THE FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY IN FREE KUWAIT Established in 1977

NO. 14786 THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012 / RAMADAN 28, 1433 AH 56 PAGES 150 FILS

AMIR URGES IRAN TO RESPOND TO INTERNATIONAL DEMANDS

Hope for consensus on constituencies

After Iftar

Court gets election law

By Nihal Sharaf and Abubakar A. Ibrahim
Arab Times Staff

Be grateful Youll be happy!

By Ali Ahmed Al-Baghli
Former Minister of Oil

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah at the OIC summit. (AFP)

OIC FOCUS ON SYRIA

Act now to stop killing

Body poised to suspend Syria
MAKKAH, Aug 15, (Agencies): His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah thanked on Wednesday the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud for hosting the fourth extraordinary summit of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which was received with great welcome and utmost hospitality.
The Amirs speech to the summit drew attention to the daily bloodshed that is taking place in Syria and how it should be a reminder of the responsibility that lies on the Islamic world to act immediately to stop this violence against innocent people.
He then lauded the Arab-UN joint envoy to Syria Kofi Annans plan that aimed at bringing peace and stability to the war-torn country if it were only implemented by the Syrian regime. The Amir stressed that no amount of speeches nor condemnations would bring peace to the Syrians; only more active cooperation with the international community would achieve that.

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: Minister of Information Sheikh Mohammed AlAbdullah Al-Sabah announced Wednesday that the Constitutional Court has received a request from the Cabinet to look into the constitutionality of two articles of the Electoral Law the electoral constituencies and the number of votes a citizen can cast. Speaking at a press conference, the minister called the intention shown by the majority bloc to boycott the next

election a personal choice. He said the Cabinets decision to challenge the constitutionality of the constituencies was not to provoke certain groups. He stressed courage and honesty demands countrys interests to be placed on top of the priorities, even above election interests. Sheikh Mohammed Al-Abdullah added challenges to laws do not require getting bogged down in disputes. He wondered why there should be calls for new elections when there is a possibility that the results can be appealed and annulled.
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GRATITUDE is a feeling of thankfulness, appreciation of kindness, satisfaction or whatever you may call it. A study conducted in the New York City recently disclosed adolescents who are grateful are happy and usually do not resort either to drugs or alcohol. Moreover, their behavior is trouble free. The American Society of Psychiatry said during its 20th meeting in Orlando, Florida that a study has proved gratitude plays a monumental role in the mental life of adolescents. Moreover, gratitude in this sensitive age group reflects positively on their lives for 4 years on the level of sufficiency,

happiness, positivism and hope. Personally, I was happy when I saw the results of this study because I discovered people of various age groups in Kuwait children, teenagers and youth and even the elderly lack sufAl-Baghli ficiency, happiness, positivism and hope. We live a luxurious life which many people around us envy, even those who live in the utopias which the philosophers have created.
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Refugees
The increasing numbers of Syrian refugees should be given our immediate attention at the present moment; humanitarian aid should be given out to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian refugees, the Amir stressed. The Amir also emphasized the importance of achieving peace to the Palestinians and how Israel should abide by international laws and resolutions to halt the settlements and to work toward establishing an independent state for the Palestinians. Meanwhile, the Amir addressed Iran in his speech by saying that Iran should answer to all international efforts that aim at reaching a political compromise on its controversial nuclear program; a program that is causing much tension in the region. By responding to international demands, Iran would help bring peace and stability to the region, he further stressed. The Amir also called on Iran to stay neutral and not to interfere with other countries internal affairs. The Amir also shed light, at the conclusion of his speech, to the acts of violence committed against Muslims minorities in Myanmar. As an international community and most importantly as an Islamic one, we should all exert all possible efforts to secure the rights of the Muslims there, he pointed out.

In this aerial image made from a helicopter and released by Saudi Press Agency, shows a night view of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, Aug 14. Saudi Arabias King Abdullah hosted an extraordinary session of the Organization of Islamic Conference, a body of 57 member states on Tuesday and Wednesday. (AP)

China blames West for UN discord

Opposition
Meanwhile, OIC was poised Wednesday to suspend conflictwracked Syria, despite opposition from Iran, a staunch ally of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. An emergency summit of the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) opened late Tuesday with the proposal put forward by a preparatory meeting of foreign ministers, a symbolic attempt to pile pressure on Damascus over its deadly crackdown on a 17-month uprising. A draft final statement obtained by AFP said the summit, in Makkah, Islams holiest city, approves the suspension of Syrias membership. It was expected to be endorsed when the leaders reconvened late Wednesday evening. The move by the OIC, which represents 1.5 million Muslims worldwide, is aimed at further isolating Assads embattled regime but its effect is seen as being largely symbolic. Syria was suspended from the Arab League last year over its clampdown on the uprising that Assad characterised as a plot by Western and rival powers to overthrow his regime. Saudi King Abdullah has presided over the meeting, attended by
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Syrian air raid kills 30 in rebel town

ALEPPO, Syria, Aug 15, (Agencies): A Syrian air raid killed at least 30 people in a rebel-held northern border town on Wednesday, opposition activists said, and a bomb went off near UN and military sites in the capital Damascus, wounding three.

Ramadan Timings
Iftar...................Thursday ................18:28 Imsak ...............Friday .....................03:42

As the violence intensified, UN human rights investigators accused forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.

They said rebels had also committed war crimes, but the violations did not reach the gravity, frequency and scale of those by state forces and the pro-Assad shabbiha militia. The commission found reasonable grounds to believe that government forces and the shabbiha had committed the crimes against humanity of murder and of torture, war crimes and gross violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, including unlawful killing, torture, arbitrary arrest and detention, sexual violence, indiscriminate attack, pillaging and destruction of property, said the 102-page report by the independent investigators led by Paulo Pinheiro. Residents in the northern border town of Azaz screamed and shouted God is great-

est as they carried bloodied bodies from collapsed concrete buildings, video posted by activists showed. The opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said dozens had been killed. One activist in the town said at least 30 bodies had been found and rescuers were searching for more. Video footage, which could not be verified, showed crowds of residents wrestling with steel bars and pulling away a giant slab of concrete to reveal the dust-covered arm of a child. This is a real catastrophe, said an activist who gave his name only as Anwar. An entire street was destroyed. Assads forces have increasingly used helicopter gunships and warplanes against

the lightly-armed insurgents. In Damascus, a bomb exploded in the car park of a hotel used by UN monitors, but several military buildings are also in the vicinity and it was not clear what the target was. No UN staff were hurt in the blast, which occurred exactly four weeks after a bomb killed four of Assads senior aides. The bomb set a fuel tanker ablaze and black smoke billowed over the city. Ash and dust covered white UN vehicles parked nearby. State media said three people were wounded in the bombing and several rebels were killed or captured in a separate gunbattle with security forces in the western district of Mezze.
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US$/KD 0.28195/05 Euro/KD 0.3472 Yen/KD 0.0036 British /KD 0.4434

Newswatch

Heroin addiction could be blocked

SYDNEY, Aug 15, (AFP): Addiction to morphine and heroin can be blocked, according to research released Wednesday which could prove a major breakthrough in treating addicts and in pain relief treatments. Researchers at the University of Adelaide in Australia worked with colleagues at the University of Colorado in the United States to pinpoint a key mechanism in the bodys immune system that amplifies addiction to opioid drugs. Our studies have shown conclusively that we can block addiction via the immune system of the brain, without targeting the brains wiring, said Mark Hutchinson from Adelaides School of Medical Sciences. Both the central nervous system and the immune system play important roles in creating addiction, but our studies have shown we only need to block the immune response in the brain
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No decision yet on Iran strike: US

KS E +12.77 pts at closing, Aug 15

See Page 43

HSBC gives US tax names

ZURICH, Aug 15, (RTRS): Global bank HSBC has handed over details of current and former employees to the US authorities, it confirmed on Wednesday, as part of a tax probe that almost sank rival bank UBS in 2009. As a result the bank could now face legal action from individuals whose details have been revealed, lawyers representing them said. In a letter to them seen by Reuters, the bank said it had passed on documents, in which their names appear, on the request of US authorities looking to hunt down US citizens with untaxed money held in Swiss accounts.

Israel sees month-long war

JERUSALEM, Aug 15, (Agencies): War with Iran would probably turn into a month-long conflict on various fronts with missile strikes on Israeli cities and some 500 dead, Israels civil defence minister said in an interview published on Wednesday. There is no room for hysteria. Israels home front is prepared as never before, Matan Vilnai, a former general who is about to leave his cabinet post to become ambassador to China, told the Maariv daily. The interview coincided with Israeli media reports over the past week suggesting that Israel might attack Irans nuclear facilities before the US presidential election in November. US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Tuesday that Washington does not believe Israel has made a decision on whether to strike. I dont want to be dragged into the debate, Vilnai said, when asked if Israel should go to war against Iran. But the United States is our greatest friend and we will always have to coordinate such moves with it. Echoing an assessment already voiced by Defence Minister Ehud Barak, Vilnai was quoted as saying hundreds of missiles could hit Israeli cities daily and kill some 500 people in a war with Iran, which has promised strong retaliation if attacked. There might be fewer dead, or more, perhaps ... but this is the scenario for which we are preparing, in accordance with the best expert advice, Vilnai said. The assessments are for a war that will last 30 days on several fronts, he said, alluding to the possibility Iranian-backed Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon and Palestinian militants in Gaza would also launch rockets at Israel. Israel has built a sophisticated missile shield likely to stop some of the salvoes and regularly holds civil defence drills to prepare for rocket strikes.
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Dow -7.43 pts at closing, Aug 15

See Page 44

Nasdaq +13.95 pts at closing, Aug 15 FTSE -31.74 pts at closing, Aug 15 Nikkei -4.84 pts at closing, Aug 15 Gold $1,601.75 per oz (London)
NYMEX crude $94.40 per barrel Brent crude $115.95 per barrel 3-month $ LIBOR rate 0.43450%

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The Empire State Building is illuminated in red, white and blue lights in honor of the US Olympic team on Aug 14, in New York. (AFP)

LOCAL

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Municipality destroyed 22 tons of expired food products in June

New system eyed to examine foodstuff by barcodes Al-Falah charity holds Ramadan Al-Khair Campaign
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15, (KUNA): Municipality statistics showed that the total imported food products during the month of June amounted to 254,640 tons, 22 tons of which was destroyed and 117 tons reexported.
The statistics, issued by the Department of Planning and Research at Kuwait Municipality, in cooperation with the Department of Public Relations, added that the number of violations in the six governorates during the month of June reached 2,098, in addition to administratively shutting down 11 stores.
Some of the breaches found by inspectors of control departments and emergency teams included 889 expired food, 782 non-compliance with hygienic standards and 105 unlicensed advertisements. Mubarak Al-Kabeer governorate had the largest number of violations, which reached 684, while Hawalli came second with 305. Al-Farwaniya came third with 254 violations, Al-Ahmadi fourth with 242, then came Al-Jahra with 178 and the governorate of Al-Asimah had the least number of violations, 113. Meanwhile, Chairman of Food Safety Committee at Kuwait Municipality Mohammad Ghazi AlOtaibi revealed that they are currently testing a new system to examine food products by their barcodes rather than by their brand names or the country from which they are imported, reports Al-Rai daily. He stressed that this system, if it passes the testing phase successfully, will help in stopping any attempt to import food products that are not suitable for human consumption. Meanwhile, he praised the efforts of the Municipal Services Sector for their contribution to the success of the project by implementing serious measures against traders who attempt to import food products that are harmful for human health. He added that this process of checking food products by their barcodes will assist in getting the work done transparently and accurately. Meanwhile, personnel from Kuwaiti Municipality, Farwaniya branch, recently organized campaigns in Khaitan and confiscated two tons of fruits and vegetables unsuitable for human consumption, reports AlHorriya. Legal action is being taken against violators of labor law and hawkers.

Kuwaiti aid distributed to poor in Gaza

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: Al-Falah Charitable Association in Palestine distributed food aid from Kuwait including flour and oil to poor families in Northern Gaza, reports AlWatan Arabic daily quoting informed sources. They said this charitable act is part of the Ramadan Al-Khair Campaign organized by the association to alleviate the suffering of people in need. Head of the Association Sheikh Dr Ramadan Tanboora said the food aid was distributed to the poorest families in the area based on research carried out by the volunteers from Al-Falah Center for Social Affairs. Sheikh Tanboora expressed his appreciation towards those who contributed by providing aid for Palestinians, saying the humanitarian and charitable role played by the good people of Kuwait, which is noble and embodies the value of social solidarity, is recognized internationally particularly by the Palestinians. Meanwhile, he implored Arab and Islamic charitable organizations as well as capitalists to support relief and developmental projects by sending their donations and Zakat to help the suffering Gaza victims.

Embassy holds Quran contest in Philippines

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15, (KUNA): Kuwait Embassy in Philippines held the second Holy Quran recitation contest in association with the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) during the Holy Month of Ramadan, an embassy press release said Wednesday. The competition was attended by Kuwaiti Ambassador to the Philippines Waleed AlKandari, the release pointed out, adding that about 59 contestants participated in the event held at one of the main mosques in the capital, Manila. Following the awards ceremony, Secretary General of the NCMF, Mehol K. Sadain, praised Kuwait for encouraging young Muslims in the Philippines to learn how to recite Holy Quran and to know the principles of Islam.

Photos by Rizk Taufik

Top: The Ambassador unfurling the national flag; (middle) Indian school children singing patriotic songs, and (above) some of the Indians who attended the celebration.

Hundreds of Indians celebrate

Independence Day marked

welfare support services for Indians in Kuwait, its resources are limited, It needs to be born in mind that there are just 60 people KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: Hundreds of in the embassy servicing over 650,000 peoIndian expatriates in Kuwait gathered at the ple. So at times we do get stretched. Indian Embassy to commemorate the The Indian Ambassador to Kuwait read nations 66th year of Independence with the out the Indian President, Pranab Mukherjees ceremonial hoisting of the Indian flag. maiden address to the nation on the eve of In his personal address to the public, the 66th Independence Day. In his speech, Indian Ambassador Satish Mehta wished all the President urged the people never to forIndians in Kuwait good health, happiness get that in the age of empires freedom was and prosperity. He expressed his gratitude never given but taken, won by a selfless genand relayed wishes of good health and well eration of giants who sacrificed their todays being to the Amir, the Crown Prince, the for our tomorrows. Prime Minister, the Government and the Looking at the glass as being half full, he friendly people of the State of Kuwait. acknowledged the contributions of different Noting the close ties between the countries sections of society in the making of modern underpinned by mutual understanding and India, Our productive working class; our common positions on most issues, he pointed inspiring farmers, who have lifted a famineout, In the last year a number of senior dig- wrecked land to food-surplus status, our nitaries from India visited Kuwait including imaginative industrialist entrepreneurs, Minister of State for External Affairs E whether in the private or public sector; our Ahamad, Advisor to Prime Minister T.K.A intellectuals, our academics and our political Nair, Member of Parliament Shri Rahul class have knit together a modern nation that Gandhi. We expect more exchanged of such has leapt, within mere decades, across many visits between the two countries. centuries in economic growth and progresHe remarked that the 650,000 strong sive social legislation. Indian community in Kuwait contributes sigHe spoke of the countrys stable democranificantly to these bilateral relations, I am cy and resilient economic growth but warned proud to say that our community has earned that if progress fell behind rising aspirations a well deserved reputation of being sincere, of the young, rage would manifest. For this, talented disciplined hard working and law he shared that vision cannot be an openabiding. ended vista but must be focused on the He spoke of the embassys endeavors to youth. He stated that education is the seed improve the quality of welfare services pro- and economy its fruit and affirmed that good vided to Indian workers. The Indian workers education would cause disease, hunger and welfare center includes a help desk, labour poverty to recede. complaints desk, a toll free 24x7 helpline for In the wake of anti-corruption protests in domestic workers and a separate and free the country, he remarked that anger against legal advice clinic, that he confirmed were the bitter pandemic of corruption is legitiworking well. The outsourced service cen- mate but when protest becomes endemic, we ters located conveniently in Sharq and flirt with chaos. He strongly stressed that Fahaheel have been functioning satisfactori- democratic institutions were not to be ly. On May 15, 2012 an optional courier assaulted, Institutions are the visible pillars service facility was initiated for delivery of of our Constitution, and if they crack then processed passports of the applicants to their the idealism of our Constitution cannot homes. Our sense is that this has been well hold... Our institutions may have suffered received, he said. from the weariness of time; the answer is not In addition to the daily to destroy what has been built, consular open house at the but to re-engineer them so that embassy during which a senthey become stronger than ior consular official could be before. met without appointment, I President Mukherjee also have started an Open House addressed the violence in the every Wednesday where any state of Assam and emphaIndian citizen can meet me sized the need to revisit the without an appointment for Assam accord. He called for any unresolved matter. For a greater role to be played by me, this has been a rewarding SAARC to fight terrorism in experience as it has enabled the subcontinent. me to better understand the In closing remarks, he comdifficulties being faced by mended the armed forces for some of our community memtheir valour and saluted them bers, he added. for their commitment to the He drew attention to the nation while also congratulatfact that as much as the ing those who represented the embassy would like to pro- Ambassador addressing country in the Olympic vide high quality consular and Games. the public.

By Cinatra Fernandes
Arab Times Staff

Need to appoint 450 employees

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: Undersecretary of Social Affairs and Labor Mohammed Al-Kandari recently denied the automation system delays the labor transactions particularly in the holy month of Ramadan, but admitted the sector lacks adequate personnel, reports Al-Rai daily. Al-Kandari added the ministry has forwarded a request to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to appoint additional 450 employees to fill vacancies in the sector. Meanwhile, Assistant Undersecretary for Social Care Hamad Al-Moadadi has declared a vision to modify the organizational structure of the social care homes to amend slipups in the institution. He also said the sector has presented a memo to the ministry requesting an increment in the allocation for inmates of the Care Homes and Orphanages, and that the proposal specifies doubling the current allowances the inmates receive.

LOCAL

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Several MEW officials sacked over involvement in violations

No water, power shortages during Eid
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: Minister of Electricity and Water Abdulaziz AlIbrahim has referred some senior ministry officials for retirement due to their alleged involvement in irregularities, reports Al-Hurriyah daily quoting sources.
Some influential people from the Parliament and other institutions have allegedly tried to talk the minister into rescinding his decision but he refused to succumb to their whims. Sources said the Financial Affairs Department at the ministry is still finalizing records of the expenditures of a former top official who purportedly used public funds to purchase his clothes and that of his family and saffron worth KD 4,000; as well as to pay for the tuition fees of his children who enrolled in private schools.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Electricity and Water has assured all citizens and residents that there will neither be shortage of water nor power cuts during the Eid Al-Fitr holidays, reports AlSeyassah quoting sources. Contrary to previous years, the ministry said, this year there is surplus production of electricity and water. The electricity production is in excess of 13,000 megawatts, which is enough to provide electricity for areas of the country. The Ministry is fully prepared to meet any unseen power cuts during the holidays. It has put at the disposal of the citizens and residents all its capabilities and equipment to meet any eventuality. The sources said 250 power generators have been placed on standby in the six governorates should there be any power cuts, particularly in places such as entertainment halls, hospitals and mosques. It is said the power generators function according to necessity and only if there is interruption in power supply. The sources disclosed instructions have been given to supervisors in the technical department to provide staff for emergency calls. The ministry has also established a hotline 152 to receive emergency calls. The daily noted rationalization campaigns will be intensified during the holidays through e-mails and hoardings to make people aware on the necessity of cutting down on consumption of electricity and water during holidays.

KFH team with Al-Fahad

KFH strategic partner to 24th diving voyage

Kuwait Finance House (KFH) announced that it will take part in sponsoring the 24th diving voyage as a strategic partner. The event that is under the auspices of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah begins on August 23rd. KFH aims through this event to strengthen cultural bonds and revive Kuwaiti heritage. KFH noted that this is the third consecutive year to take part in this event in collaboration with other official authorities, in order to shed light on the history of Kuwait, and how Kuwaitis lived in the past. KFH added that reviving such an event has become a special event locally and among GCC countries; especially that more youths take part in it year after year, not to mention the increasing official support. KFH stressed the importance of having private sector institutions support such events, and praised the role played by Kuwait Sea Sport Club for its keenness to hold this annual event, which cements the bond between the old and new generations In addition, KFH applauded Kuwaiti youths for their persistence in taking part in the voyage and for bearing the hardships that they will face during it. The bank added that such meaningful activities will encourage further accomplishments. It is worth noting that KFHs public relations team had met with Major General Fahad Al-Fahad to agree upon the details of KFHs sponsorship of the event.

MoI monitoring Myanmar travelers

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: The Interior Ministry is currently intensifying efforts to prevent young people who are attempting to travel to Myanmar to fight jihad alongside Muslims, reports AlQabas daily quoting a reliable security source. The security sources said the concerned authorities are closely monitoring the activities of some people who may be helping these young people to go to Myanmar. The sources noted the security services have summoned some members of the so-called sleeper cells who, it is believed, may be helping the young people to travel to Myanmar. The sources added the security services at the airport in Kuwait will screen youths who may want to travel to countries neighboring Myanmar.

Photos by Samer Shiker

Some photos from the night and morning events.

Bangladeshis observe Mourning Day

The 37th National Mourning Day of Bangladesh was observed in the Embassy of Bangladesh in Kuwait with due solemnity. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of the nation, along with most of his family members was brutally killed on Aug 15, 1975 by a group of military personnel. The Bangladesh Embassy has chalked out a day-long program on the occasion. The program began in the morning with the hosting of national flag at Half-mast in the Chancery Building in Khaldiya at 8:00 am by H.E. Syed Shahed Reza, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Kuwait. In the afternoon the program began in the Embassy Auditorium with recitation from the Holy Quran. Subsequently one minute silence was observed to show respect to the martyrs of Aug 15. The special message of the Honble President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Bangladesh were read out to the audiences. A discussion meeting on Bangabandhu was held in the Embassy which was presided by Syed Ahahed Reza. Officials of the Embassy, Comandant of Bangaldesh Military Contingent (BMC) in Kuwait, BMC officials and dignitaries from the Bangladesh community in Kuwait participated in the discussion. In his speech Syed Shahed Reza highlighted the immense role played by the Father of the Nation in achieving independence of Bangladesh in 1971 in order to ensure political and economic emancipation of its people. He also urged all community members to follow the ideals of the father of the nation and work unitedly to establish Sonar Bangla as dreamt by him. A special munazat and dua were offered for eternal peace of the father of the nation and martyrs who sacrificed their lives on Aug 15, 1975. A documentary film titled Sai Andhakar on the life of the father of the nation and Aug 15, 1975 was also shown. The Embassy has organized an iftar party for the members of Bangladesh community and a large number of community people attended the program.

GBs Pumps4Kids campaign

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: Gulf Bank announced today its support of the Pumps4Kids campaign, a charitable initiative organized by the Business Supporting Charities (BSC) which has teamed up with the Kuwait Red Crescent Society and the Dasman Diabetes Institute to raise funds to provide insulin pumps for children with Type-1 diabetes in Kuwait. Type 1 Diabetes is basically the condition where the patients pancreas can no longer produce insulin for the body, hence resulting in an increase of glucose in the blood and urine. Type 1 Diabetes strikes children and adults suddenly, leaving them dependent on insulin injections or pumped insulin for life, and carries the constant threat of devastating complications involving the eyes, kidneys, and nerves. The latest statistics regarding diabetes in Kuwait are alarming and with that in mind, Gulf Bank chose to support this initiative and raise awareness of this life threatening condition. Fawzy Al-Thunayan, Gulf Banks General Manager, Board Affairs said: Our support of such a cause is imperative, considering how diabetes 1 is a critical condition that can threaten the lives of many, if the proper treatment is not provided. Therefore, Gulf Bank found the perfect opportunity to support Kuwaits youth through a lifesaving initiative, Pump4Kids, and make a contribution that can give children the chance to look forward to a bright future. Al-Thunayan added, Gulf bank will continue to explore means of supporting similar causes that can really make a difference in the world, and we do hope that this campaign receives the support it deserves. For customers interested in taking part in this initiative, donations can be made by simply sending the letter d to the number listed by their respective telecom providers; for Zain customers: 99935, for Wataniya customers: 1922, and for VIVA customers: 50870. Donations can also be made through a bank transfer to the Kuwait Red Crescent Society. For donation through the Kuwait Red Crescent Society, please find below the bank details: Beneficiary Name: Kuwait Red Crescent Society IBAN: KW98GULB0000000000009621118 Bank Name: Gulf Bank/ Kuwait Account No.: 09621118 Gulf Bank will continue being a strong supporter of popular and non popular health causes that help contribute positively to the benefit of the society. Changing peoples lives is a motto that Gulf Bank truly believes in.

LOCAL

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

DIWANIYA
Learn lesson from Syria
KUNA photo

a digest of public opinion

Brotherhood urged to tread carefully

THE recent Egyptian presidential elections resulted in victory for the Muslim Brotherhood Group candidate Dr Mohammed Morsi, columnist and former Minister of Information Sami Al-Nesf wrote for Al-Anba daily Wednesday. Notwithstanding, the International Organization of the Muslim Brotherhood Group which groups in its membership leaders belonging to various branches of the Group throughout the world including the Gulf states, shall spare no efforts to see the Group succeeding in its first experiment in Egypt so that this success can be generalized in various countries to appease the public about the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood Group. This is the groups logical and legitimate objective. There is no doubt the success of the Muslim Brotherhood Groups experiment in Egypt, particularly under the current inappropriate economic circumstances which has coincided with chocking economic meltdown currently prevailing in Europe and the United States of America the top lending and donor nations entails that this experiment pass through the Gulf support gate in general and that of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in particular although the latter (UAE) is currently suffering from certain unjustifiable problems caused by the Muslim Brotherhood Group. In this context, we recall that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia represented by the late Heir Apparent Prince Nayef Bin Abdulaziz, had repeatedly complained of the Muslim Brotherhood Groups activities on the Saudi territories. For his part, one Group leader in the United Arab Al-Nesf Emirates Ahmed Hussein Al-Doqqi declared his Group founded the first political party in the country and the UAE Minister of State Anwar Qarqash and some Emirati writers in response to Al-Doqqi described his declaration as an attempt at a coup to subvert the existing legitimacy. They argued the partisan allegiance will be at the expense of the nationalistic loyalty. In Kuwait, we have observed that the Muslim Brotherhood Group used to take part in popular gatherings and demonstrations at the Al-Irada (Will) Square, and are now calling for the formation of a popular government and demanding recognition for political parties. However, the wisdom, nimble behavior and balance of the political ties among the countries makes it clear that it will be illogical for the Gulf countries to support the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood Group in Egypt and eventually enable the latter to achieve its targeted success and stability at a time when the Group is seriously striving to destabilize the Gulf countries and their political regimes. Such being the case, we suggest the relationship between the Gulf countries and the Muslim Brotherhood Group rule should be based on reciprocal interests and this entails that the International Leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood Group should hasten to request its branches in the Gulf region to calm down, otherwise, the following proverb will suit the situation: I want to spare his life, but he wants to kill me and this means that there is a great difference between my purpose and his. This will be applicable to the relationship between the Gulf countries and the Muslim Brotherhood Group. In conclusion we suggest the dangerous circumstances which currently surround the region call on the Muslim Brotherhood Group to boost its coalition and solidarity with the Gulf regimes instead of creating some justifications to plot against them in a bid to bring the latter down through the creation of the so-called The Gulf Spring to keep in line with the so-called The Arab Spring. In this context, we would like to tell the Muslim Brotherhood Group to learn the lesson of the allies of the Syrian regime who are insisting on extending every possible support to the regime in Damascus although they have realized that this regime is still killing and oppressing its people. This happens although some members of the Muslim Brotherhood Group are conspiring against humanitarian regimes in the Gulf countries although these regimes have spared no efforts to serve the interests of their peoples. Also: Following a vulgar word spoken recently by the former Guide General of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt Mohammed Mahdi Akef, he was quoted as saying this word was used at anyone who rejects Islamic rule in Egypt. Akef uttered the same word again during a televised interview with a Cairo channel, columnist Waleed Al-Rujeib wrote for Al-Rai daily Wednesday. Not just that, during the interview in question, Akef was seemingly striving to ignore the rule that was played by the Egyptians in January 25th Revolution by claiming the Muslim Brotherhood represented the main component at Al-Tahrir (Liberation) Square. He hinted everybody knows this fact, ignoring the fact that all of the people know that the Muslim Brotherhood Group was the last political current in Egypt to join the revolution at the Al-Tahrir Square. In response to a question over the affiliation of President Mohammed Morsi to the Muslim Brotherhood Group, the former Guide General said during the presidential elections the Group had not supported the nomination of Dr Abdulmonem Abu AlFotouh simply because the latter had refused to abide by the orders of the Group. However, this statement implicitly means President Mohammed Morsi unlike Abdulmonem Abu Al-Fotouh strictly follows the orders and instructions of the Muslim Brotherhood Group and their Guide, or rather the president will not hesitate to kiss the hand of the Guide because he considers the latter a sacred man. It is needless to say the Muslims in Egypt have started resenting and showing dissatisfaction towards the Muslim Brotherhood Group. In this context, we cite the popular demonstration that was organized recently in the city of Shibeen AlKoum in which more than 70,000 people took part. The demonstrators shouted slogans against Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood Group at large. In this context, we say a great number of the revolutionary youth are determined to organize a popular gathering at the Al-Tahrir Square on Aug 24, 2012 again against Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood Group and more than one million people are expected to take part. About a week ago, I was hosted by a friend who is currently studying in a university and he told me about a seminar the western countries organized somewhere in 1907 to discuss the state of affairs of their colonies and the future, Jafar Rajab wrote for Al-Rai daily The British Prime Minister at that time was worried about Arabs and predicted the Arabs will be the cause of suffering for westerners, thus, the idea of dividing them and placing an alien body among them was introduced. From that point on, there has been conspiracy after conspiracy in an attempt to create division among Arabs. As I look around, I see nothing in Arabs that poses a threat to the West. We have no universities to produce enlightened brains, neither are we into manufacturing. As long as the West continues to fear the Arabs, almost every Arab nation is a target. After the head of revolution in Bahrain Essa Qassem called for crushing the police and after several attempts to kill the police and security forces with bombs, questions need to be asked, especially, of those who support the revolution in Bahrain or acts of terrorism, columnist Ahmad Muhammad AlFahd wrote for Al-Watan Arabic daily Why is everyone focused on the rights of the accused, while forgetting the rights of the local community to defend itself? Another question is: How can the community deal with the fact that people known to have committed acts of terrorism are set free due to the lack of evidence? Is it really possible for the security forces to provide material evidence against the terrorists while the terrorists plan and implement their actions in secrecy? It is hard to address the logic of killings and terrorism through the terrorism laws, with groups who deal with people and the community in general, in a manner which shows no regard for humanity. They neither care about how many people die or suffer, nor the reputation of the country. They are least bothered about the principles of religion. I found these questions suitable for those who support terrorist actions in Bahrain. All citizens and observers keep wondering and saying: Where is the government and its system which is supposed to overcome the obstacles and begin the implementation of development projects and hold to account those who are negligent, columnist Mishref Eqab wrote for Al-Kuwaitiah daily. Everyone talks day and night about transparency and enforcement of law and order. This talk is logical and worthy but unfortunately we dont see any development in the country. To the contrary the situation has largely remained stagnant and continues to deteriorate by the day. The government had devised a five-year plan and called this plan ambitious the plan that was well studied by the concerned authorities. At that time we said the plan was capable of transforming Kuwait into one of the developed and advanced nations of the world. To hear this is sweet talk but actually we are taken by surprise seeing the reality on the ground. The question is: Is it possible in a country that is rich because of our oil wealth and a country which is classified as the fifth richest in the world according to the rankings? This is an illogical and unreasonable equation. Our development plans and budgets have remained only ink on paper. Some people who went to the Immigration Department complained yesterday that the administration which begins its work just like any other government department, receives transactions in the morning at 9:00 am and stops receiving them at 10:30 just after one-and-a-half hours. This behavior has hampered the visitors who have to wait for long hours for their turn to complete their transactions, columnist Abdul Rahman Awad wrote for Al-Sabah daily. Although the holy month of Ramadan is about to come to an end, the issue is worth pursuing and paying attention to, if not for the current month, then at least to redress this imbalance in the coming years. It is not reasonable that we take use this holy month season to delay transactions of the people or exhausting them. It is unfortunate some employees use this month as an excuse saying they were awake until late in the morning and are unable to give their best when they report to office. However, Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and his companions fought the most powerful battles and achieved greatest conquests in Ramadan, the month of jihad whether the enemy jihad or Jihad for self. The holy month compels us to abide by the rules and laws of Islam, and carry out the full duties assigned to a Muslim. An unidentified Member of Parliament who is involved in full-time foreign trade in East Asia said the next elections will be contested on the basis of 10 election constituencies and two votes for each person. He predicted the next elections will be in December 2012, columnist Mohammed Al-Mullah wrote for Al-Shahed daily. I want to tell those who love to hear a series of statements issued by former parliamentarians that such statements are nothing but trial balloons and after the majority became a minority due to the priorities of each deputy this is a natural consequence for those who follow the interests of Brotherhood. After the Eid Al-Fitr holidays the rest of the majority MPs will either return to their Diwaniyas or the Erada Square to deliver useless speeches which will not satisfy anyone. The Majority Bloc in the annulled National Assembly has agreed to boycott various political activities in case the law on parliamentary constituencies is amended. This move is also aimed at putting pressure on the government to rescind its decision, which is not in line with the ideas of the bloc, Tariq Idriss wrote for Al-Seyassah daily. Definitely, we are now used to seeing such kind of political acts and the way some politicians have been putting pressure on the authority due to the oppositions failure to settle differences amongst its members. They do this to divert public attention toward minor issues that they have created. The bloc has threatened to carry out political boycott since they have failed to convince the government to rescind its decision to amend the current electoral constituency system. It will do anything to hinder the implementation of rulings issued by the Constitutional Court, especially after its political disintegration. US President Obama Barraks historic visit to Egypt is an event that most of us still remember. He addressed the Islamic world through his famous speech at Cairo University on June 2009, which was so impressive that singer Shabaan Abdulrahman composed a song about it, columnist Dr Nada Sulaiman Al-Mutawa wrote for AlJaridah daily. A person once commented that presidential elections are not only aimed at choosing a new president but are also meant to redefine the role of America in the future era. The Arab Spring took place after one year, which marked the start of a new era in the Arab World and paved the way for new European and American foreign relations towards the Middle East. The change that invaded the Arab World removed the barrier of fear and freed the Arab people from a long period of oppression. Now, the Spring countries need to focus on the positive aspects of the revolution and should work on retaining the countrys identity. In addition, they should also focus on renewing foreign relations and investing in new foreign policies. The Islamic Summit was held in Makkah under difficult circumstances at a time when most people in the Arab and Muslim worlds are suffering. That is why the main issues that were discussed during the summit were related to the actual situation in the Muslim world, columnist Khalaf Al-Duei wrote for Al-Watan Arabic daily. But why was the summit held in Makkah, and why was it held on Ramadan 27... because it was intended to provide the appropriate atmosphere to fulfill the Covenant in the presence of the majestic place. But I think the time and place has nothing to do with that, but if the decision was mine, I would ask each leader who attended the event to wear their ehraam (pilgrimage white robe) and continue with their meeting then the world would know that they are friends and use white towels after a bath. Today, people have memorized the way their leaders are managing their affairs, every time they see a new image they still are those who are just manipulated by external forces. Compiled by Zaki Taleb

His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received, at his residence in Makkah Tuesday, the President of Yemen Abdo Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The meeting was attended by the official delegation accompanying Sheikh Sabah. His Highness the Amir was in Makkah to participate in the Islamic solidarity summit. (KUNA)

Bedoun problems will be resolved very soon

Civil, social rights will be granted
Waiting House Campaign
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: Sheikh Nasser AlMohammed assured the Bedoun issue will be resolved before long, since HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad is now in command of affairs. He called on Bedouns to wait for lasting solution to their problems, reports AlSeyassah daily.
Sheikh Nasser reportedly made the disclosure while visiting the Sheikh of Enza Tribe, Meslat Al-Hazal, in Yarmouk area recently.
In a statement to the daily, Al-Hazal quoted Sheikh Nasser as saying the Bedoun issue will be resolved soon. He also said their civil and social rights will also be granted and those deserving naturalizationparticularly the sons of Bedoun military men will receive the citizenship shortly. Sheikh Nasser had also affirmed Kuwaits keenness to complete this file, as he listened to the grievances several members of the Bedoun community submitted. He interacted with them and promised to follow up their problems with the concerned officials to ensure their needs are met through legal channels. According to Al-Hazal, sheikhs of the tribe are positive their problems will be resolved by honest and trustworthy Amir. In another development, a poll conducted by Al-Khabar website affiliated to the Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM) as of Tuesday evening indicated 14, 230 citizens support the steps the government has taken by referring the electoral and constituencies law to the Constitutional Court, while 2,198 citizens opposed the idea. Sources said results of the poll reflect a large number of opponents who are not interested in the ideas and proposals of the ousted majority bloc of the nullified 2012 parliament and ICM. Sources noted the so-called majority should adopt and respect the opinions of the electorate if it respects the results of democratic polls. With reference to abuses launched against the head of Awazem Tribe, lawmakers of the tribe are contemplating a statement to announce their support for the stances of the tribes head. However, Falah AlSawagh, MP of the invalidated 2012 parliament who also belongs to the ICM allegedly disapproves of the statement, although the Awazem tribe had supported him during the parliamentary elections, and he purportedly won a seat in the former National Assembly with the help of the Amir of the tribe Falah bin Jame. Al-Sawagh in a brief statement had said his relationship with the Amir of Awazem is like son to a father. He also said decisions bin Jame make are respected by all. Nonetheless, he is embarrassed to declare his stance-whether he remains loyal to his tribe and their denial of the constitutional monarchy proposal or hes devoted to the Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM) that supports the approach. On the other hand, ICM has renounced its affiliated news channel after it aired a news item defaming the Amir of Awazem tribe. Afterward, the movement had issued a statement hailing bin Jame as a national symbol in the fight against corruption and corrupt people in the society.

Families planning rally

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: Organizers of the Waiting House Campaign, which is aimed at speeding up procedures for the distribution of plots to 100,000 Kuwaiti families, intend to organize a peaceful rally at the Erada Square on Sept 3, reports Al-Rai daily quoting Coordinator of the campaign Eid Al-Shihry. Al-Shihry explained the campaign will hold forums and demonstrations to put pressure on the authorities to solve the worsening housing problem in Kuwait. He said the peaceful demonstration slated for Sept 3 will coincide with the distribution of 3,000 housing units to deserving applicants. He pointed out that thousands of Kuwaiti families have been suffering due to the negligence of the government. He also called on various groups, non-government organizations (NGOs) and youth blocs to participate in the demonstration.

Kuwait Today
Site for checking travel ban
www.kuwaitcourts.gov.kw/mojweb/NGeneral/Main.jsp

Prayer Timings
Fajr ...................................03:51 am Sunrise ...................................05:16 Zohr ........................................11:52 Asr ....................................03:28 pm Maghreb .................................06:28 Isha.........................................07.50

Umm Al-Maradem Sea island Buoy Salmiyah Julaia Port

40 38 42 41

34 - 6ft 34 33 6ft 34 - 6ft 33 - 6ft

SE SE SE SE

4-day forecast Marine

Thursday, Aug 16 Expected weather ............very hot+ ........................................rising dust Sea state ...........moderate to rough Wave height ............................3-6 ft Max Temp .................................46C Min Temp ..................................33C Wind Direction ...........................NW Wind Speed...................22-42 km/h Friday, Aug 17 Expected weather ............very hot+ ........................................rising dust Sea state ...........moderate to rough Wave height ............................3-6 ft Max Temp .................................47C Min Temp ..................................34C Wind Direction ...........................NW Wind Speed...................25-45 km/h Saturday, Aug 18 Expected weather...............very hot Sea state ............slight to moderate Wave height ............................2-4 ft Max Temp .................................48C Min Temp ..................................35C Wind Direction .......................NW-N Wind Speed...................12-35 km/h Sunday, Aug 19 Expected weather...............very hot Sea state ............slight to moderate Wave height ............................2-5 ft Max Temp .................................49C Min Temp ..................................35C Wind Direction .......................N-NW Wind Speed...................12-35 km/h

Weather
Expected weather for the next 24 hours: By Night: Relatively hot with moderate freshening at times north westerly wind, with speed of 20-40 km/h. By Day: Very hot with moderate to fresh north westerly wind, with speed of 22-42 km/h causing rising dust over open areas.

Kuwait Weather
Station Kuwait City Kuwait Airport Nuwaiseeb Wafra Salmi Abdaly Jalaliyah Failaka Ahmadi Port Umm Al-Maradem Warba-Bubiyan Max Rec 44 45 45 45 43 45 45 45 43 40 46 Min Exp 33 33 32 32 26 29 28 31 35 34 27

4-day forecast Weather

Thursday, Aug 16 Expected weather ............very hot+ ........................................rising dust Max Temp .................................46C Min Temp ..................................33C Wind Direction ...........................NW Wind Speed...................22-42 km/h Friday, Aug 17 Expected weather ............very hot+ ........................................rising dust Max Temp .................................47C Min Temp ..................................34C Wind Direction ...........................NW Wind Speed...................25-45 km/h Saturday, Aug 18 Expected weather...............very hot Max Temp .................................48C Min Temp ..................................35C Wind Direction .......................NW-N Wind Speed...................12-35 km/h Sunday, Aug 19 Expected weather...............very hot Max Temp .................................49C Min Temp ..................................35C Wind Direction .......................N-NW Wind Speed...................12-35 km/h

Tide times at Shuwaikh Port

1st high tide:...........................23:45 2nd high tide:..........................10:15 1st low tide: ............................04:30 2nd low tide: ...........................18:00 Sunrise: ..................................05:16 Sunset: ...................................18:29

Recorded yesterday at Kuwait Airport

Max temp ..................................45C Min temp ...................................34C Max Rh.....................................17% Min Rh......................................05% Max Wind.........................N60 km/h Total Rainfall in 24 hr ...........06 mm

Recorded yesterday at South Dolphin

Min/Max/ Air Temp ...............33/40C Min/Max Rel Hum ...............12/51% Wind Direction/Wind Speed.....N/52 km/h Prev Wave Dir/Max Wave Ht. N/5 ft Min/Max Sea Surface Temp 32/32C Sea Current .....................Upwelling

Marine Forecast
Station South Dolphin Ahmadi L/V Beacon M28 Beacon N6 Max Min Sea Todays Exp Rec Surf Waves Ht Direction 40 33 - 6ft SE 38 29 - 6ft SE 37 34 32 6ft SE 42 31 - 6ft SE

Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Meteorological Dept.

deaths
Fatmah Muhammad Abdallah Al-Qattan, 67 years old, buried. Condolences: (Men) Daiah, Al-Awadi diwaniya. (Women) Hateen, Block 1, Street 107, House 19, Tel: 99744027, 99722048, 25221974. Sakeena Ahmad Muhammad, 71 years old, widow of Abdallah Talib Al-Awadi, buried. Condolences: (Men) Daiah, Al-Awadi diwaniya. (Women) Surrah, Block 3, Street 4, Block 2, Tel: 22573111, 25339831. Khalid Abdulrahman Yusuf Al-Haddad, 62 years old, buried. Condolences: (Men) Mishrief, Block 6, Street 4, Ave 2, House 3. (Women) Qurtubah, Block 2, Street 3, Ave 4, House 10, Tel: 90072223. Ali Fadil Muhammad Al-Merri, 85 years old, buried. Condolences: (Men) Omariyah, Block 2, 1st Street, House 17. (Women) Dhuhur, Block 3, Street 2, Ave 3, House 7, Tel: 69655555, 99200300. Maleeha Mujbil Jaryu Al-Rashidi, 51 years old, buried. Condolences: Naseem, Jahra, Block 1, Street 15, House 2, Tel: 99779355, 66026019. Aisha Hassan Ibrahim Al-yatama, wife of Hamad Ali Ahmad Al-Hamad, 77 years old, buried. Condolences: (Men) Shamiyah, Block 8, Street 85, House 17, Al-Yatama diwaniya. (Women) Salaam, Block 4, Street 24, House 27, Tel: 99020017, 99024422, 25210160. Abdulrahman Abdallah Essa Al-Erbeed, 78 years old, buried. Condolences: (Men) Bayan, Block 2, Street 1, House 27. (Women) Mishref, Block 5, Street 2, House 4, Tel: 99799719. Dari Fauzi Hamad Aleej Al-Shimmery, 12 years old, buried. Condolences: (Men) Gharnatah, Behind Credit and Savings bank. (Women) Gharnatah, Block 3, Street 10, House 50, Tel: 97603030.

Aug 15, 2012

LOCAL

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

embassy row
By Valiya S. Sajjad
Arab Times Staff

Australia
The Embassy of Australia has announced that it will be closed on Sunday, Aug 19, and Monday, Aug 20, 2012, for Eid Al Fitr. Further it said, Kuwaiti citizens can apply for and receive visit visas in at least 10 working days through www.immi.gov.au. All other processing of visas and immigration matters handled by the Australian Visa Application Centre located in Al Banwan Building, 4B 1st Floor, Al Qibla Area, Ali Al Salem Street, Kuwait City, Kuwait. You may call on Tel: 22971110 or visit www.vfs.ae. The Embassy of Australia does not have a visa or immigration department in Kuwait. All processing of visas and immigration matters are conducted by the Australian Consulate General in Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.co (VFS), immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (visa office). Tel: +971 43551958 (VFS), +971 45087200 (Visa Office), Fax: +971 43550708 (Visa Office). Notary and passport services are available by appointment at the Australian Embassy only on Wednesday and Thursday mornings. Appointments can be made by calling the embassy on 22322422.

processed and delivered before the traveling date. Visa requests have to be submitted at least 2 weeks or 3 months maximum before traveling date. For housemaids and other domestic staff, a temporary work permit is requested and needs at least 3 weeks to be processed and delivered

South Africa
The Embassy of South Africa will be closed from Sunday, Aug 19, 2012 to Tuesday, Aug 21, 2012, on the occasion of Eid-Al-Fitr.

Ministries eye law against people misusing websites

Rebellious actions to be eliminated
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: Ministry of Information held a meeting Tuesday morning with representatives from Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Communications, and Fatwa and Legislation Department to discuss about drafting a law to penalize those who misuse social networking websites such as Twitter for spreading rumors and publishing embarrassing pictures, reports Al-Kuwaitiah daily quoting a reliable source.
He said several deceptive and false accounts are being created and used to post provocative comments that are capable of inciting rebellion and chaos in the country, adding that the step to draft this law would eliminate such rebellious actions by corrupt people.
He indicated that the representative from Ministry of Communications suggested during the meeting the issuance of a penalty of KD 50,000 and two-year imprisonment against such practices that attempt to insult the social and religious values of the nation and exploit the citizens patriotism to provoke chaos.

Greece
The Embassy of Greece in Kuwait has announced its new website www.mfa.gr/kuwait where visa applications and other useful information are available. In view of the summer vacation and due to the increasing number of applications for Schengen visas to Greece, the embassy strongly recommends Kuwaiti citizens and foreign residents to apply early, prior to the intended date of travel.

Sri Lanka
The Embassy of Sri Lanka will be closed for public from Aug 19 to Aug 21, 2012, for Eid Al Fitr.

UK
The Embassy of UK will be closed on Sunday, Aug 19, until Tuesday Aug 21, 2012 (inclusive) on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr. The Consular Section will be closed on the same dates.

India
The Indian Embassy has announced it will remain closed on the following days: Aug 20, 2012, Monday (subject to change), for Eid Al-Fitr and Aug 29, 2012, Wednesday, for Onam Festival.

US
The US Embassy in Kuwait has launched a new streamlined visa application, the DS-160, which replaces and combines all previous forms. All nonimmigrant visa applicants will use this new form. With the new form, applicants will have to upload a visa photograph and submit the form via the internet. The applicant will print just one confirmation sheet upon completion of the DS-160. For additional information, please visit the US Embassy website: http://kuwait.usembassy.gov. The site contains a complete list of application requirements, links to the new application and the online appointment system.

Philippines
In observance of Eid Al-Fitr holidays, the Philippines Embassy will be closed from Aug 19-20, 2012. Regular office hours will resume on Wednesday, Aug 22, 2012.

Bangladesh
The Embassy of Bangladesh will remain closed from Aug 19-25, 2012, for Eid Al-Fitr.

Peru
The Embassy of Peru in Kuwait announces that the Embassy of Peru in Qatar will attend to visa requests from Kuwaitis and non-Kuwaitis residing in Kuwait. Applicants can call +97444915944 or fax their request to +97444915940 or email: arestegui.cj@gmail.com for more information.

Editors note: The Embassy Row

column is dedicated to serving the needs of all embassies in Kuwait by publishing information on their activities free of charge every weekend. All embassies are therefore welcome to send information on their functions to the Editor, Fax No. 24818267.

France
The French Embassy kindly requests visa applicants to submit their application form along with all requested documents to Al-Qabas Assurex Company, allowing enough time for the visa to be

DISPATCHES

EPA, MoH join hands to protect environment

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: The Environment Public Authority (EPA) works closely with the Ministry of Health (MoH) due to the direct relationship between public health and environment protection, reports Al-Seyassah daily quoting consultant at the Technical Office in the authority Aliya Bu-Rahma. Bu-Rahma explained the authority maintains strong coordination with the Non-Contagious Disease Committee at the ministry in line with its goal to provide a healthy environment for the people of Kuwait. He said the authority plays a supplementary role in the ministrys fight against non-contagious diseases like those affecting the heart and veins, as well as diabetes, different types of cancers and respiratory problems. Asked about the environment protection program of EPA, Bu-Rahma disclosed the authority lays down and implements policies to protect the environment, in addition to long and short-term strategies to address the environmental problems of the country. He said the authority closely monitors activities in various sectors, including the industrial and oil establishments, to ensure strict compliance with the environment protection regulations.

Moon panel to meet

The Moon Sighting Committee of the Ministry of Justice announced it will meet Friday to look for the Shawal Crescent at the headquarters of the Kuwait Institute for Judiciary and Legal Studies in the presence of Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs Jamal Al-Shihab, reports AlAnba daily.

LOCAL

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Pinay housemaid sold to Jleeb Shuyoukh brothel for KD 200

Salma recounts ordeal to embassy official
By Michelle Fe Santiago
Special to the Arab Times

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: A Filipina Household Service Worker (HSW) who escaped from her employers house in Sabahiya on July 17 due to overwork and lack of sleep ended up being sold to a Bangladeshi pimp and was forced to work in a brothel in Jleeb Al Shuyoukh.
Salma (not her real name), 29, single and a native of Cotabato City in Southern Philippines who arrived in Kuwait on Feb 15, 2011 recounted to the Arab Times on Wednesday the ordeal she went through in the brothel after she was sold by an Indian man to a Bangladeshi pimp in Jleeb AlShuyoukh for KD200.
I escaped from my employer because I cant take the bulk of work anymore. I wake up before 6 am daily and work nonstop at home with no rest at all till 1 am. I cannot even sleep due to fatigue. Then someone has been calling me up on the phone, an Indian guy who later became my friend on the phone who offered to help me find a job outside. I was already confused and desperate at that time because of fatigue so I decided to escape, stated Salma who endured 10 months of overwork with her second employer. She disclosed that she left her first employer after eight months when her employers brother attempted to rape her. Her first employer returned her to the agency and was given to her second employer where she allegedly suffered over fatigue. On the day she escaped, Salmas Indian phone pal who promised to find her a job waited for her outside her employers house, however, when she was already in the car, she changed her mind and asked him to take her to her agency in Fahaheel but to her surprise, she was brought to Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh and sold to the Bangladeshi pimp who allegedly provides ladies to brothels in Jleeb and Hasawi area. I tried to escape and fight back but they were strong and they locked me up in a room. Then the Bangladeshi guy who bought me raped me. I cried for help but he threatened me that he would kill me and slit my throat if I try to escape, Salma narrated in between sobs. Two days after, the Bangladeshi guy then brought her to the brothel which was just near the place that they were staying. I kept on crying as I begged them to let me go but everything fell on deaf ears. I was ushered into a small stinky room with
Philippine Embassy ATNU Head Tanandato listens to Salma as she recounts her ordeal.

only a dirty mattress in it. Then, guys of different nationalities started coming into my room and each one had sexual intercourse with me. Each sexual encounter was so fast that it would only last from two to five minutes. Some of those who pitied me did not touch me but just paid the pimp. I lost count of the men who used me, she sobbed. Salma recounted that she was brought to two different brothels in the area on different days. I was brought every other day to two different brothels. He gets KD 5 for every customer and he gives me KD 1 as commission. I begged him to let me go as I cant do it anymore but he again threatened to kill me if I escape, she stated. Salma cited that she also saw three other Filipinas in the brothel as well as Indonesian ladies but they were not allowed to talk to each other. As the days went by, I felt like being tortured every time men had sex with me but I tried to be strong and find a way on how to escape that place, she stated as tears welled in her eyes. Finally on Aug 10 at around 7:00 am, she was able to escape while the Bangladeshi pimp and his other colleagues were still sleeping soundly. My room wasnt locked so I went to the kitchen quietly and there was a very small window, I tied a towel and a bed sheet and jumped off the first floor. I landed on my feet but went off balance and I fell on my right shoulder and half of my body now is hurting due to the impact of my fall, she stated with her voice shaking, pointing to her right shoulder blade.

She then hailed a taxi and asked the driver to take her to the Philippine Embassy. I want that Bangladeshi pimp and all of his colleagues who are operating the brothels in Jleeb be arrested because they are still out there victimising domestic helpers, cried Salma. Salma during her meeting on Wednesday with Assistance to Nationals Unit Head at the Philippine Embassy, Dalidig Ibrahim Tanandato, asked the Philippine Embassy to rescue the three other Fillipinas who are still in the brothel. With the vital information that she provided us we will meet up with the police authorities tomorrow and convey all the information to them so appropriate action can be done to arrest these people, stated Tanandato. He vowed that the embassy will look into Salmas case and do its best to rescue the three other Filipinas and other ladies in the brothels. Tanandato called on all Filipinos in Kuwait especially Household Service Workers (HSWs) not to go out with any stranger and in case, they have any problem with their employers, they should contact the Philippine Embassy or the Philippine Overseas Labour Office (POLO) for assistance. Currently, Salma is temporarily staying at the Filipino Workers Resource Center in Faiha. I just want to recover from this nightmare. I hope this will soon be over. I want to go home to the Philippines and be with my family, she sobbed.

LOCAL
4 expats in police net

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Half kilo of Ice drugs seized

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: Four Asian expatriates were arrested recently for possession of nearly half kilogram of drugs. In a press statement issued by Ministry of Interior, it was specified that when the Directorate General for Drug Control received information about a group of Asian expatriates specialized in producing the drug Ice, a team of officers were formed for investigations. After confirming the information through investigations, they received warrant from Public Prosecution to arrest the culprits and raid their residences. They arrested the four suspects and found half kilograms of drugs in their possession. They confessed their crime during interrogations and were referred to the concerned authorities for necessary legal action against them.

Judge orders release of former lawmaker Al-Juwaihel on bail

Govt reported to have referred Al-Turaiji to PP
By Nihal Sharaf and Abubakar A. Ibrahim
Arab Times Staff

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: The detention renewal judge has ordered the release of former MP Mohammed Al-Juwaihel on bail.
Al-Juwaihel was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department and interrogated by the Public Prosecutor for allegedly insulting the AlMutair tribe on his Twitter account and put behind bars at the Central Prison pending 10 days of investigation. While in prison Juwaihel, who allegedly suffers from heart ailment, was reported to have gone on hunger and medical strike to protest his detention. Juwaihel has denied the accusations attributed to him. He explained he did not insult the Al-Mutair tribe. He also stressed the source of the Twitter account which was used to insult the tribe had surfaced in Lebanon. He blamed someone of implicating him. Meanwhile, the government is reported to have referred former MP Abdullah Al-Turaiji to Public Prosecution in the case No. 13/2012 for allegedly damaging the national economy through a parliamentary query he submitted to the Minister of Commerce and Industry Anas Al-Saleh and his appeal to the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber AlMubarak to stop tampering with appointments in the Financial Market Authority. It may be recalled on June 18, 2012, Al-Turaiji said in a statement there are administrative violations have been committed in the Financial Markets Authority and corruption was rampant as opposed to the desire of HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Sabah who wants Kuwait to be a financial and economic center. Expressing his astonishment on this lawsuit, AlTuraiji said on his Twitter account We ask them about suspicions of corruption and abuses in the appointment of senior officials who are paid astronomical salaries and they accuse us of damaging the economy. Those who steal our wealth and capabilities of our country are having fun and are roaming around freely. He added, We know there is a plan to eliminate us because of our position that has embarrassed them. We also know the government has a role in this plan. We are referred to the Prosecution because we are doing our supervisory duty.

Photos by Iehab Qurtal

(Left): firefighters battling the blaze, and (right) after the fire has been put out.

No casualties in under-construction building fire

By Munaif Nayef
Special to the Arab Times Fire broke out in a under-construction building in Salaam. No casualties were reported and the cause of the fire is unknown. Reportedly, when the Operations Room at Fire Service Directorate received information about the building on fire, firefighters from Mishref and Shuhada fire stations rushed to the location to find that the blazing fire had spread further to a nearby cabin. Firefighters managed to extinguish the fire but before it spread further. Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the fire.

MoI photo

The 4 expats with the seized contraband

Police hunt man

Cigarette butts used to burn womans chest

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: Police are looking for a Kuwaiti man for torturing an unidentified woman by burning her chest with cigarette butts, reports Al-Rai daily. The woman (believed to be a divorcee) in her complaint to the Salmiya Police Station said she befriended the man four years ago. Following disputes between them the woman decided to end the relationship and both parted ways. On the day of the incident, the suspect visited the woman and as usual she opened the door for him. He later picked up a fight with the woman, tied her hands behind her back, and burned her with cigarette butts. He also threatened to burn her private parts in a similar manner. However, he left when she insisted that she does not wish to return to him. The woman has submitted a medical report to the police station.

Two murder suspects held

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: Securitymen have arrested two persons suspected of killing a man whose body was found in Bar Al-Salimi two days ago. In a press statement Tuesday, the Ministry of Interior revealed the suspects were referred to the Public Prosecution and murder charges have been leveled against them. During interrogation, the suspects admitted they were with the victim in the desert. After some time, one of them left and the other was picked up by his brothers, leaving the victim alone. It had earlier been reported that the victim called his brother asking for help and then he was found dead.

INTERNATIONAL
Tensions with Iran have risen over its disputed nuclear program

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Lockheed sees more ME missile-defence demand

WASHINGTON, Aug 15, (RTRS): Saudi Arabia and its closest regional partners have shown interest in buying the most advanced Lockheed Martin Corp missiledefense system to counter perceived threats, executives of the Pentagons top supplier said on Tuesday. Look, all of the (Gulf Cooperation Council) nations have an interest, Dennis Cavin, a company vice president for army and missile-defense programs, told a teleconference. The GCC is a political and economic alliance linking Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. Lockheed, the Pentagons No. 1 supplier by sales, received an initial $1.96 billion contract in December for two of its Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) weapon systems for the United Arab Emirates. This marked the first foreign sale of the system, coming as tensions with Iran have risen over its disputed nuclear program. Such foreign sales are increasingly important to US arms makers as the Pentagons budget flattens because of US deficit-reduction requirements. The United States has been working with Gulf regional states on a bilateral basis, not as a group, to boost the range of radar coverage and related capabilities across the Gulf for the earliest possible defense against any missiles that Iran might fire. a US military official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter. Its us working out agreements with individual countries. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that the United States is putting a high-powered Raytheon Co AN/TPY-2 X-Band radar station in Qatar, an add-on to similar existing arrays, one in Israels Negev Desert and one in Turkey. Together, the three radar sites form an arc that can detect missile launches from northern, western and southern Iran, the paper quoted officials as saying. THAAD is a US Army system designed to shoot down short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles with an interceptor that slams into its target. It can accept cues from Lockheeds Aegis weapons system, satellites and other external sensors and work in tandem with the PATRIOT Advanced Capability-3 terminal air-defense missile. THAAD includes its own radar along with interceptors and communications and fire control units.

Interest
Fueling the interest in THAAD, Cavin said, was a US military push to stitch together an integrated air and missile defense architecture across the region as well as what he called a recognition by GCC states that they need the best capability they can get against the threat set thats there. Mat Joyce, Lockheeds vice president for THAAD, said it was premature to discuss specific potential buyers but as they

Agreement
Its not us sitting down with the GCC. Its not us sitting down with NATO, said begin preparing the Election Law based on Constitutional standards. He hoped there will be a consensus on an alternative to the five constituencies according to the criteria determined by the court if it rules that the five constituencies are unconstitutional. Agencies add: Kuwaits opposition accuses the government of wanting to gerrymander electoral districts so as to prevent another opposition majority in the next parliamentary election. Kuwait has been mired in a political impasse caused by a ruling in June by the Constitutional Court that effectively annulled February elections which gave mainly Islamist lawmakers a majority in parliament and reinstated the previous, more government-friendly, assembly. The opposition have condemned plans to submit the petition as a coup against the constitution and warned that any such ruling could set off mass protests in the country. Kuwait has been gripped by a political crisis centred around the right of the elected parliament to question a government staffed mainly by members of the ruling Al-Sabah family. The Amir has been expected to call new elections, probably in October, after the reinstated parliament elected in 2009 failed to muster a quorum twice in the past two weeks to swear in the new government. Analysts said any elections were likely to be delayed until after the Constitutional Court rules on the governments petition. Kuwait changed its election law in 2006, reducing the number of constituencies to five from 25 as part of efforts to reduce the possibility of buying votes and to cut tribal influence in the polls. Opposition politicians, who won an outright majority in the February election, have criticised the governments move and some warned they would boycott any future election.

notify the US government officially of their interest well be happy to provide that information to you. Cavin and Joyce spoke from Huntsville, Alabama, during a space and missile-defense conference. THAAD is part of a layered missile shield being built to defend the United States and its friends and allies against ballistic missiles of all ranges and in all phases of flight. The system is being optimized against Iran and North Korea. A major US-led effort is under way to protect NATOs European territory against ballistic missiles that could be fired by Iran, for instance, in retaliation for any preemptive strike against Iranian nuclear facilities. Iran is suspected by many of secretly developing atomic

arms, although it insists that its program is dedicated entirely to peaceful power generation. Lockheed describes THAAD as the only system with the flexibility to intercept targets both inside and outside the earths atmosphere. Other leading missile-defense contractors include Boeing Co, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman Corp. President Barack Obamas administration notified Congress last month of a possible sale to Kuwait of 60 PATRIOT PAC-3 missiles and associated gear in a deal worth up to $4.2 billion. Such a sale would help deter regional threats, among other things, the Pentagons Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in the notice to lawmakers.

Be grateful
Continued from Page 1
All our demands as young people adolescents and youth are met by our parents. Yet, unfortunately we are not grateful because we always want more. As grown up people, we earn fat salaries either in the public or private sector companies. Yet, we always need more. We saw the demands for salary raise and increments by employees of the oil sector. This made us voracious for more and more increments to such an extent our greed even depleted the countrys resources. Services such as water and electricity here are almost for free, not to mention fuel. There is no tax because the country takes care of our needs from cradle to grave. We have free land, easy loans for accommodation, marriage, compensations, social and financial assistances, education and medication for free. Add to this to the fact that the state pays for medical treatment overseas to people who may even travel for tourism. There is no difference because the number of those who are treated overseas is larger than the number of those treated in local hospitals. There are no prisoners of opinion. There are no tyrant rulers. The freedom of opinion galore and democracy make us look like living in an oasis surrounded by dry desert. Yet, there is neither appreciation nor gratitude. I do not call for maintaining the current position for the fear of not being able to achieve reforms or controlling corruption which has spread in our society. Yet, I see positivism in our country more than negativism which can be handled easily with less shouts, escalations or perpetual complaints. I have a feeling of sufficiency, happiness and hope to overwhelm us in the days ahead of us. However, this should come through gratitude and appreciation.

Accord
Russia said Wednesday it would not let the West sabotage a political transition accord to end the escalating conflict in Syria that world powers agreed in Geneva at the end of June. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused unnamed Western states of fomenting violence by openly supporting the armed opposition and said Russia expected a formal answer within a matter of days on whether they backed the accord. What was accomplished in Geneva should not be sabotaged, Lavrov told reporters while on a visit to Belarus. We will be trying to get an answer from our (Western) partners within literally the coming days about whether they support what they signed off on in Geneva, said Lavrov. If so, why are they not taking measures to implement it? Lavrov demanded.

Crimes
Syrian President Bashar Assads forces and pro-government shabiha fighters have perpetrated war crimes and crimes against humanity on Syrian civilians, a UN expert panel concluded Wednesday in a report that provides in chilling detail further evidence of a conflict spiraling out of control. The panel appointed by the UNs 47nation Human Rights Council blamed the government and allied militia for the killing of more than 100 civilians in the village of Houla in May, nearly half of them children, and said the murders, unlawful killing, torture, sexual violence and indiscriminate attacks indicate the involvement at the highest levels of the armed and security forces and the government.

A Syrian woman holds her dead baby as she looks over at her dead husbands body (unseen) following an airstrike by regime forces on the town of Azaaz, near the northern restive Syrian city of Aleppo, on Aug 15. (AFP)

Bladder infection

Britains Prince Philip in hospital

LONDON, Aug 15, (AFP): Britains Prince Philip was hospitalised Wednesday with a repeat of the bladder infection that made him miss part of his wife Queen Elizabeth IIs jubilee celebrations in June, Buckingham Palace said. The 91-year-old was likely to spend several days in hospital after his third health scare in the space of eight months, having also suffered a blocked coronary artery over Christmas last year. Buckingham Palace said the Duke of Edinburgh, as he is formally known, was taken by ambulance to the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in northeast Scotland from Balmoral Castle about 40 miles (60 kilometres) away. The Duke of Edinburgh has had a recurrence of the bladder infection that he had in the summer and has been admitted to hospital for investigation and treatment, a palace spokesman said. His royal highness is likely to remain there for the next few days. The outspoken prince had visited the Isle of Wight off southern England on Monday and appeared to be in good health as he carried out several public engagements.

Events
He had also watched several events at the London Olympics in the last fortnight, including the Olympic debut of his granddaughter Zara Phillips, who eventually won a silver medal. Philip was hospitalised with a bladder infection for five nights in June, forcing him to miss the end of the huge diamond jubilee celebrations marking his wifes 60th year on the throne. The infection came after he and the rest of the royal family spent several hours standing on a royal barge in the pouring rain as part of a jubilee pageant on the River Thames in London. On the night he was taken ill, hundreds of thousands of revellers chanted his name to wish him well at a starstudded jubilee concert outside Buckingham Palace. He also spent four days in hospital at Christmastime in December after undergoing a surgical procedure for a blocked coronary artery. Greek-born Philip is the longestserving royal consort in British history,

Act now
Continued from Page 1
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad whose country has openly criticised the push to suspend Syria. The draft statement says Syria should be suspended over the obstinacy of the Syrian authorities in following the military option to solve the crisis and the failure of a UN-Arab League peace plan brokered by Kofi Annan. It demands that Assads regime immediately end all acts of violence without calling for the president to step down, while defending Syrias unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. Tensions have been simmering for months between Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia and Shiite-dominated Iran as Syria has emerged as another arena for the longtime rivalry between the two regional heavyweights. Despite the opposed stands, Irans president avoided mention of the Syrian conflict in a speech on Tuesday night as did Saudi Arabias King Abdullah in his opening speech, indicating an accommodation between the regions superpowers. There has been a clear change in the Iranian position towards Syria, according to a diplomat at the Makkah summit. In another conciliatory move, King Abdullah, whose country hosts the OIC headquarters in its Red Sea city of Jeddah, proposed Tuesday setting up a centre in Riyadh for dialogue between Muslim confessions. Iran is the Syrian regimes biggest regional ally and has pledged its full support for Assad. Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi on Monday criticised the move to suspend Syrias membership of the OIC, saying it would not resolve the conflict and was not in line with the groups charter. But foreign ministers meeting ahead of the summit agreed on the suspension based on consensus with an absolute majority and forwarded the decision to the heads of state for final approval, OIC chief Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said.

Israel sees
Continued from Page 1
Vilnai made no mention in the interview of the impact a month of conflict would have on Israels economy should Tel Aviv, Israels commercial centre, be hit by long-range missiles. When asked about the issue at a press conference, Panetta offered reassurances, echoing the White House line that there is still time to negotiate a solution to the nuclear showdown. Ive said this before, Ill say it now I dont believe they made a decision as to whether or not they will they will go in and attack Iran at this time, Panetta told reporters. Obviously, theyre an independent theyre a sovereign country. Theyll ultimately make decisions based on what they think is in their national security interest, he noted. The reality is that we still think there is room to continue to negotiate. Earlier this month, Panetta visited Israel, where his pleas for more time to let diplomacy run its course received a less than warm welcome from Netanyahu and Barak. Speculation in the Israeli press about a possible strike has since multiplied. Meanwhile, German police have arrested four men suspected of delivering valves for a heavy water reactor to Iran, breaking an embargo on such exports to the Islamic Republic imposed over its disputed nuclear programme. Prosecutors said some 90 customs officers arrested the men, a German and three with dual German-Iranian citizenship, at their homes in the northern cities of Hamburg and Oldenburg and the eastern town of Weimar, and searched flats and offices. In 2010 and 2011 the suspects are believed to have helped in the delivery of special valves for the construction of a heavy water reactor in Iran and therefore to have broken the Iran embargo, prosecutors said in a statement on Wednesday. They did not name the plant, but Iran is building a heavy water research reactor near the central town of Arak, a type which Western experts say could produce plutonium for nuclear weapons. Iran, which has said it hopes to bring Arak on line by the end of 2013, says its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful and that the reactor will produce isotopes for medical and agricultural use. To avoid export controls, the men are suspected of having described their customer as a firm based in Turkey and Azerbaijan. The deliveries were part of an order worth several million euros (dollars) which Iran was trying to use to secure the necessary valve technology to make a heavy water reactor, said the prosecutors.

Precautionary
Buckingham Palace earlier said it was a precautionary measure. It said he and the queen had been staying at Balmoral.

and has been a constant fixture by the queens side throughout her reign. He is famous for his politicallyincorrect jokes, but behind the scenes is said to be a key source of support for the queen. Born Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark, Philip fled politically unstable Greece with his family when he was just 18 months old. A respected officer in Britains Royal Navy during World War II, he had met Princess Elizabeth in 1939, but the couple did not marry until 1947. He had to give up his titles as prince of Greece and Denmark and join the Church of England in order to marry the future queen. He was placed in command of a ship after the wedding, but his career was cut short by the death of king George VI in 1952, which brought Elizabeth to the throne. He once admitted the curtailment of his career was disappointing, but said that being married to the queen, it seemed to me that my first duty was to serve her in the best way I could. They have four children, including heir to the throne Prince Charles.

Newswatch
Continued from Page 1
After passing on a first set of documents earlier this year, HSBC has sent the new batch to the US Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission in an effort to reach a settlement over the investigation.

BAGHDAD: The head of Zain Iraq, the

countrys biggest mobile phone company, has resigned and will be temporarily replaced by the companys chairman, Zain said in a statement on Wednesday. Zain Iraq ... today confirmed that Emad Makiya will step down as chief executive officer of Zain Iraq with immediate effect, it said, adding that Makiya will continue to function as an adviser to chairman and interim chief executive Mohammed Charchafchi. (AFP)

Court gets
Continued from Page 1
Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs Jamal Al-Shihab reiterated the dissolution of the 2009 Assembly will be based on a court ruling. He said the dissolution of the Assembly prior to the court verdict will create a new dilemma due to the constitutional obligations to hold new elections within 60 days. Al-Shihab assured dialogue between the government and the people has not stopped and condemned those who threatened to take the issue to international human rights organizations. He said constitutional experts have preceded the government in finding a flaw in the Election Law. He noted the Information Minister is preparing a detailed program on Kuwait TV to shed light on the Cabinets decision to approach the court. Al-Shihab called on the government and the MPs to take the initiative and

not yet in clinical use, will selectively block the immune-addiction response. The researchers said that opioid drugs such as morphine and heroin bind to immune receptors in the brain known as TLR4 which then act as amplifiers for addiction, ramping up the reward effect of drugs of abuse to a high degree. The new drug automatically shuts this effect down, Hutchinson said. It really reduces the reward level down to the equivalent of food, sex, and hugs, he told AFP. Professor Linda Watkins, from the Center for Neuroscience at the University of Colorado, said the work fundamentally changed understanding about opioids, reward and addiction. Weve suspected for some years that TLR4 may be the key to blocking opioid addiction, but now we have the proof, she said in a statement. The researchers believe the discovery could prove useful if plus-naloxone could become a co-formulated drug with morphine, to allow patients who need pain relief to take the drug without fear of addiction. But it could have a second application. It can be used by itself potentially in addicted people to help their addiction, Hutchinson said. The research team says clinical trials could be underway within 18 months.

Syrian air
Continued from Page 1
Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said the bomb blast proved the criminal and barbaric nature of those who carry out these attacks and their backers in Syria and abroad. UN emergency relief coordinator Valerie Amos, on a mission to seek more access for aid deliveries, was meeting European Union officials in Damascus when the bomb went off. She herself was unable to reach the town of Douma, a trouble spot just north of the capital, due to bombardment. Waiting at checkpoint to get into Duma. Sounds of shelling. Could not

Heroin addiction
Continued from Page 1
to prevent cravings for opioid drugs. The results, to be published Thursday in the Journal of Neuroscience, reveal that laboratory studies showed that the drug known as plus-naloxone, which is

enter, Amos tweeted. The authorities told her she had been turned back for her own safety, her spokesman said later. Groups calling themselves The Descendants of the Prophet Brigade and the al-Habib al-Mustafa Brigade said on a Facebook page they were jointly responsible for the bombing and that the attack had killed 50 soldiers. It was impossible to verify that claim. Last month Assads troops successfully counter-attacked after rebels seized parts of Damascus. They are still trying to dislodge insurgents from Aleppo, Syrias biggest city. A Syrian air strike has wrecked a hospital in a rebel-held area of Aleppo, a doctor there said on Wednesday, an attack that New York-based Human Rights Watch said violated international law. At least two holes gaped in the walls of Al Shifaa Hospital and four floors were heavily damaged by Tuesdays raid. If we had lingered just another five minutes, we would have died, said the surgeon, who gave his name only as Younes. Dust covered hospital beds, incubators were broken and the floor was strewn with rubble. Water from a broken tank had leaked out, mixing with patches of blood. More than 50 were killed across Syria on Wednesday, the Syrian Observatory said, after 160 the day before. Opposition sources say 18,000 people have been killed since the uprising against Assad erupted in March last year. Syrian state media said Amos met Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem to discuss the growing needs of civilians affected by the destruction of private and state property by terrorist armed groups the governments usual term for rebels. The bloodshed has divided regional and world powers, foiling peace efforts and paralysing the UN Security Council on Syria. Muslim heads of state were expected to suspend Syria from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation at a summit in Mecca on Wednesday, over the objections of Iran, Assads closest ally. The 57-member bodys rebuke is most-

ly symbolic, but it shows Syrias isolation in much of the Sunni-majority Islamic world. Syrias own Sunni majority is the dynamo of the revolt against Assad, whose Shiite-rooted Alawite minority is at the core of a ruling system based on the army and security services. Syria has been caught up in a wider sectarian-tinged tussle pitting Shiite Iran against Saudi Arabia and its Sunni-ruled Gulf allies. Turkey has also turned against Assad. Tehran is determined to prop up a proven ally who has provided vital support for its Shiite ally Hezbollah in Lebanon. Ankara and Washington have pledged to step up aid to the Syrian opposition and planning for a post-Assad Syria. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Saturday the United States and Turkey were looking at all ways to help Syrian rebel forces, possibly including a no-fly zone. US officials later emphasised that no such step toward direct military intervention was likely any time soon.

GENEVA: The Swiss government has applied an existing set of trade sanctions against Syria to the national airline, two other business organizations and 25 more people. Spokeswoman Antje Baertschi of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, known as SECO, said Wednesday the action makes Switzerlands sanctions applied to Syria last year consistent with those of the 27-nation European Union. (AP) BAGHDAD: Four bombings and a shooting
killed 10 people and wounded 36 others in Iraq on Wednesday, security and medical officials said. In the deadliest attack, a car bomb exploded at about 7:45 pm (1645 GMT) in a market in Al-Muqdadiyah, 90 kms (55 miles) northeast of Baghdad in Diyala province, and a roadside bomb detonated soon afterwards, killing a total of seven people and wounding 25 others, a police colonel and a doctor said. (AFP)

MANAMA: Bahrains national airline

plans to restart flights to Iran and Iraq after halting service to the Shiite-led countries at the height of anti-government unrest last year. Gulf Air said Wednesday it will operate flights to Baghdad, Erbil, Najaf and Basra in Iraq, and Tehran, Mashhad, Shiraz and Isfahan in Iran starting next month. (AP)

MADRID: Spanish air authorities have

opened an investigation into Ryanair after the Irish low-cost carrier requested three emergency landings in July due to fuel shortages, officials said Tuesday. An official with Spains development ministry told AFP that the state air security agency opened its investigation last week following a complaint by the company that manages the countrys airports. (AFP)

Blames
Meanwhile, China on Wednesday accused some Western countries of seeking regime change in Syria and blamed their increasing support for rebel forces in the civil war there as hurting the solidarity of the UN Security Council. The remarks in the official Peoples Daily newspaper came as China hosted an envoy of Syrian President Bashar alAssad for talks. No details of the talks were released Wednesday. China and Russia have repeatedly used their veto power at the UN Security Council to block strong Western- and Arab-backed action against Assad. Moscow is a key ally of Assad, and China cites its own stance against military intervention. The Communist Partys Peoples Daily repeated Chinas position that the only solution to the Syrian crisis is a political one and criticized some Western countries open discussion of a no-fly zone as undermining a multilateral approach led by outgoing UN peace envoy Kofi Annan.

NEW YORK: The United States crude oil supplies fell last week, the government said Wednesday. Crude supplies declined by 3.7 million barrels, or 1 percent, to 366.2 million barrels, which is 3.4 percent above year-ago levels, the Energy Departments Energy Information Administration said in its weekly report. (AP) VIENNA: Russian police have arrested two men believed to have been behind the abduction in late July of a prominent Viennese lawyer, Austrian authorities said on Wednesday. The two men are thought to be the same ones who allegedly kidnapped Erich Rebasso from an underground car park in the Austrian capital on July 27. Traces of his blood were later found in a car rented by the two Russian citizens. (AFP)

MIDEAST
Not in good faith

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

Iran rejects US earthquake aid

TEHRAN, Aug 15, (AFP): Iran said on Wednesday it rejected a US offer of aid for survivors of twin deadly earthquakes that struck villages in its northwest on the weekend because it was not made in good faith. Iran did not accept the US offer for sending humanitarian aid for quake survivors, Hassan Ghadami, the head of the interior ministrys crisis management organisation, said, according to the ISNA news agency. We do not believe the US put forward the offer in good faith. We are currently having a medicine supply crisis because of sanctions, Ghadami said. Do us a favour and lift the sanctions, he said, referring to Washingtons campaign of draconian economic sanctions imposed on Iran. A day after twin earthquakes struck Iran last Saturday, killing 306 people and injuring 3,000 according to an official toll, the United States issued a statement sending the Iranian people its condolences and saying: We stand ready to offer assistance in this difficult time. Irans response underlined what it saw as US hypocrisy, given that Washington this year has done all it can to isolate Tehran. Although Irans Red Crescent said it had rejected other offers of aid from Germany, Taiwan and Russia, media reports say humanitarian cargoes from a handful of countries Qatar, Pakistan,

Call from an influential imam

German Islamic extremists head to Egypt

BERLIN, Aug 15, (AP): Officials in Germany say some 30 Islamic extremists have left the country and traveled to Egypt in recent weeks following a call from an influential imam. Interior Ministry spokesman Jens Teschke said Wednesday that the so-called Salafis were urged by Austrian preacher Mohamed Mahmoud to join him in Egypt after his ultraconservative Islamic organization group Millatu Ibrahim was banned in Germany in June. Der Spiegel reports this week the Salafists see an opportunity to live the true Islamic life or to fight unbelievers in post-Mubarak Egypt. Teschke confirmed the Spiegel story, and says the German government is carefully watching the situation. Germanys intelligence and security agencies have increasingly been monitoring the actions of the Salafis, who number some 4,000 in Germany, in recent months.

Switzerland and Azerbaijan have arrived. The United States stressed that Americans had ways of sending assistance to Iran for the quake, despite the sanctions. Americans wishing to provide humanitarian assistance to Iranians during this time may donate food and medicine without obtaining an Iranian transactions regulations licence, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Monday. Certain non-commercial personal financial trans-

actions to Iran also remained legal, she said. The National Iranian American Council, an advocacy group for the US-based community, has called on the US government to ensure that quake relief efforts are not obstructed due to the dispute between the US and Iranian governments. The twin quakes on Saturday, measuring 6.4 and 6.3 on the moment magnitude scale, flattened hundreds of hamlets in Irans mountainous northwest, near the city of Tabriz.

Prominent Jordanian political analyst and government critic Labib Kamhawi poses for a portrait in his office in Amman, Jordan, Aug 15. Kamhawi said Wednesday that he may face prosecution and even jail for inciting revolt and defaming Jordans King Abdullah II, but denied any wrongdoing and vowed he will fight back. The affair started when Kamhawi made comments on a TV talk show a few weeks ago that allegedly questioned the kings reform ambitions. (AP)

ElBaradei issues warning

Yemen separatist leader detained in Aden: source

Gunmen abduct al-Hassani
ADEN, Aug 15, (Agencies): A Yemeni secessionist leader was detained on Wednesday when his plane from Britain landed at Aden airport, a fellow leader of the separatist movement told Reuters.
Ahmed Abdullah al-Hassani, said Hussein Zayd bin Yahia, who was waiting for Hassani at the airport. They took him and disappeared. They were in three cars.
The identity of the armed men was unclear but Yahia suggested they belonged to Yemeni security services. There was no immediate comment from Yemen govA group of armed men boarded the plane when it landed and arrested ernment officials. North and south Yemen formally united in 1990 but then fought a civil war in the early 1990s. Some in the south, home to many of Yemens oil facilities, say northerners have seized resources and discriminated against them. Last years popular protests, which eventually led to the ousting of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, increased secessionist sentiment in the south. Yemeni media reported earlier this week that Hassani, who had been living abroad, planned to visit Aden to meet with other secessionist leaders. Besides the secessionist movement, which seeks to revive a southern socialist state, Yemen is grappling with problems including a violent insurgency by militants linked to alQaeda in the south and Shiite Muslim rebels in the north. Some 300 supporters of the Southern Movement staged a protest outside the airport and chanted slogans demanding independence of the south. Yemens southern separatists have for decades comA picture taken on Aug 11, 2012, shows a general view of large luxury houses under construction in the village of East plained of marginalisation by Farm, near the West Bank City of Ramallah, that are being built by Palestinians living in the West. (AFP) Sanaa. Though the movement remains fractured, it demands autonomy and in some cases independence. South Yemen was a separate nation before unification with the north in 1990. Meanwhile, a Yemeni security official says gunmen stormed a passenger plane after it landed in the countrys took power there in 2007. after security agencies fell apart with the EL-ARISH, Egypt, Aug 15, (AP): A south, grabbed an opposition The Bedouin tribes that dominate the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak last fringe group so extreme that it worries leader from his seat and spirarea have always been religiously conseryear have fueled the spread of more hardeven Egypts Muslim ultraconservatives ited him away to an unknown vative and traditional. But stricter Islamic line ideologies in Egypt. is secretly reviving itself with greater destination. doctrines have been gaining influence. In The long festering woes in Sinai have firepower and followers in the countrys The official says particular, the ultraconservative Salafi come to the forefront as the Egyptian milivolatile Sinai Peninsula. Wednesdays kidnapping took movement has grown more overt in Sinai, tary wages a week-old expanded operation Followers of the group known as place at the international airadvocating an austere, literal interpretain the peninsula aimed at uprooting Islamic Takfir wil-Hijra, dubbed Takfiris, lead port in the port city of Aden. tion of Islam similar to Saudi Arabias, militants. The operation was sparked by a secretive, isolated lives where anything Masked gunmen burst into the strict segregation of the sexes and a surprise attack earlier this month in which and anyone that does not adhere to their airport building first, meeting return to what it sees as the way of life of gunmen killed 16 Egyptian soldiers at a limited interpretation of the Holy Quran no resistance from airport the Prophet Muhammad. checkpoint near the border, then attempted is deemed heretical. They dream of a security. They then ran onto the The Takfiris go much further, however, an attack into Israel. puritanical Islamic state in Sinai. runway and boarded the plane. ready to shun even their own families Sinais arid land of rugged mountains While not all Takfiris are militants fightThe official says the who are not part of the movement, say and desert roads dotted by towns and viling jihad, or holy war, their ideology makes motives for the abduction of other Bedouin. Efforts by The Associated lages has long been neglected by the govthem easy pool to draw from for the armed Press to arrange interviews with members retired Maj Gen Ahmed ernment, with investments directed to groups believed to be behind attacks of the community through intermediaries just a few tourist-friendly cities along its Abdullah al-Hassani, a former against Israel and Egypts military in Sinai. were rejected. southern Red Sea tip. Its northern territoTakfir wil-Hijra has swelled in numYemeni navy commander, They dont see people. They dont ry, which borders the Mediterranean Sea, bers in recent months, multiplying from a was unclear. even attend their own parents funerals and Israel and the Gaza Strip, remained largefew hundred faithful in Sinai before last Al-Hassani was a staunch say their parents are infidels, said Sheik ly desolate, subsisting mostly on illegal years popular uprising to at least 4,500, opponent of former president Ouda Abolmalhous, a tribal elder in northtrafficking of migrants and drugs as well living in the impoverished small towns of Ali Abdullah Saleh. After ern Sinai. Even tribal allegiances, which as trade through underground tunnels to northern Sinai, according to security offiretiring, he became a promireign supreme in northern Sinai, come secGaza, largely sealed off by Israel and cials and local Bedouin tribal leaders. nent campaigner for the ond to their loyalty to the group, he said. Egypt since the militant group Hamas Their rise underlines how lawlessness souths secession.

Egypt president powers rival those of Mubaraks

CAIRO, Aug 15, (AP): Egypts Islamist president has given himself the right to legislate and control over the drafting of a new constitution. He has installed at the top of the powerful military a defense minister likely to be beholden to him. Under Mohammed Morsys authority, officials have moved to silence influential critics in the media. And though a civilian, he declared himself in charge of military operations against militants in the Sinai peninsula. Over the weekend, Morsy ordered the retirement of the defense minister and chief of staff and reclaimed key powers the military seized from him days before he took office on June 30. With that, Egypts first freely elected president amassed in his own hands powers that rival those of his ousted authoritarian predecessor, Hosni Mubarak. If left unchecked, there are fears Morsy and his fundamentalist group, the Muslim Brotherhood, could turn the clock back on the countrys tumultuous shift to democratic rule and pursue their goal of someday Morsy turning the most populous Arab nation into an Islamic state. The Brotherhood already won both parliamentary and presidential elections after the uprising last year that forced Mubarak out. The question now is whether there is any institution in the country that can check the power of Morsy and the Brotherhood and stop them from taking over the nations institutions and consolidating their grip. Forces (SCAF), which ruled Egypt for 17 months after Mubaraks ouster, dissolved parliament after a court ruled that a quarter of its members were illegally elected and claimed legislative authority for itself. It stripped the presidency of many of its key powers before it handed the office to Morsy. The defense minister ordered to retire was the head of SCAF and the outgoing chief of staff was his No. 2. SCAF issued constitutional amendments just before Morsy took over that gave the military control over the national budget and the process of drafting a new constitution. The generals also put themselves in charge of all defense and foreign policy, including the appointment of the defense minister. But Morsy reclaimed those powers on Sunday, so far uncontested by the military.

Revolution
During his campaign and the early days of his presidency, Morsy touted himself as the president of the revolution and spoke tirelessly of democracy. He pledged inclusiveness, tolerance and promised guaranteed freedoms under his rule promises he has done little so far to fulfill. Supporters of the 60-year-old, US-educated engineer say he simply restored his rightful powers that the military grabbed from him. It is too early to say whether Morsy and the Muslim Brotherhood are bent on dominating the state, but there are legitimate concerns given that Morsy now holds executive and legislative authority as well as having an avenue for intervening in constitution writing, said Jeff Martini of the Rand Corporation. Morsys consolidation of his authority comes at a time when his likely opponents are too weak or distracted to challenge him. The pro-democracy youth groups behind the uprising are in disarray. They lost much of the popular appeal they once had among the millions who answered their call to come out and protest during the uprising. Squabbling and demoralized, they may do little more than denounce Morsy just as they did when the military grabbed the presidents power in June. Morsy has counted on the support of the pro-democracy movement in his power struggle with the military. But many of the activists view the Brotherhood as politically opportunistic and obsessed with power, suspecting Morsy is driven by those same ambitions. Courageous presidential decrees have foiled the counter-revolution plots, Brotherhood stalwart Essam el-Erian wrote on his Twitter account of Morsys latest stand against the military. The president performed his sovereign duty and realized the demands of the revolution. Every revolutionary must support the president to prevent any attempt against the revolution.

Tyranny
Are we looking at a president determined to dismantle the machine of tyranny ... or one who is retooling the machine of tyranny to serve his interests, removing the militarys hold on the state so he can lay the foundations for the authority of the Brotherhood? prominent rights activist and best-selling novelist Alaa al-Aswani wrote in an article published Tuesday in an independent daily. He must correct these mistakes and assure us through actions that he is a president of all Egyptians, wrote the secular al-Aswani before warning that Egyptians will never allow Morsy to turn Egypt into a Brotherhood state. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, the countrys top reform leader, issued a similar warning on Monday. After Morsy stripped the military of legislative authority, and in the absence of parliament, he cautioned that the president holds imperial powers. The Supreme Council of the Armed

Takfiris lead secretive, isolated lives

Egypts hardliners reviving

Panetta has talks with al-Sissi

Egypt wants close US military ties

WASHINGTON, Aug 15, (AFP): The new defense minister appointed by Egypts Islamist president has pledged to uphold the strong military ties between Cairo and Washington, Pentagon chief Leon Panetta said Tuesday. In a surprise move Sunday, President Mohamed Morsy retired Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi head of the military council that assumed power after the ouster of Hosni Mubarak and replaced him with Abdel Fattah al-Sissi. General al-Sissi expressed his unwavering commitment to the US-Egypt military-to-military relationship, which has been really an anchor of stability in the Middle East for more than 30 years, Panetta told reporters after a phone conversation with his new counterpart earlier in the day. I in turn indicated to him that I look forward to working with him and to continuing the relationship that we have had with Egypt over those years. The reshuffling was seen as a test of strength between the new civilian government, which is backed by the Muslim Brotherhood, and the military, which held unrivaled influence during Mubaraks three-decade rule. The move followed a deadly attack on the Egyptian military in the Sinai that prompted an unprecedented military campaign in the lawless peninsula. Sissi stressed that he takes Egypts obligations under the Camp David treaty with Israel seriously and that hes committed to preventing the Sinai from becoming a staging area for militants, Panetta said.

Palestinian men take cover from tear gas fired by Israelis police at the Qalandia checkpoint, in the occupied West Bank, on Aug 14, during clashes which broke out as Palestinian men tried to enter Jerusalem for a night of prayer at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound to mark Laylat al-Qadr, or Night of Destiny. (AFP)

INTERNATIONAL
Taleban, allies ramp up violence

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

10

Grenades at Afghan mosque wound 9

KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug 15, (AP): Two grenades exploded inside a mosque compound during morning prayers in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday, wounding at least nine worshippers, an Afghan official said. The attack in eastern Khost province came a day after a series of bombs around Afghanistan killed at least 50 people in the deadliest day for civilians this year as Taleban insurgents and their allies ramp up violence across the country. The Taleban summer offensive this year coincides with Afghan police and soldiers taking on more responsibility for security while international forces start to withdraw. Three grenades were thrown into the mosque compound in Baghi Sara area, Khost police chief Sardar Mohammad Zazai said. One exploded inside the mosque itself, and one in the courtyard outside. The third failed to detonate. Zazai blamed Taleban insurgents for the attack. This was the work of the enemy, he said. It cannot be a private dispute. Why would anyone be so angry to throw grenades in a mosque while people are praying? He said many of those praying were Afghans who work at the nearby US base, Forward Operating Base Salerno. Taleban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid issued a statement that did not acknowledge the mosque attack but claimed an insurgent suicide bomber had attacked a US base in Khost, causing several American casualties. A spokesman for the NATO military coalition said Wednesday that there was no attack on the Salerno base, which is close to the mosque in Baghi Sara. Lt Col Hagen Messer

Explosion happened when people shopping for Eid

Market bomb wounds 14 in Afghanistan

HERAT, Afghanistan, Aug 15, (AFP): A bicycle bomb Wednesday wounded at least 14 people at a busy market in western Afghanistan as Muslims prepared to celebrate the end of fasting month, officials said. The bombing in Herat city comes a day after a series of attacks killed up to 50 people across the war-torn country. Fourteen civilians were injured when the bomb attached to a bicycle exploded in Herat city, provincial police chief Sayed Abdul Ghafar Sayedzada told AFP. Provincial governors spokesman Moyeedin Noori said the bomb was detonated remotely. The explosion happened in a market where the crowd of people were shopping for Eid, Noori said. Hospital official Mohammad Rafiq Shirzai, however, said 18 people were wounded including three women. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but similar attacks are usually blamed on Taleban insurgents fighting to overthrow the Western-backed government of President Hamid Karzai. NATO has some 130,000 US-led troops helping the government fight the Taleban, but they are due to pull out in 2014.

said the American personnel at the base reported hearing gunfire from the mosque but that Afghan police were investigating. The latest violence comes after a particularly bloody day for Afghanistan. Suicide bombers launched multiple attacks in remote Nimroz province in southwestern Afghanistan near the Iranian border on Tuesday, killing dozens of people, including shoppers buying sweets for a Muslim holiday. The bombings

left charred and smoldering bits of cookies and dried fruit among the bodies on the ground. A separate market bombing later Tuesday, this one in Kunduz in the north, killed 10 people, including five children. And in the eastern province of Paktika, a car hit a roadside bomb. Four children died in the blast, provincial spokesman Mokhlis Afghan said, bringing Tuesdays death toll to 50 11 police and 39 civilians.

Atris Hussein (left), a Swedish national of Lebanese origin, is escorted by a Thai prison official to the criminal court room in Bangkok, Thailand on Aug 14. Hussein, 48, a suspect with alleged links to Hezbollah militants was arrested in Bangkok in January 2012 on charges of possession of materials commonly used to make bombs. Hussein admitted in January to police that the stored explosive materials were to be shipped to another destination. (AP)

US defense chief concerned about Afghan insider attacks

21 green-on-blue incidents recorded in 2011
ty of US and NATO efforts to train Afghan security forces so they will be ready to take charge once foreign forces leave in 2014. Our enemies have attempted to undermine the trust between the coalition and the Afghan forces and in particular they have tried to take credit for a number of so-called green-on-blue or insider attacks that are taking place this fighting season, Panetta told a press conference. In the latest green-on-blue attack, an Afghan policeman shot and wounded two Make no mistake about it, Ive been very concerned about these incidents ... because of troops from the NATO-led mission on Monday in the eastern province of Nangarhar, the lives lost and because of the potential damage to our partnership efforts, he said. The Taleban are resorting to these kinds of attacks to create havoc because they have where Americans troops make up the bulk of the force. been unable to regain any lost territory, the defense secretary added. The attacks which left seven dead last week have raised questions about the viabiliAccording to NATO figures, 37 members of the US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) have died in 27 such attacks so far this year. That toll has already surpassed the 35 deaths recorded in 21 green-on-blue incidents in all of 2011. Panetta said General John Allen, who heads the international coalition force in Afghanistan, was meeting with Afghan security ministers, and village elders, to discuss further steps to protect against such attacks. These measures include increasing the intelligence presence to get better information about potential attacks and implementing a notification process, Panetta said. In particular, he referenced a so-called guardian angel program, which involves identifying one individual who stands to the side so that he can watch peoples backs and hopefully identify people that would be involved in those attacks. Some of the green-on-blue attacks are claimed by the Taleban, who say they have infiltrated the ranks of Afghan security forces, but many are attributed to cultural differences and antagonism between local and US-led allied forces. What we identified was that Burnt goods on the ground at the scene of a suicide attack in Zaranj, Nimroz province, south west of Kabul, Afghanistan. Suicide bombers most of them were caused by launched multiple attacks in a remote corner of southwestern Afghanistan near the Iranian border Tuesday, killing dozens of peopersonal grievances and stress ple including shoppers buying sweets for a Muslim holiday. (AP) situations, the chief spokesman for ISAF, Brigadier General Gunter Katz, told AFP last week. Those isolated incidents dont reflect the overall security situation in Afghanistan. As we speak 500,000 soldiers and policemen are working together to contribute to a more secure KADUNA, Nigeria, Aug 15, (AFP): Three peoThere was no confirmation of what the target attacks by Islamist militants, prompting authorand stable Afghanistan, he ple were killed in a bomb blast Tuesday on a may have been, or if the device went off acciities to plead for calm. said. northern Nigerian road leading to a mosque dentally. We still dont know where they were Residents of several neighbourhoods in the We are confident that the where a cleric had condemned the Islamist milheaded and the scene of the blast was not near city of Damaturu accused troops of moving morale (among international itant group Boko Haram, police and other offiany mosque, Balteh said. door-to-door over the past two days and arbitroops) is still good and those cials said. The cleric at the mosque had also recently trarily arresting those suspected of belonging to incidents will not affect our tranAbout 3.50 p:m, two men on a motorcycle invited Christians to break the Ramadan fast Islamist militant group Boko Haram. sition process. carrying what was suspected to be an improwith Muslims this weekend. The alleged arrests follow a gun battle Panetta meanwhile said vised explosive device were killed when the We were informed that some people riding between security forces and suspected Boko cross-border cooperation was device exploded while they were in motion on a motorcycle dropped an explosive device, Haram members Sunday that left two militants increasing with Pakistan, which along Ali Akilu road, Kaduna police said Musa Ilallah, an official with the National dead in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe state. reopened its border to NATO spokesman Abubakar Balteh said. Emergency Management Agency. Police claimed to have arrested more than 30 supply trucks headed for One other passerby was also killed in the Kaduna, a major city in the countrys north, suspected militants. Afghanistan earlier this sumexplosion, he said. has been hit by numerous attacks blamed on Hundreds of people are now stranded at the mer. Red Cross official Shehu Umar Abdul also Boko Haram, which is accused of killing more (bus station) trying to leave the city, but buses Meanwhile, a Danish soldier said the two bombers and a passerby were than 1,400 people since 2010 as part of its insurand taxis are inadequate, said one resident, has been seriously injured in Afghanistan after coming under killed. gency in northern and central Nigeria. whose name AFP withheld for safety reasons. fire during a foot patrol in the It was unclear whether the suspects were Meanwhile, hundreds of of residents of a The Pindigari area, where troops battled milcountrys troubled southern headed toward the mosque, which is located northeastern Nigerian city were fleeing Tuesday itants on Sunday, is almost completely deserted, Helmand province. about a five-minute drive from the blast. after arrests by troops and rumours of new a resident of the area said.

WASHINGTON, Aug 15, (AFP): US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Tuesday he was very concerned about the rise in insider attacks on US and NATO troops, and the impact they are having on cooperation with Afghan allies.

A soldier of the 2nd Kandak 1st brigade 203 corp for the Afghan National Army (ANA) sits on top of a military vehicle at their base in Narizah in the Khost Province on Aug 14. Some 130,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan are preparing to withdraw in 2014 and are training and working alongside Afghan soldiers as they take increasing responsibility for the anti-insurgency campaign. (AFP)

No deployment in Bamako

Oust Islamists from north Mali: Dembele

BAMAKO, Aug 15, (Agencies): Malis army chief of staff Ibrahima Dembele has pledged that Malian rather than West African regional troops will eject Islamists from the countrys occupied north. Dembele was speaking at the end of a meeting of army chiefs from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regional bloc to finalise arrangements for the deployment of a 3,300-strong force that the bloc has agreed to send to northern Mali. No-one will fight this war instead of Mali, but the others will provide support, above all in the air and in logistics, he said late on Tuesday, adding that there would be a sharing of roles. The UN has asked for more information on the size, means and plans of the proposed force before granting it a mandate. The vast desert region, larger than France or Texas, was occupied by armed Islamist groups linked to alQaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in the chaos that followed a military coup in late Dembele March. The groups have imposed strict Islamic law, prompting outrage when they stoned an unmarried couple to death last month and cut off the hand of a thief last week. In the fabled city of Timbuktu they destroyed ancient World Heritage shrines, declaring them haram, or forbidden by Islam. Meanwhile, Malis military on Tuesday rejected the deployment of any foreign West African soldiers to the capital, saying any regional intervention could only take place in the North of the country, currently occupied by Islamist groups. The comments, after talks between West African defense chiefs and Malian authorities, are likely to dismay regional leaders who have been seeking to shore up a weak civilian administration in Bamako before helping the local army take on a mix of gunmen including some from al-Qaeda. Mali faces a twin crisis after rebel fighters took advantage of the void following a March 22 coup to seize the North. Although soldiers have since handed power back to civilians, they have been accused of continued political meddling and, concerned at the prospect of a terrorist safe haven in the desert North, African and Western leaders have made stabilizing the capital a priority. There is no question of soldiers from (West Africas) ECOWAS bloc in Bamako but (they could send) some to the North. We could have 600-800 ECOWAS troops in support of ours, said Colonel Ibrahima Dahirou Dembele, chief of staff of Malis army. The figure is far less than the 3,000-strong mission ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States, has said it is seeking a United Nations mandate for in Mali. It was not immediately clear whether Malis army would accept regional trainers to help revamp a force that lost control of the three northern regions in as many days after the coup. Malian soldiers have complained that ECOWAS was swift in imposing sanctions after the coup but dragged its feet in coming to their assistance in the early days of the rebellion, which started in January. Some have accused countries in the region of blocking at their ports arms shipments destined for the land-locked nation. An attack on President Dioncounda Traore by a pro-coup mob in May highlighted tensions between civilians and military and led to calls for international forces to be dispatched to the capital to bolster confidence in the civilian administration. However, Dahirou said Traore had said he was confident in the armed forces so no such deployment would be needed. Salamatou Husseini Soulaimane, an ECOWAS commissioner for political and security issues, said it would be up to regional leaders to react to the Malian position. While Malian political and military figures bicker over who is in charge during a proposed transition, a mix of Islamist forces, dominated by al-Qaedas regional wing, AQIM, have cemented their occupation of the North. Although not yet threatened by a Malian or regional counter-attack, their efforts to impose strict Islamic law, sharia, has sparked pockets of resistance from the population accustomed to a more tolerant brand of Islam.

Panicked residents flee Nigerian city

Bomb blast kills three in Kaduna city

2009 attack at Texas army post

Fort Hood suspect must enter pleas

FORT HOOD, Texas, Aug 15, (AP): The US Army psychiatrist charged in the deadly Fort Hood shooting rampage was expected to plead not guilty to the charges Wednesday, less than a week before his murder trial starts, some military law experts said. A military judge ordered a hearing Wednesday for Maj Nidal Hasan, where he must plead not guilty to the 13 counts of premeditated murder he currently faces in the 2009 attack at the Texas Army post. He is not allowed to plead guilty because the charges carry death as the maximum punishment and the government is pursuing the death penalty in his case. He also is charged with 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. He is allowed to plead guilty to those charges but seems unlikely to do so because there would be no benefit to him, said John Galligan, a civilian attorney who represented Hasan before leaving the defense team a year ago. Military prosecutors and defense attorneys are barred from discussing the case outside court. Hasan also would be allowed to plead guilty to lesser murder charges that do not carry the death penalty. But that scenario is highly unlikely because efforts to reach a plea deal failed more than a year ago, and plea agreements in such cases usually are not reached at the last minute, Galligan said. The military criminal justice system does not have a set time for a defendant to enter a plea; some do it the day of the trial. Prosecutors also are unlikely to agree to a plea deal now because theyve done all this work on the case thats the worst terrorist attack on US soil since 9/11, said Jeff Addicott, director of the Center for Terrorism Law at St. Marys University School of Law.

Thousands of people shop at a busy market for the Eid al-Fitr holiday in Jalalabad on Aug 15. Muslims around the world are preparing to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. (AFP)

INTERNATIONAL
Tighter restrictions feared

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

11

UK to review cosmetic surgery industry

LONDON, Aug 15, (RTRS): Britain has launched a review of the cosmetic surgery industry, which could lead to tighter restrictions on the way companies operate and market their services in the wake of the PIP breast implant scandal. The Department of Health said on Wednesday that Bruce Keogh, medical director of the National Health Service, would lead a team that will gather evidence and make recommendations to the government by March. The PIP scandal exposed deficiencies in the cosmetic surgery sector, with more than 40,000 British women given substandard silicone breast implants made by French firm Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), among hundreds of thousands worldwide. The review will also consider wider cosmetic procedures such as facelifts, liposuction and injections using Botox, the popular anti-wrinkle treatment made by Allergan. The recent problems with PIP breast implants have shone a light on the cosmetic surgery industry, Keogh said. Many questions have been raised, particularly around the regulation of clinics, whether all practitioners are adequately qualified, how well people are advised when

Standards Authority upholds complaint

Furniture shop ad banned for offending Sikhs

LONDON, Aug 15, (AFP): British authorities banned a television advert for a furniture shop Wednesday after ruling that its distortion of religious verses was likely to offend Sikhs. The ad for The Sofa Factory in Britains second city Birmingham showed an image of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith, and featured a song in the style of the Gurmantar, the Sikh sacred verses. It was aired on Sangat Television, a Sikh lifestyle channel based in the central English city. The Advertising Standards Authority upheld a complaint from a viewer who challenged whether the adverts use of Guru Nanak and the Gurmantar was offensive. The ASA said: We considered that the use of the central icon of the Sikh faith and the use and distortion of religious verses to advertise products made light of those important elements of the Sikh faith in a way that was likely to cause serious offence to some members of the Sikh community. It ruled that the ad must not appear again. The Birmingham local authority has more Sikh residents than any other in Britain.

money is changing hands, aggressive marketing techniques, and what protection is available when things go wrong. Keogh said he was concerned people did not realise how serious cosmetic surgery was and often failed to consider potential complications. A Department of Health survey found many people

viewed the cost of surgery as more important than the qualifications of the people doing it, or how they would be looked after. Two thirds of the 1,762 people questioned considered cost as a factor when deciding whether or not to have cosmetic surgery while only half took the qualifications of their practitioner into consideration.

Ecuador mulls Assanges exit if asylum is granted

Claim WikiLeaks founder would be extradited to US studied
AMBATO, Ecuador, Aug 15, (Agencies): Ecuador is pondering not only whether to give Julian Assange asylum but also how the WikiLeaks founder would escape arrest in the United Kingdom should he head to South America, Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said on Tuesday.
Assange has been taking refuge in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London since June 19 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning on sex crime allegations.
The former computer hacker, who enraged Washington in 2010 when his WikiLeaks website published thousands of secret US diplomatic cables, says he fears he could be sent to the United States, where he believes his life would be at risk. Ecuadors leftist President Rafael Correa has said a decision on whether to grant political asylum to Assange is likely before the end of the week. Patino, who has led Ecuadors analysis of the case, told Reuters the Andean country was also looking at how the 41-year-old Australian might travel to Ecuador if he is granted asylum. Beyond the international treaties, the right to asylum etc, and the autonomy or sovereignty the national government has to take a decision of this nature, we have to look at what will happen next, he said before an event in the highland city of Ambato. Its not only about whether to grant the asylum, because for Mr Assange to leave England he should have a safe pass from the British (government). Will that be possible? Thats an issue we have to take into account. Assange is in breach of his British bail conditions and the British police have said he is liable to arrest if he steps out of the embassy, which is located in Londons ritzy Knightsbridge area, miles away from any airport. It appears unlikely that the British government would give Assange safe passage to an airport as that would mean going against the Swedish arrest warrant and a ruling by Britains own Supreme Court that the warrant was valid. Patino reiterated that Assanges grounds to request political asylum are that he thinks he is being politically prosecuted and that he fears that from Sweden he will be extradited onwards to the United States. Were analyzing the weight, the veracity of that information, Patino said. Leftist Correa, a selfdeclared enemy of corrupt media and US imperialism, said he sympathizes with Assange but also feels respect for the British legal system and for international law. Assange has not been charged with any offence in Sweden or in the United States. Swedish prosecutors want to question him about allegations of rape and sexual assault made by two WikiLeaks supporters in 2010. Assange says he had consensual sex with the women. Correa has often been at odds with Washington and offered Assange asylum in 2010. He has said the mere possibility that Assange could face capital punishment in the United States could be reason enough for his government to grant the activists asylum request. He has vowed that his government would not yield to pressure from Britain, Sweden or the United States in deciding whether to grant Assange asylum.

A man walks along High Street in Stratford, east London with a childs bike in his hand on Aug 15. Stratford welcomed the world for the 2012 Olympics, but it remains to be seen whether the biggest show on Earth will bring long-term benefits to residents in the impoverished London district. The Games have revolutionised the landscape in Stratford, creating a park, new flats and Olympic sports venues out of an industrial wasteland. However, transforming the quality of life for many Stratford residents is something that will take decades, rather than months. (AFP)

Big legacy promised

British PM lauds Olympics hosting

LONDON, Aug 15, (AFP): Britain astonished the world with the way it staged the London Olympics, British Prime Minister David Cameron said Sunday. Britain delivered we showed the world what were made of, Cameron said at a press conference at Downing Street. We reminded ourselves what we can do and, yes, we demonstrated that you should never ever count Team GB down and out. Cameron said the Games had reflected the best of Britain multicultural make-up, taking the example of Mo Farah, the winner of the mens 10,000 title who went on to claim gold in the Cameron 5,000m on Saturday. Farah came to Britain as a refugee aged eight after spending his early years in Somalia and Djibouti. Its a Britain where a boy born in Somalia, Mo Farah, can come here, seize opportunities, and run his way into the nations heart, Cameron said. Its a Britain where we cheer ourselves hoarse not just for Team GB but for Team Jamaica or, as people have just done on the Mall, Team Uganda, he added, referring to the winner of Sundays mens marathon Stephen Kiprotich. Cameron said: Over the past couple of weeks, we have looked in the mirror and we like what we have seen as a country. The prime minister emphasised that the legacy from the Games would take a physical, economic, volunteering and sporting dimension. He earlier announced guaranteed funding for elite sport of 125 million (160 million euros, $196 million) over the next four years to take the team up to the next Games in Rio. Therell be an economic legacy, with new deals brokered on the back of these Games, Cameron said. These small islands of 60 million people, taking third place behind countries more than five and ten times our size. Cameron earlier named the Games chief organiser Sebastian Coe as his legacy ambassador for the years following the Games. Coe, a two-time Olympic gold medallist in the 1,500m, will advise the prime minister on how best to secure the long-term benefits of hosting the Games, particularly focusing on the economic and business benefits, a statement said.

Pride
One of Britains most revered athletes, Roger Bannister, said the success of the London Games had helped restore a sense of national pride and greater tolerance in multi-racial Britain. The 2012 Olympics were held a year after riots swept through Tottenham in north London, initially sparked by the police shooting of a 29year-old black man, and then spread to other cities across Britain. Bannister, who won fame in 1954 by running the first sub-four-minute mile, said the Olympics and the success of British team had given people a reason to celebrate and come together. The Olympics have elevated national pride and made the modern society of Great Britain much more cohesive and more at ease with itself, Bannister told Reuters in a telephone interview on Sunday as the Games came to a close. This is due to the performance of those who now live in Britain but who were born abroad and have every reason to share that pride. Bannister, 83, who ran for Britain in the 1952 Helsinki Games, hailed the success of double gold medallist Mo Farah, who was born in Somalia and moved to Britain aged eight. After winning the 10,000 metres, Farah, 29, said he knew he had to do something special in London as this was his home. He went on to also win the 5000m before a rapturous crowd. Heptathlete gold medallist Jessica Ennis, whose Jamaican father moved to England when he was 13, was the host nations face of the London Games and cited as another great role model. This will encourage people to take up sport. People can see that Jessica Ennis can do it, that Mo Farah can do, and they will see that they themselves can do it, said Bannister. A survey found 73 percent of Britons had expressed some cynicism about the Games before they began with concerns over costs as a doubledip recession hammers parts of the country.

Members of the media wait outside the main door of the Ecuadorian embassy in London, on Aug 15, where WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is staying whilst he awaits a response from the Ecuadorian Government and Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa to his asylum request. (AFP)

Review not in response to any wrongdoing: Murdoch

News Corp sets up global ethics team

LONDON, Aug 15, (RTRS): Rupert Murdochs News Corp has set up a global compliance and ethics team led by its top in-house lawyer, as it deals with the lingering fallout of a phone-hacking scandal that rocked the company just over a year ago. In a memo to staff, Murdoch said Gerson Zweifach, News Corps general counsel, will take on the role of chief compliance officer with responsibility for overseeing its global compliance and ethics program. Lisa Fleischman, associate general counsel, will be deputy chief compliance officer and both will report of the companys board and the audit committee regarding the content and operation of the program. Murdoch said the company has initiated a review of anti-corruption controls in selected locations around the world. The purpose of this review is to test our current internal controls and identify ways in which we can enhance them, said Murdoch in the memo. Let me emphasize that the review is not based on any suspicion of wrongdoing by any particular business unit or its personnel. The companys business units will be organized into five compliance groups: LA Cable and Broadcast Group, LA Film and TV Production Group, the Europe and Asia Group, the Australia Group and the New York News and Information Group. Zweifach is not a longtime Murdoch employee. He joined News Corp in January after 29 years at White & Connolly as a litigator focused on securities and antitrust cases. The moves come 13 months after Murdochs UK tabloid papers, The Sun and the now defunct News of the World, were found to have systematically been involved in hacking into the voice mails of a range of celebrities, politicians and even ordinary citizens including a murdered school girl. The hacking scandal has rocked Murdochs News Corp titles in Britain, put the notoriously aggressive British press under the spotlight with a far-reaching investigation into media ethics, the Leveson Inquiry, and embarrassed senior politicians, including British Prime Minister David Cameron, over cozy ties with the Australian-born businessman.

Shock rocker makes surprise appearance

Legacy
Crucially theres also got to be a sporting legacy thats why weve protected the 125 million of funding for our elite athletes ahead of Rio 2016. Cameron praised Team GBs athletes for their impressive medal haul, currently standing at 29 gold, 15 silver and 19 bronze medals bettered only by the United States and China with a final chance to add to the list in mens boxing final later Sunday. Thats already the highest ranking in the medals table for more than 100 years, Cameron said.

Alice Cooper gives performance at London musical

LONDON, Aug 15, (AP): Shock rocker Alice Cooper made a surprise appearance as a guest performer at the Rock of Ages musical in London on Tuesday. The 64year-old joined the cast of the West End musical to perform his classic hit Schools Out marking the anniversary of the track hitting No. 1 in the UK charts 40 years ago this week. The audience members appeared delighted, shouting, dancing and singing along with him. Those who hope to catch him again will be disappointed, though. He said the appearance was a one-off. As far as musicals go, Rock of Ages seemed a good fit for Cooper. The show, which was recently adapted for the big screen with Tom Cruise, is about an aspiring rock star and features classic rocks hits from bands including Bon Jovi, Journey and Poison. The songs that theyre playing everybody knows every word of every song, Cooper noted in an interview with the Associated Press ahead of the show. He also talked about how it felt to crash a musical. Its different because its not my show so you do feel like a bit of an intruder, but at the same time it complements the show so much, he said. Cooper also reflected on the enduring popularity of Schools Out, which first became a success in London despite or because of calls to ban his groups concerts due to their shocking theatrics inspired by horror movies. I knew it was going to be a hit, Cooper said. But, he added: I did not know it was going to have the longevity, it was going to be the national anthem. I dont think anybody does. I think when Slade wrote Merry Christmas Everyone they didnt know that that was going to be the personification of the Christmas song, or when The Who wrote My Generation, every generation would relate to those lyrics. I think thats what happened with Schools Out.

British Euro Millions winners Adrian (right) and Gillian Bayford attend a press conference after winning 148,665,000 ($235 million) on the EuroMillions, in Hatfield Heath on Aug 14. A British couple who scooped a record 190 million euros in the EuroMillions lottery said Tuesday they would carry on running their music shop and try to give their children a normal upbringing. (AFP)

ISSUES
Loyalties for Assad motivated partly by long-held business interests

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

12

Rebels in Aleppo struggle to win hearts and minds

ALEPPO, Syria, Aug 15, (RTRS): At an Aleppo checkpoint that marks the division between the Syrian army and rebels battling President Bashar alAssad, a resident approaches to congratulate soldiers for cleansing his neighbourhood of terrorist militias. I know the positions of the terrorists, he says, using a term which the government adopted to describe Assads opponents. I can help you clear them out. May God save you and Bashar. Unfortunately for him, the checkpoint is manned by rebels. When they realise he has mistaken them for Assads soldiers, they beat him and detain him. The incident in the Saif al-Dawla neighbourhood hints at how far the rebels after 17 months of street protest and armed insurrection against Assad still have to go in winning over the population of Syrias biggest city, which mostly watched on the sidelines through the first year of the crisis. Even after opposition fighters took over half of Aleppo last month, suspicion of the rebels lingers in the countrys commercial hub, where businessmen have long been rewarded for loyalty to the Assad dynasty. Some who support the rebels are still wary of saying so publicly. Other residents grumble that the fighters have brought bloodshed to their relatively peaceful city. Many more may be trying to sit out the conflict to see who emerges victorious. There are some in our communities in Aleppo who want Bashar to fall but they dont agree with the armed resistance, said an activist who calls herself Nur al-Islam. Islam, who sneaks out of her house to film the fighting and upload footage on the Internet, said opposition members in upper class districts of Aleppo believe the Free Syrian Army acted precipitously by trying to seize territory instead of achieving more modest goals first, like protecting anti-Assad street demonstrations. Endured Unlike cities such as Deir al-Zor and Homs, which have endured months of army bombardment, Aleppo had only recently witnessed significant unrest. They didnt see tanks in their city or mortars fall on their heads, so they dont see the need for the rebels, Islam said. The fighters themselves are not from Aleppo but rather young men from the countryside. Their dialect is different than the one spoken in the city, and they tattoo their arms with poetry and primitive pictures of hearts and arrows. Their battle to win hearts and minds in Aleppo has run up against residual loyalties for Assad motivated partly by long-held business interests. Fawaz Zakri, 47, a member of the opposition Syrian National Council and a local grain merchant, said that Assad and his father, who ruled for three decades before his death in 2000, had worked hard to make sure the city remained loyal. The Assad regime bought the loyalties of businessmen and religious scholars in the city, Zakri said. Since the 1980s the regime has always been trying to avoid any political unrest starting up in Aleppo because it is the countrys economic heart. Authorities granted Aleppos merchants lucrative contracts so even if a businessman doesnt really agree with the regime, he will keep quiet so that he doesnt lose his interests, Zakri said. The legacy of fear from 42 years of Assad family rule is also hard to shake off in Aleppo, even though other towns have been in open revolt for more than a year. Mahmoud Basha, 21, had one more year at Aleppo University to graduate as an electrical engineer when the troubles in Syria started. My father saw the brutality of how citizens accused of being opposition members were treated in our city, he said. He saw them get dragged in the streets by tanks. So he said, I will never let this happen to my son, and joined the Baath, he said, referring to the party that has dominated Syria for half a century. Basha, now a rebel with the Abu Bakr al-Sediq brigade, said that his father to this day is pro-Assad, opposing his work with the rebels. The Assad government disciplined Syrians to obey and fear them. This barrier of fear isnt easy to shake. Salma, a 35-year-old activist who lives in a smart neighbourhood of Aleppo still controlled by government forces, has spent weeks sneaking into rebel-controlled areas to film fighting and document its impact on ordinary lives. Like many opposition activists and fighters, she uses a pseudonym because of the real threat of being caught by Syrian security forces, especially since she still lives in a neighbourhood under their control. Between filming on her small handicam, she spends a lot of time arguing with the rural fighters about why the people of Aleppo dont seem to be embracing the revolution or the Free Syrian Army rebels. Bloody This regime is bloody, our families have lived through the horror of seeing their sons return as vegetables from Assads prisons, if they return at all, she said. I wouldnt even speak badly about the Assad family to my immediate family thats how scared we were. On the front line, rebels are contemptuous of the hesitation shown by their urban compatriots. They say their revolt was a cry from those, unlike the city dwellers, who never had opportunities to get education, wealth or power. Our revolution is one of dignity. The man who has no wealth has no dignity, and we are not able to attain that wealth, said Zakariya Ghair, 45, a calligrapher from Azaz. I could never get a chance to start a business unless I knew the right people to bribe. People got sick of this treatment and life and they wanted freedom from it, and hence our revolution, he said People in Aleppo are already comfortable and treated very well by the Assad regime. Why would they rise up? Other fighters do nothing to hide their bitterness. They are all cowards and traitors. There are no men in Aleppo, Omar Abu Shami told Reuters on the front in Salahedinne district. I was pulling bodies from Salahedinne and the people around me just stared and wouldnt help. Aleppo needs someone more vicious than Bashar to wake them up. As his comrades rest between battles, the revolutionary tunes on their cell phones sing out their frustration. We are being slaughtered, Aleppo. Where are you, Aleppo? Homs, Hama, and Deraa have all risen. Where are you, Aleppo? one song runs mournfully. The women of Bayada and Latakia are screaming, Aleppo. Where are you, Aleppo?

Hardships in camp

Syria refugees fight heat, dust

ZAATARI REFUGEE CAMP, Jordan, Aug 16, (AFP): Sweltering heat, dust, lack of electricity and at times sexual harassment are some of the hardships faced by refugees in this UN-run desert tent camp in northern Jordan. Those who fled atrocities at home say they would rather return to Syria than be humiliated in the sprawling compound, as their trials came to a head Monday when a group of Syrians clashed with security guards who prevented them leaving. My eyes and nose hurt, my throat aches from the dust and heat. My mother suffers from pneumonia and all of us are sick with allergies, said 14-year-old Ziad Yunis, one of some 6,000 Syrian refugees housed in the camp near the border. My father is still in Daraa. I wish I could go back there to hug him instead of this humiliation, the teenager told AFP as he paced back and forth. Nearby, four-year-old Omar cried as his mother stripped him naked to bathe him outside their tent. Please, mum, lets go to a bathroom, I dont want to be seen naked, he insisted, as other children laughed at him. But his mother could not help. What I can do for you? This is what we have, she told him. As the iftar meal which breaks the dawn-to-dusk Muslim fast of Ramadan neared, scores of refugees lined up to receive their meals from a UN refugee agency truck. If you dont stick to your turn and stop shouting, you will get nothing, a UN employee snapped at a man who complained about the long queue and demanded a quick handout. A woman considered herself lucky. Thank God, this time, I only waited half an hour, said Fatima Subeihi, 38, carrying a plastic bag containing bread, bottle of soft drink and water, cheese and jam.

Syria

Fast
It is not easy to fast more than 15 hours a day in this desert area during the month-long Ramadan, as average temperatures in the summer soar to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). You dont know how it feels. The worst thing is dust, and the tents are not good enough to protect us, said the mother of six, covering her mouth with a white mask. The authorities started to transfer some of the countrys 150,000 Syrian refugees to the seven-square-kilometre (two-square-mile) Zaatari camp in July. The UN say the camp, outside the city of Mafraq, can take up to 120,000 people. This is a large prison. We are not animals, and even animals would not accept to live here, this way, said 50-year-old Mohammad, refusing to give his full name. Jordanian anti-riot police were called in on Monday to quell a protest by angry Syrians as they clashed with guards when they tried to leave the facility in protest at poor living conditions. A father of four covered his head with a piece of white cloth but dust invaded his face, including his eyelashes, as he queued up to receive relief items. Theres no electricity, no water, no phones. We are isolated and I cannot check on my sons who are fighting the regime in Syria, lamented the man. Unlike the refugee tents, all offices of the United Nations and aid groups in the camp are linked to a power grid. I do not understand why we dont have electricity in our tents, said Subhieh, 37, adding that UN staff and others had air-conditioned caravans. We cannot breathe here and the food is bad, while we wait for three to four hours to use the bathroom. I miss Syria, wept a mother of five, wearing a traditional black dress that has turned into beige because of the dust. The Jordanian government says thousands of tents in Zaatari will soon be replaced by caravans.
Syrians inspect the scene following an airstrike by regime forces on the town of Azaaz, near the northern restive Syrian city of Aleppo, on Aug 15. (AFP)

Egypt generals paper offers insight into thinking

US troops must withdraw from ME

CAIRO, Aug 15, (RTRS): Egypts new second-in-command of the military has said that US troops should be withdrawn from the Middle East while any democratisation in the region should come from within and have religious legitimacy, according to a paper he wrote in 2005. Though published before US President Barack Obama was elected, the document written while newly appointed Chief of Staff Sidki Sobhi was studying in the United States offers a rare insight into the thinking of a top officer in the traditionally opaque Egyptian army. The generals, who for decades stayed in the shadows, were thrust to the fore when Hosni Mubarak, himself a former air force commander, was toppled in an uprising last year and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces took charge. An Islamist president, Mohamed Mursi, came to office in June and stamped his authority over the military this week by retiring the countrys two top generals and taking back vital powers they had earlier retained for themselves. Though generals held news conference and gave interviews when in charge, they gave little away in public about their thoughts on broader policy beyond the transition, such as the crucial relationship with the United States, which gives Egypt $1.3 billion in military aid a year and trains many officers. I recommend that the permanent withdrawal of the United States military forces from the Middle East and the Gulf should be a goal of the US strategy in this region, wrote Sobhi, then a brigadier general studying for a Master of Strategic Studies Degree at the US War College. Goals He added in his concluding remarks to the 10,600-word thesis that the United States should pursue its strategic goals in the region through socioeconomic means and the impartial application of international law, in a reference to what he had earlier described as Washingtons one-sided relationship with Israel. He said the presence of US troops in the region had been used as a justification for armed struggle by radical Islamists. Though many in the Middle East object to US soldiers being posted there, it is unusual to hear the view aired so clearly by a senior figure in the army of Egypt, a staunch US ally. Sobhi, 56, was appointed chief of staff, the militarys second most senior post, in the surprise shake-up announced on Sunday by Mursi, whose Muslim Brotherhood group was routinely hounded and jailed in the past six decades by Mubarak and other presidents who all hailed from the military. The armys top officer, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, who served as Mubaraks defence minister for 20 years and led the military council, was forced into retirement, replaced by General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the former head of intelligence. Sobhi said there was a fundamental lack of understanding and communication between foreign policy makers from US administrations and governments in the region, writing before Obama sought to shift US policy by reaching out to the Arab and Muslim world with a pivotal speech in Cairo in 2009. The general said one reason was US policy makers worked in a strictly secular democratic system but: The Islamic religion is strongly interlinked to various degrees with the functioning of most Arab governments and their respective societies. Democratisation The process of democratisation must have and project political, social, cultural, and religious legitimacy. In other words, this democratisation process must be of and viewed as having a purely domestic origin, he wrote, highlighting in italics the words religious, viewed and purely domestic. He said Washington should turn its focus to a new Marshall Plan, mirroring the huge package of aid that helped Europe rebuild after World War Two, to regain its influence. Sobhis thesis was posted on a US Department of Defense website, and was initially highlighted by blogger and analyst Issandr El Amrani. The dramatic army changes followed a military blunder on Aug. 5 on the Sinai border with Israel when 16 border guards were killed by militants, giving Mursi an opening to act amid public anger and - some more junior officers said - grumbles among some military ranks over the army leadership. The generals have shown no sign of challenging Mursis decision. Tantawi and former Chief of Staff Sami Enan were both warmly greeted and awarded medals by the president in a ceremony shown on state television on Tuesday. One Western diplomat and other observers have suggested the new commanders may have Islamist sympathies or hold conservative values that may appeal to the Brotherhood. But others played down such talk, including Robert Springborg, a professor at the US Naval Postgraduate School in California. Dissatisfaction Writing in Foreign Policy, he said the main reason for removing Tantawi was not Islamist commitment, but accumulated dissatisfaction with the field marshals debasement of their institution and its capacities, triggered by his inept political manoeuvring. The Western diplomat said some discontent may have prompted the change, including from US-trained officers imbued with the idea that the army should stay outside politics. Sisis intelligence background, suggesting a deep knowledge of army personnel, could have made him an attractive ally for Mursi, the diplomat said. He is the best person to have on your side. You promoted him, you own him, he said. Washington has urged the new commanders and the civilian authorities to work together on Egypts democratic transition. These new appointees, the new leaders of the military are all people that we have worked with before and many of whom have trained here in the United States as well, said US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland. Among the other promotions was General Mohamed el-Assar who was appointed deputy defence minister. He has been in charge of relations with the United States, one reason that may have helped his promotion as well as the fact that he spoke out early after Mubaraks ousting against the former president.

SUBCONTINENT
Authorities to confiscate property equivalent in value to fine

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

13

Nepal jails ex-minister over corruption

KATHMANDU, Aug 15, (AFP): Nepals highest court on Tuesday jailed a former home minister for corruption in the latest in a series of high profile graft convictions of prominent public figures. The Supreme Court handed Khum Bahadur Khadka an 18-month sentence and 9.5-million-rupee ($110,000) fine after he failed to account for a vast portfolio of property accrued while in office. We have reached the conclusion that the defendants source of income and the property he earned during the given period doesnt match, Kalyan Kumar Shrestha, one of two presiding judges, told reporters. He failed to verify the source of income for 9.47 million rupees. This shows if one commits crime, no matter how powerful, he (or) she will be convicted, Shrestha said, adding that the authorities would confiscate property equivalent in value to the fine. Khadka, 61, held a number of high-ranking posts, including home minister and local development minister, in the 1990s when the Nepali Congress, now in opposition, was in power. Chiranjibi Wagle became the first former minister jailed for corruption last year, and in February information and communications minister Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta was the first serving cabinet secretary to go to jail for graft. Khadka, who started his political career in the 1970s

These Acts have put life of senior managers at risk

KFC, Pizza Hut shut in Nepal over death threats

KATHMANDU, Aug 15, (AFP): All four KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants in Nepal shut down on Tuesday saying that staff had attacked and threatened to kill branch managers. Devyani International, which operates outlets of KFC and Pizza Hut in Nepal and neighbouring India, wrote a letter to authorities announcing the immediate closure of its eateries in the capital Kathmandu. In order to disrupt our operations, some staff have physically attacked and threatened to kill the senior managers, the company said in a letter leaked to local media and seen by AFP. These acts have put the life of senior managers at risk. To maintain the safety of our restaurants and the staff, we have shut down our services for an indefinite period, it said. The shutters were down at the four restaurants on Tuesday, and Devyani International and the police were unavailable for comment. KFC and Pizza Hut, Nepals only international fast-food chains, opened their first branches in the country three years ago, generating long queues of locals wanting to sample international cuisine. Members of the Bangladeshi Nurses Association of Dhaka Child Hospital arrive to lay flowers on the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial in Dhaka on Aug 15. Bangladeshs Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the countrys founding father, was killed along with many of his family members in a military coup on Aug 15, 1975 by a group of disgruntled army officers. (AFP)

with a student organisation connected to the Congress, has faced numerous accusations of misusing his office to suppress opposition. After hearing about the verdict, a group of his supporters vandalised two privately-owned cars and two police vehicles and 16 were arrested for disorder, Kathmandu police spokesman Dhiraj Pratap Singh told AFP.

During the 2008 parliamentary elections Khadka ran for office in his home district of Dang in southern Nepal but withdrew after the Maoist party accused him of involvement in the killings of seven members in the run up to the polls. He was never charged with any crime in connection with the deaths.

Clinton considers blacklisting Pakistan-linked Haqqani group

Kabul-Islamabad team to probe border shelling
Congress that gave 30 days to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to determine if the Haqqani network meets the criteria of a terrorist group. We share the grave concern of the Congress with regard to the activities of the Haqqani network, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters. As for whether Clinton will designate the Haqqani network as terrorists, Nuland said without elaborating: Shes considering right now and reviewing the issue. President Barack Obamas administration has repeatedly demanded that Pakistan US officials have linked the Haqqani network to some of the most sensational attacks in rein in the militant group active in Afghanistan and has targeted its members, but has Afghanistan including a June assault on a hotel near Kabul that killed 18 people and a siege stopped short of putting the network on the terror blacklist. last year of the US embassy. Obama on Friday signed a law approved with overwhelming support of both parties in Before stepping down as the top US military officer last year, Admiral Mike Mullen said that the Haqqani network had become a veritable arm of Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence agency. The Senate and House of Representatives in their resolutions called on the State Department to add the network to its list of terrorist groups, which would freeze any Haqqani assets and make it a crime to fund them. But the State Department, while designating certain members as terrorists, has balked at blacklisting the entire group in part because of its close ties to Pakistan. Meanwhile, Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to send a joint military team to investigate a recent surge in cross-border attacks that have soured relations between the two neighbours, Kabul said Wednesday. Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari took the decision on the sidelines of an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation summit in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, Karzais office said. Pakistan said the two leaders discussed bilateral ties, the regional situation, the peace process in Afghanistan and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (center), inspects a guard of honor at the 17th century Red Fort on the occasion of 65th anniversary other issues of mutual concern, of Indias independence from British rule, in New Delhi, India, on Aug 15. Indias national security is at risk if urgent steps are not taken to but declined to go into boost economic growth and attract new investment in infrastructure, Singh said Wednesday. (AP) specifics. Afghans say that thousands of rockets and heavy artillery shells have landed on their territory in recent months, blaming Pakistan for the alleged attacks. The cross-border violence has become a highly sensitive issue in Afghanistan, where many are NEW DELHI, Aug 15, (RTRS): Politicians menting more free market reforms. India is struggling with a slump in foreign deeply suspicious of Pakistan should treat Indias economic growth as a India remains one of the worlds fastest growinvestment and industrial output, gaping fiscal and its historic ties to the national security issue, Indian Prime Minister ing large economies despite a sharp slowdown and current account deficits, high inflation and Taliban, which is now fighting a Manmohan Singh said on Wednesday, warning a over the past year, but economists say it needs to weakness in the rupee currency. These problems 10-year insurgency against lack of consensus is holding back Asias thirdexpand even faster to create jobs for millions of have been made worse by a drought. Karzais government. largest economy as it tries to drag millions from people who will reach working age in the next Several research organizations including Pakistan says groups of poverty. few years. Moodys Analytics have recently cut their outPakistani Taliban sheltering in Singh was more optimistic on the economy As far as creating an environment within the look for Indian growth to around 5.5 percent, Afghanistan have infiltrated the than many private economists, predicting country for rapid economic growth is concerned, which would be the countrys lowest rate in a border to resume attacks on its growth of more than 6.5 percent this year, but he I believe that we are not being able to achieve decade. Despite his concerns, Singh said Indias security forces. said more was needed to improve livelihoods. this because of a lack of political consensus, current economic downturn would be short-lived. Karzai asked Pakistan to If we do not increase the pace of the counSingh said in his annual Independence Day I believe that this period of difficulties will immediately end these attacks trys economic growth...it most certainly affects speech. not last long, Singh said amid tight security at and warned that if they continour national security, he said in a speech to Singh said stagnation in European economies New Delhis Red Fort. He said faster infrastrucued, they would negatively mark 65 years of India independence from was also hurting India, which exports to the euro ture development would boost growth. impact Afghanistans friendship Britain. zone. Recently we have taken new measures to with Pakistan. Singh did not give details, but some analysts Last year, lack of support from coalition partaccelerate infrastructure development. His office said Zardari agreed warn of social unrest if Indias fails to meet ners and members of his own party forced Singh Ambitious targets have been fixed in roads, airto assign a joint military delegagrowing aspirations. The 79-year-old economist to suspend a flagship policy allowing foreign ports, railways, electricity generation and coal tion to visit the border and invescredited with liberalizing Indias economy in the supermarkets to open in India. Other policies production, he said in his speech from the 17th tigate the shelling. 1990s has been blocked by allies from implesuch as cutting fuel subsidies are also held up. century former seat of the Mughal Empire.

Birds fly past the Indian national flag on the occasion of the 66th Independence Day at the Red Fort in New Delhi on Aug 15. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh used his Independence Day speech on Aug 15 to promise to improve conditions for foreign investment in the country after a sharp downturn in economic growth. (AFP)

Suzuki chairman set to visit

WASHINGTON, Aug 15, (AFP): The US State Department on Tuesday voiced concern about the Pakistan-linked Haqqani network and said it was studying whether to designate the group as terrorists after strong appeals by Congress.

Maruti to restart riot-hit India factory next week

TOKYO, Aug 15, (RTRS): Indias largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India Ltd will restart production at its Manesar factory early next week after a deadly riot shut the plant last month, the Nikkei business daily reported. The 550,000 vehicles-ayear factory in Haryana, where the unit of Japans Suzuki Motor Corp makes its best-selling Swift hatchback, has been idle since the July 18 clash between workers and management over pay left one dead, scores injured and parts of the plant burned out. The shutdown of the factory, which made about 1,700 cars a day before the unrest, is costing the company tens of millions of dollars, and more than 2,500 workers have taken to hiding, fearing punishment from Maruti or police, say residents and unions. Production at the plant will take one to two months to return to pre-shutdown levels as the Indian carmaker ensures the safety of the facility, the Nikkei reported on Wednesday, citing an unidentified Maruti official. Maruti plans to enlist about 500 guards to help bolster security at the plant, which will restart in stages beginning with welding and press operations, the Nikkei said. Two phone calls to the plants spokesman seeking comment went unanswered. This announcement did not come from us, so we are unable to comment on its validity, said Ei Mochizuki, a spokesman for parent Suzuki Motor. A one-month shutdown would cut parent Suzukis operating profit by around 6 billion yen, equal to 5 percent of the Japanese car makers 120 billion yen forecast for the year to end-March 2013, analysts estimate. However, if the company can recoup production after reopening the plant, losses could diminish further on a fiscal year basis, Goldman Sachs said in a report. Additionally, in light of India inventories of 110,000 vehicles in early August, we would expect sales opportunity losses to be limited. Suzuki Chairman and CEO Osamu Suzuki is slated to visit India next week, but has no plans to visit the Manesar facility, the Nikkei wrote. A Suzuki spokesman declined to comment on the travel plans of its head. Shares of Suzuki were unchanged against a 0.7 percent dip in the Nikkei 225 average in afternoon Tokyo trade. The July 18 clash has rattled corporate India and shone a light on outdated and rigid labour laws in a country where cheap labour drives manufacturing and draws foreign investment. High inflation, a shortage of skilled labour and rising aspirations have emboldened workers demands. Other foreign car makers, such as Hyundai and Honda, have seen labour unrest at their Indian plants in recent years.

Indian PM predicts growth of more than 6.5 pc this year

Economic growth issue of national security

News in Brief
4 small blasts in India:
Four roadside bombs exploded in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur on Wednesday as the country celebrated independence day, police said, adding that no one was injured. Separatist violence has for years dogged remote Manipur, where dozens of militant and tribal groups wage an insurgency against rule from New Delhi. There have been four roadside blasts of moderate to low intensity, three in and around (the state capital) Imphal and one in Thoubal district, A. Singh, a police official in the Imphal control room, told AFP. The blasts took place over two hours this morning, there were no casualties. (AFP) authorities have arrested 600 Australia-bound Sri Lankans, Indians, Pakistanis and Afghans. The latest detentions come as Australias Parliament debates tough new legislation aimed at deterring a flood of asylum seekers making perilous sea journeys to the countrys shores. (AP)

15 teenage boys among those released

Pakistan frees 55 Indians for independence day

KARACHI, Aug 15, (AFP): Pakistan on Wednesday released 55 Indian fishermen, 15 of them teenagers, as a goodwill gesture to mark independence day in India. The release is part of an understanding between the nuclear-armed rivals to free citizens who mistakenly stray into each others waters. Some 55 Indian fishermen have been released from our jail on the instructions of the government, said Nazeer Husain Shah, superintendent of Malir district prison in Karachi. Those released include 15 teenage boys, he told AFP. The Indians were presented with flowers and gifts, then bused to the eastern city of Lahore, from where they would cross the Wagah border. Officials say 100 Indian fishermen are still in Pakistani jails and 250 Pakistanis in Indian prisons. Ayaz Soomro, law minister for the southern province of Sindh on the Arabian Sea, said the releases were a goodwill gesture. We hope our neighbours reciprocate in the same spirit and release Pakistani prisoners from their jails, he said. India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence in 1947, two of them over the Himalayan region of Kashmir, which is divided by a heavily militarised Line of Control and which both countries claim in full. Last year they resumed their tentative peace process, which collapsed after Islamist gunmen from Pakistan killed 166 people in Mumbai in November 2008.

Lanka detains 43 on boat:

Sri Lankas navy says it has intercepted a fishing boat that was carrying 43 people illegally to Australia. The navy says patrol craft intercepted the trawler about 23 miles (37 kilometers) off Sri Lankas western coast on Tuesday. The passengers all Sri Lankans were handed over to police. It is illegal in Sri Lanka to leave from unauthorized ports. The maximum sentence is five years in prison. Already this year, Sri Lankan

Indian fishermen leave a jail after their release in Karachi on Aug 15. Pakistan on Aug 15 released 55 Indian fishermen, 15 of them teenagers, as a goodwill gesture to mark Independence Day in India. (AFP)

Wild elephants kill 2: Two wild elephants have killed two villagers and injured three in a remote village in southern Bangladesh. Forest Department official Sheikh Abdul Wahab said a man and a woman were killed separately early Wednesday in Uttar Para village. They attacked while villagers were either asleep or were preparing their dawn meal before their daytime Ramadan fast. Wahab said 22-year-old Amena Begum was attacked outside her house and was unable to get inside. The man was killed while on his way to a mosque alone. Villagers said the elephants stayed in the village while ignoring blank gunshots fired by forest officials. Elephants often go into villages searching for food or after being disturbed by illegal loggers. Uttar Para is in a coastal district bordering a forested region of Myanmar. (AP)

INTERNATIONAL World News Roundup

Burglary Jobs house hit

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

14

Thief charged over break-in

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 14, (RTRS): A thief burglarized Steve Jobs house in the high-tech hub of Palo Alto, California, stealing the late Apple co-founders wallet, more than $60,000 in jewelry and several computers, but was unaware of whose home he had broken into, authorities said. Kariem McFarlin, 35, was charged with burglary and selling stolen property after the July 17 break-in, when the house was unoccupied during renovations, said Scott Tsui, a Santa Clara County McFarlin prosecutor. The July 17 burglary came just over nine months after Jobs died in October at age 56 after a battle with cancer. His Silicon Valley home, about 30 miles (48 kms) south of San Francisco, briefly became a gathering place for admirers who left flowers on the sidewalk out front. McFarlin did not appear to know the house, an English country-style home, belonged to Jobs when he entered the property, Tsui said. We dont have any evidence to show his house was targeted, Tsui said. All we know is that it was a random burglary that can happen to people.

A caisson carries the coffin of Army Staff Sgt Richard Berry of Scottsdale, Ariz, during a burial services at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlingon, Va, Aug 14. According to the Defense Department, Berry died July 22 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from an enemy improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 508th Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC. (AP)

Renovation
Jobs widow, Laurene, told investigators the home had been undergoing a major renovation since June and was uninhabitable, and that she was living on a nearby property at the time of the break-in, according to a police report filed in court. McFarlin, who faces an Aug. 20 plea hearing, told investigators he was driving around in Palo Alto and saw the house was being renovated so he decided to burglarize it, according to documents from the Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team (REACT) of the Santa Clara County District Attorneys Office. The multi-agency task force is a unique Silicon Valley-based law enforcement operation that handles high-tech crimes. McFarlin told investigators he had learned from previous breakins to target homes under construction because they were likely to be vacant, the REACT report said. McFarlin also said he stole several computers, including two iMacs and three iPads, as well as a diamond necklace, earrings and other items, according to REACT documents filed in court. Also taken was Jobs wallet with the late tech giants California drivers license and some credit cards, the REACT papers said. The wallet was retrieved in a search of McFarlins storage locker, according to the documents. Of the pieces of jewelry taken from the home, a platinum and aquamarine necklace was valued at $33,000, according to a Tiffany & Co valuation included in the court papers. That item and other jewelry taken from the home totaled over $60,000, the court papers said. A Pennsylvania jewelry broker said McFarlin sold him some jewelry in late July that he claimed to have inherited, according to a police report included in the court papers. McFarlin shipped the items to the broker, the report said. Police tracked down McFarlin with help from Apple investigators, who noticed an iPad stolen from the Jobs house was connected to the companys servers on July 18, the morning after the burglary. The user of the iPad was reinstalling the operating system, the papers said, and by tracing the Internet connection, police found McFarlins home in Alameda, just south of Oakland. He was arrested Aug. 2 and held on $500,000 bail, according to Santa Clara County inmate records.

Waterboarded Doc may have been experimenting on daughter

Girl taken to near death

DOVER, Delaware, Aug 15, (AP): A US pediatrician who achieved national recognition for his research into near-death experiences involving children may have been experimenting on his 11-year-old stepdaughter by waterboarding her, police said in court documents. The possible link between Dr Melvin Morses research and the waterboarding allegations was revealed in an affidavit for a search warrant for Morses computers. The document was obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press. According to the affidavit, Dr Melvin Morse brought the girl to a possible near death state from the simulation of drowning. This waterboarding that he has performed would fall into the area of study he practices, police said in the affidavit. It is logical that he has therefore written about and/or researched the topic of waterboarding. Joe Hurley, an attorney for Morse, said the idea that Morse was experimenting on his own daughter is the sheerest of speculation. Morse, who faces a preliminary hearing Thursday on felony child endangerment and conspiracy charges, has authored several books and articles on paranormal science and near-death experiences. He has appeared on Larry King Live and the The Oprah Winfrey Show to discuss his research on outof-body experiences. His Web site,
leader Joaquin Shorty Guzman and won her nickname for allegedly pioneering smuggling routes up Mexicos Pacific Coast into California. (RTRS)

prospective jurors more deeply about how publicity may have biased them. The court rejected the arguments, concluding that Entwistle received a fair trial that was ably tried and judged. Entwistle was convicted of the 2006 shootings of his wife, Rachel, and their daughter, 9-month-old Lillian. He is serving life in prison without the possibility of parole for their murders. (AP)

Michael Mendez, 42, of Paterson, stands with his attorney, John T. Somohano, before Judge GoodenBrown in State Superior Court in Paterson, NJ, Aug 14, on multiple drug charges along with kidnapping and false imprisonment of his girlfriend Nancy Rodriguez (Inset). The girlfriend found behind a padlocked door inside a New Jersey apartment said Mendez, accused of holding her there for years, is a good man who never abused her and that she simply doesnt like to go outside. (AP)

http://spiritualscientific.com, is strewn with commentary about God, love, family and death. Morse told AP in a telephone interview Monday that the charges against him are an overreaction from authorities who were criticized in the wake of a child sex abuse scandal involving another pediatrician. Morse said he is the victim of post-Bradley hysteria, a reference to pediatrician Earl Bradley, who was convicted a year ago and is serving 14 life sentences for sexually abusing scores of his young patients over more than a decade.

Arrest
Following Bradleys arrest in December 2009, state officials ordered investigations into how he was allowed to continue practicing medicine for years despite suspicions that he was molesting his patients. Lawmakers passed several new laws toughening requirements for police, health care workers and others to report suspected child abuse. The allegations of waterboarding came after Morse was accused of grabbing his 11-year-old stepdaughter by the ankle in July and, as her 6year-old sister watched, dragging her across a gravel driveway. He was arrested July 13 on misdemeanor endangerment and assault charges and released on bail. When the older girl was interviewed last week, she told investigators that her father disciplined her by holding her face under a running
the appeal of a British man convicted of killing his wife and baby daughter in their rented home, saying in its decision that warrantless searches of the home were justified because those inside might have been in danger. In arguing for a new trial, lawyers for Neil Entwistle said evidence obtained dur-

Miller

Jenkins

Pastor guilty
A pastor from Virginia was convicted Tuesday of helping a woman flee the country three years ago, when she was on the brink of having to turn custody of her young daughter over to the woman who was once her partner in a Vermont civil union. The jury issued its verdict against the Rev Kenneth Miller after several hours of deliberations in the case, which has drawn broad attention because of the legal and religious questions it raised about same-sex unions and child custody, and because the whereabouts of mother and daughter remain unknown. Miller, 46, a Mennonite from Virginia, was charged with aiding in international kidnapping for helping Lisa Miller and her daughter, Isabella, leave the country in September 2009, a month after a judge indicated he would turn custody of the girl over to Janet Jenkins, of Fair Haven, Vermont, if she continued to defy a series of visitation orders. Kenneth and Lisa Miller are not related. Lisa and Isabella, now 10 years old, were last known to be in Nicaragua. As the jury was deliberating, Jenkins filed a lawsuit against both Millers and other people associated with the case, seeking unspecified monetary damages. (AP) niece of Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo, known as the godfather of the Mexican drug trade, who is serving a 40-year sentence for the murder of a US drug enforcement agent. Avila is accused of helping build up the Sinaloa cartel in the 1990s with the gangs

faucet at least four times since 2009, a punishment that she said her father called waterboarding. Waterboarding simulates drowning and it has been used in the past by US interrogators on terrorism suspects. Many critics call it torture. State police said the girls mother, Pauline Morse, witnessed some of the waterboarding but did not stop it. She is also out on bail. Melvin and Pauline Morse were both charged with felony child endangerment and conspiracy. All of these things are very absurd, except that Delaware has really had the trauma (of Bradley), Morse told the AP. Morse, 58, ended the interview before he could be asked directly about the waterboarding allegations. Hurley, the attorney for Morse, has raised doubts about the girls claims. He has described the waterboarding description as an attention-getter by authorities, based on an allegation from an 11-year-old who he said had made a false abuse claim against a family member before. I have no doubt but that the Bradley phenomenon has its fingerprints all over the sensationalization of this situation, Hurley said. State officials suspended Morses medical license after his arrest last week. Morse, who was released from custody Friday after posting $14,500 secured bail, claimed he was the first doctor to blow the whistle on Earl Bradley.
ing the warrantless searches of the Hopkinton home while police were looking for the missing family should have been dismissed at trial. They also argued he was denied a fair trial, claiming that saturating and inflammatory media coverage tainted the jury pool and the judge refused to question

Nellie Gray dies: Nellie Gray, the founder and chief organizer of an annual anti-abortion march in Washington and a leader in efforts to overturn the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, has died. She was 88. Gray was found dead Monday morning in her Washington home, where she had lived alone, and her death Gray appeared to be from natural causes, said Gene Ruane, an administrator with the March for Life Education and Defense Fund. Ruane said Tuesday that he found her body when he arrived at her home for a meeting. Ruane said a medical examiner would determine the cause of death. Gray was a lawyer and former federal employee who devoted herself full-time to the anti-abortion movement after the Supreme Courts 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. The first March for Life was held the following year on the anniversary of the ruling. Despite the January date, its consistently one of the largest protests of the year in Washington and leading anti-abortion politicians frequently address the crowd. Gray was the primary organizer of the march throughout its 38-year history. She used the phrase no exceptions, no compromise to sum up her belief that life begins at conception and abortion should be illegal. (AP) Man executed over murders: An
Oklahoma death row inmate who tried to delay his execution by challenging the states lethal injection method was executed Tuesday evening just hours after the US Supreme Court refused to step in. Michael Hooper, convicted for the December 1993 shooting deaths of his former girlfriend and her two young children, received a lethal dose of drugs at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. The 40-year-old was pronounced dead at 6:14 p.m.m Hooper was sentenced to death for killing 23-year-old Cynthia Lynn Jarman and her two children, 5-year-old Tonya and 3-year-old Timmy. Prosecutors alleged that the victims were with Hooper in a pickup truck in a mowed field when he placed a 9mm pistol under Cynthia Jarmans chin and shot her, then shot the children to prevent them from being witnesses. Each of the victims was shot twice in the head, and their bodies were buried in a shallow grave in a field northwest of Oklahoma City. (AP)

UK man loses appeal in US: The highest court in Massachusetts rejected

Life of pi

US population up
WASHINGTON, Aug 15, (RTRS): Figuring out the number of American residents got as easy as pi on Tuesday as the United States touched a rare mathematical and demographic milestone. The Census Bureau said that the United States reached 314,159,265 residents, or the mathematical ratio pi times 100 million, shortly after 2:29 p.m. EDT (1829 GMT). Pi, or 3.14159265, is the mathematical constant that is the ratio of a circles circumference to its diameter. It often is approximated as 22/7. This is a once in many generations event ... so go out and celebrate this American pi, Census Bureau Chief Demographer Howard Hogan said in a statement.

America
US denies bond for Queenpin: An
alleged smuggler known as Mexicos Queen of the Pacific was ordered jailed without bond on Tuesday pending trial in Miami on cocaine conspiracy charges. Mexico extradited defendant Sandra Avila Beltran to the United States last week. She appeared before US Magistrate Judge Patrick White, who ruled there was a risk of flight and ordered her continued detention. She was not asked to enter a plea and her arraignment was postponed to Sept 14. Avila, 51, is the highest-profile woman linked to Mexicos drug trade. She is the

US man indicted in weapons case: A

US man arrested with a loaded gun, ammunition and knives at a showing of the latest Batman movie has been indicted on three weapons counts. A grand jury in Cleveland returned the indictment Monday against 37-year-old Scott A. Smith with two counts of carrying concealed weapons and one count of having a weapon under disability. Police say hes drug dependent and shouldnt have a weapon. Bond was set at $250,000 and arraignment was scheduled for Aug 27. Smiths attorney says his client had the weapons for protection in case someone tried to copy the Colorado theater shooting that left 12 dead. Defense attorney Matthew Bruce said Tuesday that Smith would challenge the dependency contention and ask for lower bond. (AP)

Jenn Gibbons smiles as she completes a 1,500 mile rowing trip around Lake Michigan to raise money for an organization helping cancer survivors on Aug 14, in Chicago. The trip helped 27-year-old Gibbons raise $113,000 for Recovery on Water (ROW). (AP)

INTERNATIONAL

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

15

Impact Technicians not closely regulated

Arrest of med tech shows system flaws

CONCORD, New Hampshire, Aug 15, (AP): Radiology technician David Kwiatkowski was a few weeks into a temporary job at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center-Presbyterian in 2008 when a co-worker accused him of lifting a syringe containing an addictive painkiller from an operating room and sticking it down his pants. More syringes were found in his pockets and locker. A drug test showed he had fentanyl and other opiates in his system. In what may be the scariest part of all, authorities say that when he swiped the fentanyl syringe, he left another one in its place, filled with a dummy fluid, ready to be used on a patient. But Kwiatkowski did not go to jail. No one in Pittsburgh even called the police. Neither the hospital nor the medical staffing agency that placed him in the job informed the national accreditation organization for radiological technicians. So just days after being fired, he was able to start a new job at a Baltimore hospital. And from there, he went from one hospital to another 10 hospitals altogether in the four years after he was fired in Pittsburgh. All of them told The Associated Press they had no knowledge of his disciplinary history when they hired him for temporary jobs. The potentially grave cost of those loopholes became clear only after Kwiatkowskis arrest last month in New Hampshire, where he stands accused of infecting at least 31 Exeter Hospital patients with hepatitis C by stealing fentanyl syringes and replacing them with dirty ones tainted with his blood. Now, thousands of hospital patients who may have crossed paths with Kwiatkowski in eight states Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York and Pennsylvania are being tested to see if they, too, are infected with hepatitis C, a sometimes lifethreatening virus that can destroy the liver and cause cancer. he was innocent and suggested that a co-worker had planted a fentanyl syringe found in his car. Ive already said it. I did not take any drugs or do any drugs ... and Im gonna stick to that, he said, according to the FBI account. People involved in a 2010 incident at Arizona Heart Hospital tell a different story. Kwiatkowski was 10 days into a job assignment when a co-worker found him passed out in a bathroom stall. A stolen syringe, bearing a label for fentanyl, floated in the toilet. In the emergency room, he tested positive for both cocaine and marijuana. Im going to jail, he moaned when he regained consciousness, according to an account given to state regulators by the colleague who found him. This time police were summoned, but the officers decided not to file charges or even write up a report after being told that Kwiatkowski had flushed the syringe. We had no evidence. We had nothing except what they told us, said Phoenix Officer James Holmes, a police spokesman. Hospital officials alerted Springboard, which had gotten Kwiatkowski the assignment in Arizona, and also informed the Arizona Medical Radiologic Board of Examiners, which took steps to revoke Kwiatkowskis license. Springboard also sent a report to the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, the organization that 37 states rely on to verify that technicians have proper credentials. But after learning police hadnt filed charges, the national accreditation group dropped its inquiry without ever speaking to anyone at the hospital or the state licensing board, said a spokesman, Christopher Cook. Just days after Kwiatkowskis firing, he landed a new job filling in for striking technicians at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. He faxed a handwritten note to Arizona licensing officials from a Philadelphia airport hotel saying he would surrender his license rather than fight the accusations.

Murky clouds loom over the Bel Air Mall area of Mobile, Alabama, Aug 14. Thunderstorms drenched portions of coastal Alabama. (AP)

President scolded for Laden bragging

OPSEC group slams Obama

WASHINGTON, Aug 15, (RTRS): A group of former US intelligence and Special Forces operatives is set to launch a media campaign, including TV ads, that scolds President Barack Obama for taking credit for the killing of Osama bin Laden and argues that high-level leaks are endangering American lives. Leaders of the group, the Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund Inc, say it is nonpartisan and unconnected to any political party or presidential campaign. It is registered as a so-called social welfare group, which means its primary purpose is to further the common good and its political activities should be secondary. In the past, military exploits have been turned against presidential candidates by outside groups, most famously the Swift Boat ads in 2004 that questioned Democratic nominee John Kerrys Vietnam War service. emphasizing how he presided over the killing of bin Laden, as well as how he ended the war in Iraq and set a timeline for winding down the war in Afghanistan. However, Obama has come under sharp attack from Republican lawmakers who have accused his administration of being behind high-level leaks of classified information. They have pointed to media reports about clandestine drone attacks, informants planted in al-Qaeda affiliates and alleged cyber-warfare against Iran that Republicans say were calculated to promote Obamas image as a strong leader in an election year. The White House has denied leaking classified information. The president of Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund Inc, Scott Taylor, is a former Navy SEAL who in 2010 ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for a congressional seat in Virginia. hopes to raise more after the release of its mini-documentary, entitled Dishonorable Disclosures, which aims, in spy-movie style, to document a recent spate of leaks regarding sensitive intelligence and military operations. Following the films release, OPSECs spokesmen said, the group expects to produce TV spots on the antileak theme that will air in a number of states, including Virginia, Florida, Ohio, Colorado, North Carolina and Nevada key battleground states.

Demonstrates
As the Kwiatkowski case demonstrates, medical technicians arent as closely regulated as doctors or nurses, and there is no nationwide database of misconduct or disciplinary actions against them, the way there is for physicians. It seems that what happens in Pittsburgh stays in Pittsburgh, said Barbara Yeninas, a spokeswoman for Springboard Healthcare Staffing and Search, one of at least seven medical staffing agencies that lined up jobs for Kwiatkowski. They get hired and they get fired and they can move on to wherever else they want. As Kwiatkowski made his way from one institution to another, the Pittsburgh incident was not even the only time he was accused of stealing drugs and fired. Kwiatkowski, 33, became a radiology technician in 2003 in his home state of Michigan after completing a training program. He earned a degree two years later from Madonna University in Livonia, where he was a catcher on the baseball team and became one of the small schools all-time leaders in two inglorious categories: passed balls and steals allowed. Former teammate Mario DHerin said Kwiatkowski was regarded as a liar. At one point, he claimed to have cancer. Then he said it was Crohns disease, and it was like the boy who cried wolf nobody really believed him, DHerin said. In court papers, the FBI said he admitted making up several stories about his life, telling people he had played his college ball at the University of Michigan or saying he had a fiancee who died tragically. Investigators could find no evidence he was treated for cancer. Kwiatkowskis parents told investigators their son had problems with alcohol, anger and depression. They also believed he had Crohns disease, a painful bowel condition sometimes treated with fentanyl patches. Through jail officials, Kwiatkowski declined to be interviewed. His court-appointed lawyer would not comment. Nor would his mother in Michigan. Kwiatkowski has pleaded not guilty to stealing drugs and tampering with needles in New Hampshire. He told investigators

Loss
If Kwiatkowski had been a doctor, that loss of his Arizona license would have jeopardized his ability to work anywhere in the US But in this case, he had nothing to worry about. Like many other states, Pennsylvania doesnt require most radiological technicians to be registered and doesnt maintain records of disciplinary actions against them. He soon moved on to other hospitals, including Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kansas, where he worked in the heart catheterization lab and was involved in the care of 460 patients who are now undergoing testing for hepatitis C. Linda Ficken, 70, who went to Hays to get a pacemaker two years ago, was informed last week that she has been diagnosed with hepatitis C. The Kansas health department said two other patients have been diagnosed with a strain of the virus closely related to the one Kwiatkowski carries. Further analysis is planned. I was pissed, Ficken said. And I still am. And also with the people that employed him, because he put me and my family in jeopardy, he put a lot of people in jeopardy and this is just going to continue to mushroom. Somebody fell down on the job someplace. He didnt slip through the cracks on his own. Hospitals and the staffing agencies that routinely help them fill jobs are supposed to share responsibility for verifying that workers have proper licensing and good reputations. But four of the states where Kwiatkowski worked over the full course of his career New Hampshire, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Michigan dont even license radiology workers. The institutions that allowed Kwiatkowski to keep working offered a variety of excuses and explanations as to how he slipped by various background checks and managed to get licensed in other states. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center spokeswoman Gloria Kreps said that when he was accused of stealing fentanyl, officials did not contact police because they did not believe they had enough evidence. We noticed unusual behavior, caught him with a syringe, but did not witness him in the act of committing a crime, she said.

In this photo released by the US Coast Guard, the crew of the Coast Guard cutter Rush escorts the suspected high seas drift net fishing vessel Da Cheng in the North Pacific Ocean, Aug 14. The US Coast Guard has transferred to China a vessel suspected of illegal high seas driftnet fishing that was pursued by a cutter assigned to Alaska. Coast Guard officials say the 177-foot Da Cheng seized 850 miles east of Tokyo last week was turned over Tuesday to the China Fishery Law Enforcement Command. The Hawaii-based Coast Guard cutter Rush escorted the stateless vessel. (AP)

Secrets
Fred Rustmann, a former undercover case officer for the CIA who is a spokesman for the group, insisted its focus on leaks was not a partisan concern. But he said the current administration had been leaking secrets to help this guy get re-elected, at the expense of peoples lives.... We want to see that they dont do this again. Chad Kolton, a former spokesman for the office of Director of National Intelligence during the George W. Bush administration who now represents OPSEC, also said the groups message and make-up are nonpolitical. Youll see throughout the film that concern about protecting the lives of intelligence and Special Forces officers takes precedence over partisanship, he said. Responding to criticism about the president taking credit for the bin Laden raid, an Obama campaign official pointed to an interview with CNN last month in which Admiral Bill McRaven, commander of the raid, said: At the end of the day, make no mistake about it, it was the president of the United States that shouldered the burden for this operation, that made the hard decisions, that was instrumental in the planning process, because I pitched every plan to him. I think Admiral McRaven knows more about the Presidents role in the bin Laden operation than this group, the campaign official said.

Save
The OPSEC group says it is not political and aims to save American lives. Its first public salvo is a 22-minute film that includes criticism of Obama and his administration. The film, to be released on Wednesday, was seen in advance by Reuters. Mr. President, you did not kill Osama bin Laden, America did. The work that the American military has done killed Osama bin Laden. You did not, Ben Smith, identified as a Navy SEAL, says in the film. As a citizen, it is my civic duty to tell the president to stop leaking information to the enemy, Smith continues. It will get Americans killed. An Obama campaign official said: No one in this group is in a position to speak with any authority on these issues and on what impact these leaks might have, and its clear theyve resorted to making things up for purely political reasons. Obama has highlighted his foreign policy record on the campaign trail,
Its deeply unfair because now hundreds of law-abiding Muslim citizens will never know whether the government violated their most basic civil rights, Arulanantham, from the ACLU of Southern California, told Reuters. (RTRS)

Rules
Calling itself OPSEC for short which in spy jargon means operational security the anti-leak group incorporated last June in Delaware, a state that has the most secretive corporate registration rules in the US. It also set itself up as a nonprofit organization under section 501(c)4 of the US Tax Code, allowing it to keep donors identities secret. Spokesmen for the group declined to discuss its sources of financing. Several group representatives say their main motivation for setting up OPSEC was dismay at recent detailed media leaks about sensitive operations. In an interview, Taylor denied OPSEC had any political slant. He described the group as a watchdog organization but added that the current administration has certainly leaked more than others. OPSEC spokesmen said the group has about $1 million at its disposal and
Clayton Myers said. It was one of those things you never felt like you were in control, because things kept changing with the wind. About 70 homes and hundreds of outbuildings had burned, officials said. Im watching my house burn down right now, a tearful Haley Lindelof, 16, told The Seattle Times newspaper. No injuries have been reported, but fire danger is extreme due to wind, heat and dry conditions, incident commander Rex Reed said. Weve had a long prolonged dry period three weeks with no precipitation at all, he said. Across California, thousands of firefighters were contending with dry conditions and strong winds. In the southern part of the state, residents of dozens of homes in sparsely populated inland areas evacuated as wildfires thrived in the desert heat. (AP)

Carney

Smith

America
Mosque spy suit rejected: A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit charging that the FBI violated civil liberties by sending an informant into several California mosques to spy on US Muslims, ruling that allowing the case to proceed could risk disclosure of government secrets. US District Judge Cormac Carney wrote in a 36-page order that he was reluctant to toss out the case before it could be litigated but was forced to weigh national security against individual liberties and an open judicial process. In the decision, Carney compared himself to the fictional Greek hero Odysseus, who while sailing home from the Trojan War faced navigating his ship between a six-headed monster on one side and a dangerous whirlpool on the other. Odysseus opted to pass by the monster and risk a few of his individual sailors, rather than hazard the loss of his entire ship to the sucking whirlpool, he wrote. Similarly, the proper application of the state secrets privilege may unfortunately mean the sacrifice of individual liberties for the sake of national security. But the judge, ruling after a hearing in US District Court in Santa Ana, allowed the case to go forward against five current or former FBI agents who the plaintiffs claim violated the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The lawsuit, which was filed last year in US District Court in Santa Ana, said the FBI sent a paid undercover informant named Craig Monteilh into Orange County mosques to collect personal information on hundreds, or possibly thousands, of Muslims. According to the suit, Monteilh took hundreds of hours of surreptitious video and audio recordings of religious lectures, classes, cultural events and other meetings in 2006 and 2007 as part of a counterterrorism investigation, known as Operation Flex, that did not produce a single conviction. Plaintiffs attorney Ahilan Arulanantham said the American Civil Liberties Union and the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which filed the lawsuit on behalf of three Orange County Muslims and were seeking class-action status, intended to appeal the dismissal.

New immigration program: Young

illegal immigrants are scrambling to get passports and other records in order as the Homeland Security Department starts accepting applications to allow them to avoid deportation and get a work permit. Homeland Security announced the details Tuesday of what documents illegal immigrants would need to prove that they are eligible for the Obama administrations Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The announcement came a day before US Citizenship and Immigration Services was set to begin letting people apply for the program. Hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants potentially could benefit from the program, which President Barack Obama announced in June. The program is beginning just months before what promises to be a tight contest for the White House in which the Hispanic vote may play an important role. Obama has come under fire from Hispanic voters and others who say he hasnt fulfilled a previous campaign promise to overhaul the nations immigration laws. The policy change could stop deportations for more than 1 million young illegal immigrants who would have qualified for the failed DREAM Act, formally the Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors Act, which Obama has supported in the past. Republican lawmakers have accused Obama of circumventing Congress with the new program in an effort to boost his political standing and of favoring illegal immigrants over unemployed US citizens. Some, including House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith, have called the policy backdoor amnesty and said they worry about fraud. While potentially millions of illegal immigrants will be permitted to compete with American workers for scarce jobs, there seems to be little if any mechanism in place for vetting fraudulent applications and documentation submitted by illegal immigrants, Smith said Tuesday. (AP)

Wildfires destroy 70 homes: The extreme fire conditions across the US West have exploded, with several burning across the region Wednesday and about 70 homes destroyed in Washington state. In recent days, one firefighter died in Idaho after being struck by a falling tree. Another suffered minor burns and smoke inhalation after a blaze along the NevadaOregon border forced her to crawl into an emergency fire shelter. In a rural part of Washington state, three separate fires were sparked in just 90 minutes. Firefighters put out two quickly, but the third left authorities scrambling to evacuate hundreds of residents. Chaotic, Kittitas County Undersheriff

Flames surround a house Aug 14, on a hillside above Bettas Road near Cle Elum, Washington. Wildland firefighters on-site advised that the house survived the fire. The fast-moving wildfire has burned 70 homes across nearly 40 square miles of central Washington grassland, timber and sagebrush. No injuries have been reported but more than 400 people have been forced to flee. (AP)

INTERNATIONAL World News Roundup

Campaign 50-50 tie

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

16

Favorites win primary polls

MILWAUKEE, Aug 15, (RTRS): Favored candidates for the US Senate easily won primary contests in Florida and Connecticut on Tuesday, as Republicans and Democrats in four states picked candidates for the Nov 6 general election that will decide which party controls Congress. Democrats control the Senate by a 53-47 majority. Two years ago, Republicans seized control of the House of Representatives in the 2010 midterm election and hold a 240 to 192 majority. In Florida, two-term Democratic Mack Senator Bill Nelson faced minor opposition in his primary, but was expected to be in for a tough re-election battle in November against the Republican primary winner, US Representative Connie Mack. Mack, the son of a former senator, easily won the Republican primary over three other candidates and could edge out the incumbent Nelson in a general election, according to a recent poll. But political analysts said Nelson has ample resources to attack Mack.

Concerns
Tonights results really show that a lot of Republicans are voting for the candidate they think will have the best chance of beating the Democrat and putting aside negative concerns about individual candidates, said University of South Florida political analyst Susan MacManus. Because of population shifts over the past decade, Florida added two congressional seats, but the redrawn districts pitted two incumbent Republicans against each other. Republican John Mica, a 20year veteran, easily beat Sandy Adams, a favorite of the conservative Tea Party movement, in a central Florida district. The Cook Political Report considers seven of the 23 Democraticcontrolled US Senate seats to be toss-ups. Nelsons re-election chances were seen as particularly tough. Three of the 10 Republicanheld seats up for election this year are toss-ups. Its a 50-50 ball game right now, said Cook Political Report analyst Jennifer Duffy. When I look at the map, I find it improbable that any party would have 52 (Senate) seats, with 51 more probable.

US Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney speaks during a campaign event at the Ross County Court House in Chillicothe, Ohio, Aug 14. (AFP)

Campaign Threat to elderly citizens

Rivals spar over health program

US Republican vice-presidential candidate Rep Paul Ryan R-Wis, speaks during a campaign event at Palo Verde High School on Aug 14, in Las Vegas. (AP)

Control
A 50-50 tie in the Senate would give control of the chamber to the candidate who wins the presidency Democratic President Barack Obama or his Republican challenger, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. A wild card in the Senate will be if former Maine Governor Angus King, an independent, wins the seat of retiring Republican Olympia Snowe. King has said he will not declare which party he will side with until after the November vote. Wisconsin and Connecticut voters set the stage to fill US Senate seats being vacated by retiring Democrat Herb Kohl and Joseph Lieberman, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats. Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin, a seven-term US representative and avowed liberal, ran unopposed in her partys primary. Former four-term Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson beat businessman and political neophyte Eric Hovde and two other candidates for the Republican nomination. Thompson may benefit in the general election from Romneys choice over the weekend of Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan as his vice presidential running mate, analysts said. However, Ryan is a polarizing figure in Washington, where he led his partys push to cut domestic spending, lower taxes and scale back the size of the federal government as chairman of the House of Representatives Budget Committee. The Connecticut contest was won by favorite Linda McMahon, a professional wrestling executive. McMahon is seeking another chance after she lost a Senate race two years ago despite spending $50 million. On the Democratic side, US Representative Christopher Murphy was favored to win the primary and has already been targeted by McMahons campaign ads.

America
Obama outpacing GOP: US President
Barack Obamas campaign team is proving again in 2012 to be more conscious than rival Republicans are of the power of the Internet, particularly Twitter, a study released Wednesday said. With online communications set to be even more important than in 2008, when Obama raised the bar on targeting voters and donors via the Internet, the Pew Research Center said he is dominating the 2012 digital campaign stakes. While Republican White House candidate Mitt Romneys team averaged one tweet per day, Obama averaged 29 tweets 17 on @BarackObama (the Twitter account associated with his presidency) and 12 on @Obama2012 (the account associated with his campaign), during the research study period. Obama holds a distinct advantage over Romney in the way his campaign is using digital technology to communicate directly with voters, said a statement from the Pew Research Centers Project for Excellence in Journalism. (AFP)

Michelle stumps for president:

Michelle Obama turned up for the last of her trio of fundraisers in the Los Angeles area in two days, joining host Yolanda Cookie Parker on Monday afternoon at the Ladera Heights home of Melanie and John Clark to support President Obamas push for re-election. After thanking the crowd of about 150 donors for showing up on a Monday, the First Lady turned her attention to the imminent task of winning a second term for, as she described him, our phenomenal, outstanding, very cute President of the United States. Framing her comments with the same two terms she evoked the previous night at the home of Warner Bros. chairman and CEO Barry Meyer, Mrs Obama stated her purpose at Mondays event: Its all about values and vision. (RTRS)

WASHINGTON, Aug 15, (AP): President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney accused each other of posing a threat to the well-being of Americas elderly citizens, an issue brought to the fore after Romney chose a running mate who has proposed significantly changing the popular governmentfunded Medicare healthcare program that serves tens of millions of seniors. Romney accused Obama on the campaign trail and in TV advertising of cutting Medicare to pay for Obamacare, as Republicans often refer to the presidents overhaul of the US health care system. The charge drew a blistering response from Obamas campaign, which labeled the ad dishonest and hypocritical. Medicare has always been a touchy political subject in a country where senior citizens are among the groups most likely to vote. Elderly voters will be especially crucial in the November presidential contest, expected to be among the closest in US history. Romneys accusations were a strong counterattack to Democratic charges that he and Republican vicepresidential candidate US Rep Paul Ryan would radically remake Medicare. Ryan, a Wisconsin congressman, provoked an outcry by once proposing privatizing the government-run insurance program for the elderly. He has since backed off the idea in favor of a plan that would give future retirees fixed government payments that could either go toward buying private plans or joining a government-run program modeled on Medicare.

VP candidate in sync with Romney

Ryan proposes $800 bln in Medicaid cuts

WASHINGTON, Aug 15, (AP): Rep Paul Ryans plan for healthcare coverage for the elderly gets all the attention, but the Republican vicepresidential candidate has proposed more fundamental changes to medical care for the poor and disabled. Under the Wisconsin congressmans Medicaid plan, states would take over the government program that provides healthcare coverage to the poor. Simultaneously, Ryans proposed budget would reduce projected federal spending by about $800 billion over 10 years, shrinking Medicaid as a share of the overall national economy. The plan has passed the Republican-led House of Representatives two years in a row. Ryan would also repeal President Barack Obamas healthcare law, expected to add at least 11 million more people to Medicaid. On both proposals, Ryan is in sync with his new boss, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. But such cuts would result in millions of vulnerable people losing health insurance, according to advocates for the poor and some nonpartisan economic analysts. Medicaid is already a very lean program, said Edwin Park of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which advocates for lowincome people. It is not a program where you can magically glean huge efficiencies by just devolving it to the states. The only way to compensate for funding reductions of this magnitude would be to institute deep, damaging cuts to beneficiaries and the health care providers who serve them. Bring it on, says Wisconsin Health Secretary Dennis Smith, who oversees Medicaid in Ryans home state. Smith, who works for Republican Gov Scott Walker, says states can cut costs without gutting services by running Medicaid more efficiently. Everybody agrees that there is excess cost in the healthcare system, so by golly, give us the flexibility to address it, and we will, said Smith. We can serve the people on Medicaid with the adjustments in the Ryan budget. We can make that work. For example, Wisconsin is now charging some low-income adults a modest monthly premium for Medicaid, tapping a new funding source to pay for valuable benefits, Smith said. And the state is looking for ways to help frail elderly people keep living at home, avoiding the costly alternative of a nursing home. Medicaid serves nearly 60 million people, about 20 percent of Americans, a diverse population brought together by need. Low-income children and their mothers, people disabled by lifechanging injuries or birth defects, as well as elderly nursing home residents, would all feel the consequences of the debate. On average, the federal government pays about 60 percent of Medicaid costs, and states cover the rest. Medicaid has become a big share of state budgets, and since Washington sets many of the rules, the program is a source of constant tension between federal and state governments. The Supreme Court recently gave some latitude to states chafing at Obamas health care law, saying they are free to opt out of its Medicaid expansion. Obama has largely shielded Medicaid from cuts in budget negotiations with Congress. But his administration has proposed new ways to allocate funding that could be used to dial back the federal share. Ryans plan goes beyond tweaking. It would essentially rip up the Medicaid manual and start all over again. States would get a lump sum from Washington, a block grant indexed to reflect population growth and inflation. The idea has governors split along party lines.

Overcome
The Romney attack suggests he hopes to overcome a generic Republican disadvantage on the issue of Medicare by telling voters that Obama has cut spending for a program that is overwhelmingly popular, and put the money toward one that is controversial. Obama has taken $716 billion out of the Medicare trust fund. Hes raided that trust fund, Romney said at a campaign stop in Ohio, as he neared the end of a multi-state bus trip punctuated by his weekend selection of a running mate. And you know what he did with it? Hes used it to pay for Obamacare, a risky, unproven, federal takeover of healthcare. And If Im president of the

Biden sparks commotion: VicePresident Joe Biden sparked a campaign commotion Tuesday, telling an audience in southern Virginia that included hundreds of black voters that Republican Mitt Romney wanted to put them back in chains by deregulating Wall Street. He later mocked Republican criticism over the remark while conceding he meant to use different words. Campaigning in Danville, Biden said the Republican ticket wanted to unchain Wall Street by getting rid of regulations Obama signed into law two years ago. He added: Theyre going to put yall back in

United States, were putting the $716 billion back, he said. Aides said a commercial containing the same allegation would begin airing immediately in several battleground states. In a rebuttal issued shortly after the Romney TV ad was released, Obama spokeswoman Lis Smith said the presidents healthcare law did not cut a single guaranteed Medicare benefit, and Mitt Romney embraced the very same savings when he promised hed sign Paul Ryans budget. ...The truth is that the Romney-Ryan budget would end Medicare as we know it. In a campaign without summer doldrums, the rival sets of ticket mates campaigned in a half-dozen of the most hotly contested states, in settings as diverse as a coal mine in Ohio (Romney); a wind farm in Iowa (Obama) and a casino in Nevada

(Ryan.) At a speech closing his bus tour, Romney delivered a sweeping indictment of Obamas campaign. Mr. President, take your campaign of division and anger and hate back to Chicago, he said in Chillicothe, Ohio, insisting that Obama had abandoned his 2008 campaigns messages of hope and change. The Obama campaign said Romneys comments seemed unhinged.

Tempest
The tempest over Bidens remark was modest compared to the building struggle over Medicare. Democrats have quickly set out to draw attention to Ryans plans, which contain deep cuts in projected spending in social programs as well as changes to Medicare for future

retirees, and to try and saddle Romney with their political ownership. Polling generally shows that the public places more trust in Democrats ability to handle Medicare than they do Republicans. At the same time, polling shows the public strongly believes the financial security of Medicare must be guaranteed for the long term, and government reports for years have warned of a looming shortfall if something isnt done to change course. Ryan and Romney have both cited a desire to right the programs finances as a motive for their plans. Ryan, interviewed on Fox News Channel, said he and Romney believe Medicare can be a winning issue for Republicans in the fall.

chains. Romney later criticized Biden, saying the remarks were part of a pattern of reckless comments by Obamas campaign and his surrogates that disgrace the office of the presidency. In Chillicothe, Ohio, as he ended his bus tour Tuesday night, Romney called Bidens comment another outrageous

charge and added: The White House sinks a little bit lower. This is what an angry and desperate presidency looks like. (AP)

Obama

Biden

Ryan meets donors: Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan was to meet behind closed doors with donors and fundraisers in Las Vegas at the

Venetian hotel, owned by casino mogul and formidable campaign donor Sheldon Adelson. The Wisconsin congressman was to meet with members of the Nevada finance team on Tuesday evening his first such event as part of Mitt Romneys campaign but members of the media will not be allowed to attend. (RTRS)

INTERNATIONAL

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

17

Spain Food for people

Robin Hood mayor hero

MADRID, Aug 15, (Agencies): A Spanish mayor who became a cult hero for staging robberies at supermarkets and giving stolen groceries to the poor sets off this week on a three-week march that could embarrass the government and energise anti-austerity campaigners. Juan Manuel Sanchez Gordillo, regional lawmaker and mayor of the town of Marinaleda population 2,645 in the southern region of Andalusia, said food stolen last week in the robberies went Gordillo to families hit hardest by Spains economic crisis. Seven people have been arrested for participating in the two raids, in which labour unionists, cheered on by supporters, piled food into supermarket carts and walked out without paying while Sanchez Gordillo, 59, stood outside. He has political immunity as an elected member of Andalusias regional parliament, but says he would be happy to renounce it and be arrested himself. There are people who dont have enough to eat. In the 21st century, this is an absolute disgrace, he told Reuters this week in an interview in the Atocha train station in Madrid, tugging on his greying Fidel Castro-style beard. Sanchez Gordillo says he wants to draw attention to the human face of Spains economic mess poverty levels have risen b y over 15 percent since 2007, a quarter of workers are jobless and tens of thousands have been evicted from their homes. The conservative government says an official has no business flouting the law.

Volunteers work on the Grand-Place in Brussels, covered by a huge carpet of some 2,000 sq m of flowers in the colours of African fabrics, an ephemeral event every two years. (AFP)

Brussels decks out Grand Place with 600,000 begonias

Its merchant palaces dripping already with centuries-old gold leaf, the Grand Place in Brussels has also been decked out with 600,000 begonias in a giant tribute to African weaving in a big bi-annual tourist draw. Basking in balmy temperatures, the 1,800-square-metre display inspired by the tapestries of Ethiopia, Congo, Nigeria, Botswana and Cameroon has taken over what is already one of Belgiums biggest visitor attractions and is expected to be viewed by 100,000 people over the weekend. In situ until Sunday, the Brussels mayoral deputy responsible for tourism, Philippe Close, said the locally-grown floral tribute www.flowercarpet.be was a big hit with Japanese and other overseas TV crews. The Grand Place is the central square of Brussels. It is surrounded by guildhalls, the citys Town Hall. The square is the most important tourist destination and most memorable landmark in Brussels. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Every two years in August, an enormous flower carpet is set up in the Grand Place for a few days. A million colourful begonias are set up in patterns, and the display covers a full 24 by 77 metres (79 by 253 ft). The first flower carpet was made in 1971, and due to its popularity, the tradition continued, with the flower carpet attracting a large number of tourists. (Agencies)

France Amiens residents split over need for more law and order

Publicity
You cant be Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham, said Alfonso Alonso, spokesman for the ruling Peoples Party (PP) in the national Parliament. This man is just searching for publicity at the cost of everyone else. Media coverage of the supermarket stunt has made Sanchez Gordillo a national celebrity. While talking to Reuters he was approached by supporters who shook his hand and thanked him for his stand against the conservative government. His home province of Andalusia is one of the parts of Spain worst hit by its crisis: one worker in three is jobless. On Thursday he begins his trek from Jodar, the town with Andalusias highest unemployment rate, planning to march across the region in blistering summer heat to persuade other local leaders to refuse to comply with government reforms. He plans to tell mayors to skip debt payments, stop layoffs, cease home evictions and ignore central government demands for budget cuts, a message that infuriates Prime Minister Mariano Rajoys government as it tries to convince investors in Spanish bonds that he can fix the battered economy. The EU has demanded Spain shrink one of Europes highest budget deficits to prevent the continents debt crisis from spreading. Rajoy, in power since December, has ordered spending cuts and tax hikes. With poverty rising at one the fastest rates in Europe, protests have gained momentum.

Riots add to woes facing Hollande

Catholic pilgrims pray during a Mass to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption on Aug 15, in the Sectuary of Our Lady in the French southwestern pilgrimage city of Lourdes. (AFP)

Stoltenberg

Breivik

Europe
Dutch socialists lead in polls: The
Dutch Socialist Party, campaigning for tax hikes for the rich and looser budget deficit targets for Europe, led in a rash of opinion polls a month ahead of a parliamentary election. The hard-left movement was seen winning as many as 37 seats in the 150-seat assembly a result that would leave it the biggest party in parliament but needing an alliance with at least two other groups to take power. The emergence of the Socialists in a country which has long been Germanys leading ally in demanding fiscal discipline in the euro zone could have broader implications as Europe battles to solve the debt crisis in the indebted South. The current coalition government of acting prime minister Mark Rutte has harshly criticised southern countries for their budget laxity. But with the Dutch economy growing only 0.2 percent in the second quarter, consumer confidence low and unemployment creeping up, polls suggest many voters have been attracted by a party which promises to maintain the countrys generous welfare state. (RTRS)

Also: BAYONNE, France: Inmates at

15 French prisons have joined a mass hunger strike started by members of the armed Basque separatist group ETA who are jailed in Spain and France, officials said Tuesday. The hunger strike began in Spanish and French prisons last week in support of Iosu Uribetxebarria, an ETA convict jailed for kidnapping a prison official in the 1990s and who is now seeking release on parole because he is ill with cancer. French penal administration said the protest at the French prisons started several days ago, without specifying how many prisoners were taking part. The ETA prisoners association Herrira claimed that 91 Basque prisoners in 23 French prisons were on hunger strike as of Monday. Though it began in solidarity with Uribetxebarria, prisoners are now also demanding the release of 14 other terminally ill inmates in Spain, according to Herrira spokesman Gabi Mouesca. French, Spanish and European law provide for the release of such prisoners, said Mouesca.

AMIENS, France, Aug 15, (Agencies): A massive police presence restored calm overnight on Wednesday to the French city of Amiens, where arson and gun attacks on police have added law and order to the deep economic problems President Francois Hollande must confront. The Socialist leader pledged to do all in his power to stamp out unrest two straight days of disturbances in which after 17 police were injured, some by shotgun pellets. An extra 100 officers were sent to the Fafet district in northern Amiens late on Tuesday, bringing to 250 the number of police patrolling there versus the usual 30, officials said. The night in the northern district of Amiens was very, very calm. There were incidents in other parts of Amiens and seven cars were burned but this is sadly something that is a regular occurrence in the city, a police spokesman said. Residents have split over the violence, some blaming heavy-handed policing for rioting in which a brand new gym and a nursery school were torched, and drivers were dragged from their cars before the vehicles were set alight. Others said jobless delinquents were responsible for the destruction the Socialists had already designated Fafet as a priority zone for more police due to rising crime. Their demands for better protection from the authorities echoed criticism from the right that Hollandes ruling
another 69 people, mostly teenagers, and wounding dozens of others. An independent commission appointed by Stoltenberg to see what lessons could be learned from the authorities response submitted its report on Monday, primarily

Socialists were soft on law and order, something that would only encourage criminality. Its a small number of youths who roam around all day in scooters doing nothing, but causing trouble for which the local community pays the price, said Amiens resident Mohamed, 70. People live in fear, he added.

Copycat
Although France saw no copycat unrest in its major cities overnight, the Amiens disturbances underscored the challenges facing the left, whose sharp attacks on the domestic security policies of Hollandes conservative predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, helped them win May and June national elections. Rundown neighbourhoods ring many French cities, often populated by poor whites, blacks and people of North African descent who feel marginalized from mainstream society. Unemployment in Amiens was 17 percent in 2009, the last year for which official figures are available, 7 points above the national average. The Socialist mayor Gilles Demailly said joblessness in Fafet was as high as 45 percent. Hollandes initial response to the flare-up was to send his Interior Minister Manuel Valls to the city along with scores of police reinforcements and promise to reverse cuts made during Sarkozys tenure. But as he tries to haul down the French budget deficit to meet EU targets by the end of his five-year term, funding that pledge and pouring limitcriticising the polices slow and disorganised handling. But it was also highly critical of the government. (AFP)

ed resources into the countrys tough neighbourhoods will be an enormous challenge. The focal point of Amiens riots was a low-rise council estate which has had money pumped into it in recent years. Trees line the main roads, playgrounds are abundant and the local council has opened a swimming pool, community centre and football pitch. Among the three buildings gutted in Tuesdays rioting was a gymnasium residents had demanded for 10 years, and a nursery school where toddlers desks and singed books were still visible among the charred rubble. The violence appears to have been triggered by a police spot check on Sunday on the sidelines of a memorial for a young local man who died in a road accident and some residents blamed heavy-handed policing for the disturbances.

Respect
I want them to respect us and stop stopping us and treating us like dogs, said Fatima Hadji, the dead mans mother said after meeting Minister Valls. Meanwhile, the French city of Amiens on Wednesday began a costly clean-up after two nights of rioting that left France again asking itself what to do about marginalised urban neighbourhoods that have regularly erupted into violence in the past decade. The citys northern quarter was calm overnight, 24 hours after rampaging youths torched cars and public
Catholics marked the Assumption holiday on Wednesday with prayers focused on the family and children that were designed to underline the Churchs opposition to gay marriage. A prayer read out in churches across

buildings, hurled explosives improvised from fireworks and fired buckshot at police. Frances Interior Ministry announced Wednesday that a heavy police presence would be maintained in the neighbourhood for several days to ensure there was no repeat. Around 250 officers were deployed overnight following clashes in which 16 officers were injured, one of them seriously. The reinforcements will remain deployed over the next few days and nights to ensure a complete return to normal, Interior Minister Manuel Valls said in a statement. Valls promised a crackdown on troublemakers would be balanced by attempts to foster a partnership between police and the local community in order to avoid further conflict. Gilles Demailly, the mayor of the city some 120 kilometres (75 miles) north of Paris, said the cost of repairing or rebuilding public buildings that were damaged or destroyed could run to six million euros (about $7.4 million). The scale of the damage a sports centre and a primary school suffered extensive fire damage made the Amiens riot the most serious incident of its kind since the Villeneuve suburb of Grenoble exploded two years ago. Frances Socialist government has promised a tough response with Valls warning that no amount of social deprivation could excuse firing at police or burning public buildings.
France expressed the wish that children cease to be the objects of the desires and conflicts of adults in order to fully benefit from the love of a father and mother. The text was produced by the Bishops of France, who are leading opposition to President Francois Hollandes commitment to allow homosexual couples to marry and adopt children. Michael Bouvar, one of the leaders of gay rights group SOS Homophobie, attacked the churchs move. The message sent out by the church is a mask for discrimination and homophobia, he told AFPTV. (AFP)

Church counts on prayer: French

Deal for Muslims

Holidays agreed
BERLIN, Aug 15, (AP): Authorities in Hamburg have become the first in Germany to officially recognize Islamic holidays so Muslim employees and students can celebrate them at home. The decision forms part of an agreement between the north German city and local Muslim groups. Similar agreements exist with Christian and Jewish communities in the city. Hamburgs mayor, Olaf Scholz, said Tuesday that he hopes the deal will serve as an example for other German cities. Tens of thousands of Muslims live the city of five million people.

Norway PM under pressure:

Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg was under pressure Wednesday in the wake of a scathing report on the authorities handling of the Anders Behring Breivik attacks that left 77 people dead. Several polls published on Wednesday showed that a majority of Norwegians wanted Stoltenberg, who heads a centreleft coalition government, to stay on as prime minister, but between 19 and 30.7 percent of those surveyed said they thought he ought to resign. Rightwing extremist Breivik on July 22, 2011 set off a car bomb outside the government offices in Oslo, killing eight people, before going to the island of Utoeya, northwest of the capital, where he spent more than an hour gunning down

Firefighters make progress:

Firefighters made progress Wednesday against a wildfire on Spains Canary Island of La Gomera that ravaged part of a rare nature reserve and forced out thousands of people, officials said. The drop in temperatures and the change in wind direction has caused the fire to advance slowly and as a result the work to extinguish it has had better results, Canaries emergency services spokeswoman Carmina Lorenzo said. Seven water-bombing planes and four helicopters were battling the blaze on the Atlantic island, which first broke out more than a week ago and spread rapidly across the parched land due to sweltering temperatures and wind. (AFP)

Houses are seen in a burned valley in Barranco de Guada on the Canary island of La Gomera, Spain, Aug 14. (AP)

INTERNATIONAL World News Roundup

Russia Church pressured

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

18

Pussy Riot reveals rift

MOSCOW, Aug 15, (RTRS): An anti-Kremlin protest by three women on the altar of Moscows main cathedral has united many Russian Orthodox believers in outrage, but their trial has exposed deep rifts over the Churchs role in politics. On her way out of the Church of the Resurrection in a leafy neighbourhood of central Moscow, Nina Lefshukova pulled off her blue headscarf and sighed Alyokhina that the three members of the punk band Pussy Riot should just be freed. I would let them go and leave them in peace, but everyone knows it has more to do with politics than religion. It has more to do with the authorities, she said, folding up her blue Orthodox headscarf into a black bag. Maria Alyokhina, 24, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 30, stormed into Moscows Christ the Saviour Cathedral on Feb. 21 and belted out a punk prayer, asking the Virgin Mary to Throw Putin out! They were charged with hooliganism motivated by religious hatred. A judge will deliver her verdict in a Moscow court on Friday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (center) poses for a picture with the national synchronised swimming team during an awards ceremony for Russias Olympians in Moscows Kremlin on Aug 15. (AFP)

Retribution
The Church has called for divine retribution against the women. The three say the protest was a way to fight President Vladimir Putins tightly controlled political system and draw attention to the strengthening relationship between the Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church. Today half of Russians believe the Church, which is led by Patriarch Kirill, has a hand in domestic politics, according to an opinion poll released on Tuesday by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center, and 43 percent feel it interferes in foreign affairs. The poll showed three quarters of respondents believe it should stay out of politics. Many were disturbed when Kirill, speaking before the March 4 presidential election, called Putin a miracle of God. When the patriarch supports a political cause, he loses something. He loses his authority as a spiritual leader. He is perceived as being on Putins team, and the case with Pussy Riot shows how close the patriarch is to Putin, said Alexei Malashenko, an expert on religion at the Carnegie Moscow Centre think tank. The Church is at a crossroads ... and believers are divided, he said.

Russia Punk band plans another anti-Putin protest

Bid to free Pussy Riot gains speed

A Bosnian Muslim woman reads the Holy Quran and prays in the Begova Mosque during the 27th night of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Decree), in downtown Sarajevo, Bosnia, late night on Aug 14. The night is the most important night for prayer in the month of Ramadan, the holiest month where Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. (AP)

Support
Believers and analysts say the Church may have gained some support for its harsh stance against the protest, especially in the regions outside of Moscow, though the three women insist it was not aimed against the Church. Sitting in a frescoed recess of the Kazan Cathedral, only steps away from the Kremlin on Red Square, Archbishop Igor Fomin said the protest had insulted churchgoers, but he likened their response - on a smaller scale - to the defiance shown by believers during decades of Soviet Communist rule. Christianity is by far the most popular religion in Russia, with some 70 percent of the population saying they are Russian Orthodox Christians, though far fewer regularly attend church. Soon after the Pussy Riot protest on Feb 21, the Orthodox Church organised a day of solidarity in midApril when at least 40,000 worshippers attended a day of prayer led by Kirill, who said the faith was under attack by persecutors. Putin has walked a thin line between promoting Russian Orthodox Christianity and celebrating a secular state of many religions. Despite the Patriarchs promotion of Putin before the election, the Church denies being involved in politics. Although they try to accuse us of advocating for the authorities, were not trying to call on people to vote for the authorities, but for the path, the direction in which we must move, Archpriest Fomin said. Others see the Pussy Riot protest as part of a plot against the country and Putins 12-year rule. I think (the demonstration) was aimed at weakening Russia, whether from within or without. It follows a pattern in which the leadership of several countries is being toppled. Look at Syria, said Yekaterina Vasina, 28, an English and Chinese teacher at Moscow State University.

Blake

Merkel

Europe
US urges fair trial: A senior US
diplomat said Wednesday that he hopes the upcoming trial of a prominent opposition leader in Kazakhstan is conducted fairly and does not set back democratic reforms in the Central Asian nation. Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake said the US will closely follow the fate of Vladimir Kozlov, who has been charged with seeking the overthrow of the government and other crimes. Specifics of the overthrow charge have not been made public. Kozlov is also charged with fomenting last Decembers unrest in the town of Zhanaozen, where 14 people were killed by police firing on striking oil workers. Kozlovs Alga party says the trial, which opens Thursday, is aimed at eliminating opposition to the strongman President Nursultan Nazarbayevs regime. Kazakhstan, a vast former Soviet nation with copious oil and gas reserves, is seen as a reliable partner by the West and cooperates closely on security and energy, but has come under withering criticism from rights groups for its weak democratic credentials. Blake said Kazakhstans authorities need to work on ensuring they address popular grievances to avoid violent unrest. More than 30 people were killed in a string of attacks last year that authorities linked to radical Islamic organizations. (AP)

MOSCOW, Aug 15, (Agencies): The global campaign to free Pussy Riot is gaining speed: Supporters of the punk provocateur band mobilize this week in at least a two dozen cities worldwide to hold simultaneous demonstrations an hour before a Russian court rules on whether its members will be sent to prison. Fridays rallies will ride a wave of support for the three women who have been in jail for more than five months because of an anti-Putin prank in Moscows main cathedral. Calls for them to be freed have come from a long list of celebrities such as Madonna and Bjork. Protests have been held in a number of Western capitals, including Berlin, where last week about 400 people joined Canadian electro-pop performance artist Peaches to support the band. In one of the most extravagant displays, Reykjavik Mayor Jon Gnarr rode through the streets of the Icelandic capital in a Gay Pride parade this weekend dressed like a band member wearing a bright pink dress and matching balaclava while lipsynching to one of Pussy Riots songs. Although the band members and their lawyers are convinced that the verdict depends entirely on the will of President Vladimir Putin, and prosecutors have asked for a three-year sentence, activists hope their pressure will ease punishment or even free the women. Putin has said the women should not be judged too harshly, but he risks appearing weak if they walk free. Amnesty International has declared the women prisoners of conscience and collected tens of thousands of petitions to be sent to the Russian government. So far, though, the human rights group said it has been blocked from delivering them. Two boxes containing 70,000 petitions were taken to the Russian Embassy in Washington on Tuesday, but a Russian diplomat
ing the fighting or torched afterwards by militias, would be torn down. We plan to clear these villages. These ruins, of course, do not look very good, Tibilov said in comments pub-

carried them outside and dumped them on the sidewalk, Amnesty International spokeswoman Sharon Singh said. He did not want them anywhere on Russian soil, she said by telephone on Wednesday. Repeated calls to the embassy went unanswered.

Performance
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alekhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich were little known before their brief impromptu performance in Christ the Savior Cathedral in February. Dancing and high-kicking, they shouted the words of a punk prayer asking the Virgin Mary to deliver Russia from Putin, who was set to win a third term in a March presidential election. They were arrested on charges of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years. Since then, they have been vilified by the state media, while winning over hearts at home and abroad. About 20 supporters wearing colorful balaclavas held a brief protest on the steps of the cathedral on Wednesday, each holding up a letter to spell out Blessed are the merciful in Russian. This action was done in support of the girls, said Anna Tashina, 18, who was one of at least two protesters detained by police. We wanted them to know that we are with them, that they havent been forgotten. Madonna also donned a balaclava during a concert in Moscow last week and had Pussy Riot written on her bare back. Yoko Ono sent a personal message to Samutsevich, saying that the power of your every word is now growing in us. A group of leading British musicians, including Pete Townshend of the Who and members of the Pet Shop Boys, published a letter in the Times of London ahead of Putins visit durlished by the website of Rustavi-2 television station. He said that the villages would also be stripped of their Georgian names. These names do not need to be con-

ing the Olympics to urge him to give the Pussy Riot members a fair hearing. On Friday, activists in more than a dozen cities are expected to take to the streets beginning at 2 pm Moscow time (1000 GMT), an hour before the judge is to issue the verdict. The protests are being coordinated by the defense lawyers. Venues vary from the square outside the ornate Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona to the yard outside the Russian Embassy in London. In Paris, the protest will be held on Stravinsky Square and led by 29-yearold Alexey Prokopyev from RussieLiberts, a Paris-based organization formed in December to bring together Russians studying or working in France. Meanwhile, the Russian punk band Pussy Riot said on Tuesday it planned new protest performances against Putin and urged other women to don balaclavas and stage protests, despite a trial at which three band mates could be jailed. Interview They spoke during an interview at which the all-women group donned balaclavas and brightly coloured tights like those worn by their three band mates during the protest on the altar of a Russian Orthodox cathedral that led to their arrest. Three wonderful girls who were an inspiration for this group are in prison right now, one member, going by the name of Button and clad in a thick army green balaclava to guard her identity, said. In related story, respect for human rights in Russia has deteriorated since Vladimir Putins election to the presidency in May, Finnish President Sauli Niinistoe said Wednesday. It is too early to say yet, but the general assessment seems to be that there has been a tightening of the strings in a certain way, and it has happened more quickly than had been
served because the settlements will not exist, he said. Before the 2008 war, which saw Russian troops push deep into Georgia to crush Tbilisis military attempt to regain

expected, Niinistoe said in an interview with Finnish broadsheet Helsingin Sanomat. The president said he was referring to new legislation, including a law on demonstrations. In June, Putin signed a law that dramatically hiked fines for violations of strict public order rules during rallies, after a protest on the eve of his May inauguration ended in violence. Niinistoe declined however to discuss the case of Pussy Riot. Niinistoe, who is due to meet with Lavrov during the visit, said he and Putin had talked about human rights in Saint Petersburg at the end of June. To some extent he explained the legislative initiatives, which he saw mostly as an expansion of democracy, Niinistoe said. He was very goal-oriented in the questions that he thought important. In that respect he is quite clear. Clear communication is possible with him, added the president. In Copenhagen, a European artists association said Wednesday it had called on Russian authorities to free three members of punk group Pussy Riot on trial for an anti-Putin performance in a Moscow cathedral. The Denmark-based European Council of Artists, which claims to have more than 200,000 members from 28 nations, said it had sent a letter Tuesday to Russian President Vladimir Putin and top prosecutors to drop the case. We respectfully urge you to drop any and all charges and immediately and unconditionally release Maria Alekhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Ekaterina Samucevich, the letter posted online states. Freedom of expression is a human right under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and no one should be jailed for the peaceful exercise of this right.
control over South Ossetia, the tiny region had a large ethnic Georgian minority. Georgian officials described the plan as a continuation of wartime ethnic cleansing and blamed South Ossetias backer Russia. The destruction of the remaining villages is a continuation of the policy of ethnic cleansing, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergi Kapanadze told Georgian television. (AFP)

Komorowski speaks

We need shield
WARSAW, Aug 15, (AFP): Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski said Wednesday that Poland should set up its own missile shield to defend its territory as part of the wider NATO project. We need our own Polish shield which at the same time would be part of the larger NATO system, Komorowski said in a speech marking national army day. Its a costly but tolerable project for the budget, because of Polands economic growth and the savings it has achieved from disengaging from Afghanistan, he said.

Merkel to discuss region: German

Chancellor Angela Merkel will travel to Moldova next week for talks on reform efforts and Chisinaus simmering dispute with the breakaway Transdniestr region, her spokesman said Wednesday. The occasion for the visit is the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Germany and Moldova, Steffen Seibert said, announcing the August 22 visit and talks with Prime Minister Vlat Filat. The talks will cover bilateral relations, the state of reform efforts in Moldova and the development of the region as well as progress in the Transdniestr conflict. Merkel will also meet President Nicolae Timofti and other senior officials and deliver a speech to MPs. (AFP)

Ossetia to demolish villages:

The breakaway region of South Ossetia is to demolish abandoned Georgian villages whose population was driven out by the war there in 2008, Georgian media reported on Wednesday. The regions leader Leonid Tibilov said that houses in previously Georgian-populated villages, which were damaged dur-

An unidentified supporter of Pussy Riot is detained by Christ the Saviour Cathedral security in Moscow, Aug 15. (AP)

INTERNATIONAL

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

19

Diplomacy
Peace treaty eyed

Japan, N. Korea plan to hold talks

TOKYO, Aug 15, (AFP): Japan and North Korea will this month hold their first face-to-face talks in four years, Tokyo said Tuesday, in one of the most significant diplomatic forays for Kim Jong-Un since he became leader last year. The talks would signal a slight thawing in frosty relations and will be carefully watched by Pyongyangs neighbours and the West, anxious to see what path the untested young Kim chooses for the nuclear-armed North. A senior Japanese official Kim will lead the delegation for the meeting in Beijing, which comes after Red Cross societies from both sides met to discuss the repatriation of remains from Japans occupation of the peninsula. There are several issues between Japan and North Korea and after having discussions we have decided to hold inter-governmental talks soon, Japans Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura told reporters. We decided that preparatory talks will be held on August 29 in Beijing when the subject matter for future meetings will be discussed. We have been working based on the principle of settling the unfortunate past and on restoring normal relations, he said.

In this June 2011 photo, the aerial view shows Uotsuri Island, one of the islands of Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese, in East China Sea. Hong Kong activists trying to reach disputed islands claimed by Japan, China and Taiwan said Aug 15 that they were being tailed by Japanese government ships trying to stop them, as territorial disputes continue to raise tensions among Asian powerhouses. (Inset): In this photo provided by Japan Coast Guard, a Japan Coast Guard patrol boat, (back), sails alongside a Hong Kong fishing boat, (foreground), in the water, 52 kms (32 miles) west of the Uotsuri Island. (AP)

Dispute Pro-China activists held over disputed isles

Informed
Fujimura said Tokyo had informed both Seoul and Washington about the meeting. Many in the international community are keen for Pyongyang to return to the six-party talks on denuclearisation that it abandoned in December 2008. The talks, which group the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, Russia and China, envisage a peace treaty and other benefits if the North scraps its atomic weapons programme. North Koreas launch of a longrange rocket on April 13 heightened regional tensions and sank a deal with the United States reached on Feb 29. Under that agreement, the North had agreed to freeze its uranium enrichment plant and suspend nuclear and missile tests, while the United States promised 240,000 tonnes of food aid. The United States and its allies described the rocket launch as a disguised missile test, while the North said its aim was only to put a satellite into orbit. The rocket failed soon after takeoff.

China protests after Japan arrests 14

Japans Emperor Akihito, (right), and Empress Michiko bow deeply before the main altar decorated with huge bank of chrysanthemums to offer prayers for the war dead during a memorial service at Budokan Martial Arts Hall in Tokyo, Aug 15, marking the 67th anniversary of its World War II surrender. (AP)

Principles
In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said that the United States had no problem with Japans talks with North Korea as nations negotiating in the six-party talks shared the same general principles. So, you know, we dont have any issue with dialogue between Japan and North Korea, she said. Tokyo does not have relations with Pyongyang and their last meeting was held in 2008 when Japans foreign ministry says North Korea agreed to reopen investigations into the fate of Japanese nationals abducted by agents to train its spies in Japanese language and customs. The issue ignites strong feelings in Japan, where many feel Pyongyangs 2002 admission on abductions was not the whole story and that more missing Japanese met their fate in North Korea after being kidnapped in the 1970s or 1980s. Its perceived refusal to come clean has derailed efforts to normalise ties between the two countries. Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said the issue was a top priority.
Nuland Clinton

Asia
US warns against divide, conquer:
The United States on Tuesday warned against any attempt to divide and conquer in the tense South China Sea, and voiced hope that Beijing and Southeast Asian nations would reach an accord this year. Several Southeast Asian nations have accused China of aggravating friction in the South China Sea, but foreign ministers from the 10-nation ASEAN bloc failed at a meeting last month to reach an agreement on the way forward. China, which claims sovereignty over virtually the entire sea, has favored individual talks with each nation over disputes. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland reiterated that the United States preferred a deal that included every country with claims in the South China Sea. An effort to divide and conquer and end up with a competitive situation among the different claimants is not going to get where we need to go, Nuland told reporters, without explicitly naming China. What were most concerned about at the moment is that tensions are going up among the stakeholders. So we want to see a commitment to a deal that meets the needs of all, she said. The United States has been pushing for a code of conduct in the South China Sea that would set up formal channels to resolve friction and prevent miscalculations in the waters through which half of the worlds cargo passes. But ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is divided. The Philippines and Vietnam are strongly critical of China but Cambodia, the host of the July talks of foreign ministers, has close relations with Beijing. Attending the talks in Phnom Penh, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton encouraged China and ASEAN to work together on a code of conduct and for all of them to commit as soon as they can to do that work and ideally to do it this year, Nuland said Tuesday. Nuland was reacting to a commentary by Chinas state-run news agency, Xinhua, which denied charges that Beijing was sowing division in Southeast Asia and hit back hard at some Western countries. What in fact is blocking unity within ASEAN and between its allies is the meddling of some Western countries that are betting on a divided Asia. They loathe to

HONG KONG/TOKYO, Aug 15, (RTRS): China said it would lodge a complaint with Japan after it detained Chinese activists who landed on a disputed island and raised a flag on Wednesday, as tension between Japan and its neighbours escalated on the anniversary of the end of World War Two. The landing by the activists on an island chain in the East China Sea and their detention by Japans coastguard came on a day of regional diplomatic jousting, underscoring how history haunts Japans ties with China and South Korea. Earlier, South Korea prompted an official protest from Japan after comments by South Korean President Lee Myung-bak which some saw as going too far by insulting Japanese Emperor Akihito. And in a move likely to add to the anger of Japans neighbours, two Japanese cabinet ministers paid homage at a controversial Tokyo shrine for the war dead. Memories of Japans wartime occupation of much of China and colonisation of South Korea run deep despite close economic ties in one of the worlds wealthiest regions. Japan arrested five members of a group of activists from China, Hong Kong and Macau who landed on the island, Japans coastguard said. Chinas Xinhua news agency said Japans coastguard later arrested nine activists on their boat.

Detained
Japanese media also said that in all, 14 activists had been detained. Japan protested to Chinas ambassador over the landing and Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said Tokyo
see Asias incredible economic vitality while their economies are waning, as is their influence in the world, Xinhua said. (AFP)

would deal with the matter strictly in accordance with the law. In response, Chinas Foreign Ministry said it was contacting the Japanese side to lodge representations over five Chinese nationals detention on the Diaoyu Islands, referring to the isles known as Senkaku in Japan. It did not mention the nine detained on their boat. Chinas Xinhua state news agency said Japan had pushed tension to a new high. The tensions are fully due to irresponsible clamouring and attempts by some Japanese politicians and activists to claim the islands, which ... indisputably belong to China, it said. Friction over the uninhabited isles, near potentially rich gas deposits, had already been heating up. Several of the activists, who set out from Hong Kong, jumped into the sea, swam and waded ashore. The group said its boat had been rammed by the coastguard and hit with water cannon. A Japanese official denied that any serious damage had been done to the boat. Media published photographs of the activists planting a Chinese flag on a rocky shore. Weve waited 10 years for this We finally managed to get ashore, the captain of the protest ship was quoted as saying on Hong Kong television. Xinhua said earlier the activists might be sent back to Hong Kong, which could help to keep the feud from escalating. A separate row over rival claims by South Korea and Japan to other rocky islands has also intensified, signalling how the region has failed
who raped her daughter. The letter was reported on the website of state newspaper the Peoples Daily and calls for a more transparent hearing process for so-called re-education through labour, which critics say is often used to punish dissent. Its a kind of privilege for the police and has been constantly abused, signatory Liu Weiguo said of the system. It violates the constitution and human rights.

to resolve differences nearly seven decades after Japans defeat at the end of World War Two. The friction in part reflect scepticism over the sincerity of Japans apologies for wartime and colonial excesses. On Tuesday, South Koreas Lee told a group of teachers that Emperor Akihito should apologise sincerely if he wants to visit South Korea, saying a repeat of his 1990 expression of deepest regrets would not suffice. Japan, noting that it had never broached the idea of a visit by the emperor to South Korea, lodged a protest with Seoul over the remarks. Akihito has spent much of the past two decades trying to heal the wounds of a war waged in his fathers name.

Future
Lee, whose Friday visit to the island claimed by South Korea and Japan frayed ties between the two U.S. allies, called Japan an important partner that we should work with to open the future. But in remarks commemorating Koreas liberation from Japans 1910-1945 rule, he also said the countries tangled history was hampering the common march toward a better tomorrow. He urged Japan to do more to resolve a dispute over compensation for Korean women abducted to serve as sex slaves for wartime Japanese soldiers, known by the euphemism comfort women in Japan and long a source of friction. It was a breach of womens rights committed during wartime as well as a violation of universal
The lawyers said they wanted to take advantage of recent public outrage over Tang Hui, who was sentenced to 18 months hard labour for protesting over the sentences handed to seven men who abducted and raped her 11-year-old daughter. Tang was released last Friday after her lawyer appealed the sentence and authorities have said they will investigate her grievances, but her heavily publicised case

human rights and historic justice. We urge the Japanese government to take responsible measures in this regard, Lee said. Japan says the matter was closed under a 1965 treaty establishing diplomatic ties. In 1993, Tokyo issued a statement in the name of its then-chief cabinet secretary apologising to the women and two years later set up a fund to make payments to the women, but South Korea say those moves were not official and so not enough. Speaking at a ceremony marking the wars end on Wednesday, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda acknowledged the enormous damage and suffering caused by Japan to other countries, especially in Asia. We deeply reflect upon (that) and express our deepest condolences to the victims and their families, he said, vowing that Japan would never go to war again. Tapping into anti-Japanese sentiment remains a way to seek public support in South Korea and China, which face leadership changes in coming months. And some experts see a new strain of nationalism is surfacing in Japan amid gloom about the future. In a sign of the domestic pressures in Japan, National Public Safety Commission Chairman Jin Matsubara and Transport Minister Yuichiro Hata visited the Yasukuni shrine for war dead, defying Nodas urgings to stay away. Many see the shrine as a symbol of Japans past militarism because 14 Japanese wartime leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal are honoured there with Japans war dead.
led to demands that Chinas labour camps be scrapped. Rights lawyer Li Fangping, who came up with the idea of writing the letter, said its publication on the website of the Peoples Daily website suggested some within the Communist party agreed the system needed to be changed. Li said he would like to see it abolished altogether, but that with a handover of power due to begin later this year, reform was a more realistic aim. The National Peoples Congress Chinas parliament had floated reforms as early as 2005 but had not made progress, he said. We will call for more public attention, then some regulations should come out. Its a long process, he told AFP by telephone. Reeducation through labour was introduced in 1957 to punish minor offences, and has since netted a wide range of citizens, from drug offenders to petitioners to members of outlawed religious activities. More than 400,000 people were sent to labour camps in the first 50 years, the staterun China Daily has reported. Sentences of up to four years are issued by administrative rather than judicial panels, and appeals rarely succeed, according to the China-focused rights group Dui Hua. The lawyers in their letter called for a more systematic hearing process, public records of verdicts and the names of those who issued them, private lawyer-client meetings and an age limit of 60 for those liable to the sentence. (AFP)

Labour-camp reform urged: Ten Chinese lawyers have written an open letter urging the government to reform its system of hard labour after a mother was sent to a camp for challenging the sentences of men

Also: WASHINGTON: North Korea

may finish work by late 2013 on a light-water reactor that could be used to support its nuclear weapons program, a US think tank said Tuesday. The Institute for Science and International Security published satellite images taken in May and June of the Yongbyon nuclear complex showing cranes and metal beams that could be used to bring heavy components into the reactor. An expert who reviewed the photographs estimated that the reactor could be completed in the second half of 2013, the Washington-based think tank said in a report.

Police beat 4

Tibetans protest
BEIJING, Aug 15, (AFP): Hundreds of Tibetans demonstrated in northwest China after police beat four people, an exile group and a US broadcaster said, following a recent string of self-immolations in the region. The London-based Free Tibet said hundreds of people gathered outside police headquarters in Qinghai provinces Tongren county Tuesday after police dragged four ethnic Tibetans from a car, beat them and threatened them with guns. US broadcaster Radio Free Asia quoted witnesses as saying the police appeared to be drunk, and severely beat the four men. Tongren government and security officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

A man enjoys fishing at Enoshima beach in Fujisawa, near Tokyo, Aug 15. (AP)

INTERNATIONAL World News Roundup

Myanmar
Tun sworn in VP

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

20

Turkey delivers aid to victims

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 15, (Agencies): Myanmars government has allowed Turkeys foreign minister to distribute humanitarian aid at camps of Muslims and Buddhists displaced by communal fighting in June, a move the UN called significant because it signals the countrys willingness to alleviate the suffering of its people. The longstanding resentment between the M u s l i m Rohingya minority and M y a n m a r s majority Buddhists erupted in violence in western Rakhine Ban state in June, leaving at least 78 dead, thousands of homes burned down, and tens of thousands homeless. Myanmar considers the Rohingyas to be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and denies them citizenship. Bangladesh says Rohingyas have been living in Myanmar for centuries and should be recognized there as citizens. Vijay Nambiar, the special adviser on Myanmar to UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon, issued a statement Tuesday stressing the importance of a visit to Rakhine state last week by Turkeys Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who was accompanied by his wife and daughter and officials from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Before he left, Davutoglu said he would negotiate the delivery of aid to the Rohingyas, whom the UN considers to be among the most persecuted people in the world. Nambiar said the visit at the invitation of Myanmars government, including to the camps, was significant in light of the recent violence. The Turkish aid was among the first international humanitarian assistance accepted by Myanmar aside from that provided by the UN, he said. Nambiar said the Turkish aid distrubtion demonstrated the Myanmar governments willingness to cooperate with the international community to alleviate the suffering of its people. Such positive steps will help support Myanmars ongoing process of democratization and reform, he said. Myanmars President Thein Sein has introduced a wave of globally praised reforms since taking office last year following decades of repressive military rule, but activists say the government remains repressive. Nambiar said he and the secretary-general have been in continuous contact with Myanmar authorities on the issue of humanitarian aid to the displaced in Rakhine. The United Nations is committed to assisting Myanmar and its people in their reform and national reconciliation efforts, including overcoming imminent challenges, in cooperation with the international community, he said. Myanmars navy chief was sworn in on Wednesday as the second of the countrys two vice-presidents, filling a post vacated by a hardline ex-general who stepped down in July due to ill health. Admiral Nyan Tun, who is in his late 50s, gave up his four-year command of the navy to take the oath of office before Myanmars fledgling parliament, state television reported, after his nomination by military lawmakers. The role of the vice-presidents has been largely ceremonial, so it is unclear what influence Nyan Tun might have on policy, although he will sit on bodies such as the National Defence and Security Council and the Finance Commission. Several people who knew Nyan Tun, including some who had worked under him, described him as a political moderate. The government is stacked with retired military, including President Thein Sein himself, but it has embarked on rapid reforms since he took office in March 2011 after 49 years of authoritarian army rule. The appointment of Nyan Tun follows an unexplained, monthlong gap since the retirement of predecessor Tin Aung Myint Oo, a conservative widely seen as an opponent of the quasi-civilian governments political and economic liberalisation drive. On July 10, legislators nominated former military intelligence chief Myint Swe to replace him, but that nomination was quietly dropped. No official explanation has been given but according to some reports his son is married to a foreigner and that made him ineligible under the constitution.

Houses are submerged in floods at City Camp Lagoon in Baguio City, northern Philippines, Aug 15. A second tropical storm in as many weeks battered the northern Philippines on Wednesday as forecasters warned that the still-reeling capital could see more flooding. (Inset): A child plays with floodwater as children are seen in their flooded house in Manila. (AP/AFP)

Philippines storm brings more floods, landslides

Four people were killed as another tropical storm swept across the Philippines on Wednesday, triggering landslides in the mountainous north and dumping more heavy rain on the flood-battered capital. Tropical Storm Kai-tak hit the northeast of the main island of Luzon before dawn, dumping up to 35 millimetres (1.4 inches) of rain an hour on a vast farming region, the state weather bureau said. Areas to the south that were trying to recover from devastating floods last week, including Manila, also endured strong rain, prompting authorities to warn residents in low-lying areas of the capital to be ready to evacuate. Among the worst-hit areas on Wednesday were four small northern farming towns, where water reached neck-deep in some areas and landslides cut off a major highway, said Melchito Castro, civil defence chief in the region. Two men suffocated to death inside a tunnel when a landslide hit a goldrush site near the northern mountain resort of Baguio on Wednesday, while two other people drowned, authorities said. The new fatalities bring to 99 the number of people who have died across Luzon due to the storms since the beginning of last week, the civil defence office said. (AFP)

Australia Legal challenge against plain packaging dismissed

This Aug 14, photo released by the Malacanang photo bureau shows Philippine President Benigno Aquino III answering questions from reporters during his visit to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration office in suburban Quezon City, north of Manila, Philippines to assure protesting employees that steps were being taken to resume payment of the cash benefits that had been suspended in March. As another storm threatened to cause more flooding, hundreds of Philippines weather agency employees protested over their pay Tuesday and warned that forecasting services could deteriorate. (AP)

Court deals blow to tobacco giants

CANBERRA, Aug 15, (RTRS): Australia called on the world to match its tough new anti-tobacco marketing laws after its highest court on Wednesday dismissed a challenge from global cigarette companies, although few of Asias emerging economies appeared likely to follow suit. The decision means that from Dec 1 cigarettes and tobacco products must be sold in plain olive green packets without special colourful branding. Instead, packages must display graphic health warnings including pictures of mouth cancer and other smoking-related illnesses. Tobacco giants British American Tobacco, Britains Imperial Tobacco, Philip Morris and Japan Tobacco challenged the laws in Australias High Court, claiming the rules were unconstitutional because they effectively extinguished their intellectual property rights. In a brief statement, the High Court said a majority of its seven judges believed the laws did not breach Australias constitution. A full judgement will be released later. The laws are in line with World Health Organisation recommendations and are being watched closely by Britain, Norway, New Zealand, Canada and India, who are considering similar measures to help fight smoking. The World Health Organisation estimates that more than 1 billion people around the world are regular smokers, with 80 percent in low- and middleincome countries. Australian Attorney-General Nicola Roxon hailed the ruling as a watershed moment for tobacco control around the world. The message to the rest of the world is big tobacco can be taken on and beaten, said Roxon, whose father, a smoker, died of cancer when she was 10. Without brave governments willing to take the fight up to big tobacco, theyd still have us believing that tobac-

Malaysia to extradite alleged people smuggler

Asylum legislation clears 1st hurdle

SYDNEY, Aug 15, (AFP): Legislation to allow the transfer of boatpeople seeking asylum to Pacific states cleared Australias lower house Wednesday, with politicians saying it will effectively deter people-smugglers. Canberra has struggled to stem an influx of boatpeople who make the dangerous sea voyage to Australia and this week agreed to reopen camps on Papua New Guineas Manus Island and tiny Nauru. It followed an independent report by former defence force chief Angus Houston that recommended utilising the shuttered camps used under the so-called Pacific Solution of former conservative leader John Howard. The legislation reinstating offshore processing made it through the lower house of parliament after a marathon debate and must now go to the Senate or upper house, where it is expected to pass Thursday. Only two MPs independent Andrew Wilkie and Adam Bandt from the Australian Greens voted against the legislation. Immigration Minister Chris Bowen urged the Senate to speedily pass the bill. The Australian people expect no less and the people-smugglers fear nothing more, he told parliament. The government hopes that offshore processing will make asylumseekers think twice about paying people-smugglers to bring them to Australia, knowing they could spend years waiting on a Pacific island before being resettled. Prime Minister Julia Gillard has said an advance team of Australians could be in PNG and Nauru as early as Friday to assess facilities. She warned asylum-seekers they could initially end up in tents on the remote Pacific outposts.

Also: PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia: Malaysias highest court cleared the way Wednesday for an Afghan man to be extradited to Australia on charges of people smuggling, as Canberra seeks to stem an influx of boatpeople. A Federal Court panel dismissed an appeal by Afghan businessman Said Mir Bahrami, who is fighting an extradition request by Australia, where he is wanted on 25 counts of illegally bringing in boatpeople. Hell be sent (to Australia) to face the charges there, Bahramis lawyer, Karpal Singh, told reporters after the decision. Its a test case.

Asia
NZ mulls cyber-bullying crime:
New Zealand said it was considering making cyber-bullying a criminal offence Wednesday, amid concerns that existing laws offer inadequate protection from online harassment. A Law Commission report said adolescents were particularly vulnerable to cyberbullying, which could lead to depression, self-harm and suicide among victims. The reports author, legal academic John Burrows, said existing laws had failed to keep pace with developments in social media and police were dealing with increasing numbers of complaints about online threats and harassment. Communication is different now because it can go viral very quickly and spread to a very wide audience and other people can join in, he told Radio New Zealand. (AFP)

Nazi suspect wins court fight: An

alleged Nazi war criminal living in Australia won on Wednesday a long battle against the governments attempts to extradite him to Hungary to stand trial for the murder of a Jewish teenager. Charles Zentai, now 90, was accused by Hungarian authorities of beating to death a Jewish teenager, Peter Balazs, in Budapest in 1944. Australias highest court ruled that Zentai could not be extradited to the country of his birth because the offence war crime did not exist in Hungarian law at the time the murder was alleged to have been committed. Zentai, who migrated to Australia in 1950 and became an Australian citizen, has maintained his innocence throughout his legal challenge. (RTRS)

co is neither harmful nor addictive, she said after the ruling. In Indonesia, the government said it would like to follow Australias example. Thats excellent ... this is one way to protect the people, Health Minister Nafsiah Mboi told Reuters. However, an anti-tobacco campaigner said that would be difficult to achieve because of a strong industry lobby in Indonesia. Tulus Abadi, head of the national commission on tobacco control, said there had been little movement from the government on a draft law to include graphic warnings on cigarette packets like those in Australia. Indonesias approximately 65 million smokers consumed about 230 billion cigarettes in 2010. Cigarette packages

there currently carry a written warning about the health dangers of smoking. Graphic images of cancers and gum disease are also shown on packets in Thailand, where official figures showed 13 million adults smoked tobacco in 2011, including 46.6 percent of men. An official at the Thai Ministry of Public Health, who asked not to be identified, said there were no plans to change existing packaging laws. In India, where an estimated 175 million people smoke, there was no immediate official reaction. In June, the countrys most populous state of Uttar Pradesh increased the value-added tax on cigarettes to 50 percent from 17.5 percent. Analysts say other states are likely to follow.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization on Wednesday welcomed the decision by Australias High Court to dismiss a legal challenge against plain cigarette packaging and hoped it would have a domino effect in other countries. The industrys attempt to derail this effective tobacco control measure failed, said the UN health agencys director general Margaret Chan. Chan pointed out that other countries had been watching the outcome of the hearing and were considering similar measures. With so many countries lined up to ride on Australias coattails, what we hope to see is a domino effect for the good of public health, she said.

E. Timor ready to protect self:

East Timor is ready to maintain stability on its own without the hundreds of international peacekeepers who have stayed in Asias newest country a decade after it declared formal independence, the United Nations chief said Wednesday. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon started his two-day trip to the small, halfisland nation by meeting with President Taur Matan Ruak, the former army chief and one-time guerrilla fighter who took

office May 20 and replaced Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta. The visit comes after the UN Security Council praised the country of 1.1 million people for holding peaceful presidential elections. (AP)

Zentai

Ruak

I shot ex-wife by accident: A Thai senator who shot his ex-wife at the dinner table with an Uzi 9mm pistol said Tuesday that her death was a tragic accident.

Boonsong Kowawisarat, 56, said the gun went off while he was trying to remove a stuck bullet, fatally injuring 46-year-old Chanakarn Detkard, who was also his secretary. It was my gun. I showed her the gun that I had bought for her. She lived with her mother and our two daughters there are only women in her place so I wanted her to have it as Im worried about them, he told AFP by telephone. (AFP)

INTERNATIONAL

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

21

Africa
Cooperate to avoid suicide:
Sudan and South Sudan have no choice but to work together in order to avoid suicide, former prime minister Sadiq al-Mahdi said on Tuesday. It is a win-win formula or a lose-lose formula, Mahdi, who leads a major opposition party, Umma, told a gathering organised by the South Sudanese embassy. Sudan and South Sudan fought along their undemarcated frontier in March and April, sparking fears of wider war and leading to a UN Security Council resolution which ordered a ceasefire and the settlement of critical unresolved Al-Mahdi issues. The two sides have no choice but to cooperate, Mahdi said, because what is happening now is suicide. After weeks of fragile talks in the Ethiopian capital, Sudan and South Sudan on Aug 4 reached a breakthrough agreement over fees due by Juba for shipping its oil through the norths pipeline for export. In January the South shut its oil production the impoverished nations prime revenue source after accusing the north of theft. But Khartoum says the oil deal will not be implemented unless security issues are settled first. (AFP)

Sudan urged to free US resident:

Washington on Tuesday urged Sudan to release a resident of the United States who was re-arrested just after being freed in one of the first trials of people detained in protests against President Omar Hassan al-Bashirs government. Radwan Daoud was rearrested by Sudanese security services on Monday, the same day a judge found him not guilty of the most serious charges against him, which included terrorism, the State Department said in a statement. We have urged the Government of Sudan to honor the decision by the judge, which was rooted in Sudanese criminal law as well as established precedent, in his decision to release Daoud, the statement said. Daoud has legal permanent resident status in the United States, although his origins are in Sudans western Darfur region. Sudan avoided the Arab Spring uprisings that unseated rulers in neighboring Libya last year, but austerity measures taken to cope with an economic crisis led to small demonstrations calling for the government to step down. (RTRS)

View of a ceremony recognizing the Amazon as Natural Wonder of the World in Iquitos, Peruvian northeastern jungle. (AFP)

Insight Violence feared if Capriles wins

Chavistas may be wild card after vote

Colombian former Deputy Sigifredo Lopez, smiles as he embraces his mother Nelly Tobon during a press conference, in Cali, Valle del Cauca department, Colombia, on Aug 14. The Colombian prosecutor on Tuesday ordered the release of Lopez, kidnapped in 2002 along with other eleven politicians who were killed by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) guerrillas, and who was detained since past May accused of helping the FARC. Chief Prosecutor Eduardo Montealegre told reporters without offering details that evidence favorable to Lopez had emerged. Prosecutors initially said a video they obtained briefly shows in silhouette someone they believed to be Lopez offering detailed instructions for how to get safely in and out of the regional assembly building. (AFP)

Concern over Somali transition:

World leaders from Africa to the US and Europe said they are growing increasingly concerned that intimidation and corruption are marring the selection of a new Somali parliament, a task still unfinished less than a week before the governments UN mandate expires. The US Embassy said in a statement Tuesday that it shares the concerns of the African Union and UN over multiple credible reports of intimidation and corruption in the selection of the countrys new 275-member parliament. James Swan, the US representative for Somalia, continued with his list of concerns: Inadequate representation of women and in some cases reports of former warlords who are being nominated by their communities. (AP)

Murder accused denies killing: A man accused of shooting Swedish honeymooner Anni Dewani pleaded not guilty to killing her as his murder trial opened in a South African court on Wednesday. Xolile Mngeni denied charges of murder, kidnapping, robbery and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition at the Cape High Court after being cleared as fit to stand trial last week despite his brain tumour. I confirm the plea as given by my client, said defence lawyer Qalisile Dayimani, who said the state had to prove each and every allegation. Mngeni was named by a co-accused, who pleaded guilty last week to Dewanis murder, as the gunman in the killing of the 28-year-old in November 2010 in a plea bargain that implicated her husband Shrien Dewani. Mziwamadoda Qwabe said Mngeni had fired a single fatal shot from the front passenger seat. He claimed the pair were recruited by the couples driver to carry out the paid hit allegedly on Dewanis orders. (AFP) Protest leads to fatalities:
Thousands of angry South African workers met Tuesday on a rocky cliff within sight of their platinum mine shuttered by violent protests, shouting demands for more pay over the roar of circling police and military helicopters. As authorities pleaded for calm, the men trekked there from the simple hostels and shacks near the Lonmin PLC mine, carrying pipes, clubs and machetes across the barren fields with high-tension electrical wires overhead. As the workers met, the body of a middle-aged man who had been bludgeoned to death was found about 100 meters (yards) away. Police were investigating the crime, but the man appeared to be the 10th person killed at the Lonmin mine in unrest that is gripping South Africas mining industry. (AP)

De la Rua

Correa

Lat/Am
No decision yet on Assange asylum:
Ecuadors President Rafael Correa on Tuesday denied a British media report that his country had granted asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. The rumor of asylum for Assange is false. No decision has yet been taken. Awaiting report from the foreign ministry, Correa wrote on Twitter. Assange, 41, took refuge at Ecuadors embassy in London on June 19 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where the Australian national faces police questioning over sexual assault allegations. But he also fears being extradited to the United States to face charges over WikiLeaks publishing of a trove of secret documents, including information relating to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and countless diplomatic cables. Correas statement came after Britains Guardian newspaper said on its website Tuesday that Ecuador was set to grant Assange asylum, citing an unnamed official in Quito. We see Assanges request as a humanitarian issue, the official told the Guardian. It is clear that when Julian entered the embassy there was already some sort of deal, the official added. Correa later told reporters in the southwestern port city of Guayaquil that the Guardian is a very serious newspaper, but I dont know what source they used. (AFP)

CARACAS, Aug 15, (RTRS): Sitting in front of a mural of Jesus and the Virgin Mary armed with AK-47s, three red-shirted children are clutching assault rifles and copies of Venezuelas constitution. The photo, taken in a poor Caracas neighborhood and posted online earlier this year by the militant left-wing group La Piedrita (The Little Stone), triggered outrage across the South American nation and beyond. For many abroad, it was their first glimpse inside Venezuelas colectivos radical organizations that call themselves the guardians of Hugo Chavezs socialist project and defenders of their local communities. In the eyes of critics, the groups are bandana-clad killers and vigilantes, the shock troops of the presidents self-styled revolution. They have become more high-profile in the last four years, and some have been blamed for attacks on people they are said to perceive as enemies of Chavez. With a presidential election looming on Oct 7, opposition members fear the colectivos will turn to violence if challenger Henrique Capriles defies the polls and wins. Although the president denies it, some of his opponents have long worried Chavez could simply refuse to go should he lose. In rare interviews with Reuters in the 23 de enero (Jan 23) slum, the colectivos heartland near the city center, some of their leaders said they were targets of right-wing propaganda.

Assured
Were the ones least interested in violence or instability, because our triumph (Chavezs re-election) is assured, Juan Contreras, co-founder of the Coordinadora Simon Bolivar group, said at its headquarters, a forremove worker protections in the year 2000, when the International Monetary Fund was making workforce flexibility a requirement for extending loans to Argentina. The law, which enabled companies to fire workers without cause or severance pay, was overturned in 2004. Now prosecutors must prove the payments were ordered by De la Rua, who

mer police base now adorned with revolutionary paintings. We and many other colectivos are armed, but armed with consciousness, with education. This is an election unlike any before in Venezuela, with Chavez ostensibly recovering from cancer and a newly united opposition supporting a single candidate for the first time. Against that tense backdrop, the colectivos very existence underlines the risk of street unrest in a divided society where guns proliferate, impunity reigns, and the murder rate is one of the highest in the world. Despite their unstinting support for Venezuelas colorful leader and his policies, the more radical groups are something of a public relations nightmare for him, often described as even more Chavista than Chavez. Stung by the reaction to the picture of the armed children, two small girls and a boy, La Piedrita said it was taken during a kids theater production about Venezuelan guerrilla leaders of the past, and the guns were fakes. Since then, security forces have stormed the slum and tried to arrest La Piedritas leader. Chavez himself has weighed into the debate, even suggesting that the CIA might be behind some of the recent drama in 23 de enero. Overlooking the ornate Miraflores presidential palace, the hilly area draws its name from Jan 23, 1958, when military dictator Marcos Perez Jimenez fled the country amid widespread rioting and a coup by rebel soldiers. One of the main scenes of the 1989 Caracazo the Caracas riots over price rises when troops fired on demonstrators and killed hundreds
served from 1999 to December 2001, when the IMF refused to extend more loans and the economy collapsed. Deadly riots followed, forcing de la Rua to flee by helicopter from the rooftop of the presidential palace. De la Ruas co-defendants include his liaison to Congress, former parliament secretary Mario Pontaquarto, who con-

the slums monolithic tower blocks, jumbled stacks of modest houses and winding alleys are home to about 100,000 people. Most residents are fiercely proud of their neighborhoods long history of left-wing activism. Today, the slum is something of a laboratory for Chavezs socialist project: Stores sell milk and meat from nationalized producers at steep discounts, residents do volunteer work cleaning up streets, and some youth pioneer groups are modeled on similar ones in communist ally Cuba that fuse leftist ideology with kids activities such as sports and camping. Residents many suspicious of reporters, whom they associate with pro-opposition private media say the Caracas police do not patrol in 23 de enero. Sometimes National Guard troops pass through, they say, but rarely.

Dangerous
In almost one square mile (about two-square-kilometers) of one of most dangerous cities in the Americas, security is almost entirely in the hands of the colectivos. Some set up armed roadblocks after dark, communicating by walkie-talkie, stopping cars and questioning passengers. Though scattered around Venezuela and probably numbering a few thousand members, the dozen or so best-known colectivos are based in 23 de enero. In a report in June, the International Crisis Group think tank warned they could be used by politicians to stoke violence or could take to the streets on their own. The Venezuelan government did not respond to requests for comment on the colectivos role or the oppositions charges. Chavez has a double-digit lead in
fessed a decade ago to delivering the money on the orders of De la Rua himself. Pontaquarto said he picked up the $5 million from Argentinas Intelligence Service, giving $4 million to one senator, Emilio Cantarero, and $1 million to another, Jose Genoud. Cantarero now suffers from Alzheimers disease and Genoud

most polls, but his opponent, 40-yearold state governor Capriles, has been campaigning across the country for months, drawing big crowds. An aide said 23 de enero is the only area he cannot go, out of fear for his safety. Someone shot at one opposition colleague when she visited the slum late last year. People in the barrio told our advance team: Dont even think about it, the Capriles aide said. These are violent groups that are supported by the government, the opposition candidate said of the scandal over the La Piedrita photo. Because of that, they feel cocky, and they put themselves beyond the law with absolute impunity. Capriles may be deeply unpopular with the colectivos, but Contreras from the Coordinadora Simon Bolivar, named after South Americas 19th century independence hero, denied they meant him any harm. He represents the past, the repression and anguish this country lived through, the corruption, Contreras said at the former police base, which has two hulking watchtowers and walls covered in murals of Bolivar, a masked Palestinian fighter, and Argentine revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevera. For us, Chavez represents education, health, dignified homes and jobs, and recreation. Though denounced as a dictator by his foes, Chavez is adored by many of the poor and portrays his rule as a riposte to four decades of capitalism by governments bent on enriching a small elite. From the Coordinadoras veterinarian clinic to its radio station, Internet cafe and left-wing bookshop, the group is staunchly ideological but does not on the surface have the look of a militant group posing a serious threat.
committed suicide, but Pontaquarto said he helped prosecutors compile solid evidence. Im looking for the truth to put an end to all of this, Pontaquarto said as he entered the courtroom Tuesday, adding that hes not afraid to go to prison. (AP)

Students take over schools:

Hundreds of students occupied high schools and blocked traffic in Chiles capital on Tuesday to demand education reform. Police in riot gear evicted students from several schools but at least seven remained occupied. Student leaders met with Santiago Mayor Pablo Zalaquett, who has threatened to remove scholarships from students who join the school takeovers, but the talks ended after two hours without an agreement. Zalaquetts scholarship threat was called an abuse of power by other mayors, but it received public support from Education Minister Harald Beyer. I think its sensible for a mayor who has limited resources to use these recourses on students who are committed to education, Beyer told reporters. We have to look out for the right to education. The changes sought by students who have been protesting and boycotting classes all week would fundamentally overhaul a school system that has been privatized since the 1973-90 dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet. (AP)

Attack on bar

Gunmen kill 8
MONTERREY, Mexico, Aug 15, (AP): Gunmen killed eight people in a bar in the northern Mexico city of Monterrey, which has recently seen bloody turf battles between the Gulf Cartel and the Zetas gang. Nuevo Leon state security spokesman Jorge Domene said a ninth person died apparently when he fell trying to flee the attackers across rooftops. The late Monday attack was on the Matehuala Mens Club. Domene said Tuesday that some of the victims were bar employees and the attackers fled the scene.

Killer suspect held: A man suspected in a string of grisly rapes and murders that gave a South African community the moniker village of death has been arrested, a local newspaper said Wednesday. Bulelani Mabhayi, 39, was arrested on Sunday after an elderly woman was founded hacked to death the night before in the Eastern Cape village of Tholeni, the Daily Dispatch reported. He is being charged with a string of unresolved rapes and murders in the village where 19 women have been slain since 2009, police spokesman Jackson Manatha told the paper. (AFP)

Argentina tries ex-president:

Argentine prosecutors put a former president on trial for bribery on Tuesday, accusing Fernando de la Rua of bribing senators for votes. A three-judge panel already has ruled that $5 million was paid to a group of senators in exchange for their votes to

Police tape surrounds the perimeter of the Matehuala Mens Club after a shooting inside the night club in Monterrey, Mexico, early Tuesday Aug 12, 2012. (AP)

INTERNATIONAL World News Roundup

Mars Huge step: Singh

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

22

India to launch space mission

NEW DELHI, Aug 15, (AFP): India plans to launch a space probe that will orbit Mars, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh confirmed on Wednesday after press reports that the mission was scheduled to begin late next year. The project would mark another step in the countrys ambitious space programme, which placed a probe on the moon three years ago and envisages its first manned mission in 2016. Our spaceship will go near Mars and collect important scientific information, Singh Singh said in his annual Independence Day address, heralding the plan as a huge step for us in the area of science and technology. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is expected to launch the unmanned orbiter as early as November next year, the Press Trust of India news agency reported earlier this month. According to one ISRO official, the cost of the mission has been estimated at four to five billion rupees ($70-90 million). India has a well-established space programme which is a source of strong national pride, but it has also attracted criticism as the government struggles to tackle dire poverty and child malnutrition. Power blackouts on two consecutive days this month knocked out electricity across vast swathes of the country and underlined weaknesses in Indias basic infrastructure.

A boy follows reactions of a robot at the Ideen Park fair at the fair ground in Essen, western Germany. The fair was organised for children, youths and young adults by the German Steel company ThyssenKrupp AG to arouse their spirit of research and to promote careers in the business of technique and natural sciences. (AFP)

Cars Who needs a license?

Attention
More attention needs to be paid to the poor on issues such as health, drinking water and literacy, Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of the Sulabh sanitation charity and one of Indias most noted welfare activists, told AFP. Going to space might have some scientific benefits but it alone will not help the condition of Indias poor. In September 2009, Indias Chandrayaan-1 lunar probe discovered water on the moon, boosting the countrys credibility among more experienced space-faring nations. But the space programme suffered a setback in December 2010 when a satellite launch vehicle blew up and fell into the Bay of Bengal after veering from its intended flight path. The United States, Russia, Europe, Japan and China have all sent missions to Mars. The US robot Curiosity is currently on the surface of the Red Planet after landing last week to hunt for soil-based signs of life and send back data for a future human mission. Curiosity is a nuclear-powered vehicle that is designed for a twoyear mission, though scientists hope it will last at least twice that long. NASAs newest rover Curiosity has yet to make its first move on Mars, but scientists said Tuesday they are already mapping out possible driving routes to a Martian mountain. Since landing in Gale Crater near the equator last week, the nuclearpowered rover has been busy getting a head-to-wheel health checkup while parked. It touched down about 5 miles (8 kilometers) from Mount Sharp where signatures of past water have been spotted at the base. Its ultimate goal is to scale the lower slopes in search of the chemical building blocks of life to determine whether the environment was favorable for microbial life. The team is kind of itching to move at this point, said deputy project scientist Ashwin Vasavada of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which manages the $2.5 billion mission. Scientists have been poring over pictures of the landing site snapped by Curiosity and spacecraft circling overhead. The pebble-strewn terrain where the rover landed appeared easy to traverse but the landscape gets more rugged the closer to Mount Sharp. The team identified half a dozen potential paths through buttes and mesas that are reminiscent of the southwestern United States. Vasavada estimated itll take a year to make the trip to the mountain driving about the length of a football field a day. Along the way, the six-wheel rover will make pit stops to study interesting rocks and scoop up soil. Before Curiosity can explore, it has to go through a laborious check of its tools and systems. As the most complex spacecraft sent to Mars, it landed using a novel routine that involved lowering it to the surface by cables.

Self-driving vehicles coming our way

In this undated photo taken by Chiyo Nohara at University of the Ryukyus and released by the university, an adult pale grass blue butterfly collected near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is shown with dented eyes and stunted wings at the university laboratory in Nishihara, Okinawa, southern Japan. Japanese researchers said they found mutations in butterflies caused by radiation from the power plant. A member of the team conducting the research, Joji Otaki of the university, said on Aug 15, that his groups findings show radiation emitted following catastrophic meltdowns in three of the plants reactors after it was damaged by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011 is affecting the environment. (AP)

Discovery
US tests Waverider craft: The US
military conducted an unmanned test flight on Tuesday of its hypersonic Waverider aircraft, designed to move at six times the speed of sound using technology that bridges the gap between planes and rocketships, a military official said. A B-52 bomber launched the remotely monitored, nearly wingless experimental aircraft, officially known as the X-51A, between 10 am and 11 am (1700 and 1800 GMT), John Haire, a spokesman for the 412th test wing at Edwards Air Force Base in California, said in a statement. Results of the brief test flight will be released on Wednesday, he said. The plan had been to conduct the test flight over the Pacific Ocean after a staging at Edwards, said Deborah VanNierop, a spokeswoman for Boeing Co whose CEO is Jim McNerney, which was involved in constructing the craft, said in a statement. The Waverider is designed to reach speeds of Mach 6 or above, fast enough to zoom from New York to London in less than an hour. But rather than commercial air travel, the military has its eye on a more readily achievable application - using it to develop high-speed cruise missiles. The X-51A was launched off the coast of California near Naval Air Station Point Mugu, which is northwest of Los Angeles, Haire said. It flew north over the Pacific through a range that is designed for test flights. (RTRS)

DETROIT, Aug 15, (RTRS): Its been more than half a century since some of the first concept cars boasting selfdriving features were presented to the world and theyre still not on the roads. But many auto executives say the industry is on the cusp of welcoming vehicles that make the idea of keeping both hands on the wheel an anachronism. General Motors showed off dream cars in the late 1950s like the Firebird II and Cadillac Cyclone with features automakers are now starting to roll out in new models as the technology, based on sensors, lasers, radar systems, GPS, cameras and microchips improves and becomes less costly. While most industry officials dont envision a fully self-driving, or autonomous, vehicle before 2025, features such as adaptive cruise control or traffic jam assist that automatically slow or apply the brakes for a car in certain situations are already being introduced. And much like anti-lock brakes became the norm after initial resistance, these new technologies will prepare drivers for a future where they are needed less. The whole concept of a car being able to drive itself is pretty profound, said Larry Burns, GMs former research and development chief and an adviser for Googles self-driving car project. This is the most transformational play to hit the auto industry in 125 years. The progress has been in the making for decades as GMs Firebird II, introduced in 1956, included a system to work with an electrical wire embedded in the highway to guide the car. Three years later, the rocket-like Cyclone boasted an autopilot system that steered the car and radar in front nose cones that warned of a collision and automatically applied the brakes.

1st to hit showrooms in 2019

Self-driving vehicles future impact detailed

DETROIT, Aug 15, (RTRS): Consulting firm KPMG and the Center for Automotive Research in Michigan released a report this month about how close the industry is to rolling out self-driving cars. They see the first such vehicles hitting showrooms in 2019, with a more developed infrastructure by 2025. However, KPMG and CAR said the implications of a totally driverless car that doesnt crash would be huge: Automakers cut weight from cars and trucks as crashless cars do not need to be made with as much reinforced steel or as many safety devices like airbags. That would lower vehicle costs, speed up vehicle development time and boost fuel efficiency. Automated cars would drive in tighter packs because computers would control their speed and spacing. That would mean smaller roads were necessary and result in the elimination of shoulders and guardrails, leading to a significant reduction in the $75 billion spent annually on roads, highways and other infrastructure. With computers controlling the cars, driving would be more efficient and thus faster, leading to less congestion on the roads. Fuel consumption would decline and companies that rely on just-in-time delivery could reduce inventories even further. Automated cars also would allow for the elimination of traffic and road lights in many cases. That would slash energy use drastically. Driverless cars would mean a change in the way drivers are insured, and could even end the need for car insurance. Hospitals would lose more than two million crash victims sent annually to US emergency rooms. Crashless cars would mean auto repair shops see fewer damaged cars, meaning they would need to shift their business model to serving the aftermarket needs of existing cars that lack autonomous driving systems. Steelmakers would have to adjust to a world where cars use less of their product. State and local governments would have to adjust to the loss of traffic fines, possibly reducing their police forces. Governments might seek to replace some of that lost revenue; perhaps with infrastructure usage fees. Less expensive, driverless cars would open ownership to new audiences like younger generations or even the blind, but they also could lead to wider vehicle sharing that would slash global sales. If vehicle sharing expanded, cars could be summoned as needed and people could pay for mobility services as needed instead of owning a vehicle. Autonomous transportation could eliminate the need for and cost of high-speed trains. Vehicle sharing could keep vehicles in more constant use, reducing the need for parking lots that take up a lot of land in cities. Lighter, easier-to-build cars could open the auto industry to new rivals using a model like Apples, where a company designs and markets a product but outsources its construction. A connected, driverless car network would require security from hackers and would raise privacy concerns with many consumers.

Pace
However, the pace of invention has quickened, with such automakers as GM, Ford Motor Co, Toyota Motor Corp and Volkswagen AG developing technologies to help drivers avoid accidents. Some even envision a future where todays cars are more amusement. In the same way we all used to travel on horses and now horses are entertainment, you could imagine automobiles driven by people becoming more entertainment, said Chris Urmson, the Google programs technical head. In a world where Nevada and Florida have already passed laws

Wildlife vanishing fast: Animals living in patches of rainforest cut off from bigger expanses of jungle by farms, roads or towns are dying off faster than previously thought, according to an academic study published on Tuesday. We uncovered a staggering rate of local extinctions, the British and Brazilian researchers wrote in the online science journal PLOS ONE. They visited 196 fragments of what was once a giant, intact forest in eastern Brazil on the Atlantic coast, now broken up by decades of deforestation to make way for agriculture. Each isolated forest patch, ranging from less than the size of a soccer pitch to more than 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres), had on average only four of 18 types of the mam-

allowing the licensing of self-driving cars, the rush is on to make the job easier for drivers. For many, the ultimate goal is to take the steering wheel totally out of consumers hands and eliminate accidents altogether. Once we have a car that will never crash, why dont we let it drive? said Nady Boules, GMs director of autonomous technology development. However, Boules and executives like him will have to win over a public that includes those who love to drive or simply wouldnt trust their lives to a robot. Others, like long-haul truckers, could resist the technology for fear of job losses. My mental model of trust in technology is a Windows blue screen of death. Thats how much faith I have in PCs and computer systems, said Bryan Reimer, a research scientist at Massachusetts Institute of Technologys AgeLab. Reimer, whose group studies human

behavior in relation to transportation safety and has worked with BMW, Ford and Toyota, said people are terrible overseers of highly autonomous systems and a car that helps drivers rather than replaces them would be a better model.

Consumers
J.D. Power and Associates found 37 percent of US consumers it surveyed in March were interested in autonomous driving technology, but only 20 percent definitely or probably would buy it at an estimated price of $3,000. Consulting firm Accenture said last year that almost half of US and British consumers it polled would be comfortable in a self-driving car. Even if the industry eventually wins the hearts and minds of most consumers, it also must establish the infrastructure that supports self-driving cars, including not only the technology but the necessary legal and liability frameworks things that may takes

years to put in place. Bill Windsor, associate vice-president of consumer safety at insurer Nationwide Mutual, pointed out the airline industry has had an autopilot feature for years, but people still man the cockpit. The same will be true for cars. Its going to be a long time before were going to feel comfortable turning over all the day-to-day decisions in driving to a computer, he said. Costs must come down as well. For instance, the laser-based Light Detection and Ranging system used by Google costs $70,000 according to a study released this month by consulting firm KPMG and the Center for Automotive Research (CAR). For that reason, the rollout over the next decade of more semi-autonomous features that assist drivers or take control of cars in only some cases is the path the industry is taking with the idea of preparing consumers for a future with fully driverless cars.

mals the experts surveyed, including howler monkeys and marmosets. White-lipped peccaries, similar to pigs, were completely wiped out and jaguars, lowland tapirs, woolly spider monkeys and giant anteaters were virtually extinct, the British and Brazilian scientists said of their findings. Normal estimates of declining wildlife numbers, based on the size of isolated forest fragments, predicted higher survival

Peres

McNerney

rates, it said. But they had underestimated continuing human pressures such as hunting and fires. This is bad news for conservation, Professor Carlos Peres, of Britains University of East Anglia, told Reuters. Many animals had vanished even in what seemed big areas of forest with intact tree canopy, he said. The rate of species loss in the area studied - the Atlantic Forest region which

covers 250,000 sq km (95,000 sq miles), the size of Britain or the US state of Michigan, was likely to be mirrored in other countries such as Indonesia, Ghana or Madagascar, Peres said. The scientists urged better conservation. In Brazil, animals survived best in five forest remnants that were protected as parks. This paper is a very big positive endorsement of more protected areas, Peres said. (RTRS)

Five breakout movie stars of fall 2012

Plemons ready to show acting chops in Master

LOS ANGELES , Aug 15, (RTRS): From Ang Lee to Peter Jackson, some of Hollywoods top directors are making an unusual bet this fall: Theyre relying on a collection of largely unknown actors to reap success at the box office. If the bets pay off, a bunch of relative unknowns not all of them fresh-faced newbies may find themselves household names thanks to show-stopping performances in some of this falls most heavily anticipated films. Heres a look at five performers whose days of toiling in semiobscurity are about to end. Jesse Plemons How Hell Spend the Fall: Playing the son of Philip Seymour Hoffmans cult leader in The Master. Upcoming: A recurring role on AMCs Breaking Bad Why Hes Ready to Break Through: Friday Night Lights aficionados are already familiar with Plemons from his work as the slightly nerdy Landry Clarke. After a supporting role in last summers Battleship, Plemons is ready to show he has some acting chops by going toe-to-toe with such heavyweights as Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix. In director Paul Thomas Anderson, he has just the person to take him to some dark, but unforgettable, places. Samantha Barks How Shell Spend the Fall: Breaking audiences hearts as the lovelorn and ultimately heroic Eponine in Les Miserables. Upcoming: Nothing announced. Why Shes Ready to Break Through: The former BBC talent show contestant and star of a West End production of Oliver beat out higher profile names like Taylor Swift and Scarlett Johansson for the pivotal role in the big-screen version of the hit musical. Now the big question: With her soaring voice and stunning looks, can the classically trained Brit find success on this side of the pond? Suraj Sharma How Hell Spend the Fall: Stranded at sea with a tiger for 227 days in Ang Lees Life of Pi. Upcoming: Nothing announced. Why Hes Ready to Break Through: Lee has admitted he was despairing of even making the film until he discovered the 17-year-old newcomer. Rolling the dice on the novice was certainly a risk Sharma spends the bulk of the film onscreen by himself, acting opposite a CGI tiger. Its a daring performance that is bound to draw comparisons to Tom Hanks similar work in Cast Away. Of course, Hanks earned an Oscar nomination for his troubles. Richard Armitage How Hell Spend the Fall: Treasure hunting with Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jacksons The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Upcoming: Two more sequels to The Hobbit and an untitled tornado thriller from New Line Cinema. Why Hes Ready to Break Through: Another well-known name in England hoping for his US breakthrough, the dashing British actor has starred in several hit BBC America series, including Robin Hood (he played the evil Guy of Gisborne) and MI-5. His portrayal as dwarf leader Thorin Oakenshield in the upcoming trilogy could provide Armitages career with the kind of boost enjoyed by The Lord of the Rings star Viggo Mortensen another underappreciated supporting actor who became a major player thanks to his work on the J.R.R. Tolkien-inspired films. Edgar Ramirez How Hell Spend his Fall: Taking down Osama bin Laden in Kathryn Bigelows Zero Dark Thirty. Upcoming: Playing revolutionary hero Simon Bolivar in Libertador and starring as an Iraq war veteran in Donnie Darko director Richard Kellys Corpus Christi. Why Hes Ready to Break Through: As fans of the miniseries The Jackal can attest, this guy is the real deal, and teaming up with Bigelow can do wonders to a career. (Just ask The Hurt Lockers Jeremy Renner) And with an explosive subject like the Osama bin Laden killing, Zero Dark Thirty is almost guaranteed to be one of this years most talked-about films.

Film

Variety

Features

This film image released by the Toronto International Film Festival shows Kanye West in a scene from the Spike Lee documentary Bad 25. Lees documentary Bad 25 is playing the festival, marking the 25th anniversary of Jacksons 1987 album Bad. The film features footage shot by Jackson himself along with interviews with such stars and music producers as Mariah Carey, Sheryl Crow and L.A. Reid. (AP)

See Page 24

Film 13 films were dying to see

LOS ANGELES: That boulder Indiana Jones runs from will never be bigger than on Sept 7, when Raiders of the Lost Ark begins a one-week Imax re-release. Tickets to see the 1981 adventure film classic were available online Tuesday via theater sites, brokers including Fandango, and at Imax.com. Paramount wasnt commenting on the Imax run Tuesday, but the studio is releasing its Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures for the first time on Blu-ray on Sept 18. Steven Spielberg, who directed the film and helped with the Imax conversion, told the New York Times that the look of the film and the special effects would remain the same, though the audio has been changed to surround sound. (RTRS) LOS ANGELES: In the early days of movies, Mary Pickford was the original Americas Sweetheart. Now the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Mary Pickford Foundation are partnering on a multi-year initiative to bring fresh attention to the Oscar-winning actress and her girlish charm in such films as Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm and Pollyanna, Academy CEO Dawn Hudson said Tuesday. The partnership will include an annual silent film screening, silent film preservation initiatives and the digitization of parts of the Academys collection of her films. To kick off this partnership, and to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Academys Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study, the Academy and the Foundation will host a special Inside the Vaults event on Tuesday, Sept 11, at the Pickford Center in Hollywood. The evening will include behind-the-scenes tours of the vaults, a screening of a

Masterpieces to return this fall

LOS ANGELES, Aug 15, (RTRS): As yet another summer of superhero films and sequels draws to a close, Hollywood is revving up for a crowded fall stocked with James Bond, vampire romance and historical dramas. For the most part, that means the movie business is ready to hang up the tights and capes for a while and again start making movies for audiences who can legally drive. Boasting new offerings from directing greats like Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, Ang Lee and Paul Thomas Anderson, this fall is bound to offer its fair share of masterpieces, critical darlings and love-em-or-hate-em exercises in the kind of adventurous filmmaking that has been absent from screens in recent months. But not every film is about chasing Oscars and critical accolades. For popcorn movie lovers, theres plenty of action films and 3D flicks to keep the box office humming, including Peter Jacksons first film in his planned Hobbit trilogy and the final chapter in the Twilight franchise. To whet your appetite for all the movie-going to come, heres a look at 13 fall films we cant wait to see. Lincoln Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tommy Lee Jones Director: Steven Spielberg Release Date: Nov. 9, limited. Nov. 16, expands Risk Factors: Biopics can be dry and overstuffed with historical events, and with a subject like the Great Emancipator, the potential for sanctimony is high. Not to mention, Spielberg can be hit-and-miss when it comes to chronicling the American experience. Those battle scenes in Saving Private Ryan were masterful, but the rest of the film was preachy and undercooked. Likewise, Amistad was a well-intentioned snooze. Why were psyched: Day-Lewis is notoriously choosy when it comes to picking roles, but when he finally commits to a project, the results are usually magical. Plus, after Tintin and War Horse disappointed many moviegoers, its time for Spielberg to prove hes still got it. Flight Cast: Denzel Washington, John Goodman, Don Cheadle Director: Robert Zemeckis Release Date: Nov. 2 Risk Factors: Its been 12 years since Zemeckis last live-action film, and his motion-capture experiments with films like Mars Needs Moms revealed a director dangerously out of step with popular tastes. Why were psyched: Based on the trailer, Washington has his meatiest role in years as a pilot who saves a plane from catastrophe only to have his heroism challenged. After a summer of superhero movies, its nice to have a studio film that plumbs some murky moral depths for a change. Skyfall Cast: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes Director: Sam Mendes Release Date: Nov. 9 Risk Factors: Delayed for years because of MGMs financial problems, does James Bond still have a license to excite? While Casino Royale was a box office and critical smash, some griped that 007s last outing, Quantum of Solace, was a humorless affair. Would it kill a superspy to crack a joke once in a while? Why Were Psyched: Skyfall has finally given Bond a formidable adversary in Javier Bardem, the actor whose Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men still haunts moviegoers dreams. Moreover, Mendes is a stylish director whose work on films like Road to Perdition and American Beauty shows he is equally adept at handling gunfights and quieter moments of drama. Life of Pi Cast: Suraj Sharma, Irrfran Khan, Tobey Maguire Director: Ang Lee Release Date: Nov. 21 Risk Factors: Its the story of a boy trapped in a boat with a Bengal tiger. Theres a pretty good chance the whole thing could come off as unintentionally hilarious, not to mention outright bizarre. Why Were Psyched: Come on, its Ang Lee. And this time the visionary Brokeback Mountain director is working in 3D. When footage from the film premiered last spring at CinemaCon, the response was rapturous. If the story holds together, Lee may have pulled off a film that is as revolutionary and cinematically stirring as Martin Scorseses Hugo or James Camerons Avatar. Silver Linings Playbook Cast: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro Director: David O. Russell Release Date: Nov. 21 Risk Factors: Russell is a prodigious talent, but his screenplays veer from brilliant (Three Kings) to bizarre (I Heart Huckabees). In this film, about a man struggling to reclaim his life after a stint in a mental institution, hes working without his muse, Mark Wahlberg, who grounded Russells flights of fancy. Why were psyched: With the Oscarnominated The Fighter fresh in the minds of moviegoers, the idiosyncratic auteur is back after a decade spent in the wilderness. Continued on Page 24

THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

rare Mary Pickford short The New York Hat (1912), the Los Angeles premiere of the Academy Film Archives newly restored print of The Mark of Zorro (1920), starring Douglas Fairbanks, and a display of select items from the Academys Mary Pickford collection. Tours begin at 6 pm

and the screening program begins at 8 pm. (RTRS)

NEW YORK: Bachelorette,

a raunchy comedy from the Weinstein Companys multiplatform distribution shingle RADiUS, has become the first pre-theatrical release to top the

Spielberg

Dunst

iTunes Top Movies chart, according to the company. Directed by first-timer Leslye Headland, the comedy boasts an ensemble cast of well-known actors, including Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher, Lizzy Caplan, Rebel Wilson, James Marsden and Adam Scott.

Drawing comparisons to Bridesmaids and The Hangover, it depicts three best friends hell-bent on having perhaps too good of a time before their best friends wedding, threatening the nuptials in the process. The film was a big hit at Sundance, where RADiUS

bought the rights earlier this year. Adam McKay, Will Ferrell and Jessica Elbaum are producers, through their Gary Sanchez Productions. BCDF Pictures Brice Del Farra, Claude Dal Farra and Lauren Munsch also produced. (RTRS)

NEWS/FEATURES People & Places

Films Master holds hope

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

24

Atlas boasts a big canvas

Continued from Page 23

Also, Cooper has been a likable presence in films like The Hangover, but here he finally gets a chance to stretch and show audiences that hes more than just a pretty face. Argo Cast: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman Director: Ben Affleck Release Date: Oct. 12 Risk Factors: The 1979 Iranian hostage crisis is at the center of the film, and while it may be distant history, the Middle East remains a hotbed of political instability. War films like The Hurt Locker and Jarhead have impressed critics, but audiences have shown little interest in seeing dramatized what plays out on the news every night. Why were psyched: With The Town, Affleck proved hes a smart, sensitive director who choreographs killer action sequences (just think about all those car chases through the Boston streets). This true story about a gonzo escape plan that involved CIA agents posing as filmmakers to rescue hostages has all the makings of a whacked out masterpiece in The Three Kings vein. Cloud Atlas Cast: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw Director: Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski Release Date: Oct. 26 Risk Factors: Based on the trailer, this story about various lives intersecting across the past, present and future features Hanks and Berry in an awful lot of embarrassing wigs. It is also redolent of The Fountain, another heady film that played with time and space, but collapsed under the weight of its ambitions. Why Were Psyched: The Wachowskis have a talent for blending big ideas with tentpole special effects in films like The Matrix. Cloud Atlas boasts a big canvas, with dazzling special effects and camera work. Its about time these filmmakers made us forget about Speed Racer. Zero Dark Thirty Director: Kathryn Bigelow Cast: Joel Edgerton, Kyle Chandler, Jessica Chastain, Edgar Ramirez Release Date: Dec. 19 Risk Factors: Sony wisely chose to release the film after the presidential election so the studio cant be accused of trying to bolster Barack Obamas chances by recounting the daring story behind the killing of Osama bin Laden. That said, it arrives with an awful lot of controversy and charges from Republican politicians that Bigelow was given access to classified information. Will it be too much of a political hot potato to judge on its own merits? Why were psyched: Bigelow returns to the battlefield after revolutionizing the war film with The Hurt Locker. Can lighting strike twice? The Master Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams Director: Paul Thomas Anderson Release Date: Sept. 14 Risk Factors: A thinly fictionalized portrait of the worlds most secretive and controversial religion. Expect an uproar from Scientologists and an intense debate over Hoffmans portrayal of a charlatan who sounds a lot like L. Ron Hubbard. After annoying us with his faux breakdown and fake documentary Im Not There, Phoenix is on a very shortleash. Why were psyched: The

last time Anderson was behind a camera, he gave us There Will Be Blood, a haunting, magisterial work that ranks among the greatest movies ever made. If the euphoric reaction to early test screenings is any indication, he just might have another masterpiece on his hands. Django Unchained Cast: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio Director: Quentin Tarantino Release Date: Dec. 25 Risk Factors: Well, its a bloody action film set in the antebellum South, so its depiction of slavery could stir up charges of racial insensitivity for a director whose fondness for a certain N word has already made him a target for precisely that kind of criticism. Why were psyched: With Inglourious Basterds, Tarantino proved that in the right hands, even the Nazis can be the subject of brilliant, escapist fare. Django looks like another dazzling trip down the rabbit hole, with cinemas foremost genre mashup maestro as a guide. Likewise, DiCaprio has a showy role that will allow him to flex the comic muscles he deployed so masterfully in Catch Me If You Can. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 Cast: Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Kristen Stewart Director: Bill Condon Release Date: Nov. 16 Risk Factors: There was this girl named Kristen who cheated on this guy named Rob, breaking the hearts of millions of Twi-hards in the process. Why were psyched: The final film in one of the biggest franchises in movie history. Enough said. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Cast: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage Director: Peter Jackson Risk Factors: Now that Jackson is turning a planned two films into three, will there be enough story to justify a trilogy? Also, the directors decision to shoot the film at a sped-up, 48 frames per second to improve the quality of the 3D has been a controversial one. Early footage at CinemaCon was criticized by theater owners and members of the press for looking less like a film and more like a telenovela. Warner Bros.s decision to dial down on the number of theaters that will show the film at a higher frame rate may have ended this particular technological revolution before the first shots were fired. Why were psyched: Its Peter Jackson returning to Middle Earth. Attention must be paid. Les Miserables Cast: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried, Anne Hathaway Director: Tom Hooper Risk Factors: The Broadway musical was a sensation, but film is not always kind to hit stage shows. For every Chicago, there are scores of Rents and Evitas that fail to capture the magic of the original productions. Moreover, we know Jackman and Hathaway have great sets of pipes, but can Crowe carry a tune? Why were psyched: One of the best-known scores in musical theater history. A story of heroism set against the backdrop of a revolutionary uprising. A stunning array of period costumes and dramatic sets. Some plays just cry out for big screen treatment. And, oh, that cast.

This film image released by Disney shows, Cameron CJ Adams (left), and Odeya Rush in a scene from The Odd Life Of Timothy Green. (AP)

Music to highlight Toronto fest

Lee revisits Jacksons Bad

LOS ANGELES, Aug 15, (AP): Music is highlighting next months Toronto International Film Festival, with a Michael Jackson documentary from Spike Lee and a closing-night film featuring Vanessa Redgrave as a terminally ill choir singer. Organizers announced Tuesday that Redgraves Song for Marion will close the Toronto festival, which runs Sept 6 to 16 and is one of the key cinema gatherings that kick off Hollywoods fall movie lineup and Academy Awards season. Lees documentary Bad 25 marks the 25th anniversary of Jacksons 1987 album Bad. The film features footage shot by Jackson himself, along with interviews with such stars and music producers as Mariah Carey, Kanye West, Sheryl Crow and L.A. Reid. Toronto planners announced dozens of other films for the festivals 11-day run, among them Peter Webbers Emperor, starring Tommy Lee Jones as Gen Douglas MacArthur in the aftermath of Japans defeat in World War II; Dante Ariolas Arthur Newman, a romance with Colin Firth and Emily Blunt centered on a former golf hot shot who became a notorious choker on the pro circuit; and Brian De Palmas Passion, an erotic thriller featuring Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace. Other Toronto highlights include Lee Daniels The Paperboy, a murder tale set in 1960s Florida that stars Nicole Kidman, Matthew McConaughey, John Cusack and Zac Efron; Harmony Korines Spring Breakers, with James Franco, Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens in a tale of college girls on a wild vacation; Paul Thomas Andersons The Master, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams and Philip Seymour Hoffman in the story of a World War II Navy veteran drawn into a cult by a charismatic leader; and Scott McGehee and David Siegels What Maisie Knew, with Julianne Moore and Steve Coogan in an adaptation of a Henry James tale about a girl caught

A film that delivers goodness

Odd Life doesnt get too gooey

By Leah Rozen
have been known to tell Parentsyoung their toes at bath time their kids to make sure to wash between or they might start sprouting plants amid all the grime. The Odd Life of Timothy Green will only help these parents. This is a movie about a boy who has delicate green leaves growing from his ankles and feet. Its not due to a lack of soap or scrubbing. Rather, its magic; Timothy Green was born that way. Yes, were in the Land of Whimsy with Odd Life, which can be delicate and often dodgy territory for a filmmaker. Director-screenwriter Peter Hedges (Dan in Real Life) is to be congratulated for nearly pulling it off in this gentle comic fantasy. Cindy and Jim Green (Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton), a married couple living in a small Midwestern town, are applying to adopt a child at the start of the film. They explain to the adoption agency social workers that they feel ready to adopt because of their experiences with Timothy (C.J. Adams), and then they begin telling his strange tale. To wit, after learning they couldnt have kids, the Greens wrote down all the qualities theyd want in a child, put the slips of paper in a box and buried the box in the backyard. That night, during an unexpected and ferocious thunderstorm, the box popped out of the ground and a young, mud-covered boy appeared in their house. Cindy and Jim take him in, name him Timothy and treat him as a son. They also make sure that he always wears high socks so that no one can discover the foliage sprouting from his lower limbs. So far, so good. Its at this point that the movie has to rev up a plot, manufacture conflict and try to draw meaning from everything that happens. Thats when the strains in this slender tale begin to show and ones tolerance for whimsy is tested. That said, as family films go this is low-key, heartfelt and mostly not too gooey. And theres not a single chase scene or over-the-top scary villain, which is, in itself, refreshing when so many kids films these days play like training movies to turn younger viewers into adult action and comic book movie fans. Garner and Edgerton make for model parents, showing understanding and patience. Neither actors lowkey but convincing work here is likely to turn up in a career highlights reel, but both performances effectively serve the film. Disney is smart to release Odd Life in August, when families are slowing it down while on vacation or looking for a break from back-toschool shopping. Its a feel-good film (with a few moments of sadness) that delivers sweetness without tipping over into treacle. (RTRS)

This Aug 13, 2012 photo released by Starpix shows (from left), Robert Pattinson, director David Cronenberg, and Sarah Gadon attending the premiere of Cosmopolis at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. (AP)

Douglas

Stallone

Variety
NEW YORK: The Film Independent
Spirit Awards will take place Feb 23, the final Saturday in February, Film Independent announced on Tuesday. Next years ceremony will be the 28th in the history of the event, which honors the best independent American-made films of the year. Film Independent, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit, on Tuesday began accepting entries, and will accept submissions until Oct 16 before announcing the nominees Nov 27. To be eligible, films must be at least 70 minutes long, cost less than $20 million to make, have been shown at least once a day for a week in a commercial theater in 2012 and have been screened at one of six major film festivals. International films and documentaries are only eligible for those specific categories. Early contenders this year include Benh Zeitlins Beasts of the Southern Wild, Wes Andersons Moonrise Kingdom, Paul Thomas Andersons The Master and David O. Russells Silver Linings Playbook. (RTRS)

in a custody battle. Among previously announced films at Toronto are the opening-night premiere Looper, a sci-fi thriller starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis and Blunt; Keira Knightleys Leo Tolstoy adaptation Anna Karenina, featuring Jude Law and Aaron Taylor-Johnson; Ben Afflecks Iran hostage rescue saga Argo, co-starring Bryan Cranston and John Goodman; and Robert Redfords
Its tough. Its very tough ... its a horrible situation, Stallone told ABC News in a television interview that aired on Tuesday on the Good Morning America program. The actor, who put interviews and public

fugitive manhunt tale The Company You Keep, co-starring Shia LaBeouf, Susan Sarandon and Terrence Howard. Along with the Venice and Telluride festivals that precede it, Toronto typically is a prime launch spot for many Oscar contenders. Among past Oscar winners that played the Toronto festival were The Kings Speech, The Hurt Locker, Slumdog Millionaire and Crash.
appearances on hold after Sages death a month ago, said support from good friends and family helped him deal with the loss. Time, hopefully, will heal, and you try to get through it, but its just something. Its a reality of life, he said. I think its important to get back and start reliving your life. Otherwise, you can go into a spiral. (RTRS)

LOS ANGELES: Rocky star Sylvester

Stallone says he is trying to get back to living his life after the still unexplained death last month of his son Sage.

LOS ANGELES: Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas earned a standing ovation from a packed Los Angeles theater as he introduced a screening of the 1960 classic Spartacus that included a previously censored scene. When youre 95 years old, you dont look forward. You look backwards, you take inventory, Douglas said late Monday, as he sat on stage to talk about the film that immortalized him as a movie legend. Douglas said that Spartacus a 2.5hour epic about a slave rebellion in the Roman empire challenged censorship during an era when Hollywood actors and screenwriters were blacklisted due to their alleged communist sympathies. Douglas produced and starred in the movie, which won four Oscars. The film was directed by Stanley Kubrick and costarred Laurence Olivier and Tony Curtis. Douglas hired Dalton Trumbo, a blacklisted Hollywood screenwriter, who wrote the script under a penname. Douglas however put Trumbos name in the film credits. (AFP)

LOS ANGELES: Jason Alexander will

help Paramount Pictures celebrate its centennial with a special presentation at the Hollywood Bowl, featuring music and clips from the studios 100-year history. The Seinfeld star will host The Big Picture at 7:30 pm on Sept 2. The program will feature the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra led by David Newman, who has composed the scores for such films as War of the Roses and Bowfinger. They will be joined by three composers who helped provide the soundtracks to some of Paramounts biggest hits: Michael Giacchino (Super 8, Star Trek), Lalo Schifrin (Mission: Impossible) and Alan Silvestri (Forrest Gump). Classic clips will be projected on the Hollywood Bowls screens while the orchestra performs the film scores. Films from every decade will be represented, as will the music of such film composers as Bernard Herrmann (Psycho), Henry Mancini (Breakfast at Tiffanys) and John Williams (Raiders of the Lost Ark). (RTRS)

Indian Bollywood film actor Shah Rukh Khan poses during the launch of DDB and Videocons new age Leds in Mumbai on Aug 14. (AFP)

NEWS/FEATURES

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

25

Film
All in Sparkle

Sparks restarts career in movie

LOS ANGELES, Aug 15, (RTRS): Five years after becoming the youngest female to win American Idol, Jordin Sparks restarts her career in a new movie role that the 22-year-old sees as remarkably close to her own life singing her way to fame. Just like her real-life parents, Sparks onscreen mother Whitney Houston cheered and coached her, off camera, as she rebounded from career changes and transitioned from music to the movie Sparkle, which hits theaters on Friday. Houston, in the last screen role before her accidental death in F e b r u a r y, plays a tough mother who is set on sabotaging her daughters dream in her last, feisty role before her Sparks accidental death in February. Sparkle came at a moment where I was actually pretty unsure with what was happening in my career, Sparks told Reuters. The singer released two albums after winning Idol and was nominated for a Grammy for her collaboration with Chris Brown on the 2009 pop song No Air. A year later she tried her hand on Broadway like many past Idol alums, in the Tony Award-winning show In the Heights.

Bruce Springsteen performs at Fenway Park in Boston on Aug 14. (AP)

Music
Fairport festival holds family bash

Transition
It all seemed to be going well, until things fell apart. My label was going through a transition and people were let go. Then I parted ways with my management and then I had some things personally going on, Sparks said, but did not elaborate. It just felt like everything was starting to not work out all at once. I was like, This is it? Five years and thats it? But along came the offer to play the sister named Sparkle whose stellar voice leads her to fame. Sparks said she saw parallels between her own ambition and that of the strong-willed singer who wanted more than anything to perform and wasnt going to let anyone stand in her way. The major difference, Sparks said, is that unlike Houstons role in the film, Sparks own parents have been 100 percent supportive of me from the beginning. I knew that music was what I wanted to do. I knew that I was going to be a singer. I just didnt know when, but I was going to do what it took to get there, Sparks said. Sparks portrays one of thee sisters the other two are played by Carmen Ejogo and Tika Sumpter who form a girl group during the 1960s over the protestations of their mother only to find that fame can tear their family apart.

Fathers of folk-rock mark 45 yrs

Nicki Minaj performs on NBC Today show on Aug 14, in New York. (AP)

Palillo

Crow

Variety
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida: Ron
Palillo, the actor best known as the nerdy high school student Arnold Horshack on the 1970s sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter, died Tuesday in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He was 63. Palillo suffered an apparent heart attack at his home about 4 am, said Karen Poindexter, a close friend of the actor. He was pronounced dead at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center. Palillo was inextricably linked with the character he played from 1975 to 1979 on Kotter, the hit ABC sitcom, in which title character Gabe Kotter returns to his Brooklyn alma mater to teach a group of loveable wiseguys known as the Sweathogs. Horshack was the nasally teen who yelped, Oooh, ooh, and shot his hand skyward whenever Kotter posed a question. The show was a ratings success and pop cultural phenomenon, injecting smart-Alec phrases such as Up your nose with a rubber hose into the mainstream and propelling co-star John Travolta to stardom. But the series only lasted as long as a high school education and its end, for Palillo, brought difficulty. He said he felt exiled throughout the 1980s, unable to find parts, sinking into depression, and rarely venturing from his apartment. When offers did come, he felt typecast as Horshack. (AP)

Climb
The rise to music stardom is a climb that Houston, a huge pop star of the 1980s and 1990s with hits like How Will I Know, knew all too well, and by the time she made her acting debut, in 1992s The Bodyguard, she was a huge star. Houston drowned in a hotel bathtub last February at age 48. Houston provided Sparks a shoulder on which to lean and a voice of experience when making the film. The biggest thing I took from Whitney was youre never too big to sit down with somebody. Youre never too big to say hello or to smile at someone, Sparks said. She would sit and talk like we had known each other for years. For that example to come from a superstar, somebody I idolized, was just amazing. Playing a character like Sparkle, who is young and naive at the films beginning before blossoming into a young woman by the end, is a journey that resonates with Sparks who said she, too, feels like she is at the same stage a new beginning. I feel like Im blossoming into a woman and coming in to my own, she said. On Aug 1, Sparks and her boyfriend, singer Jason Derulo, 22, celebrated their one year anniversary together. Sparks said during the filming of Sparkle turned more serious after both suffered setbacks. Derulo narrowly escaped paralysis when he broke his neck while rehearsing an acrobatic move while training for a tour. A few weeks later, Houston died and Sparks lost a new friend. Both of us realized how much we really cared for each other, she said. Your priorities get in line when stuff like that happens. The feelings grew really, really deep.

CROPREDY, England, Aug 15, (RTRS): What better way for the founding fathers of British folk-rock to celebrate 45 years as a band than with an intimate gathering of 20,000 friends and family? Fairport Conventions annual festival, held in the Oxfordshire village of Cropredy over three days last week, has been a fixture for fans of Britains unique brand of electric folk music since their final outdoor concert there in 1979. By tradition, the current five-strong line-up is supplemented at Cropredy by guest appearances from the bands numerous former members, who continue to exert a strong influence on the folk scene. But anniversary years are special. In a year with a 5 or a 0 on the end we tend to try to reflect on previous incarnations of the band without slavishly trying to become younger versions of ourselves, said Simon Nicol, a founding member of Fairport and festival co-organiser. On stage for Saturday nights 3-1/2hour closing set were some of the most feted musicians in folk-rock, including demon fiddler Dave Swarbrick and virtuoso guitarist Richard Thompson. But playing alongside them was the new generation including children of some of the Fairport legends, who are forging careers of their own showing the folk music tradition of constant reinterpretation is alive and well.

Dotcom hints at relaunch of site

Megaupload boss plans music venture

WELLINGTON, Aug 15, (AFP): Megaupload boss Kim Dotcom has revived plans to launch a new online music venture this year and hinted at the return of the file-sharing site that led him to face online piracy charges. Dotcoms original plans for the music service, called Megabox, were disrupted in January when New Zealand police raided his Auckland mansion and arrested him as part of a major US investigation into alleged copyright theft. The 38-year old, who is free on bail, took to Twitter this week to say that Megabox was back on the drawing board and would launch in 2012. Yes... Megabox is also coming this year, he told his 110,000 followers on the micro-blogging site. In an earlier tweet this week, he said: I know what you are all waiting for. Its coming. This year. Promise. Bigger. Better. Faster. 100% Safe & Unstoppable. It was unclear whether this tweet referred to new Megabox service or Megaupload, the file-sharing site was the cornerstone of his Internet empire before it was shut down as part of the US investigation. The German national, who has refused interview requests saying he wants to keep a low profile, was not available for comment but tweeted last month: Mega will return and it will be UNSTOPPABLE! Dotcom did not reveal a specific launch date or details of how the planned Megabox music service would work. He told technology website torrentfreak.com last December that Megabox would allow artists to keep 90 percent of earnings from their songs by letting them sell directly to consumers, bypassing record labels. Dotcom is due to face a court hearing in March next year which will determine if US authorities can extradite him and three co-accused on charges of money laundering, racketeering, fraud and online copyright theft. He faces up to 20 years jail if convicted in a US court.

Founders
Kami Thompson joined her father on stage, singing Come all Ye, the opening track of Fairports landmark 1969 Liege and Lief album, while Blair Dunlop, son of another of the bands founders, Ashley Hutchings, appeared alongside his dad. Singer Kristina Donohue and her father, guitarist Jerry Donohue, were both among the string of guests. One of the best things about the festival is when we bring our sons
Despite the plethora of social networking, blogs and endorsements, 54 percent of the 3,000 Americans surveyed for the report said they are more likely to buy music on the recommendation of a friend than the endorsement of a music chat room or blog. (RTRS)

and daughters on, Hutchings told the crowd as he brought on Blair for a guest spot with Hutchings seniors band, Morris On, who play thumping electric versions of the songs that accompany the ancient reels of Morris dancing. The set also included a display of the high-kicking steps of Morris, in which dancers wear bells on their legs and often wave handkerchiefs or clatter together wooden sticks. And its nice to see you are bringing your offspring too, Hutchings added. Liege and Lief, with its mixture of ancient folk songs and Fairport originals played with the guitars and drums of a rock band literally electrified the British folk music scene. It was controversial among traditionalists but helped unleash a wave of bands, from Steeleye Span and

Lindisfarne arguably through to todays Bellowhead.

Twisted
The family tree of musicians with a link to Fairport is as twisted as an old bramble and still bearing fruit. Welsh band Calan, who sing much of their material in Welsh, appeared on Wednesday. Their latest CD was produced by former Fairport guitarist Maartin Allcock. I dont feel responsible for having enabled this, Nicol said. But I think we did open the door ... a lot of music has come through that door. The current Fairport line-up has been together longer than any other in the bands 45 years but Nicol says they have no problem integrating former members. Its that family thing ... you cant get out of your family, you cant divorce
which he accused the pair of stealing $7.5 million from him, videotaping and following him without permission and leaving him homeless. A forensic psychiatrist who interviewed Sparks recently called him imminently dangerous and said his psychosis is directed intently at Crow. Superior Court Judge James Hahn

them. There is a continuity between us. You may lack the energy and optimism of youth but you develop coping strategies. You become more tolerant, patient and, hopefully, more understanding of each other, he said. The relationship with the fans is close. The track list of Fairports latest album By Popular Request was chosen in a poll of the 23,000 fans with whom the band is in email contact. Many in the crowd were of similar ages to the surviving Fairport founders, who are all in their 60s at least, but they too appear to be passing the baton to a new generation.

Bands
Adam Webb, celebrating his 23rd birthday on Saturday, was taken to this festival exactly five years previously by his father, who introduced him to his own favourite folk bands.
ordered Sparks to stay 300 yards (300 meters) away from Crow and Weinstein and make no attempt to contact them. Hahn, the former Los Angeles mayor who was appointed as a judge in 2008, presided over the hour-long hearing, patiently instructing Sparks to ask questions and allow him to describe at length his reasons for feeling persecuted. (AP)

SANTA MONICA, California: A judge granted Sheryl Crow a three-year restraining order against a man who acknowledged he threatened to shoot the singer-songwriter and film executive Harvey Weinstein. Philip Gordon Sparks, 45, agreed to stay away from the Grammy winner and Weinstein after an hour-long hearing in

Elvis Week

HONOLULU: Duane Dog Chapman

has his bags packed for London, but a murder conviction from the late 1970s is keeping him out of the United Kingdom. The reality television star from the show Dog the Bounty Hunter was to appear on another reality show, Celebrity Big Brother, but he has been denied a visa. Its something that follows you the rest of your life, no matter who you become or who you are, Chapman, 59, said Monday from Honolulu, where he lives. Im not proud of it. He was 23 in Pampa, Texas, in 1976 when he was in a car outside a house where a friend had gone inside to buy marijuana, he explained. The friend got into an argument with the dealer and shot him. In Texas in the 70s, if you were present, you were just as guilty, Chapman said. He and the others in the group were all found guilty of murder. Chapman was sentenced to five years in prison and was paroled after 18 months. (AP)

LOS ANGELES: Video hasnt yet killed

the radio star after all, although YouTube has taken over as the place where most teens listen to music, according to a report released on Tuesday. Nielsens Music 360 report found that radio is still the place where most people (48 percent) discover new music, compared to just 7 percent for YouTube. But once they have found it, 64 percent of teens listen to music through YouTube, the popular video-sharing website owned by Google Inc. Even so, old-fashioned radio whose demise was marked in the 1979 hit single Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles is still a big player in the music industry. The report found that 56 percent of teens listen to music on the radio while 53 percent use Apple Incs iTunes music player and half of teens still listen to music on compact discs, or CDs.

Fans hold vigil

MEMPHIS, Tennessee, Aug 15, (AP): Tens of thousands of Elvis Presley fans are expected to pay respects to the rock n roll icon during a candlelight vigil at Graceland marking the 35th anniversary of his death. Fans were to begin lining up Wednesday afternoon at the entrance to Graceland, Presleys longtime Memphis home. The vigil is the highlight of Elvis Week, the annual celebration of Presleys life and career. Organizers have said they expected 75,000 people to attend Elvis Week, with many taking part in the vigil.

Garth Brooks performs with children onstage at the Teachers Rock concert at the Nokia Theatre on Aug 14 in Los Angeles. (AP)

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

26

Where theres a will, theres away

Travel trusts can fund trips for beneficiaries

By Karen Schwartz

travel
thursday, august 16, 2012 airport inquiry tel: 161
www.kuwait-airport.com.kw

ee Liebman and her family took a $6,000 vacation this year that didnt cost them a dime, thanks to a relatives last wishes. Whether its trying to make sure that their children stay in touch despite geographical distances, or wanting them to become acquainted with family roots in another country, some people are deciding that travel should be a part of their legacy. Despite the economy, this is the first generation of people passing away with substantial wealth, said Avi Kestenbaum, a trust and estate specialist with the New York-based law firm Meltzer Lippe Goldstein & Breistone. He estimated hes set up 10 travel-related trusts in the past 15 years, while other clients have given instructions verbally or in a non-legal written wish list.

Encourages
The trend has even prompted a travel agency and a law firm to partner together this summer to start offering onestop-shopping for trust creation and travel planning.

You could give them money and they could go and buy a new car with it, or you could give them this and they can use it to create memories, said Jim Bendt, president of Travel Beyond of Minneapolis, who advises there may also be tax advantages to setting up a trust that encourages travel. Margaret Cronin, a partner with the law firm, Leonard, Street and Deinard, also of Minneapolis, said these trusts might provide other benefits as well. If you give a child a big inheritance outright, its exposed to their creditors, to their divorces, she said. A trust is absolutely something that people should consider. Some who bequeath money for travel want their offspring to connect with their heritage, culture or religion. They might go so far as to require the beneficiary to study or take courses in a particular country. Other trusts encourage travel with a philanthropic twist; for instance, the inheritance would need to be used for volunteer work in Africa. Kestenbaum said one client he had specified Greece as a destination, while another identified a particular town in Italy. The creator (of the trust) has to be a

Kestenbaum cautioned. In Liebmans case, her in-laws realized that with two daughters living in Israel and one son in the United States, the cost of plane tickets might prevent his children and grandchildren from visiting one another. At a family dinner in 2000, her father-in-law, an academic in his 60s, announced that once a year, he and his wife would pay up to $800 per passenger should one family be inclined to visit another, and it will hold true even in the event that one of us passes away, Liebman recalled. Four years later, he died unexpectedly.

Celebrations
So far, the money has been used by his children for five family celebrations, three in Israel and two in the United States. The amount has been modified over the years to keep up with the rising cost of air travel. Liebmans mother-inlaw, who dispenses the money, keeps it informal and doesnt ask for receipts, and she has covered the cost of a hotel when it was directly related to a family visit. Most recently, Liebman, her husband, and their three children flew from the

This July 25, 2012 photo supplied by Travel Beyond shows Margaret Cronin, a partner with the law firm Leonard, Street and Deinard, and Jim Bendt, president of Travel Beyond, inside Travel Beyonds Minneapolis offices. (AP)

little bit mindful or careful not to make it too rigid or too broad either,

East Coast to Israel for a wedding and received a check to cover their flights. Because it was free that was a big incentive to do it, said Liebman, who works in the health care industry. Sure, we could have come up with $6,000 somehow, but we wouldnt have. None of us is wealthy. Kestenbaum said parents and grandparents still want to provide for basic needs, but beyond that, he believes those with extra means are becoming increasingly philosophical in their estate planning. They are thinking about how to influence the behaviour of their descendants in a positive way, he said, noting that often, family members dont know what has been set up in the will or trust until after their relatives death. For Liebman, the money from her late father-in-law has had a very positive effect. In the past dozen years, the family has expanded through weddings and babies, and the interaction and shared experiences at the family gettogethers means, there has been a new level of connection made. It was really money well spent, she said. (AP)

BERLIN: Berlin looks set to postpone the opening of its long-delayed new airport for a third time, shareholders in the project told Reuters on Tuesday, dealing another blow to a flagship project that has embarrassed the German capital. Nearly a quarter of a century after the Berlin Wall came down and 13 years after the government moved back to Berlin as the unified capital, Germany is still struggling to open an international airport to replace two from its Cold War past. Berlin-Brandenburg Airport, which will also be known as Willy Brandt Airport after West Germanys Cold War chancellor, has already been put back twice to March 17, 2013 from an original deadline in October 2011. The March opening date is very unlikely to be kept, a source with one of the companys three shareholders said, asking to remain anonymous. A representative of a second shareholder, also speaking on condition of anonymity, also said there was likely to be another delay. Berlins Tagesspiegel local newspaper and industry figures have speculated that another delay was in the offing, although the sources said the projects supervisory board was unlikely officially to declare a new date at a meeting on Thursday. (RTRS)

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

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Pets Its important to keep pets in shape

Running dogs make treadmills newest revolution

By Sue Manning

ike any true celebrity, Uggie, the Jack Russell terrier from The Artist and Water for Elephants, puts in his time on the treadmill. At 10, Uggie doesnt do a heavy workout, just a light trot and walking, said owner-trainer Omar Von Muller of Los Angeles. But Von Muller bought Uggie a DogPacer for those times when he cant go out because of weather, work or paparazzi. Its important to keep him in shape, Von Muller said. If they dont get their exercise, they get old too fast, just like people. Some 3 million dogs across the US were using treadmills in 2010, according to a survey of pet owners by the American Pet Products Association. The group asked about treadmills for the first time in its 2011/2012 survey because the machines were selling so briskly, APPA President Bob Vetere said.

Benefits
It may look like the dog is going nowhere. But pet owners with fat, old or misbehaving dogs say they measure the benefits of canine treadmills in pounds,

years and sleep. Heather Chau borrowed a DogPacer when her rescue dog Heidi arrived weighing 115 pounds. Heidi is now down to 80 pounds, and Chau, a Las Vegas bookkeeper, was so impressed, she returned the donated DogPacer and bought her own. Now all four of her dogs use the treadmill. Chau explains that she cant walk four dogs at a time, and summer in Las Vegas heats up early and winds down late. I want to make sure the rest of their lives are the healthiest we can make them. If the treadmill promotes a longer life, then its easy to do it each day. Whatever they have been through is in the past. Whatever we can do now to help them lead a healthier, better life is worth it, Chau said. Treadmills come in a range of sizes and prices. At LA Dog Works in Los Angeles, owner Andrew Rosenthal has a DogPacer, one of the newest and least expensive on the market at $499, that his Alsatian German shepherd Josh likes to use. Rosenthals 24-hour dog care centre, which includes boarding, grooming, training, daycare, hydrotherapy, massage therapy and a retail store, also uses a

In this Aug 8, 2012 photo, Chryses, a Belgian Malinois, walks the Jog-A-Dog treadmill as part of a demonstration in the enrichment center at LA Dog Works in Los Angeles. (AP)

$3,000 Jog A Dog and a $40,000 underwater treadmill. The most visible difference between a human treadmill and a canine treadmill is

the size, because a dogs stride is longer and his body shorter than a humans, said David Ezra, the owner of Las Vegasbased DogPacer. DogPacer plans to

release a treadmill for toy dogs in September and the price will be smaller too, Ezra said. The Pooch Hotel in Los Angeles, owned by Petco Animal Supplies Inc., offers a treadmill to help keep pets in shape. About half the dog population has some kind of weight problem, so it was a no-brainer, said Jason Michal, who runs the hotels as Petcos vice-president of pet services and hospitality. For home use, Pennsylvania-based GoPet has canine treadmills and a treadwheel, which looks like a giant hamster wheel, for small to large breeds, ranging from $475 to $1,225. Dog trainer April Suhr of Las Vegas believes shelters across the country could make animals more adoptable if the animals used treadmills just two or three days a week. Its easy for a dog in a shelter to go cage crazy, she said. They pace. They dont focus. They bark. They wont eat. They wont make eye contact. The answer is exercise, she said. Its why the gym is so good for us when we are stressed out. It puts our endorphins to good use. Suhr, who volunteers at Adopt a Rescue Pet and has her own business, 4

Pawz On The Floor, also works part-time in a pet superstore. She brought a rescue dog, Max, to the store every week to use the machine.

Figures
Not only did he calm down, but he was using the treadmill one day when a woman came in, saw him, fell in love with him and adopted him, she said. Suhr has one at her home for her three pets and her foster dogs. Suhr figures she would have to run miles and miles and spend hours and hours to get all her dogs as much exercise as they get on the treadmill in minutes. Marie Czarnecki, 73, of Las Vegas is having her left knee replaced in a few weeks and will be out of commission for a few months. She ordered a DogPacer the first day she saw one at her trainers office. Her shelties, Dee Dee, 6, and Sundance, 3, have been using it for several months. She calls it the best thing in her garage besides her car. Now I take them out with a leash, they get on, I set it and they go twice a day for 10 minutes, she said. They run over a mile a day and they do like it. (AP)

Technology Pollution to cash

Home

New toilet tech recycles waste

SEATTLE, Aug 15, (AP): These arent your typical loos. One uses microwave energy to transform human waste into electricity. Another captures urine and uses it for flushing. And still another turns excrement into charcoal. They are part of a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation competition to reinvent the toilet for the 2.5 billion people around the world who dont have access to modern sanitation. Scientists from around the world have taken up the challenge, and the foundation announced some projects Tuesday that will be getting more money to take their ideas from the lab to cities. There, local entrepreneurs will use the new technology to turn pollution into cash. We couldnt be happier with the response that weve gotten, Bill Gates said. To pass the foundations threshold for the worlds next toilet, it must operate without running water, electricity or a septic system, not discharge pollutants, preferably capture energy or other resources, and operate at a cost of 5 cents a day.

A fish rug. (AP)

Sanitation
The United Nations estimates disease caused by unsafe sanitation results in about half the hospitalizations in the developing world. About 1.5 million children die each year from diarrheal disease. Scientists believe most of these deaths could be prevented with proper sanitation, along with safe drinking water and improved hygiene. The foundation expects to field test its first prototypes within the next three years. Most of the prototypes on display this week in the open courtyard of the foundations Seattle headquarters turn solid waste into energy. This is both a practical and pragmatic solution to the solid waste puzzle, said Carl Hensman, program officer for the foundations water, sanitation and hygiene team. Many recycle waste into other usable substances such as animal feed, water for irrigation, or even just energy and water to run their own systems. Some, like the winning project from Caltech, use chemistry and engineering to completely transform the waste. Clement Cid, a Caltech grad student from Trouillas, France, said it has been intellectually rewarding to work with scientists from a variety of specialties. You can come up with great ideas, he said, adding that the toilet fair offered more opportunities for idea sharing.

A snake rug. (AP)

A photo shows a Koala bear family decal from the Toronto-based LittleLion Studio. (AP)

An African animal Art camel vintage illustrative style rendered warm sepia print from Restoration Hardware Baby & child. (AP) From left: A whale decal; a Papier Mache head in black and white of a zebra and a floral giraffe family decal from Toronto based LittleLion Studio. (AP)

Todays designs please style minded parents

Kids room can be where wild things are

By Kim Cook

Process
Other projects on display were not so high-tech, including one from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine that sends black soldier fly larvae inside latrines and even home toilets to process waste, resulting in high quality, environmentally friendly animal feed at a cost of a penny a day. The fly larvae project is already being field tested in Cape Town, South Africa, and the inventors are working on a kit to sell to entrepreneurs. They have had inquiries from Haiti, Sudan, Kenya and Ghana about adopting the approach.

ids are often enthralled with the wild kingdom, so its fun to do their rooms with animal-themed decor. And you can think beyond the standard, kitty-cat wall border or dino bedding; some of todays designs have a sophistication that will please style-minded parents, too. So to quote Maurice Sendak, Let the wild rumpus begin! Dwell Studio: This bastion of chic kids decor offers deer, triceratops, unicorn and zebra papier-mache wall art that could easily inhabit any room in the house. Owl and unicorn shower curtains are rendered in Dwells signature muted-color palette. Here too

are French textile designer Paule Marrots high style, textural giclee bird paintings on linen. (www.dwellstudio.com, papier-mache $76; shower curtains, $66; Paule Marrot wall art, $2,200) Ferm Living: Folk-arty silhouettes are the story at this Scandinavian design house. There are friendly tiger, owl and octopus poly-filled cushions and mobiles, a sweet group of bird-shaped cushions, and a snake in fun, stripy organic hues. An unlikely yet whimsical Animal Tower decal stacks a rooster on a giraffe on a dog on a horse on an elephant wall art sure to inspire some fantastical storytelling. (www.fermlivingshop.com, cushions, $34.25 and up; mobiles,

$45.75; Animal Tower, $110) RoomMates: Silhouette decals including monkeys, pelicans, turtles and more come packaged together ready to affix in whatever creative narrative strikes your fancy. There are realistic dinosaurs as well, packaged in multiples. (www.roommatesdecor.com, animal decals, $71.49; dinos, $14.49) Little Lion Studio: Based in Montreal, Leonardo Cortes creates quiet, whimsical-sleepscape wall decals. A family of koalas snoozes in eucalyptus branches; a big yet benign whale takes a little sailboat for a ride. A watchful mommy giraffe can be positioned over the crib, with baby giraffe on the other side. Cortes simple and charming style is reminiscent

of that of Babars creator, Laurent de Brunhoff. (www.leolittlelion.etsy.com, whale, $45.02; koalas, $81.54 and up; giraffes, $97.03) Restoration Hardware: Vintage illustrations of rhinos, camels and lions will have children dreaming of exploring Africa. (www.rhbabyandchild.com, artwork, $439) Rug Company: London-based designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby choose to depict animals the way they behave in the wild, so their Fishes rug features a school of swimmy friends, while a slithering serpent makes his way across the Snake rug. (www.therugcompany.com, $5,508 each) Mimi Lou: In a past life, Miriam Derville was an advertising exec

for high-end fragrances. But when she started drawing versions of her childrens stuffed animals on their bedroom walls, people took notice, and Mimi Lou was born. Shes created a charming collection of wall stickers featuring elephants, mice, penguins, bears and a menagerie of creatures with French flair. (www.mimilou-shop.fr, $52 and up) KidsonRoof: The Dutch design studio created by Romy Boesveldt and Ilya Yashkin link modern design with nature in a series of recycled cardboard totems of birds and other wild animals. They can be easily assembled into table sculptures. (www.kidsonroof.com, starting at around $20) (AP)

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

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5 Financial concepts to keep home kitchen in the black

DArabian prepares healthy and cost-effective meals

LOS ANGELES, Aug 15, (AP): Melissa dArabian is a home economist for a new era. Actually, shes more CFO than home ec. Thats because the Food Network host is as adept at balancing ledger sheets as she is at getting dinner on the table. Its a handy skill that comes with being a trained financial strategist, and turned out to be an unlikely backbone for her culinary career. Her basic message to thrifty home cooks? Stretch your food dollars by treating your kitchen in terms of profit and loss. As the manager of a household youre actually running a fairly complicated business, she says. There are simple lessons we can take from the business world and apply to our own homes. Before hosting Food Networks Ten Dollar Dinners, dArabian was a financial services consultant, then a high-powered financial executive for The Walt Disney Company. Some of the same principles she applied to keeping her employers in the black are the same ones she uses today to prepare healthy, cost-effective meals for her family. people understand that you can save money by buying whats on sale, dArabian says. But to really make the most of your dollars, think like a retailer. Each week, she says, grocery stores offer certain meats as loss leaders, products discounted by as much as 50 percent just to get customers through the door. The way to know loss leaders is to grab the flyer at beginning and see whats on the front cover, she says. If youre smart, you dont just buy one, you buy two or three. Forecasting Successful businesses project what their upcoming costs and revenues will be. A rapid review of a months worth of grocery receipts will give the home cook a rough idea of whats being spent, dArabian says. Once you have that number, figure out how much youd like to save per month say $100 then do some quick menu planning. Open the cupboard, the freezer, the fridge, glance around and see what needs to be used up, she says. Then buy only what you need to fill out the meals already lurking in your pantry. Just being aware, she says, will automatically reduce your spending. Marketing Seriously? You have to promote dinner to your kids? You dont have to, but youll be a lot more successful if you do, dArabian says. In the dArabian household, a different child presents the meal each night, explaining each dish in detail whats in it, where it comes from, how its made. The simple act of presenting the food takes the mystery out of it for picky eaters, celebrates what weve spent and markets it to my family, she says. Inventory Management Check your refrigerator once a week to see what needs to be used up, dArabian says, then apply some creative recipes. Wilting carrots? Make her creamy any veggie soup. Lots of vegetables on the edge? Try dArabians crisper drawer pasta or a kitchen sink soup. The most expensive ingredient is the one you throw away, she says. Pom (otherwise known as Production Operation Management) Simply put, understand the logistics of your household. Dont plan to do braised short ribs on soccer and ballet night. Always have a couple of recipes up your sleeve that are minutes from fridge to table. Otherwise, like a company that hasnt planned well, you may find yourself paying extra to deliver the goods. When you panic at the last moment, thats when you order in Chinese, she says. When you do that, youre paying for that expedited shipping. Rub a bit of olive oil onto a cutting board, then place the pizza dough on it, turning to coat it lightly on all sides with the oil. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes. After the dough has rested, heat one side of a grill to medium-high and the other side to medium-low. In a medium bowl, combine the tomato, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, salt, basil and the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Toss well, then set aside. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a circle about 14 inches across. Use the cutting board to carry the dough out to the grill. Place the dough on the hot side of the grill and grill until the bottom is browned and has grill marks, about 1 to 2 minutes. Use a spatula to flip the dough and move it to the cooler side of the grill. Top the pizza with the mozzarella, then cover the grill and cook until the cheese is melted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Use the spatula to transfer the pizza back to the cutting board. Cut the pizza into slices, then top evenly with the arugula. Using a slotted spoon, top the pizza with the tomatoes.

Tomato salad-topped grilled pizza

Start to finish: 45 minutes Servings: 4 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for dough 1-pound bag prepared pizza dough 1 large very ripe tomato, cored and chopped (or 1 1/4 cups halved cherry tomatoes) 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 6 fresh basil leaves, roughly torn 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced and quartered 2 cups arugula or other baby greens

In this publicity photo provided by Clarkson Potter, the cover of Ten Dollar Dinners by author Melissa dArabian is shown. (AP)

Keeping a home kitchen in the black is a matter of considering five financial concepts, she says. Procurement In the business world, procurement is about obtaining goods. In the home kitchen, that means groceries. Most

Food

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Drinking problem?: You are no longer alone! Confidential helpline 99641389. Narcotics Anonymous: NA can help with addiction problems. Totally confidential: 94087800 English/Arabic. Cancer online support group: If you are Cancer patient or family member fighting with this deadly disease, come join our online support group. Best way of dealing with this disease is providing support and share our experience with each other. There are lot of things which even doctors cant tell so be member of this website and start sharing your experiences which may help others. October is recognized as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM). The primary purpose is to promote self examination and screening mammography as the most effective way to save lives by detecting breast cancer at early stage. For more information visit: http://fightingwithcancer.webs.com/

Latest
IEI notice: The Institution of Engineers (IEI) requests the representatives of all Indian Engineering Associations, Engineering Forums and Engineering College Alumnus in Kuwait to kindly contact The Institute of Engineers (India), Kuwait Chapter, through e-mail mentioning their name/phone no./e-mail ID/position holding etc, to: ieikuwait@hotmail.com or contact engr Joseph Panicker on 99413279 or engr S. Kannan on 97889157 or engr I. Ilangovan on 99401956. The members of the above associations, forums and alumnus are also kindly to inform their concerned office-bearers to contact IEI, Kuwait Chapter or directly send their contact information to IEI, Kuwait Chapter immediately to represent the issue of concern.
Aug 19

In this image taken on July 30, 2012, Grilled Tuna Steaks with Mango Herb Salsa are shown in Concord, NH. (AP)

Preparation simple

Simple grilled tuna steak with big, bold flavors

By Alison Ladman

ummer makes us long for the grill. But by the end of the season, even our favorite burgers and dogs can feel a bit tired. So to keep your grilling interesting, we came up with a speedy grilled tuna dish that packs tons of big, bold flavors. For our recipe, we used tuna steaks, which are thick, meaty pieces cut from the fish in the opposite direction than a fillet. You also could use salmon steaks, which often include the bone (which helps the flesh hold together on the grill). Swordfish also would work in this recipe. We kept the prep simple with just a light coating of oil and a bit of salt and pepper. We wanted to let the flavor of the tuna shine. But to ensure we also could taste the fresh flavors of summer, we top the tuna with a cross between a fruit salsa and an herby chimichurri. It goes together in about 2 minutes with the help of a food processor.

Flavour has a fullness without acidity

Philippine Embassy closure: In observance of Eid El-Fitr holidays, the embassy will be closed from Aug 19 to 21, 2012. Regular office hours will resume on Wednesday, Aug 22, 2012. Slovakian Embassy closure: The Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Kuwait would like to inform the public that on the occasion of the Holiday of Eid Al Fater Al Mubarak the Visa Section of the embassy will be closed on Sunday, Aug 19, Monday, Aug 20, and Tuesday, Aug 21, 2012, respectively. The embassy will resume its normal duties on Wednesday, Aug 22, 2012, the business hours of the Visa Section is on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:0013:00 hrs. Pakistan Embassy closure: On the occasion of Eid-ul-fitr, the Embassy of Islamic Republic of Pakistan will remain closed from Aug 19-21, 2012. The embassy will resume its services on Aug 22, 2012. Sri Lanka Embassy closure: The
Embassy of Sri Lanka will be closed for public from Aug 19 to Aug 21, 2012 in lieu of Ramadan festival.

Garam masala used as condiment on meats, breads

By J.M. Hirsch
First lesson of Indian cookingcurry not all brown powders are powder. Second lesson dont confuse heat and warmth. Especially in Indian cuisine, they are wildly different concepts. Third lesson Indian cooking is a deliciously inexact science. Embrace its freewheeling approach and all of your cooking, Indian and otherwise, will be better. And all of that is why I want to introduce you to garam masala, a widely available, yet little used (in the US) seasoning blend from northern India. Like so many Indian spice blends, there is no set recipe for garam masala. The ingredients can vary tremendously by region and cook. But in general, it usually contains a mix of spices that are at once sweet and warming coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin and black pepper. By warming, I mean the flavour has a fullness without acidity or sharp flavours. Think spice cookies and gingerbread minus the sugar. This is different than the spicy heat we associate with chili peppers. Thats a flavour profile not common to American cooking, but the wonders it works on roasted meats and vegetables make it worth changing that. Garam masala differs from many spice blends in that the whole spices are toasted before being ground together. Why do you care? Most spice blends, especially from India, are intended to be heated before use to draw out their flavour. This means they need to be added at the start of a recipe. But because garam masala already is toasted, it can be used as a condiment on meats, cooked grains, even breads and yogurt dips. Heat the oven to 400 F. Coat 2 baking sheets with oil or cooking spray. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough cool water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well. Return the potatoes to the pot and set over medium heat. Heat, shaking the pan frequently to keep the potatoes moving, for 1 minute, or until dry. Transfer the potatoes to the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches around each. One at a time, set a sturdy mug over each and push down to lightly crush. They should be lightly cracked and slightly flattened, but not falling apart. You also can use a potato masher (but press only gently). In a small liquid measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil and garam masala. Drizzle the oil over the potatoes, coating each one well. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper, then roast for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Sprinkle the manchego over each, then return to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the cheese begins to brown. (AP)

Smashed and roasted garam masala potatoes

Start to finish: 45 minutes Servings: 6 3 pounds red or yellow new potatoes 1/4 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon garam masala Kosher salt and ground black pepper 1 cup grated manchego cheese

Grilled tuna steaks with mango herb salsa

Start to finish: 20 minutes Servings: 4 1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves 1/4 cup packed fresh oregano leaves 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 cloves garlic 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Zest and juice of 1 lemon 2 mangos, peeled, pitted and diced Salt and ground black pepper Four 6-ounce tuna steaks Heat the grill to high.

In a food processor, combine the parsley, oregano, mint, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the red wine vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, and the lemon zest and juice. Process until well chopped, scraping down the bowl

In this image taken on Nov 9, 2011, the Indian spice blend garam masala, sometimes written garham masala, adds warmth, but no real heat, to these delicious smashed and roasted garam masala potatoes as shown in Concord, NH. (AP)

Australian Embassy closurre: On the occasion of Eid-Al-Fitr, the Australian Embassy wishes to advise that it will be closed on the following days, in addition to the normal weekend closures. Aug 19, Sunday and Aug 20, Monday. The Embassy will reopen on Tuesday, Aug 21, 2012.
Continued on Page 29

as needed. Add the mango and pulse once or twice to combine and lightly chop. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.

Rub the tuna steaks on all sides with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, then season them with salt and pepper. Grill the steaks for 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Serve topped with the salsa. (AP)

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Put emergency supplies in old suitcase with wheels

Preparation key to getting through power outages

WASHINGTON, Aug 15, (AP): Dont wait until the power goes out to start thinking, Wheres the flashlight? Power outages are becoming a fact of life around the US, at any time of year. Recent years have seen a number of strong storms and hurricanes knock out power to suburban and rural homes for days at a time. And blackouts also can be caused by accidents or short-circuits. Heres a refresher on how to be ready: outfitting the kit. Food and water: Judge recommends storing 1 gallon of water per day per person and keeping a two-week supply. He said water will keep for about six months if not exposed to heat. He also advises keeping unscented bleach on hand in case you have to chlorinate the water. Stock up on non-perishable, easy-toprepare foods for the same period of time: cans of fish, meat, fruits, vegetables and soups, as well as canned or boxed milk and juice. Remember to have a hand-operated (not electric) can opener, said Kit Selzer, a senior editor at Better Homes and Gardens. You might also want a food thermometer to check the temperature of food in the refrigerator to see if its safe to eat. Flashlights and extra batteries: Check the batteries every few months, Judge advises. Emergency preparedness experts advise against using candles because of the fire risk. Medication: Put a weeks supply of papers like birth certificates or insurance policies with you. Miscellaneous: Dont forget cell phone chargers, which you can use if you find a neighbor, library, coffee shop or other spot that has power and lets you plug in. Car chargers also can be helpful if you have to evacuate. Keep some cash on hand; ATMs need power, too, and you wont be able to withdraw funds from them if the bank also has been hit by the power outage. And to keep up with whats going on, Judge recommends a battery-operated radio and perhaps a NOAA weather radio, both with batteries. A multi-purpose tool also might be handy. while food in the freezer will remain frozen for 48 hours in a packed freezer or 24 hours in one thats half full. If its in the middle of winter, consider burying food in the snow or putting it in the car to keep it cold. Foods like eggs, mayonnaise, leftovers and soft cheeses are among the fastest to spoil, Selzer says. If you have food exposed to temperatures above 40 degrees or more it might not be safe to eat, Judge said. Use your thermometer to check. Also, make sure you have gas in your car. You wont be able to fill up if gas stations are affected by the blackout. Increasing numbers of people fed up with repeated power outages are purchasing generators. Generators come in all sizes and shapes, Judge said. Some may be sufficient to run the refrigerator, some can run multiple appliances. But they must be used properly. A generator should never be run inside a home, garage, crawl space or basement, Judge said, because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

What to have?
James A. Judge II, a member of the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council and executive director of Lake EMS, Inc. in Mount Dora, Fla., recommends putting emergency supplies into a plastic storage bin and slipping it under your bed. That way, he said, youll always know where to look. He also suggests putting emergency supplies in an old suitcase with wheels. If you have to evacuate, you have your kit on wheels, he said. Think about your basic needs when

What to do
Turn off and unplug appliances, computers, televisions and other electrical equipment so they wont be damaged by any power surges that might occur while power is being restored. Avoid opening the refrigerator or freezer. Generally, food in the refrigerator will stay cold enough for four hours,

In this July 1, 2012 file photo, a utility worker clears a downed tree from power lines in Springfield, Va. (AP)

medication in your emergency kit; you may need it if youre evacuated. Dont forget a first aid kit, as well.

Personal papers: In case of evacuation or damage to your property, its helpful to have copies of important

Fashion Ads launched

Gardening

Beckham back with HM brand

NEW YORK, Aug 15, (AP): David Beckham says hes in the underwear game for the long haul, with the second set of abs sorry, ads for his branded collection with HM launching Thursday. The English football stars ads will coincide with a statue stunt planned by the retailer, with larger-than-life Beckhams going up in New York, Los Angeles and S a n Francisco. New products will be added to the collection later this year. Beckham, 37, said hes Beckham pleased with consumer reaction. Im very happy that so far people seem to like it, and the first season was incredibly successful. The challenge is to keep it going and establish a brand that will last many years. That is my ambition, he wrote in an email to The Associated Press. Beckham was a champion of the London Olympics that just ended, driving the torch to Olympic Stadium in a speedboat along the Thames. I was incredibly honored to be part of the team that helped bring the Olympics to my home borough, city and country. I always knew we would put on a fantastic event, but it has exceeded even my most optimistic expectations, he said. Beckham had hoped to play for Britains soccer team, but he wasnt included in the squad. Beckham said he didnt have any help getting in shape for the ads, where he was minimally dressed in front of the cameras. I did nothing different, he says. Im naturally fit, of course, as an athlete, so there is nothing out of the ordinary I do!

In this photo taken on Oct 28, 2009, kale or wild cabbage is shown at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx borough of New York. (AP)

Row covers help extend season

Veggies can fill gardens vacant spots

By Dean Fosdick

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Latest
South African Embassy closure:
On the occasion of Eid-Al-Fitr, the South African Embassy will be closed from Sunday, Aug 19, 2012 to Tuesday, Aug 21, 2012. The Embassy will resume its normal working hours on Wednesday, Aug 22, 2012, from Sunday to Thursday. Please note that the working hours will be from 8:00 to 16:00 and the Consular Section operation hours will from 8:30 to 12:30.

id- to late summer is prime time for gardeners a last chance to grow a second batch of fresh vegetables before the plant-killing frosts arrive. Add a few protective enclosures, such as cold frames, overhead sheets and hoops, and the harvest can be extended until Thanksgiving and beyond. The goal is to have fully grown, ready-to-pick plants that basically store themselves in the garden throughout the fall, so you can pick them as you need them over a long, sustained garden season, said Renee Shepherd, founder of Renees Garden

Seeds in Felton, Calif. You can plant many of the coolweather crops from seed if you time it properly, she said. That means choosing fast-maturing varieties that can develop ahead of the average date for the first hard frost.

Weather
Row covers for plant protection can always help extend the season when cold weather comes early, but if you plan and plant at the proper time, your fall harvests still will be abundant, Shepherd said. Think ahead though, because many neighborhood nurseries close or have picked-over inventories after the rush for spring supplies has ended.
Aug 29, 2012 Wednesday Onam. Aug 24

Some of the specialty garden centers and nurseries bring in extra plants for the fall, but you may have to purchase from another source and that takes some planning, said David Hillock, an extension consumer horticulturist with Oklahoma State University. Before planting a second crop, turn the soil and refresh it. Fertilize to restore nutrients lost to the spring varieties. And be sure to water. The ground is hot in August, and new plants must get plenty of water, especially while getting started. Anything you can do to help conserve soil moisture should be done, said Rosie Lerner, a consumer hortitogether on Friday, Aug 31, 2012 at 03:00 pm at Indian Community School, Khaitan. The program has been scheduled with an event of giving away Kala KuwaitSambasivan Award to the well known Socio-cultural activist Dr M.N. Karassery and Baburaj-Kishor Kumar Hits (Ganamela) leading by famous playback singer K.G. Markose along with Kuwaiti singer Mubarak Al-Rashid and other leading singers from Kuwait Mohammed Rafi and Ms Neelima. Also, have variety of cultural activities and traditional dances by other distinctive artists to entertain the Indian expatriates. To attribute the occasion, we have also scheduled to release a Multi Color Souvenir. Kala Kuwait-Sambasivan Award was instituted in memory of eminent Katha Prasangam artist late V. Sambasivan. The award comprises Rs 25,000 and citation. Dr M. N. Karassery was selected for the prize in view of his outstanding contribution to Malayalam Literature. According to Samkutty Thomas, President Kala Kuwait and Jaison Joseph,

culturist with Purdue University Cooperative Extension. Organic mulches cool the soil and decrease the need for moisture, a big plus when starting over in the summertime. There may be some overlap between spring and fall gardens. Some beans and tomatoes might remain, perhaps things that will ripen in cooler weather, Hillock said. But the typical fall garden crops tend to be more frost-tolerant.

Frost
Tender plants that usually stop growing or die after being nipped by frost include celery, eggplant, lima beans, cucumbers and summer squash. Second-season crops capable of
General Secretary, Kala Kuwait, for the successful conduct of the program, a Reception Committee has been formed and is headed by Mukesh V. P. as Chairman and K. Sadik as General Convener. Sept 7

shrugging off several fall frosts especially if covered by inexpensive plastic tents and warmed with light bulbs include broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, kale, spinach and turnips. Here in Oklahoma, we have people harvesting tomatoes well into December if they have them covered, Hillock said. And dont forget herbs. Thyme is the hardiest, along with sage, parsley and oregano. There are other advantages to gardening in autumn: Fewer pests and insects are around, Hillock said. Temperatures are cooler with the fall rains. Disease isnt as frequent as it is with the springtime plants, but you do have to keep an eye out. (AP)
testants have more than 100 days to achieve their goals as the results will be announced at the Tulu Parba Competitions on 21st September, 2012. For more queries, you can contact Jaya Karkal 66958848, Geetha Suvarna 66526160, Vanitha Dsa 94996459, Sushma Bangera 96672929, Wilson Dsouza 97875789, Ramesh Bhandary 97880936 Dec 1

UK Embassy closure: The British

Embassy will be closed on Sunday, Aug 19 until Tuesday, Aug 21, 2012 (inclusive) on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr. The Consular Section will also be closed on the same dates above. The Visa Application Centre (VAC) will be closed on the same dates above. It will reopen on Wednesday, Aug 22 (0930 to 1630). Application forms remain available online from the UKBAs website: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk or from the Visa Application Centres website: www.vfs-uk-kw.com. And also, from the UK Visa Application Centre located at: 4B, first floor, Al Banwan Building, (Burgan Bank branch office building), Al-

Qibla area, opposite Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City. For any further enquiries about visa procedures and appointments, please contact the Visa Application Centre: website: www.vfs-uk-kw.com; e-mail: info@vfsuk-kw.com; tel: 22971170. For information on the British Embassy services, visit the British Embassy website: www.ukinkuwait.fco.gov.uk

Summer Team Tournament: The

Filipino Tennis Association in Kuwait FTAK wishes to announce to its numerous fans the opening of its 21st Summer Team Tournament from August 24 to Oct 12, 2012 every Friday at Kuwait Oil Company KOC tennis courts or Qadsiya Sporting Club. Note: Tennis enthusiasts who wish to participate in the tournament should please contact the following FTAK Directors Sammy Miclat 66471592; Jonil Dacer 99297212; Linda Moreno, Marj Obidos, Jun Clamor and Tony Dezeda for more details. Aug 31

Bangladesh Embassy closure: The

Embassy of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh in Kuwait will remain closed on Aug 19 to 25 on the occasion of the Holy Eid-ul-Fitr. Aug 20

IBL registration: Indian Bowling League (IBL) Season 3 Will commence on Sept 7, 2012 @ 3pm Cozmo Salmiya. First Come first serve basis. Kindly Pay entrance fee and reserve your spot. For details kindly email uly334@gmail.com few spots available hurry and register.
Sept 21

Winter 2012 AMIE exam: The AMIE

Winter 2012 examinations will be held between December 01-07, 2012 as follows: Section A (Diploma) Dec 1-4, 2012. Section A (Non-Diploma) Dec 1-7, 2012. Section B Dec 1-7, 2012. The last date for submission of examination application Forms are given hereunder:

Indian Embassy closure: The Embassy of India will remain closed on the following days during the month of August 2012: Aug 20, 2012 Monday Idul Fitr (Subject to change).

TKK Biggest Loser Contest: A contest that is an ideal way to encourage healthy eating habits and daily exercises TKK Biggest Loser Contest 2012. The contest is open to all Tulu Koota members above 18 years of age and will be separate for men and women. The con-

Kala Onam-Eid celebration: Kala

(Art) Kuwait, has scheduled to conduct its variety entertainment program titled Keraleeyam 2012 with Onam (Keralites Festival) and Eid Ul-Fitr

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ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

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Legal Eagle Faisals law firm serves many corporate clients

Leadership in Kuwait really cares for the people

By Valiya S. Sajjad
Arab Times Staff

ual was the first case that came to his mind when asked to recount some memorable legal experiences.

client one day walked stealthily into his office, and after making sure that there was no one around, asked if he would be able to inherit his fathers wealth if he changed his gender. Amar Faisal was first taken a back. He thought he had heard him wrong. But the man repeated his query, and I didnt know what to say. Faisal is a lawyer working under Attorney Abu Hafsa, and has been in Kuwait for nearly a decade now. The experience with the potential transsex-

Expertise
When Faisal probed further, the man said he was planning to change his sex and wanted to be clear about all the legal issues he would face if he adopted a new gender. Faisal was more interested in the reasons behind his decision, because he was a goodlooking man who was not undesirable for a woman. But the man wouldnt volunteer any more information than that he felt like a woman inside. Of course, Faisal couldnt be of

much help to him, as this was not his area of expertise. Yet, it gave Faisal new insights into the changing values of the society. Faisal tried to advice him against it highlighting the biological complications and the other social stigmas he would have to face. Not even the liberal Western countries have fully come to accept transsexuals without prejudices. Life would never be easy. The man didnt seem too impressed with Faisals advice and left. It takes all kinds, Faisal notes in retrospection. Faisal enjoys working in Kuwait. It is not like working in a foreign

country, he feels, because most of his clients are compatriots from different walks of life. Through his profession, Faisal gets to see many sides of life, and has been able to fully appreciate the realities of expatriate life.

Ignorance
I am able to help many people who end up on the wrong side of the law because of ignorance or because they get defrauded by someone. Faisal is confident that with due legal assistance a lot of people in the jails can be set free. Faisals law firm also serves many corporate clients, and from his col-

leagues he has come to understand much about the legal aspects of doing business in Kuwait. Faisal hails from Pune, and has practiced in India for a couple of years before migrating to Kuwait. Talking about Kuwait, Faisal said its a wonderful country, blessed in all respects. The leadership here really cares for the people, and they do so much not just for the citizens but also expatriates.

Education
Its sad that a few lapses are pointed out to undermine the entire country by some people. That is not fair. We

should learn to reckon the plusses, and be grateful for that. Faisal feels there is much ignorance among the expatriates about law. This is because a large percentage of the Indian expatriates are labors, and only have very basic education. It is this ignorance that some unscrupulous employers exploit, making their employees sign blank documents. By signing a blank document, one is in fact pledging ones life at the mercy of the employer. Faisal has on many occasions gone to court to save clients facing false charges by their employers who dont want to give release to their employees.

Alternative Medicine Avoid nasal sprays

Neti pot, salt water work for sinus woes

By Mia Ponzo
Special to the Arab Times

Photo courtesy of Failaka Island: The Ikaros of the Arabian Gulf book by Jehan Sayid Rajab

All along the sandy shores of al-Zor boats were found ready to be launched and oars ready to be used. Much of the local fishing is done around the island and near its shores. Oars were used to move from one part to another especially in the stretch of water that separates Failaka from the island of Meschan that can be seen on the distant horizon.

Tips for understanding nonverbal communication

Build your communication skills

By Resha Erheem
Special to the Arab Times

ast week we started talking about the woes of sinus problems, particularly during the dusty days that Kuwait is so famous for. Last week we went over how to use an essential oil steam for clearing out your sinuses. Steaming is really a great way to clear everything out, sanitize everything, and keep the sinuses (all of them, and we all have sinuses all through our faces, and foreheads) open and happy. This week we are continuing on that subject. There are many ways to help make sure that your sinuses stay clear, clean, and wonderful. No one likes to have a stuffy nose and having a sinus inflammation or infection is the pits. But, its really easy to make sure that you dont have to suffer at all. This is going to sound extremely simple, but one of the easiest ways to clean out your sinuses is to wash them with water. There are several ways you can do this, but the one that you will have no excuse at all if you never do it is when you are in the shower. While you are showering, just take up some water in your hand and kind of sniff it up into your nose.

as they can be. The way you use a net pot is by using slightly warm water mixed with a spoonful of any kind of salt (but preferably as unprocessed as possible, if its available). You lean sideways over the sink and, starting with the upper nostril, stick the spout almost up into your nostril and pour the water in. What happens is that the water comes right out the other side. I know this probably sounds absolutely horrifying. I know it was to me. But, it works like a charm. And, when you think about it, its not much different than just washing your nose with water, or salt water, which I do all the time. But, it does take a little getting used to, certainly. The great thing about this treatment is that it works so fast that it is uncanny. If you regularly suffer from sinus issues, a neti pot is what you need to get right away. You will probably never have to suffer ever again.

Sprays
One word on using nose sprays. While it may seem easy and fast to use nose sprays to clear out your sinuses, take it from me, you dont want to start. The problem with using most nose sprays is that they are so risky to use. The last time I used a nose spray was 4 years ago when I had to travel on a very long trip, and I was already quite ill. I couldnt bear the thought of being on a plane for so many hours (around 15) and not being able to breathe. After using it for only 3 days, I could no longer smell or taste anything. Since this often happens when you have a cold or sinus infection, in my case, I got better, but I couldnt smell or taste a thing. That was the beginning of a long fight. I couldnt smell or taste anything at all for about two years! Imagine not being able to taste your food. After doing reflexology for more than a year, almost exactly two years after my nightmare began, I finally started to get my sense of smell back. The problem was that most things didnt smell the way they were supposed to smell. I kept on doing reflexology until the point where I started being able to smell and taste things (for the most part) almost normally again. I can very happily say, that, after all these years, I am about 99% cured. But, you might not be so lucky. Its much, much better to stay away from nose sprays, rather than suffer in silence.

ave you thought about how well you communicate with other people? How your body language and what you are saying are perceived by others? Communication is not just words coming out of our mouth, it is everything about us relying a message, our whole presentation. Communication can be defined as an exchange of feelings, ideas and information whether by speaking, writing, signals and behaviors. It is at the core of how people relate to one another. In recent decades, communication has become an art. A growing field of specialists and public speakers tell us how best to talk to others in any given situation, whether it be work, social functions, with significant others, etc. Being a good communicator can allow us to win people over to our cause, resolve a conflict, make someone feel better about themselves and much more. In fact, studies have shown good communication skills are linked with more success in relationships, work and life satisfaction in general. Yet, even if you dont think you have a natural ability to communicate well, you can still develop your communication skills by paying attention to and following simple strategies. It just takes practice! 3 types of communication & the importance of body language There are 3 types of communication: verbal, non verbal and informal. Verbal communication is one way for people to communicate face-to-face. Some of the key components of verbal communication are sound, words, speaking, and language. Non-verbal communication include body language such as facial expressions, gestures, posture, eye gaze. Informal communication include online chatting, texting, emails, letters and the like.

Effectiveness
One study at UCLA indicated that up to 93 % of communication effectiveness is determined by nonverbal cues (38 % by voice quality, 55 % body movements). This means that what we do with our body language has more significance to the message then what we actually say. If you are trying to mask your reaction to something or hide your feelings, pay close attention to the non verbal signals your are portraying. Even the tiniest facial expression can give your true thoughts and feelings away. You can become more proficient in reading and displaying body language by following some tips by Robert Phipps, author of The Official Guide to Body Language. Tips for understanding nonverbal communication While listening to a person you nod

your head to indicate that you understand and is in agreement with the speaker. You look away or yawn to indicate that you are bored or would prefer if the speaker stops talking. You frown or raise your eyebrows to indicate to the speaker that you either dont believe them or that you dont understand. Eye Contact: Eye contact is one of the most important aspects of dealing with others. Maintaining good eye contact shows respect and interest in what they have to say. We tend to keep eye contact around 60-70% of the time, (however, there are wide cultural differences). By doing this you wont make the other people feel self conscious. Any more eye contact than this and you can be too intense, any less and you give off a signal that you lacking interest in them or their conversation. Head: When you want to feel confident and self assured keep your head level both horizontally and vertically. You can also use this straight head position when you want to be authoritative and want what youre saying to be taken seriously. Conversely, when you want to be friendly and in the listening, receptive mode, tilt your head just a little to one side or other. You can shift the tilt from left to right at different points in the conversation. Arms: Arms give away the clues as to how open and receptive we are to everyone we meet and interact with, so keep your arms out to the side of your body or behind your back. This shows you are not scared to take on whatever comes your way. In general terms the more outgoing you are as a person, the more you tend to use your arms with big movements. The quieter you are the less you move your arms away from your body. So, try to strike a natural balance and keep your arm movements midway. When you want to come across in the Erheem best possible light, crossing the arms is a no-no in front of others, because it shows defensiveness. Hand gestures: Hand gestures are so numerous so this is just a very brief guide. Palms slightly up and outward is seen as open and friendly. Palm down gestures are generally seen as dominant and possibly aggressive, especially when there is no movement or bending between the wrist and the forearm. This palm up, palm down is very important when it comes to handshaking and, where appropriate, we suggest you always offer a handshake upright and vertical, which should convey equality.

Posture: A slumped posture indicates that you have low spirits, are fatigued or that you feel inferior. Whereas, an erect posture shows high spirits and confidence. If you lean forward it implies that you are open and interested. Leaning away shows disinterest or that you are defensive. Maintaining a rigid posture is interpreted by many to mean that you are defensive, while a relaxed posture translates to openness. Improving your skill in interpreting nonverbal communication will add to your ability to share meaning with another person. Again, the nonverbal may reveal more than the persons spoken words. Learn to practice these non verbal communication.

uation. This lets them get them on-board much easier. Treat the person with respect: If you are going to treat the person with disrespect, its not going to be surprising if he/she treats you the same way as well. As the golden rule says, Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Focus on action: Sometimes, you may be put into hot soup by a difficult person, such as not receiving a piece of work they promised or being wrongly held responsible for something. Whatever it is, acknowledge that the situation has already occurred and focus on the actionable steps you can take to forward yourself in the situation.

Water
Try not to be afraid to get it up too high, because that will most likely be impossible. The more you get in, the better it is, but dont go crazy with it. Just sniff up a handful of water and then blow it out again. You can repeat this several times. You pretty much cant wash your nose too much, so continue doing this throughout the day. (Muslims do this whenever they wash for prayer). An alternative method is to do the same thing with salt water. You can use almost any kind of salt, including regular table salt. But there are several very nice kinds of organic or more natural types of salt. Sea salt is great, as well as Himalayan pink salt. There are practically as many types of salt as there are mountains or seas. Each one is a little different. Some seem to be slightly better than others, as far as how well they actually help the sinuses. But using any kind of salt is definitely going to be better than not using any at all. There is another interesting way to use salt water to take care of your sinuses. Maybe some of you saw the Oprah episode where Dr Oz taught her how to use a neti pot. Basically, a net pot is a (usually ceramic, sometimes plastic) contraption that looks just like a ceramic Aladdins lamp. But, if you rub it, no genies are going to come out and grant you three wishes. But, what it will do is help you keep your sinuses as healthy

Assertive communication
The ideal style of communication is neither passive (submissive, enabling others to direct you while ignoring your own needs) nor aggressive (dominate, getting your own by being in control way and denying others consideration) but assertive. Assertive people are honest about what they think and feel, they choose what they want to do and what they dont want to do and dont feel guilty about saying no!. Assertive communication involves: Start sentences with I. This helps you to own your feelings and thoughts. For example I feel/think... Try to present your ideas in short, simple sentences. If you want something ask for it but be prepared to be turned down. Be direct in your requests and insist others are as well. Dealing with conflict and Constructive Criticism There are professionals in society that are experts in conflict resolution. They are trained extensively to deescalate dangerous situations and deal with difficult people. Whether it is in the work place, or in a personal disagreement, you also can learn how best to deal with difficult people through better communication (Chua): Be calm: Someone who is calm is seen as being in control, centered and more respectable. When the person you are dealing with sees that you are calm despite whatever he/she is doing, you will start getting their attention. Understand the persons intentions: Try to identify the persons trigger: What is making him/her act in this manner? What is stopping him/her from cooperating with you? How can you help to meet his/her needs and resolve the situation? Let the person know where you are coming from: Letting them in on the reason behind your actions and the full background of what is happening will enable them to empathize with your sit-

Criticize
When it is time for you to have a talk and sort out issues with one another, do not criticize the other person as a whole, instead use Constructive criticism or feedback, which is not motivated by a desire to hurt but to communicate and get your needs met. Use the following tips in delivering criticism more constructively: Choose the time and place, - away from the situation, when the other person is in a relaxed mood, dont wait until next time it happens Start and end with a compliment. Find something good to say about the person, this will help him or her take in your advice. Describe the behavior clearly and your feelings, - I feel sad when you ignore me. Dont blame or label them Ask for a specific change - please turn your music down after 9pm Be realistic in describing consequences, avoid empty threats n Ask them how they feel about it. Get their input on the problem and what you said. Constructive criticism is a communication skill best learnt by practice. The field of communication is vast and thus it is near impossible to rely everything you need to know about how to become a better communicator. The aim of this article was to suggest useful strategies and give you a brief glimpse of good communication, the most important factor in successful relationships. Resha Erheim, MEd is a bilingual counselor at Fawzia Sultan Rehabilitation Institute. She conducts counseling in both Arabic and English. As a certified Canadian counselor, she works with both adults and children. Please contact her with any questions or concerns at 2572-0338 or r.erheim@fsrikuwait.org. *All correspondence is kept private and confidential.

Email me: miaponzo@yahoo.com Dont forget to visit: www.kuwaitliving.com Read my health articles at: www.squidoo.com/lenmasters/miaponzo

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Candidates not appeared at Summer 2012 Exam: Aug 21 Sept 21, 2012. Candidates appeared at Summer 2012 Exam: Sept 21 Oct 19, 2012. Candidates intend to appear for the Winter 2012 examination must apply directly to Kolkata by filling the prescribed application form along with requisite amount of demand draft in favour of The Institution of Engineers (India), payable at Kolkata. The details of the examination is available at the website www.ieindia.org

Art
Art & craft summer workshop: If
you want to spend your leisure time in useful creative activities like improving your hand in drawing / painting and crafts? If you want to develop your hobbies in water coloring and oil painting? If you are interested in learning glass painting, metal painting, clay pots coloring & decoration, greeting cards and many more items? If you are interested to learn the above step by step and from a lady architect, please Tel 25732787 / 99557876.

Blue, Gray & Orange expo:

Contemporary Art Platform (CAP) we are pleased to announce that starting from Wednesday Aug 1, 2012, selected artworks from the Contemporary Art

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ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

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Overheard in the Souk

the grapevine
It is very inspiring to see a woman battling it out in a mans world. And not long ago, this writer happened to see one such sight in Kuwait. She was a chef from Turkey who had come to Kuwait for a food promotion. Yes, it is difficult, she admitted, But if you love the job then nothing is a problem. Behind her soft exterior was a hard-boiled self, full of determination and ambitions. She did her graduations in French and Tourism and Hotel Management. But soon she found out that her forte is not the smileywily world of public relations, but the rough-and-tumble of five-star kitchens. I love kitchens so much that I can sleep there, she says. Though she is not shown extra considerations for belonging to the fair sex, she is not discriminated either. She is thankful to her colleagues and bosses for that. I am

treated as an equal. If you wonder what gives her the spunk to swim against currents, then a peek into her lineage will throw up the answer. In fact she is only following the footsteps of the great matriarchs in her family: Her mother and grandmother were cooks. Her grandmother had been a successful cook even in those conservative times in Turkey. Talk of women in a mans world, that would have been like a rabbit in a lions den!

Ideally, showbiz and politics should not mix but in this particular expat community, there seems to be a very thin line that borders showbiz and politics encompassing public service. Theres nothing more juicy and colourful than talking about the personal affairs of public figures especially on matters of the

heart. Members of this expat community have been wagging their tongues and waiting anxiously for things to unfold in the lovelife of this public official who is known for wooing statuesque lovely young girls in their 20s, half of his age who can easily pass as his daughter. After all, in love, age does not matter and love conquers all shapes and sizes. Diminutive yet oozing with appeal and charisma matched with his position, young girls are smitten easily with his honey tongue. In life, who doesnt need an elixir anyway? This Don Quixote or much of an Adonis invited the young ladies that he has been going out with to an event recently. He wittingly managed to get them all together under one roof. Oblivious of the probing eyes, he freely went around and entertained each of the young

ladies who in turn thought that they are the apple of his eyes. These young ladies didnt know that they have been dating the same guy. Call it guts or maybe plain confidence! Or maybe, love is blind. Who among these ladies can win his heart? May the best girl of his whim win in this dangerous game.

As the Indian expatriate community in Kuwait celebrates its independence from the colonial British rule, one member of the community wondered aloud if it was unpatriotic for people from smaller states that were never under British subjugation to pass over the celebration. Is it secessionist to not want a piece of the pie of the assimilation of Greater India, the forging of this faux national identity from the loins of vacuous rhetoric carried on the

waves of All India Radio and Doordarshan? As necessary as the idea of a common bond is to national unity, does it excuse the imposition of a shared history across the motherland? With this an endemic problem in the nation comes to light minorities are always expected to sway under the might of the majority, be it in language, sport or even history.

After the excitement of 2012 London Olympics what next? Everybody in Kuwait knows what the next big attraction is. It is Eid AlFitr which according to Kuwaiti meteorologist and historian Adel AlSaadoun falls on Sunday, August 19. After the fasting month of Ramadan, people tend to loosen up a bit, and plans are already afoot on what to do and what not to.

People working for the government sector can draw up the best plans for they will be enjoying the maximum number of holidays while the private sector employees will have to abide by what their employers decide. Those expats who have long holidays and who dont have their families with them, plan to travel to where their families are and make best use of their holidays. But those expats who have just two days symbolic holidays cannot do much. But anywhere there is not much to do in Kuwait as one expat said he has two days off for Eid and doesnt know what to do. Perhaps, he said, this is the best time to clean up the mess lying around in the house, dust up the cobwebs and kill the cockroaches that have mushroomed in the kitchen!

Tongues Wag
Fun, frolics galore for young, old and family

Whats on, whats not during Eid Al-Fitr holidays

By Cinatra Fernandes
Arab Times Staff

f you are among the few left behind in the country while most in your peer group have flown out to make the most of the upcoming Eid Al Fitr holidays, do not dismay, merriment may still be on the cards. Between beaches, parks and other purlieus, there are many local fun spots that need a revisit and this is as good a time as any to do so.

Entertainment and Leisure

Kuwait Entertainment City: There is no surer way to have fun than at an amusement park, very few experiences compare to being atop a roller-coaster and enjoying the elevated view, just before a perilous plunge. The Kuwait Entertainment City, spread over a million square meters and situated away from the city will satiate each member of the family, young and old. Nothing releases endorphins quite like an escape from the everyday, from the Arab World to African boats, European cars and even a cowboy arena, the Entertainment City features exciting rides. Visitors can also travel through time in the Future World with rides like the Space Dome, the Massive Mixer, the Desert Storm and many arcade games. Restaurants and other facilities are available all around. During Eid, it will open at 4:30 pm and close at 1:30 am. For more information, call 24871875. Ice Skating Rink: While the Olympic spell has yet to fade, those inspired and enchanted can rush to the Ice Skating Rink, learn and practice for the Winter Olympics. The Ice Skating Rink is open on all days of Eid. The rink is open to visitors in one and half hour slots starting from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm with a break of half an hour in between each slot. The last slot will be from 8:30 pm to 10:00 pm. Visitors pay KD 1.5 for each time period. For more information, call 22411151. Swimming Pool Complex: If you havent dived into a pool this summer, it is highly recommended that you do so. The Swimming Pool Complex will be open from 9 am to 9 pm during the holidays. According to information provided by the Touristic Enterprises Co, it contains an Olympic-size pool, 25 m x 12 m in dimensions with a depth ranging from 80 cm to 2.25 m designated for men only. There is also a smaller indoor diving pool that holds four ladders which are 5 m high and two ladders that are 1 m high. This pool is 4 m deep and is designated for men and diving purposes only. The family section consists of a swimming pool for beginners with a depth ranging from 30 cm to 1.5 m. In addition, there are two other pools available that are fully equipped with acrobatic and

water games. Khairan Resort: Khairan Resort has many chalets, a number of restaurants to pack on the pounds, swimming pools, arenas for sport, an amusement hall with arcade games, billiard tables, bowling lanes, etc, available to its guests. For more information on services and reservations, call 23951122 or visit www.khiranresort.com. Green Island: Green Island is famed to be the first artificial island in the Gulf region. With an artificial lake, a Roman amphitheatre, restaurants and cafes and many activities for kids, the Green Island is sure to provide an enjoyable experience. The Island opens at 8 am and closes at 11 pm. For more information, call 22526153. Magic Planet: Those looking for indoor family entertainment must stop by Magic Planet at the Avenues that features several international awardwinning rides and games for all ages. The opening timings during Eid are 10 am to 12 pm. Live Theatre: If the summer has made you surly, head to the Live Theatre inside Discovery Mall to tickle your funny bone. On the second day of Eid, ALGAS Events presents That Comedy Show Stand-up comedy series in Kuwait: with a group of 3 local comedians Mohammed Aqua, Bashar Aljazzaf & Big Bad Angel. Tickets for the show cost between KD 15-20 per person and KD 150 for VIP tables and are available for purchase at their head office located in ALGAS Tower, 13th floor, Ahmad Al-Jaber Street, Sharq.

buffets with gourmet choices followed by mouth-watering selection of Arabic sweets and the tempting crepe corner. Children can also enjoy the spirit and joy of Eid with exciting activities such as face painting, thrilling magic shows, to mention just few of the various surprises awaiting them. Lunch is priced at KD 15 net per person. For bookings or more information please call 22253100. Radisson Blu: Eid Al Fitr lunch and dinner buffet will be served in the Rangoli Restaurant, open from 12 noon to 3.30 pm for lunch and from 6.30 pm to 11.00 pm for dinner. Both meals will have an assortment of International and Arabic salads, main courses and desserts. A live pasta station will also feature for lunch with shawarma, pasta, mixed grill and sushi stations for dinner. Children below 12 years of age, receive a special discount. Sheraton: The Italian Riccardo, Lebanese Le Tarbouche, Indian Bukhara and Iranian Shahrayar restaurants will open daily for lunch and dinner. International buffet at Al Hambra and Asseef at Four Points opens daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The English Tea Lounge at Sheraton, one of the best places for morning & afternoon tea will opens daily from 10:00 am until 12:00 midnight while its outlet at the Avenues Mall will be open from 9:00 am until midnight.

Embassies
Australian Embassy: The Australian Embassy will remain closed on Sunday, Aug 19 to and Monday, Aug 20, in addition to the weekend closures. The Embassy will reopen on Tuesday, Aug 21. Bangladesh Embassy: The Embassy of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh in Kuwait will remain closed from Aug 19 to Aug 25. Indian Embassy: The Embassy of India has announced that it will remain closed on Aug 20 (subject to change). South African Embassy: The South African Embassy will be closed from Aug 19 to Tuesday, Aug 21. The Embassy will resume its normal working hours of 8:00 to 16:00 and the Consular Section from 8:40 to 12:30 on Wednesday, Aug 22. Sri Lankan Embassy: The Embassy of Sri Lanka will remain closed from Sunday, Aug 19 to Tuesday, Aug 21. UK Embassy: The British Embassy will be closed on Sunday, Aug 19 until Tuesday, Aug 21. The Consular Section and the Visa Application Center will be closed on the same dates.
contact us on 25231015/6 or 97198222 or visit our website www.tiescenter.net

Dining
Marriott: During Eid, JW Marriotts La Brasserie will serve an upgraded buffet at KD 15 for an all inclusive lunch buffet and KD 14 for an all inclusive dinner buffet. Courtyard by Marriott will serve a KD 11.5 all inclusive upgraded buffet at the Atrium Restaurant. Other restaurants will be open for business as usual with regular timings as well. All prices are per person. Mvenpick Hotel & Resort at Al Bidaa: A colourful celebration awaits you at the Mvenpick Resort at Bidaa with amazing Eid Al Fitr offers. You can enjoy a city break at the Mvenpick Hotel & Resort Al Bidaa during Eid and take advantage of the special rooms offer starting from KD 69. This special offer is per room per night both single and double occupancy. While at the hotel you can relax in a cozy room, feast upon an inclusive delicious buffet breakfast and unwind by the pool. Tantalise your taste buds with diverse sumptuous buffets ranging from the colourful freshly caught seafood buffet, the delicious cuts prepared at our live cooking station and the rich assortment of international
new football supporters website for British expats living and working in Kuwait has been set up by an Everton supporter, Trevor Powell. The Kuwait Brits Football Supporters Association (KBFSA) site aims to provide contact information for supporters of each others whereabouts and also in the future hopes to organise social events such as quizzes and even five-a-side matches on a home international teams basis. We need expats to register their support and hence we can then start to cast around for a suitable meeting venue. The site can be accessed at www.kbfsa.co.uk.

A roller-coaster ride at one of the parks in Kuwait will be other exciting prizes as well. Teams desirous of enrolling in this tournament may kindly contact the below mentioned persons: Nicholas Fernandes (Nikus) - 97594881, Francis Rodrigues (Apollo) - 99109129, or the undersigned on Tel No. 67783234. every Friday at the Hawally Disabled Club and enjoy the best playing venue. For more details call: 66686954, 66714286, 60670660, 66473994, 66578035, 65931290, 66293790, or visit PABAK Facebook or email at rodcerezo@yahoo.com 24730137-99285459; Mangaf: 23723002 ext 124/123.

click
Art
Continued from Page 30
Platforms private collection will be displayed for public viewing. The exhibition Blue, Gray & Orange will feature more than 30 artworks on canvas, paper and prins by renowned and emerging artists from the Middle East such as: Assadour, Bahram Hajou, Dia AlAzzawi, Halim Karim, Hussein Madi, Jafar Islah, Katya Taraboulsi, Paul Guiragossian, Shawki Youssef, Thuraya Al-Baqsami and many more. Exhibition dates: August 1 30, 2012. Opening hours during Ramadan: Sunday-Thursday: 10am to 4:30 pm. After Iftar: Tuesday-Thursday: 8:30 to 11:00 pm. After Ramadan the timings will change to Sunday-Thursday from 10am to 8:30 pm. www.capkuwait.com

Free Malayalam Class: YMCA

Kuwait is conducting Malayalam Classes at different areas of Kuwait. The arrangements are in final stage and those who wish to co-operate with the free Malayalam education program by providing spaces for taking the classes or those who are willing to take the classes may contact the YMCA Members. For details and registrations, contact 99498369, 55120208.

General
Ugandans register with UIK: Are you
a Ugandan living and working in Kuwait? Would you like to get in touch with other Ugandans in Kuwait both socially and professionally? Then please get in touch with us. We would like to invite you to register with the Ugandans in Kuwait (UIK) association, an informal organization of Ugandans living and working in Kuwait. The purpose of this exercise is to get together as Ugandans and to consider taking the first steps to establishing a more formal organisation. This association is voluntary. It is designed to create a forum for Ugandans in Kuwait to foster a sense of community, to communicate more effectively with each other and to encourage Ugandans out here to work together. We are also planning a celebration to mark 50 years of Ugandans Independence this year. If you have any questions regarding this association or if you are interested in registering, then please send us an email at ugandansinkuwait@gmail.com. We hope to hear from you soon.

IBL commences registration: Indian Bowling League (IBL) Kuwait. Team registration begins for season 2. Kindly email uly334@gmail.com for registration forms or contact 99503348 after 6 pm only. PABAK registration: The PABAK 29th Basketball Conference opened on the 1st week of August 2012 at the Hawally Disabled Club. Categories are: Pro-Leaguers, NonLeaguers Veterans and Inter-Company. For the Pro-Leaguers, additional players from the open category are allowed to participate even if their names appear on the Facebook; for the Non-Leaguers, those who are new players or current players in PABAK with an average of 58 or and under are allowed to play. Registration is now open in the gym

FAST Shoot: Filipino Action Shooting

Team (FAST) officials, with the support of Gen. Ahmed Al Saleem would like to invite everyone to their Fun Shoot every Tuesday from 17:00-21:00 hours. For details contact: Butch Alinea 99816563, Danny San Juan 99540595 Carlos Gutierrez 97270371 and FAST Adviser Manny Cornelio 66737298.

AVC Football tournament: AVC

Overseas Sports & Cultural AssociationKuwait, will organize an All India Open Invitation Football tournament for Indian expatriates. The tournament will be played on a league cum knock-out basis for Indian expatriates as per the seven side format and will be held at the Public Authority for Youth & Sport Ground located at Bayan. Matches will be played on every Friday from 6:30 am onwards. The winners & runners up teams will be rewarded handsomely in addition there

Courses
Free Arabic course: Islam
Presentation Committee (IPC) and all its branches are opening free Arabic language course for ladies accessible in beginners and advanced levels. Islamic and Quran courses are also presented in different languages. Registration is on! Call the nearest IPC branch: Rawdah: 2251225797290278; Jahra: 24558830-97533948; Salmiya: 25733263-97533263; Khaitan:

Sports
Kwt-Brits football supporters: A

TIES Center French Classes: For the sake of the welfare of our kids, and in cooperation with the management of the TIES Center, the TIES French Speaking Club (TIES FSC) is pleased to announce the Summer Course Schedule for Kids. We offer the following courses, scheduled as described in the table below: 1) FK1 (French for Kids, Level 1), 2) QMRPK1 (Quraan Memorization and Recitation Practice for Kids), 3) MAK1 (Martial Arts for Kids (Basics)). For more information please

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

32

Intl Dialing Codes

Afghanistan 93; Algeria 213; Argentina 54; Australia 61; Austria 43; Bahrain 973; Bangladesh 880; Belgium 32; Bolovia 591; Brazil 55; Bulgaria 359; Canada 1; Chile 56; China 86; Colombia 57; Croatia 385; Cyprus 357; Denmark 45; Egypt 20; Finland 358; France 33; Germany 49; Ghana 233; Greece 30; Guatemala 502; Hong Kong 852; Hungary

civil ID info

1889988
234; Norway 47; Oman 968; Pakistan 92; Philippines 63; Poland 48; Portugal 351; Qatar 974; Russia 7; Saudi Arabia 966; Singapore 65; Somalia 252; South Africa 27; Spain 34; Sri Lanka 94; Sudan 249; Sweden 46; Switzerland 41; Syria 963; Turkey 90; United Arab Emirates 971; United Kingdom 44; United States 1; Venezuela 58; Yemen 967; Zambia 260.

Important Tel. Nos.

Electricity: Kuwait City 24847329, 2484704; Fahaheel 23915300, 23911333; Hawalli 22650702/4; Kuwait City 24832933; Hawalli 22627728, 22627729; Jahra 24578380; Kheitan 24722935/7; Salmiya 25712259, 25711130; Shuwaikh 24831781; Street lights 24745408. Water: Emergency (drains) 24834044; Ahmadi 23984755, 23984926; Jahra 24553640, 24555231; Salmiya 25642104; Shuwaikh 24832933, 24832987; Sulaibikhat 24677378, 24674568. Hospitals: Amiri Casualty 22450005; Al Sabah 24812000/24815000; Mubarak Al Kabeer 25312700 to 709; Farwaniya 24883000, 24888000; Adan 23940600; Ibn Sina 24840300; Al Razi 24846000; Al Jahra 24575300; Maternity 24848067; Allergy 24849252; Blood Bank 25336538; Burns Centre 24840300; Cancer Control Centre 24849100; Chest Diseases 24838990, 24849400; Drug Control 24837245; Infectious Diseases 24870351; Islamic Medicine Centre 24849000. Private Hospitals: Ahmadi 23985174; Dar Al Shifa 22423151. Ambulance: Central 24722000; Emergency 24765616; Adan 23940660/23941455; Amiri Hospital 22422366; Daiya 22510854; Dasman 22419785; Fahaheel 23919089; Faihaa 22553779; Farwaniya 24883000; Farwaniya 24725149; Jahra 24575448; Mubarak Al-Kabir 25311437; Nuwaisib 23950114; Sabah 24815000; Salmiya 25739011; Shuaiba 23261927. Consumer Protection Hotline: 24820281/25720252. Traffic Violation Inquiry: 198 The Scientific Center: 1848888. Labour Complaints Hotline: Tel 24344954, Fax 24347562. Social Work Society of Kuwait (Human Rights Organization): Tel 25375031, Fax 25375032 E-mail: Q8sws@q8sws.com, http://www.q8sws.com

36; India 91; Indonesia 62; Iran 98; Iraq 964; Ireland 353; Italy 390; Japan 81; Jordan 962; Kazakhstan 7; Kenya 254; Korea 82; Kuwait 965; Lebanon 961; Libya 218; Luxembourg 352; Malaysia 60; Malta 356; Mauritius 230; Mexico 52; Morocco 212; Nepal 977; Netherlands 31; New Zealand 64; Nigeria

home decor

indoor gardening

beauty tips

taste buds

vase fillers
Supplies: Foam balls Colorful pulses Hot glue Instructions: Place the pulses on a plate, apply glue to the foam and roll it on the plate. Let it sit for sometime, then shake off the excess. Set aside to dry completely.

oeoniella polystachys
This orchid is found in Madagascar, Seychelles and Comoros. A well grown plant will produce multiple spikes of very fragrant flowers. The flowers are small with lateral sepal. Night fragrant which is surprisingly strong for one small flower. Spicy-floral type scent. Site: Needs good drainage and ventilation. It is best grown in pots or baskets with high humidity and moderate shade. Temperature: Warm temperature. Water: Ample year round water.

aging egg mask

Ingredients: 1 egg yolk 1 tbsp honey 1 tbsp yogurt 1 tbsp sugar Instructions: Mix all the ingredients and beat them smoothly either by spoon or in blender. Now apply it smoothly to all over face and leave for about 25 minutes. Then simply wash with cold water.

egg rice
Ingredients:1 cup raw rice; 1 egg; 1 onion (minced); 1 green chilli (minced); 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste; 1 pinch of-turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala; salt to taste; 1 tsp coriander leaves (minced); 2-3 curry leaves. Method: Boil the rice using 1 - 3/4 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Saute the onion and green chilli in 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute. Now add turmeric chilli powder, garam-masala and salt and mix well. Add rice and mix well. Lightly beat the egg and pour over the rice mixture and keep stirring often till the rice is dry. Garnish with the coriander leaves and curry leaves.

Challenger
DIRECTIONS:
Fill each square with a number, one through nine. Horizontal squares should add to totals on right. Vertical squares should add to totals on bottom. Diagonal squares through center should add to total in upper and lower right. Yesterdays solution THERE MAY BE MORE THAN ONE SOLUTION. Todays Challenge Time 9 Minutes 32 Seconds Your Working Time __ Minutes __ Seconds

whats on today
THURSDAY
OVBS commences: Kuwait St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox MahaEdavaka is organizing the Orthodox Vacation Bible School (OVBS) 2012 at NECK (National Evangelical Church Kuwait) premises from Aug 2 to Aug 16. Preparations are already underway on the theme We are all one in Christ Galatians 3:28. The highlight every year is the new OVBS Songs which delights the students of all age groups from Pre Kindergarten to the 12th class Seniors. Twenty member OVBS Band is in full swing preparation to make the August event a memorable one. OVBS on-line registration commenced on www.iocq8.org Students are requested to register online and shall contact Mr Jacob Mobile 99619017 for transportation. CSI Tamil Worship: The worship service of St Johns Tamil CSI Church Kuwait is conducted by an ordained Presbyter on all Saturdays from 7 pm to 9 pm at the South Tent of the NECK Campus. Holy Communion is served on 1st and 3rd week of every month. Sunday School on all Saturday, Bible study on all Thursdays and Choir practice on all Fridays. Womens Fellowship and Christian Endeavour Fellowship are held once in a month regularly. For further details please contact Rev D. Justin Devadhason on phone 25637879, 66162954. Dar Al Funoon Exhibition: Dar Al Funoon cordially invites you to Letters in Motion, through the Holy Month of Ramadan. The exhibition will feature works by Ali Hassan, Ali Omar Ermes, Fareed Abdal, Reza Derakhshani, Hamza Bounoua, Rima Farah, Jamal Abdul Rahim. Exhibition Hours: Sunday to Thursday: 10 am 1 pm and 4 8 pm and Friday and Saturday by appointment. Getting To The Gallery: Al-Watiah, Behbehani Compound, House No. 28. For further information call +965 2243 3138 or visit www.daralfunoon-kw.com & news.daralfunoon-kw. First AG Church Meetings: First Assembly of God Church Kuwait Worship Meetings on all Fridays from 9:30 am 12:15 pm and Fasting Prayer on all Thursdays from 7 pm - 9:15 pm at NECK Compound (Hall of Hope, Ground Floor, Front of Baptism Pool) Kuwait City. Cottage meetings on all Mondays from 7.30 pm - 9 pm at scheduled places. Fasting prayer on third Wednesday, Thursday & Friday of every month. Sunday School on all Fridays from 7.30 am - 9 am at Abbasiya Parsonage (Abbasiya Supermarket bldg). Ladies prayer meeting on Wednesdays from 5 pm - 7 pm at scheduled places. C.A Youth Meeting on last Thursday of every month from 7 pm - 9 pm. Transportation provided to all parts of Kuwait. For more information contact Pastor V.D Thomas (97251639/24312630), Bro Abraham George (99384503/24768495). www.firstagkuwait.com. E-mail: firstagkwt@gmail.com. KTCC activities: Worship service every Wednesday 7:00-9:00 pm at North Tent, NECK. Childrens Bible School every Wednesday 7 to 9 pm at Activity Building, NECK. Overnight prayer every 1st Thursday from 10 pm 4:00 am at Diwaniya, NECK. Communion Service every 3rd Wednesday. The Following meeting are held at our KTCC Prayer House: 1) Children Bible School Teachers Prayer 1st Saturday 7 to 9 pm. 2) Childrens Prayer 2nd Friday 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. 3) Bible Study every 2nd and 4th Sunday at 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm. 4) ISOM Batch 1 Class Tuesdays 7 to 9 pm and Batch 2 Class Fridays 4 to 6 pm.

emergency number

112

Items for the Whats On page can be sent directly to the Arab Times, P.O. Box 2270, 13023, Safat or faxed to 24818267 or e-mail to arabtimes@arabtimesonline.com. All items on this page are published as a courtesy to the public. These announcements can include birthday greetings, weddings, social functions or any other non-commercial events. Photographs of all events are welcome.

For more information please contact us on 25231015/6, 97226690 or visit our website on www.tiescenter.net Holy Quran classes: Emanway Foundation Musk is offering classes to teach English-speaking ladies (and girls ages 5 and up) to read the Holy Quran in Arabic. The method is al-Qaedah Noorania, a traditional program which has been used for many years around the world. (Note: Al-Qaedah simply means base; this can be likened to a basic phonics program.) No Arabic knowledge is required. Every Friday from 4:00 to 5:15 pm, beginning Oct 4. Al-Salam Area (south Surra), Block 2, Street 201, House 30. Classes are free, but seats are limited, so register now by calling 66274724. KCK worship: Karnataka Congregation in Kuwait (KCK) minister to the Christian community arriving in Kuwait from the state of Karnataka, India. Join us in worshipping the Lord 6 pm Every Friday Hall of Hope (Upper Room near the Baptism Tank) NECK Church Compound, Kuwait City English Service. 4 pm Every Friday (except the last Friday of the month) Annexe Hall, NECK-Kannada service. 10 am Every Friday (except the last Friday of the month) Fahaheel English/Kannada Service. Contact: Pastor Shalom 25616845 or 99929529. Tagalog Khutba for Filipinos: The Ministry of Awqaf, Islam Presentation Committee, & Kuwait Philippine Cultural Center (KPC Center) invites all Filipino Muslim & Muslima to hear Khutba (Sermon) in Tagalog every Friday at Marzouq Al-Badr Mosque, Abu Bakr AlSiddeeq St (at the back of Ambassador Supermarket and SM Supermarket, near Salhiya Police Station & Kuwait Airways Bldg) in Kuwait City. There will be a community gathering and lunch after Friday prayers at KPC Center in Farwaniya. For further information, please call KPC Center, Tel 4712574. El Shaddai weekly fellowship: The El Shaddai DWXI-PPFI Kuwait Chapter invites all the Filipino in our weekly fellowship. Every Monday, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm St Joseph Hall (Basement), Holy Family Cathedral, Kuwait City. Every Friday (except 1st Friday), 12:30 pm to 4 pm, Sacred Heart Hall, Holy Family Cathedral, Kuwait City. For more information please call any of the following nos: 66758948, 66523946, 99615956, 99495832, 66078953 and 67067956. BBBC weekly services: Bible Believers Baptist Church (BBBC) in Mangaf invites you to visit us for our weekly services in English. Friday morning Bible teaching starts at 10:30 am. The Sermon and Childrens Church begins at noon. On Monday evening we hold our prayer meeting and Bible study at 7 pm. For more details, please call 66220416 or email faithful.stewards@gmail.com

A Photo from the event

Swadesh Magazine hosts Iftar

Celebrating the blessed month of Ramadan, Swadesh Magazine authority in Kuwait hosted a grand iftar and prayer mahfil on Aug 7, at Rajdhani Hotel in Kuwait City. The program was presided over by the editor of Swadesh Magazine Mohammed Masud Karim. Biman Bangladesh Airlines Country Manager in Kuwait A.S.M. Nazrul Islam attended the program as the honorable chief guest. Among the special guests were respectively, Swadesh Magazine advisor Mahfuzur Rahaman, Bangladesh Awami League Kuwait Chapters Convener Rafiqul Islam Bhulu, Awami League Leader Belal Faruk, M. Azadur Rahaman, President in charge of Awami Jubo League Kuwait Selim Jahangir, Literature Mohammed Ali Azam. The program commenced with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran. Mohammed Masud Karim delivered the opening speech. The chief guest A.S.M. Nazrul Islam in his speech urged Kuwait expatriate Bengalis to extend their helping hand as par ability to the needy countrymen. A cross section of expatriate political, cultural, journalist and business community pioneers attended the program. The notable among them were member secretary of Bangladesh Awami League Kuwait chapters convening committee Mainuddin Moeen, member Nazrul Islam, Alauddin, Nur Nabi Khondakar, Awami League leader Abdul Mannan, Vice-President of Awami Jubo League Sanaul Karim, Saiful Islam Mansur, Vice-President of Seschsasebak League Mohiuddin Chowdhury, Shah Jalal Ahmed Selim, Joint Secretary Kabir Hosen, Organizing Secretary Delwar Hosen, Office Secretary Abul Hosen Rashed, Finance Secretary Shahadat Hosen Salman, Co-operative Affairs Secretary Mohammed Shahadat, B.N.P. Kuwait Chapter Vice-President Al Amin Swapan, Friday Forum Kuwaits President and L.D.P. Kuwait chapters General Secretary Touhidul Islam Harun, Satelite Television Bangla Vision and Prime News BD 24.coms General Secretary Kamrul Hasan Bablu, Bangladesh Swommilito Midia Groups General Secretary Murshedul Alam, Editor of Ekushey Bangla Jahangir Hosen Bablu, Monthly Madinar Pathey Editor Sharif Mizanur Rahaman, renowned writer, poet Murshed Alam Badal, Bangladesh Reporters Unity Kuwaits President Mainuddin Sumon, Mrittika Editor Poet Selim Reza, Probasi Sahittya Parisad General Secretary Poet Abdur Rahim, renowned businessman Shah Faruk Ahmed, Mohammad Kamal, M.A. Samad Pasha, Touhidul Alam Chowdhury, Kazi Munna and Zafar Ahammad. In the prayer mahfil afore iftar a special prayer was offered seeking divine grace for the nation. The prayer mahfil was conducted by Hafez Abdul Malik.

Conceptis Sudoku
The grid must be so completed that every row, column and 3x3 box has every digit from 1 to 9 inclusive.

Answer to yesterdays puzzle

5) Choir Practice Mondays 6 to 8 pm. 6) Mens Fellowship 4th Friday 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. 7) Womens Prayer (Abbasiya) 3rd Sunday 6:30 to 8:30 pm and (Salmiya) 4th Tuesday 6:30 to 8:30 pm. 8) Fasting Prayer every 3rd Friday from 12:00 Noon 3:30 pm. 9) Cottage Prayers every 2nd and 4th Week. 10) Baptism Service every 4th Friday. Welcome to all Tamil known people to participate in our regular activities to worship the Lord in our own mother tongue and be blessed! For details or for any prayer needs contact Tel No: 66920350 / 99432849.

Quadrangle, Salmiya.

KALA Badminton Tournament: The sports wing of KALA-Kuwait has announced Shuttle Badminton Tounament (Doubles), scheduled to be conducted on Aug 17, 2012 at Fahaheel Sports Club. The tournament will start at 7.00 am with the partcipation of 27 teams representing different units of KALA-Kuwait. The price destribution for the winners shall be conducted in the concluding ceremony of the tournament. For further details Johnson George (Sports Secretary) of KALA Kuwait shall be contacted in his cell 66522381 Powervision prayer fellowship: Every Friday from 7-9 pm at Balansiya Bakery baseball hall (Grace Fellowship Hall) in Abbassiya. Holy Spirit filled praise and worship by Powervision Choir. Pastor V.D. Thomas (pastor first assembly of God Church Kuwait) shall preach today from the powerful sharper than double edged sword word of God. Kindly do attend with family, friends, relatives and neighbours and be blessed to hear your master and creators voice in Heaven in these end times! All are welcome. For more details contact Aby - 66242608, Shaji - 66829473, Raju - 97342294. TIES Friday sermon: TIES Center cordially invites you to Jumaa sermon every Friday at Al-Sanad Mosque (behind Islamic Institute) address Qurtuba, Block 2, Street 6 (behind Islamic Institute).

FRIDAY
Ramadan Sports Mania 2012: Don Bosco Oratory-Kuwait will present the following sports events as part of Ramadan Sports Mania 2012: 4-a-side Rink Football tournament. Contact Philip 66047730. 7-a-side Box Cricket tournament for Men & Ladies. Call Vicky 97137928. 7-a-side Throw Ball tournament for Ladies. For more info, contact Ronny 97326549. Table Tennis and Carrom Tournaments. Ring Jayan 66369418 for details. This year the organizers have planned a lot of surprises for both the audience and for those who are participating in the above six (6) events to be held at IEAS

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

33

Couch slouch
Lopez signs with CAA

Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte lands first TV role

LOS ANGELES, Aug 15, (RTRS): Olympic champion swimmer Ryan Lochte, who emerged as one of the hottest new stars from the London Games, has signed on for his first acting role. Lochte, 28, who won two gold medals in London, will play himself in a cameo appearance in the high-school TV series 90210 in October, producers said on Tuesday. The US swimmer will cross paths with Naomi Clark, played by AnnaLynne McCord, and Max Miller (Josh Zuckerman), at a resort where they are trying to rebuild their rocky relationship. When we found out Ryan Lochte was going to be in town and might appear on 90210, we felt like wed won a gold medal! Team USA are allstars in our book, and were so excited hes making an appearance on the show, executive producers Patti Carr and Lara Olsen said in a statement. We only wish the episode was a surf event so we could have gotten him in the water, but he deserves a little rest on dry land, they added. Lochte has been busy fielding offers from Hollywood since he made a splash at London 2012. He said last week he was moving from Florida to Los Angeles and would love to appear on TV contest Dancing with the Stars or The Bachelor.

her music and other ventures, her publicist said in a statement. Lopez, who recently parted ways with American Idol, will be represented by Kevin Huvane, Hylda Queally and Jenna Adler.

Jennifer Lopez has signed with Creative Artists Agency. The singer and actress left her longtime agent at UTA and joined CAA Monday. Lopez made the decision as she decided to focus more time on film projects,

HBO has ordered a pilot from Big Love creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer based on the British medical comedy Getting On. The British series premiered on BBC Four in 2009. It follows employees at a backwater hospital as they cope with red tape and political correctness while treating elderly patients. The HBO show will realign Olsen and Scheffer with the network that aired Big Love for five seasons.

the satellite providers latest dispute over fees, Sinclair Broadcast Group stations in 45 cities could go dark at midnight. Thats when the retransmission agreement allowing Dish to carry Sinclair expires. Dish had a similar dispute with Hoak Media stations in June that prevented Dish customers from watching those channels until an agreement was reached. Dish is also locked in a dispute that is keeping it from offering AMC Networks. Dish says Sinclair is asking for an excessive increase in the fees Dish pays to air its stations, which include ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC channels, as well as CW and MyNetwork affiliates. The fees would be passed on to the public, Dish said.

deflect questions about his recent issues with Kristen Stewart during an appearance Monday on The Daily Show. But Jon Stewart was there with two pints of ice cream goodness to try to pick up the pieces. The last time I had a bad break-up, Ben & Jerrys got me through some of the tougher times, Stewart told Pattinson. Were just a couple of gals talking... tell me everything, he coaxed.

2012. Reality programming veterans Jonathan Murray and David McKillop have been elected as the inaugural Governors for the new Reality Programming Peer Group. Murray will serve a term ending in December of 2013 while McKillops term will conclude in December of 2012.

Dish Network is in a familiar spot: In

Robert Pattinson awkwardly tried to

Six-time Emmy winner Lily Tomlin has been elected as a Governor of the Television Academys Performers Peer Group, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences announced Tuesday. Tomlin will serve out the term of Performer Peer Group Governor Kathryn Joosten, who passed away in June. The term will end in December of

Breaking an agonizing silence, Charlie Sheen has returned to Twitter after a month-long absence. But dont look for any proclamations regarding tiger blood, last March, when he first signed onto the social media service. Sheen blew the dust off his Twitter account Tuesday to promote his father Martin Sheens guest appearance on Thursdays episode of Charlies FX sitcom Anger Management.

tv highlights
Disney Channel
06:00 Fish Hooks 06:15 Timon And Pumbaa 06:40 So Random 07:05 Wizards Of Waverly Place 07:30 Good Luck Charlie 07:55 Shake It Up 08:20 Phineas And Ferb 08:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 09:10 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 09:25 Handy Manny 09:35 The Hive 09:45 Mouk 10:00 Jonas Los Angeles 10:25 So Random 10:50 Hannah Montana Forever 11:15 Fish Hooks 11:40 Jake & Blake 12:05 Sonny With A Chance 12:30 Wizards Of Waverly Place 12:55 Phineas And Ferb 13:05 Phineas And Ferb 13:20 Timon And Pumbaa 13:45 Suite Life On Deck 14:10 Suite Life On Deck 14:35 Suite Life On Deck 15:00 Suite Life On Deck 15:25 Suite Life On Deck 15:50 Phineas And Ferb 16:10 Cars Toons 16:15 Jessie 16:40 A.N.T. Farm 17:00 Johnny Tsunami 18:30 Jessie 18:55 A.N.T. Farm 19:20 Good Luck Charlie 19:45 Good Luck Charlie 20:10 So Random 20:35 Cars Toons 20:50 Suite Life On Deck 21:15 Jonas Los Angeles 21:40 Shake It Up 22:05 Good Luck Charlie 22:30 Good Luck Charlie 22:55 Wizards Of Waverly Place 23:20 Wizards Of Waverly Place 23:45 Kim Possible 00:10 Fairly Odd Parents 00:35 Fairly Odd Parents 01:00 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 01:25 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 01:50 Replacements 02:15 Replacements 02:40 Emperor's New School 03:05 Emperor's New School 03:30 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 03:55 Brandy & Mr Whiskers 04:20 Replacements 04:45 Replacements 05:10 Fairly Odd Parents 05:35 Fairly Odd Parents 06:00 Fish Hooks

tv today
Rules 15:35 Powerpuff Girls 16:25 The Amazing World Of Gumball 16:40 Johnny Test 17:00 Level Up 17:30 Regular Show 17:55 Green Lantern: The Animated Series 18:20 Batman: The Brave And The Bold 18:45 Young Justice 19:10 Bakugan: Mechtanium Surge 19:35 Adventure Time 20:00 Ben 10 20:25 Ben 10 20:50 Ben 10 21:15 Grim Adventures Of... 22:00 Codename: Kids Next Door 22:50 Ben 10 23:15 Ben 10 23:40 Chowder 00:30 Bakugan: New Vestroia 00:55 Bakugan: New Vestroia 01:20 Powerpuff Girls 02:10 Courage The Cowardly Dog 03:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 03:25 Ben 10 03:50 Adventure Time 04:15 Powerpuff Girls 04:40 Generator Rex 05:05 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:30 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 05:55 Angelo Rules 06:00 The Marvelous Misadventures...

06:05 American Loggers

Forensics 04:30 The Haunted 05:20 Crime Scene Psychics 06:10 Disappeared

Nat Geo Channel HD

06:00 Untamed Americas 07:00 Naked Science 08:00 Megacities 09:00 Britain's Underworld 10:00 Britain's Greatest Machines 11:00 Megacities 12:00 Monster Moves 13:00 Prehistoric Predators 14:00 Untamed Americas 15:00 Naked Science 16:00 World's Toughest Fixes 17:00 Britain's Underworld 18:00 Britain's Greatest Machines 19:00 Megacities 20:00 The Known Universe 21:00 Brilliant Beasts 22:00 Which Way To 23:00 Naked Science 00:00 World's Toughest Fixes 01:00 Caught In The Act 02:00 Street Monkeys 03:00 Megacities 04:00 The Known Universe 05:00 Brilliant Beasts 06:00 Which Way To

Animal Planet
06:10 Rescue Vet 06:35 RSPCA: Have You Got What It Takes? 07:00 Karina: Wild On Safari 07:25 Crocodile Hunter 08:15 Dick 'n' Dom Go Wild 08:40 Breed All About It 09:10 Natural Born Hunters 09:35 The Really Wild Show 10:05 Wildest Africa 11:00 Wildlife SOS 11:25 Orangutan Island 11:55 Animal Cops Houston 12:50 Escape To Chimp Eden 13:15 Escape To Chimp Eden 13:45 Animal Precinct 14:40 Wildest Africa 15:30 Karina: Wild On Safari 16:00 Dick 'n' Dom Go Wild 16:30 Pandamonium 17:25 Britain's Worst Pet 17:50 Britain's Worst Pet 18:20 Dogs 101 19:15 Wildlife SOS 19:40 Orangutan Island 20:10 Monkey Life 20:35 Snake Crusader With Bruce George 21:05 Wildest Africa 22:00 Whale Wars 22:55 Venom Hunter With Donald Schultz 23:50 Animal Cops Houston 00:45 I'm Alive 01:40 Untamed & Uncut 02:35 Whale Wars 03:30 Venom Hunter With Donald Schultz 04:25 Wildest Africa 05:20 Monkey Life 05:45 Snake Crusader With Bruce George 06:10 Escape To Chimp Eden

Back To Basics 01:20 Barefoot Contessa Back To Basics 01:45 Cooking For Real 02:10 Cooking For Real 02:35 Hungry Girl 03:00 Hungry Girl 03:25 Grill It! With Bobby Flay 03:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 04:15 Meat & Potatoes 04:40 Unwrapped 05:05 Unique Eats 05:30 Chopped 06:10 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics

BBC Lifestyle
06:10 MasterChef 06:35 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 07:00 MasterChef Australia 07:45 MasterChef Australia 08:35 What Not To Wear 09:25 What Not To Wear 10:20 Bargain Hunt 11:05 Antiques Roadshow 11:55 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 12:40 10 Years Younger 13:30 Masterchef: The Professionals 14:25 Masterchef: The Professionals 14:55 Bargain Hunt 15:40 Antiques Roadshow 16:30 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 17:10 Come Dine With Me 18:00 Nigel Slater's Simple Suppers 18:25 The Hairy Bikers Ride Again 18:50 Rick Stein's French Odyssey 19:20 James Martin's Champagne 19:45 Come Dine With Me 20:35 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 21:20 Antiques Roadshow 22:15 Bargain Hunt 23:00 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 23:45 Holmes On Homes 00:35 Come Dine With Me 01:25 Masterchef: The Professionals 02:20 Masterchef: The Professionals 02:50 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 03:15 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 03:40 Saturday Kitchen 2008/09 04:05 MasterChef 04:35 Living In The Sun 05:20 Living In The Sun 06:05 MasterChef

21:25 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 21:40 Special Agent Oso 21:55 Little Einsteins 22:20 Timmy Time 22:30 Jungle Junction 22:45 Handy Manny 22:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 23:20 Special Agent Oso 23:35 Special Agent Oso 23:50 Lazytown 00:15 Little Einsteins 00:40 Jungle Junction 00:55 Jungle Junction 01:10 Little Einsteins 01:30 Special Agent Oso 01:45 Special Agent Oso 02:00 Lazytown 02:25 Little Einsteins 02:50 Jungle Junction 03:05 Jungle Junction 03:20 Little Einsteins 03:40 Special Agent Oso 03:55 Special Agent Oso 04:10 Lazytown 04:35 Little Einsteins 05:00 Jungle Junction 05:15 Jungle Junction 05:30 Little Einsteins 05:50 Special Agent Oso 05:59 Special Agent Oso 06:15 Jungle Junction

Discovery Science
06:05 Perfect Disaster 07:00 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 07:50 Head Rush 07:53 Weird Connections 08:20 Sci-Fi Science 08:50 Sport Science 09:40 Scrapheap Challenge 10:30 Sport Science 11:20 Sport Science 12:10 Sport Science 13:00 Sport Science 13:50 Sport Science 14:45 Sport Science 15:35 The Gadget Show 16:00 Head Rush 16:03 Weird Connections 16:30 Sci-Fi Science 17:00 Perfect Disaster 17:50 Sport Science 18:40 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 19:30 Sci-Fi Science 19:55 Sci-Fi Science 20:20 Bang Goes The Theory 20:45 Bang Goes The Theory 21:10 The Gadget Show 21:35 The Gadget Show 22:00 Prank Science 22:25 Prank Science 22:50 Bang Goes The Theory 23:15 Bang Goes The Theory 23:40 Sport Science 00:35 Mighty Ships 01:25 Perfect Disaster 02:15 Prank Science 02:40 Prank Science 03:05 The Gadget Show 03:35 Scrapheap Challenge 04:25 Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman 05:15 Mighty Ships 06:05 Perfect Disaster

Disney XD
06:00 Kid vs Kat 06:20 Pokemon: Black And White 06:45 Rated A For Awesome 07:10 Kickin It 07:35 Phineas And Ferb 08:00 Phineas And Ferb 08:10 Phineas And Ferb 08:25 Pair Of Kings 08:50 Kick Buttowski 09:15 Zeke & Luther 09:40 I'm In The Band 10:05 Phineas And Ferb 10:30 Kid vs Kat 10:55 The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes 11:20 Aaron Stone 11:45 Rekkit Rabbit 12:10 American Dragon 12:35 Kick Buttowski 13:00 Phineas And Ferb 13:25 I'm In The Band 13:45 Kid vs Kat 14:10 Pair Of Kings 14:35 Zeke & Luther 15:00 Fort Boyard - Ultimate Challenge 15:25 Rekkit Rabbit 15:50 Rated A For Awesome 16:15 Kickin It 16:40 Pair Of Kings 17:05 Zeke & Luther 17:30 Mr. Young 18:00 Phineas And Ferb 18:10 Phineas And Ferb 18:25 Phineas And Ferb 18:35 Phineas And Ferb 18:50 Phineas And Ferb 19:00 Phineas And Ferb 19:15 Phineas And Ferb 19:40 Phineas And Ferb 19:50 Phineas And Ferb 20:05 Zeke & Luther 20:30 Zeke & Luther 20:55 Mr. Young 21:20 Aaron Stone 21:45 The Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes 22:10 Phineas And Ferb 22:35 Kid vs Kat 23:00 Programmes Start At 6:00am KSA 06:00 Kid vs Kat

Nat Geo Wild

05:35 Built For The Kill 06:30 Hidden Worlds 06:55 Hidden Worlds 07:25 America's Greatest Animals 09:15 Python Hunters 10:10 Swamp Men 11:05 Animal Fugitives 12:00 Monster Fish 13:00 Animals Of Brazil 13:30 Indonesia Beyond The Reefs 14:00 Hunter Hunted 15:00 Africa's Deadliest 16:00 Python Hunters 17:00 Swamp Men 18:00 The Invaders 19:00 Hidden Worlds 19:30 Hidden Worlds 20:00 America's Greatest Animals 22:00 Python Hunters 23:00 Swamp Men 00:00 Animal Fugitives 01:00 Fish Warrior 01:55 Swamp Lions 02:50 Built for the Kill 03:45 Lion Battle Zone 04:40 Wild Russia 05:35 Built For The Kill 06:30 Swamp Lions

E! Entertainment
06:00 THS 07:50 Behind The Scenes 08:20 E! News 09:15 Khloe And Lamar 09:45 Khloe And Lamar 10:15 40 (More) Crimes Of Fashion 12:05 E! News 13:05 Mrs. Eastwood And Company 13:35 Mrs. Eastwood And Company 14:05 Kourtney & Kim Take New York 15:00 Style Star 15:30 E!es 16:25 Behind The Scenes 16:55 Ice Loves Coco 17:25 Ice Loves Coco 17:55 E! News 18:55 E!es 19:55 Giuliana & Bill 20:55 Mrs. Eastwood And Company 21:25 Fashion Police 22:25 E! News 23:25 Chelsea Lately 23:55 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 00:25 Keeping Up With The Kardashians 00:55 Style Star 01:25 THS 02:20 THS 03:15 Behind The Scenes 03:40 Extreme Close-Up 04:10 Sexiest 05:05 E!es 06:00 THS

OSN Comedy
06:00 Friends 06:30 Samantha Who? 07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 08:30 2 Broke Girls 09:00 Weird Science 09:30 Parks And Recreation 10:00 Parks And Recreation 10:30 Samantha Who? 11:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 12:00 Friends 12:30 Friends 13:00 Weird Science 13:30 Samantha Who? 14:00 Community 14:30 Parks And Recreation 15:00 Parks And Recreation 15:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 16:00 The Colbert Report 16:30 Friends 17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 18:00 Bent 18:30 Community 19:00 Don't Trust The B In Apartment 23 19:30 How I Met Your Mother 20:00 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 21:00 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 21:30 The Colbert Report 22:00 Family Guy 22:30 Tyler Perry's House Of Payne 23:00 Seinfeld 23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon 00:30 The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 01:00 The Colbert Report 01:30 Friends 02:00 Friends 02:30 Seinfeld 03:00 Bent 03:30 Community 04:30 The Tonight Show With Jay Leno 05:30 Weird Science 06:00 Friends

The Style Network

06:05 Clean House 07:00 Videofashion News 07:30 Videofashion News 08:00 Videofashion Daily 09:00 Open House 09:30 Videofashion News 10:00 How Do I Look? 10:55 Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? 11:55 Clean House 12:50 Videofashion News 13:20 Mel B: It's A Scary World 13:50 The Amandas 14:45 How Do I Look? 15:40 How Do I Look? 16:35 The Amandas 17:30 The Amandas 18:25 How Do I Look? 19:25 How Do I Look? 20:20 Kimora: Life In The Fab Lane 21:15 Glam Fairy 22:10 Big Rich Texas 23:05 Jerseylicious 00:00 Jerseylicious 01:00 Bridalplasty 01:55 Videofashion Daily 02:50 Videofashion News 03:20 How Do I Look? 04:15 Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? 05:10 Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? 06:05 Clean House

General

Nat Geo Adventure HD

06:00 Into The Drink 06:30 Into The Drink 07:00 Danger Beach 07:30 Danger Beach 08:00 Kimchi Chronicles 08:30 Kimchi Chronicles 09:00 One Man & His Campervan 09:30 One Man & His Campervan 10:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 11:00 Bondi Rescue 11:30 Bondi Rescue 12:00 Into The Drink 12:30 Into The Drink 13:00 Danger Beach 13:30 Danger Beach 14:00 Kimchi Chronicles 14:30 Kimchi Chronicles 15:00 One Man & His Campervan 15:30 One Man & His Campervan 16:00 Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled 17:00 Bondi Rescue 17:30 Bondi Rescue 18:00 Graham's World 18:30 Graham's World 19:00 Around The World For Free 20:00 Market Values 20:30 Market Values 21:00 Food Lover's Guide To The Planet 21:30 Pressure Cook 22:00 Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy 23:00 Danger Beach 23:30 Danger Beach 00:00 Travel Oz 00:30 Travel Oz 01:00 Around The World For Free 02:00 Market Values 02:30 Market Values 03:00 Food Lover's Guide To The Planet 03:30 Pressure Cook 04:00 Bite Me With Dr. Mike Leahy 05:00 Danger Beach 05:30 Danger Beach 06:00 Travel Oz

Discovery HD Showcase
06:10 Cafe Racer 06:35 Cafe Racer 07:00 Motor City Motors 07:50 Twist The Throttle 08:35 Ultimate Survival 09:25 How It's Made 09:50 American Chopper 10:35 Mythbusters 11:25 Cafe Racer 11:50 Cafe Racer 12:10 Motor City Motors 13:00 Twist The Throttle 13:50 Ultimate Survival 14:35 Fantastic Festivals Of The World 15:25 Da Vinci's Machines 16:15 Deadliest Catch 17:00 Into The Unknown With Josh Bernstein 17:50 Treasure Quest 18:40 Ultimate Survival 19:30 Fantastic Festivals Of The World 20:20 Cafe Racer 20:45 Cafe Racer 21:10 Da Vinci's Machines 22:00 Into The Unknown With Josh Bernstein 22:50 Treasure Quest 23:40 Deadliest Catch 00:30 American Chopper 01:15 Ultimate Survival 02:05 Fantastic Festivals Of The World 02:50 Into The Unknown With Josh Bernstein 03:40 Mythbusters 04:30 Sunrise Earth International 05:25 Da Vinci's Machines 06:10 Cafe Racer

The History Channel

06:00 Ax Men 07:00 Pawn Stars 07:30 Storage Wars 08:00 Decoded 09:00 Battle 360 10:00 Pawn Stars 10:30 Storage Wars 11:00 Ax Men 12:00 Lock N' Load 13:00 Top Shot 14:00 Battle 360 15:00 Decoded 16:00 Lock N' Load 17:00 Top Shot 18:00 Battle 360 19:00 Decoded 20:00 Pawn Stars 20:30 Storage Wars 21:00 Ax Men 22:00 Ice Road Truckers 23:00 Ice Road Truckers 00:00 Pawn Stars 00:30 Storage Wars 01:00 Ax Men 02:00 Ice Road Truckers 03:00 Ice Road Truckers 04:00 Decoded 05:00 Battle 360 06:00 Ax Men

Boomerang
06:00 The Garfield Show 06:15 Tom & Jerry Kids 06:30 Bananas In Pyjamas 06:55 Baby Looney Tunes 07:20 Gerald McBoing Boing 07:45 Ha Ha Hairies 08:00 A Pup Named Scooby-Doo 08:25 The Garfield Show 08:50 Johnny Bravo 09:15 Dexter's Laboratory 09:40 Pink Panther And Pals 10:05 The Scooby Doo Show 10:30 Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo 10:55 Dastardly And Muttley 11:15 The Flintstones 11:40 Wacky Races 12:00 Jelly Jamm 12:15 Baby Looney Tunes 12:40 Ha Ha Hairies 12:55 Gerald McBoing Boing 13:20 Bananas In Pyjamas 13:35 Puppy In My Pocket 14:00 Looney Tunes 14:50 Scooby Doo Where Are You! 15:15 Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo 15:40 Dastardly And Muttley 16:00 Tom & Jerry 16:15 Tom & Jerry 16:40 Pink Panther And Pals 17:05 Pink Panther And Pals 17:30 The Garfield Show 17:55 The Garfield Show 18:10 Johnny Bravo 18:35 Dexter's Laboratory 19:00 Jelly Jamm 19:15 Baby Looney Tunes 19:40 Ha Ha Hairies 19:55 Gerald McBoing Boing 20:20 Bananas In Pyjamas 20:35 Dexter's Laboratory 21:00 Johnny Bravo 21:25 Pink Panther And Pals 21:50 Tom & Jerry 22:15 The Garfield Show 22:40 A Pup Named Scooby-Doo 23:05 Popeye 23:20 The Jetsons 23:45 Duck Dodgers 00:10 Puppy In My Pocket 00:35 Tom & Jerry Kids 01:00 Scooby Doo Where Are You! 01:25 The Flintstones 01:50 Pink Panther And Pals 02:15 Looney Tunes 02:40 Popeye Classics 03:00 Dexter's Laboratory 03:25 Tom & Jerry 03:50 Looney Tunes 04:15 The Scooby Doo Show 04:40 Johnny Bravo 05:00 The Flintstones 05:25 The Jetsons 05:50 Wacky Races 06:00 The Garfield Show

Disney Junior
06:15 Jungle Junction 06:30 Jungle Junction 06:45 Handy Manny 07:00 Special Agent Oso 07:15 Lazytown 07:45 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 08:10 The Hive 08:20 Handy Manny 08:35 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 08:45 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 09:05 The Hive 09:15 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 09:20 Mouk 09:35 Mouk 09:45 The Hive 10:00 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 10:05 Engine Nine, Feelin Fine! 10:15 Animated Stories 10:20 Lazytown 10:45 Art Attack 11:10 Imagination Movers 11:35 Lazytown 12:00 The Hive 12:10 Handy Manny 12:25 Jungle Junction 12:40 Imagination Movers 13:05 The Hive 13:15 Special Agent Oso 13:30 Lazytown 13:55 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 14:20 The Hive 14:30 Handy Manny 14:45 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 15:00 Mouk 15:15 The Hive 15:25 Handy Manny 15:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 15:55 Imagination Movers 16:20 Lazytown 16:45 Art Attack 17:10 Handy Manny 17:25 Handy Manny 17:40 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 17:55 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 18:10 Little Einsteins 18:35 The Adventures Of Disney Fairies 19:00 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 19:05 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 19:25 101 Dalmatians 19:40 Mouk 19:50 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 20:05 Jake & The Neverland Pirates 20:20 The Hive 20:30 Mini Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh 20:35 A Poem Is... 20:40 Animated Stories 20:45 Mouk 21:00 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

OSN First
05:00 Good Morning America 07:00 The Practice 08:00 Emmerdale 08:30 Coronation Street 09:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 10:00 Desperate Housewives 11:00 The View 12:00 Alphas 13:00 Bunheads 14:00 Live Good Morning America 16:00 The Practice 17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 18:00 Emmerdale 19:00 Parenthood 20:00 One Tree Hill 21:00 One Tree Hill 22:00 Scandal 23:00 Desperate Housewives 00:00 One Tree Hill 01:00 One Tree Hill 02:00 Scandal 03:00 Parenthood 04:00 Desperate Housewives 05:00 Good Morning America

Food Network
06:10 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 06:35 Extra Virgin 07:00 Food Network Challenge 07:50 Unique Sweets 08:15 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 08:40 Paula's Best Dishes 09:05 Cooking For Real 09:30 Hungry Girl 09:55 Food (Ography) 10:45 Unwrapped 11:10 Unique Eats 11:35 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 12:00 Chopped 12:50 Jenny Morris Cooks Morocco 13:15 Cooking For Real 13:40 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 14:05 Hungry Girl 14:30 Unique Sweets 14:55 Paula's Best Dishes 15:20 Unwrapped 15:45 Iron Chef America 16:35 Jenny Morris Cooks Morocco 17:00 Barefoot Contessa - Back To Basics 17:25 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 17:50 Unique Eats 18:15 Food (Ography) 19:05 Unique Sweets 19:30 Food Network Challenge 20:20 Iron Chef America 21:10 Barefoot Contessa Back To Basics 21:35 Barefoot Contessa Back To Basics 22:00 Cooking For Real 22:25 Cooking For Real 22:50 Hungry Girl 23:15 Hungry Girl 23:40 Meat & Potatoes 00:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives 00:30 Unwrapped 00:55 Barefoot Contessa -

Discovery Channel
06:05 American Loggers 07:00 American Chopper 07:50 Mythbusters 08:45 Ultimate Survival 09:40 Border Security 10:05 Dirty Money 10:30 How Do They Do It? 10:55 How It's Made 11:25 American Guns 12:20 Surviving The Cut 13:15 One Man Army 14:10 Border Security 14:35 Dirty Money 15:05 Ultimate Survival 16:00 American Chopper 16:55 Fifth Gear 17:20 American Loggers 18:15 Mythbusters 19:10 How Do They Do It? 19:40 How It's Made 20:05 Border Security 20:35 Dirty Money 21:00 The Gadget Show 21:30 American Guns 22:25 First Week In 23:20 Surviving Disaster 00:15 The World's Strangest UFO Stories 01:10 I Escaped: Real Prison Breaks 01:35 American Guns 02:30 First Week In 03:25 Surviving Disaster 04:20 The World's Strangest UFO Stories 05:15 How Do They Do It? 05:40 How It's Made

Investigation Discovery
06:10 Disappeared 07:00 Forensic Detectives 07:50 FBI Case Files 08:40 Mystery ER 09:30 Real Emergency Calls 09:55 Who On Earth Did I Marry? 10:20 On The Case With Paula Zahn 11:10 Disappeared 12:00 Street Patrol 12:25 Street Patrol 12:50 FBI Case Files 13:40 Mystery ER 14:30 Real Emergency Calls 14:55 Who On Earth Did I Marry? 15:20 On The Case With Paula Zahn 16:10 Disappeared 17:00 Forensic Detectives 17:50 Undercover 18:40 Real Emergency Calls 19:05 Mystery ER 19:55 Who On Earth Did I Marry? 20:20 On The Case With Paula Zahn 21:10 Disappeared 22:00 Nightmare Next Door 22:50 Nightmare Next Door 23:40 Dr G: Medical Examiner 00:30 The Haunted 01:20 Crime Scene Psychics 02:05 Nightmare Next Door 02:55 Nightmare Next Door 03:45 Extreme

Cartoon Network
06:00 The Marvelous Misadventures... 06:25 Casper's Scare School 07:00 The Amazing World Of Gumball 07:15 Adventure Time 07:40 Johnny Test 08:05 Grim Adventures Of... 08:55 Courage The Cowardly Dog 09:45 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien 10:10 Redakai: Conquer The Kairu 10:35 Powerpuff Girls 11:25 Chowder 12:15 Ed, Edd n Eddy 13:05 Ben 10 13:30 SymBionic Titan 13:55 Foster's Home For... 14:20 Foster's Home For... 14:45 Angelo

Sports

Extreme Sports
05:55 Pro Bull Riders 2010 07:00 Ride Guide Snow 2009 07:25 Ride Guide Snow 2009 07:55 X Games 17 2011 08:50 XTraordinary 09:15 X-Traordinary 09:45

Summer Dew Tour 2011 10:40 Fantasy Factory 11:05 Fantasy Factory 11:35 Pro Bull Riders 2010 12:30 Cowboy U 12:55 Cowboy U 13:25 Born To Run 14:20 World Combat League 15:15 Fantasy Factory 15:40 Fantasy Factory 16:10 X Games 17

2011 17:05 X-Traordinary 17:30 XTraordinary 18:00 Cowboy U 18:25 Cowboy U 18:55 Pro Bull Riders 2010 19:50 Born To Run 20:45 World Combat League 21:40 Ed's Up 22:05 Ed's Up 22:35 TNA: Greatest Matches 23:30 M1

Challenge 00:25 Aiya TV 00:50 Aiya TV 01:20 Pro Bull Riders 2010 02:15 World Combat League 03:10 TNA: Greatest Matches 04:05 Ed's Up 04:30 Ed's Up 05:00 M1 Challenge 05:55 Pro Bull Riders 2010

OSN Sport 2
7:00 Trans World Sport 08:00 Super Rugby Highlights 09:00 Darts World Match Play 11:00 NRL Premiership 13:00 Trans World Sport 14:00 Challenge Series Golf

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News

23:00 MSNBC Martin Bashir 00:00 MSNBC Hardball W/ Chris Matthews 01:00 MSNBC Politicsnation 02:00 Live NBC Nightly News 02:30 ABC World News W/ Diane Sawyer 03:00 MSNBC The Ed Show 04:00 MSNBC The Rachel Maddow Show 05:00 MSNBC The Last Word W/ Lawrence O'Donnell 06:00 NBC Nightly News

CNN International
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International Desk 18:00 Global Exchange 18:45 CNN Marketplace Middle East 19:00 World Sport 19:30 Aiming For Gold 20:00 International Desk 21:00 Quest Means Business 21:45 CNN Marketplace Europe 22:00 Amanpour 22:30 CNN Newscenter 23:00 Connect The World With Becky Anderson 00:00 Amanpour 00:30 World Sport 01:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 02:00 World Report 03:00 Anderson Cooper 360 04:00 Piers Morgan Tonight 05:00 Quest Means Business 05:45 CNN Marketplace Europe 06:00 The Situation Room

12:00 News 12:30 People & Power 13:00 NEWSHOUR 14:00 News 14:30 Inside Story 15:00 Witness 16:00 NEWSHOUR 17:00 News 17:30 The Stream 18:00 NEWSHOUR 19:00 News 19:30 Witness 20:00 News 20:30 Inside Story 21:00 NEWSHOUR 22:00 News 22:30 The Stream 23:00 Al Jazeera Correspondent 00:00 NEWSHOUR 01:00 News 01:30 101 East 02:00 NEWSHOUR 03:00 News 03:30 Inside Story 04:00 Witness 05:00 NEWSHOUR 06:00 News

Al Jazeera English
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BBC Focus On Africa 21:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 21:30 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:00 World News Today With Zeinab Badawi 22:30 World Business Report 22:45 Sport Today 23:00 Business Edition With Tanya Beckett 23:30 Hardtalk 00:00 BBC World News America 00:30 BBC World News America 01:00 Newsday 01:30 Asia Business Report 01:45 Sport Today 02:00 Newsday 02:30 Asia Business Report 02:45 Sport Today 03:00 Newsday 03:30 Asia Business Report 03:45 Sport Today 04:00 BBC World News 04:30 Asia Business Report 04:45 Sport Today 05:00 BBC World News 05:30 Asia Business Report 05:45 Sport Today 06:00 BBC World News

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06:00 Love Hurts 08:00 What's The Worst That Could Happen? 10:00 Roommates 12:00 Spud 14:00 Feed The Fish 16:00 Roommates 18:00 Elevator Girl 20:00 How Do You Know 22:15 Tank Girl 00:00 Reach The Rock 02:00 Elevator Girl 04:00 Roommates 06:00 Spud

Recruit 20:00 Jonah Hex 22:00 Quarantine 2: Terminal 00:00 Bats 02:00 Jonah Hex 04:00 Quarantine 2: Terminal 06:00 The Recruit

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Rango 22:00 Rainbow Valley Heroes 00:00 Paws 02:00 Marco Antonio 04:00 Rango 06:00 From The Crib

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05:00 Fear 06:45 Entre Les Murs 09:00 Shipwrecked 11:00 Six Days Seven Nights 13:00 A L'origine 15:15 Shipwrecked 17:00 The Greatest 19:00 The Color Of Money 21:00 Adaptation 23:00 Gal 01:00 Gigli 03:00 Adaptation 05:00 The Color Of Money

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HEALTH
Health Experts see multiple threats

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

34

What if boomers dont live forever?

WASHINGTON, Aug 15, (RTRS): What if the generation that once rocked out to The Whos hope I die before I get old line actually does? Most retirement plans and federal budget projections assume baby boomers those Americans born between 1946 and 1964 will live significantly longer than their parents have. That is a logical assumption, given healthcare improvements, new drugs and the long 20th century experience of ever-rising life expectancies. But there is a counter argument: boomers, beset by factors like elevated rates of obesity, cancer and suicide, could reverse or at least slow the increase in human life spans. A change in trend could have a bearing on everything from Social Security trust fund balances to the number of nursing homes and golf courses supported in the future. It does not bode well for the baby boom generation at all, says S. Jay Olshansky, a public health professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago who has been studying boomer longevity under a MacArthur Foundation grant. One new study, led by Rice University professor Justin Denney, concludes that it would be a mistake to project the longevity gains of the last century throughout this one. Yet that is about what the trustees who estimate the future solvency of the US Social Security retirement program have been doing. Denney notes a huge increase of 30 years in US life expectancy from 1900 to the 2000s. But he and fellow researchers see a mere three-year increase over the next 50 years, with improvements in longevity concentrated among the well-to-do, while poorer people will not share in the same benefits. behavioral and social research at the National Institutes of Healths National Institute on Aging, puts it this way: Obesity is a little more complicated. So far among boomers serious weight gain appears linked to rising disability and all the costs associated with that, but because of modern medicines ability to treat complications like diabetes and heart disease, the impact on longevity is there, just not as much, he says. Additionally, some experts say obesitys true impact on longevity wont be seen until current youth get older since they are more likely to have been obese as children than todays elders. And Chris Ruhm, a professor of public policy and economics at the University of Virginia, sees another shoe ready to drop: severe obesity. He expects high rates of obesity to be a drag on life expectancy and severe or morbid obesity, even in the baby boom generation, to be a much bigger problem.

A combo of file handout images released by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing on April 29, 2010, shows both sides of a new generic cigarette packaging with health warnings taking up 85 per cent of the pack and a minimal border. Global tobacco giants on Aug 15, lost a court challenge to Australias plain packaging laws for cigarettes in a closely watched case health advocates said would have worldwide impact. (AFP)

Australia court OKs logo ban on cig packs

Australias highest court upheld the worlds toughest law on cigarette promotion on Wednesday despite protests from tobacco companies that argued the value of their trademarks will be destroyed under new rules that will strip all logos from cigarette packs. The decision by the High Court means that starting in December, tobacco companies will no longer be able to display their distinctive colors, brand designs and logos on cigarette packs. The packs will instead come in a uniformly drab shade of olive and feature graphic health warnings and images of cancer-riddled mouths, blinded eyeballs and sickly children. The government hopes the new packs will make smoking as unglamorous as possible. This is a victory for all those families who have lost someone to a tobacco-related illness. For anyone who has ever lost someone, this is for you, Attorney General Nicola Roxon and Health Minister Tanya Plibersek said in a joint statement. No longer when a smoker pulls out a packet of cigarettes will that packet be a mobile billboard. British American Tobacco, Philip Morris International, Imperial Tobacco and Japan Tobacco International are worried that the law will set a global precedent that could slash billions of dollars from the values of their brands. They challenged the new rules on the grounds that they violate intellectual property rights and devalue their trademarks. The cigarette makers argued that the government would unfairly benefit from the law by using cigarette packs as a platform to promote its own message, without compensating the tobacco companies. Australias constitution says the government can only acquire the property of others on just terms. The court, which ordered the tobacco companies to pay the governments legal fees, withheld its reasons for the judgment on Wednesday. Theyll be released later this year. British American Tobacco spokesman Scott McIntyre said the company was disappointed in the courts decision but would comply with the law. Although the (law) passed the constitutional test, its still a bad law that will only benefit organized crime groups which sell illegal tobacco on our streets. ... The illegal cigarette black market will grow further when all packs look the same and are easier to copy, McIntyre said in a statement. (AP)

Improvement
Even pessimists like Olshansky do not believe that all or even most baby boomers will die at younger ages than their forbears. But he sees a future in which the rate of improvement slows overall and some groups boomers who are from lower socio-economic strata and are black or Latino see actual declines. Rich people live significantly longer than poor people do, says John Bailey Jones, an associate professor of economics at the University of Albany, State University of New York. In the United States, the wealthy live nearly five years longer on average than do the most destitute, according to Denneys research. NIHs Suzman sees a very uneven picture when it comes to US mortality: Its a combination of public health, lifestyle and medical treatments, and there are still very large gaps. Furthermore, people facing economic stress seem to die younger than those who are comfortable, and job loss worries could push more boomers into that low-income, highstress group with higher death rates than their well-to-do peers, suggests Rice Universitys Denney. Many people in developed countries overseas outlive Americans. Overall those in Japan, Singapore, Canada and even beleaguered Italy and Spain live longer than those in the United States, which ranked 50th in latest CIA World Factbook. Even with that gap, its important to note that other countries fund their retirement plans differently and face unique distributions of age and wealth. In April, the Social Security board of trustees predicted that the funds that finance the retirement, disability and survivors programs will be exhausted in 2035. At that point, benefits would need to be cut or new funds found. Over the next 75 years, the shortfall in the Old Age, Survivors and Disability (OASDI) fund would amount to 2.67 percent of US payroll. This projection has triggered much political infighting over whether the United States should be cutting Social Security benefits or raising taxes to pay for them. But those calculations are based on the expectation that the constant improvements in mortality (fewer deaths at every age) would continue unabated. The trustees project mortality declining by roughly 0.77 percent a year for every year going forward as far as the eye can see. Were simply projecting that improvements will occur at roughly the same... (rate) as in the past, Stephen Goss, chief actuary for the Social Security Administration, told Reuters. The agencys math relies on this assumption: the average 65-year-old in 2020 can be expected to live 19.4 more years if a man and 21.3 more years if a woman. By 2030, when the last baby boomer turns 66, the average 65-year-old woman could expect to live to 87.9 and the average 65year-old man would live to 86.

Medical supplies scarce in Syria war zones

Lifespans
To be sure, the trajectory of American lifespans is stirring great debate among epidemiologists, actuaries and other experts. Most say mortality will continue to decline and people will live longer. But some experts believe that trend will slow. If you look at the health status of the baby boom versus the generation that just preceded them, they are in worse shape, says Olshansky. There is a whole suite of problems we are now seeing in the baby boom generation that we didnt see in their parents when they were that age, Olshansky said, citing greater frailty, increased risk for cardiovascular disease and declining cognitive function. Baby boomers, now between 48 and 67 years old, have already shown a greater propensity to suicide than previous generations, according to a data analysis from researchers at Rutgers University and Emory University. Male boomers had abnormally high suicide rates in their teen and early 20s, peaking for many boomers at 26 suicides per 100,000 lives at an age when the rate among next older generations were below 20 suicides per 100,000 lives, data showed. Patterns were similar for women, though their rates are lower, Emory epidemiologist Ellen Idler said. Even more disturbing to Idler is the fact that suicide rates for baby boomers rose significantly when they were in their 40s, a time when those rates typically plateau or head down. Its a troubling scenario all around. And suicide is not insignificant: Idler says it causes roughly as many deaths in any given year as breast cancer. In 2009, there were 11.8 suicide deaths and 12.5 breast cancer deaths per 100,000 lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Docs risk all to treat wounded

ALEPPO, Syria, Aug 15, (RTRS): A week ago, a British-Syrian doctor known as Abu Shamel was playing with his young son at home in Manchester. Now he is crouching on a street corner in Syrias Aleppo, picking a sniper bullet out of a confused and screaming man as gunfire whizzes overhead and explosions echo in the background. Fighters had dragged the victim from the shattered district of Salaheddine. They lay him down a few metres away on a black mattress. Abu Shamel quickly pulls out the bullet, dresses the wound, and sends the man to a secret field hospital, still undetected by state forces. Rebels in Syrias largest city badly need men like Abu Shamel since fighting began here more than two weeks ago. In the war zone much of this city has become, the oppositions medical supplies are scarce and casualties are mounting. Abu Shamel, 37, has a thick salt-andpepper beard and wears a blue-and-black chequered scarf around his head as he treats his patients. He speaks perfect Arabic and English.

Lifestyle change can help

Blood type tied to heart risk

DALLAS, Aug 15, (AP): Heres another reason to know your blood type it might be a clue to your risk of heart disease. People who have blood types A, B, or AB have a slightly higher risk of heart disease compared to those with type O, the most common kind, according to research released Tuesday. Those who know they are at higher risk may be more motivated to make changes to lower their chances of heart disease, said Dr Lu Qi, senior author of the study from Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. We cannot change blood type but we can change lifestyle, said Qi, who led a study released last year that showed blood type may affect stroke risk. The new study involved about 90,000 men and women in two observational health studies that cover more than 20 years. Combined, 4,070 people developed heart disease. The researchers considered age and other factors like diet, drinking, family history of heart attacks that could contribute to heart disease. The increased risk for type A was 8 percent; type B, 11 percent; and type AB, 20 percent. While the study did not examine how blood type may affect heart disease risk, it noted that research has shown some characteristics of different types may be a factor. For instance, some research suggests that blood types might affect cholesterol levels or the risk of developing blood clots. The findings were published in the American Heart Association journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. A doctor not involved in the study cautioned that the increased risk for non-O blood types is modest, and that other risk factors like smoking have a bigger impact. Most of things that are this modest, most of the time they dont meaningfully change how youd think about your risk overall, said Dr Amit Khera, director of the Preventive Cardiology Program at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. This shouldnt cause much alarm for most of the population, he added. No matter what blood type, Harvards Qi said everyone should pay attention to risk factors they can change, including smoking, weight, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and a sedentary lifestyle. Type O is the most common blood type, followed by A, B and AB. About 45 percent of whites, 51 percent of blacks, 57 percent of Hispanics and 40 percent of Asians have blood type O, according to the American Red Cross. Type A: 40 percent of whites, 26 percent of blacks, 31 percent of Hispanics and 28 percent of Asians. Type B: 11 percent of whites, 19 percent of blacks, 10 percent of Hispanics and 25 percent of Asians. Type AB: 4 percent of white and blacks, 2 percent of Hispanics and 7 percent of Asians.

Syrian rebels carry a wounded comrade into a secret field hospital in AlBab in the northern province of Aleppo after he was shot in the shoulder by an army sniper and the bullet pierced his right lung. There is a lack of space at the Aleppo field hospital due to increasing rebel casualties, so fitted with equipment to drain his lungs, he was sent to the nearby town of Al-Bab for treatment. (AFP)

Health
Resident in ops safe: When a surgeon-in-training, or resident, takes part in an operation, the patients risk of serious complications appears to be no greater than normal, according to a recently published US study. Looking at data about more than 60,000 surgeries conducted in the United States between 2005 and 2007, researchers whose findings appeared in the Annals of Surgery said that when a resident was involved, just under 6 percent of patients had a major complication such as severe bleeding or a serious infection. The rate was the same for surgeries in which no residents participated. This shows that resident participation is safe, said Ravi Kiran, the lead researcher on the new study and a colorectal surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Residents are medical school graduates receiving training in a speciality. Some studies have raised the possibility that having a resident on board increases patients risk of complications. The study did find that the odds of minor complications, mainly skin infection at the surgery site, were slightly higher when residents took part, though Kiran said the differences were very small and not likely to be clinically significant. When residents were involved in the surgery, 3 percent of patients had a superficial infection at the surgery site, versus 2.2 percent of patients who had surgery with no resident on hand. It was not fully clear why such infections were more common when residents took part, but on average those procedures took a little longer 122 minutes, versus 97 minutes when no residents were involved. Other studies have found that longer surgery times tend to carry a higher risk of superficial infection, so that might help to explain the higher risk seen with operations involving residents, Kiran said. (RTRS) Ebola outbreak under control: A recent outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus is under control but has not yet been fully eradicated, a Ugandan health official. Two suspicious cases were admitted to a hospital close to the scene of the outbreak over the weekend, bringing to nine the total number of people currently in isolation, the official said. We can now comfortably say that it is under control, but cannot say that we are absolutely finished with it, Paul Kagwa, assistant commissioner at the Ugandan health ministry, told AFP. The last confirmed case was on Aug 4. Ugandas health

Shortage
When he heard there was a shortage of doctors to treat the victims of Syrias bloody 17-month-old revolt, Abu Shamel left his peaceful home in Manchester, England, with two colleagues. They headed to the frontlines of battle in his former homeland. Like all medics who support the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, he works in secret, avoiding state hospitals. Doctors dont refer civilians or fighters to public hospitals and civilians dont dare go there themselves. If you show up with a shrapnel or bullet wound, it means you are coming from Salaheddine or nearby neighbourhoods, and that means you are a terrorist, Abu Shamal says. We are all terrorists, he laughs darkly. As mortar bombs explode nearby, Abu Shamel sits with six rebels wearing camouflage fatigues and holding assault rifles. He teaches them first-aid basics and then hands out packs of tourniquets and bandages. We prepared dozens of these bags to give away and funded them completely using donations we collected from colleagues and friends in Manchester, he says. When he arrived, Abu Shamel was shocked by the number of civilians hit in the crossfire. He saw many children wounded in the stomach, head and chest by shrapnel or hurt when their homes collapsed on top of them after army shelling. I am a surgeon and my profession is to deal with blood daily. But in this place, I wept from what I saw, he says. Doctors have abandoned wellequipped, sterile hospitals for tiny, makeshift field clinics spread around each neighbourhood. There are dozens of field hospitals hidden in Aleppo, especially in the hardesthit area of Salaheddine, where army shelling has reduced much of the neigh-

Cancer
Then theres cancer. The post-war baby boom generation does have higher rates of cancer at younger ages than the previous generation, the National Cancer Institute reported. In 2009, people 45 to 59 years old saw roughly 570 cases of cancer per 100,000 people. Thats up 7 percent from the 533 cases per 100,000 who were in that same age range in 1985. Some of that increase may be due to better detection, which along with new treatments has resulted in fewer cancer deaths for boomers than for their parents generation. Yet epidemiologists also see baby boomer women falling prey to lung, skin and other cancers. Boomer women are about the heaviest smoking cohort in US history and they are suffering big time, says Samuel Preston, a professor of sociology and demography at the University of Pennsylvania. Like many of his colleagues, Preston believes that a declining rate of smoking will eventually extend womens life expectancy; however, he isnt projecting that until todays young women turn 40 in 2020. And what about obesity? Its still not completely clear. By 2040, obesity will reduce life expectancy by 0.733 percent for men, and 0.677 percent for women, according to Preston. Those are trends that he believes will be offset by other gains as people stop smoking. Richard Suzman, director of

Security
What if the trustees are wrong? If mortality rates stopped improving, and remained constant over the next 75 years, that would cut the OASDI actuarial deficit by about 0.45 percent of payroll, about one sixth of the projected shortfall over the next 75 years, a Social Security spokesperson told Reuters. That wont completely save the trust fund from shortfalls, but it would help. Medicare is trickier to assess, Goss and other experts say. The net effect (of slower longevity improvements) might not be large, agrees Ronald Lee, director of University of California, Berkeleys Center for the Demography and Economics of Aging. There will be fewer elderly people to provide health care for... (but) those elderly people who are alive will be less healthy and have higher healthcare needs. Some insurance companies selling annuities firms like Metlife Inc, Prudential Financial Inc, New York Life Insurance Co and TIAA CREF could also benefit.

bourhood to rubble. The locations are all secret after the army bombarded some hospitals, including the al-Shrea hospital that was shelled three times and finally destroyed. Most doctors asked not to be identified for fear of retribution from the authorities. Going to a state hospital is no longer an option for many people. The army controls the main hospitals, which activists believe are filled with Syrian security personnel. I saw wounded fighters arrive at one of these public hospitals and get beaten and arrested before being treated, one doctor said. Outside one field hospital, a battered ambulance is parked. The left side is charred and riddled with bullet holes. Someone stuck a bomb on the bottom of the ambulance while we were bringing patients into the hospital, said the driver, Abu Ahmed. Luckily it exploded when no one was inside. There are few surgeons among the medics helping the opposition. Given the basic resources available, they aim only to keep critically wounded patients alive

long enough to have them smuggled out to neighbouring Turkey for treatment. In one clinic with an overpowering smell of disinfectant, a doctor in green medical scrubs treats a nine-year-old girl shot in the waist. Lying on her side, the little girls feet jerk a little as the doctor cleans the wound and bandages her up. A nurse shows the extracted bullet, small and golden. In a musty basement elsewhere, Abu Shamel sits in a clinic where at least 15 wounded people are treated daily. The building has had no electricity for days. There is no x-ray machine, just a few shelves with medical supplies and an oxygen tank. Alcohol swipes make do for sterilising wounds, he says. Surgical tools are sterilised with flames. We are forced to work in a place like this where we are exposed either to shells or artillery or tanks. We have to be among the civilians to treat them, he says. Why is the government trying to target these people? Is it because they are poor or because they embraced the resistance?

minister is Christine Ondoa. Sixteen people have died since the latest outbreak started in early July in Ugandas western Kibale district, some 200 kilometres (120 miles) from Kampala, and around 50 kilometres from the border with Democratic Republic of Congo. Ugandas president is Yoweri Museveni. A total of 165 people living in the community remain under observation, while 243 people who were thought to have come into

Museveni

Ondoa

contact with the virus have turned out negative, Kagwa said. The total incubation period for Ebola is around 21 days, meaning that it would take roughly two more weeks before the outbreak can be declared over, Kagwa said. The rare haemorrhagic disease, named after a small river in DR Congo, killed 37 people in western Uganda in 2007 and at least 170 in the north of the country in 2000. (AFP)

HEALTH
Men more likely to commit suicide, women tend to seek help

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

35

Study links British recession to 1,000 suicides

LONDON, Aug 15, (Agencies): A painful economic recession, rising unemployment and biting austerity measures may have already driven more than 1,000 people in Britain to commit suicide, according to a scientific study published on Wednesday. The study, a so-called time-trend analysis which compared the actual number of suicides with those expected if prerecession trends had continued, reflects findings elsewhere in Europe where suicides are also on the rise. This a grim reminder after the euphoria of the Olympics of the challenges we face and those that lie ahead, said David Stuckler, a sociologist at Cambridge University who co-led the study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). The analysis found that between 2008 and 2010 there were 846 more suicides among men in England than would have been expected if previous trends continued, and 155 more among women. Between 2000 and 2010 each annual 10 percent increase in the number of unemployed people was associated with a 1.4 percent increase in the number of male suicides, the study found. The analysis used data from the National Clinical and Health Outcomes Database and the Office of National Statistics. Stuckler, who worked with researchers from Liverpool University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, stressed while this kind of statistical study could not establish a causal link, the power of the associations was strong. Its conclusions were strengthened by other indicators of rising mental health problems, stress and anxiety, he added. He also pointed out the study showed a small reduction in the number of suicides in 2010 which coincided with a slight recovery in male employment. A survey of 300 family doctors published by the Insight Research Group on Tuesday found that 76 percent of those questioned about the effects of the economic crisis said they thought it was making people unhealthier, leading to more anxiety, abortions and alcohol abuse. Data this month from the governments Health and Social Care Information Centre showed the number of prescriptions dispensed in England for antidepressants rose 9.1 percent in 2010. A study published last July, also by Stuckler, found that across Europe, suicide rates rose sharply from 2007 to 2009 as the financial crisis drove unemployment up and squeezed incomes. The countries worst hit by severe economic downturns, such as Greece and Ireland, saw the most dramatic increases in suicides. In Britain, theres little doubt times have been getting harder. The economy has shrunk for the last nine months and now produces 4.5 percent less than before the economic crisis. Government debt is well above a trillion pounds and is predicted to rise above 90 percent of GDP even with austerity policies being pushed through by the government. Many Britons have had the worst squeeze in living standards for 40 years and the crisis has hit young people hard, with youth unemployment soaring above 20 percent.

NBKs grand prize new McLaren at 360 Mall

National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) is showcasing the astonishing 2012 McLaren MP4-12C, its summer campaign grand prize, at 360 Mall for the public to view and inspect the fine details of this fascinating super car. NBK offers its Cardholders the chance to win the 2012 McLaren MP4-12C as well as up to KD 180,000 in cash prizes in its annual summer campaign. This exciting promotion is valid until 15 September 2012. NBK Cardholders can earn unlimited chances throughout the summer to enter the three draws and stand the chance to win up to KD 180,000 in cash prizes in addition to the grand prize draw for the 2012 McLaren MP4-12C. For every KD 20 spent in Kuwait with NBK Credit or Prepaid Cards, Cardholders will earn one chance to enter the draws. Cardholders can triple their chances by using their NBK Credit, Prepaid and Debit Card abroad or by shopping on international sites. 18 winners will have their spending on their NBK Cards reimbursed up to a value of KD 10,000. NBK Cards are accepted worldwide and are the safest, most convenient and rewarding way to pay. For more information log onto nbk.com, contact Hala Watani on 1801801 or follow NBK on Twitter @NBKPage, and on Instagram @NBKPage. The new McLaren MP4-12C is one of the worlds most critically acclaimed luxurious supercars with its astonishing design that combines elegance and exquisiteness. Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive is the sole dealer of McLaren Automotive Ltd and the exclusive importer of BMW Group vehicles in Kuwait.

NBKs McLaren displayed at 360 Mall

Market Movements
SOUTH KOREA PHILIPPINES INDIA - KRX 100 - All Shares - Sensex Points +56.33 +2.40 +94.75 Closing pts 4,247.00 3,488.98 17,728.20

15-08-2012
AUSTRALIA JAPAN GERMANY FRANCE EUROPE HONG KONG All Ordinaries Nikkei 225 DAX CAC 40 Euro Stoxx 50 Hang Seng Points -10.37 -4.84 -27.59 -1.07 -1.90 -239.39 Closing pts 4,307.04 8,925.04 6,946.80 3,449.20 2,430.39 20,052.29

Business
are not careful, someone who claims to be a scholar could give wrong advice. ASAS members will be able to earn points towards their accreditation by enrolling in training courses offered by regulatory bodies, private providers or ASAS itself. The body plans to build its membership of scholars on a voluntary basis in the first two years, and then propose that membership becomes compulsory for all scholars in Malaysia from 2015 onwards. Although its initial focus will be Malaysia, it aims eventually to have an international footprint that could encompass all sharia scholars. We need to lead by example first, said Hasan, adding that it would be difficult to persuade other countries to join without proof that the system worked. ASAS will offer a venue for discussion and be proactive in shaping the role of scholars in the industry, Hasan added. Malaysias securities commission is also considering the possibility of developing an accreditation programme for Islamic scholars, but this is only at the exploratory stage and could take no less than three years, a source involved in the discussions told Reuters. If ASASs accreditation scheme spreads globally, it could help to create more uniformity and consistency among sharia boards rulings and in standard-setting for the industry. Currently, standards set by industry bodies such as the Bahrain-based Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions are enforced in some countries in full or in part, while others use them as a reference. Regulations come in many different ways; some are lenient and some are structured, said Hasan, who among other posts sits on the sharia boards of the Malaysian central bank and of Dar Al Istithmar, the firm which advised Goldman Sachs on its controversial plan, which has still not gone ahead, to issue a $2 billion sukuk.

ASAS to focus on Malaysia, then expand globally

Islamic finance body plans scholar accreditation, ethics code

DUBAI, Aug 15, (RTRS): A fledgling industry body of Islamic scholars wants to develop a global code of ethics and a professional development programme for scholars, in order to improve standards in the industry, its president told Reuters. The plan takes aim at a weakness in Islamic finance which is slowing the industrys growth. Boards of scholars at financial institutions rule on whether instruments and activities obey religious principles, but there is no single, commonly recognised set of qualifications for the scholars. This has fostered confusion when scholars rulings contradict each other. And because scholars are paid by the institutions whose products they vet, the industry is open to accusations of conflicts of interest. The Malaysian-based Association of Sharia Advisers in Islamic Finance (ASAS), set up in April last year, plans this year to launch a test for the financial literacy of scholars, and ask its members to sign up to a code of ethics; if they break the code, they may be reprimanded by ASAS. Both initiatives will initially apply only to Malaysia but the group aims eventually to extend it around the world, said Malaysian-born ASAS president Aznan Hasan, a scholar who sits on several sharia boards across the globe. We want to have a programme that can have an impact on the industry, Hasan said by telephone from Kuala Lumpur. ASAS, which currently has over 60 members, will offer guidance on issues such as how to appoint sharia boards and address potential conflicts of interest, he said. The financial literacy test will form the basis of an accreditation programme that could start as early as the first quarter of next year, aiming to encourage the professional development of scholars through a points-based system. This would address concerns that some scholars may be static in terms of their knowledge, said Hasan. If we

Cos portfolio highly liquid: rater

Moodys confirms NIGs B3 CFR, outlook stable

LONDON, Aug 15, (Agencies): Moodys Investors Service has today confirmed the B3 corporate family rating (CFR) and probability of default rating (PDR) of National Industries Group Holding S.A.K. (NIG). Concurrently, Moodys has confirmed the provisional (P)B3 rating on the companys medium-term note (MTN) programme and the B3 instrument rating on the $475 million sukuk issued by NIG Sukuk Ltd. The outlook for all ratings is stable. This concludes the review for downgrade initiated by Moodys on 23 July 2012 following concerns of increasing execution risk related to the sukuk refinancing. The confirmation of the ratings at B3 reflects the conclusion of NIGs refinancing exercise for the $475 million sukuk maturing on Aug 16 . NIG announced on Aug 13 that it has sufficient funds to make payment in full for the sukuks maturity date as a result of (1) the amount raised by the company under its contemplated structured syndicated Murabaha facility; and (2) related financing arrangements entered into by NIG in connection with the finalisation of the Murabaha facility. NIGs B3 CFR continues to balance (1) its leverage, which, although improved in recent quarters, stood at over 52% in market-value terms as at the end of June 2012; and (2) the fact that the majority of holdings in the companys portfolio are highly liquid, with around two-thirds of its assets either listed or cash. cals, finance, real estate, oil & gas services and energy sectors. NIG last month, has asked creditors for a four-year extension on a $475mn Islamic bond, or sukuk, maturing next month. The request from NIG, part of the Kharafi Group, is the latest debt issue to surface in the Kuwaiti investment sector, which was hard hit by the 2008 global financial crisis. Firms who borrowed cheap shortterm cash in the boom years to fund an asset-buying spree, both locally and overseas, found they could not refinance the debt once borrowing costs rose. Offloading assets at deflated values in a stagnant private equity market has proven difficult. (NIGs) debt profile has always been skewed towards short-term debt, leaving it vulnerable to refinancing risk, Ahmad Alanani, a senior executive at investment bank Exotix, said yesterday.

Global incurs KD 20.5mn losses in H1; LPS 17 fils

NREC posts KD 4.20 million in first half
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15, (Agencies): Global Investment House (Global) reported on Wednesday losses of KD 20.5 million in the first half of 2012, which compares to a loss of 38.6 million for the same period 2011. The loss is estimated at 17 fils per share compared to 2011s 32 fils per share.
The company statement added that Share Holders Equity stood at KD 2.12 million for the same period compared to last years KD 37 million. Assets stood at KD 538.9 million offset by liabilities of KD 510.8 million for the first six months of the year, compared to liabilities of KD 555.3 million in 2011.
Global was founded in 1998 and was listed with Kuwait Stock Exchange in 2003 with paid up capital of KD 131.2 million. It operates in the field of asset management, banking investments, and brokerage. National Real Estate Companys (NREC) Board of Directors met on Aug 15, 2012 and approved the interim financial statements for the H1 period ending June 30, 2012. For the three months ending June 30, 2012, NREC earned a profit of KD 2,046,070 as compared to a profit of KD 942,377 for the same period ending 2011. Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) 2012 2011 Profit (KD) 4,209,234 1,828,411 Earnings per share (fils) 5.43 2.36 Total current assets 43,817,429 52,551,257 Total assets 501,663,284 530,348,569 Total current liabilities 87,583,123 81,696,497 Total liabilities 311,631,406 299,749,939 Total shareholders equity 190,031,878 230,598,630 The total revenue from transactions with related parties is worth KD 2,685,775 and Totaland expenses from transactions with parties amounts to KD 69,400 Kuwait Remal Real Estate Company reported that the Board of Directors met on Aug 15, 2012 and approved the interim financial statements for the H1 period ending June 30, 2012. For the three months ending June 30, 2012, Remal earned profit of KD 1,740,510 with EPS valued at 7.06 fils, as compared to a profit of KD 1,818,623 or 7.1 fils per share for the same period ending 2011. Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) 2012 2011 Profit (KD) 3,494,862 3,646,579 Earnings per share (fils) 14.186 14.23 Total current assets 1,359,543 87.132 Total assets 77,947,224 71,427,979 Total current liabilities 3,359,189 8,246,489 Total liabilities 31,721,227 34,902,096 Total shareholders equity 46,225,997 36,525,882 Board of Directors of Arkan Kuwait Real Estate Company (Arkan) met on Aug 15, 2012 and approved the interim financial statements for the first half period ending July 31, 2012. Arkan reported a profit of KD 988,898 for the three months ending June 30, 2012 as compared to a profit of KD 142,034 earned during the same period ending 2011. Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) 2012 2011 Profit (KD) 1,719,501 1,427,429 Earnings per share (fils) 7.9 6.5 Total current assets 2,741,995 1,872,256 Total assets 38,814,796 36,488,126

Financial penalties range between 50 and 70 thousand dinars

CBK to penalize some banks, exchange cos

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: The Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) during a meeting yesterday has decided to penalize some banks and exchange companies for violating instructions issued by the Bank, reports Al-Shahed daily quoting reliable sources. According to the same sources the bank discovered some discrepancies
Total current liabilities 12,494,241 10,710,964 Total liabilities 12,764,966 10,939,326 Total shareholders equity 26,049,830 25,548,800 The total revenue from transactions with related parties is worth KD 4,304. Kuwait Stock Exchange announced that the Board of Directors of Union Real Estate Company (UREC) met on Aug 15, 2012, and adopted the interim financial statements for the periods ending June 30, 2012. For the three months ending June 30, 2012, UREC reported a profit of KD 417,046 as compared to a profit of KD 422,322 for the same period ending 2011. Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) 2012 2011 Profit (KD) 698,987 741,559 Earnings per share (fils) 3.76 3.99 Total current assets 1,478,532 1,410,630 Total assets 29,418,846 26,062,603 Total current liabilities 380,706 359,906 Total liabilities 574,556 528,502 Total shareholders equity 28,844,290 25,534,101. Kuwait Financial Centre Company (Markaz) obtained the approval of the Capital Market Authority on its interim financial statements for the H1 period ending June 30, 2012, dated Aug 15, 2012. Markaz reported a loss of KD 1,681,000 for the three months ending June 30, 2012 as compared to a profit of KD 1,498,000 incurred during the same period ending 2011. Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) 2012 2011 Profit (KD) 1,142,000 750,000 Earnings per share (fils) 2 2 Total current assets 90,155,000 60,251,000 Total assets 155,394,000 126,834,000 Total current liabilities 42,035,000 7,600,000 Total liabilities 65,364,000 37,045,000 Total shareholders equity 86,204,000 88,793,000 The total revenue from transactions with related parties is worth KD 3,063,000. Total expenses from transactions with parties amounts to KD 359,000. Capital Market Authority approved the interim financial statements of International Financial Advisors Company (IFA) for the first half period ending June 30, 2012, dated Aug 15, 2012. IFA reported a loss of KD 4,235,655 for the three months ending June 30, 2012 as compared to a loss of KD 4,231,365 during the same period ending 2011. Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) 2012 2011 Profit (KD) (9,001,123) (3,822,539) Earnings per share (fils) (13.43) (5.70) Total current assets 73,196,967 100,390,732

Asset
It is the classic asset to liability mismatch that plagues many companies in the region. Several Kuwaiti investment firms have faced debt problems, including Investment Dar, co-owner of luxury car marker Aston Martin, International Investment Group and International Leasing and Investment Co. Global Investment House is currently in the midst of its second restructuring in three years, having said in September that it needed to renegotiate a $1.7bn debt plan agreed in 2009. The Kharafi Group, which owns NIG, is one of the biggest family conglomerates in Kuwait with interests in real estate, retail and financial services. It is thought to control, through various entities, around a quarter of telecom operator Zain. In a statement to the London Stock Exchange where the sukuk is listed, NIG said it will repay 30% of the $475mn total on the August 16 due date but requested an extension on the remainder of the sukuk up to 2016. Under the revised structure, which sukukholders have until August 9 to agree to, NIG will repay 25% of the principal amount at the end of each of the four years; akin to an amortising structure, rather than a bullet repayment in which the borrowed sum is paid back at the end of the term. The profit rate will also be amended from a floating rate of three-month Libor plus 105 basis points to a fixed rate of 450 basis points much higher than the 151.59 bps paid out at the last coupon payment in May. Creditors who agree to the restructuring by August 6 will receive a variable early consent fee. Citigroup is acting as solicitation agent, along with local firm Watani Investment Co. Reading between the lines, they wouldnt have come to market with this offer if they hadnt already surveyed their key lenders and felt that they had a good chance of getting a majority of them to consent, said Alanani. The 30% initial payment and the early consent fees will be financed by a 100mn dinar ($354.4mn) three-year Shariah-compliant loan that will be arranged before the sukuk is originally due to mature, the statement said. The facility, being arranged by Warba Bank, was rated as credit positive by Moodys in May as it would help to address short-term liquidity issues, including the sukuk repayment. NIG had around 85mn dinars of cash on its balance sheet at the end of March, according to Moodys.

during inspection rounds. The sources said the CBK will also penalize banks and exchange companies which have got poor ratings. The sources pointed out some of them have violated all the instructions issued by the bank while others have violated the money laundering laws in addition to not updating full information of the customers.
Total assets 543,389,859 548,652,485 Total current liabilities 103,691,920 93,030,052 Total liabilities 426,054,052 409,627,160 Total shareholders equity 99,771,073 118,665,123 The total revenue from transactions with related parties is worth KD 20,817. Total expenses from transactions with parties amounts to KD 55,747. Al-Deera Holding Comapny (AlDeera) reported that the Board of Directors met on Aug 15, 2012 and approved the interim financial statements for the H1 period ending June 30, 2012. For the three months ending June 30, 2012, the company announced a loss of KD 2,784,956 as compared to a loss of KD 1,129,565 for the same period ending 2011. Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) 2012 2011 Profit (KD) (4,785,860) (3,297,534) Earnings per share (fils) (6.44) (4.46) Total current assets 12,630,501 17,312,952 Total assets 116,954,673 142,163,297 Total current liabilities 39,926,920 37,939,746 Total liabilities 62,558,746 60,545,651 Total shareholders equity 51,882,425 79,814,391 The total revenue from transactions with related parties is worth KD 426,201. Total expenses from transactions with parties amounts to KD 220,601. Board of Directors of Al-Mal Investment Company (Al-Mal) met on Aug 15, 2012 and approved the interim financial statements for the first half period ending June 30, 2012. The company reported a loss of KD 1,908,047 for the three months ending June 30, 2012 as compared to a loss of KD 4,855,381 incurred during the same period ending 2011. Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) 2012 2011 Profit (KD) (2,058,353) (8,919,361) Earnings per share (fils) (3.90) (16.88) Total current assets 90,985,744 45,637,870 Total assets 140,682,209 171,111,363 Total current liabilities 61,467,177 45,594,271 Total liabilities 82.665861 85,950,830 Total shareholders equity 43,870,899 68,465,201 Al-Safat Tech Holding Company (SAFTEC) obtained the approval of the Board of Directors on its interim financial statements for the H1 period ending June 30, 2012, dated Aug 15, 2012. Saftec reported a loss of KD 80,746 for the three months ending June 30, 2012 as compared to a loss of KD 418,250 incurred during the same period ending 2011. Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) 2012 2011 Profit (KD) 1,095,021 (1,157,486)

The sources pointed out, the CBK has recently intensified control over banks and money exchange companies, especially after it was disclosed some of them had exceeded the standards to achieve higher financial gains. The source revealed that the financial penalties range between 50 and 70 thousand dinars, according to the gravity of the violation.
Earnings per share (fils) 2.73 (2.89) Total current assets 33,228,046 32,662,816 Total assets 62,753,510 61,800,365 Total current liabilities 16,737,568 18,192,463 Total liabilities 26,420,268 20,775,914 Total shareholders equity 35,788,443 40,326,493 Total expenses from transactions with parties amounts to KD 16,285 Kuwait Real Estate Holding Company (KREH) reported that the Board of Directors met on Aug 15, 2012 and approved the interim financial statements for the H1 period ending June 30, 2012. For the three months ending June 30, 2012, KREH incurred a loss of KD 2,098,176 as compared to a loss of KD 907,105 for the same period ending 2011. Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) 2012 2011 Profit (KD) (2,755,883) (1,294,823) Earnings per share (fils) (20.3) (4.2) Total current assets 4,450,394 9,221,133 Total assets 43,026,273 56,695,978 Total current liabilities 20,033,502 27,563,727 Total liabilities 30,601,627 32,356,188 Total shareholders equity 12,403,097 24,316,258 The total revenue from transactions with related parties is worth KD 63,570 Total expenses from transactions with parties amounts to KD 746 Capital Market Authority approved the interim financial statements of Kuwait Investment Company (KIC) for the first half period ending June 30, 2012. KIC reported a profit of KD 50,146 for the three months ending June 30, 2012 as compared to a loss of KD 514,051 during the same period ending 2011. Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) 2012 2011 Profit (KD) 2,322,569 3,192,257 Earnings per share (fils) 4.23 5.81 Total current assets 114,739,892 108,582,073 Total assets 238,725,773 239,435,638 Total current liabilities 111,784,173 122,787,570 Total liabilities 115,472,932 125,887,359 Total shareholders equity 103,729,865 103,727,453 The total revenue from transactions with related parties is worth KD 1,563,778 Total expenses from transactions with parties amounts to KD 295,400 Al Arabi Group Holding Company (AGHC) reported that the Board of Directors met on Aug 15, 2012 and approved the interim financial statements for the H1 period ending June 30, 2012. For the three months ending June 30, 2012, the company announced a loss of KD 98,041as compared to a profit of KD 86,893 for the same period ending 2011. Continued on Page 37

Stable
The stable outlook on the rating reflects Moodys assumption that NIG will continue to term out some of its debt while having adequate cash coverage of interest and debt amortisation commitments. In spite of recent significant bank debt term out and the sukuk refinancing with longer term debt, NIGs capital structure continues to include a non-negligible portion of short term debt which could expose the company to a deterioration in liquidity if these bank lines are not rolled over or termed out. A rating downgrade could result from an increased risk of default, which could be triggered by deteriorating liquidity or impaired refinancing ability as a result of short-term lines not being renewed. Positive pressure on the ratings could arise if (1) NIGs market-valuebased leverage returns to levels of below 50% (from the current 52%) on a sustainable basis; and (2) the company continuously strengthens its cash coverage metric such that it trends solidly above 1.0x. Positive rating pressure would also be dependent on the company continuing to term out some of its debt while being able to adequately cover its interest and debt amortisation commitments. The principal methodology used in rating National Industries Group Holding S.A.K. was the Global Investment Holding Companies Industry rating methodology, published in October 2007. Please see the Credit Policy page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology. National Industries Group Holding S.A.K., based in Kuwait City, is a publicly listed investment holding company and one of the largest publicly traded companies in Kuwait. Its business consists of strategic and financial stakes in companies across Kuwait, the Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) and Europe, focusing primarily on the building materials, specialist engineering, petrochemi-

BUSINESS
Kuwait Energy starts commercial production in Abu Sennan, Egypt
Kuwait Energy (the Company), one of the fastest growing independent oil and gas exploration and production companies in the Middle East, and its main partner in Egypt, the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, announce that they have begun production of oil and gas condensate in four wells within the Abu Sennan concession. The announcement follows successful exploration activities over the last eight months. The Abu Sennan concession is located in the Western Desert in Egypt. Commercial production commenced with a total production flow rate of 2,200 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) across the four wells. ZZ-4 well is presently producing at 267 barrels of oil per day (bopd), Al Ahmadi-1 well at 420 bopd, Al Jahraa-1X well at 500 bopd and El Salmiya-1 well at 1,000 barrels of condensate per day. Production flow was successful at the level of the Bahriya formation, the Abu Roash G, Abu Roash E, and Abu Roash C formations. Kuwait Energy is the operator of the concession and holds a 50% working interest. The remaining working interest is held by Beach Petroleum (Egypt) Pty Ltd which holds a 22% working interest, and Dover Investments Limited with a 28% working interest. The Company had announced the discoveries of ZZ-4 and Al Ahmadi-1 wells in August 2011, the discovery of Al Jahraa1X well in February 2012 and El Salmiya1 well in March 2012. Sara Akbar, Chief Executive Officer of Kuwait Energy, said: This is a great milestone for Kuwait Energy in Egypt as it represents first production from the Abu Sennan concession and is a result of the four discoveries achieved over the last year. The Abu Sennan concession has yielded discoveries resulting in three development leases being granted within the concession yielding finds to date, and we look forward to starting our development activities for these leases.

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

37

Sara Akbar, CEO, Kuwait Energy

Cairo, World Bank sign $200 mln loan project

Egypt may seek bigger, $4.8 bln loan from IMF

CAIRO, Aug 15, (Agencies): Egypt will discuss the possibility of a bigger-thanexpected $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund this month, when head Christine Lagarde will lead a delegation to Cairo, its finance minister said. Lagardes presence was requested by Egypt but could signal a fresh determination on both sides to seal a long-awaited accord after new Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi appointed his first government last month. The IMF confirmed in a statement that Lagarde would be present and said the delegations visit would start on Aug 22. Her visit is a reflection of the IMFs continuous commitment to support Egypt and its people during this historic period of transition, it said. During 18 months of political turmoil since the overthrow of autocratic leader Hosni Mubarak, successive Egyptian governments negotiated with the IMF to secure emergency funding that various officials had put at $3.2 billion. No deal has been reached and Egypts fiscal and balance of payment problems have worsened. An exodus of foreign investors in the wake of the turmoil left local banks shouldering almost all shortterm lending to the state, sending its borrowing costs to unsustainable highs. We will discuss, in the negotiations we are to carry out with the IMF, increasing the loan to $4.8 billion, finance minister Mumtaz al-Saeed told reporters in Cairo, adding that he asked the United States on Tuesday for a $500 million grant to support the state budget. An IMF deal would also help Egypt add credibility to economic reforms needed to restore investor confidence. Foreign reserves have fallen to well under half levels seen before last years popular uprising against Mubarak and investors reluctance to return is born partly of fears that a sharp currency devaluation could wipe out any returns. Egypts 2012-13 budget sees a 12.5 percent rise in the deficit. The deficit would represent 7.9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), down from 8.2 percent a year earlier, although most economists forecast lower GDP growth than the governments estimate of 4-4.5 percent. Tax receipts have suffered from a weak economy and the previous government boosted spending to meet popular demands for better living standards after Mubaraks overthrow. Aid promised by foreign donors last year was largely absent until June, when funds arrived from Saudi Arabia. Saudi transferred $1.5 billion as direct budget support, approved $430 million in project aid and said it would allow Cairo to use a $750 million credit line to import oil products. Saeed said this week that Qatar should place the first $500 million tranche of a $2 billion deposit in the central bank within a week. Meanwhile, Egyptian Cabinet ministers and World Bank officials have signed off on a $200 million project aimed at creating 250,000 jobs after more than a year of slow economic growth. The World Bank says the investments will be spent on financing for job creation by improving the environment for private sector-led growth and education. Egypt has been in an economic downturn since the popular uprising that brought down longtime President Hosni Mubarak last year. Egypt and the World Bank agreed on the loan in late June and signed it in Cairo on Tuesday. The World Bank says the loan is meant to encourage local community participation in projects to enhance water and sanitation, energy and reliable transportation, as well as social services like health, education and social welfare.

SOMO to blend grades by Dec

Platts may start Basra Light crude price assessment in Oct

SINGAPORE, Aug 15, (RTRS): Platts could start a price assessment for Iraqi Basra Light crude from October if the producer manages to standardise the quality of the oil it exports by December, a senior company official said on Wednesday. Platts, a unit of McGraw Hill, provides the dated Brent benchmark that is used to price about two-thirds of global crude and also assesses Dubai and Oman, which are benchmarks for Gulf crude exports. Iraq overtook Iran as OPECs second-largest producer in June and the assessment could pave the way for Basra Light to become a deliverable crude for the Platts Dubai benchmark that prices about 12 million barrels per day of Gulf crude exported to Asia. If they do it, it will make a lot of sense for us to assess it in October as a single stream, if not then well choose one, he said, adding talks with SOMO were under way to determine if there would be any change in the schedule. Iraq could become one of the top four oil producers in the world as its production is expected to triple to about 6 million barrels per day by 2016. Close to half of Iraqs current exports of Basrah Light head to Asia.

StanChart eyes joint deal after backing down in US

Bank says decision was pragmatic
LONDON, Aug 15, (RTRS): Standard Chartered is pursuing a collective settlement with other US authorities after backing down and agreeing to pay $340 million to New Yorks financial regulator following mounting pressure from shareholders.
The bank said it made a pragmatic decision to settle having seen its share price slump by more than 30 percent at one stage last week following accusations that it concealed Iran-linked transactions worth a total of $250 billion.
With the New York settlement agreed subject to formalities, the banks US lawyers Sullivan & Cromwell will look to accelerate talks with other agencies to enable Standard Chartered to draw a line under an episode that has caused lasting damage to its reputation. Negotiations are going on between the other agencies, and we are talking to them. It is safe to assume there will now be a collective agreement, a spokesman for the bank said, declining to put a timeframe on the process. Having cut short a family holiday in Canada last week, Chief Executive Peter Sands is now pushing for a comprehensive deal that removes lingering uncertainty. The bank is still the subject of probes by the US Treasury, the Federal Reserve, the Justice Department and New York prosecutors. Shares in Standard Chartered were up 4.9 percent at 1,437.5 pence at 1330 GMT, still 8 percent below their value prior to accusations being made against the bank on Aug 6.

Deliverable
An industry source told Reuters earlier that Platts and Iraqs SOMO were holding discussions to add Basra Light as a deliverable crude for the Dubai benchmark. Platts is still working on introducing Qatar Marine as a deliverable crude for Dubai, in addition to Oman and Abu Dhabis Upper Zakum, Montepeque said, declining to say when this will take place. The company is also reviewing its assessment of Indonesias Minas as regional markers in the Asia-Pacific are phased out in favour of dated Brent. Minas is starting to look like an outlier while everything else is dated Brent, Montepeque said. We will need to review to see whether it keeps as an outlier or we bring it in into the general fabric. The company will study different measures such as deliveries of alternative grades for Minas and increasing the cargo size to 200,000 barrels from 25,000 barrels, Montepeque said. It could also measure the crudes worth in terms of the oil products it yields or as a direct-burning grade based on liquefied natural gas and fuel oil prices, he added. Vietnam could price all its crude on dated Brent instead of Minas by early 2013, joining oil producers Malaysia, Australia and Papua New Guinea in dropping volatile regional price markers.

Declines
Including Basra Light may improve liquidity for the Dubai crude as output of the benchmark grade declines, making the marker more reflective of fundamentals. It will also increase trading in Basrah Light as participants seek to take positions in a grade that could become part of the benchmark. But the difference in the quality of Basra Light exported from different terminals is a key issue that needs to be resolved before the assessment can start. Technically there are two strands, one that is 32-33 degrees in API and one that is 30, Jorge Montepeque, Platts global director of market reporting, told Reuters. The API (American Petroleum Institute) gravity is an arbitrary measurement of the relative density of petroleum liquids. Oil is usually more expensive if it is light, or has a high API gravity. Iraqs State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO) has indicated that it will comingle the grades and have one common grade by December, Montepeque said.

Settlement
I think Standard Chartered wanted to settle because the share price had become destabilised, said one of the banks 30 biggest investors. Prior to that, I think they believed they had good legal grounds to resist a settlement of, say, under $200 million on the basis of the history of these cases. New Yorks Financial Services Superintendent Benjamin Lawsky had described Standard Chartered as a rogue institution for breaking US sanctions by concealing information about funds linked to Iran. The affair had taken on a political dimension, with British members of parliament suggesting that the lack of coordination between Lawsky and other regulators showed bias against London. Britains Finance Minister George Osborne made a series of phone calls to his US counterpart last week expressing concern at the way details of the case came out. John Mann, a member of parliaments finance committee, said there was a political onslaught in the US against British banks. Sands initially repudiated Lawskys accusations in strong terms. His decision to give the green light to a hefty settlement just days later has been viewed as a climbdown, but he maintains the support of investors and is likely to survive. I dont think Peter Sandss reputation has been damaged much by the affair. The fact that his robust defence doesnt quite gel with the size of the fine would be the only real concern, said one of the banks biggest 40 shareholders. Simon Morris, a lawyer at CMC Cameron McKenna, questioned why the bank had paid such a hefty fine following its strong rebuttal of the allegations. Sands said last week that only a tiny proportion of the banks Iran-related deals worth less than $14 million were questionable under US sanctions rules. Last week there was a flat denial of wrongdoing, so this would make $340 million an immense penalty for the 0.1 percent of transactions that supposedly slipped through the net, he said. But if you assume some underlying truth in the allegations, then it is a middling settlement - still a hefty price to pay for a continuing licence to run a branch in New York. The 50-year-old former McKinsey consultant has run the Asia-focused bank for the past six years and his success in the role had even made him a possible candidate for the job of governor of the Bank of England. Earlier this month, Standard Chartered reported a strong first half performance setting it up for a 10th straight year of record profits. Mondays settlement offered some relief to shareholders, but investors were quick to point out that Standard Chartered still had some way to go before closing the most regrettable chapter in its history. Dont forget about the other half of the fine they havent settled with the DoJ/OFAC yet, one of the banks biggest 30 investors told Reuters, referring to the US Department of Justice and the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control. He estimated a second financial hit of around the same size.

In this Aug 7, 2012 file photo, a man walks past the headquarters of Standard Chartered Bank in London. (AP)

Global incurs
Continued from Page 36
Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) 2012 2011 Profit (KD) 289,695 265,908 Earnings per share (fils) 2.20 2.02 Total current assets 53,148,153 50,307,841 Total assets 67,553,305 63,242,111 Total current liabilities 41,468,576 39,823,287 Total liabilities 45,718,057 43,214,026 Total shareholders equity 21,460,481 19,904,878 Total expenses from transactions with parties amounts to KD 163,123 Board of Directors of Gulf Petroleum Investment Company (GPI) met on Aug 15, 2012 and approved the interim financial statements for the first half period ending June 30, 2012. GPI reported a profit of KD 888,817 for the three months ending June 30, 2012 as compared to a profit of KD 1,120,401 earned during the same period ending 2011. Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) 2012 2011 Profit (KD) 1,066,477 1,749,393 Earnings per share (fils) 4.64 7.62 Total current assets 7,625,295 8,932,426 Total assets 48,908,552 52,767,253 Total current liabilities 13,213,819 17,274,982 Total liabilities 24,036,545 29,173,791 Total shareholders equity 24,310,466 23,013,194 Hits Telecom Holding Company (HITS Telecom) obtained the approval of the Board of Directors on its interim financial statements for the H1 period ending June 30, 2012, dated Aug 15, 2012. Hits Telecom reported a loss of KD 528,584 for the three months ending June 30, 2012 as compared to a loss of KD 105,205 incurred during the same period ending 2011. Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) 2012 2011 Profit (KD) (473,788) 42,343

Earnings per share (fils) (0.697) 0.062 Total current assets 19,106,511 31,782,805 Total assets 143,858,295 142,533,865 Total current liabilities 43,367,292 42,335,155 Total liabilities 55,170,253 51,624,254 Total shareholders equity 96,356,700 95,818,523 Total expenses from transactions with parties amounts to KD 68,360 Securities Group Company (SGC) obtained the approval of the Capital Market Authority on its interim financial statements for the three months period ending June 30, 2012, dated Aug 13, 2012. Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) 2012 2011 Profit (KD) (1,885,037) (291,652) Earnings per share (fils) (7.39) (1.14) Total current assets 55,833,881 60,419,444 Total assets 115,493,990 127,160,055 Total current liabilities 58,465,615 69,079,138 Total liabilities 58,822,459 69,346,823 Total shareholders equity 56,671,531 57,813,223 The total revenue from transactions with related parties is worth KD 9,034 Total expenses from transactions with parties amounts to KD 234,062 Kuwait Stock Exchange announced that the Board of Directors of Livestock Transport and Trading Company met on Aug 14, 2012, and adopted the interim financial statements for the periods ending June 30, 2012, according to the following: For the three months ending June 30, 2012, the company reported a loss of KD 1,970,117 as compared to a loss of KD 3,798,389 for the same period ending 2011. Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) 2012 2011 Profit (KD) (574,837) (5,221,463) Earnings per share (fils) (2.75) (24.83) Total current assets 37,737,051 33,290,139 Total assets 49,526,586 46,747,635 Total current liabilities 6,697,589 3,058,546 Total liabilities 8,461,084 4,785,706 Total shareholders equity 41,065,502 41,961,929 Total expenses from transactions with parties amounts to KD 21,933

Deals to cover fuel supply for first 15 yrs of operations

UAE awards contracts worth $3bln

ABU DHABI, Aug 15, (RTRS): The United Arab Emirates awarded $3 billion in contracts to six foreign firms, including global miner Rio Tinto and Frances Areva on Wednesday, to supply fuel for the Gulf Arab states first nuclear power plant. The Barakah plant is slated to open in 2017 and the contracts, which range from the purchase of uranium to conversion and enrichment services, will cover its fuel supply for the first 15 years of operations, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp (ENEC) said. These contracts will provide ENEC with long-term security of supply, high quality fuel and favorable pricing and commercial terms, Mohamed alHammadi, ENECs chief executive, said in a statement. The other firms are US-based ConverDyn, Canadas Uranium One, government-controlled nuclear group Urenco and Russias Tenex, the worlds largest exporter of low-enriched uranium. The fuel supply programme will begin in 2014-2015. A spokesman for Areva, the worlds biggest maker of nuclear plants, said its share of the contract was worth 400 million euros ($492.86 million). In July, the UAEs nuclear regulator granted ENEC a licence to construct the countrys first two nuclear reactors, to be built by a South Korean-led consortium that will eventually build and operator four 1,400 megawatt reactors in total. The OPEC member will be the first Gulf Arab state to begin building a nuclear power plant. It wants to save its oil reserves for export rather than using them to generate electricity, for which

Dubais Drake 2nd qtr profit slumps 49pct; misses view

DUBAI, Aug 15, (RTRS): Dubai contractor Drake and Scull posted a 49 percent drop in second-quarter net profit on Wednesday, missing analysts forecasts, as high financing costs for acquisitions and increased provisions for contracts ate into profits. The firm, which specialises in mechanical, engineering and plumbing operations, made a second-quarter net profit of 26.1 million dirhams ($7.1 million) compared with 51.3 million dirhams in the same period in 2011, it said in a statement. The results missed analysts forecasts who expected a second-quarter net profit of 46.7 million dirhams in a Reuters poll. Drake shares were down 3.6 percent at 0650 GMT on Dubais bourse. The company, which has pushed into other markets like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait following a slowdown in Dubais real estate sector, blamed expenses from acquisitions and contracts provisioning for the profit drop. Finance costs from acquisition funding and contracts provisioning continue to hinder profit growth, said Osama Hamdan, chief financial officer for Drake. Our exposure to the euro currency through our German subsidiary and the volatile fluctuations in foreign exchange also contributed to the decline in earnings. Contract revenue for the quarter fell to 717.3 million dirhams from 738.7 million dirhams in the prior-year period. Hamdan said revenue in the quarter was impacted by lower productivity on major projects, especially in its key focus market of Saudi Arabia. Drake secured contracts worth 1.6 billion dirhams year-to-date and has a order backlog of 7.4 billion dirhams at the end of June 30.

demand is rising rapidly. The UAE, and other top oil exporters in the region, have been seeking alternative energy resources to meet soaring electricity demand on the back of a growing population and industrialization that threatens to absorb precious oil and gas reserves. The contracted fuel will enable the plant,

located west of the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, to generate up to 450 million megawatts over the first 15 years, ENEC said. The company added it expects to return to the market at various times to take advantage of favorable market conditions and to strengthen its security of supply position.

BUSINESS
EADS told of questionable payments
European aerospace giant EADS was told five years ago about suspect payments and costly gifts made by a British subsidiary facing a criminal investigation, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. The alleged revelation comes after Britains Serious Fraud Office last week said it had launched a criminal probe into the activities of the British unit in Saudi Arabia. According to the FT, the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) was informed in 2007 about costly gifts given to Saudi Arabian royalty and military, as well as suspect payments made to Cayman Island bank accounts. The newspaper, citing email correspondence, said Mike Paterson, financial controller of EADS division GPT Special Project Management, had alerted his bosses about the activities. (AFP)

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38

SABIC gives nod to firms

Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) has invited bids for the construction of a 50,000 tonnes-peryear polyacetal (POM) facility at its affiliate Ibn Sina in Jubail, industry sources said on Wednesday. National Methanol Co, better known as Ibn Sina, is 50-percent owned by SABIC while Celanese Corp and an affiliate of Duke Energy Corp each have a 25 percent-stake. Companies invited to submit bids by Oct 24 are Spains Dragados, China National Chemical Engineering Co, Taiwans CTCI, South Koreas Hyundai Engineering , Daelim Industrial, Hanwha Engineering and SK Engineering and Construction. In 2010, when SABIC signed an agreement with Celanese to develop the project, it said the investment was expected to be nearly $400 million. It said then the plant would go online by 2013 with engineering and construction work starting by 2011. (RTRS)

Turkey unemployment drops

Turkeys unemployment rate fell to 8.2 percent of the workforce in the three months from April to June, from 9.4 percent in the same period in 2011, official data showed on Wednesday. The number of unemployed people fell by 278,000 over the period to reach 2.272 million, Turkish Statistics Institute said on its website on the basis of a survey of 96,613 people. Turkeys economy staged a spectacular recovery from the global crisis, growing by 8.9 percent in 2010 and by 8.5 percent in 2011. Ankara aspires to join the ranks of the worlds top 10 economies by 2023, but its growth has already showed signs of slowdown by the last quarter of 2011, with a rate of 5.2 percent considered a healthy slowdown by the Ankara government. (AFP)

BP seeking $7.9 bln for Gulf of Mexico oilfields

OPEC Sec Gen hopes for lower output: report

LONDON, Aug 15, (Agencies): OPEC Secretary General Abdullah al-Badri hopes the oil producer group will trim output towards its output target of 30 million barrels per day (bpd) in coming months, industry newsletter Gulf Oil Review quoted him as saying. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has been exceeding its target all year, pumping almost 31.2 million bpd in July according to a Reuters survey. Still, production has fallen since it reached 31.75 million bpd in April. Our member-countries understand what their production levels should be. In the months ahead, I hope we can continue to move back towards the 30 million bpd level, Badri said in an interview with Gulf Oil Review. OPEC has not set individual production quotas for the 12 members bound by the 30 million bpd target, a thorny subject it has avoided tackling at its meetings in recent years. Badri gave no timeframe in the interview when asked how long OPEC would be able to operate without a formal quota system. He reiterated that the organization, which pumps more than a third of the worlds oil, is continuing to invest in new supply capacity to meet growth in demand. OPEC members are on course to bring on stream a net 7 million bpd of oil capacity in the next four years, Badri said. The groups spare production capacity, he said, will stabilize at around 8 million bpd in the near term.

Petrobras confirms major oil find off Brazil coast

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 15, (AFP): Brazils state-owned energy giant Petrobras says it has confirmed the presence of significant quantities of light oil in deep waters off the countrys southeastern coast. The company said in a statement released late Monday that the highgrade oil was in the Carcara well, located 230 kms (140 miles) off the coast of the Sao Paulo state, in the BM-S-8 block. The find had been announced March 20 and drilling has been underway since then to determine the total thickness of the oil reservoirs as well as the presence of deeper zones of interest. It is within the so-called pre-salt reserves, buried beneath several kilometers of ocean, bedrock and hot salt beds. New oil samples were collected at depth of up to 6,131 meters (19,000 feet), Petrobras said, adding that the samples measured at a relatively light density of 31: API. The statement noted that the drilling has already confirmed an oil column of over 400 meters, showing reservoirs that are mostly continuous and connected. Oil expert Adriano Pires, head of the Brazilian Infrastructure Center, said the announcement was good news but cautioned that Carcaras proven reserves were not yet known. The drilling has not been completed. The column is big but nobody knows the proven reserves, the results from all of the drilled wells. There is no word on its commercialization. Its all speculation, he added. Pires recalled that earlier this month Petrobras blamed its secondquarter net losses of $663 million on the closure or abandonment of 41 drilled wells deemed not economically viable between 2009 and 2012. The National Petroleum Agency estimates that the huge pre-salt reserves, discovered in 2006, could hold more than 100 billion barrels of high-quality recoverable crude and could turn Brazil into one of the worlds top exporters.

Also: NEW YORK: BP PLC is asking for up to

$7.9 billion for some of its oilfields in the Gulf of Mexico as it continues to sell assets after the 2010 oil spill, according to Bloomberg News. According to the report Tuesday, which cited two people with knowledge of the matter, BP could clear up to $5 billion to $6 billion after the buyer pays taxes. BP declined to comment on financial terms of a sale but said that it intends to

remain the largest oil and natural gas producer in the Gulf. No one should confuse our effort to sell these older, non-strategic assets, which we announced months ago, with our ongoing commitment to the Gulf of Mexico, said spokesman Brett Clanton.

He said BP still plans to invest at least $4 billion per year over the next decade in the Gulf. The company has six rigs in the Gulf now and plans to have eight by the end of the year, an all-time high. Shares of BP rose 18 cents to $42.27 in

afternoon trading. London-based BP hopes to sell $38 billion worth of assets by the end of 2013 to help pay the costs of cleaning up the Gulf oil spill. On Monday, BP announced it agreed to sell a refinery in Carson, California, and

pipelines and Arco-branded gasoline stations to Tesoro Corp for $2.5 billion. BP also said it was selling two gas-processing plants in Texas. Those sales had been expected for a long time. The Tesoro deal brought BPs asset sales to $26.5 billion since the April 2010 Gulf oil spill.

Balfour Beatty order book down

Resolution eyes overhaul as M&A plans founder

LONDON, Aug 15, (RTRS): Insurance buyout firm Resolution called a halt to takeovers and said it would scrap its complex board structure in an overhaul aimed at transforming the group from an aggressive acquisition vehicle into an ordinary life insurer. As part of the revamp, Resolution will stop outsourcing acquisition activities to an external firm run by founder Clive Cowdery, and bring Cowdery onto its board of directors for the first time, it said on Wednesday. The move pre-empts new rules flagged in January by the financial regulator which are expected to make such externally-managed firms ineligible for a premium stock market listing because they make key decision-makers unanswerable to investors. The overhaul also reflects the weakness of financial markets since 2008, which has weighed on insurance valuations and made owners reluctant to sell, undermining Resolutions plan to buy, merge and sell underperforming life insurers. An entirely conventional company will be the end result of this, although we would hope to be more value-focused than the life insurance sector has exhibited over the last decade, Cowdery told reporters on a conference call. We started off in 2009 and in 2010 buying companies with the expectation that more would become available, but in markets as poor as this, people arent selling. Resolution also said it had abandoned its original plan to sell or float parts of its business. The company, which has since 2008 spent 4.7 billion ($7.37 billion) buying three life insurers including Friends Provident, will instead try to make money for its investors by improving the performance of its existing operations, Cowdery said. Cowdery, who delivered bumper returns from a first insurance buyout venture that sold itself to Pearl Group for 5 billion in 2007, has previously said any other acquisition projects would be carried out separately from Resolution. Resolution also said pretax operating profit for the first six months of 2012 slumped 58 percent to 163 million, weighed by lower investment returns and a weaker performance from the groups international units. Analysts had expected a profit of 176 million, according to a company poll. The company, which last month cancelled plans to distribute 250 million to investors because of uncertain economic conditions, said its capital strength was robust, and raised its interim dividend by 5 percent to 7.05 pence per share.

Britain still on course for more stimulus; unemployment dips

Inflation seen close to target in coming months
LONDON, Aug 15, (Agencies): Britains recession-hit economy remained on course for more cash stimulus despite an improving employment picture, minutes from the Bank of Englands latest monetary policy meeting showed Wednesday.
Minutes from the BoEs meeting at the start of August revealed that all of its nine policymakers voted to keep the central banks main interest rate at a record-low 0.50 percent. They also voted unanimously to keep the central banks quantitative easing (QE) cash stimulus programme at a level of 375 billion ($584 billion, 476 billion euros).
However, the decision to refrain from more QE cash was finely balanced for some members of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), according to the minutes. Markets are also pricing in the prospect of fresh stimulus measures from the European Central Bank, US Federal Reserve and Beijing as the global economy falters. A positive for Britain meanwhile came Wednesday in the form of an improving jobs market. Official data showed the countrys unemployment rate fell to 8.0 percent in the quarter to June from 8.1 percent in the three months to May thanks to an Olympics jobs boost. The number of unemployed people fell by 46,000 to 2.56 million, the Office for National Statistics added in a statement. Thousands of temporary jobs were created as a result of the London Olympics that ended on Sunday providing a boost to Britains recession-hit economy. Although these numbers may have been helped a little by the Olympics, the broad story is that the labour market continues to outperform the economy, which official data show has been declining for three quarters, said Investec bank analyst Philip Shaw.

Pushed
Investors pushed Resolutions shares up 4.2 percent by 1055 GMT the second best performer in a flat FTSE 100 reflecting hopes the board reorganisation will salvage the insurers premium listing, reserved for companies that meet the highest corporate governance standards. Losing that status would have forced investment funds that track the British equity market to sell their shares in the group. The clarification of future direction is welcome and should remove a cloud from the share price, one of the companys ten biggest shareholders told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. The stock is still down 6 percent in the year to date, lagging an 18 percent increase in the Stoxx 600 European insurance index. The odds of a turnaround are stacked against them with a portfolio of weak companies with poor track records, and against a backdrop of rapidly changing regulation, Oriel Securities analyst Marcus Barnard wrote in a note. We cant see any sort of shortterm catalyst to make us want to buy the shares. Cowdery said his advisory business, Resolution Operations, was still looking at other potential consolidation projects outside the British life insurance sector, but declined to give details.

Balfour Beatty, Britains largest construction company, said it could not forecast when there would be a pick-up in its home market where its own order book was down 3 percent, outperforming a 10 percent fall across the industry. Balfour Beatty also said on Wednesday its focus in recent months on winning contracts in industries such as transport and mining, particularly in emerging markets, meant it should meet its own full-year expectations. The company, which operates in more than 80 countries and built the Aquatics Centre for the London Olympics, posted a 12 percent rise in underlying first-half pretax profit, lifted by a one-time gain from the sale of infrastructure investment assets. We do not anticipate any significant further reduction (in Britain) ... But in terms of recovery of volumes, it is difficult to see, in the very short term, where recovery is coming from, deputy chief executive Andrew McNaughton said. The business is on track for where we expect it to be this year, McNaughton told Reuters, adding that while the 52 million ($82 million) gain from the asset sales provided boost, overall trading was in line. The global construction sector has struggled to recover from the financial crisis, weighed down by government spending cuts and recession, particularly in Britain and the United States. Investec analyst Andrew Gibb said that without the asset sales, profit on a comparable basis was down 17 percent. There is nothing in this statement which compels us to alter our negative stance. Cash again is extremely weak and risks remain ahead, particularly in the UK, he said in a note. Balfour Beatty shares were up 2.1 percent at 200.6 pence at 0920 GMT, valuing the company at 2.0 billion. Its order book at the end of June was 15.0 billion, helped by 5 billion of new orders in the first half, and compared with 15.2 billion a year earlier. US construction markets appeared to have reached a stable state, Balfour Beatty said, with meaningful recovery still 12-18 months away. Underlying first-half pretax profit rose 12 percent to 154 million on revenue up 6 percent to 5.5 billion.

Inflation
Amid rising inflation and negative gross domestic product (GDP) output in Britain, Shaw said he felt the MPC will give the green light for another 50 billion of QE, most likely when the current programme expires in November. The MPC had already voted in July to increase the QE asset-purchasing programme by an extra 50 billion over four months to November bringing the total to 375 billion since it began the stimulus project in 2009. The committee maintained the status quo in August as it also sought to gauge the impact of the governments 80-billion Funding for Lending (FLS) scheme that is also aimed at lifting retail bank lending. Under QE, the Bank of England creates new cash to purchase assets such as government and corporate bonds with the aim of boosting lending and stimulating economic activity. The committee discussed whether it was appropriate to expand or continue with the programme of asset purchases it had agreed at its previous meeting, the minutes read. For some members the decision was nevertheless more finely balanced, since a good case could be made at this meeting for more asset purchases. The Bank of England last week slashed its forecast for British growth this year to close to zero percent, saying the greatest threat to recovery came from the eurozone crisis. Britain is not a member of the eurozone but the bloc is its major trade partner. The country meanwhile escaped a deep downturn in late 2009 but fell back into recession at the end of 2011. Latest official data showed GDP slumped 0.7 percent between April and June from the first three months of this year. Annual inflation in Britain meanwhile rose unexpectedly last month to 2.6 percent above the BoEs 2.0-percent target. Inflation was... likely to remain close to the target in the coming months, the banks minutes said. The minutes of Augusts MPC meeting support our view that more policy stimulus is likely before long, said Vicky Redwood, an analyst at Capital Economics research group. Admittedly the vote to leave policy unchanged this month was unanimous, but this was always likely given the asset purchases currently underway wont be completed until November, she added.

A Virgin train (bottom) passes two parked Virgin trains as it arrives at Euston station in London, on Aug 15. (AP)

Virgin loses long-held deal with British govt

Branson reaches end of railway line

LONDON, Aug 15, (Agencies): Richard Branson signalled Wednesday that he would exit the railway business after Virgin Rail Group lost a long-held deal with the British government to run a major route linking London with Glasgow. The Department for Transport has awarded a new 13-year west coast train franchise to transport firm FirstGroup, which will begin services between England and Scotland from December. Virgin Rail which is 51-percent owned by Virgin Group and 49-percent owned by transport firm Stagecoach has been running the route since 1997, during which time it introduced tilting high-speed Pendolino trains. It is Virgins only railway franchise. FirstGroup will pay back 5.5 billion ($8.6 billion, 7.0 billion euros) to the government in premiums over the life of the franchise. Branson revealed in a tweet that Virgin Rail had offered to pay 750 million less than this. Based on the current flawed system, it is extremely unlikely that we would bid again for a franchise. The process is too costly and uncertain, the British tycoon added in a statement. Branson described the decision to hand the network to FirstGroup as extremely disappointing for Virgin, and for our staff that have worked so hard to transform this railway over the last 15 years. He added that under Virgin, the West Coast Mainline has been transformed from a public liability into a valuable asset for the UK, worth many billions of pounds. public. This new franchise will deliver big improvements for passengers, with more seats and plans for more services, Rail Minister Theresa Villiers said in a statement. FirstGroup will start operating the new franchise on Dec 9 and expects the route, which has annual revenue of around 900 million pounds, to generate sales growth of 10.4 percent and margins of roughly 5 percent over the life of the contract. The shortlist for the franchise had included two foreign, state-backed groups - Keolis of France and Hollands Abellio - as well as incumbent Virgin Trains, who along with its partner Stagecoach had run the route since 1997. Scotland-based FirstGroup said it plans to add capacity by introducing 11 new six-car electric trains on services between Birmingham in central England and Glasgow, in Scotland. Spare capacity exists on the key growth corridor for the UK economy, linking a number of the UKs largest and growing major urban areas including London, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow, the company said.

Success
The tycoon continued: The service is a British success story and one to put up against rail companies around the world. Scottish-based FirstGroup, which employs 124,000 staff, currently operates train and bus services across Britain and North America. Its rail routes in Britain include First Capital Connect, First Great Western and First ScotRail. We are delighted to be selected by government to operate this unique railway which connects communities across the country and plays a vital role in the UKs economic growth, added FirstGroup chief executive Tim OToole. Britains coalition government added that the new operator would deliver significant benefits for the travelling

BUSINESS
foreign holdings rise
Foreign demand for US Treasury securities rose to a record level in June, as China, the largest buyer of Treasury debt, increased its holdings. The Treasury Department says total foreign holdings rose 0.7 percent in June to a record $5.29 trillion. It marked the sixth straight monthly gain. Demand for US debt is rising in part because investors are worried about Europes debt crisis and its impact on the global economy. US government debt is considered one of the worlds safest investments. China increased its holdings by $300 million, or 0.03 percent, to $1.16 trillion. (AP)

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

39

mobile app for payments

A bevy of big-name retailers including Wal-Mart Stores Inc, Best-Buy Co and Target Corp, are teaming up to create a company that will give US customers another way to make purchases: with their cellphones. The businesses said Wednesday that the new company, Merchant Customer Exchange, is developing a mobile application that will be available for nearly any smartphone. The app is expected to integrate a variety of coupons, rebates and loyalty programs. With the announcement, retailers are entering an already crowded arena where different industry groups are jockeying for position on the smartphone screen, which everyone expects will be the new way to pay. Retailers have a strong position in the arena, since they can decide which forms of payment to accept. (AP)

Jan Larimer, RNC CoChairwoman (left), Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn (back row), take a ride with Scott Latimer, MD, Humanas Market President in Central Florida at the Tampa Freewheelin Announcement Event on Aug 14, in Tampa, Fla. Humana is providing 20 Freewheelin pedal buses as a means of a healthy transportation for the RNC and DNC. (AP)

Soros more than doubles stake, Third Point trimmed

Paulson adds to gold pile, boosts investor confidence

NEW YORK, Aug 15, (RTRS): Prominent hedge fund manager John Paulson raised his stake in gold in the second quarter of 2012, boosting investor confidence that bullion prices have more room to rise this year, a US regulatory filing showed on Tuesday. It was the first time Paulson & Co had increased its position in the SPDR Gold Trust since the first quarter of 2009, when the investment firm initially acquired 31.5 million shares of the worlds No. 1 exchange-traded fund. The fact that you have one guy who made the most money in his gold fund is increasing his holding, you have to feel confident about that if you are a gold bull, said Mihir Dange, COMEX gold options floor trader for Arbitrage LLC. Turnout from other major fund managers with positions in the gold ETF was mixed. While billionaire financier George Soros more than doubled his shares in the ETF, Eton Park Capitals Eric Mindich had dissolved his stake by the end of the second quarter. Paulson & Co owned 21.8 million shares in SPDR Gold by the end of June, up about 26 percent from 17.3 million shares from March 31, a regulatory filing with the US Securities & Exchange Commission showed. The gamble resulted in a paper gain of nearly $583 million for the company as the value of its ETF holdings rose to $3.39 billion from $2.81 billion. Paulson also raised his stake in gold mining companies including NovaGold Resources Inc and Allied Nevada Gold Corp. He also established a new position in NovaCopper Inc. In the first quarter, Paulson retained his position in the gold ETF after slashing his holdings in two previous quarters due to what analysts suspected were client redemptions. Paulson has to date been the biggest holder of SPDR shares, using them to hedge currency exposure, while other managers such as Greenlight Capitals David Einhorn and Third Point LLCs Daniel Loeb have favored more discrete investments in physical bullion. Analysts read the second quarter filing by Paulson as a sign that the hedge fund manager, a well-known gold bull, has not lost his faith in the precious metal as a long

Buffetts firm drops Intel, buys oil stocks

NEW YORK, Aug 15, (AP): Warren Buffetts company has dropped its stake in Intel and added new investments in National Oilwell Varco and Phillips 66. Omaha-based Berkshire Hathaway Inc. revealed the moves in a regulatory filing after the market closed Tuesday. The report also detailed other shifts in the companys $74.3 billion stock portfolio. In the three months ending June 30, Berkshire dropped all of its 7.7 million shares in Intel Corp. It bought 2.8 million shares in National Oilwell Varco Inc. and 27 million shares in Phillips 66. Buffett previously mentioned the firms purchase of stock in Phillips 66, an oil refining company spun out of ConocoPhillips, during a television interview last month. Berkshire also sold a large chunk of its Johnson & Johnson stock. It now owns 10.3 million shares of J&J, down 64 percent from three months earlier. In another large sale, Berkshire cut its stake in Procter & Gamble to 59 million shares, down 19 percent from the previous filing. Buffetts firm tripled its stake in Bank of New York Mellon, from 5.6 million shares to 18.7 million. It also raised its stake in DirecTV from 23 million shares to 28 million. Berkshire doubled its position in the newspaper publisher Lee Enterprises Inc., to 3.2 million shares. The company maintained its stakes in other publishing companies, Gannett Inc. and The Washington Post Co. Berkshires investments are closely watched by investors because of Buffetts successful track record. Buffett makes most of the investment decisions at Berkshire, but the firms regulatory filing doesnt distinguish between his stock picks and those made by the companys other investment managers, Todd Combs and Ted Weschler. Combs started at Berkshire last year, and Weschler started early this year. Buffett has said the two men are managing $2.75 billion each, while Buffett oversees the rest.

hedge against inflation. Spot gold fell 4 percent in the second quarter, as prices largely traded in a $150 range following a 7-percent gain in the first quarter. After failing to breach resistance at $1,680 an ounce in early April, bullion prices fell toward $1,525 an ounce sever-

al times in May but held each time. The metal has since pared some losses to end the second quarter near $1,600. Disappointment over a lack of more stimulus by the US Federal Reserve and other central banks has weighed heavily on gold, a traditional inflation hedge. Overall

physical bullion holdings used to back shares of the SPDR Gold Trust slipped 7 tonnes, or less than 1 percent, to about 1,280 tonnes by the end of the second quarter, following an 8 % inflow in the first. Billionaire financier George Soros increased his position in SPDR Gold to

$137 million in the second quarter from $52 million previously. Last year, Soros, who had called gold the ultimate bubble, largely dumped his stake in the ETF before the metal ran up to a record peak of $1,920.30 per ounce in September.

Sino-Canadian investment booms

Merkel and Harper to talk trade during visit

OTTAWA, Aug 15, (AFP): German Chancellor Angela Merkel will make her first bilateral visit to Canada on Wednesday and Thursday for talks with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, as Canada and the EU barrel toward a free trade pact. It is the thorniest of all trade deals with the EU, a source close to Merkel said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Started in 2009, the two sides aim to wrap up free trade negotiations by years end. The German official said the biggest stumbling blocks in the talks involve intellectual property, public procurement and aspects of the services sector. These are areas where Canada has got to budge and I imagine Merkel will mention them, the aide said. Merkels host, Harper, appears ready for the discussion. As Canada and the European Union work to conclude free trade negotiations, I look forward to a wide-ranging discussion with Chancellor Merkel on the challenges facing the global economy, he said in a statement announcing the visit. As for procurement, it is mostly Canadas provinces and municipalities that have expressed concerns about losing their ability to promote local economies by giving preference to local suppliers. A deal with the 27-nation EU would be Canadas second-largest free trade pact, after the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement with the United States and Mexico, and the first to include access to municipal procurements. struggling Greece, Spain and Italy as the debt crisis enters a dangerous new phase, Merand said. Every country must simply decide for itself whether it chooses to contribute, a German government source told AFP. In terms of trade, Germany is Canadas eighth-largest export market and ranks fifth among Canadas suppliers. Bilateral trade has grown significantly over the past decade with imports from Germany rising to Can$12.8 billion in 2011 and Canadian exports reaching Can$4.0 billion last year, according Canadian trade figures. Certain to be discussed by the leaders over dinner Wednesday evening are Canadas raw materials, including vast natural gas and oil reserves, as well as Syria, Afghanistan and Iran. Following a press conference and a luncheon on Thursday with a delegation of German businessmen accompanying Merkel, the chancellor will travel to Halifax in easternmost Canada to discuss oceanography with scientists at Dalhousie Universitys Marine Research Institute. Chancellor Merkel is a scientist... and she finds refreshing from time to time to talk a little bit and to be amongst scientists, said Juergens.

US consumer inflation flat, supports more Fed easing

Homebuilder confidence at 5-year-high
WASHINGTON, Aug 15, (Agencies): US consumer prices were flat in July for a second straight month and the yearover-year increase was the smallest in more than 1-1/2 years, giving the Federal Reserve room for further monetary easing to tackle stubbornly high unemployment.
Other reports on Wednesday showed home-builder sentiment in August hit its highest level in more than five years, while industrial production rose in July. However, a gauge of manufacturing in New York state contracted this month.
The tame inflation reading leaves more stimulus from the US central bank on the table, even though data on job growth and retail sales have hinted at a pick-up in economic activity early in the third quarter. The unemployment rate is at an uncomfortably high 8.3 percent. While further monetary easing remains a viable option for the Fed, the timing may be delayed for more dire conditions, said Michael Woolfolk, a senior currency strategist at BNY Mellon in New York. Economists polled by Reuters had expected the Consumer Price Index to rise 0.2 percent last month. In the 12 months to July the CPI rose 1.4 percent, the smallest rise since November 2010 and slowing from Junes 1.7 percent rise, the Labor Department said on Wednesday. Stripping out food and energy, inflation pressures were also tame. Core CPI rose 0.1 percent, the smallest increase since February, and breaking four consecutive months of 0.2 percent increases. In the 12 months to July, the core index, which is closely watched by the Fed, rose 2.1 percent the smallest rise since October 2011. That followed a 2.2 percent increase in June.

Rebounded
This measure has rebounded from a record low of 0.6 percent in October 2010 and the Fed aims for inflation of 2 percent. A second report showed industrial production increased 0.6 percent in July after a 0.1 percent gain in June. Output was boosted by solid gains in utilities production and mining. Manufacturing was also up last month. However, a third report from the New York Federal Reserve showed factory activity in New York state contracted in August for the first time since October 2011. Given the weakness in many forward looking manufacturing indicators such as the new orders survey and the build up of inventories relative to sales, we expect further slowing, said Bricklin Dwyer, an economist at BNP Paribas in New York. US stocks were little changed at open, while Treasury debt prices trended weaker. The dollar rose against a basket of currencies. Officials at the Fed meet on Sept. 1213. Fed Chairman Ben Bernankes speech at the central banks high-profile gathering in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in late August could offer clues on the nearterm course of monetary policy. Meanwhile, US homebuilders grew more confident in the housing recovery in August, as many reported that prospects for sales are the best theyve been since the home bubble burst five years ago. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index released Wednesday rose two points this month to 37, up from 35 in July. Thats the highest reading since March 2007. The index, which is based on responses from 478 builders, has been trending higher since October and only dipped once since January suggesting a turnaround in housing is solidifying after years of stagnation. Any reading below 50 indicates negative sentiment about the housing market. The index hasnt reached that level since April 2006, the peak of the housing boom. Homebuilders have mostly enjoyed improved sales trends this year, aided by low mortgage rates and a decline in the inventory of unsold homes. The pace of foreclosures slowed sharply last year, and banks appear to be holding back from flooding the market with foreclosed properties.

Also: OTTAWA: Chinese foreign investment in Canada has boomed over the last decade but trade lags, according to a study by both governments that was realased on Wednesday and outlined room for much growth. The joint study to evaluate the potential for deeper trade ties was undertaken following a June 2010 meeting between Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Chinese President Hu Jintao in Canada. Concluding that growth opportunities appear to be strong, it sets the stage for discussions on a possible free trade pact sought by Beijing. Investment in Canada from China increased 36-fold in 10 years, reaching 10.7 billion US dollars at the end of 2011, while Canadian investment in China topped $8.3 billion, according to government figures. Notwithstanding these impressive gains, bilateral trade and investment represent a surprisingly small proportion of each countrys total international activity, the study said. There is room for much growth. China is currently Canadas second-largest trading partner while Canada ranks 13th among Chinas trading partners. The study outlined tariff and regulatory challenges, as well as few areas of their economies that are complementary. In many, the two nations actually compete for thirdmarket sales but the study suggests they could partner up. Chinese domestic demand for clean technologies could give a boost to small Canadian firms and even help these sell to third markets. Similarly, opportunities exist for Canada and China to collaborate on building transportation infrastructure networks in China and elsewhere. And Canadas engineered textiles could be incorporated into Chinas value chains, while Canadian branded and technical apparel might appeal to Chinas increasingly discerning customers.

Deal
Environmentalists, farmers, auto workers and others have also rallied against the deal. Harper is the second-longest serving leader of the G8 countries, after Merkel. The chancellor was last in Canada to attend the June 2010 G8 Muskoka and G20 Toronto summits. According to one of her senior aides, Merkel and Harper speak on the phone regularly and have a close, trusting relationship. However Canada and Germany are split on how to tackle the European debt crisis. Their respective positions are not as close as they could be, said Georg Juergens, deputy ambassador at the German embassy in Ottawa. But most agree that Merkel is unlikely to sway Harper during this trip. Frederic Merand, a politics professor at the University of Montreal, affirmed that while Germany and Canada may look alike in that their economies rely largely on trade and their respective banks weathered the financial crisis better than most, they are far apart on ways to solve Europes debt woes. While Germany has been relied upon to backstop struggling eurozone nations, Canada and the United States were the only G8 nations to not contribute to a bailout fund through the International Monetary Fund. Merand also noted that Ottawa was the most vocally opposed. Germany may wish Ottawa to do more. But Merkel herself is also facing internal dissent and mounting pressure to take a harder line against

Shoppers walk out of the Nordstrom department store on Aug 14, in Los Angeles, California. (AFP)

Former VP also settles SEC charges

Wells Fargo to pay more than $6.5m

WASHINGTON, Aug 15, (RTRS): Wells Fargo & Co will pay more than $6.5 million to settle civil charges alleging it sold complex mortgagebacked instruments to municipalities and non-profits during the financial crisis without fully disclosing the risks. The case marks the latest effort by the Securities and Exchange Commission to hold banks accountable for their actions during the crisis. The SEC said that Wells Fargos brokerage unit based in Minneapolis agreed to settle the case without admitting or denying the charges. It will pay a $6.5 million penalty, plus $65,000 in disgorgement and more than $16,000 in prejudgment interest. The money will go into a fair fund to help harmed investors. In addition to charging the company, the SEC also charged a former Wells Fargo vice president, Shawn Patrick McMurtry, 42, for his role in selling the products. He settled the charges without admitting or denying them. He will pay a $25,000 penalty and will also be suspended from the industry for six months. These issues occurred more than five years ago and pertain to a part of the firm that was completely revamped after the merger with Wachovia. We are pleased to put this matter behind us, said Wells Fargo spokeswoman Elise Wilkinson. The SEC alleged in its administrative filing that from January to August 2007, Wells Fargo sold customers asset-backed commercial paper that was structured with risky mortgagerelated securities including collateralized debt obligations. mortgages that later soured. The agency said that multiple registered representatives at Wells Fargo, including McMurtry, exercised discretionary authority to purchase assetbacked commercial paper on customers behalf. The SEC said that McMurtry purchased products tied to mortgagebacked securities for one customer even though the customer had sought to avoid exposure to the housing market and state law also prohibited municipalities from having exposure to high-risk mortgage-backed instruments. The SECs case was brought by the agencys enforcement unit that specializes in municipal securities and public pensions. Broker-dealers must do their homework before recommending complex investments to their customers, said the units chief Elaine Greenberg. Municipalities and other non-profit institutions were harmed because Wells Fargo abdicated its fundamental responsibility as a broker to have a reasonable basis for its investment recommendations to customers, she added.

Losses
The investors later suffered substantial losses after the mortgagebacked complex products defaulted. In selling these risky products to municipalities and non-profits, the SEC said Wells Fargo relied almost exclusively on the credit-ratings of these products and did not properly review the private placement documentation to better understand the risks. Credit-rating agencies such as Standard & Poors and Moodys have since been blamed by critics for helping to fuel the 2007-2009 financial crisis by giving overly rosy ratings to complex products tied to subprime

BUSINESS
A man walks past containers at Lisbon port during a dock workers strike on Aug 14. Portuguese dock workers went on strike against new labor laws that the Portuguese government wants to apply in the sector. The government has been enacting austerity economic measures linked to a euro 78 billion ($96 billion) bailout in 2011. (AP)

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

40 export laws OKd

Chancellor Angela Merkels Cabinet has agreed upon changes to strengthen and modernize the countrys export laws, the Economy Ministry said Wednesday. One major focus is on so-called dual-use goods items that can be used for either civilian or military purposes. Under the proposed changes, which have to be approved by Parliament, all unauthorized export of dual-use items will now be prosecuted criminally where in the past that was only possible under certain conditions. (AP)

Windjet
The future of distressed Italian airline Windjet looked bleak on Tuesday after a director of national flag carrier Alitalia said there was no chance of finding a way to keep it operating. Alitalia managing director Andrea Ragnetti told media there was no longer any chance of dialogue with Windjet representatives ahead of a meeting hosted by Italian Economic Development Minister Corrado Passera in Rome. (AFP)

Netflix service
Netflix is looking to broaden its presence in Europe, announcing Wednesday that it will offer streaming TV shows and movies in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland by the end of the year. The company had given hints of its plans previously, saying last month that it would expand into another market outside the US, but didnt give specifics. (AP)

Union planning long protest

Greece major source of worry for Berlin

Peugeot faces tough fight over plant closure

PARIS, Aug 15, (RTRS): When US carmakers slashed production capacity in exchange for government rescue four years ago, workers faced up to change. Though unions bargained hard for existing employees, they agreed to factory closures and cuts in wages and benefits for new hires. Thousands of workers accepted redundancy payouts and moved on, without a huge outcry. In Europe its different. In July, after workers at French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen learned of company plans to close a plant in the suburbs of Paris, union leader Jean-Pierre Mercier went on the attack. Within hours he was calling for a shock campaign to force PSA Chief Executive Philippe Varin to keep the plant open. We have the power to make Peugeot back down, to preserve our jobs, Mercier, head of the hardline CGT union at the factory targeted for closure, told a crowd gathered by its gates. We are a political bomb, a social bomb, and we intend to detonate. The union is planning a long-term campaign of protest, including marches on the company headquarters, to keep the plant open, no matter the cost to the company. Other unions are more intent on extracting hefty redundancy terms for workers. The battle in Aulnay-sous-Bois may be the first of many across Europe. European carmakers such as Peugeot, General Motors Opel division and Fiat in Italy say they are finally ready to deal with the long-standing problem of overcapacity. munity. A closure would also hurt the towns finances. Already deep in the red, its debt payments have doubled in the past four years to 90.4 million euros in a budget of 226 million. We stand to lose millions, said Christophe Lopez, an adviser to Aulnays Socialist mayor Gerard Segura. He warned the town would lose taxes from the company and from hundreds of families that can no longer pay and have to rely on social services.

Bond buys must be matched by reforms

BERLIN, Aug 15, (RTRS): Any purchase of bonds from countries such as Spain and Italy by the European Central Bank must be linked to clear commitments to structural reform and budget discipline, German Economy Minister Philipp Roesler told Reuters on Wednesday. Roesler, head of the Free Democrats (FDP) who share power with Chancellor Angela Merkels conservatives, also said the euro must not be allowed to fail due to a lack of effort by countries at the frontline of the euro zone debt crisis to overhaul their economies. (ECB President Mario) Draghi has himself emphasised that bond purchases can never replace structural reforms and budget discipline. We take him at his word. That is the right road to follow, Roesler, whose FDP has been more sceptical about bailouts than Merkels Christian Democrats (CDU), said in an interview. Draghi signalled earlier this month that the ECB may start buying government debt to reduce crippling Spanish and Italian borrowing costs but he also said any intervention would only come if governments requested euro zone aid first. That in turn would be linked to conditions. Many Germans, including Bundesbank chief Jens Weidmann, have major reservations about a new bond-buying programme, fearing it would reduce the pressure on governments to cut debt and make their economies more competitive. Roesler, who has previously said the notion of Greece leaving the euro zone has lost its horror, said the failure of individual member states to implement structural reforms could not be allowed to bring the single currency to its knees. We have all agreed in the Fiscal Pact about the importance of budget discipline and reforms, he said. There are no benefits without a trade-off. We are all convinced: we need a strong Europe with a strong currency but this currency must not be allowed to fail due to a lack of reforms in individual member states. Greece is a major source of worry for Berlin. Athens is falling short of the budget cut and privatisation promises it made in March to obtain a second, 130-billion euro bailout from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. This has led to calls by several German politicians for Greece to be ousted from the euro zone as many doubt Athens is serious about implementing the tough measures needed to cut its deficit. Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras meets Merkel next week and may seek more time to implement his austerity plans. There are growing signs that the debt crisis is starting to take a toll on a German economy which had been growing robustly. Data released on Tuesday showed growth in Europes biggest economy slowed in the second quarter, triggering worries about a sharp slowdown, even recession. Roesler said he would not join the debate about recession. I am not using the term, said Roesler. We have a robust economy. On the other hand, we are seeing uncertainty within the euro zone which is having an effect on our companies. The forecast remains 0.7 percent growth (for 2012) which we made earlier this year.

Losses
To counter job losses and lower tax revenue, Aulnay officials hope to attract new manufacturers to Peugeots 420-acre industrial site, situated between two major highways and close to a commuter rail link to Paris. Peugeot has not disclosed the value of the land, though council officials estimate it at some 400 million euros. Some officials, including the mayor, have accused Peugeot of holding out on a sale of the property despite interest from several buyers. Sale talks were advancing with several parties including ADP, the firm that owns Paris airports, until they broke off abruptly in 2011, said former Aulnay City Hall adviser Damien Baldy. The possibility that the land could become a major rail hub in the capitals planned Great Paris network may have pushed Peugeot to hold out for more. Basically, they seemed to think that they could hold on to the terrain to wait until the (Great Paris) station was completed, and then try to reap a big speculative gain, said Baldy. Peugeot, which declined to comment when asked about that claim, has promised to seek new investors for its site. So far, though, the only concrete proposal is for two maintenance centres for the Great Paris network, which are likely to bring far fewer jobs just dozens, estimate some observers than the thousands the car plant provides. Segura, a mayor keen to preserve Aulnays working class heritage and a left-wing hold on City Hall says that unless appropriate new tenants can be found he might expropriate the land by invoking a law that applies in cases of economic emergency. Ouadah, a rival of Segura, dismisses that threat as posturing. Youd need to invoke some sort of public necessity, like building a hospital, which is not needed here. With so much at stake, arguments over the best use for Aulnay could drag on for years. Frances last auto plant shutdown offers a depressing precedent.

Greek PM to meet euro zone leaders, eyes budget leeway

Key priority to regain credibility
ATHENS, Aug 15, (RTRS): Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras will next week hold his first meetings with euro zone leaders since taking office, striving to assure them he will honour a pledge for more austerity and gauging whether they could grant him more time to pull it off.
Having recovered from eye surgery that has prevented him travelling since June, Samaras will fly to Berlin and Paris to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande. Earlier in the week, he will meet euro zone chief Jean-Claude Juncker, Greek and German government officials said on Wednesday.
Samaras will meet Merkel on Aug. 24, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters. The dates of the other two meetings will be announced soon, a Greek official said on condition of anonymity. Samaras will insist he can ram through an austerity package worth about 11.5 billion euros ($14.2 billion) a key condition to continue receiving EU/IMF bailout funds and avoid default and a possible exit from the currency club. Greece is falling short of the budget cut and privatisation promises it made in March to obtain a second, 130-billion euro bailout from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. This has led to calls by politicians in its biggest lender, Germany, for the country be ousted from the euro zone. Our key priority is to regain our credibility by showing our determination, the government official said. Greece has yet to nail down the requested austerity package. The bulk of the cuts will come from state salaries and pensions, and up to 40,000 public sector firings, further angering an austerity-weary public that often takes to the streets. The coalitions two leftist junior partners have also opposed any further cuts.

Decision
They want to close under-used factories and cut staff. Peugeot is leading the way, with a restructuring plan that includes axeing 8,000 jobs by 2014. The firm has lost 200 million euros ($246 million) a month in the past year and has no other choice, Peugeot executives say. Were indebted and unable to earn as much money as were spending, said Frederic Saint-Geours, in charge of brands at Peugeot. Thats why we had to take this decision. But in Europe, announcing changes and enacting them are very different things. French voters have a history of resisting job losses and carmakers face huge obstacles to restructuring. President Francois Hollande has branded Peugeots plans unacceptable. Aulnays unions are bristling for a fight and its Socialist mayor has ordered Peugeot to find a new industrial employer for the site, threatening to expropriate the factory grounds if it fails. The plant a rare place of worker pride in a region suffering from high unemployment and crime employs 3,300 full-time workers and uses 7,500 sub-contractors around the region. Local officials say a closure could bring social disaster. If you grew up around here, its impossible not to know somebody who works or has worked at the plant, be it a mother, a father, a brother or a cousin, said Billel Ouadah, an Aulnay native, local centrist politician and work-site inspector. Many of those people will end up with no job and no economic prospects if the plant closes down. And as things stand, we have no clear idea what will come after Peugeot to help them get back on their feet once its gone. Compared with carmakers restructuring in the United States, Peugeots plan is relatively modest and its deal for workers generous. The firm says all workers will be offered new jobs of some sort. Half will be transferred to its factory in Poissy, another Paris suburb. The rest will be kept on-site if Peugeot can lure a new industrial employer to Aulnay, or transferred to other factories. Those who choose to leave will receive 1,000 euros for every year they have worked at Peugeot, and help towards job-training. Restructuring in Chicago and Detroit was a totally different issue, said Karl Ostler, a director at FTI Consulting specialising in industrial restructuring. Labour laws in Europe, especially France, are far stricter and unions are far stronger. However, Peugeots offer doesnt impress many in Seine-Saint-Denis, the area in which Aulnay lies, where unemployment hit 12.2 percent in the first quarter of 2012. In high-rise housing projects like the Estate of the 3,000 named because it was originally built to house 3,000 worker families from Aulnay a shutdown would mean closing off the main source of jobs for low-skilled young workers, in a town where high-school dropout rates are twice the national average. Closing Aulnay would be a double tragedy, said Francois Asensi, a Socialist member of parliament for Seine-Saint-Denis and mayor of nearby town Tremblay-en-France. There is PSAs huge economic weight, of course. But there is also a social disaster because it would remove one of the last real sources of stability in the com-

Suffer
Samaras is already preparing public opinion for yet more suffering. Were all having a difficult time. There will be more hardship, he said on Monday from his southern Greek home region of Messinia, where he spends the Assumption holiday. EU officials told Reuters last month that Athens was way off its bailout targets, was unlikely to be able to pay what it owes and further debt restructuring is likely to be necessary if it was not to be abandoned. In a bid to offer suffering Greeks some hope, Samaras will use his talks next week to raise a long-standing proposal that the measures be spread over four instead of two years, to soften their impact on a Greek economy enduring its longest and deepest recession since World War Two. No formal request will be made but the proposal will be broached as part of exploratory talks, the official said. The matter of extension is already being debated in Greece and abroad. Its official submission is a different matter. Berlin insists that Athens honour its pledges but was open to discussion, Seibert said. Asked about Greece seeking a twoyear austerity extension, he said: The chancellor will of course first listen to what Mr Samaras has to say about the situation in Greece and about the implementation of its programme. For her, as for the rest of the German government, the agreed memorandum of understanding which sets out what the Greeks must achieve and which remains valid for us, forms the basis for working together with or helping Greece. A two-year extension to narrow the budget deficit below 3 percent of GDP in 2016 instead of 2014 was a key plank of Samarass campaign for the June 17 election that brought him to power as head of a fragile three-party coalition. But Samaras and his finance minister, Yannis Stournaras, put the demand on the back burner after meeting EU/IMF inspectors in Athens last month, realising that no concessions would be considered until the lenders were convinced of their commitment to austerity a big task given repeatedly missed targets and broken promises over the past two years. They must deliver the 11.5 billion euros before the inspectors return in early September to decide whether to release the next loan tranche and draft a key report that will determine whether the country will be supported or abandoned. For all governments, not just the German government, the troika report will be the basis on which we decide how to proceed, Siebert said.

Closed
Two decades ago, Renault closed a plant in the Paris suburb of BoulogneBillancourt. Today, half the site has been converted to residential and commercial use. Work to convert the other half finally started last December, though the company has yet to sell the choicest parcel of all a 27-acre (11hectare) island where Renault cars were once assembled. If we end up with a dead site (in Aulnay), that would be the worst outcome of all, Ouadah said. But its going to be difficult to get everyone to agree. The government is trying to keep its distance from the dispute. In parliament, industry minister Arnaud Montebourg has criticised Peugeots planned layoffs, saying France has a real problem with its strategy, but the government has not sought to block the shutdown. Though the government has raised political pressure on Peugeot to save jobs by drawing a new employer to Aulnay, so far it is essentially letting Peugeot go ahead with its plans. Union officials are preparing for a fight and many workers at the Aulnay plant say they have already rejected Peugeots promise to find them new jobs. Trust in management, never strong in the first place, was undermined, they say, when Peugeots CEO, Varin, denied for a year that there were plans for any shutdown despite a leaked internal memo that detailed the scheme. Moving to another location is out of the question, many workers say. Led by the CGT, unions are preparing for a series of protests from early September and hope to draw workers from another Peugeot plant facing job cuts, Rennes in northern France. Workers have already won a temporary reprieve after an independent auditor was appointed to investigate whether Peugeots reasons for closing Aulnay were in good faith. The move could delay plans to start winding down the plant in late 2012 by two to three months. In the unlikely event the probe finds Peugeot was not facing economic difficulties, but seeking to increase profits, the carmaker could end up in court and be forced to revise or scrap its restructuring plan altogether.

Tourists take pictures next to the ruins of the 5th century BC Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, south of Athens on Aug 14. (AP)

Groups unsecured debt lowered

S&P downgrades Nokia by two notches

HELSINKI, Aug 15, (AP): Rating agency Standard and Poors on Wednesday downgraded Nokia Corps long-term corporate credit rating further into junk status amid concerns over the cellphone companys deteriorating profitability. While cutting its rating on Nokia by two notches to BB-, S&P warned there could be further downgrades as it slapped a negative outlook on the company. For S&P, anything below BBB- is considered junk status, or not investment grade. That means S&P thinks Nokia is a speculative investment and will likely make it more expensive for the company to raise money in capital markets. S&P also lowered the rating for the groups unsecured debt also to a BB- from a previous BB+ rating, saying that Nokias second-quarter results and guidance had been lower than expected. The negative outlook reflects the possibility of another downgrade if Nokia fails to stabilize its margins and significantly cut its cash losses, the agency said. We now assume that Nokias smartphone operations will post lower revenues than we previously anticipated over the coming quarters. Last month, Nokia reported a 19 percent drop in sales and a quadrupling of net loss to a record 1.4 billion euros ($1.8 billion) for the second quarter. Nokia CEO Stephen Elop also said the third quarter would remain difficult as the phase-out of Symbian-based phones continues in favor of the Windows operating system that Nokia adopted after joining forces with Microsoft Corp last year. The ailing Finnish firm has been fighting fierce competition from Apple Incs iPhone and other makers using Google Incs popular Android software, including Samsung Electronics Co and HTC of Taiwan. It is also being squeezed in the low-end by Asian manufacturers making cheaper phones, such as Chinas ZTE. Nokia CFO Timo Ihamuotila said the impact of S&Ps decision on Nokia was limited. decade but was overtaken by Samsung in the first quarter, according to research firm Gartner. Nokia has said that it expected a difficult transition period from Symbian and Meego platforms to the Windows operating system. Last month, it reported that the decline of Symbian phones dragged down sales in all regions expect for North America, where the decline was more than offset by sales of the Windows-based Lumia devices. Nokia said it sold 4 million Lumia phones worldwide in the quarter double the amount in the first quarter. Nokias global market share has steadily shrunk from the peak of 40 percent in 2008 to 29 percent in 2011 and is expected to dwindle further this year. Its shares have fallen to their lowest level since the 1990s, plunging below 2 euros in mid-June. On top of previous job cuts Nokia said in June that it will slash 10,000 jobs and close down research and development facilities in Germany and Canada, as well as its main manufacturing plant in Salo, Finland. Nokia aims to save 1.6 billion euros through these measures by the end of next year. In June, Espoo-based Nokia employed 113,000 people, down 18 percent on a year earlier.

Focus
As we continue our transition, we are applying a strong focus on cash conservation while simultaneously reducing our operating costs and making our operating model stronger and more agile, Ihamuotila said. It was S&Ps second Nokia downgrade since April. Moodys has downgraded Nokia three times since April and Fitch dropped Nokia to junk status four months ago. Nokia was the worlds leading mobile phone maker for more than a

BUSINESS
Malaysian economy grows 5.4%
Malaysias economy grew a faster than expected 5.4 percent in the second quarter as robust domestic demand helped offset the impact of the global economic woes, the government said Wednesday. Solid foreign demand for key Malaysian export commodities such as oil, natural gas, and palm oil also contributed to the pick-up in pace for Southeast Asias thirdlargest economy, which grew a revised 4.9 percent in the first quarter. For the Malaysian economy, the strong support provided by domestic demand, underpinned by activities in both the private and public sectors, have ensured higher growth amidst the challenging global environment, Bank Negara, the central bank, said in a statement. (AFP)

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

41

asbestos found in Chinese-made cars

Some 23,000 cheap Chinese-made cars were Wednesday recalled in Australia after asbestos was found in their engines, with unions demanding to know how they came to be in the country. Importer Ateco Automotive instructed all Chery and Great Wall dealers to stop selling affected vehicles, with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) closely watching developments. The asbestos was found bound in gaskets in the engine and exhaust systems. Asbestos is a prohibited hazardous substance and these engines and exhaust systems should only be worked on by qualified personnel using appropriate safety procedures, said ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard. The ACCC will monitor the recall, and Workplace Health and Safety authorities will monitor the workplace safety issues. (AFP)

A model wears diamond earrings during a private viewing organised by the singapore Diamond Exchange on Aug 15. The Singapore Diamond Exchange offers a platform for investors to acquire diamond portfolios at wholesale prices as a hedge against market volatility. (AFP)

Maplecroft says Bangladesh, Philippines, Myanmar at extreme risk

Asian economies most at risk from natural disasters

PARIS, Aug 15, (AFP): Asian countries dominate a league table of economies most at risk from earthquakes, floods, storms and other natural hazards, according to research published on Wednesday. In an assessment of 197 countries, British risk consultancy Maplecroft said six Asian countries were among the 10 countries whose economies were most vulnerable to catastrophes. The list is headed by Bangladesh and the Philippines, which along with Myanmar are considered to be at extreme risk. Only one other country, the Caribbean state of Dominican Republic, falls into this category, and was rated third overall. The other countries in the top 10 were India, Vietnam, Honduras, Laos, Haiti and Nicaragua. The Natural Hazards Risk Atlas looks at the impact of natural disasters on a country relative to its economy, taking into account preparedness to deal with such events and social ability to rebound. If a countrys infrastructure is weak and its governance is poor, the economic consequences are that much greater. The report highlighted the impact on the Philippine economy from storms, landslides, volcanoes and floods, including severe flooding that struck the northern island of Luzon last week. It also noted the consequences of drought in India, which this year is likely to shave 0.5 percent off the countrys gross domestic product (GDP). The analysiss other benchmark is the absolute exposure to natural hazards, meaning the total bill from a disaster. This is different from relative exposure, which means the economic pain that comes from it. By the absolute yardstick, the countries that face the biggest tabs when natural catastrophes occur are Japan, the United States, China, Taiwan and Mexico. However, they have greater muscle and stronger institutional means to cope, and this limits the hit to the economy. As the global influence of emerging economies increases, the importance of their inherent natural hazard exposure

Asia megacities face infrastructure timebomb: ADB

BANGKOK, Aug 15, (AFP): Asian nations must act quickly to protect their cities from flooding and other natural disasters as rapid urbanisation raises environmental risks, the Asian Development Bank said Wednesday. Major investment in infrastructure and smarter urban planning focused on green growth are the only routes to curbing the impact of such catastrophes as the regions metropolises expand, an ADB report said. Asia has seen unprecedented urban population growth, but this has been accompanied by immense stress on the environment, said ADB chief economist Changyong Rhee. The challenge now is to put in place policies which will reverse that trend and facilitate the development of green technology and green urbanisation, he added. The (urbanisation) trend will continue at an enormously fast speed... Asian cities have very little time to prepare and build proper infrastructure. Deadly floods which submerged 80 percent of Manila last week, the deluge that killed dozens in the Chinese capital in July and the inundation of parts of Bangkok last year were warning signs that major Asian cities cannot cope with the challenges of climate change and protect their populations, the ADB said. The situation is likely to worsen, the poverty-fighting bank warned, as Asian economies grow and hundreds of millions of people flock to megacities with populations of 10 million or more. Asias cities lured more than a billion new residents between 1980 and 2010 and will draw a billion more by 2040, according to ADB research, with more than half of the worlds megacities located in the region. As a result soaring pollution, crime, social inequality and slum living are heaping pressure on existing infrastructure, hastening the need for bold responses from city authorities, the Manila-based organisation said. Asia has spent lots of money on infrastructure, but thats not enough to protect people, Rhee said. We focus on quantity... but do not have the luxury to spend money on quality, he added, citing the building of roads without adequate drainage as an example of flawed development.

will have wider and deeper global implications, said Maplecroft analyst Helen Hodge. The test for emerging and develop-

ing economies is to build a stronger capacity to meet the challenge of hazard-prone environments. Failure to do so will risk their ambitious economic

growth when the inevitable natural hazards strike. According to the reinsurance giant Munich Re, 2011 was the costliest year

ever for natural disasters, inflicting economic losses of $380 billion. The March 11 2011 earthquake and tsunami accounted for 55 percent of the total.

Country to meet growth targets

China sticks to gradual moves in face of slump

BEIJING, Aug 15, (Agencies): Summer should be the busy season for Shen Lins musical instrument workshop in the southwestern city of Kunming. But her monthly sales of traditional wooden flutes are dwindling as Chinas economy slows, with no sign of a widely anticipated rebound in sight. I have less for my workers to do, which means they are paid less. They complain, but I have no choice, said Shen, who runs the company with her husband. I dont know when things will improve. Chinas economic recovery is taking longer than expected. But facing a collapse in export growth and weak consumer spending, Beijing is avoiding an aggressive stimulus and sticking to a gradual strategy of small interest rate cuts and modest spending increases. A repeat of Chinas huge stimulus in response to the 2008 crisis, based on a government-led flood of investment, could push up overall growth. But it would set back efforts to nurture a self-sustaining expansion based on domestic consumption, reducing reliance on exports and investment in a shift economists say is needed to keep incomes and living standards rising. The 2008 stimulus helped China emerge quickly from the global crisis but fueled inflation and a building frenzy that left some communities with underused highways, stadiums and other facilities and debt they might not be able to repay. The government isnt sitting on its hands. It has been acting, said Capital Economics analyst Mark Williams. People remember what happened in 2008, and obviously compared to that, it seems like a pretty lackluster reaction. But a re-run of that would do more harm than good. panies and boosted spending on building airports and other public works. Analysts expect one more rate cut this year. Local governments have jumped on the bandwagon, announcing trillions of yuan (hundreds of billions of dollars) in planned construction. It is unclear, though, how many of those projects might be built, because they still must win approval from cautious planners in Beijing.

Indian PM promises to improve conditions for foreign investment

Singh expects GDP to grow 6.5% in current fiscal
NEW DELHI, Aug 15, (Agencies): Indian Premier Manmohan Singh on Wednesday used his Independence Day speech to promise to improve conditions for foreign investment in the country after a sharp downturn in economic growth.
India recorded near double-digit expansion over much of the last decade but the economy grew by just 5.3 percent in the January-March quarter, a rate that threatens to stall its transformation since the early 1990s.
Singh said that the government would leave no stone unturned to encourage investment, and vowed to increase spending on much-needed infrastructure projects such as roads, railways and the electricity network. To attract foreign capital, we will have to create confidence at the international level that there are no barriers to investment in India, Singh said, signalling that further liberalisation reforms were in the pipeline. Foreign companies keen to tap into Indias emerging consumer market have poured into the country, but have often struggled to thrive amid government policy U-turns, endemic corruption and red tape. Foreign direct investment into India collapsed by 65 percent year-on-year in the April-June quarter, according to the Reserve Bank of India. The ruling Congress party is already concerned about general elections due in 2014, and the prime minister has launched a campaign to revive its flagging fortunes since P. Chidambaram was named as finance minister two weeks ago. Singh, delivering the annual Independence Day address at the Red Fort in Delhi, said that a difficult phase for the world economy had merged with Indias domestic situation to hinder growth. We cannot do much about the conditions that prevail outside our country, he said. But we must make every effort to resolve the problems inside our country so that our economic growth (is)... again speeded up. He added that growth must be obtained while controlling inflation, which is likely to be stoked by this years poor monsoon though the headline rate unexpectedly dropped to 6.87 percent in July from 7.25 percent in June. Singh, 79, who is expected to step down at the end of his term, repeated his forecast that annual GDP growth would exceed last years rate of 6.5 percent, a prediction dismissed by opposition leaders and many independent economists.

Improve
Chinese retailers and manufacturers in some industries such as shipbuilding say sales are down by as much as 50 percent from a year ago. The newspaper China Times said this week 46 shipyards might face bankruptcy if orders fail to improve. Most of my friends think the economy will be better in the second half of this year, but I am afraid it could be next year, said Zou Jiahong, the boss of Sichuan Chuanwei Zhiguang Food Co., a food processor with 100 employees in the western province of Sichuan. Beijings response is complicated by political wrangling ahead of a once-a-decade handover of power to younger Communist Party leaders that begins in October. It lasts through early next year, when a new premier and other top government officials will be installed. We do not expect the outgoing government to jump to remedy slow domestic demand with fiscal stimulus, said Carl Weinberg of HighFrequency Economics in a report this week. If needed, this task will be left to incoming leaders. Shen, the musical instrument manufacturer, said that instead of rising as usual during the April-toSeptember tourist season, monthly sales are down 20 percent. I heard from guides there are not many tourists this year, she said. Business online is even worse. I sold 300 to 400 instruments every month last year during the busy season, but it is down to just dozens lately. Chinese leaders have avoided giving a forecast for the timing of a rebound. Premier Wen Jiabao, due to step down in March after a decade as Chinas top economic official, warned last month the economy still faced relatively large pressure to slow further. There is no rush, said Weinberg. With growth at 7.6 percent, Beijing can be patient.

Outlook
Ratings agency Moodys last week scaled down its growth outlook for Asias third largest economy to 5.5 percent in the fiscal year ending March 2013. The Congress-led government elected in 2009 has struggled to push legislation through parliament due to constant protests by opposition parties and even its coalition partners. Singh blamed the lack of political consensus for the failure to create rapid economic growth and said that the problem was damaging stability in India. If we do not increase the pace of the countrys economic growth (and) take steps to encourage new investment in the economy... then it most certainly affects our national security, he said. Among moves that have spooked foreign firms was the announcement followed by the sudden withdrawal of reforms allowing retail giants such as Wal-Mart into India, as well as a retrospective tax bill for Vodafone. The premiers speech, marking the end of British rule in 1947, also included a vow to provide electricity to all households within five years and proposals for a new law to end the repulsive practice of manual removal of human waste. The main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed the speech as lacklustre and uninspiring. Police said no one was injured when four roadside bombs exploded in the northeastern state of Manipur, which has seen decades of separatist violence. Singh said stagnation in European economies was also hurting India, which exports to the euro zone. Last year, lack of support from coalition partners and members of his own party forced Singh to suspend a flagship policy allowing foreign supermarkets to open in India. Other policies such as cutting fuel subsidies are also held up. India is struggling with a slump in foreign investment and industrial output, gaping fiscal and current account deficits, high inflation and weakness in the rupee currency. These problems have been made worse by a drought. Several research organisations including Moodys Analytics have recently cut their outlook for Indian growth to around 5.5 percent, which would be the countrys lowest rate in a decade. Despite his concerns, Singh said Indias current economic downturn would be short-lived.

Rebound
Forecasters initially expected Chinas falling growth rate to rebound as early as the first quarter of this year. That has been pushed back repeatedly amid a drumbeat of bad news from debt-plagued Europe and a sluggish US recovery. July export growth fell to just 1 percent from the previous months 11.3 percent. Consumer spending and factory output also weakened. Now analysts expect a recovery late this year but say it will be too weak to drive global demand without support from Europe and the United States. Last month, the International Monetary Fund cut its forecast for Chinas growth this year from 8.2 percent to a still-robust 8 percent and warned a hard landing, or abrupt slowdown and a surge in job losses, still was possible. China still is one of the strongest economies, with growth of 7.6 percent in the three months ending in June. But the abrupt decline from double-digit rates of previous years hurts companies that depend on high growth to drive demand for new factories, apartments and other goods. The slowdown is due largely to government efforts in 2010-11 to use lending and investment curbs to cool overheating and inflation. Communist leaders reversed course in late 2011 and promised more bank lending and help to struggling exporters after global demand plunged. Beijing has cut interest rates twice since early June, approved multibillion-dollar investments by state com-

A silk clothing vendor reads newspaper while waiting for customers at a summer consumer fair in Beijing on Aug 15. Facing a collapse in export growth and weak consumer spending, Beijing is avoiding an aggressive stimulus and sticking to a gradual strategy of small interest rate cuts and modest spending. (AP)

Agreement to develop two economic zones inked

China, N. Korea step up cooperation

BEIJING, Aug 15, (AP): Beijing and Pyongyang have agreed to accelerate joint development of two trade zones in North Korea during a visit by leader Kim Jong Uns powerful uncle Jang Song Thaek. The visit by Jang, a vice chairman of the powerful National Defense Commission, marks one of the highestlevel diplomatic exchanges between the North and its most important ally since Kim took over following his fathers death last year. Earlier this month, Kim held talks with Wang Jiarui, head of the Communist Partys international affairs office, in Pyongyang and feted him with a banquet. The official China Daily newspaper said Wednesday that Jangs six-day trip would also take him to north Chinas Jilin and Liaoning provinces, close to the North Korean border, and described it as a possible prelude to a visit by Kim. Jang is married to late leader Kim Jong Ils sister, Kim Kyong Hui, and is seen as a leading economic policy official. On Tuesday, he held talks with Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming and the two attended a meeting of the joint committee overseeing development of the two trade zones, an online commerce ministry statement said. Both sides agreed that with the mutual effort of government and enterprise from both countries, cooperation in developing the two economic zones has already yielded impressive remarkable results, and has entered the stage of substantive development, it said. Kim, who has led North Korea since his fathers death in December, has promoted younger economists to key party positions as part of a stated push to resuscitate his countrys economy. North Korea has lagged far behind the rest of Northeast Asia economically, and much of the nation is impoverished outside the capital Pyongyang. The ministry said the two sides signed a number of cooperation agreements related to their development of the two special economic zones: Rason on the Korean Peninsulas northern tip and Hwanggumphyong, an island in the Yalu River that marks their border to the southwest. It said plans for Rason would see it becoming a manufacturing base, logistics center and tourism hub, though the new agreements were still primarily focused on basic infrastructure, such as a plan to transmit electricity directly to the zone overland from China. The Hwanggumphyong zone will focus on information technology, tourism, agriculture and garment manufacturing, it said. Rason has recently begun to develop thanks to Chinese infrastructure projects, but Hwanggumphyong has languished since ground was broken last year. The China Daily said in an editorial Wednesday that Chinese investment in the zones would help North Koreas battered economy and improve stability on the Korean peninsula. The DPRK is in urgent need of capital to help revitalize its waning economy, the paper said. It can be expected that as a result of the agreements, Chinese investment in the special economic zones of the DPRK will increase rapidly. It noted that bilateral trade last year was $5.7 billion, up from $3.5 billion in 2010.

Also: BEIJING: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has said the country will be able to meet economic targets this year, including growth of at least 7.5 percent, the official Xinhua news agency reported Wednesday. Speaking during a recent tour of the eastern province of Zhejiang, Wen said China was still facing economic pain despite some changes for the better from July, the report said. The foundation of the economy is still not solid. Economic difficulties might still continue for a period of time, Wen was quoted as saying. Chinas economy grew 7.6 percent in the second quarter of this year, its slowest pace in more than three years. China last week released economic data for July including trade, industrial output and retail sales figures which pointed to continued weakness in the domestic economy and raised hopes for monetary easing.

BUSINESS
NBK subsidiary posts 20% H1 profit growth
Al Watany Bank of Egypt (AWB), the subsidiary of National Bank of Kuwait Group (NBK) in Egypt, reported net profits of EGP 161.4 million for the first half of 2012 compared with EGP 135 million for the same period in 2011, an increase of 20% year-onyear. As of end of June 2012, AWBs total assets reached EGP 17.4 billion, up 5.5% year-onyear. ROA increased to 1.86% compared with 1.70% at the end of June 2011, and ROE increased to 20.1% from 17.36%. Yasser Hassan, AWB Managing Director, said that AWB has once again proved its ability to post strong profits despite the unfavorable and challenging local and regional situation. AWBs resilient performance for the first half of 2012 reflects the banks strength and solid financial position. AWB has been one of the fastest growing banks in Egypt over the past few years and is moving forward with its strategy to strengthen its position in the Egyptian market, added Hassan.

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

42

CIB Q2 net up
Egypts Commercial International Bank reported an 18 percent increase in second-quarter net income on Tuesday, above the expectations of analysts who say the countrys lenders are benefiting from soaring yields on government debt. Net profit at the countrys biggest privately owned bank by assets was 523 million Egyptian pounds ($86.17 million), above the 443 million it reported for the same period a year earlier. (RTRS)

EFG Hermes
Egyptian investment bank EFG Hermes posted a net profit of 27 million Egyptian pounds ($4.4 million) for the second quarter, a two-thirds decline from a year earlier when it was lifted by a dividend from a real estate investment. The bank, which is planning a tie-up with Qatars QInvest to give it more capital to expand, earned 80 million pounds in the second quarter of 2011 when results included exceptional dividend income of 28 million pounds from SODIC. (RTRS)

Yasser Hasan, AWB Managing Director

Most Gulf markets muted ahead of Eid holidays

Saudi breaks through 7,000-point mark; Egypt advances

DUBAI, Aug 15, (RTRS): Dubai contractor Drake & Scull International slumped to a one-week low on Wednesday after it posted disappointing second-quarter numbers that missed forecasts, but trading on most regional markets were muted ahead of the Eid holidays. Drake shares dropped 1.9 percent to its lowest since Aug 7. The stock, which has gained 24 percent year-todate, accounted for nearly half the shares traded on the emirates bourse. The contractor blamed high acquisition funding costs and contract provisioning for the drop in earnings. Developer Deyaar also slipped 0.6 percent, after it reported a marginal increase in profits aided by a sharp drop in expenses. However, Dubais top real estate firm Emaar Properties reversed losses in early trade and climbed 0.3 percent, partly offseting declines on other property-related stocks. Emaar said on Tuesday that revenue from apartment sales more than doubled in the second quarter offseting a drop in sales of commercial units and villas. Property stocks in Dubai have rallied recently following positive second-quarter earnings and hope that the near four-year real estate market slump is ending. Telecoms firm Du also gained 1.1 percent. Dubais index edged up ending 0.09 percent higher. Trade was also muted on Abu Dhabis bourse, which ended 0.1 percent up. Gulf Arab markets are seeing a slowdown in trading as the region heads into the long Eid holiday starting this weekend. Saudi Arabias bourse broke through the psychologically-important 7,000-point mark on the final trading session before the Eid break, led by food stocks. The agricultural and food index advanced 3.2 percent, led by dairy and food producer Almarai Co, which jumped 10 pct in its largest one-day gain in more than two years. The dairy firm closes at its highest level since June 18. Saudi Fisheries Co gained 1 percent, with Halwani Brothers Co rising 1.9 percent. Banks also performed well, with Bank Al Bilad climbing 3.3 percent to its highest finish since April 22. SABB and Banque Saudi Fransi gained 1.5 and 0.9 percent respectively. However, Bank Al Jazira dropped 0.7 percent, trimming its August rise to 13.4 percent. The index closed 0.5 percent higher at 7,004 points. Egypts index continued its advance for a fourth consecutive session, adding 0.2 percent. The North African country will discuss the possibility of a bigger-than-expected $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund when a delegation from the Washingtonbased body visits Cairo this month, its finance minister said. Egypt The measure gained 0.2 percent to 5,120 points. Saudi Arabia The index climbed 0.5 percent to 7,004 points. Dubai The index edged up 0.09 percent to 1,579 points. Abu Dhabi The index rose 0.1 percent to 2,557 points. Kuwait The measure added 0.2 percent to 5,713 points. Oman The index gained 0.2 percent to 5,509 points. Bahrain The measure added 0.3 percent to 1,080 points. Qatar The benchmark rose 0.03 percent to 8,421 points.
See Also Page 43

investment funds
Funds Fund Manager Valution Valued date Currency Net Asset Prev NAV Prev NAV Dated Value (NAV) Funds Fund Manager Valution Valued date Currency Net Asset Prev NAV Prev NAV Dated Value (NAV) Global GCC Real Estate Fund II Global Quarterly Global Opportunistic Fund Global Quarterly Sept 30, 2009 USD 106.060 107.180 Global Opportunistic Fund II Global Quarterly Sept 30, 2009 USD 110.920 110.390 June 30, 2009 Private Equity Fund Global Quarterly Sept 30, 2009 KD 0.829 0.859 June 30, 2009 Global Buyout Fund Global Monthly Sept 30, 2009 USD 564.740 603.390 June 30, 2009 Country Fund Palestine Dedicated Fund Global Monthly Dec 31, 2011 USD 86.740 91.810 Sept 30, 2011 Global Egypt Fund Global Monthly Jan 31, 2012 USD 38.740 38.110 Dec 31, 2011 Sectoral Funds EPADI Fund Global Weekly July 17, 2012 USD 100.700 100.590 July 10, 2012 Islamic Funds Global GCC Islamic Fund Global Weekly July 31, 2012 USD 81.520 80.390 July 24, 2012 Al-Durra Islamic Fund Global Monthly Aug 2, 2012 KD 1.043 1.049 July 26, 2012 Global Islamic Fund of Funds Global Weekly Aug 31, 2011 USD 76.860 78.260 Feb 28, 2011 Global Islamic Fund Global Monthly June 28, 2012 KD 1.271 1.286 March 31, 2012 Private Equity Funds

National Bank of Kuwait

Watani KD Money Market Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Aug 7, 2012 KD 1.372 1.372 July 24, 2012 Watani KD Money Market Fund (Islamic) NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Aug 7, 2012 KD 1.158 1.158 July 24, 2012 Watani Foreign Currency Money Market Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Aug 7, 2012 USD 1.279 1.278 July 24, 2012 Watani Foreign Currency Money Market Fund (Euro) NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Aug 7, 2012 Euro 1.235 1.235 July 24, 2012 Watani USD Money Market Fund (Acc NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly Aug 7, 2012 USD 1.086 1.087 July 24, 2012 to Islamic Shariah principles) Equity Funds NBK Gulf Equity Fund NBK Weekly Aug 9, 2012 USD 1.011 1.000 Aug 2, 2012 NBK Kuwait Equity Fund NBK Weekly Aug 9, 2012 KD 0.583 0.586 Aug 2, 2012 NBK Qatar Equity Fund NBK Weekly Aug 9, 2012 USD 1.324 1.324 Aug 2, 2012 Ijara Fund Islamic Ijara Fund VIII Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2012 USD 10.000 10.000 May 31, 2012 Islamic Ijara Fund IX Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2012 USD 10.000 10.000 May 31, 2012 Islamic Ijara Fund X Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2012 USD 10.000 10.000 May 31, 2012 Islamic Ijara Fund XI Wafra Capital Partners LP Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2012 USD 10.000 10.000 May 31, 2012 Thahabi Ijara Fund III Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2012 USD 10.000 10.000 May 31, 2012 Thahabi Ijara Fund V Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2012 USD 10.000 10.000 May 31, 2012 Thahabi Ijara Fund VI Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2012 USD 10.000 10.000 May 31, 2012 Thahabi Ijara Fund VII Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2012 USD 10.000 10.000 May 31, 2012 Islamic KD Ijara Fund I Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2012 KD 10.000 10.000 May 31, 2012 Islamic KD Ijara Fund II Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2012 KD 10.000 10.000 May 31, 2012 Islamic KD Ijara Fund III Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2012 KD 10.000 10.000 May 31, 2012 Islamic KD Ijara Fund IV Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2012 KD 10.000 10.000 May 31, 2012 Islamic KD Ijara Fund V Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2012 KD 10.000 10.000 May 31, 2012 Alternative Funds Watani US Real Estate Income & Growth Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Monthly March 31, 2012 KD 1,000.000 1,000.000 Sept 30, 2011 Watani European Real Estate Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Quarterly March 31, 2012 Euro 1,000.000 1,000.000 Sept 30, 2011 Central European Real Estate Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Quarterly March 31, 2012 USD 10,000.000 10,000.000 Sept 30, 2011 Islamic European Real Estate Fund A Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Quarterly March 31, 2012 USD 1,000.000 10,00.000 Sept 30, 2011 Islamic European Real Estate Fund B Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Quarterly March 31, 2012 USD 1,000.000 1,000.000 Sept 30, 2011 Islamic Asian Real Estate Fund Wafra Investment Advisory Group Inc Quarterly March 31, 2012 USD 1,000.000 1,000.000 Sept 30, 2011 Islamic China India Real Estate Fund Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Quarterly March 31, 2012 USD 1,000.000 1,000.000 Sept 30, 2011 R.Estate Security Funds Islamic Global RE Securities Fund Class A Wafra Capital Partners L.P. Monthly May 31, 2012 USD 885.474 934,986 April 30, 2012 Islamic Global RE Securities Fund Class B Wafra Capital Partners L.P. Monthly May 31, 2012 USD 854.924 920,121 April 30, 2012 Islamic Turkey Real Estate Fund Wafra Capital Partners L.P. March 19, 2012 USD 1,000.000 Multi Asset Funds Thahabi Multi Asset Fund Con Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly May 31, 2012 USD 92.745 92.745 April 30, 2012 Thahabi Multi Asset Fund Mo Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly May 31, 2012 USD 82.112 82.112 April 30, 2012 NBK Frontier Multi Asset Fund Con Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly May 31, 2012 USD 92.745 92.745 April 30, 2012 NBK Frontier Multi Asset Fund Mo Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly May 31, 2012 USD 82.112 82.112 April 30, 2012 NBK Frontier Multi Asset Fund Plus Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly May 31, 2012 USD 66.626 66.626 April 30, 2012 Money Market Funds

Kuwait Finance & Investment Co (KFIC)

Al Wasm Fund KFIC Monthly Aug 1, 2012 KD 0.351 0.351 July 31, 2012 Al Bashaer GCC Equity Fund KFIC & Gulf Finance House Quarterly June 30, 2012 USD 6.870 6.969 May 31, 2012

KAMCO
Bond & High Yield Fund KAMCO Quarterly July 31, 2012 KD 1.054 1.054 June 30, 2012 KAMCO Investment Fund KAMCO Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.874 0.874 June 30, 2012 Kuwait Private Equity Opportunities Fund KAMCO Quarterly July 31, 2012 KD 0.682 0.682 June 30, 2012 Kuwait Education Fund KAMCO Quarterly July 31, 2012 KD 1.322 1.322 June 30, 2012

Al Madar Finance
Shuwaikh Real Estate Fund Al Madar Quarterly March 31, 2012 KD 1.514 1.465 Dec 31, 2012 US index Fund Al Madar Monthly July 20, 2012 USD 1.561 1.539 July 13, 2012

Al Madina Finance & Investment Co.

India Fund Al Madina Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.701 0.723 June 30, 2012 Al Madina Fund Al Madina Quarterly June 30, 2012 KD 0.467 0.482 Mar 31, 2011

Wafra International Investment Co.

Wafra Equity Fund Wafra Co. Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.748 0.769 May 31, 2012 Wafra Bond Fund Wafra Co. Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 1.007 1.001 May 31, 2012 Fajir Islamic Fund Wafra Co. Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.533 0.569 May 31, 2012

Shuaa Capital Co.

Al Tawfeek Gulf Equity Fund Shuaa Capital Monthly Nov 30, 2011 USD 61.769 62.938 Nov 15, 2011 Saudi Gateway Fund Shuaa Capital Weekly July 24, 2012 USD 8.430 8.380 July 17, 2012 The Arab Gateway Fund Shuaa Capital Monthly July 24, 2012 USD 22.020 22.100 July 17, 2012 Emirates Gateway Fund Shuaa Capital Monthly July 24, 2012 AED 5.630 5.660 July 17, 2012 Qatar Gate Fund (Q) Shuaa Capital Monthly June 28, 2012 QAR 88.450 91.890 May 31, 2012 Qatar Gate Fund (N) Shuaa Capital Monthly June 28, 2012 QAR 86.930 90.340 May 31, 2012

Gulf Bank
Al Bashaer GCC Equity Fund Kwt. Fin. & Inv. Co. & Gulf Fin. House Monthly July 31, 2012 USD 6.939 6.870 June 30, 2012 Coast Fund Coast Investment Co. Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.591 0.611 June 30, 2012 Sanaya Dow Jones Kuwait Index Fund Industrial & Financial Investment Co. Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.570 0.580 June 30, 2012 Markaz Capital Preservation Programs 1 Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.951 0.953 May 31, 2012 Markaz Capital Preservation Programs 2 Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.992 0.995 May 31, 2012

Investment Dar Co.

Al Dar Real Estate Fund Tharwa Investment Co Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 1.117 1.117 June 30, 2012 Al Dar Funds of Fund Al Dar Asset Management Weekly July 31, 2012 KD 0.470 0.477 June 30, 2012 Al Dar Money Market Fund Al Dar Asset Management Monthly July 30, 2012 KD 0.834 0.833 June 23, 2012 Al Dar Securities Fund Al Dar Asset Management Weekly June 30, 2012 KD 0.535 0.563 May 31, 2012 Al Nokhba Fund Al Dar Asset Management Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.376 0.391 June 30, 2012

Commercial Bank
Tijari Islamic Fund Commercial Bank of Kuwait Tw. Monthly Aug 9, 2012 KD 0.317 0.320 Aug 2, 2012 Tijari Indian Fund Commercial Bank of Kuwait Weekly Aug 13, 2012 KD 0.838 0.838 Aug 6, 2012

Al Ahli Bank
Al Ahli Kuwaiti Fund Al Ahli Bank Monthly June 27, 2012 KD 0.872 0.882 May 30, 2012 Al Ahli Gulf Fund Al Ahli Bank Monthly July 30, 2012 KD 0.759 0.756 June 25, 2012

Al Aman Investment
Al Aman Islamic Fund Al Aman Investment Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.413 0.427 June 30, 2012

Boubyan Bank
Boubyan KD Money Market Fund Boubyan Bank Weekly Aug 14, 2012 KD 1.016 1.016 Aug 7, 2012 Boubyan Sukuk Fund Boubyan Bank Daily Dec 25, 2011 USD 770.110 1,001.180 May 11, 2011

Housing Finance Co (ISKAN)

Masaref Investment Fund ISKAN Weekly Aug 2, 2012 KD 0.880 0.885 July 26, 2012

Burgan Bank
Burgan Financial Fund Burgan Bank Daily Aug 14, 2012 KD 1.007 1.007 Aug 13, 2012 Burgan Equity Fund Burgan Bank Weekly July 22, 2012 KD 1.729 1.680 June 24, 2012

Gulf Investment Corp.

Gulf Bond Fund Gulf Investment Corp Weekly July 27, 2012 USD 13.550 13.540 July 20, 2012 Gulf Premier Fund Gulf Investment Corp Weekly July 26, 2012 USD 20.060 20.090 June 19,2012, Gulf Islamic Fund Gulf Investment Corp Weekly July 26, 2012 USD 6.120 6.100 June 19, 2012 GIC KD Bond Fund Gulf Investment Corp Monthly July 26, 2012 USD 0.950 0.950 June 19, 2012

Kuwait Investment Co.

Al Raed Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly Aug 8, 2012 KD 0.900 0.902 Aug 2, 2012 Kuwait Investment Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly July 31, 2012 KD 0.588 0.631 June 30, 2012 Al Hilal Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly Aug 13, 2012 KD 0.585 0.586 Aug 6, 2012 KIC Bond Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.922 0.920 June 30, 2012 Al Atheer Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 1.007 1.008 June 30, 2012 International Global Bond Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly Aug 8, 2012 USD 21.640 21.560 Aug 1, 2012 Diversified Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly Aug 8, 2012 USD 16.310 16.160 Aug 1, 2012 European Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly July 31, 2012 Euro 14.560 14.180 June 30, 2012 Pacific Equity Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly Aug 8, 2012 USD 29.760 29.600 Aug 1, 2012 Al-Awaed Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.910 0.900 June 30, 2012 North American Equity Fund Kuwait Investment Co Tw. Monthly July 31, 2012 USD 12.600 12.300 June 30, 2012 Local Fund

First Investment Co.

First Arabian Equity 2000 Fund First Investment Co Monthly Sept 30, 2011 USD 17.969 18.157 Aug 31, 2011 First Gulf Equity First Investment Co Weekly March 1, 2012 USD 6.323 6.038 Feb 1, 2012 Al-Muthana Money Market First Investment Co Weekly Oct 10, 2011 KD 1.270 1.270 Sept 5, 2011

Ahli United Bank (formerly BKME)

Al Awasat Money Market Fund BKME Monthly April 30, 2012 KD 1.132 1.104 Sept 30, 2010

Bayan Investment Co
Eammar and Estethmar Fund Bayan Investment Co Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.375 0.382 June 30, 2012 Al Themar Securities Fund Bayan Investment Co Weekly July 31, 2012 KD 0.427 0.427 May 31, 2012

lnternational Financial Advisors

IFA Islamic Fund International Financial Advisors Monthly July 12, 2012 KD 0.190 0.180 May 31, 2012 IFA Investment Fund International Financial Advisors Monthly July 12, 2012 KD 0.275 0.269 June 30, 2012 International IFA International Guaranteed Fund International Financial Advisors Monthly Dec 31, 2010 KD 9.040 0.703 Nov 30, 2010 Local Fund

Tharwa Investment Co.

Tharwa Investment Fund Tharwa Investment Co Weekly June 19, 2012 KD 1.146 1.149 July 12, 2012 Tharwa Islamic Fund Tharwa Investment Co Monthly June 19, 2012 KD 0.661 0.668 July 12, 2012 Tharwa Arab Investment Fund Tharwa Investment Co Monthly June 30, 2012 USD 1.251 1.280 May 31, 2012 Tharwa World Fund Tharwa Investment Co Weekly July 31, 2012 USD 0.998 0.988 June 30, 2012

National Investment Co. (NIC)

Equity Funds Al- Wataniya Fund NIC Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.557 0.569 June 30, 2012 Al-Safwa Fund NIC Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.451 0.466 June 30, 2012 Al-Darji Fund NIC Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.425 0.428 June 30, 2012 Mawarid Fund NIC Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.504 0.497 June 30, 2012 Zajil Fund NIC Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.691 0.702 June 30, 2012 Al Mada Investment Fund NIC Monthly July 31, 2012 USD 0.590 0.571 June 30, 2012 Al Huda Islamic Fund Al Mal Investment Co Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.379 0.389 June 30, 2012 Al Shorooq Fund GulfInvest International Co Monthly Feb 03, 2011 KD 0.610 0.620 Jan 13, 2011

Bank Al-Bilad
Al Seef Fund Bank Al-Bilad Daily July 26, 2012 KD 0.490 0.490 July 19, 2012

Commercial International Bank

Commercial Intt Bank Fund I CI Asset Management Weekly Aug 1, 2012 EGP 185.210 185.150 July 31, 2012 Commercial Intt Bank Fund II (Istethmar) CI Asset Management Weekly July 26, 2012 EGP 55.050 55.650 July 19, 2012 CIB and Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt Fund CI Asset Management Weekly July 26, 2012 EGP 39.970 40.240 July 19, 2012

GulfInvest International

Noor Financial Inv. Co.

Noor Islamic Fund Noor Financial Investment Co Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.649 0.633 June 30, 2012 Noor Real Estate Income Fund Noor Financial Investment Co Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 1.124 1.126 June 30, 2012 Noor Kuwait Islamic Equity Fund Noor Financial Investment Co Monthly April 30, 2012 KD 0.566 0.584 March 31, 2011

Coast Investment Co.

Coast Investment Fund Coast Investment Co Daily July 31, 2012 KD 0.591 0.611 June 30, 2012 Coast Pearl Fund Coast Investment Co July 31, 2012 KD 0.786 0.785 June 30, 2012

Kuwait Real Estate Investment Consortium

Kuwait Real Estate Fund Kuwait Real Estate Investment Consortium Monthly March 31, 2012 KD 1.558 1.551 Feb 29, 2012

Securities Group
Al Anoud Investment Fund Securities Group Weekly Dec 8, 2011 KD 1.055 1.052 Dec 1, 2011 Group Islamic Fund Securities Group Weekly Nov 3, 2011 KD 0.927 0.927 Oct 31, 2011

Manafae Investment Co.

Manafae First Fund Manafae Investment Co Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.635 0.642 June 30, 2012

Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz)

Mumtaz Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Aug 9, 2012 KD 3.764 3.814 Aug 2, 2012 MIDAF Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Aug 9, 2012 KD 2.760 2.768 Aug 2, 2012 Islamic Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Aug 9, 2012 KD 1.370 1.381 Aug 2, 2012 Markaz Arabian Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Aug 9, 2012 USD 2.600 2.670 Aug 2, 2012 FORSA Financial Fund Kuwait Financial Center Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.894 0.915 June 30, 2012 Atlas Diversified Class A Kuwait Financial Center Monthly July 31, 2012 USD 6.710 6.710 June 30, 2012 Atlas Diversified Class B Kuwait Financial Center Monthly July 31, 2012 USD 6.990 6.900 June 30, 2012 Atlas Emerging Market Thematic Class Kuwait Financial Center Monthly July 31, 2012 USD 7.560 7.410 June 30, 2012 Energy Fund Kuwait Financial Center Quarterly July 31, 2012 KD 0.732 0.732 June 30, 2012 Real Estate Fund Kuwait Financial Center Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 1.344 1.369 June 30, 2012 Markaz Fixed Income Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly Aug 9, 2012 USD 10.390 10.380 Aug 2, 2012

Al Zumorroda Investment Co.

Zumorroda GCC Fund Al Zumorroda Investment Co Monthly March 31, 2012 KD 0.567 0.551 Feb 29, 2012

Al Safat Investment Co.

Al Safat Local Shares Equity Fund Al Safat Investment Co. Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.202 0.205 June 30, 2012

Al-Imtiaz Investment Co.

Al-Imtiaz Investment Fund Al-Imtiaz Investment Company Quarterly July 31, 2012 KD 0.852 0.852 June 30, 2012 Al-Imtiaz Real Estate Fund Al-Imtiaz Investment Company Quarterly July 31, 2012 KD 0.939 0.939 June 30, 2012

BankMuscat
BankMuscat MSCI Kuwait Fund BankMuscat Daily July 30, 2012 USD 0.422 0.425 July 29, 2012

Kuwait & Middle East Financial & Inv. Co.

Al Rouyah Fund KMEFIC Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 1.300 1.311 June 30, 2012 Gulf Gate Fund KMEFIC Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.840 0.828 June 30, 2012 Al Awsat Money Market Fund (USD) KMEFIC Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.710 0.710 June 30, 2012 Al Awsat Money Market Fund (USD) KMEFIC Monthly July 31, 2012 USD 4.796 4.798 June 30, 2012 Amwal Islamic Money Market Fund KMEFIC Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.580 0.579 June 30, 2012

Al-Muthana Investment Co.

Muthanna Islamic Index Fund (MUDX) Al-Muthana Investment Company Daily July 31, 2012 KD 0.346 0.359 June 30, 2012 Muthanna GCC Islamic Banks Fund Al-Muthana Investment Company Weekly July 31, 2012 KD 0.626 0.622 June 30, 2012

CapCorp Investment Co.

CapCorp Local Fund CapCorp Investment Company Weekly Aug 2, 2012 KD 0.813 0.810 July 31, 2012

Global Investment House

Hedge Funds Global Umbrella Fund - US Global Umbrella Fund - Asia/Japan Global Distressed Fund Zenith Fund Mayur Hedge Fund Global KD Bond Fund GCC Large Cap Index Fund Al-Mamoun Fund A Al-Mamoun Fund B GCC Large Cap Fund Al-Noor Fund Global Saudi Equity Fund Global KD Money Market Fund Global USD Money Market Fund Global US Real Estate Fund GCC Real Estate Fund Global Asia Real Estate Fund Global Real Estate Ijarah Fund Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Global Monthly Monthly Monthly Monthly Weekly Monthly Weekly Weekly Weekly Bi-weekly Bi-weekly Bi-weekly Weekly Monthly Quarterly Quarterly Quarterly May 31, 2012 May 31, 2012 May 31, 2012 May 31, 2012 June 30, 2012 June 30, 2012 Aug 2, 2012 Aug 2, 2012 Aug 2, 2012 July 31, 2012 July 31, 2012 July 31, 2012 Aug 2, 2012 July 31, 2012 June 30, 2012 June 30, 2009 June 30, 2009 Dec 31, 2008 USD USD USD USD USD KD KD KD KD USD SAR SAR KD USD USD USD USD USD 154.100 121.040 166.220 97.860 81,870 0.796 1.243 0.476 0.476 109.470 163.380 163.112 1.100 135.510 0.265 0.675 0.850 850.790 156.650 120.280 167.470 103.270 78.490 0.791 1.250 0.477 0.477 107.470 161.008 160.605 1.100 135.510 0.378 0.710 0.857 April 30, 2012 April 30, 2012 April 30, 2012 Oct 31, 2011 May 31, 2012 June 30, 2012 July 26, 2012 July 26, 2012 July 26, 2012 July 24, 2012 July 29, 2012 July 29, 2012 July 26, 2012 July 24, 2012 March 31, 2009 March 31, 2009 March 31, 2009

Amar Finance & Leasing Co. Al-Dhow Investment Co. Al-Fouz Investment Co. Securities House Co.
Amar Real Estate Fund Amar Finance & Leasing Company June 30, 2012 KD 0.902 0.935 June 30, 2012 Waed Real Estate Fund Al-Dhow Real Estate Company July 31, 2012 KD 0.913 0.913 June 30, 2012 Al-Fouz Real Estate Fund Al-Fouz Investment Company Annual June 30, 2011 KD 0.997

Fixed Income Funds Index Funds Equity Funds

Money Market Funds Islamic Real E. Funds

Aayan Leasing & Investment Company

Diyar Real Estate Investment Fund Securities House Company Monthly July 31, 2012 KD 0.960 1.025 May 31, 2012 Awaed Real Estate Fund Aayan Leasing & Investment Co. Quarterly July 31, 2012 KD 0.680 0.681 June 30, 2012 Makaseb Estate Fund Aayan Leasing & Investment Co. Quarterly July 31, 2012 KD 0.727 0.727 June 30, 2012 Direct investment Fund Industrial and Financial Investment Co. (IFIC) March 31, 2012 KD 1.402

Industrial & Financial Investment Company

BUSINESS
Name: Kuwait Sharia
Compatible Indices
Index name Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Composite Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Kuwait Only Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Active Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Banking Sector Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Investment Sector Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Insurance Sector Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Real Estate Sector Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Industrial Sector Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Services Sector Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Food Sector Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Islamic Sector Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Non Kuwaiti Sector Kuwait Stock Exchange Index - Price S&P 500 DJ Islamic Index. Bloomberg ticker AMIC AMIC AMIC AMIC AMIC AMIC AMIC AMIC AMIC AMIC AMIC AMIC KWSEIDX SPX DJIM Todays value as of August 15, 2012 August 15, 2012 August 15, 2012 August 15, 2012 August 15, 2012 August 15, 2012 August 15, 2012 August 15, 2012 August 15, 2012 August 15, 2012 August 15, 2012 August 15, 2012 August 15, 2012 August 14, 2012 August 14, 2012 Todays closing Prev closing value value 178.83 178.27 176.60 176.07 62.55 62.15 304.87 305.95 69.95 69.62 19.02 18.52 48.19 47.80 131.64 131.44 247.31 245.39 209.49 209.49 136.96 137.22 220.14 218.90 5,713.28 5,700.51 1,403.93 1,404.11 2,234.58 2,231.66 % change 0.31% 0.31% 0.65% -0.35% 0.47% 2.71% 0.82% 0.15% 0.79% 0.00% -0.19% 0.56% 0.22% -0.01% 0.13% 1-week change 0.80% 0.79% -0.31% 0.12% -1.15% -11.62% 0.70% -0.20% 2.09% -2.54% 0.34% 1.23% 0.04% 0.70% 0.99% 3-month change -4.52% -4.06% -22.33% -1.09% -6.99% -46.61% -7.43% -13.21% -3.14% -4.58% -4.83% -16.69% -11.13% 5.97% 5.99% YTD change -4.67% -5.70% 1.19% -5.59% 58.74% -45.44% 14.23% -10.64% -7.62% -11.47% -1.94% 49.37% -1.74% 11.64% 8.00% 12-month change -6.52% -7.56% 4.74% -7.50% 65.78% -22.12% 19.68% -12.43% -10.51% -10.99% -3.84% 50.57% -2.28% 16.56% 6.10% 24-month change -11.36% -11.76% -18.27% -2.47% 39.62% -40.29% 10.22% -24.76% -16.43% -15.40% -6.80% -0.27% -14.20% 30.08% 19.71%

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

43 Deyaar Q2 profit
Property developer Deyaar on Wednesday reported a marginal increase in quarterly net profit as it slashed costs to offset a sharp drop in revenues following Dubais property market collapse. Deyaar, the emirates second largest developer by market value, made a net profit of 18.6 million dirhams ($5 million) for the quarter, compared with 18.1 million dirhams made during the same period in 2011, it said in a statement on the Dubai bourse.(RTRS)

dinar
The exchange rate of the US dollar against the Kuwaiti dinar rose to KD 0.282, the euro stood at KD 0.348, said the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) on W e d n e s d a y . Meanwhile, the exchange rate of the Sterling pound was at KD 0.442. (KUNA)

Providers: Al Madar Finance

& Investment Co.

Description: Index of Sharia

compatible companies traded on the KSE

Website: www.almadar-fi.com

NBK rises 10 fils; Gulf Cable rallies

KSE extends gain to 3rd day, index up 12.71 pts

By John Mathews
Arab Times Staff

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: Kuwait stocks covered more ground Wednesday, extending the gains to the third straight session.
The index rose 12.71 points in choppy trade helped by buying in heavyweights and some of the mid-caps even investors remained positive cautious. KSE, after slipping 1.19 percent in the whole of July, was dampened by bearish sentiment in the first week following the political crisis .
The KSX 15 climbed 3.18 points to 956.29 points whereas the weighted index was up 0.96 pts. The volume rose above the 100 million mark for the 2nd time during the month helped mostly by speculative trading. 111.89 million shares changed hands up 12.95 percent from Tuesday. Sector-wise, technology outshone the peers with 2.18 percent jump whereas oil and gas slipped 0.27 percent, the biggest loser of the day. Volume-wise, financial sector notched the highest market share of 32.45 percent and real estate stood close behind with 31.72 percent. Gulf Glass Manufacturing Co soared 50 fils to KD 0.710 while Kuwait Portland Cement Co gained 20 fils to settle at KD 0.880. Automated Systems Co climbed 25 fils to KD 0.465. The company has earned KD 3,705,298 in

the January-June period while earnings per share stood at 92.54 fils. Bourse heavyweight Zain added 10 fils extending the gains from Tuesday and closed at KD 0.690 whereas Agility held the ground unchanged at KD 0.405. The logistics major has posted KD 7.82 million in the April- June quarter as against KD 7.83 million in the year-ago period. The market opened weak and slipped below the red in early trading. The index move flat and clawed back thereafter as buying picked up in select counters and crested at 5713.29 points past the mid-session. It slumped again briefly in the final minutes before rebounding to close with modest gains.

0.451 million. Kuwait International Bank was unchanged at KD 0.246 and Kuwait Finance House too did not budge from its previous close of KD 0.690. The Capital Intelligence earlier in July had affirmed KFHs Foreign Currency Long and Short term ratings at A+ and A1 respectively, while its Financial Strength Rating is placed at BBB+. National Investment Co eased 2 fils to KD 0.104 and International Financial Advisors was steady at 37 fils. KIPCO too stagnated at KD 0.365 whereas Securities Group climbed 6 fils to KD 0.130.

Fell
Al Maal Investment Co fell 1 fils after trading 1.5 million shares and Bayan Investment inched 0.5 fils lower. KAMCO was not traded during the session. The company has suffered a net loss of KD 2.902.183 and loss per share of 12.14 fils in H1 as against net profit of KD 443.838 and EPS of 1.86 fils in the same period last year. Kuwait Food Co ( Americana) was flat at KD 1.300 while Jazeera Airways pulled 10 fils lower. The carriers Q2 net profit jumped 23.5 percent to KD 2.6 million while operating profit surged 49.2 percent year-on-year to KD 4.2 million. In the first half net earnings climbed 21.6 percent to KD 3.8 million. The bourse has been upbeat so far during the week and has gained 13.92 points in last four sessions. It has slipped 7.09 points from start of the month and is trading 1.35 percent lower year-to-date.

Rallied
Top gainer of the day, Manafae Investment Co rallied 9.09 percent to 60 fils while Marakez climbed 7.8 percent to stand next. Credit Rating and Collection Co (Tahssilat) slid 13.24 percent, the steepest decliner of the day, while Abyaar Real Estate Development Co topped the volume with 17.8 million shares. Mirroring the days gain, the market spread was skewed towards the winners. 45 stocks advanced whereas 31 closed lower. Of the 113 counters active on Wednesday, 37 closed flat. 2080 deals worth KD 20.21 million were transacted a 50.85 percent surge in value from the previous session. Among other notable gainers, National Industries Group rose 2 fils on back of 2.9 million shares. NIG said earPhoto by Anwar Daifallah

Seen in the photo, investors at KSE trading floor on Wednesday. The main index ended higher during the session.

lier in the week that it will repay its $475 million Islamic bond, or sukuk, maturing on August 16. Kuwait Foundry Co was up 5 fils at KD 0.265 and Aref Energy Holding Co followed suit. RISCO edged 2 fils higher to KD 0.198 while Gulf Cables rallied 40 fils. The company has posted net profit of KD 9,837,065 and earnings per share of 47 fils in the first half as against KD 32,419,728 earnings and 154 fils EPS in the same period last year. In the banking sector, National Bank of Kuwait rose 10 fils on back of 13.393

million shares to end at KD 1.000. The stock has added 10 fils from start of the month and has retreated 120 fils year-todate. Burgan Bank was not traded during the session whereas Boubyan Bank pulled 10 fils lower. Gulf Bank closed flat at KD 0.400 whereas Commercial Bank of Kuwait and Al Ahli Bank were not traded during the session. CBK has posted a 5.4-percent drop in Q2 earnings to KD 1.22 million owing to heavy provisioning once again wiped out earnings growth. In the first half, the net profit clocked KD

KSE, with 213 listed companies, is the second largest bourse in the region. In the bourse related news, Manafae Investment has slumped KD 301,243 into red in first six months of 2012 while the loss per share chalked 1.60 fils. This compares with net loss of KD 651,870 and loss per share of 3.48 fils in 2011 H1. IFA Hotels and Resorts Co. has incurred a net loss of KD 1,805,454 and loss per share of 4.19 fils as compared to KD 5,170,290 earning and 11.99 fils EPS in the same period last year. Alsalam Group Holding announced has earned KD 238,729 in the first six months of the year while earnings per share chalked 1.03 fils. This compares with net loss of KD 21,578 and loss per share of 0.09 fils in the same period last year. Kuwait National Cinema has registered net profit of KD 3.30 million and earnings per share of 33.11 fils in the first six months of 2012 as against KD 3,453,847 earning and 34.56 fils EPS in the same period last year. National Petroleum Services Co has posted a 43.3 percent drop in earnings to KD 907,000 during the H1. In the second-quarter, the profit dropped 41.2 percent year-over-year to KD 514,2 000 . United Industries Company (UIC), a unit of Kuwait Projects Company Group has incurred a second quarter loss of KD 134,116 . Companys net profit for the first half surged KD 2.51 million while earnings per share stood at 5.21 fils per share.

BUSINESS
US Womens Gymnastics Olympic Gold Medal team, (left to right), Kyla Ross, Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman and Jordan Wieber pose on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange just before ringing the closing bell on Aug 14. (AFP)
Facebooks early investors and a handful of directors will become eligible on Thursday to sell stock they own in the social networking company. It marks the beginning of a time-honored process for public companies, one that will give many Facebook employees the same right to sell their shares this fall. Its conceivable none of them will sell. But if they do, up to 1.91 billion more shares could flood the stock market over the next several months more than four times the 421 million shares that have been trading since Facebooks initial public offering in May. So-called lock-up periods, which prevent

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

44 Facebook insiders can sell stock as lock-up ends

insiders from unloading shares too close to an IPO, generally start to expire 90 days after a stock makes its public debut. Lock-ups are designed to prevent a stock from experiencing the kind of volatility that might occur if too many shareholders decide to sell a newly traded stock all at once. The progressive phasing-in of various shareholders allows early owners to shed their stock and make way for new investors, says Peter Zaleski, a professor of economics at the Villanova School of Business in Pennsylvania. But theres risk involved, too. If too many people sell, Facebook Inc.s stock price could decline. Thats a problem the company cant afford. On Tuesday, the stock closed at $20.38, down 46 percent from its initial public offering price of $38. In all, 271 million shares will become eligible this week, according to Facebooks regulatory filings. Firms ranging from Accel Partners to Goldman Sachs, Zynga CEO Mark Pincus and Facebook board members James Breyer, Peter Thiel and Reid Hoffman are among those free to sell stock they own. Microsoft Corp., another early Facebook investor, will be eligible to sell, too. (AP)

the

NEW YORK: The effects of a slowing

global economy caught up to Deere & Co in its fiscal third quarter, as its net income rose 11 percent but fell well short of Wall Streets expectations. Deere cut its revenue prediction for the year, and investors reacted swiftly. Shares dropped more than 7 percent. Delays in production lines also hurt the worlds largest producer of agricultural equipment. Ongoing drought in the Midwest had a minimal impact, executives said in a conference call with analysts. The Moline, Illinois, company, said Wednesday that it earned $788 million, or $1.98 per share for the quarter ended July 31, compared with $712.3 million, or $1.69 per share for the same period last year. Analysts expected $2.31 per share in the most recent quarter, according to FactSet. Revenue rose 15 percent to $9.59 billion, missing analysts average prediction of $9.61 billion. (AP)

bottomline Equities boosted by stimulus hopes; dollar hits one-month high vs yen
itability after racking up debts to expand. Despite that, net debt barely changed in the first half, standing at 812 million euros at end-June. Loans from Abu Dhabi-based carrier Etihad Airways, which last year bought a 29 percent stake, accounted for about 163 million euros of the debt. (RTRS)

Oil climbs partly on Mideast tension; gold gains

NEW YORK, Aug 15, (Agencies): Global shares held near their highest level since May o n W ednesday on hopes of more central bank stimulus for struggling economies, but uncertainty about the extent and timing of any moves hurt the euro and safe-haven US and German government bonds.
Oil prices in London clung near three-month peaks, partly on worries about supply disruption stemming from Mideast tension, while a focus on some weaker-than-expected US economic data pushed gold back above $1,600 an ounce.
Financial markets have been riding high in recent weeks on hopes that European Central Bank plans expected to be detailed in September can put a floor under Spain and Italys debt troubles and prevent the euro zone from unraveling. Traders have also raised bets the US Federal Reserve would embark on a third round of large-scale bond purchases, known as QE3, perhaps as soon as its next policy meeting in September. Investors took solace for now that a sluggish US economy would not result in severe deterioration in consumer demand and corporate profits, supporting some appetite for equities. The Standard & Poors 500 index has lingered around the 1,400 point mark, close to a four-year high. Top European shares were 0.11 percent lower at 1,100.74 points, bringing the global MSCI index down 0.1 percent at 322.69. Uncertainty over the timing of more central bank stimulus after encouraging data on industrial output and home builder confidence spurred selling in US Treasuries and German Bunds. In commodities trading, tensions in the Middle East and supply concerns pushed up oil prices, with worries that Israel could launch an attack on Iran in the coming months. US inventories of crude oil measured by the Energy Information Administration dropped 3.7 million barrels, bigger than a forecast drop of 1.7 million, which pointed to tight supply on either side of the Atlantic. Brent crude futures rose $1.07 to $115.10 a barrel, while US oil futures were up 19 cents at $93.62 a barrel. Gold rose 0.32 percent at $1,603.10 an ounce after dipping to a near two-week low on Tuesday. The broader S&P 500-stock index added a bare 0.97 (0.07 percent) to 1,404.90, while the tech-rich Nasdaq edged up 8.69 points (0.29 percent) to 3,025.67. Big box retailer Targets shares were up 1.9 percent as it reported earnings in line with expectations, while office supply chain Staples plunged 15.2 percent on its quarterly earnings disappointment and a lowered forecast for the rest of the year. Abercrombie & Fitch, the youth-oriented clothing business, gained 9.2 percent even as second quarter earnings sank 52 percent. The company said it would continue to close stores while expanding its share buyback operation. Barnes and Noble lost 4.8 percent after announcing a price cut on its Nook reader, battling against an increasingly crowded and converging e-reader and tablet computer market. Separately, tractor and heavy equipment maker Deere dropped 7.8 percent after its 11 percent earnings rise in the quarter missed analyst expectations and it warned that the US drought could influence coming business. await cautiously for announcements from central banks regarding further stimulus measures. The index added around 6 percent since late July, when pledges by European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi to do whatever it takes to protect the euro from Europes sovereign debt crisis. Miners, which have spearheaded recent gains up 6 percent in the last month were among the top fallers as ENRC became the latest commoditylinked stock to raise donuts over the outlook for global demand. ENRC shed 8.5 percent, topping the list of FTSE 100 fallers, after the Kazakh miner reported first-half profit plunged 41 percent and announced it was cutting spending and its dividend. Earnings growth among the miners has contracted 10.9 percent year-on-year in the second-quarter among the worst performing sectors along with energy stocks, financials and IT firms, as 50 percent of European companies have missed expectations approaching the end of the earnings season, according to Thomson Reuters Starmine data. Bangkok was flat, edging up 0.01 points to 1,226.83 Coal producer Banpu slipped 0.85 percent to 466.00 baht, while Siam City Cement was unchanged at 342.00 baht. Jakarta ended up 0.5 percent, or 20.43 points, at 4,141.99. Car maker Astra rose 2.1 percent to 7,350 rupiah, Telkom put on 4.5 percent to 9,250 rupiah, and Indocement gained 1.7 percent to 20,500 rupiah. Mumbai was closed for a public holiday.

COPENHAGEN: Carlsberg returned to

profit in the second quarter, with growing Asian markets helping offset Europe to earn the Danish brewing giant 3.36 billion kroner (451 million euros; $556 million) in net profit. The 63 percent gain in net profit during the April-June period by the worlds fourth-biggest brewer beat expectations of 3.2 billion kroner of analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires. Sales rose by five percent to 19.6 billion kroner, with also a five percent increase in sales by volume to 43.3 billion hectoliters of beer. (AFP)

Oil
Brent crude oil futures extended gains on Wednesday to above $116 a barrel, the highest in more than 3 months, as a sharp drawdown in US crude stockpiles combined with expected lower North Sea oil output to paint a tighter supply picture on both sides of the Atlantic. Fears of supply disruptions as Middle East tensions festered, as well as hopes for further stimulus from major central banks to support the weakening global economy, added lift to oil futures. US crude oil inventories dropped 3.7 million barrels last week, the third straight week of drawdowns, data from the US Energy Information Administration showed. The drawdown was far bigger than the forecast for a 1.7 million barrel decline in a Reuters poll of analysts. A steep drop in US gasoline stocks due to a series of refinery outages lifted gasoline futures to their highest intraday level since May, gaining nearly 3 percent to lead the petroleum complex. While the crude stock draw was larger than expected, more importantly we see the large dip in gasoline stocks ready to push us higher into the second half of summer, said Carl Larry, president of Oil Outlooks in New York. In London, September Brent crude was up $2.55, or 2.24 percent, at $116.58 barrel by 2 pm EDT (1800 GMT). It reached a session high of $116.72, the loftiest for front-month Brent since May 3. US September crude oil was up $1.08, or 1.2 percent, at $94.51, having hit a session peak of $94.90 which marked the highest since May 15. US gasoline stocks fell 2.4 million barrels last week, greater than the 1.5million-barrel drop predicted. The fourweek average demand for refined products in the United States rose to 19.3 million barrels per day, the highest since early September 2011, the EIA data showed. US September gasoline rose to a session high $3.0890 a gallon, the highest intraday price since May 3. Brent crude oils premium to US crude climbed to $22.07, heading for its highest close since October, squeezed by maintenance in North Sea production on which the benchmarks price is calculated. The pace of trading picked up, raising Brents total trading volume to more than 8 percent above its 30-day average and US crude dealings rose 11 percent above its 30-day average, Reuters data showed.

SAN FRANCISCO: Add Angies List to the list of Internet companies now trading below their IPO price. Angies Lists stock broke the barrier Tuesday as investors fretted about a potential wave of selling by major shareholders of the online business review service. The worries stemmed from the expiration of a ban that had prevented the owners of 25.2 million shares from selling their stock until Tuesday. The restrictions on about 44 percent of Angies Lists outstanding stock helped boost the companys stock by limiting the number of shares trading on the market. Stripped of that protection, shares of Angies List Inc shed $2.12 to close Tuesday at $11.17. That left the shares below their initial public offering price of $13. Tuesdays 16 percent drop marks the biggest one-day decline in Angies Lists shares since the companys stock market debut nine months ago. It also represents Angies Lists lowest closing price so far. (AP) NEW YORK: Private equity firm Carlyle Group LP agreed to take over photo agency Getty Images Inc from Hellman & Friedman LLC in a $3.3 billion deal, betting on growing demand for online images as the media industry shifts away from print. As websites from companies like Facebook Inc and Groupon Inc commission as many images as magazines and television outlets do, Carlyle sees an opportunity to boost the business further globally and through new products. We will harness Carlyles financial resources and global network to help take Getty Images to the next stage of product innovation and global growth, Carlyle Managing Director Eliot Merrill said on Wednesday. (RTRS) FRANKFURT: Air Berlin is to sell eight planes to improve its deteriorating finances and help cut debt by 300 million euros ($370 million) by the yearend, it said on Wednesday. Cutting debt is our clear aim for 2012, Germanys second-biggest airline after Lufthansa said, adding that it expected to improve its performance in 2012 with 230 million euros in savings from a cost-cutting programme. It also still aims to return to an operating profit in 2013, Chief Executive Hartmut Mehdorn confirmed. Air Berlin, which has not posted a full-year operating profit since 2007, has already cut seats, unprofitable routes and postponed plane orders to reduce costs and shrink its way back to prof-

ZURICH, Switzerland: The Swiss

cement group Holcim unveiled a slight rise in first half profits Wednesday thanks to growth in developing markets but struck a pessimistic note on its European activities. Net profit for the worlds second biggest cement maker rose nine percent to 389 million francs (324 million euros) between January and June, in line with analysts expectations. Operating profit rose 1.9 percent to 1.9 billion francs, while total sales were up 2.1 percent to 10.4 billion francs over the same period. Growing demand from Asia, north and Latin America as well as Africa and the Middle East boosted sales and should continue to do so in 2012, the firm said in a statement. (AFP)

Europe
Europes main stock markets dropped Wednesday after losses in Asia but Standard Chartered shares rebounded after the bank agreed a hefty fine over claims it helped Iranian firms bypass US sanctions. Markets failed to get much of a midday bounce from mixed US data. In afternoon trading the benchmark FTSE 100 index of leading companies fell 0.40 percent to 5,841.52 points while Frankfurts DAX 30 dropped 0.40 percent to 6,946.80 points. In Paris the CAC 40 bucked the trend to add 0.30 percent to 3,460.70 points. Milan was up 0.85 percent and Madrid climbed 0.67 percent. Shares in Standard Chartered bucked the trend however, jumping 4.93 percent to 1,437.5 pence. The banks share price had plunged on August 7, closing down almost 17 percent to 1,223.57 pence, after New York state regulators accused it of hiding transactions with Iranian banks. It rebounded strongly in the following days. Standard Chartered said late Tuesday that it had agreed to pay a fine of $340 million to the state regulator following allegations that it hid 60,000 transactions with proscribed Iranian clients worth $250 billion over ten years.

Asia
Asian markets fell Wednesday despite better-than-expected US and European data, while Standard Chartered bank rebounded after settling claims it helped Iranian firms dodge US sanctions. With many traders away for summer breaks volume was light and movement limited, while Wall Street offered little guidance with a mixed finish. Hong Kong fell 1.18 percent, or 239.39 points, to 20,052.29, Tokyo was off 0.05 percent, or 4.84 points, to 8,925.04, and Sydney lost 0.26 percent, or 11 points, to 4,281.2. Shanghai lost 1.10 percent, or 23.58 points, to 2,118.95. Seoul was closed for a public holiday. In other markets: Taipei fell 0.15 percent, or 11.51 points, to 7,467.74. Smartphone maker HTC slid 4.13 percent to Tw$243.5 while Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co was 0.24 percent lower at Tw$83.0. Wellington rose 0.62 percent, or 22.30 points, to 3,631.19. Contact Energy gained 0.4 percent to end at NZ$4.90, while Telecom Corp surged 3.3 percent to NZ$2.835 and Fletcher Building was steady on NZ$6.53. Manila was flat, edging down 0.01 percent, or 0.72 points, to 5,266.66. Top-traded Ayala Corp. fell 1.85 percent to 425 pesos and Metropolitan Bank added 0.90 percent to 94.85 pesos. Singapore closed 0.83 percent, or 25.73 points, lower at 3,062.11. Singapore Telecom was down 0.60 percent to Sg$3.34 and casino operator Genting Singapore rose 2.34 percent to Sg$1.31. Kuala Lumpur stocks gained 0.05 percent, or 0.88 points, to 1,653.78. PPB Group lost 4.6 percent to 14.10 ringgit, AirAsia shed 1.6 percent to 3.60 and Maxis gained 0.7 percent to 6.87.

AMSTERDAM: Dutch telecom operator KPN called off the sale of its Belgian mobile business, which it had hoped would raise up to 1.8 billion euros ($2.1 billion), saying on Wednesday that the offers it received were too low. The failure of the auction, which had drawn five non-binding bids from private equity groups, a Belgian cable operator and a media group, means KPN faces tough choices on how to reduce its debt and find money needed for network investment in its home market. KPN ruled out a rights issue and any further cuts in its dividend following a sharp reduction last month, a company spokesman told Reuters. Its shares were down 1.4 percent at 1045 GMT. (RTRS)

SYDNEY: Australias biggest banking group, the Commonwealth Bank, on Wednesday posted a record full-year net profit despite subdued revenue growth with customers cautious about global instability. The countrys top home lender said profit for the 12 months ending June 30 rose 11 percent to A$7.09 billion ($7.43 billion), from A$6.39 billion the year before. Cash profit which strips out oneoff costs was A$7.11 billion, up four percent. Revenue rose two percent to A$47.2 billion. This is a good result given the uncertain environment in which we are operating, said chief executive Ian Narev, with the companys share price rising 0.92 percent to A$56.05 in a falling market. As expected, revenue growth was subdued reflecting ongoing caution from both our retail and corporate customers. This translated into lower credit growth and greater pressure on market sensitive businesses. (AFP)

UK
Britains top share index fell on Wednesday in sluggish volumes as weakness in index heavyweights such as miners, tobaccos and Vodafone outstripped gains in financials. Londons benchmark index closed down 31.74 points or 0.5 percent at 5,833.04, erasing the previous sessions gains and fluctuating in a tight range between 5,800 and 5,900 in volumes just 66 percent of their 90-day average. The FTSE 100 has flattened out with the summer rally waning as investors

US
US stocks traded in a narrow range Wednesday after mixed data showed a slight rebound in industrial production and home building in July but a downturn in New York manufacturing. At 11:00 am (1500 GMT) the bluechip Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 4.96 points (0.04 percent) to 13,167.18.

exchange rates Aug 15

US dollar
BEC Muzaini Dollarco Commercial Bank Gulf Bank NBK Burgan Bank ABK Oman Buy Sell Sell Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Cash .278100 .283000 .281650 .283250 .274000 .285500 .278750 .285350 .276450 .285050 .276200 .274800 .278950 .285050 Draft .280500 .282600 .282850 .282600 .281450 .283550 .281250 .283350 .281450 .283550 .281200 .283300 .281450 .283550 .287900 .287900 Transfer .280500 .282600 .282850 .282600 .281450 .283550 .281250 .283350 .281450 .283550 .281200 .283300 .281450 .283550

Sterling pound
Cash .437600 .447600 .447000 .439000 .454000 .436020 .449920 .439390 .448460 .434500 .443530 .436280 .448100 .467000 Draft .436600 .445600 .444220 .443975 .441032 .439000 .439931 .446766 .440890 .445460 .436000 .440530 .440810 .445030 .475000 Transfer .436600 .445600 .444220 .443975 .441032 .439000 .439931 .446766 .440890 .445460 .436000 .440530 .440810 .445030 .475000 Cash .344500 .353500 .351000 .345000 .362000 .343057 .354602 .345420 .353780 .339010 .347320 .343250 .353030

Euro
Draft .344500 .352000 .350600 .348970 .347126 .349716 .346134 .352116 .346920 .350780 .340510 .344320 .346810 .350610 .406000 Transfer .344500 .352000 .350600 .348970 .347126 .349716 .346134 .352116 .346920 .350780 .340510 .344320 .346810 .350610

Japanese yen
Cash .353000 .371000 .003650 Draft .003605 .004580 .003568 .003594 .003561 .003626 .035627 .036098 .003588 .003636 .035605 .036082 .003200 Transfer .003605 .004580 .003568 .003594 .003561 .003626 .035627 .036098 .003588 .003636 .035605 .036082 .003200

Swiss franc
Cash .284500 .294000 .292500 .287000 296000 .284670 .294670 .279180 .289100 Draft .285500 .292500 .291600 .290575 .288993 .291149 .287782 .293408 .288670 .292170 .283180 .286600 .288480 .292150 Transfer .285500 .292500 .291600 .290575 .288993 .291149 .287782 .293408 .288670 .292170 .297119 .299506 .288480 .292150

Canadian dollar
Cash .279400 .287900 .290000 .281000 .292000 .277897 .282890 Draft .277400 .286400 .285850 .288830 .283463 .285578 .282039 .287493 .283030 .286440 .286988 .277020 .282980 .286530 Transfer .277400 .286400 .285850 .288830 .283463 .285578 .282039 .287493 .283030 .286440 .286988 .277020 .282980 .286530 .267000

Swedish kroner
Cash .383000 .433000 Draft .041982 .042296 .041936 .042700 .041870 .042310 .041155 .041482 .041810 .042650 Transfer .041982 .042296 .041936 .042700 .041870 .042310 .041155 .041482 .041810 .042650

Saudi riyal
Cash .074780 .075470 .076000 .072000 .078000 .074175 .076235 .073980 .076670 .073684 .075774 .074070 .076170 .076800 Draft .074830 .075470 .754570 .075325 .075073 .075634 .074906 .073701 .074980 .075670 .075640 .072340 .074840 .075640 .076800 Transfer .074830 .075470 .754570 .075325 .075073 .075634 .074906 .073701 .074980 .075670 .074280 .075640 .074840 .075640 .076800

UAE dirham
Cash .076610 .077060 .077000 .076406 .077174 .075788 .077899 .076410 .077170 .075223 .077374 .076352 .077119 .078600 Draft .075510 .076960 .077050 .076920 .076658 .077230 .076494 .077312 .076570 .077250 .077237 .074510 .076350 .077260 .078390 Transfer .075510 .076960 .077050 .076920 .076658 .077230 .076494 .077312 .076570 .077250 .075832 .077237 .076350 .077260 .078390

Bahraini dinar
Cash .743680 .751680 .749000 .074440 .075188 .737824 .758304 .744400 .751880 Draft .743180 .751680 .075156 .748180 .074684 .075242 .745103 .752989 .746060 .752820 .740873 .750398 .744590 .752960 Transfer .743180 .751680 .075156 .748180 .074684 .075242 .745103 .752989 .746060 .752820 .740873 .750398 .744590 .752960 Transfer .393010 .400510 .399560 .398365 .000000 .040106 .401345 .394853 .398939 .395570 .402170 .401670 .415000

Omani riyal
Cash .728510 .734190 .729754 .737089 .722430 .742712 .729750 .737090 .735741 .752000 Draft .723010 .734010 .073496 .731324 .736781 .729558 .747506 .730560 .737070 .734440 .722120 .728980 .737340 .748000 Transfer .723010 .734010 .073496 .731324 .736781 .729558 .747506 .730560 .737070 .734440 .719020 .728980 .737340 .759930

Danish kroner
BEC Muzaini Dollarco Commercial Bank Gulf Bank NBK Burgan Bank ABK Oman Buy Sell Sell Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Cash .429000 .479000 Draft .046637 .046985 .046490 .047305 .046560 .047030 .046462 .046997 .046450 .047420 Draft Transfer .046637 .046985 .046490 .047305 .046560 .047030 .046462 .046997 .046450 .047420

Indian rupee
Cash .004880 .005320 .005250 .004000 .006500 Draft .005010 .005070 .005087 .005081 .005135 .005144 .005094 .005093 .005034 .005119 Transfer .005010 .005070 .005087 .005081 .005135 .005144 .005094 .005093 .005034 .005119

Pakistani rupee
Cash .002800 .003080 .003150 Draft .002960 .002993 .002994 .003002 .003016 .003030 .003233 .003053 .003175 Transfer .002960 .002993 .002994 .003002 .003016 .003030 .003233 .003053 .003175

Sri Lanka rupee

Cash .002112 .002692 .002700 . 002000 .003500 Draft .001838 .002137 .002140 .002138 .002154 .002167 .002546 .002235 .002510 Transfer .001838 .002137 .002140 .002138 .002154 .002167 .002546 .002235 .002510

Bangladesh taka
Cash .003070 .003720 .003650 .004250 Cash Draft .003411 .003451 .003452 .003454 .003492 .003505 .004017 .004170 Draft Transfer .003411 .003451 .003452 .003454 .003492 .003505 .004017 .004170 Transfer

Philippine peso
Cash .006700 .006980 .007000 .006000 Draft .006283 .006740 .006692 .006702 .006772 .006850 .006449 .006976 .006467 Transfer .006283 .006740 .006692 .006702 .006772 .006850 .006449 .006976 .006467

Australian dollar
Cash .289300 .300800 .294000 .303000 .237000 Cash .000161 .000161 Draft .287300 .299300 .294692 .296891 .294384 .299895 .294480 .297950 .284712 .286988 .294610 .297590 .237000 Draft Transfer .287300 .299300 .294692 .296891 .294384 .299895 .294480 .297950 .300480 .284712 .294610 .297590 .299940 Transfer

Hong Kong dollar

Cash .034390 .037140 Draft .033890 .036990 .036485 .036285 .036556 .036125 .036719 .036290 .036560 Transfer .033890 .036990 .036485 .036285 .036556 .036125 .036719 .036290 .036560

Singapore dollar
Cash .223950 .228450 Draft .222950 .228450 .227190 .225412 .227094 .224910 .228789 .225120 .227350 .216673 .218433 .225150 .227660 Transfer .222950 .228450 .227190 .225412 .227094 .224910 .228789 .225120 .227350 .222630 .216673 .225150 .227660

Jordanian dinar
Cash .393040 .400540 .400000 .386000 .406000 .415000 Transfer .393010 .400510 .399560 .398365 .000000 .040106 .401345 .394853 .398939 .395570 .402170 .401670 .415000

Egyptian pound
Cash .043770 .046870 .048200 .049000 .043000 .051000 .056000 Draft .044532 .046552 .046568 .046498 .046879 .047830 .049026 .047060 Transfer .044532 .046552 .046568 .046498 .046879 .047830 .049026 .047060 Transfer .220900 .230900 .226462 .231356 .226040 .229450

Cyprus Pound
BEC Muzaini Gulf Bank ABK Buy Sell Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Cash .542100 .555100 Transfer

Yemeni riyal
Cash Draft Transfer .128000 .136000 .001320 .001320 Sterling .4456000 .4540000 .4467660 .4450300

Thai baht
Cash Draft Transfer .085800 .085800 .085800 .092800 .091800 .091800 .089780 .089780 Euro .3620000 .3521160 .3506100

South African rand

Cash Draft Transfer .027990 .027990 .027990 .036490 .036490 .036490 .035007 .035007

Korean won

Syrian pound
Cash Draft Transfer .004200 .004200 .004200 .004400 .004400 .004400 .004936 .004936 Gold ounce 468.000

Iranian tuman

Lebanese pound
Cash Draft Transfer .000179 .000183 .000183 .000191 .000190 .000190 .189800 .189800 Gold gm 18k 11.000

Malaysian ringgit
Cash Draft Transfer .087290 .086290 .086290 .093290 .093290 .093290 100 gm 999 10 gm 999 153.000

Indonesian rupiah
Cash Draft Transfer .026000 .025000 .025000 .032000 .031000 .031000 .000030 .000030

New Zealand dollar

Cash .222900 232400 Draft .220900 .230900 .226462 .231356 .226040 .229450

travellers cheques
BEC Commercial Bank Gulf Bank Al-Ahli Bank

US dollar .2826000 .2855000 .2833500 .2835500

local gold
BEC Muzaini Exchange

Gold 999 kg 14,700.000

Gold 999 10 tola 1,712.450 1,725.000

Gold gm 22k 13.500

Gold gm 21k 12.850

All rates in KD per unit of foreign currency

BBCs Mark Thompson named CEO of Times Co

Photo dated March 2, 2010 shows British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Director General Mark Thompson pictured outside the BBCs Television Centre in White City, west London. (AFP) The New York Times is hoping the man who transformed Auntie Beeb for the 21st century can do the same for the Gray Lady. In BBC boss Mark Thompson, the Times has chosen a chief executive who has never worked at a newspaper but has plenty of experience reshaping a respected but aging media institution for the digital age. During eight years in charge of the BBC, Thompson became unpopular with some staff for cutting jobs, eliminating services and slashing pensions. But he also oversaw expansion of the British broadcasters multimedia offerings through websites, download services and digital channels all showcased to impressive effect during the London Olympics. Announcing Thompsons appointment Tuesday, the Times cited his record in helping the BBC grow online and generate revenue from new types of products. Doubters point out that Thompson has spent almost his entire career in the publicly funded BBC, insulated from the commercial pressures pummeling the private media. Columnist and former newspaper editor Roy Greenslade said that in Thompson the Times was getting a man of considerable intellectual stature ... who has shown himself capable of running a large organization larger by far than the New York Times. The BBC remains untainted by the phonehacking scandal that has engulfed Rupert Murdochs British media businesses an empire that includes rival broadcaster BSkyB. (AP)

Business Plus
Ugliness goes well beyond unemployment

US economic recovery weakest since WWII

than 1 million jobs. Exhausted consumers Consumer spending has grown just 6.5 percent since the recession ended, feeblest in a postwar recovery. In the first three years of previous recoveries, spending rose an average of nearly 14 percent. Its no mystery why consumers are being frugal. Many have lost access to credit, which fueled their spending in the 2000s. Home equity has evaporated and credit cards have been canceled. Falling home prices have slashed home equity 49 percent, from $13.2 trillion in 2005 to $6.7 trillion early this year. Others are spending less because theyre paying down debt or saving more. Household debt peaked at 126 percent of after-tax income in mid-2007 and has fallen to 107 percent, according to Haver Analytics. The savings rate has risen from 1.1 percent of after-tax income in 2005 to 4.4 percent in June. Consumers have cut credit card debt by 14 percent to $865 billion since it peaked at over $1 trillion in December 2007. We were in a period in which we borrowed too much, says Carl Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics. We are now deleveraging. Thats a process that slows us down. The jobs hole The economy shed a staggering 8.8 million jobs during and shortly after the recession. Since employment hit bottom, the economy has created just over 4 million jobs. So the new hiring has replaced 46 percent of the lost jobs, by far the worst performance since World War II. In the previous eight recoveries, the economy had regained more than 350 percent of the jobs lost, on average. During the 1981-82 recession, the US lost 2.8 million jobs. In the three years and one month after that recession ended, the economy added 9.8 million replacing the 2.8 million and adding 7 million more. Never before have so many Americans been unemployed for so long three years into a recovery. Nearly 5.2 million have been out of work for six months or more. The long-term unemployed account for 41 percent of the jobless; the highest mark in the other recoveries was 22 percent. Gregory Mann, 58, lost his job as a real estate appraiser three years ago. Basically, I am looking for anything, he says. He has applied to McDonalds, Target and Nordstroms. Nothing, not even a rejection letter, he says. His wife, a registered nurse, has lost two jobs in the interim and just received an offer to work reviewing medical records near Atlanta. We are broke and nearly homeless, he says. If this job for my wife hadnt come through, we would be out on the street come Sept 1 or would have had to move in with relatives. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has called long-term unemployment a national crisis. The longer people remain unemployed, the harder it is to find work, Bernanke has said. Skills erode, and people lose contact with former colleagues who could help with the job search. Shrinking paychecks Usually, workers pay rises as the economy picks up momentum after a recession. Not this time. Employers dont have to be generous in a weak job market because most workers dont have anywhere to go. As a result, pay raises havent kept up with even modest levels of inflation. Earnings for production and nonsupervisory workers a category that covers about 80 percent of the private, nonfarm workforce have risen just over 6.2 percent since June 2009. Consumer prices have risen nearly 7.2 percent. Adjusted for inflation, wages have fallen 0.8 percent. In the previous five recoveries the records go back only to 1964 real wages had gone up an average 1.5 percent at this point. Falling wages havent hurt everyone. Lower labor costs helped push corporate profits to a record 10.6 percent of US GDP in the first three months of 2012, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. And those surging profits helped lift the Dow Jones industrials 54 percent from the end of June 2009 to the end of last month. Only after the recessions of 194849 and 1953-54 did stocks rise more. Stock investments may be coming back, but savings are still getting squeezed by the rock-bottom interest rates the Fed has engineered to boost the economy. The money Americans earn from interest payments fell from nearly $1.4 trillion in 2008 to barely $1 trillion last year a drop of more than $370 billion, or 27 percent. That amounts to shrinking income for many retirees. In the meantime, its difficult for consumers to summon the confidence to spend and businesses the confidence to hire and expand. Never in the postwar period has there been so much uncertainty about what policymakers will do, says Steven Davis, an economist at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business: No one is sure what will actually happen. As weak as this recovery is, its nothing like what the US went through in the 1930s. The period known as the Great Depression actually included two severe recessions separated by a recovery that lasted from March 1933 until May 1937. Its tough to compare the current recovery with the 1933-37 version. Economic figures comparable to todays go back only to the late 1940s. But calculations by economist Robert Coen, professor emeritus at Northwestern University, suggest that things were far bleaker during the recovery three-quarters of a century ago: Coen found that unemployment remained well above 10 percent and usually above 15 percent throughout the 1930s. Only the approach and outbreak of World War II the ultimate government stimulus program restored the economy and the job market to full health.
The Associated Press analyzed nine economic recoveries since the Great Depression that lasted at least three years. By most measures, the recovery from the Great Recession of 2007-2009 is the weakest. Its the second-worst for job growth as measured by the rise in the number of people working. When the recession officially ended in June 2009, 130.5 million Americans had nonfarm jobs. By July 2012 three years and one month later the number had risen to 133.2 million, an increase of 2.1 percent. Heres a look at job growth in the three years and one month after recessions ended: Recession percentage change in jobs three years, one month after recession ended 1948-1949 +16 percent; 1953-1954 +8.4 percent; 1960-1961 +8.1 percent; 1969-1970 +10.8 percent; 1973-1975 +12.4 percent; 1981-1982 +11.1 percent; 19901991 +4.6 percent; 2001 +1.1 percent; and 2007-2009 +2.1 percent.

Specialists Thomas Bishop (left), and Michael Pistillo work at their post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Aug 15. Stocks are edging higher on Wall Street following more signs that the US economic recovery is advancing, albeit at a slow pace. (AP)

By Paul Wiseman
AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON, Aug 15, (AP): The recession that ended three years ago this summer has been followed by the feeblest economic recovery since the Great Depression. Since World War II, 10 US recessions have been followed by a recovery that lasted at least three years. An Associated Press analysis shows that by just about any measure, the one that began in June 2009 is the weakest. The ugliness goes well beyond unemployment, which at 8.3 percent is the highest this long after a recession ended. Economic growth has never been weaker in a postwar recovery. Consumer spending has never been so slack. Only once has job growth been slower. More than in any other post-World War II recovery, people who have jobs are hurting, too: Their paychecks have fallen behind inflation. Many economists say the agonizing recovery from the Great Recession, which began in December 2007 and ended in June 2009, is the predictable consequence of a housing bust and a grave financial crisis. Credit, the fuel that powers economies, evaporated after Lehman Brothers collapsed in September 2008. And a 30 percent drop in housing prices erased trillions in home equity and brought construction to a near-standstill. So any recovery was destined to be a

A housing collapse is very different from a stock market bubble and crash. It affects so many people. It only corrects very slowly

slog. A housing collapse is very different from a stock market bubble and crash, says Nobel Prize-winning economist Peter Diamond of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It affects so many people. It only corrects very slowly. The US economy has other problems, too. Europes troubles have undermined consumer and business confidence on both sides of the Atlantic. And the deeply divided US political system has delivered growth-chilling uncertainty. The AP compared nine economic recoveries since the end of World War II that lasted at least three years. A 10th recovery that ran from 1945 to 1948 was not included because the statistics from that period arent comprehensive, although the available data show that hiring was robust. There were two short-lived recoveries 24 months and 12 months after the recessions of 1957-58 and 1980. Here is a closer look at how the comeback from the Great Recession stacks up with the others: Feeble growth Americas gross domestic product the broadest measure of economic output grew 6.8 percent from the AprilJune quarter of 2009 through the same quarter this year, the slowest in the first three years of a postwar recovery. GDP grew an average of 15.5 percent in the first three years of the eight other comebacks analyzed. The engines that usually drive recoveries arent firing this time.

Investment in housing, which grew an average of nearly 34 percent this far into previous postwar recoveries, is up just 8 percent since the April-June quarter of 2009. Thats because the overbuilding of the mid-2000s left a glut of houses. Prices fell and remain depressed. The housing market has yet to return to anything close to full health even as mortgage rates have plunged to record lows. Government spending and investment at the federal, state and local levels was 4.5 percent lower in the second quarter than three years earlier. Three years into previous postwar recoveries, government spending had risen an average 12.5 percent. In the first three years after the 1981-82 recession, during President Ronald Reagans first term, the economy got a jolt from a 15 percent increase in government spending and investment. This time, state and local governments have been slashing spending and jobs. And since passing President Barack Obamas $862 billion stimulus package in 2009, a divided Congress has been reluctant to try to help the economy with federal spending programs. Trying to contain the $11.1 trillion federal debt has been a higher priority. Since June 2009, governments at all levels have slashed 642,000 jobs, the only time government employment has fallen in the three years after a recession. This long after the 1973-74 recession, by contrast, governments had added more

Selloffs compressing VCs earlier returns

Venture capital feels heat from ongoing dotcom turmoil

We dont pay you to hold on to a public stock

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 15, (RTRS): As consumer Internet shares plummet, venture capital firms find themselves fending off increasingly uneasy investors who are urging them to cash out after millions and in some cases, billions of dollars evaporate from holdings. Rapid declines in once-hot names ranging from Facebook and Groupon to Pandora and Zynga are putting some strain on VCs relationships with their own investors, who do not often pick up the phone and weigh in with their opinions. Now, the calls they do get tend to focus on that group of highprofile companies, investors and VCs say. On Tuesday, many again got walloped. Daily-deals site Groupon lost a quarter of its value after posting dismal results, bringing its total loss in market value since November to more than 70

Jens Hutzschenreuter, managing director and head of the Central European department of the online shopping deals giant Groupon is pictured on Aug 14, at the companys office in Berlin, Germany. Groupon posted on Aug 13 a sound quarterly profit but saw its stock tumble nearly 20 percent due to a disappointing forecast for the months ahead. (AFP)

percent, or $9 billion. Social network Facebook shed 6 percent and is now about half its value at debut.

At a companys initial public offering and then again about six months afterward, venture backers are free to sell or distribute shares to their own investors, known as limited partners. But many hold on for months or sometimes years, leaving millions on the table when compared to the companies rich prices at IPO. We dont pay you to hold on to a public stock, said Chris Douvos, managing director of fund-of-funds service Venture Investment Associates and a former manager at Princeton Universitys endowment. The situation reminds him and others of the 2000 bursting of the dotcom bubble, when limited partners paper profits in companies that were long on buzz and short on business models dissipated at a rapid clip memories that could encourage limited partners to do some lobbying.

For endowments that spend based on the value of their portfolios, youve spent paper profits, which have now disappeared, Douvos said. Still, the impact is usually just a fraction of a percent of the endowment. Venture capital funds invest in stages over many years, so its difficult to estimate changes in the value of their holdings. Many likely made big profits on the dotcoms given the low prices they invested in initially, but the recent selloffs are compressing those returns. As of Tuesdays close, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers has seen its investment in gaming-company Zynga dwindle by $450 million since its IPO. Accel Partners, which won acclaim for being among the first to back Facebook, has nonetheless lost more than $2 billion on paper in three months. Greylock Partners still holds 9.6 mil-

lion shares in music-service Pandora; NEA holds 87.5 million shares in Groupon; Kleiner retains all its 65.2 million shares in Zynga; and Accel owns 152.3 million Facebook shares, filings show. Greylock, NEA and Kleiner declined to comment on specific holdings. Accel didnt respond to a request for comment. The situation underscores the delicate relationship between venture capitalists and the investors or limited partners they rely on. While the latter put in the hundreds of millions of dollars that make the funds possible, venture capitalists make the calls on what to buy, which companies to nurture, and when to exit. Now, with many high-profile consumer Internet companies well off their debut levels, many venture funds are holding stock worth as much as twothirds less than at the IPO.

LEISURE
N E W Y O R K T I M E S
CROSSWORD

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

46

Horoscope
By Jacqueline Bigar
Happy birthday for Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012: This year you grow and evolve to a new level. Events will come forth that allow you to understand more emotionally and learn more intellectually. Your efforts to network and become more socially integrated seem to come through to others. If you are single, you meet people with ease. A friendship could be instrumental in making a romance happen. You could meet Mr. or Ms. Right through a friend. You could be quite excited about this person. If you are attached, be more sensitive to your sweetie. Remember, a relationship is made of two people who both need attention. Another LEO can match you. He or she makes quite a competitor. The Stars Show the Kind of Day Youll Have: 5Dynamic; 4-Positive; 3-Average; 2-So-so; 1-Difficult

Yang Guang (Sunshine), a giant male panda, chews on bamboo on his ninth birthday, his first on Scottish soil, at Edinburgh Zoo on Aug 14 in Edinburgh. Yang Guang is one of the two giant pandas which arrived at the zoo on Dec 4, 2011 and will spend 10 years on loan in the Scottish capital, a deal agreed after years of high-level political and diplomatic negotiations with China. (AFP)

Capricorndirectly, be22about business,**** - (Dec it - Jan 19): netRelate to someone

working or a personal matter. You will be surprised by what you hear, so much so that you might opt to head in a different direction. Give yourself some time to respond. Tonight: Make it cozy.

contract b r i d g e
By Steve Becker

Aquarius your(Jan 20 -action as18): ***** - knee-jerk Feb being offOthers might see
the-wall. You could be taken aback by their reactions, since you know there is logic behind them. Let your creativity emerge. As a result, solutions will be found. Tonight: Let a love affair come back into your life.

Pisces doing a job 19 - Mar 20): ****resist - (Feb a certain way. You will You seem set on
approaching it in any other manner. Recognize that others could distance themselves because of your attitude. Stay centered and do your thing. A family member still surprises you! Tonight: Head home.

Aries - (Mardiscover just19): **** The unex21 - Apr pected occurs. You how much someone
cares, as this person spontaneously decides to express his or her affection. The end result will be that you are beaming from ear to ear. Your attitude is contagious. Tonight: Be authentic.

Taurus - (Apr 20 - May 20): *** Much goes on at home. Please note the many thoughts that
Shermans Lagoon By J. P. Toomey
race through your head. Be sure to do some comparison shopping before purchasing a big item. You have the tendency, and are in just the right mood, to go way overboard. Tonight: Order in.

Gemini -the(May words- Juneright time. A 21 20): ***** You tend to say right at the
meeting with a group of friends proves to be a very exciting experience, as someone seems to be bouncing off the walls. Know that regardless of what happens, you will land on your feet if you stay open. Tonight: All smiles.

Cancer to go off and buy this22): **** You - (June 21 - July and that. You might decide
could have a great time, but the results could be problematic. Someone you look up to could be difficult right now, as he or she is so unpredictable. Tonight: Make your favorite meal.

Mutts By Patrick McDonnell

Leo - (July 23 - Aug 22): **** You might hear news that results in hurt feelings. The person
delivering this news does not intend the message to have that outcome. In fact, he or she is trying to demonstrate his or her caring and support. A meeting proves to be unusually supportive. Tonight: Friends are full of fun and energy.

Virgo - (Augof23 - SeptThe elementYoutiming 22): *** might want to share more yourself. of
Saturday: Once upon a time.

dear abby
Education cant stop at classroom door
By Abigail Van Buren

plays a role, and most likely, it is not clear when the best time is. A partner or friend surprises you with his or her actions. Go with the flow, and know that everything could change quickly. Tonight: Not to be found.

Libra what you want23 -a friendship. Ask for - (Sept from Oct 22): **** Emphasize
the support you want in a meeting. Clearly, others have difficulty anticipating what you want. Learn to express yourself more often and assume you have a receptive audience. Tonight: Where the action is.

Hagar The Horrible By Chris Browne

Beetle Bailey By Mort Walker

Dear Abby: Wouldnt it make sense if grade school teachers set aside time, weekly or monthly, to go over some very generic information that kids need to learn? Im talking about things like how important it is to have pets neutered and why, how to manage money, and show them what the average dad earns and what it costs to run a household and support a family. It might help kids to grow up understanding that money isnt free and get them past the gimmes. There are so many topics that ought to be introduced to youngsters at an early age how to groom themselves properly, be exposed to a variety of music genres, teach them how grandparents can use help even from small children. They could be taught to be aware of their surroundings, to realize that foul language isnt an attribute and why its important to be pleasant. Abigail Van Buren There are so many topics. Ten minutes a week on different topics would suffice. Why not? Chaplin, Conn, reader Dear reader: Why not? Because teachers are so overwhelmed trying to get their students to learn enough basic curriculum to pass the state mandated tests that they dont have time! Reading your letter I couldnt help but wonder whose children you are describing. All of the topics you mentioned are things children should learn from their parents. Where are those parents? AWOL? Dear Abby: I have just started back into the dating scene after my divorce and being single for five years. I had a vasectomy when I was married, and Im wondering at what point I should tell prospective dates this information. Snipped in Ontario, Canada Dear snipped: Raise the subject as soon as a woman mentions the idea of wanting children. It should certainly be

discussed before you have sex. P.S. Because vasectomies have been known to fail, and wont prevent someone from picking up an STD, you should always make sure you and your partner are protected by using a condom. Dear Abby: Several years ago we bought a used sofa at a garage sale. It is now falling apart. A friend of mine in the hotel business offered me an almost new sofa bed from a room that was being redecorated. It matches the colors in our game room perfectly. My wife said, You cant bring hotel furniture into the house. Yuck! My logic is this: Why cant our kids sleep on a hotel bed in our house if our other houseguests are using the kids rooms? We would use our clean sheets, and they sleep on the sofa beds in the hotels we stay in. My wife will sleep in a hotel bed that 100 percent of the guests sleep in, but she doesnt want a bug-free sofa bed that about 5 percent of hotel guests have used in our home for occasional use. Am I cheap, or am I married to a clean freak? Whos been sleeping in my bed? Dear whos been sleeping: Not knowing you better, I cant say whether or not youre cheap. But your wife should know that many people buy used hotel furniture, and selling it is big business. The sofa bed could be cleaned and sanitized and the mattress replaced. (Inquire about it at any furniture store that sells sofa beds.) But dont push your wife into taking it or the person who winds up sleeping on it could be you. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069. (Source: Universal Uclick)

Scorpio and(Oct 23 -sell yourself *** Take a - refuse to Nov 21): short. You stand quickly,
know what you want and in which direction you would like to head. In order to accomplish more of what you want, you will need to take the lead. Tonight: A must appearance.

Sagittariusobvious when22 - Deca loved - (Nov relating to 21): **** Look past the
one or a child. What did he or she not say? This person does not intend to be secretive, but it is just the way he or she is. Try not to define this behavior; instead, be open and authentic. Tonight: Let music be a dominant theme.

Born today: Sportscaster Frank Gifford (1930),

TV host Kathie Lee Gifford (1953), singer Madonna (1958)

odds n ends
CHESHIRE, Connecticut: A Connecticut utility has reimbursed a woman almost $10,500 after acknowledging it billed her for 25 years for the electricity used to power streetlights near her home. Grace Edwards tells the Hartford Courant she discovered the billing error after a prospective buyer for the house in Cheshire asked for a history of utility charges. Connecticut Light & Power says a developer who previously owned the home had agreed to pay for the lights. (AP)

Garfield By Jim Davis

SINGAPORE:

Word by Word Baby Blues By Rick Kirkman & Jerry Scott

Prevention (Al-Weqayah)

A 76-year-old Singaporean man who lived alone was found dead in his flat which was piled to the ceiling with rubbish he had collected from bins over the past decade, a report said Wednesday. An emergency services team took nearly an hour Monday to dismantle the apartments heavily locked front door after neighbours complained of a stench and as long to find the remains after going through the junk, the Straits Times said. Police confirmed Wednesday that they found the body of a man in his 70s in a public housing flat and were investigating it as an unnatural death. (AFP)

VIENNA:

Prevention is better than cure. Al-Weqayah khair men al-elaj

Numbers

5888

Five thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight Khamsat alaaf wa thaman maah wa thamani wa thamanoon

An African elephant in Vienna Zoo has been impregnated using frozen sperm from a male living in the wild, in what the Zoo said Monday was a world first. Pregnancy has been achieved before elsewhere using frozen sperm in two cases, once with an African elephant and once with an Asian one, but both times the males were in captivity and the foetuses died, a zoo spokeswoman told AFP. If this calf is born it will be the first time worldwide that this works with frozen sperm, she said. (AFP)

SPORTS

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

47

Mariners rally to sting Rays 3-2 in 9th inning

Bumgarner steers Giants to 6-1 win over Nationals
SEATTLE, Aug 15, (Agencies): The Seattle Mariners rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to stun the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 and snap the visitors sevengame winning streak on Tuesday.
The Rays led 2-1 heading into the final inning and were on their way to yet another victory before a throwing error by Carlos Pena put two Seattle (54-64) runners in scoring position with no men out.
Thats a play that Carlos makes 100 times out of 100, Rays manager Joe Maddon told reporters of the miscue on a Chone Figgins bunt. Starter Matt Moore struck out nine batters in seven strong innings to position things nicely for the Rays (63-53), who grabbed a 2-0 lead in the firSt Tampa Bay was looking for their first eight-game winning streak since 2004 but instead they lost ground in the American League East, where they now trail the New York Yankees by six games. The Mariners won for the third time in four games and evened their threegame series with the Rays heading into Wednesdays finale. Kevin Millwood tossed seven innings of a no-decision, striking out eight and allowing two runs, and Stephen Pryor handled the final 1 2/3 innings for the win. Seattle infielder Kyle Seager initiated the comeback in the ninth with a single, finishing 2-for-4 while scoring the tying run. In New York, New Yorks Hiroki

Detroits Miguel Cabrera hits an RBI single to score Omar Infante against the Minnesota Twins during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Aug 14, in Minneapolis. Cabrera became the first player to reach 100 RBIs this season on the hit. The Tigers won 8-4. (AP)

MLB Scoreboard
WASHINGTON, Aug 15, (Agencies): Results and standings from the MLB games on Tuesday. Baltimore 7 Boston 1 NY Yankees 3 Texas 0 LA Dodgers 11 Pittsburgh 0 Chicago W. Sox 3 Toronto 2 Atlanta 6 San Diego 0 Philadelphia 1 Miami 0 Cincinnati 3 NY Mets 0 Houston 10 Chicago Cubs 1 Kansas City 5 Oakland 0 Detroit 8 Minnesota 4 St Louis 8 Arizona 2 Colorado 8 Milwaukee 6 LA Angels 9 Cleveland 6 Seattle 3 Tampa Bay 2 San Francisco 6 Washington 1 Standings American League Eastern Division W L NY Yankees 69 47 Tampa Bay 63 53 Baltimore 63 53 Boston 57 60 Toronto 55 61 Central Division W L Chicago W. Sox 63 52 Detroit 62 55 Cleveland 54 63 Kansas City 50 65 Minnesota 50 66 Western Division W L Texas 67 48 Oakland 61 54 LA Angels 61 56 Seattle 54 64 National League Eastern Division W L 72 45 67 49 55 61 54 62 52 65 Central Division W L 70 46 64 52 63 53 52 63 45 70 39 79 Western Division W L 64 53 64 53 58 58 52 66 43 71 MLB Linescores PCT .595 .543 .543 .487 .474 PCT .548 .530 .462 .435 .431 PCT .583 .530 .521 .458 GB 6 6 12-1/2 14 GB 2 10 13 13-1/2 GB 6 7 14-1/2 Brantly. W_K.Kendrick 5-9. L_Jo.Johnson 7-9. Sv_Papelbon (26). HRs_Philadelphia, Rollins (14). New York 000 000 000-0 6 0 Cincinnati 000 000 003-3 11 1 C.Young, R.Ramirez (6), Parnell (7), Rauch (8), Acosta (9), Edgin (9) and Thole; Latos, Marshall (8), Arredondo (9) and Hanigan. W_Arredondo 5-2. L_Acosta 1-3. HRs_Cincinnati, Bruce (23). Houston 103 005 100-10 14 0 Chicago 000 000 100-1 6 1 Harrell, R.Cruz (9) and C.Snyder; Volstad, L.Castillo (6), Bowden (6), Al.Cabrera (9) and W.Castillo. W_Harrell 10-8. L_Volstad 0-9. HRs_Houston, Wallace (5), F.Martinez (1), S.Moore (6). Arizona 000 000 200-2 7 2 St Louis 000 201 23x-8 9 0 I.Kennedy, Ziegler (7), Shaw (8) and M.Montero; J.Kelly, Mujica (7), Boggs (8), Salas (9) and Y.Molina, T.Cruz. W_J.Kelly 3-5. L_I.Kennedy 10-10. HRs_Arizona, M.Montero (14). St. Louis, Holliday (23), Jay (4). Milwaukee 001 010 103-6 13 0 Colorado 401 012 00x-8 15 2 Wolf, Veras (6), Axford (7), M.Parra (8) and M.Maldonado; Chatwood, Roenicke (7), Mat.Reynolds (8), Belisle (8), Brothers (9), R.Betancourt (9) and W.Rosario. W_Chatwood 3-2. L_Wolf 3-9. Sv_R.Betancourt (21). HRs_Milwaukee, M.Maldonado (7). Colorado, W.Rosario (19), E.Young (3). Washington 000 000 100-1 5 1 San Francisco 010 001 04x-6 13 1 Zimmermann, Mic.Gonzalez (6), Mattheus (7), Storen (8), S.Burnett (8) and Flores; Bumgarner and Posey. W_Bumgarner 13-7. L_Zimmermann 9-7. MLB Leaders American League BATTING: Trout, Los Angeles, .341; MiCabrera, Detroit, .326; Jeter, New York, .320; Mauer, Minnesota, .318; Revere, Minnesota, .317; Konerko, Chicago, .316; Ortiz, Boston, .316. RUNS: Trout, Los Angeles, 91; Kinsler, Texas, 82; Granderson, New York, 79; MiCabrera, Detroit, 76; AJackson, Detroit, 75; Cano, New York, 74; AdJones, Baltimore, 73. RBI: MiCabrera, Detroit, 101; Hamilton, Texas, 99; Willingham, Minnesota, 88; Fielder, Detroit, 84; Pujols, Los Angeles, 82; Encarnacion, Toronto, 80; AdGonzalez, Boston, 80. HITS: Jeter, New York, 156; MiCabrera, Detroit, 151; Cano, New York, 141; AdGonzalez, Boston, 138; AGordon, Kansas City, 136; AdJones, Baltimore, 136; Rios, Chicago, 135. DOUBLES: AGordon, Kansas City, 38; AdGonzalez, Boston, 36; Choo, Cleveland, 35; Brantley, Cleveland, 34; Cano, New York, 32; Kinsler, Texas, 32; Pujols, Los Angeles, 32. TRIPLES: AJackson, Detroit, 8; JWeeks, Oakland, 8; Andrus, Texas, 6; Rios, Chicago, 6; ISuzuki, New York, 6; 7 tied at 5. HOME RUNS: ADunn, Chicago, 33; Hamilton, Texas, 32; Encarnacion, Toronto, 30; Granderson, New York, 30; Willingham, Minnesota, 30; MiCabrera, Detroit, 29; Trumbo, Los Angeles, 29. STOLEN BASES: Trout, Los Angeles, 37; RDavis, Toronto, 35; Revere, Minnesota, 28; Crisp, Oakland, 25; Kipnis, Cleveland, 23; JDyson, Kansas City, 22; DeJennings, Tampa Bay, 22; BUpton, Tampa Bay, 22. PITCHING: Weaver, Los Angeles, 15-2; Price, Tampa Bay, 15-4; Sale, Chicago, 14-3; MHarrison, Texas, 13-7; Vargas, Seattle, 13-8; Sabathia, New York, 12-3; Verlander, Detroit, 12-7; Darvish, Texas, 12-8. STRIKEOUTS: Verlander, Detroit, 174; Scherzer, Detroit, 168; Darvish, Texas, 162; FHernandez, Seattle, 162; Shields, Tampa Bay, 153; Price, Tampa Bay, 151; Peavy, Chicago, 144. SAVES: Rodney, Tampa Bay, 37; JiJohnson, Baltimore, 34; CPerez, Cleveland, 32; RSoriano, New York, 28; Nathan, Texas, 23; Aceves, Boston, 23; Broxton, Kansas City, 23. National League BATTING: McCutchen, Pittsburgh, .359; MeCabrera, San Francisco, .346; Votto, Cincinnati, .342; Posey, San Francisco, .331; DWright, New York, .323; CGonzalez, Colorado, .321; Holliday, St. Louis, .315. RUNS: MeCabrera, San Francisco, 84; Bourn, Atlanta, 81; McCutchen, Pittsburgh, 81; JUpton, Arizona, 77; CGonzalez, Colorado, 75; Holliday, St. Louis, 75; Braun, Milwaukee, 73. RBI: Beltran, St. Louis, 83; Holliday, St. Louis, 81; CGonzalez, Colorado, 78; Braun, Milwaukee, 77; Kubel, Arizona, 77; LaRoche, Washington, 77; FFreeman, Atlanta, 76; Posey, San Francisco, 76. HITS: MeCabrera, San Francisco, 159; McCutchen, Pittsburgh, 151; Bourn, Atlanta, 142; Holliday, St. Louis, 136; CGonzalez, Colorado, 134; DWright, New York, 134; Prado, Atlanta, 133; Reyes, Miami, 133. DOUBLES: ArRamirez, Milwaukee, 39; Votto, Cincinnati, 36; DWright, New York, 35; Goldschmidt, Arizona, 34; DanMurphy, New York, 33; Alonso, San Diego, 31; Cuddyer, Colorado, 30; Prado, Atlanta, 30. TRIPLES: Fowler, Colorado, 11; MeCabrera, San Francisco, 10; Bourn, Atlanta, 9; SCastro, Chicago, 8; Reyes, Miami, 8; Colvin, Colorado, 7; DeJesus, Chicago, 7; Pagan, San Francisco, 7. HOME RUNS: Braun, Milwaukee, 29; Beltran, St. Louis, 28; Kubel, Arizona, 25; Bruce, Cincinnati, 23; Holliday, St. Louis, 23; LaRoche, Washington, 23; McCutchen, Pittsburgh, 23. STOLEN BASES: Bourn, Atlanta, 31; Bonifacio, Miami, 30; DGordon, Los Angeles, 30; Pierre, Philadelphia, 28; Reyes, Miami, 28; Stubbs, Cincinnati, 27; Victorino, Los Angeles, 27. PITCHING: Dickey, New York, 15-3; GGonzalez, Washington, 15-6; Cueto, Cincinnati, 15-6; AJBurnett, Pittsburgh, 14-4; Lynn, St. Louis, 13-5; Strasburg, Washington, 13-5; Hamels, Philadelphia, 13-6; Bumgarner, San Francisco, 13-7. STRIKEOUTS: Dickey, New York, 166; Strasburg, Washington, 166; Hamels, Philadelphia, 158; GGonzalez, Washington, 158; Kershaw, Los Angeles, 157; Bumgarner, San Francisco, 150; MCain, San Francisco, 148. SAVES: Hanrahan, Pittsburgh, 33; Kimbrel, Atlanta, 31; Chapman, Cincinnati, 28; Motte, St. Louis, 26; Papelbon, Philadelphia, 26; Jansen, Los Angeles, 24; SCasilla, San Francisco, 24; Clippard, Washington, 24.

BASEBALL
Kuroda pitched a shutout as the Yankees beat the Texas Rangers 3-0 in Tuesdays meeting of American League divisional leaders. (11-8) pitched a two-hitter and the New York Yankees got consecutive homers from Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira in a victory over the Rangers. Kuroda (11-8) held Texas hitless until an infield single leading off the seventh. He walked only two and struck out five in his second shutout of the season and fourth of his career. The Yankees too were held in check until the seventh, when consecutive homers from Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira broke the game open. Texas All-Star Matt Harrison (13-7) took the loss. Orioles 7, Red Sox 1 In Baltimore, Mark Reynolds homered twice and drove in four runs to power Baltimore past Boston. Reynolds hit a solo shot in the fifth and a three-run drive in the sixth, while Omar Quintanilla also went deep for the Orioles, who moved 10 games over .500 for the first time since June. Baltimore starter Wei-Yin Chen (117) gave up one run and one walk in sixplus innings. Red Sox starter Josh Beckett (5-10) surrendered six runs in 5 1-3 innings. He is 1-6 in his past 12 starts. Boston stranded 12 and went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position. White Sox 3, Blue Jays 2 In Toronto, Jose Quintana snapped a five-start winless streak to steer Chicago to a rare win at Toronto. Quintana (5-2) allowed two runs in 6 2-3 innings, helping the White Sox win at Rogers Centre for only the fourth time in six years. Blue Jays starter Henderson Alvarez (7-10) allowed two earned runs in seven innings. Angels 9, Indians 6 In Anaheim, Zack Greinke won for the first time in four starts since being acquired by Los Angeles, delivering a victory over Cleveland. Greinke (1-1) allowed eight hits in seven innings, struck out five and walked only one. Albert Pujols homered and drove in four runs for the Angels. Indians starter Ubaldo Jimenez (912) gave up eight runs through four innings, matching a career-worst for earned runs allowed. Tigers 8, Twins 4 In Minneapolis, Miguel Cabrera became the first player to reach 100 RBIs this season with a run-scoring single as Detroit downed Minnesota. With the game locked 4-4 in the sixth inning, Andy Dirks hit a solo home run off Brian Duensing (2-8) to put the

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Josh Beckett delivers against the Baltimore Orioles during the second inning of a baseball game in Baltimore. (Inset): New York Yankees Hiroki Kuroda pitches during the first inning of the base ball game against the Texas Rangers on Aug 14, at Yankee Stadium in New York. (AP)

Pedroia denies reports of Valentine rift

BOSTON, Aug 15, (RTRS): Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia has denied reports of a rift between the players and under-fire manager Bobby Valentine, insisting that he and his team mates were to blame for Bostons disappointing season. Despite boasting one of the highest payrolls in the league, the Red Sox have failed to spark this season and with a 57-60 record, find themselves languishing 12-1/2 games behind bitter rivals and AL East leaders the New York Yankees. The 62-year-old Valentine has been under immense pressure in his first season at the club due to Tigers ahead for good. Cabrera got his 100th RBI in the seventh, becoming the third player in Tigers history to collect at least 100 RBIs in five or more consecutive seasons. Detroit starter Doug Fister (7-7) pitched eight strong innings, not allowing any earned runs and striking out seven. Royals 5, Athletics 0 In Kansas City, Jeremy Guthrie allowed only three singles in seven innings as Kansas City rolled to a win over Oakland. Guthrie (5-12), who struck out a season-high eight, ran his scoreless streak to 15 innings. He has struck out 14 over his past two starts. The As failed to get a runner past second base and were shut out for a major league-high 14th time. Alex Gordon and Eric Hosmer delivered run-scoring singles in the Royals five-run fifth inning. As rookie righthander Jarrod Parker (7-7) was pulled after 4 2-3 innings. He gave up five runs. National League Giants 6, Nationals 1 In San Francisco, San Franciscos Madison Bumgarner pitched a complete game, steering the Giants to a 6-1 win over the Washington Nationals in clash of National League title contenders. Bumgarner (13-7) struck out six and walked one in his second complete game this season. Brandon Belt had three hits and three RBIs for the Giants, who bounced back from the previous days 16-1 thrashing at the hands of the Nationals. Dodgers 11, Pirates 0 In Pittsburgh, Los Angeles Chad Billingsley pitched eight scoreless innings as the Dodgers matched their highest-scoring game of the season, routing the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-0 in the National League on Tuesday. Billingsley (9-9) won his fifth consecutive start, allowing no runs and one walk. He improved to 7-1 in his career against the Pirates. Bostons poor form, leading to reports that several players had complained about his leadership at a meeting with team owners last month. I dont think Bobby should be fired, Pedroia, considered one of the most vocal critics of Valentine, said in a post-game interview given to a regional sports television network on Tuesday. We havent played well. Thats the bottom line. Im not going to blame anything on Bobby. Its on the players. Valentine replaced Terry Francona in December, who left the Red Sox after the team missed last The Dodgers have won five of six, pushing them to the top of the NL WeSt Pittsburgh has lost five of six. Luis Cruz tied career highs for hits and RBIs with three each as Los Angeles beat the Pirates for the eighth straight time, dating to last season. Pittsburghs Kevin Correia (9-7) took the loss. Going in, he had won seven straight decisions, tied for the longest active streak in the majors. Reds 3, Mets 0 In Cincinnati, Jay Bruce hit a threerun homer in the ninth inning, and Cincinnati on its fourth game in a row, beating New York. The NL Central leaders and the Mets were a combined 0 for 18 with runners in scoring position before Bruce connected. Brandon Phillips drew a leadoff walk in the ninth from Manny Acosta (1-3). Ryan Ludwick followed with single that sent Phillips to second, setting up Bruces winning shot. Reds reliever Jose Arredondo (5-2) wound up with the win. In all, the clubs stranded a total of 24 runners on base. Cardinals 8, Diamondbacks 2 In St Louis, rookie Joe Kelly pitched into the seventh inning of what could be his final start for some time, guiding St Louis to victory over Arizona. Kelly (3-5) gave up two runs in 6 13 innings and matched his career best with six strikeouts, lowering his ERA to 3.41 trailing only Kyle Lohses 2.72 in the rotation. However Jaime Garcia is soon due back from injury, ending Kellys run as a starter. St Louis got home runs from Matt Holliday and Jon Jay. Diamondbacks starter Ian Kennedy (10-10) made throwing errors on consecutive plays to help the Cardinals score two unearned runs in the seventh for a three-run cushion, and gave up both homers. Braves 6, Padres 0 In Atlanta, Tim Hudson combined with three relievers to shut out San Diego, steering Atlanta to victory. Hudson (12-4) allowed no runs and one walk in 6 2-3 innings and won his seasons playoffs following a dramatic late-season collapse. Last year wasnt on Tito (Francona). I know he took it hard, Pedroia said. We were 99.7 percent in the playoffs last year, and we werent in there. Anything can happen. Baseballs a crazy game. Were going to go out and play as hard as we can. We dug ourselves this hole, and weve got to try to dig ourselves out of it. Weve got to be professional. Pedroia confirmed that the players had a meeting last month but denied he had any problems with the manager. sixth straight decision. Martin Prado had a three-run homer for the Braves, who began the day 5 games behind first-place Washington in the NL East, their biggest deficit since trailing by 6 games on July 5. San Diego starter Clayton Richard (9-12) left the game trailing 3-0 in the seventh, He gave up five runs in 6 1-3 innings. Phillies 1, Marlins 0 In Miami, Kyle Kendrick pitched seven scoreless innings, steering Philadelphia to a tight win over Miami. Kendrick (5-9) struck out six and threw 61 of 87 pitches for strikes. He has won seven straight against the Marlins, dating to September 2008. The sole run of the game came from Jimmy Rollins homer leading off the first Charlie Manuel earned his 700th win as a manager with the Phillies second straight shutout. The Marlins havent scored in 27 innings. Jonathan Papelbon issued a walk with two outs in the ninth but induced a grounder to end it. Marlins starter Josh Johnson (7-9) was an unlucky loser, giving up just one run in eight innings. Rockies 8, Brewers 6 In Denver, Carlos Gonzalez had four hits in Colorados win over Milwaukee. Colorado starter Tyler Chatwood (32) allowed one earned in six innings. The Rockies finished with 15 hits for the second straight game. On Monday, they jumped in front early and they repeated the formula against Randy Wolf (3-9). Astros 10, Cubs 1 In Chicago, Brett Wallace and Fernando Martinez each hit three-run homers as Houston cruised past Chicago. Houston had 15 hits in winning only its third road game in 28 tries. Astros starter Lucas Harrell (10-8) struck out six over eight innings. He has allowed two runs or fewer in all seven of his starts since the All-Star break.

Washington Atlanta NY Mets Philadelphia Miami

PCT .615 .578 .474 .466 .444 PCT .603 .552 .543 .452 .391 .331 PCT .547 .547 .500 .441 .377

GB 4-1/2 16-1/2 17-1/2 20 GB 6 7 17-1/2 24-1/2 32 GB 5-1/2 12-1/2 19-1/2

Cincinnati Pittsburgh St Louis Milwaukee Chicago Cubs Houston

San Francisco LA Dodgers Arizona San Diego Colorado

American League Texas 000 000 000-0 2 1 New York 000 000 30x-3 8 0 M.Harrison, Ogando (7), Scheppers (8) and L.Martinez; Kuroda and R.Martin. W_Kuroda 11-8. L_M.Harrison 13-7. HRs_New York, Swisher (16), Teixeira (23). Boston 000 100 000-1 11 0 Baltimore 001 015 00x-7 7 0 Beckett, Melancon (6), A.Bailey (8) and Lavarnway; W.Chen, ODay (7), J.Romero (8), Lindstrom (9) and Wieters. W_W.Chen 11-7. L_Beckett 5-10. HRs_Baltimore, Quintanilla (3), Mar.Reynolds 2 (11). Chicago 000 030 000-3 7 0 Toronto 101 000 000-2 10 2 Quintana, Myers (7), Thornton (8), A.Reed (8) and Pierzynski; H.Alvarez, Loup (8), Jenkins (9) and Mathis. W_Quintana 5-2. L_H.Alvarez 7-10. Sv_A.Reed (21). Oakland 000 000 000-0 3 1 Kansas City 000 050 00x-5 6 0 J.Parker, Norberto (5), Blevins (7), Scribner (8) and Kottaras; Guthrie, Collins (8), G.Holland (9) and S.Perez. W_Guthrie 2-3. L_J.Parker 7-7. Detroit 220 001 102-8 13 2 Minnesota 004 000 000-4 6 2 Fister, Valverde (9) and Laird; Duensing, Fien (7), Al.Burnett (8), Perdomo (9) and Doumit. W_Fister 7-7. L_Duensing 2-8. HRs_Detroit, Dirks (5). Minnesota, Willingham (30). Cleveland 000 200 220-6 11 0 Los Angeles 400 401 00x-9 13 0 Jimenez, Seddon (5), Herrmann (7) and C.Santana; Greinke, Hawkins (8), Jepsen (8), Frieri (9) and Iannetta. W_Greinke 1-1. L_Jimenez 9-12. Sv_Frieri (14). HRs_Cleveland, Brantley (5), Kotchman (11). Los Angeles, Aybar (6), Pujols (26). Tampa Bay 200 000 000-2 9 1 Seattle 010 000 002-3 8 0 M.Moore, Jo.Peralta (8), Rodney (9) and J.Molina; Millwood, Luetge (8), Pryor (8) and Olivo. W_Pryor 2-0. L_Rodney 2-2. National League Los Angeles 001 302 005-11 13 1 Pittsburgh 000 000 000-0 5 2 Billingsley, Sh.Tolleson (9) and A.Ellis; Correia, Locke (7), Qualls (9), Resop (9) and Barajas. W_Billingsley 99. L_Correia 9-7. San Diego 000 000 000-0 5 0 Atlanta 100 011 30x-6 10 0 Richard, Boxberger (7), Layne (8) and Jo.Baker; T.Hudson, Venters (7), Avilan (8), Kimbrel (9) and McCann. W_T.Hudson 12-4. L_Richard 9-12. HRs_Atlanta, Uggla (14), Prado (6). Philadelphia 100 000 000-1 4 1 Miami 000 000 000-0 5 2 K.Kendrick, Lindblom (8), Papelbon (9) and Schneider; Jo.Johnson, M.Dunn (9), Cishek (9) and

Alexi Amarista #5 of the San Diego Padres hits against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field on Aug 14, in Atlanta, Georgia. (AFP)

SPORTS
I am proud of accusations, and I welcome them

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

48

Bin Hammam: Payments came out of personal accounts

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Aug 15, (AP): Mohamed bin Hammam said accusations he enriched his family and supporters while president of Asian football are politically motivated and that he plans to fight this clear abuse of power and process at the hand of FIFA. In a letter to 20 Asian associations, bin Hammam confirmed he made payments to football officials and others but said they came out of his own bank accounts and were driven by a desire to help those in need including Zhang Jilong, the current AFC president who ordered the PriceWaterhouseCoopers audit that instigated the investigation by FIFAs ethics committee. Jilong was one of those who came to me for financial support and I helped him with a significant amount from my personal account, bin Hammam wrote. I will leave him to explain the circumstances of this to you if he wishes. The 63-year-old Qatari had a lifetime football ban overturned in court in July following allegations he bribed Caribbean voters when he challenged Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency. The accusations in the PWC audit are the subject of separate investigations by the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA, but have been described by Bin Hammam as a repeat of what FIFA did immediately before I stood against Mr. Blatter in the presidential elections last year. This, of course, is yet another attempt by Zurich through the infinite tools and

SOCCER
power of FIFA to diminish and insult Asias name by attacking me directly following the annulment of my previous FIFA ban by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, bin Hammam wrote. When contacted by The Associated

Press, bin Hammams U.S.-based lawyer Eugene Gulland confirmed Tuesday that the letter written on AFC letterhead was authentic. Bin Hammams letter cites the names of five people from Bangladesh, Nepal and Kyrgyzstan whom he says he helped, including two who have since died of cancer, one who had open-heart surgery, another for tuition fees for a FIFA program, and the family of a 16-year-old from Nepal who died while playing football. Let me declare that as a human being with the personal means to help and coming from a culture and society where this is seen as a duty, I am proud of these

accusations, and I welcome them, bin Hammam wrote. The audit accuses bin Hammam of receiving millions of dollars from individuals linked to AFC contracts and spending tens of thousands on items such as a honeymoon, dental work, haircuts and cash payments for his family. Payments are alleged to have been made to Asian, African and Caribbean football officials, including $250,000 to Jack Warner, the former longtime head of Caribbean football. Tens of thousands of dollars were given to federation presidents and their relatives, the audit claimed, adding that

most of it went into their personal bank accounts and none of it was for footballrelated expenses. According to the audit, Gaurav Thapa, whose father heads the Nepalese federation, received $100,000 while Filipino football official Jose Mari Martinez was given $60,000 and had $11,226 in hospital expenses paid. Another $50,000 went to East Timorese football official Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, the audit found. The audit also said that a Bangladesh football federation spokesman received $25,000 for tuition expenses and that its general secretary was given $20,000 to cover the cost of cancer treatment.

Madrid, Barca set to dominate again

2-horse race
MADRID, Aug 15, (AFP): Arch rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona are the obvious candidates to battle it out for La Liga bragging rights, as a host of pretenders attempt to put pressure on the outright favourites when the new campaign kicks off on Saturday.
The two sides finished 39 and 30 points ahead of third-placed Valencia last season and with no challengers having significantly strengthened, the battle at the top is likely to have a familiar look to it.
Champions Real Madrid will begin with almost the same squad that ended Barcelonas run of three consecutive titles last term. Coach Jose Mourinho fended off early interest in his Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain from big spenders Paris SaintGermain, while Raul Albiol, Alvaro Arbeloa and Angel Modric Di Maria have all signed extensions to their contracts. Mourinhos efforts to strengthen a squad that accumulated 100 points, while losing only two games, appear to be focused solely on the capture of Croatian playmaker Luka Modric from Tottenham. Negotiations have continued all summer, but Madrid president Florentino Perez is well-known for his patience and the deal may only be struck towards the closure of the transfer window on August 31.

Last-chance saloon

Make or break game for struggling Zamalek

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 15, (AFP): Zamalek need a victory this weekend and a big favour from fellow Cairo club Al Ahly to have any chance of surviving the CAF Champions League group phase. Victories for the two Egyptian sides would give Ahly an unassailable eightpoint lead in Group B after matchday 4 and bring Zamalek back into contention for second place and the other semifinal spot. Pointless Zamalek host second-place TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo behind closed doors as a result of security concerns while Ahly are away to third-place Berekum Chelsea in Ghana. Mazembe defeated Zamalek 2-0 at home two weeks ago after a series of superb saves from Abdel Wahed Al Sayed kept the match scoreless for 70 minutes while a Walid Soliman brace clinched a 4-1 triumph for Ahly over Chelsea in Cairo. A hat-trick of victories leaves record six-time African champions Ahly on nine points, Mazembe and Chelsea are separated by goal difference as they have four points each and Zamalek have suffered three consecutive losses. But Egyptian victories in Cairo and Accra would move Zamalek within one point of Mazembe and Chelsea and open up the race to finish runners-up in the so-called Group of Death. Benin and Zamalek striker Razak Omotoyossi believes the five-time Champions League title holders are still in contention, but must win their remaining fixtures against Mazembe, Chelsea and Ahly in Cairo. I really hope we can win our remaining three fixtures and finish with nine points. We have a chance of qualifying albeit a slim one, he told Egyptian reporters. The clash with four-time African champions Mazembe marks the debut of Brazilian coach Jorvan Vieira, who took over when legendary Hassan Shehata resigned after a row with the club chairman. Shehata, who led Egypt to an unrivalled three consecutive Africa Cup of Nations titles between 2006 and 2010, had personality clashes with stars

SOCCER
Their Catalan rivals finished nine points adrift last season and the team will have a brand new look as Tito Vilanova replaces Pep Guardiola as coach after four glittering years at the Camp Nou. The only addition so far to their squad is the return of full-back Jordi Alba from Valencia for a fee of 14 million euros. The return of David Villa after eight months out with a broken tibia will be like a new signing for a Barca side that relied heavily on Lionel Messis 50 league goals in his absence. Valencia start the new term with former defender Mauricio Pellegrino taking over as coach from Unai Emery, who has left the club to take over at Spartak Moscow after a trio of third-place finishes in four years. New signings include former Real Madrid central midfielder Fernando Gago and Mexican winger Andres Guardado from Deportivo La Coruna. Centre-forward Roberto Soldado will again lead the line after finishing last season as the top Spanish-born player with 17 goals. Malaga fans have abruptly stopped celebrating their clubs first ever qualification for the Champions League after a fourth place finish. Star players Santi Cazorla and Salomon Rondon have left for Arsenal and Rubin Kazan respectively amid the withdrawal of financial support from the clubs Arab owners. Atletico Madrid have again been busy in the transfer market as Diego Simeone attempts to stamp his style on a side he much improved on his return to the club as coach in January. The Argentine wasted little time in signing Cristian Rodriguez from Oporto, Cata Diaz from Getafe and ex-Newcastle midfielder Emre from Fenerbahce while bringing back Raul Garcia after a successful season on-loan at Osasuna. After leading the club to its second Europa League title in three years, Simeone may have done his best bit of business in convincing Colombian striker Gustavo Falcao that his future remains at the Vicente Calderon after he notched 24 goals in his debut season. Levante go into their first ever season of European football with hopes of mounting another spectacular campaign after coming sixth last term. Meanwhile, Sevilla have signed almost a whole new defence in Dutch centre-half Hedwiges Maduro from Valencia, Brazilian left-back Cicinho from Palmeiras, Alberto Botia from Gijon and Spanish international goalkeeper Diego Lopez from Villarreal. After appearances in the Europa League and Spanish Cup finals, Athletic Bilbao are expected by many to improve on last seasons 10th place. However, the Basques have not enjoyed a stable pre-season. They first had to convince Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa to remain in his post and also overcome the news they may be forced to sell star striker Fernando Llorente after he rejected a contract extension.

Russias Igor Denisov (right), battles for a ball with Ivory Coasts Emmanuel Eboue during their friendly soccer match in Moscow, Russia, Aug 15. (AP)

Decision guided by medical recommendations

Muamba retires from professional soccer

LONDON, Aug 15, (AFP): Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba has retired from playing professional football on health grounds, the English secondtier club said on their website Thursday. The 24-year-old collapsed during an FA Cup tie away to Tottenham Hotspur in March and his heart then stopped beating for 78 minutes. Democratic Republic of Congo-born Muambas recovery was hailed as miraculous but there were always questions as to whether he could play again. While the news is devastating, I have much to be thankful for, said Muamba. I thank God that I am alive and I pay tribute once again to the members of the medical team who never gave up on me. I would also like to thank everyone who has supported me throughout my career and the Bolton fans who have been incredible. I am blessed to have the support of my family and friends at this time. Muamba was taken to the London Chest Hospital, not far from Tottenhams White Hart Lane ground, after receiving prolonged treatment on the pitch in a match that was abandoned by the referee. His plight and subsequent recovery saw the former England Under-21, international who arrived from the DRC as an 11-year-old with limited English, attract well-wishers from around the world. He received thousands of cards and among the gifts was a signed jersey from NBA star LeBron James. Since suffering my heart attack and being discharged from hospital, I have

SOCCER
Shikabala and Mido and his departure was no surprise. Vieira, 59, has worked across the Middle East for several decades and his greatest achievement was leading outsiders Iraq to the Asian Cup title five years ago. Zamalek will be missing midfielders Ahmed Hassan (suspended) and Nour Al Sayed (injured) for a game to be handled by Mauritanian officials after Mazembe objected to Tunisians controlling a game involving another North African country. Mazembe prepared for the match in Zambia after refusing to release five stars from that country Francis Kasonde, Stoppila Sunzu, Hichani Himonde, Rainford Kalaba, Given Singuluma for a midweek friendly in South Korea. Defending champions Esperance take a five-point advantage over fellow Tunisians Etoile Sahel to Mediterranean resort Sousse for the big Group A showdown while ASO Chlef of Algeria host Sunshine Stars of Nigeria. While Esperance hope to extend an unbeaten run in the competition to 20 matches spanning two seasons, Etoile and Sunshine have four points each and appear set to battle for second place.

Bayern support Ribery over court case

BERLIN, Aug 15, (AFP): Bayern Munich have given their backing to embattled France winger Franck Ribery, after he and compatriot Karim Benzema were sent for trial for allegedly soliciting an under-age prostitute. The Bavarian giants sporting director Matthias Sammer told German sports news agency SID that they were aware of the situation and we will tell him that we stand by him and that he will get our best support. An investigating magistrate in Paris on Tuesday ruled that Ribery, who has played for Bayern since 2007, and Real Madrid forward Benzema would be sent that. We are all hugely disappointed that Fabrice will be unable to return to his playing career but we have to be guided by the medical recommendations and the best interests of Fabrice. The most important thing is that for trial with seven others over the affair, which broke before the 2010 World Cup. During an investigation into call-girls frequenting a Parisian bar, Zahia Dehar told police that Ribery and Benzema paid her for sex while she was 16, although she said the players were unaware that she was not 18. Some of those facing trial have been charged with aggravated pimping. Soliciting sex with an under-age prostitute is punishable by up to three years in prison and a maximum 45,000-euro (35,000, $55,000) fine. Riberys lawyer told AFP that she was Fabrice and his family have the rest of their lives ahead of them. Wanderers boss Owen Coyle, who spent hours by Muambas bedside during a season where Bolton were relegated from the Premier League, said: We have spoken with Fab and he knows we will always astonished by the magistrates decision, after a previous judge had said there was no case to answer against the two French internationals. This decision is as surprising as it is unfair with regard to the contents of the dossier and the requests of the prosecutors office. But I remain confident about the outcome of the process, Sophie Bottai told AFP. Benzemas lawyer was not immediately available for comment. Ribery and Benzema have been named in Didier Deschamps side to play Uruguay in a friendly in the northern city of Le Havre on Wednesday. support him in whatever he wants to do and that we will always be here for him. He is obviously massively disappointed that he wont be able to carry on his career but everyone has seen what a fighter and strong person he is in mind and body.

Maradona wants China job

BEIJING, Aug 15, (RTRS): Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona has underlined his desire to coach in China after arriving in the country for an eight-day charity trip, local media reported. The 51-year-old, Argentinas head coach at the 2010 World Cup, was sacked by United Arab Emirates club Al Wasl last month but appears keen on a job in the Far East. I would like to coach in China, Maradona told a news conference in Beijing, the China Daily reported. I wish to contribute to the development of Chinas youth soccer. One of Maradonas coterie of agents had sounded out the Chinese earlier this year with a view of eventually landing the national team job, the newspaper said. During his visit, Maradona, who led his country to the 1986 World Cup as a player and is regarded as one of the games greatest ever, will holds talks with Chinese FA boss Wei Di. A controversial figure who has suffered serious health issues and overcome drug addiction, Maradona was fired as Argentina coach after losing 4-0 to Germany in the quarter-finals of the 2010 tournament. Chinese soccer has seen an influx of big-name foreign players and coaches, including Sergio Batista, the man who took over the Argentina job from Maradona, now coach of Shanghai Shenhua. The big-spending Chinese Super League club boast former Chelsea strikers Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba, while other clubs have also been splashing the cash. Shanghais rivals Guangzhou Evergrande appointed Italys former World Cup winning coach Marcello Lippi.

SOCCER
remained utterly positive in the belief I could one day resume my playing career and play for Bolton Wanderers once again, Muamba said. As part of my on-going recovery, last week I travelled to Belgium to seek further medical advice from a leading cardiologist. But the news I received was obviously not what I had hoped it would be and it means I am now announcing my retirement from professional football. Football has been my life since I was a teenage boy and it has given me so many opportunities. Above all else, I love the game and count myself very lucky to have been able to play at the highest level. Bolton chairman Phil Gartside added: To have Fabrice here and with us is truly amazing and we are all very thankful for

Photo taken on May 5, 2012 shows Bolton Wanderers player Fabrice Muamba (left) with his girlfriend Shauna Magunda (right) before the FA Cup final football match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London. Muamba has retired from playing professionals football on health grounds, the English second-tier club said on their website Thursday. The 24-year-old collapsed during a match away to Tottenham Hotspur in March and his heart then stopped beating for 78 minutes. (AFP)

SPORTS
City kick off against Southampton

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

49

EPL back in spotlight after Oly

LONDON, Aug 15, (RTRS): After two glorious Olympic weeks when cycling, rowing, athletics, swimming and boxing have captured the publics imagination, Premier League soccer emerges from the shadows and back into the spotlight this weekend.
For once, in England at least, the trials and tribulations of the big clubs, and their close-season transfer spending sprees have been pushed off the back pages by the exploits of Usain Bolt, Mo Farah, Michael Phelps, David Rudisha and the others.
Although it will be the usual frenetic, high-octane business on the field when Manchester City kick off their title defence against newly-promoted Southampton and European champions Chelsea visit Wigan Athletic this weekend, some post-Olympic re-evaluation would do soccer no harm. Twitter and other social messaging sites have seen thousands posing questions such as: What can soccer learn from the Olympics?, and in general the answer is that fans want to see an end to arrogant, spoilt-brat behaviour and diving and cheating from players. They want a return to a far more Olympian sporting sense of fair play and even FIFA president Sepp Blatter agreed during the Games that soccer could learn from other sports and male players could learn something

Best of the Rest

Suspended player ends protest:
An Italian player who was given a threeyear suspension in a match-fixing scandal has ended his four-day protest and unchained himself from the gate of the Italian Football Federations headquarters in Rome. Shaded from the sun by an umbrella and sitting in a chair, Siena player Emanuele Pesoli began his protest and a hunger strike on Saturday. The 32-year-old defender ate for the first time on Wednesday morning and ended his protest after a phone call from FIGC Vice President Demetrio Albertini. Pesoli will meet FIGC President Giancarlo Abete on Friday. FIGC announced its verdicts in the scandal last Friday. Among those suspended was Juventus coach Antonio Conte, who received a 10-month ban. (AP)

Valencia agree to take Valdez:

Valencia have reached an agreement with Russian side Rubin Kazan to take 28-year-old Paraguay international Nelson Valdez on loan with an option to buy the striker, the La Liga club said on Tuesday. The deal is subject to the footballer passing the relevant medical tests, Valencia said in a statement on their website (www.valenciacf.com). It was a tough job sealing the accord because Nelson is a highly valued player at Rubin, sporting director Braulio Vazquez added. He is a very important player for us because he is a forward who fits very well with the players we have, he said. (RTRS)

SOCCER
from their female counterparts now playing the game at a high standard. Blatter told reporters at Wembley: Absolutely, we can learn a lot. There is even a difference between womens and mens football. In womens football simulation practically doesnt exist. They are not lying down and saying they are injured. They stand up. We can learn inside our sport and also outside our sport. You can learn something every day. Once the Olympic glow has faded, however, all the fans will probably learn over the next few weeks is what they knew already. That is that the title will go to either Manchester City or Manchester United, that Chelsea and Arsenal will finish in the top four and that promoted Reading, Southampton and West Ham United will all fight against an immediate return to the Championship. City, who clinched their first title for 44 years last May with Sergio Agueros last-minute winner in their final match against Queens Park Rangers, warmed up for the new season with a 3-2 win over FA Cup winners in the Community Shield at Villa Park on Sunday. They have made only one major signing so far, buying England interna-

Mutu in line for Ajaccio move:

Former Chelsea and Juventus striker Adrian Mutu is on the verge of signing with French Ligue 1 outfit Ajaccio after club president Alain Orsoni revealed the two parties have agreed terms. Mutu is currently under contract with Serie B club Cesena in Italy but Orsoni told AFP that a deal is close to being finalised. His financial demands are much lower than Brandao for a player of another calibre, said Orsoni in regards to the failed signing of the Brazilian who opted to join Saint Etienne after being released by Marseille. The club hope Mutu, who also had great success at Fiorentina, will be in Ajaccio early next week to sign a twoyear deal once he has agreed his release from Cesana. If we succeed, it will be a massive coup and it is very much on the right track, added the president, who is also looking to add a top defender to his squad for the clubs second season in the top flight after going up in 2011. (AFP)

Chelsea's Frank Lampard (right), vies with Manchester City's Dutch player Nigel de Jong (center), and Chelsea's Belgium player Eden Hazard (left) during the FA Community Shield football match between Chelsea and Manchester City at Villa Park in Birmingham, on Aug12. (AFP)

Scunthorpe get Norwich in League Cup

LONDON, Aug 15, (AFP): Scunthorpe were drawn against Premier League Norwich in the second round of the English League Cup on Wednesday, a day after knocking Derby out of the tournament in dramatic style. The third tier club beat Derby on penalties after coming back from 30 and then 5-3 down to force extra time with two injury-time goals. Northampton, who knocked out last seasons runners-up Cardiff, have been drawn at home to Championship club Wolves. Thirteen Premier League clubs were in the second round draw, with five-time League Cup winners Aston Villa hosting Tranmere. The ties will be played during the week commencing Aug 27.

English League Cup

2nd rd draw Preston vs Crystal Palace Watford vs Bradford

Swansea vs Barnsley Yeovil vs West Brom Coventry vs Birmingham West Ham vs Crewe Doncaster vs Hull Carlisle vs Ipswich Reading vs Peterborough Sheffield Wednesday vs Fulham Leicester vs Burton Burnley vs Plymouth QPR vs Walsall Stevenage vs Southampton Nottingham Forest vs Wigan

Stoke vs Swindon Aston Villa vs Tranmere Crawley vs Bolton Gillingham vs Middlesbrough Northampton vs Wolves Everton vs Leyton Orient MK Dons vs Blackburn Leeds vs Oxford Sunderland vs Morecambe Norwich vs Scunthorpe Ties to be played week commencing Aug 27.

tional midfielder Jack Rodwell, 21, from Everton on Monday for 12 million pounds ($18.82 million). Shinji Kagawa, 23, moved from German champions Borussia Dortmund for a reported fee of 17 mil-

lion pounds to boost Uniteds bid to take the title back from City which begins at Everton on Monday. Arsenal, who finished third last season, have had a busy summer with French forward Oliver Giroud from

Montpellier, German striker Lukas Podolski from Cologne and Spanish midfielder Santi Cazorla from Malaga all moving to north London. Wenger hinted that Podolski would make his debut on Saturday against

Sunderland, although he is not fully match fit, when Arsenal set out on their campaign to end a seven-year trophy drought. Chelsea, who won two trophies last season, will be without longterm talisman Didier Drogba after he

left for Shanghai Shenhua in China, but have been busy spending 64 million pounds on new players, including exciting Brazilian playmaker Oscar, Belgium striker Eden Hazard and Germany winger Marko Marin.

SPORTS
McIlroy could turn out to be like Miller

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

50

Tigers biggest threat in pursuit of major record

KIAWAH ISLAND, South Carolina, Aug 15, (Agencies): The next major is eight months away. The next showdown is nine days away. Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are assured of being paired together next week at The Barclays for the start of the FedEx Cup playoffs. And while these playoff events are more about making money than making history, this could become meaningful down the road. Woods has never faced a rival with this kind of potential. He has never won at least three times in a year without being looked upon as the undisputed best player in golf. For the first time in his quest to break Jack Nicklaus record in the majors, the biggest challenge for Woods is no longer overcoming a failed marriage, four knee surgeries, a tender Achilles tendon or even the fact that hes simply getting older. Its another player. McIlroy and Woods have played in the same tournament 12 times this year. McIlroy has finished ahead of Woods seven times, including wins at the Honda Classic and the PGA Championship.

GOLF
They both tied for 40th at the Masters. McIlroy has seven top-five finishes in those events, along with three missed cuts. This is not about where they were at a similar stage in their careers. Woods is incomparable in that regard. McIlroy has won twice in his first 16 majors as a pro.

Woods won five majors in that span, including the career Grand Slam at age 24. Its about where they are now. So dominant was McIlroy at Kiawah Island, where he had rounds of 67-66 on the weekend to win the PGA Championship by eight shots, that its easy to get caught up in all things Rory. He is only 23, younger by some four months than when Woods won his second major, and he is doing things only thought possible by Woods. A record score at the US Open last summer at Congressional. A record margin of victory at the PGA Championship on Sunday at Kiawah Island. McIlroy has won two majors by a combined 16 shots. To put that in perspective, only five majors have been won by eight shots or

more in the last 35 years three by Woods, two by McIlroy. But lets see how this plays out. McIlroy could turn out to be like Johnny Miller, a comet on the golf horizon in the 1970s when he fired at flags and slaughtered the competition. Miller won two majors, with a 63 on the last day at Oakmont and a 66 in the final round at Royal Birkdale. Perhaps McIlroy will be like Tom Watson, who was 10 years younger than Nicklaus. Nicklaus already had the record for most majors when Watson won his first one, although Watson kept him from winning more. He beat Nicklaus twice in 1977, in the Masters and in the Duel in the Sun at Turnberry. He beat him again in 1981 at Augusta National and kept him

from a record five US Open titles in 1982 at Pebble Beach when Watson chipped in for birdie on the 17th hole. McIlroy is 13 years younger than Woods. They have never gone head-tohead on Sunday in a major. Ultimately, that will be the measure. Along the way, however, McIlroy is stashing away large bits of confidence that few others could when Woods was at his peak. There is no reason for McIlroy to be intimidated. His name on the leaderboard means just as much. He is a favorite in any color shirt. Nick Faldo once explained why Woods had such a huge advantage in the majors. Faldo thought after the 1997 Masters that Augusta National would be the only place Woods could win a major because the golf course suited him and because it

was the only major where the media was kept outside the ropes. Only later did he realize that Woods was the only one who could handle the commotion inside the ropes in the final round. Other guys will step into that arena one week and go back out, Faldo said in a 2007 interview. Hes there all the time. And good luck coming into his world. McIlroy now has been atop the leaderboard 10 out of the last 40 rounds in the majors. He has more experience than most his age, good and bad. What he took away from blowing a four-shot lead in the 2011 Masters was to set a target score. He set his target at 12-under par at Kiawah Island, played the final round without a bogey and did one better than that by finishing at 13-under 275.

SPORTS
Saints owner Benson meets with Goodell in NY

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

51

Giants defensive tackle Rogers ruled out for season

NEW YORK, Aug 15, (Agencies): The Super Bowl champion New York Giants suffered another blow to their defensive line on Tuesday when three-time Pro Bowler Shaun Rogers was lost for the season due to treatment for a blood clot in his left leg. The defensive tackle, who has previously played for Detroit, Cleveland and New Orleans, joined the Giants in April. Though initially overweight, he had lost 50 pounds by the time he joined the teams training camp at the University at Albany. However, the 33-year-old Rogers experienced swelling in his lower leg after playing in the preseason opener on Friday and he missed team practice on Sunday and Monday before being diagnosed at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. Its just a sad thing, Giants coach Tom Coughlin told reporters on Tuesday. He was really excited about being a part of this team. He got along really well with our defensive linemen. He actually asked to go play some more snaps the other night, which I thought was really neat. Its just a shame. Obviously, its your health first, and there isnt any question about that. The only way I guess they can control these things are with these drugs, these blood-thinning drugs. Once you do that, obviously youre done. You cant take a chance on some kind of bleeding that is undetected. The Giants face mounting problems with their defensive line as Martin Parker has also been ruled out for the season due to a herniated disc in his back, which needs surgery, while fellow tackle Marvin Austin is questionable because of a back issue. I thought we were as deep there as we were at any position on the team, Coughlin said of his defensive line. Its not that way right now.

Clock ticks on new labor deal

Players make counter-proposal

TORONTO, Aug 15, (AFP): As talks between National Hockey League owners and players enter the final month before a threatened lockout, players have made a counter-proposal to an offer the owners had made them in July. Don Fehr, the NHL Players Association Executive Director and a long-time players advocate in Major League Baseball, said Tuesday players were willing to surrender some revenue over three years to keep the contract system intact. Players want a new collective bargaining agreement, and they want it soon, but obviously it has to be one which is fair and equitable to the players as well as to the owners, Fehr said. We do believe that the proposal the players made today, once implemented, can produce a stable industry, one that, going forward, can give us a chance to move beyond the current labor strife that has plagued the NHL for the last two decades. Fehr said that revenue sharing in the new proposal could involve upwards of $250 million and said reduced player compensation over the three-year span could range from $465-800 million depending on the leagues revenues. What were suggesting is that the players partner with the less financially strong owners to help stabilize the owners and assist the less financially strong ownership groups, Fehr said.

FOOTBALL
In Metairie, New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson met Tuesday with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in New York to discuss matters concerning both the team and the league. The meeting came amid a backdrop of lawsuits filed by current and former Saints players whove challenged the findings of the NFLs bounty investigation. Benson also has hired the firm of former FBI director Louis Freeh to investigate the accuracy of the leagues bounty probe. It also came on a day after Louisiana state police announced investigators had found no evidence to back allegations made in an April news report that Superdome wiring was rigged so general manager Mickey Loomis could eavesdrop on opposing coaches radio communications between the 2002 and 2004 seasons. While the NFL and the Saints provided very few details about the meeting, Saints

ICE HOCKEY
Fehr said the players proposal keeps the NHLs salary cap in place with minor exceptions that would not increase the overall percentage of revenues that go to players. There are a number of people who wondered if the way to solve any problems would be to eliminate the salary cap and let each club pay based on its own resources and control its own budget with enhanced revenue sharing, Fehr said. The owners are not interested in that approach and our desire is to try and make an agreement.

In this file photo, Cleveland Browns Owen Spencer (17) is stiff-armed by Detroit Lions running back Stephfon Green (43) during the second half of an NFL preseason football game in Detroit, Aug 10. The Browns won 19-17. (AP)

spokesman Greg Bensel described it as productive and added that Benson looks forward to having many more discussions with the commissioner on specific Saintsrelated issues as well as league-wide issues. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league generally does not discuss meetings with owners, adding that the commissioner meets with owners all the time to discuss wide-ranging matters. Goodell has used the NFLs findings as

the basis for season-long suspensions of Saints head coach Sean Payton and defensive captain Jonathan Vilma, as well as a half-season suspension for general manager Mickey Loomis, a six-game suspension for assistant head coach Joe Vitt and a four-game suspension for defensive end Will Smith. Two former Saints who are still active also were suspended: Green Bay defensive end Anthony Hargrove was docked eight games and Cleveland linebacker Scott Fujita three games.

Argentina step up to big stage

New Championship kicks off
LONDON, Aug 15, (RTRS): Argentinas much ignored national rugby team finally get their wish this weekend after the best part of a decade of lobbying, pleading and negotiating to join the sports elite in regular competition.
The Pumas join the southern hemispheres expanded Tri-Nations with South Africa, Australia and New Zealand in the inaugural Rugby Championship and the global governing body expects them to be competitive from their first game against the Springboks in Cape Town on Saturday.
The K2E2 Pin Busters The World Class Lane Masters back in contention The Siete Pares Keglers The Tenpin smashers of DIslanders

RUGBY
Not compete (for) the result (to win) but compete very well... compete to challenge the result at the end of the game, International Rugby Board (IRB) president Bernard Lapasset told Reuters during the Olympic Games when asked of his expectations of the Pumass performances. That is important that they can deliver the best rugby possible for the Argentina team. Argentina have been lobbying since 2005 for more regular test matches against top tier nations after they surprised Clive Woodwards British and Lions in a 25-25 draw in Cardiff. Their third-place finish at the 2007 World Cup forced the IRBs hand with the southern hemisphere teams agreeing to expand the TriNations on the proviso the Pumas fielded a full strength side and worked to develop a domestic professional competition. Its a fantastic achievement for the quality of the players in Argentina, for the quality of the work delivered by the Argentina rugby union, Lapasset added. We support(ed) Argentina to do the job, we secured the

Cozmo, All Star and world class top week 12 scoreboard

NLB, Siete Pares close in on Delima Blazers

By Miguel Carlos
Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: Going to the last few weeks of the on-going elimination round of the PBAK 2012 Summer Tenpin Bowling League being held at the 16-lane Cozmo Bowling Center in Khaifan, the NLB water jet technology specialist and the Siete Pares pin busters closed in on the pace setting De Lima Blazers who slumped to their lowest team output of the league. Sharing the spotlight were weekly high series holder Cozmo 1 who topped the 12th round scoreboard through its 3207 total score, the come backing World Class keglers and defending champion Cozmo 2 who both broke the 3100 barrier. Not to be outdone were Asian Air Safari and D Islanders who also emerged in the winners circle after rolling above 3000 scores over separate rivals. Moving on to the detailed results of the completed week 12 matches, the on and off powerhouse entertainment magnates of Cozmo 1 were all in on mode as theY withered the beleaguered green thumbs of LEAF 32072836. A formidable opponent when in a winning mood, Cozmo 1 bannered by Cris Bulacja, Aldin Avila, Ayad Al Amiri, Vernie Villaruel and Michele prior to the match, All Star Strikers showed up with only four bowlers in its lineup in the opening game. Despite its depleted lineup All Star went on to win game one convincingly 1010-902 through the efforts of Fadel Qassem, Aziz Aslawi, Mohannad Ibrahim and Joan Shaikh. In the next game Janet Shaikh showed up to complete the All Star Strikers five some and with Fadel Qassem rolling a superb 254 All Star booked another 1030-875 victory. Comfortably in control of the match, All Star Strikers grabbed the third and final game 1078-957 en route to a whooping 3143-2734 total pin falls win. Manning the lanes for Nusantara whose 2- game winning streak was snapped were Saleh Faraj, Benjamin Hasan, Fahmi Husain, Ahmad Gofar, Eman Sagala and Naning Herman. On a comeback trail after emulating the feat of All Star Strikers are the pin smashers of World Class who stopped the 300 Bowleros in three straight games on their way to a 3114-2715 lopsided win. After opening its outing with a big 1109-866, World Class spearheaded by Ted Ashley, Bill Stiles, Mousa Abdullah, Dan Montano, Nawaf Al Hassan and Gina Ashley shut the lights out on the Bowleros as they went home with two more convincing wins 1009-918 and 971-931. With this victory World Class bolstered its bid for a place in the finals. Suiting up the Bowleros in this match were Al Belarmino, Tito Tamayo, Jane Nance, Chit Mariano, Freddie Santos, Dariel Cartas and Bobby Ferrera. Meanwhile, Cozmo 2 rekindled its hope of entering the next round where they will try to do repeat by demolishing the heavily undermanned El Diablo via a 3100-2468 score. Needing to barge into the Top 10 to be able to earn a shot at a back to back title, the Cozmo 2 crew composed of Fahad Abul, Noe Mahayag, Farid Gabriel, Ronell Valencia, Aris de Guzman and Jackie Guitang cruised to 1044-776, 1022-816 and 1009-876 walk in the park victories. After this all important win Cozmo 2 is now only a step away from the 10 elimination round pace setters. In the other completed match of the week, Klasmeyts Al Khadda with Rudy Zablan, Emma Gatus, Gary Bonifacio, Romy Fermil, Bene Crucero and Romy Daus silenced the sound masters of BOSE 2905-2807, Asian Air Safari led by Al Bautista, Lito Micahel Edwin de Mesa, Sonia Mathews and Rico Baluyot and Bimbo Palomata grounded league leaders De Lima Blazers 3085-2586, the Swooping Eagles headed by Danny Solis, Alonzo Bush, Jessica Balagat, Josie Lorino, John Caldwell and Angie Bush stopped Xpress Rollers at the wire 2830-2801, Siete Pares bannered by Faie Reyel, Egay Cabildo, Ramon Aguilar, Rits Vidana, Nitz Alinea and JR Angeles beat Incredibowls 29552873 and K2E2 paced by Boy Lorino, Edwin Latoja, Danny San Juan, Butch Alinea and Joan Latoja surprised the second ranked NLB. D Islanders who drew the weeks vie submitted a total score of 3022 pin falls. In the Individual and Team High records the current holders are as follows: Individual High Game, Men Class O-Edwin Latoja 267, Men Class A-Ricky Palabon 257, Men Class BRey Ualat 223; Ladies A-Elvie Sotio 227, Ladies B-Naning Herman 215; Individual High Average, Men Class O-Mousa Abdullah 195, Men Class AAga Cuadrazal-187, Men Class BRocky Castil 173, Ladies A-Elvie Sotio 180, Ladies B-Aris de Guzman160; Trio High Series-NLB (Lee Mills, Eden Oning & Elvie Sotio) 722, Doubles High Series-De Lima Blazers (JR Sabado, Ricky Palabon) 489; Team High Game-Cozmo 1-1051; Team High Series-Cozmo 1-3153. The team standings after 12 weeks are as follows (read as rank, team name and average score per game), 1. De Lima Blazers - 994, 2. NLB - 994, 3. Siete Pares - 993, 4. Cozmo 1 - 992, 5. 300 Bowleros -977, 6. Klasmeyts Al Khadda- 972, 7. All Star Strikers 972, 8. D Islanders - 971, 9. Xpress Rollers - 971, 10. LEAF - 969, 11. Cozmo 2-968, 12. World Class - 965, 13. Incredibowls -964, 14. Swooping Eagles - 960, 15. K2E2 - 958, 16. Asian Air Safari - 953, 17. BOSE 951, 18. Nusantara - 938, 19. El Diablo -907.

The Argentinian national rugby team, Los Pumas, trains in Cape Town on Aug 14, prior to their Rugby Championship match against South Africa next Saturday. Argentina will play for the first time in the Rugby Championship, which finishes on Oct 6, creating a new problem in the world rugby schedule since 18 of the 26 players also play in European clubs, 14 of them in France. In France, the Top 14 tournament starts on Aug 17, interfering with the first historical match of Los Pumas in the Rugby Championship on Aug 18. (AFP)

process with a new format of the constitution in the Argentina Rugby Union to be professional, to be more involved in the quality of the work delivered. Now its done and we shall see the result of the work on the field. Simple plan There will be very little mystery surrounding South Africa when they meet the Pumas as coach Heyneke Meyer has been very open about the style of play he wants the Springboks to execute. Big, strong ball-carrying forwards will be expected to gain ascendancy in matches before a tactical kicking game is adopted to pin their opponents in their own territory. Meyer will hope that the series victory over England in June provides the catalyst for a successful tilt at the Rugby Championship title but question marks remain about the make-up of his team, espe-

cially the form shown by flyhalf Morne Steyn. Steyn, at his best, is a deadly-accurate goalkicker and a master tactician, but he was someway short of his best against England while his Super Rugby form was also patchy. Springbok captain Jean de Villiers has defended Steyn saying that the pivot showed what he was capable of in the tests against England. I dont agree that Morne was out of form against England at all. I thought his general play was very good, De Villiers said. What let him down was his kicking at goal. He wasnt as good as he usually is in that department and people have very high expectations of him. So that brought people down on his back and it counted against him. But I thought his decisionmaking was excellent and quite a few of the tries we scored were down to him.

BOWLING
Avila showed their full potential as a title contender by sweeping the 3game series match via impressive 1087-912, 1065-974 and 1030-950 game scores. With the victory, Cozmo 1 snatched its third weekly high series award. Bowling for LEAF in this match were Blanca Mercado, Raine Ualat, Cris Carungay, Rey Ualat, Joe Presenta and Rocky Castil. Another team on the rise after a slow start in the early rounds of the competition is the All Star Strikers whose tenacious showing over the weekend lifted them up to seventh place in the team standings. Up against the upset conscious Nusantara keglers who posted two consecutive victory

The Rugby Championship Fixtures

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 15, (AFP): Complete fixtures for The Rugby Championship (formerly Tri-Nations) with all times. Round 1 (Aug 18) At Sydney Australia vs New Zealand (1305) At Cape Town South Africa vs Argentina (1800) Round 2 (Aug 25) At Auckland New Zealand vs Australia (1035) At Mendoza Argentina vs South Africa (2210) Round 3 (Sept 8) At Wellington New Zealand vs Argentina (1035) At Perth Australia vs South Africa (1035) Round 4 (Sept 15) At Dunedin New Zealand vs South Africa (1035) At Gold Coast Australia vs Argentina (1305) Round 5 (Sept 29) At Pretoria South Africa vs Australia (1800) At La Plata Argentina vs New Zealand (0210) Round 6 (Oct 6) At Soweto South Africa vs New Zealand (1800) At Rosario Argentina vs Australia (0210) Note: Teams awarded four points for a win, two for a draw, and one for scoring at least four tries in a match or losing by less than eight points

The All Star Strikers PBAK League title contenders

SPORTS

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

52

Sarah stuns the Range, dominates Ladies Practical and Precision categories

9 crowned Ramadan shooting champions

By Jose Gabriel
Special to the Arab Times

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 15: The Filipino Action Shooting Team (FAST) 4th Ramadan Competition came to a close Tuesday evening at the Mayadeen Shooting Complex, in Sabhan, with nine champions being produced in different categories.
While most of the winners are used to seeing their names on the leaders board, the shooter who surprised everyone was Sarah Butler who took the top spot in the Ladies section of the Practical and Precision categories.
The champions in the annual competition were as follows:

Practical
Professional: Waleed Al Mutawah FAST/Non-FAST: Butch Alinea Ladies: Sarah Butler

Precision
Professional: Abdulaziz Al Munaya FAST/Non-FAST: Mohammed Al Sadoon Ladies: Sarah Butler
Photos by Mahmoud Jadeed

Winners pose with their trophies after the FAST 4th Ramadan Shooting competition.

Rifle
Professional: Ali Al Kandari FAST/Non-FAST: Hamad Al Mansoor Ladies: Amora Bien The competition, sponsored by SM Development Corporation, was organized with the support of Gen. Ahmed Al Saleem, General Manager of the Mayadeen Shooting Range in Subhan with a lot of help coming from all the Range Officers and the Filipino Action Shooting Team( FAST) led by El Presidente Manny Cornelio and Vice President Chito Lamigo along with their dedicated office bearers. A simple but impressive ceremony was held at the Mayadeen Shooting Range Tuesday evening to honor all the winners. The event was hosted by FAST Vice President Chito Lamigo who thanked all the participants, Roger Sabino from SMDC for sponsoring the event, FAST officials and the Range Officers for another successful competi-

Gen Saleem & Mohammed Al-Sadoon

Mohammed Al Shatti & Sarah Butler

Amora Bien & Butch Alinea

Gen Saleem & Hamad Al-Mansoor

SHOOTING
tion. Gen. Ahmed Al Saleem graced the occasion and paid tribute to El Presidente Manny Cornelio who left the country recently.He also thanked everyone for coming in every Tuesday for the fun shoots. The awards were presented to the winners by FAST Advisers Butch Alinea and Danny San Juan along with FAST Tournament Director Lambert Bernardo and FAST Secretary Cesar Isidro.

Butch Alinea & Abdulaziz Al Munaya

Roger Sabino & Waleed Al Mutawah

Butch Alinea & Ali Al Kandari

Lambert Bernardo & Jarrah Al Adwani

Ladies
Sarah Butler who has been a member of FAST for just over 6 months proved that the efforts she put in at the range every Tuesday by joining the fun shoots had borne fruit when she walked away with trophies in the Ladies section of the Practical and Precision categories. Amora Bien, who failed to come to the range on many Tuesdays due to a busy schedule at work, was another name which dominated the proceedings as she has made certain of taking part in all the major competition. In this tournament her name was among the leaders all the categories 1st runner-up Practical, 2nd runner-up Precision and Champion in the Rifle event. Bien was joined by her good friend Lang Lang Basmayor, who also made an effort to compete despite her busy schedule at the hospital where she works as a nurse. She finished 2nd runner-up in Practical, 1st runner-up in Precision and 2nd runner-up in the Rifle event. Meanwhile, Catherine Arbes for whom it was the first time to join FAST competitions proved that she has a keen eye for the targets when she walked home as 1st runner-up in the Rifle evening while another novice Sheryl Roda bagged the 3rd runner-up spot in the same category.

Willie Santos & Richard Swan

Danny San Juan & Lang Lang Basmayor

Catherine Arbes & Waleed Al Mutawah

Orly Ancheta & Sheryl Roda

Mens FAST/Non-FAST
Three veteran gunmen took home the championship titles- -FAST Adviser Butch Alinea Practical, Mohammed Al Sadoon Precision and Hamad Al Mansoor Rifle. Meanwhile, Ronil Garcia who joined FAST only a few months ago and has never failed to come to the range every week proved that practice makes perfect when he finished 1st runner-up in Practical, 3rd runner-up in Precision and 1st runner-up in Rifle. Richard Swan, who has only been a member for a year and cant compete regularly in the fun shoots due to his work schedule, stamped his mark on all the events and proved that he is worthy of being in the Three Musketeers. Swan finished 3rd runner-up in Practical, 1st runner-up in Precision and

2nd runner-up in Rifle. Another veteran gunman Sunny Andrade collected two awards 2nd runner-up in Practical and 2nd runnerup Precision. Andrade was also given a special award for his valued support to the organization. FAST Vice-President Chito Lamigo also presented special awards, for their valuable contribution to the organization, to FAST member Aniceto Manangan, FAST Secretary Cesar Isidro and FAST Press Officer Lucy Cortezano. Despite the fact that Hiroaki Izumi got the chance of shooting only once before he took off on holidays he was all smiles when he collected the 3rd runnerup award in Rifle.

Professional
The young Waleed Al Mutawah, who earned 10 consecutive titles in fun

shoots the early part of this year which resulted in him being pushed into the Pro section, proved that he truly belonged to the same class when he bagged the crown in the Practical event. Ali Al Kandari, who has earned numerous awards in various competitions, collected prizes in all the events by finishing 1st runner-up in Practical, 2nd runner-up in Precision and Champion in the Rifle category. Abdulaziz Al Munaya, who is also one of the premium shooters, did well in all the events as he was 2nd runner-up in Practical, Champion in Precision and 2nd runner-up Rifle. Omar Al Ansari walked home with two titles when he finished 3rd runnerup in Practical and 1st runner-up in Rifle. On the other hand, Jarrah Al Adwani

was the 1st runner-up in Precision.

Practical
Veteran gunman and FAST Adviser Butch Alinea achieved a 2.8913 hit factor based on 16 Alpha and 4 Charlie in 31.82 seconds to top the category. Ronil Garcias first time in a FAST Major Competition saw made him walk home in 2nd place with a 2.7868 hit factor with 17 Alpha and 3 Charlie in 33.73 seconds. Sunny Andrade was in 3rd place with 19 Alpha and 1 Charlie in 36.80 seconds that handed him with a 2.6630 hit factor. Richard Swan was the only one who has had a perfect shoot with 20 Alpha as he made used of his time wisely 39.78 seconds that put him in 4th place with a 2.5138 hit factor. Mohammed Al Sadoon finished 5th with a 2.5098 hit factor when he hit 18

Alpha and 2 Charlie in 38.25 seconds. Meanwhile, FAST Adviser Danny San Juan had the same hits as Al Sadoon 18 Alpha and 2 Charlie but he slipped and completed the run in 38.57 seconds that kept him 6th with a 2.4890 hit factor. Hiroaki Izumi could have landed on the leaders board if he had the chance to compete for two more weeks but he went on holidays after taking part in only one shoot which saw him do very well with a 2.4851 hit factor when his bullets landed in 18 Alpha and 2 Charlie in 38.63 seconds. FAST Secretary Cesar Isidro put his bullets in 18 Alpha and 1 Charlie while he had 1 miss in 46 seconds that saw him walk home with a 1.8043 hit factor. Waleed Hussain finished with a 1.3482 hit factor based on 18 Alpha and 2 misses in 51.92 seconds. Mohammed Al Shatti put together 17 Alpha, 2 Charlie and 1 miss in 60.53 seconds for a total of a 1.3382 hit factor while Aniceto Manangan achieved a 1.3253 hit factor composed of 16 Alpha, 2 Charlie and 2 misses in 49.53 seconds. Erwin Eseo didnt do too badly as he had a 1.1144 hit factor with 15 Alpha, 3 Charlie and 2 misses in 57.43 seconds while Malik Javed had 12 hits in Alpha, 2 Bravo, 2 Charlie and 4 misses in 50.83 seconds that handed him a 0.6295 hit factor. FAST Tournament Director Lambert Bernardo could have been in a better position if his reshoots had been registered but the rules allowed only shoot to be considered and that was the first one when his gun jammed. He completed his run in 54.03 seconds and fell short on 4 targets while the rest of his bullets landed in 12 Alpha, 2 Bravo and 2 Charlie that put him 2nd from the bottom of the table with a 0.5923 hit factor. Jojo Arciaga, who has long been missed in the arena, made sure that he took part in the event although he landed at the bottom of the standings with a 0.0395 hit factor in 50.58 seconds when he hit 11 Alpha, 2 Charlie, 1 Delta and 6 misses. Waleed Al Mutawah, the young yet one of the brilliant gunslingers in the arena once again showed some real class in the Professional Category when he put together the best time of 28.03 seconds and hit 19 Alpha and 1 Charlie that handed him the crown with a 3.4963 hit factor. Ali Al Kandari who showed remarkable accuracy gathered a 3.4037 hit factor when he put 20 bullets in Alpha with a time of 29.38 seconds that kept him close on Al Mutawahs trail in 2nd place. Abdulaziz Al Munaya was perfect with in 20 Alpha although he consumed a bit more time 33.56 seconds that made him walk home in 3rd place with a 2.9797 hit factor. Omar Al Ansari had 19 Alpha and 1 Charlie in 36.08 seconds for a 2.7162 hit factor.Jarrah Al Adwani achieved exactly the same number of hits as Al Ansari 19 Alpha and 1 Charlie he finished in 36.26 seconds that handed him a 2.7027 hit factor. Abdulrahman Al Qattan put together a perfect shoot with 20 Alpha but 2 procedural errors cost him and he finished with a 1.6967 hit factor when he completed the run in 47.15 seconds. Meanwhile Hamad Al Enezi failed to get any score. There were only 3 ladies who bravely tackled the course and their efforts paid off with Sarah Butler walking home with the crown with a 0.7241 hit factor after her bullets landed in 17 Alpha and 1 Charlie with 2 misses in 93.91 seconds. Amora Bien, who has been missed in the arena for ages, made sure to participate and showed that she had not misplaced her grip and achieved 2nd place with a 0.3464 hit factor based on 12 Alpha, 4 Charlie, 1 Delta and 3 misses. Lang Lang Basmayor landed in 3rd place with a 0.0680 hit factor composed of 8 Alpha, 5 Charlie, 2 Delta and 5 misses in 103.01 seconds. On the other hand, FAST officials would like to invite everyone on Tuesday evenings to the Weekly Fun Shooting Competitions at the Mayadeen Shooting Range in Subhan. For details contact FAST Vice-President Chito Lamigo 9958-2781. Special thanks to FAST Tournament Directors Chris Veitch and Raja Sulaiman for providing the results.

Fast 4th Ramadan Shooting Competition Standings

FAST/Non-FAST Final Ranking
Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Rank 1 2 3 Name Butch Alinea Ronil Garcia Sunny Andrade Richard Swan Mohammed Al Sadoon Danny San Juan Hiroaki Izumi Cesar Isidro Waleed Hussain Mohammed Al Shatti Aniceto Manangan Erwin Eseo Malik Javed Lambert Bernardo Jojo Arciaga Name Waleed Al Mutawah Ali Al Kandari Abdulaziz Al Munaya Omar Al Ansari Jarrah Al Adwani Abdulrahman Al Qattan Hamad Al Enezi Name Sarah Butler Amora Bien Lang Lang Basmayor Time 31.82 33.73 36.80 39.78 38.25 38.57 38.63 46.00 51.92 60.53 49.80 57.43 50.83 54.03 50.58 Time 28.03 29.38 33.56 36.08 36.26 47.15 49.64 Time 93.91 124.15 103.01 A 19 20 20 19 19 20 12 A 17 12 8 A 16 17 19 20 18 18 18 18 18 17 16 15 12 12 11 B 1 B C 4 3 1 2 2 2 1 2 2 3 2 2 2 C D Miss Shots Points 20 92 20 94 20 98 20 100 20 96 20 96 20 96 1 20 83 2 20 70 1 20 81 2 20 66 2 20 64 4 20 32 4 20 32 1 6 20 2 D Miss Hit Factor 2.8913 2.7868 2.6630 2.5138 2.5098 2.4890 2.4851 1.8043 1.3482 1.3382 1.3253 1.1144 0.6295 0.5923 0.0395 Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Rank 1 2 3

Precision FAST/Non-FAST Final Rankings

Name Mohammed Al Sadoon Richard Swan Sunny Andrade Ronil Garcia Erwin Eseo Hiroaki Izumi Mohammed Al Shatti Waleed Hussain Malik Javed Aniceto Manangan Issam Ibrahim Name Abdullaziz Al Munaya Jarrah Al Adwani Ali Al Kandari Omar Al Ansari Abdulaziz Al Munaya Hamad Al Enezi Ali Dashti Abdulrahman Al Qattan Abdul Rahman Al Qattan Name Sarah Butler Lang Lang Basmayor Amora Bien 10 1 1 1 9 5 3 1 2 1 3 1 1 1 10 2 5 2 2 1 4 4 1 9 6 3 9 6 5 1 3 2 3 9 2 2 8 7 6 5 5 5 9 4 4 6 8 2 1 8 5 1 5 2 2 1 6 1 5 1 2 4 1 2 2 3 1 2 1 7 6 3 2 2 3 1 3 2 6 2 2 1 3 2 2 6 2 1 7 4 1 3 3 3 2 3 5 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 1 1 4 2 1 2 1 1 1 3 4 1 1 4 3 3 1 2 2 1 1 3 1 M 1 5 1 10 13 4 2 2 3 1 4 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 3 1 1 3 2 3 2 1 2 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 4 2 1 1 M 3 3 6 7 7 7 9 10 11 15 M Total 145 103 97 90 69 61 61 55 44 36 22 Total 163 160 160 155 154 150 143 134 114 Total 78 56 42 Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6

Rifle FAST/Non-FAST Final Rankings

Name Hamad Al Mansour Ronil Garcia Richard Swan Hiroaki Izumi Issam Ibrahim Cesar Isidro Abdula Javid Malik Javed Waleed Hussain Randy Ulang Mohammed Al Shatti Name Ali Al Kandari Omar Al Ansari Abdulaziz Al Munaya Ali Dashti Jarrah Al Adwani Hamad Al Enezi Name Amora Bien Catherine Arbes Lang Lang Basmayor Sheryl Roda Sarah Butler Sheny Matutina Dago 10 1 2 1 1 0 2 1 1 1 9 6 6 1 4 2 2 3 2 1 2 3 9 2 2 5 3 4 4 9 2 2 1 3 8 3 3 6 3 3 4 3 1 3 2 1 8 2 3 4 3 1 0 8 1 3 4 4 3 7 6 1 1 2 3 1 3 1 1 3 2 1 1 2 1 2 2 1 3 7 1 0 1 2 3 2 7 4 1 3 1 3 6 1 1 1 1 3 0 6 5 2 2 0 1 2 0 4 1 1 4 1 1 0 1 3 2 1 M 5 4 1 1 1 3 1 2 1 M 1 5 4 3 2 1 M Total 88 85 84 82 79 77 75 74 69 66 65 Total 91 88 84 77 76 72 Total 76 75 73 72 72 36

2 2

Professional Final Rankings

Professional Final Rankings

10 5 4 1 0 10 1 1 1 1

Professional Final Rankings

Proc Points Hit Factor 98 3.4963 100 3.4037 100 2.9797 98 2.7162 98 2.7027 2 80 1.6967 6 -17 -0.3425 Points 68 43 7 Hit Factor 0.7241 0.3464 0.0680

1 1 4 B C 1 4 5 1 D 1 2 3

Ladies Final Ranking

Ladies Final Rankings

Miss 2 3 5

Ladies Final Rankings

10 7 6 5 3 1 6 1

0 1

1 1 3

SPORTS
Hewitt, Blake among event wild cards

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

53

Rafael Nadal pulls out of US Open

NEW YORK, Aug 15, (Agencies): Rafael Nadal withdrew from the US Open on Wednesday, sidelined by the knee tendinitis that has kept him out of action since his stunning loss at Wimbledon in late June. Rafael Nadal withdrew from the US Open on Wednesday, sidelined by the knee tendinitis that has kept him out of action since his stunning loss at Wimbledon in late June. The third-ranked Spaniard reached the final at Flushing Meadows each of the past two years, winning the title in 2010 to complete a career Grand Slam, then losing to champion Novak Djokovic in 2011. I am very sad to announce that I am not ready to play the US Open in NY. Thanks to my fans for their support and specially, the new yorkers, Nadal wrote on his Twitter account. He hasnt played a match since June 28, when he was upset in the second round at the All England Club by 100th-ranked Lukas Rosol. Shortly after that defeat, Nadal canceled a scheduled charity match against Djokovic in Spain, citing tendon problems in his left knee. Nadal has had recurring knee problems in the past. The 26-year-old Nadal also pulled out of the London Olympics he won the gold medal at Beijing in 2008, and was supposed to carry Spains flag in the opening ceremony this time. He also opted not to play in a hard-court tuneup tournament in Cincinnati. Rafa has informed us that he will not be ready to compete at the US Open this year and has withdrawn from the tournament, tournament director David Brewer said in a statement issued Wednesday. We hope to see him back on the court soon and

TENNIS
look forward to his return to New York next year. Play in the two-week tournament begins at Flushing Meadows on Aug. 27. Nadals absence immediately leaves a trio of heavy favorites at the last Grand Slam event of the year:

defending champion Djokovic; fivetime US Open winner and currently top-ranked Roger Federer; and 2008 US Open runner-up Andy Murray, who won the gold medal in singles at the London Games by beating Federer in the final. Nadals withdrawal also raises questions about his future. He owns 11 Grand Slam titles, including seven on the red clay of the French Open, but his hard-charging, hard-hitting style of play takes a toll on his body, particularly his knees. In 2009, he missed Wimbledon because of aching knees, becoming only the second mens champion in 35 years to decline to defend his title at the All England Club.

Roddick loses at Cincinnati

Williams sisters win
MASON, Ohio, Aug 15, (AP): Andy Roddick developed back spasms during his opening match at the Western & Southern Open on Tuesday, setting up a two-set loss that left questions about his health heading into the US Open.
Wild card Venus Williams survived a threeset opening match, another encouraging win coming off her Olympic gold medal in doubles with sister Serena.
Later Tuesday, Serena Williams beat Eleni Daniilidou of Greece 6-3, 6-4, overcoming 42 unforced errors as she struggled to get readjusted to a hard court. In other matches, thirdseeded Samantha Stosur fell behind 4-0 in the third set before rallying for a 6-3, 6-7

Best of the Rest

Malaysian star Gunalan dies:
Former Malaysian badminton star Gunalan Panchacharan, who was one of the worlds finest players in the 1970s, died on Wednesday at the age of 68, a report said. Punch, as he was known in badminton circles, and his doubles mate Ng Boon Bee were a force in world badminton in the early 1970s, winning the prestigious All-England championship and other major titles in 1971. Gunalan also won singles titles at the 1970 Asian Games and 1974 Commonwealth Games. He later served as a top official in Malaysias badminton governing body and the Badminton World Federation, and was elected the latters vice president in 1997. The Star newspaper reported he passed away Wednesday. It did not give a cause of death but local media reports had said previously Gunalan had been battling liver cancer. Badminton Association of Malaysia general manager Kenny Goh told AFP he received the news from Gunalans family but had no other details. AFP was not immediately able to reach his family. (AFP)

TENNIS
(6), 6-4 victory over Spains Anabel Medina Garrigues, a match that took 2 hours, 37 minutes. I thought, I can still regroup and close that gap just a little bit, Stosur said. If you can do that, then you never know what can happen. I got on a roll and managed to squeeze it out. No. 5 Angelique Kerber beat Timea Babos of Hungary 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. Fifteenth-seeded Nadia Petrova retired with dizziness while trailing fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova 7-6 (8), 3-1. Tenth-seeded Mardy Fish beat Spains Feliciano Lopez 6-2, 6-3. No. 11 seed Gilles Simon withdrew before the start of his match against Marcos Baghdatis with a sore shoulder. Tommy Haas beat David Nalbandian 6-7 (0), 7-6 (4), 63 in 3 hours, 22 minutes, equaling the longest nonOlympic match this season on the ATP tour. Roddick, who has played through a sore shoulder this summer, developed a new concern as he lost to a player who was in the draw as an injury replacement. He got treatment for his back during the second set of his 7-6 (4), 6-3 loss to Frances Jeremy Chardy, who replaced injured No. 9 seed John Isner. Roddick had won all three of his career matches against Chardy. Roddick said his back started bothering him a few days ago and he aggravated it Tuesday. I felt fine early on, and then I had one lunge forehand and ... you know, we have all had it, he said. The back kind of goes out or spasms a little bit. It got progressively worse. Roddick won the Atlanta Open in July despite a sore right shoulder. He lost to Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-1 in the second round at the Olympics, a match that lasted only 54 minutes, but arrived for the tournament in suburban Cincinnati feeling good about his health and his game. After the third game of the second set, he had a trainer come over to help him stretch his back and shoulders. He managed only one break point during the 1-hour, 33-minute match. Roddick left the court quickly with his head down. Roddick said his shoulder felt fine. Hes not sure if his back will force him to curtail his preparation for the US Open, which starts Aug. 27. We will know more in two, three days than we do now, Roddick said. So its tough for me to say what side of the fence Im sitting on. I dont know where Im going to be in two or three days. Williams is trying to get in position to make a deep run at the US Open, from which she had to withdraw last year because of an immune system disease that causes fatigue and sore joints. She beat 12thseeded Maria Kirilenko of Russia 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-2 in a match that lasted 2 hours, 23 minutes, serving 11 aces. Along with the Olympic gold medal, its been a good few weeks for Williams, who is learning how to manage the symptoms of her disease. Im doing a lot better than this time last year, she said. So much better than a couple months ago as well. I also am

Serena Williams reacts in her first match against Eleni Daniilidou, from Greece, at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Aug 14, in Mason, Ohio. Williams won 6-3, 6-4. (AP)

Rivalry is media construct:

Argentina star Lionel Messi has blamed the media for creating an apparent rivalry with Portugals Cristiano Ronaldo, insisting the pair had never crossed swords. Its only the media, the press, who wants us to be at loggerheads but Ive never fought with Cristiano, the Barcelona forward was quoted as saying by sports daily Ole. Messi, who said there had never been any kind of quarrel or anything with the Real Madrid talisman, whom he called a great player, was speaking in Frankfurt, before a friendly between Argentina and Germany. Asked about his choice to win this years Ballon dOr, Messi said he would choose team-mates Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta, given their exploits in retaining the European championship title with Spain and the 2010 World Cup. (AFP)

Cincinnati Open Results

CINCINNATI, Ohio, Aug 15, (AFP): Results from the second day of the ATP and WTA Cincinnati Masters Series event on Tuesday (x denotes seeding):

Women
2nd rd Angelique Kerber (GER x5) bt Timea Babos (HUN) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 Serena Williams (USA x2) bt Eleni Daniilidou (GRE) 6-3, 6-4 Johanna Larsson (SWE) bt Marion Bartoli (FRA x8) 6-4, 6-2 Samantha Stosur (AUS x3) bt Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-4 1st rd Sloane Stephens (USA) bt Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) 6-4, 61 Anna Tatishvili (GEO) bt Klara Zakopalova (CZE) 7-6 (7/5), 75 Venus Williams (USA) bt Maria Kirilenko (RUS x12) 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2 Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) bt Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) 6-3, 7-5 Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) bt Tamira Paszek (AUT) 6-1, 2-1 retired Sesil Karatantcheva (KAZ) bt Kiki Bertens (NED) 6-2, 6-1 Elena Makarova (RUS) bt Nadia Petrova (RUS x15) 7-6 (10/8), 3-1, retired Sorona Cirstea (ROM) bt Yvonne Wickmayer (BEL) 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 6-3 Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) bt Zheng Jie (CHN) 2-6, 7-6 (7/1), 6-3 Roberta Vinci (ITA) bt Madison Keys (USA) 6-3, 6-3 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) bt Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) 6-4, 6-0 Yaraslava Shvedova (KAZ) bt Lucie Safarova (CZE x16) 6-3, 6-4 Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) bt Christina Mchale (USA) 3-6, 63, 3-0, retired

Johanna Larsson, of Sweden, returns a shot to Marion Bartoli, of France, in their first match at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament, Aug 14, in Mason, Ohio. Larsson won 6-4, 6-2. (AP)

Text messages allegation against batsman

Absent Pietersen casts shadow over finale

LONDON, Aug 15, (AFP): Rarely has all the talk in the build-up to a Test been dominated by a man who will not be playing in the match. Yet Englands dramatic decision to drop Kevin Pietersen from the third Test at Lords starting Thursday, allegedly over text messages he sent to South African players during the drawn second Test at Headingley, has inevitably put the focus on their absent star batsman. The South Africa-born shotmaker averages nearly 50 in Tests and made a superb 149 at Headingley, where he drove South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn back over his head for six. By contrast Jonathan Bairstow, the man who will replace Pietersen, was dropped after playing his first three Tests against the West Indies earlier this season and has an average of under 13 with a top score of 18. Yet England have decided there are bigger issues than the possible loss of their world number one Test ranking, which they will surrender to South Africa unless they win at Lords.

Men
2nd rd Bernard Tomic (AUS) bt Brian Baker (USA) 6-4, 6-3 Tomas Berdych (CZE x5) bt Yu Yen-hsun (TPE) 6-3, 6-4 1st rd Alex Bogomolov (RUS) bt Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) 6-4, 6-3 Kei Nishikori (JPN x14) bt Marcel Granollers (ESP) 6-1, 6-2 Tommy Haas (GER) bt David Nalbandian (ARG) 6-7 (0/7), 76 (7/4), 6-3 Jeremy Chardy (FRA) bt Andy Roddick (USA x16) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 Mardy Fish (USA x10) bt Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 6-2, 6-3 Carlos Berlocq (ARG) bt Santiago Giraldo (COL) 7-5, 6-3 Sam Querrey (USA) bt Jurgen Melzer (AUT) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 Radek Stepanek (CZE) bt Albert Ramos (ESP) 6-2, 6-2 Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) bt Alejandro Falla (COL) 6-4, 6-3 Milos Raonic (CAN) bt Richard Gasquet (FRA) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3

Milne receives surprise call up for W. Cup

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Aug 15, (AP): Young fast bowler Adam Milne has earned a surprise recall to the New Zealand cricket squad to compete at next months Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka. Milne played two Twenty20 internationals for New Zealand against Pakistan in 2010, aged 18, but has since been unable to reclaim a national team place in any format. Veteran left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori has been named in the 15-man squad announced Wednesday, but allrounders Tom Latham and Andy Ellis, and batsman Dean Brownlie who played in New Zealands most-recent Twenty20 series against the West Indies have missed selection. As well as the Sept 18 to Oct. 7 World Cup, the team will also play T20 internationals against India in India on Sept 8 and Sept 11. National selection manager Kim Littlejohn said the squad has a good balance for Twenty20 cricket with explosive batsmen and a good mix of pace and spin bowlers. New Zealand squad: Martin Guptill, Roneel Hira, Rob Nicol, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, Jacob Oram, Tim Southee, Daniel Vettori, B.J. Watling, Kane Williamson.

CRICKET
Bairstow struggled with the short ball against the West Indies a fact sure to have been noted by Steyn and fellow fast bowler Morne Morkel, even if the Yorkshireman arrives at Lords on the back of 139 for the England Lions against Australia A. Fast-medium bowler Tim Bresnan did his best to stick up for county colleague Bairstow by suggesting England could be an improved side without Pietersen. It may be an even better side, its one of those things where a talented player is being replaced by another talented player, Bresnan said. So why should we miss a certain individual because hes unavailable for selection? But even those closest to Bairstow might struggle to believe that at least for the time being. There were reports late Tuesday that Pietersen and the England hierarchy were close to resolving their differ-

ences ahead of Saturdays squad announcement for the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka next month but any peace deal will come too late for the third Test. Ive always got on with Kevin, said England captain Andrew Strauss. Thats why this has all been a bit of a surprise to me. Its about mutual respect and trust, and that is a core issue that is central to resolving this. Meanwhile South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis said England would be a weaker side without Pietersen. Hes a world-class player ... England losing him is a big loss for them. Any time hes not in your side it does make a big difference. However, Kallis added: Crickets not a one-man sport. There are 11 guys who can take a Test match away from us. The match will see Strauss make his 100th Test appearance and lead his country in Tests for the 50th time. Strauss who eight years ago marked his debut with a century against New Zealand at Lords, his Middlesex home ground, would dearly love to match the achievement of Proteas skipper Graeme Smith, who marked his 100th Test with a century at the Oval to help put the tourists 1-0 up. This match is also set to witness Smith, like Strauss a left-handed open-

ECB confirms it received Kevin Pietersen apology

LONDON, Aug 15, (AP): Kevin Pietersen apologized to the England and Wales Cricket Board Wednesday, after admitting in a statement to sending provocative texts to South Africa players about the England team. I did send what you might call provocative texts to my close friends in the SA team, Pietersen said. The texts were meant as banter between close friends. I need to rein myself in sometimes. I apologize to Straussy (England captain Andrew Strauss) and the team for the inappropriate remarks and for the texts. Pietersen was dropped from the England test squad on Sunday after the existence of the text messages came to light. Soon after the release of the statement on the ECB website, Strauss attended a press conference ahead of Englands third test against South Africa at Lords that starts on Thursday. There are some ongoing issues regarding trust and mutual respect that dont get dealt with overnight, Strauss said. The selectors made a very brave and correct decision by not involving him (Pietersen) in the side. Kevin is a world-class player, I dont think anyone would deny that. When he plays well and everyone is happy in the dressing room, he is an asset to the side. That is not the case at the moment. Strauss, who will make his 100th test match appearance for England on Thursday, refused to put a timeframe on when, if ever, Pietersen would return to the England team. learning to deal with everything a lot better. If I wake up and I dont feel great, then I would panic and lose my match 2-1. Now I realize that I just kind of hang in there if Im not having the best day and still try to get the win. Based on the past few weeks, Williams likes her chances at the Open. So there are a lot of things that have to fall in place for me, maybe more than other players, she said. But Im up for the challenge.

er, break Australia great Allan Borders record of 93 Tests as a captain. The 31-year-old Smith has been captain in all but eight of his Tests and

likes Lords almost as much as Strauss, having made a superb 259 at the home of cricket in 2003. Smiths two previous tours of England have featured the resignation of the then England captain (Nasser Hussain in 2003 and Michael Vaughan in 2008) and Strauss could go the same way if England lose at Lords. England are set to recall off-spinner Graeme Swann after opting for an allseam attack at Headingley. Lords officials have said the outfield will resemble a patchwork quilt after thr ground hosted the Olympic archery tournament, but have insisted it will be fit for play.

Teams
England (from): Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell, James Taylor, Jonathan Bairstow, Matt Prior (wkt), Stuart Broad, Tim Bresnan, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Steven Finn, Graham Onions. South Africa (probable): Graeme Smith (capt), Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers (wkt), Jacques Rudolph, JP Duminy, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir Umpires: Simon Taufel (AUS) and Kumar Dharmasena (SRI) TV umpire: Rod Tucker (AUS) Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)

Englands captain Andrew Strauss (left), and Tim Bresnan (right) race, watched by Jonathan Trott during a cricket training session at Lords Cricket Ground, in London, Aug 14. England will play South Africa in a Test match at Lords starting on Thursday. (AP)

SPORTS
Gaza Paralympians confident

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

54

Scouts to light flames on British mountains

LONDON, Aug 15, (Agencies): Scouts will light flames on the highest mountains in each of the four home nations of Britain next week to spark the torch relay for the London Paralympics, organisers said Wednesday. Members of the youth movement will spark flints on rocks on Scafell Pike in England, Snowdon in Wales, Ben Nevis in Scotland and Slieve Donard in Northern Ireland to create the flames on August 22, organisers LOCOG said. The flames will travel to the four national capitals for a day of celebrations and then on to Stoke Mandeville in southern England, the spiritual home Best Oly ever of the Paralympic movement, on August 28. They will be united at Stoke Mandeville to create the London 2012 Paralympic Flame during a special ceremony, before a 24-hour torch relay to the Olympic Stadium in LONDON, Aug 15, (RTRS): London for the Shooting attracted record start of the numbers of spectators at the Games bringing London Olympics but the together dissports desire to ditch the abled athletes stigma of violence was from across the blighted by gun killings in world on the United States that bookAugust 29. ended the event. We have When the American team created a unique touched down in London identity for the and spoke to the media Paralympic before the Games, they Coe torch relay faced numerous questions about the deaths of 12 peowhich will be a celebration of ple killed by a gunman in courage, determination, inspiration Denver the previous week and equality that every Paralympian as they watched the new represents, London Olympics chief Batman film. Sebastian Coe said. After offering their condoBy creating the four flames lences to the mourning famthrough human endeavour at the four ilies, the Americans accused highest peaks in the UK we will people of making sweeping ensure that the spirit of each home generalisations and tried to nation is represented in the distance their skilful sport Paralympic flame. from the killings back home. Coe urged Britons to attend the events in a bid to repeat the success SHOOTING of the Olympic torch relay, which saw 13 million people line the streets around Britain over the course of 70 The sport actually teachdays. es responsibility, discipline, focus, respect, things about Both disabled and non-disabled the outdoors, and that is Scouts will be involved in the obviously what our job is Paralympic flame-lighting ceremony here at the Olympics, said on the four mountains. Kim Rhode, who went on to The Paralympics relay will involve get a gold in the skeet that 580 torchbearers working in teams of made her the first American five on the 92-mile (148-km) route. to win a medal at five conThey include disabled athletes and secutive Olympics. volunteers who have helped train All the competitors used them. every opportunity to pro-

ISSF hails Games but stigmas stick

In this file photo, Team Belarus performs in the group all-around final of the rythmic gymnastics event of the London Olympic Games on Aug 12, at Wembley arena in London. Team Russia won gold, while Team Belarus took silver and Team Italy got bronze. (AFP)

We have to achieve more

PARALYMPICS
They will pass landmarks including London Zoo, Lords Cricket Ground and Abbey Road in northwest London made famous by The Beatles. Olympics minister Jeremy Hunt said Britain was hoping to stage the best ever Paralympic Games after a successful Olympics. The UK is the birthplace of the Paralympic movement and Londons Games will show the world how just amazing and inspiring elite Paralympic sport can be, he said. Organisers have sold more than 2.1 million tickets for the London 2012 Paralympics, beating the previous record set at the 2008 edition in Beijing. Wheelchair-bound Khamis Zaqout from Gaza, who lost the use of his legs while working on a building site in Israel two decades ago, is Palestines best hope for a Paralympic medal in London this month. Zaqout will compete in the shot put, discus and javelin at the Aug. 29Sept. 9 Games. Partially-sighted long-jumper Mohammed Fannouna, a bronze winner in Athens, will be Palestines second representative. We have crawled to the Paralympics. I have achieved an Asian record with the simple means that we have, said Zaqout. The pair were good enough to vie for medals, said Ala Shataly, a Palestinian Paralympic Committee member, whereas the Palestinians usually had only a symbolic presence in able-bodied sports. The team had nothing to celebrate at the London Olympics, which ended on Sunday and where a judoka, two swimmers and two runners competed. We have always been competitive at the Paralympics where we strive for achievements and we have reached a stage where we cannot go backwards, Shataly said. Zaqout is definitely going to win a medal, he said, adding that Fannouna, who won two golds and three bronze medals in the Arab Games in Doha last year, was also capable of a podium finish. Palestine have won three Paralympic medals: Hussam Azzam took a bronze in Sydney and a silver in Athens in the shot put and

mote their sport and the Americans, who finished with three golds, were the loudest in discussing the need to educate people in the huge advertising space that the Olympics provide. They had a big audience at the Royal Artillery Barracks in south-east London: almost every day the stands were full and shooting was the only Olympic sport to suffer from overcrowding . Whether those people are inspired to go to gun clubs or shooting events in the future is another matter. South Korea took three golds and two silvers in London to finish top of the shooting standings after the 15 events involving 390 athletes from a record 108 countries. The best Games ever, International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) President Olegario Vazquez Rana said in a statement. Great facilities, great results, and an exceptional response of the public. I have received positive feedback from shooters, coaches and IOC (International Olympic Committee) authorities. This is the story of a success.

Women hail landmark Games breakthrough

LONDON, Aug 15, (AFP): Women made their mark on the Olympics like never before in London, the first Games ever to feature women in all 204 national teams and all 26 sports. The participation of the first women athletes from the conservative Islamic nations of Saudi Arabia, Brunei and Qatar was widely seen as a breakthrough for the Olympic movement, while nations that have long nurtured womens sports reaped a golden reward. Judoka Wojdan Shaherkani, who took the mat after a flap over whether she would be able to compete in a hijab, admitted she felt overwhelmed by the attention focused on her as the first Saudi woman to compete in the Games. She was out of her depth, losing in just 82 seconds, but said the whole experience had her looking ahead to Rio in 2016. I think that because of my participation in this Olympic Games, other Saudi women will participate in other competitions in the future, she said. Sarah Attar, too, was never going to be a contender, but after limping home a distant last in her 800m heat the US-born runner called it the hugest honor to be here to represent the women of Saudi Arabia. It is a historic moment. I hope it will make a difference, she said. It remains to be seen if the participation of competitors like Shaherkani and Attar will have a lasting impact within Saudi Arabia.

We cannot be complacent

Rousseff receives Oly flag

BRASILIA, Aug 15, (AFP): Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff received the Olympic flag on Tuesday as the competitions world governing body warned that the country had to work harder ahead of the Rio 2016 Summer Games. Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes flew into Rio de Janeiro from London with the flag on Monday, marking the official handover of the Games, and later on Wednesday the flag will be paraded through several Rio neighborhoods. Brazil has one goal (for 2016), increase its number of medals, Rousseff said during a ceremony in the capital Brasilia. The country won a total of 17 medals at the London Olympics that concluded over the weekend three gold, five silver and nine bronze. International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge meanwhile warned that much remained to be done to and the women came through in a big way. US women won 29 of Americas medals-table-leading 46 golds, while female competitors accounted for 20 of Chinas 38. US Olympic Committee chief executive Scott Blackmun traced the success of US women directly back to legislation in the early 1970s that prevented publicly funded schools and universities from discriminating on the basis of gender thus making sports more available to girls and women. Title IX (legislation) really gave the US a head start in having a national commitment to make sure that young women are getting an opportunity to be involved in sport, Blackmun said. The rest of the world is clearly doing the same thing, so we are glad we got ahead of the curve. For the women Olympians, just as for men, the Games are all about challenge and achievement, and they have
ed on Tuesday. Demps, a running back with the University of Florida, skipped the 2012 NFL draft in order to focus on making the US Olympics team. (RTRS)

prepare for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. We cannot be complacent. You have to work harder, he told the O Globo newspaper. The city of 6.5 million is notorious for its huge traffic jams, poor infrastructure and slum violence, but authorities insist Rio will deliver.

OLYMPICS
I am confident and optimistic that you will organize good games. But clearly you all need to understand that this requires hard work, a lot of planning and making sure no time is lost, Rogge said. Brazil insists everything will be ready for the first summer Olympics to be held in South America. Some of the venues will be used for the 2014 World Cup, but the Olympic Village and other event sites have yet to be built. little time for those who still tend to focus more on their looks than their skills. I think that our society puts a lot onto women, how they look and what they wear or how they dress, and I think that being a strong female competitor is the best thing we can do to fight that, said US judoka Kayla Harrison. It doesnt matter what you look like when youve just won the gold medal you just won the gold medal. Harrison defeated Briton Gemma Gibbons for her judo gold, both finalists having found an empowering outlet in sport after turmoil in their personal lives. Gibbons, 25, lost her mother to leukemia in 2004 while 22-year-old Harrison was the victim of sexual assault as a teenager. To be able to say Im a strong, confident young woman and Im an Olympic champion feels great, Harrison said. I hope we have a million little girls inspired by that.

Hong Kong chief executive C.Y. Leung (center right), poses with bronze medalist Sarah Lee Wai-Sze (center left), during a ceremony celebrating the return of the Hong Kong delegation to the London 2012 Olympic games in Hong Kong on Aug 15. Hong Kong won their first ever Olympic medal in a cycling event at the London 2012 Olympics and only their third overall. Hong Kong athletes previously winning one gold from windsurfing in 1996 and one Olympic silver medal from table tennis. (AFP)

Fannouna captured the long-jump bronze in Athens. Qualifying distance Zaqout attained the qualifying distance for London in Doha where he won his category in the shot put with 10.77 metres, soon after setting an Asian record of 11.34. Father-of-nine Zaqout, 47, was injured when he fell while working on a building site in Israel. He said his disability had made him determined to strive for sporting success. I am physically and mentally ready for this battle and to represent Palestine on the international stage, he said. Zaqout trains in a park in Gaza City, one of very few green areas in the cramped coastal enclave on the eastern Mediterranean that has borders with Israel and Egypt.

Best of the Rest

Marathon winner gets 80,000 euros:
Recently-crowned Olympic marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich returned home Wednesday to a rapturous welcome in Uganda, an 80,000 euros cheque and a pledge that his parents will get a new house. Kiprotich, who beat the heavily-fancied Kenyan team to claim Ugandas first gold medal in 40 years at the London Games, was welcomed by cheering fans before being whisked to a breakfast meeting with President Yoweri Museveni. Museveni presented the gold-medalist with a cheque for around $80,000 and ordered the money be deposited on his account before the close of business today, the presidents office said in a statement. (AFP)

OLYMPICS
But the International Olympic Committees avowed commitment to gender equality took an unequivocal step forward as womens events were added in boxing for the first time. I think the womens performances were magnificent, Wu Ching-Kuo, head of amateur boxings global governing body said in urging the expansion of the womens tournament beyond the three categories contested in London. We have to have more, and we have four years to achieve that. Three of the five biggest delegations, the United States, China and Russia, brought more women athletes than men,

Stronger challenges await in Rio 2016

Demps signs up with league: Jeff Demps, a silver medalist for the United States at the London Olympics as part of the mens 4x100 metres relay team, has signed up to play in the National Football League (NFL), the leagues website report-

Thousands welcome heroes home:

Thousands of flag-waving and cheering fans welcomed Germanys Olympic athletes home when they arrived in Hamburg aboard the MS Deutschland on Wednesday. The cruise ship, carrying 217 of the 392 German athletes who competed at the London games, was accompanied by around 60 smaller boats as it sailed into the northern citys harbor. (AP)

Russia keep crown after twin assault

LONDON, Aug 15, (RTRS): Russias supremacy on the wrestling mat survived an onslaught from Japan and Iran at the London Olympics and could face an even stronger challenge in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. The Russians narrowly held on to their traditional place at the top of the medal table, taking four of the 18 golds as well as two silvers and five bronzes. But they were pushed all the way by a Japanese team that won four golds, their most since 1968, and two bronzes. Iran ruled the Greco-Roman discipline, winning three of the seven golds. We came here to this great city in this great country...to wrestle and to win, said Russian coach Vladimir Uruimagov. I expected this - we are eager to win. While Russias team topped the table, athletes from around the world provided some of the most dramatic moments. Uzbek Artur Taymazov won his third consecutive gold to become the most successful Olympic freestyle wrestler. His silver in Sydney in 2000 was enough to put him top of the all-time medal table. Jordan Burroughs won the first wrestling gold for the United States at London, earning a $250,000 bonus from US officials and living up to his Twitter name, All I See Is Gold. His coach Zeke Jones said he hoped the 74kg freestyle win would raise the sports profile. We need stars and Jordan is a star, Jones said. It will never be like basketball or football, but he can certainly elevate the exposure and profile of the sport. Golden hat-tricks Japans women were unstoppable in the freestyle, taking three of the four gold medals. Saori Yoshida (55kg) and Kaori Icho (63kg) both won their third consecutive gold. Yoshida took her total of Olympic and world championship titles to 12, equalling Russias Aleksandr Karelin. Both wrestlers said it was too soon to say if they would defend their titles in Rio. If they do go to Brazil, more women may be competing with them on the mat. Wrestlings governing body said it would push for a rule change to raise the number of womens weight classes from four to seven, the same as the men.

Athletes arrive home to praise:

Australias Olympic athletes were welcomed home by a big crowd at Sydney airport Wednesday, with Prime Minister Julia Gillard defending their achievements despite a poor medal haul. Recriminations have begun in Australia after they finished only 10th at the London Games, down from sixth in Beijing, with just seven golds for their worst victory tally in 20 years. (AFP)

WRESTLING
Some of those women might come from Islamic countries that do well in the mens competition, but have not put women forward for religious reasons. Raphael Martinetti, president of the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, said it would consider changes to allow Muslim women to wear a different wrestling garment or a head covering to comply with Islamic law.

Putin hails, rewards Olympians:

Russian President Vladimir Putin Wednesday congratulated the countrys Olympic athletes and their coaches and expressed his gratitude for their excellent work. On behalf of all Russian fans I thank you for your performance, for our countrys success at the Olympics Games Putin said at a special ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow. (AFP)

Ugandan Olympics marathon golf winner Stephen Kiprotich holds a flag on arrival to Entebbe International Airport on Aug 15. The gold medalist was welcomed at the airport after winning Ugandas first Olympic gold in 40 years. (AFP)

SPORTS
N Zealand produced some of the most elegant displays

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

55

Britain dominate on stunning Dorney Lake

DORNEY, England, Aug 15, (RTRS): Of all the images from the Olympic rowing regatta, the ones that may last the longest come from those athletes desperately trying to come to terms with their sense of loss at winning silver. Australias three-times Olympic champion Drew Ginn cried while clutching a photo wrapped in plastic of his two children. The British mens lightweight double appeared broken when interviewed on television, barely able to speak. The regatta will be remembered for the dominance of Britain, the elegance of New Zealand and the fact that following years of training and millions of pounds of funding, it can all still be lost in the final strokes of a 2,000 metre race. The last time I cried in public was my grandfather dying, a devastated Ginn told reporters after taking silver behind the British mens flagship four. Its just my kids and wife are here. Like so many other crews on the stunning man-made course of Dorney Lake, Ginns four failed to beat the British. The win in the best race of the regatta meant Britain has now won that event for the fourth consecutive time, but the host nations other medals signalled that it has moved on to a new level. Having never previously won Olympic gold in a womens event, it took three on Dorney Lake, including its first lightweight title in the double of Katherine Copeland and Sophie Hosking. The sight of the 21- and 26-year-olds looking on in disbelief as they crossed the line is also likely to linger for those nations wondering how to get ahead: two athletes who only came together late in the season through a system that now churns out gold medal winners at will.

ROWING
Part of the inspiration for the young duo, they said, was the story of the popular Katherine Grainger, who finally took an Olympic gold at the fourth time of trying in emotional scenes with her partner Anna Watkins.

In total the British squad took four gold medals, two silvers and three bronzes at the Games - nine medals from 14 events - with both silvers just a fraction of a second away from being gold. The only other country to come close to Britains dominance was New Zealand which won three golds and two bronze medals in some of the most elegant displays of rowing - from the single scull of Mahe Drysdale to the mens pair of Eric Murray and Hamish Bond, who cruised unchallenged to the title.

With the loss in the mens four, Australia had to settle for three silvers and two bronze medals, victims of their earlier success under an international rowing system that has now been copied around the world. I never thought my sport would have so much money that there would be so much professionalism like we have now, said Matt Smith, executive director of the international rowing body FISA. And a few teams of the Kiwis, the Aussies and the British have managed to take full advantage of this. You see that in the results.

Thrills, spills and disappointments

Australia sink British hopes on home waters

WEYMOUTH, England, Aug 15, (RTRS): An era of British sailing dominance came to an end on home waters at the London Olympics as Australia stole the host nations crown, winning three of the 10 golds up for grabs. Sailing, which lives in fear of being dropped from the Games because of the costs and the perception that it is not a spectator friendly sport, had all to play for at Weymouth and Portland. It did not disappoint. Spectators witnessed thrills, spills and some disappointments with only Finn sailor Ben Ainslie able to deliver gold for the pre-Games favourites Team GB. Ainslies medal came by the slimmest of margins as the 35-year-olds gritty determination and guile helped him become the most successful Olympic sailor ever with four golds and a silver in five Games. His duel with Jonas HoghChristensen for the Finn title - held for more than half a century by the Danes compatriot Paul Elvstrom - was the most acrimonious of an otherwise largely uncontroversial regatta.

Olympic soccer star Carli Lyod wears her gold medals, one from Beijing in 2008 and the other from London last week, as she visits soccer practice at Universal Soccer Academy Aug 14, in Lumberton, New Jersey. The Delran, NJ native and Rutgers grad scored both US goals to lead the womens team to Olympic gold in a 2-1 victory against Japan in London. She also scored the winning goal against Brazil in Beijing four years ago. (AP)

YACHTING
Early concerns about the 10 gold medals being decided in a final race after a series of 10 proved unfounded and the format rewarded spectators with some thrilling racing. Highlights included the Swedish duo of Fredrik Loof and Max Salminen snatching victory from Britains reigning champions Iain Percy and Andrew Bart Simpson in the Star class with a superb final sail. The Nothe medal course, close to the shore to provide a perfect spectacle for the paying public, presented one of the trickiest stretches of water even the most experienced Olympic sailors had navigated, with at times flukey winds making for some unexpected results. The U.S. failed to win a single medal for the first time since 1936 as the squad continued the process of changing the way it trains to replicate the British model. The spoils were shared among 15 nations with Cyprus celebrating its first Olympic medal in any sport for Pavlos Kontides, who won silver in the Laser single-handed class behind a dominant Tom Slingsby of Australia. Australias three golds and a silver relegated Britain to third with one gold and four silvers behind Spain, whose women take home two golds in the windsurfing and the match racing. The Netherlands won a gold in mens windsurfing and the other golds were won by Sweden in the Star, China in the womens Laser Radial and New Zealand in the womens two-handed 470. Several Olympic veterans will not be making the voyage to Rio de Janeiro and some of the boats were raced for the last time in an Olympic championship. The Star, designed in 1910, and the largest and heaviest of the classes is being decommissioned, unless bronze medallists Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada of Brazil can persuade the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) to grant the keelboat a reprieve. Another change at the Brazilian Olympic sailing venue of Guanabara Bay in 2016 will be the introduction of kitesurfing, which takes over from windsurfing. The decision has been challenged by the windsurfing class association, but gold medallist Dorian Van Rijsselberge of the Netherlands and silver medallist Nick Dempsey of Britain have already said they are switching to kiteboarding. Mixed doubles will also feature, closing the gender gap, with the inclusion of the multi-hull two person Nacra 17 class. While on-board cameras made for some great action TV footage, they were not universally popular among the sailors, with some complaining they got in the way. Despite this, there have been calls for more technology to help umpires and juries, with some suggesting the use of video for starts and finishes in 2016. Ainslie The sport is advancing probably faster than the umpires and technology involved, Ian Ainslie, chief coach of the Dutch team, told Reuters. You see them having to make a call on a split second incident which could change the nature of the result totally.

Croatia muscle in

End of an era for Hungarians

LONDON, Aug 15, (RTRS): The army of fans cheered and chanted just as loud, and there was no holding back with the flags and facepaints, but the Hungarian fans were not watching the gold medal match they could be forgiven for expecting, but a clash to decide who came fifth. Hungary, winners of the gold in 2000, 2004 and 2008 came fifth in the Olympics. It was the end of an era, one dominated by an old guard of four Hungarian players, Peter Biros, Tamas Kasas, Gergely Kiss and Zoltan Szecsi who played on a team which for three Games was unbeatable. This is the end of my era. A new generation will come, Hungarys goalkeeper Szecsi told reporters. There were glimpses of the grace, skill and speed which helped the Hungarians win three golds, but only glimpses. I think we were tired in the head, I dont know why, Szecsi said, when asked about Hungarys defeats by Serbia, Montenegro and Italy. The Hungarians claimed their desire for gold burned just as strongly despite almost a decade of the sort of stand-out Olympic success that only few will ever taste. The biggest battle that they lost appeared not to be against the Serbians, who were tipped to take on their mantle, nor the Italians, who ended the Hungarian campaign in the quarters, but against themselves.

In this file photo, Russias Anton Ponkrashov and Argentinas Pablo Prigioni go after a loose ball during the mens bronze medal basketball game at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Aug 12, in London. (AP)

Politics, royalty and shifting power in equestrian sports

Once-dominant nations falter
LONDON, Aug 15, (RTRS): With royalty, politics, seismic shifts in the map of horse power and historic success for the home team, equestrian sports in the London Games were as full of twists and turns as the Olympic courses designed by Sue Benson and Bob Ellis.
There were not one but two royal medallists Zara Phillips, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, won team eventing silver and Prince Abdullah Al Saud, grandson of the Saudi king, captured team show jumping bronze.
Mainstream media turned out in force, drawn by the royals and by Rafalca, Americas most political horse by virtue of part-owner Ann Romney, wife of presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Once-dominant nations faltered while new forces emerged. Germany won team and individual eventing gold and individual eventing bronze but handed the Olympic dressage crown it has held since 1976 to a British team that only reached the top ranks in the past few years. North America went away empty-handed. Mishaps knocked Canadas eventing and dressage teams out before the finals and the disqualification of rider Tiffany Foster for a cut over her horses hoof left its jumpers who won team silver and individual gold in 2008 a rider short. Canada finished fifth while defending Olympic champion Eric Lamaze, riding an inexperienced horse after the sudden death of gold medal mount Hickstead last year, was joint 29th.

Kenya opens inquest on poor showing in London

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 15, (AFP): Kenyas under-fire Olympic team received a tumultous welcome home from family and friends on Wednesday, even as the government announced an inquest on the poor showing at the London Games. Sports minister Paul Otuoma said a full report on the performance of the athletes at the games, where Kenya finished 28th overall in the team positions, will be made public after the enquiry is completed. This time, I want to state that we shall not hide anything. When the report is prepared we shall release it to the public to know what really happened, said Otuoma, who was in London for the duration of the Games. I have already made instructions that what happened in London should be brought out for all to see. We will have to make hard decisions to avoid a repeat in the future. Kenyas performance has led to acrimonious debate at home, after the squad bagged only 11 medals, including two gold, and ended up being the third best African nation behind archrivals South Africa and Ethiopia. The countrys vice-president Kalonzo Musyoka and the chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) Kipchoge Keino, have however defended the athletes. The team did their best and, as a nation, we are proud of what they have achieved in London. We are committed to ensuring that we continue offering them support for future events. said Musyoka. Less than half of the athletes who competed in London returned home on Wednesday. The remainder, including newlycrowned Olympic 800m champion and record holder David Rudisha remained in Europe to compete in the next leg of the Diamond League series, which resumes in Stockholm, Sweden on Friday.

WATER POLO
The last 20 years I played matches where everybody expected always to win, and expected me to win and play well, so this part, I say enough, I dont want it. It was too much, said Tamas Kasas. The Hungarians struggled to explain why they failed to shine liked they used to. Its very hard to say. We could talk for the whole night about this, Gergely Kiss said. He shrugged his shoulders, Hungarian aspirations of a record four golds in a row were shattered, but look at what they had achieved. Four Olympic Games played and three gold medals, I think it would be in everybodys dreams. Instead, it was Croatia who stole the show, not by doing anything amazing, but by executing a defence so strong that team after team failed to breach it. The Croatians were crowned Olympic champions after a slick disposal of Italy, giving the mens game a new title-holder, two days after the US women won gold, in what was their first time at the top of the podium. The American womens victory ended 12 years of near misses and enabled Heather Petri and Brenda Villa, the closest thing the womens game has to Hungarys veteran Olympians, to end their careers on a high. In the mens tournament, the intensely physical and aggressive style of water polo played by Croatia and the other former Yugoslavian countries of Serbia and Montenegro prevailed in London, with silver medallists Italy being the only non-Balkan country to make it to the last four.

ers purposely making horses legs tender so they jump more carefully. The International Federation of Equestrian Sports (FEI) said there was no sign of wrongdoing in Fosters case but stood by its decision. Team captain Lamaze was furious at the disqualification and said it is time to take a hard look at the rules. Final doping test results were not yet in but if they prove clean, it would validate tougher anti-doping measures taken by the FEI in the wake of a raft of doping cases at the 2008 Games.

Horse power
Saudi Arabia, with royal team member Prince Abdullah, rode to a surprise lead in the first round of team jumping

and stayed strong in the second for a bronze. Kamal Bahamdan finished just out of the medals in the individual. The Saudis were riding proven horses bought up in a two-year spree by a group called Saudi Equestrian, whose patron is King Abduallah and whose sole goal was a strong London showing. Chef dequipe Rogier van Iersel, a former international judge from the Netherlands, said the teams performance trumped expectations and was as much down to riding as to acquired horse power. Anyone knows that the horses we have are not cheap horses. Nevertheless, this is not a guarantee for success, he told Reuters.

EQUESTRIAN
Things didnt go much better for the United States, team Olympic jumping champions in 2004 and 2008. Beezie Madden, 2008 individual jumping bronze medallist, came to London with a shot at gold but was eliminated in the first qualifier when her horse stopped twice at a fence. The team as a whole finished out of the medals in all disciplines for the first time since 1956. Theyll be back. They have fantastic riders. They have great young riders coming up, said British equestrian team head Will Connell. And the Canadians ...I think anyone writing the North Americans off would be doing it far too quickly. A devastated Foster was disqualified under rules partly designed to prevent rid-

Rio de Janeiros Governor Sergio Cabral (center left), applauds as he walks along side the honor guard carrying the Olympic flag in the Complexo de Alemao slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug 15. Rio de Janeiro in 2016 will become the first South American city to host the Games. (AP)

You have to have the skill, the energy, the talent, the will to work, the will to train and then if you have a good horse, you might be successful. Connell said that what Britain lacks in equine buying power, it makes up for with talent at training young horses. Britain went into the Games with all the ingredients for success horses and riders at their peak and a Games on home turf with a wildly partisan crowd. It emerged with the nations highest equestrian Olympic medal tally ever. Beyond the eventing silver, Britain won its first team jumping gold in 60 years and team gold in dressage the nations first Olympic medal of any hue in a sport traditionally dominated by Germany and the Netherlands. Charlotte Dujardin also took individual dressage gold on record-breaking horse Valegro while Laura Bechtolsheimer won bronze on Mistral Hojris, known as Alf. Connell said Carl Hester, a British team member as well as Dujardins coach and mentor, deserves enormous credit. You should never get away from Carl Hesters achievements at these Games in that he not only won a gold medal himself, he produced a rider and horse as coach to win a gold medal, he said. Hester finished fifth individually. Britain wont waste time basking in glory, though. Owners, riders and officials will meet shortly to plot a course to Rio. The likes of Valegro, Mistral Hojris, (Hesters) Uthopia, (jumper Nick Skeltons mount) Big Star these horses are oncein-a-lifetime horses, Connell told Reuters. With Valegro and Uthopia to be sold and Mistral Hojris too old to make Rio, Britain will need to comb the next generation for talent human and equine for the 2016 medal hunt.

ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

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Sports

Argentina swat 10-man Germany

Defoe cracker gives England win
FRANKFURT, Aug 15, (AFP): Argentina, whose World Cup ambitions died in a fourgoal thumping at German hands two years ago in South Africa, turned the tables Wednesday in winning a friendly international 3-1 in Frankfurt despite mising a penalty.
Argentina coach Alejandro Sabello had revealed earlier on that he intends to get the best out of star man Lionel Messi by talking to him as little as possible and the South American giants in general let their football do the talking as they handed out a lesson to Die Mannschaft.
The hosts ended up with 10 men and were struggling once they lost inexperienced goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler after he upended the onrushing Jose Sosa. The Germans had earlier lost defender Mats Hummels to injury when he collided with Gonzalo Higuain midway through the opening period. Zielers foul forced the Germans to take off midfielder Thomas Mueller and also send on 20-year-old rookie Marc-Andre ter Stegen of Borussia Moenchengladbach. Ter Stegen took his place between the sticks then promptly saved a poor Messi penalty. First choice Manuel Neuer was unavailPato able bruising his pelvis in Bayern Munichs weekend German Super Cup win over Dortmund at the weekend. Messi who shattered Europes goalscoring records last season with 73 goals in total for Barcelona in 60 games to beat German Gerd Muellers mark of 67 set 1972-73 would not be denied, however, and was at the heart of a fine win with the second goal in 52 minutes. Messis effort all but wrapped things up after a curious opening goal saw Sami Khedira knock the ball over his own line for the opener in first half injury time following Real Madrid teammate Angel Di Marias corner. England 2, Italy 1 In Bern, Switzerland, A stunning Jermaine Defoe strike 10 minutes from time handed England their first win against Italy in 15 years here, the Tottenham hitman sealing a 2-1 victory for Roy Hodgsons men. England had to come from behind, with Daniele De Rossi heading in to give the Euro 2012 runners-up a 15th-minute lead before Phil Jagielka equalised 12 minutes later with another

SOCCER
header. But just when it appeared as if the match was petering out to a draw, Defoe finished off a counter-attack led by fellow substitute James Milner before sending a 20-yard shot arrowing into Salvatore Sirigus top-left corner. The victory may not make up for the pain of Junes Euro 2012 quarter-final defeat on penalties to the same opponents, but it was their first win against the Azzurri since a 2-0 friendly triumph in Nantes, France, in June 1997. Just 52 days had passed since these nations met in Kiev, but the circumstances were entirely different here. England and Italy took to the field with experimental sides, the focus firmly on the upcoming World Cup qualifying campaign. Brazil 3, Sweden 0 In Stockholm, two goals from substitute Alexandre Pato helped Brazil to a 3-0 win over Sweden in the final international game at Stockholms Rasunda Stadium. After losing the Olympic final to Mexico last Saturday, Brazil returned to the stadium where a 17-year-old Pele had inspired them to their first World Cup in 1958 and were dominant against the Swedes. We needed to give a strong answer and I think we did that, Brazil coach Mano Menezes told a news conference. We created a lot of chances and scored three goals. It was a fair result. Pele, watching from the stands, was welcomed back to Stockholm with open arms but Santos forward Neymar was given a harder time of it as the Swedes sought to get to grips with his incisive dribbling and passing. The 20-year-old had already had a goal disallowed for offside by the time he drifted in and launched a deft cross for fellow forward Leandro Damiao to head home to open the scoring. France 0, Uruguay 0 In Le Havre, France, the curse of the goalless draw struck again for France and Uruguay, as Didier Deschamps first game at the French helm ended in a 0-0 stalemate in Le Havre. It was the fourth consecutive match between the countries to finish goalless, although France twice struck the frame of the goal in their first match since Laurent Blanc left his post after their quarter-final exit at Euro 2012. Deschamps awarded debuts to Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Christophe Jallet and Etienne Capoue, as he sought to use his first and final opportunity to experiment before Frances opening 2014 World Cup qualifier in Finland on September 7. Uruguay, meanwhile, are now unbeaten in 18 matches, and although the South American champions offered little in attack, they showcased all the ruggedness that has helped them rise to a FIFA ranking of fourth in the world. For his first game in charge, Deschamps handed a start to Montpellier centre-back Yanga-Mbiwa, while Lille midfielder Rio Mavuba made his first France appearance for nearly five and a half years. Belgium 4, Dutch 2 In Brussels, Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal started his second spell in charge with a painful 4-2 defeat by neighbours Belgium in a friendly international. Van Gaal chose Klaas Jan Huntelaar as his first-choice striker and kept Robin van Persie on the bench, while right back Ricardo van Rhijn was the only new name from the team that lost all three group stage matches at Euro 2012. Despite a poor first half performance in ball possession we created six chances, Van Gaal told SBS6-TV. Second half we started well with a well-executed building game. The personal foul (of Nigel de Jong) was crucial as we were in control and not only conceded the equaliser but also allowed Belgium back in the match. With a 4-3-3 starting formation and one holding midfielder in Nigel de Jong, the Dutch made a stuttering start and fell behind after 20 minutes when Kevin Mirallas set up Belgium striker Christian Benteke to open the scoring.

Englands Phil Jagielka (left), fights for the ball with Italys Mattia Destro (right), during an international friendly Test match between the national soccer teams of Italy and England at the Stade de Suisse Stadium, in Bern, Switzerland, Aug 15. (AP)

Capello starts Russian reign with draw vs Ivory Coast

Japan held by Venezuela in Sapporo

TOKYO, Aug 15, (Agencies): Asian soccer champions Japan were held 11 by Venezuela on Wednesday in the first of two warm-up matches before the resumption of the final round of regional World Cup qualifiers. Yasuhito Endo put the Blue Samurai in front in the 14th minute at a sellout Sapporo Dome, sweeping home after a dazzling run down the right from Yuichi Komano. Spain-based striker Miku pegged Japan back, twisting while on the ground to deftly poke the loose ball past goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima with the outside of his right boot. First half, (we) got early goal but should have capitalised on that, taken more chances, Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni told reporters. In the second half we created a few chances but I thought our pace dropped off a bit. Keisuke Honda, sporting a newlook blond mohican haircut, could have put Japan 2-0 up well before the halftime whistle, only for his left-foot drive to thump off the post. Manchester Uniteds pre-season signing Shinji Kagawa flashed a header just past the post on the hour mark. It proved costly as Miku struck moments later. Kagawa also contrived to miss an open goal in the 75th minute, his shot looping up against the crossbar with the goal at his mercy. We were at home and had lots of chances to score so I feel deeply sorry we didnt manage to win, said

Balram pulls out of Pompey bid

LONDON, Aug 15, (AFP): Cash-strapped Portsmouth, FA Cup winners in 2008, could yet go out of business after Hong Kong-based businessman Balram Chainrai withdrew from buying the club for a second time. Portsmouth have been struggling to cope with huge debts since crashing out of the Premier League and administrator Trevor Birch has been selling their biggest earning players in a bid reduce their wage bill. That resulted in Pompey, playing in the third tier of English football this season for the first time in 29 years, taking the field with nine teenagers in their starting XI during a 3-0 League Cup defeat by Plymouth on Tuesday.

United agree deal for Van Persie

LONDON, Aug 15, (AFP): Manchester United said Wednesday they had agreed a deal to sign Dutch striker from Premier League rivals Arsenal. Manchester United is pleased to announce it has reached agreement with Arsenal Football Club for the transfer of Robin Van Persie, said a club statement. The deal is subject to a medical and the agreement of personal terms. A further announcement will be made in due course. Van Persie stunned Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger when he declared immediately after Euro 2012 that he wanted to leave the north London team because he felt the clubs ambitions did not match his own. That came after a superb season where the forward scored 37 goals in all competitions, a tally that led him to being voted player of the year by both his fellow professionals in England and the countrys Football Writers Association. Van Persies announcement sparked interest from Premier League champions Manchester prove a barrier to the 29-yearolds move to Old Trafford. No fee has been confirmed by either United or Arsenal, although it has been reported as around the 20million mark. Provided the deal goes through smoothly, van Persie could make his United debut in their Premier League opener away to Everton on Monday. The transfer is set to be the most expensive deal United have done since Dimitar Berbatovs club record 30.75m move from Tottenham in 2008. Ferguson made van Persie one of his main pre-season targets, despite already having Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez in his squad.

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City, as well as Italian giants Juventus, but it is United manager Alex Ferguson who has won the race for the strikers coveted signature. It is not expected either a medical or indeed personal terms will

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And on Wednesday, Chainrai and his company Portpin pulled out from taking over at the south coast club. He told Sky Sports News in a statement: Portpin Ltd regrets to announce that it is withdrawing its bid for Portsmouth Football Club. Unfortunately, our efforts to save the club once more from extinction have hit a wall of rejection and lacking co-operation from the administrator and other interested parties. He added: As history has recorded, we sold the club over a year ago after saving it from liquidation and unfortunately found ourselves again fighting to try and save the club from another liquidation. Chainrai was angered by the Football Leagues decision to deduct the Fratton Park club 10 points before the forthcoming season after a similar deduction contributed to their relegation from the second-tier Championship last season.

1-1 in Australia in June in their first three games in the final round of Asian 2014 World Cup qualifiers. Russia 1, Ivory Coast 1 In Moscow, Fabio Capello was

denied a victory in his first game as Russia coach when a second-half equaliser by midfielder Max Gradel earned Ivory Coast a 1-1 draw in a friendly. Russia playmaker Alan

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Kagawa. Its really disappointing. Well put it right for the World Cup qualifiers. Honda praised Venezuela, who finished fourth at last years Copa America. Theyre a tough side, said a bare-chested Honda. They put us under a lot of pressure and didnt let us play our game. We will have to increase our work rate. Japan meet the United Arab Emirates early next month in their final tune-up for a World Cup qualifier against Iraq on Sept. 11. They overpowered Oman 3-0 and Jordan 6-0 at home before being held

See Also Pages 48 & 49

Japans midfielder Yasuhito Endo (right), celebrates his goal with teammate Shinji Okazaki against Venezuela at an international friendly football match in Sapporo, Japans northern island of Hokkaido on Aug 15. (AFP)

Dzagoyev put the hosts ahead with a nicely-taken freekick from the edge of the box 10 minutes into the second half. Italian Capello, who replaced Dutchman Dick Advocaat as Russia boss last month, gave defender Georgy Shchennikov and midfielder Viktor Faizulin their national team debuts while leaving under-fire captain Andrei Arshavin on the sidelines in the first half. Capellos strategy paid off as the home team dominated before Dzagoyev, Euro 2012 joint top scorer with three goals, gave the Russians a deserved lead on 55 minutes. The Ivorians, missing six players through injury, were content to play safe in the first half. They also missed Arsenal striker Gervinho and West Ham United defender Guy Demel because they did not get permission from their English clubs to travel to Russia. The visitors increased the tempo after falling behind and midfielder Abdul Razack wasted a good chance midway through the second half when he struck the post from close range after a nice feed by Didier Drogba.

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