21 Jul

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THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

Cameron ‘regrets’ hiring scandal-hit tabloid editor

From jail cell, Barghouti calls million-man march

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US babies learn ‘self rescue’ from drowning

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Chinese great Yao Ming retires from basketball

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S&P raises Kuwait’s credit rating to AA Agency cites high GDP, strong fiscal position

Tehran downs US spy drone over nuke site TEHRAN: Iran has shot down an unmanned US spy plane over its Fordo nuclear site, a state-run website reported yesterday, a day after it confirmed it was installing a new generation of advanced uranium enrichment centrifuges. “An unmanned US spy plane flying over the holy city of Qom near the uranium enrichment Fordo site was shot down by the Revolutionary Guards’ air defence units,” MP Ali Aghazadeh Dafsari was quoted as saying by the Youth Journalists Club’s website, affiliated to Iran’s state TV. Other state media did not carry out the report and Iranian officials were not available to comment. “The plane ... was trying to collect information about the site’s location,” he said, without giving details. He did not say when the incident happened.

The Fordo site, secretly built inside a mountain bunker near Qom, was acknowledged by Iran only after Western intelligence agencies identified it in 2009. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast on Tuesday appeared to confirm a Reuters story last week that Iran was installing two more advanced models of the centrifuges used to refine uranium for large-scale testing at a research site. The head of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards announced in January that the Guards had shot Continued on Page 15

Hackers falsely report death of Mullah Omar KANDAHAR: The Taleban said yesterday that their reclusive one-eyed leader Mullah Omar was alive and accused the United States of hacking their mobile phones to claim that he was dead. A text message sent to media from a phone belonging to a spokesman for the Islamists said: “Leadership council of IEA announces that Ameer-ul-Mumineen (Mullah Omar) has passed away. May mighty God bless him.” The IEA is the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the name the Taleban gave themselves while in power from 1996 to 2001, when they were ousted in a US-led invasion. They have been waging a deadly insurgency ever since.

Some journalists also received an email, also seemingly from the Taleban, saying Omar had died from a heart condition, giving a lengthy obituary and naming his successor as Gul Agha, described as a close aide. But Taleban Mullah Omar spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied Omar’s demise and said his phone where the text message appeared to come from - had been hacked. “We strongly reject this claim. We are not aware of such news. Americans have hacked our mobile phones with advanced technology and sent the message to the media... we will take revenge on the telephone network providers,” said Mujahid.

A second Taleban spokesman, Qari Yosuf Ahmadi, told AFP by telephone that the messages were false and made up by Westerners to “deceive the Afghan people”.

In a subsequent email he denounced the hacking Continued on Page 15

SUWEIDA, Syria: Thousands of regime supporters carry a 2,300-m-long and 18-m-wide national flag yesterday. — AFP

Syria warns envoys not to leave capital Army sweeps Homs • Activists arrested DAMASCUS: Syrian troops swept through the central city of Homs, arresting “armed men” and confiscating “stockpiles of weapons”, the pro-government AlWatan newspaper said yesterday. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Walid Muallem warned the French and US ambassadors not to travel outside Damascus after they both visited the flashpoint central city of Hama earlier this month. “An uneasy calm has reigned in Homs since Tuesday afternoon after top quality operations by the army, who arrested a number of armed men and seized large quantities of weapons,” the progovernment Al-Watan said. There were “bloody clashes” that left “soldiers and an officer wounded,” it said.

Al-Watan added that the “dialogue launched by civic leaders had resumed in a bid to contain dissent

and re-establish unity,” in Homs, 160 km north of the capital. Activists say pro-regime gunmen have killed at least 20 people Homs since Monday, including seven mourners at a funeral. Fierce fighting rocked Homs at the weekend, with activists reporting more than 30 people killed in clashes among Christians, Sunni Muslims and President Bashar Al-Assad’s minority Alawite community.

Syria’s third largest city, Homs has spearheaded demonstrations against President Bashar Al-Assad and his regime since protests erupted on March 15.

The army had already entered the city in May in a bid to stop rallies calling for the fall of Assad’s regime.

Meanwhile, security services arrested opposition Continued on Page 15

New evidence backs circumcision drive ROME: A campaign to encourage African men to get circumcised to prevent infection by HIV gained a powerful boost yesterday by three new studies unveiled at the world AIDS forum in Rome. New cases of HIV among men fell by an astonishing 76 percent after a circumcision program was launched in a South African township, researchers reported. Had no circumcisions been carried out, the tally of new infections among the overall population, men and women combined, would have been 58 percent higher. “This study is a fantastic result for a simple intervention which costs 40 euros ($56), takes 20 minutes and has to be done only once in a lifetime,” said David Lewis, of the Society for Family Health in Johannesburg and the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.

In 2006, trials in Kenya, Uganda and South Africa found foreskin removal more than halved men’s risk of infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Longer-term analysis found the benefit to be even greater than thought, with a risk reduction of around 60 percent. After pondering risks and benefits, health watchdogs set in motion circumcision campaigns in 13 sub-Saharan countries that have been badly hit by the AIDS virus. Advocates call it “surgical vaccine”, describing it as a cheap yet effective form of prevention. Sub-Saharan Africa is home to two-thirds of the 33 million people living with HIV. As of mid-2010, around 175,000 circumcisions Continued on Page 15

Max 49º Min 32º Low Tide 09:40 & 21:59 High Tide 03:40 & 15:23

KUWAIT: Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said yesterday it has raised sovereign credit ratings for Kuwait on the back of its high GDP and strong public finances.

“Standard & Poor’s ... raised its local and foreign currency sovereign credit ratings on the State of Kuwait to AA from AA-,” a statement said. “The short-term ratings were affirmed at A-1+. The outlook is stable. The transfer and convertibility (T&C) assessment, which reflects Standard & Poor’s view of the likelihood of the sovereign (or Central Bank) restricting non-sovereign access to foreign exchange needed for debt ser vice, is affirmed at AA+,” the statement added.

“The rating actions are supported by Kuwait’s high GDP per capita and strong external and fiscal balance sheet positions, which carry a larger weight under Standard & Poor’s recently revised sovereign rating criteria,” S&P continued. S&P pointed out what it said were Kuwaiti weaknesses including heavy reliance on hydrocarbons, recurring deadlock between parliament and the government, lack of transparency and a slow pace of reform, but said other factors outweighed these considerations.

There are frequent stand offs between the National Assembly and ruling family. Since Sheikh Nasser AlMohammed Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah was appointed prime minister in Feb 2006, parliament has been dissolved three times and fresh elections held. Sheikh Nasser has resigned six times, stalling development projects in the process.

The world’s fourth largest oil exporter has seen limited demonstrations but, thanks to a generous welfare system, avoided the mass protests that toppled rulers in Egypt and Tunisia. “We see that economic activity remains weak with a difficult political environment, and limited implementation of the investment program.

However there has been some improvement with higher government spending,” said Monica Malik, chief economist at EFG-Hermes.

On Tuesday, Kuwait’s Central Bank governor said the OPEC member needs to increase government spending and support the private sector to overcome imbalances in its economy. Kuwait, which sits on 10 percent of global crude reserves, grants more political freedom than Gulf neighbours such as Saudi Arabia where few dare criticise the government or members of the ruling family. “The spillover from recent political events in the Middle East and North Africa into Kuwait appears minimal,” S&P said.

Continued on Page 15

Serbia arrests final war crimes fugitive BELGRADE: Serbia yesterday arrested Goran Hadzic, the one-time Croatian Serb rebel leader accused of overseeing mass murder and the last remaining fugitive wanted by the UN war crimes court in The Hague. Hadzic, 52, faces 14 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes for the murder of hundreds of civilians and the deportation of tens of thousands of Croats by troops under his command during the 1991-95 Croatian war.

The European Union hailed the arrest as an “important” step forward in Serbia’s bid for EU membership while Serbian President Boris Tadic said it was the end of a “difficult” chapter in Belgrade’s dealings with The Hague court. The United States said his arrest was a “milestone for the UN war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and an opportunity for justice”. Within hours of the arrest, a pale Continued on Page 15

BELGRADE: Goran Hadzic, the last fugitive wanted by the UN war crimes court, is seen during his arrest at the Fruska Gora mountain, north of the capital, yesterday. — AFP

in the

news

UAE fighter plane crashes, kills pilot

Iran hangs 4 drug smugglers, 3 rapists

Blast kills Briton in Yemen port city

DUBAI: A United Arab Emirates fighter plane crashed during a training mission, killing the pilot, the state news agency said yesterday. The plane went down Tuesday evening, according to a statement by the General Command of the UAE Armed Forces. The pilot was identified as First Lt Suhail Mubarak Abdullah Al-Dhaheri. It was the second crash involving an Emirati fighter plane in less than three months. On April 27, an Emirati pilot ejected safely in Italy when his F-16 veered off the runway. The military said that plane sustained minor structural damage.

The UAE has rapidly expanded its air force in recent years, in part to protect itself from larger neighbor Iran. The fighter fleet consists of American-made F-16 and French-built Mirage jets. The UAE agreed in late March to send 12 warplanes - six F-16s and six Mirage fighters - to help enforce the no-fly zone over Libya. Emirati aircraft also were used to deliver supplies to flood victims in Pakistan.

TEHRAN: Iran has hanged four drug smugglers, including a woman, and three men convicted of rape, media reports said yesterday. Two men, identified as Abbas A and Ali B, were hanged in prison in the southern city of Jiroft, in Kerman province, yesterday after they were found guilty of drug trafficking, ISNA news agency reported. A convicted female drug smuggler, identified as Begom N, along with fellow trafficker Khodadad M were also executed in prison in the city of Rafsanjan, in the same province, the report added. Meanwhile, Khorasan newspaper reported three men convicted of rape had been sent to the gallows in a prison in the northeastern city of Qoochan on Tuesday. The latest hangings bring to 171 the number of executions reported in Iran so far this year, according to an AFP tally based on media and official reports.

ADEN: A British businessman was killed when his boobytrapped car exploded in Yemen’s main southern city of Aden yesterday, in an attack bearing Al-Qaeda’s hallmarks, security officials said. The man, who was the head of a shipping company, was killed in the Moalla area of Aden near a hotel where his company has an office, a police official said without giving a possible motive for the attack. An intelligence officer told AFP, however, that the attack “carries the fingerprints of Al-Qaeda”. Police did not let journalists approach the site of the blast. Witness Abdullah Al-Sharafi told AFP: “I heard the explosion, I hurried there and I found the car in pieces and a charred body.” Attacks are relatively rare in Aden, which remains generally calm despite deadly unrest in other southern provinces that have seen repeated clashes between suspected Al-Qaeda militants and security forces. Aden was a British protectorate until 1967. It used to be one of the world’s most important ports.

Nepal to measure height of Everest KATHMANDU: Nepal has ordered a new measurement of Mount Everest to determine exactly how high the world’s highest mountain is. The Himalayan country has continued to recognize the decades-old measurement of 29,028 ft (8,448 m) though Western climbers and China have made new claims. The government decided last week during its annual budget speech to take the new measurement, Land Reforms Ministry spokesman Gopal Giri said yesterday. The plans are being formed this week and the work will take two years. It will entail placing a device on the peak that will measure the height using satellite technology, he said.

Stations will be set up in three locations using the global positioning system. An American expedition in 1999 said it used GPS satellites to determine the peak to be 29,035 ft (8,850 m), a height which is widely used now. China, which is straddled by Everest’s northern slopes, says the peak is 29,008 ft (8,844 m) high.

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THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

local

No bonuses for expat teachers this year More work and no rewards

By Hussain Al-Qatari

KUWAIT: Ministry of Education (MoE) officials revealed yesterday that expatriate teachers will receive no bonuses for their work this year. The news came as a shock to many expatriate teachers, who form the majority of the ministry’s teaching staff, particularly at high schools. Although teachers were previously promised pay rises and increased housing allowances, no such increases have yet been approved.

Mohammad, a 47-year old Egyptian teacher, pointed out that the strife of expatriate teachers has been ongoing for years, with the teachers demanding not equal rights with the Kuwaiti teachers but at least salary increases and more benefits. “We are here to make a living and provide a service for this country,” he said. “The ministry officials have been very vague with us; whenever we asked about increases and benefits they said that it is on the agenda, but we’ve seen very little action taken in that regard.” Mohammad added that the expatriate teachers have been hearing vague promises of regulations to give them more rights since the tenure of previous education minister Nouriyah Al-Sabeeh, but have so far seen no action to back the words up.

Abeer, another expatriate teacher echoed Mohammad’s sentiments, saying that while the ministry was generous enough to arrange for her to live in a building with other teachers with whom she shares an apartment, very little has been done in terms of maintenance there. “The process of fixing things when they break is difficult through the ministry; we end up coping with the faulty facilities like water heaters and air conditioning that break down often, or we pay from our own pocket to get things fixed. Regardless of all of this, we still don’t receive bonuses even though we are the first to sign up for proctoring and extra work at the end of the school year, which is a job that is tiring and exhausting,” she complained.

One MoE insider said that while many high profile officials wish to improve the situation for expatriate teachers the ministry’s list of priorities is skewed. “The ministry spends a lot of money giving bonuses to Kuwaiti teachers, and then you find reports of corruption and nepotism, as well as complaints from some officials that these teachers are incompetent,” the insider explained. “In many instances, the same teachers who are accused of incompetence are the ones who receive excellent reports. This bureaucracy and corruption exists in all government establishment, we understand that, but the Ministry of Education especially should be exempt from this general unwritten rule.”

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the insider, who works in a local education zone’s supervisory department, said that from his work he notices that many expatriate teachers work hard and receive excellent reports, but no action is taken to reward them.

“Aside from certificates of appreciation and small bonuses, they receive very little encouragement,” he said. The Kuwait Teachers Association has already issued a statement on the issue, urging ministry officials and decision makers to take action in order to improve expatriate teachers’ pay and conditions. “It goes without saying that if the teachers are satisfied and financially stable, they will perform better. A lot of teachers, Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti, are competent and hardworking. They deserve to receive bonuses and should be encouraged for the effort they exert. The Kuwait Teachers Association sees it as vital that the Ministry of Education practices a transparent and fair policy in its treatment of employees, “ said Abdulrahman Al-Kandari, the chair of the Kuwait Teachers Association.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah receiving the Acting Premier and Minister of Defense Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah at Bayan Palace yesterday.

Three injured in street fights

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

his home was stolen. A case has been filed.

KUWAIT: A 24-year-old bedoon (stateless) man was rushed to Mubarak Hospital after suffering stab wounds in a gang brawl in Amman Street, Salmiya yesterday.

In a separate incident, two Jordanian expatriates aged 22 and 30 were injured in a noisy fight on Newspaper Street, Shuwaikh yesterday. The younger man suffered injuries to his chest whilst his older sparring partner suffered minor facial injuries. Both were admitted to Al-Sabah Hospital.

Theft accusation A citizen residing in Salhiya accused his business partner of stealing KD 2,700 from his bank account. A case has been filed.

Motor accident A 35-year-old Egyptian man was taken to Adan Hospital after suffering fractures to his right leg and right arm in a crash near a junction in Riqqa.

Bedoon held An Arab woman filed a complaint with the Sharq police against a bedoon man accusing him of trying to seduce her. She reportedly approached the man, asking for directions to reach a shopping center. The man in return responded in a lewd manner. The woman raised a cry of help and asked passersby to nab the man. He was arrested shortly and referred to higher authorities.

Motorboat stolen A citizen lodged a complaint with the Sulaibikhat police station stating that his motorboat that was parked outside

Food theft Five Egyptian expatriates were arrested in Shuwaikh Industrial area. The men reportedly stole food items from a store. They were referred to higher authorities.

in brief

MEW to regulate power consumption KUWAIT: The Ministry of Electricity and Water(MEW) plans to proceed with a project to monitor electricity consumption and ensure that pricing is across all secondary transformers are listed accurately. A top ministry official made the remarks after explaining the reasons behind the power outages that many areas experienced during the past week; among which are random consumption levels. Abdulwahab Al-Terki Assistant Undersecretary for Distribution Networks Division said that the ‘very normal’ power cuts took place this year, reiterating that high temperatures lead to increased consumption load on transformers. This is the main reason that cause service disconnections, reported Al-Qabas. Al-Terki further assured that Ramadan would be power cut-free given the preparations that were during winter.

Divorce rates stable KUWAIT: Divorce rates among Kuwaitis are average on a global scale, and have actually fallen over the past year compared to previous years, according to a senior Ministry of Justice official “The actual divorce rate between Kuwaiti married couples reached 5 percent in 2010 compared to the rate of marriages in the same year,” said Dr. Badr AlZamanan, the MoJ’s Assistant Undersecretary for Legal Affairs, in a press release issued on Tuesday.

He added that this rate had actually fallen significantly on previous years, with divorce rates in 2006 reaching 8.78 percent. The official was speaking in the wake of recent concerns over the country’s divorce statistics. Dr. Al-Zamanan also lauded the efforts of the justice ministry’s family counseling department, which he said has been extremely effective in reducing divorce rates in the country.

South Korean delegation KUWAIT: A delegation of South Korean government information technology experts yesterday visited the headquarters of Kuwait’s Central Agency for Information Technology. CAIT Deputy Chairman Qusai Al-Shatti told reporters that the delegation’s five-day visit is intended to exchange experience and to benefit from the South Korean experts’ proficiency in developing the agency and improving its work. The visit is taking place in the wake of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Kuwait and South Korea over cooperation in information technology.

Discussions between the delegates and their Kuwaiti counterparts will focus on the support which the Korean side can provide to Kuwait to help implement flagship projects related to e-government security applications, which are considered a top priority by the CAIT. Al-Shatti noted that the Korean delegation, which includes representatives from a number of Korean IT institutions, will hold four workshops for CAIT staff on information security, as well as on the provision of e-government services via mobile phones, etc.

New media watchdog established KUWAIT: The Minister of Social Affairs and Labor yesterday issued a ministerial decree officially announcing the establishment of Kuwait’s new media supervisory body, the Kuwait Media Association.

In a statement issued to officially proclaim the new association’s establishment, the ministry explained that the new body will help to advance media development in the country, participate in the decision-making process on related issues, and provide guidance and advisory services to decision-makers on matters concerning the media, as well

as launching media development programs.

Any employee in a state or private sector media body who is equipped with suitable specialist academic qualifications will be able to apply for membership of the new association’s management board, which will consist of seven members elected at biannual general assemblies. The new body is to be established for an unlimited period, according to the statement, with an official announcement to be published shortly in the official state gazette, formalizing its foundation.

BEIRUT: Kuwaiti Ambassador Al-Qanaee hosted a party yesterday in honour of outgoing diplomats Bader Al-Mufarej and Salem Khalifa.

Canteen revenue losses KUWAIT: The Ministry of Education (MoE) Undersecretaries Council has agreed to increase primar y school budgets to compensate for the loss of profits incurred by the schools’ canteens after the introduction of free

News

Kuwait committed to swift aid for Somalia

school meals. MoE Undersecretar y Tamadher Al-Sdeirawi said that the move followed a number of requests from local primary schools’ administrative staff for budget increases to compensate for the losses.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received a letter yesterday from the United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres concerning the tragic state of affairs in the Horn of Africa region, and most specifically in Somalia. The letter was delivered to Deputy Minister for Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah through the UN’s refugees commission’s Middle East and North Africa Director Yagoub El-Hilo.

KUWAIT: Kuwait pledges its commitment to coming to the aid of the people of Somalia at times of distress in the fastest way possible, said the Gulf nation’s health minister, Dr. Helal AlSayer, yesterday.

Kuwait has been a staunch provider of aid to troubled nations like Somalia under the guidance of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the minister said in a statement. Two aid planes carrying 20 tons of food, medicine and tents were set to head for Somalia today (Thursday), he noted, commending Acting Premier and Defence Minister Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak Al-Sabah, for his efforts in

supervising a direct air route from Abdullah Al-Mubarak Military Airbase to the troubled African nation.

The Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) was amongst the first organizations to react swiftly to the distress calls, the minister pointed out, adding that this aid would continue until living conditions for the drought victims are improved.

Kuwait has pledged $10 million in aid for the Somalian people, who are suffering from malnutrition and famine as a result of the worst drought to have hit the nation in 10 years, with the UN yesterday officially declaring a famine in the south of the stricken nation.

KAC operating three pre-Ramadan London-Kuwait flights LONDON: A senior Kuwait Air ways Corporation (KAC) official announced yesterday that the airline will be adding an additional flight to its London-Kuwait schedule on July 30 to cope with the expected pre-Ramadan rush.

Walid Al-Muhanna, KAC’s Executive Regional Manager for Europe and the Director of the airline’s London office, explained that the flight, which will travel to London from Geneva before flying to Kuwait, had been laid on to cope with the higher-than-usual volume of traffic during this period as many Kuwaitis return home in time for the start of the holy month. The additional flight will also help to ease the pressure on return

book ings, both from Geneva and London, he added, noting that while KAC usually operates only one flight a day from London to Kuwait it had increased this to two with the advent of the summer holidays.

Al-Muhanna also expressed his sincere thanks for the understanding of KAC chairman Hamad Al-Falah and the airline’s sales director Anwar Al-Mutair in helping to organize the provision of extra flights to ensure that as many Kuwaitis as possible who wish to return to Kuwait in time for Ramadan are able to do so, whether these are residents of the UK, students, people receiving medical treatment there or vacationers. — KUNA

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THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

LOCAL

‘Migrant workers’ rights should be urgently addressed’

By Lisa Conrad KUWAIT: Improving the rights of domestic female workers is imperative and needs ‘urgent attention,’ says Dr Moez Doraid, Director of the Co-ordination Division of UN women. He added, “The International Labor Organization (ILO) and others from the UN have been attempting to work with Kuwait on the issue.” The Human Rights Watch 2010 country summary of Kuwait places the number of female migrant workers at around 700,000. The summar y added, “Many domestic workers complain of confinement to the house, long working hours without rest, months or years of unpaid wages and sometimes verbal, physical, and sexual abuse.” Many employers also take the passports of domestic workers and hide them or secure them in safes, completely out of access.

Kuwaiti national Mona commented on the issue of domestic workers, “It is not right when they are abused or unpaid. Find me one person whose maid keeps her passport.

You cannot leave the passport with them. A major issue Kuwait was criticized for recently was withholding passports. If the passport is with her then I guarantee, regardless of how

SAKHIR, Bahrain: An unidentified oil worker drinks water in this May 19, 2010 file photo in this desert oilfield. — AP you treat her, she will runaway. And then they do so often.”

The various issues surrounding migrant what? You have paid for her to come to Kuwait, and then you pay again when she workers also played a significant part in runs away. I do not think people are keeping Kuwait being placed in the third tier, for the passports to trap them. It is to stop them fifth year running, in the US state departfrom running away unexpectedly, which ment trafficking in persons report, 2011.

Authorities must introduce long-term immigration policy KUWAIT: A senior Kuwaiti union official has called on the country’s governing authorities to introduce a long-term policy to lower immigrant numbers and ensure a better demographic balance.

Abdulrahman Al-Ghanim, the Secretary General of the Kuwait Trade Union Federation (KTUF), said on Tuesday that he had been warning for some years of the danger in the growth of the number of expatriates in the country, adding that the issue is continuing to cause concern among Kuwaitis.

Today, he stated, this issue is coming to the fore amongst those of every political persuasion, with MPs raising the matter in parliament and citing the studies conducted into the potential problems of such high numbers of expatriate residents and making these available to the Council of Ministers, with one of these studies conducted by the KUTF some time ago.

The senior union official added, however, that the Ministry of Interior’s recent announcement that it will be doubling the minimum salary level at which expa-

triates can bring family members to the country from KD250 to KD500 was rejected by the union on principle since these issues should be discussed with the concerned bodies before taking such decisions. Increasing the salary ceiling for those applying for dependent visas is not the ideal solution to reduce the number of expats, Al-Ghanim said, since it is the right of all workers, including expatriates, to have a stable family life which helps to strengthen social stability and reduce illicit activities, as well as increasing economic turnover and productivity.

The senior union official suggested that the solution to increasing demographic imbalance would be to abolish the sponsorship authority and create a public authority for manpower, which would also put an end to human trafficking and trading in residency visas.

The establishment of such a body would also ultimately do away with the recruitment of unskilled workers and reduce the number of crimes, which have become a burden on Kuwaiti society, he suggested. — Al-Anba

role in.” The UN’s ‘Progress of the World’s Women: In Pursuit of Justice’ report also cited Jordan as an example to follow as the country made reforms guaranteeing payment of salaries, sick leave and set limits to the number of hours worked per day.

However, while the creation of such reforms is applaudable, their implementation is another issue completely. Mona adds, “The problem is not whether or not it is legal to mistreat domestic workers. They are in their employers homes most of the time, completely out of sight and therefore quite vulnerable. The problem is when the value of a person is seen as lesser to another. It cannot be remedied with reforms, although they are certainly a step in the right direction.

The problem has to be remedied with education, activism, and a change in the mindset of many people here who view domestic and migrant workers as inferior.”

She continues, “It is wrong for domestic workers to be a liability to their employers, also. If employers were not so responsible for them, they would not be so overly cautious and restrictive. The fact that so much responsibility is placed on the employer is detrimental to the independence of the employees, and stressful for the employers also.”

Efforts had been made by the Ministry of Interior to shut down fraudulent labor recruiting agencies, as well as terminate licenses for recruiting companies that did not meet regulations set in the February 2010 Private Sector Labor Law. Training courses were provided for police officers to protect trafficking victims as were courses on protecting the contractual rights of migrant workers for judges, prosecutors, and legal consultants.

However, many serious issues remain such as abuse and non-payment of wages.

The report added that it is necessary for Kuwait to “establish procedures to proactively identify victims of human trafficking, especially among the female domestic worker population.” There has been an “increase in efforts to prosecute, punish, and stringently sentence traffickers, particularly sponsors who force domestic workers into involuntary servitude.” Given the scale and complexity of the issue alone, it certainly cannot be easily or quickly remedied.

However, Dr Doraid cited Jordan as a good example to follow “Jordan’s practice is a good one to learn from as workers have rights and legal status in the labor code, in which UNIFEM and UN women played a lead

Govt, KUCCS to tackle efforts to raise prices KUWAIT: The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (MSAL) is to monitor prices at local cooperative societies during Ramadan to tackle price-fixing, as well as coordinating with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to prevent any abrupt increases that could coincide with the beginning of the holy month.

The plans were revealed by minister Dr Mohammad Al-Afasi in a statement issued on Tuesday, in which he also indicated that the MSAL is calling for standardizing the prices of the most popular commodities at

all co-ops during the Ramadan period, with suppliers to be asked to sign undertakings committing to observe these prices or to be replaced.

The Kuwait Union of Consumer Co-operative Societies (KUCCS) confirmed its plans to follow such a plan, revealing in a statement issued by chairman Dr. Hussein AlDuwaihees that food prices would remain at their current rates till after the holy month, while any unauthorized price rises would be penalized severely.

Al-Duwaihees further noted that several

requests from wholesalers to raise the prices of certain items by as much as 50 percent have been rejected.

“Co-ops have orders to provide supplies from alternative sources if the original supplier cuts their shipments in protest of rejection for a price increase request,” he added, further assuring consumers that the KUCCS would resort to directly importing goods itself to supply the local market with a certain commodity if merchants imposed a wide-scale boycott in a bid to force price rises. — Agencies

Minister must intervene to reinstate medical students

By A Saleh KUWAIT: MP Khalid Al-Adwa has appealed to the Kuwaiti government and Education Ministry to resolve the issue of nine female medical students who were refused places at Kuwait University for their second year of studies, despite being outstanding students in their first year.

Al-Adwa said that given the resources at the minister’s disposal and his duty to help all students complete their education, he should be able to resolve this issue, as well as the other problems facing the university, and to increase the number of students beginning courses this year.

On a separate issue, Al-Adwa asked the Kuwaiti government to intervene in order to stop internet service providers (ISPs) from exploiting nationals’ and expatriates’ lack of options and to act fast in resolving the problems raised by these companies.

A workable solution should be put for ward by the Ministry of Communications (MoC), he suggested, adding that the ISPs should also com-

pensate those subscribers who have faced major problems with their internet services.

The MP said that some countries constitutions have already introduced legislation stating that internet services should be provided at reasonable prices and offering consumer protection regulations, adding that the Kuwaiti government should do the same, especially given the ever-increasing number of internet users in the country.

Meanwhile, the Kuwait Ports Authority is set to establish a crËche for employees’ children in its headquarters building. The contract for setting up the nursery facility will be opened for bidding shortly, with a meeting to be held for potential investors in the project at the KPA headquarters at 10:00 AM on Thursday. Contractors wishing to bid for the project must meet a number of criteria, including providing equipment sourced from local producers and ensuring that the staff recruited are principally Kuwaiti. The authority is hopeful that the new facility, which will be located in the ground floor of the headquarters building, will open by the start of 2012.

KUWAIT: Anti-smoking campaign by Interior Ministry at the Kuwait International Airport yesterday.

Interior steps up anti-smoking campaign at airport KUWAIT: A senior Ministry of Interior (MoI) security official said yesterday that the ministry is committed to continuing with its crackdown on smokers at Kuwait International Airport (KIA), which is an entirely smoke-free zone apart from a small enclosed booth provided for smokers.

Major General Anwar Al-Yassin, the MoI

Assistant Undersecretary for Port Security Affairs, said that Undersecretary Lieutenant General Ghazi Abdulrahman Al-Omar was following the operation closely, adding that the health risks posed to non-smokers by passive smoking are greater in crowded, enclosed areas such as airports. Maj. Gen. Al-Yassin said that Kuwaiti law forbids smoking in all

enclosed spaces due to the resulting health risks, adding that the campaign would continue for the benefit of all those using and visiting KIA. The ministry’s commitment to the campaign highlights Kuwait’s civilized nature and awareness of the importance of giving up this filthy habit in order to promote social health and wellbeing. — KUNA

Municipality removes 276 unlicensed ads in Shuwaikh crackdown KUWAIT: Municipality inspectors removed 276 unlicensed advertising posters in a recent crackdown in the Shuwaikh area, as well as issuing citations to 77 of the individuals and firms responsible.

The six-week campaign, carried out on the instructions of Faleh Al-Shemmari, the director of the Capital Municipality department, focused on shops in the Shuwaikh area, said the supervisor of the Capital Municipality’s shops and advertisements division Massoud Hassan Dashti. The campaign, which took place between June 1 and July 15, was overseen by Mubarak Joher Bashir, with the Capital’s Public Relations department working closely with the team to identify

the worst offenders. Thirty-eight of the offending outlets were issued with citations for having out of date advertising licenses, said the official, adding that, amongst other reasons, the campaign was organized to help underscore the need for all local businesses to follow the rules and regulations. Dashti added that similar campaigns are set to continue in the area, warning all business owners against putting up unauthorized advertisements which can obstruct drivers’ vision, amongst other risks, calling upon all local businesses to obtain the necessary licenses if they wish to erect hoardings or put up posters in order to avoid having them removed and facing potentially costly legal action.

‘Kuwaiti projects will not harm Iraq’

KUWAIT: The Police Club hosted an open day for the Ministry of Interior personnel. Many activities including competitions were held to entertain guests. A cruise trip was also organized to Umm Al-Maradem island. The event was part of the club’s 2011 summer activities program.

KUWAIT: Kuwait will not deliberately hamper its neighbors’ progress, asserted a top Cabinet official. He was responding to the recent uproar voiced by politicians and parliamentarians in Iraq against the Mubarak Al-Kabeer port project’s construction.

Tensions have been brewing between the two countries ever since members from the Iraqi Parliament raised concerns over the location chosen to construct the Kuwaiti port - the Boubyan Island, situated 10 kilometers off Iraqi. In one incident,

a party referring to itself as ‘The Brigade of Hezbollah in Iraq’ issued a warning statement to any company that is involved in the project, reported AlQabas. “Kuwait respects its neighbors and will not cause intentional harm,” said Ali Al-Rashid Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Acting Foreign Minister. He added that Kuwait expects its neighbors to “respect our sovereignty in return.” “The Mubarak Al-Kabeer port will be built within Kuwaiti borders. This is an issue that solely concerns Kuwait,” Al-Rashid said.

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LOCAL

in my view

Local Spotlight

Seeing the ugly truth

Are Westerners worshiped here?

By Hussain Al-Qatari here are times when I prefer pretty lies over ugly truths. My reasons are purely aesthetic: I believe that if things are impeccable, pretty and polished, they inspire us to do the same.

Whether they are true or not is something irrelevant. A year earlier, social networking website Twitter started to gain popularity. Today, Twitter makes the news. Statements by parliament members, government officials and public figures are made on Twitter, from these people’s own computers or cell phones on their verified accounts. This immediate interaction with people is amazing and horrible at the same time. I will explain why.

Before Twitter, interaction with public figures was only possible through public events and through writings in newspapers, magazines, and in some instances blogs. Reading a carefully-written article gives you a good idea about what the thoughts of these people are, but so much thought has been put into putting down these thoughts.

Writing an article or a column goes through a process of polishing, correcting, restructuring until it is ready to be published and shown to the public.

But interacting with these same people on Twitter can be very disturbing, for lack of better words. The amount of ‘typos’ they have in their twitter updates, the misspelled words, and sometimes the lack of logic, manners, and ethics in what they write leaves you in shock.

One particular novelist, columnist and lately self-proclaimed social commentary expert has been flooding my timeline with one shocking statement after the other. When I used to read her columns and blog posts, I admired her personality, her courage and her impressive command of language. After interacting with her on Twitter, I do not think I want to be in the same room with that person. She is bigoted, hypocritical, intolerant and disrespectful shamelessly and publicly.

I was also shocked to read the interactions of one particular parliament member who is a hard line Islamist. As a bearded religious man who continuously preaches manners and ethics in Parliament, I assumed he would set a good example for what he preaches online. His interactions are bickering, intolerant remarks that harbor on insults. Nothing reflects ethics or positivity at all. So I have decided to stop reading updates from these people. If I idolize someone, I would rather they stay an idol - distant, perfect, and untouchable. The closer they get, the uglier they appear. I will choose pretty and fake over honest and despicable.

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Muna Al-Fuzai

muna@kuwaittimes.net o Westerners receive better treatment in Kuwait? This may seem like a simple question but the answer may not be so simple. Unless we try to explain how true such a statement is, then any response may not be accurate or fair.

I have been asked this question on several occasions, either as a complaint or as an opinion, by numerous Asians and Arabs. How true is this statement? What do Westerners have that means they can earn more privileges? Is it fair to generalize this thinking to all Westerners here?

This topic had lingered in my mind for some time and I tried to be fair about this topic by talking to lots of people about this matter. I even talked to some Westerners in order to know exactly what they think about this matter?

We have to realize that Westerners come from civilized countries. Their countries don’t send them to an unknown place without being aware where, what and how much they will get in return. Their countries care about the welfare of every single citizen abroad and their embassies usually stay alert to assist and serve them in case of emergencies.

Westerners enjoy lots of facilities in their accommodations, they enjoy family affairs and they are even in contact with the local police and various authorities here in Kuwait. This is a common feeling, but why is that, and do they deserve this?

Khalil, a Kuwaiti man who runs a construction company in Kuwait, has some Western employees. He had an interesting view and he admitted that he gives special treatment to his Western employees but not because of their white skin or blue eyes, but because of their good work ethic. “UK or US citizens will not leave their countries unless they are certain that they will get paid double abroad. They ask about their accommodation arrangements and transportation before coming to Kuwait,” Khalil noted.

D kuwait digest

Making the right decision

By Abdul-Aziz Al-Fadhli n his book ‘The Art of Situations’ Management’, the author Mohammad Al-Furaih asks his readers to speculate of how they would make a decision if they face a certain situation. One of the situations mentioned goes as follows: A group of children are playing at a railway, while one kid is playing at a branch line branching off of it which also happens to be damaged.

Imagining yourself standing near the railroad switch, and you see a train coming and have a few seconds to decide which route it should take: the original route where the group of kids are still playing, or the branch route where only one kid is playing.

For most people, sacrificing the life of one person is less tragic than sacrificing that of many. The book says that this is the emotional decisions that most people would take.

It further analyzes by stating that by

I

this decision, people are punishing the kid who made the right choice when he chose the damaged railway as the place to play, while rewarding the others who played at the main road respite being aware of the risks.

Furthermore, the author speculates that hitting the switch to change the train’s route to the branch lane isn’t the correct choice, because the kids on the main railway are aware of where they are, and will likely move away as soon as they hear a train approaching, unlike the kid on the branch lane because he figures that the train won’t get into a damaged line.

Moreover, changing the train’s route could also prove more costly if the train wrecks due to the unsafe condition of the branch lane.

Now if we take a look at decisions made in the Cabinet or Parliament, as well as those made

by firms or individuals, we’d soon realize that they are based on a similar emotional approach to the one mentioned in the book: rewarding the reckless majority on the expense of the committed few. This can be seen in decisions like purchasing people’s loans, imbalanced payment of allowances, and making appointments based on anything but qualifications.

Even when a senior official is late to an official meeting, the whole event is delayed until said official arrived.

Reality says that there are clear errors in the decision making process on the political and economic fields in the country. Unless this situation is addressed with decisions based on reason instead of emission, and on giving top priority to the public good instead of personal benefits, then there will be severe consequences awaiting Kuwait. —Al-Rai

kuwait digest

The government’s indifference to Kuwaitis’ wishes

By Thaar Al-Rashidi p to the moment of writing this article, the government owes me KD400. I am one of the 20,000 Kuwaiti private sector employees entitled to a KD100 monthly allowance since we have not received pay rises in order to attain the wage parity guaranteed by the constitution. This equality, however, is not to the government’s taste or in the interests of certain parties close to the government. As for the members of the Kuwaiti public affected, the government neither listens nor cares.

Whilst, for our government, justice is deficient and equality is scarce, these are still obligations decided by the law, constitution and logic. I challenge the government to ask just one question of the Fatwa and Legislation Department: ‘Do Kuwaiti private sector employees deserve a KD100 monthly allowance like their public sector counterparts?’

From what I can see, however, the government does not even wish to ask this question. The finance minister seems too scared to consult the Prime Minister during the meetings of the Council of Ministers or even through intermediaries. The problem continues to exist, however, as do the Kuwaiti people’s rights, and the latter are not subject to bargaining or political negotiation; we Kuwaitis must be paid whatever we want immediately. Despite this, however, the government is doing what it does every time, trying to squirm out of its obligations, even though it knows that ultimately it is responsible for according Kuwaitis our rights.

Through administering the law, the government must show responsibility in providing care for private sector workers as much as their public sector counterparts, not just through supporting the Kuwaiti workforce in this sector and giving Kuwaitis special privileges but through giving particular attention to all the members of the Kuwaiti private sector workforce, despite their constituting only eight percent of this group, with 92 percent of Kuwaitis being employed in the public sector.

Wouldn’t it be better for the government to financially support Kuwaitis working in the private sector (whether voluntarily or by lack of options) since their salaries are being mainly met by their employers not the government? I don’t know how the government thinks and I don’t want to know. Like many, many other Kuwaitis, I’m fed up of following a disaster-prone government which emerges from one calamity only to lurch into the next. The only good thing about such a government is that a writer like what I am is never short of material. If the government were excellent, after all, myself and another few hundred journalists might have to stay at home or find jobs as pipefitters. —Al-Anba

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‘Westerners come from civilized countries. Their countries don’t send them to an unknown place without being aware where, what and how much they will get in return’.

Khalil pointed out that they ( Westerners) don’t need training over fluency in foreign languages or typing and don’t mind long hours of work. He said that is why they deserve better treatment because they are hard working and know what to do.

An Asian reader emailed me with an opposing view, however, saying that in Kuwait Westerners receive better treatment and enjoy many facilities which they don’t deserve. She also said that countries like the US or the UK usually provide better lifestyles and career choices, asking why these people would leave their homeland to come to Kuwait and suggesting that maybe these Westerners came here since they couldn’t make it in their own country.

For this woman, then, the Westerners that come to Kuwait are those who are unable to find a job in their homeland and seek other opportunities here. Their white skin is their ticket to good jobs here and their nationality helps them to enjoy many privileges which they could never get if they were Arabs or Asians.

American expatriates who are Mexican in origin had an interesting view over this matter.

One American man of Mexican descent stated, “White Americans are treated better here in Kuwait. I’m an American but I look like an Arab so I ‘m constantly checked at checkpoints. But if my [white] co-workers are driving, we are waved through the checkpoints. If I am with a female, I‘m considered to be an Arab with a female which is illegal. But if my white American friends are with females, the police just smile and let them through. So yes, I agree that most white Americans have it made a lot better here in Kuwait.”

I believe that most Westerners here respect the country’s laws and regulations more than other nationalities, including many Kuwaiti citizens. Those who break the law usually admit to their mistakes and it seems normal to ask their embassy for support instead of trying to get an influential backer with wasta to cover up their crimes or blame their crimes on others.

In conclusion, I believe most Westerners occupy certain posts not because of their green or blue eyes, blonde hair and white skin, but because of their talent and their strong work ethic.

Muna Al-Fuzai is currently on holiday. This column was published earlier in the Kuwait Times.

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Years

LOCAL

Human trafficking cases in Kuwait ‘isolated incidents’ Verdicts not sufficiently highlighted

KUWAIT: Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor Mohammad AlKandari met here yesterday with the Ambassador of the Republic of Sri Lanka to the State of Kuwait and discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries in various fields. Al-Kandari congratulated the Ambassador on the occasion of his appointment as ambassador to Kuwait, stressing the importance of developing relations between the two countries for the benefit of both peoples.

KUWAIT: A senior Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (MSAL) official said on Tuesday that the majority of human trafficking cases in Kuwait were isolated incidents which were an insufficient justification for the US State Department’s downgrading Kuwait to the lowest ranking in its recent report on the issue.

Mansour Al-Mansour, the Assistant Undersecretary of the MSAL’s Legal Affairs Department, said that Kuwait’s penal legislation, which was issued in the 1960s, already criminalized human trafficking and the violation of both citizens’ and expatriates’ human rights, whether they are employed in the private or public sector. The existing laws are

extremely harsh in penalizing such cases, he added.

Kuwait’s judiciary has issued thousands of punishments in cases concerning these issues, said Al-Mansour, adding, “The problem is that these verdicts are not sufficiently highlighted.” The senior ministry official added that the law is equally applied to Kuwaitis and expatriates, asserting that many expatriates have sued Kuwaiti citizens and won their cases. Human rights and human trafficking violations “exist worldwide,” Al-Mansour pointed out, noting that other nations have their own ways of highlighting these issues in the media. He added that many in Kuwait have urged the government to establish specific

The Avenues hosts summer cultural activities KUWAIT: Out of its keenness to support and encourage cultural and art activities held by different institutions in Kuwait, the management of the Avenues hosts a book fair at the mall, as well as an art exhibition and some other events during the summer.

These activities are being held in coordination with different institutions, including the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL) which will be holding some of its Summer Cultural Festival activities at The Avenues. These include the book fair that is currently featured at The Avenues, showcasing a number of NCCAL publications and books by Kuwaiti authors. The aim of the event is to support the Kuwaiti authors and to encourage reading and purchasing books.

The Avenues is providing this service free of charge, out of its belief in the importance of supporting cultural development and to cater to different tastes of varying segments of mall visitors.

The management of the mall also seeks to hold a variety of cultural and art activities during the weekends in cooperation with the NCCAL and other cultural institutions in the country.

As part of the book fair, a children’s book reading session will be held in cooperation with the That Al-Salasil Bookstore, where children enjoy an interactive session that allows them to immerse themselves in a world of fun and joy. This activity also provides the perfect means to draw children to reading and to develop their love for books, thereby making reading a part of their lives.

That Al-Salasil emphasizes the importance of encouraging children to read, noting the positive impact that reading has on building their characters, broadening their knowledge, and honing their skills. “Stemming from this belief, we took the initiative to hold a series of interactive story-telling sessions in both Arabic and English in order to encourage children to read. We seek to nurture a love for reading in children through a session that encourages children to take part and support activities such as drawing and puzzles. All of this attracts the attention of children and helps them use new skills they have learnt.”

KUWAIT: Summer book fair at the Avenues.

VIVA commemorates Egypt National Day KUWAIT: In recognition of Egypt’s National Day, Kuwait Telecommunications Company VIVA is continuing its summer of promotional launches, inviting prepaid customers to celebrate Egypt’s National Day on July 21, until July 23, 2011.

The three-day promotional event for Egypt’s National Day will launch a special celebration rate, offering customers the opportunity to call Egypt at the rate of 50 fils per minute, after the third minute on all calls.

Additionally, VIVA customers are open to exploring the existing local and international prepaid bundle,

Al-Razi Hospital extension tender KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health (MoH) will close bidding for the tender of Al-Razi Hospital’s extension project on August 9, announced Samir Al-Asfour Assistant Undersecretary for Services Affairs.

This project is part of a mega plan to create multistoried buildings adjacent to the country’s public hospitals. Locally known as the ‘Medical Towers’ project, following the renovation of Al-Razi Hospital, maintenance work will be conducted at Al-Amiri Hospital. Separate budgets for the projects have been allocated at KD 40 million and KD 125 million respectively.

Al-Asfour also revealed the MoH’s future plans including building a cancer center at a total cost of KD 200 million, in addition to a tuberculosis (TB) center currently under construction at the Sabah Medical Zone, reported Al-Rai. Meanwhile, the Director of Hawally Medical Directorate Dr Abdul-Aziz Al-Farhoud announced that a donation made by the heirs of late Sheikh Mubarak AlAbdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah will be used to build a new dialysis center within the Mubarak Hospital premises.

which offers customers calling minutes as well as SMS text messages at the best prices to both local and international destinations. Customers also have the ability to subscribe to the international SMS add-on, which consists of 100 SMS text messages to any international number for 500 fils. They can subscribe to this offer by SMS texting the word ‘ON’ to 240.

To find out more about VIVA’s numerous competitive promotions, products and packages visit any of the twelve VIVA branches or visit our website at www.viva.com.kw.

Minister questioned over staff’s dodgy expenses

By A. Saleh KUWAIT: MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri said that Kuwait is not and should be treated as a feudal estate owned and run by several individuals according to their whims.

In a press release issued yesterday, the parliamentarian asserted that Kuwait “is an institutional state where the constitution organizes all rights and duties, including those of the main powers,” urging the government to transparently explain the details of its expenditure over the past 10 years to the Kuwaiti people.

Lawmaker Ali Al-Deqbasi, meanwhile, submitted a number of parliamentary questions to Minister of Commerce and Industry Dr. Amani Buresli about allegations of false expenses claims by ministry personnel, including inflated claims for the use of ministerial vehicles.

Referring in particular to staff at the rank of assistant undersecretary, the MP asked Dr. Buresli whether the ministry officials’ expenses claims complied with ministry regulations. He also enquired as to the truth of reports that the minister had refused to sign a directive ordering the dismissal of an employee with a long record of absenteeism, further asking her about the ministry’s recruitment of external consultants, and these consultants’ CVs, qualifications and salaries, and requesting details on staff development and training courses and conferences.

On a separate issue, MP Askar Al-Enezi yesterday proposed that retired warrant officers and privates from the Kuwaiti Army, Ministry of Interior, National Guard and Kuwait Fire Services Directorate should be eligible for enhanced pensions like their more highly decorated peers.

Suggesting monthly military pensions of KD300 for all those in these groups who had served over 25 years and KD250 for veterans with 20 or more years’ experience, AlEnezi, in his capacity as a member of the parliamentary and defense committee, said that people in these groups deserve an increased pension every bit as much as their senior officers. “All previous legislation on this issue has focused on officers and senior leaders, forgetting about all those devoted military personnel who played a great role in defending the country,” he asserted, adding that the individuals in these groups are suffering from soaring living expenses just as much as everybody else. On another matter, fellow lawmaker Walid Al-Tabtabaie has proposed the establishment of an integrated body under the supervision of the premier’s office to handle any crisis situations that might arise. Suggesting that such a body should be staffed by highly qualified experts with suitably distinguished economic, social and political backgrounds, he said that the organization could be helpful in predicting crises in various fields long before they occur in order to take steps to avert them or mitigate their effects.

human rights legislation and that a bill on the subject is currently under consideration in parliament.

In another development, a Ministry of Information official has recommended that one of Kuwait TV’s eight satellite channels should be devoted wholly to news and current affairs. Assistant Undersecretary for News and Political Programming Yousef Mustafa said that having a dedicated news channel would give his department more broadcast time in which to cover and analyze various local, regional and international news stories and developments, “especially since we have highly qualified and skilled Kuwaiti staff capable of running such a channel.”

Book on Kuwaiti literature released at cultural festival ASSILAH: Assilah Foundation Forum released a book on Kuwaiti literature yesterday in honor of the country being chosen the guest of honor at this year’s session of Assilah Cultural Festival.

The book, entitled ‘Modern Kuwaiti Literature by Moroccon Authors,’ was compiled by head of the Moroccan Writers Union, Abdulrahim Al-Allam.

The 465-page book includes 42 studies, researches and critical articles about the different kinds of Kuwaiti literature.

Assilah Festival, which was inaugurated in 1978, is an annual cultural extravaganza in which studio and performing artists from all over the world, journalists, writers, painters, musicians and dancers participate.

It is the most important art festival in Morocco and is considered a forum for artists from all around the world to illustrate their art and ideas.

The 33rd Assilah International Cultural Festival features several exhibitions and activities that shed light on Kuwaiti cultural and other contributions. It is held under the patronage of the Moroccan King. Kuwait has been chosen the guest of honor of this year’s Assilah Festival.

On the sidelines of the festival crafts and folklore exhibitions, a photo exhibition on relations and exchanged visits, as well as an exhibition of contemporary Kuwaiti artistic creations will be made. Around 150 dignitaries from Kuwait are participating in the event. — KUNA

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Asian in police custody for killing roommate Man burnt alive inside flat KUWAIT: Police arrested an Asian man 24 hours after he killed his friend and roommate, who had conducted an affair with his wife in their home country by dousing him in petrol and setting him alight before fleeing the scene. Neighbors were alerted to the gruesome incident by the victim’s screams and managed to get into the flat where they put out the flames and immediately called the emergency services hotline. Although paramedics rushed the man to Farwaniya Hospital where he was taken immediately to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), he could not be saved and succumbed to his injuries shortly afterwards.

Detectives used the information given to them by neighbors who saw the killer escaping to apprehend him, with their speedy action helping to catch him before he could flee the country. On being questioned, he admitted that he had coldbloodedly planned the murder after his former friend had not denied sleeping with his (the killer’s) wife whilst on a visit to their homeland when the roommate confronted him about it. The killer is being held in custody at the Public Prosecution Service headquarters pending trial.

Murder investigation A murder investigation is underway after a man’s body was found in his home in Maidan Hawally. Although paramedics were quickly at the scene, they confirmed that the man had died some time before. Detectives and crime scene investigators found evidence of foul play at the scene and launched an investigation into the death. The body was removed for autopsy.

Vengeful junkie A knife-wielding Kuwaiti drug addict was arrested before he could break into his sister’s flat to take revenge on her for reporting his addiction previously. Police were quickly at the scene after neighbors in the apartment complex where the man’s sister lives reported seeing a man carrying a knife and a woman screaming as he banged loud-

ly on her door. The man was caught red-handed and admitted shortly after arrest that he had escaped from the psychiatric hospital an hour before where he had been taken previously after his sister informed police about his drug addiction. On further questioning, he admitted that he had planned to kill his sister because she informed the authorities of his behavior. He has been returned to custody and will now face additional charges.

Man stabs police Hawally police arrested a suspect who stabbed two police officers after they pulled him over. The incident began when the patrol officers became suspicious of the motorist’s behavior and asked him to pull over. When he instead accelerated and attempted to escape, with a brief car chase ensuing. Other patrol cars joined the pursuit and the man was forced to stop. On being apprehended, he stabbed two officers in his attempt to evade arrest, but was quickly subdued and taken into custody.

Drugs bust Three people were arrested in Qurain after police caught them in possession of drugs. Whilst conducting a routine patrol, the officers became suspicious of the trio’s behavior, particularly after they parked their car but did not get out. On

approaching the vehicle and searching it, the patrol officers found a quantity of heroin, as well as narcotic tablets. The threesome were taken into custody.

Child abuse A Kuwaiti man was arrested after his neighbor accused him of planning to sexually abuse his sixyear-old son. The boy’s father, an Egyptian national, told officers at Hawally police station that the neighbor had tried to lure his son into his home by inviting the boy to play with his own son; the boy refused the invitation, but when he told his father this later, the concerned dad realized that since his neighbor is single and childless he was lying and suspected that he had ulterior motives in inviting the child into his home. On being arrested and taken for questioning, the suspect denied the allegation. He is being held in custody whilst an investigation continues.

Conman caught An Arab fraudster has been arrested in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh where he had conned several Kuwaiti residents, leading them to believe he was a real estate contractor and offering various related services before disappearing with their money.

Police were able to arrest the conman at a local building site, one of the locations he was using as a hideout. —Al-Rai, Al-Anba

Police empowered to issue search warrants for illegal residents KUWAIT: Police will shortly be able to issue search warrants for accommodation housing single expatriate workers where residency visa violators might be living, according to a new report, citing senior officers.

The move comes as the Ministry of Interior (MoI) seeks new ways to apprehend those illegal residents who opted not to

take advantage of the recent Amiri amnesty, which ended on June 30.

Maj Gen Mahmoud AlDoussari, the MoI’s assistant undersecretary for general security affairs, recently met with the security directors of each of Kuwait’s six governorates to discuss the issue, with the meeting resulting in an agreement to

introduce a new strategy to allow senior police officers to issue search warrants usually only obtained from a court via the Public Prosecution Service. The warrants will be used specifically to target those premises suspected of harboring illegal residents during unscheduled tours of areas popular with unskilled and low-earning expatriate workers.

One security insider who attended the meeting said that on a separate issue an intensive security program is to be launched during the upcoming holy month of Ramadan, which begins early next month, in order to protect places of worship and local markets from illegal activities such as begging, harassment and illegal hawking. —Al-Qabas

KUWAIT: New PAYS chief Faisal Al-Jazzaf with other officials during the function.

Al-Jazzaf appointed new PAYS chief KUWAIT: The Public Authority for Youth and Sports (PAYS) hosted a reception yesterday in honor of Major General (retired) Faisal Al-Jazzaf, who was recently appointed as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Managing Director.

Speaking to reporters on the occasion, Al-Jazzaf expressed gratitude to the “trust vested in [him]” at being selected to return to the post after the end of a legal battle with the former director.

Al-Jazzaf promised to tackle obstacles and implement laws and regulations to help improve Kuwait’s sports sector.

Meanwhile, the PAYS has formed an apex committee to supervise competitions held for staff members for 20112012.

Tawfiq Al-Eid PAYS Media Director indicated that the new committee held its first round of meetings and discussions. More varied sports activities have been planned.

“PAYS is committed to promoting sporting activities among employees in government bodies. More awareness will be spread about the importance of exercise,” Al-Eid says.

Kuwait a pioneer in supporting progress in Sudan VIENNA: Kuwait is at the top of Arab countries offering funds to Sudan in different fields, and has always been of a great support to the development progress, Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Ahmad Al-Karti said.

Al-Karti said on the sidelines of his participating in the symposium of Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, titled ‘Prospects of African-European Cooperation’ that was held last night, that the Kuwaiti governmental and private investments are of the most important and successful projects in the country.

He wished that the new circumstances of Sudan following the separation of southern Sudan would contribute in enhancing the cooperation.

The government of Khartoum took a number of procedures to deal with challenges facing republic of northern Sudan after the separation from the south, he said.

This includes reducing public spending, increasing government revenues and expanding the tax umbrella, he stated.

Sudan will also work on increasing the petroleum explorations in the north, and exerting further efforts in the agricultural field to allow the country to cover its needs of imported

food, he affirmed.

Sudan is depending on the Arab countries, among them Kuwait, to support its developmental progress, and it praises the role Kuwait plays in helping Sudan to reach food self-sufficiency, he mentioned.

Sudan is keen on the Kuwaiti investments and is working to protect it, while the government of Khartoum is willing to encourage Kuwait to benefit from the investments opportunities in northern Sudan, the minister stated. Kuwait is the only Arab country that contributed in building projects in southern Sudan in the fields of health and education, which are views by southern Sudanese by gratitude and appreciation, he stated.

Rescheduling or canceling the debts of Sudan is connected to an international movement headed by European countries, he mentioned.

The debt cancelling process is going through very slow measures, while the recognition of southern Sudan republic by the government of Khartoum will allow the European countries to deal more seriously with the case, he affirmed.

The US considers Sudan as one of the countries that finances terrorism, which leads to this slowdown in cancellation of southern Sudan debts, Al-

Karti said. “My government is in need of international support, especially that it just came out of a strong war that exhausted its economy,” he stressed.

The citizens of southern Sudan republic living in northern Sudan are treated with sympathy, the government and the people.

Hundreds of southern Sudanese are willing to live back in northern Sudan, which indicates that Khartoum it is being a safe nation for all Sudanese.

There are no conflicts over petrol in Abyie district in Sudan, regarding that its current production of oil does not exceed 2,000 barrels per day, of the Sudan’s total production.

The tribes of Masiria and Danka are co-inhibiting Abyie, and they use this region as an area of grazing for their sheep and cows.

The conflict in Abyie should be solved by an initiative of the tribes of the region, especially following the stability that country is witnessing following the split.

Austria is a pioneer in announcing an official recognition of southern Sudan republic since its dependence in July 7 of this year, and also called on the international community to cancel the nation’s debts. —KUNA

Burgan Bank announces special Ramadan programs KUWAIT: The Burgan Bank has organized a range of special activities that will be held throughout the holy month of R amadan.

Special programs are aimed at helping people celebrate this special time of the year. The series of events have been designed to further communicate the bank’s commitment towards the wider public.

The Burgan Bank will host a cultural event that highlights local traditions of Girgian at the Discovery mall.

The event will be open to the public where special fun-filled programs like traditional music, and the distribution of gift bags will be held. The bank will also honor the Kuwait Handicapped Sports Club with the help of a specially designed joyful Girgian event that will take place at the Handicapped Sports Club. Burgan Bank has also

created special Ramadan collateral that include themed Imsakiyas to remind people of prayer timings,

Bashir Jaber along with specially designed bookmarks that will help readers of the Holy Quran track plan their daily readings. The bank will further distribute these across a num-

ber of entities around the country.

Bashir Jaber, Burgan Bank Acting Chief Marketing Officer said, “The holy month of Ramadan is a very special time of the year.

Our exciting range of programs and initiatives during this month reflects the true Ramadan spirit, and mirrors the bank’s spirit of social solidarity and interaction among the Kuwaiti society, and provides moral support to various underprivileged segments in the community.”

Burgan Bank continues to integrate itself within the Kuwaiti social fabric by adding more achievements to its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) portfolio. The bank’s participation further demonstrates its leadership and social dedication, as well as its innovative approach towards communicating its CSR initiatives.

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

Wife battering, sexual abuse get attention in Gaza

UN declares famine in southern Somalia

Page 8

LONDON: Newspapers for sale with headlines relating to the phone hacking scandal, near Westminster yesterday. — AP

Cameron denies halting hacking probe ‘Catastrophic error of judgment’ in hiring Coulson LONDON: Prime Minister David Cameron emphatically denied claims that his staff tried to stop an inquiry into phone hacking at the News of the World and defended his decision to hire one of the tabloid’s editors as his communications chief. In a raucous emergency session yesterday in Parliament, Cameron did admit that both the ruling Conservatives and the opposition Labour parties had failed to pursue key developments in the hacking case and had actively courted media baron Rupert Murdoch. “ The clock has stopped on my watch and we need to sort it out,” Cameron told lawmakers, promising that a government inquiry would examine the cozy relationship between British politicians and media and investigate whether other news organizations may have broken the law.

Police are also probing whether news media breached privacy laws.

Cameron cut short his Africa trip and the House of Commons delayed its summer break to debate issues engulfing both Britain’s political and media elite and Murdoch’s global communications empire, News Corp. Murdoch owned the troubled News of the World, where the phone hacking claims first emerged in 2005, when the royal household alerted police that the tabloid may have learned about Prince William’s knee injury by illegally intercepting phone messages.

Cameron’s former communications chief Andy Coulson - a former editor at

the tabloid - is among 10 people who have been arrested in the scandal. One has been cleared.

Lawmakers wanted to know why Cameron insisted on hiring Coulson despite warnings and how much the prime minister knew about the phone hacking investigation. There have been allegations that some people on Cameron’s staff may have met with police to pressure them to drop the investigation. “To risk any perception that No 10 (Downing Street) was seeking to influence a sensitive police investigation in any way would have been completely wrong,” he said. Cameron did, however, meet with News Corp. executives more than two dozen times from May 2010 to this month - meetings that were criticized in Parliament by Labour leader Ed Miliband, who said Cameron had made a “catastrophic error of judgment” in hiring Coulson.

Coulson was an editor at the News of the World when royal reporter Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were arrested and jailed in 2007 for phone hacking. The original police inquiry into phone hacking was dropped, Coulson quit the paper and Cameron - then opposition leader hired him. This January, police reopened the hacking investigation. They are now investigating some 3,870 people whose names and telephone numbers were found in the News of the World files. It remains unclear how many were hacking victims. Coulson resigned his gov-

ernment post that same month. News Corp said yesterday it had now eliminated legal payments to Mulcaire - a day after Murdoch told lawmakers in a special parliamentary committee hearing that he would try to find a way to stop the payments. Mulcaire’s lawyer, Sarah Webb, declined to comment on the development.

In other phone hacking news, a judge yesterday awarded “Notting Hill” actor Hugh Grant - one of the most prominent celebrity critics of the Murdoch empire - the right to see whether he was one of the tabloid hacking victims. The scandal captivated television audiences from America to Murdoch’s native Australia on Tuesday, as Murdoch endured a three-hour grilling by UK lawmakers. The media baron said he had known nothing of allegations that staff at News of the World hacked into cell phones and bribed police to get information on celebrities, politicians and crime victims.

He also said he had been humbled by the allegations and apologized for the “horrible invasions” of privacy.

Murdoch flew out of London yesterday. Politicians from both the Conservative Party and Labour Party have been tainted by the scandal.

During yesterday’s session, Miliband reminded Cameron that his own Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg had warned Cameron against bringing Coulson into Downing Street last year as communications chief. —AP

From prison cell, Barghouti calls for million-man march RAMALLAH: Jailed leader Marwan Barghouti has called on Palestinians to stage mass rallies in September in support of a diplomatic bid to gain UN membership for a state of Palestine. Barghouti, a figure widely respected among many Palestinians, said taking the statehood quest to the United Nations was part of a new strategy that would open the door to “peaceful, popular resistance”. “I call on our people in the homeland and in the diaspora to go out in a peaceful, million-man march during the week of voting in the United Nations in September,” Barghouti said in a statement written from his jail cell in Israel.

With the Middle East peace process at a standstill, the Palestinians, backed by the Arab League, have decided to seek full admission to the United Nations as part of what they are describing as a new approach to their national struggle. Israel is wary that the September bid could serve as a trigger for protests inspired by uprisings across the region. Speaking on condition of anonymity, an Israeli military commander said on Tuesday Israel would reinforce its border

defenses in anticipation of such protests.

The United States, the main sponsor of the two-decade -old peace process, has objected to the Palestinian diplomatic offensive, instead calling for a resumption of negotiations that were derailed by an impasse over Jewish settlement expansion. Israel says the Palestinians aim to isolate and delegitimize it. A US veto at the Security Council is likely to thwart the Palestinian bid for full UN membership for a state of Palestine in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip with East Jerusalem.

“Advancing our cause” In such a scenario, the Palestinians have indicated they will table a UN General Assembly resolution that would elevate their status to that of “a non-member state” from an “observer”. They expect such a move to succeed, thanks to the support of 120 countries-a number they expect to grow to at least 130. Barghouti, a leading member of the Fatah movement led by President Mahmoud Abbas, called on all Palestinian parties to back the diplomatic offensive and “to

confront the American-Zionist veto”.

For many Palestinians, Barghouti remains a symbol of their national struggle. His supporters portray him as a Palestinian Nelson Mandela-a charismatic figure who could unite Palestinians and galvanise their quest for statehood. He was convicted of murder for his role in attacks on Israelis in the last Palestinian uprising, or Intifada, and sentenced to life in jail

by Israel in 2004.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian envoy to the United Nations, said an upgrade of the Palestinians’ UN status to “non-member state” would bring with it benefits including allowing the Palestinians full membership of UN agencies. “You are automatically allowed to become a full member of all the agencies: WHO, UNESCO, UNICEF, etc,” he told journalists during a briefing in Ramallah yesterday. He said September ’s UN General Assembly would mark a historic moment in the Palestinian struggle.

“We are going to accomplish certain things in this coming session that will be extremely significant to advancing our cause,” he said. — Reuters

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THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

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

Wife battering, abuse get attention in Gaza ‘Keep it in family’ code silences victims

CAIRO: In this file photo, Egyptians hang a banner supporting Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, head of Egypt’s ruling military council, at center, during a pro military council rally. — AP

Panel opposes political role for Egyptian army CAIRO: A key member of a panel drafting guidelines for Egypt’s next constitution said yesterday that most of the group’s 50 members object to giving the military a future role in politics. Legal expert Tahany el-Gibali said the binding principles will have enough guarantees to protect the rights of all Egyptians while also safeguarding the civilian character of the state. The military’s future place in public life has become a fiercely debated issue in Egypt, with some viewing the army as a bulwark against Islamists rising to power and others as a pernicious force protecting its own deep-seated interests and those of former President Hosni Mubarak’s ousted regime.

The generals who have led Egypt since Mubarak’s fall on Feb. 11 are trying to enshrine a future role for themselves, possibly with the authority to intervene in politics. Their push appears to be driven by the military’s fear of losing the nearautonomous power it has enjoyed for almost 60 years. Another legal expert and panel member, Mohammed Nour Farahat, said the panel would submit the draft to the military but that it would be up to the generals sitting on the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to decide what to do with the document - adopt it without change, amend it, issue it by decree or put it up for a referendum. Farahat said the panel’s work was voluntary and not commissioned by the generals, but el-Gibali suggested that the guidelines were being drawn up with the tacit approval of the military. She said the draft was likely to be ready in a matter of days and that it would represent a compromise that bridges the gap between Islamists and the rest of the country’s political forces over the selection of those to be mandated to draft the constitution and the nature of the charter wanted by most Egyptians.

Many in Egypt fear that the Islamists, led by the Muslim Brotherhood - the country’s largest and best organized political group would dominate parliamentary elections expected later this year. The next legislature

will be mandated with selecting a 100member constituent assembly to draft the new constitution, a privilege that could mean a document with an Islamist slant if the Brotherhood and other Islamists sweep at the polls. El-Gibali said one proposal was for the military to intervene in politics only after the country’s Supreme Constitutional Court rules that a violation of the letter or spirit of the constitution has taken place.

She said the guiding principles, which would not be subject to change or cancellation, would also guarantee the country’s democratic system, its territorial integrity, basic rights, citizenship rights and assert the country’s Arab identity. “Those who are campaigning for giving the military the right to intervene in politics are mostly leftists fearing an Islamist takeover,” el-Gibali told The Associated Press.

Maj. Gen. Mamdouh Shaheen, a key member of the military council who is overseeing the process for drawing up the guidelines, said in comments published recently that the country’s next constitution should safeguard the armed forces against the “whims” of any future president, practically asking for the armed forces to be given virtually complete independence.

One of the legal experts that the military is consulting in the process, Hisham Bastawisi, has gone further, proposing that the military in the future have the role of “guaranteeing supra-constitutional principles.” In his formulation, that would appear to mean powers to intervene to protect basic democratic rights. But some fear that could give the generals a tool for imposing its will at a time when the country is trying to move toward democratic rule with civilians at the helm. Bastawisi, who has announced his intention to run for president, also proposed extensive independence for the military, including immunity from parliamentary scrutiny of its budgets and prohibitions on passing laws affecting the military without the generals’ approval. — AP

BENGHAZI: Relatives and fellow fighters mourn over a freshly dug grave as they bury the coffin of one of seven Libyan rebel fighters killed the day before during the battle for the control of the oil rich town of Brega at the main cemetery in the Libyan rebels stronghold yesterday. —AFP

France says Gaddafi could stay in Libya PARIS: Muammar Gaddafi could stay in Libya if he gives up power, France said yesterday, signaling a new effort to find a diplomatic solution to a five-month-old war that has failed to oust the resilient leader. But Gaddafi’s foreign minister swiftly dismissed the proposal, saying Gaddafi’s departure after 41 years in power was not a matter for discussion.

On the battlefield, rebels seeking to defeat Gaddafi suffered heavy casualties in fighting for the eastern oil hub of Brega, a town they must capture if they are to advance towards the capital, Tripoli.

Eighteen rebel fighters were killed and up to 150 wounded in the latest clashes with forces loyal to Gaddafi for control of Brega, a doctor at a rebel-controlled hospital said.

“Yesterday, it was a disaster,” Dr Sarahat Atta-Alah told Reuters at Ajdabiya hospital in eastern Libya yesterday. Rebels have said they have encircled Brega, but fighters said they were still coming under fire from pro-Gaddafi forces. French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said foreign powers were now ready to let Gaddafi stay in Libya if he stepped down.

Juppe told French LCI T V that a UN envoy had been asked to coordinate contacts with the Gaddafi camp, after weeks of rumors about meetings with Gaddafi emissaries in Paris and elsewhere. “One of

the scenarios effectively envisaged is that he stays in Libya on one condition which I repeat-that he very clearly steps aside from Libyan political life,” Juppe said. “A ceasefire depends on Gaddafi committing clearly and formally to surrender his military and civilian roles.”

The proposal to let Gaddafi stay in Libya after stepping down reflected an awareness that it would be hard, if not impossible, to flush him out of Tripoli by force or persuasion.

Regarding possible negotiations with Gaddafi, Juppe said no talks were under way in Paris with any of the Libyan leader’s representatives and that a U.N. envoy, Abdul Elah Al-Khatib, had been charged with coordinating any such contacts.

“When and how” “The issue now is not whether Gaddafi goes, but when and how,” Juppe said.

“There’s the military side and the political side, which is progressing, with contacts which have not yet produced results but are coordinated by Mr Al-Khatib.” The rebels have this week reported military progress against Gaddafi’s forces, but the Libyan leader has vowed to fight on. US officials and representatives of Gaddafi held a rare meeting on Saturday after Washington formally recognized the Benghazi-based NTC as Libya’s legitimate interim government. —Reuters

GAZA: Most safe-houses in the Gaza Strip are meant to provide protection for armed militants on Israel’s target list. Now Gaza is offering protected shelter to battered Palestinian women. Its lone women’s safe-house, opened two months ago, has had eight clients, all guarded by police from the Islamist Hamas movement that runs the enclave and enforces a conservative though not radical Muslim religious code. So-called ‘honor killings’ are rare but not unknown among religious Palestinians of Gaza and the West Bank, and like every society it is not immune to wifebeating.

“In 2010 there was no record of killing under the motive of family honor and this is a positive development,” said Huda Naeem, a Hamas lawmaker who backed the safe house as a way station for women at risk within their own families.

But feminism in Gaza is a very fragile plant.

Women in many Arab communities can be killed by zealous relatives on the slightest suspicion of having relations with a strange man. And jurists in Gaza say there is no clear clause in the Palestinian law setting out the penalty for such murders. Islam also prohibits adultery and some Islamic teachings call for the stoning to death of offenders. Sobheya Joma, a woman lawyer at the Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR), said there was no way to know for sure if honor killings were really eradicated.

“The ICHR is worried because it has recently noticed that some deaths were listed as unexplained or accidental,” Joma told Reuters in her Gaza city office. “As long as there is no investigation into these cases and the real causes were not uncovered, you are still going to have doubts,” she said.

Taboos For Palestinian women, talking openly about sexual abuse in the family is still taboo. But if it’s accompanied by violence, some women can finally opt for the shelter of the safe house. Of the eight cases of abused women now under the roof of the compound, some were minors. Other women have visited briefly and discreetly, seeking professional advice and support. “The first case who came to us was a woman who had been subject to physical violence and was raped and then escaped from her home,” said resident psychiatrist Suhad Qanita.

“We supported her psychologically ... and, thank God, eventually we were able to find her a husband.” Local human rights groups say it is the first such refuge in this Mediterranean coastal enclave. At one stage, women under risk were transferred to the other Palestinian Territory-the West Bank-where they could be kept safe from angry relatives. But it is now virtually impossible for Gazans to get to the West Bank because of an Israeli blockade, which is vigorously imposed following repeated Hamas attacks on the Jewish state. The new safe-house sits in a large compound of Gaza’s Welfare Ministry, alongside a rehabilitation unit for young offenders, and presence of guards provides security reassurance. It can shelter up to 50 women, in large, clean rooms, watched over by attendants who provide advice. There are four women currently staying in the shelter. One woman, ready to give birth, said she came in because of a husband who beat her.

“We hope the new baby will lead to a reconciliation with her husband,” said Qanita. Of the three others, two minors abused by members of their families had been forced into prostitution.

Breaking silence Qanita said she had been shocked at her new job when she came face to face with problems that were always hidden before. “I hope this is not a widespread phenomenon, but to some extent it is worrying,” she said. “There are girls who are being assaulted with impunity.” “We also try to educate families, and if a problem cannot be solved within the nuclear family we try to find an uncle or a relative ready to shelter the victim, but not in cases where a woman might be killed if returned to the family,” Qanita said.

Providing aid to families and finding jobs in Gaza, where unemployment is over 40 percent according to the United Nations, are the main tools used by Welfare Ministry trying to help the enclave’s 1.5 million people cope with a crippled economy. Empowering women to speak up against abuse is tougher. Women will tolerate physical and mental abuses in the family without bringing formal complaints, simply in order to safeguard the integrity of the home, said Naeem, who is one of just a handful of Hamas female lawmakers. But women subjected to repeated sexual abuse are starting to seek outside help.

Some go to police stations, others to tribal chiefs in what she said was a sign of growing public awareness. Gaza might remain largely cut off from the outside world because of the Israeli blockade, but rooftop groves of satellite dishes indicate that modernity-or the ideas of radical Islam elsewhere in the Arab world-cannot be kept out. “Opening the safe house has been a good step in the right direction, Everyday we are seeing a growing awareness amongst local people,” said psychiatrist Qanita. “The taboos are starting to crumble,” she added. — Reuters

Kurdish nationalism rises with Arab unrest ARBIL: On the day the newest African nation, South Sudan, was born, Iraqi Kurdish leader Barham Salih used his iPad to tweet his feelings to the world: “Watching history in (the) making as South Sudan goes independent.” “Moral of story, right to self-determination cannot be denied by genocide.” With the emergence of a new nation in Africa and uprisings against autocracies across the Arab world, Kurds in Iraq’s semi-autonomous north are speaking in louder voices about the possibility of increasing autonomy if, as some Kurds fear, Iraq’s central government becomes more authoritarian. In parts of Turkey, Syria and Iran, Kurds are also seeing new possibilities of freedom beyond governments who have historically repressed their Kurdish minorities.

“There is a lot of inspiration from southern Sudan,” said Salih, prime minister of Iraqi Kurdistan, where Kurdish flags and colors-red, white and green-are far more common than the red, white and black of Iraq.

“But more important is the deep concern that most of us feel about the direction of the politics of Baghdad as it goes towards centralization and authoritarianism.” Iraq’s central government and the Kurdish region-three of Iraq’s 18 provinces-have unresolved issues over borders and oil rights. Iraqi Kurdistan has 45 billion barrels of crude reserves.

With a population of about 30 million, largely living in Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey, Kurds are an ethnic group whose culture and language separate them from Arabs, Turks and Persians, with whom they share land. Largely Muslim, they have been subject to repression by other Muslims who see them as separatists. After the first Gulf War in 1991 Western powers provided a safe haven for Iraq’s Kurds, allowing them to use their natural resources to start building a modern state. Notions of Kurdish nationalism were reinforced by the 2003 invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein as much of Iraq tumbled into sectarian warfare that threatened its survival as a single state.

In ascendance?

“For the first time in their modern history, the Kurds in Iraq and Turkey, at least, are cautiously ascending,” said author Michael Gunter, who has written on the evolution of Kurds in the two countries. He said Turkey’s desire to join the European Union has forced Turkey to improve Kurdish lives in the southeast. Kurdish music is heard in Turkish cities such as Diyarbakir, and a Kurdish-language TV channel broadcasts round-the-clock.

After 27 years of conflict between Turkey and Kurdish rebels, both Kurds and Turks appear to prefer more peaceful solutions to end the hostility. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has acknowledged the existence of a Kurdish problem, long denied as a “security issue”, and promised to solve it. In June elections, Kurds won 36 parliament seats, almost double their previous total.

From the streets of Syria’s Qamishli, where Kurdish protesters call for freedom, to the Citadel in Arbil, where a Kurdish flag waves over Iraq’s biggest boomtown, many Kurds see a promising future for panKurdish nationalism.

“There is no such a thing as half-revolution,” said Khalid Ali, a Syrian Kurdish activist in Arbil. “Syrians have decided it. The toppling of Bashar Al-Assad is just matter of time,” he said, referring to the Syrian leader who has cracked down on pro-democracy protests. Syria blames armed groups linked to Islamists for stirring violence.

Exiled Syrian activists living in Iraqi Kurdistan are using social media tools such as Facebook, and collect donated money to support protesters at home. “If this regime falls, it would be better for the Kurds.

They will be free to work in their own regions,” said Mahmoud Ya’aqub, 34, who administers Facebook groups in Arbil.

David Romano, a Middle East politics professor at Missouri State University, says the success of the Syrian revolution would have profound impact on other countries, including Iran. “Iran will be more isolated if Syria falls,” said Romano, the author of The Kurdish Nationalist Movement.

From a hideout high in the Qandil Mountains, Amir Karimi, a senior anti-Iran rebel leader, espouses a more radical vision. “If Syria falls, Iran would be the next target,” he said. “Turkey would be left with two choices: Either to wipe out the Kurds completely ... or surrender to reality.” — Reuters

GAZA CITY: A Palestinian vendor displays pictures of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (left) and of Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh (right), outside his shop in Gaza City yesterday following Erdogan’s statement that he was considering visiting the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, a move likely to anger Israel amid diplomatic efforts to overcome already strained bilateral ties. — AFP

Time running out for Cyprus deal: Turkey NICOSIA: Turkish Prime Tayyip Erdogan yesterday accused Greek Cypriots of blocking peace talks with Turkish Cypriots and warned time was running out for a deal on Cyprus, split since a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a Greek-inspired coup.

“Everyone should know the existing window of opportunity on Cyprus will not always be open. The North Cyprus Turkish side is working for peace and solutions against all injustices. It’s not bearable anymore,” Erdogan said in a speech at a military parade in northern Cyprus to mark the anniversary of Turkey’s invasion. “An urgent and permanent solution to the Cyprus problem should not be sacrificed for daily political interests and poisonous prejudices,” he told thousands of supporters waving Turkish and northern Cypriot flags.

Turkey is the only country to recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as a separate state. The internationally recognized Greek Cypriot state is a member of the European Union, which Turkey wants to join. Erdogan said Turkey will freeze relations with the EU if Cyprus assumes the sixmonth rotating presidency without a deal.

“In case the Greek side takes over the EU presidency in 2012 without a solution to the Cyprus issue, I am saying clearly that Turkey’s relations with the EU will be completely frozen,” he said. The EU is Turkey’s largest trading partner.

Turkish officials say Ankara would still deal with the EU Commission and other EU bodies, and that trade between Turkey and the bloc would not be affected.

On a visit to Nicosia earlier this month, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu voiced hope that Greek and Turkish Cypriots would negotiate terms for reunification to be put to a referendum early next year. Turkish Cypriots voted for reunification under terms brokered by the United Nations in 2004, but Greek Cypriots voted against it. There is now fresh momentum to find a solution.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon concluded a meeting with leaders of the Greek and Turkish Cypriots in Geneva this month by saying he expected to overcome their differences by October. B oth sides have agreed in principle to reunite Cyprus as a two-zone federation, but remain at odds over redrawing boundaries and settling property claims by thousands uprooted in the conflict. Turkey began formal talks on joining the EU in 2005 but is frustrated by the slow progress made so far. Aside from Cyprus, core EU members France and Germany both have major concerns about letting Muslim Turkey join the 27-member bloc. Out of 35 chapters-policy areas of EU law-Turkey has completed one, 12 are under discussion and 18 have been frozen

by Cyprus and France. — Reuters

Jordan police blame media for violence AMMAN: A Jordanian police report blamed protesters and the media yesterday for violence five days ago when policemen broke up a demonstration in Amman, injuring several people, including journalists. “Police tried to convince some demonstrators to go to the location of the sit-in on Friday, but they started to curse the policemen in a very insulting way to their honor,” said the report on a probe into the incidents. “The actions of some policemen were influenced by insults, tensions and media incitement to violence prior to the sit-in as well as a Muslim Brotherhood fatwa (religious edict) calling for violence and martyrdom on that day.”

At least 17 people, including journalists and policemen, were injured on Friday

when police tried to stop clashes between pro-reform demonstrators and government supporters in central Amman. Police used batons and other instruments, including a barbecue grill and a ladder, to break up the clashes outside city hall, beating and injuring at least nine journalists wearing orange vests marked “Press.” “There was a fiveminute period of chaos, when some of the unarmed policemen got enraged at the insults and clashed with demonstrators,” said the report.

“Some journalists did not wear their special vests and were hurt as a result of stampede during the clashes. Policemen beat them because they were in a fit of fury and did not differentiate between journalists and protesters.” —AFP

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THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

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

UN declares famine in southern Somalia Twelve million need aid in Horn of Africa NAIROBI: The UN officially declared famine yesterday in two southern Somalia regions as the world slowly mobilized to save the 12 million people battling hunger in the region’s worst drought in 60 years. The United States urged the Al Qaedainspired rebels controlling the area to allow the return of the relief groups they expelled two years ago while aid groups warned many would die without urgent action and funding. UN Humanitarian Affairs Coordination for Somalia Mark Bowden declared that southern Bakool and Lower Shabelle regions had been hit by famine.

MANYANI: A Kenya Wildlife Service’s Ranger guards confiscated ivory at Kenya Wildlife Training School yesterday. —AP

Kenya torches five tons of ivory taken from poachers MANYANI: Kenya’s president set fire to more than 5 tons of elephant ivory worth $16 million yesterday, in an act meant to focus attention on a rising tide of poaching deaths. The bright orange flame that raced through the fuel-laden pile jumped out and nearly bit President Mwai Kibaki as he lit the mound of 335 confiscated ivory tusks and 41,000 trinkets. “Through the disposal of contraband ivory, we seek to formally demonstrate to the world our determination to eliminate all forms of illegal trade in ivory,” Kibaki told several hundred people at a rural Kenya Wildlife Service training facility in southeastern Kenya. “We must all appreciate the negative effects of illegal trade to our national economies. We cannot afford to sit back and allow criminal networks to destroy our common future.”

Kenyan officials first set fire to a mound of ivory in 1989, a desperate call-to-action to wake the world to a poaching crisis that sent Africa’s elephant populations plummeting. Elephant numbers are much healthier today, but elephant advocates say a second elephant crisis is coming, as China’s middle class seeks to satisfy its ivory appetite. The group Save The Elephants tracks elephant news from around the world, and cited newspaper headlines from last week that documented elephant-related busts in Kenya, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Group founder Iain Douglas-Hamilton said he hopes people see Kenya’s latest ivory burn as another warning that elephants are again being hunted. He said the economic loss from the ivory burning was part of the message. “This is a clear signal that it’s worth a lot more money than you could get on the market. We have to stop the buying if we want to stop the killing,” he said as the ivory burned nearby. “I’m not totally pessimistic. I think the Chinese can be converted.” A global ban on the ivory trade in 1989 briefly halted the elephants’ demise. But the ban’s initial success has been undermined by Asia’s booming

demand and increasing human-elephant conflicts as people encroach on animals’ land.

Africa had 1.3 million elephants in the 1970s but today has only 500,000. Kenya has 37,000 elephants, up from the 16,000 it had at the height of the crisis in 1989 but far below the country’s peak. Yesterday’s burning, though hosted by Kenya, was actually carried out by the Lusaka Agreement Task Force, a group of seven African countries that work to protect flora and fauna. A member of the group, Ephraim Kamuntu, Uganda’s minister of tourism, said yesterday’s burning sent the signal that “the days of poachers are numbered.” The burned ivory was confiscated by officials in Singapore in 2002. It was then sent to Kenya, where DNA analysis determined that the tusks originated in Zambia and Malawi.

Kenya Wildlife Service rangers carry loaded guns and train in paramilitary tactics to hunt down poachers. But they face two major obstacles. One is that the punishment for poaching carries only a $450 fine and little or no jail time. Kenya’s minister for forestry and wildlife, Noah Wekesa, asked the president to support the passage of a draft wildlife bill that would increase penalties for poachers. The second problem is that poor Kenyans can make good money from a slain elephant’s tusks.

Ivory sells for between $60 and $80 a kilogram in many parts of Kenya, double what it sold for only two years ago, DouglasHamilton said. By the time the ivory reaches China, it can sell for nearly $800 a kilogram. The 335 tusks were piled in a field of gritty red dirt, just off a stretch of highway where baboons walk on the roadside past safari hotels with names like Man Eaters Lodge. That smooth two-lane highway is the main artery for business in East Africa, a region where more Chinese laborers are carrying out road projects and working in energy sectors. —AP

The UN said that an estimated 3.7 million people-or nearly half of the war-torn country’s population-were facing a food crisis. “If we don’t act now, famine will spread to all eight regions of southern Somalia within two months, due to poor harvests and infectious disease outbreaks,” Bowden told reporters. “If we are not able to intervene immediately, tens of thousands more Somalis may die,” the UN added.

Somalia, which has been affected by almost uninterrupted conflict for 20 years and become a byword for “failed state”, is the worst affected nation but parts of Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Djibouti are also hit.

The United States urged neighboring Eritrea, one of the most secretive countries in the world, to reveal the scope of its own food situation. “Given the combination of severity and geographic scope this is the most severe food security crisis in Africa since the 1991/2 Somalia famine,” the UN added.

Famine implies that at least 20 percent of households face extreme food shortages, acute malnutrition in over 30 percent of people, and two deaths per 10,000 people every day, according to UN definition. The Shebab expelled foreign aid groups two years ago, accusing them of being Western spies and Christian crusaders.

However, the UN last week airlifted in the first supplies since the group said it would lift restrictions on aid. Malnutrition rates in Somalia are currently the highest in the world, with peaks of 50 percent in certain areas of southern Somalia, Bowden said. “Every day of delay in assistance is literally a matter of life or death for children and their families in the famine affected areas,” Bowden said. Over 78,000 Somalis have fled to seek refuge in neighboring Ethiopia and Kenya in the last two months.

Hotel snore controls aim to stop sleepless nights LONDON: Guests at an international hotel chain may sleep more soundly after the introduction of “snore patrols” and “snore absorption rooms” at a number of sites worldwide. Crowne Plaza is trialling the first “snore absorption” rooms at 10 hotels in Europe and the Middle East, whilst six branches in Britain have implemented “snore patrols” this month in a bid to combat noisy sleepers. “Snore monitors” patrol corridors in the designated quiet zones of Crowne Plaza hotels in the cities of London, Leeds and Manchester. Their job is to listen out for offensive noises and knock on the door of guests who snore too loudly.

“We have quiet zones on two floors of the hotel. As Snore Monitor, I conduct floor walks to check for noise disruptions, paying particular attention to the quiet zone rooms,” said Laura Simpson, Snore Monitor at Leeds Crowne Plaza hotel in northern England. “Guests can ask to stay our quiet zone rooms if they are particularly light sleepers.” However, repeat offenders will be offered an alternative room away from the “quiet zone” for their next stay.

“If guests do continue to make noise we will suggest that the quiet zone is not really an area for them, and that they would probably be better off in one of our normal

rooms,” Simpson said. Snore-proof rooms are an additional measure being tested by the hotel brand, owned by the InterContinental Hotels Group. Guests in a “snore absorption room” can expect the latest snore control technology to reduce the repetitive noise. Sound proofing on the walls and headboards, anti-snoring pillows and white noise machines are among the features designed to ease snoring.

“We’ve all been there-lying wide awake at three o’clock in the morning burying our head under a pillow to drown out our partner’s snoring,” said Tom Rowntree, spokesman for Crowne Plaza. —Reuters

French presidential hopeful quizzed in Strauss-Kahn case PARIS: Detectives questioned top French presidential hopeful Francois Hollande yesterday in their probe of an attempted rape claim against his fellow Socialist Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Hollande underwent an hour of questioning by police at the violent crimes brigade after having publicly demanded to get his testimony over with in the case which has tainted the 2012 presidential election race. He reiterated that he was not implicated and said he had asked to be questioned immediately in order to head off political machinations in a case he said

“does not concern” him.

“I asked to be questioned because there has been a political operation aimed at getting my name in the papers,” he told reporters when he emerged from his questioning. “I have nothing more to do with this affair and I will take action against anyone who tries to make a political affair out of this,” he said, adding to AFP later that he would sue anyone trying to “implicate” him groundlessly. Hollande is one of about 10 people whom French writer Tristane Banon and her mother Anne Mansouret say they told about

PARIS: French Socialist presidential hopeful, Francois Hollande arrives yesterday at the headquarters of the Detectives from the violent crimes squad. —AFP

Banon’s alleged attempted rape in 2003.

He has denied having any detailed knowledge of it.

Strauss-Kahn was already facing separate attempted rape charges in New York when Banon brought her legal action. The scandal deepened yesterday after Banon’s mother revealed she had herself previously had sex with him. Mansouret, an elected official in Strauss-Kahn’s Socialist party, was quoted by several French media talking of a sexual encounter with StraussKahn in 2000 in an office of the OECD economic body where he worked at the time.

Banon accuses Strauss-Kahn of trying to rape her in 2003 as she tried to interview him for a book. Mansouret has said she discouraged her daughter from bringing charges for fear her daughter’s journalism career would suffer. StraussKahn has dismissed the alleged attack as “imaginary”. He is in New York pending charges of sexually assaulting and trying to rape a hotel maid there. Prosecutors have expressed doubts about his accuser in that case, raising the prospect that the charges may be dropped. But the New York case has already derailed the electoral hopes of Strauss-Kahn, previously favorite to beat President Nicolas Sarkozy to the presidency next year. Hollande now polls among those most likely to win. —AFP

KOBE: Two Somali women holding their babies, clustered with many other recent refugees between two food tents, plead with a relief worker to be chosen to receive servings of food at the Kobe refugee camp. —AFP In Kenya, they are streaming into overcrowded camps hosting some 380,000 people-more than four times the original capacity.

On Tuesday, the UN refugee agency said death rates among refugees arriving in Ethiopia’s Dolo Ado area reached 7.4 per 10,000 in June, 15 times more than the baseline rate in sub-Sahara Africa.

Somalia’s embattled government welcomed the famine declarationthe first since the term was defined by the UN in 2008 — as a sign that the world was beginning to acknowledge the scope of the disaster.

“At least it is great that the world has recognized the magnitude of hardship the poor Somalis are facing,” Abdulkadir Moalim Nur, a minister in the president’s office, told AFP. The Food and Agricultural

Organization appealed yesterday for $120 million (84 million euros) for the 12 million drought victims in the Horn of Africa. Aid group Oxfam said only $200 million (140 million euros) of the needed one billion (700 million euros) had been provided. “There is no time to waste if we are to avoid massive loss of life. We must not stand by and watch this tragedy unfold before our eyes,” said Fran Equiza, Oxfam’s Regional Director.

The government’s authority over the vast country is limited and Johnnie Carson, the US assistant secretary of state for African affairs, stressed that the Shebab’s responsibility in the suffering was clear. A top Shebab official welcomed the UN’s famine declaration, saying they would allow aid through. “ The declaration of

famine in parts of Somalia by the UN is welcome and we would like to see aid coming to the people,” a senior Shebab official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“Aid must be provided purely on a humanitarian basis, and the religious value of Somalis as Muslims must be respected,” the official added. UN agencies will hold a meeting Monday in Rome over the drought-sparked humanitarian crisis as the world’s top leaders called for mass mobilization to contain one of the planet’s worst unfolding humanitarian disasters. In a statement released during a visit to India, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged more funds to tackle the crisis and called for the international community to follow suit. —AFP

Quake kills 13 in Uzbekistan ALMATY: A powerful earthquake k illed 13 people and injured dozens in a heavily populated part of Uzbek istan early yesterday, emergency officials said. The magnitude -6.1 temblor centered in neighboring Kyrgyzstan struck shortly after midnight in a mountainous area some 20 miles (35 kilometers) away from the eastern Uzbek city of Ferghana, which has a population of more than 200,000.

There have so far been no reports of any deaths in Kyrgyzstan.

Uzbek istan’s Emergenc y Services Ministry said in a statement that of the 86 people being treated for injuries, 35 have been hospitalized.

Officials said a number of resi-

dential buildings in several towns in the Ferghana Province have been damaged, but they did not specify the extent of the earthquake’s impact.

Uzbek President Islam Karimov gave instructions for emergency workers to provide assistance to victims, a government statement said. “Local authorities are carrying out the work needed to assist the population affected by the earthquake and have taken on the burden of the costs of organizing and carrying out the burial of victims,” the Emergency Services Ministry said.

A statement on the Foreign Ministry website said the country’s leadership had expressed its con-

dolences to the families of those killed in the earthquake. Quakes are relatively frequent in this region of former Soviet Central Asia. A 6.6-magnitude quake near Kyrgyzstan’s borders with Tajikistan and China flattened a remote mountain village in July 2008, k illing at least 74 people. At a depth of 11 miles (18 kilometers), yesterday’s quake was shallower than the one in 2008, which could have excarbated the impact. But Kanat Abdrakhmatov, head of the National Academy of Science’s seismology institute, said the epicenter was in a sparsely inhabited area of Kyrgyzstan and that only a few buildings appear to have been damaged.—AP

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US charges two ‘Pakistani agents’ over Kashmir scam Pakistan funnels $4m to nonprofit in US WASHINGTON: Two US citizens have been charged with illegally lobbying the United States for the Pakistani government and its spy agency over the disputed territory of Kashmir, US authorities said on Tuesday. FBI agents arrested Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai, 62, in Virginia on charges that he failed to register as an agent of a foreign government. Zaheer Ahmad, 63, was also charged but is believed to be in Pakistan. Both are naturalized US citizens.

Pakistan has spent at least $4 million since the mid-1990s lobbying the US Congress and the White House through Fai and the Kashmiri American Council, also known as the Kashmir Center, where Fai served as executive director, according to an FBI affidavit filed in US court. The arrest and allegations may further strain already frayed ties between Washington and Islamabad, particularly after US forces conducted a secret raid in Pakistan in May that killed Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Control over Kashmir has been at the center of hostilities between nuclear armed Pakistan and India since their partition in 1947 and was the scene of 1999 war between the two nations. An FBI affidavit detailed the alleged scheme in which Fai’s organization received up to $700,000 annually from Pakistan to make campaign contributions to US politicians, sponsor conferences and other promotions.

“Mr Fai is accused of a decades-long scheme with one purpose-to hide Pakistan’s involvement behind his efforts to influence the US government’s position on Kashmir,” said Neil MacBride, US Attorney for Eastern Virginia. One unidentified confidential witness told investigators that Pakistan’s powerful military spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency, was behind some of the money Fai received, according to the FBI affidavit. A second confidential witness said the spy agency had sponsored and controlled Fai’s organization and

had been directing him for the past 25 years, the court papers said.

No indication of spying A US official said the investigation was ongoing and more charges could be forthcoming, but there was no indication Fai had been engaged in spying.

Foreign nationals and governments are banned from making contributions to US campaigns and anyone who lobbies on behalf of a foreign government must register with the US Justice Department. Fai, his nonprofit group and Ahmad

MUZAFFARABAD: In this photograph, US citizen Ghulam Nabi Fai, 62, talks during the International Kashmir Conference. — AFP

Murdered kids cast larger shadow on Mexican drug war MEXICO CITY: Once largely spectators to the deaths of hitmen, police and innocent bystanders, children are increasingly in the firing line of Mexico’s drug war. Minors initially made up a small proportion of the casualties in the conflict that has claimed 40,000 lives in 4 1/2 years, but the child death toll has risen sharply in recent months, as killing became more indiscriminate. Well over a quarter of Mexico’s 112 million population is under 18, and economists say the country risks squandering its future if President Felipe Calderon’s government is unable to arrest the creeping slide of young people into the violence.

“This life is a disaster,” said Agustina Carrillo, whose 17year-old son was shot dead by a young drug dealer in the northern border city of Ciudad Juarez, epicenter of the drug violence and a key smuggling point for drugs into the United States. Little official data is available on child killings, though government figures showed the number of murders of 16-20 year-olds in Chihuahua state-home to Ciudad Juarez-more than doubled to 386 in 2010 from 136 in 2008. Grieving parents have used the media to pillory Calderon and his conservative National Action Party (PAN), which was hammered in a key state election this month..

Many joined a peace march that crossed much of the nation last month, urging the president to end the armyled conflict he launched soon after taking office in December 2006. The United Nations this year urged Mexico’s government to do more to investigate crimes against minors and improve scope for prosecution, notably against the army, which has also been blamed for killings. Though he remains more popular than his party, Calderon’s approval ratings have hit record lows, and last month he met victims of the drug war to apologize, only to be berated live on television by distraught mothers.

Most victims are between 18 and 35, though the lobby group Network for the Rights of Childhood in Mexico (REDIM) says some 1,300 minors have also been killed since Calderon’s war began. A REDIM report at the start of 2011 showed the violence killed 994 children until last November, or around 21 every month. In the eight months since, REDIM calculated about 300 more have died-at an average of nearly 38 per month.

No punishment What particularly alarms analysts is that while many killings were once accidental, atrocities like dismemberment are now deliberately being carried out against children. “A distinct trend is observable: at the start of 2010 many deaths were due to crossfire,” said REDIM director Martin Perez. “Since then we can see organized crime has started to kill boys and girls to send messages to other cartels.” Many children fall victim to violence due to ties to family members mixed up in the narcotics trade, which is estimated to generate around $40 billion in revenues every year.

The chaos has left thousands of orphans struggling to survive across Mexico. It has also drawn more and more minors into the killing, with girls as young as 16 now being trained as assassins by gangs. According to REDIM, roughly 30,000 minors have been recruited by drug gangs, whose promise of easy cash has helped fill a gap in the job market for young people, rising numbers of whom lack proper schooling or regular work.

Javier Oliva, a security expert at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), said the increasing exposure of children to drug dealing and violence showed cartels were becoming more brazen and corrupt in their pursuit of profit. “This is the level of violence you get for control of the drug market,” Oliva said.

“What I see here is a clear demonstration of impunity.

They can do these things because there is no punishment,” he added.

The government has pledged to improve Mexico’s failing justice system, and the Supreme Court last week ruled soldiers accused of abuses could face trials in civil courts instead of closed-door military tribunals. The changes came too late for Cinthia Salazar, who accuses the army of shooting dead her two sons Bryan, 5, and Martin, 9, at a checkpoint in northeastern Mexico last year. “They took two of my children,” she said. “Who’s going to give them back to me? Nobody. I told them (the soldiers) not to shoot us because there were kids, but they ignored me.” — Reuters

never registered that they were working for the Pakistani government, US authorities said.

“Mr Fai is not a Pakistani citizen and the government and embassy of Pakistan have no knowledge of the case involving him,” said a Pakistan Embassy spokesman. Husain Haqqani, Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, said in a message posted on Twitter that an embassy official was in contact with Fai about an event he organized with US. officials and scholars but that the FBI “does not allege embassy involvement or knowledge” of his alleged activities.

Fai appeared briefly in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia where a judge ordered him detained pending a preliminary and detention hearing set for Thursday. It was not clear if Fai had a lawyer yet. Pakistan allegedly funneled money to Fai through Ahmad and contributions by others that were reimbursed by the Pakistani government.

Fai then used the funds for campaign donations, conferences and other lobbying efforts, the affidavit said. The FBI affidavit said Fai had denied that he had lobbied, saying instead he was involved in public relations.

Federal election records showed Fai had given $23,500 to US political candidates since 1997, including $250 to President Barack Obama’s presidential campaign as well as $7,500 to Republican Representative Dan Burton of Indiana. Burton, an outspoken critic of India’s actions in Kashmir, said in a statement he was “deeply shocked” by Fai’s arrest and “had no inkling of his involvement with any foreign intelligence operation.” “If there is any doubt about the origin of these contributions, I will donate those funds to the Boy Scouts of America,” he said. Burton said he has known Fai for 20 years. The Justice Department said that there was no evidence that any elected officials who received the contributions from Fai or his group knew that it came from the Pakistani government. — Reuters

FBI arrests 16 in hacker crackdown WASHINGTON: US authorities Tuesday arrested 16 people for cyber crimes including 14 over an online attack on the PayPal website claimed by the hacking group “Anonymous,” the Department of Justice (DoJ) said. The US indictment against the 14 hackers alleges the denial of service (DDoS) attacks on PayPal were “retribution” because the site terminated a donation account for the whistle-blowing group WikiLeaks. Anonymous hackers called the PayPal attacks “Operation Avenge Assange,” in reference to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, it said, adding that the US raids were coordinated with police in Britain and the Netherlands.

The Paypal attack suspects were arrested in raids in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Washington DC, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico and Ohio, said a joint DoJ and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) statement. They conspired to “intentionally damage protected computers at PayPal” between December 6-10, 2010, it added. The cyber attackers, who used alias including “Toxic,” “Reaper,” “Anthrophobic” and “No,” were all expected to have appeared in court by the end of the day, in the districts where they were arrested. Separately two suspects were arrested under similar indictments in Florida and New Jersey, while British police arrested one suspect and Dutch police four, it said. In all FBI agents made 35 raids across the US as part of a probe into “coordinated cyber attacks against major companies and organizations,” the FBI said, adding that to date more than 75 search-

es have been carried out. Anonymous, an international hackers group, rose to fame with a series of attacks on websites linked to the Church of Scientology.

The group gained further prominence after launching retaliatory attacks on companies perceived to be enemies of the whistle-blowing website Wikileaks. Anonymous sabotaged Turkish sites also last month to protest against Internet censorship. After the December attacks US federal investigators followed a trail to Europe, Canada and back to the United States as they hunted down hackers who targeted “perceived corporate enemies of WikiLeaks.”

The FBI traced Internet protocol addresses for the hackers to Canada and then back to California where a virtual server that was assigned one of the IP addresses used to launch the attacks was housed, media reports said. A separate German probe into the proWikiLeaks attacks found that other commands to launch denial of service attacks on PayPal had come from an IP address assigned to a Texas-based company that hosts servers.

The FBI stressed that Tuesday’s arrests were part of an “ongoing” investigation.

“Today’s operational activities were done in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Service in the United Kingdom and the Dutch National Police Agency,” said the US statement. “The FBI thanks the multiple international, federal and domestic law enforcement agencies who continue to support these operations,” it said. — AFP

MIDDLEFIELD: As the heat wave continued, Keyanah Griffin, 9, of Ashtabula, Ohio stands under many sprays of water on Tuesday, July 19, 2011. — AP

US teen kills parents, then throws a party PORT ST LUCIE: Neighbors knew Tyler Hadley as a polite and respectful teen who played basketball with his father in the driveway and built forts of junked wood as a kid - not as someone who could kill his parents and throw a party while their bodies lay tucked beneath towels and other items in a locked bedroom. The 17-year-old made his first court appearance Tuesday after being charged in the killings of his parents, Blake and Mary-Jo Hadley, whom authorities say he bludgeoned with a hammer Saturday before hosting a party for dozens of friends. A motive remains unclear.

In his brief appearance via video conference from jail, the teen glanced downward and calmly replied, “No, sir,” when asked by the judge whether he had a lawyer or any questions. He was ordered held without bail and appointed a public defender. His politeness was baffling to Tom Bakkedahl, the prosecutor who later viewed the bodies of Hadley’s parents as they underwent autopsies at the medical examiner’s office. “His demeanor in court was not consistent with what I saw at the autopsy,” Bakkedahl said of the parents, whose heads and torsos were maimed in the attack. “It’s absolutely horrific. The injuries were just massive.”

Hadley’s next-door neighbor, Raeann Wallace, said she has known the teen since he was born. He was friendly and polite and never seemed to be the source of any problems. She’d even ask him to keep an eye on her house when she went on vacation. “How do you go from shooting hoops with your dad in the driveway to beating him with a hammer?” asked Wallace, a 64-year-old retired purchasing agent. “At some point, he’s going to get out of the dark place that he’s at and he’s going to realize that he killed his parents.”

On Tuesday, police continued to come and go from Hadley’s modest white ranch, evidence still being processed for a third straight day. Yellow crime scene tape blocked part of Granduer Avenue off to the curious. Hadley is being charged as an adult in his parents’ killings. Although he is charged with second-degree murder, Bakkedahl said it’s all but certain a grand jury will indict him on more serious charges. He will not face the death penalty if convicted because of his age. His public defender, Mark Harllee, said he had met with Hadley, but he would not go into detail about the boy’s state of mind.

“We will be representing him zealously, and the next step we will take is to enter a plea of not guilty on his behalf,” he said. As police tell it, Hadley posted word on Facebook around 1:15 pm Saturday that he would be hosting a par-

PORT ST LUCIE: This photo shows Tyler Hadley, 17, who is accused of beating his parents to death with a hammer and then throwing a party while their bludgeoned bodies were locked in the master bedroom. — AP

ty at his house that night. Sometime afterward, the parents were attacked outside their bedroom, where their bodies were brought and covered with varied household items, and the door was locked. The party went on as planned, with as many as 60 guests having such a raucous time that police were called with a noise complaint. They arrived at about 1:30 am Sunday, but the party was already breaking up.

Then, tipped off that a murder may have taken place, they returned to the home at about 4:24 am Hadley was seen pacing inside a front bay window, police said, and when he finally answered the door he appeared nervous. Inside the master bedroom, they found the bodies.

Police would not say who called in the tip about a possible slaying, how the person knew or how the person was connected to the family. Since his arrest, Hadley has been questioned by police but has given no inkling what motivated his alleged actions, said Tom Nichols, a police spokesman in Port St Lucie, which is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of West Palm Beach. “He didn’t say anything as to why this murder occurred,” Nichols said. The mother, 47, was an elementary school teacher. The father, 54, worked for the local electric utility. The Hadleys also had a 23-year-old son who lives out of state. Relatives of the family declined to comment or let calls go unanswered. — AP

Mexico tries boy accused of killing, mutilating 4

KIPE: Guinean Republican guards stand guard yesterday near the residence of President Alpha Conde in Conakry’s Kipe district following a rocket attack. Guinean security forces have arrested 37 soldiers in the wake of a rocket attack on President Alpha Conde’s home in Conakry, a military source said. — AFP

Venezuela scraps oppn leader probe CARACAS: Venezuela’s top court on Tuesday scrapped an investigation of the opposition favorite to run against President Hugo Chavez, calming concerns the government could seek to keep rivals off the 2012 presidential ballot. The Supreme Court reversed a previous order for a corruption investigation against Henrique Capriles, governor of Venezuela’s second most populous state.

Capriles has said he wants to run against Chavez in next year’s elections. The court voided the previous decision because the politician who requested the investigation, Gerson Perez, had falsely stated that he was a member of Chavez’s Socialist Party.

That came a day after local media reported the Socialist Party had expelled Perez.

Party leaders insisted they had nothing to do

with the case and were not trying to stymie Capriles’s candidacy. Recent polls give Capriles a wide lead over rivals for the opposition nomination, which will be decided in February primaries. At least one poll shows him with more support than Chavez, who has had to reduce early campaigning because of cancer.

Popular anti-Chavez candidates have in the past been excluded from running in elections during Chavez’s government based on corruption charges, spurring criticism the socialist was blocking the rise of new opposition leaders. Chavez critics say he controls key institutions such as the courts and the Comptroller’s Office, the latter of which has used corruption accusations to keep candidates out of elections. — Reuters

CUERNAVACA: The trial of a 14-yearold boy accused of killing and mutilating four people for a drug gang has begun in Mexico, with the defendant facing up to three years in jail.

The trial of US-born youth Edgar Jimenez Lugo started Monday behind closed doors near the resort city of Cuernavaca in central Mexico and was expected to last up to two weeks, according to judicial sources.

Police detained the boy last December at Cuernavaca airport, from where he appeared to be seeking to flee to San Diego in the United States, where his Mexican mother lives.

Jimenez, who is nicknamed “El Ponchis,” has said he was abducted and drugged to carry out the killings.

He is also accused of drug trafficking and carrying weapons. Around 65 witnesses were expected to testify, including two kidnapping victims, soldiers and police, according to Juan Manuel Serrano, a prosecutor in Morelos state where Cuernavaca lies.

The victims’ mutilated bodies were found strung from a bridge in Cuernavaca last year.

Jimenez was filmed with a cell phone apparently hitting and killing the victims in pictures uploaded onto the Internet. He said on camera that he worked for a hitman from the South Pacific drug cartel, which operates in Cuernavaca and southwestern Mexico. His parents, who are separated and live in the United States, did not attend the trial. More than 41,000 people have died in violence linked to Mexico’s drug gangs since President Felipe Calderon launched a military crackdown on them in December 2006, according to media reports.

The shocking case highlights the situation of some 30,000 minors recruited by the drug gangs to carry out crimes, according to Mexican NGO Network for the Rights of Childhood. A total of 3,664 minors were captured in operations against criminal gangs between December 2006 and April 2010, according to the federal attorney general’s office. The case has inflated a debate on whether minors involved in such violent crimes should be prosecuted as adults. — AFP

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Bicycle bomber strikes Afghan transition city Bombing kills five in north Afghanistan

CHENNAI: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton receives a gift from Jaya Arunachalam (left) founder of the Working Women's Forum, a grassroots network of over one million women that provides training, networking and business skills, during a visit yesterday. —AP

Clinton tells India: ‘It’s time to lead’ CHENNAI: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told India yesterday “it’s time to lead”, urging the government to do more to integrate economically with neighbors Afghanistan and Pakistan and take a more assertive role across the Asia-Pacific. Clinton, delivering a speech in the southern port city of Chennai, said New Delhi should exercise political influence to match its fast-growing economic muscle. “This is not a time when any of us can afford to look inward at the expense of looking outward. This is a time to seize the opportunities of the 21st century and it is a time to lead,” Clinton said.

US officials billed Clinton’s speech as a major address to outline Washington’s vision for the US-India partnership in the coming century. US President Barack Obama, on a visit to India last November, publicly backed New Delhi’s bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council and US officials say they are looking to the world’s largest democracy to become a more visible partner in facing global challenges. Clinton listed a range of areas where India and the United States are cooperating, ranging from working on clean energy technologies to addressing concerns over Iran’s nuclear program. But she said India could do more in two key areas: building a leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region, where New Delhi already has a “Look East” policy, and using its thriving $1.6 trillion economy to boost more fragile neighbors, including long-time foe Pakistan and Afghanistan. In

Asia, Clinton said India and the United States had aligning interests and values on everything from maritime security to democracy and human rights-areas where Washington has at times clashed with Asia’s other rising giant, China.

“Because India shares these values and interests, expanding our cooperation can produce benefits for each of us,” Clinton said, adding both New Delhi and Washington could still have “a strong, constructive” relationship with Beijing. “This will not always be easy. There are important matters on which we all disagree, one with the others. But we do have significant areas of common interest,” she said. “India, China and the United States will have to coordinate our efforts.” India, and the United States are looking with concern at China’s increasingly assertive role, not just in its backyard but also across the world where it can now combine economic and political might. India and the United States, once on the opposite side of the Cold War divide, have boosted ties over the past decade, as New Delhi seeks a greater global role but at the same time the country’s very DNA is traditionally to avoid being seen siding with one power or the other. The United States, especially in light of challenges in Afghanistan and Pakistan, wants India to be an all-weather ally, but a large part of the political elite in India still regard Washington with suspicion, partly because of its reluctance to take its side on nuclear-armed rival Pakistan. — Reuters

LASHKAR GAH: Afghan insurgents launched attacks in provincial capitals in the country’s north and south yesterday while foreign troops handed over security control in another key city as par t of a process designed to display the strength of Afghan forces. Gunmen attacked a police station in southern Kandahar city and killed its commander during a nine-hour gun battle. In northern Mazar-i-Sharif-one of seven areas to be handed over to Afghan control this week-a bomb planted on a bicycle killed up to five civilians, including a child, and wounded up to 12, police said.

The attacks in volatile Kandahar and relatively less violent Mazar-i-Sharif were a reminder of the challenges facing the Afghan army and police as they kick off a transition that aims to put them in control of the countr y by the end of 2014. “ Three policemen were killed and six more wounded when two gunmen attacked police district one,” Abdul Razziq, chief of police in Kandahar province, said after the fighting ended and the two Taleban gunmen were killed.

Soon after the Kandahar attack, Afghan forces took control of security in Lashkar Gah, the capital of neighboring Helmand province and the most contentious of the areas to be handed over this week. Mazar-iSharif is due to be handed over on Saturday.

Elyas, a resident of Changeer, some 20 km (12 miles) north of Lashkar Gah, said he looked forward to the transition expanding and the depar ture of foreign troops. “If someone fires from a house, foreign forces destroy the entire village, they come for investigation during the night ... which has made life for people difficult,” he said.

Speaking after the Lashkar Gah handover ceremony, Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak described Afghanistan taking control of its own security as “a restoration of our honor”. President Hamid Karzai has long said he wants Afghanistan to provide its own security. Western nations, tired of the cost of the war in lives and money, are racing to beef up Afghan forces so their troops can return home. However, worsening violence in recent days has cast a shadow over the start of the transition. On Tuesday, a bomb exploded near a police station outside

Pakistan’s new FM faces issues abroad, at home Indo-Pak talks set for late This month KARACHI: Pakistan’s newly appointed foreign minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, is young in a culture than reveres the old, female in a society that favors men and her appointment comes just days before Pakistan’s latest round of talks with arch-rival India. Khar, 34, was appointed on Tuesday after serving as junior foreign minister for five months.

Previously, she was the Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Statistics. “This will not be an easy ride because of the complex issues being faced by Pakistan and the way the foreign policy is formulated within the country, where there are many influence groups which she will have to work with,” said Shaukat Tarin, who served as Pakistan’s finance minister when Khar was minister of state for finance and economic affairs said.

“This will really test her maturity.” India and Pakistan are due to hold foreign minister level talks in Delhi in late this month, and Khar is going to face new scrutiny despite holding the post unofficially over the last five months.

Talks were broken off in 2008 after India blamed Pakistan-based militants for attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people. Talks were restarted earlier this year. Khar’s first high-profile test will be this week, when she meets US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Chinese Foreign Minister

Yang Jiechi on the sidelines of an ASEAN meeting in Indonesia, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said.

She will also face domestic challenges. “I think that she will be a figurehead,” said Ayesha Siddiqa, an exper t on the Pakistani military and the author of “Military Inc.” “It’s nothing to do with her per se, it’s about the government’s capacity to wrangle control of foreign policy from the military.” Siddiqa said much of the foreign ministry’s bureaucracyheaded by Foreign Secretar y Salman Bashir, whose brother is the head of the navy-is geared to serve the military’s purposes. Her predecessor, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, was considered close to the military, but her relationship with the army is unknown.

She started her political career with a party affiliated with former militar y ruler General Per vez Musharraf, eventually rising to junior finance minister. She has since switched to the ruling Pakistan People’s Par ty (PPP), whose ties with the security services have been strained. Attempts to contact Khar were unsuccessful.

Khar is one of a number of a rising women politicians in Pakistan: an irony in one of the most restrictive countries in the world when it comes to women’s rights. The most famous is former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, the first female prime minister in the

Muslim world. She was assassinated in 2007. While President Asif Ali Zardari said in a statement that her appointment is “a demonstration of the government ’s commitment to bring women into the mainstream of national life”, he also said it would “send positive signals about the soft image of Pakistan.”

And even those praising her referenced her age and inexperience. “Although international relations is complex these days, I am confident she will learn very quickly,” said Ashfaque Hasan Khan, former special secretary and now dean of NUST business school in Islamabad. Tarin, the former finance minister, said her age shouldn’t be held against her, but added: “My impression is if properly guided and coached by the seniors in the par ty, she will become an effective foreign minister.”

Khar is from a political family in southern Punjab; her father is a large feudal land-holder from Muzaffargarh. She is Pakistan’s 26th and youngest foreign minister. Reportedly a keen trekker and polo-enthusiast, Khar owns Lahore’s upscale Polo Lounge, an elite club where the city’s wealthy and influential rub shoulders. She holds a masters in hospitality and tourism from the University of Massachusetts and worked in hotel management before turning to politics. — Reuters

Maoist rebels kill 7 Congress workers RAIPUR: Maoist rebels killed seven Congress party workers in a jungle ambush on a party convoy in India’s central state of Chhattisgarh yesterday, the state’s party president told Reuters.

The attack is the latest in a decades-old insurgency waged by the Maoists against the Indian state, which claims hundreds of lives each year.

Chhattisgarh is one of several states riddled with insurgents that regularly

attack police, government buildings and civilians accused of being informers. Police told Reuters they were still investigating yesterday’s ambush and did not have an exact figure for the number of casualties. Local TV channels showed a vehicle badly damaged after a blast. “Seven Congress workers were killed and four were injured in the attack,” Congress state president Nandkumar Patel told Reuters by

phone. He estimated there were about 25 vehicles in a convoy which was ambushed, adding that vehicles behind his own were blown up. The Maoists’ violent campaign against the government began as a peasant revolt in the late 1960s. The rebels say they are fighting for the rights of the poor and the disenfranchised. They killed 15 police officers in two separate bomb blasts in June in the same state. — Reuters

KANDAHAR: An Afghan doctor treats a child wounded in crossfire between police and insurgents yesterday. — AFP

Lashkar Gah. Both Afghan and foreign officials acknowledge there will be little real change on the ground, after a months-long “soft opening” when Afghans were already in effective control. But Helmand has been the site of some of the most vicious fighting of the near-decade long war. Far more foreign troops have died there than in any other province and there are still several Helmand districts dominated by the Taleban.

“I’m happy,” Nawid, a resident of Lashkar Gah, said of the handover. “Now Afghans will do the house searching and operations.

People were tired of house searching and operations launched by foreign troops.”

Transferring the capital is meant to give a signal that Afghan forces are ready and willing to take over in areas more challenging than the anti-Taleban provinces of Bamiyan and Panjshir, which are also in the first phase of transition.

“We are confident and our forces are capable of doing it, to take responsibility ... this is just the beginning,” Afghan Army Colonel

Amin Jan told reporters before the handover ceremony in Lashkar Gah. Like many others, however, Jan questioned whether the plan for foreign combat troops to leave by the end of 2014, proposed by Karzai and agreed at a NATO summit in December 2010, was too short a timeframe. “Four years is a very short time. We still lack some equipment,” Jan said. A civil ceremony with speeches in Lashkar Gah was followed by a military ceremony, at the end of which NATO troops took a salute as a symbolic departure. But they will remain in bases a few kilometers away from the city, ready to help out if needed.

Security provided by Afghan forces was tight, after Taleban threats to disrupt the transition ceremonies and a string of attacks and assassinations across the country. “Today I am especially proud that the people of Helmand, like the other places in Afghanistan, are starting to take control of this beautiful province,” Helmand governor Gulab Mangal said in an open letter in which he thanked foreign troops for their assistance and sacrifices. — Reuters

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THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

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

‘Significant’ development on South China Sea issue China, ASEAN set ‘guidelines’ on sea row

PEARL HARBOR: Dr Genshitsu Sen XV, grand tea master of the Urasenke School of Tea, wears a symbolic paper mask while performing a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony in the USS Arizona Memorial, July 19, 2011. — AP

Japanese tea ceremony hosted at Pearl Harbor PEARL HARBOR: Symbolizing how far the two countries have come, US organizers on Tuesday hosted an ancient and ritualistic Japanese tea ceremony steeped in tradition at the watery grave of Pearl Harbor. It was the first time the centuries-old art form emblematic of Japan was performed in the USS Arizona Memorial that sits on top of the battleship, which sank in the Japanese attack 70 years ago. Organizers hoped the highly choreographed ritual will promote world peace and reconciliation between the US and Japan, which were once bitter enemies but have been strong allies for more than 50 years. Such ceremonies encourage contemplation, reflection and respect for others.

They are also events of peace: samurai in medieval Japanese times would remove their swords and place them outside before entering a tea room. Urasenke School of Tea grand tea master Genshitsu Sen, who served in the Japanese naval air force during World War II, prepared two bowls of green tea - one each for Pearl Harbor war dead and world peace. He took the bowls to the memorial’s shrine room, where the names of US sailors and Marines are chiseled into the wall.

Sen placed the bowls on a wooden table and bowed deeply before the names in a sign of respect. He later said a prayer before the wall, with his hands held together. It was a nod to both Japanese culture and the strong mutual respect between the two countries, Hawaii Gov Neil Abercrombie said. The tea ritual for peace also came at a timely moment amid war and conflict around the world, he said. “The United States and Japan may now share a strong mutual respect, but other people and countries are warring with as much enmity and mutual misunderstanding as we once experienced ourselves,” the governor told guests.

Three survivors of the Japanese attack attended, along with Adm. Patrick Walsh, commander of the US Pacific Fleet, and other dignitaries. The gleaming white, open-air memorial sits on top of the

Arizona’s sunken hull, which still holds the bodies of more than 900 of the 1,177 men who died on the battleship. In all, some 2,400 sailors, Marines and soldiers were killed in the attack on Dec 7, 1941.

Sen, 88, said he long wanted to offer a prayer for world peace at the memorial because it was where so many Americans died in the Japanese attack. He also wanted to make sure people remember the events of Dec 7. The attack brought the US into World War II. “People are slowly forgetting that this happened here 70 years ago,” Sen told reporters. “We shouldn’t forget. It’s an important duty for all of us to pass on what’s in our hearts to our children and grandchildren so it’s not forgotten.”

Park service officials said they reached out to Pearl Harbor attack survivors before Tuesday to keep them informed. They acknowledged not all survivors have been able to forgive the attack, and some would have difficulty accepting the gesture. But Sterling Cale, 89, who was among the three survivors who attended, said the ceremony filled him with joy. “They had the tea ceremony on the Arizona to honor the men who are still there - those 900-plus men are the heroes of World War II and Dec. 7.

Having it there was a good deal. I liked that,” said Cale, who was a hospital corpsman assigned to the shipyard dispensary at the time of the attack. Daniel Martinez, the National Park Service’s chief historian for Pearl Harbor, said the ceremony showed him “how far we had come.” “We in the park service and the Navy have witnessed this dynamic change since I’ve been here, in 1985 - the evolution of the hatred and the hard feelings to now one of consideration for each side,” Martinez said. The idea for holding the symbolic tea ritual at the memorial came from Jean Ariyoshi, the wife of former Hawaii Gov George Ariyoshi, the first Japanese-American governor in the US She approached top Navy admirals in Hawaii and the National Park Service about the concept. It also marked the 60th anniversar y of the founding of the Urasenke tea school’s Hawaii chapter. — AP

NUSA DUA: Southeast Asia and China yesterday hailed “significant” progress toward resolving disputes in the South China Sea, a strategic waterway believed to contain vast energy reserves. After nearly 10 years of negotiations, both sides announced an agreement on nonbinding guidelines for the eventual implementation of a binding code of conduct governing activities in disputed waters and islands. The guidelines were announced at a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Bali, Indonesia, ahead of the region’s biggest security forum involving the United States on Saturday. ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan called the guidelines a “breakthrough” but Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said they lacked teeth and substance.

One of four ASEAN states with territorial claims in the sea, the Philippines, said this week it would seek UN arbitration to define the areas under contention after China rejected other appeals for independent mediation. But Vietnam, another ASEAN claimant which has accused China of taking an increasingly aggressive posture, said the agreement was a positive development. “ This is a significant and good start for us to work together to continue dialogue and cooperation,” Vietnamese official Pham Quang Vinh said. Tensions have risen markedly in recent weeks, with several incidents involving claims and counter-claims of aggression on the high seas and provocative movements of military forces.

China’s Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Liu Zhenmin said the officials would submit the draft guidelines to their ministers Thursday for final endorsement, as he tried to play down any rifts. “This is an important milestone document on the cooperation among China and ASEAN countries,” Liu told reporters. The draft guidelines talk of “possible joint cooperative

activities, measures and projects” and and other confidence-building measures, but make no mention of when a binding code would be in place. A diplomatic source, who asked not to be named, said the list of approved projects had been whittled down to include such “harmless” activities as joint rescue operations and marine studies.

Surin said a final settlement of the

the confidence in the region will certainly impact on our role and our potential.” In the latest incident to spark concern, five Filipino lawmakers flew to an island in the disputed Spratly chain to plant a Philippine flag on a government building in disregard of warnings from Beijing. Meanwhile, China’s People’s Daily, a Communist Party mouthpiece, warned the United

BALI: Vietnam’s senior official meeting (SOM) leader Pham Quang Vinh (right) and Chinese counterpart Lin Zhen Min pose for a photograph after the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) - China meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration of Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in Nusa Dua on Indonesia’s resort island yesterday. — AFP disputes was vital to regional stability and prosperity, but he could not say when a fully fledged code of conduct would be finalized. “All of us are aware that we have become critical to the global community economically,” he told AFP. “Any situation that will impair

States against interfering on behalf of its ASEAN allies such as the Philippines. “We do not support raising bilateral disputes in multilateral settings and oppose the interference of external powers in this issue,” it said. The United States has risen to the defense of its ally

was behind a pair of deadly attacks aimed at disrupting the 2008 Beijing Olympics that reportedly killed 29 people, including 10 attackers. Police shot to death 14 of the men and four were detained, Hou said, adding an investigation was continuing into Monday’s violence. Earlier English-language reports by the official Xinhua News Agency referred to the men as rioters or thugs and did not mention terrorism. The earlier state media accounts did not describe the attack in detail or say how many assailants had been involved. A Germany-based Uighur exile group, the World Uyghur Congress, based its account of the violence on anonymous Uighur sources in Xinjiang. The group said in an emailed statement that the violence erupted when more than 100 Uighurs gathered to protest a police crackdown in the city. Demonstrators were demanding to know the status of missing relatives they believe were in police custody, the group said.

It said the protest turned into a clash and police opened fire. WUC spokesman Dilxat Raxit said by telephone yesterday that 20 Uighurs were killed and 12 injured, including 3 in critical condition. He also demanded an independent investigation into the violence. Hou called the group’s account “utter nonsense.” “There was no so-called peaceful protest at all,” she said.

Obtaining independent information from Xinjiang is difficult because government controls on the local population are tight and people fear speaking out may get them into trouble. Two years ago in Xinjiang’s regional capital of Urumqi, simmering tensions erupted in the region’s worst ethnic violence in more than a decade. Uighurs attacked Han Chinese, overturning buses and cars and torching shops in a riot the government says killed 197 people, mostly Hans. In the aftermath, hundreds were arrested in a region-wide crackdown and about two dozen sentenced to death. Many other Uighurs remain unaccounted for and are believed to be in custody. — AP

Laos, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand. On Saturday, the ASEAN foreign ministers will be joined by US Secretary of State State Hillary Clinton and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi at the bigger ASEAN Regional Forum focused on security issues. — AFP

Tear gas fired in Australian immigration riots

14 ‘extremists’ killed in Xinjiang attack BEIJING: Ethnic religious extremists armed with homemade weapons attacked a police station in China’s restive far west earlier this week in a planned siege that ended with 14 of the 18 attackers dead, China said yesterday in a new detailed account of the violence. State media variously have blamed terrorists, rioters or thugs for Monday’s violence in the Xinjiang region. An exile group that advocates for greater Uighur autonomy instead has said a peaceful protest turned into a bloody clash between police and demonstrators. Xinjiang has been beset by ethnic conflict and a sometimes-violent separatist movement by Uighurs (pronounced WEE’-gurs), a largely Muslim ethnic group that sees Xinjiang as its homeland. Many Uighurs resent the Han Chinese majority as interlopers. A group of “religious extremists” opposed to the Chinese government arrived two days earlier in Hotan and organized the terror attack in the city, a Xinjiang regional government spokeswoman told The Associated Press.

“They arrived in groups on the 16th with several dozen different knives including cleavers, axes and switchblades,” the spokeswoman, Hou Hanmin, said. “They also went to a local market to buy other knives and materials to make molotov cocktails and homemade bombs.” The men first stabbed a Uighur security guard at the gate of the police station before storming inside. They later took several hostages, including two female Han Chinese who were stabbed to death. A Han Chinese paramilitary officer was killed by a bomb the attackers set off, she said. Four other hostages, all Uighur, were also injured, she said. “The attack was not about ethnicity,” Hou said, “They were charging into the police station to oppose the government and create violence.”

Hou said, however, the flag did not resemble ones used by the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, or ETIM, a banned organization advocating independence for Xinjiang. China says that group is allied with Al-Qaeda. China has said an ETIM cell

the Philippines, pledging help to modernize its navy and calling on China to lower the temperature in the region. It also claims a “national interest” in keeping the sea’s shipping lanes open for business.

Taiwan, China and ASEAN members Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia have overlapping claims to parts of the region. ASEAN’s other members are Cambodia, Indonesia,

KUALA LUMPUR: In this photo, Baharuddin Ahmad (center) supporter of Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), takes part in a rally.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s alliance said 59-year-old Baharuddin died from a heart attack during the rally, though police denied opposition allegations that he was hit by tear gas.— AP

Anwar confident of Malaysia poll win KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim told The Associated Press yesterday that his three-party alliance could win general elections widely expected next year because its support has risen after a government crackdown on a rally for electoral reforms. Anwar said in an interview that the recent opposition-backed demonstration had stirred public anger and greater political awareness over allegations of electoral fraud and the government’s refusal to allow large-scale street protests. Police fired tear gas and detained more than 1,600 people on July 9 when at least 20,000 Malaysians defied government warnings by marching in Kuala Lumpur to demand more transparency in election laws.

“We have gained new momentum,” Anwar told AP. “If we can sustain and increase this level of support ... there are huge possibilities we can make it, we will win” the next elections. Anwar’s alliance captured slightly more than one-third of Parliament seats in 2008 polls, the worst electoral result for the long-ruling National Front since independence from Britain in 1957.

Anwar said he expects Prime Minister Najib Razak to hold early elections before the government’s mandate expires in mid-2013. Most analysts predict Najib will seek a fresh mandate early next year amid signs of a strengthening economy.

Najib has invested heavily in what the government calls an “economic transformation plan” since he took office in April 2009. But Anwar said that “other than slogans, there have been no changes.”“People are clearly clamoring for justice and democratic rule. The ruling clique is in the last stages of resisting at all cost but I don’t think they can withstand the

onslaught of the people and also the historical reality. Even the most authoritarian rule in the Middle East is changing,” Anwar said. He said his alliance is in much better shape compared to 2008 and has demonstrated strong leadership in four states that it wrested from the National Front in 2008.

But he added that the opposition faces a struggle for support among the ethnic Malay Muslim majority in rural parts of Malaysia.

Many among the ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities have become strong opposition supporters in recent years, mainly because of complaints that the National Front discriminates against them in affirmative action policies that benefit Malays in business, housing, education and other sectors. “We need to focus on the rural heartland, we need to go down to the ground and talk to” Malays, Anwar said. The opposition leader stressed that he won’t let his ongoing sodomy trial distract him too much.

Anwar, 63, faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of sodomizing a 25-year-old former male aide in 2008. He claims the charge is politically motivated but the government denies it. “I don’t like the idea of being sent to jail again but some of my friends said it may help the cause,” he said, laughing. “I have decided to stay and fight, to endure the consequences.” It is Anwar’s second time being embroiled in a sex trial. He lost his post as deputy premier in 1998 after being charged with sodomizing his family’s ex-driver and abusing his power to cover up his actions both of which he denied. He was freed in 2004 after six years of imprisonment when a court overturned the sodomy conviction. — AP

SYDNEY: Australian police fired tear gas, sound and flash weapons and “bean bag” bullets to quell overnight riots at the troubled Christmas Island immigration detention centre.

Immigration authorities said about 50 detainees were involved in the disturbance, which saw fires lit and police threatened with makeshift weapons at the centre, some 2,600 kilometers (1,600 miles) from Australia’s mainland. “(Police) members made a number of attempts to defuse and de-escalate the situation, but these were not successful,” a police spokeswoman told AFP yesterday. “Members had cause to deploy a range of use of force options, including less-lethal munitions (such as) bean bag rounds, (tear) gas, and sound and flash distraction devices.”

“Bean bag” bullets are small cushions filled with lead shot that are fired from a shotgun, designed to temporarily disable targets. It is the second time in as many months serious riots have rocked the remote centre, which is the cornerstone of Australia’s mandatory detention policy for refugees and home to 600 boat arrivals. Some of the group escaped their compounds but an immigration spokesman said there was “no breach of the perimeter fence” and police had brought the incident under control without any injuries.

One detainee was arrested and another was still staging a rooftop protest, with police remaining on site, the spokesman added. Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said computers in the centre’s medical clinic were destroyed and said anyone found guilty of crimes in detention could be shipped home under strict new character laws on visas. Prime Minister Julia Gillard echoed his warnings. “If you commit a criminal offence it will count against you,” Gillard said. “You don’t get any changes to the process and treatment of your claims by misbehaving.” Australia’s immigration facilities are under strain from a record influx of boatpeople last year-almost 6,900 — and tensions have run high in crowded centers on both Christmas Island and at Villawood, in Sydney. Up to 100 detainees rioted on the Indian Ocean island last month, and another 250 were involved in violent protests there in March over the slow processing of asylum claims, with some locked up for 18 months or more. —AFP

BEIJING: Canadian bubble artist Yang Fan, who has set world record bypacking 118 people inside a soap bubble, performs at the Gazillion bubble show. Yang has earned international acclaim as a result of his complex displays of “bubble theater”. In addition to performing, he has developed his own bubble solution formulas and equipment to create bubbles. — AFP

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Issues

Nigeria’s dull cabinet reflects compromise bid

By Joe Brock igerian President Goodluck Jonathan’s largely uninspiring cabinet reflects a political compromise that will make the job of transforming Africa’s most populous nation much tougher for the core of reformers he has chosen. Jonathan has made a series of pledges since he was sworn in for his first full term on May 29, after winning what observers said were the fairest elections Africa’s most populous nation has held since the end of military rule in 1999. He needs a stellar team to come good on his promises to boost job creation, unlock the world’s eighthlargest gas reserves and turnaround the abysmal state of the electric power sector, a major brake on sub-Saharan Africa’s second-largest economy.

Jonathan had to carefully balance his ministerial choices around geographical and ethnic groups and reward those who helped him during a fiercely contested election period. The retention of many ministers with poor records and some controversial appointments left few spaces for genuine reformers, although the inclusion of former World Bank Managing Director Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was met with widespread optimism. Okonjo-Iweala is expected to become Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, an expanded version of the role she held between 2003 and 2006 when she successfully negotiated Nigerian debt relief.

During her screening by lawmakers she was quick to highlight the need to trim the cost of government, which has been a concern for economists and investors.

Recurrent expenditure accounts for well over half of government spending despite poor public services. A strong finance minister could be the catalyst for reform in a country that faces corruption challenges, an economy over reliant on commodity exports and fiscal transparency concerns. “She delivered on a landmark debt deal last time which is a great achievement but her challenge now will be to prove herself on the domestic level, which could be a greater challenge,” said Antony Goldman, Nigeria expert and head of PM Consulting.

One of the president’s highest priority sectors will be run by new power minister Bart Nnaji, who was in charge of the power sector prior to the elections as the head of the presidential power task force. Nigeria has a population of around 150 million and vast natural gas reserves, but mismanagement, low investment and a lack of maintenance at power stations deprive most people of any electricity. Governments have promised for decades to fix the problem, but powerful vested interests, including officials controlling contracts, powerful unions and billionaire tycoons who import diesel and generators, have held back progress. “I’ve no doubt he understands the power industry and has the capacity to run it but whether he can put together the team to change the whole behaviour of Nigerian culture will be a huge challenge,” said Bismark Rewane of Lagos-based Financial Derivatives. Other cabinet choices have been less well received. Diezani AlisonMadueke was retained as oil minister despite criticism from the Nigerian press about a lack of transparency on oil deals. An action group is seeking an injunction against her re-appointment because it says she didn’t complete national service. However, she has always had the steadfast support of the presidency and has laid out ambitious plans to overhaul the energy industry, boost gas production and diversify exploration in poorer northern areas of the country. Yusuf Suleiman was involved in graft allegations in a previous tenure but kept a ministerial spot, although he was switched to minister of sport from his previous transport post. Former finance minister Olusegun Aganga has effectively been given a demotion to the role of trade and investment minister. He has come under fire over his legitimacy as a candidate because some groups say he doesn’t originate from Lagos, despite being put forward as the state’s representative. “There are definitely choices which raised a few eyebrows and others which raise doubts about the integrity and transparency of some members of the team,” Rewane said.

Jonathan did not have a free hand when picking his team of more than 40 ministers. He was constitutionally bound to select a minister from each state to reflect the national character. He also had debts to pay after fighting a tough campaign, first in his controversial bid in ruling party primaries and then in a general election which threatened to widen religious divides in Africa’s most populous nation. “Nigeria has a system which lends itself to a cabinet that is a political compromise ... It is a presidential system and while the cabinet may not be inspiring, key members can be influential,” Goldman said. — Reuters

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Britain: More corrupt than it thinks?

By Peter Apps ritons love to lecture the world about integrity and the rule of law, but the News of the World phone hacking scandal has laid bare a web of collusion between money, power, media and the police. Far from the innocent, upright democracy of its self-image, Britain is showing a seamy side that anticorruption campaigners say is getting worse and may be politically explosive as society becomes more unequal due to the financial and economic crises.

Behind a facade of probity, London offers a haven for oligarchs and despots, a place where foreign media magnates have bought access to and influence over the government.

The scandal engulfing Rupert Murdoch’s media empire has already destroyed a newspaper, cost two top police officers their jobs, seen the arrest of powerful media figures and embarrassed the prime minister and political elite. But it points to a bigger problem in British society - overly cosy relationships among elites that are ethically dangerous, even when they does not involve outright criminality. Britain says it has been bolstering its legal system and regulatory. Just this month a new law on bribery tightening rules for UK firms operating abroad entered force.

But some of the world’s leading transparency campaigners say that the hacking scandal exemplifies unhealthy links between power and money. “The bottom line... is that for some time there has been undue influence on UK governments and public policy by powerful private interests,” says Daniel Kaufmann, senior fellow at the Brookings Institute in Washington DC. “It is ... often a more sophisticated form of high-level political corruption. It may not be strictly illegal - or it may be more subtle - but that does not mean it is not very costly for society or the economy,” said Kaufman, a former director of the World Bank Institute and cre-

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ator of the closely watched Worldwide Governance Indicators. If unchecked, “elite capture” of political systems can become “privatisation of public policy” - a growing danger in both Britain and the United States, he said. As with media barons such as Murdoch, the influence of the financial services industry is so strong, Kaufmann argued, that politicians have long avoided questioning it. That acquiescence contributed to the global financial crisis. It has also made Britain one of the key banking centres for the world’s most corrupt oligarchs and despots. Financial secrecy arrangements - such as Britain’s system of financial “trusts”, which allow powerful figures to mask the ownership of assets - have rarely if ever been challenged by the government, say financiers and campaigners.

When power elites in the Middle East looked for somewhere to send their money during the “Arab Spring” uprisings this year, wealth managers told Reuters London was the prime beneficiary. Much may have been legitimately earned, some almost certainly not. Both Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s son Gamal and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s son Saif owned property in London through complex trusts and front companies in Panama and the British Virgin Islands. Through its close links with tax haven satellites such as the Channel Islands, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man, experts say Britain is at the centre of many such schemes.

“London has become the money launderers’ destination of choice,” says John Christensen, a former economic adviser to the Channel island of Jersey, who now runs the Tax Justice Network, a group campaigning for tighter regulation. “If you look at the way we talk about and measure corruption in the West, it’s either Africa or Asia which comes out worse. But we are using a distorted prism.” It’s not just Britain. A Reuters investigation this month showed how some US states - notably Wyoming and Delaware - were fail-

ing to meet international standards, offering “shelf companies” to help hide assets and avoid tax.

Christensen argues that states have been losing control of the financial system for more than 30 years and now find themselves increasingly at its mercy.

Even groups such as Transparency International which has traditionally focused on criticising “conventionally” corrupt states in emerging economies - are beginning to shift their attention to developed world corruption. TI published a report earlier this month entitled “Britain: More corrupt than you think”, showing that a majority of people believed corruption was worsening in the country.

“It is not that corruption is endemic in the UK as it is in some other countries but there is a worrying degree of complacency,” said Chandrashekhar Krishnan, Executive Director of Transparency International UK. “The focus (now) is on corruption in the media and allegations about bribing the police... but we are also particularly worried about political party funding, parliament, sport and the prison system.”

Even recent gains are not always what they seem.

For example Transparency International points to the UK Bribery Act. The law’s introduction was delayed after frantic lobbying by companies who said it would make them uncompetitive, prompting officials to effectively water down some of the guidance on how rigourously it would be enforced. The institution responsible for enforcing it, the Serious Fraud Office, is also suffering budget cuts - as are other bodies aimed at tackling grassroots corruption in prisons, police, local government, and taxation. The previous government halted bribery investigations into arms sales to Saudi Arabia, citing the national interest.

Not everyone despairs. Some argue that the Internet and social media may prompt a new era of transparency, raising the reputational risks for governments that fail to clean up their act. — Reuters

Too early to write off Murdoch as CEO?

By Yinka Adegoke t looked like it was time for a changing of the guard at News Corp. Rupert Murdoch appeared tired, close to the end of a remarkable corporate career. His son James came across as fresh, smart and eloquent, ready to deal with arguably the worst crisis at the global media empire.

But Murdoch senior, 80, made clear he wasn’t ready to go yet. “No,” Murdoch firmly told a British parliamentary hearing on Tuesday, when asked if he would resign over the phone-hacking scandal that has rocked News Corp. “I feel that people I trusted, I’m not saying who, I don’t know on what level, have let me down and I think they behaved disgracefully, betrayed the company and me, and it’s for them to pay.” He went on: “I’m the best person to clean this up.”

The problem Rupert Murdoch faces is that his presumed heir is not in a position to take over. James Murdoch, 38, initially failed to deal adequately with the phone-hacking scandal at the company’s News of the World tabloid, and he could be further implicated as police investigations pick up. “I would have thought that after last night, that has accelerated the pace of change, rather than slowed it down,” said Bruce Guthrie, former editor of Murdoch’s Herald-Sun newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, between 2007-2008.

“I think the market will probably be looking in the short term for a non-Murdoch to take the reins, and then perhaps a Murdoch will take control again in the future,” he told Australian radio. Guthrie won an unfair dismissal case against the company in 2008 and wrote a book called “Man bites Murdoch”. News Corp’s board does not seem ready to strip Murdoch senior of the chief executive title leaving him just the chairmanship -even though Chief Operating Officer Chase Carey is widely seen as a capable CEO replacement.

Independent directors Viet Dinh and Tom Perkins have now publicly stated that the News Corp board is united in support of the senior management team. “In no uncertain terms, the Board and management team are singularly aligned,” Dinh said in a statement on behalf of independent directors of News Corp after the hearing. Even investors who criticized Murdoch’s performance at the hearing felt it was too soon to write him off.

Murdoch called it the most humble day of his life and

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often looked ill at ease, rarely showing the passion and aggression on which he built his business over six decades. He answered many questions in monosyllables and left long pauses before giving short replies. When Murdoch stumbled over answers, his son frequently tried to step in, only to be told he must let his father answer the question. At one point, Murdoch senior admitted to being out of touch with the ins and outs of News International, the UK newspaper arm at the center of the scandal.

“James was well prepared and related his thoughts much more effectively than his father,” said Keith Wirtz, chief investment officer at Fifth Third Asset Management,

A screen grab image taken in London on Tuesday shows News Corporation Chief Rupert Murdoch giving evidence to a parliamentary committee on the phone hacking scandal. – AFP which owns News Corp shares. But he said Rupert didn’t look like he was about to quit. “Rupert is News Corp, so I do not see him stepping down anytime soon,” said Wirtz.

Until the phone hacking scandal exploded on July 4, James Murdoch had been expected to eventually take over from his father. But the younger Murdoch has been tainted by details that emerged on his handling of the aftermath, such as the paying off of some victims. In the past fortnight, News Corp has lost $8 billion in market val-

ue, closed its oldest British tabloid, and lost out on its biggest ever proposed deal, BSkyB . News Corp’s stock ended up 5.5 percent on Tuesday, with Wall Street analysts pointing to a relief rally that the hearing did not uncover anything too damaging.

“James did a sensational job, he was knowledgeable and competent,” said Gabelli Multimedia Funds manager Larry Haverty, whose portfolio holds News Corp shares. “I think the hurricanes have passed with this performance, they both did a great job. I personally believe management stability is a key thing for media properties.”

A long-time shareholder in Australia said the Murdochs’ appearance had cleared up uncertainty over how far up the chain responsibility rested in the hacking scandal, but he remained concerned about the potential fallout. “I certainly wouldn’t look at this issue and say that that has any bearing on whether (Rupert) Murdoch should be there or not,” said Angus Gluskie, portfolio manager at White Funds Management. “It’s a remarkably difficult situation, and I wouldn’t be too harsh in judging how they’ve handled it.”

A top 10 News Corp shareholder said he felt the senior Murdoch’s performance was poor and called it “a big black eye”, adding that appointing Carey as CEO would be “a good cosmetic move”. But he noted that would be a big snub to James Murdoch, and a message his father was not prepared to send. The shareholder spoke on condition of anonymity. If the heir apparent baton passed to another Murdoch, former News Ltd editor Guthrie said daughter Elisabeth would be the most likely. News Corp recently bought her TV production company and she is expected to join News Corp’s board.

“I would have thought Elisabeth is a better chance.

Elisabeth is not as tainted as some of the other kids. She has proven herself as a businesswoman in her own right,” he said. “She is a longer-term proposition, if there is to be an interim period where Murdoch cedes control to someone else, an outsider, with the view of bringing one of the family back in again at a later stage.” Murdoch appeared to recover his spirits in the second half of the proceedings, answering questions more forcefully. He also got something of a sympathy vote from some observers after a surprise attack by a man with a plate of white foam. “It made me think he’s an old man, very frail, at the end of a long career,” said Jennifer McDermott, media lawyer and partner at Withers Worldwide. — Reuters

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THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

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KARACHI: A Pakistani passenger yawns while waiting for a bus with his son yesterday. — AP

Serbia arrests final war crimes fugitive Continued from Page 1 Hadzic was brought before Serbia’s national war crimes court in Belgrade, which ruled he could be extradited to The Hague. His lawyer, Toma Fila, said he would not lodge an appeal and that Hadzic could be transferred within the next few days. “I will not lodge an appeal. He has been allowed to receive family visits tomorrow (Thursday) and the day after. After that, as far as I’m concerned, he can leave for The Hague,” Fila told journalists outside the court.

The final order for transfer will have to be signed by Serbia’s justice minister before Hadzic can be put on a plane. Sources present at the hearing told AFP that he could be transferred by Saturday. Hadzic’s arrest comes less than two months after Serbian authorities finally captured wartime Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic, the UN court’s most wanted fugitive. Hadzic, who had been on the run since his indictment in 2004, appeared haggard and heavier during his brief court appearance in Belgrade yesterday and bore little resemblance to the dark-haired bearded man in his wanted poster.

He is wanted for the massacre by Croatian Serb troops under his command of 250 Croats and other non-Serbs taken from a hospital in Vukovar after the city fell to Serbian troops following a three-month siege in Nov 1991. “At the time Hadzic was the master of life and death who decided the fate of numerous prisoners in Vukovar,” Zdravko Komsic, the head of an organisation of former Vukovar prisoners of war, told Croatian media. The siege of Vukovar and the subsequent massacre is one of the darkest chapters of the wars in the former Yugoslavia.

The prosecutor of the The Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Serge Brammertz, called the arrest “an important milestone in the tribunal’s history”. In his press conference, Tadic dismissed suggestions that Serbia had been dragging its feet on finding war criminals. “It has been very difficult for us to investigate those kind of people... I will confirm once again we did everything possible,” the president said. Vladimir Vukcevic, Serbia’s chief war crimes prosecutor, said the

breakthrough in the hunt for Hadzic came when he tried to sell a painting by Italian painter Amedeo Modigliani last year. “At that moment he was penniless. He probably got (the painting) during the war in Croatia,” Vukcevic said. The painting was found in December last year at the home of an alleged helper of Hadzic and seized by the Serbian police. Hadzic was arrested in the idyllic mountain region of Fruska Gora near the northern city of Novi Sad. He was armed but offered no resistance when arrested, prosecutors said.

The arrest will boost Serbia’s ambitions of joining the European Union, the EU said. “This is a further important step for Serbia in realising its European perspective and equally crucial for international justice,” EU president Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said in a joint statement. NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen, whose organisation carried out an air bombing campaign in 1995 to stop the war, said the arrest will “allow for the most painful chapter in recent European history to be closed”.

Croatia’s Prime Minster Jadranka Kosor said the arrest was “good news for humanity, for the world and above all for Croatia,” but regretted it came too late for many of the relatives of his victims in Vukovar. Hadzic, a former warehouse employee at an agricultural plant, rose to prominence as the president of the self-proclaimed Republic of Serbian Krajina (RSK) in Croatia between 1992-1993.

Chosen for the post with the backing of late Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic, Hadzic was seen as a “yes man” who wielded little real power compared with other wartime Serb leaders. Milosevic died in March 2006 in his cell at The Hague where he was being tried for war crimes and other charges related to the 1991-95 Balkan wars.

Tadic insisted in his press conference that Hadzic was not arrested due to EU pressure but because of the government’s desire to contribute to reconciliation in the Balkans.

“We were exclusively guided by moral reasons, legal obligations and by the knowledge that this is the only condition for reconciliation among the people of the former Yugoslavia,” he said. — AFP

New evidence backs circumcision drive Continued from Page 1 had been carried out in the 13 countries considered priorities, according to UNAIDS. The new study was conducted between 2007 and 2010 in Orange Farm, a township of 110,000 adults, where more than 20,000 circumcisons had been performed, especially in the 1524 age group which is most sexually active.

Two other studies released in Rome added to the good news about circumcision: Circumcised men say they experience greater sexual pleasure after surgery, a finding that should help overcome unease about the operation. Investigators at the University of Makerere interviewed 316 men, average age 22, who had been circumcised between February and Sept 2009. A year after the operation, 220 of the volunteers said they were sexually active, of whom a quarter said they used condoms. A total of 87.7 percent said they found it easier to reach an orgasm after being circumcised, and 92.3 percent said they experienced more sexual pleasure.

Newly-circumcised men are just as likely as uncircumcised men to practice safe sex, according to interviews conducted among 2,207 men in western Kenya, six months after they had had the operation. This helps ease concerns that circumcised men are tempted to

abandon condom use in the belief they are completely shielded from HIV. France’s 2008 Nobel laureate Francoise Barre Sinoussi, who in 1983 co-identified HIV as the source of AIDS, said over-confidence in circumcision was a major anxiety. “Nothing provides 100-percent protection, not even a vaccine,” she told AFP. “Let’s stop thinking that one preventative tool is enough. Circumcision has to be part of a combined approach.” The theory behind the benefits of circumcision is that the inner foreskin is an easy entr y point for HIV. It is rich in so-called Langerhans cells, tissue that the AIDS virus easily latches on to and penetrates.

On the downside, male circumcision does not reduce the risk for women who have intercourse with an HIVinfected man, and the protective benefit does not seem to apply to homosexual intercourse. There is an indirect advantage, though. The fewer men who are infected with HIV, the smaller the risk of infection for others.

“Science is proving that we are at the tipping point of the epidemic,” said Michel Sidibe, executive director of UNAIDS. Scaling up voluntary circumcision to young men in places with HIV prevalence will help reach the UN’s 2015 goal of halving sexual transmission of the disease, he said. — AFP

Tehran downs US spy drone over nuke site Continued from Page 1 down two unmanned western reconnaissance drone aircraft in the Arabian Gulf. The Pentagon denied that report but acknowledged some spy planes had crashed in the past due to mechanical failure. Earlier this month, Iranian military officials showed Russian experts several US drones they said were shot down in recent years.

Iran is at odds with major powers over its nuclear work, which the United States and its allies say is intended to enable Iran to produce bombs. Iran denies the allegations and says it wants only to generate electricity. The United States and Israel, Iran’s arch enemies, have not

ruled out military action if diplomacy fails to end the row.

Iran has dismissed reports of possible US or Israeli plans to strike Iran, warning that it will respond by attacking US interests in the Gulf and Israel if any such assault was made. Analysts say Tehran could retaliate by launching hit-and-run strikes in the Gulf and by closing the Strait of Hormuz. About 40 percent of all traded oil leaves the Gulf region through the strategic waterway.

The Islamic state often launches military drills in the country to display its military capabilities amid persistent speculation about a possible US or Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. — Agencies

S&P raises Kuwait’s credit rating to AA Continued from Page 1 Kuwait’s net budget surplus increased to KD 6.5 billion ($23.7 billion) in its 2010/11 fiscal year as oil income jumped, according to preliminar y data released in May. The net figure is after a transfer of 10 percent of revenues to a fund for future generations, managed by the OPEC producer’s sovereign wealth fund. “Kuwait’s public finances remain exceptionally strong, and the general government budget has been recording surpluses at double-digit percentages of GDP for almost a decade,” S&P said. “We estimate the 2010/2011 budget year... to have concluded with a budget surplus of 20 percent of GDP, after 28 percent

the previous year.”

Last month, the Assembly approved a 2011/12 budget worth KD 19.4 billion, the country’s biggest since at least 2003. In Januar y, the government announced plans to spend nearly $5 billion, or around 4 percent of its GDP, on cash grants and free food rations. “The rating weaknesses of Kuwait include an ineffective political setup leading to sustained gridlock between the government and parliament, a strong dependence on hydrocarbons, slow progress thus far on structural reform, and a lack of transparency regarding government assets,” Kai Stukenbrock, director for Middle East and CIS sovereign ratings, told Reuters. — Agencies

Hackers falsely report death...

Continued from Page 1 as “technical larceny” and claimed the Taleban’s own technical wizards were on the case. “The technical workers of Islamic Emirate’s information and cultural commission have opened an investigation into the enemy’s technical larceny and its dirty utilisation,” the email said.

Omar, the spiritual leader of the insurgency, presided over the Taleban’s brief regime in Kabul which was toppled by the US for refusing to give up Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks. Violence is at a record high in the fight against the present Westernbacked government and 150,000 US-led foreign troops.

US and Afghan officials are trying to reach out to insurgents to broker a political solution. Yesterday, a bicycle bomb killed at least four people and wounded 11 others in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, police said.

The deputy provincial police chief, Abdul Rauf Taj, said explosives carried by a man with a bicycle in the Dasht-i-Shor area of the city detonated, but it was not yet clear if the man was a suicide bomber. Washington has withdrawn 650 of 33,000 American troops due to go home by the end of summer 2012 and this week NATO is transferring security control to Afghans in seven areas, part of a country-wide process due to complete in 2014. Abdul Wahab Salih, the deputy chief of intelligence for Kandahar city, birthplace of the Taleban,

said the National Directorate for Security (NDS) had no reports of the Taleban leader’s death.

A gunbattle broke out early yesterday in the southern city after Afghan police mounted a raid on a house where at least two insurgents were holed up, killing both militants and three policemen. Eight people were wounded in the firefight that followed a tip-off about a house in the District 1 area of the city, officials said. One of the insurgents killed in the raid was described by interior ministry spokesman Siddiq Siddiqi as a wellknown deaf Taleban commander. He said the district’s police chief was among the dead.

Local residents said the area, a web of mud-brick homes and unpaved roads, had been sealed off by foreign forces and Afghan police late Tuesday and that shops were unable to open. The reclusive Omar has not appeared in public since 2001. In May, shortly after US special forces killed bin Laden in Pakistan, the NDS intelligence agency said he had disappeared from his suspected hideout in Pakistan.

An Afghan intelligence source had initially called reporters to tell them on condition of anonymity that Omar had been killed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency. In January, the Taleban and Pakistan’s spy agency denied a report suggesting that Omar had suffered a heart attack and had been treated in Karachi. — Agencies

Syria warns envoys not to leave capital Continued from Page 1 figure Georges Sabra and a lawyer, the Syrian League for the Defence of Human Rights said yesterday.

“At 2:00 am, security forces stormed the home of Georges Sabra, head of the Syrian Democratic People’s Party, in Qatana,” west of Damascus, Abdel Karim Rihawi said. “He was driven to an unknown location.” Sabra had already been arrested on April 10 and detained for a month. His party is associated with the 2005 Damascus Declaration for Democratic National Change, an opposition movement calling for democratic reforms in Syria.

In Aleppo, Syria’s second city, security forces arrested lawyer Jamal Tahan in his home. Tahan is well-known critic of the regime, the rights group said. And activists said security forces swept through Duma, just north of the capital, early yesterday and arrested a number of people. A video posted on the Syrian Revolution 2011 Facebook page showed people demonstrating after midday prayers in Duma demanding Assad’s downfall.

And state television showed footage of pro-regime demonstrators carrying a massive flag down the streets of Suweida, a city south of Damascus.

Meanwhile, Damascus warned French Ambassador Eric Chevalier and US Ambassador Robert Ford not to venture beyond the capital. “We will impose a ban on any (diplomatic) travel more than 25 km outside Damascus, if the ambassadors continue to ignore (our) guidance,” Muallem told the envoys at a meeting broadcast by state television. “I hope that we will not be forced to impose the ban,” he added. “We did not expel the two ambassadors because we had hoped to maintain better relations in future.”

Ford and Chevallier visited Hama on July 7 amid

repeated large demonstrations in the city against Assad.

Damascus reacted furiously to the visit, accusing the US ambassador of seeking to undermine the stability of Syria and calling in both envoys for consultations. Mobs stormed the American and French embassies July 11, further raising tensions. The Syrian authorities accused the pair of travelling to Hama without authorisation, but Washington insisted Damascus had been notified in advance. The foreign ministry called Ford’s presence in Hama “obvious proof of the implication of the United States in the ongoing events, and of their attempts to increase (tensions), which damage Syria’s security and stability”.

Embassy press attache J J Harder insisted Ford “certainly did not incite anyone to anything” and that the ambassador “wanted to see with his own eyes what was happening on the ground.” Activists say the government’s crackdown on pro-democracy and anti-regime protests has left more than 1,400 civilians dead.

Thousands more have been jailed. In other developments, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied in an interview with Al-Arabiya television that Israel wanted to see Assad remain in power. “We don’t intervene in what happens in Syria, but we obviously would like to have peaceful relations,” he said.

Netanyahu said it would be counterproductive for Israel to offer support for pro-reform demonstrators in its neighbour, and that he hoped Israel would not see tensions on its border rise as the uprising continues to shake Syria. “I hope that no one in Syria thinks of having a distraction ... to heat up the border between us. And I hope that Iran or Hezbollah are not tempted to do this in order to shift attention away from what’s happening in Syria.” — AFP

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Kane recovers after surgery CHICAGO: Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane had surgery on his left wrist on Tuesday and is expected to be fit for the start of training camp in September, the National Hockey League team said.

Kane, who scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in overtime for Chicago in 2010, had surgery to repair a scaphoid fracture in his left wrist.

“The surgery went very well and we anticipate a full recovery,” Blackhawks head team physician Michael Terry said in a statement on Tuesday. “Patrick will begin doing modified preseason workouts shortly and we hope for a full return to activity in six to eight weeks.”

Kane, selected first overall by the Blackhawks in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, had 73 points last season including a team-high 46 assists.

The former rookie of the year, who has twice appeared in the NHL All Star Game, has 103 goals and 200 assists for 303 points in 317 games during four seasons with the Blackhawks.

Chicago open their regular season on Oct. 7 against Dallas. —Reuters

MLB results/standings Major League Baseball results and standings on Tuesday. Baltimore 6, Boston 2; Detroit 8, Oakland 3; Pittsburgh 1, Cincinnati 0; Toronto 6, Seattle 5 (14 innings); Tampa Bay 3, NY Yankees 2; San Diego 4, Florida 0; NY Mets 4, St. Louis 2; Philadelphia 4, Chicago Cubs 2; Houston 7, Washington 6; Kansas City 4, Chicago White Sox 2; Minnesota 2, Cleveland 1; Colorado 12, Atlanta 3; Milwaukee 11, Arizona 3; Texas 7, LA Angels 0; San Francisco 5, LA Dodgers 3.

American League Eastern Division W L PCT Boston 58 37 .611 NY Yankees 56 38 .596 Tampa Bay 51 44 .537 Toronto 48 49 .495 Baltimore 39 55 .415 Central Division Detroit 51 45 .531 Cleveland 51 45 .531 C’ White Sox 47 50 .485 Minnesota 45 51 .469 Kansas City 39 58 .402 Western Division Texas 56 41 .577 LA Angels 51 46 .526 Seattle 43 53 .448 Oakland 42 55 .433 National League Eastern Division Philadelphia 60 36 .625 Atlanta 57 40 .588 NY Mets 48 48 .500 Washington 48 49 .495 Florida 47 50 .485 Central Division Pittsburgh 51 44 .537 Milwaukee 52 46 .531 St. Louis 50 46 .521 Cincinnati 47 50 .485 Chicago Cubs 39 59 .398 Houston 32 65 .330 Western Division San Francisco 57 41 .582 Arizona 52 45 .536 Colorado 46 51 .474 San Diego 42 55 .433 LA Dodgers 42 55 .433

GB 1.5 7 11 18.5 4.5 6 12.5 5 12.5 14

3.5 12 12.5 13.5 0.5 1.5 5 13.5 20 4.5 10.5 14.5 14.5

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

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DeBoer to coach Devils NEW YORK: The New Jersey Devils named Peter DeBoer as their new head coach on Tuesday.

DeBoer, a former Florida Panthers coach, replaced Jacques Lemaire, who stepped down as Devils head coach at the end of the regular season in April.

Lemaire replaced first-year coach John MacLean in December and helped to turn around what was a dismal start to the NHL season but fell just short of making the playoffs.

The Devils had been the only National Hockey League (NHL) team without a head coach and DeBoer became the seventh man hired by Devils General Manager Lou Lamoriello in the last seven seasons.

“Peter DeBoer is an individual who I have watched coach over the past two decades at the junior, international, and professional levels,” Lamoriello said in a statement.

“His teams have always been well-prepared and disciplined, while maximizing their effort each and every night. I am looking forward to working with him.” DeBoer has served as a head coach for 16 consecutive seasons, including the past three at Florida, where he compiled a 103-107-36 record.

The 43-year-old has also served as assistant coach to the Canadian national team at last year’s world championships in Germany. —Reuters

Tamgho ruled out of worlds PARIS: French triple jumper Teddy Tamgho has pulled out of the athletics world championships with an ankle injury, the French federation said on Tuesday. Tamgho, the world indoor champion, needs surgery and will not compete again this season. The 22-year-old tried to sound upbeat despite the disappointment. “Let us not forget that we are one year from the Olympic Games, there is still time,” he said in a statement.

“Every day in our sport we risk injury. When you go to training there is a 50 percent chance of injury. If it had happened on July 18, 2012, I would cry, but right now I have time.”

The world championships will be held in Daegu, South Korea, from Aug. 27 to Sep. 4. “I am really sad and affected

by Teddy’s injury,” French technical director Ghani Yalouz said in a statement. “I think of him at this difficult time. Unfortunately, in a demanding and difficult sport such as athletics, these injuries can happen even in training.”

Tamgho holds the world indoor record of 17.92, set in March at the European championships at home in Paris, and was one of France’s bests hopes for a medal next month. — Reuters

Brewers beat slumping D’backs PHOENIX: The Milwaukee Brewers stayed right on the tail of surprise packet Pittsburgh in the National League Central, beating the slumping Arizona Diamondbacks 11-3 on Tuesday, with Ryan Braun hitting one of three firstinning homers in his return to the lineup.

Braun was back after missing 10 of Milwaukee’s past 13 games with nagging left calf and hamstring injuries.

Corey Hart and Yuniesky Betancourt also homered in the first inning for Milwaukee, which remained one game behind the Pirates.

Betancourt added a two-run homer in the ninth for his first career two homer game and Rickie Weeks had a solo shot in the third. Milwaukee starter Yovani Gallardo (11-6) allowed one earned run over six innings. The Diamondback have lost five of six. Barry Enright (1-4) got the loss.

In Denver, Ubaldo Jimenez brushed aside both Atlanta’s powerful bats and incessant trade talk, guiding Colorado to victory.

Jimenez (6-8), who has won five of his past six decisions, allowed two runs in 6 2-3 innings. He left to a standing ovation from fans hoping he stays in purple pinstripes. Jimenez has been mentioned in trade talk but is signed for the next three years at just under $18 million.

Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez homered for the Rockies, who won for the first time in six tries against the Braves this month.

Atlanta starter Brandon Beachy (3-2) allowed six earned runs while struggling through 4 2-3 innings.

In San Francisco, Brandon Belt hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the seventh inning in his first game back in the majors, lifting San Francisco over Los Angeles.

Belt, called up from the minors earlier in the day to give slumping first baseman Aubrey Huff a rest, homered in his first at-bat. He was retired in his next two trips to the plate, then lined a basesloaded double down off Hong-Chih Kuo (0-1).

Giants starter Madison Bumgarner (59) struck out seven in eight innings, yielding four hits. It’s the first time in 18

PHOENIX: Milwaukee Brewers’ Yuniesky Betancourt forces out Arizona Diamondbacks’ Willie Bloomquist (18) as he turns a double play on Diamondbacks’ Gerardo Parra during the third inning of a baseball game. —AP starts at AT&T Park that Bumgarner has received more than three runs of support.

In addition to bringing up Belt, the Giants acquired second baseman Jeff Keppinger from Houston for two minor league pitchers and placed infielder Miguel Tejada on the disabled list with an abdominal strain. The Dodgers have lost their past six against San Francisco.

In Chicago, Michael Martinez hit a tiebreaking two-run double with two outs in the ninth inning, leading Philadelphia over Chicago.

The Cubs led 2-0 after the first inning and that lasted until the eighth when Chase Utley tied with a two-run double against Sean Marshall (5-4).

Then Marshall (5-4) yielded a two-out single by Ben Francisco. Jimmy Rollins hit

a hard smash off the third baseman’s glove, putting runners on first and second, and Martinez drove them in with a bloop double down the right-field line.

Michael Stutes (4-1) pitched two innings to get the win for the Phillies.

In Pittsburgh, James McDonald and three relievers combined as Pittsburgh shut out Cincinnatti for the second straight night.

McDonald (6-4) won for the first time in five starts, pitching effectively into the seventh inning before getting bailed out of a bases-loaded jam by his relievers.

Joel Hanrahan worked the ninth for his 28th save as the Pirates managed to make a rare appearance in first place more than a one-day cameo. They also improved to 7-1 this season against the defending NL Central champions.

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 makes motorsport debut BAHRAIN: McLaren GT, the factory team formed by McLaren Racing’s partnership with CRS Racing, made its competitive motorsport debut with the new MP4-12C GT3 race car last weekend in the Avon Tyres British GT Championship at Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

The McLaren GT3, driven by Chief Test Driver for Mclaren Automotive Chris Goodwin and CRS racing’s Andrew Kirkaldy, passed both the Geddie Ferrari and the Guasch/Bell Audi on the final lap to claim a successful fourth place in its very first race.

The race came a week after the car made its dynamic world debut in the glamorous ‘Supercar Run’ at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011, an internationally renowned festival featuring the largest motoring gathering in the world. This year a record 181,000 spectators attended, where they witnessed the MP4-12C GT3 take on the famous Goodwood hill, piloted by both Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.

McLaren GT, a new race car manufacturer that brings together the expertise of McLaren Racing, McLaren Automotive and the GT series racing expertise of CRS Racing, recently announced the development of two GT3 cars to compete in races that are part of the 2011 Blancpain Endurance Series. The GT3 racing car is a version of the 12C road car which is only legally allowed to drive on the track.

As well as the Spa 24 hours McLaren GT plans to race the new MP4-12C GT3 in this season’s Blancpain Endurance Series races at Magny-Cours in France and Silverstone in England. Team Principal Andrew Kirkaldy will be joined by 2010 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes test driver Oliver Turvey and Portuguese racing driver ¡lvaro Parente in the McLaren GT driver line-up for the 2011 season.

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren Group Chief Executive Officer and F1 team principle said: “McLaren has racing in its blood and it was a natural step to take

Lewis Hamilton drove the GT3 at Goodwood for the GT3s first public outing. our MP4-12C racing. We have worked with CRS Racing to ensure the 12C GT3 design and development programme is as close as possible to one McLaren Racing would employ in developing a Formula 1 car and this approach we have seen has made an immediate impact.

“McLaren Racing is able to bring new levels of technology to GT3 racing. No other GT3 car in 2011 will be using a carbon MonoCell and the same steering wheel design employed by Lewis Hamilton in his MP4-24 Formula 1 car, as well as other associated technology from a Formula 1 car.”

McLaren GT does not plan to compete as a factory team but will sell up to 20 cars only to private European based race teams, to compete in Europe for the 2012 season, with the aim of delivering the best GT3 car on the grid in terms of performance, results and customer service.

The ability and desire to develop a racing car version of the 12C before the road car even goes on sale is a further reminder of the car’s inherent ‘race-bred’

Two McLaren MP4-12C GT3 at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011. structure and concept: carbon chassis, lightweight obsession and extreme efficiency.

The new McLaren MP4-12C GT3 is the first McLaren car built for FIAGT series racing since the McLaren F1 GTR finished production in1997. The 12C GT3 is based on the new MP4-12C high-performance sports car and a team of engineers, designers and test drivers with vast experience in Formula 1 and GT racing has been assembled to undertake the process of adapting the carbon chassisbased 12C to racing specification to compete in the 2011 Blancpain Endurance Series.

Mark Vinnels, McLaren Automotive Programme Director, said: “From the early stages in the car’s development we were integrating key members of McLaren Racing into the road car development team and this blend of experience and skill, combined with a ‘can-do’ attitude and desire to push what is technically possible, has led to both a great road car and a unique racing car.

At the McLaren Technology Centre

headquarters we walk past the McLaren F1 GTR that won Le Mans in ‘95 every day. Racing has changed since then, and we have no plans to develop a McLaren to win Le Mans outright again, but car number 59 is truly inspirational for us all.”

The 12C GT3, which is only legally allowed to drive on the track, and will only be sold to European based race teams, employs the same light-weight, ultra-strong carbon-fibre MonoCell chassis as the MP4-12C road car, as well as a “race specification” version of its 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine and a Ricardodesigned six-speed sequential gearbox that is 80kg lighter than the road car’s seven-speed transmission has also been developed.

Additionally it features specific electronics including a new Bosch Motorsport ABS braking system and a McLaren Racing-developed aero package comprising a new front splitter, door blades and a large, fixed rear wing. The car is the perfect blend of years of experience in super car manufacturing and formula one racing.

Reds starter Mike Leake (8-5) yielded one run in six innings but couldn’t stop his team dropping three games below .500 for the first time this season. The sole run came when Andrew McCutchen drove in Josh Harrison with a groundout in the first inning.

In New York, shortstop Jose Reyes made an impact in the field in his return from a hamstring injury, turning a difficult double play with the bases loaded in the eighth inning after making a diving stop that saved a run as New York downed St. Louis.

Carlos Beltran also was back in the Mets’ lineup after missing three games with a fever. He hit two doubles, singled, walked twice and scored a run.

Angel Pagan and Daniel Murphy hit two-run doubles, and Dillon Gee (9-3) pitched seven sharp innings for New York. Kyle Lohse (8-7) had an RBI single but took the loss for St. Louis.

In Miami, Tim Stauffer pitched six innings and combined with San Diego relievers to shut out Florida. Stauffer (6-6) lowered his ERA to 2.83.

Ryan Ludwick and Orlando Hudson hit consecutive two-out RBI doubles in the first inning for the Padres, and that was all they needed. Cameron Maybin had two hits, an RBI and a run scored against his former team.

The Marlins, playing in their third city in as many days, looked jet-lagged as they went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position. Anibal Sanchez (6-3) got the loss.

In Houston, Clint Barmes homered and drove in three runs for Houston, which edged Washington.

Michael Bourn added three RBIs for the Astros while starter J.A. Happ (4-11) picked up his first win in two months, yielding seven hits in 5 2-3 innings. He had been 0-7 with a 6.08 ERA in 10 starts since his previous win.

Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann (6-8) allowed a season-worst six runs in five innings in his shortest outing of the season.

Houston closer Mark Melancon hit one batter and walked another with two outs in the ninth before getting a strikeout to earn his eighth save. —AP

Rays rally past Yankees ST. PETERSBURG: The Tampa Bay Rays took advantage of sloppy New York defense to edge the Yankees 3-2 in the American League on Tuesday.

Tampa Bay starter Jeremy Hellickson (9-7) pitched seven strong innings, retiring 13 of 15 batters after giving up a two-run homer in the third. That helped the Rays stay close until they finally broke through against Bartolo Colon (6-6) in the seventh.

With two on, New York center fielder Curtis Granderson lost track of a fly ball looking up toward the roof, allowing a single that loaded the bases.

It looked as though the Yankees might escape the jam when the next batter, Elliot Johnson, hit a tailormade, double-play grounder back to the mound, but pitcher Boone Logan failed to collect it in an error that enabled the Rays to tie it 2-2.

A sacrifice fly by former Yankee Damon drove in the go-ahead run from third, beating Granderson’s wild throw to home plate. Rays reliever Joel Peralta worked a perfect ninth for his first save.

In Anaheim, Alexi Ogando extended an extraordinary run by Texas pitchers by throwing eight scoreless innings as the Rangers made it 12 straight wins by shutting out Los Angeles. Winning the opener of a threegame series, Texas increased its AL West lead to a season-best five games over the Angels.

The 12-game streak is the second-longest in club history behind a 14-game run in 1991, and it has put the Rangers (56-41) a season-high 15 games over .500. The pitching staff has yielded just two earned runs across the past six games - including four shutouts.

Ogando (10-3) won his third straight start, lowering his ERA to 2.72. Endy Chavez, the No. 9 batter, hit a tworun homer in the eighth. Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre added solo shots in the ninth. Angels starter Tyler Chatwood (5-6) gave up three runs and four walks in five innings.

In Baltimore, Jeremy Guthrie allowed only two runs over seven innings in an effort that belied his record as the pitcher with the most losses in the majors this season, steering Baltimore past Boston. Guthrie (4-13) walked only one as he ended a run of losing his past seven decisions against the Red Sox. Derrek Lee and Mark Reynolds hit successive homers in the eighth to turn a one-run lead into a more comfortable cushion for the Orioles, who lost their previous seven games against Boston this season. Red Sox starter Kyle Weiland (0-1) yielded three runs in six innings. — AP

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

S P ORT S

China’s star Yao retires

LAS VEGAS: Badih Bounahra, of Belize (left), Phil Collins, Matt Giannetti, Pius Heinz, of Germany, Samuel Holden, of the United Kingdom, Ben Lamb, Anton Makiievskyi, of the Ukraine, Eoghan O’Dea, of Ireland, and Martin Staszko, of the Czech Republic, pose for a photo during the World Series of Poker main event.—AP

9 players from 7 countries make WSOP final table LAS VEGAS: Nine poker players from seven countries made the final table of the World Series of Poker main event early yesterday after a 23-yearold from Costa Rica busted out of the no-limit Texas Hold ‘em tournament in 10th place.

Poker professional John Hewitt was eliminated early yesterday with pocket 3s after losing to Eoghan O’Dea’s broadway straight. O’Dea had a king-jack, and caught an ace on the turn to complete his hand.

“I think at the end, it was a little bit of relief,” said O’Dea, the 26-year-old son of an Irish poker player who made two main event final tables and won a bracelet at the series in 1998.

“Things can change completely,” O’Dea said.

Hewitt lost the bulk of his chips minutes before being eliminated after calling an all-in wager from 49-year-old Badih Bounahra of Belize with an unsuited king-queen. Bounahra had pocket kings, which doubled him to nearly 19 million in chips.

The blunder - Hewitt was likely at best a less than 50-50 shot to win the hand no matter what Bounahra was holding - put Hewitt extremely low on chips and opened him up significantly to attacks from other players with mediocre hands.

“The player he was up against was really tight,” O’Dea said. “He definitely could have maybe let that go against him.” The nine finalists, including chip leader Martin Stasko of the Czech Republic with 40.2 million, will settle the $8.71 million title in November.

Hewitt’s ouster capped 31/2 hours of 10-handed play, during which the top players from a starting field of 6,865 players tried to avoid busting out on poker’s biggest bubble - worth far more than the pay difference of $174,233 between 10th and ninth place.

The finalists, all relatively unknown, now have until November to make names for themselves before coming back to play for the title.

“As far as life, this is one of the coolest days of

my life and will be for many years,” said Ben Lamb, a 26-year-old poker professional from Las Vegas who capped a summer during which his run at the 58-tournament series was better than any other player.

Lamb, who finished with an about-average 20.8 million in chips, is the front-runner for the series’ player of the year award, ahead of 11-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth and already a winner at another tournament earlier this summer.

But Lamb said making the final table of the main event - poker’s most prestigious yearly event - topped the remarkable run.

“Truthfully, this is way cooler than anything else,” Lamb said. “If I had to stand out, this is it.”

“Every poker player’s dream is to be here, and to have all my success before and then be here still it’s surreal,” Lamb said. “This is one of the biggest heaters, if not the biggest heater, in poker, ever.”

The final table includes three Americans, plus entrants from Britain, Germany, the Ukraine and Ireland, all who have played nearly 72 hours of poker in total since the tournament started July 7.

While Staszko has a more than 10 million-chip advantage over his next closest competitor, the rest of the field is relatively close to one another in chips, making for an even less predictable than usual finale. Besides O’Dea, Lamb and Bounahra, the remaining finalists were 26-year-old Matt Giannetti of Las Vegas, Anton Makiievskyi of the Ukraine, Sam Holden of Britain, Pius Heinz of Germany, and Phil Collins of Las Vegas.

Collins, a poker professional who finished closest to average with 23.9 million in chips, said making the final table was the culmination of several years of playing cards for a career.

“I tried to enjoy playing this as much as I could, despite being nervous,” said Collins, who is named after the famous “Genesis” frontman but is not related to him. “This is a once in a lifetime experience,” he said. —AP

Kuwaiti racers to stage mini grand prix at bikc

K

uwait Motorsport Group will be organizing a trip to Bahrain International Circuit, ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’ this Friday (July 22, 2011), the group of 18 motorsport enthusiasts from the State of Kuwait will race a Mini Grand Prix karting race at the world-class facilities of Bahrain International Karting Circuit.

The group of racers will be coming to Sakhir not only to experience the thrills of competition, but also in support of regional motorsport and to help contribute to sport tourism in Bahrain.

Ali Abdul Razak bin Awad, the general coordinator of the visiting Kuwait Motorsport Group of racers, commented: “We have arranged for this event in support of the motorsport enthusiast of Kuwait and mainly our youth who are known for their love of motorsport. We have chosen Bahrain in particular to what it has to offer from world class facilities and services, and to encourage young people from all over the Gulf to compete in such motorsport events around the GCC. “We are proud to see talented Kuwaitis compete in all sorts of motor racing, and this visit will surely be the first of many more to come in the future.” Bin Awad concluded: “I would like to thank Bahrain International Circuit for their interest and care in hosting us and for making all the necessary arrangements for our Mini Grand Prix.”

Bahrain International Karting Circuit has attracted thousands of motor racing enthusiasts from the region and all over the world since its soft opening held earlier this year. The facility offers many special activities, including the Mini Grand Prix, driver training courses, corporate karting events, and much more.

For information on track offers and its availability, visit www.bahrain-karting.com or call +973-1745-1745.

SHANGHAI: China’s Yao Ming, who opened up the world’s most populous country to the NBA and became an Asian sporting icon, officially announced the end of his basketball career yesterday.

The towering 30-year-old had been plagued by foot and ankle injuries towards the end of his eight seasons in the National Basketball Association, playing just five games in the past two seasons for the Houston Rockets.

Yao said he had been steeling himself for this day and thanked his family and friends for helping him handle the decision to stop playing.

“I am ending my athletic career and am retiring from basketball,” Yao said through an interpreter at a plush Pudong hotel on Wednesday. “Basketball has given me so much. It has led me to a bigger and brighter stage to showcase my abilities.”

Yao, who had been widely expected to retire after telling the Rockets he would not be returning, said persistent foot injuries had forced him to retire.

“This process has been quite lengthy. I got a lot of support from my family and friends in making this decision,” he added.

“When I started playing basketball, my parents told me: ‘Do your best but one day things will have to come to a stop and you have to think about the next step’. “So I have been preparing for this day for 18 years, although today comes a bit fast.”

In 2002, the seven foot, six inch (2.30m) Yao became the first international player to be top pick in the NBA draft and wasted no time making an impression with the Rockets with his foot speed, positional play and silky shooting.

However, it was the way Yao so easily straddled East and West that appealed to the NBA and its legion of fans, his laconic, easy-going manner and quick wit making people warm to him almost instantly.

The NBA also got a foothold in China thanks to Yao and saw a surge in television coverage and apparel sales in the country.

League Commissioner David Stern said Yao’s retirement was the NBA’s loss. “Since entering the league ... Yao Ming has been a transformational player and a testament to the globalization of our game,” Stern said in a statement.

“His dominant play and endearing demeanor along with his extensive humanitarian efforts have made him an international fan favorite and provided an extraordinary bridge between basketball fans in the United States and China.”

A household name in China even before he blazed a trail to the United States, Yao is also known for his humanitarian work and uses his image to raise awareness about issues close to his heart.

He donated $2 million to survivors of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake and created a foundation to rebuild schools in the area.

As China’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics he walked hand in hand with nine-year-old earthquake sur vivor Lin Hao, which became one of the most memorable images of the extravagant opening ceremony that stamped China’s arrival on the world stage.

Yao said he would continue his philanthropic work as he “opened the next door” in his life. Fans were disappointed they would no longer be able to see Yao in the NBA, but recognised his influence.

“I started playing basketball because of Yao Ming. I watched him play in the NBA and then decided to learn basketball,” 15year-old student Li Ao told CCTV. “Yao Ming’s achievements in the NBA got more and more young and old fans involved in the sport in China.”

Others had hoped he might continue playing. “I wish he could play two more years and make more contribution to Chinese national basketball team,” 16-yearold Jian Yisen told CCTV. “He proved that Chinese are good at playing basketball and established the China brand in the NBA. “Even he retires from the NBA, I believe he will still help to improve and develop the Chinese basketball.” Yao said he would not be leaving the game completely and would continue to work with the Shanghai Sharks-the Chinese Basketball League team he owns and who he led to the title before moving to the United States.

“Even though I am leaving the basketball court I will not be leaving the game.

The Shanghai Sharks is how my professional life will continue and I am continuing to learn to manage the team.” —Reuters

MIAMI: In this Nov. 12, 2006, file photo, Houston Rockets center Yao Ming, of China, celebrates a basket during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat. —AP

Sun down Liberty UNCASVILLE: Tina Charles scored eight of her 24 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Connecticut Sun to an 85-79 win over the New York Liberty in the WNBA on Tuesday.

The Sun won their third straight game and moved into sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference.

Connecticut leads second-place Indiana by percentage points.

Renee Montgomery added 13 points and 10 assists for Connecticut, the lone remaining unbeaten team at home in the WNBA. Kara Lawson had 12 points, and Danielle McCray added 10.

Plenette Pierson led New York (9-7) with 18 points. Cappie Pondexter added 16, Nicole Powell had 14, Carson 11 and Kia Vaughn 10. At Rosemont, Illinois, AllStars Sylvia Fowles and Epiphanny Prince combined for 47 points to lead Chicago over Seattle. Fowles, the WNBA scoring leader, had 24 points and nine rebounds, and Prince added 23 points for Chicago (8-8), which won its second in three

games. Both players were announced as All-Star reserves at halftime. Sue Bird scored 26 points for the Storm (7-7), who have lost three straight. Ashley Robinson had 14 points, and Swin Cash added 10 for Seattle.

At Atlanta, Lindsey Harding scored 19 points to push Atlanta past Indiana. The defending Eastern Conference champion Dream have won two straight, but are fifth in the conference, four games behind the Fever. Tamika Catchings had 22 points, and Erin Phillips added 21 for Indiana, which has lost three straight for the first time this season. Erika de Souza had 15 points and 11 rebounds for Atlanta. All-Star Angel McCoughtry, slowed by foul trouble, netted 15 points in only 19 minutes. Atlanta also was without forward Sancho Lyttle (sore back) and guard Coco Miller (sprained right ankle) and had only nine players in uniform for the second straight game.

Jessica Davenport added 12 points and seven rebounds for Indiana.—AP

Tina Charles celebrates in this file photo

TNT sets its NBA schedule LOS ANGELES: TNT announced plans Tuesday to open its 2011-12 NBA regularseason broadcast schedule Nov. 1 with a double-header featuring the defending champion Dallas Mavericks playing the Chicago Bulls, and the L.A. Lakers playing the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The network also trumpeted the fact that often-easygoing- but sometimes not so much-former NBA big man Shaquille O’Neal will be adding to the delicate chemistry of the popular Charles Barkley, Kenny “The Jet” Smith and Ernie Johnson in the “NBA on TNT” studio in Atlanta. But don’t look for any of it to happen Nov. 1.

Unlike the National Football League, which appears close to bridging what had been all along a fairly narrow collective bargaining chasm between players and owners, the NBA appears nowhere near close to ending its player lockout in time for the start of the regular season. NBA owners locked out their players July 1, and there have been no negotiations since that time.

The forces of brinksmanship should bring both sides back to the bargaining table right before team training camps are set to open in the fall. But with league own-

ers trying to bring way down the revenue share of the players-currently at around 57 percent-there’s a lot to figure out. Could the NBA lose an entire season? Well, the owners are being egged on by their National Hockey League brethren, who are telling them it was financially worth it for them when they drew a hard line with their players and lost the 2004-05 NHL season.

Although, if you look at the hit TV ratings for pro hockey took at that time, you might second-guess that notion.

Meanwhile, top NBA players are now openly pondering playing overseas. In any event, the games will be back at some point (won’t they?), and Shaq will be in the studio for TNT’s pregame, halftime and postgame coverage when they do.

The Emmy-winning “NBA on TNT” has been one of the most successful sports-TV blends of ex-jock banter and analysis over the last decade, with Johnson, Smith and Barkley humorously busting each other’s chops as they break down the games.

O’Neal, over a 19-year sure-to-be Hall of Fame playing career, certainly showed a playful, creative side with the media, dishing out quips while thinking up playful nick-

names for himself and his peers.

In fact, Shaq could, off the cuff, throw out a moniker for a peer one time in a postgame interview, and it would stick for decades-like when he called Vince Carter “Half Man, Half Amazing” or when he referred to Tim Duncan as “ The Big Fundamental.” He also showed a dark side and a tendency to take himself pretty seriously, trashing former teammates and coaches on numerous occasions when he left a team, and sometimes when he was still there. Casual fans know all about his feud with Lakers star Kobe Bryant when he was in LA, but he has plenty of other fallingouts on record. How will Shaq take it, for example, when his head is Photo shopped by the “NBA on TNT” production minions onto some goofy body, in the name of instudio comedy-a plight the good-natured Barkley has endured countless times?

Will he show the same deft ability as Barkley to come close to the line-but not cross it-when Sir Charles inevitably brings up the fight the pair had has players, one in which, as Barkley frequently boasts, he got the best of? Well, we shall see ... but not on Nov. 1, as scheduled. —AP

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

S P ORT S

Ton of tons beckons Tendulkar in 2,000th Test

LONDON: England’s Andrew Strauss (right) and India’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni pose with the Npower trophy at Lord’s cricket ground. —AP

No lbw decisions in India-England Tests Ball-tracking technology LONDON: England captain Andrew Strauss expressed reservations yesterday about the decision to dispense with ball-tracking technology during the four-test series against India starting at Lord’s today.

The Indian cricket board has refused to accept any ball-tracking technology in the series which means players will be not be able to ask for reviews of leg-before-wicket decisions. Both governing bodies must agree before the system can be used.

Strauss told a news conference he thought the Decision Review System (DRS) had worked well over the past 12 to 18 months.

“I think we are getting more decisions right as a result of it,” he said. “It’s a good thing but as it happens we can’t use the full DRS in this series.

“We are going to have to deal with the kind of halfway house we’ve got at the moment. I don’t think it’s ideal but that’s the situation we face ourselves with.”

Strauss’s counterpart Mahendra Singh Dhoni said the Indians were not 100 percent convinced about the reliability of balltracking technology to show whether a ball would have hit the stumps.

“Until we are 100 percent satisfied we will not really go with something that is not 100 percent satisfactory to our views,” he said. An International Cricket Council (ICC) statement released yesterday said the minimum standards of infra-red technology and stump microphones would be used during the series to help adjudicate on catches.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said it was common knowledge that the world governing body and the England and Wales Cricket Board would have liked ball tracking to allow lbw decisions to be reviewed.

“The last chief executives committee and board meeting in Hong Kong agreed to independently confirm the accuracy of ball-tracking technology. This will now take place as a matter of urgency,” he said.

Both captains said they had decided on their final XI for the 2000th test and the 100th between the two countries but both declined to say who had been included.

Pace bowlers Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan will be competing for the final spot in the England team. Broad left the Ashes tour of Australia early because of injury and failed to make an impact against Sri Lanka earlier in the English summer.

“I am pretty clear,” said Strauss. “It’s a tough decision, all 12 players in the squad have got very strong merits to playing the final XI.” Strauss was at pains to point out that Broad’s role in the side was not that of an enforcer employed to bowl primarily shortpitched deliveries.

“Stuart Broad’s role in the side is not fundamentally different from anyone else. He’s there to bang out a length consistently and work in conjunction with the other bowlers as a bowling group to take wickets,” he said.

“One aspect of his game which I think gives him a little bit of an edge is that he’s got a very good bouncer, he can make life difficult for batsmen with the short ball but that doesn’t mean that he’s the enforcer all the time.”

“It just means that occasionally there might be spells in which he goes short.”

Strauss, whose team can overtake India as the world’s top side if they win the series by a two-match margin, said no side had been better than England over the past two years. “Ultimately our goal over the long term is not just to be the side that on the rankings is number one but to be the side that everyone generally agrees is the number one. That’s still a long-term goal.

Nothing changes whether we win or not,” he said. Dhoni, unbeaten in 10 series as captain, said every series was important to a team who also won the 50 overs World Cup this year. “Each and every game I play is tough and every series is a chance to prove ourselves as cricketers and prove ourselves as a team,” he said. —Reuters

LONDON: Test cricket will celebrate its 2,000th match with a series opener between England and India at Lord’s that promises to delight both statisticians and Sachin Tendulkar should the ‘Little Master’ mark an already landmark occasion with a 100th international hundred.

The match is also the 100th Test between England, who gave birth to cricket, and India, now top of the ICC’s Test rankings, the 50-over world champions and the sport’s financial powerhouse.

That means it will feature a clash between the ‘old world’ and the ‘new’- as there was, albeit in a different fashion, when England travelled to Melbourne to play Australia in the very first Test in 1877.

Tendulkar arrives at the ‘home of cricket’, as Lord’s likes to call itself, having had to contend with a level of admiration arguably unequalled in both its frenzy and duration in cricket history.

And having scored a record 99 hundreds — 51 in Tests and 48 in one-day internationals in a career that started when he was a 16year-old in 1989 — that adulation will only intensify should he reach three figures at Lord’s, where his previous Test-best is a modest 37.

The ever-modest Tendulkar, his teammates and opponents have all said the same thing: there is more to this match than Sachin.

“I’m not thinking of records,” he insisted.

“I’m just thinking of enjoying this tour,” added Tendulkar, whose four previous Tests at Lord’s have yielded a meagre top score of 37.

And he is far from the only star in a powerful top-order featuring the likes of Rahul Dravid, who made 95 at Lord’s on his Test debut in 1996 , and Venkatsai Laxman.

“It would be very, very risky to focus all our energies on one player,” said England off-spinner Graeme Swann. “Sure, he’s the best player of the modern generation, but if we focus on one guy another will sneak in the back door and take it away from us. “In MS Dhoni (India’s captain) they have possibly the most charismatic player India has ever had, with the sway he holds in that country now. “I think he is the most important player in that team now. He leads from the front, is a very dangerous crick-

LONDON: India’s Sachin Tendulkar hits a ball during their net practice at Lord’s cricket ground. —AP

eter and if we can get at anyone then he is probably the key man.”

India could rue the shoulder injury that has ruled out Virender Sehwag from at least the first two Tests of this four-match contest-a series that if England win by 2-0, 3-1 or better will see them replace the tourists at the top of the ICC’s Test table. Sehwag’s fearless strokeplay has confounded the traditional notion of openers merely ‘seeing off’ the new ball and, however well Gautam Gambhir and Abhinav Mukund, India’s new first wicket pair start, they are unlikely to take the match away from England in quite the same style.

England too boast an in-form top order with Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott both in the runs. And yet it remains as true now as it ever did, that the side that can most easily take their opponents 20 wickets will emerge victorious. That was the case in 2007 when India whose attack, then as now, was led by left-arm fast bowler Zaheer Khan won a Test series in England 1-0. “If we can keep our fast

‘Blade Runner’ runs dream race to qualify for worlds

Vettel looks ahead to home F1 GP Infiniti’s brand ambassador NURBURGRING : For me, this is the big one. The German Grand Prix is my home race and, obviously, that makes it the one I’d love to win more than any other.

I’ve been on the podium for my home race a couple of times - don’t get me wrong, that was a really enjoyable experience - but to stand on the top step in front of your home crowd and hear the national anthem has to be one of the greatest feelings any sports person can have. It’s something very, very special.

Hockenheim - where I finished third in 2010 - is just half an hour from where I live, but it makes no difference that the race has switched to the N¸rburgring, near the border with Belgium.

A lot of my family and friends will come to this race. It doesn’t add pressure as such but it’s really nice to have them there. Some drivers will tell you that sup-

Sebastian Vettel

port is worth maybe a tenth of a second a lap or something. I can’t be sure about that, but it certainly adds to the good feeling of racing in my home country.

I know the N¸rburgring very well because I raced there a lot in the junior categories when aiming to get to Formula 1. I’ve obviously got a lot of good memories and I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to attacking this circuit again in a Formula 1 car.

It’s a real fun track because it’s got some nice long corners which should suit my Red Bull RB7 very well. The layout rises and falls quite dramatically, and that adds to the challenge and the enjoyment. In fact, I’d say the N¸rburgring is one of the best tracks we have all year.

I should add, of course, that this is the ‘New Nurburgring’. The old Nurburgring, known as the Nordschleife, goes off into the Eifel Mountains and the start/finish sits alongside the new track. They last held the German Grand Prix there in 1976. You can still drive round it in your road car today, and in fact I’ll be taking an Infiniti M37s and an Infiniti M35h around the track before the race weekend which I’m really looking forward to.

It’s intimidating; a crazy place!

Obviously, we wouldn’t be able to race on the old circuit because the cars we have today are way too low and too fast. But, because of the fantastic history of the Nordschleife, it makes the N¸rburgring a place with tradition going back more than 70 years. You can’t buy that.

Now you know why I’d really like to win this one!” Fom the 2011 season, Infiniti is a major partner of the Red Bull Racing team and features prominently on the race -winning RB7 driven by Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.

bowlers fit, then we’ll be very competitive,” said Dravid, whose team will have to contend with an England attack featuring giant fast bowler Chris Tremlett, who impressed against India in his debut series four years ago.

They will also have to acclimatise quickly should the swinging conditions associated with Lord’s and Trent Bridge, the venues for the first two Tests of this series, emerge again if the skies in London and Nottingham are overcast.

This tour has seen India, who last week drew against a Somerset side where ‘guest’ Andrew Strauss, the England captain, managed 78 and 109, play just the one warm-up match hot on the heels of their arrival from a series win in the West Indies.

Duncan Fletcher always used to play-down the importance of warm-up fixtures when he was coach of England. Now the Zimbabwean is in charge of India, time will tell if he regrets a schedule inconceivable at the dawn of Test cricket 134 years ago. — AFP

ITALY: In this photo released by Nuova Atletica dal Friuli, South African double amputee runner Oscar Pistorius sprints on his way to qualify for the track and field world championships. — AP

RALEIGH: With his final attempt, South African double amputee Oscar Pistorius qualified for next month’s world championships by smashing his 400 metres personal best in Lignano, Italy on Tuesday.

Pistorius, known as the ‘Blade Runner’ because he runs with carbon fiber prosthetic running blades, clocked 45.07 seconds to record a time inside both the world championships and 2012 London Olympics qualifying mark.

“It was just a dream race,” Pistorius, 24, told Reuters in a late night telephone conversation from Lignano. “I just have not been able to sleep. I must have 300 messages congratulating me.

“I am sure tomorrow when I wake up it (the accomplishment) is going to hit me. It is really humbling to know I have gotten so much support from everyone.” The performance enabled Pistorius to become the first amputee sprinter to qualify for the world championships, which begin on Aug. 27 in Daegu, South Korea.

His achievement was all the more dramatic as his qualifying time was recorded on the final day of eligibility for the South African team, he said. “‘See you in Daegu’ sounds so wonderful,” said Pistorius, who had both lower legs amputated when he was 11 months old. A multiple Paralympic gold medallist, the South African had sought for years to compete in the world championships and Olympics.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport gave him a chance in 2008 when it ruled in his favor after a long legal battle with the International Association of Athletics Federations over the use of his running blades, which the IAAF said gave him an unfair advantage.

But after the CAS decision, he failed to record a time inside the Olympic qualifying mark and missed the Beijing Games.

On Tuesday, those previous disappointments were forgotten when he booked his place at the worlds and London Olympics with one final composed surge. “With 180 metres out, I just decided to set out for the end, and I really ran a very comfortable last 100 metres,” Pistorius said. “It is kind of strange because I broke my personal best by half a second, which is ridiculous,” he said with a satisfying chuckle. —Reuters

Langer to defend Senior British Open title WALTON ON THE HILL: After a chastening time in a rain swept British Open, Bernhard Langer hopes he’s back in his element in the seniors version on a course that holds fond memories for the German great.

On the comeback trail after four months out following thumb surgery, Langer missed the cut at a wet and windy Royal St. George’s last week when he finished on 8 over after two rounds.

Conditions should be more benign this week when he defends his Senior British Open at a tree-lined Walton Heath course, just south of London.

It was there that Langer made his Ryder Cup debut in 1981 against one of the strongest ever United States teams, which included multi-major winners Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Lee Trevino.

Langer would go on to play nine more teams in the Ryder Cup, winning five times, before leading Europe to success in 2004 as a non-playing captain.

“I was fortunate enough to play in a couple of European Opens at Walton Heath before making my first Ryder Cup appearance there in 1981 and I loved it straightaway,” Langer said. “It’s parkland, but with a links look and feel to it. I enjoy the heartland, the trees and the bunkering - all in all, it’s a great inland

course.

“I haven’t been back for quite a number of years, so I’m very excited to defend my Senior Open title there. My Ryder Cup debut was obviously a memorable part of my life ... it was the start of my love affair with the Ryder Cup.” The 53-year-old Langer beat American Corey Pavin by a shot to win at Carnoustie last year and followed that up by landing the Senior US Open, becoming the first player to capture back-to-back majors on the senior tour since Watson.

“To fly straight (from Carnoustie) to the west coast of America for the Senior U.S. Open, with an eight-hour time change, and manage to win was quite a ride,” Langer recalled.

“It was a special two weeks in my career.

Majors were elusive on the regular tour, so to win two senior majors in a row was a great feeling.”

Watson is bidding for a record fourth Senior British Open title, after wins in 2003, ‘05 and ‘07, and will be in confident mood after claiming victory in the Senior US PGA Championship last month.

He also played a starring role at Royal St. George’s last week, hitting a hole-in-one and finishing tied for 22nd after showing a masterclass in how to play links golf in a third round

affected by horizontal rainstorms and powerful winds.

The eight-time major winner said avoiding the thick rough off the tee and maintaining his hot streak with the putter would give him a great chance this week.

“You have to drive the ball straight to win here, you have to keep it out of the heather and out of the bunkers,” Watson said. “The putter is working well, I was making putts last week that I haven’t been able to do for a long time. I hope it’s not a blip on the radar.”

Watson will play his first two rounds with England’s Barry Lane and Zimbabwe’s Nick Price, a former world No. 1 making his debut at the Senior British Open.

Family commitments have previously stopped Price attempting to become the fourth player - after Gary Player, Bob Charles and Watson - to win both the Open and the senior version.

“It’s the one senior major you really want to win,” said the 54-year-old Price. “It’s not the Open Championship, but it is the next best thing for us guys.”

Langer has been grouped with American John Cook and Scotland’s Gordon Brand Jnr., while 1991 Masters champion Ian Woosnam is joined by Americans and fellow major winners Tom Kite and Pavin.—AP

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Meet the woman who will make the Games tick LONDON: Twenty-six world championships in two weeks featuring 10,000 athletes spread across 32 venues — no wonder Debbie Jevans is not counting on many days off between now and the start of the London 2012 Olympics.

The former British professional tennis player is at the heart of Games planning in her lofty role as Director of Sport and by the time the Olympic flame is extinguished next August there will not be much she does not know about the needs of track and field, volleyball, taekwondo or GrecoRoman wrestling competitors.

Whether it is the depth of the soil at the Greenwich equestrian venue, the grade of sand at the beach volleyball courts in Horseguards Parade or how long it takes laundry to come back to the athletes’ village, Jevans will most likely know the answer. “My job is to deliver the events,” the 50-year-old Jevans, who has been involved in the previous six Olympics, told Reuters of her seemingly gargantuan task.

“Or to put it another way, the venue teams create the theatre and then I’m responsible for putting on the play. “This is

the most challenging job I’ve ever done, the sheer scale of it, but equally the most enjoyable.” Sitting overlooking the outside courts at Wimbledon as the 125th championships neared their conclusion, Jevans was enjoying a rare afternoon of relaxation which included a stint in the Royal Box alongside former champion Anne Jones.

Even the distraction of watching the women’s semi-finals though, could not divert Jevans from the task of putting on what London’s organising committee chief Sebastian Coe calls the “greatest show on earth”. “I was sat there thinking this time next year I probably won’t have time to watch the semi-finals because it will be three weeks before the Games start,” she said. “By then all the testing will have been carried out, hopefully we’ve smoothed out the glitches and we’ll be ready to go. In many ways, the hard work should have been done.”

While you would imagine the magnificently well-equipped All England Club, which will host the Olympic tennis events, would be the least of her concerns, Jevans, who reached the fourth round of the

women’s singles in 1979, said it also presented a unique challenge for the 2012 Games which will start three weeks after the grasscourt grand slam finishes.

“It’s funny when you are looking at venues your ideal would be to have a blank piece of paper so that you could have everything as you wanted it,” she said.

“This is a superb facility but we need to adapt it to our needs for the Olympics.

How do we make it vibrant? There are huge advantages of having the tennis here but equally some challenges.

“Certain fundamentals will be the same, the grass will be green. But the tournament will be more noisy and vibrant. It will definitely not be Wimbledon II, absolutely not.” Apart from some rebranding and reconfiguring and making sure the worn baselines have recovered, the All England Club will need relatively little work to stage the Olympics. Some of the other venues under the control of Jevans are a little more complicated, however.

Asked to identify one of the biggest challenges she picked out the equestrian centre in Greenwich and some of the

sports that will be staged on public roads and parks such as the road cycling and triathlon.

Then there is Mother Nature’s likely impact at the rowing in Eton Dornay and sailing down in Weymouth. The controversial Greenwich equestrian arena in London’s oldest Royal Park, a cause of protests among local residents, was the first of the new venues to be tested this month-a watershed moment for Jevans.

“We had a green-field site with an arena built on a platform that has to be perfect because it’s going to have horses jumping around on it; it had to be absolutely right,” she said. “We had to make sure we have the appropriate amount of top soil in place so it doesn’t vibrate when horses land and thankfully that has gone really well.

“Contrast that to the requirements of triathlon. Part of that goes around Hyde Park corner which is one of the busiest road junctions in Europe.“It’s a delicate balancing act between overlaying 26 world championships on to a busy city and keeping it all moving.

“Every sport has different needs but the

most important thing is that the field of play has to be up to Olympic standard. We understand what the athletes require and that is part of the DNA of our Games.

“We need very good project management and operation skills so that an athlete at 2012 only has to worry about their performance because they have spent four years preparing for that moment in time.

We are passionate about that.”

While happy athletes are essential to the smooth running of the Games, Jevans is acutely aware that the fortnight also needs to be memorable for ticket holders many of whom will be watching certain sports for the first time.

After all, nonplussed spectators grappling with rules is not the image 2012 organisers want. “Many of the sports were invented here but people may never have watched them live,” she said. “We have to present the sport and explain the sport so that people when they are watching it understand what’s going on. It needs to be presented right, it’s that little 10 percent extra that will define people’s memories of the Games.”—Reuters

London 2012 offers a stage for all the world

Photographers take photos of the European Soccer Championship Cup for the Euro 2012 in Kiev, Ukraine. Ukraine and Poland will host the Euro 2012 soccer tournament. —AP

Corinthians pull out of Tevez deal SAO PAULO: Striker Carlos Tevez’s proposed move to Corinthians has fallen through after the Brazilian club issued a statement on Tuesday saying time had run out to bring the Argentine back.

“The board of Sport Club Corinthians Paulista officially communicate the impossibility of signing the Argentine striker Carlos Tevez,” the statement issued late on Tuesday said. “While acknowledging the efforts of Manchester City and all involved in the negotiations, there isn’t more available time for the transfer to be achieved, given that the transfer window to players from abroad closes on Wednesday, July 20.”

Transfers of players signed from abroad and coming into the Brazilian championship must be completed by late yesterday.

Corinthians, for whom Tevez played in the mid-2000s before moving to the Premier League with West Ham United, did not rule out trying again to bring the popular striker back.

“Aware of the fans’ big dream of having the

striker as a Corinthians player (again), the board looks forward to signing Tevez in the near future,” the statement added.

A source close to Corinthians president Andres Sanchez had said earlier on Tuesday a deal was unlikely after City demanded shorter payment terms and the first installment of a 40 million euros ($56.76 million) deal up front. “(City) want to see the money and Corinthians won’t commit financial madness,” the source, who was close to the talks and did not want to be named, told Reuters. Media reports say Corinthians offered City 40 million euros to be paid in four installments over four years with the first early in 2012 but the English club, reputed to be the richest in the world thanks to billionaire Abu Dhabi owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, rejected the offer. Corinthians’ plan was to pay for Tevez, who said he would like to leave City for personal reasons, with television match broadcasting income which is close to 100 million Brazilian real ($63.5 nillion) per year.—Reuters

SEATTLE: Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic (left), Seattle Sounders goalie Kasey Keller (second from left), Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand (second from right) and referee Jeff Hosking gather for the coin toss for late yesterday’s soccer match, on top of the Space Needle. —AP

EPL could have goalline technology by 2012 LONDON: The Premier League could be the first in the world to introduce goalline technology from the start of the 2012-13 season, according to its chief executive Richard Scudamore. Although its introduction would need to be sanctioned by FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, Scudamore told MPs yesterday the system could be in place in just over a year’s time.

Writing in the Premier League’s review of the season, which was distributed to MPs yesterday, Scudamore said he wanted to use the Premier League’s position to increase standards on and off the pitch.

“The whole point of the game is about scoring goals. Players strain every sinew to either create or deny them, fans shout themselves hoarse exhorting their teams to score them, managers’ and players’ careers can be defined by them,” Scudamore wrote.

“The technology is available, it is the fair-

ness that is important and the Premier League would introduce it tomorrow if it could. Now FIFA is constructively engaged we are hopeful the 2012-13 season is a realistic aim.” Although FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been a long-time opponent of goalline technology, he agreed to re-open trials after last year’s World Cup when a legal goal scored

by Frank Lampard for England against Germany, when the ball was clearly over the line, was not given.

The International Football Association Board, the game’s law-making body, is continuing with private trials of goalline technology and is due to report back next March.

Scudamore sent the review to parliamentarians before the publication of a report into football governance following an inquiry by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The report’s findings are due to be published later this month.—Reuters

LONDON: While London looks forward to welcoming the world to its Olympics, much of that world has been busy making sure it will feel right at home in one year’s time. Prime locations and historic premises are being snapped up all across the capital by nations, sponsors and international sporting bodies eager to make their own mark once the global circus hits town in July 2012 and to have fitting venues to celebrate their own achievements.

From the monumental Marble Arch in the west to a dried-out medieval moat around the Tower of London in the east, would-be temporary tenants are queuing up to get their hands on a piece of the city.

“So far we’ve helped over 50 NOCs (National Olympic Committees) and NPCs (National Paralympic Committees),” said Zanine Adams, head of event solutions for London&Partners, London’s official promotional agency. “We hope to attract such a huge number of visitors from all over the world and this is a great platform for them to showcase their countries, especially those that perhaps haven’t ever done anything like this before,” she told Reuters.

It is also, of course, a great platform for promoting Britain and a tourism industry worth about 90 billion pounds ($144 billion) to the economy.

Now, with the clock ticking into the final year, is the key period for those coming in to lock down deals and put the infrastructure in place.

“They need to get cracking if they haven’t got there yet,” said Adams, who blanches at the idea of being compared to an estate agent and prefers to be compared to an ‘international dating agency’ matching up partners. “We are very plugged into the GLA (Greater London Authority) to know what the police are doing, the transport systems, the NHS (National Health Service), and we need to feed all this information in to them.

“If they need a licence or a road closure, or a late licence, it needs to be in by this summer. Otherwise there’s a risk (of not getting it).”

The Russians, hosts of the next Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014, have made the biggest splash with a plan to turn Marble Arch, a gleaming white landmark

on a traffic island on the edge of the green acres of Hyde Park, into a spectacular winter wonderland.

Sochi World will, subject to all permissions being granted, offer an ice rink in the heart of London in July and August as well as a hospitality pavilion and visitor experience centre.

“While there will be a significant emphasis on culture, the ice rink will highlight sporting performance,” Sochi 2014 president Dmitry Chernyshenko said in a recent statement. “Russian figure-skating stars will give master classes for young British skaters, who in turn will be invited to participate in the Sochi World ice shows.” Not to be outdone, the Dutch will entertain at North London’s Alexandra Palace - the ‘Ally Pally’ or ‘People’s Palace’ which opened in 1873 and from where the nation’s first public television transmissions were made in 1936.

Their Holland House, sponsored by the Games’ official lager supplier Heineken, will cater for up to 20,000 visitors. Italy will have a Casa Italia at the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre in the shadow of Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.

“They are really going for Rome 2020, so this is a great opportunity for them to showcase Italy to the world,” said Adams. “They will show off the different regions, they will have their sponsors doing exhibition displays, there will be restaurants, entertainment, and it’s open to the public to really taste and experience the hospitality of Italy.” France have secured the City’s Old Billingsgate market, which can take 2,000 guests in one hit, to show off French produce and all things Gallic. Brazil, hosts of the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, will bring a carnival atmosphere to the neoclassical surroundings of Somerset House, a central venue already used for fashion shows, winter skating and summer concerts. There will be a Jamaica Village (www.myjamaicavillage.com) in north London’s Finsbury Park, while a piece of Switzerland is to be created at Glaziers Hall, next to London Bridge station and the popular Borough Market.

“They are also using the gardens of Southwark cathedral, there’s a traditional ‘Mug House’ (pub) next door which they will turn into a real Swiss restaurant

and all of the buildings around it in the neighbourhood are getting involved and they will create a real festival atmosphere,” said Adams.

On a smaller scale, Georgia will move into a historic building around the corner from the Tate museum while the Americans are trying to keep their plans very much to themselves.

“I can’t (disclose where it will be),” smiled Adams.

“It’s a bit of a security risk. It’s possibly London’s worstkept secret but I wouldn’t want to draw attention to it.

They will be very private.”

Bragging rights are one thing; business is another.

The major Olympic sponsors are busy securing their patches while anyone with anything to sell to those flocking to ‘the greatest show on earth’ are eyeing up spaces anywhere near the flow of visitors.

“What you will see is a transformation in the city of areas that needed regenerating and are being regenerated,” said Adams. “Also there will be pop-up shops, interactive sports centres for new brands that we might not know as a UK consumer, and there will also be the famous brands that will have taken over areas that you wouldn’t have thought like car showrooms or big empty spaces and they will just be popping up all over the place. “We have over 1,400 venues in London and a lot of green space.

“I think a lot of the more international brands are looking at London and saying ‘Well, this is a chance for us to reach out to a new market place.’”

Chloe Couchman, who works with Adams on the business tourism side, agreed. “It is a litmus test for the rest of Europe,” she said of the Games. “We are seeing a lot of brands that (consider) this is their one big moment to capture the European market. They are saying ‘2012 is the key moment for our brand’, especially with a lot of Asian brands that maybe saw the benefit of the Olympics (in Beijing 2008) and have just realised what a massive selling opportunity it is.” Not all will have their wishes fulfilled, however. “We did have a request for Trafalgar Square from an Asian government and they weren’t taking no for an answer but...that’s not possible, The mayor has deemed it a clean site. It’s for the public,” said Adams.—Reuters

Celtic boss wants focus back on football GLASGOW: Celtic manager Neil Lennon is hoping the focus will be on the football this season after a difficult first campaign in charge of the Parkhead club.

The Hoops boss was subjected to a torrid time off the pitch last term as he faced sectarian abuse and sickening death threats, including being sent bullets and an explosive device in the post.

Lennon was also attacked in his technical area by a Hearts supporter during his side’s win at Tynecastle in May. But the Northern Irishman, who signed an improved contract in the summer despite missing out on the Scottish Premier League title to Rangers, said he was hopeful things would improve after a new anti-sectarian police unit was set up.

“It was difficult for my parents and family last season but I’m hoping things in Scottish football get a lot better,” Lennon said. “The Scottish Government are bringing in new legislation to really clamp down on this and hopefully we can start talking about the football again.

“At the end of the day I’m a football manager. I’m not a politician or a member of a religious sect or cult. I don’t preach hatred to anybody, so sometimes it’s hard to get your head around it.”

Despite his off-field problems the Hoops boss also insists he never thought of walking out on the Parkhead hotseat because of the responsibility he feels to the players he has brought to the club. “I go in every morning and see the players train. I brought a lot of them to the club so it would have been unfair for me to walk away from them,” Lennon said.

“I didn’t want to leave them in the lurch. Seeing that young team develop gives me a kick. “This is a lifetime ambition for me, even though it’s probably come sooner than I expected. “I’ve been lucky enough to play for Celtic and now be the manager and I don’t want to give it up for non-footballing reasons.”

On the field the motto Lennon has imposed on himself for this season is simple - must do better. The rookie boss could only watch as defeat to Inverness Caledonian Thistle with three games remaining last term saw his side throw away their chance of stopping bitter rivals Rangers clinch their third title in a row and also cost them a crack at this season’s lucrative Champions League.

The Hoops did rescue their season by winning the Scottish Cup but Lennon has now made it his mission to stop fellow managerial novice Ally McCoist leading Rangers to another SPL championship.

“I really need to win the title this year - that’s the priority,” Lennon admitted. “We came very close last season but we have only ourselves to blame for not doing it. I’m hoping we can go one better this season. —AFP

DENMARK: Ajax’s Christian Eriksen (left) vies with Broendby’s Jan Frederiksen (right) during a friendly football match.—AFP

Pirates hold Tottenham NELSPRUIT: Chelsea transfer target Luka Modric started as captain as Tottenham drew 1-1 with South African champion Orlando Pirates in the preseason Vodacom Challenge tournament on Tuesday. Rafael van der Vaart scored with a curling free kick to give the English club the lead in the 17th minute at the Mbombela Stadium.

Pirates right back Happy Jele equalized in the 40th with a shot from a tight angle that goalkeeper Brad Friedel could only deflect into the net on his Tottenham debut.

Modric - the subject of a reported 27 million pounds ($43 million) bid from Chelsea - was handed the armband in Spurs’ second game on tour by coach Harry Redknapp after the midfielder sat out Saturday’s 1-0 defeat by Kaizer Chiefs in the tournament opener.

The Croatian international was substituted in the 60th minute against Pirates as Tottenham made a host of changes in the second half but the pace slowed as both teams struggled with their early season fitness.

“We’ve just started our preseason, this is just our second game,” said Tottenham’s South African defender Bongani Khumalo. “We’ve still got a few games to go. By the time the season starts we’ll be good to go.”

Tottenham was given an automatic place in the final of the three-team Vodacom Challenge final, with Soweto rivals Chiefs and Pirates now

playing off on Thursday to face Spurs in this weekend’s Johannesburg decider.

Redknapp - who only joined his squad in South Africa on Monday - made clear Tottenham’s intent to keep hold of their midfield playmaker by making the 25-year-old Modric captain for the match at the Mbombela, one of the stadiums for last year’s World Cup. Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has also insisted Modric is not for sale at any price, despite intense interest from Chelsea.

At Mbombela, Van der Vaart sent a powerful left-foot free kick from 20 yards (meters) out dipping into the far corner to open the scoring.

Tottenham nearly went 2-0 up after a surging run down the left wing from Gareth Bale, who flashed a cross in front of the Pirates goal and Jermain Defoe just failed to connect.

Tottenham started with Modric, Bale, Van der Vaart, Defoe, Wilson Palacios and David Bentley, but Pirates hit back five minutes before halftime when Jele let loose from the right corner of the penalty area and Friedel couldn’t stop the shot.

Redknapp made six changes at halftime, and then emptied the bench when he brought on Jermaine Jenas and Niko Kranjcar for Modric and Bale. Kranjcar came closest to breaking the deadlock in the second half, lifting the ball over Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa only to have his effort cleared off the line.—AP

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LA PLATA: Uruguayans Diego Lugano (left) and Egidio Arevalo Rios (right) try to stop Peru’s Paolo Guerrero during a 2011 Copa America semi-final football match.—AFP

Uruguay oust Peru to reach Copa final LA PLATA: Uruguay reached the Copa America final on Tuesday with a 2-0 win over Peru to book a showdown with either giantkillers Venezuela or Paraguay.

Liverpool star Luis Suarez scored both goals in the second half at La Plata as the Uruguayans, who put out hosts Argentina in the quarters, kept on course for what would be a record 15th win in the world’s oldest international football tournament.

“It was a very tough game in the first half and we lacked a little clarity though we kept trying to make chances,” said Suarez, who went level in the scoring stakes with Argentina’s Sergio Aguero on three goals.

Referring to a more cagey affair against Argentina in the previous round he told broadcaster TyC Sports: “This was a game where we had to come out and attack and fortunately that’s what we did.”

Experienced coach Oscar Tabarez, who led the Charruas to the World Cup semifinals last summer, said experience was the key to success. “We had to draw on all our experience. The group have known each other a long time.

“We are very very happy to be in the

final — but Sunday is still a long way away. We will need to maintain our organisation and discipline.”

After a bright start by Peru, with Luis Advincula look ing lively in midfield, Uruguay increasingly found their feet and began to boss the encounter.

But the Peruvians held them at bay, without ever looking as if they would pull another rabbit out of the hat, having knocked fancied Colombia out at the quarter-final stage.

After the break, veteran forward Diego Forlan began to turn the screw for the Uruguayans and it was the Atletico Madrid man who finally found a way through seven minutes after the restart.

The former Manchester United misfit fired in a majestic left-footed shot which keeper Raul Fernandez was only able to parry and Suarez reacted in a flash to bury the rebound from point blank range.

Five minutes later the Celeste put the contest to bed, Suarez beating the offside trap and sidestepping the keeper before sliding home into the empty net.

With Forlan increasingly bossing the game, the Uruguayans, whose last title

came in 1995, could have extended their advantage.

But Peru would not lie down and Paolo Guerrero hit a speculative effort which Fernando Muslera in the Uruguayan goal did well to clutch at the second attempt.

However, the Peruvians, whose second and last title to date came in 1975, had given themselves too much to do after the second goal and their mission was impossible after Bolivian referee Raul Orosco sent off Juan Vargas midway through the second period for a foul on Sebastian Coates.

“We stood up well to them - but this is football and now we have to switch focus to the World Cup qualifiers,” said Guerrero.

Paraguay meet Venezuela in the other semi late yesterday.

Meanwhile, for most people, football is a game of two halves, but where Venezuelan goalkeeper Renny Vega is concerned his Copa America experience is a tall-but-true tale spanning three decades.

Vega, who plays for Caracas FC, is 32 years old and until this month was a perfect example of the sporting “journey-

man” cliche.

If he was known outside his homeland it was only to the handful of fans at Italian side Udinese who may remember him from a non-playing spell there as a teenager while later stints at Bursaspor and Denizlispor in Turkey were barely more eventful.

While Vega played a blinder in the goalless opening draw with Brazil, since when the Vinotinto have gone from strength to strength, his Copa America debut is one he would prefer to forget though it is illustrative of just how far the baseball-loving nation has come in the global game.

It was back in 1999 and again it was an opening match against the Brazilians. The man from Maracay was between the sticks and had a box-seat view as the likes of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo bore down on his goal - regularly and to great effect. Brazil won 7-0.

This time, Vega saved everything that Neymar, Robinho, Pato and company could throw at him - to the surprise of everyone except the man himself and his teammates.—AFP

Voeckler in yellow, Contador attacks again PINEROLO: Luxembourg’s Schleck brothers Andy and Frank soaked up a late attack from yellow jersey rival Alberto Contador as the Tour de France moved a step closer to the final two mountain stages yesterday.

Europcar leader Thomas Voeckler avoided two late crashes in the hectic finale of the 17th stage, won by Edvald Boasson Hagen of Team Sky, to keep a hold of the race leader’s yellow jersey ahead of two mountaintop finishes in the Alps.

But during a dramatic finale on the tricky 8km descent to the finish from the Col de Pramartino the Frenchman gave up 27secs to his rivals as he flirted with disaster three times.

As Boasson Hagen celebrated his second victory of this year’s Tour, Voeckler lost 27secs to a nine-man group which contained the Schleck brothers Andy and Frank as well as Contador, Samuel Sanchez and Australian Cadel Evans.

“Mountain biking is not my speciality!” said Voeckler, who on the third near-miss misjudged a bend and ended up in the courtyard of a house.

“I left the road three times and the third time I was lucky. If there had been a wall in front of me, I wouldn’t have had time to stop.

“If I’d taken fewer risks I would have finished with Evans and the others. But (losing) 27 seconds is not too bad, it could have cost me a (broken) collarbone.”

Contador’s attack late on the Col de Manse outside Gap Tuesday helped salvage a yellow jersey bid that had looked severely compromised following a series of crashes inside the

FRANCE: (Left to right) Polka dot jersey of best climber, Belgium’s Jelle Vanendert, Luxembourg’s Andy Schleck, Yellow jersey of overall leader, France’s Thomas Voeckler, Spain’s three-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador and Italy’s Ivan Basso climb the cote de Pramartino during the Tour de France cycling race.—AP first nine stages.

Yesterday the Spaniard went on a downhill attack again after cresting the 6.6 km Cote de Pramartino, only for the Schleck brothers-who had lost time to Contador and Evans on stage 16 — to counter.

Once over the summit Contador was followed by Euskaltel leader Sanchez and together

they took all the risks on the tight, technical turns of the descent to open up a gap on the Schlecks and Evans.

With Voeckler showing the peloton how not to take the turns, the chasers were nervous. But as the road straightened out the chase was on, with the Schlecks and Evans closing the gap to the Spaniards inside the final kilometre.

Evans admitted it had been a “confusing” descent but he was ultimately happy not to lose any time. “We closed the gap on the flat there, but it was a bit confusing with people coming and going and crashing and so on,” said the Australian.

“You don’t want to lose time on anyone.”

Their nine-man group came over the finish 4min 26sec behind Boasson Hagen, who had soloed across the line alone having attacked his breakaway group before the summit of the Pramartino. After his runner-up place to compatriot Thor Hushovd on Tuesday, he was all smiles.

“I was very close to winning on Tuesday. I was frustrated, and so I really wanted to do something,” said the Norwegian. Ahead of two mountaintop finishes, and the penultimate stage time trial over 42.5 km in Grenoble on Saturday, the yellow jersey is far from over.

With Evans second at 1:18 behind Voeckler, Frank Schleck is still in third place at 1:22, with brother Andy fourth at 2:36. Sanchez is fifth at 2:59 while Contador is sixth at 3:15.

While Frank admitted the next two days will be crucial, the Luxemburger hit out at organisers for using the technically challenging Pramartino descent.

“It was very dangerous today.

Unfortunately another guy lost some seconds and maybe the Tour because of a downhill, and this time it was Thomas (Voeckler) who had to pay for for it,” he said. “I don’t think any athlete wants to win or lose the Tour de France because of a downhill.” —AFP

Helsinki enjoy record 13-0 aggregate win ZURICH: HJK Helsinki swept to a 10-0 win over Bangor City of Wales to complete a record 13-0 aggregate victory in the Champions League era on Tuesday while former European Cup runners-up Malmo advanced after scraping a last-gasp draw at HB Torshavn.

Slovan Bratislava and Dinamo Zagreb, who have both won European titles in the past, joined HJK in the third qualifying round of the competition following Tuesday’s second round, second leg ties along with former European Cup runners-up Partizan Belgrade. The second qualifying round featured 34 teams, all champions of their respective countries.

HJK, the only Finnish club to have played in the Champions League proper, will face Croatian champions Zagreb in the third qualifying round after completing their huge aggregate win with a demolition of the Welsh Premier League champions.

The aggregate success, albeit in a qualifying round tie, was the biggest at any stage of the competition since it was reconfigured in 1992-93, and the first 10-0 win in one match in Europe’s elite competition since Ajax Amsterdam beat Omonia Nicosia in 1979-80 in the old European Cup. HJK were only 2-0 ahead at halftime after goals from Alexander Ring and Berat Sadik who scored twice in eight minutes before the break. But after the interval, the Finns ran riot with Teemu Pukki, Erfan Zeneli, and Kastriot Kastrati notched two apiece while Rafinha and Jarno Parikka also scored.

Pukki scored his brace in a four-minute spell with Kastrati’s first effort sandwiched in between. Dinamo Zagreb, winners of the old Inter Cities Fairs Cup in 1967 and hoping to return to the Champions League for the first time in 12 seasons, drew 0-0 away to Azerbaijan’s Neftci Baku for a 3-0 aggregate win. Slovenia’s Maribor, who like Dinamo last played in the Champions League in the 1999-2000 season, beat nine-man Dudelange of Luxembourg 3-1 to complete a 5-1 aggregate win.

Dejan Mezga scored twice and Robert Beric once for the Slovenians while Daniel Da Mota, later sent off, replied for the Luxembourg team who also had JeanPhilippe Caillet dismissed.

Malmo, runners-up to Nottingham Forest in 1979, took a 2-0 lead to Torshavn but suffered a nerve-racking final 20 minutes after they fell behind to a Frodi Benjaminsen goal.

Brazilian Wilton Figueiredo levelled for the Swedes in stoppage time to give them a 1-1 draw. Slovan Bratislava, winners of the old Cup Winners Cup in 1969, qualified with a 1-1 draw in Kazakhstan against Tobol Kostanay after the Slovaks won 2-0 at home last week.

Shamrock Rovers progressed with a goalless draw at Flora Tallinn, winning 1-0 on aggregate, to leave them four matches from becoming the first Irish team to reach the group stage.

But they face a difficult task against FC Copenhagen, who last season became the first Danish team to reach the last 16, in the next round. —Reuters

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LONDON: Newspapers for sale with headlines relating to the phone hacking scandal, near Westminster yesterday. — AP

US tries to avert calamitous default ‘Gang of Six’ provides hope for US debt talks WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama urged polarized lawmakers yesterday to find an “11th hour” deal to avert a calamitous early August debt default and heaped praise on a newly unveiled bipartisan budget plan.

Obama cited “some progress” in talks with Democratic and Republican leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives on raising the US debt ceiling, but warned time was running out to forge a broad deficit-cutting compromise.

“The problem we have now is, we’re in the 11th hour, and we don’t have a lot more time left,” he said in a hurriedly announced public appearance at the White House, noting plans for a fresh round of negotiations on Wednesday. Washington hit its debt ceiling on May 16 and has used spending and accounting adjustments, as well as higherthan-expected tax receipts, to continue operating normally, but can only do so until August 2. Finance and business leaders have warned that failure to raise the US debt ceiling by then could send shock waves through a world economy still reeling from

the 2008 collapse, while Obama has predicted economic “Armageddon.” Obama highlighted a new plan by a bipartisan “Gang of Six” senators that aims to slash the swollen US budget deficit by some $3.7 trillion over 10 years and boost revenues $1 trillion by closing tax loopholes and ending some tax breaks.

The president called the framework “broadly consistent” with his call to cut spending including on the US military, overhaul cherished social safety net programs, and raise taxes on the rich to ensure “shared sacrifice.” Obama said he would call up top congressional leaders, after a House vote late in the day, to set up a new round of White House negotiations and expressed hope for a breakthrough “in these next couple of days.” “We don’t have any more time to engage in symbolic gestures, we don’t have any more time to posture; it’s time to get down to the business of actually solving this problem,” he warned.

And Obama hedged heavily against the notion that the “Gang of Six” proposal,

which faced high congressional hurdles, offered a clear and easy path through angry partisan politics to a deal on raising the debt ceiling. “Just because we might agree in principle with a range of issues with six senators, or seven senators, that doesn’t get us out of the House of Representatives, that doesn’t get us out of the Senate,” he said.

“There’s going to have to be a broader agreement on the part of all the leadership that we’re going to get this done in a serious way,” he said, underlining that “it will be hard, it will be tough.” US stocks closed sharply higher with a boost from Obama’s announcement. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 202 points, or 1.6 percent, helped by strong company results but also nudged by signs a debt deal might be near.

Later, in a largely symbolic move, the House voted 234-190 to approve a Republican plan, backed by allies of the archconservative “Tea Party” movement, to require drastic spending cuts in return for raising the debt limit. And it ties any increase in the debt ceiling to securing the

two-thirds majorities needed in each chamber to send an amendment to the US Constitution requiring a balanced federal budget to the states for ratification. Obama noted that the so-called “Cut, Cap, and Balance” plan was dead on arrival in the Democratic-held Senate and that he would veto it, making it a political gesture to appeal to conservatives.

Earlier, Republican House Speaker John Boehner said he was working on a “Plan B” to avert default. “I’m not going to give up hope on ‘Cut, Cap and Balance,’ but I do think it’s responsible for us to look at what Plan B would look like,” Boehner said, citing “a lot of options available” but stressing “no decision” had been made. Obama cited a “fail-safe” plan being crafted by Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to let the president raise the debt ceiling with just Democratic votes. “In the event that we don’t get an agreement, at minimum we’ve got to raise the debt ceiling,” he said. — AFP

Dubai house prices to fall another 10%

SRINAGAR: Activists of the Communist Party of India Marxist shout slogans during a protest against corruption and price hike of essential commodities in Srinagar, India yesterday. — AP

Bribe-giving should be ‘legal’ NEW DELHI: A pioneer of India’s outsourcing industry and leader of one of country’s biggest IT firms has argued that legalizing paying bribes would help reduce endemic corruption in the South Asian country. N R Narayana Murthy, chairman of Infosys, said he fully supported proposals from economist Kaushik Basu to make paying bribes legal because this would help members of the public blow the whistle on corrupt officials.

Under Basu’s proposals receiving a bribe would remain illegal. “If bribe giving, and not bribe taking, is made legal then the bribe giver shall indeed cooperate with the authorities to expose the bribe taker,” Murthy said in a speech in the western city of Ahmedabad on Tuesday, the Press Trust of India news agency reported. “This seems to be an interesting idea and I think it

should be implemented,” he added.

He said graft had damaged India’s growth prospects, adding that “the doubledigit growth that has eluded India could have been ours if we had combated corruption,” PTI said.

Transparency International, the global anti-graft body, puts India 87th on its corruption perception index - 10 places below China-with a 3.3-point rating, out of a best possible score of 10. India’s government is currently battling a series of scandals, including a telecom scam which the national auditor said may have cost the treasury up to $40 billion in lost revenue.

But corruption is most often felt in people’s everyday lives, with officials demanding bribes to secure everything from phone connections to birth certificates and driving licenses. —AFP

DUBAI: Dubai’s housing market still has nearly a third too much supply and prices will plummet by another 10 percent, deepening a three-year rout to nearly 60 percent from its peak, a Reuters poll showed yesterday. Rents and prices in Dubai’s once-booming property market have been in a free-fall over the last few years, pummeled by the global financial crisis, ensuing global slowdown and the Gulf state’s own debt crisis. Residential property prices in Dubai, which boasts of the world’s tallest building and man-made islands in the shape of palms, will fall 58 percent from a peak in the third quarter of 2008 according to the median estimate of 11 banks, investment firms and research institutions.

“Despite increasing transaction volumes and improvement in economic activities, property prices in Dubai are expected to be under pressure due to oversupply,” said Sajeer Babu, an analyst at National Bank of Abu Dhabi. The findings matched those of a Reuters poll in April which showed that existing supply and additional new units would push Dubai’s house prices down by 10 percent. Global markets were rattled in 2009 when Dubai announced a $25 billion debt restructuring of conglomerate Dubai World .

A real estate collapse followed, putting an end to a historic building spree in Dubai.

TOO MUCH SUPPLY Confidence has not recovered yet.

Respondents in the Reuters poll saw zero chance of Dubai’s residential property market recovering in 2011. They gave just a 25 percent chance of recovery in 2012 and only 5050 percent in 2013. Only one respondent said house prices in Dubai have already reached a bottom. Three said they expected prices to reach a trough in 2011, while others said 2012 or later. In percentage terms, the Dubai hous-

ing market crash is set to be nearly double the size of the fall in the US, which is down by about a third from its peak. A Reuters poll in June found US home prices as measured by Standard & Poor’s 20-City Composite Home Price Index are expected to fall 5.0 percent in 2011 before finding a floor.

Oversupply in Dubai remains a major problem - 18,000 new homes expected to hit Dubai’s market by year end and rents in Abu Dhabi dropping 9 percent in the second quarter, a report from property consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle said. The United Arab Emiratesat $298 billion the second largest Arab economy-is seen growing by 3.7 percent this year, slightly faster than in March and well up from 1.4 percent in 2010 when it faced a debt restructuring challenge. The overall debt burden of Dubai and its companies is now estimated at around $113 billion, or 138 percent of its gross domestic product.

ABU DHABI NOT FARING BETTER Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates and home to most of the country’s oil had fared better during the downturn but is now facing challenges as a huge supply of high-end homes are expected to enter the market. Still, prices in Abu Dhabi are expected to fall another 15 percent from here, or 55 percent from their peak, the median estimate showed.

“In Abu Dhabi there is actually an undersupply across the market ... in that there are more households than dwellings,” said Craig Plumb, head of research at Jones Lang LaSalle MENA. “The problem is one of pricing-many of the households cannot afford the units being offered to the market. This has resulted in there being both an undersupply (at the aggregate level) and an oversupply (of expensive units) at the same time.” —Reuters

News in brief

India cuts growth forecast NEW DELHI: India yesterday cut its growth forecast for this financial year to 8.6 percent from nine percent following a string of interest rate hikes introduced to tame inflation. The finance ministry’s forecast is above last year’s expansion of 8.5 percent and higher than most private economists’ expectations, which fall as low as 7.5 percent. “In the short run, lowering inflation can have a dampening effect on growth, but (it) is positive for sustained medium- to long-term growth,” the ministry said in a statement.

The Congress-led government had projected nine percent growth for this financial year to March 2012 in its budget presented in February but 10 interest rate hikes since March 2010 have hit industrial output. The government’s decision to lower its growth projection came after data earlier in the month showed industrial output in May grew just 5.6 percent year-on-year-its weakest pace in nine months.

While growth of seven-to-eight percent would be envied by Western economies, experts say India needs at least 10 percent expansion to lift hundreds of millions of Indians out of crushing poverty.

UAE’s Tabreed repays $200 m Islamic bond DUBAI: Cooling firm Tabreed, which received funding earlier this year from state-owned Mubadala to restructure debt, said it fully repaid a $200 million Islamic bond or sukuk maturing yesterday. The sukuk was launched in 2006 and the total amount paid to certificate holders of the bond was 735 million dirhams, Tabreed said in a statement yesterday. “The repayment of the ‘06 sukuk today was contemplated in our structuring of the recapitalization program and improves the company’s overall financial position,” Waleed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi, Tabreed’s chairman said in the statement. Dubai-listed Tabreed, formally called National Cooling Company, is among several Gulf companies which has to restructure its debt after an economic boom, fuelled by record-high oil prices and easy credit, ended abruptly and caused a property market crash. In March, the firm secured an extra 3.1 billion dirhams ($844.2 million) funding from state-owned fund Mubadala, helping it to tackle its debt pile.

BoE votes 7-2 to freeze rates LONDON: Bank of England (BoE) policymakers voted 7-2 this month to keep the key interest rate at a record low level of 0.50 percent, minutes of the latest meeting showed yesterday. The result at the end of the BoE’s monetary policy meeting on July 6-7 was unchanged from the central bank’s vote in June, as members weighed up Britain’s weak economic growth against the country’s high inflation. “Most members judged that it was appropriate to maintain the current stance of monetary policy at this meeting,” the minutes said. “It was likely that the current weakness in activity would persist for longer than previously thought.” However for two members, “the argument for removing some of the monetary stimulus at this meeting had remained strong,” the minutes said.

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business

Al Jaber, creditors meet on restructuring update Final debt deal seen far off ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi’s Al Jaber Group held an all-lender meeting yesterday to discuss the contracting firm’s debt restructuring, two sources familiar with the matter said. Al Jaber set up a banks’ committee earlier this year to map out debt restructuring after it announced talks with lenders to discuss the terms of its facilities. As part of yesterday’s meeting, Al Jaber’s creditors were shown the draft standstill proposal, and the core committee of lenders made a presentation, a company source told Reuters, adding no resolution was sought at the meeting.

“A meeting between the company and its creditors has taken place to discuss a number of issues, including a draft standstill proposal and the likely process over the next few months,” the source said. The banks’ committee is chaired by the National Bank of Abu Dhabi , and includes Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, HSBC , RBS and Union National Bank. Al Jaber is one of the most prominent private sector family-owned firms in Abu Dhabi, where the acknowledgment of financial difficulties has been minimal, in contrast to neighboring Dubai, under the spotlight for its debt

woes since late 2009. A unanimous agreement on a debt standstill is unlikely ahead of the Holy month of Ramadan which this year coincides with the onset of summer leave in much of Europe during August. But it is an important step in the larger restructuring process, although a final deal is still considered far off. Al Jaber currently has $840 million in two syndicated facilities outstanding as well as bilateral loans. A $440 million five-year term syndicated loan is due to mature in September and a $400 million (Islamic) ijara facility expires in April 2013. — Reuters

KFH to demonstrate financing, banking services at Souq Sharq

X-Cite concludes Grand Weekly Summer Raffle KUWAIT: X-Cite by Alghanim Electronics ended its grand weekly summer draw on July 18, 2011 at 7 PM in Marina Mall with its final draw on the Lamborghini Gallardo. The lucky winner of this exclusive luxury sports car, is Saqr Bader Mohammad Saqr who purchased a Frigidaire freezer from Salmiya showroom on June 10th, 2011.

“We never expected the crowd to be this large!” Hilal Farhat, the Promotion, Advertising and Event Manager of X-Cite, said with a proud smile. “The dream car promotion has indeed been well received by all our customers. I’d like to congratulate our 5 winners and also thank everyone who participated in this promotion and made it a huge success.”

The past winners of X-Cite’s grand weekly summer raffle included Hamad Saleh Nassir Al-Hamed who won a Corvette on June 13, Amer Yasser Al-Abdullah who

won a Cadillac on June 20, Syed Najib Allah Mohammad who won an Audi R8 on June 27 and Muzafar Ibrahim Ibrahim who won a Mercedes-Benz SLS on July 4.

X-Cite by Alghanim Electronics has long prided itself on its unyielding dedication and commitment to customer service and providing the most exemplary shopping experience possible. X-Cite 16 stores are strategically located throughout Kuwait in easily accessible locations, each of which offers a onestop shop featuring an extensive selection of brands and products at the lowest prices available. These reasons, along with many more, made X-Cite win three awards this year at the 2011 Middle East Retail Academy (MERA) awards: “Best Retailer of the Year” for the 3rd time in a row,” “Best Marketing Initiative of the Year” and “Best Retail IT Executive of the Year”.

Joyalukkas dazzles customers KUWAIT: Joyalukkas, the world’s favorite jeweler, is all set to celebrate summer with a variety of offers and exclusive designs that have been exclusively tailored for the season. Since summer is the season when most residents plan their holidays and indulge in jewelry shopping for self and family back home. To make the summer jewelry shopping special for customers, Joyalukkas has planned a special initiative called ‘Summer Dazzles’ exclusively for jewelry shoppers in Kuwait. This summer initiative will combine a big win along with a mix of other prizes to make ‘Summer Dazzles’ exciting and fruitful for jewelry shoppers.

“We have always prided ourselves on being a customer-centric brand, and through this promotion we seek to maximize the experience of customers and make summer extra special for jewelry shoppers in Kuwait,” said Mr. John Paul Joy Alukkas, Executive Director, Joyalukkas Group, GCC. The ‘Summer Dazzles’ promotional initiative will offer

customers a Free Watch on jewelry purchases worth KD 300. In addition to the free watch, customers will also get free Nokia C5 Mobile phones, LG 32” LCD TVs and Dell laptops on purchase of diamond jewelry.

Joyalukkas has also introduced a large number of new designs offering a wide variety and choices to make summer shopping special for its customers.

The new designs, obtainable from all Joyalukkas showrooms across Kuwait, will be available in gold, diamond, pearl, precious stones and platinum, under its popular brands like Eleganza, Di Royale, Masaaki, Ratna and Zenina, to name a few. The ‘Summer Dazzles’ promotion will commence on June 8th and will be valid up to July 30th 2011.

Joyalukkas is an ISO certified group with 80 showrooms in eight countries across the world and has been the proud recipient of the prestigious Middle East Local Retailer of the year and the Dubai Quality Awards appreciation certificate.

KUWAIT: The Financing Services Department Manager at Kuwait Finance House (KFH) Talal AlHeneidi revealed that KFH will be present at Souq Sharq from today to Saturday through a team of employees from the Direct Sales, Local Real Estate, and Cars departments, in order to respond to any queries the public might have. He explained that KFH’s presence at shopping malls and centers aims

to reinforce means of direct communication between the bank and its current and potential clients, where KFH’s team is keen to demonstrate the unique services and products that KFH offers and to receive suggestions from clients.

He added that KFH can be found during the weekend, since this allows it to reach the largest client segment possible.

Moreover, he noted that such presence compliments KFH’s efforts in reaching all client segments through its network of banking branches that can be found in various locations, in addition to several online channels. In addition, KFH offers financial services through the Commercial Sector that include the vehicles sector, construction materials, and electrical appliances.

TPAO eyes Black Sea reserves

A Million in Qash Nissan Qashqai joins Millionaires’ Row in UK DUBAI: Staff at Nissan Sunderland Plant celebrated the production of their one millionth Nissan Qashqai, cementing its position as one of the most successful British-built cars ever.

The landmark vehicle was driven off the production line four years, six months and 23 days after production began on December 5, 2006.

No other UK-built car has reached the million mark in such a short space of time. The Nissan Qashqai is easily the highest-volume car produced in the UK. Future Qashqai production will safeguard the jobs of 6,000 people at Nissan and in the UK supply chain.

Kevin Fitzpatrick, Nissan Vice President for Manufacturing in the UK, said: “The Nissan Qashqai has been a phenomenal success since its start of production just four and a half years ago. Qashqai was a real crossover pioneer and producing one million in such a short space of time is a fantastic achievement, not just by staff at the Sunderland Plant, but also by the designers and engineers who developed such a popular car and our dealer network who have helped to generate such high demand.”

“The Nissan Qashqai is the ultimate choice for those who want a more attractive design and distinctively providing the comfort of sedan and elegance status of an SUV. Since its introduction as the first global production designed by Nissan Design Centre in Europe, Nissan Qashqai has exceeded all expectations with a long list of pre-orders. In trend setting markets like this region, the Nissan Qashqai recorded leading results”, commented Abdulilah Wazni, Senior SUV Brand Manager at Nissan Middle East. On average, 1,200 Qashqais per day are produced at the plant, or

Talal Al-Heneidi

one every minute that the production line is working. More than 80 per cent of Qashqai production is exported to 97 markets worldwide from the Port of Tyne.

The Qashqai is firmly established as one of the UK’s Top 10 best-selling cars, and was the fourth best-selling model in the C-segment across Europe in the 2010 Fiscal Year. Its top five markets were the UK, Italy, Germany, Spain and France. The car’s many accolades include top ranking for four consecutive years from the ADAC breakdown organization in Germany, one of Europe’s most demanding quality surveys. The Nissan Qashqai features eye-catching interior and exterior design, cockpit cabin concept and Nissan’s dynamic safety engineering. The exterior of Nissan Qashqai has an aggressive and sporty design that reflects an image of mobile modern sophistication. Its sleek, elegant styling features dynamically arched forms and powerful rear shoulder lines.

Nissan Qashqai is built on Nissan’s “C” platform, which provides high body stiffness with extensive use of high-strength steel utilized to reduce body weight. It also comes with 18 inch alloy wheels. Nissan Qashqai in the Middle East region offers a choice of two and four-wheel drive with a 2.0-litre engine 4 inline that produces 142hp at 5200 rpm, mated to an advanced CVT gearbox. Nissan’s highly praised electronically controlled ALL MODE 4x4 system and a four-wheel drive are implemented to provide greater traction for safer driving and extra control in all weathers. Other safety features include side and cur tian airbags and Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC).

SEOUL: Turkey’s state-owned oil and gas exploration company Turkiye Petrolleri (TPAO) plans four to five extra-deep exploration wells in the next one and a half years in Black Sea, costing a total of about $1 billion, its president said yesterday. The company is in talks with more firms to develop Black Sea and Mediterranean reserves, Mehmet Uysal also said.

“About four more wells, ultra deepwater, will be drilled in the next one and half years from now on in the Black Sea,” he said at an industry event in Seoul. The company had in September last year said it plans to invest $4 billion in the next three years and plans to drill 500 new wells in the next five years. The announcement followed oil major Chevron’s acquisition of a 50 percent stake in a Turkish Black Sea deepwater exploration license, held with TPAO, with operating rights for any future development.

TPAO, which works with Petrobras and Exxon in the Black Sea, is open to new partners for exploration there, it said last year. TPAO also expects first oil production in Libya within three years provided the social unrest ends and explorers are granted drilling permits. Initial production from Libya is expected at 100,000 barrels per day, he said. Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz had in February said that TPAO temporarily halted its activities at Fezzan in Libya, where the company holds a license to explore in the southwestern region. — Reuters

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds

.2700000 .4390000 .3860000 .3330000 .2840000 .2890000 .0040000 .0020000 .0742660 .7235520 .3810000 .0700000 .7093110 .0040000 .0430000 CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2735500 .4414140 .3871550 .3355620 .2868450 .0519080 .0421960 .2912350 .0350960 .2243500 .0034570 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0000000 .0745060 .7258860 .0000000 .0729660 .7107960 .0000000

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

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar

ASIAN COUNTRIES 3.503 6.179 3.184 2.507 3.875 226.900 35.302

.2765000 .4590000 .3850000 .3450000 .2950000 .3010000 .0072500 .0035000 .0750120 .7308240 .4010000 .0770000 .7164400 .0072000 .0530000 .2756500 .4448030 .3901270 .3381380 .2890470 .0523060 .0425200 .2934710 .0353660 .2260720 .0034840 .0062290 .0025230 .0032150 .0037120 .0750780 .7314580 .3898870 .0735260 .7162530 .0064710

Bangladesh Taka 3.672 Philippine Peso 6.432 Thai Baht 9.200 Irani Riyal - Transfer 0.271 Irani Riyal - Cash 0.273 GCC COUNTRIES Saudi Riyal 73.363 Qatari Riyal 75.591 Omani Riyal 714.560 Bahraini Dinar 730.700 UAE Dirham 74.911 ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 48.650 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 46.113 Yemen Riyal 1.259 Tunisian Dinar 200.000 Jordanian Dinar 388.500 Lebanese Lira 183.300

Syrian Lier 5.939 Morocco Dirham 35.166 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 275.000 Euro 391.190 Sterling Pound 444.810 Canadian dollar 291.160 Turkish lire 166.160 Swiss Franc 335.980 Australian dollar 295.080 US Dollar Buying 274.650 GOLD 20 Gram 292.000 10 Gram 147.000 5 Gram 75.500

Sterling Pound US Dollar

SELL CASH 298.400 730.990 3.920 292.500 539.900 36.500 53.300 167.800 48.220 393.500 36.010 6.500

SELL DRAFT 296.900 730.990 3.675 291.000

226.900 46.160 392.000 35.860 6.180

0.033 0.239 0.240 3.570 390.220 0.186 94.510 47.400 4.310 238.300 1.864 52.700 713.930 3.300 6.600 76.040 73.390 226.890 42.370 2.644 448.000 45.100 337.600 5.600 9.480 198.263 74.940 275.200 1.200

0.033

388.480 0.185 94.510 3.880 236.800

336.100 5.600 9.330 74.840 274.800

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 446.000 274.800

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Rate for Transfer US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees

Selling Rate 274.700 290.135 444.335 391.130 338.355 727.421 74.767 75.403 73.215 386.672 46.162 2.503 6.175

Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

3.202 3.676 6.391 673.812 3.570 9.220 5.776 3.945 91.245

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co. 713.750 3.200 6.425 75.610 73.390 226.890 42.370 2.505 446.000

GOLD 1,648.640

10 Tola

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees

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

Currency US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Nepali rupee Yemeni Riyal Jordanian Dinars Syrian Pounds Euro Canadian Dollars

Rate per 1000 (Tran) 274.900 3.205 6.185 2.525 3.685 6.440 74.950 73.495 730.900 46.165 447.900 0.00003280 3.910 1.550 390.600 5.750 393.100 293.700

Al Mulla Exchange Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000) US Dollar 274.600 Euro 391.400 Pound Sterling 445.000 Canadian Dollar 288.500 Japanese Yen 3.495 Indian Rupee 6.178 Egyptian Pound 46.150 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.507 Bangladesh Taka 3.668 Philippines Peso 6.396 Pakistan Rupee 3.196 Bahraini Dinar 731.000 UAE Dirham 74.825 Saudi Riyal 73.350 *Rates are subject to change

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business

Troop cuts may spell danger for Afghan economy KABUL: As US-led troops star t to leave Afghanistan and hand responsibility to Afghans, concerns are growing that an accompanying slump in international aid could have a catastrophic effect on the economy. A boom in riches among Kabul’s elite since the 2001 invasion toppled the Taleban has not been felt widely among a desperately poor, largely agrarian society that survives only with vast amounts of foreign aid.

Western officials say that while gross domestic product (GDP) is around $16 billion a year, the country receives some $15 billion annually in security and civilian aid from the international community.

With foreign troops now starting to go home and the West focused on a final deadline of 2014 to withdraw all combat forces, experts say that aid is also likely to dwindle. Coffers have already been hit by a nearly $1 billion banking scandal involving senior official figures that has led foreign donors to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars of aid this year. “The international experience is that aid comes down pretty quickly once the troops go home and that is likely to happen here,” a senior Western official in Kabul said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A US Senate committee report last month warned that if the money were to dr y up Afghanistan could suffer “a severe economic depression”. Afghan and Western officials are now starting to look at how to prevent a slump ahead of major conferences on the country’s future in Bonn, Germany, in December and in Chicago next year. But sectors that could provide long-term growth, such as mining, still require huge investment before they can make serious money, experts say. “We need to think now about the bridging strategy for the Afghan economy to ensure the bottom doesn’t fall out suddenly post-

News

in brief

DP World buys controlling stake in 2 Suriname firms DUBAI: Port operator DP World has bought controlling interest in two port services companies in Suriname, cashing in on an expected increase in trade volumes in the South American country, the company said in a statement yesterday. DP World did not disclose the financial terms for the acquisition of controlling stakes in Integra Port Services (IPS) and Suriname Port Services (SPS), but said it expects to close the transactions in the third quarter. IPS holds a concession for a container and break-bulk terminal in Nieuwe Haven Port, while SPS owns a private break-bulk facility, both in Paramaribo. IPS is the largest terminal in Nieuwe Haven Port, the statement said. DP World said it will have a management services agreement for both terminals. Stateowned conglomerate Dubai World owns 80 percent of the port operator, which is considered one of its more profitable assets and began trading on the London Stock Exchange last month.

Saudi PetroRabigh posts net loss of $107 million JEDDAH: Saudi PetroRabigh posted a 402.3-million riyal ($107 million) loss in the second quarter after a two-month closure of its refinery slashed sales. The joint venture of state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco and Japan’s Sumitomo Chemicals posted a net profit of 121.8 million riyals in the second quarter of 2010. But the closure of the complex for maintenance from April 21-Jun 30 hit sales for the comparable period of 2011 hard. “The reason for the loss in the second quarter... is the substantial decrease in sales resulting from loss of production during the shutdown period of the complex for test and inspection maintenance,” the firm said in a statement. Operational losses for the second quarter were 389 million riyals, compared to a profit of 83 million riyals in the same quarter last year, it said. Shares in PetroRabigh fell 5.6 percent by 09:30 GMT after earnings were announced, underperforming the wider Saudi stock index which rose 0.5 percent to 6,472 points. PetroRabigh started operations at its $10.1 billion complex in 2009.

Aramco and Sumitomo Chemical each have 37.5-percent stakes in the joint venture, while the rest is publicly held. The refinery, which caters mainly to the Saudi, European and North African markets, can process 400,000 barrels of crude per day, accounting for about 19 percent of Saudi Arabia’s total refining capacity. PetroRabigh can produce an annual 18 million tons of refined products and 2.4 million tons of petrochemical products.

China’s CNOOC to buy Canadian OPTI BEIJING: Chinese oil giant CNOOC has agreed to take over Canadian oil sands developer OPTI for about $2.1 billion, the companies said yesterday, as China moves to secure more resources in North America. State-run CNOOC said its subsidiary CNOOC Luxembourg would make the acquisition, which is still subject to approval from Chinese and Canadian regulators. They expect the deal to be finalized in the fourth quarter. “We are pleased to expand our presence in the oil sands business after our successful investment in MEG,” CNOOC chief executive Yang Hua said in a statement, referring to the 2005 purchase of a 17 percent stake in Canadian oil sands firm MEG Energy.

“We believe that the upside potential of the acquired assets will benefit the shareholders of CNOOC Limited.”

Chinese firms have been pushing into the Alberta oil sands region in western Canada, the largest known crude deposit outside the Middle East, mostly through joint ventures and partial stakes. Oil sands are deposits of heavy oil, or bitumen, found in sand and clay. While conventional crude oil is pumped from the ground, the sticky oil must be extracted from underneath the region’s coniferous forest, separated from the sand and water, then upgraded and refined.

Environmentalists say oil sands extraction produces three to five times more carbon emissions than conventional oil production and requires tailing ponds that leak cyanide, oil, arsenic, copper and iron into local waterways. The main asset of OPTI is a 35-percent working interest in the Long Lake Project in Alberta, which is designed to produce 58,500 barrels of oil per day, the statement said. OPTI chief executive Chris Slubicki said the deal was in the Canadian company’s “best interest”. “CNOOC Limited is a technically experienced and well-capitalized company that is equipped to support further development at Long Lake and future expansions in the Canadian oil sands,” Slubicki said. In May last year, China’s $300-billion sovereign wealth fund agreed to invest in Canadian oil sands giant Penn West to help develop its “vast oil sands resources”. In 2009, Chinese oil giant PetroChina took a $1.7 billion stake in two projects to exploit oil sands with the Canadian company Athabasca Oil Sands.— AFP

2014,” Admiral James Stavridis, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, wrote last month.

Foreign aid is tied closely to military action, as NATO-led forces try to win hearts and minds by funding development projects that range from clearing ditches to building schools. The biggest donor-and troop contributor-is the United States, but the amount it gives is determined annually by Congress and is falling. According to the for-

eignassistance.gov website, US aid to Afghanistan was $4.1 billion in 2010, but is planned to fall to $3.9 billion in 2011 and $3.2 billion in 2012, a 22 percent reduction over two years. A separate pot of cash is spent on Afghan security forces, which are due to rise in number to more than 350,000 and take full responsibility for security across the country by the end of 2014.

The United States alone has spent $27.8 billion

HELMAND: An Afghan farmer watches while tending to his crop as US Marines patrol through the village of Gurjat in Helmand province, Afghanistan. —AP

dollars since 2002 on building up the Afghan army and police, the Senate report said. Western officials in Kabul predict it could be up to a decade before Afghanistan can pay for its own security forces. “What you cannot have is a military force of 352,000 and then find that ‘oh my God, we don’t have any money to pay them,’” a Western official said. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has also refused to renew its assistance program to the country-effectively forcing many other donors to do the same-over a banking scandal that has highlighted massive corruption at the highest levels.

Senior executives at the country’s biggest private lender, Kabul Bank, are accused of approving nearly a billion dollars of off-the-books loans to executives, many of them with links to President Hamid Karzai’s government. One ray of hope for the economy is the potential revenue to be made from the mining sector, with rich natural resources of copper, iron ore and lithium to be tapped. It could be up to 10 years, however, before the industry can realize its potential and make a return on investment, experts predict, although they say the sector could eventually put around $750 million a year into the economy.

Other observers say there is an upside to a reduction in foreign aid-it could force Afghan officials to think harder about how to be self-sufficient. At the moment, a large amount of international aid flows through foreign contractors rather than via the government budget. But whatever the potential advantages, officials acknowledge that the overall impact is likely to be negative.

“Across the board we have got pretty remarkable achievements now. Will that be able to make up the gap with withdrawal in the war economy? It’s probably pretty unlikely,” said a US official, speaking on condition of anonymity.-—AFP

Kingdom Holding hits 20.8% profit CFO sees strong outlook on Saudi real estate DUBAI: Kingdom Holding (KHC), owned

by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, has reported a 20.8 percent rise in its second-quarter net profit, thanks mostly to income from investments and dividends. The company said in a statement on Tuesday that its quarterly earnings rose to 163.5 million riyals ($43.6 million), having reported a net profit of 135.4 million

riyals a year earlier. “The increase in net profit is due to a rise in the company’s profits from investments and dividends of its investment in capital markets,” Kingdom said in a statement posted on the Saudi bourse website.

Kingdom Holding, an investment company that has minority stakes in some of the world’s top companies, is a main

shareholder in Citigroup.

The statement said there was a “low performance of associated companies and hotel operators as a result of current events in the Middle East”, in an apparent reference to the political unrest in the region. The statement did not elaborate, but the company reported that operating profit rose just 4.7 percent to 183.5 million

riyals in the second quarter. “I am confident that the outlook for the company’s continuing profitability is promising especially in so far as the real estate developments in Saudi Arabia,” Chief Financial Officer Shadi Sanbar said in the statement.

“KHC is poised to capitalize on financial and strategic opportunities as they come up,” he added. — Reuters

Wage protests shut Bangladesh factory DHAKA: A high-profile Bangladeshi garment factory, run as a social enterprise by Nobel winner Muhammad Yunus, has been shut after workers staged violent protests over wages, police said yesterday. Grameen Knitwear, one of dozens of businesses the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate has launched, was closed after more than 2,000 workers vandalised the $23 million plant on Tuesday, local police chief Sirajul Islam said. “The management closed the factory indefinitely after workers held violent protests, demanding a big hike in lunch fees and transport costs and at least 10 percent ownership in the company,” he said.

Yunus won his Nobel prize for his work at Grameen Bank, a microfinance lender he founded that helped mostly poor women in rural areas to start their own businesses.

He also runs more than 30 businesses that aim to pay decent wages and offer protection to employees. Profits are reinvested rather than distributed to the owners.

The unrest is a second blow to Yunus who was sacked from Grameen Bank in March by the central bank after a campaign by the government to oust him. Islam said police were investigating the protests at the plant, 25 kilometers north of the capital Dhaka, as Grameen Knitwear was one of a very few companies with a “good history” of payment to workers. “They vandalized the factory, shattering its windows and were trying to torch cartons full of exportbound apparel,” said the police chief.

Many workers turned up yesterday

morning but left after seeing a notice pasted on the factory-gate, announcing the indefinite shutdown of the plant by the management, he said. Analysts say Yunus’s huge influence in Bangladesh, his brief foray into politics in 2007 and his move into other businesses such as solar panels and mobile phones, has triggered government resentment. Ashraful Hasan, chief executive of Grameen Knitwear, ruled out any political motive behind the protests, but he rejected the workers’ demands, saying the company was already paying better than most other garment firms.

“We are the top five garment manufacturer in terms of wages and workers’ benefits. We pay far above the government-set minimum wages. Still, some workers launched protests, making irrational demands,” he said by phone. After his sacking, Yunus said he wanted to focus on his social businesses. He has launched joint ventures with top global giants such as Danone and Veolia of France and Adidas of Germany. But disputes have emerged over the ownership of the businesses. Yunus, who chairs the boards of the Grameen social businesses including Grameen Knitwear, insists the companies are separate entities and the Grameen Bank does not own any stake in them. But a state panel says the micro-lender should be in charge of the social businesses so that the dividends can be distributed to the eight million poor women borrowers who are the owners of Grameen Bank.— AFP

DHAKA: File photo shows Professor Muhammad Yunus, founder and Managing director of Grameen Bank and pioneer of micro-credit at a press conference in Dhaka. A top Bangladeshi garment factory, run as a “social” enterprise by Nobel winner Muhammad Yunus, has been shut after workers staged violent protests over wages. — AFP

LONDON: News Corporation Chief Rupert Murdoch reads a copy of one his newspapers, The London Times, as he leaves his London home yesterday. —AFP

News Corp shares soar 5% in Australian trade SYDNEY: Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp gained more than five percent in Australian trade yesterday after the mogul’s sometimes stumbling testimony at the British phone-hacking inquiry. The stock closed just off its highs at Aus$15.24, a rise of 74 cents, or 5.1 percent, mirroring its stellar performance on the Nasdaq in New York. It was well above the Aus$13.65 seen on Monday, its low since the News of the World scandal broke, but well off the more than Aus$17 shares were fetching before the furor began.

Analysts said yesterday’s rally was a combination of the stock being oversold and broader positive market sentiment that saw the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index climb 81.6 points, or 1.83 percent, to 4,549.7 points. “Market sentiment turned a bit today and a lot of the big names in the sector were higher so that’s one reason News was up,” said IG Markets strategist Ben Potter. “People also see the stock as very cheap and oversold. But I would be wary of buying on the prospect of it going higher at the moment. Who knows where this (phone-hacking) story is going next.”

Another analyst, who did not want to be named, said it appeared shareholders were encouraged by Murdoch insisting he will not be resigning after reports of a possible executive shake-up. “The market took some heart that Murdoch said he would not be resigning. It’s up five percent and continues

to improve from its Monday lows,” he said.

The 80-year-old chief executive was questioned for more than two hours by parliamentarians in London over the scandal that has rocked his global empire and forced two of Britain’s top police chiefs to resign.

He denied ultimate responsibility for the hacking that forced him to shut best-selling British tabloid the News of the World.

Appearing frail, he apologized to the victims, saying at the outset: “I would just like to say one sentence. This is the most humble day of my life.” His son James was also quizzed, with proceedings overshadowed by a protester attacking the elder Murdoch with a foam pie, which saw his Chineseborn wife Wendi Deng leap up and slap the assailant, who was dragged off by police.

The story was given front-page treatment by all the major newspapers in Australia-Murdoch’s birthplace and where he began his business. A source close to the News board told his flagship newspaper here, The Australian, that reports of a board push for executive change were a “beat up”.

“The view is that Rupert has done an amazing job over many years building (News) and he is heading into a very difficult period and deserves the board’s support,” said the source. “Will these events specifically lead to change at News? Probably not. But Rupert is 80, so change is coming anyway and there will be a time when he hands over responsibilities to other people.”— AFP

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KSE stages session of sea-saw performance KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) staged a session of sea-saw performance during yesterday and closed almost flat, as measured by Global General Index. Most of the sectoral indices witnessed positive performance and the market was going to register the second gaining session. But the selling pressure on banking stocks wiped most of the gains. By end of the session, the market closed marginally down while the KSE price index added 0.49 percent to its value.

GLOBAL DAILY MARKET REPORT

Market Indices Global General Index (GGI) ended the day almost flat down by 0.005 percent, at 184.64 point. Market Capitalization was also slightly down for the day reaching KD30.19bn. On the other hand, KSE Price Index closed at 6,033.5 point, adding 29.30 points (0.49 percent) from its previous close.

Market Breadth During the session, 106 companies were traded. Market breadth was skewed towards advancers as 58 equities advanced versus 21 that retreated.

Daily Trading Activity Trading activity was down this session. Total volume traded was down by 23.34 percent with 93.21mn shares changing hands at a total value of KD12.77mn (42.14 percent lower compared to the day before). The real estate sector was the volume leader yesterday, accounting for 31.04 percent of total shares. The banking sector was the value leader, with 37.17 percent of total traded value. National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) was the most active in terms of values traded during yesterday session, with 1.04mn shares exchanged at an aggregate value of KD1.14mn.

Top Gainers and Biggest Decliners In terms of top gainers, First Dubai For Real Estate Development Co was the top gainer for the day, adding 11.36 percent and closed at KD0.025. On the other hand, Sanam Real Estate Company shed 8.93 percent and closed at KD0.051, making it the biggest decliner in the market.

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

BUSINESS

Sectors Wise The broad-based advance was headed by a huge rally in the equity prices of Non Kuwaiti and Real Estate companies. The Non Kuwaiti sector as a whole, represented by Global Non-Kuwaiti Index produced 1.50 percent gains. Gulf Finance House saw its share value appreciate by 5.38 percent and Ahli United Bank reported a 2.04 percent climb. UAE cement companies too were up during yesterday’s session. Ras Al Khaimah Company For White Cement & Construction Materials and Sharjah Cement & Industrial Development Company closed up by 3.51 percent and 1.96 percent, respectively.

Real estate stocks too were notable advancers during the day, as the sector index added 1.31 percent. First Dubai For Real Estate Development Company was the biggest percentage gainer in the market, with an 11.36 percent climb. Mabanee Company too was up by an impressive 2.47 percent, to end the day at KD0.830. Commercial

Facilities Company was amongst the biggest percentage advancers in investment sector. The company saw its share value grow by 6.25 percent, driving the Global Investment Index up by 1.05 percent. Sokouk Holding Company too was up by 5.26 percent, at KD0.020. On the other side of the spectrum, banking index declined by 0.74 percent.

National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) recoiled by 3.57 percent, recording the steepest decline in the sector.

Elsewhere in the banking sector, Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait inched higher by 1.54 percent, and close at KD660. The bank realized a 8.42 percent growth in its 1H2011 earnings figures compared to the corresponding period of 2010. Its net profit reached KD28.44mn. This translates to an EPS of KD0.020..

Oil News The price of OPEC basket of twelve crudes stood at $112.68 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $112.31 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

US, EU debt hopes lift stocks and euro LONDON: Strong company results and hopes for a settlement in the US debt ceiling row boosted global equities yesterday while the euro rose on hopes for a scheme to address the Greek debt crisis. Wall Street also looked set to open higher.

Gold retreated from a record high of $1,609.51 hit on Tuesday, but was still well towards the top of recent trading levels. It has been boosted by both the US and European debt fears.

World stocks as measured by MSCI were up 0.4 percent, adding to Tuesday’s gains and led by emerging markets , which gained 0.9 percent.

“It’s important that there are slightly more positive tones coming out of Capitol Hill, at least averting an immediate issue with their debt ceiling,” said Lothar Mentel, chief investment officer at Octopus Investments.

“We’re within the trading range, driven by good and bad news. The US earnings season will be a positive catalyst and gives us more perspective, compared to the worries and concerns about the euro zone debt crisis.”

US President Barack Obama suggested on Tuesday that progress was being made toward a $3.75 trillion deficit reduction deal, easing worries that lawmakers may fail to lift the US debt ceiling. Earnings have also boosted stock sentiment.

After Wall Street closes, Apple reported revenues well above analysts’ estimates. In Europe, the FTSEurofirst 300 gained around 1 percent, cutting its year-to-date losses to around 3 percent. Earlier, Japanese stocks marked their biggest daily rise in three weeks. The

Nikkei closed up 1.2 percent.

EURO ZONE SUMMIT The euro climbed around 0.6 percent against the dollar on increased belief that a solution to the Greek debt crisis might be on the table.

The EU is said to be considering enabling the euro zone bailout fund to recapitalize the banks and let its special EFSF bailout fund buy bonds in the secondary market. A levy on banks has also been proposed.

Banking sources said banks were on track to offer a complex Greek rescue proposal, which excludes a bank levy, to a meeting of eurozone leaders today.

The single currency was up above $1.42. French Finance Minister Francois Baroin said the summit needed to send a “strong message” and that views among leaders were less divergent than media were reporting, after German Chancellor Angela Merkel said hopes for a single plan to solve Greece’s crisis were unrealistic. Eurozone bond markets were also seeing risk-aversion plays ease as the summit approached. Core German debt prices fell and yields on bonds of the euro zone’s debt-troubled issuers eased.

“The EU have come out saying they’re considering letting the EFSF buy bonds in the secondary market, so basically the euro-area wide discussions about a lender of last resort are happening, so that’s Bund negative and periphery positive,” a trader said. Italy’s 10-year yield was down more 10 basis points at a little over 5.6 percent. It rose above 6 percent earlier in the week. — Reuters

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Eurozone fights divisions amid debt crisis BRUSSELS: The eurozone accelerated efforts yesterday to agree a new Greek bailout, with the German and French leaders set to meet on the debt crisis before a critical eurozone summit. With global pressure mounting for a quick fix to the euro’s troubles, Chancellor Angela Merkel was to host President Nicolas Sarkozy in Berlin yesterday before heading to Brussels the next day for the eurozone summit.

But chances for a blockbuster deal that markets say is needed looked slim after Merkel cautioned that the meeting of the euro area’s 17 leaders would not produce a dramatic, all-encompassing solution to the problem. In a sign of the growing concerns that Europe’s crisis threatens the international financial sector, US President Barack Obama waded into the discussion in telephone talks with Merkel yesterday.”They agreed that dealing effectively with this crisis is important for sustaining the economic recovery in Europe as well as for the global economy,” the White House said in a statement.

Senior eurozone finance officials were to hold another round of negotiations in Brussels yesterday, one year after a first 110-billion-euro EU-IMF bailout that failed to put Greece back on its feet. Nervous

markets are awaiting the outcome of the summit with bated breath after several rocky days for the euro and stock markets with debt crisis contagion threatening to engulf Italy and Spain.”The eurozone debt crisis has moved into a worrisome new phase,” said Carsten Brzeski, senior economist at ING Belgium, adding that the “biggest challenge” for eurozone leaders is to “come up with a plan to prevent further contagion.” “ The fact that German Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday said that the sovereign debt crisis can’t be fixed ‘in one spectacular step,’ unfor tunately, isn’t encouraging,” Brzeski said. The German leader voiced concerns on Tuesday about ideas such as restructuring Greece’s debt, creating joint euro-area bonds or forming a transfer union, a step towards a federal Europe. Merkel said governments needed to reduce their debt and improve competitiveness. “Thursday will help in this but further steps will be needed, not one spectacular event solving all problems.”

Germany, the eurozone’s paymaster, Finland and the Netherlands have been at odds with the European Central Bank and other eurozone governments over the terms of a new bailout for Greece. Berlin

insists that private bond holders share the pain in a new bailout, even if it means triggering some sort of Greek default, an outcome vehemently opposed by the ECB and France. A special tax on eurozone banks has emerged as a potential compromise, but the French and German banking federations have voiced concerns about such a solution.

Another option is for eurozone states to lend Greece money with which it can buy back its own debt at a reduced price on secondary bond markets, effectively postponing its repayments to give it breathing space. French Finance Minister Francois Baroin insisted that eurozone countries are in harmony as he played down divisions over what burder banks should bear. “ There is a very broad convergence of views,” he told France Info radio. “There is a will to make Greece’s debt more manageable and there are still discussions to be had about the share of the private sector.”

The International Monetary Fund, a contributor to bailouts of Greece, Portugal and Ireland, urged eurozone leaders to take urgent action, warning that any delays “could be costly for the euro area and the global economy.” IMF chief Christine Lagarde, the former French finance minis-

LISBON: Brokers work in the trade room of a Portuguese bank during a Portuguese treasury bills auction yesterday. Portugal has raised euro 750 million ($1 billion) in a short-term debt auction, taking the minimum amount it intended to borrow as interest rates edged higher. — AP ter, will attend the summit in her first international appearance as the global lender’s managing director since she took office on July 5. Greek Foreign Minister Stavros

Lambrinidis said the EU was facing a huge test of its values. “It is my firm belief that we are at a crossroads in Europe,” he said during a visit to Poland. — AFP

Cyprus could need bailout after blast Economy in state of emergency: Central bank NICOSIA: Cyprus may need foreign financial aid unless drastic action is taken to deal with the impact of an explosion which decimated its largest power station, central bank governor Athanasios Orphanides has warned.

Already under market pressure because of its links to debt-laden Greece, economists have warned the island could face a bill of up to 1 billion euros after the blast a week ago knocked out half of its power supply.

“To avoid the worst, including admission into (a) support mechanism and all that that entails for the economy ... further and more drastic measures must be taken immediately,” Orphanides said in the July 18 letter sent to Cypriot president Demetris Christofias and copied to political party leaders. “Weighing up all the facts, the unfavorable international

ATHENS: A protesting taxi driver throws himself at riot police during clashes outside the transport ministry in Athens yesterday. — AP

Greece’s taxi drivers extend 2-day strike ATHENS: Greek taxi drivers extended a two-day strike against plans to deregulate their trade indefinitely yesterday after their union said they had not even been able to meet transport ministry officials. A statement from the taxi drivers federation issued late Tuesday said it was now an open-ended action, after having originally called just a two-day strike. The action, which has hit Greece at the height of the tourist season, created massive traffic jams Monday, particularly in the capital Athens.

Thousands of yellow taxi cabs staged coordinated actions on the motorways leading out of Athens to other cities to the north and south. The Greek union of tourist operators (Hatta) on Monday denounced the fact that tourism had once more fallen victim to “corporate interests”. Taxi drivers staged a first strike on July 5, but after talks between the Pan-hellenic Federation of Taxi Owners and Transport Minister Yannis Ragoussis produced nothing, opted to repeat the action.

Government spokesman Ilias Mossialos denounced the strike as irresponsible. Minister for tourism Georges Nikitiades called on union members to act with restraint so as not to hit the tourist industry, a key earner for the economy, and increasingly important since the nation’s debt crisis. The government’s deregulation plans at the centre of the dispute are part of a wider government policy to open a range of industries and professions up to competition to develop Greece’s economy.

The move came in response to pressure from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, who bailed out Greece in May 2010 with a package worth 110 billion euros ($160 billion). In return, the government undertook to introduce a series of unpopular austerity measures to stabilise its public finances. The country is still in serious difficulty and needs another bailout valued at around the same amount. Its debt has exploded and market hostility has kept it from raising fresh loans. — AFP

LSE markets boosted by listings and fixed income LONDON: The London Stock Exchange, seen as a takeover target since its bid for a Canadian rival collapsed, reported a 14 percent rise in first-quarter revenue as its smaller post-trade unit outpaced a steady performance in its core trading business. The UK exchange said yesterday revenue for its financial first quarter to the end of June rose to 190.2 million pounds ($307 million).

Revenue in its main markets unit was up 4 percent to 79.7 million pounds, as an increase in bond trading linked to the European sovereign debt crisis and more initial public offerings (IPOs) made up for sluggish trading in equities and futures.

The LSE’s smaller post-trade unit reported a 58 percent rise to 51.8 million pounds and data services rose by 6 percent to 44.7 million.

“These strong first-quarter figures confirm that we continue to make good progress,” LSE Chief Executive Xavier Rolet said in a statement. No

bid has emerged for the LSE since it dropped its high-profile $3.5 billion deal for Canadian exchange TMX Group. But the UK exchange’s stock is trading around a twelve-month high on speculation an offer may be pending. US peer Nasdaq OMX or the Singapore Exchange could be possible buyers, traders have said.

LSE shares were 3 percent higher, at 10.26 pounds, at 0728 GMT yesterday. The LSE announced a friendly merger with TMX in February but a Canadian consortium named Maple opposed the plan in May, arguing the Canadian exchange should not be allowed to fall into foreign hands.

The LSE pulled its TMX bid on June 29 because it could not win enough shareholder support. LSE shares have risen by 17 percent since Maple opposed the LSE’s deal as traders have gambled the UK exchange would itself become a takeover target if the TMX deal failed. — Reuters

environment, the difficulties in resorting to external borrowing and the additional economic impact from the recent events, I believe that the economy is in a state of emergency, comparable to that of 1974,” Orphanides wrote.

Orphanides is a member of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank. It is the first time he has suggested Cyprus may need to enter a support mechanism, even though the island’s borrowing costs had been rising before the blast.

A copy of the one-page letter obtained by Reuters was forwarded to Christofias before an emergency meeting with party leaders on Monday to assess the impact of the July 11 blast. He was referring to the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus in 1974 after a brief

Bankia stock falls on market debut MADRID: Shares in Bankia, the Spanish lender forged from the merger of seven savings banks, fell 1.9 percent to 3.68 euros when trading began for the first time yesterday. The government has pushed Bankia and smaller rival Banca Civica to list their shares to shore up capital after the collapse of a property boom in 2008 left lenders heavily exposed to bad debts.

Bankia’s stock market flotation is seen as a key test of Madrid’s strategy to strengthen Spanish banks.

The bank, run by former IMF chief and Spanish economy minister Rodrigo Rato, priced its shares at 3.75 euros, a 60-percent discount to book value, to attract shareholders amid market tensions over the European sovereign debt crisis. It originally planned to sell shares at 4.41 euros to 5.05 euros.

Banca Civica, which was forged from the merger of four savings banks, set the price for its stock market debut on Thursday at 2.70 euros, the bottom of the marketed range and also a discount of around 60 percent to book value.

Both Bankia and Banca Civica passed the stress tests published on Friday by the European Banking Authority to see if they can survive a theoretical slide in stock, bond and property prices during a two-year recession. But they only just achieved the bare minimum requirement of rock solid core Tier One capital ratio of

5.0 percent of total assets. Five Spanish banks were among the eight European lenders which failed the stress tests.

The government and the Bank of Spain said the test did not take into account huge provisions made by Spanish lenders to prepare for an economic downturn and they stressed that none of the banks needed extra money.

The plight of Spain’s lenders, especially regional savings banks which account for about half of all lending in the country, has fed market concerns that the nation could need an international bailout from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund as has been the case for Greece, Ireland and Portugal.

Bankia announced in January it intended to list on the stock market as a way to meet higher capital requirements for the Spanish banks. It moved its riskier assets, such as bad property loans, to an unlisted unit set up by the group, Banco Financiero y de Ahorros, to prepare for the listing. Bankia was formed from a merger of heavyweight Caja Madrid and six smaller regional savings banks.

It is Spain’s fourth-biggest bank after Santander, BBVA and CaixaBank.

Under the new regulations, Spanish banks must raise the proportion of core capital they hold to 8.0 percent of total assets from 6.0 percent-or 10.0 percent if they are unlisted. — AFP

MADRID: Bankia’s Chairman Rodrigo Rato launches the trading of Spanish bank Bankia at Madrid’s stock exchange yesterday. — AFP

Greek inspired coup. The explosion of confiscated Iranian munitions last Monday left 13 people dead and triggered rolling power cuts on the island.

Calls have also mounted for the resignation of Christofias, who has seen his foreign and defense ministers quit in the wake of the disaster. With a budget deficit of 5.1 percent of GDP and overall public debt of around 60 percent, Cyprus is in much better fiscal shape than euro zone bailout recipients Greece, Ireland and Portugal. But financial markets have worried the island, whose annual output of around 17.4 billion euros is just 0.2 percent of the euro zone economy, will be downed by its dependence on a Greek economy and banking sector struggling with its debt crisis. — Reuters

British bank reforms need sharper probe LONDON: Britain’s Independent Commission on Banking (ICB) needs to sharpen its probe into its proposed reforms for the sector, such as ring-fencing retail banks, parliament’s Treasury Select Committee said yesterday. Britain set up the ICB last year to examine reforming a sector that was badly damaged by the credit crisis, resulting in the nationalization of Northern Rock and part-nationalization of Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds.

In its interim report, the ICB proposed ringfencing banks’ retail operations from their riskier investment banking arms, to shield taxpayers from future crises. It also called on banks to hold more capital. However, the cross-party Treasury Select Committee said the ICBheaded up by Oxford University academic John Vickers- had not addressed certain areas in enough depth, such as corporate governance issues or a full split of the banks. “The failure to address the issue of corporate governance was a serious omission in the ICB’s interim report. It must be tackled head-on in the final report,” committee chairman Andrew Tyrie said in a statement.

Conservative politician Tyrie has consistently criticized the ICB for not examining the issue of bankers’ bonuses closely enough. Public anger against bonuses paid out to Britain’s powerful financial industry has remained high in the wake of the credit crisis, which saw taxpayers’ money used to bail out and rescue several leading British banks. The top UK banks-Barclays , Royal Bank of Scotland , Lloyds and HSBC-struck a deal with the government this year called “Project Merlin”, in which they pledged to moderate their pay packages and in return lend more money to small businesses to boost Britain’s flagging economy.

However, in May the Bank of England said those banks had fallen short of those lending targets in the first quarter. The heads of Britain’s top banks have expressed concerns that the ICB’s reforms may be counter-productive. They have argued that while the proposed reforms may make the banks safer, they could also constrain their lending activities, thereby damaging the broader economy. British bankers have added that excessively tough new rules could also disadvantage them to overseas rivals. “ The banks warned us that the ICB’s structural reform options could potentially be costly. They claimed that a retail ring fence would contribute little to increased financial stability and may inadvertently increase moral hazard and risk-taking,” said Tyrie.

“These are important objections and we believe Sir John needs to come out and demonstrate that his proposals would not have the negative or unintended consequences that his critics assert,” he added.

The ICB’s interim report opted for separating retail and investment banks within a shared parent company instead of a full split to form two new companies, but Tyrie said it needed to explain more clearly why it was against a full separation. “Full structural separation is not at the present time the ICB’s lead option. This thin treatment by the ICB of full separation, covered in just one page, is not convincing as a demonstration that full consideration has been given to this option,” the Treasury Select Committee said in a statement. The ICB is due to publish its final report on Sept 12 and it will be then up to the government to decide on whether or not to adopt its measures. — Reuters

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THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

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Apple’s revenue, forecast trump Wall Street targets iPhones, iPads drive quarter; Shares soar 7%

MAKATI: Fiipino activists throw tomatoes at a caricature of Uncle Sam bearing logos of oil companies and Philippine President Benigno Aquino III during a rally outside the office of Shell in the financial district of Makati, south of Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, July 19, 2011. The group was protesting against the recent increase of oil prices in the country. — AP

Oil gains on US debt hopes, tight supply Goldman stumbles on commodities LONDON: Oil rose over a dollar yesterday, bolstered by hopes of a US debt deal and by tightening crude stocks in the world’s largest oil consumer. US crude rose $1.08 to $98.58 a barrel, having reached a high of $98.73. Brent crude climbed $1.20 to $118.26 a barrel by 1028 GMT after touching a peak of $118.45, adding to gains of more than a dollar in the previous session.

“The outlook for U.S. inventories data is pushing prices higher after a big draw in crude shown by the API, which has shifted the outlook for EIA data,” said Andy Sommer, energy analyst at EGL in Dietikon, Switzerland. Industry group American Petroleum Institute on Tuesday reported a 5.2 million barrel drop in domestic crude stocks, surpassing expectations for a 1.7 million barrel fall, as refinery runs rose. The US Energy Information Administration will issue its own weekly data later. Stockpiles were forecast down for a seventh straight week due to higher refinery usage and a decline in imports, an extended Reuters poll showed on Tuesday ahead of weekly inventory reports.

All but one of 14 analysts polled projected a drawdown in crude, with the average forecast at 1.7 million barrels for the week to July 15. Sommer added that investors were now positioned for a big fall in stocks, which would make oil prices vulnerable if the data, which can swing sharply due to its weekly frequency, fails to meet forecasts for a big drop.

However some analysts were still very bullish on a longer term basis. Bank of America Merrill Lynch said Brent crude could spike as high as $175 per barrel next year if the global oil market stays tight and raised its forecast for Brent $8 to an average of $102 a barrel for the fourth quarter of 2011.

DEBT HOPES Also helping lift oil prices were hopes that debt problems on both sides of the Atlantic could be resolved. A group of Democratic and Republican senators offered an ambitious plan on Tuesday

that could revive stalled US debt talks and the prospect of a long-term deficit reduction deal to avert a default by the United States. With just two weeks left until the federal government runs out of money to pay all its bills, President Barack Obama seized on the plan by the so-called Gang of Six as a “very significant step” and urged congressional leaders to start discussing it. On the other side of the Atlantic, German Chancellor Angela Merkel doused expectations of any comprehensive solution to Greece’s debt crisis at an emergency euro zone summit on Thursday, saying “further steps will be necessary and not just one spectacular event which solves everything”.

The euro eased against the dollar, dogged by lingering doubts over whether the summit will quell investors’ fears of contagion risks from Greece’s sovereign debt crisis. “While in the shortterm, all eyes are on relative currency shifts, the economic fallout from an ineffective deal in either country is the real market risk issue,” said analysts at J.P. Morgan in a research note. Oil has been supported in recent days by a growing conviction that the International Energy Agency will not tap into more of its emergency reserves after its decision to release 60 million barrels from emergency stockpiles last month.

The IEA’s release took energy traders by surprise and briefly rattled oil markets. IEA’s executive director said the agency has yet to decide whether another release from emergency stocks is needed, although the French energy minister said there were no plans for another release.

Analysts suspect the shock action may have contributed to the massive drop in second-quarter trading profits reported

by Goldman Sachs , long known as a large and savvy commodity derivatives trader. Goldman said on Tuesday it had “significantly lower results” in its commodities and mortgage businesses, even after its own analysts correctly called for a pull-back in prices. — Reuters

US govt defends Doha trade strategy after Zoellick barbs WASHINGTON: The President Barack Obama’s administration yesterday fired back at World Bank President Robert Zoellick’s criticism that it has not done enough to bring the nearly decade-old Doha round of world trade talks to a successful close. “Our goal has been not just any deal-but a good deal,” Michael Punke, US Ambassador to the World Trade Organization said in remarks in Geneva made available here.

“Frankly, if Doha could be completed by virtue of throwing a pile of concessions on the table, we would have had a deal many many years ago,” Punke said.

Zoellick, who was US Trade Representative when the Doha round was launched in 2001. This week he accused the United States and other WTO members of “dumbing down Doha” by aiming for a small package of agreements instead of the big deal in agriculture, services and manufacturing envisioned 10 years ago. He called for “a turnaround” in the talks and encouraged the United States to lead the way by offering difficult concessions like eliminating the US tariff on ethanol, making deeper cuts in domestic farm subsidies, allowing more foreign software engineers to enter the United States and agreeing to change its anti-dumping laws.

Zoellick, who was in Geneva for a meeting at the WTO, told reporters his record of negotiating and winning congressional approval of a series of free trade agreements during President George W. Bush’s

administration gave him authority to offer advice. He derided the tone of the Doha talks, which he said had become increasingly “defeatist” when countries should be redoubling their efforts to reach a wide-ranging deal that would give the global economy a much-needed boost.

Punke said over the past two and a half years, the Obama administration “has played the leading role in seeking an ambitious outcome in Doha. He said that included initiatives to find creative solutions within the confines of the framework for the talks decided by Zoellick and others who started the negotiations in late 2001.

“In particular, we have insisted that a Doha agreement must reflect the realities of the global economy in which we live,” Punke said, referring to the United States’ insistence that major emerging economies like China, India and Brazil contribute more to a final Doha deal. “ The United States, as always, stands ready. Over the upcoming weeks and months, we will be at the forefront of determining whether any variant of the current Doha framework can result in a successful outcome,” he said.

Zoellick was USTR from 2001 to 2005 before becoming Deputy US Secretary of State and eventually World Bank president. He failed to close the Doha round by its initial deadline of January 2005 and his two Republican successors, Rob Portman and Susan Schwab, did no better during their tenures. — Reuters

SAN FRANCISCO: Blockbuster sales of the iPhone and strong Asian business again helped Apple Inc crush Wall Street’s expectations, driving its shares up more than 7 percent to a record high and boosting Asian stocks. Sales of its iconic products far outpaced forecasts, helping drive a near-doubling of revenue in the fiscal third quarter. Its shares leapt to a high of $405 after a brief after-hours trading suspension. Apple sold 20.34 million iPhones during the quarter versus an expected 17 million to 18 million, which analysts say helped it vault past Nokia and Samsung Electronics to become the world’s biggest smartphone maker.

That “figure may indeed make them the largest smartphone maker by volume, which is somewhat ironic in a quarter that many thought would be about the Mac,” said CCS Insight analyst John Jackson. “ That they accomplished this without a new model speaks volumes about both their strength and the relative challenges facing competitors.”

Apple’s earnings beat was spectacular even by its own lofty track record. Its quarterly EPS beat the average forecast by 33 percent, versus beats of about 20 percent in the past two quarters.

The stellar results came as concern over iPad 2 supply constraints eased, with Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer saying more than 1 million iPads remained in stock at the end of last month but demand was still overstripping supply in some markets.

Oppenheimer hinted at an upcoming product launch, saying it would impact the September quarter, but he gave no details. In coming months, Apple is expected to roll out a new iPhone, which is likely to give the world’s most valuable technology company another shot in the arm and offer a stiff challenge to rivals such as Google Inc and Research in Motion .

“They never cease to amaze me, these guys,” YCMNET Advisors Chief Executive Michael Yoshikami said. “The numbers are obviously

very strong and they seem to be accelerating earnings on all fronts.”

ASIA ON FIRE The Cupertino, California company said its fiscal third-quarter revenue climbed 82 percent to $28.57 billion, trouncing the average analyst estimate of $24.99 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. The company posted net income for the fiscal third quarter ended June 25 of $7.31 billion, or $7.79 per share, up from $3.25 billion, or $3.51 per share. Analysts on average had expected Apple to report $5.85 per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Oppenheimer attributed the big margin boost to higher sales of the iPhone, particularly in Asia.

International sales accounted for 62 percent of the quarter’s revenue. Shares in Apple’s Asian suppliers including Taiwan’s Hon Hai Precision and Largan Precision jumped 2.6 percent and 3.2 percent respectively, while Japan’s Foster Electric , which makes headphones for smartphones, rose 1.7 percent by 0015 GMT. In Korea, top chipmaker Samsung Electronics Co rose 2.9 percent, while LG Display jumped 4.1 percent, and Hynix Semiconductor were up 2.8 percent by 0015 GMT. “Apple is doing well, but this does not mean other tech companies are doing well.

Tech shares are rising after their recent sharp falls and on expectations that their earnings may not be as bad as previously concerned,” said Lee Seon-yeob, an analyst at Shinhan Investment Corp in Seoul. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook told analysts they were particularly optimistic about Greater China, which includes mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, where Apple’s year-over-year revenue was up sixfold at $3.8 billion. Overall, Asia Pacific revenue more than tripled to $6.3 billion in the quarter.

“I firmly believe that we are just scratching the surface right now,” Cook said of China. “I

think there is an incredible opportunity for Apple there.” Cooks also remarked on Apple TV, one of the few Apple products that has not really connected with consumers, saying it still had a “hobby status” within the company. Apple sold 9.25 million iPads and 3.95 million Mac computers. Gross margin for the quarter came to 41.7 percent. Shares of Apple have emerged from the limbo they had fallen into after Chief Executive Steve Jobs took leave last January for unspecified medical reasons.

Based on a price of $400, Apple would have a market capitalization of $369.90 billion, putting it close to Exxon Mobil, the largest company in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index, which has a $411.97 billion market value. The stock has gained 16.8 percent so far this year and has had only two “down” years in the last 10: in 2002, when it lost 35 percent, and in 2008, when it dropped 57 percent. On Tuesday, Jobs’ health again came to the forefront after the Wall Street Journal reported that several Apple board members had discussed a successor to the Silicon Valley icon, and talked it over with at least one head of a high-profile tech company.

Succession planning at Apple has been a hot topic since Jobs announced his medical leave, with many not expecting him to return to lead the company he founded in 1976. The fate of Apple is tied to how the iPhone and iPad maker handles the eventual departure of its iconic chief. Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook is overseeing day-to-day operations.

Shareholders representing almost a third of Apple’s stock voted in February in favor of a proposal to disclose a succession plan for Jobs, underscoring worries over who will replace the visionary leader at the helm.

Apple, notorious for its conservative forecasts, estimated earnings for the September quarter of $5.50 a share on revenue of $25 billion, below analysts’ average estimate of $6.45 a share on revenue of $27.7 billion. — Reuters

Iraqi banks struggle with limited capital

AMMAN: A worker at Amman Municipality Slaughterhouse removes the skin from beef in preparation to be shipped to the local market yesterday. The Amman Municipality Slaughterhouse started increasing their production of red meat and chickens to respond to the high demand for meat in the coming holy month of Ramadan which begins early August. — AP

American Airlines orders 200 Boeing, Airbus jets WASHINGTON: American Airlines yesterday announced a massive multi-billion-dollar order for 200 Boeing 737 and 260 Airbus A320 passenger jets. The deal, which they described as the “largest aircraft order in history,” is for planes are to be delivered between 2013 and 2022. The purchase marks a major setback for Boeing because most of American Airline’s fleet is made up of jets built by the US aerospace giant.

The Fort Worth, Texas-based AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines, said the deal will allow the company “to replace and transform American’s narrowbody fleet over five years and solidify its fleet plan into the next decade. “These new aircraft will allow American to reduce its operating and fuel costs and deliver state-ofthe-art amenities to customers,” the

company said in a statement.

AMR chairman and chief executive Gerard Arpey said that with the purchase his company expects to have “the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleet among our peers in the US industry within five years. “This new fleet will dramatically improve our fuel and operating costs, while enhancing our financial flexibility,” he said.

In a separate statement, Boeing confirmed American’s purchase of 200 narrowbody airplanes - including 100 NextGeneration 737s-with options for 100 more. American Airlines currently has more than 600 Boeing airplanes, includes 156 Next-Generation 737-800s, Boeing said. The Next-Generation 737s are five percent more fuel efficient than the first of the models delivered in 1998, Boeing said. — AFP

BAGHDAD: It is a tough road ahead for Iraqi private banks required to raise their capital to boost business as they battle against decades of state dominance to win a slice of the asset base from government-run enterprises. A poor credit culture, lack of a modern banking system, and the dominance of state banks have slowed development in Iraq’s key financial sector more than eight years after the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

Many Iraqis remain unbanked and concerns that most business in the investment-hungry country is done through direct cash dealings are further weighed down by security worries. “We still have the remains of a central management which is still forcing government offices and ministries to deal with government banks exclusively, and consequently all the deposits are going into state banks,” said economist Salam Smeism. “Where is the benefit in having the money go from the government to the government? We need to develop the private sector.”

Iraq nationalized its private banks in 1964, according to executive director of the Iraqi Private Banks League Abdul-Aziz Hassoun, paving the way for dominance of the financial industry by the country’s state banks. After the UN imposed economic sanctions in 1991, private banking once again opened up in Iraq. The OPEC country has seven state-owned banks, 23 private banks and eight Islamic private banks, according to the central bank website.

But much of the private banking activity is limited to deposit services and personal lending. Its two main state banks, Rafidain and Rashid, have a virtual monopoly of most assets. Both are undergoing restructuring to eliminate debt racked up following years of war and economic sanctions. Hassoun, whose banking league is an independent organization to support private banks, said government banks held 87 percent of the country’s deposits while private banks had 13 percent. He said state banks’ government sector deposits amounted to 30 trillion Iraqi dinars and private sector deposits were at 11 trillion Iraqi dinars.

Comparatively, private banks have 6 trillion Iraqi dinars. According to Iraq’s central bank, there is no law forbid the private banks from financing government projects whether through loans or through purchase of government bonds. But the finance ministry two years ago prohibited government institutes from dealing with private banks as a way to curb corruption and misuse of funds. But the central bank considered the move an “injustice” against the private sector, said Mudher Kasim, a central bank advisor.

“The government institutions should have the right to choose the good private bank, but not to boycott all private banks. There are good private banks,” Kasim said.

The finance ministry is now in talks to help bring the private banks deeper into the financial system in response to demands from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. “They want us to direct our attention to the private sector. So our plan is how to support the private banks in all fields.” said Fadhil Nabi, the deputy finance minister.

Iraq decided in 2006 to revamp its financial system, particularly through a restructuring of Rafidain and Rashid, re-organizing the central bank’s supervision department and developing the private sector. Both the World Bank and the IMF agreed in 2009 to help advise and implement the plan although progress has been slow.Rafidain bank has $28 billion in external and internal debts, while Rashid has debts of $1 billion. Most external debts were racked up by the government during Saddam’s time. Part of the plan is a capital-raising scheme for private banks to boost capital for each institution to $213 million by June 2013, which is also expected to spur some consolidation within the sector.

However, industry officials say while raising capital will aid private banks, more needs to be done to modernize Iraq’s financial system to open up banking for private banks. — Reuters

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THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

TECHNOLOGY

Harvard fellow hacked millions of papers: Feds BOSTON: A Harvard University fellow who was studying ethics was charged with hacking into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s computer network to steal nearly 5 million academic articles. Aaron Swartz, 24, was accused of stealing the documents from JSTOR, a popular research subscription service that offers digitized copies of more than 1,000 academic journals and documents, some dating back to the 17th century.

In an indictment released Tuesday, prosecutors say Swartz stole 4.8 million articles between September 2010 and January after breaking into a computer wiring closet on MIT’s campus. Swartz, a student at the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics, downloaded so many documents during one October day that some of JSTOR’s computer servers crashed, according to the indictment. Prosecutors say Swartz intended to distribute the articles on file-sharing

websites. Swartz turned himself in Tuesday and was arraigned in US District Court, where he pleaded not guilty to charges including wire fraud, computer fraud and unlawfully obtaining information from a protected computer.

He was released on $100,000 unsecured bond and faces up to 35 years in prison, if convicted.”Stealing is stealing whether you use a computer command or a crowbar, and whether you take documents, data or dollars,” US Attorney Carmen Ortiz said in a statement. “It is equally harmful to the victim whether you sell what you have stolen or give it away.”

A call to Swartz’s attorney wasn’t immediately returned. Swartz is due back in court September 9. A spokeswoman for JSTOR said Tuesday that Swartz had agreed to return all the articles so the company can ensure they aren’t distributed. “We don’t own any of this content. We really

have to responsible stewards of it,” said spokeswoman Heidi McGregor. “ We worked hard to find out what was going on. We worked hard to get the data back.”

Swartz is an online activist who founded the website Demand Progress, which says it “works to win progressive policy changes for ordinary people.” The site describes Swartz as “the author of numerous articles on a variety of topics, especially the corrupting influence of big money on institutions including nonprofits, the media, politics, and public opinion.” It said he and another researcher once downloaded and analyzed more than 440,000 law review articles to determine their funding sources.

Demand Progress’s executive director David Segal said on the website that the charges against Swartz don’t make sense.

“It’s like trying to put someone in jail for allegedly checking too many books out of the library,” he said. A Harvard spokesman

said Swartz was placed on leave from a 10month fellowship after the university learned about the investigation. He said the fellowship ended last month. Swartz had legitimate access to JSTOR through Har vard, but the company has usage restrictions that would have prevented such colossal downloads.

The nonprofit JSTOR, founded in 1995, enables libraries to save space, time and labor by digitally storing centuries worth of academic journals. Its oldest publication is a Proceedings of the Royal Society of London from 1665. Its annual subscription fees can cost a large research university as much as $50,000. According to the indictment, Swartz connected a laptop to MIT’s system in September 2010 through a basement network wiring closet and registered as a guest under the fictitious name, Gary Host, in which the first initial and last name spell “ghost.” He then used a software pro-

gram to “rapidly download at extraordinary volume of articles from JSTOR,” according to the indictment.

In the following months, MIT and JSTOR tried to block the recurring and massive downloads, on occasion denying all MIT users access to JSTOR. But Swartz allegedly got around it, in part, by disguising the computer source of the demands for data.

In November and December, Swar tz allegedly made 2 million downloads from JSTOR, 100 times the number made during the same period by all legitimate JSTOR users at MIT. The indictment also alleges that on Jan. 6, Swartz went to the wiring closet to remove the laptop, attempting to shield his identity by holding a bike helmet in front of his face and seeing his way through its ventilation holes. It said that he fled when MIT police tried to question him that day. — AP

Samsung takes shot at iPad with Galaxy Tab Motorola, Acer, RIM tablets yet to catch fancy

GWESAN: South Korean student Kim Jae-min, center, and his classmates use tablet PCs to study in a class at Sosu Elementary School in Gwesan, South Korea. — AP

S Korean students ditch paper for digital books GOESAN: Outside the classroom a hot summer day beckons, but fourth-grade teacher Yeon Eun-jung’s students are glued to their tablet PCs as they watch an animated boy and a girl squabble about whether water becomes heavier when frozen. The small scene in this rural town is part of something big: South Korea is taking a $2 billion gamble that its students are ready to ditch paper textbooks in favor of tablet PCs as part of a vast digital scholastic network.

France, Singapore, Japan and others are racing to create classrooms where touch-screens provide instant access to millions of pieces of information. But South Korea - Asia’s fourth-largest economy - believes it enjoys an advantage over these countries, with kids who are considered the world’s savviest navigators of the digital universe. A 2009 study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a Paris-headquartered grouping of wealthy nations, found 15year-olds in South Korea scored highest in their ability to absorb information from digital devices, beating runners-up New Zealand and Australia by a large margin.

At Sosu Elementary School in Goesan, principal Jo Yong-deuk speaks of a future in which his students interact in virtual reality with Ludwig van Beethoven and Abraham Lincoln. In the classroom, the children scribble answers in their tablet PCs with touchscreen pens as they watch the video clip explaining the scientific properties of frozen water. “I liked this chapter, but my favorite clip is one where they show how flowers blossom and trees bear fruit in spring,” 11-year-old Jeong Ho-seok said with a wide grin.

More than 60 primary, middle and high schools are now using digital textbooks as part of their curriculum, according to the state-run Korea Education and Research Information Service, which provides technical support for the program.

Seoul believes it can finish the $2.1 billion program to build a single computer network packed with high-quality digital content by 2015. Replacing textbooks with tablet PCs will account for a quarter of that budget.

According to South Korean officials, France is handing out tablets in the Correze region and is pushing to expand digital material, while Japan began distributing tablet PCs in a primary school last year under a pilot program. Infocommunications Development Authority of Singapore said on its website that Singapore began adopting tablet PCs in 2004. But Kim Doo-yeon, a South Korean official leading the project, said his country will have no trouble competing.

South Korea is one of the most wired places on earth. More than 80 percent of South Korean households have broadband access to the Internet, according to the statistical office here. US Web hosting company Akamai said earlier this year that South Korea enjoys the fastest Internet connection in the world. South Korea also ranks first in wireless broadband subscriptions, according to an OECD release last month.

Lee Sang-hyeob, a student at Sosu Elementary School, spends a lot of time at home playing online games and chat-

ting with schoolmates. Another Sosu student, Jang Woo-dam, often surfs her school’s website to see messages from friends. The 2009 OECD study says there’s a positive relationship between students’ use of computers at home for leisure and their digital navigation skills. “Proficient digital readers tend to know how to navigate effectively and efficiently,” the study said.

The study said students who read online more frequently also read a greater variety of print material and report higher enjoyment of reading itself.

Another telling example of the influence of the Internet on this nation of 50 million is the number of so-called PC rooms, or Internet cafes, which stood at 15,000 as of December last year, according to the PC room business association.

PC rooms, which usually operate around the clock, have long been the breeding ground for South Korea’s socalled professional e-gamers, whose popularity has given birth to an industry dedicated to airing their matches and promoting high-tech gadgets through them. Enchanted with games, Jeong Yujin, 16, has been teaching himself programming since he was a child and is now developing a game that warns of the consequences of global warming as a player clears stages filled with challenges like angry polar bears and crumbling glaciers.

“Technology is a way for me to turn my imagination into a reality,” said the student at Korea Digital Media High School, one of many technology-oriented schools that have proliferated as electronics giants like Samsung have thrived.

Kim, the South Korean official leading the tablet PC project, said the country envisions a digital scholastic network for students to go beyond digital textbooks and national boundaries. “In the future, all our students will be connected to a single computer network that allows them to also learn from teachers in other countries,” Kim said.

Loaded with video, animation, photos, voices, songs and Web documents created by experts and by teachers and students, digital textbooks allow students to enjoy a custom-made learning experience, Kim said. Kids who fall behind in a regular curriculum can start from levels they feel comfortable with. Young North Korean defectors struggling to adapt to South Korea could also benefit from having tablet PCs. More than 21,000 North Koreans, including children, have come to South Korea since the two countries’ 1950-53 war. Many choose to study in special schools to catch up before they attend regular ones.

Those who study digital technology and education have been generally positive about introducing digital textbooks, but there have also been warnings that Internet addiction may deepen among South Korea’s teenagers. The number of students addicted to the Internet amounted to 782,000, or 12 percent of the total student population, the Ministry of Public Administration and Security said last year. The government, worried by the problem, plans to increase the number of counselors dealing with Internet addiction to 5,500 next year. — AP

SEOUL: South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co launched a thinner and lighter version of its Galaxy tablet in its lucrative home market, trying to chip into blockbuster sales of Apple Inc’s iPad. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 inch is an upgraded version of the 7-inch introduced in October. Priced from $500 onwards in the US market, the same as the 9.7-inch iPad, it faces tough me-too competition from more than 100 devices, mostly running Google’s Android operating system.

However, so far, Apple and Samsung have dominated the market as tablets, initially viewed as Web entertainment gadget for consumers, have caught the imagination across businesses such as luxury hotels, airlines and wedding planners. Competing products including Research In Motion’s PlayBook and Motorola’s Xoom have received lukewarm reviews, while Hewlett Packard’s TouchPad is a late entrant and Internet retailer Amazon.com Inc unveiled plans only last week to join the overcrowded market.

Yesterday, Lenovo launched three tablets worldwide. Dell Inc has chosen to launch its new 10inch Android tablet in China this summer, passing up a US and European launch as China emerges as a front line battle for tablets. Apple’s market-beating June -quarter sales for iPad reported on Tuesday underscore the challenge for the South Korean company. Shares in Samsung closed up 3.5 percent, boosting the market capitalization of Asia’s most valuable technology company to about $130 billion, in a strong market for technology stocks.

Apple sold 14 million iPads in the first half of this year, compared with analysts’ sales estimates of about 7.5 million units for the Galaxy Tab over 2011.

“Apple’s quarterly results showed again it’s indeed the strongest rival to beat. Samsung will have a tough second half due to growing competition from Apple as it is set to introduce a new iPhone,” said James Song, an analyst at

Daewoo Securities. Both Apple and Android have nurtured what are now thriving ecosystems around their products, populated by energetic third-party developers churning out games and other applications by the thousand.

DISTANT SECOND Samsung is Apple’s nearest rival in the booming mobile device industry as it leverages its

smartphone business grew very fast within a very short period of time, I believe it’s just a matter of time for our tablet business to improve,” J.K. Shin, head of Samsung’s mobile division, told reporters.

Apple said on Tuesday that concern over iPad 2 supply constraints had eased and demand was still outstripping supply in some markets. Apple’s overall

SEOUL: Models pose with Samsung Electronics’ new tablet Galaxy Tab 10.1 which featurs the 10.1-inch touch screen and runs on Android 3.1 during its unveiling ceremony in Seoul, yesterday. — AP cost competitiveness and access to chips and core tablet components. It has sharply narrowed the gap with Apple in the smartphone market, but remains a distant second in the tablet market, which research firm Gartner forecasts will surge to 108 million devices next year from an estimated 70 million in 2011. “As our

tablet market share is expected to shrink to below half in 2015 from an estimated 69 percent this year, Gartner says. Some analysts however said Samsung faced a tough battle. “Samsung’s overall software is still far behind iPad, which makes me doubt if Samsung can succeed to catch up any time soon,” said Lee Min-hee,

an analyst at Dongbu Securities.

“Its tablet sales were quite disappointing at around 2 million units in the first half and there’s a big question mark whether Samsung can meet its target for this year.”

Nomura forecast Samsung’s tablet sales at 7.5 million units this year, far outpacing estimates of 2.4 million for Acer , 2 million units for Motorola and 1.4 million units for RIM. Non-iPad tablet shipments are set to jump 134 percent next year, outpacing the overall market growth rate of 80 percent, Nomura said in a 90 page global tablets report titled “Prepare for the next course.” The sale of the Tab in Korea is Samsung’s fifth launch after its US debut a month ago and its sales kickoff in Indonesia, where the company says it commands a 65 percent market share. It has also launched the device in Italy and Sweden.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 runs on Google’s newest Android version and Nvidia’s dual core processor Tegra 2. Samsung faces the challenge of moving beyond being a hardware company, clever at copying ideas, to becoming more creative and better adept at software at a time when consumer gadgets are getting smarter. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 has a bigger and brighter screen and weighs less than the iPad 2.

However, it has access to only about half the applications Apple users do at more than 200,000 applications compared with over 425,000 applications from the Apple App store. To cope with such shortcomings, Samsung equipped its Korean version with access to television and radio channels. Samsung reiterated yesterday it aimed to boost tablet sales by more than five fold this year. It didn’t provide specific numbers but analysts expect the company to have sold about 1.5 million units last year.

In South Korea, the 16-gigabyte model with Wi-Fi will be sold for 671,000 won ($633), slightly more expensive than the compatible iPad, which is being sold at around 640,000 won. — Reuters

Last space shuttle aims to land today CAPE CANAVERAL: On the eve of NASA’s historic, wheel-stopping end to the shuttle program, the four astronauts making the final journey and the flight controllers who will guide them home said yesterday they were starting to feel a rush of emotions. “You know what? I really do feel like it’s coming near the end,” said the commander of the homewardbound space shuttle Atlantis, Christopher Ferguson. “It’s going to be tough,” Ferguson said in a series of TV interviews 24 hours before today’s planned touchdown. “It’s going to be an emotional moment for a lot of people who have dedicated their lives to the shuttle program for 30 years. But we’re going to try to keep it upbeat. We’re going to try to keep it light, and we’re going to try to make it a celebration of the tremendous crowning achievements that have occurred over the last 30 years.”

Flight director Tony Ceccacci, who will preside over Atlantis’ return to Earth, refrained from publicly sharing his sentiments - until yesterday. “You guys must know that we do have a motto in the Mission Control Center that flight controllers don’t cry,” Ceccacci told reporters. “So we’re going to make sure we keep that.” Among the space shuttle highlights noted yesterday by the four-member crew as well as flight controllers: the 180 satellites deployed into orbit by the entire fleet and the construction of the International Space Station, a nearly 1 million-pound (0.45 million kilogram) science outpost that took

121/2 years and 37 shuttle flights to build.

Atlantis departed the space station Tuesday, after restocking it with a year’s worth of supplies. The very last satellite to be released from a space shuttle popped out of a can yesterday: a little 8-pound box covered with experimental solar cells. As soon as the mini-satellite was on its way, astronaut Rex Walheim read a poem that he wrote to mark the occasion. It was the first of many tributes planned over the next few days; yesterday evening, the Empire State Building in New York was going to light up in red, white and blue in honor of the space shuttle program.

Walheim read: “One more satellite takes its place in the sky, / the last of many that the shuttle let fly. / Magellan, Galileo, Hubble and more / have sailed beyond her payload bay doors. / They’ve filled science books and still more to come. / The shuttle’s legacy will live on when her flying is done.”

Flight controllers applauded back in Houston On this last full day of this last mission, Ferguson told the controllers, “I’d love to have each and every one of you to stand up and take a bow, a round of applause. Then there would be no one to applaud and there would be nobody to watching the vehicle ... but believe me, our hearts go out to you.”

Ferguson and his crew checked their critical flight systems for today’s planned 5:56 am EDT landing at Kennedy Space Center, not quite an hour before sunrise. Everything

worked perfectly. To top it off, excellent weather was forecast to wind up the 135th flight of the space shuttle era.

Asked by a TV interviewer what he would tell all those watching Atlantis’ return, Ferguson echoed what he told the lead team of flight controllers that signed off for the very last time Tuesday.”Take a good look at it (Atlantis) and make a memory because you’re never going to see anything like this again,” he said. “It’s been an incredible ride.” Space station astronaut Michael Fossum posted on Twitter a photo of the shuttle docked to the station 250 miles above the blue planet, which he snapped during last week’s spacewalk. He noted in the tweet: “When will such beautiful ship dock again to ISS?” NASA already is shifting gears It’s working with private companies eager to take over cargo runs and astronaut flights to the space station. The first supply trip is expected to take place by the end of this year.

Astronaut trips will take more time to put together, at least three to five years. The longterm destination is true outer space: sending astronauts to an asteroid by 2025 and to Mars the following decade. That’s the plan put forth by President Barack Obama. His predecessor wanted the moon as the prize.

Throughout their 13-day mission and again yesterday, the Atlantis astronauts stressed the need for a decades-long space exploration plan that does not change with each incoming president. — AP

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health & science Genetic Alzheimer’s detectable 20 years before onset: Study PARIS: An inherited forms of Alzheimer’s disease is likely detectable up to 20 years before loss of memory and impaired thinking appear, according to a study released yesterday.

Measurable changes in brain chemistry show up years before these signature symptoms of the degenerative brain disease set in, researchers reported at the Alzheimer ’s Association International Conference in Paris. The findings only apply to a small fraction-less than one percent-of Alzheimer’s patients afflicted with a rare variant that generally strikes at a comparatively young age.

But the ability to identify early chemical warning signs in the brain holds out the prospect of preventative treatment not just for these patients, but possibly those struck with more common forms of Alzheimer’s as well, the researchers said. “We want to prevent damage and loss of brain cells by intervening early in the disease process, even before outward symptoms are evident because by then it may be too late,” said lead research Randall Bateman, a professor at Washington University School of Medicine. The type of Alzheimer’s examined in the study arises from a genetic mutation that guarantees a person will develop the disease, even if only one parent transmits it.

In the vast majority of Alzheimer’s cases, however, the disease arises through a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors that remains poorly understood.

Worldwide, more than 35 million people are afflicted with the full spectrum of the disease’s variants, a figure that is expected to triple by mid-century as populations age. For the new study, Bateman and colleagues analyzed data from a battery of tests given to carriers of the rare mutation.The same tests-cognitive evaluations, positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, searches for telltale markers in cerebro-spinal fluid and blood-were also done on siblings who did not carry the fateful genetic variant.

Participants destined to develop

Alzheimer’s not yet exhibiting symptoms were mostly in their mid-to-late 30s, while those who did show the first signs of the disease were in their mid40s, the age at which the genetic form usually sets in. Because the disease is so rare, the data had to be gathered by an international network of 11 research centers in the United States, Britain and Australia, known as the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network, or DIAN. Researchers presented results in Paris for the first 150 volunteers enrolled in the program, which will eventually include 250 more subjects, they said. The study looked, in particular, for signature changes in brain chemistry related to two kinds of proteins, common to all forms of Alzheimer’s.

One is a decreased level in spinal fluid of a protein called amyloidbeta42. Conversely, this indicates a dangerous build up of the same protein in some areas of the brain that ultimately destroys neurons and leads to irreversible brain damage. The other marker was an increase in tau, the main component of the neuro-fibre tangles that also contribute to cell death. As suspected, the DIAN subjects in their 30s who carried the genetic mutation showed both characteristics, whereas their non-carrying siblings did not. “This suggests that we can measure brain chemistr y abnormalities in the Alzheimer’s gene carriers that begin at least 10 years, maybe even 20 years, before the age that their parents saw Alzheimer’s symptoms and when they too would be expected to see them,” Bateman said.

The results had broader implications for the treatment of the disease, noted William Thies, Chief Medical and Scientific O fficer of the Alzheimer’s Association. “We believe we can learn a great deal more about the vast majority of people whose Alzheimer’s develops as a result of complex interactions among their genes, life experiences and other factors,” he said.”Early detection and treatment are crucial if we are to curb the growing epidemic.” — AFP

PESHWAR: In this file photo, a Pakistani health worker, left, visits families to inform them on polio. — AP

Health officials not on track to eradicate polio LONDON: The world is not on track to wipe out polio by the end of 2012, a group of independent health experts warned yesterday. Since 1998, the World Health Organization and partners have been trying to get rid of the paralytic disease that mostly hits children. But progress has stalled in recent years and some have questioned whether polio can actually be eradicated. An independent group said in a new report released Wednesday that it was “unshakable” in its view that the global effort to stop polio by the end of next year is at risk. Two previous eradication targets have already been missed and the effort costs about $1 billion every year.

“Unless some hard messages are given with no holds barred, progress will not be made,” said Sir Liam Donaldson, chairman of the group that was formed last year at WHO’s request. He added the experts still thought eradication could succeed but radical changes were needed. Polio is a waterborne disease that mostly strikes children under five. To eradicate it, officials need to immunize more than 90 percent of children in the handful of countries where it still circulates, including Afghanistan, Angola, Chad, India, Pakistan and Nigeria.

Donaldson and his colleagues cited numerous problems, including tricky sit-

uations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad and Angola and Pakistan. The report also described some shocking cases of bad vaccine campaigns, like falsified immunization reports and paid vaccinators hiring children to do their work.

Dr. Donald A. Henderson, who led WHO’s smallpox eradication campaign decades ago, called the report “refreshingly honest,” saying some past U.N. assessments have been too optimistic.

“It’s very useful to get a reality check,” he said, saying that if the program fails, the impact on WHO and its credibility could be devastating. Dr. Bruce Aylward, who leads WHO’s polio eradication program, welcomed the report. He said WHO and its partners will implement as many of the group’s suggestions as possible, like tightening surveillance and data collection and improving how they talk to the public about polio vaccines.

“If these were easy things to do, they would already have been done,” he said.

Aylward said the biggest threat to stopping polio by the end of 2012 is the virus’ continued spread in Pakistan and Nigeria. “You have to think of every risk as a potential Achilles heel,” he said.

“Getting to polio eradication will require extraordinary programmatic perfection.” — AP

Calorie counts higher than advertised in US restaurants Some calorie-counts off by a mile WASHINGTON: Nearly one in five dishes served at US restaurants has at least 100 more calories than advertised, a difference that could pack on up to 15 kilograms per year, said a study on Tuesday. While most of the 269 foods measured at random in the threestate survey were close to the calorie count listed on the menus, some varied wildly, such as one order of chips and salsa totaling 1,000 more calories than expected. That finding, while “not typical... is an amount that is nearly half the total daily energy requirement for most individuals,” said the study led by Lorien Urban of Tufts University and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Salads, as well as high-carbohydrate dishes containing rice, beans, potatoes or bread, tended to have “significantly more variability,” while sandwiches and meat dishes were more likely to remain near or below the advertised calories, said the study.

In a country where obesity has risen to 34 percent of the population and up to 35 percent of the average person’s calorie intake comes from food eaten out instead of at home, the findings point to a potential source of a nationwide epidemic. For instance, with 19 percent of the food coming in at 100 calories higher than advertised, a person who regularly consumed that additional amount daily would be projected to gain five to 15 kilos per year, it said. “ The prevalence of obesity remains at epidemic levels and national recommendations emphasize reducing energy intake to facilitate weight loss and prevent weight gain,” said the study.

“However, the extent to which this recommendation can be implemented depends in

part on the accuracy of available information on the energy contents of foods that are typically consumed.” Food were sampled from the states of Indiana, Massachusetts and Arkansas from January to June 2010. Among the restaurants sampled were Arby’s, Chuck E. Cheese, Old Spaghetti Factory, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Chili’s Grill and Bar, and Bob Evans.

At Denny’s, a popular chain diner, a sampling of the french fries showed they had 122 more calories than advertised, while the clas-

Take extra care handling pets with broken bones LOS ANGELES: Broken bones for dogs and cats may not be life threatening, but a trip to the vet can guard against more serious injury.

Even for the most mild-mannered of pets, a car crash, fight or fall can be traumatizing and require extra care in handling, said Dr. Ann Hohenhaus, a New York City vet who wrote guidelines on dealing with broken bones in animals for the pet section of the health site WebMD. “The dog’s doing what he should do.

He hurts. It’s painful and you’re fussing with him and he’s going to bite you,” she said. Don Montes, who owns an around-the-clock pet ambulance service in New York, suggests muzzling an injured animal for transport. “Muzzles are important even if your dog is a lamb and usually licks you to death,” he said. If you don’t have one already, a necktie will work because it’s soft and long. Hohenhaus doesn’t have a good substitute for a cat muzzle, but putting a thick or folded blanket over a cat with a broken bone will serve as a buffer between you and the cat’s claws and teeth.

The most commonly broken pet bones are the femur, pelvis, skull, jaw and spine. There are two kinds of bone fractures - open and closed. You might not even notice a simple closed break right away because it doesn’t break skin. A cat might hide under a bed or sofa. A dog will probably limp, lick the wound, have trouble sleeping or sleep all the time, Hohenhaus said. Richard Vogel, a photo editor for The Associated Press in Los Angeles, was playing with his dog at a park when Marley chased a squirrel up a tree. She started limping soon after. Two days later, the limp continued.

An X-ray revealed a broken toe and Marley required a cast.

Dr. Kelly Miller, who treated Marley, said most open fractures happen when a dog is hit by a car or attacked by a bigger dog. Most closed fractures are caused by falls. A large percentage of the broken bones treated where Miller works, VCA McClave Animal Hospital, belong to dogs that weigh under 4.5 kilograms. “They have long, thin bones and break their legs jumping off things like beds or the back of couches,” she said. The tiniest of dogs, weighing 3 to 5 pounds (1.3 to 2.3 kilograms), have very small bone structure and it doesn’t take a very high fall to hurt them.

“I’ve had two cases where they broke both front legs when they landed. It can be very traumatic,” Miller said. She recommends teaching small dogs to use doggie stairs or a ramp so they don’t leap off furniture. In open, or compound fractures, bone goes through skin and you have the added worry of infection from dirt and bacteria. “Antibiotics in under four hours is the golden period,” Hohenhaus said.

Few animals die of broken bones, Hohenhaus said, “But a broken bone may not be the most serious problem your pet has.” It could have a punctured lung, a ruptured spleen or even go into shock. Pet ambulances are available in big cities. Montes has climatecontrolled vans, complete with padding,

stretchers and ramps. First aid and oxygen are also available.If you are transporting yourself, Hohenhaus has some tips.

Fashion a stretcher to stabilize the animal, using a baby’s bathtub for medium pets or sheets for larger ones, for example. Splinting can relieve pain and prevent shock but it can also cause more harm than good. Look at how bad the animal is hurt, where the break is, how long before you can get to a vet, if you have the materials and if the pet will allow it. Splints can be improvised using rolled newspapers or paper towel rolls, or even thick cardboard and tape. Don’t wrap too tightly. If you do splint, do it in the position you find the animal. Never try to straighten a crooked leg.

If your animal is small enough to carry, do not pull on its legs to lift it, make sure the injured side is facing away from you, and carry it close to your chest in case it squirms. A pet ambulance trip costs $255 and goes up depending on extras like oxygen, bandages and distance, Montes said. He said at least two pet insurance companies cover the service.

The technicians take vital signs, make sure animals are comfortable, try to control bleeding and communicate with the clinics so vets know what to expect. They do not administer IVs or insert catheters, Montes said. And it is illegal for them to use lights or sirens.— AP

Classes teach US babies to ‘self-rescue’ from drowning DALE CITY: Some see it as a potential life-saver, others as tantamount to child abuse: controversy is brewing in the United States over “self-rescue” classes to prevent babies from drowning. Victoria timidly floats on her back in a swimming pool not far from the US capital, Washington. If she moves too much she will swallow a mouth full of water.

Victoria is 10 months old. Wearing a pink one piece swimsuit, the little one comes to Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) meetings Monday through Friday to learn a controversial method of drowning prevention for children as young as six months old. “At the beginning, she was a little fussy, but she

got used to it very quickly,” said 31-year-old Sara, whose daughter can now turn herself over in the water and float flat on her back. “It takes a lot of dedication but it is definitely worth it. I know she can save herself.” Each day, mother and daughter drive two hours to the Dale City pool in Virginia, where Katie Smith teaches the technique during 10-minute courses spread over four to six weeks. The “selfrescue” method, designed to teach a child who accidentally falls into the water to roll onto his or her back and float, is taught in the United States and 11 other countries, according to company website infantswim.com.

At 20-months-old, Evan can swim underwater and kick his feet to turn face up and breathe. “The first times he cried but because he was doing something new. Now, he cries when he gets out of the water!” said his mother Wendy. “I still watch her, but if I turn away I am not so nervous,” said 37-year-old Amy, mother of four-year-old Gaby. But the method has its detractors. Risks with infant swimming“Some of the techniques that anyone can see on the Internet right now could and should be viewed as, at the very least, child abuse,” said Jim Reiser, an instructor who preaches a gentler approach to child swimming. — AFP

sic hamburger actually had 152 fewer calories than advertised.

Sit-down restaurants tended to show greater differences in actual versus advertised calories when compared to fast-food establishments, possibly due to lack of portion control, the authors said. The US government is currently finalizing plans to make menu calorie counts mandatory in chain restaurants, a change that comes as part of President Barack Obama’s health care law passed last year. — AFP

No point in telling parents about children’s weight?

NEW YORK: School polices that let parents know when their children are overweight or obese appear to have little impact on the problem, according to a US study. In the last decade, almost all public schools in California collected information about the height and weight of fifth, seventh and ninth graders, but only some schools opted to send the results to parents- giving Kristine Madsen, at the University of California, San Francisco, a chance to evaluate the impact of that notification.

She found that, years later, children whose parents were told they were overweight were no more likely to have lost weight at that point than children whose parents were not notified, according to a report published in the Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine. So perhaps schools should concentrate their efforts on interventions that have the most impact, such as making sure that school lunches are healthier, and increasing the use of physical activity. “Physical education is probably the most underused public health tool we have,” she told Reuters Health.

“We really would urge schools to make sure their environments are supporting physical activity to the extent possible.” Her findings were based on data from nearly 7 million children.

Letting parents know their children are too heavy could still have an impact, Madsen said, noting that most parents were notified by letter, which some may not have gotten. In addition, almost none of the letters used the terms “overweight” or “obese,” instead referring to body mass index (BMI) — a measure of weight relative to height-which some parents may not have understood.

Health exper ts are currently divided over the benefits of schools screening children for BMI. Currently, the Institute of Medicine recommends it, along with parental notification, but other agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Heart Association, maintain there is not enough evidence to support the practice.

The nation’s schools reflect that division. As of 2006, 41 percent of school districts required officials to measure children’s height and weight, and three-quarters of those schools informed parents of the results.

That the current system is not having an effect is not a huge surprise, Madsen said. Even if parents modify the home environment by providing healthier meals, for example, if nothing changes at school-where children spend most of their time, it’s going to be hard to see any impact. In addition, a single letter may not be enough to convince parents to make drastic changes at home, she added. “Most parents are already doing the best they can,” she said. — Reuters

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Trying a new approach to primary care: prevention INDIANAPOLIS: A budding model for primary care that encourages the family doctor to act as a health coach who focuses as much on preventing illness as on treating it has shown promising results and saved insurers millions of dollars. Growth in emergency room visits and hospital admissions slowed and prescription drug costs have been tamed with this approach, known in the industry as patient-centered medical homes, or just medical homes.

The current health care system pays doctors to see patients and largely attend to their immediate needs. Patients may get treatment, advice, a prescription and a follow-up appointment. Patient-centered medical homes focus on keeping patients healthy, which saves money by reducing hospital visits, especially for chronic conditions such as diabetes.

WellPoint Inc., UnitedHealth Group Inc., and other insurers have pilot projects around the country testing this concept.

The departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs are making plans to use medical homes, and more than a million Medicare recipients are involved in another test. All told, an estimated 40,000 primary care doctors work in practices set up as patient-centered medical homes, according to the Patient Centered Primary Care

Collaborative. That amounts to about 13 percent of all doctors and pediatricians.

Michigan’s largest insurer says it saved $65 million to $70 million last year through its medical-homes program. But the idea requires big changes to traditional primary care, and experts say that may slow its growth. Patients say they like the greater involvement of their doctors. Richard Smith of Vidor, Texas, who has multiple sclerosis and knee and ankle problems, once struggled to walk to his mailbox. Now, he walks three to four miles a day. He’s dropped 40 pounds in two years, and his blood pressure and cholesterol are down.

He credits Dr. James Holly and a medical home practice. Holly ordered braces for Smith’s legs, encouraged him to exercise and introduced him to a dietician. And the doctor called Smith once in a while to check in. “He really touches base on everything, my health, any kind of problems I have,� he says. “He’s worried about my whole life.� Under the medical home approach, doctors use electronic records to track patients between visits and act as the central point of communication between specialists, nutritionists and others. They monitor blood pressure, blood sugar and other tests and whether patients are exercising and taking their medication. They

TEXAS: In this file photo, Richard Smith poses for a photo with his dog Willie at his home. Smith, who has multiple sclerosis and knee and ankle problems, once struggled to walk to his mailbox. Now, he walks three to four miles a day. He’s dropped 40 pounds in two years, and his blood pressure and cholesterol have lowered. — AP a few years ago, as insurers and doctors also exchange emails with patients.

Instead of simply telling someone to looked for alternatives to a system with exercise or stop smoking, a doctor or mem- soaring costs. “The irony of medical care is ber of the patient’s care team might devise that people are their own doctor 99 pera plan with the patient and then check to cent of the time, and what we don’t do well see that he sticks to it. Patient-centered is help that person be the best doctor they medical homes started in the late 1960s to can be,� says Dr. Dave Lynch, whose help children with complex medical prob- Bellingham, Wash., family practice has lems. The concept took off in primary care operated as a medical home since the late

A Word of Solutions

1990s. The concept depends on doctors and other care providers doing more than they normally might in primary care. Don Jacoby of Cincinnati, for example, woke up the day after knee surgery in January to find his primary-care doctor standing next to his hospital bed. The doctor had set up Jacoby’s appointment with an orthopedic surgeon and then visited afterward to see how he was doing. It reminded Jacoby, 67, a retired teacher, of the family doctors he knew growing up in a small Pennsylvania town. “He knows you. It’s not like you’re a name on a chart,� Jacoby says.

Doctors running these medical homes generally receive an extra or bigger payment from insurers to manage a patient’s health. The amount varies depending on the plan. When it started a medical-home program in 2009, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan increased office visit reimbursements. The extra pay amounted to about $7,500 more per doctor annually. All told, the insurer spends about $35 million a year to support patient-centered medical homes that now care for around 2 million people. In return, it estimates that it saved between $65 million and $70 million last year alone.

Growth in hospital admissions and emergency room visits slowed for patients

treated in these medical homes. Electronic prescribing helped doctors use generic drugs more because they could see lists of covered medicines and co-payments charged to the patient. The insurer’s annual medical costs are about $9 billion, so the medical homes offer a relatively small slice of savings. Still, Dr Thomas Simmer, the chief medical officer, is encouraged. “All of us who are vexed by high health care costs are impatient to find something that’s really going to be the answer to it,� he says. “You can’t be impatient. You have to realize you’re talking about human beings and patients’ health.�

It takes a heavy dose of patience to transform a practice into a medical home.

The process can take a couple of years and has to be done while the practice is still functioning. “The metaphor we frequently talk about is redesigning the plane while you’re flying,� said Dr. Bob Graham, a former CEO of the American Academy of Family Physicians who has helped set up medical homes. Patients must also be willing to work more with their doctor or be comfortable seeing other members of a care team instead of just the physician. Primary-care doctors also need to foster cooperation from specialists who may not receive extra reimbursement to do so.—AP

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THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

Announcements Family conference Home land family conference of KTMCC (Kuwait Town Malalyali Christian Congregation) will be conducted on July 23 at Kumbanadu, Kerala including its ex-members and the present members who are on vacation at that time. Meantime it decided to honor those who completed age of 70 and above. For the registration of conference to visit www.ktmcc.com or to contact HFC (Home land family conference) Kerala Chapter Convener T. John Mathew Mob: - (+91) 94463-68878 or Secretary Roy. K.Yohannan 66570486.

Art salon Bouhshari Art Gallery Exhibition runs through 15 September. Daily working hours: 10am - 1pm and 5 9pm, except on Friday and on Thursday evening.

Indian bowling league Indian Bowling League Season 2 would like to invite you and your families to participate in an Indian bowling event where all nationalities, the young and the old can have fun playing an enjoyable game while meeting new people in a healthy competition from July 12th - August 15th For more details contact: Uly 99503348, Amaldo 66052062, and Nasha 99516960. If anyone is looking to assist them in this event with sponsors, they will be really obliged to have your help to make this event a success. Registrations are open.

Bodybuilding competition The Philippine Body Building & Fitness Association in Kuwait will be holding its first Bodybuilding competition for all Filipino Instructors and enthusiasts tomorrow at Al-Zumareida Hall, Salwa along the Gulf Road from 5pm - 9pm. The competition will be one of a kind in Kuwait. It will highlight the participation of highly skilled Filipino fitness and aerobics trainers and showcase remarkable presentations during the competition.

Three categories for the Bodybuilding competition: Small, Medium, Tall, all of which are based on required height measurements. There will be three winners from each height category and one overall winner. The competition will be covered by Al Watan Daily News, TFC (The Filipino Channel) and GMA 7 from the Philippines.

KuwaitBodyBuilding.com will be one of the sponsors for this event and PBBFAK are actively looking for other organizations that may also be interested in becoming a sponsor.

Dow’s volunteers at work.

Dow’s Marine Conservation Program cleans up Doha beach

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volunteers, both individuals and members of different environmental and non-profit groups, collected 350 kilograms of waste across 10,000 sq. m. shoreline during Dow’s Marine Conservation Program’s

Doha beach clean-up held on 16th July 2011.

Most waste comprised plastic bottles and miscellaneous plastic which pose a threat to marine birds and fish. The volunteers also salvaged two truck tyres and large metal sheets for recycling.

Open day for Commercial Bank of Kuwait (CBK) clients

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amdeen Entertainment Company apologizes for not opening their entertainment centers; the Bowl Room, Infunity, Freeze Club and Flight Experience, for their valued customers on Saturday July, 23, 2011 because it is an open day dedicated to Commercial Bank of Kuwait (CBK) customers.

It is worthy to mention that Tamdeen Entertainment Company (The Bowl Room, Infunity, Freeze Club, flight experience) has the most advanced entertainment centers that comprise of many interesting and exciting games where guests can enjoy state of the art entertainment that fit different age groups.

The four centers are keenly interested in providing different activities that can make families feel happy and delighted through the several interesting and continuous activities provided throughout the year. After spending a long time of playing and enjoyment, visitors can have snacks and soft drinks that are available in the centers.

International HSE Conference and Exhibition by ASSE

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uwait Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE-KC) is Kuwait’s premier voluntary, non-profit making Health, Safety and Environment organization that strives to provide professional guidance, training, consultancy and resources to the industrial and social sectors in the region. We takes pride in announcing the Sixth International Professional Development Conference (PDC) to be organized from 29 Nov - 1 Dec 2011 in Kuwait. The conference is designed to be the largest of its kind in Kuwait.

It also brings together practitioners across the globe representing a wide range of industries, organization and career levels to participate in the program of workshops, presentations and discussions concerning the occupational Health, Safety, Safety Environment and Loss Prevention.

Margaret Graham with her works at the Bouhshari Art Gallery.

GUST Art Instructor Margaret Graham showcases at Bouhshari Art Gallery

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ulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) Instructor in the Social Sciences and Humanities Department and professional artist, Margaret Graham, has 14 of her paintings currently showcased at the Bouhshari’s 3rd Annual Art Salon where many regionally acclaimed artists are participating.

Dow’s Marine Conservation Program is a dedicated program under Al Yaal (alyaal.com), Kuwait’s first nationwide marine conservation initiative developed by The en.v Initiative. Dow Chemical is the title partner of Al Yaal.

With 14 artworks being displayed, Graham has made her mark in the gallery and hopes to continue participating in the local art culture.

“Art is my passion, I not only teach it at GUST to talented students, I enjoy it and hope to be able to continue sharing it with the Kuwait and international communities.”

This group exhibition is also

showing well known Middle East artists, including Faisal Laibi, Sabihi Bishara, Reza Dust, Jassem Bou Hamad, Ghadah Al Kandari, Bader Al-Qottami and more. The art media ranges from fine art printmaking, painting, collage and sculpture.

The gallery opened on July 12 and will be running through to September 15 of this year.

With an ambitious theme HSSE - ‘Sharing Excellence’, the 2011 conference is aimed at reaching the pinnacles of HSE. Besides conference, the exhibition will feature demonstration of some of the largest and best known suppliers of Health, Safety and Environmental products and services.

The conference features: Interactive Technical Sessions Exciting Keynote Speakers Path - breaking Workshops Symposium on HSE Regulations Excellent Promotional & Networking Opportunities Dynamic Trade Show Social Tour For more information, go to www.assekuwaitconference.com or email info@assekuwaitconference.com.

Rink soccer Don Bosco Oratory is pleased to announce its Major 4A-Side “Rink Soccer Fiesta” in Kuwait! This event is for the soccer lovers in Kuwait and will be played on a League (round robin) cum knock out basis from August 2nd at the IEAS Quadrangle in Salmiya. Last date to register for participation is on July 28th. Draws will be announced on the July 30th. For details contact Chris: 6651-9627, Alex: 66069282 from 6-9pm.

Greetings

Happy birthday to Martin Thomas who celebrated his birthday yesterday. May you be showered upon blessings after blessings on this wonderful occasion. With prayerful greetings from Marita, Michael, Cherish, Alma and Liva.

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THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

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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. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF BANGLADESH The Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in Kuwait will follow office hours during the Holy Month of Ramadan. Sunday to Thursday : 09:00 A.M 3:00 PM. Friday and Saturday : Weekly Holidays.

This is for information of all concerned. nnnnnnn

Al-Yarmoukh High School Graduation

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l-Yarmoukh High School for girls celebrated the graduation of its 12th grade outstanding students, class of 2010/2011, in a ceremony attended by the graduates’ families and school’s staff. —Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

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 nnnnnnn

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.

To ensure that the most recent version of the Temporary Resident Visa application form is being utilized, applicants should refer to the CIC website. As of January 15, 2011, forms are to be filled in electronically. The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to 15:30 Sunday through Thursday.

Consular Services for Canadian Citizens are provided from 09:00 until 12:00 on Sunday through Wednesday.

The forms are available on the internet at: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/forms/I MM5257E.PDF. A guide explaining the process can be found here: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/guides/ 5256E.PDF. nnnnnnn

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 nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF INDIA Embassy of India, would like to inform that application forms for passport/visa services and labour contracts that are on its website, www.indembkwt.org, have been upgraded to include the facility for online data entry. Affidavit forms on the Embassy website have had this facility since May 6, 2009. nnnnnnn

EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Nigerian embassy has its new office in Mishref. Block 3, Street 7, House 4. For enquires please call 25379541. Fax25387719. Email- nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or nigeriankuwait@yahoo.co.uk

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00:15 The Naked Chef 00:40 Come Dine With Me 01:30 New Scandinavian Cooking With Andreas Viestad 01:55 New Scandinavian Cooking With Andreas Viestad 02:20 Masterchef Australia 03:05 The Naked Chef 04:00 Fantasy Homes Down Under 04:45 Daily Cooks Challenge 07:10 Ching’s Kitchen 08:25 New Scandinavian Cooking With Andreas Viestad 09:15 Antiques Roadshow 10:10 New Scandinavian Cooking

With Andreas Viestad 10:35 New Scandinavian Cooking With Andreas Viestad 11:00 Ching’s Kitchen 11:50 New Scandinavian Cooking With Andreas Viestad 12:15 New Scandinavian Cooking With Andreas Viestad 12:40 Antiques Roadshow 13:30 Cash In The Attic 14:15 Bargain Hunt 15:00 Come Dine With Me 15:50 New Scandinavian Cooking With Andreas Viestad 16:15 New Scandinavian Cooking With Andreas Viestad 16:40 Ching’s Kitchen 17:25 Rhodes Across China 18:15 New Scandinavian Cooking With Andreas Viestad 18:40 New Scandinavian Cooking With Andreas Viestad 19:05 Antiques Roadshow 19:55 Cash In The Attic 20:40 Bargain Hunt 21:25 Come Dine With Me 22:15 Fantasy Homes Down Under 23:00 Masterchef Australia 23:50 The Naked Chef

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00:05 Cow And Chicken 00:30 Cramp Twins 00:55 The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy 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

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

TV PROGRAMS 03:15 Chowder 03:40 The Secret Saturdays 04:05 Samurai Jack 04:30 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 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 Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 09:30 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 10:00 Samurai Jack 10:55 Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes 11:20 Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes 11:45 Robotboy 12:35 The Secret Saturdays 13:25 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 14:15 Bakugan: New Vestroia 15:05 Star Wars: The Clone Wars 15:50 The Powerpuff Girls 16:35 Adventure Time 17:15 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 17:40 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 18:05 Hero 108 18:30 Cartoon Network Dance Club 18:45 The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack 18:55 Star Wars: The Clone Wars 19:20 Adventure Time 19:45 The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy 20:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 20:35 Cow And Chicken 21:00 Best Ed 21:25 Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends 21:50 Robotboy 22:00 Adventure Time 22:25 Hero 108 22:50 Ben 10 23:15 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 23:40 Chowder

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Backstory World Sport The Situation Room World Report World Business Today Piers Morgan Tonight Anderson Cooper 360 World Sport Talk Asia World Report Backstory World Report World Sport Ireport For CNN World Business Today World One World Sport Mainsail Piers Morgan Tonight News Stream World Business Today International Desk The Brief World Sport Prism International Desk Mainsail Quest Means Business Piers Morgan Tonight Connect The World

Dirty Jobs Miami Ink Ultimate Survival Twist The Throttle Mythbusters How It’s Made How Stuff Works Dirty Jobs Twist The Throttle Street Customs 2008

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How It’s Made Mythbusters Cake Boss Border Security Auction Kings Science Of The Movies The Future Of...

Ultimate Survival Miami Ink Dirty Jobs Twist The Throttle Mythbusters Dual Survival Cake Boss Border Security Auction Kings How Stuff Works How It’s Made Surviving The Cut Sons Of Guns Frontline Battle Machines...

Dual Survival

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Science Of The Movies Mega Builders What’s That About?

Weird Connections Catch It Keep It How Does That Work?

Mega Builders One Step Beyond Engineered Catch It Keep It Race To Mars The Gadget Show What’s That About?

What’s That About?

Weird Connections Brainiac How The Universe Works Sci-Fi Science The Gadget Show Prototype This Bang Goes The Theory Catch It Keep It The Gadget Show Prototype This Bang Goes The Theory The Gadget Show

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Kim Possible Fairly Odd Parents Stitch Replacements Emperors New School Stitch Replacements Fairly Odd Parents Emperors New School The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody Phineas & Ferb Wizards Of Waverly Place The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody Good Luck Charlie Fish Hooks Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Jake & The Neverland Pirates Jungle Junction Handy Manny Jake & The Neverland Pirates Sonny With A Chance Yr 2 Hannah Montana Phineas And Ferb Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie Suite Life On Deck Wizards Of Waverly Place Sonny With A Chance Yr 2 Hannah Montana Phineas & Ferb The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody Fish Hooks Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Suite Life On Deck Fish Hooks Shake It Up Wizards Of Waverly Place Hannah Montana Fish Hooks Suite Life On Deck Shake It Up Good Luck Charlie Wizards Of Waverly Place Jake & Blake Hannah Montana Sonny With A Chance Yr 2 Good Luck Charlie Shake It Up Hannah Montana Sonny With A Chance Yr 2 Wizards Of Waverly Place Jonas

06:00 Kid Vs Kat 06:20 Kick Buttowski 06:40 Pokemon Dp: Sinnoh League Victors 07:05 Phineas & Ferb 08:05 Kick Buttowski 08:30 American Dragon 09:00 Zeke & Luther 09:50 I’m In The Band 10:15 The Super Hero Squad Show 10:40 Suite Life On Deck 11:30 Pair Of Kings 11:55 Phineas & Ferb 12:45 Kid Vs Kat 13:50 The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody 14:40 Zeke & Luther 15:05 Kick Buttowski 15:35 Pokemon Dp: Sinnoh League Victors 16:00 I’m In The Band 16:25 Suite Life On Deck 16:50 Zeke & Luther 17:40 Phineas & Ferb 18:30 Escape From Scorpion Island 18:55 Kick Buttowski 19:20 American Dragon 19:45 Aaron Stone 20:15 Kid Vs Kat 20:40 I’m In The Band 21:05 The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes 21:30 Zeke & Luther 22:00 The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody 22:20 The Super Hero Squad Show

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Kendra Then And Now E!es E!es E!es 25 Most Stylish Sexiest Extreme Hollywood 25 Hottest Hollywood Cougar Behind The Scenes E! News Khloe And Lamar

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00:15 Gumball 3000: 2008 00:40 Mantracker 01:30 World Combat League 02:20 Gumball 3000: 2008 03:10 Kick Ass Miracles 04:00 I’ll Do Anything 04:50 Mantracker 05:40 World Combat League 06:30 FIA European Drag Racing 2008 08:00 Cape Epic 08:25 IFMXF 2010 09:15 Lucas Oil Ama Motocross Championships...

10:55 Eds Up 11:45 Fantasy Factory 12:35 Glutton For Punishment 13:25 Mantracker 14:15 World Combat League 15:05 Eds Up 15:55 Fantasy Factory 16:45 Cape Epic 17:10 IFMXF 2010 18:00 Lucas Oil Ama Motocross Championships...

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19:40 Mantracker 20:30 Glutton For Punishment 21:20 FIM World Motocross MX3 Championships...

21:45 FIM World Motocross MX3 Championships...

22:10 World Combat League 23:00 Kick Ass Miracles 23:25 Wrestling With Reality 23:50 Glutton For Punishment

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Ghost Lab A Haunting I Almost Got Away With It Crimes That Shook The World Dr G: Medical Examiner Black Museum Ghost Lab Mystery Diagnosis Murder Shift Forensic Detectives Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Royal Inquest FBI Files On The Case With Paula Zahn Undercover Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol Real Emergency Calls Royal Inquest FBI Files Forensic Detectives Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Street Patrol On The Case With Paula Zahn Undercover True Crime With Aphrodite

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After Dark, My Sweet Till The End Of The Night-PG Ninja Vengeance-PG A Breed Apart-PG Irma LA Douce-PG Road Rage-PG They Call Me Mister Tibbs!-PG Mgm’s Big Screen-FAM .Com For Murder Hannah And Her Sisters-PG Strictly Business-PG Khartoum-PG Flight From Ashiya-PG Couch Trip-PG Arena-PG

Deadly Women Dr G: Medical Examiner

00:00 World’s Deadliest 01:00 Dangerous Encounters With Brady Barr 01:55 Snakezilla 02:50 Croc Ganglands 03:45 I, Predator 04:40 The Living Edens 05:35 Hidden Worlds 06:30 Big Cat Odyssey 07:25 Hidden Worlds 08:20 World’s Deadliest Animals 09:15 Snakezilla 10:10 Croc Ganglands 11:05 I, Predator 12:00 Project Manta 13:00 The Kill Zone 14:00 Hidden Worlds 15:00 World’s Deadliest Animals 16:00 Secrets Of The King Cobra 17:00 Dangerous Encounters With Brady Barr 18:00 I, Predator 19:00 The Kill Zone 20:00 Hidden Worlds 21:00 World’s Deadliest Animals 22:00 Secrets Of The King Cobra 23:00 Dangerous Encounters With Brady Barr

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Wrong Turn 3: Left For DeadGothika-18 A Perfect Getaway-18 Phone Booth-PG15 Jesse Stone: No RemorseUnbreakable-PG15 Dick Tracy-PG15 Jesse Stone: No Remorse12 Rounds-PG15 Dick Tracy-PG15 Orphan-18 Saw VI-R

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Brotherhood-PG15 Stone Of Destiny-PG15 The Great Debaters-PG15 Beneath The Blue-PG15 Don’t Fade Away-PG15 The Last Song-PG15 Three Investigators-PG15 The Cake Eaters-PG15 The Last Word-PG15 An Education-PG15 The A-Team-PG15 Drag Me To Hell-18

00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 The Ricky Gervais Show 02:00 Louie 02:30 Party Down 03:00 Malcolm In The Middle 03:30 Hope And Faith 04:00 Yes Dear 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 06:00 According To Jim 06:30 Coach 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:00 Yes Dear 08:30 Malcolm In The Middle 09:00 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 09:30 The Simpsons 10:00 Parks And Recreation 10:30 According To Jim 11:00 Coach 11:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:30 Yes Dear 13:00 Hope And Faith 13:30 Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne 14:00 According To Jim 14:30 The Simpsons 15:00 Parks And Recreation 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Coach 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Malcolm In The Middle 18:30 Hope And Faith 19:00 Happy Endings 19:30 Community 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 State Of The Union 22:30 Party Down 23:00 The Ricky Gervais Show 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Supernatural Mildred Pierce Private Practice Terriers Strong Medicine Good Morning America Glee Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show The Martha Stewart Show The View Supernatural Terriers Live Good Morning America Strong Medicine The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emmerdale Look-A-Like Bones White Collar Burn Notice The Good Guys Glee

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Alias Breaking Bad Supernatural Mildred Pierce Terriers The Glades Alias Sons Of Tucson Coronation Street No Ordinary Family The Glades Terriers Supernatural Sons Of Tucson No Ordinary Family Alias Sons Of Tucson Look-A-Like No Ordinary Family Bones White Collar

21:00 Burn Notice 22:00 The Good Guys 23:00 Surface 02:00 04:15 07:00 09:00 11:00 PG15 13:00 14:45 16:30 19:00 21:00 23:00

Courage Under Fire-PG15 Public Enemies-18 8 Mile-18 The Three Musketeers-PG15 The Fast And The FuriousHeaven’s Fall-PG15 The Three Musketeers-PG15 Independence Day-PG15 Blood And Bone-18 Tears Of The Sun-18 Sugarhouse-18

00:00 Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star-PG15 02:00 One Fine Day-PG15 04:00 All’s Faire In Love-PG 06:00 A Low Down Dirty ShamePG15 08:00 My One And Only-PG15 10:00 Can’t Buy Me Love-PG15 12:00 Love Happens-PG15 14:00 Nine Months-PG15 16:00 Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star-PG15 18:00 Mafia!-PG15 20:00 Just Married-PG15 22:00 Garage Days-18 01:15 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 14:45 16:45 18:45 21:00 23:00

Sex And Lies In Sin City-18 Indecent Proposal-18 The Shock Doctrine-PG15 Operating Instructions-PG15 Witness To Waco-PG15 Drumline-PG15 When We Were Kings-PG15 The Knot-PG15 Simon Birch-PG Moulin Rouge!-PG15 Thunderheart-18 Black Lightning-PG15

01:00 03:15 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:15

Seven Years In Tibet-PG15 Hope Springs-PG15 Post Grad-PG15 Alice In Wonderland-PG Old Dogs-PG Catch That Kid-PG15 Fantastic Mr. Fox-FAM Under The Tuscan Sun-PG15 Old Dogs-PG Cemetery Junction-PG15 The A-Team-PG15 Perrier’s Bounty-18

00:00 The Thief Of Baghdad-PG 02:00 Ed-PG 04:00 Stuart Little 2-FAM 06:00 The Nutty Professor-FAM 08:00 Barbie: A Fairy Secret-FAM 10:00 Delgo-FAM 12:00 Tom And Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes-FAM 14:00 Planet 51-PG 16:00 Homeward Bound II: Lost In San Francisco-FAM 18:00 Tom And Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes-FAM 20:00 Free Willy 3: The Rescue-FAM 22:00 Planet 51-PG 00:00 01:30 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:15 12:15 14:30 16:00 18:15 20:00 22:00

Don’t Look Up-18 Passing Strange-PG15 The People Speak-PG15 Flicka 2-PG15 Glorious 39-PG15 Amelia-PG15 Iron Man 2-PG15 Freestyle-PG15 Glorious 39-PG15 Toy Story 3-FAM Death At A Funeral-PG15 The Wolfman-18

02:00 03:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 13:00 20:00 21:00

Trans World Sport Powerboats F1 H2O Le Mans Highlights WWE Vintage Trans World Sport Darts World Matchplay Live Test Cricket WWE NXT Live Darts World Matchplay

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Trans World Sport Rugby Union European Tour Weekly Mobil 1 The Grid

06:00 AFL Highlights 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 Darts World Matchplay 13:00 Live Snooker 16:30 Total Rugby 17:00 Golfing World 18:00 Live The Seniors Open Championship 21:00 Live Darts World matchplay

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Trans World Sport Euro Tour Weekly AFL Premiership Live Snooker Aussie Rules Highlights ICC Criket World Futbol Mundial Total Rugby Trans World Sport Euro Tour Weekly Live PGA European Tour Futbol Mundial AFL Highlights Total Rugby FIVB Beach Volleyball NRL Full Time Live RFL Championship Euro Tour Weekly

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UFC Unleashed Intercontinental Le Mans Cup Modern Pentathlon UFC Unleashed WWE SmackDown WWE Bottom Line Modern Pentathlon Powerboats WWE Bottom Line WWE SmackDown Live The Evian Masters WWE NXT UFC The Ultimate Fighter Super Formula

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00:00 Morning Drive -HD 01:00 Golf Central International HD 01:30 Inside The PGA Tour -HD 02:00 MLB: Teams TBA -HD 05:00 Women’s Professional Soccer Sky Blue FC at Western New York Flash 07:00 Morning Drive -HD 08:00 My World: Brandt Snedeker 08:30 The Golf Fix - Wendy’s 3 Tour Challenge Chlinic: Part 1 -HD 09:00 Golf Central International HD 09:30 Academy - Michael Breed -HD 10:00 MLB: Teams TBA -HD 13:00 Prime/Time Boxing -HD 15:00 Inside The PGA Tour -HD 15:30 European Tour Nordea Scandinavian Masters Rd. 1 -HD 18:30 Inside The PGA Tour -HD 19:00 MLB: Teams TBA-HD 22:00 PGA Tour: RBC Canadian Open Rd. 1-HD

Classifieds THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

Healthy Living

FOR SALE

CHANGE OF NAME

Big room available for family in Khaitan with bathroom in a villa. Only for Indian or Pakistani families.

Contact: 66757903/ 67732788/ 94974793.

(C 3530)

Items for sale in a spacious 2 BR + 2 Bathrooms in Jabriya. Hall (12m), BR (5m), big kitchen, private area + shaded car park. Contact: 66197107. (C 3533) 20-7-2011

Sharing accommodation available in Abbasiya near Highway Center 1st August onwards for bachelor or couple, rent bachelor KD 50, couple KD 80. Contact: 99645213. (C 3532) 18-7-2011

Mitsubishi Lancer Ex - 2009 - GLS - white color - 45000 km - Price KD 2,400/-.

Contact: 66729295.

(C 3529) 18-7-2011

I, Sathian Payyappat Velayudhan, Passport No. Z1886330 hereby change the name of my son Abhishak Passport No. G1582875 to Abhishek Payyappat Sathian.

(C 3531) 18-7-2011

ACCOMMODATION

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No: 15156

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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 JZR THY ETH UAE DHX ETD MSR FDB GFA QTR THY JZR FCX JZR KAC BAW JZR KAC KAC IRA KAC FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE QTR ABY ETD GFA MEA JZR MSR JZR SYR KAC MSR UAL SHY RJA MSR FDB OMA JZR QTR KAC SVA KAC KAC KAC KNE

Flt 642 205 267 772 620 853 370 305 614 67 211 138 770 503 201 555 412 157 1541 206 382 605 302 53 332 352 284 362 855 132 125 301 213 404 165 623 561 341 672 610 982 4125 640 621 57 645 357 140 562 500 546 552 788 745

Arrival Flights on Thursday 21/7/2011 Route AMMAN DAMASCUS BEIRUT ISTANBUL ADDIS ABABA DUBAI BAHRAIN ABU DHABI CAIRO DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA ISTANBUL LUXOR DUBAI ALEXANDRIA MANILA / BANGKOK LONDON CAIRO ISLAMABAD DELHI ISFAHAN MUMBAI DUBAI TRIVANDRUM COCHIN DHAKA COLOMBO DUBAI DOHA SHARJAH ABU DHABI BAHRAIN BEIRUT DUBAI SOHAG SOHAG DAMASCUS / DEIREZZOR DUBAI CAIRO WASHINGTON DC DULLES ANTALYA AMMAN ASSIUT DUBAI MUSCAT MASHAD DOHA AMMAN JEDDAH ALEXANDRIA DAMASCUS JEDDAH JEDDAH

Time 0:05 0:25 0:35 1:15 1:45 2:25 2:55 2:55 3:05 3:10 3:15 3:20 4:10 5:15 5:25 6:10 6:15 6:30 7:10 7:15 7:20 7:40 7:50 7:55 7:55 8:05 8:10 8:20 8:25 9:00 9:10 9:30 9:35 10:55 11:10 12:10 12:30 13:00 13:15 13:20 13:30 13:30 13:35 13:40 13:50 14:00 14:10 14:15 14:20 14:30 14:30 14:35 14:40 14:45

UAE JZR QTR JZR KNE KAC MLR ETD UAE KAC GFA SVA JZR TAR JZR ABY FDB ALK JZR RBG KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC JAI SIA IRA FDB VOS OMA JZR MEA KAC MSR DHX KLM UAE GFA QTR UAL AIC JZR MSR JZR JZR MSR DLH LZB MEA AXB JZR PIA

3853 257 134 535 789 118 403 303 857 154 215 510 777 327 239 127 63 227 177 3555 104 502 542 618 786 614 674 774 572 458 617 61 93 647 179 402 178 618 372 445 859 217 136 981 981 135 606 513 185 612 636 7787 408 389 539 205

DUBAI BEIRUT DOHA CAIRO JEDDAH NEW YORK COLOMBO / DUBAI ABU DHABI DUBAI ISTANBUL BAHRAIN RIYADH JEDDAH TUNIS / DUBAI AMMAN SHARJAH DUBAI COLOMBO / DUBAI DUBAI ALEXANDRIA LONDON BEIRUT CAIRO DOHA JEDDAH BAHRAIN DUBAI RIYADH MUMBAI SINGAPORE / ABU DHABI AHWAZ DUBAI KANDAHAR / DUBAI MUSCAT DUBAI BEIRUT GENEVA / FRANKFURT ALEXANDRIA BAHRAIN AMSTERDAM DUBAI BAHRAIN DOHA BAHRAIN CHENNAI / AHMEDABAD BAHRAIN LUXOR SHARM EL SHEIKH DUBAI CAIRO FRANKFURT SOFIA BEIRUT KOZHIKODE / MANGALORE CAIRO LAHORE

15:10 15:10 15:15 15:50 16:00 16:15 16:40 16:50 16:55 17:00 17:15 17:20 17:25 17:30 17:35 17:40 17:55 18:00 18:00 18:05 18:35 18:45 18:50 18:55 19:00 19:20 19:25 19:25 19:35 19:35 19:45 20:00 20:00 20:10 20:10 20:15 20:45 20:55 21:00 21:05 21:15 21:25 21:35 22:00 22:05 22:10 22:15 22:20 22:35 22:50 23:00 23:05 23:05 23:10 23:30 23:55

Airlines AXB JZR DLH AIC KLM PIA THY ETH UAE FDB DHX ETD MSR QTR THY JZR JZR RJA GFA KAC JZR BAW IRA FDB JZR KAC KAC KAC JZR KAC KAC UAE ABY KAC QTR ETD GFA KAC MEA KAC JZR JZR KAC MSR KAC JZR SYR MSR SHY RJA FDB MSR UAL OMA

Departure Flights on Thursday 21/7/2011 Flt Route 394 COCHIN / KOZHIKODE 1540 CAIRO 637 FRANKFURT 576 GOA / CHENNAI 447 AMSTERDAM 216 KARACHI 773 ISTANBUL 620 BAHRAIN / ADDIS ABABA 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 371 BAHRAIN 306 ABU DHABI 615 CAIRO 139 DOHA 771 ISTANBUL 560 SOHAG 164 DUBAI 643 AMMAN 212 BAHRAIN 545 ALEXANDRIA 356 MASHAD 156 LONDON 606 MASHAD 54 DUBAI 534 CAIRO 153 ISTANBUL 787 JEDDAH 671 DUBAI 256 BEIRUT 551 DAMASCUS 561 AMMAN 856 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 101 LONDON / NEW YORK 133 DOHA 302 ABU DHABI 214 BAHRAIN 165 ROME / PARIS 405 BEIRUT 541 CAIRO 776 JEDDAH 238 AMMAN 501 BEIRUT 624 SOHAG 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 342 DEIREZZOR / DAMASCUS 611 CAIRO 4126 ANTALYA 641 AMMAN 58 DUBAI 622 ASSIUT 982 BAHRAIN 646 MUSCAT

Time 0:15 0:20 0:40 0:50 0:55 1:10 2:15 2:30 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:05 4:05 5:00 5:10 5:55 6:55 7:00 7:10 7:40 8:20 8:25 8:40 8:40 8:50 8:55 8:55 9:00 9:10 9:10 9:15 9:40 9:50 9:55 10:00 10:15 10:20 11:45 11:55 12:00 12:00 12:10 13:00 13:10 13:30 13:40 14:00 14:20 14:30 14:30 14:35 14:40 14:45 15:00

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

KAC KNE KAC SVA JZR KAC JZR QTR KAC JZR UAE KNE VOS ETD MLR QTR UAE GFA TAR ABY JZR JZR SVA FDB RBG ALK JZR KAC KAC JAI FDB IRA KAC KAC OMA MEA SIA MSR KAC DHX KLM KAC JZR UAE GFA FCX QTR KAC KAC JZR JZR MSR UAL KAC KAC MSR

673 746 617 505 178 773 512 141 613 538 3854 790 82 304 404 135 858 216 328 128 184 266 511 64 3556 228 134 283 361 571 62 616 331 351 648 403 457 619 543 373 445 677 206 860 218 102 137 301 205 502 554 607 981 411 415 613

DUBAI JEDDAH DOHA JEDDAH DUBAI RIYADH SHARM EL SHEIKH DOHA BAHRAIN CAIRO DUBAI JEDDAH BAGHDAD ABU DHABI DUBAI / COLOMBO DOHA DUBAI BAHRAIN TUNIS SHARJAH DUBAI BEIRUT RIYADH DUBAI ALEXANDRIA DUBAI / COLOMBO BAHRAIN DHAKA COLOMBO MUMBAI DUBAI AHWAZ TRIVANDRUM COCHIN MUSCAT BEIRUT ABU DHABI / SINGAPORE ALEXANDRIA CAIRO BAHRAIN BAHRAIN / AMSTERDAM DUBAI / MUSCAT DAMASCUS DUBAI BAHRAIN BAHRAIN DOHA MUMBAI ISLAMABAD LUXOR ALEXANDRIA LUXOR WASHINGTON DC DULLES BANGKOK / MANILA KUALA LUMPUR / JAKARTA CAIRO

15:10 15:30 15:35 16:00 16:00 16:05 16:10 16:15 16:20 16:40 16:40 16:45 17:00 17:35 17:40 17:45 18:05 18:15 18:20 18:20 18:25 18:30 18:35 18:40 18:45 19:10 19:10 19:30 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:45 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:20 21:55 21:55 22:00 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:25 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:45 22:55 23:05 23:10 23:15 23:40 23:40 23:50 23:50

34

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

stars CROSSWORD 385

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) Outer situations are favorable today. It should be easy for you to push forward with projects and in all aspects of your life. Things may seem almost magical the way they work out in your favor. This is a great time to organize and get things accomplished. Given only a few facts, you are able to take in a situation and come up with a real picture of what is happening. You can always put your ideas into words and describe or analyze situations for yourself and others. You are most happy when you are fully engaged with productive projects that make living circumstances better for all people. You will also find yourself responding to the needs of others this evening. Perhaps you have recently become involved in some volunteer service—good for you!

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Outer circumstances and the flow of events make it easy for you to make clear decisions and move forward. Things seem to fall into place and progress is easy. Be careful not to overextend yourself financially— investment bargains may be worth your attention. This afternoon you may find research in one of your favorite subjects a possibility. This may mean you will observe or apprentice. All in all, this is a productive and potentially satisfying day. There is a basic drive to appreciate and taste life. If you are single, this would be a good time to ask out a special person. If you are in a relationship, now is a good time to entertain this person. Your desires are strong and you will want to enjoy yourself this evening.

Romance is very possible tonight.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. Young of domestic cattle.

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

9. Interface consisting of a standard port between a computer and its peripherals that is used in some computers.

13. Slightly open.

14. An elementary particle with a negative charge and a halflife of 2 microsecond.

15. Something intended to deceive.

16. Informal terms for a mother.

17. A spread made chiefly from vegetable oils and used as a substitute for butter.

18. (Sumerian) Water god and god of wisdom.

19. Genus of tropical trees.

20. Any of various spiny trees or shrubs of the genus Acacia.

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

24. A metal-bearing mineral valuable enough to be mined.

25. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

28. Range of what one can know or understand.

30. A reproach for some lapse or misdeed.

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

35. Being ahead of time or need.

37. Exhibiting or restored to vigorous good health.

40. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

41. Someone who copies the words or behavior of another.

42. An undergarment worn by women to support their breasts.

43. The quantity contained in a keg.

44. The United Nations agency concerned with atomic energy.

46. The branch of engineering science that studies the uses of electricity and the equipment for power generation and distribution and the control of machines and communication.

49. Wasting of the body during a chronic disease.

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

55. A Hindu prince or king in India.

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

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

61. The network in the reticular formation that serves an alerting or arousal function.

62. The money risked on a gamble.

63. A refund of some fraction of the amount paid.

64. Relating to or characteristic of or occurring in the air.

65. An agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank.

66. Having a heading or course in a certain direction.

67. The cry made by sheep.

DOWN 1. Fabric dyed with splotches of green and brown and black and tan.

2. A mythical Greek hero.

3. A Tibetan or Mongolian priest of Lamaism.

4. The basic monetary unit in many countries.

5. Without moral standards or principles.

6. A Russian prison camp for political prisoners.

7. A tool with a flat blade attached at right angles to a long handle.

8. Small buffalo of the Celebes having small straight horns.

9. (physics) A deformation of an object in which parallel planes remain parallel but are shifted in a direction parallel to themselves.

10. Something that interests you because it is important or affects you.

11. British writer of short stories (1870-1916).

12. A monocotyledonous genus of the family Iridaceae.

21. Call together.

23. Jordan's port.

26. A light springing movement upwards or forwards.

27. (usually followed by `to') Having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something.

29. The capital and largest city of Japan.

31. (informal) Of the highest quality.

32. Seed of a pea plant.

34. The lofty nest of a bird of prey (such as a hawk or eagle).

36. An independent ruler or chieftain (especially in Africa or Arabia).

38. The compass point that is one point east (clockwise) of due north.

39. Brazilian tree with handsomely marked wood.

40. A tool with a flat blade attached at right angles to a long handle.

45. The fourth month of the Hindu calendar.

46. Using speech rather than writing.

47. A genus of Platalea.

48. An oil port in southern Iraq.

50. In bed.

51. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

52. A state in southeastern United States.

53. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.

54. The specified day of the month.

56. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

59. Towards the side away from the wind.

60. A doctor's degree in education.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Your more conservative tendencies tend to put a damper on your dreams. You may actually manage to escape your responsibilities via friends and excursions, mental or otherwise—into the realms of imagination, films, poetry and the like. There must be some balance; this could very well be a real challenge for you at this time—obtaining a balance. You may find your ambitions taking you in directions that have no future. This would possibly limit you from change and growth—a resistance to changes. Consider a consulting business. You are charming and always manage to enchant others with your words. You bring a sense of the beyond and mystical to any conversation. Someone will seek help through your psychic abilities today.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

NON SEQUITUR

You are full of wit and sharp insights today and may find yourself guiding others. Breakthrough flashes of insight with tremendous originality and independence are typical. There is a natural sense of invention and a love of all things electrical and of communication in general. Since you are great at bringing out the best qualities of others, you may discover a hidden talent in a friend today. You feel spontaneous and want to be on the move—independent. You are a born traveler, not afraid to be alone and yet happy to have company. Going your own way is the feeling for the day. Adventuresome, you could sign up for classes in sky diving, scuba diving or learning to fly in a glider. This is not an ordinary day. You encourage others to break out of their routine.

Leo (July 23-August 22) “I am the determiner of everything that happens to me,”—is the attitude today. Work and home life are fulfilling and you are inclined to pass that feeling on to others this day. There is a need to be the center of attention—a craving to give and to be appreciated for your gifts. This is a time for discovering others or for finding yourself able to respond to friends and lovers and to enter into relationships with a renewed sense of love and compassion. There are real breakthroughs with a willingness to try new and different approaches to relationships.

This can be an expansive, creative and even romantic phase, a time you will look back on with pride and fondness. In other words, love and passions are real possibilities. A party is enjoyed this evening.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Your positivism lets you get right to the point. You have little patience, however, with those who do not take you seriously.

You have plenty of enthusiasm and can accomplish many things. You have an inner self-confidence that burns with its own light. By watching your response to difficulties, a young or new co-worker learns ways of problem solving. You are compassionate and patient with others. Your money-management skills come into play this afternoon as you discover new ways to invest. An impromptu gathering of friends this evening may find music the center of the gathering.

Wondering why you do not do this more often may call for planning future gettogethers. These are the kinds of gatherings that uplift and heal.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) A strong urge for the social life may find you out of your office—visiting with friends, family or customers. You can demonstrate great understanding and sensitivity to the needs of others just now and are in a good position to help others as well. You are gregarious, even to the point of bringing out the performer in others. There should be some real opportunities to put everyone in a positive mood, including you. New customers, happy customers, return customers are what you bring to the boss by the end of the day. You have a special affinity for old people and for children, plus an innate love of animals, the helpless and the underdog. An inner vision coupled with the ability to see the big picture often finds you working as a go-between with others.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) This is a good time to get to work a little early, finish unfinished business and make to-do lists. You think about what is important and of lasting value and may enjoy conversing about world affairs with co-workers during your breaks. Performing kind deeds reaps positive results and benefits for the giver as well as the receiver. This afternoon presents wonderful opportunities to do a good deed. You are at your most practical when it comes to dealing and working with others—you know just what to do. At home this afternoon, you may want to stop and enjoy the young children around your house. Perhaps a daughter or neighbor’s child is learning to ride a bike or teach a dog a new trick. Plans to enlarge your own family may be in order soon.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

Yesterday’s Solution

An emotional directness and impulsiveness now are marked by forceful and powerful feelings. You could be a terrific businessperson, as you have the ability to get past the surface of things and separate that which has real worth. Something you have been working hard to achieve will soon be accomplished. This could be the establishment of a new and positive habit. Intense personal inner growth is in your life now. This afternoon you may find new ways to bring people together, perhaps with music, in order to unify situations. People in your family or friendship circle may be at odds with each other; careful. Through music, poetry or some form of creative work you can help to promote a healing. Today you work to change someone’s opinion.

You are deliberate when it comes to words. When you concentrate, you always come up with what is essential to the matter at hand, ignoring all else. You are anything but flip and your more serious approach to ideas, while welcome when there is mental work to do, may not always be appreciated when others are in more social moods. You may be a bit too serious today.

Philosophy and religion however are natural for you. You have more than just the gift of gab. Your words and ideas can transport and enchant listeners, carrying them beyond the world as they know it into the world as they wish it could be. You and your friends have some ideas for entertaining others this evening and you could find yourselves enjoying the company of many.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Your free spirit expression may come from having a life that is generally unplanned. Delays, mistakes or overlooked possibilities just create opportunities for your creative insights. Professionally, you may enjoy advertising, public speaking, lecturing, etc. You seem to be a magnet that attracts what you need in order to make a living—all your other time may be spent in selfexpression. Perhaps you enjoy some form of writing. Creativity certainly comes into play when you face decision-making situations. This should be a day filled with all sorts of positive communications and sharing times. An animal may need special attention this evening. All in all, this is a very good day. Emotions in particular may be very clear today.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

Being on the go and keeping a finger to the winds of change make you feel in touch. Learning and communicating is just what you like to do. Having and appreciating things of beauty and value plays a bigger role in your life now. Provided you do not spend it all on the fancy things that catch your eye, this can be a financially profitable period. It is possible that your ideas may run counter to what is going on around you. This may result in a lack of support. There could be arguments, especially with young people—careful. Your insistence on being different may result in your being cut off from those who would otherwise support you. Go slow with any changes you want to make and you will be successful in getting your way.

A

y

e niv rsar n

Years

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

i n f o r m at i o n

FIRE BRIGADE

112

Al-Madena

22418714

Al-Shohada’a

22545171

Al-Shuwaikh

24810598

Al-Nuzha

22545171

Sabhan

24742838

Al-Helaly

22434853

Al-Fayhaa

22545051

Al-Farwaniya

24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat

24316983

Al-Fahaheel

23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

24316983

Ahmadi

23980088

Al-Mangaf

23711183

Al-Shuaiba

23262845

24812000

Al-Jahra

25610011

Amiri Hospital

22450005

Al-Salmiya

25616368

Maternity Hospital

24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital

25312700

Chest Hospital

24849400

Farwaniya Hospital

24892010

Adan Hospital

23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital

24840300

Al-Razi Hospital

24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital

24874330/9

Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128

Hospitals Sabah Hospital

POLICE STATION 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

Clinics Rabiya

4732263

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

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

22434064 22435865 22544200 22547133 22515277 22616662 25714406 22530801

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988

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

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(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

Dr Anil Thomas

3729596/3729581 22641071/2

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Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami

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Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

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25620111

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Dr. Adnan Ebil

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Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri

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Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly

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Dr Nasser Behbehani

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Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

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Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291 22666288

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Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan

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Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees

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25330060

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25722290

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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

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THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

lifest yle G o s s i p

Eric Dane is in rehab he ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ star - whose wife Rebecca Gayheart is currently pregnant with the couple’s second child - voluntarily checked into The Hills Treatment Centre in Los Angeles as a “preventative measure” last month afterhe feared becoming addicted to painkilling medication prescribed for a sports injury.

His spokesperson confirmed: “Actor Eric Dane voluntarily checked himself into a treatment facility to help him get off of pain medication that he was prescribed for a sports injury that he suffered over the recent hiatus. He reports back to work next week. Business as usual.” A close pal of Eric, 38, revealed he wants to get control of the situation before Rebecca - who is believed to be three months

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pregnant - gives birth and before he returns to his role as Dr Mark Sloan in the TV medical drama. According to America’s Star magazine, the friend insists he has “too much to lose” explaining that “Eric felt things spiraling out of control and decided he needed to get some help”. Eric and Rebecca, 39, married in 2004 and already have a 16-month-old daughter, Billie Beatrice.

ennifer Lopez earned a reported $1 million for performing at a wedding in the Ukraine. The singer-and-actress who, last week, announced her seven-year marriage to Marc Anthony was over - flew into the Ukraine yesterday morning, to perform at the nuptials of billionaire Serhiy Taruta’s daughter in the evening. A source told Us Weekly magazine: “He’s a wealthy guy who wanted J.Lo and was willing to pay top dollar.” Following her separation with Marc, friends close to Jennifer - who has three-year-old twins, Max and Emme, with the Latino singer - she has thrown herself into work as it is helping her cope. One pal said: “She is jumping back into work and being a mom with all her energy and she is really excited. She feels like she has grown leaps and bounds and is a new person now, better than ever!” Both Jennifer and Marc - who married in 2004 admit it was a “difficult decision” to end their relationship.

They said in a statement: “We have decided to end our marriage. This was a very difficult decision. We have come to an amicable conclusion on all matters. “It is a painful time for all involved and we appreciate the respect of our privacy at this time.”

J ennifer Aniston is “open” to being a single mother. The 42-year-old actress - who is dating actor Justin Theroux - is determined to have a family at some point, and doesn’t worry about whether or not she has a partner in her life to raise a child with. She told LOOK magazine: “I’d love to have children one day. And it’ll happen. I am open to being a single mother, to adopting.

I’m just fine with it.” The ‘Horrible Bosses’ star who was previously married to Brad Pitt and has dated stars including Vince Vaughn and John Mayer - admitted she prefers being at home than in the spotlight, where she is able to enjoy dinner or play games with friends, and has even embraced online shopping. She added: “I love being at home. I enjoy having cozy dinners with my friends - playing board games or poker. It’s fun! “Also, I’m into watching Oprah’s network, I love her. “You’ll never see me on twitter or anything like that, it’s not for me. I’m all about old traditional ways - phone calls and letters.

Although I do internet surf and shop online. I love auctions.”

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Hilton trades in heartbreaking cars aris Hilton has traded in her yellow Japanese supercar because it reminds her of her ex-boyfriend for a white version worth $375,000. The hotel heiress received the Lexus LFA convertible, of which only 500 exist, as a 30th birthday present from her former lover Cy Waits in February and although she wanted to get rid of all reminders of him after their recent split, Paris loved the car so much she simply swapped it for a different color, the Huffington Post is reporting. Perhaps the 30-year-old hotel heiress was keen to remove all traces of Cy from her life because she has got a new love interest. Paris was reportedly “making out constantly” with the ‘Hangover: Part II’ director Todd Phillips at a private event at her home in Malibu, California, earlier this month. An onlooker said: “Paris and Todd were all over each other. He had his hand permanently glued to her behind. They were making out constantly. “Paris was hanging on Todd, hugging and kissing him off and on. She and Todd didn’t walk in together, but it wasn’t as if they were trying to hide.”

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Jolie’s sons love eating crickets he ‘Salt’ star’s two boys - adopted Maddox, nine, and Pax, seven - both love eating the insects, treating them “like Doritos,” a brand of seasoned tortilla snacks.

She told the E! News network: “It’s their favorite thing. They ate them like Doritos, and they wouldn’t stop. They are like a potato chips. “I had to actually ban the cricket eating at a certain point because I was afraid they were going to get sick from eating too many!” Crickets are a common fried delicacy in Cambodia - where Maddox was born and where he and his brother tried the insects - and are also eaten in certain parts of Mexico. Angelina - who also raises Zahara, six, Shiloh, five, and two-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne with partner Brad Pitt - is also partial to consuming bugs herself, revealing last year she likes to eat cockroaches, but even she admits there are a few Cambodian dishes she hasn’t plucked up the courage to eat yet. She added: “I have yet to have the tarantulas on a stick or spider soup here. I don’t know if I can get around the fur, but you gotta try everything.”

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he 25-year-old actress - who was previously in a lesbian relationship with DJ Samantha Ronson - has been spotted on a dinner date with Spencer Falls at Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont hotel, and the hunk was also seen leaving her home in Venice Beach, California. A fellow diner told America’s Star magazine: “Lindsay seemed totally smitten by him and just really happy. It was really refreshing to see her back to her old self again.” The troubled actress - who last month completed 35 days under house arrest for stealing a necklace and violating the terms of her 2007 conviction for driving under the influence (DUI) - was recently pictured having her breast fondled by Spencer during a late night photo shoot captured by her friend Tyler Shields in Los Angeles. After the shoot, the celebrity photographer wrote on his website: “Lindsay Lohan, Spencer Falls and I had way too much fun on this one! A little romance never hurt anyone until it ended. “In matters of love sometimes you have to be willing to get your hands dirty.” Lindsay dated Samantha on and off for around two years before they eventually split for good in 2009. She has also briefly dated British model Calum Best, Adrian Grenier and snowboarder Riley Giles.

— Bang Showbiz

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Michelle Obama to appear on TV’s ‘Extreme Makeover’ first lady Michelle Obama will appear on ABC show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” as part of her initiative to support military families, the network said on Tuesday. Michelle Obama’s appearance on the show will be shot tomorrow in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and the episode will air in October, said Patrick Preblick, a spokesman for ABC. The first lady is making the appearance as part of her Joining Forces initiative for military families. The episode will focus on 15-year US Navy veteran Barbara Marshall and her family.

Michelle Obama and the “Extreme Makeover” team will help Marshall’s mission of assisting homeless veterans by building a new house that will house several families, ABC said in a statement. Michelle Obama last month filmed an appearance on the children’s TV show “iCarly” which was also tied to her Joining Forces initiative. In 2009, she was seen in an episode of “Sesame Street” to promote healthy eating. The reality TV series “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” performs speedy and drastic home renovations for families that have suffered misfortune.

US

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Years

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Tributes flow for Aboriginal actor Ngoombujarra

Photo shows Spanish chef Ferran Adria as he tastes some food in the kitchen of his restaurant elBulli.

‘elBulli: Cooking in Progress’ T

ributes have flowed for Aboriginal actor David Ngoombujarra who died last Sunday, with Hollywood star Hugh Jackman describing him as “an extraordinary man”. Ngoombujarra, 44, had starred in several iconic Australian films including “Rabbit-Proof Fence” and the Baz Luhrmann directed 2008 feature “Australia” with Nicole Kidman.

He was found in a park in Fremantle, Western Australia, on Sunday and later pronounced dead in hospital. Police are awaiting a toxicology report to pinpoint the cause of death but are not treating it as suspicious. Jackman, who co-starred with Ngoombujarra in “Australia”, tweeted of “an extraordinary man, actor and friend.” “His laugh, warmth and humanity will live on with all who knew him,” he said.

Luhrmann told The Australian newspaper that Ngoombujarra had an “extraordinary spirit, life force and creativity” which lifted spirits during the many months of shooting “Australia”. Indigenous actor and presenter Ernie Dingo, who co-starred with Ngoombujarra in an ABC television series, described his friend as a man who was “always in touch with his culture, wherever he was”. “Very sadly, he was lost between two cultures,” he said. —AFP

Hugh Grant wins court ruling in hacking scandal

has US theatrical release on July

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or a foodie, the new film about Spain’s renowned elBulli restaurant is a bit like an Angelina Jolie movie for a teenage boy. That boy’s never going on a date with Angelina. And sorry, dear foodie, but you’re never gonna eat at elBulli. Well, at least food lovers can now salivate via celluloid. “El Bulli: Cooking in Progress,” a meticulous exploration of how this famously avant-garde eatery comes up with its insanely inventive creations, may not be for everyone. But for those passionate about the artistry and indeed the science of cooking, it’s dangerously close to porn.

And for some, perhaps close to tragedy, too. Co-owner and chef Ferran Adria announced earlier this year that on July 30 he will close his restaurant, a winner of three Michelin stars and countless other honors. Citing financial struggles and a need to regroup after years of exhausting work, he said elBulli would become a think tank and research facility. German filmmaker Gereon Wetzel had no inkling of this when he shot his film, training his cameras on elBulli’s creative team for 10 hours-plus per day, a week at a time, over 15 months in 2008 and 2009.

But the news, which came during editing, didn’t change his goal, which was to show the laborious, indeed painful, process of creating art - in this case, edible art, dishes for an ever-changing menu of 30 to 50 courses that can take three, four, maybe five hours to eat, for 50 lucky diners a night. Just a few names give you a sense of their unique nature: A gorgonzola tree. A parmesan crystal. A coconut sponge. Iced peppermint. “Vacuumzed” mushrooms. Or vanishing ravioli - with a pasta envelope, coated in maltodextrin, that literally disappears in front of your eyes.

“What fascinated me was the process,” Wetzel said in an interview this week from his home in Munich. “How do they do it? What does it take to get to these ideas?” And so the 38-year-old director, who by the way professes not to be a foodie, spent most of his shooting time not at the restaurant, which is on the coast a few hours from Barcelona and is open only six months a year, but in its lab in the city. There, a few top chefs spend the other six months creating the next season’s menu. The work Wetzel displays is more than painstaking. Adria’s main deputies, Oriol Castro and Eduard Xatruch, labor and philosophize over the consistency of a mushroom. What happens when you “vacuumize” it? (A machine is used.)

And what can we do with a sweet potato that’s never

This image courtesy of Alive Mind Cinema shows elBulli chefs at work in Gereon Wetzel’s documentary, “elBulli: Cooking in Progress,” in Roses, Spain. —AP photos been done? What can we extract from it? All this is shown with no narration whatsoever.” This is very hard work, and I wanted people to see that,” says Wetzel. And so he didn’t shy away from the difficult moments, including one where chef Adria berates his team for having lost some data on a bad hard drive. The team protests that they still have lists on paper. “I don’t want it on paper, I want it on the computer!” Adria retorts. “This is a disaster.” At another point, he rejects a dish curtly: “Don’t give me anything that’s not good.”

There are also some unintentionally ver y funny moments, like when the two chefs go to the local market and ask for five single grapes for their testing - and three beans. “You get away with everything,” remarks the merchant. At another market visit later on, they ask the merchant not to discard the tongue of a fish. Anything might be fodder for a new creation, after all. Wetzel notes how Adria’s team also works with the cartilage of a calf shoulder - something others would surely throw away. “For them, the way they work, this cartilage has value equal to caviar,” he says.

After the film has spent a good hour showing painstaking lab work - Rachael Ray’s cooking show, this is not - the

‘Captain America’ British actor Hugh Grant

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High Court judge yesterday ordered police to hand over information to actor Hugh Grant or former girlfriend Jemima Khan which could show phone messages between them were intercepted by a private investigator working for a newspaper. The ruling by judge Geoffrey Vos followed a 20-minute hearing at the London court where neither Grant nor campaigner Khan were present, according to the Press Association. The couple split in 2007 after a three-year relationship. Grant has been a vociferous critic of News Corp since the phone-hacking scandal broke earlier this month, and is a member of the Hacked Off lobby group which has campaigned for a rigorous inquiry into illegal eavesdropping by newspapers.

Vos said police should disclose information relating to messages allegedly intercepted by private investigator Glenn Mulcaire and used in the News of the World and other newspapers. Several celebrities have been targeted by the now-defunct weekly tabloid, including actress Sienna Miller who settled a phone-hacking lawsuit against it in June.

News Corp’s News of the World was abruptly closed this month when the scale of its involvement in phone hacking, and its targeting of ordinary people and not just the rich and famous, began to emerge. Four years ago Mulcaire and former News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman were given jail terms after the Old Bailey heard that they plotted to hack into royal aides’ voicemail.

Fresh police inquiries have started since then and a number of high-profile figures have made civil damages claims against News Group Newspapers, the publisher of the News of the World. The Metropolitan Police did not oppose Vos’s order.

Lawyers representing Grant and Khan said police had indicated that telephone messages may have been intercepted.—Reuters

keeps full name in most of world

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aptain America will get to keep top billing in most of the world when his superhero adventure hits the bigscreen. Paramount Pictures and Marvel Studios gave distributors around the world the option of shortening the title of “Captain America: The First Avenger” to simply “The First Avenger,” out of concern about antiAmerican sentiment.

But the only countries that took them up on it were Russia, Ukraine and South Korea.

In other territories, the movie will go out with the full title, a sign that the brand value of the Marvel Comics hero trumps any potential anti-US feelings in some parts of the world. Movie titles often are changes in foreign countries for cultural reasons or because the original names don’t translate well. Starring Chris Evans as the patriotic super-soldier, “Captain America” opens in US theaters tomorrow. — AP

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Chris Evans, left, and Hayley Atwell, cast members in ‘Captain America: The First Avenger,’ pose together at the premiere of the film in Los Angeles, Tuesday, July 19, 2011. —AP

‘Hangover’ star Cooper to star in ‘Paradise Lost’

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Actor Bradley Cooper

he Hangover” star Bradley Cooper will appear as Lucifer in a movie version of the classic poem “Paradise Lost” to be filmed in Sydney. The government of New South Wales, where Sydney is located, announced yesterday that the movie will be directed by Australian Alex Proyas, who also directed “I, Robot” starring Will Smith and “Knowing” with Nicholas Cage.

Paradise Lost, an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th century English poet John Milton, will be shot predominantly at Sydney’s Fox Studios, and is targeted for release in 2013, said New South Wales Acting Premier Andrew Stoner. He said the production was lured to Sydney with financial incentives from the state government, beating competition from rival locations in the United States and Canada. —AP

action shifts to the coast, and opening day of the new season. We see an army of new workers, some of them interns, who have come from all corners of the world to work with these Spanish masters. And as the staff revs up for the incoming crowd, Adria and his lieutenants are still refining, experimenting, tasting. Adria sits down for a rehearsal of new dishes. The tension is almost unbearable as he tastes one, then says nothing for many seconds.

We also see the birth of a new, typically elBulli dish: A silky cocktail of hazelnut oil, water and two crystals of salt.

Testing such a cocktail at one table, a server comes back in a panic: Fizzy water has mistakenly been used, instead of still water.

The chefs consult. Maybe they should keep it fizzy?

Maybe that will make it even more interesting! During three years of overall work on the film, there was one thing Wetzel and his team never did: Taste the famous food they were documenting. But once shooting was complete, they finally got a table. “To spend five hours doing nothing but thinking and talking about food - it was an experience,” he says. And a relief, too. “After all that time and work, I was just so glad that it was really, really good,” he says. —AP

McCartney Sept 11 documentary to be broadcast

documentary about Paul McCartney’s experiences in New York immediately after the Sept 11 attacks on the city is to get its debut the day before the 10th anniversary of 9/11, US cable network Showtime said on Tuesday. Called “The Love We Make”, the documentary chronicles the personal journey through a devastated New York in 2001, and the planning and preparation of a benefit concert six weeks afterward.

McCartney was on a plane on the tarmac in New York on the morning of Sept 11 2001 which was grounded when hijacked planes were flown into the World Trade Center towers. McCartney returned to the city and later helped to organize the “Concert for New York City.” Shot in black and white, the film features footage of McCartney rehearsing for the concert, clips of him talking with New Yorkers on the city streets and backstage film featuring David Bowie, Mick Jagger, former President Bill Clinton, Leonardo DiCaprio and others. “There was so much suffering as a result of 9/11 it’s hard to imagine how one might bring relief to those who were impacted by the attacks, and honor those firefighters, police officers and rescue workers who lost their lives in their heroic attempt to help others. But Paul had the answer: music and a film that would tell the full story,” the documentary’s director Albert Maysles said.

“The Love We Make”-whose title harks back to The Beatles 1969 song “The End”-will be broadcast on Showtime on Sept 10, and is one of a slew of TV specials and books marking the 10th anniversary of the Sept 11 attacks. Maysles is one of America’s pioneering documentary filmmakers and has made nonfiction films since the 1960s including “Gimme Shelter” about The Rolling Stones 1969 tour and “Grey Gardens” in 1975 that was made into a Broadway show and movie. His filmmaking brother David Maysles died in 1987.—Reuters

Paul McCartney

Photo taken on November 18, 2008 shows Australian actors David Ngoombujarra (kneeling), Hugh Jackman, Brandon Walters and Nicole Kidman shortly before the world premiere of the movie ‘Australia’ in Sydney. —AFP

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THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

Years

lifestyle F e a t u r e s

‘Seed bombs’ used to offset blight H

omemade “seed bombs” are a favorite tool of guerrilla gardeners. Since the early 1970s, these latter-day Johnny Appleseeds have been lobbing the clay- wrapped, compost-rich spheres onto unsightly vacant lots, into alleyways or around sidewalks, where they’ve exploded into bloom. Thanks to new vending-machine distribution, the small, slow-

This undated photo courtesy of Commonstudio shows a seedbomb vending machine made out of an old candy machine.

release seed transporters are also bursting into flower in suburban window boxes, on highway medians and along eroded gullies. “Put in two quarters, turn the crank and you get a seed bomb,” said Daniel Phillips, an environmental designer who inherited some old candy machines, converted them into seed dispensers, and is merchandising their spread from San Diego to New York, mostly around college campuses and community gardens.

As a result, Phillips said from his Commonstudio office in Culver City, California, seed- bombing has “gone from an outdated perception of nocturnal characters coming out in the middle of the night to dig, to traditional gardeners spreading them around problem areas. “Kids, in particular, like to operate the machines and watch the things grow,” he said. Planting with seed bombs is more effective than broadcasting seed over the ground, said Josie Jeffery, author of this year’s “Seedbombs: Going Wild With Flowers” (Leaping Hare Press).

“Most seeds are very light and there is risk of them being blown away by the wind, making them unsuitable for launching long distances,” she writes. “The compost and clay act as a carrier so they can be launched over walls or fences and into inaccessible areas.” The guerilla garden movement got its start in the early 1970s, when eco-activists began turning blighted or abandoned properties into productive and attractive areas to be enjoyed by the entire community, Jeffery said. Seed bombs became a fun and gentle form of dispersing seeds and beautifying those sites, many of which were fenced or difficult to access.

Guerilla gardening is generally anonymous since so much of it is done without permission and on property owned by others. “Your aim is wrong if you are launching seed bombs to be antagonistic, or using them as a form of vandalism or coercion,” Jeffery said. “It is also wrong if you have not given consideration to the plant and its new environment.” Seed bombing can beautify blighted spaces but it also can cause undesirable side effects, warned Vincent Lazaneo, a home horticultural adviser with the University of California Davis

Cooperative Extension. “There are trespass issues,” Lazaneo said. “It can introduce invasive plants into native habitat. Clearly there are some plants you don’t want out here, particularly flowers that dry out and become fuel for wildfires.”

Seed bombs are easy to make, Jeffery said.

“Homemade compost, humus, green manure, and tea and coffee waste can be used, as well as natural binding materials like waste paper pulp and clay,” she writes.

“The compost offers nutrients for the seeds to germinate and grow strong during their infancy, and the clay binds the seed bomb, making it hard enough not to break when it hits the ground.” Seed bombs can be tailored to specific sites, climates and needs. “What we’re looking for is low cost and short-term use,” said Phillips, who has formulated mixes for every state in the nation.

“Edible plants, too, and something for birds and butterflies. We even have a few that can be used to clean up polluted sites with plants suited for removing toxins and heavy metals.”

Here are some commonsense do’s and don’ts for seed-bomb use: • Launch them at the right time of year for optimum growing conditions.

• Use the right seeds in the right locations.

• Don’t throw them into neighbors’ gardens without their consent. And don’t use them in agricultural or sensitive natural areas where they could overpower edible or native plants.—AP

This product image courtesy of Commonstudio shows a Greenaid Seed Bomb. —AP

Sauce of inspiration: Ketchup goes artisanal

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here’s a seasonal shift going on in the condiment firmament. Ketchup, the big red staple of American pantries, is catching up with the cool crowd as chefs and food entrepreneurs seek new inspiration. “It’s a very exciting time to be making ketchup,” says Scott Norton, who with Mark Ramadan founded the recently launched Sir Kensington’s Gourmet Scooping Ketchup.

Organic ketchup, spicy ketchup, gourmet ketchup, curry ketchup, all have blossomed in recent years, a development that James Oseland, editor-in-chief of Saveur magazine, has noted with approval. “Who doesn’t love a good catsup?” he points out.

About the whole ketchup vs. catsup thing like tomato vs. tomahto, this seems to be a matter of personal choice. Oseland uses both depending on his mood. The big tomato in American sauce, of course, is Heinz, which launched its ketchup in 1876. Interestingly, this wasn’t the company’s first venture; Heinz began with a horseradish sauce in 1869. Today, more than 650 million bottles of Heinz ketchup are sold worldwide, adding up to more than $1.5 billion in annual sales.

Tradition is part of the appeal of Heinz; this year the company brought back the classic glass bottles for a limited time in stores. This is the bottle with the “57” on the neck denoting the “sweet spot” one taps to get the ketchup to exit at maximum velocity. But Heinz, the market leader, also has been part of the changing sauce scene, expanding its products to include a no added salt version, organic ketchup, a Hot & Spicy bottle with a kick of Tabasco sauce, and Simply Heinz, which uses sugar instead of highfructose corn syrup.

Hunt’s and Del Monte are two other big names in US ketchup; additional brands that have found a place on the shelf include Annie’s Naturals Organic Ketchup, Muir Glen Organic Ketchup, Organicville Tomato Ketchup and Stonewall Kitchen Country Ketchup, a product described as “ketchup all grown up.”

Norton and Ramadan’s ketchup chronicles began about three years ago when they started cooking homemade tomato ketchup as economics majors at Brown University. “We love ketchup,” explains Ramadan. They thought it was curious that there only a few dominant brands of ketchup, as opposed to mustard, for instance, and thought, “wouldn’t it be fun to try to make something in our own kitchen.”

They held tasting parties and came up with two flavor profiles, classic and spiced, now available online and in stores including Williams-Sonoma and Whole Foods Market. The ketchup, billed as having less sodium and sugar than leading brands, is sweetened with agave nectar, honey and raw brown sugar and includes apple cider vinegar for a tangy kick.

Other ingredients include coriander, lime juice, allspice, cilantro and cayenne pepper.

In some ways the concept of gourmet ketchup sounds slightly oxymoronic. Ketchup, a burger’s best friend, is unabashedly of the people and a product that tends to stir strong opinions. The question of eggs, to sauce or not to sauce, can be particularly thorny and describ-

Homemade tomato ketchup.

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Homemade tomato ketchup, bottom, spicy peach ketchup, center, and raspberry balsamic ketchup, top, in Concord, NH. — AP photos ing someone as calling for ketchup in a fancy restaurant is shorthand for gaucherie.

Oseland didn’t much care for ketchup as a kid, but was won over as an adult, probably after trying french fries with the accompanying foil packet of sauce. Since then he’s “absolutely grown to appreciate ketchup as really one of the most blessed condiments.” He notes that many overdo it and drown their food, not a good plan. But the idea that ketchup lacks cachet is “just patent foolishness.” He’s tickled when sitting in a posh, white tablecloth restaurant and “a beautiful silver-plated tureen of ketchup comes out. In fact, it doesn’t seem inappropriate at all. It seems, ‘At last ketchup has arrived,’ and rightfully so.”—AP

ig on ideas but short on space?

Maximize your yard’s potential by growing up, not out, with vertical gardening. Long a staple in Europe, vertical gardening is blooming among US landscapers, designers and home gardeners looking to transform skinny side yards, bitty balconies and cramped courtyards into living, breathing masterpieces. “People are trying to maximize every square inch (centimeter) of their property, and more and more people have smaller properties or just a balcony or courtyard, but they still want to have a garden,” says Rebecca Sweet, co-author with Susan Morrison of “Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening for Small and Large Spaces” (Cool Springs Press, 2011).

The options are endless. Arbors, trellises, lattice frames, fabric pockets, obelisk trellises, along with unorthodox methods and materials, such as rebar and even old filing cabinets. But do not be daunted. Vertical gardening is surprisingly beginner-friendly, and experts say supplies are cheap and easy to find at big-box stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot. Sweet, of Los Altos,California, and retired horticulturist Tina Aur of Memphis, Tennessee, break down the main elements of vertical gardening and offer tips to get your green thumb in gear this summer.

Living Walls The trendiest vertical gardening technique is living walls - fences, patio walls or other surfaces covered in plants, flowers, succulents, even fruits and vegetables.

There are two main ways to do this, Sweet says. The first involves modular, mountable tray planters, and the second uses breathable fabric “pockets” that can be hung on a wall. Sweet suggests starting small with one pocket garden from a manufacturer like Woolly Pockets ($39) that will hold three or four plants. Hang it along a wall or fence that gets partial sun to avoid drying out the smaller amount of soil.

“Instead of flowers, consider planting herbs or vegetables,” Sweet says. “Mixing trailing herbs like thyme and oregano with upright red and green lettuces will not only look great, but because your garden will be off the ground, you’ll have fewer problems with pests.” Succulents, which need less soil, work better in tray systems because they need better irrigation than the pockets provide, she says.

Arbors/Trellises Aur prefers to train plants and flowers to wrap around lattices, arbors, trellises and other frameworks to give her small gardens more vertical structure and shape. She uses a combination of Italian cypress trees and trellises coated with clematis vines to create a cozy, outdoor room in her back yard.

Aur bought the iron trellises at Lowe’s, and under-plants them with roses, columbines, irises and other perennials to take full advantage of the space through layering.

She grows vines on vinyl-coated wire available at hardware and some big-box stores, and hooks the wire onto fences, making it easy to take down for painting or repairs.

Aur also uses the technique with veg-

etables, using elderberry sticks in stainless steel tubs bought at Home Depot to grow early season sweet peas with later-producing cantaloupes. She grows cucumbers up a trellis on the back of her greenhouse and underplants whatever is growing up the poles with strawberries. “You try to use every inch of space you have,” Aur says.

“You don’t just grow something up, you grow something out of it.”

Skinny Spaces Awkward side yards and other skinny spaces often turn into dumping grounds for toys, old barbecues and other oddities, particularly in the city. Uneven lighting and lack of soil can make these areas challenging for growing. But Sweet says she has yet to “meet the bed that is so skinny you can’t plant in it,” and suggests layering to create a lush look. The top or back layer is the backbone of any vertical bed. Sweet suggests vines easily trained to grow flat against a wall like black-eyed Susan and clematis, or vase-shaped shrubs and trees like boxleaf azara and flowering maple that allow plenty of room for planting below.

The middle layer should feature perennials with tall, delicate flower stalks, or finely textured ornamental grasses such as flowering tobacco, vervain, Scotch heather and yarrow. “By choosing plants that can be ‘seen through,’ your skinny space will appear larger and more lush than it really is,” Sweet says.

Photo courtesy of Kerry Michaels shows a vertical garden from the book ‘Garden Up!’.

Small-scale grasses, ground-hugging shrubs and compact perennials anchor the bottom layer, she says. Foliage plants are particularly effective in this layer, and provide more months of interest than flowers alone.”By creating your layers vertically instead of horizontally, even beds a few feet wide can rival the most lavish perennial border,” Sweet says.

Containers Turning an old metal filing cabinet into a planter is a cheap, environmentally friendly way to incorporate containers into a vertical garden. In “Apartment Gardening: Plants, Projects and Recipes for Growing Food in Your Urban Home” (sasquatch Books, 2011), author Amy Pennington instructs readers to remove the drawers and lay the filing cabinet on its back. Cut out three pieces of 2-by-4-inch lumber measured to the width of the filing cabinet and, using construction adhesive, glue one on each end and one in the center for structural support.

You can drill locking and swiveling casters into the bottom corners to make the planter portable if you wish. Then spraypaint the exterior with two coats of primer and two coats of a finish color and allow it to dry completely. Fill it to the top with soil and flowers, or deep-rooted vegetables like tomatoes, kale or rhubarb.—AP

This undated photo courtesy of Rebecca Sweet shows a vertical garden from the book ‘Garden Up!’.

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lifestyle F a s h i o n

A fit frame can wear a

softer fashion style F

itting a fit frame is not always easy. While clothing designers and retailers have given more attention lately to finding solutions for their petite and plus-size customers, those women with athletic builds, who could be tall or short, more narrow or wide, have their own set of dressing challenges that certainly do not have a one-size-fits-all solution. Rosy Hodge, a pro surfer, has “buff arms” that she tries to balance with colorful scarves, while fellow surfer Kassia Meador wears a lot of oversized tanks and T-shirts even though she is unsure they flatter her body type.

Rachel Roosevelt, a former member of the US Ski Team, now wears mostly skirt suits to her job as a macroeconomics researcher, but nothing too short, considering her conservative career environment. She also stands 5-foot-10 (1.77 meters), and that has meant having to curl her legs in awkward positions under some conference tables. Still, she says, she’s most comfortable in sneakers and her gym clothes. “I’m still proud of my body, and my legs are the way they are because of the hours I’ve spent in the gym, even

File photo shows fashion from the ADAM Spring 2011 collection modeled during Fashion Week in New York. —AP

if they’re not what is considered ‘classic beauty’ in other people’s minds.” The Oprah Magazine’s creative director, says he has noticed an increase in “the athletic type.” He can’t quite define it, but he says he knows it when he sees it. “It isn’t just about athletes,” Glassman says. “It has nothing to do with height. You tend to have broad shoulders and a broad back, and your arms are naturally toned or you work out; the tummy is the same thing. Perhaps you have not a lot of curves with a straight waistline and square hips, thighs muscular and built calves, and a smaller bust.” He adds: “You can have all of that, two of the above, part of one. It ranges from gymnasts to swimmers.”

Glassman’s magazine devotes several pages of its August issue offering guidance to this broad group, including Roosevelt and former college basketball player Zaklya Proctor and volleyball player Jessica Vertullo Maher. “I think the fashion industry is stepping up to the plate in offering things for more sizes, but you still have to be willing to search,” he says. Most importantly, women, no matter their size and shape, should be looking

File photo shows first lady Michelle Obama as she exercises with a hula hoop during a healthy kids fair on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington.

for clothes that are comfortable and flattering with an end goal of creating a lovely, feminine hourglass shape. “We’re not talking Jessica Rabbit, but you want the illusion of shoulders and hips in proportion with each other and your waist to be smaller than those.”

Athletic types often have the advantage of being taut and firm, he says, but that also can leave the impression that they are tough and tomboyish. He likes to see women soften their look with ruffles, ruching, flowing skirts such as a tulip shape, a top with a defined waist or a tie at the waist, and puffy sleeves, which are trendy right now. Belts, Glassman adds, can be flattering to an athletic figure, although you might not end up wearing them on the natural waistline. “You need to find the right thickness: Is it the Michelle Obama thick Alaia belt vs the half-inch belt?”

Mrs Obama knows how to show off the results of her hard work in the gym, favoring the cinched waist emphasized by that black belt that she’s worn around the world as well as her famous sleeveless tops. Why would anyone want

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WHITE SANDS AUSTRALIA Two contrasting styles were on the runway at White Sands Australia: sweet floral vs sexy zebra. Designer Leah Madden tried to pick between the two to show a cohesive collection, but ended up showing both. “I realized that as women, we always have those two sides. Sometimes we’re sweet.

Sometimes we’re not. And I loved it,” Madden said. “And I thought, you know what, I’m going to do the collection revolving around that. One day you’re sweet and pretty, very feminine. And then at other times we can be a little nasty, a little bit strong.” The collection began with its darker side in a black and white zebra print bikini followed by a soft white, almost lingerie style one-piece with ruching detail along the top and waist. To enhance that contrast of soft vs. strong, models donned pearl bracelets and pink ballet-style heels with thick ribbon wrapped around their calves to represent the softer collection. The same shoes were shown in black when Madden wanted to change the mood. Madden showed a broad mix of swimsuit styles as well as cover-ups, including a long floral dress followed by a black and white zebra print short dress. She continued her contrasts of zebra and floral in separate pantsuit designs. “I’m a big resort girl,” she said. And although the collection showed more bikinis, she loves a one-piece. “It’s fashion. I think it’s special.”

POKO PANO Brazilian designer Paola Robba incorporated her country’s traditional colors, symbols, plant and wildlife into a 40-piece collection which included bikinis, kaftans, mini dresses, shirts, skirts and pantaloon pants in a multitude of colors: yellow, brown, red, green, turquoise, black and white. The fun collection showed exotic prints reminiscent of the Amazon, beginning the show with a white bikini top in a large coconut print paired with a long, flowing skirt in a matching print. Robba used leaves in place of polka dots in one bikini. Resembling Miami’s palm tree, the guarana, as the plant is known in Portuguese, took over a white bikini top and slouchy pants. The same print also was seen on a monokini and shirt coverup. “I like fun things. I think a bikini can be fun,” Robba said. Robba also paid homage to Amazon wildlife, incorporating into the collection multicolored feathers inspired by a type of macaw and velvety coats patterned like jaguar. Using a macrame texture, Robba also mimicked the scales of fish on some leather pieces, including a pink corset-style tankini. “They’re very popular, this kind of fish in the Amazon. And I love the texture,” Robba said of the fish skin leather. The Poko Pano collection also included a monkey print, brown leather braids on the sides of bikini bottoms, and vibrant colors as well as a sophisticated one-piece in black, white and soft blue.

DOLORES CORTES Spanish designer Dolores Font Cortes’ collection was inspired by dreams of a remote, idyllic island. “You are on a deserted island, because you want to, and you want to be beautiful and glamorous with what you have around you,” the designer told the AP in Spanish. Colors ranged from strawberry pink to the green tint from the bottom of the sea, and orange shades with tones

The Red Carter swimwear collection is modeled during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim 2012.

File photo shows fashion from the ADAM Spring 2011 collection.

File photo shows fashion from the ADAM Spring 2011 collection.

Pants as beach cover-ups wow at n next year’s beach season, women can be comfortable, feel glamorous and look trend-right in pants as beach cover-ups.

Bold-colored and printed pantsuits were among the popular styles on the runway during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim 2012, which ended this week. Slouchy pants in bright pink and black, and even a Spandex, bohemian-print legging, also might be coming soon to a beach near you.

Playful prints and vibrant hues - hot pink, acid green, cobalt blue - had their places on the catwalks in Miami Beach, as well as geometric shapes and animal-inspired prints, colors and stripes.

Some designers showed high-waisted bikini bottoms, while others included multi side-string swimwear, allowing for some skin to peek through. Designer Normal Kamali said she is interested in “the evolution more than a trend” in swimwear. Swimwear might be more like the bridal market than high fashion, in that there are more limitations in style, fabric and construction. That does not stop splashy runway shows, though. Close to two dozen designers previewed looks for stylists, editors and retailers who used The Raleigh Hotel as their home base over five days. They saw collections inspired by the Amazon, Egypt and Pop Art, among other themes. “It was important for me to address elegance,” designer Red Carter said.

to hide the bodies they have spent so much time getting in shape, Glassman wonders. Halter and racer back necklines are a right many athletes have earned, and a V-neck tank top is their privilege, he says, but short sleeves that hit at what is probably the thickest part of the upper arm will exaggerate the shoulder line and, most likely, make arms look thick instead of buff. (A fulllength sleeve is probably OK, but a bracelet sleeve cut just above the wrist will make your arms look shorter, often a desired effect of very tall women, he says.)

Designer Adam Lippes says athletic women should probably be wearing more dresses than they are accustomed to. Either a dress with a structured top and roomier skirt, perhaps with pleats, or a draped dress, perhaps made of fluid jersey, would both be good starting points, Lippes recommends. Fabric choices are as important as silhouette, he adds, naming stretch linen, silk or crepe as typically flattering options. “Fabric matters when it comes to how a garment fits. ... If you use a fabric with stretch, it can be really beautiful, and it can be very sexy.” Pants, Lippes acknowledges, are going to be harder to find so you need to carve out time to try on likely dozens of pairs. The good news is, he says, that once you find a brand that fits, the construction shouldn’t change much from season to season.

Glassman suggests skipping the ultra-skinny jeans altogether, which will work against the effort to soften your look. Wide-leg is your better bet, he says. Hodge, the surfer, is digging jumpsuits and maxi dresses at the moment. She especially likes dressing up. “I spend so much time on the beach with my eyebrows crusted with salt from the water, so getting dressed up and going out is always fun,” says Hodge, a Roxy Team rider originally from South Africa, in an email to The Associated Press.

Traveling, she adds, has opened her eyes to fashion. “I think finding things that complement your personality and body is important. If you don’t feel comfortable in something, don’t wear it, because it will reflect in the way you carry yourself.” Her teammate Meador is not quite as into clothes, however. “I do really like getting fancy when the occasion calls, and I have something rad to wear, ... but most of the time I just wanna rock some jeans and a T.” — AP

swim fashion week

mixed with black. Animal prints were reinvented in fluorescent shades and geometric shapes. Metal hardware was included in some swimsuits, including an orange monokini, essentially a one-piece with exaggerated cutouts in the middle. A blue bikini top dazzled with jewels. “A part of the collection reminds you of what you could do by hand,” Cortes said, referring to some of the crochet pieces as well as bikini bottoms and one-pieces with multiple strings along the sides to show a sliver of skin. The designer also paired a hot-pink pant paired with a multicolored bikini top, followed by a pantsuit in the same vibrant color pattern.

Some models carried small coconut purses down the runway.

MARA HOFFMAN A generous mix of Egyptian and South American tribal influences were seen at the Mara Hoffman show in a multitude of vibrant colors.”I love her really bright prints,” designer and reality television star Whitney Port, seated in the front row, told AP. Although she is “more of a jean shorts kind of girl,” Port said she was looking forward to seeing Hoffman’s unique pieces. Hoffman is known for her Bohemian style. Her collection touched on Egyptian inspiration such as the sarcophagus and King Tut. The face of King Tut was put on an oversized beach bag, a maillot, a high-waisted bikini and maxi dress.

The 39-piece collection was the biggest showing for Hoffman yet. It included a cheetah print jumpsuit, Tiki modal (fiber) slouch pants, and a neon coral silk chiffon romper paired with bikini tops in tribal or animal prints. One of the long, flowing dresses was detailed with beads on the back of the neck.

An eye motif, although subtle, was seen throughout the show. A black high-waisted bikini bottom was held together with multiple side strings for a slashed effect, as was a pistachio embroidered four-strap bikini.

Beading, macrame and sexy lattice cutouts also were seen during the show, and Hoffman introduced her take on cotton voile.

The show ended with a Spandex legging in a vibrant coral Egyptian print. So who is the Mara Hoffman woman? “She’s a journey person at heart even if she doesn’t necessarily have the means to do so. She’s inspired by other cultures,” Hoffman said.

NORMA KAMALI A special presentation of Norma Kamali’s swimwear collection included a lace mesh combo on dresses and pants that are washable and wearable. A gown (originally designed for singer and actress Jennifer Lopez) had sparkling rhinestones. A nude fishtail pant creates a slimming effect. For a sexy but feminine look, Kamali fans can mix and match bikini pieces with lingerie touches, including ruffles, in a palette of champagne, black, steel gray and sable. The wrap and tie collection was inspired by Kamali’s classic swimsuit silhouette from the 1970s.

The swimsuit was reintroduced into the collection using a soft material in cobalt blue, black and white stripes and an acid green one-piece. Chiffon was used for a gypsy dress, breezy tops and skirts with a Kamali original print in black and white called the milk-panic pattern that resembles the letter C or a distorted leopard print. A unique plaid pattern also was seen on some of the coverups. Flat, round studs on swimsuits with oneshoulder and a high-leg were also on display.”I have a really broad customer range.

The collection addresses the different age groups and different lifestyles,” Kamali said in a phone interview.”The interesting thing with swimwear is styles last, and prints never go out of style,” Kamali said.

RED CARTER Lucite capes in bright jewel tones showed the adventurous side of Miami Beach-based designer Red Carter, who wanted “to make people feel we are moving forward with fashion these days.” His collection focused on two trends: One was African inspired with hand crochet and animal prints in neutral tones such as mocha; the other paid homage to Pop Art with color-blocking and eye-popping colors. A snake print one-piece opened the show. Gold embellishments decorated a cheetah-print two piece with pearl detailing and a black halter bikini with gold studs.

Ruffles were seen on many suits, including a cream and black two-piece with animal print and a black and white one-piece with a zigzag print. Cutouts and creative knots added interesting detail to others, and a feather-print one-piece peeked through a purple bolero-style cover-up.—AP

Designer Dolores Cortes accepts flowers following the presentation of her swimwear collection.

White Sands swimwear is modeled during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim 2012 in Miami Beach, Fla. — AP photos

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Sauce of inspiration: Ketchup goes artisanal Years

THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2011

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Iconic ‘Gone With the Wind’ dress faded forever E fforts to preserve and restore several iconic dresses from the Oscar-winning Civil War movie “Gone With the Wind” have uncovered what might be painful for die-hard fans: Some of them simply can’t be made to look like they did on screen. Stitching and holes can be repaired and extra feathers added years ago can be removed, but the dresses are old, badly faded in spots and in one case, just too fragile to handle.

The Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas announced a $30,000 effort last year to preserve five of the dresses acquired with the collection of film producer David O. Selznick in the 1980s. The goal is to have them ready for a 2014 exhibit to mark the film’s 75th anniversary.

Ransom Center officials this week gave The Associated Press a look at the work being done to bring them back to the best shape possible.

The costumes are among the most famous in Hollywood history and played a key role in one of the most popular films ever. The Ransom Center holds five dresses it wanted to restore for display: Scarlett O’Hara’s green curtain dress, her green velvet gown, a burgundy ball gown, a blue velvet night gown and her wedding dress.

“They are culturally important,” said Cara Varnell, an independent art conservator who specializes in Hollywood film costumes and is doing the restoration work.

Cara Varnell, an independent art conservator who specializes in Hollywood film costumes, works with the green velvet gown from the film “Gone With the Wind,” Tuesday, July 19, 2011, in Austin, Texas. The Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas is working to preserve five of the dresses acquired with the collection of film producer David O. Selznick in the 1980s.

(AP Photo/Eric GaCloseVarnell has meticulously studied the dresses worn by actress Vivien Leigh and has tried to decode alterations done over several generations. The waistline of the green curtain dress has been altered several times. Extra feathers

had been sewn onto the burgundy ball gown.

Varnell knew the dresses would be in rough shape. They had been put through their paces well before they arrived at the Ransom Center. Selznick, realizing he had a “gold mine on his hands,” put the dresses on tour with the film, said Ransom Center film curator Steve Wilson. They went through decades of traveling displays and had been on loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. They were dry-cleaned multiple times, sprayed with disinfectant and displayed in department stores.

All of that put stress on outfits not designed to take the beating of everyday wear and tear. A conservation assessment done when they first arrived at the Ransom Center in the 1980s deemed them too fragile to display. Varnell said the Ransom Center has since then properly kept them in temperature-controlled storage. One of the most vexing questions is figuring out what caused curtain dress to develop long faded streaks that have turned sections of the fabric a color best described as a brown mustard.

Varnell is convinced they are not caused by light damage because the fabric in those places does not appear to be dried out or fragile in ways that would be typical of light exposure. Records show that the dress was likely sprayed with Sudol, a disinfectant similar to Lysol, which may have affected the rate and nature of the discoloration. The Ransom Center has enlisted the help of the University of Texas’ textiles and apparel technology lab to analyze the fibers in the faded areas. New technology will allow the fibers to be examined without being destroyed, Varnell said.

There will be no attempt to try to restore the curtain dress to its original shade of green, Varnell said. Her job is to keep the dresses sturdy enough to endure in as close to their original form as possible, not to try to recreate their precise look

Buttons on the green velvet gown from the film.

on the silver screen. When on display, the public may be disappointed to see the beloved dress with its faded flaws instead of the vibrant green material they remember from the movie The dress’s travels and its faded spots are “part of its history,” Varnell said.

“In a way it doesn’t’ matter. What matters is to solve the mystery ... but it will never be the same. We do not add color back,” Varnell said. “That would be me, this lone individual in the 21st century, deciding what that was going to look like 75 years ago. It’s unethical. You just don’t do that.

This is part of its history. We honor the history and we honor the piece.”

Buttons on the green velvet gown from the film “Gone With the Wind” are seen, Tuesday, July 19, 2011, in Austin, Texas. The Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas is working to preserve five of the dresses acquired with the collection of film producer David O. Selznick in the 1980s.

Wilson said the public should still enjoy seeing the original dress, even a faded one, when the work is finally done. The fading

hasn’t damaged the entire collection. The burgundy ball dress has retained its luxurious color.

“They still have an incredible and powerful magnetism, regardless of their color,” Wilson said of the entire collection. Wilson said the Ransom Center is hoping the public can send old photographs - particularly in color - or share stories of when the dresses were on display that might help complete the record of all that the dresses have been through.

One piece that cannot be restored is Scarlett’s silk wedding veil. It was brittle and lined with permanent creases when it was acquired and is now so fragile that it will likely disintegrate if handled. “We are all organic material,” Varnell said. “When a costume has come to the end of its life, it is no different than we are.” — AP

Cara Varnell, an independent art conservator who specializes in Hollywood film costumes, works on the belt sash from Scarlett O’Hara’s green curtain dress from the film “Gone With the Wind”.—AP photos

Doing yoga, doggie style B

y the end of a recent yoga class, many participants were passed out on their mats, in a position their instructor calls the “upward facing belly pose.” That’s largely because about half the group was about to walk out on four legs: The Seattle/King County Humane Society now offers 40 minute classes of “doggie yoga.” Brenda Bryan, who teaches human yoga as well as the new class for both dogs and humans, says the dogs react to the gentle energy in the room.

“As we get into it, the dogs all kind of calm down,” said Bryan, who developed the poses for the class by working with her own two dogs - Gus, a mixed breed, and Honey, a Shar Pei-Boxer mix - and talking to instructors in such cities as New York, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh where yoga for dogs and their owners is starting to catch on. The question she and the Humane Society get the most from prospective human students is how do the people and dogs interact? In Bryan’s class, the humans do traditional yoga poses - yes, including “downward facing dog” - while staying in contact physically with their pets.

Part of the class includes gentle stretching and dog massage, another specialty of Bryan’s, but most of the time the humans gently use the dogs like yoga props. In downward facing dog, for example, the humans rest their heads on their companions, who are relaxing - napping? - on the mat. The yoga poses are modified both for the humans of different sizes and abilities and for the dogs. During class, Bryan reminds people not to push their canine partners to perform.

“Don’t be too ambitious,” she said. “Honor where your dog is and remember that dogs respond to our energy.” Leilani, a toy poodle, is the star of the class, perhaps because the tiny 11-year-old is too timid to venture off the mat to play with the big dogs. Her owner, Suanne Nagata, said afterward that Leilani just loves being touched. “I could just feel her relax,” she said.

Rush to the mat The class was designed to offer a new way for humans to spend time with their pets. “This is 80 percent fun,” said Eve Holt, director of community relations for the Seattle Humane

People practicing yoga with their dogs. — AP photos

Society. Bryan calls it “partner yoga,” because the class encourages both the human and the dog to increase their awareness of each other. “Magnet and I were just in this little bubble,” said Emily Keegans, referring to her black lab.

She said her dog really loves getting the one-on-one attention he receives in yoga class and she likes having another opportunity to both exercise and spend time with her dog. “I love doing yoga and I’m just really busy. Just to spend time with him and be with him is great,” added Keegans. She said she was doing dog massage at a Humane Society fundraiser - a dog fashion show - when the agency director mentioned that she is also a yoga instructor. And the idea for doggie yoga was born.

“It was really just a marriage of all the things I love,” Bryan said. She said she hopes the class will open up yoga to a variety of people - and dogs - who have never done this kind of exercise before. “We’ve been having a lot of fun with this,” said Bryan, adding that her own dogs rush to the mat as soon as she unrolls it at home, whether or not she was planning to involve them.

Both the humans and the canines seemed to enjoy themselves before, during and after a recent doggie class at the Humane Society. Shadow, a spaniel mix, visited every mat during the class and made a complete circuit of shoe sniffing toward the end. Beans, a majestic 2-year-old Vizsla, seemed a lot more interested in making new friends than relaxing, as his owner predicted before the class.

“He likes to nap. He is a cuddle bug, but playing is so much more important,” said Chantale Anderson. Nearly every dog in the group took at least one break to sniff a canine or human or both, but Bryan seemed pleased with how the class was going and was neither outwardly amused nor flustered when Honey and Shadow crowded onto the mat with her and Gus. Although her voice was yoga calm, her words showed she shared the other humans’ amusement. “Everyone is being so good - and the dogs too.” — AP