6th Jun

RI PT IO N BS C SU THE LEADING INDEPENDENT DAILY IN THE ARABIAN GULF

40 PAGES

SUNDAY, JUNE 6, 2010

JAMADA ALTHANI 23, 1431 AH

Obama picks Pentagon official to head spy agencies

Schiavone clinches historic French Open triumph

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Israel seizes new aid ship Commandos board Rachel Corrie in Mediterranean • Thousands protest deadly raid worldwide

Kuwait urged to free Jassem DUBAI: Amnesty International appealed to Kuwait yesterday to immediately release a prominent writer whose family and lawyer insist he is being illegally detained. In a letter addressed to HH the Amir, the London-based rights watchdog called for all charges against Mohammad Abdulqader AlJassem, who has been in custody since May 11 pending a trial, to be dropped.

“Amnesty International considers that Mohammad Abdulqader Al-Jassem is a prisoner of conscience, held solely on account of his legitimate exercise of his right to freedom of expression, and is calling for his immediate and unconditional release,” it said in a statement. Jassem has been charged with undermining HH the Amir’s status, attacking the regime and spreading false information that harmed Kuwait’s national interests, which carries a penalty of several years in jail.

In the first trial hearing on May 24, the 54-year-old writer categorically denied the charges and said the case against him was politically motivated. The charges are based on articles he wrote on his blog during the past five years that were deemed highly offensive to the state.

Continued on Page 11

Phet leaves 16 dead in Oman MUSCAT: Cyclone Phet killed 16 people and left two missing in Oman before barrelling towards Pakistan, a civil defence force official said yesterday. Thirteen Omanis and three expatriates were killed by the storm. Earlier yesterday, civil defence chief General Malek Al-Muammari told AFP that the two dead expats were a Bangladeshi and a Pakistani. A hospital doctor in Muscat, who declined to be named, told Reuters another Bangladeshi was among the dead.

Authorities said Phet had weakened in intensity on Friday before heading at wind speeds of up to 120 km an hour towards Pakistan, where some 60,000 people have been evacuated from the south coast to safer areas. The situation in Oman appeared to be returning to nor-

mal yesterday. An AFP correspondent said that the rain had stopped and skies were relatively clear over Muscat and in most of the affected areas on Oman’s eastern coast.

Rescue teams were working to reopen roads, restore electricity and repair water mains damaged by floodwaters, Muammari said in a statement carried by the official ONA news. Before the cyclone, the Omani authorities had taken several precautionary measures, evacuating hotels along the east coast and airlifting the residents of Masirah island to safer areas.

The islanders were beginning to return yesterday, Muammari said on state television. In 2007, cyclone Gonu tore through Oman, killing at least 49 people and causing damage estimated at $3.9 billion. -— Agencies

(Left) A pro-Palestinian demonstrator takes part in a rally outside the gates of the Israeli Embassy in London yesterday to denounce Israel’s raid on a flotilla of ships carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists to the blockaded Gaza Strip. (Center) A protester waves a Palestinian flag backdropped by a picture of Sheikh Yassin, the spiritual leader of Hamas, during a rally organized by the Saadet party in Istanbul yesterday. (Right) A student sheds tears during a protest in front of the Israeli Embassy in Seoul yesterday, where demonstrators denounced Israel’s deadly raid. — AP JERUSALEM: Israel’s navy boarded a ship carrying aid to Gaza without incident yesterday, five days after killing nine people on a Turkish aid ship to enforce what Washington calls an unsustainable blockade. The navy, whose actions on Monday triggered an international outcry, took control of the Rachel Corrie and sailed it to Ashdod, where it docked, the Israeli military said. The Irish-owned cargo vessel had ignored the navy’s orders to divert and allow its cargo to be unloaded and inspected before delivery to Gaza.

Police spokesman Micky

Rosenfeld said the 19 passengers and crew had been taken to an Interior Ministry holding facility near Tel Aviv pending deportation, probably within hours. “The passengers and crew will be processed and will be put on the next suitable flight to their place of origin,” he said.

The army said the ship had been boarded in the Mediterranean “with the full compliance of the crew and without incident”.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement: Continued on Page 11

Turks killed on ship shot multiple times

A photo taken on May 31, 2010 shows the body of a dead activist onboard the Marmara following the Israeli boarding of the vessel. — AFP

Indian-American wins spelling bee

WASHINGTON: Fourteen-year-old Anamika Veeramani is handed her championship trophy by Scripps CEO Rich Boehne af ter winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee Friday. — AFP

WASHINGTON: No theatrical flourishes for Anamika Veeramani. She kept her hands behind her back and rattled off the letters of every word she was given - until she was crowned the spelling bee champion. The 14-year-old girl from North Royalton, Ohio, won the 83rd Scripps National Spelling Bee on Friday, acing the word medical word “stromuhr,” a device that measures blood flow and speed, to claim the winner’s trophy and more than $40,000 in cash and prizes.

Anamika became the third consecutive Indian-American bee champion, and the eighth in the last 12 years. It’s a run that began when Nupur Lala won in 1999 and was featured in the documentary “Spellbound.” Anamika was one of the favorites among the 273 spellers who began the three-day competition, having finished tied for fifth last year.

She stood deadpan while the audience cheered, not cracking a smile until the trophy was presented.

Continued on Page 11

ISTANBUL: The nine men killed during an Israeli navy raid on a Turkish ship carrying aid to Gaza were shot a total of 30 times, the head of the state forensics laboratory said yesterday. Most of the victims, who were all Turkish, were shot at close range with what may have been pistols, Haluk Ince, chairman of the Forensic Medicine Council, told Reuters. “The deaths of all

nine were caused by bullets from firearms,” he said. “One body had two bullets in the arm, one in the back and one in the knee. In another patient, there was only one bullet: right in centre of his brow.”

Two of the men were shot five times, while one was hit six times, according to the autopsies performed by the forensics lab.

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Al-Qaeda offshoot grows in the desert

ADMA, Lebanon: Syria’s Nassif Al-Zeitoun celebrates after winning the Star Academy, a highly successful pan-Arab television show, north of Beirut late Friday. Star Academy is the Arab version of pop music talent contests with viewer voting and reality show elements. — AFP (See Page 40)

GAO, Mali: Dozens of Malian troops rush through the sweltering desert, yell war cries and open fire, spitting hundreds of bullets from rifles and machine guns. It’s all part of a training session - run by the United States. The US is trying to help nations bordering the Sahara and the arid Sahel region to contain a growing threat of terrorism. More than 200 US Special Forces and 500 African troops trained together in May, in the latest of several large military maneuvers over the past few years.

Intelligence officers estimate there are some 400 AlQaeda extremists based in the vast emptiness north of here, up from about 200 just a year ago. They worry that the militants are teaming up with smugglers carrying cocaine across the desert to Europe and with the restless nomad tribes of the Sahara. As the extremists get stronger and wealthier, they are attracting more recruits among local youth and Muslims in subSaharan Africa.

Continued on Page 11

GAO, Mali: Malian troops and soldiers from other African countries train with US Special Forces in the Sahara Desert near this town in northeastern Mali May 12, 2010. — AP

NATIONAL

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Sunday, June 6, 2010

Allowances not included in budget

Grilling threatens to disrupt women’s law KUWAIT: The upcoming discussion on the grilling filed by MP Khalid Al-Tahous against HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah threatens to disrupt the upcoming women’s law, reported Al-Qabas. The interpellation falls on the same day previously allocated for discussing the women’s law. “The grilling is expected to be discussed on the June 22 session, the same session allocated for the women’s law after the women’s committee finishes their report on June 17,” said MP Dr Roula Dashti .

Moreover, Dashti explained that the parliament has so far approved 8 reports regarding the draft law. She added that allocating monthly salaries for stay-at-home housewives was not among the reports approved. Dashti added that the door is only open now for amendments to be proposed.

Meanwhile, during their meeting today, the Parliament’s budgets committee is expected to discuss the budget for the Public Institution For Social Security for the fiscal year of 2010/2011, reported Al-Qabas.

They will discuss its compatibility with the development plan

TUNIS: Kuwaiti Unions Delegation demonstrating with international peers against Israel’s attack on the Freedom Flotilla during a meeting in Tunisia. —KUNA

local spotlight

Increase the means of creativity

By Fouad Al-Obaid ntolerance is an issue that our world has been faced with time since immemorial.

We seem to thrive on what makes us different.

We tend to forget that we are united as a community of human beings, brothers and sisters on a cosmic scale. Despite our races, religions, beliefs, languages, body shapes and skin colors we are all the same. We are all sons of Adam.

We find on a daily basis many things that differentiate us and have various prejudices towards people of different ethnic origins. We share a common hatred against neighbors with whom we may have fought last year or one thousand years ago.

We are shaped by our desire to compete, which in itself is healthy.

However, we tend to forget that the biggest accomplishment is when every

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single man, woman, and child on earth lacks nothing and has equal access to the technological benefits brought by modern industrial society.

As our world becomes increasingly global, barriers have come down while others have been erected. Many have a fear of the other, which is fed by TV footage that many use to market hatred and racist ideas. The device that brought the world to our living rooms also brought the different customs and mores of people from different continents.

It is a shame that during the era of technological development a religious backlash has plunged our region into a sinkhole.

Though we have benefited immensely from imported technology, we have yet as a region to thrive on local innovation and developments that we could export and base entire industries on. Though illiteracy has been drastically reduced, we have yet to understand the value of education.

While our ancient mud houses and desert tents were swapped for modern air-conditioned villas and towers, we have yet to fully endorse a lifestyle that match-

es our current and future ambitions.

Though many places still suffer from conflict, we have come a long way over the past 50 years and the world as a whole is a far better place. We have managed to do much in so little time.

We have focused on major infrastructural developments but forgot that without the humans buildings are nothing more than concrete, pipes, steel and glass! We need to realize that the development of nations begins in the minds of its children and in the confines of their homes.

Dr Charles D McIver once said, “when you educate a man, you educate an individual but when you educate a woman, you educate a whole family.”

We have access to a liberally business oriented government, but without ensuring that the entire population achieves a strategic shift in culture we will remain a society doomed to be useless and unproductive. We need to increase the means of creativity with improved educational and cultural venues. fouad@kuwaittimes.net

Sports grilling may be submitted June 14 KUWAIT: The National Work Bloc is expected to give the Cabinet a chance, until Monday June 14, to enforce the sports law or face an interpellation, reported Al-Rai. Currently, the bloc is working to ensure that the motion is

submitted before the final session of the current parliamentary term, set to take place June 22. While the Cabinet has the right to call for a two week period after a grilling motion is submitted, they can be forced to face the grilling in a special ses-

sion with the approval of at least 10 MPs. This session can take place during the Parliament’s summer break if the minimum number of MPs are available.

This comes at a time in which the issue of dropping citi-

zens’ loans is expected to return during the start of the Parliament’s next session.

Several MPs remain convinced that the insolvency fund, which was proposed by the Cabinet as a solution to the problem, is not sufficient.

Communications Ministry to host GCC talks this week KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Ministry of Communications (MoC) will this week host the 19th GCC Conference on Communications, Postal Services and Information Technology, along with the 21st meeting of GCC communications and postal services ministries’ undersecretaries, with the two events lasting from June 6-8.

The delegates attending the undersecretaries’ meeting will discuss various issues, including the tariffs for local and international mobile phone calls in GCC nations, as well as the structure of the region’s mobile telecommunications and internet networks.

Another subject expected to be discussed at the undersecretaries’ meeting is the current state of postal services among the GCC nations, following the successful introduction of the ‘GCC Express’ service.

The delegates will also discuss the 24th meeting of GCC postal service undersecretaries, which is scheduled to take place in Kuwait in November this year.

The meeting will also feature talks about cooperation between Turkey and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as on supporting Kuwait’s nomination for membership of the International Telecommunications Union.

and the final audit report of the Public Institute for Social Security (PIFSS) for the fiscal year 2008/2009. They are also expected to discuss notes made by the Audit Bureau on these issues.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly’s housing affairs committee is scheduled to discuss proposed amendments to the regulations of law number 47/1993, the law regarding housing welfare.

Furthermore, the legislative and legal committee will discuss several issues including lifting the immunity of MPs Musallam Al-Barrak and Mohammad

Hayef. The two have had journalism-related charges filed against them.

Meanwhile, the KD 160 million in allowances recently approved by the cabinet will not be included in the state budget for the current fiscal year, according to a memorandum regarding the issue sent by finance minister Dr. Mustafa AlShamali to National Assembly (parliament) speaker Jassem AlKhorafi. The allocations will instead be included in the supplementary budget, the minister explained. The problem over the inclusion of the allowances came after the cabinet delayed

handing over the final reports on the budget, according to the finance ministry.

On a separate note, the finance ministry has the highest fund allocation for the 2010/2011 fiscal year of all the ministries at KD 3.8 billion, reported in line. The next highest spending ministry is the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) with KD 3.4 billion, followed by the Ministry of Defense with KD 1.22 billion, the Ministry of Education with KD 1.20 billion, the Ministry of Health with KD 1.06 billion and the Ministry of Interior with KD 820 million.

Gaza support is governmental and public duty: Al-Tabtabae

By A Saleh KUWAIT: MP Dr Waleed Al-Tabtabae stressed that Israel cannot be described or referred to as a respectable civilian state. “It comprises of groups of international gangsters and pirates who proved to the whole world how stupid and barbaric they are by attacking a group of civilian activists attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza,” he said.

Speaking at a party hosted by MP Mohammed Hayef in Andalus in honor of AlTabtabae and other activists who participated in the Freedom Flotilla, Tabtabae underlined that he was honored to participate in the flotilla despite all the risks. “Nevertheless, Almighty Allah gave us strength,” Al-Tabtabae said.

“Head of the Islamic Movement, clergyman Raed Salah, was right when he said that we had to expect anything.”

“They attacked the flotilla, assaulted and

hijacked civilians and forced us to head to a harbor under their control,” he said, pointing out that such practices proved that Israel was not a respectable state. “This is why we refuse to undergo any form of interrogation or sign their papers and affidavits. They are the ones who committed a crime and they are the ones who should be taken to court.” He noted that international reaction to the event helped release them from custody.

Furthermore, Al-Tabtabae urged the whole nation, governments, official bodies and humanitarian organizations to confront the “Zionist enemy.” He said they should help deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza by taking the lead of the Freedom Flotilla and attempt to break open the blockade.

“This is why we prefer calling it the Freedom Flotilla Battle, because it refers to a historical moment when the Zionist regime gave way to international outrage,” he said.

KFSD head flies to Germany for firefighting exhibition KUWAIT: Kuwait Fire Services Directorate (KFSD) Director General Maj.-Gen. Jassem Ali AlMansouri will fly to Germany today, heading an official delegation attending INTERSCHUTZ 2010, the international trade fair for everything the global market has to offer for the rescue, fire prevention, disaster relief, safety and civil security sectors.

The exhibition, set to take place at the Leipzig Exhibition Center in Leipzig from June 7 to 12, will gather representatives of

1,200 exhibitors involved in the rescue and civil security services, Al-Mansouri said yesterday.

“The KFSD is keen on keeping up with the world’s latest developments in the fields of firefighting techniques and equipment, and rescue and security services,” he explained. “As part of its efforts to upgrade its services, the directorate recently acquired firefighters’ ladder, one of the world’s tallest ladders that can reach 33 stories [99 meters],” Maj.-Gen. Al-Mansouri added.

The fire brigade chief further revealed that the KFSD also “plans to acquire a 110 meter ladder to help fight fires at high-rise buildings.”

The delegation also includes KFSD Deputy Director-General for Financial and Administrative Affairs Brig. Khaled Al-Tarkit, Director of the Capital City’s Firefighting Department Lt.-Col. Mohammad Al-Shatti and the Director of Hawally’s Firefighting Department Lt.-Col. Fahad Al-Saqr. —- KUNA

Um Al-Haiman residents mark Environment Day KUWAIT: As the world celebrated World Environment Day yesterday, Kuwait continues to suffer from high levels of pollution that contaminates its atmosphere, sea and land.

While southern areas of the country have been smothered by polluting emissions from factories and oil refineries, the sea waters continue to absorb an estimated 180,000 gallons of sewage water dumped daily from the malfunctioning Mishref sewage treatment plant.

Meanwhile, 1.150 million tons of solid waste pollution and 750,000 tons of agricultural and industrial waste is dumped on the countries land on an annual basis. Among residential areas, Um Al-Haiman is considered the country’s pinnacle of pollu-

tion as the air there has been polluted for years. Recently, the area’s residents held a celebration for World Environment Day to bring attention to their cause.

During the event, head of the area’s voluntary environmental committee, Ahmad AlShuraia, accused the government of committing a crime by “risking the lives of children by neglecting the area’s environmental crisis.” He urged the Parliament to discuss the interpellation filed against HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Muhammad Al-Sabah in an open session. “Up to 45 thousand citizens living in the area deserve to witness the results and measures that need to be taken in order to have clean air to breathe,” Shuraia said.

NATIONAL

Sunday, June 6, 2010

3 Three injured in fights

Four expats die in work site 'accidents' around Kuwait

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: A 24-year-old Indonesian woman working as a maid was found dead at the foot of the building where her employer's apartment was located, opposite the Sultan Center in Jahra. Preliminary investigation suggested the woman died instantly from massive head injuries on impact. In another fatal fall, a 41-year-old Egyptian man also died instantCar accidents A 51-year-old Indian man died at the scene shortly after being fatally injured when he was hit by a car while attempting to cross the road in Adan.

His body was removed for autopsy. In a separate incident at around midnight on Friday night, a 43-year-old Egyptian expatriate suffered injuries to his left arm and right foot in a car accident on Cooperation Street opposite the Regency Hotel. The man was taken to Mubarak Hospital. Meanwhile, two Kuwaiti women and a Kuwaiti boy were hospitalized following a car accident on Arabian Gulf Street.

Fall fractures A 36-year-old Bangladeshi man suffered a broken left leg when he fell from the second floor of the Sawaber Building at around noon yesterday. He was taken to the Amiri Hospital. In another incident, a 33-year-old Indian man suffered a broken shoulder bone when he slipped and fell in a restaurant in Riggae. He was taken to Sabah Hospital.

Fight injuries A 26-year-old Bangladeshi man was taken to Sabah Hospital after suffering an electric shock in a fight near the gates of a commercial complex in Al-Rai, while a 20-year-old Kuwaiti man involved in the same fight was taken to Farwaniya Hospital after sustaining head injuries. In a separate incident, a 41-year-old Egyptian expatriate suffered a gash to the forehead in a fight in Salmiya. He was taken to Mubarak Hospital.

Traffic tickets Traffic police in Hawally recently issued a report showing that the majority of traffic citations issued to motorists

ly when he fell from a high site at Shuhaiba Port. In a separate incident, also at Shuhaiba Port, a 33-year-old Indian man died shortly after sustaining fatal injuries in another fall from a high location there. Meanwhile, a 38-year-old Egyptian expat died on the spot after he was exposed to an electric shock when he fell from the spot where he was working in PepsiCola Street in Shuwaikh Industrial Zone. All four bodies were removed for autopsy.

since the beginning of the year, 50,000 in total, were given for parking in the wrong spot, while a further 22,000 were issued for extended parking in metered spaces and 6,000 were issued to drivers who parked on pavements in the area.

Meanwhile, 4,000 citations were issued to drivers not observing the proper safety requirements and 3,700 tickets were issued to drivers not wearing seatbelts, meanwhile, and 2,500 citations were issued to motorists who broke the speed limit. A total of 1,600 drivers were given a ticket for driving uninsured vehicles, while 1,500 were penalized for using a mobile phone while driving and 1,200 were ticketed for not using their indicator lights. Other violations were also noted in the report, which was compiled at the instructions of the Ministry of Interior's Assistant Undersecretary for Traffic Affairs Lieutenant General Mahmoud Al-Mansouri. The report also revealed that Hawally has seen a total of 1,500 car accidents since the beginning of 2010, with 700 vehicles being impounded.

Fugitive found Ahmadi police who stopped a Syrian expatriate motorist in the area discovered that the man was a fugitive who had previously been sentenced to six months imprisonment, followed by deportation. The man has been taken into custody.

Dumb drivers Farwaniya patrol officers who were pursuing a man wanted in a criminal case were shot at by the man's brother who was in the car with him before they crashed their vehicle into the police car and attempted to flee on foot. Officers in another police vehicle involved in the

KUWAIT: A man who was arrested for trading in drugs yesterday.

— Photo by Hanan Al-Saadoun pursuit quickly caught the two, along with friends who were with them, with all the culprits being taken to Abdullah Mubarak police station to be

charged. In a separate case, a motorist pulled over by Farwaniya police in Jleeb AlShuyoukh over a driving violation refused to show police his

ID and driving license as requested and subsequently resisted arrest. He was quickly restrained and taken to the local police station to be charged.

Canada medical team starts work at Chest Hospital KUWAIT: Ministry of Health announced yesterday that a medical team from McGill University of Canada would start work at the Chest Hospital today.

The mission of the team is part of an agreement signed by the ministry and the university in May on the development of the healthcare services of the

Ministry HQ construction to cost KD 76 million KUWAIT: The Ministry of Public Works' second largest construction project is that of the Ministry of Education headquarters, which will cost up to KD 76 million.

Assistant Undersecretary for Construction Projects, Engineer Husam Al-Tahous, said yesterday that the new building would include eight sectors, holding offices for 3,647 employees expected to be hired by the year 2015.

The headquarters will consist of administrative offices, a theater with the capacity of 600 seats, meeting rooms, a central library, a cafeteria, waiting rooms, prayer rooms, exhibition halls, and a special occasions hall, besides other facilities, he said. The architecture of the building is inspired

by the Arab wooden 'boom' sail boat, which reflects the heritage of Kuwait and the Gulf region. The new building will overcome traffic problems by offering its visitors various parking lots, as well as special parking areas for employees, visitors, and VIPs, he noted.

The construction material has been chosen for both scenic value and durability, namely comprising glass, metal and stones.

The building will be surrounded by a beautiful garden with various kinds of plants and flowers.

The new ministry building will also be used for the national day celebrations, and has been equipped with a special exterior lighting system and big screens for such occasions. —KUNA

3 options to PM grilling KUWAIT: Despite being assured that HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser AlMohammed Al-Sabah would be supported by a majority of MPs during his grilling motion, the government is scheduled to study two constitutional options at today's Cabinet meeting, reported Al-

Watan. The two options are to either refer the interpellation, filed against HH the Prime Minister by MP Khaled AlTahous, to the constitutional court or discuss it during a closed session.

Informed sources said that the option to confront the motion without referring it to

the constitutional court first was still favored by the government.

MP Khaled Al-Tahous said that the interpellation over the pollution at Um Al-Haiman would open other environmental issues and concerns in Kuwait, even if the government survived the grilling.

hospital, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry for Backup Medical Services Dr Qais Al-Dowairy said yesterday.

"The document aims to lay out a fiveyear development strategy for improving the care for heart patients and building the capacity of medical staff of the hospital," Al-Dowairy disclosed.

"It will serve as a nucleus for improving the healthcare services and medical research in Kuwait at large on the lines of the world's state-of-the-art technologies and the achievements of McGill-affiliated hospitals in this domain," he said.

"The team will pay two-week visits to the hospital a month to assess the opera-

in the news 'Arab leaders....wake up!'

KUWAIT: Before concluding his tenure as the Iranian Ambassador to Kuwait, Ali Jannati urged all Arab leaders to wake up and pay more attention to the region. He urged them to contribute more toward freeing the occupied Arab territories, reported Al-Watan.

Speaking at the Iranian embassy during a ceremony to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the death of Imam Khomaini, Jannati stressed that peace with Israel was a mirage and a dead end. He added that Tel Aviv only understands the language of power. "The strength of the people alone is enough to conquer Israel and free the first prayer destination of Muslims," he stressed. He added that the Palestinian issue was one of Imam AlKhomaini's priorities and that he called for a movement against the Zionist threat when his struggle first started in 1963.

Construction rates high KUWAIT: The rate of house-building in Kuwait's private sector is considered among the highest worldwide, according to a senior municipality official. Faisal Al-Jumaa, the Assistant Director of Municipality Affairs for Farwaniya and Ahmadi, explained that the high levels of house-building have led to some areas becoming popular with investors due to the increase in renting homes. He said that this had in turn put more pressure on the

country's services, reported Al-Qabas. AlJumaa also warned against the recent increase in building owners constructing fourth floors on three-storey buildings in contravention of the country's construction regulations.

No power cuts scheduled All but two of the generators in all Kuwait's power plants are functioning at full capacity said a senior Ministry of Electricity and Water official, who stressed that the ministry is not scheduling any power cuts for this summer. The current production capacity of all Kuwait's power generating facilities is around 110,000 megawatts, said Dr. Meshaan Al-Otaibi, the MEW's Assistant Undersecretary for Planning and Training, adding that the two non-functioning generators will be coming back online shortly. "Unit 1 of the Sabbiya power plant will enter service in the middle of August, while Unit 7 of the West Doha power plant will enter service next month [July]," the senior official told AlRai, explaining that after this, all the plants will be working at full capacity. Dr. Al-Otaibi emphasized that the rate of power production compared to consumption is at safe levels at present, with consumption levels last week reaching only 9,750 megawatts." Therefore, he said, "the ministry will not resort to scheduled power disconnection periods for the time being."

Teen fleeing family abuse raped after agreeing to 'sex for shelter' KUWAIT: An 18-year-old Kuwaiti girl who ran away from home several times over family members' physical abuse has admitted to police that she traded sex for accommodation with three young men of her acquaintance.

Police recently arrested the young woman in a Salmiya apartment, acting on a tip-off about her whereabouts after

she was reported missing from her family's home in Sabah Al-Salem for the fifth time in a short period. She was found alone in the flat and was taken to Mubarak Al-Kabeer police station to be questioned.

During questioning, the young woman said that she had ran away from her family's home repeatedly after

being regularly subjected to physical assaults by family members in punishment for divorcing a young man she had been forced to marry.

She told one of the officers questioning her that at one point a family member had thrown her from a second floor window, causing her to sustain several fractures, reported Al-Rai.

The young woman explained that the apartment she had been found in belonged to three young men who had offered to let her stay there in exchange for providing them with sexual services.

She reluctantly agreed, feeling that she had no other place to go and would be in danger if she returned to her fam-

ily's home, and was regularly sexually assaulted by the three men throughout the eight days she stayed in the apartment. Police have circulated descriptions of the three men, who will face charges of sexual assault of a minor.

The woman's family rejected her accusations against them and an investigation into her claims is underway.

tion system as a prelude to outlining the development plans in the administrative, surgical and healthcare fields," AlDowairy added. During his visit to Canada last January Minister of Health Dr Hilal Al-Sayer signed an agreement with the university which laid the groundwork for the May agreement. —KUNA

kuwait digest

The sports crisis

By Madhi Al-Khamees

T

he least that can be said about the status which the Kuwaiti sports sector has reached is that it's laughable, an unprecedented sports crisis originating from political strife, and chaos caused by administrative blunders.

The very foundations of the Kuwaiti sports body has been shaken by two court orders, one of which was issued internationally and the other created in Kuwait. The first order, issued by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), approved the appointment of Sheikh Talal Al-Ahmad as the chairman of the Kuwait Football Association. The second order, issued by a Kuwaiti court, ruled in favor of returning Dr. Fouad Al-Falah as the head of the Public Authority for Youth and Sports (PAYS).

For some reason, these orders have given Sheikh Talal AlFahad the authority to storm into the KFA headquarters, and seize control of it. After all, who else would be able to challenge everyone and return to the top of the KFA with an international court order in one hand, and a separate court order in the other to return his ally as the head of the PAYS?!

As MPs prepare to escalate this issue on the political scene, all we can do is hope and pray that their intervention doesn't lead to yet more mayhem in Kuwait's sports sector.

The two court orders have put the cabinet as well as the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, in hot water. In order to emerge from this unscathed, I believe they should do the same thing that the Iraqi government did to handle Iraqi Airways' problems: dissolve the KFA and the PAYS! — Al-Rai

16,000 tons of garbage KUWAIT: A recent study showed that the total amount of garbage collected daily in Kuwait is around 16,000 tons, reported Al-Watan. The study contradicts the statistics announced by the Municipality, who previously reported that the total amount of garbage collected was only 3,500 tons per day.

The study, prepared by researcher and engineer Meshari Al-Muttairi, highlight-

ed that public funds were being manipulated and that the cost of collecting and removing the 3,500 tons was higher than the previously reported amount of KD 2.5 million. According to the report, the amount of money actually used to remove garbage is KD 11 million. He added that the statistics given by minister Safar were based on per capita daily waste rates according to the 1995 census when Kuwait's population was only 1,570,000.

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NATIONAL

Sunday, June 6, 2010

An issue of discussion

Failaka development project moves at speed of cement

By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: Nineteen years since Kuwait was liberated, following the 199091 Iraqi invasion and occupation, the subject of the development of Failaka Island remains an issue of discussion on the government’s agenda. The proposal to turn Failaka Island into a tourism resort is even The Kuwait Municipality, along with the country’s public authorities, last year decided to develop the island, with the municipality’s Director General forming a team according to Decree No. 1/2009 to prepare a comprehensive plan on how the development is to be carried out.

This plan was concluded last month, with the other authority’s roles now coming into play.

The team observed and monitored the present situation on the island, including the private properties there, as well as the repossessed buildings and all farms, lands and blocks with ownership claims.

The municipality’s plan

includes an in-depth study of Failaka Island’s historic locations, monuments, sites and private properties, concluding that the present uses the island is put to are limited. Most of the use of Failaka is concentrated around its northwestern areas and the southern beach, a residential area near the main port and the surrounding district in the southwest of the island. A few chalets on the island provide the only current tourism activity, with around 70.4 percent of the island consisting of cemeteries, historical sites, state-owned land and utilities. Much of the rest is marshland, with residential areas only accounting for 1.7 percent of the island’s area.

kuwait digest

Gaza’s blockade

By Dr Abdulmuhsin Jamal olitical and human rights activists from around 40 nations were able to accomplish what all Arab governments failed to achieve.

Arabs responded to the aggression against their people in Palestine with a peace initiative, leaving the duty of defending Palestine and its Holy City to non-Arabs.

The Freedom Flotilla, which attempted to break the blockade of Gaza by delivering humanitarian aid, carried a Turkish flag and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had the loudest voice when defending the people of Gaza.

He urged the Turkish Parliament to inform the world about the need to lift the blockade of Gaza. A continuation of the blockade has become impossible and people around the world need to keep working until the embargo is lifted.

The Zionist regime is no longer an enemy that cannot be defeated, as proved in their defeat in Lebanon by Hezbollah, and in Gaza against the resistance of its people.

Following their political failure, the Zionist regime lashed out against innocent civilians and exposed itself for the whole world to see. Defending their cowardly actions is no longer a possibility. — Al-Qabas

P

‘Anti-drugs’ winners honored

By Hanan Al-Saadoun KUWAIT: An awards ceremony was held on Thursday to honor the student winners of the recent competition organized by the National Committee for Protection from Drugs.

The event was held under the patronage of committee chairman and Minister of Interior General Sheikh Jaber Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, who was represented at the event by Dr. Rashid Al-Amiri, the deputy chairman of the committee, with a number of senior officials from different ministries attending.

The competition saw students carry out and present research on the danger of drugs.

In his speech during the awards ceremony, Dr. Al-Amiri said that combating the scourge of drugs needs the innovation of the nation’s young people, adding that the war on drugs needs to focus on three areas protection, security and treatment.

The National Committee for Protection from Drugs, which held the competition under the title ‘Let’s All Work Together Against Drugs,’ works closely with all official bodies, including

the Ministry of Education and organized the competition to help students to educate themselves about the vast harm and dangers drugs can pose.

School pupil Dalal Falah AlSalman from Adan High School spoke on behalf of the competition winners, saying that drugs kill individuals and societies, destroying nations’ wealth by destroying the youth. Drugs are similar to the mythical hydra, Al-Salman said, since whenever one head is severed another springs up to replace it, with drugs coming in various forms and sources.

Union defends complaint KUWAIT: The Municipality’s assistant secretary of the labor union acknowledged the Kuwait Trade Union Federation’s (KTUF) complaints to the International Labor Organization (ILO) against the Cabinet, reported Al-Qabas.

The federation has taken steps toward issuing com-

plaints to the ILO for the Cabinet’s decision to suppress any attempt to hold labor strikes.

“This is a bold step in the right direction in defending laborers’ rights in Kuwait,” said Mohammad Al-Aradah, also head of the Arab Union for Municipality and Tourism Laborers.

Information ministry to launch media marketing campaign KUWAIT: The Ministry of Information is currently working closely with civil organizations on a media marketing campaign for Kuwait’s mega development projects.

The ministry is set to establish a joint working team with experts from the different bodies to implement and monitor the project.

The project aims to raise citizens’ awareness of the various major projects and of all aspects of the development work going on, reported Al-Qabas.

included in the government’s five-year development plan. It seems, however, that some serious steps are finally being taken towards the realization of the proposal. Failaka, the only inhabited island in Kuwaiti waters, is to be rehabilitated and developed, with some suggesting that such a site of natural beauty is not being developed in a properly environmentally sensitive way.

For the development project and others, a supreme committee answerable to the Ministry of Finance was formed, led by the finance minister and including members representing the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Public Works, Kuwait Municipality and Environment Public Authority.

This committee went on to form the Partnership Technical Bureau (PTB), which is responsible for various state projects, including the Failaka and Boubyan Island development projects, the Metro project and the project to build accommodation for single expatriate workers.

“These projects are execut-

ed according to Law No. 7/2008 regarding the BOT (Build, Operate, Transfer) investment projects carried out on state property,” explained Srour AlOtaibi, the Team Leader with the Ministry of Public Works’ mega-projects’ department.

“The executing company or companies win the contract through open bidding.”

Thereafter, the PTB formed the Failaka Development Committee, which has been advertising for a ‘transactions advisor,’ with applications for the post set to close on June 15.

“After the transactions advisor is appointed, another phase will begin and the role of the Ministry of Public Works will almost be completed,” Al-Otaibi

revealed to the Kuwait Times.

“After that, the ministry will support the committee and be represented by one member on it.”

The Failaka development project is one of Kuwait’s largest mega-projects, the senior official explained: “The PTB is cooperating with the World Bank and this gives clout to this project. Failaka is a virgin island ready for development.

The transaction advisor will give solutions to help develop the island. In the second half of 2011 the plan will be clear,” AlOtaibi explained. “The PTB’s role is to prepare the master plan and the supreme committee will complete the work based on this plan and study.”

Pay hikes ‘a waste of money’ KUWAIT: Former Deputy Speaker of the House, Meshari Al-Anjeri criticized the lack of a comprehensive governmental vision to increase the salaries of government employees, reported AlWatan. He stressed that the pay hikes given to employees between 2005 and 2008 were enough to build 15,000 houses a year and five major hospitals as big as Jaber Hospital.

Al-Anjeri attributed the problem to the lack of political parties in the Parliament and the Parliament’s ability to argue amongst each other, other lawmakers or Cabinet members instead of focusing on the country’s issues.

Commenting on the growing number of

grilling motions, Al-Anjeri stressed that the motions deviated from their original purpose and have become mere preparations for no-confidence motions against a minister.

“This is very crippling to the country and impedes development,” he pointed out. He noted that the grilling motion filed against HH the PM Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah over the Um Al-Haiman pollution is useless. He added that a specialized investigation committee, possibly with foreign help, needs to unfold the whole truth and end the conflict between calls to protect the area’s residents and remove the factories there.

Pearl-diving trip starts accepting applications KUWAIT: The Kuwait Sea Sports Club will today begin receiving applications from young Kuwaitis who wish to take part in the 22nd annual traditional pearl-diving trip, with the closing date for applications being on June 24.

The voyage, which is organized under the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, will take place between July 15th and 24th, with this year’s event being restricted to Kuwaiti waters, rather than to both Kuwaiti and Bahraini waters as in previous years.

Ali Al-Qabandi, the head of the

KSSC’s committee monitoring traditions, explained that eligibility for the voyage is restricted to young Kuwaiti men between the ages of 15 and 20, who must be able to swim, adding that all the young participants must also obtain parental approval.

Those selected to participate in the voyage will take part in a training camp prior to the event, said Al-Qabandi, further indicating that the participants are compelled to commit themselves to observing all the regulations, which include having their heads shaved and observing a strict no smoking

Ali Al-Qabandi policy, as well as having to wear the traditional attire worn during the pearl-diving voyages.

in the news CSC authorizes work teams KUWAIT: Civil Service Commission director, Abdulaziz Al-Zabin issued a decision by which he authorized government parties to form work teams, reported Al-Anba. He added that the work teams will be supported financially, provided the total cost of its staff not exceed KD 5,000 monthly or KD 60,000 annually. The decision was reached on the condition that the teams not exceed five persons, that salaries per person not exceed KD 300 monthly and the time period not surpass two months.

Oil pipe explosion in Kabed KUWAIT: An oil exploration rig in Kabed recently survived a potential disaster that could have killed all of the rig’s staff members, reported Al-Watan. The incident occurred when one of the engineers opened a pipe to reduce pressure and set fire to the outgoing oil and a change in wind direction threatened to set the whole rig on

fire. Official sources added that the engineer called Jleeb firefighters who responded to the emergency and were able to extinguish the fire immediately.

Egyptian school in the works KUWAIT: Egyptian Ambassador to Kuwait, Taher Farhat said that there has been talks with Kuwaiti authorities to open an Egyptian school for Egyptian children in Kuwait, reported AlAnba. He made his comments at the awards ceremony for outstanding students held by the Egyptian cultural office at Fahad Al-Duwairi High School in Jabriya. Farhat said that the rules in Egypt require that studying and exams for a high school diploma remain in Egypt. The cultural office is considering all suggestions made by student’s parents regarding having school books provided to students that correlate with the Egyptian curriculum. He congratulated all students who earned outstanding marks.

Kuwaitis in Oman unaffected by Phet MUSCAT: All the Kuwaiti citizens in the Sultanate of Oman are safe and have suffered no harm from Cyclone Phet, which hit the country’s east coast on Friday, said Kuwait’s ambassador to Muscat Shamlan Abdulaziz Al-Roumi.

Ambassador Al-Roumi said that he had been in contact with Kuwaitis living there in order to check on their welfare, emphasizing that they had all been safe and well.

He noted that he is in direct contact with the Kuwaiti community across Oman, adding that Kuwaiti students there are doing well and have no fears that the cyclone could have any personal effect on them. AlRoumi added that he had cautioned the Kuwaitis living in Oman to remain alert and monitor the weather conditions through the Omani Civil Defense Department.

He also indicated that Kuwaiti embassy in Oman is

fully prepared to provide any help required to Kuwaiti citizens there at any time and place, asserting that this is one of his core duties in serving the Kuwaiti people.

He further revealed that he is in direct contact with the Omani authorities concerning Cyclone Phet, and is closely monitoring the latest developments.

Al-Roumi made it clear that Oman had exerted immense efforts since the cyclone made landfall on Friday to ensure the safety of citizens and residents alike, adding his own wishes for the Omani people’s continued wellbeing, safety and stability.

Omani Inspector General of Police and Customs Malik bin Suleiman Al-Maamari, meanwhile, expressed his relief at Cyclone Phet being downgraded to a tropical storm, explaining that this will reduce the hazards involved and revealing that two people have been con-

firmed dead as a result of the cyclone to date.

The Oman News Agency (ONA) quoted Al-Maamari as saying that Oman’s oil installations and gas plants are secure and were unharmed by the cyclone, pointing out that the gas liquefying plant and the fertilizer production facility in Qalhat are currently non-operational, along with some oil tankers that are in the high seas off Fahal port in Muscat, although the pumping of oil from the port will resume once weather conditions improve.

The police chief added, however, that air traffic at the International Muscat airport had been unaffected by the cyclone. He also warned that following the downgrading of the cyclone, Oman, including the coastal areas and the Western Hajr mountain range and Al-Batna areas, is expected to be hit by severe thunderstorms and heavy rains.

Meanwhile, the Tropical Cyclone Phet has approached Pakistan and is likely to make landfall in the coastal areas early this morning, said the Meteorological Department yesterday. The severe tropical cyclone, after hitting Oman, has weakened into a tropical cyclone and is now less than 80 km from Paksitan’s Southwestern Gawadar port and 400 km from the port city of Karachi, said the department in a statement to media.

The system is likely to weaken further before making landfall between Karachi and Pasni today, with associated storm surge of three to five meters, said the statement.

Under the influence of this system, it added, extremely heavy rainfall is occurring over coastal areas of Baluchistan province, including Gawadar, Jiwani, and Pasni, accompanied with very strong wind gusting to 120 km/hour. —KUNA

NATIONAL

Sunday, June 6, 2010

5

Informatics Research Award winners announced KUWAIT: The organizing committee of the Sheikh Ali Al-Jaber Informatics Research Award on Friday announced the names of the 20 winners.

Award Secretary, Engineer Bassam AlShemmari, said that 279 of the 1,914 participants gave the right answers to the questions posed, with the 20 winners selected from these applicants in a draw.

ILO meeting in Geneva

GCC members keen on protecting expat rights GENEVA: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states stressed here yesterday that the proposed international agreements on domestic workers should discuss the duties of recruitment agencies that brought the workers from abroad. This came in a speech by Director of the General Immigration Department of Kuwait's Interior Ministry, Maj Gen Kamil AlAwadhi, on behalf of the GCC states, at the 99th annual conference of the International Labor Organization (ILO). He said that it was important that recruitment agencies brief the domestic workers about their rights and duties, as well as the culture of the societies that they would be working in.

He stressed that domestic workers in the Gulf countries lived in the houses of citizens and were treated as members of the families at which they worked. They get proper accommodation and meals, he pointed out.

The GCC states coordinate with each other and exchange information on policies regarding dealing with workers, he said. The member states issue joint regulations and review them regularly, he highlighted, emphasizing that GCC countries were keen on preventing human trafficking and on protecting the rights of foreign workers in compliance with international conventions. Al-Awadhi said that the increase in the number of domestic workers in the Gulf region created great

challenges that were dealt with seriously.

Kuwait is representing the GCC states at the conference that will conclude on June 18.

The Kuwaiti delegation taking part in the event is headed by Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Dr. Mohammad Al-Afasi.

In another development, Director of the UN Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Geneva, Rashid Khalikov, praised yesterday the $100,000 donation offered by Kuwait for UN projects in Haiti, presented by Kuwait's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Dhirar Razzouqi.

Khalikov hailed the Kuwaiti donation, saying that this reflected the Kuwaiti under-

School violence report KUWAIT: Education minister Dr. Moudhi Al-Humoud is expected to receive a report this week on the recent outbreak of violence at local schools.

The report was compiled by a committee established by the Ministry of Education (MoE) to investigate the issue, a senior MoE official told Al-Qabas.

Badr Al-Furaih, the MoE

Freedom Flotilla activists vow return KUWAIT: The citizens who participated in the Freedom Flotilla that was attacked by Israeli troops on its way to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza expressed disappointment upon hearing some accuse them of seeking 'media attention’ as the sole purpose of the trip, reported Al-Rai. "How can we be accused of seeking media attention when we put our lives on the line to support our brethren in Gaza?" the activists asked. They reiterated their commitment to participate in future aid trips to support the people of Gaza.

During a televised interview that aired recently on Al-Rai TV with eleven of the sixteen Kuwaitis who participated in the voyage, the activists began the show by expressing their gratitude to HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and Jassem Al-Khorafi for their support.

MP Dr Waleed Al-Tabtabaei, who was on board one of the flotilla's ships, explained that he had planned to be part of the trip for the past two years. He expressed gratitude to Kuwaiti and Bahraini women for their valuable donations.

Al-Tabtabaei recalled the incident that took place during the Israeli attack and said that an Israeli soldier kicked him while he was throwing the weapons of Israeli commandos into the sea. He repeated his public condemnation of the "act of piracy which happened on international waters against a fleet of ships carrying humanitarian aid." Al-Tabtabaei also described how scared the Israeli soldiers were when the Turkish volunteers managed to take three of them hostage.

Participants in the program also included Sheikh Salah Al-Jarrallah, Sheikh Dr Mohammad Al-Awadhi, attorney Mubarak Al-Mutawaa, Dr Waleed Al-Awadhi, Dr Mona Shashtar, Ali Bu Hmoud, Senan AlAhmad, Abdurrahman Al-Kharraz and Abdurrahman Al-Failakawi.

Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Development, further revealed that the report would contain recommendations on the best ways to tackle the surge in violence among pupils. Al-Furaih explained that the recommendations are based on analysis of the causes of this alarming behavior and how the handling of such incidents could be improved.

standing of the importance of offering humanitarian aid and support for such a geographically distant country.

Kuwait's keeness for alleviating the suffering of the victims of the earthquake in Haiti should be an example for other countries, he noted. On his part, Ambassador Razzouqi said that this donation came as part of Kuwait’s efforts to aid stricken countries, stressing that Kuwait was a pioneer in supporting any humanitarian and development activities all over the world. The meeting was attended by the members of Kuwait's Mission at the UN in Geneva Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and Sheikha Jawaher Ibrahim Al-Sabah. — KUNA

The names of the winners are: Yousef Adnan Abdulnabi, Shireefa Behbahani, Muneera Mujeb Al-Ajmi, Nadi Ouda, Kitam Abdulrahim, Raja Saad Johar, Manal Maki AlShawaf, Hawra Al-Jazzaf, Dalal Al-Harbi, Rashed Al-Hadrani, Razan Al-Jaiaan, Bisheer Al-Halabi, Omar Al-Sultan, Khalid Al-Azmi, Mohammad Sami Abdu, Shahad Al-Ibrahim, Samah Ghaleb, Suleiman Fawaz, Nour Abu

Saleh, and Huda Al-Enizi.

"The organizing committee will host an awards ceremony for the winners tomorrow at the 'Leaders Training Center' in Khaldiya, under the auspices of Sheikh Ali Al-Jaber AlAli Al-Sabah, as well as Sheikha Awrad AlJaber Al-Sabah and Education Assistant Undersecretary for Student Activities Duaij Al-Duaij," he added. — KUNA

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NATIONAL

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Body found on roof of a building

Bangladeshi janitor murdered in Jleeb KUWAIT: A Bangladeshi man in his thirties was found dead on the roof of a building under construction in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, reported Al-Qabas. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man, the building's janitor, had been murdered. The body was found by the victim's friend, a janitor at a nearby building when he went to check on his friend after he failed to show up for a breakfast the two had planned together. Police and crime scene investigators rushed to the scene of the crime after receiving an emergency call from the distraught friend, with the preliminary investigation determining that the victim died instantly as a result of a blow to the head with a sharp object.

GENEVA: Director of the UN Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Geneva, Rashid Khalikov, praised yesterday the $100,000 donation offered by Kuwait for UN projects in Haiti, presented by Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Dhirar Razzouqi. Khalikov hailed the Kuwaiti donation, saying that this reflected the Kuwaiti understanding of the importance of offering humanitarian aid and support for such a geographically distant country.

Unionists hail Kuwait's stance TUNIS: World and Arab unionists hailed here yesterday Kuwait's honorable official and popular stance in the face of the Israeli assault on the Freedom Flotilla-that targeted the transport of humanitarian aid to Gaza-in what led to the falling of many innocent victims and injured.

This announcement was made in separate statements at the close of a three-day forum held by the International Trade Unions Confederation (ITUC) here with the participation of unionist delegations from many Arab and foreign countries including Kuwait. A delegation led by head of the Information Ministry Staff Union Yassin Al-Farsi and the members Mubarak Al-Barazi and Mashari Al-Baeijan represented the Kuwaiti trade union movement in this forum. Secretay General of the workers union in Tunisia Abdulsalam Garad expressed, following his meeting with the Kuwaiti delegation, his "utmost appreciation" for Kuwait's "honorable" official and popular stance against the unjust Israeli attack on the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla and the material and morale support lent by the workers, people and leaders of Kuwait in order to advocate the Palestinians.

Further, Garad also asserted the support of Tunisian workers to their brothers in Kuwait and their sympathy with Kuwaiti activists who were among the passengers of the Freedom Flotilla

that was carrying humanitarian assistance to Gazans and was seized by Israel following an armed assault that led to killing and wounding many innocent people. He also hailed the struggle of the Kuwaiti unionists for the interest of the Kuwaiti workers, pointing out at the same time, "the solidity of existing relations between unionist and political leaders in the two brotherly countries."

On his part, head of the printing and packaging section at the ITUC Stephen Welch hailed the humanitarian and principled stance of Kuwait, saying that, "Kuwait is always clearly represented in the regional and international forums in order to defend human rights, international legitimacy and humanitarian issues."

Meanwhile, an Arab League official on Friday insisted that Israel must pay the full price for its lethal attack on the Gaza-bound 'Freedom Flotilla' aid ships.

Speaking to reporters, Assistant Secretary General of the Arab League for Palestinian Affairs Ambassador Mohammad Sabeeh said that the way to punish Israel should be decided through the International Criminal Court (ICC).

In this context, he said, Turkey was pursuing this course of action, given that the fatal Israeli attack targeted Turkish-flagged aid ships in a demonstration of Israel's disrespect for its rela-

tions with Turkey.

He hailed a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution to set up an independent fact-finding committee to investigate the Israeli crime, calling it a "good step."

Sabeeh added that, in collaboration with several other countries, including Turkey, Arab countries are also pressing for a UN General Assembly meeting on "the Israeli crime against humanity."

He condemned the US, however, for failing to condemn the Israeli attack on the aid ships which was committed in international waters, calling on Washington to stop such Israeli crimes. Defending Arab support for Gaza, Sabeeh said that Arab countries have sent official and unofficial humanitarian aid worth $2.2 billion to the Gazans since Israel imposed its blockade on the besieged enclave. He called for all crossing points into the Gaza Strip, not only Egypt's Rafah crossing, to be reopened to enable the people there to receive desperately needed humanitarian supplies.

The recent Israeli raid on the 'Freedom Flotilla' sparked a vehement worldwide outcry, which has still not abated. Israel has imposed a strict blockade on the Gaza Strip since the radical Islamist movement Hamas took de facto control of it in 2006. — KUNA

When questioned, the victim's friend said that the last time he had seen the victim was the previous night when they had dinner together before each of them returned to work.

While examining the crime scene, investigators were able to determine that a quantity of construction material had been stolen from the building. Investigators speculate that the victim was attacked by thieves while attempting to prevent them from stealing the materials. Investigators further examined the scene in an attempt to retrieve fingerprints and other evidence linked to the killer or killers, while the victim's body was removed for autopsy.

Fatal accidents Two American soldiers were killed in an accident in the Shuaiba Industrial Port Area, reported Al-Watan. The accident occurred when a Hummer carrying the two soldiers collided with a car driven by a citizen and turned over. Paramedics responded to the emergency and declared the two soldiers dead as a result of their injuries.

In a separate accident, a citizen was killed when his car flipped over on King Fahad Road, reported Al-Qabas. His body was taken to the coroner by crime scene investigators after he was pronounced dead by paramedics.

Meanwhile, an Egyptian man was killed and three others were injured when their vehicles overturned during an accident on Abdaly street, reported Al-Qabas. The injured were brought to a nearby hospital.

Also, a Pakistani man was killed and three others were injured when two cars collided on Liyah street, reported Al-Qabas.

The injured were taken to a nearby hospital.

Woman attacked An Asian woman was rushed to Jahra Hospital in critical condition when she was found unconscious in Abdaly, reported AlRai. Ambulances responded to an emergency call from a shepherd who found the woman bleeding and beaten with wounds all over her body. A medical report indicated that the woman had been brutally raped and beaten viciously. An investigation revealed that a case of absence had been filed against the woman by her sponsor. Police are waiting for the woman's health condition to stabilize before taking a description of her attackers. Her assailants face charges of kidnapping, rape and attempted murder.

Drunks busted Security officials arrested six citizens, three males and three females, found heavily intoxicated in a car on Kabad Road, reported Al-Watan. Authorities also found three bottles of imported liquor in their possession. They were taken to the proper authorities.

Meanwhile, a citizen was arrested in Waha after he was caught driving under the influence of alcohol, reported Al-Rai. He was also found concealing 12 bottles of imported liquor in his car. The man was referred to the General Department of Drug Control.

Farm theft A citizen reported that thieves broke into his animal farm in Kabad and stole seven sheep and several electrical appliances.

Criminal investigators were sent to exam-

ine the scene of the crime and a case was opened.

Fugitive in custody An Egyptian man employed by the Interior Ministry was arrested in Hawally when police discovered that the man was wanted for a money related case, reported Al-Watan. He was referred to the proper authorities.

Minibus fire A minibus caught fire while on the Third Ring Road, reported Al-Watan. Its driver pulled the vehicle over as soon as he noticed the flames and firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze before it could reach the gas tank. An investigation indicated that the fire was a result of an electrical short circuit.

Youngster mugged A young man was attacked and mugged by two people after he collided with their car in Jahra, reported Al-Rai. After the accident, the youngster was restrained by the two men and robbed of KD 350 and his cell phone. The victim reported directly to the area's police station after he was let free by a passerby who found him.

Drug dealer Jahra police arrested a drug dealer when he resisted authorities raiding his home, reported Al-Anba. The man attempted to use an unlicensed gun during his arrest and was eventually subdued by authorities. An amount of hashish was also found in his possession. He was taken to the proper authorities.

NBK campaign draws new customers KUWAIT: Amid spectacular enthusiasm and participation on the part of customers, National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), the leading bank in Kuwait and highest rated in the Middle East, recently conducted the fourth draw of its first of its kind salary acquisition campaign designed to reward new salaried customers who transfer their salaries with a chance to win KD 5,000. "What Would You Do with KD 5000?" campaign that offers 8 chances at winning, over a period of 3 months extending from March 7 till June 30, 2010.

NBK's customer Nabeel Ali Ahmed bin Asri, winner of the 4th draw prize of KD 5,000, said that when he saw the advertisement on the " Transfer Your salary to NBK and win KD 5,000 weekly" campaign during a recent visit to an NBK branch, he immediately transferred his salary to NBK, adding that when he did that he thought that even if he will not be so lucky to be among the winners of such a weekly exciting prize, he would benefit from the marvelous and numerous promotions provided by NBK. Bin Asri added that he was greatly encouraged when he learnt that one of his relatives was recently a lucky winner of the KD 5,000 salary transfer promotion prize. "It is unbelievable. Thank God ! I was also a lucky winner of the KD 5,000 prize. In fact I have not decided yet how to spend the whole amount but basically I will use some of it for the summer vacation with the family. NBK has always been a pioneer in

KUWAIT: The winner, Nabeel Ali Ahmed bin Asri, receives the prize from NBK Regional Manager, Hadeel Al Sabti and NBK Qurain Branch Manager Hussain Bou Taleb. launching the best offers, campaigns and rewarding promotions in the market. I am quite interested in the Travel Safe insurance package and I want to express my sincere thanks NBK wishing it more success and prosperity", Bin Asri concluded.

It is worth mentioning that the fourth draw of the weekly draws of the "What Would You

Do With KD 5,000?" campaign was conducted on May 30, 2010 while the next draw will be conducted on June 6 with one winner selected on a weekly basis to win the grand prize of KD 5,000. Entry into the weekly draws is very simple, convenient and automatic. No forms or coupons are required. Just transfer your salary at NBK and

once you are an account holder you will get automatic enrolment into the weekly draws that will be conducted at the following dates: June 6, June 13, June 20 and July 7.

NBK has pioneered many firsts in both the local and regional markets with offering of innovative products and value added services.

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INTERNATIONAL

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Iraq pulls weapons permits from former insurgents BAQOUBA, Iraq: Iraq’s military yesterday withdrew the right to carry weapons from 10,000 ex-Sunni insurgents, a move that threatened to cause a rift between security forces and Sunni fighters credited with helping quell violence in Iraq. Leaders of the Sahwa movement, or “Sons of Iraq”, responded immediately with a warning that they would stop cooperating with security forces in the troubled, mainly Sunni province of Diyala if their weapons permits were pulled.

“Today, Saturday, we received an order from the Defence Ministry ground forces

leadership to withdraw all the badges of the Sahwa personnel and replace them with new ones that do not authorize them to carry weapons,” said a spokesman for Diyala military operations, who asked not to be named.

The military spokesman said Sahwa members are considered civilians, “so it is not reasonable to authorise around 10,000 personnel to carry weapons in this province”.

Khalid Al-Luhaibi, head of the Sahwa in Diyala, said the military must cancel the order or his members would stop cooperating.

“How can we work and do our jobs if we are

not eligible to carry weapons?” he said. “How can we, at least, protect ourselves?” The Sons of Iraq program began when tribal leaders decided in 2006 to turn their backs on the bloody insurgency that threatened to tear Iraq apart and joined US and Iraqi forces in fighting Al-Qaeda and other militants.

Their decision to cut ties with Al-Qaeda was a turning point in the US-led war against Sunni Islamist militants. Iraqi leaders promised to give government jobs to some 90,000 Sahwa members. About 42,000 of the fighters have already been integrated into

government ministries, according to government officials. But thousands of others were asked to stay with their neighbourhood security patrols through Iraq’s March 7 parliamentary election and until a new government is formed.

The vote produced no clear winner and exposed Iraq’s sectarian divisions. A crosssectarian coalition led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi won a narrow victory with strong support from minority Sunnis, but no bloc won enough seats to form a majority government. Since the election, Iraq’s two

major Shiite coalitions have announced plans to form the largest group in parliament. Allawi in turn has warned that a Shiite alliance that attempted to exclude his bloc from government could trigger renewed violence.

The Sons of Iraq fighters were credited with helping to significantly cut violence since the worst of the sectarian bloodshed in 200607, when tens of thousands of people were killed. Diyala, a mixed province with a Sunni majority just north of Baghdad, has seen more violence in recent months than other areas of Iraq. On May 12, a minivan packed

with explosives blew up at a crowded market in the town of Khalis, killing at least 30 people and wounding 80 others.

Before joining the fight against Al-Qaeda, members of the Sons of Iraq were accused of killing American and Iraqi soldiers. Some of their former leaders and fighters were arrested by Iraqi security forces to face those accusations, forcing others into hiding.

Sahwa members have also been the targets of a recent campaign of assassinations and bombings in which more than 100 people have died. — Reuters

Egyptian men married to Israelis to lose citizenship Cairo seeks to safeguard ‘national security’ CAIRO: A Cairo court yesterday upheld a ruling to strip Egyptian men married to Israeli women of their citizenship in a case that has highlighted national sentiment towards Israel. Judge Mohammed Al-Husseini, sitting on the Supreme Administrative Court, said the interior ministry must ask the cabinet to take the necessary steps to strip Egyptian men married to Israeli women, and their children, of their citizenship. The court said that each case should be considered separately, in a ruling that cannot be appealed.

RADFAN, Yemen: Former Yemeni soldiers block a road in the Yemeni Lahj province, 370 km south of Sanaa yesterday with burning tyres in protest against the government’s decision to stop paying their salaries. Many of the soldiers protesting had taken part in the six-month battles against Shiite Houthi rebels in northern Yemen. — AFP

Yemen colonel killed in suspected Qaeda attack SANAA: A Yemeni colonel and two of his bodyguards were killed in an attack by suspected Al-Qaeda members yesterday near the city of Marib east of the capital, tribal and military sources said.

“Colonel Mohammed Saleh Al-Shaief and two bodyguards were killed when his vehicle was fired upon by Al-Qaeda members” from another car, the source said. Shaief, 43, was travelling with a convoy to inspect military forces stationed in the Safar oil field when the attack occurred south of Marib, the source added.

A military source in Marib confirmed that Shaief and two bodyguards were killed in an attack, but did not accuse AlQaeda of being behind it. A local official said an Al-Qaeda member named Hassan Abdullah Saleh Al-Uqaili led the attack. The 28-year-old is on a government wanted list, which identifies him as being from the Harib area, south of

Activists plan new aid boat BEIRUT: Two pro-Palestinian groups launched a campaign yesterday to raise funds to buy a ship that they hope can set sail from Lebanon for Gaza next week carrying educational supplies and journalists. The non-governmental groups “Free Palestine Movement” and “Reporters Without Limits” said they hoped the boats would set off for the blockaded Gaza Strip at the end of next week.

It will carry aid, namely educational supplies for Palestinian children as well 50 Arab and foreign journalists and 25 European activists, including some MPs, organisers told a Beirut news conference. “We launch an appeal to all the free people in this world to provide financial contributions to buy a boat,” Thaer Ghandour of the Reporters Without Limits said.

His appeal came as the Israeli navy commandeered an international Gaza-bound aid boat yesterday and escorted it to the port of Ashdod in Israel after preventing it from sailing to the Palestinian territory.

The operation was peaceful, unlike the bloody raid on Monday by Israeli forces on an aid convoy - the “Freedom Flotilla” - bound for Gaza, during which nine Turkish activists were killed. On Friday the head of Lebanon’s antiIsraeli Hezbollah movement, Hassan Nasrallah, called for a “Freedom Flotilla II” to break the Israeli-imposed siege on Gaza. —AFP

Marib.

Meanwhile, a security source said that an Al-Qaeda member named Ghalib AlZaidi surrendered to Yemeni authorities in the Marib province yesterday. Zaidi is wanted by the government for Al-Qaeda activities, the source said. In late May, provincial official Jaber Ali AlShabwani and four of his bodyguards were killed in an air strike in Marib province that targeted a wanted Al-Qaeda suspect. The suspect, named as Mohammed Said bin Jardan, was wounded but managed to escape, security sources said.

The deaths sparked a string of revenge attacks in Marib by members of the AlShabwan tribe - on the oil pipeline from the Safar field, petrol stations, army positions and a government building.

Two tribesmen were also killed and a policeman was wounded in the unrest.

Yemeni President Ali

Abdullah Saleh ordered an investigation into the unrest, and the high security council vowed to continue efforts against Al-Qaeda. Yemen is the ancestral homeland of AlQaeda leader Osama bin Laden and has been the scene of several attacks claimed by the group on foreign missions, tourist sites and oil installations. Marib is one of AlQaeda’s strongholds in Yemen.

The group has suffered setbacks amid US pressure on the government to crack down. But its presence threatens to turn Yemen into a base for training and plotting attacks, a senior US counterterrorism official said in September.

In addition to the Al-Qaeda threat, Yemen - the Arab world’s poorest country - is also contending with a separatist movement in the south and the aftermath of a six-year uprising by Zaidi Shiite rebels in the far north. — AFP

The ruling reflects Egyptian sentiment towards Israel, more than 30 years after Egypt signed an unpopular peace deal with the Jewish state. Before reading the verdict, Husseini said the case would not apply to Egyptian men married to Arab Israeli women. “The case for (Egyptian) men married to Israeli Arab women is different to those married to Israeli women of Jewish origin because (Israeli Arabs) have lived under Israeli occupation,” Husseini told the court. “The court’s decision is taking into account Egypt’s national security,” the judge said.

Lawyer Nabil Al-Wahsh said he originally brought the case to court in order to prevent the creation of a generation “disloyal to Egypt and the Arab world”.

Children of such marriages “should not be allowed to perform their military service,” he said. The number of Egyptian men married to Israeli women is thought to be around 30,000, according to Wahsh. Only 10 percent of them are married to Arab Israelis.

“This ruling is for the benefit of Egypt, a nation of leadership, history and civilisation,” Wahsh said. “It is for the protection of Egypt and Egypt’s youth and its national security. The decision comes as Israel continues its assault on those who love peace.

The latest example is the aggression against the aid boat which was heading towards the blockaded Gaza Strip,” he added.

On Monday, Israeli naval commandos raided a humanitarian flotilla carrying aid to the

CAIRO: Former UN nuclear chief and Egyptian diplomat Mohammed ElBaradei speaks during a press conference with Saad Al-Katatni (left), the parliamentary leader of Egypt’s largest opposition bloc, the Muslim Brotherhood, after their meeting yesterday. — AP blockaded Gaza Strip, in a bungled operation that left nine proPalestinian activists dead and scores injured. A lower court ruled last year that the interior minister must look into the

cases of Egyptian men married to Israeli women, and their children, in order to “take the necessary steps to strip them of their nationality.”

The interior and foreign min-

istries had appealed the case, saying it was for parliament to decide on such matters.

Thousands of Egyptians, particularly a large number who lived in Iraq and returned after the

1990 Gulf War over Kuwait, moved to Israel in search of work and married Israeli women. In 1979, Egypt became the first Arab country to sign a peace deal with Israel. — AFP

UAE foils $14bn fraud attempt DUBAI: Abu Dhabi police have foiled an attempt by three Iranians to defraud the United Arab Emirates central bank of 14.4 billion dollars, the official WAM news agency reported yesterday. Suspected ringleader Farzin Ali Karoryan Mutlaq remains at large in Iran, while two men whose initials were given as E.H.K. and Iranian-American N.A.B. are under arrest, WAM quoted Colonel Hammad Ahmed al-

Hammadi, head of the Abu Dhabi police Criminal Investigation Department (CID), as saying.

E.H.K. and N.A.B. allegedly presented fake documents claiming Mutlaq ìhas property investments worth $14.4 billion and that the amount was transferred to the UAE from Germany through the central bank,’ WAM quoted Rashid Mohammed Burasheed, head of the CIDís organised crime unit, as say-

ing. E.H.K. had power of attorney to receive the money and transfer it to Mutlaq, who is wanted by Interpol, Burasheed said.

Hammadi said that Mutlaq is wanted in connection with similar previous attempts to defraud the central bank.

He added that four failed fraud attempts in the past year would have netted 244.6 billion dirhams ($66.65 billion), had they been successful. — AFP

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Medvedev hopes ‘irresponsible’ Iran listening MESEBERG, Germany: Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev said yesterday that with the UN Security Council close to approving fresh sanctions he hoped an “irresponsible” Iran would heed the world community.

“The situation is this: basically, an agreement on sanctions exists,” the president said in Germany after talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel. “We hope that the voice of the international community is heard by Iranian leadership. “Such expressions of irresponsible behaviour cannot be contin-

ued. What is said internationally needs to be listened to. Only this way can the most complex tasks be solved,” he said.

Russia is one of five permanent and veto-wielding UN Security Council members - along with the United States, China, Britain and France - who the White House hopes will approve fresh sanctions as early as next week over the Islamic republic’s sensitive nuclear work. Both Russia and China have previously been more reticent than the others on sanctions, but Russian

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday that “paralysing sanctions” had been purged from the new draft to take into account “the economic interests” of Moscow and Beijing.

Iran is already under three sets of UN sanctions for its refusal to suspend enrichment of uranium, which can be used as fuel for nuclear power stations and in atomic weapons. Merkel, whose country is part of a six-nation group negotiating with Iran and who has been strident in her calls for taking

a tougher line, said she expected to new resolution to be voted on soon. “It looks as though new sanctions can be approved by the UN Security Council in the near future,” she said in Meseberg, north of Berlin.

“The time has now come that if nothing changes qualititatively then such sanctions must be approved. I am happy that we can stand here today ... and say that this is a joint position including not only the EU, the US and Russia, but also from China. “This

is a big, important step from the international community.” Russia, which like Germany has close commercial ties with Iran, has become frustrated by Iran’s behaviour in recent months.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last month launched a stinging attack on Moscow accusing it of “siding with those who have been our enemy for 30 years”. “If I were in the Russian president’s shoes I would be more cautious in commenting and decision making about issues pertaining to

the great and strong nation of Iran.”

Senior US officials have said they are forging ahead with a resolution without Brazil and Turkey, two non-permanent Security Council members that brokered a nuclear fuel swap deal with Iran aimed at forestalling sanctions. Under the deal reached last month Iran committed to deposit 1,200 kg of low-enriched uranium in Turkey in return for reactor fuel. But the accord drew a cool reaction from world powers led by the United States. — AFP

Pope in Cyprus calls for dialogue between faiths Benedict urges support for Mideast Christians NICOSIA: Pope Benedict XVI called yesterday for dialogue between Christians and people of other faiths on the second day of his landmark visit to Cyprus, an island divided between Christian and Muslim communities. Benedict, who is on his first trip to an Orthodox country, also stressed the need for closer cooperation among other Christian churches, particularly in the Middle East where they are in a minority and struggling to survive.

NICOSIA: Pope Benedict XVI (center) walks with clerics in front of barrels at the UN controlled area dividing the island’s capital outside of a Church of the Holy Cross before a mass yesterday. — AP

Obama picks Gates aide as new intelligence chief WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama shrugged off warnings of a fight with Congress and chose a crusty, retired Air Force lieutenant general as his new intelligence chief, with a difficult assignment: complete the job of meshing the nation’s 16 spy agencies. Obama praised James Clapper, the Pentagon’s head of intelligence, as an espionage veteran who doesn’t mince words.

“Jim is one of our nation’s most experienced and most respected intelligence professionals,” Obama said in a Rose Garden appearance. “He possesses a quality that I value in all my advisers: a willingness to tell leaders what we need to know even if it’s not what we want to hear.” If confirmed by the Senate, Clapper would replace retired Adm Dennis Blair, Obama’s first director of national intelligence, who resigned last month after a rocky year and a half on the job.

But lawmakers from both parties have voiced objections to Clapper, and his confirmation is far from certain. Obama said he wants senators to act quickly to confirm Clapper, saying the nomination “can’t fall victim to Washington politics”. Congress created the post in 2004 as part of a revamp of intelligence agencies after the failure to connect the dots before the Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Yet Blair and his two predecessors had a tough time fusing agencies with big budgets, big egos and traditions of independence.

Clapper, 69, is a top aide to Defense Secretary Robert Gates and has spent most of his adult life in military intelligence. He served two combat tours in Vietnam but later

went on to head the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which analyzes imagery such as satellite pictures or video taken from aircraft, and the Defense Intelligence Agency, which often works closely with the CIA. He told Obama he was “humbled, honored and daunted” by the nomination, and pledged to earn the support of lawmakers and the public. But he spoke for under a minute,

insisting nominee spymasters are “better seen than heard”.

Clapper’s nomination comes despite objections by some lawmakers in both parties, who complain he’s been combative and sometimes obstructive under questioning on Capitol Hill.

Those critics also question whether he will have any sway in Obama’s influential intelligence inner circle, which includes White House counterterrorism adviser John

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama announces James Clapper (left) as Director of National Intelligence, his choice to oversee the nation’s 16 spy agencies, during a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House yesterday. — AP

Brennan and CIA Director Leon Panetta. Blair clashed often with that inner circle most publicly when he and Panetta sparred over who could name station chiefs abroad. Panetta won. But Blair also took some of the blame when a Nigerian man slipped onto a Detroit-bound jet on Christmas Day with explosives hidden in his underwear.

A probe concluded spy agencies had failed to act on numerous warning signs.

Obama acknowledged intelligence coordination remains a work in progress. “Let’s be honest. This is a tough task,” he said.

Clapper has won many fans in the military community and is known for his blunt, sometimes salty speech and direct manner. But that manner has made for critics on Capitol Hill. Rep Pete Hoekstra, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, said Clapper was the wrong choice, because, he said, he showed disdain for Congress and the oversight process. Hoekstra and other lawmakers also questioned whether the retired general would fare any better than his predecessor Blair in clashes with the CIA’s Panetta - an administration insider and former lawmaker himself, with a reputation for knowing how to work the system.

Sen. Kit Bond, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that by choosing Clapper, Obama “has ensured our terror-fighting strategy will continue to be run out of the Department of Justice and White House”.

The committee’s leader, Sen Dianne Feinstein said last week she wanted a civilian in the role. — AP

“Much still needs to be done throughout the world,” the 83year-old pontiff said with regard to inter-religious dialogue.

“Only by patient work can mutual trust be built, the burden of history overcome and the political and cultural differences between peoples become a motive to work for deeper understanding,” he said.

Benedict was speaking at a primary school near Nicosia of the Maronites, a worldwide church with roots in Lebanon and Syria that is in communion with Rome and has been present in Cyprus for centuries, mostly in what is now the Turkish-held north. Four ancient Maronite villages there have virtually died out, mostly the result of displacement after the Turkish invasion and occupation of the north in 1974. The church’s archbishop, Youssef Soueif, pleaded with the pope: “Help us return to our villages.”

While the pontiff did not specifically mention Islam in his remarks, he is known to be keen for closer dialogue. The pope was not scheduled to visit the north of Cyprus. On Friday, on his flight to Cyprus, he told journalists that “we must be able to talk to our Muslim brothers and pursue this dialogue toward a more fruitful coexistence”. As for closer ties with the rest of the Christian world, Benedict said the church is “committed to advancing along the path of greater understanding with our fellow Christians with a view to ever stronger ties of love and fellowship among all the baptised.”

The pope spoke after meeting Cypriot President Demetris Christofias, who expressed hope for peace and urged the world to press Turkey, a secular Muslim state, over its occupation of the island’s north.

Turkey invaded Cyprus after a Greek Cypriot coup seeking unification with Greece, and Turkish troops are still stationed in the north. Their meeting came ahead of talks with the head of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, who has angrily denounced Turkey for “ethnic cleansing” in the north and for seeking to annex the whole country.

Archbishop Chrysostomos II denounced what he said was the relentless plunder of Christian monuments in the Turkish-occupied north “in an attempt to rid the island of every last trace of all that is Greek or Christian”.

Christofias, remembering the pope’s visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories last year, said: “I recall that you prayed for peace. May this prayer for peace soon be fulfilled in the case of Cyprus as well.”

So far, years of on-off negotiations with the breakaway selfdeclared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus have failed to end the division. “The international community must exert its influence on Turkey” to facilitate that, Christofias said.

“Otherwise, justice and stability in the whole area of the eastern Mediterranean will be jeopardised.” Benedict later went to Chrysostomos’ palace for private talks before lunch with dignitaries.

Influential Bishop Athanasios of Limassol, who has called the pope a “heretic”, boycotted the lunch, along with another Cypriot bishop, state broadcaster CyBC said. The pope, who had stressed the religious rather than political nature of his visit, evoked the plight of Christians in the Middle East. —AFP

NICOSIA: Sufi mystic Sheikh Nazim (seated) waits with other Muslim clergymen and aides for an audience with Pope Benedict XVI outside Nicosia’s Latin Church of the Holy Cross on the Green Line in the divided capital of Cyprus. — AFP

Pope, Sufi mystic hold unscheduled meeting NICOSIA: Pope Benedict held a surprise meeting with a Turkish Cypriot Islamic leader from the divided island yesterday, underscoring his view that inter-religious dialogue should be used as an inspiration for reunion. Benedict had a brief encounter with Sheikh Nazim, the 88-year-old head of the Islamic Sufi Naqshbandi sect based in northern Cyprus, the Vatican said. A moderate Islamic leader, Nazim is the 41st sheikh in the line of the sect, which adheres to a mystical form of Islam. It claims hundreds of thousands of followers and is growing in popularity across Europe and the US. The brief but symbolic encounter took place outside the small Holy Cross Church, which is in the buffer zone, a no-man’s-land splitting Cyprus east to west and patrolled by United Nations troops. Cyprus, including its capital Nicosia, has been split between its Greek and Turkish populations since Turkey invaded its north in 1974 after a brief Greek-inspired coup.

“I am happy to come here to visit a great man .... may Allah grant him a good life here and hereafter,” Nazim told reporters as he arrived at the Church complex which has served as the residence for the pope during his three-day trip.

Benedict is only visiting the south of the island, territory run by Cyprus’s internationally recog-

nised Greek Cypriot government and Nazim came from the Turkish occupied north for the meeting.

“I am happy ... I hope that despite our faults our hearts are moving in the same direction,” said Nazim, whose followers include singer Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens.

The frail 88-year-old known met the pope at Nicosia’s Franciscan church of the Holy Cross in the UN buffer zone, just before the pontiff celebrated mass there, spokesman Federico Lombardi said. The pope was already standing in line to begin the service, and stopped the procession to greet him. “Excuse me, but I am old,” Nazim told the pope, who replied: “I am old too.” Nazim presented Benedict with an engraved walking stick, a plaque and a set of Muslim prayer beads. Before they parted, Nazim asked the pope to pray for him.

“I will pray for you, and you pray for me,” he replied.

The pope has said his visit is not political and has mostly skirted around the highly complex issue of Cyprus’s division. On Friday, the leader of the Muslim community in northern Cyprus, Mufti Yusuf Suecmez, said he had offered to meet with the pope, and Lombardi said that was a “concrete possibility.” Yesterday, he said “we were expecting the mufti,” but did not elaborate. — Agencies

Dutch suspect arrives in Lima LIMA: The young Dutchman wanted in the murder of a 21year-old Lima woman - who also remains the lone suspect in the 2005 disappearance of a US teen Natalee Holloway - arrived in Peru’s capital yesterday to face justice. Joran van der Sloot was driven in a brown Interpol SUV into Peru’s criminal police headquarters and then briefly paraded before the press. He wore a bulletproof vest, his hands handcuffed behind him.

He looked stunned and didn’t respond to reporters’ shouted questions or even look directly at journalists. About an hour earlier, onlookers yelled insults at the 22-year-old suspect as he was transferred from a highway police station wagon. Chile deported van der Sloot at the countries’ border on Friday and he was driven 17 hours north in a police caravan.

Chilean police spokesman Fernando Ovalle said the Dutchman told them he did not kill Stephany Flores, who was found battered with a broken neck on Sunday in his Lima hotel room. But van der Sloot did acknowledge that “he met her and at some point they went to a casino.” Peruvian police say witnesses saw the two, who met at a nearby casino, enter the room together and van der Sloot leave alone.

Peru’s interior minister, Octavio Salazar, reminded reporters in a brief news conference at criminal police headquarters that the murder investigation was not over. “You need to be calm. We can’t rush the matter, nor can we give details concerning the event or that investigation itself,” he said. The girl’s father, Ricardo Flores, told AP that video cameras tracked the couple as they walked before dawn Sunday to van der Sloot’s hotel from the casino in Lima’s upscale Miraflores district where

they met playing poker.

Flores, a 48-year-old circus promoter and former race car driver, said he doesn’t want the death penalty for van der Sloot, only justice. In Peru, murder carries a prison sentence of up to 35 years. “I haven’t slept since Monday,” said Flores, his eyelids heavy and speech slurred, in an interview at his Lima home.

“I’m waiting for him to step foot on Peruvian soil.” Van der Sloot remains the prime suspect in the

May, 30, 2005 disappearance of Alabama teen Holloway on the Dutch island of Aruba. He also now faces criminal charges in the United States of trying to extort $250,000 from Holloway’s family in exchange for disclosing the location of Holloway’s body and describing how she died.

US prosecutors charged van der Sloot with the crime on Thursday, saying $15,000 had been transferred to a Dutch bank account in his name. —AP

LIMA: Police officers escort Joran Van der Sloot during a press conference at a police station yesterday. — AP

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BP captures oil from Gulf gusher, Obama slams firm Poll: Most Americans see Obama, BP doing too little VENICE: BP began capturing some oil spewing from its ruptured Gulf of Mexico well on Friday as President Barack Obama warned the company against skimping on compensation to residents and businesses hurt by the 46-day-old spill. With

MEXICO CITY: Abraham Fraijo, whose three-year-old daughter Emilia Fraijo Navarro was killed in a day care fire a year ago, is embraced during a protest, Friday 4, 2010. — AP

Parents of 49 kids killed in fire demand justice MEXICO CITY: Relatives of 49 children killed in a day care fire a year ago held an overnight vigil Friday in their memories and to demand punishment for officials who they say failed to ensure the center’s safety. Parents lit candles and placed photos of their children on the steps of the landmark Independence Monument in Mexico City. A group of children held a sign that read “The people of Mexico demand justice. Jail for those responsible for the fire at the ABC day care center.” Officials say the June 5, 2009 fire at the day care center in Hermosillo, the capital of the northern state of Sonora, started when an air conditioning system overheated at an adjoining tire and car warehouse leased by the state government.

It eventually spread to the roof of the day care, filling the building with smoke and sending flaming pieces of tarp raining down on the children. In addition to the dead at least 70 children were hurt at the privately run center, which operated under contract from the federal Social Security Institute.

Abraham Fraijo, whose 3-year-old daughter Emilia died in the fire, said he traveled to the capital to protest the slow pace of justice. “We should be at a solemn ceremony in Hermosillo but instead, after a year, we continue demanding justice,” Fraijo said.

The federal government took over the investigation early on, and several government officials

and the day car center’s four owners are on trial.

But so far no one has been sentenced. On Thursday, a Supreme Court judge sided with the parents and said he believes other high-ranking city, state and federal officials should also be held accountable for the deaths.

Judge Arturo Zaldivar’s list of 14 names includes Juan Molinar, who was director of the Social Security Institute and is now Mexico’s transportation and communications secretary; the institute’s current director, Daniel Karam; and former Sonora Gov. Eduardo Bours. “What the Constitution requires is that these government officials do everything possible... to protect the rights of children,” Zaldivar wrote.

Zaldivar’s opinion will be discussed beginning June 14 by the full court, which has the power to make recommendations in the case but cannot order the government to take any specific action.

On Wednesday, President Felipe Calderon declared June 5 a day of national mourning after meeting with some of the victims’ parents.

Relatives planned to march Saturday in Mexico City and Hermosillo and to release balloons at 2:45 pm, the time the blaze started. “A year later we still have to demand justice,” Fraijo said.

“We’re still fighting against the corruption and the impunity of a government that failed in taking care of our children.” — AP

US citizenship ceremony strikes emotional chord NEW YORK: More than 150 men and women from 49 countries took the US citizenship oath Friday in lower Manhattan, in a ceremony fraught with emotion and designed to instill admiration and set it apart from other, bureaucratic acts of allegiance.

In the midst of a heated national debate on immigration and the growing threat from, at times, even domestic terrorists, becoming an American citizen is a solemn occasion deliberately made so by the US government.

“In America, no dream is impossible,” President Barack Obama-the son of an immigrant from Kenya-tells the newcomers in a recorded video broadcast during the ceremony. The new Americans listen closely.

Like thousands of others around the country, right hand over the heart and a US flag held in the other, they took their naturalization oath at an Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) facility in downtown Manhattan.

For most, it was a special occasion. “During the ceremony, I saw my whole life go by in my head,” Juliana Ambrosio, 35, told AFP while holding her 14-day-old, US-born daughter in her arms. “It was very important for me. I was very excited,” she said of the ceremony that crowned a sevenyear stay in the United States since she arrived from southern Brazil. “It has been a very long process and I’m proud to become an American citizen under the leadership of President Obama,” said Ariella Peist, 36, from Israel.

Referring to the situation in the Middle East, she added: “Right now it makes feel good, under the current conditions” to be an American. The citizenship ceremony lasted just under one hour and included the US national anthem sung a cappella by an AfricanAmerican woman, the solemn oath of allegiance, the president’s message and the distribution of the official naturalization certificates.

In the oath of allegiance, the new citizens “renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity” to any other country, and swear to “support and defend” the United States “against all enemies, foreign and domes-

tic.” “It was a very important date for me and I feel really proud of it,” said Dario Caravati, 37, who arrived here six years ago from Varese, Italy, and is married to a Russian-American woman.

“We don’t have anything like that in Italy, it would be beautiful if we did. But some things can only happen here: this is the American dream,” he added.

Friday’s ceremony had a special guest looking on: France’s Immigration Minister Eric Besson was taking notes for a controversial bill on France’s citizenship oath he plans to introduce later this year in parliament. “Obviously, the cultural and historical contexts are not

transposable, but I was interested in knowing how Americans organized this type of ceremony,” Besson told AFP. “In France-and I deplore itpeople find it hard to say they’re proud of being French, while here, feeling pride at being American is not only desirable but it’s encouraged.” Besson said the French citizenship ceremony in his bill “will be discussed in parliament, but I find the (US) ceremony beautiful, and what is significant is that those who took part in it felt it was a great day for them; that’s the key to its success.” More than 77,000 foreigners became US citizens last year, according to INS figures. — AFP

“Future decisions on the quarterly dividend will be made by the Board, as they always have been, on the basis of the circumstances at the time,” the British energy giant said in a statement. Its annual dividend totals $10.5 billion. BP CEO Tony Hayward said the company had plenty of money to meet its obligations, including $5 billion in cash and additional credit lines it could tap. It has already spent well over $1 billion on its oil spill response.

Obama, facing a monumental test of his presidency amid criticism he has failed to demonstrate leadership or emotion in the crisis, showed a flash of anger as he seized on the dividend issue in a meeting with state and local officials in Kenner, Louisiana. “They say they want to make it right.

That’s part of their advertising campaign. Well, we want them to make it right,” Obama said, criticizing BP for spending lavishly on television ads to burnish its corporate image while the company considers the dividend payout. “What I don’t want to hear is, when they’re spending that kind of money on their shareholders and spending that kind of money on TV advertising, that they’re nickel and diming fishermen or small businesses here in the Gulf,” he said.

Limited progress It was Obama’s third trip to the region since the April 20 rig explosion that killed 11 workers and unleashed the worst oil spill in US history. In an interview on Thursday, he said he was “furious” at the disaster, which threatens fishing and tourism, two of the cornerstones of the local economy.

BP made progress late on Thursday when it was able to attach a containment cap atop the ruptured well, which came after several failed attempts to choke off or curtail the oil flow. It will take a few days for the operation to reach optimum performance, at which point the company hoped to be able to siphon off 90 percent of the leaking oil.

The US Coast Guard said the containment cap placed atop the gusher a mile (1.6 km) beneath the Gulf’s surface was collecting about 1,000 barrels a day. That amounts to just over 5 percent of the 19,000 barrels per day the US government has estimated could be gushing from the well. BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles told US television networks that the containment cap “should work” by capturing upward of 90 percent of the gushing crude.

US officials cautioned against being too optimistic, though Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen told reporters the volume of captured oil should increase as BP closes vents on the containment apparatus to trap more of the discharge.

BP does not expect to be able to

tar balls washing ashore in Florida and political pressure mounting on BP Plc to free up cash for damages, company executives told investors they were putting off a decision on whether to suspend the next quarterly dividend.

GRAND ISLE: President Barack Obama greets residents after he visits Camardelle’s, a live bait and boiled seafood restaurant shop, to meet with residents regarding the BP Gulf Coast oil spill in Louisiana. — AP fully halt the oil flow until August, when two relief wells are to be completed. In the meantime, Hayward vowed BP will “stand by our obligations.” “We will halt this spill and put right the damage that has been done,” he said.

BP’s share price, which has fallen sharply since the beginning of the crisis, gyrated in London and New York. Standard & Poor’s cut BP’s credit rating to AA-minus from AA, following the example of two other rating agencies on Thursday. The cost of credit default swaps insuring the debt of companies affected in the oil spill also fell on Friday. BP’s debt protection costs fell 27 basis points to 218 basis points, or $218,000 per year for five years to insure $10 million in debt, according to Markit

Intraday. But analyst Alan Sinclair of Seymour Pierce said, “My take on the underlying message is that the dividend is safe...”

Florida braces Networks continued to televise images of oil lapping into fragile marshlands and coating sea birds, mostly along the hard-hit Louisiana coast. Oil sheen and tar balls washed up along a stretch shoreline crowded with beachgoers in northwest Florida in what appeared to be the spill’s first impact on that state. “You see shells and jellyfish and trash, but I’ve never seen oil here. It’s crazy,” said Anthony Cross, while walking along Pensacola Beach with his three daughters, holding a child’s fishing net full of tar.

Florida, the so-called Sunshine State with a $60 billion-a-year tourism industry, has been bracing this week for the forecasted arrival of the spilled oil, which has already hit Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama shores to the west. The BP CEO had to apologize after angering Gulf residents by saying last weekend that “I’d like my life back.”

The region’s frustration with the company and the government was apparent on Friday at a free hamburger and hot dog lunch for out-of-work fisherman at the city hall in Lafitte, Louisiana. “It’s all up in the air right now,” said Jerry Perrin, who has harvested crabs and shrimp for 60 years in Louisiana’s waters. “The government needs to start spending more

money now.”

Obama is confronting one of his biggest political tests as his party girds for tough congressional elections in November. He called off a trip to Australia and Indonesia set for this month to focus on the spill, amid criticism over his handling of the crisis. Neither Obama nor BP fared well in a new CBS public opinion poll, which found an overwhelming majority of Americans believing that both the president and the firm should be doing more to clean up the spill.

But the disapproval ratings for both Obama and BP’s spill response — 44 percent disapproved of the US leader’s handling of it versus 68 percent for BP-were little changed from a similar poll last week. — Reuters

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INTERNATIONAL

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Delhi's 'tongas' forced to ride into the sunset NEW DELHI: India's rapid modernization is set to claim another victim with the expulsion of the horse-drawn carriages, or tongas, that have plied the streets of Delhi since the days of the Mughal emperors. The favored mode of transport for the city's elite at the height of the British Raj, the status of the iconic tongas has now officially been downgraded to "public nuisance". Barely 250 tongas remain in the capital, but the municipal government has ruled that-in a city of five million cars-getting rid of the carriages will somehow help ease Delhi's chronic traffic congestion.

The decision is being challenged with a last-ditch appeal to the High Court and by a public outcry over what many see as an unnecessary effort to erase a part of the capital's cultural heritage. Delhi Mayor Prithvi Sawhney is unmoved.

"With traffic congestion increasing, a tonga ride is a waste of time and problematic for both passenger and driver," Sawhney said. "In the old days, tongas

were used to carry passengers. Today they just carry luggage and a few tourists. Barely anyone uses them for daily travel," he said, adding that the new metro system had "revolutionized" transport in the city.

In the absence of any last-minute reprieve, Kishen Lal, a third-generation "tonga-wallah," may hang up his saddle and reins today for the last time. The government has offered the drivers a path to alternative employment in the form of a vendor's license, but those like Lal, who is 73, say it is far too late to change trades.

"We know no other profession except this," said Lal, whose grandfather drove a tonga in Delhi back in the early 1940s, before independence.

"If they want to stop the tongas, they should do it in phases and not all in one go," he said. "It will give us all great sadness if we have to stop riding tongas.

They are the pride and majesty of this city." The decision to banish the tonga-

wallahs coincides with the general facelift that Delhi is receiving ahead of the Commonwealth Games in October.

The government is looking to the Games to showcase the "new India"-an emerging economic powerhouse which aspires to the same sort of infrastructural transformation undertaken by its giant neighbor China.

It's a vision that has no place for the humble tonga-a fact that distresses people like Delhi historian and writer Radha Kumar. "Growing up, I often used tongas to commute from Old to New Delhi.

Feeding the horse was my biggest high," recalled Kumar, while insisting that his objection to their disappearance wasn't based on nostalgia alone. The argument that expelling several hundred horsedrawn carriages would improve traffic congestion in a city of more than 20 million souls is, Kumar argues, barely credible.

"And the government has no right to make arguments or decisions on the eco-

nomic viability of such a small group of people," he said. "They are not causing any damage. You can maybe go after them on sanitation grounds-the hygiene of the stables. But you can't just evict them." As well as offering a flavor of a bygone era when Delhi city devoid of flyovers and shopping malls, tongas are lauded by their fans as a clean transport alternative in a city choked by vehicle pollution.

Supporters also point out that most of the carriages ply their trade around tourist spots and are particularly popular with out-of-town visitors. "I think they give you a feel of the real India," said tourist Sadaf Hussain. The High Court appeal will be heard on July 14, but the municipal government has insisted that the tongas get off the roads from tomorrow, having already given them a one-week stay. "We are praying for God to intervene," said Lal. "But in the end we will also comply by the court's ruling." — AFP

NEW DELHI: An Indian "tonga wallah" (horse-carriage driver) rests with his horse at a tonga stand in New Delhi. — AFP

India pledges to engage Pakistan despite concerns

SINGAPORE : The hands of US Defense Secretary Robert Gates (center), Japan's Minister of Defense Toshimi Kitazawa (right) and South Korean Defense Minister Kim Tae Young, prepare to shake during the Shangri-La Dialogue's Asia Security Summit yesterday.

Gates chided China for suspending military ties over US arms sales to Taiwan, saying Beijing's stance "makes little sense". — AFP

US urges Beijing to restore military ties

WASHINGTON: India has pledged to go "more than half the way" to repair testy relations with Pakistan but said it has received support from the United States to keep a careful eye on its neighbor. Indian Foreign Minister S M Krishna has accepted an invitation to visit Islamabad next month despite continued Indian concerns about Pakistan-based Islamic militants blamed for the deadly 2008 siege of Mumbai.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh "has always been saying that you tackle those who are responsible for the Mumbai attack and I'm willing to go more than half the way," Krishna told a news conference on a visit to Washington.

"Things have not exactly gone as per our estimates, but nonetheless we cannot give up. We will have to keep engaging Pakistan," he said.

Pakistan's Supreme Court last week upheld the freedom of the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a group blamed for the Mumbai attacks that left 166 people dead, rejecting a government appeal not to release him from house arrest.

Krishna said his visit to Islamabad was meant to overcome a "trust deficit" between India and Pakistan, which have fought three full-fledged wars since their separation at birth in 1947. But Krishna said he shared India's concerns about Pakistan to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a "strategic dialogue" on Thursday. "The message that I get from the US administration is that they are aware of our concerns and that they are not going to do anything which would adversely affect India's interests," Krishna said.

The US Congress last year approved a fiveyear, 7.5 billion-dollar aid package for Pakistan to help the nuclear-armed nation build its economy

and democratic institutions and to curb the appeal of Islamic extremists. New Delhi has been concerned that US resources-particularly military equipment-could be diverted and used against India rather than Taliban militants in Pakistan's lawless northwest. Krishna said that India has also spoken to the United States about China's plans to build two civilian nuclear reactors in Pakistan.

Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, India's top career diplomat, pointed to the attempted Times Square car bombing by a Pakistani-American allegedly trained by the Taliban as a sign of common challenges faced by New Delhi and Washington. "Our two countries, India and the United States, have a vital interest in defeating terrorism and ensuring that its safe havens and breeding grounds cease to exist," Rao told a forum. Relations between the United States and India have been rapidly warming over the past decade following mistrust during the Cold War. But some Indian policymakers remain concerned about the US focus on Pakistan and China. In a rare gesture, President Barack Obama went to the State Department on Thursday for a dialogue reception and announced he would visit India in November.

William Burns, the US under secretary of state for political affairs, said that India and the United States had a unique opportunity as a wide range of leaders and the public in both countries supported greater cooperation. "If we get this moment right, Indians and Americans can have an enormously positive influence on each other's future and on the course of the new century," he said. — AFP

Gates prods China on N Korea, relations SINGAPORE: The United States appealed to China yesterday to restore military ties despite discord over US arms sales to Taiwan and said it was considering options beyond the United Nations to punish North Korea over the sinking of a South Korean ship. US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said China's decision to break off military-tomilitary contacts between the Pacific powers earlier this year could undercut regional stability.

He urged Beijing to accept the "reality" that Washington is committed to arming Taiwan, like it or not. "It has been clear to everyone during the more than 30 years since normalization that interruptions in our military relationship with China will not change United States policy toward Taiwan," Gates told a security conference in Singapore.

China broke off military-to-military contacts after the Obama administration notified Congress in January of a plan to sell Taiwan up to $6.4 billion worth of arms. To underscore its displeasure over the continued sales, China took the extraordinary step of turning down a proposed fence-mending visit by Gates during his trip to Asia. "There is a real cost to any absence of military-to-military relations," Gates told the conference, where he held talks with top ministers

CRITICAL ISSUES Gates has singled out China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) as the main obstruction in the way of improved relations, saying its position was at odds with that of the country's political leadership, which he has said supports closer military ties. "Only in the military-to-military arena has progress on critical mutual security issues been held hostage over something that is, quite frankly, old news," Gates said.

He said arms sales to Taiwan have spanned decades and were "an important

component of maintaining peace and stability in cross-strait relations and throughout the region" because China's own military buildup is largely focused on the self-ruled island. Gates said this should not be seen as threatening to China because the United States has long made clear it does not support independence for Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a renegade province to be united with the mainland, by force if necessary.

A senior member of the Chinese delegation, Major General Zhu Chenghu of the National Defense University, challenged Gates directly after his speech, saying his country was not to blame for stalling military-to-military ties. He said US arms sales to Taiwan ran counter to Beijing's "core" interests and sent the message that America saw the Chinese as "enemies." Gates chaffed at the characterization: "I would just like to state for the record that the United States does not consider China as an enemy but as a partner in many areas."

After his speech, Gates shook hands with the head of the Chinese delegation, General Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of the PLA's general staff, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said. Ma played down the extent to which Beijing has scaled back contacts with the US military, saying only high-level visits have been

ing a recent online contest and "so their bloodshed was a great service to Islam", the newspaper said.

That raised alarm bells in a country combating militancy. "The nagging feeling that the government has already lost the battle against extremism has now acquired the force of conviction," Zafar Hilaly, a former ambassador, wrote in The News last week. After joining the US-led war on terrorism after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, Pakistan mounted a crackdown on militancy, outlawing several groups, arresting hundreds of suspects and warning hardline mullahs against delivering hate speeches and distributing hate literature.

ISLAMIC SEMINARIES The government also vowed to reform tens of thousands of Islamic seminaries, known as madrassas, many of which are considered as breeding grounds for militancy. Almost none of these measures, however, has been implemented. Most outlawed groups

have re-emerged under new names.

Radical clerics still deliver fiery speeches against sects. The US Embassy acknowledged the difficulties, given the importance placed on Pakistan helping Washington battle Al-Qaeda and its extremist allies.

"We recognize this is a problem," an embassy official said, adding that the embassy encouraged Pakistanis to take part in exchange programs to see a multi-faith United States. Analysts say Pakistani leaders dating back to the 1970s, however popular, took no action to counter radicals. Hasan Askari Rizvi, a Lahore-based political and security analyst said governments have lacked the stomach to implement reforms, particularly in school curricula.

"In textbooks used in government schools, Pakistan is equated with Muslims...They teach that Pakistan is a country only for Muslims. They don't teach that non-Muslims also live here," he said. Journalist and analyst Ahmed Rashid described school programs as

from across Asia with the exception of the Chinese, who sent a lower-level representative.

Gates said "sustained and reliable" contacts between the two militaries were needed to reduce the risk of "miscommunication, misunderstanding and miscalculation" that could lead inadvertently to conflict. He also called it the "collective responsibility" of Asian states to address North Korean "provocations", increasing pressure on a reluctant China to rebuke its long-time ally. But Gates and other US officials suggested the United States was looking beyond measures in the UN Security Council and could act unilaterally or in concert with its allies to increase Pyongyang's isolation.

"temporarily suspended". Some US officials saw the friction with China as particularly worrisome given heightened tensions in the region after the United States and South Korea concluded that North Korea was behind the sinking of the South Korean corvette Cheonan in March, killing 46 sailors.

Seoul has referred the matter to the UN Security Council, but it is unclear what action, if any, the body will take.

Beijing, which is North Korea's only major ally and which fought alongside the North in the Korean War, has declined publicly to join international condemnation of Pyongyang, saying it is still assessing the evidence. As a permanent member of the Security Council, China can veto any proposed resolution or statement.

Pentagon strategists have voiced alarm at what they see as China's fasterthan-expected military build-up, from powerful anti-ship missiles to an advanced combat jet that may rival the premier U.S. fighter, Lockheed Martin Corp's F-22 Raptor, within eight years.

Admiral Robert Willard, head of the US military's Pacific Command, said there were concerns across the region about the "intent" of China's "profound" military buildup and increased maritime "assertiveness." — Reuters

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani ranger stands guard outside the National Assembly as the state budget is presented yesterday. — AFP

Militancy-hit Pakistan ups Pakistani mosques, media, intolerance defense spending by 17%

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has been fighting Islamist militants for years, but tough measures are needed to overturn a system breeding religious intolerance after the long failure of authorities to confront mullahs and hardline groups.

Analysts say the notion of religious mistrust is deeply entrenched in the predominantly Muslim country-even in the school system-and it is now up to leaders to mobilize public.

Last week's massacre in the city of Lahore of more than 80 Ahmadis - a minority religious sect deemed nonMuslim and heretical by the constitution - has generated a heated debate in Pakistan, a US ally, on how to tackle the issue. In a sign of how hatred is propagated, The News newspaper said one of the two surviving gunmen caught by security forces said he had been persuaded that Ahmadis were "blaspheming" Islam. Identified as Abdullah, he told investigators that his mentors had him believe that Ahmadis were drawing caricatures of Prophet Mohammad dur-

"the most sensitive issue. But it is an issue in which any attempt to change the curriculum would have a whole host of fundamentalist groups oppose you."

In 1974, Pakistan's first popularly elected Prime Minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, bowed to Islamic groups and won approval of a constitutional amendment declaring Ahmadis as nonMuslims. He also switched the weekly day off from Sunday to Friday. But much of the upsurge in militancy occurred in the late 1970s and 1980s during the "Islamisation drive" by late military leader General Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq and Pakistan's support for the US-baked Afghan jihad or holy war against the Soviet invasion which saw a rapid growth of radical groups and madrasas.

Haq introduced several laws, such as the notorious blasphemy law, which are deemed discriminatory against nonMuslim minorities and fuelled tensions between different Muslim sects.

Subsequent governments did nothing to reverse the laws. — Reuters

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will increase defense spending by 17 percent in the 2010/11 fiscal year as the US ally intensifies its battle against Taleban insurgents operating from their enclaves on the border with Afghanistan. Defense spending is set to rise to 442.2 billion rupees ($5.17 billion) for the 2010/11 fiscal year beginning on July 1, compared with 378.13 billion rupees allocated in 2009/10. "I think security is our topmost issue," Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh told parliament in his budget speech.

"We are facing a situation in which our armed forces, paramilitary forces and security forces are laying down their lives ... They should know from this house that we all stand by them." Pakistani forces have mounted a series of offensives in the volatile northwest over the past year, killing hundreds of militants and capturing many of their bases. However, militants have retaliated with a wave of bomb and suicide attacks throughout the country, including its heartland, Punjab, killing hundreds of people.

More than 80 were killed last week in twin attacks on Ahmadis-a minority religious group declared non-Muslim in Pakistan-in Lahore, the capital of the country's biggest province of Punjab.

Pakistan raises its defense spending every year because of its historically uneasy relations with old rival India. Relations between the nucleararmed rivals, which have fought three full-scale wars since 1947, went into a freeze after Pakistanbased militants attacked the Indian city of Mumbai in 2008, killing 166 people.

CONSISTENCY IN SPENDING However, security analysts say much of the increase in the defense budget would be spent on the fight against Islamist militants. "As far as India is concerned, there is a consistency in their spending on the eastern front (with India)," said Talat Masood, a retired army general turned analyst. "But primarily the increase in defense spending is meant to boost the counter-insurgency capability of the security forces." Pakistan, a vital ally for the United States as it struggles to stabilize Afghanistan and end the global threat posed

by Al-Qaeda and its allies, has been heavily burdened by the cost of battling Taleban insurgents along its Afghan border. The United States has given Pakistan more than $15 billion in direct and military reimbursements since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. About two-thirds of it is security related. — Reuters

Sunday, June 6, 2010

NEWS Israel seizes new aid ship

Al-Qaeda offshoot grows in the desert Continued from Page 1 While Algeria’s large military has managed to contain most terror attacks to the hinterland, militants have spread southward through the porous borders of the Sahara to take advantage of weaker African governments like Mali and Niger.

Officials fear the militants could use their safe havens to mount jihadi operations against Europe and the United States. “You can consider they’re only 400 in the desert, but they now dominate a zone half the size of Europe,” says a French official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because his job is to monitor the zone. “It’s a threat everybody is taking very, very seriously.”

A dust bowl of adobe mud houses surrounded by sand dunes, the small town of Gao lies at the junction between Al-Qaeda and organized crime. The Tuareg nomads pitch tents on the town’s outskirts, along with Arab and Moorish bedouins. The Peul, a black tribe of cattle herders, live in round, wooden huts right next to a gated hotel compound transformed into a US military camp. Gao, in northeastern Mali, marks the start of an area twice the size of Texas that has been declared a no-go zone, where Al-Qaeda is holding hostage two Spaniards and a Frenchman.

The northern halves of Mali and of neighboring Niger, the eastern part of Mauritania and the southern tip of Algeria are now “red zones” banned for travelers by the French Foreign Affairs Ministry, which maintains close ties to the region - a French colony until the 1960s. American and British authorities have also issued strong terrorism warnings. Malian soldiers trying to patrol the area have lost several men during clashes with drug traffickers, arms smugglers, bandits and Al-Qaeda.

“The real problem is that it’s getting hard to know who’s an Islamist and who’s just a criminal,” said Col Braihama Tagara, the military commander for Gao region.

“They support each other more and more.”

The gunmen’s weaponry has improved hugely of late, Tagara said. They can open fire with automatic riffles, heavy machine guns and even RPGs, and they all have Thuraya satellite phones to share intelligence. The growth in the terrorist footprint in North Africa dates back to 2006, when a local militant group, the Salafist Group for Call and Combat, merged with Al-Qaeda.

The new group took the name of AlQaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM. It operates much like a franchise from an international firm: AQIM has imported the techniques and “brand” of Osama bin Laden’s network, and pays its dues by sending militants to fight US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. For now, most of AQIM’s violence has taken place outside Mali’s borders, apart from the murder of an army colonel last year and a few random desert skirmishes. The militants openly claim on jihadi websites they want to topple the gov-

ernment in Mauritania to create an Islamic caliphate. A suicide bomber tried to destroy the French embassy in Mauritania’s capital, Nouakchott, last summer, and militants frequently clash with the Mauritanian army to Mali’s west. In Niger, to the east, AQIM attacked an army unit last winter, killing several soldiers.

AQIM’s potency has also grown to the north, in Algeria, where a tourist guide was arrested this year because he planned to turn his group over to extremists. The vast area between the town of Tamanrasset and the Malian border was declared off limits by the Algerian military this year because of insecurity, and one official said police had thwarted a plan to kidnap tourists even within the town. The American military presence in Gao and other desert towns has become so frequent that many Malians believe the US wants to establish permanent Sahara bases to track terrorists.

American officials deny this, saying they offer Mali training and military gear to help it maintain its own security.

To the north of Gao is Al-Qaeda’s main desert base, set in mountains near Terargar.

The fact that AQIM can run a training camp and resupply base in broad daylight highlights how little control local authorities have over northern Mali, Western intelligence officials say. Many, interviewed on condition of anonymity, suspect there is a sort of “pact of nonaggression” between Mali and AQIM: Malians don’t try to dislodge Al-Qaeda, and in turn the militants avoid directing their attacks on Mali. Local authorities deny this is taking place. “The government does what it can, but the challenge is just so huge,” says Assarid ag Imbarcaounane, the deputy speaker of Mali’s national assembly and a close ally of the country’s president.

Some officers might, “on a case-by-case basis,” be bribed into ignoring AQIM or the traffickers, Imbarcaounane said. But most troops and police are simply no match for the forces they encounter, said the lawmaker for Gao district. He said there are only a couple of hundred troops and police to monitor all of Gao’s administrative district, a barren area the size of Florida.

This is also the hub for a thriving trade in cocaine, flown in from South America.

Intelligence officials say the trade has soared to between 50 and 100 metric tons of drug last year, from tiny quantities a decade ago. Nobody thinks Al-Qaeda has cornered the Sahara cocaine trade. But most suspect AQIM gets “protection money” for letting the caravans drive by unharmed, or rents out bases like Terargar for resupply. Officials also believe AQIM militants are increasingly “freelancing” as bodyguards hired by the cartels to protect drug shipments from rival traffickers.

Intelligence officials say the militants often get paid in kind - weapons and ammunition - rather than cash. The militants are organized in “Khatibat,” or units, headed by

the “Emir of the South,” an Algerian man known as Abou Zeid, or Mossab Abdelouadoud. He is viewed as a disciplined radical with close ties to AQIM’s overall boss in northern Algeria, Abdelmalek Droukdel. The south’s former chief, Mokhtar Belmokhtar, was the first AQIM chief to move into the desert some six years ago. Known as “the one-eyed sheik” because he fought in Afghanistan and lost an eye in combat, Belmokhtar married into the ruling family of the Berebiche, one of the region’s nomadic tribes.

Intelligence officials say Belmokhtar essentially built a bridge between AQIM and the underworld, creating a system where various blends of outlaws now support each other and enroll local youth. The Tuareg are the best armed and disciplined nomads, the overlords of the desert, and they have never been considered close to Islamists. But some Tuareg from the younger generation now work for the drug runners, thus coming in contact with AQIM militants.

Tribal chiefs insist they do everything to prevent the AQIM-drug connection from growing. But the nephew of a prominent Tuareg chief, for instance, has been detained in Algeria with a drug shipment. A video filmed by the Malian army and viewed by The AP shows the outlaws’ power. The footage shows a column of half-adozen solid 4-by-4s driving cross country at breakneck speed. Several of the cars are mounted with 12.7 heavy machine guns and all the men on board are heavily armed.

Algeria, the regional powerhouse, has created with its neighbors a joint military command headquarters in Tamanrasset. A key challenge is hostage taking, which has soared since 2003. “It’s triggered a real ‘kidnap economy’ in areas where there are so few other resources,” says Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga, Mali’s former defense minister and intelligence chief. Rather than kidnapping people themselves, AQIM militants usually just buy hostages from other gunmen or tribes. Boubeye Maiga and others say militants pay a minimum of €70,000 per Western tourist, as long as the hostage isn’t taken in Mali - so as not to antagonize their host country.

Austrians, Swiss, Italians, Spaniards and two Canadian envoys from the United Nations have been kidnapped in recent years all across the region, and then held in northern Mali. Malian and Algerian officials say all were released for millions of dollars in ransom, except a Briton, Edwin Dyer, who was beheaded last June. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called the killing “a barbaric act of terrorism” but insisted Great Britain never paid ransoms. France also says it didn’t pay for Pierre Camatte, a Frenchman kidnapped near Gao last year.

But his rescue, secured during a trip to Mali by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, came after Malian police released four jailed AQIM militants in February. — AP

Indian-American wins spelling bee Continued from Page 1 There was a three-way tie for second.

Adrian Gunawan, 14; Elizabeth Platz, 13; and Shantanu Srivatsa, 13, were all eliminated in the same round. Anamika survived the round by spelling “juvia” - a Brazil nut - and then had to wait for a nerve-racking 3 1/2-minute commercial before spelling the championship word.

The finals were preceded by an unpopular move that had some spellers and the parents claiming the bee was unfair and had kowtowed too much to television.

Concerned that there wouldn’t be enough spellers left to fill the two-hour slot on ABC, organizers stopped the semifinals in the middle of a round Friday afternoon and declared that the 10 spellers onstage would advance to the prime-time broadcast, including six who didn’t have to spell a word in the interrupted round.

Essentially, the alphabetical order of the US states helped determine which spellers got to move on the marquee event.

“I would rather have five finalists, than five who didn’t deserve it,” said Paltz, a finalist and one of the four spellers who spelled a word correctly before the round was stopped. “I think it was unfair.”

Elizabeth’s remarks were greeted with applause from parents in the hotel ballroom where the bee is held. It’s one of the pitfalls of the growing popularity of the bee, which has to yield to the constraints of its television partners. There were 19 spellers left at the start of the round, which was too many for primetime. But when the round turned out to be brutal - nine of the first 13 misspelled ABC was on the verge of having too few.

“I don’t feel bad at all for giving these children the opportunity,” bee director Paige Kimble said. “Do I wish we could give it to 19? Yes, certainly, but that’s not practical in a two-hour broadcast window.

We know it’s unpopular and we don’t like to do it, but sometimes you can get into a position where that’s exactly what you have to do.” Kimble stressed that the move was within the rules and that the round would pick up where it left off. Only the spellers remaining at the end of the round would officially be declared finalists.

Still, the episode renewed the debate over whether the bee has come too close to selling its soul to television. “They already have,” said 14-year-old two-time bee participant Sonia Schlesinger, who represented Washington, D C, last year and Japan this year and was eliminated in

an earlier round. “It kind of seems like the bee should be more about spelling.

We’re just here to spell words - not about TV.” Even Shaquille O’Neal unintentionally got caught up in the furor - in the name of TV footage. The NBA star created a buzz when he walked onstage and challenged last year’s winner, 14-year-old Kavya Shivashankar, to a spell-off for his “Shaq Vs.” reality show. Afterward, O’Neal posed with the 10 remaining spellers who were unofficially being billed as “finalists” - adding more fuel to the debate over whether it was fair for all of them to be there. “Just because one person lives in California and another person lives in Wisconsin, it doesn’t mean the person from California deserves any less attention,” Sonia said.

During the actual competition, the event continued to display its newfound funny bone. Only at a spelling bee could one hear sentences like these: “Lauren gently informed her father that the exploding fist bump had fallen out of consuetude” and “The phillumenist had a hard time obtaining fire insurance on his storage unit.” A consuetude is an established custom, while a phillumenist is a matchbook collector. — AP

Kuwait urged to free Jassem Continued from Page 1 The second hearing is due tomorrow.

His family and lawyer, Abdullah AlAhmad, charged in a statement that Jassem is being illegally detained since the 21-day detention order by the public prosecution that ended on May 31 has not been renewed. Ahmad said separately

that he plans to sue the interior minister and the central prison authorities for illegally holding his client.

Amnesty said in its statement that it had asked Kuwaiti authorities to clarify the legal grounds on which Jassem is currently being kept in custody. The lawsuit against Jassem was filed by the minister of the Amiri Diwan Sheikh Nasser Sabah

Al-Ahmad. Jassem, who suffers from a heart condition, was detained for 12 days in November over a lawsuit filed by the Kuwaiti prime minister alleging slander.

On April 1, the lower court sentenced him to six months in jail and a fine of $17,500 but suspended the jail term until the ruling of the appeals court expected next week. — AFP

Turks killed on ship shot multiple times Continued from Page 1 Five people were shot in the head, Ince said. He declined to name which victims were shot how many times. Witnesses have described scenes of chaos when Israeli commandos stormed the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish ship that was part of a six-vessel convoy carrying hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists who planned to break a three-year blockade on Gaza.

Abid Mahi, 30, a British volunteer on the Mavi Marmara, told Reuters he heard something whizz past his right ear from behind and, an instant later, saw a man in front of him collapse and, Mahi believes, die. “It wasn’t a raid, it was an attack,” he said. Israel has said its soldiers were acting in self-defence once they intercepted the ship and passengers on the Mavi Marmara attacked them, posing a threat to their lives. Soldiers carried paintball guns and only used their back-up pistols as a last

resort, the government has said. Besides those killed, 24 people are being treated in a hospital in the capital Ankara. Seven are in critical condition, according to physicians.

None of the wounds Ince and his team examined were caused by ricocheting bullets but were all direct hits. All but one of the bullets recovered by examiners were of 9 mm calibre, Ince said. “The bullets we obtained from the bodies are generally used in short-barrelled guns,” Ince said.

Examiners were unable to identify one bullet in available information on firearms.

“Normally all weapons are in the record, but we researched this and couldn’t find it in our literature,” Ince said. “When we opened the skull and reached the brain, we saw this (object) for the first time,” he said.

“I have been in forensics for 20 years and have never seen something like this.”

This bullet caused a wound that looked like those caused by projectiles from hunt-

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ing rifles, Ince said. “He had a circular entrance wound on his right temple with a diameter of about 2-2.5 cm,” Ince said.

Michael Oren, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, said in an editorial in the New York Times that spent cartridges of a calibre not used by Israeli special forces were found on the Mavi Marmara. The activists said they had no guns on board.

Ince said the lab had been unable to recover all of the bullets - although some bodies had exit wounds. “They are probably still on the boat ... If it exits the body, then the bullet is from a powerful gun and this is normal for a 9mm weapon.” Some wounds were caused by plastic bullets, but those did not cause any of the deaths, he added. The Forensic Medicine Council in Istanbul received the corpses at 3:30 am on Thursday. Israeli authorities had already carried out preliminary examinations of the dead men but had not performed actual autopsies, Ince said. — Reuters

Continued from Page 1 “Forces used the same procedures for Monday’s flotilla and Saturday’s boat but were met by a different response. On today’s ship and in five of the six vessels in the previous flotilla, (their boarding) procedure ended without casualties. The only difference was with one ship where extremist Islamic activists, supporters of terrorism, waited for our troops on the deck with axes and knives.”

The Rachel Corrie, carrying Irish, Malaysian and other activists, is named after a pro-Palestinian activist killed in Gaza in 2003. Its mission was the latest bid to break a blockade imposed on Gaza four years ago with the stated aim of stopping its Hamas rulers from bolstering their arsenal to fight the Jewish state. “Israel will continue to exercise its right to self defence. We will not allow the establishment of an Iranian port in Gaza,” Netanyahu said. Kevin Squires of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign in Dublin, one of whose members was on the Rachel Corrie, called the boarding “another brazen act of Israeli piracy”.

Northern Ireland’s deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said yesterday the Rachel Corrie should have been allowed to reach Gaza “without Israeli aggression.” In Stockholm, the Swedish dockworkers’ union said it would persuade members not to service Israeli ships for a week, starting June 15. In Tel Aviv, a demonstration marking the 43rd anniversary of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza turned into a protest against the blockade. “The government is drowning all of us,” a sign read.

Friends and foes alike have heaped criticism on Israel. While the United States, its main ally, has expressed more sympathy than most for its security concerns, it has also spoken of the need for Gazans to receive adequate supplies, and signalled that the embargo cannot continue in its present form. “We are working urgently with Israel, the Palestinian Authority and other international partners to develop new procedures for delivering more goods and assistance to Gaza,” a spokesman for the White House National Security Council said. “The current arrangements are unsustainable and must be changed.”

The UN high commissioner for human rights, Navi Pillay, said the embargo, which had blighted the lives of Gaza’s 1.5 million people, was illegal. “International humanitarian law prohibits starvation of civilians as a method of warfare and ... it is also prohibited to impose collective punishment on civilians,” she said. Israel denies there is a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and says it lets in hundreds of truckloads of supplies each day. But it does stop cement and other materials that it says could be used by Hamas for military purposes, and a range of other goods with no obvious military application.

Hamas, an Islamist group backed by Syria and Iran, is hostile to Israel and does not recognise interim peace agreements signed by the Western-backed Palestinian Authority led by President Mahmoud Abbas, who holds sway in the West Bank.

Analysts expect Israel, buffeted by diplomatic storms in the past year, at least to modify the blockade. Israeli officials say Netanyahu is considering some form of international role in enforcing an arms embargo, while letting in “civilian goods”.

There have also been calls for an international inquiry. Israeli officials have proposed a foreign role in an Israeli inquiry.

In Turkey yesterday, an estimated 10,000 people protested in Istanbul.

Turkish prosecutors are reportedly examining the possibility of prosecuting the Israeli leadership over the raid. The crowd gathered at the Caglayan square on the European side of the city straddling the Bosphorus Strait at the call of Foundation of Humanitarian Relief (IHH), one of the key organizers of the aid flotilla to the Gaza Strip. “Murderer Israel!,” chanted the demonstrators, at times breaking into shouts of “Allahu Akbar!” or “God is great” in English. “Zionist, Terrorist Israel, Get out of Palestine,” read a banner as the protestors waved Turkish and Palestinian flags.

“A tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye, revenge, revenge!,” shouted the protestors, many of them wearing headbands that read “Murderers Israel, keep your hands off the boats!” in Hebrew and English. The crowd also expressed support for the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas which controls the Gaza Strip, chanting “We are all soldiers of Hamas!” The protestors held up a banner that said “The longer we keep silent, the bigger the massacre grows” while others placards urged the Ankara government to cut off ties with the Jewish state and expel Israeli diplomats.

In London, several thousand demonstrators gathered in central London waving Palestinian flags and chanting: “Stop Israel piracy!” Protestors urged the British government to step up pressure on Israel.

Lindsey German of organisers Stop The War Coalition told the crowd the event was to show victims “that their death has not been in vain - what it has done is bring to the world’s attention the terrible crime of the blockade of Gaza”.

Demonstrators outside the prime minister’s residence waved Palestinian flags and placards saying: “Gaza End The Siege” and “For Freedom We Sail”. Many of those attending were from London’s large Turkish community, such as 38-year-old Ali Seylan who said his brother had been on board the flotilla. “Thank God nothing happened to my brother - if anything happened to him I was going to get my revenge myself,” he told AFP. “Israel made a big mistake, Israel’s government managed to get all Turkish people the enemy of Israel.”

He said many London-based Turkish people were joining the march, adding: “Religionists are here, socialists are here, even Turkish drunks are here.”

Sami Mehmet, 65, who lives near London but is originally from Cyprus, described Israel’s behaviour as “piracy”. “I want (British Prime Minister David) Cameron and his colleagues and the rest of the EU to take notice and bring Israel to book because they have been doing it for far too long,” he said. Asked what the mood was like of people on the march, he added: “They’re very angry, rightly so. I’m angry but I don’t shout because I’m not well. I wish I could shout.” In Edinburgh, thousands of Scottish people also demonstrated against Israel with a march through the historic city centre, waving flags and chanting “Free, free Palestine, end the siege of Gaza”.

Several thousand people also demonstrated in Paris yesterday to show solidarity with the Palestinians and denounce the Israeli raid, with some Jews participating alongside Muslims. Protestors gathered in the Bastille area, in a rally which included Palestinian flags and one banner saying “French Jewish Union For Peace” with around 100 French Jews following it. It was not clear just how many were there in total. “I think the blockade of Gaza is counter-productive for Israel,” Michel Bontemps, a French Jew, told Reuters Television. “Showing solidarity with the Palestinians in no way means you are a terrorist,” added Youssef Ben Derbal, a French national who was on the Turkish aid ship seized by Israeli forces earlier this week.

In a further protest against Israel, French cinema operator Utopia said it would refuse to screen Israeli-made film “Five Hours From Paris”, even though the movie is about a love-story and does not have a heavy political dimension to it. In Dublin, hundreds of people marched through the city centre to demonstrate against the seizure by Israel of the Rachel Corrie which carried Irish and other activists. The protestors headed for the foreign ministry, which has not commented on the boarding of the ship. “(I came) to voice my absolute disgust at what the Israeli government has been at, kidnapping our citizens,” said John Buckley, a college lecturer who took part in the protest. “The Israelis have no right to intercept ships in the middle of the sea and they have no right to implement the blockade in the first place, it’s completely illegal,” he said.

In Lebanon, two pro-Palestinian groups launched a fund-raising campaign to buy a ship which they hoped to sail to Gaza next week. Farther afield, Vietnam postponed a visit by Israeli President Shimon Peres over the “complex current situation”. He had been due in Hanoi on June 11. Protests were also held in Spain, Germany, Indonesia, South Korea, Argentina and Paraguay among others. — Agencies

OPINION

12

Sunday, June 6, 2010

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issues

George W, Obama and immigration fantasies

By Bernd Debusmann

I

n the waning days of his presidency, George W Bush listed the failure of immigration reform as one of his biggest disappointments and deplored the tone of the immigration debate. It had, he said in Dec 2008, undermined "the true greatness of America which is that we welcome people who want to work". The way things look a year and a half into the administration of Barack Obama, he too may end his presidency deploring the failure to fix America's dysfunctional immigration system. The tone of the debate is even more rancorous now than it was when Bush pushed reform and it features the same arguments, including the fantasy that you can fully control the frontier between the US and Mexico, the world's busiest border.

That illusory target was set in the Secure Fence Act of 2006, signed into law by George W Bush on October 26 of that year. It provided a definition of the term "operational control", one of the most frequently used buzz phrases of the debate. (The other is "securing the border"). Under the letter of the law, operational control means "the prevention of all unlawful U.S. entries, including entries by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics, and other contraband."

Note the word "all". Then contrast it with what is at stake: almost 7,500 miles of land borders (with Mexico and Canada), 12,300 miles of coastline and a vast network of airports, seaports and land crossings. In the long-running debate, sound bites alone could fill a library and one of the best came from Janet Napolitano when she was governor of Arizona: "Show me a 50-foot wall and I show you a 51-foot ladder."

That quote has history on its side. There has never been an impenetrable border. Not the Great Wall of China, the 5,500-mile mother of all walls, not the Berlin Wall, not the Iron Curtain, the lethal system of walls, fences, minefields and watch towers manned by guards with shootto-kill orders that sliced 2,500 miles through Europe.

Napolitano, now head of the Department of Homeland Security, the 160,000-strong bureaucratic behemoth charged with ensuring "operational control", no longer uses the wall-and-ladder simile.

Instead, she talks of the need for "comprehensive immigration reform", as does her boss, Barack Obama, and as did George W Bush.

Bush's attempt to push through a reform addressing all aspects of the complex, emotion-laden issue fell through because he could not convince legislators in his own Republican party that there should be a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants already in the United States. Obama

does not have enough votes in the Senate for a reform bill.

And leading Republicans insist that there must be a sequence in any changes to what everybody agrees is a broken system.

"First...we have to secure the border. If you want to enact other reforms, how can that be effective when you have a porous border," says John McCain, the Arizona senator who once championed an all-encompassing package.

He and others have not explained what exactly they mean by "secure border". If that stands for keeping "all" illegal crossers out, it's difficult to see how there could ever be reform. Largely symbolic gestures, such as Obama's decision in May to send 1,200 National Guard troops to the border with Mexico, will make little difference on the ground. By ordering the troops' deployment, Obama trod in the footsteps of Bush, who dispatched 6,000 National Guard troops to the border in 2006 to back up the Border Patrol and help build several hundred miles of walls and fences. In both cases, the measures were meant to win bi-partisan support for overall reform.

That would need to include figuring out a way to keep track of people who enter the US on valid visas and stay behind when they expire.

With attention focused on the border, visa overstayers rarely figure in the debate but they are estimated to make up around 40 percent of the population of illegal immigrants.

How to handle them has been the thorniest problem of all, with conservatives decrying as "amnesty" proposals to work out a way to legal status.

Public attitudes are somewhat schizophrenic, judging from opinion polls.

A poll late in May by the Opinion Research Corporation, for example, showed 80 percent in favor of a program that would allow illegal immigrants who have already lived in the U.S. for several years to apply for legal status if they had a job and paid any taxes owed. But in response to a differentlyphrased question, 60 percent supported deporting illegal immigrants already in the country. Last year, according to government figures, the US deported 387,790 illegal immigrants - an average of more than 1,000 a day and a tiny fraction of the undocumented population. Wholesale deportation of all of it belongs as much in the world of fantasy as the idea that "all unlawful entries" could be stopped.

To show how unrealistic the notion of mass deportation is, the Center for American Progress, a liberal Washington think tank, crunched some numbers in a recent report on immigration. Assuming that they could all be tracked down, how many buses would it take to ferry out all illegal immigrants? Around 200,000.

Placed bumper-to-bumper, the buses would stretch 1,800 miles. — Reuters

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.

Qatar tries to build niche as conflict mediator

By Regan E Doherty

S

udanese rebel leaders, far from the war in Darfur, whiled away their free time in recent months smoking fruit-flavoured waterpipes and dining at all-you-can-eat buffets in Doha luxury hotels as peace talks wore on. Their stay is on gas-rich Qatar's tab, part of government efforts to boost the tiny Gulf Arab state's credentials as the mediator-of-choice in regional and international conflicts. "Qatar is a good place for negotiation, because the climate here is good for it. They are not seeking to benefit from the negotiation, unlike Chad and other neighbouring countries," said Hassan Al-Sadig, a negotiator from Darfur's main rebel group who was staying at the Doha Movenpick. Qatar, sitting in the shadow of top oil exporter and political rival Saudi Arabia, has endeavoured to cut a unique profile as a diplomatic arbiter and peace broker in recent years, interceding in conflicts from Lebanon to Yemen and, most recently, Darfur. Its financial prowess - most recently demonstrated by Qatar's purchase of London department store Harrods - has enabled it to be a generous benefactor.

Thanks to copious supplies of liquefied natural gas, Qatar with a population of 1.63 million, is now among the world's wealthiest countries with the highest per capita income. Doha has paid for accommodation of hundreds of participants to the stop-start Darfur talks since January. "There is a palpable desire to be a trendsetter at the forefront in all domains, whether it's education, media or diplomacy," said Mark Farha, professor of Middle East politics at Georgetown University in Qatar. "As the world's largest exporter of LNG, they're a force to be reckoned with."

Qatar, though a close ally to Washington and home to the largest US airbase in the Middle East, has not hesitated to cozying up to America's foes Iran, Syria and Hamas in pursuit of leverage. It is also host to news network Al Jazeera, which has often riled Arab neighbours and Western allies alike. That boldness has contributed to Qatar's success as a regional mediator Doha has developed an ability to

engage almost everyone from the United States to Hezbollah, and even Saudi Arabia, an old foe and traditional regional powerbroker. Qatar also gained credibility among fellow Arab states when it expelled the Israeli trade representative in Doha in 2008 after Israeli bombing of Gaza.

Doha has successful precedents to draw upon, including a mediation coup in Lebanon crisis in 2008 when they flew in Lebanese leaders and factional figures to Doha for talks that helped the fractious country avert a new civil war.

Where the Arab League, the United Nations, France and other go-betweens had failed, personal intervention by Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani helped cajole Lebanese leaders to a political agreement, proving Doha could punch above its weight in regional diplomacy. "It pulled the country back from the brink," Farha said. "(Qatar) is such a small country, and the fact they have been able to pull this off is quite astounding."

Their diplomatic triumph wasn't all based on charm and skill but involved a large amount of cash. One intermediary said Qatar helped cement the success of those talks by distributing $44 million to the rival Lebanese parties. The country, whose economy once centred on pearl fishing, now has a sovereign wealth fund that controls an estimated $70 billion in assets. Qatar has launched a string of high-profile investments, including a viable bid for the 2022 World Cup. In addition to its stake in Harrods, Qatar also has stakes in firms across Europe, including supermarket chain Sainsbury and the London Stock Exchange, as well as property investments in London. The most prominent project is the London Bridge Tower, a skyscraper which when completed in 2012 will be the tallest building in London. But money alone was not the sole reason for Doha's diplomatic prowess. "Other Gulf states also are endowed with great wealth and have not done nearly as much," Farha said.

"They cannot afford any regional instability, because they'd be among the first of many victims."

In the case of Sudan, the Khartoum

government signed a ceasefire with the main Darfur rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), in Qatar in February, as well as a framework deal setting out terms for future talks. Days later, talks hit a stalemate and have progressed only intermittently since. JEM said in May following recent violence that it was suspending talks with the government which had been due to resume on May 15.

But many Darfur rebels have so far stayed on in Doha. Though negotiations are far from over, the fact that Qatar

has succeeded in bringing as many as 30 Sudanese factions to Doha was a mark of success, analysts say. "To mediate between all the different sides - Chad, Libya, Egypt, the Arab League, the African Union, the UN - is quite a complex endeavour. They've tried to provide an environment for all the groups to unite, and I think they've been successful," said Salah Eddin El Zein of the Al Jazeera Center for Studies.

Doha is viewed by many Sudanese as an ideal talking ground for the Darfur

enemies, as it is geographically and politically more removed from the war than previous hosts - Chad and Libya. "What's unique about Qatar is that it does not have a direct interest in Sudan the way Egypt, Libya and Chad do, and thus it is seen as an honest broker, to a large degree," Zein said. And where previous hosts have attempted to dictate the terms of the talks, Qatar has treated the negotiating sides as equal partners, analysts say. "We haven't seen anything that could threaten the process," said JEM negotiator Ahmed Toba. — Reuters

Hungary gives teeth to foreign policy

By Gergely Szakacs

H

ungary's row with Slovakia over citizenship rights signals a shift to a more assertive foreign policy stance by the new government after years of polite diplomacy. New Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who heads a centre-right cabinet after eight years of Socialist rule, has made it a mission to restore Hungary's national pride.

Parliament holds a special session on Friday to mark the anniversary of the 1920 Trianon treaty ending World War One which stripped Hungary of two-thirds of its land and more than half of its population. It has also declared that June 4 will in future be a "national day of unity" for Hungarians.

Orban, 47, did not wait long after the April elections to prove that Hungary's neighbours and also the European Union, which along with the IMF rescued Hungary from meltdown in 2008, should prepare for a more confrontational policy stance. One of the new cabinet's first moves was to modify a law to ease access to Hungarian citizenship for more than two million ethnic Hungarians in Central Europe in a symbolic step which angered neighbouring Slovakia.

Orban has also pledged to resolve a stalemate regarding a Russian stake in oil and gas group MOL. He has said he will not take orders from the International Monetary Fund and the EU in talks about Hungary's financing deal. "The new foreign policy doctrine shows that Hungary will advance its national interests even by way of conflict," political scientist Zoltan Kiszelly said. "Fidesz's interpretation is that Hungary has its own policies and it should observe what Washington, Bratislava or Brussels has to say about them only to the necessary extent."

Deputy prime minister Zsolt Semjen, who is in charge of ethnic policy, has also made it clear the new government would not shy away from conflict. "We seek to find common ground with everyone, but we cannot surrender our rights if someone does not want to find common ground with us," Semjen told M1 television before parliament amended the

citizenship law.

The citizenship amendment went down well with voters in Hungary and also pleased some ethnic Hungarians like Erzsebet Farago Csomor, who lives in the village of Vel'ke Ludince in southern Slovakia, 24 km from the border. "We are Hungarians at heart," Csomor said in the village. "I often tell my relatives that we are greater Hungarians than they are, because we have had to struggle a lot for our identity."

Bratislava reacted to the Hungarian law by threatening to strip seekers of a second citizenship of their Slovak one.

Prime Minister Robert Fico has said Hungary's Trianon memorial day was a case of "historical revisionism".

Analysts said that with the memorial day, Fidesz also wanted to take the wind out of the sails of the rightist Jobbik party, which has attracted young voters with its nationalist agenda.

The new government will need to tackle the issue of renegotiating the country's existing deal with foreign lenders or securing a new financing agreement. The quarterly review by the IMF and EU is due this month. Fidesz officials have held informal talks with the IMF and investors who finance Hungary's high public debt will follow the negotiations very closely. The new government wants the IMF and EU to agree to a higher 2010 budget deficit than the current target of 3.8 percent of GDP, which could be hard to sell amid euro zone debt worries.

"If we resort to help, that means we must negotiate and we must accept that we have to negotiate with those who give the money, and we will negotiate ... but the aim of these talks is not that we listen to diktats," Orban said on April 26. Hungary will take over the rotating EU presidency in 2011, which will be a good opportunity to build closer ties with Poland and Romania, which Fidesz sees as allies, analysts said. Orban's first official visit was to Warsaw this week. "Hungary has no big influence in the EU, therefore it needs to build alliances. It seems relations with President Basescu in Romania are good, but also with Poland," Kiszelly said. — Reuters

Plucky Jindal takes on White House and wins

By Chris Baltimore

M

idway through a news conference to lambaste the Obama administration for dragging its heels on approving a plan to fight a massive oil spill on Wednesday, Louisiana Gov Bobby Jindal chalked up a political victory.

Standing at a podium in Venice, Louisiana, an aide handed Jindal a piece of paper informing him that the White House had approved to a plan requiring BP Plc to spend $350 million to build five barrier islands. The sand islands hopefully will shield the state's fragile coastline from an onslaught of oil.

Over the past few weeks, the barrier islands have become a flash point between the White House and Jindal, the 38-year-old son of Indian immigrants with national political ambitions.

With criticism of President Barack Obama mounting, Jindal has buffed his political credentials by vilifying both London-based BP and the Obama administration, political analysts said.

"Our federal government does not need to be making excuses for BP,"

Jindal said during the news conference, only moments before he received word that the White House had approved his request. "Every day they make us wait, we're losing our battle to protect our coast."

A f t e r Hurricane Gustav hit Louisiana in 2008, the Oxford-educated Republican governor proved his mettle as a savvy crisis manager who could reel off detailed information on the number of ice bags and power generators on hand. Now the oil spill has allowed Jindal to display his grasp of fine details while portraying both BP and Obama as ineffectual, said Bernie Pinsonat of Southern Media

and Opinion, a Baton Rouge polling firm. "Jindal has clearly run circles around (Obama) in being out in front on the issue," Pinsonat said. "You can see the tread marks all over Obama, up and down his back."

Hurricanes and other natural disasters have been the downfall of more than one US politician.

A fumbling response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 has been cited as the political undoing of Jindal's Democratic predecessor, Kathleen Blanco.

Former President George W Bush also was roundly criticized for reacting too slowly to Katrina. "I guess the only one who wasn't paying attention to that

episode was Obama," Pinsonat said.

Political analysts mention Jindal as a possible presidential candidate in coming years and see him as the Republicans' answer to Obama: a smart politician who can appeal to younger voters. But as he seeks to work with Washington now, critics are reminding him of a March 2009 address in which he said: "There has never been a challenge that the American people, with as little interference as possible by the federal government, cannot handle."

Jindal's political career has not always been smooth sailing, although recent polls showed his support buoyant at over 60 percent. In 2009, Jindal's high-profile response to Obama's first State of the Union speech was panned as off-mark. In taking a confrontational tone toward the White House, Jindal appeals to conservative voters who distrust Washington, said Robert Hogan, an associate professor at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. "He's been dogged with this (barrier island) issue and has utilized it to his advantage," Hogan said. "Now that the federal government has cried

uncle, where does he go next?" Jindal likely will shift his focus toward extracting funds and aid from BP, Hogan said.

The prediction seemed to bear true on Thursday when Jindal heaped criticism on BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward for making "idiotic statements" in various media about wanting "my life back". Hayward has since apologized for the statements and on Thursday said BP will clean up "every drop" of oil. Such apologies were little solace for Jindal, who used the word "idiotic" three times to describe BP during a news conference in Grand Isle. "Let me just be blunt, they sound idiotic to us," he said. "I'm sorry for inconveniencing him. I don't know what he'd be doing. Maybe he'd be on a summer vacation."

For Louisiana residents, Jindal's strategy appears to be a winner.

"Everybody is rallying around the governor," said Mike Frenette, the head of the Venice Charter Boat and Guide Association. "His pleas and demands and concerns are about as truthful as you can get." — Reuters

ANALYSIS

Sunday, June 6, 2010

13

Erdogan tests Turkey's role as bridge

By Suzan Fraser

H

e blasted the attack on the Gaza-bound flotilla as a "bloody massacre," walked out on a meeting with Israel's president and cozied up to American adversaries such as Syria and Iran. Is Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, long seen as a vital bridge between East and West, engaged in a historic reversal of Turkey's Western-leaning policies and seeking to carve out a role as a leader in the Islamic world?

The prime minister walks a delicate tightrope: On one hand there are his Islamic powerbase and Turkey's faltering bid to join the EU; on the other, a strongly pro-Western military and wide recognition that close ties with the West are vital to its emergence as an economic power. Despite Islamist roots, Erdogan has long been widely viewed as a pragmatist largely loyal to the legacy of Turkey's founding father Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who sought to create a secular, modern state from the ashes of the Ottoman empire.

He has been committed to keeping his nation in NATO and steering it toward EU membership - and until recently was unwavering in maintaining Turkey's role as Israel's best friend in the Islamic world. All of that is now being questioned as Erdogan carries

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visits a Turkish man who was injured in the recent Israeli naval commando raid during his tour of a hospital in Ankara June 3, 2010. – AP out a string of actions that raise fears he may be turning his back on the West, and Muslim nations - along with his own domestic support base - are applauding his increasingly harsh rhetoric against the Jewish state.

His recent decision to team up with Brazil in brokering a dead with Iran on its nuclear program - independent of efforts by the US - also shows that he

may be coming to the view that Turkey's future lies in partnerships with emerging economic powers of the developing world. But in this complicated country - the heart of a oncemighty sultanate that ruled much of Europe and the Middle East - things are rarely as they seem on the surface.

Erdogan may calculate that his nation's hoped-for rise to economic prominence

still largely depends on stable ties with the West - and he has long implemented business-friendly policies that have kept his nation on a growth path.

Surprisingly to some, he has also been widely seen as a more competent manager of social and economic reforms aimed at making Turkey fit for EU membership than the secular Ataturk-inspired elites who ruled before him. More than a radical shift toward the Islamic world, Erdogan's inflammatory words may signal an urge to appease anger at home, and possibly create political leverage with the West, while hoping eventually to ensure Turkey's alliance with the West remains intact. Erdogan rejects accusations that Turkey is changing its orientation, insisting its foreign policy has always been multifaceted and that it is seeking alliances on all fronts.

"We are a country that wants to maintain its ties both with the West and the East," Erdogan in October in response to criticism that he was steering Turkey away from the West.

"There is no such thing as breaking from one side and shifting to another one." Still, he was held up as a hero in the Arab world last year during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, when he publicly berated Israeli President Shimon Peres, saying "You know how to kill" and storming off

the podium in anger.

His posters and Turkish flags are frequently held up during anti-Israel protests in Arab countries. The killing of at least four Turkish activists among nine passengers slain by Israeli naval commandos provoked his strongest outburst yet against Israel, with Erdogan accusing Israel of having blood on its hands and signaling a possible irreversible damage to ties. "Nothing will be the same again," Erdogan said, gesturing angrily, his voice shaking at times. After coming to power in 2002, Erdogan worked rigorously to advance Turkey's EU bid, leading to the opening of membership talks in 2005 and dispelling fears that his Islamic-rooted party's huge election victory would inject Muslim ideology into secular Turkey. But as EU reservations against letting in Turkey increased and his public's affection toward Europe waned, Erdogan began a two-pronged diplomatic strategy - carving out a more independent role and courting Turkey's long-ignored neighbors in the Middle East.

A survey conducted by Ankara University in January showed that only around half of the population supported EU membership and that 11.6 percent of the population found the EU to be "trustworthy and sincere." It gave no margin of error. —AP

Turkey-Israel ties head for major shift

By Ibon Villelabeitia

B

orn out of military interests rather than ideological affinity, Muslim Turkey's relationship with Israel is headed for a major shift as it re-assesses its role and security needs in the Middle East. Israel's raid on Turkish-backed aid ships bound for Gaza show how far ties between the unusual allies have deteriorated, creating a problem for the United States which saw Ankara as a vital partner in reconciling the Muslim world with Israel. Erdogan, Turkey's prime minister, has called for the Jewish state to be punished for what he called "state terrorism".

"The relationship between Turkey and Israel was the product of a very specific set of circumstances that do not exist anymore," Ian Lesser, from the Washington-based German Marshall Fund think tank, told Reuters.

"It was clear that Turkey and Israel could not go on with that same strate-

gic relationship. Now we have to see what is left. They can still work together, but on a more modest scale."

Turkey, a moderate, secular state, has long been Israel's only Muslim ally and trade partner, having recognised the Jewish state soon after its establishment in 1948.

Driven by their countries' armies, the alliance strengthened in the 1990s, when they signed military and intelligence deals. At the time they shared a common desire to contain Syria, Israel's long-time Arab enemy. Syria had also incurred Ankara's wrath by harbouring Kurdish separatist PKK rebels waging war on Turkey. Israel provided military hardware and intelligence on PKK activities to Turkey, which nearly went to war with Syria in the late 1990s over Damascus' hosting of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan.

For its part, Turkey allowed Israel, at war with Syria over the Golan Heights and wary of hostile Arab neighbours, to use its airspace and vast

Anatolian plateaux for military training.

Far more than Syria, Iran's militant "fundamentalism", coupled with the rise of political Islam in the region, were seen as even more serious threats to both Turkey and Israel.

But since then a change has been under way. The easing of PKK violence and Turkey's dramatic improvement of ties with Damascus and Tehran since the Islamist-leaning government of Erdogan took office in 2002 means Ankara no longer views the Israeli link as vital to its survival. Turkey's powerful secular generals, who saw close links with Israel as an antidote to combat political Islam at home, have seen their influence wane.

Following Monday's raid, Turkey has suspended joint military exercises, withdrew its envoy in Israel and mobilised the UN Security Council to censure Israel. "(The flotilla incident) has cemented a process that has been under way for years which is the gradual lost of importance of the Turkish-

Israeli relationship," said Gareth Jenkins, an Istanbul-based security analyst. "It has been in the death bed for years and I don't think either of the two have much to lose if it dies," Jenkins said. Israel might suffer more for the loss of a Muslim friend in the Middle East and the absence of Turkish airspace for the pilots to practice in, he said. Public opinion in Turkey, where a rising middle class of religious Muslims has led to a more overtly Islamic identity, can no longer tolerate Israel's policies towards Palestinians. Erdogan has become a folk hero among Muslims in Turkey and far beyond for his outspoken criticism of Israel. With an election due by July next year, Erdogan could bolster support for his Islamist-leaning AK Party. "Allowing the convoy to go was a sign that the government was pursuing this policy of escalating tension with Israel, which fits in with its domestic agenda," said Sinan Ulgen, of Istanbul Centre for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies.

Israel to give tactical ground to pressure

By Tom Perry and Alastair Macdonald

I

srael is unlikely to heed calls to lift the blockade of the Gaza Strip but its bloody seizure of a Turkish aid ship has caused international anger and American dismay that is forcing it to seek conciliatory moves.

Israel's leaders have been unrepentant.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Europeans of "hypocrisy" over efforts to stop Iranian arms reaching Gaza's Hamas Islamist rulers.

But with even vital ally the United States criticising the harm the blockade is doing to the 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza, and President Barack Obama calling the killing of nine men, including an American, a tragedy, Netanyahu is seeking points where concessions can soak up some of the pressure.

At the same time, he will not take any steps that weaken Israel in its confrontations with the Palestinians and Iran.

Cooperating with US demands for some form of international inquiry and agreeing to measures that might ease the embargo for civilians both seem to be areas where Israel may compromise. George Mitchell, Obama's Middle East envoy, says Washington is working "aggressively" to ensure supplies for people in Gaza. While few of Israel's allies dispute that Hamas poses a threat, most now say that the blockade causes unjustified harm and may have bolstered rather than weakened Hamas. "Some form of relaxation is a possibility," a diplomat said. "But for political reasons there may be a delay. The Israeli government doesn't want to be seen to cave in immediately." Ministers have already mooted a role for foreigners in an inquiry, and political sources have said Netanyahu may propose easing the blockade and seeking foreign help in enforcing the arms embargo on Hamas while meeting civilian needs for

Gaza. A key issue for Israel in any "international" inquiry will be to ensure its case for blockading Hamas and for opening fire on the Turks "in selfdefence" are taken into account.

It wants to avoid a repeat of the UN Goldstone report last year, which said its forces should be investigated for war crimes in Gaza. "There's the ghost of the Goldstone report which the Israelis are very keen to avoid, as are various parts of the United Nations," the diplomat said. "The Israelis are showing some flexibility for certain reasons." By conceding, however, Israel will aim to reinforce key

policies of crippling Hamas and rallying international support against Iran's nuclear programme. It will also resist changes in its negotiating positions with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Hamas's rival, in US-mediated peace talks.

Israel's leftish Haaretz newspaper said on Thursday in an editorial that Netanyahu should "minimise the damage" by investigating the raid and lifting the blockade. "The lethal operation is making it difficult for the US administration to rally a majority in the UN Security Council for new sanctions against Iran," it said. "(And it)

A Palestinian youth climbs to set up national flags on a pole near the border line with Israel during a protest march against Israel, east of Gaza City, yesterday. – AP

weakens the bargaining ability of Netanyahu vis-a-vis ... Obama and Abbas."

Netanyahu's domestic critics have sounded alarms before now about the right-wing prime minister's clashes with Obama notably over Jewish settlement expansion in the West Bank, which Washington and Abbas say is hampering prospects for peace. This week, as maritime drama and a cancelled Netanyahu-Obama meeting dominated headlines, local media quoted intelligence chief Meir Dagan, a key figure in Israel's drive to halt Iran's nuclear programme, telling a parliamentary committee: "Israel is gradually turning from asset to the United States to a burden."

Israel's vocal but politically weak liberals have leapt on the bungled boarding in international waters to lament. Novelist Amos Oz wrote in the New York Times that the Gaza siege crisis grew out of "the mistaken assumption that ... the Palestinian problem can be crushed instead of solved".

Haaretz columnist Gideon Levy wrote of Netanyahu's policies: "We'll become an even more despised country and won't have a single friend left in the world, not even the United States."

Less hostile analysts, too, have suggested Israel must take another approach to Gaza in order to defend its interests.

Guy Bechor, writing in Yedioth Ahronoth, said Israel could wrong-foot Western critics and rid itself of its Gaza problem.

"The Israeli government must immediately announce that it is willing to lift the naval siege on the Gaza Strip in return for an international supervisory regime," he wrote. Such a move would allow Israel to close its land borders with Gaza, he said.

"I prefer Hamas, with which there are no negotiations and which is under a global boycott, over the sterile dialogue with the Palestinian Authority" under Abbas, said Bechor. — Reuters

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, fresh back from Washington, said relations could be normalised if Israel ends its naval blockade of 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza. But the fiasco will make it hard to contain public outrage, as Turks have reacted with fury, taking to the streets in demonstrations to burn Israeli flags and chan "Allahu Akbar". "This will really change the mood in Turkey and push things in a more militant hardline direction. The government will probably have to follow suit to some degree," said Paul Salem, Beirut director of the Carnegie Endowment's Middle East Program.

Nigel Inkster, transnational risk expert of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London noted the close relationship between Israel Mossad and Turkey's intelligence agency, MIT, but saw an inexorable trend. "As is often the case with intelligence relationships this one may survive the current debacle," Inkster said. —Reuters

focus

Obama message to Muslims blurs

By Christophe de Roquefeuil

A

year after a landmark Cairo address to the Muslim world, President Barak Obama's conciliatory message has been blurred by the perception that US support for Israel remains unchanged, analysts say.

Despite his administration's high profile confrontation with Israel over Jewish settlement construction, Obama appears unwilling, or unable, to shake off perceptions of solid US support for Israel, they say.

This has been highlighted by the US response to Israel's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.

Its cautious reaction has tipped the balance in favour of regional sceptics who believe Obama cannot dramatically change unpopular US policies in the region, said an Egyptian analyst. "There have been two points of view, one that Obama was sincere and will do what he pledged in his Cairo speech and the other that he is superficial," said Imad Gad, an analyst with the Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies. "His administration's response to the flotilla tipped the balance in favour of the view that his position was rhetorical," he said.

Antoine Basbous, head of the Paris-based Observatory of the Arab Countries, said it made Washington look like "Israel's international godfather", despite the Obama administration's moves to ease tensions with Muslim countries. These include the decision to drop the term "war on terror" and Washington's new-found support for a nuclear non-proliferation accord that incorporates undeclared nuclear power Israel,

said Basbous.

The United States, however, worked to dilute a UN Security Council statement on the flotilla raid, in contrast to European governments which summoned Israeli ambassadors over the incident. His administration has been unable to persuade Israel to freeze all settlement construction and its efforts to advance peace between Israel and the Palestinians has so far led only to precarious indirect talks. Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday, ahead of a visit to Washington next week, called on Obama to make "bold decisions" on Middle East peace.

Despite putting radicals on the defensive with his conciliatory June 4, 2009 address to the Muslim world, the absence of progress in the peace process has taken a toll, said Beirut-based analyst Paul Salem. "Barack Hussein Obama, with his name and speech, on the whole calmed tensions," said Salem of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The speech, in which Obama professed respect for Islam and sympathy for Palestinians under Israeli occupation, put hardliners such as Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad in a corner, Salem said.

But the floundering Middle East peace process threatens the reserve of goodwill, he said. "The incapability, or lack of will, to put pressure on Israel is a source of real disappointment in the Arab world."

Samir Awad, an international relations professor at Bir Zeit University in the West Bank, agreed. "There is a change in American declarations but this difference has not translated into crucial differences on the ground," he said. — AFP

SPORTS

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Sunday, June 6, 2010

Dodgers stop Braves LOS ANGELES: James Loney hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh inning to help the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-4 win over Atlanta in the National League on Friday, snapping the Braves’ ninegame winning streak. Atlanta had tied it in the top half of the 7th on Yunel Escobar’s two-out, two-run double into left-center off HongChih Kuo. Kuo (1-1) pitched 1 1-3 innings for the victory and Jonathan Broxton worked a perfect ninth for his 14th save in 16 attempts.

Braves starter Kenshin Kawakami (0-8) gave up five runs in 6 1-3 innings.

Phillies 3, Padres 2

LONDON: England’s Graeme Swann appeals successfully as he takes the wicket of Bangladesh’s Shahadat Hossain LBW for 0 on the second day of the second cricket Test match at Old Trafford Cricket ground.—AP

Swann puts B’desh in a spin MANCHESTER: England offspinner Graeme Swann took five wickets as Bangladesh collapsed to 216 all out on the second day of the second Test despite Tamim Iqbal’s second century in as many innings.

Bangladesh were 203 runs behind England’s 419, just four runs shy of avoiding the follow-on after Swann had taken five wickets for 76 runs in 22.1 overs at Old Trafford here yesterday.

But because the last wicket signalled the end of the day’s play, England captain Andrew Strauss did not have to decide immediately whether he wanted to make Bangladesh bat again.

Bangladesh had been 126 without loss but after tea they lost all their wickets for just 120 more runs. Swann did the bulk of the damage with three wickets for 19 runs in 37 balls as he took advantage of a pitch offering turn and bounce.

Debutant fast bowler Ajmal Shahzad weighed in with three for nine in 16 balls and finished with three for 45 in 10 overs.

Earlier, Ian Bell made 128 and with Matt Prior (93) added an England record 153 for the sixth wicket against Bangladesh.

Opening batsman Tamim made 108 to follow his 103 in the second innings during England’s eight-wicket first Test win at Lord’s.

It left the 21-year-old with the impressive record of six fifties, including two centuries, in his last seven Test innings - all against England. Tamim forced Swann away for four to complete a run-a-ball hundred with a six and 11 boundaries.

But the left-hander was out soon afterwards when he edged a cut off paceman James Anderson, on his Lancashire home ground, and wicketkeeper Prior held a low catch.

Tamim’s exit left Bangladesh 169 for three and that became 169 for four when Jahurul Islam was bowled middle stump by a Swann off-break.

Swann struck again when Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan, trying to drive a turning delivery, edged and Anderson at slip held a sharp chance.

Yorkshire quick Shahzad then took his first Test wickets as Bangladesh declined to 214 for eight - six short of avoiding the follow-on.

First he had Mohammad Ashraful caught by Eoin Morgan at backward point, before bowling Mohammad Mahmudullah and yorking Shafiul Islam.

And when Swann and Anderson combined again to get rid of Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh still need four more to reach the follow-on avoidance total of 220.

And that was something they failed to do when last man Shahadat Hossain was lbw to Swann for nought. Bangladesh had lost their first wicket when Imrul Kayes mishooked a welldirected bouncer from Steven Finn to Shahzad at long leg for 36.

Before tea, Tamim reached fifty in style when he drove Swann high over long-on for six, but he also defended correctly when required. England had their innings ended by Shakib’s burst of three wickets for two runs in 13 balls.

The left-arm spinner finished with figures of five for 121 in 37.3 overs and he denied Prior a third Test century when a a bold reverse-sweep went straight to Jahurul at point.

In all, Prior faced 170 balls with nine boundaries. Bell’s innings ended when he was bowled by a turning delivery from Shakib. —AFP

SCOREBOARD MANCHESTER, England: Scoreboard at stumps on the second day of the second Test between England and Bangladesh at Old Trafford here yesterday: England 1st Innings (overnight: 275-5) A. Strauss c Kayes b Shafiul 21 A. Cook c Siddique b Razzak 29 J. Trott b Shafiul 3 K. Pietersen st Mushfiqur b Shakib 64 I. Bell b Shakib 128 E. Morgan c Jahurul b Shahadat 37 M. Prior c Jahurul b Shakib 93 G. Swann lbw b Razzak 20 A. Shahzad c Razzak b Shakib 5 J. Anderson not out 2 S. Finn lbw b Shakib 0 Extras (b6, lb5, w4, nb2) 17 Total (all out, 121.3 overs, 483 mins) 419 Fall of wickets: 1-44 (Strauss), 2-48 (Trott), 3-83 (Cook), 4-153 (Pietersen), 5-223 (Morgan), 6-376 (Bell), 7-399 (Swann), 8-414 (Shahzad), 9-419 (Prior), 10-419 (Finn) Bowling: Shahadat 21-3-84-1 (2nb, 3w); Shafiul 21-263-2 (1w); Mahmudullah 12-1-31-0; Shakib 37.3-4-1215; Razzak 30-3-109-2

Bangladesh 1st Innings Tamim Iqbal c Prior b Anderson 108 Imrul Kayes c Shahzad b Finn 36 Junaid Siddique c Prior b Swann 1 Jahurul Islam b Swann 5 Mohammad Ashraful c Morgan b Shahzad 11 Shakib Al Hasan c Anderson b Swann 10 Mushfiqur Rahim c Anderson b Swann 11 Mohammad Mahmudullah b Shahzad 8 Shafiul Islam b Shahzad 4 Abdur Razzak not out 0 Shahadat Hossain lbw b Swann 0 Extras (b4, lb7, w8, nb3) 22 Total (all out, 54.1 overs, 248 mins) 216 Fall of wickets: 1-126 (Kayes), 2-153 (Siddique), 3-169 (Tamim), 4-169 (Jahurul), 5-185 (Shakib), 6-200 (Ashraful), 7-210 (Mahmudullah), 8-214 (Shafiul), 9-216 (Mushfiqur), 10-216 (Shahadat) Bowling: Anderson 14-4-45-1 (2nb); Finn 8-1-39-1 (1nb, 7w); Swann 22.1-4-76-5; Shahzad 10-2-45-3 (1w)

India out of Tri-nations series HARARE: India were shut out of the Wednesday’s Tri-nations final here yesterday when Dinesh Chandimal led Sri Lanka to victory with just 10 balls to spare.

India needed a win to stay in the tournament, which would have given them them a slender chance to play in the final on Wednesday.

That would have depended on Zimbabwe then beating Sri Lanka in the last round robin match on Monday. This game will now have no significance for the tournament, but will be a guide to form.

India’s score of 268-9 was not quite enough. Sri Lanka hit 270 with 10 balls to spare and six wickets in hand. India now have six days to wait to play two Twenty/20 matches against Zimbabwe next weekend, which have been added on to the Tri-nations tournament.

With this latest defeat they have dropped to third place behind Australia and South Africa in the ICC ODI rankings.

Chandimal, named man of the match, punished the Indian bowlers with 111 in 118 balls. It was his maiden century in internationals and he said afterwards: “I just played my normal game, which is an aggressive one.”

He was partnered for the third wicket of 114 by Chamara Kapudegera in a supporting but important role, scoring 42.

Every one of Sri Lanka’s batsmen contributed more than 21. Tillekeratne Dilshan, the Sri Lanka captain, said he was pleased and relieved not to leave it late getting to the final. “Our plan was to keep the pressure on India all the way. Our fielding was excellent and that was a key to our success.”

India skipper Suresh Raina thought losing the toss was important to the result. “The wicket just got better and better for batting during the day,” he said.

“We now have a week off and we’ll use that to improve all aspects of our game. There is much work to do.”

India brought in three young players into the side - Nuwan Ojha, R. Ashwin and Pankaj Singh. Their innings got off to a bad start when Ojha was out for one. It fell to Dinesh Karthik (68) and Yusuf Pathan (44) in an 84 partnership for the third wicket to set up India for a potentially good score and in a bid for a 280 runs target, which they nearly reached. —AFP

SCOREBOARD HARARE: Final scoreboard after Sri Lanka beat India at Harare Sports Club yesterday in the fifth match of a Tri-series that also involves Zimbabwe.

India innings (50 overs) N. Ojha lbw b Kulasekera 1 D. Kartik c and b Perera 27 V. Kohli c Mendis b Mirando 68 Y. Pathan c Perera b Randiv 44 R. Sharma b Randiv 32 S. Raina c Kapudegera b Dilshan 19 R. Jadeja run out (Dilshan) 19 R. Ashwin c and b Mirando 38 P. Singh not out 3 A. Dinda c Kapudegera b Mirando 0 P. Ojha not out 5 Extras (3b, 2lb, 1nb, 6w) 12 Total (for 9 wkts) 268 Fall: 1-7 (Ojha), 2-41 (Karthik), 3-125 (Pathan), 4-174 (Kohli) 5- 187 (Sharma), 6-204 (Raina), 7-255 (Jadeja), 8-259 (Ashwin), 9-259 (Dinda).

Bowling: Nuwan Kulasekera 9-1-47-1, Thusara Marindo 9-1-57-3, (4w, 1nb), Ajantha Mendis (10-054-0), Thisara Perera 4-0-33-1 (1w), Jeevan Mendis 60-29-0 (1w), Suraj Randiv 10-1-38-2, Tillekeratne Dilshan (2-0-5-1) Sri Lanka innings (48.2 overs) U. Tharanga c Kohli b R. Ashwin 27 T. Dilshan c Pathan b Dinda 21 D. Chandimal st. Ojha b Ashwin 111 C. Kapugedera c Singh b Ojha 42 J. Mendis not out 35 T. Samaraweera not out 28 Extras (4lb, 1w, 1nb) 6 Total (for 4 wkts) 270 Fall of wickets: 1-29 (Dilshan), 2-81 (Tharanga), 3-195 (Kapudegera), 4-215 (Chandimal) Did not bat: T. Perera, N. Kalusekera, S. Randiv, A. Mendis, T. Mirando Bowling: Ashok Dinda 7.2-2-42-1, R. Ashwin 10-0-502, Pankaj Singh 7-0-45-0, Ravindra Jadeja 10-0-54-0, Pragyan Ojha 10-0-43-1, Yusuf Pathan 4-0-32-0.

In Philadelphia, Roy Halladay pitched seven innings, working out of trouble to lead Philadelphia over San Diego. Halladay (8-3) held San Diego to two runs in his first game since pitching a perfect game gem against Florida last Saturday.

Shane Victorino homered for the Phillies and scored the goahead run on Jayson Werth’s twoout, bases-loaded walk against Mat Latos (5-4) in the fifth.

Philadelphia closer Brad Lidge tossed a perfect ninth inning for his second save.

Nationals 4, Reds 2 In Washington, Ian Desmond hit an RBI single to break a seventhinning and Willie Harris followed with a sacrifice fly that lifted Washington over Cincinnati.

Washington reliever Tyler Clippard (8-3) earned the win for working a scoreless seventh inning. Enerio Del Rosario (1-1) took the loss for Cincinnati.

Mets 4, Marlins 3 In New York, RA Dickey won his third straight start to help New York edge Florida and improve its impressive home record.

Dickey (3-0) yielded seven hits in 6 1-3 innings and from the plate he delivered two hits and an RBI, pushing the Mets to their sixth consecutive home victory. After the Mets fought back from a threerun deficit, New York closer Francisco Rodriguez retired slugger Hanley Ramirez with runners at second and third to secure the victory. Anibal Sanchez (5-3), who had won four straight starts, took the loss for Florida.

Cardinals 8, Brewers 0 In St. Louis, Adam Wainwright threw his first career shutout to lead St. Louis over Milwaukee.

Wainwright (8-3) struck out eight, walked one, and retired the last 18 hitters he faced. He is 5-0 at home and has allowed just two earned runs in his past three starts covering 21 innings. Colby Rasmus hit a two-run homer for the Cardinals, who snapped a four-game home losing streak against the Brewers.

Milwaukee starter Randy Wolf (45) gave up five runs in 6 2/3 innings. He walked four in the Brewers’ fifth loss in six games.

Giants 6, Pirates 4 In Pittsburgh, Juan Uribe and Aubrey Huff each hit two-run homers in a comeback sixth inning to help San Francisco erase a fourrun deficit and defeat Pittsburgh.

Eli Whiteside added a solo home run as the Giants went deep three times against Zach Duke (3-6), who waited to pitch through a threehour rain delay only to fail to hold a 4-0 lead. Giants starter Jonathan Sanchez (4-4) gave up four unearned runs in 6-1/3 innings, following first baseman Buster Posey’s two-base error on a grounder and Andrew McCutchen’s two-run double in the second.

Blue Jays homer blitz sinks Yankees TORONTO: Jose Bautista hit two towering home runs and Edwin Encarnacion also connected for Toronto as the Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 6-1 in the American League on Friday.

Bautista led off the second with a drive off A.J. Burnett (6-3) that went off the facing of the third deck in left, his career high 17th of the season. He went deep again in the fourth, finding the same area again for a two-run shot.

Encarnacion led off the fifth with his eighth homer, a drive to left-center that gave Toronto a 4-0 lead. Blue Jays starter Brett Cecil (6-2) matched a career high with eight innings. he allowed one run while improving to 4-0 with a 1.52 ERA in his past four starts.

Rangers 9, Rays 6 In Arlington, rookie Justin Smoak homered and had a career-high three hits as Texas rallied from a four-run deficit to beat Tampa Bay. Josh Hamilton had a homer and two doubles, while Vladimir Guerrero added a three-run double in his return to the lineup after missing two games because of a swollen left eye. For Tampa Bay, Ben Zobrist had three hits and Evan Longoria homered.

Rangers starter CJ Wilson (4-3) recovered from a four-run second to pick up the win, allowing six hits in five-plus innings. Rays starter Wade Davis (5-5) gave up eight runs, matching a career worst, over 3 1-3 innings.

Twins 5, Athletics 4 In Oakland, Justin Morneau homered and drove in two runs to help Minnesota edge Oakland. Delmon Young singled in the top of the 11th inning and Jon Rauch pitched the bottom of the inning for his 14th save. Matt Guerrier (1-1) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.

A’s starter Dallas Braden, winless in five starts since his perfect game on May 9, lasted 6 1/3 innings, giving up four runs.

Royals 7, Tigers 3 In Kansas City, Jason Kendall had three hits and three RBIs to help Kansas City defeat Detroit. Scott Podsednik went 2 for 3 and scored three times for the Royals, who finished with 13 hits. David DeJesus drove in two runs.

Kansas City’s Bruce Chen (2-0) earn his first

win as a starter since Aug. 6. Making his second start after ten relief appearances, Chen (2-0) gave up four hits in five-plus innings.

Detroit starter Max Scherzer (2-5), who struck out 14 in his previous start, gave up four runs and two walks in five innings.

Angels 7, Mariners 1 In Seattle, Hideki Matsui homered and drove in three runs as Los Angeles cruised past Seattle. Angels starter Joe Saunders (4-6) improved to 7-0 in his last 10 starts against Seattle. He permitted nine baserunners in the first five innings but gave up only one run in six innings.

Juan Rivera homered in a three-run seventh as the Angels moved above .500 for the first time since April.

Red Sox 11, Orioles 0 In Baltimore, a change of manager did nothing to improve the fortunes of hapless Baltimore, which was spanked by Boston.

Former third-base coach Juan Samuel was installed as interim manager before the game after Dave Trembley was fired.

Boston’s Clay Buchholz (8-3) pitched his second career shutout and third career complete game. He is 5-0 with a 0.99 ERA in his past five starts and has won nine successive starts on the road.

Marco Scutaro homered and scored three runs, while Kevin Youkilis and Adrian Beltre also homered for the Red Sox, who have won six straight on the road.

Indians 10, White Sox 1 In Chicago, Justin Masterson repeatedly escaped trouble to snap an 11-decision losing streak and help Cleveland crush Chicago.

Indians starter Masterson (1-5) hadn’t won in 17 starts. He came within two of the club-record 13 straight losses set in 1914.

His streak-buster wasn’t pretty — five hits, six walks and two hit batters in 5 2-3 innings — but it finally gave the last-place Indians some good news. Jhonny Peralta hit a pair of two-run doubles for Cleveland.

Chicago starter John Danks (4-5) took a 1-0 lead into the sixth but was chased after allowing four runs in the inning.—AP

Ban on Pakistan’s Younis lifted ISLAMABAD: The indefinite ban on former Pakistan captain Younis Khan was lifted yesterday, and a fine on current captain Shahid Afridi was revoked. “I have set aside the ban on Younis,” Pakistan Cricket Board arbitrator Irfan Qadir told reporters in the eastern city of Lahore after the hearing.

Qadir said the PCB had already reconsidered Younis for future tours by naming him in a list of 35 probables, therefore there was no reason to keep an indefinite ban on the former captain.

The PCB imposed the ban in March for Younis’ alleged infighting with another former

captain Mohammad Yousuf during the winless tour of Australia early this year.

Younis was not considered for this month’s Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, but it is likely he will be included in the team for the twin test series against Australia and England in July. Qadir also revoked a three million rupees ($35,000) fine on Afridi for ball tampering during the one-day series against Australia earlier this year.

Afridi had already served an International Cricket Council ban of two Twenty20 internationals after he was caught biting the ball during a one-dayer in Perth. —AP

D’back 7, Rockies 6 In Phoenix, Ryan Roberts hit a pinch-hit RBI single in the ninth inning to snap Arizona’s losing streak at 10 games, beating Colorado.

Gerardo Parra set up Roberts’ winning hit with a tying single, driving in Edwin Jackson from second. Jackson, the starting pitcher, came in to run after Rockies closer Manuel Corpas (1-3) hit Mark Reynolds on the left hand with a pitch, forcing the slugger from the game.

Justin Upton and Chris Young homered for the Diamondbacks, who finally got to celebrate at home plate after losing four straight in the opponents’ last at-bat during an 0-9 trip. Arizona closer Chad Qualls (1-2) pitched a scoreless ninth for the victory.

Astros 3, Cubs 1

HARARE: Sri Lankan batsman Jeevan Mendis (left) and Tilan Samarawera walk off the pitch after defeating India by six wickets at Harare Sports Club. —AP

LOS ANGELES: Atlanta Braves’ Melky Cabrera breaks his bat as he hits an RBI single during the third inning of their Major League Baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.—AP

In Houston, Felipe Paulino struck out seven in eight effective innings, helping Houston defeat Chicago and notch a fourth straight win. Michael Bourn had three hits and scored twice and Lance Berkman drove in two runs for the Astros.

Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano (1-4) allowed three runs over 4 1-3 innings as the Cubs lost their fourth straight.—AP

Al-Bahar win GC Super League Silver Cup KUWAIT: Mohamed Abdulrahman AlBahar (Caterpillar) Cricket Team won the GC Super League Silver Cup final after defeating Al Hafiz Cricket Club by five wickets. Bating first, Hafiz CC scored 124 all out in 20 overs. Al-Bahar chased the target for the loss of five wickets with one over to spare.

16 teams competed in this tournament and it was played in two stages: The group stage followed by the Super Six stage. Top teams from each group played with each other for Gold Cup, Silver Cup and Bronze Cup. Al-Bahar being in second place played for the Silver Cup final. Al-Bahar won eight out of nine matches.

15

SPORTS

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Dawson happy to delay holiday for England LONDON: Tottenham defender Michael Dawson says he was delighted to have to ditch his holiday plans after receiving a dramatic call-up to England’s World Cup squad.

Dawson was in the process of arranging a sunshine break on Friday when he took a call from the Football Association telling him that England captain Rio Ferdinand would miss the tournament with a knee injury sustained in training.

Just four days after being dumped by Fabio Capello when the England coach named his 23-man squad for the finals, Dawson was back in the fold as the FA offical told him a car was on the way to pick

him up and take him to the airport for a flight to South Africa.

“It’s a crazy game and things can change in a split second,” Dawson told Tottenham’s website. “One minute I’m trying to arrange my holiday, then I get a call asking if I was on holiday because Rio had pulled out of training.

“I said ‘no’ and then I was just waiting by the phone before getting a call saying I would be picked up in an hour. It’s been a crazy day.”

Dawson, who trained with his England team-mates just hours after arriving in Rustenburg on Saturday, is still waiting for his international debut.

He is likely to be behind Ledley King and Jamie Carragher in the battle to replace Ferdinand as John Terry’s partner, but he is determined to make his mark at the World Cup. “I’ve not had time to think about it but I’ve had call after call with people wishing me good luck,” he said. “I know all the lads through having been with them for two weeks so I’ll just be going out there and training as normal.

“I was planning to watch the first game of the tournament with my friends and family, but now I’m going to be there for real.

“I’ll be going out there still having not yet won a senior cap, so what better place

to get one if that was to happen? But I’ll just go there and train like I do every day at Spurs and we’ll have to see what happens.”

Meanwhile, England midfielder Frank Lampard admitted he feared the worst as soon as he saw Ferdinand crumple to the turf after his injury.

“He’s very down,” Lampard said of Ferdinand. “It’s a huge competition, the biggest competition. It made me feel a bit sick in the stomach so I can’t imagine how he feels. “I was fearful for him because you could see the pain of the fall but also there was an element of fear.

“We all understand that. We’ve all had moments during our club careers as well

where there’s big games coming up and you feel you might have done something to put you out of that game.

“I understood straight away that it was potentially a bad one and then it was fingers crossed for the scan and obviously it turned out to be bad.”

Lampard, who becomes vice-captain as Steven Gerrard takes over the captain’s role, admits the whole England camp are disappointed to lose such an important player.

“We have to keep batting on, we have to be very focused. There’s nothing wrong with being disappointed. That’s normal.

But when we trained on Saturday we

trained at full pelt,” said the Chelsea star.

“Dawson’s turned up now and he’s a lad who fully deserves to get that kind of callup for the player he is and the season he’s had. So we have to just focus.

“Yes, we’ve lost a big player and big leader in our team but we’ve got to get together.

“I think he (Gerrard) will do the job he does at Liverpool. Which he has done fantastically for years. It’ll mean everything to him, the England captaincy.

“Steven’s got that very quiet way about him off the pitch and everyone respects him for that. He’s a player to look up to and that’s what a captain’s all about.”— AFP

Robben limps off in Netherlands’ 6-1 win JOHANNESBURG: US’s Ricardo Clark (left) and team mate Jay DeMerit hold back Australia’s Josh Kennedy during the friendly soccer match. — AP

Buddle’s double lead US to victory over Australia ROODEPOORT: Edson Buddle scored his first two international goals and Herculez Gomez added a third yesterday to lead the United States over Australia 3-1 in a World Cup warmup match.

Playing just his third game for the national team, Buddle scored in the fourth and 31st minutes. That offset a 19th-minute equalizer by Tim Cahill, who beat Everton teammate Tim Howard for his 20th international goal.

Gomez, like Buddle a surprise pick for the World Cup squad, entered in the 82nd minute and scored from 8 meters (yards) in injury time from a pass by Landon Donovan. It was the second international goal for Gomez, who also scored against the Czech Republic last week. Marcus Hahnemann took over in goal for the Americans in the second half. He made a point-blank stop from Mark Bresciano in the 59th minute, and defender Steve Cherundolo stopped Scott Chipperfield’s shot on the goal line in the 63rd. The defense for the Americans was shaky against Australia, a cause for concern going into the June 12 World Cup match against England. Oguchi Onyewu, playing his third match since a knee surgery in October, didn’t enter until the 61st minute, with Clarence Goodson starting in central defense with Jay DeMerit.

Jozy Altidore, who sprained his right ankle in training Wednesday, didn’t play for the Americans, who paired Buddle at forward with Robbie Findley. With the injured David Beckham looking on, the United States beat Australia for the first time in three meetings: A loss in 1992 and a draw six years later. Australia, too, is getting ready for the World Cup, opening against Germany on June 13. United States midfielder Clint Dempsey exchanged hugs before the game with Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, his Fulham teammate.

Howard shook hands with Cahill. It was that type of

friendly, a wide-open, entertaining match with few hard tackles.

Buddle, named by his father after Pele, scored his first goal after he took the ball from Vince Grella in the Australian end. Buddle moved one step inside the penalty area and sent a 16-meter (yard) shot over the left shoulder of Schwarzer.

Before last week’s game against the Czech Republic, Buddle’s only national team appearance was 11 minutes as a substitute seven years ago. Cahill leveled in the 19th minute from a corner kick by Luke Wilkshire.

Carlos Bocanegra and DeMerit let Cahill escape unmarked, and he extended a foot to score from 6 meters (yards).

But Buddle put the United States back in front in the 31st with a close-range header after Cherundolo ran down the right side, beat his man and crossed. — AP

Ghana defeat Latvia MILTON KEYNES: Substitute Quincy Owusu-Abeyie scored a late goal yesterday to help Ghana beat Latvia 1-0 in its final warmup match before the World Cup in South Africa. Owusu-Abeyie beat Latvia goalkeeper Andris Vanins with a shot in the 89th minute.

Until then, Ghana had failed to capitalize on its many chances, including in the first half when Asamoah Gyan hit the underside of the bar. Ghana, which reached the final of the African Nations Cup this year, lost to the Netherlands 4-1 Tuesday. The Black Stars open Group D play against Serbia on June 13, and then face Australia and Germany. — AP

S Africa edge Denmark 1-0 ATTERIDGEVILLE: Katlego Mphela scored on 76 minutes as World Cup hosts South Africa edged fellow qualifiers Denmark 10 in a warm-up yesterday and stretched an unbeaten run to 12 games.

Nicknamed ‘Killer’ and linked to Birmingham City, the matchwinner pounced on a defence-splitting pass to fire the ball under the body of Stefan Andersen and settle a lively if overly cautious contest.

South Africa kick off the fouryearly tournament next Friday against Mexico at Soccer City in Johannesburg while Denmark face Netherlands — 6-1 winners over Hungary also on Saturday-three days later at the same stadium.

“This was a good result as we played with heart, skill and technique against experienced opponents 47 places above us on the FIFA rankings,” said South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.

“We enter the World Cup with hope and confidence. I give credit to my boys who were sold a vision that could lead to glory three months ago and responded magnificently.”

Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar, who reached a half-century of caps for Bafana Bafana (The Boys), admitted: “It was not one of my best games as Christian Poulsen marked me very tight.”

Scoring chances were scarce in a goalless first half with neither team able to stamp their authority in warm, clear autumn weather at a stadium renamed after former local star Lucas Moripe.

Parreira, a World Cup-winning

PRETORIA: Denmark’s Martin Jorgensen (right) is challenged by South Africa’s Teko Modise (left) during their friendly soccer match at the Atteridgeville stadium. — AP coach with his native Brazil 16 years ago, kept the 4-2-3-1 formation that has helped his team remain unbeaten since he took control a second time last November.

Injuries ruled several Danes out of the third game between the countries, including Stoke City goal-

keeper Thomas Soerensen and Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner.

Lone striker Mphela netted after 10 minutes but was clearly offside and when Denmark threatened well into the half, fit-again goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune came to the rescue. — AFP

AMSTERDAM: Netherlands winger Arjen Robben limped off the field with a left hamstring injury yesterday in the team’s 6-1 rout of Hungary in a friendly, casting his World Cup participation into doubt and delaying his departure for South Africa.

Robben, who came on as a second-half substitute, scored two goals before leaving the game in the 85th minute. Robin van Persie, Wesley Sneijder, Mark van Bommel and Eljero Elia added the others.

The extent of Robben’s injury was not clear, but coach Bert Van Marwijk said he feared the worst.

“He felt a sharp pain, that can’t be good,” Van Marwijk said.

“Treatment for these injuries has improved hugely, so I’m not giving up hope yet.”

The injury-prone Bayern Munich winger fell awkwardly after cutting inside from the right and trying to deliver a deft pass to the right with his left foot. “I thought to myself, ‘This can’t be true,”‘ Van Marwijk said.

“He made an unnatural movement and injured his hamstring.”

Van Marwijk said Robben would not fly with the Netherlands team to South Africa yesterday night and would undergo scans today.

“You sometimes see that people with injuries like this are fit again in a few weeks,” the coach said. “I’m hoping for that.” Van Persie said he hoped that Robben would be ready to play at the World Cup. “I hope he’s OK, because he’s a very important player for us,” Van Persie said. “Everyone is down now.” Balazs Dzudzsak had given Hungary the lead with a goal that exposed Dutch defensive frailties, but the Dutch midfield controlled the game after that.

After Dzudzsak had been given too much room by Giovanni van Bronckhorst to open the scoring in the sixth minute, Van Persie equalized in the 22nd with a low, left-foot shot after Dirk Kuyt had dispossessed Szabolcs Huszti and cut the ball back.

Robben came on after the break and retrieved a ball on the right and passed to Van Persie.

He laid the ball back to Sneijder in the 50th, but his shot was saved by goalkeeper Marton Fulop. A minute later, Fulop had to save again when Robben cut in from the right and shot.

Despite Robben’s threat on the right, the Dutch went ahead with a goal from the left. Van Bronckhorst crossed for Sneijder to tap in from close range. Van Bronckhorst was the provider again in the 64th when his diagonal pass from the left was tapped in at the far post by Robben.

Robben scored his second with another curling left foot shot in the 78th.

Elia scored the best Dutch goal of the match just a minute after coming on in the 73rd as a substitute. The left winger beat three defenders and sent a shot through the legs of a fourth to make it 5-1 before Robben scored his second and then got injured.

“He made a strange movement that I don’t think was necessary,” Hungary coach Erwin Koeman said. Robben was not the only Dutch injury worry.

Center back John Heitinga was substituted after about an hour and his ankle was immediately wrapped in ice. The match was the Netherlands final warmup before leaving for South Africa.

They earlier beat Mexico 2-1 and Ghana 4-1 to extend their unbeaten run to a national record 18 matches.

Hungary did not qualify for the World Cup, but will meet the Netherlands in the qualifying tournament for the 2012 European Championship. — AP

AMSTERDAM: Hungary’s Tamas Priskin (center) leaps over Nigel de Jong (left) and Giovanni van Bronckhorst (right) of the Netherlands to head the ball during the friendly soccer match. — AP

Obi Mikel joins sidelined African big guns PRETORIA: Nigeria’s leading player John Obi Mikel was ruled out of the World Cup in South Africa yesterday, joining a lengthening bigname casualty list with a severely bruised ankle. He picked it up on his first day back in full training following a separate knee injury, a week before the month-long tournament kicks off on Friday.

The 23-year-old joins Ghana’s Michael

Essien (knee injury) and very probably the Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba (broken bone near elbow) on the sidelines, leaving the finals likely to miss three of its biggest African names.

Obi Mikel learned yesterday that he would miss this month’s showpiece (June 11-July 11) after a scan showed he would not recover in time. Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) spokesman Idah Peterside said Nigeria’s key

midfielder had pulled up after some 50 minutes of training in Richards Bay on Friday with severe pain.

“He had been complaining about a niggle in the ankle when we first arrived in South Africa but after training yesterday it really flared up. His knee was doing fine and you can understand he is devastated about this new problem. —Reuters

SPORTS

16

Antic has seen it all

Radomir Antic BELGRADE: Although a relative novice at international management, Serbia coach Radomir Antic has pretty much seen it all in a colorful 22 years of mixed fortunes on soccer’s touchline.

He has tasted the highs and lows in Spain’s La Liga and is the only coach who has been in charge of three of the country’s giant clubs in Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

The former Partizan Belgrade defender, who also had spells with Fenerbahce, Real Zaragoza and Luton Town as a player, got his first job as a manager in Zaragoza in 1988 and qualified for the former UEFA Cup after finishing fifth in his second season with the club. He was rewarded with a move to Real Madrid in 1991 and having steered them to third place from mid-table in the league, he got off to the brightest possible start the fol-

lowing season.

But he was sacked in 1992 with Real seven points clear at the top of the league to make way for Dutchman Leo Beenhakker, who lost the title to Barcelona on the last day of the season.

Antic exceeded expectations with a modest squad to choose from during the subsequent three-year stint at Oviedo, followed by the highlight of his career as manager when he won the Spanish League and cup double with Atletico Madrid in 1996.

That success was followed by two far more difficult stints at Atletico in 1999 and 2000, the latter ending in complete acrimony for Antic after the club were relegated with one match remaining and he was sacked

before the final game of the season.

Antic had an equally difficult time in his second spell at Oviedo, with the club relegated from the top flight in 2001 before he rescued one of Barcelona’s most embarrassing seasons in 2003, guiding them to a UEFA Cup spot after taking over when the Catalans were languishing in 15th place in the league.

Having enhanced his reputation as a crisis management coach with his success at Barcelona, Antic took over Celta Vigo in 2004 but failed to save them from relegation and resigned after winning only seven points in nine games with the club.

Antic was in the wilderness for four years after the Celta fiasco before he took over Serbia in August 2008, after the team’s failure to qualify for the Euro 2008 finals under Spaniard Javier Clemente was followed by a brief unsuccessful spell under Miroslav Djukic.

Antic’s iron-fisted approach quickly paid dividends as he restored flagging discipline in the squad and steered Serbia to their first major tournament as an independent nation, having finished ahead of 2006 finalists France in Europe’s qualifying Group Seven. The 61-year-old Antic, who enjoys holidaying at Mount Zlatibor near his

hometown Uzice in central Serbia, won the players’ respect and unanimous praise from the media for his ability to turn Serbia’s fortunes.—Reuters

Vidic has score to settle

Factbox Colors: Red shirts, blue shorts and white socks Nickname: Orlovi (Eagles) Previous World Cup Appearances: 9 as part of former Yugoslavia (1930, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1974, 1982, 1990, 1998).

Best World Cup performance: (Semi-finals 1930 and fourth place 1962 as part of former Yugoslavia).

Coach: Radomir Antic Most capped player: Savo Milosevic 102 Top scorer: Savo Milosevic 37 Talking points: Long-term injuries to defender Ivica Dragutinovic and midfielder Bosko Jankovic have forced changes in the squad as both would have been certain candidates for the finals. Forward Danko Lazovic’s participation is also hanging in the balance after he sustained a thigh injury.

Serbia may take four goalkeepers to South Africa with Andjelko Djuricic coming into the frame after a good season with his Portuguese club Nacional. In their first appearance as an independent nation, Serbia aim to impress after disappointing in a group stage exit as Serbia and Montenegro in the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Players to watch: Antic has tipped towering striker Nikola Zigic to be one of the tournament’s outstanding players while 2009 Serbian player of the year Milos Krasic and top scorer in qualifying Milan Jovanovic should add bite to Serbia’s attack. Nemanja Vidic is expected to marshal the back four and captain Dejan Stankovic is playing in what could be his last major tournament.—Reuters

BELGRADE: Defender Nemanja Vidic, the backbone of Serbia’s World Cup challenge, has a score to settle in South Africa after suspension and injury meant he saw no action in the side’s impotent foray of 2006.

Widely regarded as one of the best centre-backs in the game, Manchester United’s Vidic saw no action in Germany four years ago due to suspension and injury but this time around he is key to their chances of progress from a tough group.

Although he deputises as captain, with the armband currently held by Serbia’s most capped player Dejan Stankovic, the 28-year-old Vidic is the team’s most influential player with his commanding presence and the ability to unsettle any opposition.

A long list of individual honours includes the Serbian Player of the Year Award in 2005 and 2008 and the Premier League player of the season in 2008-09.

His aerial power at both ends of the pitch and tough tackling has proved vital for both club and country over the years.

The physical, old-fashioned defender also reads the game well and has an excellent positioning instinct, which has made him one of the most dreaded rivals for any striker.

Vidic made his debut at 18 with Red Star Belgrade, a club which has remained close to his heart after he moved to Spartak Moscow in 2004 and then to Manchester United in 2006, where he has won three successive Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League.

Asked by Serbian media shortly after winning the Champions League whether the success had fulfilled his childhood dream, Vidic said: “I fulfilled my dream when I scored for Red Star as the team’s cap-

tain against Partizan in the Belgrade derby, everything else is business.”

After winning the domestic league and cup double with Red Star in 2004, Vidic had two impressive seasons at Nemanja Spartak Moscow before his January 2006 move to Manchester United, where he quickly became a regular starter under Alex Ferguson.

His partnership with Rio Ferdinand in the centre of United’s defence has proved vital for the club’s impressive run from 2007-2009, while he has been equally influential for his country since he broke into the former Yugoslavia’s first team in 2002.

Vidic was in the Serbia & Montenegro 2006 World Cup squad but played no part in the former country’s fiasco in the tournament, missing all three group stage defeats through suspension followed by a knee injury.

Having been suspended for the opening 1-0 defeat to Netherlands, Vidic picked up a knee injury in training before a 6-0 drubbing by Argentina and also sat out the 3-2 defeat by Ivory Coast in the final game.—Reuters

World Cup terror concerns but need perspective PARIS: If he wasn’t hiding in a cave or wherever, Osama bin Laden might enjoy watching the World Cup. It’s been written that before he became public enemy No.1., bin L aden attended Arsenal matches in the mid-1990s and was impressed by the passion of the London club’s fans.

One of his former bodyguards also says in a book newly published in France that the Al-Qaeda leader sometimes played football himself, as a striker.

But it is also true that bin Laden or his followers and allies would probably want to blow up the World Cup if given half the chance, because they know that an attack on such a mega-event would be felt, heard and strike terror around the globe.

Which is why the risk of a terrorist atrocity in South Africa must be taken seriously. Just not too seriously.

History suggests that the chances are quite low that any plot would be successful. It is a reasonable bet that World Cup fans are more likely to die in traffic accidents on South Africa’s chaotic roads than at the hands of Islamic extremists.

Black September gunmen did massacre Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich

Olympics and anti-abortion extremist Eric Rudolph is staring at life behind bars for bombs he detonated at the 1996 Atlanta Games and other sites.

Gunmen also ambushed Togo’s football team at the African Cup of Nations in Angola this January, killing three people, and six policemen and a driver were killed in an attack on Sri Lanka’s cricket team in March 2009 in Pakistan.

Which all goes to show that sports events and sports people, attention-magnets that they are, make attractive targets.

But it is also true that the vast majority of sports events, week-in, week-out around the world, take place without a hitch. Musing about attacking the England-USA game on June 12 or other matches, as armchair extremists have done on militant web sites recently, and actually striking successfully are entirely different things — as plotters found out at the previous three World Cups.

Mass arrests thwarted Algeria-linked militants at France ‘98; al-Qaida reportedly proved unable to execute plans to attack in Japan in 2002 because it had no network in the World Cup host country; and German police said heavy security at

stadiums in 2006 scared away two Lebanese militants who instead planted their suitcase bombs on trains, where they failed to detonate.

The US State Department did advise on May 25 of “a heightened risk that extremist groups will conduct terrorist acts within South Africa in the near future.” But that warning is standard issue: The department said word-forword the exact same thing about China ahead of the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

This time, however, it also added that “while a number of terrorist threats against the World Cup in South Africa have appeared in the media in recent weeks and months, the US Government has no information on any specific, credible threat” — clearly giving the impression that media chatter about possible attacks may have been overblown.

“Nothing on the forums that we’ve seen would indicate that there is a good chance of an attack,” says Adam Raisman, an analyst at the US-based SITE Intelligence Group that monitors militant web sites and communications.

“There’s not been a concrete threat.”

Analysts worry that militants could slip through checkpoints using fraudulently

obtained South African passports, could get weapons and explosives from the criminal underworld, find safe haven in immigrant communities and target people away from well-protected World Cup sites.

But it would be condescending in the extreme to assume that South African security forces are blind to the risks.

Planes will patrol the skies, boats the seas and officers the streets and stadiums. Besides, at this stage, World Cup visitors and South African fans have little real alternative than to simply hope for the best or stay home.

“A lot of planning has been done, a lot of training went into it,” says terrorism expert Anneli Botha at the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria. “It’s like taking an exam: you’ve done your best in preparing. What the question is going to be, you don’t know.”

What is annoying is that terrorists have the World Cup on its toes without even firing a bullet or detonating a bomb.

They don’t actually need to attack to sow fear. All the more reason to keep the risks in perspective and try not to be scared — which one assumes is what terrorists fear the most. —AP

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Serbia can dispel fiasco of 2006 BELGRADE: Serbia’s chances of progressing to the last 16 in South Africa are likely to hinge on a fast start and a renewed belief in their strength in depth that has left them sadly lacking in previous major tournaments.

Local media gave Serbia only a slim chance of reaching the 2010 World Cup after their failure to qualify for Euro 2008 under Spaniard Javier Clemente was followed by a five-match winless streak under Miroslav Djukic.

He was sacked to make way for Radomir Antic and there was little in the early stages of his reign to suggest the former Real Madrid and Barcelona coach had the magic ingredients to restore Serbia’s fortunes.

An unimpressive 2-0 win over Faroe Islands in the opening match was followed by a 2-1 defeat in France, but six wins and a draw followed to secure Serbia’s passage with one match to spare.

Serbia qualified for their first major tournament as an independent nation under Antic but whether they can live up to growing expectations at home in the finals will largely depend on their ability to cope with a tough tournament schedule.

Qualifiers in Europe are played over a period of 14 months and the format allows all entrants enough time to prepare for each battle on the road to the finals, which is often essential to second-tier teams such as Serbia. The gruelling, 32-team tournament in South Africa leaves no room for error, with three group games crammed into 10 days followed by three knockout rounds leading up to the final.

Depth in the squad becomes essential when injuries and suspensions mount and although Serbia now appear to have their strongest outfit in the past few years, they will be wary of the 2006 World Cup fiasco when they crashed out with three group-stage defeats as Serbia and Montenegro.

Their chances of reaching the last 16 from Group D including 2006 semi-finalists Germany, Australia and Ghana may rest heavily on the outcome of their opening match against the Ghanaians in Pretoria on June 13.

Vidic A winning start would boost their confidence ahead of the match with Germany in Port Elizabeth on June 18. The Serbians have never beaten a top team either as an independent nation or as Serbia and Montenegro, the 6-0 drubbing by Argentina in the 2006 World Cup being their lowest ebb in a major tournament.

However, the strength of the current crop, including a wealth of experience epitomised by big names such as Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic and Inter Milan midfielder Dejan Stankovic, coupled with several talented players in their prime, suggests they could be one of the dark horses of the tournament.

Meanwhile, ever since coach Radomir Antic resurrected Milos Krasic’s seemingly shortlived international career, the mercurial CSKA Moscow winger has been repaying that faith back in spades for Serbia. Krasic, 25, was overlooked by former coach Ilija Petkovic for the 2006 World Cup in Germany and the lack of unpredictable, gifted players such as the blond winger played a big part in Serbia & Montenegro’s group stage exit.

Only after the fiasco in Germany, where Serbia lost all three group games, and the state union’s break-up into two independent nations did Krasic grab the spotlight.

He was a key player in the success of Serbia’s Under-21 side at the 2007 European Championship, where they reached the final as the tournament’s surprise package before losing 4-1 to hosts Netherlands.

His talent also came to the fore during several good performances during the first team’s unsuccessful Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, followed by another brief spell of international wilderness. Spaniard Javier Clemente stepped down after failing to take Serbia to Euro 2008 and made way for Miroslav Djukic, who left Krasic out of all five winless friendlies during his eightmonth spell in charge.

“I don’t see how Krasic Milos Krasic could improve Serbia’s attacking prowess and I see no place for him in a four-man midfield,” Djukic said when asked by Serbian media why he had overlooked the player. Djukic’s successor Antic thought otherwise and Krasic repaid his faith handsomely. He was one of Serbia’s most outstanding players in their 2010 World Cup qualifiers and the only one who played all 10 matches on the road to the finals in South Africa.

Apart from scoring two goals and setting up many more in Serbia’s impressive run, his pace and repertoire of tricks was a constant threat to all rivals, as he provided much-needed firepower down either flank.

Krasic’s performances earned him the 2009 Serbian Player of the Year award and also drew the attention of several European giants, including Liverpool, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Bayern Munich.

Should he have a good World Cup, Krasic is likely to move to one of the top European leagues after winning two Russian league titles, four national Cups and the 2005 UEFA Cup with CSKA. As much as Serbia may rely on Nemanja Vidic’s steel at the back and Milan Jovanovic’s clinical finishing, Krasic’s ability to take on defenders and to create space for himself and his team mates is a vital ingredient if they are to advance into the World Cup last 16—Reuters

17

SPORTS

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Credit card fraudsters take aim at World Cup “My bank called on my cell phone to ask where I was, because my account had been debited four times on the same day,” the 59-year-old Frenchman said.

“I immediately opposed the charges, but if my bank adviser hadn’t been so attentive, that party would have continued until the end of my stay.”

About 300,000 foreign visitors are expected at the World Cup, bringing a

boost in spending that has “the potential of presenting criminals with more opportunities to commit fraud”, said the South African Banking Risk Information Centre.

Jean-Pierre was caught in a clever scheme that let criminals copy his card’s magnetic strip and his PIN code, but sometimes a card’s details can simply be copied while customers make payments at a restaurant or a car hire.

Injury woes for Ghana ACCRA: Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac has described as a “disaster” the injury crisis that threatens to hamper his team’s prospects at the World Cup finals.

Rajevac came through a similar dilemma with flying colors at the African Nations Cup in January but is less confident of pulling off the same feat again against much more formidable opposition at the World Cup. Injuries could deprive Ghana of their three acknowledged leaders, including the inspirational Michael Essien who has been battling with knee and ankle complaints over the last nine months.

Also in jeopardy are captain Stephen Appiah, who has played a limited number of games over the last two years because of a serious knee complaint, and John Mensah, the towering defender known as ‘the Rock’, whose long-standing back problems have led to a seemingly endless run of niggling muscle complaints.

“It’s a dire situation because the three have been our captains,” said the Serbianborn coach in an interview with the German sports magazine Kicker last week. “I want to put together a powerful mix of young and experienced players.” The trio were among eight regulars out of action at the Nations Cup in Angola.

Ghana unexpectedly overcame that adversity to finish runners-up, with Rajevac successfully drawing from the pool of talented under-20 players who had been crowned world champions three months earlier.

The youngsters who filled the problem positions were quick to prove their competitiveness and by the end of the Nations Cup Rajevac was beaming and talking about having a pleasant selection headache for the World Cup. The injury crisis has not abated, however, and things look much more difficult this time, with Ghana in Group D alongside Germany, Australia and Serbia. “The group is hard but the World Cup is not a request programme,” said Rajevac.

Ghana’s Michael Essien has spoken movingly of the “very emotional” and agonising moments after he learned his World Cup was over, scuppered by a long-standing knee injury.

Writing on the Chelsea website (www.chelseafc.com), Essien described his attempt at working his way back from the injury and the realisation he would not be fit in time to compete for Ghana at a second successive World Cup. “Since my injury in January I had been working hard to come back for Chelsea and Ghana but it wasn’t to be. “I did everything I could but eventually I succumbed to the injury and had to accept the fact that the body takes its own time to heal and you cannot rush things,” Essien wrote after extending his deal at the English champions to 2015 on Friday.

“I had my last assessment over a week

ago with the Chelsea and Ghana doctors present. It took place at the hotel where all the Ghanaian players were staying and coming out of that meeting was very emotional for me.

“I spoke to Stephen Appiah, the captain, and all the other guys about my inability to join them and you could tell how disappointed they were.

“I have to admit no one was more disappointed than me but that’s life and I have to move on,” the 27-yearold added.

Essien suffered the injury in training with Ghana during January’s African Nations Cup finals.

He had played just 45 minutes at the tournament in Angola after recovering from a hamstring injury.

Essien’s last game for Chelsea was in early December in the Champions League.

“What a season it has been. It’s had ups and downs for me but as I have always said, I must not grumble,” he wrote.

—Reuters

Unsolicited offers that seem too good to be true often are. FIFA has warned against emails and text messages promising match tickets or lottery winnings in exchange for a user’s bank details.

“In South Africa, I would say it is a relatively high-risk country in the ability to use skimming devices,” said Jackie Barwell, financial crime manager at Actimize, an international fraud pre-

vention firm.

Magnetic strips are widely used in Africa’s biggest economy, though banks are replacing those cards with more secure models to prevent credit card fraud.

Credit card scams totalled nine million rands (1.1 million dollars, 962,000 euros) in the year to March 2010, about half the level of the previous year, according to South African bank FNB.

“The newer chip and PIN cards function with a PIN and not a signature, which makes all transactions significantly more secure,” said Henk Vermeulen, FNB’s credit card fraud specialist.

During the World Cup, banks will watch transactions more closely for any suspicious purchases. Customers are urged to inform their banks if they plan to travel to South Africa.

And normal precautions apply: Contact the bank if a card is lost or stolen; confirm purchases on the account; keep the PIN code secret; and avoid flashing the card when making payments.

Actimize warns such measures need to continue well after the World Cup, saying Asian banks are still catching scams linked to the Beijing Olympics two years ago. —AFP

Serbian influence continues ACCRA: Milovan Rajevac has made a rapid ascent from the obscurity of the Serbian provinces to lining up among the 32 coaches at the World Cup. His success in leading two unfashionable clubs into the UEFA Cup earned him a glowing reputation in his home country and a recommendation to Ghana when they sought a new coach two years ago.

The 56-year-old also benefited from the success of the last man to take Ghana to the World Cup, compatriot R a t o m i r D u j ko v i c .

Ghana football leaders sought another Serbian for the 2010 qualif ying campaign, hoping to emulate the success they had in reaching the 2006 tournament in Germany.

“I have to

thank Dujkovic because the Ghanaians were specifically looking for a Serbian coach,” said Rajevac in a recent interview.

A s a p l a y e r, R a j e v a c re a c h e d t h e UEFA Cup final with Red Star Belgrade in 1979. He started as a coach at his home club FC Borak in 1989, and went on to spells in Sweden, Germany and China.

In 2004 he was assistant to World Cup veteran Bora Milutinovic at Al Saad in Qatar before taking over at Novi Sad club Vojvodina.

He led both Borak and Vojvodina into the UEFA Cup competition and when the latter finished an unexpected third in the Serbia Super League in 2007, Rajevac’s contemporaries and the sporting press in the country named him best coach.

There was much scepticism in Ghana when he took over in late 2008 as he was far less known than his predecessor.

Rajevac, who described the job as “an adventure”, got off to a winning start, leading Ghana through a surprisingly one-sided qualifying campaign for the

Milovan Rajevac 2010 World Cup preliminaries.

Ghana were the first of the African sides to come through the qualifiers and Rajevac’s reward is to face his Serbian h o m e l a n d i n G ro u p D , a l o n g w i t h Germany and Australia.

His reputation was greatly enhanced when Ghana, with a side weakened by injury to several key players, finished runners-up to Egypt at January’s African Nations Cup finals in Angola. —Reuters

Ghana’s ‘Rock of Gibraltar’

Stephen Appiah of Ghana in action during the international friendly soccer match Japan versus Ghana at Galgewaard stadium in Utrecht, central Netherlands, Wednesday Sept. 9, 2009.

—AP

ACCRA: John Mensah’s towering presence and impenetrable defending have led to the Ghana centre back being nicknamed “Rock of Gibraltar”.

Although there would seem to be little in common between the British-r uled ter ritor y on the Spanish coast and the west African country, it is a label that has stuck on the 27-year-old since he made his international debut in 2002.

Despite the image of a sturdy defensive bastion, Mensah has battled with a brittle back over the last two seasons and found his playing time limited by a list of different muscle injuries that stem from the problem.

It was the reason that he missed the recent African Nations Cup finals in Angola and a significant number of games for Sunderland, who have him on loan from French club Olympique Lyon and have spoken of their desire to soon sign him to a permanent deal.

Mensah comes from a talented group of Ghanaian players who used the opportunity of the stage provided by the 2001 World Youth Championship in Argentina to earn contracts with clubs in Europe.

He went to Italy with Bologna but, unlike contemporaries Sulley Muntari and Stephen Appiah, it took him several years to convince the Italians of his real potential.

He spent five years playing mainly in Serie B on loan deals before his career suddenly took off with a move to France at the start of 2006.

At Stade Rennes, he quickly caught the eye at a club with a well-deserved reputation for finding promising talent, polishing it up and selling it on.

A season-and-a-half with Rennes led to Mensah being linked with possible moves to Galatasaray, Fenerbahce and Borussia Dortmund.

Instead, on the advice of his compatriot Michael Essien, Mensah moved to Lyon in July 2008 in a deal worth some 8.4 million euro.

Earlier the same year he had led Ghana on home soil when they hosted the Nations Cup finals, standing in as captain for the injured Appiah.

“When Appiah was injured it was evident to even Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari that John was the natural leader,” Ghana’s coach at the time Claude LeRoy said. “He didn’t talk much but when he did it was effective and coherent. He had a magnetic effect on the players.”

However, Mensah got a red card in the quarterfinal against Nigeria, picking up a one-match ban in the process, and his absence played a major role in the hosts’ semi-final loss to Cameroon. —Reuters

John Mensah

JOHANNESBURG: Jean-Pierre arrived on his South African holiday, withdrew some money from a cash machine, and hours later received a call from his bank to say that 300 euros had suddenly been charged to him.

It’s a scenario that banking officials worry could repeat itself throughout the four-week World Cup, which like any major global event, is an irresistible target for fraudsters.

Factbox Colors: White shirts, shorts and socks with yellow, red and black trim.

Nickname: Black Stars Previous World Cup appearances: 1: 2006 Best World Cup performance: Reached the second round in 2006 Coach: Milovan Rajevac Most capped player: Richard Kingson 77 Top goalscorer: Abedi Pele 33 Talking points: Ghana’s coach was bemoaning an injury crisis as he prepared for the World Cup finals but with a makeshift side he came remarkably close to winning January’s African Nations Cup finals in Angola.

Rajevac was waiting anxiously on the condition of key players, notably Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien who hurt his knee the last time he was on international duty, during a training session with team mates at the African Nations Cup in January.

Players to watch: Sulley Muntari has pace and a sharp shot and new playmaker Kwadwo Asamoah is a huge talent. Samuel Inkoom will be a force down the right side as he overlaps and Isaac Vorsah is a colossus in defence. —Reuters

SPORTS

18

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Factbox

Germany must dig deep for fourth title

Colors: White shirts, black shorts and white socks.

Nickname: Nationalmannschaft Previous World Cup appearances: 1934, 1938, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 Best World Cup performance: Winners - 1954, 1974, 1990

Schweinsteiger ready to rise to the occasion BERLIN: A banner reading “Mission: winning the title” on their internet homepage could not make Germany’s intentions clearertheir goal in South Africa is to win their fourth World Cup, nothing less. Unlike in previous tournaments, however, Germany cannot really be included among the title favorites, despite their comfortable qualification.

With their strikers Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski in a long-term slump and captain Michael Ballack out injured, Germany must dig deeper into the squad to find the talent which can take them through to the knock-out stages.

Coach Joachim Loew is still undecided on who will start in goal with Rene Adler absent through injury. Adler, Tim Wiese and Manuel Neuer had been locked in a tightly contested race since the suicide of Robert Enke last year, with Adler apparently aheaduntil his rib injury.

A shaky defence, with central defenders Per Mertesacker, Arne Friedrich and Heiko Westermann still some way from top form, will have its work cut out against the quick Ghanaians, the physical presence of Australia and the skilled Serbians in Group D. Mesut Ozil, Marko Marin, Toni Kroos and Thomas Mueller will inject skill and creativity that may have been missing in the midfield in the past, but their lack of international experience is striking.

On a good day they can tear any defence to shreds but there have not been many good days as Loew’s team struggled in their 2-2 draw against Ivory Coast and were outplayed by Argentina in the 1-0 defeat earlier this year.

Striker Stefan Kiessling could provide a solution up front and much-needed power in the air with Klose and Podolski both out of form.

Loew had yet to decide whether to call up another player to help him cover the absence of influential midfielder Ballack who injured his ankle playing for Chelsea in last weekend’s FA Cup final win against Portsmouth.

Judging from past World Cups it would be a mistake to rule Germany out, and they should qualify from the group stage, but Germany have a mountain to climb in search of their first World Cup win since 1990.

Lukas Podolski could be forgiven for wanting to forget this season. The Germany striker, who likes nothing more than shining on the big stage, has had a disastrous first season back in Cologne after his transfer from Bayern Munich, scoring just two goals as his club narrowly avoided relegation.

It was supposed to be so different. Podolski returned to his adoring Cologne fans last summer from a hapless three-year spell at Bayern in the hope of becoming the team’s leader.

But the contribution of the 24-year-old, lost in Cologne’s midfield wilderness, hardly went beyond a minor supporting role. His three seasons at Bayern had left the 24-year-old frustrated and he was often left to brood on the substitutes’ bench.

This frustration spilled over to the national team when he slapped captain Michael Ballack during a World Cup qualifier last year against Wales following a verbal spat on the pitch.

However, the lightning-quick Podolski, who possesses one of the most lethal left feet in the sport, has not stopped scoring for Germany and coach Joachim Loew continues to stick with him.

His prolific scoring rate of 37 goals in 70 appearances should serve as a warning for Germany’s group opponents Ghana, Australia and Serbia. Since winning his first cap in 2004, Podolski has become an irreplaceable feature in the team.

He was voted best young player at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and played a goalscoring part in their run to the final at Euro 2008, where they lost to Spain. — Reuters

BERLIN: Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger’s World Cup task has just got a lot harder. The 25-year-old Bayern Munich player is expected to carry a bigger burden after captain Michael Ballack, who pulled the strings in Germany’s midfield, was forced to withdraw from the tournament following an ankle injury.

Schweinsteiger, who has won 73 caps and scored 19 goals since his first appearance in 2004, was long considered a major talent.

But he was also seen to be lacking that consistency and determination found among players wanting to lead. That was the reason Bayern fans jeered and whistled when they saw him at the annual general meeting early in the season.

“I heard the whistles there and now we are on the brink of making

history,” said Schweinsteiger as he prepared for the Champions League final and the first potential treble of a German team.

The Bavarian has just completed a dream season for his club, helping them to a domestic league and Cup double and qualif ying for the Champions League final against Inter Milan.

More importantly, he has matured as a strategist, exuding calmness and confidence in his every move while his passing game and vision have improved considerably.

With a record number of ball contacts in the Bundesliga this season and armed with a more versatile game, ‘Schweini’, as he is affectionately known, has finally come of age at just the right time.

The blond-haired, soft-spoken

GERMANY: Germany's Philipp Lahm plays the ball during the friendly soccer match between Germany and South Africa in Leverkusen, Germany.—AP

World Cup assault after recent setbacks.

Joachim Loew’s squad will fly from Frankfurt airport in the world’s largest passenger plane, a Lufthansa Airbus A380, as the Germans look to add the 2010 World Cup title to their previous successes in 1954, 1974 and 1990.

Loew is taking the youngest German squad to a World Cup for 76 years, with an average age of just under 25, and after a deluge of injury withdrawals, including losing captain Michael Ballack, expectations are low.

But boosted by the experience of Bastian Schweinsteiger, striker Miroslav Klose and defenders Arne Friedrich and Per Mertesacker, new skipper Lahm believes the next crop of Germany stars are capable of stepping up.

“Our generation is now ready,” said Lahm, who has been handed the captain’s armband after Ballack’s ankle injury last month ruled him out.

“I had a good feeling before the 2006 World Cup finals, but I have an even better feeling now.”

The new captain scored the equaliser as an impressive second-half display saw Germany fight back from a goal down to beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 3-1 on Thursday in their final warm-up game before the South African tournament.

Lahm’s deputy Schweinsteiger also netted two penalties as Germany produced a stellar team display in which playmakers Mesut Oezil and Marko Marin looked exceptionally dangerous.

Germany’s departure today will be the maiden flight for the Lufthansa Airbus and Loew said his side also need to make

Coach: Joachim Loew Most capped player: Lothar Matthaeus 150

midfielder, preparing for his second World Cup, does not feel any extra pressure now that Ballack is out of the squad.

“It’s a loss for the team, because of (Ballack’s) personality and responsibilities, but I am convinced that we can still play a good World Cup without him,” Schweinsteiger told Reuters.

“Either way I would have had those added responsibilities. I will not put more pressure on myself and will only concentrate on my performances.”

Those performances, against Group D rivals Australia, Serbia and Ghana, could go a long way in determining Germany’s fate at the World Cup. — Reuters

Lahm urges new generation to make grand entrance FRANKFURT: Germany head to South Africa tonight with captain Philipp Lahm urging the new generation to make a grand entrance as they begin their

Losing finalists - 1966, 1982, 1986, 2002

their mark in South Africa.

“The potential is great,” said Loew, whose decision on whether or not he extends his contract beyond the end of the tournament will be largely decided by his side’s performance.

“We have a good team with a tremendous will and there is a good atmosphere in the squad.

Everyone has shown a lot of passion in training, so I am sure we will produce some good performances. I have complete confidence.”

Injuries to Ballack, midfielders Christian Traesch and Simon Rolfes, plus defender Heiko Westermann and goalkeeper Rene Adler, mean Germany’s hopes of winning their first title for 20 years have been dented, but Lahm is positive.

“We certainly won’t have the best player in South Africa, but we will have a very good team,” said Lahm. “People will have to beat us first and everyone knows that will not be easy.

“So that gives me some confidence and our main goal is to reach the semi-final. If we achieve that, of course we will want more.”

Having netted against Bosnia, Lahm has high hopes of German success in South Africa and the self-confessed plane enthusiast is looking forward to travelling in style.

“This is a really exciting affair,” said Lahm of the Airbus’ maiden flight.

“I’ve heard so much about the new aircraft. I feel it is something very special that we can make the maiden flight.”

The Germans’ flight lands in Johannesburg with their first training session scheduled for Monday afternoon and their opening Group D game against Australia to take place on June 13 in Durban. — AFP

Top goalscorer: Gerd Mueller 68 Talking points The late loss of captain and experienced midfielder Michael Ballack with an ankle injury was a blow to Germany.

Coach Joachim Loew’s first World Cup in charge could also be his last, after contract extension talks collapsed earlier this year and were postponed until after the tournament.

Having taken over from Juergen Klinsmann after the 2008 World Cup in Germany, Loew has run the team with a steady hand, steering them to the Euro 2008 final. But he has failed to establish Germany as one of the favourites for the World Cup. The 50-year-old has not relaxed his ban on striker Kevin Kuranyi and also opted to drop veteran midfielder Torsten Frings in favour of a younger and more agile midfield.

Germany's Bastian Schweinsteiger plays during the friendly soccer match between Germany and Ivory Coast in Gelsenkirchen, Germany—AP

Player to watch Striker Lukas Podolski could prove to be a match-winner. With a stunning scoring record for the national team, and af ter a subdued season at Cologne when he scored just two goals, Podolski is desperate to reveal his best form on the big stage. — Reuters

Loew may go out on a high in South Africa BERLIN: Joachim Loew is the opposite of his predecessor and former boss, Juergen Klinsmann. Less flamboyant and less spontaneous than the former striker and World Cup winner, Loew spent most of his playing career in the second division.

As coach he won the German Cup with VfB Stuttgart and an Austrian championship with FC Tirol before joining the Germany set-up in mid-2004 as assistant coach, a surprise choice

by Klinsmann.

After Klinsmann’s departure following the World Cup, Loew took Germany to the Euro 2008 final, where they lost to Spain, and a contract extension appeared a formality when he steered Germany comfortably through World Cup qualification last year.

German soccer federation chief Theo Zwanziger even announced a handshake had sealed a new deal with the coach. Loew then surprised officials only two months later by denying a new contract had been verbally agreed.

Any contract talks have now been postponed until after the World Cup, with the 50year-old now looking more likely to leave the team after being linked to several Bundesliga clubs.

A shrewd tactician, at times obsessed with statistics, Loew keeps his cards close to his chest and appears sometimes not even to let his players know his plans. His spell as Germany coach has not always been smooth.

His public rows with now-injured captain Michael Ballack and Torsten Frings in 2008 after the Euro final kept both players out of the side, and Frings has never managed to work his way back into Loew’s favour.

Loew also banned Schalke 04’s top scorer Kevin Kuranyi for storming out of the team after being left out of a World Cup qualifier in

October 2008.

Loew has stuck to his guns over the in-form striker which could rebound on him if Germany fail to score goals in South Africa. — Reuters

LEVERKUSEN: German national soccer team coach Joachim Loew . —AP

19

SPORTS

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Australia’s hopes rest on old legs and cool heads

SEOUL: Australia's coach Pim Verbeek from Netherland.

Verbeek has few friends on debut SYDNEY: Few other national coaches have inspired so little enthusiasm after guiding their teams to the World Cup finals as Australia’s Pim Verbeek.

Since taking over in 2008, the dour Dutchman has steered the Socceroos to 15 wins, eight draws and four losses.

The team won their World Cup qualifying group and also booked their tickets to the 2011 Asian Cup finals.

Verbeek even sang the Australian national anthem live on television after their qualification for South Africa.

His reward? Scathing reviews from local fans for turning Australia into purveyors of ‘ugly’ results-driven football.

“Pim Verbeek has singlehandedly lowered the quality of football played by our Socceroos, used players who shouldn’t be allowed within 20 yards of the Green and Gold, and broken down Australia’s sporting culture,” wrote one commentator on local sports opinion website theroar.com.au.

The 54-year-old’s drilling of Australia into one of the world’s meanest defensive units led to seven clean sheets and a solitary goal in

their final eight qualifiers.

The team also produced an average of 1.5 goals a game.

The fear is that against quality opposition, the goals will dry up.

Australia miss retired forward Mark Viduka and Verbeek has failed to unearth a replacement for the burly goal-scorer, who was used by former coach Guus Hiddink as a sole striker. Verbeek has offended Australian sensibilities by trashing the domestic league and giving blunt assessments of players’ performances. Cagey at press conferences, Verbeek heads to South Africa for his World Cup debut as head coach with little of the fanfare that “golden Guus” enjoyed in the leadup to Germany in 2006. He does, however, rely largely on the same squad, albeit four years older and with a raft of players nursing injuries.

He also carries a huge weight of expectation after Australia’s surprise appearance in the knock-out round in Germany. Having fixed his next post as technical director for Morocco’s youth squads, Verbeek has arranged a parachute if those expectations are dashed.—Reuters

World Cup dream-maker SYDNEY: Hand-wringing over Australia’s goal-scoring ability at the World Cup does not extend to doubts at the other end of the pitch where Mark Schwarzer holds court.

For many Australians, Schwarzer is the World Cup dream-maker. His two saves during a penalty shoot-out in a playoff qualifier against Uruguay in 2005 put Australia on the plane to Germany for their first finals appearance in 32 years. Four years on, the Socceroos’ fuss-free passage to the World Cup finals can also be credited in large part to Schwarzer, the most-capped goalkeeper in Australian history.

While other Europe-based players failed to board flights to farflung Asian destinations in the final qualifying phase, the son of German immigrants put his hand up for all eight qualifiers, recording clean sheets in seven of them. The goalkeeper will be a few months shy of his 38th birthday when Australia play their first match against Germany on June 13 and he says the World Cup will be the cherry on a very sweet cake for him.

Schwarzer’s form for Fulham in the English Premier League helped the unfashionable London club to reach the Europa League final. “With the Europa League final, and for me the World Cup to come-well, it doesn’t get any better than this.

I’m loving every minute,” he said in early May. Schwarzer, who has also represented Dynamo Dresden and Kaiserslautern in Germany and Middlesbrough in England, has a point to prove in South Africa after his campaign at the 2006 World Cup finals went awry from the start.

During the opening group match against Japan, Schwarzer conceded a soft goal after failing to intercept a cross, and he was dropped for the third match against Croatia after conceding two goals against Brazil. Recalled for the knockout round against eventual champions Italy, Schwarzer, famed as a shot-stopper, faced the last-minute penalty that would end Australia’s World Cup adventure. He anticipated Francesco Totti’s kick high and to the right, but his desperate lunge was not enough.—Reuters

SYDNEY: Four years after Australia swept into the second round of the World Cup, their ageing squad head to South Africa burdened by fitness concerns and high expectations.

Dutch coach Pim Verbeek’s defencebased tactics led to seven clean sheets and no defeats in their last eight qualifiers.

It also generated complaints about ‘ugly’ football and a dearth of goal-scoring flair, and local fans fear that while the Socceroos may be able to bully Gulf states and central Asian nations, they will not trouble the world’s best.

This hand-wringing has not hosed down expectations, however, and the team are under pressure at least to match their surprise appearance in the knockout round in 2006 when they lost to eventual champions Italy after a last-minute penalty.

“We certainly want to achieve what we achieved last time and go beyond that,” Football Federation Australia chief Ben Buckley told local media. “If we don’t aspire to that I think people should be critical of us.”

As Australia are ranked 20th in the world, the target would not seem unreasonable. Scratch the surface, however, and the Socceroos’ chances of emerging from Group D-arguably the toughest with Germany, Serbia and Ghana-look bleaker.

Like his predecessor and fellow Dutchman Guus Hiddink, Verbeek will rely on a core of Europe-based players who won admirers in Germany with their pressing game and refusal to be intimidat-

ed by better-known sides.

But players who were spring-heeled in their mid- to late-20s are now in the twilight of their careers. No fewer than nine of Verbeek’s likely starting side, including midfielders Tim Cahill and Brett Emerton and defenders Lucas Neill and Scott Chipperfield, are in their thirties.

Several have had large portions of their European seasons interrupted by injuries and a question

midfield, the Socceroos face a dilemma further up the field now that the former Middlesbrough and Newcastle United forward Mark Viduka has retired from international football.

In his absence, Josh Kennedy, a beanpole striker unveiled by Hiddink at the German finals and now playing for Nagoya in Japan’s top flight, is expected to lead the line.

Despite flashes of brilliance during qualifying, Kennedy struggled in a stint with Karlsruhe in the Bundesliga although his record of six goals in 17 internationals is respectable. Meanwhile, Tim Cahill has built a career on doing the unexpected but also turning up exactly

Factbox Colors: Two-tone green and gold shirts, shorts and socks.

Nickname: The Socceroos Previous World Cup appearances: 1974, 2006 Best World Cup performance: Second round, 2006 Coach: Pim Verbeek Most-capped player: Mark Schwarzer, 73 Top goalscorer: Tim Cahill, 19 Talking points: Verbeekís well-drilled defence allowed Australia to coast through qualification in Asia, but the side may lack the skills to score goals against the worldís best.

Despite improvisation with the attack during the qualifiers, Australia, for all their midfield riches, lack a striker with the power and presence to replace Mark Viduka.

Verbeek will hope lanky Josh Kennedy can provide a foil for midfielders Tim Cahill, Harry Kewell and Mark Bresciano to score the necessary goals.

Player to watch: Tim Cahill entered Australian folklore by scoring twice, including his countryís first World Cup goal, after coming off the bench in the group match against Japan in 2006. The Socceroos have never lost when this attack-minded midfielder has scored and the Everton player is one of the Premier League’s most consistent performers.—Reuters

Tim Cahill

mark remains over forward Harry Kewell, 31, who had groin surgery earlier in the year. Midfield enforcer Vince Grella and playmaker Mark Bresciano have also played precious little football in the lead-up to the finals.

While experienced heads may compensate for creaking bones in defence and

when needed, and he may be Australia’s key player at the World Cup finals. Aged 16, Cahill flew to England to chase his dream of a career in English football and since his move from Millwall to Everton he has developed into one of the Premier

League’s most potent goalscoring midfielders.

Cahill’s performance for the Socceroos in their opening game at the 2006 World Cup against Japan is etched in Australian soccer folklore.

Thrown on as a second-half substitute with Japan leading 1-0, Cahill scored twice in the last 10 minutes as Australia won 3-1, their first victory at the World Cup finals.

Cahill is a huge favorite of Australian fans for his willingness to jet around the world to play for his country and he scored another double against Japan in the final World Cup qualifier.

“He’s so dangerous in the penalty box,” coach Pim Verbeek said after that match. “It’s fantastic for the team to have a

player like that, that you know he can always do what he has to do-score goals.”

His Australia team mate Lucas Neill nicknamed Cahill ‘Timmy Shoot’ early in his Premier League career because “every time he got anywhere near the goal, there was never any chance he was going to pass to anyone”.

The 30-year-old, who is of only average height but possesses an extraordinary leap, has racked up 19 goals in 37 appearances for Australia, a record a striker would be proud of. Since joining Everton in the summer of 2004, he has become one of their most consistent performers, a good tackler whose bursts from midfield always spell danger, and he is second in his team’s goalscorers’ list this season. —Reuters

www.kuwaittimes.net

Pacquiao again honored as Fighter of the Year NEW YORK: Manny Pacquiao seems to win something, whether it’s a fight or an award, just about every time he makes the long trip to the United States.

The newly elected congressman from the Philippines accepted his third Fighter of the Year award Friday, while his trainer Freddie Roach was honored for the fourth time by the Boxing Writers Association of America.

“Tonight I overflow with joy and gratitude. I am thankful that, just like Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier and other boxers, I decided to get into boxing,” Pacquiao said. Pacquiao won by a landslide in the voting by the organization’s members, after a year that featured a spectacular second-round knockout of Ricky Hatton to win a light welterweight

belt and a brutal 12th-round stoppage of Miguel Cotto that gave Pacquiao a welterweight title and belts in a record seven divisions.

Pacquiao also accepted a special award as Fighter of the Decade. “I confronted poverty by trusting God and dreaming big,” Pacquiao said. “I was convinced I could succeed in boxing. The boxing ring could be the breeding ground for my dreams.”

Accompanied by his wife, Jinkee, and most of his family, Pacquiao will remain in New York to watch Cotto challenge junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman on Saturday in the first fight at Yankee Stadium in more than three decades.

He will then head to Washington tomorrow to meet with US Senate

Majority Leader Harry Reid, promoter Bob Arum said, before a family vacation in Mexico. Then it’s back to the Philippines, where Congress convenes in July.

Meanwhile, Arum will continue work on perhaps the most highly anticipated fight in decades, between Pacquiao and the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr — the two contenders for the unofficial title of world’s pound-for-pound champion.

The two nearly reached an agreement to fight earlier this year, but negotiations broke down when Mayweather insisted on Olympic-style drug testing and Pacquiao refused to have blood drawn within 24 days of a fight. Pacquiao went on to defeat Joshua Clottey before 51,000 fans at Cowboys Stadium near Dallas, while Mayweather packed the MGM

Workforce wins Epsom Derby Moore had plenty of work to do as the 12 runner field entered the finishing straight as At First Sight - the pacemaker for favourite Jan Vermeer - had a 10 length advantage and showed no signs of stopping under Jamie Heffernan.

Moore, though, ate bit by bit into the Aidan O’Brien-trained runner’s lead and with just under two furlongs to go he had got upsides him and passed him and from then on it was just a case of how far he would win by.

At First Sight stayed on bravely and got a deserved second place while Rewilding, under Frankie Dettori, ran on well after not handling the awkward descent at Tattenham Corner to give the Dubai-based Godolphin Operation some reward for outlaying 75,000 pounds in supplementing him for the race.

Jan Vermeer, who had replaced St Nicholas Abbey as favourite for the race last week after the latter was withdrawn, stayed on for fourth without ever threatening to give O’Brien a third win in the race.

Another Godolphin runner Alzir was sixth, though, he was fortunate to have three-time Derby winning jockey Fallon on board.

The troubled Irishman - who was having his first ride in the race since 2006 had got stuck in traffic and then left his family in the car while he took a train and then a taxi to the track arriving barely an hour before the race.

Workforce’s equine rivals would probably have wished that the same problems had been encountered by him on the way to the racecourse. — AFP

Rossi breaks leg in crash ROME: Valentino Rossi has had surgery after snapping his shin bone in a crash during practice yesterday on the Mugello track ahead of the Italian Grand Prix.

Reports said that Rossi lost control of his Yamaha while changing direction between two curves at turn 13 on his second practice run. He was flipped in the air and landed hard on his right leg.

“The operation on Valentino Rossi is over and everything went ok,” said Dr. Claudio Costa, head of the Mugello medical facility where the rider was first treated.

Rossi, who is second in the MotoGP riders’ standings, waved as he was moved on to a stretcher before being taken to the track’s medical center for an x-ray that confirmed he had a displaced and exposed fracture of his right tibia.

L ater he was flown to Florence’s Careggi medical center by helicopter and said “Ciao” when he was taken out of the ambulance. He was then taken to the hospital’s orthopaedic trauma center for the operation. Rossi has a “very ugly fracture, with the bone exposed,” Dr. Costa said at the time.

Dr Claudio Macchiagodena, the MotoGP medical director, told the competition’s website; “It’s an injury more serious than we thought, because it’s an exposed fracture with the bone protruding from the skin. We have reduced the fracture, which fortunately has not affected any blood vessels or nerves.

“It is serious, it could be a couple of months, but it is too early to say just yet,”

times a hundred,” Arum said Friday.

“They all are licking their chops for Manny Pacquiao, especially against Floyd Mayweather, because nobody else can bring in the highest of the high-rollers,” Arum added. “The MGM or Steve Wynn will put up a number over or above the best gate.”

Many believe that the reason negotiations for Pacquiao-Mayweather broke down the first time is that too many people involved in the fight were speaking through the media, which is the reason both sides have sworn secrecy for potentially the richest fight in boxing history.

Roach is also keeping quiet, for no other reason than to save himself the aggravation.

“I’m just going to stay out of this one,”

he said. “I’m tired of whining, guessing, hoping. We all hope to get the big fight, but if we don’t, we’ll fight somebody else.” Roach had multiple reasons to be in New York this weekend.

Along with accepting his fourth Trainer of the Year award, he’ll be in the corner of junior middleweight Vanes Martirosyan when he faces Joe Greene in the main undercard fight Saturday at Yankee Stadium.

Others honored by the Boxing Writers Association of America on Friday included Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz, who waged the Fight of the Year; the late Alexis Arguello for goodwill; Nick Charles and George Chuvalo for overcoming adversity; and judge Mills Lane for honesty and integrity. — AP

Schiavone clinches French Open crown

SURREY: British jockey Ryan Moore rides Workforce to victory during the Derby on the second day of the Epsom Derby, in Surrey, southern England. — AFP

EPSOM: English champion jockey Ryan Moore celebrated a rare classic double here yesterday as Workforce won the Epsom Derby in record time and gave trainer Sir Michael Stoute his fifth race win.

Moore, 26, had won the Epsom Oaks on Friday with Snow Fairy and became the first jockey since Kieren Fallon in 2004 to do the Oaks/Derby double.

Workforce, a 6/1 shot running only his third race, came home seven lengths clear of 100/1 Irish outsider At First Sight, while The Godolphin Operation’s Rewilding was third at 9/2, another 1 1/2 lengths behind.

The winner’s time of 2min 31.33sec was nearly a second faster than the previous best course and distance time set by Lammtarra in the 1995 Derby.

Grand in Las Vegas for an impressive victory over Shane Mosley.

Arum declined to discuss details of the negotiations, in keeping with an agreement that he made with Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions, who is working on behalf of Mayweather. But the 78year-old Arum said that Pacquiao is now willing to have blood tests within 14 days of the fight, the cutoff point that Mayweather had initially agreed to.

Arum also said he believes the fight, which would likely happen in November, will end up in Las Vegas rather than Cowboys Stadium or another venue that could pack upward of 100,000.

“The key element, if the fight happens, we’re finding out now is that Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas is Frank Sinatra

MUGELLO: Italy’s Valentino Rossi of Yamaha team rides during the MotoGP free practice of the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello track. — AFP he said. The nine-time world champion was being prepared for surgery Saturday afternoon to have a pin and four screws inserted in his leg, Costa said. Although doctors were worried that the broken bone, protruding through the flesh, might have damaged veins, Rossi suffered no other injuries in the crash, Costa said.

Rossi’s father Graziano Rossi said the family wasn’t yet sure how long his recovery would take. “He was in a lot of pain for 20 minutes, but now he will have all

the time necessary to recover. He needs to recover fully before returning. It could be one month, it could be five, it isn’t important. He is in no rush.”

He managed to get up but was gripping his right calf. It will be the first time that Rossi has not competed in his home Grand Prix, a race he has won nine times. It also ends his record run of 230 successive MotoGP races since his debut in the 125cc class at the 1996 Malaysian Grand Prix. — AP

PARIS: Francesca Schiavone became the first Italian woman to win a Grand Slam singles title yesterday after defeating Australian favourite Samantha Stosur 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) in the French Open final.

Victory made the 29-year-old the second oldest first-time Grand Slam women’s champion. It also shattered Stosur’s aim of ending Australia’s 30-year wait for a women’s champion at one of the four majors, a streak stretching back to Evonne Goolagong’s 1980 Wimbledon win.

Schiavone, who had lost to Stosur in the first round here last year, got her tactics spot on, trumping the seventh seed’s power game with clever variations of pace and movement.

She took the ball early, stepped inside and utilised her greater confidence at the net and with her volley to ensure the 26-year-old Stosur was kept on the defensive.

“I didn’t prepare anything to say, because I thought that if I did then this would never happen,” said Schiavone, who follows compatriot Adriano Panatta, who was men’s champion here in 1976, into the Italian record books.

“I felt amazing today. I feel like a champion. “But I want to say to Samantha that she is a great person. You deserve to be here next time. You are young, you can still do it.” Schiavone said that she was determined not to see the final go to three sets.

“I was feeling much more energy in the tiebreak. I couldn’t stop it. I really felt that that one was my moment. I took it. I didn’t lose the chance.”

Stosur paid tribute to world number 17 Schiavone, only the fourth player from outside the top 10 to win the Roland Garros title.

“I still don’t think I played that bad. She just had her day. She went for it and everything came off,” she said.

“You know, it takes guts to do that, and she did it, I don’t think I can really say I did anything wrong. It was just well done to her.”

Schiavone, one of the few women to still employ a one-handed backhand, carved out the only break of the first set in the ninth game before claiming the opener in the 10th when an unsettled Stosur netted a backhand return.

The Australian, who had reached the semi-finals in 2009, made it to the final the hard way, having to defeat former world number ones Justine Henin, Serena Williams, against whom she saved a match point, and Jelena Jankovic.

But unlike her fellow Grand Slam final debutant, she was struggling to make any impression until her fortunes briefly turned.

Having fought off two break points in the third game of the second set, Stosur finally got the measure of her opponent to break and hold for a 4-1 advantage.

However, 17th-seeded Schiavone bravely regained the break in the seventh game when Stosur went dramatically off the boil and backed it up with a hold for 4-4.

The set was decided by a tiebreak and Schiavone went to four match points with a sweet drop volley which she converted into the title when Stosur unleashed the last of many untidy returns which ballooned into the stands.

The emotional Italian collapsed to the ground in joy before, covered in the red dirt of Paris, she clambered up into the crowd to spark a wild celebration with family and friends. — AFP

First Italian woman to win Grand Slam singles title

PARIS: Italy’s Francesca Schiavone kisses the cup after defeating Australia’s Samantha Stosur during the women’s final of the French Open tennis tournament.— AP

Springboks defeat Wales CARDIFF: World champions South Africa maintained their dominance over Wales after a 34-31 victory in this one off summer Test match at the Millennium Stadium.

The Springboks, shorn of several of their leading players, lifted the Prince William Cup as they recovered from a poor start to inflict more misery on Wales.

Ruan Pienaar collected 16 points while Odwa Ndugane, Dewald Potgieter and debutant Juan De Jongh crossed for tries.

But Warren Gatland’s Wales side, who now head out to New Zealand in what will be an even tougher test, crossed three times themselves after staging a mini revival which saw Tom Prydie and Alun Wyn Jones touchdown as they threatened a late comeback.

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers saluted De Jongh and fellow debutants Gio Aplon and Francois Louw. “They earned their stripes in the Super 14 and it was a just reward for them,” he said. “And it’s good for us to be able to keep this team moving forward, it puts us in a good position.”

Gatland added: “We are frustrated. If that was a couple of years ago we would have said what a good performance it was. But we have come on from there.

“In the opening 25 minutes we were clinical, accurate and 16-3 up, and then we caught some sort of disease, I don’t know what it is. We are frustrated at a missed opportunity.”

Both teams, who will go head-to-head in next year’s World Cup, were missing several key players either through injury, an enforced break or in South Africa fly-half Butch James’ case via red tape.

But Wales, with just one win over the Springboks back in 1999, were the first to settle as they came flying out of the blocks. It was no surprise to see their early pressure rewarded on the scoreboard.

Stephen Jones’ penalty was followed by James Hook’s dropped goal, and although Pienaar’s boot reduced the deficit, it was no surprise to see Wales cross the tryline with 21 minutes on the clock.

After the latest turnover, captain John Smit’s long pass out wide was flung straight into the grateful hands of Hook, with the Ospreys centre running clear underneath the posts from 30 metres.

The moment of good fortune also wasn’t lost on the 60,000 crowd with Wales, so often cursed with conceding interception tries during this year’s Six Nations campaign, profiting from an opposition error.

Not that Wales could rest on their laurels against a South African side bidding to continue their remarkable record in the capital.

Wales had opened up a 16-3 lead which was instantly reduced via Pienaar after the home side were penalised at the ruck by referee Alan Lewis.

And it was no surprise to see another mistake, which mirrored the opening half from both teams, lead to Ndungane’s 30th minute touchdown in the corner.

Jones’ wayward kick was run back by winger Aplon and the ball was finally recycled for the flying Sharks winger to crash home.

It turned out to be Ndungane’s, standing in for the rested Bryan Habana, last contribution as he limped off injured after coming into collision with Prydie. — AFP

Bad weather halts oil, gas production

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US Geithner pressurizes China on Yuan

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Downturn clips wings of luxury air travel

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Sunday, June 6, 2010

www.kuwaittimes.net

G-20 chiefs vow to fend off market turmoil BUSAN: Finance ministers and central bankers from the world's leading economies agreed yesterday on the need to cooperate in fending off financial market turmoil and keeping the world economic recovery on track. In a statement that will serve as an outline for talks later this month by national leaders, including President Barack Obama, the Group of 20 endorsed rescue policies for Europe and the need to rebalance growth by supporting more domestic demand and greater trade by developing countries. The agreement included no major new initiatives, but it bridged differences over details of far-reaching financial reforms with calls to step up regulatory changes and cut back on massive budget deficits.

"The recent volatility in financial markets reminds us that significant challenges remain and underscores the importance of international cooperation," the statement said. Countries must "put in place credible, growth-friendly measures, to deliver fiscal sustainability," it said, noting that the policies would have to fit each country's unique situation. Europe's sovereign debt crisis has sparked worries that the global economy could succumb to a second downturn following the meltdown sparked by the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers in 2008.

The group welcomed measures taken by the European Union, the European Central Bank and the IMF, including a $1 trillion bailout, to help countries cope with the fallout from unsustainably high debt levels.

"All of us have a strong interest in seeing those programs succeed in restoring confidence," US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told reporters after the meetings ended. He emphasized the US commitment to rebalancing growth. "The United States is moving aggressively to fix things we got wrong and to strengthen our economic fundamentals. And we will give our full support to the G-20 agenda of growth and reform," he said.

Officials said that Hungary's warning Thursday that it could face a Greek-style financial meltdown added urgency to the talks. The euro fell below $1.20 for the first time in more than four years in reaction to the news. But European officials insisted that worries about Hungary and the euro were overblown. "Hungary has made serious progress in consolidating its public finances over the last couple of years," Olli Rehn, Europe's commissioner for economic and monetary affairs, told reporters. Any talk of a risk of default "is widely exaggerated," he said.

Despite qualms over the long-term prospects for European currency unity, ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet defended the euro, calling it a "solid currency, a credible currency, a currency that has kept its value in terms of price stability." The G-20, founded in 1999, shifted its focus to crisis management after the Lehman Brothers collapse. In addition to its annual finance meetings, it has been holding summits since late 2008. A chief concern is how to rein in ballooning fiscal deficits without hobbling growth. The G-20 is working hard on technical details for reforming financial regulations and participants said there was a basic consensus for the first time on the need for banks and other financial institutions to bear the burden for government bailouts and other interventions. "The financial sector should make a fair and substantial contribution toward paying for any burdens associated with government interventions," the statement said.

Yoon Jeung-hyun, South Korea's minister of strategy and finance and host of the meetings, acknowledged that debate over some issues - especially a possible universal tax on banks to help pay for bailouts was heated. "It was apparent that most G20 members do not support the concept of a universal levy," said Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, whose government was opposed on the grounds its banks had not needed government intervention during the recent crises.

Instead, participants said they agreed that a range of policy alternatives should be considered. Some members worry that an increase in the capital reserves banks must hold to cushion themselves against potential loan losses - another item on the agenda - could hinder lending, possibly hobbling access for financing vital for the recovery.

Geithner said the group was ready to move ahead on stronger capital reserve requirements for banks and limits on indebtedness to help banks and other financial institutions weather future crises.

"We will expedite development of new rules while setting a transition period," he said. "Reducing uncertainty about the ultimate shape of these new rules will help minimize financial headwinds for recovery."

He said that China's currency was discussed, but only in the context of the need for "a more flexible exchange rate policy" to help rebalance its economy toward greater reliance on domestic demand. The US has urged China to move faster in loosening controls that keep its currency, the yuan, tethered to the US dollar and thus undervalued, giving its exporters an advantage in overseas markets. — AP

Finance ministers agree on need to curb deficits

BUSAN: Finance ministers, central bank governors and financial institutions heads walk into the G-20 Finance and Central Bank Governors meeting at Busan. — AFP

Hungary targets 2010 deficit goal BUDAPEST: Hungary's government said yesterday it still aimed to meet this year's deficit target, as it sought to draw a line under "exaggerated" talk of a possible Greekstyle debt crisis that had unnerved markets a day earlier. State secretary Mihaly Varga, who headed a committee examining the state of the budget, said Hungary's previous socialist governments had hidden the true state of the country's public finances, and that additional measures would be needed to reach the

Govt backtracks on talk about default 3.8 percent of GDP target.

Fears of a Hungarian debt crisis pushed the euro to a four-year low on Friday after a ruling party official said the country had only a slight chance of avoiding the same fate that Greece is facing and the prime minister's spokesman said he supported this view. "Those comments which were made on this issue are exaggerated, and if a colleague makes

them it is unfortunate," Varga told a news conference. "I have to say that the situation is consolidated, and the planned deficit (target) is attainable, but for it to be attainable the government must take measures."

He said some tax revenues were lower than planned in the current budget and several spending items higher or not included in it at all.

"We must state that the Bajnai gov-

ernment, similarly to the Gyurcsany government in 2006, ... did not present a credible picture of the real state of the country," Varga said.

When asked repeatedly if it could be stated that Hungary was not close to default, Varga told the news conference: "I have said that any comparison with countries with much higher CDSs is unfortunate. These do not

give a credible picture of the state of Hungary...". He declined to give an estimate, or a range projection, for the 2010 budget deficit but said the government would come up with an action plan at an extraordinary meeting lasting until Monday. Varga also said the government aimed to meet the 3.8 percent of gross domestic product target agreed with international lenders.

Aramco sets new date for Yanbu refinery unit bids KHOBAR: State oil firm Saudi Aramco has extended for the fourth time the date to submit bids to build a solids handling unit at its 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) Yanbu refinery, industry sources said yesterday. The extension was made at the request of bidders, said one source who declined to be identified. The deadline for bids for the unit, which will produce 6,300 metric tons per day of coke and 1,260 metric tons of sulphur, is now July 6, said the sources.

It had already been extended from an original due date of Feb 28. Italy's Saipem, Britain's Petrofac Ltd and South Korea's Daelim Industrial Co are among companies bidding for the solids handling unit package. In April, ConocoPhillips, the third-largest US oil company, said it cancelled plans to build the Yanbu refinery with Saudi Aramco, citing its strategy to reduce its refinery operations. After Conoco's withdrawal Aramco sent a letter to contractors stating that it or a wholly-owned Aramco subsidiary would proceed with the project.

Meanwhile, Aramco is looking for firms to manage the construction of the Jizan refinery, industry sources said yesterday. Engineering firms will have to submit their prequalification documents, which also include the front-end engineering and design (FEED) and project management services (PMS) by June 12, sources said. The refinery, with a planned capacity of 250,000400,000 bpd is among new plants Saudi Arabia is planning to build as it looks to boost domestic refining capacity.

"Aramco is still evaluating options to decide on the capacity of the refinery," an industry source said. In January, Saudi Arabia said Aramco would build the refinery at Jizan. The kingdom had hoped the refinery would be built and owned entirely by the private sector, a first in the world's top exporter. The refinery is far from Saudi Arabia's producing fields and is part of a wider development plan for the impoverished southern region. — Agencies

Prime ministerial spokesman Peter Szijjarto said on Friday that he supported the view his country had only a slim chance of avoiding a Greek-style debt crisis, although he said his government would act swiftly to avoid the Greek path. On the local market, the forint plunged over 2 percent versus the euro to a new one-year low at one point, while five-year credit default swaps (CDS) jumped, as investors called for clarity on the government's plans. —Reuters

Saudi Electricity raises all tariffs except households

ALLAHABAD: Indian workers carry sand on the banks of the river Yamuna in Allahabad. India's quarterly economic growth for the financial year which ended in March was 7.4 percent, beating a government forecast of 7.2 percent, officials said. —AP

RIYADH: Saudi Electricity will raise tariffs for government, commercial and industrial users as of July 1, which would add 3.2 billion riyals ($853.3 million) to its annual revenues and boost its profitability. This is the latest gesture from the government to help its statecontrolled power utility cope with power demand growing at an annual 8 percent and requiring investments close to $80 billion in the ten years to 2018.

The move will raise by 9.6 percent the average price of electricity sold to non-household users but it would still remain 3.5 percent below its actual production cost in the world's top oil exporter, Abdullah Al-Shehry, governor of the Electricity and Co-generation Regulatory Authority, told reporters yesterday.

"Based on current global fuel price, the production cost of electricity is 0.372 riyals per killowatt per hour (kwh), while these new increases will raise the average tariff for all users to 0.137 riyals up from 0.125 riyals previously," Shehri said.

Ali Saleh Al-Barrak, Saudi Electricity Chief Executive, said he expects the firm's revenues to add about 1.6 billion riyals in the second half of 2010 as a result of the increase. "It will have a very good impact on profitability," Barrak said.

"Revenues from electricity sales are not enough to cover operating costs and at the same time fund the investments required by the growth in

demand," Barrak added.

Water and Electricity Minister Abdullah al-Husayen said the annual growth in power demand meant the need to add 3,000 megawatts to the power generation capacity each year, which currently stands at 40,900 megawatts. "This (3,000 megawatts) is huge by all standards. Over the 2009-2018 period, the growth in power demand will require 300 billion riyals in investments," Husayen said.

For the industrial sector, which accounts for 18 percent of the power consumption, the price of electricity will increase by between 0.0125 and 0.02 riyals for one kilowatt per hour, depending on the size of the plants and the seasons. Saudi Electricity expects to earn 1.04 billion riyals each year from the rise in industrial electricity tariffs but the increase in electricity tariffs for the government will earn it 1.4 billion riyals, Husayen said.

"The electricity bill accounts for 1 percent of the overall production cost for 90 percent of industrial firms ...

This shows that the government continues to bear the burden for other sectors in the economy," he said. The government granted the cashstrapped firm a 15 billion riyal soft loan in April to support its finances. Households account for 53 percent of power consumption in the desert kingdom and much of it is used for air-conditioning. — Reuters

BUSINESS

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Sunday, June 6, 2010

Centrepoint launches deluge of styles this summer KUWAIT: Centrepoint, the one stop popular shopping destination in Kuwait welcomes the summer with bright colors and a wide ranging themes creating a multitude of choices and looks. While keeping in line with international fashion trends the popular fashion retail brand has given a spin to styles across all concepts providing chic fashion to the discerning customer.

This summer, Splash unveils its collection featuring five main themes of New Uniform, Neo-Admirals for men, Apocalyptic Tribal for women, Country Rodeo and ‘I went Camping’. Splash’s New Uniform Line offers a twist to the lovers of minimalistic fashion. Clean edges and devoid of fastenings; it’s a return to precise and simple forms. The neat cuts convey a strong functional feel, while the certified styles for women have an uniquely androgynous appeal.

The Apocalyptic Tribal is a collection for women only with a touch of Mediterranean this season with its collection of Toga dresses, which are suitable for almost all

body types. The color palette favors warm colors ranging from warm brown to sulphur yellow, hazelnut, sienna and khaki. The Neo Admirals imply a look of naval neatness and maritime style showcasing AppliquÈ tees, pinstripe shirts, blazers with crests and formal shorts with the Yatching lifestyle strongly influencing the graphics of this line.

As a salute to the outdoors, Splash introduces the ‘I went Camping’ line which generates visual images of outdoor fun and play. This range has casual wear such as cotton shirts, cargo shorts, distressed jeans and tees bearing fun camping slogans and other details like appliquÈ and badges.

Juniors collection showcases a wide variety of bold colors with a strong emphasis on shades of red, blue, yellows and even greens.

There are fabric combinations with detailing, using a variety of materials including sequins, glitter prints, etc. For girls there is a strong presence of printed fabrics which play a vital role this season in

the form of floral’s, polka dots and stripes available in a variety of different hues.

From basic styles to the latest trends, the new Juniors collection available at Centrepoint will suit your child’s individual

personality and attitude.

Summer is traditionally a time to stay in and stay cool. After a long and sweaty day out and about there is nothing that one looks forward to more than a lovely bath fol-

Gulfmart to open outlet in Khaitan

Etihad signs codeshare deal with Malev Airlines ABU DHABI: Etihad Airways customers around the world will soon be able to fly to Budapest following the signing of a new codeshare agreement with Hungarian carrier, Malev Airlines. The new deal, which comes into effect in September 2010, will also give air travelers in Hungary greater and easier access to the Abu Dhabi-based airline’s network of 61 destinations. Under the deal, Etihad will place its two-letter ‘EY’ code on services operated by Malev between Budapest and Athens, Brussels, Paris, Frankfurt and Milan. In turn, Malev will place its ‘MA’ code on

Etihad’s flights between those cities and Abu Dhabi.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, said: “By expanding our codeshare network to include Malev Airlines, Etihad continues to offer its services to greater numbers of travelers around the world.

“Budapest is one of Europe’s famous historical and commercial capitals and attracts significant volumes of business and we look forward to working with our colleagues at Malev to provide seamless travel between our respective hubs and

beyond.”

Karim Makhlouf, Malev Chief Commercial Officer, said: “Budapest provides visiting business travelers and tourists alike multicultural traditions, a colorful and vibrant life as well as, from a business perspective, numerous investment opportunities.

“Under the terms of the agreement between the two airlines, the quality services of Etihad Airways become accessible - with a Malev ticket - for all those who wish to travel from Budapest, or from the region, to AbuDhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates.”

KUWAIT: Gulfmart, Kuwait’s popular one-stop supermarket chain is to open its seventh branch in the country at Khaitan. This was disclosed by T A Remesh, Country Head for Gulfmart, at a press conference held at Avanti Palace in Salmiya. He added that the Indian Ambassador, H E Ajai Malhotra, has kindly consented to inaugurate the Khaitan branch on June 9 at 9:30am.

At the press conference, attended by Fakhruddin Kabir, Senior Purchase Manager, Juzer Saifee, Sameer Shaikh, Imran Shaikh and Irfan Khan, senior officials at Gulfmart, Remesh described the 12,000 square feet Khaitan branch, located in Wafi Complex, as a new shopping experience for residents in Khaitan. He added that the new supermarket, situated opposite the Indian Community School and next to the policestation roundabout in Khaitan, also provides customers with a large and convenient car parking space.

The new branch in Khaitan, which is outfitted

by Havelock Consultants, the international specialists in supermarket outfitting, is designed to allow customers to find and select items with the utmost convenience. “To provide even greater convenience to our growing customer base, we will be opening our eighth branch in Nugra Hawally in October,” disclosed Remesh.

Elaborating on the Gulfmart experience, the Country Manager added that the supermarket has consistently maintained the quality of products and pricing structure to offer customers the best deals in town. “Gulfmart has an unbelievable array of fresh, frozen and packaged food products, a variety of cosmetic products and household items, as well as ethnic products from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan, all under one roof,” said Remesh. By sourcing products directly from these countries we are able to offer customers the best price and the freshest products, he added.

Speaking at opening their latest outlet in Khaitan, Arif Sheikh, Director of Gulfmart Group said, “This opening shows our commitment to providing customers in Kuwait with the best and most convenient shopping experience.

Also, due to popular demand and as part of our promise to be closer to our customer, we will shortly open an additional branch in Abbasiya.”

Gulfmart currently has six retail branches in Kuwait at Shuwaikh, Abbasiya, Salmiya, Hawally, Fahaheel and Farwaniya. The new outlet opening in Khaitan aims to fulfill the shopping needs of the large number of residents in this area providing them with a shopping convenience they have been long waiting for, concluded Remesh.

lowed by a good night’s rest. Lifestyle launches its latest summer range for both bedding and bath accessories that in beautiful and delightful designs; is perfect for all homes. Find a place in your home for these perfect pieces, and delight in the simple but blissful things this season.

If you have always been intrigued by the old and ancient Egyptian artifacts, you would be pleased to know that Lifestyle is launching a beautiful reproduction of Egyptian Artifacts and Statues of Gods and Goddesses, Kings and Queens of the early and middle ages of the Egyptian Empire.

The collection is beautifully designed with detailed replication and hand painting, making them a brilliant addition to any home.

The footwear collection available at Shoe Mart this season follows themes that are twist between Urban man meets Victorian knight. Formal styles range from classy patented leather to royal pointed shoes to flip flops and slip ons with stripes when it comes to casuals.

For ladies; the collection with designs

and styles fit for a queen follows 4 themes to its collection. From Majestic allures and Primitive nuances to Nautical influences and Nature Garden inspirations these shoes personify absolute grandiose and vintage opus. For kids, there is a colossal mix of themes embracing the power of nature and looking back to the future with floral pumps, retro clogs, Mary janes and natural espadrilles for the lovely girls and for the young dudes; canvas slip ons, retro runners, padded high tops and great loafers.

Accessories at Shoe Mart make a statement with bright colored, floral designed classical satin clutches with brooches that are perfect for the season to studded patent leather bags for an extra edge. Adding to the ravishment is a gamut of Victorian inspired hand bags with great fabric making this range a work of art! Visit a Centrepoint store this season located at Al Rai, Salmiya, Hawally, Kuwait City, Fahaheel, Fintas and Jahra and be up to date with the latest in fashion trends giving you a creative and thematic look.

Exclusive offer at Towers Rotana hotel for NBK credit cardholders KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) the leading bank in Kuwait and highest rated in the Middle East is offering its Premium credit cardholders an exclusive offer at Towers Rotana hotel in Dubai. Visa and MasterCard Gold and Platinum credit cardholders qualify for this offer as well as holders of the Laki Titanium MasterCard, World MasterCard, Diners Club, and Visa Infinite credit cardholders will receive this offer by booking their stay between the 1st of June and the 30th of September, 2010.

NBK Deputy General Manager, Consumer Banking Group, Abdullah Al Najran Al Tuwaijri said: “This enticing offer at one of the most popular hotels in Dubai consists of a special room rate of only AED 350/ subject to service charge and taxes, including buffet breakfast for single or double occupancy and a complimentary upgrade to Junior or Classic suites if available.

“In addition guests are eligible for a late checkout till 6m, and a discount of 25% on food and beverages, plus 50% off Internet charges.

One may even choose to stay a few more days longer as the price is very attractive and the offer is packed with additional benefits”, added Al Tuwaijri. NBK credit cards accepted worldwide are the most rewarding way to pay for goods and services. Not only are they a great flexible payment option, but are free for the first year and also offer the best loyalty program in town, NBK, the most significant point redemption and discount scheme in Kuwait.

Mark McCarthy, General Manager of Towers Rotana: “We are excited about the

Abdulla Al-Tuwaijri partnership between National Bank of Kuwait and Towers Rotana a part of the Rotana group which is one of the region’s premiere Hotel Management companies. This is an example of a growing trend to form long term business relationships with strong brands such as NBK to encourage the important Kuwaiti market, both Nationals and expatriates, to enjoy their summer break in Dubai. We look forward to hosting the VIP NBK customers and giving them a premium experience at the Towers Rotana and a chance to experience the marvels of Dubai as a destination.”

Burgan Bank to hold General Assembly for Bond Issuance KUWAIT: Burgan Bank, amongst the leading and the most dynamic banks in the state of Kuwait, will hold a General Assembly meeting tomorrow at 11am at the Burgan Bank Head office on the 10th floor, Kuwait City. The agenda of the meeting is to discuss and seek approval from the bank’s shareholders for Bond issuance within the

maximum amount in which the bank is allowed by the law to issue bonds (ie KD140m) in Kuwaiti dinar or its equivalent in foreign currencies.

The meeting also aims to authorize the Bank’s Board of Directors to finalize the terms and conditions of the bonds as well as the method of subscription and other related matters.

Last month, Burgan Bank successfully completed its KD 100.8 million rights issue. The proceeds from the capital increase will be utilized to further strengthen the bank’s business locally as well as capitalize on its expansion strategy which has primarily targeted high growth markets in the MENA region.

EXCHANGE RATES Commercial Bank of Kuwait US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian Dollar Australian DLR Indian rupees Sri Lanka Rupee UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi riyals Omani riyals Philippine peso Egyptian pounds US Dollar/KD GB Pound/KD Euro Swiss francs Canadian dollars Danish Kroner Swedish Kroner Australian dlr Hong Kong dlr Singapore dlr Japanese yen Indian Rs/KD Sri Lanka rupee Pakistan rupee Bangladesh taka UAE dirhams Bahraini dinars Jordanian dinar Saudi Riyal/KD Omani riyals Philippine Peso US Dollar Sterling pounds Swiss Francs Saudi Riyals

.2840000 .2950000 .4250000 .4350000 .3530000 .3610000 .2490000 .2570000 .2730000 .2820000 .2390000 .24900000 .0045000 .0075000 .0020000 .0035000 .0789120 .0797050 .7688160 .7765420 .4020000 .4180000 .0750000 .0790000 .7539500 .7615270 .0045000 .0072000 .0500000 .0580000 CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATES .2908000 .2929000 .4273030 .4303180 .3549180 .3574230 .2511220 .2529000 .2753950 .2773440 .0477050 .0480430 .0370630 .0373260 .2412440 .2429470 .0373030 .0375670 .2057040 .2071600 .0031830 .0032050 .0062200 .0062640 .0025670 .0025860 .0034210 .0034450 .0042390 .0042690 .0792110 .0797160 .7717260 .7766440 .4112620 .4141730 .0775840 .0780790 .7556860 .7605020 .0062870 .0063310 TRANSFER CHEQUES RATES .2928000 .4303180 .2529000 .0780790

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co. Japanese Yen Indian Rupees

ASIAN COUNTRIES 3.210 6.180

Pakistani Rupees Srilankan Rupees Nepali Rupees Singapore Dollar Hongkong Dollar Bangladesh Taka Philippine Peso Thai Baht Irani Riyal - Transfer Irani Riyal - Cash

3.427 2.563 3.883 207.020 37.490 4.214 6.261 8.995 0.301 0.292 GCC COUNTRIES Saudi Riyal 77.934 Qatari Riyal 80.290 Omani Riyal 759.200 Bahraini Dinar 776.140 UAE Dirham 79.580 ARAB COUNTRIES Egyptian Pound - Cash 54.750 Egyptian Pound 51.600 Yemen Riyal 1.295 Tunisian Dinar 194.220 Jordanian Dinar 412.700 Lebanese Lira 196.400 Syrian Lier 6.272 Morocco Dirham 33.010 EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIES US Dollar Transfer 292.100 Euro 358.110 Sterling Pound 431.600 Canadian dollar 277.930 Turkish lire 184.500 Swiss Franc 253.340 Australian dollar 242.030 US Dollar Buying 289.250 GOLD 20 Gram 236.000 10 Gram 118.000 5 Gram 60.500

Bahrain Exchange Company COUNTRY Australian dollar Bahraini dinar Bangladeshi taka Canadian dollar Cyprus pound Czek koruna Danish krone Deutsche Mark Egyptian pound

SELL CASH 245.900 776.610 4.390 280.900 573.400 15.800 49.200 167.800 54.530

SELL DRAFT 245.400 776.610 4.215 279.400

209.400 51.613

Euro Cash Hongkong dollar Indian rupees Indonesia Iranian tuman Iraqi dinar Japanese yen Jordanian dinar Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Morocco dirham Nepalese Rupees New Zealand dollar Nigeria Norwegian krone Omani Riyal Pakistani rupees Philippine peso Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa Sri Lankan rupees Sterling pound Swedish krona Swiss franc Syrian pound Thai bhat Tunisian dollar UAE dirham U.S. dollars Yemeni Riyal 10 Tola Sterling Pound US Dollar

361.200 359.700 38.190 38.040 6.580 6.210 0.035 0.289 0.258 3.300 414.100 412.660 0.198 0.197 91.110 91.110 45.200 4.290 3.930 201.700 200.200 1.989 45.800 758.360 758.180 3.540 3.435 6.570 6.285 80.730 80.300 77.950 77.950 209.350 209.350 40.340 40.340 2.765 2.583 427.500 425.500 38.100 256.500 255.000 6.400 9.340 9.170 217.900 79.660 79.560 292.300 291.900 1.340 GOLD 1,337.880 TRAVELLER’S CHEQUE 432.000 292.000

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd US Dollar Canadian Dollar Sterling Pound Euro Swiss Frank Cyprus Pound Bahrain Dinar UAE Dirhams Qatari Riyals Saudi Riyals Jordanian Dinar Egyptian Pound Indian Rupees Pakistani Rupees

291.950 277.520 430.748 358.831 251.784 715.600 772.771 79.467 80.171 77.822 411.987 51.627 6.208 3.425

Sri Lankan Rupees Bangladesh Taka Philippines Pesso Japanese Yen Thai Bhat Syrian Pound Nepalese Rupees

2.563 4.222 6.253 3.190 8.942 6.369 3.858

Kuwait Bahrain Intl Exchange Co. Currency Rate per 1000 (Tran) US Dollar 292.150 Pak Rupees 3.435 Indian Rupees 6.195 Sri Lankan Rupees 2.575 Bangladesh Taka 4.210 Philippines Peso 6.295 UAE Dirhams 79.595 Saudi Riyals 78.080 Bahraini Dinars 776.200 Egyptian Pounds 51.595 Pound Sterling 435.400 Indonesian Rupiah 0.0000328000 Nepali rupee 3.990 Yemeni Riyal 1.550 Jordanian Dinars 414.700 Syrian Pounds 5.750 Euro 362.000 Candaian Dollars 283.500

Al Mulla Exchange Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000) US Dollar 291.700 Euro 360.000 Pound Sterling 431.500 Canadian Dollar 279.000 Japanese Yen 3.200 Indian Rupee 6.210 Egyptian Pound 51.600 Sri Lankan Rupee 2.563 Bangladesh Taka 4.212 Philippines Peso 6.265 Pakistan Rupee 3.425 Bahraini Dinar 775.400 UAE Dirham 79.450 Saudi Riyal 77.810 *Ra tes a re su bj ect to cha n ge

BUSINESS

Sunday, June 6, 2010

23

Fund managers 'bet' on Iraqi investment Fund firms targeting hedge funds, high net worth clients MUMBAI: A few bold fund managers are betting on the reconstruction of war-ravaged Iraq to tap into a market potentially worth billion of dollars. They are seeking out hedge funds, family offices, ultra high net worth investors and pension funds as potential investors willing to overlook the volatility for the prospect of double-digit returns from the Middle Eastern country.

"We strongly believe that the Iraqi stock exchange is a one-way bet," said Eric le Blan, chief operating officer at boutique investment firm MerchantBridge.

The firm launched the Iraq-focused Mesopotamia Fund last month, aiming to initially raise $5 million, and $50 million in the long term. So far, it has attracted only Middle Eastern investors, but it hopes Western clients will follow. Iraq's stock market is valued at about $2.5 billion with nearly 90 listed stocks, almost untouched by foreign portfolio investors. Some of its blue chips are North Bank, Credit Bank of Iraq and hospitality group Mansour Hotel. An inconclusive election has left political tensions in Iraq high, with no new government

in sight nearly three months after the vote.

The country remains largely isolated from world financial markets-only a short while ago local banks were so cut off the only way to transfer money across borders was in cash-stuffed bags. But substantial investments from groups such as Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell to develop untapped oil fields are expected to boost capacity, bringing a return of prosperity and lifting consumption. The government is also set to finance the construction of a $3 billion metro rail through Baghdad to shore up

depleted infrastructure after years of war and underinvestment.

HIGH RISK, HIGH RETURN Despite the potential, risks still abound and money managers warn that in this gamble of high risk and reward, losing a major chunk of money is a real possibility. "We are telling everybody: put in 1-3 percent of your assets, write it off immediately as a total loss and then look at it in three to five years," said Johan G. Kahm, a principal at multi-manager fund firm FMG that manages

about $200 million across 10 funds.

Kahm said his $5 million special opportunities fund is now investing only in Iraq and raising money to boost assets to $10-15 million. "Iraq is a long-term play, the minimum investment horizon is at least one year," le Blan said. However Bjorn Englund, founder of alternative fund manager Godvig, said the while economic development will materialize "with a lag", the risk involved "is lower than perceived, which gives a very good risk/return potential".

Godvig's Babylon Fund returned a total

Juhayna launches its IPO

Sri Lanka, Emirates near deal on airline buy-back COLOMBO: Sri Lanka is on the verge of buying back the 43.6 percent stake in its national carrier held by Dubai's Emirates Airlines, SriLankan Airlines' chairman said. "The deal is close to being finalized," Nishanta Wickremesinghe told reporters. "It is now between the government and Emirates."

Emirates, the Middle East's largest carrier, bought its stake in SriLankan for 70 million dollars in 1998, in line with a privatization of the airline, which was then known as Air Lanka. Although the Sri Lanka government retained a 51 percent stake, Emirates was given management control of the airline over a 10-year period. When that period ended in 2008, Emirates valued its holding at around 150 million dollars.

Wickremesinghe did not give details of the buy-back deal, but airline sources quoted a figure of between 55-65 million dollars.

"Papers are being exchanged and a deal should be ready soon," an airline source who declined to be named said.

"The government wants to finance the purchase through at least two of its profitmaking commercial enterprises."

SriLankan posted a loss of 10 billion rupees ($87 million) in the year ended March, hurt by falling tourist arrivals and the global recession. — AFP

CAIRO: Egyptian dairy and juice maker Juhayna Food Industries is raising 1 billion Egyptian pounds ($177 million) via a capital increase that incorporates the country's first initial public offering (IPO) in two years, it said yesterday. The company is selling 80 percent of the shares in a private placement and 20 percent to the general public. The private placement, which closes later yesterday, is already oversubscribed, having raised $204 million.

The global financial crisis put a stop to IPOs in Egypt after oil services company Maridive and real estate company Palm Hills Developments sold shares in mid-2008. Egypt's economy grew by an annual 5.8 percent in the first quarter of 2010, up from 4.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009. The public subscription period runs from Sunday to Thursday, June 10, Juhayna's chief executive Safwan Thabet said ahead of a press conference yesterday.

The shares will be sold on the Egyptian stock exchange. Thabet said the price of the new shares will be announced in newspapers on Sunday. The new funds will raise Juhayna's capital to 1.52 billion Egyptian pounds. It will use the funds to invest in its current farms and for new farms, a company statement said.

Juhayna Food Industries makes milk, dairy products and juices, with export markets across Africa and the Middle East. Its clients include McDonald's Corp. — Reuters

US private employers holding back on hiring WASHINGTON: A swell in temporary government hiring for the census drove almost all the US job market's gains last month - a huge disappointment to Wall Street and a sign that private employers aren't yet confident enough in the recovery to start adding workers with gusto.

Daunted by the European debt crisis and a falling US stock market at home, American businesses added just 41,000 jobs in May, the fewest since January.

The government hired 10 times as many for the national census, but those positions will begin to disappear as summer arrives. At least on paper, the 431,000 total new jobs was the biggest gain in a decade. The unemployment rate dipped to 9.7 percent from 9.9 percent, mainly because hundreds of thousands of people gave up searching for work and were no longer counted.

"On the surface, they look great," Joel Naroff, president of Naroff Economic Advisors, said of the numbers. "But that beauty was only skindeep. The private sector is not out there hiring like crazy." Wall Street interpreted the numbers as a big letdown, a sign that the recovery, if not derailed, is at least stalling. The Dow Jones industrial average sank from the opening bell and tumbled 323.31 points, its third worst slide of the year. The index closed below 10,000 for the second time in two weeks. All the major indexes were down more than 3 percent.

The new employment snapshot, released Friday by the Labor Department, indicated that many private employers are still wary of bulking up their work forces. And it suggested the economic recovery may not bring help fast enough for millions of Americans still unemployed. The slowdown isn't unusual for an economic recovery. Hiring can slow in one month, then accelerate the next, as was the case after the 2001 recession. But that recession was relatively brief and mild. The Great Recession wiped out so many jobs that it will take unusually strong hiring to bring substantial relief. And neither the Federal Reserve nor the Obama administration expects that to happen soon.

Nor are Americans spending as lavishly as they typically do when recessions end. Wages are barely increasing. And the stock market has taken a beating. If shoppers stay frugal, businesses could become even less confident about adding new workers. The European debt crisis hurts, too. "We had all this bad news coming out of Europe, which made employers more cautious," said Tig Gilliam, CEO of Adecco Group North America, an employment services company. The government hired 411,000 workers in May for the census. But last month was the peak of hiring for the 10-year count, and it will begin to tail off in June. The loss of those temporary jobs could help keep the unemployment rate high.

The nation has produced jobs for five straight months. That's a sharp improvement from last year, when employers were slashing work forces to survive the recession. Yet at the current pace of job creation, it could take at least until the middle of the decade to recoup the 7.4 million jobs lost since December 2007 and reduce unemployment to a more normal 6 percent or below.

Economists think the rate will remain above 9 percent through November, potentially leaving both Democratic and Republican incumbents in Congress more vulnerable to defeat. The weak job market also puts pressure on senators to pass an extension of unemployment benefits.

Unemployment is expected to remain high - in the 7 percent range - all the way into 2012, when President Barack Obama would seek re-election.

On Friday, the president stressed the recovery was still in its early stages. "Things never go completely in a smooth line," he said. — AP

of 25 percent since its inception and the fund's assets have grown four-fold to $21 million since inception. Sitting on about 115 billion barrels of oil reserves, Iraq could look completely different five years down the line, as oil production and investment flows improve and the country's economy gets a lift, re-rating its stock market which is valued lower than that of Barbados. "Nobody knows what's going to happen. Everybody is guessing. But if it works out, we are going to make five, 10, 20 times of our money," Kahm said. — Reuters

OPEC output ceiling to stay ‘unchanged’

MUSCAT: Omanis watch torrents of water as it sweeps through the capital Muscat following heavy rains as Cyclone Phet passed over the Gulf Sultanate, causing no causalities according to the civil defense spokesman. — AFP

Bad weather halts oil and gas production in Oman Cyclone heading toward LNG facilities MUSCAT: Oman halted its oil and gas production due to bad weather as Cyclone Phet hit the small oil-producing country's coast, but no facilities were damaged, DPO and Oman LNG spokesmen said. "We won't load any oil because no ship is able to anchor at our facility due to rough seas," a spokesman for state-controlled Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), an affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell, said. "The last load to ships was

yesterday" Said Al-Busaidy said. In the first quarter of 2010, crude oil and condensates exports stood at 731,000 barrels per day, according to official government data.

The latest storm path forecast shows Phet heading close to Sur, where Oman's three LNG production facilities, known as trains, are located. Oman LNG already shut down one LNG train on Thursday night, said Oman LNG spokesman

Nasser Al-Kindy. "We are now in the process of shutting down the rest as a precaution. We do not expect to miss out on any cargo delivery," he said, adding that no LNG facilities have been damaged. Qalhat LNG, which supplies Spain and Japan, would also be shutting down its trains, he said.

Oman's LNG trains have total capacity to produce over 10 million tonnes per year (tpy) of LNG, though in reality

Oman produces closer to 8 million tpy of LNG. Phet, downgraded to a Category 2 storm, hit eastern Oman with winds up to 120 kmh and heavy rains of up to 331 mm, the state television said. The station said heavy rains were expected on Friday in Muscat, located near the port of Mina Al-Fahal, where Oman's crude is exported. Busaidy said the port had not been damaged. "The Mina Fahal exporting facility is fine," he said. — Reuters

TEHRAN: Iran's OPEC governor said yesterday there was no need to change the cartel's crude output ceiling as oil demand was not expected to increase by January 2011, Iran's Oil Ministry's website SHANA reported.

"Demand for oil will not increase in the current year ... (An) OPEC output increase will cause the price fall," Mohammad Ali Khatibi told SHANA. He said various factors had to be considered by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) when assessing any changes to the output ceiling, including demand and stockpiles of crude.

The cartel has left the ceiling unchanged for more than a year since announcing a record supply curb of 4.2 million barrels per day in December 2008 in response to the global economic downturn. OPEC's reference crude oil basket price rose further to $72.86 a barrel on Thursday from $71.15 the previous day, OPEC said on Friday.

Iran's Oil Minister Massoud Mirkazemi said in April the world's fifth-largest crude exporter had the capacity to produce more than 4.1 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude but it was pumping at well under that level due to the cartel's restraints.

The United States and its European allies are pushing for a fourth round of United Nations sanctions to pressure Iran to curb a nuclear program the West fears is aimed at building a bomb. Iran says it needs nuclear technology to generate power.

The Islamic state has struggled for years to develop its oil and gas reserves and analysts say it needs outside funds to do so, but particularly Western companies are increasingly wary of investing there due to the nuclear dispute.

Iran has increasingly turned to Asian firms instead but they often lack the technology to implement oil and gas projects. Iranian authorities have repeatedly said the imposed sanctions had helped the country to become self-sufficient but on Wednesday a senior Oil Ministry official said UN sanctions have doubled the cost of developing Iran's vital energy sector.

Iran also lacks sufficient refining capacity to meet its domestic demand and imports up to 40 percent of its gasoline requirements. It subsidizes gasoline, which is therefore among the world's cheapest, encouraging fast growth in demand and making it very reliant on imports from the international markets. To lessen its vulnerability to further sanctions targeting fuel imports, Iran is investing heavily in its own refining capacity. — Reuters

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BUSINESS

Sunday, June 6, 2010

KSE ends week's activity in the red zone BAYAN WEEKLY MARKET REPORT KUWAIT: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) ended last week's activity in the red zone amid continued significant decrease in trading indicators. Average daily turnover during last week declined by 42.14%, compared to previous week's levels, to reach KD 20.82 million, whereas trading volume average amounted to 164.19 million shares, at a decrease of 16.56%.

Daily turnover did not exceed KD 25 million in any of the week's sessions, and it reached its lowest level since January of 2009, as Sunday's total value of trades amounted to around KD 16 million.

The market was able to record slight gains by the end of the first trading day of the week, but it incurred huge losses in Monday's session as a result of wide selling transactions that caused prices of

more than 80% of traded stocks to decline. KSE then attempted to solidify in the remaining sessions of the week amid volatile activity, and it was able to compensate most of weighted index's losses, whereas price index's gains were limited.

At the regional level, most GCC stock markets registered weekly losses, except for the Saudi Stock Exchange and Qatar Exchange, which ended the week in the green zone after volatile daily performance.

By the end of the week, the price index closed at 6,733.5 points, down by 1.13% from the week before closing, whereas the weighted index registered a 0.31% weekly loss after closing at 411.37 points. And as a result of last week's decrease, price index's losses, compared

to previous year's closing level, reached 3.88%, while weighted index's year-todate gains were reduced to 6.64%.

Sectors' Indices Six of KSE's sectors ended last week in the red zone, while the other two recorded increases. The Investment sector headed the losers list as its index declined by 3.50% to end the week's activity at 4,987.6 points. The Real Estate sector was second on the losers list, which index declined by 2.10%, closing at 2,461.1 points, followed by the Services sector, as its index closed at 14,823.1 points at a loss of 1.76%. The Insurance sector was the least declining as its index closed at 2,435.8 points with a 0.01% decrease. On the other hand, last week's

highest gainer was the Industry sector, achieving 1.63% growth rate as its index closed at 5,400.2 points. Whereas, in the second place, the Banks sector's index closed at 9,050.2 points recording 1.53% increase.

Sectors' Activity The Investment sector dominated total trade volume during last week with 234.22 million shares changing hands, representing 28.53% of the total market trading volume. The Real Estate sector was second in terms trading volume as the sector's traded shares were 21.94% of last week's total trading volume, with a total of 180.14 million shares. On the other hand, the Banks sector's stocks where the highest traded in terms of

value; with a turnover of KD 30.81 million or 29.59% of last week's total market trading value. The Investment sector took the second place as the sector's last week turnover of KD 22.27 million represented 21.39% of the total market trading value.

Market Capitalization KSE total market capitalization declined by 0.49% during last week to reach KD 30.55 billion, as six of KSE's sectors recorded a decrease in their respective market capitalization, whereas the other two recorded increases. The Investment sector headed the decliners list as its total market capitalization reached KD 2.77 billion, decreasing by 3.31%. The Non-Kuwaiti companies sec-

tor was the second in terms of recorded decline with 3.17% decrease after the total value of its listed companies reached KD 2.91 billion.

The third place was for the Real Estate sector, which total market capitalization reached KD 1.72 billion by the end of the week, recording a decline of 2.74%.

The Insurance sector was the least declining with 0.05% recorded decrease after its market capitalization amounted to KD 283.92 million. On the other hand, the Food sector headed the growing sectors as its total market capitalization reached KD 719.94 million, increasing by 1.65%. The Banks sector was the second in terms of recorded growth with 1.34% increase after the total value of its listed companies reached KD 11.18 billion.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

BUSINESS

25

AgBank heads for record IPO Investors to focus on book value, bad loans HONG KONG: Investors will scour a preliminary prospectus for Agricultural Bank of China’s around $30 billion IPO, the world’s largest, for updates on its book value and bad loans. AgBank’s IPO draft documents are expected later as part of China’s fourth-biggest bank’s dual listing in Shanghai and Hong Kong, slated for mid-July. The

BUSAN: US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner attends the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Busan yesterday. Finance ministers from the world’s leading nations sought to narrow differences on key banking reforms, wrapping up a two-day meeting aimed at safeguarding fragile economic recovery. — AFP

Geithner pressurizes China on exchange rate reform BUSAN: US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner urged China yesterday to let the yuan appreciate as a critical part of its economic reforms. Geithner, speaking after a Group of 20 finance ministers’ meeting, said the grouping had discussed “a more flexible exchange rate policy” in China. He said revaluing the yuan was an important part of wider economic reforms pursued by Beijing to make its economy less dependent on exports and drive up domestic demand. “China has laid out very ambitious reforms designed to help strengthen growth in household income, consumption growth and to strengthen domestic demand,” he said. “A necessary part of that reform is to resume reform of their exchange rate mechanism.”

In a communique following the two-day meeting, the G20 warned that market convulsions sparked by Europe’s debt crisis posed major challenges to the global economy. They did not single out specific currencies for mention. Critics of China’s currency policy say

Beijing keeps the yuan artificially low to make the country’s exports cheaper than those of rivals. Speculation had grown in recent months that China was ready to allow a gradual yuan appreciation. Analysts say that now looks unlikely because the government will seek exchange rate stability as the European sovereign debt crisis rages.

At recent annual talks with the United States, President Hu Jintao said China would adjust its exchange rate policy at its own pace.

Beyond the yuan issue, Washington is concerned about accusations China is skewing its trade and investment climate in favor of domestic companies.

However, in his comments Geithner framed the yuan issue as part of a wider effort to rebalance the global economy.

“A shift towards higher saving in the United States would need to be complemented by strong domestic demand growth in Japan and in the European surplus countries,” he said. —AFP

Auto industry may see labor shortage DETROIT: It seems counterintuitive, but the auto industry could face a labor shortage within the next few years, says the head of the Center for Automotive Research. While 228,000 auto jobs have been shed in the past two years, the industry is poised to add about 15,000 this year and could need up to 100,000 new workers a year from 2011 through 2013 as the recession recovery continues, said David Cole, chairman of the non-profit organization that looks at trends related to the auto industry and society.

The new jobs won’t necessarily be filled by those displaced workers.

Automakers need workers with more and different skills than in the past on the factory floor, Cole said. Among priorities: computer skills and the ability to work with less supervision than their predecessors. That likely means education beyond high school.

“The one thing that is very clear is that production workers need a two-year community college degree or the equivalent,” he said. “The technology is quite sophisticated and changing rapidly.” He predicts a shortage as early as next year. Experts have predicted for about five years that a labor shortage eventually would come for the auto industry simply due to the aging population.

Advanced Technology Services and

ACNielsen predicted in 2005 that changing demographics alone could leave the industry short of skilled autoworkers by the middle of this decade.

Cole said that problem exists, too, and it may arrive sooner than expected, since buyout offers from automakers in recent years accelerated retirement by many older workers.

Meanwhile, an industry that shrank for more than a decade has not been adding great numbers of younger workers.

At least for now, thanks to the economy, there are plenty of applicants for any new jobs.

When Kia began hiring for more than 1,000 jobs at its just-opened plant in West Point, Ga., it got more than 44,000 applications.

Chrysler announced last month it would add 1,100 jobs this summer for a second shift at the Detroit plant starting to build its new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. But it’s not taking applications because it has enough already to fill the spots. Sophia Koropeckyj, managing director for Moody’s Economy.com, said, however, that lots of applications don’t mean a surplus of applicants with skills now needed for state-ofthe-art auto plants. “It’s not contradictory at all,” she said. “(Automakers) are having a hard time filling all those positions. That really is the scenario.”— MCT

Awaiting the financial disclosure ahead of such a big initial public offering, one Hong Kong-based fund manager said there were concerns over AgBank’s exposure to local government funding platforms and its high cost-to-income ratio, given the bank’s many branches and staff numbers.

But the fund manager, who could not be named as he was not authorised to speak on the record to the media, said AgBank should offer high growth given its rural population focus, low non-performing loan levels and low leverage.

Dutch Rabobank said it signed a “strategic cooperation” with AgBank to share its experience in wholesale banking, rural finance and other operations. Rabobank, cooperatively owned with its roots in and focus on the farming community, did not say whether it would become an investor in AgBank prior to the IPO. AgBank is the last of China’s big four banks to list its shares and the first to do so without first bringing in a major foreign strategic investor, underscoring how the global financial crisis has dented the reputation of foreign banks in China.

The China Daily reported in March that AgBank’s 2009 net profit rose 26.3 percent to 65 billion yuan ($9.52 billion) on operational reforms and a broader lending binge

by Chinese banks under Beijing’s loose monetary policy.

Sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Thursday that the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) would release AgBank’s preliminary IPO prospectus today, giving investors a first glimpse of key financial information on the company since the 2008 year-end report.

AgBank plans to seek approval on June 10 from committees that oversee listings in Shanghai and Hong Kong, sources say. The bank would then begin premarketing its IPO, aiming to debut its A-shares in Shanghai on July 15 and its Hong Kong Hshares a day later, the sources said.

The planned prospectus release is for the Shanghai Ashare offering, although it may also include information related to the Hong Kong part of the IPO. Investors will be looking for key gauges such as book value to decide whether AgBank, size and all, is worth putting money into. Beijingbased AgBank’s big domestic rivals trade at near or above 1.6 times book value.

According to a BofA Merrill Lynch report, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) trades at 2.1 times 2010 price-to-book, P/B, Bank of China at 1.5 times, and Bank of Communications at 1.8 times.

Exposure to non-performing loans is another key measure investors will watch keenly. — Reuters

last official financial data from AgBank were its 2008 results, though the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that the bank’s 2009 core capital adequacy ratio was 7.74 percent, just below the government’s required 8 percent. The paper said it obtained the information ahead of the data’s release.

NEW YORK: Kalisa Myers, of Tallahassee, demonstrates in front of the JP Morgan Chase World Headquarters in this photo. JP Morgan Chase owns close to 30 percent of BP’s public stock.— AP

FSA fines JP Morgan £33m STANDFIRST: UK Financial Services Authority, (FSA) levying its largest-ever fine, called on the financial services industry to take note of its crackdown on compliance.

JP Morgan has been fined £33m by the UK Financial Services Authority - the largestever fine from the regulator - for basic compliance failures which meant the bank had not protected client money by segregating it from its own funds over a seven-year period.

The fine relates to failure to protect up to $23bn of client money which was held by JP Morgan’s futures and options desk. “Had the firm become insolvent at any time during this period, this client money would have been at risk of loss,” the FSA said.

The regulator warned it had several similar cases in the pipeline and called on the City of London (the UK’s financial services sector) to sit up and take take notice of its compliance crackdown. It is understood that several blue-chip financial institutions have yet to respond to requests from the FSA to provide assurances on client fund segregation.

“Firms need to raise their game as the FSA’s focus on this area will continue to intensify,” said Sally Dewar, the FSA’s man-

aging director of risk. The JP Morgan fine comes as administrators to failed Wall Street bank Lehman Brothers find themselves dealing with a mountain of legal actions from large clients who claim the firm illegally “co-mingled” their money with the bank’s own funds.

The resulting chaos has been identified as one of the main reasons why the collapse of Lehman in September 2008 sent such powerful shockwaves through the financial system. Ever since, regulators around the world have been pressuring institutions once regarded as “too big to fail” to get their houses in order, particularly in separating client and bank resources. It is estimated that assets of more than £50bn owned by London-based firms, predominantly hedge funds, are held by the big investment banks through their broker dealers.

The FSA, which the UK finance minister George Osborne wants to break up, has been putting pressure on firms to act on client fund segregation or face draconian consequences.

It is part of chief executive Hector Sants’s “be afraid” message he set out in a speech a year ago when he said: “There is a

view that people are not frightened of the FSA. I can assure you that this is a view I am determined to correct. People should be very frightened of the FSA.” The FSA said compliance failures at JP Morgan Securities Ltd (JPMSL) occurred between November 2002, following the merger of JP Morgan and Chase, and July 2009. Margaret Cole, FSA director of enforcement and financial crime, said: “JPMSL committed a serious breach of our client money rules by failing to segregate billions of dollars of its clients’ money for nearly seven years. The penalty reflects the amount of client money involved in this breach.

“This penalty sends out a strong message to firms of all sizes that they must ensure client money is segregated in accordance with FSA rules. Firms need to sit up and take notice of this action - we have several more cases in the pipeline.”

The JP Morgan fine would have been as high as GBP48m had the bank not co-operated with the FSA. The fine took into account that misconduct was not deliberate and that the bank acted promptly to resolve the issue.— Guardian

Eurozone plans for common bond issue

CALIFORNIA: A General Motors dealer displays a banner promoting a staying in business sale at its premises in Santa Monica, Los Angeles. General Motors said its US sales rose 16.6 percent in May from a year earlier, the eighth consecutive month of gains for the top US automaker. — AFP

STANDFIRST: Germany fears ‘mutualisation of sovereign debt’ if eurobond plan goes ahead Eurozone governments are considering the issue of common “eurobonds” for the first time as part of their mammoth exercise in staving off a sovereign debt crisis across the Mediterranean and shoring up the single currency.

EU finance ministers are to meet in Luxembourg on Monday to establish the workings of the EUR750bn safety net agreed last month following weeks of crisis and dispute. The ministers, from the 16 of 27 EU countries in the single currency, are to haggle over two options for the operations of the rescue fund - borrowing on the markets to lend to a country in distress, or guaranteeing the borrowing of the cashstrapped country. The first option amounts to eurobonds, senior officials told the Guardian.

The “eurobond” issue is acutely sensitive, especially in Germany which is allergic to any hint that the lending vehicle will enshrine budget transfers from the

stronger to the weaker members of the eurozone. Skeptics fear it would entail the mutualisation of public debt, and Germany fears jeopardizing its liquidity and low borrowing costs.

But in agreeing to supply up to EUR148bn of EUR440bn for the eurozone rescue fund, Berlin is already committed.

“The Rubicon has been crossed. In agreeing to the (EUR440bn) special purposes vehicle, they have already accepted it,” said an EU official. The overall package is split into three - EUR60bn in fast-track funds borrowed against the EU budget and administered by the European commission, EUR440bn from the 16-country euro group, plus EUR250bn from the International Monetary Fund.

Tomorrow the ministers are to create a new entity to run the 440-billion euro group fund, the European financial stability facility (EFSF), based in Luxembourg, with a 16-strong board, one from each single currency country. The ministers are expected to appoint a CEO and managerial staff. An

EU diplomat said any European financial stability facility EFSF issues would “amount to a eurobond in all but name, all these countries coming together under one umbrella to borrow”.

The European Investment Bank, also based in Luxembourg and headed by Philippe Maystadt, a former Belgian finance minister and deputy prime minister, is to help run the EFSF. “One way is the funded route, the (EFSF) borrows and lends,” a senior EU official involved in the negotiations said. “In this case the bond issue from the entity with the guarantee of 15 eurozone countries could be seen as eurobonds.” Jean-Claude Juncker, the Luxembourg prime minister and head of the euro group, signaled the issue was incendiary. “Can the vehicle we are going to put into place on Monday take us to the issuing of Eurobonds?” he asked. “If I said ‘yes’, then everything would be done to avoid the creation of this instrument.” The alternative to an EFSF bond issue is for the 15 governments to guarantee the borrowing of

the country needing help, Spain, Portugal or Ireland, for example. Senior sources said the likely outcome would be to combine both methods.

In order to stabilize soaring debt and deficit levels and reduce borrowing costs for the weaker eurozone members, there have been several calls, fiercely resisted by Berlin, for the introduction of joint euro group bonds. Herman Van Rompuy, president of the European Council, who is chairing a “task force” trying to chart a way out of the crisis, proposed the eurobond option a fortnight ago. Juncker is known to support him.

The rescue fund was agreed over a dramatic weekend of summitry last month to ward off what many feared would be a Black Monday, May 10, with the euro imploding amid a chain reaction of sovereign debt default along the Mediterranean. Some see the EUR750bn pot as a precursor to fullscale eurobonds and a “European Monetary Fund.” But senior officials insisted it was a temporary three-year measure. —Guardian

26

BUSINESS

Sunday, June 6, 2010

GlobalEnglish an Internet coach for language of business SAN FRANCISCO: Executives from an array of international corporations will gather in San Francisco this month to talk the language of business. At the heart of the two-day GlobalExchange gathering beginning on June 15 is GlobalEnglish, a Silicon Valley firm specializing in Internet technology that helps workers of many languages connect in a common tongue: English.

"The whole notion of being an American company or a French com-

pany is no longer the case," GlobalEnglish chief executive Deepak Desai said. "You are a global company." Companies are eagerly recruiting top talent in countries around the world, and those employees need to collaborate and communicate despite differing native languages.

English has become the default for business at global corporations since it has been adopted as a second-language in most institutions of

higher learning, according to Desai.

He added that English is spoken more by non-native speakers than it is by those to which it is the primary language. "English no longer belongs to the native English speakers," said GlobalEnglish vice president of worldwide business development Mahesh Ram. "The English spoken between a Malaysian and a Japanese does not correspond to what you might find in Shakespeare; it is what you need to get work done." As cor-

porations seek to expand in third world countries, they need to find common linguistic terrain with business partners as well as local employees integrated into international networks.

"Large corporations are dealing with the issues of talent and globalization," Desai said. "The world has changed a lot." Serial entrepreneur Reece Duca founded the company 12 years ago with a vision that "e-learning" would merge with business pro-

ductivity in increasingly multi-lingual global workforces, according to GlobalEnglish.

The firm provides lessons and online tutors as well as computer "tool bars" with features ranging from templates for letters to text-tospeech translations that include differences between accents such as British and American.

Employees have the option of taking in-depth English classes on the Internet and can access teachers

online at any hour. "Companies aren't necessarily interested in learning for its own sake," Desai said. "They are interested in improving productivity." The GlobalEnglish roster of customers included leading computer maker Hewlett-Packard, global steel giant ArcelorMittal, and French banking powerhouse BNP Paribas.

"We continue to see great momentum and the vision of the founder has become a reality," Desai

said. "The original vision is to democratize the teaching of English, and it is incredible to see we can do that." GlobalEnglish licenses its service at costs ranging from 300 to 600 dollars (US) "per learner per year," according to Ram. GlobalEnglish planned to unveil upgrades to its technology at the gathering in San Francisco. The company is based in the Northern California city of Brisbane and has offices in 16 countries. — AFP

UK house prices fall for 2nd month LONDON: British house prices fell for a second consecutive month in May, mortgage lender Halifax said yesterday, in a further sign the recent property market recovery is losing steam. Halifax said house prices fell by 0.4 percent in May after April's 0.1 percent decline, wrongfooting analysts who had forecast a modest increase. Still, prices were 6.9 percent higher in the three months to May than the same period a year ago-the fastest rise on this measure since October 2007 - and have risen 8.3 percent since April 2009.

Howard Archer, an economist at Global Insight, said falling employment and muted wage growth were providing headwinds for the property market, despite record low interest rates. "The second successive drop in house prices reported by the Halifax in May further stokes our relative pessimism over the housing market and rein-

forces our belief that house prices will find it very difficult to make significant gains over the rest of this year," he said. Halifax said the average house price last month was 167,570 pounds, 16 percent below its August 2007 peak.

It noted that more property was coming onto the market and reiterated its forecast for flat house price growth over 2010 as a whole. "The mixed pattern of monthly price rises and falls so far this year is consistent with a slowing market and is in line with our view that house prices will be flat during 2010 as a whole," said Halifax housing economist Martin Ellis. Figures from rival mortgage lender Nationwide earlier this week painted a firmer picture, but also suggested price gains were slowing. According to Nationwide, prices rose by 0.5 percent in May, half the rate of the previous two months. — Reuters

Markets remain in a jittery mood GLOBAL MARKETS WEEK AHEAD SCHKEUDITZ: An Airbus A380 of German airline Lufthansa rolls over a bridge after it landed at the airport in Schkeuditz near Leipzig in eastern Germany. The German national football team will use an A380 when they travel today to South Africa to take part in the 2010 Football World Cup. — AFP

Economic downturn clips wings of luxury air travel NEW YORK: The economic downturn has clipped the wings of luxury air travel. Hi-end boutique airlines have fallen from the sky, business travelers are bargain hunting online and most folks seated in the front of the plane have paid only for the back, experts say. "Luxury air travel has essentially been grounded," said Peter Yesawich, CEO of the travel marketing company Ypartnership, "One of the first prerequisites to go in a tough economy."

Yesawich, whose company tracks travel trends, said that with the exception of long hauls, these days even most folks in first class are flying on upgrades. "It's said that real profit in any flight is front of plane. The rest covers the over-

Luxury air travel: Out of the blue, into the red head," he explained.

"But there's been a conscious effort by corporations and individuals to suppress that travel." Airlines are also battling the price transparency that the internet has revealed. "A couple of clicks on kayak.com, for example, shops airfares even for business class," Yesawich explained.

He said big carriers, such as Delta and British Airways, are trying to lure business travelers back to first class with amenities such as onboard showers, flat seats for sleeping and Internet access. But the highend boutique airlines that sprang up in the boom before

the bust have mostly gone the way of the Dodo bird, or the Concord. Now most boutique airlines are low cost and nofrills. "Eos is no longer in business and L'Avion was gobbled up by British Airways," said Steve Loucks, vice president at Travel Leaders, of two boutiques that ferried passengers in high style during high times.

So how do the rich get around these days? It depends on what you call rich. "The super rich fly anyway they want," said Mike Weingart of Travel Leaders in Houston, Texas. In Glendale, California, his colleague Vicky Voll agrees: "Business people, retired exec-

utives, film stars, some own private planes. Amazingly for long haul flights, they choose scheduled airlines in first or even business class." It there are eight to 10 people traveling together they usually charter a small Gulfstream, she added.

According to Jami Counter, senior director of TripAdvisor.com, today's luxury traveler inclines towards private jets, or at least a piece of one.

"What's been in vogue is fractional jet ownership," which Counter likened to a time share.

"It's flexible. You can tap into it, so it's a nice alternative to owning a jet."

For scheduled flights up

where the air is rarefied, he cites the double-decker, widebodied Airbus 380, which has been flying commercially since 2007.

"Emirates out of Dubai, with 100 destinations around the world, has 50 Airbus 380s on order," he said, adding that they boast showers in first class, spas and private suites. Counter says the luxury boutiques are like canaries in the economic coal mine. "In 2000 Legend Airlines announced an incredibly highend, 59-seat business class service out of Dallas. Then came the dot.com downturn and Legend lasted less than a year," he said. "Every time airlines go in for this high-end luxury service, it's a sign things are getting overheated." — Reuters

easyJet May traffic rises LONDON: British budget airline easyJet carried 7.9 percent more passengers in May yearon-year, despite disruption caused by volcanic dust, and said it would trial an infrared ash detector to limit future stoppages. easyJet flew 4.26 million

passengers in May, up from 3.95 million the year before, while its load factor-a measure of how well it fills planes-rose 2.3 percentage points to 83.5 percent as traffic across the continent recovers.

Shares in easyJet, which

have risen a fifth in 2010, were up 0.8 percent at 427.5 pence by 0848 GMT, valuing the carrier at around 1.83 billion pounds ($2.7 billion). The spread of ash from an erupting volcano in Iceland grounded much of European air traffic for nearly a

week in April over fears of the effect ash could have on jet engines. There were far fewer closures last month as the cloud dissipated and regulators eased flying restrictions. easyJet also said it would try out a new ash detector in the

LONDON: British scientist Dr Fred Prata, (centre) a senior scientist at the Norwegian Institute for Air Research, and inventor of the Airborne Volcanic Object Identifier and Detector System, (AVOID) addresses the media in central London. Low-cost airline easyJet announced Friday that they would be the first airline to trial the new AVOID technology that involves placing infrared technology onto an aircraft to supply images to both the pilots and an airline’s flight control centre. — AFP

coming months in a bid to end ash-related disruption. The Airborne Volcanic Object Identifier and Detector (AVOID), designed by Norway's Institute for Air Research, uses an infrared radar system which is placed onto an aircraft to supply images to pilots and flight control centers.

These images will allow pilots to see an ash cloud up to 100 km ahead of the aircraft and at altitudes between 5,000 and 50,000 feet, easyJet said. "The ash detector will enable our aircraft to see and avoid the ash cloud, just like airborne weather radars and weather maps make thunderstorms visible," easyJet Chief Executive Andy Harrison said in a statement.

Air France-KLM and Ryanair's May traffic rose 4.3 and 17 percent, respectively, and both said demand continued to improve. BA, however, carried 11.5 percent fewer passenger in May year-on-year, hit by disruption caused by seven days of strikes by cabin crew.

Several European airlines, including Deutsche Lufthansa, Air Berlin and Iberia, are due to report May traffic figures next week. — Reuters

LONDON: Financial markets remain in a jittery mood heading into the new week although riskier assets such as emerging market stocks are well off their lows and expectations of future volatility have come back down to earth. A new worry about debt default in Hungary and some moderately disappointing US jobs data on Friday acted as a brake on what had been a gradual return of composure after a rough couple of months.

But the underlying mood among investors is still one of slowly developing optimism. This is in part because despite various ructions in markets, long-term investors have hung on to their belief that the world economy is generally in recovery mode. Friday's US jobs data were not as positive as analysts had hoped for but still indicated improvement from past months, adding to an overall picture of steady, if uninspiring, growth.

Reuters latest polling on global GDP underlined this. They showed economists now expecting 4.1 percent growth this year, up from a 3.6 percent projection in January, and 3.8 percent next year, down slightly from 4.0 percent. Perhaps more significantly, the range of projections for growth next year both narrowed and rose, suggesting that optimism is beginning to outweigh pessimism. "We have seen a strong rebound driven by fiscal measures and a restocking of inventories," said Alessandro Bee, an economist at Bank Sarasin in Zurich.

He expects a slowdown of the current rate of growth towards the end of the year and into the early part of next year, but nothing in the way of a double dip. "We are optimistic that it will be kind of a mid-cycle slowdown. Monetary conditions are still very supportive," Bee said. This relatively positive macroeconomic backdrop has allowed investors to get over some of their worst fears about European debt defaults, not withstanding dire circumstances in economies such as Greece and Hungary.

Since hitting a year low on May 25, world stocks are up some 6 percent with the more volatile emerging market component gaining more than 8 percent. Some technical specialists, such as Richard Ross of Auerbach Grayson, even see buy signals emerging. "Wednesday's 95 percent upside volume day on the (New York Stock Exchange) added to the litany of evidence in support of our view that the painful May correction has run its course and a powerful advance has commenced," Ross said in a note. Significantly, the CBOE volatility index, the so-called fear gauge of stock market expectations, has fallen back to around 30 from a level near 50 that was implying major trouble ahead

for equities and riskier assets in general.

Investors, meanwhile, are re-assessing their earlier fears about a major economic catastrophe springing from debt problems in the Europe. "We do not expect an economic stalemate like in the aftermath of the Lehman failure," Klaus Wiener, head of research at Generali Investments in Cologne, said in a note. "The growth impact is without doubt negative, but there are offsetting factors as well: a weaker euro, strong reactions of the monetary policy, and the fact that sovereign credit risk is not an issue in Asia (ex Japan)."

BACK TO BASICS This is not to say that all is back to normal. Far from it. Investors still have a large number of questions even beyond the ones surrounding the euro zone. "Will the US deal with its fiscal burden? What is the inflation outlook for the major economies?

How far will the regulatory pendulum swing?" said Andrew Milligan, head of strategy at Standard Life Investments in Edinburgh. "On balance, investors are still pretty nervous." Reaction on Friday to gloomy prognostications from Hungarian officials underlined the fragility of market sentiment. The focus is what will happen to leading banks if Hungary defaults or if the fall in the forint fuels a rise in loan delinquency among Hungarians who have borrowed heavily in euros and Swiss francs.

The coming week will offer a range of events to keep investors on their toes, including speeches on Wednesday by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke in Richmond, Virginia and European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet in Frankfurt. On Thursday, Trichet will hold a news conference after the ECB makes its latest policy decision. The Bank of England and ECB hold rate meetings, with both expected to stay on hold. The Fed also releases its Beige Book on Wednesday, offering anecdotal hints about current economic conditions in the world's largest economy from the Fed's various districts.

Euro zone and other European Union finance ministers, meanwhile, meet at the beginning of the week where it is almost inevitable that they will discuss Hungary, Greece and possibly even the tumbling euro. The single currency has fallen some 16 percent against the dollar so far this year and is currently trading around $1.20, a four-year low.

Brown Brothers Harriman suggested on Friday that the fall was welcome news to the euro zone because of its implications for exports. It said there was "malign neglect" in the euro's fall as opposed to the oft-cited "benign neglect" said to be practiced by the United States. — Reuters

NEW YORK: A broker looks at numbers from the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange as the market closes on Friday, June 4, 2010. — AP

TECHNOLOGY

Sunday, June 6, 2010

27

How to keep your Windows 7 computer running fast

By Jay Dougherty, dpa WASHINGTON: So you bought a new computer to run Windows 7, and you’re happy with the new PCs speed. It’s fast and responsive. But here’s the challenge: how to keep it that way? It’s not as easy as you think. If you’ve spent much time at all with PCs, you know that over time, your computer seems to run slower, takes longer to boot up, and might even start to exhibit erratic behaviour. But you can fight back by adopting the following guidelines for keeping your PC running its best, regardless of whether you’re running Windows 7 or an earlier version.

• Install only the essentials Installing too much software is the primary reason that computers get slower over time. So if you’re starting fresh with a new computer or a new operating system installation, commit to installing only the

applications that you use or need on a daily basis. The other programs - including freeware or shareware that you download just to try out - should be installed first on another machine until you figure out whether they earn the right to make it to your primary PC. And if that approach doesn’t sound feasible, then enlist the help of a program such as Revo Uninstaller (http://bit.ly/16Omp) that monitors program installations so that offensive applications can be removed entirely if you decide they’re not worth keeping. Windows’ Programs and Features utility, which is what people typically turn to in order to uninstall an application, too often leaves behind files, registry entries, and other system-cluttering debris.

There’s another reason to keep your system free of unnecessary software: your hard disk. Assuming you use a conventional drive rather than a solid state disk (SSD), your hard disk will become sluggish as it

fills up with data. That’s because the readwrite heads have to travel farther as programs and files fill the platters that make up a hard drive.

• Install using “custom” Whenever you’re given the choice by an installation program to choose between “standard” and “custom,” choose custom.

Doing so typically allows you to decide which specific components of an application to install. Avoid installing anything that will likely slow down your computer when starting up or when operating. Schedulers, toolbar add-ons, or components of suites that you’re not sure you need - get rid of them all during installation. If you’re not sure whether you need a particular option when installing an application or suite, just do without it. If you find you need it later, you can always reinstall the program or use the Programs and Features module in the Windows Control Panel to add it later.

• Reduce or hide fonts You have 1200 fonts installed, and now your computer takes forever to start up.

The reason: Windows reads those fonts each time you start you computer. The solution in versions of Windows prior to 7 was always to keep to a minimum the fonts you have installed. That’s still good advice, but you have another option as well.

The new Windows 7 font manager, accessible by typing “fonts” in the Start menu, now includes a Hide option. “Hidden” fonts are still technically installed in Windows 7, but they are unavailable to applications, and they don’t have to be read into memory, which will speed up your startup time and overall system performance. To hide fonts, simply select them in the font manager and click Hide. To unhide them, select the fonts, and click Show.

• Look for slimmed-down versions “Full featured” applications today are

almost synonymous with bloatware - software which, thanks to the plethora of features and add-ons that have accumulated over the years, is almost guaranteed to slow down your computer. Avoid bloatware, and look instead at scaled-back versions of critical applications. Many companies, for instance, are putting out “essentials” versions of their software. These slimmer versions typically do everything that most people need and have a much smaller footprint.

Also, look for programs developed specifically to be lightweight and fast.

Instead of the full Adobe Acrobat product, for example, which installs all sorts of toolbar buttons and extra menus into your applications, consider turning to the free CutePDF Writer (http://www.cutepdf.com) perfect for the person who only occasionally needs to produce a PDF file. Similarly, many people swear by the Foxit PDF reader (http://bit.ly/CtaPl), which bills itself as the “no bloat” reader.

The same approach can be used to keep your PC free of other software that has a reputation for bloat, such as CD and DVD creation tools. If all you need to do is burn an occasional CD, for instance, turn to a slim application such as CD Burner XP (http://cdburnerxp.se) - or learn to use Windows’ built-in tools for performing the same task.

• Allow for setbacks No matter how rigorous you are in keeping your PC lean and mean, you’ll eventually break down and install something you wish you hadn’t - and which your uninstaller can’t seem to get rid of. In those cases, remember Windows’ System Restore utility, which can roll back your computer to a prior state. Just remember to specifically create a “restore point” before installing something you might regret. Type “create restore point” in the Start menu, and the feature will pop right up. — dpa

Millionaire hails successful launch

Private rocket reaches orbit on maiden flight WASHINGTON: A privately owned rocket successfully blasted off on its first flight Friday, marking a significant milestone for the space industry in the race to develop commercial carriers. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket blasted off in mid-afternoon from Cape Canaveral in Florida, reaching Earth orbit as

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: An image grab taken from a video uploaded on the Israeli military’s YouTube site shows one of the passengers of the Mavi Marmara ship being interviewed on the boat before the Israeli navy raid by someone holding a microphone with ‘Press TV’ stamped on it, and allegedly talking about wanting to become a martyr. — AFP

Flotilla footage goes viral as Israel floods YouTube JERUSALEM: Israel may have lost the initial PR battle over its deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid ship, but it is fighting back with a barrage of video clips in a bid to prove activists initiated the violence. Days after the botched attack which killed nine Turks, the fight over what exactly happened on board the ferry is still raging on YouTube, with both sides posting more and more clips on the video-sharing website to support their case. It was chaotic footage of Israeli troops storming the Turkish-owned Mavi Marmara which first caught the world’s attention.

Streaming Internet video of bloodied passengers and reporters issuing urgent calls for help were transmitted in real time from the deck of the ship.

The commandos eventually disconnected the feed but the damage was done, provoking a wave of global outrage which has dealt a harsh blow to Israel’s image. Israel says its troops were violently attacked as they dropped onto the Mavi Marmara, and only shot back in self-defence. The activists say the commandos started shooting as soon as they arrived, prompting those on board to act in self-defence.

Faced with a diplomatic backlash, Israel cranked up its propaganda machine, uploading a slew of video clips to YouTube to support its version of events.

Grainy images of elite commandos taking a beating at the hands of Turkish activists turned out to be one of Israel’s most unlikely propaganda successes.

“Over 1.6 million people watched that footage. You also saw it used on blogs and in forums,” said Lieutenant Aliza

Landes, head of the Israeli military’s new media desk.

In another clip, taken from the ship’s security cameras, activists can be seen preparing for a confrontation. “In that footage you can see them handing out metal batons and putting on masks, and you can see the light of the boat approaching so it’s clear that they were preparing for a fight,” said Landes.

“YouTube is the best tool we have as video gives the most powerful information,” said Landes.

Israel has, however, come under fire for using “pirated” footage to defend its botched raid - material confiscated from journalists who were on board the ship. An interview with a passenger who says he wants to be “a martyr” is shown in a clip not credited to any media outlet, and only described as “footage captured on the Gaza flotilla.”

The army refused to say whether the footage would be returned.

Twitter has also been widely used by both sides, with the microblogging site flooded with Tweets as the raid happened, most of them posted by the flotilla organisers commenting on the live Internet feed. But none of the Tweets actually originated from the boat. And Israel has so far only used the service to distribute official information rather than as a breaking news tool.

Chaim Shacham, director of information at the foreign ministry, says Israel is becoming more aware of the digital media battlefield. “In this case, it was very clear to us that it would be a race for footage,” he told AFP, saying that the navy had cam-

eramen in the helicopters and patrol boats. Getting footage was part of the operational plan, he said. All the clips put out by Israel have been rigorously edited, have no timestamp and show only scenes which vindicate the Israeli account without explaining what happened before, or after.

Shacham dismisses claims the footage provides a distorted image of events. “The footage from the ship immediately put things into context - it told the story of the soldiers as well as the protesters, clearly showing the soldiers rappelling down and getting beaten,” he said. While some of the footage had not been very “convenient” for Israel, much of it vindicated the troops’ account, said Shacham.

“The Arabic and Turkish footage is very revealing: it shows the jihadists on the ship were intending to beat the hell out of the soldiers,” he said, pointing to interviews with Bulent Yildirim, head of the Turkish charity IHH. But analyst Yariv Ben Eliezer believes Israel’s online efforts were too little, too late.

“We lost the propaganda war before we even started,” said Ben Eliezer, a propaganda management expert at the IDC centre in Herzliya.

“We are considered by the world to be Goliath and the ‘humanitarian’ activists are considered to be David, so it’s a lose-lose situation.” Israel, he says, should have done its homework and exposed activists aboard the ferry as “extremists” long before they set sail. “It’s not effective now because nobody wants to listen.” — AFP

The two-stage rocket delivered the Dragon capsule, a mockup of the company’s spacecraft aimed to eventually facilitate human space travel, into orbit after a 9.5-minute trip.

The first and second stage of the white, 55-m tall rocket separated successfully just three minutes and six seconds into the flight. “Congratulations to Space X on today’s launch of its Falcon 9 launch vehicle,” NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement. “Space X’s accomplishment is an important milestone in the commercial transportation effort and puts the company a step closer to providing cargo services to the International Space Station.”

Technical glitches initially delayed the launch, including an automatic computer override of the system that led SpaceX to abort its first attempt. The launch represented a key test in developing commercial launchers capable of ferrying cargo and astronauts to the orbiting International Space Station (ISS). It came as President Barack Obama seeks to convince a reluctant Congress of the merits of his decision in February to cancel the Constellation program designed to return US to the moon by 2020 - which effectively killed the Ares 1 rocket. He has turned to the private sector to help fill the gap after the space shuttle fleet is grounded later this year, and before a new generation of spacecraft is developed.

Obama has proposed spending six billion dollars over five years to help the private sector develop reliable and affordable launchers to transport cargo and US astronauts to the International Space Station.

During the transition period, the

United States will depend on Russian Soyuz rockets for access to the ISS - unless the private sector can propose viable launchers. The president visited SpaceX installations at Cape Canaveral during an April visit to the Kennedy Space Center.

SpaceX leaders emphasized that the Falcon 9 launch was just the first in a series of test flights. “As a former Apollo astronaut, I think it’s safe to say that SpaceX and the other com-

planned nine minutes into the flight. “All in all, this has been a good day for SpaceX and a promising development for the US space program,” said Robyn Ringuette of SpaceX, who provided commentary on the launch from the firm’s headquarters in Hawthorne, California.

mercial developers embody the 21st century version of the Apollo frontier spirit,” said Rusty Schweickart, who served as an astronaut aboard the Apollo 9 lunar mission.

Former space shuttle astronaut Byron Lichtenberg said he expected that many more astronauts would travel in space thanks to the Falcon 9’s success. “Lower cost launches means more flights, which means more astronauts,” he added. “We’ve only had 500

astronauts in the history of the Space Age, but I hope to see thousands more in the decades to come.”

NASA has already signed contracts with SpaceX - or Space Exploration Technologies Corporation - a start-up founded eight years ago by multimillionaire Elon Musk, who made his fortune by helping found and eventually sell online pay system PayPal. The NASA contracts, signed in late 2008 and worth $3.1 billion, are to deliver

cargo to the ISS between 2011 and 2016. The US space agency has also signed contracts with another company, Orbital Sciences Corp. Its Taurus II rocket is set for its first flight in 2011. SpaceX and other upstarts would be up against industry giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin, which together operate United Launch Alliance (ULA), whose stable includes Atlas V and Delta 4 rockets that have logged considerable flight hours. — Agencies

The PC is dying, long live the tablet: Jobs SAN FRANCISCO: The seer has spoken, and his words provide both hope and fear to the computer world. In front of a rapt audience of tech executives at an industry conference Tuesday night, Apple maestro Steve Jobs predicted the end of the PC era. And what will replace the device that has transformed every aspect of business and society over the past 25 years?

Well, it just so happens that Jobs believes the next phase of the computer revolution will be dominated by a device that looks a lot like the iPad tablet he introduced so successfully two months ago. You could write off Jobs’ prediction as just some more of the infectious hyperbole that seems to mark every pronouncement the Apple founder makes. But if you subscribe to the mantra of another great American visionary, Abraham Lincoln, who famously remarked that “the best way to predict your future is to create it,” Jobs’ comments could quickly turn into reality.

“When we were an agrarian nation, all cars were trucks because that’s what you needed on the farms,” Jobs said at the D: All Things Digital conference. “But as people moved more towards urban centres, people started to get into cars. “I think PCs are going to be like trucks. Less people will need them. And this is going to make some people uneasy.”

This may sound like a crazy rant to people who haven’t used tablets. Their portability and touch screen interface offer an easier, more intu-

itive and altogether more pleasant way to surf the web and interact with media content of all kinds.

Other more complex tasks, such as video editing and teleconferencing will soon become possible with improved processors, while hybridized and dockable tablets will offer all the advantages of keyboard and mouse controls.

Since the success of the iPad, such an evolution of the dominant computer form factor seems long overdue. While manufacturers can make PCs faster and faster, and pack in ever more features, consumers have realized that for the usual tasks of surfing the web, sending emails, doing things on Facebook and watching YouTube clips they don’t really need the newest super-charged data crunchers.

That’s what led to the explosion in low-cost netbooks in recent years, and to the decline in laptop and desktop purchases. It’s also the dynamic that will fuel the surge in tablet computers, according to tech analyst Carmi Levi. “It’s pretty darn clear that putting everything in a box and keeping it isolated there is very much a creation of the 80s,” he said. “The net has rendered that model obsolete very, very quickly.”

It’s not just the advances in computer hardware that are making this generational technology shift all but inevitable. It’s also being driven by the increased ubiquity and speed of internet access, which within a few years will allow people almost everywhere in the developed world fast and wireless access wherever they may be. —dpa

TAIPEI: A saleswoman displays an electronic book reader at the Computex Taipei, Asia’s largest hi-tech trade show on June 3, 2010.

Taiwan’s Green Book Inc unveiled at the fair what it called the world’s lightest electronic book reader weighing just 180 gm, as e-book makers gear up to the challenge of Apple’s iPad. — AFP

HEALTH & SCIENCE

28

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Liberia hopes to find money growing on trees GREENVILLE: Conserve the rainforests and we will pay you... so goes the gist of an ambitious plan by the West to protect forests in developing countries including Liberia. And it could earn Africa billions of dollars. With its lush forests vulnerable to miners and loggers, Liberia is well-placed to join the scheme, through which African nations would earn money while at the same time helping the West to meet its climate change goals. Simply put, the scheme would see developing nations preserve their forests in return for cash from carbonspewing industrialized countries. The forests would act as a massive sink to soak up harmful carbon emissions that are a prime factor behind global warming.

Poor and battered by war but with its 40

percent forest cover under threat from farming, mining and logging, Liberia is a prime location for the project known as REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation).

Successful implementation could help in its development while protecting a fragile environment the over-burdened government doesn’t have the ability to spend money on. “Sequestration of carbon is a new product that Africa can sell and the global community wants,” Ravi Prabhu, senior program officer for forests and climate change with the UN Environment Program (UNEP) said.

“Looking across the Congo Basin, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Nigeria, Ghana-all the forested countries

could gain enormously from this.” Trees absorb the carbon via photosynthesis and change it into oxygen. While carbon stock assessments have not yet been carried out, Liberia’s forest is believed to store between 100 to 300 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare. That’s worth between 12 and 26 dollars per ton to Liberia if sold to a developed nation which wants to compensate for its carbon emissions without hampering its industry.

“It is serious money and could be used for development and poverty alleviation in countries that are traditionally poverty traps,” said Prabhu. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s 2010 deforestation report, Africa lost 3.4 million hectares in the past 10 years. With defor-

estation responsible for about one-fifth of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, according to World Bank figures, saving the rainforests is vital to curbing climate change.

If countries like Liberia can put in place the necessary reforms, money could start flowing in about five years. “The potential in Africa is enormous but the challenges to reaching that potential are also quite enormous,” said Kim Carnahan, policy leader with the International Emissions Trading Association. Getting to the point of selling carbon offsets through REDD is a long and complex process involving consultation, taking carbon stock inventories and ensuring forest communities participate and benefit. The UNEP’s Prabhu says the biggest

concern with the implementation of REDD is corruption and setting up the infrastructure to allow carbon payments to be distributed fairly. “The whole story of Liberia was corruption and forests,” he said, referring to so-called “blood timber” sold off to fund its bloody war. “For African governments it is a question of how much of their forests they want to use for more consumptive use.

It is an opportunity to earn money because they are standing-that’s what you get paid for.”

If it works, Africa and other developing countries have the opportunity to contribute to climate change mitigation and plough this money back into development.

“This new form of protecting the forest is at the same time trying to generate benefit

from the forest without cutting it down,” said Nouhou Ndam, chief technical advisor for REDD with the British-based NGO Fauna and Flora International, which is helping Liberia design its pilot carbon project.

REDD has gained momentum since the Copenhagen climate summit in December, and has now garnered pledges worth four billion dollars up to 2012. Norway, which hosted the most recent climate conference, said combating deforestation could account for a third of all measures needed by 2020 to limit global warming to a rise of two degrees C (3.6 F). Other countries in Africa to pilot REDD, out of 22 worldwide, are the DRC, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia and Madagascar. — AFP

Rapidly spreading Gulf of Mexico oil slick swallows up birds

Black tide takes heavy toll among Louisiana pelicans FORT JACKSON: The animal rescuer opened the pelican’s beak and slipped his hand inside to remove stubborn blobs of oil coating the mandible, a seemingly small step in the desperate fight against a massive disaster. The rapid-

ly spreading Gulf of Mexico oil slick has swallowed up as many birds in the past two days as in the six weeks that followed the explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon offshore oil platform.

EAST GRAND TERRE ISLAND: A brown pelican coated in heavy oil tries to take flight on East Grand Terre Island, Louisiana. Oil from the Deepwater Horizon incident is coming ashore in large volumes across southern Louisiana coastal areas. — AFP

Malaria epidemic hits southern Venezuela CARACAS: Malaria cases have doubled in Venezuela so far this year as health officials confront an epidemic in a vast southern region where wildcat gold miners are often infected in remote jungle camps. Health Ministry statistics published this week show there have been 21,601 malaria cases nationwide so far this year, up from 10,758 during the same period last year.

A vast majority of the patients - 19,750 were diagnosed in southern Bolivar state, where government officials say there is an epidemic. The statistics, which are updated weekly and circulated among some health officials, cover the period running from the start of the year through May 22. Miners in search of gold and diamonds have long caught the disease by venturing into forests where malaria-carrying mosquitoes live.

Their strip-mines destroy patches of forest, leaving behind muddy pools and water contaminated with the mercury they use to separate gold from rock. Public health officials attribute the rise in malaria cases in part to a government-led operation this year in which soldiers have evicted thousands of miners from their illegal stripmines. That has led to a movement of dis-

placed miners to other towns, and they have carried the disease with them and helped it spread into areas that didn’t used to have much malaria, said Dr Ana Gineth Morales, who heads the Bolivar state Public Health Institute.

“We expected it. It hasn’t taken us by surprise,” Morales said in a telephone interview Friday, saying her agency had been fully prepared. “We’ve been efficient in diagnosing, detecting,” she said, adding that officials have largely managed to avoid deaths this year - except for a single man in Bolivar, an elderly miner who died in January from malaria and complications from other health problems. Last year, she said, one Brazilian woman died of malaria in the state.

Morales said there has been an epidemic in parts of Bolivar since February. She expressed confidence that cases should eventually decline sharply as the government continues to root out illegal miners through its “Plan Caura” operation. But some critics say the malaria situation appears to be out of control. “We expect malaria cases will keep increasing,” said Dr Angel Granados, of the Bolivar state

Medical Association. He said there are various factors contributing to the rise, including recent rains and movement of miners but also “failures in control and prevention” measures by state health officials.

Public health teams haven’t been reaching many remote areas including indigenous communities to detect and treat cases, Granados said. Bolivar state has long been the epicenter for malaria in Venezuela, and the disease has been on the rise for the past few years. The country is on track this year to surpass the 2009 nationwide total of 35,725 cases, which also was an increase from 31,719 cases in 2008, according to Health Ministry figures.

Granados said there have recently been problems trying to supply medications to so many patients. “It worries all of us in the hospitals,” he said. Granados said one Yekuana Indian community earlier this year reported six deaths - including three children and three adults - that came after they suffered high fevers and appeared to be due to malaria. But he said state health officials ruled out malaria saying the deaths were due to other causes and did not include them in their tally. — AP

On Thursday, 53 oiledslicked birds arrive at the Fort Jackson rescue center, including 29 pelicans; 13 more followed by Friday afternoon.

Previously, it had received one to four birds per day since the April 20 catastrophe that killed 11 workers.

It’s now a race against time to remove the birds from the menacing oily grave. Gusting winds sweeping the ocean have relentlessly pushed the blanket of crude into the lagoons.

Queen Bess Island, a brown pelican sanctuary in Barataria Bay, was among the worst hit.

At least 60 birds have been trapped by the mess, including 41 brown pelicans, Louisiana’s state bird. The birds were reintroduced into the bay in 1968, after coming close to extinction.

Once coated with oil, the birds can hardly move. Some struggle in vain, others stop breathing and simply die.

“I saw one getting oiled yesterday,” said Ross Barkhurst, a 37-year-old fisherman who ferried a BP crew in his boat.

“There was a torrent duck, about 20 miles inside a marsh, trying to escape from the slick.

Then a pelican grabbed it, and it got stuck. It just thought it was food,” Barkhurst added.

“Yesterday was the worst I had seen it. There was grass with oil all over,” he added.

“The main problem for us is the wind that pushes the oil on the surface,” said International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC) employee Jay Holcomb, standing among a flock of rescued birds in an airconditioned hangar in Fort Jackson.

Some 20 specialists are committed to the back-breaking, hour-long work of scrubbing each pelican clean. “It’s a difficult kind of oil,” Holcomb said. “It takes a lot of scrubbing.”

The pelicans, seagulls and egrets are “stabilized,” said Sharon Taylor, a veterinarian with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. She said most of the oil stuck on the feathers is carefully removed with a towel. Then the birds’ weight and temperature are taken.

Each bird is then fitted with a flexible, plastic tube full of water inside its beak. It stays there two days to help the animal rehydrate. Right after the fitting, the bird is washed in warm water and detergent.

Then it is dried and allowed to rest for four to seven days until it makes its feathers waterproof again. If all goes well, it is eventually released again in the wild. The survival rate of oiled birds in Fort Jackson barely makes it past the 50-70 percent. Many die as a result of the oil or the stress it causes.

But the 53 birds that arrived Thursday were still alive on Friday, said veterinarian Heather Nevill. She hopes that after several weeks in ocean water, the spilled crude has lost most of its toxicity through evaporation. “The oil is fairly weathered.

The animals don’t smell too much of oil,” Nevill said. But what bothers Taylor are the long-term effects from the mixture of crude oil and chemical dispersants BP is using to break it up. “It could have an impact with the future breeding season,” she said. — AFP

LOUISIANA: Environmental Protection Agency contractors Larry Howard (left) and Andy Kallus collect water samples for testing and oxygenation levels near the point where the South Pass of the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico near Venice, Louisiana. The long term effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill are still being investigated for the impact they will have on the fragile ecosystem of the Gulf Coast. — AFP

Laboratory tests confirm underwater layers of oil BATON ROUGE: Laboratory tests confirmed that oil from a spewing Gulf of Mexico well has accumulated in at least two extensive plumes deep under the surface, scientists with the University of South Florida said Friday. USF researchers at a meeting in Baton Rouge said lab tests showed their initial findings, based on field instruments, were correct. The extensive layers of oil are sitting far beneath the surface miles from the site of the Deepwater Horizon explosion.

The university is collecting data for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The lab tests are the most conclusive evidence yet in a vigorous scientific debate about where much of the oil from the growing spill in the Gulf of Mexico has ended up. BP spokesman Mark Proelger said the company was awaiting further analysis of what is in the plumes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “It’s too early to say whether any data indicates the plumes contain oil or not,” Proelger said.

During its own testing of waters around the spill site between May 7 and May 26, BP found evidence of oil in samples taken from more than two dozen locations. However, none of the sites revealed oil concentrations greater than 75 parts per billion. “These very low concentrations do not have a significant effect on marine life,” the company said in a May 30 report to the federal government. Fish toxicologists say thick plumes of oil can kill off adult fish and their eggs by exposing them to high concentrations of potent toxins.

But even at very low concentrations, the combination of oil and dispersants, which have been used in large volumes on the Gulf spill increases the potential for small marine creatures to be poisoned.

USF and NOAA planned to issue a more full report on their findings about the oil plumes Monday. “We’re certain it’s oil,” said Ernst B Peebles, a USF biological oceanographer and chief scientist aboard the college’s Weatherbird II research vessel, the ship that did the sampling.

“We’ve done the analysis.” Peebles said laboratory tests were performed on water drawn from two layers of oil, a 98-foot thick layer found about 1,300 feet down and a second, even thicker layer found at a depth of about 3,200 feet. The

tests were performed on water brought up by collection bottles and passed through filter pads, a web of glass fibers that trap tiny particles in water. William T Hogarth, the dean of USF’s College of Marine Science and a fishery biologist, said it was too early to say whether the underwater oil posed a serious threat to the Gulf’s ecosystem.

Still, he was concerned. “If you look back at Alaska, the herring population in Alaska is still impacted,” he said, referring to the Exxon Valdez spill in the Prince William Sound in Alaska. “We’ve found oil in the water column, the next step is to test fish, test the plankton, to determine the mortality, to determine what the ramifications are.” Jane Lubchenco, under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said the agency was deeply concerned about the effects of the oil to Gulf fisheries, the ecosystem and coastal communities.

“We know there is oil below the surface. The questions are where is it, in what concentrations, and where is it going. That is what NOAA scientists and our academic partners, deployed on ships throughout the Gulf, are determined to discover,” Lubchenco said.

Chris D’Elia, the dean of LSU’s School of Energy, Coast and Environment, said Lubchenco told scientists in Baton Rouge on Thursday that the oil under the water “did not look like they were in great concentrations.”

Scientists are worried, though.

In the Gulf, the Atlantic bluefin tuna is at risk because they spawn almost exclusively in parts of the Gulf, including the region around the Deepwater Horizon spill, said Peter Hodson, a fish toxicologist at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

Hodson said the tuna’s free-floating eggs can be killed at levels as low as one part per million, meaning a gallon of oil for every million gallons of water. “You can wipe out reproduction,” Hodson said. He added that could “have an ocean-wide impact” since tuna depart the Gulf in late summer to spread out across the Atlantic.

Hogarth said NOAA was analyzing the concentrations of oil. Peebles talked about the lab tests at a meeting at Louisiana State University where BP and academics discussed how to spend $500 million BP has agreed to pay to study the effects of the Gulf spill. — AP

Scientists identify cancer stem cells HONG KONG: Hong Kong scientists say they have identified the cancer stem cells responsible for the spread of colorectal cancer to other organs and believe the find will revolutionize treatment.

Current treatments regard all cancer cells as alike, but the Hong Kong University researchers discovered that cancers contain a small number of stem cells responsible for starting and maintaining tumors. “It will revolutionize the approach to cancer treatment in future,” one researcher, Ronnie Poon, told the South China Morning Post.

“If you just target mature cancer cells, you are not targeting the roots of the disease. What the industry needs

to work on now is drugs that will target cancer stem cells,” the professor of surgery said.

The spread of colorectal cancer to other organs is usually fatal. The cancer is one of the most common in both men and women and kills around 50,000 people a year in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute.

The ground-breaking research will help doctors to predict patients whose cancers are liable to spread and help development of treatments to specifically target the cancer stem cells, called CD26+, which are more resistant to conventional treatments than more mature cancer cells. “Identification and characterization of this subpopulation of cancer stem

cells will enable us to evaluate for different molecular targeting drugs that can specifically target these cells,” researcher Roberta Pang said in a press release on their findings.

“In the long term, it should facilitate the development of more useful, safe and specific drugs that can be used in combination with chemotherapy to completely eradicate the tumor.” Colorectal cancer is the second-most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Even with surgical removal of the primary tumor, cancer develops in other organs in more than 50 percent of patients, usually proving fatal despite further aggressive treatment and surgery. — AFP

Sunday, June 6, 2010

HEALTH

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Final warning over London air quality STANDFIRST: Britain has been given a second and final written warning by the European Commission (EC) to clean up London’s air or be taken to court and face fines. The warning, sent by the EU Environment commissioner Janez Potocni refers to minute airborne particles known as PM10s which are emitted by traffic and factories and can lead to heart attacks, strokes, asthma and lung diseases.

According to the UK House of Commons environmental audit committee, particle pollution is responsible for over 4,300 premature deaths a year in London at an annual cost of up to GBP2bn. London’s air pollution levels rank as the worst in the UK and also among the worst in Europe. The EC move follows the start of legal proceedings against the UK in January 2009 for failing to meet air quality standards that came into effect at the end of 2004. The dying act of the last government, on 3 May, was to re-apply for a time extension until 2011 to comply with air quality laws for dangerous airborne parti-

cles.

The decision leaves the problem in the lap of the new coalition government and Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, who has a statutory duty to produce a strategy for improving London’s air quality. Johnson has been heavily criticized by opposition parties for unraveling environment policies put in place by his predecessor, Ken Livingstone, such as his decision to delay the introduction of phase 3 of the Low Emission Zone (Lez), which fines the most polluting vans, and his plan to abolish the western extension of the congestion charge zone by Christmas.

The Lez is designed to cut harmful emissions by encouraging the replacement of high-polluting vans and lorries with new models that meet the required emissions standards.

Transport for London has admitted that scrapping the western extension of the congestion charge will result in increased traffic. Simon Birkett, spokesman for air quality watchdog group the Campaign for Clean Air in

London, said Johnson’s draft proposals to improve air quality were “riddled with wishful thinking”.

“He continues deliberately to take backward steps on air quality, particularly in respect of transport. In that respect, for example, the removal of the Lez would be a double whammy because air quality will worsen and Transport for London will lose over GBP55m income.” Johnson told the London assembly last December that any fines incurred if the UK government is taken to court should “not be borne by this city” because he said it was the government’s fault that London was not compliant in the first place.

In a statement, Potocni said: “The UK submitted an exemption request for eight zones including the Greater London urban area. However, the commission did not consider the exemption justified, as seven out of the eight zones already complied with the limit values.

For the Greater London urban area, the commission considered that the UK had not shown that compliance with the daily

PM10 limit value would be achieved by the time the exemption period expired in 2011. “The UK has recently sent a further exemption request for Greater London, which is still under assessment.

However, given that zones still exceed the PM10 limit values, the commission is sending the UK a final warning. If the UK fails to take the necessary measures to comply with the legislation, the commission could refer the case to the European court of justice.

Jenny Bates, London Friends of the Earth campaigner, said Mayor Johnson must introduce tougher measures to ensure that all London meets EU air pollution limits, rather than rely on the government to act. “By making London a safer place to walk and cycle and improving public transport, he could get people out of cars and ensure cleaner air for everyone who lives in, works in or visits the capital,” she said. The letter will also force Britain to clean up air quality in Gibraltar, which also regularly exceeds EC maximum levels and is classed by the EC as a British zone. — Guardian

LEICESTER: Jessica Housden, a spacecraft systems engineer, steers the Mars Rover Demonstrator model (also known as Bridget) during a press view at Leicester University in Leicester, central England, on June 4, 2010. University of Leicester scientists announced Friday the start of work on advanced instruments for ‘ExoMars’ - a new mission to Mars in 2018. ‘ExoMars’ is a mission to attempt to obtain samples at a depth of 1-2m below the surface of Mars. — AFP

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WHATʼS ON IN KUWAIT

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Embassy information

Khalid Al-Hatim receives a commemorative shield on behalf of Khalid Al-Yaqout.

Al-Ra’ed Security Company officials pose for a picture.

Amina Al-Ali receives her honorary shield.

Ra’ed Al-Baghli poses with Hamid, Uqail and Abbas Al-Baghli.

Al-Ra’ed Security Company holds celebration

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l-Ra’ed Security Company held a ceremony recently for 100 staff members who tied the knot in the period between May 1 and April 30, 2010 at the Plaza Kuwait hotel. The event was attended by CEO Ibrahim Al-Baghli, and the labor consol of the Egyptian embassy, Mohammad Saad, as well as the consulate’s administrative attache, who were invited by the CEO. Also, the company’s human resources manager, Hamid Al-Baghli, was present apart from the technical services manager, Ra’ed Al-Baghli. During the ceremony, the commemorated staff members were awarded with presents, while a draw was held for plane tickets for the newlyweds.

Farewell party

Regency Hotel hosts Chaine des Rotisseurs committee

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he Regency Hotel invited the Chaine des Rotisseurs Committee for a lavish dinner at Silk Road Restaurant. Renato Moretto the Regency’s GM along with the PR & Marketing team welcomed the committee’s president

Mohamed Najia and the chain members at Al-Liwan Lobby lounge. They were offered welcoming drinks before moving to the Silk Road Restaurant.

The Executive Chef Oswald prepared an extremely delicious and eye

catching menu for the distinguished guests, rich with an assortment of mouth-watering dishes. The Regency’s Team succeeded in their efforts to make this an unforgettable, elegant and stylish evening .The committee members praised the

Kodai Vizha 2010 a grand success

UIS student shines bright

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nited Indian School once again congratulates Akhil Thomas Jacob, the school’s topper at the AISSCE for his remarkable achievement at the CBSE All Indian Medical Entrance Examination and the Kerala Medical Entrance Examination. He secures ranks 117 and 342 respectively which qualifies him for securing admission into any medical institution of his choice.

A brilliant young man with exceptional qualities of head and heart, Akhil is a synonym for perseverance and determination. These qualities along with his meticulous and systematic approach to the tasks he undertakes, have led him to stand up to this daunting challenge.

In the area of academics Akhil has been at the top of his batch and a proficiency prize winner throughout his scholastic life. He is gifted with excellent oratorical and literary skills. Being an all rounder he won the prestigious “Most Outstanding Outgoing student award” in Class X and Class XII. A team player, yet not afraid to stand up for what is right, Akhil is poised to meet the demands of the medical profession. This wonderful youngster will always be cherished with pride at UIS for his respect for elders, teachers and peers as his deep rooted faith in God. We wish him every success in life.

hotel for its warm welcoming and expressed their content for its excellent cuisines, advanced services, not to mention the spectacular setup.

Everyone enjoyed the superb meal, the amazing hospitality and had a wonderful evening.

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farewell party was arranged in the honor of Rehmat Khan, head squash coach of Kuwait Squash Federation.

Hussain Al-Maqseed President Kuwait Squash Federation paid tribute to Rehmat Khan who worked as head coach in Kuwait for four years.

During this period Kuwaiti players got remarkable victories. Rehmat Khan, who was the coach of former world champion Jehangir Khan thanked Kuwait Squash Federation who give him the chance of coaching talented Kuwaiti players. He will remember these days forever in his life. Audience was served with a delicious dinner at the end of the program.

PALPAK conducts free medical camp

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alakkad Pravasi Association of Kuwait (PALPAK) conducted a free medical camp for its members in co-ordination with the Dar Al-Saha Poly Clinic, Jleeb Shuyokh on May 21, 2010.

The medical camp facility was utilized by 300 plus members and their families for various checkups and consultations such as Blood Sugar, Blood Pressure, ECG, General Medicine, Dental, Dermatology, Pediatrics’, Gynecology, and Internal Medicine.

Seven experienced doctors and twelve nurses were involved in the free medical services. Also an eye specialist organization Vision Centre provided free eye check-up

and consultation for the members.

PALPAK presented gifts to all the doctors and paramedical staff who were supported in the medical camp. The function was headed by President P N Kumar, Medical Camp leader C Rajendran welcomed the attendees, Chief Guest Dr Namboori inaugurated the function, Patron P B Manian facilitated the function and Dr Joseph John given a class to the members about Blood sugar diseases and it’s after effects, which was very useful for the members. General Secretary, K V Hamza conveyed vote of thanks to all to honor their participation and contribution in accomplishing medical camp to great success.

EF conducted one of the largest cultural events in Kuwait exclusively for its members and their families. A full day cultural program ‘Kodai Vizha 2010 - Kalaigalin Sanagam’ (Conglomeration of Culture) was conducted on the May 14, 2010 , at the Cambridge English School.

Record number of participants from kids to adults of various ages displayed their talents and skills to the huge crowd of audience in this Kodai Vizha event. A healthy competition is a great way to build confidence, appreciate talent, and help to create new innovative ideas, while contributing to life growth.

This year, there were been many wonderful and creative competitions and programs that entertained the huge crowd throughout the full day.

The day’s event started with Tamil Thai Vazhthu by our TEF family Children Madumitha Bascarane, Sushmita Bascarane and Lavanya Jeyakumar and the competition began with a wonderful fancy dress competition for the Children .

The bright, airy room was filled with color. There were about 30 children, dressed up in creative costumes. There were many pretty fairies and graceful characters and brave superheroes. However, two of the costumes and the presentation really stood out from the rest were ones won by Sanjay Kasi came as the First Prize winner and Srinithi Rajagopal came as the Second Prize winner.

Next was one of the most energetic Group Dance competitions with artistic props, dashing costumes, sprightly moves and oodles of energy. Several groups participated in the Juniors and Seniors Category Dance competition. The Juniors Group set the ball rolling and the groups who performed with good co-ordination, costumes, moves and neat presentation emerged as the winners. The group of Rajalakshmi, Saranya and Shobana became the first prize

winners in the Dance Juniors Category and the group of Soorya, Sanjay and Preethika group won the Second Prize in the Dance Juniors category.

A high competition was seen in the seniors group dance competition and ultimately Reshma Rameshkumar, Madumathi Saranavanan and Viswanath Shiva became the First Prize winners in the Dance Senior category and Harshavardhini, Pradakshya, Rithu, Priya, .Abinaya, Deiva Meena won the Second prize in the Dance Seniors category.

The humorous, witty and lively skits performed few groups enlightened the audience and the skit

‘Kuwaitil Kattabomman’ performed by the budding artists Sanjay, Soorya, Santhosh, Shreya, Preethika was highly applauded and appreciated by the audience.

The advertising competition ‘Ads Up’ to a selected product/ company reflected a real world advertising situation and completely pitched the integrated communications abilities of the participants to the audience. Premnath, D S Kumari and Indira Selvarangan did a wonderful advertising campaign for the Bata Chappal to win the First Prize whereas Ponni Raman and Radhika Selvam won the Second Prize with their advertising talent for BIG TV channel.

EMBASSY OF NIGERIA The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria wishes to invite all Nigerians residing in Kuwait to come and register with the Embassy. The registration is compulsory for all Nigerians residing /visiting Kuwait. Kindly bring the following documents along with you: • A photocopy of the Nigerian passport • One passport photograph • Copy of the civil identification card or visa For additional information please call: 25620278 or visit the Embassy at Block, 4, Malik Bin Anas Street, Avenue 44, House 31, Along Al-Aqsa Road, Rumaithiya. The Consular Section opens Sunday - Thursday from 9 am - 3 pm Your prompt response is highly solicited.

EMBASSY OF UKRAINE The Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait informs that it has started updating the information about Ukrainian citizens, who live and work in Kuwait. In this connection, we are asking you to refer to the Embassy and update your file in consular register in order not to be excluded from it. For additional information please call: 25318507 ext.106 or visit the embassy of Ukraine in the State of Kuwait (address: Hawalli, Jabriya, bl.10, str.6, house 5). The consular section of the Embassy open every day from 09:30 till 14:30 except Friday and Saturday.

EMBASSY OF INDIA The Embassy of India has further revamped and improved its Legal Advice Clinic at the Indian Workers Welfare Center, and made the free service available to Indian nationals on all five working days, i.e. from Sunday to Thursday every week. Kuwaiti lawyers would be available at the Legal Advice Clinic daily from Monday to Thursday, while Indian lawyers would be available on Sundays. Following are the free welfare services provided at the Indian Workers Welfare Center located at the Embassy of India: [i] 24x7 Helpline for Domestic Workers: Accessible by toll free telephone no. 25674163 from anywhere in Kuwait, it provides information and advice exclusively to Indian domestic sector workers (Visa No. 20) as regards their grievances, immigration and other matters. [ii] Help Desk: It offers guidance to Indian nationals on routine immigration, employment, legal, and other issues (Embassy premises; 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4.30 PM, Sunday to Thursday); (iii) Labour Complaints Desk: It registers labor complaints and provides grievance redressal service to Indian workers (Embassy premises; 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4.30 PM, Sunday to Thursday); (iv) Shelters: For female and male domestic workers in distress; (v) Legal Advice Clinic: Provides free legal advice to Indian nationals (Embassy premises; Kuwaiti lawyers 3 PM to 5 PM, Monday to Thursday; Indian lawyers 2 PM to 4 PM on Sunday); and (vi) Attestation of Work Contracts: Private sector worker (Visa No. 18) contracts are accepted at the Embassy; 9 AM to 1 PM; Sunday to Thursday; Domestic sector worker (Visa No. 20) contracts are accepted at Kuwait Union of Domestic Labor Offices (KUDLO), Hawally, Al-Othman Street, Kurd Roundabout, AlAbraj Complex, Office No 9, Mezzanine Floor; 9 AM to 9 PM, Saturday to Thursday; 5 PM to 9 PM on Friday.

EMBASSY OF AMERICA The United States Department of State announces the increase in various visa fees to ensure sufficient resources to cover the increasing cost of processing nonimmigrant visas (NIVs). US law requires the Department to recover the cost of processing non-immigrant visas through the collection of the application fees. The increased fees are to take effect June 4, 2010. Under the new rule, applicants for all visas that are not petitionbased, including B1/B2 tourist and business visitor visas and all student and exchange-visitor visas, will pay a fee of $140. Applicants for petition-based visas will pay an application fee of $150, as each of the below categories requires a review of extensive documentation and a more in-depth interview of the applicant than other categories, such as tourists.

These categories include: H visa for temporary workers and trainees L visa for intra-company transferees O visa for aliens with extraordinary ability P visa for athletes, artists and entertainers Q visa for international cultural exchange visitors R visa for religious occupations The application fee for K visas for fiance(e)s of US citizens will be $350. The fee for E visas for treaty-traders and treaty-investors will be $390.

EMBASSY OF SLOVAKIA The Embassy of the Slovak Republic with cooperation with Piestany Spa in Slovak Republic would like to kindly invite who are interested to attend the presentation on the Slovak Spa Tourism, Piestany Spa Treatment which will be hold at the premises of the Embassy as mentioned above tomorrow from 19:00 till 21:00.

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WHATʼS ON IN KUWAIT

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Colors of Kuwait celebrates 75th episode

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astervision Broadcasting Media, Kuwait celebrated the telecasting of 75th episode of their weekly entertainment program from Kuwait on Kairali TV. Colors of Kuwait is the premier weekly program shot and produced in Kuwait covering various activities of Indians and mainly Keralites residing in Kuwait. The show includes entertainment segments and a weekly round up, every Friday 11 am Kuwait time.

Thomas Mathew Kadavil, Co-ordinator of Kairali PeopleTV announced a new program to be telecasted on People TV shortly. This news based weekly show is planned for every Saturday 9pm Kuwait time. Regi Bhaskaran, Producer and Director of Colors of Kuwait thanked and introduced his team of artists and technicians who stood with him during the weeks and months in the making of the program.

TMCA’s educational awareness conference concludes Greetings

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amilnadu Muslim Cultural Association (TMCA) conducted ‘Education Conference’ with great success on May 20, 2010 at 6:30 pm in Jamiyatul Isiah Center, Rawdah.

Around 350 invitees had adorned the stadium with full of interest and good spirit. M Muneer Ahmed - FIMA Treasurer initiated the program and staged the maestros of the ceremony.

The event began with the recitation of the Holy Quran with Tamil translation

by Showkathali. N A M Abdul Aleem President welcomed all participants and special guests and pointed out the importance of education for our community. The felicitation address was delivered by Ajai Malhotra, the Ambassador of India. The President of Federation of Indian Muslim Associations (FIMA) Siddque Vilayakat also delivered a speech. A Hidayathulla - Vice President delivered a speech as well. He shed light on TMCA’s past record of educa-

tion service to our community. Abdul Rahim - Educational Wing explained the process and TMCA’s support extended to poor and deserving students and the continuous involvement for such Nobel cause. The whole event was conducted

by Avoor Basheer Ahmed - Secretary of TMCA with enthusiasm which prevailed throughout.

Chief Justice G M Akber Ali and Dr Abdullah (Previously known as Periyardhasan) were the chief guests

for this grand event and both delivered a special address on this great occasion. Dr Abdullah dominated the stadium as applause could he heard by the audience time to time. Chief Justice G M Akbar Ali’s speech was highly informative. He urged parents to pay more attentions towards children in their education. TMCA honored both chief guests by presenting memento for their contributions to the community as a whole.

Najlaa Al-Naqqi Forum hosts Al-Atrash

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he Najlaa Al-Naqqi Forum held a press conference yesterday, for promising singer Tariq Al-Atrash, who is a descendant of the famous Atrash family that includes iconic Arabic singer, the late Fareed Al-Atrash. Tariq AlAtrash was born in Kuwait, where he finished his education, including his higher education as he graduated this year from the American University in Kuwait.

Belated happy fifth birthday to Joshua Danielle S Palacios on June 5, 2010. We wish you good health and more blessings. We love you so much and God bless you. Best wishes from mummy and daddy.

Congratulations Chantal Al-Gharabally, Head Girl, Guest of Honor, and Chairman.

Aseel Al-Houqal, Anfal Al-Enezi, Chantal Al-Gharabally, and Ameerah Al-Qatta.

KNES holds graduation ceremony

T Congratulations to first grade graduate Abdullah Ali Adli, for finishing 2nd class.

Class of 2010

he Kuwait National English School successfully celebrated the Secondary Graduation Ceremony on Saturday May 29, 2010 at Al-Farabi School Theatre. Students who have completed their Secondary Education at Kuwait National English School received their Diploma. The Guest of Honor was Fahad Al-Ghais, Under Secretary Ministry of Education, Private Education.

One long service member of staff received the Chairman’s Award: Gaythree Sewdular for good and loyal services.

Eloquent speeches were given by members of the Kuwait National English School Student Council, the School Director Chantal Al-

Gharabally and the Guest of Honor Fahad Al-Ghais. The Head Boy (John Sami Milad) spoke of his positive experience and successes at Kuwait National English School, the Head Girl showed her gratitude to the many members of staff who had helped her throughout her life at the school and the School Prefect gave a philosophical approach to a student future journey through life. The School Director, Chantal AlGharabally, concluded by congratulatingCclass 2010 and thanked them for giving a meaning to her life dedicated to students and education.

The Student of the Year Awards 2010 went to Firas Freja (Yr 11). The Council of

International Schools (CIS) Awards for International Understanding were given to Anfal Al-Enezi (Head Girl, Yr 11) and Talal Al-Abdul Hadi (School Prefect, Yr 12). The graduation ceremony concluded with the traditional cutting of the “Class 2010 Graduation Cake” by the Head Boy, Head Girl, School Prefect, the School Director, the Chairman and the Guest of Honor. To end the evening, a delicious buffet was served to everybody in a very friendly and chic atmosphere.

Kuwait National English School would like to wish the Class of 2010 a happy and prosperous future. It has been our privilege watching you develop over the years and reach your full potential.

ICKS’s Quest 2010

Q Congratulations to third grade graduate Ahmad Ali Adli, for finishing in 2nd place at the French language class.

Congratulations to fourth grade graduate Adluddin Ali Adli, for finishing in 2nd place at the French language class.

uest 2010 an exhibition of Arts & Craft was organized at the ICSK Senior School on May 26 and 27, 2010. In keeping in mind the need of our times, the theme of the event was ‘climate change, Resource conservation and the dreaded G word ‘ Global warming. Rajan Daniel, Hon Secretary, the ICSK Board of Trustees in the role of the chief guest inaugurated Quest 2010 in a unique way by lighting up the model of planet earth, in the twilight hours of evening.

In his inaugural address he congratulated the school for choosing a critical area for exposure and warned off the dangers that climate change and global warming will bring with them. These must be stopped from happening at our very door step, he pleaded. A brilliant audio visual presentation on the subject drew huge appreciation from the galaxy of distinguished guest which included Jaspal Singh, Guest of Honor, Members of the School Board of Trustees, members of the Parent

Representatives to the board, Parent Advisory Council members, principals and vice Principals of the school branches, parents, teachers and students.

The exhibits of the Science, Language, and the Humanities section provided a vast canvas for the students to display not only their creative talents but to satisfy their wuest for knowledge and spirit of enquiry.

The Arts & crafts section was an arena for the young artists and craftsmen to express their creativity when

it came to playing with color and ideas. There was just no stopping them - sheer brilliance to say the least.

The beautiful Rangoli that ‘ adorned’ the centre of space was just awe inspiring. Deeply appreciated by the parent community they expressed the wish that such events should be organized more often, which are not only meant to be educative and informative, but provide the right environment for children to be creative at their best.

TV PROGRAMS

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Sunday, June 6, 2010

Orbit / Showtime Listings 19:40 Style Specials 20:30 THS 21:20 Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane 22:10 E! News 23:00 Kendra 23:25 Kourtney & Khloé Take Miami 23:50 25 Most Stylish

00:00 Burn Notice 01:00 Life 02:00 One Tree Hill 03:00 The Closer 04:00 Life 05:00 Inside the Actors Studio 06:00 Doctor Who 07:00 Burn Notice 08:00 Glee 09:00 Drop Dead Diva 10:00 One Tree Hill 11:00 Dawson’s Creek 12:00 Doctor Who 13:00 The Closer 14:00 One Tree Hill 15:00 Life 16:00 Glee 17:00 Drop Dead Diva 18:00 Burn Notice 19:00 Doctor Who 20:00 Criminal Minds 21:00 Cold Case 22:00 The Murdoch Mysteries 23:00 Janice Dickinson

00:15 Going Ape 00:45 Human Prey 01:40 Untamed & Uncut 02:35 Untamed & Uncut 03:30 Animal Cops Philadelphia 04:25 Human Prey 05:20 Animal Cops South Africa 06:10 Aussie Animal Rescue 06:35 Vet on the Loose 07:00 Lemur Street 07:25 Meerkat Manor 07:50 The Planet’s Funniest Animals 08:15 The Planet’s Funniest Animals 08:45 Animal Cops South Africa 09:40 Pet Rescue 10:05 Corwin’s Quest 10:55 Miami Animal Police 11:50 Austin Stevens: Most Dangerous...

12:45 Animal Precinct 13:40 SSPCA: On the Wildside 14:05 SSPCA: On the Wildside 14:35 Safari Sisters 15:00 Safari Sisters 15:30 Dogs 101 16:25 Into the Pride 17:20 Dark Days in Monkey City 17:45 Dark Days in Monkey City 18:15 The Animals’ Guide to Survival 19:10 Orangutan Island 19:40 Going Ape 20:10 Going Ape 20:35 Going Ape 21:05 Untamed & Uncut 22:00 Untamed & Uncut 22:55 Animal Cops Philadelphia 23:50 Orangutan Island

00:15 Red Dwarf (re-mastered) 00:45 Red Dwarf (re-mastered) 01:15 Green Green Grass 01:45 Robin Hood 02:30 Green Green Grass 03:00 Teletubbies 03:25 Me Too 03:45 Tikkabilla 04:15 Teletubbies 04:40 Me Too 05:00 Tikkabilla 05:30 Teletubbies 05:55 Me Too 06:15 Teletubbies 06:40 Me Too 07:00 Tikkabilla 07:30 Teletubbies 07:55 Me Too 08:15 Tikkabilla 08:45 Teletubbies 09:10 Me Too 09:30 Mastermind 2006 10:00 Coast 11:00 Doctors 11:30 Doctors 12:00 Doctors 12:30 Doctors 13:00 Doctors 13:30 Mastermind 2006 14:00 Mastermind 2006 14:30 Doctor Who Confidential 14:45 The Weakest Link 15:30 The Weakest Link 16:15 Doctor Who 17:00 Doctor Who Confidential 17:15 Robin Hood 18:05 Casualty 18:55 Casualty 19:45 Wolf Battlefield 20:35 Doctor Who Confidential 20:50 Space Race 21:40 Silent Witness 22:35 Dalziel And Pascoe 23:25 Gil Mayo Mysteries

00:05 Saturday Kitchen 00:35 Saturday Kitchen 01:00 Living In The Sun 01:50 Cash In The Attic 02:35 Cash In The Attic 03:20 Cash In The Attic 04:05 Bargain Hunt 04:50 James Martin’s Brittany 05:15 What To Eat Now - Summer 05:45 The Hairy Bakers 06:15 Trish’s French Country Kitchen 06:40 James Martin’s Favourite Feasts 07:00 Saturday Kitchen 07:30 Saturday Kitchen 08:00 Living In The Sun 08:50 Cash In The Attic 09:35 Cash In The Attic

01:10 Bikecar 02:45 Strikeforce 03:40 Endless Summer Revisited, The 05:00 I-Ex 05:30 I-Ex 06:00 I-Ex 06:30 I-Ex 07:00 Quattro Int Events: Cape Epic 2009 07:30 Quattro Int Events: Gt Academy 1 08:00 Quattro Int Events: Gt Academy 2 08:30 Quattro Int Events: Cold Water Classics: Tasmania 09:00 Quattro Int Events: Tim Boal/ Beat Kammerlander 09:30 Quattro Int Events: O’neil Cwc Scotland 10:00 Bmx Megatour Ep1 11:00 Bmx Megatour Ep2 12:00 Lg Action Sports World Championships 2008 13:00 Fantasy Factory 13:30 Fantasy Factory 14:00 Fantasy Factory 14:30 Fantasy Factory 15:00 Red Bull Empire Of Dirt 16:00 Untracked Series 2 16:30 Untracked Series 2 17:00 Untracked Series 2 17:30 Untracked Series 2 18:00 Lucas Oil Motorcross Championships 2009 19:00 Lucas Oil Motorcross Championships 2009 20:00 Bmx Megatour Ep1 21:00 Bmx Megatour Ep2 22:00 Untracked Series 2 22:30 Untracked Series 2 23:00 Untracked Series 2 23:30 Untracked Series 2 23:55 On Any Sunday Revisited

Fireproof on Show Movies 10:20 Cash In The Attic 11:00 Saturday Kitchen 11:30 Saturday Kitchen 12:00 Saturday Kitchen 12:25 Saturday Kitchen 12:50 Living In The Sun 13:40 Cash In The Attic 14:25 Cash In The Attic 15:10 Cash In The Attic 16:00 Bargain Hunt 16:45 Come Dine With Me 17:35 Come Dine With Me 18:25 James Martin’s Brittany 18:50 What To Eat Now - Summer 19:20 The Hairy Bakers 19:50 Trish’s French Country Kitchen 20:15 James Martin’s Favourite Feasts 20:40 Dolce Vito: Dream Restaurant 21:05 Dolce Vito: Dream Restaurant 21:30 The Restaurant Uk 22:20 The Restaurant Uk 23:10 The Restaurant Uk

01:00 El Pasado-18 03:00 Field Of Dreams-PG 05:00 Humboldt County-18 07:00 Sunset Park-PG 09:00 What Rats Won’t Do-PG15 11:00 Frozen River-PG15 13:00 Wendy And Lucy-PG15 15:00 The Sun Also Rises-PG15 17:00 Trekkies 2-PG 18:45 Gorillas In The Mist-PG15 21:00 Romulus My Father-PG15 23:00 Adventures Of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert-18

00:00 Deadly Women 01:00 Undercover 02:00 Prototype This 02:55 Brainiac 03:50 Nextworld 04:45 How Stuff Works 05:10 American Loggers 06:05 Mythbusters 07:00 Fifth Gear 07:30 Fifth Gear 07:55 Battle Machine Bros 08:50 Extreme Engineering 09:45 How Stuff Works 10:10 Ultimate Survival: Bear’s Essentials 11:05 American Loggers 12:00 Mighty Ships 12:55 Mighty Ships 13:50 Mighty Ships 14:45 Mighty Ships 15:40 Mighty Ships 16:35 Mighty Ships 17:30 How Stuff Works 18:00 Extreme Fishing 19:00 River Monsters 20:00 Prototype This 21:00 Mythbusters 22:00 Tornado Road 23:00 MacIntyre: World’s Toughest Towns

00:30 Da Vinci’s Machines 01:20 The Colony 02:10 Super Comet: After the Impact 03:00 Nextworld 03:50 Da Vinci’s Machines 04:45 What’s That About?

05:40 How Does That Work?

06:10 Mighty Ships 07:00 Thunder Races 08:00 The Gadget Show 08:30 The Gadget Show 09:00 Nextworld 09:55 Kings of Construction 10:50 Kings of Construction 11:45 Kings of Construction 12:40 Kings of Construction 13:35 Kings of Construction 14:30 Kings of Construction 15:25 Savage Planet 15:55 Science of Storm Chasing

16:50 Mighty Ships 17:45 How Does That Work?

18:10 How Does That Work?

18:40 FutureCar 19:30 The Future of...

20:20 Engineered 21:10 Da Vinci’s Machines 22:00 FutureCar 22:50 The Future of...

23:40 Real Superhumans

00:00 Iron Chef America 01:00 30 Minute Meals 01:30 Tyler’s Ultimate 02:00 Guys Big Bite 03:00 Barefoot Contessa 03:30 Everyday Italian 04:00 30 Minute Meals 05:00 Tyler’s Ultimate 05:30 Guys Big Bite 06:00 Barefoot Contessa 07:00 Everyday Italian 07:25 Food Network Challenge 07:50 30 Minute Meals 08:15 Tyler’s Ultimate 08:40 Guys Big Bite 09:05 Barefoot Contessa 09:30 Everyday Italian 10:00 30 Minute Meals 10:30 Throwdown With Bobby Flay 11:00 Iron Chef America 11:30 Barefoot Contessa 12:30 Everyday Italian 13:00 30 Minute Meals 13:30 Guys Big Bite 14:00 Throwdown With Bobby Flay 14:30 Tyler’s Ultimate 15:00 Food Network Challenge 15:30 Food Network Challenge 16:00 Food Network Challenge 17:00 Throwdown With Bobby Flay 17:30 Guys Big Bite 18:00 Chopped 18:30 30 Minute Meals 19:00 Tyler’s Ultimate 19:30 Food Network Challenge 20:00 Barefoot Contessa 21:00 Everyday Italian 22:00 Iron Chef America 23:00 Throwdown With Bobby Flay 23:30 Guys Big Bite

00:00 The Suite Life of Zack and Cody 00:25 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 00:50 Fairly Odd Parents 01:15 A Kind of Magic 01:35 I Got A Rocket 02:00 Wizards of Waverly Place 02:25 Phineas and Ferb 02:50 Suite Life On Deck 03:10 A Kind of Magic 03:35 Phineas and Ferb 04:00 Fairly Odd Parents 04:25 Replacements 04:50 Wizards of Waverly Place 05:15 Hannah Montana 05:35 Fairly Odd Parents 06:00 Lazytown 06:25 Imagination Movers 06:45 Handy Manny 07:10 Jungle Junction 07:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 08:00 Fairly Odd Parents 08:25 Suite Life On Deck 08:50 Wizards of Waverly Place 09:15 JONAS 09:40 Hannah Montana 10:00 Sonny With A Chance 10:30 Brother Bear 2 12:00 Hannah Montana 12:25 JONAS 12:50 Replacements 13:15 Fairly Odd Parents 13:40 Sonny With A Chance 14:00 Suite Life On Deck 14:25 A Kind of Magic 14:50 Phineas and Ferb 15:15 Fairly Odd Parents 15:35 Replacements 16:00 Wizards of Waverly Place 16:25 Hannah Montana 16:45 Fairly Odd Parents 17:10 Suite Life On Deck 17:30 Wizards of Waverly Place 17:55 JONAS 18:20 Hannah Montana 18:45 Sonny With A Chance 19:10 Gotta Kick It Up 20:35 Hannah Montana 21:00 Wizards of Waverly Place 21:25 Wizards of Waverly Place 21:50 Suite Life On Deck 22:15 Suite Life On Deck 22:40 Sonny With A Chance 23:05 JONAS 23:30 Hannah Montana 23:55 Hannah Montana

00:40 Bank of Hollywood 01:30 15 Most Shocking Acts Of Violence 03:15 25 Most Stylish 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 Battle of the Hollywood Hotties 05:30 Streets of Hollywood 06:00 15 Remarkable Celebrity Body Bouncebacks 07:45 Bank of Hollywood 08:35 E! News 09:25 E!ES 10:15 THS 11:05 THS 12:00 THS 12:50 THS 13:40 E!ES 14:30 THS 15:25 THS 16:15 THS 17:10 Behind the Scenes 17:35 Behind the Scenes 18:00 E! News 18:50 Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane 19:15 Growing Up Fabulous

00:30 Crime Scene Psychics 00:55 Crime Scene Psychics 01:20 Ghost Lab 02:10 A Haunting 03:05 Psychic Witness 04:00 Crime Scene Psychics 04:25 Crime Scene Psychics 04:55 Real Emergency Calls 05:20 FBI Files 06:10 Ghosthunters 06:35 Ghosthunters 07:00 Forensic Detectives 07:50 FBI Files 08:40 CSU 09:30 Diagnosis: Unknown 10:20 Forensic Detectives 11:10 FBI Files 12:00 Guilty Or Innocent?

12:50 Fugitive Strike Force 13:40 Diagnosis: Unknown 14:30 Forensic Detectives 15:20 FBI Files 16:10 CSU 17:00 Diagnosis: Unknown 17:50 Forensic Detectives 18:40 FBI Files 19:30 Guilty Or Innocent?

20:20 Fugitive Strike Force 21:10 Diagnosis: Unknown 22:00 I Almost Got Away With It 22:50 Dr G: Medical Examiner 23:40 Deadly Women

00:05 Devil’s Brigade, The 02:15 Assassination Tango 04:05 Sometimes They Come Back

05:40 Final Combination 07:09 Hotel Oklahoma 08:49 Pride And The Passion, The 11:00 Prancer 12:40 Mr. North 14:10 Modern Girls 15:35 Miracle Beach 17:00 Ten Seconds To Hell 18:35 Carry Me Home 20:10 Inherit The Wind 1999 22:00 The 70’s

00:30 Weird And Wonderful Hotels 01:00 Weird And Wonderful Hotels 01:30 Cruise Ship Diaries 02:30 Cruise Ship Diaries 03:30 Cruise Ship Diaries 04:30 Treks In A Wild World 05:00 Bondi Rescue - Bali 05:30 Banged Up Abroad 06:30 Weird And Wonderful Hotels 07:00 Weird And Wonderful Hotels 07:30 Cruise Ship Diaries 08:30 Cruise Ship Diaries 09:30 Cruise Ship Diaries 10:30 Treks In A Wild World 11:00 Destination Extreme 11:30 Cruise Ship Diaries 12:30 Bondi Rescue 13:00 Bondi Rescue 13:30 The Best Job In The World 14:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 14:30 Banged Up Abroad 15:30 Banged Up Abroad 16:30 4Real 17:00 Destination Extreme 17:30 Cruise Ship Diaries 18:30 Bondi Rescue 19:00 Bondi Rescue 19:30 The Best Job In The World 20:00 Don’t Tell My Mother 20:30 Banged Up Abroad 21:30 Banged Up Abroad 22:30 4Real 23:00 Destination Extreme 23:30 Cruise Ship Diaries

00:00 Watching Ellie 00:30 Gavin & Stacey 01:00 The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 01:30 The Colbert Report 02:00 Late night with Jimmy Fallon 03:00 Entourage 03:30 Curb your Enthusiasm 04:00 Saturday Night Live 05:00 Family Biz 05:30 Late Night with Jimmy Fallon 06:30 Everybody Loves Raymond 07:00 Dharma & Greg 07:30 Three sisters 08:00 Frasier 08:30 Tyler Perry’s House of Payne 09:00 Married with Children 09:30 Family Biz 10:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 10:30 The Simpsons 11:00 Frasier 11:30 The Bernie Mac show 12:00 Saturday Night Live 13:00 Gary Unmarried 13:30 Yes dear 14:00 Married with Children 14:30 The Fresh Prince of Bel Air 15:00 How I met your mother 15:30 The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 The Drew Carey show 17:00 Everybody Loves Raymond 17:30 Frasier 18:00 Hope & Faith 18:30 Just Shoot me!

19:00 Better Off Ted 19:30 Will & Grace 20:00 Curb your Enthusiasm 20:30 Bored to death 21:00 The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Saturday Night Live 23:30 South park

00:00 The Martha Stewart Show 01:00 Downsize Me 02:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live!

03:00 The Monique Show 04:00 The Tonight Show with Jay Leno 05:00 GMA Weekend (Repeat) 06:00 Parenting 06:30 Job Club 07:00 GMA Health 07:30 What’s the Buzz 08:00 The Martha Stewart Show 09:00 Downsize Me 10:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live!

11:00 The View 12:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 13:00 The Martha Stewart Show 14:00 Parenting 14:30 Popcorn 15:00 GMA Weekend Live 16:00 Ahead of The Curve 16:30 Chef’s Table 17:00 The Tonight Show with Jay Leno 18:00 Downsize Me 19:00 The View (repeat) 20:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 21:00 The Best of Jimmy Kimmel 22:00 The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (Best Of) 23:00 Moms Get Real / Now you know / Amplified

00:45 Beyond A Reasonable Doubt-PG15 02:30 45 R.p.m.-PG15 04:00 Fireproof-PG 06:00 Gracie-PG15 08:00 Not Easily Broken-PG15 10:00 Call Of The North-PG

12:00 Bedtime Stories-FAM 14:00 Meet Bill-PG15 16:00 Not Easily Broken-PG15 18:00 Leatherheads-PG15 20:00 Battle In Seattle-18 22:00 The Love Guru-18

01:00 Wushu Warrior-PG15 03:00 Nightfall-PG15 05:00 Anaconda 3: The Offspring-PG15 07:00 House Of Fallen-PG15 09:00 Connected-PG15 11:00 Room 6-PG15 13:00 Godzilla-PG15 15:15 Connected-PG15 17:15 Midnight Bayou-PG15 19:00 Blood: The Last Vampire-18 21:00 Doomsday-18 23:00 Tailor Of Panama-18

00:00 Satellites And Meteorites-PG15 02:00 The Milagro Beanfield War-PG15 04:00 Backseat-PG15 06:00 Will You Merry Me-PG15 08:00 Lucky Break-PG15 10:00 The Coneheads-PG15 12:00 Going Berserk-PG15 14:00 Fifty Pills-PG15 16:00 Satellites And Meteorites-PG15 18:00 The Birdcage-18 20:00 The Pink Panther 2-PG15 22:00 Vegas Baby-18

00:00 Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation-FAM 02:00 Christopher’s Dream-FAM 04:00 Little Hercules In 3-D-PG15 06:00 The Gold Retrievers-PG 08:00 Simba The King Lion-FAM 10:00 Little Hercules In 3-D-PG15 12:00 Space Buddies-PG 14:00 Christopher’s Dream-FAM 16:00 The Wild Thornberrys Movie-PG 18:00 Hey Arnold! The Movie-PG 20:00 Aussie And Ted’s Great AdventurePG 22:00 Space Buddies-PG

00:00 Psych 01:00 Law & Order: Criminal Intent 02:00 In Treatment 03:00 In Plain Sight 04:00 Every Body Loves Raymond 04:30 Home Improvement 05:00 Law and order 06:00 Emmerdale 06:30 Coronation Street 07:00 In Treatment 07:30 In Treatment 08:00 Every Body Loves Raymond 08:30 Home Improvement 09:00 In Plain Sight 10:00 Law and order 11:00 In Treatment 11:30 In Treatment 12:00 Emmerdale 12:30 Coronation Street 13:00 Every Body Loves Raymond 13:30 Home Improvement 14:00 Psych 15:00 Law & Order: Criminal Intent 16:00 Law and order 17:00 In Plain Sight 18:00 Emmerdale 18:30 Coronation Street 19:00 Ashes to Ashes 20:00 Parkinson 21:00 Without A Trace 22:00 True Blood 23:00 In Plain Sight

12:00 FIA GT1 World Championship 14:00 FIM World Cup 14:30 FIM World Cup 15:00 V8 Supercars Extra 15:30 Mobil 1 The Grid 16:00 WWE Bottom Line 17:00 WWE NXT 18:00 WWE Smackdown 20:00 UFC 114 23:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter

01:15 The Oxford Murders-18 03:15 December Boys-PG15 05:00 Mr. Magoriums Wonder EmporiumFAM 06:45 A Shine Of Rainbows-PG15 09:00 Kung Fu Panda-PG 11:00 Sticks And Stones-PG 13:00 Taking A Chance On Love-PG15 15:00 Little Girl Lost-PG 17:00 Kung Fu Panda-PG 19:00 Rails Andties-PG15 21:00 Fired Up !-18 23:00 Mr. Nobody-PG15

00:05 Brother John 01:40 Some Came Running 04:00 Where Were You When The Lights Went Out? 05:30 Westworld 07:00 The File Of The Golden Goose 08:45 Adam’s Rib 10:25 Hannibal Brooks 12:05 I’ll Take Sweden 13:40 Easter Parade 15:20 Canadian Bacon 16:55 Key Largo 18:35 Forbidden Planet 20:15 3 Godfathers 22:00 The Survivors 23:40 Mandela

00:30 Dead Men’s Secrets 01:20 Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire 02:10 Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire 03:00 Beyond The Da Vinci Code 04:50 Angels & Demons Decoded 06:30 Dead Men’s Secrets 07:20 Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire 08:10 Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire 09:00 Beyond The Da Vinci Code 10:50 Angels & Demons Decoded 12:30 Dead Men’s Secrets 13:20 Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire 14:10 Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire 15:00 Beyond The Da Vinci Code 16:50 Angels & Demons Decoded 18:30 Dead Men’s Secrets 19:20 Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire 20:10 Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire 21:00 Battle Stations 21:55 How the Earth Was Made 22:50 Man Moment Machine 23:40 The Crusades

00:00 Dallas Divas & Daughters 00:30 Dallas Divas & Daughters 01:00 My Celebrity Home 02:00 Split Ends 03:00 How Do I Look?

04:00 Dr 90210 05:00 Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane 05:30 Area 06:00 How Do I Look?

07:00 Style Star 07:30 Style Her Famous 08:00 Clean House 09:00 My Celebrity Home 10:00 Ruby

11:00 Dallas Divas & Daughters 11:30 Dallas Divas & Daughters 12:00 Peter Perfect 13:00 Fat Free Fiancés 14:00 How Do I Look?

15:00 How Do I Look?

16:00 How Do I Look?

17:00 How Do I Look?

18:00 How Do I Look?

19:00 How Do I Look?

20:00 How Do I Look?

21:00 How Do I Look?

22:00 Clean House 23:00 The Dish 23:30 Ruby

01:04 Sound System 01:45 Playlist 02:00 Urban Hit 02:45 Playlist 08:04 Africa 08:45 Playlist 13:04 Urban Hit 30 15:00 Code Compilation 15:24 Playlist 16:04 New 16:35 Playlist 17:00 Focus 18:00 Urban Hit 18:45 Playlist 20:04 French Only 20:45 Playlist

00:00 The Big Guide 01:00 Short History of Convict Australia 02:00 Distant Shores 02:30 Wild At Heart 03:00 Secrets of Ancient China 04:00 Safari Stopovers 05:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 06:00 Down the Line 07:00 Globe Trekker 08:00 Swiss Railway Journeys 09:00 Swiss Railway Journeys 10:00 World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides 11:00 Think Green 12:00 Globe Trekker 13:00 Planet Food 14:00 Chef Abroad 14:30 Chef Abroad 15:00 Inside Universal Studios - Japan 16:00 Globe Trekker 17:00 Grannies On Safari 17:30 Spring 18:00 First Class South Africa 18:30 Floyd On Africa 19:00 Journey Into Wine-South Africa 19:30 Journey Into Wine-South Africa 20:00 Safari Stopovers 21:00 Short History of Convict Australia 22:00 Down the Line 23:00 Globe Trekker

01:00 Vh1 Music 05:00 Chill Out 07:00 Smooth Wake Up 09:00 Vh1 Music 11:00 Vh1 Pop Chart 12:00 Top 10 Best of Soul & Chill 2010 So Far 13:00 Cover Power 14:00 Disco Fashion Weekend 17:00 Music For The Masses 18:00 Vh1 Music 19:00 VH1 Viewer’s Jukebox Love Request 20:00 VH1 Viewer’s Jukebox Love Request 21:00 Top 10 Best of Soul & Chill 2010 So Far 22:00 Sunday Soul 23:00 Arctic Monkeys Live ¬†with Zane 07-06-2010

01:00 PGA European Tour 05:00 Live NRL Premiership 07:00 Live NRL Premiership 09:00 International Rugby Union 11:00 International Rugby Union 13:00 Live Test Cricket 20:00 PGA European Tour

01:30 International Rugby Union 03:30 International Rugby Union 05:30 Total Rugby 06:00 Futbol Mundial 06:30 ICC Cricket World 07:00 Futbol Mundial 07:30 World Sport 08:00 Live NRL Premiership 10:00 NRL Premiership 12:00 NRL Premiership 14:00 World Sport 14:30 European Tour Weekly 15:00 Live European PGA Tour 19:00 NRL Premiership 21:00 NRL Premiership 23:00 NRL Premiership

00:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter 01:00 WWE Bottom Line 02:00 WWE NXT 03:00 WWE Smackdown 05:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter 06:00 UFC Unleashed 07:00 WWE Vintage Collection 08:00 WWE Bottom Line 09:00 WWE NXT 10:00 WWE Smackdown

Fired Up on Super Movies

Star Listings (UAE Timings) STAR Movies 21:15 Xtra Credit 22:45 Merry Gentleman, The 00:25 Stanley & Iris 02:10 Distinguished Gentleman, The 04:00 My Daughter’s Secret 05:35 Xtra Credit 07:05 Keeping Up With The Steins 08:35 Stanley & Iris 10:20 Distinguished Gentleman, The 12:15 Savages, The 14:10 Rocketman 15:45 Kinky Boots 17:30 Art School Confidential 19:10 Invincible STAR World 20:00 American Idol 22:00 [V] Tunes 23:00 [V] Tunes 00:00 Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?

01:00 [V] Tunes 02:00 Kyle XY 03:00 Scrubs 03:30 Scrubs 04:00 The King Of Queens 04:30 According To Jim 05:00 Prison Break 06:00 Grey’s Anatomy 07:00 Samantha Who? 07:30 Rules Of Engagement

08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 11:00 11:50 12:00 12:50 13:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:50 17:00 17:50 18:00 18:50 19:00 19:50

Australia’s Next Top Model The King Of Queens The Bold and the Beautiful [V] Tunes Grey’s Anatomy Who’s The Boss?

Ugly Betty Starsky & Hutch Asia Uncut Scrubs Scrubs The King Of Queens According To Jim 90210 Different Strokes Mental Starsky & Hutch The Listener Who’s The Boss?

Eli Stone Different Strokes

Granada TV 21:00 Airline (Series 6) 21:30 Motoring Madness 22:00 Demolition Day 23:00 Come Dine With Me (Primetime Series 2) 00:00 Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway (Series 3) 01:00 Stars In Their Eyes (Series 13) 02:00 Prime Drama: If I Had You 04:00 60 Minute Makeover (Series 3)

05:00 06:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:30

Live The Dream: As Seen On Screen Coronation Street (Weekend Omnibus) Miranda Essex Wives Airline (Series 6) Motoring Madness Driving Mum And Dad Mad (Series 1) Forger’s Masterclass Property Developing Abroad Hell’s Kitchen (UK Series 3) I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! (Series 7) Cold Blood (Series 3) Property Developing Abroad Hell’s Kitchen (UK Series 3) I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! (Series 7) Cold Blood (Series 3)

Channel [V] 21:00 [V] Tunes 21:30 [V] Tunes 22:00 Loop 23:00 [V] Tunes 23:30 [V] Tunes 00:00 [V] Tunes 01:00 XO 01:30 Loop 02:00 Backtracks 03:00 [V] Countdown 05:00 [V] Tunes 05:30 [V] Tunes 06:00 Loop

07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 09:30 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:00 17:30 18:00 19:00 20:00

[V] Tunes [V] Tunes [V] Special XO Loop Backtracks Videoscope [V] Special 66 Music Senses [V] Tunes Loop [V] Tunes [V] Tunes [V] Special XO Loop Backtracks Videoscope [V] Special

Fox News 20:00 America’s News HQ Host Brian Wilson 22:00 The Journal Editorial Report 22:30 Fox News Watch 23:00 America’s News HQ Hosts Kelly Wright and Jamie Colby 01:00 America’s News HQ hosts Gregg Jarrett and Juliet Huddy 03:00 FOX Report Saturday host Ainsley Earhardt 04:00 Huckabee with Mike Huckabee 05:00 Geraldo at Large with Geraldo Rivera

07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 14:00 14:30 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00

The Journal Editorial Report Fox News Watch FOX Report Saturday Geraldo At Large with Geraldo Rivera Huckabee with Mike Huckabee FOX Report Saturday host Julie Banderas Geraldo At Large with Geraldo Rivera The Journal Editorial Report Fox News Watch FOX and Friends Sunday FOX and Friends Sunday FOX and Friends Sunday America’s News HQ America’s News HQ

National Geographic Channel 20:00 Food Lovers Guide To The Planet -Cocktail Artists 20 20:30 Food Lovers Guide To The Planet -Catch Of The Day 12 21:00 Rescue Ink -House Of Horror 4 22:00 Super Factories -UPS 23:00 Fishzilla 00:00 Tribal Odyssey -Rendille: Ceremonies Of the New Moon 01:00 ABOUT ASIA -Myanmar’s Killer Cyclone 02:00 Cliffhangers -King Of The Cliffs 03:00 Nat Geo Junior -What Would Happen If... : 5 03:30 Nat Geo Junior -Storm Stories : Mexico Floods S25 04:00 Food Lovers Guide To The Planet -Spanish Roots

04:30 Food Lovers Guide To The Planet -Baja California 7 05:00 Best Job in the world -The Best Job In The World : Grub 5 05:30 Best Job in the world -The Best Job In The World : Last Hurrah 6 06:00 Against All Odds -Crash S1-1 07:00 Fishzilla 08:00 Food Lovers Guide To The Planet -Baja California 7 08:30 Food Lovers Guide To The Planet -Catch Of The Day 12 09:00 Best Job in the world -The Best Job In The World : Grub 5 09:30 Best Job in the world -The Best Job In The World : Last Hurrah 6 10:00 Built For Destruction -Flood 6 11:00 Fishzilla 12:00 Against All Odds -Crash S1-1 13:00 Wild Africa -Tribal Odyssey : The Dinka 14:00 Inside -Mumbai Terror Attacks 15:00 Best Job in the world -The Best Job In The World : Grub 5 15:30 Best Job in the world -The Best Job In The World : Last Hurrah 6 16:00 Against All Odds -Crash S1-1 17:00 Fishzilla 18:00 Inside -Mumbai Terror Attacks 19:00 Best Job in the world -The Best Job In The World : Grub 5 19:30 Best Job in the world -The Best Job In The World : Last Hurrah 6

Sunday, June 6, 2010

33 Flight Schedule Arrival Flights on Sunday 06/06/2010 Airlines Flt Route Ariana 405 Kabul/Dubai Kuwait 788 Jeddah Wataniya Airways 188 Bahrain Jordanian 802 Amman Kuwait 544 Cairo Wataniya Airways 306 Cairo Wataniya Airways 434 Damascus Wataniya Airways 408 Beirut Gulf Air 211 Bahrain Turkish 772 Istanbul Ethiopian 620 Addis Ababa Jazeera 267 Beirut DHL 370 Bahrain Emirates 853 Dubai Etihad 305 Abu Dhabi Jazeera 513 Sharm El Sheikh Jazeera 241 Amman Qatari 138 Doha Falcon 201 Dubai Jazeera 503 Luxor Kuwait 412 Manila/Bangkok Jazeera 527 Alexandria British 157 London Kuwait 206 Islamabad Kuwait 382 Delhi Iran Air 615 Shahre Kord Kuwait 302 Mumbai Fly Dubai 053 Dubai Kuwait 332 Trivandrum Kuwait 676 Dubai Kuwait 284 Dhaka Emirates 855 Dubai Arabia 121 Sharjah Kuwait 286 Chittagong Qatari 132 Doha Iran Air 603 Shiraz Etihad 301 Abu Dhabi Iran Aseman 6801 Ahwaz Jazeera 425 Bahrain Falcon 203 Dubai Jazeera 497 Riyadh Wataniya Airways 182 Bahrain Gulf Air 213 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 102 Dubai Jazeera 113 Abu Dhabi Jazeera 165 Dubai Jazeera 447 Doha Egypt Air 610 Cairo Kuwait 672 Dubai Oman Air 645 Muscat Kuwait 774 Riyadh United 982 Washington Dc Dulles Wataniya Airways 432 Damascus Jordanian 800 Amman Fly Dubai 057 Dubai Jazeera 257 Beirut Wataniya Airways 422 Amman Kuwait 562 Amman Kuwait 512 Tehran Saudia 500 Jeddah Qatari 134 Doha Jazeera 173 Dubai Bahrain Air 344 Bahrain Etihad 303 Abu Dhabi Emirates 857 Dubai Gulf Air 215 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 402 Beirut Saudia 510 Riyadh Wataniya Airways 202 Jeddah Arabia 125 Sharjah Jazeera 239 Amman Jazeera 367 Deirezzor Jazeera 511 Sharm El Sheikh Wataniya Airways 304 Cairo Kuwait 166 Paris/Rome Wataniya Airways 106 Dubai Kuwait 502 Beirut Kuwait 542 Cairo Kuwait 618 Doha Kuwait 786 Jeddah Jazeera 481 Sabiha Jazeera 177 Dubai Kuwait 744 Dammam Kuwait 674 Dubai Kuwait 614 Bahrain Singapore 458 Singapore/Abu Dhabi Kuwait 102 New York/London Kuwait 552 Damascus Srilankan 267 Colombo/Dammam Fly Dubai 061 Dubai Oman Air 647 Muscat Middle East 402 Beirut Rovos 081 Baghdad Jet A/W 572 Mumbai Wataniya Airways 642 Vienna Wataniya Airways 404 Beirut DHL 372 Bahrain Gulf Air 217 Bahrain Emirates 859 Dubai Kuwait 172 Frankfurt Qatari 136 Doha United 981 Bahrain Indian 981 Chennai/Hyderabad/Ahmedabad Jazeera 459 Damascus Jazeera 449 Doha Safi 215 Kabul Lufthansa 636 Frankfurt Jazeera 185 Dubai Jazeera 429 Bahrain India Express 389 Kozhikode/Mangalore KLM 0447 Amsterdam/Bahrain Pakistan 205 Lahore Wataniya Airways 108 Dubai

Time 00:05 00:30 00:30 00:30 00:50 00:50 00:55 01:05 01:05 01:15 01:45 02:10 02:15 02:25 02:55 03:05 03:20 03:25 05:25 05:50 06:15 06:20 06:30 07:15 07:20 07:35 07:50 07:55 07:55 08:00 08:10 08:25 08:40 08:45 09:00 09:20 09:25 10:15 10:25 10:30 10:40 10:45 10:45 11:05 11:05 11:15 11:20 12:55 13:15 13:15 13:20 13:35 13:35 13:35 13:50 14:05 14:10 14:20 14:20 14:30 15:05 16:05 16:40 16:50 16:55 17:15 17:15 17:20 17:35 17:40 17:40 17:55 18:15 18:35 18:40 18:45 18:50 18:50 18:55 18:55 19:00 19:05 19:15 19:20 19:20 19:25 19:25 19:40 20:00 20:05 20:15 20:20 20:30 20:30 20:45 20:50 21:00 21:05 21:15 21:20 21:35 21:55 22:05 22:20 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:10 23:10 23:55 23:55

Departure Flights on Sunday 06/06/2010 Airlines Flt Route Egypt Air 607 Luxor Bangladesh 044 Dhaka India Express 394 Cochin/Kozhikode Lufthansa 637 Frankfurt Indian 994 Mumbai/Chennai Ariana 406 Dubai/Kabul Turkish 773 Istanbul Ethiopian 621 Addis Ababa DHL 371 Bahrain Emirates 854 Dubai Etihad 306 Abu Dhabi Qatari 139 Doha Wataniya Airways 101 Dubai Jordanian 803 Amman Jazeera 112 Abu Dhabi Jazeera 164 Dubai Jazeera 496 Riyadh Jazeera 422 Bahrain Jazeera 446 Doha Gulf Air 212 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 181 Bahrain Jazeera 256 Beirut Wataniya Airways 431 Damascus British 156 London Iran Air 614 Shahre Kord Fly Dubai 054 Dubai Kuwait 171 Frankfurt Kuwait 671 Dubai Wataniya Airways 421 Amman Kuwait 561 Amman Arabia 122 Sharjah Emirates 856 Dubai Wataniya Airways 641 Vienna Kuwait 511 Tehran Kuwait 773 Riyadh Qatari 133 Doha Kuwait 117 New York Etihad 302 Abu Dhabi Iran Air 602 Shiraz Iran Aseman 6802 Ahwaz Jazeera 480 Sabiha Gulf Air 214 Bahrain Wataniya Airways 401 Beirut Falcon 204 Baghdad Wataniya Airways 303 Cairo Jazeera 172 Dubai Kuwait 541 Cairo Jazeera 510 Sharm El Sheikh Jazeera 238 Amman Jazeera 366 Deirezzor Wataniya Airways 201 Jeddah Kuwait 103 London Kuwait 501 Beirut Kuwait 785 Jeddah Egypt Air 611 Cairo Oman Air 646 Muscat Kuwait 551 Damascus Jordanian 801 Amman Wataniya Airways 105 Dubai Fly Dubai 058 Dubai United 982 Bahrain Jazeera 176 Dubai Kuwait 673 Dubai Wataniya Airways 403 Beirut Kuwait 617 Doha Saudia 503 Medinah/Jeddah Qatari 135 Doha Kuwait 613 Bahrain Kuwait 743 Dammam Jazeera 458 Damascus Rovos 082 Baghdad Bahrain Air 345 Bahrain Etihad 304 Abu Dhabi Wataniya Airways 305 Cairo Gulf Air 216 Bahrain Emirates 858 Dubai Arabia 126 Sharjah Wataniya Airways 321 Sharm El Sheikh Jazeera 184 Dubai Saudia 511 Riyadh Jazeera 448 Doha Wataniya Airways 407 Beirut Wataniya Airways 107 Dubai Jazeera 428 Bahrain Jazeera 434 Mashad Kuwait 283 Dhaka Jazeera 266 Beirut Kuwait 361 Colombo Fly Dubai 062 Dubai Singapore 457 Abu Dhabi/Singapore Kuwait 343 Chennai Kuwait 351 Cochin Srilankan 267 Colombo Oman Air 648 Muscat Middle East 403 Beirut Jet A/W 571 Mumbai Wataniya Airways 187 Bahrain Gulf Air 218 Bahrain DHL 373 Bahrain Kuwait 675 Dubai Emirates 860 Dubai Kuwait 381 Delhi Falcon 102 Bahrain Qatari 137 Doha Kuwait 203 Lahore Kuwait 301 Mumbai Jazeera 526 Alexandria Jazeera 636 Aleppo United 981 Washington Dc Dulles Jazeera 502 Luxor Kuwait 411 Bangkok/Manila Kuwait 415 Kuala Lumpur/Jakarta

FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION 161

Time 00:15 00:15 00:25 00:50 00:50 01:45 02:15 02:30 03:15 03:45 04:00 05:00 06:50 07:00 07:00 07:05 07:15 07:30 07:40 07:45 07:50 08:05 08:10 08:25 08:35 08:40 08:55 09:00 09:10 09:15 09:20 09:40 09:45 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:00 10:10 10:20 11:15 11:20 11:35 11:35 11:45 11:50 11:55 12:00 12:05 12:10 12:15 12:25 12:30 13:00 13:30 13:55 14:15 14:20 14:30 14:30 14:35 14:50 14:55 15:10 15:10 15:35 15:45 16:20 16:20 16:25 16:55 17:00 17:25 17:35 18:05 18:05 18:05 18:20 18:20 18:30 18:35 18:50 19:25 19:40 19:50 19:55 20:00 20:10 20:20 20:50 20:55 21:00 21:05 21:10 21:15 21:20 21:30 21:35 21:55 22:00 22:10 22:25 22:30 22:30 22:35 22:40 22:45 23:20 23:35 23:40 23:40 23:40 23:50

ACCOMMODATION One single room with separate bathroom available in Farwaniya for couples/one executive bachelor (Indians only) to share with a Keralite family in a two BHK CA/C flat, opp. Farwaniya police station. If interested please contact 66786103.

(C 2365) 6-6-2010 One room available in two bedroom flat Farwaniya near Crowne Plaza hotel for decent bachelor. Please contact 66490857. (C 2364) 5-6-2010 Fully furnished 1 BHK flat available from 22nd June to 12th Sept at Abbassiya, opp. German Clinic. Contact: 97834504. (C 2362) 4-6-2010 Sharing family accommodation available from June end, in Abbassiya near Integrated Indian School for small family or couples in 2 bedroom, 2 bathrooms CA/C flat.

Contact: 67068072. (C 2360) 3-6-2010 Sharing accommodation available in Abbassiya for visiting family or two working ladies or couples in new CAC fully furnished two bedroom, two bathroom

(attached) flat from 7th June 2010. Contact: 99494359.

(C 2351) 2-6-2010 Decent room in a flat in Salwa for single person only, two big windows, cool place, English toilet, rent KD 60. Contact: 99468765.

(C 2347) To let one big room with separate toilet to a decent bachelor from 1/6/10, near the city, rent KD 75 only.

Please call 60046720 for more details. (C 2345) 1-6-2010

FOR SALE One year Internet card, original price KD 55, sale price KD 15. Tel: 55451465, 66451465. (C 2350) 4-6-2010 Silver color 2003 model Mitsubishi Gallant (registration no. 201115) Price: KD 66 monthly installment for Ayan agency (total price: KD 945) Tel.: 90002450/99977472.

Audi A6 2007 V6, color white, km 37,000, very great condition, requested 6500 KD under warranty. Tel: 99993108. (C 2358) PC IBM P4, Intel 3.0, RAM 256, HD 40 GB, DVD, Win-

dows XP, LCD 15� Dell, excellent condition, price KD 50. Call 99322585.

(C 2361) 3-6-2010 Toyota Corolla 1.8, model 2005, color white, 4 cylinder, 2,000 kilometer, price KD 2,250, excellent condition. Tel: 55107856.

(C 2352) Black, off white Maserati, Gran Tiresmo, model 2004, mileage 38,000 KW agency, system Ferrari F430, new mager service, 4 new wheels, price KD 7,800. Tel: 97117535. (C 2355) Motorbike Kawazaki ZX lor, model 2007, green color, best condition, mileage 7,000 km, price KD 2,600.

Tel: 99985544. (C 2354) 1 year Internet subscription card, price KD 15, original price KD 55.

Tel: 66451465/55451465.

(C 2350) 2-6-2010

SITUATION VACANT

English speaking maid for a family living in Mangaf.

Please contact 60055305 or 23741548.

5-6-2010

CHANGE OF NAME I, Chaman Sharif Abdul Gafur Kathari, holder of Indian Passport No. F 1478448 have changed my name to Sharif Shaikh.

(C 2363) 4-6-2010

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34

SPECTRUM

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Calvin

CROSSWORD 1011

Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is not the best time for career, vocational or social activities. You may be feeling more private and in a stay-at-home mood. This is a good time to spend with loved ones and family. Get busy and catch up on the lives of the people you love. Family, home, relatives and real estate play a bigger part in your life now. Natural and lively conversations bring out your own self-expression of your particular ideas and thoughts. You are very gifted, having great magnetism and warmth and also, a keen and powerful mind. You can do anything you want to do in this life, if you can manage to get moving in one direction and keep at it. A sense of support and harmony makes this a happy time. Energies are favorable.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) There is an emphasis on communication, expression of ideas and the connections between things, places and people. You tend towards mental pursuits and admire intelligence.

What goes on in your mind is the all-important motivation in your life. You may have trouble understanding those who seem emotional or sentimental, yet you may attract just such types into your life.

You are an aggressive mover, a starter, able to initiate and get things moving.

Today you could organize that paint-the-house-party and have two teams . . . one for your house and one team for your sister's house. The rewards or pay could be voted on--such as a trip to a tourist attraction, real cash payment or a free meal. You enjoy good relations between loved ones.

Pooch Cafe

ACROSS 1. (music) The pace of music measured by the number of beats occurring in 60 seconds.

4. A disreputable vagrant.

8. A solution containing a phosphate buffer.

11. An awkward stupid person.

12. The capital of Western Samoa.

13. A diagrammatic representation of the earth's surface (or part of it).

14. Singing jazz.

16. The sense organ for hearing and equilibrium.

17. The compass point that is one point east of due south.

18. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.

19. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

22. A radioactive element of the actinide series.

23. A state in New England.

26. A gradual decline (in size or strength or power or number).

29. Lower in esteem.

32. Primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stems and roots and leaves.

34. The elementary stages of any subject (usually plural).

35. A nurse who has enough training to be licensed by a state to provide routine care for the sick.

37. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.

39. A very light colorless element that is one of the six inert gasses.

44. An Arabic speaking person who lives in Arabia or North Africa.

48. The blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens.

49. Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike.

50. An associate degree in applied science.

52. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

53. The portion of the vertebrate nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord.

54. Having undesirable or negative qualities.

55. A small pellet fired from an air rifle or BB gun.

DOWN 1. Greenish-yellow pear.

2. Large burrowing rodent of South and Central America.

3. A master's degree in fine arts.

4. (astronomy) The angular distance of a celestial point measured westward along the celestial equator from the zenith crossing.

5. An organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the sale of petroleum.

6. Slanting diagonally across the grain of a fabric.

7. An implement used to propel or steer a boat.

8. A syndrome that occurs in many women from 2 to 14 days before the onset of menstruation.

9. A small cake leavened with yeast.

10. A detailed description of design criteria for a piece of work.

15. Of or relating to a speaker of the Tamil language or the language itself.

20. A region whose eastern part is Bangladesh and western part is included in India.

21. A compartment in front of a motor vehicle where driver sits.

24. An official prosecutor for a judicial district.

25. A river that rises in central Germany and flows north to join the Elbe River.

27. A decree that prohibits something.

28. Light informal conversation for social occasions.

30. A metallic element having four allotropic forms.

31. An international organization of European countries formed after World War II to reduce trade barriers and increase cooperation among its members.

33. (Akkadian) God of wisdom.

36. Type genus of the Percidae.

37. A master's degree in fine arts.

38. Someone who is morally reprehensible.

40. A French abbot.

41. Having or denoting a low vocal or instrumental range.

42. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.

43. In bed.

45. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.

46. An enclosed space.

47. Airtight sealed metal container for food or drink or paint etc..

51. A soft gray ductile metallic element used in alloys.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) You could find that you are appreciated and valued for your feelings and your ability to act and get things done. You can always find the resources you require are available. You have an inner vision, coupled with the ability to see the whole picture of a situation. This often finds you working as a go-between with others.

You could have a special gift for spanning the generation gap, bringing older and younger spirits together. Your wisdom is shared with others as you find yourself settling a dispute. You have a love of animals, children, older people and the needy and downtrodden and may look for ways to volunteer or be helpful in political issues. You may be interested in a home, animal or sports show this evening. You may also learn about a new tool.

Non Sequitur Cancer (June 21-July 22) You could receive a lot of attention today. You may find that you enjoy your responsibilities more than usual. You are at home in the world of concepts and ideas and are able to grasp the whole picture when given just a few facts. If you are not working in a place of business, you could find yourself learning a new technique or studying new ideas to use in your choice of business.

Perhaps you are attending or conducting a lecture, conference or exhibit. Your innate sensitivity to others makes you custom-made for any of the service occupations where you can diagnose or interpret what others are unable to express. You have a fine mind. Learning patience can be a great aid to your professional progress now as well as your personal comfort.

Leo (July 23-August 22) This is a great time to be with lots of people. Everything points to your taking the initiative with regard to family activities. Reflective and tactful, you are able to please others. Above all, you are forever charming and gracious, fascinating and mysterious. You could be in charge of coordinating groups or representing groups; perhaps to volunteer. You have a knack for putting the feelings of a group into words and may serve as a teacher or spokesperson.

Communication is one area where you can always get support and backing from friends and family. Historical ideas interest you very much. Sometime soon, there will be time for a visit to a museum or an exhibit of pictures and items from a favorite era you have studied or about which you have read.

Zits

Virgo (August 23-September 22) There is much to accomplish today. You have already planned the repair work or the catch-up work so now all is left is the pep talk to move forward. One good thing is that the faster you get started, the faster you will be finished to have the rest of the day for fun. If you push yourself too hard, and move too quickly, much energy can be wasted. If you have not planned, breakfast time would be the time to make out your lists. Make one list for the things you definitely want to accomplish today and another list of the things you would like to accomplish. You will be pleased at your progress as you begin. A rule would be that if you are interrupted from doing your work that person can help you. Allow for interruptions and enjoy a lot of laughter.

Libra (September 23-October 22) There is a good opportunity to get many things done this morning. The activities the remainder of this day is to set up opportunities of expression. Good conversations with loved ones are possible all during the day. Someone previously emotionally cold to you is beginning to warm. Do not take an important relationship for granted. Continue to learn and grow through it or let it go. Show your appreciation to a colleague this afternoon. A family member may enjoy your company at the ice cream store later today. Interactions with friends are encouraged; you seem to have forgotten the intellectually stimulating conversations of long ago. There are new inventions that activate your imagination. This evening you enjoy a loved one.

Mother Goose and Grimm

Scorpio (October 23-November 21) Spend some time out of doors today, running, cycling or just being with friends--perhaps some yard work. This will help you focus and boost your energies as well. You may be required to put in some overtime work today or you may find that some personal business needs your attention. Whatever the case, circumstances seem to bend to your will and things have a way of working out smoothly. Here are real opportunities to complete and work out difficulties and projects that require both long-term effort and a high degree of discipline. Continued success on the career level may point to your delay of some particular dreams for personal achievement. You will have your dreams soon, but for now, try for a good compromise.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Good news may be pouring in all at once today. Life's problems seem to have easy solutions just now. You may benefit from an older person or one in authority. Life could assume a dreamlike stance. Your home environment, friends and surroundings receive encouragement. You could gain from young people during this time. You may be moved to discover and appreciate the beauty in your own life and in those around you. Be careful that you do not overspend or indulge too much just now because everything new or interesting is just almost too resistible. You might consider going to a movie instead of attending a concert. Your smart way of being conservative will teach others budgeting and it will pay off for you as well.

Yesterday’s Solution

Yester

Yesterday’s Solution

To

00965 00974 009712 009714 009717 009716 00968 009626 00973 009661 009662 00202 00203 009611 0096311 0096321

Tunisia Rabat Washington New York Paris London Madrid Zurich Geneva Monaco Rome Bangkok Hong Kong Pakistan Taiwan Bonn

0021610 002127 001212 001718 00331 004471 00341 00411 004122 0033 00396 00662 00852 0092 00886 0049228

Aquarius (January 20- February 18) You could be preoccupied with job and family to the exclusion of a social life today. Of course, you may not have realized it but your family can be your social life. It is time for rest, relaxation and for having fun. Your friends, partners and relationships mean a lot to you. They are a primary source of strength and you always look to them for support and encouragement. Being more involved with neighbors or sibling/s satisfies a deep emotional need.

Planning or attending an outside barbecue would be a most favorable activity. If you are going to be a guest, you might want to take a small gift.

Do research on the family crest. Find some time to read some amusing story and then relate it to others. Most of all; laugh and enjoy the evening.

INTERNATIONAL CALLS Kuwait Qatar Abu Dhabi Dubai Raas Al Khayma Al-Shareqa Muscat Jordan Bahrain Riyadh Makkah - Jeddah Cairo Alexandria Beirut Damascus Allepo

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Most likely, your life is busy--not much time for viewing the sunset. However, today, life seems to have caught up with you because you seem to be in the mood for dreaming or visiting with a cherished friend that you have not visited with in some time. Writing poetry may be a rewarding experience. Others may pull you out of your reverie soon however, so enjoy your dreaming and then get back to business this afternoon. There is a yearning to broaden your horizons--perhaps plans for travel are in the making. New ideas and plans for group travel in the future could be quite successful. Friends and plain old lucky circumstances offer encouragement and backing. Good things will come to you. You will get what you need.

Word Sleuth Solution

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Although this is on the weekend, you are a heavy-duty thinker and serious student; always ready to work an idea through, reducing it to what is essential. You enjoy mental efforts, discipline and may work long and hard at whatever you put your mind to accomplish. You could present or teach religious and philosophical ideas, anything where substance and content are at issue. Perhaps there are lectures lined up for today--at least some issues for which you have given much thought. Some may find you especially witty this evening. A time of fun and play is greatly earned and enjoyed; pictures please. There is an opportunity to heal a previous resentment or misunderstanding. Tonight you enjoy and value your own life situation.

INFORMATION

Sunday, June 6, 2010

35 FIRE BRIGADE Operation Room 112 Al-Madena 22418714 Al-Shohada始a 22545171 Al-Shuwaikh 24810598 Al-Nuzha 22545171 Sabhan 24742838 Al-Helaly 22434853 Al-Fayhaa 22545051 Al-Farwaniya 24711433 Al-Sulaibikhat 24316983 Al-Fahaheel 23927002 Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh 24316983 Ahmadi 23980088 Al-Mangaf 23711183 Al-Shuaiba 23262845 Al-Jahra 25610011 Al-Salmiya 25616368

Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.kw

For labor-related inquiries and complaints: Call MSAL hotline 128 HOSPITALS 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

POLICE STATION Al-Madena Police Station Al-Murqab Police Station Al-Daiya Police Station Al-Fayha始a Police Station Al-Qadissiya Police Station Al-Nugra Police Station Al-Salmiya Police Station Al-Dasma Police Station

24874330/9 CLINICS

Roudha

22517733

Adhaliya

22517144

Khaldiya

24848075

Keifan

24849807

Shamiya

24848913

Shuwaikh

24814507

Abdullah Salim

22549134

Al-Nuzha

22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh

24814764

Al-Khadissiya

22515088

Dasmah

22532265

Bneid Al-Ghar

22531908

Al-Shaab

22518752

Al-Kibla

22459381

Ayoun Al-Kibla

22451082

Al-Mirqab

22456536

Sharq

22465401

Salmiya

25746401

Jabriya

25316254

Maidan Hawally

25623444

Bayan

25388462

Mishref

25381200

W.Hawally

22630786

Sabah

24810221

Jahra

24770319

New Jahra

24575755

West Jahra

24772608

South Jahra

24775066

North Jahra

24775992

North Jleeb

24311795

Al-Ardhiya

24884079

Firdous

4892674

Al-Omariya

4719048

N.Kheitan

4710044

Rabiya

4732263

Fintas

3900322

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATION Automated enquiry about the Civil ID card is 1889988 AIRLINES

PHARMACIES ON 24 HRS DUTY GOVERNORATE Ahmadi

PHARMACY Sama Safwan Abu Halaifa Danat Al-Sultan

ADDRESS Fahaeel Makka St Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd

PHONE 23915883 23715414 23726558

Jahra

Modern Jahra Madina Munawara

Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 Jahra-Block 92

24575518 24566622

Capital

Ahlam Khaldiya Coop

Fahad Al-Salem St Khaldiya Coop

22436184 24833967

Farwaniya

New Shifa Ferdous Coop Modern Safwan

Farwaniya Block 40 Ferdous Coop Old Kheitan Block 11

24734000 24881201 24726638

Hawally

Tariq Hana Ikhlas Hawally & Rawdha Ghadeer Kindy

Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St Salmiya-Amman St Hawally-Beirut St Hawally & Rawdha Coop Jabriya-Block 1A Jabriya-Block 3B

25726265 25647075 22625999 22564549 25340559 25326554

EMERGENCY 112

PRIVATE CLINICS Ophthalmologists: Dr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea Dr. Masoma Habeeb Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy Dr. Mohsen Abel Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly

25622444 25752222 25321171 25739999 25757700 25732223 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-Awadi22616660 Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120 Plastic Surgeons: Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf 22547272

22434064 22435865 22544200 22547133 22515277 22616662 25714406 22530801

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari Dr. Abdel Quttainah

22617700 25625030/60

Family Doctor: Dr Divya Damodar 23729596/23729581

Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr. Dr.

Zahra Qabazard Sohail Qamar Snaa Maaroof Pradip Gujare Zacharias Mathew

25710444 22621099 25713514 23713100 24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat Psychiatrists Dr. Esam Al-Ansari 22635047 Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan 22613623/0 Gynaecologists & Obstetricians: Dr Adrian Harbe 23729596/23729581 Dr. Verginia s.Marin 2572-6666 ext 8321 Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan 22655539 Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami 25343406 Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly 25739272 Dr. Salem soso 22618787 General Surgeons: Dr. Abidallah Behbahani 25717111 Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer 22610044 Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher 25327148

Paediatricians: Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed 25340300

Rheumatologists: Dr. Adel Al-Awadi 25330060 Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah 25722290

(2) Plastic Surgeon Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada)

25655535 Dentists:

Dr Anil Thomas

3729596/3729581

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar

22641071/2

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed

22562226

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer

22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan

22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash

22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan

25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari

25620111

Neurologists:

Internist, Chest & Heart: DR.Mohammes Akkad 24555050 Ext 210 Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital Tel: 25339667 Dr. Farida Al-Habib MD, PH.D, FACC Consultant Cardiologist Tel: 2611555-2622555 Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri 25633324 Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan

Internists, Chest & Heart: Dr. Adnan Ebil 22639939 Dr. Mousa Khadada 22666300 Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan 25728004 Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra 25355515 Dr. Mobarak Aldoub 24726446 Dr Nasser Behbehani 25654300/3

Physiotherapists & VD: Dr. Deyaa Shehab 25722291 Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees 22666288

25345875

Gastrologists Dr. Sami Aman

22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly 25322030 Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali

22633135

Endocrinologist: Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman 25339330 Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari

25658888

Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr

25329924

Psychologists/Psychotherapists Soor Center Tel: 2290-1677 Fax: 2290 1688 info@soorcenter.com www.soorcenter.com Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, Ph.D. 2290-1677 Susannah-Joy Schuilenberg, M.A. 2290-1677 William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677 Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

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SPECTRUM

he Givenchy gown which the late actress accessorized with a string of pearls and long black gloves in the opening scenes of the 1961 iconic movie ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ is the most popular dress of all time, according to a new survey by Lovefilm.

Helen Cowley, editor of Lovefilm magazine, said: “Audrey Hepburn has truly made that little black dress a fashion staple which has stood the test of time despite competition from some of the most stylish females around.”

The screen beauty’s dress beat off competition from other iconic outfits such as Ursula Andress’ white bikini in James Bond film, ‘Dr No’, which came fourth, and ‘Sex and the City’ star Sarah Jessica Parker’s silk wedding gown, which came 10th in the poll. Audrey also made another entry in the poll at number six with the long white dress, hat and parasol her character Eliza Doolittle wore to the races in ‘My Fair Lady’.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

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iane Kruger thinks of Karl Lagerfeld as her “stepfather”. The stunning actress has a very close relationship with the Chanel designer and says she loves working with him.

She told vogue.com: “He is like a stepfather to me. We’re very close- we just get on so well. He is a very curious person, he’s very interested in people in general. I’ve known him since I was 16years-old, ever since I first started to model and he has always been so kind. We go way back.

People have said I am his muse but I don’t think

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he singer-and-actress - who has two-year-old twins, Max and Emme, with husband Marc Anthony - admits it’s sometimes hard to find the time to work out but knows there are great benefits to be had. She said: “It gets harder and harder, and now with babies it seems like there is no time! I have to get up before they do to exercise, but I know that it’s good for my body and mind. “Sometimes that gets me to the gym more than the physical part - knowing that exercise is good for my soul and it makes the day go better. I’ve always been very athletic. Even though it’s harder to find the time right now, when I do work out I enjoy it.” The 40-year-old beauty also admits she feels the pressure to always look good but is fortunate she doesn’t have a huge appetite. She told LOOK magazine: “Feeling pressure is definitely part of the job. Everybody has pressures in their job, but I’ve always been pretty lucky. I’m not a big eater. I like to eat, but I don’t overeat.”

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I’d call myself that. It’s not how I think of our relationship. That’s big. It’s hard to describe Karl, he really is one of a kind.” The 33-year-old beauty loves Karl’s designs for Chanel because they are so classic. She said: “What’s not to love about Chanel? It’s timeless, it’s chic. I don’t know many people that don’t like it. I love it.” While she is a devoted Chanel fan, Diane is also an admirer of Calvin Klein and was recently announced as the new face of the fashion house’s latest fragrance, Beauty. heryl Cole is to revert to her maiden name of Tweedy. The 26-year-old singer - who filed for divorce from cheating husband Ashley Cole reportedly wants to cut all ties with the England and Chelsea footballer and is requesting half of the couple’s marital assets, including their £6 million Surrey mansion in South East England. An insider said: “She doesn’t want his cash, but she does want half of their marital assets. Any trace of Ashley will be expunged from her life. “Ashley’s lawyers have given every indication this is not too much to ask, which has raised her spirits.” Cheryl is also allegedly determined to keep the pair’s Chihuahua dogs Coco and Buster. Despite the couple’s four-year marriage coming to an end after the 29-year-old sportsman was linked to a string of other women, Cheryl wants to remain dignified throughout the legal separation. The insider added to the Daily Mirror newspaper: “She’s not out to humiliate her husband, how-

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enus Williams gets nervous when designing court dresses that the clothes may get in the way of her racquet. The tennis champion’s dresses have caused a stir recently with pieces from her own design range EleVen, but the star insists she wouldn’t let the fashion interfere with her game on court.

She said: “During the design process I’m nervous about, okay, is that going to move and get in the way of my racquet? So when the dress comes and it doesn’t, then I’m excited.” Speaking of a lace outfit she wore recently, Venus said: “Lace has never been done before in tennis, and I’ve been wanting to do it for a long time. So finally, you know,

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he ‘Rude Boy’ singer - who is being sued

by Cindy for $26,144.14 worth of unpaid wages from 2009 - has now hit back in another court case, claiming the exercise expert took $26,244.63 from her. In her claims, Rihanna suggests she gave more than $24,000 upfront to Cindy for services in the future, but never had the money returned when she fired the trainer. Cindy previously claimed she was hired by the 22-year-old star to perform “exclusive personal training services” for $1,500 a

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day, but wasn’t paid for a number of weeks in September and October. Rihanna has previously discussed her exercise regime, confessing the need for a trainer to keep her motivated.

She said: “I stay in shape with a lot of hard work and a lot of running on the treadmill.

Cardio is the key. I have a personal trainer who travels with me if we have a big event coming up. I work out every day but I need a trainer to motivate me - I don’t find it much fun working out on my own.”

ever tempting it must have felt at times.

“Cheryl loathes the idea of a messy divorce played out in public and wanted to bring the curtain down on their marriage with a bit of dignity.” With the ‘Fight for This Love’ hitmaker citing “unreasonable behavior” rather than “adultery” as the grounds for divorce, it could mean the couple’s marriage is over in a matter of weeks. The Girls Aloud star is now appar-

I’ve done lace. It’s fun to wear, obviously. For me, it’s fun to design something that seems to be so successful.” The Wimbledon record holder wants her designs to reflect who she is as a tennis player, and gets inspiration from clothes she spots on others. Venus told tennisx.com: “First of all, I try to represent what I think my personality is on the court. The second part is sometimes you just dream it up.

“Sometimes you can see a dress and say, Hey, I really like those slits, so let me put that in my tennis dress.

Or I’m dying to do lace. How can we do that on the court and make it work?”

— Bang Showbiz

ently considering moving to Los Angeles and taking up Simon Cowell’s offer of appearing on ‘The X Factor’ in the US. A source said: “She’s spent a lot of time out in the States and views being based there as the perfect way to kickstart her life. Yes, it will be a wrench saying goodbye to family and friends but the last few months have only strengthened her resolve for a fresh start.”

SPECTRUM

Sunday, June 6, 2010

By Philip Lim s the coffin of 92-year-old Lim Kim Guan was carried out of a hearse, the puzzled crematorium officer asked undertaker Roland Tay: “Where is his family?” “We are his family,” Tay replied with a wan smile, gesturing to himself and his wife at the funeral of the elderly man who died penniless and alone in a welfare home. Two helpers and a Buddhist monk formed the rest of the funeral party on a hot and humid afternoon in May. Tay, 63, is an undertaker with a charitable mission: looking after the destitute dead, from senior citizens abandoned by their families to foreign workers and executed criminals. “I think what I do is very meaningful. I’m in the funeral line, so I can help the destitute and the poor people in the community,” Tay told AFP in an interview.

While most people’s idea of charity work involves financial and other forms of support for the living, Tay makes sure that society’s

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This photo shows undertaker Roland Tay (second right) attending a funeral prayer with the relatives of the deceased at the crematorium in Singapore. — AFP

By Jill Serjeant pair of magical elves is hoping to do for art what reality TV shows “Top Chef” and “Project Runway” did for cooking and fashion design. “Work of Art: The Next Great Artist”, which debuts on cable channel Bravo on Wednesday, June 9, pits 14 very different artists against each other in weekly challenges and awards the winner a $100,000 prize and a solo exhibition.

The question is, can highly personal, visual art be judged like a gourmet dish or a ready-to-wear collection? And is the rarefied world of art ready for a reality TV make-over? “The whole point of the show is that there is no right opinion.

Everyone has their own subjective view. But it is amazing every week that there is a consensus about the quality of the work, and what’s good and what’s not,” said Dan Cutforth, one of the executive producers.

“Good art really moves people and inspires a reaction. You know it when you see it. The old chestnut ‘I don’t know much about art, but I know what I like’ is true,” he told Reuters. “Work of Art” comes from the same Magical Elves production company that blended personality and the process of fashion design in “Project Runway”, and helped lift the lid on how food goes from good to great in “Top Chef”.

The world of art, and its colorful characters, is the latest community getting the chance to share its creative process with a wider audience. In the first challenge, contestants ranging from 23 to 62 years-old are randomly paired off and asked to produce a visual work that captures the essence of their partner. A three-person panel of judges decides who has responded best to the challenge, and who will go home.

“When we started reaching out to the art community, we were worried that people would be against the idea of a reality show. What we found was that people were pretty receptive,” said Cutforth. More than 2,000 people from oil painters to conceptual artists and silk-screen experimenters applied to take part, reflecting the hunger for a larger public canvas for an often misunderstood form of expression.

In future episodes, the contestants must create unique pieces in mediums such as sculpture, photography, collage and industrial design. “One of our goals for this show is for people to realize that art is all around them. It shouldn’t frighten people to have opinions,” said Jane Lipsitz, Cutforth’s Magical Elves business partner.

“People perceive art as being possibly elitist and a rarefied world. So it would be amazing if we were to bring art more into the mainstream,” she said. Just as importantly, the TV show has been embraced by professionals. Mixed-media artist Jon Kessler and photographer Andres Serrano are among the guest judges, while the permanent panel is made up of New York gallery owners Bill Powers and Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn, and New York Magazine art critic Jerry Saltz. Art auctioneer Simon de Pury acts as mentor to the contestants, and the series winner gets a prestigious solo show at the Brooklyn Museum, the second-largest art museum in New York City. —Reuters In the past eight years, Cutforth and Lipsitz

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Christie’s specialist in Modern and Contemporary Indian Art Farah Rahim Ismail, poses for photographs with Indian artist Subodh Gupta’s sculpture ‘Chimta’ at the auction house’s premises in London, Friday, June 4, 2010. The piece, which is estimated to fetch 200,000 to 300,000 pounds, is made from hundreds of stainless steel tongs or ‘chimta’ and will feature in the auction house’s South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art sale in London on June 10. — AP

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forgotten will be taken care of after they die.

Typical funerals in Singapore are pricey affairs, costing around 5,000 Singapore dollars (3,500 US) for the embalming of the corpse, a coffin, a three-day wake and transport to the crematorium or graveyard. “I help any religion, any nationality. As long as there was life, I will help them,” said Tay, who considers himself a free thinker. The stout, clean-shaven man, who owns Direct Singapore Funeral Services, has laid to rest more than more than 100 dead people free of charge in the 20-odd years he has been in the business.

Identity cards belonging to his beneficiaries rest in a stack at a corner of his office desk. “I’ve seen so many kinds of cases where they are very poor, destitute, people with financial problems, breadwinners who die and the children and the wife who are left behind are helpless... and I feel very sad,” he added. Some were victims of grisly murders or suicides, making Tay a bit of a local celebrity. One of the

most famous cases was dubbed the “Kallang body parts murder” by the Singapore media in June 2005.

A 22-year-old Chinese woman, Liu Hong Mei, disappeared and her corpse was found chopped into seven pieces and discarded in five different places including the Kallang River. Tay, who conducted Liu’s funeral, had to piece together her dismembered corpse, which proved difficult as a portion of one leg was missing and various parts were in different stages of decay.

“Me and my wife, we both went to see how we could make her beautiful and in one piece and dress her up,” he said, calling it the most heart-wrenching case he had ever handled.

Tay also handled the funeral of Nguyen Tuong Van, a Vietnamese Australian hanged in Singapore for drug trafficking in 2005. “I do not bother about what his crime was. I only bother that his mother was here, and really had no money,” Tay said. Tay’s philanthropy also involves counseling and fund-raising for the families left behind.

In one case, a Singaporean man committed suicide by jumping in front of a train because he was heavily in debt and could not pay for his sickly wife and children’s medical bills. Tay organized a press conference which generated an outpouring of public sympathy, and within five days he raised 500,000 Singapore dollars. The widow offered him 100,000 dollars in gratitude but he donated the sum to various charities instead.

“Heart is very important, when you do all this, it’s very meaningful and there’s karma for me,” said Tay, citing the Hindu concept of reaping what one sows. The most unusual funeral carried out by Tay involved Ah Meng, a female Sumatran orangutan from the Singapore Zoo who in life had been the face of the city-state’s massive tourism industry. Ah Meng’s remains are buried in a prominent part of the zoo overlooking a scenic man-made lake.

“Ah Meng is a Singapore icon,” Tay said. “Singapore is very proud of her.” — AFP

By Amy Coopes he glittering sails of the Sydney Opera House went to the dogs yesterday as hundreds of pugs, poodles and pooches converged on the iconic landmark for a world-first concert for canines.

Brainchild of New York performance artist Laurie Anderson, “Music For Dogs” was a surreal hash of slide whistles, synthesizer, strings and saxophone with a high-frequency undercurrent-inaudible to humans-that sent its four-legged patrons into a frenzy.

The 20-minute concert kicked off with a mellow set featuring whale calls and soothing white noise, before moving through a rhythm and beat section to a discordant crescendo almost drowned out by hundreds of barks and howls. “We’ve got some singing dogs down here in the mosh pit!” joked Anderson, who led the fourpiece band with a variety of instruments including a whistle, violin and synthesizer.

Almost 1,000 dog-lovers packed onto the Opera House steps and forecourt to treat their pets to the free outdoor event, part of the Vivid LIVE arts festival curated by Anderson and rock legend partner Lou Reed. Anderson and her band used the high-frequency sounds to appeal to the dogs’ super-sensitive ears, eliciting excited leaping from some creatures and a cacophony of yelps and yowls.

A sea of ears pricked up and tails wagged uncertainly when a burst of whale

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ome 400 contemporary art works from failed investment giant Lehman Brothers will be auctioned for the bankruptcy administrators of the Wall Street group, Sotheby’s said Friday. The auction house said the auction set for September 25 is estimated to bring in more than 10 million dollars, pending approval of a bankruptcy court judge.

Among the works to be auctioned are examples of early works by many leading artists of the late 20th centuryDamien Hirst, Gerhard Richter, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Richard Prince, John Currin and Takashi Murakami.

Also included are items from artists whose work has become more internationally acclaimed over the last decade, including Neo Rauch, Julie Mehretu, Liu Ye and Do Ho Suh. “It truly is a visionary collection,” said Kelly Wright, an advisor to Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc, who is overseeing the evaluation and sale of the works along with the firm Alvarez & Marsal. The works include items from the Lehman corporate collection and that of the Neuberger Berman unit of the invest-

Dogs and their owners gather on the steps of the Sydney Opera House yesterday for a world first “Music for Dogs” concert, the brainchild of New York performance artist Laurie Anderson. — AFP song rang out from the speakers, the sense of which Anderson said she thought the dogs could decode. “I know that a lot of animals’ calls are about distance and location so I think they might pick up some of that,” she said. They yelped, yowled and circled one another excitedly during the beat section, as Anderson encouraged owners to scratch their pets behind the ears and dance along.

She credited the exuberant canines for

the dazzling sunshine that bathed Sydney for the morning’s festivities-the first reprieve in almost three weeks from torrential rain. “I think the dogs brought on this weather. They don’t want to sit freezing in the rain, they want to have a little sun on their fur,” she laughed. “It was good dog vibes.”

There were plenty of water bowls and dog waste bags on hand in case of overenthused pooches needing a drink or toilet

break, and Opera House staff circulated with spare leashes in case of a rogue escape. Anderson said she laid some human-friendly strings and horns over the high-frequency sounds so that the dogs’ owners also had something to enjoy. “We brought the octaves down into our hearing range so we could all have the experience,” she said.

One sheepdog nipped enthusiastically at the heels of a nervous poodle and there

were a few robust exchanges of barking, but Anderson praised the doggy decorum overall, describing the event as the “highlight of my life”. “The dogs were really wonderful audience members, they were grooving, a lot of them were singing and dancing, they were uninhibited,” she said after the recital. “And you know what?

There were no dog fights. We were very relieved about that, everyone was very well behaved.” — AFP

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This picture provided by Sotheby’s shows an untitled 2001 work by Julie Mehretu. — AP ment group.

“Many of the works were acquired from cutting edge and emergent artists who have since evolved into the vanguards of the contemporary art world,” Wright said. Among the items expected to fetch the biggest

price are British artist Hirst’s “We’ve Got Style (The Vessel Collection/ Blue),” estimated at between 800,000 and 1.2 million dollars. Chinese artist Liu Ye’s “The Long Way Home” is expected to bring in between 600,000 and 800,000 dollars. —AFP

A man looks out the window from a bedroom of “save the beach” hotel created by German artist Ha Schultz, the hotel is made of recycled waste collected from European beaches, in Rome on June 4, 2010. — AFP photos

German artist Ha Schultz poses at the window of the hotel “Save the Beach”.

Christie’s employees Head International Director of Asian Art Hugo Weihe (left) and Sonal Singh pose for photographs beside Indian artist Syed Haider Raza’s painting ‘Saurashtra’. — AP

SPECTRUM

38

Sunday, June 6, 2010

A boy with something extra in MTV’s comedy

By Frazier Moore rom those to whom much is given, much is expected. That even applies to the seemingly shortchanged 15year-old RJ Berger, who sizes himself up for the audience as “scrawny and weird-looking, awkward and pale.” The hero of the new MTV scripted comedy “The Hard Times of RJ Berger,” he follows in a rich TV tradition of winsome misfit adolescents - kids with smarts, creativity and spunk lurking just beneath the surface of their systematic victimhood. But RJ comes with a bonus tucked away in his boxer shorts: He’s extremely well-endowed.

Thus does “Hard Times” raise issues that consume males from their early adolescence onward: How much is big enough? Why don’t I have more?

Why is life so unfair? A show aimed at teen and twentysomething guys (plus girls with their own interest in the subject), “Hard Times” portrays the ultimate wish fulfillment of its primary audience, while reminding the viewer

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In this undated publicity image released by MTV, Paul Iacono (center left) and Kara Taitz (center right) are shown in a scene from the scripted comedy series, “The Hard Times of RJ Berger,” premiering today on MTV. — AP

By Kerri Mason he Chemical Brothers’ seventh studio album marks a return to their original form in a lot of ways: psychedelic swirls, four-on-the-floor beats, the absence of vocals by all-star guests. But “Further” is also a concept-driven multimedia experience that aims to expand how their fans engage with their work.

The Freestyle Dust/Astralwerks release, due June 22, will use the multiweek iTunes Pass program as part of its approach.

“They really wanted to throw out the rule book and present their music in a different way,” Astralwerks general manager Glenn Mendlinger says. Production partners Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons, who have worked together for 16 years, enjoyed a sizable hit with 2005’s “Galvanize.” The pair’s collaboration with Q-Tip peaked at No 3 on the UK singles chart, backed a Budweiser Select ad campaign and won a Grammy Award for best dance recording. The album that spawned

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the single, “Push the Button,” won the Grammy for best electronic/dance album.

But the eight tracks featured on “Further” more closely resemble the Chemical Brothers’ first wave of work: the bombastic, electronic sounds that launched the Big Beat mini-movement of the mid-’90s. In another nod to the duo’s origins, the tracks were conceived alongside matching visual shorts created by longtime Chems visualists Adam Smith and Marcus Lyall.

Since the act burst onto the live scene in 1994, Smith and Lyall have conceived the group’s accompanying images. The combination of trippy sights and sounds has made the act one of the top festival draws in the world. But its work on “Further” is “a lot more filmic and epic,” Mendlinger says. “It’s what you’d see at a classic electronic show, but so much more widescreen. It has a beginning and an end.”

Rowlands and Simons wanted to keep the entire experience, aural and visual, as unified as possible. The Chemical

Brothers premiered the show during a four-night stint at London’s 3,300-capacity Roundhouse, starting May 20. On the retail front, the band is using the iTunes Pass program. Designed for career artists with a dedicated fan base and a good amount of original material supporting a new album, the Pass allows fans to buy not only the album but also a spate of exclusive rarities, rolled out across multiple weeks.

For $12.99, Chems disciples will receive four weeks of fresh content. The rollout begins June 8 with a 51-minute film representing all the music and visuals, non-indexed to ensure that fans watch it in the order intended. That will be followed June 15 by a 20-minute “making of” documentary; the official release of the entire album June 22, including an extensive image gallery; and an unreleased track, “Pourquoi,” June 29. The Chems will hit the United States for a two-week, big-venue tour, headlining the Hollywood Bowl Aug 29 and New York festival Electric Zoo Sept 4. — Reuters

By Kerri Mason n Europe, the American band Scissor Sisters are full-fledged pop stars, with No 1 albums and sold-out tours. But in the United States, the brassy and bold fivepiece hasn’t managed to break through. The Sisters’ 2004 selftitled debut album spent 113 weeks on the UK chart, four of them at No 1, and was the best-selling album of that year, with 2.7 million copies sold; follow-up “Ta-Dah” hit No 1 and spent 50 weeks on the chart, selling 1.4 million, according to the Official Charts Company.

But in the States, “Ta-Dah” topped out at No 19 on the Billboard 200, “Scissor Sisters” never reached the top 100, and the two albums have sold about 500,000 copies combined, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Still, as they prepare to release album No 3, “Night Work” (Downtown, June 29), the band and its team aren’t focused on closing the international gap. “They blew up in a way that very few acts ever do in the UK, and trying to replicate that here would not be a logical approach,” manager Dave Holmes says. Instead, they’re

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Three friends smile as they listen to Country music artist Colt Ford Friday afternoon June 4, 2010 at the BamaJam Music and Arts Festival in Enterprise, Alabama. — AP

iff Raff has been refused residency in New Zealand, even though the creator of The Rocky Horror Show spent part of his childhood there, a newspaper reported yesterday.

Richard O’Brien, the 68-year-old British-born creator of the cult musical, wanted to retire to New Zealand but was told he did not fit the criteria for citizenship or permanent residency, the Dominion Post said. O’Brien, who now lives in London, wants to move to the small North Island coastal town of Katikati, where he owns property.

O’Brien came to New Zealand as a 10-year-old when his family emigrated from Britain in 1952 and spent 12 years in the country before moving

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to London. He has a brother and sister still living in the town of Tauranga, as did their parents until they died about four years ago and his son Josh is applying for residency after moving to New Zealand on a student visa.

The city of Hamilton, where O’Brien spent his teenage years, has honored him with a statue of his character from The Rocky Horror Show, the creepy butler Riff Raff. But according to immigration requirements, to be sponsored by family members for permanent residency in New Zealand O’Brien has to be aged 55 or under and have secured a job offer, criteria which he does not fit. —AFP

that no blessing comes without a cost.

Here is a young man whose gif t (never witnessed by viewers, of course, and thus enhanced even more in the mind’s eye) is plenty big enough, and then some. And yet, doggonit, RJ’s life isn’t perfect. As what could be described as “The Wonder Years” meets “Boogie Nights,” the 12-episode series premieres today following “The MTV Movie Awards.” It focuses on RJ’s relatable misadventures in high school, as well as his relatable ambivalence about his manhood, however much the physical evidence might scream “case closed!” “Hard Times” bears a passing resemblance to HBO’s “Hung.” In that drama series, which returns for its second season June 27, a financially struggling family man and high school teacher becomes a male prostitute. But RJ, who is played with understated forbearance by Paul Iacono, isn’t nearly so desperate. His struggles are more those of self-acceptance and gaining acceptance of his fellow teens.

RJ is free to stew over such dilem-

mas in private until, in the premiere, the cat (so to speak) is out of the bag. In a wardrobe malfunction during a basketball game, his secret is exposed to the whole student body. RJ’s nerdy, marginal presence is instantly revised among all who behold him. From now on, it seems, he will be identified on campus with a blend of envy, jeering and a bit of the yuck factor. What might very well serve as an advantage is also likely to further stigmatize him. The long and the short of it: What is expected of RJ is how to deal with his package deal.

RJ’s best friend, the sex-obsessed and sex-deprived Miles (Jareb Dauplaise) is thrilled to learn of RJ’s previously undisclosed bounty. Miles bets he will seem desirable to girls by mere association. “It’s our golden ticket!” Miles rejoices. After the revelation, RJ’s stalker-ish hanger-on Lily (Kara Taitz) is all the more interested in RJ. But his sole, unrequited love interest remains the beautiful Jenny (Amber Lancaster), whose boyfriend is Max (Jayson Blair), the meanest jock in

school. Now Max gives RJ more grief than before, mocking him (jealously?) as a freak. Meanwhile, a friendship blossoms between RJ and sweet Jenny, who by chance are paired as study buddies. It’s a friendship challenged in the third episode when, playing the romantic leads in the school musical, they share a kiss. RJ’s sudden onstage tumescence literally stops the show.

But “Hard Times” isn’t totally fixated on RJ’s stuff. This condition is barely mentioned in the second episode, when RJ summons newfound confidence to run for student president against Max, the clear favorite. “OK, maybe we’re losers,” says RJ in a bold campaign speech. “But why are we losers? Is it because we suck at sports? Is it because our parents are our only friends on Facebook? No, what makes us losers is that we BELIEVE we are losers!” At heart, “Hard Times” tells the familiar story of a little guy against the world. The message, delivered in provocative style: Size is what you make of it. — AP

By Dana Schimmel ikki Yanofsky has been scatting her way across some of music’s most hallowed stages, including Carnegie Hall, but don’t label her a jazz singer. At just 16, she does not want to be pigeonholed. She loves all genres of music and takes her cues from the likes of jazz icon Ella Fitzgerald as well as from Led Zeppelin, whose classic rock riff from “Fool In the Rain” finds its way onto her first studio CD, “Nikki.” The new album combines standards and originals that Yanofsky co-wrote with veteran songsmiths Jesse Harris and Ron Sexsmith.

Yanofsky says the three would seclude themselves in the basement of her family’s Montreal home writing. “An hour goes by, two hours goes by, and you forget to eat because you’re so consumed with writing,” she said. “So my mom would just knock on the door and, like, bring us cookies and water.” Yanofsky spoke recently about the new songs and her career, which seems to have taken off after her performance of the Canadian National Anthem at the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

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The Chemical Brothers

leveraging the cutting-edge credibility and longer-term marketing strategy of their new label, Downtown Music (they were previously on Universal Motown), to reintroduce them to the United States with what might be their most accessible album yet.

“We’re approaching them like a new artist,” says Josh Deutsch, chairman/CEO of Downtown, home to Gnarls Barkley and Justice. “‘Night Work’ has the kind of energy associated with both their first records.” Produced by dance-pop specialist Stuart Price (Madonna, Seal), the album takes its inspiration from late-’70s/late-’80s New York, when disco was morphing into house and AIDS was ravaging the nightclub subculture. But the mood isn’t bleak: Tracks like “Whole New Way” and “Any Which Way” twitch with a sexy charge, straddling bass-heavy grooves and staccato electro in dance-ready under-four-minute nuggets, with singer Jake Shears’ glam rock warble. But even with a first single like “Fire With Fire”-a go-get-’em power anthem that channels Elton John-the Sisters, with their campy stage show and gay-positive vibe, aren’t the easiest

band to take wide, something they themselves recognize.

“We do not necessarily plan to break Middle America just yet,” says guitarist/co-songwriter Babydaddy, aka Scott Hoffman.

“We’re a sensitive band to market and we can easily be misunderstood. We see ourselves as career artists: The goal has always been to keep doing what we’re doing with enough success to keep it going.”

But what happens around the release date is only the beginning: Downtown will potentially be promoting “Night Work” until 2012, which is one of the reasons it was awarded the project. The long-term strategy is a Downtown best practice; the label worked Santigold’s “Santogold” for almost two years.

The band is launching an international tour in June, hitting Europe first, then Japan, Australia and finally the United States in September.

But while it’s gone, the wheels will still be turning back home. “The Scissors have a singular point of view,” Deutsch says. “We don’t take it for granted that everybody’s going to get it the way we get it on day one. But we’ll keep grinding away until we reach the largest possible audience.” — Reuters

AP: What do you think the songs you co-wrote reveal about you as a person?

Yanofsky: Every song kind of opens up a tiny little crack into who I am, like “Never Make It on Time,” because I’m always late. And I was late going into the studio to record it, and Jesse texted me, “You never make it on time,” and I’m like, at least we have a song about it. And “For Another Day” is one of my favorites.

That reveals just how much of a daydreamer I really am.

AP: Do you remember the moment when you realized singing was what you wanted to do?

Yanofsky: Ever since I could talk I’ve been into music, and I’ve always been singing. And I was never, like, “I want to be an architect.” It was never, “I want to be a fashion designer.” It was never any of that. It was always just “singer.”

AP: You’ve been known to describe yourself as a strong character. Would you care to elaborate?

Yanofsky: The thing is that some people either get it or they don’t. I find New York actually easier to be in because everybody’s kind of a strong character here. I love it. Everyone’s very forward. I just think it’s the best.

Nikki Yanofsky AP: So does that make you an atypical Canadian?

Yanofsky: I don’t know what a typical Canadian would be. Maybe friendly? I’m friendly.

Bon Jovi’s lead singer Jon Bon Jovi performs during the Rock in Rio music festival in Arganda del Rey on the outskirts of Madrid Friday June 4, 2010. — AP

AP: How do you balance your career with being a regular 16-year-old?

Yanofsky: I guess everyone’s definition of regular varies and to me this is pretty much like all I’ve known. I’ve always wanted to be in music, so to me this feels like natural, and it feels regular, and I don’t really feel like I’m missing out on anything. But, I do balance school. I do balance friends. When I’m in town I go to school; I do my work on the road. I video chat with my friends and BBM ... I’m always connected. I Twitter, too.

Joel O’Keeffe, of Australian rock group Airborne performs at the music festival “Rock am Ring” at the Nuerburgring race track in western Germany, on Friday, June 4, 2010. About 85,000 festival visitors enjoy 70 live-acts on three stages which lasts till tomorrow. — AP

AP: What was your last Tweet?

Yanofsky: “Oh no, I have an interview and I’m going to be late!” — AP

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SPECTRUM

Sunday, June 6, 2010

By Amal Jayasinghe

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Indian Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor displays a special issue of People magazine, at the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards event in Colombo yesterday. Megastar Aamir Khan’s hit movie “3 Idiots” is set to sweep the board at the “Bollywood Oscars” in Sri Lanka, after scooping a string of awards in the technical categories. — AFP

In this file photo, a dolphin demonstrates a flip at a dolphin pool in Taiji, southwestern Japan, where visitors can play with the animals.

— AP

egastar Aamir Khan’s hit movie “3 Idiots” is set to sweep the board at the “Bollywood Oscars” in Sri Lanka, after scooping a string of awards in the technical categories. The film-a coming-of-age comedy about three struggling students at a top engineering college-has been nominated in 12 of the 13 main categories in the Indian International Film Academy (IIFA) awards.

It has already won eight of the 12 technical awards announced last month, including Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography. The influential film industry in India’s southern Tamil Nadu state, which is home to many Tamil refugees, argues that staging the event in Colombo endorses Sri L ankan President Mahinda Rajapakse’s government and called for a boycott.

Rajapakse is under pressure from the international community to submit to a probe over his controversial military strategy that crushed Tamil rebels last year, ending a near four-decade civil war. The United Nations has said at least 7,000 Tamil civilians were also killed in the final months of fighting last year. IIFA organizer Sabbas Joseph said the boycott call was politically motivated and insisted they will go ahead with the show.

“We want to make the awards in Colombo the best IIFA we have had so far,” he told reporters. Khan’s no-show is not directly linked to the protests. He has been absent from previous IIFA awards, which have been held abroad every year since 2000 and are seen as

okyo screenings of “The Cove,” an Oscar-winning documentary about a grisly annual dolphin hunt have been cancelled over planned protests by conservatives who say the film is antiJapanese, the distributor said yesterday. The film, which picked up an Oscar for best documentary feature this year, follows a group of activists who struggle with Japanese police and fishermen to gain access to a secluded cove in Taiji, southern Japan, where dolphins are hunted.

Directed by former National Geographic photog-

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Indian Bollywood actress Diya Mirza speaks during a press conference to announce the Bollywood musical “Zangoora - The Gypsy Prince”, at the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards event yesterday. - AP Bollywood’s answer to the Oscars. Another high-profile doubtful for the ceremony is IIFA brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan, who has yet to confirm his attendance.

Indian media reports have said “the Big B”

rapher Louie Psihoyos and featuring Ric O’Barry, a former dolphin trainer from the “Flipper” television series, “The Cove” has prompted activists to threaten street demonstrations. Planned showings of the film at two cinemas in Tokyo this month have been cancelled because of fears the protests might inconvenience movie-goers and others, according to Unplugged, the Japan distributor.

Screenings at one Osaka theatre have also been called off, but Unplugged is still in negotiations to show the movie at 23 venues around

the country this summer, said a spokeswoman for the company, who asked not to be named. Unplugged has received threatening phone calls and protesters have gathered outside its offices, she said. “‘The Cove’ is absolutely not an anti-Japanese film,” Takeshi Kato of Unplugged said in a faxed statement. “I believe a deep and constructive debate is needed about the content of the film.”

O’Barry, who is set to visit Japan from June 8, said Japanese film-goers should be allowed to see the documentary.

will definitely stay away following pressure from the Tamil film lobby, which is seen as sympathetic to pro-Tamil Tiger elements, and recent protests outside his Mumbai home. Bachchan’s actor son Abhishek and daughter-in-law

Aishwarya Rai Bollywood’s leading couple-are also thought unlikely to attend, while megastar Shah Rukh Khan is confirmed to be staying away.

Shah Rukh Khan escaped a bomb attack on his concert in Colombo in 2004 but two of his fans were killed. His latest film, “My Name Is Khan,” was released in February in more than 40 countries and became the most successful Bollywood film overseas. The film took 39 million dollars worldwide in the month after its release in February, including 17 million dollars outside India.

Rajapakse-a film buff-has said he is a big fan of “My Name Is Khan” but has not encouraged Khan to visit Colombo. Some second-tier stars, including Vivek Oberoi, Lara Datta, Ritesh Deshmukh, Biphasha Basu, Dia Mirza, Manish Malhotra have already attended the IIFA fashion show and are staying on for the awards night.

Sri L anka’s cricket captain Kumar Sangakkara applauded Bollywood stars for attending their annual awards, including A-list “bad boys” Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt plus screen heartthrob Hrithik Roshan. “I applaud you for your courage and commitment and standing by the ideals of IIFA,” Sangakkara told reporters. IIFA has been holding its annual awards abroad each year in a bid to raise the profile of the more than two-billion-dollar Hindi film industry and has seen its international success rise as a result. Sri Lanka had hoped that hosting the Indian film stars would showcase the island’s tourism potential after 37 years of ethnic conflict which claimed up to 100,000 lives between 1972 and 2009. — AFP

“It’s not right that a small minority of extremists could take this right away from them,” he said in a statement. “To do so is a clear threat to democracy.” The film was shown at the Tokyo International Film Festival last year, but has yet to be made widely available to the public. Japan’s government says the hunting of dolphins and whales is an important cultural tradition. New Zealander Pete Bethune is currently on trial in Tokyo for boarding a Japanese vessel in an attempt to stop the annual whale hunt in the Antarctic. — Reuters

Review

By Ellen Miller f, as expected, Charlie Sheen serves jail time in the wealthy enclave of Aspen, Colorado, he will live where the floors are carpeted, the cells look like college dormitories and hot meals are brought in from a hospital. No, this isn’t Hollywood. There are no cells stacked one atop the other, no loud noise from raucous inmates, or hard time discipline sent down by a mean-spirited staff. This is the Pitkin County Jail, where the inmates of Aspen are held.

“The punitive aspect is loss of your freedom and liberty, and that’s as far as it goes,” Pitkin County Sheriff Bob Braudis told Reuters on Friday. “We want to release inmates in better shape than when they came in.” He said most inmates are in pretrial detention, and thus presumed innocent. They are incarcerated, he said, because they cannot make bond.

“Poor people stay in jail; rich men bond out,” he said. Sheen, an award-winning actor and star of hit comedy “Two and a Half Men” is hardly poor, but he is in trouble. Tomorrow, he is widely expected to plead no contest to assaulting his wife in Aspen, where the Pitkin County government is based, and be sentenced to as much as 30 days in the jail. He landed there for a short stint when arrested in December on Christmas Day, before posting bond.

Braudis played a guiding role in the county’s construction of the jail in 1984, which replaced a five-bed cage in the Pitkin County Courthouse, and he was determined to build a “humane facility” with direct supervision of inmates. “Our staff is inside with them,” Braudis said. “They talk to

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This file photo shows actor Charlie Sheen and wife Brooke Mueller arrive on the red carpet for the 2009 Emmy Awards at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles.

— AFP

them, listen to them, eat with them. It reduces assaults, both inmate-on-inmate and inmate-onstaff.”

Aspen, of course, is the famous ski resort town known worldwide as a home to Hollywood celebrities, wealthy businessmen and women and powerful politicians. On the county’s website, the jail’s mission calls for “a safe, secure” environment and services to “enhance physical and mental wellness and encourage self rehabilitation and successful re-integration to society for all inmates.”

Prisoners spend most of their days and evenings in a common room, where they can read, watch television, play cards and socialize. They can make collect phone calls, use mail service, visit with relatives and friends and exercise regularly. There is a fenced-in area in the jail’s parking lot where inmates can spend time outdoors.

The jail’s capacity is 24 people. This time of year the population averages around 15, said sheriff’s spokeswoman Marie Munday. Twelve people staff the facility. “Our staff is not hacks or screws, as they’re called in other jails,” Braudis said.

“They’re well-educated people who have been members of our community for some time. It is a community jail, where, if your son or daughter goes to jail, you’re comfortable with it.” Breakfast is cold cereal or oatmeal heated in a microwave.

For lunch and dinner, one of the staff drives two miles to Aspen Valley Hospital to pick up meals.

Inmates and staff eat the same dietician-supervised meals as hospital patients do. “The tabloids got upset when Charlie (Sheen) got prime rib on Christmas, but it’s what the hospital served,” Munday said.— Reuters

By David Germain he DNA mashup in the fright flick “Splice” is more of a sausage grinder than the delicate conjoining the title implies. Kind of a “let’s mix together human genetic stuff and a bunch of animal building blocks and see what sort of breakfast links pop out.” So, too, director Vincenzo Natali’s Frankenstein tale is pure potluck - a pinch of braininess, a bit of gothic terror, a morsel of gross-out horror, a touch of kinky sex fantasy. The parts sometimes do not fit that gracefully. Yet the movie’s occasional bolts-in-the-neck crudeness is offset by its wicked humor, really cool effects and a fair number of genuine scares as the laboratory offspring of two cocky scientists grows from cute little freak to sensuous monster.

Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley bring more weight to these research whizzes than their rather superficially drawn characters merit in the screenplay Natali (whose films include the cult sci-fi thrillers “Cube” and “Cypher”) wrote with Antoinette Terry Bryant and Doug Taylor. Brody’s Clive Nicoli and Polley’s Elsa Kast are possibly the dumbest supergeniuses ever on screen, a rock-star romantic and professional couple who apparently skipped Medical Ethics 101 on their way to the top of the recombinant DNA field.

Clive and Elsa’s hybrid creations - two writhing blobs of flesh named Fred and Ginger, formed from the DNA of different animals - hold enormous promise of medical breakthroughs for the pharmaceutical giant that funds the research. When the company puts the brakes on the next step, adding human DNA to the recipe, Elsa and Clive move ahead in secret.

They create Dren, a creature that begins fairly formless but morphs into more of a

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human shape as she ages. True to the science-fiction cliche of lightning-fast growth (after all, how scary would “Alien” have been if Sigourney Weaver had spent the whole movie chasing a beastie the size of a capuchin monkey?), Dren quickly sprouts to an adult-sized femme fatale (Delphine Chaneac). While Clive and Elsa did not think through the ramifications of creating Dren in the first place, these two brainiacs come down with an epic case of the stupids now that their little girl-thing is big enough to use her enhanced strength, agility and lord knows what other hidden powers to really cause havoc.

nonhuman appendages and features. The story throws in traces of lame, ill-defined family back story to explain Elsa’s reluctance to have a real child with Clive, as well as to account for Dren’s behavioral instability.

The idea that she is a stew of unnaturally fused genetic material apparently was not reason enough.

Elsa and Clive are not the best parental figures for poor Dren, their own attitudes and conduct toward their creation shifting abruptly, often without clear cause. Through some shocking cruelty and base behavior by Elsa and Clive, Natali aims to show purebred

Dren is the sort of creature that needs the right environment - say, a steel-walled observation chamber - to play well with others. Instead, Elsa and Clive move her out to the country, shutting her up in a rickety barn, under the sound scientific judgment that Yale locks and brittle clapboards are the best things to contain your dangerous new life form. Natali composes some truly striking images centered on Dren, who is bald, has a tail and birdlike lower legs, a fierce intellect and fiercer appetites, as well as some serious mommy-and-daddy issues. The filmmakers seamlessly graft computer imagery onto Chaneac’s shapely real parts to fashion Dren’s

humans as potentially monstrous creatures themselves.

Yeah, big surprise there, and the movie presents it about as delicately as Victor Frankenstein’s brute might have handled an assignment to dust the castle crystal. The twists become more obvious and ham-fisted as “Splice” progresses, and while the movie maintains its creepiness right to the end, its gradual devolution into standard horror territory undermines this science project gone wrong. “Splice,” a Warner Bros release, is rated R for disturbing elements including strong sexuality, nudity, sci-fi violence and language. Running time: 104 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four. — AP

In this publicity image released by Columbia Pictures, Jaden Smith as “Dre” is shown in “The Karate Kid.” — AP

By Frank Scheck t’s a measure of the times that the new version of “The Karate Kid” manages to be longer and bigger-budgeted than the original while having less impact. Featuring Jaden Smith in the title role and Jackie Chan as his unlikely mentor, the reboot certainly will appeal to younger audiences and nostalgic baby boomers who made the 1984 film (if not its several sequels) a smash hit. But there’s no doubt that much of the original’s charm has been lost.

The primary difference in this version-which Columbia releases June 11 — is that the central character is transplanted by his widowed mother (Taraji P Henson) not to sunny California but to China. This affords plenty of opportunities for more dramatic culture-clashing and highly exotic locationsone can rest assured that the Great Wall makes a cameo appearance. The plot, with minor embellishments, remains largely the same. Almost immediately upon settling in to his new home, 12-year-old Dre Parker (Smith) finds himself beset by class bullies, especially the vicious youngster Cheng.

During the course of getting beaten up in regular fashion, Dre finds that his modest karate skills are no match for his tormentors’ kung fu proficiency.

But, much to his astonishment, one particularly brutal pummeling is suddenly interrupted by Mr Han (Chan), his building’s nebbishy middle-aged maintenance man, who dispatches the bullies with an expert display of martial arts prowess.

Thus begins the unlikely friendship, with Mr Han mentoring Dre in the mysterious ways of kung fu in preparation

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for a tournament in which the youngster will have the opportunity to face his enemy under more equal circumstances.

Unfortunately, Cheng’s kung fu teacher is a particularly sadistic sort who has no compunction about instructing his charges to brutally maim their opponents.

Christopher Murphey’s screenplay pays suitable homage to its predecessor, with variations like Mr Han forcing Dre to repeatedly put on and remove his jacket in lieu of the original’s car-waxing sequence.

The chief problem with this version is, ironically, the leads.

Although Smith (who made a strong impression in his debut, “The Pursuit of Happyness”) and veteran action star Chan might have seemed like good casting on paper, they’re not suited to their roles.

The genetically blessed Smith (son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, who are among the film’s producers) is so preternaturally charismatic and assured that even when his character is being beaten up, he never seems as vulnerable or as likable as Ralph Macchio was in the original. And though Chan is highly appealing as the quirky sensei, the impact of his performance can’t compare to Noriyuki “Pat” Morita’s Oscarnominated turn. When Morita’s seemingly meek and unassuming Mr Miyagi finally displayed his prodigious fighting prowess, it was a delightful surprise. Here, the effect is lost; despite his bad haircut and shuffling manner, from the first minute he appears, one is aware that Chan’s Mr Han is capable of kicking serious a**.

Technical elements are firstrate, with particularly good use of numerous scenic Chinese locations, including the Forbidden City. — Reuters

www.kuwaittimes.net

Lebanese singer Wael Kfoury performs.

Iraqi Rahma Al-Sibahi performs.

Lebanese singer Elissa performs during the final of Star Academy, a highly successful pan-Arab television show, produced by Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI), at its studios in Adma, north of Beirut, late on June 4, 2010. — AFP photos

Participants of Star Academy perform.

(From left to right) Star Academy’s Nassif Al-Zeitoun of Syria, Mohammed Ramdan of Jordan and Rahma Al-Sibahi of Iraq wait for the final results.

Mohammed Ramdan of Jordan performs.

Spectators hold Syrian flags as they attend the Star Academy final show.

Syria’s Nassif Al-Zeitoun holds his national flag after winning Star Academy.

Syria’s Nassif Al-Zeitoun performs.

A spectator holds a banner bearing the name of Syrian participant Nassif Al-Zeitoun as she attends the finals of Star Academy.