DUBAI: Qatar, a key supporter of Islamistswho rose to power in Arab Spring coun-tries, is losing ground in regional politics toSaudi Arabia which appears to have seizedthe reins on key issues, notably Egypt andSyria. The decline in Qatar’s regional diplo-macy comes as its powerful emir SheikhHamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani unexpectedlyabdicated in favor of his son Tamim lastmonth.

The wealthy Gulf state had transformeditself into a key regional player but beganto retreat as heavyweight Saudi Arabia re-entered the political arena after laggingbehind in the immediate period followingthe eruption of the Arab Spring uprisingsin December 2010. The ouster of Egypt’sIslamist president Mohamed Morsi lastweek by the army and the election by theSyrian opposition of Saudi-linked AhmadAssi Jarba as new leader stripped Qatar ofstrong influence in both countries.

“Qatar had tried to take a leading role inthe region but overstepped its limits byopenly backing the Muslim Brotherhoodin Egypt, Syria, and other Arab Spring

states,” said Kuwaiti political analyst AyedAl-Manna. Jonathan Eyal, head of interna-tional relations at Britain’s Royal UnitedServices Institute, argued that Qatar’sregional politics have failed.

“Qatar’s Middle Eastern diplomacy nowlies in ruins: it failed to produce dividendsin Libya, backfired in Syria and has nowcollapsed in Egypt,” local Emirati daily TheNational quoted him on Tuesday as saying.Realizing the damaging effects of theirpolicies, Manna noted, “the Qataris soughtto cut down on their commitments” whichwere already affected by the emir’s abdica-tion and the sidelining of the influentialprime minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jabr Al-Thani.

As a result, “Saudi Arabia, a historicalregional US ally, regained its role” in coor-dination with other oil-rich Gulf monar-chies, said Manna. Saudi Arabia’s KingAbdullah was the first foreign head ofstate to congratulate Egypt’s interim presi-dent Adly Mansour, hours after he wasnamed to replace Morsi.

Continued on Page 15

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Ramadan Kareem

By Tahira Muhammad

Ramadan is a blessed month in which Muslimsabstain from food, drink and intimate relation-ships from their spouses. However as Muslims

there are multiple lessons that we can learn andbenefit from that can help us not just during themonth of Ramadan; but throughout the entire year.The following lessons can be obtained only if we asMuslims take the time to reflect upon them while weare fasting and praying to Allah. (1) Patience (2)Discipline (3) Avoiding being wasteful (4) Overexcessiveness (5) Time management.

Ramadan teaches us that patience is an innerjihad. During the daylight hours we have to avoidconflicts and avoid getting angry. It can be difficultto avoid anger when you have to work during thefasting hours and your employees or boss is gettingon your nerves. However as Muslims we have to lookat the greater picture, which are the overall blessingsthat you will accumulate at the end of that fastingday.

Discipline is directly related to being patient. Ittakes a great amount of discipline to control yourthoughts, actions and inner desires. Someone whomay not be fasting may say something negative toyou, that may cause you to want to react. It takes agreat deal of discipline to not do so which will causeyou to break your fast.

Wastefulness and over excessive eating, I am sadto say in many Muslim countries is a big problem. Isee that during the Iftar time Muslims gather togeth-er to have elaborate feasts, with enough food thatcan feed a family of four for a whole week! TheProphet Muhammad (saws) stated that: Nothing isworse than a person who fills his stomach. It shouldbe enough for the son of Adam to have a few bitesto satisfy his hunger. If he wishes more, it should be:One-third for his food, one-third for his liquids, andone-third for his breath.” — Tirmidhi & Ibn Majah

During Iftar time we should follow this saying ofthe Prophet. It isn’t necessary to fill our stomachs tothe point that we are so full that we cannot performthe night prayers. This totally defeats the purpose offasting in the day time. Lastly time management isalso an important lesson that can be learned duringRamadan. We are commanded to pray our dailyprayers when they first come in and not delay.

Also it’s imperative to break the fast on time aswell as get up on time for the early morning meal.It’s not easy for those of us who live in a society thatdoesn’t shut down during the month of Ramadan.However if you can manage your time around thedaily prayers, getting up early in the morning andthe night prayers then you accomplished a hugegoal during this month.

Question: What are some of the lessons that canbe learned during Ramadan?

Lessons learned from Ramadan

Emsak: 03:12Fajer: 03:23Dohr: 11:53Asr: 15:28Maghreb: 18:50Eshaa: 20:21

Courtesy TIES Center, a leading non-political NGOpromoting relations between Westerners andMuslims through dialogue, friendship and culturalexchange. For more information. www.tiescenter.net

3Filipina brutally beaten up by Kuwait police

KUWAIT: Kuwait says it will offer Egypt an aid packageworth $4 billion, becoming the latest Gulf state to senda financial lifeline to the new government in Cairo fol-lowing a coup there. Kuwait’s announcement yesterdayfollows a total of $8 billion in grants, loans and badlyneeded fuel offered from Saudi Arabia and the UnitedArab Emirates.

Both are strong critics of ousted PresidentMohammed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood. But Kuwaithas closer ties with the Brotherhood, whose allies havea powerful political faction in the Gulf nation. The offi-cial Kuwait News Agency quotes the minister of cabinetaffairs, Mohammad Al Sabah, as saying Egypt willreceive a $2 billion loan, a $1 billion grant and $1 billionworth of oil and petroleum products.

Meanwhile, Egypt’s prosecutor ordered the arrestyesterday of the leaders of ousted President MohamedMorsi’s Muslim Brotherhood, charging them with incit-ing violence in a clash that saw troops shoot 55 Morsisupporters dead. A week after the army toppled Egypt’sfirst democratically elected leader, bloodshed hasopened deep fissures in the Arab world’s most popu-lous country, with bitterness at levels unseen in its mod-ern history.

Brotherhood spokesman Gehad El-Haddad said theannouncement of charges against leader MohamedBadie and several other senior figures was a bid byauthorities to break up a vigil by thousands of Morsisupporters demanding his reinstatement.

Continued on Page 15

KUWAIT: Kuwaitis gathered at Naif Palace in Kuwait City on the first day of Ramadan to see the Iftar cannon as it was fired to mark the end of the fast. — Photo by Joseph Shagra

Qatar losing ground to Saudi diplomacy

MAKKAH: Worshippers walk down from the Cave of Hira on the top of Al-NourMountain in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The Cave of Hira is where Muslims believeProphet Muhammad (PBUH) received his first revelations. — AP

PARIS: Astronomers yesterday report-ed their best observation yet of a mas-sive star embryo growing within a darkcloud-the largest stellar “womb” everspotted in our Milky Way galaxy. Thestar, which could grow to 100 times themass of our Sun and up to a milliontimes brighter, was spotted by the mostpowerful radio telescope on Earth-theALMA international astronomy facilitylocated in Chile, according to a paperpublished in the journal Astronomyand Astrophysics.

Astronomers hope its discovery, at adistance of some 11,000 light yearsfrom Earth, will shed light on how theseexceptionally massive stars are formed,shrouded as they are in dust and mys-tery. “Not only are these stars rare, buttheir births are extremely rapid andchildhood short, so finding such a mas-sive object so early in its evolution inour Galaxy is a spectacular result,” studyco-author Gary Fuller of the Universityof Manchester said in a statementissued by the European Southern

Observatory (ESO)The most massive and brightest

stars in the galaxy form within cool anddark cloud cores, hungrily feeding onmaterial being dragged inwards by theembryo star’s gravitational pull. Thisspecific star is located in the SpitzerDark Cloud, whose core has a massabout 500 times that of the Sun. “Thisobject is expected to form a star that isup to 100 times more massive than theSun. Only about one in ten thousand ofall stars in the Milky Way reach thatkind of mass,” said study lead authorNicolas Peretto of Cardiff University.

“The remarkable observations fromALMA allowed us to get the first reallyin-depth look at what was going onwithin this cloud. We wanted to seehow monster stars form and grow, andwe certainly achieved our aim. One ofthe sources we have found is anabsolute giant-the largest protostellarcore ever spotted in the Milky Way!”According to the ESO, there are two

Continued on Page 15

Monster star spotted in the stellar ‘womb’

PARIS: A river boat sails past the Hotel Lambert, a 17th century mansion over-looking the Seine river, which suffered ‘serious damage’ in a fire that broke outyesterday. The building has been unoccupied since it was bought in 2007 by abrother of the Emir of Qatar. — AP (See Page 8)

THURSDAY, JULY 1١, 2013 RAMADAN 2, 1434 AH www.kuwaittimes.net

Kuwait offers Egypt $4 billion financial lifeline

LO C A LTHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

KUWAIT: Farwaniya detectivesuncovered the mystery behind ashooting case reported recently inJleeb Al-Shuyoukh and found outthat the two victims were involvedin illegal activities right before theincident took place. The twoEgyptian nationals had claimedthat a group of men had shot themin a botched theft. One of themwas shot in the back, and he saidthat he was injured while runningaway after the suspects attemptedto steal KD 12,000 he had broughtto finalize a scrap metal purchase.The second man who was hospital-ized with a gunshot wound on hisfoot said that he was passing by atthe time and was shot when hejumped to help the victim.Investigations revealed howeverthat the first man was seeking tocarry out a money laundering oper-ation and the second man was hisaccomplice.

According to a source withknowledge of the investigations,one of the victims knows a policeofficer and offered him to buy $1million for KD 200,000 in a moneylaundering operation. The Kuwaitiofficer reportedly accepted andagreed to meet the man in a JleebAl-Shuyoukh apartment. The manarrived on time with two compan-ions, a Kuwaiti former officer in theNational Guard as well as a Syriannational. The officer sent the Syrian

man to the apartment first with thebriefcase containing the money.

When he was late to send a sig-nal, the officer headed to the apart-ment and found his accomplicetied up while surrounded by agroup of men and one of them washolding the briefcase. He shot oneof them in the foot, then followedthe person with the briefcasebefore shooting him in the backand running away with the money.Police were able to arrest the twoKuwaiti men and their Syrianaccomplice, as well as threeEgyptians who were with theinjured men at the time of the inci-dent.

Suspected murderInvestigations are ongoing to

determine the cause of death of abedoon (stateless resident) whosebody was found recently in thedesert north of the country. Policeaccompanied by crime scene inves-tigators headed to a location wherea man reported finding a dead bodyhalf buried in the sand. The man wasidentified after which police learnedthat he was reported missing at theSulaibiya police station. Preliminaryexamination revealed that the bodywas left at the location 48 hoursbefore it was found. Meanwhile, thecase was ordered to be classified ashomicide after evidence of foul playwas found.

Fatal accidentA pedestrian was killed in an

accident reported in ShuwaikhTuesday afternoon. Police and para-medics headed to Canada DryStreet where the Asian man was hitby a sedan while he was crossingthe road in front of the banks’ com-pound. The man was pronounceddead at the scene and the Kuwaitidriver was in police custody for fur-ther action.

Strange ticketA man is mulling whether to pay

a fine for a parking ticket againsthis mentally impaired daughterwho doesn’t have a driving license,or go to court and challenge theruling which is preventing himfrom renewing his daughter’s pass-port. The Kuwaiti man’s ordealstarted when he applied for docu-ments to renew his daughter ’spassport. He was told that thetransaction is suspended pendingpayment of a traffic ticket issuedagainst his daughter. The man wasbaffled because not only hisdaughter’s mental disability makesher unqualified to drive, but alsothat she was only 10 years oldwhen the ticket was issued in 2009.When he informed the relevantauthorities about his situation, theman was told to go to the trafficcourt in Riggae and try to get theviolation overturned.

Hawally scamHawally police arrested two

people accused of fleecing KD50,000 from multiple victimsthrough scams. Investigations hadbeen ongoing in several cases inwhich people reported beingapproached by two men who con-vinced them to enter commercialprojects. The duo would then dis-appear after receiving the moneyfor fake contracts. The detectiveswere able to locate the suspectsinside an apartment they used. Thetwo men, a Kuwaiti and anEgyptian, admitted during ques-tioning that they committed 20scam operations in which they col-lected KD 50,000. They werereferred to the public prosecutionto face charges.

Camel rescued Firefighters rescued a camel

which was trapped in quicksand inthe Erhaiya desert west of KuwaitCity on Monday. A Kuwaiti manreported finding his camel almostcompletely sunk into quicksand forits head. A team of Jahra firefightersheaded to the scene and was ableto rescue the animal in an opera-tion that lasted for an hour and ahalf. The camel’s owner said that hehad been looking for the animal forthree days before finding Mondayafternoon.

Jleeb shooting victims admit

role in money laundering

Bedoon’s body found in desert

KUWAIT: Social networking website YouTube isone of documentary references for the voters toexamine profiles and views and manifestos ofthe nominees. Now it has been established thatsome deceptive voters can no longer changeattitudes due to the records of this site.

Dr Abdul Aziz Al-Dihani, a media professor ofKuwait University, said in an interview thatYouTube is one of the most successful electoralmeans, noting that it is heavily used by a largenumber of hopefuls.

A voter, through the YouTube, can examine anominees’ manifestos and can examine his (her)recorded sayings for judgment, said Dr Al-Dihani, likening the site to a huge library thatprovides audio-visual information in most lan-guages,

A number of nominees change their attitudesand views toward some issues, prompting voters

to refer to YouTube footages to question themon the change of their stands.

YouTube includes a huge archive aboutKuwait’s elections and the political process ingeneral, constituting a main source of informa-tion for the researchers in and outside the coun-try..

Elaborating, Dr Al-Dihani added that a nomi-nee can easily transmit his (her) message viaYouTube, and the live message is much strongerthan advertisement in newspapers or on bill-boards.

Online audio-visual messages broadcast bynominees can reach the prospected voters inseconds, he said, also noting that candidateshave been also employing the other electronictools and applications, namely Facebook andTwitter. YoutTube plays a role in educating theelectorate on many issues, following up on

views and opinions of the political and culturalelite in addition to forming a notion about pro-posed issues.

Mohammed Al-Otaibi, an eligible voter, saiddue to to YouTube, candidates can no longerchange their views toward issues due to thecapacity of retrieving taped rhetoric.

The youth joining of “political life with theirmasterminding of modern technology andsocial networking means has given these tools acrucial role in addressing the electoral messagesto the candidates who can also easily target theyouth and influence them,” said Al-Otaibi, a fran-chised young citizen.

Another voter, Ahmad Al-Atawi, said he mon-itors electoral issues on YouTube and WhatsAppevery day, affirming that many candidates haveshown keenness on transmitting their mani-festos via the social networking sites. — KUNA

Candidates use YouTube to convey views

KUWAIT: The Fire Department received a report about a car carrying two persons that fell into a construction ditch on Pepsi Cola Street. As fire-men arrived, they found one of the persons fallen in the ditch while the other was stuck in the car. They were successful in rescuing the two whowere in a critical condition and were rushed to hospital for treatment. —Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

Comparative figures of fourth

constituency electorateKUWAIT: The total number of Kuwaiti citizenswith suffrage for the July 2013 elections is439,715, including 113,685 (51,560 males and62,125 females) in the fourth constituency.

Number of franchised citizens in the dis-trict rose 5,290, 4.88 percent of the overallnumber of voters in the elections of theDecember 2012 dissolved parliament, with aproportion of 48,525 men and 59,870 women.

Number of franchised citizens in the fourthconstituency constitutes 25.85 per cent ofKuwait’s total electorate, standing at 439,715,at a proportion of 11.72 percent males and14.12 percent females.

Voters of the fourth constituency are dis-tributed among 18 areas as following:Farwaniyah 5176 (2,987 men and 2,189women), Ferdos 16,127 (7, 836 men and 8,291females), Omariyah 5,126 (2,497 men and2,629 women), Rabyah 5,562 (2,723 men and2,839 women), Regea and Andalus 7,789(3,051 men and 4,738 women), Jeleeb Al-Shuyoukh 4,972 (2,695 men and 2,277women), Dahiat Sabah Al-Nasser 7,130 (2,715men and 4,415 women), Rehab 3,673 (1, 452men and 2,221 women), Odailiyah 21 males,Ardiyah 12,347 (5,211 men and 7,136women).

In Ishbilyah 756 (396 men and 360

women), Dahiat Abdullah Al-Mubarak 1,999(1,158 men and 841 women), New Jahra21,048 (9,000 men and 12,048 women),Sulaibiyah and Government Residences 2,143(242 men and 1,901 women), Saad Al-Abdullah 1,615 (1,016 men and 599 women),Jahra and Bar 18,201 (8, 560 men and 9,641women), none was registered in Shadadiyahand Sehaid Al-Awazem.

Electorate of the December 2012 parlia-ment elections amounted to 108,395 (48,525men and 59,870 women), Omariyah 5,038(2,452 men and 2,586 women), Rabyah 5,516(2,586 men and 2,788 women), Regea andAndalos 7,514 (2,877 men and 4,637 women),Jeleeb Al-Shuyoukh 4,843 (2,589 men and2,254 women), Dahiat Sabah Al-Nasser 7,063(2,713 men and 4,350 women), Rehab 3,571(1,411 males and 2,160 females), Odailiyah 21,Ardiyah 11,895 (4,894 men and 7,001women), Ishbilyah 653 (348 men and 305women), Dahyat Abdullah Al-Mubarak 1,592(952 men and 667 women).

In New Jahra, the electorate reached19,708 (8,273 men and 11,435 women),Sulaibiyah and Government Residences 2,125(245 men and 1,880 women), Saad Al-Abdullah 1,050 (647 men and 403 women),Jahra and Bar 17,414 (8,136 men and 9,278

women), and none was recorded inShadadiyah and Sehaid Awazem.

Overall number of franchised citizens forthe fourth constituency in the polls of the dis-solved February National Assembly reached103,280 (45,767 men and 57,513 women).They were distributed as following: InFarwaniyah 4,741 (2,715 men and 2,026women), Ferdos 14,921 (7,102 men and 7,819women), Omariyah 5,133 (2,520 men and2,026 women), Rabyah 5,513 (2,738 men and2,775 women), Regea and Andalus 7,224(2,710 men and 4,514 women), Jeleeb Al-Shuyoukh 4,830 (2,592 men and 2,238women), Dahiat Sabah Nasser 6,660 (2, 489men and 4,171 women), a single voter in eachof Shadadiah and Sehaid Awazem, Rehab3,394 (1,337 men and 2,057 women),Odailiyah 25, Ardiyah 11,439 (4,621 men and6,818 women), Ishbilyah 471 (265 men and206 women), Dahiat Abdullah Al-Mubarak 887(554 males and 333 females).

In New Jahra the electorate reached18,288 (7,518 men and 10,770 women),Sulaibiyah and Government Residences2,156 (238 men and 1,918 women), Saad Al-Abdullah City 518 (333 males and 185females), Jahra and Bar 17,078 (8,008 menand 9,070 women). —- KUNA

KUWAIT: Out of solidarity with Egypt,‘Kuwait’s Initiative to Help the EgyptianPeople’ was launched yesterday to sup-port needy Egyptian families and pro-vide them with their needs of food sup-plies and medicine.

“Beloved Egypt and its people are cur-rently going through a critical ordeal thathas affected living conditions of manyfamilies, especially since Ramadan isstarting. Egypt and Egyptians gave manysacrifices in protecting the Arab world invarious wars, and we Kuwaitis can neverforget when Egyptians opened theirhearts and homes for us during the inva-sion and when their brave army defend-ed our country,” said a statement issuedby the initiative urging Kuwaiti citizensto support the Egyptians through theKuwait Red Crescent Society. The state-ment added that once official agree-ments were signed, contribution meth-ods as well as the name of an Egyptian

bank would be announced so that dona-tions could be sent directly.

Meanwhile, high-ranking sources atthe Interior Ministry denied banning theissuance of visit visas for Egyptians andstressed that all immigration depart-ments were still receiving visit visasapplications as per standard conditionsthat have always been used. The sourcesadded that as usual before the month ofRamadan, visit visas for all nationalitieswere rationalized due to the growingdemand in this particular period of theyear. Notably, a number of citizens andcompany owners have complained thatthe ministry was rejecting all visit visasfor Egyptians without explaining why.They also urged the ministry to issue aclear official statement to explain the sit-uation. “We do understand MoI’s motivesbut we need more transparency to avoidembarrassing local companies andestablishments,” they stressed.

Kuwaiti initiative to

support Egypt families

KUWAIT: Former US President FranklinRoosevelt’s disability did not hinder himfrom heading America for four consecu-tive terms, nor did it stop Egyptian intel-lectual Taha Hussein from becomingMinister of Education although he losthis eye sight since he was four years old.

In Kuwait, however, members ofKuwait Disabled Sport Club excelled insporting activities specially in paralympicgames and made many achievements.

Kuwaiti paralympic athletes won threegold, silver and bronze medals in Atlantagames in 1996, and had registered arecord in the javelin in the 2nd Gulfgames that were held in Saudi Arabia.

The disabled people play a major rolein all domains in Kuwait.

A disabled candidate is running forthe July 27 parliamentary elections asthe disabled are demanding more sup-port from the legislative authority sothey can exercise their daily lives withoutfeeling discrimination with their fellowcitizens.

Chairman of board of Kuwait DisabledSport Club Shafi Al-Hajri said the dis-abled people needed real support fromall segments of the society namely exec-utive and legislative authorities.

He hoped a disabled person wouldwin a parliamentary seat to convey prob-lems of disabled people to the house.

He said the law of the disabled No.8/2010 “has not been fully nor correctlyimplemented,” because its implementa-tion did not match needs of the disabled.

The club, said Al-Hajri, has been call-ing for giving the disabled their fullrights.

He criticized the removal of the com-

mittee of the disabled in the last parlia-ment because “it made us feel deeplydesperate because this committee waslike a window for us through which wechannel our demands.”

He said the former candidates “tradedour case and fail to tackle our demands.”

Al-Hajri said the government and par-liament needed to talk with specialauthorities to address root causes of theproblems facing the disabled in order totransform Kuwait into “a country friendlyto the disabled.”

He urged current candidates to focuson the development of the country andsociety, and paying a great attention tothe disabled.

Kuwait athlete Saja Al-Azmi said thedisabled “need a genuine support fromall authorities concerned in the country.”

Al-Azmi urged future MPs to “be moreserious to supporting rights of the dis-abled in all spheres.”

Al-Azmi, who won three medals inshot put and javelin events, said shewould vote for the disabled candidatebecause he knew “our daily suffering anddifficulties facing us.”

Kuwait disabled table tennis playersAwadh Al-Harbi and Mohammad binJabal called for the establishment of spe-cial clubs for the disabled in all ofKuwait’s six governorates.

Disabled athletes are facing difficul-ties when exercising sport activitiesbecause there were no clubs near theirhomes, they agreed. The first committeeof the disabled was formed in the 2006parliament, mandated with debating andpreparing all draft laws dealing with thedisabled. — KUNA

Kuwaiti disabled want their

voices heard in parliament

KUWAIT: Farwaniya governorate fire department carried a drill in a building underconstruction at the oil and engineering college of Sabah Al-Salem University inShadadiya. Three fire centers, namely Ardiya, Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh and Farwaniya,were directed to fight the assumed fire. Deputy fire director Khalid Al-Mikrad super-vised the drill. The oil and engineering college is a vast structure built on 40,000 sqm. The drill aimed at increasing efficiency of firemen in dealing with buildings underconstruction due to the dangers of fire spreading due to wind and the nature ofmaterials used in buildings.— Photos by Hanan Al-Saadoun

LO C A LTHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

News

Wataniya Airways strategic investorKUWAIT: Well-informed sources said that WataniyaAirways’ board of directors would meet with astrategic investor offering to buy shares afterincreasing the company’s capital next week. Thesources added that Wataniya’s board of directorspostponed selecting a consultant to conduct a fea-sibility study until after the meeting. The sourcesalso said that in coordination with the Civil AviationAuthority, Wataniya would offer its terminal for saleto pay off part of its debts. Wataniya’s board chair-man Thamer Arab predicted that the carrier’s capi-tal would be increased by KD 15-25 million and thatthe increase would be used to revive the companyafter going through the current problems includingdebts, losses and litigations.

Khairan Resort reservation timingKUWAIT: Khairan ResortManagement announcedorganizing special pro-grams and activities onthe occasion of Ramadan.On that regard, PublicRelations and MediaManager at the TouristicEnterprises Company,Sagr Al-Bader, announcedthat clients can makereservations for chalets atthe Khairan Resort duringthe holy month at the TEC Information Centereveryday from 9am to 3pm. The Information Centeralso provides information about activities and pro-grams held at TEC facilities as well as operationhours throughout the year.

Banks to cut expat employees?KUWAIT: A number of local banks are preparing toinform non-Kuwaiti employees with more than 30years of service that their contracts will soon be ter-minated as part of procedures to increase nationalemployment in Kuwait’s banking sector, a local dailyreported yesterday quoting sources with knowledgeof the case. The sources spoke to Al-Qabas on thecondition of anonymity because nothing has so farbeen made official regarding the proposed plans.They did not mention certain names, but said thatsome banks have plans to replace long-standing for-eigners with experienced Kuwaiti employees in posi-tion to be promoted to leading posts.The sourcesadded that the banks prepare to send reports soon tothe Central Bank of Kuwait on the issue in prepara-tion of the replacement plans “especially givenunconfirmed intentions to increase the minimumnumber of Kuwaiti manpower of a local bank’s work-force from 60 percent to 72 percent in the upcomingfew years”.

in brief

By Ben Garcia

KUWAIT: A Filipina fitness instructor wasbrutally beaten up by a Kuwaiti police offi-cer inside the Municipal i ty HealthDepartment after a verbal tussle with herEgyptian mandoub on July 7. Jenny wasrushed to Amiri Hospital with multiplehead, hands and knee injuries after the inci-dent and underwent surgery at Farwaniyaorthopedic hospital on Monday. Her casewas registered at the Assistance toNationals Unit at the Philippine Embassy inFaiha. The incident took place at theMunicipality premises in Sharq on Sundaywhen Jenny went with two of her col-leagues (a female Romanian and a Filipina)to fix their municipality cards.

After waiting for 30 minutes, one of hercolleague suggested to just give their civilIDs to their mandoub so as to follow up theresults. “I was the one talking with our man-doub because I can speak and understandArabic,” Jenny recounted to Kuwait Times.“But he was not happy about it. He told meI am always creating problems. I said no, Iwas just helping and transferring messagesto him on behalf of my colleagues.” After asmall disagreement, the mandoub disap-peared but returned to hurl Jenny’s civil IDto the ground while the other two civil IDswere handed back properly.

“I was offended of course, but I didn’tmind it. He called our boss and my bossspoke to me and my colleague,” she said.Calm followed and the mandoub disap-peared again, this time for more than two

hours. He came back with a policeman. Thepoliceman was obviously stationed insidethe Municipality. “When the police saw us,he called me specifically. I asked if I haddone anything wrong. I was puzzled. Heshouted and again called me. Without any-thing on my mind, I went with them. Wewere on the first floor in front of the stairswhen we were arguing about something.When we reached there the officer was

shouting at me and asked why I was creat-ing trouble. I told the police I don’t createany problem with anyone. I told him if youlisten to the mandoub, it is only right to lis-ten to me as well,” Jenny said.

“While I was narrating my side of thestory, the police became even more furious.He said I was disrespecting him, and toldme to go into a room nearby. When I wasabout to enter the room, the pol ice

grabbed my bag and told me I don’t haverespect. I said I know how to respect but Itold him he wasn’t respec ting me. Hereleased his grip on my bag but grabbedmy arm forceful ly, pul led my hair anddragged me down the stairs. The next thingI knew I was already groggy, and did notknow what was going on. I felt nothing butunbearable pain on my face and body,” sherecalled.

Her two colleagues at that time heardthe commotion going on nearby. At firstthey didn’t realise Jenny was under attack.“I was stunned by the commotion on thestaircase, so I rushed there to see Jennylying in a pool of blood. I also saw her bagnearby with blood. I was already in panic,screaming and told them she’s my col-league. I saw a man carrying her to a roomnearby and I told them that I wanted to seeher, but they wouldn’t allow me go nearher. I kept asking what happened and I sawthe policeman going out and lighting a cig-arette and just telling mafi shei, mafi shei(nothing...nothing),” the Romanian col-league recalled.

Married with three kids, Jenny said allshe wants is real just ice to be ser ved.“Thank God I am still alive, but I really wantto hit back - I don’t deserve this. I am anaerobics instructor and I used my body towork and provide for my family. After this, Idon’t know if I can still do my usual job,” shecried. Jenny’s mother, who is also workingas a fitness instructor in Kuwait, appealedfor help and for the perpetrators to bebrought to justice.

Filipina brutally beaten up by Kuwaiti police officer

Verbal tussle at Municipality

By Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: According to local travel agen-cies, the number of umrah pilgrims havedecreased this year compared to the previ-ous year although there is availability ofseats on all four airlines flying to Jeddah.According to them, the prices of the ticketsis also the same as last year, yet people arenot travelling. Travel agencies also saidhotels have offered discounts on rooms toattract people to come for umrah.

Hamad from Al-Awali travel agencyadmitted that the number of travelers forumrah have decreased this year. “We havenoticed that there is no high demand for

umrah due to the renovations going on inMakkah. People may are anxious of the lim-ited place and crowding. We even hadsome travelers who had made reservationssince May cancel their fights,” he toldKuwait Times.

Mazen from Villa Travel Agency tied thedrop of traveling for umrah with the elec-tions. “Holding the elections in Ramadanwas the main reason for the decrease intravelling for umrah in the local market.Many people are staying to be there forvoting and before it, and some are helpingtheir relatives who are candidates withorganizing events. Military and police staffare on leave suspension so they can’t travel

in this period, and all those who canceledtheir previous reservations were from thearmy or police as they all should be presentin Kuwait,” he pointed out.

Ahmad from Saleh Al-Ruweyih TravelAgency noticed a decreased interest intravelling for umrah, but said the situationis not so bad. “It’s true that the number isless than last year, yet people still travel.The renovations are the main reason forthis drop in travelers. Some people alsohad fears of the MERS virus. On the otherhand, I know many people who went earli-er and were not afraid and came back safe,”he stated.

According to Mahmoud, an Arab expat

who didn’t go this year for umrah, said theSaudi embassy is not issuing visas to expatsduring Ramadan. “Those who would like togo for umrah have to arrange their visa inadvance before Ramadan due to the highdemand for umrah during this month par-ticularly, although it can be done at anytime during the year. I don’t think any expatwho got the visa will cancel his trip,”stressed Mahmoud. Mustafa, anotherexpat, said that the financial situation andrising prices of all important goods andservices made it difficult for those who arenot well off to travel. “If I had enough mon-ey, I would go for umrah and wouldn’t careabout any other factor,” he noted.

Decrease in number of umrah pilgrims

KUWAIT: Under the patronage of Deputy fire director Khalid Al-Mikrad, an honoring ceremony was held for officers who passed a course held in cooperation with a firefight-ing college in UK for a number of its personnel. The courses were on residential building fires, airport fires, dangerous goods fires and industrial and oil fire Al-Mikrad andCol Ghazi Al-Khaldi distributed diplomas to the graduates.

VIVA inaugurates branches in

Grand Avenue, FarwaniyaKUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s fastest-growing telecom operator,announced that it has added twonew branches to its networkacross Kuwait. VIVA’s 17th newbranch is located in Grand Avenueand opened its doors on July 9,making it the second branch forthe company in the Avenues Mall;while its 16th new branch locatedin Farwaniya opened on July 7.

The new branch openingscome in line with company’sexpansion strategy to serve awider audience across Kuwait inaddition to providing excellence incustomer service and unique andexclusive packages for its cus-tomers.

Commenting on the openingon VIVA’s latest branches, Eng.Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Badran,VIVA’s CEO said: “We are proud toinclude the new branch openingsto VIVA’s achievements this year. Itis imperative for us to keep upwith the growing demand forVIVA’s products and services as we

increase our customer base, whilealso ensuring that all our cus-tomers get the best service avail-able, and are served swiftly, effi-ciently and courteously.”

To find out more about VIVA’sother branch locations and the lat-est competitive promotions, prod-ucts and packages, visit the VIVAwebsite www.viva.com.kw, or callVIVA’s 24 hour call center on 102.

VIVA is the newest, mostadvanced mobile telecommunica-tions service provider in Kuwait.Launched in December 2008, VIVAmakes things Possible for our cus-tomers by transforming communi-cation, information and entertain-ment experiences. The companyhas rapidly established an unri-valled position in the marketthrough our customer andemployee centric approach. VIVA’squest is to be the mobile brand ofchoice for Kuwait by being trans-parent, engaging, energetic andfulfilling.

VIVA continues to take a consid-

erable share of the market byoffering an innovative range ofbest value products, services andcontent propositions; a state of the

art, nationwide network andworld-class service. VIVA offersInternet speed up to 42.2Mbpsdue to the implementation of the

most advanced third generation(3G and HSDPA) network in Kuwaitresulting in superior coverage, per-formance and reliability.

KUWAIT: Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Badran with VIVA’s executives .

VIENNA: Kuwait and the International Atomic EnergyAgency (IAEA) agreed on cooperating in nuclear securi-ty, and on exchanging visits and expertise, said aKuwaiti official here on Wednesday.

Speaking to KUNA, Colonel Adel Al-Habib, head ofKuwaiti Interior Ministry civil protection, said that talkswith the IAEA focused on enhancing cooperationbetween the two sides, and setting up an annual pro-gram to exchange visits by officials from the IAEA andKuwait.

He noted that an IAEA delegation will be visitingKuwait next October as part of the cooperation deal.

On the IAEA’s “International Conference on NuclearSecurity: Enhancing Global Efforts,” which concludedlast week, Col. Al-Habib affirmed the important resolu-tions of the conference which addressed issues con-nected to nuclear security and monitoring of Weaponsof Mass Destruction (WMD).

He indicated that the conference would also serve asimportant input in preparation for the IAEA’s nextNuclear Security Plan, for 2014-2017.

Col. Al-Habib affirmed that Kuwait was very keen onplaying a role in nuclear security and preventing use ofatomic weapons, adding that his country’s geographicallocation in the region made it paramount for Kuwait toconsider a Middle East free of WMDs.

The Kuwaiti official lauded the IAEA for its efforts inorganizing the event, attended by more than 1,200 reg-istered participants, including some 35 ministers andother heads of delegations from 123 States, as well as20 governmental and non-governmental organizations.

The IAEA’s first comprehensive Action Plan to Protectagainst Nuclear Terrorism was approved in March 2002by its Board of Governors and General Conference, andtwo further Nuclear Security Plans were approved in2005 and 2009, respectively.

Under the 2010-2013 Nuclear Security Plan, theIAEA contributes to efforts to achieve worldwide,effective security wherever nuclear or other radioac-tive material is in use, in storage, and/or in transport,as well as the security of the associated facilities andactivities. — KUNA

Kuwait, IAEA

cooperation on

nuclear security

Religious speech key element in boosting national unityKUWAIT: Religious speech is a major elementto strengthening national unity and encourag-ing citizens to further contribute to the devel-opment of their country, Kuwait.

The religious speech will be playing a majorrole especially that campaigning for the July27 parliamentary elections would be in theholy month of Ramadan, with candidateshighlighting religious-related merits to boost-ing national unity.

The Islamic sharia organizes the life of theMuslim so the criteria of selecting a candidateshould be based on whether the candidate’s

performance is efficient and is responsible inhis nature, noted Dr. Mohammad Al-Tabtabae,former dean of Faculty of Sharia at KuwaitUniversity (KU).

Al-Tabtabae said the Holy Quran includednumerous lessons and values which should befollowed by all Muslims in their daily lives.

Mosques too, he noted, play a major role toeducate and guide people on the methods toboosting their unity and steadfastness, as wellas in having good manners in speech or dia-logue. The religious speech used by candi-dates in their campaigns, he said, should shed

more light on forgiveness and unity ratherthan segregation and hatred.

Faisal Abu Slaib, a Political SciencesProfessor at KU, said awarness of voters woulddetermine how they digest the religiousspeech, and how they were capable of differ-entiating between the genuine politicalspeech and slogans aimed at inciting sectariandiscord.

Abu Slaib said the speech of any candidatereflected the state of society.

“Some (candidates) consider the publicinterest in their speeches while the other see

their own interest to acheiving their objectivesand thus don’t object the use of the religiousspeech for that purpose,” he said.

“The religious speech has an emotionalnature and affects people specially in Muslimcommunities ... it will be positive if it is used toboost national unity, but will have negativeconsequences if it is used to cause divisionamongst people,” he said.

Bolstering national unity is a joint responsi-bility of the government, civil society groupsand media, he noted. Candidates in generaluse all means to make sure they win the par-

liamentary seat, said Abu Slaib.Sociology professor Fawaz Al-Enezi said

religious speech usually include pure religiousvalues that would serve the public interest, “sothese speech should encourage the participa-tion” in elections.”

Al-Enezi said preachers and Imams have animportant role to play to strengthening thenational unity and respect of others’ opinions.

The religious speech should be coupledwith emphasis on many issues like youths,health care, educational and housing services,he said. — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Filipina fitness instructor who was brutally beaten up by a Kuwaitipolice officer.

INGREDIENTS:Original recipe makes 6 servings

MEATBALLS 1 pound lean ground beef 1 cup fresh bread crumbs

1 tablespoon dried parsley 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 egg, beaten

SAUCE pomi pasta souce

3/4 cup chopped onion 5 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup olive oil 2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon white sugar 1 bay leaf

3/4 teaspoon dried basil

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, 1/4 tea-spoon black pepper, garlic powder and beaten egg. Mix well and form into 12 balls.Store, covered, in refrigerator until needed.

2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in olive oil untilonion is translucent. Stir in tomatoes, salt, sugar and bay leaf. Cover, reduce heat tolow, and simmer 90 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, basil, 1/2 teaspoon pepper andmeatballs and simmer 30 minutes more. Serve.

Italian Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs

Kuwait Times’ annual Ramadan competition returns with one multiple choice question published every day throughout the holy month. All thirty coupons containing the correct answers must be sent to the newspaper to be

eligible for the raffle draw. All coupons must be received by Thursday, August 15, 2013 The raffle draw will take place at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2013 at the Swimming Pool Complex of the

Touristic Enterprises Company and will be for the following prizes.

2) Prophet Ibrahim (a.s) was ready to sacrifice hisson... on Allah’s (s.w.t.) command.

A) Ishaq

B) Ismail

C) Idris

THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

L O C A L

KUWAIT: Safir Hotel &Residences Kuwait-Fintas wel-comed the holy month ofRamadan by hosting an annualGhabqa on July 8. Marking thestart of the observance of theholy month of Ramadan, theevent took place at the Hilal AlFintas Hall which was trans-formed to mirror the traditionalRamadan ambiance. In atten-

dance were majority of guestsfrom the local media, corporateVIPs, and distinguished in-houseguests.

The event highlighted SafirFintas’ makeover from its dailynormal set-up and day to dayfunctions to reflect the authen-tic Ramadan atmosphere andsetting that guests will experi-ence and enjoy this season.

From the traditional Ramadandecor to the changes in restau-rant timings to cater Sohour,Iftar and Ghabka, our guests willbe assured that Safir Fintas isone with them in the obser-vance of Ramadan.

The guests were treated to anevening of traditional Ramadanhospitality in addition to vari-eties of entertainment and con-

tests where attendees won giftvouchers and valuable prizesfrom our sponsors Dar Al Athar,Athena Laser Medical Center,Sama Dental Clinic, MohammadNasser Al Hajery & Sons andSeba Med. The event closed witha sumptuous Ghabqa buffetcomprising of a large array offood, drinks and desserts whicheveryone enjoyed.

Safir Hotel & Residences hosts Ghabqa

THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

L O C A L

KUWAIT: Zain Group, a pioneer in mobiletelecommunications across eight markets inthe Middle East and North Africa, intro-duced its latest advertising campaign forthe holy month of Ramadan, based on a tel-evis ion commercial and song entit led

“Know Your Friends”, which is addressed tothe company’s customers and partners aswell as to the wider regional satellite televi-sion audience.

Zain is profoundly grateful to al l i tsstakeholders that have assisted in the com-pany’s ability to proudly provide best-of-class telecom services over its 30 years ofexistence.

The television commercial and song arededicated to everyone who has belonged tothe wonderful world of Zain over its threedecades-long journey, that began in Kuwaitand expanded internationally, all of whomare regarded as friends.

Supporting the advertising campaign,Zain has also announced a ‘The wonderfulwords of Zain” message to a friend competi-tion whereby anyone can create a specialmessage to a friend on a specially createdwebsite www.friends.zain.com.

The site will allow fans to participate inthe competition integrating with the socialmedia channels -Facebook , Twitter,Instagram- using the hashtag #zainfriends.Whether you feel gratitude, love or affec-tion to a friend or loved one, the competi-t ion offers entrants an oppor tunity toexpress their feelings in the form of words.

A shortlist of 10 messages will be select-ed by a jury of Zain’s marketing departmentand the song lyric writer and music com-poser, thereafter the public will vote for the

best ‘wonderful words’. The winning mes-sage will then be inserted into the televi-sion commercial for future showings onYouTube.

The commercial will be broadcast onsatellite television channels at the begin-ning of the holy month, and represents thecelebration of three decades of Zain as thefirst mobile telecommunications companyin the region on the one hand, and the com-pany’s efforts to forge a close relationshipswith the communities in which it operateson the other.

The words of the song describe this best:“ They did not love us because we are awonder ful world. . . we are a wonder fulworld because they loved us”.

The lyrics of the song were written byHiba Mishari Hamada, while the music wascomposed by Bashar al-Shatti and distrib-uted by Badr Karam. The lyrics of the songdeliver ‘belonging’ values as well as empow-ering people to work hard for their futures,highlighting a spirit of unity and coopera-tion. Through this integrated campaign Zainhas been keen to develop somethingexceptional, highlighting its deep apprecia-tion and regard for all its customers andpartners. The television commercial alsohighlights Zain’s personality, which givesthe brand vitality and vibrancy and is reflec-tive of Zain’s market approach in all itscountries of operation.

Kuwait Times and the Centerfor Cross Cultural Dialogue( TIES) are organizing a

Ramadan quiz in the holy month ofRamadan. To participate in this quiz,you have to go through the articleon the front page and find the cor-rect answer. Collect all 30 couponscontaining the right answers andsend them to Kuwait Times to be eli-gible for the raffle draw. All couponsmust be received by Wednesday,August 14, 2013.

The raffle draw will take place at7.00 pm on Tuesday August 21,2013 at TIES center and will be forthe following prizes:

1st Prize One year Kuwait TimesSubscription, I-Mate mobile,blender, Dexon grill

2nd Prize One year subscription,new Chocolate LG Mobile BL 40,Dexon hand blender.

3rd Prize One year subscription,Kodak M590 camera, Dexon juicer.

4th Prize One year subscription,Samsung mobile SGH-C120, Dexongrill.

5th Prize One year subscription,Samsung mobile SGH-C120, Dexonsandwich maker.

6th to 10th Prize One year sub-scription, Dexon mini chopper, oneKD 20 voucher from Ruby Tuesday.

Zain broadcasts Ramadan TV commercial ‘Know Your Friends’

Kuwait Times and TIES organize Ramadan quiz

Sponsors by Quaker

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 Cup(s) prepared salsa• 3/4 Cup(s) coarsely-chopped

orange sections• 2 Tablespoon(s) Canola Oil

• 1 Tablespoon(s) margarine, melted• 2 Teaspoon(s) chili powder•1 Teaspoon(s) Garlic Powder• 1 Teaspoon(s) ground cumin

• 3/4 Teaspoon(s) Salt• 1-1/2 Cup(s) Quaker quick oats,

uncooked• 1 Egg, lightly beaten

• 1 Tablespoon(s) Water• 4 boned and skinned chicken breast halves

(about 5 to 6 ounces each)Chopped cilantro (optional)

Servings: Makes 4 ServingsPrep Time:

Cooking Time: 0:0:30

PREPARATION:

In small bowl, combine salsa and orange sections. Refrigerate, covered, until serv-ing time. Heat oven to 375°F. In flat, shallow dish, stir together oil, melted margarine,chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and salt. Add oats, stirring until evenly moistened.

In second flat, shallow dish, beat egg and water with fork until frothy. Dip chickeninto combined egg and water, then coat completely in seasoned oats. Place chickenon foil-lined baking sheet. Pat any extra oat mixture onto top of chicken.

Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and oat coating is goldenbrown. Serve with Sunshine Salsa. Garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired.

Spicy Oat Crusted Chickenwith Sunshine Salsa

L O C A LTHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

Registrations for elections closed on Saturday with410 men and 8 women only, and despite the factthat women form the majority of voters by 30,000

votes, candidate platforms do not allude to women’sreal issues. Most candidates repeat the lies that thewoman is a man’s sister and has the same rights andduties, and that she has the equal rights of residence asmen, and that the state must provide full education andhealthcare services to the woman out of her being a citi-

zen. All these issues presented by the candidates are aconstitutional right to the woman as a citizen, yet noneof the candidates - be them political Islam or liberal can-didates - speak about the true issues that break thechains that restrict a woman, including for exampleKuwait’s personal statutes which do not allow a womanto marry by herself even if she is a widow or has reached25 years of age, because the law stipulates that herguardian must agree.

The authority of marriage and divorce is still in theman’s hand and a woman does not have this right andcan only resort to court. Penal law 16/1960 still allowsthe man to beat his wife, because there is no crime if theact was done for discipline by a person who is author-ized by law, and nothing is done in case this right isabused.

Discrimination against a woman in case of adultery?If a man finds his wife committing adultery red handed,or his daughter, sister or even his mother, and kills herimmediately, he will be jailed for three years or fined3,000 Indian rupees.

Yet if the wife finds her husband with anotherwoman and kills him, she will face death or life impris-onment. The insult or catastrophe that hits the woman iswhen she is kidnapped. If a man kidnaps and rapes awoman, the kidnapping charge will be dropped if thekidnapper marries the kidnapped.

There is discrimination against women in nationalitylaws too, because nationality is a woman’s right from herfather. Also among the strange laws that need to bechanged is the right to get a Kuwaiti passport must bewith the approval of the husband, as if the Kuwaitiwoman is less competent. The man also can keep hiswife from performing haj by refusing to grant her thepassport.

Finally, will the woman demand her right to enter thejudiciary, and do candidates from both genders havethe courage to tackle women’s real issues? This requireswomen to cooperate and impose their conditions oncandidates - “Oh, women of Kuwait... unite!” — Al-Watan

Women and elections

kuwait digest

By Shamlan Y Al-Essa

The complex relationship of Kuwaiti leaders withexpats is a deep one. In his mind, they are betterthan Kuwaiti citizens in doing secretarial work,

typing, office work and providing legal and technicalconsultancy. Before invasion, Palestinian expats werecontrolling all administrative work in ministries and gov-ernment organization without appearing on the scene.A majority of Kuwaitis were looking for “wasta” to thePalestinian as he was the decision maker and not theone sitting behind the desk.

After invasion, many from the Palestinian communityleft Kuwait, so the Kuwaitis thought that the problem isover and that they will take those positions which isclose to the leaders and protect state secrets. But thingsremained the same, and the majority of leaders in gov-ernment ministries have large number of expat employ-ees who work in secretarial and administrative positions,and Kuwaitis are isolated from these jobs for non-logicalreasons - like the Kuwaiti is lazy, nonproductive, has along tongue and reveals job secrets.

The first, second, and third reasons are not true butthe last one is real from which the leader is afraid,because he passes all laws and decisions, and does notwant these to be exposed in front of Kuwaiti employees,fearing scandal and revealing his violations.

Most leaders in government offices give the secre-tary or typist the freedom to act with all decisions andadministrative orders. After the expat wins their trust,many leaders and employees feel that the decision is inthe hand of the expat. Thereafter, he starts abusing thistrust by employing his relatives or asks other leaders toemploy his expat colleagues with them.

Replacing the expat employee is a basic demand,and should be given priority. National Assembly secre-taries are mostly foreigners, including consultants, andaccordingly we should start from people’s houses, byemploying Kuwaitis instead of expats, especially oldones who have crossed the legal age for working.

These expats have become the real leaders who rungovernment departments without official job titles,because many Kuwaiti leaders depend on them, and arekeen to keep Kuwaitis far from these jobs. The CivilService Commission is the largest employer of expats,and cannot implement Kuwaitisation in the commissionbecause most leaders insist to have expats in those jobs.

The state through the Civil Service Commissionshould announce the need for 3,000 jobs every threemonths for Kuwaiti employees. This total will reach12,000 annually. There are thousands waiting in line andif Kuwaitisation is implemented, we shall find most newgraduates get jobs in a period that does not exceed twoyears. — Al-Anbaa

Employ more nationals

kuwait digest

By Hamad Al-Sarie The same way we congratulated the Egyptian peo-ple on electing their first president after the revo-lution, we do today congratulate them for ousting

that very same president who had deviated from therevolution’s path and goals. We will not get into the cur-rent controversy whether what happened was a militarycoup or a public uprising; we should leave that to theEgyptians themselves - it is their own business. We willnot even applaud the rule of the army because this isnot what we’d wanted for our Egyptian brothers.However, the fact that over 33 million went out demon-strating and demanding Morsi’s ouster calls for a pauseto review the moral lessons we can get.

The first lesson we get from the MuslimBrotherhood’s experience in Egypt is the necessity ofseparating religion and politics. Only one year in powergot the Egyptians convinced of the danger of mixingthem. So many people dreamt for long years of the slo-gan ‘Islam is the Answer’ that has been promoted by theMuslim Brotherhood for over 80 years. A lot of Islamistsvoted with hopes to end sufferings and injustice andreplace them with freedom, justice and equality. Only afew months later, Egyptians realized how false, hollowand unreal those slogans were. People’s true religiousfeelings were taken advantage of as a bridge to reachpower, on top of which the ‘Muslim’ president wasplagued with arrogance and tyranny. Politics is morethan religious speeches excluding all opponents - it is apatriotic national agenda based on the concept of‘Egypt is for all Egyptians’ and not for the MuslimBrotherhood alone.

The second lesson is that the relation between ‘politi-cal Islam’ and democracy is an illegitimate one becausepolitical Islam’s concept of democracy is limited to theballot boxes that pave its way to power without anyconsiderations for true democratic values such as pro-tecting freedoms and respecting diversity. Thus, manypeople were excluded and opponents were accused oftreason and non-believing, which led to a sectarian tur-moil that was new to the Egyptian people and onlyflourished with the spread of political Islam supporters.What is more dangerous is mixing the presidential postwith a religious one to grant the president divine immu-nity. In fact, any political party is part of public concernsand its decisions and agendas are mere politics that canbe controversially criticized. On the other hand, linking aparty’s political role with religion is immunizing politicswith religion from A to Z to justify tyranny.

The third lesson is that counting on exclusionarypowers that do not believe in individual freedom isdoomed to failure and thus supporting them to achievedemocratic reform becomes irrelevant. It is very hard foranybody who grows up to total obedience to becomefree, respect freedom or accept diversity. The MuslimBrotherhood is run by a mentality that creates a specialenvironment and resources from which it derives its cul-ture and behavior. So, if that environment is totalitarian,the outcome will be the same and this can be traced inknowing the number of those who rebelled againstsuch mentality. Nevertheless, Egypt will always remaingreat! — Al-Jarida

Egypt and Brotherhood

kuwait digest

By Dr Aseel Al-Awadhi

Every country has a capital where governmentheadquarters, ministries and other vital places andlandmarks are located. A capital city usually

reflects the country’s civilization, history, and naturalbeauty and becomes a source of pride for its residents.Planning for modern Kuwait City started in 1953 whenthen Amir Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah assignedan English general with experience in city planning toput together a new housing structure to move the capi-tal’s residents to suburbs in a very organized manner.The plan which was carried out through bold and suc-cessful steps divided Kuwait into residential areas suchas Shamiya, Shuwaikh and Faiha, as well as industrialand educational areas such as the Shuwaikh HighSchool and medical areas such as the Sabah Area.Unfortunately however, the plan was not coupled withsteps to take care of Kuwait City itself, and the capitalbecame with time a shell of its former self followingyears of negligence.

Kuwait’s capital city has many strange features,including dilapidated buildings lacking the basics ofhygiene after being ignored by their owners and resi-dents. If you look behind them, you will find garbagecontainers, cooking gas cylinders, filthy utensils dis-posed by nearby restaurants and remnants of vegeta-bles rotten from long exposure to sunlight. Disorganizedbackstreets too. Even new buildings built by the privatesector lack coherent architectural structures and looklike scattered islands that do not even have sufficientparking places.

I am not going to compare Kuwait City withEuropean capitals which preserved their history bymaintaining their beautiful old buildings, museums,churches, etc. Instead, I am going to compare it withnearby Gulf states which the moment you step into theirairports you feel that you are in a country that realizedwhat is the right way to development. When you entertheir cities, you find beautiful buildings with sufficientparking spaces behind them, and built in a very organ-ized manner. Clean restaurants and streets. Harmonizedhighways. Despite poor weather conditions, they wereable to create something beautiful that motivate mil-lions to visit their countries all year long. How can we failto create something similar despite having all the hugecapabilities and resources that we have?— Al-Qabas

The sad cityof Kuwait

kuwait digest

By Dr Salah Al-Utaiqi

Massive protests against for-mer President MuhammadMorsi of Egypt have erupt-

ed across the country whichprompted the military to interveneto preserve the country’s nationalsecurity by unceremoniouslyremoving Morsi from power andinstalling Adly Mansour, the topjudge of Egypt’s constitutionalcourt, as interim leader.

Both the massive protests andthe removal of the president, whichwere televised live by the world’smedia, are the most devastatingsetbacks that could ever be imag-ined to happen to the MuslimBrotherhood across the Islamicworld. Essam Al-Haddad, a senioradviser to President Morsi, made apoignant reminder: “The messagewill resonate throughout theMuslim world loud and clear:Democracy is not for Muslims.” In1928, the Muslim Brotherhood wasestablished and it was believed tobe a highly organized political andsocial movement in terms of man-agement skills, and political andeconomic structures. However, onassuming power, the Brotherhood’sprofessional expertise hasn’t mate-rialized into tangible benefits forEgyptians on any level. On the con-trary, it has proved to the entireworld that it was not suited to holdpower and achieve the aspirationsof the masses, especially the newgeneration of youth that broughtthem to power.

That sentiment was evident inTurkey and Tunisia, and recently inSyria and Egypt. In Turkey theyouth that protested against PrimeMinister Recep Tayyip Erdoganbelieve that he would change thecountry’s secular identity into apurely Islamic one without consult-ing them.

In Tunisia, Ennahda Party (anaffiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood)threatened to impose Islamic laws,which Chokri Belaid, the opposition

leader of the Unified DemocraticNationalist party, criticized alongwith the violence carried out byradicals. He was assassinated out-side his home in the capital andthis triggered unprecedentedprotests against Ennahda andforced it to shuffle the governmentto meet the opposition’s demands.

The Brotherhood, be it Islamists,failed to realize the differencebetween their stated objectivesand those of the masses - specifi-cally the youth - which are eitherpressing or viable to achieve. Thisshows that both sides are living intheir own worlds and times, facili-tating between the ideas of pastand that of the modern present.The youth in Turkey, Tunisia andEgypt share two important reasonsto protest against the rule of theBrotherhood or its affiliates: firstly,the unconventional imposition ofIslamic views on the populationwithout a referendum; secondly,putting conservative officials tohead political, economic, social andcultural institutions leading toactive domination of the entiresociety. Both factors would auto-matically lead to a total autocraticgovernment with absolute powerand free will to manage societyregardless of peoples’ wishes.

While Egyptians were still dis-cussing the articles to include intheir newly-drafted constitution,Morsi forced the committee towrite up a constitution and - withlittle consensus - called for a refer-endum on it; he then ended discus-sions and excluded the interests ofvarious groups.

In the new constitution, Morsigranted himself more power byputting his directives above thejudicial review and canceled anamendment that allowed the mili-tary to veto legislation pertinent tosecurity issues. Alongside that heremoved Field Marshal HusseinTantawi who assisted him to hold

power and appointed Gen. AbdelFattah El-Sisi who ousted him outof power. These moves are consid-ered by many analysts as beingexcessive use of power.

Moreover, Morsi sought quicklyto wield power for the Brotherhoodin local government by assigning17 provincial governors who wereaffiliated with them. To solidify hisgrip on power, he appointed a newminister of culture and replacedmany news editors with individualsfrom his group.

Morsi’s gravest mistakes werethat he didn’t fathom the idea thathe came to power through theelectoral process as a secondchoice for his party (Freedom andEquality Party) and for the youth;Egyptians were accordingly dividedon his leadership. In the first roundof the election, secularists hadmore than 55 percent of the vote,and in the second round (therunoff) he had 51.7 percent, whichwas barely a majority of the votes.More importantly, he hasn’t cometo grasp the reality that the youthwere the ones who set the revolu-tion in motion.

On the economic level, the gov-ernment hasn’t achieved anythingof significance but quite the oppo-site. Living conditions have deterio-rated and the economy has plum-meted to a serious level. With allthat has happened in Egypt, Turkeyis monitoring the situation veryclosely as it is the most affected bythe turn of events in Egypt,because Turkey share the exact ele-ments with respect to the politicalagenda, the role of the military inpolitics, and the demographic com-position of the society.

As for the rest of the Islamicworld, they should realize thatthere is a wide gap in the ideas ofthe past and the present. We arel iving in the era of the youth,with varying perspectives aboutliving life.

Downfall of BrotherhoodIn my view

By Abdulrahman Al-Zuhayyan

Polling boxes are not the onlyelements of legitimacy. Thereare many other elements

such as constitutional principlesthat should be agreed upon by allnationals in order to legitimize allpublic authority activities. After thedisasters of Nazism and Fascism,mankind realized that a democraticregime is not only procedural or ameans to reach power as someextremists misunderstand. Hitlerand Mussolini came to powerthrough ballot boxes. So democrat-ic regimes comprise of a number ofpublic principles that govern thewhole political process includingauthority, separation betweenpowers, diversity, respecting differ-ences, respecting minorities’ opin-ions and admitting to the opposi-tion’s presence and rights.

Hence, the powers of a demo-cratically elected president shouldbe controlled and governed by cer-tain clearly-defined constitutionalrules as per all stable democracies’constitutions. However, and as aresult of national agreement on therules of the whole political processand governance, new constitutionsshould be set after revolutions,which should have been done inEgypt right after the Jan 25 revolu-tion that toppled a tyrannicalregime.

The revolution was followed by

a presidential election for whichthe Muslim Brotherhood randespite previous promises not todo so. They broke their promises asthey did in many other things likepromising not to control the major-ity of the parliament.

The Muslim Brotherhood candi-date Mohamed Morsi then beat hisopponent Ahmed Shafiq with aslight margin, winning 51 percentof the total votes, which indicatesthat the revolutionists and thosevoting for Morsi had huge numbersand this has created a state ofsevere political polarization thatcalled for more efforts on the presi-dent’s side to bridge gaps. But whathappened?

What happened was the com-plete opposite as the MuslimBrotherhood did not only breaktheir promises, but as soon as Morsiwas elected, he recalled the parlia-ment dissolved by the court to con-vene simply because his group con-trolled it. He also cancelled the sup-plementary constitutional declara-tion by which he took the oath andswore to respect.

In addition, he reneged on whatwas agreed upon with variouspolitical powers at the VermontHotel meeting. He also called for areferendum on a constitutiondespite severe disagreements overit. He then went on to continue his

‘accomplishments’ towards tyrannyby another constitutional declara-tion to immunize his previous andfollowing decisions, making themunquestionably final before anycourt as well as prevent the dissolu-tion of the constituent assemblyand the Shura council!

Hence, doubts of the presidentelect’s actions and decisions’ legiti-macy started on grounds that bal-lot boxes were not enough to granthim legitimacy alone.

They do not, either, give theright to make solo decisionsexcluding everybody else or doingillegitimate things (most of hisdecisions were cancelled by court),which helped form a strong, vastopposition bloc including variouspolitical and revolutionary powerswho disapproved of the president’sundemocratic practices.

What made things worse wasthe president ’s attempts to‘Brotherize’ all state establishmentsthat should be independent fromthe ruling party such as the judici-ary and security forces.Furthermore, since the MuslimBrotherhood did not have any eco-nomic view different from that ofMubarak’s regime, the terribleeconomy and deterioration of citi-zens’ living standards finally led torejuvenate the revolution on June30. (To be continued) —Al-Jarida

Egyptian revolution rejuvenates In my view

By Dr Bader Al-Daihani

The authority of marriageand divorce is still in the

man’s hand and a womandoes not have this right and

can only resort to court.

Most leaders in governmentoffices give the secretary or

typist the freedom to act withall decisions and administra-

tive orders. After the expatwins their trust, many leaders

and employees feel that thedecision is in the hand of theexpat. Thereafter, he starts

abusing this trust by employ-ing his relatives or asks other

leaders to employ his expatcolleagues with them.

THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

Israel strengthens Syria border with eye on Hezbollah

Page 9

Fire engulfs landmark Paris mansion Page 8

Muslims begin Ramadan, Islamists target sinners

Asian hardliners vow to raid ‘sinful’ bars

MEDAN: Students sit in circles during a Quran recital class on the first day of Ramadan, at Ar-Raudlatul Hasanah Islamic boarding school in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia yesterday. During Ramadan Muslims refrain from eating,drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk. — AP

JAKARTA: Muslims in much of Asiabegan celebrating the holy month ofRamadan yesterday, with hardliners inIndonesia vowing to raid “sinful” bars.Tens of millions across the Muslimworld fast from dawn to dusk andstrive to be more pious and charitableduring the month, which ends with theEid holiday.

But Ramadan began in war-tornAfghanistan with a bomb blast, andthere was tight security in parts of thesouthern Philippines after deadlyclashes with Muslim rebels. InIndonesia, which has the world’sbiggest Muslim population, hardlinersuse Ramadan as an excuse to attacknightspots and shops that openly sellalcohol, the consumption of which isagainst Islamic law. There were fearsthe situation could be worse this yearafter a recent upsurge in attacks onreligious minorities and non-main-stream Muslims.

Critics say hardliners such as theIslamic Defenders Front (FPI) havebeen emboldened by the govern-ment’s failure to crack down on themand to prevent such attacks. In thedays before Ramadan, there werealready reports that the FPI-who ledprotests that forced pop star LadyGaga to cancel a concert in Jakarta lastyear-had started conducting raids. “Wewill take firm action against the circula-tion of alcohol, naked dancing andprostitution,” Habib Idrus Algadri, headof an FPI group in Depok district out-

side Jakarta, was quoted as saying in alocal newspaper.

He was leading a group of FPI mem-bers who seized bottles of alcohol froma shop at the weekend. Habib SalimAlatas, the head of the FPI’s Jakartabranch said that 50 members would besent out to monitor nightspots in thecapital every evening. “We will sendout groups of two to three wearingcivilian clothes to spy on sinful activi-ties like the drinking of alcohol takingplace around Jakarta during theRamadan holy month,” he said.

Authorities have also been makinga show of cracking down on the illegalsale of alcohol. At the weekend policein Jakarta used a steamroller to crushthousands of bottles of homemadealcohol that was being sold in placeswithout licenses, as well as destroyingpirated DVDs. For non-Muslims andothers in Indonesia who drink alcohol,getting a beer during Ramadan can bea challenge as some bars only want toserve customers they know for fear ofbeing targeted by hardline spies.

There was however a glimmer ofhope for the millions whose lives aredisrupted by mosques blaring outIslamic chanting at all hours duringRamadan with loudspeakers. A bodythat groups many of the country’smosques urged them to limit the useof speakers, with an official noting “aquiet atmosphere is very important sothat Muslims can perform their reli-gious duties solemnly”. The start of

Islam’s holiest month brought no let-up in Afghanistan’s long-running con-flict, with three civilians killed and twoothers wounded in a Taleban roadsidebombing in the southern province ofHelmand, authorities said.

The interior ministry said that twodozen rebels had been killed in opera-tions across the country over the past24 hours. In the Catholic-majorityPhilippines, there were was tight secu-rity at the start of Ramadan in southernMuslim-populated areas after weekendclashes between troops and Islamicrebels left eight dead. Before Ramadanbegan, authorities ordered a halt inmilitary operations against a rebelsplinter group that is seeking to derailpeace negotiations between the coun-try’s largest Muslim guerrilla force andManila.

In Malaysia people were lookingforward to breaking their fast at mar-kets in a country whose multiethnicmake-up-it is Muslim-majority but hassizeable Chinese and Indian communi-ties-is reflected in a vast and variedselection of food. Bangladesh was setfor a few weeks of calm whenRamadan starts as the protests andmarches that are so common in thecountry normally die down during theholy month. Ramadan begins whenthe first crescent of a new moon issighted. It has yet to start in someAsian countries with large Muslim pop-ulations, including Pakistan andIndia.—AFP

Bomb attack kills Pakistan

President’s aide, 2 othersKARACHI: A bomb attack killed a senior aide to PakistaniPresident Asif Ali Zardari yesterday and at least two otherpeople in the country’s business capital Karachi, officials said.The bomb exploded in a middle-class neighborhood in cen-tral Karachi, close to an office for Zardari’s Pakistan People’sParty (PPP), which rules southern Sindh province.

Zardari was at his official residence around 10 kilometersaway when the attack happened, officials said. “It was a bombblast and at least three people were killed and 10 others werewounded,” police official Tahir Naveed said. Another policeofficial, Usman Bajwa, said Bilal Sheikh, Zardari’s top personalsecurity officer in Karachi, was among those killed. “I can con-firm that Bilal Sheikh has expired,” Bajwa said.

Bajwa told reporters that pieces of human flesh at the

scene indicate it “might” have been a suicide attack but said“it’s just an assumption so far”. Naveed said the bomb was sopowerful it shattered the bullet-proof vehicle in which Sheikhhad been travelling. Sheikh, his driver and a passer-by werekilled, he added. Both Zardari and Prime Minister NawazSharif, the leader of the PPP’s biggest rival, the PakistanMuslim League-N party, strongly condemned the attack,state media said.

Ejaz Durrani, spokesman for Bilawal House, Zardari’s offi-cial residence in Karachi, said the president was in the citybut had no schedule to travel yesterday. Instead, Sheikh andhis driver had gone to buy food for Ramadan, the holyMuslim fasting month, which begins today. Sheikh had sur-vived two previous attempts on his life, but had remained

committed to the PPP cause,Durrani said. Sheikh hadbeen in charge of securityfor Zardari ’s wife, formerPrime Minister BenazirBhutto when she returned toKarachi from exile onOctober 18, 2007.

Bomb attacks targetingher homecoming kil ledaround 140 people. Bhuttosurvived, but was assassinat-ed by a gun and suicideattack on December 27,2007.—AFP

I N T E R N AT I O N A LTHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

PARIS: The Hotel Lambert mansion incentral Paris, a 17th-century architecturaljewel with a rich history, was damaged ina major fire yesterday amid controversialrenovations after its purchase by the

Qatari royal family. Dozens of firefightersfought the blaze for about six hours after itbroke out around 1:30 am at the Lambert,a ‘hotel particulier’ or private townhouse,on Ile Saint-Louis overlooking the Seine.

Firefighters said the blaze started onthe roof of the building, which wasbought by Qatar’s royal family from theRothschild banking dynasty for some 60million euros ($85 million) in 2007. Thefire “spread pretty fast because the build-ing is empty and in the midst of renova-tion”, fire service Lieutenant-ColonelPascal Le Testu said. “The operation wascomplicated because the structure is frag-ile,” he said.

Heritage experts had arrived at themansion yesterday morning to check itscontents but were unable to go insidedue to safety concerns. But Le Testu saidthe damage appeared to be extensive.“The roof was completely devastated andthe structure is weakened because a stair-case and pediment over the central por-tion have partially collapsed,” he said. Hesaid the building’s famed frescoes byCharles Le Brun in the “Gallery ofHercules” were also “severely damaged bysmoke and water”.

Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoeexpressed his “shock” and “sadness” overthe fire and promised in a statement thatthe city would monitor renovation worksat the building, which he described as a

“significant part of Paris’s heritage”.Around a dozen neighbors were evacuat-ed and one firefighter was slightly injuredduring the blaze. Built in the 1640s at theeastern tip of Ile Saint-Louis, the mansionwas designed for a wealthy financier,Nicolas Lambert, by the architect LouisVau, who went on to oversee an expan-sion of the Chateau de Versailles for LouisXIV.

The mansion is considered one of thefinest examples of mid-17th-centuryFrench architecture, featuring the fres-coes by Le Brun and works by other mas-ters of the day. It is part of a WorldHeritage site along the banks of the Seine.The mansion’s uses over the years haveincluded being a hideaway for 18th-cen-tury philosopher Voltaire and his lover,and a political headquarters for Polishexiles in the following century. Its acquisi-tion by the Qatari royal family, whichenjoys strong diplomatic ties with France,sparked a dispute as heritage activistsfeared they would destroy a cultural gem.

Plans for large-scale renovations,including the installation of a parkingarea and vehicle lift, were initially blockedby a French court following complaints

from activists and neighbors. Supportersof the Qatari family’s plans said the man-sion had been neglected and damagedover the centuries and was in desperateneed of repairs. Some also suggested thecriticism was rooted in opposition to see-ing foreigners buy exclusive properties inrarefied central Paris. The dispute wasfinally resolved in January 2010 when anagreement was signed with a heritageassociation after weeks of delicate gov-ernment-supervised negotiations.

Now the fire has raised fears that his-toric parts of the building may neverrecover. “It really is a catastrophe becausewe fought for the frescos of the Gallery ofHercules to be preserved in the renova-tion project and now everything hasgone up in smoke or been drowned,” saidneighbor Sophie Pons. Qatar’s royal familyhas become a major investor in France,buying up prestige properties, investingin flagship companies such as energygiant Total and media group Vivendi, andpurchasing football club Paris Saint-Germain. The French foreign ministry esti-mates that Qatar has invested at least $15billion (12 billion euros) in France over thelast five years. —AFP

Fire engulfs landmark Paris mansion17th-century architectural jewel owned by Qatar royal family

PARIS: Firemen battle the blaze at the 17 century Hotel Lambert yester-day in Paris. —AFP

Israel puts Palestinian women activists on trial for protests

Rights groups condemn rare trialRAMALLAH: Two Palestinian womenactivists went on trial in an Israeli mil-itary court on Tuesday over theirinvolvement in weekly demonstra-tions against a Jewish settlement inthe occupied West Bank. Rightsgroups and activists say the prosecu-

tion of Nariman Tamimi and RanaHamadeh has coincided with a rise inIsraeli arrests of Palestinian protestorganizers in recent weeks. The deci-sion to put the two women on trialwas unusual since charges againstthem focus on their entry to a “closed

military zone” during a protest in thevillage of Nabi Saleh on June 28, anoffence that rarely leads to prosecu-tion in court. It is even rarer for Israelto prosecute Palestinian women.

“ They have been denied thebasic human right to peacefully

protest over land illegally seized byIsraeli settlers, and the Israeli judici-ary has used spurious legal tools topunish them,” AmnestyInternational said in a statement.Villagers began organizing protestsevery Friday after Israelis from the

Halamish settlement took controlof a spring between the two com-munities in 2009, which they saydeprived them of a source of irriga-tion. The protests typically involveflag-waving and stone-throwing bythe Palestinian side, which is met

by tear gas, rubber bullets and evenlive ammunition by the Israeli army.

Two Palestinians have been shotdead by soldiers since the protestsbegan, including Nariman’s brotherRushdi in November. During theconfrontations, the Israeli army

restricts access to the village anddeclares it a “closed military zone”.An Israeli military spokesman,Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner,said the women had “participatedin an unlawful disruption of thepublic order, ignored specificinstructions of law enforcementofficers and therefore weredetained.”

Lerner said the military had taken“necessary action to restore security”after the violence resulting from theprotest threatened the safety ofcivilians on a nearby road. SaritMichaeli of Israeli human rightsgroup B’Tselem said the trial isexpected to last months and that itis part of Israeli policies which “makeit virtually impossible forPalestinians to legally demonstrate”.The two defendants are free on bailwhile the trial continues but Tamimihas been ordered to stay at homeevery Friday and Hamadeh may notenter Nabi Saleh on Fridays.

In the past week, Israel arrestedtwo other prominent activists in theWest Bank villages of Bil’in and BeitUmmar who organize protests aspart of a strategy dubbed “popularresistance” blessed by PalestinianPresident Mahmoud Abbas. Israelhas occupied the West Bank andsown it widely with Jewish settle-ments since capturing it in the 1967Middle East war along with EastJerusalem and the Gaza Strip - landPalestinians want for a future state.Most countries consider the settle-ments illegal.

Israel disputes this, citing histori-cal and Biblical links to the WestBank and Jerusalem. —Reuters

WEST BANK: Palestinian activist Nariman A-Tamimi (left) and Rana Hamadah sit for the verdictduring their trial at Israel’s Ofer military court near the West Bank city of Ramallah. The twowomen were arrested on 28 June during a weekly rally in a West Bank village and charged withentering a closed military zone. —AFP

CAIRO: Liberal opposition leaderMohamed ElBaradei, who was named asEgypt’s new vice president for foreignaffairs on Tuesday, is a respected formerhead of UN nuclear watchdog theInternational Atomic Energy Agency.ElBaradei’s appointment, which followsthe military overthrow of Islamist presi-dent Mohamed Morsi last week, comesdays after he was tipped to lead the cabi-net but his nomination was rejected bythe ultra-conservative Salafist party Al-Nur.

ElBaradei returned to Egypt inFebruary 2010 after retiring as IAEA chief,and forged close ties with the liberal pro-democracy movement that spearheadedthe overthrow of Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year rule in February, 2011. The Tamarodcampaign behind the protests that led toMorsi’s ouster and replacement by care-taker president Adly Mansour hadalready nominated ElBaradei to representthe movement in transition negotiationswith the military.

In January 2012, his decision to quitthe race for the presidency was seen inEgypt as a slap in the face for post-Mubarak military rulers and one depriv-ing liberals of a key champion. In lateJune this year, he urged Morsi to resignafter one year in office for the sake ofnational unity, ahead of record opposi-tion-backed rallies calling on the Islamistleader to step down. “For Egypt’s sake, Icall on President Mohamed Morsi toresign and give us the opportunity tobegin a new phase based on the princi-ples of the revolution, which are freedomand social justice,” ElBaradei said lastmonth.

Rather than join a political party, the71-year-old Nobel Peace laureate createda movement of his own to act as anumbrella for a range of oppositiongroups-the National Association forChange. ElBaradei, who is untainted bythe allegations of corruption that sur-rounded Mubarak’s regime, was howevercriticized by opposition groups forspending too much time abroad andbeing out of touch with Egypt’s reality.

His 12 years as the public face of theUN nuclear watchdog nonethelessearned him respect at home, where hewas awarded the country’s highest hon-our, the Nile Shas, in 2006. Ahead of the2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, he wonadmiration around the world and infuri-ated Washington by challenging claimsthat Saddam Hussein was hiding a secretnuclear program. No nuclear weaponswere later found by US-led forces.ElBaradei is not a noted orator, but hasearned a reputation for speaking hismind. He has lambasted what he calls thedouble standards of countries that havenuclear weapons but prevent other

countries from obtaining them.He was born on June 17, 1942, in

Cairo, where his lawyer father headed thebar association, a position that some-times put him at odds with the thenEgyptian strongman Gamal Abdel Nasser.Following in his father ’s footsteps,ElBaradei earned his law degree at the

University of Cairo in 1962. Two years lat-er, he joined the diplomatic service andwas assigned to the missions in Genevaand New York, where he earned a doctor-ate in international law and later taught.

He has written that his New York yearswere among the most formative, helpingto broaden his world view. As specialassistant to the foreign minister, ElBaradeiserved on the negotiating team at thehistoric Camp David peace talks that ledto Egypt’s peace treaty and diplomaticrelations with Israel. ElBaradei began hisUN career in 1980, and was sent to Iraq inthe wake of the 1991 Gulf war to disman-tle Saddam’s nuclear program. In 1997, hewas chosen as head of the IAEA, a rolethat gave him a global profile and led toconfrontations with Washington, firstover Iraq and later over Iran.

When Washington claimed Iraq wasbuying uranium in Africa, ElBaradei dis-missed the evidence before the UNSecurity Council as fake. The WashingtonPost reported that ElBaradei’s Viennatelephone was bugged by the US CentralIntelligence Agency. In 2005, ElBaradeiand the IAEA won the Nobel peace prizefor their efforts “to prevent nuclear ener-gy from being used for military purpos-es and to ensure that nuclear energyfor peaceful purposes is used in thesafest possible way”. ElBaradei, who ismarried to kindergarten teacher AidaElk ashef, has a son, Mostafa and adaughter Laila. —AFP

ElBaradei - Egypt’s new vice president

Egyptian liberal leader Mohamed ElBaradei

ISTANBUL: Kurdish rebels have named a veteransenior militant as co-head of their political wing,replacing a relative moderate and clouding thefuture of a peace process with the Turkish statethat has been disrupted by renewed violence.The umbrella political group of the KurdistanWorkers Party (PKK) publicly reaffirmed yester-day a commitment to ending the conflict, whichhas killed 40,000 people in 29 years. But theousting of Murat Karayilan as deputy to jailedPKK leader Abdullah Ocalan in favour of veteranhawk Cemil Bayik and female militant BeseHozat as joint heads of the political wing coin-cided with a faltering in the peace process inrecent weeks.

It has lost momentum in the face of renewedPKK attacks and Turkish criticism of the pace of arebel withdrawal from Turkey into northern Iraq

that began in May. Bayik, a long-time senior fig-ure in the PKK’s military wing, and Hozat werepromoted over Karayilan at a meeting of itsexecutive council in northern Iraq at the start ofJuly. Ocalan, who launched peace talks withAnkara last year and called a ceasefire in March,remains the overall head despite being impris-oned on an island near Istanbul since 1999.

The PKK council pledged in a statement topursue peace efforts “despite the negativestance of the government ... We call on everyoneto take part in the democratic struggle so that allcan live together fraternally on the basis of asolution to the Kurdish problem and Turkey’sdemocratization”. The statement gave no reasonfor Karayilan’s removal. Turkish media saidKarayilan had been named head of the PKK mili-tary wing but this could not immediately be

confirmed. The decisions were taken at a six-day“general meeting” of the PKK umbrella group onnorthern Iraq’s Qandil mountain. Some 162 dele-gates from Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran took part.

Pro-Kurdish politicians are pressing the gov-ernment to make good on reforms pledgedunder the peace process to improve the rights ofKurds, who comprise 20 percent of Turkey’s 76million population, and they launched a summerof protests in June. A Kurdish youth was shotdead in a protest against the construction of amilitary outpost in the mainly Kurdish southeastof Turkey on June 28. Concerns about theprocess rose further last week when PKK fightersattacked two military outposts in the southeast,breaking a three-month-old truce. But Turkishofficials denied militant reports that a soldierhad been killed. —Reuters

CAIRO: Egypt’s interim charter hit a waveof opposition shortly after it wasannounced - from liberals as well as sup-porters of Islamist former presidentMohamed Morsi, illustrating the treacher-ous political landscape following hisouster. The blueprint unveiled by army-appointed caretaker President AdlyMansour has been welcomed by some asa decisive step towards restoring civilianrule in Egypt, amid heightened tensionsbetween the army and Islamists in anincreasingly bloody transition.

The charter outlines the president’spowers, while laying out a timetable torevise the suspended constitution andhold fresh parliamentary and presidentialelections, possibly by early next year. Butin a major blow to hopes that the non-Islamist parties might rally behindMonday’s transition plan the National

Salvation Front (NSF), Egypt’s main oppo-sition coalition, said it rejected the consti-tutional decree, while the liberal FreeEgyptians Party called it “highly disap-pointing.”

Secular criticism has focused notablyon article one in the charter that upholdsa stricter definition of Islamic Sharia lawas the main source of legislation, in whatis widely seen as a concession to theSalafist Al-Nur party. The provision nar-rowing Islamic law to the principles ofSunni thought first appeared in the con-troversial constitution that Morsi forcedthrough last year and which was sus-pended following last week’s coup.

Shaheeb Wageeh, spokesman for theFree Egyptians Party, said the Shariaclause was included to “appease a politi-cal party that has been trying to imposeits vision on society,” referring to Al-Nur.

Others raised concerns about the elec-tion timetable, seen as particularly ambi-tious given the ongoing protests andsecurity problems, the extensive powersof the president and the unchecked privi-leges of the military, who intervened lastweek to depose Egypt’s first democrati-cally elected leader.

Gamal Eid, an Egyptian lawyer whoworks for a human rights NGO, said thetext gave the army too much discretionover prosecuting soldiers and civilians inmilitary tribunals, a concern echoed byHeba Morayef from Human RightsWatch. “This decree has broadened outthe military justice system... At presentthe military has absolute jurisdictionwhen it comes to trying its own people,”she said.

Army accountability has been thrownsharply into focus since Monday morning

when at least 51 people, mostly Morsiloyalists, were killed outside the Cairo mil-itary headquarters, stoking the Islamists’anger towards the army. The MuslimBrotherhood claimed police and troops“massacred” their supporters as they per-formed dawn prayers, while the armysaid it came under attack by “terrorists.”After the incident, the Brotherhoodrejected the interim charter outright, withsenior official Essam Al-Erian saying “aconstitutional decree by a man appoint-ed by putschists... brings the countryback to square one.”

Meanwhile anti-Morsi factions refus-ing to endorse the transition plan havecomplained in particular about not beingconsulted before it was announced, high-lighting the problem of consensus for theEgypt’s new leadership. They include theNSF coalition and the grassroots Tamarod

campaign which organized the massiveprotests that led to the Islamist presi-dent’s downfall. Tamarod spokesmanMahmud Badr said his movement wouldmake proposals for changes to the blue-print, which they would present toMansour later on Tuesday.

Some observers remained optimistic,however, that the charter marks a keystep in Egypt’s democratic transition.Political analyst Emad Gad said the newdecree would help restore stability byboosting what he called the “new coop-eration” between anti-Islamist protestersand the military. “The civic power demon-strators of the June 30 revolution are try-ing to support the interim president. Sowhen they see the transitional periodprogressing, I believe they will decide toleave the streets and support the coun-try’s new institutions.”—AFP

Interim charter row reflects rocky road ahead for Egypt

PKK promotes hawk as peace process falters

I N T E R N AT I O N A LTHHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

GOLAN HEIGHTS: Israel is bolstering its forceson the once-quiet frontier with Syria where itbelieves Lebanese Hezbollah militants arepreparing for the day when they could fightIsrael. Syria’s civil war has brought an end todecades of calm on the Golan Heights, a strip ofland which Israel captured in the 1967 MiddleEast war. Battles between rebels fighting againstPresident Bashar Al-Assad’s forces in Syrian vil-lages nearby are being watched intensely byIsrael’s military.

Hezbollah, which is also backed by Iran, hassent thousands of its own fighters to combatSyrian rebels, according to Israeli and Westernestimates. Israel last fought Hezbollah in a 2006Lebanon war and still closely monitors theLebanese border. Israel says Hezbollah has tensof thousands of rockets in its south Lebanonstronghold. The Jewish state is worried Hezbollahis making initial preparations for future con-frontation with it on a new front with Syria and isaccruing valuable combat experience on theSyrian battlefield. An Israeli source said the groupis gathering intelligence on Israel’s deploymenton the strategic Golan plateau. “It is not at analarming level now but we understand theirintentions,” said the source, who asked not to beidentified because of the sensitivity of the securi-ty and political situation in the area. Hezbollah’sleader, Hassan Nasrallah, threatened in May toturn the Golan into a new front against Israel.“Since Nasrallah’s threat, more (Israeli) army com-panies have been sent up, more tanks,” an Israelimilitary source at the Booster military outpost onthe Golan. “Hezbollah has an intelligence pres-ence (in the Golan) that we know of.”

HOT SPOT Booster is about 2 km from a disengagement

line set after Israel and Syria fought on the Golanin 1973 and Israeli tanks have just moved backinto the position for the first time since then.Daytime is peaceful on the rocky outcrop thatgives a turret-top view of Syrian villages below,with birdsong echoing across sun-scorchedfields. That changes at nightfall. “Every nightthere is fighting (in the villages across the fron-tier), explosions and shooting all through thenight. This is the hottest spot on the GolanHeights,” Shilo said. “As far as we’re concerned,any bullet that crosses over is intentional.” A UNobserver force monitors the area of separationbetween Syrian and Israeli forces, a narrow stripof land running 70 km from Mount Hermon onthe Lebanese border to the Yarmouk River fron-tier with Jordan. The observers have been caughtin the middle of fighting between Syrian troopsand rebels. Stray shells and bullets have landedon the Israeli-controlled side of the Golan, andIsraeli troops have fired into Syria in response.

The rebels have detained peacekeepers on sever-al different occasions before releasing them.Japan and Croatia have withdrawn troops due tothe violence as has Austria with the gap beingfilled by soldiers from Fiji.

Among the rebels fighting the Syrian army arejihadi and Qaeda-linked groups, which Israel says

are also a future threat to the Jewish state. “Weknow they are busy now but once it ends theywill turn their guns on us,” said the militarysource. “We have learnt our lessons from Sinai,”the source said, referring to the Egyptian penin-sula where Islamist militants have launchedattacks on Egyptian soldiers and across the bor-der at Israel amid deepening turmoil in Egypt.“We’re not waiting for an attack (from Syria).We’re building the border fence, we have sent uptanks, more regiments, field intelligence ... andincreased observations.”

SURVEILLANCEIsrael is particularly worried that Hezbollah

will get hold of advanced weapon systems orchemical arms in Syria. Israel has struck insideSyria at least three times in the past few monthsagainst what it believed to be anti-aircraft andadvanced ground missiles destined for thegroup. Foreign forces destroyed advancedRussian anti-ship missiles in Syria last week,

rebels said on Tuesday - a disclosure thatappeared to point to an Israeli raid. Israel has notconfirmed or denied involvement.

The army has also deployed a high-tech sur-veillance system along the Syria front, whichimmediately zeroes in on any suspicious move-ments approaching Israeli-held territory. “It is crit-

ical for us to know who is sitting there - if it’s anIslamist jihadi or a rebel who just wants todefend his family,” the military source said. InJune, the Syrian army and Hezbollah capturedthe strategic Syrian town Qusair from rebelforces. Israel watched closely and last month helda military drill that simulated taking over a north-ern Israeli town of Safed in preparation for possi-ble conflict.

Israeli military sources on the Israel-Lebanonborder said that despite its deep involvement inSyria, Hezbollah has not loosened its grip on theborder area in south Lebanon. “Hezbollah’s legiti-macy in the Arab world is cracking over itsinvolvement in Syria,” said one source on theLebanon border. “But on the other hand, if theycome under a lot of pressure they could chose toignite the border.” Israeli commanders havenoticed that Hezbollah had taken down some ofits flags, as well as those of Iran, that once hungproudly in the border villages, a sign it could beworried about its image. — Reuters

NYALA: Elite troops have been deployed inSudan’s second-largest city after days of vio-lence among members of the securityforces, as residents begin the Muslim holymonth of Ramadan in fear of new clashes.An AFP correspondent was the first from aforeign news organization to arrive in Nyala,the capital of South Darfur state, since theworst outbreak of urban warfare in Sudan’sfar-west region in recent memory. Mostfighting in Darfur has occurred in poverty-stricken rural regions and smaller communi-ties.

State officials blamed “differences”among members of the security forces forthe battles which began inside Nyala onJuly 3. Fighting left a war crimes suspectwounded and killed two Sudanese WorldVision aid workers, among others.

Travelling into the city about six kilome-ters from the Nyala airport, the correspon-dent said he counted about 12 gun-mount-ed SUV vehicles belonging to the NationalIntelligence and Security Service (NISS) - thecountry’s most elite forces, which are sepa-rate from the army. Up to 10 troops werestationed with each gun car. “It is calm butwe don’t trust this calm because everyonehas weapons, and they are not under con-trol. They can use them at any time,” oneresident said, afraid to give his name.

Fighting in Nyala was sparked last weekwhen security forces allegedly killed a noto-rious local bandit who was also an officer inthe paramilitary Central Reserve Police.Darfuri members of the Reserve formerlybelonged to the Janjaweed, a government-backed militia which shocked the worldwith atrocities against ethnic minority civil-

ians suspected of supporting rebels. Theethnic minority rebels began their uprisingagainst the Arab-dominated Khartoumregime in 2003.

Security problems have been com-pounded by inter-tribal fighting, kidnap-pings, carjackings and other crimes, manysuspected to be the work of government-linked militia and paramilitary groups. Acurfew is in effect from midnight butmasked gunmen on Tuesday night kid-napped a local businessman, Issa Adam, ashe drove with his family, a relative said.Adam operates a large shop in one of thecity’s main markets, selling sorghum andother essential commodities, the relativesaid. Signs of the recent fighting are obvi-ous in the city.

Behind the locked gates of the WorldVision compound, numerous small holesfrom bullets or shrapnel could be seen inthe walls of a villa which served as thegroup’s office, until a suspected rocket-pro-pelled grenade exploded last Thursday. Itleft two staffers of the aid group dead and athird critically wounded. The two-storeycourthouse, one of the city’s largest build-ings, is also bullet-scarred, as is Nyala’s besthotel, the Coral. About 20 riot policemenwith an armored vehicle protected the localbranch of the Central Bank, which was openfor business yesterday. Hardship faces Nyalaresidents as they begin the Ramadanmonth of dawn-to-dusk fasting. They saidthe city has been without electricity for twodays. A taxi driver reported the price ofpetrol at 50 Sudanese pounds ($7) a gallon(4.5 liters), or about four times the price inthe capital Khartoum. —Reuters

JUBA: South Sudan’s parliament has passed two bills toimprove press freedom, an official said yesterday, amove reporters in the African country hope willstrengthen their rights in the face of regular harassmentby the authorities. Journalists in South Sudan, whichseceded from Sudan in 2011, often complain of obstruc-tion and arbitrary detention by the security forces, aloose conglomeration of former militias from decades ofcivil war with Khartoum. Reporters said it remained tobe seen how the plans - under discussion for more thanfive years - would be enforced by a government madeup largely of former guerrilla commanders who areused to acting with impunity and dislike any scrutiny.

The first of the two bills approved by the nationalassembly grants every citizen the right to informationunless it poses a threat to national security or someone’sprivacy, said Louis Baptist from the ministry of parlia-mentary affairs. The second bill, approved late onMonday, sets up an independent body overseeing presscoverage and dealing with any complaints, said Baptist,adding that both bills would be sent this week toPresident Salva Kiir for his signature.

“The bills are very, very important to the develop-ment of journalism in South Sudan,” said Alfred Taban,editor of the daily Juba Monitor who was detained inMay for running a report accusing a deputy minister ofkilling a police officer. Taban said the new media bodywould deal with any future complaints, not the police aspreviously. Other journalists struck a more cautiousnote. “It’s definitely a step forward but we have tosee...whether the security forces respect the new mediaauthority,” said one senior journalist who asked not tobe identified.

Also, South Sudan’s court system is notoriously ineffi-cient as few laws have been approved yet and judgesstill need to be trained. Last month, authorities in a cen-tral region of the country suspended a Catholic radiostation for several days after it investigated the suspi-cious death of a prisoner. —Reuters

KHARTOUM: The former chief ofSudan’s powerful intelligence service,who faced a possible death sentencefor his alleged role in a coup plot, wasfreed under an amnesty yesterday, hislawyer said. Salah Gosh “was releasedbecause of the amnesty given byPresident Bashir to all those who par-ticipated in the coup,” Nabeel Adeebsaid.

Gosh walked free on the first day ofthe Muslim holy month of Ramadan.He was the most high-profile figuredetained last November in connectionwith the alleged coup plot against the24-year regime of Omar Al-Bashir.Gosh is also one of the last to obtainamnesty, after soldiers and intelli-gence officers were earlier pardoned.A witness said Gosh was greeted withjubilation when he reached his house.“There is a crowd of people celebrat-ing by sacrificing sheep,” the witnesssaid. “Many of his relatives are here.”

Gosh was charged in June underthe criminal code and anti-terrorismlaw for his alleged role in the conspir-acy, another lawyer, Ali Al-Saeed, saidat the time. Lawyers were seeking tohave the charges thrown out beforethe case reached trial. Gosh headedSudan’s national intelligence servicefor about a decade until Bashirreplaced him in 2009. During histenure Gosh boosted cooperationwith the American CentralIntelligence Agency. After leaving thesecurity service he became presiden-tial security adviser but was sacked inearly 2011.

He had been pushing for dialoguewith the political opposition. In AprilBashir pardoned about 15 securityagents and military men who hadbeen jailed for their roles in the coupplot. Analysts say the case reflects apolitical struggle within Bashir’s gov-ernment. Officials have never

revealed more than vague detailsabout the conspiracy which analystssaid was linked to committed Islamistofficers. They had once firmly backedthe regime but then accused the gov-ernment of corruption and otherproblems which, they felt, marked aturn away from Islamic values.

Gosh himself is not part of theIslamist camp. Bashir seized power inan Islamist-backed 1989 coup. Hisgovernment is facing a variety of chal-lenges including a rebel offensivewhich widened this year with a pushinto a previously peaceful part of thecountry in what analysts called ahumiliation for the authorities.Security has also deteriorated in far-west Darfur, while the economy con-tinues to struggle with high inflationand a weak currency. In April Bashirannounced an amnesty for all politicalprisoners, which saw some jailedopposition activists freed. — AFP

NYALA: Sudanese men inspect the damage at a market in the city of Nyala, in theDarfur region, which was burnt and looted as fighting continues in the region. ñ AFP

Sudan Elite troops deployed in Nyala

Israel strengthens border with an eye on Hezbollah

Hezbollah threatens new Golan front against Israel

ZEELIM: An Israeli soldier holds up a Skylark I (Rochev Shamayim) unmanned drone as part of ademonstration for Israel’s Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon (center) in an urban warfare armytraining facility in southern Israel. The facility, that is designed as a mock Arab village, is usedto train Israeli soldiers in close urban combat scenarios. - AP

Sudan’s ex-intel boss amnestied

LONDON: Syria’s huge array of chemical weapons could fallinto the hands of militants if President Bashar Al-Assad wastoppled, with “catastrophic” consequences, according to areport by senior British lawmakers published yesterday.Britain’s foreign intelligence services had no doubt Syriaowned “vast stockpiles” of such weapons, including mus-tard gas, sarin, ricin and VX, the deadliest nerve agent, par-liament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) said inits report.

“There has to be a significant risk that some of the coun-try’s chemical weapons stockpile could fall into the handsof those with links to terrorism, in Syria or elsewhere in theregion - if this happens, the consequences could be cata-strophic,” the committee said. The conflict in Syria has killed100,000 people, driven a 1.7 million more abroad asrefugees and left swathes of urban Syria in ruins, althoughneither the violence nor economic collapse has truly shakenAssad’s power base.

Nonetheless there was a risk of “a highly worrying prolif-eration around the time of regime fall,” the head of Britain’sSecret Intelligence Service told the committee. Both forcesloyal to Assad and rebels involved in the two-year uprisingagainst the president have been accused of using chemicalweapons during fierce fighting.

Syria is one of seven countries not to have joined a 1997convention banning chemical weapons. Last month, theUnited States said Assad’s forces had used the nerve agentsarin on a small scale multiple times against oppositionfighters, an assessment with which the British governmentsaid it agreed. On Tuesday, Russian’s UN envoy reportedthat Russian scientific analysis had indicated that Syrianrebels had also used sarin in an attack on the city of Aleppoin March. The committee said the SIS had told them that“the most worrying point about our intelligence on Syria’sattitude to chemical weapons is how low a threshold theyhave for its use.” The report also said that Britain’s spy chiefsbelieved Al-Qaeda groups and individual militants whohave gained expertise and experience in Syria posed thebiggest emerging threat to the West.— Reuters

S Sudan backsplans to boost press freedom

Risk of chemicalcatastrophe if Assadgoes: UK lawmakers

I N T E R N AT I O N A LTHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

PRAGUE: The police raids that broughtdown the Czech Republic’s prime ministerlast month were an off-shoot of anotherinvestigation into organized crime whichcould expose a web of corruption that hasspread through this European Unionmember state. Prosecutors are not givingdetails of their probe, but local media, cit-ing what they say are leaked prosecutiondocuments, say it focuses on individualsknown here as “godfathers” - fixers whoact as the interface between the worlds ofpolitics and business.

“These are people who use all kinds ofunsavoury networks to get what theywant,” said Jiri Pehe, a former advisor to ex-Czech leader Vaclav Havel. “They are nowunder investigation for the first time, final-ly, and this is a real breakthrough.” Czechprosecutors have said they are conductinga single investigation made up of threestrands which they say are related -charges of bribery, the alleged abuse ofpower by officials, and an element relatedto organized crime.

Last month police, some in balaclavasand with automatic weapons, raided gov-ernment offices, banks and private homes.They charged eight people, some withbribery and some with abuse of power,including an aide to Prime Minister PetrNecas. Necas stepped down, saying thatthough he was unaware of any wrongdo-ing, the affair was too much of a distrac-tion. On Monday, prosecutors asked par-liament to lift Necas’s immunity so he canbe charged with allegedly offering postsin state firms to three members of parlia-ment. The former prime minister, whowon respect for tackling corruption whenin office, said he would fight the accusa-tions.

None of the people charged so far is

accused of any organized-crime relatedoffences. But prosecutor Ivo Istvan toldCzech television the three strands werebeing handled as one investigationbecause the same individual or individualsfeatured in more than one of the strands.Czech newspapers, citing what they sayare leaked police documents, say prosecu-tors, while investigating the organizedcrime suspects, stumbled on evidencewhich led them to bring the othercharges, not related to organized crime.

Even after the eight people had beencharged - sending shockwaves throughthe Czech political establishment - theprosecutors running the investigation,based far from the capital in the provin-cial city of Olomouc to ensure impartiali-ty, told reporters they were still workingon their investigation and looking intoother suspects. “We have been investigat-ing an organized criminal group,” RobertSlachta, chief of the police’s anti-orga-nized crime police unit, said at a briefingafter the raids, adding that this portion ofthe broader investigation was still under-way.

The investigation is the first timedetectives have tried to shine a powerfullight into the back-rooms of Czech publiclife since this country of 10.5 million peo-ple shook off Communism in its 1989Velvet Revolution. A robust investigationwould help reassure foreign investors,who want to put money in emergingEurope because it offers higher returnsthan established economies, but areoften put off by graft. They would alsohelp the Czech public regain trust in therule of law.

SYSTEM OF GRAFTPolice and prosecutors have declined

to give any more details about who theyare investigating, citing concerns that anyinformation could tip their hand to theirsuspects. Slachta, the senior policeman,said at the same news conference thatthe investigation was looking at thealleged organized criminals’ “clientelisticconnections”, a term the police use torefer to a system of patronage.

According to official reports, legal doc-uments from other cases, and VaclavLaska, a former police office who is nowan anti-graft campaigner, the systemworks like this: the “godfathers” colludewith officials to make sure that chosenfirms are awarded government contracts.These are handed out at inflated prices.The profits are shared out between thebusinessmen, the fixers and the politi-cians. The cash is laundered out of thecountry via firms with complex ownershipinto tax havens, Laska, the former detec-tive, said. The Czech counter-intelligenceagency, BIS, said in its 2011 annual reportsuch a phenomenon undermined citizens’trust in public institutions and therefore“threatens the very democratic founda-tions of the rule of law.”

SEARCH WARRANTSDuring the same series of raids last

month that led to the arrests of the primeminister ’s aide and others, policesearched, among other places, the homesand offices of two men: Roman Janousekand Ivo Rittig. Both are businessmen.Lawyers for the two men, who deny theirclients were involved in any unlawfulactivity, say prosecutors are investigatingthem as part of the same broader probeunder which the eight people have beencharged.

The two men have not been detained

by police or charged with any offence.Prosecutors have not said what strand oftheir investigation the two fall under, orwhy their homes were searched. Bothmen, through their lawyers, declined tobe interviewed by Reuters. “The reason-ing in the search warrant is...they are sus-pected of crime, mainly in relation to pub-lic procurement at Prague city hall,” saidVit Siroky, a lawyer for Janousek. “I believe(my client did nothing wrong) but policedo not think so and suspect him of seri-ous crime.

They did not collect the evidence theybelieved they would in the house search-es. In my opinion, evidence gathered sofar does not justify initiation of a criminalinvestigation.” Janousek is not known atpresent to be the owner or director of anycompany that supplies goods and servic-es to city hall. In an unrelated case, he isawaiting trial for attempted murder afterhis Porsche Cayenne sports utility vehiclecrashed into a woman in a Prague streetlast year.

His lawyer said Janousek did not seethe woman he hit, and denies the charge.Rittig’s lawyer, Karolina Babakova, con-firmed her client’s premises weresearched and that he was a suspect in thebroader investigation. She said he “cate-gorically excluded” any illegal activity. Henow resides in Monaco, but Babakovasaid he would be willing to cooperatewith police.

CIVIL CASEBabakova said police working on the

broader investigation were looking into acontract under which Rittig’s firm sup-plied a code of ethics for a state forestryfirm. Police searched the forestry firm’soffice as part of last month’s raids. She

said the code of ethics contract was inline with the law. A spokesman for theforestry company declined to commentto Reuters, beyond saying the firm wascooperating with police. Rittig is alsoinvolved in a civil suit. There is no evi-dence of whether this also figures in theprosecutors’ investigation, but the suitmay contain clues about Rittig’s businessactivities.

In the civil case, Rittig had sued a non-governmental organization (NGO), calledAnti-corruption Endowment, for defama-tion over allegations it made that Rittig had“probably” earned large sums of money bytaking a fee from the supply of public trans-port tickets in Prague. The NGO did notestablish definitively that he had siphonedoff cash. Rittig, through his lawyers, says hehas no contracts linking him to the publictransport tickets, so the implication of theNGO’s allegation was that he was earningthe money improperly.

The judge last month threw out Rittig’sdefamation suit. In his ruling, based onthe NGO’s assertion that Rittig had “prob-ably” earned cash from the tickets, thejudge said there was a link between thebusinessman and the public transportoperator. “A string of individual contractsleading all the way to Ivo Rittig wasproven,” the judge, Tomas Novosad, said.

He reiterated the comments he madein court during a telephone interviewwith Reuters. The lawyer for Rittig said herclient would appeal the judge’s decisionon the defamation claim because, shesaid, the link between her client and thetransport operator was not proven. “It wasnot, and it will be shown in further pro-ceedings,” Babakova said. The publictransport company did not respond toemailed questions. —Reuters

Czech prosecutors target organized crime network

Corruption deep-seated in Czech public life

PRAGUE: (First row, left to right) New Interior Minister Martin Pecina, NewCzech Minister of Finance Jan Fischer, Czech President Milos Zeman andCzech Prime Minister Jiri Rusnok pose for photographers with other mem-bers of new Czech cabinet yesterday at Hradcany Castle. —AFP

VIKERSUND: Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and NorwegianLabor Party’s Youth Organization (AUF) Leader Eskil Pedersen (right) attendthe AUF (Workers’ Youth League) camp on Gulsrud camp at Vikersund inModum. The AUF is Norway’s largest political youth organization and is affili-ated with the Norwegian Labour Party. —AFP

Berlusconi ruling shakes

stability of Italian govt Party up in arms over Supreme Court decision

ROME: Silvio Berlusconi’s party boycotted asummit of Italy’s fragile coalition governmentand blocked parliamentary activity yesterday inprotest against a Supreme Court decision to fasttrack a ruling that could ban him from publicoffice. Almost all activity in both chambers ofparliament was suspended for a day because ofthe protest by Berlusconi’s People of Freedom(PDL) Party, one of the two main partners in

Enrico Letta’s left-right coalition government. The court decision has aggravated tension in

the squabbling coalition which was alreadyunder fire for the slow pace of reforms desper-ately needed to boost recovery from the worstrecession since World War Two. The SupremeCourt was forced yesterday to issue an unusualstatement defending its decision to hearBerlusconi’s final appeal on July 30 against a taxfraud conviction. The 76-year-old media mag-nate’s lawyers had not expected a ruling untillate in the year.

The court will rule on whether to uphold afour-year jail term and five-year ban on holding

public office for complicity in tax fraud atBerlusconi’s Mediaset television empire.Although Berlusconi will probably escape jailbecause of his age if the sentence is confirmed,he could be thrown out of parliament in whatwould be a major shock to Letta’s fragile govern-ment. Letta said on Tuesday night the govern-ment would survive whatever happened butsome hawks in Berlusconi’s party are thought to

want to force an election as early as October ifhe is condemned.

In an attempt to ensure PDL loyalty, Lettaagain promised in a television interview that hewould abolish a hated housing tax which is thePDL’s central demand, despite the difficulty ofdoing this while remaining within EuropeanUnion budget constraints. The Supreme Courtsaid it had been forced to call a special summerholiday sitting on July 30 because otherwisepart of the case against Berlusconi would haveexpired under the statute of limitations on Aug1. Berlusconi’s legal team say the expirationwould not occur until late September.

UNDEMOCRATIC PERSECUTIONBerlusconi and his aides believe the court

decision, in sharp contrast to the usual snail’space of Italy’s legal system, is another exampleof what he calls sustained and undemocraticpersecution by leftist magistrates. The formerpremier said the decision was inspired by hisenemies in the Milan prosecutor’s office whohave brought many cases against him, includ-ing his recent conviction for paying for sex witha Moroccan-born underage nightclub dancernicknamed “Ruby the Heartstealer” and abusinghis office to try to cover it up. He was sentencedto seven years jail in the “bunga bunga” case lastmonth but that sentence will not become defin-itive until two appeals are exhausted.

Berlusconi has played a key role since Letta’sgovernment was formed in April in keeping hishawkish lieutenants on a tight leash, but theSupreme Court decision has caused anger andresentment in his party with demands for streetprotests and blocking of all parliamentary activ-ity. A substantial faction of Letta’s own centre-left Democratic Party also opposes the govern-ment alliance with Berlusconi but PresidentGiorgio Napolitano, the effective godfather ofthe coalition, is adamantly opposed to earlyelections in the midst of Italy’s worst postwarrecession.

Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s cut Italy’ssovereign credit rating on Tuesday to just twonotches above junk because of concerns aboutthe economy, third largest in the euro zone,which has been dogged by extremely sluggishgrowth for more than a decade. Napolitano, 88,who has greatly increased his loosely definedpowers since last year, stepped in to bang headstogether and force the formation of a coalitiongovernment following a long hiatus after incon-clusive elections in February.

Analysts say there are several factors thatmay force Berlusconi to resist the temptation tobring down the government even if theSupreme Court rules against him. One is that thedueling coalition partners have still notreformed a dysfunctional electoral law whichcould produce another impasse if an election isheld in the autumn. The second is that if the PDLwalks out of the government, Letta’s DemocraticParty could form an anti-Berlusconi alliance withthe populist 5-Star Movement of former comicBeppe Grillo, which would aggravate the billion-aire businessman’s problems. —Reuters

Italian former premier Silvio Berlusconi

PRAGUE: Czech President Milos Zeman swore in acabinet led by a longtime ally yesterday but it facesalmost certain rejection by parties in parliament,raising the spectre of prolonged political uncertaintyin the central European nation. That would increasethe risk of gridlock in policymaking which couldhold up a 2014 budget plan and rattle investors,who have long viewed the Czech Republic as a safehaven among emerging economies. Zeman, a leftist,confirmed economist Jiri Rusnok as prime minister,hoping that he can pull the economy out of a reces-sion now into its second year and lead the countryinto an election due next year.

But the cabinet is likely to lose a vote of confi-dence, due within 30 days, as Rusnok’s appointmenthas infuriated both the three parties of the outgoingcentre-right coalition and the leftist opposition, whoall view it as a power grab by Zeman. Rusnok saidafter the swearing-in that he would negotiate withparties to try to win support for his government inthe confidence vote expected early next month.Rusnok, who served as finance minister in a Zeman-led cabinet a decade ago, replaces Petr Necas, whoresigned last month after a close aide was chargedwith bribery and illegal spying on Necas’s wife,whom he is divorcing.

Prosecutors have asked parliament to lift the for-mer premier’s parliamentary immunity so he can becharged as well. Necas said he would fight thecharges. Zeman said Rusnok’s government shouldensure prosecutors’ independence in the investiga-tion. “The government’s task will be to prevent any

political pressure in the ongoing investigations andto fully respect the independence of the police andstate attorneys,” Zeman said at the swearing-in cere-mony. “I believe that you will be a guarantee thataffairs will not be swept under the carpet.”

Zeman was elected in the country’s first directpresidential election in January and says has astronger mandate than predecessors chosen byparliament, allowing him to take bold actionagainst the deeply unpopular outgoing coalition.The three former ruling centre-right parties say theycommand 101 seats in the 200-member lower anddemand they be given a chance to form a new gov-ernment.

If Rusnok loses the confidence vote, Zemanwould need to appoint another prime minister. Butthere are no time limits and rival politicians fearZeman could drag out the process to keep hisfavorites in power longer. The opposition SocialDemocrats, who lead opinion polls by a wide mar-gin, are pushing for an early election before thenext general vote scheduled for May 2014. The cen-tre-right’s candidate for prime minister, housespeaker Miroslava Nemcova, called the new govern-ment “toxic” and left the swearing-in ceremony ear-ly to avoid a glass of wine with the new ministers.The cabinet includes several people who haveworked as advisers to Zeman and current and for-mer members of a pro-Zeman faction of the SocialDemocratic party, which the current president leduntil 2001. The party leadership has asked them tosuspend their party membership. —Reuters

Czech president swears in

cabinet; showdown looms

OSLO: On a sunny day in Oslo, Vegard GroeslieWennesland, a survivor of the shooting at the Labor Party’syouth camp on Utoeya island, gives out roses and discuss-es politics with shoppers. The 29-year old is hoping to getelected to parliament in September, along with 26 otherswho survived the attack by Anders Behring Breivik on July22 2011. Wennesland barricaded himself with others in ared wooden cabin and hid under a bed while Breivik shotdead 69 people hours after planting a car bomb outsidethe prime minister’s office in central Oslo, killing eight.

“Someone tried to kill me for what I believed in. So I amgoing to fight for it,” Wennesland says of his reasons forrunning for office for Labor. “It is taken for granted that wecan freely do politics. It should not be.” It is the first parlia-mentary vote since the attacks took place but the numberof young candidates is not unusual. Norway, like the otherNordic countries, has a long tradition of involving youngpeople early on in politics. The current Prime Minister,Labor’s Jens Stoltenberg, became a parliamentarian aged32 while his probable successor, the Conservatives’ ErnaSolberg, was elected aged 28.

However, the 27 survivors who have been picked fromthe AUF youth wing of the Labor Party to run are expectedto be slightly different to previous generations. The attacksappear to have affirmed the ideas of AUF members’ confi-dence in standing up for their views, which are traditional-

ly more left-leaning than the rest of Labor. Usually, oncethey get to parliament, they embrace the more main-stream views of the rest of the party.

But this generation is being let through even thoughthere is an expectation that they will stay faithful forlonger to different policies. “The July 22 generation is avery unique generation within the Labor Party: theirideas have been tested in a way that no generation sinceWorld War Two in Norway has,” said Gunn Karin Gjul, aLabor parliamentarian. The main disagreement with thewider labor party is on oil. AUF would like to permanent-ly shield some parts of Norway’s continental shelf to pro-tect the environment but the rest of the party believesthis is not necessary. The branches also differ on immigra-tion. AUF wants a more liberal policy compared to many inthe party. Breivik targeted the AUF camp because he want-ed to stop immigration from Muslims into Norway and hesaw AUF as a barrier to this. The survivors have won respectfrom senior Labor politicians for staying true to their beliefs.They could have questioned why Norway does not havethe death penalty, why Breivik did not have tougher prisonconditions or become bitter and aggressive, Gjul said.“Instead they reaffirmed their belief in democracy and therule of law ... They have the ability and personalities, theyhave a strong, passionate belief in democracy. “So it isextremely important we take care of them and enable

them to reach positions of power,” she said.

CRITICISMNot everybody in the Labor Party is as enthusiastic as

Gjul about the Utoeya generation coming up through AUF.Some in Labor believed that the AUF had taken advantageof their experiences although that debate has now sub-sided. “There was a time when the AUF cynically used whathappened at Utoeya for their own political gain,” said aLabor parliamentarian who did not want to be named.“Since Utoeya, it has been harder to oppose AUF.” The offi-cial also said the AUF has had more members since theattacks, so they carry more influence inside the party, mak-ing it harder to criticize although Gjul said the branch wasnot as influential as some thought.

Only a few of the hopefuls are expected to win office.In Norway a candidate’s ranking on a party list is crucial togetting elected. Many of the Utoeya survivors running forparliament are quite low on the list, having lost primarybattles for safe positions higher up. Only three of the 27survivors have rankings considered safe enough to getelected for sure. The others, like Wennesland, depend onLabor getting a strong election result. Current polls sug-gest the opposition Conservatives and their allies will winthe elections as voters are eager for change after eightyears of rule by Labor and its allies. —Reuters

Shooting survivors run for parliament

I N T E R N AT I O N A LTHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

BOGOTA: The last of the majorColombian drug lords - Daniel “El Loco”Barrera - on Tuesday was extradited tothe United States, where there had beena $5 million reward for his capture,Colombian police said. His capture inVenezuela last year marked the end of anera when Colombia was under the swayof powerful and violent drug lords likethe Medellin cartel’s notorious PabloEscobar, officials said. “This is the end ofthe last big capo of the 1980s,” GeneralJose Roberto Leon, the head of theColombia police, said as he turned overBarrera, to US Drug EnforcementAdministration agents at an air base inBogota.

Barrera, 43, who was deported toColombia after his capture, was shownto reporters wearing handcuffs and abullet-proof vest before being put on a

plane to New York. He arrived there lateTuesday, officials said. He is wanted byauthorities in New York and Florida forallegedly smuggling 900 tons of cocaineinto the United States and Europebetween 1992 and 2012, often in part-nership with leftist FARC guerrillas.Colombia is the world’s largest producerof cocaine, having made 345 tons of thedrug in 2011, according to UN estimates.

Leon said Barrera had broughttogether members of the FARC, criminalbands that grew out of right-wing para-military groups and international drugtraffickers. “Here ends the first genera-tion of the big Colombian drug traffick-ers,” he said. The government ofPresident Juan Manuel Santos is current-ly in peace talks with the FARC, as the8,000-member Revolutionary ArmedForces of Colombia is known. Barrera

operated in eastern Colombia, allegedlymoving cocaine through Venezuela tomarkets in the United States and Europe.His drug routes were said to extend intoPanama, Central America, Mexico, Brazil,Argentina and Uruguay.

He was captured in 1990,but escapedfrom prison several months later. Heapparently moved in 2008 to Venezuela,where he had several properties worthmillions of dollars. But feeling increasing-ly cornered, he opened discussions withUS authorities about his possible surren-der. His arrest in the Venezuelan borderstate of Tachira in September was theproduct of a multinational operationinvolving Colombia, Venezuela, theUnited States and the United Kingdom.Colombia’s Supreme Court approved hisextradition to the United States in anApril 4 ruling. — AFP

Colombia extradites drug boss to US

BOGOTA: Colombian drug trafficker Daniel Barrera aka ‘El Loco’ is escorted bypolicemen before being deported to the United States at the Anti-narcoticsPolice Airport on Tuesday. — AFP

FORT MEADE, Maryland: Secret files onGuantanamo detainees that a US soldier gave toWikiLeaks were simple biographical “baseballcards” that were of no use to America’s enemies,a former prosecutor at the prison testifiedTuesday. Defense lawyers for army privateBradley Manning, who has admitted to handingWikiLeaks a trove of classified files, are trying tocounter the government’s claim that the soldieris guilty of espionage because he leaked docu-ments that could threaten US national security.The defense team Tuesday focused on morethan 700 leaked files on inmates held atGuantanamo, known as “detainee assessmentbriefs,” including five that are cited in espionagecharges against Manning.

The former chief prosecutor of terror suspectsheld at the US prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,Morris Davis, told the court that the briefs con-tained basic biographical information aboutdetainees that could be obtained easily throughpublic sources. “It is just background informa-tion. We described them as ‘baseball cards’ it wasjust who the individual was, a ‘Who’s JohnSmith?’-type description of the individual,”Morris said. The former prosecutor said while theleak may have caused “embarrassment” toWashington, he could not see how adversarieswould gain any benefit from the papers. “If they(Al-Qaeda) are trying to gain some strategic, tac-tical advantage, the detainee assessment brief isnot the place to get it,” said Morris, a retiredcolonel and now an outspoken critic of theGuantanamo trials.

But prosecutors questioned Morris’s expertisein evaluating national security threats and havepreviously called a general to the stand who saidthe leaked Guantanamo papers could damageUS interests.

The prosecution also argued that Manningviolated the country’s Espionage Act becausethe Guantanamo files allegedly were deemed tobe highly secret or, in government parlance,“closely held”. Two other defense witnesses,described as intelligence experts, said theyreviewed battlefield reports and StateDepartment cables leaked by Manning andfound that in most cases, information in the doc-uments could be found in a Google search.

Out of 125 diplomatic cables cited in thecharges against Manning, some informationcontained in all but two of the cables could befound online, said Charles Ganiel, who hasworked with classified documents as a govern-ment employee and contractor. And out ofroughly 100 military battlefield reports disclosedby Manning, details in more than 60 of the docu-ments were easily found on the Internet in news

reports or Pentagon statements, Cassius Hall, ananalyst at the US Army Intelligence and SecurityCommand, told the court.

But under questioning by prosecutors, bothGaniel and Hall acknowledged only some detailswere accessible online in news reports. Manninghas already admitted giving WikiLeaks morethan 700,000 secret military intelligence filesand diplomatic cables in the worst leak of classi-fied information in US history. But he is fighting21 other charges, including the most seriouscount that he knew he was “aiding the enemy”by unloading the files to the secret-spilling web-site. That charge carries a maximum penalty oflife in prison.

Manning’s defense team on Monday filedmotions asking the military judge, ColonelDenise Lind, to dismiss the “aiding the enemy”charge and several other counts on groundsthat the prosecution lacked evidence. The out-come of the court martial, which is being heldat Fort Meade in Maryland near Washington DC,will hinge in part on Manning’s state of mindbefore the massive leak, as the government

must show he knew the documents could fallinto Al-Qaeda’s hands. Another witness testifiedMonday that months before the disclosures, thesoldier, now aged 25, spoke of trying to useknowledge from his extensive reading to helpsave lives in the Iraq war.

Manning’s online chat log was presentedduring testimony from Lauren McNamara, atransgender woman who had online conversa-tions with the soldier.

According to the log, Manning said: “What’seven better with my current position is that Ican apply what I learn to provide more informa-tion to my officers and commanders, and hope-fully save lives.”

The log was part of the defense’s effort topaint a picture of Manning as a principledyoung man who leaked files because he caredabout his country and the effect of its policies.For the “aiding the enemy” charge, the judgehas ruled the government must prove Manninghad “general evil intent” and he “had to know hewas dealing, directly or indirectly, with an ene-my of the United States.” — AFP

Leaked Gitmo ‘baseball cards’ had little value Soldier charged with leaking 700-plus prisoners’ bios

FORT MEADE, Maryland: In this June 28, 2013 file photo, Army Pfc Bradley Manning is escortedout of a courthouse after another day of his court-martial, as he is charged with indirectly aid-ing the enemy by sending troves of classified material to WikiLeaks. — AP

DORSET, Minnesota: Supporters of themayor in the tiny tourist town of Dorset canstuff the ballot box all they want as heseeks re-election. The mayor - a short guy -is known for his fondness of ice cream andfishing. And he’s got the county’s top lawenforcement official in his pocket. Say helloto Mayor Robert “Bobby” Tufts. He’s 4 yearsold and not even in school yet. Bobby wasonly 3 when he won election last year asmayor of Dorset (population 22 to 28,depending on whether the minister and hisfamily are in town). Dorset, which bills itselfas the Restaurant Capital of the World, hasno formal city government.

Every year the town draws a name dur-ing its Taste of Dorset Festival, and the win-ner gets to be mayor. Anyone can vote asmany times as they like - for $1 a vote - atany of the ballot boxes in stores aroundtown. Bobby is running for a second term,and he gets to draw the winning name Aug4, so it’s possible he could draw his ownname. Calls of “Mr Mayor” greet Bobby ashe strolls around Dorset, handing out hiscampaign card. One side shows Bobby, hisdark hair slicked down, wearing his tan fish-ing vest over a suit jacket. The other sideshows Bobby sitting in a porch swing withhis girlfriend, Sophie. “I would love to beyour Mayor as much as I love Sophie,” thecard reads. “He’s been pretty good. Lotta PRfor the town,” said his mother, Emma Tufts,

34. “I think he’s doing a fine job.” Bobby’sjob as mayor is to greet people as theycome to Dorset, located among the pinesand lakes of northern Minnesota about 150miles northwest of Minneapolis. Resortsand tourism are the main industry, andrestaurants ranging from Mexican to Italianto family style line about two blocks oneither side of the highway that runsthrough the middle of town. Bobby’s majoract as mayor so far has been to make icecream the top of the food pyramid. He hasmany favorite flavors. “Chocolate. Andvanilla. Strawberry. Cotton candy kind. Andrainbow sherbet,” said the mayor.

On a recent steamy summer morning,Bobby skipped ahead as he led a group ofabout 20 children and adults on a walk onthe Heartland Trail to raise money forRonald McDonald House Charities of theRed River Valley in Fargo, North Dakota. Hewore his signature black fedora, adornedwith fishing lures and a large button withhis photo, and seemed endlessly energetic.“I think he’s a cute little bugger and I thinka lot of people share the same, you know,opinion as me, and it ’s neat,” HubbardCounty Sheriff Cory Aukes says. “You know,how often do you see a little kid like thatwho’s - call ‘em camera-friendly or whatev-er, you know - he’s got a very good littlepersonality, and he’s not afraid to show it.So I think it’s great.” — AP

MOSCOW: The WikiLeaks anti-secrecy websitesaid Tuesday that fugitive US intelligence leak-er Edward Snowden had not yet formallyaccepted asylum in Venezuela as was claimedby a top Russian lawmaker in a Twitter postingthat was later deleted. Pro-Kremlin lawmakerAlexei Pushkov sparked confusion when hetweeted Tuesday that Snowden had agreed toan offer from Caracas. He deleted the postingafter about 30 minutes. “Edward Snowden hasnot yet formally accepted asylum inVenezuela. The Russian lawmaker concernedhas deleted the tweet,” WikiLeaks said on itsTwitter account.

Pushkov does not officially speak for theRussian government but has close Kremlinconnections and is believed to relay viewssimilar to those of President Vladimir Putin.The lower house of parliament’s foreign affairs

committee chief said that “apparently this(Venezuelan) option looked like the most reli-able one to Snowden”. Putin’s spokesmandeclined to comment, saying all questionsshould be directed to Pushkov.

After removing his original post, Pushkovsaid in a separate message that he had learntof the most recent development aroundSnowden from a news report on Russian statetelevision channel Vesti 24. He later rephrasedhis original message, saying Snowden hadagreed to asylum in Venezuela, according to aVesti 24 report. “Venezuela finally received ananswer from the CIA former agent,” a newsreport on the channel’s website said earlierTuesday. “The President of the Latin Americancountry, Nicolas Maduro, received an officialpolitical asylum request from EdwardSnowden,” said the channel.

On Monday, Maduro called on Snowden todecide if he wanted to fly to Caracas. “We havereceived the asylum request letter,” Madurotold reporters in Caracas after he offered the30-year-old former National Security Agencycontractor asylum along with the leaders ofBolivia and Nicaragua.

“He will have to decide when he flies, if hefinally wants to fly here,” Maduro said. Hecalled the offers from the three Latin Americannations “collective humanitarian political asy-lum”. It remains unclear how the world’s mostfamous refugee would be able to leave thetransit zone of Sheremetyevo Airport, wherehe has been marooned without valid docu-ments since he arrived from Hong Kong onJune 23.

There are no direct flights betweenMoscow and Caracas. The quickest way to get

to Venezuela would be to fly via Havana. Aspokeswoman for Russian national carrierAeroflot, Irina Danenberg, said she was notaware if Snowden had been on the flight toHavana that left Moscow earlier Tuesday. “Ihave no clue,” she said. There were no directflights to Havana from Moscow yesterday.Venezuela’s foreign ministry has also madeclear that it has not made any contact withSnowden since Maduro’s invitation.

That makes it uncertain just how much cur-rency a verbal commitment from Maduro haswith Russian authorities who are seeking cleardocumented evidence of Snowden having alegal future destination point.

Snowden never boarded his plane out ofMoscow for Cuba on June 24 for unexplainedreasons. Analysts said it was likely that he wassimply not allowed to board by the Russians

because he had no valid transit papers afterhis US travel passport had been revoked.Neither do countries such as Venezuela haveconsular sections in Sheremetyevo that couldissue Snowden with the required papers.

Pushkov has been a vocal commentator ofthe Snowden affair, saying earlier thatVenezuela was “possibly his last chance toreceive political asylum”. Meanwhile Brazil onTuesday turned down an asylum request fromSnowden. “We will not grant asylum,” to the USfugitive, Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota saidafter talks with his Uruguayan counterpart LuisAlmagro in Brasilia.

In apparent limbo in Moscow, Snowden hasapplied for asylum in 27 countries as he triesto evade American justice for disclosing a vastprogram of US worldwide electronic surveil-lance. — AFP

Snowden has not yet accepted Venezuela asylum: WikiLeaks

Town in Minnesota has 4-yr-old boy as mayor

DORSET, Minnesota: In this photo made June 26, 2013, Bobby Tufts, the small town’s4-year-old mayor, poses for a photo before starting the Ronald McDonald fundrais-ing walk. — AP

BRASILIA: Irate Latin Americannations are demanding explana-tions from the United States aboutnew allegations that it spied onboth allies and foes in the regionwith secret surveillance programs. Aleading Brazilian newspaper report-ed on Tuesday that the US NationalSecurity Agency targeted mostLatin American countries with spy-ing programs that monitoredInternet traffic, especially inColombia, Venezuela, Brazil andMexico. Citing documents leaked byEdward Snowden, the fugitive for-mer US intelligence contractor, O

Globo newspaper said the NSA pro-grams went beyond military affairsto what it termed “commercialsecrets”, including oil and energyresources.

Regional leaders called for atough response to the alleged espi-onage that O Globo said included asatellite monitoring stations basedin Brazil’s capital. “A shiver ran downmy back when I learned that theyare spying on all of us,” ArgentinePresident Cristina Fernandez said ina speech on Tuesday. She called onthe Mercosur bloc of SouthAmerican nations, due to meet on

Friday, to issue a strong statementand demand explanations fromWashington. “More than revelations,these are confirmations of what wethought was happening,” she said.

Peruvian President OllantaHumala, who has emerged as a closeUS ally, said the reported spying wasworrisome. “We are against thesekinds of espionage activities,” he saidin a televised interview. “It would begood for (Peru’s) Congress to lookwith concern at privacy issues relat-ed to personal information.” Brazil’sgovernment said it set up a taskforce of its defense, communica-

tions, justice and foreign affairs min-istries to investigate the alleged espi-onage and establish whether the pri-vacy of Brazilian citizens had beenviolated. The Brazilian Senate’s for-eign relations committee has askedUS ambassador Thomas Shannon totestify on the allegations. It isunclear whether Shannon, who isnot obliged to testify, will do so.Gilberto Carvalho, a top aide toPresident Dilma Rousseff, said a“very hard” response to the UnitedStates was needed. “If we lower ourheads, they will trample all over ustomorrow,” he said. —Reuters

Latam nations fume over NSA spying allegations

I N T E R N AT I O N A LTHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

ANCHORAGE, Alaska: An Alaska glacieris exposing remains from a military airtragedy six decades later. Relics from anAir Force cargo plane that slammed intoa mountain in November 1952, killing all52 servicemen on board, first emergedlast summer on Colony Glacier, about 50miles east of Anchorage. That discovery,by Alaska National Guard crews flyingtraining missions out of Anchorage, putinto motion a sophisticated recoveryprogram carried out by the Hawaii-based Joint POW/MIA AccountingCommand.

After last year’s initial work - whennearly everything that rose to the glaci-er’s surface was picked up - the JPACteam came back this summer to collectadditional relics pushed out of the ice

since then. “As the glacier melts and theglacier moves, more material comes upto the surface,” Dr Gregory Berg, theforensic anthropologist who leads theteam of specialists examining the cre-vasse-ridden ice field, told reporters at anews briefing last week. Among the per-sonal items collected so far: A tiny fish-ing kit, a compass, a survival kit, a sur-vival suit, a hockey puck, and a mini-boxof Camel cigarettes. Those and otheritems are being saved for a futurememorial, said Doug Beckstead, a histo-rian at Anchorage’s Joint BaseElmendorf-Richardson.

Also collected were some humanremains, which Berg declined todescribe in detail. But he said the materi-al, encapsulated for decades in ice, is

well-preserved and includes “things webelieve to be tissue” - a contrast withconditions in Southeast Asia or other hotclimates where the team travels toretrieve military remains long agodecomposed. The remains will be sent toa laboratory in Hawaii for analysis,including possible DNA matches withsurviving relatives, officials said. No posi-tive identifications have yet beenannounced. I t usually takes severalmonths to complete laboratory work,said Lee Tucker, a JPAC spokesman whotraveled to Alaska. Identifications areexpected to be announced “in the nearfuture,” Berg said.

Berg and his team must tread careful-ly, skirting deadly crevasses and deepwater-filled holes while trying to collect

as many items and remains as possible.They want the grinding glacier, as itmoves over time, to reveal more relicsover what is expected to be a years-longproject, but they do not want it to carrythe items all the way into the terminuslake, where they would likely be lost for-ever. So far, only the lightest pieces havebeen pushed to the glacier’s surface, andonly a small portion of the 154-foot air-craft has emerged. “We don’t have all 52guys lined up neatly, ready to be locat-ed,” Berg said.

The wrecked cargo plane, a C-124Globemaster II, slammed into MountGannett in midwinter, an accidentblamed on bad weather. Although offi-cials knew the site of the crash, remote-ness and winter weather made recovery

impossible at the time. The wreckagewas soon buried under snow and gonefrom sight. When finally spotted lastyear, the debris was 12 miles from thecrash site, having been shifted by theglacier. The ice has flowed another 275m downslope since last year, Berg said.

For Alaska-based military memberssupporting the JPAC effort, there isanother mission: removing the crashdebris that is not useful to the investiga-tion. As of early July, local military per-sonnel had removed about 1,800pounds of aircraft debris, said LieutenantColonel Adrian Crowley of the AlaskanCommand. “That is the plan, to removeas much of the debris as possible fromthe site, to be good environmental stew-ards,” he said. — Reuters

As glacier melts, secrets of lost military plane revealed

SAN FRANCISCO: The pilots aboard the AsianaAirlines Boeing 777 that crashed in San Franciscorelied on automatic equipment - an auto-throt-tle system - to maintain airspeed and did notrealize the plane was flying too slowly until itwas just 60 m above the ground, the head of theUS National Transportation Safety Board said onTuesday. In her third detailed briefing onSaturday’s crash that killed two Chinese passen-gers and injured more than 180 other people,NTSB Chairwoman Deborah Hersman also saidtwo flight attendants were ejected from theplane after its tail hit a seawall in front of therunway and was torn off. Both were foundinjured but alive on the side of the runway.

Hersman said many questions remainedabout the incident. The South Korean airline’sflight crew members were not tested for drugsor alcohol after the crash, a requirement forpilots of US-based carriers involved in accidents,she said. The accounts given to investigators bythe pilots, as relayed by Hersman, confirmedinformation from the plane’s flight data recorderthat showed the plane was traveling 25 percentbelow its target airspeed as it came in for land-ing. While she has declined to speculate on thecause of the crash, much of the informationreleased by the NTSB suggests pilot error as amain focus of the investigation.

The pilot in charge of landing the plane onSaturday was in training on the 777 and wasroughly halfway through the process, while seat-ed next to him was a co-pilot on his first flight asan instructor. Both were experienced pilots,although they had not flown together before,Hersman said. “At about 500 feet, he realizedthat they were low,” Hersman told reporters,referring to the instructor pilot’s account of thefailed last-second attempts to avoid Saturday’sdisaster. “Between 500 and 200 feet (150 and 60m), they had a lateral deviation and they werelow. They were trying to correct at that point.”

Referring to the instructor pilot, she said itwas not until 200 feet that “he recognized theauto-throttles were not maintaining speed” andtried to abort the landing. Hersman had previ-ously said that the plane had been at an altitudeof 200 feet 16 seconds before crashing. Three ofthe four pilots on board were in the cabin duringthe landing, although only two could see therunway, Hersman said, citing the interviews byinvestigators with the crew. Hersman said anexamination of the wreckage showed that theauto-throttle was “armed,” but it was not clear ifit had been properly engaged or had somehowfailed before the plane slowed to a near-stall andhit the ground. “We need to understand a littlebetter” how the auto-throttle is used, she said.

“They had set speed at 137 knots (158 mph),and he assumed that the auto-throttles weremaintaining speed,” Hersman said of the instruc-tor pilot. She noted that the pilots were respon-sible for maintaining airspeed. “We have a flyingpilot and two other pilots in the cockpit and

they have a monitoring function,” she said. “Oneof the critical things that needs to be monitoredon an approach to landing is speed. So we needto understand what was going on in the cockpitand also what was going on with the aircraft.”

The world’s largest pilots union rebuked theNTSB for its handling of the crash investigation,saying the agency had released too much infor-mation too quickly, which could lead to wrongconclusions and compromise safety. Releasingdata from the flight’s black boxes without fullinvestigative information for context “has fueled

rampant speculation” about the cause of thecrash, the Air Line Pilots AssociationInternational said in a statement. Hersmanrejected the criticism. “We work for the travelingpublic,” she said. “We feel it is important to showour work.”

Aviation consultant Hans Weber, the presi-dent of TECOP International, Inc., said the acci-dent may revive a long-running debate overwhether pilots’ increasing reliance on automatedflight systems has taken a toll on their “hand-fly-ing” skills. Maintaining proper airspeed and alti-tude is “the most basic responsibility of the pilot,like breathing in and out,” Weber said. But itcould be the case, he added, that “pilots are pay-

ing attention to the computer rather than pay-ing attention to the fundamentals.”

Hersman did not comment on whether any-one in addition to the two flight attendants wasejected from the plane, though the two teenageChinese students who died were found outsidethe aircraft. One of them may have been runover by an emergency vehicle, San Francisco firedepartment officials have said, but the localcoroner has not yet released autopsy resultsshowing the cause of death.

Asiana Airlines Chief Executive Yoon Young-

doo arrived in San Francisco on Tuesday to meetwith US investigators, Asiana staff and survivorsof the crash. Hersman also confirmed witnessaccounts that at least one emergency escapechute had deployed inside the aircraft, trappinga flight attendant.

The pilot who was sitting in the cabin workedto free her, Hersman said. “I saw a leg stickingout between the slide and the wall. It kept mov-ing,” passenger Eugene Rah said in an interviewon Monday. He said he and a man he believedwas a crew member struggled to free her,adding: “He was asking me if I had anythingsharp, but these days nobody can be on boardwith anything sharp.” — Reuters

Asiana crash pilots relied on automatic equipmentInvestigators say flight attendants ejected from plane

SAN FRANCISCO: In this July 6, 2013 photo, passengers from Asiana Airlines flight 214, manywith their luggage, are seen on the tarmac just moments after the plane crashed at the SanFrancisco International Airport. — AP

SANFORD, Florida: George Zimmerman enters the courtroom for his trial in Seminolecircuit court yesterday. — AP

SANFORD, Florida: A Florida judgeblocked as evidence a computer generatedre-enactment of George Zimmerman’sshooting of unarmed black teenagerTrayvon Martin, but she will allow the juryto see it in closing arguments of the mur-der trial. The ruling yesterday was a partialvictory for each side. While Zimmerman’slawyers wanted the video presented as offi-cial evidence, at least the jury gets to see itin court. Seminole County Court JudgeDebra Nelson also dealt the defense a set-back by blocking the jury from hearing tes-timony purportedly showing Martin dis-cussing his experience as a fighter in textmessages and other data on his cellphone.

Nelson issued the two rulings at thestart of what defense lawyers said could bethe final day of evidence in the trial, whichwas in its third week of testimony. The casecould go to the jury by this weekend,although it was stil l unclear whetherZimmerman, who said he shot Martin inself-defense, would testify in his owndefense. Nelson asked Zimmerman in courtwhether he was aware he had the right toremain silent. “Yes, your honor,” he respond-ed. Prosecutors had opposed lettingZimmerman’s lawyers use the animatedreconstruction in the guise of unbiased evi-dence. “The state’s objection to the admis-sibility in evidence to the computer anima-tion is sustained,” Nelson said just beforetestimony resumed. “The computer anima-tion will not be introduced into evidence,but it may be used by the defense as ademonstrative exhibit.”

Jurors may see a “demonstrative exhibit”in closing statements but not during delib-erations, as they can with all admitted evi-dence. Daniel Schumaker, a specialist inreconstructing graphic crime scenes andaccidents who created the re-enactment,testified that he employed the same tech-nology used in the production of

Hollywood action movies. He said he basedhis depiction on police reports, witnessstatements and drawings, crime scene andinvestigative information, testimony indepositions, medical examiner reports and911 emergency audio. One of the scenes inthe animation shows Martin approachingZimmerman and throwing the first punch,which is based on Zimmerman’s statementto police.

Nelson also ruled yesterday to block adefense witness, Richard Connor, from tes-tifying about hidden text messagesretrieved from Martin’s cell phone. Thedefense argued that the messages demon-strated Martin was an experienced fighter,but prosecutors said they were irrelevantand that anyone could have sent the textsthat wound up in the memory of thephone. Zimmerman remained free for morethan six weeks after killing Martin becausepolice initially declined to arrest him,accepting his claim he shot and killed the17-year-old in self-defense.

A special prosecutor brought the chargeof second-degree murder againstZimmerman after protests and cries ofinjustice in Sanford, the small Florida citywhere the incident occurred, and severalmajor US cities. Zimmerman, a formerneighborhood watch volunteer, faces up tolife in prison if convicted of second-degreemurder, although either side can requestthat the jury also consider the lesseroffense of manslaughter, with a maximumpenalty of 30 years.

After issuing her evidentiary rulingsbefore the jury was called into court, JudgeNelson said she would ask Zimmerman lat-er in the day about whether he would takethe witness stand. “You have the right totestify if you want to, and that’s a decisionthat you will have to make,” she toldZimmerman. “I mean the final decision isyours.” — Reuters

Judge will allow jury to see animated reenactment

WASHINGTON: US Vice President JoeBiden urged China yesterday to end its“outright” theft through hacking and toimprove human rights as the world’s twolargest economies waded into some oftheir thorniest disputes. Biden openedtwo days of annual talks with China inwhich the Pacific powers are expected toaddress a gamut of issues including mutu-al complaints of market access. Whilemany experts expect the session to be atalking shop without major decisions,Biden did not shy away from divisive rowsincluding charges of cyber-espionage.“We both will benefit from an open,secure, reliable Internet. Outright cyber-enabling theft that US companies areexperiencing now must be viewed as outof bounds and needs to stop,” Biden said.

A recent US study said that corporateAmerica was losing hundreds of billions ofdollars a year through a vast, organizedhacking campaign to steal US trade, gov-ernment and military secrets. China hashit back that it is also the victim of hack-ing, charges that gained momentumwhen US intelligence leaker EdwardSnowden said that US spies had brokeninto the billion-plus nation’s Internet rout-ing network. Biden brought up China’stense territorial disputes with its neigh-bors, saying that both Pacific powers “ben-efit from freedom of navigation and unin-hibited lawful commerce”. He also raisedconcerns about human rights in China,

saying that greater respect for one’s ownpeople provides “a source of national andinternational stability”. “I believe thatChina, presumptuous of me, will bestronger and more stable and more inno-vative if it represents and respects theinternational human rights norms. Butthere are differences we have,” Biden said.

State Councilor Yang Jiechi, a top fig-ure behind China’s foreign policy, told thetalks that Beijing was ready to discusshuman rights but “on the basis of equalityand mutual respect.” Tibet activists haveurged the United States to raise China’streatment of the community. More than110 Tibetans have set themselves alightsince 2009 to protest Chinese rule andoverseas groups say that Chinese forcesopened fire Saturday on Tibetans markingthe birthday of the Dalai Lama, theirexiled spiritual leader.

But both US and Chinese officialssought to keep an upbeat tone, voicinghope that the two nations can keep build-ing trust following a friendly, informal sum-mit last month between US PresidentBarack Obama and his new Chinese coun-terpart Xi Jinping. Biden warned that“strong voices on both sides of the Pacific”see ties between the United States and arising China “in terms of mistrust and suspi-cion.” “I’ve heard the US-China relationshipdescribed as everything from the next ColdWar to the new G-2 and, the truth is, nei-ther are accurate,” Biden said. —AFP

LAC-MEGANTIC, Canada: Policesaid Tuesday they were looking atcriminal negligence as the cause ofworst train disaster in recentCanadian history, while the US firminvolved denied any responsibility.The death toll rose from 13 to 15with the discovery of two morebodies after the explosion andinferno produced by the derailmentof a train carrying oil near Montreal.Around 40 people are still missing.Quebec police are looking for “evi-dence that might allow the filing ofcriminal charges,” said police inspec-tor Michel Forget. He did not specifyagainst whom. Standing 200 mfrom the scene of the disaster, hesaid the hypothesis of criminal neg-

ligence was “under consideration.”Meanwhile the head of the US

rail company at the center of thedisaster blamed firefighters for thederailment, as investigatorscombed through smoldering debrisfor evidence. “We are very hopefulwe will find more bodies,” saidForget. Residents of the smallQuebec town of Lac-Megantic, partof which was flattened by the blastand subsequent inferno, beganreturning to their homes. The explo-sion unleashed a wall of fire thattore through homes and businessesin Lac-Megantic, located east ofMontreal near the US border. Thechairman of the Montreal, Maine &Atlantic Railway, Edward Burkhardt,

accused firefighters of releasing thetrain’s brakes when it was stoppedin Nantes, around 13 km west ofLac-Megantic, for a crewchangeover. Those firefighters hadbeen called to douse a small fire inone of the train’s five locomotives.

Burkhardt told the daily LaPresse that Nantes firefighters“showed up and put out the firewith a fire extinguisher. To do thatthey also shut down the first loco-motive’s engines. This is what led tothe disaster.” He explained that thetrain’s brakes were powered by thelocomotive and would have disen-gaged when it was shut down,causing the driverless train to startrolling downhill towards Lac-Megantic. By the time the companywas informed of the shutdown, thetrain - en route from the US state ofNorth Dakota to a refinery inCanada’s eastern New Brunswickprovince - had already reached thetown, he said. MMA trains will nolonger be left unattended, hevowed, noting that the companyhad launched an internal investiga-tion. Nantes Fire Chief PatrickLambert however dismissedBurkhardt’s accusations, saying the12 firefighters who responded tothe locomotive engine fire followedall of the proper procedures. The fireleveled more than four blocks,including 30 buildings, and forcedabout 2,000 of the town’s 6,000 resi-dents to flee. Many of those peoplebegan returning home Tuesday. “Iknow there is a lot of anger” in the

small community, Burkhardt toldCanada’s public broadcaster CBC.The MMA chief had been expectedin Lac-Megantic later Tuesday, butnow said he would visit in the com-ing days, adding: “I hope I’m notgoing to get shot.”

Furious residents told AFP that avisit from Burkhardt was already toolate. “Is he scared?” one 53-year-oldman asked. He must “at least apolo-gize to us - that would calm thingsdown a bit,” said another resident.Investigators from Canada’sTransportation Safety Board saidthey will focus on the train’s brakes,as well as MMA’s policies for secur-ing stopped trains. They will alsolook at possible inadequacies of thetanker cars for transporting flamma-ble materials, and what caused theoriginal locomotive fire in Nantes.“It’s very important to know exactlywho did what - who was there,what did they do,” TSB lead investi-gator Donald Ross told reporters,adding it was too soon to assignblame.

He did say the train beganrolling moments after firefightersand a company official left the trainunattended on the tracks in Nantes,after extinguishing the locomotivefire. “The train started to roll withoutanybody on board,” Ross said. Asmall area of downtown Lac-Megantic remained closed offTuesday as the clean-up began,with officials fearing that moppingup machinery could spark a fire inthe sewers. — AFP

Railway blames firemen in Canada train disaster

LAC-MEGANTIC, Canada: This July 7, 2013 handout image showsthe aftermath of a train that derailed and exploded into a wall offlames. — AFP

Biden calls for end to ‘outright’ theft by China

I N T E R N AT I O N A LTHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

KALAM, Pakistan: In the past few years,Pakistan’s Swat valley has been occupiedby Islamic insurgents, undergone a bruis-ing counter-offensive by the army andthen flooded by waters that washedaway acres of fruit orchards and steeplyterraced fields. In October last year, thevalley which lies about 25 km north ofthe capital Islamabad was again in theglobal spotlight when Islamic gunmenshot schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai. Now, asvillagers try to piece together shatteredlives, the military is coming under pres-sure to talk peace with the Taleban, aruthless Pakistani offshoot of the Islamicradical movement of the same name inneighbouring Afghanistan.

Civilian Pakistani leaders elected inMay want to open a dialogue with thehomegrown militants set on overthrow-ing the nuclear-armed state. They say thelocal people are fed up with the violenceand that any talks will be legitimised byUS efforts to promote peace with theAfghan Taleban. But the powerful mili-tary, which has spent years chasing thePakistan Taleban into ever-more remotehideouts, is in no mood to negotiate withmilitants who have killed thousands ofsoldiers and who they say cannot betrusted. Some villagers back that stand.

“(The Taleban) doesn’t accept the gov-ernment’s writ, they are not faithful to theconstitution, how can a political party

talk to them?” said Abdul Rehman, anelder in the village of Kalam, a formertourist hotspot high in the Swat valleyand ringed by snow-capped peaks of theHindu Khush. The village is famous forrepelling Taleban attacks. “We forcedthem away, first on our own, then withthe help of the army,” Rehman toldReuters during a visit organised by a UNorganisation funding flood relief work inhis village, which is set among pineforests and walnut orchards.

The debate over whether to openpeace talks with the Pakistani Taleban hastaken centrestage in the country as UStroops withdraw from Afghanistan after a12-year war against the Afghan Taleban.Pakistan’s military leaders are at pains todistinguish between the Afghan Taleban,to which Pakistan maintains ties andwhich they argue can be seen as fightingagainst occupation, and its local imitatorswho they see as domestic terrorists. ThePakistani Taleban pledges allegiance toMullah Mohammad Omar, the reclusiveleader of the Afghan Taleban but Omar iscareful not to be seen to attack thePakistani state. The Pakistani Taleban’ssuddenly sacked its spokesman onTuesday amid signs of strained tiesbetween the groups.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and hisprominent rival Imran Khan both offeredto talk to the Pakistani militants while

campaigning for May’s federal andprovincial elections. While Sharif won thefederal elections, Khan’s party emergedvictorious in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, theprovince that includes Swat Valley andremains a hotbed of Pakistani Talebanactivity. The information minister inKhyber Pakhtunkhwa, formerly theNorthwest Frontier Province, told Reutersthat the provincial government hadcalled a meeting of other political partiesand stakeholders to prepare for peacetalks.

“The United States has opened up aTaleban office in Qatar and is holdingnegotiations with them, and we arebeing told to continue to fight and die,”Khan said last month during a visit toPeshawar, the province’s violence-blight-ed capital. “For the last nine years wehave relied on the army to bring peace,but instead the situation got worse,” hesaid. “It ’s now time for politicians toresolve the issue.” Khan’s party, thePakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), says theviolence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is areaction to US drone strikes and pro-Washington policies by the army, andthat talks are the only answer.

But there is no easy solution. Most ofthe militants seek refuge in the neigh-bouring Federally Administered TribalAreas (FATA) - districts strung alongPakistan’s border with Afghanistan and

run by central writ - and the provincialgovernment cannot control the process.FATA is used as a base by the PakistaniTaleban, members of the Afghan Talebanand groups linked to Al-Qaeda. Sharif ’sfederal government can only do somuch. Pakistan’s military largely has afree hand regarding internal security, andinfluences foreign policy, especially rela-tions with neighbours.

It is the army, its intelligence agenciesand the Taleban itself who will decidewhether to talk or fight. The PakistaniTaleban has shown interest in talks, buthas stepped up attacks after a series ofdrone strikes on its leaders and alsobecause it doubts the ability of the civil-ian leadership to convince the military toallow negotiations. “If we felt that the PTIgovernment or the Nawaz Sharif govern-ment were in a position to take a seriousstep towards peace talks and can opposethe intelligence agencies, then we canseriously think about peace talks,” thegroup’s then spokesman EhsanullahEhsan said in a video released in June.

So far, the military has shown no incli-nation to relax an offensive many officersfeel they can win. “We have to take thefight to them,” said a regional commanderflying a helicopter over KhyberPakhtunkhwa. Just before the elections,army chief Gen Ashfaq Kayani made itclear he would not talk to the militants

unless they lay down arms and acceptPakistan’s laws. “There is no room fordoubts when it comes to dealing withrebellion against the state,” he said in anApril 3 speech.

Locals in Swat said there was good rea-son to mistrust the militants. A previouspeace deal gave the Pakistani Taleban thebreathing space it needed to take powerin the valley and then extend influenceinto neighbouring districts just 6 km fromIslamabad in 29. That summer, worried bythe creeping proximity of Taleban territo-ry to Islamabad, the army launched a fullair and ground assault and governmentforces regained control in a month. Butthe operation displaced 2 million people,and later, many returned to nothing butdead livestock and flattened orchards.Floods that ripped through Swat the nextyear made things worse, destroyingmany of the tightly packed terraceswhere corn and wheat grow along steepmountainsides. Acute malnutritionamong children has jumped by morethan a third. Saifullah Khan Mahsud, anexpert on the situation in FATA, says thearmy believes it has the Pakistani Talebanon the back foot and is biding time for afatal blow in border areas like NorthWaziristan, where the militants and otherglobal groups are holed up. “At the end ofthe day it is the military stance that isgoing to prevail,” he said. — Reuters

Pak army adamant on fighting the other Taleban

PAJU, South Korea: South Korea said talks withNorth Korea on reopening a jointly-run industrialestate ended without agreement yesterday, butthe two sides agreed to meet again next week.The South’s chief delegate Suh Ho said talks onrestarting the Kaesong industrial complex’smothballed factories would continue on July 15,after about four hours of meetings that startedyesterday morning. “We both agreed that thecomplex should be maintained and furtherdeveloped,” Suh told reporters at the site just

inside North Korea. “The North argued that itshould be resumed as soon as machinery check-ups are finished, while we pointed out that thesame situation could be repeated even after thereopening if there is no firm guarantee on pre-venting a recurrence (of the shutdown). So it wasdecided that this issue would be discussed at thenext meeting,” he added. The talks follow

months of cross-border friction and threats ofwar by Pyongyang after its February nuclear testattracted tougher UN sanctions, further squeez-ing its struggling economy. Kaesong shut downthree months ago as relations between the frostyneighbours hit crisis point. But at a rare weekendmeeting the North and South agreed in principleto reopen Kaesong, the last remaining symbol ofcross-border reconciliation. Earlier yesterday, avehicle convoy of about 13 South Korean dele-gates, support staff and factory owners crossed

at Paju over the heavily fortified demilitarisedborder zone that underscores the ever-presenttension between two nations, which remaintechnically at war. Their 195-53 conflict ended ina ceasefire rather than a peace treaty. The vehi-cles were outfitted with bright red flags, follow-ing border rules aimed at preventing an acciden-tal shooting. The once-buzzing industrial zone -

which had previously remained largely resilientto turbulence in relations - had the air of a ghosttown, according to pool reports from Kaesong.Factories and convenience stores were shutteredand dark, traffic signals were off and NorthKorean workers plucked overgrown weeds fromthe sidewalk outside the 15-storey buildingwhere the talks were held.

Some South Korean factory owners, who visit-ed their plants on the sidelines of the talks,described equipment that had rusted in thedamp summer heat, and warned that the shut-down meant some business would be lost forgood. “Officials are holding talks about revivingKaesong, but businessmen like us feel that wecan’t reopen factories unless the North promisesthat the current situation won’t be repeated,” saidone who asked not be named.

“Without such a promise, what kind of buyerswill give us orders?” Another said he told a NorthKorean official that business would likely be halfthe pre-shutdown levels. “I told him the Northwas the one that closed the complex anyway sothey needed to apologise,” the South Koreanbusinessman said.

Kaesong, which was built in 24, sits about 1km inside North Korea. The South Korean-fundedsite, built as part of a diplomatic bid to improvecross-border relations, was an important sourceof hard currency for the impoverished North. InApril Pyongyang withdrew its 53, workers fromthe 123 Seoul-owned factories at the complex,citing military tensions and what it called theSouth’s hostility. Seoul withdrew managers frommost of the operations in early May.

The South now wants firm safeguards fromthe North against shutting Kaesong down unilat-erally, to keep the estate insulated from changesin relations. This would be a bitter pill for theNorth to swallow as it means it would acceptresponsibility for the April closure.

The South also wants compensation for lossesstemming from the suspension, a demand thatthe North is unlikely to accept. At the end lastSunday of gruelling 15-hour talks, the two sidessaid in a joint statement that they had agreed tolet South Korean firms restart their plants at thecomplex when conditions are ripe. The state-ment was seen as a crucial step in winding downthe months of high tension. — AFP

Koreas end talks without deal, schedule new meet

Seoul wants guarantees against new Kaesong closure

KAESONG: South Korea’s working-level chief delegate Suh Ho (right) shakes hands with hisNorth Korean counterpart Pak Chul-su after talks at the Kaesong industrial complex in NorthKorea yesterday. — AFP

TOKYO: This file picture taken on April 7, 2013 shows Japanese Prince Hisahitoaccompanied by his parents Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko as they arrive atOchanomizu University Elementary School for his entrance ceremony. — AFP

TOKYO: As an expectant Britain gets royalbaby fever and readies to welcome a futuremonarch - male or female - the young boywho carries the destiny of Japan’s ancientimperial family lives a life much less exam-ined. Six-year-old Prince Hisahito is the onlyboy in four decades born into the world’soldest monarchy, and will be entrusted withkeeping alive a genealogical line traditional-ists say can be traced back to a prehistoricgoddess. Unlike the House of Windsor,which lives life in the full tabloid glare andwhose members provide endless fodder forgossip and speculation, the details of thelives of Japan’s imperial family are scarcelydiscussed.

Commentators say the young princeleads a happy life, but one in which he isalready being prepared for his future role asemperor at the head of a staid and reveredinstitution, far removed from the commonfolk. “I don’t think Prince Hisahito plays com-puter games” like other boys his age, saidShinji Yamashita, a former official of theImperial Household Agency and now a jour-nalist specialising in royal matters. “But heseems to be leading an unconstrained child-hood,” said Yamashita.

Japan’s emperor is the nominal head ofstate and sits at the apex of the indigenousShinto religion, an animistic belief systemfound only in Japan. Although wealthy, thelives of the royal family inside ornate andspacious Tokyo palaces are heavily restrictedand full of rituals, many of which are only

hazily understood outside a tight inner circleof advisers. Absent are the boozy exploits ofPrince Harry, the charming common touchof Prince William, or the crusading environ-mentalism of Prince Charles. Theirs is a life ofregime and regimen; where their rare publicappearances are carefully choreographedand recorded only by approved media, whodutifully snap the smiles of staged photoopportunities and then put the camerasaway. One such moment in Hisahito’s lifewas his fifth birthday when he went throughrites that involved the donning of traditionalflowing kimono trousers and having a sym-bolic haircut. The ritual, to mark a birthdayconsidered important in Japan, along withages three and seven, saw him standing ona “Go” checkboard, wearing the trousers forthe first time in his life. An aide, in theclothes of the Heian period (794-1185),combed his hair and then cut a few strands,before Hisahito jumped from the raisedgameboard. The tradition is one of manythat stretch back through the annals ofJapan’s never-colonised history, where theemperor was treated as a god whose pres-ence legitimised the authority of powerfulpolitical clans and warlords.

United States-led forces, who occupiedJapan after its defeat in World War II,stripped the role of its semi-divine status,but the hushed reverence remains to thepresent day, with no mainstream mediareporting anything but the authorised ver-sion of imperial lives. —AFP

Hisahito, 6: Future of Japan monarchy

SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister KevinRudd yesterday used the 50th anniversaryof the indigenous land rights movement topledge a referendum on recognising thecountry’s Aborigines in the constitution ifLabor is re-elected. His predecessor JuliaGillard shelved a plan to hold a vote thisparliamentary term, citing low public sup-port, but Rudd made clear that the recogni-tion of Aboriginal people as the country’sfirst inhabitants was a priority. “I therefore,as prime minister, want to see this matterbrought to the people of Australia by refer-endum within two years of the election ofthe next parliament,” he said, with nationalpolls scheduled for later this year.

Rudd said he wanted to work with theconservative Tony Abbott-led opposition todraft an appropriate question, urging himto “get his act together”.

“I want us to agree on the question tobe put to the Australian people,” he toldreporters. “No more delays, no more excus-es, no more buck-passing. It’s time thenation got on with this business. That is mycommitment to you.” Abbott accused Ruddof politicising the issue. “I think this couldbe a defining, unifying moment for ourcountry and I want this to go ahead,” hesaid. “I don’t want to politicise this, I reallydon’t. I’m surprised that Mr Rudd is tryingto do that.”

Any change to Australia’s constitutionmust be approved by a national referen-dum in which all citizens vote. Such ballotstypically have low levels of success. Ruddwas speaking ahead of an event in theremote Aboriginal community of Yirrkala inthe country’s north, where the indigenous

land rights movement began 50 years agowith the signing of two bark petitionsprotesting against a government plan toconfiscate a massive block of land to minefor bauxite. The petitions asserted that theYolngu people owned the land, andbecame the first traditional native title doc-uments recognised by the Australian parlia-ment.

While they failed to win their case in thecourts, the petitions set in motion the pushfor the eventual recognition of Aboriginalsas full citizens in 1967, and the statutoryacknowledgement of land rights in 1976.“These bark petitions present a bridgebetween two ancient and noble traditions,”said Rudd. “Eight hundred years ago wehad (the) Magna Carta; 800 years later, theYirrkala bark petitions. These bark petitionsare Magna Carta for the indigenous peo-ples of this land. Both (are) an assertion ofrights against the crown and both there-fore profound symbols of justice for all peo-ples everywhere.”

The 1215 Magna Carta was one of thefounding documents of the British legalsystem, setting out a charter of liberties forthe King’s subjects and requiring that heand all future sovereigns abide by a rule oflaw. Aborigines are the most disadvan-taged Australians, with indigenous childrentwice as likely to die before their fifth birth-day as other children and Aboriginal menestimated to die 11.5 years earlier than oth-er males. They are believed to have num-bered around one million at the time ofBritish settlement in 1788, but there arenow just 470,000 out of a total populationof 23 million in Australia. —AFP

NEW DELHI: A New Delhi court is set tohand down the first verdict today on oneof five suspects on trial over the fatal gang-rape of a student on a moving bus, whichsparked an outcry in India. A juveniles’court in the capital has finished hearingthe case of a teenager, aged 17 at the timeof the crime, who faces a maximum sen-tence of three years in a correctional facili-ty if found guilty. The sentence is likely tocause further outrage in a countryattempting to turn a rising tide of violenceagainst women and which has passed anew law toughening sentences for adultsconvicted of sex crimes.

The victim’s family led calls for theteenager to be tried as an adult, alongsidefive men initially arrested over the savagecrime on Dec 16, which led to weeks ofprotests in the capital and elsewhere. “Wewant to be reassured by the governmentthat my rights to justice are protected. Inthis case the accused is hiding behindlegal loopholes in the system,” the father ofthe 23-year-old victim told The Hindunewspaper earlier this year. The trial of four

adult suspects continues but is expectedto wrap up in the next few months, withthe men facing a possible death sentenceif convicted of rape and murder. The fifthadult, alleged ringleader Ram Singh, diedin jail in an apparent suicide.

If found guilty, the juvenile can be sentto a correctional facility for a maximumthree-year term, which includes the timehe has already spent in custody while wait-ing for the verdict.

Anant Kumar Asthana, a Delhi-basedlawyer who defends juveniles, explainedthat “the idea behind the provision is thatthree years is sufficient time to reform achild”. “The institutionalisation of a child isa last resort, and the idea is to do it for aminimum amount of time... since institu-tionalisation can often impact a child neg-atively,” Asthana told AFP. Criminal chargesagainst staff at a number of juvenilehomes last year have highlighted whatactivists describe as a pervasive culture ofviolence that begins with carers abusingwards and ends with older childrenassaulting younger children. —AFP

Delhi gang-rape verdict due in juvenile’s case

Rudd vows referendum to recognise Aboriginals

An undated handout photo received from theAustralian House of Representatives yesterday showsone of two bark petitions protesting against a govern-ment plan to confiscate a massive block of land to minefor bauxite 50 years ago in the remote Aboriginal com-munity of Yirrkala. — AFP

At least 106 of the 166 prisoners at Guantanamo Baydetention center are reported to be on hunger strike,with 45 currently being force-fed. A recently pub-

lished report by the Constitution Project’s Task Force onDetainee Treatment, to which we contributed, found thatthe practice of forced feeding at Guantanamo was “a formof abuse and must end.”

A member of the task force, Dr Gerald Thomson,described the process: “You are forced physically to eat, bybeing strapped into a specially made chair and havingrestraints put on your arms, your legs, your body and yourhead so that you cannot move. (You have) a tube insertedinto your throat that extends into your stomach, and you’retrying to resist that with the only muscles that are free - inyour throat.” Detainees have said that it is intensely painful.

When the restraint chairs were first introduced toGuantanamo in December 2005, the force-feeding processwas reportedly especially punitive. Several detainees saidthat guards kept them in a restraint chair for hours afterthe tube feeding ended - sometimes for as long as sixhours. The military says that the restraint chairs preventassaults on US personnel, but a detainee whose conditionhas deteriorated such that force-feeding is medically nec-essary to sustain life is unlikely to have the physical abilityto commit assault.

At least two detainees were force-fed in the chair twicea day for close to four years. By 2009, the process was lessprolonged and brutal, but the restraint chair was still usedfor every feeding regardless of a detainee’s compliance,according to an independent physician who visitedGuantanamo and examined detainees. She found that theforce-feeding procedure caused physical pain and psycho-logical harm that in one case became full-blown post-trau-matic stress disorder.

Another detainee, Tariq Ba Awdah, has told lawyers thathe has been force-fed for six years, and he is still on ahunger strike. Doctors have a duty to preserve life, but theyalso have a duty to respect patients’ autonomy and not tosubordinate their medical judgment to prison authorities.As the World Medical Association’s Declaration of Maltastates: “Fostering trust between physicians and hungerstrikers is often the key to achieving a resolution that bothrespects the rights of the hunger strikers and minimizesharm to them.”

Therefore, doctors should be assessing the hungerstriker to determine whether he is mentally competent,whether he is suicidal, and whether he is being pressuredby other detainees into fasting. Clinicians need to be ableto counsel patients about the risk of permanent injury ordeath, and about measures that can be taken to mitigatethose risks. Above all, as required by their medical ethics,doctors need to be able to act in their individual patient’sbest interest and exercise their independent clinicaljudgment.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, theWorld Medical Association and the American Medical Assn.all oppose force-feeding of prisoners as a violation of med-ical ethics. Pentagon officials are no doubt sincere in want-ing to keep detainees alive. But they also view hungerstrikes as a means of “asymmetrical warfare,” as theGuantanamo commander told task force staff when theyvisited the prison in February 2012. That belief probablyinfluenced the response to the current hunger strikes. OnApril 13, the military placed nearly every captive on lock-down in single cells.

Since then, there have been at least two suicideattempts. Fortunately, neither succeeded, but a Muslimadviser to the prison recently told reporters that he expect-ed “more than one death” to result from the current hungerstrike. Putting detainees in lockdown and force-feedingthem in restraints can postpone deaths, but it cannot pre-vent them indefinitely. Prolonged force-feeding carries itsown medical risks, and Guantanamo detainees have killedthemselves even in the highest security sections of theprison. There have been seven suicides.

In 2010, 86 prisoners at Guantanamo - including severalcurrently being force-fed - were cleared for transfer by aninteragency task force convened by the Obama administra-tion. But transfers have been mostly halted in recent years,with Congress and the White House blaming each other.The transfers must restart as soon as possible. As the presi-dent said in a speech on May 23, force-feeding detaineeswho have been held without charge for more than adecade is unacceptable: “Is that who we are? Is that some-thing our founders foresaw? Is that the America we want toleave our children?” Unfortunately, the detainees atGuantanamo no longer place much hope in Obama’spromise to close the prison. —MCT

Issues

Force-feeding - Gitmo’s shame

By Alka Pradhan, Kent Eiler, Katherine Hawkins

14A N A L Y S I STHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

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Religious liberty in America: An enduring promiseBy Holly Hollman and Hoda Elshishtawy

Americans face many challenges that threaten to under-mine their obligation to protect religious pluralismand the rights of fellow citizens. Earlier this month in

Tennessee, for example, a program on public discoursedesigned to answer questions about Islam was continuouslydisrupted by protesters and hecklers, some of whom claimedthat Islam is evil.

Yet we should not diminish what has been called “themost successful experiment in religious liberty the world hasever known” - the United States of America. Whatever chal-lenges we face, the two of us, from a Baptist organizationand a Muslim organization respectively, agree that protect-ing religious liberty is paramount. Protection of religious lib-erty requires careful attention to upholding the principlesenshrined in the First Amendment of the US Constitution,which guard the right to practice one’s faith without govern-ment interference.

In many respects, religious liberty serves as a baseline fordemocratic participation. Religious liberty - and consensuson its importance - creates the conditions for people of allreligions (or no religion) to influence lawmakers on variouspolicy concerns. A mutual commitment to the right of reli-gious liberty for all allows people of faith or of none to sharetheir opinions, agree or disagree and attempt to persuadeothers about various matters related to the public welfare.

In this sense, religious liberty is fundamental not merelyfor its own sake, but also because it facilitates robust demo-

cratic debate. One way of appreciating the rich tradition ofreligious liberty is to understand how religious communitiesenjoy religious freedom and why they feel called to protectit. At a conference earlier this year on the meaning of reli-gious liberty, we shared the stage to discuss the meaning ofreligious freedom and our common ground.

As General Counsel for a Baptist organization dedicatedto protecting religious liberty, Holly’s perspective is shapedby the historical experience of Baptists, a congregation-based Christian denomination that suffered persecutionbecause of the union of civil and religious authorities inEurope and in the American colonies. That experiencefuelled disestablishment effor ts that influenced theFounders and led to the First Amendment’s guarantee that“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment ofreligion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

Central to Baptist understanding of religious liberty is theconviction that this freedom must be protected for allbecause a threat to any faith is a threat to all faiths. Today,this enduring vision forms the basis of a shared commitmentacross many faith groups in America, each dependent on itfor survival. Hoda, as Legislative and Policy Analyst for MPAC,is acutely aware of the importance of protecting religiousliberty in an increasingly religiously diverse nation.

Despite the protection of religious liberty by law, thereare many challenges associated with being part of a minorityfaith, both in terms of promoting understanding of Muslimbeliefs and practices as well as in seeking acceptance as partof the wider religious and political fabric of the country.

Despite many successes, difficulties remain. Even eventsdesigned to promote understanding may be disrupted. Therecent forum in Tennessee was an effort to foster dialogueafter a local county commissioner’s ill-conceived attempt athumor on social media suggested Muslims should be greet-ed while holding a shotgun.

But, in the same state, civil rights groups and interfaithallies have successfully banded together to pave the way fora local mosque in Murfreesboro to expand, overcoming theobjections of an anti-religious freedom campaign and result-ing in a victory for religious liberty. America’s successfultransformation into the most religiously diverse nation onear th has largely rested on the promise of the FirstAmendment.

Unlike other aspects of our democratic society, protec-tion of religious liberty is not subject to the will of the major-ity. The religious liberties each citizen enjoys are subject onlyto a duty to protect the same rights for others, even (andperhaps especially) where there are deep theological differ-ences and disagreement. As it turns out, we don’t have tolook very far to find common ground: we need only consultour constitution, which guarantees religious liberty for all.Religious liberty is what we all have in common. As we facenew challenges, we must hold fast to that truth.

Holly Hollman is General Counsel of the Baptist JointCo m m i t t e e f o r R e l i g i o u s L i b e r t y. H o d a E l s h i s h t a w y i sLegislative and Policy Analyst for the Muslim Public AffairsCouncil. — CGNews

Central Europe feeling marginalOana Popescu

For a good while after the fall of the BerlinWall, Central-Eastern Europe (CEE) has feltsafe and sound in the bosom of ‘mother

Europe’-a Paradise regained through EU andNATO accession after the long years of per-ceived banishment behind the Iron Curtain.Safety, freedom and the perspective of a bettertomorrow were essential newly-found bless-ings which provided a good basis for the eco-nomic growth, political and social develop-ment which ensued.

If the peoples of CEE proved more resilientin the face of far tougher austerity measuresthan in Western Europe, that is partly because,very much used to hardships during commu-nism, they were less ‘spoiled’ and used to thegood life, but also because they still valued oth-er things more: political liberties, freedom oftravel, appurtenance to a family of values,democracy, security, economic opportunity(worth the temporary sacrifice).

In many ways, the original idea of a unitedEurope is more alive here than elsewhere onthe continent, since countries of the Easternbloc remember too well the high price theypaid for privileges others had enjoyed for muchlonger. Recently though, Central-EasternEurope has been feeling the earth slippingbeneath its feet, as it has been losing preciselythese cherished boons.

Instead, it has found itself sandwichedbetween an increasingly aggressive Russia, anEU in crisis and growing disunity, a more stand-offish and disengaged United States and now amore and more unstable and unpredictablevicinity (Turkey in turmoil, Ukraine in confusion,the Eastern Partnership unsuccessful in its orig-inal ambitions, the Caucasus in fragile and fear-ful balance etc).

Gone is the feeling of safety; going-going-almost gone the political freedoms, as Romaniaand Bulgaria find themselves shunned bySchengen countries and accused of sendingwaves of migrant workers and Roma to a moreprosperous but also more xenophobic, racistand economically nationalistic West. That alsodoesn’t contribute to the feeling of belongingeither. Democracy is still fledgling in manyplaces, most of all in Hungary, while the prom-ise of economic growth and rising standards ofliving seem to have been temporary illusions ofan age when they were the beneficiaries ofEuropean solidarity.

The recent summit in Bratislava of Central-European heads of state marks only one of

many recent attempts by the region to estab-lish itself more firmly within Europe and makeits own claims with one single voice-hoping itwill thus be heard by an EU core which is oftenreluctant to truly listen. The summit has restat-ed the shared commitment to the EU, to unity,solidarity and joint problem solving; its contin-ued interest in integrating the EU neighbor-hood; and concern for austerity measures totranslate into rising living standards for thepopulation.

Much of this only declaratively meets withthe same interest at overall EU level. TheWestern part of the continent is marred by dis-putes between the UK with its hand on thedoor knob, Germany accused of dictating poli-cies to its sole selfish benefit, France in internaldisarray and frustration over external loss ofinfluence, a more unaffected ScandinavianPeninsula and a South almost in shambles.

Little trace left of unity and solidarity. Suchinternal crisis does not make for a very activeand efficient policy or for traction in the EUneighborhood. Enlargement had entered aslow phase anyway, now doubled by a fear of‘strategic overstretch’ while problems at homeremain and unsolved issues tend to put stresson the entire Union (as problems in new mem-ber states do, in corruption, rule of law etc).Under the circumstances, it is no wonder thatperhaps the main attraction of the summit wasthe first meeting of Serb and Kosovar presi-dents, after their recent historic deal.

Concerned with multiple failures and short-comings in the Eastern Partnership, countriesof the region are sensibly becoming more andmore involved in stabilizing the Balkans, as thelast thing they look to is an expansion of thegeography of trouble. One side effect is thatprospects are increasingly good for Kosovo,since the EU as a whole will want to get oneproblem off its back if at all possible and assoon as possible, to be able to worry about therest.

Therefore Slovakia, a non-recognizer, hashosted this first high-level meeting betweenthe two presidents, while the Romanian presi-dent (another non-recognizer) has praised thewisdom of 20 member states in so doing.Along with the dwindling safety, economicinsecurity (in close connection with the seat ofthe region at the EU decision-making table andits political clout) has been the focus of debate.

Before it gained enough economic strengthof its own, the region was first seen as a marketby the rest of the EU, and then it placed its betsas a strategic corridor of transit for energy,

trade and even the military between Europeand Asia. US troops and the missile shield werelocated in Eastern Europe. The region has beenstruggling to gain access to alternative oil andgas transit routes (Nabucco, Nordstream,Southstream, etc.).

Strategic partnerships have been builtbetween main powers of the region Poland,Romania and Turkey on the one hand and thenCentral Asian energy ‘giants’ on the other handto facilitate cooperation to this end-the inter-connection between Europe and Central Asiabecoming key to any future development.Perhaps more importantly, as imports fromAsia are rising, as is the Eastern continent as awhole, the land bridge status of the region andits maritime connection capacity have becomeextremely important to both Europe and Asia.China has been seeking entry gates throughPoland and Hungary.

India has been trying to enter the competi-tion too. Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and evenJapan or Malaysia have been interested in con-necting to a region which was as ‘emerging’ asthemselves, although at a different scale. Thecourtship has not been all moonlight and ros-es though. From the point of view of security,the region has felt threatened by powerfulinterests which clashed in good part with itsown and added to pressure from Russia, itselfusing its economic might to buy out its pastsphere of influence, from metallurgy inRomania (ALRO, Mechel etc) to energy inHungary (MOL) and Croatia’s Plinacro.

Underdeveloped infrastructure, perceptionof the region as a mere set of transit routes,lack of more substantive regional cooperation,privatization of state resources to the benefitof power elites, corruption and the interest ofmultinationals to keep their costs down haveall brought additional challenges to the actualeconomic development of Central-EasternEurope home-grown capital and economicprowess. Moreover, as the crisis set in, theyfound that Western banks were externalizingprofits (to the home countries) and internaliz-ing losses, while the states themselves wererequired to undergo painful restructuring andausterity (with the exception of success storiesPoland and Estonia).

As a result, now that labor is not so cheaphere anymore and infrastructure still lagsbehind after 20 years, the region sees itself at anew disadvantage: few are the indigenousstrategic companies that can aid economicgrowth and project influence outside borders,to make the voice of the respective states

count more in EU negotiations on budget andcrisis management measures.

Although a favored place for business,Poland has few national champions: PKNOrlen, the state-owned fuel group, the largestcompany in Central Europe, the petrochemicalLotos, or the state-owned bank PKO BP;Hungary has MOL; the Czech Republic has theenergy giants CEZ, RWE Transgas and the car-maker Skoda-finally an exception to an almostall-energy-focus market.

The other exception is to some extent (byfar not enough, given its size) Romania, where,apart from the national energy companyPetrom (now belonging to Austrian OMV how-ever), other successes are the car-maker Dacia-Renault, with high sales on its low-cost con-cept on emerging as well as developed mar-kets, IT companies like SIVECO, with interna-tional expansion and the rail operatorGFR/GRAMPET, the only one which has strate-gic outreach in infrastructure (connecting theNorthern Sea to the Black Sea and Adriatic),branded as the key development solution ofthe entire region.

In fact, talking about railways, ongoing pri-vatizations across the region (in Romania,Bulgaria, Croatia etc) of national operatorshave surprisingly met with reduced interestfrom the largest and strongest global compa-nies such as Deutsche Bahn or others, demon-strating that the region as a whole is simplynot interesting enough yet, while the politicallinkage with Central Asia is not yet fully made.

This seems to be in fact the main problemthe region is now facing: shunned by a core EUwhich had so far given it a hand to help itcatch up, Central-Eastern Europe is still strug-gling to define its attractiveness and strategicadvantages, to advance negotiations of itsinterests in Brussels and Berlin, but also withpotential “economic predators” like Russia orChina. Countries of the region are increasinglycoming together to do this-the recent Globsecconference in Bratislava was mainly a Polishshow destined to promote Polish candidaciesto high office in international organizationslike NATO or the UN, but also V4 cooperation(especially economic, in articulating Brusselspositions and in defense); Wroclaw GlobalForum, in Poland, just a few days ago dis-cussed the way European politicians may havedestroyed democracy; the Summit of Heads ofState in Bratislava has shown off the region’ssupport for Kosovo-Serbia reconciliationefforts and Vilnius summit-worthy indeed, butalso for lack of better options. —Stratfor

THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013N E W S

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This week’s unrest has alarmed Western donors andIsrael, which has a 1979 peace treaty with Egypt.Washington, treading a careful line, has neither wel-comed Morsi’s removal nor denounced it as a “coup”,which under US law would require it to halt aid includingthe $1.3 billion it gives the army each year.

The Brotherhood’s downfall has however been warm-ly welcomed by three of the rich Arab monarchies of theGulf, who showered Cairo with aid to prop up the collaps-ing Egyptian economy. Kuwait promised Egypt $4 billionin cash, loans and fuel yesterday, a day after Saudi Arabiapledged $5 billion and the United Arab Emirates offered$3 billion. The Brotherhood leaders were charged withinciting violence in Monday’s shootings, which beganbefore dawn, when the Brotherhood says its followerswere peacefully praying. The army says terrorists pro-voked the shooting by attacking its troops.

Haddad said the Brotherhood leaders had not beenarrested and some were still attending the protest vigil atRabaa Adawiya mosque. The charges against them were“nothing more than an attempt by the police state to dis-mantle the Rabaa protest”. “What can we do? In a policestate when the police force are criminals, the judiciary aretraitors, and the investigators are the fabricators, whatcan one do?”

In addition to Badie, prosecutors ordered the arrest ofothers including his deputy, Mahmoud Ezzat, and out-spoken party leaders Essam El-Erian and Mohamed El-Beltagi. Khairat El-Shater, another senior leader, was heldlast week. The prosecutor also ordered 206 Brotherhoodactivists arrested after Monday’s violence to be detainedfor a further 15 days on accusations of involvement in thekillings. It released 464 others who had been detained,on bail of about $300 each.

Egyptians have hoped the start of Ramadan, theMuslim fasting month, would cool passions, but it hasbeen overshadowed by rancor. Thousands ofBrotherhood supporters braved brutal summer heat tomaintain their outdoor protest vigil despite the fast, clus-tering in tents to protect themselves from sun duringdaylight hours when Islam forbids eating food or drink-ing water.

Some milled about, others staged small marches. A listwas posted at the camp bearing the names of the morethan 650 people arrested following Monday’s “massacre”.Despite the violence that followed Morsi’s removal, theinterim authorities are proceeding with the army’s “roadmap” to restore civilian rule. On Tuesday they named 76-year-old economist Hazem El-Beblawi as acting primeminister.

Beblawi said he would start selecting ministers andwould begin by meeting liberal politicians MohamedElBaradei and Ziad Bahaa El-Din. ElBaradei, a former UNdiplomat, has been named vice president. Bahaa El-Din, aformer head of Egypt’s investment authority, has beentouted for senior posts. Both are prominent figures in theNational Salvation Front, the main secularist group that

led protests against Morsi.They also support a stalled $4.8 billion loan deal with

the International Monetary Fund, which would requireEgypt to make politically painful reforms to subsidies forfood and fuel that support its 84 million people but drainits finances. Beblawi accepted that it would be a chal-lenge to find a cabinet line-up with universal support. “Idon’t believe that anything can have unanimousapproval,” he said. Beblawi has indicated he would beopen to offering cabinet posts to Islamists, includingBrotherhood figures. The Brotherhood says it will havenothing whatsoever to do with a government of what itcalls a “fascist coup”.

The promised $12 billion in aid from the Gulf stateswill go a long way to easing a deep economic crisis thathas driven Egypt’s finances to the brink during two and ahalf years of instability since autocrat Hosni Mubarak wasswept from power. The funds also reduce the incentivefor Egypt to make the reforms the IMF says are needed tostabilize public finances, draw investment and rekindleeconomic growth. In other steps on their “road map”, theauthorities have announced a temporary constitution,plans to amend it, and a timetable for elections begin-ning in about six months.

Those moves already demonstrated the difficultyachieving political consensus, even among Morsi’s oppo-nents. The secularist NSF initially rejected the interimconstitution, as did Islamists and others, although yester-day the NSF withdrew its rejection and issued a new,milder criticism. Yesterday, the authorities also named achief prosecutor, replacing Morsi’s appointee who waspushed out last week by a court that briefly reimposedhis Mubarak-era predecessor.

With the Brotherhood sidelined, the authorities arecourting the second largest Islamist group, the ultra-orthodox Nour Party, to demonstrate that Islamists willnot be repressed as they were under decades of military-led rule. Nour officially withdrew from politics in responseto Monday’s violence but has said it does not object toBeblawi’s appointment and will assist his government.

Nour spokesman Nader Bakkar said yesterday thegroup would not accept posts in the new cabinet butwould offer “consent and advice to help the cabinet passthrough the transition period as soon as possible andwith minimum damages”. “We are waiting to help. We areready to advise but for the time being we still take thedecision not to participate in the political process untilthe judiciary committee gives its report about what hap-pened (on Monday).”

Bloodshed has abated since Monday’s incident, thedeadliest since Mubarak’s fall, apart from a 2012 soccerstadium riot. However, there are fears that the politicalviolence could lead to a breakdown in security, espe-cially in the lawless Sinai Peninsula region borderingIsrael. Two people were killed and six woundedovernight when Islamist militants attacked a Sinaicheckpoint. On Tuesday, Israeli troops found theremains of a rocket they believe was fired across theborder from Egypt. — Agencies

Kuwait offers Egypt $4 billion financial...

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And on Tuesday, the kingdom pledged $5 billion in assistanceto Egypt. The United Arab Emirates, which has cracked down onthe Muslim Brotherhood in the past few months, offered Egyptan aid package of $3 billion.

“Saudi Arabia wants to ensure stability in Arab Spring coun-tries, regardless of its ideological interests,” said analyst Abdel AzizAl-Sagr, head of the Gulf Research Centre. “It had supported theMuslim Brotherhood in Egypt but reconsidered this support afterthe Brotherhood failed to run the country wisely,” he argued. Butthe Saudi researcher downplayed the rivalry between SaudiArabia and Qatar, both of which have been looking to expandtheir influence during the Arab Spring uprisings and prevent anypotential revolt against their own autocratic regimes.

“The Saudi-Qatari harmony still exists and there is no battlefor influence between the two countries,” said Sager. And asproof, “Riyadh was the first to be informed of the political changein Qatar, six months before it took place. And it welcomed it.” Butthe two countries, whose relations have been historically tense orat least marked by mistrust, support two different approaches of

political Islam that emerged strongly in the wake of the ArabSpring.

Qatar sides with political parties linked to the MuslimBrotherhood, whose experience was cut short despite the strongmedia support they enjoyed from the influential Doha-based Al-Jazeera news channel. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia promotes Salafistgroups that focus less on politics and more on implementingShariah Islamic law on daily life matters such as forcing women towear a veil and prohibiting the mixing between sexes. Saudi KingAbdullah has reiterated his country’s stance against using Islamfor political purposes.

“Islam rejects divisions in the name of one party or another,”he said in a statement marking the start Wednesday of theMuslim holy month of Ramadan. The kingdom will never accept”the presence of political parties, that “only lead to conflict andfailure.” But regardless of the political agendas of Saudi Arabia orQatar, the people who rose up during the Arab Spring revolts willhave the final word on their own political futures, argued formerBahraini cabinet minister Ali Fakhro. “It is the Arab people, notQatar nor Saudi Arabia, who will determine the political future ofthe region.” — AFP

Qatar losing ground to Saudi diplomacy

Continued from Page 1

theories on the formation of massive stars, whichhave at least ten times the mass of our Sun.

The first theory suggests that parental dark cloudsfragment, creating several small cores that collapse andform stars. The other sees the entire cloud collapseinwards, with material racing into its centre to feed thestar or stars growing there. The new results support thesecond theory, said the statement. “The ALMA observa-tions reveal the spectacular details of the motions of

the filamentary network of dust and gas and show thata huge amount of gas is flowing into a central compactregion,” said team member Ana Duarte Cabral from theLaboratoire d’Astrophysique in Bordeaux, France.

The find was made possible by the high sensitivity ofthe Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array,located 5,000 meters above sea level, deep in Chile’sAtacama Desert. ALMA has 66 antennas exploring theuniverse via radio waves emitted by galaxies, stars andother bodies not captured by optical and infrared tele-scopes, which only receive light. — AFP

Monster star spotted in the stellar ‘womb’

KUWAIT: Kuwaitis buy fruits and vegetables at a market in downtown Kuwait City, on the first day of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Tens of millions across the Muslim world fast from dawnto dusk and strive to be more pious and charitable during the month, which ends with the Eid holiday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

CAIRO: With a mob of Muslim extremistson his tail, the Christian businessman andhis nephew climbed up on the roof andran for their lives, jumping from buildingto building in their southern Egyptianvillage. Finally they ran out of rooftops.Forced back onto the street, they wereoverwhelmed by several dozen men. Theattackers hacked them with axes andbeat them with clubs and tree limbs,killing Emile Naseem, 41.

The nephew survived with wounds tohis shoulders and head and recountedthe chase to The Associated Press. Themob’s rampage through the village ofNagaa Hassan, burning dozens ofChristian houses and stabbing to deaththree other Christians as well, came twodays after the military ousted IslamistPresident Mohammed Morsi from power.It was no coincidence the attackersfocused on Naseem and his family: Hewas the village’s most prominent cam-paigner calling for Morsi’s removal.Some Christians are paying the price fortheir activism against Morsi and hisIslamist allies in a backlash over hisouster last week.

Since then, there has been a string ofattacks on Christians in provinces thatare strongholds of hard-liners. In theSinai Peninsula, where militant groupsrun rampant, militants gunned down apriest in a drive-by shooting as hewalked in a public market. Egypt’sChristian minority, about 10 percent ofthe population, long shunned politics forfear of reprisals, relying on their churchto make their case to those in power.That changed in the revolutionary fervorwhen autocrat Hosni Mubarak was top-pled in 2011, as Christians started todemand a say in the country’s direction.

But they took it to a new level duringMorsi’s year in office and the empower-ment of his Islamist allies. The new CopticChristian pope, Tawadros II, enthroned inNovember, openly criticized the presi-dent. He told Christians they were free toactively participate in politics and thatthe church will not discourage them.“The Christians have emerged fromunder the robes of the clergy and willnever go back,” said Ezzat Ibrahim, an

activist from Minya, a southern provincewith a large Christian community.

It was a risky gamble for a minoritythat has long felt vulnerable, with itsmost concentrated communities oftenliving in the same rural areas where themost vehement and vocal Islamists holdsway. During Morsi’s year in office, someof his hard-line allies increasingly spokeof Christians as enemies of Islam andwarned them to remember they are aminority. When the wave of protestsagainst Morsi began on June 30,Brotherhood media depicted it as domi-nated by Christians - and to hard-liners, itsmacked of Christians rising up against aMuslim ruler. The worst anti-Christianbacklash since Morsi’s July 3 ouster wasthe attack in Nagaa Hassan, a dusty vil-lage on the west bank of the Nile River,not far from the most majestic ancientEgyptian archaeological sites in the cityof Luxor.

The body of a Muslim villager was dis-covered at dawn on July 5. The cry wentout around the village that Christianskilled him. A mob of several hundred, ledby men wearing the hallmark longbeards of ultraconservative Salafis as wellas more extreme movements, went on arampage, according to witnesses andsecurity officials speaking to the AP.

They smashed the windows anddoors of Christian homes, ransackedChristian-owned stores and set themablaze - damaging about 30 homes andstores in all. Muslim residents who triedto stop them were brushed aside, some-times threatened with violence as well.At least a dozen Christian families tookrefuge in the local Church of St. John TheBaptist, the church’s priest, FatherVassilios, told the AP. The crowd targetedin particular Naseem, besieging theapartment building of his cousins wherehe and his wife hid. Their three childrenhad been taken earlier to a relative’shome for their safety. The mob set fires inthe building, while the families withwomen and children fled to the upperfloors.

Security forces pulled up to the build-ing, backing an armored personnel carri-er up to the entrance to evacuate those

inside, according to witnesses andactivists briefed on the day’s events. Butthe mob, outnumbering police, refusedto let the men inside leave - so the policetold the families they would only takethe women and children, she said.

Naseem and several other men initial-ly put on women’s clothes to escapedetection by the mob waiting close byfor the police to leave so it could setupon the men, said El-Ameer, thenephew, The police still refused to takethe men, fearing the mob outside wouldsee through the ruse and attack thearmored police car that came to evacu-ate the Christians, said El-Ameer andactivists.

Martha Zekry, Naseem’s wife,begged the police to take her husband,pleading with them that he would notsurvive if left behind. The officer incharge said he would come back forNaseem. He never did. Once the policepulled away with the women and chil-dren, the attackers stormed the build-ing. Naseem tore off the women’sclothes and fled to the rooftops with hisnephew, Al-Ameer said. Naseem’scousins, Romani and Muhareb Nosehi,and a neighbor Rasem Tadros, nevermade it out of the building, stabbedand beaten to death on the spot.

Naseem’s friends and family say hewas targeted because of his activismagainst Morsi. In the months beforeMorsi’s ouster, he was energetically col-lecting signatures in the village forTamarod, or “Rebel,” the youth-led activistcampaign that collected signaturesnationwide on a petition demandingMorsi’s removal. It organized the June 30protests that brought out millions.“Emile was the de facto Tamarod leaderin the village and that did not escape thenotice of the militants,” said Naseem’sbest friend and fellow activist EmileNazeer. “He, like other activists, receivedthreatening text messages for weeksbefore he was killed.” “Almost everyone inNagaa Hassan loved my uncle. He spokea lot about politics and people listenedto what he had to say,” said el-Ameer,Naseem’s nephew. — AP

Egyptian Christians face backlash for Morsi ouster

S P O RT STHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

LONDON: Former triple jump world champion Phillips Idowu will missnext month’s world championships in Moscow after announcing yester-day that he was taking an indefinite break from athletics. The 34-year-old Briton has competed only once since last year’s London Olympics,where he made an early exit after crashing out in qualifying.

“After some careful consideration I have decided that for the foresee-able future I will be taking a step back from athletics,” the 2008 Beijing

Olympic silver medallist said in a statement.“I feel this is the right time for me to make this

decision and it’s not a choice I’ve made lightly.”British Athletics performance director NeilBlack wished Idowu all the best.

“It’s a big, brave decision for Phil and whilstwe’re sad to see him hang up his spikes fornow, he’s had a fantastic career,” he said.

“Winning medals across all major champi-onships, including gold at world, European

and Commonwealth is a bri l l iantrecord.”—Reuters

Idowu rules himself outLONDON: England winger Wilfried Zaha will play a part in ManchesterUnited’s pre-season tour of the Far East and Australia, new manager DavidMoyes said yesterday.

The Ivory Coast-born 20-year-old, the final signing by Moyes’ predeces-sor Alex Ferguson before his retirement, joined the Premier League champi-ons this week for his first training session.

United have in the past loaned out promising youngsters to other sidesto gain experience and there has been speculation that Zaha, who has yetto play in the Premier League, might return for a spell at previous clubCrystal Palace.

Palace boss Ian Holloway has effectively ruled that outand Moyes indicated the once-capped youngster was partof his plans.

“He will travel with us on the tour,” he told talkSPORTradio before United’s departure to Thailand for a tour thatstarts in Bangkok on Saturday. “He has only been with usfor two days but I will take him away, see how hegoes and have a look. This club has a greatrecord of putting young players in theteam. Hopefully Wilfried can be one ofthem.”—Reuters

United’s Zaha on Asia tourROME: Italian Serie A clubs Lazio and Genoa, lower league side Lecce andeight players have been referred to a disciplinary tribunal over allegationsof match-fixing in the 2010/11 season, the Italian football federation(FIGC) said yesterday.

Lazio midfielder Stefano Mauri was among the eight players who wereaccused of “sporting fraud” by FIGC after it examined reports by investiga-tors in the town of Cremona. The hearing is due to take place on July 24.

The matches under investigation are Lazio’s final two games of the2010-11 season when they beat Genoa 4-2 at home and Lecce by thesame score away. The three clubs were reported for “objective liability” andcould face points deductions next season. The other players reportedwere Mario Cassano and Carlo Gervasoni, who were playing for Piacenzaat the time, Alessandro Zamperini, who was with lower league Fidene,Omar Milanetto, who was at Genoa, and Lecce’s Massimiliano Benassi,Stefano Ferrario and Antonio Rosati.

Mauri and Milanetto were both detained for one week last year byprosecutors investigating the case. Cassano and Zamperini are alreadyserving five-year bans imposed last year over different cases.

During investigations last year, Cremona prosecutor Roberto DiMartino said there was an “absolute superabundance” of evidence aboutthe Lecce-Lazio match. He said gamblers had appeared to win some twomillion euros ($2.5 million) on the game and paid 600,000 euros to bribethe players.—Reuters

Italy match-fixing charges

BALTIMORE: Adrian Beltre went 4 for 4 with twohomers and a season-high five RBIs to help thesurging Texas Rangers beat the Baltimore Orioles8-4 Tuesday night.

Beltre hit a solo shot in the second inning anda three-run drive in the fifth, both off ZachBritton (2-3). Beltre has six home runs in his lastsix games and is batting .488 (21 for 43) duringan 11-game hitting streak that began on June28.

Texas has won 14 of 19 to move a season-high 16 games over .500 (53-37) - tied for thesecond-best record in franchise history after 90games. The Rangers have won four in a row onthe road.

Manny Machado homered for the Orioles,who have lost six of eight. Baltimore is 3-12 in itslast 15 regular-season games against Texas.Martin Perez (3-1) allowed four runs, two earned,and six hits in six-plus innings for the Rangers.The left-hander is 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA in fourstarts since being recalled from Triple-A RoundRock on June 22.

WHITE SOX 11, TIGERS 4In Detroit, Alex Rios equaled an American

League record with six hits in a nine-inninggame and Adam Dunn hit a go-ahead, two-runhomer off Justin Verlander in the eighth to liftChicago over Detroit.

Dayan Vicideo’s second homer of the gamehelped the White Sox score seven runs in theeighth, and they added three more in the ninthto surpass a season high for scoring.

Miguel Cabrera hit his 29th homer to givehim a major league-high 92 RBIs and a .363 bat-ting average. He broke the franchise mark forhomers before the All-Star game, surpassing thetotal Cecil Fielder had at the break in 1990 dur-ing his 51-homer season

Verlander (9-6) gave up a season-high 12 hits,five runs and struck out three to match a seasonlow in seven-plus innings.

Jose Quintana (4-2) gave up three runs andsix hits over eight innings, winning for the firsttime since May 21. The last-place White Sox, whohad lost four straight, finished with a season-high 23 hits and a season high in runs.

RED SOX 11, MARINERS 8In Seattle, Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a tiebreaking

homer and Shane Victorino slugged the last ofBoston’s five long balls as the Red Sox snapped athree-game skid with a win over Seattle.

Boston rallied from an early 5-1 deficit, usingtwo-run homers from Dustin Pedroia and MikeNapoli along with Bradley’s solo shot to comeback against the Mariners. Pedroia and Napolihomered in the third inning and Bradley gaveBoston the lead in the fifth against Blake Beavan(0-2).

Bradley was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucketearlier in the day. Victorino’s drive was part of athree-run eighth. Seattle was just as potent ear-ly, with Kendrys Morales going deep twice, butcouldn’t solve the Red Sox bullpen. AlfredoAceves, Craig Breslow and Andrew Bailey keptthe Mariners scoreless for 4 2-3 innings afterstarter Allen Webster was tagged for sevenearned runs in 2 1-3 innings.

Seattle got a run off Junichi Tazawa in theeighth, but Koji Uehara pitched the ninth for hissixth save. Breslow (3-2) got the victory afterthrowing 2 1-3 innings.

David Ortiz had four hits - including a solohomer in the second off struggling Seattlestarter Hisashi Iwakuma - to give him 1,688 hitsas a designated hitter, tying Harold Baines forthe career record. Ortiz also doubled twice.

ROYALS 3, YANKEES 1In New York, James Shields wiggled out of

early trouble and got home run help from BillyButler and David Lough as Kansas City sent NewYork to its third straight loss.

Center fielder Lorenzo Cain contributed fournifty catches, defensive replacement ElliotJohnson ranged a long way for a grounder andKansas City backed Shields (4-6) with a pair ofdouble plays.

CC Sabathia (9-7) gave up seven hits in hissecond complete game. Once again, the Yankeeshad trouble scoring. They’ve managed exactlyone run in each of their last three games - notsince 2005 had they scored one run or fewer inthree straight, STATS said.

The hitting slump left the Yankees with athree-game home losing streak for the first timesince they dropped four in a row in late July2012. Greg Holland worked the ninth for his22nd save, and second in two nights.

INDIANS 3, BLUE JAYS 0In Cleveland, Ubaldo Jimenez and three

relievers combined on an eight-hit shutout asCleveland defeated Toronto.

Jimenez (7-4) dodged constant trouble in sixinnings, allowing five hits with two walks andfour strikeouts. Cody Allen, Joe Smith and ChrisPerez blanked the Blue Jays the rest of the way.Perez allowed two hits in the ninth but earnedhis 10th save as the Indians completed their AL-leading 11th shutout. Cleveland managed only

four hits. Nick Swisher and Michael Brantley hadRBI singles in the fourth when the Indians puttogether a walk and three straight singles offstarter Josh Johnson (1-4), who gave up tworuns in seven innings. Asdrubal Cabrera added asacrifice fly in the eighth. Toronto was 1 for 12with runners in scoring position.

RAYS 4, TWINS 1In St. Petersburg, Chris Archer pitched six

strong innings, and Matt Joyce and KellyJohnson drove in two runs apiece to help surg-ing Tampa Bay extend its winning streak to aseason-best six games with a victory over sput-tering Minnesota.

Archer (3-3) limited the Twins to an unearnedrun and three hits to outpitch fellow rookie KyleGibson (1-2), who was done in by one badinning in his third career start for Minnesota.

The Twins have lost nine of 10. The Raysmatched their longest winning streak of the yearand are 8-1 during a stretch of 14 consecutivegames against the struggling Twins, White Soxand Astros leading up to the All-Star break.

Alex Torres, Jake McGee and FernandoRodney each pitched a scoreless inning for theRays, with Rodney finishing a combined five-hit-ter for his 21st save.—AP

Rangers pound Orioles

American LeagueEastern Division

W L PCT GBBoston 55 37 .598 -Tampa Bay 51 40 .560 3.5Baltimore 49 42 .538 5.5NY Yankees 48 42 .533 6Toronto 43 46 .483 10.5

Central DivisionDetroit 49 40 .551 -Cleveland 47 43 .522 2.5Kansas City 43 44 .494 5Minnesota 37 50 .425 11Chicago White Sox 35 52 .402 13

Western DivisionOakland 54 37 .593 -Texas 53 37 .589 0.5LA Angels 43 46 .483 10Seattle 40 50 .444 13.5Houston 32 58 .356 21.5

National LeagueEastern Division

Atlanta 52 38 .578 -Washington 46 44 .511 6Philadelphia 45 46 .495 7.5NY Mets 39 48 .448 11.5Miami 32 57 .360 19.5

Central DivisionSt. Louis 54 34 .614 -Pittsburgh 53 36 .596 1.5Cincinnati 50 40 .556 5Chicago Cubs 40 48 .455 14Milwaukee 37 52 .416 17.5

Western DivisionArizona 47 43 .522 -LA Dodgers 44 45 .494 2.5Colorado 43 48 .473 4.5San Diego 41 50 .451 6.5San Francisco 40 49 .449 6.5

MLB results/standingsKansas City 3, NY Yankees 1; Philadelphia 4, Washington 2; Oakland 2, Pittsburgh 1; Texas 8, Baltimore 4;Cleveland 3, Toronto 0; Chicago White Sox 11, Detroit 4; Atlanta 6, Miami 4; Tampa Bay 4, Minnesota 1;Chicago Cubs 7, LA Angels 2; Milwaukee 2, Cincinnati 0; St. Louis 9, Houston 5; LA Dodgers 6, Arizona 1;Boston 11, Seattle 8; San Diego 2, Colorado 1; NY Mets 10, San Francisco 6.

MIAMI: Justin Upton homered, doubledtwice and scored three runs to help theAtlanta Braves earn their 27th comebackvictory with a 6-4 win over the MiamiMarlins on Tuesday night. The Braves, wholead the NL in come-from-behind wins,overcame deficits of 3-1 and 4-3.

Pitchers for the two teams combined toretire 30 consecutive batters Monday,when Atlanta won 7-1 in 14 innings. Butthe second game of the series was aslugfest, with Upton leading the way.

He doubled home a run in the third,doubled and scored to make it 4-all in thefifth, then hit his 16th home run - but firstsince June 12 - leading off the seventhagainst reliever Ryan Webb. In Monday’smarathon, Upton hit a two-run double toput Atlanta ahead in the final inning.

Julio Teheran (7-4) allowed one earnedrun in 7 1-3 innings. All-Star closer CraigKimbrel pitched a perfect ninth for his 24thsave in 27 chances, and Atlanta improvedto 12-2 at Marlins Park since it opened in2012. Henderson Alvarez (0-1) allowed fiveruns, four earned, in six innings for Miami.

DODGERS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 1In Phoenix, Ricky Nolasco gave up four

hits over seven innings in his Dodgersdebut as surging Los Angeles beat theDiamondbacks for its 14th victory in 17games.

Nolasco (6-8), acquired Saturday in atrade with the Miami Marlins, also doubledand singled, driving in a run and scoringanother. Adrian Gonzalez drove in threeruns for Los Angeles but Hanley Ramirezwent 0 for 4, snapping his 19-game hittingstreak. Ian Kennedy (3-5), facing theDodgers for the first time since serving a10-game suspension for his role in a bench-clearing brawl a month ago in Los Angeles,allowed six runs, five earned, and nine hitsin 5 2-3 innings. He hit Ramirez with a pitchin the first inning. The Dodgers pulled with-in 21/2 games of the NL West-leadingDiamondbacks.

PHILLIES 4, NATIONALS 2In Philadelphia, Cole Hamels threw eight

sharp innings and Michael Young hit a two-run double as Philadelphia beatWashington for its third straight win.

Hamels (4-11) allowed one run and sixhits to win consecutive starts for the firsttime this season. The Phillies have won sixof their past eight games. Jayson Werth hita solo homer for Washington. The defend-ing NL East champs have lost two straightand are only 11/2 games ahead of third-place Philadelphia. Making his third careerstart, Taylor Jordan (0-2) gave up four runs -three earned - and eight hits in 5 2-3innings for the Nats.

BREWERS 2, REDS 0In Milwaukee, Wily Peralta tossed a

three-hitter for his first career shutout andLogan Schafer hit his first homer, a two-runshot that lifted Milwaukee to a victory overCincinnati. Peralta (6-9), whose start waspushed back from Sunday to give hisaching left hamstring a couple extra daysof rest, struck out six and walked four forhis first complete game. It also was theBrewers’ first shutout and complete gameof the season. Tony Cingrani (3-1), wasalmost as effective as Peralta, allowing onlytwo singles and Schafer’s home run, strik-ing out 10 and walking two in seveninnings. Schafer was a last-minute replace-ment for Norichika Aoki.

CARDINALS 9, ASTROS 5In St. Louis, Adam Wainwright earned

his 12th win to tie for the NL lead, pitchingseven scoreless innings, and Matt Hollidayhit his team-high 13th homer to lead theCardinals to a win over the Astros.

Matt Carpenter had three hits and drovein three runs for St. Louis, which has won

four in a row and five of six. Houstondropped its ninth in the last 11 and leadsthe majors with 58 losses.

Wainwright (12-5) improved to 13-1 in15 career starts against Houston. His 1.56ERA against the Astros is the lowest for anyopponent. Wainwright allowed five hits,struck out nine and walked one.

The Cardinals, who jumped out to a 7-0lead, battered Bud Norris (6-8) for sevenruns and 11 hits in five innings.

METS 10, GIANTS 6In san Francisco, Marlon Byrd’s two-out

grand slam capped a five-run eighth inningand the Mets beat the Giants for their thirdconsecutive win.

A day after needing 16 innings to topthe Giants in a game that ended at 12:42a.m., the Mets squandered leads of 3-2 and5-3 but held off the slumping World Serieschampions by scoring five times againsttheir bullpen.

Omar Quintanilla had three hits for theMets while Byrd and David Wright addedtwo apiece. Wright drew a two-out walkbefore Byrd’s home run off San Franciscoreliever Jake Dunning. The Giants fell a sea-son-high nine games under .500. SanFrancisco also has the worst record in themajors (17-34) since May 13. Scott Rice (4-5) retired one batter for the win. JoseMijares (0-2) was the loser.

PADRES 2, ROCKIES 1In San Diego, Eric Stults pitched a four-

hitter, Alexi Amarista drove in two runs andthe Padres snapped their 10-game losingstreak with a win over the Rockies.

Stults (7-7) struck out five and walkedthree in the complete game, supporting hiscause with two hits. He took a no-hitterinto the fifth inning, when Josh Rutledgelegged out an infield hit on a grounder toshortstop. He lost his shutout in the ninthwhen he gave up a one-out double to WilinRosario and a two-out RBI single to pinch-hitter Nolan Arenado.

Jhoulys Chacin (8-4) allowed one run onfive hits over six innings, striking out fourand walking two. The loss snapped Chacin’sfive-game winning streak. He had not lostsince May 16.

INTERLEAGUECUBS 7, ANGELS 2

In Chicago, Alfonso Soriano hit two ofthe Cubs’ season high five home runs andTravis Wood earned his first win in nearlysix weeks in a victory over Los Angeles.

Anthony Rizzo, Starlin Castro andDarwin Barney also homered for Chicago.Wood (6-6) gave up four hits over 6 2-3innings and retired 14 straight from thesecond inning into the sixth for his first vic-tory since May 30.

Rizzo and Soriano hit back-to-backhome runs in the first inning, Castro hit asolo homer to center in the third andBarney hit a three-run homer in the sixth.All came off Joe Blanton (2-11), who leadsthe majors in losses.

ATHLETICS 2, PIRATES 1In Pittsburgh, Dan Straily pitched two-

hit ball into the seventh inning, BrandonMoss hit a two-run homer and the Athleticsbeat the Pirates.

Straily (6-2) struck out seven and walkedthree in 6 1-3 innings for his secondstraight strong outing. Grant Balfourworked the ninth to remain perfect in 24save chances this season. The A’s have won10 of 13. Gerrit Cole (4-2) lost his secondconsecutive decision despite working sev-en innings for the first time in his four-weekmajor league career. Cole allowed five hits,struck out four and walked two.

After the start was delayed 1 hour, 42minutes, Pedro Alvarez hit his 23rd homerun but Pittsburgh matched a season highwith its fourth straight loss.—AP

Braves see off MarlinsMIAMI: Julio Teheran No. 49 of the Atlanta Braves bunts during a game against theMiami Marlins at Marlins Park. —AFP

BALTIMORE: Ian Kinsler No. 5 of the Texas Rangers advances, as third basemen Manny MachadoNo. 13 of the Baltimore Orioles lies in the dirt after missing a hit by right fielder Nelson Cruz No.17 of the Texas Rangers (not pictured) in the fifth inning. —AFP

INVERNESS: The last two playersto lift the claret jug prepared forthe British Open by honing theirlinks game at the Scottish Open.

Darren Clarke played at Castle

Stuart before winning golf’s oldestmajor in 2011 at a wet and wildRoyal St. George’s, and Ernie Elscaptured the title last year atLytham only days after playing four

rounds on the Moray Firth coast-line. Some of the world’s top golfersmay, therefore, eventually regretturning down the opportunity toplay in the Scottish Highlands thisweek before making the short drivesouth to Muirfield for the BritishOpen. “There’s a little bit of historythere,” Els said yesterday, “so maybeguys should follow that lead. Itmight take you to an OpenChampionship claret jug.”

Els and four-time major winnerPhil Mickelson are the only playersfrom the world’s top 25 who will becompeting, backing up GraemeMcDowell’s recent assertion that atournament that has had someillustrious winners down the yearshas “lost its prestige.”

“Castle Stuart probably hasn’tbeen a strong enough course thepast couple of years,” the 2010 USOpen champion said, perhapsignoring the course’s record of pro-

viding ideal preparation for Els andClarke. The remarks of McDowell,who isn’t playing this week, havebeen rebuffed by his fellow players.“I don’t want to get into an argu-ment with Graeme,” said PaulLawrie, the 1999 Open championand McDowell’s Ryder Cup team-mate last year, “but I think everyonewas gobsmacked at his comments.”Padraig Harrington, who won theBritish Open in 2007 and ‘08 afterplaying the Irish PGA on links atWicklow’s European Club, also dis-agreed with McDowell and waseager to highlight the benefits ofCastle Stuart.

“It’s not going to be drudgerythis week or a tough slog, yet youwill be asked to hit plenty of goodshots out there,” Harrington saidTuesday. “It’s ideal preparation foran Open Championship - you wantto be playing links golf, links condi-tions.—AP

Castle Stuart offers Open practice to Els, Mickelson

Darren Clarke

S P O RT STHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

LOS ANGELES: Still reelingafter Dwight Howard’s deci-sion to leave Los Angeles forHouston last week, the Lakerswere hastily installing backupplans on the eve of theNational BasketballAssociation’s free-agent sign-ing period.

Long handicapped in theirbid to recruit new playersbecause of a hefty payroll, the16-times NBA champions havelined up former Clippers cen-ter Chris Kaman on a one-yeardeal to help fill the gap left byHoward’s departure.

Given the addition ofKaman will soak up virtually allof the Lakers’ “mini” mid-levelsalary exception, speculationhas heightened that formerdefensive player of the yearMetta World Peace will likelyreleased by the franchise.

“Personally I’d keep Mettaand make a run with the unitwe have and just add a fewpieces #keepthepeace #lak-ersstilldeciding,” tweetedLakers All-Star Kobe Bryant, afive-time NBA champion.

“No game 7 win withoutMetta! This is a tough day forlaker nation.” Bryant was refer-ring to the Lakers’ victory overthe Boston Celtics in the con-cluding Game Seven of the2010 NBA Finals when WorldPeace, then named Ron Artest,contributed 20 points in asuperb all-round performance.

While World Peace was ini-tially a significant factor afterjoining the Lakers in July 2009on a lucrative five-year con-tract, his defensive abilitieshave waned and he blew hotand cold last season before histeam lost in the first round ofthe playoffs.

Though he flourished atfirst under new coach MikeD’Antoni’s system, he failed toshine in the latter part of theseason after returning fromknee surgery, averaging onlysix points on 25 percent shoot-ing in three playoff games.

Should World Peace be cutduring the one-week windowto amnesty players, starting onWednesday, the Lakers wouldsave around $11 million in lux-ury taxes.

However, they would alsobe left without any small for-wards, though the versatileBryant has occasionally playedthat position.

With seven-time All-Starcenter Howard opting to jointhe Rockets despite a substan-tial paycut, the Lakers will fielda likely starting lineup nextseason hinging aroundKaman, Bryant, Pau Gasol, vet-eran point guard Steve Nashand Steve Blake.

The inspirational Bryant,who averaged 27.3 points andsix assists per game last sea-son, is expected to make abelated return to the lineup ashe continues to recover fromsurgery on a torn Achilles’ ten-don.

Bottom line, the Lakers willhave to make the best of a badsituation next season beforethey can enjoy a financialwindfall heading into their2014-15 campaign, when theywill have an estimated $50 mil-lion to spend due to increasedsalary-cap room.

At present, the Lakers havenine players under contract fora total of $81.6 million, includ-ing Metta World Peace, butonly the 39-year-old Nash willbe under contract after nextseason.

By that time, players such asLeBron James, CarmeloAnthony, Dwyane Wade, ChrisBosh and Zach Randolphcould all be free agents.

Meanwhile, the HoustonRockets have been fined$150,000 for prematurely com-menting about new acquisi-tion Dwight Howard, the NBAconfirmed to Reuters onTuesday.

The league has a moratori-um on teams discussing per-sonnel business until playersofficially sign late yesterday.Howard made waves acrossthe league by verbally com-mitting to the Rockets onFriday rather than returning tothe Los Angeles Lakers.

Amidst the excitement,both the Rockets general man-ager Daryl Morey and coachKevin McHale publicly com-mented on securing Howardto draw the penalty. Howard isset to officially sign a four-year,$88 million contract to join theHouston franchise.—Reuters

Lakers mull over

backup options

following

Howard’s exit

S P O RT STHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

Photo of the day

Peter Besenyei flies during the AirPower13 in Zeltweg, Austria. —www.redbullcontentpool.com

World gymnastics body expels top Olympic official

FRANCE: German rider Tony Martinwon the the 11th stage of the Tourde France and second-placed ChrisFroome finished way ahead of hismain rivals to significantly strength-en his overall lead yesterday.

As the two-time world time trialchampion, Martin did not disap-point over the 33-kilometer (20.5-mile) route in Normandy fromAvranches to the medieval walledtown of Mont-Saint-Michel.

Froome was quicker over thefirst two time splits but sloweddown in the last section and rolledin 12 seconds slower than Martin,who won in just over 36 minutes.

“My biggest race today was withthe other GC riders,” Froome said.“I’ve extended my lead today so I’mvery happy with that. Hats off toTony Martin for winning that stage,it just goes to show what class hehas.” Froome was the only rider toget within a minute of Martin, withBelgian Thomas De Gendt 1:01behind in third.

While Martin is not a Tour chal-lenger, others who are supposed tobe slipped further behind.Alejandro Valverde and two-timeformer champion Alberto Contadorwere two minutes or more slowerthan Froome, while 2010 champAndy Schleck and 2011 champCadel Evans all lost massive time.

Valverde is still in second placeoverall but 3:25 adrift. Contadorimproved to fourth but is 3:54behind. “I’m happy with my shape,”Froome said. “I think I’ve shown inthe mountains that I can hold myown, and time trial also. I’m veryhappy with that.”

Contador looked stern-faced andtense when he prepared to start -and with good reason. The Spaniardfinished in 15th place, 2:15 behindMartin; Evans was 2:30 slower, andSchleck finished 4:44 behind Martin.

“No one’s won the Tour deFrance yet and no one’s lost it. Wehave to get to Paris yet,” Contadorsaid. “It’s true that Chris Froome is inimpressive form and is a greatclimber, but there are still manystages left.” Even though Evans is6:54 behind Froome in 14th place,he has not given up.

“I couldn’t get the best out ofmyself,” the Australian said. “I thinkwe will get a few chances, and inthe last four days (of the race) wewill give everything.”

Martin, meanwhile, was lucky toeven still be in the race after losingconsciousness on his team bus afterhis heavy crash on stage 1. It was sobad that his left lung was bruisedand layers of skin were shredded offhis back, preventing him fromsleeping properly for several nights.

“It’s pretty much OK. There arestill some deeper wounds that areleft to heal but it’s not that painfulanymore like directly after the

crash,” Martin said. “(Today) the feel-ing was good. I was just focused onthe race. It was more or less likeevery time trial.”

Martin won the penultimatestage of the 2011 Tour, a time trail,and finished second to BradleyWiggins in the time trial at theOlympic Games last year in London.

Yesterday’s ride started inAvranches, whose website dates thetown’s origins to Celts in the 9thcentury B.C. It ended at the breath-taking island citadel of Mont-Saint-Michel, a World Heritage sitebecause of the Gothic-styleBenedictine abbey erectedbetween the 11th and 16th cen-turies. It is 80 meters tall andupward of three million visitors takein the panoramic view from its ram-parts every year. But there was littletime for Martin to take in the sightswith the peloton averaging 54 kph(34 mph) in humid, muggy condi-tions. The team of Mark Cavendish,winner of the fifth stage, believessomeone threw urine at the Britishrider. “Yes, that’s true I think. I wasbehind him. I didn’t see it, but Ithink it’s true,” the team press officerAlessandro Tegner said.

Tegner said the liquid smelledlike urine and it was “all over him,”and said Cavendish talked aboutthe incident after the time trial.

“That’s really disappointing tohear,” Froome said. “To do some-thing disrespectful like that is reallysad and ruins the whole atmos-phere.” Thursday’s 12th stage is oneof two consecutive flat days forsprinters, taking the riders on a 218-kilometer (135.5-mile) route fromFougeres to Tours in the Loire valley,a picturesque region peppered with

imposing, ancient chateaux, andvineyards. The climbers will alreadybe earmarking Saturday’s medium

mountain stage and Sunday’sdaunting ascent up MontVentoux.—AP

BRISBANE: Ewen McKenzie (right) talks with Australian Rugby Union CEO Bill Pulver(left) following a press conference to announce his appointment as the Wallabycoach. —AFP

All Blacks deadline looms

for new coach McKenzie

DEERE RUN: As much as Zach Johnsonloves everything about the John DeereClassic, he readily admits that past successwill count for nothing when he launcheshis title defence in today’s opening roundat the TPC Deere Run.

Johnson triumphed last year with abirdie on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to edge out fellow AmericanTroy Matteson, and he has posted sub-70scores in his last 16 competitive rounds onthe par-71 layout.

“Fortunately I have had some successhere, but I am trying to put 2012 behindme,” the 37-year-old told reporters yester-day. “It’s not like just because I won, I’ve gota three-shot lead going into Thursday so Ifrankly have to put it behind me, and that’sgoing to be my approach.

“I love the golf course. It’s in great shape,as usual, and I just like coming back andseeing faces and friends and family that Ilove. It feels like my backyard in a lot ofrespects.”

Johnson has not triumphed on the PGATour since he clinched his ninth career titleat the TPC Deere Run 12 months ago, butwas delighted to be producing muchimproved form since making an erratic

start to this season.“My golf game was not where it needed

to be early on in the year,” said the Iowanative, who missed the cut three times inhis first seven events. “That was just aprocess to kind of get where I am now. “Iwas off fundamentally more than I care toadmit, especially with my driver, and if Ican’t drive the ball in the fairway, then it’sgoing to be difficult for me. And now mydriver is probably one of the best clubs inmy bag again.

“I like the direction it’s going,” Johnsonsaid of his overall game. “I’ve just got to bepatient. My putting has been very up anddown so any given week you’ve got to puttwell to climb the board and hopefully thisis one those weeks.”

Johnson faces a strong field in the finalPGA Tour event before the year’s thirdmajor, the British Open, gets underway atMuirfield in Scotland in nine days’ time.

Also competing this week are formermajor champions Louis Oosthuizen,Keegan Bradley, Lucas Glover and YangYong-eun, and American world number 11Steve Stricker, who won the John DeereClassic for three years in a row from2009.—Reuters

Johnson wipes slate

clean for title defence

FRANCE: Stage winner Germany’s Tony Martin celebrates on the podium after winning the 33 km individ-ual time-trial and eleventh stage of the 100th edition of the Tour de France cycling race. —AFP

FRANCE: Christopher Froome of Britain, wearing the overall leader’syellow jersey, strains in the last meters of the eleventh stage of theTour de France cycling race. —AP

MELBOURNE: Ewen McKenzie won plau-dits for transforming the Queensland Redsfrom cellar-dwellars into Super Rugbychampions within two years, but has onlysix weeks to revive a demoralised Australiaahead of their first Rugby Championshipclash with New Zealand.

The Wallabies that crashed to an insipid41-16 defeat in Saturday’s series-decideragainst the British and Irish Lions headedback to their franchises this week to see outthe final round of the Super Rugby season,and some will be nervous about theirprospects of another test cap underMcKenzie.

The former test prop has been handed abroom by the Australian Rugby Union andwill be expected to shake up a squad rivenby discipline problems that were allowedto fester under his predecessor RobbieDeans.

How much McKenzie can actually doahead of the Aug. 17 test in Sydney isanother question. At Tuesday’s coronation,McKenzie himself said he had a “thousandthings to do” before the All Blacks clash.Naming a staff of assistants will be high onthe agenda, but McKenzie will also be side-tracked by Super Rugby duties as the Redsmeet the New South Wales Waratahs thisweekend before they embark on their thirdsuccessive post-season campaign.

A forthright ambassador for Queenslandrugby, McKenzie is unlikely to want to riskthat legacy and his attention could bediverted for nearly a month if the Redsmake a run to the final.

The consequence is likely to be a veryRed-tinged team to take the park againstthe All Blacks, who only lost three times in18 tests to Deans’ Wallabies, with most pun-dits betting on a hasty rehabilitation of theexiled Quade Cooper.

That Deans could leave the mercurialflyhalf out of his 31-man squad for theLions series bordered on criminal for manyrugby pundits Down Under, who felt exon-erated when James O’Connor struggled inthe number 10 shirt throughout the series.

McKenzie was first among the critics,having enjoyed top service from Cooper atthe Reds, and is considered certain to try toreinstate the 25-year-old’s successful SuperRugby partnership with scrumhalf WillGenia at the test level.

“You can’t hide the fact that Ewen’salways been a big fan of Quade’s but just

like every other player in Australia we’regoing to have to prove ourselves,” Geniatold reporters in Brisbane yesterday.

What to do with playmaker O’Connor,and his friend and accomplice KurtleyBeale, is one of the hairiest decisionsMcKenzie will face.

Proven match-winners but also repeatoffenders in breaching team discipline,Deans decided the pair’s value on the parkwould offset their transgressions, a beliefthat appears increasingly naive amidreports of disharmony in the ranks.

O’Connor’s stocks have plummeted inrecent days, with Super Rugby strugglersMelbourne Rebels dumping the brash 23-year-old, who was regarded a disruptiveinfluence at the club.

Only the Western Force, the club hewalked away from in acrimonious circum-stances two years ago, have professed aninterest though administrators and playersalike have said they expect him to toe theparty line should he move back to Perth.

O’Connor’s former Rebels team mateBeale has returned to Sydney, ostensibly tocontinue his rehabilitation from alcohol-related problems that saw him punch hiscaptain Gareth Delve earlier this year.McKenzie said reputations would count fornothing in selecting his side, and couldstand to cut the pair loose, with Cooperslotting in at flyhalf and Berrick Barnes areplacement for Beale at fullback.

Rugby league convert Israel Folau alsooffers a ready replacement in the backthree for O’Connor’s attacking drive.

Improving the Wallabies’ pack to at leastmatch the All Blacks at set pieces might beMcKenzie’s stiffest task, as seen by the col-lapse of Australia’s scrum against the Lionsin the third test.

McKenzie, who won 51 caps forAustralia as a tighthead prop in the 1980sand 1990s, will at least appreciate the jobat hand but the Wallabies have no matchfor the likes of Tony Woodcock, KevenMealamu and Owen Franks, who would belikely to form the All Blacks’ front row.

Following Eddie Jones and JohnConnolly, New Zealand’s Deans became thethird coach to be ousted in the wake of ascrum meltdown and McKenzie’s ability torestore morale to his pack may be key toavoiding another humiliation in Sydney.—Reuters

Martin grabs Tour stage

LAUSANNE: The top rhythmic gymnastics offi-cial from the London Olympics has beenexpelled from the sport’s governing body forwhat it called “irregularities” during coachingcourses for judges late last year. TheInternational Gymnastics Federation hasstripped technical delegate Maria Szyszkowskaof Poland of her membership, and excluded her“from any form of participation in all FIG eventsand activities.” “(The disciplinary commission)has further decided to suspend the members ofthe former Technical Committee from their offi-

cial duties until December 31, 2014,” the gov-erning body said in a judgment announced lateTuesday.

The six technical panel members are CarolineHunt of the United States, Mariya Guigova ofBulgaria, Noha Abou Shabana of Egypt, DanielaDelle Chiaie of Italy, Shihoko Sekita of Japanand Natalyia Kuzmina of Russia. They canappeal the sanctions within 21 days. FIG saidthe six can continue to train judges, but arebarred from overseeing examinations or judges“at any competition” - including at the rhythmic

world championships starting Aug. 28 in Kiev,Ukraine.

Another official, Pancracia Sirvent Mut ofSpain, was formally warned. The case also impli-cated 56 judges who attended coaching cours-es held in Bucharest, Romania; Moscow, Russia;and Alicante, Spain, last November andDecember. Last month, FIG said they were“implicated in irregularities” at those courses,including having “the same scores and samepercentages” and that “arbitrary and unjustifiedbonus were given to participants and that

examination was not done anonymously.”FIG launched its investigation in January. A

disciplinary panel originally found “no proof ofactive corruption from the judges themselves”and gave them “the benefit of the doubt.”

FIG President Bruno Grandi appealed thoseverdicts, believing that evidence of wrongdo-ing had been shown to justify prolonging theprobe. Qualifications gained on the disputedcourses have been revoked, and FIG haspledged to repeat the tests in Germany beforechoosing off icials for the world champi-

19S P O R T STHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

MANCHESTER: Manchester City’s newmanager Manuel Pellegrini promised amore attacking brand of soccer andpointed to his experience of outfoxinglocal rivals Manchester United as hepledged yesterday to win trophies.

At his first news conference sincetaking over from Italian RobertoMancini, Pellegrini said he aimed toimprove City’s poor ChampionsLeague record but reclaiming thePremier League title they won in 2012or FA Cup they lifted in 2011 was asimportant.

Expectations are high at trophy-hungry City, where runners-up placesin the Premier League and FA Cupwere deemed to be unacceptable lastseason, and chief executive FerranSoriano has said the target is five tro-phies in the next five years.

“Just five?” joked Pellegrini. “We’lltry to work and we’ll do our best hereand see how many trophies we canwin.”

City finished 11 points behindchampions United last season, alsosuffering a second successiveChampions League group-stage exit,with Pellegrini confident he canimprove matters.

“I know the most important thing...is for Manchester City to beatManchester United. If I’m here it’sbecause I’m sure we will do it,” saidthe 59-year-old Chilean, who joined

the club last month on a three-yeardeal after the sacking of Mancini.

“I have played against ManchesterUnited twice in the Champions Leaguewith Villarreal, in both years... wepassed to the last 16 and ManchesterUnited didn’t (in one of them), so Ihave experience playing againstManchester United.”

The former Real Madrid and Malagaboss led Villarreal to four 0-0 drawsagainst United in the group stages ofEurope’s elite club competition in2005/06 and 2008/09 with his sidegoing on to the semi-finals and lasteight respectively.

He also took competition debu-tants Malaga to the ChampionsLeague quarter-finals last season and,while Pellegrini said he did not valueone competition higher than the oth-er, he was clear City would improvetheir performances in Europe nextterm.

“We don’t have priority for onecompetition or the other,” he said. “Iknow we have to improve in thefuture what Manchester City havedone in the last years in theChampions League but also, for me,it’s as important, the same as (thePremier League) championship or FACup.”

Pellegrini, known as ‘The Engineer’,has a reputation for building teamswho play attractive, possession-based

football and is hoping to instill thisphilosophy in his new team.

“Fans of Manchester City will see adifferent way how they play (com-pared to) other years,” he said. “I’msure we are going to play an attractivegame. We will always try to play in theopposite side (of the pitch), trying tobe an attacking team.”

Pellegrini has bolstered his squadwith Brazil midfielder Fernandinhoand Spain winger Jesus Navas but alsowants a replacement for Argentinastriker Carlos Tevez who wanted toleave the club and has joinedJuventus.

“We have two strikers at themoment and we need another onebut I’m not talking about any differentnames,” said Pellegrini, whose transfer

window shopping is made easier bybeing at the world’s richest club. “Weneed a very good squad, a strongsquad with two players in each posi-tion.”

He has arrived in England at a timeof huge change at the leading clubs,with David Moyes taking over fromthe retired Alex Ferguson atManchester United and Jose Mourinhohaving signed up for a second stint atChelsea. The changes do not make hisjob any easier, Pellegrini said.

“It will be the same. I’m sure DavidMoyes will do very well, JoseMourinho knows everything about thePremier League,” he said. “It will be asevery year a very competitive PremierLeague, with five or six teams who willtry to win.”

Meanwhile, Brazil midfielderFernandinho is hoping to catch theeye of his national team managerbefore next year’s World Cup on homesoil by shining for his new clubManchester City.

The pacy 28-year-old joined thePremier League club from Ukrainianside Shakhtar Donetsk last month forwhat British media have widely report-ed to be about 30 million pounds($44.49 million) and is keen to provehe is worth every penny.

“It was very important for me (to beCity’s top close season target) and Iwant to repay the club for what they

have done for me by playing well onthe pitch and winning as many match-es and as many trophies as possible,”he told a news conference yesterday.

“My first aim is to play well for myclub Manchester City and if I do havegood performances I’m sure that I willcatch the attention of the nationalmanager.”

Fernandinho, who has five interna-tional caps, was not in Luiz FelipeScolari’s Brazil squad for last month’sConfederations Cup which the hostswon with a 3-0 victory over Spain inthe final.

He is known in England for scoringin Shakhtar’s 2-1 win at home toChelsea in the Champions Leaguegroup stage last season.

Fernandinho started his career withAtletico Paranaense in his homelandbefore becoming one of a host of tal-ented Brazilians to head for Shakhtarwith whom he spent the last eight sea-sons and won the 2009 UEFA Cup. Heexpects a few differences now he isplaying in England.

“The main challenge for me is thedifferent style of play compared withmy last team and also the amount ofgames you play throughout the sea-son,” said Fernandinho, sitting next tohis new manager Manuel Pellegrinibut, unlike the Chilean, speakingthrough an interpreter. “It’s muchmore than I was used to.”—Reuters

Manuel Pellegrini

Pellegrini aims to bring style and trophies to City

PORTLAND: ChrisWondolowski scored a first-halfhat trick as the United Statesopened its CONCACAF GoldCup campaign on Tuesday witha 6-1 victory over Belize, whichwas making its debut in thetournament. Landon Donovanadded a goal and two assists,becoming the first player withat least 50 career goals and 50assists for the national team.

Costa Rica defeated Cuba 3-0in an earlier match at the samevenue. Wondolowski is the thirdAmerican to score three goals ina Gold Cup match, joiningDonovan and Brian McBride.The United States has won fourGold Cups since the tourna-ment’s inception in 1991.Mexico has won the past two.The 12-team tournamentincludes national teams fromNorth and Central America andthe Caribbean and is playedevery two years.

The US men were coming offa 6-0 rout of Guatemala in afriendly warmup match onFriday, when Donovan scoredtwice to extend his Americanrecord to 51 international goals.

That was Donovan’s firstmatch following a five-monthbreak from the national team,after he was left out of thesquads for the June World Cupqualifying matches.

Wondolowski, who scoredhis first international goalagainst Guatemala, struck earlyagainst Belize when he knockedin a rebound from goalkeeperShane Orio in the 12th minute.

He scored again in the 36thand 40th minutes, either side ofIan Gaynair’s header past USgoalkeeper Nick Rimando thatgave Belize its first goal in the

tournament.Donovan created scoring

chances for Stuart Holden in the58th and Michael Orozco in the72nd - taking his carrer tally to51 assists for the national team -finished off the scoring with apenalty in the 76th.

In the earlier match, MichaelBarrantes scored a pair of sec-ond-half goals for Costa Rica.Barrantes broke open a score-

less match with a left-foot goalfrom the top of the box thatbeat diving Cuban goalkeeperOdelin Molina in the 51stminute.

He added another goal in the77th minute after Jairo Arrieta’sscored in the 71st, extendingCuba’s winless streak to 12straight Gold Cup matches.

“The way we managed theball, we were able to create

some opportunities and wewere able to score,” Costa Ricacoach Jorge Luis Pinto said.

The four Group C teams willnext play Saturday in Salt LakeCity, with the US facing Cubafollowed by Belize against CostaRica. The winners and runners-up from each group, and thetwo top third-place finishers,advance to the knockoutround.—AP

US thrash Belize 6-1Costa Rica beat Cuba 3-0

PORTLAND: Kyle Beckerman No. 14 of the United States takes the ball from Harrison Roches No. 10of Belize during the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup. —AFP

PORTLAND: Michael Barrantes No. 11 of Costa Rica passes the ball againstAlianni Urgelles No. 14 of Cuba during the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup. —AFP

BERLIN: With three new additions to theirsquad, Champions League finalists BorussiaDortmund have insisted European champi-ons Bayern Munich will not have it all theirown way this season. Dortmund securedtheir third new signing on Tuesday whenmidfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan joined fromShakhtar Donestk, having also recruitedSaint-Etienne forward Pierre-EmerickAubameyang and defender SokratisPapastathopoulos from Werder Bremen.

Borussia host Bayern in the pre-seasonGerman Super Cup on July 27 in a repeat ofthe Champions League, which theBavarians won 2-1 at Wembley.

Having won the 2010-11 and 2011-12German titles, Dortmund were left emptyhanded last season as Bayern became thefirst German team to win the treble ofChampions League, league and cup, break-ing or equalling 25 Bundesliga records inthe process.

They finished the German league sea-son 25 points clear of nearest rivalsDortmund but Borussia’s midfield starMarco Reus has insisted they will not havethings their own way when the new seasonstarts on August 9.

“The 25-point difference won’t happenagain,” Reus told German magazine Kicker.“We’ve had a lot of time to reflect on the

mistakes we made in the Bundesliga lastyear. “The new season begins for us onAugust 10 and we’re going on the attackagain.”

Dortmund’s Germany star Mario Goetzehas joined Bayern, using a release clause inhis contract which allowed him to leave for37 million euros ($47.5 million), and coachJurgen Klopp admits he will be hard toreplace, with Mkhitaryan set to step in.

“Our target has to be to improve,” saidthe 46-year-old, as Dortmund concededmore than twice as many goals as Bayernlast season. “Of course we’ll miss MarioGoetze, no team on the planet wouldn’t,but we still conceded a lot of goals last sea-son, even with Mario in the side.

“That’s one area where we can definitelyimprove.” Klopp has said he is relishinghaving ex-Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola,who won 14 titles in four years at theSpanish giants, as his opposite number onthe Bayern bench.

“The way he had his team playing inBarcelona was simply fantastic and he’s areal role model,” said Klopp. “Now he’s at anew club and the first impression is thateverything fits. “In the past if you wantedto become a great coach you went abroad.“Now someone like Guardiola has come toGermany.”—AFP

Dortmund readyto rival Bayern

PSG sporting director quitsPARIS: Paris Saint-Germain’s turbulentclose-season took another twist yesterdaywith the club announcing that sportingdirector Leonardo had resigned.

“The club management regrets this deci-sion, but respects it,” a club statement said,adding that the resignation would takeeffect from September 2.

“The club would like to take the opportu-nity to thank him for the remarkable workhe put in to build in Paris a team that is nowin the forefront of European football andwishes him every future success in his bril-liant career.”

Leonardo last week was banned for theentire new season for pushing a refereeafter PSG’s 1-1 draw against Valencienneson May 5. The Brazilian was originallybanned for nine months, but after heappealed against the decision, French foot-ball authorities increased the sanction to 13months. It means more instability and tur-moil in a difficult off-season for the big-spending French champions who havealready seen coach Carlo Ancelotti leave forReal Madrid.

The Leonardo-Ancelotti partnership wasinstrumental in attracting some of the

biggest names in football to the Parc desPrinces and the departure of the pair will dolittle to reassure the likes of ZlatanIbrahimovic and Thiago Silva, both cap-tured from AC Milan a year ago, that theirlong-term future lies in the French capital.

Ancelotti and Leonardo were crucial inconvincing Italian-based players to crossthe Alps, by using their extensive contactsin Serie A.

Italian Ancelotti had spent eight yearscoaching AC Milan following spells atParma and Juventus, as well as remaining inItaly throughout his entire playing career,while Leonardo had a 13-year relationshipwith the Rossoneri as a player, scout, officialand finally a year as coach.

Their contacts helped the French clubraid Italy for the likes of goalkeeperSalvatore Sirigu, defensive midfielder MarcoVerratti, attacking midfielder Javier Pastoreand forward Ezequiel Lavezzi as well as thetwo big-money star names from Milan.

With both now gone and FrenchmanLaurent Blanc the new coach almost bydefault as PSG allegedly failed to secure theservices of a host of preferred top names,the feeling of instability is palpable, not

helped by the lack of a sporting director.Former AC and Inter Milan coach

Leonardo was named as sporting directorat the Paris club in July 2011 after they weretaken over by wealthy investors from theGulf state of Qatar.

But now with a new power joining theFrench top flight in the form of Monaco,backed by billionaire Russian owner DmitryRybolovlev, PSG’s status as the heavy hittersof French football is under threat, not tomention their quest to establish themselvespermanently amongst Europe’s elite.Thiago Silva is purported to be a target forSpanish giants Barcelona while rumourspersist that Ibrahimovic may feel his work isdone in Paris and be looking for a new chal-lenge. Losing two of the bedrocks of lastseason’s success, on top of the coach andsporting director, could land a savage blowto PSG’s chances of building on last seasonand taking a leap forward in Europe’s pre-mier club competition, which must nowsurely be their aim.

The quarter-finals was a good achieve-ment last year but the Qatari owners havenot invested hundreds of millions to beknown as a top eight European side.—AFP

BOGOTA: The goalkeeper of Paraguayan Olimpia, Uruguayan Martin Silva, triesto stop a ball during their 2013 Copa Libertadores semifinal second leg footballmatch against Colombia’s Independiente Santa Fe. —AFP

Olimpia in Libertadores Cup finalBOGOTA: Paraguay’s Olimpia advanced tothe final of the Libertadores Cup onTuesday, losing the second leg of theirsemi-final 1-0 to Independiente Santa Febut going through 2-1 on aggregate.

Striker Wilder Medina scored the onlygoal at El Campin stadium in the 75thminute but the Colombian side’s poor fin-ishing denied them the chance to reachtheir first final. Santa Fe midfielder OmarPerez’s free kick came back off the wood-

work and Medina was on hand to scoredespite goalkeeper Martin Silva’s last-ditcheffort to prevent the ball from crossing hisline. Olimpia, who won their third and lasttitle in South America’s elite club tourna-ment in 2002, were on the defensive formost of the match, going through thanks totheir 2-0 first leg win in Asuncion last week.Santa Fe came closest to levelling the tiewhen Cristian Martinez Borja’s shot hit thepost six minutes from time.—Reuters

18Martin grabs 11th Tour stage

THURSDAY, JULY 11, 201319

US thrash Belize 6-1 in CONCACAFGold Cup

Pellegrini aims to bring style and trophies to City Page 19

NOTTINGHAM: Australia’s Peter Siddle (centre right) celebrates after taking the wicket of England’s Kevin Pietersen (centre left) for 14 caught by Brad Haddin (bottom centre left) on the first day of the opening Ashes series cricketmatch. — AP

NOTTINGHAM: Australia paceman Peter Siddletormented England’s batsmen at Trent Bridge yes-terday, capturing 5-50 to help dismiss the hosts for215 on the first day of the opening Ashes Test.

Siddle ripped out England’s top order, claimingthe key wickets of Jonathan Trott and KevinPietersen before James Pattinson took 3-69 andMitchell Starc 2-54 to mop up the tail in theevening session and put Australia in charge.

Trott was England’s top-scorer with 48, from 80balls with nine fours, while Jonny Bairstow made 37from 51 balls. Australia took England’s last fourwickets for just 2 runs in the space of 14 balls.

Australia’s selectors sprang a surprise before thetoss by giving a debut to 19-year-old Ashton Agar -a left-arm finger spinner who has played only 10first-class matches, but it was Siddle who stole theshow. England, which preferred Steven Finn to TimBresnan and Graham Onions, won the toss and opt-ed to bat on a slow track with a rapid outfield, adecision that looks to have backfired.

James Pattinson made a jittery start, bowlingthe first ball of the series so high it was called for a

wide, but he atoned in the ninth over.With the ball swinging around in the overcast

conditions, Alastair Cook (13) was living dangerous-ly until Pattinson tempted him to drive away fromhis body and nick the ball to wicketkeeper BradHaddin. Trott, however, belied his reputation forcaution with an aggressive innings. He got off themark with a stylishly cover driven four and hit suc-cessive boundaries off Siddle. He then strokedAgar’s first ball in test cricket - a full toss - throughthe covers for four.

Siddle was innocuous and expensive in his firstfour overs, but his first delivery from the RadcliffeRoad End brilliantly yorked Joe Root for 30 to dragAustralia back into the contest.

Pietersen edged Pattinson down the leg side inthe 23rd over, but although Haddin’s divingattempt at a catch failed, the batsman perished inthe second over after lunch when he edged Siddleto Clarke at second slip for 14.

The prize wicket of Trott came when he chaseda wide delivery from Siddle in the 36th over anddragged the ball onto his stumps.

A livid Trott made a move to smash the stumpswith his bat and just stopped himself in time.England made a partial recovery as Bairstow andBell put on 54 before Bell was out for 25 when heedged Siddle to Shane Watson at third slip.

Siddle claimed his fifth wicket when Matt Priortried to drive another wide delivery through pointand was caught by Phillip Hughes.

Stuart Broad began the evening session with acounterattacking 24 from 30 balls before he holedout to Pattinson and was caught and bowled -although only after umpire Aleem Dar checkedPattinson hadn’t bowled a no-ball as the bowler’sfoot skidded over the crease as he released the ball.

With the first ball of the next over, the 58th,Bairstow’s off stump was sent cartwheeling byMitchell Starc, who had Steven Finn caughtbehind off his next ball, a decision the batsmanunsuccessfully referred. James Anderson sur-vived the hat-trick ball and a referral for lbw onthe final ball of the over, but the innings waswrapped up when Graeme Swann waftedPattinson to Hughes at cover. — AP

Siddle stars as Aussies skittle England

England 1st InningsA. Cook c Haddin b Pattinson 13J. Root b Siddle 30J. Trott b Siddle 48K. Pietersen c Clarke b Siddle 14I. Bell c Watson b Siddle 25J. Bairstow b Starc 37M. Prior c Hughes b Siddle 1S. Broad c and b Pattinson 24G. Swann c Hughes b Pattinson 1S. Finn c Haddin b Starc 0J. Anderson not out 1Extras (b6, lb5, w8, nb2) 21Total (all out, 59 overs, 286 mins) 215Fall of wickets: 1-27 (Cook), 2-78 (Root), 3-102(Pietersen), 4-124 (Trott), 5-178 (Bell), 6-180

(Prior), 7-213 (Broad), 8-213 (Bairstow), 9-213(Finn), 10-215 (Swann)Bowling: Pattinson 17-2-69-3 (1nb, 2w); Starc17-5-54-2; Siddle 14-4-50-5 (1nb, 5w); Agar 7-1-24-0; Watson 4-2-7-0 (1w)Australia: Shane Watson, Chris Rogers, EdCowan, Michael Clarke (capt), Phil Hughes, Steven Smith, Brad Haddin (wkt),Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc,Ashton Agar

Toss: EnglandUmpires: Aleem Dar (PAK), Kumar Dharmasena(SRI)TV umpire: Marais Erasmus (RSA) Match referee:Ranjan Madugalle (SRI) — AFP

SCOREBOARDNOTTINGHAM: Scoreboard at close of England’s first innings on the first day of the first Ashes Testagainst Australia at Trent Bridge yesterday:

PORT OF SPAIN: India overcame Sri Lanka andthe almost continuous threat of inclementweather on Tuesday at Queen’s Park Oval toadvance to the final of the Tri-Nation Seriestwo days later against the same opponents.

In yet another match in Trinidad severelyaffected by rain, the World Cup andChampions Trophy holders battled to 119 forthree off 29 overs before a torrential down-pour just before midday seemed set to forcethe match into a reserve day.

However the conditions improved signifi-cantly in late afternoon, and with the SriLankans set a revised target of 178 off 26 oversunder the Duckworth-Lewis system,Bhuvneshwar Kumar produced an outstandingspell of seaming bowling, taking four for eightoff his allotted six overs and ensuring that SriLanka were routed for 96 in reply.

India’s 81-run margin of victory was alsosizeable enough to ensure that while they fin-ished level on nine points with both Sri Lankaand the West Indies, their net run-rate wassuperior to the Caribbean side’s, so knockingDwayne Bravo’s team out of the competitionand giving the hosts an unwanted two extradays to prepare for the five-match One-DayInternational Series with Pakistan, beginningon Sunday in Guyana.

Kumar exploited the helpful conditionsmasterfully, extracting pace and bounce off agreenish pitch and moving the ball both ways.

“I feel proud to put in a performance likethis for my country, especially in a match ofsuch importance,” he said, reflecting on hismatch-winning effort, the best by an Indian inOne-Day Internationals at Queen’s Park Oval.

“I really enjoyed bowling here, just as it wasin England, so I just tried to bowl in good areasconsistently.” He accounted for Upul Tharangaand Kumar Sangakkara off successive deliver-ies in his second over, although Sangakkara

could consider himself unfortunate to beadjudged LBW.

There was no doubt though about his oth-er victims, Mahela Jayawardene slicing a catchto third man and Lahiru Thirimanne drivingunerringly to Virat Kohli at cover.

India’s captain, who earlier in the dayappeared thoroughly flustered by the chal-lenging conditions, never allowed the SriLankans a way out of their dire straits, employ-ing his support bowlers effectively.

Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja account-ed for skipper Angelo Mathews and topscorerDinesh Chandimal (26) to ensure there was tobe no miraculous revival.

“To bounce back the way we’ve done andtop the table after losing the first two matchesreally shows a lot of character,” said a delightedKohli in the aftermath of victory.

“It was all about playing smart cricket whenwe were batting to ensure we didn’t lose wick-ets slogging. It worked out well for us with thehelp of the Duckworth-Lewis (method).”

Rohit Sharma’s patient, unbeaten 48 at thetop of the order when India were put in wasvital to holding the innings together on abright but increasingly humid morning.

He lost the attacking Shikhar Dhawan inMathews’ first over while Herath once againproved his worth with the ball, the left-armspinner trapping the struggling Kohli leg-before on the back foot and then bowlingDinesh Karthik.

By the fall of that third wicket it becameinevitable that a rain interruption was only amatter of minutes away.

Sharma and Suresh Raina ensured therewere no further casualties before the showersdescended and waited with their teammatesin hope that they would have the chance laterin the day to pull off the victory needed to getto the final. — AFP

Preview

PORT OF SPAIN: India and Sri Lanka meet yet again, this time in the final of the Tri-NationSeries at Queen’s Park Oval today, amid increasing speculation that Mahendra Singh Dhoniwill be back to the lead the World Cup and Champions Trophy holders.

Dhoni sustained a right hamstring strain while batting against the West Indies in histeam’s first match of the tournament on June 30 at Sabina Park in Kingston and anannouncement was made the following day that he was ruled out of the rest of the com-petition with uncapped batsman Ambati Rayudu being flown in as his replacement.

However India’s most successful captain ever has remained with the squad, and whilethere has as yet been no official word from the touring party, his presence on the field inpre-match warm-ups and in full team uniform during and after the final preliminary fixtureagainst the Sri Lankans on Tuesday increase the likelihood that he will be back as at thehelm for the final.

Stand-in captain Virat Kohli hinted as much at the toss ahead of the comprehensive vic-tory over Angelo Mathews’ side when he expressed hope that Dhoni had been recoveringwell enough to be able to play if they had gotten through to the final.

Should he be passed fit, it is expected that Murali Vijay will make way for the manincreasingly regarded as the finest international captain in the contemporary game.

With or without Dhoni though, India are bracing for a much tougher Sri Lankan chal-lenge than what transpired on Tuesday when fast-medium bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumarproduced the outstanding figures of four for eight and engineered the demolition of the1996 World Cup winners for just 96.

Sri Lanka had all but qualified for the final ahead of that encounter and their perform-ance with the bat on the way to an 81-run defeat on the Duckworth/Lewis Scoring Methodreflected a noticeable lack of intensity that is not expected to be repeated in the final.

They have their own injury concerns with a question mark lingering over the availabili-ty of fast-medium bowler Nuwan Kulasekara, who injured a finger on his left hand whileattempting to take a return catch of Chris Gayle in the match against the West Indies thatconcluded on Monday. Given the almost inevitable intervention of inclement weather atthe start of the rainy season in the Caribbean, the toss is again expected to be a key factoron Thursday morning while both teams will be tailoring their tactics in keeping with theunsettled conditions in the air and the green, seamer-friendly pitch that should make foran intriguing duel. — AFP

Dhoni could beback for final

India beat Sri Lanka to join them in Tri-nations final

India InningsRohit Sharma not out 48Dhawan c Jayawardene b Mathews 15Kohli lbw b Herath 31Karthik b Herath 12Raina not out 4Extras: (1b, 3lb, 3w, 2nb) 9Total: (for 3 wickets) 119Overs: 29.Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-75, 3-111.Did not bat: Murali Vijay, Ravindra Jadeja, RavichandranAshwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, UmeshYadav.Bowling: Shaminda Eranga 6-0-27-0 (1w), DilharaLokuhettige 8-0-40-0 (2nb, 1w), Angelo Mathews 5-1-5-1, Lasith Malinga 3-1-7-0, Rangana Herath 6-0-32-2, Jeevan Mendis 1-0-4-0 (1w).

Sri Lanka Innings(target revised to 178 off 26 overs)Tharanga c Raina b Kumar 6Jayawardene c Vijay b Kumar 11Sangakkara lbw b Kumar 0Chandimal st Karthik b Jadeja 26Thirimanne c Kohli b Kumar 0Angelo c wk Karthik b Jadeja 10Mendis b Ashwin 13Dilhara c wk Karthik b Ishant 6Herath c Vijay b Ishant 4Eranga not out 2Malinga c Jadeja b Yadav 7Extras: (6lb, 5w) 11Total: (all out) 96Overs: 24.4.Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-14, 3-27, 4-31, 5-56, 6-63, 7-78, 8-84,9-87, 10-96.Bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 6-1-8-4, Umesh Yadav 4.4-0-28-1 (w3), Ishant Sharma 4-0-17-2, Ravindra Jadeja 5-0-17-2 (w1),Ravichandran Ashwin 5-0-20-1 (w1).Rain halted play with India on 119-3 off 29 overs; SriLanka’s target adjusted to 178 off 26 overs.

SCOREBOARDPORT-OF-SPAIN: Scoreboard after India’s one-day interna-tional in the Celkon Mobile Cup against Sri Lanka at theQueen’s Park Oval:

BusinessTHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

For cost-crunching retailers, Bangladesh reigns supreme

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Turkish bank sells dollars to boost lira

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Europe tempers power of agency to shut banks

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OPEC to lose market share to shale oil

QINGDAO, China: A container ship berths in Qingdao port in east China’s Shandong province yesterday. China’s trade surplus fell 14 percent in June as imports and exports both dropped unexpectedly, data showed yesterday, suggesting a fur-ther slowdown in the Asian economic giant as Beijing warned of ‘grave challenges’. — AFP

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BEIJING: China warned yesterday of a “grim”outlook for trade after a surprise fall in Juneexports, raising fresh concerns about the extentof the slowdown in the world’s second-largesteconomy and increasing the pressure on thegovernment to act. China’s reform-minded newleaders, including Premier Li Keqiang, haveshown a tolerance for slower growth, whilepressing ahead with efforts to revamp theeconomy for the longer term, but any contin-ued slide in economic performance could testtheir resolve. The customs data showed thatexports fell 3.1 percent in June against forecastsfor a rise of 4 percent, casting a shadow oversecond-quarter GDP figures due on Mondaythat are already expected to show growthslowed down to 7.5 percent as weak demanddented factory output and the pace of invest-ment.

“Next week will be a testing time for the

government in revealing just how much of agrowth slowdown it is willing to tolerate,”Zhiwei Zhang, China chief economist atNomura in Hong Kong, said in a client note. Thefall in exports was the first since January 2012.Imports fell 0.7 percent versus expectations foran 8 percent rise, while China had a trade sur-plus of $27.1 billion, the customs administra-tion said, in line with the $27.0 billion expected.The Australian dollar fell about a third of a centafter the data, reflecting worries about Chinesedemand for Australia’s commodities, such asiron ore and coal. The MSCI Asia-Pacific ex-Japan index also pulled back before recoveringto stand up 0.77 percent in late Asian trade.

The June export figures followed a govern-ment crackdown on the use of fake invoicingthat had exaggerated exports earlier this year,and may now reflect the true trade picture, cus-toms officials said. However the external envi-

ronment remains weak and rising labour costsand a stronger yuan currency were discourag-ing exporters, customs said. “China faces rela-tively stern challenges in trade currently,” cus-toms spokesman Zheng Yuesheng told a newsbriefing. “Exports in the third quarter look grim.”

Exports to the United States, China’s biggestexport market, fell 5.4 percent in June, whileexports to the European Union dropped 8.3percent. HSBC Global Research said in a notethat the external headwinds buffeting Chinawill likely intensify, adding to the risks facingthe economy. “Beijing will likely fine-tune policyto avert a hard landing,” it said in a note.

Most economists have cut their forecasts for2013 growth, but expect the government toachieve its target of 7.5 percent. Exporters,meanwhile, said that they are feeling somepain, but are muddling through. “Business isstill difficult. Things will not worsen a lot in the

second half, but neither will they improve a lot,”said Ye Lianghua, vice head of trading companyNingbo Cixi Export Import Co Ltd, in China’sprosperous eastern Zhejiang province. “Now isdefinitely better than 2008 and last year. Butplease, no more yuan appreciation.”

Others noted rising labour costs, whichcould lead to layoffs. That would be a worry forthe government, which fears social instability ifthere is large-scale unemployment. “We stillhave difficulties in finding skilled workers,” saidYou Zhongguang, vice manager of NingboXingwei Plastic Products Co., one of China’sbiggest exporters of cutters and knives. “Theaverage wage is around 4,000 yuan ($650) (permonth) now. Our wages have climbed 10 per-cent so far this year. Our business is relativelygood, but the situation is not good for all com-panies. Many workers have left factoriesbecause the export market is weak.”

Complaints about the strength of the yuanand the possibility of job losses up the ante forPremier Li, who said on Tuesday he was awareof the risks to the economy. “Macro-economiccontrol should be based on present conditionsand with an eye to the future to ensure theeconomic growth rate and employment levelsdo not slide below lower limits and consumerprices do not surpass the upper limit,” he wasquoted by the official Xinhua news agency assaying during a visit to southern GuangxiProvince. “We must put more effort into struc-tural adjustment, reforms and promote eco-nomic transformation and upgrading.” TimCondon, economist at ING Bank in Singapore,said 2013 economic growth of 7.5 percent wasconsistent with zero growth in exports. “Soyes, my sense is that the target can still bemet,” he said. “But the risks are tilting to thedownside.” — Reuters

China warns of ‘grim’ trade outlook Weak trade data add to economic growth fears

DUBAI: Egypt’s bourse rose yesterday after Gulf coun-tries pledged billions of dollars in aid but gains werecapped in muted trade due to the onset of theRamadan fasting month. Thin trading volumesplagued regional markets with activity in SaudiArabia and Kuwait falling to its lowest this year. AfterTuesday’s close, Saudi Arabia announced $5 billion inaid for Egypt, including central bank deposits, energyproducts and cash, while the United Arab Emiratesoffered $3 billion in grants and loans. “The market didnot react as expected; the money from the UAE andSaudi Arabia was a surprise, but it’s the first day ofRamadan and people are slowly digesting the news,”said Mohamed Radwan, director of international salesat Pharos Securities.

Aid had been expected, but the packages are largeenough to buy Egypt at least several months’ time totry to fix its state finances and restore enough politi-cal stability to resume attracting private capital.Beyond the size of the packages, the announcementssignal that the Gulf countries feel they have a strongpolitical interest in keeping Egypt afloat. Meanwhile,the appointment of Hazem El-Beblawi as interimprime minister before elections was positive becauseit showed authorities are pressing ahead with a transi-tion back to civilian rule, despite the turmoil since themilitary ousted president Mohamed Mursi last week.Beblawi has a long record in economic management -he served briefly as finance minister - and personalcontacts in the Gulf. Radwan said the steps towardsforming a government would gradually be factoredinto share prices.

Cairo’s benchmark index gained 0.7 percent, trim-ming 2013 losses to 2.5 percent, following a rise of 3.3

percent in the previous session on optimism over aswift plan for parliamentary and presidential elec-tions. The positive sentiment was also reflected in theEgyptian pound, which strengthened at a centralbank sale of foreign exchange yesterday for the thirdtime since the military removed Mursi. The poundwas also steady on the black market.

In Kuwait, retail investors sold shares to book gainsfrom an early-year rally but volumes slumped. Theindex shed 0.7 percent to cut 2013 gains to 32.6 per-cent. It hit a 53-month high on May 28 and has beenin a correction phase since. “Some stocks are still inthe profit-taking venue; the bulk of the decline is afew retail investors trying to avoid any pitfalls inRamadan,” said Fouad Darwish, head of brokerage atGlobal Investment House. “There’s no fundamentalreason for the market to slide; Q2 earnings expecta-tions are bullish.” Retail investors tend to sell ahead ofholidays and are expected to continue squaring posi-tions till the end of Ramadan, where markets close forthe Eid break.

Elsewhere, Dubai’s measure climbed 1 percentwith three stocks - Dubai Financial Market, DubaiIslamic Bank and Dubai Investments accounting formore than half of all trading on the bourse. AbuDhabi’s benchmark added 0.6 percent. Abu DhabiCommercial Bank accounted for half of all trades afteran early-session bulk trade. The stock ended yester-day flat. Traders are hopeful activity may pick up inthe UAE after companies report second-quarter earn-ings later this month. In Saudi Arabia, the region’slargest market was little moved and volumesslumped to its lowest since Aug 2011. In Kuwait, theindex retreated 0.7 percent to 7,870 points. — Reuters

Egypt rises after Gulf billions MIDEAST MARKETS REPORTKUALA LUMPUR: Shares in AirAsia X rose 1.60 percent on their

market debut in Malaysia yesterday as the firm’s chief executivepromised a spending spree on new planes to boost frequencyand target more routes. The carrier was trading at 1.27 Malaysianringgit after morning Kuala Lumpur trade, up from an initial valu-ation of 1.25 ringgit and far outstripping the wider market, whichwas up just 0.17 percent. “I think it looks like we priced it right,”chief executive Azran Osman-Rani said at a news conference.

He added that the Malaysia-based carrier would use cash fromlast month’s $308.6 million initial public offering to increase itsfleet and seek out new destinations. “Planes, planes, planes.Bigger network, more destinations, more frequencies,” Azran said.The carrier, founded by aviation tycoon Tony Fernandes, has saidthe funds would largely go to tripling its fuel-efficient Airbus fleetfrom the current 10 aircraft and repay bank loans.

AirAsia X will take delivery of 23 Airbus A330-300 planes overthe next four years with a further order for 10 A350-900s as itaggressively expands routes to meet demand in Asia-Pacific. TheInternational Air Transport Association said the region is theworld’s fastest growing market, with passenger traffic more thandoubling since 1998, despite fuel costs surging 55 percent in thepast seven years. The airline, launched in 2007, reported a netprofit of 33.8 million ringgit ($10.8 million) for the year ended Dec31, 2012.

Charting an ambitious growth path, AirAsia X plans toincrease services to existing destinations and carve out lucrativenew routes in Australia, Japan and China. Analysts said the suc-cessful listing of the long-haul arm of AirAsia - Asia’s largest budg-et airline by fleet size - showed that a low-cost long-haul businessmodel was viable. Total demand for the institutional tranche ofthe public offering was more than 10 times the base shares avail-able, the company said.

“Investors may want to pay close attention to this stockbecause it is one of a handful of airlines in the world that hasbeen innovative and committed to opening new markets,” saidShukor Yusof, a Singapore-based aviation analyst with Standard &Poor’s. He told AFP that AirAsia X’s listing would encourage otherregional carriers, such as fast-growing Indonesia-based Lion Air to

follow suit. “At this stage, AirAsia X has proven its critics wrong,”Shukor said. The key challenge AirAsia X would face was keepinga lid on fuel costs, which account for about 49 percent of operat-ing costs, he said. “The main challenge obviously is to rein incosts. Jet fuel price has started to increase due to uncertainties inthe Middle East,” Shukor added.

AirAsia X’s successful IPO comes as at a time when severalcompanies in the region have withdrawn from such a move. InJune alone, four companies in Hong Kong either dropped IPOplans or cut their sizes. Ooi Chin Hock, a brokerage dealer withMalaysia’s M&A Securities, said AirAsia X’s “strong managementand credible growth plans” was attracting investors at a timewhen regional markets are choppy. — AFP

AirAsia X rises in market debut

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia X Chief Executive Officer AzranOsman-Rani (second right) applauds as Chairman Tan SriRafidah Aziz (second left) hits the traditional Malay gongto mark the launch of its initial public offering (IPO) yes-terday. Directors Kamarudin Meranun is at left and FamLee Ee is at right. — AP

B U S I N E S STHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

EXCHANGE RATES

Commercial Bank of Kuwait

US Dollar/KD .2770000 .2880000GB Pound/KD .4310000 .4470000Euro .3680000 .3760000Swiss francs .3020000 .3170000Canadian Dollar .2780000 .2920000Australian DLR .2940000 .3020000Indian rupees .0040000 .0069000Sri Lanka Rupee .0020000 .0035000UAE dirhams .0771240 .0778990Bahraini dinars .7513970 .7589480Jordanian dinar .3930000 .4110000Saudi riyals .0720000 .0770000Omani riyals .7366120 .7440150Egyptian pounds .0370000 .0440000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATESUS Dollar/KD .2841000 .2862000GB Pound/KD .4338920 .4370990Euro .3707360 .3734770Swiss francs .3043390 .3065880Canadian dollars .2795430 .2816100Danish Kroner .0497330 .0501010Swedish Kroner .0443660 .0446940Australian dlr .2963730 .2985640Hong Kong dlr .0365940 .0368650Singapore dlr .2291130 .2308060Japanese yen .0029600 .0028810Indian Rs/KD .0000000 .0052870Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 .0022880Pakistan rupee .0000000 .0029190Bangladesh taka .0000000 .0036810UAE dirhams .0773800 .0779520Bahraini dinars .7538810 .7594530Jordanian dinar .0000000 .4048090Saudi Riyal/KD .0757800 .0763400Omani riyals .7382100 .7436660Philippine Peso .0000000 .0069870

Bahrain Exchange Company

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

Al Mulla Exchange

ASIAN COUNTRIESJapanese Yen 2.860Indian Rupees 4.780Pakistani Rupees 2.872Srilankan Rupees 2.195Nepali Rupees 2.992Singapore Dollar 225.960Hongkong Dollar 37.085Bangladesh Taka 3.687Philippine Peso 6.623Thai Baht 9.204Irani Riyal 0.271

Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000)Dollar 287.050Euro 370.000Pound Sterling 430.050Canadian Dollar 274.850Indian Rupee 4.779Egyptian Pound 40.310Sri Lankan Rupee 2.195Bangladesh Taka 3.685Philippines Peso 6.620Pakistan Rupee 2.870Bahraini Dinar 764.350UAE Dirham 78.200Saudi Riyal 76.700*Rates are subject to change

CURRENCY BUY SELLEurope

British Pound 0.4206990 0.4296990Czech Korune 0.0067912 0.0187912Danish Krone 0.0454741 0.0504741Euro 0.3637308 0.3712308Norwegian Krone 0.0422823 0.0474823Scottish Pound 0.4182513 0.4257513Swedish Krona 0.0388748 0.0430748Swiss Franc 0.2926660 0.2996660

AustralasiaAustralian Dollar 0.2504071 0.2624071New Zealand Dollar 0.2143883 0.2243863Uganda Shilling 0.0001136 0.0001136

AmericaCanadian Dollar 0.2648617 0.2738617Colombian Peso 0.0001463 0.0001643US Dollars 0.2853000 0.2874500

AsiaBangladesh Taka 0.0036459 0.0037009Cape Vrde Escudo 0.0031901 0.0034201Chinese Yuan 0.0458190 0.0508490Eritrea-Nakfa 0.0166300 0.0197300

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

COUNTRY SELL DRAFT SELL CASH Australian Dollar 264.43 274.000Canadian Dollar 275.97 282.000Swiss Franc 306.62 312.000Euro 375.10 380.000US Dollar 286.10 284.500Sterling Pound 441.06 448.500Japanese Yen 2.94 3.300Bangladesh Taka 3.694 3.670Indian Rupee 4.751 5.050Sri Lankan Rupee 2.190 2.550Nepali Rupee 2.976 3.250Pakistani Rupee 2.866 2.900UAE Dirhams 77.96 78.000Bahraini Dinar 761.47 753.000Egyptian Pound 40.21 38.800Jordanian Dinar 407.18 410.000Omani Riyal 744.04 748.000Qatari Riyal 79.00 79.500Saudi Riyal 76.42 76.000

Rate for Transfer Selling RateUS Dollar 287.400Canadian Dollar 274.760Sterling Pound 428.985Euro 370.385Swiss Frank 298.000Bahrain Dinar 760.910UAE Dirhams 78.225Qatari Riyals 78.890Saudi Riyals 77.505Jordanian Dinar 405.140Egyptian Pound 40.249Sri Lankan Rupees 2.198Indian Rupees 4.713Pakistani Rupees 2.870Bangladesh Taka 3.690Philippines Pesso 6.562Cyprus pound 705.016Japanese Yen 3.836Thai Bhat 9.270Syrian Pound 4.105Nepalese Rupees 3.040Malaysian Ringgit 89.395

Guinea Franc 0.0000446 0.0000506Hg Kong Dollar 0.0345139 0.0376139Indian Rupee 0.0046549 0.0047199Indonesian Rupiah 0.0000239 0.0000291Jamaican Dollars 0.0028759 0.0038759Japanese Yen 0.0027569 0.0029369Kenyan Shilling 0.0032718 0.0035018Malaysian Ringgit 0.0849530 0.0919530Nepalese Rupee 0.0027922 0.0029922Pakistan Rupee 0.0028424 0.0028824Philippine Peso 0.0061239 0.0065939Sierra Leone 0.0000734 0.0000764Singapore Dollar 0.2201797 0.2261797Sri Lankan Rupee 0.0021589 0.0022009Thai Baht 0.0087677 0.0093677

ArabBahraini Dinar 0.7560397 0.7645397Egyptian Pound 0.0383105 0.0403405Ethiopeanbirr 0.0128812 0.0193812Ghanaian Cedi 0.1461639 0.1479539Iranian Riyal 0.0000800 0.0000805Iraqi Dinar 0.0001839 0.0002439Jordanian Dinar 0.3998699 0.4073699Kuwaiti Dinar 1.0000000 1.0000000Lebanese Pound 0.0001764 0.0001964Moroccan Dirhams 0.0217453 0.0457453Nigerian Naira 0.0012267 0.0018617Omani Riyal 0.7356152 0.7486152Qatar Riyal 0.0783000 0.0790830Saudi Riyal 0.0761200 0.0767600Sudanese Pounds 0.0467410 0.0472910Syrian Pound 0.0019598 0.0021796Tunisian Dinar 0.1688615 0.1758615UAE Dirhams 0.0764400 0.0778900Yemeni Riyal 0.0012972 0.0013972

Irani Riyal 0.273

GCC COUNTRIESSaudi Riyal 76.737Qatari Riyal 79.068Omani Riyal 747.430Bahraini Dinar 764.320UAE Dirham 78.368

ARAB COUNTRIESEgyptian Pound - Cash 42.950Egyptian Pound - Transfer 40.310Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.342Tunisian Dinar 172.450Jordanian Dinar 406.370Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.910Syrian Lier 3.126Morocco Dirham 33.762

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIESUS Dollar Transfer 287.650Euro 369.340Sterling Pound 426.870Canadian dollar 274.740Turkish lira 148.430Swiss Franc 297.010Australian Dollar 265.070US Dollar Buying 286.450

GOLD20 Gram 240.00010 Gram 121.0005 Gram 63.000

BURSA: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide,Inc announces the opening of the SheratonBursa Hotel and Aloft Bursa Hotel, marking thecompany’s entrance into Bursa. Owned by FaikCelik Holding, the two hotels expand Starwood’srapidly-growing portfolio to nine hotels acrossTurkey, adding more than 300 rooms to the cul-turally-charged industrial centre. The opening ofthe Sheraton Bursa Hotel fuels the brand’sgrowth as it remains on track to celebrate theopening of its 500th hotel by 2015. Aloft BursaHotel contributes to the phenomenal growth ofthe mid-market brand as it is poised to grow by30 percent in 2013 with its 75th hotel to openlater this year.

“We are delighted to be working with FaikCelik Holdings, the owners of the Sheraton andAloft Bursa, our first Starwood hotels in thisimportant city in Turkey,” said Michael Wale,President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe,Africa and Middle East. “Bursa is an emergingmetropolitan centre of industry, culture, sportand leisure and we believe this combination ofour differentiated lifestyle brands with a newcity destination will make a compelling offer toglobal travellers.” “The opening of SheratonBursa Hotel and Aloft Bursa marks a milestone inthis fast-growing city’s development”, said BaranCelik, CEO Faik Celik Holding. “We believe thatStarwood’s strong global brands will attractinternational and national travellers as well aslocal guests.”

Sheraton Bursa Hotel and Aloft Bursa are situ-ated in an emerging business and upscale resi-dential area adjacent to the Bursa New CulturalGreen Park and upcoming football stadium.Located on the south-east shore of Sea ofMarmara, approximately 235 km from Istanbul,Bursa is a rapidly emerging city in Turkey with ayoung population attracted by opportunities inits textile and automotive industries, as well asthe tourism and sports sectors. The city was thefirst capital of the Ottoman Empire, playing animportant role in silk manufacturing, and istoday the ‘greenest’ city in Turkey with easyaccess to Mount Uludag, the country’s prime ski-ing resort.

Sheraton Bursa HotelDesigned to appeal to both business and

leisure travellers, Sheraton Bursa offers a vibrant,open atmosphere. Distinct hexagonal elementsinspired by the Ottoman Empire are integratedinto the design of the spacious lobby whereguests can enjoy complimentary wireless inter-

net access with the signature Link@SheratonSMexperienced with Microsoft experience - a social,technology hub in the lobby where guests canstay connected to what matters most duringtheir stay.

Sheraton Bursa comprises 171 elegant guestrooms, including 10 spacious suites, allequipped with the signature all-white SheratonSweet Sleeper Bed, designed using the AAA FiveDiamond Award criteria. The contemporary andwarm interiors feature light Turkish designaccents, providing travellers with a comfortablehome away from home. Located on the 13thfloor, the Presidential Suite features a spaciousliving area, a master bedroom, a kitchen and acocktail bar, as well as a private whirlpool.

The Sheraton Shine Spa offers a traditionalTurkish hammam and three private VIP ham-mams using natural thermal water from thefamous local hot springs, as well as six spa treat-ments rooms, evoking a lively yet relaxing spaexperience. The expansive indoor pool area fea-tures impressive two-storey mosaic stelesdesigned by local craftsmen while the tranquilrelaxation space offers private views over theblue waters. The outdoor pool is nestled in atranquil garden area which makes for an elegantsetting for weddings up to 600 guests. Thehotel’s fitness facility features the brand’s revolu-

tionary health and fitness program, SheratonFitness Programmed by Core Performance,designed exclusively for Sheraton guests.

On the ground floor, Prusa offers internation-al cuisine and local specialities such as thefamous Iskender Kebab, which originates fromBursa and is a must-try when visiting the city.Guests may also dine at the hotel’sMediterranean restaurant, Narr featuring grilledspecialties. Both restaurants offer beautifulwooden outdoor terraces where guests canenjoy the soothing Turkish climate and cityviews. Situated on the top floor of the hotel, theexclusive Sheraton Club Lounge serves breakfast,refreshments and light snacks all day, eveningdrinks and hors d’oeuvres, alongside spectacularcity views from the 14th storey vantage. Guestsstaying in the Sheraton Club rooms will enjoycomplimentary in-room wireless internet access,as well as in the Club Lounge. A terrace withbreath-taking views, ideal for exclusive recep-tions and cocktails is connected to the club. Theadjacent Executive Board Room provides aninspiring space for meetings with views of thecity. Sheraton Bursa offers more than 2,800square metres of extensive indoor and outdoormeeting and event facilities, including a largeballroom and pre-function area, five conferencerooms and a fully-equipped business centre.

Aloft Bursa HotelSet to shake up the Turkish mid-market seg-

ment, Aloft Bursa Hotel delivers high style at anaffordable price with 133 spacious guest rooms,all featuring the brand’s signature loft-like ceil-ings, oversized windows and ultra-comfortableplatform beds, as well as large walk-in showerswith Bliss Spa amenities.

Each room is also equipped with wirelessinternet access and a one-stop plug-and-playconnectivity solution for multiple electronicgadgets such as PDAs, mobile phones, mp3players and laptops - all linked to a large flatpanel HDTV ready television, turning the roominto a high-tech office as well as an entertain-ment centre. Featuring the brand’s signatureloft-like style aesthetic and buzzing scene, AloftBursa offers vibrant public spaces where savvytravellers and locals can mix and mingle in a

relaxed social atmosphere, read the paper, workon laptops, play a game or grab a drink withfriends at the re:mixSM lounge or wxyzSM bar. Aglass-covered fireplace connects the insidespaces with the hotel’s spacious terrace.Designed with the digital generation in mind,Aloft Bursa offers free wireless internet accessthroughout the whole hotel.

The re:chargeSM fitness centre and theSplashSM pool give travellers the opportunity tode-stress and re-energise, while re:fuelSM byAloft offers a convenient deli option for guestson the go, with an array of food and beverages,24 hours a day. For work meetings, trainingcourses and presentations, the hotel’s threeTactic meeting rooms are equipped with the lat-est generation of audio-visual hardware, provid-ing the perfect creative space for groups of up to15 people.

Starwood expands presence in Turkey

B U S I N E S STHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

WELLINGTON, New Zealand: Taipei Economic and Cultural Office RepresentativeElliott Charng (left) and New Zealand’s Director of the Commerce and IndustryOffice Stephen Payton sign a free trade agreement yesterday. —AP

CHUKHA, Bhutan: Home to meditatingmonks and Himalayan nomads, thesleepy kingdom of Bhutan has set itssights on becoming an unlikely energypowerhouse thanks to its abundantwinding rivers. Hydropower plants havealready harnessed the country’s waterflows to light up nearly every Bhutanesehome, generating electricity that is sentto remote villages by cables strungthrough rugged mountain terrain. It is arapid transformation for the long isolat-ed nation, where less than a quarter ofhouseholds had electricity in 1999 - thesame year Bhutan became the last coun-try to introduce television.

But the kingdom now has muchgreater ambitions for renewablehydropower - already its biggest export -which it hopes will provide more thanhalf of its gross domestic product by theend of the decade. “It is the white goldfor Bhutan today,” said Chhewang Rinzin,managing director of state-owned DrukGreen Power Corporation, which runsthe country ’s hydropower sector.Bhutan’s first megaproject, opened inthe southwestern Chukha district in the1980s, is now one of four major plantswhich between them have almost 1,500megawatt capacity - at peak outputroughly equivalent to a large nuclearpower station, and only five percent ofBhutan’s hydropower potential.

Already going far beyond domesticneeds in summer months, when mon-soon rains fill up the rivers, most of theelectric power is sold to India, Bhutan’sgiant energy-hungry neighbour. In coop-eration with the Indian government, and

funded by its grants and loans, the king-dom is now aiming to reach capacity of10,000 megawatts by 2020 through thebuilding of 10 new plants. In contrast,politically deadlocked and once war-wracked Nepal has just 700 megawattsof installed capacity, despite beingamong the top potential hydropowerproducers in the world according to theWorld Bank. “India we see as a marketthat cannot be satisfied,” Rinzin said ofthe demand for Bhutan’s naturalresource, which is driving economicgrowth estimated by the AsianDevelopment Bank at 8.6 percent thisyear.

While hydropower is hailed as thecountry’s ticket to self-sufficiency afteryears of depending on donors, there arereservations about the speed and scaleof its development while other sectors ofthe economy lag behind. One of the firstnew plants being built, thePunatsangchhu I project, is projected tocost about two billion dollars - morethan Bhutan’s total gross domestic prod-uct. And there are nine more projects tocomplete. “While no one disputes thatharnessing hydropower energy is theway to go, there is concern that Bhutanis trying to do too much, too soon,” saidan April editorial in the national Kuenselnewspaper, titled “Drowning inhydropower”.

At the Chukha plant, colourful muralsdepicting the Buddha’s life-cycle con-trast with the whirring machinery buthint at the country’s unique develop-ment model of pursuing “Gross NationalHappiness” (GNH). Retaining Bhutan’s

Buddhist cultural identity and protectingthe environment are key parts of theGNH philosophy, which aims to balancethe financial advancement of the nationwith spiritual well-being. The existinghydropower schemes are all “run of theriver” sorts that depend on natural watersupplies rather than large reservoirs,designed to cause less disruption to theirsurroundings.

But three reservoir dams have beenproposed among the upcoming projectsto ensure plentiful water in the rain-freeand freezing winter months, when pow-er output currently drops by aboutthree-quarters. Rinzin says Bhutan’ssteep and sparsely-populated valleys willsuffer much less impact than areasaffected by big Indian or Chinese reser-voirs - the number of households dis-placed is in the hundreds rather thanthousands. But Samir Mehta, South Asiaprogram director at US-based watchdogInternational Rivers, expressed concernat a lack of transparency around the pro-posals and their impact. “The level ofpublic engagement is not known,” hesaid. He warned that hydropower plantsalso face serious threats from climatechange, given Bhutan’s susceptibility tofloods from lakes formed high in themountains by melting glaciers.

In the capital Thimphu, people haveother concerns on their mind abouthydropower’s rise, sometimes describedas “jobless growth”. Despite its domi-nance in Bhutan, Druk Green has a staffof only 1,800, expected to rise to nomore than 6,000, in a country whereunemployment is a growing worry

among its youthful population of736,000. The construction phase is morelabour-intensive, but only 10 to 15 per-cent of these jobs are going to theBhutanese by Rinzin’s calculation, asmost of the building work is carried outand overseen by Indians. “It’s money inand money out,” said Tenzing Lamsang,editor of The Bhutanese newspaper.“Your own companies are not makingthe money that they should.”

The kingdom, which is holding itssecond parliamentary elections aftershifting to democracy in 2008, is alreadyhugely dependent on India for imports

and soaring demand led it to run out ofIndian rupee supplies last year. Manythink the flurry in hydropower develop-ment, and subsequent demand for cost-ly imported equipment and machinery,exacerbated the crisis. While he believesin hydropower’s long-term benefits forBhutan, Lamsang says the financial andenvironmental concerns show that itshould not be relied upon to the cost ofother industries. “The danger here is thatwe put all our eggs in one basket. If thebasket does fall or something happensto the basket, then we’re in for a lot oftrouble.” —AFP

Bhutan banks on ‘white gold’ hydropower

CHUKHA, Bhutan: In this photograph taken on May 29, 2013, a dragonadorns a gate leading into the power mains of an electricity yard at theChukha hydropower station in southeastern Bhutan. —AFP

TIRUPUR, India: With knitwear exports of over $2billion a year, India’s garment manufacturing hubTirupur has earned the nickname “Dollar City”, butits allure for price-conscious global retailersobsessed by discounts of as little as one US centpales before Bangladesh. Indian and SoutheastAsian apparel manufacturers had hoped theorders would come flooding in, after the deadlycollapse of a Bangladesh garment factory com-plex this year galvanised global brands such asHennes & Mauritz AB (H&M) to consider relocat-ing production.

But several industry organisations and facto-ries contacted by Reuters in Vietnam, Cambodia,Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India - Asia’s top apparelmakers outside China - said international retailerswere not beating a path to their door just yet.When it comes to price, Bangladesh is king. “Thereason Bangladesh went from zero to hero in thegarment sector is because there is no countrywith such low labour and other costs,” said ArvindSinghal, chairman of India-based retail consultan-cy Technopak Advisors. “No buyer is in a hurry tomove from Bangladesh because Western retailersare stressed about passing any retail price increas-es to customers,” he said. “Currently, there is nosubstitute for Bangladesh, where manufacturerseven risk operating from rickety structures to capcosts.”

Wal-Mart Stores Inc has stood by itsBangladesh production, saying the South Asiannation remains an important sourcing market.H&M also said its quest for alternative manufac-turers was not at the expense of Bangladesh. “Weare not reducing our purchases from Bangladesh.We aspire to have long-term relations with oursuppliers,” H&M spokeswoman Elin Hallerby said.“We are always looking at new production capaci-ty to support our continuous expansion.”

The latest data from Bangladesh highlights itsenduring appeal: garment exports in June rose 26percent year-on-year to $2.2 billion. More thanfour million people, mostly women, work inBangladesh’s clothing sector, making it the sec-ond-largest global apparel exporter behindChina. The world’s biggest fashion retailers,Inditex SA and H&M, as well as Wal-Mart, Gap Incand JC Penney Company Inc are a few of thebrands manufacturing there. The $21 billion-a-year industry has been built on low wages, gov-ernment subsidies and tax concessions fromWestern countries. But the collapse of the RanaPlaza factory complex outside Dhaka in Aprilraised concerns about safety loopholes. The disas-ter, one of the world’s worst industrial accidents,killed 1,132 people.

The collapse prompted global brands to con-sider tapping regional alternatives. Indonesiantextile firm Sri Rejeki Isman PT (Sritex) , which

makes clothing for Zara, H&M and other brands,said it was in talks with H&M about taking over anas yet unspecified amount of Bangladesh-sourcedproduction. H&M declined to comment. But aslarge factory owners across the region discov-ered, translating talks into orders is difficult as,compared to Bangladesh, they are considered tooexpensive. “Garments produced in Bangladeshhave a very competitive price, around two-to-three times lower than in Vietnam,” said HguyenHuu Toan, deputy director of SaiGon 2 GarmentJSC, a Vietnam factory whose clients include

British fashion retailers New Look and TopShop. The cost disadvantage also impacts Sri Lanka’s

$4 billion-a-year garment industry, and factoryowners there say any shift in production fromBangladesh will be transient. “We are much betterthan any other country in the region, but it is atemporary advantage,” said Tuly Cooray, the sec-retary-general of industry group Joint ApparelAssociation Forum. “At the end of the day, theprice is going to matter.”

The economic slowdown in Europe and theUnited States has made retailers all the more keento seek out the lowest-cost manufacturing cen-tres to keep their store prices down. NThirukkumaran, owner of Tirupur-based apparelmaker Estee which racked up $8.3 million in sales

last year, said he holds marathon haggling ses-sions with foreign customers demanding dis-counts as little as one cent per unit. At least oneUS retailer asked about moving production fromBangladesh, he said, but they have yet to placeorders. Thirukkumaran would not name thebrand, citing client confidentiality. “There are pos-itive signals from buyers, but they are still scepti-cal about price,” he added.

Monthly minimum salaries for garment sectorworkers in Bangladesh average around $38, farbelow the $100 average for Indian factory work-

ers. After the Rana Plaza collapse, the cabinetapproved changes to the labour laws that pavethe way for garment workers to create tradeunions without the approval of factory owners.The cabinet also formed a wage board to consid-er pay increases. But industry experts sayBangladesh has too much to lose by alienatingglobal retailers, which means that for now, thelow costs are here to stay. “No other destinationhas what we have and that is skilled and cheaplabour,” said Mohammad Mujibur Rahman, aBangladeshi academic leading factory inspec-tions. “Foreign buyers realize this and nobody is ina hurry to move out ... there might be a smalltrickle outside, but nothing significant that willhurt us.” —Reuters

For cost-crunching retailers, Bangladesh reigns supreme

Other Asian garment hubs still more expensive

DHAKA: In this photograph taken on March 18, 2009, Bangladeshi garment workerssew T-shirts at a factory. —AFP

WELLINGTON: New Zealand yesterdaysigned a free trade agreement with Taiwanin a deliberately low-key ceremonydesigned to demonstrate the South Pacificnation’s fealty to its formal relations withmainland China. The location of the sign-ing ceremony at a university and theabsence of senior officials from either sideunderscored New Zealand’s interest inmaintaining its increasingly important tieswith Beijing. Five years ago, New Zealandbecame the first developed nation to signa free trade deal with China, which hassince become its largest export market.

In contrast to New Zealand, the dealwas widely trumpeted in Taiwan, which iseager to break out of its China-imposeddiplomatic isolation. It was Taiwan’s firstfree trade agreement with a developedcountry and, from its point of view, a victo-ry that was more political than economic.Television crews were on hand to beamthe signing ceremony live to Taiwan.Taiwan and China split amid civil war in1949, and the Chinese government goesout of its way to pressure other countries togive short shrift to Taiwanese attempts toexpand the democratic island’s interna-tional profile.

But it also seeks to assist the Taiwanesegovernment of President Ma Ying-jeou insolidifying the island’s economy as a way ofpromoting the interests of Ma’s China-friendly Nationalist Party among anincreasingly disaffected Taiwanese elec-torate. China-Taiwan relations have beenconsiderably less fractious since the elec-tion of Ma in 2008. Like most Westernnations, New Zealand doesn’t recognizeTaiwan as an independent country. Tocomplete the deal, New Zealand used thewording and status from the World TradeOrganization, which describes Taiwan as a“separate customs territory”.

The New Zealander who signed thedeal was Stephen Payton, director of theCommerce and Industry Office whichcomes under the banner of the WellingtonEmployers’ Chamber of Commerce. Thatmeant he wasn’t technically a governmentofficial, although he had been secondedinto the role from his government job. “Wehave a no surprises relationship with

China,” Payton said. “So yes, they are com-fortable with what we are doing.”

Payton said the gradual removal of tar-iffs from the beef, fruit and other productsit exports to Taiwan would result in savingsof 40 million New Zealand dollars ($31 mil-lion) in the first year and NZ$75 millionafter 12 years when all the tariffs expired.Taiwan will also win some small economicgains when New Zealand tariffs onmachine tools, steel plates and bicycles areremoved under the deal. Elliott Charng,who signed the agreement for the TaipeiEconomic and Cultural Office in NewZealand, said the deal was a “win-win”. “Idon’t want to talk about the political issuehere,” Charng said in response to a ques-tion. “I don’t know anything about China’sinvolvement.”

In Taipei, Taiwan’s Foreign MinisterDavid Lin shrugged off questions aboutthe choice of venue, saying that VictoriaUniversity of Wellington was an “ideal site”for the ceremony because the universityassisted in the feasibility study of the dealwhen talks began in 2011. The agreement“will enhance interests on both sides,” Linsaid. “The deal was signed under the WTOframework, and it had nothing to do withmainland China.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswomanHua Chunying said China has no objec-tions to trade and other types ofexchanges between Taiwan and foreigncountries as long as they stop short of “offi-cial relations”. “The current China-NewZealand relationship is in good shape. NewZealand’s adherence to the one-China poli-cy and proper handling of relevant issues isconducive to the sound development ofthe China-New Zealand relationship,” Huatold reporters at a regularly scheduledbriefing.

Taiwan has previously signed tradedeals with its diplomatic allies, which aremostly small, impoverished countries inAfrica and Latin America. “It’s a small stepbut has opened a window for Taiwan toraise its economic and diplomatic profilesglobally,” said Wu Fu-cheng, an economistwith the Taiwan Institute for EconomicResearch. Taiwan is also negotiating freetrade deals with India and Singapore. —AP

New Zealand, Taiwan sign free trade deal

DHAKA: The Bangladesh govern-ment ordered criminal cases bedropped against top union leadersyesterday, a ministry official said, amove hailed by labour activists whosay they are routinely harassed andthreatened. A home ministry officialtold AFP that the cases of incitingviolence during wage-hike protestsin 2010 against Kalpona Akter andBabul Akter, the leaders ofBangladesh Center for WorkerSolidarity (BCWS), will be withdrawn.“The home minister has alreadydirected police and the districtadministration to withdraw the cas-es,” said Kamaluddin Ahmed, a seniorhome ministry official, explainingthat “the government took generous

views of the cases”.Kalpona was facing five cases and

Babul six. The official did not cite anyreason, but leading Bengali dailyProthom Alo quoted home ministerMuhiuddin Khan as saying the aimwas to “win back” duty-free accessthe US had accorded some ofBangladesh’s products. The US sus-pended the Generalized System ofPreferences (GSP) in late June overBangladesh’s failure to protect thefundamental rights of workers, adecision hastened by the death of1,129 people in the collapse of a gar-ment factory complex in April.

The disaster outside Dhaka high-lighted appalling working conditionsin Bangladesh’s 4,500 garment facto-

ries where more than three millionworkers make clothing for top retail-ers such as Wal-Mart, H&M for a basicmonthly wages of $40. Although theGSP program does not cover the gar-ment industry, the move was anembarrassment for the Bangladeshigovernment which is desperate toconvince foreign firms that it is seri-ous about improving safety.

Bangladesh initially reacted withfury to the announcement byPresident Barack Obama but laterannounced a series of moves toamend labour laws in an effort toensure trade union rights and work-place safety. BCWS executive directorKalpona Akter welcomed the deci-sion, but said the government could

have dropped the cases much earlier.“The cases were filed in 2010 whenwe were waging protests to raiseworker salaries. They were lodged toharass us,” Akter told AFP, adding sev-eral labour leaders including herselfwere detained at that time.

“My colleague Babul Akter wasseverely beaten at Ashulia police sta-tion and threatened to be killed in astaged encounter,” she said, referringto the industrial area where most ofBangladesh’s top factories are located.Another BCWS leader was murderedin 2012 but there has been noprogress in the case. Union leadershave pointed the finger at a top secu-rity agency for the murder - allega-tions that officials have denied. —AFP

Bangladesh to drop cases against labour leaders

B U S I N E S STHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

NEW DELHI: In this photograph taken on Feb 25, 2012, a visitor browsesthrough books of Indian online book retailer Flipkart on a screen at the NewDelhi World Book Fair. — AFP

DOHA: Acquisit ive Gulf Arab lender,Qatar National Bank (QNB), posted 24-percent higher second-quarter net profityesterday that beat analysts’ estimatesby 7 percent and said it was opening anoffice in China. QNB, which completedthe purchase of a major i t y stake inSociete Generale’s Egyptian arm NSGBfor $2 billion in March, posted a net prof-it of 2.6 billion riyals ($714 million) forthe three months to June 30 includingNSGB. First-half net profit was 4.7 billionriyals, up 15.1 percent year-on-year, itsaid. Total assets rose 30.4 percent fromJune 2012 to 431 billion riyals, the high-est ever achieved by the bank, its state-ment said, as result of a strong growthrate in loans and advances. Loans andadvances rose 26.3 percent to 296 billionriyals, and the ratio of non-performingloans to gross loans was 1.5 percent.

Half-owned by sovereign wealth fund,Qatar Investment Authority, and with amarket value of about $26 billion, the

bank said it had all the necessary regula-tory approvals to open a representativeoffice in China. It said in May it will startoperations in India in the third quarter.Its acquisitions have been focused so faron the Middle East and North Africa, andit said last December it was looking at amajority stake in a top 10 Turkish bank.

With bank stakes in Indonesia, Jordanand Tunisia, QNB wants its internationalbusiness to contribute about 40 percentof profit and 45 percent of total assets by2017, Chief Financial Officer Ramzi Marisaid in December, up from about 17 per-cent and 30 percent before the NSGBdeal.

On Tuesday, the bank appointed Ali Al-Kuwari as acting chief executive after agovernment reshuffle saw his predeces-sor, Ali Al-Emadi, named as finance minis-ter. Kuwari previously led the bank’s cor-porate, retail and international bankingbusinesses. Emadi was made chairman ofQNB’s board this week.— Reuters

QNB Q2 profit surges, eyes Asia for growth

ANKARA: The Turkish central banksold $650 million yesterday, marketsources said, in a test of wills with themarket to hold up the lira but Turkey’sborrowing rate rose sharply. The cen-tral bank has been selling dollars sinceMonday when it announced urgentand “strong” action to defend the cur-rency and contain overheated banklending. In afternoon trading onWednesday, the lira was being quotedat 1.9480 to the dollar from 1.9498 onTuesday. The bank had announced itsmeasures on Monday as soon as thelira fell to a record low level of 1.9740.Yesterday the central bank sold $650million in five auctions - $50 million,$150 million, $150 million, $150 millionand another $150 million. The bank

had begun its intervention by selling$2.25 billion on Monday.

On the government debt market,Turkey’s 10-year borrowing rate surgedto 9.09 percent yesterday - the highestfor more than a year. It stood at 8.9 per-cent late on Tuesday and was alreadyat 9.0 percent on Monday. The centralbank said it would pursue the newmeasures for as long as the lira wasunder pressure. But market analystswere immediately sceptical that thispolicy would work for long.

A key factor is the outlook that theUS Federal Reserve central bank willbegin winding down its easy moneymeasures. This has caused investors topull money out of bond markets inemerging economies, pushing up bor-

rowing rates.Capital Economics economist Neil

Shearing expressed doubts in Londonon Tuesday that the central bank’sefforts would work. He noted that thelira had fallen by about 10.0 percentsince the beginning of May, and thatinflation in June was 8.3 percent com-pared with the bank’s year-end targetof 5.0 percent. The bank’s “firepower islimited”, he said putting its foreign cur-rency reserves available for buying thelira at about $45 bil l ion. Shearingargued that “the lira is likely to fall fur-ther over the next year or so” and inter-est rates were likely to rise.

The Turkish economy grew by 2.2percent in 2012, short of the govern-ment forecast of 3.2 percent expan-

sion. This was a major slowdown from2010 and 2011 when Turkish growthjumped ahead by 8.9 percent and 8.8percent respectively. Emerging Turkeyis currently the world’s 17th-biggesteconomy and sets its sights high torank among the top 10 within adecade. But analysts say the economyis likely to take a hit from the recentunrest as well as external financingconditions. Last month, the rulingJustice and Development Party (AKP)was shaken by nationwide demonstra-tions, which Prime Minister RecepTayyip Erdogan blamed various groups,including what he called an “interestrate lobby”. This was a reference topressure for interest rates to rise tosupport the currency.

On May 16, the central bank had cutits main interest rate by half a percent-age point to 4.5 percent to boost theslowing economy. Turkey is exposed tothe rise of borrowing rates for emerg-ing economies, largely because of sig-nals from the US Federal Reserve bankthat it will soon begin to wind down itsspecial injections of money into the USfinancial system. “We think growth inTurkey is likely to be weaker and morevolatile than most seem to expect,”Capital Economics said in a researchnote. About 14 years ago, Turkey wascrippled by a financial crisis and had torestructure its economy in return forhelp from the International MonetaryFund. I t has just finished repayingthose loans. — AFP

MUMBAI: India’s top e-commerce compa-ny Flipkart said Wednesday it has raised$200 million from private investors inwhat it cal led the biggest one -timeinvestment in an Indian online retail firm.The money was injected by Flipkart ’sexisting investors, South African technol-ogy group Naspers and private equityfunds Tiger Global and Accel Partners, theBangalore-based firm said in a statement.The funds wil l be used to build andstrengthen the firm technology capabili-ties and improve its supply chain.

“This investment validates the beliefthat our investors have not only in ourcapabilities as a market leader - but alsoin the potential of e-commerce in India,”said Sachin Bansal, co-founder and chiefexecutive of Flipkart. Flipkart and JubinMehta of Yourstor y. in, an online sitewhich tracks startups and entrepreneurs,

said it was the largest single investmentin an Indian e-commerce firm. The com-pany is battling fierce competition fromrivals that include online retail giantAmazon, which launched an India-dedi-cated shopping site last month. Flipkartwas star ted by two former Amazonemployees. Since 2007 Fl ipk ar t hasexpanded beyond books and DVDs tofootwear, electronics and home appli-ances, to gain 9.6 million registered usersand become one of the country’s biggestentrepreneurial success stories.

Flipkart earned revenues of five billionrupees ($83 million) for the fiscal year toMarch 2012. It has not give any earningsdata for the past financial year. India hasjust over 50 million active Internet usersof whom around 40 percent have madepurchases online, according to industryfigures. — AFP

Flipkart raises $200m

Turkish bank sells dollars to boost lira Bond rate rises

LONDON: OPEC’s share of the world marketwill shrink in 2014 as rising supply of US shaleoil gives the exporter group little comfortfrom the fastest growth in world demand infour years. In a monthly report, theOrganization of the Petroleum ExportingCountries forecast demand for its oil in 2014would average 29.61 million barrels per day(bpd), down 250,000 bpd from 2013 and770,000 bpd less than it produced in June.“This would imply a further build in globalcrude inventories, which currently stand athigh levels,” OPEC said in reference to the mar-ket outlook for next year. The report is a fur-ther illustration that technology for extractingoil and gas from shale is reducing depend-ence on OPEC. Rising output will make it hard-er for the 12-member group to keep its ownoutput at high rates without risking a drop inprices below $100 a barrel, its preferred level.OPEC also forecast a recovery in demand nextyear as economic growth gathers pace. Worldoil use will expand by 1.04 million bpd in2014, the strongest growth since 2010, it said.But non-OPEC supply, the source of two inevery three barrels, is expected to increase by

1.14 million bpd, more than demand, led byfurther growth in the United States. The USshale boom has already curbed imports fromOPEC members such as Nigeria and Algeria.OPEC expects U.S. oil output to rise by 560,000bpd next year - the biggest rise among non-OPEC countries - to 11.33 million bpd. “Theoutlook in 2014 is supported by anticipatedhealthy onshore tight oil developments, aidedby rising investment,” OPEC’s report said. “In2013, oil drilling activities continue toimprove.” After initially downplaying shale,OPEC is looking more closely at its impact. Atits last meeting, on May 31 in Vienna, thegroup’s oil ministers spent some time dis-cussing the issue and set up a committee tostudy it. OPEC’s report is the second of thismonth’s trio of oil supply and demand fore-casts to emerge. The US Energy InformationAdministration, as usual more bullish ondemand than OPEC, in a report on Tuesdayraised its 2014 demand growth estimate by50,000 bpd to 1.24 million bpd. TheInternational Energy Agency, adviser to 28industrialised countries, issues its reporttoday.— Reuters

OPEC to lose market share to shale oil

B U S I N E S STHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

MILAN: Italy’s one-year borrowing costsrose to their highest since March yesterdayafter Standard & Poor’s cut its credit rating, awarning to the faltering coalition govern-ment as it seeks to revive the economy. Butthe downgrade had a mild impact onWednesday’s auction, at which the Treasurypaid a yield of 1.078 percent to sell Ä7 bil-lion ($8.95 billion) of one-year bills, up from0.96 percent at a similar sale one monthago.

Yields are still far lower than a peak ofmore than 6 percent reached in late 2011, atthe height of the euro zone debt crisis, anddemand remained fairly strong with a bid-to-cover ratio of 1.56, up from 1.49 at mid-June sale. “The auctions went well, demandwas good. The yields did not come in muchhigher than what we were expecting yester-day before the downgrade,” said Unicrediteconomist Chiara Cremonesi. On Tuesday,

S&P cut Italy’s sovereign credit rating to BBBfrom BBB+, two notches above junk, citingconcerns about the economy, which hasbeen stuck in recession since mid-2011.

Yields on outstanding Italian bondsedged higher after the downgrade, whichalso hit Spanish debt. Italy’s challenge islinked to the effectiveness of the right-leftcoalition government led by Prime MinisterEnrico Letta, which is struggling to over-come its internal divisions. A coalition meet-ing yesterday fell through when the Peopleof Freedom party pulled out after Tuesday’sannouncement that its founder, SilvioBerlusconi, faces a final ruling on a tax fraudconviction on July 30 - much earlier thanexpected. The party has also proposed sus-pending work in parliament in light of thelooming verdict. If Berlusconi’s conviction isupheld, he will be banned from publicoffice for five years.

“Berlusconi’s legal woes could yet lead toearly elections in Italy,” Nicholas Spiro, headof Spiro Sovereign Strategy, said in a note.“The downgrade underscores the severity ofItaly’s recession ... and the bleak prospectsfor growth-enhancing structural reformsunder the unstable and conflict-ridden Lettagovernment.” S&P said further downgradeswere possible if the government fails tokeep a tight rein on the deficit and does notundertake badly-needed labour market andother liberalisations. Those particularreforms are not even on the government’sagenda at the moment. Letta tried to turnthe ratings cut in his favour late on Tuesday,using it to put pressure on his allies. “It’sproof that the situation is still complex andItaly remains under special observation,”Letta said.

Economy Minister Fabrizio Saccomanniyesterday criticised the ratings cut, saying it

failed to take account of recent governmentmeasures to lift growth. “The decisionappears based on a mechanic extrapolationof past data,” Saccomanni told a meeting ofItaly’s banking lobby. ECB board memberChristian Noyer said yesterday the down-grade for Italy illustrates a broader, Europeanproblem. “This highlights the need to accel-erate the implementation of structuralreforms in the whole euro zone,” he said. TheBank of Italy warned that the country cannotafford to lose investor confidence.

Letta has pledged to ease the severe aus-terity policies pursued by predecessor MarioMonti’s technocrat government. But so farhe has only been able to postpone paymentof a housing tax, introduce some tax breaksfor companies that hire unemployed youth,and relaunch some public works projects.Meanwhile, economic data show that Italy isnot pulling out of its slump. Industrial output

rose slightly for the first time in four monthsin May, but fell for a 21st consecutive monthfrom a year earlier, figures published onWednesday showed.

The euro zone’s third-largest economyhas been one of the slowest-growing in theworld for more than a decade, shackled by alack of competitiveness, a weak political sys-tem and public debt topping 130 percent ofgross domestic product. Yesterday, Romealso issued Ä2.5 billion of bills maturing onDec 19, 2013, at an interest rate of 0.599 per-cent. These assets, dubbed ‘flexible bills’, areissued by the Treasury from time to time tocover seasonal liquidity needs. Italy willreturn to the primary market tody to sell upto Ä6.5 billion in three- and 30-year bondsand floating rate notes in a triple sale. Rome,which has frontloaded its funding, hasalready raised more than 63 percent of itsoverall borrowing needs for 2013. —Reuters

Italy debt costs rise as downgrade pressures govt

Europe tempers power

of agency to shut banksEU outlines blueprint for tackle stricken banks

BRUSSELS: The European Commission proposedon Wednesday creating an agency to salvage orshut failed banks, but the absence of an immediatebackstop fund to pay for a clean-up means it maystruggle to do its job. Working in tandem with theEuropean Central Bank as supervisor, the newauthority is supposed to wind down or revampbanks in trouble. It is the second pillar of a ‘bankingunion’ meant to galvanise the euro zone’s responseto the crisis. If agreed by European Union states, theagency will be set up in 2015 and will eventuallyhave the means to impose losses on creditors of astricken bank, according to the blueprint.

But the new authority will be handicapped bythe fact that it will have to wait years before it has afund to pay for the costs of any bank wind-up itorders. In practice, this means it could be very diffi-cult to demand any such closure. Officials say theplan foresees tapping banks to build a war chest ofÄ55 billion to Ä70 billion ($70 billion to $90 billion)but that is expected to take a decade, leaving theagency largely dependent on national schemes inthe meantime. “The idea is to break this linkbetween a banking crisis and sovereign,” saidMichel Barnier, the commissioner in charge offinancial regulation, emphasising, however, theneed for good bank management rather than apan-European backstop. “In the first few years, ofcourse, the funding will be more modest,” he said,adding that the fund should be able to borrow.

But analysts were critical. “The key problem isthat without the ultimate access to fiscal resources,it will be very difficult to agree to shut down abank,” said Guntram Wolff of Bruegel, a Brusselsthink tank. Under the plan, the EU’s executive willnot call for an explicit backstop role for the eurozone’s rescue fund, the European StabilityMechanism (ESM). The lack of funds at the outset orrecourse to the ESM undermines a central goal ofbanking union - to sever the ‘doom loop’ that formsas banks buy ever more government bonds fromhome states.

Any suggestion of putting such a safety net inplace faced stiff resistance from Germany, whichfeared that it could be left on the hook for prob-lems uncovered in Spain’s banks or elsewhere,when the ECB starts policing the sector next year.Furthermore, the ‘resolution board’ that decideson bank wind-downs will be forbidden fromimposing decisions on countries, such as demand-ing the closure of a bank, if that would result in abill for that nation’s taxpayer. “If in a resolutionplan, national public money is ... necessary, thegovernment of the country has to give the goahead,” said Barnier.

Scepticism that the agency could work wasechoed by Sven Giegold, an influential Germanmember of the European Parliament. “Behind allthis is an unholy alliance between Germany, whichis scared about talk of common liability (for banks)before elections, and France, scared of giving upsovereignty.” The reform is presented as a pillar of

‘banking union’, a scheme designed to underpinconfidence in the euro zone and end the previous-ly chaotic handling of cross-border bank collapsessuch as Dexia. The original commitment, made atthe height of the currency bloc’s crisis, was to pre-vent heavily indebted countries from having tocontain problems at their banks alone, such asthose that nearly bankrupted Ireland.

But last year’s pledge by the European CentralBank to take whatever steps needed to back thesingle currency has calmed investor nerves, takingthe pressure off countries to follow through. The

proposal yesterday will likely dismay the ECB.Speaking on Tuesday ahead of the announcement,Joerg Asmussen, a member of the six-memberExecutive Board that forms the nucleus of the ECB’spolicymaking, underscored the need for a“European backstop” for the resolution agency. Inreality, the agency’s freedom to act may be limited,forcing the European Commission to continue touse state-aid rules to enforce order when govern-ments prop up weak banks. Those rules changefrom August, placing the burden on shareholdersand junior debtholders in any such restructuring.The scaling down of the plan is partly in responseto Berlin’s reluctance to surrender autonomy to anew agency. Germany has been particular sensi-tive as Chancellor Angela Merkel faces nationalelections in September. Wolfgang Schaeuble,Germany’s finance minister, had long argued that achange to the European Union’s treaty was neededbefore the agency could get executive clout.

“That’s only possible nationally and whoever wantsmore must join the German government in sup-porting an amendment to the treaty,” he told jour-nalists earlier this week.

Yesterday’s announcement in Brussels alsoreceived a cool response in Berlin, where a govern-ment spokesman said it would give the EuropeanCommission powers beyond that foreseen underbasic EU law. The proposal envisages that theCommission would have the final trigger in wind-ing down a bank. Some EU officials hope Berlin willsoften its stance after the elections, but Asmussen

did not expect that, noting that countries such asthe Netherlands, Finland, Slovakia and Estoniashared its doubts. EU Commission officials were soconcerned about their proposals becoming publicthat they printed them using a type of ‘invisible ink’technology to blank out the text if scanned.

As it is proposed, the new board would haveauthority over all 6,000 banks in the euro zone. If abank were to run into trouble, the ECB would informthis executive board, which could then vote onwhether to close or salvage the bank. The boardwould have representatives from the EuropeanCentral Bank, the European Commission, the homecountry of the bank under review and from stateswhere it has branches. The final execution wouldrest with the European Commission. TheCommission hopes that this group, which will varyaccording to the bank, will plan for any emergency,leaving little to decide at short notice should alender face collapse. —Reuters

BRUSSELS: EU commissioner for Internal Market and Services Michel Barnier ges-tures as he gives a press conference yesterday on the ìSingle Resolution Mechanismîfor banking union at the EU Headquarters. —AFP

LONDON: A woman posts a letter in a Royal Mail postbox yesterday. Britain’sgovernment announced plans to privatise more than half of Royal Mail, thestate-run postal delivery service, following a major restructuring in recentyears triggered by a surge in email use. —AFP

LONDON: Britain will list a majority stake in theRoyal Mail postal service on the stock market inthe next nine months, promising free shares forworkers fiercely opposed to the country’sbiggest privatisation in around 20 years. Analystsexpect the initial public offering (IPO) to valueRoyal Mail, which traces its roots to a servicefounded by King Henry VIII in 1516, at £2-3 bil-lion ($3-$4.5 billion), so selling a majority stakecould raise over £1 billion to help the country’sstretched finances.

In a bid to weaken support for trade unions,which have helped to scupper past attempts tosell off the business, the government said itwould give away 10 percent of shares in RoyalMail to its 150,000 UK postal workers, with thecondition that they must be held for three years.The company’s management has long arguedthat access to external capital is vital as it investsin shifting its business away from falling lettervolumes and toward a growing parcels industryfuelled by internet shopping.

But unions have threatened strike action,arguing privatisation could jeopardise RoyalMail’s commitment to provide a universal, six-days-a-week service and lead to a decline inworking conditions for staff. Business SecretaryVince Cable sought to sooth such concerns, say-ing the universal service would be protected byregulator Ofcom as well as parliament, and thatprivatisation would not trigger a change inemployment conditions. “It cannot be right forRoyal Mail to come cap in hand to ministerseach time it wants to invest and innovate. Thepublic will always want government to invest inschools and hospitals ahead of Royal Mail,” hesaid.

State postal services have been privatisedacross much of western Europe. Last month,Belgium’s bpost received strong interest in itsstock market debut, which was priced towardsthe top end of expectations. Royal Mail, which

no longer includes the Post Office services andretail business, more than doubled profit in theyear ended March 31, helped by parcel demand.

The listing, which will take place in the com-pany’s current financial year, will include a retailoffering for the public, for which Royal Mailworkers will also receive priority treatment.Banks Goldman Sachs and UBS have beenappointed as lead advisers for the IPO. Cablesaid the government would retain flexibility onthe size of stake to be sold, pending market con-ditions and demand. Britain’s Conservative-Liberal coalition government, which paved theway for privatisation last year by freeing RoyalMail of its hefty pension liabilities, has been criti-cised by the main opposition Labour party forpushing to sell off the firm at a time when itsprofits are rising.

The privatisation push follows similarattempts by the Conservatives in 1994 and byLabour in 2009, both of which were scupperedby union threats and party rebellions, with thelatter attempt also succumbing to rocky finan-cial markets. In a consultative ballot sent to112,000 Royal Mail workers in June, theCommunication Workers Union said that, from a74 percent turnout, 96 percent opposed plans tosell the firm. It urged the government to consid-er other ways to access capital or risk strikeaction.

The retail element of the IPO plan is rare forBritain, and only usually considered for wellknown companies. In October last year insurerDirect Line sold around 15 percent of its 787million pound IPO to retail investors who onaverage bought 5,000-6,000 pounds worth ofshares. A YouGov poll commissioned for a ThinkTank paper released yesterday exploring themerits of privatising Royal Mail showed that just53 percent of the British public are aware of thesale plans, with 67 percent of people opposedto it. —Reuters

UK to list Royal Mail, woos

workers with free shares

BEIJING: Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathanmet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijingyesterday on a visit focused on boosting tradebetween Asia’s powerhouse economy andAfrica’s biggest oil producer. Jonathan wasaccompanied by 19 of his top government offi-cials on the trip, as he attempts to tie up a seriesof deals on Chinese investment in majorNigerian infrastructure projects. “(China) has avery robust economy and that is why when I wascoming, I came with quite an amount of cabinetministers and very senior government func-tionaries,” he told Xi as the pair met at Beijing’sornate Great Hall of the People.

Chinese companies are involved in a massiveroad-building project in Nigeria worth $1.7 bil-lion. Talks between Jonathan and Xi are alsoexpected to cover some $1.3 billion worth ofChinese loans and other funding for Nigerianinfrastructure projects. Beijing is also showingincreasing interest in Nigeria’s oil industry, and isexpected to increase its demand from the cur-rent 20,000 to 200,000 barrels per day by 2015.“Both China and Nigeria are now working hardto accelerate our respective development,” Xisaid, at the welcome ceremony held indoors dueto heavy rain in the Chinese capital.

Following the meeting between Xi andJonathan, five agreements were signed betweenthe two countries, including a lending agree-ment between China’s Import-Export Bank andthe Nigerian Ministry of Finance for the expan-sion of four airport terminals. Agreements werealso signed on visa regulations, legal issuesinvolving the import and export of cultural

properties, and economic and technical cooper-ation. China Development Bank and Nigeria’sFirst Bank also signed a framework agreement insupport of Nigerian economic development.China has invested heavily in African nations inrecent years in its search for natural resources

and markets for its goods. It has had mixed suc-cess in Nigeria, particularly concerning oil,where Western firms such as Shell andExxonMobil continue to dominate. Oil accountsfor some 80 percent of government revenue inNigeria. —AFP

Investment tops agenda as

Nigerian prez visits ChinaBANGKOK: Thailand plans to start selling ricefrom government stockpiles next week,offloading up to 1.5 million tonnes a monthfor the rest of the year, but traders said itwould have to slash prices and accept biglosses in order to move the grain. World priceshave fallen due to expected bumper cropsand high stockpiles and Thai sales would puteven more pressure on the market. Globalproduction could rise 1.9 percent to a record479.2 million tonnes of milled rice in the next2013/14 crop, the United State Department ofAgriculture (USDA) said. Thai officials estimatestocks at 17 million or 18 million tonnes, oralmost double the export volumes of a nor-mal year.

“It’s a good time to start selling stocks, aswe see rising demand for several grades ofrice,” Commerce Minister NiwatthamrongBunsongphaisan told reporters. He said thegovernment aimed to sell up to 1 milliontonnes of milled rice per month and another500,000 tonnes of paddy. It also planned tosell an unspecified amount on the AgriculturalFutures Exchange of Thailand (AFET). Lastyear, the Thai government said it had sold 7.3million tonnes to foreign governments fordelivery over several months into this year,but the purported buyers denied the dealsand activity at ports did not suggest suchlarge-scale loading.

Traders said the Thai government wouldhave to accept huge losses if it wanted torelease stocks to get fresh funding for its inter-vention program, which helped win the votesof millions of farmers and carry it to power in2011. “Bidding prices are expected to be reallylow and the government has no choice,

except to cut prices, if it really wants to offloadthe rice,” said Rakesh Sodhia of FortunaInternational Ltd in Bangkok. The governmenthas estimated it suffered losses of 136 billionbaht ($4.33 billion) from the scheme in2011/12 but even that was based on gettingprices for remaining stocks that now seemwildly unrealistic.

“Prices will drop as supply is rising every-where. India, Thailand and Vietnam are aboutto harvest their 2013/14 crop in the secondhalf of this year but demand is steady,” saidSompong Kitireanglarp, president of Thaiexporter Ponglarp Co Ltd. Niwatthamrongwas appointed in a cabinet reshuffle at theend of June, when his predecessor lost his jobover losses that had piled up under the inter-vention program and his failure to be openabout costs and how much rice was sold. Thenew minister is to visit several countries thathave pacts with Thailand on rice sales, to dis-cuss new deals. “The countries I plan to visitare Indonesia, Iran, the Philippines, Malaysia,China and Singapore,” he said.

Indonesia, a big buyer that is trying tobecome self-sufficient, said it could import upto 600,000 tonnes of rice this year dependingon local output, stocks and prices. Jakarta nor-mally buys from Vietnam, whose rice is cheap-er. The Philippines, which aims to be self-suffi-cient in rice by the end of 2013, said it had noplan to buy more through the National FoodAuthority. “Thailand has approached the NFAfor a government-to-government deal. But forthis year the NFA has no plans of buying moreafter our deal with Vietnam,” a spokesman toldReuters. “And we’re not sure if we need toimport rice for next year.” —Reuters

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) shakes hands with Nigerian PresidentGoodluck Jonathan after the two countries’ ministers signed several agreements dur-ing a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People yesterday. —AFP

Thailand to sell rice from

stocks, price cut seen

B U S I N E S STHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

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It worth mentioning that thecompany is seeking to offer thebest services for its customers dur-ing sales and aftersales, as the com-pany was awarded “CustomerService excellence” by Land RoverMENA for the 1st half of 2013 as a

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Ali Alghanim & Sons’ exclusive Land Rover offer in Ramadan

DUBAI: Worldwide luxury goods marketrevenues will grow as much as 50 percent faster than global GDP, with anexpectation of 4 to 5 per cent growth in2013 and 5 to 6 per cent annual averagethrough 2015, on track to break the €250billion sales threshold by mid-decade;this according to Bain & Company, theleading advisor to the global luxurygoods industry, in the Spring 2013update to its industry bellwether “LuxuryGoods Worldwide Market Study;”unveiled recently at a conference hostedby Fondazione Altagamma (the Italianluxury goods industry trade association).Bain confirmed that luxury revenuesgrew by 10 percent in 2012 (at currentexchange rates), given the strong growthtailwinds present in the first half of lastyear. All growth estimates for 2013 andbeyond are at constant exchange rates.

Bain’s spring update sees the key driv-ers of the luxury goods market as:

WHO● Tourists are changing their con-

sumption habits, seeking out new desti-nations (e.g., Dubai, South East Asia,Australia) and showing more savvy in theitems they purchase

● Each year, more “HENRYs” (HighEarnings, Not Rich Yet) become potentialcustomers, with ten times as manyHENRYs as ultra-affluent individuals

● The rise of the middle class in emerg-ing countries is polarizing the competi-tive arena, becoming a “new baby-boomsized generation” for luxury brands to tar-get

WHAT● Absolute luxury items (consisting in

high-end products with no logo, highestquality materials, and exquisite crafts-manship) lead the way

● Despite some recovery of spendingon apparel, leather goods and otheraccessories continue their run over othercategories

● Watch consumption has sharplydecelerated as retailers de-stock and asChinese luxury consumers slow their pur-chasing

● Cosmetics are slowing down inmature markets, while still deliveringgrowth in emerging markets

WHERE● High consumer confidence among

the affluent, increased store openings inAmerican cities, and intensive investmentin linking physical and digital shoppingare all fueling United States sales growth

● The impact of 12 per cent salesgrowth across Central and South America(notably Brazil and Mexico) will result inoverall growth of 5 to 7 per cent in theAmericas

● In Asia, growth in China is stabilizingto an expected seven per cent, whileSouth East Asia will experience 20 percent growth driven by a wave of newstore openings, and increasing strengthand relevance of second-tier markets

● Japan returns to a strong growthstory of 5 per cent as the country’s mone-tary policy depreciates the yen and push-es local consumption

● Europe remains a challenge for theindustry; as tourism slows, as touristsspend less per visit, and as Europeans,especially in southern Europe, curtailspending-Bain expects flat-to-2 per centgrowth

● Middle East is growing at a steadypace, with Dubai continuing as the centerof gravity and the only city attracting for-eign luxury consumers (e.g. Russians,Indians, Africans)

“We are seeing a more even distribu-tion of global growth,” said ClaudiaD’Arpizio, a Bain partner in Milan and leadauthor of the study. “In turn, brands are

refocusing from short-term, reactive hotspot thinking to long-term sustainedgrowth strategies.”

Cyrille Fabre, Bain & Company partnerwho leads the Retail & Consumer

Products practice for the Middle East said:“The Middle East is now the ten largestluxury goods market with sales exceed-ing EUR6Bn. Local consumption, intra-region tourism and the strong historic rel-evance of hard luxury and perfumes/cos-metics are key market drivers. Dubai isthe heart of the regional market as thecity alone commands around 30 per centof the luxury market of the region.”

Over the long term, Bain estimatesthat the global luxury goods market in2025 will likely be more than five timeslarger than it stood in 1995. The key forwinning in the luxury market over thenext 10 to 15 years, says Bain, is “to getready for Luxury 2.0,” where success willbe defined by a relentless focus on threeluxury goods management principles:

1. Superior customer experience● Luxury will depend more than ever

on word-of- mouth promoters who sharetheir delight with products and experi-ences

● Consumers expect every interactionin stores, online, and on mobile devices tobe premium, differentiated, and targetedto their tastes and preferences

● Marketing must maintain a persist-ent drumbeat of innovation in media andmessaging to keep consumers connectedto what’s new

2. Flawless retail management● Physical and digital storefronts are

accelerating their arms race for offeringmore compelling engagement to wowthe luxury shopper

● The era of the disengaged, formalshopping experience is ending. Shoppersnow expect inviting and personalizedservice to welcome them into the store

● As store networks grow into newmarkets and tap new segments, the bar israised for ensuring the right products arein the right stores in the right quantities

3. People excellence● Brands are investing more in top

management talent from strategy tofinance to supply chain to back officeoperations

● The store employee serves as brands’direct face to shoppers, with brandsexpending significant resources on train-ing and development of people on thefront lines

● Luxury players are more and moreputting the customer first in their strate-gies

“We are entering a new phase in theevolution of the luxury market, moremarkets, more segments, and more diver-sity of tastes all combine to create morevariables to solve for when pursuing theright strategy for growth.” concludedD’Arpizio.

Worldwide luxury goods continue

double-digit growth

Rift Valley Railways (RVR), the operator of the Kenya-Uganda railway, has completed the building of 73 kmof new railway track between Mombasa and Nairobicosting $20 million (1.7 billion Kenyan shillings) toimprove the reliability and speed of cargo delivery byrail from Mombasa. Completion of the railway mod-ernisation project has reduced cargo delivery timebetween Mombasa and Nairobi by six hours throughrebuilding the most badly rundown sections, whichwere responsible for 60 percent of blockage time onthe rail line.

“RVR’s US$ 20 million investment in building thisnew stretch of railroad is a significant milestone as thisrailway line had been ailing for lack of investment forover a decade prior to the concession,” said RVRExecutive Vice Chairman Brown Ondego. RVR is a plat-form company of Citadel Capital, the leading privateequity firm in Africa and the Middle East with invest-

ments of $9.5 billion in five core industries, includingenergy, transportation, agrifoods, mining and cement.

Construction of the new railway line included thelaying of 10,000 sleepers (railway ties) to retain trackgeometry and improve safety. The upgrade is part of alarger track modernization program that will see therebuilding of over 360 km of the most affected sectionsof the railroad in both Kenya and Uganda. “The com-pletion of this project under our continuing trackupgrade program has considerably improved the relia-bility and efficiency of our operations. We are nowoperating larger-capacity trains and, as a result, haveimproved our loading capacity and reduced travelhours,” Ondego added.

The 10-month reconstruction project awarded con-tracts worth KES 454 million (more than $5.3 million) toKenyan contractors and suppliers and paid KES 29 mil-lion (over $0.34 million) in wages to workers recruited

from SMEs under a partnership program with commu-nities living along the railway line. Commenting on thefaster cargo delivery, Steve Felder, managing director ofMaersk shipping agency, noted, “As a shipping line wevery much welcome this development as we are con-vinced that it will effectively improve the safe and reli-able transport of our customer’s cargo and create moredemand for rail transport between Mombasa andNairobi.”

Ondego said RVR is on course with significantinvestments to introduce innovations in operationsand modernize infrastructure both in Kenya andUganda in order to ensure a dependable and well-functioning railway that can spur growth and regionaleconomic integration throughout East Africa. He saidimproved reliability has been one of the immediatebenefits and the number of incidents declined a full 20percent last month.

KUWAIT: Safat Home is excited to begin itsWeekly Ramadan Offer Campaign. Shoppers canlook forward to a month full of thrilling offers andwonderful prizes. Everything from sanitary wareand tiles, to furniture and accessories will all beavailable at great Ramadan prices.

During the upcoming holy month, Safat Homeis offering its valued customers exciting weeklyRamadan offers. Each week, many great deals willbe available on Safat Home products, whereprices will be dropped exclusively for that weekalone because “when it’s gone, it’s gone.” Forevery KD 100 a customer spends, they will receivea scratch and win coupon that guarantees them aprize. Each coupon contains a prize which canrange from smaller, inexpensive items all the wayup to prizes worth KD 5,000. This means thateveryone can be a winner this Ramadan.

In-store, special discounts on mattresses andaccessories are available throughout the monthof Ramadan. These discounts entitle customersto a 15 percent discount on a mattress when abed is purchased. On purchases exceeding KD100, customers are awarded a 15 percent dis-count on all accessories. These will include a wideselection of decorative accessories, includingeverything from vases and cushions to beddingand lighting.

Safat Home not only offers a wide variety ofproducts and services but also facilitates its cus-

tomer’s shopping experience. If help is neededcreating a living space, Safat Home’s creativedesign services can provide the complete pack-age from design to installation, including furnish-ing tips to bring home furnishing ideas to life.Customers are guaranteed 1 year free warrantyon purchases and are given the option to pur-chase extended warranty valid up to 5 years. Toassist whenever possible, payment plans andcredit options are readily available, along withfree delivery and installation on purchases aboveKD 100. This is guaranteed to all, and for theirconvenience, customers can decide their mostsuitable date and time for delivery.

Safat Home is a proud, Kuwaiti home furnish-ing retailer, dedicated to providing outstandingservice and value. With a wide range of modernand classical dÈcor options, Safat Home hasstyles to suit a broad range of tastes. ThisRamadan, full advantage of all the generousdeals should be taken while they last, because“when it’s gone, it’s gone”. Whether people wantto renovate, redecorate or just simply refresh ahome, the 2 convenient showrooms in Al-Rai andShuwaikh will offer a wide variety of choice. Withinternational brands, along with Safat Home’sown wide range of products, every one can be awinner this Ramadan.

Safat Home announces weekly Ramadan offers

A miniature robot, developed in part byToyota, is set to become the latest visitorto the International Space Station (ISS).Christened Kirobo, the robot is 34-cmtall and weighs around 1 kg (on Earth).He will take part in the first robot-human conversation experimentsaboard the ISS (International SpaceStation) when he arrives there after hisscheduled launch on August 4. After hislaunch into space, Kirobo will disembarkat the ISS and wait for the arrival ofCommander Koichi Wakata inNovember or December. In the KiboJapanese experiment module, the com-mander and Kirobo will then take part inthe first conversation experiment heldbetween a person and a robot in space.

Toyota was responsible for voice andface recognition functions that are cru-cial to the experiments. Toyota plans touse what it learns from the project toimprove the company’s partner robotsand interactive conversation technolo-gy. However, before he was allowed tofly Kirobo had to prove he had the rightstuff by passing a range of tests. Theseincluded a parabolic flight test to exam-ine behaviour in ‘zero G’ conditions, anda vibration test, to ensure he was tough

enough to withstand the intense forceof a rocket launch. Kirobo is one of twohumanoid verbal-communicationrobots developed under the Kibo RobotProject, a joint research project carried

out by Toyota Motor Corporation,RCAST and Robo Garage. The JapanAerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)has also provided extensive assistance.

Both Kirobo and Mirata which is the

designated ground crew robot areequipped for question and answer con-versations. They can also nod and haveface recognition as well as emotionrecognition capabilities.

Toyota contributes to robot-human conversation experiments in space

Rift Valley Railways injects $20m into 73 km of new railway line

t e c h n o l o g yTHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

WASHINGTON: How much are yourprivate conversations worth to thegovernment? Turns out, it can be alot, depending on the technology.

In the era of intense governmentsurveillance and secret court orders,a murky multimillion-dollar markethas emerged. Paid for by US tax dol-lars, but with little public scrutiny,surveillance fees charged in secretby technology and phone compa-nies can vary wildly.

AT&T, for example, imposes a$325 “activation fee” for each wire-tap and $10 a day to maintain it.Smaller carriers Cricket and USCellular charge only about $250 perwiretap. But snoop on a Verizon cus-tomer? That costs the government$775 for the first month and $500each month after that, according toindustry disclosures made last yearto Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass.

Meanwhile, email records likethose amassed by the NationalSecurity Agency through a programrevealed by former NSA systemsanalyst Edward Snowden probablywere collected for free or verycheaply. Facebook says it doesn’tcharge the government for access.And while Microsoft, Yahoo andGoogle won’t say how much theycharge, the American Civil LibertiesUnion found that email records canbe turned over for as little as $25.

Industry says it doesn’t profitfrom the hundreds of thousands ofgovernment eavesdroppingrequests it receives each year, andcivil liberties groups want business-es to charge. They worry that gov-ernment surveillance will becometoo cheap as companies automatetheir responses. And if companiesgave away customer records forfree, wouldn’t that encourageuncalled-for surveillance?

But privacy advocates also wantcompanies to be upfront aboutwhat they charge and alert cus-tomers after an investigation hasconcluded that their communica-tions were monitored.

“What we don’t want is surveil-lance to become a profit center,”said Christopher Soghoian, theACLU’s principal technologist. But“it’s always better to charge $1. Itcreates friction, and it creates trans-parency” because it generates apaper trail that can be tracked.

Regardless of price, the surveil-lance business is growing. The USgovernment long has enjoyedaccess to phone networks and high-speed Internet traffic under the USCommunications Assistance for LawEnforcement Act to catch suspectedcriminals and terrorists. Morerecently, the FBI has pushed tech-nology companies like Google andSkype to guarantee access to real-time communications on their serv-ices. And, as shown by recent dis-closures about the NSA’s surveil-lance practices, the U.S. intelligencecommunity has an intense interestin analyzing data and content thatflow through American technologycompanies to gather foreign intelli-gence.

The FBI said it could not say howmuch it spends on industry reim-bursements because payments aremade through a variety of pro-grams, field offices and case funds.In an emailed statement, theagency said when charges are ques-tionable, it requests an explanationand tries to work with the carrier tounderstand its cost structure.

Technology companies havebeen a focus of law enforcementand the intelligence communitysince 1994, when Congress allotted$500 million to reimburse phonecompanies to retrofit their equip-ment to accommodate wiretaps onthe new digital networks.

But as the number of lawenforcement requests for data grewand carriers upgraded their technol-ogy, the cost of accommodatinggovernment surveillance requestsincreased. AT&T, for example, said itdevotes roughly 100 employees to

review each request and hand overdata. Likewise, Verizon said its teamof 70 employees works around theclock, seven days a week to handlethe quarter-million requests it getseach year.

To discourage gratuitousrequests and to prevent losingmoney, industry turned to a sectionof federal law that allows compa-nies to be reimbursed for the cost of“searching for, assembling, repro-ducing and otherwise providing”communications content or recordson behalf of the government. Thecosts must be “reasonably neces-sary” and “mutually agreed” uponwith the government.

From there, phone companiesdeveloped detailed fee schedulesand began billing law enforcementmuch as they do customers. In itsletter to Markey, AT&T estimatedthat it collected $24 million in gov-ernment reimbursements between2007 and 2011.

Verizon, which had the highestfees but says it doesn’t charge inevery case, reported a similaramount, collecting between $3 mil-lion and $5 million a year during thesame period.

Companies also began to auto-mate their systems to make it easier.The ACLU’s Soghoian found in 2009that Sprint had created a websiteallowing law enforcement to trackthe location data of its wireless cus-tomers for only $30 a month toaccommodate the approximately 8million requests it received in one

year. Most companies agree not tocharge in emergency cases liketracking an abducted child. Theyaren’t allowed to charge for phonelogs that reveal who called a lineand how long they talked - such asthe documents the JusticeDepartment obtained aboutphones at The Associated Press dur-ing a leaks investigation - becausethat information is easily generatedfrom automated billing systems.

Still, the fees can add up quickly.The average wiretap is estimated tocost $50,000, a figure that includesreimbursements as well as otheroperational costs. One narcoticscase in New York in 2011 cost thegovernment $2.9 million alone.

The system is not a true market-based solution, said Al Gidari, apartner at the law firm Perkins Coiewho represents technology andtelecommunications companies onprivacy and security issues. If the FBIor NSA needs data, those agencieswould pay whatever it takes. ButGidari said it’s likely that phone andtechnology companies under-charge because they don’t want torisk being accused of making a falseclaim against the government,which carries stiff penalties.

Online companies in particulartend to undercharge because theydon’t have established accountingsystems, and hiring staff to trackcosts is more expensive than notcharging the government at all, hesaid. “Government doesn’t have themanpower to wade through irrele-

vant material any more thanproviders have the bandwidth tobury them in records,” Gidari said.“In reality, there is a pretty goodequilibrium and balance, with theexception of phone records,” whichare free. Not everyone agrees.

In 2009, then-New York criminalprosecutor John Prather sued sever-al major telecommunications carri-ers in federal court in NorthernCalifornia in 2009, including AT&T,Verizon and Sprint, for overchargingfederal and state police agencies. Inhis complaint, Prather said phonecompanies have the technical abili-ty to turn on a switch, duplicate callinformation and pass it along to lawenforcement with little effort.Instead, Prather says his staff, whilehe was working as a city prosecutor,would receive convoluted bills withextraneous fees. The case is pend-ing.

“They were monstrously morethan what the telecoms could everhope to charge for similar servicesin an open, competitive market, andthe costs charged to the govern-ments by telecoms did not repre-sent reasonable prices as defined inthe code of federal regulations,” thelawsuit said.

The phone companies haveasked the judge to dismiss the case.Prather’s lawsuit claims whistle-blower status. If he wins, he standsto collect a percentage - estimatedanywhere from 12 percent to 25percent - of the money recoveredfrom the companies. —AP

The price of scrutiny: Gov’t pays to snoop

CAPE CANAVERAL: Two astronauts leftthe International Space Station onTuesday for a day of maintenance tasks,including installing a power cable need-ed for a new Russian laboratory due tobe installed this year.

Veteran NASA astronaut ChristopherCassidy and rookie partner LucaParmitano, the first Italian to make aspacewalk, left the station’s Quest airlockshortly after 8 am EDT (1200 GMT) as theorbital outpost sailed about 260 miles(418 km) over the Arabian Sea.

“Have fun out there,” crewmate KarenNyberg radioed from inside the station, a$100 billion research complex owned bythe United States, Russia, Japan and 11European nations, including Italy.

Cassidy’s first task was to replace afailed backup component of the station’sKu-band communications system.Parmitano, meanwhile, maneuvered him-self to the right side of the station’s solarpower truss to pick up a pair of scienceexperiments that will be returned toEarth aboard a future Space ExplorationTechnologies’ cargo ship.

The privately owned California-basedcompany, also known as SpaceX, is oneof two U.S. firms hired by NASA to fly car-go to the station since the retirement ofthe space shuttles in 2011.

SpaceX’s Dragon cargo capsules,which also are being developed to flyastronauts, are the only ones that return

to Earth. Other cargo ships, includingthose flown by Russia, Europe and Japan,incinerate in the atmosphere after theyleave the station.

Cassidy, who was making his fifthspacewalk, installed a power and datacable from the station’s Unity connectingnode to the Russian part of theInternational Space Station, completingone of the main goals of the outing.

The cable is part of a system that willbe needed for a new Russian multi-pur-pose laboratory called Nauka that is dueto launch later this year.

The new module will replace Russia’sPirs airlock, as well as serve as a researchlaboratory and berthing port. Russiancosmonauts will install the rest of thecable on a future spacewalk.

Before heading back inside the sta-tion’s airlock around 2 p.m. EDT/1800GMT, Cassidy and Parmitano retrieved afailed camera, put a cover on the shuttle’sno-longer-needed docking port andbegan reconfiguring cables that could beused to control the station’s electrical sys-tem in case of a partial power outage.They also repositioned some equipmentdelivered aboard a Dragon capsule inMarch. The gear - two grapple bars - maybe needed by future spacewalkersremoving station radiator panels. Theastronauts plan to resume work on thejumper cables during a follow-up space-walk on July 16. —Reuters

LOS ANGELES: Explore an intriguing spoton Mars. Hunt for ancient signs of Martianlife. Bag a bunch of rocks and leave themon the surface for a future mission to possi-bly return. That’s what the next rover toMars should strive for, a NASA-appointedteam said Tuesday.

The scientists released a 154-pagereport outlining ambitious science goalsfor a red planet mission that NASA wants tolaunch in 2020.

While the plan marked the first concretestep toward returning a piece of Mars toEarth, NASA said it’s unclear how - or when- the cache would be retrieved.

“We’re not signing up to a timetable or acommitment for a follow-on mission,” saidNASA sciences chief John Grunsfeld,adding that it’s up to future planners todecide the next steps.

NASA has the ultimate say on what thefuture rover will accomplish within its $1.5billion budget, excluding the cost of thelaunch vehicle.

One thing is for certain: The rover will bemodeled after Curiosity, which captivatedthe world last summer with its daring land-ing in Gale Crater near the Martian equator.

Despite the successful touchdown, the$2.5 billion mission ran over budget andfaced technical problems during develop-ment.

To save money, engineers will dust offCuriosity’s blueprints and reuse spare partswhere possible. There are also plans torecycle the landing technology that deliv-ered the car-size rover to the surface.

The future rover would build on discov-eries of past Mars missions. Spirit andOpportunity, launched in 2004, uncoveredplenty of geologic evidence of past water.Curiosity found a habitable environmentwhere microbes could thrive and recentlybegan a long road trip toward a mountain.

Scientists want Curiosity’s successor tocarry high-tech instruments that can peerat rocks on a microscopic level in search ofchemical clues that might have been leftbehind by microbes, if they existed. Sincethe Martian surface is a harsh environmentwith no signs of water, the panel said it did-n’t make sense to look for current life.

That would be a “foolish investment,”said Brown University planetary geologistJohn Mustard, who headed the NASA-appointed team.

The only time NASA tackled the lifequestion head-on was during the Vikingmissions of 1976. The twin spacecraft’srudimentary experiments failed to turn upsigns of life. Many Mars researchers believethat question can be best answered byexamining Martian rocks and dirt under amicroscope on Earth. —AP

This photo released by NASA shows a view of Mars that was stitched together byimages taken by NASA’s Viking Orbiter spacecraft.

Panel: Next Mars rover should gather rocks, soil

TOKYO: Japan’s bureaucrats usedthe wrong privacy settings forGoogle Groups online discussions,allowing anyone to see internalmemos including on negotiatingpositions for an internationaltreaty, the government said yes-terday.

Environment ministry man-darins were among those whoused the default settings onGoogle Groups, which allow pub-lic access to discussion threads,instead of limiting them to mem-bers only.

The mass-selling YomiuriShimbun said it found more than6,000 cases where informationfrom public or private organisa-

tions, including hospital records,was publicly available.

The Yomiuri, the world’sbiggest-selling newspaper, alsoadmitted its journalists had beenusing the wrong settings onGoogle Groups, and may haverevealed draft stories and inter-view transcripts to anyone whowanted to see them.

Google Groups allows users toestablish or join discussions onany subject, which can beaccessed either by email orthrough the web.

The user who sets up thegroup can determine who canjoin the group and who can viewand post messages. The default

on the set-up page allows anyoneto see messages, although thiscan be limited by a drop-downmenu.

A spokesman for the environ-ment ministry admitted officialshave used the service to shareinformation, including plannedtalking points for negotiations onan international mercury tradetreaty.

The Japanese delegation alsouploaded its exchanges with theirSwiss and Norwegian counter-parts. The treaty is expected to besigned in the autumn.

“It was problematic that theprocesses around ongoing nego-tiations could be seen by out-

siders. We have taken correctivesteps,” an environment ministryspokesman told AFP.

The memos were not “topsecret”, but were not for publicrelease, the spokesman admitted.Officials from at least six govern-ment ministries and agenciesused the wrong settings onGoogle Groups, allowing out-siders to see internal exchanges,national broadcaster NHK said.

The Yomiuri also reported thathospitals and schools haduploaded patients’ and students’records. At least one political par-ty also used the service, revealinga list of its supporters, the Yomiurisaid. —AFP

BOSTON: Microsoft Corp said hackers haveattacked some computers by exploiting abug in Windows first disclosed two monthsago by a Google Inc researcher, who cameunder fire at the time for publicizing theflaw without going to the software compa-ny first.

Microsoft provided few details aboutthe attacks. In an advisory on Tuesday, itsaid hackers had launched “targetedattacks,” a term generally used by securityexperts to refer to cyber attacks on corpo-rate or government targets, with espionageand sabotage as the motive.

Google security engineer TavisOrmandy’s disclosure in May was contro-versial because he posted technical infor-mation on the Web that described the bugin the Windows operating system, whichsome experts said could help malicioushackers launch attacks, before Microsoft

had released software to fix it. Officialswith Microsoft declined to comment whenasked if they believed Ormandy’s disclo-sure of the vulnerability had led to theattacks. Ormandy also drew attentionbecause he lashed out in a blog posting atlong-time Google rival Microsoft, sayingthat its security division was difficult towork with. He advised other researchers touse pseudonyms and anonymous emailwhen communicating with the softwaremaker. “It leaves a slightly bad taste in themouth to see somebody who is a Googlesecurity researcher have a pop atMicrosoft,” said Graham Cluley, an inde-pendent security researcher.

Ormandy could not be reached. AGoogle spokesman declined comment,saying that Ormandy’s Windows projectwas personal and not related to his workfor the company. —Reuters

Japan officials use public settings on Google Groups

WASHINGTON: This Jan. 22, 2009 file photo shows the Microsoft sign outside the headquarters campus inRedmond. —AP

CALIFORNIA: This March 15, 2013, file photo shows Google bicycles at the Google campus in MountainView. —AP

Austronauts leave space station for outside chores

Microsoft reports hackings linked to report by Google researcher

PARIS: Long-term exposure to particu-late air pollution boosts the risk of lungcancer, even at concentrations belowthe legal maximum, said a Europeanstudy published yesterday. A separatereport said short-term surge in theseparticles or other gas pollutants in theair also increases the risk of heart fail-ure. European epidemiologists saidthey had found an unmistakable linkbetween lung cancer and localized airpollution by particulate matter.

The evidence comes from 17 high-quality investigations carried outamong 312,000 people in nineEuropean countries, according to thepaper in The Lancet Oncology. Theseearlier studies, which had already beenpublished, were based on rel iable

records of the health and lifestyle of2,095 people who died from lung can-cer during an average 13-year monitor-ing period. The team sourced environ-mental data around the individuals’home addresses, then calculated theirexposure to levels of particulate matter-the gritty residual pollution from fossil-fuel-burning power stations, cars andfactories. Particulate matter falls intotwo categories: PM2.5, meaning parti-cles measuring no more than 2.5micrometers, 30 times smaller than ahuman hair, and the slightly coarservariant, PM10.

Current EU air quality standards limitPM10 exposure to a yearly average of40 micrograms per cubic meter, andPM2.5 exposure to 25 micrograms per

cubic meter per year. The UN’s WorldHealth Organization (WHO) has guide-lines recommending that annual expo-sure be limited to 20 micrograms percubic meter for PM10 and 10 micro-grams per cubic meter for PM2.5Unexpectedly, the new study found acancer risk at every level, and con-firmed that the higher the level, thegreater the risk.

The results took account of smoking,diet and occupation-which can skewthe risk picture. “We found no thresholdbelow which there was no risk,” said OleRaaschou-Nielsen from the DanishCancer Society Research Centre inCopenhagen. “The more the worse, theless the better.” Every increase of fivemicrograms per cubic meter of PM2.5

drove the risk of lung cancer up by 18percent. And ever y increase of 10micrograms per cubic meter of PM10boosted risk by 22 percent, includingfor adenocarcinoma, a type of lung can-cer associated with non-smokers.

In an independent comment, JonAyres, a professor of environmental andrespiratory medicine at the Institute ofOccupational and EnvironmentalMedicine in Birmingham, centralEngland, praised the design and scopeof the study. “There is now no doubtthat fine particles are a cause of lungcancer,” he told the Science MediaCentre in London.

In a separate study in The Lancet, sci-entists at the University of Edinburgh inScotland carried out a meta-analysis of

35 studies in 12 countries.It looked at PM2.5, PM10 and four air

pollutants: carbon monoxide, sulphurdioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone.They found that even a brief spike inexposure-the kind that happens when acity calls a smog alert-caused the risk ofhospitalization or death from heart fail-ure to rise by two or three percentagepoints. The only exception was ozone, awell-known respiratory irritant at theground level. Modeling the situation forthe United States, the study suggeststhat if the average PM2.5 were reducedby 3.9 micrograms per cubic meter,nearly 8,000 heart-failure hospitaliza-tions would be averted each year andthe country would save a third of a bil-lion dollars annually.—AFP

HONG KONG: In this picture taken on July 9, 2013 a worker uses a pneumat-ic drill on the pavement as pedestrians walk past.—AFP

H E A LT H & S C I E N C ETHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

Air pollution boosts lung, heart risks

NEW YORK: Despite receiving similarcancer treatment as other patients,African Americans with a common formof leukemia didn’t live as long in a newstudy that was aimed at understandingthe racial disparity in cancer outcomes.“We don’t have an answer” to explain it,said Dr Alessandra Ferrajoli, the study’ssenior author and an associate professorof medicine at MD Anderson CancerCenter in Houston.

Though all patients received equalmedical treatment, the black patientstended to have chromosome mutationsand other characteristics that are knownto be linked with a worse prognosis. It’slikely “not related to the treatment,”Ferrajoli speculated, “it’s probably a differ-ent biology.” Previous studies have foundthat African Americans are more likely todie from cancer than whites (see ReutersHealth story of February 5, 2013 here:).

For instance, researchers reported lastyear that blacks have a greater chance ofdying after a kidney cancer diagnosis,despite having better odds of developinga more easy-to-treat form of the cancer.Other research has shown that blackwomen are more likely to die from breastcancer than white women.

The reasons for these disparities arenot certain, but experts have often point-ed to delays in diagnosis or treatmentresulting from difficulty accessing care ordifferences in socioeconomic status,Ferrajoli said.

To look at what other differencesmight exist among patients with blood

cancer, Ferrajoli and her colleagues exam-ined medical records from MD Andersonand from Duke University Medical Centerin Durham, North Carolina. Over a five-year period, between 1997 and 2011,more than 1,600 patients were treated forchronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), thesecond most common form of leukemia.

About four out of every 100,000 peo-ple in the US are diagnosed with CLL eachyear. Of those in Ferrajoli’s study, 84 wereAfrican American and 1,571 were not. Hergroup found evidence that AfricanAmerican patients received the samequality of treatment as the other patients.However, 56 percent of the AfricanAmerican patients had a completeresponse to treatment while 58 percentof patients in the other group also wentinto remission, the researchers report inthe journal Cancer.

“We noted that when we treated(African Americans), they will respond in asimilar way to the rest of the population,but their responses don’t last. They hadworse outcomes,” Ferrajoli told ReutersHealth. Over years of follow up, theresearchers found that 21 percent of theAfrican American patients and nine per-cent of the other patients died.

In addition, African American patientstypically went 36 months without a recur-rence of the cancer, while the otherpatients made it 61 months. Ferrajoli saidthere must be some differences in thecancer between African American andother patients to explain why they don’tfare as well.—Reuters

African American bloodcancer patients ‘worse’

HONG KONG: With its pounding constructionsites and constant roar of traffic, Hong Kong is acacophony of noise with experts and residentscalling on authorities to keep a lid on the din forthe sake of public health. In a densely-packedcity with a shortage of housing, older buildingsare frequently torn down and replaced as devel-opers snap up prime real estate. On the roads thebattle between buses, trams and cars is won bythe piercing drone of continuous car horns. Forbanker Kenny Chen, 35, the last 15 months havebeen a nightmare as the area around his apart-ment block in the upmarket central Mid-Levelsneighborhood has surrendered to juddering con-struction sites.

“To lay the foundations they have to poundsteel into the ground which happens twice a day- the noise and the vibrations are really affectingus,” he told AFP, saying that as one constructionproject finished, another two began. “My wifehad twins a month ago - she was on maternityleave at home but because of all the noise shebecame very anxious and possibly the babies didtoo. She ended up giving birth two and a halfmonths early.” His neighbor Debra Rull, a 60-year-old homemaker from Hong Kong who has livedin the city for 50 years, says the noise has gotmarkedly worse in the last decade.

“The construction and roadworks are gettingquite something to put up with - it’s continuous. Ithink the government is concentrating too muchon urban renewal.” Hong Kong may boast someof the world’s most expensive apartments, butrapid growth in the past 30 years means resi-dents live cheek by jowl even on the outskirts ofthe city beside busy main roads. While air pollu-tion continues to be a major concern in the city,noise is also affecting lifestyles. “Noise is a majorenvironmental problem - it’s an important aspectof our quality of life that is being compromised,”Professor TW Wong, a research professor special-izing in public health at the Chinese University ofHong Kong, told AFP.

“We need to do more to protect the residen-tial population.” Wong was part of a researchteam on a government commissioned report lastyear that found noise was “the most often com-plained (about) issue of the living environment”.Traffic, renovations, neighbors, construction anddemolition were the worst bugbears, with sleepdisturbance and general annoyance the biggesthealth effects. “Annoyance is a valid measure ofmental health,” Wong told AFP. “A large propor-tion of people are sleep disturbed. There shouldbe a lowering of the acceptable levels of noise.”The government has brought in measuresincluding resurfacing roads, restricting hours forconstruction work, promoting the use of quietermachinery and creating better-insulated homes,but many residents still suffer. IT worker Alan

Fogarty, 28, says construction work near hishome is “a form of torture”.

“The building shakes and you feel it throughyour chest when you’re sitting on the sofa,” hetold AFP - but it’s the drivers leaning on their carhorns outside his flat which he hates the most,seemingly undeterred by regulations. In 2011 thegovernment included the effects of noise for thefirst time in its regular Thematic HouseholdSurvey Report, which showed that 36 percent ofpeople had suffered noise disturbance at home.Seven percent said they were “disturbed a lot ornearly all the time”. The effects on mental healthcan be detrimental, says Assistant ProfessorArthur Mak of the department of psychiatry atthe Chinese University of Hong Kong. “For peoplewith anxiety and depression noise can exacer-bate their condition,” he told AFP.

Patients who live in public housing have evengone as far as asking him for a medical recom-mendation for them to move elsewhere.Relocation can take up to two years. “I have donethat lots of times, where the level of noise is con-tributing adversely to mental condition,” he said.“The people asking for it are desperate.” HongKong police received more than 45,000 noisecomplaints in 2012, while the EnvironmentalProtection Department receives around 5,000noise complaints a year. The EPD figure hasdecreased slightly over the past decade, a reduc-tion it attributes to the steps it has taken. Itadmits, though, that more than a million resi-

dents are exposed at home to traffic noise overthe government’s 70-decibel guideline, also theWorld Health Organization’s recommended limit.

Alternatives to noisy machinery like percus-sive pile drivers-which lay foundations for newbuildings-are also difficult to find, says the EPD’sPrincipal Environmental Protection OfficerMaurice Yeung. “We are finding sites to constructresidential buildings because we are facing ashortage of flats. We understand that people willfind it noisy and we try to control it with therestricted hours,” Yeung told AFP-although someresidents complain that works are done outsidethose hours, which is possible with a special per-mit. Yeung added that the government was deal-ing with problems “inherited” by the rapid expan-sion of Hong Kong in the last three decades-thepopulation has gone from 5.7 million in 1990 toover 7 million today. Public policy think tank CivicExchange, which recently submitted a critique ofnoise policy to lawmakers, says the authoritiescould do more. “If you are not providing a goodenvironment, whether it’s for citizens or business,the competitiveness of Hong Kong will decrease,”said CEO Yan-yan Yip, calling for more researchinto advanced technologies and the strict imple-mentation of current noise restrictions, as well aspublic education. “I think there are ways that wecan get both development and quality of life,”she says. “We are talking about green growth -green and development, instead of green ordevelopment.”—AFP

Noise and the city: Hong Kong’s struggle for quiet

HONG KONG: A woman blocks her ears as she walks past roadworks in Hong Kong.

CHICAGO: Alzheimer ’s experts plan toprotest proposed Medicare guidelines thatwould deny coverage of an Eli Lilly diagnostictest for the disease unless patients are takingpart one of several clinical trials in which the$3,000 test is being used. Eli Lilly and Co andthe Alzheimer’s Association have objected tothe draft guidelines, issued last week by theUS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,the agency that runs Medicare. Both plan topressure CMS to change the guidelines, say-ing they deny some patients the chance toget an accurate diagnosis. The final rule goesinto effect in October.

CMS said it made the decision becausethere was not enough evidence that the test -a radioactive drug used with PET imaging -improves patient care. At the same time, itconceded there was evidence the tests couldrule out Alzheimer’s in difficult-to-diagnosecases and help identify good candidates forclinical trials into more effective treatments orprevention strategies. Patient advocates andthe company say the decision might slow thedevelopment of future diagnostic tests forAlzheimer’s and deny patients with symp-toms the chance to find out whether theyhave Alzheimer’s or some other disease thatcauses symptoms of dementia.

Several experts say there is still much tolearn about what a positive scan might mean,and believe CMS’ decision to at least coverscans used in clinical trials may help in thesearch for treatments for the fatal, brain-wast-ing disease that affects 5 million Americansand 38 million people worldwide.

Hindering timely diagnosisThe US Food and Drug Administration has

already approved Lilly’s compound, known asAmyvid. But Medicare reimbursement is seen

as critical for the company because most peo-ple begin showing signs of dementia ataround age 65, the age when Medicare cover-age kicks in. “Restricting coverage could hin-der a timely and accurate diagnosis,” said DrDaniel Skovronsky, president and chief execu-tive of Avid Radiopharmaceuticals Inc, a Lillysubsidiary. “It may stifle future innovation.”

In addition to Lilly, the draft guidancecould affect imaging agents being developedby General Electric Co’s GE Healthcare, andPiramal Imaging, a unit of India’s PiramalEnterprises, which acquired Bayer AG’s agentlast year. Both have compounds under reviewat the FDA and the European MedicinesAgency. All three are radioactive tracersdesigned to light up deposits of anAlzheimer’s-related protein called beta amy-loid when used in conjunction with brainscans known as positron emission tomogra-phy, or PET. Scientists believe theseAlzheimer’s-linked plaques start developingat least a decade before symptoms occur, andspotting changes in the brain early offers thebest chance to intervene with new drugs thatmight prevent or delay the disease.

Instead of agreeing to routinely pay forthe $3,000 test, CMS proposed “Coveragewith Evidence Development,” a designationthat suggests there are still gaps in the evi-dence over the benefits of the test. Thatallows CMS to gather more data by paying forscans in patients taking part in trials. CMScould use the data to render a decision onwider coverage.

“Essentially, they acknowledge that thereis the possibility that coverage is important,but they don’t understand it quite yet,” saidMaria Carrillo, vice president of medical andscientific Relations at the Alzheimer ’sAssociation.—Reuters

Medicare plan on Alzheimer’stest dismays advocates

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama likesburgers, hot dogs and such, but when it cametime to answer a kid journalist’s question abouthis favorite food, broccoli was the first word thatsprang from his lips. This revelation came onTuesday at a White House event that recognizedchildren who won a healthy recipe contest, aspart of first lady Michelle Obama’s anti-obesitycampaign. Having fun with the children, Obamaagreed to take two questions from the journal-ists among them. The first asked what wasObama’s favorite food. Broccoli was the presi-dential reply, according to a White House aide.

This from a politician who has literally eaten

his way across the country : Burgers in aWashington suburb with Russian Prime MinisterDmitry Medvedev; ribs in Asheville, NorthCarolina; hot dogs at a basketball game inDayton, Ohio; and a tasty pastry called a kringlein Wisconsin. Obama’s disclosure puts him stark-ly at odds with the culinary tastes of GeorgeH.W. Bush, who as president famously declaredhis dislike for broccoli.

“And I haven’t liked it since I was a little kidand my mother made me eat it. And I’m presi-dent of the United States, and I’m not going toeat any more broccoli!” Bush said in 1990.Steamed broccoli growers shipped thousands of

pounds of broccoli to the White House inprotest, and the vegetable was farmed out tohomeless shelters.

Obama was clearly enjoying the spirit of theanti-obesity event, called the “Kids’ State Dinner,”which recognized winning recipes like “pickyeater pita pizza pockets” and “sweet potatoturkey sliders.” “Food can be fun. It can behealthy,” Obama said. “You are setting up habitsthat are going to be great your entire life.” Hejoked that he’s not much of a cook. “(In) my fami-ly, when they cooked vegetables, they were allboiled.” Since then, he said, he has learned thathealthy food can also taste good.—Reuters

Obama claims broccoli is his favorite food

SYDNEY: Australia hailed “solid” progress on waterquality at the Great Barrier Reef yesterday butadmitted that overall conditions were now “poor”as it battles UNESCO threats to downgrade its her-itage status. Environment Minister Mark Butlerreleased a report card showing that the reef ’shealth had slumped since 2009 due to cyclonesand floods, despite progress on reducing agricul-tural runoff. “Extreme weather events significantlyimpacted the overall condition of the marine envi-ronment which declined from moderate to pooroverall,’ the report said.

It said key reef ecosystems were showing“declining trends in condition due to continuingpoor water quality, cumulative impacts of climatechange and increasing frequency and intensity of

extreme events”. Despite reductions in nitrogen(seven percent), pesticides (15 percent), sediment(six percent) and pollutants key to outbreaks ofdevastating crown-of-thorns starfish (13 percent),the report said the reef was in strife.

Major flooding in 2010-2011 followed by pow-erful cyclone Yasi had badly damaged the world’slargest coral reef, degrading water quality anddepleting overall cover by 15 percent. “Full recov-ery will take decades,” the report said. A major lon-gitudinal study of the reef’s health, published lastyear, revealed that coral cover had more thanhalved due to storms, predatory starfish outbreaksand bleaching linked to climate change over thepast 27 years. UNESCO has threatened to down-grade the reef’s world heritage status to declare it

at-risk in 2014 without significant action on ram-pant coastal and resources development seen as athreat to its survival. Butler unveiled lofty targetsfor improving water quality over the next fiveyears, aiming for at least a 50 percent reduction on2009 levels of nitrogen pollutants linked to crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks, 20 percent for sedi-ment runoff and 60 percent for pesticides.

“In spite of solid improvement, data tells us thatpoor water quality is continuing to have a detri-mental effect on reef health,” Butler said. “To securethe resilience of the Great Barrier Reef it is criticalthat we build on the momentum of the previousreef plan with a focus on improving water qualityand land management practices through ambi-tious but achievable targets.”—AFP

Australia’s Barrier Reef slips into ‘poor’ health

AUSTRALIA: File photos released by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority show bleached section of Australia’s GreatBarrier Reef, which scientists have warned could be killed by global warming within decades.—AFP photos

H E A LT H & S C I E N C ETHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

WASHINGTON: I t could mean nomore having to check up on Mom orDad every morning: Motion sensorson the wall and a monitor under themattress one day might automaticallyalert you to early signs of trouble wellbefore an elderly loved one gets sickor suffers a fall. Research is growingwith high-tech gadgets that promisenew safety nets for seniors deter-mined to live on their own for as longas possible.

“It’s insurance in case somethingshould happen,” is how Bob Harrison,85, describes the unobtrusive moni-tors being tested in his apartment atthe TigerPlace retirement communityin Columbia, Mo.

Living at home - specialists call itaging in place - is what most peoplewant for their later years. Americans40 and older are just as worried aboutlosing their independence as they areabout losing their memory, accordingto a recent survey by the AssociatedPress-NORC Center for Public AffairsResearch.

Common-sense interventions likegrab bars in bathrooms and tapingdown rugs to prevent tripping canmake homes safer as seniors deal withchronic illnesses. Technology is thenext frontier, and a far cry from thoseemergency-call buttons seniors some-times wear to summon help.

Already, some companies are offer-ing monitoring packages that place

motion sensors on the front door, afavorite chair, even the refrigerator,and then send an alert to a familymember if there’s too little activityover a certain period of time. Othergadgets can make pill bottles buzzwhen it’s time for a dose and text acaregiver if it’s not taken, or promiseto switch off a stove burner that’s lefton too long.

Researchers at the University ofMissouri aim to go further: Theirexperiments show that certain auto-matic monitoring can spot changes -such as restlessness in bed or a drop indaytime activity - that occur 10 days totwo weeks before a fall or a trip to thedoctor or hospital.

“We were blown away that wecould actually detect this,” said nursingprofessor Marilyn Rantz, an aging-in-place specialist who is leading theresearch. She compares it to “a vitalsign of my physical function.”

Why would the gadgets work? Thatmonitor under the mattress can meas-ure pulse and respiratory patterns tosee if heart failure is worsening beforesomeone realizes he or she is becom-ing short of breath. More nighttimebathroom trips can indicate a brewingurinary tract infection. A change ingait, such as starting to take shorter orslower steps, can signal increased riskfor a fall. Basic motion sensors can’tdetect that. So Rantz’s team adaptedthe Microsoft Kinect 3-D camera,

developed for video games, to meas-ure subtle changes in walking. (Yes, itcan distinguish visitors.)

The researchers installed the sensorpackage in apartments at the universi-ty-affiliated TigerPlace community andin a Cedar Falls, Iowa, senior complex.On-site nurses received automaticemails about significant changes inresidents’ activity. One study foundthat after a year, residents who agreedto be monitored were functioning bet-ter than an unmonitored controlgroup, presumably because nursesintervened sooner at signs of trouble,Rantz said.

The bigger question is whethersimply alerting a loved one, not anurse, might also help. Now, with anew grant from the National Institutesof Health, Rantz will begin expandingthe research to see how this monitor-ing works in different senior housing -and this time, participants can decideif they’d like a family member or friendto get those alerts, in addition to anurse.

Rantz says embedding sensors inthe home is important because toomany older adults forget or don’t wantto wear those older emergency-callbuttons - including Rantz’s own moth-er, who lay helpless on her floor foreight hours after tripping and badlybreaking a shoulder. Rantz said hermother never fully recovered, and sixmonths later died.

“When we started this team, I saidwe are not going to make anybodywear anything or push any buttons,because my mother refused and Idon’t think she’s any different than alot of other people in this world,” Rantzsaid. Monitoring raises important pri-vacy questions, about just what istracked and who has access to it, cau-tioned Jeff Makowka of AARP. To work,

the high-tech approach has to be “lessabout, ‘We’re watching you, Grandma,’but ‘Hey, Grandma, how come youdidn’t make coffee this morning?’” hesaid. Sensor prices are another hurdle,although Makowka said they’re drop-ping. Various kinds already on themarket can run from about $70 to sev-eral hundred, plus monthly serviceplans.—AP

Testing sensors as safety net for seniors at home

COLUMBIA: Photo provided by the University of Missouri, Bob Harrisonwrites in his TigerPlace apartment as different sensors mounted near theceiling record activity patterns.—AP

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W H AT ’ S ONTHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

Visit the Sadu HouseAl-Sadu Society is dedicated to pre-

serving, documenting and promoting therich and diverse textile heritage of theKuwaiti Bedouin, from the nomadic weav-ing of the desert to the urban weaving ofthe town. Sadu is a traditional Bedouinart that involves weaving geometricdesigns on dyed and colored wool that isspun by hand to create magnificent car-pets, rugs, and Bedouin tent screens.Inside the Sadu House, visitors have theopportunity to see Bedouin womenweaving. Sadu House is located near theNational Museum. It is considered to bethe center of Bedouin art aiming at pre-senting Kuwait’s roots and protectingBedouin crafts from eradication.

Address: Arabian Gulf Street, Next tothe National Museum of Kuwait, KuwaitCity

Opening Hours: Saturdays toThursdays: Mornings from 08 am to 1 pm.Evenings from 4 pm to 8 pm.

Contact: 22432395E-mail: info@alsadu.org.kwWebsite: www.alsadu.org.kw

View Boushahri GalleryThe Boushahri Art Gallery was estab-

lished in 1982 by Jawad Boushahri, the

Chairman of the Boushahri group who isalso an acclaimed Kuwaiti sculptor. It isone of the oldest private art galleries inthe Middle East. This long establishedgallery showcases contemporary regionalwork. In order to create an awarenesstoward art in Kuwait as a communityservice, the Boushahri Art Gallery edu-cates, supports and sponsors local andinternational artists, displaying theirpaintings, potteries, ceramic portraitures,designs, photographers, sculptures andmuch more. To encourage the Art loversand educate society, Boushahri ArtGallery offers many courses, seminars andlectures about Art.

Address: Salmiya, Baghdad St.,Building Number: 36, in front of Al-Laheeb Mosque

Opening Hours: 10 am to 1 pm and 5pm to 9 pm. The museum is closed onFriday and Thursday afternoons.

Contact: 25621119/99770607Website:

www.boushahrigroup.com/client/PhotoandArt.aspx

Take a break at Al-Khiran ResortThe Al-Khiran resort is a relaxing “get-

away” from the mayhem of stressful citylife. The resort provides a soothing tran-quil environment that includes beautifulgreen lawns, wide, well-defined roads,ample parking spaces, and clean well-maintained beaches. It has many chaletsthat are beautifully furnished and air-con-ditioned. The resort also offers a variety ofother facilities such as football and bas-ketball courts, luxurious restaurants,yacht clubs, an amusement park for chil-dren, electronic computer arcade and the‘Duza’ ballroom. The resort also providesvariety in food as it includes a fast-foodcounter, and a counter that offersseafood, Italian and oriental food.

Address: Gulf Street, Al-Khiran district Contact: 23951122 E-mail: mailbox@khiranresort.comWebsite: www.khiranresort.com

Stop at the Tareq Rajab MuseumThe Tareq Rajab Museum houses an

anthology of over thirty thousand itemscollected over the last fifty years, of whichapproximately ten thousand are on per-manent display. Tareq Sayed Rajab wasthe first Kuwaiti to be sent abroad tostudy art and archaeology and his collec-tion includes Islamic arts, ceramic, goldand silver jewelry, English manuscripts,metal and glass works, old English cos-tumes, and musical instruments. His per-sonal collection includes over thirty thou-sand Islamic treasures that were gatheredover the years. The Museum is dividedinto two parts: in Area A, calligraphy,manuscripts, ceramics, metalwork, glass,jade, wood and stone carvings are exhib-ited. Area B contains objects such as cos-tumes, textiles, jewellery and musicalinstruments produced in the Islamicworld.

Address: Jabriya, near the intersectionof the Fifth Ring Motorway and theAbdulaziz Bin Abdilrahman al-SaudExpressway (Fahaheel Expressway); Street5; Block12; House 16

Opening Hours: Weekdays from 9am to 12 pm; Evenings: From 4 pmto 7 pm; Fridays: From 9 am to 12pm.

Contact: 25317358/25354916Website: www.trmkt.com

The Scientific Center, KuwaitThe Scientific Center is designed to

reflect the Islamic arts and culture. Ithas three main fascinating attractions:Aquarium, Discovery Place and IMAXCinema. The Aquarium presents anecosystem of desert, sea, and coastaledge. Visitors of the Aquarium explorethe lives of beings and animals in theirenvironments. When entering theDiscovery Place, visitors gain scientificexperience through educationalgames. Highly specialized trainers areassigned to guide visitors throughhand-on playful training. On enteringthe IMAX Cinema, one can watch 3Dmovies played on the giant screen.Visitors can enjoy watching education-al and documentary presentations andget engaged into a highly imaginativeexperience.

Address: The Scientific Center, GulfRoad

Contact: 1848888E-mail: info@tsck.org.kwWebsite: www.tsck.org.kw

Visit Dar Al-Funoon galleryDar Al-Funoon, which was estab-

lished in 1993, focuses on contempo-rary Arab art as well as Arabic calligra-

phy. Exhibitions are held monthlyfrom October to May, and a specialsilk exhibition of arts and crafts isheld in December. Between temporaryexhibitions, items from the privatecollection are on display, which canbe bought. The gallery is locatedbetween the Sheraton Hotel and theArabian Gulf Street. The area itself isinteresting thanks to its old Kuwaiti-style houses and a large courtyardwhich includes a number of excellentrestaurants.

Address: Behbehani compound,Salhiya, House No. 28, Al-Watiah,Kuwait City

Opening Hours: Sundays toThursdays: 10 am to 1 pm Evenings: 4pm to 8 pm

Contact: 22433138E-mail: info@daralfunoon-kw.comWebsite: www.daralfunoon-kw.com

Bayt - LothanBayt Lothan is dedicated to the pro-

motion of arts and crafts and is hostto various exhibitions and displaysthroughout the year. It covers an areaof 4,000 square meters on the ArabianGulf Street and caters to all tastes andthemes, including sculpture, ceramicarts, jewelry and photography, as wellas contemporary art and calligraphy.Watch out in the local press for detailsof current and forthcoming exhibi-tions or seminars. There is also a smallcoffee shop for basic refreshmentsand for theatre lovers they also holddrama classes throughout the year.

Address: Gulf Street, beside MarinaMall, in front of Corniche Hotel

Contact: 25755866 / 25727388E-Mail: info@baytlothan.orgOpening Hours: Sundays to

Thursdays: 9 am to 1 pm; Evenings: 5pm to 9 pm

Website:http://www.baytlothan.org

Visit Ghadir Gallery, KuwaitThe Al-Ghadir Gallery Kuwait is ded-

icated to promote the Kuwaiti forma-tive artist and writer Thuraya Al-Baqsami and successfully accom-plished 120 national and internationalsolo art exhibitions, literary and poetryreadings and musical events. It alsoparticipates in charity activities world-wide. The gallery offers varieties of artincluding paintings, frames, hand-crafts, art materials and antiques.

Address: Block 6, Street 5, Villa 40,Mishref, Kuwait

Contact: 22435101, 22426240E-mail:

info@ghadirgallerykuwait.comWebsite:

www.ghadirgallerykuwait.com

Tour the Entertainment CityThe Entertainment City is located 20

km from Kuwait City and provides com-plete entertainment for all members ofthe family. The city is divided into threetheme parks: The Arab world, theInternational World and the Future World.The park offers more than 40 differentrides, lots of games to play, and stageshow unique to the Middle East. Themajor attractions to look out for in thepark include the City of Dreams, the Cityof Sinbad and Al i Baba, the City ofThunder and Hurricanes, the African boat,Grand Pix, Arabian Carousel and the

Fantasy Cinema. The place is ful lyequipped with a police station of its ownand ambulance service, shops wheresouvenirs and other merchandise can bepurchased, and a parking lot that canaccommodate around 3000 vehicles.

Address: Al-Madina Al-Tarfihiya, Al -Doha

Opening Hours: Sundays - Fridays: 5pm to 1 am (Summers) and 3 pm to 11pm (Winters) It is important to note thatMondays are allocated only for womenand men are not allowed on Mondays.

Contact No.: 24879455

Take the kids to Al-Shaab Leisure Park

Al-Sha’ab Leisure Park is located onthe southern coast of Kuwait City. I tcombines more than 70 special rideson the level of the Middle East. It alsoprovides integrated services, includingr e s t a u r a n t s , a m a l l , a n d r i d e s a n dgames that meet the interests of al lage groups. The park also offers indoorgames as well as outdoor sports l ikebungee jumping, pony rides and ice-skating. Families can also access facili-ties such as the movies and the deli-cious meals at the restaurants. At Al-Sha’ab Leisure Park, all these facilitiesare maintained according to interna-tional standards.

Address: Baghdad Street, Block 11,Salmiya

Opening Hours: All days from 5 pmt o 1 a m ( S u m m e r ) a n d 1 0 a m - 1 2Midnight on weekends.

Contact: 25613777E-mail: shaabpark_fb@uetc.com.kwWebsite: www.shaabpark.com

Kuwait National MuseumThe Kuwait National Museum hosts a

range of items such as fossils, bones,Islamic artifacts, and pottery tools thatreflect the culture, history and heritage ofthe Kuwaiti society and the Islamic world.The relics on display presents Kuwait’sancient past, the development of theIslamic nations and the impact of the dis-covery of oil. Part of the Dar-Al-Athar-Al-Islamiyah collection is also on display, anda replica of the Muhallab II that graces theentrance has also recently been restoredas a reminder of Kuwait’s seafaring past.There is also a modern Planetarium, builtby Carl Zeiss which is a pleasant educa-tional experience for both adults and chil-dren. The three major attractions in themuseum are the heritage museum, theplanetarium and the wooden ship.

Address: Behind Sadu House, ArabianGulf Street

Contact No.: 22451195 Opening Hours: 8:30am to 12:30pm

and 4:30pm to 8:30pm (Summers); and 8am to 4 pm ( Winters). The Museum isclosed on Sundays, Friday mornings andSaturday afternoons.

Stop to view AL M. GalleryAL M. Gallery is a contemporary fine art

gallery located in the heart of Kuwait Cityin Salhia Complex. Gallery organizes exhi-bitions of Kuwaiti, Middle Eastern and

International artists. Address: Salhia Complex, Gate 4,

Mezzanine 2, Place 16.Opening Hours: Sundays to Thursdays

10 am to 3 pm and Evenings: 5 pm to 9pm

Contact No.: 22996447E-mail: info@al-m-gallery.com Website: www.al-m-gallery.com

Go to Kuwait ZooSince its establishment years ago, the

Kuwait Zoo is an entertaining place to visitand a ‘fun’ place to be with family. Itincludes many species of animals and atrain that goes around the entire zoo. Thezoo also offers camel and horse rides. Thezoo suffered extensive damages duringthe 1990 Iraqi Invasion. Nevertheless,most of the maintenance work has beenfinished, and the zoo reopened after themodification and renovation work wascompleted. Part of these renovations inearly 1993 included the addition of newanimals.

Address: Airport Road, Omariya, offthe fifth ring road, (Route 55), Farwaniya

Opening Hours: Mondays toSaturdays: 8 am to 12pm and Evenings:4pm to 8pm

E-mail: zoo.kuwait@gmail.comWebsite:

www.raisaquaculture.net/drupal-5.7

Skate at the Ice Skating RinkThe Ice Skating Rink in Kuwait is a

major landmark and a great sport facilityand is the first of its kind in the Gulf

region and the middle East. The rink con-sists of two main rinks - the first is anOlympic rink that is bigger and canaccommodate around 1600 viewers andalso provides shoe-changing rooms, askating equipment store and a first-aidfacility. The second is a smaller rinkaccommodating nearly 600 visitors. Botharenas have a cafeteria serving lightsnacks and drinks. The rink occasionallyorganizes different music festivals, kids’shows and award ceremonies. The rinkoffers viewers a great chance to get aglimpse of an Olympic-sized rink.

Address: Al - Soor Street, First RingRoad, Shamiya, near Discovery Mall

Opening Hours: 8:30 am to 10 pmContact No.: 22411151 / 22411152

Sail to Failaka IslandFailaka Island is one of the most gor-

geous and famous historical islands inKuwait. It combines the ancient and con-temporary history of Kuwait. The island isrich in cultural and historical landmarksfrom different ages from the end of thethird millennium till the modern age. Theisland presents the aftermath of the Iraqiinvasion and the Gulf War. The trauma ofthe war has been preserved on theisland; However, the island still makes fora great visit containing ancient relics andremains of past civilizations. The islandmakes a perfect spot and provides facili-ties for fishing, boating, swimming, sail-ing and water sports. There are regularboat rides and ferries going to and frothe island.

Address: North of the Persian Gulf,20km off the coast of Kuwait City

Cruise Details: The KPTC (KuwaitPublic Transport Company) provides fer-ries to and from Failaka Island every dayfrom Ras-Salmiya near Scientific Center.Contact KPTC Marine services at22328814.

Aqua ParkAqua park is one of the first water parks

and the biggest of its kind in the whole ofthe gulf region. It covers over 60,000 cubemeters of land and is conveniently locatedbeside the Kuwait towers. It offers enter-tainment for the whole family in the formof pools of different kinds, water slides,water games, a diving club, sandy beachesand volleyball courts. It also offers chang-ing rooms for gents and ladies separately,prayer rooms, and sprinklers for cool show-ers. Aqua Park is the perfect spot to “chill-out” on a hot summer day.

Address: Arabian Gulf Street, KuwaitCity, near Kuwait Towers

Opening Hours: Summers: April toOctober: Saturdays to Fridays 10am to 10pm

Contact No.: 22431960 / 22431961 /22431963

Website: www.aquaparkkuwait.com

Green IslandGreen Island is definitely a place to visit

in a desert country like Kuwait. The artificialisland is covered with greens, shrubs andseedlings of all colors making it quiteunbelievable that the island is part of adesert. The island also offers various enter-

tainment services which includes anamphitheatre that can seat up to 700 per-sons and hosts various concerts and the-atre shows occasionally, swimming pools,exotic restaurants, small waterfalls, and akids’ castle. It also offers a tram that goesaround the island periodically and severalwalkways.. The island is also convenientlylocated across the Kuwaiti waterfront span-ning 21 km of the coastline enabling amagnificent view of the sea. It hostsaround 50,000 varieties of shrubs, trees,and plants that envelop the entire island.

Address: Arabian Gulf Street, Dasman,Kuwait City

Opening Hours: 8 am to 11 pm everydayContact No.: 22526153

Messila Water VillageThe Messila Water Village is perfect

entertainment for the family on a hot sum-mer day. It contains huge aquatic games,small and large swimming pools for adultsand children respectively, fountains andwater slides. It contains water games likeAhmedoh Volcano, Noor Tower, HaneenTower and Maraheb Tower. The park is wellmaintained with changing rooms, towels,lockers, first aid services, snack stalls and acar park.

Address: Souk Al- Dhakly, Arabian GulfStreet, Messila

Contact No.: 25652525 / 25651515Opening Hours: Everyday 10 am to 10

pm, however only women are allowed onSaturdays, Mondays and Thursdays.Families are allowed on Sundays, Tuesdays,Wednesdays and Fridays.

Chief of the Ajman tribe Sultan Bin Hethleenannounced welcoming Ramadan greeters onthe sixth day of the holy month, which falls

next Monday at his dewaniya in Al-Agailah after theTaraweeh prayer. On this occasion, Bin Hethleenextends best wishes to HH the Amir Sheikh SabahAl-Ahmad Al-Sabah, HH the Crown Prince SheikhNawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and to citizens and resi-dents in Kuwait.

Announcements

Indian Embassy sets up helpline

The Indian Embassy in Kuwait has setup helpline in order to assist Indianexpatriates in registering any com-

plaint regarding the government’s ongoingcampaign to stamp out illegal residentsfrom the country. The embassy said inpress release yesterday that it amended itsprevious statement and stated if there isany complaint, the same could be con-veyed at the following (as amended):Operations Department, Ministry ofInterior, Kuwait. Fax: 22435580, Tel:24768146/25200334. It said the embassyhas been in regular contact with localauthorities regarding the ongoing check-ing of expatriates. The embassy has alsoconveyed to them the concerns, fears andapprehensions of the community in thisregard. The authorities in Kuwait have con-veyed that strict instructions have beenissued to ensure that there is no harass-ment or improper treatment of expatriatesby those undertaking checking. “Theembassy would like to request Indian expa-triates to ensure that they abide by alllocal laws, rules and regulations regardingresidency, traffic and other matters,” therelease read. It would be prudent to alwayscarry the Civil ID and other relevant docu-ments such as driving license, etc. In casean Indian expatriate encounters anyimproper treatment during checking, itmay be conveyed immediately with fulldetails and contact particulars to theembassy at the following phone number67623639. These contact details are exclu-sively for the above-mentioned purposeonly.

Issue of online visa by Indian embassy

Foreigners requiring visas for India needto apply it online from 16th June 2013.Applicants may log on to the Public

portal at www.indianvisaonline.gov.in.After successful online submission, the hardcopy, so generated, has to be signed by theapplicant and submitted with supportingdocuments in accordance with the type ofvisa along with the applicable fee in cash atany of the two outsource centres at Sharqor Fahaheel. It is essential that applicantsfill in their personal details as exactly avail-able in their passports. Mismatch of any ofthe personal details would lead to non-acceptance of the application. Fees oncepaid are non-refundable. All children wouldhave to obtain separate visa on theirrespective passports.

8th Expo Pakistanto commence in September

The 8th Expo Pakistan will be heldfrom September 26 to 29 in Karachi.Held annually, Expo Pakistan is the

biggest trade fair in the country showcas-ing the largest collection of Pakistan’sexport merchandise and services.

Foreign Exhibitors also use the event tolaunch their products. Expo Pakistan 2012was visited by delegates from 52 countriesand generated a business of over $ 518million. A 16 member delegation fromKuwait including reputable companies likeAl-Yasra Foods also took part in the lastexhibition.

Expo Pakistan 2013 is being held underthe auspices of the Trade DevelopmentAuthority Pakistan. Details about the eventcan be viewed www.expopakisan.gov.pk.Further information and details of sponsor-ship can be obtained from the office ofCommercial Secretary, Pakistan Embassy,Jabriya (25356594) during office hours.

What to do in Kuwait this summer?

Rabaa Al Hajri, an AustralianCollege of Kuwait (ACK) studentin the Marketing Management

Degree program, was chosen out of 20nominees from local universities torepresent Kuwait in the coveted desti-nation-marketing internship of DubaiSummer Surprises (DSS).

The award - winning marketinginternship took place in June, welcom-ing its largest ever group of winnersfrom 14 markets in 2013. The represen-tatives worked closely with the mar-keting team responsible for successful-ly staging DSS, attended workshopsand met leading players responsiblefor building the” Destination Dubai”brand. The interns’ itinerary includedtrips to entities that have helped buildDubai’s world class tourism reputationsuch as Emirates, MBC Group, Roadand Transport Authority, DubaiFestivals and Retail Establishment(DFRE). They also visited the city’s icon-ic landmarks such as Burj Khalifa, BurjAl Arab, Dubai Metro, Ski Dubai, DubaiDesert Safari and more.

Al-Hajri stated: “Being chosen torepresent ACK and Kuwait in thisyear’s DSS apprenticeship programprovided me with a once in a life timeopportunity. The program gave methe chance to meet the brightest stu-dents from 13 different markets in theMENA region, working, learning andnetworking together to form friend-

ships that will hopefully last a life time.We also received unparalleled oppor-tunities to interact with industry pro-fessionals who in turn provided uswith advice on how to proceed withour careers and move forward. All inall being part of DSS 2013 has been anamazing educational and eye-open-ing experience that I will take awaywith me as I progress in my owncareer.”

Dr Jihad Yasin, Head of school ofBusiness at ACK, said: “We are proud ofRabaa, who was chosen to representKuwait as one of fourteen of thebrightest young minds across theMiddle East and North Africa (MENA).Her participation in this event hasbrought energy and passion amongher follow students. Rabaa hasinspired our students to think differ-ently and to believe in themselves.”

ACK is honored by Al-Hajri’sachievement and would like to takethis opportunity to congratulate andwish her a successful educational andfuture professional career.

Information

Embassy

EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIAThe Australian Embassy Kuwait does nothave a visa or immigration department. Allprocessing of visas and immigration mattersin conducted by The Australian Consulate-Generalin Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS)immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel:+971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (VisaOffice); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). In Kuwaitapplications can be lodged at the Australian VisaApplication Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-BanwanBuilding Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, oppositethe Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait.Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday -Thursday. Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens canapply for tourist visas on-line atwww.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm.

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EMBASSY OF CANADA

The Embassy of Canada in Kuwaitdoes not have a visa or immi-gration department. All pro-

cessing of visa and immigration mattersincluding enquiries is conducted by theCanadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi.Individuals who are interested in working,studying, visiting or immigrating to Canadashould contact the Canadian Embassy inAbu Dhabi, website: www.UAE.gc.ca orwww.goingtocanada.gc.ca, E-mail: abdbi-im-enquiry@international.gc.ca. TheEmbassy of Canada is located at Villa 24, Al-Mutawakei St, Block 4 in Daaiyah. Pleasevisit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca. TheEmbassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The recep-tion is open from 07:30 to 12:30. Consularservices for Canadian citizens are providedfrom 09:00 until 12:00, Sunday throughWednesday.

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EMBASSY OF US Parents of Kuwaiti citizen children maydrop off their sons’ and daughters’ visaapplications - completely free of an inter-view or a trip inside the Embassy. The chil-dren must be under 14 years of age, and addition-al requirements do apply, but the service meansparents will no longer have to schedule individualappointments for their children, nor come insidethe Embassy (unless they are applying for them-selves). The service is only available for childrenholding Kuwaiti passports. To take advantage, par-ents must drop off the following documents: ChildVisa Drop-off cover sheet, available on theEmbassy website(http://kuwait.usembassy.gov/child_visas.htm) -Child’s passport; The Child’s previous passport, if itcontains a valid US visa; 5x5cm photo of child witheyes open (if uploaded into DS-160, photos mustbe a .jpg between 600x600 and 1200x1200 pixels,less than 240kb, and cannot be digitally altered);A completed DS-160 form; Visa Fee Receipt fromBurgan Bank; A copy of the valid visa of at leastone parent. If one parent will not travel, provide avisa copy for the traveling parent, and a passportcopy from the non-traveling parent with a letterstating no objection to the child’s travel. - For chil-dren of students (F2): a copy of the child’s I-20.

Children born in the US (with very few excep-tions) are US citizens and would not be eligible fora visa. Parents may drop off the application packetat Window 2 at the Embassy from 1:00 to 3:00 PM,Monday to Wednesday, excluding holidays. Moreinformation is available on the U.S. Embassy web-site: kuwait.usembassy.gov/child_visas.html

EMBASSY OF GREECE The Embassy of Greece in Kuwait has thepleasure to announce that visa applica-tions must be submitted to Schengen VisaApplication Centre (VFS office) located at 12thfloor, Al-Naser Tower, Fahad Al-Salem Street, Al-Qibla area, Kuwait City, (Parking at Souk Watia). Forinformation please call 22281046 from 08:30 to17:00 (Sunday to Thursday). Working hours:Submission from 08:30 to 15:30. Passport collec-tion from 16:00 to 17:00. For visa applicationsplease visit the following websitewww.mfa.gr/kuwait.

W H AT ’ S ONTHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

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EMBASSY OF INDIADuring the holy month of Ramadan, theoffice timings of the Indian Passport andVisa Service Centres of BLS InternationalVisa Services Co., Kuwait, situated at (i) EmadCommercial Centre, Basement Floor, Ahmed AlJaber Street, Sharq, Kuwait, and (ii) MujammaUnood, 4th floor, Office No. 25-26 Makka Street,Fahaheel, Kuwait, will be from 8am to 3pm fromSaturday to Thursday (i.e. six days a week).Tokens for submission of applications will beissued till 2pm only. Delivery of Passports andVisas will be from 11am onwards till 3pm.Embassy of India, Kuwait, will maintain its usualworking hours.

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EMBASSY OF VENEZUELAWorking hours of the Embassy ofVenezuela during the holy month ofRamadan 09.00 till 13.30.

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EMBASSY OF SOUTH AFRICADuring the holy month of Ramadan, theSouth African Embassy will be open tothe public, Sunday through Thursdayfrom 09:00 am to 14:00 pm. Please note thatthe Consular Section operation hours will befrom 09:30 am to 12:00 pm, Sunday throughThursday.

The superior quality of the blendscomes from the meticulous selec-tion of the best raw materials avail-

able, and from an extraordinary produc-tion process. Cafe Vergnano is the first tointroduce an innovation that brings all thepassion and pleasure of the perfect

espresso to everyday life at home.Espresso is now available in Kuwait,through Al-Sanabel Al-Thahabiya Est. Tel:22413795/98. Espresso Vergnano can beordered through www.taw9eel.comEspresso Vergnano capsules are compati-ble with other espresso machines.

Enjoy the taste of true espresso at Vergnano Cafe at Olympia Complex

TIES Ramadan Qur’an

competition

Uthman bin Affan - Prophet Muhammadíscompanion - narrated that ProphetMuhammad (peace be upon him) said, ‘The

best among you are those who learn the Qur’anthen teach it.’ (As-Silsila Al-Saheeha 3/168)According to Abdullah bin Amr, ProphetMuhammad said: ‘It will be said to the companionof the Qur’an: Recite and ascend as you recited inthe world, for verily, your rank is determined bythe last verse you recite.’ (Sunan At-Tirmidhi 2914).

Inspired by these sayings of ProphetMuhammad (PBUH), TIES Center is glad to informall those interested that it will host a Qur’an mem-orization competition for Western new Muslimsincluding men, women and children. Competitorsshould memorize the following surahs (chapters):Al-Fatihah (The Opening, 1), Al-Ikhlaas (The purityor sincerity, 112), Al-Falaq (The Daybreak, 113) andAn-Naas (Mankind, 114).

The first prize will be K.D. 60, second prize isK.D. 50 and third prize is K.D. 40. All those interest-ed in participating are required to register beforethe 15th of Ramadan. The competition will beheld on the 20th of Ramadan and the prizes willbe awarded on the 27th of Ramadan.

For more information, please call 25231015/6or e-mail: info@tiescenter.net or log onto:www.tiescenter.net

Al-Hajri represents Kuwait in Dubai Summer Surprises program

GUST offers undergraduates, graduates full Masters,

PhD scholarship

The Gulf University for Scienceand Technology (GUST)International Office has

announced to GUST’s Kuwaiti under-graduate and graduate students theopportunity to apply fora Master’sscholarships in Teaching of English toSpeakers of other Languages (TESOL)ora Masters/PhD scholarships in a rec-ommended business administrationfield at one of the international univer-sities recommended by the GUSTScholarship Committee and accreditedby the Ministry of Higher Education(MOHE) and the Association toAdvance Collegiate Schools (AACSB).The purpose is to provide quality grad-uate education leading to aMasters/PhD degree for students withproven academic track records andwho have the desire to make a positiveimpact on GUST and the community asa whole.

“This is an excellent opportunity forour graduates who would like to pursuetheir education,” said RounwahAdlyBseiso, International ProgramCoordinator at the Academic AffairsDepartment at GUST: “we are always try-ing to pinpoint opportunities for ourstudents and alumni to enhance theireducational experience and preparethem academically and socially for theircareers and futures.”

The scholarships will include pay-ment of the academic tuition, basicmedical insurance for the duration ofthe study periods, a monthly supportfor educational supplies andmaterial aswell as a round-trip ticket to the institu-tion. Financial support may be adjustedfor married students.

Due to the competitive nature ofthese scholarships, certain rules,

requirements and qualification criteriahave been put in placein order to deter-mine an applicant’s eligibility, such ashaving to have graduated with a mini-mum cumulative GPA of 3.5.Upon suc-cessful completion of the scholarship,students are expected to return toGUST to teach in their chosen field.

GUST strives to provide its studentsand graduates alike with the tools theyneed to succeed within its walls andoutside. “We believe in our students andtheir accomplishments, and that is whywe are excited about this new opportu-nity for them to showcase their talentand abilities to the world,” stated Bseiso.

For interested applicants, pleasesubmit your application by December31, 2013 from GUST’s InternationalOffice in room W1-102. You can find theapplication online athttps://www.gust.edu.kw/event/gust_graduate_scholarships

Build-A-Bear Workshop(r), the brand where chil-dren make their very own stuffed toys, hasannounced that it will mark the Holy Month of

Ramadan by raising funds for Autism in partnershipwith charitable organisations in the local community.

This GCC-wide initiative has seen Build-A-BearWorkshop(r) tie up with the Kuwait Red CrescentSociety to generate donations through the sales ofits Champ Bear.

“The Build-A-Bear Workshop(r) creed is to make adifference in all the communities in where we oper-ate. Through the kindness of our Guests, and our

partnerships with local charities, we always aim tooperate as a socially responsible entity thatengages with society and gives as well as receives,”said Paul Marks, Build-A-Bear Workshop GeneralManager.

A percentage of proceeds from sales, and in par-ticular Champ Bear, will be donated to CharitableOrganisations involved with autism research, andcare and intervention for those with autismthroughout the Holy Month of Ramadan.

“Autism is a very important issue that is as rele-vant in the GCC as it is worldwide, and we are

delighted to be able to contribute towards fund rais-ing and support through our partners and Guests.The holy month of Ramadan is a particularly fittingtime for this drive as it encourages charity, reflec-tion, kindness and community-mindedness,” he said.

Build-A-Bear Workshop(r) is the world’s only glob-al company that offers an interactive make-your-own stuffed animal retail-entertainment experience.In fifteen years of operation, it has focused on creat-ing unique and memorable experiences for childrenand adults alike, while also engaging with communi-ties through charitable works and social initiatives.

Build-A-Bear Workshop(r) ties up with KRCS to raise funds for Autism

T V PR O G R A M STHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

THE DARKEST HOUR OSN CINEMA

ANOTHER HARVEST MOON ON OSN MOVIES HD

14:35 Border Security15:05 Auction Hunters15:30 Auction Kings16:00 License To Drill16:55 One Man Army17:50 Mythbusters18:45 Sons Of Guns19:40 Deconstruction20:05 How It’s Made20:35 Auction Hunters21:00 Flip Men21:30 Sons Of Guns22:25 Nothing Personal23:20 Hellriders00:15 Sons Of Guns01:10 Nothing Personal

14:20 The Gadget Show14:45 Tech Toys 36015:10 Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger16:00 Storm Chasers16:55 Superships17:45 Thunder Races18:35 Through The Wormhole19:30 Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger20:20 Oddities21:10 The Gadget Show21:35 Tech Toys 36022:00 Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger22:25 Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger22:50 Oddities23:15 Oddities23:40 The Gadget Show00:05 Tech Toys 36000:30 Weird Connections01:00 Meteorite Men01:50 Meteorite Men

14:00 C.S.I. Miami15:00 Drop Dead Diva16:00 Emmerdale16:30 Coronation Street17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show18:00 C.S.I. Miami19:00 Switched At Birth20:00 Fairly Legal21:00 Suits22:00 The Hollow Crown23:00 Awake00:00 Drop Dead Diva01:00 Switched At Birth02:00 The Hollow Crown

03:00 Friends03:30 The Simpsons04:00 Seinfeld04:30 The Tonight Show With JayLeno06:00 Hope & Faith06:30 Arrested Development07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon08:00 Seinfeld09:30 Modern Family10:00 Parks And Recreation10:30 Arrested Development11:00 The Tonight Show With JayLeno12:00 Hope & Faith12:30 Seinfeld13:00 Seinfeld13:30 Arrested Development14:00 The Simpsons14:30 Parks And Recreation15:00 Modern Family15:30 The Daily Show16:00 The Colbert Report16:30 Hope & Faith17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon18:00 New Girl18:30 Family Tools19:00 Hot In Cleveland19:30 Parks And Recreation20:00 The Tonight Show With JayLeno21:00 The Daily Show21:30 The Colbert Report22:00 Malibu Country22:30 The Neighbors23:00 The Office

05:15 Brandy & Mr Whiskers05:35 Brandy & Mr Whiskers06:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse06:30 Doc McStuffins06:45 A.N.T Farm07:10 A.N.T Farm07:35 Jessie07:55 Jessie08:20 Shake It Up08:45 Shake It Up09:05 Austin And Ally09:30 Austin And Ally09:55 Good Luck Charlie10:15 Good Luck Charlie10:40 A.N.T. Farm11:05 A.N.T. Farm11:25 Jessie11:50 Jessie12:15 Austin And Ally12:35 Austin And Ally13:00 Shake It Up13:25 Shake It Up13:45 A.N.T Farm14:10 A.N.T Farm14:35 Good Luck Charlie15:00 Good Luck Charlie15:25 Jessie15:50 Jessie16:10 Shake It Up16:35 A.N.T Farm17:00 Austin And Ally17:20 That’s So Raven17:45 Suite Life On Deck18:10 Good Luck Charlie18:30 Shake It Up18:55 Austin And Ally19:20 Jessie19:40 A.N.T Farm20:05 A.N.T Farm20:30 Shake It Up20:50 Suite Life On Deck21:15 Austin And Ally21:40 That’s So Raven22:00 Jessie22:25 A.N.T Farm22:50 Good Luck Charlie23:10 Wizards Of Waverly Place23:35 Wizards Of Waverly Place00:00 Hannah Montana00:20 Hannah Montana00:45 Brandy & Mr Whiskers01:05 Brandy & Mr Whiskers01:30 Emperor’s New School01:50 Emperor’s New School02:15 Replacements02:35 Replacements

14:30 Style Star15:00 Kourtney & Kim Take NewYork16:00 Kourtney & Kim Take NewYork17:00 What Would Ryan Lochte Do?17:30 What Would Ryan Lochte Do?18:00 E! News19:00 THS20:00 Kourtney And Kim Take Miami21:00 Married To Jonas21:30 Fashion Police22:30 E! News23:30 Chelsea Lately00:00 Opening Act00:55 Style Star01:25 THS

03:15 Cooked03:45 Cash In The Attic04:30 Bargain Hunt05:15 Daily Cooks Challenge05:45 How Not To Decorate06:30 Cooked07:00 Tareq Taylor’s Nordic Cookery07:25 Planet Cake07:50 Baking Made Easy

03:00 Unique Sweets03:25 Food Wars03:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives04:15 Unique Eats04:40 Chopped05:30 Iron Chef America06:10 Food Network Challenge07:00 Unwrapped07:25 Unwrapped07:50 Andy Bates Street Feasts08:15 Unique Sweets08:40 Red, Hot And Yummy09:05 Barefoot Contessa - Back ToBasics09:30 Amazing Wedding Cakes10:20 Extra Virgin10:45 Kid In A Candy Store11:10 Charly’s Cake Angels11:40 Unique Sweets12:00 The Next Iron Chef12:50 Red, Hot And Yummy13:15 Barefoot Contessa13:40 Barefoot Contessa14:05 Tyler’s Ultimate14:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives14:55 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives15:20 Guy’s Big Bite15:45 Chopped16:35 Barefoot Contessa - Back ToBasics17:00 Red, Hot And Yummy17:25 Reza’s African Kitchen17:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives18:15 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives18:40 Guy’s Big Bite19:05 Charly’s Cake Angels19:30 Amazing Wedding Cakes20:20 Chopped21:10 Chopped22:00 Staten Island Cakes22:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives23:15 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives23:40 Food Wars00:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives00:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives00:55 Unique Eats01:20 Unique Eats01:45 Staten Island Cakes

03:00 Big Miracle-PG05:00 Another Harvest Moon-PG1507:00 Alvin And The Chipmunks:Chipwrecked-PG09:00 I Don’t Know How She DoesIt-PG1511:00 The Wild Girl-PG1512:30 The Amazing Spider-Man15:00 Green Lantern-PG1517:00I Don’t Know How She Does It19:00 People Like Us-PG1521:00 The Iron Lady-PG1523:00 This Means War-PG1501:00 The Iron Lady-PG15

09:00 StreetDance 2-PG1511:00 The Darkest Hour-PG1513:00 Adventures Of Sharkboy AndLavagirl-PG15:00 Love Will Keep Us Together-PG1517:00 The Wishing Well-PG1519:00 How I Spent My SummerVacation-PG1521:00 My Week With Marilyn-PG1523:00 The Raven-1801:00 The Wishing Well-PG15

00:00 Trans World Sport 01:00 Super Rugby 03:00 World Match Racing Tour 04:00 World Pool Masters06:00 Golfing World08:00 Total Rugby08:30 World Match Racing Tour 09:30 Trans World Sport 10:30 World Pool Masters12:30 UK Open Darts16:30 British & Irish Lions Tour

04:00 Mission To Mars-PG1506:00 The Da Vinci Code-PG1508:30 Ip Man 2-PG1510:30 Rise Of The Planet Of TheApes-PG1512:30 True Justice: Vengeance IsMine-PG1514:15 Ip Man 2-PG1516:00 Deadly Hope-PG1518:00 True Justice: Vengeance IsMine-PG1520:00 Sultanes Del Sur-PG1522:00 Three Kings-18

08:00 Police Academy 3: Back InTraining-PG1510:00 3 Holiday Tails-PG12:00 Mr. Destiny-PG14:00 Police Academy 4: Citizens OnPatrol-PG1516:00 3 Holiday Tails-PG18:00 Turner & Hooch-PG1520:00 The Angel’s Share-PG1522:00 Under New Management00:00 Bowfinger-PG1502:00 The Angel’s Share-PG15

09:00 Oscar-PG1511:00 The Flowers Of War-PG1513:30 The Preacher’s Wife-PG1515:45 Oscar-PG1517:45 The Key Man-PG1519:15 The Company Men-PG1521:00 Troy-1823:45 Phenomenon-PG01:45 Beneath Hill 60-PG15

01:00 AFL Premiership Highlights02:00 PGA Tour Highlights03:00 PGA Tour Highlights04:00 Trans World Sport05:00 NRL Premiership07:00 British & Irish Lions Tour ofAustralia09:00 Rugby League State of Origin11:00 NRL Full Time11:30 AFL Premiership Highlights12:30 ICC Cricket 36013:00 Live Cricket Test Match21:00 Futbol Mundial21:30 Inside The PGA Tour

04:00 The Makeover-PG1506:00 Puss In Boots-PG08:00 Flicka 3-FAM09:45 Tim Richmond: To The Limit10:45 Carnage-PG1512:15 Phil Spector-PG1514:00 Perfect Plan-PG1516:00 Flicka 3-FAM18:00 New Year’s Eve-PG1520:00 Carnage-PG1522:00 Meeting Evil-1800:00 The Man Inside-PG1501:45 Tim Richmond: To The Limit

00:00 NHL02:00 Porsche GT 3 Cup03:00 Ping Pong World04:00 US Bass Fishing05:00 NHL07:00 WWE Smackdown09:00 Ping Pong World10:00 US Bass Fishing11:00 NHL13:00 WWE Vintage Collection14:00 WWE Bottom Line15:00 Porsche GT 3 Cup16:00 Mobil 1 The Grid16:30 Motor Sports 201317:30 Mass Participation19:00 WWE NXT20:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter21:00 UFC Prelims

Does Disney really need the grief that comes withtrying to launch an original franchise? Not really.With Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar primed to crank

out barn-burners for years, Mouse House execs have tobe wondering whether it’s worth even attemptinganother “Lone Ranger” in the near future. As of now,there’s nothing in Disney’s pipeline aiming to be another“Pirates.” Playing that game is difficult, expensive andrisky, as Disney found this weekend when its $225 mil-lion western went boots up, taking in less than $50 mil-lion over five days. Foreign box office won’t make upthat budget.

Given their comparable budgets and limited foreignprospects, a loss along the lines of to the $200 millionwritedown the studio took last summer in the wake ofthe “John Carter” bomb is likely. And 2011’s “Mars NeedsMoms” debacle - a $150 million original that topped outat $21 million domestically - is still fresh in the minds ofstudio brass. With nearly half a billion at the worldwidebox office, this spring’s “Oz the Great and Powerful” wasoriginal-ish ... and hardly a flop. But whether it was suc-cessful enough - given its $215 million budget - remainsto be seen, as the studio still hasn’t given a green light toanother “Oz” movie.

At the same time the studio has struggled with itsoriginals, it has been scoring big with its partners.Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” is easily the year’s biggest earnerwith more than $1.2 billion and Pixar’s “MonstersUniversity” has brought in more than $400 million in lessthan three weeks. Last year, it was “The Avengers” and“Brave” that drove the biggest profits. And starting in2015, there will be a “Stars Wars” movie each summer forseveral years. “The Disney brand is still gold,” saidBoxOffice.com editor-in-chief Phil Contrino, “but it haschanged. They’re all about Marvel, Pixar and ‘Star Wars’now, and that’s fine.” He said he doesn’t see the relianceon partnerships as a step back for Disney. “The reasonthose companies all came to Disney is because of theirreputation and the track record they have for handlingthese big projects,” Contrino said. There are severalupcoming Disney Animation projects that could breakout, but on the live-action front, there’s nothing thatshouts franchise. That shouldn’t, and won’t, keep Disneyfrom trying, according to Manatt, Phelps & Phillips enter-

tainment partner Lindsay Conner told TheWrap. “Disneyhas a long history of coming up with original ideas andcharacters he said, and they will in the future,” he said.“And remember, because they’re a theme park company,when they connect, the benefits go beyond the bigscreen, the small screen and even digital.” He also pointedout that where the next franchise is coming from isn’talways so clear, and that studios have to take what seemslike a flyer sometimes. No one thought that “Pirates of theCaribbean,” would turn into a franchise that has broughtin more than $3.7 billion at the global box office.

“Pirates” made it reasonable to think “The LoneRanger” - with Berry Bruckheimer, Gore Verbinski andJohnny Depp reteaming - might work. But the spectacu-lar flameout of “The Lone Ranger” makes it reasonable tothink that Disney may retrench to its more sure-fire farefor a while. — Reuters

‘Lone Ranger’ Takeaway: Disney, Forget Original franchises

00:00 Cricket Test Match07:00 Trans World Sport08:00 PGA Tour Highlights09:00 PGA European TourHighlights10:00 Futbol Mundial

10:30 Super Rugby Highlights11:30 Inside The PGA Tour12:00 PGA European Tour Weekly12:30 Live PGA European Tour20:30 NRL Full Time21:00 British & Irish Lions Tour of

23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon00:30 The Daily Show01:00 The Colbert Report01:30 Seinfeld02:00 Seinfeld02:30 Friends

08:15 Phil Spencer - Secret Agent09:05 Bargain Hunt09:50 Antiques Roadshow10:40 Extreme Makeover: HomeEdition11:20 MasterChef Australia11:45 New Scandinavian CookingWith Claus Meyer12:10 Come Dine With Me13:00 Planet Cake13:25 New Scandinavian CookingWith Claus Meyer13:55 Bargain Hunt14:40 Cash In The Attic15:25 Antiques Roadshow16:15 Extreme Makeover: HomeEdition17:00 Phil Spencer - Secret Agent17:55 The Good Cook18:25 Hairy Bikers’ Bake-ation19:20 New Scandinavian CookingWith Claus Meyer19:45 Come Dine With Me20:35 Extreme Makeover: HomeEdition21:20 Antiques Roadshow22:15 Bargain Hunt23:00 Phil Spencer - Secret Agent23:55 Cash In The Attic00:40 Come Dine With Me01:30 MasterChef Australia01:55 New Scandinavian Cooking

13:00 Marchlands14:00 The Syndicate15:00 William At 3016:00 When Kate Met William: A TaleOf17:00 60 Minute Makeover18:00 Emmerdale19:00 Coronation Street20:00 Coach Trip20:30 Come Dine With Me Ireland21:00 Foyle’s War23:00 Case Histories00:00 The Jeremy Kyle Show USA01:00 60 Minute Makeover

00:30 Dr G: Medical Examiner01:20 A Haunting02:10 I Was Murdered02:35 I Was Murdered03:00 Blood Relatives03:45 I Almost Got Away With It04:30 Dr G: Medical Examiner05:20 A Haunting06:10 Nightmare Next Door07:00 Life Or Death: MedicalMysteries07:50 Street Patrol08:15 Street Patrol

08:40 Real Emergency Calls09:05 Who On Earth...09:30 On The Case With Paula Zahn10:20 Solved11:10 Disappeared12:00 Life Or Death: MedicalMysteries12:50 Street Patrol13:40 Forensic Detectives14:30 On The Case With Paula Zahn15:20 Real Emergency Calls15:45 Who On Earth...16:10 Disappeared17:00 Solved17:50 Forensic Detectives18:40 On The Case With Paula Zahn19:30 Dr G: Medical Examiner20:20 Nightmare Next Door21:10 Couples Who Kill22:00 Couples Who Kill22:50 Deadly Women

00:00 World’s Greatest MotorcycleRides01:00 Off Limits02:00 Departures03:00 Globe Trekker04:00 Inside Luxury Travel - VarunSharma05:00 Bizarre Foods America06:00 Eden Eats07:00 Globe Trekker08:00 Departures09:00 Off Limits10:00 World’s Greatest MotorcycleRides11:00 Hotel Impossible

After playing one of the young scouts in WesAnderson’s “Moonrise Kingdom,” Lucas Hedgeshas been cast as Jeremy Renner and Rosemarie

DeWitt ’s son in Focus Features’ thriller “Kill theMessenger.” “Messenger” tells the true story of PulitzerPrize-winning journalist Gary Webb (Renner), whosereporting exposed the CIA’s involvement in helpingNicaragua’s Contra rebels import cocaine into Californiaduring the 1980s. Webb was found shot to death in 2004in what the coroner determined to be a suicide, but foulplay has long been suspected.

Hedges will play Ian Webb, who looks up to his truth-seeking father and stands by him when Gary needs himthe most. Paz Vega will co-star in the film, while MichaelK. Williams is in negotiations to play “Freeway” Rick Ross,though his “Boardwalk Empire” schedule may preventhim from taking on the brief-yet-key role.

Michael Cuesta (“Homeland”) is directing from a scriptby Peter Landesman, who adapted Nick Schou’s book.Scott Stuber is producing through his Bluegrass Filmsbanner along with The Combine’s Renner and DonHandfield, as well as Naomi Despres. Landesman willexecutive produce the film, which starts production inthe coming weeks in Atlanta. Hedges is the son of direc-tor Peter Hedges, who cast Lucas in the 2007 dramedy

“Dan in Real Life.” Focus produced that movie and alsodistributed “Moonrise Kingdom,” so Hedges is nostranger to the company.

The rising young actor, who recently appeared along-side Colin Firth and Emily Blunt in “Arthur Newman,” willsoon be seen in Jason Reitman’s “Labor Day” and TerryGilliam’s “The Zero Theorem.” He also played a youngEwan McGregor in Noah Baumbach’s HBO pilot “TheCorrections,” which is not going forward at the cable net-work. Hedges is repped by Abrams Artists Agency andAnonymous Content. — Reuters

Hedges to play Renner’sson in ‘Kill the Messenger’

ClassifiedsTHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

SHARQIA-2MONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG-3D) 9:15 PMWHITE HOUSE DOWN (DIG) 11:30 PM

SHARQIA-3TATTAH (DIG) 9:30 PMTHE PURGE (DIG) 11:45 PM

MUHALAB-1BEKAS (DIG) 9:45 PMTHE PURGE (DIG) 12:05 AM

MUHALAB-2WORLD WAR Z (DIG) 9:15 PMTATTAH (DIG) 11:30 PM

MUHALAB-3MONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG-3D) 9:00 PMWHITE HOUSE DOWN (DIG) 11:15 PM

FANAR-1BEKAS (DIG) 9:30 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 11:30 PM

FANAR-2MONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG) 10:00 PMTHE PURGE (DIG) 12:15 AM

FANAR-3SIBERIAN EDUCATION (DIG) 9:00 PMMAN OF STEEL (DIG) 11:15 PM

FANAR-4WHITE HOUSE DOWN (DIG) 9:15 PMWHITE HOUSE DOWN (DIG) 11:45 PM

FANAR-5TATTAH 9:15 PMTATTAH 11:30 PM

MARINA-1BEKAS (DIG) 10:00 PMTHE PURGE (DIG) 12:15 AM

MARINA-2TATTAH (DIG) 9:30 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 12:05 AM

MARINA-3MONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG-3D) 9:15 PMWHITE HOUSE DOWN (DIG) 11:30 PM

AVENUES-1WORLD WAR Z (DIG) 9:30 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 11:45 PM

AVENUES-2MAN OF STEEL (DIG) 9:00 PMNOW YOU SEE ME (DIG) 11:45 PM

AVENUES-3TATTAH (DIG) 9:15 PMTATTAH (DIG) 11:30 PM

AVENUES-4WHITE HOUSE DOWN (DIG) 10:30 PM

AVENUES-5THE PURGE (DIG) 9:00 PMTATTAH (DIG) 11:00 PM

360º- 1THE PURGE (DIG) 10:30 PMTHE PURGE (DIG) 12:30 AM

360º- 2OFFICER DOWN (DIG) 10:00 PMNOW YOU SEE ME (DIG) 12:05 AM

360º- 3WORLD WAR Z (DIG-3D) 9:15 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 11:30 PM

360º- 4BEKAS (DIG) 9:45 PMBEKAS (DIG) 12:05 AM

360º- 5WAHED SAHIH (Re -Release) 10:15 PMWAHED SAHIH (Re -Release) 12:15 AM

360º- 6NOW YOU SEE ME (DIG) 9:15 PMMAN OF STEEL (DIG) 11:30 PM

360º- 7SIBERIAN EDUCATION (DIG) 9:30 PMSIBERIAN EDUCATION (DIG) 11:45 PM

AL-KOUT.1MONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG-3D) 9:30 PM

WORLD WAR Z (DIG-3D) 11:45 PM

AL-KOUT.2WHITE HOUSE DOWN (DIG) 9:00 PMWHITE HOUSE DOWN (DIG) 11:30 PM

AL-KOUT.3BEKAS (DIG) 9:15 PMMAN OF STEEL (DIG) 11:45 PM

AL-KOUT.4TATTAH (DIG) 9:45 PMSIBERIAN EDUCATION (DIG) 12:05 AM

BAIRAQ-1WHITE HOUSE DOWN (DIG) 9:15 PMWHITE HOUSE DOWN (DIG) 11:45 PM

BAIRAQ-2BEKAS (DIG) 9:00 PMTATTAH (DIG) 11:00 PM

BAIRAQ-3MONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG) 9:45 PMTHE PURGE (DIG) 12:05 AM

PLAZAMONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG) 9:00 PMWHITE HOUSE DOWN (DIG) 11:15 PM

LAILAWHITE HOUSE DOWN (DIG) 9:15 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 11:45 PM

AJIAL.1SINGAM 2 (DIG) (TAMIL) 9:15 PM

AJIAL.2SINGAM 2 (DIG) (TAMIL) 10:00 PM

AJIAL.3BEKAS (DIG) 9:00 PMWHITE HOUSE DOWN (DIG) 11:00 PM

AJIAL.4BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG (DIG) (HINDI) 9:30 PM

METRO-1SINGAM 2 (DIG) (TAMIL) 9:00 PM

METRO-2SINGAM 2 (DIG) (TAMIL) 10:00 PM

Kuwait KNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY(11/07/2013 TO 17/07/2013)

Fajr: 03:21

Shorook 04:55

Duhr: 11:53

Asr: 15:27

Maghrib: 18:51

Isha: 20:22

Prayer timings

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Arrival Flights on Thursday 11/7/2013Airlines Flt Route Time BBC 43 DHAKA 0:05QTR 148 DOHA 0:05JZR 267 BEIRUT 0:20JZR 539 CAIRO 0:40SAI 441 LAHORE 1:30THY 764 SABIHA 1:40ETH 620 ADDIS ABABA 1:45GFA 211 BAHRAIN 1:55UAE 853 DUBAI 2:25ETD 305 ABU DHABI 2:30FDB 67 DUBAI 3:10RJA 642 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA 3:10RBG 555 ALEXANDRIA 3:15MSR 612 CAIRO 3:15QTR 6058 ZARAGOZA 7:50KAC 302 MUMBAI 7:50KAC 382 DELHI 7:30KAC 412 MANILA 6:15KAC 206 ISLAMABAD 7:25JZR 555 ALEXANDRIA 6:20JZR 503 LUXOR 7:40QTR 138 DOHA 3:30THY 770 ISTANBUL 4:35QTR 6130 DOHA 4:50DHX 170 BAHRAIN 5:10FDB 69 DUBAI 5:50BAW 157 LONDON 6:30FDB 53 DUBAI 7:45KNE 470 JEDDAH 14:35KNE 480 TAIF 13:20KAC 362 COLOMBO 8:45KAC 332 TRIVANDRUM 7:55KAC 546 ALEXANDRIA 14:15KAC 352 COCHIN 8:05KAC 672 DUBAI 13:40KAC 284 DHAKA 8:15UAE 855 DUBAI 8:25IRA 605 ISFAHAN 8:40IZG 4161 MASHAD 8:45ABY 125 SHARJAH 8:50QTR 132 DOHA 9:00IRA 617 AHWAZ 9:10FDB 55 DUBAI 9:15ETD 301 ABU DHABI 9:30SYR 341 DAMASCUS 10:10GFA 213 BAHRAIN 10:40MEA 404 BEIRUT 10:55MSC 403 ASSIUT 12:40UAE 871 DUBAI 12:45MSR 610 CAIRO 13:00THY 766 ISTANBUL 13:10FDB 57 DUBAI 13:50SVA 500 JEDDAH 14:30MSR 618 ALEXANDRIA 20:30MSC 401 ALEXANDRIA 21:00

ALK 229 COLOMBO 21:10UAE 859 DUBAI 21:15ETD 307 ABU DHABI 21:30QTR 136 DOHA 21:35GFA 217 BAHRAIN 21:45QTR 146 DOHA 22:00JAI 576 COCHIN 22:05FDB 59 DUBAI 22:20THY 6512 ISTANBUL 22:20AIC 981 CHENNAI 22:25UAL 981 BAHRAIN 22:40RBG 557 ALEXANDRIA 18:20KNE 470 JEDDAH 15:05KNE 474 JEDDAH 20:50KAC 788 JEDDAH 15:00KAC 1708 JEDDAH 22:20KAC 176 GENEVA 17:45KAC 104 LONDON 18:45KAC 674 DUBAI 19:25KAC 786 JEDDAH 18:30KAC 118 NEW YORK 16:00KAC 562 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA 14:40KAC 542 CAIRO 18:15KAC 618 DOHA 19:10JZR 177 DUBAI 17:30JZR 777 JEDDAH 17:50JZR 787 RIYADH 16:15JZR 239 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA 22:30JZR 535 CAIRO 16:10OMA 645 MUSCAT 14:40NIA 251 ALEXANDRIA 15:50RJA 640 AMMAN-QUEEN ALIA 15:55QTR 134 DOHA 16:15ETD 303 ABU DHABI 16:35UAE 857 DUBAI 16:55ABY 127 SHARJAH 17:10UAL 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 17:15SVA 510 RIYADH 17:20GFA 215 BAHRAIN 17:20TAR 327 TUNIS 18:00FDB 63 DUBAI 18:55GFA 219 BAHRAIN 19:05AXB 393 KOZHIKODE 19:15JAI 572 MUMBAI 19:35RBG 553 ALEXANDRIA 19:40OMA 647 MUSCAT 20:00FDB 61 DUBAI 20:00ABY 129 SHARJAH 20:05MEA 402 BEIRUT 20:15AFG 415 KABUL 20:20MSC 405 SOHAG 20:25DLH 636 FRANKFURT 23:10JAI 574 MUMBAI 23:20MSR 614 CAIRO 23:30KLM 411 AMSTERDAM 23:40THY 772 ISTANBUL 23:45JZR 135 BAHRAIN 23:00

Departure Flights on Thursday 11/7/2013Airlines Flt Route TimeAIC 976 GOA 0:05AXB 490 MANGALORE 0:15JAI 573 MUMBAI 0:20UAL 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 0:25DLH 637 FRANKFURT 0:30MSR 615 CAIRO 0:30JZR 502 LUXOR 1:30BBC 44 DHAKA 1:30THY 773 ISTANBUL-ATATURK 2:20SAI 442 LAHORE 2:30THY 765 ISTANBUL-SABIHA 2:40ETH 621 ADDIS ABABA 2:45UAE 854 DUBAI 3:45FDB 68 DUBAI 3:50RBG 556 ALEXANDRIA 3:55MSR 613 CAIRO 4:15ETD 306 ABU DHABI 4:20QTR 139 DOHA 4:25QTR 149 DOHA 5:15QTR 6131 DOHA 6:20FDB 70 DUBAI 6:30RJA 643 AMMAN 6:35GFA 212 BAHRAIN 7:00THY 771 ISTANBUL 7:10KAC 545 ALEXANDRIA 7:20BAW 156 LONDON 8:25FDB 54 DUBAI 8:25JZR 534 CAIRO 9:10KAC 561 AMMAN 9:25KAC 671 DUBAI 9:25ABY 126 SHARJAH 9:30KAC 787 JEDDAH 9:35IRA 606 MASHHAD 9:40IZG 4162 MASHHAD 9:45QTR 6058 DOHA 9:50UAE 856 DUBAI 9:50FDB 56 DUBAI 9:55QTR 133 DOHA 10:00IRA 616 AHWAZ 10:10ETD 302 ABU DHABI 10:15KAC 101 LONDON 10:25SYR 342 DAMASCUS 11:10GFA 214 BAHRAIN 11:25KAC 541 CAIRO 11:30KAC 165 ROME 11:45MEA 405 BEIRUT 11:55JZR 776 JEDDAH 12:25JZR 786 RIYADH 12:50KAC 785 JEDDAH 13:00JZR 176 DUBAI 13:20MSC 406 SOHAG 13:40MSR 611 CAIRO 14:00THY 767 ISTANBUL 14:10KNE 481 TAIF 14:10UAE 872 DUBAI 14:15

FDB 58 DUBAI 14:30KAC 673 DUBAI 15:05KNE 473 JEDDAH 15:30OMA 646 MUSCAT 15:40KAC 617 DOHA 15:45KNE 471 JEDDAH 16:00SVA 505 JEDDAH 16:00KAC 1707 JEDDAH 16:10NIA 252 ALEXANDRIA 16:50RJA 641 AMMAN 16:55JZR 238 AMMAN 17:05QTR 135 DOHA 17:20ETD 304 ABU DHABI 17:20JZR 538 CAIRO 17:40ABY 128 SHARJAH 17:50UAE 858 DUBAI 18:15SVA 511 RIYADH 18:20GFA 216 BAHRAIN 18:20JZR 1774 JEDDAH 18:25UAL 982 BAHRAIN 18:30JZR 266 BEIRUT 18:40TAR 328 TUNIS 18:50RBG 558 ALEXANDRIA 19:00FDB 64 DUBAI 19:35GFA 220 BAHRAIN 19:50JZR 134 BAHRAIN 20:05KAC 283 DHAKA 20:15AXB 394 KOZHIKODE 20:15RBG 554 ALEXANDRIA 20:20JAI 571 MUMBAI 20:35FDB 62 DUBAI 20:40ABY 120 SHARJAH 20:45KAC 331 TRIVANDRUM 20:50KAC 343 CHENNAI 20:55OMA 648 MUSCAT 20:55KAC 351 KOCHI 21:05MEA 403 BEIRUT 21:15AFG 415 JEDDAH 21:20MSC 404 ASSIUT 21:25KAC 543 CAIRO 21:30MSR 619 ALEXANDRIA 21:30KNE 475 JEDDAH 21:45DHX 171 BAHRAIN 21:50MSC 402 ALEXANDRIA 22:00ETD 308 ABU DHABI 22:15ALK 230 COLOMBO 22:20UAE 860 DUBAI 22:25QTR 137 DOHA 22:35KAC 301 MUMBAI 22:40GFA 218 BAHRAIN 22:45FDB 60 DUBAI 23:00KAC 205 ISLAMABAD 23:00QTR 147 DOHA 23:05JAI 575 ABU DHABI 23:05JZR 554 ALEXANDRIA 23:20KAC 411 BANGKOK 23:40KAC 415 KUALA LUMPUR 23:50JZR 528 ASSIUT 23:55

THE PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL INFORMATIONAutomated enquiry about the Civil ID card is

1889988

Toyota Yaris model 2008,red color, fog lamp, CD alloyrim, rear bumper sensor,installment possible, 4cylinder engine. Cash PriceKD 1,950. Tel: 99105286

. (C 4454)8-7-2013

FOR SALE

Position available in Kuwaitfor a teacher/ psychologist.Qualifications: male, degreein education, experience inbehavior modification andor social skills training,excellent command in

TUITION

CHANGE OF NAME

SITUATION WANTED

Thottakathu Abu, holderof Indian Passport NoG9943123, issued at Kuwait27/10/2008, hereby changemy name to Aboo BackerThattakathu. (C 4458)

11-7-2013

I, Ramdas V.M., S/oKunhiraman M.V., Trikarpur,Kasaragod, holder of IndianPassport No. J 1329697hereby change my name asRAMADAS. V.M. and this willbe effected in all recordsconnected with me.Objection, if any, may beintimated to the authoritieswithin 15 days from thedate of this notice. (C 4457)

10-7-2013

I have changed my namefrom Husain, s/o KosarGodichand, Indian PassportNo. H1819475 in future I amknown from this nameHusain Godichand, s/oKosar Godichand, Res.Obrimohalla, Sagwara.

(C 4455)8-7-2013

Ministry of Interiorwebsite: www.moi.gov.kw

English. Contact: 99114449/99602744. (C 4456)

8-7-2013

Accountant, 8 yrs experi-ence in GCC in MNC B.ComMBA Finance, proficient inSAP FICO/MM, MicrosoftNavision Oracle, Peach Tree,Tally. Looking for job.Contact: 66128352,

ansar.aziz@hotmail.com (C 4459)

11-7-2013

THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

Career moves may depend upon your cutting through some of the fluff andreally taking care of business—getting down to your most practical. Ridding yourself of excessor unneeded stuff may be a key move now. If you have to make decisions for other peopletoday, you could really shine in this day. Your advice and guidance may be blunt and to thepoint just now but it is truthful and a great deal of help for all who seek your help. You are ableto cut through the red tape and get at what is beneath and behind most any difficulty. Thisevening there is a feeling of being at peace and stable on the emotional level. Stability and per-manence satisfy a deep emotional need. An addition to your aquarium or the purchase of anew pet may be in order this evening.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

STAR TRACK

You prefer diplomacy but could find yourself in the midst of a difficultsituation this day. There could be some hard feelings, especially from a young person, ifyou become too aggressive. You could have difficulty getting outer recognition for yourefforts or accomplishments. This does not mean they are worthless; it does mean youshould throw your efforts into work or ventures you really love doing. Take a little trip, orget outside today. You may want to break that routine and try something new or differentright now. You may discover insights into day-to-day problems that will be of great valuelater. You have a lot of energy for improving your surroundings or life situations. You arevery motivated to improve your life.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Problems that come to your attention are easily worked through today asthe usual complications are not present. You have something to say and people

are listening; careful, keep to the subject matter. You make your way through ideas and con-cepts; and your ability to express them to others is successful. Any lecture or conference meet-ings will go smoothly. A play, a musical, a sitcom or any number of creative entertainment proj-ects are the things that excite your creative mind this afternoon. There are sudden insights intosome of the most sensitive and vulnerable areas of your inner self and psychology. The estab-lishment of a new habit pattern is beginning to set in and you are pleased with the results. Youlend a helping hand to a mother tonight.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

At home with different cultures, peoples and lands, you will enjoy working withand in different culture groups today. You may be able to give some good advice and

counsel regarding some of their personal issues. This may mean you help, guide or instruct in mattersof protocol. Communication, computers and electronics are the areas in which you enjoy your workand excel. This afternoon will give you plenty of opportunities to work in these areas. Your ability todiscriminate real breakthroughs and to spot new trends makes you able to work at the very fringe oftechnology. Electronics, computers, communications and in fact, all electrical things are interesting toyou. You may discover new ways of working with traditional materials.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

This could be a frustrating day regarding practical or job-related activi-ties. Your ideas however, will save the day. Think through to the outcome and make yourpresentation in writing. You are persistent but with a light sense of humor; higher-ups willcome back to your work again and again. New methods or new ways of thinking will taketime to take hold. Concerned with a friend or friends, you will find yourself aiding or coun-seling and helping others. Your presence in a group has a very decided effect. You will makea positive difference in many people’s lives, especially the young. Question and answer peri-od takes patience, but you can do it. Tonight is for you, anything your heart desires. Music ishard to resist this evening.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

A creative project works to your advantage—you feel more inspired. Youhave the gift of working well with others and you help them to sense and feel the unity of life.Your love of the spiritual and the eternal is clear to all who meet you. You love to solve theproblems of the world, at least in words and images; when you talk, all are enchanted. Youcould have your own radio show or write as a reporter for a popular newspaper. You do notmind working through a puzzle or problem to find the best outcome. In-depth discussionsfind you at your mental best this afternoon. The way you express yourself and your writing hasbegun to take on a special style, which counts for a lot now. This evening, family and friendsbring good cheer.

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

This is a great time to be with others and to work together: teamwork.Your keen business sense is never sharper than when you are working with or for others—a group, corporation, etc. You can find support from all sides when it comes to most anysort of activity. Playing sports professionally may be a leap but you work with your team-mates as though you are all working together to win a big game. You may go the extramile today to make sure your team wins the game or becomes approved or achieves what-ever is set before them. You may be moved to appreciate and discover the beauty in yourlife and in those around you. Be wise in shopping this afternoon; think about how long ittakes to work and pay off the bill before you buy.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

Public relations, public speaking or sales is an option today. Even if you arenot changing jobs, you may find yourself in one or more of these categories.

The word here is accomplishment. If there is a job, you can do it. You are a hard worker—youpour yourself into any task with absolute determination. You would make a good teacher ofothers in matters of organization, practical competence, etc. You have a great desire and driveto be thorough and responsible down to the smallest detail. Music is likely to play a moreimportant role for you than usual and perhaps there is also an urge to spend money on addingto your music collection or tickets to a concert. Close relationships begin to take on more emo-tional depth, power and importance.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

You enjoy mental effort and discipline, and work long and hard at whateveryou want to accomplish. You could find yourself lecturing or teaching. Being

successful in life is easy—you have a built-in sense of how to approach and unravel even themost difficult problems. You have an instinct for justice and the law and today you have theopportunity to approach a problem from just the right angle. You may become involved in a lit-tle counseling or guiding others toward a more positive outcome for their situations. Let your-self dream this evening—do not ignore this opportunity to let your imagination loose. Anunexpected social invitation has you reviewing your wardrobe contents. You might also wantto think about replacing a billfold.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

CAPRICORNHigh technology plays a bigger part in your life. If you do not already have a

computer, you may think about owning one now. Perhaps this means you havea lot of experience on computers in the workplace. Advertisement, newsletters, personal com-munication and any other information media are where you work best. A financial obligationwill not go away, but deal with your responsibilities and they will feel less of a burden. Be care-ful while shopping this afternoon—you may tend to purchase an overpriced item simplybecause of the convenience. You could have real difficulties when it comes to matters of self-discipline. Stability and permanence satisfy a deep emotional need. This evening you may

decide to create a new recipe.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

This is a good workday and may prove to be rather profitable. Working withothers is successful and you may be sought after as just the person for a particular job. Yourinner resources and emotions are accented. Expect a sense of support from those around you.Perhaps you feel this is really you—how you feel and are. It is natural for you to put your practi-cal and managerial abilities to work. You can make a career out of your keen organizationalskills and clear insight into how things work. Supervision and taking charge are your trade-marks. There is a feeling of stability and permanence that satisfies a deep emotional need thisevening. Music or a neighborhood entertainment is likely to play a more important role for youthis evening.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

A new study has your interest this morning and you may be thinking of tak-ing it on for a new research project. A library will be helpful. You are able to cut through the redtape and get at what is beneath and behind any delays or problems in the work arena today.You may meet a new friend through the work environment. Unusual and unique qualitiescatch your attention. This individual may affect you in a profound way on several levels. Thereare opportunities to express yourself in many ways. You tend to be creative and original in yourwork and career, managing to bring new ideas and spontaneity to bear. You are not afraid toget into the stickiest of situations and you always come up with the heart of the matter for all tounderstand.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18)

CROSSWORD 247

ACROSS1. A theocratic republic in the Middle East inwestern Asia.5. In accordance with nature.12. Fermented alcoholic beverage similar tobut heavier than beer.15. Type genus of the Majidae.16. Reproduce someone's behavior or looks.17. Either of two folds of skin that can bemoved to cover or open the eye.18. An Arabic speaking person who lives inArabia or North Africa.19. Indian religious leader who foundedSikhism (1469-1538).20. An anti-inflammatory drug that does notcontain steroids.22. Japanese ornamental tree with fragrantwhite or pink blossoms and small yellowfruits.24. New World chats.26. (of tempo) Leisurely n.28. (British) A person without employmentwho makes money by various dubiousschemes.29. A soft silvery metallic element of the alkaliearth group.31. A Hindu goddess who releases from sin ordisease.32. Genus of herbs of Eurasia and theAmericas.36. A resin used in adhesives and paints.38. An edge tool used to cut and shape wood.40. A lawman concerned with narcotics viola-tions.41. United States physicist who invented thebubble chamber to study subatomic particles(born in 1926).42. Lacking a centromere.45. Of a dull grayish brown to brownish graycolor.48. Censure severely or angrily.49. (Old Testament) In Judeo-Christianmythology.51. English theoretical physicist who appliedrelativity theory to quantum mechanics andpredicted the existence of antimatter and thepositron (1902-1984).53. A female person who has the same par-ents as another person.54. Mar or spoil the appearance of.57. Adopted in order to deceive.60. A soft silver-white ductile metallic element(liquid at normal temperatures).61. The capital and largest city of Yemen.63. Tropical American bird resembling a bluejay and having greenish and bluish plumage.65. A pale rose-colored variety of the rubyspinel.68. A group of African language in the Niger-Congo group spoken from the Ivory Coasteast to Nigeria.70. A gum resin from the conium hemlocktree.73. A loose sleeveless outer garment madefrom aba cloth.74. Relating to or characteristic of Arabs.77. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on askewer usually with vegetables.78. (in Scotland or Ireland) A mountain or tallhill.79. A republic in West Africa.81. The basic unit of money in Iran.82. A condition (mostly in boys) characterizedby behavioral and learning disorders.83. Of or relating to or characteristic of Spartaor its people.84. A river in north central Switzerland thatruns northeast into the Rhine.

DOWN1. (Islam) The man who leads prayers in amosque.2. Not widely known.3. A genus of Platalea.4. Tag the base runner to get him out.5. Grandson of Amaterasu and first ruler ofJapan.6. Genus of widely distributed agarics thathave white spores and are poisonous with fewexceptions.7. Small dull-colored moth with chewingmouthparts.8. A reptile genus of Iguanidae.9. Marked by smartness in dress and manners.10. A highly unstable radioactive element (theheaviest of the halogen series).11. Round flat seed of the lentil plant.12. (botany) Of or relating to the axil.13. Being three more than fifty.14. Tropical starchy tuberous root.21. Coming next after the sixth and justbefore the eighth in position.23. Softened by the addition of cushions orpadding.25. An accountant certified by the state.27. The time during which someone's life con-tinues.30. Make a more or less disguised referenceto.33. Any of the openings to the nasal cavitiesthat allow air to flow through the cavities tothe pharynx.34. Of or containing iridium.35. The right to enter.37. Valuable fiber plant of East Indies nowwidespread in cultivation.39. A Chadic language spoken in northernNigeria.43. A deep opening in the earth's surface.44. A state in southeastern United States.46. A public promotion of some product orservice.47. Fictional character created by CharlesDickens.50. An independent group of closely relatedChadic languages spoken in the area betweenthe Biu-Mandara and East Chadic languages.52. Colloquial British abbreviation.55. An outstanding Spanish cellist noted forhis interpretation of Bach's cello suites (1876-1973).56. Half the width of an em.58. In a murderous frenzy as if possessed by ademon.59. Prokaryotic bacteria and blue-green algaeand various primitive pathogens.62. Jordan's port.64. The inner and thicker of the two bones ofthe human leg between the knee and ankle.66. In bed.67. Relating to or characteristic of or occurringon land.69. Channel into a new direction.71. A flat-bottomed volcanic crater that wasformed by an explosion.72. (usually followed by `to') Having the nec-essary means or skill or know-how or authori-ty to do something.75. A dissolute man in fashionable society.76. An independent agency of the UnitedStates government responsible for collectingand coordinating intelligence and counterin-telligence activities abroad in the nationalinterest.80. An associate degree in nursing.

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inf or m at ionTHURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

Ahmadi Sama Safwan Fahaeel Makka St 23915883Abu Halaifa Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd 23715414Danat Al-Sultan Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd 23726558

Jahra Modern Jahra Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 24575518Madina Munawara Jahra-Block 92 24566622

Capital Ahlam Fahad Al-Salem St 22436184Khaldiya Coop Khaldiya Coop 24833967

Farwaniya New Shifa Farwaniya Block 40 24734000Ferdous Coop Ferdous Coop 24881201Modern Safwan Old Kheitan Block 11 24726638

Hawally Tariq Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St 25726265Hana Salmiya-Amman St 25647075Ikhlas Hawally-Beirut St 22625999Hawally & Rawdha Hawally & Rawdha Coop 22564549Ghadeer Jabriya-Block 1A 25340559Kindy Jabriya-Block 3B 25326554Ibn Al-Nafis Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St 25721264Mishrif Coop Mishrif Coop 25380581Salwa Coop Salwa Coop 25628241

OphthalmologistsDr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223

Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426

General PractitionersDr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501

UrologistsDr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427

For labor-related inquiries and complaints:

Call MSAL hotline 128

Sabah Hospital 24812000

Amiri Hospital 22450005

Maternity Hospital 24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital 25312700

Chest Hospital 24849400

Farwaniya Hospital 24892010

Adan Hospital 23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital 24840300

Al-Razi Hospital 24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital 24874330/9

Kaizen center 25716707

Rawda 22517733

Adaliya 22517144

Khaldiya 24848075

Kaifan 24849807

Shamiya 24848913

Shuwaikh 24814507

Abdullah Salem 22549134

Nuzha 22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh 24814764

Qadsiya 22515088

Dasmah 22532265

Bneid Al-Gar 22531908

Shaab 22518752

Qibla 22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla 22451082

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

Ardhiya 24884079

Firdous 24892674

Omariya 24719048

N Khaitan 24710044

Fintas 23900322

Al-Madeena 22418714

Al-Shuhada 22545171

Al-Shuwaikh 24810598

Al-Nuzha 22545171

Sabhan 24742838

Al-Helaly 22434853

Al-Faiha 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

GOVERNORATE PHARMACY ADDRESS PHONE

Plastic Surgeons

Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf 22547272

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari 22617700

Dr. Abdel Quttainah 25625030/60

Family Doctor

Dr Divya Damodar 23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists

Dr. Esam Al-Ansari 22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan 22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians

DrAdrian arbe 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. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer 22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher 25327148

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

Paediatricians

Dr. Khaled Hamadi 25665898

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard 25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar 22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof 25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare 23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew 24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon

Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada) 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

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri 25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan 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

Physiotherapists & VD

Dr. Deyaa Shehab 25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees 22666288

Rheumatologists:

Dr. Adel Al-Awadi 25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah 25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart

DR.Mohammes Akkad 24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital

Consultant Cardiologist

Dr. Farida Al-Habib 2611555-2622555 MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

Soor CenterTel: 2290-1677Fax: 2290 1688

info@soorcenter.comwww.soorcenter.com

Psychologists/Psychotherapists

PRIVATE CLINICS

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Kaizen center25716707

Afghanistan 0093Albania 00355Algeria 00213Andorra 00376Angola 00244Anguilla 001264Antiga 001268Argentina 0054Armenia 00374Australia 0061Austria 0043Bahamas 001242Bahrain 00973Bangladesh 00880Barbados 001246Belarus 00375Belgium 0032Belize 00501Benin 00229Bermuda 001441Bhutan 00975Bolivia 00591Bosnia 00387Botswana 00267Brazil 0055Brunei 00673Bulgaria 00359Burkina 00226Burundi 00257Cambodia 00855Cameroon 00237Canada 001Cape Verde 00238Cayman Islands 001345Central African 00236Chad 00235Chile 0056China 0086Colombia 0057Comoros 00269Congo 00242Cook Islands 00682Costa Rica 00506Croatia 00385Cuba 0053Cyprus 00357Cyprus (Northern) 0090392Czech Republic 00420Denmark 0045Diego Garcia 00246Djibouti 00253Dominica 001767Dominican Republic 001809Ecuador 00593Egypt 0020El Salvador 00503England (UK) 0044Equatorial Guinea 00240Eritrea 00291Estonia 00372Ethiopia 00251Falkland Islands 00500Faroe Islands 00298Fiji 00679Finland 00358France 0033French Guiana 00594French Polynesia 00689Gabon 00241Gambia 00220Georgia 00995Germany 0049Ghana 00233Gibraltar 00350Greece 0030Greenland 00299Grenada 001473Guadeloupe 00590Guam 001671Guatemala 00502Guinea 00224Guyana 00592Haiti 00509Holland (Netherlands) 0031Honduras 00504Hong Kong 00852Hungary 0036Ibiza (Spain) 0034Iceland 00354India 0091Indian Ocean 00873Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098Iraq 00964Ireland 00353Italy 0039Ivory Coast 00225Jamaica 001876Japan 0081Jordan 00962Kazakhstan 007Kenya 00254Kiribati 00686Kuwait 00965Kyrgyzstan 00996Laos 00856Latvia 00371Lebanon 00961Liberia 00231Libya 00218Lithuania 00370Luxembourg 00352Macau 00853Macedonia 00389Madagascar 00261Majorca 0034Malawi 00265Malaysia 0060Maldives 00960Mali 00223Malta 00356Marshall Islands 00692Martinique 00596Mauritania 00222Mauritius 00230Mayotte 00269Mexico 0052Micronesia 00691Moldova 00373Monaco 00377Mongolia 00976Montserrat 001664Morocco 00212Mozambique 00258Myanmar (Burma) 0095Namibia 00264Nepal 00977Netherlands (Holland)0031Netherlands Antilles 00599New Caledonia 00687New Zealand 0064Nicaragua 00505Nigar 00227Nigeria 00234Niue 00683Norfolk Island 00672Northern Ireland (UK)0044North Korea 00850Norway 0047Oman 00968Pakistan 0092Palau 00680Panama 00507Papua New Guinea 00675Paraguay 00595Peru 0051Philippines 0063Poland 0048Portugal 00351Puerto Rico 001787Qatar 00974Romania 0040Russian Federation 007Rwanda 00250Saint Helena 00290Saint Kitts 001869Saint Lucia 001758Saint Pierre 00508Saint Vincent 001784Samoa US 00684Samoa West 00685San Marino 00378Sao Tone 00239Saudi Arabia 00966Scotland (UK) 0044Senegal 00221Seychelles 00284Sierra Leone 00232Singapore 0065Slovakia 00421Slovenia 00386Solomon Islands 00677

INTERNATIONALCALLS

THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

l if e s t y l eG O S S I P

George Clooney and Stacy Keiblersplit over the phone. The ‘Argo’actor and the former WWE wrestler

made a joint decision to part ways due toconflicting work schedules after over twoyears of dating, but rather than end theirrelationship face-to-face they did it duringa call. A source told TMZ: “Both sides real-ized there is no way to have a relationshipwhen you don’t see each other.” Duringthe conversation George, 52, repeatedlytold Stacy, 33, he wanted to remain friendsbecause that’s how their relationship start-ed. The source added: “He was veryrespectful; adult about the situation ... he

reminded Stacy that they were friendsbefore they dated and wants to be friendsafter.” The couple had grown apart overthe last three months, with George inEurope working on a movie and Stacy inLos Angeles working on her new TV show‘Supermarket Superstar’. As George wasdue to stay in Berlin, Germany, untilDecember, and Stacy didn’t want to spendthe next five months seeing theHollywood heartthrob sporadically. It hasalso been claimed the blonde beauty waskeen to start a family and have a baby,something George wasn’t prepared tocommit to.

Clooney and Keibler split!

Steven Tyler accidentally crashed awedding in New York. The Aerosmithfrontman and former ‘American Idol’

judge walked into the wedding receptionof Jeffrey Roseman in Washington D.C. lastweekend, but rather than sneaking outagain, he was more than happy to wish thehappy couple well and pose for photos.Property broker Jeffrey, who marriedShirley Ramos, told the New York Postnewspaper: “He could not have been moregracious and accommodating. “We wereconvinced that were it not for his ornerybodyguard, we could have had Steven Tylerparty with us all night.” Steven’s compas-sionate side doesn’t end there, asAerosmith played a benefit concert inJapan after their nuclear crisis in 2011, and

he explained how he felt the band neededto do it to pay back to a country which hasalways embraced his music. He told theHuffington Post: “We felt in our hearts thatthere was something we could do and thatwe should do at that time. Aerosmith’shuge in Japan and we have been since thefirst day we got there. “I think we took ourfear and packed it away. It was time to getthem happy, even for a moment. It waskind of like the USO [United ServiceOrganisations, bringing what we’ve gotover to them. “This concert was a no-brain-er. ‘Are we going to get hurt?’ Of course wewent over there with antibiotics and what-ever they say to take, but I don’t think theradiation was that bad. It was more aboutmaking them happy.”

Wedding crasher

Steven Tyler

Amber Heard:The island is

my private life

Amber Heard’s is refusing to talk about her rela-tionship with Johnny Depp. The 27-year-oldactress is keen to keep details of her romance

with the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ star secret and out ofthe public domain. When asked about details of herand Johnny’s trips to the 50-year-old actor’s privateisland in the Bahamas, Amber told Bullett magazine:“The island ... is my private life.” Johnny reportedlynamed a beach on his private island after his girlfriendAmber - who he has dated since splitting from hispartner Vanessa Paradis after 14 years in June 2012.Amber has two films coming up, American thriller‘Paranoia’ and action film ‘Machete Kills’, wants to turnthe focus back to her acting career and thinks she hasmore to offer than just a pretty face and a stunningfigure. She added: “I have something more to offer

than the superficial stuff. When my agents gothrough the initial filtering process, I’ve asked

them to always put scripts that don’t havethe first descriptor of the character as

beautiful, sexy, or hot at the topof the pile.”

Lohantold to expand

rehab stay

Lindsay Lohanhas beenadvised to

spend another 30days in rehab. The27-year-old actresshas been urged toextend her stay atthe Cliffside facilityin Malibu beyondJuly 31 - which iswhen she com-pletes her 90 daysof court-orderedrehabilitation -because doctorswant to make sureshe makes a fullrecovery from hersubstance abuseissues. However,the troubled starhas told pals shewon’t be staying aminute longer thanshe has to. A source told RadarOnline.com: “Lindsayhas been doing so well at Cliffside. She is respond-ing very, very well to treatment. “The treatmentteam wants Lindsay to stay for at least another 30days, because she didn’t do her entire 90 days atCliffside. Someone with her addiction and psychi-atric issues needs extensive treatment and 90 daysjust isn’t enough. “She is in a really good place rightnow, but her doctors want that to continue.” ‘TheCanyons’ star - who has battled alcohol and drugabuse in the past - was forced to spend threemonths in rehab as part of a deal she struck toavoid jail after lying to police officers about drivingin a car accident last year. The actress is said to beresponding well to the 12-step programme and hasbeen telling friends she “wants to get back to hertrue self”. The actress is determined to kick heraddiction and is planning on moving in with her

mother, Dina, when she is released from theclinic in a bid to clean up her act. Dina said:

“She will definitely start back at homewith all of us.”

Eva Longoria’s newboyfriend is allegedly$4 million in debt.

Ernesto Arguello - who metthe ‘Desperate Housewives’actress through a realityshow she produced -reportedly declared him-self bankrupt last year,claiming that he had a sev-en-figure deficit and hadonly $5 in cash available.According to a Chapter 7bankruptcy filing obtainedby National Enquirer maga-zine, the entrepreneur saidhis liabilities totaled $4.1million, while his assetsadded up to just $1,555.The alarming revelationhas led to friends close tothe 38-year-old beauty,who is reportedly worth$35 million, raising con-cerns about her buddingromance. A source said:“Eva needs to slow downand really discover what

Ernesto is all about. “We do know one thing, though - Eva will probably be picking upthe cheque for a while.” Eva recently went public with her romance with Ernesto, 34,who she met through ‘Ready for Love’, which she produced for US TV channel NBC lastyear. The matchmaking reality show attempted to find potential love connections forthree eligible bachelors, including Ernesto. The actress - who divorced ex-husband,basketball player Tony Parker, in January 2011 - revealed that she and the Miami-based businessman became friends on set and a romance soon blossomed. She said:“I think that’s why our relationship is so special - we truly started as friends.”

Longoria’sboyfriend

$4 million in debt

Courteney Cox’s new boyfriend says she is “phenome-nal”. Actor Brian Van Holt - who plays the star’s ex-hus-band in her hit sitcom ‘Cougar Town’ - was full of com-

pliments for his girlfriend, who he has reportedly been see-ing for six months, when quizzed about their budding rela-tionship. He gushed to Us Weekly magazine: “Courteney’samazing; Courteney’s phenomenal.” The 43-year-old actorhas starred alongside Courtney, 49, in the TV series for fouryears and it’s thought their on-set friendship has developedinto a more romantic relationship over the last year, follow-ing her divorce from actor husband David Arquette in May.Courteney first separated from her ‘Scream’ co-star David -

with whom she has nine-year-old daughter Coco - in 2010.The former ‘Friends’ actress and Brian were spotted enjoyingdinner with Coco at West Hollywood’s Chin Lin eatery earlierthis year, and a witness said they “acted like boyfriend andgirlfriend”. It seems Courteney’s young daughter approvesof her new relationship, also, as she is said to have been“extremely comfortable” with Brian. A source said: “Shetreated him like a dad or an uncle.” David, 41, previouslyaccused Courteney of having an “emotional affair” with herco-star following their separation in 2010. However, theactor has since moved on and is now dating TV presenterChristina McLarty.

Cox’s new boyfriend raves she is ‘phenomenal’

Jeremy Renner has put his Beverly Hillsmansion on the market for $25 million.The ‘Bourne Legacy’ actor is looking to

make a profit from one of his real estatedeals by putting his Holmby Hills estate -which he purchased with business partnersin 2010 for $7 million - with a sale currentlypending for $18 million more than his orig-inal buying price. The lavish 6-bedroom,11-bathroom modern build in Holmby Hillswas on the market for six months before aninterested buyer came along, Trulia.com isreporting. It seems Jeremy knows his stuffwhen it comes to real estate, managing tomore than triple the property’s worth byhiring top architect Philip Vertoch to reno-vate the home over the last three years, kit-ting it out with designs by KristofferWinters. Nicknamed The Reserve, the spa-cious build spans 10,000 square-feet andfeatures five fireplaces, a home theatre, pri-vate spa and pool. It is likely Jeremy’sprospective buyer could be a fellow A-lis-

ter, since the ultra modern home is locatedon two acres of gardens and boasts a hightech security system to banish intruders.Meanwhile, the 42-year-old actor lives in amore modest apartment in Los Angeleswith his ex-girlfriend Sonni Pacheco, aCanadian model, and their four-month-olddaughter Ava Berlin.

Renner to make $18mn profit from property sale

Cheryl Cole’s childhood dog will undergoradiotherapy to be treated for cancer. The30-year-old singer is devastated that her

elderly Jack Russell mutt Kiera - who is 98 yearsold in human years - has fallen seriously ill withcancer and will need to endure an intense sessionof radiation, while spending up to three weeksunder medical supervision. Posting a picture ofher beloved pet pooch on Instagram yesterdayCheryl wrote: “I have had her since she was twomonths old and I was 16. “Tomorrow she hasradiotherapy and will be in doggy hospital for twoto three weeks.” The ‘Call My Name’ hitmaker - whoowns four adorable dogs - is heartbroken at thethought of losing her furry friend and has beggedher fans to send “happy vibes” and pray for littleKiera. She said: “Will you help me send her happyvibes and pray for her with me please? “She’s myoldest baby and it ’s breaking my heart.” Thebrunette beauty previously claimed her petChihuahua Buster is gay and has a thing for othermale dogs. She said: “I have two Chihuahuas,Buster and Coco, and I have two Jack Russells.

Cole’s dog has cancer

THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

l if e s t y l eF A S H I O N

Bollywood superstar Shah RukhKhan has announced the arrival ofhis new baby boy born to a surro-

gate mother, and denied rumors of anillegal pre-natal gender test. In a state-ment released late Tuesday, Khan said heand his wife Gauri had kept quiet on thematter owing to their “emotional strife”after the child, named AbRam, was bornseveral months premature. “Just to putthe record straight there was no sexdetermination for our child,” said Khan,47, adding that the baby was born

before such suspicions arose in themedia.

Mumbai officials said last week theyhad received confirmation from a cityhospital that a baby boy was born onMay 27 to the Khans. Rumors surfaced in

June that the Khans were expecting aboy, raising speculation they had carriedout a sex test. Such a test is illegal inIndia, to try to prevent parents abortingfemale foetuses.

On seeing the reports, the IndianRadiological and Imaging Associationwrote to health officials demanding aninvestigation. Khan, one of Bollywood’sbiggest crowd-pullers, already has twoteenage children, a girl and a boy. Thestar of “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge”(“The Braveheart will get the Bride”) and“My Name Is Khan” confirmed his newchild was born by surrogacy, an arrange-ment in which a woman carries the childof another couple.

“The entire process is bound by strictconfidentiality. We would appeal to all,to allow us to cherish this privatemoment as a family,” Khan said. Back in2011 fellow Bollywood megastar AamirKhan and his wife also had a baby boyusing a surrogate mother. Shah RukhKhan topped the first Forbes IndiaCelebrity 100 list earlier this year withannual estimated earnings of $37.7 mil-lion. — AFP

Bollywood’s Khan denies gender test rumors

Indian Bollywood film actor ShahRukh Khan and his wife Gauri Khanpose on the red carpet at the pre-miere of the Hindi film ‘Jab Tak HaiJaan’ in Mumbai. — AFP/AP photos

US musicians Ben Harper and Charlie Mussel white perform on the stage of the Niceís Jazz Festival on July 9, 2013 in Nice, southeastern France. — AFP

With the drama of a summer block-buster, the dustup over the rights to afilm title has turned into a public bat-

tle between Harvey Weinstein and Warner BrosDisputed is the claim to the title “The Butler,”which the Weinstein Co has promoted as thename of an upcoming drama about a WhiteHouse butler. An arbitrator last week ruledWarner Bros has the right to “The Butler,” havingreleased a so-named silent short in 1916.

Weinstein, appalled that his potential Oscarbait could be derailed by such an old, inconse-quential film, took to “CBS This Morning” onTuesday to claim Warner Bros. has an “ulteriormotive” in refusing to allow use of the title. Inan interview later with The Associated Press, heclaimed that Warner Bros. is using the “Butler”dispute to attempt to extort his share of thethree-part series “The Hobbit,” of which heowns a percentage having developed the “Lordof the Rings” trilogy while running Miramax.“They mentioned that if I gave up ‘The Hobbit,’they could make the title problem go away,”Weinstein said.

The film, directed by Lee Daniels and star-ring Forrest Whitaker, is to be released Aug 16.It’s based on the life of White House butlerEugene Allen, whose service extended throughdecades of US presidents. Weinstein acknowl-edged that when he bought the project at thescript stage from Sony, “We thought that theyhad cleared it (the title).” He said bargainingbetween the heads of distribution for WarnerBros and the Weinstein Co. was movingsmoothly “and then all of a sudden it changed.”“There’s never been a DVD of it,” he said of the1916 short. “It’s never been on television. Whatare they protecting?”

A certain number of Hollywood titles areprotected by the Title Registration Bureau, ofwhich the Weinstein Co and Warner Bros volun-

tarily subscribe to, agreeing to be bound by itsrules to prevent public confusion over similarlytitled films. The registry, a division of theMotion Picture Association of America, medi-ates any disputes, which are usually resolvedquietly with some horse trading. Warner Brosre-registered the title in recent years, but hasno known plans to use it.

Weinstein is appealing the decision and hasenlisted attorney David Boies to represent thecompany in the matter. He claims possiblealternatives like “White House Butler” and “LeeDaniels’ Butler” are already registered. “I hopewe get a good result,” said Weinstein. “If not,we’ll go to court with a restraining order andDavid will file saying this is anti-competition.”Warner Bros issued a statement Tuesday claim-ing Weinstein was using the matter to publicizehis film “by disseminating deliberate misinfor-mation.” The studio claims the Weinstein Co “isfollowing an oft-trodden path of creating ‘well-publicized controversies’ in order to promotetheir films by disseminating deliberate misin-formation about the true nature of this dispute.

“The Weinsteins are sophisticated experts inthis arena and three neutral arbitrators havepenalized them for blatantly disregardingMPAA rules. It goes without saying that WarnerBros has no issue with Lee Daniels’ film (neverhas) and fully supports the artistic goals of thefilmmakers. The Weinsteins’ suggestions to thecontrary are deeply offensive and untrue.”Weinstein has taken advantage of such spatsbefore for the generated publicity. Last year,he launched a public attack against the MPAAover its initial R rating (due to harsh language)for the anti-bullying documentary “Bully.” Afterthe film was initially released unrated, it wasedited slightly and the MPAA changed the rat-ing to PG-13.

“People are always saying you’re maximizing

a controversy,” said Weinstein. “I’d rather havethe title than the controversy. We have to takeour trailers down. We have to take our postersdown. We’ve already taken our website down.And if we don’t do it, it’s $25,000 a day.” Inrecent days, Deadline.com has posted angryback-and-forth letters between Bois andWarner Bros attorney John Spiegel. Spiegel hascited previous Weinstein or Miramax titles thatdisregarded the procedures of the title registry,and had to then pay, for films like “Scream,” “IlPostino” and 2007’s “Control,” for whichWeinstein paid $100,000 to use the title.

“What are they doing, trying to teach me alesson?” says Weinstein. “These big corpora-tions just think they can bully the little guy.”Certainly, when Weinstein is claiming the plightof the underdog, there’s a degree ofHollywood-style bluster. On “CBS This Morning,”MPAA chairman Chris Dodd urged cooler headsto prevail, telling both sides: “Sit down andwork it out. This is silly.” — AP

Weinstein, Warner Bros spar over

‘The Butler’

File photo shows Harvey Weinstein, film pro-ducer and co-chairman of The WeinsteinCompany, is shown in New York. — AP

Rapper Jay Z is taking promo to the next lev-el, selling a million copies of his latestalbum to Samsung for smartphone distri-

bution and going on a six-hour Twitterthon withfans. The American musician holds the title formost No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 chart fora solo artist and “Magna Carta ... Holy Grail,” has agood shot of being his 13th record to shoot toNo. 1.

But not all critics were impressed with themusic and at least one ravaged the Samsungdeal. “Magna Carta,” out on wide release thisweek, sees Jay Z teaming up with old colleaguessuch as producers Timbaland and PharrellWilliams, Justin Timberlake on “Holy Grail,”Beyonce on “Part II (On the Run)” and newcomerGrammy-winning artist Frank Ocean on “Oceans.”

Jay Z, 43, spent six hours on Twitter Monday,answering questions from fan about the album,his first since becoming a father to Blue Ivy, hischild with wife Beyonce. He said his favorite trackon the album was “Oceans,” which is also the old-est song on the album, having been recordedtwo years ago. On the track, Jay Z raps about thestruggles of his race and his rise to the top.

The American rapper, whose real name isShawn Carter, is known as an innovator in rapand hip-hop who started out on the streets of

Brooklyn in the early 1990s. When asked by a fanif “Magna Carta” showcased a new era in hip-hop,he replied “only time will tell, let’s hope it starts adialogue.” Family is the underlying theme in“Magna Carta.” But Jay Z also raps about the frus-trations of fame, and praises the finer things inlife, on tracks such as “Picasso” and “Tom Ford,”named after the luxury-brand fashion designer.

So far, the album has earned a middling scoreof 58 out of 100 on review aggregatorMetacritic.com. Los Angeles Times reviewerRandall Roberts gave the album three out of four

stars, praising the record for being “shimmering,heavy and at times sonically stunning.”

But New York Times’ critic Jon Pareles was lesswelcoming, criticizing the rapper’s extensive useof designer names and luxury goods in his lyrics.He does give Jay Z credit, however, for songs that“aren’t cocky or neatly resolved.” EntertainmentWeekly’s Kyle Anderson gave the album a ‘D’ rat-ing and called it “lazy, smug and fundamentallyempty.” Anderson was also highly critical aboutthe Samsung deal.

“The way it has been presented as a capital-IImportant piece of art about ‘duality’ (Jay’s word,not mine), delivered to us via the power of corpo-rate marketing and Samsung-sponsored data-mining, I find absolutely putrid,” Anderson said.While Billboard will not count the million copiessold to Samsung and offered free to users, themagazine’s chart analyst, Keith Caulfield, wroteon Monday that industry projections suggest thealbum may sell between 350,000 and 400,000copies in its first week.

That number would put “Magna Carta” behindJustin Timberlake’s “The 20/20 Experience” whichsold 968,000 copies in its first week in March, butahead of the second-best album debut this year,Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories,” whichsold 339,000 copies in May. — Reuters

Jay Z�s �Magna Carta�:Promo writ large, but critics hold ba

Jay Z

Top Songs:1. “Blurred Lines (feat. T.I. & Pharrell),” Robin Thicke2. “We Can’t Stop,” Miley Cyrus3. “Radioactive,” Imagine Dragons4. “Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell Williams),” Daft Punk5. “Treasure,” Bruno Mars6. “Can’t Hold Us (feat. Ray Dalton),” Ryan Lewis,Macklemore7. “Cruise (Remix) (feat. Nelly),” Florida GeorgiaLine8. “Same Love (feat. Mary Lambert)”, Macklemore& Ryan Lewis9. “Cups (Pitch Pefect’s “When I’m Gone” - Pop

Version), Anna Kendrick10. “Come & Get It,” Selena Gomez Top Albums:1. “Magna Carta Holy Grail,” Jay-Z2. “Born Sinner,” J Cole3. “The Gifted,” Wale4. “Night Visions,” Imagine Dragons5. “Yeezus,” Kanye West6. “Pitch Perfect,” Various Artists7. “Random Access Memories,” Daft Punk8. “The Heist,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis9. “Here’s to the Good Times,” Florida Georgia Line10. “Glorious Ruins (Live),” Hillsong Live — AP

The top 10 songs and albums on the iTunes Store

South Korean pop icon Rain was offi-cially released from mandatory mili-tary service yesterday, with hun-

dreds of fans shedding tears of joy overthe star’s comeback. About 700 devoteesfrom South Korea and abroad explodedinto ecstatic cheers as the 31-year-old K-pop star emerged from the defence min-istry building in Seoul, where he hadgone to receive his discharge papers.Some banner-carrying fans, weary fromcamping out overnight in drizzling rain,broke into tears as the star walked outwearing a military uniform.

“Thank you all for coming to welcomeme. I’ll do my best. I love you all,” Yonhapnews agency quoted the singer as say-ing, as he gave fans a military salute.Rain, whose real name is Jung Ji-Hoon, isone of the biggest names in the world ofK-pop, which commands a huge follow-ing in South Korea, across much of Asiaand beyond. In January, he was confinedto barracks for a week after he wascaught sneaking out for to meet a loveinterest while on official duty. He wasdating a Kim Tae-Hee, a TV drama starwith a massive following in Japan.

South Korean men are obligated toserve about two years in the country’sarmed forces. Military service is takenextremely seriously in South Korea,which remains technically at war withNorth Korea because their 1950-53 con-flict ended with a ceasefire rather than apeace treaty. Apart from those with phys-ical disabilities, exemptions are rare and

anyone refusing to serve-for moral orreligious reasons-faces an automatic jailterm. Celebrities are frequently caughtattempting to evade military service forfear they might be forgotten by their fanswhile in uniform. “Gangnam Style” starPsy was forced to serve twice after itemerged he had furthered his showbizinterests during his first stint. — AFP

K-pop star Rain finishes military service

South Korean pop icon Rain gives a militarysalute after his discharge from mandatorymilitary service outside the Defence Ministryin Seoul yesterday. —AFP

You can take a break from the spot-light, Kanye and Jay-Z-GQ posted alist of the 25 worst rappers of all

time on Tuesday. On his list, writer RobTannenbaum named the Insane ClownPosse as the biggest offenders to the rapgame. But there were folks not in circusface paint that made his slideshow too.

Just barely making the list at No. 25 isTom Green, who apparently dabbled in aCanada-only release of his rap record“Prepare for Impact” in 2005. Consideryourself lucky, United States - the albumhas a song titled, “Don’t Mess With A Man(After He Takes A Big Poo Poo).”

Other notables to the countdowninclude the not-all-that-funny JoaquinPhoenix rapping hoax for the mocku-mentary “I’m Still Here” at No. 22, and thesqueaky-clean rhymes of “Fresh Prince ofBel Air” Will Smith at 20. Madonna hastried to rap (and we’ve tried to forgetabout the efforts), making the list at No.15. Puff Daddy - one of the only actualrappers on the list - came in at No. 6. Nomention by Tannenbaum of the now-Diddy’s famous groan-inducing line, “I’m

the macaroni with the cheese.”Here is the top - err, bottom - 5:5. Kevin Federline (Yes, that guy)4. Vanilla Ice (A given)3. Chet Haze (aka Hank’s son Chester)2. Spencer Pratt (Yes, that guy)1. Insane Clown Posse (Don’t even

start, Juggalos) —Reuters

GQ names Insane Clown Posse‘worst rappers of all time’

Insane Clown Posse

THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

l if e s t y l eT R A V E L

LENIN

Syria’s glorious archaeologicaltreasures destroyed as war ragesBy Ellen Creager

Afew years ago, I traveledthrough Syria as a tourist.One of the most striking

spots was remote Palmyra, withits pristine Roman ruins. Now,nobody really knows what hashappened to it. Last reports wereof tanks parked amid the ancientcolumns while reckless fighterslooted the site. It’s sickening andsad. But that is not all. The 23-month-old civil war has destroyedfamilies and Syrian society, killingan estimated 70,000 people,according to the United Nations.It has also destroyed precious her-itage sites and the nation’s fledg-ling tourist industry.

Just as in Iraq, Lebanon andSarajevo before it, cruel realitiesof war in Syria push to the back ofthe priority list the need for his-toric preservation, even if thatpreservation is woven into thenation’s soul. Everything preciousblasts apart, is violated and dam-aged. The things that make a civi-lization whole and beautiful van-ish amid the bloodshed. Can it berebuilt? Civilizations try. But somethings, you can never get back.

Many Americans claim roots inSyria, one of the world’s oldestnations. It has got to hurt to seethe heartbreaking devastation ofso many landmarks that used tobe the pride of Syrians I metthere. Krak des Chevaliers, thebest-preserved Crusader castle inthe world, has been shot up. Iremember having a pleasantluncheon in its cafe, whose ownerhad relatives in Michigan. Ibought a scarf there, made ofblue silk, which I still wear.

Bosra, a glorious ancientRoman city near Syria’s borderwith Jordan, reportedly also hastank damage. I remember it as amagnetic spot of blue-black stonewhere I sat on the steps of theRoman amphitheatre in the after-noon sun.

Aleppo’s famous and livelysouk (market) was set afire andburned down. Its glorious 12th-century Aleppo Central(Umayyad) Mosque was defacedand damaged. It makes you feellike crying. Ma’loula, the Aramaicvillage that sits high amid hills,reportedly is still intact. Will it staythat way? It’s uncertain. I will nev-er forget the sight of the pale bluebuildings and women in longhabits, serenely walking thestreets.

Now, there are reports of carbombings in the nation’s capitalof Damascus, 2,300 years old. Iremember walking the bazaarwith its scent of rich spices. Iwalked on the Street calledStraight. I remember riding pastthe American Embassy. War nowcreeps beyond its edges.

As happened in Iraq, criminalshave moved into Syria to system-atically loot archaeological treas-ures and smuggle them over theLebanese and Turkish borders tothe black market, warns theUnited Nations Educational,Scientific and CulturalOrganization. These artifacts datefrom the time of the Sumerians,Romans, Parthians, earlyChristians and early Islam, and arenot even remotely replaceable.

So, it’s bad. The terrified peopleand their beautiful land green andlush in the north, sandy in theeast, Mediterranean splendor inthe west, its road to Damascus arehunkered down as war rages. Butyou have to keep hoping.

One day, perhaps, Syria will livewithout a dictator, whose giganticand threatening image was plas-tered all over its buildings when Ivisited. The citizens will be safeand free. Tourist sites will reopen.And some archaeological treas-ures successfully hidden from thebad people can be brought backinto the light. But we won’t knowuntil the fighting stops and thehealing begins. —MCT

The remote ruins of Palmyra riselike a mirage out of the semi-desert near an oasis in centralSyria. Beyond the ruins on a hillbeyond is a 17th-Century Islamiccitadel. — MCT

THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

l if e s t y l eF E A T U R E S

Montana’s capital is perfectly positioned as a halfway pointbetween Glacier and Yellowstone national parks, but visi-tors often decide to extend their stopovers once they

get a feel for the city’s burgeoning art scene and its accessiblehiking, biking and skiing trails. Helena is a city built on gold. Itwas founded in 1864 when four miners who had been searchingunsuccessfully for the precious metal decided this spot on theeastern slope of the Rocky Mountains would be their “lastchance.” They struck gold, and Last Chance Gulch became themain street of the city that by the late 1800s boasted more mil-lionaires per capita than any other in the world. That history of

wealth can still be seen in the ornate homes of the MansionDistrict, the state Capitol and the gothic Cathedral of St. Helena,but you don’t have to be a millionaire to enjoy what this city hasto offer.

Here are five free things to do in Helena.

Hike or bike the Helena ridge trailA free shuttle wends its way up Grizzly Gulch south of town

and drops hikers and bicyclists off at the trailhead of thisNational Recreation Trail. After an initial ascent up a set of switch-backs, it’s a pleasant 6-mile (9.6-kilometer) stroll or ride throughthe Helena National Forest along the well-marked trail back totown. The trail provides stunning views of forested mountainsand the Prickly Pear Valley, but the payoff comes at the end at

the summit of Mount Helena. The 5,400-foot (1,646-meter) peakgives visitors a bird’s-eye view of the city laid out below.

Do the brayHundreds of otherworldly sculptures are hidden amid the ruins

and overgrown fields of the Archie Bray Foundation for theCeramic Arts just outside of the city. A self-guided walking tour ofits 26 acres (10.5 hectares) shows the renowned center isn’t justabout making homemade vases. Each corner turned revealsanother surreal offering from its former residents, from stunningarchways to a towering brick pyramid to abstract sculptures a visi-tor will just have to figure out for herself. The Bray was created in1951 by brick marker Archie Bray to stimulate creative work inceramics. It offers very competitive artist residencies, and a visitorwho hangs out long enough outside the studios may get an invita-tion to check out the works in progress.

Cross-country ski (or hike) the continental divideThe MacDonald Pass cross-country ski area offers more than 10

miles (17 kilometers) of trails in the backcountry of the ContinentalDivide just 15 miles (24 kilometers) west of town. In other seasons,hikers can wander the trails around the pass and link up with theContinental Divide Trail that stretches from Mexico to Canada, buton winter weekends, residents flock to the pass, with practicedskiers gracefully dodging families out for their first try on the clas-sic ski tracks. Come early or on a weekday, and a visitor will findpeaceful silence skiing among the ponderosa and lodge pole pinetrees. There is something for everyone on these interconnectedtrails, from the relatively flat 3-mile (4.8-kilometer) Old Cabin loopto the more harrowing Meadows Loop with its steep, sharp turns.Most of the trails are groomed by the Last Chance Nordic Ski Club,and they ask that visitors either leave their pets behind or takethem to the other side of U.S. Highway 12 for a romp in the snowon the pass.

Listen to free outdoor concertsResidents stake out their spots early for the annual Symphony

Under the Stars on the Carroll College lawn with blankets weigheddown by canned goods that will later be donated to the HelenaFood Share. By the time the 75-piece Helena Symphony strikes upits first overture, some 12,000 people are sipping wine, samplingfrom the food trucks or rolling with their children down the steepgrassy slope of the lawn. The free concert is being held this year onJuly 20, when the sun doesn’t set until after 9 pm. The music iscapped with a fireworks show. Other free summertime concertsdowntown include Alive at 5 every Wednesday evening and Out toLunch every Thursday at 11:30 am in the Great Northern Town

Center. For a schedule, please seehttp://downtownhelena.com/events/events-calendar .

Walk the farmer’s marketBuskers on violin and guitar provide the soundtrack for the place

to see and be seen in Helena on Saturday mornings. It’s a slow-mov-ing procession down the three blocks of the farmer’s market as

neighbors stop to chat, dogs romp and kids dart around the grown-ups’ legs chasing each other. Lining the street on either side are ven-dors that include Hmong and Hutterite farmers selling their locallygrown produce and meat, along with local artisans selling every-thing from bath soap to birdhouses. Special treats include the giantbags of kettle corn and Flathead cherries that come later in the sum-mer - but you’ll have to open your wallet to sample those. — AP

5 free things in Helena, Mont, from art to trails

This 2009 photograph shows a musician on stage at theannual Symphony Under the Stars concert on theCarroll College lawn in Helena, Mont. —AP photos

Photograph shows the crowd at the annual SymphonyUnder the Stars concert on the Carroll College lawn.

Photo shows sculptures scattered across the 26-acregrounds of the Archie Bray Foundation for the CeramicArts.

Photo shows a jogger runs along a trail on MountHelena.

MacDonald Pass, which offers more than 10 miles oftrails in the backcountry of the Continental Divide just15 miles west of Helena, Mont.

Aprofessor at an Indiana college sayshe has found film footage showingPresident Franklin Delano Roosevelt

being pushed in his wheelchair, depicting asecret that was hidden from the public untilafter his death. Ray Begovich, a journalismprofessor at Franklin College south ofIndianapolis, said Tuesday he found theeight-second clip (http://bit.ly/12YW5Bp )while conducting unrelated research in theNational Archives in College Park, Md. TheNational Archives and the FDR PresidentialMuseum and Library couldn’t say for certainif other such footage exists but both said itis at least rare.

Roosevelt contracted polio in 1921 atage 39 and was unable to walk without legbraces or assistance. During his four termsas president, Roosevelt often used a wheel-chair in private, but not for public appear-ances. News photographers cooperated inconcealing Roosevelt’s disability, and those

who did not found their camera viewsblocked by Secret Service agents, accordingto the FDR Presidential Museum andLibrary’s website.

“This raw film clip may be the firstmotion picture images of the president inhis wheelchair, and it was never meant to beshown to the world,” Begovich said. BobClark, supervisory archivist at the Rooseveltlibrary in New York, said he wasn’t aware ofany other similar film. A spokeswoman forthe National Archives concurred. “Withrespect to whether or not this is the earliestor only existing footage of FDR in a wheel-chair, we cannot state that this is definitivelythe case, although such footage is certainlyrare,” Laura Diachenko said in an email.

The film shows Roosevelt visiting theUSS Baltimore at Pearl Harbor in July 1944.Eight seconds of the clip show Rooseveltexiting a doorway on the ship and beingescorted down what is apparently a ramp.

The wheelchair is not clearly visible becausethe view of the president is screened by aline of sailors, but Roosevelt’s distinctivewhite hat can be seen gliding past the menat a lower level. Roosevelt, at 6-foot-2, waslikely taller than most of the soldiers.

Although Roosevelt’s disability was virtu-ally a state secret during his presidency,which spanned the Great Depression andmost of World War II, it has become an inspi-ration to advocates who successfullypushed for a statue of him in his wheelchairto be added to the Roosevelt Memorial inWashington. “To me, the importance of thisclip as historic media imagery is that itreminds all of us that this president foughtthe Great Depression and World War II froma wheelchair. I think it’s a tragedy that wehaven’t had many candidates for nationaloffice who use a wheelchair or guide dog orsign language,” Begovich said in a state-ment. — AP

Indiana prof: Film shows FDR in concealed wheelchair

This image from an eight-second film clip provided by the National Archivesshows President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, third from right, being pushed in awheelchair aboard the USS. — AP

An exhibition about the life of AmyWinehouse has opened in London, fea-turing clothes, records and dozens of

photographs belonging to the star. AmyWinehouse: A Family Portrait runs untilSeptember at the Jewish Museum in CamdenTown, less than a mile away from where shedied aged 27. Put together with the help of herbrother Alex, the exhibits include fridge mag-

nets, childhood books and her audition essayto the Sylvia Young stage school. A suitcase offamily photographs she was looking through inthe days before she died in her Camden Townhome in 2011 also feature at the show. Many ofthe items have captions written by Alex.

‘This is a snapshot of a girl who was, to herdeepest core, simply a little Jewish kid fromnorth London with a big talent who, more than

anything, just wanted to be true to her her-itage,’ he said. The exhibition is being held atthe Jewish MuseumA Grammy awarded toWinehouse posthumously in 2012 The exhibi-tion includes photographs of her grandmotherwho influenced her sense of style and exhibitsthat show the family’s ‘Jewish-London roots’.

It traces those roots back to the singer’sgreat-great-grandparents who left Belarus in

the 19th century and came to London by acci-dent, having meant to go to the United States.The museum’s chief executive, Abigail Morris,said the idea for the exhibition came aboutafter the family offered one of her dresses for itspermanent display. ‘They just came with a dressand thought this would be a lovely place for itand it grew organically from that,’ she said. MsMorris said she hoped it would show another

side to the troubled Back To Black singer whofought a public battle with drink and drugsbefore her early death. ‘Everyone thinks theyknow who Amy Winehouse is, and they’ve seenthe pictures, but actually she is somebody’s lit-tle sister. ‘I think this exhibition is saying this isthe story of somebody who was very loved asopposed to someone who was very famous.’

— www.skynews.com

Clothes and accessories worn by late British singer Amy Winehouse are displayed.

Winehouse exhibition opens

in London

A woman looks at a poster sized print of the cover of Rolling Stone magazine featuring a picture of British singerAmy Winehouse displayed at the “Amy Winehouse A Family Portrait” exhibition at the Jewish Museum in NorthLondon on July 2, 2013. — AFP photos

Festival and concert passes

worn by lateBritish singer

Amy Winehouseare displayed.

38Bollywood’s Khan denies gender test rumors

THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013

A Lebanese man prays at a mosque in Beirut, Lebanon, yesterday. Many devout Muslims in the Middle East have started observing the dawn-to-dusk fast for the month of Ramadan even as the region isrocked by Egypt’s turmoil and the relentless civil war in Syria. For most Sunnis and Shiites, Ramadan started yesterday while others are expected to begin observing the holy month today differencesbased on various sightings of the new moon. — AP

With its Hercules statue toweringabove a massive water cascade,romantic gardens and castle,

Germany’s Bergpark Wilhelmshoehe haslong been a marvel of baroque landscapedesign. As of last month, it’s also a UNESCOworld heritage site. Locals are ecstatic thatEurope’s largest hillside park, with its fairy-tale waterfalls, secluded ponds and hiddenbridges, has made it onto the list of theworld’s must-see cultural attractions and arereadying for a tourist rush in the summerholidays.

The emblem of the nearby city of Kasselin central Hesse state, the leafy wonderlandstarted life more than 300 years ago at thewhim of Landgrave Carl at a time when localprinces were outdoing each other in build-ing ever more extravagant castles and parks.The Bergpark Wilhelmshoehe is considered

a jewel of the era of absolutism, a grandiosedemonstration of man’s control over nature,and a marvel of aquatic engineering whichgoes on show every Wednesday and Sundayfrom May to October. When the spectaclekicks off, 750,000 liters (200,000 gallons) ofwater tumble down the 350-metre (1,100feet) long Grand Cascade, run through acomplex system of channels, rapids andwaterfalls and finally empty into a lake thatis overlooked by a castle.

At its centre rises the geyser-like, 50-metre high Grand Fountain that, when itwas built, was the tallest in the world.“Unlike Versailles, this fountain doesn’t useany machine, the jet is created naturally bythe water pressure,” enthuses Kassel’s parksand museums director Bernd Kuester. TheUN cultural body added BergparkWilhelmshoehe to its list of World Heritage

sites on June 23, alongside the Sicilian vol-cano Mount Etna and Japan’s majesticMount Fuji-a decision long awaited by thecity, which had an immediate impact.

“We have received far more enquiries,and more people want to spend the nighthere to go and discover the Bergpark,” saidSonja Tobor at the tourist information officeof Kassel, the city that also hosts the famousDocumenta art show. The Bergpark, whichstretches across 550 hectares (1,350 acres),was started in 1689 and is the combinedcreative effort of Carl and his heirs, whoadded the lower park and built theWilhelmshoehe Castle in the 18th century.The aquatic theatre has been beloved bygenerations of German visitors, such as MikeSchroeter, who recently came with his child.

“This show is engraved in my memory,and I really wanted to come back to show

my daughter,” said the 43-year-old fatherfrom Salzgitter, 130 kilometers (80 miles)away. The UNESCO listing “is the crowningrecognition” of the park’s merit, said aeuphoric Bertram Hilgen, the mayor ofKassel. The city is covered in posters cele-brating the site’s new status, which Kasselhopes will put it firmly on the world map ofman-made wonders.

The park is already popular with foreigntourists, particularly from Asia, and booked800,000 visitors in 2012, a particularly goodyear when the city last hosted itsDocumenta art fair, held every five years.Hilgen predicted annual attendance will riseby 10 percent thanks to the UNESCO acco-lade. “Respect for the park has grown, thepeople’s perception has changed” saidKuester, adding with a smile that “it hasbecome a kind of holy place”. — AFP

German baroque water park makes splash on UNESCO list

A picture taken on June 6, 2013 shows people lookingat the trick fountain and the Hercules statue at themountain park Bergpark Wilhelmshoehe in Kassel,western Germany. — AFP

An Indian Muslim woman prays at Jama Masjid onthe eve of Ramadan in New Delhi yesterday. Islam’sholy month of Ramadan is calculated on the sight-ing of the new moon and Muslims all over theworld are supposed to fast from dawn to dusk dur-ing the month. — AFP

Ancient Jewish tombstones found in Vienna

A sculpture stands in front of tombstones at a small Jewish Cemetery in Vienna,Austria yesterday. — AP photos

Tombstones at a small Jewish Cemetery.

Vienna’s Jewish community says ahistorically important trove of hun-dreds of ancient Jewish tomb-

stones have been recently unearthed,including some dating back to the 16thcentury. Senior Jewish community offi-cial Raimund Fastenbauer said yesterdaythat the headstones have “high historicalvalue.”

He describes their significance ascomparable to that of the ancient Jewishcemetery in Prague, the oldest knowngraveyard of its kind and one of theCzech capital’s most visited tourist sites.He says the gravestones were buried bythe few Jews remaining in Vienna in1943 to hide them from the Nazis andwere recently found during renovationof the small cemetery where they origi-nally stood. Vienna city officials theyexpect excavations to yield up to 800headstones. — AP

Tombstonesdiscoveredat a smallJewishCemetery.