24th Jul

CR IP TI ON BS SU

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

03:23 03:333 05:03 11:54 15:30 18:45 20:13

40 PAGES

NO: 15518

150 FILS

Emsak: Fajer: Shoruk: Dohr: Asr: Maghreb: Eshaa:

www.kuwaittimes.net

RAMADAN 5, 1433 AH

Syria threatens to use chemical weapons

107 die in Iraq deadliest day in two years

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Saudi Shiite protests show rise of radical generation

Chelsea held by PSG; Terry gets standing ovation

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New cabinet sworn in; 3 Amiri decrees approved 10th govt in 6 years; 2009 assembly to meet July 31

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Max 48º Min 32º High Tide 03:23 & 14:52 Low Tide 08:59 & 21:08

Bahrain arrests ‘terror’ suspect DUBAI: Bahraini police yesterday announced the arrest of a suspect wanted for possession and production of “explosives for terrorist aims” in the Gulf state which has been the scene of Shiite -led protests. Jaafar Hussein Eid is one of three people wanted for setting up hideouts “to produce and store explosives for terrorist ends,” said public security Chief Major General Tareq Al-Hassan.

Eid has been referred to the public prosecution while the search goes on for the accomplices, he said, quoted by national news agency BNA. Last week, Bahraini police said they arrested another member of a group of 20 people wanted over “terror attacks” in the Shiite-majority kingdom, where authorities frequently crack down on Shiites taking part in protests. Bahraini police had earlier announced the arrests of five other people on the list of suspects.

The authorities accuse young Shiite protesters of using petrol bombs against security forces during frequent demonstrations in villages outside the capital Manama. Sporadic and small demonstrations have intensified in the villages since a March 2011 crackdown ended month-long protests in Manama’s main Pearl Square demanding democratic reforms in the state ruled by a Sunni dynasty. Human rights watchdog Amnesty International says 60 people have been killed since the protests first erupted in February last year. — AFP

KUWAIT: Photo shows the new Kuwait cabinet members. (Inset) Kuwait’s parliament speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi, speaks to the press at the National Assembly in Kuwait City yesterday as he announces the opening of the parliament sessions on July 31. — Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

By B Izzak KUWAIT: The new cabinet was yesterday sworn in by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to become the 10th government in the past six years and the third since Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah was appointed prime minister in December last year. The cabinet immediately held its first session and approved three Amiri decrees to

implement the constitutional court ruling on June 20 which nullified the legislative polls in February, scrapped the 2012 assembly and reinstated the 2009 assembly.

The cabinet approved a decree to scrap a decree issued in December last year to dissolve the National Assembly, a second decree to cancel the decree issued last year to invite Kuwaitis to vote on February 2, 2012 and a third decree

inviting the revived 2009 assembly to meet. All the decrees will have to be signed and issued by the Amir to become effective. Speaker of the National Assembly Jassem Al-Khorafi meanwhile said he will send invitations to MPs to hold a meeting on July 31 while expressing doubts that the meeting is not expected to take place for a lack of quorum.

Khorafi said the government will take

part in the assembly meeting if it takes place, adding that he will call for another meeting on August 7 if the first meeting fails. After that, Khorafi said he will refer the issue to the Amir to take whatever measure necessary. The next measure expected would be to dissolve the National Assembly and call for fresh polls unless the government decides to refer the election law to the constitutional Continued on Page 15

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

local

Gulf Bank participates in Ramadan Iftar banquets KUWAIT: For the fourth consecutive year, Gulf Bank will be supporting the “Iftar Sa’em” project which is organized by Mabarrat Al-Rahma Al-Khairiyyah, providing meals to individuals who visit mosques as well as to underprivileged families at their homes. The aim of this initiative is to provide Iftar meals on a daily basis to all nationalities throughout Kuwait during the holy month of Ramadan.

Fawzy Al-Thunayan, General Manager of Board Affairs, said: “Ramadan is the time of year where we should remember that we have been blessed, and giving back to the less fortunate is one of our duties. These projects always motivate us to give as we know that we are touching and changing the lives of many unfortunate people. Gulf Bank is happy to contribute to the society in a positive way throughout the year, but Ramadan is a special time for the community, and for the Bank to make a difference”.

KUWAIT: Fawzy Al-Thunayan, General Manager of Board Affairs, presenting a check in support of the “Iftar Sa’em” project which is organized by Mabarrat Al-Rahma AlKhairiyyah, providing meals to individuals who visit mosques.

KUWAIT: With the advent of Ramadan, Kuwait is witnessing a a remarkable increase in food consumption as people invite relatives and friends for banquets. Here customers are seen shopping at the meat section in Mubarakiya market, downtown Kuwait City.

— Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat

Vine leaves

Boti kebab 4 portions

INGREDIENTS Vine leaves/ grape leaves 500 grams of rice (soak in water until soft) 100 grams of parsley (chopped) 300 grams of tomato salt/lemon according to taste 250 grams of olive oil 300 grams of chopped onion PREPARATION 1. Using a bowl, mix rice, tomato, parsley, onion, salt, lemon and olive oil all together.

2. Spread the vine leaves and put the mixed rice and roll it.

3. Slowly cook it for a minimum of five hours with olive oil.

4. Place on a bowl after cooking.

5. Keep refrigerated.

6. Serve as cold appetizer.

Qullaj with cream

INGREDIENTS - Readymade Qullaj paste -12 pieces - Melted butter -100 grams - A packet of cream - A small packet of starch - Thick rose syrup - Pistachios for decoration.

-.Milk

NO: 15518

RAMADAN 5, 1433 AH

A

The meal at the time of breaking the daily fast is known as?

Iftar

B

Suhour

C

Lunch

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PREPARATION 1. Rour some melted butter into a cooking pan and spread a piece of Qullaj onto it.

2. Using a brush, baste the Qullaj with melted butter and place a piece of Qullaj over the first one. Repeat until six layers are formed.

3. Pour the milk into a container and add water, place it on fire. Dilute some starch with some cold water.

4. Add starch to the milk and stir well until the mixture thickens and remove it from fire. Add the cream and mix well.

Heat it for two minutes.

5. Pour the mixture into a large pan and leave it to cool.

6. Pour the mixture over the Qullaj layer. The other Qullaj pieces can be similarly arranged.

7. Bake in oven(180 degrees) for 15 minutes. Cut it into squares and pour rose syrup over it.

8. Sprinkle pistachios on top. Refrigerate the dessert.

Lamb cubes - 1kg Salt - to taste Raw papaya paste - 3 tbsp Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 cup Garam masala powder - 1.5 tbsp Black pepper powder - 1.5 tsp Royal cumin - 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli pwd - 1 tbsp Chopped ginger - 1 tbsp Chopped green chilli - 1 tsp Chopped corriander stems - 4 tbsp Malt vinegar -1/2 cup Hung curd/ labneh - 1cup Mustard oil - 1/2 cup PREPARATION 1- Clean the lamb cubes to trim the excessive sinew.

2- Prick the lamb cubes with fork or a knife.

3- Marinate with salt, papaya paste, and ginger garlic paste & lemon juice. Rest for an hour.

4 -Rub the lamb cubes with garam masala powder , kashmiri chilly powder, royal cumin, chopped ginger, green chilly , corriander and malt vinegar. Rest for another one hour.

5 - Mix the lamb with hung curd to coat evenly, finish with a healthy drizzle of extra virgin mustard oil and mix thoroughly.

6 - Allow the marinated lamb cubes to rest for 7-8 hrs in refrigerator.

7 - Skewer the lamb cubes on metal skewers and cook in medium to hot tandoor for 10-15 mins.

8 - Baste the marinated lamb cubes regularly with clarified butter.

7 - Once the lamb cubes are cooked; gently remove from the skewer and serve seasoned with lemon juice and chaat masala.

Chef’s suggestion: for cooking without a tandoor, slice the lamb thinner and grill on a hot griddle. finish in the microwave using the grill function.

local

Marina Hotel celebrates Ramadan with local media KUWAIT: The Marina Hotel, Kuwait celebrated the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan by hosting the local media at its annual Ghabqa. The Ghabqa was organized to thank the members of the press for their continuous support for all activities undertaken by the hotel. Several guests gathered at the Kamar Al-Marina Tent to enjoy the distinctive hospitality of the special event. Guests were welcomed by the entire management team and greeted upon arrival. Nabil Hammoud, General Manager, Marina Hotel Kuwait wished the guests a Ramadan Kareem while inviting them to an evening of oriental hospitality. A range of sumptuous

NBK distributes Iftar meals KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) distributes daily Iftar meals during the holy month of Ramadan at NBK’s tent held near the Grand Mosque as part of NBK “Do Good Deeds in the holy month of Ramadan” campaign.

Talal Al-Turki, NBK Public Relations Officer said: “NBK Iftar banquets, an annual NBK philanthropic tradition and a landmark activity within the bank’s corporate social responsibility, acquire much more momentum this year distributing more than 1000 Iftar banquets. The Iftar banTalal Al-Turki quets will be held near the Grand Mosque.” “The distribution scale and range of Al Watani Iftar banquets this year also include distributing hundreds of fast-breaking meals via special convoys to numerous mosques, strategic and crowded locations in Kuwait. A large number of NBK staff volunteers, will be ready to serve the fasters”, Al Turki said.

“By ‘Doing Good Deeds’ NBK hopes to encourage a greater sense of community and charity during Ramadan and encourages its customers and staff to participate by ‘doing good deeds’ all month long”, Al Turki concluded.

Iftar at NBK Ramadan Tent

buffet laden with superb Arab delicacies and cuisines from live cooking stations were arranged for the guests. The special Ghabqa buffet comprised of a large array of delicious food and drinks, mouthwatering desserts and flavored shisha. The evening was further enhanced by the sounds of soft, oriental music.

Hammoud expressed his appreciation to the media for their ongoing support and extended his gratitude to all the sponsors of Marina Hotel which included Air France KLM and Al Rai TV. The highlight of the evening was the exciting raffle draw which granted a range of fabulous prizes adding

more joy to the evening. The Ghabqa lasted till after midnight and Marina Hotel ensured that each and every guest had a truly memorable evening filled with fun and exceptional delight.

The Kamar Al-Marina tent is specially prepared every Ramadan with new selective decorations and oriental music to reflect the traditional feel of the holy month. With a capacity to accommodate up to 180 guests, Kamar Al- Marina tent has proven to be the favorite venue for companies and individuals to host their own private Iftars or Ghabqas during the whole month of Ramadan.

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

local

Changes seen in role of women in society Technology strengthens personalities

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Gender discrimination is common in Arab societies. This appears from young ages and is even more apparent among school age children, and is later seen in work places. Somehow, this affects the behavior of both males and females, as women feel they are weaker. Gender separation was begun at Kuwait University a few years ago and has caused problems for students. The number of students is much larger than the capacity of the university and there are not enough classes for students in some subjects, which causes a delay in some of them graduating. Other students are forced to take classes that do not suit them.

Lulwa is a Kuwaiti student in the College

of literature at Kuwait University. One of the subjects she registered for had no class for girls, so she was forced to join the class with 50 boys, though she was not comfortable and the boys made fun of her, so she left the class. There are other girls in society who don’t stand up for themselves, or just let it go. This may be reflected in different situations and places. Some girls think it’s normal due to the nature of Arab society, where men are stronger and prevail.

Dr. Latefah Al-Kanderi, sociologist at the Basic College of Education, believes that many females were raised to believe that they are weak and in need of help. “Many parents teach their girls that they always need somebody to help them, and as time passes the girl adopts this weak personality and waits for help from the opposite gen-

der. They teach them that it’s normal to cry and be afraid of any silly situation. These are habits and traditions in some families who raise the children to do so,” she told the Kuwait Times.

“The parents should treat both genders the same way. They should teach them that they are the same, thus they are different in biology only. In the Islamic Sharia, both genders have the same punishment for mistakes, as well as the same rewards for good acts. We should teach the same manners for both girls and boys,” she added.

Al-Kanderi thinks this may change or at least improve over time. “In the past, the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) encouraged women to be strong and depend upon themselves. That’s why there were many scholars and scientists in the past. But now

they don’t encourage the females to be strong and stand up for themselves. These are negative habits in society. We need time to improve it. The female can live with other genders in peace. Thus, she has to practice this behavior,” she explained.

Ibtisam, a 41 year-old employee, thinks she is strong enough to stand up for herself. “I don’t think the Kuwaiti woman is shy or her personality is weak. Now she is modern.

Women demand their political and social rights and they are competing in the work place. At the present time she is even travelling freely and alone. There are no more shy Arab girls. They even post their photos in social media. It’s rare to see a shy girl. The technology has strengthened women’s personalities and I think they can now depend upon themselves,” she pointed out.

ICM reviews accusations over UAE involvement KUWAIT: Firefighters in action after fire broke out at a carpentry shop in Al-Rai yesterday.

Carpentry shop catches fire

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A fire broke at a carpentry shop situated in AlRai on Sunday evening. Industrial Shuwaikh Fire Center and City Fire Center responded to an emergency call, supported by Al-Shuhada Center, Al-Ardiya Center and Al-Salmiya Fire Centers.

The first team to arrive was Shuwaikh Center that arrived within four minutes. They discovered that the fire had broken out in a two-storey building that covered an area of 1,500 square meters. Two shops were operating on the first floor and the second floor served as a residential unit for workers. Fire fighters evacuated the building and tackled the flames to avoid it from spreading to adjacent buildings. Timber and other inflammable materials were destroyed. Three firemen were injured and two of them were admitted to the hospital for treatment. Other than that, no causalities were reported.

Brig Khalid Al-Mikrad, Deputy Director of Fire Department said that nearly 75 firefighters participated in tackling the fire, and the situation was brought under control within two hours. Later, an inspection was held at the building to ensure that the task was executed properly.

One killed, several injured in accidents

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A car accident took place at Sabeeha Medical Center near Jahra. A 32-year-old Pakistani expatriate died on the spot. His body was removed for an autopsy.

A car accident took place in Shuwaikh near Zain Communication Company, resulting in two Egyptian expats aged 28 and 30 years old suffering extensive injuries. Both were admitted to Sabah hospital.

A car accident took place on Wafra road. As a result, a 39-year-old Indian fractured her thigh, a 36-year-old Egyptian sustained injuries to the head. All victims were admitted to Adan hospital.

A car accident took place between Farwaniya and Khaitan. As a result, a 27-year-old Egyptian expat and 28-year-old Bangladeshi suffered from cardiac problems. Both were admitted to Farwaniya hospital.

A car accident took place on Fifth Ring Road opposite Al-Regaie, resulting in a 26-year-old citizen fracturing his right leg. Also, a 32-year-old Pakistani expat’s right hand was injured. Both were admitted to Farwaniya hospital.

In a motorcycle accident that took place at Beirut Street, near the Fire Station, a 16-year-old Palestinian was fatally injured. He was admitted to Mubarak hospital.

Fire in Firdous home A fire broke out at one of the homes situated in Firdous, resulting in a 70-year-old citizen being treated on the site.

Hit and run case As a 60-year-old female citizen was trying to cross the street at Abdullah Al-Salem, opposite the health center, a passing car hit her and caused some minor injuries. She was admitted to Amiri hospital.

Street fight A fight broke out among some men in Shuwaikh, Canada Dry Street near McDonald’s, resulting in a 32year-old Egyptian sustaining facial injuries. He was admitted to Sabah hospital.

Kuwait warns of imminent civil war in Syria DOHA: Kuwait has warned of imminent flare-up of fullscale civil war in Syria and expressed concern that the situation would lead to dramatic repercussions at the regional and Arab levels.

Regretfully, indications of an imminent all-out civil warfare in Syria ‘have started to surface,’ said Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Sabah, Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and current Chairman of the Arab Ministerial Committee, addressing the extraordinary session of the Arab League Council, held here late on Sunday. “We have repeatedly warned of such civil war in many previous meetings. Such a negative and dangerous development will threaten not only unity and entity of Syria and its people but also states of the region, as well as the regional Arab order due to Syria’s status within this regime. The international community represented by the Security Council should take more effective measures to halt the acts of violence in Syria.” The Kuwaiti warning coincided with reports about ongoing violence in various parts and cities in Syria and indications that the death toll of the 16-month fighting might soar to 20,000 soon. — KUNA

By A Saleh KUWAIT: The Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM) will discuss the arrest of members of a terrorist organization in Abu Dhabi at its next meeting to review accusations that some of its own members and activists are involved in the organization. Further, informed sources said that ICM members believe that if this issue was left to media reports without being refuted it would cost it votes of citizens who reject Kuwaitis being involved in a terror organization in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Regarding health care issues, informed sources said that the PM, sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak, has been provided with information about Kuwaiti patients who have been sent by the health ministry for treatment abroad while other more deserving patients were denied overseas treatment because they were not backed by MPs or lawmakers who had connections to the health minister, Dr. Ali Al-Obaidi.

The sources added that those who most benefited from

treatment abroad during the tenure of Al-Obaidi were majority MPs Musallam Al-Barrak and ICM members. The sources also called for having more control over treatment abroad, especially now that parliamentary elections were close, calling for leaving the final decision in the hands of only the specialized medical committee.

Meanwhile, health minister Ali Al-Obaidi stressed that all ministry officials had been urged to exert utmost efforts in serving both citizens and expatriates in various health facilities. He added that he intends to conduct unannounced inspection tours in various hospitals and polyclinics to check how medical services were being provided during Ramadan.

He also noted that the number of doctors would be increased in various hospitals during the afternoon shifts (2-6 pm) during Ramadan. Al-Obaidi then said he would begin a variety of projects, starting with the Adan hospital’s 40 bed-ICU. In other news, the chairman of Kuwait Medical Association (KMA), Dr. Hussein Al-Khabbaz, announced that members had organized a new medical union, called the Kuwaiti Union

for Medical Job Syndicates (KUMJS), with the aim of uniting all medical associations under one. He added that he was the chairman of KUMJS board of directors, which included Dr. Mesh’al Rouhhidn, Ali Al-Qattan and Hamad Al-Kandari. He also said the union would include doctors working in both the public and private sectors. The heavy Engineering Industries and Shipbuilding Co. (HEISCO) recently signed a one year contract to maintain and repair US marine vessels at Mohammed Al-Ahmed marine base and Camp Araifjan, worth a total value of $8,787,000, said informed sources. It was also revealed that the contract might be extended for two further years to add the value of the three stages to $44,096,087. On a different matter, the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) is due to launch a number of projects valued at KD 21 million, said informed sources, noting that the project would focus on reinforcing and upgrading power grids throughout Kuwait and increasing its output to meet demand caused by summer overloads and the extra power needed for newly built areas.

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

LOCAL kuwait digest

letters to Badrya

Liberal victory in Libyan polls

Mafia at airport Dear Badrya

By Dr Shamlan Yousif Al-Essa

S

alam, hope you are doing well. I just wanted to write to you and thank you for the excellent work you do. I am impressed with your writing. I try my best to read your articles. I had a chance to read ‘Deportation is not the Solution’ just now and felt you are a very good human being.

Please keep up the good work. It is really nice to know people like you exist.

Thanks Kind Regards Waqar Perwaize IT Partner Services Manager Agility

I

n recent news that was splashed across the pages of local newspapers worldwide, it has been reported that unofficial and unconfirmed poll results indicate that liberal and secular political candidates, spearheaded by Mahmoud Jibril, have defeated the Muslim Brotherhood during the first round of parliamentary elections in Libya — an eventuality that has not been witnessed in the past six decades in Libyan politics. Jibril, who represents the Libyan rebels’ National Transitional Council internationally, is in charge of military

Taking into consideration the spate of developments erupting in Libya, it will certainly be safe to assume that the results of the elections in Libya have restored the faith and confidence of those people who are desperately calling for a civil, democratic state. affairs and also was an official representative in Muammar Gaddafi’s government, recently visited London to explain the council’s vision for Libya to foreign leaders who had arrived in London to attend a meeting to discuss their intervention in the Libyan conflict.

During the meeting, members of the council also released a manifesto of their agenda, entitled: “Vision of a Democratic Libya.” Jibril is one of the council’s 31 members, who claim to represent all parts of Libya without reservations and without patronizing any specific party or movement. At a time when the Council’s Chairman is Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, Jibril served in Gaddafi’s government as the justice minister until he resigned on Feb 21.

Jibril later headed the National Transitional Council for Economic Development and the National Planning Council.

Taking into consideration the spate of developments erupting in Libya, it will certainly be safe to assume that the results of the elections in Libya have restored the faith and confidence of those people who are desperately calling for a civil, democratic state, after being sorely disappointed with results that culminated in the onslaught of revolutions witnessed by the advent of the Arab Spring in other countries in the region. On the other hand, we must also bear in mind the underlying fact that the slogans that were used-calling for democracy, enforcing the law and respecting human rights, have actually encouraged and enabled fundamentalists in Egypt and Tunisia to command power and authority after being elected by a thumping majority of the electorate.

Now, contrary to popular perceptions, the results of the elections in Libya surely indicate that not all the people in countries that witnessed revolutions in recent times want to be ruled by members of the Muslim Brotherhood. And if that is the case, the most important question that surely springs to mind is: “What actually prompted the results of the elections in Libya to be a far cry from those that were held in Egypt and Tunisia? What were the reasons that led the Muslim Brotherhood to lose their overall stranglehold in Libya, unlike Egypt and Tunisia?

There are, of course, several reasons for such developments, including the core fact that the Libyan people learned several important lessons from scenarios that erupted in Egypt and Tunisia wherein the constitutional and democratic systems have since been eroded as a result of the persistence of the Muslim Brotherhood to seize power in all forms, irrespective of the repercussions culminating from their actions. This is clearly evident in the fact that members of the Brotherhood have never left any stone unturned in trying to dominate the judiciary that protects the constitutional system. Another reason can surely be attributed to the fact that Libya’s former regime has always held undue advantage of religion and Arab and African unity to justify its continued practice of dictatorship and repression for years on end, which prompted the people to shun and slam the repulsive religious slogans that were repeatedly chanted by the former regime under the contemptuous authority of Gadhafi.

In addition to all the shortcomings mentioned above, the National Alliance that comprises some 60 political parties and blocs and include liberals, seculars, nationalists, and moderate Muslims, has cautiously and skillfully managed to pull through the electoral process unscathed and without any reprisals. Of course, it is no secret that the reason for their success was based on the underlying fact that they focused on issues that they envisaged were of great concern and importance to ordinary Libyans, such as health, education, general civil services and, most importantly, improving the general infrastructure of the country.

In fact, they are now so involved in the development processes that members who hold key positions have announced several development projects that are aimed at restructuring Libya in honest attempts to improve and raise the standards of living of all citizens. It is common knowledge that Libya is an oil-rich Arab country and, hence, ordinary Libyans surely have the right to live a peaceful and sustainable coexistence, bearing in mind the underlying fact that they have, over the years, been suffering in poverty and misery after Gaddafi squandered the country’s wealth during his socalled, “Green Revolution” that never witnessed the light of day — not to mention all those silly titles that he sought, thinking that he could add them as feathers to his cap of self-acclaimed accomplishments. —Al-Watan

Dear Badrya, Please pass on the message. Many are losing expensive items at the airport. I had a close experience once when a porter tried to make away with my hand bag. It is almost a mafia operating under the very eyes of the authorities. You should be as alert as when you are in Mumbai.

A reader

kuwait digest

Political parties, are you serious?

By Abdullatif Al-Duaij

E

verybody unfortunately agrees that all political reforms have to come from higher levels where reform should start and end while the base is left strong and solid enough to hold everything without a problem.

Here in Kuwait, the government is blamed for everything and citizens and social or private establishments are believed to be completely innocent.

Part of the suggested reform is that of the electoral constituencies. As a matter of fact, demands to amend the electoral constituencies indirectly targets amending the whole democratic system and the parliament, pending reform of the entire country.

This is why some people have been hesitant about whether to suggest a one constituency system with declared political parties and lists. Those people seem to have forgotten how limited their political and social experience is. They also forgot that the regimes they are quoting in such calls are entirely secular ones where people are treated individually as citizens, not as subjects. If a citizen joins a group, it’s the group of work, class or political affiliation.

On the other hand, an individual does not exist here. Individuals only exist through family ties, tribes or sects, and that’s why you

have been dividing constituencies into one or ten. Elections will always be dominated by tribes or sects and political affiliations will have the least impact on them.

That is why the reduction of votes is the best way to control group voting. Therefore, what is currently needed in the short run is for citi-

An individual does not exist here.

Individuals only exist through family ties, tribes or sects, and that’s why you have been dividing constituencies into one or ten. Elections will always be dominated by tribes or sects and political affiliations will have the least impact on them. zens to become more enlightened and seek to have elections become more politicized by the so-called political powers, instead of being

kuwait digest

kuwait digest

Kuwaiti spring permanent

Louder voice for the youth

By Saad Al-Muattash

I

n the spring, Kuwaiti people like to go to the desert and camp there, so they might be free from city noises and concrete buildings. Many areas like Mishref, South of Al-Surra, were the best places for camping at that time. A real story about camping, which happened to one of my friends in the eighties during the spring season, is the story of Fares Al-Banaq.

When he was coming back to Kuwait from one of the European countries, he was sitting next to an American who was telling him, “In spite of being civilized, you still live in camps” during the flight.

Since any spring offers a change to the style of our daily lives, and these days some countries are going through a special spring.

So Abu Bader was trying to convince the American that Kuwait is a civilized country, but the American was not convinced. As the plane started landing and drew close to the airport, the American saw camps in the desert and shouted, telling Fares, “Didn’t I tell you that you are not a civilized country”?

Since any spring offers a change to the style of our daily lives, and these days some countries are going through a special spring, I want to tell everyone who wonder about the Kuwaiti spring to walk around any area in Kuwait and he shall see those white tents near the mosques which are part of the “Iftar Projects” and he will know that Kuwait is in a permanent spring, by the grace of Allah.

Regarding some MPs who speak out and threaten and try to make people fear the Arab spring, I tell them to be careful about what they say. People are smart enough to believe you, while you act the honorable role, though your account balance has reached the top figures.

May Allah keep up the permanent Kuwait spring.— Al-Anbaa

subjected to more traditional pressures than their voters and thus have deterioration become more deep-rooted.

What our primitive current election methods need is more legislation and modernization. The socalled political powers are the ones who are calling to have a one electoral constituency and parties; political parties, that is. Well, the question to those politicians would be: “Has Shiite and Sunni or tribal and urban candidates ever run for elections in the same areas through the same list except in the case of Dr. Ahmed al-Khateeb and Al-Sayyed Abed Allafi in the first parliament?” Notably, Allai was not known as a tribal candidate, as such a classification was not known at the time.

The funny thing is that candidate Saleh Al-Mulla of the National Action Bloc (NAB), who has been calling for having a single electoral constituency and political parties, ran alone in the elections without his mate Mohammed Bosherhri on the Democratic Platform. So, do the distinguished politicians want us to believe that all of a sudden, and because they opted for the one constituency system, all differences and discrimination will vanish and that citizens will be able to choose politically, regardless of sectarian or tribal backgrounds? — Al-Qabas

By Mohammed Al-Jumah

I

n the past, the elderly used to decide and we followed whatever they decide upon. Now, the day has come when youth have a louder voice and have to be heard. They had a large role at the determination yard, they are full of hope to achieve reforms and had a significant role in selecting lawmakers.

Unfortunately, this sect of citizens was abused and utilized by some people to be elected to parliament.

They have strong control over the youth, who are being used to strike at their political opponents. We have been concerned when the government long ignored the youth and we have repeatedly called for more care to be given to them and avoid seeing most of them loitering at cafes, helplessly smoking shisha.

HH the Amir has repeatedly stressed his enthusiasm for offering due care to the youth. What about the parliament and the government? Where is the youth-focused legislation? Where are the solutions to sports problems? Where are the unemployment solutions? Hundreds graduate from the university, costing the government millions, only to end up waiting for their turn or to be appointed to some ministry job that is different from the specialty they had studied.

Young people have been waiting long years to receive housing. The ministry of education has been fluctuating and constantly changing its regulations.

We have been hearing about a new university project for years. The government has spent millions for a stadium, though not a single match has so far been played there. Many families sold their houses in Mishref inexpensively because of the foul smell from sewers. Such government ‘accomplishments’ are endless and they have been fighting with lawmakers, each trying to win support of the youth.

Therefore, let me whisper in the ear of HH the PM that he should pay more attention to youth and work on solving their problems, because they are the real hope for a better future. He should also set up a special committee for youth at his office. A few weeks ago I wrote an article addressing the majority and asking why they did not involve more youth in their meetings so they could learn what’s going on. One of the MPs responded and called me, promising to do so, which actually happened. — Al-Rai

kuwait digest

The expired Middle East!

By Fakhri Hashim Al-Sayyed Rajab

Y

es, the Middle East has expired and there is no such thing as the ‘New Middle East’ as defined by Condoleezza Rice. What is meant by the new Middle East is a tied, featherless, helpless and surrendering Middle East that is entirely owned by the West; it is a Middle East with no trace of Arab fraternity. It is a Middle East that is divided into small ethnic and racial states that only please the masters in the West, while forgetting all about the Arabs’ rule of Andalusia and the heroism of the Islamic leader, Saladin (Salahuddin Al-Ayyoubi). All the heroism we have been witnessed since then are only seen in ballrooms, gambling casinos, and disco floors.

Heroism is now treason, brothers conspire against each other and pay billions to get rid of entire regimes with the use of weapons and with the excuse of democratization. We are forgetting that we are still very far from freedom of expression and that anyone talking about freedom will go to jail!

Billions are being paid to shed Muslims’ blood everywhere, to create tumult amongst sects that have been and are still co-existing in harmony and fraternity with no discrimination. They want us divided to create civil wars so they can then swoop in and plant new Arab dummies and puppets to shout: “Yes Sir, ...sure....I’m all at your dis-

Billions are being paid to shed Muslims’ blood everywhere, to create tumult amongst sects that have been and are still co-existing in harmony and fraternity with no discrimination. They want us divided to create civil wars so they can then swoop in and plant new Arab dummies and puppets to shout: “Yes Sir, ...sure....I’m all at your disposal!”. posal!”.

Unfortunately, Arab disintegration started with the treason of Saddam Hussein to Arabism when he invaded Kuwait as a step towards carrying out the Western scenario of dismantling the Arab nation and killing thousands of innocent people.

The next step was bowing to the two towers to frame Muslims and show them to the entire world as terrorists led by the biggest traitor, Osama Bin Laden, who I believe is still alive after he finished his mission. I also believe that he is enjoying the famous American identity change programs and living safely somewhere.

The mission has been accomplished successfully and now after long years of pursuit: “We threw his body to the sea”. How can any sane person believe such nonsense? How long will the west underestimate our wits in the Middle East?

They divided Sudan so that the Christians control the wealthy southern part of the country. I know of religious discrimination, and it has been seen to have all wealth in the hands of pro-Americans, which was proven by South Sudan immediately signing agreements with Israel upon declaring their state. Libya came next and now it’s Syria’s turn to be destroyed under so-called slogans of freedom.

Isn’t it funny that the US administration is now on good terms with extremist Muslim groups after long decades of considering them terrorist groups. What happened so fast? How was that view reversed? The obvious immediate answer would surely be “Interests” that are the motives of all conspiracies, regardless of peoples’ welfare or interests. The scheme this time needs implanting extremist radical Muslims with lagging mentalities so that they start killing and dividing their own countries into smaller ones once more!

Guys! It’s not about freedoms and democracy that do not even exist in some Western countries.

It’s not about a new Middle East, but rather about NO Middle East after what’s left of our dignity was taken away so that we can be enslaved by Uncle Sam. — Al-Qabas

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

LOCAL

‘Wife of diplomat’ attacks policeman in Salmiya Man admits stealing KD 390,000 KUWAIT: Police officers noticed six women in Salmiya, in which one of them was dressed inappropriately, so a policeman approached the woman and reminded her to be more considerate during the holy month. The woman was displeased by the request, so the officer asked her for her ID, though she refused to hand it to him and reportedly said “Do not hurt yourself, my husband works in the embassy,” then spat at the officer, according to officials.

A security source said the patrolmen were shocked and called Salmiya police station, as the suspect woman and her friends entered a building. The policemen waited but no one came out., Meanwhile orders came, asking them to return to the police station. Once there, they were surprised to find the woman who insulted them filling out a complaint and accusing them of harassment. Then, moments later, the woman along with her friends and a man attacked the policeman, who defended himself verbally to avoid any problem. After the attackers left the police station the attacked policeman filed a complaint. Detectives are now investigating.

Money transfer A suspect who is accused of stealing KD 390,000 from the money exchange shop he works at admitted that he had transferred the money to himself in small amounts. Al-Rai had reported earlier that the suspect stole KD 75,000, as an agent of the international company filed a complaint against the employee

with Sabah Al-Salem detectives.

The man was then arrested and upon questioning he surprised authorities by admitting that the amount of money he stole is over KD 390,000. The case is under investigation.

Jealous husband A citizen severely beat his wife after she left his house without his permission. The victim handed police a medical report stating that she suffered bruises and filed a complaint at Mubarak AlKabeer police station. The accused husband told police that he is highly jealous, and he reacted violently after she left the house without telling him. He further said he became frightened when he returned home and his wife was not there, and when she returned he could not control himself and beat her.

Salmiya theft Thieves broke into two cars, stealing a wallet and a mobile phone in front of a football field in Salmiya. The incident took place when young men were playing football and left their belongings in their cars. Police are investigating.

safely released the two.

Security campaign In a security inspection campaign on the second day of Ramadan, Farwaniya security detained 9 vehicles and issued 190 tickets for traffic law violations by reckless drivers.

Unfaithful wife An unfaithful wife, who asked her husband for a divorce after he had given her half of their house and bought her a KD 32,000 vehicle, later married her divorcee’s brother, said security sources.

Case papers indicate that the brother-in-law had been encouraging his brother’s wife to seek a divorce, ignoring her six children which she did. A while later, the children told their father that the mother had married their uncle and that he had visited her before they were married. The husband filed a complaint demanding a divorce and a court order was issued terminating the unfaithful couple’s marriage contract.

Purse snatched A woman told police that a man snatched her purse before escaping. Passersby could not catch the thief, so she filed a complaint at the police station.

Robbery attempt An unidentified robber tried breaking into a Jahra jeweler’s shop during Iftar, but he was spotted by mall security guards and fled the areas. In a similar incident, a citizen reported that an unidentified robber climbed into her house in Surra and stole gold jewelry valued at hundreds of KDs from her bedroom.

Stuck in elevator O fficials were summoned after a three year-old boy and a maid were caught in an elevator in a Hawally building. Hawally rescue went to the building and

Citizen stabbed A citizen was stabbed by four others during a fight in Salmiya, said security sources, noting that a group of young men fled after stabbing the victim several times.

A case was filed and a search is on for the assailants.

Drunk driver A citizen has been arrested while he was heavily intoxicated and driving his vehicle in a slalom course along King Fahad Highway, said security sources.

Bus attacked A bus driver repor ted that while driving his bus in Far waniya, a group of young boys threw stones at his bus.

Officials report that one of the stones broke through a window and struck the man in the head, causing him to lose control of the bus and nearly running into nearby parked cars. The bus driver was treated and a search is on for the youths who fled the scene.

Upset maid A citizen repor ted that his housemaid threatened to kill herself while the family sat to conduct Iftar during the first day of Ramadan, said security sources. According to the man, the family has just sat down to have Iftar when the maid walked into the hall carrying a knife at her neck and threatening to kill herself. The man said that along with his 16 year-old son, he managed to calm her and take the knife away, before bringing her to the police station. The maid confirmed what her sponsor said, saying she had received a phone call from her mother telling her that her husband had married another woman and abandoned their children. A case was filed and the maid was detained pending deportation.

Traffic jams on the first Ramadan working day KUWAIT: Most streets were congested on the first official working day during the holy month of Ramadan and traffic nearly stood still in some streets, adding to the agony of those observing fasts under extreme heat in Kuwait.

At various governmental establishments, it was noticed that only 75 percent of employees reported to work. Some offices had turned into small ‘diwaniyas’ where employees chatted and exchanged views on various political issues like the for thcoming

elections and the current crisis.

It was also noticed that many employees took permission to leave only one or two hours after official working hours began. Even the parking lots outside the ministries complex were busy.

At the Civil Services Commission (CSC), Chairman Abdul Aziz AlZaben received congratulations while the applicants hall seemed less busy with only 150 citizens checking their applications.

Employees at Ministry of Electricity and Water were more

punctual and present at offices although there was a low turnout of subscribers, gradually increasing throughout the day.

About 96 percent of employees at the Ministry of Public Works were present at offices despite soaring temperature on the first day of Ramadan. However, Minister Fadhel Safar did not go to office.

On the other hand, the courts were busy. Despite Ramadan, hundreds of people were present across courts in Req’ee or the Justice Palace. —Al-Qabas

CBK holds ninth hobby exhibition KUWAIT: As part of community ser vice activities designed to communicate with staff members, the Commercial Bank of Kuwait (CBK) will hold the Ninth Hobby Exhibition for the CBK employees and families between July 26 to 28. The exhibition will be held in Salem Al-Ali Dar in Qortoba.

Speak ing on the occasion, CBK’s Advertising and PR Manager Sheikha Nouf Salem Al-Ali AlSabah emphasized on CBK’s keenness to hold the exhibition annually. She also expressed happiness

that participants are on the rise and that it was a good chance for staff members to display works inspired by Kuwaiti heritage. She added that exhibits would include hand-made accessories, jewelry and paintings. “ The exhibition is a good opportunity for CBK employees and their families to meet, socialize during the holy month of Ramadan,” added Al-Ali, noting that the exhibition was also a good opportunity for talented people.

Sheikha Nouf Al-Ali

TEC honors Al-Nisf KUWAIT: In appreciation of the efforts made by employees and staff members, the Touristic Enterprises Company (TEC) recently held a special ceremony to honor the former EC Operations and Activities Manager, Anwar Abdul Wahab Al-Nisf. The ceremony, during which Al-Graish was celebrated, was attended by TEC’s chairman of board and managing director, Khaled Abdullah Al-Ghanim and a number of top TEC officials and employees.

Speaking during the ceremony, Al-Ghanim highly commended Al-Nisf noting that he had worked hard through his 30-year career with TEC to run and operate the Entertainment City, namely in the post liberation reconstruction period.

Sheikh Mesh’al leaves hospital KUWAIT: National Guards Deputy C h a i r m a n , S h e i k h M e s h’a l A l Ahmed was discharged from the Amiri Hospital yesterday morning

after undergoing a catheter operation. Notably, Al-Ahmed was hospitalized when he was not feeling well after Iftar, on the previous day.

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

A movie megastar makes India confront its taboos

Philippines refuses to budge on S China Sea row Page 12

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BAGHDAD: A municipality bulldozer removes debris as onlookers gather to view the scene of a car bombing in Baghdad’s Shiite enclave of Sadr City yesterday. — AP

Attacks kill 107 across Iraq Deadliest day in two years as calm shattered

BAGHDAD: A wave of attacks across Iraq yesterday killed 107 people in the country’s deadliest day in more than two years after Al-Qaeda warned it would mount new attacks and sought to retake territory.

Officials said at least 214 people were wounded in 27 different attacks launched in 18 cities, shattering a relative calm which had held in the lead-up to the start on Saturday of the fasting month of Ramadan.

In yesterday’s deadliest attack - a string of roadside bombs and a car bomb followed by a suicide attack targeting emergency responders in the town of Taji at least 42 people were killed and 40 wounded, according to two medical officials.

“I heard explosions in the distance so I left my house and I saw a car outside,” said 40-year-old Taji resident Abu Mohammed, who added that police inspectors concluded the vehicle was a car bomb. “We asked the neighbours to leave their houses, but when they were leaving, the bomb went off.”

Abu Mohammed said he witnessed the deaths of an elderly woman carrying a newborn baby and of the policeman who had first concluded the car was packed with explosives. An AFP reporter at the scene said a row of houses were completely destroyed, and residents were rummaging through the rubble in search of victims and their belongings.

In Baghdad, meanwhile, a car bomb outside a government office responsible for producing identity papers in the Shiite bastion of Sadr City killed at least 12 people and wounded 22 others, security and medical officials said. “This attack is a terrible crime against humanity, because they did it during Ramadan, while people are fasting,” said one elderly witness who declined to be identified. An AFP journalist said eight nearby cars were badly burned and many of the victims of the 9:30 am (0630 GMT) attack could not be identified because their papers were inside the offices that were targeted.

Two other explosions in the Baghdad neighbourhoods of Husseiniyah and Yarmuk killed at least four people and left 24 others wounded, while a car bomb in the town of Tarmiyah, just north of Baghdad, hurt nine people, officials said. Checkpoint shootings and bomb blasts in restive ethnically-mixed Diyala province killed 11 people and left 40 others wounded, security officials and doctor Ahmed Ibrahim from the main hospital in provincial capital Baquba said.

Insurgents also launched attacks on a military base near the town of Dhuluiyah, killing at least 15 Iraqi soldiers and leaving two others wounded, according to two security officials. Two other attacks in the same province - a shooting at a checkpoint

and a car bomb near a Shiite mosque - left three people dead and six wounded, officials said. Nine bomb blasts, some of them minutes apart, meanwhile killed seven people and wounded 29 in Kirkuk city and the eponymous province’s towns of Dibis and Tuz Khurmatu.

Three different attacks - a car bomb, a roadside blast and a shooting - in the main northern city of Mosul and the nearby town of Baaj left nine people dead and seven wounded, according to Iraqi army First Lieutenant Waad Mohammed and police Lieutenant Mohammed Al-Juburi. A roadside bomb at a market in the centre of the town of Diwaniyah, south of Baghdad, killed three people and left 25 hurt, provincial health chief Adnan Turki said.

In the western town of Heet, a car bomb exploded near an army patrol, killing one soldier and wounding 10 others, according to an Iraqi army captain and doctor Abdulwahab al-Shammari from the town hospital. The attacks came a day after a spate of bombings across Iraq killed at least 17 people and wounded nearly 100 others.

Monday’s toll was the highest since May 10, 2010, when 110 people were killed. The latest violence comes after the country suffered a spike in unrest in June when at least 282 people were killed, according to an AFP tally based on figures supplied by officials and medics, although government figures said 131 Iraqis died.

Although those figures are markedly lower than during the peak of Iraq’s communal bloodshed from 2006 to 2008, attacks remain common. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Monday’s attacks, but Al-Qaeda’s front group in Iraq has warned in recent days that it seeks to retake territory in the country.

The Islamic State of Iraq warned in an audio message posted on various jihadist forums that it would begin targeting judges and prosecutors, and appealed for the help of Sunni tribes in its quest to recapture territory it once held.

“We are starting a new stage,” said the voice on the message, purportedly that of Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, who has been leader of the Islamic State of Iraq since May 2010.

“The first priority in this is releasing Muslim prisoners everywhere, and chasing and eliminating judges and investigators and their guards.” It was not possible to verify whether the voice was that of Baghdadi. The speaker added: “On the occasion of the beginning of the return of the state to the areas that we left, I urge you to carry out more efforts, and send your sons with the mujahedeen to defend your religion and obey God.” — AFP

Syria threatens to use chemical weapons DAMASCUS: Syria admitted yesterday it possesses chemical weapons and warned it would use them if attacked by foreign powers though not against its own people, as regime troops battled rebels in Damascus and Aleppo. The warning by foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi comes amid growing international concern that Damascus is preparing to deploy its chemical arsenal in the repression of a 16-month uprising against President Bashar Al-Assad. “Syria will not use any chemical or other unconventional weapons against its civilians, and will only use them in case of external aggression,” Makdissi told a media conference in Damascus.

“Any stocks of chemical weapons that may exist, will never, ever be used against the Syrian people,” he said, adding that in the event of foreign attack, “the generals will be deciding when and how we use them”. Makdissi’s comments come a day after the United States said it would “hold accountable” any Syrian official involved in the release or use of the country’s chemical weapons. Israel also said on Sunday it was concerned chemical weapons might land in the hands of the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah.

The spokesman also said Syria firmly rejected a demand by the Arab League that Assad step down. “We are sorry that the Arab League has descended to this level concerning a member state of this institution,” he said. “This decision only concerns the Syrian people, who are the sole masters of the fate of their governments.” A meeting late Sunday in Doha of Arab League foreign ministers issued a statement calling on Assad to “renounce power,” promising that he and his family would be offered “a safe exit”.

“There is agreement on the need for the rapid resignation of President Bashar Al-Assad,” Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa AlThani told journalists after the meeting wound up in the small hours of yesterday.

Makdissi also vowed that Syrian forces would soon regain control of several border posts that rebel forces seized along the frontier with Iraq and Turkey. The rebels “will not hold onto them and they will be gone in a few days,” he said.

Jittery residents, meanwhile, reported hearing gunfire and explosions into the early hours of Monday morning in the upscale Mazzeh neighbourhood of west Damascus, while activists reported shelling in several other flashpoint neighbourhoods. Syrian state television reported an assault on Mazzeh, calling the operation

“targeted and quick”. The broadcaster showed footage of troops firing as they entered part of the neighbourhood and featured an interview with one soldier. Regime forces also “chased the remnants of the terrorists in Barzeh,” in the northeast of Damascus, the report said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the government offensive in Barzeh was being spearheaded by “the feared Fourth Brigade”

roots network of activists inside Syria, reported that military reinforcements were sent during the night to a number of Damascus neighbourhoods rocked by clashes since the rebels announced the launch of “Operation Damascus Volcano” a week ago. The LCC also reported fierce clashes during the night and into the morning between rebel forces and Syrian troops in the northern city of Aleppo, where the rebel

QUSAYR, Syria: An image released yesterday shows a wounded girl flashing the victory sign in this city 15 km from Homs on July 18, 2012. — AFP commanded by Assad’s powerful younger brother Maher and has sparked a mass exodus of residents.

The Britain-based watchdog said at least 23 people were “summarily executed” by regime forces in Damascus. “Sixteen people, most of them younger than 30, were summarily executed by shooting on Sunday in Mazzeh,” Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

Seven others were executed in a similar fashion in Barzeh. It was unclear whether the executions were of civilians or rebels fighters. The heads of two of the victims had been crushed by vehicles, and one was shot through the eye, Abdel Rahman said. Three of the dead were found with their hands tied, and the bodies of some had been pierced by bayonets, he added.

The Local Coordination Committees, a grass-

Free Syrian Army says a war of “liberation” is underway. Largely excluded from the violence and protests of the country’s 16-month uprising until recently, Aleppo has emerged as a new front in the battle between rebel fighters and Assad’s troops. The Observatory said the death toll in fighting across Syria on Sunday stood at 123, including 67 civilians, 22 rebels and 34 soldiers. The watchdog group said that more than 19,000 people have been killed since the uprising against Assad’s regime began in March 2011. Fighting has intensified since a Wednesday bombing that killed national security chief General Hisham Ikhtiyar, Defence Minister General Daoud Rajha, Assad’s brother-in-law Assef Shawkat and General Hassan Turkmani, head of the regime’s crisis cell on the uprising.—AFP

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

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

Saudi Shiite protests show rise of radical generation Authorities accuse Iran of stirring unrest

AL-BUEDA, Syria: Syrians buy bread at the only open bakery left in this city yesterday. — AFP

Iran reformists gird for return to political stage DUBAI: Banished from Iran’s political mainstream after disputing the results of the 2009 presidential election, reformists are seizing on economic crisis and the threat of war as opportunities to mount a fresh bid for power.

But in gearing up to do so, they face immense challenges, including hardline conservative rivals who accuse them of stoking civil unrest.

Many faithful are chastened by relentless repression and the last period of reform-minded government, widely seen as having failed to deliver on its promises.

In the past few weeks, reformist politicians have made statements in Iranian media suggesting they will field a presidential candidate in 2013 - marking an important departure for the movement. They boycotted parliamentary elections this year, leaving the legislature to be dominated by conservative hardliners backing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Islamic Republic’s ultimate authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “For how much longer should the reformists take a backseat?” asked Mohammad Reza Khatami, a former deputy parliament speaker and brother of reformist ex-president Mohammad Khatami, in an interview with the newspaper Entekhab this month.

He cited his brother’s landslide election victories in 1997 and 2001, which he said had eased tensions with world powers as Mohammad Khatami was seen as open to relations with the West. A reformist triumph in 2013, Mohammad Reza Khatami said, could offer a way out of the current diplomatic stand-off with the powers over Tehran’s disputed nuclear program. Though they remain faithful to Iran’s theocratic system, the reformists generally advocate improved relations with the West, more freedom of expression and a loosening of strict Islamic rules governing dress and mingling between the sexes.

They hope to mine popular discontent over Iran’s floundering economy, under enormous pressure from international sanctions imposed over its nuclear program, which the West suspects is aimed at developing a bomb while Tehran insists it is peaceful. The Iranian rial has lost more than 40 percent of its value against the US dollar this year, while oil exports - the government’s chief source of income but now embargoed by the European Union - have contracted and inflation, already high, has skyrocketed.

Those troubles should be the reformists’ policy focus, rather than political or press freedoms, as they resonate more with the masses, former interior minister Abdollah Nouri told student activists this summer, according to opposition media. “With the failures of (Ahmadinejad’s two terms), people will welcome the reformists,” Esmail GeramiMoghaddam, spokesman for the reformist National Trust Party, told Reuters. “If we enter the elections with a strong candidate, the government will be forced to respect people’s votes.” But to participate in politics in any

meaningful way, Iran’s reformists will have to gain the assent of the unelected Khamenei, who is suspicious of them for their role in the post-election crisis that gripped Iran for months in 2009 and 2010. Ahmadinejad was declared the winner over reformist Mirhossein Mousavi, sparking allegations of fraud and massive “Green Movement” street protests by Mousavi’s supporters. Dozens of activists were detained, and Mousavi, his wife and his ally Mehdi Karroubi have been under house arrest without trial since Feb 2011. Conservative hardliners have continued to dominate Iranian politics during that period.

“Those who had the main roles in the sedition should repent for their mistakes and their betrayal. But this won’t guarantee their qualification” to run in the elections, read a recent editorial in Kayhan, a hardline newspaper edited by a close confidant of Khamenei and believed to reflect his views. The clerical paramount leader is unlikely to give his green light to any meaningful reformist participation in politics, according to Meir Javedanfar, an Iran expert at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Israel.

An outspoken press flourished briefly and reformists elected a solid majority in parliament during Khatami’s presidency from 1997 to 2005, but many of his boldest initiatives were stifled by Khamenei, the conservative judiciary and security services. In 2005, Ahmadinejad, then the mayor of Tehran, won a first term as president with an estimated 61 percent of the vote, bringing an end to Iran’s experimentation with reform. “Khamenei himself has always been anti-reformist; this is why he created so many problems for Khatami when he was in power,” Javedanfar said.

“Khamenei knows that giving the reformists a meaningful political platform is likely to create even more infighting within his regime, which is the last thing he wants or needs right now.”

Others, however, speculate that Khamenei may allow some reformist stake if he thinks this might reduce the threat of an attack on Iranian nuclear sites by Israel or the United States - although he would probably not cede control over sensitive policy areas such as the nuclear programme and foreign policy.

Conservatives have made clear that any reformist candidate in the next presidential vote would have to publicly distance himself from Mousavi and Karroubi. All election candidates must be vetted by the 12-member Guardian Council, giving hardliners an easy way to shut reformists out of politics if they choose. Hamidreza Moghaddam-Far, an official in Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, said recently that only those reformists who did not participate in the “sedition” would be allowed to run, according to Mehr News Agency.

Even if they succeed in convincing conservatives they are no threat to the system, the bigger challenge for the reformists may lie in motivating their political base: youths and women. — Reuters

Simplicity on the Ramadan menu for crisis-hit Sudan KHARTOUM: Simplicity is on the menu for Sudanese Muslims breaking the daytime fast during the holy month of Ramadan this year, as months of rising prices have forced them to scrimp in the face of an economic crisis. Food costs have been the main driver for Sudan’s “alarming” inflation levels, the World Bank said before prices rose even higher last month, to 37 percent year-onyear. Monthly inflation from May to June was almost 10 percent. Consumers have been struggling since South Sudan’s separation in July 2011 threw the north’s economy into turmoil as oil revenues were lost.

But Ramadan has accentuated the challenge. Amal Omar, a mother of five, said her family will this year do without hilumur, a traditional holy month drink made from sorghum. “And the meat and sweets will disappear from our Ramadan meals,” she said at a market in Khartoum’s twin city of Omdurman. The month in which Muslims fast from dawn to dusk began on Friday.

“Iftar meals are very poor compared with past years,” said another shopper, Esam Omar, 48.

Traders have said that the price of beef more than doubled over the past year, to around 37 Sudanese pounds ($7.4) a kilogram. A plate of ful, a poor man’s fare across the Arab world, has gone up over the same period from two Sudanese pounds to four or five. On June 16, at the University of Khartoum, students began protesting high food prices. After the government announced austerity measures, including tax hikes and an end to cheap fuel, scattered Arab Spring-style protests calling for the end of President Omar Al-

Bashir’s regime spread around the capital and to other parts of Sudan.

Sudan has lost billions of dollars in oil receipts since South Sudan gained independence, taking with it about 75 percent of Sudanese crude production. Failure to agree with South Sudan over fees for use of the north’s oil export infrastructure cost the Sudanese economy a further $2.4 billion, Finance Minister Ali Mahmud Al-Rasul has said. The north has been left struggling for revenue, plagued by inflation and a weakening currency, alongside a severe shortage of dollars to pay for imports.

Sudan, with more than 30 million people, has a poverty rate of 46.5 percent, the United Nations says. While the millions of poor have yet to join the youth-driven street protests, people have for months privately voiced frustration with the daily battle for survival. “We were struggling to feed our children before Ramadan,” said Daud Osman, 48. The situation is “more difficult” during the holy month when families traditionally spend more, he said at a city market where traders complained of a lack of customers. Osman said his family will eat meat only twice a week this month. “We are suffering more because our consumption of some things like sugar has gone up” during Ramadan, complained Saleh Mohammed, 58, a civil servant. “And the price of sugar is rising.” Sumaya Ahmed said her evening iftar meals will have only two simple dishes, ful and asida, a sorghumbased concoction. “We will even have the accompanying salad without tomato, because tomato prices are very high,” she said.—AFP

LONDON: Renewed unrest among minority Shiites in Saudi Arabia have exposed a rift between their traditional leaders and a younger, more radical generation exasperated by what they see as persistent discrimination in the mainly Sunni Muslim kingdom.

Three young men were shot dead by security forces in exchanges of fire in the country’s east this month sparked by the arrest of a radical cleric on July 8, raising the death toll from such incidents since November to nine.

“The youth, the young people, want a change.

They want something different. They are telling the old generation (of Shiite leaders): ‘Stay away. You’ve tried for 30 years and have achieved nothing,’” an activist from the flashpoint village of Awamiya said in a phone interview, who asked not to be named.

Shiites have long accused the government of systematic bias by denying them important state jobs, restricting their places of worship and limiting their educational opportunities, charges Riyadh denies.

The government has pointed to efforts to include Shiites in a “national dialogue” started by King Abdullah last decade, the appointment of Shiites to the advisory Shoura Council and a relaxation of policy to allow them more freedom to worship. It views the protests in the context of tensions with Shiite power and regional rival Iran, which it accuses of fomenting the unrest, and says it has only used force when its security forces have been physically attacked. An Interior Ministry spokesman did not respond to repeated calls and an email and a text message requesting comment.

“The Iranians are not hiding their sympathies.

When relations with Iran improve and tensions decrease, the Shia will feel more relaxed and the government will feel more confident in allowing reform,” said prominent Saudi commentator Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi Shiites, who mostly live in the oilrich Eastern Province, have for decades followed a group of leaders who directed anti-government protests in 1979 before striking a deal in 1993 to quit active opposition in return for gradual reforms.

However, as a younger generation of activists has come of age at a time when Arab Spring uprisings have toppled autocrats in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen and Libya, they have increasingly questioned the ability of their leaders to deliver real change. While online calls to protest were almost entirely ignored by

Sunni Saudis in the spring of 2011, hundreds of Shiites did hit the streets for rallies, encouraged by radical leaders like Sheikh Nimr Al-Nimr, whose arrest prompted this month’s unrest.

In October, when 11 members of the Saudi security forces were injured in a protest outside a police station, Shiite leaders visited the families of men it thought might be involved to appeal for calm - but were rebuffed. “We said: ‘Enough. We don’t want the situation to deteriorate towards violence. There will be blood and killings. Stop.’ But nobody listened.

They said to the leaders: ‘You stop. You haven’t delivered what you have promised. Now we will do our best,’” said Tawfiq Al-Saif, a prominent community leader. In a further sign of a rupture in the once tight-knit Shiite community, a letter from top clerics calling for calm collected only 25 signatures, compared to dozens after previous bouts of protest, Saif said, whereas a letter demanding faster change was signed by 37 clergymen. Nimr, who was shot in the leg during his arrest, had for several years preached an uncompromising message of demanding more rights for the minority and built a following in the Qatif district, one of Saudi Arabia’s main Shiite centres. Films uploaded to YouTube on consecutive days earlier this month showed night protests in Qatif and Awamiya as crowds marched with placards in support of Nimr and chanted “down with the House of Saud”, the kingdom’s long-ruling family.

From Riyadh, capital of a kingdom that follows the strict Wahhabi Sunni doctrine in which Shiism is viewed as heresy, the protests are viewed in the context of regional frictions. Locked in a bitter geo-political rivalry with Iran involving sectarian struggles in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and neighbouring Bahrain, Riyadh regards the heightened tensions in Qatif as evidence of foreign interference. When protests engulfed a police station in October, the Interior Ministry blamed “a foreign country which tried to undermine the security of the homeland in a blatant act of interference”. Officials have confirmed this meant Iran.

Saudi Arabia has also accused Tehran of whipping up disturbances in Bahrain, a Gulf island nation that adjoins the Eastern Province and where majority Shiites have rebelled against a Sunni monarchy closely aligned with Riyadh. Iran denies these charges. But in a sign of links between the Shiite

communities of both Arab countries, demonstrators in Qatif were this month pictured in films posted online carrying Bahraini flags. Reuters was not able to verify the footage.

Mustafa Alani, an analyst with close ties to Saudi Arabia’s security establishment, said the continuing violence in Syria, where Gulf Arab states have supported a rebellion against a government allied to Iran, has only intensified those concerns. “There is an assumption that there is a strong link between what happens in Syria and what happens in Bahrain and the Eastern Province because Iran is worried it will lose its major ally,” he said. “The general view is this (unrest) is not an isolated thing. There is planning behind it.”

Saudi Shiites, however, say the accusations of collusion with a foreign power are unfair and often appear based on the fact that Iran’s Arabic-language Al-Alam television channel, which has repeatedly called for protests, is widely watched. “I think what happens is that the Iranians have made use of the protests to support their argument against Saudi Arabia. But to say that the Iranians were behind these protests is exaggerated,” said Saif, who was one of the Shiite leaders who negotiated the 1993 agreement.

“Every morning when I wake up and go outside, I can see tyres still burning, garbage still burning from the dead of night. Every time there is shooting in Awamiya, I can hear it,” said the activist who did not want to be named. While Shiite leaders appealed for calm, the authorities have also tried to prevent the violence from escalating, according to both Saif and Alani. Saif said the security forces had allowed peaceful marches for funerals of the men killed this month and had only responded with gunfire when attacked by people in the crowd. However, the activist in Awamiya described the area as “like a military base with checkpoints everywhere” and said Shiites would not stop protesting unless the government pulled back. Shiites accuse the government of approaching their demands only through the lens of security, rather than looking seriously at political reforms to improve their situation. “Are the authorities waiting for hundreds of thousands of people to come out onto the streets? It’s better to apply some reforms and convince people there is still some hope,” said Saif. — Reuters

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

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

Lost boys of Bagram still live in prison’s shadow KARACHI: During some sleepless nights when his stark bedroom walls remind him too much of his old prison cell in Afghanistan, Jan Sher Khan scans Internet dating sites he’d heard about from US soldiers who once guarded him. The 24-year-old Pakistani never contacts anyone on the dating sites. He doesn’t know how he’d tell them he spent more than six years in the US militar y prison of Bagram after being detained as a 16year-old and accused of being a suicide bomber. More than 2,500 juveniles have been detained in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay by the United States since 2001, according to a UN report.

Most, like Khan, are now free, but many are struggling to rebuild their shattered lives. “Sometimes I feel like I’m still in prison,” said Khan, who, like all foreign prisoners at Bagram, was never charged with a crime. “They put me in jail for six years. No proof, nothing. I spent my youth behind bars,” he said, adding that he and other young detainees were beaten repeatedly during the first few months of their detention. A US court found two adult detainees had been beaten to death at Bagram in 2002, using techniques similar to those described by Khan. The US government said such cases of abuse are rare. “Although there have been substantiated cases of abuse in the past, for which US service members have been held accountable, our enemies also have employed a deliberate campaign of exaggerations and fabrications,” said Lt Col Todd Breasseale, a spokesman for the Department of Defense in Washington. “All credible allegations of abuse are thoroughly investigated, and appropriate disciplinary action is taken when those allegations are substantiated,” said Breasseale.

US officials in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Washington, contacted by Reuters, all declined to discuss individ-

ual cases of Bagram detainees. Reuters could not independently verify some aspects of the accounts provided by the detainees interviewed for this story. Journalists are not permitted inside Bagram. Khan said the abuse he suffered inside Bagram has left him with frequent headaches and mood swings.

He said he can no longer concentrate for more than a few minutes. Khan is seeing a Pakistani army psychologist but his problems and the stigma of being labelled a “terrorist” because of his time in Bagram make it difficult to rebuild his life - to find a job and eventually a wife. “All my friends are married. Some have kids. We are not really close any more,” said Khan, who wants to marry but fears no woman will have him.

Foreign prisoners at Bagram have no trials, only review boards staffed by US military officers. Prisoners do not have the right to see classified evidence against them and are represented by a US military officer, not a civilian lawyer. The boards evaluate evidence against them and whether they might pose a future threat to US forces. The process falls “severely short of fair trial standards,” said Sarah Belal from Justice Project Pakistan, which has filed a case in Pakistan on behalf of some of the families.

The US government says detention is necessary to stop released prisoners from returning to the battlefield. Some have done so, it says. “Detention in wartime has long been recognised as legitimate under international law.

Just as we do with prisoners of war in more traditional armed conflicts, we acknowledge that the threat they pose may change over time,” said Breasseale. A case filed in the United States three years ago by the International Justice Network is challenging the US right to hold foreign prisoners captured abroad indefinitely in Bagram.

Khan said he was told for more than

two years that the military review boards were willing to let him go but were waiting for a response from the Pakistani government. The Pakistani government said they always responded promptly to requests from the United States. Belal is working on a case in Pakistan to force the Pakistani government to do more to bring its citizens home from Bagram.

Khan said he ran away from home as a teenager to escape beatings from his strict military father, who disapproved of his poor grades, his friends and his drinking and smoking. He said he went to Afghanistan to find a job because he had read about US-funded construction projects there in the news. But within a week, he said, he was arrested after Afghans made up accusations against him to collect cash for a tip-off. He said he spent the next six months being beaten by interrogators every few days. Sometimes he was shackled to a chair, other times hung from the ceiling by his ankles.

“Everyone got the treatment. It was just - is it going to be for one month or for six months?” Khan recalled. “They asked me stupid questions, like ‘where is Osama bin Laden?’. I said, ‘I’m 16. You think he is going to meet me?’” Khan was eventually moved from his single cell to the general prison population and the beatings stopped. He was freed last year. A Red Cross spokesman confirmed the organisation flew him back to his hometown of Peshawar in Pakistan. Local Pakistani security services are now frequent callers at his parents’ house. Neighbours shun him; no one wants trouble with the intelligence services.

Pakistani Kamil Shah said he was detained in 2004 at the age of 16, shortly after crossing the Afghanistan/Pakistan border with a sick friend needing medical help. He was held for five years in Bagram, without charge, until his release in 2009. “They said I was a Talib. They said

you will be here forever,” he said down a crackly phone line from northern Pakistan. Khan confirmed Shah was in Bagram when he was there.

Shah also said he was eventually freed after he learnt enough English to speak directly to his US interrogators and convince them he was telling the truth. US soldiers also told him several times they were willing to release him but were awaiting a response from Pakistan, he said. “I was innocent. I lost my education. I lost everything,” said Shah, who had three years until his high school graduation when he was detained. Shah said he was beaten in the first months of detention.

“Clearly in the early days there was ongoing torture at Bagram,” said Andrea Prasow, a senior counter terrorism counsel from the New Yorkbased Human Rights Watch. But the situation had improved, she said.

“Since detainees were moved to a new prison by the Obama administration (in late 2009), we haven’t heard credible accusations of mistreatment at that level.” Conditions at Bagram are monitored by the International Committee of the Red Cross. But their reports are not public. “The ICRC ... shares its concern according to international law with the detaining authorities,” said Robin Waudo, the organisation’s Kabul-based spokesman.

US officials say no decision has yet been reached on what will happen to the 50-plus foreign prisoners in Bagram, half of them Pakistani, when the US hands full control of the prison to the Afghan government in September. Pakistani government court documents lodged in Lahore High Court and dated Dec 2011 say there are still three juveniles inside Bagram, one aged 15 and two 16. An adult and the 15-year-old, Mohammad Tayyab, though cleared for release by both the United States and Pakistan, are still being held because they have

no exit visas, a Pakistani government official said.

US authorities say they are aware of only one juvenile prisoner, aged 17, and no child prisoners. Some prisoners, like Hamidullah Khan, were arrested as children and have grown up behind bars. A photo of a young, dimpled Hamidullah grins down from a wall of a stuffy concrete room in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city. It’s the last photo taken before he disappeared on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. He was 14 years old. Hamidullah vanished in 2008 after his father sent him to collect the family’s belongings from their village near the border. On his way home he telephoned from a bus stop, but the next thing his family knew, he was in Bagram.

A Pakistani government memo says he was captured in Khost province in Afghanistan for “attacks on coalition forces” but gives no details. “Why don’t they tell us what he has done?” asked his father Wakeel Khan, a former soldier now barely making a living as a security guard. “If he is guilty, I will kill him myself,” he said gruffly, as his other sons silently looked on. More than 300 children were recruited as fighters in Afghanistan in 2011, according to a UN report on children and armed conflict. The youngest was an 8-year-old girl. But Hamidullah’s family say he had no interest in the insurgency.

The Red Cross recently set up monthly video calls between Hamidullah and his family. If he mentions conditions in Bagram or his arrest, the lines are cut. While Hamidullah has been detained, his mother Din Rozen has been fasting from sunrise to sunset, believing her suffering strengthens her prayers for her son to come home before she loses her sight due to cataracts. “He’s my child...Who is taking care of him now?,” cried Din Rozen, using her headscarf to dab away tears. — Reuters

EU to help refugees as war in Syria escalates Brussels also increases emergency aid

DARNIUS, Spain: A flock of 500 sheep are burned during a wildfire yesterday near La Junquera (Girona) close to the Spanish-French border yesterday. — AFP

Four killed in Spain wildfires PORTBOU, Spain: Hundreds of firefighters, backed by water bombing planes, battled a wind-fueled wildfire in northeast Spain yesterday that left four French nationals dead and trapped thousands indoors. The blaze claimed its fourth life yesterday after a 64-year-old Frenchman who suffered 80 percent burns after his car was engulfed in flames died at a Barcelona hospital, the Catalan regional government said. The wildfire broke out on Sunday near the town of La Junquera and spread rapidly across the Alt Emporda region near the French border, whipped up by winds of up to 90 km an hour. It has so far ravaged up to 13,000 hectares of land.

“The fire is still raging. The winds are less strong now and aeroplanes have now swung into action,” a spokesman for the fire fighting brigade in Catalonia told AFP. The wind died down slightly yesterday, allowing officials to deploy water-bombing aircraft for the first time. Six water bombing planes are in action and an additional six are due to join them, the fire fighting brigada spokesman said. France meanwhile said it was pitching in, adding that the blaze was under control in its border areas.

Paris was “mobilising resources, including Canadairs (water bombers), so that we can carry out a joint operation to control this dramatic and deadly fire as quickly as possible,” Europe Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said. “We have complete and total solidarity with Spain because there is a common border and it is customary to help and provide resources,” he added. Rene Bidal, the prefect of the southwestern French Pyrenees-Orientales frontier region, told AFP: “On the French side the fires are under control, there is no evolution, we are in monitoring mode,” A Frenchman and his 15-year-old

daughter drowned Sunday after after they threw themselves into the sea to escape the approaching flames near the town of Portbou just across the border with France. A 75-year-old Frenchman man died of a heart attack as he watched his house consumed by flames in the town of Llers.

Twenty-one people were injured, seven of them seriously, by the blaze, Spanish firefighters said. Up to 4,000 people were living without power.

Several roads were closed, but a key highway linking Barcelona to the French city of Perpignan reopened on Monday. However, a high-speed rail link between Spain and France was still shut. The other road route currently open was through the principality of Andorra.

Firefighters ordered thousands of residents of 17 towns, including La Jonquera and Biure, to remain indoors with their windows and doors shut.

Catalan police on Sunday evacuated 93 people, including 74 children, from a camp near the town of Sant Climent Sescebes and taken to a nearby military base as a precaution. “The fire advanced really quickly, in a way that makes it difficult to bring under control,” Catalan interior minister Felip Puig told reporters Sunday.

In the early hours of yesterday, enormous plumes of black smoke, spread by the strong wind, hung over the Jonquera region. Smoke from the blaze had reached Barcelona, Spain’s second city.

Spain is at higher risk of forest fires than ever this summer after suffering its driest winter in 70 years. Last week hundreds of people were driven from their homes on the island of Tenerife after a wildfire broke out. The worst fire ravaged 50,000 hectares in the eastern Spanish region of Valencia earlier this month. — AFP

BRUSSELS: As tens of thousands of Syrians flee escalating war and chaos, the EU looked at ways of boosting humanitarian relief and beefed up sanctions and an arms embargo against the regime yesterday. Joining talks with their European Union counterparts, the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Sweden called for a hike in aid to Syrians who have fled to safety in neighbouring Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. “We have to step up humanitarian assistance for the people fleeing,” said British Foreign Secretary William Hague, as France’s Laurent Fabius and Sweden’s Carl Bildt demanded the EU “do more” to help Syria’s neighbours cope with the influx.

Brussels meanwhile announced it was increasing by euro20 million its emergency aid to Syrian refugees to total euro63 million.

“Hundreds of thousands of Syrians are in a desperate situation,” said the EU’s commissioner for humanitarian aid, Kristalina Georgieva. While 100,000 refugees from the conflict in Syria have been officially registered, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees believes the number of displaced is 10 times as big. “One million people may have been forced to flee inside the country since the conflict began,” the UN agemcy said last week.

Also high in the minds of the foreign ministers was how to prepare for a potential humanitarian crisis on Europe’s doorstep.

Cyprus, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, has warned that up to 200,000 foreign nationals may have to be evacuated from Syria, many of them also holding Syrian passports. Cypriot Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis has said the island-nation, only 100 km from Syria and Lebanon, was preparing an operation on the lines of its evacuation of 65,000 foreign nationals from Lebanon in 2006 during the Lebanon-Israel war.

The EU ministers, deeming President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime is nearing tippingpoint, yesterday also froze the assets of a further 26 Syrians and three firms and agreed to

inspect all vessels and planes suspected of carrying arms to Damascus. “We have to continue the pressure on Syria,” said EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. “The situation is terrible. Sanctions are an important part of the pressure.” No details were provided on those targeted in this 17th round of EU sanctions since anti-Assad protests erupted in March 2011, but one minister said the national air carrier was targeted.

Germany’s deputy foreign minister for Europe Michael Link walked into the talks saying “time is running out for the Assad regime” while Bildt declared that “the regime will fall.

We don’t know when but need to be prepared for the day that will come.” In response the

ministers mulled a German call to organise “a rapid and effective” EU response to what Berlin described as “a turning point” in the Syrian conflict. It notably warned against the dangers of an escalation of the violence, including the use by the regime of weapons of mass destruction.

The tightening of the EU’s May 2011 export ban on arms and material which might be used for internal repression follows growing concern that weapons or goods may be getting through. Under the new rules, should a member of the EU suspect a vessel in its territorial waters to be carrying suspect cargo for Syria, it will be obliged to send inspectors. The same principle would be applied to air cargo.—AFP

BRUSSELS: EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton signs documents prior to the start of an EU foreign affairs meeting at the European Council building yesterday. — AP

EU ready to lift Zimbabwe sanctions

BRUSSELS: In a policy U-turn, the European Union promised yesterday to lift most of the sanctions slapped against Zimbabwe a decade ago if the country holds a “credible” vote on a new constitution. The decision was immediately rejected

by President Robert Mugabe’s party as “nonsense” as British Foreign Secretary William Hague denied that the veteran Zimbabwean leader would be among those removed from an EU blacklist. The suspension of the 2002 sanctions in order to promote reform in the southern African nation was proposed by Britain, much along the lines of

the lifting of sanctions earlier this year to reward reformers in Myanmar. “The decision reached today,” said Hague, “represents an important step-change in the EU’s approach to Zimbabwe. This approach will demonstrate to reformers across the political spectrum that the EU is serious about responding to concrete progress on the ground.”

Welcoming recent “constructive dialogue” and “progress” between the nation’s political foes - Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai - EU foreign ministers also agreed to resume direct aid to Zimbabwe’s government after a 10-year sus-

pension. A statement from the 27 EU ministers said sanctions would be lifted against most of the 112 Zimbabweans still under the decade-old EU asset freeze and travel ban.

This would only occur once a referendum on a new constitution has been organised, probably at the end of the year. “The EU agrees that a peaceful and credible constitutional referendum would represent an important milestone in the preparation of democratic elections that would justify a suspension of the majority of all EU targeted restrictive measures against individuals and entities,” the state-

ment said. But Hague said the suspension was “not including those on Mugabe,” who is 88 and has ruled since independence from Britain in 1980. An EU official also old AFP that “there is no question of lifting sanctions against Mugabe or anyone involved in continued abuses of human rights, incitement to violence, etc - that is simply not up for discussion”.

The EU in May said it was involved in a “re-engagement” process with Zimbabwe after the country’s leaders agreed to draft a new constitution to be put to a referendum before elections. — AFP

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TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

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

America resigns itself to gun law stalemate

WASHINGTON: Despite profound soulsearching over the Colorado shooting rampage, there is no political willingness to end the long stalemate over the toxic gun law issue, particularly in a US election year. The alleged Aurora cinema gunman legally purchased four guns, including a military-style assault rifle and a special magazine that meant he could fire off 50 to 60 bullets a minute. Over eight weeks he stocked up over the Internet on 6,300 rounds of ammunition: 3,000 for his .233 semi-automatic AR-15 rifle, another 3,000 for his two .22 Glocks, and 300 cartridges for his pump-action shotgun.

When gun dealers performed the minimal background checks required under Colorado law, no alarm bells went off because all 24-year-old James Holmes had against his name was a speeding ticket. On Friday, the gunman entered the midnight premiere of the latest Batman movie, “The Dark Knight Rises,” and sprayed bullets into the packed cinema, killing 12 people and wounding 58 others in a matter of minutes. The Aurora mas-

sacre joins a litany of horrific US shootings, including Virginia Tech (32 killed in 2007) and last year’s spree in Tucson, Arizona that left six dead and congresswoman Gabby Giffords fighting for her life.

Advocates of stricter gun control measures argue that America is more prone to these kinds of mass shootings than other countries because the law in many states is far too lenient. “Somebody’s got to do something about this,” said New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is calling for more stringent background checks on gun-buyers. Senator Frank Lautenberg, a Democrat from New Jersey, plans to reintroduce legislation that would curtail the ability of a shooter to fire numerous times without reloading. “We have to face the reality that these types of tragedies will continue to occur unless we do something about our nation’s lax gun laws,” he said.

But his initiative faces a hostile Congress and President Barack Obama could be committing electoral suicide if he took up such an explosive political issue at the current time. Several key bat-

tlegrounds in November’s elections Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia, for example - have gun-friendly populations that remain wedded to the “right to bear arms” enshrined in the US constitution.

“The president’s view is that we can take steps to keep guns out of the hands of people who should not have them under existing law,” White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters on Sunday as Obama flew to Colorado to honor the Aurora victims.

The gun lobby, led by the National Rifle Association (NRA), is well-funded and a powerful player in Washington. It argues that crazy people do crazy things and says that clamping down on fundamental American liberties will achieve nothing. Bolstering their case, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper said Holmes was clearly a “very intelligent individual” who knew how to make bombs and would have found other ways to kill. “He would have found explosives, he would have found something else, some sort of poisonous gas, he would have done

something to create this horror,” said Hickenlooper, a Democrat.

As Republican Senator John McCain pointed out - coincidentally on the first anniversary of the massacre of 77 people in Norway by a right-wing extremist - horrific shootings can happen anywhere.

“The killer in Norway was in a country that had very strict gun control laws and yet he was still able to acquire the necessary means to initiate and carry out a mass slaughter,” McCain said. Gun control advocates recoil from such logic and say that regardless it would make sense to ban assault weapons and large capacity magazines, and to strengthen laws to make sure more red flags show up when certain people try to purchase weapons.

“We don’t need more laws, we need a couple of fixes; there’s a loophole where you can sell guns without a background check at a gun show - 40 percent of guns are sold that way, same thing on the Internet,” Bloomberg said. “We need to fix the fact that states are supposed to send records into the central database of who

has psychiatric problems and who is convicted, because when somebody sells a gun, they’ve got to check the database and if there’s not data in it, it wouldn’t do any good.”

Ed Perlmutter, a Democratic congressman from Colorado, told CNN: “I think we’ve got to take a good look at how he (Holmes) was able to acquire so much ammunition over the Internet without any real question.” Despite those modestsounding ambitions, Charles Ramsey, commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department, told ABC he expected “absolutely nothing” to change. “There will be a lot of talk, there will be a lot of discussion, there will be some debate. But this will fade into the background, like all those other instances that have occurred, unfortunately.” The Washington Post was equally resigned in its weekend editorial.

“We don’t expect this massacre to lead to more sensible laws. We understand the politics,” it said, before nevertheless offering its sad conclusion: “US gun laws make no sense.” —AFP

Colorado massacre suspect could face death penalty Obama consoles victims, survivors

HAVANA: This file picture shows Cuban dissident Oswaldo Paya greeting supporters on Feb 2, 2003. Paya was killed in a car accident on Sunday. —AFP

Cuban dissident Paya killed in car accident HAVANA: Cuban dissident Oswaldo Paya, a winner of the Sakharov human rights prize who challenged the island’s communist regime for decades, has died in a car accident the government and a priest said. Paya, 60, is the second key dissident to die in Cuba in less than a year. “His death has been confirmed. We went to the hospital and an official showed us his identification,” Manuel Gonzalez, a priest in the eastern Bayamo area, where the accident took place, told AFP by telephone. Paya died Sunday on the road linking Bayamo, in Granma province about 750 km east of Havana, and the city of Las Tunas. “We don’t have any other details. We can only hope that there will be an autopsy and that an investigation is launched,” Gonzalez said.

Gustavo Machin, an official in Cuba’s International Press Center, a department of the foreign ministry, said another Cuban died in the accident that claimed Paya’s life. A Spanish national and a Swedish national were injured and are receiving medical assistance at a local hospital, Machin said. Paya, an engineer specializing in medical equipment, was the founder of the Christian Liberation Movement advocating political change in the Communist-run island.

He began his dissident activities in the wake of the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia designed to put an end to the so-called “Prague spring,” a movement to ease the Communist grip on the Central European state. Paya earned international attention in 2002 when, on the eve of the arrival of a visit by former

US president Jimmy Carter, he presented parliament with more than 11,000 signatures of support for the Varela Project, an initiative calling for change in Cuba, then run by Fidel Castro.

Carter mentioned the Varela Project in his televised speech at Havana University, prompting then-Czech president and human rights champion Vaclav Havel to nominate Paya for the Nobel prize. Paya won the European parliament’s Sakharov prize later that same year. Other past winners of the prize named after Soviet-era physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov include anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela and former UN chief Kofi Annan.

Although the Varela Project was rejected by the National Assembly, Paya pursued his efforts to bring about change efforts that saw him win other rights prizes and a honorary doctorate from Columbia University in New York. His death follows that of fellow dissident Laura Pollan, the founder and leader of the Ladies in White, who died in a Havana hospital in October 2011 after suffering acute respiratory distress. Paya was married to Ofelia Acevedo. The couple had three children. Two Catholic nuns said the family had made plans to fly to Bayamo.

Dissident Guillermo Farinas told AFP that Paya was “a person who contributed to the democratization of Cuba through his dedication to the cause”. Although Paya was never imprisoned for his opposition activities, many of the 75 dissidents jailed in spring 2003 belonged to his Christian Liberation Movement. —AFP

13 dead as truck crashes in Texas

CHICAGO: A packed pickup truck swerved off a road and smashed into two trees in Texas, killing at least 13 people and injuring 10 others late Sunday, US media reports said. The dead were found both inside and around the truck at the crash site, located off a highway near Berclair in southern Goliad County, according to the San Antonio ExpressNews. “It’s been very chaotic here, and it’s very traumatic,” the newspaper quoted Gerald Bryant of the Texas Department of Public Safety as saying. He added that the truck’s passengers - 23 in total - included children. At least 11 people were airlifted to several hospitals, ABC News affiliate

GOLIAD COUNTY, Texas: The wreckage of a pickup truck is seen after it crashed into trees on Sunday. —AP

KZT V reported. It was unclear what caused the accident. Authorities were not immediately available for comment.

“This is the most people I’ve seen in any passenger vehicle, and I’ve been an officer for 38 years,” said Bryant. It was not known whether illegal immigrants were involved, as the crash was not far from the Mexican border. Adrian Fulton, a funeral director at Victoria Mortuary Services where 11 of the bodies were taken, said representatives from the Mexican Consulate were on the scene Sunday night.

At least two young children were among the dead, Bryant said. The 23 people were loaded inside both the truck’s cab and bed. The pickup was heading north on US 59 on Sunday evening when it traveled off the right side of the highway near the unincorporated community of Berclair and struck two large trees, Bryant said. He said several surviving victims had life-threatening injuries that he described as “very serious”. The US Border Patrol will assist with the investigation.

“It’s unknown whether or not (the victims) were illegal, but it’s possible,” Bryant said. —Agencies

AURORA, Colorado: The suspected gunman in the Colorado theater massacre headed to his first court appearance yesterday, but authorities said he refuses to talk about what prompted one of the worst mass shootings in US history. James Holmes, 24, has been held in solitary confinement awaiting his hearing, where the charges of suspicion of first-degree murder will be read against him. Friday’s shootings left 12 dead and 58 wounded, some critically. A prosecutor said her office is considering pursuing the death penalty. Eighteenth Judicial District Attorney Carol Chambers said a decision will be made in consultation with victims’ families.

Holmes began buying guns nearly two months before the shooting and recently bought 6,000 rounds of ammunition over the Internet, Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said. During the attack, Holmes allegedly set off gas canisters and used a semiautomatic rifle, a shotgun and a pistol to open fire, Oates said. The semiautomatic assault rifle jammed during the attack, forcing the gunman to switch to another gun with less firepower, a federal law enforcement official told AP. That malfunction and weapons switch might have saved some lives.

Holmes’ apartment was filled with trip wires, explosive devices and unknown liquids, requiring police, FBI officials and bomb squad technicians to evacuate surrounding buildings while spending most of Saturday disabling the booby traps. CNN and the LA Times cited police sources as saying that a Batman mask and poster were among the contents recovered from the apartment. The Aurora Police Department declined to con-

firm or deny the report. As authorities rushed to piece together Holmes’ background, the owner of a gun range told AP that Holmes applied to join the club last month but never became a member because of his behavior and a

Campus were looking into whether Holmes, a former doctoral student in neuroscience, used his position in a graduate program to collect hazardous materials. Holmes’ reasons for quitting the doctoral program in June remained a mystery.

with him, and he didn’t even have to take notes or anything.” The family’s pastor recalled a shy boy who was driven to succeed academically. “He wasn’t an extrovert at all. If there was any conversation, it would be because I initiated it, not

COLORADO: James Holmes appears in court at the Arapahoe County Justice Center yesterday in Centennial, Colorado. Holmes, 24, is accused of shooting dead 12 people and wounding 58 others at a cinema Friday in Aurora, outside Denver. — AFP “bizarre” message on his voice mail.

When Lead Valley Range owner Glenn Rotkovich called to invite Holmes to a mandatory orientation, he said he heard a message on Holmes’ voice mail that was “guttural, freakish at best”. He told his staff to watch out for Holmes at the orientation and not to accept him into the club, Rotkovich said.

Officials at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical

He recently took an intense, threepart oral exam that marks the end of the first year. University officials would not say if he passed, citing privacy concerns.

Ritchie Duong, a friend who has known Holmes for more than a decade, told the Los Angeles Times that he last saw Holmes in December and he seemed fine.

Academics came easily to Holmes, Duong said. “I had one college class

because he did,” said Jerald Borgie, who last spoke with Holmes about six years ago.

Sunday was a day for healing and remembrance in Aurora.

Several thousand people attended a prayer vigil, and President Barack Obama visited with families of the victims. Obama said he told the families that “all of America and much of the world is thinking about them”. —Agencies

Tears, cheers at vigil for massacre victims AURORA, Colorado: There were tears for the victims, and cheers for those who prevented even more lives being lost, as the Colorado town of Aurora stood silent Sunday to grieve the Batman theater massacre. Some 3,000 mourners gathered three blocks from the multiplex where James Holmes allegedly opened fire on those attending a packed midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” on Friday, killing 12 and injuring 58. “While our hearts are broken, our community is not,” Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan told the crowds, many with small children or clutching flowers, as heart-shaped balloons floated into the sky.

The vigil was preceded by an address by President Barack Obama, who said he had “shed some tears” with the families of the dead, but also shared some laughter at warm memories of their loved ones’ lives. Obama did not mention Holmes’ name - an emerging theme since Friday’s massacre. Even before he spoke a relative of one of the victims, Jordan Ghawi - whose sister Jessica Ghawi had blogged about surviving a shooting in Toronto only days before she died in Aurora - had pressed Obama to focus on the victims. “Sat down with President Obama. He has been incredible. He too has agreed not to mention the shooter’s name,” he said on his Twitter account.

And so it was with Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, who drew applause when he refused to mention Holmes by name, referring to him only as “suspect A” and insisting that the priority should be to remember the 12 victims. “July 20th should never be about remembering the killer, it should be to about remembering those individuals, remembering those victims. So I ask you to help me here. He then read out their names, after each of which the crowd chanted, “We will remember.” Then, addressing the deceased victims, Hickenlooper vowed: “We will

remember you, we will honor you by celebrating life, by living our lives a little better.”

Grandmother Genie Hartley, crying, acknowledged that the Second Amendment of the US constitution enshrines the right to bear arms, but said that what happened in Aurora was not about constitutional rights. “I respect the fact that people have to protect themselves, it’s

of candles, floral bouquets, crosses, American flags, and signs in memory of the victims. On a small slope, 12 white crosses are lined up, with the names of the victims, flowers and candles around them. Some have baseball hats, black laces and teddy bears attached to them. People came to leave flowers and kneel and pray in front of each cross. Heather Lebedoff, 24, carried 12

AURORA, Colorado: Titia Stillwell and Lori Meade embrace and pray with thousands of others during a prayer vigil for the victims of Friday’s movie theater mass shooting at the Aurora Municipal Center on Sunday. —AFP about the second amendment. But what happened in this theater was not about the second amendment, it’s about a massacre,” she told AFP. One big banner read: “Thank you Aurora police, fire and EMS.” A few blocks away, a makeshift memorial has sprung up in front of the theater, with hundreds

red roses and sobbed as she paid tribute to those who died. “I’m very sad that something like this is happening. I’m glad to see how some people are showing their loving support. We have to be strong as a community,” she said. She then left one rose in front of each cross and prayed for each of the victims. —AFP

12

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

international

Philippines refuses to budge on S China Sea row MANILA: Philippine President Benigno Aquino refused to budge yesterday on a territorial dispute with China, asking Beijing to respect Manila’s rights in the South China Sea and announcing plans to upgrade military capabilities. Addressing a joint session of the Philippine Congress for the third time since his election in 2010, Aquino asked the Filipino people to unite behind his government’s efforts to resolve the dispute peacefully. “If someone enters your yard and told you he owns it, will you allow that?,” Aquino said. “It’s not right to give away what is rightfully ours. And so I ask for solidarity from our people regarding this issue. Let us speak with one voice.”

The South China Sea has become Asia’s biggest potential military flashpoint as Beijing’s sovereignty claim over the huge area has set it against Vietnam

and the Philippines, as the three countries race to tap possibly huge oil reserves believed to lie under the seabed. Malaysia,

Taiwan and Brunei also have claims on parts of the sea. The row was a central issue at an acrimonious Southeast Asian

MANILA: Philippine President Benigno Aquino delivers his third annual State of the Nation address before a joint sitting of Congress yesterday. —AFP

regional summit last week that ended with members failing to agree on a concluding statement for the first time in 45 years.

Aquino said the Philippines had shown restraint by pulling out its navy ship and replacing it with a civilian vessel when Chinese fishing boats entered Scarborough Shoal, which lies in the South China Sea about 124 nautical miles west of the main Philippine island of Luzon. The Philippines insists it has sole jurisdiction over the uninhabited shoal because it lies within the country’s 200 mile exclusive economic zone. “It’s not too much to ask the other side to respect our rights just as we respected their rights,” Aquino said, adding that as the nation’s leader, “I must uphold the law of the land.”

Aquino also announced plans under a 75 billion-peso

($1.8 billion) military modernisation fund to acquire a refurbished frigate, C-130 planes, utility and combat helicopters, communication equipment, rifles and mortars. “This is not about picking a fight. This is not about bullying. This is about attaining peace. This is about our capability to defend ourselves,” he said. Philippine defence and military officials say they are worried by China’s “creeping imposition” of its claims in disputed areas in the South China Sea, a violation of an informal code of conduct adopted in Cambodia in 2002.

The two countries have faced off on a number of occasions in the disputed waters, and earlier in the year they were involved in a month-long standoff at Scarborough Shoal. Last year, the Philippines scrambled aircraft and ships to the Reed Bank area after Chinese navy ships

threatened to ram a Philippine survey vessel. Beijing said last month it had begun “combatready” patrols in waters it said were under its control in the South China Sea, after saying it “vehemently opposed” a Vietnamese law asserting sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly islands.

The stakes have risen in the area as the US military shifts its attention and resources back to Asia, emboldening its long-time ally the Philippines and former foe Vietnam to take a bolder stance against Beijing. The United States has stressed it is neutral in the long-running maritime dispute, despite offering to help boost the Philippines’ decrepit military forces. It says freedom of navigation is its main concern about a waterway that carries $5 trillion in trade half the world’s shipping tonnage. —Reuters

Protests as US Osprey aircraft arrives in Japan Locals denounce deployment of problematic aircraft TOKYO: The US military’s Osprey aircraft arrived in Japan yesterday as residents rallied against their deployment after recent crashes raised safety concerns. Live television footage showed the MV-22s being unloaded from a cargo ship at the US Marines’ base in Iwakuni, western Japan. Local protesters in a

Although local governments in Japan have no legal grounds to reject the US deployment plan, strong local resentment, in particular in Okinawa where the aircraft will be based, could further erode public support for the government of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.

The US military plans to fully

as it sits in a developing urban area.

A separate rally was held outside the Futenma base yesterday with protesters holding banners that said “We are opposed to deployment”, Jiji Press reported.

A huge US military presence in Okinawa, accounting for around half of the 47,000 troops Washington has in Japan, has angered islanders there. Concerns over the Osprey came after the two countries clinched a deal earlier this year under which the United States will shift 9,000 Marines out of Japan in a step designed to ease friction with Tokyo over the US military footprint. The Osprey is a hybrid aircraft

Protesters stage a demonstration against the arrival of the US military’s Osprey aircraft in front of the prime minister’s official residence in Tokyo yesterday. (Inset) An Osprey MV-22 aircraft is being inspected after it was unloaded from a cargo ship at the US Marines’ Iwakuni Air Station in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi prefecture, western Japan. —AFP dozen small boats demonstrated against the controversial aircraft’s arrival, chanting “We don’t want the dangerous Osprey!” and “Osprey, go back to America”. The demonstration against the unloading of the 12 aircraft would continue throughout the day, protest organiser Kiyoshi Oka told AFP by telephone.

deploy Osprey aircraft to Okinawa in October, while the governor of the sub-tropical Japanese island chain has denounced the US plan because of safety concerns.

Following checkups at Iwakuni, the aircraft is destined for the Marine Corps airbase of Futenma in Okinawa, which has been at the centre of a long-running stand-off

with rotors that allow it to take off like a helicopter and engines that can tilt forward, enabling it to fly like an airplane at greater speed than a chopper.

The aircraft was plagued with problems in its early years in the 1990s, but US officials say the technical glitches have been cleared up and the US Marine Corps says it has

proven invaluable. A US Air Force CV-22 Osprey crashed in Florida in June, injuring all five crew members. US officials said the accident was not due to mechanical problem. In April, an MV-22 Osprey - the variant that arrived in Japan crashed in Morocco, killing two Marines.

The mayor of Iwakuni as well as three members of Noda’s Democratic Party of Japan have also voiced their opposition to the Osprey deployment. The deployment of the Osprey “is a vital component in fulfilling the United States’ commitment to provide for the defence of Japan and to help maintain peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region”, the US embassy in Japan said in a statement issued yesterday. “The United States and Japan have agreed that US forces in Japan will refrain from any flight operations of the MV-22 in Japan until the results of investigations into recent incidents in Morocco and Florida are presented,” it said.

The probe results are expected to be delivered to Tokyo officials by August, the embassy said. Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura, the government’s top spokesman, told reporters yesterday that “we will make utmost efforts in obtaining understanding” from local residents on the Osprey deployment by providing information on US probes into the latest accidents.

Japanese Defence Minister Satoshi Morimoto said Japan will send its own investigation team to Washington. —AFP

Anger in Beijing as record rains kill 37 BEIJING: Beijing residents expressed fury yesterday after the worst rains to hit the Chinese capital in more than 60 years left at least 37 people dead, with at least another seven still missing. Many said lives could have been saved and some of the worst devastation avoided if a better warning system had been in place, and criticised the city’s antiquated drainage systems. In the worst-hit district of Fangshan, on the mountainous southwestern outskirts of China’s sprawling capital, residents

popular microblogs to complain about the government’s handling of the disaster. By yesterday morning, there were nearly nine million comments on the Sina Weibo microblog alone. “If the drainage system had been good, if the warning system had been put in place in a timely manner, if people had been told to stay home, would so many people have lost their cherished lives?” read one posting, under the name Bijiexiang. At least 25 people drowned in Saturday’s rains, the heaviest in the cap-

BEIJING: Chinese people walk past a flood damaged vehicle sitting on the bricks at a village in the Fangshan district yesterday. —AP described how roads flooded in minutes, submerging vehicles and destroying houses.

Fangshan farmer Wang Ping, 56, was still looking for his 30-year-old son on a lake shore after finding his smashed up car, and complained that the government was doing nothing to help. “My son called around nine o’clock on Saturday evening and he said he was surrounded by water, so I went to search for him,” Wang told AFP, in between shouting out his name. “The government isn’t doing anything to help me find my son.”

Many angry residents took to China’s hugely

ital since records began in 1951. Six died in housing collapses, five were electrocuted and one person was struck by lightning. The same storm left another 15 people dead and 19 missing in the neighbouring province of Hebei, the China News Service said.

The rains and flooding caused 10 billion yuan-worth ($1.6 billion) of damage in Beijing, while nearly 66,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes, state media said, citing the city government.

“Chinese cities are apparently unpractised in facing disasters such as Saturday’s torrential downpour,” the Global Times daily said in an editorial yes-

terday critical of the authorities’ disaster preparedness. “If so much chaos can be triggered in Beijing, the capital of the nation, problems in urban infrastructure of many other places can only be worse.”

Pictures showed entire parking lots flooded, while rescue and traffic workers were seen diving underwater to unclog roadside drains as helpless drivers looked on from partially submerged cars. Many roads in the capital were inundated by up to a metre of water, while 500 outbound flights were cancelled and at least 80,000 passengers stranded.

Parts of the Beijing-Guangdong highway, a major arterial route to the south, remained flooded yesterday, the Beijing traffic bureau said. Much of Beijing’s central drainage system dates from imperial times, including the moat around the Forbidden City and a waterway around the former city wall that empties into the centuries-old Grand Canal east of the capital. The rain lasted for about 16 hours on Saturday and up to 46 cm fell on the outlying mountainous district of Fangshan, the Xinhua news agency said. Some state-run media focused on how the rains brought the city of more than 20 million people together, with police and traffic workers joining hands with ordinary citizens to rescue stranded motorists. Xinhua reported that the rains had filled Beijing’s 17 major reservoirs, many of which had lacked water due to a 13-year drought.

But most web users took a more negative view.

“Beijing has been defeated by a huge rain storm, the city’s infrastructure has failed, there is nothing here to be proud of,” posted one on Sina Weibo, under the name Zhulidemixu. Many microblog postings also expressed scepticism over the official death toll, saying the true figure was probably higher. China’s finance ministry has allocated 120 million yuan in relief funds to help Beijing, neighbouring Tianjin city and Hebei province handle the disaster. Xinhua also said eight people were confirmed dead due to heavy downpours in Sichuan province, in the nation’s southwest. China is routinely ravaged by summertime flooding, which normally wreaks havoc in regions along the central Yangtze river and in the south, but floods are relatively rare in Beijing, which usually has a dry climate. —AFP

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda (left) receives the final report on the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station of Tokyo Electric Power Co from Yotaro Hatamura, chairperson of the Investigation Committee on the accident after the committee meeting yesterday. —AP

Japan, TEPCO accused of ignoring nuke risks TOKYO: Japanese officials and Tokyo Electric Power ignored the risk of an atomic accident because they believed in the “myth of nuclear safety”, a governmentbacked report on the Fukushima crisis said yesterday. The study, compiled by a panel of scholars, journalists, lawyers and engineers, also said officials were poorly trained to deal with the crisis after the plant’s reactors went into meltdown last year. “The fundamental problem lies in the fact that utilities, including TEPCO and the government, have failed to see the danger as reality,” it said, adding that “they were bound by a myth of nuclear safety and the notion that severe accidents do not happen at nuclear plants in our country.”

The 450-page report is the fourth inquiry into the worst nuclear accident in a generation, which happened after the huge tsunami of March 2011 crashed into the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station. Reactors went into meltdown, sending clouds of radiation over a wide area, forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes, some possibly for the rest of their lives. A damning parliamentary study that said the disaster was “man-made” was released earlier this month, following a private report by a group of journalists and scholars.

Tokyo Electric Power, or TEPCO, the operator of the crippled plant, largely cleared itself of blame, saying the size of the earthquake and tsunami was beyond all expectations and could not have reasonably been foreseen. The latest report said however that TEPCO and the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) were ill-prepared to cope with a tsunami or severe accidents, and that the government bungled the evacuation. “Preparedness for a large-scale complex disaster was insufficient; and they were unprepared for the release of a large amount of radioactive materials into the environment,” it added.

The report also took a swipe at former

Japanese premier Naoto Kan and his government, saying there was a swirl of bureaucratic confusion in the days following the natural disasters and reactor meltdowns. Kan’s bid to wrestle the crisis from incompetent nuclear officials did not help, it added. “More harm was done (than good) as his involvement... could have confused the scene, potentially missing opportunities to make important judgments and creating opportunities for misjudgments,” the report said. TEPCO did not train employees “to think independently and to act, and lacked flexible and proactive thinking required for crisis response”, the report added.

The latest report backed the government and TEPCO’s findings that the plant’s cooling systems were knocked out by giant waves that slammed into the plant. Many scientists and activists have disputed this finding, suggesting it was the initial earthquake that damaged the reactors. A parliamentary report released earlier this month charged that ingrained collusion between TEPCO, the government and regulators combined with a lack of any effective oversight - led directly to crisis. “They effectively betrayed the nation’s right to be safe from nuclear accidents. Therefore, we conclude that the accident was clearly ‘man-made’,” said the Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission’s report released on July 5. The independent group of scholars and journalists, who reported their findings in February, said TEPCO could and should have done more.

It also said that had the company had its way, its staff would have been evacuated from the crippled plant and the catastrophe could have spiralled even further out of control. Japan has seen a wave of antinuclear sentiment with weekly protests in the tens of thousands gathering in front of the prime minister’s official residence, which have grown since the approved restart of two reactors. —AFP

BANGKOK: Myanmar President Thein Sein and Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra meet at Government House yesterday. —AFP

13

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

international

Thirsty South Asia’s river rifts threaten ‘water wars’ KANZALWAN, India-Pakistan Line of Control: As the silver waters of the Kishanganga rush through this north Kashmir valley, Indian labourers are hard at work on a hydropower project that will dam the river just before it flows across one of the world’s most heavily militarised borders into Pakistan. The hum of excavators echoes through the pine-covered valley, clearing masses of soil and boulders, while army trucks crawl through the steep Himalayan mountain passes.

The 330-MW dam is a symbol of India’s growing focus on hydropower but also highlights how water is a growing source of tension with downstream Pakistan, which depends on the snowfed Himalayan rivers for everything from drinking water to agriculture. Islamabad has complained to an international court that the dam in the Gurez valley, one of dozens planned by India, will affect river flows and is illegal. The court has halted any permanent work on the river for the moment, although India can still continue tunneling and other associated projects.

In the years since their partition from British India in 1947, land disputes have led the two nuclear-armed neighbours to two of their three wars. Water could well be the next flashpoint. “There is definitely potential for conflict based on water, particularly if we are looking to the year 2050, when there could be considerable water scarcity in India and Pakistan,” says Michael Kugelman, South Asia Associate at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington. “Populations will continue to grow. There will be more pressure on supply. Factor in climate change and faster glacial melt ... That means much

more will be at stake. So you could have a perfect storm which conceivably could be some sort of trigger.”

It’s not just South Asia - water disputes are a global phenomenon, sparked by growing populations, rapid urbanisation, increased irrigation and a rising demand for alternative power such as hydroelectricity. Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq quarrel over the waters of the Tigris and Euphrates. The Jordan river divides Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and the West Bank. Ten African countries begrudgingly share the Nile. In Southeast Asia, China and Laos are building dams over the mighty Mekong, raising tensions with downstream nations A US intelligence report in February warned fresh water supplies are unlikely to keep up with global demand by 2040, increasing political instability, hobbling economic growth and endangering world food markets. A “water war” is unlikely in the next decade, it said, but beyond that rising demand and scarcities due to climate change and poor management will increase the risk of conflict.

That threat is possibly nowhere more apparent than in South Asia, home to a fifth of humanity and rife with historical tensions, mistrust and regional rivalries.

The region’s three major river systems the Indus, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra - sustain India and Pakistan’s breadbasket states and many of their major cities including New Delhi and Islamabad, as well as Bangladesh.

“South Asia is symbolic of what we are seeing in terms of water stress and tensions across the world,” says B G Verghese, author and analyst at New Delhi’s Centre for Policy Research.

The region is one of the world’s most water-stressed, yet the population is

News

in brief

15 killed in Nepal as van plunges into river KATHMANDU: Authorities say 15 people were killed when a passenger van drove off a remote road and plunged into a river in western Nepal. It was at least the third road disaster in the country in a week. Police say the driver of the van lost control of the vehicle during heavy monsoon rainfall Sunday night. The van rolled 200 m and plunged into the Dhadha River near Narpani village. Police say 15 bodies were found and that they’re investigating the accident. At least 55 people were killed in two accidents last week in Nepal, a mountainous nation where roads and vehicles are often poorly maintained. Monsoon season is a particularly dangerous time for road travel in the country.

Thousands flee Indian villages as clashes kill 18 GAUHATI: Tens of thousands of villagers have fled their homes in fear of rioting that has killed at least 18 people in recent days in the remote northeast Indian state of Assam, police said yesterday. An additional 10 people have gone missing since the clashes over land rights erupted in western Kokrajhar district between the region’s ethnic Bodo community and Muslim settlers, Assam’s police chief J N Choudhury said. The violence has spread to two neighboring districts. Police have discovered bodies hacked by machetes and left in the jungle or along roadsides or river banks. India has sent troops in to quell the clashes, and opened at least a half-dozen shelters for some 30,000 people, mostly women and children, who have fled their villages in search of protection. Animosity and accusations of land-stealing have long simmered between Bodos and the thousands of mostly Bengali Muslim settlers, many of whom came from the former East Pakistan before it became Bangladesh in 1971. The two groups have clashed sporadically since 1990s and burned each other’s homes and property, state officials said.

3 Western advisers killed in Afghanistan KABUL: Three civilian police training advisers, two American and one British, were killed over the weekend by an Afghan policeman at a training academy in western Afghanistan, Afghan officials and a NATO official said yesterday. In a separate incident, the NATO official said two service members with the US-led coalition were wounded on Monday when an Afghan soldier opened fire on them in northern Afghanistan.

No other details have been disclosed about that shooting. Afghan security forces or militants dressed in their uniforms have been killing a rising number of coalition forces, but they have not been specifically targeting civilian contractors working for the coalition. So far this year, 26 foreign troops have been killed in this type of attack. Sunday ’s shooting occurred at a police training academy 20 km south of the western city of Herat. Earlier, two Afghan police officials in Herat said that initial reports indicated that all three of the victims were Americans. They said two other people were wounded - an Afghan translator and a fourth civilian adviser whose nationality is not known.

adding an extra 25 million people a year - South Asia’s per capita water availability has dropped by 70 percent since 1950, says the Asian Development Bank. The effect of climate change on glaciers and rainfall patterns may be crucial. “Most of the water that is used in Pakistan comes from glacial melt or the monsoon,” says Rafay Alam, an environmental lawyer and coordinator of the water programme at Lahore University of Management Sciences.

The dry months of June-July offer a snapshot of the extreme water crisis in the region. Hospitals in New Delhi this year cancelled surgeries because they had no water to sterilise instruments, clean operating theatres or even wash hands. Swanky malls selling luxury brands were forced to switch off air conditioners and shut toilets. In Pakistan, the port town of Gwadar ran out of water entirely, forcing the government to send two naval water tankers. Some government flats in the garrison city of Rawalpindi have not had water for weeks, said the local press.

India, as both an upper and lower riparian nation, finds itself at the centre of water disputes with its eastern and western downstream neighbours Bangladesh and Pakistan - which accuse New Delhi of monopolising water flows.

To the north and northeast, India fears the same of upstream China, with which it fought a brief border war in 1962.

Beijing plans a series of dams over the Tsangpo river, called the Brahmaputra as it flows into eastern India.

For India, damming its Himalayan rivers is key to generating electricity, as well as managing irrigation and flood control. Hydropower is a critical part of India’s energy security strategy and New

Delhi plans to use part of it to reach about 40 percent of people who are currently off the grid. A severe power shortage is hitting factory output and rolling outages are routine, further stifling an economy which is growing at its slowest in years. India’s plans have riled Bangladesh, which it helped gain freedom from Pakistan in 1971. Relations cooled partly over the construction of the Farakka Barrage (dam) on the Ganges River which Dhaka complained to the United Nations about in 1976. The issue remains a sore point even now.

More recently, Bangladesh has opposed India’s plans to dam the Teesta and Barak rivers in its remote northeast.

But India’s hydropower plans are most worrying for Pakistan. Water has long been a source of stress between the two countries. The line that divided them in 1947 also cleaved the province of Punjab, literally the land of five rivers the Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum, all tributaries of the Indus breaking up millenniums-old irrigation systems. India’s latest hydro plans have fanned new tensions.

“Pakistan is extremely worried that India is planning to build a whole sequence of projects on both the Chenab and Jhelum rivers ... and the extent to which India then becomes capable of controlling water flows,” says Feisal Naqvi, a lawyer who works on water issues. In recent years, political rhetoric over water has been on the rise in Islamabad, and militant groups such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba have sought to use the issue to whip up anti-India sentiments - accusing New Delhi of “stealing water”. India brushes off such fears as paranoia and argues the dams won’t consume or store water but just delay

flows, in line with a 1960 treaty that governs the sharing of Indus waters between the two countries.

South Asia’s water woes may have little to do with cross-border disputes, however. Shortages appear to be rooted in wasteful and inefficient water management practices, with India and Pakistan the worst culprits, experts say.

“All these countries are badly managing their water resources, yet they are experts in blaming other countries outside,” says Sundeep Waslekar, president of Strategic Foresight Group, a Mumbaibased think-tank. “It would be more constructive if they looked at what they are doing at home, than across their borders.”

Their water infrastructure systems, such as canals and pipes used to irrigate farm lands, are falling apart from neglect.

Millions of gallons of water are lost to leakages every day. The strain on groundwater is the most disturbing. In India, more than 60 percent of irrigated agriculture and 85 percent of drinking water depend on it, says the World Bank.

Yet in 20 years, most of its aquifers will be in a critical condition. Countries must improve water management, say experts, and share information such as river flows as well as joint ventures on dam projects such as those India is doing with Bhutan. “Populations are growing, demand is increasing, climate change is taking its toll and we are getting into deeper and deeper waters,” says Verghese, author of ‘Waters of Hope: Himalayan-Ganga cooperation for a billion people’. “You can’t wait and watch.

You have to get savvy and do something about it. Why get locked into rhetoric?

We need to cooperate. Unless you learn to swim, you are dead.” —Reuters

A movie megastar makes India confront its taboos Khan tackles flaws many Indians prefer to ignore NEW DELHI: A Bollywood megastar is making India confront its dark side.

Shining light on inequities like the rampant abortion of female fetuses, caste discrimination and the slaying of brides in dowry disputes, actor Aamir Khan has reached an estimated one-third of the country with a new TV talk show that tackles persistent flaws of modern India that many of its citizens would prefer to ignore. “Satyamev Jayate”, or “Truth Alone Prevails”, is a clever blend of hard news and raw emotional appeal - part 60 Minutes, part Oprah. Its influence has even prodded the notoriously lethargic government machinery into action, though it’s too soon to know what policy changes may be in the works.

After an episode exposed rampant medical malpractice and championed giving cheap, generic medicine to millions of India’s poor, Khan was invited to address a parliament hearing on healthcare. Indians haven’t seen anything quite like this. Hard-hitting talk shows are rare and certainly none has acquired even a fraction of the popularity and buzz Khan’s has generated since its debut 11 weeks ago. And Bollywood superstars have ventured into television only to host glitzy game or reality shows.

For many middle class Indians - comfortable in their belief that their country had moved beyond most of these problems - Khan’s show has been a gutwrenching and poignant dose of bitter reality. “Definitely it’s reminding people that there are problems within our society,” said Narendra Kumar, an environmental researcher in New Delhi. “It’s also creating discussions and sometimes helping people find solutions to the problems.”

The show forced Paromita Dey to confront an act she had tried to bury. Four years ago, Dey and her husband Souporno - already parents to a teenage daughter - ended a pregnancy because she was carrying another girl. Like millions of Indian families, they wanted a son.

In the opening episode of Khan’s program in May, Ameesha Yagnik haltingly recalled how her husband forced her to abort six female fetuses in eight years.

How he threw her out of the house but

refused to let her meet her infant daughter for months until she agreed to divorce him. Both Khan and his audience were in tears. So were the Deys when they watched the show. “Yes, I killed my baby because she was a girl,” a shaken Paromita Dey said, sitting in her home in a posh neighborhood in the northern city of Lucknow.

That India’s highly skewed gender ratio is a cause for concern isn’t new.

us hacks should have been doing over and over again,” she wrote.

Khan, 47, began his career in Bollywood as a romantic hero in the late 1980s. But over the last decade he has broken new ground in Bollywood, fashioning a career path combining the social consciousness of George Clooney with the hero appeal of Tom Cruise. Now one of the industry’s very biggest stars, he has the cachet to push through any project he chooses.

SRINAGAR: In this Feb 9, 2012 file photo, Bollywood actor Aamir Khan (third left) arrives at his hotel in Kashmir. —AP Census after census has revealed that fewer and fewer girls are being born, despite strict laws against sex-selective abortions and a slew of failed government incentives and programs. Yet Khan’s show created such an outpouring of outrage that the government of the western state of Rajasthan, with one of the worst gender ratios, promised action, and a village head there formed a committee to check against the practice. “It’s both ironic and amusing that it took an actor from Bollywood to shine a light on the yawning gaps in Indian journalism,” political commentator Tavleen Singh wrote in a recent column. The show has done “what

He produced, directed and acted in a film about the journey of a misunderstood dyslexic child. His film “3 Idiots” examined the sorry state of India’s education system.

He’s thrown his weight behind social causes - joining anti-dam protesters and embracing an anti-corruption activist. The talk show has cemented his status as Bollywood’s first true activist-star.

Khan initially was asked to host a TV game show. He refused. “I want to do something dynamically different,” he told Open magazine. “I continued to think about it, and slowly this idea was conceived.” “Satyamev Jayate” has tackled many horrors unique to India: the torture

and murder of young brides for bringing insufficient dowries to their in-laws; the shunning and degradation of those at the bottom of Hinduism’s caste hierarchy. Others are more universal - alcoholism and child sexual abuse - but made worse by a conservative culture unwilling to deal with them.

The program is broadcast on several networks estimated to reach about 400 million people in India. Since its debut, more than 13 million people have posted suggestions and messages of support on the show’s website. The alcohol abuse episode sent 60,000 phone calls flooding the Alcoholics Anonymous helpline, said the show’s co-director Svati Chakravarty.

“It was unprecedented in the history of AA worldwide.”

Rights workers say Khan has used his celebrity with remarkable effect. Stalin K, a rights activist and documentary filmmaker who appeared in the caste episode, said none of the issues raised were new, but that Khan’s show was giving them far more attention than the glancing treatment they usually get in India’s media. “It’s a different level of engagement,” he said. “The conversations are much deeper.”

Khan’s reputation as a thinking person’s superstar adds to the show’s credibility, but for the most part he keeps to the background - only speaking when someone looks lost for words or to explain something to his audience. In a recent episode, Khan interviewed a university professor who had battled years of discrimination for being a dalit - the lowest Hindu caste. Kaushal Panwar spoke about being taunted in her village school, about not being allowed to drink water from the same clay pot as upper caste children. Khan interjected only a few times, mostly to give Panwar time to hold back her tears, and once to admonish his audience and viewers that “if I believe an accident of birth makes me superior to you, that is a mental illness”. It remains to be seen whether the show’s momentum can translate into substantial reforms. But Stalin says Khan’s work is vitally important. “This amount of discussion in such a short amount of time is unprecedented,” he said. —AP

Top Indian female revolutionary dies

KARACHI: A Chinese woman takes pictures at the site of a bomb blast outside the Chinese consulate yesterday. No casualties were reported in the blast.

Security officials are investigating whether it was aimed at the Chinese diplomatic mission. —AFP

NEW DELHI: Top Indian female revolutionary Lakshmi Sehgal, who fought Allied forces during World War II, died yesterday following a heart attack, a doctor said.

She was 97. Sehgal, who fought against Britain and its allies in an all-female regiment organised by Indian radical Subhash Chandra Bose, was hospitalised last Thursday after suffering a heart attack in the northern city of Kanpur. The mother of two daughters slipped into a coma following a brain haemorrhage and was in critical condition until she died, a hospital doctor said.

“She was put on ventilator support but due to her advanced age she succumbed to multiple organ failure,” Kanpur Medical Centre hospital chief V K Johri told AFP by telephone.

Born on October 24, 1914, to a lawyer in the southern Indian city Chennai, then known as Madras, Sehgal studied medicine and practised as a gynaecologist

before travelling to Singapore in 1940. After three years in Singapore she met fiery nationalist Bose, who famously broke ranks with Indian independence champion Mahatma Gandhi over his non-violent approach to combating British rule on the sub-continent.

Bose, revered as a hero by many, enlisted Sehgal into his Indian National Army where she fought in a female regiment named after 18th-century Hindu warrior queen Laxmibai. Sehgal was arrested in 1945 at the end of World War II as she retreated from the jungles of Myanmar towards India’s northeastern city of Imphal.

The revolutionary, known as “Captain Sehgal” by her supporters, was held under house arrest for several months in Myanmar and was then brought to Kolkata and freed, according to one of her daughters, Subhashini Ali. “In terms of progressive female revolutionaries,

Sehgal was number one because she also had a vision for social change and wanted equity in the Indian society,” said historian R Gopinath from New Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia University. “Sehgal and Bose were also instrumental in waging an armed opposition to the British, which was the first systematic opposition to colonial rule after the (anti-British) revolt of 1857 in India,” Gopinath told AFP. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sent his condolences, describing her as an “icon of liberal values and selfless service”. After India’s independence from the British in 1947, Sehgal joined the country’s main Marxist party which nominated her to a seat in the federal parliament’s upper house in 1971. In 1998, India gave Sehgal the Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second highest civilian award and four years later she unsuccessfully contested India’s presidential elections. —AFP

Lakshmi Sehgal

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TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

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Issues

Moroccan youth find their voice

By Nadia Rabba his September, 30,000 Moroccan youth aged 16 to 30 will participate in a nationwide discussion on the development of a new youth council. The Consultative Council for Youth and Social Work (known simply as the Youth Council) is meant to address youth expectations for democratic engagement by offering a concrete platform for youth to participate in economic, social and political life. It is a part of the monarchy’s new initiative to increase youth participation in post-Arab Spring Morocco.

Demonstrators in Morocco, unlike their counterparts in Tunisia and Egypt, did not call for radical regime change in the 2011 Arab Spring protests.

Youth called for an “evolution” rather than a “revolution”. Protestors’ main demands focused on ending corruption, reforming the judicial system, improving access to education and creating a better health care system. Essentially, young people wanted a better functioning state, which to them did not necessarily entail a complete overhaul of the regime. The ripple effects of such calls for reform are reflected in the creation of the Youth Council, which will be a new way to bring government and citizens closer together.

The plans for the Youth Council were developed months ago in response to the 2011 protests.

However, one year after announcing its creation in the new Moroccan Constitution, the Ministry of Youth and Sport has yet to draft its strategic proposition in order to actually establish this council. Once it is formed, the Youth Council will allow for unprecedented grassroots participation aimed at engaging representatives of Morocco youth in the decision-making process.

Moroccan civil society, however, did not wait for the Ministry of Youth to take action. Supported by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the British Embassy, civil society activists formed a similar group, the Parallel Youth Government, this June. Through this initiative, participating youth will have the opportunity to provide feedback on government decisions.

Lahbib Choubani, the Moroccan minister in charge of government-civil society relations, has promised that the doors of parliament will be open to the Parallel Youth Government and that its participants will be given the opportunity to attend meetings with members of parliament. The interaction between these two institutions, the Youth Council, and the Parallel Youth Government, is yet to be determined. Both are trying to promote a greater role for youth.

According to a recent World Bank report, half of Morocco’s youth do not attend school or are unemployed. The Youth Council and the Parallel Youth Government can both play a crucial role in addressing the challenges faced by young Moroccans by keeping these issues on the government’s radar and pushing for action. Accordingly, the first issue on the Youth Council’s agenda will be youth unemployment.

Their work should focus on finding much-needed sustainable solutions that address the needs of unemployed youth. One of the challenges the Council will face will be helping the government to reform the education system to be able to meet the needs of the job market.

The same World Bank report found that there is a huge demand for vocational training - which has been largely unmet by educational institutions.

However, if youth organizations and government can work together they can find new solutions to these problems. Regular meetings between heads of education institutions and leaders from youth organizations to hear young people’s suggestions on how to meet their needs could help in the development of new policies that would benefit youth seeking employment.

In addition, students could learn about the job market from workers directly by visiting workplaces and learning about their experiences. Better educated youth would help create a more responsible and politically active nation. These two organizations will hopefully build a bridge between youth and the political system, as well as between students and workers. For them to succeed, youth representatives from all over the country should be involved in creating a cohesive and effective national strategy for addressing youth concerns. - CGNews

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

Assad’s grip on Syria has become tenuous

By Elizabeth A Kennedy he Assad family’s grip on Syria has never looked so tenuous. After 17 months of violence and an estimated 17,000 people killed, a lightning-quick turnaround in the momentum of the civil war has put President Bashar Assad’s forces on the defensive, a sign that his once-impenetrable family dynasty is wobbling. For the first time, the rebels have brought a sustained fight to Damascus, the seat of Assad’s power, in a powerful signal that the regime cannot protect its own capital. On Friday, reports of intense fighting in Aleppo, Syria’s second city, suggest the rebels are making a run on another major government stronghold.

And now, more than ever before during the four-decade Assad dynasty, there are signs that the inner circle is unraveling. A stunning rebel bombing that killed four of Assad’s top lieutenants Wednesday was a strike that almost certainly involved the hand of a trusted insider. The coming days will be crucial to determining whether the regime can recover from blow after devastating blow, which have eviscerated any sense that the head of one of the Middle East’s most autocratic states can hold on indefinitely.

Trying to retain their grip on power, regime forces are stretched to the limit. The government is pulling its most powerful troops from around the country to reinforce Damascus, which allows rebels to swoop in and take over key areas after the soldiers abandon their positions or leave them only lightly guarded. In the past two days, rebels seized border crossings in Iraq and Turkey, ushering in scenes of bloody chaos. Truck driver Ahmet Celik said Friday he was nearly killed near the Bab Al-Hawa crossing in Turkey when rebels fought for control. “The gunfire lasted till the morning,” Celik said. “We barely survived.”

A stream of high-level defections points to growing

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unease among the most privileged classes who count on the regime for their livelihoods and perks. Brig Gen Manaf Tlass, an Assad confidant and son of a former defense minister, defected to France earlier this month. Although the government still has the firepower to hang on - possibly for months or more - the future is bleak. The increasingly sectarian overtones to much of the violence suggest any power vacuum will usher in a bloodbath pitting Syria’s majority Sunni population against the Assad family’s minority Alawite sect, which is an offshoot of Shiite Islam.

Sunnis make up most of Syria’s 22 million people, as well as the backbone of the opposition. But Assad is relying heavily on his Alawite power base to crush the uprising, prompting revenge attacks and fear among other minorities that they face retribution if the regime falls. The opposition, which is fractious and lacks any real central command, has no hope of pacifying the country. There is no clear candidate to step in and lead should Assad go. And the violence has become far more unstable than many had ever imagined, with Al-Qaeda and other extremists joining the ranks of those fighting to topple the regime.

Thousands of Syrians are not waiting around to find out what comes next. Families are fleeing into Lebanon, arriving in packed buses, taxis and private cars. Iraq is sending planes to evacuate its residents, and Capt Saad Al-Khafaji of the state-owned Iraqi Airways promised to “continue the flights until there are no Iraqis left” in Syria. The idea of Iraqis fleeing Syria would have been unthinkable in recent years - thousands of them fled to Syria to escape widespread sectarian fighting during the worst of violence in their homeland between 2005 and 2007.

Now, the traffic is going the other way, with Iraqis and Syrian refugees heading east. Despite the rebel gains, the battle for Syria is not over yet. Although the rebels appear more powerful than at any stage of the uprising, their

small-caliber weapons and rampant disorganization will make it all but impossible to defeat the regime in direct battle. The rebels also have failed to hold territory for any significant amount of time, which prevents them from carving out a zone akin to Libya’s Benghazi, where opponents of Muammar Gaddafi launched their successful uprising last year. Already, Syrian government forces are starting to drive the rebels out of pockets of Damascus. On Friday, government forces showed off a battle-scarred neighborhood of the capital that they say has been “cleansed” of fighters, but rebels say it was a tactical retreat that will allow them to expand their guerrilla war in the coming days and weeks. The regime has tried to portray a sense of calm control - but the country is in a state of profound unease. Assad has not spoken to the public and he was a no-show Friday at the funerals for the security officials killed by the Wednesday bombing.

The only sign of Assad since the attack was a brief, soundless video clip on state TV. The dire situation for the Assad government is unprecedented. The president took power upon his father’s death in 2000, inheriting a brutal legacy. Assad’s father, Hafez, crushed a Sunni uprising in 1982 by shelling the town of Hama. Amnesty International has claimed that 10,000-25,000 were killed, though conflicting figures exist and the Syrian government has made no official estimate. Hafez Assad ruled the country for the next two decades until his death, and the massacre was seared into the minds of Syrians. As the uprising began to take shape last year, Assad immediately fell back on the tactics that have kept his family in power. But the onslaught has failed to crush the rumblings of dissent, and now it seems everyone is preparing for the worst - a future of revenge killings and chaos, more scenes of desperate violence and a spate of bloody anarchy akin to Iraq after Saddam Hussein’s fall in 2003.—AP

The Paradox of China’s Naval Strategy

By Rodger Baker and Zhixing Zhang ver the past decade, the South China Sea has become one of the most volatile flashpoints in East Asia. China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan each assert sovereignty over part or all of the sea, and these overlapping claims have led to diplomatic and even military standoffs in recent years. Because the sea hosts numerous island chains, is rich in mineral and energy resources and has nearly a third of the world’s maritime shipping pass through its waters, its strategic value to these countries is obvious.

For China, however, control over the South China Sea is more than just a practical matter and goes to the center of Beijing’s foreign policy dilemma: how to assert its historical maritime claims while maintaining the nonconfrontational foreign policy established by former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in 1980.

China staked its modern claim to control of the sea in the waning days of the Chinese Civil War. Since most of the other claimant countries were occupied with their own independence movements in the ensuing decades, China had to do little to secure this claim.

However, with other countries building up their maritime forces, pursuing new relationships and taking a more active stance in exploring and patrolling the waters, and with the Chinese public hostile to any real or perceived territorial concessions on Beijing’s part, Deng’s quiet approach is no longer an option.

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CHINA’S MARITIME LOGIC China is a vast continental power, but it also controls a long coastline, stretching at one time from the Sea of Japan in the northeast to the Gulf of Tonkin in the south. Despite this extensive coastline, China’s focus has nearly always turned inward, with only sporadic efforts put toward seafaring and even then only during times of relative security on land.

Traditionally, the biggest threats to China were not from sea, except for occasional piracy, but rather from internal competition and nomadic forces to the north and west. China’s geographic challenges encouraged a family-

based, insular, agricultural economy, one with a strong hierarchal power structure designed in part to mitigate the constant challenges from warlords and regional divisions. Much of China’s trade with the world was undertaken via land routes or carried out by Arabs and other foreign merchants at select coastal locations. In general, the Chinese chose to concentrate on the stability of the population and land borders over potential opportunities from maritime trade or exploration, particularly since sustained foreign contact could bring as much trouble as benefit.

Two factors contributed to China’s experiments with naval development: a shift in warfare from northern to southern China and periods of relative national stability. During the Song dynasty (960-1279), the counterpart to the horse armies of the northern plains was a large inland naval force in the riverine and marshy south. The shift to river navies also spread to the coast, and the Song rulers encouraged coastal navigation and maritime trade by the Chinese, replacing the foreign traders along the coast. While still predominately inward-looking during the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368) under the Mongols, China carried out at least two major naval expeditions in the late 13th century-against Japan and Java-both of which ultimately proved unsuccessful. Their failure contributed to China’s decision to again turn away from the sea. The final major maritime adventure occurred in the early Ming dynasty (13681644), when Chinese Muslim explorer Zheng He undertook his famous seven voyages, reaching as far as Africa but failing to use this opportunity to permanently establish Chinese power abroad.

Zheng He’s treasure fleet was scuttled as the Ming saw rising problems at home, including piracy off the coast, and China once again looked inward. At about the same time that Magellan started his global expedition in the early 1500s, the Chinese resumed their isolationist policy, limiting trade and communication with the outside and ending most consideration of maritime adventure. China’s naval focus shifted to coastal defense rather than power projection. The arrival of

European gunboats in the 19th century thoroughly shook the conventional maritime logic of Chinese authorities, and only belatedly did they undertake a naval program based on Western technology.

Even this proved less than fully integrated into China’s broader strategic thinking. The lack of maritime awareness contributed to the Qing government’s decision to cede its crucial port access at the mouth of the Tumen River to Russia in 1858, permanently closing off access to the Sea of Japan from the northeast. Less than 40 years later, despite building one of the largest regional fleets, the Chinese navy was smashed by the newly emergent Japanese navy. For nearly a century thereafter, the Chinese again focused almost exclusively on the land, with naval forces taking a purely coastal defense role. Since the 1990s, this policy has slowly shifted as China’s economic interconnectedness with the world expanded. For China to secure its economic strength and parlay that into stronger global influence, the development of a more proactive naval strategy became imperative. ‘ NINE-DASH LINE’ To understand China’s present-day maritime logic and its territorial disputes with its neighbors, it is necessary to first understand the so-called nine-dash line, a loose boundary line demarcating China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea. The nine-dash line was based on an earlier territorial claim known as the eleven-dash line, drawn up in 1947 by the then-ruling Kuomintang government without much strategic consideration since the regime was busy dealing with the aftermath of the Japanese occupation of China and the ongoing civil war with the Communists.

After the end of the Japanese occupation, the Kuomintang government sent naval officers and survey teams through the South China Sea to map the various islands and islets. The Internal Affairs Ministry published a map with an eleven-dash line enclosing most of the South China Sea far from China’s shores. This map, despite its lack of specific coordinates, became the foundation of

China’s modern claims, and following the 1949 founding of the People’s Republic of China, the map was adopted by the new government in Beijing. In 1953, perhaps as a way to mitigate conflict with neighboring Vietnam, the current nine-dash line emerged when Beijing eliminated two of the dashes.

The new Chinese map was met with little resistance or complaint by neighboring countries, many of which were then focused on their own national independence movements. Beijing interpreted this silence as acquiescence by the neighbors and the international community, and then stayed largely quiet on the issue to avoid drawing challenges. Beijing has shied away from officially claiming the line itself as an inviolable border, and it is not internationally recognized, though China regards the nine-dash line as the historical basis for its maritime claims.

Like other claimant countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines, China’s longterm goal is to use its growing naval capabilities to control the islands and islets within the South China Sea and thus the natural resources and the strategic position they afford. When China was militarily weak, it supported the concept of putting aside sovereignty concerns and carrying out joint development, aiming to reduce the potential conflicts from overlapping claims while buying time for its own naval development.

Meanwhile, to avoid dealing with a unified bloc of counterclaimants, Beijing adopted a one-to-one negotiation approach with individual countries on their own territorial claims, without the need to jeopardize its entire ninedash line claim. This allowed Beijing to remain the dominant partner in bilateral negotiations, something it feared it would lose in a more multilateral forum. Despite the lack of legal recognition for the nine-dash line and the constant friction it engenders, Beijing has little ability now to move away from the claim.

With the rising international attention and regional competition over the South China Sea, the Chinese public-which identifies the waters within the nine-dash line as territorial waters-is pressuring Beijing to take more assertive actions. —Stratfor

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

NEWS

New cabinet sworn...

Continued from Page 1

KUWAIT: A worker stands under the shadow of a three to protect himself from the heat in Kuwait City yesterday as temperatures reached to 53 degrees Celsius (127 F) in Kuwait. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

court to see if it complies with the constitution.

No date has been given yet for dissolving the assembly and calling for fresh election though it appears that the assembly is expected to be dissolved around midAugust and the fresh election will be held early October unless the government refers the election law to the constitutional court. Several constitutional experts have said that the existing electoral law and voting system are unconstitutional and breach the constitution and warned that if the next elections are held on the basis of the current law, there is a great possibility that it might be challenged and then nullified.

But opposition figures have warned the government against such action and said that any decision on the electoral law should be taken between the government and the next assembly. Khorafi however called on the government not to heed to such calls and to quickly refer the electoral law to the constitutional court in order to prevent any challenge and the possibility of another ruling by the constitutional court to scrap the elections.

He said that Kuwait no longer bears the unstable situation it is experiencing and accordingly all measures must be taken in accordance with the law and the constitution. Khorafi also supported the idea that the electoral law can be amended through an emergency decree to be issued by the Amir, recalling that a similar measure was taken in 1981. Opposition MPs and figures have warned that any change to the electoral law or voting system will force them to boycott the forthcoming election and resort to street protests. They insisted that any change to an important law like that should be amended if necessary by the assembly and the government.

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

sp orts Puyol back in training

Jayawardene says Sri Lanka must deal with batsman Kohli

BARCELONA: Barcelona defender Carles Puyol has returned to training for the first time since a knee operation in May, the La Liga club said yesterday. The 34-year-old Spain international had arthroscopic surgery and was ruled out for the final weeks of the season, meaning he missed the nation’s triumphant Euro 2012 campaign in Poland and Ukraine.

“The captain trained apart from the rest of the squad in the group’s penultimate session before they fly out to Germany on Tuesday for their first pre-season friendly against Hamburg,” Barca said in a statement on their website (www.fcbarcelona.com).

“Puyol will undergo further medical tests next Monday, July 30th, to confirm his fitness to return to full training - the same day that the team’s Spanish internationals resume training,” the statement said. Puyol’s team mate Dani Alves added at a post-training news conference: “I am very happy that Puyi is back, that’s he’s in good shape and he is recovering. “I think that with Puyi you don’t need to look at his age, because it’s irrelevant. For me, he’s like a two-year-old kid.” —Reuters

HAMBANTOTA: Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene said yesterday his team must find a way to deal with India batsman Virat Kohli, who scored a fourth century in five matches to help his team win the first one-day international.

Kohli’s 106 runs Saturday helped India to a strong total of 314-6 in the match. Sri Lanka managed only 293-3, losing by 21 runs.

Jayawardene said that even though the India vice-captain was not a major threat at the start of his career he has now become a formidable foe. Three of Kohli’s four centuries in the last five games came against Sri Lanka and included his career-best 183 against Pakistan.

“I think initially when he started his career we picked his wicket quickly,” Jayawardene said. “But like any good player he has come up with a game plan and he is executing that pretty well. Just the last few occasions he has got more confident against our bowling attack. It’s up to us now to come up with a game plan.” The teams play the second one-day match today.

India’s win showed that their lack of match practice after seven weeks of rest had not affected their form. India batsman Virender Sehwag said the team must now build on the good start to the season as there is a tough schedule ahead. — AP

MLB results/standings Detroit 6, Chicago White Sox 4; La Dodgers 8, NY Mets 3 (12 Innings); Cincinnati 2, Milwaukee 1; Toronto 15, Boston 7; Washington 9, Atlanta 2; Philadelphia 4, San Francisco 3 (12 innings); Pittsburgh 3, Miami 0; Seattle 2, Tampa Bay 1; Minnesota 7, Kansas City 5; St. Louis 7, Chicago Cubs 0; Baltimore 4, Cleveland 3; Oakland 5, NY Yankees 4 (12 innings); San Diego 3, Colorado 2; Arizona 8, Houston 2; LA Angels 7, Texas 4.

American League Eastern Division W L PCT GB 57 38 .600 NY Yankees Baltimore 51 44 .537 6 Tampa Bay 49 47 .510 8.5 Toronto 48 47 .505 9 Boston 48 48 .500 9.5 Central Division Detroit 52 44 .542 50 45 .526 1.5 White Sox Cleveland 47 48 .495 4.5 Kansas City 40 54 .426 11 Minnesota 40 55 .421 11.5 Western Division Texas 56 38 .596 52 44 .542 5 LA Angels Oakland 51 44 .537 5.5 Seattle 42 55 .433 15.5

National League Eastern Division Washington 55 39 .585 52 43 .547 Atlanta NY Mets 47 48 .495 Miami 44 51 .463 Philadelphia 42 54 .438 Central Division Cincinnati 55 40 .579 54 40 .574 Pittsburgh St. Louis 50 45 .526 Milwaukee 44 50 .468 Chicago Cubs 38 56 .404 Houston 34 62 .354 Western Division San Francisco 53 42 .558 .542 LA Dodgers 52 44 Arizona 47 48 .495 San Diego 41 56 .423 Colorado 36 58 .383

3.5 8.5 11.5 14 0.5 5 10.5 16.5 21.5 1.5 6 13 16.5

Stubborn Woods blows British Open chance LYTHAM St. ANNES: The enduring image of Tiger Woods from this British Open will be of him bent over on one knee, his other leg angled to the side, as he desperately tried to save his day with a miracle shot from deep in a bunker off the sixth green. His adventure in the sand proved costly, though perhaps even more fatal to his chances were the three straight bogeys he made on the back nine when his mind seemed to wander.

He once seemed able to figure out ways to win majors like no other player could. Now Woods figures out ways to lose them, including two within the space of the last month or so that the Tiger of old might have run away with.

Another wasted opportunity, another weekend blown. He’s still stuck at 14 major championships, and if he can’t find a way to break through at the PGA Championship next month it will be almost five years and counting between major titles by the time the Masters rolls around next spring.

We judge him too harshly, yes, but only because he was once so great. Still could be if all the stars should align, though there still seems to be something missing from this version of Tiger Woods compared to the one who won on one leg at Torrey Pines in 2008, a time that must seem so long ago for him.

He analyzes things more than the Tiger of old, who simply went out and played golf. This one comes in with a game plan, but has no Plan B when it goes awry.

Blame it on stubbornness, or the arrogance that comes with being the only golfer who will ever chase Jack Nicklaus in the record books. Nicklaus himself sometimes fell into the same trap, mapping out a game plan and never veering from it despite changing conditions.

Ernie Els reached out Sunday and grabbed this Open, snatching it from Adam Scott. Woods tried to win - and lost - by playing it safe. The triple bogey on No. 6 didn’t help, either.

“We’ve all been in positions to win

golf tournaments and sometimes people go ahead and win them and take them away from you,” Woods said. “Other times we make mistakes. And that’s just the way it goes.” The problem with that logic is that it may not have gone that way if Woods had not stuck so rigidly to a game plan that called for iron after iron off the tee, even as he was falling further behind. While Els was banging his driver to set up birdies on the back-9, Woods was hitting approach shots from 200 yards or more out, and wasn’t getting them anywhere close.

Els later said he got mad after making a bogey on No. 9 that left him six shots back of Scott with little choice than to attack the course. It worked, with four birdies coming in and his name being etched once again on the winner’s claret jug.

Woods felt no such sense of urgency.

For some reason, he saw no need to change what he was doing.

Unfortunately, the essence of links golf is adapting to what the course gives you and what the weather takes away.

Woods’ plan worked well enough the first two days to put him in contention after a pair of 67s, and the history of most majors is that caution works better than bravado.

But the pins were in more difficult spots on the weekend, harder to get close to with long irons. The wind picked up on Sunday, too, which Woods found out early when the safe 3-wood he went to on the 489-yard par-4 second hole almost ended up short in a fairway bunker. It added up to a flawed game plan and yet another championship gone awry.

“I was in position to do what I wanted to do and then turn home and shoot maybe 1- or 2-under par on the back nine and I would have posted an 8- or 9under par,” Woods said. “And I thought that was going to be the number to win the golf tournament. I thought 8 was a playoff, 9 was to win outright.

Unfortunately, I just didn’t do it.” — AP

Tiger Woods of the United States

Fergie had eyes on Drogba SHANGHAI: Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said yesterday he may have considered signing Didier Drogba if the striker had opted to remain in the Premier League after he left Chelsea last month. After eight years at Stamford Bridge, the Ivory Coast star signed for Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua for a reported 200,000 pounds ($314,000) a week, making him the highest-paid player in China and in the top bracket globally.

Ferguson, speaking in Shanghai ahead of a friendly against Drogba’s new team tomorrow, said he may have pursued the 34-year-old if he had decided against going overseas.

Asked if he was ever interested in Drogba joining the Red Devils, Ferguson said: “I think that the decision was his anyway because he said he was going to leave Chelsea and not play in the English league-that eliminated everyone. I could have been.”

Drogba decided to join his old Chelsea team-mate Nicolas Anelka at Shanghai, saying he wanted a “new challenge” outside of England’s top flight. — AFP

A’s rally past Yankees a three-game sweep of Boston.

JP Arencibia, Rajai Davis and Travis Snider also homered for the Blue Jays. Toronto (48-47) posted a season high for runs and climbed out of the AL East cellar, moving a half-game ahead of the Red Sox (48-48). The Blue Jays matched their season high with 18 hits. Lester (5-8) allowed a career-high four homers and nine hits. He was booed off the field after being pulled with no outs in

OAKLAND: Seth Smith hit a game leveling homer in the ninth inning and Coco Crisp singled home the winning run in the 12th as the surging Oakland Athletics rallied from four runs down to stun the New York Yankees 5-4 on Sunday and complete a four-game sweep.

Smith homered to center with one out in the ninth off closer Rafael Soriano to help the A’s sweep the Yankees in a four-game series at the Oakland Coliseum for the first time. The Athletics improved to 14-2 in July, the best record in the majors. The AL Eastleading Yankees had not been swept in a four-game series since May 2003 against Toronto.

Derek Norris started the final rally with a one-out single off Derek Jeter’s glove at shortstop.

Jemile Weeks followed with a sacrifice bunt, setting the stage for Oakland’s major league-leading 11th walk-off win. Crisp’s humpback liner to right off Cody Eppley (0-2) gave the A’s their fifth straight victory.

Orioles 4, Indians 3 At Cleveland, Zach Britton pitched six shutout innings and J.J. Hardy drove in three runs as Baltimore beat Cleveland for its fifth straight win.

Britton (1-0) gave up four hits in his second start since being recalled from the minors. He struck out five and got 11 other outs on grounders. Luis Ayala gave up a two-run homer to Cleveland’s Carlos Santana with

Tigers 6, White Sox 4 At Detroit, Miguel Cabrera homered twice, reaching 300 for his career and helping Detroit finish a three-game sweep of Chicago.

Detroit wrapped up a 6-1 homestand against the White Sox and Los Angeles Angels and now leads the AL Central by 1 1/2 games over Chicago. The White Sox have lost five straight. Cabrera became the second Venezuelaborn player to reach 300 home runs. Andres Galarraga hit 399.

Quintin Berry and Brennan Boesch also homered for Detroit to help rookie Jacob Turner (1-1) earn his first career win. Joaquin Benoit worked a perfect ninth for his second save. The Tigers have won 16 of 21.

OAKLAND: Athletics’ Coco Crisp singles in the winning run in the 12th inning of their baseball game against the New York Yankees. —AP one out in the ninth. Jim Johnson came on and got two outs for his major league-leading 30th save in 32 chances. He yielded a double to Shelley Duncan and a pinch-hit RBI single to Travis Hafner that made it 4-3. Hardy hit a two-run homer in the first off Josh Tomlin (5-7) and an RBI single in the seventh against reliever Esmil Rogers.

Wilson Betemit also homered for Baltimore.

Blue Jays 15, Red Sox 7 At Boston, Brett Lawrie hit the game’s first pitch for one of Toronto’s four homers as the Blue Jays tagged Jon Lester for a career-worst 11 runs to complete

the fifth. Adrian Gonzalez hit a three-run homer and Jacoby Ellsbury a solo shot for the Red Sox, who play their next six games on the road against division leaders.

Mariners 2, Rays 1 At St. Petersburg, Florida, Blake Beavan scattered four hits over eight innings as Seattle edged Tampa Bay to finish a 5-2 road trip. Jesus Montero and Brendan Ryan each had an RBI double for the Mariners, who took two of three from the Rays.

Beavan (5-6) struck out five and walked none, outpitching Matt Moore in a tight duel. Tom

Wilhelmsen worked a scoreless ninth for his 10th save, completing the five-hitter. Pinch-hitter Hideki Matsui, mired in an 0-for16 skid, popped out with two on to end it.

Twins 7, Royals 5 At Kansas City, Missouri, Ryan Doumit homered from both sides of the plate and drove in four runs to lead Minnesota over Kansas City.

Doumit became the third Twins player to go deep from each side in a game. The others were Chili Davis (1992) and Roy Smalley (1986).

Hitting .354 in his past 26 games, Doumit also had a tworun single in a four-run third to match his career high for RBIs. It was his sixth career multihomer game, the second this season.

Samuel Deduno (1-0) earned his first big league victory by limiting the Royals to one run over 6 1-3 innings.

Angels 7, Rangers 4 At Anaheim, California, Albert Pujols and Bobby Wilson homered, and Mike Trout scored a run in his 14th consecutive game to set an American League rookie record, leading Los Angeles over Texas to win the three-game series. Dan Haren pitched effectively in his first start off the disabled list for the Angels. Haren (78) threw 95 pitches over six innings, allowing two runs, three hits and three walks while striking out three. Nelson Cruz hit his 12th homer in the fourth to cut the deficit to 3-2.

The Angels tacked on three runs in the seventh with Wilson’s first homer of the season and Pujols’ 18th, a two-run shot off Alexi Ogando. Pujols’s 463rd career home run put him ahead of Jose Canseco for 32nd place alltime. —AP

Nationals pound Braves WASHINGTON: Ryan Zimmerman homered twice and drove in three runs, and Danny Espinosa and Roger Bernadina each had three hits and two RBIs as the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 9-2 to split a fourgame series Sunday. After Washington blew a 9-0 lead Friday night in an 11-10 loss, the teams split a Saturday doubleheader. The Nationals lead the division by 3 1/2 games - as they did when the series began.

Zimmerman’s two-run homer and Danny Espinosa’s double keyed a four-run first off Atlanta starter Jair Jurrjens (3-4). Michael Morse had three hits and scored three runs for the Nationals, who had 18 hits.

Cardinals 7, Cubs 0 At St. Louis, Lance Lynn won his 12th game with six mostly spotless innings, and Matt Holliday and Carlos Beltran homered on consecutive pitches to put the finishing touches a St. Louis victory that completed a three-game sweep of Chicago.

Jon Jay and Tony Cruz hit consecutive tworun doubles off Travis Wood (4-5) in the first for St. Louis, which outscored the Cubs 23-1 and outhit them 38-16 for their sweep over Chicago since June 3-5, 2011 in St. Louis.

Lynn (12-4) has allowed just one run in 19 innings his last three starts. Fernando Salas and Marc Rzepczynski finished a combined five-hitter as the Cardinals earned consecutive shutouts for the first time since Oct. 1-2, 2010 against the Rockies.

Pirates 3, Marlins 0 At Pittsburgh, Jeff Karstens pitched seven crisp innings, Pedro Alvarez homered as Pittsburgh beat Miami for its fifth consecutive win. Pittsburgh completed its fourth sweep of the season - all at home - while matching its longest winning streak since Sept. 17-22, 2010. The Pirates (54-40) remained a halfgame behind National League Central-leading Cincinnati.

Anibal Sanchez (5-7) took the loss for Miami, which has dropped five straight, scoring a total of seven runs during the slide.

Alvarez’s fourth homer in his last six games and No. 21 for the season came after Casey McGehee led off the seventh with a double, making it 3-0.

Dodgers 8, Mets 3 At New York, pinch-hitter Matt Treanor had a two-run single in a five-run 12th as Los Angeles beat New York to finish a three-game sweep. The Dodgers blew a 3-1 lead after the sixth, but still won their fourth straight after losing seven of eight and dropping out of first place in the NL West.

Josh Wall (1-0) made his major league debut in the 11th, giving up a single to David Wright before he was caught trying to steal second base. Ramon Ramirez (2-2) took the loss for New York, which has dropped nine of 10 to fall under .500 (47-48) for the first time this season.

Reds 2, Brewers 1 At Cincinnati, Wilson Valdez drove in the tying run and scored the go-ahead run to back Johnny Cueto’s seven solid innings as Cincinnati wrapped up one of the best homestands in franchise history with a win over Milwaukee.

Cueto (12-5) matched his single-season career high in wins to lead the Reds to their eighth victory on the 10-game homestand. It’s only the fifth time in franchise history that Cincinnati posted at least eight wins on a home stand of 10 or fewer games. The last time was in 1975, when the Reds went 8-1 on a homestand. The Reds, who lead the Pirates by a half-game, are 5-2 since learning that AllStar first baseman Joey Votto needed arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.

Phillies 4, Giants 3 At Philadelphia, Jimmy Rollins hit an RBI single to lift Philadelphia past San Francisco in 12 innings. John Mayberry Jr. hit two solo homers for the last-place Phillies, and Nate Schierholtz hit a pair of solo shots for the NL West-leading Giants. The Phillies snapped a

WASHINGTON: Nationals starting pitcher Ross Detwiler delivers against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning of their baseball game. —AP seven-game home losing streak and avoided their first sweep against the Giants since 2004.

Brad Penny (0-1) walked Carlos Ruiz with one out in the 12th. Laynce Nix followed with a single to right to move Ruiz to third. Rollins then lined the first pitch to right to end it.

Diamondbacks 8, Astros 2 At Phoenix, Jason Kubel homered for the sixth time in five games and Chris Young added a three -run shot as Arizona beat Houston to complete a high-scoring, threegame sweep of the staggering Astros.

Kubel, coming off a three-homer game Saturday night, led off the second inning with his 21st of the season. — AP

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

sp orts

‘Perfect’ Alonso can enjoy August at the top HOCKENHEIM: Fernando Alonso will enjoy the psychological boost of spending the August break on top of the Formula One championship whatever happens in Hungary next weekend after a display Ferrari described as “perfect.

Alonso, who led from pole to chequered flag on his way to winning Sunday’s German Grand Prix, now has a 34 point lead over Red Bull’s Australian Mark Webber and is sure to lead the standings through to Spa in September.

He won glowing praise from his team for the way in which he held off challenges from Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel and McLaren’s Jenson Button at Hockenheim.

Two wins and a second place in his last three races have suddenly put the 2005 and 2006 champion in a commanding position in a season which, until the European Grand Prix in Valencia, had been wide open. “”It was like a 67-lap qualifying run,” said Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali. “”I find it hard to remember watching from the pit wall such a tight race.

Fernando was perfect, not one mistake, not one hesitation, pushing to the maximum for an hour and a half. What a driver.”

Alonso’s 30th career win extended his run in the points to 22 races in a row, making him the most consistent driver

FIFA makes a mockery out of fair play

By Ricardo Guerra

A

fter years of deliberations and resisting the use of any sort of technology to officiate football matches, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the pre-eminent lawmaking body of the game, recently approved new systems to help determine if a ball crosses the goal line.

Many have received this news with surprise. Both IFAB and FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) have been slow to adapt and institute much-needed changes within the game. Football has changed dramatically over the last decades, as evidenced by the higher physiological capacity of the players.

Unfortunately, the rules of the game have not evolved alongside these physiological changes. Even worse is the sclerotic system that is responsible for changing the rules of the sport.

IFAB and FIFA work symbiotically.

They are intertwined and have been sharing power with different arrangements for almost 100 years. IFAB, founded in 1886, is the game’s lawmaking body, composed of representatives from each of the United Kingdom’s pioneering football associations-England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland-and FIFA. The makeup of IFAB is heavily criticized by many because representation within IFAB is limited to a handful of countries.

Deliberations within the organization must be approved by at least 6 votes.

Basically, FIFA has 4 votes on behalf of all its 209 affiliated member associations. The other 4 privileged football associations of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland each have 1 vote.

We could say FIFA is complicit in the current arrangement. I doubt the ordinary fan is even aware of the existence of IFAB. Even fewer people know exactly who FIFA’s votes within the FIFA-IFAB nexus represent. It really is just a power grab for the FIFA chiefs and their cronies, and it is a true reflection of the arrogance, lack of accountability and transparency, and undemocratic tendencies that surround the governing body of the most important game in the world.

One way to illustrate the magnitude of the unrepresentative nature of IFAB is to briefly compare its structure with that of the UN Security Council, which diplomats and scholars all over the world deem to be a model of poor representation.

The Security Council has a total of 15 members. Of those, 5-China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US-are permanent members with the power to veto any proposal decided by the 9 votes that are needed. The other 10 non-permanent, elected members have 2-year terms. The United Nations has a total of 193 members, which raises the question: How is it possible that 5 countries have so much clout and power in the realm of international relations?

If you think representation in the Security Council is unjust and flawed, wait until you hear this: FIFA, with a total of 209 members, has more affiliations than the United Nations.

Nevertheless, the 4 countries within IFAB essentially decide, for all the other members, behind closed doors with the top officials of FIFA, what changes are going to be made in the game.

At least defenders of the Security Council’s structure can justify its current make-up by pointing to the hard power of the elite 5. But what kind of justification is possible for IFAB’s current structure? What kind of power do England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland exert in international football?

At any given time, England can barely qualify for the World Cup, and they last won it almost 50 years ago. In juxtaposition, Brazil, who has a record 5 World Cup titles, is not a part of IFAB and therefore is excluded from the decision-making process. Other football behemoths like Italy, France, Argentina and Germany also have no say in the direct decision-making process involving potential changes to the game’s laws. I would bet money that if those 5 countries got together and decided to boycott FIFA, unless they were given representation within

IFAB, they would bring the whole system to its knees! How is it possible that countries like Wales, who has qualified for the World Cup only once, and Northern Ireland, who has qualified a meager 3 times, have more say in the decision-making process than true football powerhouses?

That this actually is the case defies common sense. It is insulting, humiliating, and an affront to our sense of dignity and equal representation. It leaves us incredulous in the face of the facts and inspires us to search for clues about the roots of the current model.

We may have to dig deep into the annals of history to understand the current absurdity.

According to Professor Roger Abrams, a sports law expert at Northeastern University, organizations such FIFA and IFAB have a history of being unaccountable for their actions and of having an entitlement culture from within that makes those who govern believe they actually own the sport.

In a phone conversation, Dr. Peter Alegi, an African history professor at Michigan State University, told me the British have a deep-rooted belief that they are the custodians of the rules of the game and may be eager to hold onto the current IFAB structure because it may be one of the last avenues they have to maintain a highprofile position in global culture.

When I asked Dr. Paul Darby, a respected sociologist at the University of Ulster, about the roots of this hubristic attitude, he told me that there has always been a sense of arrogance within these organizations (FIFA and IFAB), which goes back many decades.

“This arrogance was exemplified by the fact that for the first 70 years or so of its existence, FIFA’s northern European constituency viewed the world body’s growing African membership through a colonial lens and treated them as if they were not deserving of the opportunities to be part of the FIFA family,” Dr. Darby said.

Dr. Darby described the problem as so pervasive that Stanley Rous, the president of FIFA from 1961 to 1974, tried to preserve the place of the South African Football Association within FIFA, despite considerable international pressure, particularly from the African continent, to have them expelled.

“It was actually president Joao Havelange who played an instrumental role in making the organization somewhat more representative globally and in providing greater inclusion in the world game for Africa. In the lead-up to his election as FIFA president in 1974, Havelange went as far as promising the African nations that he would continue to exclude and resist the re-entry of the South African association for as long as they continued to practice apartheid in football,” Dr. Darby said.

It is clear that FIFA only began to move in the direction of a true international organization with the leadership of Joao Havelange. Nevertheless, changes to the structure of IFAB have still not taken place and in the meantime seem to be far off the table.

“The composition of IFAB is definitely not reflective of the current football behemoths that dominate international play. Mathematically it just does not compute,” Dr. Darby added.

It seems evident that Great Britain’s current influence in the game is a throwback to, or really reflective of, a very distant past when Britain had a dominant position in the world as a major colonial power and consequently in the organization of the game.

Clearly both the UN Security Council and IFAB structures are outdated and ill suited to deal with the demands of a new international scene that is characterized by a multipolar world order.

We are left wondering how the current football powerhouses can be such passive and deferential participants in a relationship that is medieval, unjust, non-inclusive, and rooted in the vestiges of colonialism. At this point, the Queen Mother may be the only one applauding. But then again, change may only come when she decides to issue an edict to all the current football powerhouses: get off your knees, peasants.

on track as well as the only one to have won three races this season.

He turns 31 in Budapest on Sunday where he could also celebrate a 31st win. “Domenicali said Ferrari still had plenty of work to do, with rivals still having the benefit of faster cars. “”We have seen how quickly things can change this season, therefore we must keep concentrating to the maximum especially on the reliability front,” he said. “”I said that the month of July would be crucial with 75 points up for grabs in four weeks and so far we have brought home 43 so we will try and finish the job in Hungary,” said Alonso.

The Spaniard, who said before Hockenheim that it was the first season he could remember in which he had not been suffering any sort of pain, slipped into Spanish football cliches as he discussed his chances.

“I can count on the best team, a team that is used to winning a lot,” he added. “”I always want to give 100 percent and work night and day towards that goal.”

While the drivers’ championship has spread out, the constructors’ contest remains a three -horse race after McLaren’s upgraded car per formed impressively.

Jenson Button’s second place moved McLaren above Lotus into third place

and kept them in touch with leading pair Red Bull and Ferrari after disappointing outings at Valencia and Silverstone. “”Ferrari are doing a great job at the moment but we know they’re beatable,” said McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh. “”I think it’s important to place some of the credit for Jenson’s second place with our pit crew: their second stop for Jenson was the fastest Formula One pit stop of all time, with a stationary time of just two minutes 31 seconds.”

“The underlying news is that we were very competitive..There’s a lot of races ahead and I think we can have some great results,” he added.—Reuters

Cibulkova wins Carlsbad Open CARLSBAD: Dominika Cibulkova claimed her second career title when she romped to a routine 6-1 7-5 victory over top seed Marion Bartoli to win the Carlsbad Open on Sunday.

In an impressive display from behind the baseline, the second seeded Slovak ian was quicker around the court than her French opponent, rallying from a 4-1 deficit in the second set to record a morale-boosting victory ahead of the Olympics.

“In past finals I was too nervous and this was first final I was just going for it,” the 23-year- old Cibulkova told reporters after outlasting Bartoli, who had eked out three-set wins over her last three opponents to reach the final.

Cibulkova came out with all guns blazing and after dropping the opening game of the match, she swarmed all over the Frenchwoman, dictating proceedings with her big forehand and jumping on Bar toli’s second serves. She won the first set when Bar toli double faulted, and grabbed the opening game of the second set before the top seed began a charge, winning four straight games by moving further inside the court and finding the corners.

However, Cibulkova refused to succumb to the cautious approach that had hindered her in previous finals and clawed her way back into the contest when she broke Bartoli in the eighth game with a vicious forehand winner.

The diminutive Slovakian carried the momentum forward and

CARLSBAD: Dominika Cibulkova, of Slovakia, poses with the trophy after defeating Marion Bartoli, of France, in the final match of the Mercury Insurance Open tennis tournament.—AP captured the title when she forced me was to play three matches at rise to number 13 in the rankings night and then come to the day when they are released on Bartoli into a forehand error. “”It was a really important game session, which is obviously differ- Monday, one place lower than her career high. at 4-3 on her serve where there ent,” she said.

“I was enjoying the final. So I “I played well to get the lead in was this was this long rally which I finished with this forehand down the second and get to 4-1 but from didn’t put so much pressure on the line,” Cibulkova said. “”And I then on, I started to feel a bit tired myself and when it was 6-5, I just was like ‘okay, this set is going to and was not moving so quickly. said ‘come on, risk it’.” Cibulkova, be mine’.” Bartoli had taken eight But she played ver y fast and who captured her maiden title in hours and 18 minutes to win her extremely well, so she made me Moscow last November, has one week to prepare for the London first three matches and towards feel uncomfortable as well.”

By contrast, the sprightly Olympics tennis tournament startthe end of the second set, her legs Cibulkova won the tournament ing on July 28, a day after the began to look heavy. “”I think the toughest part for without dropping a set and will opening ceremony.—Reuters

Roddick defeats Muller to clinch Atlanta Open ATLANTA: Andy Roddick beat Gilles Muller of Luxembourg 1-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2 to win the Atlanta Open and earn his 32nd ATP World Tour title on Sunday. Roddick, 29, ranks third among active players in career titles behind Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

“I’ve won 32 times and in every one of them I’ve never assumed I was going to win again,” he said. “I just kind of go about the process of playing, work hard and hope I can put myself in position enough times where you kind of create some success for yourself.”

After taking the Eastbourne title before Wimbledon, Roddick has won two of his past three events and 11 of 12 matches. He will play for the U.S. team when the Olympics begin next week at Wimbledon.

A sore right shoulder caused Roddick to struggle with Muller’s serve in the first set.

Before the changeover, he called a medical timeout to see a trainer. He said the shoulder felt pinched, and there was a dull pain.

Roddick was concerned. A right shoulder injury last year had forced him to withdraw before the French Open, but the trainer all but assured him there was nothing structurally wrong.

“I felt like I could hit it straight ahead OK,” he said. “I was just lacking movement and wasn’t able to snap the ball off too well. I don’t feel like I had my best serve today. It was just a little dead for whatever reason, but hopefully with a couple

of days off it will be OK.” Muller, 29, was denied his first tour victory in three tries. His last appearance in a final was seven years ago when Andre Agassi beat him in Los Angeles.

Despite winning all but six of his first-serve points, Muller double-faulted 10 times and lost 21 of 36 points on his second serve. The lefthanded Muller had 20 aces to Roddick’s 18.

Muller acknowledged feeling nervous as Roddick took charge of the match by winning five of the first six points in the second-set tiebreaker.

“It was a long time since I’ve been in position to win a tournament like that,” Muller said. “I did very well until the middle of the second set, but then when it got closer to end of that set, I suddenly started to feel like I can win this maybe.

That’s when I got maybe a little bit more tight, and Andy started to play better.”

Roddick had not won in Atlanta since 2001, when he was 18 and the event was held on clay at a different venue. This year, he’s had to overcome a right hamstring tear that he suffered in the second round of the Australian Open.

“I was able to kind of turn the corner at Eastbourne,” he said. “I thought I played pretty well at Wimbledon. I had a real good look at making a run there and obviously played well here. Things are back on track, and I feel relatively healthy. Hopefully it was a blip on radar as opposed to that’s just the way things are.”—AP

ATLANTA: Andy Roddick poses with the trophy after winning the Atlanta Open tennis tournament.—AP

Al-Roudhan Indoor Soccer

KUWAIT: Joel team proved too strong for Shabab Al-Dousha as it thrashed them by nine goals during the third day of the Late Abdallah Mushari Al-Roudhan Indoor Soccer

tournament. Salmiya defeated Al-Nasser Sports Center 3-1, while Al-Omar Diwaniya blanked Sulaibk hat 2-0. Joel sent a ver y strong message to other teams with its per-

formance, as the Italian Dodo scored 3 goals while his compatriot Furantino scored three g oa ls. Fabiano s cored t wo g oa ls a nd Mohammed Khan one.

18 TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

London Games open in troubled times LONDON: London, an ancient city steeped in theatre and pageantry, stages its third summer Olympics against a sombre backdrop tempering the excitement and anticipation before the world’s greatest sports festival.

Euphoria in Singapore, where London secured the Games in 2005, was succeeded within 24 hours by horror in the British capital when 52 commuters were killed by four suicide bombers.

Consequently the Games of the XXX Olympiad, opening at the Olympic stadium in east London on Friday, will feature Britain’s largest peacetime security operation which has further inflated the budget in troubled economic times.

“The security threat comes from a number of diverse actors ranging from al-Qaeda affiliated terrorists, lone wolves acting independently, Irish Republican Army offshoots as well as anarchists,” said an assessment from the Asia-Pacific Foundation, a London-based think tank.

“Another potential danger is street violence similar to the wild, apparently spontaneous and totally unpredictable riots, that hit parts of London for five days in August 2011, causing hundreds of millions of pounds in property damage.”

London’s creaking transport system, criticised as “often obsolete” by International Olympic Committee (IOC) inspectors after the city was short-listed for the Games, is another problem.

So, too, is the unpredictable British climate during a summer of unrelieved gloom and drenching rain, although signs that the weather may have finally relented came at the weekend with clear skies, rising temperatures and optimistic forecasts.

On the plus side, the Asia-Pacific Foundation report pointed out that Britain has a “very successful track record” in hosting major sports events, a point stressed by London 2012 Olympics

organising committee chairman Seb Coe. “You do not want people coming to London feeling they have come to a siege town,” Coe told Reuters. “London stages these global events all the time and often at the same time. We have a good track record but I am not being remotely cavalier or particularly sanguine about the nature of what we have to do.”

London held the 1908 Olympics at the height of the golden Edwardian summer when Britain ruled much of the world. The 1948 Games were hosted by a city ravaged by wartime bombing in an emotionally and physically exhausted country burdened by a record debt.

In a link with the past, the Olympic Park is located in an area of London which suffered some of the worst bombing in World War Two, as part of a programme of economic regeneration.

Britain possesses an unparalleled sporting history, stemming from that astounding period in Victorian Britain when the rules for virtually all the games now played throughout the world were either invented or codified.

“We’re coming to a nation that invented modern sport in the second half of the 19th century,” IOC president Jacques Rogge said at Formula One’s British Grand Prix this month.

“We’re also coming to a nation that has included sport in its school curriculum and it’s a nation that loves sport, knows sport, and that will show.”

The Olympic movement has been criticised as bloated, grandiose and in thrall to the sponsors and television companies who provide the money which underpins modern sport.

No credible alternative economic model exists and, even if the IOC ceased to exist, the sports and leisure industries would soon entice the individual federations into new multi-sports commercial ventures. Under Rogge, the IOC has

moved with the times and there is also nothing remotely bloated about the background of the athletes expected to make the most impact when the track and field competition, the core sport of the Games, starts on Aug. 3.

the life of any athlete and now another sprinter from the Racers Track Club threatens to dethrone Bolt in London.

Yohan Blake rejoices in the nickname of “The Beast”, a tribute to his ferocious appetite for training. Whereas Bolt is tall,

LONDON: Greek diver Stefanos Paparounas trains at the Aquatics Center at the Olympic Park. Opening ceremonies for the 2012 London Olympics will be held Friday, July 27.—AP Usain Bolt electrified the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing four years ago with world records in the 100 and 200 metres followed by a third as a member of the Jamaican 4x100 relay squad.

Bolt is coached by Glen Mills at the Racers Track Club in Kingston, where the facilities are rudimentary but the work ethic relentless.

After Bolt again shattered the world 100 and 200 records at the 2009 Berlin world championships, clocking a scarcely credible 9.58 and 19.19 seconds, another golden double in London seemed a formality provided he remained fit and focused.

Four years, though, is a long time in

lean and languid, Blake is compact, muscular and explosive.

At the Daegu world championships last year, Blake won the 100 metres after Bolt was disqualified for a false start. This year he beat Bolt, who has been hampered by a right hamstring strain, decisively in both the 100 and 200 at the Jamaican Olympic trials.

The 100 metres is the most exciting and the most elemental of races, equivalent to a world heavyweight title fight in that the winner of the former can plausibly claim to be the fastest man in the world while the victor of the latter can say he is the meanest.

It is also the most unforgiving. “In the

100 metres a single mistake can cost you victory,” said Carl Lewis, winner of nine Olympic track and field titles.

Lewis is the only man to retain the Olympic 100 title, albeit through the disqualification of Ben Johnson at the 1988 Seoul Olympics after a positive drugs test. In London, the race is likely to be won and lost at the start. Because of his height, Bolt is slow to unwind out of the blocks but if he does get away swiftly there is nobody in the world who can touch him.

Kenyan athletes, who are expected to dominate the middle and long distances, possess a similar work ethic and equally lofty standards. Public expectations are high while running is one of the few avenues out of rural poverty.

David Rudisha holds the world 800 metres record, once owned by Coe, and plans to go one better than the twice Olympic 1,500 champion and win the Olympic title for himself and his nomadic Maasai tribe. “Everybody wants to be recognised as Olympic champion, as world champion,” he said. “That gives us our happiness as athletes.”

The first week of the Games ending on Aug. 12 and featuring 10,500 athletes from 204 countries taking part in 26 sports will be dominated by another duel between a pair of athletes from the same country. In Beijing, swimmer Michael Phelps won eight gold medals in eight events to better the Olympic record set by fellow American Mark Spitz. This time he will swim seven races, four individual plus all three relays.

“No one should be expected to do that twice,” said coach Bob Bowman.

“Once was more than enough. Trust me.

It was.” Phelps’s main rival will be team mate Ryan Lochte, who won five golds at last year’s world championships and who has undergone a gruelling regime out of the pool to build up his strength.—Reuters

All eyes on Bolt’s legs

LONDON: Olympic Mascots Wenlock and Mandeville pose at Heathrow Airport as athletes arrive in London, days ahead of the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games. —AFP

Olympics mascots: menacing or magic?

LONDON: Sinister. Disturbing. Creepy.

Frightening. The official mascots of London’s Olympic and Paralympic Games Wenlock and Mandeville - have been called all of those things, but organizers are hoping to tack on a more positive title: merchandising magic.

The futuristic-looking pair have popped up all over London, casting their one-eyed gaze at tourists and locals alike from posters, statues and a slew of Olympic merchandise ranging from key chains to cutlery. Bloggers and other commentators, however, have been skewering the duo for scaring children and projecting a creepy surveillance-state image of the Olympic games.

Wenlock - named after an English town in Shropshire that helped inspire the modern Olympic games - and Mandeville, whose name pays tribute to the hospital considered the birthplace of the Paralympic Games - look more like surveillance robots than humans or animals.

In place of a face, each have one large, staring eye - a camera, according to Olympic organizers, to let them “record everything.”

They have legs, but no feet; arms bearing “friendship bands” in the colors of the Olympic rings, but no fingers. Both of their heads have “taxi light” in the middle, a tribute to London’s famous black cabs.

Wenlock’s head is round, while Mandeville has ridges atop his noggin.

They peer out of official London Olympics snow globes, adorn backpacks and towels, decorate magnets and mugs.

Olympic mascots over the years have raised the question: What were they thinking? (Turin’s humanized snowball and ice cube in 2006, anyone?) But even Sydney’s spiky echidna managed to look cute and cuddly, while a barrage of critics say Wenlock and Mandeville are anything but.

“It’s not so friendly,” said Jenny Zhang, looking at a Wenlock while in London from China for business. “We don’t see a smiling face, it’s not a friendly eye. It’s just watching you.”

Since they were selected as the official mascots back in 2009, detractors have had

a field day with the pair, questioning how faceless monsters fashioned out of “drops of steel” - the duo’s creation story - won out over 100 other designs by artists and agencies.

Their watchful eyes -described in many forums as toy versions of London’s omnipresent CCTV lenses - seem to have caused the most discomfort, drawing Orwellian comparisons and references to surveillance states. Wenlock figurines in police gear have come under fire from dozens of online commenters decrying the “fascist playthings” and “totalitarian toys.”

Actor Ewan McGregor tweeted his disappointment Friday after seeing plastic mascot statutes in London’s Regents Park: “With this country’s artistic heritage this one eyed joke made me sad.”

Despite the vocal backlash, mascots are proving to be an important part of the London 2012 product range, according to the city’s Olympic organizing committee. It said in an email that soft toys of Wenlock and Mandeville were a “consistent best seller.”

Organizers would not provide a breakdown of sales so far, but said Wenlock and Mandeville items make up around 20 percent of the total London 2012 licensed merchandise, which is expected to generate more than 1 billion pounds ($1.6 billion) worth of sales.

Despite the ever-present mockery, visitors to the mascots’ official website have created more than 105,500 personalized avatars, and mascot statues in London seem to be inspiring more curiosity than criticism.

On a recent afternoon, some tourists gawked at the life-size statues while others hung off them for photos. Six-year-old Nimaran Sandhu’s face lit up when she saw a Wenlock statue.

“It hasn’t got a face and I think it’s funny,” she told a reporter, adding with a giggle that Wenlock looked “fat.” Alessia Goldthorpe, 5, rattled off facts about Wenlock and Mandeville to her father in the same park before declaring that she likes Wenlock. “He’s happy!” she exclaimed.—AP

LONDON: Organisers may think the most closely-guarded secret of the 2012 Games is who will light the Olympic flame, but of far greater interest to the wider sporting public is the condition of Usain Bolt’s right hamstring.

The Jamaican triple gold medallist from Beijing is the number one attraction of the London Games, but the question mark over his fitness has added an extra layer of intrigue to what is already an eye-wateringly exciting 100 metres race.

Bolt needed some stretching and massage treatment for a tight hamstring following his 200m defeat by Yohan Blake in the Jamaican trials at the start of the month, having also lost to Blake in the 100m days earlier when he looked to be nursing the injury with a tentative start.

He immediately withdrew from last Friday’s Monaco Diamond League meeting where he had been due to run the 200m in a last race before the Olympics.

Bolt then travelled to Germany to see renowned German sports doctor Hans-Wilhelm MullerWohlfahrt, though his agent Ricky Simms said the trip had been long-scheduled as part of his regular “prehabilitation” regime.

The 6ft 5ins (1.95m) sprinter suffered with hamstring troubles early in his career, a problem linked to a curvature in his spine, and has to put himself through a gruelling stretching and conditioning regime to prevent any recurrence. “He had a slightly tight hamstring during the trials and that’s why possibly he didn’t push as hard as he could have,” Simms said recently when assuring the public that his man would be in good shape for London.

“He was just protecting that.

LONDON: Two girls wrapped in Jamaican flags look at the waxwork of Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt during the unveiling at London’s Madame Tussauds museum, days before the start of the 2012 London Olympic Games.—AFP The main thing at the trials was to matter all together. Bolt, who has drew from the London Diamond get through and get on the team been given a specially-made 7ft League meeting on July 13 with a for the Olympic Games. bed in his Birmingham quarters, groin injury while Tyson Gay, the “His coach decided that he will also be defending his 200 second-fastest man in the world, needs to get a little bit of mas- metres title and will hope to help needed treatment for a minor sage and treatment on that and Jamaica defend the 4x100 gold groin strain after winning that rest up, and then train again hard they also won in world record race in cold and wet conditions. next week so that he’s ready for time four years ago.

Gay failed to make the 100m the Olympic Games.”

That programme represents a final four years ago as he ran with Bolt, like the rest of the all-con- minimum of nine separate races a groin/hip problem which evenquering Jamaica athletics squad, in eight days and while some of tually needed surgery and will be is training behind closed doors in the heats will be run on cruise desperate to toe the line fully fit Birmingham, around 100 miles control, the semis and finals will this time. north of London, before moving be at full bore.

Should Bolt, Gay, Powell and south for the start of the track That is a punishing regime for Blake all start the heats on Aug. 4 and field programme on Aug. 3. a fully fit athlete but an impossi- it will be the first time since the Running with aches and nig- ble one for a sprinter with the introduction of electronic timing gles are part and parcel of an slightest question mark over a in 1968 that the four current international sprinter’s life but hamstring. fastest men in the world will all winning a multi-round champiTeam mate and former world be racing each other for Olympic onship with an injury is another record holder Asafa Powell with- Gold.—Reuters

Indians loving life at Lord’s LONDON: For most young boys growing up in cricket-crazy India, walking out on the hallowed turf at Lord’s is the stuff dreams are made of. Archer Tarundeep Rai is no different.

Rai is part of the Indian men’s archery triumvirate with Jayanta Talukandar and Rahul Banerejee competing at the London Olympics and hopes they can grab a podium place.

South Korea are the favorites after winning the last three Olympic team gold medals, though the United States are expected to run them close in London with world number one Brady Ellison anchoring the team.

“Before I came here I thought that Lord’s always favored Indians when they play cricket and I hope this will continue with archery,” said Rai.

“It is a great opportunity to come here and play. At home we call Lord’s the ‘Mecca of cricket’. It is a dream come true to come to such a historic venue.” Team mate Talukandar said holding the competition at Lord’s had put archery on the map in India.

“When I used to tell people that I did archery they didn’t know what it was, but since the Commonwealth Games at home, people know what it is now.

“When they heard the archery was at Lord’s that was when they became really interested in archery at the Olympics.” Rai also hoped England’s large Indian community would provide strong support. “I hope most of the Indian people here will come and see us. We don’t have many spectators in our

national tournaments so I hope spectators will come.

“Maybe they will come just to see Lord’s and then see the archery also. At home people will be watching because this is Lord’s.”

India’s preparations for the archery competition, which starts on Friday, have been interrupted by illness. Several team members fell sick due to the change in climate from the sweltering heat of India to cool, wet weather in the British capital, though they had tried to prepare for the changing conditions in training. “We have shot in very, very cold places.

We went to the border of India and China and it is very cold there,” said. Talukandar. “We went there because we thought it would be cold here.”—Reuters

19 TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

Wiggins win raises UK Olympic hopes Syrian athletes arrive in London

Taufik Hidayat

Lin and Hidayat set to resume rivalry at Games LONDON: China’s Olympic champion Lin Dan has been drawn on a collision course with bitter rival Taufik Hidayat in the men’s singles of the London Games’ badminton tournament.

Lin, dubbed “Super Dan” by adoring fans in China, will take on unheralded Irishman Scott Evans in his opening round before a potential round of 16 clash with Hidayat, who won gold for Indonesia at the 2004 Athens Games.

Second seed Lin and Hidayat shared a heated rivalry as they battled for supremacy in the middle of last decade, the pair exchanging barbs on and off the court. Hidayat, 30, defeated 29-year-old Lin for the 2005 world title and for gold at the Asian Games in Qatar the following year, but missed out on a re-match with the Chinese at Beijing due to a shock second-round loss after suffering a prolonged fever in the lead up to the tournament.

Hidayat will need to negotiate opening round pool matches against Spaniard Pablo Abian and Petr Koukal as part of the draw released yesterday to set up the grudge match against Lin. Olympic silver medallist Lee Chong Wei, the top seed in London, takes on world number 45 Ville Lang of Finland in his first-round match on the way to a likely round of 16 matchup with Indonesia’s world number six Simon Santoso.

Malaysian Lee, who was thrashed by Lin in the final at Beijing, is in a race against time to be fully fit for the July 28Aug. 5 tournament at the Wembley Arena after suffering an ankle injury dur-

ing a Thomas Cup match in May. Danish veteran and former world number one Peter Gade will play 57thranked Portuguese Pedro Martins as he bids to become the first non-Asian player to win an Olympic badminton gold since compatriot Poul-Erik Hoyer Larsen won the men’s singles at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

In the women’s draw, Canada’s Michelle Li has been thrown to the wolves as the first round opponent of China’s world champion Wang Yihan in the women’s singles.

World number one Wang is expected to battle with compatriots Wang Xin and Li Xuerui for gold, though fourth seed Saina Nehwal will bid to upset the Chinese apple-cart.

The 22-year-old Nehwal, who holds India’s hopes of a first Olympic badminton medal, must negotiate openinground pool matches against 65th-ranked Swiss Sabrina Jaquet and Belgium’s Lianne Tan before a likely round of 16 clash against 20th-ranked Dutchwoman Yao Jie. China’s world champion pairing of Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng should have little trouble advancing to the quarterfinals of the men’s doubles, while their leading women compatriots Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang should also advance without fuss.

Britain’s unseeded Chris Adcock and Imogen Bankier face a baptism of fire in the mixed doubles, however, drawn in the same pool as Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei, who beat them in the final at the world championships at Wembley Arena last year.—Reuters

Sally Pearson

LONDON: Britain basked in the glory of Bradley Wiggins’ historic triumph in cycling’s Tour de France yesterday and looked ahead with relish to more sporting success at the Olympics, boosting the nation’s hopes after a troubled buildup to the 2012 Games.

Olympic officials announced that Syria’s athletes had arrived to take part in the London Games, ending uncertainty over whether the nation under increasing international pressure for a bloody civil conflict would be officially represented.

In a reminder of logistical challenges facing London as it prepared to stage the greatest show on earth, commuters using the ageing metro system reported major delays and transport union RMT called for fresh, albeit limited, industrial action.

And Olympic chief Jacques Rogge reassured 11 million ticket-holders that the July 27-Aug. 12 Games would be safe, after the failure of private security firm G4S to provide enough guards provoked heated debate among politicians and in European media.

Thousands of extra soldiers were recruited to fill the gap at an event where security concerns are particularly high - 2012 is the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Munich attack by Palestinian militants that killed 11 Israeli Olympic team members.

Rogge paid tribute to the victims at a symbolic ceremony at the Athletes Village on Monday, although he has turned down repeated calls to mark the anniversary at the opening event. “We’re very confident that security will be very, very good,” Rogge told BBC, when asked about the G4S scandal. “I believe we have to move on. The problem has been identified, the problem has been addressed in a good way,” added the president of the International Olympic Committee.

Britain was rocked by suicide attacks on London’s transport system that killed 52 people in July 2005, the day after the city was awarded the 2012 Games.

A huge security operation, complete with rooftop missiles and costing around one billion pounds, has been staged, but the fact that security levels have not been raised points to confidence the Games are not being specifically targeted.

More than 16,000 athletes from 204 nations will contest medals across Britain at the Games, bringing the thrill of victory and despair of defeat to millions of onlookers and billions more watching on screens around the world.

Household names like Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and US swimmer

LONDON: Enlarged images of Royal Mail’s Welcome to the London 2012 Olympics stamps are displayed at Potters Fields. The postal service says it will issue a stamp honoring every member of Team GB who wins a gold medal during the Games. It is promising to have them on sale within 24 hours of the athlete’s victory. —AP Michael Phelps will seek to steal the limelight with more titles and world records, although question marks over the runner’s fitness, specifically a tight hamstring, linger.

More obscure but no less dramatic is the promised attendance of Libyan Olympic Committee President Nabil Elalem, who will be in London after being freed on Sunday a week after being seized by gunmen in Tripoli.

Syria will be represented, although Pere Miro, in charge of relations with national Olympic committees, told Reuters that some officials had decided not to come, avoiding potential embarrassment given the condemnation of the tactics being used by President Bashar al-Assad to try to halt the uprising.

The signs yesterday were that, after a negative buildup to the Olympics by Britain’s notoriously caustic media, the feel-good factor had arrived at last.

Even the weather obliged - the sprawling Olympic Park in a once poor quarter of east London where many medals will be fought for across myriad venues basked in uninterrupted sunshine following an unseasonably wet June and early July.

Newspaper front pages and radio and television programmes were full of Wiggins’ Tour de France win, the first British victory in what is billed as the world’s most prestigious race. And with fellow Briton Mark Cavendish

sprinting to the stage win along the Champs Elysees in Paris, attention turned to their chances of winning home cycling golds at the Games.

Cavendish, who will contest one of the first medal events in London on Saturday, was in bullish mood. “I’m very ready for the Olympics now,” he said after his stage win in Paris. “We’re going to have an incredibly strong team and we’re not just going to the Games to see how it goes.”

In another nod to British success on two wheels, four-time Olympic track cycling gold medallist Chris Hoy will carry the British flag at the opening athletes’ parade.

Yesterday, the Olympic torch made its way around the capital and completes its journey on Friday evening when the cauldron is lit, symbolising the start to the Games at a ceremony expected to be a more intimate affair than the 2008 Beijing extravaganza.

That promises to be a “wow moment”, British Olympic Association chief executive Andy Hunt said at the weekend, with the identity of the privileged role of lighter and even the location of the cauldron still a closely-guarded secret.

In the afternoon the torch goes to Wimbledon where Andy Murray, this year’s men’s runner-up at the grand slam event, will carry it on to Centre Court and hand it to former women’s

Mitcham on top of the rings already

Rivals will need run of their lives to beat me — Pearson TONBRIDGE: Australia’s Sally Pearson has fired a warning to her rivals that they will need to run the best races of their lives if they want to beat her to gold in the 100 metres hurdles at the London Olympics. Last year’s IAAF world athlete of the year, Pearson lost for the first time in 2012, and only the second time in the last two years, in her last outing at the London Grand Prix earlier this month when she was beaten by American Kellie Wells. The world champion, who won 15 of 16 races in a dominant 2011, dismissed the loss as a blip and said she was itching to get back out onto the track.

“It was not a shock at all, people probably thought it was a shock because I got second but the only shock to me was how badly I ran the race,” she told a news conference at the Australian training camp at Tonbridge School yesterday.

“I look at it like, if I can a race that badly and they can only just beat me, when I run a good race, they’re not going to stand a chance.” The 25-year-old Queenslander said a fall in her warm-up run for the heats had disrupted her day. “I think that really shocked me and put me back a bit,” she said.

“These things happen and I was a bit sore going into the final and a bit stiff in the back.

It wasn’t a good day in the office.”

Pearson said she had undergone treatment on her back last week but was fit and “clawing at the walls” to get back hurdling on Monday for the first time since her Crystal Palace defeat. “We’re elite athletes and we’re

training for the Olympics,” she said. “If you don’t have any little niggles with your body, you’re probably not pushing yourself that hard. “I’m trying to push myself to the limit and your body just has to try and keep up with it.” Pearson, who won silver in Beijing four years ago, said she saw the American trio of Wells, Olympic champion Dawn Harper and Lolo Jones as her biggest rivals.

Wells’s winning time at the London Grand Prix was 12.57 seconds and Pearson, who ran 12.28 to win the world title in Daegu last year, said she would have to do considerably better than that to take the Olympic gold medal.

“I can’t guarantee a win but I do know that when I’m at my best, I’ll be hard to beat,” she said. “Those girls will have to shave off considerable time from their personal bests to challenge me because me and my coach Sharon are going to do everything we can to get back into the 12.2s again.

“I’m definitely capable of doing it, it’s just a matter of doing it on the day and those girls have a big job to do if they want to get anywhere near those times.”

Wells celebrated her victory at Crystal Palace with a jig on the track but Pearson said there would be no repeat after the hurdles final at the Olympic Stadium on Aug. 7.

“That’s Kellie, she’s a really nice person and she really makes me laugh all the time,” she said. “Who know what she’ll do at the Olympics but she definitely won’t be dancing the dance because she won’t have gold.” —Reuters

LONDON: Australian diving champion Matthew Mitcham put himself literally on top of the Olympic rings yesterday by clambering up a giant set in the athletes village to have his picture taken as dawn broke over London.

The 10-metres platform gold medallist, the only non-Chinese to win a diving gold in Beijing, sent out a stunning photograph on his Twitter feed (@matthew_mitcham) and later told reporters he was having a great time.

So much so, that he was having a rethink about his future. “In the leadup to these Games, and all the struggles that I’ve been going through with the physical side of things and all that, I had pretty much decided this was going to be my last Olympic Games,” said the 24-year-old at a news conference. “But as soon as I got there that all went out of the window,” he grinned.

“The Olympics is really addictive ... there’s nothing like it and I remember saying in Beijing that I never want to miss another Olympic Games again. And I had forgotten that until I got here.

“I never want to miss another Olympic Games again.” Mitcham missed last year’s world championships in Shanghai,where the Chinese won all the diving golds, due to injury and spent much of the enforced downtime making sure he was in the right frame of mind for London.

That has meant immersing himself in sports psychology, mentally training himself even if he could not work out physically.

“I am confident that I am going to compete well,” he said. “I am pretty confident that I can put together a

good Olympic performance.”

Divers, as Mitcham’s Village photograph demonstrated, are among those least likely to suffer from vertigo but the mental side is crucial.

Mitcham said he had been seeing a sports psychologist once or twice weekly for more than a year.

He has been working on all areas of his life and ensuring he has the right balance between the sport and the social as well as personal development.

The mental work has also helped with the age-old Australian tradition of taunting the Brits, something that comes with the territory more than ever in London, and Mitcham has been doing his homework. Last February, at a test event, he accused British diving posterboy Tom Daley of wanting to have his cake and eat it by trying to reduce the burden of expectation while reaping the rewards of high-profile sponsorships.

“I think we always want to stick it to the Poms,” Mitcham grinned yesterday. His position going into the competition was much more comfortable than Daley’s, he added.

“I think people really underestimate how much it can affect you, having the weight of expectation,” said Mitcham. “Some athletes deal with that much better than others.

“The Chinese divers will certainly have a lot of that expectation as well because they will be going for their lucky number eight-eight gold medals in all of diving-so they will have an incredible amount of pressure on their backs as well. “I feel quite grateful that because of all these injuries a lot of that expectation has been lifted. I am in an underdog position, which I am not disappointed about at all.” —Reuters

Olympic tennis champion Venus Williams of the United States.

With four days to go until the opening ceremony, transport disruptions across London were a reminder that there were still significant threats to a smooth run-in.

Severe delays hit three of the main rail links to the Olympic Park on Monday morning and labour union RMT announced industrial action by staff in some parts of the city’s old and often creaking transport system to coincide with the Games.

Problems on the underground Central and Jubilee Lines were compounded by delays on a key overground link, and passengers rolled their eyes in disbelief at announcements explaining the reasons for their woes.

“This is going to be brilliant for the Olympics,” said one passenger on the crowded but at least functioning Northern Line, to laughter from travellers packed into carriages like sardines. Olympics minister Hugh Robertson admitted that transport in London during the Games was a challenge, but added: “Can I absolutely guarantee sitting here today that it will be faultless?

No, because this is a huge, huge city.

Many millions of people are going to work every day and to do other things. Can I assure you that we think we’ve done everything possible to make it work? Yes, I can.”—Reuters

Chris Hoy

Hoy to carry British flag at opening ceremony LONDON: Chris Hoy, whose four Olympic gold medals and host of world titles earned him a knighthood, will claim another honor on Friday when he will become the first cyclist to carry the British flag at the London Games opening ceremony.

Hoy carried the flag at the 2008 Games closing ceremony after his triple-gold medal track cycling haul, and will be competing in his fourth Games having also won gold in 2004 and silver in 2000.

“I’m absolutely delighted and honoured to have been voted as the flag bearer,” Hoy said in a statement. “To lead out your team at a home Olympics is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity and one that I can’t wait to experience in just a few days’ time.”

It is also something of a compensation for Hoy after he discovered last week he will not be able

to defend his individual sprint title after selectors opted for Jason Kenny following a change of rules allowing only one rider per country per event.

Hoy, 36, was selected to carry the flag after a vote by all members of Britain’s 542-member Olympic team and he will defend his Keirin and team sprint titles in London.

Brian Cookson, president of British Cycling, said: “Chris has been an outstanding ambassador to the sport of cycling throughout his extensive career and we’re proud that he is a fellow member of British Cycling. “To have Chris carry the flag on behalf of Great Britain is another milestone in the success of cycling in Britain.” The announcement caps a great two days for British cycling after Bradley Wiggins, who will also race on the road in London, became the first Briton to win the Tour de France. —Reuters

Cibulkova wins Carlsbad Open

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

17

Wiggins win raises UK Olympic hopes

19

Olympics mascots: menacing or magic?

Page 18

BRONX: Paris Saint-Germain’s Peguy Luyindula (center) in action against Chelsea’s Ivanovic Branislav during a friendly match at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. — AFP

Chelsea held by PSG, Terry gets ovation NEW YORK: John Terry ran onto the field in the 63rd minute, back in his familiar blue Chelsea kit instead of a business suit.

Thousands of Blues supporters behind the first-base dugout rose to their feet and cheered. Nine days after his acquittal in London on racism charges, the Chelsea captain was given a warm welcome back from his club’s fans during the European champions’ 1-1 friendly draw against Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday night in the first football game at new Yankee Stadium.

“It felt very good,” Terry said after the game, giving a “thumbs-up” and then walking away from media. Terry was acquitted of a “racially aggravated public order offense” on July 13 in Westminster Magistrates’ Court, accused of making racist remarks to Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand during a Premier League game last October. The 31-year-old defender still could face charges from England’s Football Association.

“John will always be a hero for Chelsea fans. Quite rightly so, the way he’s done on the pitch,” midfielder Frank Lampard said.

Terry was stripped of his English national team captaincy by the FA in February after he was charged, a move that prompted national team coach Fabio Capello to quit.

“He’s come through the ranks of our club and he’s an icon.

He’s just happy he can move on and play football again,” Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo said.

A matchup of two of the world’s wealthiest clubs featured 20 substitutions and drew a crowd of 38,202 to the $1.5 billion granite-and-limestone stadium, which opened in 2009.

An overwhelmingly blue-clad, pro-Chelsea crowd made Yankee Stadium feel a bit like London’s Stamford Bridge, with six sections of loud Blues supporters behind the first-base dugout, opposite five rows of PSG fans at the front of the leftfield bleachers.

Chelsea fans hung the familiar “JT Captain, Leader, Legend” and “Born Is The King” banners from the back wall of the Legends Suite section behind the Yankees dugout.

Nene put PSG ahead in the 30th minute after Javier Pastore dribbled around a defender and sent a shot off Petr Cech’s near post. The ball rebounded to Nene, whose shot went in off a leg of defender David Luiz Lucas Piazon, an 18-year-old Brazilian forward who signed last year but has yet to play a competitive match for Chelsea, entered in the 65th and leveled the score in the 82nd after exchanging passes with Ramires on a counterattack down the right flank.

“He’s definitely one to watch for the future,” Di Matteo said.

One of the world’s most expensive stadiums hosted two of the planet’s highest-spending clubs. Chelsea has won three Premier League titles since Roman Abramovich took control in 2003 and last May added its first Champions League crown.

Football’s ante was upped when Manchester City was bought in 2008 Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment, and that team won its first Premier League title in 40 years last season.

Then PSG was purchased last year by the Qatar Investment Authority, which last winter hired coach Carlo Ancelotti shortly after he was fired by Chelsea.

PSG has added Ezequiel Lavezzi, Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic this summer, even as UEFA has been phasing in Financial Fair Play rules, designed to prevent teams from operating at a huge loss.

“Chelsea was one of the best teams in Europe, and Paris Saint-Germain wants to be one of the best teams in Europe,” Ancelotti said. “To reach the highest level in Europe, you have to spend money. You have to do investment. Chelsea made this investment 10 years ago, and they are at the top. Paris Saint-Germain started last year. We want to be quickly at the top of European football.”

Only Lavezzi has appeared during the preseason, with Ibrahimovic scheduled to report Tuesday following his acquisition from AC Milan.

“It’s good for Ligue 1 and for the Champions League. I’m sure they’re going to be a force,” Di Matteo said. “These things happen to football now, and people take over and they invest a lot of money.”

With a relatively old squad, Chelsea is in transition. Eden Harzard and Marko Marin have been added while Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and Jose Boswinga have departed following a sixth-place Premier League finish that went along with the surprising Champions League title.

Chelsea was without Fernando Torres, Juan Mata, Raul Meireles and Daniel Sturridge, all players who figure to see regular action this season. They missed appearing on a field that was slightly narrow and short by European standards. The infield dirt, basepaths and mound area were covered with grass, which will be removed before the Yankees return home to start a series against Boston on Friday. Most of the stands were 20-30 yards from the sidelines. It was strange for many seeing a football field in a stadium built for baseball. “I couldn’t quite imagine how it was going to happen,” Lampard said. — AP

South Africa crush England

LONDON: South Africa achieved one of the most comprehensive wins in Test history when they beat England by an innings and 12 runs in the first Test at the Oval yesterday but captain Graeme Smith and coach Gary Kirsten pledged they would not take England lightly in the remaining two matches.

South Africa bowled out England twice on a pitch which gave minimal help to the bowlers. They lost only two wickets themselves in piling up a massive 637 for two in their only innings, with man of the match Hashim Amla hitting a South African record 311 not out.

It was an especially surprising margin because England were on top on the first day when they scored 267 for three.

Dale Steyn was South Africa’s hero on Monday, taking three wickets in 16 deliveries with the second new ball as England were bowled out for 240 on the final day. The fast bowler finished with five for 56 to justify his ranking as the world’s leading Test bowler.

The win took South Africa a big step towards earning the number one ranking in Test cricket which they will achieve if they defeat current number ones England in the series. The second Test starts at Headingley in Leeds on August 2.

Smith said in a television interview before flying back to Cape Town to be with his wife for the birth of the couple’s first child: “It’s an extremely proud moment for all of us in our team.”

But he added: “We are going to Headingley and the conditions will be very different and we understand it will be a very different Test match.”

Kirsten hailed a “great performance” by his

LONDON: The last wicket of England’s James Anderson (second right) falls to South Africa’s Imran Tahir (left) during the fifth day of the first cricket Test match at the Oval cricket ground.. — AP team. “We think that we can go out and play very tough to get into Test match intensity cricket like that on a regular basis, rather than mode playing first-class cricket.

“It’s a very different game. We had 18 days that being a one-off Test match.

“I’m not saying we’ll be 650 for two again together as a unit, we tried a couple of differbut we feel that we can put in really good per- ent things and I thought the guys came into formances on a daily basis.” Responding to this match mentally fresh.”

Kirsten said, though, that the team’s job South Africa’s apparent shortage of preparation ahead of the Test, Kirsten said: “The only was only a third complete. “We’ve got a great way you can prepare effectively for Test match respect for the England cricket team. We know cricket is to play Test match cricket because it’s they will try and bounce back. We’re not going

to take anything for granted.” England captain Andrew Strauss gave credit to South Africa.

“We were outplayed in the last four days of the game. We set the game up well on the first day. South Africa used the conditions to their advantage on day two and they never let us back into the game.” But Strauss pledged that England would bounce back.

“There are a number of areas where we are frustrated...there are regrets but we will learn the lessons and come back strong next week.”

One of Strauss’ regrets was that England were unable to come out of the game with a draw. He said losing four wickets on the fourth afternoon was a disappointment.

“I suppose South Africa had a bit of a psychological advantage with us having been in the field for a period of time. We did not react well enough to that and that leaves a sour taste in the mouth.” He said he had faith in the bowlers despite their lack of success at the Oval.

“Our bowling attack has huge reserves of confidence. They have taken 20 wickets pretty much every time they have played for the last two years and this game doesn?t change that for me.”

Ian Bell led determined resistance by England, who lost only one wicket in almost three hours on Monday before Matt Prior was caught at slip off leg-spinner Imran Tahir shortly before the second new ball was due.

The new ball was taken immediately after the afternoon drinks break and it brought success for Steyn, who had Bell caught at second slip for 55 off his second delivery.

Bell had defied the South African bowlers for four and a half hours, facing 220 balls. The rest of the batting crumbled rapidly. — AFP

SCOREBOARD LONDON: Final scoreboard on the fifth day of the first Test between England and South Africa at the Oval yesterday.

England, first innings, 385 (Cook 115, Prior 60, Morkel 4-72) South Africa, first innings, 637-2 dec (Amla 311 no, Kallis 181 no, Smith 131) England, second innings (overnight 102-4): A. Strauss c Philander b Imran Tahir 27 A. Cook c De Villiers b Philander 0 J. Trott c De Villiers b Steyn 10 K. Pietersen b Morkel 16 I. Bell c Kallis b Steyn 55 R. Bopara b Steyn 22 M. Prior c Kallis b Imran Tahir 40 T. Bresnan not out20 S. Broad c De Villiers b Steyn 0 G. Swann c Petersen b Steyn 7 J. Anderson lbw b Imran Tahir 4 Extras (b11, lb15, nb12, w1)39 Total (97 overs) 240 Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Cook), 2-32 (Trott), 3-57 (Pietersen), 4-67 (Strauss), 5-117 (Bopara), 6203 (Prior), 7-210 (Bell), 8-210 (Broad), 9-218 (Swann) Bowling: Morkel 16-0-41-1 (1nb, 1w), Philander 19-6-29-1 (1nb), Steyn 21-6-56-5, Imran Tahir 32-7-63-3 (6nb), Kallis 7-1-22-0, Duminy 2-1-3-0 Result: South Africa won by an innings and 12 runs Series: South Africa lead the three-match series 1-0

South Korea’s June crude imports from Iran drops Page 22

Greece gears for EU-IMF scrutiny as crisis unravels Page 23

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

Japan economy faces downside risks: Govt Page 25

Maruti stock sinks after riot shuts India factory Page 24

MADRID: Government employees demonstrate against the Spanish government’s austerity measures, in the center of Madrid, yesterday. —AFP

Spanish bailout fears stalk markets Euro plunges to 2-year low, Wall Street plummets

LONDON: Stocks took a battering while the euro slid to a two-year low against the dollar yesterday as fears over Europe’s debt crisis returned to haunt markets.

Spain is the epicenter of the current bout of fears, with investors increasingly concerned that the country will not be able to turn its public finances around without outside help. The Dow Jones industrial average plunged more than 220 points in early trading. The price of crude oil dropped more than $3.50 per barrel to below $90, and yields for US government bonds sank to record lows, a sign that traders were seeking the safety of American debt.

A ban on short-selling by Italy and Spain- whereby investors are prohibited from selling stocks they don’t already own helped contain the fallout on the Milan and Madrid exchanges but did little to encourage traders elsewhere.

The catalyst to the day’s dramatic falls was the sharp increase in the yield on

Spain’s benchmark 10-year bond to well above 7 percent. If it remains around that level, investors believe the euro-zone’s fourth-largest economy will likely need a financial rescue like Greece, Ireland and Portugal. Spain’s 10-year borrowing rate rose 0.23 percentage points yesterday to 7.45 percent - its highest level since the euro was established in 1999. “Those levels indicate that Spain may soon struggle to fund itself in the market and therefore unless some positive action is taken the country will need a full bailout,” said Gary Jenkins, managing director of Swordfish Research.

Coupled with worries that the financial firewall Europe has built up to deal with its debt crisis is insufficient and growing concerns of the financial health of regions within Spain, markets have started the week on a sour note.

In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was down 2.2 percent at 5,530 while Germany’s DAX fell 3.4 percent

to 6,402. The CAC-40 in France was 2.9 percent lower at 3,102.

The stock markets in Spain and Italy recovered from earlier lows following the short-selling bans, with Madrid’s IBEX down 2.3 percent and Milan’s FTSE MIB 3.1 percent lower. Though Spain is at the forefront of concerns at the moment, investors are worried that Italy will also struggle with its debts. Its 10-year yield was up 0.28 percentage points to 6.35 percent.

The wave of selling was not just confined to Europe. In the US, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 1.7 percent at 12,604 while the broader S&P 500 index fell 1.6 percent to 1,340.

The euro was also under pressure, trading 0.6 percent lower at $1.2087. Earlier it had fallen to $1.2066, its lowest level since June 2010. The euro has also fallen to a near 12-year low against the yen. “What participants will be looking for in order to reverse euro selling is a catalyst, and, so far, finding one that will be net positive could

prove to be as well hidden as Spain’s outlook looks fragile,” said David White, a trader at Spreadex.

A forecast from a Chinese central bank adviser that China’s economy could wane further in the third quarter also deepened concerns about the global slowdown.

China’s economic growth slowed to a three-year low of 7.6 percent in the second quarter.

Japan’s Nikkei fell 1.9 percent to 8,508.32 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dived 3 percent to 19,053.47. China’s Shanghai Composite Index shed 1.3 percent to 2,141.40. South Korea’s Kospi dropped 1.8 percent to 1,789.44.

Investors are awaiting quarterly financial results from industry bellwethers around the world - from tech giants Apple, Amazon and Facebook, to automakers and energy firms.

Oil prices took a hit, too, as investors fretted over Europe’s debt woes and the global economy, with the benchmark New York rate down $3.65 a barrel at $88.18. —AP

Gulf edges toward closer economic ties Monetary union unlikely in next 5 years: Analysts

DUBAI: In April this year, a queue of thousands of trucks built up at the Al-Ghuwaifat border crossing between the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Weary drivers ate and slept in their cabs, some for as long as several days, because of a slow customs clearance process.

It took several weeks to reduce the logjam to normal levels. The incident underlined the difficulties faced by the six rich oil exporting countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as they edge toward closer economic integration. Saudi Arabia, the biggest Arab economy, is leading moves toward political and economic cooperation, which it believes would give the mostly Sunni-led monarchies of the Gulf more power to withstand any confrontation with Shiite Iran.

Closer business ties within the GCC, which consists of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain and has a combined annual output of about $1.4 trillion, could have big repercussions for companies and consumers. Projects already underway or under study include a customs union, a joint value-added tax and even the introduction of a single currency.

But there are large obstacles to closer integration, including bureaucratic and administrative inefficiencies, as in the case of the border crossing, as well as old rivalries and a desire among smaller Gulf states to retain their autonomy.

Even the countries’ wealth sometimes becomes an obstacle; with economies already growing robustly, there is less incentive to make radical changes to achieve faster growth.

“We will not see any picking up the speed on going into the monetary union any time soon,” said Abdulkhaleq Abdullah, a political scientist in the UAE. “Having said this, it does not mean that the GCC is not going to pick up other aspects of integration and speed up coordination and cooperation at other levels. I see the customs union speeding up in the future.”

Customs Union The GCC launched a customs union - a free trade area with a common external tariff - in 2003; this has largely been successful in removing overt trade barriers within the bloc.

But the full functioning of the project has been delayed by disagreements over a formula on how to divide customs revenues between the governments. In June, the GCC set up a customs union authority to complete the revenue-sharing debate.

“They have the deadline of 2014 to finish everything. Distribution of customs revenues is the main thing,” said a Gulf official familiar with the process. “It’s more about how to solve it, the distribution and rates.” Options include dividing revenue from customs according to the level of imports, population

or the share of gross domestic product of individual countries, a GCC official said in October. Labor movement is free for GCC citizens, but this is less important than it might seem since so many workers in the Gulf are expatriates, brought in to man oil rigs and retail and service businesses. Migrant workers from other countries made up around 40 percent of the total GCC population of 47 million, according to a United Nations estimate for mid-2010.

No more than 21,000 GCC nationals are employed in a GCC state other than their country of origin, a 2011 study on Gulf labor mobility showed. “The region is adopting a model which supports full mobility amongst its citizenry,” Zahra Babar, a project manager at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar, wrote in the research paper.

“However, there are no parallel steps being taken to construct a supranational mechanism for addressing other forms of movement to the region.”

Other GCC projects have also run into headwinds. For six years, Gulf countries have been considering whether to introduce a value-added tax, perhaps at a unified rate of 5 percent, in order to cut their reliance on oil income. The countries would need to launch the tax simultaneously around the region to prevent a shift of consumer spending to untaxed areas.

Talks have bogged down in the technical

stage, however, and a date to introduce the tax remains undecided. With Brent crude oil around $100 a barrel, some $20 above the price which most GCC countries need to balance their budgets, there is little immediate need for governments to raise more revenue.

“It’s always when oil prices are up, nobody talks about the VAT,” said a Gulf government official who declined to be named because he is not authorized to speak publicly. “I do not see any new taxes coming in the next two or three years.” Similarly, some firms hope the GCC will harmonize its financial market rules and bank licensing procedures; this could encourage more flows of capital around the region and help Gulf financial institutions grow by expanding into new markets.

So far, however, the Gulf remains a patchwork of different regulatory and licensing regimes. With the region awash in oil money, there is no pressing need to boost capital inflows.

The GCC’s most ambitious economic integration project, creating a single currency, looks unlikely to move ahead for the foreseeable future. In theory, monetary union could encourage a fresh wave of trade and investment around the region. Although intra-GCC trade soared to $65.4 billion in 2010 from $19.8 billion in 2003, official data show, that is still only a small fraction of the GCC’s total trade volume of nearly $1.3 trillion last year.— Reuters

Gulf markets drop; Kuwait pares gains MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS DUBAI: Stock markets across the Gulf slipped yesterday, either reversing gains or extending losses from the previous session, as disappointing earnings and seasonal factors weighed.

Kuwait’s index gave back the previous day’s gains, with National Industries Group (NIG)slumping 4 percent after it asked creditors for a four-year extension on a $475 million Islamic bond, due to mature in August.

Ratings agency Moody’s said it had placed NIG’s ratings under review for a possible downgrade.

Boubyan Bank slipped 1.6 percent.

National Bank of Kuwait disclosed it will raise its stake in Boubyan to 58.34 percent from 47.3 percent currently, following the closure of the tender offering period and pending final approval from the Capital Market Authority (CMA). In Dubai, Emirates NBD, the emirate’s biggest lender, slipped 3 percent after reporting a decline in quarterly net profit due to higher costs linked to its Dubai Bank merger.

The company said second-quarter profit fell 13 percent to 647 million dirhams ($176.1 million) in the three months to June 30. Provisions fell for the second straight quarter after hitting the bank’s top line heavily in 2011. “Although provisions remained high, they were slightly toned down, leaving lacklustre top-line performance as the major reason behind weakened net income,” Naveed Ahmed, analyst at Global Investment House said in a note.

Shares in Emirates NBD are down over 8 percent year-todate. Dubai’s bourse ended 1.5 percent lower yesterday, down for a third straight session. Real estate heavyweight Emaar Properties fell 2.2 percent. Total shares traded on the Dubai bourse were under 60 million, higher than Sunday’s session but still indicative of seasonal factors such as the holy month of Ramadan and a summer slowdown.

“The whole market followed ENBD’s trend,” said a Dubaibased analyst who asked not to be identified. “Volumes are low though and don’t expect a major change this season.”

In Saudi Arabia, Sunday’s gains were reversed as petrochemical stocks came under selling pressure, led by heavyweight Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) which slipped 3.1 percent.

Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical fell 1.7 percent, underperforming the broader sector index which retreated 1.4 percent. “Oil price worries are back on the table plus global economic woes continue. It’s basically just no good news,” said Muhammad Faisal Potrik, research analyst at Riyad Capital. “Results season is over-petchems have been disappointing and banks performed better in Q2, but there is no real excitement right now especially with Ramadan here.

Market activity is subdued.”

The index ended 0.9 percent lower. Oil prices were down about 4 percent yesterday as investors sought to sell riskier assets and flee for the perceived safety of the dollar on fears that Spain will not be able to avoid a costly sovereign bailout.

All other Gulf bourses ended lower. Qatar’s index slipped 0.2 percent, down for a second session in three since last week’s six-week high, while Abu Dhabi’s measure slipped 0.1 percent. Egypt’s benchmark was flat. — Reuters

22

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

BUSINESS

South Korea’s June crude imports from Iran drop

Other Middle East producers step in to plug gap SEOUL: South Korea imported just over 176,000 barrels per day of Iranian crude oil in June, down about a quarter from a year ago, as shipments wound down ahead of a complete halt this month due to an EU ban on insuring tankers carrying Iranian oil.

The world’s No.4 buyer of Iranian crude imported 34.51 million barrels from Iran during the first six months of this year, down 17.1 percent from the same period a year ago, data from state -run Korea National Oil Corp showed yesterday. South Korea became the first major Asian consumer of Iranian crude to announce a halt to imports after the government said last month that shipments would be suspended from July 1 due to the European Union insurance ban.

South Korea imported 176,467 barrels per

day (bpd) of Iranian crude in June, compared with its combined term-agreements to import 200,000 bpd this year.

Of South Korea’s four refiners, only SK Energy and Hyundai Oilbank import Iranian crude.

The United States and the European Union accuse Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons, while Tehran says its program is strictly for civilian purposes.

The United States in June extended exemptions from its tough new sanctions on Iran’s oil trade to South Korea and six other economies. But the EU’s insurance ban makes it almost impossible to ship Iranian oil as most insurance is undertaken by EU-based companies.

To plug the Iranian supply cuts, South

CNOOC to buy Canada’s Nexen for $15.1bn SHANGHAI: Chinese offshore oil and gas giant CNOOC Ltd said yesterday it has agreed to buy Canadian producer Nexen Inc. for $15.1 billion in China’s biggest-ever overseas energy acquisition.

CNOOC and other big state-owned Chinese energy companies have stepped up purchases of oil and gas assets in the Americas in the past several years as part of a wider strategy aimed at securing access to resources needed to fuel China’s fast growing economy.

The offer of $27.50 a share is a premium of 60 percent to Nexen’s closing price Friday on the New York Stock Exchange. CNOOC said it expects the takeover to be finalized in the fourth quarter of this year, pending government approvals.

The companies had earlier set a strategic alliance that involved CNOOC investments in Nexen offshore wells in the Gulf of Mexico.

CNOOC said it planned to list its shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange as part of its longer term strategy.

Calgar y, Alber ta-based Nexen operates in Western Canada, as well as in the Gulf of Mexico, North Sea, Africa and the Middle East, with its biggest reserves in Canadian oil sands. It produced an average of 213,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day in the second quarter of this year.

“The acquisition reflects our strong belief in Nexen’s rich and diverse portfolio of assets and world-class management and employees,” Wang Yilin, CNOOC’s chairman, said in a statement.

The acquisition vastly expands CNOOC’s holdings in Canada, where the company has already invested about $2.8 billion. CNOOC said it plans to set up its regional headquarters in Calgary, retaining Nexen’s management team and staff while increasing the company ’s spending to develop the Canadian company ’s energy reserves. “ This transaction will allow for significant investment in our business and opens the door to new opportunities for our employees,” Kevin Reinhart, interim CEO of Nexen, said in a statement. — AP

Korea has turned to other Middle Eastern producers, including the world’s top exporter Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait and Qatar.

Shipments from Kuwait in the first six months rose 24.2 percent to 361,560 bpd, while those from Saudi Arabia rose 6.2 percent to 832,324 bpd.

Imports from the UAE decreased 1.3 percent to 247,830 bpd, the KNOC data showed.

January-June imports from Qatar rose 7 percent to 280,253 bpd. Unlike Japan, South Korea does not consider providing sovereign guarantees to insure Iranian oil shipments and get round the EU embargo. South Korea has, however, imposed curbs on exports of goods to Iran to reduce the risks of payment defaults. — Reuters

SEOUL: A currency trader reacts at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Korea Exchange Bank headquarters in Seoul yesterday. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 1.84 percent, or 33.49, to close at 1,789.44. —AP

UAE has no immediate need to issue bonds DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates has no immediate need to issue bonds to cover a small budget deficit this year as it can plug the shortfall from its own resources, the Gulf country’s finance minister was quoted as saying yesterday.

The comments by Finance Minister Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al-Maktoum, brother of Dubai’s ruler and his deputy, suggest that a longawaited debt law, which needs to be passed before the UAE can issue federal bonds, may not be imminent.

Until now the respective governments of some of the UAE’s seven emirates have issued bonds separately.

Debate on the new law is set to resume after the summer, Obaid Humaid Al-Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, told Reuters last month. The government could push the law through quickly if it wanted to issue a UAE bond.

“The government is not in a dire need for issuing bonds,” Sheikh Hamdan was quoted as saying in Al Ittihad newspaper yesterday.

“We don’t need to finance anything and we should be able to fill

the gap from our own resources,” he said.

Sheikh Hamdan rarely speaks to the media and his comments are the strongest indication yet that the UAE, which ran up its first deficit in seven years in 2011, does not plan to raise money to cover an expected shortfall this year.

In October, the UAE government approved a draft 2012 federal budget of 41.8 billion dirhams ($11.4 billion) with a projected shortfall of 400 million dirhams.

The new debt law is aimed at establishing a local debt market but it has been under discussion for more than two years and there is still no clear indication of when it will be passed.

The UAE’s federal budget accounts for 11 percent of overall government spending in the UAE. Spending by individual governments in the emirates makes up the rest.

The UAE ran an estimated deficit of 2.9 billion dirhams ($790 million) in 2011, according to a report by the International Monetary Fund based on government data, released in June. — Reuters

Dubai’s ENBD Q2 profit drops 13% on costs DUBAI: Emirates NBD, Dubai’s largest bank by market value, yesterday said quarterly profit fell 13 percent due to higher costs linked to its Dubai Bank merger, although the earnings still beat analysts forecasts.

The lender, 55.6-percent held by state-owned Investment Corporation of Dubai, said it had net profit of 647 million dirhams ($176.1 million) in the three months to June 30. That is down from 744 million dirhams in the same period last year. Analysts forecast average profit of 632.2 million dirhams, according to a Reuters poll.

Total costs rose 8 percent in the quarter to 894 million dirhams, which the bank attributed to the impact of Dubai Bank’s integration. Without it, costs fell 4 percent compared to the prior-year period.

ENBD took over Dubai Bank in October 2011, at the behest of Dubai’s ruler, after the lender needed a government rescue under the weight of impaired assets.

Provisions fell for the second straight quarter after hitting the bank’s top line heavily in the last six months of 2011. ENBD’s second quarter impairments were 954 million dirhams, down from 981 million dirhams in the second quarter last year. Profit for the first six

months of 2012 dropped 40 percent over the same period last year to 1.3 billion dirhams, ENBD said. The 2011 figure of 2.2 billion dirhams was boosted by a one-off gain from the sale of a stake in payment solutions provider Network International.

Operating profit for the first six months of the year climbed 52 percent, fuelled by a 22 percent jump in noninterest income over the period. The bank credited the rise higher banking fee income, a pickup in trade finance activity and increased foreign exchange and rates income.

Second quarter operating profit fell 15 percent to 651 million dirhams.

Non-interest income climbed by 2 percent in the second quarter, year-onyear. Loans and advances gained 2 percent from Dec. 30, 2011 levels, in the wake of flat growth in the first quarter.

Deposits rose 8 percent versus the end of 2011.

Lending in the wider United Arab Emirates’ banking system only grew by 0.3 percent in the first five months of the year, according to the latest figures from the country’s central bank.

Shares in ENBD have fallen 8.2 percent year-to-date, compared to the main Dubai index which has gained 12 percent. — Reuters

Qatar Holding adds to Xstrata stake in weak market LONDON: Qatar Holding, the secondlargest shareholder in takeover target Xstrata, has added to its stake in the miner, in its first purchase since it made an unexpected demand for better terms from suitor Glencore last month.

Qatar spent just under 5 million pounds ($7.8 million) to buy an extra 590,390 shares on Friday at 8.47

pounds each, according to a regulatory filing yesterday, taking its stake to 10.997 percent of the miner and building what is already the largest holding after commodities trader Glencore’s 34 percent.

Xstrata shares were trading at 8.18 pounds yesterday at 0915 GMT, down 2.7 percent, marginally above a 3.2 percent drop in the broader UK mining

sector, as fresh concerns over Europe weighed on the market.

Glencore, aiming to build a mining and trading powerhouse by tying up with Xstrata, is offering 2.8 new shares for every Xstrata share in a $26 billion offer. Qatar, which has largely built its stake since a takeover bid was announced in February, was expected to support Glencore but surprised the

market in June by demanding an improved ratio of 3.25. Glencore and Qatar are currently locked in talks.

Xstrata shareholders are due to vote on the deal on Sept 7, meaning, under UK rules, that Glencore has until around Aug 24 if it is to change the terms of the bid. It could do so later, but would have to reschedule the vote for a second time. — 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 Egyptian pounds

.2740000 .4350000 .3380000 .2810000 .2750000 .2880000 .0040000 .0020000 .0763380 .7437430 .3850000 .0720000 .7291070 .0430000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES US Dollar/KD .2812000 GB Pound/KD .4376740 Euro .3401960 Swiss francs .2832680 Canadian dollars .2766360 Danish Kroner .0457250 Swedish Kroner .0403250 Australian dlr .2896920 Hong Kong dlr .0362530 Singapore dlr .2232990 Japanese yen .0036040 Indian Rs/KD .0000000 Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 Pakistan rupee .0000000 Bangladesh taka .0000000 UAE dirhams .0765900 Bahraini dinars .7461850 Jordanian dinar .0000000 Saudi Riyal/KD .0750070 Omani riyals .7306740 Philippine Peso .0000000

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. ASIAN COUNTRIES

Japanese Yen Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Malaysian Ringgit

3.553 5.072 3.053 2.141 3.173 220.090 36.173 3.425 6.439 8.876 89.338

.2840000 .446000 .3490000 .2950000 .2840000 .2980000 .0070000 .0035000 .0771060 .7512180 .4050000 .0780000 .7364350 .0510000 .2833000 .4409420 .3427360 .2853830 .2787010 .0460670 .0406060 .2918560 .0365240 .2249660 .0036310 .0051020 .0021760 .0030130 .0034850 .0771620 .7517580 .4007070 .0755670 .7361310 .0067880

Saudi Riyal Qatari Riyal Omani Riyal Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham

GCC COUNTRIES 74.883 77.158 729.380 745.850 76.464

ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 48.250 Egyptian Pound - Transfer 46.466 Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.309 Tunisian Dinar 176.65 Jordanian Dinar 396.190 Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.884 Syrian Lier 4.899 Morocco Dirham 32.64 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 280.700 Euro 354.52 Sterling Pound 441.820 Canadian dollar 274.79 Turkish lire 152.400 Swiss Franc 295.01 US Dollar Buying 279.500 GOLD 293.000 148.000 75.250

20 Gram 10 Gram 5 Gram

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

SELL CASH

293.800 749.290 3.680 281.500 553.300 45.900 47.500 167.800 48.550 350.400 37.020 5.290 0.032 0.161 0.236 3.670 399.270 0.191 91.550 43.800 4.330 228.900 1.825

47.500 731.850 3.100 6.960 77.930 75.230 224.760 36.380 2.684 444.800 41.100 291.900 4.400 9.260 198.263 76.820 282.100 1.350

10 Tola

GOLD 1,690.000

Sterling Pound US Dollar

731.670 2.995 6.760 77.500 75.230 224.760 36.380 2.103 442.800 290.400 4.400 9.130 76.720 281.700

COUNTRY

SELL DRAFT

292.300 749.290 3.441 280.000

224.800 46.442 348.900 36.870 5.115 0.031

399.240 0.190 91.550 3.230 227.200

Australian Dollar Canadian Dollar Swiss Franc Euro US Dollar Sterling Pound Japanese Yen Bangladesh Taka Indian Rupee Sri Lankan Rupee Nepali Rupee Pakistani Rupee UAE Dirhams Bahraini Dinar Egyptian Pound Jordanian Dinar Omani Riyal Qatari Riyal Saudi Riyal

TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 442.800 281.700

SELL DRAFT

297.42 283.25 290.54 346.86 282.00 444.26 3.67 3.452 5.049 2.161 3.175 2.990 76.85 750.87 46.52 401.76 733.93 77.87 75.41

SELL CASH

294.00 282.00 288.00 344.00 282.85 442.50 3.63 3.580 5.295 2.380 3.650 3.150 77.35 750.00 48.10 399.00 736.00 78.00 75.65

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd Rate for Transfer

US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro

Selling Rate

281.150 282.590 442.285 343.910

Swiss Frank Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupees Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Cyprus pound Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees Malaysian Ringgit

286.130 746.985 76.796 77.445 75.205 397.730 46.478 2.140 5.108 2.993 3.448 6.736 692.115 4.590 8.985 4.395 3.280 88.795

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co.

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY

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

Rate per 1000 (Tran)

US Dollar Pak Rupees Indian Rupees Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso UAE Dirhams Saudi Riyals Bahraini Dinars Egyptian Pounds Pound Sterling Indonesian Rupiah Nepali rupee Yemeni Riyal Euro Canadian Dollars

282.200 2.988 5.125 2.110 3.446 6.790 76.935 75.410 750.200 46.498 446.700 2.990 3.205 1.550 352.000 285.000

Al Mulla Exchange Currency

US Dollar Euro Pound Sterling Canadian Dollar Japanese Yen Indian Rupee Egyptian Pound Sri Lankan Rupee Bangladesh Taka Philippines Peso Pakistan Rupee Bahraini Dinar UAE Dirham Saudi Riyal

Transfer Rate (Per 1000)

*Rates are subject to change

281.950 344.700 441.700 280.050 3.675 5.060 46.540 2.150 3.438 6.742 2.985 751.000 76.800 75.300

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

BUSINESS

Oil slides towards $103 on euro-zone fears LONDON: Oil prices slipped towards $103 a barrel yesterday as investors sold off riskier assets and fled for the perceived safety of the dollar on fears that Spain will not be able to avoid a costly sovereign bailout.

Brent crude was down $3.20 at $103.63 a barrel by 0852 GMT, after brushing an intra-day low of $102.95.

Brent had posted a fourth straight weekly gain in the previous session.

US crude fell $3.05 to $88.78 a barrel.

Oil followed equities and the euro lower on fears that Spain, the eurozone’s fourth-largest economy, may be forced to seek a lifeline from international lenders. Expectations are mounting that Murcia will join

Valencia in seeking financial assistance from the central government.

“There are fears this could be the beginning of a domino effect which ultimately leads to Spain having to join Greece, Portugal and Ireland in asking for an official rescue,” said Carsten Fritsch, energy analyst at Commerzbank in Frankfurt. “So far it is only the Spanish banking system that has asked for this help. But the spike in Spanish bond yields is indicating this.”

Spanish 10-year government bond yields hit their highest level since the euro was launched after weekend media reports that half a dozen local authorities were ready to follow in the footsteps of Valencia. Spain’s econo-

my contracted 0.4 percent in the second quarter, the central bank said yesterday.

The dollar strengthened 0.36 percent against a basket of currencies as investors and traders abandoned the euro. A stronger dollar puts pressure on commodities that are priced in dollars as it makes them more expensive.

Investors and traders were also reacting to weekend reports that the International Monetary Fund will not contribute any more monies to Greece as it thinks it unlikely Greece will be able to reduce its debt-to-GDP ratio to 120 percent by 2020. “ That has increased fears that Greece will go bankrupt in September

and have to leave the euro-zone,” said Fritsch. Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said on Sunday that his country was in a “Great Depression” similar to that of the United States in the 1930s. International lenders will arrive in Athens later this week to push for additional cuts needed for Greece to qualify for further rescue payments to keep it afloat.

Analysts said only supply side geopolitical risks could underpin oil prices, with a string of bomb attacks in Iraq and ongoing tensions with Iran, but in the current environment these are unlikely to prevent further price falls. “There is still a lot of correction potential in oil prices,” said Fritsch. “We

had risen some $10 in seven days up until last Thursday. That was purely driven by perceived supply side risk but there has been no real improvement in fundamentals.”

Iran has sent a new batch of enriched uranium to fuel a medical research reactor in its capital, the country’s nuclear chief said on Sunday, an indication that Tehran is digging in as its standoff with world powers over its nuclear program continues.

Meanwhile, firefighters in southeast Turkey on Saturday put out a fire on a pipeline carrying about a quarter of Iraq’s oil exports. It was unclear when oil would resume flowing, security sources said. — Reuters

Greece gears for EU-IMF probe as crisis unravels Auditors to seek answers from Athens

ATHENS: Greece returns to the EU-IMF operating table this week for a top-to-bottom appraisal that will determine whether its struggling economy will earn another cash injection to stay alive beyond the summer.

Auditors from the EU, International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank-the socalled troika of Greek creditors-return to Athens today seeking answers from the government on how to bring troubled structural reforms on track.

At stake are 11.5 billion euros in spending cuts in 2013-2014 which Greece was originally supposed to identify in June under agreements signed earlier this year, and a privatization drive that is months behind schedule.

The troika’s report will determine whether Greece will receive fresh loans of 31.5 billion euros ($38 billion) by September under its debt rescue program. Without this money, the Greek government will be unable to redeem maturing debt and keep up with salary and pension payments at home.

“The two months lying ahead are the most critical,” Development Minister Costis Hatzidakis warned on Sunday. “There is no room for delay...the country is in a state of emergency,” he told Ethnos daily. “If the current government fails, the next one will be a government of the drachma,” he said, referring to Greece’s former currency which many analysts warn that the crisis-hit country will eventually be forced to return to.

The new conservative-led government led

by Antonis Samaras had hoped to extend this

fiscal adjustment by at least two years, arguing that greater-than-foreseen recession has wrought havoc on planning and revenue collection. State income is over 1.5 billion euros short of target in the first six months of the year, the finance ministry said last week.

“Greece is now going through a crisis unprecedented in times of peace,” Samaras told former US president Bill Clinton who briefly visited Athens on Sunday to promote a private Greek-American investment initiative.

“We are already in the fifth year of a recession...it is our version of the Great Depression,” Samaras said. But fellow EU states and the IMF have told Greece that it is in no position to request a time extension at a time when pledged reforms are months behind schedule, partly because two elections were required to form a workable government in June.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble warned Greece in a newspaper interview yesterday that it must redouble efforts to comply with bailout conditions imposed by international creditors.

“If there were delays, Greece must make up for them,” he told the daily Bild.

He declined to predict whether Greece would remain in the euro-zone and said he would wait for new findings of the troika.

Adding further pressure, the ECB on Friday said it would no longer accept Greek sovereign bonds as collateral for bank loans until the end of the troika audit.

Faced with this opposition, Greek Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras has avoided all talk

of renegotiation at present. “Right now we need to secure an at least tolerable troika report by the end of August,” Stournaras told financial daily Imerisia on Saturday. “On this report we can base the request for interim assistance, until we get the loan instalment, and the request for an extension.”

“At this stage nothing can be taken for granted. Everything is under negotiation and unfortunately, much of what was agreed is not in an implementation phase,” the minister said.

The government plans to appease its EUIMF creditors with a redoubled privatization drive. Prime Minister Samaras is also expected to release yesterday a list of state entities that will be merged to save costs, Greek news reports said. But according to the former head of Greece’s privatization fund Costas Mitropoulos, who resigned last week, asset sales this year are unlikely to exceed 300 million, compared to an annual target of 3.0 billion. Mitropoulos, who has agreed to remain at his post until August 10, acknowledged that the program was at least three months behind schedule.

He said the fund had managed to conclude four privatizations worth 1.8 billion euros ($2.2 billion) in eleven months of operation, compared to an overall five-year target of 28 projects wor th 19 billion euros.

Mitropoulos’ resignation was the third to hit the government in a month, after the junior ministers for labor and shipping had previously bowed out. — AFP

McDonald’s profit hit by strong dollar

MADRID: Government employees demonstrate against the Spanish government’s austerity measures, in the center of Madrid yesterday. Spain does not need a full bailout, the economy minister said yesterday even as its long-term borrowing costs soared dangerously higher and figures showed the economy shrinking even faster. — AFP

Halliburton Q2 profit flat, still tops estimates NEW YORK: Halliburton Co’s net income was flat in the second quarter as a slowdown in North American drilling offset an increase internationally.

The Houston oil and natural gas services firm yesterday reported net income of $737 million, or 79 cents per share, from April to June. That compared with $739 million, or 80 cents per share, for the same period of 2011. Revenue increased 22 percent to $7.23 billion.

Excluding charges from discontinued operations, Halliburton earned 80 cents per share in the quarter. Analysts, who typically exclude special charges, were expecting earnings of 75 cents on revenue of $6.93 billion, according to FactSet. Halliburton provides a range of services for the petroleum industry. It helps them analyze underground oil and gas deposits, and it can rent them specialized equipment for drilling and maintaining underwater wells. Halliburton also is a major provider of hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” services that unlock oil and natural gas from underground shale deposits.

Chairman and CEO Dave Lesar said the company benefited in the second quarter from an increase in overseas drilling projects. The number of rigs operating internationally rose by 3 percent in the quarter, and company revenues increased in Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

But the opposite was happening at home. Many petroleum companies cut back on drilling in North America following a plunge in U.S. natural gas prices.

Rig activity declined 17 percent in North America, Lesar said, and that cut into contract revenues. Also, Lesar said profits declined in North America because of a shortage of guar gum - a material used in the fracking process.

The shortage has driven guar gum prices higher this year, and that’s hurt Halliburton’s bottom line.

North America is Halliburton’s biggest market, and profits there declined by 14 percent in the second quarter. They increased 83.7 percent everywhere else.

Shares rose by 17 cents, or less than 1 percent, to $30.60 per share in premarket trading. —AP

NEW YORK: McDonald’s Corp said its net income slipped 4 percent in the second quarter as a result of unfavorable currency exchange rates and a slowing global economy. The world’s biggest hamburger chain says global sales at restaurants open at least a year rose 3.7 percent for the quarter, with gains in every region of the world. But like other US companies, McDonald’s is finding itself pressured by the strong dollar.

When the US dollar is rising against the other world currencies, companies that do business internationally take a hit when converting local currencies back into the dollar. Although McDonald’s has thrived in recent years by rolling out popular new menu items at affordable prices, it’s nevertheless facing the same pressures from the global economy as the rest of the industry.

Looking ahead, analysts also worry that fast food chains will be hit with increasing costs for ingredients as a result of a severe drought in the Midwest that has pushed corn prices to record levels.

Although McDonald’s has thrived in recent years by rolling out popular new menu items at affordable prices, it’s nevertheless facing the same pressures from the global economy as the rest of the industry. Looking ahead, analysts also worry that fast food chains will be hit with increasing costs for ingredients as a result of a severe drought in the Midwest that has pushed corn prices to record levels.

Yesterday, McDonald’s said that revenue in July from restaurants open at least a year had slowed. The metric is a key indicator because it strips out the impact of newly opened or closed locations.

In the US, the Oak Brook, Ill. said the sales figure rose 3.6 percent, with new specialty drinks contributing to growth despite growing competition. In Europe, where McDonald’s does 40 percent of its business, the company said the figure rose 3.8 percent. In the region that includes Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, the figure rose 0.9 percent as results from Australia and China offset weakness in Japan.

For the three months ended June, McDonald’s says it earned $1.35 billion, or $1.32 per share.

That’s down from $1.4 billion, or $1.35 per share, in the year-ago period. McDonald’s said unfavorable currency exchange rates hit its results by 7 cents per share. Total revenue for the quarter was $6.92 billion, up slightly from $6.91 billion a year ago. When stripping out the impact of exchange rates, the company said revenue rose 5 percent.

Analysts polled by FactSet on average expected $1.38 per share on revenue of $6.94 billion.

Shares of McDonald’sMcDonald’s, which has 33,000 locations around the world, were down $1.73, or almost 2 percent, at $89.85. — AP

HONG KONG: A woman (left) asks about fish for sale at a wet market in Hong Kong yesterday. Overall consumer prices rose 3.7 percent last month from june 2011, the Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong said yesterday. — AFP

UK to make further $841m from Northern Rock sale LONDON: Britain will make a further 538 million pounds ($841 million)from the sale of failed lender Northern Rock to Richard Branson’s Virgin Money, the body set up to manage the government’s stakes in bailed-out banks said yesterday.

UK Financial Investments (UKFI) said that Britain’s finance ministr y had received a further 73 million pounds in cash from the sale, in addition to the 747 million received on completion.

The additional payment had been linked to Northern Rock’s net asset value on the completion date of January 1, 2012. Meanwhile, UK Asset Resolution, the body set up to wind down Northern Rock’s loans, has agreed to sell 465 million pounds of mortgage assets to Virgin Money, the banking arm of Branson’s Virgin Group, at par.

“These transactions are consistent with UKFI’s objective to manage the government investments commercially and to create and protect value for the taxpayer as shareholder,” said Keith Morgan, head of wholly owned invest-

ments at UKFI. The government could potentially receive more than 1 billion pounds in total from the Northern Rock sale, but that still represents a loss on the 1.4 billion pounds in equity pumped into the lender by taxpayers.

UKFI said that the deals bring the total cash proceeds from the sale of Northern Rock to 820 million pounds.

That is in addition to 150 million pounds of Tier 1 capital notes and a further cash payment of between 50 million and 80 million pounds if the business is floated or sold in the next five years.

Northern Rock, a former mutual that used cheap wholesale finance to grow aggressively in the mortgage market, rose to become Britain’s fifth-biggest provider of home loans by the middle of the past decade, claiming a place in the FTSE 100 share index.

But the group was starved of funding after banks stopped lending to each other in the 2007 credit crisis, triggering the first run on a British bank in decades and prompting the government to step in with emergency support. — Reuters

Moody’s downgrades Nokia credit rating, outlook negative HELSINKI: International ratings agency Moody’s yesterday downgraded the long-term debt of Nokia by two notches, to “Ba3”, cautioning the Finnish mobile phone giant would likely suffer even deeper than expected losses going forward.

“Nokia’s transition in the smartphone business will cause deeper operating losses and consequently cash consumption in the coming quarters than we had previously assumed,” the ratings agency said in a statement, adding that the outlook on all of Nokia’s ratings remained negative.

Moody’s had bumped Nokia to “junk” status in June, two months after the two other large ratings agencies, Standard and Poor’s and Fitch, but the drop to Ba3 places the Finnish mobile phone maker four notches below investment grade. Yesterday’s downgrade came

after Nokia last Thursday reported far worse-than-expected second quarter results, posting a net loss of 1.41 billion euros ($1.74 billion), about four times their loss of 368 million euros during the same period a year earlier and more than double the loss anticipated by analysts.

Nokia, which recently lost its ranking of 14 years as the world’s biggest mobile phone maker, dramatically changed its strategy a year and a half ago, deciding to phase out its Symbian smartphones in favor of a partnership with Microsoft. But Moody’s said it was disappointed with Nokia’s outlook and cautioned that its new Lumia smartphones, which the company is counting on to help it survive stiff competition from RiM’s Blackberry, Apple’s iPhone and handsets running Google’s Android platform, were loss-making. — AFP

MILAN: Stock index prices are displayed on a phone in Milan yesterday. The Italian stock market plunged more than 5.0 percent yesterday, echoing severe falls across European markets as Spain’s spiralling borrowing costs had a knock-on effect on neighboring countries. Milan’s FTSE Mib index was down 5.06 points at 1000 GMT, pulled down by a hard-hit banking sector in particular. —AFP

24

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

business

Rake rules himself out of Barclays’ chairman job LONDON: Michael Rake has ruled himself out of the running for the chairmanship of Barclays Plc, a role he had been favorite to assume, raising fresh questions on the leadership of the bank as it struggles to recover from the Libor scandal.

The decision by Rake, which was announced by airline easyJet Plc where he is chairman, helped send shares in Barclays down 3.8 percent at 0720 GMT, the biggest

Michael Rake losers in the FTSE 100 index, having touched their lowest since November.

Rake-currently deputy chairman of Barclays-would have had to give up his chairmanships of easyJet and telecoms company BT Group Plc to take the job.

Barclays is now expected to look for external candidates to fill the roles of chairman and chief executive, also vacant following the departure of Bob Diamond.

“Mike Rake has informed the easyJet board that he has formally informed the chairman of Barclays that he does not wish to be a candidate for the chairmanship of Barclays,” easyJet said, confirming what sources familiar with the matter had told Reuters on Sunday.

“The board takes the opportunity to

repeat its support for Sir Mike.” The next Barclays chairman faces a stiff challenge.

The bank was fined $450 million three weeks ago for manipulating Libor, the interbank lending rate which sets an international financial benchmark, and the scandal has unearthed deep problems in its relations with regulators, who have accused it of frequently being too aggressive.

The job will attract intense scrutiny-and possibly interference-from UK authorities, which have been criticized for not doing more earlier to rein the bank in. Rake’s retreat followed protests by several top shareholders who were determined the next chairman should come from outside Barclays, the FT reported yesterday.

Barclays top three executives-chairman Marcus Agius, Chief Executive Bob Diamond and Chief Operating Officer Jerry del Missier-have all resigned amid the fallout from the interest rate-rigging scandal.

Agius, chairman for 5-1/2 years, is remaining in his post until a replacement is appointed.

Headhunter Stuart Spencer is helping Agius in the search for a CEO and Ana Mann’s MW is helping John Sunderland, a non-executive director at the bank, run the chairman search.

Possible CEO candidates include former Barclays finance director and current advisor Naguib Kheraj; Anthony Jenkins, head of its retail business; and Bill Winters, former co-head of J P Morgan’s investment bank. Candidates for chairman include former top civil servant Gus O’Donnell and Glen Moreno, the former Lloyds Banking Group deputy chairman who runs Pearson Plc, the Sunday Times reported. — Reuters

No winners in race for growth medals GLOBAL ECONOMY WEEKAHEAD LONDON: “Faster, Higher, Stronger” is the motto of the Olympics opening in London on Friday.

“Slower, Lower, Weaker” would be a better description of the economic performance of many of the countries competing in the games.

None of the big names will look worthy of a place on the podium if forecasts for a raft of data due this week from the euro-zone, the United States and Britain prove accurate. Even China, the longstanding growth champion, is huffing and puffing. And for all the growth hormones injected in the form of cheap central bank money, the global economy is likely to be running on the spot for some time yet given fears that the United States could fall off a fiscal cliff, the softer trend in China and, above all, the debilitating euro-zone crisis.

This month’s advance surveys of purchasing managers in the 17-nation single currency area, due today, are expected to produce readings well beneath the boom-bust mark of 50, signaling recession. At best, the reports will show both manufacturing and services are at least stabilizing.

Two other important early glimpses of how the third quarter is shaping up, Germany’s IFO business climate and Belgium’s leading indicator, are scheduled for Wednesday and are forecast to show a modest deterioration. “Risks to the economic outlook and to the euro-zone sovereign situation are stacked on the downside, and we see a significant probability of a rate cut by the ECB within the next three months,” said Riccardo Barbieri, chief European economist at Mizuho in London.

The headwinds blowing in from Europe will

help peg second-quarter US gross domestic product growth back to a ho-hum 1.4 percent from 1.9 percent in the first three months of the year, economists believe. The data will be released on Friday.

Britain, which has the euro zone as its main trading partner, is doing much worse. Figures on Wednesday are projected to show that the economy shrank by 0.2 percent in the April-June period.

That would be the third straight quarter of contraction.

The International Monetary Fund, in cutting its forecasts last week for the global and euro zone economies, lambasted policymakers for dithering over the crisis gripping the single currency.

In unusually direct language, the fund demanded an “unequivocal commitment” to the euro from member governments and urged the European Central Bank to conduct “sizeable” purchases of sovereign bonds to tackle the region’s troubles.

Beijing, its economy growing at the slowest rate in three years, has also been pressing for decisive action. Europe is China’s biggest export market. Tao Wang, an economist for UBS in Hong Kong, said a drop in external demand due to the euro’s malaise was one of the two main risks (the other is a further fall in the property market) to her forecast of an investment-led recovery in Chinese growth over the rest of 2012.

To that end, investors will be scrutinizing the export orders component of HSBC’s flash survey of Chinese purchasing managers for July, due today.

Poor figures from Europe would add fuel to the debate over whether governments should give

themselves more time to reduce their swollen debts and deficits. The euro-zone, in fact, has already done just that for Spain, and the IMF last week advised Britain to scale back its fiscal tightening plans if growth does not pick up by early next year.

Richard Koo, chief economist of the Nomura Research Institute in Tokyo, said Britain, along with Germany, Japan and the United States, was benefiting from funds fleeing troubled euro zone counties.

With their bond yields at extremely low levels as a result, these countries should borrow and spend to support aggregate demand, Koo argued. The first three of the quartet, however, apparently have no interest in administering fiscal stimulus.

“The US stands alone in this regard, although all we have for now is the president’s proposal to extend existing tax cuts. That will not be nearly enough to support the global economy,” he said.

But in the wake of the West’s severe debt crunch, perhaps there is simply no way to provide sufficient support and growth will remain sluggish for years while excessive borrowing is paid back?

After all, that would be the conclusion to be drawn from the landmark 2009 study of financial crises by US economists Ken Rogoff and Carmen Reinhart. Daniel Gros, director of the Centre for European Policy Studies in Brussels, goes further.

Given the massive shock emanating from stresses in the sovereign debt markets, the relative performance of the euro zone will probably deteriorate from now on, Gros said.— Reuters

Maruti stock sinks after riot shuts India factory MUMBAI: Shares of Maruti Suzuki, India’s top carmaker, plunged yesterday after the company said it would impose an indefinite lockout at a factory in India that was wracked by a deadly labor dispute last week. The violence threatens to further damage India’s waning investor appeal and slow the expansion of Indian manufacturing, a crucial source of jobs for tens of millions of young people gearing up to enter the workforce.

Investors are bracing for a week-long shut down at Maruti Suzuki’s plant in Manesar, outside the Indian capital New Delhi, which analysts say could cost the company one billion rupees ($18 million) a day and erode its market share. The automaker’s shares fell 5.6 percent in Mumbai.

Maruti Suzuki’s chairman R C Bhargava, in a sober press conference Saturday, told reporters he and his colleagues were completely taken by surprise by the mob of workers that rampaged through the plant Wednesday. One senior executive was badly beaten and burned to death in a fire set by the mob, which attacked scores more with iron rods and the door beams of cars. Nearly 100 managers and supervisors, including two Japanese nationals, were hospitalized, the company said. Parts of the plant have been burnt beyond repair.

“We cannot produce because of the danger to life and safety,” Bhargava said. It will not be possible to import cars to meet domestic demand and Maruti’s second factory in India is already operating at capacity, he said. Bhargava said he didn’t know when the Manesar factor y would reopen and rebuffed queries about the financial impact of the shutdown.

“Please have some consideration for human lives and human value. Don’t bring everything down to money,” he said.

In addition to giving terrorized employees time to recover physically and psychologically, Maruti Suzuki, which is a subsidiary of Japan’s Suzuki Motor Corp, will have to replace 97 workers who have been arrested and scores more who fled. “It will take some time for officers to return to work. A lot of them are injured and a lot of contract workers ran away,” said Deepesh Rathore, chief India auto analyst at IHS Global Insight. “Maruti will have to do fresh recruitment.”

Rathore predicted that the plant would remain shut for three to five weeks, followed by three weeks of production at 50 percent levels. That translates into a production loss of 45,000 to 65,000 vehicles at a time when Maruti Suzuki’s most popular models - diesel versions of the Swift and DZire - are

already backlogged. Rathore said some loyal customers would endure longer waiting lists, but predicted that rivals like Hyundai, Volkswagen, Chevrolet and Nissan would pick up around 40 percent of Maruti’s shortfall.

Angel Broking analyst Yaresh Kothari put the estimated daily loss at 1 billion rupees ($18 million).

Kothari said repeated strikes at Maruti last year dragged on the industry’s overall growth.

Production disruptions from a strike last October pulled Maruti’s share of the domestic car market down to 26 percent from 40 percent, he said. The violence comes amid slowing car sales in India and could further damage the country’s appeal to investors, who are already put off by slowing growth, corruption scandals and regulatory uncertainty. The automobile sector has been a bright spot on India’s troubled path to industrialization, with many global carmakers setting up shop here to serve the fast-growing domestic market and establish a low-cost export base.

The Confederation of Indian Industry, a business lobby, warned yesterday that the violence could “dent the country’s image.” New Delhi has been trying to boost Indian manufacturing, which policymakers hope will provide jobs as India struggles to transform itself from an agricultural economy.

But India’s labor laws have compelled many companies - including Maruti Suzuki - to rely heavily on contract laborers, who are easy to fire and get far less in salary and benefits than permanent workers.

“Rigid labor laws create a two-tier system, with a privileged labour aristocracy on the one hand and a vast mass of unorganized workers with few rights on the other. This feeds into inequality and industrial warfare,” the Times of India wrote in an editorial yesterday. Bhargava said that as part of last year’s negotiations with the union, Maruti Suzuki had already agreed to cut back “drastically” the number of contract workers it hires and give them priority for permanent jobs. The company did not say how many contract workers it employs. The Economic Times reported yesterday that half the workers at Manesar are on contract and earn 6,000 rupees ($107) a month - one third of what permanent employees take home.

Others say the unrest could deepen internal divisions within India, with jobs moving to states like Gujarat, which are seen as business friendly, as factories flee difficult states like West Bengal, and perhaps Haryana, where Maruti’s Manesar plant is located. Maruti Suzuki executives said they had no plans to leave Manesar. — AP

NEW DELHI: Newly manufactured Maruti Suzuki cars park at the company’s stock yard in Manesar, near New Delhi. Shares of India’s top carmaker Maruti Suzuki have plunged after the company said it would impose an indefinite lockout at a factory consumed by a deadly labor dispute last week. — AP

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

BUSINESS

Japan economy faces downside risks: Govt Asian markets, euro tumble on Spain woes

TOKYO: A money dealer calls an order at a Tokyo foreign exchange market in Tokyo yesterday. The euro hit fresh lows against the Japanese currency yesterday, falling below 95 yen for the first time in more than a decade. — AFP

Peugeot, Toyota sign light vehicle deal PARIS: French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen has reached a deal to provide Japan’s Toyota with light commercial vehicles for sale in Europe, the two companies said in a statement yesterday.

The deal comes with Peugeot under fire in France after having announced earlier this month plans to cut 8,000 jobs and to close its historic Aulnay plant near Paris because of falling European sales.

The statement said PSA will provide Toyota with medium-sized vans derived from its existing vehicles and the two companies will then work together on developing a new generation of vehicles.

“Under the plan, Toyota Motor Europe is to participate in the development and industrial investment costs for the next generation product,” the statement said.

“There are no plans for the two companies to enter into capital tie-ups or joint production.” Cooperation is expected to last “beyond 2020,” it added. No financial details were disclosed.

The statement also made no mention of

where the vehicles would be built but Peugeot was known to be looking for a partner for its Sevelnord plant in northern France after Italy’s Fiat pulled out of a joint venture there. Toyota Motor Europe CEO Didier Leroy said in the statement that the deal was “a good solution ... following the recent discontinuation of our own Hiace model.”

Jean-Christophe Quemard, PSA vicepresident for programs, said the agreement will allow both companies to offer “a competitive product for the European market.”

Peugeot chief Philippe Varin was to meet Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault later Monday for talks on the company’s strategy.

Peugeot’s decision sparked fierce anger among unions, who denounced it as a “declaration of war,” and it also came under sustained fire from the government, including President Francois Hollande who said it was “unacceptable.” The government is due to present a program for supporting the auto industry tomorrow, the same day Peugeot is to present its quarterly results. — AFP

HONG KONG: Asian markets tumbled and the euro slumped to its lowest level against the yen in almost 12 years yesterday as Spain’s debt crisis deepened, raising concerns over the wider euro-zone.

With borrowing costs hitting the danger levels that forced Ireland, Greece and Portugal to seek a bailout, investors are concerned that Spain, one of the euro-zone’s biggest economies, will also have to call for help. Hong Kong led the losses, diving 2.8 percent by the afternoon, while Shanghai slipped 1.21 percent.

Sydney finished 1.67 percent lower, Tokyo slumped 1.86 percent, and Seoul lost 1.84 percent.

Also yesterday, the Japanese government said its economy faces growing downside risks stemming from the European debt crisis, adding that it was increasingly concerned about the outlook for the nation’s export sector.

In its monthly economic report for July, the Cabinet Office said the overall economy was “on the way to recovery at a moderate pace”.

But a Cabinet Office official added that: “The downward pressure on our economy through negative effects on exports and financial markets is increasing.”

“Against the euro, we’ve been seeing quite a strong yen,” the official said. Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda held talks with Bank of Japan governor Masaaki Shirakawa yesterday morning, Jiji Press and other media said.

Shirakawa declined to give details of the talks after the meeting, and only said the pair had “a frank exchange of opinions”, the reports said.

Market players were spooked by reports that one of Spain’s indebted regions, Valencia, would ask the central government for financial support, while officials in Madrid warned that the economy would likely contract through 2013. “Europe is definitely a drag on risk assets again this week as investors are worried that Spain’s debt burden could be bigger than expected and that a full bailout may be required,” said Peter Esho at CityIndex in Australia.

The worries sent Spanish borrowing costs to a euro-era record level, with the 10-year bond yield climbing to 7.24 percent, while the euro at one point fell to 94.61 against the yen, its lowest level since November 2000.

The euro tumbled below 95 yen for the first time in almost 12 years yesterday as dealers

China’s Citic Securities to buy CLSA for $1.25bn

HAMBURG: Train guards enter the train before the departure of the first train of private railway operator Hamburg-Koeln-Express (HKX) from Hamburg, northern Germany, to Cologne yesterday at the railway station in Hamburg Altona. The private operator started its line connecting Cologne with Hamburg in the north, competing with German state railway operator Deutsche Bahn. — AFP

Australia producer prices tame in Q2, low CPI seen SYDNEY: Australia’s producer prices rose by a little more than expected last quarter as a softer currency pushed up import costs, yet annual growth in prices still slowed to a two-year low in a promising sign for keeping consumer inflation contained.

Prices at the final stage of production (PPI) rose 0.5 percent in the second quarter, just above forecasts of a 0.3 percent increase. Annual inflation braked to 1.1 percent, from 1.4 percent in the first quarter and the lowest since mid-2010.

The relatively benign outcome should be mirrored in the more important consumer price index (CPI) report due tomorrow, which is expected to show the lowest pace of underlying inflation in more than a decade.

If forecasters are right, annual underlying inflation will be the lowest since 1998 at 1.9 percent, beneath the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) long-term target band of 2 to 3 percent.

That is one reason financial markets are still pricing in at least 50 basis points of further cuts in the RBA’s 3.5 percent cash rate.

Growth in the headline CPI was seen slowing to just 1.3 percent, a long way down from last year’s peak of 3.6 percent. After easing in both May and June, the central bank held steady this month to assess the impact of the moves and the uncertain outlook for the global economy.

“We think even a low underlying inflation result, by itself, will probably not be enough to spur the RBA to lower the cash rate in August,” said Ivan Colhoun, head of Australian economics at ANZ.

“That said, it would increase the probability of further rate cuts down the track, and we still consider that further modest easing of 50 basis points will be forthcoming by the end of the year.”

Frustratingly for forecasters, the producer price index does not have much of a correlation with the CPI because the two have very different weighting patterns. Still, there were some promising signs for inflation with domestic producer prices rising only a slight 0.3 percent in the quarter. The annual pace of growth almost halved to 0.9 percent, the lowest since late 2009.

Prices for consumer goods edged up by 0.3 percent, while annual growth dropped off sharply to 0.4 percent. That would be welcomed by the RBA which has been worried that home-grown inflation was proving stubborn. Much of the increase in overall producer prices came from imports and was largely due to a drop in the Australian dollar through April and May. Since then though, the currency has recovered strongly, reaching record highs against the euro, which promises to see import prices fall back again this quarter.

The strong currency is also putting intense competitive pressure on sectors such as retailing, manufacturing and tourism, all big employers.

Figures out last week showed employment dropped 27,000 in June, nudging the jobless rate up to 5.2 percent. Most analysts expect unemployment to creep up above 5.5 percent later in the year providing a possible domestic cue for a rate cut. — Reuters

BEIJING: Citic Securities, China’s top brokerage firm, will buy CLSA from Credit Agricole SA of France for $1.25 billion, in the latest move by a Chinese company to acquire assets of troubled European firms.

State-owned Citic Securities completed the acquisition of 19.9 percent of Hong Kong-based brokerage CLSA for $310.3 million, the company said in a statement filed with the Shanghai stock exchange on Saturday.

Citic Securities aims to take the remaining 80.1 percent in CLSA for $941.7 million by the end of June next year pending regulatory and shareholder approvals, it said. “The investment in CLSA will enable Citic Securities to partner its strong franchise in China with CLSA’s established global clientele and bring capital market products and services from China to international clients,” Wang Dongming, chairman of Citic Securities, said in a separate statement Friday.

Credit Agricole also announced the deal. The value of assets under management by Citic Securities is 62 billion yuan ($9.7 billion), the largest in China, according to the company.

The deal is the latest move by Chinese companies to tap the global market by taking advantage of the woes of debt-laden European economies. Credit Agricole, one of the world’s largest financial institutions, reported in May a 75-percent drop in first-quarter net profit, as a result of its exposure to the Greek debt crisis. Hydroelectric project manager China Three Gorges in December beat competitors to take a 21.35 percent stake in Energias de Portugal, paying 2.7 billion euros ($3.3 billion) as Portugal sold assets to bolster state coffers.

In January, Chinese construction equipment giant Sany Heavy Industry acquired Putzmeister, a German family-owned engineering firm for an undisclosed sum. China Investment Corp, the country’s $400-billion sovereign wealth fund set up in 2007 to invest some of China’s huge foreign exchange stockpiles, bought 8.68 percent of British utility Thames Water in the same month. — AFP

rushed to the safe-haven Japanese unit owing to growing fears about Spain’s debt crisis. The common currency dipped as low as 94.24 yen in afternoon Asian trade-its lowest level since November 2000 — from 95.38 in New York trade on Friday.

It was changing hands at 94.30 yen by 0640 GMT. Investors must be ready for the euro’s fall below 93.00 yen this week if it slips below $1.18, said Atsushi Hirano, senior trader at Royal Bank of Scotland in Tokyo. “We don’t have much important economic indicators this week, so we’ll pay attention to stock prices and headlines related to European debt problems,” he said.

The euro was also weak against the dollar, trading around two-year lows at $1.2110, while the dollar bought 78.16 yen. The euro fetched $1.2152 in New York trade Friday while the dollar was at 78.48 yen. Dealers have been moving out of the euro after the borrowing costs on 10-year Spanish bonds soared to euro-era highs above seven percent, which is seen as unsustainable for the government to service.

With yields so high, unemployment at 24 percent and the economy expected to remain in recession throughout next year, analysts say Madrid will likely need a bailout on top of the one agreed for the country’s banks last week.

The Japanese currency-which hit record highs against the dollar last year-has been increasingly viewed as a safe-haven amid worries about Europe and a lumbering US economic recovery.

But the strong currency has taken a toll on Japan’s exporters by making their products pricier overseas while shrinking the value of their foreign income.

Officials in Tokyo have repeatedly warned that the yen was overvalued and previously intervened in forex markets in a bid to temper the unit. “As I’ve been saying, I will take decisive steps against speculative movement of excessive volatility,” Japanese Finance Minister Jun Azumi told reporters.

“As far as the current situation is concerned, I’m watching it carefully,” he said in Tokyo yesterday. — Agencies

TOKYO: Bank of Japan Governor Masaaki Shirakawa (left) arrives at a Tokyo hotel to meet with Prime Minster Yoshihiko Noda yesterday. The meeting came as the yen gained further ground against other currencies. — AFP

Australia warned mining boom could end in 2 years SYDNEY: Australia’s mining boom will slow more sharply than expected and could be over within two years due to easing demand from China and falling prices, a leading economic forecaster warned yesterday.

Mining exports to industrializing Asian nations, chiefly China, helped Australia weather the global crisis without entering recession and prompted Canberra to vow a budget surplus for the 2012-13 fiscal year starting July 1. But Australia’s leading private-sector budget forecaster Deloitte Access Economics said the surplus plans could be undone as China slows and with coal and iron ore prices dropping. Its June quarterly business outlook said while the mining sector continued to drive economic growth and provide a buffer from problems in Europe and China, it would not last forever. “The strong bit of Australia’s two-speed economy won’t stay strong for more than another two years or so,” Deloitte said, referring to the mining boom. In an interview with ABC radio, Deloitte director Chris Richardson said demand in key markets for Australian minerals was slowing. “China is slowing, India is slowing, Brazil is slowing. And you’re seeing those prices come off at the same time as costs have risen in Australia in recent years,” he said.

“It does not mean that the investment boom goes away tomorrow. You know there’s a lot of petrol left in the tank for another year or two years

still to come. “But beyond that the strong bit of Australia’s economy is starting to be called into question.” The government insisted a decline in mineral prices had been factored into the budget as well as a drop in capital gains tax revenue caused by a stock market still impacted by the global financial crisis.

“The budget will return to surplus,” said Prime Minister Julia Gillard. While robust mining exports have driven strong Australian growth, the associated lift to its dollar has hit other industries hard, and shadow treasurer Joe Hockey said the government was too reliant on mining.

“The government has built a budget that is wholly captive to the mining boom and the taxes to be collected from mining taxes,” he told reporters. “Now it’s apparent the budget is unravelling because it was built on smoke and mirrors.”

Despite the warning, Richardson said the Australian economy remained a global standout.”We judge ourselves against our own experience and Australia has done so well for so long that, you know, we want to keep doing better and that’s a tough yardstick,” he said.

“If we were in the US or the UK or Europe or Japan and looking at Australia then, you know, there should be I think a fair amount of jealousy there.” Australia’s economy expanded by 3.2 percent in the year to June 2012. — AFP

Freeport Indonesia agrees partial IPO

ANA says five Boeing Dreamliners need repair

JAKARTA: Indonesia said yesterday the local subsidiary of US mining giant Freeport-McMoRan was willing to sell a stake on Jakarta’s stock market, but had not agreed to divest the majority share the government sought. Indonesian authorities announced a new law in March cutting maximum foreign ownership in mining companies from 80 percent to less than half, in a bid to keep a larger portion of revenues from the country’s vast natural resources.

Freeport Indonesia’s Grasberg project in the restive province of Papua is the world’s biggest gold and second-biggest copper mine, employing more than 20,000 people.

“They (Freeport Indonesia) agreed to divest a stake, but there’s no agreement on the 51 percent that we requested,” Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Rajasa told reporters.

“I have asked them to divest via an initial public offering (IPO) in Indonesia and they agreed,” he added. Freeport Indonesia was not immediately available for comment. Its US parent company owns the vast majority of the firm. Earlier this month, Freeport Indonesia president Rozik Soetjipto was quoted saying an IPO was being “considered” by the company.

“The IPO would be good for Freeport Indonesia,” he told the Jakarta Globe newspaper, adding that it would make the company “more accountable and transparent”. The new regulation obliges foreigners to reduce their holdings to below 50 percent by selling shares to Indonesians over a 10-year period, but only applies to new mining concessions.—AFP

TOKYO: All Nippon Airways (ANA) said yesterday it was having five Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets repaired for an engine defect, the latest problem to hit the troubled airliner.

The Japanese carrier grounded the planes following an announcement last week by the Dreamliner’s engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce about a problem in its gearbox, a spokeswoman said.

“We’ve exchanged a total of seven engines in five aircraft, cancelling two domestic flights,” she told AFP yesterday.

ANA said it immediately suspended service for two of the planes so the parts could be replaced, while it grounded another three after Boeing said more of the planes were at risk.

Two jets have since returned to service, the ANA spokeswoman said, adding that RollsRoyce discovered the defect-corrosion inside the gearbox-during endurance tests. “We have identified that a component on Trent 1000 engines fitted to Boeing 787 Dreamliners has a reduced service life,” said a Rolls-Royce spokesman in Singapore, adding that no other airlines had been affected.—AFP

26

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

BUSINESS

Citadel Capital investments under control up 8% in Q112 Principal investments top $1bn for first time CAIRO: Citadel Capital, the leading private equity firm in the Middle East and Africa, announced yesterday its financial results for the first quarter of 2012, reporting an 8.0% year-on-year rise in total investments under control to more than $9.5 billion (EGP 57.3 billion) and a 4.9% rise in assets under management (AUM) to $ 4.4 billion (EGP 26.5 billion).

The firm’s principal investments in its own transactions rose 12.9% quarter-on-quarter and 16.0% year-on-year to $1.1 billion (EGP 6.1 billion) as it deployed in 1Q12 a total of $ 81.25 million from the first draw-down on a $150 million Citadel Capital-level facility backed by the United States Overseas Investment Corporation (OPIC) to accelerate the growth of select platform and portfolio companies.

Also in the first quarter, the firm made substantial progress toward financial close on the Egyptian Refining Company (ERC), which is building a $3.7 billion greenfield petroleum refinery in the Greater Cairo Area. The project achieved financial close in the second quarter with total equity investments of $1.1 billion and a $2.6 billion debt package. Participants in the equity component include leading investors from Egypt, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and international Development Finance Institutions (DFIs).

“The first quarter of 2012 is an inflection point marking the start of the next stage of Citadel Capital’s development,” said Citadel Capital Chairman and Founder Ahmed Heikal.

“We are now deploying the liquidity added to our balance sheet in FY11 to accelerate development of select platform and portfolio companies as we continue the groundwork for the

divestment of minor and non-core holdings.

This program - alongside continued cost cutting at the Citadel Capital level - will free management bandwidth and cashflows to focus on core investments.”

With no exits in the quarter, Citadel Capital registered standalone net loss of $5.1 million (EGP 30.5 million) for 1Q12 on revenues of $4.0 million (EGP 24.4 million) compared with net losses of $4.4 million (EGP 26.7 million) in 1Q11 and $6.3 million (EGP 37.8 million) in the final quarter of last year. The firm reported a net loss on the back of net interest expenses, inflated by net one-time upfront fees of $9.0 million (EGP 54.3 million) related to the refinancing of Citadel Capital’s pre-existing $175 million credit facility and the arrangement of new OPIC-backed debt. The upfront fees related to the OPIC loan represent 100% of the fees pertaining to the loan for the entire useful life of the facility. The terms and tenor of the new facilities are better suited to the planned duration of Citadel Capital’s investments.

Setting aside the one-time upfront fees, Citadel Capital would have reported a standalone net profit of EGP 23.8 million in 1Q12.

Citadel Capital revenues from advisory fees rose 18.9% quarter-on-quarter and 53.2% year-on-year to $ 4.0 million (EGP 24.4 million) on the back of fees related to Africa Railways and the MENA and Africa Joint Investment Funds (JIFs). Meanwhile, EBITDA improved to $ 1.1 million (EGP 6.6 million) on the back of both rising revenues and a 53.1% quarter-onquarter decline in operating expenses to $3.8 million (EGP 23.0 million).

“This level of OPEX spending is the ‘new

normal’ at Citadel Capital as we target a substantial year-on-year reduction in operating expenditures in 2012,” Heikal noted, explaining that the firm has substantially cut expenditures on compensation and consultancy fees while recording no expenditures in the quarter just ended on non-recurring OPEX. On a consolidated basis, Citadel Capital reports a net loss of $26.4 million (EGP 159.3 million) on revenues of negative $9.2 million (EGP 55.5 million). This represents 55.0% narrowing of the consolidated net loss quarteron-quarter. Net losses expanded 43.1% yearon-year, but setting aside the net effect of one-time fees related to Citadel Capital’s refinanced debt and the OPIC-backed facility, the firm would have recorded a 9% narrowing of its consolidated loss in the same period.

Quarter-on-quarter, the net loss would have contracted 71%.

Notably, companies held as Associates contributed losses of EGP 67.6 million to the firm’s top line, a reduction of 29.0% from 4Q11.

Setting aside the contribution of ASEC Holding, whose construction businesses remain challenged and whose cement plants underwent shutdowns for repairs and maintenance in the quarter, the firm’s Associates showed broad-based improvements in financial and operational performance in the quarter just ended.

Excluding the results of ASEC Cement from 1Q12 and the comparative period, the firm’s Share of Associates’ Results would have stood at negative US$ 0.5 million (EGP 3.1 million) in 1Q12, a narrowing of 88.3% from the last quarter of 2011.

Volkswagen Behbehani launches new mobile app for iPhone, Android devices KUWAIT: In an effort to provide the best service and maintain their status as a top provider of qualit y German vehicles, Volkswagen Behbehani has launched a new mobile application for iPhone and Android device owners.

Offering numerous benefits to customers in Kuwait, the application includes a catalogue of Volkswagen’s wide range of vehicles. The application enables customers to receive instant information on the specifications, prices and features of all the Volkswagen models with one click, including a 360 degree view of the interiors and ex teriors of the Volkswagen Touareg, Tiguan, Jetta and all-new Volkswagen CC. Additionally, customers can also book a test drive for any of the Volkswagen models directly through the application, for the ultimate in convenience, as well as service appointments for their current Volkswagen vehicles. The application also provides the

latest updates on Volkswagen promotions and campaigns, as well as news and events, keeping users up-to-date and informed with the utmost ease.

Commenting on the launch of the application for iPhone and Android devices, Abdullah Ali, General M anager of Volkswagen, Kuwait said: “In addition to providing the best in German engineered vehicles and technology, Volkswagen Behbehani aims to give customers the best service in the country, and the launch of this application proves our commitment to that goal. The benefits available within the new Volkswagen Behbehani application are numerous, and ensure that our customers have a quick, convenient means of accessing our services and vehicle range.”

The new Volkswagen Behbehani application can be downloaded via the iTunes store at or from the Google Play store by typing VW BEHBEHANI.

Thousands of GCC youth undergo summer training to achieve ICDL certification KUWAIT: Canon Middle East, a leader in imaging solutions, has announced its continuing support for the “ICDL Summer Camp” being run across universities and centers in the GCC. The summer camp, which will run from July to late August, is being organized by educational authorities and universities throughout the region under the auspices of ICDL GCC Foundation, the governing body and the certification authority of the International Computer Driving License program (ICDL) in the GCC. Canon Middle East is extending its region-wide support for the initiative for the third consecutive year. The company aims to boost the IT skills of the region’s youth as part of its ongoing commitment to inspire people’s creativity and innovation, and will offer a range of rewards such as printers and cameras to the highest achievers from among the thousands of ICDL summer camp participants.

Canon also plans to organize workshops on photography techniques for the ICDL students.

Anurag Agrawal, Managing Director, Canon Middle East said: “Developing the skills and competencies of the youth is a very important undertaking for society as they are the future leaders and hold the key to innovation and creativity. Canon’s support of the ICDL Summer Camp is in line with the company’s corporate philoso-

phy of ‘kyosei’ which emphasizes living and working together for the common good. Today, IT know-how is a requirement and not just a trend. We are pleased to lend our support to the ICDL summer camp for the third running year as we believe that by empowering the youth with these critical computer skills we are helping to pave the way to a knowledgebased society.”

It is estimated that six thousand students from across the GCC will undergo extensive computer training in accordance with the globally recognized ICDL standards through the 2012 summer camp. The participants are expected to achieve the ICDL certification after passing official tests that not only affirm their competence in using the computer and the Internet, but that also attest to their resourcefulness, self-confidence and sense of responsibility.

Jamil Ezzo, Director General of ICDL GCC Foundation, said: The continued success and expansion of the Summer Camp is a testament to the unique partnership forged between the public and private sectors and we are proud to have Canon on board for the third year supporting this key initiative. We share a common goal of expanding the digital learning culture across the region making a difference to young people of today who are the future of tomorrow.”

Gold Tag offers on Chevrolet from Yusuf A Alghanim & Sons Automotive KUWAIT: Yusuf A Alghanim & Sons Automotive wishes ever yone a blessed Ramadan this season and welcomes the holy month by introducing one of its strongest campaigns of the year- the highly anticipated Gold Tag offers on all Chevrolet Cars. This promotion marks another milestone in Yusuf A. Alghanim foray of efforts to create valuable offerings and delightful experiences for customers.

The gold tag campaigns offers all new Chevrolet owners with a cash voucher up to KD 500 that can be redeemed against one or more of the following: Service contract for 3 years or 60,000 KM, trade-in assistance, accessories from Kromozone or comprehensive insurance.

Chevrolet’s line-up caters to all tastes and personal preferences. From refined, spacious and safe vehicles for the family to sporty, high performances and reliable rides for the young and heart, Yusuf A. Alghanim & Sons golden offer provides everyone with the Chevrolet vehicle that best suits every indi-

vidual’s needs, wants and lifestyle.

The Chevrolet Traverse has successfully occupied the position as an ideal crossover family car. Powered by a 3.6L, V6 engine generating 281 HP, the Chevrolet Traverse is an expressively styled, well-equipped vehicle with seating for 8 passengers. Safety is of the

highest standards, thanks to Chevrolet’s continuing commitment to provide the ultimate comfort and peace of mind to passengers.

That’s why the car comes with three rows of airbags, rear ultrasonic parking assist, StabiliTrak electronic stability control system with traction control system, among many

other features.

For the lovers of modern and trendy cars, the charismatic Captiva is the car of choice.

Available in 2.4l engine generating 169 hp and 3.0l, V6 engine generating 264 hp, the Captivais available in seating options of 5 or 7 passengers. The trendy car also comes packed with technology such as Bluetooth, CD + MP3 player with steering wheel controls, ABS and Rear parking sensors and 17” alloy wheels.

Yusuf A. Alghanim & Sons adds the finishing touch to the ownership experience with high quality after-sales services. With the world’s biggest and most advanced automotive service center, customers are rest assured about their vehicle service and maintenance.

Yusuf A. Alghanim & Sons Automotive welcomes you and your family to the showrooms brimming with a joyful ambience and our friendly staff. Everyone can enjoy this year’s exclusive Gold Tag offers throughout Ramadan in all of Yusuf A. Alghanim & Sons showrooms. Ramadan Kareem.

Ericsson selected by STC, Maxis and Oger groups Global vendor for infrastructure equipment RIYADH: The STC Group along with the Maxis and Oger Groups and part of their global synergy creation activities, have selected Ericsson as one of their preferred global vendors for network infrastructure, it was announced here yesterday. The agreement will allow Ericsson to offer its portfolio of network infrastructure equipment though a global price structure based on total business in Bahrain, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Turkey.

The STC Group along with the Maxis and Oger Groups have reached a leading position in the global mobile and fixed telecommunication markets. In 2010 the groups jointly launched a series of global initiatives focused on capturing synergies across their 9 operating companies and on working with best-in-class global suppliers to become preferred partners based on value creating agreements. One of the initiatives is to focus on technology infrastructure synergies, with an

objective of developing a global price book and formalizing volume discounts based on overall groups scale.

“We drive synergies from scale and scope but also from knowledge and foresight to accelerate creativity, development and innovation” commented Ghassan Hasbani, CEO STC International.

Saudi Telecom Company (STC) is the leading provider of telecommunications services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that provides mobile, landline,

Internet and other data services, to residential and business customers. Also STC has become a global competitor through successful expansion in a record years’ time to become among the largest operators in the Middles East, Africa and South East Asia. This growth from a local operator to an international telecommunications power house is successfully spearheaded by STC International through strategic partnerships and acquisitions.

Yusuffali resigns from Air India Board ABU DHABI: Prominent NRI businessman resigns from the Director Board of Air India. The continued hardship being faced by the NRIs, especially in the gulf with regard to unjustified fare hikes and irregular ser vices are main reasons behind the resignation. It’s been two years since Yusuffali MA was appointed to the board as an independent director.

“Since my induction into the Air India Board I have tried my level best to bring change in the way the national airlines is working. But still thousands of our countrymen are getting stranded in gulf and Indian airports due to frequent flight cancellations and delay of services and unjustified fare hikes especially in peak seasons. I really feel dejected at not being able to do justice to the faith reposed on me and I have decided to step down,” said Yusuffali MA. “On one hand the government of India has been very supportive to revive Air India to its old glory and prestige and took several strategic decisions to support the airline, but the non-cooperative attitude of some sections of the employ-

ees and executives was always a hindrance to the revival of Air India” he added.

“However, I will continue to work towards finding better solutions for the travel issues of Gulf NRIs like reviving the

Yusuffali MA proposed Air Kerala, the idea of which was first floated at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Delhi more than five years ago and I will try to garner more support for this during the forthcoming ‘Emerging Kerala’ - the Investment Meet to held in Kochi in September” he concluded.

Gold eases as Spain worries boost dollar SINGAPORE: Gold eased yesterday under the pressure of a stronger dollar, as worries about the euro zone debt crisis deepened after Spain stoked fears that it might need a sovereign bailout.

Spain’s woes, highlighted by two indebted regions seeking financial aid from the central government, drove the euro to a two-year trough against the dollar, which strengthened the greenback and made gold and other commodities priced in the US currency less attractive.

Spain is the euro -zone’s four th largest economy and investors are wor-

ried it may be forced to follow Greece, Por tugal and I reland, which were thrown lifelines by international lenders after their borrowing costs shot above sustainable levels. “ The eurozone’s problems will resur face and keep the euro weak, and the dollar on the strong side,” said Dominic Schnider, an analyst at UBS Wealth Management in Singapore.

The dollar has climbed more than 4 percent against a basket of currencies so far this year, weighing on gold that rose just about 1 percent during the same period. —Reuters

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

TECHNOLOGY

Turn your PC unit from a dust-catcher into a trend-setter COLOGNE: It is not written anywhere that a PC tower has to be gray, boxy and loud. Today’s PC loyalists have a choice of designs to spice up their tower. Such modifications could very well help hold on to some members of the ever-shrinking PC community. In many ways, it seems like laptops have thrust PCs well off centre-stage. But laptops have their weaknesses too, and some people are just loyal to PCs. “They have a solid fan base - mostly people who spend a lot of time in front of computers and have higher expectations for computing power, graphics and displays,” says Stephan Scheuer from TUV Rheinland, a German products testing agency.

The new variety in design has helped too. Scheuer says he’s seen three basic types of new design: tower, mini and allin-one PCs. The trick is picking the right one. “The smaller the computer, the

more restrained I am. The bigger the computer, the more power I have for my money,” says Kristin Wohlfahrt of Stiftung Warentest, a German consumer products testing organization.

Two questions are key when making the decision, adds Scheuer: “Which PC suits me?” and “How much longer do I want to use this computer?” Recently released mini and all-in-one computers are failing on this count, since many of them have to be replaced within four years. “The old graphics cards, the working memory, the processor or the hard drive are no longer compatible with a modern operating system by then,” says Scheuer. Such a fate does not befall tower PCs quite so quickly. “The towers have a little more time.”

Mini PCs score highly when it comes to design. Most are not much bigger than a book and can easily fit on top of a desk. Unlike towers, they are sleeker and

less energy intensive. “These devices are really something to show off,” says Dominik Hoferer from German computer magazine Chip. “Anyone who wants to stream music onto a stereo in their living room or transmit a movie from their hard drive onto the TV is well-served by a mini PC.” They can also handle the basics, like web surfing and Office programmes.

But that’s about as much as you can do with them, says Hoferer. The shared memory graphics cards built into most minis would not be able to handle modern 3D games. Also, it is hard to impossible to install expansions. “There simply isn’t space for new items in the mini housing.” All-in-one PCs share this disadvantage, since they have to share a housing with the monitor. But they have the advantage of no disorderly array of cables behind the machine and no additional PC housing to take up space.

“Sur fing, Office programmes, demanding film editing and some less computing-intense 3D games can be handled by the built-in chips without a problem,” says Wohlfahrt.

They’re just right, she says, for people who want to quickly check their email in the living room or look up something online. But buyers have to look closely when shopping, advises Wohlfahrt.

“Always check the quality of the display,” she notes, pointing out that the monitor is part of the sales package. A good display will be matte, sufficiently bright and display colours properly.

“All-in-one PCs are one-time devices,” says Wohlfahrt. Some small expansions, like working memory, might be possible.

But they retain one big disadvantage: “When the monitor breaks, then the whole device is usually broken.” This is not a problem shared by towers. It is child’s play to swap out cooling fans,

hard drives and the like in their roomy housings. Just pop off the back, stick in the components, attach the cables and you’re done.

“Most can also impress with their power,” says Scheuer. “These are highperformance systems for demanding users.” They also come standard - at least the gaming computers do - with 3D graphics cards, 8 gigabytes of working memory and a quad-core processor.

Another plus, Scheuer notes, is that they “combine comfort and ergonomics like no other device.

Users can plug in whatever they want. If no socket is available, then one is just built on. Users also have free choice when it comes to picking a monitor and a keyboard. Of course, the towers also suffer because they’re unsightly and make a lot of noise. It is no wonder that the towers so routinely disappear beneath desks. — dpa

Kissenger: Virtual lips for long-distance lovers Device still being refined at a laboratory

SEOUL: South Korean models show Canon’s new mirrorless digital camera, EOS M, during its launching event in Seoul yesterday. The EOS M is equipped with 18megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor along with the DIGIC 5 processor, offering an ISO range of 100-12800, extendable up to 25600. — AFP

App aims to improve accessibility for visually impaired

TORONTO: Whether it is getting off a bus or reading a menu, a new app aims to make life easier for the blind or visually impaired. Called Georgie, the app for Android devices enables people with little or no sight to accomplish daily activities that could be difficult for them.

“The great thing that attracted me to (creating the app) was this notion of gaining confidence, and also having reassurance that you could press a button and get help if you were lost,” said Roger Wilson-Hinds, co-founder of Screenreader, a nonprofit based in Peterborough, England, that developed the app.

Users navigate the app’s features by passing their fingers over various options which are read aloud. Lingering on a particular option produces a beep, indicating that the option has been selected.

The app can make calls or send texts but it also provides location-based technologies, which can let users know, for example, when the next bus is coming, which direction they’re facing, or the ability to set location-based reminders.

“You can actually record a GPStagged voice label to say ‘dangerous steps’ and as you’re approaching it the phone will tell you that there are dangerous steps there,” explained Alan Dean Kemp, the chief technology officer.

Kemp added that the app is not meant to replace a seeing-eye dog, but to provide added assistance. About 39 million people worldwide are blind, according to the World Health Organization, and 285 million people are

visually impaired.

For Wilson-Hinds, who is blind, one of his biggest struggles has been using public transit. “I used to struggle to know when to get off the bus every evening when I was coming home from work,” he said, adding that the app can give users information on upcoming bus stops while they’re traveling.

It also reads out text, such as ingredients on a label, using a technology called optical character recognition (OCR). Wilson-Hinds said what makes the app unique is the way it is designed for the less tech-savvy person and the support it provides.

“We’ve brought them all together into a little bundle so that you’re not switching in and out of apps,” he said.

Screenreader is also selling Georgie smartphones, Android-based Samsung phones that come pre-installed with the Georgie app.

“The settings are such that you turn on the phone and the app starts. You can’t get out of it unless you go through a sor t of unlock feature to do so,” explained Kemp. At 150 pounds ($230), the app is more expensive than most apps but Kemp said the price includes support for the app.

“You get a help line, which will set up your contacts for you if you want and even come and train you, so there’s a big support mechanism around it,” he said.

The app is available worldwide in English. All profits generated by the app go to a charity called Communication for Blind and Disabled People, of which Screenreader is a subsidiary. — Reuters

Beware of cybercriminals, hackers at London Olympics LONDON: With the London Olympics right around the corner, hackers and cybercriminals will be pulling out all the stops in an effort to gather and exploit personal information. RSA, the security division of EMC, has identified some key Olympic-related fraud trends that are surfacing as well as some helpful tips for how everyone can protect themselves.

Tip #1: Phishing is the next Olympic Sport -Expect to see numerous Olympicthemed phishing emails—such as a recent scam where people were led to believe they’d won tickets to the Games and just needed to fill out a form with personal information claim their prize— and remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Tip #2: Beware of fake ticketing sites.

— Olympics tickets, especially to popular events such as swimming, track & field, etc. can be some of the hottest tickets around. That means the secondary mar-

ket for scalped tickets is also one of the biggest around, and it’s full of fake sites trying to scam you out of not just your money, but your financial information as well. The official London2012.com site has a “Ticket Checker” where fans can check the URL of the site on which they are considering buying tickets to determine if it’s legit, as well as a list of known fraudulent ticketing sites.

Tip #3: The Olympics Gone Social — This year’s Olympics promise to be the most “social” games of all with fans following along via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and more. This also provides a prime vehicle for hackers to try to steal your personal information. Avoid directly responding to email alerts that (appear to) come from Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites and even your bank. Instead, go directly to these sites by typing their URLs directly into your browser or using a browser bookmark.

SINGAPORE: Finding it hard to keep up the passion in a long-distance relationship? Help might be on the way. A robotics professor in Singapore has invented a gadget equipped with motion-sensitive electronic “lips” that allow amorous but absent couples to exchange long-distance smooches via the Internet.

Shaped like a small head with oversize silicone lips, the “Kissenger ”-shor t for Kiss Messenger-was unveiled in June at a scientific conference in Britain and is still being refined for commercial launch.

“I t can be used between humans to improve their communication,” its creator Hooman Samani told AFP. Couples just have to connect the devices to computers via USB cables, link up online and start kissing the silicone material to trigger sensors that move the gadget on the other side.

They can stare at each other on screen while exchanging kisses.

“The main issue is to transmit the force and pressure, and also the shape of the lip,” Samani said. The “special silicone material” chosen for the lips offers “the best sensation and feeling”, said the scientist, who has personally tested the device.

But the Kissenger is not yet ready for the market despite “a lot of offers” from interested parties

SINGAPORE: This photograph shows Professor Hooman Samani, Research Fellow at the Interactive and Digital Media Institute National University of Singapore, displaying the “Kissenger”. — AFP because there are “ethical issues” that need to be resolved on top of the technical aspects, he said.

“Kissing is very intimate so in order to have a product in market which is going to deal with this sensitive issue we have to do

proper studies and investigation on the social point of view, cultural point of view,” he said.

The device is still being refined at a laboratory jointly set up by the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Keio

University of Japan. Samani calls his field of study “lovotics”research into the relationship between robots and humans-and the Kissenger is just one of several devices being developed by his team. — AFP

New mobile games explore glaciers BERLIN: Now is a good time to own a Nintendo 3DS, with new games based on Ice Age 4 and a visit to a haunted house in the works, among others. Meanwhile, Playstation Vita owners will have to wait a month for something new. But that’s the way it goes with handheld gaming.

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance for the Nintendo 3DS once again merges the worlds of Final Fantasy maker Square Enix and Disney. This time, a beautiful kingdom is threatened by dark powers.

Players take on the roles of the heroes Sara and Riku, accompanied by Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy, as they explore various worlds from the Disney universe. Those include classics like the settings of Pinocchio and the Hunchback of Notre Dame, as well as those of more unexpected productions like Tron Legacy.

The game is a sequel of Kingdom Hearts II, released in 2006 for the Playstation 2. But this time, the action sometimes extends into the real world thanks to an augmented reality card and the 3DS camera. The game’s fighting system has also been overhauled, meaning faster action and more of it.

Players can also call on Dream Eaters, small creatures that can help them. Owners of the 3DS expansion Circle Pad Pro can use the second analogue stick to control the camera. The action-role playing game costs about 45 euros (55 dollars).

Square Enix also has plans to release a new Final Fantasy installment for the 3DS. But Theatrythm: Final Fantasy is no epic role-playing game. Instead, it’s a music game.

Just like with Guitar Hero or Rock Band, players have to exactly repeat rhythms and notes on the screen. Doing so properly frees up video clips, figures and more songs. The game includes more than 70 pieces of music from 25 years of Final Fantasy. Heroes, villains and monsters all share their piece of glory here. But to get at all of them, you’ll need to play the pieces to perfection. The game sells for about 40 euros.

Timed to accompany blockbuster Ice Age 4: Continental Drift, Activision’s new game for the Nintendo DS and 3DS, is a collection of mini games, set up like a series of athletic competitions, pitting Manny the mammoth and his friends against a band of pirates.

A lot of the games draw upon the Winter

Olympics, but with twists. Players have to hop glaciers and go nut sledging. Of course, the tone is light, often thanks to the character Sid the sloth. Players win acorns, not medals.

Winning the most leads to an actual valuable treasure.

There is also a multi-player mode so friends can compete in the winter sports. Ice Age 4 retails for about 35 euros. Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir is almost the opposite and definitely not suited for children. That’s because 3DS users can use the device with the game to summon ghosts into their home, bringing the memoir and its gruesome inhabitants right onto your desk.

The game revolves around freeing the girl Maya from a curse, while you’re in a haunted house that has become infested with ghosts.

These can only be seen with the camera obscura - the 3DS for the purpose of this game.

Not every ghost is nasty, but it is better to be on the safe side. There are also a series of side games along with the main one. One allows players to photograph their friends and turn them into ghouls within the game. The game sells for 35 euros. — dpa

Snapshots on the run: Smartphone or camera?

BERLIN: Is that a phone or a camera in your pocket? As mobile phones become more camera-like by the day, it’s sometimes hard to tell.

All it takes is a flick of the wrist to get a mobile out of a pocket. One click and you’ve got a picture.

But how does the result compare to images taken with a digital camera? It’s a question that will come up more and more as the popularity of mobiles boom.

The quality of smartphone pictures depends on many factors, of which resolution is only one.

The majority of smartphones have cameras capable of at least 5 megapixels. But more pixels don’t automatically mean better image quality.

“The size of the image sensor is also important,” says Ronald Dammschneider of Stiftung Warentest, a German consumer reports agency.

He notes that sensors can be very small on smartphones. In models with high resolution, that means a lot of pixels have to share a small space, which can lead to unpleasant patterns, blurry edges and dull colours.

A compact camera will tend to come with a lens, which can help for zooming in and out. For space reasons, smartphones tend to only have a digital zoom.

“The more you enlarge a picture taken with digital zoom, the more contrast you lose and the blurrier it gets,” says Dammschneider. That means smartphone photography is best suited for sub-

jects where no zooming is required.

A lot of smartphones also come with autofocus. But this just usually puts all subjects in the viewer into focus, says Wolfgang Pauler, an editor with German technology portal Chip Online. That makes it impossible to take portraits with out-offocus backgrounds or with depth. “The autofocus in digital cameras is usually a little more sensitive.”

On top of that, smartphone photography is usually done one-handed, since the other one has to touch the screen to trigger the image.

“Pictures get crooked that way pretty fast,” warns Constanze Clauss of the German Photo Industry Association. Anyone who wants to take a lot of pictures with a smartphone should consider a device with a physical shutter release on the exterior housing.

“Most smartphone photos get murky at dusk or night-time,” says Tobias Haburg of the magazine Photographie. Usually you can only get good quality with close-up shots. You can, generally, forget group portraits in a dark bar or images of the night-time skyline, says Pauler. “I don’t know of any model where you can increase the exposure time.”

To compensate, a lot of smartphones now come with pre-set programmes. Just like with many digital cameras, anyone who wants to take pictures of a football game should set the smartphone to “sports” mode, while someone who wants to take images of cherry blossoms would

opt for “macro” mode. Timer functions are also becoming standard.

“But the menu is more abundant with digital cameras, since they were designed for photography,” says Dammschneider. “The smartphone is more like a Swiss pocketknife - photography is just one of many functions.”

But, just like the pocketknife, it’s easy to take the smartphone anywhere: Not every bulky digital camera fits in a pants pocket.

Short exposure times are key to a good snapshot. If you want to take a picture of a concert or other subject, make sure that the shutter time is no more than half a second. “Otherwise, a digital camera is the better choice,” says Dammschneider.

But if you plan to primarily distribute your pictures on the internet and through various social networks, then you’re probably better off with a smartphone. “With my smartphone, I always have the internet with me, that’s great,” says Haburg.

“For the small size of photos on a wall or in a digital album, the quality is completely satisfactory.”

Additionally, a lot of smartphones can now make videos in full HD. But customers shouldn’t get blinded into thinking that HD means quality.

“HD really doesn’t mean anything more than that the resolution has 1,920 X 1,080 pixels,” says Haburg. “Whether the video looks good still depends on the size of the image sensor and other factors.” —dpa

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

Breast cancer cells can turn off key immune response HONG KONG: Breast cancer cells can destroy a powerful immune response in the body and allow the disease to spread to the patient’s bones, researchers in Australia reported yesterday.

They also experimented with two ways to reinstate this immune response to help patients fight breast cancer, but it will take more tests and several more years for these therapies to become routine treatments, they said.

“We have identified a way that breast cancer cells can turn off the immune system, allowing them to spread to distant

parts such as the bone,” said Belinda Parker, a research fellow at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, who led the study. “By understanding how this occurs, we hope to use existing and new therapies to restore this immune func tion and prevent the spread of cancer,” she said by telephone.

The study was published yesterday in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Medicine. In 2010, 1.5 million people were diagnosed with breast cancer, the top cancer in women around the world.

Although it kills many women in devel-

oping countries, 89 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer in western countries are still alive five years after diagnosis thanks to detection tests and treatment.

Using tissue samples from breast cancer patients and experiments with mice, Parker and colleagues found that a gene called IRF7 is switched off in patients whose cancer spreads to other parts of the body.

IRF7 controls the production of interferon, an important type of immune protein that fights viruses and bacteria apart

from tumour cells. “Usually when breast cancer cells leave the breast and travel in the bloodstream and into bone marrow, the release of interferons by IRF7 will cause the immune system to recognise those cells and eliminate them,” Parker said.

“But by losing IRF7, it prevents the stimulation of immune responses and allows those cells to hide from being recognised (and later spread).” Parker and her team tried two ways to revive this immune response in mice experiments and both appeared to work.

“We put the gene back into cancer cells so it can’t switch it (IRF7) off. We allowed the immune pathway to be stimulated and the cancer cells did not spread to the bone,” Parker said.

“The other way is to treat the animals with interferon, which is available for treating other diseases, like hepatitis.

That also prevented the spread of cancer to the bone.” Parker said they will study how best to use these two methods on patients in the next few years and plan to have a clinical trial in two to three years. — Reuters

AIDS conference opens at key turning point ‘I want all children to be born free of HIV’

ATHENS: A two month-old California sea lion pup plays with its mother at the Attica Zoological Park in Spata, near Athens, yesterday. — AP

Western fast food tied to heart risks in Asia SINGAPORE: Even relatively clean-living Singaporeans who regularly eat burgers, fries and other staples of US-style fast food are at a raised risk of diabetes and more likely than their peers to die of heart disease, according to an international study.

But Asian fast foods, such as noodles or dumplings, did not bear the same risk, the study published in the journal Circulation said. With globalization, USstyle fast food has become commonplace in East and Southeast Asia. The study looked at more than 60,000 Singaporeans of Chinese descent.

“Many cultures welcome (Western fast food) because it’s a sign they’re developing their economics,” said Andrew Odegaard, from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, who led the study.

“But while it may be desirable from a cultural standpoint, from a health perspective there may be a cost,” he told Reuters Health. The study participants were interviewed in the 1990s, then followed for about a decade.

Participants were between 45 and 74 years old at the outset. During the study period, 1,397 died of cardiac causes and 2,252 developed type 2 diabetes. Those who ate fast food two or more times a week had 27 percent greater odds of diabetes and 56 percent higher risk of cardiac death than those who ate little or no fast food, the researchers found.

Among 811 subjects who ate Western-style fast food four or more

times a week, the risk of cardiac death rose by 80 percent. The findings held even after the researchers adjusted for other factors that could influence health, including age, sex, weight, smoking status and education level. In fact, the Singaporeans who ate Western fast food often were more likely to be younger, educated and physically active, and were less likely to smoke, than those who stuck to a more traditional diet.

Odegaard’s team found that Eastern fast foods, such as dim sum, noodles and dumplings, were not associated with more cases of type 2 diabetes and cardiac deaths. “It wasn’t their own snacks that was putting them at increased risk, but American-style fast food,” he said.

The profile of the fast food eaters differs markedly from that of the average fast food consumer in the United States, he added, with eating fast food in countries like Singapore a status symbol and a way of “participating in American culture”.

The findings hold serious implications for recently developed and emerging countries, said Sara Bleich, an assistant professor of health policy at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.

“The big multinational fast food companies are increasingly looking to maximize profit outside the United States, and they ’re looking to emerging economies like Singapore to do that,” she said. “So at the global level, the health implications are very strong.” —Reuters

Cancer-causing toxin found in baby formula BEIJING: A cancer-causing toxin linked to mildewed cattle feed has been found in baby formula in China, an official said Monday, the latest quality problem to plague the nation’s dairy industry since a 2008 tainted formula scandal that caused six babies’ deaths.

Aflatoxin was found in five batches of Nanshan Bywise brand formula made last year by Hunan Ava Dairy Industry Co. in Hunan province’s Nanshan city that were being sold in Guangzhou, said a man surnamed Gong from the Guangzhou Administration of Industry and Commerce General Office.

The five problem batches were boxes, bags or tins of powder weighing between 400 and 900 grams and manufactured between July and December last year. It wasn’t known if any of the problem formula was fed to babies. A low dose of aflatoxin is not considered harmful, but high doses are linked to cancer, especially in the liver.

The contamination was first reported by the administration in a statement posted online Friday. A woman who answered the phone at a Nanshan Bywise service hotline but who refused to give her name, said the company had no immediate comment on the case.

The woman referred calls to food safety officials in Changsha, the capital of Hunan. A man who answered the phone at the Changsha Food Safety

Office said the person in charge of the investigation was not available for comment.

The state-run Global Times newspaper on Monday quoted a Nanshan Bywise employee who refused to give her name saying that the brand had yet to receive test results on the formula from the Guangzhou authority. She said the company would not speak about it before the news was verified. Aflatoxin is produced by a fungus that can grow on hay or grains and appear in the milk of animals that eat the mildewed feed. It previously has been detected in milk from China’s biggest dairy company, Mengniu, and another company, Changfu.

Last month, another industry leader, Yili Industrial Group, announced it had recalled infant formula because it was tainted with “unusual” levels of mercury.

China’s food chain, and especially the dair y industr y, has come under increased scrutiny in recent years because of a series of safety problems.

In 2008, at least six babies died and 300,000 became sick after being feed milk powder tainted with melamine.

The industrial chemical is illegally added to watered-down dairy products to make their protein content appear normal. A dairy farmer and a milk salesman were executed and 19 other people were jailed for their role in that scandal. — AP

WASHINGTON: The leading US AIDS researcher says science has provided the tools needed to slash new infections even without a vaccine - if countries will put them in place. Dr Anthony Fauci told the International AIDS Conference yesterday that it won’t be easy or happen overnight.

In his words, “no promises, no dates but we know it can happen.”

Fauci says that “we want to get to the end of AIDS” but that “a lot of people, a lot of countries, a lot of regions have a lot to do.” Topping that list of tools is better treatment of people who already have HIV, so they’re less likely to spread the virus. But Fauci also called male circumcision a “stunningly successful” step, pointing to part of Uganda that’s stressing that step.

“We can start to end AIDS,” one expert said. There is no cure or vaccine yet, but scientists say they have the tools to finally stem the spread of this intractable virus largely by using treatment not just to save patients but to make them less infectious, too.

“Future generations are counting on our courage to think big, be bold and seize the opportunity before us,” said Dr. Diane Havlir of the Universit y of California, San Francisco, a co-chair of the International AIDS Conference.

The Obama administration calls the goal an AIDS-free generation, and Health and Human S er vices S ecretar y K athleen S ebelius said what was “once a far- off dream, now is in sight.”

But the challenge that more than 20,000 scientists, doctors, people living with HIV and policy makers will grapple with this week is how to make this promising science a practical reality. What combinations of protections work best in different regions, from AIDS-ravaged poor countries to hot spots in developed countries like the US? With HIV increasingly an epidemic of the poor and the marginalized, will countries find the will to invest in the most vulnerable?

And where’s the money? The world spent $16.8 billion fighting AIDS in poor countries last year, but that’s still $7 billion a year shy of the amount needed to get the 15 million people most in need of treatment on drugs by 2015, the United Nations says. Eight million take them today. Experts told the conference Sunday that a global recession and fatigue in the AIDS fight threaten those dollars.

“We must resolve together never to go backwards,” said Dr Elly Katabira, president of the International AIDS Society.

Added Havlir, “It would be an extraordi-

nary failure of global will and conscience if financial constraints truncated our ability to end AIDS just when the science has shown us that this goal is achievable.”

One key step in stemming HIV’s spread is to treat more infected pregnant women so they don’t spread the virus to their babies.

Some 300,000 children were infected last year, but that number is steadiliy dropping.

UNAIDS chief Michel Sidibe put a face to that investment Sunday, introducing a mother from Nigeria who received US-funded treatment that meant her daughter, now 13, was born without HIV. “I do not want to be the lucky exception,” Florence Uche Ignatius told the crowd.

Added her daughter, Ebube Francis Taylor, “I want all children to be born just like me, free of HIV.” But the hurdles are huge. Some 34.2 million now are living with HIV around the world. The epidemic is worst in developing countries, especially in Africa. Progress has stalled even in the US, which has seen about 50,000 new infections every year for a decade. Here, nearly 1.2 million people live with HIV, and one in five doesn’t know it.

African-Americans are particularly hard-hit, accounting for about half of infections.

Getting medication is a problem for the poor here, too. Sebelius said the Obama

administration had released nearly $80 million in grants this week to increase access to treatment, and is trying novel partnerships with community groups to help people stick with the medication daily for life. First up is a pilot program with the MAC AIDS Fund that will send text-message reminders about medication to young people living in the South.

The AIDS conference - remarkable for giving a forum not just to leading scientists but to people who live with HIV - hasn’t returned to the U.S. since 1990, in protest of the longtime ban on people with the virus entering the country. The Obama administration lifted the travel ban in 2010, finishing a process begun under the Bush administration.

Not lifted was a ban on sex workers and injecting drug users, and protesters briefly interrupted the opening news conference to decry their absence from the meeting. People living with HIV marched through downtown Washington Sunday to urge the public and policy-makers to pay attention to a disease that, in this country, doesn’t get much publicity anymore. “ We’re ever yday people.

Anybody and everybody can catch this,” said Ann Dixon, who traveled from North Little Rock, Arkansas, to attend the march. She learned she had HIV in 1997. — AP

WASHINGTON: AIDS Healthcare Foundation marchers carry signs along the route of the Keep the Promise March on Sunday. — AP

Ramadan special nutrition tips

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ith the holy month of Ramadan here are some tips and advice from nutritionists at Nestle Middle East.

Keep hydrated when it comes to fasting, especially in the hot summer months, fluid replenishment should be your first priorit y. Your number one choice for hydration should be water - it is free of calories and the only fluid that quenches the body in a healthy way. Aim to drink at least eight glasses of water after Iftar and throughout the night to ensure proper hydration and to avoid dehydration symptoms. Other food items that also contribute to fluid intake are soup, juice, yogur t and coffee, in moderation.

Continue to enjoy your coffee we’ve got excellent news for you! You can continue to enjoy your favorite coffee throughout the holy month.

• Gradually adjust your sipping patterns: If you are a regular coffee drinker and you drink four cups of coffee per day, begin by switching one out of your four cups to decaffeinated coffee two weeks before Ramadan, then eventually shift to two decaffeinated cups and two regular coffees a few days before Ramadan.

At Iftar: You can have your cup of regular coffee two hours after you complete your Iftar meal. This way you would have allowed plenty of time for your body to adjust its blood sugar level with a balanced Iftar. Coffee will also help keep you alert in case you feel sleepy after your meal.

Late nights: If you enjoy the taste of

coffee late at night, try a decaffeinated cup before you sleep.

At Suhour: If you wake up for Suhour just before the Athan, you can enjoy a cup of regular coffee along with your balanced meal. This will help you stay alert throughout your long day of fasting.

Will drinking coffee cause dehydration?

No. When coffee is consumed in moderation (3-4 cups a day), it can actually contribute to your fluid intake! In fact, 1 cup of coffee contains approximately 150 ml of water. The recommendation however remains to drink 8 glasses of pure water daily. Have balanced meals “Planning nutritionally balanced Iftar and Suhour meals will help you maintain a healthy weight during the Holy month. For instance, Iftar typically fulfills more than 55% of the body’s nutrition needs and balances the sugar levels in the blood and brain. While on the other hand, Suhour prepares the body for a long day of fasting”. said Zeinab Maktabi, Nutritionist at Nestle Middle East It is recommended to have your Iftar over two phases: start with dates, soup and salad, then have your main course.

At Iftar — Break your fast with a date!

Dates balance the blood sugar levels and contain beneficial minerals and fibre.

Remember moderation, have up to three dates and don’t overeat.

Start with a soup! Soups are a very important part of the Iftar table. They are warm and easy on the stomach and provide the body with some fluids and minerals. Include salads at every Iftar! Fresh veg-

etables contain fibres which are an essential part of the diet during Ramadan to avoid constipation and maintain a healthy digestive system. Be creative! Prepare salads which are rich in vegetables of different colours. The more colour the more beneficial vitamins and minerals in the salad. Avoid fried items! Instead prepare baked pastries or steamed vegetables.

Balance your plate! Fill one fourth with carbohydrates, one fourth with proteins, and the remaining half with veggies. This way you can fulfill all your nutritional needs in a balanced and healthy way.

Desserts in moderation! With each Iftar, serve only one dessert and keep your portion of sweets to not more than three fingers in size. You can have fresh or dried fruits and nuts instead of dessert to satisfy any sweet cravings.

Wake up for Suhour! An example of a well-balanced Suhour: Low-fat milk with cereals or a piece of brown bread with low-fat cheese or boiled egg.

A piece of fruit like banana, apple, dates or watermelon - Water - Coffee Stay fit and exercise The holy month of Ramadan and fasting is by no way an excuse to skip your physical activity. It is recommended to do at least 30 minutes of physical activity ever y day. If you have the energy and stamina, you can go for a 30 minute walk or exercise routine in the gym just before Iftar. If you choose your exercise after Iftar, allow two hours after your meal and go for a light jog or exercise routine.

- Zeinab Maktabi/Karine Janho

H E A LT H & S C I E NC E

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

Indians wait for hours for free medicine CHENNAI: For Ramaiyah Venkat, a retired Indian schoolteacher, the two-hour bus journey every three months to get free insulin is worth it even if he has to queue for hours at the dispensar y and sometimes gets less than he needs.

Thousands of people like Venkat flock to the huge Rajiv Gandhi General Hospital in Chennai city every day. Chennai is the capital of Tamil Nadu, one of two Indian states offering free medicine for all. The state provides a glimpse of the hurdles India faces as it embarks on a programme to extend free drug coverage nationwide.

The Rajiv Gandhi hospital is the most convenient for Venkat. He says he is willing to brave the crowds of patients and their families, many sitting on the hospital floor and some eating food, to see a doctor and then queue to collect his medicine.

“If I have to buy insulin at a chemist’s shop, I will have to spend hundreds of rupees. Instead, I prefer to spend a few on my visits,” said Venkat after receiving the regular supply of medicine that is essential to treat his diabetes.

This time, he said, he got the full three month dose, but often he has to do with six weeks because of short supplies.

A key challenge to expanding the programme is that India’s public health system is already underfunded and struggles to meet the needs of 1.2 billion people, 40 percent of whom live below the poverty line of $1.25 a day.

The Tamil Nadu program is popular with poor and work ing class patients and was opened to all last year after an income eligibility cap was removed, but those seeking treatment often endure lengthy waits and occasional shortages.

To keep costs down, the price the state government pays to pharmaceutical makers is lowbetween one-sixth and one-tenth of retail in a country with already rock-bottom prices thanks to a big generic drugs industry.

That means bigger drug firms tend to supply just a few of the higher-priced medicines, while bulk items like paracetamol are supplied by small firms, a state official said.

As a result, stocks can sometimes run out.

India’s planned nationwide programme has many of the same features, including centralised procurement, an emphasis on cheap generics, a specific list of permitted drugs and distribution limited to government hospitals and clinics.

“The intention seems to be very good but I have my reservations on the implementation

become costly,” said V. Kanagasabai, dean of the hospital, a seven-storey green-and-white complex in the city centre. “For emergency cases, priority is given ... Ordinary cases may take some time,” he said.

Medical treatment can be a luxury in a country where annual public spending on healthcare totals just $4.50. Public health facilities are often

India’s planned nationwide program has centralised procurement, an emphasis on cheap generics, a specific list of permitted drugs and distribution limited to government hospitals and clinics. part,” said Ajay Kumar Sharma, who heads the pharmaceutical and healthcare practice for South Asia and the Middle East at Frost & Sullivan.

“If you plan to use the same machinery to execute this agenda, I think it will falter,” Sharma said.

CROWDED HOSPITALS The Tamil Nadu government says 50 or 60 percent of people in the state use the programme, which cost just over 2 billion rupees ($36.27 million) last year.

By comparison, retail drug sales in the state, home to 62 million people, were 54 billion rupees, according to the Tamil Nadu Chemists and Druggists Association. Arul Kumar, general secretary of the industry body, figures only up to 30 percent of the population takes advantage of the free programme.

At the Rajiv Gandhi hospital, up to 3,000 inpatients are treated at a time and an additional 12,000 outpatients visit every day, many collecting free medicine.

Crowds fill the corridors and stairwells and spill into the backyard, where the drug distribution counters are located. “After the ceiling was removed, middle class and upper middle class (patients) surely come to this place, because treatment at private hospitals has

overcrowded and understaffed, and many Indians must travel hours to reach one.

India has 9 hospital beds and 6.5 physicians per 10,000 people, according to the World Health Organisation. By comparison, China has 42 beds and 14.2 doctors, while Britain has 33 beds and 27.4 physicians for every 10,000 people.

Those who can afford it tend to choose private health care.

“I prefer my family doctor, whom I trust and who knows my medical history,” said Divya Raman, a 27-year-old IT professional from Chennai who said she had not heard of the free drug programme.

Across India, just 20 percent of people receiving outpatient treatment do so at a government facility. That rises to 40 percent for in-patient care, according to Sakthivel Selvaraj, a health economist in New Delhi who advises the government.

In the desert state of Rajasthan in northwest India, the other state which offers free medicine, outpatient visits to public hospitals jumped 60 percent and inpatient admissions are up 20 percent since the programme was launched last year.

“Right now, the number of doctors and the number of staff has to be increased, but only for the tertiary care (hospital) levels,” said Samit Sharma, managing director of Rajasthan Medical

Service Corp, which manages the drug programme.

‘EASIER SAID THAN DONE’ India’s new programme, to begin by the end of 2012 and roll out nationwide within two years, hopes 52 percent of the population is using free drugs by April 2017. It has budgeted nearly 300 billion rupees ($5.44 billion) to fund it. The central government, whose subsidies on food, fuel and fertilisers bloat its fiscal deficit, intends to fund 75 percent of the programme, with states paying the rest.

States must also build sourcing networks, set up warehouses with cold storage and mechanisms to test drugs made by the roughly 12,000 drugmakers in India, a mammoth task.

“The government would have to ensure that it creates the requisite processes, regulatory framework, quality compliance and the infrastructure to procure and distribute drugs, which is easier said than done,” said Ramesh Swaminathan, chief financial officer at Lupin Ltd, a Mumbai generics maker.

Tamil Nadu, one of India’s largest states, provides 270 different “essential” drugs from a WHO list and a further 174 speciality drugs. To ensure quality, it has tie-ups with 15 private labs to test procured medicines.

While the nationwide rollout promises big volumes for drugmakers, the focus on genericsonly 5 percent of the nationwide budget can be used for branded drugs, which is bad news for Big Pharma-means margins are likely to be thin.

In Tamil Nadu, the government pays 95 rupees ($1.72) for 500 tablets of 500 milligrams of metformin, a popular diabetes treatment that would cost $13.60-$22.67 at retail in India, depending on the brand. In Singapore, the same purchase of branded metformin costs $59.30 at a pharmacy run by a cooperative.

At the hospital in Chennai, Mukhtarunnisa, a 52-year-old wearing the black burqa or top-totoe dress used by Muslim women, said she had been getting outpatient treatment for a heart ailment for five years and had just received her medicine.

“If I buy these medicines from a pharmacy, I spend about 600 rupees a month,” she said.

“Better I stand here and get it free.” — Reuters

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TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

WHAT’S ON Bangladesh Embassy notice he Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in Kuwait will follow the following office hours during the holy month of Ramadan.

Sunday to Thursday: 9 am - 3:30 pm. Friday and Saturday: Weekly holidays.

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Announcements Indian Embassy passport and visa Passports and Visa applications can be deposited at the two outsourced centers of M/S BLS Ltd at Sharq and Fahaheel. Details are available at www.bls-international.com and www.indembkwt.org .

Consular Open House Consular Wing is providing daily service of Open House to Indian citizens on all workings days from 1000 hrs to 1100 hrs and from 1430 hrs to 1530 hrs by the Consular Officer in the Meeting Room of the Consular Hall at the Embassy. For any unaddressed issues, Second Secretary (Consular) can be contacted. Furthermore, the head of the Consular Wing is also available to redress grievances.

Indian workers helpline/helpdesk Indian workers helpline is accessible by toll free telephone number 25674163 from all over Kuwait.

It provides information and advice to Indian workers as regards their grievances, immigration and other matters. The help desk at the Embassy (Open from 9AM to 1PM and 2PM to 4:30PM, Sunday to Thursday) provides guidance to Indian nationals on routine immigration, employment, legal and other issues. It also provides workers assistance in filling up labour complaint forms. For any unaddressed issues, the concerned attachÈ in the Labour section and the head of the Labour Wing can be contacted.

Legal Advice Clinic Free legal advice is provided on matters pertaining to labour disputes, terms of contracts with employers, death/accident compensation, withholding of dues by employers, etc. by lawyers on our panel, to Indian nationals on all working days between 1500hrs to 1600hrs.

Ambassador’s Open House The Open House for Indian citizens by the Ambassador is being held on all Wednesdays at the Embassy for redressal of grievances. In case Wednesday is an Embassy holiday, the meeting will be held on the next working day.

NBK hosts lunch for all staff to mark Egraish ational Bank of Kuwait (NBK) hosted a special buffet for all staff on the occasion of the Egraish in appreciation for their commitment, initiative and unremitting efforts in serving the bank as well as its clients and shareholders.

Egraish buffet were held in NBK Head Office and was attended by NBK staff members. NBK Executive Management congratulated the employees on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan

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and thanked them for their efforts and excellence.

The holding of the Egraish buffet, helps strengthen the NBK family and serve as a token of appreciation for the staff’s professionalism, dedication and hard work.

Girgian at Lulu Hypermarket ulu Hypermarket, the largest hypermarket and lifestyle shopping destination in the country, is showcasing an extensive range of Girgian gift packs to coincide with the current holy month and their ongoing Ramadan promotions.

The attractive and tidy Girgian gift baskets, available in different sizes, allow parents to conveniently pick up the ideal gift packs for their children and neighborhood kids, without the hassle of individually packing several baskets. It is also an ideal opportunity for shoppers looking to buy gifts for their loved ones to mark the blessed month of Ramadan.

Girgian is a children’s festival celebrated in Kuwait and the Gulf towards the middle of the holy month of Ramadan.

Children go from door to door in their neighborhood dressed in finery and are presented with gift baskets. The word ‘Girgian’ refers to this gift basket, which

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Ramadan Iftar he AWARE Center cordially invites you to its Ramadan Iftar to be preceded by a lecture entitled, “The Meaning of Ramadan,” by Iman Martin on July 26th, 2012 at 6:00pm.

Ramadan presents a wonderful opportunity for westerners to learn more about Kuwait, to meet new individuals & have questions regarding Islam & the Holy month of Ramadan answered.

During this special month, the communal meal referred to as Iftar, breaks the fast at the end of the day & brings family & friends together. As part of AWARE’s Ramadan activities, we invite you to join us for a Ramadan presentation followed by a traditional “Iftar dinner,” at the AWARE Center.

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Register and Win promotion at Q8India.com ity Centre, Kuwait’s premier mega-market, in association with Q8India.com, a leading online Indian community portal, is holding a monthlong ‘Register and Win’ promotion campaign. Any resident in Kuwait can participate in the promotion by visiting www.Q8India.com and registering their name, email and phone number. A winner will be picked each day (except Friday), from the list of names registered on the previous day, and receive a free shopping voucher worth KD10 from City Centre.

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‘Leniency of Islam’ n unprecedented initiative of KTV2 (English channel) is the new program by the name ‘Leniency of Islam’ presented by Shaikh Musaad Alsane and directed by Hamid Al-Turkait.

The program is mainly meant to address the expatriates living in Kuwait. Religious questions are received through the program email qislam@tv.gov.kw and sms can be sent to97822021 and answered by the lecturer and Imam in Awqaf Ministry Shaikh Musaad Alsane - a Master Degree holder in Sharia and fiqih from Kuwait University. So don’t forget to watch the program every Friday at 1:00 pm.

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is traditionally made up of a mixture of candies, nuts and other sweets.

The overwhelming response from children and their parents to the ongoing Girgian display is a clear sign of the popularity of Lulu Hypermarket and its customer initiatives that are timed to various seasonal occasions.

The Girgian Gift Basket campaign is part of the hypermarket chain’s initiative to continuously bring the best of the world to their customers through providing the right products in the right place at the right time.

The Lulu brand, which has a distinct competitive advantage when it comes to understanding the retail needs of customers, leverages this unique knowledge to operate successfully throughout the region and lives up to the brand’s tagline of, “Lulu, where the world comes to shop”.

Aware Centre he AWARE Management is glad to inform you that Summer 3 Arabic language courses will begin on August 12, 2012 until September 26, 2012. AWARE Arabic language courses are designed with the expat in mind. The environment is relaxed & courses are designed for those wanting to learn Arabic for travel, cultural understanding, and conducting business or simply to become more involved in the community. We cater to

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teachers, travelers & those working in the private business sector.

Arabic classes at the AWARE Center are unique because students are provided with the chance to practice their Arabic through various social activities that aim at bringing Arabs and Westerners together.

AWARE Arabic courses highlights * Introductory to Level 4 Arabic language basics

* Better prepare you for speaking, reading and writing Arabic * Combine language learning with cultural insights * Taught in multi-nationality group settings * Provide opportunities to interact with Western expatriates and native Kuwaitis/Arabs.

For more information, call 25335260/80 or log onto: www.aware.com.kw.”

AWARE presentation amadan is a holy month that is special to Muslims. In Kuwait and other Gulf countries, Ramadan has a very special sense where religion merges with culture and traditions. The speaker will focus on this tremendous mix and then present some cultural practices related to Ramadan, which is a special month in the Islamic world. It will concentrate on how Muslims behave during the month of Ramadan, what are the deeds they care to do, customs of helping the poor and bonding between people, girgian, and finally preparing for and celebrating Eid. This presentation will focus on Kuwait but it will also show the similari-

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ties of traditions between Kuwait and other Gulf countries. Join the AWARE Center today (July 24) at 8:00 pm to learn more about some cultural practices in Kuwait and other Gulf countries during Ramadan. Wadha Al-Shaheen is a translator translating Arabic into English and vice versa as well as Academic Advisor at the Ministry of High Education. She is an English Linguistics graduate from Kuwait University and an MA student of translation at the same University. For more information, call 25335260/80 or log onto: www.aware.com.kw.

Majed A. Al-Terkait, Chairman and Managing Director of Bait El Mal for Business Development KCSC is shown welcoming Gil S. Bantugan, a certified public accountant, at the company’s new home office at the KIPCO Towers in Kuwait City.

KIB announces Ramadan working hours uwait International Bank has announced its working hours during the holy month of Ramadan in a press statement released by the bank stating: “We would like to congratulate our valued customers on the start of the holy month of Ramadan, and we are glad to announce that the bank’s working hours will be from 10:00 am to 1:30 pm at the head offices and its 18 branches distributed around Kuwait.”

Similar to every year, KIB services and products will be accessible to all customers during the bank’s working hours, and around the clock customers can per-

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form their banking transactions and submit their enquiries through Al-Dawli Weyak which offers a dedicated 24/7 call center and can accessed from anywhere around the world. KIB customers can also use Al-Dawli Online and SMS Banking to further manage their accounts and banking needs around the clock. For more information on KIB’s services and products, please visit the bank’s website on www.kib.com.kw or check the latest updates on www.facebook.com/aldawlibank or follow us on Twitter @alDawliBank.

Competitions in patriotic songs Write to us Send to What’s On upcoming events, birthdays or celebrations by email: local@kuwaittimes.net Fax: 24835619 / 20

ndo-Kuwait Friendship Society, Kuwait (www.indokuwaitfriendshipsociety.com) is planning to conduct competitions in Indian and Kuwaiti Patriotic songs. This is the first time in Kuwait, an Indian Association is organizing contests in “Patriotic Songs” for both Indian and Kuwaiti School students. The first 3 places will be declared separately by Judges who are experts in Indian and Kuwaiti Patriotic songs. Several prizes and awards will be handed over for the winning schools. Pradeep Rajkumar and A K S Abdul Nazar said that IKFS wants let our children learn what they mean as a “Patriotic” to their home country. 4 pages of spot Essay competition related to “Patriotism” also will be held in the same day as a spot reg-

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istration. 1 Girl and 1 Boy student from each School can participate in the ESSAY contest. Dr. Mohamed Tareq, Chairman of the First Indian Model School in Kuwait “ Salmiya Indian Model School (SIMS) already confirmed as a Co-Sponsor of the Program.

Conditions apply 1) The competitions are meant for all the Schools located in Kuwait and should be nominated by school authority.

2) Each school can select group of 7 students for the “PATRIOTIC SONGS (Indian and Kuwaiti)” and nominate separately.

3) Children of above 12 years till 17 years (VII classes to XII

classes) are eligible for the contest. But if School is permitted 4) Musical instruments or KARAOKE mixer should be accompanied by the participating students/Children and the school team should operate and select the mixers.

5) Time frame: 7 minutes - Names will be called as “First come” in the Registration.

The Event will be held at the auditorium of “Salmiya Indian Model School” on Saturday, 27th October 2012 from 09:30 am onwards. It will be a full day program with fun and full of entertainments. Food-stalls of different Kuwaiti and Indian tastes will installed.

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TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

WHAT’S ON

Embassy Information EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIA The Australian Embassy Kuwait does not have a visa or immigration department. All processing of visas and immigration matters in conducted by The Australian ConsulateGeneral in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS) immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel: +971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (Visa Office); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). In Kuwait applications can be lodged at the Australian Visa Application Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-Banwan Building Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, opposite the Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday - Thursday. Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens can apply for tourist visas on-line at www.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF BRAZIL The Embassy of Brazil requests all Brazilian citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the website www.brazil.org.kw (Contact Us Form / Fale Conosco) in order to register or update contact information. The Embassy encourages all citizens to do so, including the ones who have already registered in person at the Embassy. The registration process helps the Brazilian Government to contact and assist Brazilians living abroad in case of any emergency.

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EMBASSY OF BRITAIN

Minister of Education and Higher Education receives officials during Ramadan inister of Education and Higher Education, Dr Nayef Al-Hajraf received congratulations on the advent of the holy month of Ramadan from various undersecretaries, educational area directors and top ministry officials.

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Consular section at the British Embassy will be starting an online appointment booking system for our consular customers from Sunday, 01 July 2012. All information including how to make an appointment is now available on the embassy website. In addition, there is also a “Consular Appointment System” option under Quick links on the right hand side on the homepage, which should take you to the “Consular online booking appointment system” main page.

Please be aware that from 01 July 2012, we will no longer accept walk-in customers for legalisation, notarial services and certificates (birth, death and marriages). If you have problems accessing the system or need to make an appointment for non-notarial consular issues or have a consular emergency, please call 2259 4355/7/8 or email us on consularenquirieskuwait@fco.gov.uk. If you require consular assistance out of office hours (working hours: 0730-l430 hrs), please contact the Embassy on 2259 4320.

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EMBASSY OF INDIA During the holy month of Ramadan, the office timings of the Indian Passport and Visa Service Centres of BLS International Visa Services Co, Kuwait, situated at (i) Emad Commercial Centre, Basement Floor, Ahmed Al Jaber Street, Sharq, Kuwait, and (ii) Mujamma Unood, 4th floor, Office No. 25-26 Makka Street, Fahaheel, Kuwait, will be from 8.00 am - 3.00 pm from Saturday to Thursday (i.e. six days a week). Tokens for submission of applications will NOT be issued after 2.00 pm. Delivery of passports and visas will be from 11.00 am onwards. Embassy of India, Kuwait, will maintain its usual working hours.

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EMBASSY OF KENYA The Embassy of the Republic of Kenya wishes to inform Kenyan residents throughout Kuwait and the general public that with effect from June 1, 2012 the Embassy has moved from its current location to a new location in Surra Block 1, Street 8, Villa 303.

Please note that the new telephone and fax numbers will be communicated as soon as possible. For enquiries you can contact Consular Section on mobile 90935162 or 97527306.

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EMBASSY OF MEXICO The Embassy of Mexico is pleased to inform that it is located in CLIFFS Complex, Villa 6, Salmiya, block 9, Baghdad street, Jadda Lane 7. The working hours for consular issues are from 9:00 to 12:00 Sunday through Thursday. The reception is closed from 14:00 to 15:00 hours for lunch break. The Embassy of Mexico kindly requests all Mexicans citizens in Kuwait to proceed to the e-mail: embkuwait@sre.gob.mx in order to register or update contact information. Other consultations or/and appointments could be done by telephone or fax: (+965) 2573 1952 ■■■■■■■

Jalalabad Social Welfare Society host Iftar and prayer Mahfil n the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan Jalalabad Social Welfare Society (Jalalabad Association) Kuwait hosted an Iftar and prayer mahfil on July 21. Alim Uddin the President in charge of the Society presided over the program, it was presented by General Secretary of the Society Moynul Al Islam. First Secretary (Labor) of Bangladesh Embassy in Kuwait K.M. Ali Reza attended the program as the chief guest.

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Among the special guests were Abdul Khalek Chowdhury member of the advisory council of the society, Manna Ahmed Jaigirdar, Raihan Ahmed and Moulana Kamar Uddin Jalalabadi.

Among the dignified guests were Bangladesh Awami League Kuwait’s President Sadek Hosen and General Secretary Habibur Rahaman Habib, and leaders of Awami League and Awami Jubo League Kuwait chapter, B.N.P. Jatiya Party leaders, and activists from

other political, social, cultural organizations as well as journalists, representatives of print and electronic media.

Whole hearted co-operation was also extended by M.Faisal Ahmed, Syed Muhidur Rahaman, Nurul Amin Joynal, Akhlakuzzaman Munna, Shahb uddin Shahin, Ankhar Miah, Moynul Islam, Moyub Ali Mahabub, Saad Uddin, Bahar Uddin Bablu, Salahuddin, Akhlakul Ambia Bahar, Md. Ruhul Amin, Md. Sadiq, Md. Shihab and other leaders and

members of the society that made the Iftar and prayer mahfil-2012 a grand success.

Prayer Mahfil was conducted by Moulana Kamaruddin Jalalabadi the advisor to the Society, and Moulana Nazmul Hoque cooperated with him.

After the prayer mahfil the fast breaking Iftar was served among the guests.

EMBASSY OF MYANMAR Embassy of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar would like to inform the general public that the Embassy has moved its office to new location at Villa 35, Road 203, Block 2, AlSalaam Area in South Surra. The Embassy wishes to advice Myanmar citizens and travellers to Myanmar to contact Myanmar Embassy at its new location. Tel. 25240736, 25240290, Fax: 25240749, e-mail:myankuwait11@gmai1.com ■■■■■■■

EMBASSY OF SOUTH AFRICA During the holy month of Ramadan, the South African Embassy will be open to the public, Sunday through Thursday from 09:00 am to 13:00 pm. Please note that the Consular Section operation hours will be from 09:30 am to 12:00 pm, Sunday through Thursday.

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EMBASSY OF THAILAND The Royal Thai Embassy in Kuwait, wishes to invite the Kuwaiti companies that deal business with Thai companies or those agencies of Thai commercial companies to visit the Embassy’s Commercial Office to register their relevant information to be part of the embassy’s business and trade database.

The Royal Thai Embassy is located in Jabriya, Block 6, Street 8, Villa No. 1, Telephone No. 25317530 -25317531, Ext: 14.

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EMBASSY OF UKRAINE We’d like to inform you that in response to the increasing number of our citizens who work in the state and the need for 24-hour operational telephone in case of emergency the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait has opened “hotline telephone number” - (+ 965) 972-79-206.

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

TV PROGRAMS

00:45 Your Worst Animal Nightmares 01:40 Untamed & Uncut 02:35 Great Animal Escapes 03:00 Great Animal Escapes 03:30 Cats 101 04:25 Wild France 05:20 Animal Kingdom 05:45 In Too Deep 06:10 New Breed Vets With Steve Irwin 07:00 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer 07:25 Weird Creatures With Nick Baker 08:15 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 08:40 Breed All About It 09:10 Baby Planet 10:05 Wild France 11:00 Wildlife SOS 11:25 Gorilla School 11:55 Animal Cops Houston 12:50 Safari Vet School 13:45 Animal Precinct 14:40 Wild France 15:30 Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer 16:00 Dick ‘n’ Dom Go Wild 16:30 Growing Up...

17:25 Cats 101 18:20 Dogs/Cats/Pets 101 19:15 Wildlife SOS 19:40 Gorilla School 20:10 Animal Kingdom 20:35 In Too Deep 21:05 Wild France 22:00 Rescue Vet 22:25 Rescue Vet 22:55 World Wild Vet 23:50 Animal Cops Houston

00:00 Coast 01:00 Eastenders 01:25 Doctors 01:55 Spooks 02:45 The Weakest Link 03:30 As Time Goes By 04:00 Fimbles 04:20 Tellytales 04:30 Bobinogs 04:45 Nina And The Neurons 05:00 Show Me Show Me 05:25 Boogie Beebies 05:40 Charlie And Lola 05:50 Fimbles 06:10 Tellytales 06:20 Bobinogs 06:30 Nina And The Neurons 06:45 Show Me Show Me 07:10 Boogie Beebies 07:25 Charlie And Lola 07:35 As Time Goes By 08:05 One Foot In The Grave 08:35 Dinnerladies 09:05 Eastenders 09:35 Doctors 10:05 Coast 11:00 The Inspector Lynley Mysteries 11:50 As Time Goes By 12:20 One Foot In The Grave 12:50 The Weakest Link 13:35 Eastenders 14:05 Doctors 14:30 Coast 15:30 The Inspector Lynley Mysteries 16:15 The Weakest Link 17:00 Eastenders 17:30 Doctors 18:00 Bleak House 19:00 After You’ve Gone 19:30 Gavin & Stacey 20:00 London Hospital 20:50 2 Point 4 Children 21:20 Lead Balloon 21:50 Life On Mars 22:40 Fawlty Towers 23:10 The Weakest Link 23:55 Bleak House

00:20 Come Dine With Me 01:10 Gok’s Fashion Fix 02:00 Gok’s Clothes Roadshow

02:45 MasterChef 04:30 Living In The Sun 05:20 James Martin’s Champagne 06:10 MasterChef 07:55 Living In The Sun 08:45 MasterChef Australia 09:35 Bargain Hunt 10:20 Antiques Roadshow 11:15 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 12:35 10 Years Younger 13:20 Holmes On Homes 14:55 Antiques Roadshow 15:50 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 17:10 Come Dine With Me 18:00 Rachel’s Favourite Food For Living 18:25 The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook 18:50 Rick Stein’s French Odyssey 19:15 James Martin’s Champagne 20:00 Come Dine With Me 20:50 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 22:10 Antiques Roadshow 23:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 23:40 Come Dine With Me

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 01:45 02:00 02:30 02:45 03:00 03:30 03:45 04:00 04:30 04:45 05:00 05:30 05:45 06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 07:45 08:00 08:30 08:45 09:00 09:30 09:45 10:00 10:30 10:45 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 12:45 13:00 15:00 15:30 15:45 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 17:45 18:00 18:30 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 22:45 23:00 23:30

00:10 00:35 01:00 01:25 01:50 02:15 02:40 03:00 03:25 03:50

BBC World News America BBC World News America BBC World News London Live Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Asia Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Extra Time BBC World News London Live World Business Report BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live World Business Report BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Extra Time BBC World News London Live World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Extra Time BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live BBC Focus On Africa BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live BBC World News London Live World Business Report Sport Today BBC World News London Live Extra Time

Puppy In My Pocket Tom & Jerry Kids Scooby Doo Where Are You! The Flintstones Pink Panther And Pals Looney Tunes Popeye Classics Dexter’s Laboratory Tom & Jerry Looney Tunes

04:15 04:40 05:00 05:25 05:50 06:00 06:15 06:30 06:55 07:20 07:45 08:00 08:25 08:50 09:15 09:40 10:05 10:30 Doo 10:55 11:15 11:40 12:00 12:15 12:40 12:55 13:20 13:35 14:00 14:50 15:15 Doo 15:40 16:00 16:15 16:40 17:05 17:30 17:55 18:10 18:35 19:00 19:15 19:40 19:55 20:20 20:35 21:00 21:25 21:50 22:15 22:40 23:05 23:20 23:45

The Scooby Doo Show Johnny Bravo The Flintstones The Jetsons Wacky Races The Garfield Show Tom & Jerry Kids Bananas In Pyjamas Baby Looney Tunes Gerald McBoing Boing Ha Ha Hairies A Pup Named Scooby-Doo The Garfield Show Johnny Bravo Dexter’s Laboratory Pink Panther And Pals The Scooby Doo Show Scooby-Doo And ScrappyDastardly And Muttley The Flintstones Wacky Races Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Puppy In My Pocket Looney Tunes Scooby Doo Where Are You! Scooby-Doo And ScrappyDastardly And Muttley Tom & Jerry Tom & Jerry Pink Panther And Pals Pink Panther And Pals The Garfield Show The Garfield Show Johnny Bravo Dexter’s Laboratory Jelly Jamm Baby Looney Tunes Ha Ha Hairies Gerald McBoing Boing Bananas In Pyjamas Dexter’s Laboratory Johnny Bravo Pink Panther And Pals Tom & Jerry The Garfield Show A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Popeye The Jetsons Duck Dodgers

00:30 Bakugan: New Vestroia 00:55 Bakugan: New Vestroia 01:20 Powerpuff Girls 02:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 03:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 03:25 Ben 10 03:50 Adventure Time 04:15 Powerpuff Girls 04:40 Generator Rex 05:05 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:30 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:55 Angelo Rules 06:00 The Marvelous Misadventures...

06:25 Casper’s Scare School 07:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 07:15 Adventure Time 07:40 Johnny Test 08:05 Grim Adventures Of...

08:55 Courage The Cowardly Dog 09:45 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 10:10 Redakai: Conquer The Kairu 10:35 Powerpuff Girls 11:25 My Gym Partner’s A Monkey 12:15 Ed, Edd n Eddy 13:05 Bakugan Battle Brawlers 13:30 Sym-Bionic Titan 13:55 Foster’s Home For...

14:20 Foster’s Home For...

14:45 Angelo Rules 15:35 Powerpuff Girls 16:25 The Amazing World Of Gumball 16:40 Johnny Test 17:05 Adventure Time 17:30 Regular Show 17:55 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated 18:20 Batman Brave And The Bold 18:45 Young Justice

THE WARRIORʼS WAY ON OSN ACTION HD

19:10 19:35 20:00 20:25 21:15 22:00 22:50 23:15 23:40

Hero 108 Ben 10 Ben 10 Courage The Cowardly Dog Grim Adventures Of...

Codename: Kids Next Door Ben 10 Ben 10 Chowder

00:00 Amanpour 00:30 World Sport 01:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 02:00 World Report 03:00 Anderson Cooper 360 04:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 05:00 Quest Means Business 06:00 The Situation Room 07:00 World Sport 07:30 African Voices 08:00 World Report 09:00 World Report 10:00 World Sport 10:30 Talk Asia 11:00 World Business Today 12:00 Amanpour 12:30 Eye On 13:00 World One 14:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 15:00 News Stream 16:00 World Business Today 17:00 International Desk 18:00 Global Exchange 19:00 World Sport 19:30 Eye On 20:00 International Desk 21:00 Quest Means Business 22:00 Amanpour 22:30 CNN Newscenter 23:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson

00:15 01:10 01:35 02:30 03:25 04:20 05:15 05:40 06:05 07:00 07:50 08:45 09:40 10:05 10:30 10:55 11:25 12:20 13:15 14:10 14:35 15:05 16:00 16:55 17:20 18:15 19:10 19:40 20:05 20:35 21:00 21:30 22:25 23:20

Monsters Inside Me Sons Of Guns Rattlesnake Republic Finding Bigfoot Wreckreation Nation Monsters Inside Me How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Swamp Loggers American Chopper Mythbusters Ultimate Survival Border Security Auction Kings How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Stan Lee’s Superhumans Mythbusters Mythbusters Border Security Auction Kings Ultimate Survival American Chopper Fifth Gear Swamp Loggers Mythbusters How Do They Do It? How It’s Made Border Security Auction Kings The Gadget Show Stan Lee’s Superhumans Mythbusters Mythbusters

00:35 Engineered 01:25 Ten Ways 02:15 Mighty Ships 03:05 The Gadget Show 03:35 Junkyard Mega-Wars 04:25 The World’s Strangest UFO Stories 05:15 Engineered 06:05 Ten Ways 07:00 Mighty Ships 07:50 Head Rush 07:53 Bang Goes The Theory 08:20 Sci-Fi Science 08:50 Smash Lab 09:40 Junkyard Mega-Wars 10:30 Scrapheap Challenge 14:45 Scrapheap Challenge 15:35 The Gadget Show 16:00 Head Rush 16:03 Bang Goes The Theory 16:30 Sci-Fi Science 17:00 Ten Ways 17:50 Smash Lab 18:40 The World’s Strangest UFO Stories 19:30 Junk Men 19:55 Junk Men 20:20 Scrapheap Challenge 21:10 The Gadget Show 21:35 The Gadget Show 22:00 Junk Men 22:25 Junk Men 22:50 Scrapheap Challenge 23:40 Smash Lab

00:25 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 00:55 Style Star 01:25 E!es 02:20 THS 03:15 Behind The Scenes 03:40 Extreme Close-Up 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 E!es 06:00 THS 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Scouted 10:15 THS 12:05 E! News 13:05 Ice Loves Coco 13:35 Ice Loves Coco 14:05 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 15:00 Style Star 15:30 THS 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 17:55 E! News 18:55 THS 19:55 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 20:55 Mrs. Eastwood And Company 21:25 Giuliana & Bill 22:25 E! News 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Fashion Police

00:30 01:20 02:05 02:55 03:45 04:30 05:20 06:10 07:00 07:50 08:40 09:30 09:55 10:20 Jones 11:10 12:00 12:25 12:50 13:40 14:30 14:55 15:20 Jones 16:10 17:00 17:50 18:40 19:05 19:55 20:20 Jones 21:10 22:00 22:50 23:40

00:00 00:30 01:00 01:30 02:00 03:00 03:30 04:00 05:00 06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 23:00

Ghost Lab Crime Scene Psychics Deadly Sins Scorned: Crimes Of Passion Extreme Forensics Ghost Lab Crime Scene Psychics Disappeared FBI Files Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Street Patrol Street Patrol Murder Shift Mystery Diagnosis Real Emergency Calls Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared FBI Files Murder Shift Real Emergency Calls Mystery Diagnosis Who On Earth Did I Marry?

True Crime With Aphrodite Disappeared Fatal Encounters Killer Kids Dr G: Medical Examiner

The Green Way Up The Green Way Up Destination Extreme Madventures Extreme Tourist Afghanistan Chasing Time Chasing Time Treks In A Wild World Meet The Natives The Green Way Up The Green Way Up Destination Extreme Madventures Extreme Tourist Afghanistan Chasing Time Chasing Time Treks In A Wild World Meet The Natives The Green Way Up The Green Way Up Madventures Madventures Extreme Tourist Afghanistan Chasing Time Chasing Time Treks In A Wild World Meet The Natives: USA The Green Way Up The Green Way Up Travel Madness Travel Madness David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway Exploring The Vine Naked Lentil Dive Detectives Asia Action Challenge 2000

00:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 01:00 Secret Bible 02:00 Is It Real? S3 (1 hour) 03:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 04:00 Fight Masters 05:00 Hunter Hunted 06:00 Banged Up Abroad 07:00 Air Crash Investigation 08:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 09:00 Secret Bible 10:00 Is It Real? S3 (1 hour) 11:00 Big, Bigger, Biggest 12:00 Fight Masters 13:00 Hunter Hunted 14:00 Banged Up Abroad 15:00 Air Crash Investigation Special Report 16:00 Mega Bridges 17:00 History’s Secrets 18:00 Is It Real? S3 (1 hour) 19:00 Untamed Americas 20:00 Crash Science 21:00 Shark Nicole 22:00 Lockdown 23:00 Air Crash Investigation

00:00 01:00 01:55 02:50 03:45 04:40 05:35 06:30 07:25 08:20 09:15 10:10 11:05 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

In The Womb Built for the Kill 4 Deep Jungle Outback Wrangler Hooked Ultimate Predator Hidden Worlds Deep Jungle Outback Wrangler Hooked The Rise Of Black Wolf Monster Fish Rescue Ink I, Predator Sahara Outback Wrangler Hooked Red Sea Jaws Monster Fish Rescue Ink Deep Jungle Outback Wrangler Hooked The Rise Of Black Wolf Monster Fish

00:00 Kalifornia-18 02:00 The Cry Of The Owl-PG15 04:00 Fade To Black-18 06:00 Shanghai Noon-PG15 08:00 True Justice: BrotherhoodPG15 10:00 The Devil’s Teardrop-PG15 12:00 The Warrior’s Way-PG15 14:00 True Justice: BrotherhoodPG15 16:00 Wild Bill-PG15 18:00 The Warrior’s Way-PG15 20:00 Mirrors 2-18 22:00 Tomorrow, When The War Began-PG15

HOW DO YOU KNOW ON OSN CINEMA

01:00 02:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 13:01 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00 PG15

Kings Ransom-PG15 Unmatched-PG15 Coyote County Loser-PG15 16 To Life-PG15 Yogi Bear-FAM Coyote County Loser-PG15 How Do You Know-PG15 Green Lantern-PG15 Gasland-PG15 West Is West-PG15 Calvin Marshall-PG15 Red Riding Hood-PG15 It’s Kind Of A Funny Story-

00:00 King Of The Hill 00:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 02:00 American Dad 03:00 2 Broke Girls 03:30 Raising Hope 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 The Simpsons 06:00 Seinfeld 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:30 2 Broke Girls 09:00 The Simpsons 10:00 Happy Endings 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Seinfeld 14:00 Raising Hope 14:30 Happy Endings 15:30 The Daily Show Global Edition 16:30 Seinfeld 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 2 Broke Girls 18:30 Whitney 19:00 The Cleveland Show 19:30 Happy Endings 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 23:00 Two And A Half Men 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

00:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 16:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Justified Suits Warehouse 13 Good Morning America The Glades Coronation Street The Martha Stewart Show The View Missing Suits Live Good Morning America The Glades White Collar Royal Pains House Perception Warehouse 13

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 07:30 08:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Cold Case Top Gear (UK) Revenge Justified Suits Revenge Cold Case Emmerdale Coronation Street Body Of Proof Suits Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Body Of Proof Cold Case Emmerdale Coronation Street The Ellen DeGeneres Show Smallville White Collar Royal Pains House Perception Revenge

01:00 02:45 05:00 07:00

Assassination Games-18 Bram Stoker’s Dracula-18 From Paris With Love-PG15 The Front-PG15

09:00 Largo Winch 2-PG15 11:00 From Paris With Love-PG15 13:00 True Justice: Lethal Justice-18 15:00 Largo Winch 2-PG15 17:00 Men In Black-PG15 19:00 The Running Man-18 21:00 Tomorrow, When The War Began-PG15 23:00 Don’t Look Up-18

00:00 02:00 04:00 06:00 08:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00 20:00 22:00

Knucklehead-PG15 A Film With Me In It-PG15 Bad News Bears-PG Happy Ever Afters-PG15 A Film With Me In It-PG15 The Dukes-PG15 The Making Of Plus One-PG15 Roommates-PG15 The Dukes-PG15 Coldblooded-PG15 Say Anything-PG15 Reach The Rock-18

16:30 19:00 21:30 23:30

Super Rugby AFL Premiership Super League Super Rugby Highlights

01:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 09:00 11:00 12:00 16:00 17:00 19:00 21:00

Super League NRL Premiership WWE SmackDown Super League NRL Premiership Super Rugby Highlights Darts Trans World Sport Super League NRL Premiership Live Darts

01:00 Joueuse-PG15 03:00 Harley Davidson And The Marlboro Man-PG15 05:00 Miracle-PG15 07:15 On Broadway-PG15 09:00 Sundays At Tiffany’s-PG15 11:00 Alabama Moon-PG15 13:00 Tresor-PG15 15:00 Sundays At Tiffany’s-PG15 17:00 The Client List-PG15 18:45 A L’origine-PG15 21:00 The Color Of Money-PG15 23:00 Six Days Seven Nights-PG15

01:00 AFL Highlights 02:00 Golfing World 03:00 ITU World Triathlon 05:30 Futbol Mundial 06:00 Ping Pong World Championship 07:00 Golfing World 08:00 AFL Highlights 09:00 Trans World Sport 10:00 World Cup of Pool 12:00 IronMan 13:30 Golfing World 14:30 ITU World Triathlon 17:00 AFL Premiership 19:30 IronMan 20:00 NRL Full Time 20:30 Mobil 1 The Grid 21:00 Futbol Mundial 21:30 Golfing World 22:30 Volvo Ocean Race Highlights 23:30 IronMan

01:00 Tommy Boy-PG15 03:00 Open Season 3-FAM 05:00 The Dragon Chronicles: Fire & Ice-PG15 07:00 Lottery Ticket-PG15 09:00 The Great Debaters-PG15 11:15 Green Lantern-PG15 13:15 Lord Of The Dance-PG 15:00 District 9-PG15 17:00 The Great Debaters-PG15 19:15 Mr. Popper’s Penguins-PG 21:00 Just Wright-PG15 23:00 Lorenzo’s Oil-PG15

01:00 04:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 13:00 14:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 22:00

Prizefighter UFC Unleashed WWE NXT WWE Bottom Line NHL Mobil 1 The Grid V8 Supercars Extra WWE Bottom Line WWE Vintage Collection V8 Supercars WWE NXT WWE Experience UFC 149 Prelims UFC 149

00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 03:30 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 17:30 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

Pawn Stars Ax Men IRT: Deadliest Roads Pawn Stars American Restoration Ancient Aliens Britain At War Ax Men Pawn Stars Ancient Aliens Britain At War Pawn Stars Ax Men IRT: Deadliest Roads Pawn Stars American Restoration Britain At War Ancient Aliens IRT: Deadliest Roads Pawn Stars American Restoration Britain At War Ancient Aliens Pawn Stars Ax Men Storage Wars No County For Old Men

00:00 01:50 03:40 05:15 07:00 08:55 10:30 13:00 14:50 16:20 17:55 19:40 22:00 23:55

All Fall Down Cat On A Hot Tin Roof That Midnight Kiss-FAM Manhattan Melodrama-PG All The Fine Young Cannibals-PG Flamingo Road-PG How The West Was Won-PG The Glass Bottom Boat-FAM Lassie Come Home-FAM My Favorite Year-PG Rose Marie-FAM Kelly’s Heroes-PG The Asphalt Jungle-PG Blow-Up

00:00 Snow Dogs-PG 02:00 Pocahontas & The Spider Woman-PG 04:00 The Three Bears: Dreadful Dangers-FAM 06:00 Snow Dogs-PG 08:00 The Lucky Dragon-PG 10:00 Moomins And The Comet Chase-FAM 12:00 Flubber-PG 14:00 Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed-PG 16:00 Hua Mulan-PG 18:00 True Story Of Puss’n Boots-PG 20:00 Flubber-PG 22:00 The Lucky Dragon-PG

00:15 Town Creek-PG15 02:00 The Nanny Express-PG15 04:00 Napoleon Dynamite-PG 06:00 The Silent Fall-PG15 08:00 Justin Bieber: Never Say Never-PG 10:00 Lego: The Adventures Of Clutch Powers-FAM 12:00 Knight And Day-PG15 14:00 Mr. Popper’s Penguins-PG 16:00 Justin Bieber: Never Say Never-PG 18:00 Soul Surfer-PG15 20:00 Life As We Know It-PG15 22:00 Mr. Popper’s Penguins-PG

02:00 03:00 05:00 07:00 11:00 12:00 14:00 16:00

Super Rugby Highlights Super Rugby Super Rugby Darts World Match Play Volvo Ocean Race Highlights Super League NRL Premiership Futbol Mundial

Classifieds TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Airlines QTR JZR RJA GFA UAE ETD OMA FDB MSR RBG QTR THY DHX JZR KAC BAW KAC KAC JZR FDB KAC KAC KAC KAC UAE ABY QTR FDB IRA ETD IRA GFA MEA MSR MSC JZR KNE JZR MSR KAC FDB KNE QTR KAC SVA RJA KAC QTR ETD UAE UAL SVA GFA JZR JZR ABY KAC SYR KAC KAC KAC FDB MSR MSC KAC KAC KAC KAC KAC JAI AXB FDB OMA MEA QTR GFA ALK KLM UAE ABY QTR AIC FDB GFA UAL JZR DLH MSR JZR THY PIA

Arrival Flights on Tuesday 24/7/2012 Flt Route 148 DOHA 267 BEIRUT 642 AMMAN 211 BAHRAIN 853 DUBAI 305 ABU DHABI 643 MUSCAT 67 DUBAI 612 CAIRO 3553 ALEXANDRIA 138 DOHA 770 ISTANBUL 170 BAHRAIN 503 LUXOR 412 MANILA 157 LONDON 416 JAKARTA 206 ISLAMABAD 555 ALEXANDRIA 53 DUBAI 302 MUMBAI 332 TRIVANDRUM 352 COCHIN 284 DHAKA 855 DUBAI 125 SHARJAH 132 DOHA 55 DUBAI 605 ISFAHAN 301 ABU DHABI 619 LAR 213 BAHRAIN 404 BEIRUT 618 ALEXANDRIA 401 ALEXANDRIA 561 SOHAG 978 JEDDAH 775 JEDDAH 610 CAIRO 514 TEHRAN 57 DUBAI 472 JEDDAH 140 DOHA 562 AMMAN 500 JEDDAH 640 AMMAN 546 ALEXANDRIA 134 DOHA 303 ABU DHABI 857 DUBAI 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 510 RIYADH 215 BAHRAIN 177 DUBAI 777 JEDDAH 127 SHARJAH 542 CAIRO 341 DAMASCUS 166 PARIS 786 JEDDAH 104 LONDON 63 DUBAI 624 SOHAG 403 ASSIUT 774 RIYADH 1754 JEDDAH 618 DOHA 674 DUBAI 742 DAMMAM 572 MUMBAI 389 KOZHIKODE 61 DUBAI 647 MUSCAT 402 BEIRUT 146 DOHA 221 BAHRAIN 229 COLOMBO 415 AMSTERDAM 859 DUBAI 129 SHARJAH 136 DOHA 981 CHENNAI 59 DUBAI 217 BAHRAIN 981 BAHRAIN 239 AMMAN 636 FRANKFURT 614 CAIRO 539 CAIRO 772 ISTANBUL 205 LAHORE

Time 0:20 0:50 2:10 2:20 2:25 2:30 2:50 3:10 3:20 3:20 3:25 4:35 5:00 6:05 6:15 6:30 6:35 7:15 7:35 7:45 7:50 7:55 8:05 8:15 8:25 8:30 9:00 9:20 9:20 9:30 9:40 10:00 10:55 11:25 12:00 12:25 13:00 13:20 13:30 13:40 13:45 14:15 14:25 14:30 14:30 14:55 15:05 15:15 16:35 16:55 17:10 17:20 17:20 17:30 17:40 17:45 18:15 18:30 18:40 18:40 18:45 18:45 18:55 19:00 19:10 19:20 19:20 19:25 19:30 19:35 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:15 20:25 20:35 20:55 21:05 21:15 21:30 21:35 22:25 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:55 23:10 23:35 23:40 23:40 23:59

Airlines AIC UAL DLH JZR MSR KLM PIA THY RJA UAE FDB OMA RBG ETD MSR QTR QTR JZR GFA THY JZR KAC BAW FDB ABY KAC KAC UAE QTR KAC FDB ETD IRA IRA GFA KAC KAC JZR MEA MSR MSC KAC JZR KAC KNE FDB MSR KAC KNE SVA KAC RJA KAC QTR KAC JZR ETD JZR QTR UAE GFA ABY UAL SVA JZR FDB KAC SYR MSR MSC KAC JAI FDB KAC KAC OMA MEA KAC GFA DHX ALK KLM ABY KAC UAE QTR KAC KAC AXB QTR FDB GFA KAC JZR

Depature Flights on Tuesday 24/7/2012 Flt Route 976 GOA/CHENNAI 0:05 981 WASHINGTON DC 637 FRANKFURT 554 ALEXANDRIA 615 CAIRO 411 AMSTERDAM 240 SIALKOT 773 ISTANBUL 643 AMMAN 854 DUBAI 68 DUBAI 644 MUSCAT 3554 ALEXANDRIA 306 ABU DHABI 613 CAIRO 139 DOHA 149 DOHA 560 SOHAG 212 BAHRAIN 771 ISTANBUL 774 JEDDAH 545 ALEXANDRIA 156 LONDON 54 DUBAI 126 SHARJAH 513 IMAM KHOMEINI 561 AMMAN 856 DUBAI 133 DOHA 101 LONDON 56 DUBAI 302 ABU DHABI 604 ISFAHAN 618 LAR 214 BAHRAIN 541 CAIRO 165 ROME 776 JEDDAH 405 BEIRUT 623 SOHAG 404 ASSIUT 785 JEDDAH 176 DUBAI 1753 JEDDAH 979 JEDDAH 58 DUBAI 611 CAIRO 673 DUBAI 473 JEDDAH 501 JEDDAH 617 DOHA 641 AMMAN 773 RIYADH 135 DOHA 741 DAMMAM 538 CAIRO 304 ABU DHABI 238 AMMAN 141 DOHA 858 DUBAI 216 BAHRAIN 128 SHARJAH 982 BAHRAIN 511 RIYADH 266 BEIRUT 64 DUBAI 283 DHAKA 342 DAMASCUS 607 LUXOR 402 ALEXANDRIA 361 COLOMBO 571 MUMBAI 62 DUBAI 343 CHENNAI 351 KOCHI 648 MUSCAT 403 BEIRUT 543 CAIRO 222 BAHRAIN 171 BAHRAIN 230 COLOMBO 415 DAMMAM 120 SHARJAH 381 DELHI 860 DUBAI 137 DOHA 301 MUMBAI 205 ISLAMABAD 390 MANGALORE 147 DOHA 60 DUBAI 218 BAHRAIN 411 BANGKOK 502 LUXOR

Time 0:25 0:30 0:30 0:35 0:55 1:00 2:15 3:10 3:45 3:50 3:55 4:00 4:05 4:20 4:50 5:40 6:00 7:05 7:10 7:55 8:10 8:25 8:25 9:05 9:15 9:15 9:40 10:00 10:00 10:05 10:15 10:20 10:40 10:45 11:30 11:45 11:50 11:55 12:25 13:00 13:10 13:20 13:45 14:00 14:25 14:30 15:05 15:15 15:45 15:45 15:50 15:55 16:15 16:30 16:50 17:20 17:30 17:45 18:05 18:20 18:25 18:30 18:35 18:50 19:25 19:30 19:30 19:55 20:00 20:20 20:35 20:40 20:55 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:30 21:35 21:50 21:55 22:05 22:10 22:20 22:25 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:10 23:10 23:15 23:30 23:40 23:55

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988

112 Ministry of Interior

CHANGE OF NAME

FOR SALE A 2008 model, 58 passenger, air conditioned Asher Bus in very good condition, price KD 9,400/-. Contact: 99089981. (C 4087) 23-7-2012

I, John Francisco Vaz holder of Indian Passport No: A2578567 hereby change my name to JOAO FRANCISCO VAS. (C 4084) 21-7-2012

GMCAcadia, model 2007, 52,000 km, full specifications, CD, leather, DVD, excellent condition, condition inspection at the agency. Contact: 55741238. (C 4086)

Saravanan Subramaniyan, s/o Subramaniyan, holder of Indian Passport No: G9950267 do here by change my name as SAMEER MOHAMED. (C 4081)

website: www.moi.gov.kw Prayer timings Fajr: Duhr: Asr: Maghrib: Isha:

03:31 11:54 15:29 18:46 20:15

GOVERNMENT WEB SITES Kuwait Parliament www.majlesalommah.net

The Public Institution for Social Security www.pifss.gov.kw

Ministry of Interior www.moi.gov.kw

Public Authority of Industry www.pai.gov.kw

Public Authority for Civil Information www.paci.gov.kw

Prisoners of War Committee www.pows.org.kw

Kuwait News Agency www.kuna.net.kw

Ministry of Foreign Affairs www.mofa.gov.kw

Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affair www.islam.gov.kw

Kuwait Municipality www.municipality.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Oil) www.moo.gov.kw

Kuwait Electronic Government www.e.gov.kw

Ministry of Energy (Electricity and Water) www.energy.govt.kw

Ministry of Finance www.mof.gov.kw

Public Authority for Housing Welfare www.housing.gov.kw

Ministry of Commerce and Industry www.moci.gov.kw

Ministry of Justice www.moj.gov.kw

Ministry of Education www.moe.edu.kw

Ministry of Communications www.moc.kw

Ministry of Information www.moinfo.gov.kw

Supreme Council for Planning and Development www.scpd.gov.kw

Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation www.awqaf.org

34

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

stars CROSSWORD 746

STAR TRACK

CALVIN & HOBBES

Aries (March 21-April 19) Emotional and mental battles may be present today. This could be why it is hard for you to decide whether you have a happy or a do-not-care attitude about several interesting conversations that come up today.

Work, as long as it takes to complete ongoing projects, will go fairly well. If you are starting new projects or trying to solve public relations problems . . . give yourself some time to think. Attraction to the opposite sex is rampant. The elements present strong aphrodisiacs. If no partner is available, soak up that energy this afternoon with some creative activity—the more strenuous the better. Keep up-to-date with your dream diary and encourage other members of your household to keep a dream diary as well.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Your professional techniques are commendable and you will be able to demonstrate your capable expertise. Remember to separate some of your interests. If you are involved in deeply refining some technique or talent, you will want to seek out those people that have the same interest and converse with your co-workers about their interests. You are very tolerant and accepting of other people’s differences and this is good. You have good insights into all social values. Independent, you like to simplify, compromise and otherwise show your breadth of scope—like a coat of many colors. Shopping this afternoon, perhaps a new store, will have you wishing you had left the credit or debit cards behind—easy. Your flair for the unusual may not receive as much support.

POOCH CAFE ACROSS 1. Long and light rowing boat.

4. Pasture grass of plains of South America and western North America.

10. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).

13. A self-funded retirement plan that allows you to contribute a limited yearly sum toward your retirement.

14. United States physician who in 1863 founded a medical school for women (1813-1888).

15. An ugly evil-looking old woman.

16. The capital of Croatia.

17. A doctor's degree in religion.

18. The United Nations agency concerned with atomic energy.

19. (Irish) Mother of the ancient Irish gods.

20. Type genus of the Majidae.

22. A room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter.

25. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.

27. United States evangelical preacher famous as a mass evangelist (born in 1918).

31. Jewish republic in southwestern Asia at eastern end of Mediterranean.

35. Relating to the deepest parts of the ocean (below 6000 meters).

36. A heavy odorless colorless gas formed during respiration and by the decomposition of organic substances.

38. American novelist (1909-1955).

39. A member of a widespread group of Amerindians living in northeastern South America.

41. A mechanically operated piano that uses a roll of perforated paper to activate the keys.

44. (Brit) A tough youth of 1950's and 1960's wearing Edwardian style clothes.

45. Either extremity of something that has length.

47. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

51. Cause to go crazy.

54. A member of a nomadic Berber people of the Sahara.

57. Norwegian mathematician (1802-1829).

59. Relating to or characteristic of or occurring on the sea or ships.

62. Preserve of crushed fruit.

63. A condition (mostly in boys) characterized by behavioral and learning disorders.

64. The 11th letter of the Greek alphabet.

65. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

DOWN 1. An ancient Egyptian city on the west bank of the Nile opposite Cairo.

2. A theocratic republic in the Middle East in western Asia.

3. Mentally or physically infirm with age.

4. (Scottish) A narrow secluded valley (in the mountains).

5. Take something away by force or without the consent of the owner.

6. The azimuth of a celestial body is the angle between the vertical plane containing it and the plane of the meridian.

7. (Greek legend) The greedy king of Phrygia who Dionysus gave the power to turn everything he touched into gold.

8. Aristocratic Italian family of powerful merchants and bankers who ruled Florence in the 15th century.

9. A colorless and odorless inert gas.

10. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband of Jezebel (9th century BC).

11. (Greek mythology) Goddess of the earth and mother of Cronus and the Titans in ancient mythology.

12. Any culture medium that uses agar as the gelling agent.

21. An associate degree in applied science.

23. United States humorist who wrote about rural life (18181885).

24. Modulation of the frequency of the (radio) carrier wave.

26. Broken husks of the seeds of cereal grains that are separated from the flour by sifting.

28. Not widely known.

29. (Babylonian) God of storms and wind.

30. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.

32. Highly excited.

33. The fatty flesh of eel.

34. A unit of length of thread or yarn.

37. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

40. A festival featuring African-American culture.

41. The azimuth of a celestial body is the angle between the vertical plane containing it and the plane of the meridian.

42. In place of, or as an alternative to.

43. A public promotion of some product or service.

46. A lipoprotein that transports cholesterol in the blood.

48. A metric unit of volume or capacity equal to 10 liters.

49. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.

50. Small terrestrial lizard of warm regions of the Old World.

52. In bed.

53. No longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life.

55. The inner and longer of the two bones of the human forearm.

56. A Hindu prince or king in India.

58. A sharp hand gesture (resembling a blow).

59. Being one more than one hundred.

60. Being ten more than one hundred forty.

61. A metric unit of length equal to one billionth of a meter.

Yesterday’s Solution

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Working in group projects is where the greatest progress is now. You could be most persuasive with others and eloquent in speech and communication. A current situation is a natural for your self-expression.

You have plenty of ideas to share with others. A good conversation with those you love is possible later this afternoon. You may find yourself guiding a young person in some matter of importance. You could help this young person come up with new solutions or inventions. You are other-oriented these days and others enjoy being with you and learning from you. It is not what you do so much as how you do it, not who you are so much as how you make others feel about themselves. If it does not come from the heart, it should not matter now.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) You can sometimes seem a bit eccentric, seeking out unusual pleasures and relations. You may become restless and bored by existing routines—you are eager to explore new ground. Try to temper your exploits with wisdom. Additionally, you may find it favorable to voice new ideas to others in hopes of winning them over to your way of thinking. You have discipline to complete your work. This is indeed your time to shine. Issues of pride, mastery and appreciation become more central to your life stream as this cycle progresses. There is open communication available. Now is an excellent time to plan for the future—both financially and socially. Do not forget to include your family when making any important decisions this evening.

NON SEQUITUR

Leo (July 23-August 22) There is a natural ability to negotiate with the law and authorities, plus an ability to find your way—the correct way—when it comes to inner and spiritual matters. There could be situations that call upon your expertise to inform or guide others within the bounds of legal matters. Others will accept your guidance and counsel. Your drive to get at the heart and truth of things is invoked and serves as a common theme in your life. You will be please by the recognition you may receive from your co-workers today. Your relationships with others, especially women, will be more harmonious now. On a more practical level, this is a good time to effect subtle changes in your social life. Now is a time of excess—however, moderation in all things is best.

ZITS

Virgo (August 23-September 22) You will be able to see much progress in the workplace.

Ongoing projects come to an end and new ones can finally begin.

The noon break is a great time for intellectual exchanges. You could even walk to a nearby bookstore and find a book about some intriguing new subject. Your thirst for freedom and excitement, while a definite boon to any relationship, should not completely dominate your decision-making process. This time marks a most enjoyable time for you—things will come to you easily. Investments look good—logic prevails.

You care about all of your relationships-friendships, associations or love affairs-and discuss them without emotions getting in the way. A friend may request some attention this evening—trust your intuition.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM

Your fertile mind is very clear and able to separate the most complex concepts into their component parts for easier understanding. You are called upon to help with contracts or some sort of legal work— which is successful. If you treat others as you would want them to treat you, there should be no difficulties today. Your objectivity should enable you to converse with others about subjects that may have been too difficult before now. This is a good time to look into future career plans. Be sure to keep an open mind about all ideas or proposals, paying attention to all the details involved. Plans made today should work out, no matter how far down the road. This is a perfect day to look for a new home. Also, check out your insurance coverage.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) You are a natural architect and builder, able to use your mind to make decisions in matters of form and function. Careful . . . your imagination may run toward the way things ought to be, rather than on reality. In communicating with others, you will most likely find greater clarity through using rational thought. There is no reason, however, to lose that imagination of yours; together with rational thought, you will be able to come up with some unique and very workable solutions. Law, philosophy and religion have much potential to impact your lifestyle. Explore your options and consider teaching or taking an educational course that will add to your skills. A sociable, congenial, slightly frivolous orientation sets in this evening. There is romance.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) You are very sensitive—even vulnerable when it comes to expressing yourself. This is a time of intense creativity enabling you to go through changes and inner growth. A sudden break may occur now that will remove a limiting influence in your life. This may mean the end of a relationship that was not right for you, or it may mean quitting a dead-end job.

Whatever the situation is in which you find yourself will return some freedom to you that you have not had in quite some time. It may be time now to open up your own shop or to begin teaching private classes. Whatever the planetary alignment is at any one time, you seem to have the talent for finding the best in any situation—others look to you as a mentor.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

To

Changes in the workplace are pleasant and you and your coworkers have waited a long time for changes to occur. Thank goodness this is not a challenging day . . . there have been enough of those while waiting for the changes to take place. There is an air of fun, cooperation and the feeling that your professional standing is secure. It seems that several people are putting some pressure on you . . . needing your attention for one thing or another. Be sure to make it clear what you are willing to do and save some time for yourself. At home this evening, you may decide it is time to make some changes. This may mean a new paint job or buying some landscape plants and creating a water garden. A family member may decide to help you with that water garden.

Yesterday’s Solution Yester

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) Work, achievement and ambition are the things that mean a lot to you now. You have a natural sense for communicating with others, especially those younger than yourself. Clear thoughts about the past may also be flowing in today. Taking care of business is a major theme where your emotional orientation is concerned. You crave organization and practicality and you want to get things accomplished. You aim to have a place for everything and everything in its place—and anything that gets in the way gets on your nerves. Take time to smell the flowers! This is a great afternoon to recharge the batteries. Take a stroll, chat with friends, listen to music and visit a farmer’s market. Surround yourself with beauty.

Tonight you tell someone you love him or her.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Word Sleuth Solution

Superficiality will not be tolerated today. Leave that sort of thinking for another time and concentrate on whatever project is current. You will learn some new problem-solving techniques from a co-worker today. You have several opportunities to work with young people, perhaps involving your teaching of economy or budgeting as well as passing on the new problem-solving technique. You have an inner urge to be all things to all people and would rather bend than argue. You are a natural diplomat, always courteous and concerned with the comfort and welfare of others. You are equality minded and easy to talk with—a great mediator or negotiator. You are particularly good at relations, politics, diplomacy and sales.

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

i n f o r m at i o n For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 GOVERNORATE Sabah Hospital

24812000

Amiri Hospital

22450005

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

Kaizen center

25716707

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

PHARMACY

ADDRESS

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

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

Hawally

ST TAT TE OF K KUW WA AIT

Tel.: e 161

DIRECTORA AT TE GENE GENERAL OF CIVIL AV VIA AT TION METEOROLOGICAL DEP PA ARTMENT

WWW.MET.GOV V..KW

Veery hot h with light to moderate north westerly to light variable wind, with speed of 08 - 28 km/h

BY Y NIGHT:

Relatively hot with variable wind changing to light to moderate south easterly wind, with speed of 08 - 30 km/h No Current Warnings arnin a

WARNING A

46 °C

38 °C

22451082

KUW WAIT A AIRPOR RT

48 °C

30 °C

Al-Mirqab

22456536

NUW WAISEEB A

46 °C

31 °C

Sharq

22465401

WAFRA A

48 °C

31 °C

Salmiya

25746401

SALMI

48 °C

34 °C

ABDAL LY

50 °C

33 °C

Jabriya

25316254

JAL ALIY YAH A

49 °C

32 °C

Maidan Hawally

25623444

FAILAKA A

45 °C

31 °C

Bayan

25388462

AHMADI POR RT

41 °C

36 °C

Mishref

25381200

UMM AL-MARADEM

40 °C

33 °C

W.Hawally

22630786

WARBA A A - BUBY YAN A

40 °C

30 °C

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

ST TAT TION

DA AT TE

WEA AT THER

Tuesday

24/07

West Jahra

24772608

Wednesday e

South Jahra

24775066

Thursday

North Jahra

24775992

Friday

North Jleeb

24311795

24719048

N.Kheitan

24710044

Fintas

23900322

23/07/2012 0000 UTC

Temperatures DA AY

24575755

Al-Omariya

SFC. CHART

4 DA AYS Y FORECAST

New Jahra

24892674

MAX.

MIN.

Wind Direction

Wind Speed

very hot

48 °C

33 °C

NW-NE

12 - 35 km/h

25/07

very hot + raising dust

47 °C

33 °C

SE

20 - 45 km/h

26/07

very hot + raising dust

47 °C

34 °C

S-SE

20 - 40 km/h

27/07

very hot

48 °C

35 °C

SE-S

15 - 40 km/h

RECORDED YESTERDA AY AT KUW WA AIT AIRPORT

PRA RA AY YER TIMES Fajr

03:32

MAX. Temp.

49 °C

Sunrise

05:03

MIN. Temp.

34 °C

Zuhr

11:54

MAX. RH

23 %

Asr

15:30

MIN. RH

Sunset

18:46

MAX. Wind i

Isha

20:14

TOT TA AL L RAIINF FALL A L IN 24 HR.

03 % NE 32 km/h 00 mm

All times are local time unless otherwise stated.

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

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25633324

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25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

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25322030

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22633135

Kaizen center 25716707

25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888 Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924 Physiotherapists & VD Dr. Deyaa Shehab

25722291

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22666288

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Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688

22545171

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24810598

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22545051

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24711433

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25616368

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36

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

LIFESTYLE G o s s i p

Ledger’s he father of Heath Ledger is calling for America to tighten its gun laws in the wake of the deadly theater shootings in Colorado. “It’s terrible-the whole circumstances,” Ledger’s father Kim told Australia’s Herald Sun newspaper. “I think what America should be doing is restricting the availability of ammunition or revisiting their gun laws, that’s what they should be doing.” The elder Ledger’s comments came in response to Friday’s

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father calls for tighter US gun laws shooting at a Cineplex screening “The Dark Knight Rises” in Aurora, Colo., in which 12 died and dozens were injured. Heath Ledger, who died from an accidental drug overdose in January 2008, played the Joker in the previous film in the Warner Bros. franchise, “The Dark Knight.” Ledger’s father made clear that “we can’t blame Heath or the character” for the incident. “It’s [The Joker] fictitious. I don’t know what this does to the character,” he said. “I think

that’s the least of my worries. I’d be more worried about the families and other people involved in the tragedy.”

Chili Peppers’ lead singer backs jailed anti-Putin punks

‘Reluctant Fundamentalist’ to open Venice film festival he world premiere of Indian director Mira Nair’s political thriller “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” based on a bestseller will open the Venice film festival next month, organizers said on Sunday. The film tells the story of a Pakistani man chasing success on Wall Street who ultimately finds himself embroiled in a conflict between his American Dream, a hostage crisis, and the enduring call of his family’s homeland. The film by the award-winning Nair stars Riz Ahmed, Kate Hudson, Kiefer Sutherland and Liev Schreiber. The novel is by Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid.

“The festival’s opening night will feature a film that provides much food for thought,” festival director Alberto Barbera said in a statement. “Mira Nair

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nthony Kiedis, lead singer of US rock band the Red Hot Chili Peppers, gave his backing to a jailed Russian girl punk band during a Moscow concert Sunday, a Russian news website reported. Kiedes performed with his band at the city’s Luzniky stadium wearing a tee-shirt emblazoned with “Pussy Riot”, the news website www.gazeta.ru, a report confirmed by by posts on Twitter. Pussy Riot is the name of the punk trio currently detained pending trial for an protest against President Vladimir Putin last February. Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Yekaterina Samutsevich and Maria Alekhina face up to seven years if jailed, after having barged into a Moscow church to sing a “punk prayer” calling for the overthrow of Putin. The three have already been held in detention since March and on Friday a Moscow court ordered them detained for another six months, until January 12.The anti-Putin opposition has rallied to support them with a number of artists and other celebrities denouncing what they say is their harsh treatment.

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has made an exemplary film adaptation of a novel that deals with the topical issue of fundamentalisms of any kind or nature,” he said. Nair clinched the Venice film festival’s Golden Lion award in 2001 for her “Monsoon Wedding” and also won international acclaim with her “Mississippi Masala”. “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” was shot in Atlanta, Istanbul, Lahore, New Delhi and New York and includes a new original song by Peter Gabriel. It is partly produced and financed by the Doha Film Institute. The film, which is screening out of competition, will be shown after the opening ceremony on August 29. The festival runs until September 8.

Hathaway to

Wahlberg is selling

marry next year

Beverly Hills house

nne Hathaway will get married next year. The 29-year-old star - who got engaged to Adam Schulman in November 2011 after three years of dating - has been too busy working on blockbuster movies ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ and ‘Les Miserables’ to begin planning her nuptials, but doesn’t think she will be waiting too long to go down the aisle. She told Britain’s HELLO! magazine: “We’re getting married, probably sometime next year-ish.

Not this year, its too big with two films coming out. “I haven’t started planning yet. I was filming ‘Les Mis’ when we decided to do it, and there was no way I could think about anything wedding-related with my head in the space it was in then. I’ve been so busy since then, I’ve not even decided what sort of ceremony I want.” Anne had her long hair cut into a short crop for her role as pros-

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titute Fantine in ‘Les Miserables’ and admits changing her look was far more frightening than anything else she has ever done for her work. She admitted: “I hadn’t realized how much I played with [my hair]. I was really scared about who I would be when I came out the other side. Who would have thought hair would have such power? “I have to say, of all the things I’ve done for a role learning to jump out of windows, learning to do back flips, changing my body shape - cutting my hair was by far the scariest thing I’ve ever done. “I’ve learned to embrace the short hair now and feel better for it.

And I think people find me more approachable, people have come up to me to tell me they like it, which is very nice.”

ark Wahlberg has put his house up for sale for the third time.

The ‘Fighter’ actor has listed the Beverly Hills estate he shares with wife Rhea Durham and their four children for $12,995,000, $3 million less than its asking price when it was first listed in 2008. The property is spread across almost two acres, with seven bedrooms and 10 1/2 bathrooms spread within a 9,000 sq ft main house and 2,500 sq ft guest house. The luxury gated estate boasts a screening room, full-sized basketball court and a regulation-size boxing ring, a swimming pool with waterfall and waterside, a professionally-equipped gym and a putting green. The eventual buyer of the property will count actress Demi Moore as one of their neighbors. It is believed the house is being listed again because Mark and Rhea who have four children, Ella, 11, Michael, six, Brendan, four, and Grace, two - have begun work on a new property. The couple bought a six acre property with plans for a 30,000 sq. ft. house in 2009 and have finally made headway on the site.

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Cruise buying New York home to be near Suri om Cruise is set to buy a new home in New York City so he can spend more time with daughter Suri. The ‘Rock of Ages’ actor is said to be looking into purchasing a new property in the city after estranged wife Katie Holmes relocated to ‘The Big Apple’ following her decision to divorce Tom and was then given primary custody of the six-year-old girl in their divorce settlement. Katie, 33, intends to live permanently in New York with Suri, so Tom wants a base their so he can see his child whenever he wants. A source told the New York Post newspaper: “Tom’s looking for a new home here. He wants a fresh start. He doesn’t want to go back to the East Village apartment where he was living with Katie. “He’s looking for something that’s very private where he won’t have to deal with going through a lobby, and people outside all the time.” Tom - who kept the former couple’s home in Beverly Hills, where the 50-year-old star lives with his eldest children, Isabella, 19, and 17-year-old Connor - has told friends his main concern is having enough space for Suri to play in. One pal said: “He also wants to have a nice amount of space for Suri, with outdoor space. That could mean high-end luxury apartments, but he’s also looking at houses outside of the city or in gated communities.” Katie filed for divorce last month after five years of marriage and they agreed on their divorce settlement within a matter of weeks, with the former ‘Dawson’s Creek’ star getting primary custody of Suri with Tom being granted visitation rights.

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Caine blames himself for marriage split ir Michael Caine blames himself for the breakdown of his first marriage. The 79-year-old actor wed actress Patricia Haines when he was just 22 and he admits he was unable to cope when their daughter Dominique was born. He said: “I wish I’d known that if you fall in love, you don’t have to marry. I fell in love with Patricia Haines and we were married a few weeks later. “I sometimes got small jobs on television - just walk-on parts, no dialogue - but gave up acting work because Pat was more talented and had more chance of success. I began a long line of souldestroying jobs. “I worked in a laundry, I washed up in a restaurant and had a stint as a plumber’s mate. “Pat became pregnant and we had our wonderful daughter Dominique, who is now 56. But it was the wonderful straw that broke an already very weak camel’s back.”I walked out of the marriage. The marriage breakdown was entirely my fault. I was too young and immature to take on the poverty and personal and professional failure.”Michael - who has been married to second wife Shakira for 39 years - had to rely on his parents for help after he split from Patricia.And ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ star will always be grateful for the support his mother Ellen and father Maurice gave him. He added to The Sun newspaper: “I collapsed like a house of cards. I was out of work, had no money and was forced, at the age of 23, to return to the council house where I’d lived with my mum and dad and rely on their generosity again.”

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Weisz and Craig don’t get recognized achel Weisz and Daniel Craig never get recognized in public. The couple - who married in June 2011 - find it easy to lead a normal life in New York City without being bothered by the public, even if the James Bond actor has to don a hat to keep his identity concealed. Rachel - who has a six-year-old son Henry with ex-partner Darren Aronofsky - said: “I’ve never had to worry too much about [being recognized]. With Daniel, it’s just a matter of putting on a hat. “You try to walk quickly and go about your business. Living in New York makes it much easier. “I’ve never been one to go to loud clubs or trendy restaurants. And as a mum, you want to put your child to bed then take a nice hot bath because you’re generally exhausted from your day.” Rachel, 42, also claimed her role in ‘The Bourne Legacy’ proves she is tougher than her spouse as she had to do her own stunts in the action film.. Asked about comparisons between her husband - who reprises his role as 007 for a third time in upcoming movie ‘Skyfall’ - and new ‘Bourne’ star Jeremy Renner, she told The Sun newspaper: “The similarities are that Daniel and Jeremy are extremely good actors - proper actors.

“Are they two tough guys? I suppose they pretend to be. In ‘Bourne’ films, the policy is you do your own stunts and that kind of realize heightens your appreciation of the story. “I found all the physical work quite scary and exciting at the same time - it toughens you up. “There was a great deal of running and a lot of stunt work I didn’t expect to do. You feel like you can handle yourself in difficult situations after doing a film like this.” —Agencies

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lifestyle A r t

These pictures show visitors interacting with a 3D painting at the Magic Art Special Exhibition at the Hangzhou Peace International Exhibition and Conference Centre in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou. Visitors interacted with the paintings by touching, sitting on them and even sticking their heads into the artwork in one of the few art exhibitions where photography and touch are actively encouraged. —AFP

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

lifestyle M u s i c

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television series depicting a revered Islamic figure has caused a stir in the Arab world with thousands saying the show must be stopped because they believe such depictions are forbidden

by Islam. The historical drama, “Omar”, tells the story of Omar Ibn al-Khattab, a close companion of Prophet Mohammed and influential ruler who oversaw the radical expansion of the Islamic empire in the 7th century. The show has been at the centre of a controversy pitting Islamic conservatives against reformists. The series is being aired during the holy month of Ramadan, when television viewing in the region peaks and advertisers pour large chunks of their budget into the small screen’s high season.

Saudi producers, the Middle East Broadcasting Centre (MBC), say it is the largest ever Arabic production, with 30,000 actors and a technical team from 10 different countries who toiled 300 days to make the 31-part series. Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam’s main seat of learning based in Cairo, has issued a fatwa against the series saying that portrayals of Prophet Mohammed and his companions are forbidden.

Saudi Arabia’s Dar al-Ifta, the kingdom’s Islamic legal research centre that issues religious edicts, has echoed the view.

Although visual depictions are not explicitly banned in the Koran, Sunni scholars have generally agreed that personifications of religious figures are banned because it can lead to idolatry, which is strictly forbidden. Thousands have taken to social networking sites to denounce the series and call for it to be pulled off the air. “The symbols of the

Ummah (nation) are a red line,” said one Facebook user on a page called “No to airing Omar.” The actors “will tarnish the image (of the prophets and companions) through their roles in other films and series and plays,” another said.

One page showed the actors’ faces with the text “Shame on Muslims!” underneath in a large red font.

But the show’s producers say they received support from several leading clerics who also reviewed the historical accuracy of the series, including prominent Egyptian cleric Sheikh Yousef al-Qaradawi.

Egyptian television critic Tarek al-Shennawi says the presentation of Omar by a Saudi production company signals a defeat of official Islamic institutions like Al-Azhar and the Saudi Dar al-Ifta.

“Many of these institutions are stuck on their old positions, while other institutions have long ago approved such depictions,” he told AFP. “In Islam, there is no sanctification, and presenting these figures (on-screen) is in line with that. It promotes a discussion of these figures, their religious and historical roles... which works towards intellectual development,” said Sanaa Hashem, associate professor at Cairo’s cinema institute. Omar Ibn al-Khattab was the second Caliph of Islam and one of the 10 close companions of Prophet Mohammed who were promised paradise, and was instrumental in the spread of Islam.—AFP

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M o v i e s

TV drama ‘Omar’ tells the story of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab, a close companion of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). — AFP

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In this photograph taken on July 4, 2011, Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan carries a religious cloth on his head during a visit to the shrine of Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer. — AFP

Indian stars accused of misusing top Muslim shrine

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he head of one of the most important Muslim shrines in India has complained about Bollywood stars misusing the site to pray for their “sinful” films to be commercially successful. Zainul Abedin Ali Khan, who leads the organisation in charge of the Ajmer shrine in Rajasthan, said that celebrity pilgrims were appealing for movies that often featured immoral subjects that insulted Islam.

“Many film stars come here with (a) CD or DVD of their work and offer it while praying for the success of the film or serial, whatever it is, which is absolutely against the Islamic law,” Khan told reporters in Ajmer on Sunday.

“They are using the holy place, a prime centre of religious belief, for purely commercial purposes and for degrading moral values among people,” the Press Trust of India news agency quoted him as saying.

The shrine to sufi saint Muin-ud-din Chishti, who died in Ajmer in the 13th century, is one of south Asia’s most important pilgrimage sites, attracting millions of Muslim and non-Muslim devotees from around the world every year. Khan did not name any stars, but glamorous actresses Katrina Kaif and Kareena Kapoor, veteran leading man Amitabh Bachchan and heartthrob Shah Rukh Khan are among many Bollywood personalities to have visited in the past.

“Most of the films today are full of obscenity, double meaning words and expressions,” Khan explained. “It is hateful and sinful. “I strongly condemn and object to the visit of film actors, actresses, directors and producers to the dargah (shrine) to seek blessings for such things which are taboo.” —AFP

inger Amy Winehouse’s father says it’s tough dealing with the loss of his daughter, but he’s happy she is having a helpful impact on the world through the foundation named after her. “Even after a small space in time - we’re talking a year since Amy passed away - we are beginning, well, Amy is beginning, to have a positive effect on a lot of disadvantaged young people’s lives,” Mitch Winehouse said in an interview Friday.

Amy Winehouse died on July 23, 2011, at her London home from accidental alcohol poisoning at age 27. The Amy Winehouse Foundation was launched last year in the United Kingdom and in April in the United States.

Mitch Winehouse says he expects yesterday - the one-year anniversary of Amy’s death - to be difficult, but he will spend the day with family and friends. First they’ll go to Amy’s house for Jewish prayer and to be with the singer’s fans. Then close friends will head to a party at Jazz After Dark, which was “Amy’s favorite jazz bar.”

“There are going to be lots of tears and lots of laughter and that is exactly how Amy would have wanted it,” he said.

Amy Winehouse was one of music’s critically revered singers, praised for her touching lyrical content, soulful tone and authenticity. Her debut, “Frank,” was a U.K. success, but her breakthrough came with 2007’s “Back to Black,” a multiplatinum effort that won her five Grammy Awards. Mitch Winehouse says during that peak, “she was Adele and Lady Gaga rolled into one.” In the United Kingdom, the Winehouse family has raised more than $1 million and has assisted various charities. In America, the group is working with the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra to develop “after school music club houses” and feed hungry children throughout Louisiana.

The foundation has raised profits from donations and the release of the

J Bangladeshi people offer funeral prayers to the country’s most popular fiction writer, Humayun Ahmed in Dhaka yesterday. — AFP

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undreds of thousands of Bangladeshis turned out yesterday at a university in Dhaka to pay their final tributes to the country’s most popular fiction writer, Humayun Ahmed, who died last week. Ahmed, also the country’s top film director and TV drama-maker, died at a clinic in New York on July 19 after a 10-month battle against colon cancer. The 64-year-old wrote over 200 fiction and non-fiction books, almost all of them bestsellers in Bangladesh, often tackling the life struggles of the middle class in lucid and easily understandable Bangla.

Police said hundreds of thousands of people had gathered at the Language Martyrs Memorial at Dhaka University to pay their last respects to Ahmed after his body was flown to the country. Housewife Ila Rani Das, 40,

told AFP she had travelled 300 kilometers (180 miles) from the northeastern town of Chhatak to bid goodbye to her favorite writer. “He meant so much to our life. I have read almost all of his books, watched all of his TV dramas and movies. There is no one else like him,” Das said.

People queued in several lines that stretched miles, with adolescents rubbing shoulders with old men, bureaucrats, bankers and businessmen. Some offered flowers, others were in tears. “I think since this morning several lakhs (one lakh is 100,000) of people have paid respect to him. I have not seen such a scene before,” police officer Shahidul Islam told AFP at the university.—AFP

Amy’s posthumous album “Lioness: Hidden Treasures” and a book by Mitch Winehouse titled “Amy, My Daughter,” released this summer. “I don’t feel any accomplishment or any joy,” Mitch Winehouse said of the book. “The reality is I shouldn’t have had to written the book in the first place.” “I wrote it fairly quickly after Amy passed away. I

Amy’s fans.” A film on his daughter’s life is also a possibility, he says.

“Whatever we do we have to make sure it’s done in good taste,” he said.

“We don’t want a sensationalized movie going out, you know, but equally there’s no point in sort of massaging the fact that Amy was a alcoholic and drug addict; no point in pretending that didn’t happen.” The first

File photo shows British artist Amy Winehouse performs during her show in Florianopolis, Brazil. — AP photos found writing it quite cathartic and I thought it would help me in my recovery, and to a certain extent it has,” he continued. “But reading the book back for edits was very difficult indeed; more difficult than writing the book.”

Mitch Winehouse also said there’s more Amy Winehouse music on the horizon: “We’re working with (music producers) Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson to see what they’ve got. But we have to be mindful; we don’t want to put anything out that could be damaging. It wouldn’t be right for

Young fans of British singer songwriter Amy Winehouse light candles for her outside her house in London on the first anniversary of her death, yesterday.

annual Amy Winehouse Inspiration Awards and Gala will take place Oct. 11 in New York and will honor Remi and Tony Bennett, with whom Amy Winehouse won a Grammy with this year. — AP

ermaine Jackson, brother of late pop singer Michael Jackson, said on Sunday that his mother, Katherine, was not missing as other relatives reported to authorities this weekend, but resting with family in Arizona on “doctor’s advice.” Katherine Jackson, 82, was reported missing by relatives on Saturday and her granddaughter Paris also posted on Twitter, “yes, my grandmother is missing. i haven’t spoken with her in a week i want her home now.”

The missing persons report was filed by Ribera Law Firm “out of concern for Mrs. Jackson’s wellbeing and in an effort to ensure her being safely reunited with her grandchildren as soon as possible,” lawyer Sandra L. Ribera said in an email to Reuters.

Ribera said “concerned family members, particularly Michael’s children, have since made ongoing pleas to those believed to have knowledge of (Katherine’s) location for information regarding her whereabouts. The only reports provided have been both conflicting and confusing - especially those pertaining to the status of Katherine Jackson’s health.”Jermaine Jackson put out a statement on Twitter on Sunday saying Katherine was “safe and well” and with her daughter Rebbie.

“This incredulous claim was made for reasons best known to the adults who filed it. But it seems no accident that it comes after we, the sons and daughters, put in place caretaking for our own mother, taking her to Arizona in line with doctor’s advice following a check-up,” Jackson said. “Furthermore, it dismays me that such an alarmist ‘missing person’ report has caused unnecessary anxiety among Michael’s children who will understandably react to what they

misunderstand, hear or are told.”

Jackson also addressed the lack of communication between Katherine and her grandchildren, saying: “No-one is being ‘blocked’ from speaking with mother. She is merely an 82-year-old woman following doctor’s orders to rest up and destress, away from phones and computers.” This is not the first time the younger Jackson children have had a public miscommunication with their elder relatives.

Last week, Paris Jackson, 14, became embroiled in a war of words with her uncle, Randy, after he and his siblings said Katherine had suffered a “mini-stroke” in an undated letter to John Branca and John McClain, the executors of their late brother’s estate. — Reuters

Katherine Jackson

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

lifestyle M u s i c

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Actress Kristen Stewart accepts the Ultimate Choice award.

Hosts Demi Lovato and Kevin McHale speak onstage.

he Twilight Saga” is gonna need a bigger garage. It was announced at Sunday’s Teen Choice Awards that the supernatural franchise has won 41 surfboard-shaped trophies since 2008, including two awards earned this year for the penultimate film installment, “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1.” “Twilight” stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner were on hand to pick up this year’s batch of boards, which included the ultimate choice award, the teen-fueled show’s version of a lifetime achievement award. “It’s amazing you guys are still around and just as strong and just as loyal,” Lautner said over screams from the crowd.

Stewart was honored as the choice romance movie actress for “Breaking Dawn - Part 1” and as choice female summer movie star for “Snow White & the Huntsman.” Other multiple winners included the movie “The Hunger Games,” actress Emma Stone, TV show “Pretty Little Liars,” the British boy band One Direction, CW show “ The Vampire Diaries,” and singers Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift, who picked up her 20th trophy - the most ever won by a female artist.

“I just feel so honored that I get to have you guys in my life,” a beaming Swift told fans. Swift won five awards Sunday: choice female artist, female country artist, single by a female artist for “Eyes Open,” country song for “Sparks Fly” and choice movie voice for “Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax.” Host and new “The X Factor” judge Demi Lovato said 134 million votes were cast for the 14th annual awards, which honor film, TV, music and sports stars in such silly categories as choice hottie, villain, lip-lock and hissy fit. “Are there even that many teens?” asked ceremony co-host and “Glee” actor Kevin McHale.

Bieber performed his tune “Boyfriend” and surfed away with five boards, bringing his Teen Choice Awards total to 12 trophies. His girlfriend and birthday girl Selena Gomez won the choice music group trophy and was presented with a cake and rendition of “Happy Birthday” from the crowd inside the Gibson Amphitheatre. Other winners on hand to accept their awards included Ellen DeGeneres for choice comedian, Zac Efron for choice drama actor and drama movie for “The Lucky One” and Jonah Hill for choice comedy movie for “21 Jump Street.”

Hill, who lost the supporting actor Oscar earlier this year to Christopher Plummer, used his acceptance speech to poke fun at the 82-year-old “Beginners” co-star. “I’d just like to point out that he’s not nominated for anything tonight,” joked Hill, who co-wrote and executive produced the movie. The Hollywood frolic was televised live on Fox just two days after the midnight massacre at a Colorado movie theater showing “The Dark Knight

Singer Justin Bieber accepts the Male Summer Music Star award.

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Rises,” killing 12 and injuring 58. The movie wasn’t up for any awards nor was there any reference to the tragedy during the show.

“I was devastated when I heard,” said Lovato on the red carpet before the show. “It is just really horrible that we can’t even feel comfortable going to the movie theater, and that extra police have to be at movie theaters now. It is just really sad that our world has come to that.” The Teen Choice Awards also aired in the wake of a fog machine malfunction that forced the evacuation the night before of a Hollywood nightclub that hosted a Teen Choice Awards pre-party featuring the boy band Midnight Red. Los Angeles Fire department spokesman Brian Humphrey said six people, ages 8 to 20 years old, were taken to the hospital for problems ranging from headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath and cryogenic burns.— AP

(From Left) Actors Taylor Lautner, Kristen Stewart, and Robert Pattinson accept the Ultimate Choice award onstage during the 2012 Teen Choice Awards at Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California. — AFP/AP photos

Selena Gomez won the choice music group trophy.

Singer Justin Bieber performs on stage.

Ellen DeGeneres won the choice comedian award.

Taylor Swift, winner of the award for choice female artist, poses backstage.

Singer Gwen Stefani of ‘No Doubt’ performs onstage.

Actress Miranda Cosgrove accepts the Choice TV Comedy Actress award.

(From left) Kat Graham, Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, Michael Trevino, Candice Accola and Paul Wesley accept the choice fantasy/sci-fi show award for ‘The Vampire Diaries’ onstage.

Chris Hemsworth accepts the award for choice summer movie star.

‘Twilight,’ Swift add to Teen Choice Awards hauls

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012

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Pakistani worshippers wait to break their fast, on the second day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in a mosque in Gujranwala, Pakistan, Sunday. During Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk. — AP

O

reo marked her birthday this year with a pool party in a posh New Delhi neighbourhood. Nothing unusual - except that the two-year-old is a dog. The Dalmatian celebrated with a cake of flour, cheese and chicken tikkas, garnished with a rib-shaped biscuit on top and spent the day splashing in a swimming pool and chasing her 20 canine friends at a sprawling dog resort.

“It was like I was having my daughter’s birthday party,” said Priyamvada Sharma, Oreo’s owner, who also has a 2-year-old female Labrador. “We had every possible type of biscuit and bone any pet shop would have.” Oreo is one of a growing number of pampered pooches in India lavished with indulgent care - and a growing range of products - as the ranks of the middle-class increase and pet owners spare nothing for their furred darlings.

Sharma’s pets have been brought up in luxury. They have a full-time maid and are regulars at grooming parlours and swimming pools. While some years ago the concept of branded pet food was unheard of in India, and dogs were often fed table scraps, the market is now flooded with pet dietary and health products.

There are also pet salons, upscale vet clinics, pet couture, pet nannies, dog walkers, reiki therapists, grooming specialists, dog-friendly hotels and air-conditioned kennels mushrooming across big cities. Quite a contrast to when Maura Sabin, from the United States, first came to live in India with her two cats and was far from impressed by India’s vet services.

“Twenty years ago...they knew horses and they knew dogs and that is all they knew,” she said.

Dogs in the majority A Euromonitor research report estimates that India’s pet industry is expected to grow 22 percent this year and reach 4.5 billion rupees (around $81 million), in a nation where the per capita income is $1,256. Dogs account for 80 percent of all pets in India, with cats and fish also popular. Preeti Kumar quit her job as a teacher to start a pet grooming salon with her husband in 2007, one of the first in New Delhi. She now runs seven salons in the city offering services such as aroma therapy baths, herbal massage and hair colouring.

People buy certain breeds because it is a status symbol, she said. “There are people who do buy a breed like St. Bernard which is actually not meant for Delhi weather because it is a huge, hairy pet,” said the 37-year-old Kumar, who owns 13 dogs including boxers, poodles, pugs, and also imported exotic breeds such as the Bedlington terrier and Cairn terrier.

“One of the most popular breeds because of the Vodafone ad is the pug,” she added, referring to an ad that made the breed a darling of the middle-class. Many abandon or neglect these dogs once their fascination wears off, but the idea that pets could be family members is gaining wider acceptance - and prompting major cash outlays.

“I wanted to buy a small car, but I had to buy a bigger car because of my dog,” said Natasha Adlakha, a free-

lance writer who has a golden retriever called Google and spends around $400, or 20 percent of her monthly salary, on the dog. While a decade ago, it was common for dogs to sleep outside the house or in the garage, now some owners keep their air-conditioner on 24 hours a day just for their pets. Sharma also got a wroughtiron bed, with a velvet mattress, for her dog.

Even religious rules are being bent for the sake of the dogs’ well-being.

Sharma cannot cook or eat chicken in her house, but these restrictions do not apply to her “girls.” Her maid prepares a stew for them with seasonal vegetables, turmeric and expensive dog food every morning. The breakdown of the traditional joint family structure in India also appears to have contributed to the changing attitude towards pets. Young urban Indians are earning more and marrying late, with pets often becoming their replacement children. The 25year-old Sharma said that anybody who wants to marry her must take on her pets as well. “If I were to get married, I would only get married to someone who would love my dogs as much I love my dogs and they will come with me.” — Reuters

“H

ere it is, the little wonder, our ‘Chypre’ from 1917,” whispers the cellar-master as he plunges a paper strip into a vial, one of the many treasures at a one-of-its-kind library of world perfume. The century-old fragrance by Francois Coty is in illustrious company, with to one side the 14th-century “Water of the Queen of Hungary” and to the other the Cologne water that Napoleon Bonaparte used in exile on Saint Helena, dated 1815. Since 1990, the retired perfumer Yves Tanguy has held the keys to the “Osmotheque” scent library, set up near the Chateau de Versailles west of Paris as a repository of fragrances past and present.

Housed in the premises of the ISIPCA fragrance and cosmetics institute, the Osmotheque-from the Greek “osme” for scent and “theke” for chest-was founded by Jean Kerleo, a former “nose” at Patou, and is chaired by Patricia de Nicolai, heiress to the Guerlain fortune.

Precious few people have access to the library’s inner sanctum, where the rarest of its 2,500 fragrances are guarded under lock and key. Sorted by number and type of fragrance, the vials are kept behind reinforced doors, in a cellar of a few square metres, preserved under artificial light and at a steady temperature of 13 degrees C (55.4 F).

“These are our jewels, 400 fragrances that we guard especially jealously, perfumes from long ago, or ones that are no longer available on the market,” explained Tanguy. “We recreated 175 of them using the original formulae.” Scents brought back to life include the West’s first alcohol-based perfume, the rosemary-scented “Water of the Queen of Hungary” initially created in 1370 using distillation methods learned from the Arab world. At the time perfume was meant to be drunk, and legend has it that its curative powers caused the ageing queen to grow younger, earning her a marriage proposal from a young Polish king at the age of 75.

Flying samples around the world Another fervent believer in the hygienic virtues of Cologne water, Napoleon Bonaparte was said to get through some 120 litres (quarts) every month, rubbing himself down with it and swigging it from a vial stashed in his boots. Sent into exile on the Atlantic island of Saint Helena at the end of his life, he requested a prescription

for Cologne to be made using the herbs at his disposal on the island-also recreated and stored at the Osmotheque. The library does not sell its perfumes, but it does maintain 200 suitcases filled with samples, that Kerleo and Tanguy fly around the world upon request from luxury houses and perfumers.

And at regular intervals it opens its doors to the public for conferences around a particular period or theme.

In June, it put the spotlight on scents from 1945 to 1965, created for the likes of Worth, Patou, Lanvin, Rochas, Balenciaga, Nina Ricci or Christian Dior, by the great “noses” of the day, including a woman, Germaine Cellier.

To set up the library, Kerleo compiled a sort of olfactory database, together with a group of perfumer friends who tracked down ancient formulae and the rare ingredients, some now banned, used to compose them. One example is the musk-like fluid produced by the perineal glands of the African civet, a cat-like mammal, whose earliest uses in perfumery date back more than 2,000 years.

Or Tibetan musk grain, the name given to the granular paste traditionally removed from the glands of musk deer-whose trade is now restricted under the CITES endangered species convention.

Without the grain, Kerleo explained, none of the great Chanel perfumes could have been created. Both rare essences are stored safely in the cellars of the Osmotheque, while above ground dozens more vials line a vast perfumer’s organ, so called because its tiered rows of ingredients resemble a cathedral organ.

“This is the perfumer’s keyboard,” Kerleo said as he showed off the bottles, stored alongside little pigeon holes filled with oak moss, ginger, styrax incense or patchouli herb. His proudest achievement? At the request of a historian, and with the help of a herbalist, he recreated a scent described in the first century AD by the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder. Known simply as the “Royal Perfume”, it blends cinnamon, cumin and acacia honey into an oily liquid, whose fragrance is like a journey back in time. — AFP

Children play on the Alligator playground covered by crocheted creations by US based Polish artist Agata Olek as a part of the exhibition of SESC deArtes 2012 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The existing concrete Alligator playground was covered completely by woolens, plastic tapes, pieces of cloth and Brazilian religious ribbons. — AFP