 billion to $9 billion after making $400 million in profit on approximately $850 million in revenue last year.

More than 250 million people

media sites.

Social game developers make money by selling their games as paid applications on mobile platforms such as Apple’s AppStore, with various upgrades available as users become more addicted.

Adver tising space is also available within their vir tual worlds.

David Ko, senior vice president for Zynga, said some 1.1 billion smartphones — mobile

devices with features such as video cameras and I nternet capability — are expected to be shipped worldwide in 2015, double this year’s forecast.

This creates a “tremendous oppor tunit y ” to reach more players, he said.

Ko said gamers have pressed Zynga to devote more resources to mobile platforms, “so an important part of our strategy is mak ing sure that we have mobile extensions of all of our IPs (intellec tual proper ties) going forward.”

Nokia, the world’s leading mobile phone maker, said gamers were the biggest customers of its applications store Ovi. At Apple’s AppStore, mobile games are the best-selling items, filling nine out of the top 10 slots.

Even BlackBerr y, a brand more synonymous with businessmen rather than the gaming fraternity, showcased the gaming capabilities of its first tablet model, the Playbook at CommunicAsia.

It set up four flatscreen televisions connected to Playbooks enabling players to compete in the racing game “Need for Speed”.

Thomas Crampton, a Hong Kong-based media consultant, said the rise of the smartphone made social gaming viable.

“The connectiveness to the Internet is important because it gives you that social link and the social aspect of gaming is really going to be a huge driving factor,” said Crampton, AsiaPacific director of Ogilvy Public Relations’ global social media team.

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Bristol’s diabetes drug tied to certain cancers Drug shown to be effective in 2-year metformin trial SAN DIEGO: A new type of diabetes pill being developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca was effective in a two-year study but more bladder and breast cancers have been found in patients treated with the drug. In all studies so far completed, 1.4 percent of patients treated with dapagliflozin developed some type of cancer, compared with 1.3 percent of control group patients, said Elisabeth Bjork, vice president of development for dapagliflozin at AstraZeneca. Nine bladder cancers have been observed in 5,478 patients treated with the experimental drug, compared with one bladder cancer seen in the 3,156 patients in control groups.

Six of the 10 had blood in the urine, known as hematuria, when they entered trials and five were diagnosed within a year after their study started. The companies also said nine cases of breast cancer have occurred in 2,223 women on dapagliflozin and one has been observed out of 1,053 women in control groups. All were diagnosed within a year after studies started. ISI Group analyst Mark Schoenebaum said the timing of diagnosis within a year of therapy initiation and hematuria at baseline could be mitigating factors but the cancer findings are sure to be discussed by regulators.

He estimated a rejection of the drug would cut Bristol-Myers’ 2015 earnings by between 3 percent and 6 percent. Analysts,

on average, have forecast the US company’s annual dapagliflozin sales at $631 million by 2015, according to Thomson Pharma.

Bjork said studies of dapagliflozin in animals found no carcinogenic signals.

“Importantly, overall cancers are not imbalanced,” she said. Bristol and AstraZeneca filed earlier this year for US and European regulatory approval of dapagliflozin. An advisory committee to the US Food and Drug Administration is set to review the application on July 19.

NEW CLASS OF DRUG It is potentially the first in a new class of diabetes drugs designed to block glucose from being absorbed into the bloodstream through the kidneys, allowing more sugar to be excreted with urine. People with diabetes have inadequate blood sugar control, which can lead to serious complications like heart disease and stroke, as well as damage to the kidneys or nerves, and to blindness.

Dapagliflozin leads to more sugar in the urine, which may serve as a nutrient for bacteria and pathogens that can cause infections, said Elisabeth Svanberg, vice president of development for dapagliflozin at Bristol-Myers. In a two-year trial, urinary tract infections were seen in 8 percent of Type 2 diabetes patients treated with a placebo and the generic drug metformin, 8 percent of patients on a 2.5 mg dose of

dapagliflozin plus metformin, 8.8 percent of patients on a 5 mg dose and 13.3 percent of patients receiving dapagliflozin 10 mg.

Genital infections were seen in 5.1 percent of patients receiving placebo plus metformin, compared to 11.7 percent for patients on the lowest dose of dapagliflozin plus metformin, 14.6 percent of patients on the 5 mg dose and 12.6 percent of patients on the 10 mg dose. O ther side effec ts included back pain, influenza, diarrhea, headache, nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, renal impairment or failure and events of hypoglycemia, according to data presented at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association.

In addition, one patient treated with the 5 mg dapagliflozin dose was diagnosed with transitional cell bladder cancer. One woman treated with 10 mg dapagliflozin was diagnosed with breast cancer. Events of renal impairment or failure were reported in 1.5 percent of patients treated with placebo plus metformin, compared to 4.4 percent of patients on the lowest dose of dapagliflozin.

The 546-patient trial showed that the experimental drug resulted in greater and sustained improvements in glycemic control and sustained reductions in body weight compared to placebo, according to Cliff Bailey, head of diabetes research at Aston University, in Birmingham, England, and the study’s lead investigator.— Reuters

Drug boosts snakebite survival time by half

JAVA: Slaughtered cobras are ready to be skinned at a snake slaughter house in Bantul, central Java, Indonesia. — AP

PARIS: Rubbing snakebites with an ointment that slows the functioning of lymph glands could boost survival times by 50 percent, according to a study released yesterday.

In experiments on humans and mice, researchers in Australia showed that a class of compounds called nitric oxide donors delays the entry of toxins from potentially deadly snakebites into the blood stream.

Nitric oxide (NO), a molecule involved in regulation of blood pressure and the control of brain activity, has been shown to lower blood pressure in patients who suffer acute strokes.

The new finding is of more than academic interest: every year some 100,000 people worldwide die from snakebites, and another 400,000 must amputate limbs that have been injected with poison.

It has long been known that many snake venoms contain large molecules that transit the human body’s lymphatic system before entering the bloodstream.

Separately, scientists have also established that nitric oxide slows down a pumping mechanism within the lymphatic system, a part of the body’s immune system that carries a clear fluidcalled lymph-toward the heart.

Dirk van Helden, a researcher at the University of Newcastle in New South Wales, put these two facts together to suggest a possi-

ble treatment for snakebites.

“We hypothesized that a nitric oxide-releasing agent applied topically would slow lymphatic transit time and entry of the venom into the circulation, delaying onset of toxicity,” he and his colleagues wrote in the study.

To test their theory, the researchers injected a venom-like substance into one foot of 15 volunteers, and measured the time it took for the toxin substitute to reach lymph nodes in the groin.

The experiment was later repeated, except this time the drug-laced ointment was spread around the puncture within one minute of the injection.

Result: the transit time dropped from an average of 13 minutes to 54 minutes, four times slower. Further experiments using real toxins in rats yielded roughly the same results.

Finally, the researchers compared the survival time in rats injected with venom that were treated with the ointment against those that were not, and found that the nitric oxide rats kept breathing 50 percent longer.

“These results point to a new method of snakebite first aid that may also be useful for bites to the torso or head,” the researchers concluded.

Currently, the most common treatment is to immobilize the patient and restrict blood flow as much as possible until medical assistance is available. — AFP

FRANCE: France’s Health Minister Xavier Bertrand (L), gives a press conference with French doctor Benoit Vadely (R), yesterday in Bordeaux, southwestern France, focussing on the three people who were infected, around the region of Bordeaux, by the same potentially deadly strain of E.coli as that found recently in Germany. An outbreak of a killer strain of E. coli bacteria in Germany has killed at least 43 people, health authorities there said. — AFP

Britain advises ‘thorough’ cooking of sprouted seeds LONDON: Britain’s Food Standards Agency has recommended that sprouted seeds be cooked thoroughly before consumption, and advised against eating them raw, following an outbreak of E.coli poisoning in France.

“Following further cases of E. coli in France, the FSA is revising its guidance on the consumption of sprouted seeds such as alfalfa, mung beans-usually known as bean sprouts-and fenugreek,” said an updated statement issued over the weekend.

“As a precaution, the Agency is advising that sprouted seeds should only be eaten if they have been cooked thoroughly until steaming hot throughout; they should not be eaten raw,” it added on Saturday.

A British mail order plant and seed company has meanwhile distanced itself from claims that its products might have been behind the French outbreak.

Thompson & Morgan, which is based in Ipswich in eastern England, is co-operating with the investigation into the matter.

Frederic Lefebvre, French secretary of state for consumer affairs, on Friday linked seed sprouts sold by the company to 10 suspected cases of E.coli poisoning around the region of Bordeaux, southwestern France.

The FSA has already stressed that no cases of such food poisoning have yet occurred in Britain. “The investigations into the outbreak of E. coli in France have suggested a possible link to sprouting seeds from a company based in the UK,” the FSA said on Saturday.

“To date, no cases of food poisoning have been reported in the UK linked to the outbreak in France. “We are in close contact with the Health Protection Agency who is actively monitoring the situation.”

And it added: “ The Agenc y also advises that equipment which has been used for sprouting seeds should be cleaned thoroughly after use. You should always wash your hands after handling seeds intended for planting or sprouting.” — AFP

Brazil, Spain candidates in lead to head UN food agency ROME: Candidates from Brazil and Spain were facing a tight two-way race in a vote to become the next head of the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization on Sunday after all the other candidates bowed out.

Former Brazilian food security minister Jose Graziano da Silva and former Spanish foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos won 77 votes to 72 respectively out of 179 votes cast in the first round, leaving their rivals trailing.

The election for a new FAO head in Rome comes amid growing concerns over global hunger, spiraling food prices and the effects of climate change.

The candidates from Austria, Indonesia, Iran and Iraq pulled out of the election after winning only a handful of votes each.

Indonesian scientist Indroyono Soesilo won just 12 votes, while Europe’s former agriculture commissioner Franz Fischler won 10, Iraq’s Abdul Latif Tashid won six and Iran’s former envoy to the FAO Noori Naeini won two.

Senegal’s Jacques Diouf, the head of the FAO for 17 years, is stepping down at the end of the year and his successor is expect-

ed to tackle chronic inefficiencies at the agency as a key part of the fight against global hunger.

“We need a strong and effective FAO, now more than ever,” Graziano said Saturday ahead of the vote, adding that food security, transboundary disease, fish stock conservation and climate change were urgent issues for FAO. Mexico’s ambassador to the FAO, Jorge Chen, who is supporting the Spanish candidate over the Brazilian, told AFP: “Right now FAO needs to become a political instrument and Moratinos has the right profile for that.”

Each of the FAO’s 191 member states gets one vote in the election-unlike other UN agencies where the biggest contributors get more of a say. Voting began at 0830 GMT and the final result was expected late Sunday afternoon.

“The tradition is for the agency to go to a developing country and Brazil is not going to miss the chance to take advantage of this,” a source informed about the inner workings of the FAO told AFP on condition of anonymity.—AFP

New wave of pharmacy robberies sweeping US NEW YORK: A wave of pharmacy robberies is sweeping the United States as desperate addicts and ruthless dealers turn to violence to feed the nation’s growing hunger for narcotic painkillers. From Redmond, Washington state, to St. Augustine, Florida, criminals are holding pharmacists at gunpoint and escaping with thousands of powerfully addictive pills that can sell for as much as $80 apiece on the street. In one of the most shocking crimes yet, a robber walked into a neighborhood drugstore Sunday on New York’s Long Island and shot dead the pharmacist, a teenage store clerk and two customers before leaving with a backpack full of pills containing hydrocodone.

“It’s an epidemic,” said Michael Fox, a pharmacist on New York’s Staten Island who has been stuck up twice in the last year.

“These people are depraved. They’ll kill you.”

Armed robberies at pharmacies rose 81 percent between 2006 and 2010, from 380 to 686, the US Drug Enforcement Administration says. The number of pills stolen went from 706,000 to 1.3 million.

Thieves are overwhelmingly taking oxycodone painkillers like OxyContin or Roxicodone, or hydrocodone -based painkillers like Vicodin and Norco. Both narcotics are highly addictive.

In New York State, the number of armed robberies rose from 2 in 2006 to 28 in 2010.

In Florida, they increased nearly six-fold, from 11 to 65. California saw 61 robberies in 2010, Indiana had 45 and Tennessee had 38.

Most robbers don’t hurt anyone, but authorities are worried the risk of bloodshed is increasing as assaults multiply. In September, a clerk was fatally shot in the

chest and a pregnant woman wounded in the foot when a shootout broke out between a robber and an armed employee at a pharmacy in a suburb of Sacramento, California. In April, a gunman killed a pharmacist in Trenton, New Jersey, before stealing $10,000 in pills.

The robberies mirror a national rise in the abuse of narcotic painkillers, DEA spokeswoman Barbara Carreno said. “Drug addicts are always seeking ways to get their drugs,” Carreno said. “Whenever there’s an increase in a problem, you’ll see it manifested in ways like this.” Prescription painkillers are now the second most-abused drugs after marijuana, with 7 million Americans using them illegally in the past month, the US Department of Health and Human Services says. The number of patients treated in emergency rooms for prescription drug overdoses more than doubled between 2004 and 2008, from 144,644 to 305,885.

Drug dealers may be turning to violence as authorities crack down on other ways of getting painkillers, Carreno said. Many states have introduced computer systems designed to prevent “doctor-shopping” by addicts, and federal investigations have shut down several shady Internet pharmacies. That is believed to have spurred addicts to target small pharmacies like Haven Drugs in Medford, about 60 miles east of New York City on Long Island.

Prosecutors say David Laffer, 33, walked into the drugstore on Sunday and opened fire without warning. “He did not announce a robbery,” Assistant District Attorney John Collins said. “He simply shot first after engaging the pharmacist in conversation.”

Laffer shot 45-year-old pharmacist

Raymond Ferguson once in the abdomen, then killed 17-year-old store clerk Jennifer Mejia before pumping two more shots into Ferguson, Collins said. Then he started pulling Norco and other hydrocodone drugs off the shelves, Collins said. When customers Br yon Sheffield, 71, and Jamie Taccetta, 33, walked into the store, Laffer sneaked up behind them and shot them in the back of the head, Collins said. Laffer is a former Army private who once worked as an intelligence analyst. He had recently lost his job as a warehouse worker. Both he and his wife, Melinda Brady, were high when they were arrested on Wednesday at their home about a mile and a half (2.4 kilometers) from the pharmacy, police said.

Brady was charged with driving the getaway car; both have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. In posts on a wedding-related website, Brady said she had been taking different painkillers in the year before their January 2009 wedding because of several surgeries on her mouth.

She added that it was taking a toll on her relationships. It’s a familiar pattern, said Andrew Kolodny, president of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, which advocates for more cautious use of narcotic painkillers. Many patients get addicted while taking a legitimate prescription and turn to crime after they lose their jobs and the insurance coverage that comes with them, he said. “People with addiction who could be perfectly good people will do all sorts of horrible things to maintain their supply,” Kolodny said.

Like Laffer, most pharmacy robbers are white males, said Richard Conklin, manager of RxPatrol.com, a website that tracks rob-

beries. However, they come from all backgrounds and ages, he said. In May, a 51year-old man in a suit and tie approached a pharmacy counter in Boise, Idaho, and told the clerk he had something in his briefcase that he could “light the place up with” if the store didn’t give him OxyContin. He left with hundreds of pills. In Lynchburg, Virginia, a 27-year-old man used a 3-foot-long samurai sword to rob a pharmacy in March.

Fox said he had two customers in his drugstore in Eltingville, a middle-class neighborhood in the New York City borough of Staten Island, when a man broke in a rear door and forced him to the floor at gunpoint in April 2010. “He put the gun to my head, and I thought it was over for me,” Fox said. The robber made off with about $4,000 of oxycodone.

In April 2010, another robber struck.

Claiming he had a gun in his jacket pocket, he demanded bottles of oxycodone. Fox handed over two bottles. The robber opened them to check the pills, then demanded more. “I took a chance: I told him that was all I had,” Fox said. The robber left without harming anyone, he said.

Robbers have also hit the nearby Annadale Family Pharmacy. A sign in the window there now says, “We do not stock oxycodone or Roxicodone.” Along with armed robberies, pharmacy associations say they are also seeing an increase in burglaries.

Keith Hodges, a pharmacist in Gloucester, Virginia, said his store has been broken into at least six times in recent years. One thief came through the roof by squeezing into an air conditioning shaft. Another used an electric saw to cut the knob off a steel door.

In April, a woman was caught in Billings,

Montana, trying to smash in the bulletproof drive-through window of a Walgreens drug store with a crowbar. Police said she had shards of glass on her clothing, a fresh cut on her head and her fingertips wrapped in bandages. Rxpatrol.com, sponsored by OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma of Stamford, Connecticut, says it has tracked 1,258 pharmacy burglaries since 2002.

“I get nervous at night,” Hodges said. “I stay late a lot, and you worry about what could happen.” Hodges said he’s installed security cameras and alarms that are activated by the sound of someone breaking in.

His employees wear wireless “panic buttons” that they can push to alert police. The National Community Pharmacists’ Association, which represents 23,000 independent drugstores, is distributing “height signs” to help employees record the height of robbers as they flee stores. The Walgreens pharmacy chain is experimenting with medicine safes that delay several minutes before opening, in hopes that robbers won’t have the patience to wait.

Some pharmacies are even considering installing bullet-proof windows like those found in many banks. But Hodges, the Virginia pharmacist, worries that the security precautions are harming legitimate customers by lengthening the wait to fill prescriptions and eroding the relationship between pharmacists and patients. If pharmacists are forced to work behind bulletproof glass, it will discourage customers from asking questions about their treatments, he said. “The more a patient knows, the healthier they’re going to be in the long run,” Hodges said. “They need to have access to their pharmacist.”— AP

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‘Predatory’ cigarette marketing to US black youth: Study SAN FRANCISCO: Menthol cigarettes are marketed to African-American youths in a “predatory” manner through more ads and lower prices near California high schools, said a US study released on Friday.

Researchers at Stanford University said their findings, published in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research, show that menthol cigarette makers are aiming to get young people addicted and are harming the nation’s health.

For many years, the mint-flavored cigarettes have been more popular among blacks than other ethnic groups. US regulators are mulling whether to restrict or ban the sale of menthol cigarettes altogether.

For the study, researchers randomly selected food shops and convenience stores in easy walking distance of 91 schools, and took note of how cigarettes were marketed.

In places with more black kids, the price of Newports, a top brand of menthols, was lower and more advertisements could be seen.

“For every 10-percentage-point increase in

the proportion of African-American students at a school, the proportion of advertisements for menthol cigarettes increased by 5.9 percentage points,” said the study.

“Additionally, the odds of an advertised discount for Newport, the leading brand of menthol cigarettes, were 1.5 times greater.”

For every 10 percent increase in the number of black students at a nearby school, the price of a pack of Newports was 12 cents lower. Similar discounts by demographics were not seen in a leading non-menthol brand, Marlboro.

“That’s important because lower prices tend to lead to increased cigarette use,” said Lisa Henriksen, senior research scientist at the Stanford Prevention Research Center.

Lorillard, the company that makes Newports, did not respond to an AFP request for comment.

The US Food and Drug Administration is set to meet July 21 to discuss whether to restrict or ban the sale of menthol cigarettes, but no date for a final decision has been set.

New New e H Hope ope …

New Life

The FDA’s advisory panel has said removing them from the market would “benefit public health in the United States.” The FDA is not obligated to follow the recommendations of the panel but it often does.

“The committee was charged with considering a broad definition of harm to smokers and other populations, particularly youth,” said Henriksen.

“We think our study, which shows the predatory marketing in school neighborhoods with higher concentrations of youth and African-American students, fits a broad definition of harm.”

The Stanford research noted that “preference for menthol cigarettes among teenage smokers increased from 43.4 percent in 2004 to 48.3 percent in 2008.” Their data on marketing near high schools was collected in 2006.

Among smoking youths aged 12-17, menthol cigarettes were most popular among African-Americans (71.9 percent), compared to Hispanics (47 percent) and whites (41 percent). — AFP

Disease alert for Philippine children after floods COTABATO: Nearly half a million children displaced by heavy flooding in the southern Philippines could face an outbreak of diarrhea and pneumonia, the UN said yesterday.

Vanessa Tobin, country representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said about 450,000 children were among the tens of thousands affected when floods swamped over two dozen towns on Mindanao island the past two weeks.

The floods were caused by the overflowing of the Rio Grande, the country’s second-longest river, after water hyacinths clogged a huge section of the system and prevented it from emptying into the sea.

Authorities had said that some low lying communities remained flooded, and Tobin said this raised concerns over the possibility of children contracting diseases such as diarrhea and pneumonia.

“We are working to prevent death and illnesses with government and partner agencies,” she said. Hundreds of troops have been helping to clear the Rio Grande of the plants, which had covered up to 25 hectares (62 acres) of water.

President Benigno Aquino personally inspected the clearing operation last week, and ordered a massive relief effort.

Thousands of people remained in evacuation centres on the main island of Luzon, disaster relief officials said Sunday, after Tropical Storm Meari dumped heavy rains that caused flash floods in Manila and surrounding provinces.

Meari left one person dead, and rescuers were still looking for 17 people who went missing, including a group of fishermen who set sail despite the bad weather. — AFP

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NBK launches second session of 2011 Summer Internship Program

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he program aims at providing youngsters with greater e x p o s u re to t h e b a n k i n g p r o fe s s i o n N a t i o n a l B a n k o f Kuwait (NBK) launched yesterday the second session of its 2011 Summer Internship Program. The custom-made program consists of t wo -week courses specially designed for high school & college students aged between 15 and 20 years.

NBK Group Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Isam J Al Sager said that NBK views the Summer Internship Program as an extension of NBK’s education outreach ser vices. The program demon-

strates NBK’s long-standing social involvement as well as its com-

mitment to providing the young generations with the appropriate

opportunities to experience first hand how the actual professional

banking issues and transaction are handled and processed.

Al Sager added that the 5-hour daily sessions feature a mixture of theoretical and practical training dedicated to providing the interns with invaluable k nowledge on a variety of subjects such as; the team work, creative thinking, means of self expression and modern banking work procedure, in addition to helping interns to have greater exposure to daily banking work proce dures.

NBK regularly organizes and designs events for the youth to improve their skills and familiarize them with banking and finance.

Education taking a ‘smart’ turn at IES

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ndian Educational School, a Bhavan’s group of schools in Kuwait, believes in a sound system of education where new technologies become the reality of regular teaching and learning. The school is spear heading for raising the bar to still greater heights by empowering teachers to adopt multiple techniques in enhancing the educational system. It will not only empower the teachers but also be of great advantage in enabling students to learn better and work efficiently.

The first term of the academic year 2011-2012 came to a fruitful end with teachers being trained to use Smart Boards and use of ‘Learning Management System’ from the beginning of the second term.

The “Learning Management System” is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, and classroom management. The teachers will be able to update and upload lesson plans, activities, resource types, question bank, content filters, assignments and much more.

The training was given by Mr Datta Mandale from ETH Limited, India, to IES teachers where his expert knowledge and training skills helped teachers in understanding and operating the system effortlessly.

Indian Educational School is partnered with “ETH Research Lab” led by Dr Vijay P Bhatkar, the Father of Indian Supercomputers and an acclaimed ICT leader, who is architecting the programs of ETH Research Lab. ‘Freedom to Learn’ is our main theme and towards this we have developed tools, techniques, courses and programs that will allow aspiring learners of Bhavans to get desired education from anywhere.

The Learning Management System we are introducing is an online tool which allows teacher to interact with parents for the academic improvement of the students.

IES teachers received rigorous training to assemble and deliver personalized learning content. Teachers had hands on experience of the system and are now thoroughly equipped to handle the smart boards interactive class room techniques.

The session came to an end with the Chairman, Mr Ramachandran Menon and Principal, Mr T Premkumar wishing teachers the very best for summer vacation and thanked them for their commitment shown during the first term.

Scientific Center launches summer camp

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he Scientific Center kicks off its summer camp for 2011 on Sunday, July 3, 2011, which will feature many activities held in weekly camps from Sunday to Thursday between 9:30 am and 2:30 pm.

Kids between the ages of eight and twelve are allowed to participate in the camp, as they will engage in educational and artistic workshops, in addition to visits to the aquarium and the Discovery Hall, as well as behind the scene trips and iMAX movie shows.

Infunity presents summer ‘Blank Camp’

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re you looking to keep your kids busy this summer? The family entertainment center “Infunity” presents its first summer “Blank Camp”, which offers a great experience, fun and adventures for young campers ages 5 to 12 years old. The “Blank Camp” which is managed by Blank Hunts, offers a variety of activities including arts, crafts, reading, theater, sports and treasure hunt.

The camp will be running from June 19 to July 14 at “Infunity”, 360 Mall, Level 3 and will be conducted from 9 am to 1:30 pm. In this camp, kids will have the opportunity to learn new skills, gain knowledge, enhance self-confidence and build character and self-esteem. In addition, build up new friendships and unforgettable experiences that last a lifetime. “Infunity” aims through this camp to offer kids the opportunity to express their capabilities, try new things, stimulate challenge, work in teams and improve their skills. Moreover, all activities are chosen and designed carefully to entrain young campers in a healthy and safe environment. It is worthy to mention that the family entertainment center “Infunity” is one of the latest entertainment centers in Kuwait and it is the right place for the families who are seeking to spend enjoyable and pleasant times since its games are the most recent in Kuwait and combines education and entertainment. Invest your kid’s time and call on 99091277 to register.

Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

Summer Activities KAYAKING Kuwait Surf-Ski Kayak Club 99706742 Sea kayaking is one of the fastest growing water sports in the world today. Call if you are interested in purchasing a kayak, getting involved in the sport.

is a gap of at least a mile between the start and finish. Decide how far you want to walk, walk half the distance and then turn back. There are roads to cross so take care if you have young children with you. Despite all of this, it’s still very worthwhile going along and trying it out.

MOTOR SPORTS Kuwait Motor Bike League / The Amateur Car & Motorbike Association Motorbike track (for trail/dirt bikes) and rally car-racing centre located behind the Science Club on the northern side of the 6th Ring Road (between roads 401 and 50). Car and bike races held on Fridays. Use of facilities and participation in competitions limited to members only. office on 3td Ring Road, near Road 50.

HASH HARRIERS 23982219 Social jogging on Thursday and Saturday evenings. Hash Harriers has been operating around the world since 1938. Hash is for a mixture of abilities from walkers to experienced runners. It is social rather than athletic. Length of course depends on time of year.

Contact Gerry Burton on the above number or on 99764028. www.hasher.net

NETBALL Kuwait Netball Meet Monday for mixed games 6:30 -7:30 and Tuesday for Woman only check the website for more info. www.kuwaitnetball.com

SAILING The Arabian Gulf waters are an ideal environment in which to learn to sail.

Offshore the seas are seldom rough and there is often a moderate breeze.

Many of the sea clubs organize sailing activities.

RUGBY Kuwait Nomads The rugby season in Kuwait runs from September to May. Mens, ladies and minis rugby are played and the teams frequently travel to participate in AGRFU tournaments. Any interested child between the ages of 5-17 can participate in the Minis rugby. Training is held every Friday between 9am-llam on the grassed pitch at the Yarmouk stadium.

The men’s and ladies teams have the pleasure of training and playing on the KOC sand pitch in Ahmadi, the home of the Kuwait Nomads. Training nights are Sundays and Tuesdays from 7pm-9pm.

Inter-Gulf matches are played on Thursdays or Fridays. www.p8nompds.com

CATAMARAN SAILING 66587737 Dive Caroline Beach Fafaheel The Kuwait Catamaran Club is a group of enthusiasts who love sailing on fast cats in the Arabian Gulf’s waters around Kuwait. Usually an informal group sail on Friday afternoons. Boats are privately owned but visitors are very welcome and can be taken out as crew. Boats for hire, a Dart 18 and Hobie 16.

Contact John Morley johnmorley@hotmail.com

RUNNING For anyone who likes walking, jogging or cycling in Kuwait there is a very good track around the area of Mishref. The track is 4.9km long and is marked out in distances of 100m. There are also a number of outdoor exercise machines located near the start and the end of the track. Please note, however, that the track is more of a horseshoe shape rather than a complete circuit as there

KOSA 23983365 99745383 The Kuwait Offshore Sailing Association (KOSA) meets on the first Tuesday of each month (except July and August) at the Dive Caroline clubhouse, which is located at the Fahaheel Sea Club. Fortnightly racing plus International events in Bahrain and Dubai. Boats often require crew

Fahaheel Sailing Club (see Dive Caroline) 2371 9289 www.horn3.com

and will take you if you turn up!

Catamaran racing is arranged after KOSA morning races, followed by a sunset barbecue on the beach. An Annual Regatta, usually during April, is also organised. www.kospg8.com

Dive Shop. www.kimcenter.selmpb.com Kuwait Mantas Non profit scuba diving group See ‘Interest Groups’. info@kuwaitmantas.com www.kuwaitmantas.com

SCUBA DIVING The Arabian Gulf is the perfect place in which to learn to scuba dive. Although dive sites are not as spectacular as those in the Red Sea and Thailand, the local environment is conducive to teaching youngsters who wish to do fairly shallow dives and build up their confidence. A parent/guardian is required to accompany all children between the ages of 10-12. Thereafter the child may be accompanied by a diving instructor. It is a good idea for adults to attend the theory classes with their children.

SHOOTING Hunting & Equestrian Club 24739199 Shooters can sharpen their skills at the range. Members aren’t charged any fee but have to bear the costs of the cartridges while guns are provided by the club.

DIVE CAROLINE 2371 9289 Fahaheel Sea Club, Fahaheel Dive Caroline is a friendly sailing and diving club with pool, beach, sauna, steam room, fitness and social areas. Scuba diving training and equipment sales; skippered sailing yacht charter for up to 8 passengers; fishing charters (up to 6 passengers with a max. of 2 trawling lines); skippered power boat hire for 6, 8 or 14 passengers. Birthday parties are hosted at the DC pool for children 8 years old and over (maximum of 16 children). Swimming lessons for children as well as private lessons for adults. Banana boat rides, water skiing, kayaking. 10% dIscount for BLS Members (and friends) on stock purchases and on training courses for groups of 6 or more participants, Medic First Aid courses and Paedlatrlc First Aid courses. www.divecaroline.com Dive Centre 99649482 The Palms Hotel, Salwa A full service PADI 5 Star Dive Centre catering for all of your diving requirements. www.thepalmsdivecenter.com KIM Dive Centre 23716002 Villa 365, Hilton Kuwait Resort Kuwait International Marine (KIM) Centre is a full service PADI 5 Star Dive Centre catering for all of your diving requirements. 10% discount for all BLS Members on courses, boat trips and

Shooting Range Complex 2475 9999 Off the 6th Ring road and drive past the Hunting and Equestrian Club. www.nrckuwait.com SOFTBALL Ahmadi Softball Located at the softball grounds situated behind the Governorate Building in Ahmadi SQUASH Squash courts are available at a few of the 5-star hotels as well as at the Salmiya Club. There are a number of squash leagues and tournaments are held throughout the year.

DUFFERS LEAGUE 99701720 The League comprises about 25 players of all standards. Players are placed in groups of 4 which means you play three games per month. The rules of standard squash apply with all matches being best of five. Games are arranged by mutual agreement between the players. Contact Philip Anderson at andersoninkuwait@mac.com Kuwait Squash Federation 2263 4618 Salmiya Club 2575 5052 Salmiya Sheikha Squash www.sheikhasguash.com Health Club 2474 2000 Crowne Plaza Hotel, Farwaniya

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MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011

W H AT ’ S O N

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF ARGENTINA In order to inform that 23rd of October 2011, will be Argentine national election where all Argentinean citizen residents permanently in Kuwait can vote only if they are registered at the Electoral Register of the Argentine Embassy. The procedure of inscription ended on 25 of April 2011. To register it is necessary that Argentinean citizens should come personally at the Argentinean Embassy (Block 6, street 42, villa 57, Mishref) and present the DNI and four personal photos (size 4x4, face should be front on white background). For further information, contact us on 25379211.

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Breakdancing and football free styling brought to you by ‘Infunity’

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nfunity hosts X-crew Team where the audiences watched the masters of break dancing and freestyle football on Thursday, June 23, 2011 at ‘Infunity’ in 360 mall at 7:00 pm.

Break dancing and freestyle football are two art forms that give the performer the opportunity to express themselves, stretch their body and entertain the audience. In addition, break dancing became a well known type of art among youths. While freestyle football is the art of performing movements and various tricks with a football by using different parts of the body, this form teaches youths not to rely on anything else other than their natural form.

X-Crew Team thrived and inspired with their movements, adding a new aspects to their break dancing performances and to the school of freestyle football.

“Infunity” is a family entertainment center which is considered as one of the unique entertainment centers in Kuwait where it provides its visitors with educational, fun and entertaining games suitable for all age groups.

● The Australian Embassy wishes to advise that it will

be closed on Tuesday 28 June 2011, on the occasion of the Prophet’s Ascension. The Embassy will reopen on Wednesday 29 June 2011.

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EMBASSY OF BRITAIN The Visa Application Centre (VAC) will be closed on the same dates above. The opening hours of the Visa Application Centre are 0930 - 1630 Application forms remain available online from the UKBAs’ website: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk or from the Visa Application Centre’s website: www.vfs-ukkw.com. And also, from the UK Visa Application Centre located at: 4B, First Floor, Al Banwan Building (Burgan Bank Branch Office Building), Al Qibla area, opposite Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City. For any further inquiries, please contact the Visa Application Centre: Website: www.vfs-uk-kw.com E-mail:info@vfs-uk-kw.com Telephone:22971170. The Consular Section will also be closed on the same dates.

For information on the British Embassy services, visit the British Embassy website: www.ukinkuwait.fco.gov.uk

Salmiya region Malayalam Classes

K

ala, Kuwait free Malayalam classes began June 25th in the Salmiya zone as informed by Salmiya regional Bhashasamithi.

A bhashasamithi was formed which was inaugurated

by General Convenor P.K.Janardhanan. Kala Central Committee members Shinoj Mathew and J.Saji also attended the meeting. Rajesh P.R was selected as the Salmiya regional Convenor followed by Reji.K.Jacob and Madhusoodhanan as Joint Convenors and Sailesh Kannoth, Suresh Babu, Kunjumon, Manoj Mathew Thomas, Rajan C. Kulakkada, Shinoj Mathew, J.Saji and PR Kiron as other Samithi members.

For registrations and other information kindly contact: 66767297, 66081623 or 97496171.

Galleries in Kuwait

EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Embassy encourages all Australians to register their presence in Kuwait through Smartraveller Online (see link below).

Australians who are registered are asked to update their details. The information provided will assist us in contacting you in an emergency. www.smartraveller.gov.au Kuwait citizens can apply for and receive visit visas to Australia online at www.immi.gov.au.

This usually takes two working days. All others visa applications are handled by the Australian Visa Application Centre Tel. 22971110. Witnessing and certifying documents are by appointment only, please contact the Embassy on 2232 2422. The Australian Embassy is open from 8.00am to 4.00pm, Sunday to Thursday.

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Informational Technology Systems held a workshop in cooperation with Microsoft yesterday.

Sultan gallery established 1969 to promote Arab contemporary art. Sabhan, Sadeer company. Block 8, street 105, building 168. 24714325 ext. 110 Dar Al-Funoon, Behbehani Compound, House 28- near the Christian Church off of Gulf Road.

Tel: 22431338

EMBASSY OF CANADA The Embassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakel St., Block 4 in Da’aiyah. Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca.

Canada offers a registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service is provided so that Consular Officials can contact and assist Canadians in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform Canadians of a family emergency at home. The Embassy of Canada encourages all Canadian Citizens to register online through the Government of Canada Travel Website at www.voyage.gc.ca. The Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi provides visa and immigration services to residents of Kuwait.

Individuals who are interested in visiting, working or immigrating to Canada are invited to visit the website of the Canadian Embassy to the UAE at www.UAE.gc.ca.

Effective January 15, 2011, the only Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) application form that will be accepted by CIC is the Application for Temporary Resident Visa Made Outside of Canada [IMM 5257] form. All previous Temporary Resident Visa application forms will no longer be accepted by CIC and instead will be returned to applicants. Should old applications be submitted prior to January 15, 2011 they will continue to be processed.

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EMBASSY OF GERMANY The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kuwait wishes to announce that as of 1 May 2011, the external service provider Al Qabas Assurex is operating a Visa Application Centre in support of the German Embassy. Short-term visa applications for travels to Germany (e.g. for tourism, visits, business) are to be submitted to the service provider Al Qabas who for your convenience will ensure that all relevant documents are included in your application. Your personal appearance at the Application Centre is not required. Address of the Visa Application Centre: Al Qabas Assurex Sanabel Tower (Al-Babtain) Mezzanine (M3) opposite Sharq Mall Kuwait 22924444 Fax: 22924442 Further information are available on the following websites: www.kuwait.diplo.de www.qavisa.com

Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah, Shaab, next to Shaab Leisure Park. Tel: 22400963 AWARE Surra Street, Block 3, Villa 84. Tel: 25335260/80 or www.aware.com.kw The Strip, across Al-Seif Palace Jibla Tel: 99666533 www.the-exhibition.com.kw Located on ‘The Strip’ Across from Al-Seif Palace Jibla, Kuwait Tel: + (965) 9-406-6226 Fax: + (965) 2-534-4061 Email Address: info@the-exhibition.com.kw Mailing Address: P.O. Box 17919, Khaldiya, Kuwait

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EMBASSY OF KENYA

Aware Arabic courses “ The AWARE Management is glad to announce that Ramadan Arabic language courses will begin on August 7th till September 15th, 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 & those working in the private business sector.

AWARE Arabic courses highlight ● Introductory to Level 4 Arabic language basics ● Better prepare you for speaking, reading and writing Arabic ● Combine language learning with cultural insights ● Taught in multi-nationality group settings ● Provide opportunities to interact with Western expatriates and native Kuwaitis/Arabs.

For more information, call 25335260 or log onto: www.aware.com.kw

Safat Kids Club hosts graduation celebrations Club kick starts Summer with fun and games

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esterday, Safat Home, under the Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Group, hosted its second Safat Kids Club event at its premises in Shuwaikh, getting together with its members once again and welcoming the newbie’s in a graduation celebration.

The event followed a graduation theme and was planned and organized in an effort to celebrate the children’s end of school year achievements and to kick start the summer vacation with lots of fun and entertainment.

The children, who were accompanied by their parents, were engaged in a variety of activities and competitions, and were presented with graduation caps and goody bags in accordance with the

theme. The children also enjoyed different performances such as the Barney show and a magician show in addition to other activities such as face painting.

The goody bags offered by Safat Kids Club to its members included a large variety of exciting gifts such as kid’s accessories; a photo frame and a door hanger amongst others, a delicious collection of candies, a key chain and calendar from the latest brand in contemporary children’s furniture; Cilek, and most importantly a Colgate Kid’s Set from GTRC - Alghanim, as a means of emphasizing on the importance of oral hygiene to the children.

General Manager, Simon Cooper, commented on this event saying, “It’s very exciting to see the Safat

Kids Club events take off in such a successful way and with such acceptance. I would like to welcome our new comers and wish all of our Safat Kids Club members a wonderful summer time.”

Parents accompanying their children were also treated by Safat Home, with a 20% discount voucher valid for a week. Parents can shop for any Safat Home products, especially during the Safat Kids Club hours where their children are kept busy in safe and secure settings.

The Safat Kids Club events will take place every month, offering its members a large variety of new activities and programs and of course, open to new members who would also like to join the Safat Kids Club fun!

The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to request all Kenyans resident in or training through Kuwait to register with the Embassy. We are updating our database. This information is necessary in order to facilitate quick assistance and advise in times of emergency. Kindly visit in person or register through our website www.kenyaembkuwait.com. The Embassy is located in: Surra Area - Block 6 - Street 9 Villa 3 Tel: 25353362 - 25353314; Fax: 25353316.

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EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has moved its office to Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF SOUTH AFRICA The Embassy of the Republic of South Africa will be closing at 01:00pm on Thursday, 23 June 2011 due to a training session. The Embassy will resume its normal working hours on Sunday, 26 June 2011, from Sunday to Thursday. Please note that the working hours will be from 8h00 to 16h00 & the Consular Section operation hours will from 8h30 to 12h30, for emergency please contact mobile No. 99794483.

Classifieds MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011

ACCOMMODATION Separate room in Mulhak at Al-Jabriya near Al-Hadi Hospital for single Muslim bachelor, kitchen & phone, satellite facilities, semi furnish. Rent KD 70 per month from July 2011. Contact: 99546413.

(C 3476) Separate room with separate bathroom available for single lady or bachelor or couple in C-A/C flat with drawing kitchen and satellite facilities in Salmiya, Amman Street, new building in very nice location.

Contact: 55230154.

(C 3478) 27-6-2011 A spacious room with separate toilet and kitchen space from a flat in Bneid Al-Ghar area, to let single occupancy KD 75/-, double KD 90/-. Contact: 60914165.

(C 3475) 26-6-2011 Accommodation available in new Reggai with fully furnished flat up to 3 months. Contact: 99729608.

(C 3472)

Sharing accommodation available for family in double bedroom flat in Abbassiya (behind Highway Centre). Contact: 66015211/ (3473) 25-6-2011

FOR SALE For sale, dining table, 4 chairs, wooden, all Center Point, iMac computer, 21íí, JVC hi-fi 5DVD and many other items. Tel: 66603401 27-6-2011 Toyota Camry G.L.A.B.S model 2011, 4 cylinder engine, white color (Sadfi), 4,000km done. Price KD 4,850. Contact: 99105286.

(C 3471) 23-6-2011 Toyota Corolla model 2010, color white, good maintenance, price KD 3,550 only.

Contact: 99419677.

(C 3465) Toyota Corolla model 2007 1.8, color golden, good condition, price KD 2,650 only. Contact: 66974049.

(C 3466) 21-6-2011

SITUATION VACANT Required English speaking maid/nanny.

Contact: 99824597. (C 3461) 20-6-2011 Required housemaid in Farwaniya, Block 5, who knows cooking and cleaning for an Indian family.

Contact: 97220933.

(C 3454)

TRANSPORT Transport available with lady driver from Hawally, Salmiya, Kuwait City and Jabriya. Contact: 99358389.

(C 3474) 25-6-2011

CHANGE OF NAME I, Rania, holder of Indian Passport No: E1093683 issued from Kuwait on 02/05/2002 D/o Mohamed Hussain Pallath residing at Pallaath house, Mookkuthala Po, Malappuram Dt, Kerala have changed by name as Rania Mohamed Hussain Pallath. (C 3450) 18-6-2011

MATRIMONIAL Proposals invited for RC girl, 29 years MoH staff, from well employed RC boys in Kuwait of age between 30-33. Boys from Kottayam, Idukki districts are more preferred.

Contact: thoompunkals@gmail.com (C 3477)

No: 15132

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION In case you are not travelling, your proper cancellation of bookings will help other passengers to use seats Airlines RJA JZR THY ETH UAE DHX ETD MSR FDB GFA QTR KAC JZR FCX JZR KAC JZR BAW JZR KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC BBC KAC KAC UAE QTR ABY ETD GFA SHY MEA JZR JZR IRC MSR RBG KAC KAC MSR SYR UAL RJA FDB OMA

Flt 642 205 772 620 853 370 305 614 67 211 138 544 503 201 555 412 531 157 1541 206 302 53 352 284 39 344 362 855 132 125 301 213 1125 404 165 121 6521 623 3557 618 672 610 341 982 640 57 645

Arrival Flights on Monday 27/6/2011 Route AMMAN DAMASCUS ISTANBUL ADDIS ABABA DUBAI BAHRAIN ABU DHABI CAIRO DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA CAIRO LUXOR DUBAI ALEXANDRIA MANILA / BANGKOK ASSIUT LONDON CAIRO ISLAMABAD MUMBAI DUBAI COCHIN DHAKA DHAKA / RIYADH CHENNAI COLOMBO DUBAI DOHA SHARJAH ABU DHABI BAHRAIN ANTALYA BEIRUT DUBAI BAHRAIN LAMERD SOHAG ALEXANDRIA DOHA DUBAI CAIRO DAMASCUS WASHINGTON DC DULLES AMMAN DUBAI MUSCAT

Time 0:05 0:25 1:15 1:45 2:25 2:55 2:55 3:05 3:10 3:15 3:20 4:40 5:15 5:25 6:10 6:15 6:20 6:30 7:10 7:15 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:10 8:15 8:20 8:20 8:25 9:00 9:10 9:30 9:35 10:45 10:55 11:10 11:15 11:20 12:10 12:55 12:55 13:15 13:20 13:25 13:30 13:35 13:50 14:00

SVA KNE KAC JZR QTR KAC KAC KAC JZR KAC MLR ETD UAE KAC GFA SVA JZR JZR ABY MEA JZR ALK KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC AIC JAI FDB OMA JZR VOS MEA DHX KLM UAE GFA QTR UAL RBG JZR TAR JZR MSR DLH JZR PIA

500 745 788 257 134 1802 546 550 535 118 403 303 857 154 215 510 777 239 127 408 213 227 104 542 786 744 674 774 575 572 61 647 179 81 402 372 445 859 217 136 981 3555 135 327 185 612 636 539 239

JEDDAH JEDDAH JEDDAH BEIRUT DOHA CAIRO ALEXANDRIA SOHAG CAIRO NEW YORK COLOMBO / DUBAI ABU DHABI DUBAI ISTANBUL BAHRAIN RIYADH JEDDAH AMMAN SHARJAH BEIRUT DEIREZZOR COLOMBO / DUBAI LONDON CAIRO JEDDAH DAMMAM DUBAI RIYADH CHENNAI / GOA MUMBAI DUBAI MUSCAT DUBAI BAGHDAD BEIRUT BAHRAIN AMSTERDAM DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA BAHRAIN ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN TUNIS DUBAI CAIRO FRANKFURT CAIRO SIALKOT

14:30 14:45 15:00 15:10 15:15 15:25 15:30 15:35 15:50 16:15 16:40 16:50 16:55 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:25 17:35 17:40 17:45 17:50 18:00 18:35 18:50 19:00 19:15 19:25 19:25 19:30 19:35 20:00 20:10 20:10 20:15 20:15 21:00 21:05 21:15 21:25 21:35 22:00 22:00 22:10 22:15 22:35 22:50 23:00 23:30 23:55

Airlines JZR AXB DLH KLM BBC AIC PIA AFG THY ETH UAE FDB DHX ETD MSR QTR JZR RJA GFA JZR BAW KAC FDB KAC JZR KAC KAC JZR KAC BBC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR ETD GFA SHY KAC MEA JZR KAC JZR JZR IRC KAC MSR

Depurture Flights on Monday 27/6/2011 Flt Route 1540 CAIRO 390 KOZHIKODE 637 FRANKFURT 447 AMSTERDAM 46 DHAKA 982 AHMEDABAD / CHENNAI 206 PESHAWER / LAHORE 406 KABUL 773 ISTANBUL 620 BAHRAIN / ADDIS ABABA 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 306 ABU DHABI 615 CAIRO 139 DOHA 164 DUBAI 643 AMMAN 212 BAHRAIN 120 BAHRAIN 156 LONDON 545 ALEXANDRIA 54 DUBAI 1801 CAIRO 534 CAIRO 153 ISTANBUL 671 DUBAI 256 BEIRUT 787 JEDDAH 40 DHAKA 549 SOHAG 617 DOHA 856 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 133 DOHA 302 ABU DHABI 214 BAHRAIN 1126 ANTALYA 165 ROME / PARIS 405 BEIRUT 776 JEDDAH 541 CAIRO 212 DEIREZZOR 238 AMMAN 6522 LAMERD 103 LONDON 624 SOHAG

Time 0:20 0:25 0:40 0:55 1:00 1:05 1:10 2:00 2:15 2:30 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:05 4:05 5:00 6:55 7:00 7:10 8:20 8:25 8:35 8:40 8:45 8:50 8:55 9:00 9:10 9:15 9:15 9:20 9:35 9:40 9:50 10:00 10:15 10:20 11:45 11:45 11:55 12:00 12:00 12:05 12:10 12:20 12:30 13:10

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

KAC RBG MSR SYR RJA FDB UAL OMA KAC KNE SVA JZR KAC QTR KAC JZR VOS ETD MLR UAE GFA ABY JZR JZR SVA MEA ALK JZR KAC KAC JAI FDB JZR LMU KAC KAC OMA MEA KAC DHX KLM UAE GFA FCX QTR RBG KAC KAC TAR JZR JZR UAL KAC MSR

785 3558 611 342 641 58 982 646 673 746 501 178 773 135 743 538 82 304 404 858 216 128 184 266 511 409 228 134 1501 283 571 62 528 1110 331 351 648 403 543 373 445 860 218 102 137 3556 301 205 327 554 504 981 411 613

JEDDAH SOHAG / ALEXANDRIA CAIRO DAMASCUS AMMAN DUBAI BAHRAIN MUSCAT DUBAI JEDDAH JEDDAH DUBAI RIYADH DOHA DAMMAM CAIRO BAGHDAD ABU DHABI DUBAI / COLOMBO DUBAI BAHRAIN SHARJAH DUBAI BEIRUT RIYADH BEIRUT DUBAI / COLOMBO BAHRAIN BEIRUT DHAKA MUMBAI DUBAI ASSIUT ALEXANDRIA TRIVANDRUM COCHIN MUSCAT BEIRUT CAIRO BAHRAIN BAHRAIN / AMSTERDAM DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DOHA ALEXANDRIA MUMBAI ISLAMABAD DUBAI / TUNIS ALEXANDRIA LUXOR WASHINGTON DC DULLES BANGKOK / MANILA CAIRO

13:30 13:35 14:20 14:25 14:30 14:35 14:45 15:00 15:10 15:30 15:45 16:00 16:05 16:15 16:25 16:40 17:00 17:35 17:40 18:05 18:15 18:20 18:25 18:30 18:35 18:45 19:10 19:10 19:30 20:00 20:35 20:40 20:50 20:55 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:55 22:00 22:05 22:25 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:45 22:55 23:05 23:10 23:35 23:40 23:40 23:50

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MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011

s ta rs CROSSWORD 361

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) As a natural architect and builder, you are able to use your mind in making decisions regarding matters of form and function. For you, the goal and the way to get to it are the same thing. You like to build each step and have each decision be an end in itself. Things must be done right. You also have great skill with the law, whether manmade or those of nature, and you can put all of this into words. You can put your understanding of how to handle authorities to good use. You will enjoy working with your mind now and your sharp perceptions make finding new solutions easy. You are able to bring an unexpected twist or insight to anything you set your mind to now. A good conversation with someone you love is fulfilling this evening.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) There is much communication today—perhaps a meeting.

You are out-front, frank and even rough at times as you try to get to the heart of a subject. Careful—make sure the ego is removed from the on-going conversation and the facts are included. On the move, you are a traveler of both the world and the mind—philosophy and religion. You can demonstrate great understanding to the needs of others and are in a good position to communicate concerning groups and society. This is a good day to solve problems and make important decisions, whether they are in or outside the home. You will find a way around almost any difficulty and can guide yourself with ease. You are welcomed at a social scene this evening. Take some time to enjoy the clouds.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. Small buffalo of the Celebes having small straight horns.

5. An indehiscent fruit derived from a single ovary having one or many seeds within a fleshy wall or pericarp.

10. Standard time in the 6th time zone west of Greenwich, reckoned at the 90th meridian.

13. Semi-evergreen South American tree with odd-pinnate leaves and golden yellow flowers cultivated as an ornamental.

14. (Old Testament) The second patriarch.

15. South American wood sorrel cultivated for its edible tubers.

16. Paying particular notice (as to children or helpless people).

17. Cause a floating log to rotate by treading.

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

19. English scholastic philosopher and assumed author of Occam's Razor (1285-1349).

21. An ester of adenosine that is converted to ATP for energy storage.

23. A toxic nonmetallic element related to sulfur and tellurium.

24. East Indian tree bearing a profusion of intense vermilion velvet-textured blooms and yielding a yellow dye.

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

29. A heavy odorless colorless gas formed during respiration and by the decomposition of organic substances.

34. Two items of the same kind.

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

39. An artistic form of nonverbal communication.

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

41. Resinlike substance secreted by certain lac insects.

42. Conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection or excellence.

43. A member of a North American people formerly living in the Colorado river valley in Arizona.

45. A state in the eastern United States.

50. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

56. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

59. An aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect.

60. A federal agency that supervises carriers that transport goods and people between states.

61. Fear resulting from the awareness of danger.

62. A Kwa language spoken in Ghana and the Ivory Coast.

63. The syllable naming the sixth (submediant) note of a major or minor scale in solmization.

64. Emotionally charged terms used to refer to extreme radicals or revolutionaries.

65. A small cake leavened with yeast.

DOWN 1. An autonomous area in northeastern Greece that is the site of several Greek Orthodox monasteries founded in the tenth century.

2. A daughter of your brother or sister.

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

4. Wild sheep of northern Africa.

5. Top part of an apron.

6. The largest continent with 60% of the earth's population.

7. One of a set of small pieces of stiff paper marked in various ways and used for playing games or for telling fortunes.

8. A high-crowned black cap (usually made of felt or sheepskin) worn by men in Turkey and Iran and the Caucasus.

9. (informal) Of the highest quality.

10. The closing section of a musical composition.

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

12. The basic unit of money in Western Samoa.

20. (British) A waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric.

22. Food mixtures either arranged on a plate or tossed and served with a moist dressing.

25. Sluggish tailless Australian arboreal marsupial with gray furry ears and coat.

27. Large family of important mostly marine food fishes.

28. An official language of the Republic of South Africa.

30. An enclosed space.

31. Again but in a new or different way.

32. Aircraft landing in bad weather in which the pilot is talked down by ground control using precision approach radar.

33. The fatty flesh of eel.

35. A benevolent aspect of Devi.

36. An Indian tree of the family Combretaceae that is a source of timber and gum.

38. The Tibeto-Burman language spoken in the Dali region of Yunnan.

44. An informal term for a father.

46. The mission in San Antonio where in 1836 Mexican forces under Santa Anna besieged and massacred American rebels who were fighting to make Texas independent of Mexico.

47. The seventh month of the Moslem calendar.

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

49. A particular environment or walk of life.

51. Type genus of the Alcidae comprising solely the razorbill.

52. Measuring instrument for indicating speed of rotation.

53. An island in Indonesia east of Java.

54. A large area of land preserved in its natural state as public property.

55. African tree with edible yellow fruit resembling mangos.

57. A watery solution of sugars, salts, and minerals that circulates through the vascular system of a plant.

58. (British) Your grandmother.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) There is an emphasis on communication, expression of ideas and the connections between things, places and people. What goes on in your mind is the all-important motivation in your life. You tend toward mental pursuits and admire intelligence. You may have some trouble understanding a highly emotional person today. Circumstances can throw you into positions where you must use your mind and deal with communications, service or enclosed hidden interests.

You may deal with education, psychology, spiritual enlightenment or teaching principles and techniques. Do not start something new just now—it could be a difficult time to gain a focus on your own plans. This is a great day to grow closer to a young person in your family.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

You enjoy working with those in authority who are independent and original. You could find yourself engaged in nonconformist causes, always ready to promote what is innovative. You find yourself in support of whatever new-wave product or breakthrough advance is next in line. You discover new ways of working with traditional materials. You are in a good position to lend your expertise if you find yourself working and selling to the public. This could involve anything from convincing the higher-ups to check out your ideas on new and cheaper methods of transportation—to helping the community win an environmental award. Attending a special social gathering this evening could be of benefit to your professional life; network often.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Unhappiness in your personal situation may be improved upon by concentrating on your most positive qualities. You have an uncanny ability to get beyond the regular routine. You are always coming up with new ways of doing things. You can take the most mundane stuff and find a new angle.

You seldom depend on the regular rule of order, preferring to create as you go. This would indicate that you have a great deal of creative talent and the ability to coordinate a business of your own. Most will agree that you are indeed very original, unconventional and possess deep and accurate insights. Much of who you are depends on this independence and love of freedom. You will discover new techniques that will be beneficial to you and your family.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) This is a time of good fortune when things open up in a very natural way. Situations are almost magical and it can become quite a lot of fun to think about the future and choose a path. Opportunities are plenty and you may find yourself wanting and able to do almost everything. It is important to pick and choose now. You will prosper through new insights, inventions and an independent point of view. Your career could open up by daring to take new approaches.

There is a love of the sea and of whatever solves that which separates us. Mysticism, mythology, poetry and music are natural and you are quite talented. These are all known subjects. People who encounter you may sometimes feel deceived by your remarkable vision.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Art and music have the power to heal, uplift or energize.

This morning you enjoy the music that surrounds you. This could be in your own home, rehearsing with a band or in religious services. A bicycle journey later is physically rewarding and your friends are great company and great competition. Lunch is with the family. You have strong family, business or property ties that affect your public image and goals. Home and family are your main focus today. You enjoy the pleasant, easy-going day and may wish that you could work out of your home. Creative adventures this afternoon show off the individuality of each member in your family. Praise and encouragement is all-important and what you don’t receive, you can give.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You may have had trouble lately trying to understand those who seem too emotional. You may try to balance what you think is a lack of intuitiveness with logic and common sense. Since you are a born leader, others find it easy to take instructions from you and tend to follow your example. You can demonstrate great understanding and sensitivity to the needs of others. You are in a good position to communicate concerning groups and society. You will no doubt be able to live by your wits. Being successful in life is easy—you have a built-in sense of how to approach and unravel the most difficult problems. Finances seem basically assured at this time. You can help others understand a budgeting mind-set. This evening there is time for a hobby.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

Yesterday’s Solution

You have plenty of enthusiasm and warm up to things and people quickly. You have an inner self-confidence that burns with its own light. This could be a challenging day in that plenty of interruptions and other people’s ideas may sway your focus, but you will manage to be successful at whatever you attempt this day. You might enjoy entertaining children and adults with enchanting stories this afternoon. Your understanding of the unity behind appearances, along with the ability to put these thoughts into words, is a rare and valuable gift. You would make a good director in a religious or youth group as you like working with mental images. Friends and a social life are in order this evening. It is your turn to enjoy the attention of others.

Your communication skills are at a high. Most of us would love to have your timing; you seem to know just when to say the right thing or to make your presence known at the most important time. The rebel in you likes to ignore your dreams and ideals and just let come what may. You relish your freedom and independence and pursue it even at the expense of what you know you really want. The romantic in you struggles against the frontier spirit that often moves you into action. Relationships are very important to you and can have a very decided influence on your future outlook on life, including social, work and family. You are most often to be found where the action is. This evening could be best enjoyed with an early movie or good book—relaxing.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Some sort of extra support from those around you is welcomed today. You may feel that you are in harmony with others.

Achievement is the thing that means a lot to you now and you may find you and your team mates winning in a game of sports. You possess deep, intense feelings about many subjects and have many wonderful ideas. When you are at rest this afternoon, you might consider writing a list of the many thoughts that keep running around in your head—gain a focus and develop a story line or project plan. Think of the big highlights for the beginning, middle and ending that will create enthusiasm. You continue writing and developing future ideas today. Inventions are most likely. Later, a loved one adds to the fun this day.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

You do not care much for the superficial. You appreciate getting past the surface and down to the heart of a situation. This is what makes you a very shrewd and discriminating businessperson. Your ambitions are backed up by the will to get things done. Your mind and thoughts always gravitate to what is lasting and true. Today you might spend some time writing a proposal for your department or your own advancement. Your boss or superior may appreciate your ideas if you allow him or her time to mull the thoughts over in his or her mind—no pushing. Your ideas are always to the point and candid, never florid or superficial.

Subjects concerning philosophy and religion come into play around a dinner table this evening. This is a good day.

A

y

e niv rsar n

MIONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011

Years

i n f o r m at i o n FIRE BRIGADE STATE ST TAT TE OF KUW K KUWAIT WA AIT

112

Tel.: T el.: e 161

DIRECTORA DIRECTORATE AT TE GEN GENERAL NERAL OF CIVIL A AVIATION V VIA AT TION DEPARTMENT METEOROLOGICAL L DEP PA ARTMENT DA AY: Y Sunday DAY:

WWW .MET.GOV V..KW W WWW.MET.GOV.KW

26/06/2011 26/06/201 1

Ministry of Interior

Ext.: 26 2627 627 - 2630

Fax: 24348714

19:00

Time Issue Time

Expected Weather Weather e for the Next 24 2 Hours

website: www.moi.gov.kw For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128

BY Y NIGHT: NIGHT:

Relatively Relat tively hot with light to mode moderate erate north westerly wind, wi with ith speed of 10 - 30 km/h

BY Y DA AY: DAY:

Very V ery e hot with light to moderate north n westerly wind, with spe speed eed of 15 - 35 km/h

WARNING W A ARNING

No Current Warnings Warnin a ngs

STATION ST TAT TION

Al-Madena

22418714

Al-Shohada’a

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Fayhaa

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

MAX. REC.

MIN. MIN N. EXP EXP. P.

Al-Mangaf

23711183

KUWAIT KUW WA AIT CITY

47 °C

3 °C 34

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

24812000

KUWAIT KUW WA AIT AIRPORT AIRPOR RT

46 °C

3 °C 31

Al-Jahra

25610011

Amiri Hospital

22450005

NUWAISEEB NUW WAISEEB A

44 °C

2 °C 26

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Maternity Hospital

24843100

W A AFRA WAFRA

47 °C

2 °C 26

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

SALMI

44 °C

2 °C 28

Chest Hospital

24849400

ABDALY ABDAL LY

47 °C

2 °C 27

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

JAL ALIYAH ALIY YAH A

45 °C

2 °C 28

Adan Hospital

23940620

F A AILAKA FAILAKA

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

46 °C

2 °C 27

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

PORT AHMADI POR RT

41 °C

3 °C 32

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

UMM AL-MARADEM AL-MARAD DEM

37 °C

3 °C 30

W A ARBA A - BUBYAN BUBY YAN A WARBA

46 °C

27 2 °C

Hospitals Sabah Hospital

Clinics Rabiya

4732263

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

SFC. CHAR CHART RT

26/06/20 1200U 1200UTC UTC

POLICE STATION

4 DA DAYS AY YS FORECAST Temperatures Temperatures DAY DA AY

DATE DA AT TE

WEA WEATHER AT THER R

Monday

27/06

Tuesday Tuesday Wednesday Weednesday Thursday

Wind Wind Speed

Wind Wind Direction Direction

MAX.

MIN.

very hot

48 °C

31 °C

NW

15 - 35 km/h

28/06

ng dust very hot + raisin raising

48 °C

33 °C

NW

20 - 45 km/h

29/06

raising very hot + raisin ng dust

48 °C

33 °C

NW

25 - 50 km/h

30/06

dusty

46 °C

32 °C

NW

25 - 50 km/h

PRAYER P PRA AY YER TIMES

RECORDED RECORDE ED YESTERDAY YESTERDA AY AT AT KUW KUWAIT WA AIT AIRPOR AIRPORT RT

Fajr

03:15

MAX. Temp.

M Temp.

46 °C

Sunrise

04:50

Temp.

MIN. T M emp.

26 °C

Zuhr

1 1:51 11:51

MAX. RH M

30 %

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Asr

15:25

MIN. RH

04 %

Dasmah

22532265

Sunset

18:51

Wind MAX. W M ind

S 32 km/h

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Isha

20:24

TOTAL RAINFALL T OT TA AL L RA AINF FA ALL L IN 24 HR.

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

All times are local time unless otherwise stated.

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 Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988

00 mm

26/06/11 14:08 UTC 26/06/11

V1.00

T1.06

PHARMACIES

AIRLINES

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

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

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

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444 Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222 Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171 Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999 Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700 Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223 Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223 Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510 Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660 Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478 Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996 Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988 Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166 Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426 General Practitioners Dr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123 Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312 Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920 Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465 Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528 Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781 Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501 Urologists Dr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534 Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955 Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427 Psychologists /Psychotherapists

Paediatricians

Plastic Surgeons Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf

22547272

Dr. 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

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians DrAdrian arbe

23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin

2572-6666 ext 8321

Endocrinologist 25340300

25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar

22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof

25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare

23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew

24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

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

Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

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

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

Dentists

Internists, Chest & Heart

25339330

25655535

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

General Surgeons

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman

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

A

y

e niv rsar n

MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011

Years

lifestyle F a s h i o n

A

ntonio Marras delivered a Hawaiian punch at the ongoing Paris menswear shows on Saturday with a tropical-flavored Kenzo collection all juiced up for hitting the surf. To a pulsating Beach Boys mix, Marras-creative director at the Japanese label since 2009 — sent out a rainbow of outfits from fuchsia and turquoise to canary yellow and burgundy shades of red.”It’s a guy who’s going on vacation,” said Marras backstage, defining the Kenzo man for next spring and summer prior to the 1960s-themed show in the naturally-lit gymnasium of a Paris high school. “He’s quit Paris to go to Miami or Havana, Saint Tropez, Portofino or Capri,” he said. “He’s thrown his city wardrobe, his office wardrobe, into the trash can and switched to a Hawaiian shirt.”

Given the holiday motif, the poker-faced models could have looked a bit more cheerful, but Marras closed the show on a festive note with soap bubbles raining down from the rafters. For Christian Dior Homme, Kris Van Aasche expanded on his fall-winter collection with structured outfits that reflected the Belgian-born designer’s “less is more” philosophy.”I wanted a combination of art, or tailoring, and real life,” he said backstage, and he delivered with sharply cut jackets, pleated-front shirts and trousers cuffed well above the ankle to expose leather desert boots. Carried over from fall-winter were wide-brimmed Amish hats. In a break with tradition, “this was the first time at Dior Homme when the first 40 looks were not black,” but rather cream, grey-green and “petroleum blue,” Van Aasche told reporters. “I think it’s fresh.” Australian actress Emily Browning, in the front row with actor boyfriend Max Irons, saw an angular quality in the collection. “It was almost a guy’s version of Celine,” she told AFP. One eye-catching detail were reversible buttons, sewn inside out with rings exposed, an idea that Van Aasche borrowed from ceremonial military uniforms.

Among other VIPs at Dior was designer Karl Lagerfeld, who clearly enjoyed showing off a glossy black Chanel quilted iPad clutch that featured an outer pocket for his iPhone. In the perfect summer-evening setting of the gardens of the Couvent des Cordeliers on the Left Bank, longtime Hermes designer Veronique Nichanian went for elegance in navy, Hussar blue, clay, ochre and tile shades.

Seersucker was among Nichanian’s favorite fabrics for next summer, used in double-breasted jackets and drawstring trousers that suggested pyjama-like ease and comfort. Those who want the intellectual look will want to consider turtleneck pullovers in white or navy crepe wool, while the more daring could go for a lambskin T-shirt and matching Bermuda shorts.

Hermes being Hermes, several outfits were smartly rounded out with label’s watches, weekend bags and signature “imprimeur fou coaching” scarves. For French label Smalto, Swiss-born Youn Chong Bak married accessible silhouettes with elegant detailing, such as double embroidery along the length of lapels and crocodile-skin shoulder flaps on trench coats.

Ending the show on a crowd-pleasing note were matching father-and-son tuxedos, with applause going out to a rather traumatized curly-haired lad called upon to model the wedding-day look.

DIOR HOMME The motto of the collection, “less and more,” appeared contradictory, but seeing as the show boiled down to a long parade of variations on the same three minimalist, stripped-down suits, it actually made perfect sense. It was like the label’s menswear designer, Belgium’s Kris Van Assche, had taken his marching orders from the thumping techno soundtrack, which featured a female voice repeating “do it, do it, do it and do it again” on a loop. Van Assche did one look-lowslung, drop-crotched, high-water trousers and plainfront jackets with bat wing sleeves-and then did it again, and again, in different shades. There were, of course, nice pieces, like a razor-cut jacket with thin lapels and trompe l’oeil paneling in buttery leather and a double-breasted jacket with metal closures that looked like a door knocker in guise of buttons. But on the whole, these were the kinds of edgy clothes you could see fashion-forward, deep-pocketed young men like Van Assche himself coveting. It was hard to imagine how the silhouette, with its vaguely Amish and mod influences, could have much appeal beyond that narrow demographic.

KENZO The show was like a ray of sunlight that pierced the dense blanket of gray clouds that shrouded Paris on Saturday morning. Founded by a now-retired designer Kenzo Takada, the Paris-based label has wanderlust in its DNA, and the collection hopped from one holiday hotspot to another-from Havana to Portofino, Hawaii to Saint Tropez. Bermuda and cargo shorts replaced trousers on the casual chic suits, served up in a highoctane palette of fuchsia, electric blue, canary yellow and a bright green that conjured up a well manicured, highly fertilized lawn. Short-sleeved shirts with oversized flowers or Hawaiian prints nudged out the business-ready button-downs, with sailor stripes and polka dots proclaiming the official start of summer. “We imagined a man who when it comes time to go on holiday, throws all his straight-laced suits into the bin,” designer Antonio Marras said in a backstage interview as dressers made the final pre-show adjustments, pulling up a tangy knee-sock here and straightening a flower printed bucket hat there. “We wanted to have a very vacation spirit while at the same time keeping a certain sophistication.” After collections Friday dominated by a somber palette of grays and charcoal, the Kenzo show, with its peppy Beach Boys soundtrack, was a welcome breath of fresh air that distracted the fashion world from the task at hand and got them thinking about more important things than clothes: Vacation.

Models display creations by Belgian designer Kris Van Assche for Christian Dior during his men’s spring-summer 2012 fashion collection show on June 25, 2011 in Paris. — AP/AFP photos

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Models display creations by Italian designer Antonio Marras for Kenzo.

BERNHARD WILLHELM You can say what you will about Willhelm’s clotheszany club kid knits-but when it comes to putting on a memorable fashion show, there’s simply no disputing the German designer’s almost preternatural gift. It’s safe to say that no one who saw Saturday’s display-a potent cocktail of kitsch that included fast cars, a porn star and a muscle woman-will be forgetting it anytime soon. Staged in a Mercedes dealership off Paris’ Champs Elysees Avenue, the display was a veritable riot for the senses: Models sported sweat pants knit with XXL in oversized letters and bulky cowl sweaters that left wide swaths of chest uncovered, or itsy-bitsy Speedo bottoms, worn only with socks and shoes. A pair of jeans was reduced to a shell of its former self, with all the fabric removed apart from the yellow-stiched waistband, inseams and hems. But the most memorable piece in the show-if not of all Paris fashion week thus far-was the one-piece thong bathing suit, worked within an inch of its spandex life by its amateur model, a real-life adult film star. He got a run for his money, though, from the other nonprofessional on the catwalk, a lady bodybuilder in teeny bikini who paused to flex her well oiled biceps.

MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA The experimental Belgian house continued to cater to hipsters worldwide with a collection that mixed Adidas-style sportswear with casual suits cut from sheer, featherweight fabrics in a way that looked to be a sure hit in Brooklyn and Amsterdam and Tokyo. Held in a gilded Paris theater, the show started with a short movie featuring models walking and running in place as the camera zoomed in on their crotches. The purpose of the film wasn’t exactly clear, as the same models later emerged from backstage and zigzagged among the rows of seats, giving the audience a much better look at the clothes than the movie had. There are only so many possible variations on the suit, so other Paris houses have incorporated sheer paneling as a way of dressing up the menswear staple, but at Margiela, transparency was more than a gimmick. Prints or stripes shone darkly beneath inky silk overlays on pants and jackets and the models’ abundant tattoos shown through transparent knit sweaters. The suits were worn with thin little nylon windbreakers or ample rainslickers that look like the love children of an Adidas tracksuit and a Moroccan djellaba.

Models present creations by French designer Veronique Nichanian for the Hermes.

CERRUTI High-sheen fabrics have emerged as another big trend this week in Paris, but nowhere have they shone like at Cerruti. The label served up slim, two-button blazers and snug trousers in a crinkly, reflective material that turned what would otherwise would have been nice but unremarkable garments into real attention grabbers. A jacket in glittering silver was fit for a rock star, while you could see any man with abundant self confidence and a bit of pizzazz pulling off the shiny peacock blue pants.

SMALTO French suitmaker Smalto sent out a solid collection of commercial pieces dominated by slim, single-button suits in luminous materials. The show also included 10 pieces described as “masculine haute couture,” handcrafted looks made from materials including ostrich and crocodile. According to the collection notes, Smaltounder the direction of Swiss-Korean designer Youn Chong Bak-is the only menswear label registered with the Chambre Syndical de Haute Couture, the body that regulates Paris’ wildly expensive made-to-measure couture lines. The strong show ended with a literal whimper, as the little blond boy modeling the Mini Me version of what the notes described as the “three-piece tuxedo for men and children” sobbed his way down the runway, tears streaming down his little face. — AP/AFP

Models display creations by Swiss-Korean fashion designer Youn Chong Bak as part of the Smalto collection.

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Arbaaz Khan and his wife Malaika Arora Khan accept the award for Best Picture for the film ‘Dabangg’ during the 2011 International Indian Film Academy Awards in Toronto. — AP/AFP photos

abangg,” a tale about a corrupt police officer, dominated the 12th International Indian Film Academy awards, snagging six prizes including best picture at the star-studded event in Toronto-held on North American soil for the first time. “My Name is Khan” also scooped up top honors at the five-hour award bash that started Saturday night and rolled over into early yesterday. Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan took the prize for leading male role for the film, about the treatment of Muslims in a world of heightened suspicions following the Sept 11 attacks. Khan played the family’s Muslim patriarch who suffers from Asperger’s syndrome. The film, nominated in seven categories, also took home the prize for best direction and best story. Khan was handed his award by Bollywood superstar Anil Kapoor and two-time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank, who congratulated Bollywood for helping to unite the world through film.

“Hollywood and Indian cinema must bring the world closer together,” said Swank, draped in a glittering sleeveless deep red gown. “I believe in IIFA’s visionone people, one world.” Cuba Gooding Jr presented the best director award to Karan Johar for “My Name is Khan,” declaring that he was impressed by the power of Indian films around the world.

“I think it’s absolutely wonderful how India has traveled the world of entertainment and I would love to play and be a part of a Bollywood movie myself,” said Gooding, who broke out into a few

dance moves.

“Dabangg” led the awards tally sweeping trophies in the music category in Toronto’s packed Rogers Centre, filled with more than 22,000 Bollywood fans and stars. The hit took the prize for best playback singer female, best playback singer male and best music director. A playback singer pre-records songs so Bollywood actors can lip sync to them in their films. “Dabangg” star Sonu Sood won for best performance in a negative role. The film also garnered the awards for best screenplay and best female debut went to Sonakshi Sinha for her role in the film as Sood’s love interest.

Anushka Sharma won the best female lead for her role as an assistant to a wedding planner in “Band Baaja Baaraat,” a film about the world of wedding planning. Arjun Rampal took home the best male supporting prize for political thriller “Raajneeti,” and best supporting female role went to Prachi Desai for “Once Upon a Time in Mumbai.” Kangana Ranaut, the model turned actress, gave the night’s first performance with her fellow “Double Dhamaal” actors Arshad Warsi, Javeed Jaffrey and Ashish Chaudry. The film was one of several that premiered during the IIFA weekend. A lifetime achievement award to was given to Dharmendra Deol, patriarch of the Deol dynasty, who received the special award for his 55-year-long career.

Dharmendra’s sons, Sunny and Bobby Deol, Bollywood stars in their own right, performed with their father for the first time on stage to a song from their film “Yamla, Pagla, Deewane.” Outstanding

Shah Rukh Khan accepts his trophy for Best Leading Role Male for the movie ‘My Name is Khan’ .

Sharmila Tagore displays her trophy for Anushka Sharma poses with the award for Best Leading Role Female.

Lifetime Achievement.

Ranveer Singh poses with his awards for Best Debut and Most Romantic Sonu Sood poses with the award for Best Performance In A Negative Role.

Couple with Anushka Sharma.

Indian actress Sonakshi Sinha reacts after receiving the Best Debut Actress award.

Film director Karan Johar accepts the trophy for Best Director for the movie “My Name is Khan” from Indian actress Bipasha Basu and Hollywood actor Cuba Gooding Jr.

Dharmendra Deol, center, performs on stage with his sons Bobby, left, and Sunny Deol.

Arjun Rampal poses with the award for Best Supporting Role Male.

Indian actress Priyanka Chopra performs to pay tribute to legendary singer Asha Bhosle.

(From left to right) Diya Mirza, Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma, and Shah Rukh Khan acknowledge the fans while on stage at the end of the 2011 International Indian Film Academy Awards.

Best Debut actress Sonakshi Sinha and actor Ranbir Singh dance.

Genelia D’Souza arrives on the green carpet.

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Indian actress Priyanka Chopra performs.

Indian actress Kangana Ranaut performs.

Indian actor Ranbir Singh and actress Anushka Sharma react as they receive the Hottest Pair of Bollywood award.

achievement in Indian cinema went to Sharmila Tagore, who has starred in such films as “Mera Sapnon Ki Rani,” “Namkeen,” and “Chingari,” and has spent 52 years in the industry. Tagore’s son is the popular Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan. She said her son wanted to attend the weekend festivities, but couldn’t because they are both finishing films.

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty gave a speech at the ceremony, which also saw a number of energy-packed Bollywood dance numbers and tributes, capping the three days of festivities.

McGuinty lured the IIFA to the city by pledging $12.25 million.

Roughly 16,000 of the 22,000 tickets to the awards ceremony available to the public sold out in minutes. Those lucky enough to get seats were charged between $49 and $126, while resellers offered last-minute tickets online for more than $1,500 each. Launched in 2000 at the Millennium Dome in London, the annual IIFA awards have traveled around the world in the hopes of exposing the genre to various audiences and opening trade markets.

Holding the event in Toronto was a strategic move as India’s cinematic royalty makes a bid for a piece of the North American box office. Held previously in Amsterdam, Sri Lanka, Macau,

London, Malaysia, Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok and Johannesburg, IIFA is capitalizing on the already huge Bollywood following in Toronto, which has an estimated population of nearly 700,000 South Asians. “For the first time in its 12-year history, IIFA makes its North American debut, and its biggest stars are you,” Kapoor said in a mix of English, Hindi and Punjabi while pointing to the audience. “Thank you Ontario.

Thank you so much for making us feel the warmth in Canada.” Organizers say more than 200 filmmakers and actors came from overseas in the bid to gain inroads into the North American market and build production partnerships. The awards gala is considered India’s biggest media event and one of world’s mostwatched televised spectacles, with hundreds of millions of viewers tuning in. — AP

Shah Rukh Khan performs on stage.

Indian singer Asha Bhosle receives a Life Time Achivement from director Shubas Gai.

The cast of “Chillar Party” arrive on the green carpet.

Mamta Sharma displays her trophy for Best Playback Singer Female.

Zayed Khan arrives on the green carpet.

Indian actress Bipasha Basu performs.

Oscar winner Hillary Swank and Indian star actor Anil Kapoor announce the winner for Best Leading Role Male.

Indian actress Prachi Desai reacts receiving Best Supporting Role Female for her movie “Once Upon a Time in Mumbai”.

Indian director Karan Johar dances with hosts Boman Irani and Ritesh Deshmukh.

Vishal Bhardwaj poses with the award for Best Dialogue.

Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan touches the feet of actor Dharmendra for blessing before giving him a Life Time Achievement award.

Lalit Pandit (left) and Sajid - Wajid pose with the award for Best Music Direction.

Shibani Bhatija poses with the award for Best Story.

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‘Dabangg’ dominates Bollywood awards with 6 prizes

MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011

38 Photo shows participants of the German snuff sniffing championships, in Kucha, Bavaria.—AP

Karola Meier participates in the German snuff sniffing championships.

Bruce Lee museum proposal shelved in Hong Kong

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fforts to build a Bruce Lee museum in the late kung fu movie star’s hometown of Hong Kong have been stalled again. Fans have been calling for an official tribute to the screen icon for years. Their hopes appeared to be answered two years ago when the Hong Kong government and the owner of Lee’s former home reached an agreement to convert the property — a two-storey house currently used as an hourly love motel — into a museum. But the Hong Kong government said yesterday that negotiations with the owner, businessman Yu Pang-lin, have broken down. “Despite our efforts, we are unable to reach a consensus with the property owner over the scope of the restoration,” the government said in a statement. The statement did not elaborate.

An operator who answered the phone at Yu’s offices in the southern Chinese city Shenzhen yesterday said that his staff wasn’t in.

Wong Yiu-keung, president of the Hong Kong Bruce Lee Club, said Yu made unreasonable demands, such as wanting to set up his own offices in the museum.

“Mr. Yu made such a high-profile gesture by donating the property, and yet we now realize those are not his intentions. We are very disappointed. I don’t understand why he backtracked,” Wong told The Associated Press in a phone interview.

Bruce Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee, who was also involved in the project, didn’t immediately respond to an email sent to a publicist for the Bruce Lee Foundation seeking comment. Shannon Lee had also been raising funds for a museum in Seattle, where her father studied and taught martial arts.

The Hong Kong government said the Lee artifacts it had collected for the planned museum will be used for an exhibit at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum that is

Sunshine, Tempah, Coldplay warm up Glastonbury

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A tourist strikes a pose in front of the statue of late Hong Kong martial arts and film star Bruce Lee on the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong yesterday.—AFP expected to launch in late 2012.

Lee became a source of Chinese pride by portraying characters who defended the Chinese and the working class from oppressors in films like “Return of the Dragon.” He died in Hong Kong in 1973 at age 32 from swelling of the brain.

The late actor has been honored with a statue on Hong Kong’s

Avenue of Stars, a waterfront promenade featuring the hand prints of the southern Chinese territory’s noted actors. News of the shelved museum plans was first reported by the South China Morning Post yesterday.—AP

Russia theatre legend quits in fury after 50 years

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Daniel Craig arrives at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute gala, in this May 3, 2010 file photo taken in New York.—AP

Craig, Weisz date, marry quietly

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aniel Craig and Rachel Weisz, who play husband and wife in an upcoming film, have taken the roles to heart. Robin Baun of Slate PR, which represents Craig, said Saturday that the actor and Weisz have married. She did not offer any details. The British actors had been quietly dating. Craig is the latest James Bond and will star in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” Weisz won an Academy Award for “The Constant Gardener” and starred in “The Mummy.”

The pair co-star as a married couple in the unreleased film “Dream House.” The 43-year-old Craig had a longtime girlfriend, Satsuki Mitchell, and has a daughter from a previous relationship. The 41-year-old Weisz was in a relationship with director Darren Aronofsky (“Black Swan”), with whom she has a son.—AP

ussia’s most celebrated living director yesterday parted company with the theatre he has led for almost a half century, accusing its actors of only being interested in money. Yuri Lyubimov, 93, who founded Moscow’s Taganka Theatre in 1964, fell out with the acting troupe in a dispute over pay while on tour in the Czech Republic and said he had no intention of working with them anymore. “I confirm I have taken my final decision-to leave the theatre,” the director declared to the RIA Novosti news agency late on Saturday. “I have no intention of working with this troupe. Let them be led by their trade union. I’ve had enough of this disgrace, these humiliations, this lack of desire to work, this desire just for money.”

The scandal erupted before a performance of Brecht’s classic morality play “The Good Person of Szechwan” when the actors refused to rehearse unless they were paid first. His wife Katalin told RIA Novosti that to keep the show going Lyubimov paid the actors out of his own pocket but then vowed never to work with them again. Yuri Lyubimov commented: “Clearly this is a loss of prestige for the country, for Russian theatre. But, it seems, the actors don’t give a damn.” Although Lyubimov has become somewhat notorious in the last years by repeatedly threatening-in true theatrical style-to quit, he confirmed to Echo Moscow radio yesterday “that my decision to depart is final”.

Speaking to the same radio, Katalin Lyubimova denounced the actors as an “uncontrollable band who just want money and don’t want to work”, adding that the theatre would now be headed by a trade union committee. One of the theatre’s main actress-

es, Tatyana Sidorenko, denied that the actors had threatened to torpedo the performance, telling Echo Moscow that “we just wanted to be paid money for our work”. Lyubimov was one of the giants of Soviet theatre, winning fame not only in Russia but also abroad for hugely visual and experimental spectacles that transcended language. He was acclaimed as the heir to the innovative director Vsevolod Meyerhold, who was executed in the Stalin purges after changing the face of Russian and world theatre.

Lyubimov dazzled the Soviet public with his productions until 1984 when he was stripped of his Soviet citizenship after giving an interview to the Times newspaper while putting on a play in London. But with the onset of perestroika, Lyubimov returned to Moscow in triumph in 1988 and retained his near mythical status after the collapse of the Soviet Union, still putting on new productions in his nineties. He was particularly known for his work with the actor Vladimir Vysotsky who won immense fame for songs containing unusually sharp social commentary and died aged just 42 in 1980 in during the Moscow Olympics. Lyubimov first ran into major trouble with the Soviet authorities 1980 when they banned his play about the late Vysotsky. In 1982 his production of Pushkin’s politically loaded “Boris Godunov” was also banned.

After his citizenship was annulled, his name was famously removed from all programs and posters at the theatre, making him something of an icon for the dissident movement. Both banned plays were triumphantly revived after his return in the late 1980s and he won back his Soviet passport and position as the theatre’s artistic director.—AFP

he sun shone and the good times rolled Saturday at the Glastonbury music festival, where London rapper Tinie Tempah had a huge crowd jumping and Coldplay closed with the packed headline slot. This year’s festival, one of the highlights of the live music calendar, has been blighted by rain and mud, but the feelgood factor was back as Glastonbury neared its climax yesterday in the form of Beyonce on the main stage. Manchester’s Elbow wowed an audience of tens of thousands while Pulp were surprise guests and electronic dance duo Chemical Brothers drew a large audience at the Other Stage.

“We’re so happy the sun came out for you,” said Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin during his night time set, introduced with a short fireworks display.

“What it means to us you can’t even begin to imagine.” The band behind hits “Yellow,” “Fix You” and “Speed of Sound” mixed the old and fresh, giving the crowd of over 50,000 a chance to sing along to old classics while showcasing newer works ahead of the release of a new album. Earlier in the day, Elbow launched a charm offensive that saw lead singer Guy Garvey order beer on stage and the Pyramid Stage crowd singing the band a raucous “Happy Birthday” to mark its 20th anniversary.

“Elbow bring graceful celebrations of love and friendship and an emotional directness that floors you,” wrote Guardian critic Dorian Lynskey in a fivestar review. “The crowd radiate goodwill; Elbow respond with gratitude and generosity.” Also popular was 22-year-old London rapper Tempah, part of a wave of rap and hip-hop artists embraced in recent years by a festival best known for indie guitar music. “Glastonbury 2011, this is officially the greatest day of my life!” Tempah shouted, and performed popular hits including “Written in the

Stars,” “Invincible” and “Frisky.”

Can Beyonce match husband?

The closing headline act last night was Beyonce, following in the footsteps of her husband Jay-Z who won over the Glastonbury doubters with a rousing set in 2008. Rumors have circulated among music journalists that former band mates from Destiny’s Child may join her on the dairy farm in southwest England where the festival is held, and possibly perform together on stage. Friday, the opening headline act were Irish rockers U2, who faced both driving rain and protests about their tax status but managed to put on a performance that impressed most critics.

Protesters angry about the group’s decision to move operations from Ireland to the Netherlands for tax purposes raised a large inflatable with the words “U Pay Tax 2.” The balloon was forcibly removed, causing a brief scuffle, but witnesses said the incident was relatively minor and went unnoticed by most of the crowd. Whatever happens on and off the stage, the abiding memory for most of the 150,000 paying attendees this year is likely to be the ubiquitous mud.

Rainfall and huge crowds reduced the 900-acre site in picturesque southwest England to a mudbath, making even the shortest journey on foot across the sprawling site a major undertaking. “I’m going to have the strongest legs in the world,” joked Duncan from Doncaster.

“I’ve never done so much exercise - lifting up two hundredweight of mud on my feet. It’s just incredible. Other than that it’s fantastic.” The event has grown from a humble gathering of 1,500 people on Michael Eavis’s Worthy Farm in 1970, each paying one pound ($1.60) and receiving free milk, to a giant celebration of music costing 195 pounds for a basic ticket.—Reuters

Lead singer of Coldplay Chris Martin performs on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury festival near Glastonbury, Somerset.—AP/AFP photos