28 jun

ON IP TI SC R SU B

TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

The veil behind the wheel in Saudi Arabia

Firebrand Bachmann joins White House race

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RAJAB 26, 1432 AH

Williams sisters, Wozniacki out; Djokovic, Nadal, Federer in last 8

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Assembly panel rejects ‘insanely’ large budget MPs lash out at ‘political’ oil appointments

Max 48º Min 31º Low Tide 02:40 & 04:44 High Tide 08:35 & 23:14

By B Izzak conspiracy theories KUWAIT: The National Assembly’s budgets committee yesterday unanimously rejected the 2011/2012 draft budget presented by the government over excessive projected spending after the government proposed the largest budget in Kuwait’s history. Head of the panel MP Adnan Abdulsamad described it as “an insane budget after spending was projected at close to KD 20 billion”, adding that all the seven members of the committee rejected the draft budget.

The Cabinet had in January approved the draft budget for the 2011/2012 fiscal year, projecting spending at KD 17.9 billion. But the finance ministry sent a letter to the Assembly asking that another KD 1.77 billion be added to the expenditure, making the budget at more than KD 19.7 billion, the largest ever in Kuwait’s history.

A huge deficit has been projected mainly by calculating oil income at a conservative price of $60 a barrel, whereas the actual price for Kuwaiti oil has been above Continued on Page 13

WANTED: James Bond, but bonded

By Badrya Darwish

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

S

alwa Al-Mutairy, former candidate for the National Assembly, and thank God she did not make it, does not cease to surprise me. As you all remember, Salwa shocked Kuwait and the world suggesting that we go back thousands of years and recruit women as concubines. Honestly, we thought she was joking and she wanted to be recognized and to put her name in the limelight.

She justified her request for the recruitment of concubines by saying that she is doing it to help society and families. In which way I don’t know. She thinks that if men have concubines, they will treat their wives nicely and there won’t be sex abusers roaming around the streets. That would put an end to child molesters too. In simple words, she is downgrading women’s status in modern history.

This week Mutairy came up with another even more eccentric and radical solution. Last time she was taking care of the men’s interests, according to her. This time she thought it would be time for the women to enjoy themselves. Salwa is asking the government to allow her to open a legal office to recruit gigolos and male sex slaves for women. She thinks that there are many spinsters in Kuwait and the divorce rate is high. The solution according to her is hiring men.

But mind you, not any men. The woman has a vision. She specifies that the candidates should be preferably from a Muslim country. She puts down the requirements for the men - they should be young, hunky and from European countries (which makes me think that she likes fair skin and blue eyes). Nevertheless, if they are not Muslims, she says they should be willing to embrace Islam. I would like to remind Salwa that if they embrace Islam, she needs to open a clinic to circumcise them. Circumcising an adult takes three months to heal. Should this be mentioned in their contracts?

It seems like an investment. Also, they should have a six-pack. In brief, they should look like nothing less than James Bond in his primetime.

May I know that if these men are available in large numbers, why should they waste their time to come to Kuwait and satisfy Salwa and her allies?

Don’t they have enough beautiful women in their countries? Or does Salwa think that money can buy everything? Maybe money can buy many things but not everything and everybody.

May I ask Salwa Al-Mutairy to stop insulting Kuwaiti women. If she is in such bad need of affection, she can go and solve her own problem without involving Kuwaiti divorcees and spinsters in her stressed affair. In her first suggestion to import concubines, she insulted women in general, and now she is insulting Kuwaiti women.

Caviar finding home in desert ABU DHABI: Far away from the Caspian Sea, sturgeon are raised in ponds cooled in the heart of the Gulf desert of Abu Dhabi, carr ying in their wombs a form of black gold strange to these countries - A waiter serves caviar caviar. Production of produced by the Royal the desert-grown Caviar Company. – AFP caviar will begin later this year and by 2012, consumers in the oil-rich Gulf region will begin savouring the “food of the kings”. “Abu Dhabi is an ideal location for distribution of the world’s growing markets for highContinued on Page 13

TO OUR READERS Kuwait Times’ website has been hacked again, but we are working to get it operational as soon as possible. We regret any inconvenience to our readers by this malicious act.

RIYADH: A Saudi special forces’ new graduate bites off the head of a live desert snake on Sunday during a ceremony held at the special forces’ base near the capital. — AFP

tehran unveils deep underground silos TEHRAN: Iran yesterday unveiled underground silos that can carry missiles capable of hitting Israel and US bases in the Gulf as it kicked off 10 days of war games, the country’s latest show of military force amid a standoff with the West over its disputed nuclear program. State TV broadcast footage of deep underground silos, claiming that medium- and longrange missiles stored in them are ready to launch in case of an attack on Iran. The silos are widely viewed as a strategic asset for Iran in the event of a US or Israeli attack on its nuclear facilities. Col Asghar Qelichkhani, a

Kuwaitis face trial over Twitter posts

spokesman for the war games, said the silos “function as a swift-reaction unit”. “Missiles, which are permanently in the vertical position, are ready to hit the pre-determined targets,” he was quoted as saying by state TV. An officer in Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard, which is in charge of the missile program, said Tehran has constructed “numerous” underground missile silos which satellites can’t detect. He did not elaborate.

The state television report broadcast footage of underground launching pads for the Shahab-3 missile, Continued on Page 13

KUWAIT: Kuwait will put on trial two citizens for criticising Gulf Arab ruling families on social media site Twitter, a security official said yesterday. Nasser Abul, a Kuwaiti Shiite, was arrested for posting criticisms of the Sunni Muslim ruling families in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and Lawrence Al-Rashidi posted defamatory comments of HH the Amir, he said. He said both would remain in detention for two more weeks before a hearing is scheduled, where they will likely face charges of harming the state’s interests and defaming the country’s ruler after being arrested earlier in June.

Democracy activists have used social

Int’l court orders arrest of Gaddafi THE HAGUE: Judges at the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi for war crimes and crimes against humanity yesterday, the 100th day of a NATO bombing campaign. Britain, which has led the UN-mandated international effort to protect civilians from Gaddafi’s forces, hailed the court’s decision and said members of the Libyan regime should now abandon him. Italy said the decision of the three-judge court, set up in 2002 to try war crimes, confirmed that Gaddafi had lost all “moral legitimacy” and could Continued on Page 13

media such as Facebook and Twitter to debate, organise and share information in Bahrain, where the kingdom’s Sunni rulers crushed a protest movement in March led mostly by the country’s Shiite majority. Bahrain called in troops from Sunni-led neighbours such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to enforce its crackdown. OPEC member Kuwait, which has a Shiite minority, sent naval forces. Bahrain questioned a rights activist in April for publishing an image which appeared to show signs of torture on a man who died in detention during the unrest. It is not clear if the case will be brought to court. — Reuters

activists meet in Damascus Oppn calls for change

BENGHAZI: Libyans celebrate after receiving the news of an arrest warrant issued against Muammar Gaddafi (inset) in the rebel-held capital yesterday. — AP

BEIRUT: Some of Syria’s leading intellectuals called yesterday for sweeping political change that could end 41 years of Assad family rule, at a rare conference allowed by the authorities under pressure from a three-month uprising. The government also announced that it would invite opposition figures to July 10 talks to set the framework for a national dialogue promised by President Bashar Al-Assad, and that constitutional changes would be on the agenda.

Facing the biggest threat to his rule since he succeeded his father 11 years ago, Assad has held out the prospect of political reforms while sending his troops to crush protests across the country. Many opposition figures have rejected Assad’s call for dialogue as insufficient and some activists refused to take part in yesterday’s conference, Continued on Page 13

Diabetics get lab blood vessels MILWAUKEE: For the first time, scientists have given several diabetic patients blood vessels grown in a lab from donated skin cells. The work is a key step toward creating a supply of ready-to-use veins and arteries that could be implanted in dialysis patients, soldiers with damaged limbs, children with heart defects, people having heart bypass surgery and others. The blood vessels are made by a California company, Cytograft Continued on Page 13

DAMASCUS: Prominent opposition figures and critics of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime gather for a meeting yesterday. — AP

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TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

LOCAL Local Spotlight

The summer heat effect

Car racing enthusiasts demand new circuit Four-hour strike outside PAYS headquarters

Muna Al-Fuzai

muna@kuwaittimes.net

W

e will soon enter the month of August.

Naturally, all activities in Kuwait will come to a standstill. One is expected to remain confined within the four walls of home, braving the freezing cold of air condition units, watching state-sponsored TV channels that gloat about the glory of Arab countries and how its citizens are spoiled, and the facilities that expatriates enjoy. If you are fed up, there is the option of surfing channels and gluing your eyes to the latest music videos where beauties Haifa Wahbi or Nancy Ajram entice you with their languid moves.

Should we all shut down our businesses owing to hot weather conditions? I feel no one really wants to answer this question!

There have been ‘hot’ discussions on Kuwait’s relentless summer, as if it is a relatively recent occurrence! At home, I have been using air conditioning units since March. So, the only months when they were turned off was from the period between January to mid-March.

I cannot believe that there are people that use these two months as an excuse to escape from work! I wonder if they will ever establish e-government services here. Maybe my grandchildren will be lucky enough to witness its realization! If you have been to the ministries of late, you would have noticed that few employees are at work because most of them are on leave! Most paper work is caught in the labyrinthine network of signatures, photocopies etc. If only we had a fully automated, computerized e-government program!

Even trying to meet an official is an exercise in frustration. They are perpetually busy attending never-ending meetings or are out of the country.

A part of a public servant’s duty is to provide service to the public. This means that their offices should remain open to prospective visitors, not only MPs. Government officials are not appointed with the aim of exclusively serving MPs! I completely agree with those who say that real ‘development’ is something that one will always read about in the Arab world, but never have a chance to experience it.

Unfortunately, most mega-development plans are not realized. We mindlessly listen to boring speeches about reform that hardly materializes.

Maybe, in a way, it is better to escape for a while! I do not blame the public who leave the country or kill time by watching TV channels. At least, it distracts them from illusions of a better future, better tomorrow or a great day.

KUWAIT: Hundreds of strikers gathered in front of the PAYS headquarters on Sunday from 5 pm - 9 pm.

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Several youngsters lose their lives after engaging in illegal car racing activities on the streets. Last year, six young men under the age of 20 died in a single motor accident. Five were fatally injured in the Doha accident - most victims were spectators. The lack of a governmentsanctioned race track has been cited as the major cause of these accidents. The Municipality demolished a defunct race track

KUWAIT: The strikers express their demand of an official racing track to protect the lives of youth.

located along the Sixth Ring Road next to the Scientific Club a few years ago.

Many car racing enthusiasts have demanded that the government build a new circuit where they can safely practice their pastime. Frustrated at being unable to realize their goals, at least 600 enthusiasts staged a four-hour strike outside the PAYS headquarters in Riggae yesterday.

In 2004, the Municipal Council decided to allocate a

plot to conduct car racing in Arifjan. In 2009, the Public Authority for Youth and Sports (PAYS) received it after government approval. However, the project has been a non-starter and no circuit has been built.

“We visited PAYS and met up with the general director. We did not receive any answer from them. We know that they will only place the documents in the drawer and not do anything about it. Even the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor failed to

help us. This is why we decided to stage a strike, and keep holding strikes until our problems are solved,” Osama Al-Mansour, one of the organizers told Kuwait Times.

“Our last resort is to approach HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah.

I believe that he will restore our rights and build the circuit. We have documents to prove everything,” he added. The demonstrators also put forward another demand, urging that the

US forces’ Iraq withdrawal could see terrorism spread to Kuwait KUWAIT: A senior US Army official in Iraq on Sunday expressed concerns of a possible increase in extremist groups’ activities following the American military withdrawal from the country, adding that these could spread to Kuwait.

Official US Army spokesman Brigadier General Jeffrey Buchanan said that the US Army has expressed its concern to the relevant authorities over the possible surge in terrorist activities following the US military’s departure.

Brig. Gen. Buchanan also emphasized the US military’s support for the Iraqi government’s effort to work with Kuwait towards resolving various issues, such as disagreements over Kuwait’s construction of

the major Mubarak Port, and Iraqi import, export and navigation rights in using the Arabian Gulf.

The senior military official said that the US Army strongly supports the Iraqi oil ministry’s current construction of oil export facilities, especially since 75 percent of the Iraqi economy is dependent on oil exported through the Gulf, with this revenue being critical for the country’s wellbeing. It is important for Iraq to be able to continue exporting oil without problems in doing so, he continued, adding that the US military would always be there to help the Iraqis in such endeavors.

Brig. Gen. Buchanan also emphasized the strong relationship between Kuwait and the US, saying,

“Kuwait is an important partner to USA, and we shall always work as partners, provided that there is dialogue between the two parties, and each looks out for the other’s interests.”

The senior military officer also pointed out that “Iraqi Foreign Minister Hushbar Zaybari has led a delegation to discuss [the aforementioned issues] with the Kuwaitis, and our embassy is there to help even indirectly.”

On media reports suggesting that terrorist groups might attempt to target Mubarak Port, Brig. Gen. Buchanan said that they might be correct, but no intelligence analysts have suggested any plans of this nature.

11,000 visitors to e-govt website KUWAIT: More than 11,000 users visited the government’s webpage in May, according to statistics released by the Central Agency for Information Technology (CAIT).

The e-government website offers 453 electronic services from 39 government departments, including the facility to make online payments. Dr Itihad Al-Bahar, Chief Applied Systems expert at the CAIT said that the government collected KD 743,000 through 11,800 transactions made last May, reported Al-Qabas.

Dr Al-Bahar further explained that inquiry about traffic violations was the most used service, followed by traffic fine payment and inquiry about lawsuits. Moreover, she noted that the website published high school results for the first time this year, one of the new services to be introduced.

No nuclear plant for Kuwait yet KUWAIT: Kuwait plans to effectively channelize the use of nuclear energy as an alternative to fossil fuel. However it still is too premature to deliberate on the construction of a nuclear plant in the country, explained Meshan Al-Otaibi Assistant Undersecretary for Planning and Training Affairs at the Ministry of Electricity and Water(MEW). He was speaking during a regional seminar that was held to discuss nuclear safety, reported Al-Qabas. “Preparations are currently ongoing to launch comprehensive studies as part of a plan to use nuclear energy in water desalination projects as well as in the field of medicine,” Al-Otaibi said.

court’s decision on canceling memberships of around 7,200 members of Kuwait Motor Sports Club (KMSC) be enforced.

“The aggrieved filed a case in the court to restore their membership which was illegally canceled in 2006 by the Club’s Chairman.

“The Court of First Instance issued a verdict in 2008 asking that their membership be renewed. PAYS has turned a blind eye towards this,” pointed out Al-Mansour.

Al-Busairi underlines KPC strategic vision KUWAIT: Minister of Oil, and Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs Dr. Mohammad Al-Busairi asserted yesterday that Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) has a strategic vision.

He added such vision is devised in accordance with the country’s development plan, and aiming at pushing up the oil output to four million barrels per day (bpd) by 2020.

Al-Busairi made the previous remarks during a discussion at the National Assembly’s special session today on a bill on the budget of KPC, and its subsidiary firms for the fiscal year (2011-2012).

He added “we have conducted last October a successful experience to raise the output capacity, and thanks to our national cadres, and their sincere efforts along with the help of some foreign consultant firms, we have been able to hit an output of 3.5 million bpd.”

Al-Busairi also said that the global oil market will be in dire need during the third quarter of this year for some two million bpd, while there will be need in the last quarter of this year to 1.5 million bpd.

He also said that no world country, particularly from the member states of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), has a surplus in its output capacity in order to fill such shortage except the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.

He also said “we should not miss such opportunity, particularly under the soaring prices, and the increasing demand in the market, and we have the ability to meet such demand,” asserting “this is an output policy in the interest of our country, and we are following it.”

He concluded by saying that Kuwait faces rarity in natural gas, “and we made investment and capitalist projects that we currently carry out with our best energies in order to reach self-sufficiency from natural gas in Kuwait,” making clear that the country’s output of associated natural gas amounts to 1.— KUNA

NA education panel to work through summer recess KUWAIT: The 15th Joint Command and Staff Course Graduation ceremony was held yesterday. The First Deputy Premier and Defense Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah attended the event. — Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

Crown Prince receives teachers’ societyt members KUWAIT: His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received, yesterday, Chairman and members of Kuwait Teachers Society at Seif Palace.

They thanked him for sponsoring the society’s 40th conference entitled ‘Identity and Development in Kuwait’s curricula.’ His Highness the Amir praised the efforts made by the society to support education and learning in the country, and stressed this field is a key means to realize the goal of establishing Kuwait as a regional financial and economic center. Education is indispensible, he said, in realizing human development. The meeting was attended by Crown Prince Undersecretary for Media Affairs Sheikh Mubarak AlHumoud Al-Salman Al-Sabah and Director of the Crown Prince Office Dr Fahad Falih Al-Msairee —KUNA

KUWAIT: The strikers holding placards demanding returning their canceled membership.

KUWAIT: The parliamentary education and cultural affairs committee is to continue holding meetings throughout the summer until it concludes its deliberations on all the subjects on its agenda, so that the members can be ready when the next term starts.

Committee rapporteur Dr. Mohammed Al-Huwaillah announced the committee’s plans to continue with their deliberations during the recess period in a press release issued on Sunday, adding that during its latest meeting the committee examined one bill to create an authority to oversee all issues related to audiovisual media and another concerning the establishment of a state media association. “The committee concluded that both proposals are necessary in order for the country to cope with the development of audiovisual media and to benefit from other successful experiences in these fields,” Al-Huwaillah stated. — Al-Qabas

KU enrollment cap based on research KUWAIT: The decision to cap the number of new undergraduates starting at Kuwait University in the 2011-12 academic year was taken on the basis of maintaining the university’s levels of academic excellence according to its capacity, according to the university’s Rector Dr. Abdullatif AlBadr.

In a press release issued on Sunday, Dr. Al-Badr explained that senior staff at the university had conducted intensive research prior to the university authorities approving the latest decision to cap student numbers at 7,000, an increase of 200 on its

previously announced upper limit. The issue grabbed nationwide media attention, with student activists and some MPs demanding that the university increase the number to at least 8,000 to avoid preventing many Kuwaiti high school graduates from being able to enroll there this year. On Saturday, MPs Dr. Faisal Al-Mislem and Ali AlDeqbasi took part in a National Union of Kuwait Students (NUKS) seminar at which the union members demanded that Kuwait University lift the new restriction, as well as condemning the timing of the university’s announce-

ment during the recent high school exams.

During the seminar, Dr. AlMislem put forward a number of alternative proposals for ways in which the university could handle its overcapacity problems. He also suggested that the university could increase the number of scholarships for students, while asserting that it is the right of all high school graduates who wish to do so to pursue higher education at a state institution so long as they meet the entrance criteria. Meanwhile, senior officials with the Public Authority of Applied Education and Training

(PAAET ) are still working on determining why such a high number of students, almost 5,000 in total, dropped out of their studies at PAAET institutions last year, with the issue being raised at the authority’s latest board meeting.

One PAAET insider suggested that one of the main reasons for such high numbers dropping out of their courses is the lack of any academic advisors to help each new student to select the best areas of study for himself or herself and generally assist in supporting and motivating them. “Some students eventual-

ly discover that the subject they’re studying isn’t suitable for them, therefore they start failing classes and eventually give up on attending lectures and tests before dropping out completely,” the insider said.

Other students give up on their courses after securing places at private universities or enlisting with the military, the insider suggested, adding that some students lose interest in continuing with their studies when they realize that the subject they’ve chosen will be of little or no use to them in the local job market. —Agencies

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TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

local kuwait digest

Questionable stance

By Dr Hassan Abbas

How fresh is meat available in Kuwait?

Tips to eat healthy and remain carnivorous

By Sawsan Kazak

T

he results of the vote of no confidence motion that was initiated by the Development and Reform Bloc (DRB) against the prime minister, came as no surprise to MP Dr Hassan Jowhar and members of the National Action Bloc.

First of all, the stance adopted by Jowhar during his political career always revolved around national unity. Citizen were more confident about his patriotic intentions than about other MPs. Strangely, he chose to distance himself from the voting process despite being convinced of a sectarian hint to it. I am not saying that Jowhar’s stance was unsupportive. Failing to object to a sectarian grilling motion contradicts with one’s patriotic sense.

The NAB’s stance is even stranger. It abstained from voting against the no-confidence motion despite stating in a press release that it is convinced that ‘presenters failed to prove the allegations leveled against the accused, rendering the no-confidence motion invalid.” If that is the conclusion they have reached, why did the NAB refrain from voting against the motion?

Many citizens agree that the DRB’s grilling motion would have dented the country’s already fragile national unity. They would perceive the NAB’s stance as being more favorable to the motion’s presenters. The NAB can argue that they chose not to support the prime minister because they were not convinced by his arguments during the grilling motion’s debate. This does not explain their weak stance against a grilling motion they admitted to be sectarian. It was filed to fulfill a personal agenda to oust HH Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah from his pedestal.

The NAB’s stance proves that it remains bound by political immaturity, which is proven to be more evident by its members’ wavering approach.— Al-Rai

Kuwait calls on rich countries to support developing ones ROME: Kuwait yesterday called on rich countries to live up to their pledges and commitments to support developing countries through adopting policies and advanced programs that would help bolster their role in the fight against poverty and hunger.

Director of the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) Jassem Al-Bader made the remarks in a speech during the 37th conference of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) here, which kicked off two days ago.

Kuwait stressed importance on boosting FAO’s regional bureaus and branches and to enable them provide the necessary tools to help the developed countries overcome obstacles they’re facing to improve their agricultural development.

Al-Bader, on behalf of Kuwait, also called on the international community to unite efforts with FAO members to find solutions to critical issues, particularly those on the conference’s agenda, noting that the outcome must focus on the needed recommendations and decisions to achieve intended goals.

Al-Bader added that the conference’s agenda was an opportunity to tackle the dangerous and outstanding situation with regard to food shortages, drought and famine.

The Kuwaiti official warned against increasing food prices in the upcoming years, particularly to poor countries.

Since its establishment in 1945, FAO helps developing countries and countries in transition modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all.

FAO place great deal of importance on developing rural areas, home to 70 percent of the world’s poor and hungry people. — KUNA

KUWAIT: For months now, newspapers have been reporting the increase of rotten and inedible meat and poultry found in warehouses and restaurants all over the country. Hundreds of thousands of tons of decomposing meat has been seized and destroyed, but products that are not fit for human consumption are still evading customs and making into restaurants and onto diners’ plates.

The most disturbing report is the recent claim that certain restaurants in Kuwait are serving donkey meat to their customers and passing it off as beef. Even though this fact has been denied by restaurants and the Municipality, it raises the question of how safe for consumption are the meat products sold in Kuwait.

With the holy month of Ramadan quickly approaching, concerns over quality products and meat will be at an all time high. With the increased consumption of food during the holy month, comes the increase in concern over the freshness of meat. Hussain, a Lebanese expat working in the hospitality industry, has been following the news very closely and is now anxious when he buys meat, “After having read about the disturbing numbers in news reports, and seeing disgusting pictures, I am very much concerned over the quality of food that is in the market in Kuwait,” says Hussain. “Every time I order meat at a restaurant or buy it in a supermarket I remember the news reports,” he said.

The recent media reports on rotten meat has affected Hussain’s choices, as he now only eats at restaurants he knows well or certified restaurants that disclose the source of their meat.

“I try to keep away from frozen or chilled items, opting instead for freshly slaughtered meat. Also, if there is any discoloration on the meat I will not buy it. You also have to watch out when it comes to the labels of items, sometimes they are not accurate.”

Strict regulations Hussain believes that the Kuwait Municipality needs to impose stricter rules on importing meat and ensure that the dates of production and expiration are respected, “Severe penalties should be imposed on any individual who refuses to comply with the rules because they are playing with the health of the residents in Kuwait,” Hussain explains.

Abelatif Mohamed, a Jordanian expat living alone in Kuwait, has also been affected by the news of rotten meat in the country, “I really was alarmed when I first heard about the spoiled meat that was discovered by the Municipality in tons. As a single person in Kuwait, I used to eat mostly from a restaurant or from prepared foods sold in the supermarket, but learning about what actually happens in some kitchens has changed my eating habits. I am now more conscious of what I consume,” explains Mohamed. “I have been relying on my skills in the kitchen more often during the week; my friends do tell me that I am a good cook,” he says.

“When purchasing meat to cook I make sure that it is fresh. As an avid beef eater and lover I have a simple way to know if the meat in question is fresh or not, you simply have to look at it. If the surface has a ‘rusty’ color to it, then it means that the meat is at least four to five days old. This is due to the oxidation of the iron in the blood of the meat, says Mohamed. For this Ramadan, Mohamed says he will concentrate more on consuming fibers, mostly vegetables and cereals, to compensate for meat, he will opt for fish as he believes it is healthier, “If I do have to eat out at restaurants, I will opt for vegetarian food,” says Mohamed.

Gone are the innocent days of blind trust in Kuwait’s restaurants and supermarkets. Consumers need to keep an eye out for the quality of the meat they consume and the need to become more savvy when it comes to knowing the source of the meat. More awareness and stricter rules and regulations is the only way to stay safe this Ramadan season.

Tweeting preacher’s detention extended KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Acting Attorney General Dherar AlAssousi on Sunday ordered that the detention of radical Sunni cleric Mubarak Al-Bathali be extended so that he can undergo further questioning.

Al-Bathali, who was arrested ten days ago after allegedly sending offensive sectarian messages insulting the Shiite faith via social networking site Twitter, was scheduled to attend a court hearing in relation to his case yesterday. A police insider said that Al-Bathali admitted during questioning that he had posted the offending comments on Twitter, using the justification that he was reacting to what he perceived as insults directed at Sunnis by Shiite users of the site. — Al-Qabas

Embezzlement: Attorney General notified KUWAIT: The Foreign Ministry has referred an inquest report on an alleged embezzlement case to Acting Attorney General Dherar Al-Asousi on Sunday. The multi-million dollar misappropriation case was discovered at the Kuwait consulate located in California, United States. The report mentions the names of five consulate members who have been charged with fraudulent money conversion and takeover of public funds through illegal means. It was prepared and sent as per direct instructions from Sheikh Mohammad Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister based on investigation results, reported Al-Rai.

KUWAIT: Members of the Kuwait Diving Team remove a huge fishing net off Shaab area yesterday.

Disposed nets removed KUWAIT: The Kuwait Diving Team removed half a ton of disposed fishing nets off the coast of Al-Shaab.

The recent operation was carried out in cooperation with the Marine Rescue Division of the Kuwait Fire Service Directorate(KFSD).

“The fishing nets posed serious danger to the safety of swimmers and sailors as they were stuck in a spot which usually features high activity, especially

during night time,” said the operation’s Supervisor Faisal Al-Harban. He further explained in a press statement that the nets were stuck on the seafloor and rose six meters up to water level, while spanning over an area of 500 square meters.

Al-Harban further explained that they were informed of the bothersome nets through a complaint made by a fisherman.

KUWAIT: Consumers need to check the quality of the meat they are consuming and need to become more savvy when it comes to knowing the source of the meat. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

What to look for when buying meat Whether you are buying from a butcher or the supermarket meat counter, do not be afraid to ask for help. Your butcher will be happy to advise on cost, cooking methods and much more.

Make sure any meat you bring home is safe to eat by doing the following: • Always buy your meat from a reputable butcher or shop • If you are buying pre-packed meat, check the label for the ‘use-by’ date • Make sure raw meats are packed in bags separate from ‘ready-to-eat’ foods

like cooked hams or cheeses And when you get home: • Put meats into the fridge as quickly as possible • Store raw meat and poultry in clean sealed containers on the bottom shelf of the fridge so that it cannot touch or drip onto other food • Keep cooked meat separate from raw meat • Follow any storage instructions on the label and do not eat meat after its ‘use-by’ date. (www.safefood.eu)

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TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

LOCAL

Housemaids’ problem ‘ticking time bomb’ Deserving protection and equal treatment

By Ben Garcia

KUWAIT: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah yesterday received the new Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Rouhullah Qahremani Chabok, who presented his credentials as the new Iranian envoy to Kuwait. The ceremony was attended by senior foreign ministry officials and other dignitaries.

Four injured in road accidents

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A 27-year-old citizen sustained an injury to the head and was admitted to Mubarak Hospital, and a 30-year-old sustained extensive injuries and was administered treatment on site in a car accident that took place along Fahaheel Expressway near Salwa. In another incident, a 36-year-old citizen suffered from spinal injury, and a 14-year-old fell unconscious in a car accident that took place in Qurain. Both were admitted to Adan Hospital.

3 injured in street fight An 18-year-old Afghan suffered multiple stab wounds and a 32-year- old bedoon suffered lacerations to his chest in a noisy quarrel that broke out in AlAndalus. Both were admitted to Sabah Hospital.

Also, a 35-year-old Bangladeshi suffered head injuries during a fight that took place in Shuwaikh. He was admitted to Sabah Hospital.

In another case, the lover of a 27-year-old Egyptian woman was gravely injured during a fight that took place in Salmiya.

He was taken to Mubarak Hospital.

Mishap An 18-year-old citizen sprained his ankle after accidentally slipping at a playground located along the Arabian Gulf Road. He was admitted to Mubarak Hospital.

Corpse found A 55-year-old Indian national’s body was found in Jleeb AlShuyoukh. It was removed for an autopsy by the coroner.

Eight killed in road accidents last week KUWAIT: Eight people - three Kuwaitis and five expatriates - died in the last week in car accidents on Kuwait’s roads, according to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Interior (MoI). The MoI’s Public Relations, Moral

Guidance and Security Information division urged motorists to take care while driving and comply with the country’s traffic laws in order to reduce the number of fatalities and increase safety for all road users.

KUWAIT: The daily household chores in Kuwait are overwhelmingly performed by an army of young housemaids from a host of other countries.

One recent report cited these workers as comprising as much as 16 percent of Kuwait’s population. This high number has sent alarm bells ringing across society expressing concerns about the cultural changes. A Ministry Of Interior official labeled the influx of domestic workers into the country as “negative,” referring to these workers as “ticking time bomb” which could have lasting linguistic and cultural repercussions on Kuwaiti society. The unnamed official quoted by the international press, suggested that the massive numbers of domestic helpers in Kuwait are a “real time bomb” and have a negative effect on the country’s society.

The official was speaking after the government released the latest data on the number of domestic helpers in the country, with domestic workers making up some 16 percent of the population. Kuwait is one of the Gulf countries that imports large numbers of domestic workers, most of whom come from South or Southeast Asia.

Many of these workers, however, complain of high levels of mistreatment, ranging from overwork to non-payment of salaries, working in difficult conditions and physical and emotional abuse.

In Kuwait, the legislation governing the employment of domestic workers was altered in 2006 when a new law guaranteed better pay, promised these workers one day off per week and regulated the payment of salaries. The implementation of these news laws, however, has been questioned.

Global protection Internationally, a landmark treaty initiated by the UN’s International Labor Organization (ILO) was passed in mid-June giving protection to the estimated 52.6 million domestic workers worldwide. The new treaty promised to ensure domestic workers rights from a full day off every week to compelling their employers to observe their rights to annual leave and others. The governments of those countries from which large numbers of domestic workers come to Kuwait, such as the Philippines, Indonesia and Nepal, welcomed the treaty, although it requires initial ratification from two more nations before it can be fully implemented. “At least in principle it is better than none at all; an international treaty as such is very important, Pushpa Raj Vhattarai, the Second Secretary at the Nepalese Embassy in Kuwait, told the Kuwait Times. “But unless it’s translated into reality it is yet premature to react with certainty. We shall wait to see if Kuwait ratifies the treaty, but we expect a positive outcome for the benefits of domestic workers.”

Around 55,000 Nepalese citizens are currently employed in Kuwait, of whom 42,000 are engaged as domestic workers. Asked for his reaction on the ministry of interior comments regarding the negative effects of having large numbers of domestic workers present in the country, Vhattarai answered cautiously: “I think they have a basis for that claim, but as I understand it the effect on their society is mostly connected to inter-marriages.”

The senior embassy official

KUWAIT: A file photo of some Filipino domestic workers awaiting repatriation at their embassy in Jabriya. — Photo by Ben Garcia explained that because of their low wages, many domestic workers resort to leisure time activities, which sometimes, end up in marriage. “Every year, inflation rises to new record highs, but [domestic workers’] salaries remain the same, plus these people have spent at least KD500 just to get their job and in order to make up the money some will agree to their ‘papa’s’ proposal,” he said drily, referring diplomatically to extra-marital affairs between male employers and domestic workers.

On the positive side, however, Vhattarai said that the decreasing numbers of maids fleeing abusive employers is a positive indicator of better living conditions, praising the government’s way of resolving the problems facing domestic workers: “The number of runaway housemaids is steadily decreasing,” he said explaining that there were 300 runaway Nepalese maids in the embassy’s shelter at one stage, but adding “At this moment, however, there are 100 runaway maids [there].”

Nepal lifted an earlier ban on domestic helpers coming to Kuwait last July which was imposed in order to to ‘fix the system’ dominated by human traffickers. “Now we’ve lifted the ban, most of our compatriots are using the legal channels to come and work in Kuwait. Before, it was dominated by the human traffickers and these traffickers really took advantage of the ban to get money,” he explained.

Praise for the ILO treaty Another diplomatic official, David Des Decang, the Philippine Labor Attache to Kuwait, told the Kuwait Times that he fully supports and respects the ILO initiative, saying that the ILO recognizes the tremendous importance of the treaty. “The treaty I should say, jibes with our domestic helpers policy, which is why we are very happy to see it passed by the ILO. We look forward to seeing it being implemented.”

Responding to the MoI official’s “time bomb” comment on domestic workers, Decang said that more Kuwait should be ready to introduce the necessary measures to address domestic helpers’ concerns. “ The demand [for domestic workers] is coming from within [Kuwaiti society],” he pointed out, adding, “The reason why the number of domestic helpers is steadily growing is because of the need for them.”

Decang said that expatriate domestic workers are hired every day in Kuwait, with the government constantly issuing visas for more. “If the demand increases the more such measures are needed like the one I proposed to create a body to address

their problems or maybe a special body to look into the cases of physical abuse and maltreatment,” he stated.

“We also proposed the creation of something like developmental avenues for the wellbeing of domestic helpers.”

Decang stressed that domestic helper concerns are just as important as those of workers in other sectors, and indeed are even more important since their employers are entrusting them with the care of their sons and daughters, which he added means that these staff “deserve proper protection and equal treatment.”

A high-ranking official from Indonesian Embassy, who asked not to be identified, also voiced support for the ILO’s initiative. Indonesian housemaids are still banned from entering Kuwait.

“Lifting the ban is not for [embassy staff] to decide, it’s up to Jakarta,” the official said. “But so far as the cooperation of local authorities here has been really good. Negotiations are ongoing regarding the Memorandum of Understanding [MoU] and until this MOU is signed I think the ban on Indonesian housemaids [coming to Kuwait] will continue.”

As of yesterday there were still some 88 runaway housemaids staying at the Indonesian embassy’s shelter, which is now known as the ‘transit post.’ This number is much lower, however, than the 600 to 700 maids who were accommodated there before the ban was imposed in 2010.

According to one insider, there are still around 37,000 Indonesian housemaids in Kuwait, although the number of those fleeing abuse is steadily decreasing.

Kuwait was among the countries that took part in the latest International Labor Organizations conference, submitting its annual report to the UN regarding the national labor situation. The country is also one of 40 ILO member states that introduced amendments to its labor laws to improve workers’ conditions.

One report in a local Arabic daily quoted the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor undersecretary Mohammad Al-Kandari as stating that Kuwait was among the countries that approved the ILO treaty on domestic workers, which it is compelled to enact by 2012. Al-Kandari explained in his statement that the treaty provides many rights to domestic helpers, including fixed working hours with overtime pay for tasks done outside their regular working hours, in addition to giving them the choice to either live at the employer’s home or in their own place of residence.

Kuwaiti cultural bureau library reopened in Alexandria CAIRO: Kuwait’s Ambassador to Egypt Dr. Rashid Al-Hamad inaugurated here yesterday the library of the Kuwaiti cultural bureau in Alexandria after being renovated through a donation from the family of late Yacoub Youssef Behbehani.

Al-Hamad extended, in a statement made to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), his utmost thanks to the family members of late Yacoub Behbehani for such “munificent” donation, saying “Kuwaiti people are accustomed to charitable acts, and contributing to the promotion of society, and upgrading it.”

He also hailed the high technological and technical capabilities with which the new library is equipped, and what it contains of valuable books, and scientific potentials that, “may help contribute to upgrading the scientific studies of our sons and daughters who take up their studies in Alexandria.”

Further, Ambassador Al-Hamad hailed in this respect the efforts made for achieving such feat by the cultural bureau’s supervisors in Alexandria, foremost among them is

CAIRO: Ambassador Al-Hamad opens Kuwaiti cultural bureau library in Alexandria after renovation. cultural attache Dr Khalifa Behbehani.

Meanwhile, Dr. Behbehani made clear, in a similar statement to KUNA, that the process of preparing and renovating the library of the cultural bureau in Alexandria took six months, pointing out that the library was designed and prepared according to state-of-the-art technical capabilities in order to meet the requirements of its visitors, particularly students.

He added that there are many Kuwaiti bodies that donated books and publications, expressing his thanks for these agencies for their generous supplies.

Further, he said that these bodies include the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information, Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science, Center for Research and Studies on Kuwait, Al-Babtain Central Library for Arabic Poetry, Kuwait University, Journal of the Social Sciences, and the Kuwaitbased Arab Gulf States Educational Research Center.

The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of late Yacoub Behbehani, the cultural attache in Cairo Dr. Awad Al-Enezi, and the cultural attache Dr. Khairiya Ramadan, in addition to a number of Egyptian figures and Kuwaiti students in Alexandria. — KUNA

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Kuwait faces low purchasing power, fall in Dinar’s value Expert expects local inflation to reach 11%

KUWAIT: The Ambassador of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Ko Ko Latt and Ambassador of Georgia Ekaterine Meiering Mikadze visited Kuwait Times and discussed matters of mutual concern with Editor-in-Chief Abd Al-Rahman Al-Alyan. — Photos by Joseph Shagra

India, UAE sign MoU on political consultations NEW DELHI: India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Political Consultations in New Delhi during the visit of UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed AlNahayan, said an official statement issued by External Affairs Ministry.

India’s Minister of External Affairs S.M. Krishna signed the MoU on the host country’s behalf.

India enjoys close and multifaceted relations with UAE which is one of India’s largest trade partners. During 2009-10, the bilateral trade was over $43 billion. Indians comprise the

largest single expatriate community in UAE. During his visit, Abdullah was accompanied by senior officials from the UAE Foreign Affairs Ministry, and top corporate honchos in search for opportunities in areas like shipping, aviation, telecommunication and energy in India.

The Foreign Minister also met Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Vice-President Hamid Ansari. With the Indian leadership he held talks on a wide range of bilateral and regional issues, including the intensification of trade and investment, energy security, global finance and energy security. — KUNA

KUWAIT: Recent reports have revealed that the average inflation level in Kuwait has reached 5 percent and is expected to record its highest recent averages in the next five months. This increase is reminiscent of the period prior to the economic crisis in 2008 when inflation reached its highest level to date, 11 percent.

There are various reasons behind the increase, including rising oil prices, and the fall in the market value of the US Dollar and Euro as the principal international currencies. Another factor may be the government’s economic reliance on the oil sector, despite attempts to diversify, as well as this market’s dependence on dealing in the aforementioned currencies.

Financial analyst Nasser Al Masri told the Kuwait Times yesterday that the outcome of this inflationary trend is vertical, meaning that it will affect the daily living costs of citizens and expats in Kuwait. This will be reflected as a fall in their purchasing power, with static salary levels meaning no compensatory wage increase, leaving consumers paying more for the same commodities, with increases in land and rental costs putting additional pressure on consumer spending power.

This situation will also be reflected even more dramatically in banks increasing their operational charges for certificates of deposit and loans, as well as for credit, with interest levels already being higher in Kuwait than in other countries. Al-Masri explained that this would be reflected in further price rises as the private sector and business owners generally pass on the increased costs for their operational activities.

Headed for deep crisis The financial analyst’s gloomy prognosis did not end there, with Al-Masri suggesting that if inflation levels continue to rise, state support for the provision of essential services, such as electricity, water and gas, will be reduced, further deepening the economic crisis. Overall, the analyst predicted, if inflation continues to rise Kuwait is heading towards a deep crisis which will have a strong negative impact on people’s daily lives in the upcoming period.

In relation to a nation’s economy, inflation is usually defined as the national currency losing a percentage of its purchasing power. For instance if inflation reached an average of five percent, this means that the Kuwaiti dinar has lost five percent of its purchase power.

Al-Masri explained that inflation can be genuine or artificial, with its causes being local or international or some combination thereof.

‘Imported inflation,’ he said, refers to external factors causing inflation in the domestic economy; in Kuwait, for instance, the economy is dependent on a sole income source, oil exports.

This is naturally affected by rise and fall in prices on the international market, meaning that ‘imported inflation’ is the primary variety in Kuwait. “Our oil is exported as crude and import-

KUWAIT: The outcome of the inflationary trend is vertical, meaning that it will affect the daily living costs of citizens and expats in Kuwait. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat ed as petrochemicals, which is in itself a loss,” the analyst pointed out, adding that whilst each barrel of oil exported makes $100, each barrel imported back in petrochemical form costs $700. This, he went on, explains why Kuwait lacks the ability to buy and sell as it should be able to.

Al-Masri stressed that the recent surge in oil prices is international and has nothing to do with Kuwait’s domestic markets.

US dollar pegging bad for Kuwait The analyst was also critical of the current pegging of the Dinar almost exclusively to the US dollar: “Our basket of currencies is dominated by the US dollar by almost 90 percent and [the US dollar] is a weak currency nowadays,” he said.

He explained that Kuwait currently sells oil to Europe for US dollars but buys from Europe in Euros, warning that this is economically unsound and suggesting that Kuwait should be trading with Europe in Euros both for purchases and sales. He also urged the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) to explain its rationale behind keeping the existing basket of currencies used by the country. “[Kuwait’s] external investments were evaluated with the US dollar; when it fell, we lost a lot,” said Al-Masri, adding the pegging of oil prices to the US dollar increases the prices of some commodities, despite reducing the prices of others.

Rocky road ahead “Several local and international reasons have combined to cause inflation in Kuwait to reach this level,” Al-Masri explained. Firstly, he said, there is the continuing US economic crisis, coupled with the ongoing Eurozone crises in Greece, Portugal, Spain and Ireland, both of which are affecting the global markets.

Secondly, the recent horrendous events in Japan, previously one of the world’s strongest economies, have weakened the economy there.

Third, steadily growing requirements for oil, gas and other natural resources coupled with shrinking availability, mean greater competition. A fourth factor adding to the economic turbulence is the problems, exacerbated by all these factors, on international currency markets.

Locally, meanwhile, there is no real government monitoring of commodity prices or of retailers’ pricing policies, with two major events set to take place in the next couple of months Eid Al-Fitr and the reopening of schools after the summer holidays - likely to see local merchants increase their prices even further to take advantage of increased demand.

Al-Masri blamed both the public and private sector for the present gloomy economic outlook. The government, he said, had contributed to the present situation by failing to consider the possibility of using gold as a base currency, which would provide economic stability since the value of gold is stable and increasing, unlike national currencies which are all fluctuating wildly and facing massive falls in value. “When the Dinar loses its purchasing power, it must be propped up,” the analyst insisted.

Al-Masri also suggested that the minimum wage level should be increased to enable the poorest among the country’s workforce to cope with price rises. Increasing wages generally helps to further boost the economy, he added, by strengthening workers’ purchasing power and ensuring that they have disposable income to spend.

Another way of minimizing the negative impact of rising inflation, said Al-Masri, would be to impose higher taxes on the highest-earning companies and individuals, such as telecom firms, finance houses, major entrepreneurs and others with the highest levels of income. These tax increases, he said, could be tied to wage increases for workers tied to the quarterly inflation figures announcements.

Ukraine seeks more cooperation with Kuwait KUWAIT: Ukraine has overcome the global financial crisis and according to international experts, this period of economic development of Ukraine is the most favorable for foreign investment in the country, said Ukrainian Ambassador to Kuwait Volodymyr Tolkach in an interview with Kuwait Times this week.

Following is an excerpt from the interview: Kuwait Times: Your Excellency, let me congratulate you on the 15th anniversary of the creation of the Ukrainian Constitution. On this occasion, I would like to know more about the history of your country’s legal system.

Ambassador Tolkach: Thank you.

Thanks to the diligent and extensive work of the Verkhovna Rada [Ukrainian Parliament] and the President of Ukraine, the Constitution of Ukraine was adopted on June 8, 1996. This makes it one of the most significant dates in our country’s modern history. However, I would like to note that the path that led to this point is closely intertwined with many state-building processes in the Ukrainian people’s past.

For instance, first judicial laws, written on the territory of Ukraine, date from ancient times during the reign of Kyiv Rus (10th cent. A.D.) and were used, for example, in signing international treaties with the then-powerful Byzantine Empire.

In the 18th century, Ukrainian Hetman Pylyp Orlyk wrote a bright page in the history of the world’s constitutional endeavors. His 1710 treatise, ‘Pacts and Constitutions of Laws and Rights of the Zaporizia Army,’ is believed to be the first constitution of the Ukrainian state. Based on and in accord with the idea of the contractual origin of state, the people of Ukraine made a treaty with Hetman, transferring him a share of their freedoms for the sake of securing the state’s internal consent and external security. The document was concordant with the tendencies in the development of European political thought at the time.

In the context of the development of the Ukrainian Constitution we should also note the Central Council of Ukraine’s First Universal (the first elected parliament in our country’s history) in 1917-18, that guaranteed the Ukrainian people personal immunity, freedom of speech, press, assembly and faith, and which most importantly proclaimed the sovereignty and independence of the Ukrainian People’s Republic.

The ‘Soviet’ period in our country’s history also made its contribution to the con-

stitutional process. Despite the formal nature of the series of democratic provisions of the Constitution of the USSR (1978), some of these were taken as the basis of laws of independent Ukraine till 1996.

The modern constitutional process in Ukraine started with the adoption of the ‘Declaration on the State Sovereignty of Ukraine,’ which was passed by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on July, 16 1990 and preceded the Declaration of Independence of Ukraine on August, 24 1991. Thus, the current Constitution of Ukraine, despite its relatively young age of 15 years, has deep roots and, to some extent, has absorbed the experience of our nation’s previous generations.

KT: Continuing on this subject, please, tell us what role the adoption of the Constitution has played in the life of your state and its citizens in particular.

AT: Undoubtedly, in today’s Ukraine there is no public process that can take place outside basic law. The fact that the President’s tenure begins with an oath on the Constitution of Ukraine and a copy of it kept as a rule in every Ukrainian’s home demonstrates its role as a kind of fundamental principle and legal ‘talisman’ for our young country.

Among the main achievements of the adoption of this law we can name a number of opportunities that were opened to Ukraine. In particular, the Constitution lets all branches of government act in accordance with the authorities distributed between them. It fixed the territorial integrity and inviolability of the borders of Ukrainian lands.

It also made a breakthrough in solving the most critical challenges in the sphere of foreign policy, facing the country since the declaration of its independence.

The main thing is that the Constitution laid the foundation for fundamental democratic changes in Ukrainian society.

European constitutional standards were implemented guaranteeing human rights and freedoms and their judicial protection by the rule of law, including the possibility of appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. As a subject of international law and one of the founders of the UN, Ukraine conducts active work, aimed at the usage of not only national but also international institutions of human rights protection.

KT: Please tell us what are the main aspects of contemporary life in your country.

AT: Joint and consolidated actions of all branches of government have allowed the current Ukrainian leadership to carry out

major changes and reforms.

In his annual message, addressed to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych noted that “today our main task is to renew people’s faith in a strong, sophisticated and modern Ukraine, where everyone feels like an active participant in national development.” There is evidence of the seriousness of this statement in the implementation of administrative, pension and tax reforms in Ukraine. Undoubtedly, the government understands that radical reform measures always have their supporters as well as opponents in society. That is why the general public’s discussion of the different innovations, joint search for mutual compromise and the best way of its implementation within the national interests of Ukraine have become a good tradition in our country. All this is done in accordance with the letter and spirit [of the Constitution] and in order to implement the provisions of the Constitution of Ukraine. Conducted by the Ukrainian Government drastic economic measures allowed in the first quarter of this year to increase real GDP over the same period of 2010 to 5.2 percent. During January-April 2011, the increase of production only in mechanical engineering rose by 23.2 percent compared with same period of last year. Agricultural production continues to show a steady monthly growth trend: growth in January-April 2011 amounted to 4 percent over the same period of 2010. In the first quarter of 2011 the volume of Ukrainian exports of goods increased in comparison with the same period last year to 43.1 percent.

These figures clearly show that Ukraine has overcome the global financial crisis and is still increasing its capacity, which can be used also in Kuwait. According to international experts, this period of economic development of Ukraine is the most favorable for foreign investment in our country.

I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said that one of today’s ambitious tasks is to prepare and host with dignity the European Football Championships EURO 2012. Despite a number of difficulties encountered by Ukraine during the organization of this sporting event, I would like to say, that, first of all, it is a ‘pleasant chore.’ EURO 2012 is a great chance for our state to improve its transport (new road and air terminals construction), sport (building of world-class stadiums and training bases) and tourism (construction of hotels and new dining openings) infrastructure. At the same time, this is a great opportunity to take a major step towards European integration for our country, to

show for the whole world not an episodic, but a cohesive image of Ukraine with its powerful economic opportunities, investment attraction and rich cultural heritage.

KT: After the first six months of your work in the State of Kuwait, please tell us about the state and prospects for Ukrainian-Kuwaiti relations.

AT: Speaking about the state of relations between our friendly nations I’m pleased to note that since their formation (your country recognized the independence of Ukraine on April, 18 1993.) a high level of political dialogue between Kiev and Kuwait was achieved.

Ukraine will always remember with gratitude the financial support provided by Kuwait for dealing with the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster. Only recently, in April 2011, the leadership of your country donated an additional contribution of $5 million to Chernobyl fund.

I would like to note, however, that despite the existing solid foundation of relations between Ukrainian and Kuwaiti peoples, built on the principles of friendship and mutual aid, we still remain at the beginning of large-scale cooperation between Ukraine and Kuwait.

Ukraine has many achievements that we can share with your country and the country is not only widely known in the Arab world for our Ukrainian metal products alone.

Since ancient times our country has been called the “breadbasket of Europe” and in time of the global food crisis it’s especially necessary to pay attention to the agricultural opportunities in Ukraine. Ukraine is also one of the largest producers of sugar, grain, meat and dairy products.

We also have a highly developed chemical and petrochemical industry and a massive high-tech industrial base, including electronic industry and manufacturing of military and aerospace products.

There is also significant potential for cooperation in the medical field, in particular; we can cite the positive experience of the treatment of Kuwaiti citizens at the International Clinic of Rehabilitation headed by world-famous rehabilitation specialist Dr. Volodymyr Kozyavkin. Here there is also a need for separate discussion of development of cooperation in educational, tourism and information fields.

In conclusion I would like to note that we always welcome any form of regional cooperation between the two countries and the establishment of strong mutually beneficial contacts between their business communities, as well as the development of friendly personal relations between Ukrainian and Kuwaiti peoples.

In my view

Hotels: a home away from home?

By Lisa Conrad

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hen I first moved to Kuwait, I was thrilled to be staying in a hotel for an extended period of time. For whatever reason, hotel living always seems to be so relaxed and easy. Your laundry arrives freshly cleaned at your door, food is brought to you at whatever time you desire, and your room is made up every single day. In Kuwait, especially, the service tends to be exceptionally good. It appears, initially, that living in a hotel is living at the height of convenience. But is it really all it’s made out to be?

While it’s true that hotel living requires next to no effort on your part as far as chores and cooking are concerned, it isn’t without flaws. Firstly, if you are unsure as to how long you’ll be there, unpacking is totally illogical. This, initially, didn’t bother me. But as time passed, craving for familiarity and a sense of homeliness began creeping up on me. Although the room was beautiful, it wasn’t mine. And there was no way I could make it mine as I knew that I wouldn’t be there permanently. No family photos, no reminders of home and no real sense of comfort as you really never know how long you can call a hotel ‘home.’

Cooked meals were a refreshingly different change from having to cook (and clean the subsequent mess) every day, it soon lost its charm. As cravings for homecooked food began to grow, suddenly the vast array of options available weren’t tempting, in the least, anymore. The problem with hotel living, though, is that you can’t do anything about such things. I couldn’t cook for myself, as I had no kitchen. There wasn’t the option, which is the most frustrating point. Having your own place allows you to choose when you feel lazy or domestic, but hotel life forces you to rely on others.

Slowly, all the points I had adored about the convenience of staying in a hotel morphed into frustration.

Knowing that, everyday, someone would be in my room to tidy and change my towels and sheets didn’t seem so laid-back anymore. I began to feel a real lack of privacy.

I started leaving the ‘do not disturb’ sign out, but I still had to be completely reliant on the staff and regularly had to call for various things that, had I been living at home, I could have handled myself.

It is certainly true that we always want what we don’t have. When I was a student I would have been ludicrously happy if someone came regularly to clean my shared student accommodation and cook for us. It would have seemed too good to be true. Now, however, I appreciate having the small comforts that really make a place home, as opposed to the superficial comforts that come with hotel living. Between the two options, I wouldn’t pick either: hotel living is too soul-less and student living is too tough. An ideal middle-ground would be a luxurious, serviced apartment with a view, of course.

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KUWAIT: The Saad Al-Abdullah Police Academy celebrated the graduation of 185 police officers after a training course yesterday. The ceremony was attended by director of the Ministry of Interior’s General Department of Police and Non-commissioned Officers, Brig Gen Khalid Al-Janahi, as well as police school director, Lt Col Mohammad Al-Roumi. kuwait digest

Opportunity for Cabinet to regroup

By Khalifa Al-Kharafi

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he 100-day parliamentary recess offers an excellent opportunity for the Cabinet to regroup and begin implementing many laws and projects that have been put on hold since they were enacted. The most significant of these projects are those ones included in the development plan, which are basically long overdue requirements that were finally enshrined in law.

But the fact of the matter is that the government bit off more than it could chew when it committed itself to constructing gargantuan projects at an estimated total cost of $150 billion, requiring the annual expenditure of hundreds of millions of dinars on maintenance and operational costs.

In addition to being very costly to the state budget, such massive projects need comprehensive work teams that include technical, financial and legal experts to prepare tenders for bidding.

Either way, citizens don’t mind having $150 billion of the state’s money spent on projects that can improve the quality of their living conditions - provided, that is, that the state’s budget can afford this much money in the first place.

It’s definitely better than having all public funds spent on pay rises, bonuses and irrational and unsustainable consumption of electricity and water, things that exhaust the state’s budget which have been recognized by experts as the main problem which Kuwait faces and the principal threat to its future.

There isn’t a better way to maintain good living conditions for low-income citizens than by enabling them to obtain profitable shares in companies that run state services, while at the same time providing necessary services such as education and medical treatment covered by the state.

In other words, the wellbeing of the Kuwaiti people can be assured through the privatization law which was passed by the parliament, but has since been put on the shelf by the government either deliberately or simply because they are incapable of implementing it.

The government continues its unwise approach in ignoring recommendations of experts who affirm that the privatization law is the best way to stop corruption, prevent the squandering of money and thwart irrational consumption.

In the meantime, the government remains submissive to demands of lawmakers who use blackmailing and threats to dominate the country’s staterun services. — Al-Qabas

Five-member gang held for drug smuggling attempt 20 kg of hashish found KUWAIT: Kuwaiti drug squad and Interior Ministry officials thwarted a major drug-smuggling attempt, catching five smugglers redhanded on board a vessel on its way to Kuwait with 20 kg of hashish hidden in iceboxes on the boat. The arrests followed a tipoff from informants about the smugglers’ activities. The Ministry of Interior (MoI) is expected to publish details of the operation shortly.

ever, the handcuffed cadet managed to somehow escape on foot.

He was caught following a brief chase, with the officer who had charge of both men being referred for questioning to confirm that he had no involvement in the failed escape attempt.

his stateless status means he has no civil ID to trace him. The man called the emergency services hotline saying that he wished to hand himself in for the previous offense and was instructed to visit the Ahmadi police station. When he arrived there, however, duty

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) supports all efforts made to combat narcotics, said KRCS Department of Volunteers Director.

Musaed Al-Enezi called for eradicating “this phenomenon and tackling hazards through protective means and treatment,” of addicts. He was speaking on the sidelines of an exhibition, held by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (MSAL).

The KRCS has taken part in the exhibition, out of keenness to protect people against the use of narcotics that harm the human mind and body, he said, stressing on the necessity to promote awareness on a national level against ‘such destructive poisonous substances.’

He called on the media and the press to encourage the youth to get involved in voluntary work and activities.—KUNA

Thief caught One member of a three-man

Son abducts father A distraught Kuwaiti woman called police to report that her father had been abducted by her brother from the courtyard of a hotel in the Capital governorate.

After obtaining the abducted man’s mobile phone number from his daughter detectives attempted to contact him, but found that his phone had been switched off.

When they contacted the brother, he denied having abducted his father. The investigation is continuing and the accused man is expected to be summoned for questioning.

Officer questioned A police officer is being questioned after a drunk driver who had been arrested earlier briefly escaped. The suspect, a Ministry of Defense (MoD) recruit, was detained along with another man after police pulled their car over, discovering that both were heavily intoxicated. The two men were taken into custody by the officers from Abdullah Al-Salem police station and handed over to the Criminal Investigations Department. On reaching the department headquarters, how-

pair of bolt-cutters, acting suspiciously and loitering around an area where cables were being laid. The officer called police, but after waiting for their arrival for an hour he opted to pursue the would-be thieves himself when they fled after realizing that he was watching them. He caught one of the men and handed him in at the local police station.

Car burglars caught Jabriya police have arrested two Egyptian nationals wanted for at least 50 car break-ins and thefts in the Hawally, Farwaniya and Ahmadi governorates. The two suspects were arrested red- handed while breaking into a parked car by smashing the rear window following a series of reports of similar incidents. The men, who admitted that they had broken into and burgled over fifty cars in various areas, have been referred to the Public Prosecution Service.

KUWAIT: Members of the drug gang pictured after their arrest.

Fugitive’s dilemma A conscience-stricken drunken bedoon (stateless) man had to visit two police stations to hand himself in for an earlier offense since officers at his area police station couldn’t arrest him since

officers, who quickly realized he was drunk, found that they were unable to perform the necessary official procedures since they could not book him with no ID, sending him away. He later phoned the emergency hotline

Egypt sets top priority to Gulf security CAIRO: Post-revolution Egypt sets a top priority to Arabian Gulf security and historical bonds between Cairo and Gulf countries, an Egyptian newspaper reported here yesterday.

Egypt is keen on further cementing and beefing up its ties with all sisterly Arab countries, yesterday’s state-owned Al-Ahram said in its editorial, indicating that Egypt’s priorities would surely reflect its foreign policy.

The “government of the revolution”, which came to power at the behest of Tahrir Square protesters and with the blessing of the governing Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, has chosen to extend bridges of cooperation with all world countries, it said.

Egypt has resorted to “soft diplomacy”, hinging upon the country’s heritage and asset of soft force, in lieu of the defiant revolutionary tune, Al-Ahram, Egypt’s leading newspaper, said.

“The new school of Egyptian diplomacy reopened its doors when Nabil AlAraby became foreign minister. New Foreign Minister Mohamed Al-Orabi will follow in his predecessor’s footsteps through soft diplomacy,” it added.

This diplomacy is reliant upon Egypt’s historical and cultural position that enables it to forge distinguished relations with all world nations, the paper pointed out.

Earlier on Sunday, Egypt’s new Foreign Minister Mohamed Al-Orabi was sworn in before Chairman of Egypt’s ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces Hussein Tantawi.

Al-Orabi is the successor of Nabil AlArabi who was handpicked as new secretary general of the Arab League.

The new foreign minister had said he would depend on soft diplomacy based on Egypt’s historical and cultural position. — KUNA

UK educational institutions play leading role: Al-Duwaisan

‘KRCS supports anti-drugs efforts’

again and explained his predicament, with the operator instructing him to go to Hawally police station where the charge against him had been brought.

LONDON: The UK’s prestigious educational institutions play a leading role in spreading cultural and academic awareness, and the London Middle East Institute (LMEI) at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) - University of London, is one such institution, said the Kuwaiti Ambassador to the UK Khalid Al-Duwaisan on Sunday evening.

Ambassador Al-Duwaisan, who is also the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in London, was speaking at a ceremony held to honor the LMEI’s contributions, addressing administrators, academics and students, at his residence in central London.

As a consultative member of the institute, Ambassador Al-Duwaisan expressed pride in its efforts to “build cultural and academic bridges with the Middle East region, as well as its provision of academic studies of great value to researchers and students of the many sub-specializations in Middle East studies.”

LMEI Advisory Council Chairman Lady Barbara Judge, meanwhile, noted the institute has a particular interest at present in

women rights and empowerment and in human rights in general. She noted the current changes in the Middle East region, dubbed the Arab Spring by some, and the ramifications for the region.

Another speaker, LMEI Director Dr Hassan Hakimian, said the institute is appreciative of Kuwait’s support for its activities. He shed light on the means it uses to spread academic and cultural awareness and academic understanding of the Middle East, including publishing books and academic pamphlets and other publications on the nature and issues of the region.

The institute is currently holding a conference on Middle East and Middle East studies issues.

The event was also attended by a host of Arab and other diplomats and leading figures, as well as MPs, members of the House of Lords, and media representatives.

The Kuwaiti dignitaries attending included former Kuwaiti ambassador and UK-Kuwait Friendship Committee Member Abdullah Bisharah. — KUNA

gang who were planning to steal electrical cables was taken into custody by an eagle-eyed senior MoD officer. The officer, a Sergeant Major, was driving along the Fourth Ring Road when he spotted three men, one carrying a

Two robberies Police are hunting a burglar who stole cash and cell phones from an apartment in Abu Halifa.

On discovering the break-in when she returned home, the Iranian tenant immediately called police, with officers and crime scene investigators quickly at the scene to remove fingerprints and other evidence. The thief escaped with two million Iranian Riyal (KD50) and KD550 in cash. In a separate case, a Kuwaiti resident of Ali Sabah Al-Salem told officers at the local police station that a thief had broken into his car by smashing a window, stealing KD5,000 that he had left inside.

— Al-Rai , Al-Anba, Al-Qabas

Lebanese minister praises Kuwait’s support BEIRUT: Lebanese Minister of Defense Fayez Ghoson praised yesterday support and assistance of the State of Kuwait for the country, including the aid given for the Lebanese Army.

The minister said the Kuwaiti assistance, including training of officers and logistical support, is aimed at helping the armed forces in carrying out defensive missions, and hoped that the Gulf state would continue to offer such help.

Asked whether he plans to visit Kuwait, the minister expressed hope that he would be able to pay such a visit as soon as possible, also expressing wish that officials of the two countries would exchange more visits in the future for service of the joint interests.

Ghoson was named the minister of defense in the recent cabinet line-up.

The government is now headed by the veteran politician-businessmen, Neguib Mikati, who hails from the northern port city of Tripoli. The Lebanese Army, established some 50 years ago, is a 60,000-strong regular force, armed with medium-caliber arms, but lacks powerful air or naval weapons. In response to a question about needs of the army, vis

a vis recurring skirmishes with the Israeli forces in the border region, Ghoson said, “the Lebanese Army constitutes a guarantee for the Lebanese and Arabs,” alluding to its vital role of protecting the southern borders with Israel. Such aid is quite needed for the army to undertake its missions effectively for defending the security and independence of the countr y, he stressed.

The Lebanese Army is in need for a lot of support and assistance because its responsibilities are enormous, he added.

He confirmed the cooperation between the army and the international peacekeeping force, serving in South Lebanon, the UNIFIL, and finally expressed greetings to the Kuwaiti State, Amir and people, wishing to see further prosperity, progress and stability in this sisterly country.

Ties between Kuwait and Lebanon have been very close since a long time ago. The two countries have joint interests at various levels, and the country is a favorite tourist and recreational destination for many Kuwaitis. — KUNA

CAIT to offer rapid, integrated service KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Central Agency for Information Technology (CAIT ) has signed a contract to set up an electronic website for integrated services. It will be launched in six months, said the CAIT Director General.

Abdullatif Al-Suraye said in a statement yesterday that the customers service center will operate around the clock and throughout the week to cope with the mounting number of clients and users of the official website’s gateway.

Customers will be able to use a single figure to contact the center, which is also accessible via chat sites, e-mail, the SMS or the fax, he said, adding the contact number and the other mentioned

means will be declared once the establishment of the center has been completed.

The center will spare the government departments substantial financial costs, he said, noting that among the planned services to be offered would be an automated answer, relay and recording service. There will also be regular reports about proceedings of the world, observation of the productivity and follow-up on breaches or complaints.

According to the contract, a large number of staff will be trained, he said, noting the importance of the project within the framework of the national development strategies. —KUNA

TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

Hunt for suspected Islamists after 25 killed in Nigeria Page 10

Iran parliament summons Ahmadinejad for questioning Page 8

Israel approves plan to repel new Gaza flotilla Israel U-turn over warning to flotilla journalists JERUSALEM: Israel’s security cabinet yesterday ordered the navy to stop an international aid flotilla from breaching a naval blockade on the Gaza Strip, but also to avoid clashes with activists on board. “Members of the (security) cabinet decided today following a debate on the flotilla that the state of Israel will be determined in stopping the flotilla’s arrival in Gaza,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.

But forces would be ordered to do so “with minimal confrontation, as far as possible, with those on board the ships,” it said without giving further details. Also yesterday, Netanyahu said a threat to punish foreign journalists in the convoy by barring them from entering Israel for up to 10 years would not be carried out. The premier ’s office said he had been unaware of the original warning.

“When this was brought to the prime minister’s attention, he ordered that normal procedures taken against infiltrators and those entering illegally not be applied to journalists,” the statement said. Netanyahu also said he would allow reporters to accompany the naval vessels sent to intercept the flotilla “in order to allow transparent and trustworthy coverage of the events.” Organizers said that between GAZA CITY: Palestinians chant slogans as they wave their national flags during a protest calling for international protection for the planned international flotilla 30 and 50 journalists were expected to blockaded Gaza, in front of the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO) in Gaza City yesterday.—AP to sail with the flotilla.

The closed-door cabinet meeting allow the ships to anchor in Gaza, Cairo had already agreed to allow the ®Thursday or Friday, nine or 10 Eliezer Marom as telling ministers that was the second session on the flotilla although they would be allowed to ships to dock at El-Arish which lies boats should meet up in the Libyan his men were better prepared than in as many days. On Sunday, ministers unload their cargo at the Israeli port some 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of Gulf,® Vaguelis Pissias said at news they were last May, when marine in the forum were briefed on the mili- of Ashdod or Egypt’s El-Arish port for the Gaza border. In Greece, organizers conference. ®We really hope that commandos stormed the lead ship of tary’s preparations for the 10-ship checks, media reports said. said they would try and rendezvous despite the pressure from Israel and a previous flotilla, killing nine Turkish convoy which is expected to set sail If no weapons or ammunition were their boats off the coast of Crete on other countries, the Greek authorities nationals. from Greece later this week. During found, the cargo would be transferred “Thursday or Friday” and then head are not going to stop us leaving.” Israel “Our forces are ready to stop the the meeting, ministers decided not to to the Gaza Strip. Public radio said for Gaza.

Hayom newspaper quoted navy chief flotilla and not to allow the ships to

reach Gaza,” an unidentified political source also told the paper. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and several international leaders have urged the flotilla not to set sail, and Washington has warned US nationals not to join the attempt to break the Israeli embargo.

Some 350 pro-Palestinian activists from 22 countries including Canada, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy and Spain are set to join “Freedom Flotilla II” in a bid to break Israel’s five-year blockade on Gaza where 1.5 million Palestinians live. Israel first imposed a blockade on the enclave in 2006 after militants there snatched Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in a deadly cross-border raid. He is still being held.

A ban on civilian goods and foodstuffs was eased last year but many restrictions remain in place. Around seven of the vessels due to join the flotilla are already docked in Greece while several other will join them later, media reports said. But the Mavi Marmara, the Turkish-owned ferry where the bloodshed took place last year, will not take part in a move welcomed by Israeli officials that has helped ease fears in Israel of a violent confrontation, the Haaretz newspaper reported yesterday.

Organisers said the boats would set sail from various Greek ports this week, and were to give further details at a news conference in Athens later yesterday. Two cargo vessels will carry medicines, a fully-equipped ambulance and cement. Last week, Washington slammed the flotilla plans as “irresponsible and provocative,” saying all aid to Gaza could be delivered through Ashdod.—AFP

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Iran parliament summons Ahmadinejad for questioning Power struggle continues before 2012 elections TEHRAN: Iran’s parliament has summoned President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for questioning, the semi-official Mehr news agency said yesterday, raising tensions in a power struggle between rival hardline factions. Lawmakers have long accused Ahmadinejad of ignoring their demands and criticism has increased in recent weeks since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blocked him from sacking his intelligence minister-which analysts said showed Ahmadinejad could no longer count on the complete support of Iran’s top authority.

Unless the conservative-dominated parliament withdraws the summons, Ahmadinejad must appear before the assembly within one month after 100 lawmakers signed a motion calling him in, Mehr said. He will face questions over his delay in nominating a spor ts minister and in granting parliament-approved funding to the Tehran Metro.

Both issues are the subject of long-running tussles between the president and lawmakers, and some members of parliament have suggested impeaching Ahmadinejad over what his critics in the house have called his “demagogic” manner.

Rifts within the conservatives have become more apparent since the opposition Green movement was effectively silenced by the state after huge street protests against Ahmadinejad’s contested re-election two years ago.

With the protests crushed and the Green movement’s leaders under house arrest, parliamentary elections scheduled for next year will be largely fought by conservatives of various shades.

Analysts say the current factional wrangling is largely a jockeying for position before then.

Mohammad Dehqan, a member of parliament’s presiding board, said it was possible that the summons would be rescinded. “Considering the situation of

TEHRAN: In this June 7, 2011 photo, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks with media in Tehran, Iran. —AP the country, the majority of presiding board members do not consider questioning the president to be expedient,” he said.

Parliament has often used its constitutional powers against Ahmadinejad, particularly over ministerial appointments and budgetary matters, and most

recently rejected his nominee to head the newly formed Youth and Sport Ministry.

It also forced the resignation of another Ahmadinejad appointee, Mohammad Sharif Malekzadeh, who had been made deputy foreign minister.

Lawmakers threatened to

impeach Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi over the appointment.

Malekzadeh was arrested two days later, in another blow to Ahmadinejad’s inner circle.

Ahmadinejad’s opponents were emboldened by Khamenei’s intervention in April to stop the president sacking Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi. The attempted sacking was seen by Ahmadinejad’s critics as a political manoeuvre before next year’s elections.

Some lawmakers argued that Ahmadinejad’s allies wanted control of the intelligence ministry to secure a majority in 2012, since the ministry is in charge of checking the background of potential candidates. Far from toning down his policies after the Moslehi set-back, Ahmadinejad sacked several other ministers, including the head of the Oil Ministry-the body in charge of exploiting Iran’s vast mineral reser ves-in what he said was merely the execution of a previously announced government streamlining. Parliament voted against the merger of the Oil and Energy Ministries last week. The semi-official Fars news agency said yesterday that the government had withdrawn the ministerial merger plan-which had aimed to reduce the number of ministries to 17 from 21 — to review it. —Reuters

Egypt army vows to stop virginity tests: Amnesty

SANAA: Anti-government protestors shout slogans during a demonstration demanding the resignation of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, in Sanaa, Yemen yesterday. The banner in the background reads “Breaking the corrupted system”. —AP

Yemen says it foils planned Qaeda attack ADEN: Yemen said yesterday its security forces had foiled a planned Al-Qaeda attack in the southern province of Aden.

The announcement came three days after a suicide bomber killed four soldiers and a civilian and wounded 16 people in Aden. A local newspaper said on Monday that investigators had identified the suicide bomber as a Saudi national.

Yemen’s state news agency Saba quoted a security source as saying six people “among some of the most dangerous elements” of Al-Qaeda were captured while trying to infiltrate into the province, which includes a port and oil refinery. The report described the intended target of the thwarted attack as “vital and economic installations”, giving no further details.

Months of popular protests demanding President Ali Abdullah Saleh end his 33 years in power have brought near chaos to Yemen, which is home to al Qaeda’s potent regional wing and also faces a separatist revolt in its south and a tenuous peace with Shi’ite rebels in its north.

The Yemeni army has been battling hundreds of Islamist militants affiliated

to Al-Qaeda who seized control of the southern city of Zinjibar and smaller towns in the province of Abyan. The United States and Saudi Arabia fear that Al-Qaeda will exploit the countr y ’s chaos to launch attacks. The security source said the arrested militants, all bomb experts, were carrying detonators and wireless communications equipment.

The state news agency, which frequently plays up the threat from al Qaeda, gave no further details and the report could not be independently verified. Saba said five Al-Qaeda militants had been killed and seven Yemeni soldiers were injured in clashes in Abyan.

A local Yemeni official, reporting on fighting in the same area, said three militants were killed and five were captured. The official said one soldier was k illed and two were wounded.

Opponents of Saleh say the president let his forces hand over control of Zinjibar to militants in order to stoke fears that only his rule could prevent an Islamist takeover. —Reuters

CAIRO: Egypt’s military has vowed to stop virginity tests on female protesters, Amnesty International said yesterday, after a top official said the tests were necessary to head off possible charges of rape. “ The head of Egypt’s military intelligence has promised Amnesty International that the army will no longer carry out forced ‘virginity tests’ after defending their use, during a meeting with the organisation on Sunday,” Amnesty said in a statement.

Major General Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi had discussed the issue with Amnesty International Secretary General Salil Shetty. Sisi is a member of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which took power after a popular uprising ousted president Hosni Mubarak in February.

The general was the first identified Egyptian military official to acknowledge that forced virginity tests have taken place.

“He said virginity tests were carried out to protect the army against possible allegations of rape, and added that the army does not intend to detain women again,” an Amnesty statement said on Sunday.

On May 31, Amnesty called on the authorities in Egypt to bring to justice those responsible for forced virginity tests on female protesters, slamming it as “nothing less than torture.” Amnesty’s statement came after an apparent admission by an unnamed army general to CNN that women detained on March 9 in Cairo’s Tahrir Square had been subjected to virginity tests.

A senior military official on May 31 denied to AFP reports that the army had conducted such tests, saying “these allegations are baseless.” Amnesty opposes forced virginity tests under any circumstances. “Sisi said people alleging abuses should complain to the military prosecutor and could also post their complaints on the SCAF Facebook page,” the Amnesty statement said. —AFP

Khamenei urges media to tone down arrest reports TEHRAN: Iranian media should refrain from naming those arrested by the judiciary, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said yesterday, amid recent arrests of members of President Mahmoud Ahmdinejad’s entourage. “If a person’s crime has not yet been proven, the name of that person (and the accusations) should not be publicized,” the all-powerful Khamenei said in a meeting with judiciary officials, broadcast on state television.

“I address not only the judiciary, but also officials outside the branch as well as the

media,” said Khamenei, adding that the public opinion is “unable to differentiate between the accused and the person who is actually found guilty.” His remarks come after recently publicized reports of arrests of people close to Ahmadinejad’s under-fire chief of staff, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie.

On June 23, Fars news agency and judiciary sources reported the arrest of Mohammad Sharif Malekzadeh, a former member of Ahmadinejad’s entourage, after he was forced out of a diplomatic post by conservative lawmakers. Two more officials close to Mashaie,

who were in charge of two free trade zones across the country, were arrested in the following days, media reported.

The reports of arrests came as ultra-conservatives, who accuse Mashaie of leading “a current of deviation” within the government and exerting too much influence over the president, have stepped up pressure on Ahmadinejad to dismiss his controversial confidant. The regime’s conservatives, the Shiite clergy and the elite Revolutionary Guards also accuse Mashaie of trying to undermine the Islamic republic. —AFP

TUNIS: Cofounder of the Islamist movement “Ennahada” or “En-Nahdha”, (Renaissance) Rached Ghannouchi (R), flanked by members of his party Samir Dilou (C) and Nourddine Bahri (L), delivers a speech during a press conference yesterday in Tunis. —AFP

Tunisia’s Islamists pull out of reform commission TUNIS: Tunisia’s Islamist movement Ennahda (Renaissance) has definitively pulled out of a national commission tasked with bringing in political reforms, its leader Rached Ghannouchi said yesterday. The commission “believes it has a popular legitimacy, when it hasn’t,” Ghannouchi told a press conference in Tunis, reproaching the panel for its “condescension”.

The reform panel was set up in February after the popular uprising that ousted president Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali on January 14, with a brief to pave the way for democratic change in the north African country. “Who are you to want to decide the essential laws for the people?” the Islamist leader asked, charging that some commission members wanted to “promote their own aims” and that the panel was behaving like “a parliament.”

Ennahda suspended its participation in the commission’s work last week. The Islamist movement, which was finally legalised in early March after three decades as a banned opposition group, first pulled out of the reform panel at the end of May after a dispute over the date for elections, which had initially been set for July 24. The reform panel is headed by Yadh Ben Achour, a jurist who played a major part in choosing its members, and has set far-reaching goals for the body.

Ghannouchi said the commission bore “the responsibility for the departure” of his movement, but he did not completely rule out the possibility of a return if the panel changed its outlook.

He said it was a “definitive withdrawal if the high instance (panel) continues to ignore the principle of a consensus. If

reason prevails concerning a consensus we could study the option of returning.”

He insisted his withdrawal was “definitely for the good of the countr y (because) the principle of the revolution is to return to popular legitimacy.”

While the Islamists hurled insults at the commission in recent weeks, the panel’s chair has consistently downplayed the importance of their withdrawal, recently saying it would have “no impact” on his work.

Apart from a dispute over an eventual election date, Ennahda disagreed with the panel over the means of financing political parties. The rules that the commission wants to establish are contested by the large political movements that have substantial resources and do not want to see them cut, according to observers.

There is also a dispute over the inclusion in a “Republican Pact”, which is intended to be the basis for a new Tunisian constitution, of a clause banning any normalisation of relations with Israel. The leader of the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, which seeks to be an alternative to the Islamists, has also been critical of the reform panel, arguing that it is “not widely representative” because its members are not elected.

“The sooner it goes, the better it will be for the country,” Chebbi said in an inter view with AFP. Ghannouchi returned to Tunisia on January 30 after nearly 20 years in exile, mostly in London, to be welcomed by thousands of people. He founded the movement in 1981 with intellectuals inspired by the influential Muslim Brotherhood born in Egypt.—AFP

BAGHDAD: Shiite pilgrims gather at the Imam Moussa Al-Kadhim shrine for the annual commemoration of the saint’s death, in the Shiite district of Kazimiyah, in Baghdad, Iraq yesterday.—AP

US court won’t hear Iraqi contractor case WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court yesterday let stand the dismissal of a lawsuit claiming that employees of two defense contractors took part in the torture and abuse of Iraqis at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The justices rejected an appeal by a group of 250 Iraqis seeking to reinstate their lawsuit against CACI International Inc, which provided interrogators at Abu Ghraib, and L-3 Communications Holdings Inc’s Titan unit, which provided interpreters to the US military.

The lawsuit was filed in 2004 on behalf of the Iraqis who said they or their relatives had been tortured or mistreated while detained by the US military at the Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad. They said contractor employees participated in the abuse, a claim denied by the companies. The justices declined to review a federal appeals court ruling that dismissed the lawsuit because the companies had immunity as government contractors and because the suit was pre-empted by US national security and foreign policy law.

Attorneys for the Iraqis argued the contractors were not immune because the alleged torture at the prison fell outside the scope of the work they had agreed to perform. In appealing to the Supreme Court, the attorneys said victims of torture may proceed with lawsuits against private parties and corporations can be held liable for torture under international law. Attorneys for CACI and L-3 opposed the appeal, said the appeals court’s rejection of the claims was correct, and said further Supreme Court review of the case was unwarranted.

The Obama administration supported the companies and said the appeal should be denied. After what happened at Abu Ghraib, the US government has various tools available to punish those who commit torture and to compensate those subjected to abusive treatment while detained by the US military, administration attorneys said. The Supreme Court turned down the appeal in a brief order with any comment. —Reuters

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Venezuela tells foes: Stop dreaming of Chavez death CARACAS: Senior allies of Venezuela’s socialist President Hugo Chavez have dismissed reports he is sicker than the government has admitted, telling his enemies to “stop dreaming” of his death. The normally verbose leader has not been seen in public since a June 10 operation in Cuba to remove a pelvic swelling. His long absence has prompted widespread speculation he may be seriously ill, possibly being treated for prostate cancer. Accusing opponents of cynically rejoicing at his health problems, government officials insist Chavez, 56, is fine and that he should be back for a regional summit planned for Venezuela’s 200th anniversary of independence on July 5.

“President Chavez is recovering well from his surgery. His enemies should stop dreaming and his friends should stop worrying,” Vice Foreign Minister Temir Porras said on the social networking site Twitter. “The only thing that has metastasized is the cancer of the Miami Herald and the rest of the rightwing press.”

A report in the Nuevo Herald, the Miami Herald’s Spanish-language sister paper, on Saturday cited unnamed U.S. intelligence officials as saying Chavez was in “critical condition” at a hospital in Havana. A senior U.S. official cast doubt on that report, telling Reuters that Washington was hearing lots of speculation about Chavez’s health but had

no firm intelligence. “The fact is, we just don’t know,” the official said.

Fernando Soto Rojas, a Chavez ally who heads the National Assembly, said the president would be back before the summit scheduled for July 5-6 on Margarita island off Venezuela’s Caribbean coast. “Chavez is recuperating and we will have him here, thank God, on July 5,” he told reporters on Sunday.

Asked if the president was being treated for cancer, Soto Rojas denied it and said: “I would be the first to tell the country” if that were the case. The absence of Chavez, a former soldier who has nationalized much of the economy, has underlined his total domi-

nance of Venezuelan politics, and the lack of any obvious successor after his 12 years in power. Vice President Elias Jaua said Chavez would return soon. “The national and international right-wing are going crazy, rubbing their hands together ... even talking about the death of the president,” he said in a speech, adding that Chavez’s rivals were exposing themselves as anti-democratic fascists.

“They know they cannot win elections against our comandante,” Jaua said.

Opposition politician Miguel Angel Rodriguez said the government was neglecting its constitutional obligations by not providing more detailed information on

Chavez’s condition. “The uncertainty about the health of Hugo Chavez and the grave speculation about the true picture of what afflicts him reveals severe constitutional failures by the government in its duty to inform,” Rodriguez said in a statement.

Chavez sent several Twitter messages on Friday from his @chavezcandanga account, which is followed by more than 1.6 million people, but said nothing about his health. He continued tweeting on Saturday, expressing pride in a big new housing project and saying his daughter Rosines and grandchildren had flown to Cuba to visit him. “Ah, what happiness to receive this bath of love! God blesses me!” he wrote. —Reuters

Bachmann kicks off 2012 campaign in Iowa Poll show her in statistical tie with perceived front-runner

NEW MEXICO: A wildfire crests over the hills above Los Alamos National Labs Sunday in New Mexico. A fast-moving wildfire forced officials at the Los Alamos National Laboratory to close the site. —AP

Mexico details Familia extortion practices MEXICO CITY: Mexico’s cult-like La Familia drug cartel conducts widespread extortion rackets aimed at farmers, miners and even bullfight organizers while getting protection from state police commanders, federal officials said Sunday. Mexico’s federal police agency, the Public Security Secretariat, outlined the local businesses preyed upon in a new report on the extent of the gang’s corruption and intimidation tactics in its home base of Michoacan state. In order to supplement drug-trafficking income, La Familia forces miners to pay $1.50 per ton of metal they sell and cattle ranchers to pay $1 per kilogram of meat, it said.

Michoacan’s rich lime and avocado farms are subject to “quotas,” or a percentage of farmers’ earnings. Bullfights, cockfights and concerts also are extorted, the report says.

While news reports of extortion by drug gangs have become common, authorities had not confirmed in detail the extent of La Familia’s hold on raw material production in the western state.

The report came five days after federal authorities apprehended La Familia’s alleged leader, claiming the arrest was a debilitating blow against the crime group. Jose de Jesus Mendez Vargas, alias El Chango, or “The Monkey,” was the last remaining head of the cartel that authorities say has terrorized Mexico’s western states. The report charges that Michoacan state police commanders aid La Familia in its operations by permitting cartel operatives to use patrol cars, radio frequencies and police uniforms.

The report relates how one former state police official used patrol cars to

block off streets and help hit men escape other police. “They used state police infrastructure to establish routes and ensure the safety of their armed commandos,” the report says.

La Familia makes extensive use of propaganda, such as organizing marches against the government’s offensive against drug gangs, generating rumors of police abuse and reporting false human rights complaints, the report says. Still, authorities say they have managed to push the cartel into mountainous regions and have detained or killed most of its top leaders. The report says more than 700 La Familia members have been arrested since 2008, mainly in Michoacan and Mexico State, which borders Mexico City. But the leader of a violent splinter group, which calls itself the Knights Templar, remains at large. La Familia was born in President Felipe Calderon’s home state of Michoacan in 2006. When he took office in December of that year, Calderon sent thousands of federal police there and warned that the cartel was corrupting local officials and extorting businesses.

Even with the gang’s setbacks, there are signs La Familia is still active. Seven bodies were found early Sunday in two different spots outside Mexico City along with messages purportedly signed by La Familia, the Mexico State prosecutor’s office told The Associated Press.

Prosecutor spokesman Alfredo Albiter said police were trying to verify whether the messages left near the bodies in both Valle de Chalco and Ixtapaluca in Mexico State were indeed written by La Familia members. —AP

Canadian company vows to keep open Peru mine VANCOUVER: A Canadian mining company has said it will use “all available avenues” to try to keep open its silver mine in the mountains of southeastern Peru, after authorities suspended its concession. Peru’s government made the move Saturday following deadly protests by indigenous anti-mining demonstrators who fear that mines pollute waterways and leave few local benefits.

The government of President Alan Garcia granted Bear Creek Mining Corporation a concession to mine in the Santa Ana community of the department of Puno in 2007. Bear Creek said that any modification to that decree “is illegal and without basis” since the company had been complying with Peruvian law. “Bear Creek firmly believes that stopping the Santa Ana project will not serve the best interest of either the local communities or those of Peru,” the company said in a statement late Saturday. Bear Creek CEO Andrew Swarthout said his company “intends to immediately and vigorously defend its rights at Santa Ana through all available avenues,” includ-

ing Peruvian law and provisions of the Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement.

At least five protesters were killed when riot police fired tear gas and live ammunition to keep anti-mining demonstrators from taking over the airport in Juliaca, in Puno province, on Friday. By Sunday calm had returned to Juliaca as businesses reopened and residents began to walk and drive around unrestricted.

Police and the military continued to guard Inca Manco Capac Airport, which remained closed.

Puno has been gripped by a wave of protests against mining projects in the region, led primarily by the indigenous Aymara people, the majority ethnic group in this part of the countr y. The protests, which began as simple demands to revoke Bear Creek’s Santa Ana concession, have since expanded. They now include opposition to the Inambari project, an ambitious plan to dam several Andean rivers and build what would become one of the largest hydroelectric power plants in South America. — AFP

WATERLOO: US Rep Michele Bachmann, a favorite of Christian conservatives and antitax tea party activists, kicked off her presidential campaign yesterday in Iowa where she hopes home field advantage will give her a boost of credibility as a serious challenger to President Barack Obama. Bachmann, a threeterm congresswoman from neighboring Minnesota, planned to hold a rally in Waterloo, Iowa, her birthplace. Iowa holds the first Republican nominating contest, conducted through meetings around the Midwestern state known as caucuses.

The Des Moines Register ’s Iowa Poll released Saturday night showed her in a statistical tie with the perceived Republican front-runner, former Massachusetts Gov Mitt Romney, among likely caucus-goers. Speaking outside a historic mansion in Waterloo, Bachmann said yesterday she is waging her campaign “not for vanity,” but because voters “must make a bold choice if we are to secure the promise of the future.” Bachmann is the only woman to enter the race so far. Another tea party favorite, 2008 vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, has not said whether she intends to run in 2012.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Sunday, Bachmann accused of Obama of having wrongheaded policy making. “I don’t have anything personal about our president.

But he’s just wrong. But his policy prescriptions have been wrong.” The nothing-personal message was a departure from her 2008 comments questioning whether Obama had “antiAmerican” views. She has said she wishes she framed her criticism differently.

In an appearance Sunday on CBS television, Bachmann said she found the poll results gratifying but noted that the race for the nomination was just beginning. The poll showed Romney with 23 percent support and Bachmann with 22 percent among those who said they were likely to vote in the nation’s first Republican nomination contest.

They were followed by former pizza chain

IOWA: Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., officially announces her intent to seek the Republican presidential nomination yesterday in Waterloo, Iowa. —AP CEO Herman Cain, another Tea Party favorite, his sincerity. In addition, Romney championed with 10 percent; former House Speaker Newt a health care law enacted in Massachusetts Gingrich and libertarian-leaning Rep. Ron Paul that is similar to Obama’s national health of Texas with 7 percent each, and former overhaul, which conservatives loathe.

But Republicans might shy away from Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty with 6 percent.

The results are based on telephone inter- Bachmann if they are more concerned about views with 400 likely Republican Iowa caucus- choosing the most electable candidate in a goers from June 19 to 22. It has a margin of position to defeat Obama. There are questions error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points. A whether Bachmann could reach beyond the strong finish in Iowa for Bachmann could Republican base to appeal to the moderate launch her as the key challenger to establish- independent voters needed to defeat Obama ment Republicans in later nominating con- in the November 2012 election. She is known for piercing and sometimes inaccurate comtests, most notably Romney.

Romney, who sought his party’s presiden- mentary.

She once falsely complained that taxpayers tial nomination in 2008, already faces questions from Bachmann and other rivals about would be stuck with a $200 million per day his record of changing positions on social tab for an Obama trip to India and accused issues including abortion and gay rights, the first black US president of running a shifts that have left conservatives questioning “gangster government.” — AP

Jury visits home of man charged in 11 deaths CLEVELAND: Jurors in the trial of a man charged with killing 11 women and hiding their remains in and around his home visited the property yesterday before opening statements in the high-profile case. Under a sunny blue sky, a jury motorcade of four vans under police escort left the courthouse for the fencedoff home of Anthony Sowell, 51, who passed on the chance to accompany jurors.

Sowell, who has been jailed since his arrest in 2009, has pleaded not guilty. He faces the death penalty if convicted. It took nearly three weeks to seat the jury from a pool of about 200 prospective jurors. Those who were chosen were driven to Sowell’s home to look at the neighborhood, the inside of the house and the yards.

Opening statements in the trial were scheduled for yesterday afternoon.

As they waited to leave, jurors chatted in small groups, some laughing.

People in the busy morning crowd enter-

ing the courthouse glanced at the sidewalk scene, some asking if this was the much-anticipated Sowell crime-scene visit.

The jurors were accompanied by the judge, sheriff’s deputies and trial attorneys. The attorneys were warned in advance not to discuss the case with jurors or point anything out.

Jurors were told that the visit was meant to help provide perspective for upcoming testimony. What jurors see at the house “is not evidence, since conditions may have changed since the time of the events in this case,” Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Dick Ambrose said in his order detailing visit arrangements.

Prosecutors say Sowell lured women from his inner-city Cleveland neighborhood into his home with the promise of alcohol or drugs, then killed them. The women disappeared one by one, starting in October 2007. The last one vanished in September 2009. —AP

CIUDAD BOLIVAR: A woman in handcuffs is shown to the press who was arrested in connection with seized packages of cocaine, behind, in Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela, Sunday. Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami said authorities have seized more than 5.5 tons of cocaine on Friday in eastern Venezuela. Venezuela is a transshipment point for Colombian cocaine destined for the United States, Europe and the Caribbean. —AP

US space entrepreneur accused of aiding Iran WASHINGTON: Growing up in a provincial town in Iran, Nader Modanlo was fascinated by the flickering TV images of astronauts walking on the moon. As a teenager, he came to the United States, where he earned degrees in aerospace engineering, became a US citizen and co-founded a pioneering satellite telecommunications company that at one point was worth up to $500 million. He seemed on the verge of the kind of success that immigrants dream of achieving. Today, those dreams are burning up like a spacecraft in steep re-entry.

Modanlo’s company is bankrupt, his US and Iranian passports have been confiscated and a federal judge has ordered him to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet while he sleeps.

A federal grand jury indicted the Maryland resident last year on charges he secretly brokered the launch from Russia of the first Iranian-owned satellite in 2005, in violation of the US sanctions against Iran. If convicted on all counts, he could be sentenced to 65 years in prison and ordered to pay $10 million. Five Iranian nationals were also indicted, but none is in custody. Iran went on to launch its first satellite aboard an Iranian-built rocket in 2009 and its second earlier this month. Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics said the June 15 launch of the tiny Rashad-1 satellite, a 34-pound orbiter, shows the country is well on its way to mastering the multi-stage rocket technology that would be needed for long-range nuclear missiles. McDowell called it an impressive record for a country in the early stages of its space program.

“They might have a couple of more failures in the next couple of launches,” he said. “But after that, they will basically have the capability to know what they’re doing.” Modanlo, 50, denies that he violated US sanctions and is free on $250,000 bond. He declined through his lawyers to be interviewed, and officials from the Justice Department and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement likewise declined to discuss the case. But experts, court documents and other public records describe how his ambitions might have led him into trouble. The trial is expected to begin in October 2012.

The 2005 launch from Russia of the Sina-1 satellite came one day after newly elected Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Israel must be “wiped off the map.” To many, the launch seemed to back up this threat.

David Albright of the Institute for Science and International Security, an expert on nuclear proliferation, said Iran is focused on the military applications of space science. “One of the goals of the program, and it appears to be an ongoing program, is to develop a missile that can carry a nuclear warhead if Iran decides to build one,” he said. — AP

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

Ex-officer convicted of betraying Russia spy ring MOSCOW: A former senior Russian intelligence officer was convicted in absentia yesterday of betraying a ring of 10 Russian spies in the United States. The Moscow District Military Court found Col. Alexander Poteyev guilty of high treason and desertion and sentenced him to 25 years in prison after a trial that was closed to the public. Russian news agencies cited the court’s verdict as saying that Poteyev fled to the United States shortly before US authorities announced the spy bust last summer, leaving his wife behind.

Anna Chapman and her fellow deep-cover agents had testified during the trial that

only Poteyev could have provided the information that led to their arrest last year, according to the excerpts of the verdict carried by Russian newswires. They were deported in exchange for four suspected Western agents who had been imprisoned in Russia. It was the biggest spy swap since the Cold War. The court said that the 59year-old Poteyev had overseen the Russian sleeper agents in the US as a deputy head of the “S” department of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service.

Chapman, the pinup girl for the agents, has testified that she was caught after an undercover US agent contacted her using a

code that only Poteyev and her personal handler knew, Russian news reports quoted the verdict as saying. She said she immediately felt that something was wrong and called her handler in Moscow who confirmed her suspicions. Chapman and others were arrested shortly after. RIA Novosti news also quoted the testimony of other agents who confirmed that only Poteyev had access to the sensitive information that allowed the US authorities to apprehend them.

The ITAR-Tass and Interfax news agencies quoted the verdict as saying that Poteyev had fled to Belarus and then move on to

Germany and, finally, the United States using a passport belonging to another person. It said that Poteyev was in such a hurry to leave the country that he rushed out of a business meeting at the intelligence headquarters, Interfax reported. According to the verdict, he sent a farewell message to his wife that was cited by Interfax: “Mary, try to take it calmly. I’m leaving not for some time, but forever. I didn’t want to, but I had to. I will start my life from scratch and will try to help the children.” The judge said that the US authorities hadn’t responded to a Russian official request for information about Poteyev’s whereabouts.

The court also stripped Poteyev of his colonel’s rank and state medals. Poteyev’s court-appointed lawyer, Andrei Kucherov, said he would appeal the sentence. He said that Poteyev’s wife believes he’s innocent and wants to join him in the United States, RIA Novosti reported. The Russian spies were given a hero’s welcome when they returned home last July, and President Dmitry Medvedev bestowed them with the nation’s highest awards in October. Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, a 16-year KGB veteran, met with the spies and sang patriotic songs with them to celebrate their return. — AP

Hunt for suspected Islamists after 25 killed in Nigeria Security scaled in city after attack

ROME: In this file picture made available by the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict XVI with Rev Tadeusz Rydzyk in Castel Gandolfo on the hills overlooking Rome. —AP

Poland complains to Vatican over remarks made by priest WARSAW: A Polish priest and media mogul has sparked uproar in Poland by calling the country a totalitarian state that “hasn’t been ruled by Poles since 1939” , a statement many interpret as code for saying Jews are secretly running the country.

The Rev Tadeusz Rydzyk, who has previously been accused of fomenting antiSemitism through his politically influential, ultra-Catholic radio station Radio Maryja, made the comments at the European Parliament last week. Poland’s Foreign Ministry sent a diplomatic note to the Vatican on Saturday accusing Rydzyk of “harming the image of Poland abroad,” the first-ever such complaint by the Polish government to the Holy See. The Vatican is the supreme authority for Rydzyk’s Redemptorist order. Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi told Polish news agency PAP yesterday that Rydzyk speaks in his own name and his statements do not involve the Holy See or Poland’s Church.

He did not say if the Vatican will offer a formal reply, according to PAP. Jerzy Buzek, the head of the EU Parliament and former prime minister of Poland, has called Rydzyk’s remarks “scandalous and unacceptable.” Rydzyk spoke during a seminar on renewable energy last Tuesday. His remarks went largely unnoticed in Brussels but have since sparked days of debate in Poland, with weekend talk shows and newspaper opinion columns devoted to analyzing the powerful priest’s words. Poland is preparing to take over the rotating presidency of the European Union on Friday , which Warsaw sees as a chance to improve its image on the European stage.

“The tragedy of Poland is that Poland hasn’t been ruled by Poles since 1939,” Rydzyk said, according to Polish media reports on the speech. He added that,

“this isn’t an issue of blood or affiliation,” but that those who rule Poland today “do not love in a Polish way, do not have a Polish heart.” He also said Poland today is a totalitarian and “uncivilized country.”

Though he did not mention Jews by name, his language echoed that of antiSemites who claim that Jews hold excessive power in Poland and that Polish Jews are not “real Poles” with Polish interests at heart. The number of Jews in Poland today is tiny. There were 3.5 million Jews in Poland before World War II, but most were murdered by Germany during the Holocaust and many of those who survived fled anti-Semitic violence and prejudice after the war.

Michael Levi, the president of Beit Warszawa, a Jewish Reform community in Warsaw, said he considered Rydzyk’s language to be anti-Semitic since it comes in the context of his support for far-right politicians and anti-Jewish remarks his radio station has aired. It is “pure hate propaganda” that encourages extremists, Levi said. Poland also is far from being a totalitarian state. After throwing off communism 22 years ago, Poland has joined NATO and the EU and stands as a model of democratic transition that has even advised the new Tunisian leadership following the recent revolution there.

Rydzyk runs a conservative media empire that includes the Catholic station Radio Maryja and the television station Trwam, both popular among some conservative, nationalist Poles. He was at the center of a scandal in 2007 when he was allegedly caught on tape suggesting that Jews are greedy and that then-Polish President Lech Kaczynski was subservient to Jewish lobbies. International Jewish organizations protested his comments at the time, and were also angered when Pope Benedict XVI held a private meeting with Rydzyk that year. — AP

PARIS: Parisians leap into the Trocadero fountain to cool off in Paris yesterday. A heat wave hit the French capital, with temperatures reaching 35 degree Celsius (95 Fahrenheit). The Eiffel Tower is seen in the background. —AP

KANO: Security was tightened in the Nigerian city of Maiduguri yesterday after suspected Islamists tossed bombs and fired on a crowded beer garden killing at least 25 people, security sources said. Sunday’s attack caused one of the single-largest casualty tolls in the troubled northern city in recent months and coincided with the assumption of control of security operations there by a special task force of crack troops and other personnel.

A military officer said security had been scaled up in the city following the attack. “The JTF ( joint task force) began operations in Maiduguri yesterday with the deployment of more troops into the city, including 500 navy personnel,” said a senior military officer who asked not to be named as he does not have clearance to speak to journalists.

The unit “is now in charge of security in the city and the responsibility of combating the spate of attacks in the metropolis is in its hands,” the officer added. Two men riding motorbikes hurled three bombs into a large beer garden, fired some shots and sped away after the shock attack Sunday evening, securi-

ty sources told AFP by telephone from Maiduguri, capital of northeastern Borno state.

“The attackers, believed to be Boko Haram members, threw bombs and fired indiscriminate gun shots on a packed tavern at Dala Kabompi neighborhood, killing at least 25 people and seriously injuring around 30 others,” a police superintendent said.

Emmanuel Okon, who sells charcoal-grilled beef on the fringes of the tavern, said: “I just heard a loud bang followed by sporadic shootings and plumes of black smoke filled the area with people screaming and running in all directions. “The wounded and the dead lay on the ground and the place was littered with broken bottles and glasses and... shoes,” he said. When asked for further details on the attack, Mohammed Jinjiri Abubakar, the police commissioner for Borno state, declined to elaborate, saying that control for security had passed to the new task force.

The force-modelled on ones operating in the southern oil region of the Niger Delta and the sectarian clashes prone central city of Jos-

is taked with combatting the wave of bomb attacks and shootings blamed on the sect members. Boko Haram, which staged a shortlived uprising in 2009, has been blamed for what have become almost daily attacks and had hitherto targeted mainly police and military personnel, politicians and community and religious leaders.

It has in recent months also bombed police stations, churches and staged a prison raid.

The group claimed responsibility for the attack 10 days ago on police headquarters in the Nigerian capital Abuja that killed at least two, including a policeman, saying their target was the national police chief.

The sect also said it was behind an attack on a beer garden in a military barracks in northern Bauchi city that killed over a dozen people hours after the inauguration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Boko Haram, whose name means “Western education is a sin”, launched an uprising in 2009 which was put down by a brutal military assault that left hundreds dead, most of them its members. —AFP

Senegalese Muslim youths burn church, destroy bar

PERUGIA: Raffaele Sollecito, centre, former boyfriend of Amanda Knox, arrives for the appeal hearing, in Perugia, Italy yesterday. —AP

Convicted murderer says he believes Knox is guilty PERUGIA: The first man convicted in the murder of Amanda Knox’s roommate testified yesterday that he believes she and her ex-boyfriend are guilty, an accusation that prompted the American student to say she was “shocked and anguished.” “He knows we weren’t there,” Knox said emotionally moments after her accuser, Rudy Hermann Guede, had left the courthouse.

The testimony by Guede, a 24-yearold immigrant from the Ivory Coast, was closely watched in the packed courtroom in Perugia. He had been called as a witness for the prosecution in the appeals trial of Knox and Raffaele Sollecito, her Italian ex-boyfriend and co-defendant. Knox and Sollecito were convicted for the Nov 1, 2007, slaying of British exchange student Meredith Kercher, whose body was found in a pool of blood in the apartment she and Knox shared in Perugia.

Prosecutors claimed in Knox’s first trial that Guede, Knox and Sollecito killed Kercher in what had begun as a sexual game. Taking the stand, Guede confirmed the contents of a letter he wrote to his lawyers last year, which ends with a direct accusation to Knox and Sollecito. In the March 2010 letter, which was read out loud in court, Guede wrote that he had nothing to do with the “horrible murder of the splendid and wonderful Meredith Kercher by Knox and Sollecito.” “This is a thought I’ve always had in my mind,” Guede told the court yesterday.

“It’s not up to me to decide who killed Meredith Kercher,” he added. “I’ve always said who was there that damned night in that house.” Guede is serving a 16year-prison sentence for the murder. He was escorted in court by police in handcuffs. Knox and Sollecito were convicted of sexual assault and murder in separate proceeding. She was sentenced to 26 years in prison, he to 25.

“Raffaele Sollecito, Guede and I have only been in the same place in a court,” Knox said. “I’m shocked and anguished by these statements.” “I don’t know what happened that night,” Knox added, say-

ing she wished she could have said that to Guede’s face.

She was only allowed to speak after Guede was escorted out. Guede was called by the prosecution to counter testimony by a fellow inmate and convicted child killer who claimed Guede told him during recreation time that Knox and Sollecito had nothing to do with the killing. On the stand, Guede denied talking to Mario Alessi about the case. The letter that was read in court had been written by Guede in order to deny Alessi’s claims. Like Knox and Sollecito, Guede has denied killing Kercher, but unlike them, he has admitted being at the crime scene the night of the murder.

He sought a fast-track procedure and has already exhausted all levels of appeal. Speaking at the opening of his appeals trial, Guede claimed he had heard Kercher and Knox argue minutes before the Briton was slain.

He said he was at the house with Kercher when he fell ill and went to the bathroom with his iPod. He heard Knox and Kercher argue over money, then heard a “very loud scream” coming from Kercher’s bedroom, and rushed to it.

There, he said, he saw an unidentified man who tried to attack him. Backing down into the hallway, Guede said he heard the man say “Let’s go, there’s a black man in the house.”

Guede said he heard footsteps leaving the house and looked out of the window, where he saw a silhouette that he later identified as Knox’s. He said he then tried to rescue Kercher, who was lying in a pool of blood after her throat was slit, taking her in his arms and trying to mop up the blood with towels. But he panicked and left the house. Guede fled Italy, and was found and arrested in Germany about a month after the killing.

His DNA confirmed sexual intercourse with Kercher, while fingerprints and other traces attest to his presence in the house. Knox and Sollecito have maintained they were at Sollecito’s house the night of the murder. Their defense lawyers claim Guede was the killer and acted alone. —AP

DAKAR: Hundreds of Muslim protesters descended on a Jehovah’s Witness temple and a bar in a conservative Muslim neighborhood of the Senegalese capital on Sunday, setting the buildings on fire in a rare instance of religious extremism in the predominantly Muslim nation. Thierno Mbeugne, spokesman for the local imam association, said the head imam in the conservative Yoff district of Dakar had asked the youths to march on Sunday against what they considered “acts of aggression against their faith.” They were targeting the temple because they claim its members were proselytizing, and the bar because it was selling alcohol.

He said the Islamic religious leaders did not endorse the violence, “but they do think that the youths were right” to destroy the church and the bar. One of the rioters Mame Faye, 24, explained that the mob set upon the temple while churchgoers were praying inside before setting upon the bar.

Other witnesses, however, said that the hundreds of protesters burst into the establishment and began drinking the cans of beer. They then stripped the building, making off with the refrigerator, the air conditioners and the furniture. Then they set it on fire. A doctor who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press said his clinic had treated 37 people, including several wounded police officers. One had a stab wound. The police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Mbeugne claimed that the head of the temple had been actively trying to convert locals. He said that under the cover of teaching English, she had started handing out crosses and Jehovah’s Witness literature. —AP

15 ex-ministers charged in Ivory Coast ABIDJAN: Fifteen ex-ministers who served under Ivory Coast’s arrested former strongman have been indicted for crimes against the state, embezzlement and other offenses, state media said yesterday. Fraternite Matin reported that former Prime Minister Gilbert Marie Ake N’Gbo, former Foreign Minister Alcide Djedje, former president of the West African regional central bank Philippe Henri Dacoury-Tabley and the former finance minister were among those formally charged over the weekend. State prosecutors could not be immediately reached to confirm the information.

Dozens of members of Laurent Gbagbo’s entourage had been held without charge since the former president was arrested in April following a five-month standoff sparked by his refusal to accept defeat in last year’s election. International rights groups criticized the detentions and called on Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara to formally charge those in captivity.

Despite repeated promises by the president to bring to justice all those responsible for crimes, not a single member of Ouattara’s forces has been arrested. Last week, local United Nations Human Rights Chief Guillaume Ngefa said that members of Ouattara’s Republican Forces army continued to carry out summary executions and arbitrary detentions. Eight people had been killed in the last week, he said.

On Friday, International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo formally requested to open investigations into crimes committed by Gbagbo and his wife, who are being held separately in the north of the country. Ouattara’s government will ask that international arrest warrants are issued for other members of Gbagbo’s government, believed to have fled the country, the newspaper reported. Many of them, including youth leader Charles Ble Goude and top security adviser Bertin Kadet, are thought to be hiding in Ghana. —AP

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international

Senior Pakistani Taleban commander shot dead Nogroup claims responsibility forkilling DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Gunmen riding in a car with tinted windows near the Afghan border yesterday shot and killed a senior Pakistani Taleban commander who helped train and deploy the group’s suicide bombers, Pakistani intelligence officials said. Shakirullah Shakir was riding on a motorcycle near Miran Shah, the main town in the North Waziristan tribal area, when he was shot, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. Shakir was a senior commander and spokesman for the Fidayeen-e-Islam wing of the Pakistani Taleban.

KABUL: Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmay Rasoul, center, speaks as Michael Steiner, left, Chairman of the International Contact Group and German special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and US Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman, listen during a press conference in Kabul, Afghanistan yesterday.—AP

Border shelling overshadows US-Pakistan-Afghanistan talks KABUL/ISLAMABAD: Fighting across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border will overshadow talks when the two countries meet along with the United States tomorrow to map out plans for reconciliation with the Taleban . Pakistan yesterday rejected Afghan allegations it had fired 470 rockets into Afghanistan over the past three weeks, saying only that “a few accidental rounds” may have crossed the border when it pursued militants who had attacked its security forces.

But the escalation of fighting on the border between Pakistan’s ethnic Pashtun tribal areas and Afghanistan has underscored the difficulties the three countries face in working to reach a political settlement to the 10-year Afghan war. “I think the main thing on the agenda this time may be the situation on the border,” said Waheed Mujhda, political analyst at the Afghan Analytical and Advisory Centre in Kabul.

The meeting, between US envoy Marc Grossman and top diplomats from Afghanistan and Pakistan, will be the first since President Barack Obama announced a faster-thanexpected troop withdrawal last week, accompanied by talks with the Taleban . “It’s a way to coordinate efforts on reconciliation but also a way for Afghanistan and the US to state clearly to the government of Pakistan ... to end the support by Pakistan of safe havens,” Grossman told a news conference.

Pakistan blames Afghanistan for giving refuge to militants on its side of the border, particularly in eastern Kunar province, leaving it vulnerable to counter-attack when it chases them out of its own tribal areas. Badly bruised after US forces found and killed Osama bin Laden in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad on May 2, Pakistan is keen to show it has a constructive role to play in helping the United States to bring stability to Afghanistan.

It has long wanted the United States to hold talks with the Taleban to seek a political settlement to the Afghan conflict which it says is fuelling its own domestic Islamist insurgency.

The United States has come some way towards sharing that view, opening its own preliminary talks with the Taleban . It has also softened its stance on talks by saying its demands that insurgents renounce violence, sever ties with Al-Qaeda and respect the Afghan constitution are outcomes rather than preconditions for negotiations - a suggestion made last year by Pakistan.

“Strategically the two countries are on same page,” a senior military official said last month.

“There are issues on operational and tactical levels.” Karzai has also been pushing for reconciliation with the Taleban and for the first time in the 10-year war, Pakistan, Afghanistan and

the United States all share - in theory at least — a commitment to seek a political settlement.

But deep distrust remains, both between the United States and Pakistan and between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pakistan has so far been excluded from Washington’s early contacts with the Taleban, Grossman told a news conference in Kabul. “Up to now, the government of Pakistan has not been involved in that particular process at all, as yet.” Kabul accuses Pakistan of continuing to support the Afghan Taleban, whom it openly backed when they were in power from 1996 to 2001, to maintain its influence in Afghanistan.

It also says Islamabad is trying to manipulate peace talks to its advantage, to the point of sabotaging them if they do not go in the direction it wants. “We expect practical steps from Pakistan in the weeks and months ahead to help sustain the peace process,” a senior Afghan government official said. “The ball is in Pakistan’s court.” Mujhda, the political analyst, echoed widespread distrust in Kabul of Pakistan’s intentions.

“In each of these meetings the reconciliation issue is raised, promises are made and then the countries go home and nothing is done,” he said. “Pakistan has so far opposed attempts by the US to talk to the Taleban .” The United States is also reluctant to include all insurgents in a political settlement, limiting its talks to the Afghan Taleban led by Mullah Mohammed Omar, but excluding the Haqqani network - the most active group in eastern Afghanistan. It is pushing Pakistan to expand its military operations in its tribal areas to target militants who use them as a base to fight in Afghanistan.

Pakistan says its overstretched military will give priority to fighting militants who are killing its own people. With the Taleban talks still at a preliminary stage, and vulnerable to ethnic and regional rivalries which could plunge Afghanistan deeper into civil war as US troops withdraw, the cross-border shelling has added another complication to a fragile situation. The Afghan government said on Sunday that “it strongly condemned the firing of 470 rockets over the past three weeks from the Pakistan side of the border in the eastern provinces of Kunar and Nangahar provinces”.

President Hamid Karzai expressed his deep concern, it said, and asked Pakistan to immediately stop firing into Afghanistan. A spokesman for Karzai said yesterday Pakistan’s ambassador to Kabul had been summoned over the issue, though adding: “we are sure it can be resolved.”

Pakistan army spokesman Major-General Athar Abbas said no rounds had been intentionally fired into Afghanistan. —Reuters

MUMBAI: Mumbai Police produce six of the seven arrested in the alleged murder of a prominent Mumbai crime journalist after a press conference in Mumbai yesterday. —AFP

Indian police arrest 7 in crime reporter’s slaying MUMBAI: Police arrested seven suspects in the slaying of a veteran Mumbai crime reporter, including four people who allegedly gunned down the journalist and then escaped on motorcycles, officials said yesterday. Police believe a Mumbai crime boss hired the shooters for the June 11 hit on Jyotirmoy Dey but have yet to determine a motive for the killing, Mumbai joint police commissioner Himanshu Roy said.

“We will come back to you with a motive as we interrogate the suspects,” Roy said. Reputed gang leader Chhota Rajan is suspected of ordering the slaying and is believed to be hiding in Malaysia, Roy said. The suspects, who in total received about $4,400, or 200,000 rupees, for the hit, told police they panicked after learning their victim had been a high-profile journalist, and were given extra money by Rajan to try and flee Maharashtra state, where Mumbai is

located, Roy said. Police detained some of the suspects in Mumbai and others in southern India.

A court ordered all seven suspects, including three alleged conspirators, be held for a week while the investigation continues. The suspects are all alleged members of Rajan’s organized crime gang, police said. Police also seized guns, cell phones, cash and the motorcycles allegedly used in the escape from the suspects. Dey, 56, was the investigations editor at the Mid Day newspaper.

Police were looking at his phone records, computer files and reporting to determine the possible motive for the killing, which sparked outrage from other journalists. The Paris-based media watchdog group Reporters Without Borders said the case should be handled by federal investigators instead of Mumbai police because Dey was once threatened by a former officer. —AP

He once claimed to a local newspaper that his group had trained more than 1,000 suicide bombers at camps in North Waziristan.

No group has claimed responsibility for his killing. Both North Waziristan and South Waziristan are key sanctuaries for the Pakistani Taleban, which has declared war on the US -allied Pakistani government. Missiles believed to have been fired by a US drone hit a pickup truck in the Dra Nishter area of South Waziristan yesterday, killing eight suspected militants, Pakistani intelligence officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

Dra Nishter is a Pakistani Taleban stronghold near the border with North Waziristan and has been hit twice before by suspected US drones in recent months. The Pakistani military launched a large ground offensive in South Waziristan in 2009, but Pakistani Taleban fighters are still active in the area.

The US refuses to publicly acknowledge the covert CIA drone program in Pakistan, but officials have said privately that

the strikes have killed many Taleban and Al-Qaeda commanders.

The Pakistani government is widely believed to support the program, even though officials regularly protest the strikes as violations of the country’s sovereignty, a message that plays well with Pakistani citizens, who widely dislike the US. But future Pakistani cooperation has become less certain after the unilateral US commando raid that killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden last month in an army town not far from the Pakistani capital. The US kept the raid secret from Pakistan, which humiliated the country and elicited calls for the government to end its cooperation with Washington.

Elsewhere in the northwest, a senior Pakistani Taleban commander said yesterday that he is splitting from the group to protest attacks against civilians, a rare criticism of the militants by one of their own.

Fazal Saeed said he is formi n g h i s ow n m i l i t a n t g ro u p, Tehrik-e -Taleban Islami, and w i l l fo c u s o n f i g h t i n g N ATO t r o o p s i n A fg h a n i s t a n . T h e Pakistani Taleban, or Tehrik-e-

Ta l e b a n Pa k i s t a n, i s m a i nl y fo c u s e d o n b a t t l i n g t h e Pakistani government.

Saeed, leader of the Pakistani Taleban in the Kurram tribal area near the Afghan border, accused the group of targeting civilians in suicide attacks and bombings in mosques.

“We have repeatedly protested over k illing unarmed and innocent people in these attacks, but no heed was paid, so we are splitting from Tehrike-Taleban“ Pakistan, Saeed told The Associated Press by phone from an undisclosed location.

Thousands of civilians have b e e n k i l l e d i n a t t a c ks i n Pakistan. The Pakistani Taleban often deny responsibility for attacks that kill large numbers of civilians, but they are widely believed to carry them out. It’s unclear whether Saeed’s decision to split from the group is related to plans by the Pakistani army to launch a military offensive soon in Kurram. The army ha s c ut d e a l s i n t he p a s t to avoid targeting groups who fight in Afghanistan as long as t he y a gre e not to a t t a c k Pa k i s t a n. A l s o ye s te rd ay, a member of Pak istan’s ruling

coalition, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, announced it was pulling out of the government at both the national level and in s out he r n S i nd h p rov i nce because of disputes over legislative assembly elections held in Pak istan-held K ashmir on Sunday. Farooq Sattar, MQM’s senior leader in parliament, also announced that the governor of Sindh, who is a member of the party, would resign in protest.

MQM’s decision does not rob the ruling Pak istan People’s Pa r t y o f a m a j o r i t y i n t h e national parliament. But the d e fe c t i o n co u l d spark increased violence in Karachi, t h e c a p i t a l o f S i n d h , w h e re gangs allegedly affiliated with the MQM and the PPP of ten wage battle against one anothe r. M Q M p u l l e d o u t o f t h e national government last year following a decision to raise oil prices but eventually rejoined after officials agreed to retract t h e p r i ce h i k e. I n fo r m a t i o n Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan said the PPP will work with the MQM to resolve their differences. “I am hopeful that issues with the MQM will again be resolved amicably.” —AP

Bangladesh jails 657 mutineers

KARACHI: Leader of the Pakistani political party Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Farooq Sattar (3rd L), announces his party’s decision to quit the coalition government in front of the portrait of MQM’s self-exiled chief Altaf Hussain during a press conference in Karachi yesterday.—AFP

Pakistan coalition partner quits government: Party KARACHI: The Pakistan government’s main coalition partner said yesterday it had quit the beleaguered administration, citing the “dictatorial” and “brutal” approach of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party. “The MQM leadership and workers have reached the conclusion it is difficult to go along with the Pakistan People’s Party, keeping in view its democratic and dictatorial attitude,” senior party official Farooq Sattar told reporters.

“The PPP was unwilling to mend its ways leaving us with no option but to quit the coalition government,” Sattar said, adding that MQM lawmakers in federal and provincial assemblies would sit on opposition benches. A spokesman for the governor of the southern Sindh province, of which Karachi is the capital, confirmed the governor, also a Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) loyalist, had sent his resignation to the president.

“Governor Ishratul Ibad Khan has resigned from his post and sent the resignation to the president’s house in Islamabad for approval,” spokesman Syed Wajahat Ali told AFP. Sattar accused the PPP of “forcing” the MQM to withdraw from elections in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. “When we refused to change our stance, the PPP got the elections for Kashmiri migrants residing in Karachi cancelled on the pretext of security issues,” Sattar said.

“It is not possible for us to partner with the PPP any further because of its brutal, ruthless and disloyal character to its partners,” said Sattar as hundreds of party workers loudly chanted party slogans.

“We have made a decision after drawnout deliberations. It is not a sentimental decision and we’ll stick to it to remain on opposition benches,” he added. “Our resignations are ready and will be sent soon to the authorities.” —AFP

DHAKA: A Bangladesh military court jailed more than 650 border guards yesterday for their role in a 2009 mutiny, bringing the total number of soldiers imprisoned for the unrest to nearly 3,000. “In Bangladesh’s history, this verdict is unprecedented-we have never had a case where this many people have been convicted at once,” state prosecutor Shahnewaz Tipu said. “A total of 667 guards of the 24th battalion were charged. One died during the trial and nine were acquitted. Among the 657 who were jailed, 108 guards got the highest prison term of seven years,”Tipu told AFP. At least 57 senior army officers were killed in the 33-hour uprising that began when soldiers at the Bangladeshi Rifles (BDR) headquarters in Dhaka went on a killing spree, later dumping the bodies in sewers and shallow graves. The court, headed by Major General Rafiqual Islam, the BDR’s top officer, took three hours to read out the sentences against the 657 border guards, all of whom were present in a speciallybuilt courtroom in central Dhaka.

The mutiny spread to BDR posts across the country, with thousands of guards taking up arms against their commanding officers in the worst military rebellion in Bangladesh’s history. Dozens of special courts-run by the military using a mix of martial and civil law-were set up to prosecute mutineers, with the first verdict convicting 29 soldiers being handed down in April 2010. The courts, which do not allow defendants to have lawyers, can hand down maximum sentences of seven years in jail. There is no right of appeal.

The guards were brought to the Dhaka-based special court in 30 prison vans amid tight security, a police officer said, adding that the accused were all handcuffed and had their legs shackled. The BDR has since changed its name to the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) in an effort to distance itself from the mutiny. Yesterday’s hearing brought the total number of incarcerated mutineers to nearly 3,000, BGB spokesman Mohsin Reza told AFP. Soldiers accused of more serious offences-including murder, looting and arson-are being tried separately in Bangladesh’s civilian courts, and can face the death penalty if convicted. Some 158 of those jailed yesterday are also facing criminal charges in the civilian courts said Major Khan Muhammad Alauddin, acting head of the 24th battalion.

“158 of them also face murder, looting and arson charges,” he said, adding that the nine soldiers who were acquitted had all been on leave at the time of the mutiny.

According to state prosecutor Tipu, the 24th was the only BDR battalion to specifically attack its commanding officer by “taking him out of his office, stripping him naked and then shooting him dead.” Nur Khan Liton, director of local rights group ASK, voiced concerns over the quality of justice provided by the military-run special courts.—AFP

Afghanistan warns against external interference over poll dispute KABUL: The Afghan government warned the international community yesterday not to interfere in a deepening political crisis after lawmakers appealed for help over a specially formed court that overturned results for a quarter of the seats in parliament. The special poll court, established by a presidential decree after fraudmarred parliamentary elections last year, ordered on Thursday that 62 lawmakers elected in the September poll vacate their seats in the 249-seat parliament.

The ruling has been condemned as unconstitutional and illegal by Afghan officials and international observers. Critics have said the court was set up to further President Hamid Karzai’s political agenda and silence opposition.

The deepening political uncertainty comes at a worrying time for Afghanistan, with violence at record levels and NATO-led forces preparing to hand over security to Afghans in several areas at the start of a process that will end with all for-

eign combat troops leaving by the end of 2014.

Karzai’s court announced its new election findings only hours after US President Barack Obama detailed the beginning a US drawdown, with 10,000 troops to return home by the end of this year. The ruling, and the timing of its announcement, angered several Western diplomats in Kabul and further strained ties between Karzai’s government and its Western backers. On Sunday, angry lawmakers sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon asking for help from the international community to overturn the court’s ruling. But Waheed Omer, Karzai’s chief spokesman, warned that the dispute was an internal issue to be resolved

by Afghan institutions, and that outside interference would be regarded as a violation of Afghan law.

“The president emphasises it is for constitutional ... institutions to resolve the issue,” Omer told a news conference in Kabul. “External inter-

ference will not only not be helpful, but would be seen as a violation of sovereignty.” Staffan de Mistura, Ban’s special representative in Afghanistan, urged lawmakers not take any action, such as protests or sit-ins, which might provoke civil unrest. The court was set up by Karzai last year after weeks of infighting over the election, in which Karzai’s rivals made major gains.

Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission, which ran the internationally funded pol, also rejected the court’s ruling on Sunday, describing the manipulation of results as “unprofessional and non-transparent”.

Watchdog Democracy International, which deployed a large team of observers during the poll, has called the court “ill-advised and illegitimate”. Karzai, re-elected after a similarly tainted presidential election in 2009, has often been accused of treating parliament as a rubber stamp. —Reuters

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Top four surviving Khmer Rouge leaders go on trial All defendants say they are innocent

PALAWAN: US Navy ships are prepared for a US-Philippine joint naval military exercise entitled ‘Cooperation Afloat Readiness Training’ (CARAT) near the disputed Spratly islands, in Puerto Princesa on the western Philippine island of Palawan yesterday.—AFP

Philippines tells rebel group ‘to discipline its forces’ KUALA LUMPUR: The Philippine government told a Muslim separatist group yesterday that it needed to “discipline its forces” as the two sides met in Malaysia in efforts to thrash out a long-awaited peace agreement. Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are striving to end a deadly decades-old insurgency in the southern Philippines through drawn-out peace negotiations which restarted in February. In a statement, the Philippine government said it had deferred its submission of a peace deal proposal. The MILF put forward its draft at the last session, in April.

But both parties said they considered yesterday’s informal meeting in Kuala Lumpur “productive” and have agreed on the next round of formal talks-to be held in the beginning of August, the statement said. Philippine government negotiator Marvic Leonen “also engaged the Moro group on what he described as ‘pressing concerns’ and the need for the MILF to ‘discipline its forces,’” the statement said.

It said Leonen had received military reports that Ameril Umbrakato, a former MILF commander, had tried to help one of his commanders involved in the May kid-

napping of a Philippine businesswoman.

MILF are also alleged to have kidnapped the relatives of the suspects in the kidnapping, according to the statement. Leonen also said that an ongoing feud between two MILF bases had resulted in the displacement of 4,000 villagers, and warned the MILF not to become an “obstacle” to reforms.

The government had earlier praised MILF for its help to rescue the kidnapped woman in a joint operation. The woman was seized by gunman from her home in the southern province of Maguindanao but rescued 10 days later. At the previous round of talks, MILF negotiators had brushed aside Manila’s concerns over the threat posed by Umbrakato, who quit the group last year, taking at least a thousand fighters with him. The MILF started its rebellion for an independent Islamic state in the mineral-rich region of Mindanao in 1978 and more than 150,000 people have since been killed. In 2003, a truce was signed to pave the way for peace talks, but the process broke down. Negotiations to end the 33-year insurgency are brokered by Malaysia.—AFP

Freed critics not a sign China is soft on dissent BEIJING: Despite recent releases of highprofile critics, China’s authoritarian government seems as determined as ever to silence dissidents and run roughshod over their thin legal protections, activists and academics said yesterday. Sunday’s scheduled release of the prominent activist Hu Jia from a Beijing prison came days after outspoken Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was freed after nearly three months in detention.

A major figure in China’s dissident community, Hu advocated a broad range of civil liberties before he was imprisoned in 2008. Ai was the most high-profile target of a sweeping crackdown on activists that started in February in a bid to prevent protests similar to those in the Middle East and North Africa.

Activists welcomed the releases but said the international community should not take the developments as signs of softening in the government’s attitude toward its critics, noting that Hu was freed only after he had completed his 3 1/2-year sentence for sedition. Ai was never formally indicted and was mysteriously released under a form of bail that restricts suspects’ movements to their home city for one year.

Activists also note that many oncevocal activist lawyers and dissidents who were rounded up in the government crackdown that started in February have been silent since their release. Ai told reporters last week that the conditions of his release mean he cannot give any interviews or say anything about his case. Many petitioners and other activists also continue to be rounded up routinely, they said.

“We closely follow dozens of rights’ defense cases, and I’ve found that that at the grassroots and lowest levels of society in China, the rights defense environment has not seen any fundamental improvements,” said Huang Qi, a veteran dissident who was released earlier this month from prison at the end of his 3year jail term for illegal possession of state secrets. “One cannot count how many ordinary people are being locked up or taken away every day,” Huang said by phone.

Bruce Jacobs, a China expert at Monash University in Australia, said China was not easing its clampdown on dissent. “I don’t think there’s any evidence that the Chinese regime is softening up,” Jacobs said. “I think fundamentally it will want to hold on to its hard line.”

US -based Chinese activist Wan Yanhai suggested, however, that there could be an easing of pressure on rights activists in the short term. Wan argued that the

government might be realizing that the current crackdown has not prevented recent bouts of unrest, such as riots by migrant workers in southern China’s Guangdong province and protests by ethnic Mongolians in the north.

Many have pointed to the restrictions imposed on the dissidents despite their release as evidence the government is not letting up. Hu and his wife are apparently not allowed to receive any visitors.

“Everyone, please do not come to visit us, you will not be allowed in. We will meet you when there is a chance,” Hu’s wife, Zeng Jinyan, said in a posting on her Twitter page yesterday.

Hu was dropped off at his Beijing home in the early hours of Sunday morning, apparently to evade media attention, and on the day of his return, dozens of police and plainclothes security patrolled the compound where the couple live. In a brief phone interview with Hong Kong’s Cable TV on Sunday, Hu, too expressed concern about hostility from the authorities though he indicated he would not give up his work. “(My parents) have told me to just be a normal citizen and don’t confront the system because this system is very cruel, using the country’s absolute power to violate people’s dignity without restraint.

But I can only tell my parents I will be careful,” Hu said. Another activist, Chen Guangcheng, and his wife have been kept under an unofficial house arrest in their village in eastern China since he was released from jail last fall, and reporters trying to visit them have been kept away by thugs who patrol the village.

Such illegal detentions mean China is moving further away from international norms on human rights, said Human Rights Watch senior Asia researcher Nicholas Bequelin. “The Chinese government used to tell diplomats that they were handling things according to law whenever a dissident was arrested. They would justify it. And we would not agree with the justification. Now they just flatly deny that they are arbitrarily detaining these people,” Bequelin said. China’s state -run Global Times newspaper, meanwhile, lambasted the Western media’s coverage of Hu’s release, saying that they were “making a saint” out of Hu, a person the paper said is unknown to most Chinese people. “Hu and other people win Western applause not because of what they have done for Chinese society and world peace, but simply because they are anti-Chinese government,” the paper said in an editorial yesterday.—AP

PHNOM PENH: The top four surviving members of the brutal Khmer Rouge went on trial yesterday before a tribunal aimed at finding justice for the estimated 1.7 million people who died in Cambodia’s “killing fields” of the 1970s.

With the aging leaders all in their late 70s or early 80s and with Khmer Rouge overlord Pol Pot long dead, the trial before the UNbacked panel represents the last, best chance for Cambodia to bring accountability to the Khmer Rouge leadership blamed for the deaths.

All four of the defendants say they are innocent. “This is, at this time, the most important trial in the world,” said Stephen Rapp, US envoy on war crimes issues.

“It’s a message to others who might commit similar crimes, that there will be consequences. That it may not happen tomorrow or the next day. But eventually, you’ll be in the dock as well.” During their 197579 reign, the Khmer Rouge tried to implement a communist utopia, but ended up killing as many as one-quarter of their countrymen through executions, medical neglect, overwork and starvation. On trial are Nuon Chea, 84, who was Pol Pot’s No 2 and the group’s chief ideologist; Khieu Samphan, 79, the former head of state; Ieng Sary, 85, the former foreign minister, and his wife, Ieng Thirith, 79, who served as minister for social affairs.

Chief judge Nil Nonn opened the court session with procedural matters, including reading out the charges against the four, which include crimes against humanity, war crimes, genocide, religious persecution, homicide and torture.

Cambodian victims’ advocates have decried how long it has taken to launch the trial, saying the proceedings are needed to shed light on a dark period and that time is running out for drawing meaningful testimony from the defendants on the stand.

Although all four defendants were present for the start of yesterday’s session, three of them were allowed to exercise the right to excuse themselves for reason of poor health, leaving only Khieu Samphan in the courtroom. Theary Sang, a human rights advocate rep-

resenting some victims who are allowed a role in the proceedings, said it was fair to excuse the defendants because of their infirmity, but said it would be a shame not to hear their statements. “We cannot

present their case,” said David Scheffer, a former US envoy for war crime issues who was instrumental in helping establish the tribunal. “And defense counsel probably will challenge evidence with

PHNOM PENH: This combo shows handout photos taken and released by the Extraordinary Chamber in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) yesterday of former Khmer Rouge leader head of state Khieu Samphan (top L), former Khmer Rouge leader “Brother Number Two” Nuon Chea (top R), former Khmer Rouge leader ex-social affairs minister Ieng Thirith (bottom L) and former Khmer Rouge deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs Ieng Sary (bottom R) in the courtroom at the ECCC in Phnom Penh. —AFP try ghosts,” Theary Sang said. “As a victim, I desire truth and justice from the defendant which is best obtained when her or she is coherent and alert.” Still, observers said the trial can play a crucial role in Cambodia’s coming to terms with its past. “There is an enormous amount to learn as the prosecutors

their own revealing information about the defendants,” he said in an interview by e-mail. Testimony and presentation of evidence is expected to begin in August or September, 32 years after the Khmer Rouge were kicked out of power in 1979 with the help of a Vietnamese invasion.

For more than a decade afterward, they waged a bloody insurgency against the Phnom Penh government. Pol Pot escaped justice with his death in 1998, then a prisoner of his own comrades as his once-mighty guerrilla movement was collapsing.

Lawyers for the defendants came out fighting yesterday, giving a hint of points they may raise later.

Lawyer Ang Udom reminded the court that Ieng Sary had been convicted and sentenced to death in absentia in 1979 by a Vietnameseestablished court and that he received a royal pardon in 1996 when he led a mass defection to the government. However, the tribunal has already ruled he is still liable for charges.

Michel Pestman, representing Nuon Chea, said a full accounting of the historical context of the Khmer Rouge should include a probe of the massive wartime US bombing of Cambodia and Vietnam’s role.

In recent months, the tribunal has been mired in controversy over what critics charge is an effort by the co-investigating judges , from Cambodia and Germany , to scuttle further prosecutions. Critics have suggested the panel is folding to Cambodian government pressure to bring an end to the trials.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, presumably wary that political allies who once served with the Khmer Rouge, as he did, could face prosecution, has declared he simply won’t allow further indictments. He has long sought to limit the scope of the tribunal. The tribunal started operations in 2006. Its first defendant was Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, commandant of Tuol Sleng prison, where only a handful of prisoners survived. Up to 16,000 people were tortured under Duch’s command and later taken away to be killed. Duch, now 68, was sentenced to 35 years in prison for war crimes and crimes against humanity. His sentence was reduced to a 19-year term because of time previously served and other technicalities, bringing angry criticism from victims who called the punishment too lenient. Cambodia has no death penalty.—AP

Malaysia protest backers accused of communist plot

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan addresses press representatives at his official residence in Tokyo yesterday. —AFP

Japan PM adds Cabinet jobs on tsunami, crisis TOKYO : Japan’s prime minister yesterday created two Cabinet posts to oversee the nuclear crisis and tsunami reconstruction efforts as he hopes to shore up his administration against criticism of its handling of the crises. Prime Minister Naoto Kan named Ryu Matsumoto as reconstruction minister and made Goshi Hosono his minister in charge of handling the crisis at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant. He also gave special advisory positions to two other senior politicians.

The moves are seen as an attempt by Kan to strengthen his hand against a growing number of critics who perceive a lack of leadership following the March 11 disaster. He has said he would be willing to step down, but only after significant steps are made toward putting Japan’s recovery on a solid footing. He has also set several preconditions, including the passage of budget bills and a renewable energy measure.

Hosono, who has been director of the government’s nuclear crisis task force, will also be in charge of power conservation. An electricity shortage is expected in Tokyo because of the nuclear crisis, and the government has taken several steps to prevent problems. Matsumoto, previously Kan’s environment minister, will be replaced by Justice Minister Satsuki Eda, who will hold a double portfolio. Popular Cabinet member Renho will become an advisor, along with Shizuka Kamei, the leader of a smaller party in parliament.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano announced the new lineup, in which he also serves administrative reform minister, taking over Renho’s former post.

Renho uses one name. The earthquake and tsunami disaster left about 23,000 people dead or missing on the northeast coast, and touched off the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl. The disaster brought out deep rifts within Kan’s party and has strengthened the largest opposition bloc, which has slammed his response as dithering and poorly coordinated. Kan’s support with the voters is also slipping. A major newspaper reported yesterday that support for his Cabinet has fallen to 26 percent, with 42 percent of the respondents saying he should be replaced as soon as possible. The telephone poll of 893 voters was conducted over the weekend by The Nikkei, a conservative business daily, and the TV Tokyo Corp. A poll of that size would normally have about a 3 percent margin of error. The result marked a two-percentagepoint drop for the Cabinet. Sixty-five percent of the respondents said they did not support the Cabinet. Kan took office just over a year ago. He is Japan’s fifth leader in four years.—AP

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian authorities accused 30 detained opposition members yesterday of conspiring to overthrow the government and to revive communist ideologies after the activists were arrested ahead of a banned political rally.

Opposition parties and human rights groups insisted it was a ludicrous accusation aimed at demonizing activists planning a massive street demonstration on July 9 to demand greater electoral transparency.

The detention of the 30 and the allegations against them mark a dramatic escalation in tensions between the government, dominated for decades by the ruling National Front coalition , and its political rivals before the rally, which could become Malaysia’s biggest in nearly four years. It comes ahead of national polls widely expected by mid-2012.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim urged police yesterday to release them, calling the communist claim “a flimsy pretext.”

Since Friday, police have detained about 80 people who were distributing political pamphlets, wearing T-shirts that promoted the planned rally or traveling to publicity events in various towns. Some were later released, but police obtained a court order to hold 30 activists for up to a week in northern Penang state. State police official Abdul Rahim Jaafar said late Sunday that the 30, who include an opposition member of Parliament , were advocates of communist beliefs. He said they found in a bus with T-shirts bearing the names and images of key figures who waged a communist insurgency that ended in Malaysia decades ago.

The activists are being investigated under a rarely used law that makes it an offense to try to “wage war” against Malaysia’s constitutional monarch. They face up to life imprisonment if charged and convicted. Information Minister Rais Yatim said yesterday that authorities needed to take stern action against those involved in the alleged plot, stressing that “communism is outlawed and not recognized in Malaysia,” according to the national news agency, Bernama.

A group of independent political activists who are organizing next month’s opposition-backed rally issued a statement yesterday insisting its intention was not to oust the government but to “make the electoral system truly free and fair.” The arrest of activists was tantamount to a “stark and alarming lack of logic and common sense (that) will further tarnish our nation’s image,” the group added. Prime Minister Najib Razak has told Malaysians to avoid what officials would consider an illegal assembly next month, saying it was an opposition scheme to create chaos and undermine the government.

Other Cabinet figures made more ominous warnings. Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said Sunday he could not rule out arresting rally organizers under a law that allows detention without trial if they threaten public security. The activists’ demands include overhauling voter lists and introducing transparent procedures for ballots to be cast and counted. The opposition has long accused Najib’s ruling coalition of manipulating election results to preserve its nearly 54-year rule, but the government says current election laws are fair.—AP

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ne ws Caviar finding home in desert Continued from Page 1 quality caviar and sturgeon fillet. In fact, in the UAE alone, demand is around 14 tonnes per year,” said Robert Harper, Group Commercial Director at the Royal Caviar Company.

The first stock of fish was brought in to the United Arab Emirates from Germany and the factory, which will breed its own fish in future, aims eventually to produce 35 tonnes of caviar per year. In the 50,000-sq-m factory, in the Abu Dhabi’s industrial zone, special equipment is used to clean water using a biological filtration system with a semi-automated feeding system. The group also plans to finally produce its own fish food.

In another room, technicians in lab coats in carefully place the anaesthetised female fish on a marble slab, where she undergoes an ultrasound test to check for the presence of caviar, the results of which could either show no eggs, white eggs or the precious black caviar eggs. “In this micro-environment, the sturgeon has no natural predators, and its mortality rate is extremely low,” says Harper. “Caviar lovers can enjoy legally and ethically produced caviar.”

Meanwhile, Ahmad Al-Dhaheri, CEO of Bin Salem Holding group, which owns the Royal Caviar Company, told reporters: “The sturgeon are threatened with extinction in its natural habitat in the Caspian Sea and by producing it here, we are helping protect this species of fish.” The waste water will be used to water green

areas in the desert emirate of Abu Dhabi, said Dhaheri.

The project costs $115 million, according to the chief financial officer of the parent company, Michel Nassour.

The UAE-made caviar will be sold at prices between four and six dollars per gram, said Harper, similar to the prices of Caspian Sea caviar. The factory will also produce up to 700 tonnes of fresh and smoked sturgeon meat every year. “Genuine” caviar is prized worldwide as a luxurious and highly expensive product due to the scarcity of the sturgeon and the long time it takes to the fish to carry the sought-after black eggs.

A sturgeon does not yield caviar until after four-anda-half years, when its weight reaches around 10 km, one-tenth of which would be pure caviar, said Christoph Hartung, chairman of United Food Technologies, the German partner in the project. “The caviar of the desert will be excellent,” said Hartung. The finest caviar comes from the Caspian Sea, where Iran is a leading producer.

Russia, the world’s second-largest official producer of caviar, banned the harvest of sturgeon caviar in 2006 to help fight overfishing. Caviar production resumed in specially designed farms in 2010. The Abu Dhabi-based factory, which began operations in 2008, currently has nearly 18 tonnes of fish with 124 more tonnes to arrive this year. They will give birth to what the company says is the “first generation of local” sturgeon in the Emirati capital, which sits on almost eight percent of the world’s reserves of oil - the country’s other black gold. — AFP

Int’l court orders arrest of Gaddafi Continued from Page 1

RIYADH: An unidentified woman films footage of Saudi Iman Al-Nafjan driving a car on June 22, 2011 amid calls for nationwide action to break what amounts to a traditional driving ban, unique to the ultraconservative kingdom. — AFP

Veil behind the wheel RIYADH: As Umm Ibrahim takes the wheel of her husband’s white Hyundai, beads of sweat form beneath the black veil that covers her face and body. Nervously turning the ignition, shifting into drive and easing her foot off the brake, she knows she’s risking arrest. The simple act of driving for a woman is banned in Saudi Arabia.

“The day I get my driving licence, I will open a driving school for women and I’ll be one of the instructors, that’s my dream,” said Umm Ibrahim.

Last week, on the same day the 25-year-old mother of two chose to make a statement by taking her husband’s car out for a spin, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton publicly supported “brave” Saudi women demanding the right to drive. “What these women are doing is brave and what they are seeking is right, but the effort belongs to them. I am moved by it and I support them,” Clinton said, responding to a letter sent by activist group Saudi Women for Driving. She was also careful to stress that it was an issue for Saudis to determine for themselves.

The mutaween - Saudi Arabia’s religious police - are constantly on the lookout for violators of the kingdom’s conservative rules. There is no law explicitly forbidding women from driving but they are not allowed to obtain licences, making it effectively illegal. The penalty for those caught is a fine or a short detention. As the car gains speed on the desert highway, Umm Ibrahim’s anxiety appears to vanish and she reveals a secret: she’s been driving for years and her husband - an imam at a mosque - taught her. “I’ve been driving for three years,” she says, “My husband taught me, but until now I only drove on the outskirts of town.”

Besides a ban on driving, Saudi women are subject to a male “guardianship” system which requires they show permission from their guardian - father, brother or hus-

band - to travel undergo certain operations or, sometimes, work. “We can’t be this dependant on men anymore, we want our basic rights and driving is one of them Then we don’t want to be accompanied by male guardians all the time,” said Umm Ibrahim, as she whizzed past cars driven by glaring men.

Umm Ibrahim is part of a growing movement of women challenging the driving ban, inspired in part by the social upheaval that began earlier this year in the Arab world, resulting in the toppling of the rulers of Tunisia and Egypt. Two other Saudi women, Shaima Osama and Manal Alsharif, have been arrested for defying the ban and earlier this month some women responded to a call on the internet for a national day of defiance by taking the wheel and then posting pictures of themselves driving. “That day was a real challenge, I swear to you the religious police were everywhere like it was some kind of war against women,” said divorced mother of two, Aysha Shehri, who hired a Sudanese woman in Jeddah to teach her and her daughters how to drive two years ago.

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah has replaced hardline clerics with moderate ones and even signalled he was open to the idea of women driving, but progress has been slow. A ban can only be lifted in consultation with top Islamic scholars. Some analysts believe that the government is willing to lift the ban but would not make an announcement too soon to avoid being seen as coming under pressure. As Umm Ibrahim stopped and turned off the car’s engine, a nearby driver, a man with a long black beard, quickly dialled his mobile phone and reported her car’s number plate. Reflecting how potentially divisive the issue may prove to be, another rolled down his window and congratulated her: “Well done, you park better than I do.” — Reuters

Assembly panel rejects ‘insanely’ large...

Continued from Page 1 $100 for most of the year. The government had asked for the huge increase to the budget in order to meet allocations for salary increases and other benefits that have been passed by MPs or by the government.

The previous largest spending bill for Kuwait was at KD 18.3 billion in the 2007/2008 fiscal year and that was because of a one-off payment to the pensions agency.

The budget is expected to come up for debate today and tomorrow, although many MPs have already proposed other issues to be discussed in the last two days of the current parliamentary term. Ten MPs yesterday filed a request that three draft laws should be debated today. They include two laws rejected by the government stipulating pay increases for teachers and university students and a third law calling for pay rises for military personnel, that needs a final vote. The first two laws need a special majority of 44 votes to override the government’s rejection. Also, MP Dhaifallah Buramia has vowed that he will demand a revote on a law stipulating the scrapping of interest on loans. The law was rejected by the government.

During yesterday’s session, the Assembly approved

the 2011/2012 budgets of 10 government institutions like Kuwait University, Environment Protection Agency and others. The Assembly however did not complete the vote on the budget of Kuwait Petroleum Corp due to stiff opposition by several MPs who demanded that an investigation should be launched with regards to recent appointments of senior posts at KPC and its subsidiary companies. Liberal MP Abdulrahman Al-Anjari charged that the appointments were purely political and were used by the prime minister to pay the price for the support he received in his grillings. MP Mussallam Al-Barrak said “we will not remain silent for using oil appointments to pay for political costs”. MP Saleh AlMulla said the oil minister deserves to be questioned for refusing to answer a question MP Ahmad Al-Saadoun asked four years ago about reports that Kuwaiti oil reserves were much lower than official figures.

A number of MPs threatened they would grill Oil Minister Mohammad Al-Busairi for not employing enough Kuwaitis in KPC and other oil companies. The minister said that KPC will start announcing new vacancies in an unprecedented way. He also reiterated the oil sector resolved to achieve its strategic goals of raising output capacity to 4 million barrels a day.

Diabetics get lab blood vessels Continued from Page 1 Tissue Engineering Inc. Three dialysis patients in Poland have received them so far, and they are working well two to eight months later. A larger study in Europe is planned. The research is still in the early stages, but it is considered so promising that the American Heart Association featured it yesterday in the first of a new series of webcasts about cutting-edge science. “This is tremendously exciting” because the need for blood vessels, especially for people undergoing dialysis, is “a huge public health problem,” said Dr Robert Harrington, clinical research director at Duke University, an expert who had no role in the work. It also builds on earlier success

with more than a dozen patients who were given blood vessels grown in the lab from their own skin - a process too long and expensive to be practical.

“This version, built from a master donor, is available off the shelf and at a dramatically reduced cost,” estimated at $6,000 to $10,000, said Cytograft’s chief, Todd McAllister. Growing the vessels does not involve stem cells and therefore is not politically or ethically contentious. Researchers start with a snip of skin, extract cells from it and grow them into sheets of tissue that are rolled up like straws. The goal is to have lots of these vessels stored in various sizes and shapes that doctors can order as needed, just like bandages or any other medical supply. — AP

have “no role in the future of his country.” And French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said the warrant “confirms that the question is not whether Gaddafi should leave power, but when he will leave power”.

ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo had sought the warrants for Gaddafi, 69, his son Seif alIslam, 39, and the head of Libyan intelligence, Abdullah Al-Senussi, 62, for murder and persecution since midFebruary, when the bloody uprising started. All three are charged over their roles in suppressing the revolt, in which civilians were murdered and persecuted by Libyan forces, particularly in Tripoli, Benghazi and Misrata, the prosecutor said. Thousands have so far died in the fighting, while around 650,000 others fled the country. Another 243,000 Libyans have been displaced internally, according to UN figures.

Moreno-Ocampo said yesterday that the war crimes in Libya will not stop until Gaddafi is arrested. “Crimes continue today in Libya. To stop the crimes and protect civilians in Libya, Gaddafi must be arrested.” The prosecutor will give his response to the decision today. The only other warrant issued by the ICC for a sitting head of state, for Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir in March 2009, has yet to be served. Bashir was due to begin a state visit to China later yesterday.

Celebrations erupted in the rebel-held city of Benghazi, in eastern Libya, after the ICC ruling. People honked car horns, waved flags and fired shots into the air. The head of Libya’s rebel National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, meanwhile told a news conference in Benghazi that “justice had been done”, while rebel justice minister Mohammed Al-Allagy told reporters outside the ICC: “We are going to arrest them.”

Al-Allagy said: “First arrest them, we will decide afterwards where to prosecute them.”

In his submission, Moreno-Ocampo said Gaddafi had a personal hand in planning and implementing “a policy of widespread and systematic attacks against civilians

and demonstrators and dissidents in particular ”.

“Gaddafi’s plan expressly included the use of lethal force against demonstrators and dissidents,” the submission said. The Libyan strongman also ordered sniping at civilians leaving mosques after evening prayers. His forces carried out a systematic campaign of arrest and detention of alleged dissidents, it said. “Gaddafi’s plans were carried out through his inner circle, which included Seif al-Islam, Gaddafi’s de-facto prime minister and his brother-in-law Al-Senussi, considered to be his righthand man,” the submission said.

Moreno-Ocampo’s investigation follows a referral by the United Nations Security Council on the Libyan conflict on Feb 26. The prosecutor’s office launched its investigation five days later. On May 16, MorenoOcampo asked the court for the warrants. The ICC is the world’s only permanent, treaty-based court set up to try those accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide if the accused’s own country cannot or will not do so.

NATO meanwhile said it was hitting around 50 targets a day and that its “Operation Unified Protector” was approaching its 5,000th strike sortie. The air strikes appear to have helped the rebels launch an offensive of their own against Gaddafi’s forces. However, only in Nafusa does the rebel army of ill-equipped irregulars and defectors appear to be making any sustained progress.

In Tripoli, two loud explosions shook the area near Gaddafi’s compound yesterday, setting off a chorus of emergency sirens in the Libyan capital. Libyan officials said NATO fired two missiles targeting Gaddafi’s personal bus, about 100 m from the human shields the Libyan government keeps inside Gaddafi’s Bab al-Aziziya compound. Journalists were taken to see a heavily damaged, burned-out bus inside the compound two hours after the strike. It didn’t appear to have been struck recently, however, since it was cool to the touch. No one was reported killed in the strike, though officials said two people were slightly injured. — Agencies

tehran unveils deep underground silos Continued from Page 1 which have a range of more than 2,000 km - putting Israel, U.S. bases in the Gulf region and parts of southeastern and eastern Europe within reach. The report also showed pictures of missiles being fired from one silo after a large metal roof opened to allow the missile to launch. The TV report said the missile silos are linked to a missile control center. The commander of the Guard’s Aerospace Force, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, touted the silos as a crucial asset in its standoff with the West, saying that with “these facilities we are certain that we can confront unequal enemies and defend the Islamic Republic of Iran”. Another unidentified Guards officer told state TV that “only few countries in the world possess the technology to construct underground missile silos. The technology required for that is no less complicated than

building the missile itself.” Israel, which views Iran’s as an existential threat, has accused Tehran of receiving assistance from North Korea in building underground missile sites. But Col Qelichkhani said the silos are based on local technology developed by Iranian experts. The Iranian war games, which began yesterday, are dubbed “The Great Prophet Six” and include tests of long-range missiles such as the Sajjil, which boasts a range similar to that of the Shahab-3 missile. Iran conducts several war games every year, as part of its military self-sufficiency program that started in 1992, and frequently unveils new weapons and military systems during the drills. The Islamic Republic remains locked in a standoff with the West over its nuclear program, which the US and its allies suspect is aimed at developing atomic weapons.

Iran denies the charges, and says the program is only for peaceful purposes. — AP

activists meet in Damascus Continued from Page 1 saying it could be exploited by authorities while mass killing and arrests continue. Nevertheless, the conference included outspoken opponents of Assad, some of whom pulled no punches. “The solution to this crisis has to address its root causes. This regime must be toppled and replaced with a democratic system,” said leading Syrian writer Michel Kilo, who spent three years as a political prisoner. Supporters of Assad were also present at the conference, billed as a meeting of independents seeking a way out of the crisis. Organisers said the gathering had approval from a senior aide to Assad.

Rights groups say 1,300 civilians have been killed in demonstrations and 12,000 people have been arrested since the start of the uprising, which has posed the gravest threat to Assad’s rule since he succeeded his father 11 years ago. The government says more than 250 members of the security forces have died in clashes provoked by militants.

The July 10 meeting will help launch a dialogue that Assad announced in a speech last week. The state news agency SANA said the agenda would include constitutional amendments, such as changes to an article which puts Assad’s Baath Party at the centre of Syrian politics.

“All the national political and intellectual figures and forces” would be invited to attend the meeting, called by a committee led by Vice President Farouq Al-Shara, SANA said.

“The committee confirms that there is no alternative to a political (solution)...and to widely opening the door before all Syrian citizens to take part in building a democratic and pluralistic society,” it said. Many activists and opposition figures say they will not attend such a meeting because a national dialogue is not possible amid violence and a continued crackdown.

At yesterday’s conference, attended by 150 people, some speakers adopted a softer tone than those calling for Assad’s removal but nonetheless said demands of street protesters must be met after decades of autocrat-

ic rule. Writer Louay Hussein, another former political prisoner, said repression in the last four decades had undermined Syria. But he emphasised that peaceful means must be found to meet popular demands.

Monther Khaddam, an academic from the coastal city of Latakia, said a wider national dialogue was needed and that intellectuals were “behind street demands until the end”. Economist Aref Dalila, a major figure behind the gathering, pulled out at the last minute, saying that he did not want to participate in a conference that could be exploited by the authorities while mass killing and arrests continue.

But some opposition figures and activists, both inside Syria and abroad, dismissed the meeting of 190 critics as an opportunity for the government to convey a false impression it’s allowing space for dissent, rather than cracking down. “This meeting will be exploited as a cover-up for the arrests, brutal killings and torture that is taking place on daily basis,” said opposition figure Walid Al-Bunni. He told AP from Damascus he was not invited to the conference because authorities had “vetoed” some names. An activists’ group, the Coordination Union of the Syrian Revolt, also denounced the conference, calling it a “cheap ploy” that the government wants to exploit.

SANA said yesterday that Assad met US Rep Dennis Kucinich. The agency said Assad told the US lawmaker it was important to distinguish between people’s legitimate demands and “armed groups that are exploiting these demands to sow chaos and destabilize the country”. Kucinich’s Washington office said he has many Arab-Americans in his district and constituents had asked him “to investigate conditions on the ground in Syria”. In neighbouring Iraq, more than 200 Syrian Kurdish refugees held a demonstration protesting against the Assad government’s crackdown and calling for international intervention. “We need the world to help us get our freedom. What we have suffered over the last 40 years by Assad’s family and the Baath party is enough,” activist Delan Akram said. — Agencies

14

TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

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Issues

Game grows but US not delivering

By Simon Evans ootball’s fascinating growth in the United States has not been matched on the field with the Gold Cup final showing the national side remains some way below potential. Bob Bradley’s team were beaten 4-2 by Mexico in the final at the Pasadena Rose Bowl on Saturday as their southern neighbours fought back from two goals down in spectacular style. The past three weeks have shown much that is positive about the rise of soccer in the States, in particular the sell-out crowds and impressive television ratings, mainly on the Spanish language Univision.

The Gold Cup has become as much a festival of Latin football in the United States as it is the continental championship and it has been an entertaining event. The driving force behind most of the numbers has been the Mexican-American community and they ended the tournament with the biggest smiles after victory in the final. While the marketing men in the States are happy to embrace the Mexican national team as a business opportunity, for fans of the US national team the tournament has revealed some uncomfortable truths.

The defeat by Panama in the group stage was an embarrassing result for a team who just two years ago were beating Spain and scaring Brazil in the Confederations Cup. A 1-0 win against Guadeloupe was the bare minimum and while a quarter-final win over Jamaica and a revenge victory over Panama in the last four were better displays, the Mexico defeat was a blunt reminder that they are second best in North America.

It is another sign of the game’s growth that Bradley now faces the same kind of criticism from fans and pundits that coaches in the game’s traditional strongholds endure. “Bradley showed in the final that he has a good feel for this team and the courage to make bold moves, but this is still a team that spent the majority of the Gold Cup looking stale and lifeless far too often,” blogger Nathanial Uy wrote on bleacherreport.com. “There is no greater condemnation of a coach than that.”

The 53-year-old Bradley, however, did show a fresh willingness to experiment, both with personnel and tactics. He pulled off several surprises such as leaving record goalscorer Landon Donovan on the bench for the quarter and semi-final and starting Freddy Adu in the final. Bradley threw aside caution in the final with an ultra-attacking formation which looked to have delivered a stunning victory before being swept aside by Mexico’s young talent.

Talent, or the lack of it, is fundamentally the problem facing the United States. For all the investment in youth and college soccer, the country has yet to produce a player with the technical gifts of Mexico’s Giovani Dos Santos, the directness and pace of Pablo Barrera or the deadly finishing ability of Javier Hernandez. Bradley has had solid defenders at his disposal but when right back Steve Cherundolo went out injured early in the first half on Saturday, the team had to turn to Jonathan Bornstein who has barely featured in recent weeks for club or country and struggled from the outset.

By contrast, Mexico lost the vastly experienced pair of Rafa Marquez and Carlos Salcido to injury in the first half but their makeshift defence actually got tighter. The United States showed last year that they have enough decent players to make the last 16 of a World Cup but the question is whether they have the quality to progress further. For the past five years the team has depended on Clint Dempsey and Donovan to deliver in terms of creating and scoring goals and while neither is anywhere near finished, it is surely a concern that there are no similar talents coming through. Bradley is an easy target for frustrated fans but it is in the youth and college game that attention needs to be paid if the United Sates are to really emerge as a football power. Dos Santos was in Barcelona’s youth system at 12, Hernandez was in Guadalajara’s system at nine but the US system has shown it has few ways to fast-track talent. — Reuters

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

No clear answers in Afghanistan war

By Patrick Quinn or 10 years, ever since the towers fell, the United States has fought a war in a distant land - in hopes, it says, of protecting American interests and making the world safer from terrorism. Now, as President Barack Obama plans to end US combat operations in Afghanistan by 2014, the question remains as muddy as ever: What happened here? There have been victories and setbacks. More than 1,522 American service members have died. There has been talk of a more stable, safer Afghanistan and frequent, obvious evidence to the contrary. The country’s president and the United States share an uneasy relationship, and it’s difficult to tell the story of the past decade in a single, concise statement.

Which is not surprising. Over more than 30 years of warfare, there has rarely been clarity in Afghanistan. You can’t always tell who’s on which side, and sometimes people are on both.

Conventional battles are common, as is shadowy guerrilla warfare. Yesterday’s enemy is today’s ally. Tomorrow he’s an enemy once again. Afghans are dying by the thousands in a conflict which began to free them from Al-Qaeda whose leaders are mostly hiding in Pakistan - a nominal American ally. America’s chapter in Afghanistan’s struggle is drawing to a close. President Barack Obama has said he will withdraw a third of nearly 100,000 US troops by next summer and end combat operations in 2014 - with or without even a semblance of a lasting success.

Much work remains unfinished even after almost a decade of war and billions of dollars in aid. Although battered, the insurgents still control large swaths of the country, and it is nearly impossible to travel safety from the capital to the southern city of Kandahar. Efforts to establish effective government, especially at local levels, have achieved limited success at best. Afghanistan’s own security forces remain far from capable of defending the country on their own.

And only about 2,000 of the estimated 25,000-40,000 insurgents have joined a highly touted program to reintegrate into society. In announcing the timetable, Obama spoke of building a “partnership with the Afghan people that endures” long after the last American service member has gone home. His words were aimed at reassuring the Afghans that America would not abandon them.

That pledge was reminiscent of the Soviet assurances to their Afghan clients when they, like the British a century before, concluded that fighting in Afghanistan wasn’t worth the cost in blood and treasure and withdrew in 1989. Moscow left behind a friendly government and a well-equipped Afghan army. Three years later, that government collapsed, the army fell apart and the country was again engulfed in war. America entered Afghanistan in Oct 2001 to strike at Al-Qaeda after the 9/11 attacks in the United States. Another goal was to oust the ruling Taleban that arose from the chaos in the wake of the Soviet defeat and also Osama bin Laden and his network.

The Taleban were dispatched with relative ease by US air power and ground forces provided by militias that had resisted the hardline Islamist movement.

The US and its partners established a

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government in Kabul, setting the stage for democratic elections. But the Bush administration shifted its attention and resources to Iraq and a new war to bring down Saddam Hussein. Faced with a monumental challenge and limited resources, Afghan President Hamid Karzai turned for support to the militias and warlords that Washington had used to oust the Taleban.

With that, the new government sank into a quagmire of corruption and favoritism - opening the door to the revival of the Taleban. By 2006, the country was facing a full-blown insurgency.

Old alliances shifted back and forth. The man who invited bin Laden to Afghanistan is now a member of parliament and a Karzai crony. The warlord who helped rescue Karzai from fighting

struggling with an economy marked by job loss and rising deficits. Even with troop reductions, the United States is facing huge expenses if it sticks by Obama’s plan. Building and funding a 300,000-member Afghan army and police will cost an estimated $6 billion to $8 billion a year even after 2014. The US already paid $22 billion in 2010 and 2011 to train and equip the Afghans.

The dilemma is that without such an investment, Afghanistan could again slip into civil war as it did when the Soviets left 22 years ago. Preventing that will require not only a strong security force but a power-sharing agreement among the numerous ethnic groups, including the Pashtuns from whom the Taliban draw their strength. In Afghanistan, ethnic conflict lies at the heart of the cycle

friend in place of the enemy and confuses the nation,” said Abdullah Abdullah, a Tajik leader who lost to Karzai in the 2009 presidential election. “That has deprived our countr y of its main strength, which is will, and the strength of our people. The people are confused, the people are disenfranchised, the people are resentful.” Obama’s drawdown announcement served to reinforce many of those fears.

“This announcement, they fear, runs parallel to a possible power-sharing deal with the Taleban that may emerge during this period,” Thomas Ruttig, co-director and senior analyst of the Afghanistan Analysts Network, a Kabul-based thinktank, wrote recently in Foreign Policy.

“For them, today was the beginning of the end of the world’s suppor t for

In this Nov. 24, 2001 file photo, defecting Taleban fighters sit on a tank as they cross the frontline near the village of Amirabad, northern Afghanistan. — AP in Kabul in the 1990s now leads one of the main insurgent groups fighting his government. Obama entered office promising to focus attention on the Afghan conflict, which he described as a “war of necessity” as opposed to Iraq, a “war of choice”. He doubled the number of US forces in Afghanistan and in Dec 2009 dispatched 30,000 more troops in a “surge” to tr y to stop the Taleban momentum.

In doing so, Obama in effect changed the character of the war. His commanders employed the counterinsurgency strategy that brought some success in Iraq, coupling military force with an ambitious, troop-intensive plan to push insurgents from their strongholds so the local government could build a system of services and institutions to win the loyalty of the people. The military always knew there would never be a winner in the war. Instead, it hoped to create the necessary groundwork for a process of reconciliation and reintegration to encourage insurgents to re -enter Afghan society.

But the investment proved too much for an American public weary of war and

of war, which began in the early 1970s when a clique of leftists overthrew the monarchy and tried to establish a socialist, secular government on a deeply religious, conservative tribal-based society.

The different ethnic groups banded together to fight the Soviets, who invaded in Dec 1979 to defend the leftist government. But years of conflict sharpened the differences among the Pashtuns, who represent about 40 percent of the population, and the ethnic Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazara, who make up the rest in central and northern Afghanistan. The Taleban entered Kabul in Sept 1996 but failed to take over the whole country. A northern alliance of Tajik, Uzbek and Hazara warlords joined invading US forces in Oct 2001 to throw out the Taleban. These warlords took control of powerful positions in the government.

With the days of foreign forces numbered, Karzai has been reaching out to the Taleban, a process that Washington has tacitly endorsed. That effort has alarmed many Tajik, Uzbek and Hazara politicians, who fear Karzai will give too much power to his fellow Pashtuns. “He mixes the enemy in place of a friend, a

Afghanistan, for the third time after 1989 and the 1990s factional wars.” With such a complex ethnic and political landscape, few believe Afghanistan will enjoy peace anytime soon.

Optimists hope the level of violence can be reduced and the fighting limited to small areas around the country. “I think an optimistic, hopeful outcome is nonetheless one in which some pockets of insurgency persist after 2014, but are contained and hopefully degraded over time primarily by the Afghans themselves”, said Michael O’Hanlon, a foreign policy fellow at the Brookings Institution. “For us the key is that no large sanctuaries develop. I am optimistic on these points.” Pessimists, including many Afghans, fear that once the foreign troops leave, the country will descend into a new civil war. Gov Mohammed Anwar Jigdalik of Kunduz province said his fellow northerners are already rearming in the belief that the Taleban are “coming with weapons to take them over.” “All of Afghanistan would welcome reconciliation but people are afraid,” he said. “Now people are rearming.” — AP

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Hugs, politics: Savvy Michelle helps hubby

By Jeff Mason he does not consider herself a “secret weapon”, but Michelle Obama’s trip to Africa showed the US first lady has sharp political skills that White House aides can exploit to help re-elect her husband. On her second official solo trip abroad, Mrs Obama played the roles of traditional and non-traditional politician, meeting with the president of Botswana, calling on the first lady of South Africa, and sharing a moment with Nelson Mandela, the former South African president and antiapartheid icon. She delivered a well-received speech to encourage young leaders, painted a wall with teenagers infected with HIV/AIDS, and gave, along with her daughters, a lively oral reading of Dr Seuss’ “The Cat in the Hat” to a group of children.

Audiences were smitten, highlighting her unique ability to connect with people on behalf of and independently from President Barack Obama. Those skills will now be applied to domestic politics as the 2012 presidential election heats up. The first lady arrived back in Washington late on Sunday and has a series of fundraisers for Democrats this week. More campaign-related activities will crop up in her schedule over the coming months.

Despite her popularity at home and abroad, Mrs Obama downplays her role in the president’s political universe. “I think my husband is his secret weapon. I mean, people will vote on who they think will make a good president. And they’re going to look at his accomplishments,” she said during an interview in Botswana with reporters traveling with her through Africa. “They’re going to look at the future - or what kind of future we envision as a country. I think that’s what happened in the last election.

My motto is: Do no harm.”

She does not appear to be doing any harm. In events throughout her trip audiences lapped up her “mom-inchief” style of international diplomacy. One of her most effective tools: the hug. At event after event, the first lady wrapped the young people she met in her arms, triggering tears from some who seemed, more than awed by the

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presence of a famous figure, overwhelmed by the intimacy of her outreach.

Obama is not shy about discussing her initial disdain for politics. She draws laughter regularly when she says she tried to discourage her husband from running for the White House.

But she is a canny politician in her own right. Like the president, she stays on message. She can be wordy but she is deft at dodging a question or steering a conversation toward a theme she finds more comfortable. Those skills - and her clear ability to connect with people - make her valuable, and she knows that.

But the first lady restricts her schedule to be available to her girls, Malia and Sasha, and White House staff adjust her public appearances accordingly. “People don’t even ask me to do certain things. The first question is, what are the girls doing?

And what time of the year is this?” she said. “So it’ll be the same thing (for this campaign). But when I get out there, my whole thing is that when I’m out, let’s make good use of my time.”

Analysts say first ladies do not swing elections. But they can, as Michelle Obama and her predecessors have demonstrated, bring in dollars and affect the images of their respective spouses. “First ladies very often top the list of ‘most admired women’ in polls - but it doesn’t seem to affect the feelings for their husbands,” said John Mark Hansen, dean of the social sciences division at the University of Chicago. If the feelings shown in Africa are a guide, however, this first lady’s impact will be a net positive in the 2012 campaign and on the continent she just left. “There’s no better goodwill ambassador, I think, especially to Africa and to South Africa in particular,” said Jennifer Cooke, director of the Africa program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in

Washington. “Obviously she’ll be a powerful force in the campaign cycle as well. She’s got a very human, humble touch.” — Reuters

fter more than two years as America’s first lady, Michelle Obama won’t say she’s hit her stride. Her performance on a good will mission to Africa, including an emotionally rousing speech about youth leadership and a packed itinerary that rivaled her husband’s traveling schedules, said otherwise. On her second overseas business trip without the president, and to the black motherland, America’s first black first lady was warmly received everywhere she went, often with song and to the point of almost being moved to tears.

She spoke passionately about her causes, tickled and danced with some of the youngest Africans, and sat with presidents and first ladies, including Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s former president and a hero of the anti-apartheid movement. She held 20 public events in five days, landed on newspaper front pages and was fashionably dressed, as usual, including outfits with an African connection. In between all that, Mrs

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Obama squeezed in dinner with gal-pal Oprah Winfrey, who was in South Africa for unrelated business.

It was the first lady’s biggest moment on the world stage. She was reluctant to grade herself, telling reporters that it embarrasses her to “talk about my stride and being on my game.” But she does realize her power as first lady and says it’s a time -stamped opportunity that she doesn’t want to waste.

“I have the advantage of really being able to set my own agenda and not having to deal with the day-to-day challenges that ... just keep coming at you,” she said, speaking of President Barack Obama. “That’s a privilege and there is real opportunity there.”

Her signature issue - both in the states and around the world - is encouraging young people to become the next generation of leaders and problem-solvers. It’s a major reason why she spent a week visiting the model democracies of South Africa and Botswana, her first visits to those countries.

In Africa alone, nearly two-thirds of its population is younger than 25.

Mrs. Obama also promoted education and uses the story of her upbringing by working-class parents in Chicago to inspire high school students to dream big. She lately has taken to arranging for groups of students, particularly those who aren’t from the best backgrounds but who have shown academic promise, to spend a day at a top university. She held such as session at the University of Cape Town for 50 South African high school students, following up on one last month at the University of Oxford in London.

“I want to make sure that you all see the promise in yourselves,” the first lady told the youngsters. “It’s so clear to me and so many others. The challenge is to make sure you see it in yourselves.” Mrs Obama’s message resonated with women in Africa. “She gives hope not just to women of color, but to women everywhere,” said Kiri Maponya, a member of one of Soweto’s leading families who now lives in the US. The first lady spent Wednesday in Soweto, a black township in Johannesburg

t’s the open secret that nobody in government wants to talk about: That cherished presidential signature that’s tucked away in a scrapbook or framed for all to see might never have passed under the president’s hand. For decades, presidents of both parties have let an autopen do some of the heavy lifting when it comes to scrawling their signatures. The machine was recently put to use signing a bill into law, apparently a first.

Overseas and out of reach when lawmakers passed an extension of certain provisions of the Patriot Act, President Barack Obama employed the autopen to sign it, a step the White House has been mum about ever since.

“I always heard the autopen was the second most guarded thing in the White House after the president,” says Jack Shock, who had permission to wield former President Bill Clinton’s autopen as his director of presidential letters and messages.

Jim Cicconi, who oversaw the use of autopens for President George H W Bush, recalls that the plastic signature templates for the machines - yes, there was more than one autopen - would wear out from repeated use.

Ronald Reagan had 22 different signature templates, including “Ron,” “Dutch” and other iterations, to boost the aura of authenticity surrounding his fake signatures, says Stephen Koschal, an autograph authenticator who two years ago published a guide to presidential autopen signatures.

It’s not just ordinary Americans who get the autopen treatment. Koschal says he once visited Vice President Dan Quayle’s office in the Capitol and spotted a signed photograph from the first President Bush that he said had clearly been autopenned. Obama took the presidential autopen out of the closet and into a new realm. While traveling in Europe last month, Obama directed his staff in Washington to use an autopen to sign into law an extension of certain Patriot Act powers to fight terrorism. The legislation had been approved by Congress at the last minute, and there was no time to fly it to France for Obama’s signature before the anti-terrorism powers expired.

It was believed to be the first time a president has used an autopen to sign legislation, and that didn’t sit well with a number of Republicans. Twenty-one Republican House members sent Obama a letter on June 17 asking him to re-sign the legislation with his actual signature because use of the autopen “appears contrary to the Constitution.”

Obama’s team relied on a 29-page legal analysis crafted during the administration of President George W Bush to argue that the faux signature passed constitutional muster.

I

Ari Fleischer, White House press secretary under the younger Bush, says the Bush White House had considered using the autopen to sign a minor piece of legislation as a test case, “but in the end Bush just kept signing the parchment himself”. Bush used the autopen for routine correspondence and photos but not on matters of importance, Fleischer said.

While a number of White House aides from administrations past were willing to discuss the presidential autopen, that kind of talk is frowned upon while a president is in office. “You want to preserve the president’s semblance of reaching out and being con-

from among the tens of thousands that ordinary people send to the White House. In many cases, he writes back to these people, with his own signature.

But the president couldn’t get around explaining how the Patriot Act got signed into law without briefly shining a spotlight on the autopen. Once that news was out, though, the White House clammed up. It declined to provide any further details about how many autopens the administration uses, what they look like, where they’re kept, or who makes the machine.

And don’t ask Bob Olding, whose compa-

In this photo taken June 13, 2011, Damilic Corp president Bob Olding anchors the paper as the Atlantic Plus, the Signascript tabletop model autopen, produces a signature at their Rockville, Maryland office. — AP nected,” says Shock. “But the cold hard facts are that when you get 10,000 letters a day he can’t possibly handle all that kind of correspondence himself.” It turns out there are varying levels of fakeness in presidential signatures.

There are preapproved form letters with digital signatures. There are preprinted cards for birthdays and other special events.

Autopen signatures generally are reserved for more personalized correspondence that doesn’t score a real signature, say officials from administrations past. Obama’s staff is loath to talk about his use of the autopen. The president prefers to keep the focus on the sampling of 10 letters a day that he reads

ny is the leading manufacturer of autopens, to discuss his clientele. “I’m not going to help you,” he said. “Our customers do not want anyone else knowing they have these machines.” Olding did reveal, though, that “when there’s a major change in government, we get an uptick in business.” Olding is president of Rockville, Maryland-based Damilic Corp, whose signature machines run from $2,000 up to $10,000.

Hulking older versions look like a drafting table and are too big to fit through a doorway. Newer models, with microprocessors and digital controls, sit on a tabletop. But they still feature two mechanical arms that move a pen back and forth, up and down. The

affron-robed monks chanted and young women in silk sarongs stretched out their arms in traditional Thai dance moves, but the big event was the voice on a scratchy telephone line from another continent. “Be prepared. Good things are about to come,” billionaire former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said from his Dubai mansion in a telephone call to a Buddhist temple where 38 communities declared their allegiance to Thaksin, formally becoming “Red Shirt Villages” in solidarity with the red-shirted movement that backs him.

In a sign of his support, the number of “Red Shirt Villages” has doubled to more than 700 in two northeastern provinces since a Reuters report uncovered the phenomenon on June 7. Although Thaksin’s younger sister and opposition leader, Yingluck Shinawatra, leads opinion polls for Thailand’s July 3 election, the vote is boiling down to a referendum on her brother, a divisive figure who scored landslide election wins in 2001 and 2005 only to be ousted in a 2006 military coup.

Military-backed Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has urged voters in Bangkok to avoid the “poison” of Thaksin, saying Yingluck and her Puea Thai Party are clear proxies for the telecommunications tycoon, who lives in Dubai to evade a jail sentence for conflict-ofinterest charges he says were politically motivated.

Thaksin hasn’t helped matters, describing his sister once as his “clone”, and thumbing out “tweets” on Puea Thai policy. The traditional Bangkok elite of top generals, royal advisers and old-money families who back the ruling Democrat Party is watching closely, fearing Thaksin will exact revenge against those who toppled him if his sister gains power.

Many fear something far more basic: that the election will prove meaningless and that the real struggle for power will play out behind the scenes among generals and political power-brokers or in the streets in a reprise of last year’s bloody clashes between the lowincome red shirts and a military intent on keeping Thaksin at bay. That risk cannot be ruled out. Opinion polls overwhelmingly favour Yingluck, a telegenic 44year-old businesswoman and political novice who has confounded skeptics by running a disciplined, media savvy campaign. With an actress’s good-looks, she could well become Thailand’s first elected female leader - if she is allowed to govern.

Some predict Puea Thai may win an outright majority, but a hung parliament looks more likely, in which case smaller parties will be decisive, opening the way for horse-trading - and for trouble. If Yingluck wins the most votes but ultimately fails to govern, the red shirts may mobilise in new protests. “I fear there will be fraud in the election,” said Pathum Sinlawong, the chief monk in Suan Mon, a village surrounded by rice paddies and sugarcane fields in the vote-rich northeast Thailand - a rural bastion for Thaksin and the opposition. “Some invisible elements can do things behind the scenes and rob the election.”

The notion of “invisible elements”, or a “third hand”, has gained prominence in Thai politics since the 2006 coup and after tacit behind-the-scenes army intervention that helped bring the current government to power. To appease the military and its powerful backers, Yingluck has struck a conciliatory tone, vowing not to rush into an amnesty for Thaksin and saying there will be no revenge for the coup. On Saturday, her party issued a statement that stressed amnesty for Thaksin was not a formal policy. Not many appear convinced, including Thaksin himself, who this month told Reuters he hoped to return home by December.

In Suan Mon and other villages in the northeast, it is clear who most voters prefer - not Abhisit and not necessarily Yingluck. “Are we ready to fight?” Anond Sangnan, a red-shirt leader, told nearly 100 villagers packed into Suan Mon’s temple. “Yes,” roared the crowd. “Do we love Thaksin?” “Yes,” they shouted back.

Anond leaned forward. “Who do we hate?” he asked.

“Abhisit,” thundered the response. Since a Reuters report on June 7 revealed at least 320 villages in the provinces of Udon Thani and Khon Kaen had designated themselves as “Red Shirt Villages”, the number has more than doubled to at least 710, say local redshirt organisers. Their trademark is a large red billboard posted at the village entrance with Thaksin’s smiling image. Don Chainapun, a red-shirt leader in Udon Thani city, aims to launch at least 1,000 more before the election. Abhisit has called the villages “divisive” and a threat to national reconciliation. Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha says they are a “concern”.

Chuan Leekpai, chief adviser to Abhisit’s Democrat Party, said last week the villages “instil distorted and false information against our major national institutions. This is a dangerous trend.” Leaders in some villages say they have faced intimidation by soldiers and police who have taken down red flags.

In Thaksin’s telephone call to the temple on Saturday as part of the inauguration of the 38 red villages, he dismissed the government’s criticisms as falsehoods by “people who are about to lose power,” assuring villagers they were not “separatists” and urging supporters to avoid the temptation to sell their vote - an endemic problem in Thai elections. “There are no votes for sale here,” he said to cheers, adding that voters would enjoy an expansion in village budgets if they back his party. “Other parties should realise they cannot buy votes from these villages.”

At the ceremony, red-shirt leaders carried long lists of voters in each village, and appeared to know exactly how many would support Thaksin’s sister. “We have about 90 to 95 percent of red shirts in each village,” said Don. Anond said red shirts he calls “hawks” will monitor ballot booths on election day to prevent fraud. “These hawks will represent us from every corner of our villages and notify us if there is any attempt to cheat,” he said. The red branding of villages is not openly supported by top red-shirt leaders in Bangkok.

But red-shirt leaders in the northeast say they are a crucial mobilising force for Yingluck, raising her chances of turning out the sort of support that delivered unprecedented back-to-back landslides for her brother in 2001 and 2005.

Inside the villages, slogans on red T-shirts and posters accuse the rich, the Bangkok establishment and top military brass of breaking laws with impunity - grievances that echo across the northeast, a region known as “Isaan” that is home to a third of Thailand’s 68 million people. —Reuters

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that was at the center of the uprisings against apartheid, the now-abolished system of racial separation.

Before the youth leadership speech, Mandela’s wife, Graca Machel, gave Mrs. Obama a rousing introduction that nearly moved the first lady to tears. “We welcome you as a daughter of African heritage and we can call you the queen of our world,” Machel said. Mrs Obama said she doesn’t understand why some things, such as that speech, go really well, and why other things just go OK. “I just want to be useful,” she said. There’s no question that she is useful and will continue to be because, as she often says, there is much more work to do.

For one thing, the presidential campaign season is revving up in the US and her husband wants another four years in office.

While also shies away from the idea that she’s the president’s “secret weapon,” as she came to be known during the 2008 campaign, Mrs Obama is helping him raise money this coming week at three fundraisers in Boston and Burlington, Vermont. — AP

Is Obama’s sign real or autopenned?

By Nancy Benac

At heart of Thai election, a fugitive rallies

By Jason Szep

Mrs Obama hits her stride as first lady

By Darlene Superville

Focus

machines sign letters at about the same pace as does the human hand. An autopen machine that automatically signs a stack of documents can spit out roughly 500 signatures an hour; those with manual document feeders, about 200 an hour.

As recently as the second Bush administration, the autopen in use was a large piece of furniture that looked like a drafting table, says Heidi Smith, who served as Bush’s correspondence director for two years. She says those with clearance to use the autopen would head over to the executive clerk’s office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, next to the White House, where the autopen wielded Bush’s pen of choice - a Sharpie.

Autopens have been used by presidents since Dwight Eisenhower, says Koschal, and President John F Kennedy put them to heavy use. Many presidents have had secretaries sign their names to correspondence and documents, he says. More than 200 years ago, Thomas Jefferson acquired a mechanical copying device called a polygraph that attached to his pen and made a second copy of what he was writing. Jefferson liked it so much he wrote that “I could not, now therefore, live without the Polygraph.” It’s not just busy presidents who rely on autopens.

They’re used by thousands of organizations, companies and government officials.

Donald H Rumsfeld got in hot water for using one as defense secretary to sign letters of condolence to the families of US troops killed in action. When word leaked out in 2004, Rumsfeld said he’d done it to “ensure expeditious contact with grieving family members.” “I have directed that in the future I sign each letter,” he said. Other officials and candidates have fingered the autopen as an excuse to avoid taking responsibility for documents that appeared to bear their names.

One was Enron executive Kenneth Lay, who was convicted of fraud, conspiracy and lying to banks despite his lawyers’ arguments that he shouldn’t be held accountable for documents signed by autopen. His conviction was later vacated on other grounds. So how to tell the difference between a real signature and an autopen version? Koschal says the best way to detect a fake is to lay the signature in question over a known autopen version and hold the two documents up to a light. If they’re exactly the same, chances are that the top one was created with an autopen. But presidents often create multiple autopen signatures to make it less obvious when they’re letting a machine do the work.

As for Obama’s autopen signature on the extension of Patriot Act powers, it may pass the constitutional test, but not Koschal’s. “I’d pay peanuts for it,” the autograph authenticator said. “It’s not a real signature.” — AP

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TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

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sp orts Keeper admits match-fixing SEOUL: A top South Korean league goalkeeper has acknowledged being involved in a match-fixing scandal that is engulfing the domestic game, a KLeague official said yesterday.

The goalkeeper from Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors acknowledged helping to fix games last season while playing for the Chunnam Dragons, the K-League official said on condition of anonymity, citing department rules. South Korean media identified the player as Yeom Dong-gyun, who had played for South Korea’s under-23 team and been a back-up for the full national side.

The official said a prosecution office in the southeastern city of Changwon was investigating the player.

Changwon prosecution officials couldn’t immediately confirm the investigation, however.

The player turned himself in to the league, which had offered more lenient penalties for those who meet an end-ofmonth deadline to admit their involvement, the K-League official said. —AP

India ready to use DRS HONG KONG: The Indian cricket board (BCCI) has finally agreed to use the Decision Review System (DRS) after the International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday proposed a modified version of the technology which allows teams to challenge umpire rulings.

Teams can make two unsuccessful appeals against an umpire’s decision using DRS but under the new version, ball-tracking technology will no longer be mandatory.

“The agreed standards will include infra-red cameras and audio-tracking devices,” the governing body said in a statement. “The continued use of balltracking technology as a decisionmaking aid will depend on bilateral agreement between the participating

Perkovic fails drugs test

members.”

The BCCI had been opposing DRS’s mandatory use in all test and one-day internationals as it felt the ball-tracking technology was “unreliable” but the ICC’s new version appears to have won the Indian board over.

“The BCCI is agreeable to the use of technology in decision-making, which will include infra-red cameras and audio-tracking devices,” BCCI secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement. O f the existing DRS tools, Snickometer is used to detect edges, Hot Spot uses infra-red cameras to give more convincing indications of the ball’s point of contact, while Hawk Eye replicates the ball’s trajectory. —Reuters

ZAGREB: European discus champion Sandra Perkovic is waiting to find out how long she will be suspended for after she failed a drugs test last month, Croatian athletics officials said yesterday.

“Perkovic inadvertently took a food additive that contained a psycho stimulant Methylhexanamine and she failed doping tests at the Diamond League meetings in Rome and Shanghai. I suppose she will be suspended for up to six months,” president of the Croatian Athletics Federation (HAS) Luciano Susanj said.

Perkovic, 21, became the European champion last year in Barcelona. “I’m totally opposed to doping and I have never expected that something like this could happen to me. I hope I will be able to compete at the London Olympics next year,” a sobbing Perkovic told a news conference.

According to the director of the national athletics team, Sinisa Ergotic, Perkovic was using Geranamine root extract as a food additive.—Reuters

Tigers stun D’Backs with late surge DETROIT: The Detroit Tigers scored seven runs with two outs in the eighth inning to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-3 in Major League Baseball interleague play on Sunday.

Miguel Cabrera hit a go-ahead single and the Detroit Tigers scored seven runs with two outs in the eighth inning.

The Tigers trailed 2-1 when Don Kelly singled with one out in the eighth off reliever Aaron Heilman (4-1).

After a second out, two walks loaded the bases, and Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run single to put Detroit ahead.

There were further RBI singles to Victor Martinez and Jhonny Peralta, Brandon Inge hit a two-run single to make it 7-2, and Kelly reached on an error, with another run scoring. Al Alburquerque (5-1) pitched 1 1-3 innings of scoreless relief for Detroit.

Giants 3, Indians 1 In San Francisco, Madison Bumgarner bounced back from a poor start with one of his best performances, striking out a career-high 11 batters in seven innings to lead San Francisco over Cleveland.

Bumgarner (4-9) showed no lingering effects from his historically bad outing against Minnesota on Tuesday when he became the first pitcher since 1900 to give up nine hits and record just one out in a game.

Chris Stewart hit a two-run double for his first RBIs in more than four years and Aubrey Huff added an run-scoring single for the Giants, who have won five straight. Indians starter Fausto Carmona (4-10) lost for the seventh time in eight decisions, giving up seven hits in six innings.

ARLINGTON: Texas Rangers’ Taylor Teagarden reaches first base as New York Mets’ Daniel Murphy tries to make the catch on a wild throw by Mets’ Ruben Tejada in the sixth inning of a baseball game.—AP

LA Dodgers file for bankruptcy protection LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles Dodgers filed for bankruptcy protection in a Delaware court yesterday, blaming Major League Baseball for refusing to approve a multibillion-dollar TV deal that owner Frank McCourt was counting on to keep the troubled team afloat.

The Chapter 11 financing permits the Dodgers to use $150 million for daily operations and buys time for the team to seek a media deal and ensure the team’s long-term financial stability, the Dodgers said in a news release. “There will be no disruption to the Dodgers day-to-day business, the baseball team, or to the Dodger fans,” the statement said.

Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig announced last week that he wouldn’t approve a Dodgers television deal with Fox Sports that reportedly was worth up to $3 billion. That left McCourt cashstarved and facing the prospect of missing the team payroll this Thursday, leading to an MLB takeover.

McCourt defended his running of the team, saying he had made it profitable and successful. He also said the Dodgers have tried for almost a year to get Selig to approve the Fox transaction.

“He’s turned his back on the Dodgers, treated us differently, and forced us to the point we find ourselves in today,” McCourt’s statement said.

MLB spokesman Pat Courtney did not immediately respond to an email message. McCourt spokesman Steve Sugarman said Frank McCourt would not be available to comment yesterday.

Among the 40 largest unsecured claims listed in the bankruptcy filing are former Dodger slugger Manny Ramirez at nearly $21 million; Andruw Jones at $11 million; pitcher Hiroki Kuroda at $4.4 million; and the Chicago White Sox at $3.5 million.

According to the bankruptcy filing, the Dodgers began experiencing “cash flow difficulties” last year due to declining attendance, paying about $22 million in deferred compensation and revenue sharing.

The team’s vice chairman, Jeffrey Ingram, said in court documents that the Dodgers are “on the verge of running out of cash, the result of a perfect storm of events.” “He’s clearly running very low on options right now,” said David Carter, executive director of USC Sports Business Institute.

“What seems to be the case is a high-

stakes chess game Frank McCourt and MLB, and he’s running out of pieces. This is one of the uglier weeks in Dodger history.” McCourt had hoped Selig would sign off on the transaction that would have provided him with $385 million up front and was vital to a binding settlement reached between him and his exwife and former Dodger CEO Jamie McCourt.

The McCourts have been embroiled in a contentious divorce where their lavish spending habits were detailed in court documents. The former couple took out more than $100 million in loans from Dodger-related businesses, records show.

In April, MLB took the extraordinary step of assuming control of the troubled franchise. Former Texas Rangers President Tom Schieffer was appointed to monitor the team on behalf of Selig, who said he took the action because he was concerned about the team’s finances and how the Dodgers are being run. The Dodgers’ filing follows that of the Texas Rangers, who sought Chapter 11 protection in May of last year.

The Rangers’ filing successfully pushed through Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan’s $590 million bid to buy the team. Creditors had stalled the deal for months, arguing that the team had rejected higher offers.

McCourt has maintained he met the criteria set forth by baseball officials in order for the TV contract to be approved and would amend the conditions if needed. The Dodgers’ current TV deal with Fox expires in 2013.

The divorce settlement, now voided because of Selig’s decision, called for a one-day “characterization” trial Aug. 4 to determine if title to the Dodgers is in Frank McCourt’s name or if the team should be considered community property and sold. Robert Sacks, an attorney retained by Frank McCourt, said the trial may be shelved and Superior Court Judge Scott Gordon could decide how to handle the former couple’s assets at a later date.

Gordon ruled in December that a postnuptial marital agreement that gave Frank McCourt sole ownership of the Dodgers was invalid. That cleared the way for Jamie McCourt, who served as the team’s CEO and was fired by her ex-husband two years ago, to seek half the team under California’s community property law.—AP

Phillies 3, Athletics 1 In Philadelphia, Roy Halladay pitched his National League-leading fifth complete game to guide Philadelphia past Oakland.

Halladay (10-3) walked none and struck out four in tying for the major league high in victories.

Philadelphia has won each of Halladay’s past eight starts. He improved to 30-3 in 35 starts in which the Phillies have given him the lead.

Jimmy Rollins went 4-for-4, scoring twice, Placido Polanco had two hits and Halladay added a single for Philadelphia. A’s starter Josh Outman (3-2), a former Phillies minor leaguer, allowed eight hits in six innings to take the loss.

Red Sox 4, Pirates 2 In Pittsburgh, Boston won its first game in five, downing Pittsburgh. Andrew Miller (1-0) got his first win with Boston, striking out four and allowing just one earned run. Recently promoted from the minors, he earned his first AL victory since 2007 with Detroit.

Adrian Gonzalez had two hits for Boston and raised his batting average to .361, tops in the majors.

Yet the Red Sox won by doing the little things, scoring their four runs on a Pittsburgh error, a pair of sacrifice flies and an RBI groundout.

The Pirates tied a season worst with four errors.

Tim Wood (0-2) lost as Pittsburgh’s normally reliable bullpen showed signs of stress following a busy week.

Yankees 6, Rockies 4 In New York, Eduardo Nunez hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning after a Troy Tulowitzki error as New York beat Colorado.

Nick Swisher and Jorge Posada hit consecutive homers, while Mark Teixeira also went long for New York and Alex Rodriguez drove in a run for his sixth straight game. It was New York’s first series win against the Rockies since 2004. New York improved to 22-4 in day games. Boone Logan (2-2) got three outs in the seventh to take the win.

Mets 8, Rangers 5 In Arlington, Texas, Jose Reyes had four hits and scored three runs to power New York to victory over Texas. The Mets scored a run in the first off Derek Holland (6-3) when Reyes reached on an infield hit, stole second, advanced to third on a flyout and scored on a passed ball.

New York rookie Dillon Gee (8-1) pitched six effective innings, conceding three runs, as he recovered from a shaky start in the follow-up to his only loss of the season. Gee gave up only eight earned runs in five June starts. Daniel Murphy added three hits for the Mets, who opened a key stretch of 13 of 16 games on the road by getting back to .500.

Blue Jays 5, Cardinals 0 In St. Louis, Ricky Romero threw his second career shutout to guide Toronto past St. Louis, and helped break the game open with the first hit of his career.

Romero (7-7) struck out five and stayed in the game even after being hit in the leg by a line drive in the ninth.

JP Arencibia homered and Yunel Escobar had two hits and an RBI for the Blue Jays, who had lost four in a row before sweeping the three-game series against the Cardinals.

The Cardinals are 1-5 since star slugger Albert Pujols was sidelined for an anticipated six weeks with a broken left wrist, and have scored three or fewer runs in four of those games. St. Louis starter Kyle McClellan (6-4) gave up five runs in 5 1-3 innings.

Romero got a two-run single against him.

Nationals 2, White Sox 1 In Chicago, Washington saw off interim manager John McLaren with a win, edging Chicago. Hours after the Nationals hired Davey Johnson as manager, they won their final game with McLaren at the helm.

The move came three days after Jim Riggleman

LOS ANGELES: Angels shortstop Erick Aybar (right) holds up his glove after Los Angeles Dodgers’ Dee Gordon stole second under his tag during the ninth inning of their interleague baseball game.—AP stunned the team by resigning over a contract dispute. Chicago starter Phil Humber (7-4) carried a nohit bid into the sixth, but a two-out walk in the seventh was followed by Danny Espinosa’s two-run homer — his 14th of the season — handing Humber his first loss since April 30. Nationals starter Livan Hernandez (5-8) struck out a season-high nine as he baffled the White Sox for 6 2-3 innings, allowing one run to earn his first road victory of the year.

Padres 4, Braves 1 In San Diego, Jason Bartlett hit a bases-loaded infield single for the tying run with two outs in the eighth inning and Orlando Hudson followed with a two-run single to vault San Diego over Atlanta.

The Braves scored an unearned run in the top of the eighth for a 1-0 lead. San Diego then loaded the bases on a walk, an infield single, a sacrifice bunt and an intentional walk off Jonny Venters (4-1) before the second out.

Bartlett’s grounder deflected off Venters’ glove and rolled to shortstop for an infield single, allowing Chris Denorfia to score the tying run. Hudson singled up the middle to bring in two more and Chase Headley added an RBI single. San Diego reliever Mike Adams (3-1) pitched the eighth for the win.

Brewers 6, Twins 2 In Milwaukee, Ryan Braun extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a tiebreaking home run that helped Milwaukee beat Minnesota.

Braun connected for a two-run shot in the fifth inning while Jonathan Lucroy had a triple, a double, a walk, scored two runs and had an RBI for Milwaukee, which swept the three-game series.

Brewers starter Chris Narveson (5-5) allowed two runs in 6 2-3 innings and helped his own win bid by scoring an RBI double.

Minnesota starter Carl Pavano (5-6) blanked the Brewers the first four innings, but allowed five runs with two outs over the next two innings to lose for the first time in five June starts.

The punchless Twins, with a lineup decimated by injuries, have scored only eight runs in losing five consecutive games.

Orioles 7, Reds 5 In Baltimore, Derrek Lee and Mark Reynolds homered in a four-run fourth inning, and Luke Scott added a solo shot in the seventh to power Baltimore past Cincinnati. Baltimore hit nine homers to make it 16 homers in the three-game series.

Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie (3-8) allowed four runs and four walks in 5 2-3 shaky innings but took the win. Homer Bailey (3-2) returned from a shoulder strain and gave up five runs in five innings for the Reds, who stranded 14 and went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

Dodgers 3, Angels 2 In Los Angeles, the Dodgers got two runs in the bottom of the ninth to pip the Angels in the all-Los Angeles clash. Aaron Miles drove in the tying run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly and Tony Gwynn Jr. won it with a two-out single for the Dodgers, who ended a three-game skid.

Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw (8-3) threw his second consecutive complete game, tying a season high with 11 strikeouts for the second straight outing.

He didn’t walk a batter in his 100th career start.

He struck out the side in the fifth and his 128 strikeouts this season moved him above Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay for the NL lead.

Mariners 2, Marlins 1 In Seattle, rookie Dustin Ackley led off the top of the 10th inning with a double, then raced home for Seattle’s go-ahead run when Florida’s Steve Cishek threw a wild pitch during an intentional walk.

Ackley started the 10th by lining a pitch from Randy Choate (0-1) into left field for his first career double and third hit of the night.

Cishek entered and Ma a fly ball moved Ackley to third. Cishek had thrown two wide pitches in the intentional walk before slicing one well out of the catcher’s reach and Ackley slid home just ahead of the throw. Seattle reliever David Pauley (5-1) pitched a perfect ninth and Brandon League finished for his AL-leading 21st save in 24 chances.

Rays 14, Astros 10 In Houston, Evan Longoria homered twice and drove in five runs as Tampa Bay completed a threegame sweep of lowly Houston.

Longoria came within a triple of the cycle and had his first multihomer game since 2009 _ one of his homers was initially ruled a single until the call was overturned after a video replay review.

Matt Joyce delivered a go-ahead double in the eighth inning while B.J. Upton homered for the third straight day and drove in four runs for the Rays, who have won four in a row.

The Astros had taken an 8-7 lead in the back-andforth game on a solo homer off J.P. Howell (1-1) in the seventh. Houston reliever Wilton Lopez (1-4) lost.

Royals 6, Cubs 3 In Kansas City, Alex Gordon extended his hitting streak to 13 games with an RBI double in a four-run first inning as Kansas City defeated Chicago.

Royals starter Luke Hochevar (5-8) is 9-3 with a 4.43 ERA in 14 day starts over the past two seasons, compared to 2-11 with a 5.28 ERA in 21 appearances at night. He departed after 5 2-3 innings, having given up three runs while striking out five. Cubs starter Randy Wells (1-2) lasted six-plus innings, allowing six runs.—AP

MLB results/standings Results and standings from the MLB games on Sunday: Detroit 8, Arizona 3; Baltimore 7, Cincinnati 5; Philadelphia 3, Oakland 1; Boston 4, Pittsburgh 2; NY Yankees 6, Colorado 4; Tampa Bay 14, Houston 10; Washington 2, Chicago White Sox 1; Kansas City 6, Chicago Cubs 3; Milwaukee 6, Minnesota 2; Toronto 5, St. Louis 0; NY Mets 8, Texas 5; San Diego 4, Atlanta 1; LA Dodgers 3, LA Angels 2; San Francisco 3, Cleveland 1; Seattle 2, Florida 1 (10 innings).

Philadelphia Atlanta Washington NY Mets Florida

National League Eastern Division 49 30 .620 44 35 .557 40 38 .513 39 39 .500 34 44 .436

5 8.5 9.5 14.5

Milwaukee St. Louis Cincinnati Pittsburgh Chicago Cubs Houston

Central Division 44 35 .557 41 38 .519 40 39 .506 39 38 .506 31 46 .403 28 51 .354

3 4 4 12 16

San Francisco Arizona Colorado LA Dodgers San Diego

Western Division 44 34 .564 43 36 .544 38 39 .494 35 44 .443 34 45 .430

1.5 5.5 9.5 10.5

American League Eastern Division NY Yankees Boston Tampa Bay Toronto Baltimore

W 45 45 44 39 35

L 31 32 34 39 40

PCT .592 .584 .564 .500 .467

Central Division Detroit 42 36 .538 Cleveland 40 36 .526 Chicago W Sox 38 41 .481 Kansas City 33 45 .423 Minnesota 32 44 .421 Texas Seattle LA Angels Oakland

Western Division 41 38 .519 39 39 .500 39 40 .494 35 44 .443

GB 0.5 2 7 9.5 1 4.5 9 9 1.5 2 6

TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

S P ORT S

Huston bags first Champions Tour event ENDICOTT: John Huston shot a 7-under 65 to win his first Champions Tour event Sunday, taking advantage of three straight bogeys by Mark Wiebe to capture the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.

Huston finished at 16-under 200 in his third Champions Tour start since turning 50 on June 1, earning a three-shot victory over Nick Price, who had a 66. Wiebe was another shot back after a 71.

Wiebe won two weeks ago at Rock Barn and began the day with a two-shot lead over Huston, but his string of bogey-free holes stopped at 75 when he bogeyed Nos. 12-14 to drop out of the lead.

Wiebe rallied with two straight birdies and almost had another at 17. Huston also birdied No. 16 and sealed the victory after hitting his tee shot at the par-3 17th to within a foot of the pin.

An errant drive at the par-4 closing hole brought a smile to Huston’s face after it bounced just past the water hazard that lines the left side of the fairway and left him with a nice lie.

Local favorite Joey Sindelar (68) finished at 11 under tied with Jim Gallagher Jr. (65). Peter Senior (67), Ted Schulz (68), Jay Don Blake (70) and Peter Jacobsen (68) finished at 10 under and tied for sixth.

The bogey at 12, statistically the easiest hole at the short, tree-lined En-Joie Golf Club course, was devastating for Wiebe.

Huston birdied two of the three holes that Wiebe bogeyed to vault from a two-shot deficit to a twoshot lead over the hard-charging Price, who closed to within one with a short birdie putt at the difficult 15th. Huston nearly gave it away when his drive at 15 sailed right next to a cart path.

But he saved par with a long two putt after his second shot barely made the green, coming perilously close to the massive water hazard that guards the hole. Seconds later, Wiebe sank a 30-foot birdie putt that broke 4 feet on its way to the hole and continued a late rally with a 12-foot birdie at the par-4 16th hole. Huston, who caught a break at 16 when his drive hit a spectator standing next to the green, responded with a 5-foot birdie to hold his two-shot lead. Sindelar, who won twice at En-Joie in the 1980s when it played host to the old B.C. Open on the PGA Tour, missed a terrific chance to move closer to the lead. He hit his second shot inside 5 feet at 16 but pulled his birdie try just right.

Somebody had to go real low to have a chance to

overtake Wiebe, who took a stretch of 64 holes without a bogey into the round, and Jim Rutledge quickly showed the course would be very giving on a calm, overcast day. Rutledge reeled off five birdies on his first five holes to reach 9 under before Wiebe even teed off.

Wiebe leads the Champions Tour in putting average, but he didn’t work any magic with it on the front nine where he had just one birdie — a putt inside 2 feet at No. 2 — as he tried to protect his two-shot lead.Huston consistently outdrove the 53year-old Wiebe, and Huston’s aggressiveness paid off with four birdies on the front side, including two at the three par-5s. He hit his second shot at the 553yard eighth hole to the back fringe of the green, watched his eagle chip stop well short of the hole but still made birdie. That offset a bad bogey at the par-3 seventh hole, when Huston three-putted from the far right corner, and he tied Wiebe at 12 under with a 9-foot birdie putt at No. 9. The final threesome made the turn with Senior, Jacobsen, Sindelar, and Price lurking just one shot behind.

Unfazed, Wiebe rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt at No. 10 and a 12-foot birdie at the 11th hole to regain

that two-shot cushion over Huston, then gave it right back at 12. Huston then rolled in a 3-foot birdie putt to tie Wiebe at 13 under.

Price also birdied No. 12 to extend his birdie streak to four and move within a shot of the lead, and Sindelar missed a chance to tie for the lead when his eagle putt at the hole lipped out.

Rutledge stayed within striking distance until a bogey at No. 14 and a double bogey at the difficult par-4 15th hole dropped him to 6 under.

Back surgery limited Jacobsen to only 14 events last year, rotator cuff surgery on his left shoulder in 2009 relegated him to a spectator until June, and the previous year he had his right knee replaced. Still, he found some of that old magic on Sunday, making six birdies for his first top 10 since 2007 at Pebble Beach.

Divots: Hale Irwin (67) finished at 9 under and tied for 10th, the 203rd top-10 of his Champions Tour career. ... Huston hit 17 of 18 greens and 10 of 14 fairways ... Price’s second-place finish allowed him to gain ground on Schwab Cup leader Tom Lehman, who finished tied for 15th. Lehman has 1,494 points, Price is at 1,053, and Tom Watson is third at 850. — AP

Tseng dominates LPGA

ITALY: The New Zealand team celebrate at the end of the Rugby Junior World Championship final match against England in Padova. New Zealand won 33-22. —AP

NZ win junior world rugby title PADOVA: New Zealand won a fourth successive junior world rugby championship after beating England 33-22 in a thrilling final on Sunday.

The Baby Blacks have won 20 consecutive matches and never lost in the under-20 tournament’s short history. Both sides scored three tries, but flyhalf Gareth Anscombe converted all of New Zealand’s and kicked four penalties in a perfect goalkicking effort to lead his side past England for the third time in the final.

England, the Six Nations Grand Slam winner, dominated the first quarter and scored the first try, but New Zealand rallied to lead 23-10 soon after halftime. England closed to within 23-22 near the hour, but New Zealand’s defense tightened and fullback Beauden Barrett’s 74th-minute try secured the title.

Winger Christian Wade, despite stepping in touch, opened England’s account with the first of his pair in the left corner, then New Zealand had a try disallowed for stepping out following a video replay of winger Mitchell Scott’s effort at the opposite end. After Anscombe’s first penalty,

New Zealand went ahead in the 26th when it took advantage of an England injury with a quick throw-in and breakout from its 22, finishing with hooker Codie Taylor running in winger Charles Piutau.

Anscombe kicked another penalty from almost halfway, and just before the break, the New Zealand for wards bashed England’s in a series of rucks to power over prop Ben Tameifuna.

Another Anscombe long-range penalty after halftime made it 23-10, sparking England’s comeback. An overlap gave prop Henry Thomas a try, then Wade chased a grubber kick from Owen Farrell, dribbled it into the in-goal and twisted to touch down one-handed for his tournament-best seventh try. Flyhalf George Ford missed the conversion to put England in front, but Anscombe didn’t miss his fourth penalty shot moments later.

The result was certain after center Limo Sopoaga’s chip ahead was scooped by Piutau, who offloaded to Barrett, who kicked it on and beat Ford to the ball.

Anscombe converted and was named man of the match. — AP

Sugar Ray finally able to let down his guard LAS VEGAS: His epic fight with Thomas Hearns was 30 years ago this September, which brings back some sweet memories for Sugar Ray Leonard.

“Without question my most defining moment, period,” Leonard said. “That fight told me there is a reservoir of strength we all possess but very few can activate. I activated that thing and pulled it out. It was all heart and determination.” There’s another upcoming anniversary just as important to Leonard. The anniversary of his biggest fight ever. Come July 4 he will

Sugar Ray Leonard seen in this file photo have been clean and sober for five years.

“My way was drinking and cocaine, which I did a lot,” Leonard said. “Even a lot is not the right word to describe how much I consumed.” A lot would be $250,000 spent on cocaine — which Leonard would refer to as his “medicine” — in one year alone. A lot would be the nights when one triple Absolut vodka and cranberry juice after another would be consumed until the memory of the evening was erased from his mind. It’s all detailed in his new autobiography written with

Michael Arkush, a book as candid as any you’ll ever read from a former athlete. He even tells of being sexually abused by a coach while in the amateurs, something that has haunted him all his life and part of the reason he turned to alcohol and drugs. He did it to sell books, yes. But it was also part therapy, baring his soul to help with a long and painful recovery.

Leonard does tell some good tales of his big fights, particularly his 1987 bout with Marvin Hagler. But there are more stories of the relentless pursuit of drugs, alcohol and women that tore apart his family and nearly ruined his life.

“I couldn’t do it halfway,” Leonard said.

“If I don’t reveal these things at some point it’s going to catch up with me and nail me. I knew all hell would break loose because it’s controversial, it’s crazy, it’s deep. But I had to say it, had to get it off my chest. I’ve suppressed this for over 30 years now.” To understand how tormented Leonard was, it’s important to remember him in his prime.

He was supposed to be the next Muhammad Ali, a welterweight with fast hands and smooth feet who shot to stardom after winning a gold medal in the 1976 Olympics. In many ways he tried to emulate Ali, and his charismatic smile brought him into America’s living room selling 7-Up alongside his equally charming son, Ray Jr. He brawled with the great Roberto Duran and lost, only to come back and beat him in the infamous “no mas” fight. He took on Hearns when nobody in their right mind wanted to fight the fearsome slugger, and he came back to beat Hagler in a fight he was never supposed to win. I found the Hagler stuff quite intriguing, as I’m sure Hagler might, too, should he choose to read a book written by a man he still believes stole the decision from him. Leonard was coming out of yet another retirement to face him in a middleweight title fight at Caesars Palace, and his plan all through training camp was to slug it out with the stronger Hagler. —AP

PITTSFORD: Yani Tseng has become the youngest player to claim four LPGA Tour majors, underlining her recent domination of the women’s tour by winning the LPGA Championship with a record-equaling low score at a major on Sunday.

The 22-year-old Tseng closed with a 6-under 66 to win by 10 strokes, finishing at at 19-under 269 at Locust Hill Country Club. Her triumph came a year after Cristie Kerr shot the same score to win the tournament by 12 strokes.

Dottie Pepper (1999 Kraft Nabisco) and Karen Stupples (2004 Women’s British Open) also finished at 19 under. In terms of majors, the topranked Tseng beat the mark set by Se Ri Pak, who was 24 when she won her fourth major. For the Taiwan star, it was her eighth career LPGA Tour victory, second in a row and third of the season.

She has three other victories this year, sweeping the Australian Open and Masters and winning in Taiwan. Morgan Pressel (71) finished second. Kerr (69), Suzann Pettersen (67) and Paula Creamer (69) were equal third at 8 under.

Tseng wasn’t satisfied with merely winning the LPGA Championship, though. Once she made the turn with a 10-stroke lead Sunday, she set her sights on making a little more history.

“I was like, ‘what’s a new goal for me?”‘ Tseng said. “And that’s why I told myself I wanted to set a record, to make 20 under.” She missed by one stroke in what was the only minor blemish.

“It’s very special,” Tseng said. “Now I’m thinking about a grand slam.” It’s one step at a time for the top-ranked Tseng, who won her second LPGA Championship and has won three of the tour’s last six majors. The only major she’s missing is the US Women’s Open title, which she’ll have an opportunity to complete her career slam in two weeks at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo.

“Pretty unbelievable,” said Kerr, who rallied late with a birdie on No. 16 and an eagle on 17.

“Yani’s doing what I did last year. Obviously, it’s hard to beat. I’m not surprised. Yani’s a great player.” Pressel initially thought she’d have an outside chance to catch Tseng before the final round began.

Pressel dropped that hope once she dropped a shot with a bogey on No. 2. “It’s definitely a dominating performance,” Pressel said. “She didn’t make many mistakes out there.” Wearing a smile for much of the day, Tseng raised her arms and tipped her hat as she was greeted by the gallery upon arriving at the 18th green.

In winning her second LPGA Championship, she moved into joint 15th among women with four majors, joining a group of six others, including Laura Davies and Meg Mallon. By comparison, Annika Sorenstam was 24 when she won the first of her 10 majors — the 1995 US Women’s Open. Patty Berg was 23 when she won her fourth major in 1941, but before the LPGA was formed in 1950. Tseng’s also ahead of Tiger Woods, who didn’t win his first major until he was 24.

Men or women, Tseng’s performance drew comparisons to Rory McIlroy, given that the upand-coming Northern Irish star is also 22 and won last week’s US Open by eight strokes. Tseng went start to finish as the tournament leader

PITTSFORD: Yani Tseng, of Taiwan, kisses her trophy after winning the Wegmans LPGA Championship golf tournament. — AP after opening with rounds of 66, 70 and 67. In 20 under, but missed a 12-foot birdie putt on No. holding one-shot leads after each of the first two 18. Tseng finished with 27 birdies, six bogeys rounds, Tseng began running away from the and a double bogey. She hit 38 of 56 fairways field on Saturday as she built a five-shot edge. and 57 of 72 greens in regulation.

No one else was close. Tseng’s playing partIt’s a lead she doubled by the time she made the ner, Cindy LaCrosse, unraveled. She was 5 over turn Sunday.

The only hiccup for Tseng came on the open- on Sunday to tumble into 14th.

Pettersen had the best round among those at ing hole. She pulled her tee shot into the left rough, appearing to be bothered by the click of the top of the leaderboard, getting to 9 under a shutter of a photographer standing behind for the tournament before a bogey on No. 18.

Tseng’s first LPGA Championship came durher. Then Tseng had to wait five minutes to stew over her ball as Pressel sought a ruling from an ing her rookie-of-the-year season in 2008, when official to move her ball because a sprinkler was the event was played at Bulle Rock in Maryland.

She’s won three of the past six majors after takaffecting her stance just off the first green.

Tseng landed her second shot just outside ing the Kraft Nabisco and Women’s British Open the ropes in the gallery and, with the rattling last year.

Missing only a US Open title victory, Tseng noise of a freight train nearby, she settled for a will have an opportunity to complete her career bogey 5.

With that out of the way, Tseng proceeded to slam in two weeks at Colorado Springs, burn up the course, starting at No. 2, where she Colorado.

Sarah Kemp shot even-par 72 in a round that landed her approach shot to within two feet of the pin. That began a run of Tseng scoring featured her acing the 161-yard No. 5. It was the birdies on five of her next seven holes. Tseng 14th hole-in-one in the Rochester tournament’s added three more birdies on the back nine, 35-year history, and first since Soo-Yun Kang did while bogeying 13. She had a chance to get to it on No. 7 in 2008. — AP

Jacobson wins Travelers for first PGA Tour title

CROMWELL: Frederik Jacobson, of Sweden, celebrates with his trophy after winning the Travelers Championship golf tournament. —AP

CROMWELL: Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson captured his maiden PGA Tour victory with a win at the Travelers Championship on Sunday following four stunning rounds of near-flawless golf. Jacobson, whose bogey at 10 on Sunday was the only blemish on his scorecard all week, fired a four-under-par 66 that moved him to a 20-under total of 260, one shot ahead of Americans Ryan Moore and John Rollins.

“It feels unbelievable and it’s a been a long time,” said Jacobson. “I feel I’ve been getting closer and closer so it’s really nice to pull this one off.” The 36-year-old Swede, who won three times on the European Tour in 2003 and nowhere since, started the day with a one-shot lead after firing a seven-under 63 on Saturday.

Moore stormed into contention with a blistering start that included five birdies on his first seven holes and he became Jacobson’s biggest threat. The two were tied at 20-under for the tournament after the American carded consecutive birdies at the short par-four 15th and par-three 16th.

But Moore, playing one group ahead of Jacobson, missed a four-footer for par at the 18th while Jacobson was on the tee.

“That 18th hole is going to sting a little bit,” said Moore. “Just put it in a bad place off the tee and maybe a little too aggressive with my second shot. Honestly, hit a pretty darn good bunker shot, almost made it. Hit my first bad

putt of the day. It was just a pretty simple left center putt and I pushed it right.”

Jacobson then got a huge break as his tee shot on the final hole appeared to be headed for a bunker but kicked off a bank and landed in the fair way. He landed his approach to about 13 feet and then two-putted for the win and $1.08 million. His bid to become the first player since Lee Trevino in 1974 to play a bogey-free 72 holes and win on the PGA Tour ended when he failed to recover after sending his approach shot at the par-four 10th right of the green.

“I caught a mud ball there on the right side and hit a good strike and you just got to accept those, with a long iron it can take off sideways,” said Jacobson, who got his first win in 187 PGA Tour starts. “So I got challenged but I dealt with it nicely and kept playing well.”

Rollins, who started the final round four shots off the lead, returned a seven-under-par 63, including five birdies on the back nine.

“I played good all day and did all I could,” said Rollins. “Today I stayed in the moment.

I kept plugging along and stayed with what I was doing and managed to get in a good round.” American Michael Thompson finished alone in fourth after a blistering eightu n d e r - p a r 6 2 t h a t w a s t h e d a y ’s l o we s t round and included nine birdies over his final 15 holes. —Reuters

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TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

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India aim for series victory, and history BRIDGETOWN: India are looking to wrap up their second straight Test series victory over West Indies in the Caribbean, when the second Test begins at Kensington Oval here today.

The Indians hold a 1-0 lead in the three Test series, following a 63-run victory inside four days in the first Test at Sabina Park in Jamaica.

The visitors also looked set to create a piece of history by becoming the first Indian team to win a Test and One -day International series in the Caribbean — but India will also have to rail against their history at the ground to accomplish that feat here.

The World No.1 side have an unflattering record at the ground, locally referred to as ‘the Mecca of Caribbean cricket’. India have lost their last five Tests since they drew with Garfield Sobers’ side in 1971, and have hardly pushed West Indies in the seven Tests they have played at this venue over the years.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s team still have cause for optimism though - following a 10wicket defeat for Sourav Ganguly’s side nine years ago, West Indies have lost six of the eight Tests they have played at this venue.

The current state-of-play between the two sides means that the Indians have an excellent opportunity to jettison the failures

of past Indian teams here.

The visitors enter the contest with few or no problems, after their bowlers covered well for them in the first match, when the batting could only post par totals of 246 and 252.

India’s major concern would be deciding on the final bowling attack, whether to keep leg-spinner Amit Mishra, or swap him for fitagain medium-fast bowler Munaf Patel on what is likely to be a lively pitch.

They may also opt to boost the top of their batting, replacing one of the openers with Parthiv Patel, hoping for a little more stability than they had in the Jamaica capital of Kingston. Purposeful bowling was

West Indies’ strength in the first Test, but solid batting will be the key to them avoiding another defeat.

The problem has been inflated by the simultaneous lack of form for the experienced pair of Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan, as well as the unresolved dispute between Chris Gayle and the West Indies Cricket Board, which has robbed the batting of a more competitive edge.

West Indies’ answer to the crisis has been to invite world-famous sports psychologist Rudi Webster to help cultivate a greater mental toughness for the players, but this is only a stop-gap measure, since he’ll only be

working with them for the duration of the Test. They have also replaced vice captain Brendan Nash with Kirk Edwards, but the hometown boy is not expected to play.

Instead, Marlon Samuels will get another chance to prove his value to the team, after he was overlooked for the previous Test in his homeland.

There have been suggestions that West Indies shorten their batting to include fast bowler Kemar Roach, giving the attack a stiffer look, and hoping to put India’s batting under further pressure.

But this is hardly likely to occur, except there is a guarantee that the conditions would highly favour the faster bowlers

Fever hang on to edge Lynx MINNEAPOLIS: Katie Douglas scored the go-ahead basket with just over a minute to play and the Indiana Fever clung on for a 78-75 win over the Minnesota Lynx in the WNBA on Sunday.

Minnesota held a six-point lead in the fourth quarter, but Douglas and Tamika Catchings hit 3s on back-toback possessions to tie the game with 5:37 left.

The teams traded baskets until Douglas hit a running jump shot from the free-throw line to put Indiana on top 75-73 with 1:06 to go. She also hit one of two free throws to build the Fever lead to three with 20 seconds left.

Douglas finished with 22 points and Catchings had 17. Maya Moore led the Lynx with 21 points.

EAST RUTHERFORD: New Jersey Nets draft picks Marshon Brooks (left) Jordan Williams, and Bojan Bogdanovic (right) pose with their jerseys during an introductory NBA basketball news conference. —AP

Inglorious outrun boys at the Queen’s Plate TORONTO: Inglorious and trainer Josie Carroll came through on Ladies Day at the 152nd the Queen’s Plate as the filly staged a dramatic late charge to capture the first jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown on Sunday.

The flying filly, under urging from Mexican jockey Luis Contreras, corralled 60-1 long shot Hippolytus over the final stretch of the 1 1/4 mile test then ran away from the 17-horse field to win North America’s oldest continually run stakes race by a comfortable two lengths.

Girl power ruled at Woodbine racetrack as Inglorious outran the boys to become just the sixth filly since 1956 to capture Canada’s most prestigious thoroughbred race and gave trainer Josie Carroll her second Plate win.

Carroll had already cemented her place in the Queen’s Plate record books having become the first female trainer to win the race in 2006 with Edenwold.

“You can’t compare them, they are both wonder ful in their own way,” Carroll told reporters. “It’s a wonderful thing to win the Queen’s Plate; filly, colt it’s what we aspire to. “It’s very special (today) but you never forget your first either.”

The second favorite, the filly had plenty of support paying out C$11.00 ($11.11), C$6.40 and C$4.70 as the Queen’s Plate had a record C$2.9 mil-

lion bet on the race. Hippolytus held on to take second with Pender Harbor finishing third.

Check Your Soul, the heavy favourite, never worked into contention and denied trainer Roger Attfield a record ninth Queen’s Plate win. Inglorious was content to spend much of the race near the back of the field but when Contreras asked the filly to go, she responded in style.

“When I asked her, she exploded,” said Contreras, who was riding in his first Plate. “I was waiting for the quarter pole to ask for the filly and she comes.

“She was relaxed all the way. She was waiting for me to ask ... She’s more than amazing. That is a very smart filly.”

The second jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown, The Prince of Wales Stakes, is set for July 17 at Fort Erie Race Track followed by the third leg the Breeders’ Stakes on Aug. 7 on the turf at Woodbine.

“Luis positioned her very well ... she relaxed very well for him and when he started to make his move and I saw her accelerate I knew we had we had a big, big chance,” said Carroll. “You could see her start to respond and I knew that was just her first gear.

“As far as the next move, I think we enjoy the moment and see how the filly comes out of it and let her tell us what we’re going to do.” —Reuters

Haye promises ‘brutal execution’ of Klitschko HAMBURG: WBA champion David Haye is promising a “brutal execution” of Wladimir Klitschko in their heavyweight fight on Saturday.

Calling the IBF and WBO champion a “robot” who is stuck in “his rigid ways,” Haye said he was in the best shape of his life and vowed to send the younger Klitschko brother to hospital in their highly anticipated fight in Hamburg’s football stadium.

“You are going to see the most brutal execution of a boxer, I will absolutely destroy him,” Haye said yesterday. Speaking at the same news conference, Klitschko said he respects Haye as a fighter but not as a person. “You have a certain attitude that is not so good for your life inside and outside the ring,” the Ukrainian IBF and WBO champion said.

Klitschko (55-3, 49 KOs) promised to make Haye eat the T-shirt the Briton once wore depicting the image of himself holding the severed heads of the Klitschko brothers. Vitali, the elder brother, is the WBC champion.

Haye kept the news conference waiting for about 45 minutes before appearing in sun glasses and a T-shir t promising a KO in Saturday’s fight, which had been 2 1/2 years in making.

“Be on time, princess,” Klitschko

admonished Haye. Klitschko questioned why Haye would not shake his hand. Haye said he would do it when he visits Klitschko in hospital after the fight.

The Ukrainian also wondered why Haye did not like to share a room with him. “Look in the mirror,” Haye quipped. Klitschko acknowledged that Haye looked superbly fit and confident.

“I am going to get challenged in the ring,” Klitschko said, while expressing no doubt that he would be the winner, even promising to punish Haye for 12 rounds before knocking him out toward the end.

Haye depicted Klitschko as a one-dimensional fighter. “Wladimir is in great shape, is mentally prepared and has viewed all the tapes on me. But come fight night you will see something completely different and it will be great to watch this robot malfunction,” said Haye, who is 25-1 with 23 knockouts.

“I am ready to do what I always promised I would do. I am healthy, the speed is ridiculous, the punch power is there. I am in a really good place.

“I am so happy the fight is happening now and not a couple of years ago as I am a much better fighter now,” Haye said “He is stuck in his rigid ways and has been since the amateurs.”—AP

Silver Stars 92, Dream 86 In Atlanta, surging San Antonio beat Atlanta to improve to its best start in team history. Jia Perkins scored 25 points and rookie Danielle Adams added 19 for the Silver Stars, who moved 1-1/2 games clear atop the Western Conference. Coco Miller finished with 19 points for the Dream, who led by seven with 5:02 remaining.

Liberty 77, Sparks 67 In Newark, Cappie Pondexter scored 22 points to lead New York to victory over Los Angeles. Essence Carson had 18 points as the Liberty picked up their first win at Prudential Center, their home for the next three seasons while Madison Square Garden undergoes renovations. Candace Parker scored 16 points for Los Angeles but left the game with a knee injury in the third quarter.

Mystics 83, Shock 63 In Washington, the hosts won their first game in five, cruising past Tulsa.

Crystal Langhorne scored 23 points and Nicky Anosike added 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Mystics, who got their first home win this season and avenged an 18-point loss at Tulsa eight days ago. Liz Cambage scored 15 points for the Shock, which has lost 14 consecutive road games dating to last season. Washington opened the game with nine straight points and never trailed. —AP

Katie Douglas of Indiana Fever in action

Dix’s double sets up showdowns with Bolt EUGENE: Olympic double bronze medallist Walter Dix will have a chance to race Usain Bolt twice in August’s world championships after winning the 200 metres at the American trials on Sunday.

The victory, in a wind-assisted 19.95 seconds, completed a sprint double for Dix, who won bronze medals in the 100 and 200 metres at the 2008 Olympics where Jamaican Bolt swept to world records in both.

“I can’t really see myself losing,” Dix said of the upcoming world championships in Daegu, South Korea. “Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell, whoever is there I am going to give them a good shot,” Dix said. “I am confident I can win the gold after what I did today.”

Dix, who won the US 100m title on Friday, became the first to claim both national championships since Tyson Gay in 2007. The wins came with little speed training, Dix said, and he promised to run faster

as the season progresses.

“To come out here and run under 10 seconds (in the 100) and under 20 in the 200 is truly a blessing,” he added. Doc Patton was a close second in 19.98 with Jeremy Dodson claiming the third spot on the U.S. team for the world championships.

Shalonda Solomon ran down favourite Carmelita Jeter for a shock victory in the women’s 200m. Solomon finished in 22.15 seconds, the year’s fastest time, to defeat US 100 metres champion Jeter by eight hundredths of a second. Jeneba Tarmoh took third in 22.28.

“I know if I can run with Carmelita, I can run with anybody,” said Solomon. World 400 metres champion Sanya Richards-Ross finished seventh, ending her chances of running a 200-400 double at the world championships.

Three other 2011 world-leading performances came on the sun-splashed conclud-

EUGENE: Kellie Wells (right) reacts after winning the women’s 100 hurdles as Dawn Harper (left) falls to the track, during US Track and Field Championships. —AP

ing day of the trials. Kellie Wells topped a world-class 100 metres hurdles field in 12.50 seconds, outrunning Danielle Carruthers and Olympic champion Dawn Harper. Carruthers finished in 12.59 with Harper clocking 12.65.

Lolo Jones’s run of bad luck continued when she failed to advance past the semifinals after a poor start and then hitting arms with competitors.

The US demonstrated its jump power with both world long jump champion Brittney Reese and high jumper Jesse Williams delivering 2011 bests.

Reese became the year’s first women’s longer jumper to exceed seven metres as she leaped 7.19.

Williams soared to a lifetime best on his final try at 2.37 metres. Only two Americans have ever jumped higher outdoors.

Adam Nelson, the 2005 world shot put champion, came close to another season leader with a heave of 22.09 metres to pace a powerhouse US team for the event.

Olympic silver medallist and reigning world champion Christian Cantwell took second at 21.87 metres while 2007 world champion Reese Hoffa threw 21.86m to complete the team.

Olympic silver medallist Jenn Suhr had a streak of five US championships snapped when she finished second to Kylie Hutson in the women’s pole vault.

Another 2008 silver medallist, Hyleas Fountain, finished sixth in the heptathlon after suffering from food poisoning. Her world championship status remained up in the air. In the men’s 400 hurdles, a leaning, stumbling Jeshua Anderson won a blanket finish.

The extra effort gave the US collegiate champion the victory over Olympic bronze medallist Bershawn Jackson. Both were timed in 47.93 seconds. Twice Olympic champion Angelo Taylor claimed the third US team spot in 47.94.

“Leaning is my trademark,” Anderson said. “I was praying and I looked up at the scoreboard and saw my name. It was a big moment for me.” —Reuters

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Victorious Vettel lets others do the maths VALENCIA: Sebastian Vettel could go and lie on a tropical beach from now to the end of August then return rested, tanned and still in the lead of the Formula One world championship.

Even if the Red Bull driver fails to score a point in the next three races, his European Grand Prix victory in Valencia on Sunday meant he is sure to be leading the standings at least until the Belgian Grand Prix at SpaFrancorchamps on Aug. 28.

The world champion’s sixth win in eight races left him with a 77 point lead over McLaren’s Jenson Button and his own team mate Mark Webber with 11 rounds remaining.

That posed an immediate mathematical challenge for those in the

paddock gloomily calculating when the 23-year-old German might mathematically clinch his second successive title at the current rate of progress.

Singapore at the end of September, with five races to spare, looks within the realms of possibility. Vettel was not about to do any sums himself, however.

“I wasn’t good in maths. I liked maths but...no, it’s good to know that obviously we are in the lead, by how many points I don’t really care,” he said at the post-race news conference.

“People tell me often enough so I don’t need to check. “To be honest, I don’t look at the scoreboard much,”

he continued.

“I think you always need to take last year as an example. It shows we had good races last year up to a certain point where things went wrong and we lost a lot of points, not necessarily making big mistakes but losing out, losing points.”

Vettel won the title by winning the season-ending Abu Dhabi race after the championship had gone down to the wire with four drivers still mathematically in with a chance.

He had not led the championship at any point until then, with Webber in a better points position and both McLaren and Ferrari drivers taking their turns at the top.

Vettel had also failed to score in

Australia, Turkey, Belgium and South Korea before winning the last two races of the year.

“If you look at Formula One and you compare it to other sports, it’s a very, very long season,” said Vettel, even if the current championship is now reduced to 19 races after Bahrain was cancelled.

“We have a lot of races and there are so many things that can happen, and surely you will have some races where everything will work, but you will have races where you will struggle, where it will be difficult, where you have conditions like Canada or things not going your way.

“It’s not necessarily mistakes but it just doesn’t go your way,” he added.

Vettel’s only real mistake of the season so far was in Montreal where he slipped wide while leading on the final lap with Button piling on the pressure and roaring past to win after being in last place at one point.

The German was dominant on Sunday after nailing his seventh pole of the year and, even, if some stifled a yawn, he was thrilled with the afternoon.

“If we have a chance to win then we have to take it,” he said. “If the day comes and we might struggle and not be competitive enough and the car is only maybe good enough for third then we have to finish third and not seventh.” That day, as he added immediately, is still a long way off. —Reuters

Fans riot as River Plate are relegated

SPAIN: Red Bull’s F1 driver driver Mark Webber of Australia (right) shake hands with Ferrari’s F1 driver Fernando Alonso of Spain in this file photo. —AP

Webber picking up pace VALENCIA: Mark Webber has sent out a warning to Red Bull’s rivals that he is getting back up to speed after putting in his strongest performance of the year at Red Bull’s weakest track.

The Australian may have finished only third in Sunday’s European Grand Prix but team principal Christian Horner was smiling afterwards.

“It was Mark’s best race of the season in terms of his performance on those tyres,” he told reporters. “It’s the closest he has been to Sebastian all season. He drove well this weekend.”

Red Bull’s Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel won in Valencia, chalking up his sixth victory in eight races so far, and is now a massive 77 points clear of Webber and McLaren’s Jenson Button.

Button and his team mate Lewis Hamilton are the only drivers to have beaten Vettel this campaign with Webber struggling to match the 23year-old’s pace on the new Pirelli tyres introduced this year.

A championship leader and contender down to the final race of 2010, Webber has not won a race since Hungary last August.

Valencia, a circuit where the Australian crashed spectacularly last year, suggested Webber was getting on top of the tyre problems and could put Vettel under more pressure in future.

“I hope so,” said Horner. “I hope he keeps building up the momentum from this weekend. “He’s made no secret of the fact he’s struggled more on these tyres than Sebastian. I think he’s understanding them better now.

“If you look at the time difference between the guys during the race he was never more than four or five seconds away for 90 percent of the race, which is the best we’ve seen all year,” added Horner.

“He’ll take a lot of confidence out of

the weekend.” The next race up is Silverstone in two weeks time, a race Webber won last year after complaining that Vettel was being favoured by the team.

There have been no such public complaints so far this year and Webber, who has had one pole position this year to Vettel’s seven, will be hoping to be even more on his team mate’s tail.

“It was the closest I have been for a while,” he said of Sunday. “In qualifying in Canada it was very close between us with the KERS situation but racing is when it counts. But I think I am getting better.

“I learnt a lot today. I was happy with my performance and I will come back better for the next race. “I think this is probably our weakest track of the year, maybe, so we didn’t do too badly,” he grinned even if for many it was also the dullest race of the season.

“We have a different regulation from Silverstone onwards and we expect that we can still be pretty competitive again.

If we can keep Valencia as one of our weakest, definitely our top three weakest tracks,... we should go OK on the other ones.”

Formula One’s governing body is clamping down on teams’ use of engine electronics to control the flow of exhaust gases and give a performance advantage even when a driver lifts off the throttle.

Some rivals had hoped Red Bull would be hit more than others but Valencia suggested that would be far from the case.

“Historically we prefer tracks with high speed corners so Silverstone coming up should be a good one for us,” said Vettel.

“Now the rules change slightly. It’s the same for everyone, so if we are not allowed to do that anymore, its (the same for) the others as well.” —Reuters

BUENOS AIRES: Argentina’s River Plate, one of the world’s biggest clubs, suffered the humiliation of relegation for the first time in their 110-year history on Sunday amid violent scenes and the closure of their Monumental stadium.

Rioting “Barrabrava” hooligans caused mayhem inside and outside the giant stadium after a 1-1 draw with Belgrano in the second leg of a relegation-playoff condemned the 33times Argentine champions to Nacional B division for next season.

The violence from the fans throwing metal bars and stones left 25 people, including six police officers, injured, with one badly hurt after being hit by a car.

A major avenue nearby looked like a war zone with bonfires blazing, shops windows smashed and stores looted. A city prosecutor ordered the temporary closure of the stadium-exactly four weeks before it is due to stage the final of the Copa America-for an investigation into policing and possible illegal sale of extra tickets.

“We will be looking for proof that more fans got in than is authorised,” prosecutor Gustavo Galante told America television, adding the limit allowed by the government for the Monumental is just over 40,000.

Observers estimated the crowd at some 60,000.

Galante said his office had asked for the match to be played behind closed doors after an invasion of the pitch by River fans in Cordoba that interrupted the first leg for 20 minutes.

Players of both sides had to leave the Monumental pitch under the protection of stewards while police used high power hoses and tear gas to try to disperse the rioting fans.

Belgrano were later able to celebrate promotion with the few hundred visiting fans, who, for their safety, were kept in their sector of the stands nearly three hours after the final whistle.

Trailing 2-0 after the first leg, River were hoping for a handsome victory to save them from relegation on the 15th anniversary of their second Libertadores Cup title.

They went ahead in the sixth minute when striker Mariano Pavone controlled on the edge of the box, swivelled and shot low into the corner past diving keeper Juan Carlos Olave. Midfielder Guillermo Farre stunned the crowd when he equalised just past the hour, however, blasting the loose ball past a stranded goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo after a blunder in the River defence.

Olave then sealed River’s fate, and his team’s 3-1 aggregate victory, with a penalty save from Pavone after a push on fellow striker Leandro Caruso.

Referee Sergio Pezzotta was the butt of criticism from River fans for turning down

BUENOS AIRES: A River Plate soccer fan watches an Argentine demotion playoff soccer game against Belgrano in Buenos Aires. Legendary club River Plate has been relegated to the Argentine second division for the first time in its 110-year history. —AP

BUENOS AIRES: River Plate fans react at the end of an Argentine demotion playoff soccer game against Belgrano in Buenos Aires. —AP appeals for a penalty in the first half for what looked like a blatant foul on Caruso.

Former defender Jorge Higuain told Radio Continental that River made a huge mistake 10 years ago in sacking a key figure in their successful youth scheme, Brazilian Delem who played as a forward for the club in the 1960s.

“It went downhill after they got rid of Delem,” said Higuain, father of Real Madrid and Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain, who was the last top quality player to emerge from

River’s junior ranks in 2004.

River, noted for the quality of their football and the players they produced-like former European Footballers of the Year Alfredo di Stefano and Omar Sivori-are paying for a poor 2008/09 campaign, which contributed to their low three-season points average by which relegation is measured.

Their relegation, which comes at the end of a run of nine matches without a win, leaves them facing huge financial losses when they already have massive debts. —Reuters

Nani has no plans to quit United Corinthians crush Sao Paulo RIO DE JANEIRO: Corinthians ended Sao Paulo’s perfect start to the Brazilian championship with a crushing 5-0 victory on Sunday.

Sao Paulo, who had won their first five matches, conceded all the goals in the second half after defender Carlinhos Paraiba was sent off just minutes before halftime for a second booking.

It was their worst ever defeat against their arch-rivals in Brazilian championship matches and narrowed their lead in the standings to two points over Corinthians, who have a game in hand.

Midfielder Danilo opened the scoring in the 46th minute, former Portugal striker Liedson notched a hat-trick and his fellow forward Jorge Henrique completed the rout by beating goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni with a free kick.

Sao Paulo have 15 points, Corinthians 13 and Palmeiras, the third team from the city of Sao Paulo, 11 after a 2-0 loss at Ceara.

The leaders, who have bet on youth

this season, are already without midfielder Lucas, who is in Argentina with Brazil preparing for the Copa America in July, and will also lose four young players picked for the under-20 World Cup in Colombia from July 29 to Aug. 20. “This brought us back down to earth. It was a good lesson,” Sao Paulo striker Dagoberto told reporters as he left the pitch.

Corinthians and Flamengo are the only unbeaten teams after the side from Rio ended a run of four draws with a 4-1 home win over Atletico Mineiro with a brilliant goal from Ronaldinho on Saturday.

The former FIFA world player of the year, blamed for Flamengo’s recent indifferent form, hit a superb 67thminute equaliser into the top corner after midfielder Dudu Cearense had headed the visitors into the lead.

Ronaldinho, booed off after last weekend’s 0-0 draw with Botafogo, had his name chanted by the fans.

Midfielder Thiago Neves also scored and striker Deivid scored hit a brace in the last five minutes. —Reuters

SINGAPORE: Manchester United winger Nani has no plans to quit the English champions following the signing of Ashley Young last week, telling Reuters yesterday he welcomed the competition for a place in the starting lineup at Old Trafford.

Nani had been linked with a move away from Old Trafford by British media andadmitted that watching games from the bench was “boring” but the Portuguese said he was looking forward to meeting his new team mate.

“Of course I have to welcome everyone they sign, I think Man United is a fantastic club. When they bring in new players, they know if it is good for the team or not, and this (Young signing) has to help them,” Nani said in the suite of his hotel in Singapore. “It is good for the team, we want more (players) to help us to win trophies.”

The 24-year-old explained that his experiences competing with the world’s most expensive player, Cristiano Ronaldo, for a place in the Portugal lineup and previously in the United first team meant he was not concerned by the prospect of reduced appearances following

Young’s arrival.

“I’ve been there (at United) when Cristiano was there, Cristiano was one of the best players in the world.

At that moment (I had no) worries about him (taking my place),” Nani said of his prolific countryman, who joined Real Madrid in 2009.

The Portuguese began last season in scintillating form before tailing off and losing his place in the side to Antonio Valencia for the 3-1 defeat by Barcelona in the Champions League final last month.

Former South Korean international Park Ji-sung also started the Wembley final on the flank ahead of Nani. “It was boring because you want to play, everyone wants to play,” Nani said. “The finals are for playing but the manager makes the decision and he knows who is better for the team and I have to respect that.”

He did, however, come on for the last 20 minutes to replace Brazilian defender Fabio and witnessed firsthand the level that United need to reach if they are to lift the European title for a fourth time. “(Barcelona) are the best team,” he said. “They are not unbeatable,

maybe a different game we can beat them, you never know. A game is a game and you never know what is going to happen.”

Nani, relaxing in flip flops and shorts after enjoying a few days rest in Singapore, acknowledged that tiredness may have been a factor in manager Alex Ferguson’s decision to drop him for the final.

“Last season I played more games (in a season) than ever (before) at Man Utd, that’s why maybe in the last games I didn’t look the same as in the first games.

“Now I’m on holiday for some rest, get my power back, at the start of the season I will be fine to start strong again, start to do what I know.”

Nani was also in the southeast Asian city state to help promote the Peter Lim Scholarship scheme for the Singapore Olympic Foundation.

Lim, who failed in his bid to buy United’s arch-rivals Liverpool last year and who owns a number of United supporter bars in Singapore, invited Nani to talk to school children about his difficult upbringing, where money was tight and luxuries unheard of, and the hard work need-

ed to reach the top.

Nani’s desire to return to Manchester for pre-season training appears in contrast to his former United team mate Carlos Tevez.

Last month Manchester City’s Argentine striker Tevez bemoaned life in Manchester and complained of homesickness and poor weather.

The Portuguese said he shared some of Tevez’s thoughts on life in Manchester but that he was not there to enjoy the surroundings.

“I think for football it is the best place to live, if you want to be a very good professional and you want to be successful,” said Nani.

“It’s there where you have to live because there aren’t many distractions, you can always focus on your job and good conditions to work, it’s good.”

Nani said he was also looking forward to Twitter-teasing team mate and England striker Wayne Rooney, who has had a recent hair transplant to counteract baldness.

“I will see and then after I will write something,” he laughed when asked if he would join United captain Rio Ferdinand in poking fun at Rooney. —Reuters

Tseng dominates LPGA

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Fans riot as River Plate are relegated

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India aim for series victory, and history Page 18

Williams sisters sent packing WIMBLEDON: French player Marion Bartoli (right) reacts after beating US player Serena Williams during the women’s single at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. (Inset) Venus Williams in action against Bulgaria’s Tsvetana Pironkova.—AP

Mexico hold England as Japan edge New Zealand FRANKFURT: The women’s World Cup produced wonderful goals and woeful goalkeeping within one summer’s day yesterday, leaving the Mexicans with the widest smile.

A 32-meter blast from Monica Ocampo gave Mexico a 1-1 draw against England for the biggest surprise so far after two days of the tournament.

Earlier, a superb curling free k ick from star player Aya Miyama led Japan to a 2-1 win over New Zealand.

At the same time, the performances by the goalkeepers for Japan and England were such that it seems World Cup host Germany had especially invented a word for it — schadenfreude, or the merriment derived from the misery of others.

But overall, widespread joy remained the prevalent theme in the opening spell of the three-week event, with perfect summer weather splashing sunshine on the pitches to the pleasure of the good-sized crowds filling the stands.

That joy was not to be seen in the English camp, though.

Taking a page out of the men’s screenplay at last year’s World Cup in South Africa, the women had a disappointing opener against an outsider, a 11 finish and a blundering goalie.

Even though Ocampo’s 33rd-minute long-range, dipping drive was a joy to behold, it gave the hapless K aren Bardsley plenty of time to react. She trotted slowly to her right corner, got out her hands late, and cost England victory.

England coach Hope Powell said the ball might have swerved in the air, but she was also forced to come to one inevitable conclusion — “she should have saved it.”

A s tu n n i n g b lunder by Rober t Green cost England victory in its opener against the United States last year, ensuring a difficult ride in progre s s i n g o u t o f the gro up stage. Powell hopes the same wo n’t h a p p e n wit h t he wo m e n . “ We n e ed to wo rk hard to try and get out of the group,” she said. Bookmaker Wi l l i a m H i l l i m medi ately pushed England’s World Cup

WOLFSBURG: Mexico’s forward Dinora Garza (right) and England’s midfielder Fara Williams vie for the ball during the Group B of the FIFA women’s football World Cup.—AP

odds out to 33/1 from 20/1.

Having already shocked the United States in regional qualifying, Mexico now has a realistic chance of reaching the quarterfinals. Playing in sweltering early evening heat, the Mexicans pushed till the end for victory. Ocampo’s goal was Mexico’s first at a World Cup in a dozen years, lifting the team spirit after Fara Williams had scored with a fine header in the 21st minute to briefly give England the lead.

“I didn’t like the beginning of it,” Mexico coach Leonardo Cuellar said of the match, but added: “I liked the end.” After the first round, Japan leads with three points, England and Mexico have one and New Zealand none. Group B was always going to be open and both games proved it.

As the fourth ranked team in the world, Japan was always going to be the favorite, and New Zealand, 20 places below, the outsiders. It didn’t look that way in Bochum, where the taller New Zealand players put on a physical performance to of ten smother the superior skills of Japan.

After Yuki Nagasato smartly took a deep pass from Shinobu Ohno as New Zealand goalkeeper Jenny Bindon rushed out, she lobbed the ball over her head into the empty net. It remained a tight game until Miyama curled a 17-meter free k ick over the wall and past Bindon, who looked insecure throughout the match.

It may not have been the 73,680 sellout crowd of Sunday ’s opening game in Berlin’s Olympic stadium, but Bochum, with 12,538 fans and Wolfsburg with 18,702, both had their stadiums well over half full for lots of cheers, Mexican waves and nail-biting finishes.—AP

WIMBLEDON: Venus and Serena Williams were both eliminated in the fourth round of Wimbledon yesterday, the first time in five years that neither sister will play in the quarterfinals at the All England Club.

Defending champion and four-time winner Serena was the first to go, beaten 6-3, 7-6 (6)

by Marion Bartoli of France, cutting short the American’s return to Grand Slam tennis after nearly a year out with serious health problems.

Older sister and five-time champion Venus was ousted 6-2, 6-3 by Tsvetana Pironkova — the exact same score of the Bulgarian’s win in last year’s quarterfinals. “Definitely not our best day,” Venus said. “I think we both envisioned seeing this day going a little bit different.” Also knocked out was top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, who fell 1-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5 to No. 24 Dominika Cibulkova in the Dane’s latest failed attempt to win her first Grand Slam title.

Venus and Serena have won nine of the last 11 titles at Wimbledon, and have faced each other in four finals. In 2006, Venus lost in the third round and Serena missed the tournament. This is the first year that, when both sisters were in the draw, both lost before the quarterfinals.

The last time the sisters lost on the same day at a Grand Slam was in 2008, when they fell in the third round at the French Open.

“Obviously it’s not something planned,” Venus said. “We rarely lose on the same day.”

With 2004 champion Maria Sharapova of Russia among those advancing yesterday, it marks the first time since 1913 that all eight women’s Wimbledon quarterfinalists are from Europe. On top of that, all eight come from different countries.

In men’s play, second-seeded Novak Djokovic kept up his bid for a first Wimbledon title by beating Michael Llodra of France 6-3, 63, 6-3. The two-time Australian Open champion, who can replace Rafael Nadal as the topranked man in the world by reaching the final, lost in the semifinals last year.

Djokovic will next face Australian qualifier Bernard Tomic, who downed Xavier Malisse 61, 7-5, 6-4 to become the youngest man to make the Wimbledon quarterfinals since Boris Becker in 1986.

Fourth-seeded Andy Murray swept Richard Gasquet of France 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2 —then took a deep bow to the Royal Box, where Prince Wiliam and his new bride Kate joined the rest of the crowd in giving the British winner a standing ovation.

“I was obviously very happy after the match,” Murray said. “I think that was the right thing to do.” Murray, who has made the semifinals the last two years, is trying to become the first British man to win the title at the All England Club since Fred Perry in 1936. He met with the royal couple after the match. “If I’d known they were coming, I would have shaved,” the Scot said with a smile. “I was thinking to myself as I came off I was sweaty and very hairy. I said to them, ‘I’m sorry, I’m a bit sweaty.’ But it was really nice.” Murray’s next

opponent is unseeded Feliciano Lopez, who came from two sets down and saved two match points in the third set tiebreaker to overcome Polish qualifier Lukasz Kubot 3-6, 67 (5), 7-6 (7), 7-5, 7-5. Lopez served 28 aces.

With no American women left in the draw, 10th-seeded Mardy Fish made it to his first Wimbledon quarters by serving 23 aces and beating 2010 runner-up Tomas Berdych 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-4. Fish saved both break points he faced and finished with 42 winners and only 12 unforced errors. The sixth-seeded Czech hadn’t lost a set in three matches.

After winning last year ’s Wimbledon, Serena missed nearly a year after foot surgery and subsequent blood clots in her lungs. She returned two weeks ago at Eastbourne for the first time since then. Venus also returned at Eastbourne after a five-month layoff with a hip injury. Venus was clearly off the top of her game yesterday, committing 16 unforced errors and converting only one of four break points. She was broken four times. “I didn’t

Serena Williams

seem to get the ball in,” Venus said.

“She took her opportunities. I just didn’t put the ball in the court, simple as that.

Unfortunately, I seem not to have my good days against her. But she played well.” The 33rd-seeded Pironkova, who lost in the semifinals here last year to eventual runner-up Vera Zvonareva, played steady tennis against Venus and never cracked.

“I beat her two times, two consecutive years — it feels amazing to play such a champion on this legendary court,” the Bulgarian said after holding serve and stroking a backhand winner down the line on her second match point. “When I come here I just feel so relaxed. I really like the atmosphere here.”

Serena saved four match points before the ninth-seeded Bartoli closed out the contest by hitting a service winner into the corner. It was Serena’s earliest exit at Wimbledon since a third-round loss in 2005.

“I never came here thinking I would lose,” she said. “That’s my attitude. You win some and you lose some. Today just happened to be the one that slipped under me.” But Serena said she was satisfied getting as far as she did

after such a long time away from the game. “I think I did really well just being able to come back and play and win some matches, and just really play tough,” she said.

“Even today I lost, but I was able to kind of hang in there and play tough. And I can only get better. That can potentially be really scary, because I can only go up from here and I can just do so much more.” Bartoli made the Wimbledon final in 2007, losing to Venus.

Serena had 20 unforced errors yesterday to go with 29 winners, and managed to convert only one of five break points. Bartoli served 10 aces, two more than Williams, and kept down her errors to 17.

It was the first time Bartoli has beaten the American after straight-set defeats in their previous two matches. “Beating Serena is almost like a dream come true,” Bartoli said. “Even though she didn’t play for almost one year, she’s probably one of the greatest champions in women’s tennis.

“For me to be able come back after having three match points and losing this game at 65, and still be able to bounce back, it’s really huge.” Wozniacki, who has never reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, went up a break against Cibulkova in the third set but couldn’t capitalize, losing serve three times the rest of the way. Cibulkova dictated play most of the last two sets and finished 44 winners, 11 more than Wozniacki. Wozniacki has played in only one major final, losing to Kim Clijsters at the 2009 US Open. Despite the lack of a major title, she will remain No. 1 in the rankings.

“I don’t really care what people think or say or do,” she said. “I cannot really do anything now. I did my best and it wasn’t good enough.”

Cibulkova earned a quarterfinal matchup with Sharapova, who made it to the last eight for the first time in five years, beating Peng Shuai 6-4, 6-2 on a sweltering day. Sharapova started slowly before winning seven straight games to take command against the 20th-seeded Chinese player on Court 2. The big-hitting Russian had 27 winners and 10 unforced errors.

The match was played with on-court temperatures measured at 34 degrees Celsius (93 F), and Sharapova covered her legs with ice wrapped in towels during changeovers. “Last year I lost in the fourth round to Serena and this year I find myself in the quarterfinals and I’m giving myself an opportunity to go even in further so I’m quite happy about that,” Sharapova said.

In other women’s play, fourth-seeded Victoria Azarenka beat Nadia Petrova 6-2, 6-2; German wild card Sabine Lisicki reached the quarters for the second time, downing Petra Cetkovska 7-6 (3), 6-1; No. 8 Petra Kvitova, a semifinalist here last year, needed just 45 minutes to defeat No. 19 Yanina Wickmayer 6-0, 62; and 80th-ranked Austrian Tamira Paszek beat Ksenia Pervak of Russia 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 to secure her first Grand Slam quarter final berth.—AP

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Home Depot latest accused of violating Buy American Act Page 26 TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

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Banks study Greek debt rollover ahead of vote Government’s majority strained by defections PARIS: France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy gestures as he speaks to the media during a press conference at the Elysee Palace yesterday.— AP

ATHENS/PARIS: France offered a radical solution yesterday for banks to roll over holdings of Greek debt for 30 years as the Athens government fought to get backbench rebels to back a crucial austerity plan to avert bankruptcy.

With depositors fleeing Greek banks in growing numbers and financial markets watching anxiously, President Nicolas Sarkozy told a news conference in Paris that French banks had reached a draft agreement with the authorities on a voluntary rollover of maturing bonds.

“We concluded that by stretching out the loans over 30 years, putting (interest rates) at the level of European loans, plus a premium indexed to future Greek growth, that would be a system that each country could find attractive,” he said. The plan, drafted by French bankers, was put to a meeting of international bankers and European Union officials with the International Institute of Finance (IIF) in Rome yesterday but no decision was taken, an Italian Treasury official said.

In a sign of ebbing confidence that Greece can avoid default on its 340 billion euro debt mountain, Moody’s said Greek banks had lost about 8 percent of private sector deposits so far this year as customers burned their savings due to unemployment, transferred funds abroad or bought gold. French government sources said under an outline deal, banks would reinvest 70 percent of the proceeds when Greek bonds fall due in 2011-14 and cash out the rest. Of the amount reinvested, 50 percent would go into the new 30-year bonds and 20 percent would go into zero-coupon AAA bonds with deferred interest.

The new bonds would be placed in a Special Purpose Vehicle, effectively removing Greek debt from the balance sheets of participating banks, the source said. Private banking sources said the new bonds could be guaranteed by the euro zone’s rescue fund (EFSF) or the European Investment Bank. Banks would hold equity in the SPV instead.

However, a French government source described the solution, proposed by French bankers, as “a sort of private Brady bond without a public guarantee”, referring to a 1989 swap of Latin American debt for tradable securities, some of them guaranteed, proposed by then US Treasury Secretary Nicholas Brady. German banks voiced interest in the “French model” although Deutsche Bank chief Josef Ackermann said it was only one of several solutions being considered and it was unclear whether any satisfactory proposal could be found.

“Political leaders expect a solution by the end of the week but we should not rush it,” Ackermann told Reuters Television in an

interview. “It is important to have a good solution. The issues are complex and need to be discussed.”

Any new financial rescue for Athens, including official lending and private sector participation, depends on the Greek parliament approving this week a five-year austerity plan and legislation to implement structural reforms and privatizations.

REBELS PRESSED Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos met ruling socialist party (PASOK) rebels in Athens to push them to toe the line in parliamentary votes tomorrow and Thursday, where a defeat could plunge the country into default. Greece’s conservative opposition has rejected calls for national unity, forcing Prime Minister George Papandreou to rely on his slim parliamentary majority to push through a painful mix of spending cuts, tax hikes and state selloffs. However with Greece stuck in deep recession, at least three PASOK deputies have expressed serious reservations or outright opposition to a plan they say will crush any hope of growth for years to come and it is unclear how the numbers will play out.

Without parliamentary approval for the measures, which have caused a wave of strikes and demonstrations, the European Union and International Monetary Fund say they will not release the fifth tranche of the 110 billion-euro bailout agreed last year.

If the 12 billion-euro tranche is not forthcoming, the Greek government, which has been shut out of financial markets because of the ruined state of its public finances, will run out of money within weeks, probably triggering a Europe-wide crisis. “If it is Greece alone, that’s already big,” Ackermann said. “But if other countries are drawn in through contagion, it could be bigger than Lehman,” he said, referring to the disastrous 2008 collapse of Wall Street investment bank Lehman Bros.

Three euro zone sources in Brussels said EU officials were working on a contingency plan for Greece if its parliament rejects an austerity program and the country cannot receive the next installment of EU/IMF emergency loans.

The fallback plan, distinct from the French rollover ideas, involves ways to ensure Greece gets the liquidity needed to avoid default if the next 12 billion euro tranche of aid cannot be paid out by midJuly, the sources said.

PREPARATIONS The debate in Athens was set to begin yesterday evening with an initial vote on the framework austerity package due on Wednesday, and lawmakers then voting on

Thursday on a separate bill containing specific steps to implement it. Defections over the past 13 months have cut Papandreou’s support in the 300-member parliament to 155 seats, meaning a handful of votes could decide the issue, which may be further complicated if one bill passes and the other does not.

In an interview with Spanish daily El Mundo on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Theodore Pangalos said he believed the first vote would pass but he was less confident about the second implementation bill.

“That’s where we may have problems,” he said. “I don’t know whether some of our legislators will vote against it.” Venizelos was due to meet wavering deputies throughout yesterday in a last-ditch bid to ensure the votes pass after German ministers warned that Europe had to make plans for the event of a defeat which would block the next tranche of aid. “(Rejection) isn’t Plan A, or the most likely outcome but the euro zone and its financial sectors need to make preparations,” Deputy Finance Minister Joerg Asmussen told a conference yesterday.

Progress in the rollover talks cooled demand for safe-haven bonds yesterday but the premium investors demand to hold Greek debt rather than benchmark German Bunds widened by a further 20 basis points to 1,432 basis points.

BAILOUT INSUFFICIENT With the current 110 billion bailout insufficient to keep Greece going, European leaders are working on a further package of a similar size including a contribution from private banks which would agree to a voluntary rollover of their Greek debt.

Whether such a deal will be enough to stave off problems in the longer term remains uncertain. Many investors and economists believe that even if the austerity package is passed this week, it will merely delay an inevitable restructuring or default. With the fate of both the existing aid plan and the new package dependent on this week ’s vote, major rallies are planned by the protesters who have been occupying Syntagma Square outside the Greek parliament in Athens for the past month. Public anger at the political class has been fuelled by Greece’s worst recession since the 1970s, a youth unemployment rate of more than 40 percent and public finances that have been shattered by a debt equivalent to some 150 percent of gross domestic product. The powerful public sector union ADEDY and its private sector equivalent GSEE are due to hold a 48hour strike on June 28 and 29, that will hit public transport, telecoms, the post office and many hospitals.

Berlin, Beijing to talk euro; ECB says China no rescuer BERLIN: Germany and China will discuss the euro and reforming the global currency system during a visit by Premier Wen Jiabao, a German government source said, as Berlin said it would welcome more Chinese firms as longterm investors. Fresh from reiterating China’s commitment to the euro zone and the region’s volatile debt market, Wen arrived in Berlin yesterday for a two-day visit showcased by the first full inter-government consultations between Germany and China.

That will put their bilateral ties on the same footing as Germany’s links to its closest partners such as France, Spain, Italy, Poland, Russia and, more recently, India. Noting that China “has in the past diversified its currency holdings” including into the euro, the German source said the currency would be discussed by the two countries’ finance ministries.

“The issue of the development of the euro will play a role in talks,” said the source, who asked not to be named.

China’s intentions regarding holdings in the common European currency and investments in the sovereign debt of euro zone countries-especially troubled peripheral states like Greece — is the subject of huge speculation. About a quarter of China’s record foreign currency reserves of more than $3 trillion are estimated to be held in euros and China has reiterated its confidence in the euro since the debt crisis began, as well as pledging to buy euro zone debt.

Its support for global currency reforms-seen as a path towards boosting the Chinese yuan’s profile on the foreign exchange market-was affirmed on Sunday by the head of the country’s pension fund. But Chinese officials have also urged EU officials to take action to address debt prob-

lems and bolster faith in the euro. European Central Bank policymaker Juergen Stark cautioned yesterday that he did not see China as a “rescuer” of the euro, nor did he believe the currency needed to be rescued.

“It’s not a matter of China rescuing the euro. That is a completely misplaced interpretation of what might be discussed,” Stark said. “If China decided to buy Greek government debt, that would be a decision for the Chinese leadership.”“I don’t see China as the rescuer of the euro. I don’t think the euro needs to be rescued,” he told a conference in Berlin.

CHINA’S NEW STATUS Wen’s visit, which starts with dinner with Chancellor Angela Merkel, comes just days after the release of dissident artist Ai Weiwei and writer Hu Jia, and the German source said Merkel would discuss China’s human rights record with her counterpart. But the European Council on Foreign Relations, a thinktank in Brussels, said China’s new effective status as “a lender of last resort” would have “serious implications for Europe’s ability to present a united front to China on issues including trade reciprocity, climate change and human rights”.

The issue of reforms to the world currency system, which France has put high on the agenda in its current presidency of the G8 leading economies, will also be on the agenda of talks between China and Berlin. “ The impor tant thing here is China’s growing responsibility because of its large trading volume,” the German source said.

On the issue of trade and investments, the source pointed out that while Germany’s direct investments in China amount to about 20 billion euros to date, China has only

invested about 600 million in Germany, meaning there was room for growth. China is Germany’s fifth biggest export market and the biggest impor ter of goods into Germany, with bilateral trade volume last year reaching 130 billion euros, up more than 34 percent on the previous year, the German official said. “ The aim is to create a broader basis for our relations,” said the German official, who detected a “change of direction” in China’s lagging investments, noting “strong Chinese interest in German companies”.

Wen’s visit will include the signing of corporate deals in the auto and chemical sectors and possibly a multi-billiondollar deal for A320 aircraft for a Chinese leasing company, participants at the Paris Air Show said yesterday.

German government ministers said their country has no reason to fear long-term Chinese investments but does need to ensure that German firms’ intellectual proper ty rights are upheld. “Germany’s economy is benefiting from China’s strong growth rate ... and I see no reason why German firms shouldn’t be able to hold their own against Chinese competitors,” Economy Minister Philipp Roesler said in a German newspaper interview. Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said it was crucial to ensure German firms going into closer cooperation with Chinese partners are able to protect their intellectual property rights.

China’s German investments have to date focused on small and medium-sized firms, though media have speculated on a possible tie-up between Opel and China’s Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co (BAIC). The German carmaker already works closely with another Chinese firm, SAIC Motor Corp is a parent General Motors Corp . —Reuters

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B U S I NE S S

Kuwait Energy posts $21.9m in net income for 2010 KUWAIT: Kuwait Energy, a privatelyowned oil and natural-gas company operating in the Middle East, said yesterday its 2010 net income rose almost four-fold to $21.9 million; a 291-percent increase compared to 2009.

The results benefitted from “a continued increase in production, proceeds from partial divestments, and higher oil and gas prices,” Chairman Manssour Bu-Khamseen said during the company’s general assembly, noting that Kuwait Energy earned net income of $5.6 million in the previous year.

The company generated sales of $ 1 4 1 m i l l i o n , u p 6 0 . 6 p e rce n t f ro m 2009, the statement said. Daily average production increased 15 percent

from the previous year to 13, 258 barrels of oil equivalent a day. On her par t, the company ’s vice chair and CEO Sarah Akbar said the company’s operations’ were clear off regional fluctuations during 2010 and is observing a number of opportunities i n t h e M i d d l e E a s t . S h a re h o l d e r s approved the board’s recommendation to distribute a dividend of 5 fils per share, it said.

Kuwait Energy is active in Egypt, Iraq, Yemen, Oman, Ukraine, Latvia, Russia and Pakistan. The company had proven and probable reserves of 48.8 million barrels of oil equivalent at the end of last year. Kuwait Energy is listed in stock exchanges of both Kuwait and London. —KUNA

News

Egypt’s Amer Group sets up new businesses

Egypt is wrong to snub IMF and World Bank aid

in brief

CNPC completes first phase of Al-Ahdab field in Iraq BEIJING: China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC), the first foreign oil company to sign an oil service contract in Iraq after former president Saddam Hussein was toppled, yesterday said that it completed construction of the first phase of the Al-Ahdab oilfield on June 21. The parent of PetroChina Co Ltd said it started work on the Al-Ahdab oilfield in March 2009 after successfully renegotiating an old development deal, and hoped to pump 110,000-130,000 barrels per day (bpd) from the field, which had estimated reserves of 1 billion barrels. Completion of the first phase, with a capacity of 3 million tons per year or 60,000 bpd, was ahead of schedule, marking major progress in building Middle East oil and gas projects, reported the China Petroleum Daily, CNPC’s inhouse newspaper. The field was the first new oil capacity building project in 20 years in Iraq, the report said. CNPC, the largest foreign oil investor in post-U.S. invasion Iraq, received its first cargo of crude oil as payment for helping to develop Iraq’s Rumaila oilfield in late May, two weeks after partner BP Plc loaded its first shipment. Rumaila pumps almost half of Iraq’s oil output. CNPC is also developing Iraq’s Halfaya oilfield along with France’s Total SA and Malaysia’s Petronas.

KKR gets license to operate in Saudi Arabia DUBAI: Private equity giant KKR & Co LP has received a license from Saudi market regulator Capital Markets Authority (CMA) to conduct business in the oil-rich country, a bourse filing showed.

“The CMA Board of Commissioners issued a resolution today...authorizing KKR Saudi Limited Company to conduct arranging,” a statement from the regulator on Sunday said. The statement did not provide any more details. A spokesman for the company in London declined to comment. KKR, co-founded by “buyout king” Henry Kravis, began its operations in the region with an office in Dubai in 2009. Several private equity firms have set up shop in the Gulf Arab region in the last few years, attracted by rapid economic growth and high oil prices. A spokesman for the company in London declined to comment.

US private equity firm Carlyle Group expects to complete a deal in Saudi Arabia by the end of the year, a senior executive said early this year. —Reuters

D U B A : Eg y p t i s m i s t a k e n to s n u b international aid. Cairo’s decision to turn down over $3 billion in aid from the International Monetary Fund-and a possible $2 billion more from the World Bank-satisfies the strong antiIMF sentiment in the country where the institution has won hate for its past praise of the old regime. But it also concentrates financial risk.

For a start, Cairo’s rebuff leaves it drawing on an even higher ratio of aid from undemocratic Gulf donors that have their own foreign policy goals.

Qatar and Saudi Arabia have pledged roughly $14 billion, dwarfing the $2 billion offered by the United States, though many questions remain over if, when, and how the bulk of the Gulf aid will be channeled.

The IMF funding was small relative to the scale of Egypt’s projected fiscal deficit, originally forecast at 11 percent of GDP, or $29 billion. But it was reliable and came with few strings attached. In terms of direct budget support, Qatar has “gifted” just $500 million with Cairo claiming that Saudi has offered a similar amount.

True, shaving $4 billion off planned spending in the budget for the coming fiscal year star ting in July, and lowering the deficit to 8.6 percent of GDP, or around $22 billion, should compensate for turning down $3 billion from the IMF. Fuel subsidies for the industry will be cut. Egypt also hopes for higher tax revenue, but HSBC argues its expectations there might be optimistic in light of the decision to scrap the planned capital gains tax.

Cairo is also yet to adjust its rather rosy GDP growth forecast of 3-3.5 percent to take into account the new budget ’s impact: a slower-growing economy would cause a higher budg-

et deficit. Meanwhile the flight of fore i gn i nve s to r s h a s p u t t h e e x t r a f i n a n c i n g b u rd e n o n l o c a l b a n k s, which this week held back from buying all the nine month paper on offer with a 13 percent yield.

Eg y p t i s s t a b i l i s i n g. Fo re i gn reserves fell only $800 million in May, out of a total $15 billion since the start of the year. But question marks s t i l l h a n g ove r t h e c u r re n c y. A n d there’s no guarantee a new government will be in place as expected in September, to insure that major funding decisions are backed by democratic legitimacy. However good it feels, “no” to the IMF isn’t the right answer.

CONTEXT NEWS Egypt on June 25 scrapped plans to b o r row f ro m t h e Wo r l d B a n k a n d International Monetar y Fund af ter revising its budget and cutting the forecast deficit. Earlier this month, Cairo agreed on a $3 billion, 12-month standby loan facilit y from the IMF which it said came with more lenient terms than usually attached to such loans. The fiscal deficit for the year s t a r t i n g i n J u l y h a s b e e n re v i s e d downwards to 8.6 percent of GDP. The deficit in the original draft budget was forecast at 11 percent.

Finance Minister Samir Radwan said the deficit would be reduced, in part, by raising income tax and reducing fuel subsidies for industries. Total spending will now be 490.6 billion Egyptian pounds ($82.3 billion), compared to the previous level at 514.5 billion Egyptian pounds. The government still expects growth of 3.0-3.5 percent in2011/12, in line with previous forecasts. Prior to the budget revisions, the IMF forecast that Egypt’s economic growth would slow to 1 percent over the same period. —Reuters

CAIRO: Egyptian real estate company Amer Group has established four new companies in Egypt, Syria and Saudi Arabia to focus on tourism and property development, a newspaper reported yesterday. “Amer Group Holding has concluded procedures to establish four new companies working in the field of tourism and real estate development,” al-Borsa cited the company’s investment relations manager, Reyad Refaat, as saying. The companies, which are 99 percent owned by Amer Group Holding, will include two in Egypt, one in Saudi Arabia and one in Syria, the report said. Porto Pyramids, with capital wor th 5 million Egyptian pounds

($838,900), will develop a 102,000 squaremeter project including 240 residential villas near the Pyramids of Giza, the paper said. The other Egyptian-based firm, called Porto Fayoum, with 10 million pounds of capital, plans to begin a resort on 2.7 million square meters in Fayoum, south of Cairo, by the end of 2011, according to alBorsa. Amer Syria will manage and operate the Porto Tartous tourism project with more than 3,700 serviced apartments, a shopping mall, 100,000 square meters of office space and a yacht marina. Saudi unit Amer Raya will set up Porto Jeddah project and expand restaurant chains, the paper said. —Reuters

TIRANA: The offices of the national carrier Albanian Airlines, owned by Turkish citizen Ali Evsen, is seen in Tirana yesterday. Albanian authorities have frozen about euro 3 million ($4.25 million) in the bank accounts of the owner of the national carrier Albanian Airlines on suspicion of money laundering related to former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. —AP

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

.2710000 .4360000 .3870000 .3260000 .2750000 .2840000 .0040000 .0020000 .0745510 .7263240 .3810000 .0700000 .7120280 .0040000 .0430000

.2770000 .4470000 .3970000 .3360000 .2850000 .2950000 .0072500 .0035000 .0753000 .7336300 .4010000 .0770000 .7191840 .0072000 .0530000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2746000 .2767000 .4383710 .4417240 .3890530 .3920290 .3281350 .3306450 .2777520 .2798770 .0521560 .0525550 .0421720 .0424950 .2869020 .2890960 .0352580 .0355280 .2211840 .2228760 .0034000 .0034260 .0000000 .0061830 .0000000 .0025330 .0000000 .0032360 .0000000 .0037650 .0747920 .0753640 .7285750 .7341470 .0000000 .3913720 .0732460 .0738060 .7134320 .7188880 .0000000 .0064350

Al-MuzainiExchange Co.

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka

ASIAN COUNTRIES 3.437 6.121 3.207 2.511 3.835 222.850 35.451 3.700

Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal - Transfer Irani Riyal - Cash

6.329 8.939 0.271 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES 73.629 75.866 717.160 733.360 75.184

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 46.281 1.263 201.900 389.910 183.100 5.961 35.385

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 276.000 Euro 392.470 Sterling Pound 442.290 Canadian dollar 280.770 Turkish lire 168.400 Swiss Franc 331.530 Australian dollar 288.250 US Dollar Buying 274.800 20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

GOLD 277.000 140.000 72.000

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 290.900 289.400 733.640 733.640 3.960 3.697 281.900 280.400 541.800 36.700 53.100 167.800 223.300 48.510 46.484 393.300 391.800 36.100 35.950 6.310 6.120

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

0.033 0.235 0.242 3.510 391.500 0.187 93.770 47.500 4.330 225.000 1.870 51.200 715.520 3.310 6.540 76.310 73.650 223.340 42.870 2.653 443.200 43.200 333.000 5.700 9.400 198.263 75.210 276.200 1.210

0.033

389.890 0.186 93.770 3.840 223.500

331.500 5.700 9.150 75.110 275.800

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 441.200 275.800

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 275.750 280.800 440.525 392.480 329.776 730.401 75.053 75.691 73.496 388.151 46.281 2.510 6.122

3.214 3.712 6.318 676.392 3.513 9.028 5.798 3.917 91.594

KuwaitBahrainIntlExchange Co. 716.340 3.220 6.330 75.880 73.650 223.340 42.870 2.512 441.200

GOLD 1,551.510

10 Tola

Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

Currency 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) 3.220 6.130 2.525 3.710 6.370 75.190 73.750 733.200 46.280 445.900 0.00003280 3.910 1.550 391.800 5.750 395.300 285.100

AlMulla Exchange Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000) US Dollar 275.450 Euro 392.000 Pound Sterling 441.300 Canadian Dollar 280.700 Japanese Yen 3.430 Indian Rupee 6.119 Egyptian Pound 46.275 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.510 Bangladesh Taka 3.690 Philippines Peso 6.320 Pakistan Rupee 3.209 Bahraini Dinar 733.600 UAE Dirham 75.050 Saudi Riyal 73.550 *Rates are subject to change

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BUSINESS

2011 JD Power report praises Lexus, Toyota Lexus Receives Four Model-Level Awards

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ccording the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 US Initial Quality Study(SM) (IQS) released this week, which tracks buyer satisfaction after 90 days of ownership, Lexus is a notable leader in quality, and its lineup shares four awards for different models which all received recognition from J.D. Power. Toyota isn’t too far behind Lexus. Lexus also leads automakers in across-the-line quality, according to the study. The study has been conducted annually for the past 25 years. Toyota showed strong signs of a comeback, motoring all the way from 21st place in 2010 back up to 7th place.

Software and Technology Challenges Automakers are also accelerating the introduction of multimedia technology into their models, including hands-free and voice-activation systems. Many consumers are attracted by this type of technology, which is perceived to enhance convenience and safety, but some vehicle owners report that their system is not intuitive and/or does not always function properly.

“Clearly, consumers are interested in having new technology in their vehicles, but automak-

ers must ensure that the technology is ready for prime time,” said Sargent. “Successful companies will be those that can take this incredibly complex technology and make it reliable, seamless and easy for owners to operate while they are driving. There is an understandable desire to bring these technologies to market quickly, but automakers must be careful to walk before they run.”

While overall vehicle quality continues to improve, the introduction of new technology is expected to continue to pose challenges for automakers. Overall problem rates for audio/entertainment/navigation systems in 2011 are 18 percent higher than in 2010 and 28 percent higher than in 2009.

On that note Mubarak Al Sayer the CEO Units Group MNSS said: ”In the occasion of such positive outstanding results of J.D. Powers, we praise ourselves for being the sole distributor of Toyota and Lexus cars, the world’s most practical & luxury automotive brand; TMC has managed to produce “Reliable Dependable Cars of high quality” that does not stand still, tremendous advances in innovative technology and driving

Mobily chief sees tower deal with STC by year-end DUBAI: Telecoms carrier Mobily aims to conclude a tower-sharing deal with rival Saudi Telecom Co by the end of 2011, Mobily’s chief executive said. Such an agreement would be a first for the Gulf Arab region and will allow the carriers to cut network maintenance costs in Saudi Arabia, which is more than twice the size of France and Germany combined. “We’re trying to conclude this year,” said Khaled alKaf, Mobily chief executive, when asked if STC and Mobily would agree a tower-sharing deal. “We’re both anxious to complete the deal.”

The duo’s towers would likely be spun off into a separate company, with Mobily and former monopoly STC becoming tenants, Kaf said. Third carrier Zain Saudi could later join. “We would welcome other operators, either as a partner or a customer, (but) for the time being it’s between us and STC,” Kaf said in an interview to Reuters. STC operates around 11,000 towers, and Mobily, an affiliate of the UAE’s Etisalat , has about 7,500. The two carriers, which together account for more than 80 percent of Saudi’s mobile subscribers, have yet to decide on whether the deal will be a 50-50 partnership. Sharing infrastructure allows operators to cut capital and operating costs.

PROFIT Mobily, which launched services in 2005, posted a 40 percent increase in first-

quarter net profit, while 2010 full-year profit rose by the same margin. “Mobily will stay a double-digit growth company for some time,” said Kaf. Data accounted for 20 percent of Mobily’s revenues in the first quarter and Kaf forecast this would rise.

“We are looking at something in the low 20s (percent) by the end of the year,” he said. “There’s huge growth from data.”

Rising consumer adoption of smart phones and tablets are helping fuel this growth, while Mobily aims to roll out an LTE — or 4G-network in 30 cities in the third quarter, Kaf said.

LTE was designed primarily to carry data, rather than voice, and offers download speeds more than double that of 3G. “We didn’t want to invest in upgrading to 3.5G,” said Kaf. LTE phone handsets are yet to hit the market, so initial demand will likely come from mobile broadband users.

Mobily has an estimated 52 percent share of Saudi Arabia’s broadband market.

ROAMING Kaf welcomed last week’s decision by Gulf Arab regulators to cut intra-region roaming rates by 30 percent from July.

“This will bring a good elasticity of usage-I see growth in traffic and it will also increase revenues,” he said. “Roaming rates were a little bit high, and we should be more aggressive on this. That value will be recognized by the customers, and that will generate profits.” — Reuters

Saudi Arabia to merge with SABB Securities DUBAI/HONG KONG: HSBC Holdings Plc, Europe’s biggest bank, will merge its Saudi Arabian wholesale and investment banking business with Saudi British Bank’s SABB Securities, it said yesterday. SABB would own 51 percent of the new entity, to be known as HSBC Saudi Arabia, but HSBC would retain full management control, HSBC said in a statement posted on the Hong Kong stock exchange.

The merger was subject to regulatory approval and was expected to complete by the end of this year, HSBC added. “This announcement underscores HSBC’s commitment to its business in the Kingdom of

Saudi Arabia, and to its joint venture partnership with SABB,” Simon Cooper, chief executive of HSBC Middle East and North Africa said.

The partnership will be a full service investment bank in Saudi Arabia undertaking asset management, advisory and debt capital market activities among other services, HSBC said. OPEC member Saudi Arabia is the largest economy in the Gulf Arab region and several regional and international firms have set up shop in the kingdom lured by oil-driven spending and rapid economic growth. No financial details of the transaction were provided. — Reuters

capabilities, as well as in environmentally friendly solutions, Toyota managed to capture customers loyalty & trust, for that Toyota shall remain the best in terms of dependability & innovation. On our turn here in Kuwait, we are committed to insure our customer’s complete satisfaction with their cars, Al Sayer will always continue to be committed to offer the best products and service available in Kuwait, and to always meet the best of customer care”.

Mubarak added: “We are pleased that TMC has once again led the way with the most segment awards in the J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study. We’re especially proud of our consistency in the annual study. Since 1994 Lexus has continued to be placed among the top three nameplates in every year of eligibility, while Toyota has been in the top five among non-luxury manufacturers since 1990. TMC has once again topped this year’s study as the topranking full-line manufacturer”. He added, “This is great news and timely for both our customers and our dealers, as it provides reassurance our vehicles continue to be an industry benchmark for quality.”

2011 IQS Ranking Highlights Lexus leads the overall nameplate by receiving four segment awards for the ES, GS, GX and LS models. For a second consecutive year, the Lexus LS has the fewest quality problems in the industry.

Assembly Plant Awards Three assembly plants receive Platinum Plant Quality Awards (in a three-way tie) for producing models yielding the fewest defects and malfunctions: the Toyota Motor Corporation Cambridge South, Ontario, Canada, plant (which produces the Lexus RX); the Toyota Motor Corporation Kyushu 2, Japan, plant (which produces the Lexus ES, IS and RX).

The 2011 US Initial Quality Study is based on responses from more than 73,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2011 model-year cars, trucks and multi-activity vehicles surveyed after 90 days of ownership. The study is based on a 228-question battery designed to provide manufacturers with information to facilitate identifying problems and drive produc t improvement. The study was fielded between February and May 2011.

Afghan central banker resigns in fear for life Fitrat cites role in investigating Kabulbank scandal CHANTILLY: Afghanistan central bank Governor Adbul Qadir Fitrat said yesterday that he has resigned his post because he feared for his life for his role in investigating a scandal surrounding Kabulbank. “The reason I was not able to resign in Kabul was because my life was completely in danger,” Fitrat told Reuters Insider in an interview at a hotel in a northern Virginia suburb of Washington.

“This was particularly true after I spoke to the parliament and exposed some people who were responsible for the crisis of Kabulbank,” Fitrat said, adding he thought that move would bring closure to the corruption scandal at the bank. Instead, “it brought more dangers and more conspiracies against me and my life,” Fitrat said.

Corruption, bad loans and mismanagement cost the politically well-connected Kabulbank, Afghanistan’s biggest private lender, hundreds of millions of dollars in what Western officials in Afghanistan openly call a classic Ponzi scheme.

Fitrat also said “high political authorities” in K abul had undermined the central bank’s effort to investigate Kabulbank. “I do not want to continue as a figurehead. I want to be an effective central bank governor,” Fitrat said. Asked if he was referring to Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, Fitrat

answered: “I just refer to high political authorities of the country.” The bank doled out nearly half a billion dollars in unsecured, undocumented loans to a roster of Kabul’s elite, including ministers, relatives of Karzai and a vice president, and a powerful former warlord, anti-corruption officials say.

The scandal has endangered future suppor t for Afghanistan through the International Monetary Fund. Last week, talks between Afghanistan and the IMF appeared to have broken down after Afghanistan’s finance minister Omar Zakhilwal called them a “waste of my time.”

Fitrat’s resignation comes as a shock as, up until now, he had been eager to rehabilitate Kabulbank and had defended the central bank’s role in the affair.

DEMANDING ACTION In February, he had brushed aside concerns Afghanistan’s largest lender would have to be liquidated, telling Reuters in Kabul he hoped it would be privately owned again within two or three years.

However, the IMF is demanding action to ensure the type of problems that arose at Kabulbank are not repeated before it provides any further aid to Afghanistan. It has been adamant that the bank must be bro-

Authorities freeze Albanian Airlines accounts TIRANA: Albanian authorities have frozen about $4.25 million in the bank accounts of the owner of the national carrier Albanian Airlines on suspicion of money laundering related to former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Turkish citizen Ali Evsen and some of his associates are being investigated, in collaboration with Turkey and Spain, Plator Nesturi, spokesman for the prosecutor general, said yesterday. Evsen was arrested in Spain earlier this month, together with one of Mubarak’s close friends and his son. The company continues operating and had no immediate comment.

Albanian Airlines, in which Evsen has owned 93 percent of the shares since 2009, flies to 12 destinations from Tirana International Airport. — AP

ken up and the remaining assets sold.

IMF backing is a crucial seal of approval for many international donors before they pledge assistance to aid-reliant Afghanistan. Tens of millions of dollars in scheduled aid payments have been delayed over the past three months because of the impasse between Kabul and the IMF. Fitrat said last September the central bank had stepped in to take control of Kabulbank.

Despite Fitrat’s optimism then, talks between the Afghan government and the IMF and international donors have faltered badly in recent weeks as authorities tried to agree on ways to wind up Kabulbank and bolster Afghanistan’s fledging financial sector so such a scandal could not be repeated. Fitrat told Reuters on yesterday that talks between the Afghan government and the IMF were currently “stalled.”

Fitrat took over as head of the central bank in 2007 after being nominated by Karzai. He also held the position briefly in 1996, the year the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan. He served as an economic consultant to the IMF in Washington in the late 1990s, was in private bank ing in Northern Virginia after 2000 and then served as an adviser to the World Bank until 2007. — Reuters

Jet airways introduces mobile ticketing solution MUMBAI: Jet Airways, India’s premier International airline, has entered into a partnership with ngpay, offering guests a convenient option to seamlessly book Jet Airways tickets on their mobile phones. With over a million users, ngpay is the fastest growing end-to-end mobile commerce service in India.

This service will allow guests to book, cancel and refund their eTickets and also manage payment cards on their phones.

Upon completion of the booking process, an eTicket will automatically be sent to the guest’s preferred email address. The eTicket details will also be sent to his mobile phone via SMS. To activate this facility, Jet Airways guests would need to download the ngpay mobile ticketing application on their GPRS enabled mobile phones. To download the

application, guests would need to send an SMS “JetNgpay” to 56388. They will then receive a SMS with a link to download the application. Upon successful download, the ngpay icon will be displayed on their mobile phones. To know more about booking your Jet Airways ticket on ngpay, visit jetairways.com or m.jetairways.com.

According to Mr. Sudheer Raghavan, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways (I) Ltd., “Jet Airways’ partnership with ngpay will offer yet another convenient booking channel, enabling our guests to book tickets on their mobile.

“We are confident that the convenience and simplicity of this service will be much appreciated by our guests especially since mobile phones have now become an integral part of our daily lives.”

HP Boosts Performance For General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare

HYDERABAD: Indian customers buy vegetables at a night market on the streets in Hyderabad yesterday. The night markets, that run from 6pm till 10pm, are venues for farmers to sell directly to consumers and they help support small farming operations in the area. — AFP

Middle-East telcos to benefit from data growth: Nomura A rise in data traffic will drive growth for Middle East telecom companies and investors should be slightly more upbeat on these stocks in the second half of the year, Nomura said, and raised price targets on a majority of these stocks.

“Both the Middle East and African

markets should, in our view, be able to create strong value accretion from growth in data,” the brokerage said in a note. Investors should turn positive on Middle East telecom companies in the second half of this year, as valuations for these stocks are cheap and forecasts are edging up, Nomura said. — Reuters

KUWAIT: HP announced that the UAE’s General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare (YSA) has upgraded its entire network with HP Networking products to ensure the highest availability for its users. YSA is the Federal Authority responsible for overseeing all issues relating to youth and sports in the UAE, supervising sporting institutions and activities across the region, and nurturing and developing talented young people. YSA has a small IT team and needs to maximize its IT resources and budgets, so YSA chose HP to simplify the management of its network while boosting performance and availability. The entire campus network, including third-party devices, can now be managed from a single point with HP Intelligent Management Center (IMC) which increases efficiency, releases valuable IT resource and reduces costs.

At the network core, powerful HP A7510 multi-layer switches boost communications performance and quality, and provide the flexibility for YSA to meet the evolving needs of its integrated ser vices network. HP TippingPoint S1200N IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) modules integrated into the core switches protect the whole network from on-line threats and ensure that security for YSA’s network is always at the highest, most up-to-date levels. At the network edge,

Gautham Raj stackable, space-saving HP A5500 Gigabit Ethernet switches deliver outstanding security, reliability, and multi-service support. HP wireless controllers and access points provide secure mobile working. The entire network benefits from HP IRF (Intelligent Resilient Framework) technology, which allows switches to be stacked and managed as one “virtual” entity, simplifying management even further.

“YSA chose HP because it is a fully integrated solution with high availability and performance at a good price,” says Khalid Ali Sultan AlKaabi, Director, Studies and Development

Department, YSA. “It is the time to achieve our strategic initiatives to restructure the ICT infrastructure by having one high performance management system across the entire campus to gives us better control over our systems and allow us to focus on our core mission, which is to promote the well-being of the UAE’s young people socially, culturally and in the sporting arena.”

“With the new and improved networking portfolio, HP is offering the market with a unique value proposition by giving customers the ability to balance the advantage of the new portfolio with the standards based network fabric that facilitates integration with existing systems, making installation easy,” said Gautham Raj, Networking Manager - UAE, HP Middle East. “HP partner Smartworld worked with YSA to ensure a seamless transition with no loss of performance, connectivity or business continuity.” HP Networking solutions are part of HP’s Converged Infrastructure portfolio, which integrates data center technologies into pools of interoperable resources and enables the Instant-On Enterprise. In a world of continuous connectivity, the InstantOn Enterprise embeds technology in everything it does to serve customers, employees, partners and citizens with everything they need, instantly.

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business

Investors waiting on clues on market’s outlook GLOBAL DAILY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) closed with modest losses yesterday, as investors were undone by worries about the conflict between Capital Market Authority (CMA) and KSE. KSE going into 2Q2011 countdown mode. Investors seem to be waiting to get more clues on the market’s outlook following the outcome of listed companies 2Q2011 results.

Market Indices Global General Index (GGI), market weighted, ended the day down by 0.18 percent, at 192.91 point.

Market Capitalization was down for the day at KD31.52bn. On the other hand, KSE Price Index closed at 6,253.5 point, shedding 6.60 points (0.11 percent) to its previous close.

Market Breadth During the session, 95 companies were traded.

Market breadth was skewed towards decliners as 32 equities retreated versus 23 that advanced.

Daily Trading Activity Trading activity was up this session. The trades conducted in the real estate sector. Total volume traded was up by 11.82 percent with 79.92mn shares changing hands at a total value of KD16.22mn (38.42 percent higher compared to the day before). The real estate sector was the volume leader today, accounting for 29.24 percent of total shares. The banking sector was the value leader, with 38.80 percent of total traded value. Kuwait Finance House was the most active in terms of values traded during yesterday’s session, with 4.14mn shares exchanged at an aggregate value of KD4.15mn.

Top Gainers and Biggest Decliners In terms of top gainers, Pearl of Kuwait Real Estate Company took the top spot for the day, adding 8.00 percent and closed at KD0.027. On the other hand, Housing Finance Company shed 11.24 percent and closed at KD0.040, making it the biggest decliner in the market.

Sectors Wise By sector, three sectors staged a session of poor performance. Services stocks headed the retreat, with the sector index shedding 1.01 percent during the day. Shares of Gulf Franchising Company paced sector decliners yesterday, slipping 9.30 percent. Elsewhere in the services sector, Zain saw its share value appreciate by 1.92 percent and closed at KD1.020. Global

Non-Kuwaiti Index too was a notable decliner, down by 0.63 percent. Gulf Finance House was amongst the biggest percentage decliners, dipping by 7.14 percent. Sector heavy-weight, United Gulf Bank, too reported a 3.03 percent slide. It is worth mentioning that, the bank reported inking an agreement with United Real Estate Company to sell the assets of Al Diyafa Holding at a total value of $42.9mn to the portfolio of Tamleek United Real Estate Company. The lender is expected to generate $6.50 earnings from the deal. The investment sector was the other loser, shedding 0.40 percent from its value. Housing Finance Company (ISKAN) topped the losers’ list for the day, shedding 11.24 percent from its share value.

On the other side, Global Food Index paced advancers, adding 0.29 percent in daily gains on the back of a smart rally staged by Danah Al Safat Foodstuff Company and Livestock Transport & Trading Company as their share prices edged up by 5.26 percent and 1.75 percent, respectively. However, the banking sector played a big role in minimizing the day’s loss as it ended the day higher by 0.28 percent. The index was supported by the 1.72 percent

and 1.12 percent increase in the share values of National Bank of Kuwait and Commercial Bank of Kuwait, respectively.

Small caps continued to perform well, with the Global Small Cap. Index being the only advancer among Global special indices, up by 0.53 percent to close at 5,191.5 points. Among component stocks, share price of Pearl of Kuwait Real Estate Company added 8.00 percent to its value. The scrip topped the gainers list on Monday.

Oil News The price of OPEC basket of twelve crudes stood at $102.91 a barrel on Friday, compared with $106.08 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

Corporate News Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) management announces that the bourse will close on Thursday, June 30th on occasion of Al Isra wal Miraj.

Furthermore, work will resume as of Sunday, July 3rd.

Brent falls ahead of key Greek vote LONDON: Brent crude futures fell under $104 a barrel yesterday as the dollar inched up ahead of a key vote in Greece to approve an unpopular austerity plan. By 0945 GMT, Brent crude futures traded down $1.15 to $103.97 a barrel after plumbing earlier lows of $102.28 a barrel. US light crude futures fell 55 cents to $90.61 a barrel, having touched lows of $89.82 a barrel earlier.

“The price of Brent could fall further to around $100 a barrel this week,” UniCredit research analysts said in a note. “We currently have a soft-patch scenario for the economy, but risks have clearly increased.” A parliamentary ballot on Greece’s framework austerity package is expected tomorrow, with lawmakers due to vote on Thursday on a bill containing specific steps to implement it.

Investors also took punts ahead of economic data from the United States that is expected to show slowing growth, while worries about a slowdown in China resurfaced after Premier Wen Jiabao signaled for the first time the country would struggle to meet its 4 percent inflation target this year. Oil prices have lost around 10 percent over the last three sessions since the International Energy Agency surprised the market with a 60 million barrels release to rein-in prices.

IEA, OPEC SUPPLY Brent crude prices fell 2 percent on Friday, dropping 7 percent for the week. The contract’s premium to US crude fell below $13, down from a record of over $23 hit on June 15, after the IEA surprised the market with a decision to release oil from strategic reserves for the third time in history to replace Libyan supply.

The IEA’s decision to release 2 million barrels per day over 30 days is more than the daily loss of Libya’s 1.2 million bpd exports,

and may help ease concerns that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will struggle to meet demand as consumption from emerging nations surges.

“The near-term impact of the availability of these reserves is bearish crude flat price and structure, with the light-sweet grades getting hurt the most, Brent crude in particular,” Morgan Stanley analysts led by Hussein Allidina said in a note.

“It also releases pressure on OPEC,” said Jonathan Barratt, managing director of Commodity Broking Services in Sydney. “It’s more of a genuine consensus to lower import prices to avoid economic slowdown.”

Gulf oil exporters are unlikely to cut production in response to the IEA’s stock release because demand for their crude is strong, two Gulf OPEC delegates said on Sunday.

The group failed to agree on raising output on June 8. Still, the impact of additional supply on oil markets is likely to be limited unless Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi steps down, allowing the country to resume production, Barratt said. “The only way for oil to get lower is Gaddafi,” he said. “The market will trade into support and is expected to pick up, but the context is weak.”

The US Institute for Supply Management is expected to release on Friday data showing a slower rate of growth for factory activity in June after it grew at its slowest pace in May since September 2009. China, the world’s second-largest oil consumer, recently released a string of disappointing readings on factory activity and exports. Premier Wen’s comments yesterday underlined expectations that interest rates will rise further even as economic growth slows down. — Reuters

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TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

BUSINESS

Japan could face a third ‘lost’ decade: Moody’s Japanhas $10 trillionindebtas ittriedtospurgrowththroughspending TOKYO: Japan could face a third “lost” decade of sluggish economic growth that will leave it struggling to whittle down the heaviest debt burden among developed nations, Moody’s ratings agency said yesterday. It chided the government’s failure to meet a self-imposed June 20 deadline for announcing a long-term plan to deal with the country’s debts as negative, suggesting it is edging closer to cutting Japan’s credit rating.

BRUSSELS: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi addresses a press conference at the end of a summit of the EU heads of State. Berlusconi last week warned that the “locusts of speculation” were waiting to attack Italy on financial markets at the first sign of weakness. —AFP

Spain, Italy suffer most from Greek debt crisis: Madrid MADRID: Spain and Italy are taking the hardest hit from Greece’s sovereign debt crisis but Madrid will not need a bailout, Spanish Finance Minister Elena Salgado said yesterday. The risk premium charged on Spanish bonds compared with safer-bet German securities “is rising, it is under enormous tension,” she said in an interview with public television TVE. “All eurozone nations are facing this tension but Italy and Spain are at the moment the two countries which are suffering most from this tension,” she added.

The spread between Spanish and German 10-year debt hit 2.814 percentage points yesterday, flirting with a peak of 2.83 percentage points on November 30 when markets fretted over Portugal and Spain’s solvency. Further tensions could promptly push the risk premium it over 3.0 percentage points, Salgado said, noting that the government has had no problems raising money on the debt markets. “Spain is financing itself very well,” Salgado said, adding that demand for government bonds always outstripped supply by about four times.

“Therefore we are not, nor will we be on the brink of any bailout.” Spain’s accumulated public debt amounted to 679.78 billion euros ($970 billion) or 63.6 percent of Gross Domestic Product at the end of the first quarter, up from 55 percent a year earlier and its highest level since 1988.

But the country’s debt level is still relatively low compared to its euro zone neighbors-the average debt-to-GDP ratio of the 17 eurozone countries stood at 85.1 percent at the end of 2010 — and it trails the levels reached in Greece, Ireland and Portugal, all three of which have required EU-IMF bailouts. The Greek government must this week push harsh austerity reforms worth an additional 28 billion euros through a divided parliament-on top of sweeping cuts last year.Without approval for the measures, the European Union and International Monetary Fund say they will not disburse the fifth tranche of Greece’s 110billion-euro bailout program.

Athens needs the 12 billion euros to pay its bills next month. The prospect that Greece could become the first eurozone nation to default on its debt has raised concerns over other heavily indebted European nations.Salgado rejected any comparison to the three eurozone nations which have had to ask for European Union-International Monetary Fund bailouts. “We don’t have the problems of Ireland and its financial

sector, or the problems of Greece with the deficit which they did not reveal, or the problems of Portugal with slow growth during many years and a weak export sector,” said Salgado.

Meanwhile, Italy has had to pay much higher rates to raise fresh funds yesterday as nervous investors kept a wary eye on the Greek debt crisis amid fears it could drag down other eurozone members, including Rome. The Italian treasury issued eight billion euros ($11.4 billion) in 6-month bonds and 2.5 billion euros of bonds due in 2013, with investors submitting bids worth 18.3 billion euros. The government, however, had to pay a yield-or rate of return for investors-of 1.988 percent on the 6-month bonds, up sharply from the 1.657 percent paid at the last previous sale of the paper. On the 2013 bonds, the yield jumped to 3.219 percent from 2.851 percent. The sales “went fairly smoothly, without too much problem. Italy is still a little bit outside (the club of weak eurozone states) even if the contagion effect (from the Greek crisis) is making itself felt,” said Jean-Francois Robin, bond strategist at French investment house Natixis.

On Friday, Italian financial markets were hit by a bad dose of nerves following warnings of possible downgrades by ratings agencies and amid fears of contagion from Greece. The spread between Italian and German 10-year bonds hit the highest level since the creation of the euro, while banking shares suffered a shock plunge following market rumors of an imminent downgrade of Italy’s sovereign rating. Italian officials had earlier warned of the possibility of speculative attacks in recent weeks and have said the actions of ratings agencies are unwarranted.

Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s have both warned they could downgrade Italy’s sovereign credit rating and Moody’s on Thursday said it had put the ratings of 16 leading Italian banks on review for a possible downgrade. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi last week warned that the “locusts of speculation” were waiting to attack Italy on financial markets at the first sign of weakness and urged unity within his embattled government. Italy’s debt burden at some 120 percent of Gross Domestic Product is twice the eurozone limit but still better than several other members. The government, shocked by recent poll setbacks, is due to present another round of austerity measures worth 40 billion euros later this week, aiming to balance the budget by 2014. —AFP

Tesco plans autumn push in banking LONDON: Tesco, the world’s third-biggest retailer, will make its long-awaited push into banking this autumn, and will not do so by buying Lloyds branches or bidding for state-owned Northern Rock. Andrew Higginson, head of Tesco’s retail services business, told the Reuters Consumer and Retail Summit on yesterday that the British group was focused on expanding its own operations.

The group was not interested in buying branches being sold by Lloyds and was very unlikely to bid for nationalised bank Northern Rock, he said. Tesco announced plans to set itself up as a bank in 2008 when it bought out Royal Bank of Scotland from a financial services joint venture. While it has launched some products since then, like a fixed-rate savings account, it has focused largely on setting up its own operations, from IT platforms to call centres, and transferring customers to them.

“It has been an incredibly difficult thing to do,” Higginson said, describing how the business has transformed from a joint venture employing 185 people to a team of over 3,000.

“I do not think there will be too many new competitors appearing, if our experience is anything to go by.” He said Tesco was near the end of the transition, ironing out glitches that saw some savers locked out of their accounts earlier this month and preparing to transfer 2.5 million credit card holders to a new platform in August and September. That should allow it to launch mortgages in early autumn, a bit later than hoped, followed by tax-efficient individual savings accounts by the end of its fiscal year in February and current accounts in autumn 2012, he said. The new products would be accompanied by a marketing drive.

PICKING UP THE PACE “At a time when you are migrating everything, you cannot really have a big marketing push for new customers,” Higginson said, when asked about Tesco Bank’s low profile so far. “Certainly we will be picking the pace of that up as we get towards the back end of the year,” he said. Some analysts have been disappointed by the time it has taken Tesco to gear up its banking business, arguing it has missed an opportunity to take custom from established players during the financial market crisis and lagged other new entrants, like Metro Bank and Virgin Money.

However, Higginson said the group was close to its original timetable and would have competitive advantages over the longer term from its Clubcard loyalty scheme, which should make it cheaper to win and retain customers, and from its focus on the internet, where Tesco Bank does 85 percent of its business. “If we have got lower delinquency, and we have got lower customer costs, and we have got lower operating costs ... then you have a chance to do the right thing” and offer customers consistently good deals, he said.

Tesco was aiming to build a mortgage book worth around 10 billion pounds, with an average loan-to-value ratio of 80-85 percent, he said. Higginson said Tesco would look at the sale of Northern Rock, but was unlikely to be interested in buying it. “Now we are moving along with our own plan, that looks less and less attractive,” he said. “It is the sort of thing you would classically have a look at to take a positive decision one way or the other, but it is very unlikely we would do it.” —Reuters

Japan has been mired in economic stagnation for much of the past two decades, slipping from second to third in the world rankings of biggest economies and building up some $10 trillion in debt as it tried to spur growth through spending. The March earthquake and tsunami is set to add to Japan’s debt load as the government spends on reconstruction. “While Japan is likely to have a V-shaped recovery later this year from the March 11 earthquake, subsequent economic growth may subside to a lackluster pace,” Moody’s said in a statement on its website. “It is not inconceivable the country would have a third “lost” decade of growth,” it said.

Japan’s economy has stagnated since an asset price bubble burst in 1990, leaving banks with high debts and an economy in deflation. GDP growth in the decade up to the global financial crisis in 2008 was about 1.3 percent a year, less than half the 3 percent pace achieved by the United States.

“Moody’s view is understandable,” said Seiji Adachi, senior economist at Deutsche Securities. “The possibility of another “lost decade” for Japan is growing.” He said higher electricity bills, a rise in the sales tax and the possibility of higher income tax for funding reconstruction after the March disaster would leave Japanese with less spare cash. “The combination of three burdens is likely to depress economic growth,” Adachi said.

Rapid ageing of Japan’s society and a decline in household savings are expected to weigh on the economy in the future and place further strain on government finances. At twice the size of the economy, Japan’s public debt is the highest in the industrialized world. All three major ratings agencies have their fingers poised on the trigger to downgrade Japan’s credit status because of the government’s failure to come up with a feasible plan to reduce the debt in the years ahead.

Japan’s government delayed endorsing plans to curb the public debt on June 20 as some ruling party lawmakers balked at being tied to a deadline for raising the national sales tax and because of uncertainty over when unpopular Prime Minister Naoto Kan would

quit, as he had promised. “This development is credit negative as it does not anchor government finances in a framework that holds out the possibility for containing debt,” Tom Byrne, the ratings agency’s senior vice president and regional credit officer said in comments posted on the website.

In May, Moody’s said it would complete a review within three months on whether to downgrade Japan’s Aa2 local and foreign currency ratings. At the time, it said

the sort of turmoil embroiling Europe, analysts say. That explains why yields on Japan’s 10-year government bonds are so low at just over 1 percent and why markets take comments from ratings services in their stride, they say.

“Ratings agencies could downgrade Japan,” said Takuji Aida, senior economist at UBS Securities in Tokyo. “We don’t see a serious fiscal funding problem right now, and that’s why yields are so low.

Eventually the consumption tax

poses doubling the country’s consumption, or sales, tax to 10 percent in four years to boost revenues.

Earlier in June, the International Monetary Fund urged Japan to raise the tax to 7 percent or 8 percent from next year and eventually to 15 percent over several years.

The government plan though faces opposition from within the ruling party. Opponents want economic recovery and the return of inflation as conditions that must

TOKYO: A man walks past an advertisement of a summer sale in Tokyo yesterday. Japan could face a third “lost” decade of sluggish economic growth. Japan could face a third “lost” decade of sluggish economic growth that will leave it struggling to whittle down the heaviest debt burden among developed nations, Moody’s ratings agency said yesterday. —AP Japan may not be able to avoid a ratings downgrade even if it was able to put together a strong plan to reform social welfare spending and boost tax revenues. “We’re suggesting that a more likely outcome is a downgrade, even with a seemingly strong fiscal program,” Byrne said on May 31. The Aa2 rating is Moody’s third-highest ranking, one notch above the ratings from Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services. All the firms have a negative outlook on their ratings.

TIPPING POINT Japan’s reliance on domestic investors, who hold around 95 percent of its debt, shields it from

has to be raised, but it should be on condition of a recovery in the economy.”

Ratings agencies say a funding crisis for Japan is unlikely in the next few years. But without urgent government action now, debt pressures will build up over time to reach a tipping point. Kan said earlier this month he would quit following criticism of his response to the March disaster. But he has been vague about when he would step down, paralyzing policy making. A survey by the Nikkei business daily newspaper showed yesterday that 60 percent of Japanese voters want him to quit by the end of August. The government pro-

be met before the tax is increased.

They fear an increase in the tax will stunt consumption and harm the economy, prolonging the years of sluggish growth.

The lack of progress on a fiscal plan is frustrating businesses. “For Japan, it is inevitable to raise consumption tax,” said Hiromasa Yonekura, head of the Japan Business Federation, known as Keidanren, Japan’s most influential business lobby. “We need to see fiscal consolidation as soon as possible. We need funding for reconstruction but also need to instill confidence at home and abroad by showing a clear path forward (on fiscal reform).” —Reuters

Inflation, high rates batter Vietnam’s small businesses HANOI: As Vietnam fights to beat back raging inflation, many of its small and mid-sized businesses- disadvantaged even in good times-are struggling to survive the battle. Just ask Ngo Thi Bau, general director of Nguyen Tam Foci Garment Co Ltd, which a Vietnamese consumer magazine for years dubbed one of Vietnam’s 100 strongest brands.

This year, plunging revenue has led Bau to lay off 60 percent of her Ho Chi Minh City-based firm’s 400 workers. Her business has been battered by sharply higher consumer prices and the sky-high interest rates-up to 20 percent-that borrowers now face. “It’s impossible to make a profit in manufacturing,” said Bau. Small businesses matter, as in the past decade they have become a key part of Vietnam’s economy. They account for 96 percent of all companies and account for 40 percent of gross domestic product, according to the Small and Medium Enterprises Association.

Bau said sales at her garment business cratered as people have skipped non-essentials as they have been forced to spend more on basic needs. Annual inflation in June has been nearly 21 percent. In May and again in June, food costs surged nearly 30 percent from a year earlier, while transport was up about 20 percent.

National retail sales were up a paltry 6.4 percent in the January to May period, discounting for inflation, state media reported. In 2010, full-year retail sales rose 24.5 percent. “We are in a tough situation, like others,” said Bau. “Many factories have closed down since earlier this year. My factory is running irregularly.”

But the pain that Vietnam’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are enduring runs deeper than this latest macroeconomic rough patch, with roots in policy shortcomings that experts say need to be addressed if the country is to shift to a more balanced and dynamic economic model.

Vietnam’s reform drive has spawned hundreds of thousands of small and medium enterprises, whose association says these account for half of all non-farm jobs. But these firms are underdogs of the business world, third-class citizens behind state-owned and foreign invested firms, and they are bearing the brunt of inflation and tight monetary policy.

For the past five years, the government has tried to create state-owned conglomerates similar to South Korea’s chaebols. These get preferential access to capital and have tight links to officials, valuable in Vietnam’s environment of vague regulations. Firms in which foreigners are investors generally are bigger, have higher profiles and get support from their embassies.

Former central bank governor Cao Si Kiem believes one-third of the workers at small enterprises could lose their jobs this year, at least temporarily. An ex-government advisor thinks 30 percent of such firms have stopped operating since the end of 2010. Vu Kim Hanh, director of the Business Studies and Assistance Centre, Vietnam’s first privately run business promotion agency, said she has been shocked by the volume of complaints, even from companies that normally avoid making noise. Smaller businesses “are being ambushed from 10 sides,” she said.

DIFFICULT TO GROW Last month, deputy director of a centre promoting small and medium-sized businesses at the state-backed Vietnam Chambers of Commerce and Industry, challenged a conference room full of company bosses to climb the value chain, but was swiftly reminded why that isn’t happening.

“Why don’t we make photocopy machine parts with higher profits instead of competing in the production of dustbins?” Dinh Manh Hung asked.

A retort rocketed back. “We don’t have money to buy technology,” said Nguyen Van Nghi, director of an iron casting and machinery company. A recent Ministry of Planning and Investment survey reported that only one third of small and midsized businesses, known as SMEs, were able to access bank credit while three quarters wished to.

“SMEs are stuck,” said Pham Thi Thu Hang, director of the SME promotion centre. “They can not grow beyond their small size due to lack of credit and technology.” In many countries, smaller businesses drive innovation in sectors like hightech and biotech and are supported by a range institutions, from incubators and banks dedicated to helping them to clear bankruptcy laws and strong industry associations. Vietnam has almost none of these, experts say. Its small companies are chronically under-funded and under-supported, with industrial policy favoring large firms usually

linked to the state.

The smaller businesses “are generally in sectors with very small margins and very low tech. So, where are those businesses that are going to start moving into higher value-added, more sophisticated products and services?” said Jonathan Pincus, dean of the Fulbright Economics Teaching Program in Ho Chi Minh City. “Those are bigger companies, but to get big is very difficult here. If you want to get into sectors where the margins are a bit bigger it’s quite difficult for these little firms to both get the capital and then also to fend off the incumbents.”

Vietnam’s biggest firms are state-owned or otherwise close to the government and benefit from those connections, he said. A handful of genuinely competitive private firms have managed to grow, but they tend to have done so with the help of foreign venture capital or private equity. Marco Breu, managing partner of McKinsey & Co.’s fastgrowing Vietnam office, says the “low hanging fruit” that has fuelled Vietnam’s growth in the reform era has mostly gone. The government’s new challenge is to do more to foster SMEs as it tries to re-position the economy.

“If you look at Thailand, Indonesia and some of the other ASEAN markets they have all successfully established institutions and opportunities that are helpful to the SMEs,” Breu said. “To be competitive, Vietnam needs to take up the challenge of creating a dynamic SME sector.”

LIKE POISON Vietnam’s macroeconomic woes are only making matters worse. Inflation has soared, hitting 19.8 percent in May from the same month last year, and it is likely to rise. The government has responded aggressively, cranking up policy rates by hundreds of basis points and ordering banks to slow credit growth. The net effect on inflation so far has been very limited, creating a kind of worst case scenario for companies struggling to cope with high inflation and high interest rates.

Even small companies that could get bank credit might not dare. “Taking bank loans is like drinking poison for SMEs,” said Kiem, the former central bank governor who is chairman of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association. Only companies that could not afford fine for breaking contracts have been borrowing. —Reuters

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business

Wen, Cameron to unveil £1bln deals

YOKOHAMA: Nissan Motors Corp. President and CEO Carlos Ghosn speaks during a press conference at the Nissan head office yesterday. — AP

Nissan aims for 8% global market share ‘We are definitely onthe offensive’: NissanChiefExecutive YOKOHAMA: Nissan Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn unveiled an ambitious sixyear plan for growth yesterday, including a target of boosting the carmaker’s share of the global auto market to 8 percent.

Nissan Motor Corp. hopes to reach the market share target in the fiscal year ending March 2017, in part by focusing on growth in countries such as China, Brazil, Russia and India.

Nissan had a record 5.8 percent market share in the fiscal year ended March 2011. “We are definitely on the offensive,” Ghosn said at the automaker’s Yokohama headquarters. The plan underlines how Nissan is readying for expansion despite the production disruptions from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that are projected to drag profit down 15.4 percent to 270 billion yen ($3.4 billion) for the fiscal year through March 2012.

The maker of the March subcompact, Leaf electric vehicle and Infiniti luxury models is not being deterred by the recall woes at Toyota Motor Corp., which were blamed on overly rapid expansion.

Ghosn, who also heads Nissan’s alliance partner Renault SA of France, said Nissan was in good shape to go on the growth track because it now had no “handicap” in cash reserves, market presence or product lineup. The business plan also includes a focus on Nissan’s trademark green technology, the electric vehicle.

The automaker expects cumulative electric vehicle sales of 1.5 million vehicles for the Renault-Nissan alliance by the fiscal year ending March 2017.

Nissan will have a production capacity of 1.2 million vehicles in China by 2012, becoming Nissan’s single largest global market, it said. Nissan aims to boost its market share in China to 10 percent under the six year plan from the current

6.2 percent. Nissan also hopes to boost its operating profit margin to 8 percent over six years from the current 6.1 percent. “We will accelerate our growth, bringing more innovation and excitement to our products and services as well as cleaner, more affordable cars for everyone around the world,” said Ghosn.

But some were skeptical.

Mamoru Katou, auto analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research, said Nissan sees an opportunity to boost its presence while rivals Toyota and Honda Motor Co. are ailing from disaster-related problems.

But he said they will also be recovering soon. “It’s true it has momentum,” he said of Nissan’s plans to raise production capacity around the world. “But Toyota and Honda will be back, and competition will intensify.” Japan’s No. 2 automaker said last week that it plans to sell more cars around the world at 4.6 million vehicles in the current fiscal year, up 9.9 percent and a record for Nissan. Sales revenue is expected to edge up 7.1 percent to 9.4 trillion yen ($117.5 billion).

Ghosn, who took over Nissan when it was teetering on the verge of bankruptcy in the late 1990s, said the first few years had been devoted to cost cuts and salvaging Nissan. That was followed by a period of growth in the early part of last decade.

Then the company had to invest in new headquarters and plants, and is now ready to reap the benefits of that in the years ahead, he said last week. Like other Japanese automakers, Nissan suffered production disruptions in Japan because of parts shortages after the March quake and tsunami destroyed key suppliers. The automaker says it has mostly recovered and will be back to normal by October. — AP

Saab says Chinese order pays for staff, not output STOCKHOLM: The Saab auto group said yesterday it will be able to pay staff and some supplier’s bills with cash from a Chinese order but is still seeking funds to resume production.

“A Chinese company placed an order to purchase 582 Saab vehicles with a total value of 13 million euro ($18 million)... the full pre-payment is expected to be received this week, providing Saab Automobile with short-term funding to pay the wages to its employees and make partial supplier payments,” Swedish Automobile, a Dutch company formerly known as Spyker, said. It did not identify the Chinese buyer.

The parent company and Saab were continuing “discussions with several parties to secure additional short-term funding to restart production,” Swedish Automobile said.

“There can, however, be no assurance that these discussions will be successful or that additional short-term funding will be obtained,” it warned. The announcement was welcomed positively by markets and Swedish Automobile’s shares bounced 27.51 percent to 1.23 euro on the Amsterdam stock exchange at 0800 GMT. Swedish Automobile announced on Thursday that Saab had run out of cash and did not have enough money to pay its staff. About 1,500 blue collar workers set to receive were immediately affected, with the rest of the firm’s 3,700 staff to follow suit. Two union representatives and a legal advisor left Saab’s board at the weekend following the announcement, leaving Swedish Automobile head Victor Muller as the sole member of Saab’s board. “I am pleased to announce this agreement, as it secures part of the necessary shortterm funding for Saab Automobile and allows us to pay our employees’ wages before the end of this month,”

he said in yesterday’s statement.

“I respect the decision of the union members to resign from the board of Saab Automobile,” he added. “We very much regret the current cash shortage which is causing undeserved hardship to all and we are working relentlessly to resolve the current situation.” Muller also said Russian financier Vladimir Antonov, a former Spyker shareholder who repeatedly said he wanted to invest in Saab, was still interested in participating in the company. Antonov still needs to be approved by the European Investment Bank (EIB), which loaned money to Saab, and by the carmaker’s former owner General Motors.

Sweden’s national debt office (NDO), which has a say in Saab’s ownership structure because it guaranteed the EIB’s 400-million euro ($580million) loan, recommended “to clear him over 8 weeks ago,” Swedish Automobile said. “Once clearance has been obtained, Mr. Antonov can provide much needed financing and/or capital to Swedish Automobile/Saab Automobile at this critical time. We are pushing hard to obtain this vital clearance as soon as practically possible,” the company said.Iconic Swedish brand Saab was saved at the last minute at the beginning of 2010 when it was bought by small Dutch firm Spyker from US giant GM. In its 20 years as a GM brand, Saab never turned a profit.

The new owner had big ambitions for Saab but the carmaker has since then lurched from one cash crisis to another. Earlier this month Saab announced it was entering a partnership with two Chinese businesses-car distributor Pang Da and manufacturer Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile-which was to generate investment of 245 million euros ($350 million). A previous deal with a Chinese firm fell through. — AFP

LONDON: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and British Prime Minister David Cameron were to unveil up to £1 billion worth of trade deals yesterday after Wen promised to open up his nation’s markets to British products. Wen, who was to hold talks with the British leader in London, also vowed to support the crisis-hit eurozone, noting it was in both parties’ interest to keep the bloc afloat.

The premier on Sunday told the BBC that “we will welcome more British products into the Chinese market” during the second day of his three-day British visit. On the first leg of his three-nation European tour, Wen promised officials in Hungary that China would continue to support its faltering economy, and pledged to similarly aid the eurozone. “We reached agreement on the Chinese government buying a certain amount of government debts,” he said.

“That is China lending a helping hand to Hungary at a time when that country is in difficulty,” he added. “We have done this for Hungary and we will do the same thing for other European countries.” British Culture Secretar y Jeremy Hunt spelled out the increasing importance of the Sino-British relationship, calling the Asian nation an “incredibly important economic power and a massive investor in the UK”.

During yesterday ’s leaders’ summit, Cameron was expected to tell Wen that British companies would be more inclined to do business with China if its human rights record was improved, according to The Times newspaper. The pair were set to announce deals worth over £1 billion, according to British media, including a lucrative agreement for British company Seamwell International to develop clean coal technology in China.

Wen on Sunday toured Britain as Beijing freed dissident activist Hu Jia in a move seen as defusing tensions over human rights. Wen arrived in the central English city of Birmingham on Saturday, while news emerged that Hu, one of China’s most prominent prisoners of conscience, was to be released. Hu, 37, was jailed on subversion charges in April 2008 after angering the ruling Communist Party through years of bold campaigning for civil rights, the environment and

LONDON: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C) reviews a guard of honor at the Foreign Office in central London, before a meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday. — AFP AIDS sufferers. His release followed that of outspoken Chinese artist Ai Weiwei last week.

On his first full day in Britain, Wen launched the first new MG car to be made in 15 years, the MG6 model, hailing it as a potent symbol of friendship between London and Beijing.

The new MG6 will be assembled at the MG car plant in Longbridge, Birmingham, which is now owned by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp (SAIC), China’s largest automaker. “The successful cooperation of the production of the MG6 and other MG vehicles is a symbol of the friendship between China and the UK,” said Wen, speaking at Longbridge. “ The model can be summed up as designed in the UK, manufactured in China and assembled in the UK, thereby making the most of China’s capital and markets, as well as the UK’s technology and managerial expertise.” The Chinese premier later held separate meetings with former British leaders Gordon Brown and Tony Blair and vowed that support to Britain and Europe would be “in concrete actions,” according to China’s state run news

agency Xinhua. Wen was keen to deepen China’s “exchanges and cooperation with Britain and Europe”, adding it was in the “fundamental interests” of both parties and vital for world peace and stability, Xinhua said.

Meanwhile, Chinese dissident Hu returned home earlier Sunday after completing a jail term for subversion-but seemed likely to be muzzled anew. Britain’s Foreign Office has yet to give an official reaction to Hu’s release. EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton welcomed the news-but her spokesman stressed the bloc’s demands for Beijing to treat Hu fairly and accord him “full rights” after his release. Germany said it will press human rights issues at its first joint cabinet meeting with China later this week, including the conditions of Ai’s release, Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said. Earlier on Sunday, Wen indulged his interest in Shakespeare with a visit to the bard’s bir thplace in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he was treated to performances of extracts from the play “Hamlet”. — AFP

New UK watchdog to ban ‘toxic’ financial products

WILLISTON: In this file photo, shoppers walk through the aisles at the Home Depot store. Home Depot is the latest federal contractor accused of violating the Buy American Act with Chinese-made goods. — AP

Home Depot latest accused of violating Buy American Act SAN FRANCISCO: The photograph on Home Depot’s website shows a line of smiling soldiers unloading a truck stacked with power tools and other company wares. The company says this shows “federal dollars go farther at The Home Depot.” San Francisco Attorney Paul Scott says the photo also shows the company providing Chinese-made products in violation of the Buy American Act, and the US Department of Justice is investigating. A federal judge in April refused Home Depot Inc.’s bid to toss a whistle-blower lawsuit Scott and other attorneys filed against the Atlanta-based company. Now the country’s largest home improvement retailer is the latest company accused of running afoul of the Buy American Act, a 1933 law aimed at protecting US jobs. The law requires that all materials used in construction of public projects originate in the United States or “designated countries.” Like most protectionist trade provisions, the Buy American Act has its supporters and detractors. Proponents support the act as a way to boost the economy and preserve US jobs. Critics complain the law limits the government’s ability to make the best purchase on price and quality.

Further, they argue that complying with the letter of the law is difficult, given the many exemptions and the reality that the component parts of many products originate in multiple countries. In addition, the law’s critics say it’s especially difficult for large companies such as Home Depot that carry thousands of products to ensure it follows the law with every government transaction. The law has been through many revisions, and trade agreements with Canada, Israel and several other countries allow for use of material made in those countries. In the decades after its enactment, the law was little used. But with the explosion of interna-

tional trade a number of companies have been accused of violating the Buy American Act over the last several years.

Earlier this year, the national hardware distributor Fastenal Co. agreed to pay $6.25 million to resolve DOJ claims made after a government audit found among other things that it violated its contract with the General Services Administration by providing Chinese-made goods.

Fastenal said in a statement that it settled because “we continue to believe that we complied with our obligation under the GSA contract in all material respects.

However, we felt a continuation of our dispute with the DOJ and GSA was not the best use of our resources.” In the last six years, Staples Inc., Office Depot Inc. and OfficeMax Inc. have paid a combined $22 million to settle government claims they violated the act. In 2008, the Department of Justice announced that W.W. Grainger Inc. agreed to pay $6 million to settle claims the company overcharged the government and provided it with Chinese and Taiwanese products in violation of the Buy American Act. At issue in the Home Depot case are GSA “schedule” contracts. Those contracts authorize any government agency to purchase tens of thousands of products from the company’s website.

The lawsuit alleges that up to half of those products are made in China and other non-designated countries. The lawsuit was filed by two employees of another government contractor in 2008 that claimed their employer, the Actus Lend Lease Co., supplied noncompliant material in several military housing projects.

Before Actus was dropped from the case this year after paying an undisclosed amount of money to settle, lawyers discovered allegations that one of its corporate partners — Home Depot — was also violating the law. —AP

LONDON: Britain’s new financial watchdog will ban products that are bad for consumers for up to a year and intervene far sooner to stamp out miselling, UK financial services minister Mark Hoban said yesterday.

Britain must learn from scandals like payment protection insurance (PPI) misselling by top banks who are now paying out billions of pounds in compensation to customers, Hoban said. “There will be a new power to ban products or restrict certain product features,” Hoban told a Which? consumer lobby conference. This could have stopped the selling of single premium PPI products, Hoban said.

“We have faced strong opposition from industry to these proposals but we will not shift,” Hoban added. Britain is reforming supervision after the 2008 global financial crisis forced it to shore up banks-and it also wants to end two decades of financial misselling that has cost 15 billion pounds.

It will scrap the Financial Services Authority (FSA) by early 2013 and replace it with a regulator at the Bank of England for banks. A standalone Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for market conduct and enforcement will have a core role to protect consumers and promote financial services competition. The FSA published a paper yesterday outlining how the new conduct authority will operate.

Dilution warning Groups of consumers will be able to provide evidence of misselling to the FCA which must then report back publicly on what action it is taking within a given time frame. Consumers will be told earlier when regulators have concerns and the FCA will intervene earlier to temporarily ban “toxic” products that are a bad deal for consumers or misleading promotional material, Hoban said.

“At the moment people don’t know which adverts are being withdrawn. We will legislate to make that happen,” Hoban said. The FCA will also have powers to refer competition concerns to the Office of Fair Trading which will have to respond.

“Under our new regime, we expect the FCA to take the initiative in tackling competition issues that cause consumer detriment,” Hoban said. The FCA can also announce if it has begun a probe even before any conclusion has been reached - a step firms say may damage their business even if they are found in the clear.

Margaret Cole, interim managing director of the conduct business unit at the FSA, is worried, however, this power will be watered down in legislation now going through parliament. “We want to be able to say what we are doing at an earlier stage. There is a danger that particular power, which is very controversial, will be circumscribed in some way,” said Cole, who has led the FSA’s stronger enforcement push. Cole said the FCA will study business models carefully as they are a major driver of aggressive product sales.

Banking in Britain is dominated by HSBC, Barclays , Lloyds , RBS and Santander , which are all compensating consumers for PPI misselling.

Hoban said there was not enough competition in the banking sector and the government would focus not just on barriers to entry but also on giving consumers enough information to switch banks easily and with confidence. —Reuters

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TECHNOLOGY

Malware in May: Rogue Antivirus Programs Attack Mac OS Users DUBAI: The experts at Kaspersky Lab present their monthly report about malicious activity on users’ computers and on the Internet.

May in figures. The following statistics were compiled in May using data from computers running Kaspersky Lab products: 242,7 mln network attacks blocked; 71,3 mln attempted web-borne infections prevented; 213,7 mln malicious programs detected and neutralized on users’ computers; 84,3 mln heuristic verdicts registered.

Rogue antivirus program for Mac OS X. In May, there were 109,218 attempts to infect users’ computers with rogue antivirus programs via the Internet. This is twice lower than the peak activity seen in FebruaryMarch 2010 - during this period, some 200,000 security incidents occurred each month. Nevertheless, rogue antivirus

attacks came as a surprise to users of Apple computers.

The first attacks were detected on 02 May when the web was abuzz with news about the death of Osama bin Laden. Some users searching Google for information about this event did not receive search results, but instead were presented with a notification in their browser windows that a Trojan had been detected on their machines and could be removed.

If a user agreed to try the suggested antimalware software, the rogue antivirus (MAC defender in this case) would say that it had detected several malicious programs on the computer (which in fact were not there), and ask $59-80 to remove them. If the victim paid for the fake program they received a registration key; when the user entered this key, the system stated it was now malware-free.

Facebook overtakes Microsoft in UK LONDON: Facebook over took Microsoft websites in Britain for the first time last month, becoming the UK’s second-most popular after Google as people aged over 50 flocked to social networks, online measurement body UKOM/Nielsen said.

Facebook attracted a record 26.8 million visitors in Britain in May, up 7 percent year on year, beating the 26.2 million who visited Microsoft’s MSN/WindowsLive/Bing sites combined, the organisation said yesterday. Google had 33.9 million.

Twitter’s UK audience jumped by a third to 6.1 million, after thousands of users retweeted allegations of celebrity scandals in defiance of gagging orders, including an extramarital affair by Manchester United soccer star Ryan Giggs.

UKOM/Nielsen said the number of women pensioners visiting the site doubled after “Giggsgate”. “ The growth in audiences to these social networks is now primarily being driven by the 50-plus age group. Just a few years ago, this group may have found itself out of place on these sites,” UKOM general manager James Smythe said.

He said over-50 year-olds accounted for more new adults visiting Facebook in the last two years than under-50s, resulting in an age profile far more closely reflecting that of the UK online population as a whole than previously.

Older age groups were also more likely to visit Twitter than in the past, but under-18s were less likely to visit

database did not contain users’ personal data.

In our forecasts for 2011 we suggested that information of any type would become the target of many attacks. Unfortunately, the number of attacks on Sony reinforces the accuracy of this prediction. Currently, IT security issues are extremely important as services such as PSN and iTunes harvest as much information as possible. The legislation surrounding personal data security is not always clear and all users can really do is to stop using these services.

There can be no doubt that the attacks on Sony were well planned and executed.

We can confidently predict that in the future, services similar to PSN will become the targets of such attacks. Therefore users need to be very careful when using these services and with the companies that provide them.

infected using a drive-by download attack.

After ZeroAccess penetrates a victim’s computer it determines whether the victim’s computer runs either a 32- or 64-bit operating system and downloads the appropriate version of the backdoor to it.

Sony targeted yet again. The hackers did not give Sony a chance to relax. After attacks on the Sony Playstation and Sony Online Entertainment Networks in late April - early May they compromised Sony’s Thai site on 20 May. As a result, a phishing page targeting Italian credit card owners was hosted on hdworld.sony.co.th.

However this was not the end of it. On 22 May, the Greek site SonyMusic.gr was attacked, making user data available for public access, including users’ nicknames, real names and email addresses. Two days later several vulnerabilities were detected on sony.co.jp. However this time the stolen

On board the Shanghai Express China shows offlatesthigh-speedtrain

the site than two years ago-which was not the case for Facebook.

Business network LinkedIn, whose market value has risen 58 percent to $6.65 billion since its New York stock market debut last month, registered 3.6 million UK visitors in May, up 57 percent from a year earlier.

Elsewhere, Facebook attracted 140 million visitors in the United States, up 12 percent. In Spain its numbers were up 7 percent, in France 18 percent, in Italy 26 percent and in Germany 72 percent.

Twitter’s visitor numbers rose 22 percent in the United States, 48 percent in France, 58 percent in Italy and more than doubled in Spain.

But in Germany they fell by 11 percent.

UKOM/Nielsen monitored the online behaviour of about 50,000 people in Britain and similar numbers in the other countries.

The panel was recruited both online and offline. — Reuters

Retailers turn to technology to stay ahead of shoplifters TEXAS: Retailers never give up fighting the bad guys. They’re adopting new technologies to protect against credit card fraud and counterfeit bills.

They’re hiring firms to conduct background checks on job applicants.

Distribution centers are putting smaller, harder-to-detect GPS devices in cargo shipments.

Ink-dispensing and alarm-setting bulky tags still keep some goods from walking out the door. There’s even an alarm tag that can go into the meat soaker pad under a packaged T-bone steak.

“Oh yes, food and alcohol are hightheft items,” said Karen Bomber, marketing director at Tyco Retail Solutions, one of the companies pushing its wares last week at the retail industry’s loss prevention conference in Grapevine. Attendance is 2,800.

Retail theft keeps rising. Last year, retailers lost $37.14 billion, or 1.58 percent of total retail sales, up from 1.44 percent in 2009, according to an annual study by the National Retail Federation, the conference host, and Richard Hollinger, University of Florida professor of criminology.

The biggest share of those losses, 44 percent, was from employee theft.

Shoplifting was second, with 33 percent, Hollinger said. Administrative errors, vendor fraud and unknown causes made up the rest. The results are based on survey responses from

Interestingly, the purported number of “signatures’ in MAC Defender’s “antivirus database” is 184,230. For comparison, the number of malicious programs created for Mac to date amounts to hundreds, but not tens of thousands.

Malware for Win64. The growth in the number of users who prefer the 64-bit OS did not go unnoticed. In May, Brazilian cybercriminals whose main “specialization” over the last several years has been banking Trojans released the first banking rootkit for the Windows 64-bit OS (Rootkit.Win64.Banker). They targeted users’ logins and passwords to online banking systems. During the attack the users were redirected to phishing pages which imitated the websites of respectable banks. May was also marked by ZeroAccess’ comeback, but this time the Trojan was capable of functioning on x64 systems. Computers were

124 companies. Almost 19 percent of employee theft cases involved collusion between internal and external sources, he said. “How does that old Pogo comic strip go? We have seen the enemy, and he is us,” Hollinger said.

New technology is about to make some efforts to stop retail theft obsolete, though it won’t happen overnight. Take credit cards, said Joe LaRocca, the National Retail Federation’s loss prevention staff expert. “We’ve spent 20 years adding holograms, expiration dates, setting up authentication numbers to call before a new card can be used — all sorts of things.”

“Now my credit cards are going to be on this,” he said, holding up his iPhone. “New ways to shop will change a lot of what we do in loss prevention,” LaRocca said.

Cameras trained on cash registers have helped deter theft, but now clerks use hand-held checkout tools in the aisles and even in fitting rooms, he said. Other retailers have started to follow Apple’s lead of sending receipts to the customer’s email account, LaRocca said. “Will that make it easier for people to walk out the door with more than what they purchased?”

Store maps are accessible on smartphones, and social media present some scary threats to stores, said Bill Titus, loss prevention manager of Sears Holding Corp. — MTC

TEXAS: Vandal-X security system on show in technology led exhibition in Grapevine, Texas on June 22, 2011.

BEIJING: With its fully reclining airline-style business class seats, a strict no-smoking policy and designed top speed of 350 km (220 miles) per hour, the new Beijing-Shanghai express embodies China’s race to the future.

The new line’s launch is coordinated with the 90th anniversary of the ruling Communist Party to highlight the “scientific development” slogan dear to the heart of Chinese president and party secretary Hu Jintao.

It is the latest and most feted portion of a network the government hopes will stretch 45,000 km (27,960 miles) by the end of 2015.

“This is the pride of China and the Chinese people,” Ministry of Railways chief engineer He Huawu told reporters at the Beijing South Station before a trial run yesterday.

“It took just 39 months to build such a high-standard and world-renowned highspeed rail line, which is a gift for the 90th anniversary of the Party.”

The sleek white and blue train-dubbed “Harmony” after President Hu’s “harmonious society” slogan-zips along its elevated track at 300 km (185 miles) per hour, bypassing flat fields and rubble-strewn villages. It cuts travel time on the 1,318-kilometre (820-mile) route to under five hours.

It would go faster but for safety concerns, after revelations of corruption led to the downfall of the rail minister earlier this year.

The line is designed to carry 80 million passengers a year, providing heady competition for the airlines on a route notorious for delays.

For 1,750 yuan ($270), business class travelers are waited on by uniformed stewardesses.

It is also a non-smoking ride.

BEIJING: Photo shows a high-speed train preparing to leave the railway station in Beijing for a trial run to Shanghai, yesterday. — AFP “That’s hard for some passengers. Even though we only stop for one minute in Nanjing they race out to the platform and puff as fast as they can,” said Wang Zongyue, who handles safety culture training for the new line.

WORKING ON THE RAILROAD China’s ambitious high-speed rail programme is designed partly to shift passenger traffic off existing tracks, allowing for faster and cheaper transport of coal and grains.

The investment comes none too soon for the creaking freight rail system, which proved a major bottleneck as China’s economy took off over the past decade.

But building a top-of-the line passenger system is controversial. Critics say affordable

seats are needed more than luxury commuter lines. Regular trains are so crowded during peak times that passengers stand or sleep in the aisles or even bathrooms, and poorer Chinese still queue for hours or even days to get tickets. The heavily indebted ministry may have to cut back on some plans, analysts say.

“They might cut some of the far west lines and inter-city lines, some of the more ambitious plans don’t make much sense,” said Jerry Lou, chief strategy officer for Morgan Stanley Huaxin Securities.

He believes the new lines will spur demand for everything from real estate to instant noodles. But Lou shrugged off allegations that the line, at a cost of 220.9 billion yuan, amounts to a high-speed vanity project. — Reuters

Top US court zaps violent videogame sales ban WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court yesterday rejected a California law banning the sale or rental of violent videogames to minors, calling it unconstitutional and a violation of free speech protections.

The court, in a 7-2 ruling, upheld a lower court judgment that struck down the 2005 California law.

“Like the protected books, plays, and movies that preceded them, videogames communicate ideas-and even social messages-through many familiar literary devices,” said Justice Antonin Scalia, author of the majority opinion.

“That suffices to confer First Amendment protection” under the US constitution, Scalia said.

The case stemmed from California’s approval of a 2005 law that would make retailers subject to fines of $1,000 for selling or renting videogames labeled as violent to anyone under the age of 18.

Opponents argued that the law restricted freedom of expression and was unnecessary because most videogames already contain ratings as to their age appropriateness.

The California law was overturned by a lower court in 2007 as infringing on free speech, and that ruling was upheld by a higher court in 2009.

Then California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appealed the case to the Supreme Court.

The law defines a violent videogame as one that depicts “killing, maiming, dismembering, or sexually assaulting an image of a human being,” though it does not prevent a parent or guardian from purchasing the game for their child.

Opponents of the California law argued that minors should have the same access to potentially violent videogames as they currently do to movies or books with similarly graphic content.

They said the law is not needed because the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) already rates thousands of games a year, providing parents with the ability to determine whether a game is appropriate for their child. The Supreme Court, in its ruling, noted that many children’s books contain graphic material.

“Certainly the books we give children to read-or read to them when they are younger-contain no shortage of gore,” the court said.

“Grimm’s Fairy Tales, for example, are grim indeed,” it said. “Cinderella’s evil stepsisters have their eyes pecked out by doves. And Hansel and Gretel (children!) kill their captor by baking her in an oven.”

The court also said there was no “compelling” evidence to show a link between exposure to violent videogames and harmful effects on children.

“These studies have been rejected by every court to consider them, and with good reason: They do not prove that violent videogames cause minors to act aggressively,” the court said.— AFP

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s defense ministry has said it will issue “about 8,000” iPads to recruits from November — AP

Guns, grenades and iPads for Singapore soldiers Recruits issuedwithApple technology SINGAPORE: New recruits to Singapore’s military, air force and navy are to get a new standard-issue item of equipment besides their rifle-the iPad. The defense ministry said yesterday it will be issuing “about 8,000” of the sleek, touch-screen tablet computers-already wildly popular with the city-state’s techsavvy youth-to recruits from November.

The ministry said it was also planning to issue the devices to other servicemen next year. The cheapest iPad2 device currently retails in Singapore for Sg$668 ($538).

Defense chief Neo Kian Hong said adopting the iPad would allow the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to take advantage of the technological abilities of the city-state’s youth.

“By exploiting the use of popular and current information and communications technology, we are able to harness our advantage of today’s technologically savvy servicemen,” the Straits Times

newspaper quoted him as saying.

Troops can use the iPad’s built-in camera to take photos and video clips in the field which can be uploaded to the SAF’s online platform, LEARNet. Soldiers can use these photos and videos to carry out post-mission assessments, the newspaper said.

Soldiers can send questions to their commanders through a live messaging system and group chat discussions can be held, it added.

The SAF said it was working with private contractors to design apps-microprograms tailor-made for mobile devices with a wide range of functions-for servicemen.

Singapore maintains a conscriptbased military and its armed forces are among the best- equipped in Asia.

Every able-bodied male citizen and permanent resident aged 18 and above must undergo two years of military training. — AFP

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health& science

Mutated scarlet fever fuels Hong Kong outbreak HONG KONG: Ultramodern Hong Kong is tussling with a centuries-old bug long forgotten in many developed countries an outbreak of drug resistant scarlet fever that has killed the first children there in a decade. And with it is the rise of a mutated strain that appears to be more contagious. The number of cases has spiked this year to more than 500, with health officials issuing warnings in the southern Chinese city jammed with 7 million people and hypersensitive to any type of disease outbreak. Experts warn the main strain of the bacterial infection is likely transmitted easier. It is 60 percent resistant to two drugs of choice, up from a resistance level of 10 to 30 percent previously.

The illness leaves children with a fever, sore throat, bright red tongue and sandpapery rash.

Penicillin still cures it, but doctors worry options will be limited if the germ eventually outsmarts that antibiotic before a vaccine is developed.

That’s the cause of lots of nightmares, said Dr Edward Kaplan. He heads a World Health Organization research center at the University of Minnesota that focuses on the strep germ, which causes scarlet fever. “The fact that we still have penicillin is something we all get down on our

knees and say prayers about each night.” The widespread availability of penicillin and the development of other new antibiotics in the 20th century virtually wiped out diseases that were once major killers in developed countries, such as tuberculosis. But the overuse and misuse of drugs - patients not finishing a full prescription or taking antibiotics for a virus when they are only effective against bacteria have allowed old bugs to fight back and eventually overpower antibiotics, rendering some of them useless.

Penicillin, once useful to treat a number of ailments from gonorrhea to pneumonia, has lost much of its potency due to resistance that has built over decades. Some say it’s a miracle it still works for the streptococci group that causes an array of diseases from strep throat to toxic shock syndrome and flesh-eating disease. That’s the one thing that we both a bit fearful of and also, in one respect, really surprised that the bug hasn’t developed penicillin resistance yet,” said Mark Walker, a microbiologist and strep expert who heads the Australian Infectious Disease Research Center.

We’re very lucky. We still have a treatment we can use and additionally there are vaccines that are

under development. But even penicillin has its problems because many people are allergic to it.

That means trying older antibiotics or newer drugs of last resort, which doctors typically try to avoid for fear of rendering those drugs useless, too. A vaccine against the germ that causes scarlet fever is likely years away.

Pockets of drug-resistant scarlet fever, which typically spreads through coughing and sneezing and is most common in children under 10, have sprung up over the past few decades in various parts of the world.

And while the Hong Kong deaths and rise in cases are disturbing, the resistance seen in the standard treatments erythromycin and clindamycin is not new, Kaplan said.

A 7-year-old girl who died in May became the first recorded scarlet fever death in Hong Kong in at least 10 years, while a 5-year-old boy also died last Tuesday. Both deteriorated quickly in the hospital and were killed by toxic shock syndrome resulting from the infection. The children were infected with two different common strains of scarlet fever that are circulating simultaneously, both antibiotic resistant. However, the one that

Tobacco giant to challenge plain packaging laws SYDNEY: Global tobacco giant Philip Morris will launch legal action over Australia’s plan to introduce plain cigarette packaging, it said yesterday, warning the damages bill could run to billions of dollars.

Under proposed government legislation aimed at reducing smoking rates, due to take effect next year, all logos would be removed from cigarette packaging in Australia, with company brand names printed in a specific font.

Packets would also be a bland olive-green and contain graphic health warnings such as black, diseased gums, blinded eyes and children in hospital.

The proposal, which is being closely watched by other countries considering similar policies, has enraged the tobacco giants, who say it would reduce their profits and see counterfeit products flood the market.

Hong Kong-based Philip Morris Asia (PMA), which distributes brands such as Marlboro in Australia, will argue that Canberra is breaching a bilateral investment treaty between the two countries. “The forced removal of trade marks and other valuable intellectual property is a clear violation of the terms of the bilateral investment treaty between Australia and Hong Kong,” PMA spokeswoman Anne Edwards said in a statement.

“We believe we have a very strong legal case and will be seeking significant financial compensation for the damage to our business.” The notice of claim, which was served on Monday, starts a three-month negotiation period and if no resolution is reached the matter will proceed to arbitration.

“Legal action is not a course we take lightly, but the government has unfortunately left us with no other option,” added Edwards.

The Philip Morris statement cited Georgetown University’s Don Wallace Jr., chairman of the Washington-based International Law Institute and an expert on investor-state disputes, as saying compensation could be significant.

“Plain packaging legislation would expose Australia to well-founded claims under the treaty, potentially costing the Australian government billions of dollars in damages,” said Wallace. Canberra says 15,000 Australians die of smoking-related diseases every year, and that tobacco use costs the country Aus$31.5 billion ($33 billion) annually in healthcare and lost productivity.

Though Australia would be the first country in the world to mandate plain packaging, New Zealand, Canada and Britain have considered a similar approach, and Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the government would not be swayed. “We’re not going to be intimidated by big tobacco’s tactics, whether they’re political tactics, whether they’re public affairs kind of tactics out in the community or whether they’re legal tactics,” she said.

Diabetes vaccine stumbles at second hurdle PARIS: An experimental vaccine to prevent progression of Type 1 diabetes failed at the second step of the three-phase trial process, doctors said yesterday in a study reported online by The Lancet. The vaccine sought to protect insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas from the body’s immune system. Its formula is based on an enzyme called glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), which the over-sensitised immune system targets-and in doing so destroys the precious beta cells.

The idea was that by vaccinating patients with GAD, this would teach the immune system’s T cells to tolerate the enzyme. The trial was carried out on 145 patients aged three to 45 years living in the United States and Canada who had been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes within the previous three months. The volunteers were given either the vaccine; the vaccine plus a standard immune-system booster; or just the booster alone.

Patients in all three groups experienced similar progression in the disease, with no difference among them in side effects.The paper, led by Jay Skyler of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, was presented at a conference of the American Diabetes Association in San Diego, California.

Despite the setback, the investigators called for more research to see if the formula might work when administered sooner or as part of a combination therapy.

The number of adults with diabetes worldwide has more than doubled since 1980, with almost 350 million now affected, according to data reported earlier at the conference.

Diabetes is caused by poor blood sugar control and can lead to heart disease and stroke and damage the kidneys, nerves and eyes.High blood sugar levels and diabetes kill three million people across the world each year. The surge is attributed to longer lifespan and excess weight, especially among women.

Type 1, a condition that affects about five to 10 percent of people with diabetes, was previously known as juvenile diabetes because it typically shows up in children or young adults.

Patients have to take daily insulin shots for the rest of their lives and follow dietary guidelines and exercise. In Type 2 diabetes, previously known as adultonset diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or cells are resistant to the hormone. The condition is managed by diet, exercise as well as insulin shots if need be. —AFP

Kenya’s camel milk set for boom times Milkis covetedtobe internationalhealthfoodproduct

AUSTRALIA: This handout image taken and released on April 7, 2011 by the Australia government shows the new compulsory cigarette packet style in dark olive-green and plastered with health warnings. Global tobacco giant Philip Morris will launch legal action over Australia’s plan to introduce plain cigarette packaging, it said on June 27, 2011, warning the damages bill could run to billions of dollars. — AFP “We’re not taking a backward step. We’ve made the right decision and we’ll see it through.” Health Minister Nicola Roxon added that the government was confident it was on “very strong legal ground”.

“Tobacco is unlike any other legal product in the world. We know so much about the harm it causes,” she told state broadcaster ABC. “So in those unusual circumstances, taking steps as we have already done in Australia to severely restrict advertising, has not been able to be challenged. “Similarly, we think this

next sensible, logical step will not be successfully challenged either.”

Professor Donald Rothwell, from the Australian National University’s College of Law, said Philip Morris must first prove a dispute exists.

“A crucial legal issue at this stage is whether there exists a ‘dispute’ for the purposes of the (bilateral) agreement as no federal legislation has yet been enacted,” he said.

“Accordingly, no damage has been suffered by the tobacco companies.” —AFP

Personal trainers take their own training personally NEW YORK: Personal trainers can appear to be cut from the same well-trimmed cloth: they warm you up, they cool you down, they watch your form and advise you on balanced, sensible fitness goals. But when they’re not working, trainers, like the rest of us, pursue the fitness things they love, which can be anything from a pre-dawn run to a body building medal.

At an Equinox fitness center in New York City, Tiffany Boucher’s working day can involve helping young men with their biceps and older women with their balance. But before she hits the gym, this passionate runner hits the streets. “Before everyone is up I run over the Brooklyn Bridge,” said Boucher, who tries to run, bike or spin six days a week.

She also lifts weights on two days and does Pilates on one. “Some trainers really embody the lifestyle,” Boucher said. “It’s valuable for the consumer to ask appropriate questions when getting a trainer.” Boucher, who blocks out about 10 hours of workout time per week, believes clients learn from a trainer’s example. “It’s about the importance of your

appears to be dominant also has undergone a genetic mutation that may make it easier to spread, said Kwok-yung Yuen, head of Hong Kong University microbiology department, who sequenced samples taken from the current outbreak. The nearly 550 cases of scarlet fever so far this year are about double Hong Kong annual total. Local media also are reporting some 9,000 cases detected in mainland China, also about twice the normal rate there, but it’s unclear if it-fs becoming a regional problem because many countries do not track the common childhood illness, according to the World Health Organization.

Scarlet fever, also called scarlatina, was once a highly feared scourge in Europe and the United States. Clothes, bedding and toys were often burned and children were sometimes isolated after infection, as portrayed in the popular 1920s children’s book, “The Velveteen Rabbit.” Experts say they fear rising drug resistance could one day take the world back to a time when there were no easy treatments.

“This will really turn us back to 1940s in terms of treatment of infectious disease if this trend continues.” — AP

workout in your day.” At a Crunch gym in New York, Jenn Burke counts weekend warriors, marathoners and would-be triathletes among her clientele. She tailors her personal workout to whatever event she’s training for, and she’s usually training for something.

“Marathon, 5K (5000-meter), or triathlon,” she explained. “Typically I’ll have three or four days of resistance training, anything from circuit style to heavier weights.”

Then she’ll run four days a week, swim two to three, and take two bicycle rides.

Burke says she works out about two hours a day, six days a week. “It’s just as important for a trainer to set goals as it is for them to understand their clients’ goals,” Burke said.

“When trainers set their own goals they inspire their clients.”

When Crunch trainer Richard Louis isn’t prepping a client to run a race or look sleeker in their bridal gown, he’s training for the Mr. Universe body building contest in October. “It changes my routine,” said Louis.

“I do cardio mornings and try to leave more time for a personal workout. I’ll do weight

training with a different body part each day, and the last six weeks (before the contest) I’ll do another cardio session after my last client.” Louis’ workout averages two and one-half hours per day, five days a week. He believes the focus, concentration and intensity he brings to body building inspires his clients, even if they ’re lifting just five pounds. “The basic things don’t change,” he said, “they just come in new packages.”

Also wedded to the tried and true is Tom Spring, an exercise physiologist with the American College of Sports Medicine.

Based in Detroit, Michigan, Spring works with high-risk populations including seniors and the chronically ill. “My passions are ice hockey and competitive skiing. On average I play five to six hours of hockey a week,” said Spring, who prefers competitive sports to classes and outdoor to indoor running.

“I don’t’ venture too far from my old weight training,” said Spring, who believes staying in shape is being a role model.

“Clients gravitate to trainers who walk the walk.” —Reuters

ISIOLO: For the tattered-clothed young men in this remote community, milking a camel’s stubby utters at sunrise is not a novelty, but a daily chore to get milk valued by their tribe for generations.

But camel’s milk, long-cherished by the Cushite people of central Kenya, is now enjoying a renaissance in the capital Nairobi and could, some say, become an internationally coveted health food product worth 10 billion dollars a year.

“Camels are better than cows because they can survive when there is drought, but the cows cannot, so I can make a profit even during dry season,” said Halima Hussein, 45, whose 84strong flock makes her a local camelmogul. “I’m going to sell to sell some of my cows to buy more camels,” added Hussein, whose family also owns 120 cows. This arid region in central Kenya, like much of northeast Africa, has in recent years been hit with less predictable and more intense droughts, hindering cow’s milk production and boosting the value of camels.

In Isiolo, some 280 kilometers (175 miles) north of Nairobi, Hussein and the 63 other women in her local cooperative currently send between 3,000 to 5,000 liters (quarts) of camel’s milk a day to markets in Nairobi’s Eastleigh neighborhood. Following this unprecedented demand, the Dutch development

organization SNV, which helps the women sell their milk in Nairobi, has suggested opening a milk bar in Isiolo, perhaps to introduce visitors to the unique flavours of camel-based diary.

The Somali, Oromo and Borana tribes-all part of the Cushite group-provide a reliable base of customers at Nairobi’s hectic markets. But some insist there is a chance to turn this once ignored type of milk into a high-end health food product sought after on every continent.

“There is already a high demand for camel milk in the developed countries,” said Holger Marbach, a German national who founded Vital Camel Milk, which makes yoghurt, ice cream and other camel’s milk products.

Marbach said Vital Camel Milk currently sells its products to supermarkets in Kenya, Latin America, South Africa and United Arab Emirates, but could sell to more lucrative markets if “administrative and political barriers” were removed. Leading food experts also agree that camel’s milk has potentially valuable properties. “Camel milk is slightly saltier than cow’s milk, three times as rich in Vitamin C and is known to be rich in iron, unsaturated fatty acids and B vitamins,” according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s website. —AFP

NAIROBI: Camel’s milk is now enjoying a renaissance in Kenya’s capital Nairobi. —AFP

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H E A LT H

Clinical Trial in Pancreatic Cancer ERYTECH Pharma Completes the Enrollment of Patients in Its Phase I LYON: ERYTECH Pharma has just completed the enrollment of patients in a Phase I clinical trial with its flagship product for pancreatic cancer, Graspa(r). This product contains the enzyme L-asparaginase encapsulated in red blood cells, using technology owned by ERYTECH Pharma. The first results in this study demonstrated that Graspa(r) was active, with a safety profile that was satisfactory for patients in last-line therapy. On the back of this success, ERY TECH is expecting to forge ahead with the clinical development of Graspa(r) for the treatment of pancreatic cancer in “responder” patients.

Dr Yann Godfrin (ERY TECH Pharma’s co-founder, Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer) commented “ We are delighted with these results in pancreatic cancer. Graspa(r) showed good safety and tolerability in these particularly fragile patients,

whereas other clinical studies have shown significant toxicity with forms of asparaginase. We had obtained the same results in leukemia; it is the first time in a solid tumor”.

Pancreatic cancer remains a significant medical challenge, with over 140,000 new cases reported every year in Europe and the USA. It is the ninth-ranked cause of cancer-related death in Europe. Published academic studies and ERYTECH’s own research on mice and on patient samples have shown that a subgroup of tumors is sensitive to the action of L-asparaginase. In order to select responders, ERYTECH is working with private-sector and academic partners with a view to fine-tuning a predictive test for the efficacy of encapsulated asparaginase.

Of note is a research agreement signed with the MD Anderson Cancer Center in the US, which has identified a biomarker for the prediction of L-

asparaginase on solid tumors.

Professor Thierr y Andre (the Hepatogastroenterology Department at Pitie-Salp’triere Medical Centre and investigator of the study) emphasized that “asparagine depletion appears to be an attractive approach to treating this cancer. It would be especially valuable if, in future clinical studies, we could select patients likely to show a treatment response to this depletion”.

Pierre-Olivier Goineau, co-founder and Chairman concluded by saying that”with Graspa(r)’s efficacy and tolerance profile, we are expecting to widen its scope for appropriate use particularly in solid tumors. The overall potential market for Graspa(r) could well amount up to several million Euros in the future.”

Graspa(r) has been granted orphan drug designation by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment

of pancreatic cancer. It has also received this status in Europe and in the USA for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. ERYTECH Pharma’s use of encapsulation technology opens up new cancer treatment possibilities, in which enhanced efficacy and reduced toxicity are key elements in an improved prognosis and quality of life for patients.

Graspa(r) is a new enzyme formulation of L-asparaginase, with a safer and broader range of clinical uses than existing forms due to the enzyme’s entrapment and protection inside homologous red blood cells.

The added value of Graspa(r) (by encapsulating L-asparaginase in red blood cells) relates to its ability to overcome existing limitations associated with conventional L-asparaginase via longer efficacy, better compliance, reduced doses and a better safety profile. — ERYTECH

Globalization increases risk of disease PARIS: Increasing globalization increases the risk that a major event such as a disease outbreak of financial collapse will prove more disruptive to the world economy while also making them more likely, the OECD said yesterday. The OECD, which groups the world’s most advanced economies, warned that greater international connectivity and the speed with which people, goods and data travel will make such events much more troublesome in future.

The report, entitled “Future Global Shocks,” identified five major risk categories-a pandemic, cyber attacks, a financial crisis, civil unrest and geo-

magnetic storms which would disrupt satellite communications.

The Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development cited events such as the 2003 SARS outbreak and last year’s wildfires in Russia to illustrate a world where disasters resonated more widely. The SARS outbreak “spread quickly from Hong Kong around the world as travelers caught the virus and then flew home,” the report said.

Accordingly, “new antibiotics are desperately needed to keep pace with the rising development of bacteria that are drug-resistant,” the OECD said. — AFP

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W H AT ’ S O N Aware Diwaniya

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WARE Centre Diwaniya: ‘Criminal Laws in Islam,’ by Dr. Teresa Lesher, Tuesday, June 28, 7:00pm.

Criminal laws in Islam aim to safeguard the community and exist when there is potential harm to a second party. Join Dr. Teresa Lesher for a discussion of Islamic Law (shariah) regarding the penalties for the major crimes, including murder, manslaughter, armed aggression, theft, adultery, slander and intoxication, and how these rules protect the citizens’ material, spiritual and social development regardless of religion, color or nationality.

Dr. Teresa’s long experience has given her insight into Arab culture that cannot be learned from books and has resulted in a sense of belonging in the community. She has been a practicing Muslim for over 30 years and has studied not only the theoretical bases of Islam but also the modern practices of its followers.

Teresa is an Associate Professor of Library and Information Science at the College of Basic Education in Kuwait.

Registration for ‘Blank Camp’ has started at Infunity Club at 360 Mall

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aven’t you registered your kids yet? Don’t you want them to be happy? The “ Blank Camp” is ready to accept your young camper. Registration started on the 19th of June, 2011. Hurry up, registration is on a first come first serve basis and you don’t want your child to be left out.

Your child deserves this experience and you should enroll them in this adventure to make them stronger to face future challenges.

Be part of their success where they will have a great opportunity to learn new skills, gain knowledge, enhance self-confidence and build character. In addition, create new friendships and unforgettable experiences that last a lifetime.

Blank Camp is the first summer camp of its kind brought to your kids by the family entertainment center “Infunity”, which offers a great experience, fun and adventures for young campers ages 5 to 12 years old. The “Blank Camp” offers a variety of activities including arts, crafts, reading, theater, sports and treasure hunt. The camp is running from June 19 to July 14 at “Infunity”, 360 Mall, Level 3 and will be conducted from 9 am to 1:30 pm.

Notice to Filipino citizens

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otice is hereby given that under Republic Act No. 9189, otherwise known as “The Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003”, all citizens of the Philippines abroad, not otherwise disqualified by law, at least eighteen (18) years of age on the day of the election, and who are registered overseas absentee voters with approved applications to vote in absentia, may vote for Senators and Party-list Representatives.

For this purpose, all qualified Filipino citizens not registered as voters under Republic Act No. 8189, otherwise known as “The Voters Registration Act of 1996”, (the system of continuing registration) shall file an application for registration while those who are already registered under the said Act shall file an application for certification. For purposes of the May 13, 2013 elections, the filing of applications for registration/certification and transfer of registration records shall be filed at the Post or other designated registration areas from October 31, 2011 to October 31, 2012. The 30-day voting period is from April 13, 2013 until 3:00 o’ clock in the afternoon (Philippine time) of May 13, 2013 at any Philippine Embassies or Consulates. (The time for voting to be announced later). For details, please contact telephone number: 65184433 (Kuwait)

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.

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.

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 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 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 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.

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

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

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.

clubhouse, which is located at the Fahaheel Sea Club. Fortnightly racing plus International events in Bahrain and Dubai. Boats often require crew 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 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

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.

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.

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 Dive Shop. www.kimcenter.selmpb.com Kuwait Mantas Non profit scuba diving group See ‘Interest Groups’. info@kuwaitmantas.com www.kuwaitmantas.com 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.

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

Contact John Morley johnmorley@hotmail.com Fahaheel Sailing Club (see Dive Caroline) 2371 9289 www.horn3.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

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

Sheikha Squash www.sheikhasguash.com Health Club 2474 2000 Crowne Plaza Hotel, Farwaniya

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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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Marina Hotel Kuwait hosts celebrities from film fraternity of Egypt

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arina Hotel Kuwait welcomed the actors and actresses of Egypt on their recent visit to Kuwait. The crew included Mr and Mrs Yehya Al Fakharani, Mrs. Sawsan Badr, Mr Wagdi Al Hakeem, Mrs Athar Al Hakeem and Ms Manal Salama.

Mr Nabil Hammoud, commented on the preference

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.

Salmiya region Malayalam Classes

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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 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 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

of Marina Hotel as a top notch hotel for VIP s, politicians, artists and sportsmen. He said We take pride to receive the movie stars and it s a privilege for us to have them stay at our hotel.

Marina Hotel is a favorable hotel not only for celebrities but also the populace because of the

unique traditional Kuwaiti culture along with modern amenities that it provides to its guests. At Marina Hotel the guests always receives imperial attention for minute details. We hold the visit of artists from Egypt as a matter of high esteem and it s an honor to host them in our premises.

26th consecutive stays in the same hotel, same room, same date

T

omorrow, 29th June, 2011 Iqbal Hadi Zaidi, former Pakistani diplomat will be staying in Room 306, Crowne Plaza, Farwania, Kuwait for 26 consecutive stay to commemorate his 26th Wedding Anniversary. Shireen, his wife though officially still named as Suhail Fatima will be with him on the day. On 29th June, 1991 when he was diplomat at Pakistan Embassy, Kuwait he, due to his diplomatic obligations, simply could not go to Islamabad to be with his family on their 6th Wedding Anniversary hence he had to stay by himself here at Room 306 Holiday Inn whereas Shireen and their daughter Areej stayed in Room 306 Holiday Inn, Islamabad to upkeep his lifelong matrimonial promise.

Iqbal aged 42 was working as Administration Manager, Epic Instruments Inc (US company) in Kuwait when he decided to marry but a bit differently so that he can maintain his individualistic entity.

Initially he was planning to marry on 30the June, 1985 in Islamabad and hence he booked Room 306 Holiday Inn, Islamabad (the only 5 star in the city) so that his wedding date was the same as his wedding room. However, as bad luck had it, 15 days before his departure Mr E K Mills, Chairman, Epic asked him to advance his marriage by 2 days so that he returns 2 days earlier and he very happily agreed to the instructions of the company owner. He immediately called Holiday Inn, Islamabad requesting for Room 286 or 296 if he marries on 28th June or 29th June instead of 30th June but unluckily Holiday Inn, lslamabad did not have any of the rooms. However, he had to compromise to wed on 29th June and stay in Room 306 which sill had a relationship between the wed-

ding dates and the hotel room but 28th June and Room 307 were miles apart.

Iqbal on the wedding day, did not promise with Shireen like others do that on each anniversary they will host parties inviting relatives and friends or exchange gifts or dine out or travel etc rather, on the contra, he promised that each year on wedding

lobby where giant size billboards were placed mentioning the salient features of the wedding.

Many people including men and women hailing from different countries including Kuwait had written their remarks on the message pad to give their warm wishes for the couples Silver Wedding Anniversary.

Tomorrow, KTV 2 (English

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. ● 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 ■■■■■■■

date they will stay either jointly or individually in Room 306 Holiday Inn wherever they are and this is what he has maintained throughout their 26 years of married life.

Last year was their Silver Wedding Anniversary and they stayed in Room 306 Crowne Plaza, Farwania, Kuwait to celebrate the occasion. Al Jazeera International TV and Al Rai Al Aam TV had covered the event in the hotel on 29th June, 2010 and aired the same on 30th June and 1 July respectively. Mr. Hani Kafafi, General Manager, Crowne Plaza, Kuwait and Director of Operations, Northern Gulf visited the couple in Room 306 and presented them a commemorative memento. The hotel had placed two desks with chairs in the hotel

Channel) will film Iqbal and Shireen when they arrive to the hotel to check in to occupy Room 306 to commemorate their 26th Wedding Anniversary and the film will be aired Saturday 2nd July at 9 pm under the caption Week-end Show. Mubasher TV network will interview the couple at the hotel and air it live between 5 and 6 pm on the same day. Al Mustaqbil and Al Siyassah daily newspapers and Al Hadaf monthly magazine will also interview them on the happiest day.

This time Crowne Plaza, Farwania is placing billboards in the hotel lobby outlining the brief history of the wedding and people can freely write their feelings and remarks about this unique matrimonial promise.

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 ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF KENYA 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.

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

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NBK honors outstanding high school grads

N

ational Bank of Kuwait (NBK) honored several high school graduates who achieved outstanding results in their final year at a ceremony at NBK headquarters yesterday.

NBK Kuwait CEO Shaikha Al Bahar, NBK Capital CEO Salah Al Fulaij, NBK General Manager Corporate Banking Group Mazin AlNahedh, NBK Deputy General

Manager Consumer Banking Group Abdulla Al Najran Al Tuwaijri and Assistant General Manager HR Group - Kuwait Emad Ahmed Al Ablani met with the students and urged them to continue working hard to achieve their dreams.

“NBK sees education as a top priority and is always keen to support ambitious young people as a fundamental part of our social

responsibility,” Al Bahar said. “We are proud of these youth and what they have achieved and wish them every success in their future studies and careers.”

NBK supports education and excellence for the youth of Kuwait in a variety of ways, including holding such honoring ceremonies to recognize and reward students striving toward excellence.

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.

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TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

Years

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 Dogs 101 01:40 Untamed And Uncut 02:35 Lions Of Crocodile River 03:30 Mutant Planet 04:25 I’m Alive 05:20 Animal Cops Houston 06:10 America’s Cutest...

07:00 Lemur Street 07:25 The Really Wild Show 07:50 Jeff Corwin Unleashed 08:15 Natural Born Hunters 08:40 Breed All About It 09:10 Dogs 101 11:00 Animal Cops Miami 11:55 E-Vets: The Interns 12:20 Wildlife SOS 12:50 Animal ER 13:45 Animal Cops Houston 14:40 Penguin Safari 15:30 Echo And The Elephants Of Amboseli 16:00 The Really Wild Show 16:30 Jeff Corwin Unleashed 17:00 Natural Born Hunters 17:25 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 18:20 Breed All About It 18:45 Planet Wild 19:15 Penguin Safari 20:10 Dogs 101 21:05 Life Of Mammals 22:00 Wildest Africa

00:15 01:05 01:55 02:45 03:15 03:45 04:20 04:40 05:00 05:25 05:40 06:00 06:20 06:45 07:00 07:20 07:40 08:05 08:20 08:40 09:00 09:25 09:40 10:40 11:25 12:10 12:40 13:10 14:05 15:40 16:30 17:15 17:45 18:15 19:10 20:00 20:45 21:15 21:45 22:40 23:30

The Weakest Link Holby City New Tricks Eastenders Doctors Keeping Up Appearances Fimbles Balamory Teletubbies Gigglebiz Fimbles Balamory Teletubbies Gigglebiz Fimbles Balamory Teletubbies Gigglebiz Fimbles Balamory Teletubbies Gigglebiz Keeping Up Appearances The Weakest Link Inspector Lynley Mysteries Doctors Eastenders Holby City Keeping Up Appearances Inspector Lynley Mysteries The Weakest Link Doctors Eastenders Holby City Inspector Lynley Mysteries The Weakest Link Doctors Eastenders Holby City Moses Jones Keeping Up Appearances

00:15 01:55 02:45 04:55 05:45 08:30 09:20 11:20 13:05 13:45 14:30 17:20 18:10 19:00 19:50 20:35 21:20

Come Dine With Me The Home Show Come Dine With Me New Scandinavian Cooking Daily Cooks Challenge Antiques Roadshow Come Dine With Me Antiques Roadshow Cash In The Attic Bargain Hunt Come Dine With Me Rhodes Across China New Scandinavian Cooking Antiques Roadshow Cash In The Attic Bargain Hunt Come Dine With Me

00:00 BBC World News 00:30 World Business Report 00:45 Sport Today 01:00 BBC World News America 01:30 Asia Business Report 01:45 Asia Today 02:00 BBC World News 02:30 Asia Business Report 02:45 Asia Today 03:00 BBC World News 03:30 Asia Business Report 03:45 Asia Today 04:00 BBC World News 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Asia Today 05:00 BBC World News 05:30 Asia Business Report 05:45 Asia Today 06:00 BBC World News 06:30 Hardtalk 07:00 BBC World News 07:30 World Business Report 07:45 BBC World News 08:30 World Business Report 08:45 BBC World News 09:30 World Business Report 09:45 Sport Today 10:00 BBC World News 10:30 World Business Report 10:45 Sport Today 11:00 BBC World News 11:30 Hardtalk 12:00 BBC World News 12:30 World Business Report 12:45 Sport Today 13:00 BBC World News 13:30 World Business Report 13:45 Sport Today 14:00 GMT With George Alagiah 15:00 BBC World News 15:30 World Business Report 15:45 Sport Today 16:00 Impact With Mishal Husain 17:30 World Business Report 17:45 Sport Today 18:00 BBC World News 18:30 Hardtalk 19:00 The Hub With Nik Gowing 20:30 World Business Report 20:45 Sport Today 21:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:30 World Business Report 22:45 Sport Today 23:00 BBC World News America 23:30 Hardtalk

00:00 00:30 01:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 08:00 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00 23:00

Backstory World Sport World Report World Business Today Piers Morgan Tonight Anderson Cooper 360 World Sport World View World Report Backstory World Report World Sport Inside Africa World Business Today World One World Sport World’s Untold Stories Piers Morgan Tonight News Stream World Business Today International Desk The Brief World Sport Prism International Desk World’s Untold Stories Quest Means Business Piers Morgan Tonight Connect The World

00:00 Julian and Camilla’s World Odyssey 01:00 Great Scenic Railways-US &

Canada 01:30 Travel Oz 02:00 Travel Notebook 03:00 Julian and Camilla’s World Odyssey 04:00 Globe Trekker 05:00 Julian and Camilla’s World Odyssey 06:00 Inside Luxury Travel-Varun Sharma 07:00 Globe Trekker 08:00 Intrepid Journeys 09:00 Essential Specials 10:00 Julian and Camilla’s World Odyssey 11:00 Inside Luxury Travel-Varun Sharma 12:00 Globe Trekker 13:00 Planet Food 14:00 Intrepid Journeys 15:00 Cruise Today 15:30 Distant Shores 16:00 Globe Trekker 17:00 Inside Luxury Travel-Varun Sharma 18:00 Planet Food 19:00 Globe Trekker 20:00 Food Tripper 21:00 Journey Into Wine-South Africa

00:05 Cow And Chicken 00:30 Cramp Twins 00:55 George Of The Jungle 01:20 Courage The Cowardly Dog 01:45 Eliot Kid 02:10 Ed, Edd N Eddy 02:35 Ben 10: Alien Force 03:00 The Powerpuff Girls 03:15 Chowder 03:40 The Secret Saturdays 04:05 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 04:30 Ben 10: Alien Force 04:55 Best Ed 05:20 Skunk Fu! 05:45 Cramp Twins 06:10 Eliot Kid 06:35 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 07:00 Codename: Kids Next Door 07:25 Cow And Chicken 07:50 Angelo Rules 08:05 Cartoon Network Dance Club 08:15 Adventure Time 08:40 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 09:05 The Secret Saturdays 09:30 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 09:55 The Powerpuff Girls 10:20 Robotboy 10:30 Hero 108 10:55 Ben 10 11:20 Chowder 11:45 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 12:10 Camp Lazlo 12:35 George Of The Jungle 13:00 Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends 13:25 Codename: Kids Next Door 13:50 Ben 10 14:15 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 14:40 Squirrel Boy 15:05 Eliot Kid 15:35 Ed, Edd N Eddy 16:00 Cow And Chicken 16:25 Chop Socky Chooks 16:50 Skunk Fu! 17:15 Chowder 17:40 Best Ed 18:05 Hero 108 18:30 Cartoon Network Dance Club 18:45 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 18:55 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 19:20 Ben 10: Alien Force 19:45 The Secret Saturdays 20:10 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 20:35 Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes 21:00 The Powerpuff Girls 21:25 Ed, Edd N Eddy 21:50 Robotboy 22:00 Adventure Time 22:25 Hero 108 22:50 Ben 10 23:15 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 23:40 Chowder

PEARL HARBOR ON OSN ACTION HD

00:40 Dirty Jobs 01:35 Flying Wild Alaska 02:30 Ultimate Survival 03:25 Battle Machine Bros 04:20 Mythbusters 05:15 How It’s Made 06:05 Dirty Jobs 07:00 Battle Machine Bros 07:50 Street Customs 08:45 How It’s Made 09:10 Mythbusters 10:05 Cake Boss 10:30 Border Security 10:55 Time Warp 11:25 Flying Wild Alaska 12:20 Swords: Life On The Line 13:15 Ultimate Survival 14:10 LA Ink 15:05 Dirty Jobs 16:00 Battle Machine Bros 16:55 Mythbusters 17:50 Extreme Fishing 18:45 Cake Boss 19:10 Border Security 19:40 Time Warp 20:05 How It’s Made 21:00 The Next Great Baker 21:55 LA Ink 22:50 Police Women Of Maricopa County 23:45 Extreme Fishing

00:30 The Gadget Show 00:55 Kings Of Construction 01:45 Mighty Ships 02:35 Ultimate Power Builders 03:25 Cool Stuff And How It Works 03:50 Scrapheap Challenge 04:45 What’s That About?

05:40 Patent Bending 06:10 Nextworld 07:00 Da Vinci’s Machines 07:55 Head Rush 07:58 Sci-Fi Science 08:25 Weird Connections 08:55 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 09:45 The Gadget Show 10:35 The Future Of...

11:25 Mean Green Machines 11:50 Da Vinci’s Machines 12:40 Patent Bending 13:05 Mighty Ships 13:55 Bang Goes The Theory 14:45 Kings Of Construction 15:35 The Gadget Show 16:00 Head Rush 16:03 Sci-Fi Science 16:30 Weird Connections 17:00 Brainiac 17:50 Super Comet: After The Impact

00:05 Unwrapped 00:30 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 00:55 Paula’s Party 01:45 Good Eats - Special 02:35 Grill It! With Bobby Flay 03:25 Food Network All-Star 04:15 Good Eats - Special 04:40 Unwrapped 05:05 Ten Dollar Dinners 05:30 Paula’s Best Dishes 05:50 Paula’s Party 06:35 Barefoot Contessa 07:00 Chopped 07:50 Guy’s Big Bite 08:15 Boy Meets Grill 08:40 Good Deal With Dave Lieberman 09:05 Ten Dollar Dinners 09:55 Barefoot Contessa 10:20 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 10:45 Grill It! With Bobby Flay 11:10 Unwrapped 11:35 Paula’s Party 12:25 Good Eats - Special 12:50 Paula’s Best Dishes 13:15 Good Deal With Dave Lieberman 13:40 Ultimate Recipe Showdown 14:30 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 14:55 Unwrapped 15:20 Boy Meets Grill 15:45 Chopped 16:35 Guy’s Big Bite 17:00 Barefoot Contessa 17:25 Good Deal With Dave Lieberman 17:50 Ten Dollar Dinners 18:15 Paula’s Party 19:05 Grill It! With Bobby Flay 19:30 Food Network Challenge 20:20 Guy’s Big Bite 20:45 Guy’s Big Bite 21:10 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives 21:35 Diners, Drive-Ins And Dives

00:20 00:45 01:10 01:30 01:55 02:20 02:45 03:10 03:30 03:55 04:20 04:45 05:10 05:35 06:00 06:25 06:50 07:15 07:40 08:00 08:20 08:45 09:10 09:20 09:30 09:55 10:05 10:25 11:15 11:35 12:00 12:10 12:35 13:00 13:25 13:40 14:05 14:15 14:25

Jungle Junction Special Agent Oso Little Einsteins Higglytown Heroes Jo Jo’s Circus Jungle Junction Special Agent Oso Little Einsteins Higglytown Heroes Jo Jo’s Circus Jungle Junction Special Agent Oso Little Einsteins Higglytown Heroes Jo Jo’s Circus Jungle Junction Special Agent Oso Little Einsteins Higglytown Heroes Special Agent Oso Jungle Junction Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Timmy Time Handy Manny Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Hive Handy Manny Mickey Mouse Clubhouse The Little Mermaid Little Einsteins Jungle Junction Lazytown Imagination Movers Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jungle Junction Timmy Time The Hive Little Einsteins

14:50 15:15 16:05 16:30 16:40 16:55 17:20 17:45 17:55 18:05 18:15 18:35 19:00 19:20 19:45 19:55 20:05 20:50 21:10 21:20 21:30 21:55 22:20 22:35 22:45 23:00 23:20 23:30

The Little Mermaid Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Handy Manny The Hive Jake & The Neverland Pirates Imagination Movers Lazytown Jungle Junction Special Agent Oso The Hive Little Einsteins Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Little Mermaid Handy Manny Timmy Time Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates The Hive Handy Manny The Little Mermaid Little Einsteins Handy Manny The Hive Jungle Junction The Little Mermaid Timmy Time Jo Jo’s Circus

06:00 Kid vs Kat 06:20 Kick Buttowski 06:40 Pokemon Dp: Sinnoh League Victors 07:05 Phineas And Ferb 08:05 American Dragon 08:30 Kick Buttowski 08:50 Kid vs Kat 11:30 Pair Of Kings 11:55 Phineas And Ferb 12:45 Kid vs Kat 13:50 The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody 14:40 Zeke And Luther 15:05 Kick Buttowski 15:25 Kid vs Kat 15:35 Pokemon Dp: Sinnoh League Victors 16:00 I’m In The Band 16:25 Kid vs Kat 18:55 Kick Buttowski 19:45 Kid vs Kat 20:10 Phineas And Ferb 20:15 Kid vs Kat 20:40 Phineas And Ferb 21:05 I’m In The Band 21:30 Zeke And Luther 21:50 Phineas And Ferb 22:00 The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody 22:20 The Super Hero Squad Show 23:00 Programmes Start At 6:00am KSA

00:25 Kendra 00:55 The Soup 01:25 Beauty Queens Gone Wrong 03:15 25 Most Stylish 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Extreme Hollywood 06:00 THS 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Married To Rock 10:15 50 Cutest Child Stars: All Grown Up 12:05 E! News 13:05 Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane 14:05 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 14:35 E!es 15:30 THS 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Khloe And Lamar 17:55 E! News 18:55 Kourtney And Kim Take New York 19:25 Kourtney And Kim Take New York 19:55 THS 20:55 Chelsea Lately 21:25 Holly’s World 22:25 E! News 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Kourtney And Kim Take New York

00:15 Untracked 00:40 Mantracker 01:30 World Combat League 02:20 Untracked 03:10 Fight Girls 04:00 Final Fu 04:50 Mantracker 05:40 World Combat League 06:30FIA European Drag Racing 2008 08:00 Quattro Events 2009 08:25 Winter X Games 15 2011 09:15 Asian X Games 2009 10:05 Cape Epic 10:55Ride Guide Mountainbike 2009 11:45 Fantasy Factory 12:35 Untracked 13:25 Mantracker 14:15 World Combat League 15:05Ride Guide Mountainbike 2009 15:55 Fantasy Factory 16:45 Quattro Events 2009 17:10 Winter X Games 15 2011 18:00 Asian X Games 2009 18:50 Cape Epic 19:40 Mantracker 20:30 Untracked 21:20 Final Fu 22:10 World Combat League 23:00 Fight Girls 23:50 Untracked

00:30 01:20 02:10 03:00 03:50 04:45 05:15 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:40 09:30 10:20 11:10 12:00 12:50 13:40 14:30 15:20 16:10 17:00 17:50

Ghost Lab Psychic Witness Nightmare Next Door I Was Murdered Dr G: Medical Examiner Crime Scene Psychics Ghost Lab Mystery ER Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Mystery ER Real Emergency Calls Disappeared FBI Files On The Case With Paula Zahn Fugitive Strike Force Mystery ER Real Emergency Calls Disappeared Forensic Detectives Murder Shift FBI Files

BANDSLAM ON OSN MOVIES HD 18:40 19:30 19:55 20:20 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:40

Mystery ER Real Emergency Calls Real Emergency Calls On The Case With Paula Zahn Fugitive Strike Force Deadly Women The Prosecutors Dr G: Medical Examiner

00:30 01:30 02:30 03:30 04:00 04:30 05:00 05:30 06:30 07:30 08:30 09:30 10:00

The Frankincense Trail Departures Banged Up Abroad Destination Extreme Bondi Rescue David Rocco’s Dolce Vita Exploring The Vine Meet The Natives: USA The Frankincense Trail Departures Banged Up Abroad Destination Extreme Cruise Ship Diaries

00:15 02:00 04:15 06:00 08:00 09:45 12:45 14:45 16:30 18:15 20:15 22:00 18

The Uninvited-18 The Manchurian Candidate-18 The Gene Generation-18 Star Trek 10: Nemesis-PG15 The Taking Of Pelham 123-18 Pearl Harbor-PG15 Fast And Furious-PG15 The Taking Of Pelham 123-18 The Betrayed-PG15 Fast And Furious-PG15 Blood And Bone-18 Battlestar Galactica: The Plan-

00:00 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 00:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 01:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 01:30 Boondocks 02:00 Comedy Central Presents 03:00 Rita Rocks 03:30 Comedy Central Presents 03:30 Hope And Faith 04:00 Boondocks 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Will And Grace 06:00 According To Jim 06:30 Family Biz 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Seinfeld 08:30 The New Adventures Of Old Christine 09:00 Rita Rocks 09:30 Will And Grace 10:00 According To Jim 10:30 Seinfeld 11:00 Family Biz 11:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:30 The New Adventures Of Old Christine 13:00 Hope And Faith 13:30 Will And Grace 14:00 According To Jim 14:30 Sons Of Tucson 15:00 Seinfeld 15:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 16:00 The Colbert Report Global Edition 16:30 Family Biz 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Rita Rocks 18:30 Hope And Faith 19:00 Seinfeld 19:30 Raising Hope 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 The Cleveland Show 22:30 Party Down 23:00 Boondocks 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

01:00 03:00 18 05:00 07:00

Unbreakable-PG15 Clive Barker’s Book Of BloodTwo: Thirteen-PG15 Annihilation Earth-PG15

09:00 11:30 13:30 15:00 17:30 19:30 21:00 23:00

Independence Day-PG15 Unbreakable-PG15 House Under Siege-PG15 Independence Day-PG15 Shinjuku Incident-PG15 The Ruins-R Battlestar Galactica: The Plan Midnight Meat Train-18

04:00 Trans World Sport 05:00 Super League 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 AFL Highlights 09:00 IronMan China 10:00 FEI Equestrain World 10:30 AFL Premiership 13:00 Golfing World 14:00 Weber Cup Bowling 15:00 Mobil 1 The Grid 15:30 Super League 17:30 NRL Full Time 00:00 Tom And Huck-PG15 18:00 Golfing World 02:00 The Elder Son-PG15 19:00 IronMan China 04:00 Ice Age 3: Dawn Of The 20:00 World Hockey Dinosaurs-FAM 20:30 Mobil 1 The Grid 06:00 Shorts-PG 21:00 Futbol Mundial 08:00 Bitter Suite-PG15 21:30 NRL Full Time 10:00 Revenge Of The Bridesmaids- 22:00 European Senior Tour PG15 Highlights 12:00 Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past-PG15 23:00 AFL Highlights 13:45 Keeping The Faith-PG15 16:00 Tom And Huck-PG15 18:00 PJ Gallagher: Just Jokes-18 20:00 A Lot Like Love-PG15 22:00 Soul Men-18 00:00 WWE SmackDown 02:00 UFC 131 Prelims 03:00 UFC 131 05:00 UFC Unleashed 08:00 WWE SmackDown 01:30 Mother And Child-18 10:00 UAE National Race Day Series 03:45 17 Again-PG15 11:00 Full Throttle 05:30 Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of 11:30 Aquabike World Time-PG15 12:00 WWE Bottom Line 07:30 Girl, Positive-PG15 13:00 City Centre Races 09:00 Chasing Papi-PG 13:30 Duathlon 11:00 The Sorcerer’s Apprentice- 14:00 V8 Supercars Championship PG15 16:00 UAE National Race Day Series 13:00 Bandslam-PG15 17:00 Aquabike World 15:00 9-PG 17:30 Full Throttle 17:00 Chasing Papi-PG 18:00 V8 Supercars Championship 19:00 I Love You Beth Cooper-PG15 20:00 WWE Vintage Collection 21:00 Cinema Verite: The Saga Of An 21:00 UFC Wired American Family-PG15 22:00 UFC Brown V Anttonito 23:00 A Lot Like Love-PG15 23:00 WWE NXT

00:00 Little Match Girl-PG 01:45 Leave It To Beaver-PG 03:45 Mr. Magoo-PG 05:45 Scooby-Doo And The Reluctant Werewolf-FAM 08:00 Scooby-Doo And The Ghoul School-FAM 10:00 Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel-FAM 12:00 Dinosaur Island-PG 14:00 Leave It To Beaver-PG 16:00 Cars-PG 18:00 Nanny Mcphee And The Big Bang-PG 20:00 Daddy Day Care-PG 22:00 Dinosaur Island-PG 23:45 Cars-PG

00:00 Calvin Marshall-PG15 02:00 First Strike-PG15 04:00 Adventures Of A Teenage Dragonslayer-PG 06:00 One Hot Summer-PG15 08:00 Flicka 2-PG15 09:45 Passing Strange-PG 12:00 The Box-PG15 14:00 Glorious 39-PG15 16:15 Flicka 2-PG15 18:00 The Blind Side-PG15 20:15 Cinema Verite: The Saga Of An American Family-PG15 22:00 Grown Ups-PG15

00:00 Super Rugby Highlights 01:00 European PGA Tour Highlights 02:00 Super 15 06:00 Weber Cup Bowling 07:00 Super Rugby Highlights 08:00 World Hockey 08:30 NRL Premiership 10:30 AFL Highlights 11:30 Masters Football 14:30 ICC Cricket World 15:00 Live Cricket One Day International 23:00 Super Rugby Highlights

01:00 NRL Premiership 03:00 Futbol Mundial 03:30 ICC Cricket World

00:00 01:00 01:55 02:25 03:20 05:10 05:35 06:05 07:00 08:00 09:00 09:55 10:50 11:50 13:45 14:15 14:45 15:40 16:35 17:30 18:25 19:25 19:50 20:20 21:15 22:10 23:05

Jerseylicious Fashion Avenue Big Boutique How Do I Look?

Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

Homes With Style Area Clean House Big Boutique Homes With Style Fashion Avenue How Do I Look?

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Clean House Clean House Comes Clean Mel B: It’s A Scary World Jerseylicious Ruby Giuliana & Bill Clean House Comes Clean Top 10 Big Boutique Fashion Avenue Clean House Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?

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00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 22:30 23:00

Clash Of The Gods Extreme Trains American Pickers IRT: Deadliest Roads Warriors Clash Of The Gods Clash Of The Gods Extreme Trains American Pickers IRT: Deadliest Roads Deep Sea Salvage Clash Of The Gods Clash Of The Gods Extreme Trains American Pickers IRT: Deadliest Roads Deep Sea Salvage Clash Of The Gods Clash Of The Gods Extreme Trains American Pickers American Pickers Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Ancient Discoveries

Classifieds TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

Personal Trainer Trrainerr

TTypes ypes ooff bbasketball asketball iinjuries njuries

Even Even e a casual asual sual uall game gamee of o bas bbasketball keetba ke tb ll puts puts heavy hheeaavyy pressure ppressur sure re onn feet feee fe eet and a an ankles, ank ankl ankle nkle kle lees, and anndd careless ccar careles care reless eless ess players pplla lay ayyeers or those thhose with poor poor shoes shoees are arre often offten ofte enn injured. inju inj red red. edd

Acute injury

Chronic, or overuse, injury

Develops slowly; damage worsens over months, years

Sudden, accidental blow; difficult to prevent

al ccauses Typical

Landing improperly after jump

Inadequate warmup Poor conditioning

Twisting fall Midair collision

Improper, ill-fitting or worn-out shoes High arches, flat feet, bow legs or tight calf muscles

Lunging for rebound Scrambling for loose ball t Ankle sprains t Torn ligament t Muscle pull t Tendon rupture t Broken bone

Most ccommon o

t Stress fracture t Plantar fasciitis* t Shin splints t Achilles heel t Tendinitis t Blisters

Spacious hall available from July onwards near Edee Stores, Salmiya, suitable for classes like Breathing/ Aerobics etc.

Please contact: 55394933.

(C 3479) Sharing accommodation available for RC Goan or Mangalorian bachelor in a flat near Khaitan Jamiya.

Rent KD 40/-. Contact: 99453500. (C 3480) 28-6-2011

*Injury on sole of foot

Courtt surface su

est oon paved outdoor courts, Risk of both types highest est on wood indoor courts especially concrete; lowest

How too respond r

After a bad fall or twist, stop playing at once; apply ice and compression bandage, elevate leg and see physician if necessary

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

Reduce activity according to seriousness of injury

Grap Paul Trap © 2011 MCT Graphic: Source: American American Acade my of Podiatric Podiatric Spo rts Medicine ((U.S.) U.S.) Source: Academy Sports

A spacious room with sep-

arate 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

Contact: 55323839.

(C 3482) 28-6-2011 For sale, dining table, 4 chairs, wooden, all Center Point, iMac computer, 21”, JVC hi-fi 5DVD and many other items. Tel: 66603401 27-6-2011

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)

TRANSPORT Transport available with lady driver from Hawally, Salmiya, Kuwait City and Jabriya. Contact: 99358389.

(C 3474) 25-6-2011

No: 15133

Sharing accommodation available for decent couple or bachelor in double bedroom flat in Abbasiya.

Contact: 99679014.

(C 3470) 23-6-2011

FOR SALE Pajero Jeep - 2002, silver color, 4 doors (6 Clr) - CC 3000, KD 1,750/-. Contact: 66729295. (C 3481) Honda City 2009, white color, 16,000km, KD 2,350/-.

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 KAC ETH LZB UAE DHX ETD MSR FDB GFA QTR AFR JZR KAC JZR JZR KAC BAW KAC FCX JZR KAC KAC KAC FDB KAC KAC UAE IRA QTR ABY ETD GFA IRA QTR MEA MHK JZR JZR JZR KAC MSR UAL RJA KAC FDB KAC KAC SVA

Flt 642 267 772 1502 620 7779 853 370 305 614 67 211 138 6700 529 544 505 555 412 157 416 201 1541 206 302 332 53 352 284 855 605 132 125 301 213 619 6130 404 711 165 121 201 672 610 982 640 512 57 562 546 500

Arrival Flights on Tuesday 28/6/2011 Route AMMAN BEIRUT ISTANBUL BEIRUT ADDIS ABABA SOFIA / BOURGAS DUBAI BAHRAIN ABU DHABI CAIRO DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA PARIS ASSIUT CAIRO LUXOR ALEXANDRIA MANILA / BANGKOK LONDON JAKARTA / KUALA LUMPUR BAHRAIN CAIRO ISLAMABAD MUMBAI TRIVANDRUM DUBAI COCHIN DHAKA DUBAI ISFAHAN DOHA SHARJAH ABU DHABI BAHRAIN LAR DOHA BEIRUT BAGHDAD / NAJAF DUBAI BAHRAIN DAMASCUS DUBAI CAIRO WASHINGTON DC DULLES AMMAN TEHRAN DUBAI AMMAN ALEXANDRIA JEDDAH

Time 0:05 0:35 1:15 1:15 1:45 2:00 2:25 2:55 2:55 3:05 3:10 3:15 3:20 3:25 3:35 4:40 5:50 6:10 6:15 6:30 6:35 7:00 7:10 7:15 7:50 7:55 7:55 8:05 8:10 8:25 8:55 9:00 9:10 9:30 9:35 9:40 10:15 10:55 11:00 11:10 11:15 12:45 13:15 13:20 13:30 13:35 13:40 13:50 14:20 14:30 14:30

KAC JZR QTR KAC JZR LMU ETD UAE GFA SVA MSR JZR JZR ABY JZR RBG FDB ALK JZR KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC JAI SIA FDB VOS OMA MEA KAC MLR MSR SYR DHX KLM UAE JZR GFA QTR UAL AIC JZR JZR MSR DLH AXB JZR PIA

746 257 134 1802 535 1109 303 857 215 510 2128 777 239 127 213 3555 63 227 177 104 166 502 542 618 786 614 774 674 790 572 458 61 93 647 402 552 1405 618 341 372 443 859 183 217 136 981 981 135 787 612 636 389 539 205

ABU DHABI / DAMMAM BEIRUT DOHA CAIRO CAIRO ALEXANDRIA ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN RIYADH CAIRO JEDDAH AMMAN SHARJAH DEIREZZOR ALEXANDRIA DUBAI COLOMBO / DUBAI DUBAI LONDON PARIS / ROME BEIRUT CAIRO DOHA JEDDAH BAHRAIN RIYADH DUBAI MEDINAH MUMBAI SINGAPORE / ABU DHABI DUBAI KANDAHAR / DUBAI MUSCAT BEIRUT DAMASCUS COLOMBO / DUBAI ALEXANDRIA DAMASCUS BAHRAIN AMSTERDAM DUBAI DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA BAHRAIN CHENNAI / AHMEDABAD BAHRAIN RIYADH CAIRO FRANKFURT KOZHIKODE / MANGALORE CAIRO LAHORE / PESHAWER

15:05 15:10 15:15 15:25 15:50 16:30 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:20 17:25 17:25 17:35 17:40 17:50 17:55 17:55 18:00 18:00 18:35 18:40 18:45 18:50 18:55 19:00 19:20 19:25 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:35 20:00 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:15 20:50 20:55 20:55 21:00 21:05 21:15 21:15 21:25 21:35 22:00 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:50 23:00 23:10 23:30 23:55

Airlines JZR DLH AIC PIA THY ETH LZB UAE FDB DHX ETD MSR QTR AFR JZR RJA GFA JZR KAC JZR BAW FDB KAC JZR KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC UAE ABY IRA KAC QTR ETD GFA IRA KAC MEA KAC JZR JZR JZR MHK KAC KAC JZR MSR RJA FDB

Depurture Flights on Tuesday 28/6/2011 Flt Route 1540 CAIRO 637 FRANKFURT 576 GOA / CHENNAI 240 SIALKOT 773 ISTANBUL 620 BAHRAIN / ADDIS ABABA 7780 BOURGAS / SOFIA 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 306 ABU DHABI 615 CAIRO 139 DOHA 6700 DUBAI / HONG KONG 164 DUBAI 643 AMMAN 212 BAHRAIN 200 DAMASCUS 545 ALEXANDRIA 120 BAHRAIN 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 1801 CAIRO 534 CAIRO 671 DUBAI 745 DAMMAM / ABU DHABI 256 BEIRUT 511 TEHRAN 561 AMMAN 856 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 604 ISFAHAN 101 LONDON / NEW YORK 133 DOHA 302 ABU DHABI 214 BAHRAIN 618 LAR 165 ROME / PARIS 405 BEIRUT 541 CAIRO 776 JEDDAH 212 DEIREZZOR 238 AMMAN 712 NAJAF / BAGHDAD 501 BEIRUT 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 641 AMMAN 58 DUBAI

Time 0:20 0:40 0:50 1:10 2:15 2:30 2:55 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:05 4:05 5:00 5:10 6:55 7:00 7:10 7:15 7:40 8:20 8:25 8:40 8:45 8:50 9:00 9:05 9:10 9:15 9:15 9:40 9:50 9:55 9:55 10:00 10:15 10:20 10:40 11:45 11:55 12:00 12:00 12:05 12:10 12:20 13:00 13:30 13:40 14:20 14:30 14:35

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

KAC QTR UAL KAC KAC KAC SVA KAC QTR KAC JZR VOS JZR LMU ETD UAE GFA ABY MSR JZR RBG SVA FDB JZR JZR ALK KAC KAC JAI FDB JZR KAC KAC OMA MEA SIA MLR MSR SYR DHX KLM UAE GFA KAC FCX QTR KAC KAC JZR JZR KAC UAL MSR

789 6131 982 551 673 617 501 773 135 613 538 82 182 1110 304 858 216 128 2129 266 3556 511 64 786 134 228 283 361 571 62 528 343 351 648 403 457 1405 619 342 373 443 860 218 381 102 137 301 205 502 554 411 981 613

MEDINAH DOHA BAHRAIN DAMASCUS DUBAI DOHA JEDDAH RIYADH DOHA BAHRAIN CAIRO BAGHDAD DUBAI ALEXANDRIA ABU DHABI DUBAI BAHRAIN SHARJAH CAIRO BEIRUT ALEXANDRIA RIYADH DUBAI RIYADH BAHRAIN DUBAI / COLOMBO DHAKA COLOMBO MUMBAI DUBAI ASSIUT CHENNAI COCHIN MUSCAT BEIRUT ABU DHABI / SINGAPORE COLOMBO ALEXANDRIA DAMASCUS BAHRAIN BAHRAIN / AMSTERDAM DUBAI BAHRAIN DELHI BAHRAIN DOHA MUMBAI ISLAMABAD LUXOR ALEXANDRIA BANGKOK / MANILA WASHINGTON DC DULLES CAIRO

14:40 14:45 14:45 14:55 15:10 15:35 15:45 16:05 16:15 16:20 16:40 17:00 17:05 17:20 17:35 18:05 18:15 18:20 18:25 18:30 18:35 18:35 18:40 18:40 19:10 19:10 20:00 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:50 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:20 21:50 21:55 21:55 22:00 22:05 22:25 22:30 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:55 23:05 23:10 23:40 23:40 23:50

34

TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

s ta rs CROSSWORD 362

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) You find it easy to work with other people and tend to pour a lot of energy into those around you. You are able to find assistance in whatever career changes you decide to make at this time, whether it be to a different area in the workplace or a total new change. Success is indicated in areas of education, politics or the law. You know how to attack and solve problems, whether they are personal or public. Chances are that your social skills make you popular with almost everyone. You have a natural grasp for the political and for handling the public.

Because your passion can be so intense at times you may experience some power struggles. You may find yourself coaching young people this afternoon—an inspiration. The next few days are social.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today’s business may throw you into an environment of quick changes. Ignoring these changes will not make them go away— they will only intensify and cause problems. If you ignore anything that comes to your attention, it will just persist anyway. Go with the flow and have in your head, a list of the names of people that will help you with the little details. If you have a choice to work late or to join those you love in social activity this afternoon, you would be wise to choose the social. Loved ones need your attention. Although you like to avoid personal issues, your interest in probing the secrets of others is very energetic. This afternoon is a good time to understand and unite with those you love. Young and old alike need your insights and compassion today.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. Slender bristlelike appendage found on the bracts of grasses.

4. Make difficult to perceive by sight.

9. A vigorous blow.

13. 10 hao equal 1 dong.

14. Having a dusky brownish gray color.

15. Type genus of the family Arcidae.

16. Angular distance above the horizon (especially of a celestial object).

17. A member of a Turkic people of Uzbekistan and neighboring areas.

18. A signal transmitted along a narrow path.

19. Cattle that are reared for their meat.

21. Turn into cheese, of milk.

23. Committee formed by a special-interest group to raise money for their favorite political candidates.

26. A genus of Indriidae.

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

32. A state in southeastern India on the Bay of Bengal (south of Andhra Pradesh).

34. Flightless New Zealand birds similar to gallinules.

36. A colorless and odorless inert gas.

37. A condition (mostly in boys) characterized by behavioral and learning disorders.

39. Relating to the blood vessels or blood.

40. (astronomy) The angular distance of a celestial point measured westward along the celestial equator from the zenith crossing.

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

44. Capital city of the Apulia region on the Adriatic coast.

47. A small cake leavened with yeast.

49. Type genus of the Otariidae.

51. Lower in esteem.

55. A Roman Catholic priest who acts for another higher-ranking clergyman.

59. (informal) Roused to anger.

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

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

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

64. A unit of length of thread or yarn.

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

66. Large brownish-green New Zealand parrot.

DOWN 1. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC).

2. A raised mark on the skin (as produced by the blow of a whip).

3. A pad of paper for keeping notes.

4. A unit of heat equal to the amount of heat required to raise one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit at one atmosphere pressure.

5. Freedom from difficulty or hardship or effort.

6. Give a nickname to.

7. A medicinal drug used to evoke vomiting (especially in cases of drug overdose or poisoning).

8. Large Old World bat of warm and tropical regions that feeds on fruit.

9. A confusion of voices and other sounds.

10. A particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography).

11. Singing jazz.

12. Stable gear consisting of either of two curved supports that are attached to the collar of a draft horse and that hold the traces.

20. Of a temperature scale that registers the freezing point of water as 32 degrees F and the boiling point as 212 degrees F at one atmosphere of pressure.

22. A region of Malaysia in northeastern Borneo.

24. An independent agency of the United States government responsible for collecting and coordinating intelligence and counterintelligence activities abroad in the national interest.

25. A soft silver-white ductile metallic element (liquid at normal temperatures).

27. A Spanish unit of length (about a yard) having different values in different localities.

29. A Tibetan or Mongolian priest of Lamaism.

30. A human female who does housework.

31. A shop selling delicatessen (as salads or cooked meats).

33. The capital and largest city of Yemen.

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

38. A light touch or stroke.

41. God of death.

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

45. The capital and largest city of Bangladesh.

46. English theoretical physicist who applied relativity theory to quantum mechanics and predicted the existence of antimatter and the positron (1902-1984).

47. A toxic nonmetallic element related to sulfur and tellurium.

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

49. A logarithmic unit of sound intensity equal to 10 decibels.

50. Hoop that covers a wheel.

52. In a murderous frenzy as if possessed by a demon.

53. The general activity of selling.

54. Tropical starchy tuberous root.

57. An agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank.

58. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

62. A white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily.

Yesterday’s Solution

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Your love of groups and the social scene may find you cooperating within a group today, in order to accomplish some project.

Many find you unselfish and open to sharing and cooperation. There is an opportunity to learn a new way of working this afternoon. The cycle that begins for you now will be marked by an intense focus on mental activity. It’s a time of more involvement with other people, a time for gathering information and a time when you are apt to be more on the go than usual. There is likely to be an emphasis on reading, writing, studying and all forms of exchanging information with others in the years ahead. This will all serve as a path for self-discovery and personal development. What is it that makes a man, healthy, wealthy and wise?

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

You appear very relaxed today. Everything seems to be working well and you may find yourself quite expressive. You have an unusual ability to seek out facts and information you can use constructively. Don’t hesitate to express your views. Ideals and a sense of belonging to something bigger than the merely personal become a greater focus. Close relationships take on more emotional depth, power and importance. You have had unusual relationships in the past, perhaps a number of them and not always of long duration. You are creative when it comes to partnerships or lovers; you seem to establish unusual and different types of relationships. You may put more effort into keeping people close to you now.

Leo (July 23-August 22) Your life takes on a kind of mystical quality at the instinctive level. Your very organized self tends to hide behind duties and responsibilities. This no-nonsense approach manages to push aside many opportunities for others to reach out to you. In order to advance in your career, take good notes on the successes that you have created for your company so that you can have information upon which to base a raise request. This will make you feel secure and ready for any sort of discussion. If you are in business for yourself, you will be able to justify raising prices. Partnership plans could lead to prosperous endeavors and lasting friendships.

Do not miss the opportunities that come this afternoon for a healing between yourself and a loved one.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) You naturally gravitate toward positions of power and authority. Others accept you as a leader or authority figure very easily just now. Your career may be very important to you, even at the expense of home life. Your ability to rally support also makes a public career of one kind or another quite probable. Success is indicated in religion, education, politics or the law. You know how to attack and solve problems—whether they are personal or public. Chances are—your social skills mean that you are popular with everyone. It is most important later this afternoon to make time for your loved ones. Family members may enjoy dinner away from home or an early movie or making time for a visit to a park to feed the ducks or the lazy fish in the pond.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

You are most persuasive with others today. This talent is a natural for self-expression and lends itself to your particular ideas and thoughts. You are able to express yourself so that others know just what you mean.

Clear decisions affecting others could be made now. A meeting with someone older or in authority during the lunch break may create some positive and lasting memories. Words that have been hard to say in the past just seems to flow easily now. You may be reminded of your various responsibilities and feel the need to tend to personal business this afternoon. This is a good time to get down to the basics and take care of some business you may have postponed. Obligations may come to your attention.

Much is accomplished today.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Keep your priorities in order today as you may feel you are moving around in circles. You could become carried away under some of the stresses so take little steps. Saying and writing things with style counts for a lot now and this tends to bring out the social butterfly in all of us. You are a great doer, an accomplisher. Your outgoing nature, coupled with extremely skillful ways of handling other people, makes you a natural for working with the public. You value change and have an almost reckless faith in the life process. You love to be touched at the most personal and vulnerable levels. You have the gift of working with others, helping them to sense and feel the unity of life. Neighbors will likely bring good experiences your way this evening.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Career choices and direction seem to indicate a loss of freedom and originality on your part. You may feel stifled and forced to go along if you want to succeed. This could result in quite a lot of frustrations; however, this is all a short-term situation. Circumstances may urge you to great effort and you will find energies turning your way this afternoon. Things are working with you, rather than against you, so do not hold back. However, do not overdo and try to go too far, too fast. Let things take their natural course, which should be an easy one now. Ambition and achievement are qualities you hold in special regard. This is a time for getting ahead, a time for combining business and pleasure, a time to savor some rewards.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

An irresistible force meets the immovable object today. There is a lot of energy available for disciplined work, but push too hard and you may break something. An admirer from work may make advances and you could be faced with some choices. Later today, you have an opportunity to show off your professional talents. A brilliant idea may need more work, but will eventually bring you a great deal of success. Be determined to create an attitude of peace. Peace of mind is clearly an internal matter. However, it must be extended outward for it to continue. Later this evening you may find yourself planning a future weekend excursion or a get-together with friends. You appreciate your particular situation and enjoy support from those around you.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) You are most happy when you can do something for someone. Be careful not to allow others, or yourself, to think that they owe you—problems could arise later. Given only a few facts, you are able to take in a situation and come up with a real picture of what is truth. You are able to solve problems and this could include computer or technical related problems as well as psychological ones. You will be able to put your ideas into words and describe or analyze situations for yourself and others. You may work in one of the many service occupations, taking care of and looking after people. Your mind and caring attitude are what others find so special about you. You are happy when you are fully engaged in progressive work.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

A need to be respected is strong at this time. Work, achievement and ambition are very important to you. You could find yourself working overtime and having a difficult time making everyone happy.

Agree to set aside time tonight or tomorrow for someone who could be feeling left alone. Your own requirements may appear to limit and separate you from where the rest of the gang is headed. This is of short duration. Your career or lifepath may depend on your talent for responding and making something out of ideas, insights and whatever is challenging. The business world may call for your ability to react and build on new opportunities. You have a strong drive to be known and to communicate well. Enjoy some quiet time this evening.

A

y

e niv rsar n

TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 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 GENE GENERAL ERAL OF CIVIL A AVIATION V VIA AT TION METEOROLOGICAL DEP D PA ARTMENT DEPARTMENT DA AY: Y Monday DAY:

WWW .MET.GOV V..KW W WWW.MET.GOV.KW

27/06/2011 27/06/201 1

Ministry of Interior

Ext.: 2627 262 27 - 2630

Fax: 24348714

07:00

Issue T ime Time

Expected Weather Weather for the Next 24 4 Hours Very V ery e hot h with light to moderate nor north rth westerly wind, with spee speed ed of 15 - 38 km/h

BY Y DA DAY: AY:

website: www.moi.gov.kw Relatively moderate Relativ vely hot with light to modera ate north westerly wind, with h speed of 12 - 35 km/h

NIGHT:: BY Y NIGHT

For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128

No Current W Warnings aarnings

WARNING W A ARNING STATION ST TAT TION

Hospitals Sabah Hospital

24812000

MAX. EXP EXP. P.

MIN.. REC.

KUW WA AIT CITY KUWAIT

47 °C

35 °C

KUWAIT KUW WA AIT AIRPORT AIRPOR RT

47 °C

27 °C

44 °C C

28 °C C

Amiri Hospital

22450005

NUWAISEEB NUW WA AISEEB

Maternity Hospital

24843100

WAFRA WA AFRA

47 °C

26 °C

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

SALMI

45 °C

27 °C

Chest Hospital

24849400

ABDAL LY ABDALY

47 °C

26 °C

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

ALIY YA AH JAL ALIYAH

47 °C

28 °C

Adan Hospital

23940620

FA AILAKA FAILAKA

46 °C

30 °C

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

POR RT AHMADI PORT

44 °C

35 °C

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

M UMM AL-MARADEM

37 °C

32 °C

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

WA ARBA A - BUBYAN BUBY YA AN WARBA

46 °C

28 °C

Clinics Rabiya

4732263

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

SFC. CHAR CHART T

27/06/20 0000UT TC 0000UTC

4 DA DAYS AY YS FORECAST T emperratures Temperatures DAY DA AY

DATE DA AT TE

WEA WEATHER AT THER

Tuesday Tuesday

28/06

n areas hot +dust over open

47 °C

31 °C

NW

15 - 40 km/h

Weednesday Wednesday

29/06

du ust hot + raising dust

46 °C

33 °C

NW

20 - 48 km/h

Thursday

30/06

du ust hot + raising dust

47 °C

33 °C

NW

25 - 50 km/h

Friday

01/07

dusty

46 °C

34 °C

NW

25 - 50 km/h

MAX.

PRAYER PR RA AY YER TIMES

MIN.

Wind Wind Speed

Wind Wind Direction Direction

RECORDED D YESTERDAY YESTERDA AY A AT T KUW KUWAIT WA AIT T AIRPOR AIRPORT T 03:15

MAX. MA AX. Temp.

Temp.

46 °C

22526804

Sunrise S i

04 50 04:50

MIN. Temp.

MI IN T IN. emp.

28 °C

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Zuhr

11:51 11:51

MAX. RH M

24 %

Al-Khadissiya

22515088 22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Al-Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

24892674

Al-Omariya

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

3900322

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

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

Al-Jahra

25610011

Al-Salmiya

25616368

POLICE STATION

Fajr

Dasmah

Al-Madena

22434064 22435865 22544200 22547133 22515277 22616662 25714406 22530801

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988

Asr

15:25

MIN. RH M

02 %

Sunset

18:51

MAX. Wind MA AX. W ind

N 39 km/h

Isha

20:24

TOTAL RAINFALL T OT TA AL L RAI INF FA ALL L IN 24 HR.

un nless otherwise stated.

All times are local time unless

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

00 mm

27/06/1 1 02:34 UTC 27/06/11

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

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TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

lifestyle A W A R D S

Chris Brown poses backstage after winning the awards for best male R&B artist and best collaboration for ‘Look at Me Now’ featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes at the BET Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles. — AP photos

Stars

Chris Brown, center, and Busta Rhymes, far right, accept the award for best collaboration for ‘Look at Me Now’ also featuring Lil Wayne, not seen, from presenters Hosea Chanchez, Meagan Good, and Pooch Hall.

with criminal pasts honored at

BET Awards R

Chris Brown accepts the award for best male R&B artist at the BET Awards on Sunday.

&B star Chris Brown, fully rehabilitated in the public eye after beating up ex-girlfriend Rihanna two years ago, led the list of winners with criminal pasts at the BET Awards on Sunday. Brown took home four awards, including the viewers’ choice prize, amid some confusion at the 11th annual celebration of black musicians, actors and sports people. He led the contenders with six nominations. In an unfortunate turn, Brown was announced as the winner of the viewers’ choice award, and then Rihanna. Canadian rapper Drake awkwardly appeared on stage at the Shrine Auditorium to accept on her behalf.

But at the end of the show, it was revealed that Brown was the rightful winner even though Rihanna’s name was on the teleprompter. Alas, that was too late to save the lucky fan who announced the winner from being savaged worldwide on Twitter for her perceived error.

Brown’s music career stalled after he pleaded guilty to assaulting Rihanna in February 2009, setting off a national debate on young, abusive relationships.

He publicly apologized, underwent courtordered domestic violence counseling, and spent six months performing community service. Earlier this year he topped the US pop album chart, a sign that his career was back on track. “I know it’s been a long road, so I just appreciate every blessing that’s been in front of me,” said Brown, dressed casually in white T-shirt, denim shorts and a silver kerchief.

He shared BET’s best collaboration prize with Busta Rhymes and Lil Wayne. The latter spent spent most of 2010 behind bars on a weapons charge. Brown’s other awards included best male R&B artist and best video.

Michael Vick honored Other winners included professional football player Michael Vick, on the comeback trail after serving 19 months in federal prison for his involvement in a dogfighting ring. He was named best sportsman, but was not on hand to accept the award. Representing the other side of the law was prison guard-turned-rapper Rick

Ross, who was a frequent performer on stage. At one point, the portly star unbuttoned his shirt to reveal a notable pair of breasts. “I feel like you should put a sports bra on,” host Kevin Hart said afterward.

Soul star Cee Lo Green used his expansive girth to better effect during a tribute to Patti LaBelle. He dressed as the flamboyant R&B icon as he belted out her signature tune “Somebody Loves You Baby.” “You scared me,” LaBelle said afterwards. In a decision that averted a family feud, singer/actors Willow and Jaden Smith shared the Young Star award, while their father Will Smith looked on with tears welling in his eyes. Willow, who had a novelty hit last year with “Whip My Hair,” thanked her parents for “letting us push harder and keeping us on track with our music and stuff.” Jaden Smith’s 17-year-old friend Justin Bieber, ubiquitous on the awards circuit recently, appeared on stage to present an award and engage in some scripted salacious banter with female hiphop artist winner Nicki Minaj, almost 10 years his senior. —Reuters

Drake is seen onstage accepting the Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award for Rihanna’s song “What’s My Name?” featuring Drake.

Chris Brown performs at the BET Awards.

Nicki Minaj accepts the award for best female hip hop artist.

Singer Busta Rhymes accepts the Best Collaboration award.

Lil Wayne accepts the award for best collaboration for “Look at Me Now” with Chris Brown, not seen, and Busta Rhymes, back.

Dawn Richard, center, Sean Diddy Combs, right, and and Kalenna Harper, left, of Diddy Dirty Money accept the award for best group.

Ledisi performs

Wiz Khalifa accepts the award for best new artist.

Idris Elba won award for best actor.

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37

TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

lifestyle A W A R D S

Nicki Minaj and Justin Bieber are seen onstage with their fans.

(From left) Tamar Braxton, Towanda Braxton, Toni Braxton, Traci Braxton, and Trina Braxton present the award for best gospel.

Erica Atkins-Campbell and Tina Atkins-Campbell of Mary Mary accept the best gospel award.

Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo, known as D’banj, accepts the International act: Africa award.

Steve Harvey is seen after winning the State Farm Humanitarian Award.

2face Idibia, or Tuface Idibia, is seen backstage with the award for best international act: Africa.

Lil Wayne performs.

Singer Gladys Knight presents the Lifetime Achievement Award to Patti LaBelle onstage.

Cali Swag District is seen onstage.

Marsha Ambrosius accepts the Centric award.

The Five Heartbeats perform with After 7.

Snoop Dogg performs onstage.

Willow Smith and Jaden Smith tie for the award for youngsters.

Mary J Blige, center, DJ Khaled, right, and Judakiss perform.

Queen Latifah is seen onstage.

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lifestyle Fashion

P

Models wear creations from US fashion designer Thom Browne collection as part of spring-summer 2012 men’s fashion, presented in Paris, Sunday. — AP

aris’ spring-summer 2012 menswear shows melted into the past on Sunday, wrapping up in a pool of perspiration on the year’s hottest day yet. The fiveday-long menswear extravaganza kicked off Wednesday under cloudy skies and usually chilly temperatures for June, but by Sunday thermometers had soared to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) — a nightmare scenario for a crowd of elaborate dressers reluctant to remove blazers, corsets or any other essential but asphyxiating element of their looks. After the last show-a solid display by Swedish jeans-maker Acne-the fashion elite raced back to their hotels to pack their bags and get the hell out of Dodge before temperatures climb to a sweltering 93 degrees Fahrenheit (34 degrees Celsius) yesterday.

The heat wrecked havoc on shows from Paul Smith-where listless editors, stylists and journalists gave up taking notes to fan their reddened faces instead-to US designer Thom Browne, whose sumptuous velvet-walled venue was transformed into a sauna.

Lanvin showed early enough in the morning-and delivered such a gorgeous collection-that it was among the sole shows of the day where the clothes managed to outshine the beating sun. Besides the weather, the other main topic of conversation throughout the week was the ongoing saga of disgraced former Dior designer John Galliano, whose daylong trial on anti-Semitism charges Wednesday coincided with the start of menswear week here. He faces up to six months in prison and $32, 175 in fines for allegedly showering racist and anti-Semitic insults on a couple seated next to him at a Paris bar-an incident which cost him his job as creative director at Christian Dior, as well as at his own signature label.

In emotional testimony, Galliano blamed pressures of a pitiless industry for pushing him off the brink and into prescription drug and alcohol addictions. While he said he didn’t remember the specifics of the incident or another alleged clash at the same bar, the once-flamboyant Galliano apologized for any pain caused by his words and actions. Two days later, Galliano’s longtime aide Bill Gaytten was named creative director at the Gibralter-born designer’s eponymous label after a lackluster show there that felt like Galliano Lite. Though the fashion elite might make a break for it now, many top editors, stylists and journalists will re-converge on Paris in a week’s time for the city’s rarified haute couture displays, where made-to-measure dresses start at the price of a small car and go vertiginously up from there.

THOM BROWNE Normally models grumble when they have to wear something that hides their faces, but at Browne’s cross-dressing, “Cabaret”-infused show, the relief of those whose features were obscured behind the fringed lampshade hats was almost palpable. You could hardly blame them: Even for male models, who are used to donning both the hideous and the sublime, photos immortalizing them in beaded flapper dresses worn with sock garters are a hard thing to live down. There were also hourglass-shaped trench coats in navy pinstripes, with a swishy fringe in lieu of epaulettes, shrunken bowler hats hung with a bride’s veil and beaded jumpsuits accessorized with knee-length ropes of pearls. The heavily inked arms of a tattooembellished model emerged from a crop top covered in pearly white beads, and you could practically smell his relief that he was also wearing one of the faceshrouding lampshade hats. But say what you will about Browne’s clothes-which this season inverted the usually truncated proportions of his trademark shrunken suits-there’s no disputing the man knows how to put on a show.

Held in Paris’ iconic Belle Epoque-era watering hole Maxim’s, where Champagne flowed like tap water, Sunday’s show had all the trappings of a super display. But the event soured in the heat, which turned the velvet-covered restaurant into a sort of inferno and sent the bubbly straight to everybody’s heads. The plodding gait of the models, who peered down at the audience as they meandered among the marble tables, didn’t help things. Sluggish pacing has been an issue at Browne shows in the past, but the heat made it almost unbearable. “I can’t stand this for one more second,” griped one editor as he mopped sweat from his face. Still, for all its discomforts, the show was at least memorable-and that’s more than you can say for the more conventional catwalk displays, which by the last day of fashion week have already blended together into an amorphous fog as thick as pea soup.

LANVIN Paris’ most romantic label tapped into the raw emotion of “Wuthering Heights,” its models like modern-day Heathcliffs racing breathlessly across the moors in billowing silks and lustrous microfibers. After veering into edgier, more hardcore territory in recent seasons, Sunday’s collection was pure, unadulterated feeling. The looks-windblown parkas, their silken hoods trailing behind like scarves, and suits in a rainbow of dusty hues-faintly quivered with raw sentiment.

Even the more stringent looks that opened the show-inspired, menswear designer Lucas Ossendrijver said, by security guards because “everybody loves a man in uniform” — breathed poetry. “‘Boys can cry,’ that’s our message,” the label’s artistic director Alber Elbaz said in a post-show interview, adding that he and Ossendrijver were careful to avoid turning their emotionally charged men into “wimps.” “Women were always strong. Men were powerful. Now women are strong and powerful-that’s a deadly combination,” Elbaz said.

“We wanted to go back to the essence of masculinity, which is leather, which is the uniform,” and inject that “with the fragility and emotion that has become our DNA at Lanvin.” The collection, shown beneath the frescoed dome of a Paris stock exchange, hit the sweet spot between strength and sentiment without veering into the overtly feminine territory that has swept other catwalks here, where the man skirt has emerged as a major trend. Lanvin’s khaki tunics in the thinnest of leathers, its perfectly cut pleated trousers, its sculptural double-breasted jackets all managed to be at once manly and emotive.

PAUL SMITH The audience may have been sweltering, but the British designer’s models looked as cool as cucumbers. Wearing slim, colorblock suits made from panels of slightly different shades of blue, with sleeveless vests layered over their blazers, their faces fresh and shine-free, the models seemed to embody both definitions of the word “cool.” The audience of fashion insiders, on the other hand, could be taken to collectively define the verbs “to broil,” “to melt” or even the noun “sauna.” At the Smith show, which is held in an old convent that has the advantage of freezing in winter and boiling in the summer, editors who’re normally scribbling furiously in their notebooks abandoned their pens to fan their streaming faces with the cardboard invitations. Look after hip look went by without inspiring as much as sketch or a jotted word-which was too bad, really, as the show was full of fashion forward silhouettes you could actually see making the leap from the catwalk to the street.

Nowhere did the sleeveless jacket, a top trend on other Paris runways, look as good as at Smith, where it was layered over blazers made from a patchwork of matte and shiny materials.

RYNSHU Will.i.am is used to filling stadiums, but a simple trip down the catwalk at Japanese menswear label Rynshu had the Black Eyed Peas’ rapper blushing.

Sporting a snug leather blazer, a pair of cropped harem pants in shiny black and clunky combat boots, will.i.am shuffled up the runway, shooting sheepish glances at the photographers’ pit as the audience encouraged him with a round of applause. The performer is collaborating with the brand on a line christened “Will.I.Am x Rynshu” for next spring-summer and has worn clothes from last year’s collection in a music video. He and the other Black Eyed Peas are in Paris for a

TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

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TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

lifestyle Fashion

Models wear creations by Israeli fashion designer Alber Elbaz, and Dutch designer Lucas Ossendrijver for Lanvin collection . series of concerts here. Sunday’s collection had a kind of eccentric rocker vibe to it, with lots of second-skin leather pants and slashed black jeans. In fact, it was hard to imagine any man without a platinum record daring to don the blazer covered in white sequins that glimmered like fish scales.

models had to change in a bus parked outside the wrought iron gates. You could tell it was the tail end of the shows because the models were listless and sleepy-eyed and surlily refused photographers’ shouted out orders to “look up!” “These guys are really a band of monkeys,” quipped a particularly vociferous and outraged Italian photographer.

ARNYS The house that has come to define Left Bank elegance delivered beautiful clothes tailored for men of taste and leisure, those who take breakfast by the pool before heading out for a spot of clay-court tennis followed by an unhurried multi-course lunch. Striped silk jackets looked like they had not-so-distant origins as pajama tops, while Key Lime pie colored trousers were clearly destined for lounging.

The sole faux pas were the neo-Jodhpurs, linen pants that ballooned through the thigh and clung like plaster casts to the models’ calves. The show was held in a postage-stamp sized park, and the

SONGZIO Korean label Songzio delivered a convincing collection of suits in black and white linen that felt like summery variations on the tuxedo.

Unlike the low-crotched carrot pants that have swept Paris runways, the high-water trousers here were slim through the thighs and flared at the ankle. The outerwear, biker jackets in paper-thin leather and calf-length linen trenches, were fetching. The whole collection was quietly lovely, with the models’ hair-slicked back with egg yolk yellow paste-the sole extravagant touch. — AP Models wear creations by British fashion designer Paul Smith.

Japanese designer Rynshu (right) shakes hands with US singer Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas band, at the end of his men's spring-summer 2012 fashion collection show on June 26, 2011 in Paris.—AFP

Models wear creations by Japanese fashion designer Rynshu, as part of the spring-summer 2012 fashion collection, presented in Paris, Sunday.

— AP

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TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011

38 US singer Beyonce, centre, performs on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury Music Festival.—AP

Beyonce fulfills ‘dream,’ rocks muddy Glastonbury R

&B star Beyonce fulfilled her dream on Sunday, romping through songs old and new to the delight of a huge crowd at the close of this year’s Glastonbury music festival. The 29-year-old “Crazy in Love” singer was making her debut at one of the world’s biggest live music events, three years after her husband Jay-Z proved the doubters wrong with a set that helped put hip-hop on the Glastonbury map. “I want you all to know right now you are witnessing my dream,” she called out to tens of thousands of people crammed in front of the main Pyramid stage,

including Jay-Z. “I always wanted to be a rock star and tonight we are all rock stars ... I want you to get lost in this music tonight.” Introduced by fireworks, she produced more on stage to lift the spirits of festival goers who have struggled through rain and mud to see their favorite acts over the last three days. Wearing a short gold sequin jacket, she performed a string of hits starting with “Crazy In Love” and including “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)” and “Naughty Girl.”

“I still can’t believe I’m performing at Glastonbury,” she said to a sea of

screaming fans. Beyonce matched her dancers step for step in a slick, high energy set, which only fell slightly flat when she performed songs from her new album “4” released this month.

There were nods to Annie Lennox with “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” to Prince with an ultra-slow version of “The Beautiful Ones,” to Lady Gaga with their duet “Telephone” and her former band Destiny’s Child with a medley of their hits.

Mudbaths and protests Around 180,000 people crammed on to Worthy Farm in picturesque

P photos budur temple.—AF g a visit at the Boro rin du s re stu ge re Richard Ge

southwest England for the festival, and the abiding memory for many this year will be the mud. Heavy rain on Friday and before turned the 900 acre site into a giant bog, although raincoats were swapped for bikinis on Sunday when the sun broke out on a scorching day. Friday night’s headliners U2 impressed critics with a string of their greatest hits performed in the driving rain.

A small pressure group called Art Uncut inflated a large balloon with the words “U Pay Tax 2?” in protest against the band’s decision several years ago to relocate its operations

from Ireland to the Netherlands for tax purposes. Campaigners complained of rough handling by security guards who forced them to take the balloon down, but festival founder and dairy farmer Michael Eavis shrugged off the criticism, saying the story had been exaggerated.

“It was only one balloon,” he said.

“It was all churned up as being a huge thing, but it wasn’t at all.” Coldplay played the main Pyramid stage slot on Saturday, cheered as they worked their way through a mixture of familiar hits and less well known tracks from their upcoming album. Pulp

Richard Gere acco mpanied by a monk gestures to photog visit at the Borobu raphers during a dur temple.

Gere meditates at Indonesian Buddhist temple H ollywood star Richard Gere meditated yesterday at Indonesia’s Borobudur temple before touring the ninthcentury Buddhist monument with his wife and son. “He meditated for 20 minutes this morning at the top platform and made a 45minute tour to admire the details of the temple’s reliefs,” temple

manager Purnomo Siswo Prasetyo told AFP. He said the star of “An Officer and a Gentleman” and “Pretty Woman” was “astonished” with the grandeur of the so-called temple mountain, which lies between two volcanoes about 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of Yogyakarta.

One of the peaks, Merapi,

killed more than 320 people last year in its biggest eruptions in over a century. The temple was abandoned with the spread of Islam on Java island in the 14th century, but was “rediscovered” in 1814 by English trader Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. Restored with the help of UNESCO in the 1970s, it is now Indonesia’s most-visited

tourist attraction, drawing about 3.8 million people last year, according to Prasetyo. Gere, a 61year-old convert to Buddhism, arrived in Indonesia on Sunday on what he called a “spiritual journey”.

He met President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the state palace in Jakarta and told local

media he was thinking of making a film about the history of the temple. On Tuesday he is expected to go to the Indonesian resort island of Bali for a holiday with his family. The American visited the Jogye temple in central Seoul, South Korea, last week.—AFP

‘Cars 2’ races past ‘Kung Fu Panda 2’ overseas N

ew domestic champ “Cars 2” posted a swift No 1 opening lap on the foreign box office circuit, beating comparable overseas debuts of previous Pixar outings. The sequel drew $42.9 million overall from 18 overseas territories, representing a quarter of the overall market.

The opening take was 127% ahead of the comparable figure registered by the first “Cars” in 2006; that film ended up grossing $218 million offshore. It also beat that of last year’s “Toy Story 3” ($648.2 million total) by 4%. Top markets were Russia ($9.3 million), Mexico ($8.1 million), Brazil ($7.6 million), Italy ($5.7 million) and Australia ($5.2 million).

After two weekends at No 1, DreamWorks Animation’s “Kung Fu Panda 2” dropped to No 2 with a $37 million round in 56 markets. Its foreign total stands at $340 million. “The Hangover: Part II” was No 3 overall with $15.6 million, also from 56 markets. The comedy opened at No 1 in Spain with $2.9 million. The foreign total rose to $283.2 million.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” followed at No 4 with $13.5 million (foreign total: $756.1 million), and newcomer “Bad Teacher” came in at No 5 with $12.9 million from 24 markets. The comedy, starring Cameron Diaz as a foul-mouthed school teacher, opened at No 1 in Germany $6.1 million.

Flaccid so far overseas are “The Green Lantern” and “Mr Popper’s Penguins.” The former generated $7.1 million in 16 markets, bringing its total over two weekends to $29.4 million. Jim Carrey’s latest comedy, rolling out slowly offshore, grossed $3.4 million from 16 markets, nudging its overseas total to $4.6 million, also over two rounds. —Reuters

were surprise guests on the smaller Park stage, and drew a record crowd there of around 30,000. London rapper Tinie Tempah was one of the most popular performers this year, as were the Chemical Brothers, blues veteran BB King and Elbow. Glastonbury has grown from a humble gathering of 1,500 people on Eavis’s dairy 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. There will be no festival in 2012, but Eavis said he already had three major acts lined up for 2013.—Reuters

In this file film publicity image released by Disney-Pixar, animated characters Lightning McQueen, voiced by Owen Wilson, foreground left, Mater, voiced by Larry the Cable Guy, center, and Finn McMissile, voiced by Michael Caine, right, are shown in a scene from “Cars 2.”—AP

File photo shows the Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” jacket on display at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills.—AFP

Jackson ‘Thriller’ jacket sells for $1.8 million

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leather jacket worn by Michael Jackson for his “Thriller” video sold for $1.8 million at an auction to a Texas gold trader who plans to use it to raise money for children’s hospitals worldwide. The black and red calf leather jacket with winged shoulders was one of two used for the shoot. The other one, in scuffed condition, is owned by the Jackson estate.

The one sold by Julien’s auction house in Beverly Hills is in better shape and is signed on the sleeve by Jackson. It was designed by Deborah Landis, the wife of “Thriller” director John Landis. Jackson presented it to the vendors, Dennis Tompkins and Michael Bush, his longtime costume designers. It sold to Milton Verret of Austin, Texas, who showed up in person to triumph over about a dozen bidders from around the world.

“It is one of the most important pieces of rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia in history,” Verret told Reuters.

His collection also includes another Jackson jacket and guitars signed by members of U2. Plans are underway to show the “Thriller” jacket at Dell Children’s Hospital in Austin, before sending it around the world to display during charity events.

A portion of the auction proceeds will benefit an animal reserve where Jackson’s two Bengal tigers reside.

Jackson, who died two years ago on Saturday, filmed the video for the title track to his blockbuster album “Thriller” in 1983. The 14-minute clip, in which Jackson turns into a zombie and dances with other undead types, is considered one of the most influential music videos ever made.—Reuters