BERLIN: US President Barack Obama saidRussian and US nuclear weapons shouldbe slashed by up to a third in a keynotespeech in front of Berlin’s iconicBrandenburg Gate in which he called for aworld of “peace and justice”. Obama usedthe once divided city’s rebirth as ametaphor for progress, as he stood on theeast side of the route of the Berlin Wall, andwarned the “complacent” West that historydid not stop with its Cold War victory. “Thewall belongs to history. But we have history

to make as well,” a sweat-streaked Obamasaid to an invited crowd of 6,000 peoplestanding before the majestic landmark insweltering summer weather.

The US leader called on Russia to agreeto bring the number of strategic nuclearweapons held by the former Cold War foesdown to around 1,000 and to also cutstocks of tactical nuclear arms. “I’ve deter-mined that we can ensure the security ofAmerica and our allies and maintain a

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Debate rages over constitutional court ruling

7Nine killed as

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Mogadishu 7Afghan govt

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Taleban 14Putin basks

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charm falls flat 20Brazil

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THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 SHAABAN 11, 1434 AH www.kuwaittimes.net

Cabinet to meet to decide on ideal date for elections

conspiracy theories

Democracy calls for unity

badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net

By Badrya Darwish

KUWAIT: The Cabinet is expected to hold anextraordinary session today to discuss an ideal datefor the parliamentary election following the consti-tutional court’s ruling that scrapped the NationalAssembly as the debate over the verdict continuesamong various political groups. The Cabinet mayannounce the election date today after approving adecree to dissolve the Assembly or postpone a finaldecision until the beginning of next week.Observers believe that the most likely scenario is tohold polls during the holy month of Ramadan thatwill start on July 9 and specifically in the last third ofthe month.

Under Kuwaiti law, the polls must be held withintwo months after dissolving the Assembly and thisdeadline is mid-August, which is just one week afterRamadan-end and only about three days after theEid Al-Fitr feast. A large number of Kuwaiti voters areexpected to have already booked their trips for thesummer vacation immediately after Ramadan,which if coupled with a major boycott of the elec-tion, would make the voter turnout very small.

In addition, the new Assembly must meet withintwo weeks after the election, giving authoritiesanother problem to think about. On top of that, anumber of constitutional experts have raised yet anew legal problem they warned that could lead todissolving the next Assembly. Under Kuwaiti law, atleast one Cabinet member must be an elected MP -who is minister of social affairs and labour Thekra Al-Rasheedi in this Cabinet. But Rasheedi is no longeran MP after the constitutional court ruling which

makes the current Cabinet unconstitutional.A member of the scrapped 2012 Assembly

Mohammad Al-Dallal said the next Assembly isalready at risk of being dissolved because the gov-ernment is unconstitutional since it does not havean elected MP. This problem in addition to the prob-lem of finding a proper date may force the govern-ment not to announce an election date until the 60-day period passes off and this will automaticallyrevive the 2009 Assembly and the election date canbe postponed further.

Meanwhile, several members of the Salaf IslamicAlliance criticized the alliance leadership forannouncing that they will take part in the electionwithout consulting other members. Former SalafistMP Mohammad Al-Kandari described the move asan act of “hijacking” the group and insisted that thealliance’s decision should not have been affected bythe constitutional court ruling that lacks strong evi-dence and should not have been impacted by theposition of opportunists who only want to servetheir selfish interests.

So far, only the liberal National DemocraticAlliance and the Salaf alliance have announced theirparticipation in the election, but the majority of for-mer opposition MPs and almost all oppositiongroups have said they are boycotting. The liberalKuwait Democratic Forum has not yet announced adecision but its leading member and former MPSaleh Al-Mulla said he will not contest because hebelieves the single-vote decree promotes autocracyin the country.

Who enforces the law on enforcers?

KUWAIT: A high-ranking officer uses his mobile phonewhile driving. No comments.

As you all know, the constitutional courtupheld the one-vote decree and dissolvedthe parliament. Of course constitutionally,

we have two months to hold elections for the nextparliament. But since that day, the street is full ofrumors - be it on social media or in newspapers -some are predicting that the 2009 Assembly will beback. Some say the return of this parliament is alsounconstitutional. So we are left in a dilemma andthe forecast is unclear. It’s as hazy as our weather.

Some newspapers have predicted that mid-Ramadan may be the date for new elections. Wow!What a choice! In the heat, and people are fasting -you want to hold elections? That’s a joke. On theother hand, if they wait till the end of Ramadan, it isknown we are a travelling nation - we are bookedand packed to leave after Eid and onwards.

Also holding elections after Eid, for manyKuwaitis, will be considered a silly joke. From nowI’m predicting - unless a real relative is running, Idoubt anybody will sacrifice and cancel his and hisfamily’s holiday for the sake of the parliament. Onlythe candidates themselves will do this. So the onlyoption open for everybody to agree on and not sac-rifice holidays or being inconvenienced in Ramadanis the return of the 2009 Assembly.

The other topic which is occupying my mind onthe elections is the opposition and their stance. Inmy opinion, if you want to serve Kuwait, everyonehas to stand. We saw in the recently-dissolved par-liament that democracy does not work this way. Icall on the opposition to rethink and revise theirdecision and come back and participate. It doesn’tmatter what the results are. I’m sure many of themwill win seats.

Actually it was a chance for them that circum-stances changed and this parliament was dissolved.Now the ball in your court. Play it nicely and comeback. Despite all the disputes and agendas youhave, Kuwait deserves that of you.

KUWAIT: Calls by Sunni Muslim clericsfor a holy war against the Syrian gov-ernment and its Shiite allies arefuelling radicalism in the region, a sen-ior Iranian official said yesterday.Earlier this month, prominent clericSheikh Youssef Al-Qaradawi called forjihad in Syria after fighters from ShiiteLebanese group Hezbollah intervenedto help President Bashar Al-Assad, in amove which stoked sectarian tensions.Shiite Iran, a close ally of Assad andbacker of Hezbollah, has accused Araband Western states of fomenting ter-rorism in Syria by arming rebelscaught up in the two-year-old revolt.

“There were steps and fatwas fromclerics like Mr Qaradawi, these fatwasescalate and encourage apostasy andradicalism in the region,” Hossein AmirAbdollahian, Iranian Deputy Ministerfor Arab and Foreign Affairs, toldreporters in Kuwait. The Syrian conflict

is widening a divide in the Middle Eastbetween the two main denominationsof Islam. Kuwait, which lies across theGulf from Iran, has voiced concernthat the Syrian crisis is heighteningsectarian tension and becoming a bat-tlefield for regional powers.

Abdollahian said radicals in Syriahave been attacking all sects and cre-ating rifts between communities. Hecalled for a political solution to thecrisis which has killed more than90,000 people. Abdollahian, who wasin the state to meet Kuwaiti ForeignMinister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, denied that Iran was givingmilitary aid to the Syrian army. “Wegive economic, political and mediasupport to Syria,” he said. Hezbollahwas involved only to protect theLebanese-Syrian border and to shieldLebanese living in Syria from violence,he said. — Reuters

Iran: ‘Jihad’ calls fuel radicalism

Obama urges nuke weapons cuts

NEW DELHI: Shopkeepers use a boat as they wade through the rising waters ofthe Yamuna River at the Tibetan market yesterday. — AFP

DEHRADUN, India: Military helicoptersdropped emergency supplies yesterdayto thousands of people stranded by flashfloods that tore through towns and tem-ples in northern India and neighbouringNepal, killing more than 160, officials said.Thousands of pilgrims and tourists havealready been evacuated after floods andlandslides caused by early monsoon rainswrought devastation through India’sHimalayan foothills, they said. IndianPrime Minister Manmohan Singh said thepriority was rescuing those still strandedand helping the more than 10,000 peoplealready evacuated, describing the floodsas “most distressing”.

“There has been large scale devasta-tion,” the prime minister said after flyingover the flooded region late yesterdaywith ruling Congress party chief SoniaGandhi. He said the government wouldgive $170 million to the worst-hit state ofUttarakhand for rescue and relief opera-tions, adding “all possible resources” havebeen deployed to deal with the “ghastlytragedy.” Torrential rains at least threetimes as heavy as usual have hitUttarakhand, often called the “land of thegods”, where Hindu shrines and templesbuilt high in the mountains attract manypilgrims.

Continued on Page 15

India, Nepal monsoon floods leave 160 dead

DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates said yesterday itwould put on trial 30 Emiratis and Egyptiansaccused of setting up an illegal branch of Egypt’sMuslim Brotherhood, part of a crackdown on theIslamist organisation that has soured relations withCairo. Ties between Egypt and the UAE have beenstrained since the revolution that toppled veteranEgyptian ruler Hosni Mubarak, a long-time Gulf ally,in 2011, and the Muslim Brotherhood’s subsequentrise to power. The US-allied UAE has long been dis-trustful of the Muslim Brotherhood, which isbanned in the country. The UAE was openly criticalwhen the Brotherhood helped propel EgyptianPresident Mohamed Morsi to power last year.

A group of 94 Emiratis is on trial in the UAE forbelonging to an illegal organisation and plotting tooverthrow the government. A verdict is expectedon July 2. Most of the defendants are members ofan Islamist group called Al-Islah (Reform), whichdenies the government’s accusation that it is anarm of the Muslim Brotherhood. A statement on theUAE’s WAM state news agency yesterday said thatsome in the group had “set up and operated abranch of an organisation with an internationalnature ... for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt with-out a licence”.

Continued on Page 15

UAE to try 30 ‘Brotherhood’

cell members

KUWAIT: Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Iranian Deputy Minister for Arab and Foreign Affairs,speaks at a press conference at the Iranian Embassy yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat

BERLIN: US President Barack Obama waves next to German Chancellor AngelaMerkel before speaking on a podium in front of Berlin’s landmark BrandenburgGate near the US embassy yesterday. — AFP

L O C A LTHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received at Bayan Palace yesterday the new chief and mem-bers of the anti-corruption authority.

KUWAIT: His Highness the Amir SheikhSabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabahreceived at Bayan Palace yesterday thenew chief and members of the anti-cor-ruption authority. Chief AbdulrahmanSaleh Al-Nemash, Deputy Chief RiyadhAl-Hajri, in addition to members MeshariAl-Mutairi, Dawoud Al-Jarah, Hamad Al-Subaie, Abdulwahab Al-Muzaini, andLuai AlSaleh all took oath in front of HisHighness the Amir upon assuming theirnew positions. The meeting was attend-ed by Minister of Justice and Minister ofAwqaf and Islamic Affairs, ShareedaAbdullah Al-Muosherji, and Advisor atthe Amiri Diwan, Mohammad DaifallahSharar.

His Highness the Crown Prince SheikhNawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah alsoreceived at Bayan Palace yesterdayMinister of Justice and Minister of Awqafand Islamic Affairs Shareeda Abdullah Al-Mousherji . During the meeting, Al-Mousherji presented to HH head andmembers of the anti-corruption authori-

ty and provisions pertinent to financialdisclosure. This came on the occasion oftheir new appointment in their newposts. HH the Crown Prince congratulat-ed them on the formation of the newauthority which groups a number of loy-al Kuwaiti men who are experts in vari-ous spheres. He also praised their role infighting corruption and the consolida-tion of transparency. HH stressed thatthe government would continue toapply the law sternly on all and in allgovernment institutions, calling for thesimplification of the authority’s tasks soas to enable it set up a strategy to com-bat corruption as such is one of themeans of achieving the sought reform.The meeting was attended by HH theCrown Prince’s Diwan’s Undersecretaryfor Media Affairs Sheikh Mubarak Al-Hamoud Al-Salman Al-Sabah and HH theCrown prince Diwan’s Undersecretary forCeremonies and Protocol SheikhMubarak Sabah Al-Salem Al-Hamoud Al-Sabah. — KUNA

Amir receives new anti-graft officials

KUWAIT: The seventh session of the jointhigher committee between the State ofKuwait and the Kingdom of Morocco kickedoff here yesterday. Deputy Prime Minister andForeign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah headed the Kuwaiti sidewhile Morocco was represented by ForeignAffairs and Cooperation Minister Dr SaadEddine Othmani. During the session, the twosides began official talks and reviewed theoverall aspects of cooperation between themin all sectors. Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid gave aspeech in which he reviewed the march ofbrotherly close relations between the two

countries, stressing that they enjoy very gen-erous sponsorship of His Highness the AmirSheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah andhis brother King Mohammed VI. Sheikh SabahAl-Khalid recalled the visit by King MohammedV to Kuwait in January 1960 as that historic daymarked the start of the triumphant marchbetween the two countries.

He also spoke about the role played bythe Kuwait Fund for Arab EconomicDevelopment which was founded in in 1965,followed in 1976 by the start of investmentpartnership, which is still ongoing betweenthe two countries and peoples.

The Kuwaiti Minister also touched on thepositions of King Hassan II during the Iraqioccupation of Kuwait in 1990 “which reflectedthe authenticity of this leader”. He also recalledthe official visit made by His Highness the AmirSheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah toKing Mohammed VI on October 12, 2010, andthe visit by the Moroccan monarch to his sec-ond home Kuwait in October 23, 2012.

He said the visits clearly reflect the fraternaland deep-rooted ties binding the two rulingfamilies in the two countries. He congratulatedthe Moroccan people for the vast develop-ment witnessed by their country and in themarch of democracy. And on the work of thecurrent session, Sheikh Sabah Khaled said it iscontinuation of the excellent partnership dealsthat entered its institutional frameworkthrough the formation of this committee in2001. For his part, the Moroccan Minister saidin his speech the convening of the joint com-mittee was an opportunity for consultationand exchange of views on the most effectiveways to enrich the process of bilateral coopera-tion between the two sides and coordinationon issues of common concern.

He also noted the valuable contribution ofthe State of Kuwait in development projects inMorocco, saying the Kuwait Fund for ArabEconomic Development (KFAED) has extendeduntil March 2012 37 loans with a financial val-ue of KD 392 million.” He invited businessmenand economic figures in the two countries todevelop a genuine partnership and stimulate

economic cooperation, trade and investment,with an emphasis on the need to increase thevolume of trade which is still below the desiredlevel. He also expressed Morocco’s readiness todevelop an effective strategic partnership thatis integrated with the countries of the GulfCooperation Council (GCC) which would con-tribute to the consecration of the elements of amulti-dimensional development renaissancewhose benefits are shared by everyone.

The five agreements that were signedtoday were:

• Memorandum of Understanding in thefield of exhibitions.

• An additional protocol to the Conventionon mutual assistance and cooperation in cus-toms affairs.

• Memorandum of Understanding for coop-eration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairsand Cooperation of Morocco (MoroccanAcademy for Diplomatic Studies) and theMinistry of Foreign Affairs in the State ofKuwait (Sheikh Saud Nasser Al-SabahDiplomatic Institute).

• The executive program for tourism coop-eration agreement for the years2013/2014/2015.

• Executive program for a Memorandumof Understanding in the field of Awqaf andIslamic Affairs of the Ministry of Awqaf andIslamic Affairs in the State of Kuwait and theMinistry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs inMorocco for the years 2013/2014/2015.

— KUNA (See also Page 4)

Kuwait, Morocco ink five key agreements

KUWAIT: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and Morocco’s Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister Dr SaadEddine Othmani sign agreements. — KUNA

TOKYO: Kuwait’s trade surplus with Japan jumped 26.4 percentin May to JPY 107.7 billion ($1.1 billion) from a year earlier,expanding for the first time since February. Kuwait maintainedblack ink with Japan for the 64th consecutive month, theFinance Ministry said yesterday. Kuwaiti overall exports toJapan grew 28.5 percent to JPY 122.1 billion ($1.3 billion) for thefirst increase in three months, while imports from Japan surged46.6 percent year-on-year to JPY 14.3 billion ($150 million), upfor the first time in three months, the ministry said in a prelimi-nary report.

Middle East’s trade surplus with Japan also widened 12.2percent to JPY 1. 037 trillion ($10.9 billion) last month, withJapan-bound exports from the region expanding 11.5 percentfrom a year earlier. Crude oil, refined products, liquefied naturalgas (LNG) and other natural resources, which accounted for97.8 percent of the region’s total exports to Japan, grew 11.2percent on the year. The crude alone increased 10.2 percent.The region’s overall imports from Japan went up 8.0 percent,mainly due to robust shipments of automobile and machinery.

The world’s third-biggest economy logged a global deficit ofJPY 993.9 billion ($10.4 billion) in May for the 11th month of redink, as the weaker yen pushed up costs for imports despite asharp rise in exports. It was the biggest trade deficit for themonth of May since comparable data became available in 1979.

Exports totaled JPY 5.768 trillion ($60.6 billion), up 10.1 per-cent on weak shipments to Europe and Asia. Exports to China,Japan’s biggest trading partner, rose 8.3 percent on the year.Imports also rose 10.0 percent to JPY 6.762 trillion ($71.0 billion)as crude oil imports grew 6.4 percent and LNG 8.2 percent,respectively. Japan’s currency weakened more than 20 percentagainst the US dollar and euro in May from a year earlier,according to the ministry.— KUNA

Kuwait’s tradesurplus with

Japan jumps 26.4%

LO C A LTHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

K U WA I T: T h e d e p u t y d i re c t o r o f f i redepartment, Brig Khalid Al-Zaid, receivedi n h i s o f f i c e t h e d i re c t o r o f H a w a l l yMosques administrat ion, Dr Khal id Al-Hais.

The two discussed the means to ensurecooperation to deal with the crowds anda ny e m e r g i n g s i t u a t i o n d u r i n g t h eRamadan prayers in Kuwait’s mosques ingeneral and in the Hawally area.

Such cooperation is required to ensuresmooth conduct at the mosques in partic-ular and to ensure safety of the devout.Also, inspection of the tents erected forthe prayers during the holy month and

ensuring that al l precautionar y normshave been observed was also discussed.

Brig. Al-Zaid appreciated the effor tsbeing made by the Awqaf minist r y toensure safety of the devout and the fruit-ful cooperation among them and said thatthe fire department will put all its equip-ment at the disposal of the Awqaf min-istry to ensure the safety of the peoplepraying during the holy month.

Th e f i re d e p a r t m e n t h a s i n s p e c te dmore than 100 tents for the benefit of theAwqaf ministry last year.

The meeting was attended by ColonelK h a l i d A l - A j m i , Co l o n e l M u s a a d A l -Sarheed, engineer Suapha Al-Yaseen andColonel Khalil Al-Amir while media con-

sultant Mohammad Abdul Aziz participat-ed from the Ministry of Awqaf.

A campaign titled “We want it to be inevery house in Kuwait” started on June 17and will continue for three weeks at thecooperative societies under the patron-age of chairperson of the Kuwaiti Societyfo r I d e a l Fa m i l y, S h e i k h a Fa re e h a A l -Ahmad. The campaign aims at educatingthe people, the cit izens as wel l as theexpats, about the danger of fire and howto protect your house from an accident inorder to reduce the instance of fire at anyprivate residence. Brochures were distrib-uted to the people, a gesture appreciatedby the visitors to the cooperative soci-eties.

KUWAIT: A campaign got off on July 17 to highlight the ‘dangers of fire’ spearheaded by Kuwaiti Society for Ideal Family. (Right): The deputy director of fire department, Brig Khalid Al-Zaid, received in his office the director of HawallyMosques administration, Dr Khalid Al-Hais.

Fire dept reviews holy month preparationsCampaign focuses on ‘dangers of fire’

KUWAIT: Public Relations Director ofthe Ministry of Interior Colonel AdelAhmad Al-Hashash said that as sum-mer vacation approaches, an aware-ness plan has been prepared alongwith several brochures in different lan-guages.

The brochures, which have beendistributed, include advice about howto keep tiers safe, especially in summer,when heat could cause the tiers toburst. Another brochure advises thesea lovers about the right way to weara safety jacket.

Yet another special brochure wasdistributed about the parking slotsmeant for the handicapped, which arespecially designated areas since theseare near the services centers.

Al-Hashash said that the campaign

was designed for people of all agegroups and is being executed in allareas. He said security messages werebeing beamed for the benefit of thecitizens and expats through television

to alert them about any exigency thatcan strike during the summer season,like cases of theft when houses are leftunattended, instances of teenagersloafing around and traffic accidents.

PR awareness drive for summer season

Colonel Adel Ahmad Al-Hashash

KUWAIT: “Visitors, in accordance with article 14,who still have some disputes with their sponsorsor the companies that invited them, and whosecases are still being discussed at the Ministry ofSocial Affairs and Labor or in the local courts andwho have been given one to three months worthtemporary residency visas till they reach settle-ments are advised not to leave before the settle-ment,” MOI’s assistant undersecretary for citizen-ship and passports affairs, Major General SheikhFaisal Nawaf Al-Sabah said.

He said the departure would lead to cancela-tion of the temporary residency and such peoplewill not be allowed back into the country excepton the basis of new visas.

Sheikh Faisal also said that several organiza-tional measures have been taken to straightenout and solve the problems accruing due to visaviolations while, at the same time, efforts are onto protect the rights of both expats and sponsors,without any exception.

49 arrestedA police posse from Mina Abdullah police sta-

tion of the Ahmadi governorate carried out aninspection campaign under the supervision ofColonel AbdulAziz Saleh Al-Mutairi.

The campaign resulted in the arrest of 49 per-sons, of whom 28 persons were found withoutidentification or with expired residency and tenpersons working as free laborers, six in violationof labor law and five in violation of residency law.All were sent to the concerned authorities. Also,ten traffic citations were handed out.

Advisory to temporaryresidency holders

KUWAIT: Officials distribute brochures to motorists

L O C A LTHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Mazen Al-Nahedh, NBK General Manager, Consumer Banking Group, in a group photo with the Summer Internship Program students.

KUWAIT: Director General of Arab Planning Institute Bader Malallah holds talkswith Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Morocco DrSaad Eddin Othmani in his office yesterday. —KUNA

KUWAIT: Kuwait-based Arab PlanningInstitute has a formidable regional role inboosting growth and development amongArab countries, said Moroccan minister of for-eign affairs and cooperation Saad-Eddine ElOthman while visiting the institute here yes-terday. The minister said that it was imminentthat his country would be accepted as a newmember in the Institute, stressing the viewthat the Institute offered viable paradigms forgrowth and sustainable development thatshould be adopted by Arab economies intheir long-term socio-economic planning.

While he indicated that the size of Kuwaitiinvestments in his country amounted toabout nine billion dollars, he drove the pointhome that Morocco shared strategic partner-ships with nations of the GCC, saying hiscountry was working hard on concludingmutual plans with the GCC in the fields ofeconomics, security, and defense. He saidthere were nine task force teams in Moroccoworking on these plans.

On his part, director general of the ArabPlanning Institute Bader Malallah welcomedthe membership of Morocco in the Institutewhich he said would be finalized and officiallyannounced soon.

He indicated that his talks with the minis-ter dealt in part with the possibility of the

Institute training Moroccan diplomats todevelop skills that they would use in theirofficial duties, particularly in addressing eco-nomic issues locally and regionally.

He stressed the point that the Institute hasexpanded its reach regionally and broadenedits activities in offering consultations andtraining programs to its members.

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister and ForeignMinister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah received Dr Saad Eddin Othmani.

The meeting came during his official visitto the country to take part in the seventh ses-sion of the Joint Kuwaiti-Moroccan commit-tee. During the meeting, the two sides dis-cussed regional and international politicalissues as well as bilateral relations betweenthe two countries and ways to strengthenthem. The meeting was attended byUndersecretary of the Ministry of ForeignAffairs Khaled Al-Jarallha, Director General ofKuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development(KFAED) Abdulwahab Al-Bader, Director of theArab world affairs in the ministry AmbassadorJamal Abdullah Al-Ghanim, Director of theOffice of Deputy Prime Minister and ForeignMinister Ambassador Sheikh Dr. AhmadNasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah and Kuwait’sAmbassador to the kingdom of MoroccoShamlan Abdullaziz Al-Romi. — KUNA

Moroccan FM extols Kuwait-based API

KUWAIT: Kuwait Municipality has intensified itsinspection of food shops, supermarkets and storesaimed at punishing violators in various areas inKuwaiti Governorates, ahead of incoming holymonth of Ramadan. Emergency teams and regula-tory bodies of the municipality of Mubarak Al-Kabeer continue to follow-up on itinerary of thefood until they reach the consumer, in addition tochecking all health requirements, Director of theMunicipality Mubarak Al-Kabeer branch SheridaAl-Mutairi said yesterday.

Al-Mutairi added that the inspection cam-paigns carried out yesterday on supermarkets andcooperative societies were aimed at taking ran-dom samples from a number of food products.One of the food products, after being tested at thelaboratory and found unsuitable for human con-sumption, was taken out of the shelves. The toursresulted in closing an unlicensed food store anddemolishing 100 kilograms of cheese, olives and

thyme, he said. Moreover, citations were issuedagainst a store that was opened ahead of obtain-ing approval of the municipality and for unhealthyfood packaging.

For his part, the head of the emergency team inthe municipality of the province, Abdullah Al-Amaie, said “health and safety of consumers wouldremain above all other consideration,” andaffirmed that these missions would not be restrict-ed to specific locations or timing.

He also stressed on commitment by all regula-tions and municipal laws in order to avoid legalaccountability, pointing out that the teams wouldalso look out for anyone trying to tamper with thehealth and safety of consumers through intensiveinspection campaigns, which will include all foodshops as well as vendors. The municipality calledon consumers to check products’ expiry datebefore buying, and contact the municipal hot line(139) for any complaint.— KUNA

Municipality intensifies raids ahead of Ramadan100kg rotten cheese, olives and thyme destroyed

KUWAIT: Municipal inspectors conduct inspections.

Sherida Al-Mutairi

KUWAIT: The Kuwait Municipality GeneralDirector Eng Ahmad Al-Subaih warned yester-day that the Municipality teams will removeany billboards, banners, tents or any sort ofelection-related ads that are hoisted before theofficial launch of electioneering campaigns.“Municipality teams backed by security person-nel will remove any ads violating the electorallaw without prior notice,” Al-Subaih said. Al-

Subaih laid it bare that the Municipality willfirmly apply law on everybody. “No one isallowed to rent a place for electioneering tentbefore the issuance of the Amiri decree settingthe date of the election and electioneeringcampaign,” he said.

He unveiled that the Municipality isembarking on a plan to guarantee the successof the electoral process to avoid loopholes and

problems which emerged in previous ones. Al-Subaih warned against hoisting unli-

censed billboards or installing any ads at keyplaces which could tarnish the image of mainroads, major squares and could even causetraffic jams or accidents. He asked citizenryand firms seeking to install ads at any place toget license from Municipality Council office inthe related areas to avoid ads removal.— KUNA

Electoral ads, tents to be removed: Subaih

KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait(NBK) has launched the first in aseries of the 2013 SummerInternship Program two-weekcourses custom-made for highschool and college students agedbetween 15 and 20 years.

NBK Summer InternshipProgram is specially designed forhigh school and college students,

as an extension of NBK’s educa-t ion outreach ser vices and ademonstration of the Bank’s long-standing social involvement aswell as its national commitmenttowards providing the young gen-erations with the appropriateopportunities to experience first-hand how the actual professionalbanking issues and transaction are

handled and processed.The 5-hour daily sessions of

two-week internship featured amixture of theoretical and practi-cal training dedicated to provid-ing the interns with invaluableknowledge on a variety of sub-jects such as; the team work, cre-ative think ing, means of selfexpression and modern banking

work procedure, in addition tohelping interns to have greaterexposure to daily banking workprocedures.

NBK regularly organizes anddesigns events and packages forthe youth of the country to famil-iar ize them with the world ofbanking and make them responsi-ble citizens.

NBK launches first in a series of its Summer Internship Program 2013

KUWAIT: Border security officers arrested a manon Tuesday when he was trying to cross into Iraq, alocal newspaper reported yesterday quotingsources familiar with the case. The suspect, anIranian man in his thirties, was reportedly caughtand found in possession of “a large amount of cashin different currencies,” said the sources who spoketo Al-Rai on the condition of anonymity. He wasreferred to the proper authorities for questioning.

TheftInvestigations were onto trace a briefcase con-

taining KD 57,000 in cash stolen from a car inKuwait City recently. The briefcase was stolenfrom a car parked outside the Liberation Tower.Police rushed to the spot while the driverexplained that he was to deposit the cash in thebank account of the company he worked for. Hehad stopped outside the Liberation Tower on hisway for an errand that took half an hour. When hereturned, he found the car’s window smashed andthe briefcase missing. A case was filed at theSalhiya police station.

Policeman held A police officer faces charges after he was

caught driving recklessly while in uniform. Theincident took place in Salmiya where traffic policepulled over a driver who was seen performingdangerous stunts with his vehicle. The officers

soon found out that the man behind the wheelsported police uniform. Regardless, the man wasarrested and taken to the area’s police stationwhere he was put behind bars after being allowedto change into civil clothes.

Teenager stabbedA teenager was hospitalized after he was bru-

tally assaulted at a leisure park in Hawally recently.Police and paramedics reached the scene shortlyafter the incident was reported, and found theBedouin (stateless) youngster bleeding of stabwounds on his back and shoulder. He was rushedto the Mubarak Hospital while police managed toarrest the two men who attacked him. The Kuwaitiyoungsters were taken to the area’s police stationto face charges.

Suicide attemptsA worker was hospitalized after he tried self-

immolation inside a garage in Shuwaikh Tuesday.The Asian man was rushed in an ambulance to theSabah Hospital where his condition was describedas stable. Preliminary investigations indicated thatthe man tried to commit suicide by setting himselfablaze. A case was filed at the Shuwaikh police sta-tion and officers were waiting for a clearance fromthe doctors to question the man.

Meanwhile, a Gulf national was rushed to thehospital late Monday night after he consumed a

poisonous substance in an apparent attempt tocommit suicide. The man was rushed to the hospi-tal in an ambulance that reached his Sulaibiyahouse accompanied by the police shortly after theincident was reported. Police were waiting for theman’s condition to stabilize in order to questionhim about his motives.

Disabled driver arrestedA disabled man was arrested after he tried to

break through a traffic jam flashing a beacon lightnormally affixed atop police cars. Police reachedthe scene where several drivers reported a vehiclecarrying a ‘disabled driver’ sticker as well as therevolving beacon light and trying to jostle its wayout of the jam. The driver was intercepted and tak-en into custody to the Fintas police station. Inaddition to the charge of impersonating police,the Kuwaiti man was also charged with offendingpolice officers on duty after he reportedly insultedpolicemen while being arrested.

Fugitive nabbedA convict sentenced to a jail term was arrested

during a security campaign carried out recently inFarwaniya. The 34-year-old Kuwaiti was firstpulled over for swerving, and then arrested afterpolice found he was wanted to serve a five-yearjail term. He was referred to the proper authoritiesfor further action.

SFAX, Tunisia: Interim Tunisian PrimeMinister Ali Laarayedh lauded here lateTuesday the Kuwaiti participation in the 47thEdition of Sfax International Fair which willlast till July 2.

This came during Laarayedh’s visit to theKuwaiti pavilion. Laayaredh lauded theKuwaiti products shown at the pavilion,stressing the importance of the Kuwaiti par-ticipation in the fair.

Meanwhile, Kuwaiti Embassy’s ConsulDhakeel Al-Khurainej thanked the PrimeMinister for his sincere gesture and his visit tothe pavilion, affirming that Kuwait was keenon participating in the fair due to the event’sinternational appeal.

He also indicated that his country waseager to bolster bilateral relations within the

trade and economic domains. Speaking toKUNA during the participation, head of theKuwaiti pavilion Mohammad Al-Mutairi saidthat investments in Tunisia were very attrac-tive to business personnel from around theglobe due to the country’s strategic location.

He affirmed that Sfax international fair wasthe gateway for Kuwaiti investments in Africa,making it a matter of necessity to participatein the fair. On her part, Kuwaiti Ministry ofCommerce and Industry representativeMarwa Al-Judaian said that 20 Kuwaiti com-panies representing several sectors are par-taking in the event.

She indicated that this was the fifthKuwaiti participation in the Sfax fair which iswitnessing 250 exhibitors from Tunis, Libya,and Kuwait. — KUNA

KUALA LUMPUR: Kuwait’s Ambassador toAustralia and New Zealand, Khaled Al-Shaibanistressed yesterday the significance of commu-nications between Kuwaiti and Australian edu-cational sectors to strengthen bilateral cooper-ation between the two countries.

“Kuwait University delegation is currentlytouring in Australia and New Zealand, toobserve new methods of academic and cultur-al cooperation with universities and educa-tional institutions in both countries,” said Al-

Shaibani in a phone call with KUNA yesterdayon the occasion of a luncheon hosted by theAustralian National University (ANU) in honorof Kuwait University’s Rector Abdullatif Al-Bader and the accompanying delegation.Ambassador Al-Shaibani praised the effortsexerted by Kuwait University rector in thisregard. The luncheon was attended byAmbassador Al-Shaibani, Head of KuwaitCultural Office in Australia Ammar Al-Husseiniand Cultural Attache Fahhad Al-Ajmi.—KUNA

Envoy seeks to boostties with Australia

The Kuwait University delegation currently touring Australia and NewZealand. — KUNA

Tunisia PM lauds Kuwaiti participation in Sfax fair

Man arrested while crossing into Iraq Policeman held for reckless driving

L O C A LTHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

KUWAIT: Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs SheikhSalman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah met Ukrainian AmbassadorVolodymyr Tolkach yesterday. During the meeting, Sheikh Salman discussed bilat-eral relations and ways to bolster cooperation between the two countries. —KUNA

Assembly electionslikely on July 20Lukewarm response to boycott call

KUWAIT: Elections are likely to be held on July 20, less thantwo weeks into Ramadan, according to a governmentinsider, who said a decree calling for Kuwaitis to head tothe polls could be issued as early as next Sunday.

The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity,was quoted by Al-Qabas daily, which also indicated thatmost members of the liberal National Democratic Forum,as well as the Awazem and Ajman tribes, who boycottedlast December’s polls, are expected to take part in theupcoming elections. On the other hand, members of theoppositionist Popular Action Movement and the IslamicConstitutional Movement, along with most members ofthe Salafist Islamic Assembly, have announced plans toboycott the upcoming elections in protest against the sin-gle-vote system that the Constitutional Court upheld onSunday. “Our decision to boycott the elections is based onprinciple and reflects our belief that the constitution mustbe the reference, and the ruling regime must never beautocratic,” leading ICM member Mubarak Al-Duwailahtold Al-Qabas.

While the constitutional court upheld HH the Amir’sright to issue emergency decrees in the absence of a par-liament, based on his assessment of the state of urgency,decisions to boycott the elections are mostly based on theidea that amending the electoral system outside the parlia-ment infringes on people’s right to determine the course ofthe House of their representatives.

“Former MPs Khalid Al-Sultan, Mohammad Al-Kandariand I reiterate our position to avoid taking part in anassembly that lacks decision-making powers and is sub-jected to the executive authority’s decisions,” said formerMP Abdullah Al-Omairi, reflecting part of the Safalistmovement’s opinions. Meanwhile, fellow Salafist politicianand former MP Ali Al-Omair stated that running for the par-liament became “necessary” after the court’s ruling.

The chief of the Awazem tribe, Falah bin Jame’a, told Al-Qabas that tribal leaders were planning to hold a meetingwithin a week in order to determine their position withregard to the upcoming elections. He pointed out that thetribesmen had “no disputes” with other sectors and were

“in harmony with the Kuwaiti people.”In the meantime, a parliament insider told Al-Qabas

that between 17 and 22 MPs of the recently annulled par-liament are not planning to run again, making it almostcertain that at least 50 percent of the upcoming parlia-ment will be new members.

In a related note, Al-Rai daily reported that members ofthe annulled parliament have discussed the possibility ofputting pressure on the prime minister to avoid a scenariothat sees him provide support to former MPs MohammadAl-Saqr and Marzouq Al-Ghanim, should any of them runfor speaker. This was revealed by sources familiar with ameeting hosted by Yaqoub Al-Sane recently, which wasattended by 17 members of the annulled parliament,including its speaker, Ali Al-Rashid. Meanwhile, Al-Saqr toldAl-Rai that he had yet to decide whether to contest in theupcoming elections. Separately, Director of the ElectionsDepartment in the Ministry of Interior Colonel MohammadAl-Adwani told Al-Anba that around 439,000 Kuwaitis areeligible to vote in the upcoming elections.

Kuwait for global networks to avert disasters

GENEVA: Kuwait condones linking the world communications net-works in such a way to prevent the occurrence of global natural dis-asters or assuage their impact on the populace and on property,said a Kuwaiti minister at a conference here yesterday.

Addressing a regular session of the council of the InternationalTelecommunications Union (ITU), Kuwait’s minister of communica-tions Salem Al-Uthaina also came out in favor of closing the digitaltechnology gap between developing countries and the highlydeveloped ones.

KUWAIT: Under the patronage of Assistant Undersecretary Ministry of Interior General Ahmad NawafAl-Sabah and in the presence of Brig Khalid Al-Jinahi, Brig Mohammad Amer Al-Ajmi, Brig Abdul AzizAl-Mutawa, Colonel Mohammad Bader Al-Roomi and Lt Colonel Osama Al-Shimmari, a graduation cer-emony was held in Saad Al-Abdullah Academy yesterday to graduate Class 27 lance corporal and Class80 police officers. Brig Khalid Al-Jinahi congratulated the graduates and conveyed the greetings of theAssistant Undersecretary. He also wished them success in their career.

Asian man found hanging in Salmiya flat

By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: Security sources revealed that an Asian womaninformed the Salmiya police station that she found dead a rela-tive of hers with whom she shared an apartment as he hangedhimself in his room. As security men reached the apartment,they found that the 28-year-old Asian man hung himself with arope tied to the ceiling in his room. A case of suicide was regis-tered.

Cousins heldIn Salmiya, two Egyptian cousins were arrested for possess-

ing some kind of drug. They were arrested after a citizen report-ed that one of them was using Hashish. After the arrest, policerecovered 250 grams of Hashish, drugs pills and some moneyfrom them. Also, police found that both of them were wantedin cases of theft and forgery.

Car on fireIn the Qurain area, a citizen working with the Ministry of

Electricity and Water reported that an unidentified person sethis Lexus car afire. A case of setting a car on purpose was filed.

Wife thiefAnother citizen reported to the Mubarak Al-Kabeer police

station accusing his wife of stealing the house furniture and KD5000 while he was in hospital for treatment. He was admitted atthe hospital towards the end of March and was dischargedrecently.

AssaultIn Al-Naeem area, a citizen filed a report against unidentified

occupants of a Lumina car and told officers at the Al-Jahrapolice station that a man in the car assaulted him physically andstole his mobile. He gave the police the plate number of the car.

MolestationIn Abu Hlaifa area, an Arab woman told the police that an

unknown person stopped in front of the car and forced her tonote down his telephone number and sexually harassed her. Acase was registered.

Complaints about MOE reshuffles

KUWAIT: Minister of Educationand Higher Education Dr NayefAl-Hajraf , recently approvedand endorsed decisions toreshuffle the ministry’s assistantundersecretaries, said educa-tional sources noting thatreshuffles included the assistantundersecretaries for planningsector, for the curriculums sec-tor and the educational con-structions.

The sources added that thereshuffled officials had manycomplaints and consideredthem as intentional to forcethem file retirement requests,especially since they hadrefused retirement and pre-ferred staying in service to ben-efit from the new incentivesapproved by the cabinet recent-ly. “All of them were transferredto sectors beyond their special-ties”, stressed the sources.

Meanwhile, well-informedsources at the health ministrysaid that, in view of the min-istry’s need for a building readi-ly equipped with medicaldevices and OPD clinics andbecause KOC is planning tobuild a new developed hospitalin Ahmadi, MOH has plans toutilize the KOC hospital build-ing in reducing pressure at theAdan hospital.

The sources added that KOChad already started building thenew hospital with a total cost ofKD 60 million and that the proj-ect is scheduled to be conclud-ed within three years.

PoWs issueFollow-up and coordina-

tion director at foreign min-istry ambassador KhalidMuqames revealed that ameeting was held for the tech-nical committee concernedabout POW in Iraq. Pointingthat a trio committee will meettoday in the presence of anIraqi delegation headed byhuman rights minister.

L O C A LTHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Afew days ago my friend was cited for stoppinghis car in a no-parking area. He had left his carto tend to an urgent matter before the day

ended so that he did not have to postpone the sub-ject to the following day. When I asked him if he feltupset that the officer gave him a traffic ticket, hereplied with a smile on his face, saying, “Only an igno-rant would be upset for a wrong he committed, whilea wise man becomes upset for something right hestrives to accomplish.”

Last Monday, the Constitutional Court issued itsruling that was termed ‘historic’, ‘crucial’ and similarepithets. The court dissolved the parliament andcalled for new elections but at the same time rejectedchallenges to the constitutionality of the single-votesystem’s decree. The period before the ruling sawmany people becoming concerned that it might leadto protests that could harm public interest. I believethat after the court issued its ruling, everyone hon-ored the verdict while at the same time ensuring thatthose who oppose through undemocratic ways stopdoing so.

If we consider the current situation in the country,including the problems it faces and the aspirations of

the people, we come up with the conclusion thatpolitical forces need to focus on shifting the role ofthe parliament towards achieving the general inter-est, instead of using the legislative authority is a plat-form to settle differences. I believe that the rulingcomes in accordance with the hopes of reformistswho seek more political freedom and a local policythat serves the country’s interest, especially becauseKuwait requires political stability since the countrythat sits on more than six percent of the world’s oilreserve depends on cooperation between the cabinetand parliament. Therefore, the opposition is requiredto resort to peaceful tactics in order to end theaggressive attitude it has been striking against thegovernment for years now.

Meanwhile, voters have the responsibility of elect-ing competent politicians who can best representthem in the parliament and achieve their ambitions.The ruling might reduce the level of hostility to someextent between the government and the opposition,but what needs to be the focus of attention today isthe need to stop the feuding between the governmentand the lawmakers, and instead work to utilize the timeto best serve the country and its people. — Al-Rai

The court rulingkuwait digest

By Saad Al-Rushaidi

By Labeed Abdal

labeed@kuwaittimes.net

‘Peacebook’

In my view

Oppositiondilemma

kuwait digest

By Thaar Al-Rashidi

The opposition is now in an awkward position, andpersonally I do not wish to be in their shoes. Theirchoices are very limited; in fact, it has only two

choices. Either it can accept to participate in theupcoming election, or it can boycott the election andland on the streets once again.

Agreeing to participate in the elections is some-thing that the opposition can better calculate. There isno harm in it for the opposition, especially for thosewho announced they will boycott, to revise their deci-sion. Their decisions are not the scriptures that it wouldbe sinful if they decided to contest the upcoming elec-tions. We respect all opposition members withoutexception, and we know that some of them alone candesign 50 councils similar to the “December Council.”

But here, it is a case of reading the real political situ-ation and not just praising someone. The reality is thatif the government harbored any ill will, and wanted alldecisions in its favor, as they claim, then it would haveensured any decision it wanted through the dissolvedcouncil.

All it had to do was to put across a proposal whichwould have been adopted by the loyal MPs and thenpublished in the official paper and would have becomea reality. But the government in its political wisdomdecided that the last word should rest with the judicialauthority and not come through the loyal council thatcannot refuse anything. This signifies a good and clearpolitical intention and the opposition knows this verywell.

If the opposition decided to boycott elections andwanted to bet on the actions in the political street, itwill face two possibilities. Either it would give out callsfor rallies, demonstrations and protests, or it willdepend on organizing seminars and change the moodof the street with their fiery speeches. They may try to“turn a local issue into an international one” throughthe media in order to embarrass the government.

Let us come back to understanding the real politicalscene and watch how it looks like from the far corner.Now, after the current situation and the constitutionalcourt verdict, all political rivals will be obliged to recal-culate their strategies about whether they should sup-port their loyalists, or those who allied with the oppo-sition and agree with it. Some change was noticed inthe attitude of these leaders, especially during the lastfew days. This change for sure will impact the thoughtof some of the opposition members and will tangiblychange the next move of the opposition.

Just as the government is not totally free in takingdecisions, the opposition is also not totally free and issubject to the political calculations of some of theallies. Do you know what is our problem? Simply, thatneither the government is free, nor the opposition andthe solution to our crisis lies in liberating both, thegovernment as well as the opposition. Thereafter, ourcountry will be on the path of growth and any talk oth-er than this will be mere wishful thinking and hopes,hopes that can neither build a hospital nor pave a roador spread real democracy.

NOTE 1: The next change in the government will seemore than 60 percent saying “never mind and say that Idon’t know”. But there are not less than seven ministerswhom you will not see again after the next elections.Of course, that is if there are elections in the first place.

NOTE 2: The next elections, the stamp indicating aperson has voted would have to be affixed on the“forehead” of the citizen instead of his citizenshipbook. Frankly, there is no space left in the citizenshipbook. —Al-Anbaa

Are the developments in the region over thepast three years a sign of a big tsunami ofchange? The wrongly named Arab Spring phe-

nomenon hardly gives a positive view of the future.Such events must be monitored by all nations,

because the people shown on TV staging peacefuldemonstrations, engaging in violent protests, get-ting tear-gassed, or being hit by rubber bullets andwater cannons belong to the young generation.Surprisingly, most of those young people are under30 years old, with almost no political affiliation, and amajority among them have joined a protest for thefirst time in their lives.

Most of that turmoil could have been avoidedfrom the beginning with a single sincere statement:“Yes, we are listening and will fulfill your hopes.”Everything possible must be done to save the coun-try and its people. Instead of just talking about thenational crisis and personal vendettas betweenMuslim sects or among people from different reli-gions, just do what needs to be done to stop all this.

It is not logical to blame ordinary people for stag-ing protests, when such events are initiated by super-powers, who also provide support by supplyingweapons from behind. Protestors must understandthat there are various kinds of competitions takingplace globally, particularly among superpowers whoconsider themselves to be the world’s decision-mak-ers and are supported by the media and other vagueentities.

Unfortunately, keeping aside the conspiracy theo-ries, there is also an illness within, even though thereare problems existing outside. One can see the gameof chess being played everywhere - on the ground aswell as in cyberspace. The UN must play a moreactive role by using distinct and highly qualifiednegotiators who can find new solutions and helptreat the illnesses affecting humanity and worldpeace. It must engage powerful players who can helpthose suffering from poverty, ignorance, corruption,and irresponsible regimes. Today, we can see how thesocial media helps people exercise their right ofexpression and fulfill their urge to be heard. Weurgently need a social media application, that maybe called Peacebook or Peacewitter, through whichpeople across the world can network for peace,express their needs, and interact freely.

A letter ofgratitude tothe judiciary

kuwait digest

By Dr Ahmad Al-Khateeb

The Constitutional Court’s historic ruling on June16, 2013 rejects there being any authority abovethe constitution, judiciary and representatives of

the nation. Because without that, the democratic lifeand partnership in the decision making process wouldhave come to an end. There is no absolute power, andno people can be driven like sheep. All are equal citi-zens, and the wealth of this land belongs to all.Everyone’s rights and dignity are guaranteed.

‘The Clash of Civilizations’ theory under which theArab people have been unable to become a civilizednation has ended. The wave of the Arab Spring hasthrown away the argument that Arabs are unable toevolve after living for centuries in submission to theirrulers. Everyone in Kuwait should be proud about thehistoric ruling that gives us a reason to hold our headshigh in the middle of our pitiful Arabic surroundings.

Likewise, the verdict to abolish the NationalElections Committee was a bold decision that rejectedany attempts to force the judiciary into the electoralprocess in ways that are not in line with the independ-ence of the judicial authority. I was hoping that theruling would not address the single-vote subjectbecause this system, while adopted in some demo-cratic countries, favors the concept of having a singleconstituency as well. If Kuwait wanted to benefit themost from the single-vote system, constituenciesshould be divided into fifty with each being represent-ed by one MP in the parliament. Also, it is necessary toenforce the electoral law strictly to prevent illegalpractices indulged in by those who do not believe indemocracy.

To those criticizing the judiciary’s verdicts: Whilesome of your arguments have legal justification, youhave to realize that Kuwait’s constitutional court islocated in Kuwait, and not in Sweden, a democraticcountry that enjoys true democracy. We have notbeen a democratic state since 1967, and what separat-ed us from our miserable surroundings is a margin offreedom of speech that is shrinking day after day.

The judiciary alone cannot bear the liability for thereform process. It moves along a road punctuated bymany hurdles. It is everyone’s duty to cooperate andput our differences aside to engage in the battle fortrue reforms, and provide a suitable environment forthe judiciary to carry out its required role. — Al-Qabas

The crux ofthe problem

kuwait digest

By Dr Aseel Al-Awadhi

As I said in my previous article, we are morallycommitted to accept the constitutional court’sruling regardless of what we think of it. As citi-

zens, we have a duty to abide by the law and the con-stitution, namely article 173 of it which authorizes theconstitutional court to decide on constitutional litiga-tions and act as the only reference in constitutionalconflicts. Our respect for the ruling reflects our respectfor the institutions we need to fortify.

This respect shown to the constitutional court rul-ing does not, at all, means that we are fully convincedabout it. However, it is permitted to discuss such rul-ings in democratic regimes, which does not meanquestioning the judiciary or suspecting the judgesthemselves.

Different issues and cases can be seen differentlyby different people but eventually court rulings put anend to such controversies, leaving the verdict’s analy-

sis to constitutional experts. Nevertheless, reading theruling’s details myself, I was not convinced that theone-vote decree was ever necessary.

However, I highly appreciate the constitutionalcourt’s defense of its right to evaluate and monitor thenecessity decrees and, actually, reject one of them andannul a government’s ‘rubber-stamp’ parliament,which sets an example of the need to restrict thenecessity decrees even when they come as an Amiriwish. This would be a victory for the institutional stateand the people’s participation in governance.

Settling the argument in court, we now have toevaluate the one-vote decree as an electoral system. Itis a very bad system as it reduces the voters’ right toselect their representatives as well as solidifies affilia-tions towards sects, families and tribes, a fact thateventually facilitates vote-buying, enhances the roleplayed by ‘Wasta’ MPs and helps the government con-trol parliamentary output.

Eventually, I wonder whether the problem lies withour electoral system, or is solvable by adapting a newsystem or whether it was much deeper. Unfortunately,it is much deeper. — Al-Jarida

Settling the argument in court,we now have to evaluate the one-vote decree as an electoral system.It is a very bad system as it reducesthe voters’ right to select their rep-resentatives as well as solidifiesaffiliations towards sects, familiesand tribes, a fact that eventuallyfacilitates vote-buying, enhancesthe role played by ‘Wasta’ MPs andhelps the government control par-liamentary output.

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Violence flares again in Eskisehir

Page 9

Egypt’s tourism minister quits over Luxor governorPage 8

MOGADISHU: Seven Al-Qaeda-linkedgunmen detonated a pick-up truckrigged with explosives at the gate ofthe UN compound in Somalia’s capitalyesterday, launching a bombs-and-gunfire assault that saw militants pourinto the complex, killing at least ninepeople, including three foreigners,officials said. The seven Al-Shabab mil-itants were from what the militiacalled its martyrdom, or suicide,brigade. They all died in the assault,an official said, bringing the overalldeath toll to at least 16.

The attack comes only six monthsafter the United Nations expanded itspresence in Mogadishu, where it hadkept only a small operation becauseIslamic insurgents had controlledmuch of the capital until beingpushed out in an offensive in 2011. Al-Shabab said on its Twitter feed shortlyafter the 11:30 am attack began thatits fighters “are now in control of theentire compound and the battle is stillongoing.”

African Union and Somali securityforces responded and took control ofthe compound by 12:30 pm. The UNstaff who sought refuge in the com-pound’s secure bunker then wereevacuated to the secure military baseand airport complex across the street,said Ben Parker, a spokesman for theUnited Nations Assistance Mission inSomalia.

Two South Africans from the com-pany Denel Mechem who were doingdemining work for the UN died in theattack, said Vuyelwa Qinga, a spokes-woman for Denel, a manufacturer ofdefense equipment. A UN official whoinsisted on anonymity because hewas not an official spokesman said hebelieved two UN personnel fromKenya and Somalia were also killed.“There was not very much time to getinto the safe area,” said Parker. The topUN official on Somalia, Nicholas Kay,

also works out of the building but wasnot inside the compound when it wasattacked. Kay said he was shockedand horrified by the attack.

“ The United Nations CommonCompound houses UN personnelworking on humanitarian and devel-opment issues for the Somali people.This was an act of blatant terrorismand a desperate attempt to knockSomalia off its path of recovery andpeace building,” said Kay. A UN state-ment said it was verifying its casualtynumbers. “There are certainly someinjured and most likely worse,” it said.

Speaking to the UN SecurityCouncil yesterday, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson called the attackoutrageous and said the UN remainscommitted to achieving peace andkeeping Somalia on its path to recov-ery. At 11:30 am the compound wasrocked by the car bomb blast thatblew down the compound’s frontgate. At least two other blasts fol-lowed, Parker said. Dozens of stafffrom UN humanitarian and develop-ment agencies were in the compoundand many were moved to the securebunker, he said. Mohamed Ali, anambulance driver, said he transportedfive dead civilian bodies and 10 peo-ple who were wounded.

An Associated Press reporter whowent inside the UN compound afterthe battle saw two dead bodies ofwhat appeared to be Al-Shababattackers wearing Somali military uni-forms. An official said seven attackersdied in total. The compound’s interiorwalls were scarred with bullet marks.Somali Prime Minister Abdi FarahShirdon said he is appalled that “ourfriends and partners”

at the UN who are carrying outhumanitarian activities would be thevictims “of such barbaric violence.” AnAfrican Union official, Mahamet SalehAnnadif, condemned the “cowardly”

attack and sent condolences “to thosewho had lost loved ones.” The UN hashad only a small presence inMogadishu in recent years. InDecember, though, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon touched downin Mogadishu wearing a bullet proofjacket to announce a return of theUN’s political office to the seaside cap-ital. The attacked compound justacross the street from the secure air-port complex, where UN-backedAfrican Union military forces arebased. The UN compound is used byagencies like UNICEF, WHO and UNDP.Mogadishu fell into anarchy in 1991and is just beginning to move pastyears of sustained conflict. The UNand foreign embassies were absentfrom Mogadishu for close to twodecades.

African Union forces pushed Al-Shabab out of Mogadishu in August2011, meaning residents didn’t haveto live through daily battles for thefirst time in years. An internationalpresence slowly began to return andthe UN began the process of movingits personnel from the nearby capitalof Nairobi, Kenya, back to Mogadishu,a process that has accelerated inrecent weeks.

International embassies - fromTurkey and Britain, for example - fol-lowed. Yesterday’s attack underscoresthe fragile security situation and willforce the UN and embassies to reviewtheir safety plans and decide if theyhave enough defenses to withstand asustained Al-Shabab assault. FadumoHussein, a shopkeeper who was sittinginside her shop near the scene of theattack, described a narrow escape. “Itstarted with an earsplitting explosion,followed by heavy gunfire,” she said,showing holes made by bullets on hershop. “I crouched and then crawledlike an animal. I am very lucky. It was ashocking moment.” —AP

16 dead in Somalia UN office attackAl-Shabab militants launch bombs-and-gunfire assault

MOGADISHU: Somalis carry an injured person after Al-Qaeda linked Shebab insurgents shot and blasted their way into the United Nations (UN) compound yesterday. — AFP

Karzai suspends dialogue with USKABUL: The Afghan president yesterdaysuspended talks with the United Stateson a new security deal to protest theway his government was being left outof initial peace negotiations with theTaleban meant to find a way to end thenearly 12-year war. The move by HamidKarzai raises tensions significantly andcould derail the peace process evenbefore it has begun. In a terse statementfrom his office, Karzai said negotiationswith the US on what American andcoalition security forces will remain inthe country after 2014 have been puton hold. The deal was expected todefine the future of American troopshere and also pave way for billions in aidto the Afghan economy. Karzai’s state-ment followed an announcementTuesday by the US and the Taleban thatthey would pursue bilateral talks inQatar before the Afghan government

was brought in.“In view of the contradiction

between acts and the statements madeby the United States of America inregard to the peace process, the Afghangovernment suspended the negotia-tions, currently underway in Kabulbetween Afghan and US delegations onthe bilateral security agreement,”Karzai’s statement said. His spokesmanwas not immediately reachable forquestions, and the US Embassy in Kabulsaid it had no immediate comment.

Though the Taleban have dismissedKarzai as an American puppet for years,they indicated Tuesday when opening anew political office in Doha, Qatar, thatthey would be willing to talk with theAfghan leader. But both the Americanside and the Taleban said they wouldfirst meet together before any talks withthe Afghanistan government. In another

incident highlighting the fragile situa-tion in Afghanistan, only hours afterannouncing they would hold talks withthe US, the Taleban claimed responsibil-ity yesterday for an attack on theBagram Air Base in which four Americantroops were killed.

Taleban spokesman ZabiullahMujahid said the insurgents fired tworockets into the base outside theAfghan capital, Kabul, late on Tuesday.American officials confirmed the basehad come under attack by indirect fire -likely a mortar or rocket - and that fourUS troops were killed. Also Tuesday, fiveAfghan police officers were killed at asecurity outpost in Helmand provinceby apparent Taleban infiltrators - the lat-est in a string of so-called “insiderattacks” that have shaken the confi-dence of the nascent Afghan securityforces.— AP

I N T E R N AT I O N A LTHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Egypt’s tourism minister quits over Luxor governorZazou proud of pharaonic temples, will protect them

CAIRO: Egypt’s tourism ministerresigned in protest yesterday afterPresident Mohamed Morsiappointed a new governor forLuxor from an Islamist party linkedto a massacre of holidaymakers inthe temple city. Hesham Zazousaid he “cannot continue in therole of tourism minister” a dayafter the appointment of Adel Al-Khayat, a member of the politicalarm of ex-Islamic militant groupGamaa Islamiya, and other Islamistgovernors triggered unrest in sev-eral provinces.

Gamaa Is lamiya claimedresponsibility for an attack on amajor tourist attraction in thesouthern city of Luxor that killed58 foreign tourists in 1997. PrimeMinister Hesham Qandil refusedto accept Zazou’s resignation andasked him to remain in his postuntil the situation is reviewed,ministry spokeswoman Rasha al-Azaizy told the official MENA newsagency. But she said Zazou insist-ed he would cease to work “aslong as the new governor remainsin his post , greatly harmingtourism in Egypt generally and inLuxor specifically”.

President Morsi named Khayatalong with 16 other new governorson Sunday, including seven fromhis Muslim Brotherhood move-ment. Apart from its symbolicimplications, Khayat’s appointmentdeals a blow to the once-lucrativetourism industry struggling torecover after the 2011 uprising thattoppled Hosni Mubarak. Khayatbelongs to the Construction andDevelopment party, the politicalarm of Gamaa Islamiya which wasblamed for a spate of attacks in the1990s before it renounced vio-lence.

In statements to the media, hesaid his first priority as governorwould be to “ensure the return oftourists” to Luxor. But a coalitionof opposit ion groups, tradeunions and tourism workers hasthreatened to close down al lPharaonic temples and touristattractions should Khayat remainin the post. The groups called forthe cancellation of the appoint-ment “of a governor with a reli-

gious background in a tourist city”otherwise “all historic areas andpharaonic s ites wil l be closeddown”.

On Tuesday, clashes erupted inseveral cities of the Nile Delta fol-lowing protests against theappointments, leaving 26 peopleinjured. In Tanta, police fired teargas to break up clashes betweenprotesters demanding the ousterof new governor Ahmed al-Beely-a member of the Brotherhood-andhis suppor ters. In Menufiya,

dozens pursued a sit-in outsidethe governorate headquar tersdemanding the removal of gover-nor Ahmed Shaarawy, also a mem-ber of the Islamist group.

“The governorate has alwaysvoted against the Brotherhood, inall elections and referendums, soappointing a Muslim Brotherhoodgovernor is a provocation,” one ofthe protesters, Mahmud Kamal,told AFP by telephone. Similarprotests took place in the canalprovince of Ismailiya, the northern

provinces of Damietta and Beheiraagainst the appointment of theirgovernors. The protests are thelatest sign of polarisation in thecountry, pitting Morsi’s mainlyIs lamist suppor ters against awide -ranging opposit ion thataccuses the president of failingthe revolution that brought him topower. The tension comes aheadof mass protests planned on June30 seeking to withdraw confi-dence from Morsi and calling forearly presidential elections. —AFP

LUXOR: An Egyptian boy burns tires during clashes between supporters and opponents ofEgypt’s president and his Muslim Brotherhood yesterday. —AP

CAIRO: “Gangs of New York” seems a fit-ting favourite movie for Egypt’s new cul-ture minister, a film studies professor whostyles himself an outsider fighting tobreak the hold of a privileged elite overspending on the arts. Artists enraged thathe fired the head of Cairo Opera, and fear-ing Muslim puritans may ban ballet, havebarricaded Alaa Abdel Aziz from enteringhis own ministry.

The “culture war” has come to symbol-ise a wider conflict between the Islamistgovernment and secular opponentsahead of rival mass rallies later this monthto mark the first anniversary in power ofPresident Mohamed Morsi. Speaking atthe dusty state publishing house wherehe has set up camp, Abdel Aziz toldReuters he would ban nothing. Rather, hewould support “people’s art” beyond thecapital, end corruption inherited from theold regime and see that cultural spendingreflects how democratic revolution haschanged Egyptian society.

“My concern is providing cultural serv-ices throughout Egypt, not financial bene-fits for a few intellectuals,” he said in aninterview, justifying high-profile dis-missals that have prompted the sit-in, andoccasional scuffles, at the CultureMinistry. As for his own tastes, the 52-year-old academic cites films by Japanesemaster Akira Kurosawa, Iranian andFrench cinema, and the work of Americandirector Terrence Malick.

One favourite is Martin Scorsese’s“Gangs of New York” - perhaps appropri-ately, a Civil War-era tale of upstart incom-ers and corrupt, entrenched interests bat-tling for power on the streets of a newcountry. That taste for Hollywood setsAbdel Aziz apart from some allies of Mursiand his Muslim Brotherhood, who haveused the power they won in electionssince the 2011 revolution to urge an endto public displays of ballet or belly-danc-ing, or even censorship of on-screenromance.

‘Frightening and barbaric’To his opponents, Abdel Aziz is an

artistic nobody, a know-nothing pawn ofthe Brotherhood, bent on an Islamicmorality campaign that threatens a cos-mopolitan cultural scene long enviedacross the socially conservative Arabworld. The truth, he says, has more to dowith vested interests than artistic free-dom. “Very simply, I am from outside thetraditional cultural community which hascontrolled Egyptian cultural life for longdecades,” he said. “That poses a kind ofthreat to them.”

He accused opponents of spreadinglies about him and called some of the crit-icism “frightening and barbaric”. “The rev-olution took place to create change insociety,” he said. “And culture also has tochange to keep pace with that.” AfterAbdel Aziz removed the French-trainedflautist who had run the Opera Housecomplex for the past year, a performanceof Verdi’s set-in-Egypt “Aida” was replacedby a protest by singers and musiciansagainst the “Brotherhoodisation” of cul-ture. Now the fate of ballerinas hasbecome an unlikely rallying cry for mil-lions who say they will join street proteststo mark Mursi’s anniversary on June 30.

His year in office has been marked bycomplaints that the Brotherhood hasleveraged its organisational muscle intodominating political institutions, and nowwants to impose its social views on theless cohesive liberal factions which wereits allies in toppling veteran ruler HosniMubarak. But Abdel Aziz, a member of asmall Islamic party, laughed off fears ofIslamist “colonisation” of the administra-tion. He said anyone “competent andtrustworthy” was welcome in it, “whetherMuslim Brother or ... Marxist or liberal.”

Nor was he out to censor, as his oppo-nents feared: “With the opera and ballet,this isn’t about wanting to abolish any-thing; we are addressing... administrativefailure,” he said. “When there’s a ballet onin a theatre that seats 620 and only eightseats are booked, that’s a disaster... Yetwhen measures are taken to addressthose errors, you find yourself confrontedby these ferocious, frightening, barbaricattacks.”

Budgets are still under review and it isunclear whether Abdel Aziz may divertresources beyond the big cities. “People’sart” is a priority - “art that has a public toreceive it”. He would like to help Egypt’sfilm industry back to the heyday it lastenjoyed in black and white, but takes aglobal view. “I care about all kinds of cine-ma,” he said. “I watch Hollywood cinemaas much as I watch Iranian cinema, orFrench cinema.

“I’m very interested in cinema that cri-tiques society, like Scorsese’s ‘Gangs ofNew York’ - one of the films I love.” As thearmy prepares to prevent rival campsshedding blood on the streets of Cairo,Abdel Aziz said protest was fine, butaccused opponents in the culture war offighting dirty. “I don’t object to protestsbecause I was once a protester myself andtook part in sit-ins,” he said of his exilefrom the ministry. “But the problem iswhen you lie.” —Reuters

Scorsese fan heads culture ministry in Islamist govt

HARARE: Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has filedan urgent application with the country’s top court to pushback crucial elections by two weeks, following pressure byregional leaders. Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa toldAFP he had filed papers on Tuesday that sought “a post-ponement of the date for the harmonised elections fromJuly 31, 2013 to August 14, 2013.” The announcementcomes just days after Southern African leaders pressedMugabe to delay the polls to allow more time for demo-cratic reforms.

In setting the original election date, Mugabe had saidhe was complying with the constitutional court’s ruling tohold elections by July 31. The elections will choose a suc-cessor to Zimbabwe’s uncomfortable power-sharing gov-ernment, which was forged four years ago as a path awayfrom a decade of political violence. Prime Minister MorganTsvangirai, a long-time Mugabe rival, has called forreforms-to free the media, depoliticise the security servicesand make sure the electoral roll is accurate-before the voteis held.

It was not immediately clear whether the court wouldgrant the extension, or whether two more weeks will beenough to see Tsvangirai’s demands met. Civil societygroups welcomed the prospect of an extra two weeks toallow for the completion of the voter registration process.But, they said, the extra time would do little to changedeeply-ingrained attitudes or dissuade Mugabe’s support-ers from voter intimidation. “Fourteen days may be enough

to change the laws... but not enough to bring really changeon the ground,” Trust Mhanda a member of the ZimbabweLawyers for Human rights, told AFP in Johannesburg.

“It must not just be a legal change, but that law must beimplemented on the ground, and 14 days is not enough forthat.” Leaders from the Southern African DevelopmentCommunity had on Saturday flexed their muscles andissued an unusual rebuke of Mugabe, asking that he goback to the court and seek a delay. The SADC summitcalled on all parties to “create a conducive environment forthe holding of peaceful, credible, free and fair elections”.

“During proceedings at the said summit, I, in particularwas directed to make an urgent application before thishonourable court to seek a postponement,” Chinamasa’s fil-ing read. “In my capacity as the minister responsible for theadministration of the electoral act, I pray for an order forthe extension of the elections to the 14th of August.”

Activists have also expressed scepticism the applicationto the Constitutional Court could be an academic exercise,to be seen to be complying with the SADC’s decision. “Youget the sense that their approaching the court is a compli-ance issue rather than anything else,” Thabani Nyoni,spokesman of the Crisis Coalition in Zimbabwe said. “Thereis no political will per se to really convince the courts tochange its decision,” he said. “It’s a non-committal applica-tion, which is actually... setting up the court to say ‘therewas no sufficient evidence to convince us of the impor-tance of this going forward,’” said Nyoni. —AFP

Mugabe seeks to delay polls

OUAGADOUGOU: Mali’s government signeda ceasefire accord with Tuareg rebels Tuesday,paving the way for presidential elections inthe troubled west African state next month.The agreement, reached after 10 days oftense negotiations, will enable Malian troopsto enter the Tuareg-held city of Kidal in thenortheast to secure polls scheduled to takeplace on July 28. The two sides agreed to halthostilities and for Tuareg rebels, who tookpart in an uprising last year that brought thecountry to its knees, to be restricted to setareas. Long-term peace talks will start afterthe election.

Territorial Administration Minister MoussaSinko Coulibaly signed the accord with repre-sentatives of two Tuareg movements inOuagadougou, capital of neighbouringBurkina Faso. Mahamadou Djeri Maiga, vicepresident of the Tuareg National Movementfor the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), said theaccord was a chance to “turn the page ofhate”. There is longstanding distrust betweenthe government and ethnic Tuaregs, wholaunched an uprising with Al-Qaeda-linkedmilitants last year. French forces intervened inJanuary to halt an Islamist advance on thecapital.

“This agreement represents a majorbreakthrough in exiting the crisis in Mali,” saidFrench Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. “I call

on the Malian parties, now reunited around acommon project, to fully implement thisagreement in the best interest of the country,”he said. European Union policy chiefCatherine Ashton said the agreement had“historical significance”.

UN leader Ban Ki-moon also welcomedthe accord, urging both sides to begin imple-menting the agreement at once. But UNenvoy to Mali Bert Koenders said the dealwas only “a first step”. Talks over “technicaldetails” on security and setting up an admin-istration and essential services in Kidal hadnot started, he said. Robert Piper, the UN’shumanitarian coordinator for the Sahelregion, said Mali still faced grave prob-lems.“Warning indicators are flashing for thewhole country, with people in the northbeing most vulnerable.” A donor conferencefor Mali last month raised $133 million, barelya third of the $410 million targeted. Moremoney had to be found “...before the situa-tions deteriorates further still”, he warned.The Tuareg occupation of Kidal had been amajor obstacle to holding the election, seenas crucial to Mali’s recovery from the conflictof the past 15 months.

Malian officers staged a coup in March2012 in anger at the government responseto the Tuareg rebellion. Flush with weaponsfollowing the return of Tuareg mercenaries

who fought alongside Libyan dictatorMoamer Kadhafi, the MNLA overpoweredthe weak army. The Tuaregs seized key north-ern cities before being sidelined by theirmore powerful Al-Qaeda-linked allies, whoseized control of the north and imposed abrutal form of Islamic law.

French troops and African allies havereclaimed most of the lost territory but theIslamists have launched a guerrilla campaignfrom desert hideouts. The United Nations lastweek warned that the human rights situa-tion in northern Mali remained precarious,with both rebels and Malian troops accusedof committing numerous abuses. A UN sta-bilising force, comprising 12,600 internation-al troops and police, is due to start deployingon July 1. The MNLA sided with France dur-ing the worst of the fighting this year but wasreluctant to allow government troops into itsKidal bastion for the vote. Arrest warrantsissued by Malian authorities against MNLAchiefs were a sticking point in the negotia-tions, but one source said an agreement wasmade that the warrants would not be carriedout. The accord does state, however, thatinternational investigators will look intocrimes against humanity and war crimescommitted during the conflict. TheInternational Criminal Court says it is alreadycollecting evidence. —AFP

Mali signs ceasefire accord with rebels

I N T E R N AT I O N A LTHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

ISTANBUL: Turkey’s deputy prime min-ister said yesterday he had no objectionto silent anti-government protestsinspired by a symbolic “Standing Man”vigil, comments that could help drawthe sting out of three weeks of oftenviolent demonstrations. Protests againstPrime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s govern-ment have become increasingly creativein recent days, as police and demonstra-tors seek to avoid the fierce clashes thathave dented Turkey’s reputation for sta-bility in the volatile Middle East.

Police fired teargas and water can-non to disperse around 5,000 demon-strators in the northern city of Eskisehirovernight, Dogan news agency said,and there were small disturbances inAnkara, but on nowhere near the scaleof previous weeks. In Istanbul, the cra-dle of the unrest that has unsettled mar-kets and presented Erdogan with thegreatest public challenge of his 10-yearrule, a sense of calm returned to streetsaround the central Taksim Square thatsaw nights of running battles.

Hundreds of protesters stood silentlyon squares including Taksim, as well asin Ankara and other cities, taking theirlead from a performance artist whoseeight-hour vigil on Monday lit up socialmedia and made him the new face ofthe protests. “These kinds of protestsshould be encouraged,” Deputy PrimeMinister Bulent Arinc told reporters inAnkara. “They involve no violence, butstill are successful in conveying mes-sages, and we should welcome these

messages.”The silent protests could however

pose a fresh challenge to Erdogan ifthey gather momentum, although hehas moved to wrest back the politicalinitiative with weekend rallies inIstanbul and Ankara attended by hun-dreds of thousands of supporters.

The government said it would differ-entiate between what it says are legiti-mate, peaceful protesters and whatErdogan has called “riff-raff” manipulat-ed by “terrorists”, but demonstratorshave complained of disproportionateuse of police force. One key test willcome at the weekend, when clashesbetween protesters and police in sever-al major cities have been at their fiercestbefore dying down when the workingweek begins.

“Peaceful resistance”Taksim Solidarity, the protest

umbrella group, called on supporters toleave shoes outside the 14th centuryGalata Tower, a popular tourist destina-tion, as a symbol of solidarity for thoseinjured or detained in the clashes.According to the Turkish MedicalAssociation, the protests have left fourpeople, including one policeman, dead,and some 7,500 suffering from injuriesranging from cuts and burns to breath-ing difficulties from teargas inhalation.The Istanbul Bar Association said 163people remained in detention in the cityyesterday. Only four people had beenformally arrested out of all of those

detained since late May.What started as a small-scale action

by environmentalists opposed to gov-ernment plans to build on Gezi Park, arare green space in Istanbul’s teemingcentre, quickly became a broaderexpression of dissatisfaction withErdogan and his government. Theleader has adopted a defiant tonethroughout the unrest, and defendedpolice whose use of teargas and watercannon to control sometimes unrulycrowds brought widespread condemna-tion at home and abroad.

In an amphitheatre located inIstanbul’s central Besiktas district, morethan a thousand mostly young peoplegathered late on Tuesday to discusswhere the protests were heading, andmany expressed hope that there was analternative to the violence. “On Sunday Ifelt a big blank. What should we donext?” said 32-year-old Ilker Gumus, anindustrial engineer, referring to lastweekend’s clashes around Gezi Park andTaksim Square that were among thefiercest so far.

“I was a bit pessimistic at first. Ithought, ‘ This is over.’ But then the‘Standing Man’ came along in Taksimand I said ‘Yes, we will go on!’.” Erdoganhas said mass gatherings he has organ-ised were to garner support for his rul-ing AK Party ahead of March municipalelections. He hits the campaign trailagain on Friday, Saturday and Sundayeven though the vote is some ninemonths away. —Reuters

KANO: An armed gang has raided a northern Nigerian vil-lage and killed 48 people in an apparent reprisal attack tar-geting a local vigilante group, a state official said yesterday.The attack saw gunmen move house to house as well astake positions atop a hill and open fire, the official said.Houses were also burnt, but it was not clear how many.“There was an attack by armed bandits early Tuesday onKizara village where 48 residents were killed in apparent tar-geted killings by cattle rustlers that have been terrorisingthe state for some time now,” said Ibrahim Birnin-Magaji,commissioner for information in Zamfara state, where theremote village is located. Dozens of gunmen arrived in thevillage before dawn on motorbikes, he told AFP.

“Some of them climbed up the hill overlooking the vil-lage and opened fire indiscriminately,” he said. “They latermoved house to house, telling residents that they werelooking for members of local vigilante (groups) whom theysaid had been disturbing them.” He said those killed includ-ed the local chief, the chief imam and the head of the vigi-lante group in the village. “The police from nearby Ketamobilised and engaged the bandits in a shootout, but theywere overwhelmed by the gunmen’s superior firepower andwere forced to retreat,” said Birnin-Magaji. Many villages inNigeria form local vigilante groups to defend themselvesagainst violent cattle rustlers or other criminal gangs, some-times leading to a cycle of clashes and reprisal attacks.Zamfara state, located in Nigeria’s northwest, has seen anumber of such incidents.

There was so far no sign of any link to Islamist extremistgroup Boko Haram, which has been waging a deadly insur-gency mainly in Nigeria’s northeast. Nigeria’s military is cur-rently engaged in an offensive seeking to end Boko Haram’sfour-year insurgency. However, the raid is the latest sign ofinsecurity in Africa’s most populous nation and largest oilproducer, where authorities have been largely unable tostop such violence. The country includes some 250 ethnicgroups and is roughly divided between a mainly Muslimnorth and predominately Christian south. Illegal weaponsare widespread.

While such clashes in central Nigeria tend to involve eth-nic tensions, they are more strictly criminal further north,with attackers and victims from the same ethnic group incertain cases. “This trend of raids by bandits stealing cowsand cash from villagers has become a serious menace whichshould be jointly tackled by the federal and state govern-ments,” said Birnin-Magaji. Nigeria’s military banned the useof Thuraya satellite phones yesterday in northeastern Bornostate, a step it said was designed to stop Islamist militantscommunicating.

President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emer-gency in Borno and two other states on May 14, orderingextra troops in to try to crush Islamist sect Boko Haram,whose insurgency against has killed thousands of people inthe past three years. Authorities cut the mobile network inBorno state in the same week to disrupt Boko Haram’s oper-ations. —Agencies

BEIRUT: Syrian troops backed by Lebanese Hezbollahfighters clashed yesterday with rebel forces south of aDamascus suburb that is home to a major Shiite Muslimshrine, in an attempt to secure the area surrounding therevered site, activists said. State TV said government forceswere able to clear rebels out of one neighborhood, Al-Bahdaliya, outside the suburb of Sayida Zeinab, home tothe ornate, gold-domed shrine of Sayida Zeinab, theProphet Muhammad’s granddaughter. Meanwhile, rebelforces claimed they took control of a hospital in a villagesouth of the shrine neighborhood, from which they werebattling regime forces and allied militias.

Opposition fighters control several suburbs of the capi-tal, trying to threaten the heart of the city, seat of PresidentBashar Assad’s power. But the regime has largely been ableto keep them at bay. The area surrounding the SayidaZeinab suburb, about 16 kilometers (10 miles) south ofDamascus, has seen fighting before. But the regime forcesand Shiite Hezbollah fighters launched an intensifiedassault there on Monday, according to Rami Abdul-Rahman, the director of the Syrian Observatory for HumanRights.

The assault appears aimed at decisively pushing rebelsback and securing the suburb of the shrine, said Abdul-Rahman. The Observatory is a Britain-based group of anti-regime activists that has a network of activists on theground. Before the war, Shiite pilgrims from outside Syriaregularly visited the shrine. Last year, rebels kidnappedIranian pilgrims visiting the area, accusing them of beingspies.

Now protection of the shrine has become a rallying cryfor Shiite fighters backing Assad. Lebanese guerrillas fromHezbollah as well as Iraqi Shiite militiamen have beenreported fighting in the area in the past weeks, though itwas not clear if Iraqis were involved in the new assault. TheSyrian uprising began more than two years ago withpeaceful protests against Assad, but later grew into a civil

Armed gang kills 48 in raid in Nigeria

Nigeria bans satellite phones

TAKSIM: People hold a Turkish national flag as they stand on the flashpoint Taksim square in Istanbul during awave of new alternative protests. — AFP

Violence flaresagain in Eskisehir

Hezbollah fighters battle rebels near Syria capital

war that the U.N. says has killed more than 93,000 people.In recent months, the conflict’s sectarian overtones havebeen growing, particularly with the overt participation ofHezbollah on the side of the regime, dominated byAlawites - an offshoot sect of Shiite Islam.

The rebels are largely Sunni Muslims, and have alsobeen joined by Sunni fighters from countries in the region.US officials estimate that there are 5,000 Hezbollah militia-men fighting alongside the regime, while thousands ofSunni foreign fighters are also believed to be in Syria -including members of Jabhat Al-Nusra, an Al-Qaeda affili-ate that is believed to be among the most effective rebelfactions in Syria. —AP

An undated picture shows Maher Sukkar, a Palestinianliving in Lebanon, who belonged to a boy scout troupe,wearing fatigues and a keffiyeh scarf wrapped aroundhis head as he holds a Kalashnikov assault rifle at anunknown location. — AFP

I N T E R N AT I O N A LTHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

PRISTINA: Two months since Serbia and Kosovoagreed to normalise relations, implementation of theaccord has barely started just days before Europeanleaders are due to decide whether they merit closerEU ties. According to the EU-brokered April 19 agree-ment, the first thaw in the diplomatic freeze betweenBelgrade and Pristina, they should by June 15 havecompleted talks on telecommunications and energy.But both issues appear to have hit stumbling blocks,with each side blaming the other for the impasse.

Serbian trade minister Rasim Ljajic said an agree-ment on telecommunications had been “more-lessagreed” with the EU but rejected by Pristina over thetelephone dialling code for Kosovo. Kosovo’s nego-tiator Edita Tahiri blamed Serbia for “continuing tounilaterally interpret the accord” and “failing to showneeded seriousness in negotiations”. With the nego-tiators unable to agree a solution, it will likely be upto Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and his Kosovocounterpart Hashim Thaci to hash out a deal in freshtalks in Brussels today.

Both sides are expected to speed up efforts toimplement the accord to win the support of EU lead-ers at the summit on June 27 and 28. That is whenthe 27-nation bloc is expected to decide whetherSerbia and Kosovo have made enough progress innormalising ties. If they think they have, Belgrade willbe offered a date to start EU accession talks andPristina a partnership accord. Negotiators have beentrying for weeks to resolve a dispute over Kosovo’stelephone dialling code: it has been unable to get aninternational code as an independent countrybecause of Serbia’s opposition.

Kosovo declared independence in 2008, butwhen it comes to phone lines, it is still part of Serbia,which has refused to recognise the breakaway terri-tory’s sovereignty. Anyone calling a fixed line inKosovo has to dial via the Serbian country code(+381). For Serbians, making a call to Kosovo is still anational call. Mobile phone operators who movedinto Kosovo after Serb forces were driven out, issueKosovo numbers with the national codes for Monaco

(+377) or Slovenia (+386). “This is unacceptable and has to be changed,” said

Zeqir Uka, a 50-year old businessman from Pristina. “Ihave an impression that my business partnersabroad do not consider me seriously when theyrealise we still do not have our own internationalcountry code.” But Serbs living in Kosovo insist onkeeping Belgrade-based mobile providers and theSerbian country code to maintain links with thehomeland and to avoid higher costs. Talks on energyissues have also stalled. Kosovo insists on becomingfully independent from Serbia in importing andexporting electricity.

All power currently goes through Belgrade inaccordance with a scheme dating back to the formerYugoslavia. Power cuts lasting for hours are still com-mon in Kosovo, partly due to the outdated system,but also because of disputes over energy supplies.Serbia wants its own electricity company to continuesupplying Serb-dominated areas in Kosovo; Pristinainsists on control over its entire territory. Even points

supposedly agreed in the April agreement have notyet been implemented.

Liaison officers from Belgrade and Pristina taskedwith that job only took up their posts on Monday.Serbian officials have begun closing their police sta-tions in the north of Kosovo, but some 800 policemenare still employed by the Serbian interior ministry. Thetwo sides have still to agree how many of them willjoin Kosovo police forces (KPS). Pristina said it onlyneeded up to 150 Serb police officers. The Kosovoparliament was also late in adopting an amnesty lawthat would shelter Serbs from prosecution for crimescommitted during the 1998-1999 war.

Sources in Kosovska Mitrovica, Serb-run courts inthe northern Kosovo were ordered to stop taking newcases from mid-July. It is still not clear however howmany of the 60 judges and several hundred employ-ees in the judiciary will join the Pristina-administeredcourts. Under the terms of the agreement, ethnicSerbs should be proportionally represented in thejudiciary in areas where they live. — AFP

Kosovo-Serbia deal makes little headway

LONDON: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange sayshe will not leave the sanctuary of the EcuadoreanEmbassy in London even if Sweden stops pursu-ing sexual assault claims against him because hefears arrest on the order of the United States. Inan interview with Reuters and others to mark thefirst anniversary of taking refuge in the crampeddiplomatic building, Assange said he remainedhopeful he might be able to leave but offered lit-tle evidence to suggest he would be finding newliving quarters anytime soon.

“I wouldn’t say I wouldn’t leave,” he said. “(But)my lawyers have advised me I shouldn’t leave theembassy because of the risk of arrest in relationto the risk of arrest and extradition to the UnitedStates.” When asked whether he would remaininside even if Sweden dropped the investigationagainst him, Assange said: “That’s correct.”Assange chose his words carefully in the inter-view, which was conducted last Friday underembargo. In a wide-ranging discussion behinddrawn white net curtains, Assange hailed EdwardSnowden, a former contractor for the US NationalSecurity Agency who made revelations about USsurveillance programmes, as a hero.

He also railed against the United States,Britain and his native Australia and talked abouthis case with semi-legal expertise. Assange, 41,fled to the Ecuadorean Embassy last June toavoid extradition to Sweden, which wants toquestion him about allegations of sexual assaultand rape, which he denies.

He says he does not want to answer the alle-gations in person because he believes Swedenwould hand him over to the US authorities, whowould try him for helping facilitate one of thelargest information leaks in US history. WikiLeaksbegan releasing thousands of confidential USdocuments on the Internet in 2010, embarrass-ing the United States and, according to somecritics, putting its national security and people’slives at risk.

The court-martial of Bradley Manning, the USsoldier accused of providing reams of classifieddocuments to WikiLeaks, is under way inMaryland. Ecuador has granted Assange politicalasylum, but Britain has made it clear he will bearrested if he tries to leave the building, which isheavily guarded by police. As Assange spoke, at

least four policemen ringed the embassy.

Weighing risksAssange said he initially thought he might be

holed up in the embassy, a diplomatic facility inone of London’s swishest areas, for up to twoyears. His original timetable was still a fair esti-mate, he told his interviewers. When asked

whether he was worried the situation could dragon much longer, he conceded it was a possibility.“Left to its own devices that is a risk, left to fatethat is a risk,” he said. “There have been other cas-es, similar deadlocks for political refugees inembassies, that have gone on for dozens of years.However, we don’t intend to leave the situationto fate.”

Assange, who looked pale, complained of alack of sunlight, saying there was a risk people inhis circumstances could develop rickets. He saidhe worked 17-hour days, exercised to try to keephealthy and currently was working on a songabout “the new politics that has come about as aresult of the Internet and media distortion” with apopular Latin American musical group.

Assange said he never used email but hadothers read it for him instead. Casually dressed injeans, an open-necked blue shirt and athleticshoes, Assange nursed a cup of tea as he spoke,becoming animated when it was suggested hehad time on his hands to think about his fate.“Where do people get this crazy idea I have timeon my hands just because I’m stuck,” he said. “Ittakes more time to do things if you’re in anembassy, not less.”

He spoke enthusiastically about his politicalambitions in Australia, whose government hesaid was “perverted,” and of the popularity of theWikiLeaks political party there. But it was his owncase and legal predicament that Assange circledback to time and time again. It had become a“matter of prestige” for the governments con-cerned, he said, and had developed into ageopolitical standoff that he believed was politi-cally motivated. “It remains the case that it ishighly unlikely that Sweden or the UnitedKingdom will ever publicly say no to the UnitedStates in this matter,” he told his interviewers.

But he said he still held out some hope. “Likemost matters of international prestige, solutionsare found which appear to be technical orenforced by a third party such as an internationalcourt,” Assange said. “I expect that will happen inthis matter also.” His own lawyers and theEcuadorean government had concluded a legalchallenge could be mounted against Britain inthe International Court of Justice over his case,he said, but he had decided not to do so for nowbecause it “could take years”. Talks betweenBritain and Ecuador on Monday about Assange’sfate ended with no breakthrough, though bothcountries agreed to establish a working group totry to resolve the standoff. When asked whetherhe had any regrets Assange said simply:“Strategically it’s been ... exactly what I hadhoped for.” — Reuters

WikiLeaks’ Assange fears USWhistleblower hails Edward Snowden as a hero

LONDON: Wikileaks founder Julian Assangespeaks to the media inside the EcuadorianEmbassy ahead of the first anniversary of hisarrival there yesterday. — AFP

ISLAMABAD: Afghan refugee children collect items of use from a pile of garbage inPakistan. — AP

GENEVA: War and other crises drove oneperson from their home every 4.1 secondslast year, the UN refugee agency said yes-terday, pushing the number of peopleforcibly displaced to a two-decade high of45.2 million. Conflict in countries includingSyria, Afghanistan and Somalia created mil-lions of new refugees in 2012. The UNCHR’sannual figures showed 1.1 million peoplefled across international borders last year,while 6.5 million were displaced withintheir homelands. “This means one in each4.1 seconds. So each time you blink, anoth-er person is forced to flee,” AntonioGuterres, the UN High Commissioner forRefugees, told reporters.

The largest number of refugees stillcome from Afghanistan, a situationunchanged for 32 years. Worldwide, onerefugee in four is Afghan. Guterres said 55percent of the refugees were linked to con-flicts in Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, Sudan,and Syria. Last year did see 2.1 million inter-nally displaced people and 526,000refugees return home, as well as the reset-tlement of 88,6000 in rich nations.

However a raft of fresh crises in Mali, theDemocratic Republic of Congo and CentralAfrican Republic pushed the total numberof displaced to a level unseen since 1994, ayear marked by the Rwandan genocide andbloodshed in former Yugoslavia. “Newrefugees, new internally displaced, unfortu-nately represent much more than thoseable to find an answer to their plight,” saidGuterres. “We witness a multiplication ofnew conflicts, and it seems that old con-flicts never die.” Pope Francis yesterdaycalled for more help, hospitality and under-standing for refugees families. These fami-lies “are fleeing violence, persecution, seri-ous discrimination on the basis of their reli-gion, their ethnicity, their political ideas,” hetold some 60,000 people gathered at theVatican.

“On top of the dangers of the voyage,these families often risk disintegration andin the countries that host them, they facecultures and societies different to theirown.” Guterres said the number of peoplewho had fled the civil war in Syria hadsoared from 650,000 at the end of 2012 toaround 1.6 million now, surpassing lastyear’s total from all conflicts.

The UNHCR has warned that Syrianrefugee numbers could hit 3.5 million bythe end of this year. Syrian refugees haveflooded into neighbouring Lebanon,Jordan, Turkey and Iraq, stretching theirability to cope. Guterres urged the interna-tional community to help shoulder theload, although he said UNHCR-brokeredresettlement programmes for Syrians inrich countries were not yet on the cards.

With the economic crisis sharpening theasylum debate in developed nations,Guterres said it was important to keepsome perspective. “Who is supportingrefugees in the world?” he asked.“Essentially, developing countries.” He said87 percent of the world’s refugees wereprotected by developing countries, upfrom 70 percent a decade ago. “So whenwe see discussion sometimes that existabout refugees in many developed coun-tries, I think it’s good to remind public opin-ion in those countries that refugees are notpeople fleeing from poor countries intorich countries in search of a better life.”

Pakistan remained the world’s tophost nation in 2012, with 1.6 mil l ionrefugees, mostly from Afghanistan. It wasfol lowed by I ran, with 868,200, andGermany with 589,700. Some 46 percentof the globe’s refugees are under 18.Guterres highlighted a “highly worrying”trend of rising numbers of unaccompa-nied minors seeking asylum: 21,300 in2012. They were at particular risk fromsmuggling gangs, he said. — AFP

Refugees at two-decade high: UN

SABRATHA: The ruins of a grandiose Roman the-atre behind them, two foreigners taking pictures inthe Libyan coastal city of Sabratha make a raresight these days. The ancient Roman city used toattract more than 20,000 foreign visitors annuallybefore the 2011 war that ousted MuammarGaddafi. Now the temples and mosaics overlook-ing the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean areusually deserted. The two European visitors touringthe UNESCO World Heritage site on this quiet dayare geologists on a work trip to Libya. A few Libyanfamilies and a group of boy scouts mill around.

“The numbers are low these days, people nolonger come to Libya as tourists. Our visitors arepeople who already work in Libya or those whotravel here on business trips,” Mohammed Bujila,head of the antiquities department at Sabratha,said. “Things are different because of the problemswe have but we hope that maybe next year,tourism will begin again.”

With Gaddafi’s iron-fisted rule isolating Libya foryears, the tourism industry was in its infancy beforethe country’s “Arab Spring” uprising ground it to ahalt. Now that he is gone, many hope democraticreforms will bring tourists to a country that boasts1,700 kms (1,056 miles) of coastline, ancient treas-ures including five UNESCO World Heritage sitesand spectacular desert views. The governmenthopes future tourism revenues will help diversifyLibya’s income - making it less reliant on oil and gasexports - and create jobs to reduce unemployment,currently estimated at 15 percent.

But while life in the country has mainly returnedto normal nearly two years after Gaddafi’s ouster,with new shops and restaurants opening regularlyin Tripoli and daily flights operating to Europe, thisvast country remains awash with weapons and thatis keeping foreign visitors away. The country hasappointed its first post-war tourism minister butwith armed brigades often doing as they please,sometimes besieging state buildings or fighting inthe streets, the government acknowledges that theindustry is unlikely to take off until security prob-lems are tackled. “Tourism is a mark of stability in anation,” said Tourism Minister Ikram AbdusalamBash Imam. “We need a very high level of securityfor people to come. We don’t deny that there aresome problems but this is normal after a war.”

Opening upImam, appointed last November, said she did

not expect foreign holiday makers to return foranother two years. Foreign visitors had been on the

rise since the lifting in 2003 of United Nations sanc-tions, imposed over the 1988 bombing overLockerbie, Scotland of a US passenger plane thatkilled 270 people. But those working in the indus-try - as operators or guides - say tourism was lan-guishing because of apathy, incompetence, com-plex visa requirements and mercurial regulation.

The country attracted 32,038 foreign visitors -from outside North Africa and the Middle East - in2010, according to tourism ministry figures, butthey do not break down how many came for holi-days or work. The number was nearly 10 percenthigher than in 2000 but well down from 125,480visitors in 2006 after which passports requiredArabic translations by law.

Libya’s lucrative revenues from its oil industrymade tourism less of a priority than for its neigh-bours Egypt and Tunisia, where it was a majorincome contributor before uprisings in those coun-tries. Abdulmajid Abodabous, head of the min-istry’s planning department, said tourism revenues

accounted for less than 1 percent of nationalincome. An ambitious plan initiated in 2008 aimedto increase that to 6 percent by 2025.

“Tourism depends on transport and bankingand mostly security,” said Abodabous. “You feelembarrassed when you invite someone to yourhouse and it’s in disarray.” Imam said it was too ear-ly to set new targets - her priority is to plan forinfrastructure overhauls and staff training. “Weneed to look at the success of other countries andlearn from them. This country is like a flower open-ing.” A survey of tourism professionals published inthe World Travel Market Industry Report 2012showed that 56 percent believed Libya had all theingredients to become a major destination, oncethe country was perceived as politically stable andhad better infrastructure. “Libya is already behindby four decades in this sector,” Taleb Rifai, secretarygeneral of the UN’s World Tourism Organisation,told a news conference on a recent visit to Tripoli.“There is no more time to waste.” —Reuters

Security risk, fear cloud Libya’s tourism ambitions

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis kisses a child as he arrives yesterday for the weekly general audi-ence in St Peter’s square at the Vatican. — AFP

PRAGUE: It was a moment of high drama: theCzech prime minister stood up in parliament totry to salvage a political career torpedoed bythe arrest of an aide, and Foreign Minister KarelSchwarzenberg, sitting next to him, had dozedoff. Schwarzenberg’s habit of napping has,instead of being a liability, made him popularamong Czechs fed up with their political classand its endemic corruption, and desperate forsomeone who breaks the mould. A 75-year-oldaristocrat, Schwarzenberg printed posters forthe last parliamentary election campaignwhich deftly brought together his penchant forsnoozing, his reputation as an outsider, and thedistaste many Czechs feel for politicians.

The slogan read: “When they talk rubbish, Isleep.” The European Union member hasembraced free speech and market reformssince emerging from Communist rule in 1989but politics has been dominated by scandalsand Czechs are tired of the fiscal austerity thathas helped deepen a recession. Voters’ disillu-sionment with the political establishmentreached new lows last week when prosecutorscharged eight people, including an aide toPrime Minister Petr Necas, with bribery andunauthorised spying.

Necas resigned on Sunday, but his depar-ture is unlikely to herald a fresh start. His ownparty is expected to nominate the next primeminister from among its ranks, and the leadingcandidates are veteran political insiders. “Thepublic has grown increasingly disenchantedwith the political class,” said Jiri Pehe, a formeradvisor to Vaclav Havel, the democratic activistjailed under Communism who later becameCzech president. “People tend to believe thatall politicians are corrupt.” Against this back-drop, Schwarzenberg feels like a breath of freshair. He speaks his mind, he takes a breezyapproach to the rules of politics, and because

of his centuries-old family wealth, many Czechsbelieve Schwarzenberg, a prince, is above cor-ruption. After early years in a Czech chateau,his family emigrated to Austria to escapeCommunist rule. A 16th-century palace next toPrague castle has his family name carved intothe stonework above the entrance.

He is the most trusted party politician, with44 percent support, according to a poll in Aprilby CVVM, a Czech public opinion research cen-tre. “He has a completely different view ofthings. Whenever I hear him speak I always feelbetter and that this country is not such a badplace to be,” said Filip Hanak, 30, the owner of apub in the Czech capital. “I don’t know whetherit’s his archaic Czech or the way he speaksabout things, it feels as if he were above it alland the dreadful scandals seem digestiblewhen he speaks about them.”

Irreverent styleSchwarzenberg’s critics say he is a dilettante

unsuited to governing. Others say that behindthe outsider’s image, he too is part of the sys-tem. They point to people such as FinanceMinister Miroslav Kalousek, a veteran politicalinsider, who is number two in Schwarzenberg’sTOP09 party. His irreverent style was on displayduring last week’s political crisis. At a briefingto announce whether his party would backNecas, Schwarzenberg wore a punk-style T-shirt paying homage to Ivan “Magor” Jirous, anunderground poet.

Asked in a newspaper interview about thecollapse of the coalition government, of whichhis party is a member, he said he had mixedfeelings. “It’s like watching as your mother-in-law goes over the cliff in your new Mercedes,”he said. He denied having been asleep whenthe prime minister spoke in parliament lastFriday. —Reuters

Dozing prince a cult hero for disenchanted Czechs

I N T E R N AT I O N A LTHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

WASHINGTON: Secret US surveillance has foiledmore than 50 terror plots since 2001, including aplanned bomb attack on the New York StockExchange, a US spy chief said Tuesday, defendingleaked programs. Since the disclosure of vast govern-ment surveillance programs targeting phone logsand Internet data, Silicon Valley firms have scrambledto respond to users angered by perceived privacy vio-

lations. The government has defended the programsas fully legal and vital to preventing terror attacks.

National Security Agency Director General KeithAlexander described four thwarted plots, including aplan to bomb the New York subway he called “thefirst core Al-Qaeda plot since 9/11, directed fromPakistan.” Alexander, FBI Deputy Director Sean Joyceand others defended the digital snooping, whichthey insisted has kept America safe since 2001, butwhich has come under global criticism following

leaks of classified details. “In recent years, the informa-tion gathered from these programs provided the USgovernment with critical leads to help prevent over50 potential terrorist events in more than 20 countriesaround the world,” Alexander said, adding that at least10 threats were “homeland-based.”

He told the House Intelligence Committee thatmost details were classified and would not be made

public. But in an effort to win political support for thespy programs, details of four incidents, including theNew York Stock Exchange plot, were released. Joycesaid a tip from the NSA, which had traced internation-al phone calls from terror suspects to Kansas City, ledthe FBI to get a court order to begin electronic surveil-lance on Khalid Ouazzani.

FBI agents then determined that Ouazzani hadprovided information and support for a “nascent”plot to bomb the NYSE, and arrested him and his co-

conspirators. In May 2010, Ouazzani pleaded guiltyto conspiring to provide material support to Al-Qaeda, but the FBI made no mention of a plot tobomb the stock exchange at the time. The controver-sy over the spying programs erupted after roguedefense contractor Edward Snowden leaked detailsof them to Britain’s Guardian newspaper and TheWashington Post earlier this month.

According to material leaked to the Guardian, theNSA acquires the call logs of Americans from phonecompanies and monitors digital communications withdata obtained from Internet titans like Apple,Facebook and Google. US officials insist the phonemetadata includes no names or addresses, that inves-tigators must obtain a separate order to listen in oncalls, and that the Internet data searches were onlycarried out on foreigners residing abroad. “If you’relooking for a needle in the haystack, you have to havethe haystack first,” Deputy Attorney General JamesCole testified, referring to the huge amounts of rawdata, which he said were only used “sparingly.”

According to Cole, the database was queried 300times last year, and only after a secret court set upunder the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act deter-mined there was reasonable suspicion to pursue asuspect. Critics have slammed the spying operationsas government overreach, insisting the public has theright to know the scope of the programs and the rolemajor Internet firms played in surrendering personaldata to authorities. Google and other firms say theyhave received thousands of requests for informationtargeting tens of thousands of accounts.

But they are not allowed to provide a tally ofnational security and secret FISA court requests sepa-rate from ordinary criminal warrants and subpoenas.Google, which has long published data on criminalrequests in its “transparency report,” said it should beallowed to disclose separate tallies. “Lumping nationalsecurity requests together with criminal requests-assome companies have been permitted to do-wouldbe a backward step for our users,” a Google spokesper-son said. In its court filing, Google said that its “reputa-tion and business has been harmed by the false andmisleading reports in the media, and Google’s usersare concerned by the allegations.” The company said itwas asking the court to affirm its “right” under the FirstAmendment of the US Constitution to publish theinformation. —AFP

50 plots foiled by spy programs: NSA chiefNSA head says plot against Wall Street foiled

WASHINGTON: In this file photo, a woman talks on the phone outside the US Courthousein Washington, where the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court resides. —AP

SAO PAULO: Unidentified people carry a television set during clashes against arecent rise in public bus and subway fare. —AP

Rousseff salutesBrazil protests

SAO PAULO: President Dilma Rousseff onTuesday sought to defuse a massive protestmovement sweeping Brazil, acknowledgingthe need for better public services and moreresponsive governance as demonstrationscontinued in some cities around the country.Speaking the morning after more than200,000 Brazilians marched in more than ahalf-dozen cities, Rousseff said her govern-ment remains committed to social changeand is listening attentively to the many griev-ances expressed at the demonstrations.“Brazil woke up stronger today,” Rousseff saidin a televised speech in Brasilia. “The size ofyesterday’s demonstrations shows the energyof our democracy, the strength of the voice ofthe streets and the civility of our population.”

Monday’s demonstrations were the latestin a flurry of protests in the past two weeksthat have fed on widespread frustration withpoor public services, police violence and gov-ernment corruption. The protests, organizedmostly by university students through snow-balling social media campaigns, marked thefirst time that Brazilians have taken to thestreets on such a large scale since economicvolatility and a corruption scandal led to thetoppling of a president in the early 1990s.

The demonstrations started as smallprotests in a few cities against an increase inbus and subway fares but quickly balloonedinto a national movement after police firedrubber bullets at protesters in Sao Paulo lastweek in clashes that injured more than 100people. Eager to ease tensions and preventfuture protests, officials in at least five cities,including important state capitals such asPorto Alegre and Recife, announced plans onTuesday to lower bus fares.

But demonstrations continued in a fewcities, including Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo,where thousands gathered in front of thecity’s landmark cathedral and marched on itsmain avenue in what protesters hoped wouldbe a final push persuading local officials tocancel the bus fare increase. Tuesday night’sdemonstrations were marred by a smallgroup of rioters who smashed the windows ofSao Paulo’s city hall then set fire to a policesecurity post and a TV broadcaster’s transmis-sion van.

Protests then continued mostly peacefully,

fading before midnight, but then riotersbegan pelting the windows of nearby busi-nesses with stones and burning trash in thestreet, TV channel O Globo reported. It said atleast 20 people were arrested for looting. TheJustice Ministry said in a statement it wouldsend federal troops to the cities hosting thetwo-week FIFA Confederations’ Cup soccertournament, which kicked off in Brazil onSaturday, to reinforce security. Sao PauloMayor Fernando Haddad, a prominent figurein Rousseff’s left-leaning Workers’ Party, saidin a meeting with leaders of the protestmovement on Tuesday that he is consideringa cut in bus fares but needs to find ways tocompensate for the loss in revenue. Even ifHaddad does cede, it remains unclear if thatwould be enough to halt the protests, giventhat protesters have embraced so many othercauses.

Rousseff turns to LulaRousseff traveled to Sao Paulo on Tuesday

to meet with Haddad and former PresidentLuiz Inacio Lula da Silva, her predecessor andpolitical mentor. A former metalworker andunion boss who led massive protests in thelate 1970s, Lula remains an important powerbroker in Brazilian politics. The unrest comesat a delicate time for Rousseff, whose adminis-tration is struggling to rein in high inflationand get the economy back on track after twoyears of sluggish growth. Polls show Rousseffremains widely popular, but her approval rat-ings have begun to slip in recent weeks forthe first time since taking office in early 2011.

A leftist guerrilla in her youth who wasjailed for conspiring against Brazil’s militarydictatorship, Rousseff said the sight of somany young Brazilians marching for theirrights moved her. She also said her govern-ment sympathizes with the many grievancesexpressed at the demonstrations, from callsfor more spending on education and health-care to better and more affordable publictransportation. “My government hears thevoices clamoring for change, my govern-ment is committed to social transformation,”Rousseff said. “Those who took to the streetsyesterday sent a clear message to all of socie-ty, above all to political leaders at all levels ofgovernment.” —Reuters

FBI search for Jimmy Hoffa’s body may last two more days

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP: Investigators looking forthe remains of former Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffain a suburban Detroit field could search the areafor two more days, seeking evidence to prove anelderly mobster’s claim the labor leader was buriedalive on the property shortly after his 1975 disap-pearance. Investigators widened the search areaand brought in a cadaver-sniffing dog on Tuesday,but apparently did not find the remains of Hoffa,who is thought to have been murdered by mob-sters. The site where FBI agents have been diggingfor Hoffa’s remains in Oakland County is about 20miles (32 km) north of the Machus Red Fox restau-rant where Hoffa was last seen alive. The FBIopened the search after a tip from reputed mob-ster Anthony Zerilli. FBI officials said the search hadbeen widened but gave no details.

The search of the 40- to 50-square-yard area(33- to 40-square meter) would continue at leastanother 48 hours, said Oakland County SheriffMichael Bouchard. He said police and FBI officialsremain optimistic but that nothing had been sentfor lab analysis so far. Bouchard said investigatorshad discovered concrete on the site, which couldcorroborate Zerilli’s claim that Hoffa was buried onthe site under a concrete slab. “Obviously that waspart of the original information,” he said. “And it’sconsistent with that” information. The FBI broughtin forensic anthropologists from Michigan StateUniversity and a cadaver-sniffing dog to helpsearch a half-acre (0.20 hectare) of the site, accord-ing to a person close to the investigation whoasked not to be identified. Curious bystanders

gathered on Tuesday near the field, which wasblocked off by Oakland County sheriff deputies,and peered through wavy grass and trees to seeagents digging and a backhoe at work. The searchfor Hoffa, who was 62 when he disappeared in1975, has spawned many theories about his finalresting place, ranging from under an end zone inGiants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, tothe General Motors Co headquarters in downtownDetroit and the Florida Everglades.

Tip prompted searchLaw enforcement officials decided to search

the Michigan lot after Zerilli, 85, told the FBI thatHoffa was buried there. Zerilli’s attorney, DavidChasnick, told reporters the FBI spoke to his clientover the past seven or eight months and that theagency believes “100 percent” that Hoffa is buriedthere. “This was a guy who was intimately involvedwith some of the players who would be wellinformed as to where the body would be placed,”Chasnick said.

According to a 21-page manuscript that Zerilliwrote and is selling online, Hoffa was dragged outof a car, bound and gagged, hit with a shovel andthen being buried alive under a cement slab in abarn on the property. FBI officials had no com-ment on Zerilli’s assertions. Hoffa, the father of cur-rent Teamsters President James Hoffa, led theunion from 1957 to 1971 and went to prison forfraud and jury tampering. He was released in late1971, when President Richard Nixon commutedhis sentence. —Reuters

COLORADO SPRINGS: Blaine Roth, 2 (left) his mother Caroline Roth, sisterMacey Roth, 4, and neighbor Chloe Stevenson, 13, join a crowd lining Old RanchRoad as they cheer for the firefighters leaving the fire camp to fight the BlackForest Fire at Pine Creek High School in Colorado Springs, Colo. —AP

Colorado fire casualties named

DENVER: Bob and Barbara Schmidt dashed totheir home on a dirt road in a heavily woodedarea northeast of Colorado Springs as smokefrom what would become the most destructivewildfire in Colorado history filled the air. Afterquickly grabbing a few items, they spotted theirneighbors. “They were sitting on their porch,watching TV,” said Bob Schmidt, adding his wifeurged their neighbors to immediately flee assmoke rolled in at 4:35 p.m. on June 11. “Theysaid they’d leave when they needed to.” Marc andRobin Herklotz told the Schmidts they hadn’t got-ten automated calls from authorities orderingthem to evacuate and that, while they were pack-ing and monitoring the approaching blaze on TV,they weren’t panicking.

On Tuesday, authorities announced that thelone casualties of the Black Forest Fire were theHerklotzes, whose bodies were found in theirgarage on Jicarilla Drive by their car, as if theywere trying to flee. The fire has destroyed morethan 500 homes and charred more than 22 squaremiles. It was 85 percent contained Tuesday. InCalifornia, officials said it was an unattendedcampfire near a main route into Yosemite NationalPark that grew into a blaze that led to the evacua-tions of 1,500 people from 800 homes. Nearly half

of those people were allowed to return as fire-fighters gained ground late Tuesday.

A wind-whipped wildfire in Arizona grew tonearly 8 square miles by Tuesday evening and waswithin 400 yards of some homes west of Prescott,authorities said. Hundreds of homes and peoplehave been evacuated by the so-called Doce Fire,which began shortly before noon Tuesday. InColorado, Bob Schmidt said he had received a callJune 11 telling him to leave immediately but thatthe Herklotzes said they did not get such a call.Their homes lay just outside the mandatory evac-uation boundary announced on Twitter by the ElPaso County at 3:34 p.m. that day. The zone wasexpanded to include Jicarilla Drive at 5:36 pm.

El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa said thatsomeone had spoken to the Herklotzes on thephone at about 5 pm and heard a popping sound- most likely the fire racing through the thick trees.Marc Allen Herklotz, 52, and Robin LauranHerklotz, 50, worked at Air Force SpaceCommand, which operates military satellites, andwere based at Schriever Air Force Base in ColoradoSprings, the Air Force said in a written statement.He entered the Air Force in 1983 but most recentlywas working as a civilian employee, and his wifewas an Air Force contractor. —AP

One of US FBI’s most wanted

nabbed in MexicoCANCUN: Mexican authorities have arrested a formeruniversity professor who was on the FBI’s Ten MostWanted Fugitives list in the resort city of Playa delCarmen. Prosecutor Gaspar Armando Garcia Torressaid Walter Lee Williams, 64, is wanted on charges ofsexual exploitation of children and traveling abroad forthe purpose of engaging in sexual acts with children.Garcia said Williams was captured late Tuesday whiledrinking coffee near a park in the Caribbean beachtown.

“This person is wanted by the FBI because he islinked to the sexual exploitation of children,” Garciatold reporters. He said it wasn’t clear how long Williamshad been living in Playa del Carmen and that the fugi-tive also had an address in nearby Cancun, where hewas taken and turned over to Mexican immigrationofficials. Garcia did not say whether Williams is sus-pected of committing any crimes in Mexico.

A federal arrest warrant was issued for the formerPalm Springs, California, resident in Los Angeles inApril, according to the FBI website. The indictmentalleges Williams traveled from Los Angeles to thePhilippines in January 2011 to engage in sex acts withtwo 14-year-old boys he met online in 2010, the U.S.Department of Justice said in a statement Monday.While in the Philippines, Williams allegedly engaged insex acts with both boys and produced sexually explicitphotos of one of the boys. Williams fled the LosAngeles area approximately one week after returningfrom the Philippines, it added.

Until 2011, Williams was a tenured professor at theUniversity of Southern California where his field ofstudy was gender development. Williams was alsoaffiliated with the Buddhist Universal Association ofLos Angeles, California, according to the FBI. “Williamshas an extensive history of travel throughout theSouth East Asia region, specifically the Philippines,” theFBI said. “He has reportedly resided in Indonesia,Polynesia and Thailand.”

The FBI added Williams to its Ten Most WantedFugitives list on Monday. “I analyzed the computersand the camera that belong to Williams and foundchild pornography,” said Special Agent Jeff Yesensky, ina video about Williams posted on the FBI’s websiteMonday to bring attention to the case. “He preys onthe most vulnerable children,” Yesensky added. —AP

WASHINGTON: Republican lawmakers have amessage for those who want the party to softenits emphasis on social conservatism in hopes ofreaching a wider national audience: Not so fast.House Republicans flexed their cultural and con-servative muscles Tuesday, passing the mostrestrictive abortion measure in years. They alsoadvanced legislation to crack down on immi-grants living illegally in the US, even as senatorspursue a plan that would offer those same mil-lions a pathway to citizenship.

The actions reflect a roiling debate amongRepublicans over why they lost two elections toPresident Barack Obama, and how best to rebuilda winning formula. Many Republicans in Congressand elsewhere think the party’s establishment

erred in concluding the party must embrace “com-prehensive immigration reform” to attractHispanic voters. And they dismiss the notion thatRepublicans should soft-pedal their opposition toabortion, a subject on which they say public opin-ion is moving their way.

“There’s been a misleading thought as to whathappened after the last election cycle,” saidLouisiana Republican Rep John Fleming. “MostAmericans do not support amnesty, especiallywithout securing the borders,” he said, regardingthe idea of citizenship for those here illegally. Asfor abortion, Fleming said, there’s growing publicconcern about second-trimester abortions, “sowe’re actually gaining ground.” Like Democrats,Republicans often discuss ways to keep their base

loyal while attracting independent voters near thepolitical center. The urgency rose last fall, whenMitt Romney became the fifth Republican in sixpresidential elections to lose the popular vote. Onabortion and reproductive rights, some strategistssay the greatest need is for Republicans - especial-ly men - to steer clear of incendiary language suchas “legitimate rape.” They know there’s no way theDemocratic-led Senate will embrace the Housebill, which would bar abortions 20 weeks afterconception. Tuesday’s debate was largely symbol-ic but important, Republican leaders said.Immigration’s fate in Congress is less certain. It’sincreasingly clear, however, that manyRepublicans think party elders were hasty in say-ing the party won’t win future presidential elec-

tions unless it agrees to far-reaching immigrationchanges that include new pathways to citizenship.

“What an idiot,” Washington state RepublicanChairman Kirby Wilbur said Tuesday of Sen.Lindsey Graham’s recent comments on the mat-ter. Graham, a South Carolina Republican, saidthat without “immigration reform” along thelines the Senate is weighing, “we’re in a demo-graphic death spiral as a party.” “The pathologyreport of the death of the Republican Party isgrossly overstated,” Wilbur said. Republicansmust do better jobs of messaging and findingvoters, but they should not overreact toRomney’s relatively narrow loss to Obama, hesaid. Obama won 51 percent of the popular voteto Romney’s 47 percent but defeated the

Republican by a wide margin in the ElectoralCollege, 332-206.

Democrats want to portray Republicans as outof step with the nation’s values on gay rights,women’s rights and common-sense solutions toillegal immigration. During Tuesday’s House debateon abortion, Democratic Rep. Ami Bera of Californiaasked to bring up a student loan bill instead. “This isa direct attack on women’s rights,” he said afterbeing overruled. Republicans responded by send-ing a parade of women to the House microphones.“We are changing hearts and minds,” said Rep. AnnWagner, a Missouri Republican. “We hear more andmore evidence that life begins at conception.” Shesaid she covets the day when abortion is “absolutelyunthinkable.” —AP

Social issues still fire up Republicans

HANOI: In this file photo, dissident lawyer Cu Huy Ha Vu is escorted by policeout of a courtroom after being convicted of spreading propaganda againstthe state and sentenced to seven years in prison and three years of housearrest at the one-day trial in Hanoi, Vietnam. —AP

Vietnam’s hunger striker tests officials’ patience

HANOI: Cu Huy Ha Vu’s books come with pagestorn out by prison guards. Only some of his let-ters reach home. He is not allowed to access evi-dence from his trial or to see his wife alone. Thistreatment, described by Vu’s wife, has driven theVietnamese legal scholar to a hunger strike that isnow in its fourth week. Nguyen Thi Duong Ha saysher husband told her Saturday that he hasn’t eat-en since May 27, even though she brings himorange juice and chicken stock, and that he won’tuntil the prison officially replies to his complaints.Now she worries the hunger strike may exacer-bate Vu’s longstanding heart problems and pro-voke a stroke.

“I live in fear,” she said. “I can’t fall asleepbecause I’m afraid there may be a phone call withbad news.” Vu, the son of revolutionary poet CuHuy Can, is among the many government criticswho have been imprisoned as the Communistgovernment, beset by economic troubles andcomplaints about corruption and inequality,cracks down on dissent. His hunger strike hasdrawn attention to the conditions dissidents facein prison and to his own 2011 conviction oncharges that included conducting propagandaagainst the state, calling for multiparty govern-ment and demanding the abolishment of the par-ty’s leadership.

On Tuesday the US Embassy and the London-based rights group Amnesty International bothcalled for Vu’s immediate release. Bloggers haverallied to his cause on the Internet, whereVietnamese continue to express dissent despitethe arrests of three prominent bloggers in thepast month. “More and more, we are hearingabout harsh treatment of prisoners of consciencein detention (in Vietnam), including solitary con-finement, being moved from prison to prisonwithout their families being informed, and inade-quate food and health care,” said Rupert Abbott,Amnesty International’s researcher on Cambodia,Laos and Vietnam. Vu, a 55-year-old, Sorbonne-educated lawyer, is among the ruling CommunistParty’s highest-profile critics. His father was notonly a famous poet but the agriculture minister inthe government of Vietnam’s founding president,Ho Chi Minh. Vu was arrested in 2010 afterattempting to sue Prime Minister Nguyen TanDung twice - first for approving a Chinese-builtbauxite mining project in Vietnam’s central high-

lands, and later for prohibiting the filing of class-action lawsuits. The first suit was rejected by aHanoi court, and the second was ignored. In hisdramatic one-day trial in April 2011, Vu’s lawyerswalked out of the courthouse after a judgerefused to read or distribute interviews Vu wasaccused of giving to foreign media, including theUS government-funded Voice of America andRadio Free Asia. He was sentenced to seven yearsin prison and three of house arrest.

Carl Thayer, a Vietnam expert at the Universityof New South Wales in Australia, said Vu’s case “isan illustration of the counterproductive policies ofthe Vietnamese Communist regime that seek tointimidate and silence critics.” He added that Vu’srevolutionary background “only serves to under-mine” the regime’s legitimacy.

Ha said her husband went on a hunger strikebecause prison officials haven’t responded to theofficial complaints he has issued in recentmonths. Vietnamese law requires the prison torespond to petitions within 90 days. “He wants tobe treated in accordance with the law,” Ha said ina Hanoi restaurant Monday. “He’s a lawyer and heknows that he hasn’t done anything wrong.” Vuand his lawyers have complained officially thatprison guards have prevented him from accessingevidence from his trial and from meeting privatelywith his wife when she visits the prison in north-ern Thanh Hoa province. He also wrote that aprison guard has tormented him by repeatedlyopening his door.

Ha said some aspects of prison life haveimproved for her husband. His 20-square meter(215-square-foot) cell, which at first had no win-dows and just a rudimentary toilet, has beenupgraded considerably in recent months.Vietnam’s state-run media has attempted to raisedoubts that Vu is truly on a hunger strike throughseveral recent newspaper and television reports. Adoctor at the prison, for example, was quoted byPeople’s Police newspaper Sunday as saying thatVu’s health condition was normal.

Deputy prison chief Le Duy Sau told the onlinenewspaper VnExpress that Vu’s complaint aboutthe guard opening his door was “completely para-noid,” and that Vu would be allowed to see hiswife privately - if he repents for his crimes. Sauadded that Vu receives food from his family, butdid not say whether he eats it. —AP

I N T E R N AT I O N A LTHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

News

2 Thai monks arrested in child sex scandal

BANGKOK: Thai police said yesterday they had arrestedtwo monks for procuring a 14-year-old boy to performsexual acts with an abbot, in the latest scandal to shakethe kingdom’s Buddhist clergy. The pair, who deny anyknowledge of the alleged abuse, could face up to 15years in prison if convicted, Police Colonel WirachonBunthawi told AFP from the northern city of ChiangMai.”The abbot is still at the temple and we’re waiting foran arrest warrant for him,” Wirachon said. Based on theaccounts of the victim and a driver, the two monks-aged20 and 23 — are alleged to have taken the boy to see theabbot at the temple in Chiang Dao district in the ChiangMai Province several times since February, police said.The case comes in the wake of recent controversy in theBuddhist-dominated nation over footage posted onYouTube of three monks flying in a private jet, wearingearphones and sunglasses and travelling with a LouisVuitton bag. The video prompted debate over monks’adherence to austere principles which include livingwithout possessions, beyond a handful of robes.Thailand’s Buddhist clergy has been hit by a series ofscandals involving monks, with local media reportingcases of drug-taking, drinking, gambling and visitingprostitutes.

22 dead in Nepal floods KATHMANDU: At least 22 people have been killed inlandslides and floods triggered by heavy monsoon rain inremote parts of Nepal, a government spokesman saidyesterday. “So far, 22 people from across the country havebeen killed by landslides and floods. Eighteen more aremissing,” Shankar Koirala, a spokesman in the Ministry ofHome Affairs told AFP. More than 100 homes have alsobeen damaged by the floods in mainly western Nepal,the spokesman said, as the government held an emer-gency meeting and agreed to step up relief efforts. “Everyvictim’s family will be provided with a relief package of40,000 rupees ($425). We have also dispatched a helicop-ter carrying blankets and medicines to the disaster hitregion,” Koirala said. Hundreds of people die every yearfrom flooding and landslides during the monsoon seasonin Nepal. The annual monsoon has also struck early overthe border in India, with flash floods washing awayhomes and roads, leaving at least 120 people dead.

Zimmerman jury selection into new phase

SANFORD: Prosecutors and defense attorneys personallyinterviewed 58 potential jurors over seven days abouttheir media exposure to the fatal shooting of 17-year-oldTrayvon Martin by former neighborhood watch volunteerGeorge Zimmerman last year in Sanford, Fla. They haveasked 40 jury candidates to return for the next round ofquestioning and dismissed scores of others. They eventu-ally must whittle down the pool to six jurors and fouralternates who will decide Zimmerman’s second-degreemurder case. The case has prompted strong emotions onabout race, equal justice and gun control, issues that havecome to light during jury selection. Jurors’ identities arebeing kept confidential during the trial that is expectedto last up to a month. Of the 40 potential jurors, 27 arewhite, seven are black, three are mixed race and three areHispanic. Twenty-four are women and 16 are men. Belowis a look at some of the more notable statements bypotential jurors - identified just by number - throughoutselection process that’s in its second week. “There wasfault on both sides as far as I can see, two people being inthe wrong place at the wrong time.” - Juror B-30, a 65-year-old white man with hearing problems who wasn’tasked back. “I haven’t lived under a rock for the past year.It’s pretty hard for people not to have gotten some infor-mation.” - Juror B-51, a white woman retiree, asked aboutwhat she knew about the high-profile case. She was toldto return.

in brief

UN’s Ban meets China’sXi for talks on N KoreaChina told to push N Korea to halt nuke plans

BEIJING: Chinese president XiJinping and UN chief Ban Ki-moonyesterday discussed the situation onthe Korean peninsula and in Syria,state media reported, as Ban’s visit toBeijing was overshadowed by adeadly attack on a UN compound.Ban, who arrived Tuesday, met Xi inBeijing’s ornate Great Hall of thePeople after earlier visiting a centrewhich trains China’s UN peacekeep-ers. They exchanged views on Syriaand the Korean peninsula duringtheir talks, the China News Servicereported.

Xi described China’s “principledpositions” on the issues, the reportsaid, without elaborating. The meet-ing comes amid ongoing tensions onthe peninsula over the North’snuclear programme and the worsen-ing situation in Syria’s civil war. China,a permanent member of the UnitedNations Security Council, has comeunder pressure to encourage NorthKorea to halt its nuclear programmeafter the reclusive nation in Februarycarried out its third undergroundnuclear test, which brought world-wide condemnation.

China, the North’s sole ally, is seenas the country with the most influ-ence on Pyongyang’s actions. OnSyria, China has sided with Russiathree times in using a veto againstWestern-proposed UN SecurityCouncil resolutions that wouldincrease pressure on PresidentBashar Al-Assad. Ban, a former SouthKorean foreign minister, is also sched-uled to hold talks with ChinesePremier Li Keqiang today.

His visit was interrupted by newsof an attack by Islamist insurgents ona UN compound in Somalia yester-day that killed at least eight people,excluding the attackers. “TheSecretary-General is aware of theattack against the United Nations inSomalia, and he is shocked by it,”

Martin Nesirky, his spokesman, saidin an e-mail, adding that Ban was“being updated regularly” on the sit-uation.

Ban’s visit came as a high-rankingNorth Korean official with long expe-rience as his country’s internationalnuclear negotiator held talks with

Chinese officials. North Korean firstvice foreign minister Kim Kye-Gwanand Chinese vice foreign ministerZhang Yesui co-chaired a “strategicdialogue” meeting between theirministries in the Chinese capital, for-eign ministry spokeswoman HuaChunying said.

“The two sides exchanged views

on China-DPRK relations and the situ-ation on the Korean peninsula,” shetold a regular briefing, referring toNorth Korea by the acronym of itsofficial name, the DemocraticPeople’s Republic of Korea. Kim alsomet Wu Dawei, China’s special envoyfor Korean peninsula affairs, Hua said.

The meeting follows one lastmonth between Xi and North Koreanspecial envoy Choe Ryong-Hae, aclose confidant of the North’s leaderKim Jong-Un. Tensions over thenuclear programme have wanedsomewhat in recent months amidexpectations North Korea may bemoving towards dialogue rather than

confrontation. But Pyongyang unex-pectedly cancelled much-anticipatedtalks with the South last week, cast-ing some doubt on its intentions.

Kim Kye-Gwan has been a key fig-ure in international negotiationsaimed at persuading North Korea toabandon its nuclear programme in

exchange for aid and security guar-antees. The so-called six party talks,which began in 2003 but have beendormant since late 2008, also includeSouth Korea, Japan, Russia, Chinaand the United States. South Korea’sPresident Park Geun-Hye is due tomake her first visit to China later thismonth. —AFP

BEIJING: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (second from left) meets with Chinese President XiJinping (second from right) at the Great Hall of the People yesterday. —AP

IKATA: In this file photo, the No. 3 reactor (right) of the Ikata nuclear powerplant, operated by Shikoku Electric Power Co, is seen in Ikata, westernJapan. —AP

Japan finds highly toxic strontium in Fukushima Tepco says levels exceed legal limits

TOKYO: High levels of a toxic substancecalled strontium-90 have been found ingroundwater at the devastated Fukushimanuclear power plant in Japan, the utility thatruns the facility said on yesterday.Strontium-90 is a by-product of the fission ofuranium and plutonium in nuclear reactorsas well as nuclear weapons, the USEnvironmental Protection Agency says on itswebsite. The discovery of rising levels ofsuch radioactive material is likely to compli-cate efforts by the utility, Tokyo ElectricPower Co, to get approval to release into thePacific Ocean what it calls water contaminat-ed with low levels of radiation.

“This contaminated water should not bereleased to the ocean,” said MichiakiFurukawa, a nuclear chemist and professoremeritus at Nagoya University. “They have tokeep it somewhere so that it can’t escapeoutside the plant.” Tepco is being over-whelmed with contaminated liquids as itflushes water over the three reactors at theseaside plant that had meltdowns after anearthquake and tsunami two years agoknocked out power and cooling systems.

High levels of tritium, a less harmful sub-stance, had also been found, ToshihikoFukuda, a general manager at Tepco, told anews conference. Tepco did not believe anyof the strontium-90 found in groundwatertests had leaked into the ocean, Fukuda said.The company has constantly revisedannouncements about radiation levels andother problems at the plant since the disas-ter. Explosions that rocked the plant at theheight of the crisis discharged largeamounts of radioactive material into theatmosphere and surrounding land andocean.

Elevated readingsTests of groundwater outside the turbine

building of reactor No. 2 showed the level ofstrontium-90 had increased more than 100times between December 2012 and Maythis year, Fukuda said. He said it was likelythat radioactive material entered the envi-ronment after water poured over the meltedfuel in unit No. 2 and leaked out via the tur-bine building, located between the reactorand the ocean.

Testing of groundwater showed thatstrontium-90 increased from 8.6 becquerels

to 1,000 becquerels per litre between Dec.8, 2012 and May 24, Fukuda said. That levelis more than 30 times the legal limit of 30becquerels per litre. “Tepco needs to carryout more regular testing in specific areasand disclose everything they find,” addedFurukawa, the nuclear chemist.

Testing also showed 500,000 becquerelsper litre of tritium on May 24, comparedwith the legal limit of 60,000 and 29,000 onDec 8, 2012. A becquerel is a measure ofradioactive decay. Tepco has struggled withthe clean-up of Fukushima, the site of theworld’s worst nuclear disaster in 25 years. Itsaid in April it was running out of capacity tostore the water contaminated in its still-makeshift cooling system.

Adding to its difficulties, about 400tonnes of groundwater flow daily into thereactor buildings only to be mixed withhighly contaminated water from cooling themelted fuel. It has been trying to convincesceptical local fisherman that it is safe todump 100 tonnes of the groundwater a dayinto the ocean to reduce the strain on itsstorage facilities.

Reversing claimsEarlier this month the company reversed

a claim that the groundwater flowing intothe damaged basements of reactor build-ings was not contaminated. Recent mishaps,including two power outages, have height-ened concerns about Fukushima’s stabilityand called into question Tepco’s ability todecommission the plant, which may takemore than 30 years. The Fukushima catastro-phe highlighted failings in the oversight ofthe nuclear industry and prompted an over-haul of safety standards, which the country’snuclear regulator finalized yesterday.

The rules will take effect on July 8, afterCabinet approval that is expected tomor-row. The Nuclear Regulation Authority didnot make major changes to a draft releasedin April for public consultation. All but twoof Japan’s reactors have been shut downafter the disaster, forcing the country toimport costly fossil fuels, keeping its trade indeficit for 11 straight months. Nuclear plantoperators are expected to quickly apply torestart reactors, Japanese media havereported. Inspections will take at least sixmonths, the NRA has said. —AP

BEIJING: Authorities in central China execut-ed a former Communist Party official for rap-ing 11 underage girls, state media said yester-day, following an online uproar about the lat-est case of abuse of power. Li Xingong, whowas the party’s deputy head in Yongchengcity in Henan province, was found guilty ofassaulting the girls during police interroga-tions starting from the second half of 2011,the official Xinhua news agency reported.

Li appealed against the guilty verdict, butwas rejected by the Supreme Court, Xinhuasaid. The case was widely discussed on Weibo,China’s popular Twitter-like microbloggingsite, after reports about the rapes naming Li asthe perpetrator began circulating online inMay last year. “Yet another great example of aparty cadre,” wrote one Weibo user sarcastical-ly after the execution was announced.

“What is wrong with the party that theyhave animals like this in their ranks? Thereneeds to be discussion about how to bet-ter select officials,” wrote another. Whilethe government has encouraged peopleto take to the internet to expose corrup-tion and abuse of power, especially at thegrassroots, it generally keeps tight rein onwhat can be said about similar problems

with more senior officials.After briefly allowing free online discussion

following the sacking in March last year of for-mer Chongqing party boss Bo Xilai and thenaming of his wife as a suspect in the murderof a British businessman, censors moved toblock the topic. The ruling Communist Partyhas long pushed to eradicate corruption,underscoring a broader fear that, if leftunchecked, the problem could hurt the legiti-macy of one-party rule and perhaps threatenits survival.

Newly appointed President Xi Jinping hasvowed to make the fight against graft andabuse of power a key policy platform, but hasmade little apparent progress, with few seniorofficials being probed and no movementtowards establishing an independent anti-corruption body. Xi this week reminded offi-cials of the need for a “thorough cleanup ofundesirable work styles such as formalism,bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance”,state media reported yesterday.

“These four forms of decadence are theproblems most hated, and complained of, bythe people, severely damaging relationsbetween the party and ordinary people,” Xiwas quoted as saying. —AP

China executes child rapist

MANILA: The United Nations and Washingtonhave separately asked the Philippines not towithdraw its more than 300 Filipino peacekeep-ers from the Golan Heights, warning of “maxi-mum volatility” in the region after a number ofcountries decided to pull out their peacekeepingforces amid escalating violence, the Philippines’top diplomat said yesterday.

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said UNSecretary-General Ban Ki-moon and US Secretaryof State John Kerry appealed to him in recenttalks. He said he told them security for theFilipino forces should be bolstered for thePhilippines to consider to keep them in thevolatile buffer zone between Syria and Israel. Lastmonth, del Rosario recommended the withdraw-al of the Filipinos from the Golan Heights toPhilippine President Benigno Aquino III followingtwo separate abductions of Filipino peacekeep-ers and the wounding of another in fighting

between Syrian government and rebel forces.Austria announced recently that it would removeits 377 peacekeepers from the 911-member UNpeacekeeping force, which also includes troopsfrom India. That will leave the Philippines as thelargest single contributor. Croatia withdrew inMarch for fear its troops would be targeted.Japanese forces have also withdrawn, accordingto del Rosario.

“This, of course, will create a vacuum in theGolan, that separation stretch which keeps Israelaway from Syria,” del Rosario said in a news confer-ence in Manila. He said Kerry and Ban told him thatif the Philippines also withdraws, that would “createmaximum volatility for the area.” In talks with Banand Kerry, “I mentioned that we thought that theexposure was beyond tolerable limits for our peo-ple but we’re willing to reconsider and make a newassessment if the security and safety of our peace-keepers would be upgraded,” he said. —AP

UN, US ask Filipinos not to leave Golan Heights

Afeeling in France that the European Union no longerworks in its interest is fueling tensions between Parisand Brussels and adding pressure on President

Francois Hollande to be more assertive in Europe.Successive Europe-wide polls show that disenchantmentwith the EU is rising fastest in France, a founder memberwhose battle to reform its ailing economy has now becomethe top preoccupation of the 27-nation bloc. Sources of themalaise are many: from the rise of post-unificationGermany as a political force in Europe, to the feeling thatEU institutions have mishandled the economic crisis andneglected core concerns such as unemployment.

Anti-EU groups such as the National Front have latchedonto the public mood of frustration to secure opinion pollgains. The mainstream French left and right are strugglingto define their stances on Europe before early 2014European Parliament elections where both fear heavy loss-es to populist parties. The instinctively pro-EuropeanHollande is not about to tilt French policy in a Euroscepticdirection. But such anxieties set the stage for France’s lonestance last week to ringfence cinema and other culturalgoods from talks on an EU-US free trade pact, to the dis-may of Brussels and some European capitals.

“There is a sense in France of losing grip of its own des-tiny,” said Aurelien Renard of pollster Gallup Europe, whoseJune survey shows two-thirds of French believe the EU isheading in the wrong direction. “The EU-US trade question,and particularly over culture, was an opportunity to show itstill had a grip.”

French officials believe that maintaining the “culturalexception” - a 20-year-old truce in trade talks preservingstate subsidies to cinema and other sectors - is a nationalinterest just as vital to it as the City of London is to Britain.Thus Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso’s attackon the stance as showing a “reactionary” anti-globalisationagenda unleashed a volley of Gallic ire, from the SocialistHollande saying he was shocked to French social mediausers clicking the ironic #jesuisreactionnaire (“I am a reac-tionary”) hashtag.

The episode showed once again how few French politi-cians of any hue subscribe wholeheartedly to the free-mar-ket agenda of the European Commission. Economic liberalsin the U.S. or British sense are a tiny, largely silent minorityof France. But the spat is the just latest example of Parisbeing too quick to clearly mark out its territory in Europe.When the Commission last month issued a detailed list ofreforms it wants from Paris in return for a two-year reprieveto narrow its budget deficit, a peeved Hollande fired backthat it was not for Brussels to “dictate” to France.

While his response irked allies of German ChancellorAngela Merkel, it reflects a domestic French reality ofwhich Hollande is only too aware: if he is to reform sensi-tive areas such as pensions, it must not be seen to be atBrussels’ bidding. An EU plan to cut air travel times andcosts across Europe fell foul of French air traffic controllerslast week who walked off the job to protest at moves theysay threaten security and their working conditions. France,this time joined by Germany, told EU authorities to freezethe project.

The elephant in the room is the election next May to aEuropean Parliament with a growing say in EU policy mat-ters, and for which the French left and right are nervouslybracing. Explaining the French disenchantment withEurope revealed by Gallup and a widely-watched PewResearch Center poll last month, former CommissionPresident Jacques Delors regaled a Socialist gathering thisweekend with a withering attack on what he called a “puni-tive and alienating” Europe. The meeting agreed a text urg-ing a revision of EU rules on national budget deficits andfor a devaluation of the euro - policies that have littlechance of coming to fruition but which will keep up pres-sure on Hollande to avoid excess fiscal rigour.

France’s right remains in disarray on Europe, with a widecleavage between pro-sovereignty and pro-integrationwings potentially meaning the centre-right UMP strugglesto go into the elections on a united platform. That woulddelight Marine Le Pen, whose poll ratings outdo Hollande’sin some surveys and whose anti-EU, anti-immigrationNational Front this weekend ousted his Socialists out of therun-off for a vacant French parliament seat in a by-election.While the Socialist Party’s case was not helped by the factthat the rural Villeneuve-sur-Lot seat came up when one ofits grandees fell to a tax fraud scandal, the other big griev-ance was against a Europe which many French do not trust.“It’s not that I am anti-EU,” Nicole Ausou, a 61-year-old retiredsocial worker said at a union-organised march against wel-fare spending cuts in Paris this weekend. “But I want anotherEurope, a Europe of French policies.” — Reuters

Issues

EU-wariness complicates life

for HollandeBy Mark John

14A N A L Y S I STHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

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Putin basks in isolation, Obama charm falls flat

US arms to Syria unlikely to harm Israel By John Davison

USplans to arm Syrian rebels haveraised fears in Israel that theweapons could fall into the wrong

hands, but analysts played down the threat -provided no big guns are involved.Washington said last week that it would pro-vide Syria’s rebels with military support in theform of small arms after it determined thatthe Syrian regime had used chemicalweapons. US President Barack Obama onWednesday declined to categorise the armsthe US will send to the rebels. “I cannot andwill not comment on specifics on our pro-grams related to the Syrian opposition,”Obama said, at a press conference in Berlinwith German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Two months ago, Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu urged caution over suchplans saying it “presents the question ofwhich rebels and which weapons?” AndIsrael’s former deputy foreign minister DannyAyalon has repeatedly warned that such amove would be a “mistake”. Other Israeli offi-cials have drawn parallels with Afghanistan inthe 1980s, when US supplies to Mujahedeenfighting the Russians found their way yearslater to Al-Qaeda.

Analysts said the extent of the threat toIsrael depended on what weaponry wasinvolved and where it ended up. “If it meansthe provision of small arms and ammunition,such as RPGs and mortars... I don’t think that’sgoing to mean anything for Israel, and am noteven sure it will for the rebels,” said JonathanSpyer, senior researcher at the GlobalResearch in International Affairs Centre inHerzliya, near Tel Aviv. Even “if some of thoseweapons reach the hands of extreme jihadistelements, such as Al-Nusra Front (in the GolanHeights) ... it is not a major strategic threat,but rather an irritant,” he said.

Dr Jacques Neriah, former adviser to lateprime minister Yitzhak Rabin, agreed that itwould depend on the type of weaponry theUS intends to provide to the rebels. “Anti-tankweaponry is problematic because in the past,weapons given by the US to allies farther eastfound themselves in Lebanon or in Gaza,” he

said, alluding to arms given to theMujahedeen in Afghanistan, some of whichIsrael believes ended up in the hands ofLebanon’s Shiite Hezbollah movement andIslamist groups in the Gaza Strip. “There’s agood chance these weapons might find theirway to Gaza,” he added.

Daniel Nisman, an intelligence specialist atTel Aviv-based risk consulting firm MaxSecurity Solutions, agreed. “Advancedweapons like anti-tank capabilities... mightincrease the level of concern from Israel,maybe even objection,” he said. Neriah saidSyria’s rebels in any case did not need anti-tank weapons or small arms to gain the upperhand in the more than two-year conflict.“They’ve plundered the depots of the Syrianarmy... and got their hands on weapons, tanksand armoured personnel carriers and so on.”

More useful would be strategic advan-tages like electronic intelligence capabilitiesor a no-fly zone, Neriah said, but stressed thelatter was unlikely to be implemented givenDamascus ally Russia’s opposition to such amove. The provision of small arms, in themeantime, would have little effect, Neriahargued: “There’s no logic in giving them theseweapons.”

Nisman disagreed. “Any aid can help, evenif it’s light aid,” he said. “Take the example ofQusair,” which the Syrian regime recapturedwith help from its ally Hezbollah earlier inJune. “The Assad regime and Hezbollah ini-tially thought it would be a quick campaign,but it ended up taking longer and costingmore casualties. This was because theyencountered more resistance within an urbansetting from rebels with small arms using

ambushing tactics. That kind of limited mili-tary aid can help rebels bog down Hezbollahand the Assad regime in an urban setting likesay in Aleppo,” Nisman said. Analysts said vic-tory in Syria would boil down to who receivesthe most foreign military aid. “Compared tothe aid (the regime) is receiving from Russiaand Hezbollah, (the proposed US provision)doesn’t match,” said Mike Herzog, formerhead of strategic planning in the Israeli armyand a fellow at the Washington Institute forNear East Policy. Victory is a “question of inter-national aid, and who gets more. Right now,Assad’s regime is getting more, whether fromHezbollah, Iran, or Russian drone support,”Nisman said, referring to reports Moscow wasgiving Assad unmanned spy aircraft. Recentrebel losses “have coincided with a drop (inaid),” he said. — AFP

By Dan De Luce

Pakistan likely played a crucial role in persuading a reluctantTaleban to enter into tentative peace talks with its Americanand Afghan government foes, experts said here. For more than

two years, the United States has been promoting the idea of negotia-tions free of preconditions with little result, as Taliban insurgentsseemed unwilling to risk talking to their adversaries, particularlyAfghan leaders in Kabul. But Pakistan, which has deep links to theAfghan Taleban, appears to have forced its proteges to come to thetable, clearing the way for negotiations after numerous false starts,said Scott Smith, a former UN official who worked in Afghanistan.“One thing that changed was the Pakistani support for it (peacetalks),” Smith told AFP. “At some level there’s a shift.”

The move comes from a newly-elected government in Pakistan,which faces its own battle with Islamist extremists at home and mayhave calculated that the Afghan Taliban needed to be reined in nextdoor, experts said. “You have a deterioration of the situation inPakistan,” said Smith, referring to violence from militants insidePakistan. “Maybe they’ve made a calculation it’s getting too dicey” tofuel the Afghan Taliban’s insurgency, he said. Islamabad’s support forpeace talks “may not be a change in policy, but it’s definitely a delib-erate decision on their part to have the Taleban go this far,” he said.

US officials made a point of crediting Pakistan for helping to clearthe way for the dialogue, which will see US and Taleban representa-tives meet as early this week. Not long ago Islamabad was accused

by Afghan officials of sabotaging an earlier reconciliation initiativewith Saudi Arabia as mediator, as Pakistan reportedly felt sidelined.“Pakistan has been very important in this because Pakistan hasalways been and will always be a potential deal spoiler,” said JonahBlank, a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation think tank.“Any deal it wants to crush it can do so quite easily.”

For the Taleban, peace talks are fraught with risk, potentially sap-ping the morale of fighters, sowing divisions among leaders andundermining its propaganda, according to the diplomat who will beleading the US delegation, James Dobbins. “The Taleban leadership isfighting a jihad with a view to reimposing a religiously based form ofgovernment rooted in an extreme interpretation of Islam,” Dobbinswrote in a report he co-authored before he returned to the StateDepartment. “Engaging in negotiations for something short of thatgoal undercuts the purity of that message,” said the report.

The talks are coinciding with the gradual withdrawal of US-ledforces, which ironically poses a dilemma for the insurgents, as theyrisk being perceived by Afghans as merely another armed factionthat threatens civilians, said Smith. “They have portrayed themselvesas opponents of a foreign occupation. But with foreign troops leav-ing, they’re going to have to make clear what do they stand for,” hesaid. Peace talks from their new office in Doha may offer a way for theTaleban to adapt, offering the insurgents a means of gaining whatthey crave, a bit of international legitimacy. And they also will beinterested in trying win the freedom of senior figures held at the USprison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. —AFP

Pak pushed Taleban to table

By Guy Faulconbridge and Timothy Heritage

At the end of a tense two-hour meeting with RussianPresident Vladimir Putin, Barack Obama - slumpedover and serious - tried to lighten the mood with a

joke about their favourite sports. “And finally, we comparednotes on President Putin’s expertise in judo and my decliningskills in basketball,” the US president told reporters at the G8summit, after the two men gave formal statements empha-sising their common ground rather than their sharp differ-ences on how to end the Syrian crisis. “And we both agreedthat as you get older it takes more time to recover,” Obamasaid. Putin - who folded his hands and glowered throughmost of the exchange - was having none of it. He waited forthe audience to finish laughing, smiled icily and stuck in hisspear. “The president wants to relax me with his statement ofage,” retorted Putin. Few expected any diplomatic break-throughs from the meeting in Northern Ireland, less than aweek after Obama’s administration announced it would pro-vide military support to rebels fighting Moscow’s ally, SyrianPresident Bashar Al-Assad.

But Putin - who scowled, lectured and fidgeted whileresisting the forced bonhomie of the two-day summit withthe leaders of world’s richest nations - seemed positively torelish his isolation. It was a vintage display of Putin’s worldview forged since the Soviet Union’s fall in 1991: the UnitedStates will inevitably overreach, and Moscow must alwaysstep forward to demonstrate the limits of US power. His posi-tion won the former KGB spy plaudits at home, where he istrying to reassert his authority after protests and in the faceof a stuttering economy.

“I think he got all the bonuses domestically. He held hishead high, stood tall and did what he pledged to do - to bevery firm but not confrontational,” said Dmitry Trenin, apolitical analysts at the Carnegie Moscow Center thinktank. Putin clearly calculated that he had nothing to gainby making concessions over Syria, and little to lose if Russiawas further alienated in a rich nations’ club where it haslooked the odd-one out since it became a fully fledged

member 15 years ago. US officials played down the rebuff,describing the Putin-Obama meeting as “businesslike” andemphasising the common ground over a sectarian civil warin which the two presidents are now both committed toarming the opposing sides. “We both want to see an end tothe conflict. We both want to see stability. We don’t want tosee extremists gain a foothold,” said Ben Rhodes, the WhiteHouse deputy national security adviser. “I think both leaderswent out of their way to underscore that they can worktogether on this issue,” Rhodes said. “If they can project amessage that they have a convergence of views as it relatesto a political negotiation, that keeps the possibility, theprospect of that political track alive.” But even their one jointinitiative faced a setback. One source at the summit con-firmed that Syrian peace talks called last month by Moscowand Washington, initially meant to be held in June, then July- were now postponed until August at least. The tenseexchange between Putin and Obama marks full circle sincethe administration of the newly-elected Obama called for a“reset” in ties with Russia in 2009 after a row between theCold War foes over Russia’s 2008 war against US-ally Georgia.Obama has touted the Russia reset - in which his thenSecretary of State Hillary Clinton presented her Russiancounterpart with a big red “reset” button - as one of his sig-nature foreign achievements. (Clinton’s aides notoriouslymistranslated the button and labelled it “overload” inRussian.)

Putin arrived the night before the summit and made hisunrelenting position clear at a press conference with hishost, Britain’s David Cameron. Putin hammered home hispoint that arming Syrian rebels was reckless by zeroing in onan incident from last month in which a rebel fighter wasfilmed biting on the entrails of an enemy. “One does not real-ly need to support people who not only kill their enemiesbut open up their bodies, eat their intestines in front of thecamera,” he said as Cameron stood by.

From the outset, Putin was isolated at the summit.Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper accused Putin ofsupporting “thugs” and said Syria would be discussed by the

other seven powers, with Russia as a “plus one”. Putin’s for-eign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov fired back, saying theCanadian’s remarks came “from the position of an outsideobserver”. After the bilateral meeting with Obama, Putinwent to a dinner in a lodge on the shore of Lough Ernewhere the leaders discussed Syria over a dinner of crab, filletof beef, and whisky-laced custard.

Putin refused to accept any public declaration that couldimply Assad would go. He won: the final communique onSyria did not even mention Assad’s name. He also defendedRussia’s arms shipments to Syria and suggested that moremight be coming: “We are supplying weapons under legalcontracts to the legal government. That is the government ofPresident Assad. And if we are going to sign such contracts,we are going to deliver,” he said. Western officials still sug-gest that Moscow’s alliance with Assad is not as strong asPutin’s remarks imply. “Clearly Putin doesn’t hold back withhis views,” said one Western official who tried to play downthe disagreements.

“Don’t expect Vladimir Putin to pick up the phone toDamascus and say ‘the game’s over’,” he said. “The Russianshave deliberately and utterly not tied themselves to him(Assad) as an individual and have always given themselvessome wriggle room.” Western officials have suggested formonths that Moscow might soon drop Assad, only to findPutin as staunch as ever, even when the war was going therebels’ way. Now, with Assad’s forces having seized battle-field momentum in recent months, there seems less reasonthan ever for Moscow to ditch him.

Putin has another reason to want to look tough abroad,to consolidate support at home at a time when the falteringeconomy is hurting his standing. “Despite the emotions, thesummit was in many respects a success for Russian diploma-cy,” the business daily Vedomosti wrote, suggesting Russiahad made no concessions and the West had shown it wasnot ready to act if Moscow was not on board. MoskovskyKomsomolets, a popular daily with a reputation for catchingthe public mood, was more uneasy: “Putin is alone again,” itwrote. “But do we need to be sorry about it?”— Reuters

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013NEWS

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Some 65,000 people are still stranded, five days afterthe rains hit on Saturday, Home Minister Sushil KumarShinde told reporters in New Delhi. Houses, multi-storiedbuildings, cars, bridges as well as roads have been sweptaway or damaged after rivers burst their banks, forcingauthorities to deploy military as well as civilian helicoptersto evacuate people and drop essential food and other sup-plies. “At least 110 people have died. The state governmentand the army are trying to rescue thousands of touristswho are stranded near the submerged valleys and Hindushrines,” said Yashpal Arya, the disaster relief minister ofUttarakhand. At least another 28 people have been killedin the neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh and HimachalPradesh, officials said. Prime Minister Singh said the totalofficial death toll is 102 “but it is feared that loss of livescould be higher”.

Over the border in Nepal, at least 22 people were killedin recent days in landslides and flash floods also triggeredby monsoon rains, officials said, prompting the govern-ment to step up relief efforts. In northern India, close to10,000 soldiers along with 13 teams from the NationalDisaster Response Force have been deployed for the res-cue and relief effort, a statement from the prime ministersaid. Soldiers from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police havebeen building rope and log bridges across swollen riversto try to reach those stranded, said Ajay Chadha, chief ofthe paramilitary force.

Local officials said 40 relief camps have been set up to

house evacuated locals and tourists. Some 18 air force heli-copters are ferrying many of those rescued to the camps,with a control centre set up in the holy town of Badrinath.Tourists have been travelling to Uttarakhand in recentweeks to undertake pilgrimages before some sites are shutdown for the monsoon season, which does not normallystart for another two weeks. State disaster relief ministerArya said portions of a revered Hindu temple have beenwashed away, leaving thousands of pilgrims stranded.“The Kedarnath temple is submerged in mud and slush.We just hope that it does not collapse,” Arya told AFP.

In Uttar Pradesh, 18 people, including a family of five,were killed in rain-related accidents on Monday. A doctorand his family were driving through Saharanpur district,when their car was swept away in a flash flood, officialssaid. In Himachal Pradesh, flash floods destroyed morethan 500 houses and government buildings and at least 10people were killed in landslides, officials said. The mon-soon, which covers the subcontinent from June toSeptember, usually brings some flooding. But the heavyrains arrived early this year, catching many by surprise andexposing the country’s lack of preparedness.

Nilabja Ghosh, an economist working on climatechange and agricultural methods in Uttarakhand, said theweather office had not issued any early warnings aboutthe heavy rains. “If the weather office had issued an earlywarning then authorities would have had the time torestrict tourist movement and shift residents to saferzones,” said Ghosh who works at the Institute of EconomicGrowth in New Delhi. — AFP

India, Nepal monsoon floods leave 160 dead

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Citing state prosecutor Ahmed Al-Danhani, WAMreported that the group had attempted to recruit newmembers and received financial support from a “secretorganisation that had sought to seize power in thecountry”, a reference to the 94 dissidents. The state-ment also said the group had stolen a USB memorystick belonging to a government department whichcontained information about the “secret organisation”which they then disseminated and discussed at asecret meeting. The report did not say if and when themembers of the purported cell were detained, norhow many of the 30 people referred to the FederalSupreme Cour t were Emiratis and how manyEgyptians.

Ahmed Aref, a spokesman for the MuslimBrotherhood in Egypt, said he was not aware of yester-day’s case. “A lot of these files are not dealt with in away that protects people’s rights and the charges aretrials for political opinions,” Aref said. “They are dealtwith using a security mentality similar to pre-revolu-tion times in Egypt.” The Egyptian embassy in Abu

Dhabi was not immediately available for comment.The UAE pardoned more than 100 Egyptian prison-

ers in April in an apparent gesture to improve bilateralrelations but did not include 11 Egyptians detainedlast year on suspicion of training Islamists on how tooverthrow governments. The Muslim Brotherhood inEgypt said at the time that some detainees were itsmembers and that they had been wrongfully arrested.The organisation has sought to reassure Gulf statesthat it has no plan to push for political change beyondEgypt’s borders.

Essam Al-Erian, deputy leader of the Freedom andJustice Party, the Brotherhood’s Egyptian politicalwing, criticised the UAE this week, saying authoritieswere “delusional” if they thought they could harmEgypt with the arrests. The Freedom and Justice Partydistanced itself from Erian’s comments, which werepublished on the state news agency on Monday, say-ing they did not represent the official view of the par-ty. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry also said Cairo valuedthe “brotherly relations” it shared with the UAE. PrimeMinister Hisham Kandil yesterday said “there was noreal difference between the two states”.— Reuters

UAE to try 30 ‘Brotherhood’ cell members

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strong deterrent while reducing our strategic weaponsby up to one-third,” Obama said. “These are steps we cantake to create a world of peace and justice,” he said, seek-ing to cement nuclear arms reductions as a key piece of hislegacy.

It remains unclear whether Russian President VladimirPutin, with whom Obama had a frosty meeting at the G8summit in Northern Ireland on Monday, will agree to suchsubstantial weapons cuts. Russian Deputy Prime MinisterDmitry Rogozin however poured cold water on the pro-posal. “How can we take seriously this idea about cuts instrategic nuclear potential while the United States is devel-oping its potential to intercept this strategic potential?” hesaid, according Russia’s Itar-TASS news agency. A Kremlinspokesman said earlier that Russia had told the UnitedStates it wanted other nuclear armed states to commit toreductions.

Obama sought to conjure up the echoes of speechesby predecessors John F Kennedy and Ronald Reagan,though his speech lacked the historic weight and urgencyof their Cold War efforts. Nearly 50 years to the day afterKennedy proclaimed “Ich bin ein Berliner” in Berlin, Obamabuilt his conceit around another quote from the assassi-nated Democrat’s speech - the idea of “peace with justice”.Obama issued a call for the equality of economic opportu-nity, gender, sexuality and respect for immigrants and allreligious faiths, in a throwback to his own campaign rheto-ric in 2008 and 2012.

And he made his firmest vow to date to make good onprevious promises to tackle global warming, which havelargely been derailed by resistance in the US Congress andby the fear of harming the sluggish US economy. “Peacewith justice means refusing to condemn our children to aharsher, less hospitable planet,” Obama said, to applausefrom the crowd. “We know we have to do more. And wewill do more,” Obama said, calling on the world to get towork “before it is too late”.

Obama also vowed to do more to help those living inimpoverished corners of the globe and those, unlike thecitizens of former East Berlin, who are still living underrepression, including in the Middle East. “The heroes thatcame before us now call to us to live up to those highestideals to care for the young people that can’t find a job inour own countries and the girls who aren’t allowed to goto school overseas. To be vigilant in extending a hand tothose reaching for freedom abroad,” Obama said.

His speech though lacked the pomp of the soaringaddress in Berlin to 200,000 people he gave as a candidatein 2008, when the potential of a new political phenomseemed limitless and his call for change heady. This time,Obama spoke as a somewhat jaded leader, who has bat-tled economic blight for five years, wielded lethal power inthe US anti-terror campaign, and theoretically at least hashad the power to fix the problems he invoked.

The crowd reaction was enthusiastic, but more tem-pered than when Obama, riding a wave of hope andchange, spoke at Berlin’s Victory Column five years ago.Germans had eagerly awaited the pageantry of Obama’sfirst trip to their capital as president, but his arrival hadbeen preceded by sharp questions about the scope ofNational Security Agency (NSA) programs. Obama, underfire at home and abroad over the snooping, sought toassure Germans that the system was limited in scope andlegal during a press conference with German ChancellorAngela Merkel.

“This is not a situation where we are rifling through, youknow, the ordinary emails of German citizens or Americancitizens or French citizens or anyone else,” Obama said aftermeeting Merkel. He argued that “lives have been saved”because of the use of the surveillance system. “We know ofat least 50 threats that have been averted - not just in theUnited States, but in countries around the world, includingGermany,” he said. The programs, which have special reso-nance in a nation where snooping operations by the com-munist Stasi secret police are a painful memory, have trig-gered alarm in Berlin. — AFP

Obama urges nuke weapons cuts

Pakistanis watch as an acrobat rides his motorcycle around a circular track at an entertainment park set upoutside a shrine in Rawalpindi, Pakistan yesterday. — AP

A woman passes by a graffiti in Sao Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos on Tuesday. Salvador is one of the largest cities on the northeast coast of Brazil and it will host games of the upcomingWorld Cup 2014 and presently hosts Confederation Cup games at the Arena Fonte Nova stadium. — AFP

LONDON: A mysterious new respiratory virus that origi-nated in the Middle East spreads easily between peopleand appears more deadly than SARS, doctors reportedyesterday after investigating the biggest outbreak inSaudi Arabia. More than 60 cases of what is now calledMERS, including 38 deaths, have been recorded by theWorld Health Organization in the past year, mostly inSaudi Arabia. So far, illnesses haven’t spread as quickly asSARS did in 2003, ultimately triggering a global outbreakthat killed about 800 people. An international team ofdoctors who investigated nearly two dozen cases ineastern Saudi Arabia found the new coronavirus hassome striking similarities to SARS. Unlike SARS, though,scientists remain baffled as to the source of MERS.

In a worrying finding, the team said MERS (MiddleEast respiratory syndrome) not only spreads easilybetween people, but within hospitals. That was also thecase with SARS, a distant relative of the new virus. “Tome, this felt a lot like SARS did,” said Dr Trish Perl, a seniorhospital epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Medicine, who

was part of the team. Their report was published onlineWednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.Perl said they couldn’t nail down how it was spread inevery case - through droplets from sneezing or cough-ing, or a more indirect route. Some of the hospitalpatients weren’t close to the infected person, but some-how picked up the virus. “In the right circumstances, thespread could be explosive,” said Perl, while emphasizingthat the team only had a snapshot of one MERS clusterin Saudi Arabia.

Cases have continued to trickle in, and there appearsto be an ongoing outbreak in Saudi Arabia. MERS caseshave also been reported in Jordan, Qatar, the UnitedArab Emirates, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Tunisia.Most have had a direct connection to the Middle Eastregion. In the Saudi cluster that was investigated, certainpatients infected many more people than would beexpected, Perl said. One patient who was receiving dialy-sis treatment spread MERS to seven others, including fel-low dialysis patients at the same hospital. During SARS,

such patients were known as “superspreaders” and effec-tively seeded outbreaks in numerous countries.

Perl and colleagues also concluded that symptoms ofboth diseases are similar, with an initial fever and coughthat may last for a few days before pneumonia devel-ops. But MERS appears far more lethal. Compared toSARS’ 8 percent death rate, the fatality rate for MERS inthe Saudi outbreak was about 65 percent, though theexperts could be missing mild cases that might skewthe figures. While SARS was traced to bats before jump-ing to humans via civet cats, the source of the MERSvirus remains a mystery. It is most closely related to abat virus though some experts suspect people may begetting sick from animals like camels or goats. Anotherhypothesis is that infected bats may be contaminatingfoods like dates, commonly harvested and eaten inSaudi Arabia.

Doctors around the world have struggled to treatpatients. “We need more information from other coun-tries to find out what the best treatment is,” said Dr

Clemens Wendtner, who treated a MERS patient who lat-er died in Munich. “Our patient got everything possibleand it still didn’t help him.” Other experts said there areenough worrying signs about MERS that it can’t yet bewritten off, despite the relatively small number of casesit has caused. “As long as it is around, it has every oppor-tunity at the genetic roulette table to turn into some-thing more dangerous,” said Michael Osterholm, aninfectious diseases expert at the University ofMinnesota.

WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan has previ-ously called MERS the single biggest public health threatand acknowledged officials were “empty-handed”regarding prevention measures. “We understand too lit-tle about this virus when viewed against the magnitudeof its potential threat,” she said last month in Geneva. Ata meeting this weekend in Cairo, WHO will meet withother experts to discuss MERS and to possibly developguidelines for next month’s Ramadan, when millions ofMuslim pilgrims will be visiting Saudi Arabia. — AP

New MERS virus spreads easily, deadlier than SARS

S P O RT STHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

LONDON: Liverpool took a huge financial hit on Andy Carroll yesterday by selling thetowering England striker to fellow Premier League side West Ham, ending his disap-pointing 2 1/2-year spell at Anfield. Carroll joined Liverpool from Newcastle on deadlineday in January 2011 for a staggering 35 million pounds (then $56 million), making himBritain’s most expensive footballer, but he struggled underthe weight of expectation and didn’t fit into the club’s styleof play. The striker moved to West Ham on a season-longloan last year, scoring seven goals in 24 league gamesand, and has completed a permanent switch to UptonPark on a six-year deal.

While West Ham said Carroll has joined for an undis-closed fee, confirming it was a “club record,” the son ofco-owner David Sullivan - Jack Sullivan - tweeted thatthe fee was 15.5 million pounds ($24.25 million) plus 2million pounds worth of add-ons. That is close to the fig-ure British media had been reporting.

“Since the end of the season, I’ve had a lot of time tothink, I’ve missed it and that’s why I’m back,” saidCarroll, described by West Ham as its “marquee” sign-ing. West Ham, which finished 10th in the PremierLeague last season, is preparing to move into the54,000-seat Olympic Stadium in 2016. —AP

Carroll quits LiverpoolPARIS: Luxembourg’s former champion Andy Schleck will lead RadioShack-Leopardon the Tour de France even though he has been struggling with his form for a year,the team said yesterday. Since he broke his pelvis in June 2012, Schleck has failed tofinish most of the stage races he has entered, although he has shown improvement

lately as he finished 40th overall in the Tour of Switzerlandlast Sunday. “Nobody in the team ever had doubts about

the talent of Andy,” team manager Luca Guercilenasaid in a statement.

“Little by little he has come back to the levelwhere we expect him. The Tour de Suisse encour-aged and convinced us to give him the role hedeserves and to give him the opportunity to havededicated riders surrounding and supporting him.”

Schleck, however, was not aiming for a podium fin-ish on the Champs Elysees, Guercilena said. “Of

course we don’t put pressure on our champion.After the last twelve months it would be unreal-istic to expect a podium place.

On the other hand, the lack of stress andpressure can be a positive stimulus to a brilliantperformance.”—Reuters

Schleck ready to leadSYDNEY: Hulking Welsh winger George North has been declared fitfor the British and Irish Lions’ first test against Australia, providing awelcome boost for the tourists after Tuesday’s shock loss to the ACTBrumbies.

North, who was nursing a hamstring strain, passed a fitness testyesterday to make himself available for the first test at the SuncorpStadium.

“I’ve never seen him in better shape and he’s available for selec-tion, which is a huge fillip for us,” Lions assistant coach Rob Howleytold reporters in Brisbane.

“It’s a huge morale boost to have someone like George Northavailable for us.” The return of the 110 kg winger could set the stagefor a mouth-watering showdown with Wallabies’ code-hopper IsraelFolau, who is expected to make his test debut in the hosts’ backline.North’s Welsh team mate Jamie Roberts, however, is unlikely to be fithaving sustained a hamstring strain in the win over the Waratahs lastweekend.

Roberts and Irish winger Tommy Bowe, who underwent surgeryon a broken bone in his hand, were in contention for the second test,said Howley. England centre Manu Tuilagi, nursing a shoulder injury,was “touch and go”, he added.—Reuters

North cleared for first test

BOSTON: Jonny Gomes hit a two-runhomer in the ninth inning to lift theBoston Red Sox to a 3-1 win over theTampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night,completing a doubleheader sweep.

Daniel Nava was aboard on a lead-off walk when Gomes followed with atowering shot off Joel Peralta (1-3)that cleared the Green Monster andbounced off the sign just to the rightof the foul pole.

It was a dramatic ending to a verylong day, which started at 1 p.m. withBoston’s 5-1 win in the opener, whichwas delayed almost three hours byrain.

Nava also homered in the secondand Felix Doubront pitched eightshutout innings for Boston in thenight game. Doubront struck out sixand held the Rays to three singles.

Andrew Bailey (3-0) gave up KellyJohnson’s tying homer in the ninth,but was bailed out by Gomes’ fifthhomer. David Ortiz drove in threeruns in the doubleheader opener,and Alfredo Aceves (4-1) pitched fivesolid innings for his third straight win.

The first game was marked by arain delay in the fifth inning of 2hours, 59 minutes, extending themakeup of an April 12 rainout.

Highly touted Rays prospect WilMyers made his major league debutand picked up his first career hit inthe second game. He went 1 for 7 onthe day.

Tampa Bay’s Chris Archer (1-3) wascharged with four runs, three earned,and five hits in 4 2-3 innings in thefirst game.

ORIOLES 5, TIGERS 2In Detroit, JJ Hardy and Adam

Jones homered off Justin Verlander,and Manny Machado added a doubleand two sparkling plays at third basefor Baltimore.

Hardy hit his third homer offVerlander (8-5) this month, connect-ing for a two-run shot in the fourthinning, and Jones added a three-rundrive in the fifth. Orioles starter ZachBritton (1-1) allowed a run and fivehits in 5 1-3 innings after being calledup earlier in the day from the minors.

Four Baltimore relievers finished.Detroit put two on in the ninth forMiguel Cabrera, but the Triple Crownwinner bounced into a game-endingdouble play on the first pitch fromJim Johnson, who got his 26th savein 30 chances. Verlander gave up fiveruns and seven hits in five innings.Matt Tuiasosopo homered for theTigers.

MARINERS 3, ANGELS 2In Anaheim, Kendrys Morales hit

an RBI single in the 10th inningagainst his former team, leadingSeattle to a victory against LosAngeles.

Charlie Furbush (1-3) faced onlyone batter to get the victory, strikingout Josh Hamilton with runners atfirst and second to end the ninth.Yoervis Medina got three outs for hisfirst save.

Kyle Seager sparked the winningrally with a two-out double in the10th against Garrett Richards (2-4).

Morales, who struck out his previousthree times up, then lined a 3-2 pitchoff the glove of shortstop Erick Aybarto give Seattle the lead.

It was only the third RBI forMorales in 30 at-bats against theAngels since he was traded to theMariners in December for pitcherJason Vargas.

ATHLETICS 6, RANGERS 2In Arlington, Brandon Moss and

John Jaso homered off Yu Darvish,helping AL West-leading Oakland getthe victory. Jarrod Parker (6-6) limitedthe Rangers to two runs and threehits over seven innings to improve to4-0 his last five starts.

Darvish (7-3) struck out 10,increasing his majors-best total to137, but still hasn’t won in more than

a month. Moss put the A’s ahead tostay when his 13th homer led off thesecond. Jaso led off the next inningwith his third homer and a 3-0 lead.

The Rangers got within 3-2 in thethird when Ian Kinsler scored on avicious collision at the plate, his faceslamming into the mask of catcherJaso while sliding feet-first. Kinsler

needed three stitches near his leftjaw and had blood on his jerseywhen he returned to the field to playsecond base.

INDIANS 4, ROYALS 3In Cleveland, Michael Brantley’s

sacrifice fly capped Cleveland’s three-run eighth inning, rallying the Indiansto the victory. Held to one run andthree hits over seven innings by ErvinSantana, the Indians finally strungsomething together in the eighth offKelvin Herrera (3-5) and Tim Collins.Michael Bourn and Jason Kipnisdelivered RBI hits before Brantleydrove in Mike Aviles with the go-ahead run.

Cody Allen (2-0), whose throwingerror in the eighth helped the Royalstake a 3-1 lead, got the win. Vinnie

Pestano gave up three singles and awalk in the ninth but held on for hissecond save.

The Royals lost for just the thirdtime in 14 games and missed achance to move over .500 for the firsttime since May 18.

TWINS 7, WHITE SOX 5In Minneapolis, Ryan Doumit hit a

go-ahead double in the eighthinning, leading Minnesota to the win.Joe Mauer homered and TrevorPlouffe had an RBI single inMinnesota’s four-run first inning offDylan Axelrod. The White Sox cameback to tie it at 5 in the eighth whenAlex Rios worked a leadoff walkagainst Jared Burton (1-4), stole sec-ond and scored on Paul Konerko’ssingle that bounced off the pitcher’smound and into center field.

Clete Thomas walked with twoouts against Ramon Troncoso (0-2) inthe eighth. Mauer followed with asingle - his third hit of the game - andDoumit drove a double to left centerthat gave the Twins the lead. GlenPerkins pitched the ninth for his 17thsave.

INTERLEAGUEBLUE JAYS 8, ROCKIES 3

In Toronto, Edwin Encarnacion hita two-run homer, J.P. Arencibia andMaicer Izturis added back-to-backshots and the Blue Jays won theirseventh straight game.

It’s the longest winning streak forToronto since a 10-game run in late2008. Esmil Rogers (3-2) worked 6 2-3innings to beat his former team andwin his second straight start. Rogersdidn’t allow a hit until JonathanHerrera singled with one out in thesixth.

The Rockies lost for the fifth timein seven games and dropped to 0-8at Rogers Centre. Jeff Francis (2-5)allowed season highs of eight runsand 10 hits in six innings, losing forthe first time in four career startsagainst Toronto.

ASTROS 10, BREWERS 1In Houston, Matt Dominguez hit a

grand slam and drove in a career-high five runs to back another solidperformance by Jordan Lyles, andHouston rolled to the victory.

Carlos Pena had a three-runhomer and Chris Carter had two hitsand drove in a run as the Astros wonfor the fifth time in six games. The 22-year-old Lyles (4-1) yielded seven hitsand one run over seven innings. TheAstros were up by one in the fifthwhen Pena launched his home run tochase Milwaukee starter AlfredoFigaro (1-1) and extend the lead to 5-1. Dominguez’s first career grandslam came in Houston’s five-run sev-enth.—AP

Red Sox sweep Rays

ATLANTA: Zack Wheeler lived up the hype in hismajor league debut, pitching six scorelessinnings to lead the New York Mets to a 6-1 victo-ry over the first-place Atlanta Braves and a dou-bleheader sweep on Tuesday. Wheeler gave uponly four hits and struck out seven while consis-tently reaching the upper 90s on the radar gun.He struggled a bit with his control, walking five,but got out of every jam.

It was a long day that gave New York’s long-suffering NL fans hope for a brighter future, ledby two of baseball’s most dynamic young pitch-ers. In Game 1 of the doubleheader, 24-year-oldMatt Harvey (6-1) struck out a career-high 13 tolead the Mets past the Braves 4-3.

John Buck homered for the Mets in the firstgame, and Anthony Recker went deep in thesecond game. Bobby Parnell got four outs in theopener for his 10th save.

Recker, hitting just .158 coming into thegame, broke up the scoreless duel betweenWheeler and Paul Maholm (7-6) in the seventh,crushing his second homer of the season.Atlanta rookie Alex Wood (0-1) lost his firstcareer start in the doubleheader opener, lastingonly three innings.

DIAMONDBACKS 3, MARLINS 2In Phoenix, Paul Goldschmidt hit a leadoff

home run in the ninth inning, helping Arizonaend a four-game losing streak. Goldschmidt’sdrive bounced high off the batter’s backdrop indeep center field. His 17th homer of the seasonwas his second in as many nights, and the sec-ond game-ending home run of his career.Martin Prado also homered for theDiamondbacks. David Hernandez (3-4) threw aperfect top of the ninth for the win.

Chad Qualls (2-1) lost for the first time in 27appearances, with Goldschmidt connecting onhis second pitch.

PIRATES 4, REDS 0In Cincinnati, Pedro Alvarez singled home a

pair of runs in the first inning as Pittsburgh end-ed Mat Latos’ streak of 21 regular-season startswithout a loss.

Latos (6-1) hadn’t lost a regular-season gamesince last August, setting a club-record streak ofavoiding defeat. He couldn’t overcomePittsburgh’s three-run first inning.

Charlie Morton (1-1) was better during hissecond start since returning from elbow surgery.He gave up three singles and threw 61 pitches in5 1-3 innings, starting the Pirates toward theirNL-leading 12th shutout. Latos had nine ofCincinnati’s 17 strikeouts, which matched theclub’s nine-inning record. The Reds also had 17strikeouts on opening day, but that came in a

13-inning loss against the Los Angeles Angels.Cincinnati’s lineup managed four hits while get-ting shut out for the second time in their lastfour games.

GIANTS 5, PADRES 4In San Francisco, Juan Perez hit a tiebreaking

single with two outs in the eighth inning andSan Francisco snapped San Diego’s seven-gamewinning streak.

Perez’s clutch swing came after pinch hitterJesus Guzman gave San Diego a 4-3 lead with atwo-run homer in the top half of the inning.Brandon Belt finished with three hits to help theGiants move into a second-place tie withColorado in the NL West.

Jean Machi (2-0) retired one batter for thewin and Sergio Romo worked the ninth for his17th save. Dale Thayer (0-3) took the loss.

San Francisco ace Matt Cain and AndrewCashner each had a strong start. Cain had a sea-son-high 10 strikeouts in seven innings and wascharged with two runs. Cashner scattered 10 hitsover 6 2-3 innings and allowed three runs.

PHILLIES 4, NATIONALS 2In Philadelphia, Cliff Lee struck out nine in

eight impressive innings for Philadelphia, andMichael Young tied a career high with three dou-bles. Lee (9-2) allowed two runs and five hits towin his fifth straight decision. The three-time All-Star left-hander lowered his ERA to 2.53 andhelped the Phillies move into a second-place tiewith the defending NL East champion Nationals.

Jayson Werth and Jeff Kobernus hit homeredfor Washington. Ross Detwiler (2-5) took the lossin a game that started one hour, 10 minutes latebecause of rain. He allowed four runs and sevenhits in six innings. Jonathan Papelbon workedthe ninth for his 14th save a night after blowinghis first of the season and then getting the win.

CUBS 4, CARDINALS 2In St. Louis, Ryan Sweeney and Cody Ransom

hit back-to-back homers in a four-run first inningand that was plenty for Jeff Samardzija, whopitched the Cubs to the victory.

Chicago started fast against AdamWainwright (10-4) and broke a five-game losingstreak in St. Louis. Pinch-runner Shane Robinsonwas called out for interference while trying tobreak up a double play to end the game.

Carlos Beltran hit his team-high 17th homerfor the Cardinals, who lost for the third time infive games but still lead the majors with a 45-26record. Samardzija (4-7) gave up two runs andseven hits in 8 1-3 innings. Kevin Gregg gotDavid Freese to ground into a game-endingdouble play for his 10th save.—AP

BOSTON: Jonny Gomes No. 5 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates athome plate after hitting the game-winning two-run home run in theninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays.—AFP

ATLANTA: Daniel Murphy No. 28 of the New York Mets slides safely into thirdbase during game two of a doubleheader against Chris Johnson No. 23 of theAtlanta Braves at Turner Field.—AFP

Mets thrash Braves

American LeagueEastern DivisionW L PCT GB

Boston 44 29 .603 -Baltimore 41 31 .569 2.5NY Yankees 38 31 .551 4Tampa Bay 36 35 .507 7Toronto 34 36 .486 8.5

Central DivisionDetroit 39 30 .565 -Cleveland 35 35 .500 4.5Kansas City 34 35 .493 5Minnesota 31 36 .463 7Chicago W Sox 29 39 .426 9.5

Western DivisionOakland 43 30 .589 -Texas 39 32 .549 3Seattle 32 40 .444 10.5LA Angels 31 40 .437 11Houston 27 45 .375 15.5

National LeagueEastern Division

Atlanta 42 30 .583 -Philadelphia 35 37 .486 7Washington 34 36 .486 7NY Mets 27 40 .403 12.5Miami 22 48 .314 19

Central DivisionSt. Louis 45 26 .634 -Cincinnati 43 29 .597 2.5Pittsburgh 42 29 .592 3Chicago Cubs 29 40 .420 15Milwaukee 28 41 .406 16

Western DivisionArizona 38 33 .535 -San Francisco 36 34 .514 1.5Colorado 37 35 .514 1.5San Diego 36 35 .507 2LA Dodgers 29 39 .426 7.5

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

LONDON: Mercedes principal Ross Brawn, a past mas-ter at finding Formula One loopholes, may need topull another rabbit from his magician’s hat today if histeam are to escape potentially heavy sanctions. Theburly Englishman will explain to an InternationalTribunal hearing in Paris why the team of 2008 worldchampion Lewis Hamilton and Germany’s NicoRosberg should escape punishment for apparentlybreaking strict rules on testing.

The possible penalties range from a reprimand,through fines and points deductions, to the nuclearoption of exclusion from the championship.

Brawn — winner of multiple championships withBenetton, Ferrari and the Brawn GP team that becameMercedes — is the team’s leading witness and hasconsiderable experience of appearing before the gov-erning International Automobile Federation and com-ing out in the clear.

Benetton’s 1994 traction control furore, Ferrari’s‘bargeboard’ controversy of 1999 and the Brawn dou-ble diffuser row of 2009 all ended with the Britonemerging from an FIA hearing at least on the winningside if not the entirely righteous one.

Brawn and Mercedes - winners in Monaco in May -have said they welcome the chance to explain thefacts “in an open and transparent manner” at the FIA’sPlace de la Concorde headquarters.

The Tribunal must decide whether the team brokethe rules in using their 2013 car at the test conductedby Pirelli and, if so, whether they deserve to be pun-ished for it. Courtroom drama cannot be ruled out,nor can explosive consequences in one of the biggestcontroversies faced by the sport in the last few years.Expectations are that the German-registered team willproduce evidence - possibly an email or letter convey-ing the approval of FIA technical head Charlie Whiting

- to support their position that they acted in goodfaith.

“I am comfortable and confident that once we getto the tribunal, the facts will become apparent andpeople can make a better judgement,” Brawn said atthe last Canadian Grand Prix.

“We would not have done the Pirelli test unless webelieved we could do the Pirelli test. When we get tothe tribunal, you will have your answers.”

The stakes may be higher than ever this time, how-ever. Although Mercedes have said Brawn will not bemade the fall guy if they are found guilty, the owlishBriton has said he took the decision to do the private1,000km test with the sport’s sole tyre supplier Pirelli

in Barcelona last month.Brawn’s position, already questioned with the

arrival of former McLaren technical director PaddyLowe, could become untenable.

So too could that of Whiting, who is close to thesport’s commercial supremo and fellow-Briton BernieEcclestone but seemingly less so to FIA president JeanTodt.

There have been rumors in Italy already that for-mer Ferrari man Giorgio Ascanelli could replace him.There have been suggestions that Mercedes, majorplayers in the sport, could even pull out, although thatwould seem unlikely given how much they haveinvested in developing their new V6 engine for 2014.

Pirelli have also been summoned, although it isunclear what charges or sanctions they might be fac-ing given that they are not competitors and thereforenot subject to the sporting regulations.

If Pirelli are punished in any way - and clearly sanc-tions such as a points deduction or race ban cannotapply to the Italian company - then the sport could beheading into very choppy waters.

The tyre supplier does not yet have a contract for2014 and it is getting too late to find an alternative.The main accusation levelled against Mercedes bytheir protesting rivals is that they gained an unfairadvantage by testing with their 2013 car and driversover what amounts to more than three race distances.

In-season testing by teams with current cars isbanned in Formula One, except for limited mileage inspecific circumstances such as filming or straight-lineaerodynamic evaluation.

Pirelli are allowed to carry out tyre tests using rep-resentative equipment and Ferrari were cleared afterthey took part in a Pirelli test in April with their 2011car.—Reuters

Brawn needs brains to avoid tyre trouble

Ross Brawn

S P O RT STHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

South AfricaC. Ingram lbw b Anderson 0Hashim Amla c Buttler b Finn 1R. Peterson lbw b Anderson 30F. du Plessis c Buttler b Tredwell 26AB de Villiers c Buttler b Broad 0JP Duminy b Tredwell 3D. Miller not out 56R. McLaren run out 1C. Morris c Buttler b Tredwell 3R. Kleinveldt c Buttler b Broad 43L. Tsotsobe c Buttler b Broad 0Extras: (lb6, w6) 12Total (all out, 38.4 overs) 175Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Ingram), 2-4 (Amla), 3-45

(Peterson), 4-50 (de Villiers), 5-63 (Duminy), 6-70 (du Plessis), 7-76 (McLaren), 8-80 (Morris),9-175 (Kleinveldt), 10-175 (Tsotsobe).

Bowling: Anderson 8-1-14-2 (w3), Finn 8-1-

45-1 (w1), Broad 8.4-0-50-3 (w2), Tredwell 7-1-19-3, Root 3-0-22-0, Bopara 4-0-19-0.

EnglandA. Cook c de Villiers b Morris 6I. Bell c de Villiers b Kleinveldt 20J. Trott not out 82J. Root b Duminy 48E. Morgan not out 15Extras: (lb4, w4) 8Total (for three wickets, 37.3 overs) 179Fall of wickets: 1-22 (Cook), 2-41 (Bell), 3-146

(Root).Bowling: Morris 8-1-38-1 (w3), Peterson 9.3-

1-49-0, Duminy 5-0-27-1, Tsotsobe 5-0-26-0,Kleinveldt 4-0-10-1, McLaren 6-0-25-0 (w1).

England won by seven wicketsMan of the match: James Tredwell (ENG)

LONDON: Full scoreboard of the Champions Trophy semi-final between England and SouthAfrica at the Oval in London yesterday:

SCOREBOARD

LONDON: England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler (right) appeals for the dismissal of SouthAfrica’s Jean-Paul Duminy during the One Day International (ODI) ICC ChampionsTrophy Semi-final cricket match.—AFP

BOSTON: Given the genes and sportingpedigree it is not unusual that Seth Jones,son of former NBA journeyman Ronald‘Popeye’ Jones, would one day follow inhis father’s athletic footsteps.

The sporting world, after all, has anorchard of family trees bearing familiarfruit. In the NFL there is Archie Manningand his quarterbacking sons Peyton andEli while Bobby Bonds and his home runking son Barry terrorized Major LeagueBaseball pitchers.

The Hockey Hall of Fame could dedi-cate an entire wing to father and sonswith the likes of Bobby Hull and his boyBrett and Gordie Howe and Markenshrined side-by-side.

But Popeye and Seth Jones are afather/son sporting story with a twist.When growing up around ballparks andarenas k ids often tend to gravitatetowards what dad does best.

But it was the ice rink, not the basket-ball court, that held a fascination for SethJones, who developed a better slap shotthan a slam dunk and enters the NHL draft

later this month as the consensus numberone pick.

“It’s been a really cool experience but ithas been a hectic season media wise andhockey wise,” Jones told reporters aheadof Monday’s Game Three of the StanleyCup final in Boston.

“I’m just trying to enjoy it and lookingforward to the (June) 30th, it’s going to bean awesome experience I get to sharewith my family.” The Colorado Avalanche,owners of the first pick, are widely expect-ed to use the selection on the 18-year-olddefenseman.

Avalanche head coach Patrick Roy hasnot committed to Jones but the 6-foot-4,206-pound blueliner would appear to bethe perfect fit for the Mile High City.

It was in Denver where Popeye Jonesspent one of his 11 NBA seasons (1999-2000) with the Nuggets and started hisson down the unlikely path to hockey star-dom.

Jones learned to skate in Colorado,prompting his father to approachAvalanche captain Joe Sakic, now the

club’s executive vice-president of hockeyoperations, for advice about what to dowith two a young son fascinated by hock-ey.

The next season, seven-year-old SethJones sat rinkside as the Avalanche hoist-ed the Stanley Cup. That night Seth Joneswas hooked. “I saw that game I knew Iwanted to be a hockey player and I knewthat one day I wanted to lift the StanleyCup,” said Jones. “The intensity, the speedof the game and you don’t get more pas-sion than Game Seven of a Stanley Cupfinal.

“You just see the look on guys faces,the determination to win one game andtake it all.” Jones has also worn a deter-mined look this season.

He was a leader on the US team thatwon gold at the World Junior Ice Hockeychampionships and helped the PortlandWinterhawks to the final of the MemorialCup, that goes to the top junior club in theCanadian Hockey League.

With size, slick skating ability, a bigshot and NHL caliber hockey smarts, Jones

is seen by scouts as the complete packagepossessing all the skills to become a fran-chise player.

But with great talent comes greatexpectations. A team pinning a good partof its future on a calculated roll of dice.

“Wherever you get drafted that team isgoing to have expectations and you wantto make those expectations as much asyou can,” said Jones. “My goal is to playnext year and I’m going to do whatever Ican to make that happen.”

Unlike other first round picks Jones car-ries with him an added responsibility if heis taken number one. Jones could be thefirst black player ever taken number onebreaking down another small barrier in awhite dominated sport. He would alsobecome the seventh American taken withthe number one pick and just the seconddefenseman chosen since 1997.

Jones reflected on the responsibility onMonday, sitting in the same site whereWillie O’Ree broke the NHL color barrierwith the Boston Bruins in 1958 against theMontreal Canadiens.

“He was the first African-American toplay hockey, I don’t know much but obvi-ously it was tough time for him back thenbut I’m looking forward to meeting himand hearing about his experiences,” saidJones, whose character has received near-ly as much praise as his skills. “Hopefully Ican be a role model.” It is clear by the toneof questions that much will be expectedof Jones. He is asked to peer deep into anuncertain future and provide details aboutwhat it will feel like to be the face of U.S.hockey as well as role model.

For a young man who has not yet beendrafted or played a single minute in theNHL these are impossible questions toanswer yet Jones has a clear idea of howhe wants life to unfold.

“It definitely is surreal, I haven’t reallyaccomplished anything yet,” said Jones.“But hopefully I can go in and live up tothe expectations and hype that has beengiven to me.

“As an 18-year-old you want to knowwhat the future holds for you but you justcan’t see it. “You have to wait.”—Reuters

Former NBA player’s son seen as slam dunk for big NHL career

Preview

CARDIFF: Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene isunder no illusions about the scale of the taskconfronting his side when they face India in aChampions Trophy semi-final in Cardiff today.

The latest high-profile one-day interna-tional contest between the teams is a repeatof the 2011 World Cup final in Mumbai. Thatclash saw the 36-year-old Jayawardene makeunwanted history by becoming the first manto score a century in a World Cup final yet fin-ish on the losing side, with India victorious bysix wickets.

On Monday, Jayawardene was in the runsagain, but on the winning side, with hisunbeaten 84 helping secure a 20-run victoryover defending champions Australia at TheOval that booked Sri Lanka’s place in the lastfour. Jayawardene saw India beat Sri Lanka in awarm-up match at Edgbaston earlier thismonth and has been impressed by their formin the tournament proper. “I think they’re play-ing some really good cricket,” he said. “Theirbatting looks really strong, so that’s a key areawe need to focus a bit on.”

The India team set to take the field inCardiff has been transformed so dramaticallyin the past two years it will likely feature justthree players-captain Mahendra Singh Dhoniplus batsmen Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli-who appeared in the World Cup final.

India were the only side in the group stageof this Champions Trophy with a perfectrecord following wins over South Africa, theWest Indies and arch-rivals Pakistan.

Hard-hitting opener Shikhar Dhawan, themainstay of the India batting praised byJayawardene, is the tournament’s leadingscorer so far with 264 runs including two hun-dreds.

The influx of youth has also seen a markedimprovement in India’s fielding and this hasbacked up a well-balanced attack featuring

left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja and seamersBhuvaneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma andUmesh Yadav. However, with yorker specialistLasith Malinga leading the way, Sri Lanka cantame any top order.

Jayawardene, who in the course of hisinnings against Australia became the eighthplayer to score 11,000 ODI runs, added:“Warm-up games, or whatever, don’t countright now.

“We are playing hard and passionate crick-et. That has been the mantra of our success inthe past and I hope it continues in the futurealso.”

India’s recent results have been a tonic forfans at home reeling from a spot-fixing scan-dal in the Indian Premier League that led tothe arrest of three players, including Test fastbowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth. But,regardless of India’s off-field problems, thenational side’s prospects look bright.

“This is the team of the future,” Kapil Dev,India’s 1983 World Cup-winning captain, toldAFP. “They are playing fearless cricket.”Wicketkeeper-batsman Dhoni, demonstratedthe calm approach admired by Kumar, amongothers, when he said: “There are, hopefully, stilltwo more matches to go and we must playwith the same intensity that we have shownso far.”

The one thing that could spoil an intrigu-ing match is rain. Bad weather in Cardiff sawSouth Africa knock out the West Indies on aDuckworth/Lewis tie and cut England’s even-tual 10-run win over New Zealand to a 24overs per side contest.

There is provision for a ‘super over’ in theevent of a tie today but if rain causes a no-result, India will go through to face England inSunday’s final at Edgbaston on account ofhaving won Group B, with Sri Lanka runners-up in Group A.—AFP

Resurgent Indiaimpress Jayawardene

LONDON: England eased into the ChampionsTrophy final after finishing off South Africa in asemifinal at The Oval yesterday that had all thetension of a practice session.

Tasked with 176 for victory, England couldafford to take its time before a subdued, near-capacity crowd to bag the runs in 37.3 overs withseven wickets to spare.

Jonathan Trott and Joe Root combined for 105from 126 balls to steer England to the brink of thevictory. Trott, indispensable to England, hit thewinning runs with his 11th boundary in 82 not outoff 84 balls. Title favorite India or Sri Lanka will joinEngland in the final on Sunday at Birmingham,where the hosts will try to win their first majorone-day international title.

England’s only previous Trophy final was alsoon home soil in 2004, when West Indies came frombehind to win.

All the drama yesterday was enacted in themorning, when England won the toss, threw thebowlers at South Africa in ideal overcast and mug-gy conditions, and watched them tear apart theProteas to be 80-8. Only a South Africa-record,ninth-wicket stand of 95 between David Miller andRory Kleinveldt spared them from utter humilia-tion. A battery without the fearsome but injuredDale Steyn couldn’t defend 175 in better battingconditions in the afternoon.

In South Africa’s post-apartheid history ofmajor events, it was another scar to add to chokesin the World Cup semifinals in 1999 and 2007, thequarterfinals in 2011, and the Champions Trophysemis in 2000 and 2002.

This was South Africa’s and England’s firstmajor semi since the 1992 World Cup, the infa-mous, rain-affected match in which the Proteasneeded 21 off the last ball. “I was crying thatnight,” de Villiers said this week. He wouldn’t havecried on Wednesday as he had longer to digest theinevitable result at The Oval.

Fast bowler James Anderson started the rout inthe day’s first over and took 2-14, while offspinnerJames Tredwell, the backup for the injured GraemeSwann, tied up the middle order in claiming 3-19and an assist in a run out.

Pacemen Stuart Broad and Steven Finn wererelatively expensive, but their first wickets werethe biggest prizes; de Villiers and Hashim Amlarespectively, the world’s two leading batsmen inone-day internationals, and out for one runbetween them.

Both Proteas openers were gone within thefirst 10 deliveries. Colin Ingram was undone byAnderson in the first over before he’d scored, thenthe great Amla, with an average of 56, made only 1before he nicked Steven Finn off the toe of his batand gave wicketkeeper Jos Buttler the first of hissix catches. Finn, who rose to No. 2 in the ODIbowler rankings without playing in the tourna-ment, was brought in for Tim Bresnan and wasseen off by Robin Peterson, who struck three suc-cessive boundaries off the fast bowler.

But Peterson, dropped on 25 off Broad, made30 before he was trapped by Anderson, who setup his fall impressively.

England storms into finalLONDON: South Africa’s Ryan McLaren (left) plays a shot as England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler (second left) looks on during theOne Day International (ODI) ICC Champions Trophy Semi-final cricket match.—AFP

Champions TrophyDe Villiers lasted nine balls without scoring

before he edged behind off Broad, who almosthad replacement batsman JP Duminy on the nextball. But Duminy had the lbw decision against himreversed on review. When he was still to get offthe mark, Duminy backed up to Tredwell and washit middle and leg, confirmed by TV replay. ButEngland didn’t review.

The damage was minimal. Duminy was bowledfor 3, third time unlucky, to Tredwell at 63-5 in the

17th over. Du Plessis edged Tredwell behind for26, Ryan McLaren was run out for 1 by a smartTrott, and when Chris Morris gave another caught-behind off Tredwell, who had 3-8 off 17 balls, theProteas were eight down for 80.

Without pressure, Miller and Kleinveldt sloggedsensibly for 16 overs. Kleinveldt’s best ODI score of43 was ended by Broad, who also claimed last manLonwabo Tsotsobe off the next ball to leave Millerstranded on 56 not out.—AP

LONDON: Jamaica, sunlit home of the world’sfinest sprinters, was cast into shadow onTuesday after confirmation that the Caribbeanisland’s most successful female sprinter hasfailed a drugs test.

Twice Olympic 200 metres championVeronica Campbell-Brown, the first Jamaican towin a global 100 metres title, was provisionallysuspended by the national federation after apositive test for a possible masking agent.

The news followed Jamaican 400 metres run-ner Dominique Blake’s six-year ban last week fora second doping offence and world 4x100 m

relay gold medallist Steve Mullings losing hisappeal in March against a lifetime ban from ath-letics. Officials said a dozen Jamaican athleteshad received sanctions ranging from threemonths to life for doping violation in the pastfive years.

Campbell-Brown was at the forefront ofJamaica’s transformation into a sprinting power-house when in 2004 she became the firstwoman from the Caribbean to win an Olympicgold medal with her victory over 200 metres at

Athens. Four years later, she became only thesecond woman to retain the title after EastGermany’s Barbel Woeckel (1976 and 1980)when finishing first in Beijing.

Suspicion over the island’s sprint dominancehas grown since the 2008 Beijing Olympicswhen Jamaica won five golds and Usain Boltstole the show with his dazzling world records inthe 100 and 200 metres. Jamaicans have won 18Olympic and world championship gold medalssince 2008 over 100, 200 and 4x100 metres relayout of a possible 24. “There is a perception thatperhaps the Jamaicans are too good to be true,especially after their domination of both men’sand women’s sprinting,” former World Anti-Doping Agency(WADA) chief Dick Pound toldReuters via email.

“A positive test on the part of any star athletewill tend to reinforce that perception,” he said,adding the recent positives “undoubtedly” calledinto question Jamaica’s anti-doping programme.

“If there is a problem, it should be identifiedby more positives and it may be that theJamaican testers are doing a more thorough job.

“I do not know if the IAAF has increased itsown testing of them,” he added referring to thesport’s world governing body. Pound, the WADApresident from 1999 to 2007, felt performancesfrom other Jamaican sprinters could now attractmore scrutiny. “I do not think anyone will pro-ceed automatically from suspicion to declarationof guilt in the absence of evidence against anyparticular athlete, but it will sharpen the focuson their accomplishments and probably lead tofar more testing of them,” he said.

Six-times Olympic champion Bolt has neverfailed a drugs test and has vehemently spokenout in defence of his country’s outstanding per-formances. “We work hard, we get injuries, wehave to take ice baths, we lay on the track, so Isee the work we put in to be the best that weare,” Bolt said during last year’s London Olympicsat which he won the 100, 200 and relay goldmedals.

“When people doubt us it’s really hard, butwe’re trying our best to show the world that weare running clean.” Bolt’s coach Glen Mills hascalled on the Jamaican government to set up anaccredited anti-doping laboratory to protect itsworld-class athletes from taking contaminatedsubstances.Mills, who mentors Bolt and world100 metres champion Yohan Blake, saidJamaican athletes faced a minefield of sub-stances and had little way of checking theirvalidity. —Reuters

KINGSTON: Olympic doublesprint silver medallist Yohan Blakewill only run in the 100 metres atthe World Athlet icsChampionships in Moscow afterhe withdrew from this weekend’sJamaican national champi-onships, his manager said onTuesday. Blake suffered a ham-string injury in April and due tofitness issues was withdrawn from

the Jamaican championships, hismanager Cubie Seegobin said.

“Yohan’s coach is not satisfiedwith the progress of his injury andhence his level of fitness will notal low him to compete at ( thenationals) this time,” Seegobintold Reuters.

“We will continue to assess thesituation and re-evaluate as weapproach the World

Championships,” he added of theAug. 10-18 meeting in the Russiancapital.

Blake automatically qualifiedfor the 100m at the WorldChampionships because he wasthe defending champion havingwon the 2011 t i t le in Daegu,South Korea. Blake has run thesecond-fastest time in the 200,clock ing 19.26 seconds, just

behind his Jamaican compatriotUsain Bolt’s world record of 19.19seconds that the six-time Olympicchampion ran at the 2009 WorldChampionships in Berlin.

Blake has only returned tocompetition in the last two weeksand ran a pedestrian 20.72 sec-onds for the longer distance at alow-key development meeting inthe Jamaican capital.—Reuters

Blake to run just 100m at Worlds

Sunny Jamaica cast into shadow after drugs bust

Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown

S P O RT STHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Photo of the day

Magdalena Schwertl performs at the Red Bull Ordinul Smaranda 2013 in Bucharest, Romania. www.redbullcontentpool.com

MIAMI: The Miami Heat forced analready absorbing NBA Finals to adeciding Game Seven after athrilling 103-100 overtime victoryover the San Antonio Spurs onTuesday tied the series at 3-3.

Miami trailed by 13 points inthe third quar ter but LeBronJames, ditching his trademarkheadband, turned on the after-burners to spark a Heat fightback.

San Antonio were not about toroll over under the weight of theonslaught, however, rallying toeke out a five-point lead with 28.2seconds remaining as the champi-onship ribbons were being pre-pared for them courtside.

James cut the deficit with avital three -pointer and SanAntonio’s Kawhi Leonard couldonly s ink one of his two freethrows to give Miami a glimmer ofhope as they trailed by just threepoints in the closing seconds.

Ray Al len then took centrestage, finding the basket with hisf irst successful three -pointattempt of the night with five sec-onds remaining to send the gameinto overtime.

“It’s going to be a shot that Iremember for a long time. Thiswil l go high up in the ranksbecause of that situation,” Allentold reporters.

Then, with the Heat trail ing100-97 in over time, Al len andJames were again decisive, sinkingjump shots before San Antonio’sManu Ginobili turned the ball overwhile driving towards the basket.

Former Boston Celtics Allenguard then completed a memo-rable performance by keeping hiscool to drain two free throws togive Miami a three-point lead theywould not relinquish. “It was by farthe best game I’ve ever been apart of,” said four-time MVP James.“I’m blessed to be a part of this.”

The contest had been nip-and-

tuck throughout the f irst twoquar ters with 37-year- old TimDuncan showing the consistencyand accuracy that has helped car-ry the Spurs to four titles since1999 as he shot 11-of-13 from thefloor to tally 25 points by halftime.

The Spurs ended the half with acrowd-silencing run to lead by sixat the inter val with Duncanoutscoring the entire Miami BigThree of James, Dwyane Wade andChris Bosh, who had combined forjust 21 first-half points.

The game started to drift awayfrom Miami in the third and theSpurs ended the quarter with a10-point lead as they closed in ona potential fifth NBA title.

With their season and somemight say legac y on the l ine,Miami battled back in the fourth,with a brilliant block from Jameson Duncan, which the MVPimmediately followed up with abasket to bring the game level at82-82.

But James was so nearly thevillain with two costly turnoversin the final stages of the fourthquarter, allowing the Spurs to getback in front as some fans beganto leave the arena, convincedMiami’s season was over.

Those fans were soon rushingback to their seats though ,asJames and Allen forced overtimeand Miami kept alive their hope

of winning back-to-back titles.“It was a hell of a game... a hell

of game,” San Antonio coachGregg Popovich said. “It was anover time game. I t ’s a game ofmistakes and they ended up onthe winning side.”

Game Seven will be played inMiami today and a drained Heatcoach Erik Spoelstra was clearlythrilled at the prospect of a titleshowdown. “If you said when westarted our (pre-season) trip toChina if we could decide this sea-son with a Game Seven in ourbuilding, every single one of ustake it. “They are the best twowords in team sports — GameSeven.”—Reuters

Heat force Game 7 decider

MIAMI: San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) and Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) collideduring the second half of Game 6 of their NBA Finals basketball series. —AP

NEW YORK: The sly smile on Erik Spoelstra’slips said it all. If only this once, the Miamicoach couldn’t wait to field questions.

This was just minutes after a magicalGame 6, when the memories of how his Heatdefied the longest of odds to steal a win inovertime were still fresh: Down five pointswith just under 30 seconds left in regulation,against a San Antonio team and a coach,Gregg Popovich, who never lose their com-posure or cool.

The championship trophy was on a plat-form being rolled toward the court, yellowtape stretched on either side of its path,clearing a route through a fast-departinghome crowd determined to flee rather thanwatch the hardware be handed to the Spurs.In the midst of all that, someone askedSpoelstra, how does a coach keep his teamfocused?

He was too smart to claim any credit forwhat happened next. Strategy, at least thestrategy hatched on his bench for the closingseconds, had nothing to do with the out-come.

“At that time, I don’t think anybodynoticed,” Spoelstra began. “That is probablythe best way to live,” he added, then paused.“In the moment.” Of course, he could afford tobe philosophical.

Before LeBron James made an improbable3-pointer at the end of a wild scramble, andRay Allen made an even more improbable 3to force overtime, Spoelstra was almost cer-tainly thinking about how to explain losingtheir second NBA Final in the last three years.That, despite having the best player in thegame, and a complementary package assem-bled to do the few tasks - rebound, pass andsink the occasional 3 to open up space on thefloor - that James couldn’t manage by him-self. But someone had flipped the script.

Long regarded as one of the two or threebest coaches currently working in the NBA, it

was Popovich instead who wound up on thehot seat. He had to answer for pulling his twobest players, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, atthe start of the fourth quarter, when theSpurs led by 10 and one more surge mighthave put the game out of reach.

And why he played a cat-and-mouse sub-stitution game with both over the final fewpossessions, when Duncan’s presence insidemight have stopped Miami from snaggingthe rebounds that set up those 3-pointers,and how Parker’s absence left Manu Ginobili -playing erratically, in one of his worst playoffefforts ever - trying to make the big playsdown the stretch. With hindsight, all of thosemoves proved too clever by half. So Popovichsimply ignored them.

“It was a helluva game, a helluva game. Itwas a game of mistakes,” he said, glossingover all the ones the Spurs made on the courtand the bench, “and they ended up on thewinning side.”

Instead of answering why he didn’t foul onMiami’s final possession in regulation whentwo foul shots - instead of Allen’s corner 3 -wouldn’t have been enough, Popovichdeflected that question, too.

“That’s a European question, right?” hesaid. “They usually do in Italy. We don’t.”Asked next about how he’d ready his team forGame 7 in Miami after the devastating loss,Popovich didn’t even pretend to try. “I getthem on the bus. It arrives at the ramp overhere. We get off the bus. We go on the court,and we play,” Popovich replied. “That’s howwe get ready.”

The Spurs tried to follow their coach’s lead,but it only worked so well. Duncan, whoscored 25 of his 30 points in the first half andnone after the third quarter, shrugged off theodd end-of-the-game substitutions, sayingthe Spurs have done it that way countlesstimes in the past.

“I don’t know what happened in the fourth

(quarter) and overtime. It was just - theopportunities weren’t there.” Parker, who had19 points, said he was “cramping a little bit atthe end of the game,” referring to a hamstringinjury that’s dogged him the last few games.

“But,” he quickly added, “I’ll go with what-ever Pop decides.” Ultimately, it was left toGinobili to present a defense, and the quicksummary was Popovich is so many movesahead that even questioning his decisionsonly makes the rest of us look foolish. To hiscredit, Ginobili took full blame for his ownmistakes, including the last two of eight crip-pling turnovers that proved decisive.

“I had a very good game last game, andtoday I just couldn’t maintain it,” he said. “Iwas very insecure (with the ball). I had acareer high in turnovers, and in a really badmoment. It really helps to make me feel terri-ble.” No doubt the rest of the Spurs feel thesame, standing just seconds from a fifth titlethat would have removed any doubts aboutwhich franchise was the smartest in the NBA.Instead of chasing stars, the preferred routesince Michael Jordan walked away, the Spursbuilt patiently through the draft, made anumber of shrewd acquisitions, and letPopovich scheme how to blend and maxi-mize their talents.

One thing that Game 6 proved beyond adoubt is that James, despite all the pressureand criticism, is an unstoppable force whenhe sets his mind to the task. The other iswhen a team collapses as completely as SanAntonio did, there’s plenty enough blame togo around, but the first sign of a crack almostalways surfaces at the top.

Popovich is a great coach who suffers foolspoorly, and after listening to a rambling ques-tion about how his team “had it in the bag,”he cut a reporter off.

“What’s your question,” he interjectedfinally. “You want to know how angry we’llbe?” We’ll take that one for him: Plenty.—AP

Spurs’ collapse starts at top with Pop

LONDON: Scraping around the fringes of pro-fessional tennis, at tournaments in unglamorouslocations, without umpires and ball boys andagainst players not old enough to remember hisgolden moment, George Bastl is determined forone last hurrah.

At 38, the tennis journeyman who beat sev-en-times Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras inthe second round in 2002 - still one of the great-est shocks of all time in grand slams - is not yetready to bow out.

When Wimbledon starts next week, theAmerican-born Swiss will be taking the lateststeps on a comeback trail - far from the AllEngland Club’s manicured lush green lawns,champagne and strawberries and cream - thathe hopes will lead him back to a tournamentthat made him famous for 15 minutes.

Due to a persistent knee injury that hasrobbed him of full fitness for the last three years,Bastl has fallen so far off the tennis radar that henow finds himself in the game’s backwaters,where the costs of travel outweigh the prizemoney on offer.

The barren years have not dampened hisspirit. “Age is not an issue for me,” a now healthyBastl, without a ranking since 2011, told Reutersin an interview.

“Everyone has his own career path. I startedlater stage in my life. I turned pro at 24 after I didmy studies in the US. “It’s important to be ingood physical shape and have the passion forthe game. It’s very much there and strongerthan before. I don’t look at what careers otherplayers had.”

Bastl’s “new career”, as he puts it, is proving aneye-opener for a player who reached a career-high ranking of 71 in 2000. “The tough times andinjury made me also think differently about thegame so I feel like a 16-year-old starting again,”he said. In seven Futures events, the third andlowest tier of professional tennis, this year inTurkey, Bastl has yet to win a singles match inthe main draw. “I was not expecting anythingeasy,” he candidly admitted. “The competition isvery eager and hungry.” For his efforts, includingdoubles matches, he has accrued the princelysum of $1057, small change for a player with

career earnings of $1.2 million.“It’s a great challenge and an opportunity to

still be able to play,” he said. “Of course, I have tostart from the very bottom but that doesn’tscare me at all. It’s the only way I can come back.

“My aim is to be able to play for one or twoyears and get back to my best ranking and I stillfeel I can make some results on the circuit.”

Professional sport, be it tennis, boxing, orsoccer, is littered with tales of ignominious andill-fated comebacks by athletes long past theirbest.

After 10 years away from tennis, Bjorn Borg,one of the all-time greats, returned in 1991 usinga wooden racket and failed to win a singlematch. While their stories and talents differ, Bastlis aware that the odds are stacked against him.

“The bigger the challenge the bigger the sat-isfaction and personal reward. I’m aware of thatand if it was something I didn’t want to gothrough I wouldn’t consider it,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter who is across the otherside of the net, you have to find a way to winand this challenge and competitiveness thatdrives me is what I want to pursue.”

For Bastl, his epic five-set win over the greatSampras came “in another life”. Only in the mainWimbledon draw as a lucky loser, few gave Bastla sniff against Sampras on the now defunctCourt Two, once the notorious graveyard ofseeds.

Bastl won the first two sets 6-3 6-2 beforeSampras fought back to force a decider, only forthe Swiss to refocus and pull off a sensationalvictory.

“You have to be a tennis historian or some-one who follows tennis closely to come up withthat match - for me it was a long time ago,” hesaid. “I won one match - I didn’t win the tourna-ment.”

Bastl bowed out tamely to Argentine DavidNalbandian in the next round and three yearslater became Andy Murray’s first grand slammain draw victim. The Briton, then 18, won instraight sets in the first round at Wimbledon.

That was to be Bastl’s last appearance in themain draw of the grasscourt slam but he has notgiven up hope of returning.—Reuters

Forgotten man Bastl revelling in ‘new career’

LONDON: Rafa Nadal could face world num-ber one Novak Djokovic, defending championRoger Federer or home favorite Andy Murrayas early as the Wimbledon quarter-finals afterhe was seeded fifth for the grasscourt majoryesterday.

Friday’s draw for the tournament, whichbegins at the All England Club on Monday,could now produce a nightmare scenario for

top three seeds Djokovic, Murray and Federerif any of them end up being in the same quar-ter as 2008 and 2010 winner Nadal.

The Wimbledon seeding reflects Nadal’scurrent ranking, with the Mallorcan behindfourth-ranked Spanish compatriot DavidFerrer whom he beat to win an eighth FrenchOpen title this month.

Wimbledon is the only grand slam thatdoes not automatically follow the men’s rank-ings when seedings are decided. Instead, offi-cials rely on a three-stage formula which also

takes into account grass-court performancesof the past two seasons.

As Nadal suffered a shock second-roundexit in southwest London 12 months ago,after which his ranking slipped as he spentseven months on the sidelines with a kneeinjury, Wimbledon’s seeding formula failed tobump him above Ferrer, who reached thequarter-finals last year.

John McEnroe, the retired three-timesWimbledon champion, said on Tuesday that itwould be ‘totally wrong’ for 12-times grandslam champion Nadal to be seeded outsidethe top four.

“In my opinion there is no doubt heshould be in the top four,” American McEnroesaid in a conference call. “If he ran into Ferrerin the quarter-finals it would be the same old,same old because Ferrer is used to runninginto one of the big four in the last eight.

“But if Nadal played Djokovic in the quar-ters, or possibly Murray or Federer, that wouldbe a big difference, and absolutely wrong forthat to happen, in my opinion.” US Openchampion Murray had already resigned him-self to a possible last-eight clash with Nadal.

“I know there will be a lot of interest in thedraw this year as Rafael Nadal looks like beingseeded fifth but as a player you can’t get tooobsessed about the draw,” Murray had said ina column for the BBC website on Monday.

“I’d sign up to be in the quarter-finalsagainst Rafa tomorrow if someone offeredme that.” The Wimbledon seedings by andlarge reflected the current ATP rankings,with Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga bumpedup a place to sixth and Queen’s Club runner-up Marin Cilic profiting from two spots to10th. There were no surprises among thewomen after five-times champion SerenaWilliams was named top seed ahead ofVictoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova insecond and third in accordance with therankings.—Reuters

EASTBOURNE: Who can a woman turn to wheneverything falls apart? Her mother, of course -even if, in Li Na’s case, it necessitated a 12-hourflight from Paris to China after her early exit fromthe French Open.

Wimbledon might not be her most success-ful tournament but Li says she is feeling “totallyrelaxed” ahead of next week’s grasscourt grandslam, thanks to the flying visit home.

“I had one week off, I was feeling in need ofhaving time to myself to relax. I couldn’t stress allthe time, so I went back to China to see my mumand to see friends,” the world number six toldReuters in an interview.

“I really inside myself was feeling I had to goback,” added Li, who would not normally returnto Wuhan until after Wimbledon. “I really wantedto go back to see my mum.

“When I unlocked the door my mum was

like: ‘What are you doing here?’ So I said: ‘Mum, Ijust wanted to see you, say hi, have dinner, blahblah...” Li left Paris berating herself for losing inthe second round to American Bethanie Mattek-Sands at a tournament where she became Asia’sfirst grand-slam champion in 2011.

The defeat included a seven-game losingstreak, and Li departed Roland Garros vowing to“talk to myself and my team to see what hap-pened”. So what did happen? The 31-year-oldshrugged as she stood in Eastbourne’s sunshine.“I was giving her the chance to play well,” shesaid, clearly having moved on from the Parisheartbreak.

Lying in bed until 1030 in the morning,enjoying home cooking and spending time withfriends in coffee shops allowed her to recharge,and Li was all smiles in Eastbourne, where shewas seeded second. Tennis was not even a sub-ject of discussion with her mother, she said. “Shedoesn’t like to watch my matches because shesays it make her nervous. I think she watches butshe will never tell me. “She was pretty happy (tosee me), it doesn’t matter to her if I am doingwell or doing badly.” Twice an Australian Openfinalist, Li has never done better than the quar-ter-finals at Wimbledon, in 2006 and 2010, andlost in the second round last year.

“Grass is a good challenge,” she said. “Andwhen the tournament starts, everyone is thesame. I will really try as much as I can.” “Big SisterNa”, as she is known at home, has long cut alonely figure in Chinese tennis, with only PengShuai, ranked 24th, and Zheng Jie, 47th, also inthe world’s top 110 women players.—Reuters

Nadal seeded fifthfor Wimbledon

Rafael Nadal

Li Na

Li Na relaxed afterearly French exit

19S P O R T STHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

LONDON: Champions Manchester United willtravel to Swansea City for their first PremierLeague match under new manager DavidMoyes, while Manuel Pellegrini’s ManchesterCity are at home to Newcastle United on Aug.17.

United, kicking off their league campaignwithout Alex Ferguson in charge for the firsttime since 1986, were handed a tricky open-ing five matches in fixture lists published yes-terday.

They host Chelsea, with Jose Mourinhoback in charge for the second time, on Aug.24 before Moyes makes a return toMerseyside with a game at Anfield against oldfoes Liverpool on Aug. 31.

The champions then take on promotedCrystal Palace before making the short jour-ney to the Etihad Stadium for the firstManchester derby against last year’s runners-up with their new Chilean manager on Sept.22.

The return Manchester derby at OldTrafford is scheduled for March 21. “Livelystart to the season! Let us at them,” declaredUnited defender Rio Ferdinand on Twitter.

Chelsea, third last season behind theManchester clubs, start at Stamford Bridgeagainst newly promoted Hull City with FrankLampard hoping to make a record 18thappearance in an opening fixture of a PremierLeague season.

The west Londoners then host Aston Villaafter their trip north to United. Everton, withRoberto Martinez stepping into Moyes’sshoes, start out at Norwich City before host-

ing Chelsea as their fourth match of the sea-son. They visit Manchester United on Dec. 3.

Liverpool start the season at home toStoke City, now under the leadership of MarkHughes, while Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal are athome to Aston Villa at the Emirates.

Promoted Cardiff City travel to West HamUnited while Crystal Palace mark their returnto the top flight with a home match againstTottenham Hotspur.

The first Welsh Premier league derby

between Cardiff and Swansea is due on Nov. 2at the Cardiff City Stadium with the return fix-ture on Feb. 8.

The season ends on May 11, whenManchester United are at Southampton,Chelsea travel to Cardiff, Arsenal visitNorwich, and Manchester City host WestHam.

The FA Cup final has been moved back toafter the end of the league season with thematch scheduled for May 17.—Reuters

United to begin titledefence at Swansea

David Moyes

Choi Kang-hee

SEOUL: Hong Myung-bo, who coachedSouth Korea’s Olympic side to a bronzemedal at the 2012 London Games, is oneof the “strongest candidates” to replaceChoi Kang-hee as national team coach,the Korean FA said yesterday.

South Korea reached an eighth con-secutive World Cup finals by finishingrunners-up in Group A of Asian qualify-ing on Tuesday but only secured theirplace on goal difference after a disap-pointing 1-0 home defeat to Iran.

Choi took over in December 2011 andsaid at the time his only mission was toget the team to Brazil and that he wouldstep aside after qualification.

There was little chance of him beingasked to reconsider after an unimpres-sive end to qualifying, where the Koreanslost twice to Iran, drew with Lebanonand scored lacklustre wins over Qatarand Uzbekistan. “The KFA has decided toaccept Choi’s wish to resign at the end ofhis contract after having completed theteam’s qualification for Brazil in 2014,”the KFA said in a statement.

“We thank him for his efforts and wishhim well.” Huh Jung-moo, vice presidentof the KFA, told a news conference theywould hold discussions and make a for-mal announcement about a new coachearly next week.

In addition to Hong, who also cap-tained South Korea to fourth place at the2002 World Cup on home soil, at leastone foreign coach was being considered,Huh said, adding that the KFA were look-ing for someone with solid World Cupexperience.

“Hong participated in the World Cupfour times, both as a player and a coach,”he said. “He did well at the last Olympicsas well.

“Most of the players who will be play-ing in Brazil next year have experiencewith Hong as a coach, so he is one of thestrongest candidates.”

Huh dismissed reports the KFA hadalready decided on Hong and said that aforeign candidate, or candidates, hadalready been contacted, though hewould not reveal any identities.

Local media speculated ArgentineMarcelo Bielsa, who left Athletic Bilbaoearlier this month, and Turkish coachSenol Gunes, who managed Koreanteam FC Seoul between 2007-09, werepossible candidates.—Reuters

Korea coach Choi exits

FIFA Confederations Cup

Spain v Tahiti 22:00Al Jazeera Sport 1 HDAl Jazeera Sport +9Al Jazeera Sport +10Al Jazeera Sport 2 HD

Friday 21 June 2013 Nigeria v Uruguay 1:01Al Jazeera Sport 1 HDAl Jazeera Sport +9Al Jazeera Sport +10Al Jazeera Sport 2 HD

Matches on TV (Local Timings)

JERUSALEM: Spain’s players celebrate after beating Italy in their UEFA U-21 Championship final football match at Teddy Stadium. —AFP

Spain lift Euro Under-21 crownJERUSALEM: Captain Thiago Alcantarascored a first-half hat-trick to inspire Spain toa 4-2 win over Italy in the European Under-21championship final on Tuesday.

The defending champions had little diffi-culty in breaking down Italy’s unusually hesi-tant defence as Barcelona’s Thiago scoredwith an easy header in the sixth minute, aclose-range drive in the 31st and a penalty inthe 38th. Spain added the under-21 title totheir collection of international crowns, theWorld Cup and the European Championshipat senior level and the European under-19championship.

Thiago became the first player to score ahat-trick in the final since the format waschanged to a one-off match in 1994. The

event began in 1976 and the first finals wereheld two years later.

Italy briefly lived in hope when Genoa for-ward Ciro Immobile chipped calmly overSpain goalkeeper David De Gea in the ninthminute to equalise at 1-1. It was the first goalthe Manchester United keeper had concededin the tournament.

Spain’s Isco of Malaga added a fourthSpanish goal from another penalty in the 66thminute when he sent Italy goalkeeperFrancesco Bardi the wrong way.

Striker Fabio Borini added a second Italiangoal in the 80th minute with a powerful lowstrike from the edge of the area after a deftone-two with Lorenzo Insigne, but it cametoo late against the superior Spaniards.

Spain coach Julen Lopetegui was mostpleased with the manner of his team’s per-formances throughout the tournament.

“We are happy, not only for the victory butfor the personality the team showed,” he tolda news conference. “I think the players decid-ed that individual talent without the strengthof the group is wasted. I believe that was thekey.”

Italy coach Devis Mangia said his teamlacked experience on such a big occasion.“Perhaps the only shortcoming for my playerswas their lack of experience because inmatches like this you need to have experi-ence,” Mangia said. “They have less experi-ence than the Spanish players. My players alsohave great qualities.” —Reuters

RECIFE: Brazil will benefit with morethan just new soccer stadiums from host-ing the 2014 World Cup, FIFA presidentSepp Blatter said as unrest in the countrycontinued to overshadow theConfederations Cup.

“In football, the whole country getsthe legacy,” Blatter said in an interviewwith Rio’s O Globo newspaper. “Footballinvolves the whole country. The countryimproves airports, hotels, highways,telecommunications, sustainability pro-grams.”

The eight-team Confederations Cup,the test event for the World Cup, is tak-ing place against a backdrop of streetprotests that have swept across Brazil.

Although demonstrators originallyfocused their demands on a reduction inbus fares, their gripes have grown andmany are aiming their anger at whatthey see as too much investment in sportand not enough in essential services likehealth, transport and education.

“I can understand that people areunhappy,” Blatter added. “But football ishere to unite people. Football is here tobuild bridges, to generate excitement, tobring hope.

“Brazil asked to host the World Cup.We didn’t force it on them. It’s obviousthat stadiums need to be built but thatisn’t the only thing in a World Cup: thereare highways, hotels, airports and a lot ofother items that remain as a legacy.”

Blatter and Brazilian President DilmaRousseff were booed by a capacity

crowd at the Confederations Cup openeron Saturday and other matches haveprovided a rallying point for protests.

In Brasilia, police fired tear gas at pro-testers who tried to reach Brazil’s firstgame and they also fought running bat-tles with demonstrators outside theMaracana stadium in Rio and theMineirao arena in Belo Horizonte.

The Brazilian government haspledged to spend at least 26.6 billionreais (7.8 billion pounds) on the WorldCup, which will take place in 12 Brazilianvenues starting next June.

But with the stadiums the only obvi-ous gain so far, and many of them des-tined to be white elephants, protestersmade their anger known with placardsreading: “Teachers are worth more than(Brazil striker) Neymar” and “We wantschools and hospitals, not stadiums”.

Blatter said he was in contact withAldo Rebelo, Brazil’s Communist PartySports Minister, and was confidentauthorities have the situation under con-trol.

“We’ve spoken, of course,” Blattersaid. “This is something for the Braziliangovernment and regional governmentsto deal with. It’s up to them to resolve it.

“The only thing that FIFA can do isoffer wonderful football in beautiful sta-diums so people can enjoy themselves. Idon’t know what the government isdoing. But I am confident the demon-strations won’t hit the ConfederationsCup.”—Reuters

Sepp Blatter

MAPUTO: The impressive run ofEgypt in World Cup qualifyingover the last fortnight has muchmore significance for the countrythan just moving the tournamentdream a step closer, coach BobBradley told Reuters.

“At a time when the country islooking for things that are good,this is very important,” he said ofEgypt’s seamless progress to thelast phase of African qualifiers fornext year’s tournament in Brazil.

Victories in Zimbabwe andMozambique over the last fort-night in preliminary competitionensure Egypt kept up a 100 per-cent record in their group, theonly African side with five winsfrom five matches. They have one

more to play but are guaranteedtop place in their section and willtake part in the playoffs inOctober and November whichdetermine places for Brazil.

“This team has a strong belief,we have finished the group andnow we begin to think abouthow to be ready for the playoffsbecause the goal for everyone inEgypt is of course the WorldCup,” Bradley said. “To finish thegroup early was very important.To come away on the road andtake six points says a lot aboutthe mentality of the group,” saidthe American after the latest tri-umph, a 1-0 win overMozambique in Maputo onSunday. They also beat

Zimbabwe 4-2 in Harare.“We have a lot of belief in what

we are doing, it showed that wecan win at home and on the roadand now we only think abouthow to be ready for the playoffs,”Bradley added.

Egypt’s political and socialupheaval in the wake of the Arabspring, has impacted dramaticallyon football in the country wherethe league only restarted sixmonths ago after a year-long hia-tus and where most matches arestill played behind closed doorsfor security concerns.

Bradley, coach of the UnitedStates team at the last World Cupin South Africa, was an unusualchoice as Egypt coach when he

took the job in October 2011.But has made a good impres-

sion in Cairo with his decision tostay on despite the turmoil of thelast 18 months since a stadiumriot in Port Said caused 74 deathsand led to the near shutdown ofthe game in the north Africancountry.

Egypt has been increasinglyobsessed by the team’s failure toqualify for the World Cup sincetheir last appearance in Italy in1990, despite record-breakingdominance in the African NationsCup finals over the last decade.“Brazil is two games away. Wemust keep focus. One game at atime,” Bradley said.—Reuters

Blatter: World Cup legacy for Brazil goes beyond soccer

World Cup success a lift for troubled Egypt

17Englandstormsinto final

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 201318

Heat force Game 7decider

United to begin title defence at Swansea Page 19

FORTALEZA: Brazil’s forward Neymar (right) is marked by Mexico’s midfielder Gerardo Torrado during their FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013 Group A football match, at the Castelao Stadium. — AFP

FORTALEZA: Brazil superstar Neymar scored onegoal and set up the other to give hosts Brazil a 2-0win over Mexico in their Group A game and all butassure them of a place in the semi-finals of theConfederations Cup in Fortaleza yesterday.

The 21-year-old took his tally to 13 goals in hislast 15 games for his country with a superb left-footed volley early in the first-half, and then pro-duced a brilliant shimmy between two Mexicandefenders in second-half stoppage time to set upJo for the second goal.

While Brazil — who had lost six of their last sev-en meetings with the Mexicans — are all but in thesemis, Mexico’s hopes hang by a thread after twodefeats as Japan, who lost 3-0 to Brazil in theiropener, must beat Euro 2012 finalists Italy later onWednesday to give them any hope of reaching thelast four.

For Brazil it was a much cheerier occasion thanthe last time they played in Fortaleza in 2002 astheir celebrations at winning the World Cup in

South Korea and Japan fell flat as Mexico beatthem 1-0.

Neymar confirmed Brazil’s early dominancewith a stunning left-footed volley in the ninthminute after Mexico defender FranciscoRodriguez’s header fell to him.

Dani Alves, who had provided the cross whichRodriguez failed to clear properly, then went closewith a shot towards the far right corner but Mexicogoalkeeper Jose Corona did well to tip it over thebar.

The signs had been there right from the startthat Brazil were intent on sealing their place in thelast four as Chelsea star Oscar scored after a flow-ing move only for it to be ruled out by English ref-eree Howard Webb for offside.

Neymar went close to doubling his tally in the23rd minute as he chested the ball down outsidethe area and let fly with his shot going just overthe bar.

Brazil went slightly off the boil after that and

weren’t helped when Oscar’s Chelsea clubmateDavid Luiz had to go off for lengthy treatment afterinjuring his nose in a clash with one of his team-mates.

However, not even with the hosts down to 10men could Mexico press home the advantage, asthey produced lots of pretty football, stemmingfrom Mallorca’s Giovanni dos Santos, but failed toround it off with the killer touch.

The Brazilians had the ball in the net early in thesecond-half as Thiago Silva headed home, butonce again it was ruled out for offside.

Brazil had several chances after that as theylooked to seal the win but Hulk hit a shot into theside netting, after being set up by Neymar, whilethe goalscorer also went close.

Luiz, fully rehabilitated after his nose bleed,produced probably a goal saving clearance on thehour mark as he slid in to turn behind a dangerousball played across goal with Manchester Unitedstriker Javier Hernandez lurking just behind him.

The pace of the game slowed dramatically inthe second-half as the high humidity had aninevitable effect on the players.

However, it didn’t stop Neymar from one lastmoment of brilliance to set up Jo and send thehome fans into ecstasy.

Meanwhile, the historic wave of protests thathas swept across Brazil in recent days has gainedsome important allies - the players of the Braziliannational football team.

Brazil is hosting the Confederations Cup, a tour-nament of continental champions which serves asa warm-up for next year’s World Cup, but theBrazilian players’ focus has turned to the demon-strations which have taken over a country fightingfor improvements in basic services such as publictransportation, schools and hospitals.

The Brazilian players had been trying to avoidthe subject, but it became impossible not to talkabout it after hundreds of thousands of country-men took to the streets to show their displeasure

with politicians, authorities and local government.“After seeing the people on the streets claiming

for improvements, it makes me feel like joiningthem,” Brazil striker Hulk said. “They are doing theright thing, what they are saying makes sense andwe have to hear them. Brazil needs to improve, weall know that.”

“The people have the right to express theiropinions and to protest when they are not happywith what is happening in their country. That’s theonly way to call attention to what is wrong,” saidBrazil defender David Luiz, who plays for Chelseain England. “I don’t live in Brazil but I love my coun-try. The Brazilians love their country and that’s whythese protests are happening.”

The players got behind the demonstratorseven though part of the complaints is directlyrelated to the high costs of hosting theConfederations Cup and the World Cup in acountry in dire need of better public services toits population in general.—Agencies

Neymar sends Brazil into semisProtests get Brazilian players’ support

Preview

RECIFE: Spain forward Fernando Torres wason the outside looking in as his compatriotsmade a winning start in the ConfederationsCup against Uruguay, but the Chelsea for-ward says he intends to give coach VicenteDel Bosque a selection dilemma if he can getsome game time for the world championsagainst minnows Tahiti today.

Torres has found himself relegated to thestatus of a squad player since Euro 2012,when Del Bosque decided he wanted to tryto dispense with a designated centre for-ward, but has accepted his fate knowing thathe still scored three goals from the bench inPoland and Ukraine as the Furia Roja becamethe first country to land three consecutivemajor senior tournaments.

“I just hope I do get the chance to impresscoach Del Bosque so that I can give him a bitof a selection dilemma,” Torres told OndaCero radio.

“I thought we played really well againstUruguay and I think it is certainly very diffi-cult for any side to play against us.

“We always want to win of course, but wewant to do so with style,” said Torres, who isaiming help Spain land a first Confederationstitle after their shock loss to the United Statesin the 2009 semi-final. Del Bosque is likely toring the changes for today’s game meaningthat Torres’ chances of starting are gooddespite the fine form of both PedroRodriguez, 11 goals for his country this sea-son, and fellow scorer against theUruguayans Roberto Soldado.

“Of course we are clear favorites, but you

still have to turn up and do the job and wemust respect Tahiti,” said Pedro. “We will try toplay our game and keep on winning.”

Del Bosque has acknowledged he wouldlike to see Spain kill off games and be moreruthless having seen Uruguay come backand pinch a late goal to go down 2-1 in agame in which they should have been deadand buried by half-time.

And against amateur rivals the Spanishhave the chance to show they are aboutmuch more than pretty passing patterns andfluid movement.

Spain have earned widespread praise inhost country Brazil for their showing againstUruguay, and former Brazil star RobertoRivelino lauded Andres Iniesta in particular.

“Iniesta is different, he is a Brazilian.”Pedro, who says he feels that “the first halfagainst Uruguay is the best I have seen usplay,” agrees. “He is a real pleasure to playwith,” said the 25-year-old. Del Bosque mean-while insisted that his decision to field goal-keeper Iker Casillas against Uruguay was notdown to favoritism after the Real Madrid cus-todian endured a miserable second half ofthe season owing first to a hand injury andthen to his being left out even when fit againby then Real coach Jose Mourinho.

“It is nothing to do with favoritism or per-sonal issues but all to do with sporting crite-ria. There are certain details which speak infavor of plumping for him,” Del Bosque toldSpanish media, though he conceded that hemight give a run out to either Pepe Reina orVictor Valdes against Tahiti. — AFP

SALVADOR: Despite contrasting results in their opening games, Uruguay andNigeria both approach today’s encounter between the sides in Salvador knowingdefeat could spell the end of their Confederations Cup ambitions.

Uruguay lost 2-1 to Spain on Sunday, before Nigeria surged to the Group Bsummit with a 6-1 demolition of minnows Tahiti, but the meeting of the SouthAmerican and African champions was always destined to be pivotal.

With both teams expected to lose to world champions Spain and beat Tahiti, awin at Arena Fonte Nova would leave the victors in a very strong position toprogress to the last four.

Speaking prior to the Spain defeat, Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez haddescribed the Nigeria fixture as “our key match”, while captain Diego Lugano saidthe game was “our final”.

Striker Diego Forlan echoed their sentiments, although a draw would leave thequalification situation in the balance ahead of Uruguay’s final group game againstTahiti.

“Losing to Spain is something normal. Now we must forget that match andprepare ourselves to play against Nigeria,” said the talismanic striker, who nowplays for Brazilian club side Internacional.

“We knew before coming to Brazil that our most important game was againstNigeria and nothing has changed because we lost to Spain.”

Nigeria’s preparations for the tournament were dogged by controversy afterthe squad initially missed their scheduled flights to Brazil in protest at a row overbonus payments.

Coach Stephen Keshi said he was relieved to put the furore behind him withthe one-sided victory over Tahiti, although he was critical of his forward players fornot putting the game to bed more quickly.

“I wouldn’t say I was annoyed, but I was worried when we did not take ourchances because it gave our opponents hope,” he said.

“We had clear chances, 100 percent chances, and you need to bury the goals.”Keshi hopes to have Lazio midfielder Ogenyi Onazi available, after he missed theTahiti game in order to undergo treatment on a knee injury in Nigeria.

Although Uruguay’s players were made to look statuesque by Spain’s passingcarousel during their opening match in Recife, Luis Suarez did give the SouthAmericans’ fans a moment to cherish with a fine late free-kick.

The talented Liverpool striker will be central to Uruguay’s hopes of success inSalvador, and he is confident that his countrymen will rise to the occasion. —AFP

Torres intends to give Spain selection dilemma

Nigeria and Uruguay set for decisive showdown

RIO DE JANEIRO: Spain’s goalkeeper Iker Casillas takes part in a trainingsession at Maracana stadium on the eve of their Confederation Cup2013 match against Tahiti.— AFP

SALVADOR: Uruguay’s footballer Luis Suarez (second right) eyes the ballduring an official training session. Uruguay will face Nigeria in their sec-ond FIFA 2013 Confederation Cup football match today. —AFP

BusinessTHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

flydubai launches its Business Class

Page 24

Emirates makes Haneda its third Japanese route

Page 25US builders seekskilled carpenters

Page 23

Keep cool this summer with BMW driving tipsPage 26

Palestinian tobacco faces threatCash-strapped Palestinian Authority keen to tax

CURRIMAO, Philippines: Children sort tobacco leaves at a farm in Currimao town, Ilocos norte province, northern Philippines. Tobacco enriches and corrupts in the dry, sun-drenched northern Philippines, where family fortunes aswell as political empires are built on the golden leaf. —AFP

WEST BANK: Palestinian farmers sow tobac-co sprouts in the rocky earth of the northernWest Bank, reaping a harvest that provides areliable livelihood in the struggling occupiedterritory. From planting, drying and rolling,the local cottage industry has put dozens ofwhole families to work and has defied highlevels of unemployment and poverty.

But pressures on their business are grow-ing. Tobacco production and other parts ofthe rural economy, which have long eludedformal government regulation, are comingunder the radar of the Palestinian Authority(PA) as it seeks to bolster its revenues andalleviate a massive debt burden. In recentmonths the PA has begun clamping down onfarmers who package and sell hand-rolledcigarettes around the villages, accusing themof smuggling and has even begun arrestingsome workers.

While the government maintains thatbuilding a modern economy depends on therule of law, its critics say the moves to stampout black market trading is another exampleof the state-in-waiting’s failure to implementpolicies that protect jobs and help pullPalestinians out of poverty. “We’ve triumphedover joblessness,” said farmer MohammedAmarnih, 65, adding that tobacco cultivationhad brought unemployment in several localvillages down to near zero. “The governmenthas given us no alternative to this work, so(this is the only way) we can live a normal lifein dignity,” he complains.

Former Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, wholeft office this month, struggled to counterrising poverty and unemployment rates,which are both now at around 25 percent. He

resigned after widespread complaints overhis handling of the economy and soaringcosts of living. A new government is now inplace, and in a meeting with reporters lastweek, Mohammed Mustafa, the deputy primeminister in charge of financial affairs, calledthe social challenges “very scary”. “We arereviewing the economic policies of the lastgovernment to improve our citizens’ situationand lighten the burden they’re carrying,”Mustafa said.

The Palestinian Authority, which exerciseslimited self-rule in the West Bank under inter-im peace accords with Israel, will boost rev-enue by ensuring countries deliver pledgedaid money - and enforcing tax collection,Mustafa said. But he acknowledged that 70percent of PA revenues come from sources itcannot control, whether from abroad or at itsown borders where Israel collects customsduties on the PA’s behalf. Israel has withheldthe transfers during times of dispute with thePalestinian government.

ISRAELI CURBSFor years, the PA has sought to put in

place political and economic institutionsready for a long-sought independentPalestinian state, but has run up againstIsraeli control over land, water, internal move-ment of people and foreign trade. The curbs,along with unpaid utility bills at refugeecamps and often uncollected customs dutiesat borders beyond PA control, have added toa government debt of $4.2 billion. That equals40 percent of gross domestic product anddwarfs the annual budget of $3.8 billion.Palestinian youth unemployment stands at 40

percent. Outside his native village of Ya’abad,22-year-old Nouredeen Atatra and his fellowtobacco farmers form a row of four followingbehind a tractor towing a home-made tillerdigging holes and sprinkling water into thedry earth. They bend down, scooping soilaround feeble new plants. “I have a universitydegree in political science, but there are nojobs out there,” said Atatra, a slim man with amud-spattered red-and-white checked scarfwrapped around his head. On the road, linedwith concrete Israeli watch towers, a gleam-ing new bus carrying Israelis to the nearbyJewish settlement of Mevo Dotan whizzespast, escorted by an army jeep.

“For generations my family worked thisland and there’s no shame in being a farmer.But if the government doesn’t even allow usto do this, then we’re afraid the land will beabandoned, and the settlers will somedaytake it,” Atatra said. The PA has said the tobac-co must be sold only through legitimatechannels. Farmers claim the PA is trying tocurb their sales even to legitimate companiesbecause it wants cigarette companies toimport more tobacco as that would boostcustoms revenues. The poor economic situa-tion only enhances the appeal of cheap localtobacco. Around a quarter of Palestinianadults smoke, according to official statistics,and many find 25 shekels ($7) per pack forinternational brands like Marlboro far toopricey. At just 4 shekels ($1.10) a pack, ciga-rettes from Ya’abad and the surrounding vil-lages are much more affordable. Analysts sayofficials could do more to ease the financialstrain on ordinary Palestinians. “Yes, the gov-ernment lacks sovereignty and control over

trade and monetary policy. But it does havesome power in fiscal policy, over whom to taxand where to spend.

It has not properly protected the most vul-nerable citizens while income inequality ris-es,” independent economic analyst NasserAbdul Kareem said. “The (Fayyad) govern-ment deserved some blame for this situation.It should have helped redistribute wealth andcombat the marginalization of farmers andmanufacturers,” he said. A boom in the servic-es and construction sector fuelled by foreignaid saw GDP surge 9 percent in 2010. But theWorld Bank projects growth in 2013 of just 5percent as government debts to private com-panies pile up.

‘ARAB SPRING’ FROM CIGARSitting on a patio draped in purple

bougainvillea, farmers roll up cigarettes inhands calloused by a lifetime of hard work,and grumble at officialdom. “They’re so usedto getting foreign aid that they forgot whatwe can achieve by ourselves,” said AbuAyman, puffing a pungent cloud of smokeinto the crisp village air.

“What else can you expect from the Oslogang?” another chimes in, referring to theinterim peace deals signed with Israel in the1990s. Many Palestinians blame the accords’economic annexes for their hamstrunggrowth. The Jerusalem Cigarette Co, a pub-licly traded firm operating out of an industrialzone east of Jerusalem, is a leader in thePalestinian tobacco sector and endures heavytaxes on cigarette sales, which are as high as9.5 shekels ($2.6 dollars) per pack, almosttwo-thirds their retail cost.—Reuters

LONDON: Bankers found guilty of “reckless misconduct” inBritain could end up in prison and be stripped of bonuses,under draconian proposals yesterday to clean up London’sscandal-hit financial sector. The Parliamentary Commissionon Banking Standards, established by the government afterthe Libor rate-rigging scandal last year, made the recom-mendations in a final report that amounted to a bluntindictment of malpractice.

The scandals have besmirched the old and worldwidereputation of the City of London and made some bankersthe target of public anger. The Treasury welcomed thereview, describing it as an “impressive piece of work”,adding that it would help the government “create astronger and safer banking system”.

The Commission was formed last year after revelationsthat Barclays bank tried to manipulate the Libor rate, whichis used as a benchmark for global financial contracts worthabout $300 trillion. “Under our recommendations, seniorbankers who seriously damage their banks or put taxpay-ers’ money at risk can expect to be fined, banned from theindustry, or, in the worst cases, go to jail,” Commissionchairman and Conservative lawmaker Andrew Tyrie said ina report.

The report added: “A criminal offence will be establishedapplying to senior persons carrying out their professionalresponsibilities in a reckless manner, which may carry aprison sentence. The Commission, which includedArchbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the Church ofEngland’s spiritual leader, as well as lawmakers from acrossBritish political parties, recommended also that the state-rescued Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) should be split into aso-called good bank and a bad bank. It also criticized thegovernment for “political interference” in both RBS and fel-low bailed-out lender Lloyds Banking Group.

The review was published ahead of finance ministerGeorge Osborne’s annual Mansion House speech to busi-ness leaders later, when he is expected to address the gov-ernment’s privatization plans for RBS and Lloyds.Lawmakers and Welby additionally called for “much more(of bankers’) remuneration to be deferred and, in many cas-es, for much longer periods of up to 10 years” to “reflect thelonger run balance between business risks and rewards”.

Tyrie said that “recent scandals, not least the fixing ofthe Libor rate...have exposed shocking and widespreadmalpractice” within Britain’s banking sector. “Taxpayers andcustomers have lost out. The economy has suffered. Thereputation of the financial sector has been gravely dam-aged. Trust in banking has fallen to a new low,” he added.The reputation of Britain’s banking sector has been dam-aged in recent years by a string of scandals, including alsocredit insurance mis-selling and ongoing controversy overstaff behavior in the run-up to the 2008 global financial cri-sis.

Industry body the British Bankers’ Association yesterdaysaid that it would work alongside the government toimplement the report’s recommendations. “This is the mostsignificant report into banking for a generation,” said BBAchief executive Anthony Browne in a statement. “We lookforward to working with government and regulators totake forward the constructive proposals contained in thereport.”—AFP

Reckless bankers risk prison in UK

LE BOURGET: A French Airbus A 400 M takesoff on Le Bourget airport, near Paris yester-day during the 50th International Paris Airshow. — AFP

LE BOURGET: The Airbus next-generationA350 plane took off commercially at the ParisAir Show yesterday, winning multi-billion-dollar deals and the European manufacturersaid that more deals were in the air. The newscomes just days after the new plane took tothe skies in its first ever test flight on Friday,stealing the limelight before the start of theair show-a key event where Airbus andBoeing compete fiercely for plane orders.

The two rivals are currently head-to-head- $44.6 billion in new plane orders or agree-ments for Airbus versus $44.8 billion forBoeing-after Ryanair boosted a laggingBoeing by confirming a huge order for 175medium-haul 737 planes. Airbus-side, AirFrance-KLM also confirmed an order for 25A350 planes-which make extensive use oflighter composite materials to reduce fuelcosts-in a deal worth $7.2 billion at catalogueprices. “Despite the difficulties that AirFrance-KLM is facing, we are in significantgood shape to be able to plan for the renew-al of our long-haul fleet for the long term,”said Alexandre de Juniac, head of the airlinegroup. The agreement comes with an option

for a further 25 planes, and the aircraft willcome into service in 2017, he told reporters.The airline group had first announced itsintention to buy the planes in September2011. SriLankan Airlines, meanwhile, took anoption to buy four of the new planes anoption expected to be exercised within twoweeks-and placed six firm orders for Airbus’spopular A330 aircraft in a deal worth $2.6 bil-lion at list prices.

Airbus boss Fabrice Bregier promisedmore deals to come for the A350. Asked by ajournalist whether further orders could beexpected at the show, he replied: “before theend of the day.” The A350 is due to take off onits second test flight in the southwesternFrench city of Toulouse, where Airbus isheadquarterd, and if all goes well againcould fly over the Paris Air Show on Friday.The plane pushed Boeing out of the limelightyesterday, but the US firm had stole the thun-der on Tuesday with the launch of a long ver-sion of its next-generation Dreamliner-the787-10.

Intended as a message that it is firmlyback on track after a slew of technical prob-

lems forced the grounding of its entireDreamliner fleet worldwide earlier this year,Boeing announced more than 100 orders forits newest plane. Yesterday, it said plane leas-ing firm CIT Aerospace had ordered 30 of itsnew, medium-haul 737 MAX planes in a dealworth $3 billion at catalogue prices. The 737MAX is a modernised version of Boeing’s old-er 737 and has yet to come into service. It ispart of a new generation of planes emergingonto the market which consume less fueland enable airlines to reduce costs.

Other smaller competitors have alsomade a mark at the air show-the world’sbiggest-with ATR, a joint venture betweenEuropean aerospace giant EADS and Italy’sFinmeccanica, announcing one of its biggestorders this week. Brazil’s Embraer has alsocome up trumps with the launch of a newfamily of regional jets and 100 orders, with215 other intentions to purchase the aircraft.But the Paris air show, in its 50th edition thisyear, is not just about commercial battles,with the long-awaited A400M military trans-port plane taking to the skies as well asRussia’s Su-35 fighter jet.—AFP

New Airbus takes off with big orders

B U S I N E S STHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

EXCHANGE RATESCommercial Bank of Kuwait

US Dollar/KD .2770000 .2880000GB Pound/KD .4310000 .4470000Euro .3680000 .3760000Swiss francs .3020000 .3170000Canadian Dollar .2780000 .2920000Australian DLR .2940000 .3020000Indian rupees .0040000 .0069000Sri Lanka Rupee .0020000 .0035000UAE dirhams .0771240 .0778990Bahraini dinars .7513970 .7589480Jordanian dinar .3930000 .4110000Saudi riyals .0720000 .0770000Omani riyals .7366120 .7440150Egyptian pounds .0370000 .0440000

CUSTOMER TRANSFER RATESUS Dollar/KD .2841000 .2862000GB Pound/KD .4338920 .4370990Euro .3707360 .3734770Swiss francs .3043390 .3065880Canadian dollars .2795430 .2816100Danish Kroner .0497330 .0501010Swedish Kroner .0443660 .0446940Australian dlr .2963730 .2985640Hong Kong dlr .0365940 .0368650Singapore dlr .2291130 .2308060Japanese yen .0029600 .0028810Indian Rs/KD .0000000 .0052870Sri Lanka rupee .0000000 .0022880Pakistan rupee .0000000 .0029190Bangladesh taka .0000000 .0036810UAE dirhams .0773800 .0779520Bahraini dinars .7538810 .7594530Jordanian dinar .0000000 .4048090Saudi Riyal/KD .0757800 .0763400Omani riyals .7382100 .7436660Philippine Peso .0000000 .0069870

Bahrain Exchange Company

Al-Muzaini Exchange Co.

Dollarco Exchange Co. Ltd

Al Mulla Exchange

ASIAN COUNTRIESJapanese Yen 2.985Indian Rupees 4.856Pakistani Rupees 2.874Srilankan Rupees 2.205Nepali Rupees 3.075Singapore Dollar 226.110Hongkong Dollar 36.604Bangladesh Taka 3.641Philippine Peso 6.566

Currency Transfer Rate (Per 1000)US Dollar 283.400Euro 382.450Pound Sterling 445.450Canadian Dollar 279.650Japanese Yen 3.000Indian Rupee 4.827Egyptian Pound 39.920Sri Lankan Rupee 2.202Bangladesh Taka 3.641Philippines Peso 6.565Pakistan Rupee 2.875Bahraini Dinar 754.800UAE Dirham 77.200Saudi Riyal 75.700

CURRENCY BUY SELLEurope

British Pound 0.4385459 0.4475459Czech Korune 0.0067169 0.0187169Danish Krone 0.0467706 0.0517706Euro 0.3737158 0.3812154Norwegian Krone 0.0457018 0.0509018Scottish Pound 0.4341150 0.4416150Swedish Krona 0.0400591 0.0450591Swiss Franc 0.3034377 0.3104377

AustralasiaAustralian Dollar 0.2621097 0.2741097New Zealand Dollar 0.2207648 0.2307648Uganda Shilling 0.0001113 0.0001113

AmericaCanadian Dollar 0.2723886 0.2813886Colombian Peso 0.0001443 0.0001623US Dollars 0.2816500 0.2838000

AsiaBangladesh Taka 0.0035991 0.0036541Cape Vrde Escudo 0.0031476 0.0033776

Chinese Yuan 0.0452909 0.0502909Eritrea-Nakfa 0.0163867 0.0194867Guinea Franc 0.0000440 0.0000500Hg Kong Dollar 0.0340195 0.0371195Indian Rupee 0.0048687 0.0049337Indonesian Rupiah 0.0000238 0.0000289Jamaican Dollars 0.0028329 0.0038329Japanese Yen 0.0029338 0.0031138Kenyan Shilling 0.0032678 0.0034978Malaysian Ringgit 0.0863871 0.0933871Nepalese Rupee 0.0029300 0.0031300Pakistan Rupee 0.0028520 0.0028920Philippine Peso 0.0061723 0.0066423Sierra Leone 0.0000725 0.0000755Singapore Dollar 0.2230032 0.2290032Sri Lankan Rupee 0.0021664 0.0022084Thai Baht 0.0089038 0.0095038

ArabBahraini Dinar 0.7463592 0.7548592Egyptian Pound 0.0379239 0.0399539Ethiopeanbirr 0.0127229 0.0192229Ghanaian Cedi 0.1442921 0.1460821Iranian Riyal 0.0000789 0.0000794Iraqi Dinar 0.0001724 0.0002324Jordanian Dinar 0.3947072 0.4022072Kuwaiti Dinar 1.0000000 1.0000000Lebanese Pound 0.0001740 0.0001940Moroccan Dirhams 0.0223261 0.0463261Nigerian Naira 0.0012034 0.0018384Omani Riyal 0.7261310 0.7371310Qatar Riyal 0.0772976 0.0780806Saudi Riyal 0.0751467 0.0757867Sudanese Pounds 0.0461426 0.0466926Syrian Pound 0.0027430 0.0029630Tunisian Dinar 0.1740625 0.1800625UAE Dirhams 0.0758409 0.0772909Yemeni Riyal 0.0012801 0.0013801

UAE Exchange Centre WLL

COUNTRY SELL DRAFT SELL CASHAustralian Dollar 273.98 274.000Canadian Dollar 282.09 282.000Swiss Franc 313.30 312.000Euro 383.66 380.000US Dollar 283.40 284.500Sterling Pound 447.72 448.500Japanese Yen 3.05 3.300Bangladesh Taka 3.655 3.670Indian Rupee 4.828 5.050Sri Lankan Rupee 2.206 2.550Nepali Rupee 3.026 3.250Pakistani Rupee 2.877 2.900UAE Dirhams 77.23 78.000Bahraini Dinar 754.29 753.000Egyptian Pound 39.91 38.800Jordanian Dinar 403.34 410.000

Rate for Transfer Selling RateUS Dollar 283.750Canadian Dollar 280.895Sterling Pound 445.920Euro 380.130Swiss Frank 300.705Bahrain Dinar 751.230UAE Dirhams 77.230Qatari Riyals 77.885Saudi Riyals 75.630Jordanian Dinar 399.990Egyptian Pound 39.942Sri Lankan Rupees 2.223Indian Rupees 4.857Pakistani Rupees 2.877Bangladesh Taka 3.643Philippines Pesso 6.561Cyprus pound 696.050Japanese Yen 4.000Thai Bhat 9.785Syrian Pound 4.055Nepalese Rupees 3.325Malaysian Ringgit 95.150

Thai Baht 9.241Malaysian ringgit 94.271Irani Riyal 0.271Irani Riyal 0.273

GCC COUNTRIESSaudi Riyal 75.764Qatari Riyal 78.065Omani Riyal 737.950Bahraini Dinar 754.620UAE Dirham 77.374

ARAB COUNTRIESEgyptian Pound - Cash 39.450Egyptian Pound - Transfer 39.934Yemen Riyal/for 1000 1.325Tunisian Dinar 176.180Jordanian Dinar 401.210Lebanese Lira/for 1000 1.906Syrian Lier 3.087Morocco Dirham 34.634

EUROPEAN & AMERICAN COUNTRIESUS Dollar Transfer 284.000Euro 381.270Sterling Pound 446.590Canadian dollar 279.250Turkish lira 151.710Swiss Franc 308.190Australian Dollar 270.080US Dollar Buying 282.800

GOLD20 Gram 261.00010 Gram 131.5005 Gram 68.25

Omani Riyal 737.02 748.000Qatari Riyal 78.26 79.500Saudi Riyal 75.70 76.000

Gold edgeshigher

LONDON: Gold edged higher yesterday asstock markets retreated ahead of a FederalReserve policy statement, but uncertaintyover the future of US central bank’s quantita-tive easing program kept it in a narrow range.Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said last monththe bank could scale back its $85 billionmonthly bond purchases if the US economystrengthens, but a lack of clarity on the tim-ing has unsettled markets.

Policymakers will likely announce laterthat they will keep buying bonds at the samepace, while keeping their options open toscale back the program later this year if theUS labor market continues to improve. Spotgold was at $1,371.99 an ounce at 1148 GMT,up 0.3 percent, while US gold futures forAugust delivery were up $4.60 an ounce at$1,371.50. Gold broke below its recent trad-ing range on Tuesday to slide 1.2 percent, itsbiggest one-day loss in nearly two weeks.

“Bottom line, we expect no tapering onthe basis that current economic data don’tsupport such a move,” Saxo Bank vice presi-dent Ole Hansen said. “But the Fed is nowresponsible for market regulation and stabili-ty and the sell-off in bonds over the pastmonths may have rattled them a bit.” “Aheadof (the Fed) I see gold potentially retracingsome of its losses from yesterday,” he added.“If $1,371 gives way, we could see a 10 dollarupside.”

European shares fell 0.3 percent in lightand volatile trade as investors looked to theFed for clues on the duration of its equity-friendly stimulus program. The dollar indexheld steady as uncertainty kept traders on thesidelines. “The FOMC statement is still likelyto highlight recent improvements in the labormarket, potentially once again suggesting agradual reduction to the QE3 pace in the verynear future,” VTB Capital said in a note. “Anyhints at this time frame will be one of themost eagerly awaited insights for the curren-cy markets and, eventually, for gold.”

PHYSICAL DEMAND SLUGGISHBuying in India and China, the top two

gold consumers, remained sluggish asdemand eased from peak levels seen in Apriland May. Shanghai gold futures fell morethan 1 percent, while Indian gold futuresedged lower. Holdings of the SPDR GoldTrust, the largest gold-backed exchange-trad-ed fund, fell 0.2 percent to 1,001.67 tons onTuesday, their lowest in more than four years.

Among other precious metals, silver wasup 0.6 percent at $21.76 an ounce, while spotplatinum was flat at $1,439.49 an ounce andspot palladium was down 0.4 percent at$705.47 an ounce. Platinum and palladiumhave underperformed this month to fall 1.5percent and 5.5 percent respectively,although palladium remains the best per-former of the major precious metals this year.

“Industrial interest has somewhat helpedto protect the downside in PGMs, but withthe entire precious metals complex underpressure at the moment, prospects for arecovery in the near term appear limited fornow,” UBS said in a note. “Yet, despite the cor-rection, underlying sentiment towards PGMshas not soured. In a sense the washout hasactually been welcomed and is deemedhealthy,” it added. “Those who have caughtthe move lower are keeping a very close eyeout for opportunities to close out shorts orre-establish longs.”— Reuters

KUWAIT: At the end of May 2013, Scott Gegenheimer com-pleted his first six months as Zain Group CEO and recently helda conference call with 30 global banking and telecom analystto discuss Zain’s issues and focus going forward. Expectationsfor him to turn the Middle East player around are high, and thecompany’s operational results for the first three months of theyear clearly identify areas that require Gegenheimer’s atten-tion. The Group CEO is aware of the many different challengesacross several operations that is necessary to raise Zain’s keyfinancial indicators.

Zain Group reported a decline in its first-quarter net profitto end-March, attributable to steep devaluation in theSudanese pound as the main contributing factors for the fall.Sudan accounted for nearly a third of Zain’s customer baseand a fifth of group revenue in 2012, but the country faced anumber of economic challenges following South Sudan’s suc-cession in 2011. Zain noted that the devaluation of theSudanese pound against the dollar, by 53 per cent in the 12months to end-March, predominantly reduced group revenueby $179 million, EBITDA by $76 million, and net profit by $44million.

Group revenue for the quarter reached KD299 million($1.06 billion), while the operator added 1.386 million sub-scribers in Q1, 13, and 3.9 million over the past 12 months andZain reported 44.1 million active subscribers as of end-March.Despite several key performance indicators showing signs ofbeing under pressure, it is clear that Scott Gegenheimer’sarrival at Zain Group last December has brought with it anacknowledgement that work needs to be done, and moreimportantly, a resolve on the part of the company’s executivemanagement to work at turning things around in an activeand determined fashion.

One example of Gegenheimer’s impact on the operator’soutlook is that for the first time in numerous years, the ZainGroup’s management opened itself up to scrutiny from theanalyst community by hosting a conference call and offeringmore details and insight into the company’s strategic direc-tion. This included referencing a number of problem areas anddiscussing what plans are afoot to resolve them.

“I’m genuinely enthusiastic to be at the helm of such agreat company,” Gegenheimer said to the 30 international ana-lysts that dialed in before identifying what he believes to besome of Zain Group’s strategic assets including its regionalfootprint; its market leading positions in six out of the eightmarkets in which it operates; and the company’s willingness touse technology as a tool to work more efficiently and to deliv-er cutting-edge products and services to end-users.

Gegenheimer says Zain is now executing strategies thatwill address the challenges that it faces. “Having had an oppor-tunity to assess the businesses, I have reshaped the strategy ofthe group to focus on several key areas, including customerexperience, operational excellence and synergies, humanresources, and new business areas,” Gegenheimer said.

The main aim of Gegenheimer’s strategy is to continue togrow the company in terms of revenue and profitability, andlike operators the world over, look to new services and deliv-ery systems to drive incremental income. Interestingly for abusiness in which size and scale is an important success factor,Gegenheimer has chosen not to focus on subscriber acquisi-tion and subscriber growth as one of the company’s drivingpriorities.

“From a group perspective, we have not really focusedspecifically on the growth of the customer base as we want tobe careful about flooding the market with multiple SIM cards,”Gegenheimer said.” We don’t particularly want to give a fore-cast for that [customer growth] because it is not one of theKPIs that we want to drive the market with, as we are morefocused on value share,” he added.

Mobile broadband is a definite area of interest toGegenheimer and Zain, and with commercial LTE deploy-ments in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain, the company isstaking its claim to being one of the leading regional innova-tors. Zain Group’s data revenues increased 14 per cent year-on-year during the first quarter with data now accounting for12 per cent of overall service revenue, without the inclusion ofvalue added services and SMS revenues included. With theseother non-voice services included, data would account for 21per cent of Zain’s overall service revenue as at the end ofMarch.

“We expect data revenue growth to continue, in line withindustry trends worldwide” said Gegenheimer also noting,“that the percentage growth in data revenues is all the moresignificant and promising for Zain when one considers that alarge number of the Group’s customers do not yet have smart-phones nor 3G services that are widely available, such as inIraq..” “We will make strategic acquisitions and partnerships incomputer-based industries this year to exploit rising demandfor data and help offset falling conventional call and smsincome, this will bolster our value and customer experienceproposition,” added Gegenheimer.

On a country-level, there is work to be done across much ofZain Group’s footprint. In its home market of Kuwait where thecompany is celebrating 30th anniversary, competition issqueezing the operator’s margins, and generating incrementalrevenues from the subscriber base is proving challenging, yetGegenheimer is optimistic. Revenues in Zain’s Kuwait opera-tion were slightly down in Q1 13, Gegenheimer attributed thisdecline mainly to the cannibalisation of voice revenues due tothe increased use of VoIP and over-the-top solutions, as well asthe heightened level of competition in the market.Nevertheless, with a $39 ARPU, Kuwait remains Zain’s and oneof the region’s most lucrative markets.

“Clearly Kuwait is a very competitive and challenging mar-ket for us. We have been undertaking a number of measuresto improve results here,” Gegenheimer said. With numberportability just being introduced, the state of the art nation-wide LTE network and many other marketing activities beingrolled out, Gegenheimer believes Zain Kuwait will showgrowth in the years ahead.

Saudi Arabia continues to be a loss making entity, thoughlosses are narrowing year-on-year. What investors will be mostpleased to learn about with respect to Zain Group’s exposureto Zain Saudi Arabia, is that the group does not expect toinject any more cash into the operator beyond what it hadalready committed to in last year’s capital restructuringarrangement. Zain Group management is also confident anagreement is imminent between Zain Saudi Arabia and credi-tor banks over a Murabaha loan.

Recently Zain Saudi Arabia signed an agreement withSaudi Arabia’s Ministry of Finance agreeing to postpone pay-ments of the government’s entitlements due from theCompany for the next seven years. These payments are esti-mated to add up to SR 800 million per year, representing atotal amount of SR 5.6 billion for the entire period. Since theannouncement of this deal, the Zain Saudi Arabia share pricehas risen over 15%.

Regarding Zain’s operations in Sudan, there is limitedproactive action that Zain can take with respect to the macro-economic and political issues adversely affecting its opera-tions in Sudan. The significant depreciation of the Sudanesepound against the dollar has adversely affected the countryoperations as well as denting the group’s metrics, andGegenheimer is hopeful that a measure of stability will returnto the region soon, allowing for more predictable performanc-es from both Sudan and South Sudan.

The shortage of foreign currency in Sudan has resulted inunpredictable remittances of cash from the local operations,another area of concern that is beyond the group’s immediateinfluence. In local SDG currency terms, Sudan performed sur-prisingly well with revenues growing by 25% year-on-year andnet income by 57%.

Initial public offerings are also on the horizon for Zain’soperating companies in Iraq and Bahrain. The requirement tolist in Iraq, and in the process comply with its licence condi-tions, has loomed since the latter part of 2011, and finallyseems to have kicked into high gear. The goal is to float 25 percent of Zain Iraq before year-end or by the first quarter of 2014at the latest, which in turn is expected to generate in excess ofUS$ 1 billion which proceeds Gegenheimer said will be usedfor capital expenditure, acquisitions /partnerships and generalcorporate purposes.

Zain also awaits the licensing of 3G spectrum in Iraq, andgiven the emphasis the company places on driving new rev-enue streams through mobile data applications, is keen tohave 3G networks operational as soon as possible. The compa-ny has recently spent heavily in expanding its network in thenorthern regions of Iraq and expects healthy customer andrevenue growth from this investment.

In preparation for its own listing, Zain Iraq is undergoingthe final stages of forming the requisite joint stock company,with the company initially in possession of the operatinglicence having been an offshore entity, which has now beenbrought onshore. With respect to Bahrain, the regulatoryrequirement is for Zain to float 15 per cent of the issued sharecapital of the business, and the operator expects to accom-plish this before the end of the year.

Notably, global operator Vodafone has a small equity stakein Bahrain and the offer structure of the IPO has not yet beenfinalised according to Gegenheimer. In late 2012, Zain enteredinto a non-equity partnership agreement with Vodafone for itsoperations Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabiawhereby Zain will have access to Vodafone’s devices and serv-ices in its home markets and become the preferred partner ofVodafone in respect of the agreed areas of cooperation. Zainand Vodafone will work together to provide customers withenhanced network coverage, harmonised roaming ratesacross multiple countries with greater cost efficiencies andZain will be able to use the Vodafone brand.

Benefits of the Vodafone agreement are immediately evi-dent as recently Zain Saudi Arabia launched an internationalroaming service through Vodafone’s Passport program, theGroup announced it is piloting the ‘joyn’ Rich CommunicationsServices initiative formulated by the GSM Association. Theservice will allow the company to compete more effectivelyagainst OTT players by providing customers access to leading-edge technology and services in a shorter period of time. TheZain brand was also exposed to a global motor racing audi-ence as the Vodafone Mercedes McLaren cars and team werebranded Zain during the recent Bahrain Grand Prix.

“I am confident that in the years ahead the Group will con-tinue to deliver value for our shareholders,” Gegenheimer pre-dicted. In Kuwait for example, Zain intends to push activelyinto the small and medium size business sector, believing thisto be a prime area for growth. The expectation is that othersegments and niches across its areas of operation shall contin-ue to be tapped and developed, with Zain expected to articu-late a Group-wide corporate strategy in the coming months.

Zain Group CEO discussesplans with global analysts

Zain targets data related strategic partnerships, acquisitions

Zain Group CEO Scott Gegenheimer

B U S I N E S STHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

WASHINGTON: Where have all the carpen-ters gone? Home builders across the UnitedStates are scratching their heads for ananswer as they struggle to assemble crewsto keep up with growing demand. In someparts of the country, the shortage of skilledcarpenters - especially framers - is so badthat builders cannot get projects off theground and it is taking as much as twomonths longer than normal to complete aproject. “Right now I have framing materialsitting on the job site with the foundationon the ground,” said Stephen Paul, execu-tive vice president at Mid-Atlantic Buildersin Rockville, Maryland. “It’s been sittingthere a week because I have not been ableto get a framer to start the house.”

According to a National Association ofHome Builders survey published lastmonth, 48 percent of single-family homebuilders could not find framing crews in thefirst three months of this year, and buildersin all four regions struggled. In the middleof last year, that figure stood at just 30 per-cent. The demand for labor has been drivenby the decisive recovery the housing sectoris finally mounting. According to industryfigures released on Monday, a majority ofUS homebuilders view conditions for newconstruction as favorable for the first timesince the housing crisis began seven yearsago, and home prices have been climbing.

To be sure, it’s hard to explain a laborshortage when unemployment in the sec-tor is over 10 percent, and some argue thatbuilders just need to pay more. Still, a laborshortage and pricey materials may holdback new home construction and helppush prices higher as demand outstripssupply, realtors and economists say.Government data on Tuesday showedhousing starts rose less than expected inMay, an indication that supply constraintsmight be starting to impact on home build-ing. Builders say costs have risen between10 percent and 15 percent over the lastyear.

Although the nation’s unemployment

rate stands at a lofty 7.6 percent, and ismuch higher in construction, builders saythat is not translating into the availability offramers - the carpenters with mid-levelskills who create the skeletal woodenframework of new houses and who serve asthe backbone of home construction. And itis not only framers who are in short supply,according to builders. The dearth extendsto roofers, masons, sheet rockers, electri-cians and air conditioning technicians, andit is affecting apartment building contrac-tors as well as homebuilders.

“Although we are very busy and havework lined up for the next 12 to 18 months,

we could be busier if I was confident that Icould obtain the proper help,” said AnthonyZarrilli, principal at Zarrilli Homes in Brick,New Jersey. When the housing market col-lapsed in 2006, contractors downsized andthe industry continued to shrink well afterthe 2007-09 recession ended. BetweenApril 2006 and January 2011, the home-building sector shed 466,700 jobs, abouthalf of its total.

Now, builders are trying to meet therecovering demand, but many of the work-ers they let go are no longer available.Given the industry’s volatility, many, likeOmar Lisak, will probably never come back.The 46-year-old from Lincoln, Nebraska, leftin May 2008 after an 18-year career as aframer. He is now a truck driver. “I needsomething less risky. People are offeringme jobs, they want me to go back, but Iwon’t,” said Lisak. “I have no need to. I amworking with no stress, less headaches andI sleep well at night and don’t have to worryabout paying my bills.” Similar sentimentsare shared by Fernando Pages and Pat

Quinn, who also quit after decades of build-ing homes.

Pages, 57, has moved into telecommuni-cations and also teaches home-buildingclasses and writes a blog. “It was a terribleexperience to want to go through again.Right now I am driving to Kansas, where Iwill teach an eight-hour class tomorrow onfoundations,” said Pages. After frequentbouts of unemployment, the 57-year-old

Quinn called it quits in 2012 and became ahome inspector in St. Augustine, Florida,ending a 30-year career building homes. “Iwas always getting laid off every year,” saidQuinn. “I would never consider going backeven if things get much better in the hous-ing market.”

A tightening of immigration rules instates like Arizona is also cited as a factorbehind the labor shortage. With police inthe state required to check the immigrationstatus of people they stop and suspect ofbeing in the country illegally, many undoc-umented immigrants left the state, dryingup a source of labor for the building indus-try there. According to the NAHB about 22percent of the workforce in the single-fami-ly home building industry are immigrants,though it does not say how many of thoseare undocumented. Another factor, accord-ing to unions and former framers like Lisak,is the reluctance by builders to pay contrac-tors more.

“Our contractors are underbid,” said BillLuddy, head of special projects at theUnited Brotherhood of Carpenters. “Ourpeople provide a wage that people can liveon, compared to contractors who are pay-ing piece rates, who are paying low or cashwages.” Builders would not be drawn intodiscussing financial issues. However, Lisak,said they generally paid framers between$4-$5 per square foot, depending on theregion and the size of the house. That trans-lated to wages of less than $1,000 perweek, he said. They would need to pay atleast $6 per square foot to attract peoplelike him, Lisak added.

“Labor is getting very scarce. We haveactually turned a few jobs away becauselabor is unavailable,” said Johnny Yates, vicepresident at Rampart Construction inDallas. Yates said an apartment building jobthat would normally run between 18 to 24months was now taking at least an addi-tional two months to complete. InOklahoma, urban developer GrantHumphreys is also having labor headaches

for his new community project, CarltonLanding. “I have 27 homes that have not yetstarted construction,” said Humphreys. “Ourpeople are working six days a week. Wecan’t ask more from them. We just needmore workers.”

Humphreys said his firm would notbreak ground until year end on projects forwhich the contracts were signed in May.Seven years ago, as the housing boomreached its apex, residential constructionpayrolls peaked at 1.02 million workers.While they bottomed out in January 2011,they are still down about 42 percent. At10.8 percent, unemployment among con-struction workers is higher than for any oth-er group. But this rate includes workers innon-residential construction, which haslagged home building and where workersare more likely to be unionized.

Some economists like Heidi Shierholz ofthe left-leaning Economic Policy Institutedoubt talk of a labor shortage given theslack in the overall industry. “Unemployedconstruction workers outnumber job open-ings in construction by nearly 12-to-1,” saidShierholz. Part of the seeming discrepancycould reflect the uneven nature of thehousing recovery, other economists say.Housing has not rebounded as quickly inareas like Michigan and the rest of the RustBelt as in places like Arizona, California andmuch of the Northeast.

Labor Department data on wagesseems to indicate some tightening in laboravailability. Average weekly earnings in thehome-building sector, unadjusted for sea-sonal fluctuations, jumped by $12.56 to$872.14 in April, the highest level since theseries started in 2006. In the 12 monthsthrough April, they were up 6.1 percent.“You still have quite a bit of displaced work-ers that are unemployed in constructionbecause their area hasn’t turned aroundjust yet and they are not willing to move towhere the jobs are,” said Jonathan Smoke,chief economist at Hanley Wood inWashington.—Reuters

We can’t find skilled carpenters, US builders complain

CALIFORNIA: Construction workers are seen atop a building of new apartmentsfor sale in Alhambra, east of downtown Los Angeles, California. — AFP

BoE, still divided, flags market impact of US Fed uncertaintyBoE’s King outvoted again at final MPC meeting

LONDON: Bank of England policy-makers acknowledged earlier thismonth that further market volatilitycould be on the way because of

uncertainty about the direction of USmonetary policy, but came no closerto shifting their own stance. Minutesof its latest policy meeting, releasedyesterday, show the BoE remaineddeadlocked over whether to restart itsown asset-buying stimulus, with out-going Governor Mervyn King again ina minority voting for another 25 bil-lion pounds ($39 billion) of asset pur-chases.

The June 5-6 Monetary PolicyCommittee meeting, King’s last, decid-ed economic developments in Britainhad been generally positive in thepast month and consistent with thebank’s May forecast of a slow but sus-tained recovery this year. However,the MPC said markets were less calmabout expected actions by the Fedand the Bank of Japan, and that therewas “potential for continued volatility”.

Some among those MPC memberswho oppose more asset purchases, orquantitative easing (QE), saw marketreaction to speculation that the Fedmight slow its bond buying as evi-dence that another round of stimulusin Britain could be effective. “Althoughan expansion in asset purchases wasnot warranted at this meeting, thoseevents illustrated the likely effective-ness of asset purchases should theybe needed in the future,” the minutessaid.

Economists said this, combinedwith calls for the increase in stimulusby King and two others of the nineMPC members, suggested that thecommittee on the whole was warm-ing to the idea of another cash boostfor the economy, just before the newgovernor, Mark Carney, arrives nextmonth. “ The minutes serve as areminder the MPC retains a dovishbias,” said Ross Walker, economist at

RBS. “The on-hold majority noted therise in bond yields in response to Fedtapering concerns and hinted moreQE could be done in response to that.”

But other policymakers thoughtthe market movements showed thedifficulty of unwinding further mone-tary stimulus and that the costs out-weighed the benefits. “The benefits offurther asset purchases were likely tobe small relative to their potentialcosts,” the minutes said of those mem-bers’ views.

“In particular, further purchasescould ... complicate the transition to amore normal monetary policy stanceat some point in the future.”

Paul Fisher and David Miles againsided with King, warning of euro zonerisks and weak wage growth in Britain.Data out on Tuesday showed a biggerthan expected 2.7 percent annual risein British consumer prices in May,though the outlook for inflationremains more benign than a fewmonths ago. Last month the centralbank forecast that inflation wouldpeak at just over 3 percent later thisyear before falling to the 2 percenttarget by early 2015 - a view stillbroadly shared by the MPC and exter-nal economists.

Carney’s arrival may lead to theintroduction of policies other than QEin Britain. He has promoted long-termpublic commitments to low interestrates during his time as Canada’s cen-tral bank chief, and Britain’s financeminister has asked him to assess theviability of this strategy in Britain.Economists polled by Reuters earlierthis month predicted that Carney willindeed give markets a steer on policy.As for more quantitative easing thisyear, they only saw a 45 percentchance of a top-up.— Reuters

LONDON: A man uses an automat-ed teller machine (ATM) outside abranch of the Royal Bank ofScotland (RBS) in the City ofLondon. — AFP

GENEVA: Switzerland’s upper houseyesterday again backed a deal withWashington to expose US tax dodgersand fine Swiss banks which helped hidetheir money, a day after G8 leadersagreed to chase cheats and corporatefiddles. The upper and lower houses aretaking different lines on the tax agree-ment in the midst of controversy inadvanced nations about tax evasionand low tax bills by some big compa-nies. A total of 26 members of the upperCouncil of States voted in favor of thecontroversial “Lex USA” bill, which aims

to lift Switzerland’s long-sacrosanctbanking secrecy for one year forAmericans.

Eighteen lawmakers opposed thedeal proposed by the United States,which has angered many in Switzerlandby insisting it is non-negotiable andmust be in force by July 1. The Councilof States, which voted 24-15 in favor lastweek in an initial debate, was unswayedby a lower house refusal to hold theemergency vote needed to have thedeal in place by Washington’s deadline.On Tuesday, 126 members of the lower

house, or National Council, refused toconsider the deal, while 67 were in favor.

Wednesday’s upper house decisionputs the ball squarely in the NationalCouncil’s court, and it is set to hold anew debate today, leaving the accordon a knife-edge. The deal is seen as cru-cial if Swiss banks are to escape thethreat of a raft of lawsuits in the UnitedStates on charges of abetting tax eva-sion-with massive fines the price oflegal peace-as well as being barredfrom the big and profitable Americanmarket. —AFP

Swiss House wants tax dodgers exposed

KKR among bidders forSaudi fast food chain

DUBAI: A majority stake in Saudifast food chain Kudu has been putup for sale and private equity firmKKR is among the bidders, fourbanking and industry sources saidyesterday. Saudi Arabia is thelargest Gulf Arab economy andthere has been increasing interestamong international investors inthe kingdom’s booming consumersector. Riyadh-based Kudu, whichoperates more than 200 restau-rants in the kingdom, is owned byfour individual shareholders,including chairman and chiefexecutive Abdulmohsen BinAbdulaziz Al Yahya, according todata from Zaw ya, a ThomsonReuters unit.

The company, founded in 1988,has grown rapidly in recent yearsand is expected to record a netincome of nearly 100 million riyals($26.7 million) this year, one of thesources said. Based on a valuationof 10-15 times earnings, Kudu maybe valued at between 1 bil l ionriyals to 1.5 billion riyals, a secondsource said. Kudu officials werenot immediately available to com-

ment. Several calls to the compa-ny ’s Riyadh headquarters wentunanswered.

The sources spoke on conditionof anonymity as the information isnot public. The long-term outlookfor the Saudi food and agriculturesec tor remains strong, withgrowth supported by a young andgrowing populat ion and theexpansion of firms into new seg-ments, a June 19 repor t f romSaudi-based NCB Capital said.Coca-Cola Co paid $980 million inDecember 2011 for a 50 percentstake in Aujan Industries, one ofthe largest beverage companies inthe Middle East. Citigroup Inc’sventure capital arm and Dubai-based Levant Capital bought a$100 million controlling stake inSaudi Arabian supermarket chainAl-Raya For Foodstuff Co last year.The sale of the Kudu stake was trig-gered by strategic differencesbetween the shareholders, three ofthe sources said. About 30-40 per-cent of the company is owned bytwo brothers AbdulazizAbdulrahman Al-Modeimegh and

Mohammed Abdulrahman Al-Modeimegh, who are not sellingtheir stake, the sources said. “It’s astable business now and valuationsare expected to be high. The advi-sors have reached out to a widenumber of parties and it will beinteresting to see if the sale goesthrough,” said one of the sources, asenior Saudi-based private equityexecutive. A bidding process forthe stake has been initiated, withHSBC Holdings arranging the sale, allfour sources said. The bank declinedto comment. The lender reached outto more than 40 interested partiesfor the stake sale, including privateequity firms including KKR, CarlyleGroup and strategic investors, saidtwo of the sources, who are familiarwith the plan. KKR and Carlyle bothdeclined to comment. Washington-based Carlyle has decided not tobid for the stake, the Saudi-basedsource said. In 2011, Carlyle boughta 42 percent stake in a Saudi-basedfood franchise operator that runsDomino’s Pizza and Wendy’s restau-rants in the Middle East and NorthAfrica.—Reuters

B U S I N E S STHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Shares choppy, dollar steady as Fed meets

European shares dip in jittery tradeLONDON: European shares turned lower butmajor currencies and commodities stuck withinrecent ranges yesterday as investors awaited clari-ty on the US Federal Reserve’s next policy move.Mixed reports on the strength of the US economicrecovery are expected to encourage the Fed toleave its ultra-loose policy unchanged, but con-cern it may hint at when it will wind back its bondbuying is making all markets skittish.

“The market is very nervous,” said Oliver Roth,head trader at Close Brothers Seydler. “Forinvestors, I would say that they should be carefuland set their limits - especially stop limits - verycarefully, because if there is some change comingup for the Fed policy then there could be a dra-matic drop for the market,” he said.

The policy setting Federal Open MarketCommittee will announce its decision at 1800GMT, followed 30 minutes later by a news confer-ence with Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke.Expectations for a scaling back of the Fed’s mas-sive bond buying program has supported the dol-lar, especially against emerging market currencies,though uncertainty over the impact of any policyshift has led some investors to prefer the yen.

It shed 0.4 percent to under 95 yen yesterday,although the dollar was steady against the euro ataround $1.34 after the single currency touched a

four-month high on Tuesday. Against a basket ofmajor currencies the greenback was flat at around80.50. “The general elements for a stronger dollarare in place, on the back of the prospect of tighterUS monetary policies. Maybe it will get anothershot in the arm (from the Fed), may be it won’t,but rushing to judgment is probably going to be amistake,” said Ned Rumpeltin, head of G10 FXstrategy at Standard Chartered Bank.

SHARES EXPOSEDTrading was choppier in equity markets as

investors have seen strong gains this year on theback of the liquidity injections from major centralbanks. Europe’s broad FTSEurofirst 300 index gaveup earlier gains to dip 0.25 percent, tracking a soft-er session in Asia outside Japan, where mainlandChinese stocks were hit by dampened hopes for alocal policy easing.

“The Fed’s tone will clearly influence theaction. If Bernanke indicates that tapering is quitea bit of a distance off, investors will feel relievedand equities can revisit their recent highs,”Philippe Gijsels, head of research at BNP ParibasFortis Global Markets, said. Japanese stocksbucked the softer trend in Asia, closing up 1.8percent to reach a one-week high as data showedJapan’s exports rose in May at their fastest annual

rate in more than two years. The MSCI world equi-ty index, tracking shares in 45 countries, added0.15 percent to bring its gains this week to 1.2percent, but with activity expected to be limitedahead of the Fed statement.

Bund futures were also little changed ahead ofthe Fed and a sale of 5 billion euros of new 10-year German bonds later in the session. Ten-yearGerman bonds yielded 1.55 percent, up around40 basis points since the beginning of May, mir-roring a rise of about 50 bps in equivalent USTreasury yields over the same period. In cautiouscommodity markets, growth-linked metals likecopper, as well as safe-haven and inflation-linkedassets such as gold, were restricted to minormoves.

Three-month copper on the London MetalExchange CMCU3 rose 0.1 percent to $7,013.25 atonne, but this was not far off its lowest pricesince early May. “Base metals have been strug-gling as portfolio managers and investors havebeen cutting their exposure to commodities,” saidVictor Thianpiriya, commodities strategist at ANZBank. Brent crude held above $106 a barrel, nearan 11-week high, as hopes for ongoing Fed stimu-lus underpinned prices. US crude for July deliverytouched a nine-month high of $99.01, before eas-ing to $98.81, still up 37 cents. —Reuters

DUBAI: Dubai-based flydubai yesterdayannounced the launch of business class serv-ices, based on feedback from its passengers,across its network of 60 destinations.Commenting on the launch of the airline’sBusiness Class services, Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEOof flydubai, stated, “We are very pleased toannounce the evolution of our passengeroffering as we continue to meet the travelneeds of our customers.

The introduction of Business Class will pro-vide greater choice for our passengers, whowill have access to faster check-in services,comfortable and spacious seating and canenjoy a variety of internationally -inspiredmenus during their journey.” “Both our busi-ness and leisure travelers can now benefitfrom a more personal flying experience. fly-dubai is ready for business and we look for-ward to continuing to offer our passengersreliable and accessible travel services, whetherin Economy or Business Class.”

IN THE AIRflydubai’s Business Class cabin is config-

ured with12 seats finished in soft Italianleather with lumbar support and a seat pitchof 42 inches. The in-flight entertainment sys-tem will offer a high definition touchscreen of12.1 inches with over 900 hours of movies,music and games. In addition, Business Classpassengers will benefit from having their owndedicated cabin crew. Travellers will beoffered a selection of coldlight food andaccompaniments on short flightsand thechoice of a three-course meal from aspeciallydesigned Halal menu on flights of 90 minutesand above.

ON THE GROUNDBusiness Class passengers will be able to

take advantage of flydubai’s priority check-in,conveniently located just 120 paces from thecar park, as well as the new facilities at therecently upgraded and expanded Terminal 2at Dubai International Airport. Later this year,passengers will be able to relax in flydubai’sBusiness Class lounge ahead of their flightand will have access to priority baggage col-lection upon arrival at their destination.

A dedicated business team will also beavailable 24 hours a day to attend to queriesand assist in ticket booking, meal selectionand telephone check-in. The airline willreceive delivery of the first aircraft with a busi-ness class cabin in August 2013. All new air-craft subsequently delivered will include busi-ness and economy classes. Business class tick-ets will be available for purchase on selectedflights from August 2013, and the inauguralflight is scheduled to take off in October 2013.

“flydubai’s agility and flexibility has beenan integral part of our young airline’s journeysince its launch four years ago. We are com-mitted to innovation and expanding the

range of services on offer for both our busi-ness and leisure travelers. We have providedeasier access for our passengers to 44 previ-ously underserved markets, creating freeflows of trade and tourism, to support Dubai’seconomic development. Passengers will nowbe able to enjoy these services on destina-tions across our network including some thathave never offered business class air travelbefore,” Al Ghaith continued.

flydubaioffers passengers reliable high

quality travel services and strives to listen toits passengers to meet theirtravel require-ments. Not only is the airline the launch cus-tomer for this newly developed reclining seatbut it was the first to introduce high definitionfilms on its flights as well as introduceBoeing’s Sky interior, designed to increasepassenger comfort and reduce jetlag. The air-line will launch a new catering option forEconomy Class customers, in the near future.Passengers can pre-select their meal andorder online up to 48 hours before departure.

flydubai’s Business Class offering includes:Business class fare includes a comfortable spa-cious seat, a generous checked baggageallowance, its award winning in-flight enter-tainment system and a choice of internation-ally-inspired menus and refreshments; Anexception customer experience; 12 soft Italianleather seats with lumbar support; Seat pitchof 42 inches; In-flight entertainment systemwith a high definition 12.1 inch touchscreen;A dedicated and highly-trained cabin crewmember; Premium catering services includingcold food and accompaniments on shortflights, and the option of a three-course mealon flights of 90 minutes and above Prioritycheck-in located one minute or just 120 pacesfrom the car park at Terminal 2, DubaiInternational Airport; Priority baggage collec-tion upon arrival at destination; Dedicatedcustomer service team to attend to enquiriesand assist with bookings and Access to fly-dubai’s Business Class lounge later this year.

flydubai aims to make travel more conven-ient for its passengers through services suchas visa facilitation for select destinations, amobile website, car hire and insurance servic-es. Most recently, the airline has made holidaypackages available to its passengers.

flydubai launches its business class

DUBAI: The all-new Nissan Pathfinder hasenjoyed high levels of popularity since its launchin February with more than 1,600 unit sales in theGulf region in March and April. Pathfinder saleshave increased by 204% vs March/April 2012across the Middle East as the ‘Next generationSUV’ gathers acclaim in the showroom and fromthe automotive industry with strong demandanticipated to maintain sales momentum.

“It is very evident that, with its fresh designand improved levels of standard technology, theall-new Nissan Pathfinder is not only positionedto appeal to the existing customers in the region,but is also attracting a new range of Middle Eastbuyers looking for a stylish, premium andauthentic SUV,” said Samir Cherfan, ManagingDirector, Nissan Middle East. “We are verypleased with the growing demand that the all-new Pathfinder is experiencing across our dealer-ships in the region. Our goal is for the new modelnot only to be the best in class but also toadvance the whole SUV segment forward intothe future,” concluded Samir.

All-new Nissan Pathfinder defines the ‘Nextgeneration SUV’ with a modern balance of off-road capabilities with on-road refinement deliv-ering ‘innovation that excites’ to meet the needsof today’s modern families with unmatched tech-nologies and features. It also offers dynamicdesign, class-leading comfort, thoughtful tech-nology, and a rewarding driving experience. SUVsales across the Middle East rose 29% in FY2012and its mid-size class is highly competitive with31 models in the segment. The All-newPathfinder entered the Nissan range at a timewhen demand for SUVs/Crossovers in the Middle

East continues to show considerable growth(29% in GCC).

Nissan will now use the strong initial responsefrom the region’s SUV and cross-over buyers as aplatform on which to build towards an ambitioussales target of 8,200 Pathfinder sales per year inthe GCC region in the next three years. All-newPathfinder recognized for its balance of style,affordability, safety and technology has recentlybeen awarded by one of the Middle East ’srespected automotive media, Automobile TV, as‘Best mid-size SUV’, as ‘Best family car’ by Kelly

Blue Book in the United States and among the ‘10Best family cars’ by Edmund.com and Parentsmagazine in United States.

It is also one of the nominees for the MiddleEast Motoring Award’s title of ‘Best mid-size SUV’.MEMA is the most prestigious awards of its kindfor the Middle East, judged by 19 independentjury members from 10 Middle Eastern countries,including Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait,Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabiaand the UAE. The jury members are among themost influential automotive writers in the region.

All-new Pathfinder enjoys high levels of popularity

TOKYO: Japan’s trade deficit rose nearly10 percent in May to 993.9 billion yen(nearly $10.5 billion) as rising costs forimports due to the cheaper yen matcheda rebound in exports, the Ministry ofFinance reported yesterday. Exports rose10.1 percent in May over a year earlier to5.77 trillion yen ($60.7 billion) whileimports also surged 10 percent, to 6.76trillion yen ($71.1 billion), the ministrysaid. Japan’s trade deficit in May 2012was 907.93 billion yen.

A weakening in the yen’s value haspushed up costs for imports of crude oil,natural gas and other commodities forthis resource scarce nation, but thedeficit in May was bigger than mosteconomists’ estimates. The figures showstrong growth in exports to the US,China and the rest of Asia. The deficit forMay compared with a deficit of 879.9 bil-lion yen ($8.6 billion) in April. Japan’strade deficit rose to a record $83.4 billionin the fiscal year that ended in March, asimports climbed and a surge in exportsto the US failed to offset the impact fromterritorial tensions with China and weakdemand from crisis-stricken Europe.

The yen has slid in value by more than20 percent against the US dollar andeuro, in turn pushing up other currenciesin relative value. Its decline, due toexpectations among market speculatorsand also monetary policies that areinjecting huge sums of cash into theeconomy, has contributed to a recovery

in exports. Stronger growth in the USand some other major markets has alsohelped boost demand for Japaneseproducts. Exports to China rose 8.3 per-cent in May from a year earlier to 1.05 tril-lion yen ($11 billion) while importsjumped 15 percent to 1.46 trillion yen($15.4 billion), leaving a deficit of 410 bil-lion yen ($4.3 billion).

Japan’s efforts to boost trade with therest of Asia appeared to be yieldingresults, with exports rising 11 percent to3.2 trillion yen ($33.7 billion), as importsclimbed nearly 10 percent to 2.98 trillionyen ($31.4 billion). Japan’s trade surpluswith the United States jumped 26 per-cent over the year before to 427.1 billionyen ($4.5 billion). Exports surged 16.3percent year-on-year to 1.04 trillion yen($10.9 billion) and imports rose 10 per-cent to 614 billion yen ($6.5 billion).

But exports to the EU fell 5 percent,while imports jumped nearly 9 percent,boosting Japan’s deficit by nearly 650percent, to 88.7 billion yen ($933.7 mil-lion). Imports from the Middle East, pri-marily of crude oil and gas, jumped 11.5percent from a year earlier to 1.23 trillionyen ($12.9 billion). Japan’s demand fornatural gas has ballooned since most ofits nuclear power plants remain closedfollowing the March 2011 accident at theFukushima Dai-ichi plant, and the deteri-oration in the trade balance is adding topressure from the pro-nuclear govern-ment to restart more plants. —AP

SHANGHAI: General Motors will invest $11 billion inChina through 2016, executives said yesterday, as the UScar giant broke ground on a plant to produce luxuryCadillacs for the world’s biggest auto market. The figureincludes four new plants, including the $1.3 billionCadillac factory in Shanghai, GM officials told a mediabriefing. “China is a critical market for General Motorstoday and General Motors tomorrow,” GM chairman andCEO Dan Akerson said.

GM is already the largest foreign auto maker in Chinaby sales, but it has lagged behind in the country’s luxurysegment, in which German companies hold an estimated80 percent share. GM sold a record 1.33 million vehiclesin China for the first five months of this year, up 10.6 per-cent from the same period last year, according to thecompany. The Cadillac plant will have annual outputcapacity of 160,000 vehicles, with production to start intwo years, GM officials said. “We’re going to bring ourhigh-end, premium product here and we’re going to seehow we run against the competitors from Europe andJapan,” Akerson said.

GM has already announced plans to introduce onenew Cadillac model a year in China through 2016 toboost annual sales of the brand from around 30,000 vehi-cles last year to 100,000 by 2015. The US company hopesto capture 10 percent of China’s luxury car market by2020, up from the current 2.5 percent, GM officials saidyesterday. They declined to say what Cadillac models willbe produced at the new plant. GM launched a locallyproduced Cadillac sedan, the XTS, in China earlier thisyear and also imports the Cadillac SRX, a sport utilityvehicle, for sale in the country.

“There are generous profits in the luxury car market,”Cui Dongshu, deputy head of industry group the ChinaPassenger Car Association said. “GM has to make aninvestment targeted at the segment and build this plantin Shanghai to localize its products, in order to effectivelyseize a place in the high-end segment,” he said. Speakingat a groundbreaking ceremony, Akerson forecast Chinawould eventually become the world’s largest luxury carmarket with sales of 3.0 million vehicles.

Consultancy McKinsey has put the Chinese premiumauto market at 1.25 million vehicles last year, second onlyto the United States. Other GM plants planned for thenext three years include one for mini-commercial vehi-cles in Chongqing city, as well as others in the cities ofWuhan and Shenyang, officials said, but they did not givedetails. China’s overall auto market would grow eight to12 percent over the next four to five years, eventuallyreaching 30 million vehicles by the end of the decade,Akerson said. —AFP

US auto giant GM plans toinvest $11 billion in ChinaJapan trade deficit climbs to $10.5bn

TOKYO: A US billionaire’s gentle bid toconvince Sony to spin off part of its enter-tainment arm could mark a dramatic shiftfrom previous, mostly unsuccessful, foraysby foreign investors into Japan’s cloisteredcorporate landscape, analysts say. Theelectronics giant is holding its annualshareholders meeting today in Tokyowhere the break-up plan devised by DanielLoeb, head of hedge fund Third Point, wasexpected to feature. But rather than seek-ing a public showdown with Sony’s board,Loeb has opted for the soft touch with ahand-delivered letter that lauded Sonychief Kazuo Hirai’s efforts at dragging Sonyback to profitability.

The letter also suggested the boardtake a serious look at his proposal. A fur-ther polite letter was delivered to Hirai thisweek. Sony said it was reviewing the ideato sell off part of its entertainment unit,which includes a major Hollywood moviestudio and a music label. Hirai has resistedprevious calls to break up the electronicsbehemoth which has struggled for years asit bled money from its television unit.

Loeb has a reputation for aggressivelytrying to force change at target compa-nies. But he appears to be making a breakfrom past investor confrontations withmanagement, something which is rarelyseen in Japan. Shareholder activism inJapan is not firmly entrenched like it is inEurope and the United States. “Their (ThirdPoint’s) style seems different from so-called vulture funds in the past,” saidHiroshi Sakai, chief economist with SMBCFriend Research Center in Tokyo. “ThirdPoint appears to be taking a long-termapproach to gradually change Sony.”

The Sony bid and a growing appetitefor change among even some Japanese

investors is setting off more constructivedialogue with management, saidTetsuyuki Kagaya, an associate professorat Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo. “This isa quite flexible approach. Sony will havedifficulty ignoring it,” he said. London-based The Children’s Investment Fund hasalso been employing a methodical, multi-year effort to help boost shareholderreturns at Japan Tobacco instead of rush-ing in aggressively. “It is getting more diffi-cult for firms to have a management thatcompletely ignores shareholders,” Kagayasaid. “The era of activist shareholders iscoming.”

Foreign investors have long found stok-ing change in Japanese companies to bean uphill battle. Among high-profile clash-es was a failed effort by US fund SteelPartners to oust top executives at brewerSapporo Holdings. Meanwhile US privateequity fund Cerberus Capital Managementis locked in a battle with management athotel and railway operator Seibu Holdingsover a proposed corporate governanceoverhaul and other issues.

A huge accounting scandal at cameragiant Olympus saw its whistleblowingBritain-born former chief fail to win supportfrom institutional Japanese shareholders torun the firm, despite the backing of foreigninvestors. Part of the cultural clash stretch-es back to Japan’s post-war economicboom when firms were given leeway tofocus on growing the company rather thanshareholder needs. Hostile takeovers arerare in corporate Japan and companiestend to be deeply suspicious of foreign pri-vate equity firms. Companies also ownlarge stakes in each other, a system ofmutual security known as “keiretsu” thatcan prevent unwanted takeovers. —AFP

US billionaire tries light touch in Sony shakeup

B U S I N E S STHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Emirates, which already operates dailyflights to Tokyo Narita and OsakaKansai has added Tokyo Haneda

(HND) as its third destination. On 3rd ofJune, Emirates celebrated the start of itsdaily, non-stop service from Dubai to TokyoInternational Airport (Haneda) with thelaunch of its inaugural flight. It is not thefirst time that Emirates actually beats all itscompetitors to be number one in everyaspect, and operating to Haneda as a newdestination is only a mark on its upcominggoals and targets.

“Emirates has been operating to Japansince 2002 when we introduced non-stopflights to Osaka; our commitment contin-ued when we launched flights to NaritaInternational Airport in 2010.We value ourpartnership with Tokyo InternationalAirport; it is one that helps to connect twoglobal hubs of development and growth -Japan and the UAE. We know that Hanedawill play an integral role in our route net-work and the launch of services demon-strates Emirates’ commitment to Japan,”said Thierry Antinori, Emirates’ ExecutiveVice President, Passenger Sales Worldwide.

“Since the commencement of Emirates’flights to Osaka in 2002, trade relationsbetween Japan and UAE have flourished.According to JETRO (Japan External TradeOrganisation), two-way trade between UAEand Japan rose to $53.1 billion in 2012, upby 5.4 per cent compared to previous year,”continued Antinori.

“Haneda is our third gateway in Japanand we are confident that the demand interms of both passengers and cargo isstrong enough to warrant Emirates operat-ing non-stop, daily flights to both of Tokyo’sairports, offering our passengers more flexi-bility on the route to Dubai and onwards toover 70 destinations in the Indian Ocean,Middle East, Africa and Europe,” concludedAntinori.

Haneda Airport is located in Ota-ku,Tokyo and handles the majority of domes-tic flights to and from Tokyo; it opened itsdoors to international carriers following theopening of the fourth runway and theinternational terminal in October 2010.Haneda is currently ranked as the secondbusiest airport in Asia.

On board Emirates’ first flight to Hanedawas Salem Obaidalla, Emirates’ Senior VicePresident, Commercial Operation Far East &Australasia; His Excellency DaisukeMatsunaga, Consul General of Japan;RavishankarMirle, Emirates’ Vice PresidentCargo Commercial; media representativesfrom the United Arab Emirates and con-necting passengers from 17 destinationson Emirates’ global network. In the cockpitof the Boeing 777-200LR was CaptainAhmad Al-Shamsi from the UAE and FirstOfficers Tsuyoshi Mikami from Japan andHermes Guzman from the USA.

With the new daily flight to Haneda,Emirates SkyCargo is able to add about 23tonnes per flight, which accounts for about160 tonnes of additional cargo capacity perweek, further supporting Japanese exports

of mechanical components, electronicgoods and automobile parts, and itsimports of gas and oil products. Dubai is animportant hub for the re-export ofJapanese manufactured products to theMiddle East, Africa and Central Asia.

Together with the new Haneda flightservice, Emirates has launched a compli-mentary airport transfer services for its pas-sengers from Haneda Airport directly to alocation of their choice in the Greater Tokyoarea. This service is available to First Classand Business Class passengers travelling onEmirates flight EK312 (Dubai to Haneda) orEK313 (Haneda to Dubai). Emirates’ flightEK312 departed Dubai at 0935hrs, touchingdown at Haneda 0001hrs the following day.The return flight, EK313, departed Hanedaat 0130hrs and arrived at Dubai at 0705hrsthe same day.

The Boeing 777-200LR aircraft operatingthe route is equipped with eight luxuriousprivate suites in First Class, 42 of its latestlie-flat seats in Business, and generousspace for 216 passengers in Economy,along with gourmet cuisine in all cabinswhich has been tailored to Japanese pas-sengers, served by Emirates’ multinationalcabin crew. The aircraft also features ice,Emirates’ award-winning in flight entertain-ment system which offers over 1,500 chan-nels showing the latest Japanese block-busters, subtitled Hollywood films andJapanese music and TV.

Emirates now operates services to 134destinations in 77 countries from Dubai,earlier this year Emirates launched servicesto Warsaw and Algiers on 6th February and1st March respectively. In addition toHaneda, Emirates has announced plans tolaunch services to Stockholm starting 4

September, Clark International Airport(Philippines) beginning on 1 October; thesame day as it begins its transatlantic routebetween Milan and New York.

Emirates’ longstanding partnership withJapan Airlines has been expanded toinclude a code share on the new Dubai-Haneda-Dubai services. The flights will beidentified with the Emirates ‘EK’ code aswell as with Japan Airlines ‘JL’ code.

Emirates Holidays, the airline’s tour operat-ing arm, offers holidays to Japan, with itin-eraries that highlight attractions in Tokyo,Kyoto and Osaka. Emirates Holidays pro-vides holiday options that take travellersfrom Tokyo - the modern capital city; to themajestic Mount Fuji and the natural beautyof Hakone; to Nagoya and Kyoto, the cultur-al heart of Japan; and to Osaka, gateway tothe Kansai region.

First class lounge.

Emiratesmakes

Tokyo Hanedaits third Japanese route

A play area for kids at the first class lounge.

A First class seat in the Emirates A340.

The BusinessClass check in.

B U S I N E S STHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

KUWAIT: Staying true to its annual tradition, American Mattress hasstarted the summer season off with a bang with its special summerpromotion that reaches up to 60% off on the store’s mattresses andaccessories. The sale also comprises world-renowned brands includingAdjustables, Natura, Visco Pro, Kluft, Luxury Latex, Aireloom, Stylutionand other high quality brands. The sale started on May 20 and will endon June 28, 2013.

American Mattress has always been committed to providing itsclient base in Kuwait with the highest quality by carefully selectingleading global brands. One of the quality brands that the company car-ries is Aireloom, an American brand that provides a wide range of luxu-rious, hand made mattresses that are created with natural cotton, silkand latex so as to comfortably cushion its users’ times of slumber.

Another brand, Kluft, provides mattresses that lie on the exact pointwhere luxury merges with elegance. Made with durable and high qual-ity New Zealand wool and natural Egyptian cotton, Kluft has become ahighly favored choice for all due to its attention to detail and deliveringcomfort with every stitch. American Mattress also carries other globallyknown brands that have been chosen by many luxury hotels, resorts aswell as homes.

Apart from the wide range of natural and luxurious mattresses,American Mattress also provides a selection of medical mattressesincluding Aristocrat Mattress, Doctor’s Choice, Dreamer, Health Careand other orthopedic mattresses including adjustable ones thatprovide the spinal cord the essential support it needs and balancesthe body ’s position during sleep. When it comes to pillows,American Mattress provides a vast assortment of accessories as wellas the chance for customers to touch, feel and use the pillows insideAmerican Mattress’ showroom. Due to the many services it providessuch as its delivery and warrantee services, American Mattress hasgrown to become the store of choice for many hotels, resorts,chalets as well as homeowners who all seek the truest forms of lux-urious comfort.

Discover the many features and offers that American Mattress pro-vides including globally renowned mattress brands that are all offeredat a discounted price. Benefit from this limited time offer by visiting thestores that supplies American Mattress’ products including Good Nightin Shuwaikh’s Pepsi Street, Kids Mattress located in the Creative DesignCenter in Shuwaikh, block 2, American Mattress’ showroom in TunisStreet and Boland Mall in Farwaniya.

American Mattress Summer Sale - up to 60%

FRANKFURT: Buyout firm BC Partners hasagreed to take over German publisher SpringerScience+Business Media for about 3.3 billioneuros ($4.4 billion) in the largest private-equityacquisition in Germany in seven years. One ofSpringer Science owners, Swedish private equityfirm EQT said in a statement yesterday the clos-ing of the transaction was expected in August.The dual track approach of EQT and co-ownerGovernment of Singapore InvestmentCorporation, which prepared both a direct saleand a flotation, appears to have paid off.

Sources told Reuters earlier this week that theowners entered fresh negotiations with BCPartners after last week rejecting the privateequity firm’s 3.1 billion euro ($4.1 billion) bid astoo low. People familiar with the negotiationshad said EQT and GIC had previously abortedsale talks to focus on a stock market listing, afterwhich BP Partners topped up its bid. The deal isthe largest takeover of a German company by aprivate equity group since the 4 billion euroacquisition of forklift truck maker Kion by KKRand Goldman Sachs in 2006.

Springer, which competes with Anglo-Dutchpublisher Reed Elsevier and Dutch companyWolters Kluwer, publishes 2,200 English-lan-guage journals and more than 8,000 new booktitles every year. British private equity investorsCandover and Cinven created Springer Sciencein 2004 by merging Dutch group KluwerAcademic Publishers with German firmBertelsmannSpringer. In December 2009, EQTand GIC bought 82 percent and 18 percent ofthe company, respectively, from Candover andCinven. — Reuters

BC Partners buys SpringerScience for 3.3bn euros

Dual track approach helped push price

KUWAIT: Jazeera Airways yesterdayreleased its April 2013 OperationalPerformance Report showing a continuedlead in On-Time Performance (OTP) againstall other airlines in the Middle East duringthe month with a performance of 91%, asranked by the independent US-based OTPtracker FlightStats. The April report, whichpresents market share figures based on offi-cial statistics from Kuwait’s DirectorateGeneral for Civil Aviation (DGCA), alsoshowed that Jazeera Airways grabbed signif-icant market shares on routes servingAmman, Beirut, Bahrain, Dubai, Sharm ElSheikh, Assiut, Luxor, and Sohag.

Jazeera Airways grabbed a 38% marketshare on the Kuwait-Beirut route, a 15%market share on the Kuwait-Dubai route,and a 10% market share on the Kuwait-

Bahrain route. The airline also saw anincrease in passenger numbers on theKuwait-Dubai and Kuwait-Jeddah routes,with a 6% and 8% increase respectivelycompared to April 2012. Jazeera Airwayswas also the leading airline on the Kuwait-Amman route capturing a 44% marketshare, with an increase of 20% in passengernumbers on the route compared to last year.

On the Egyptian routes, the airline saw anincrease of 27% in passenger numbers onthe Kuwait-Sharm El Sheikh route comparedto the same period last year, 6% on theKuwait-Assiut route, 47% on the Kuwait-Luxor route, and 39% on the Kuwait-Sohagroute. Jazeera Airways was the leading air-line serving Sharm El Sheikh, Assiut, Luxor,and Sohag with a 62%, 53%, 72% and 54%market share respectively.

Jazeera Airways No 1 in ‘On-Time Performance’

KUWAIT: As part of its social responsibilityand commitment to the community,FASTtelco, the leading Telecom ServiceProvider in Kuwait, has recently signed anagreement with United Project Companyto power the Kuwait International Airportwith free fast Wi-Fi. The agreement citesthat FASTtelco and United ProjectCompany will provide free Wi-Fi of speedsreaching up to 100Mbps across theAirport’s shopping mall at both Departureand Arrival areas.

In this regard, Abdulwahab Ahmad Al-Nakib, Chairman and Managing Director ofAl-Deera Holding, and CEO of FASTtelcoannounced that FASTtelco today considersthe deal to provide Wi-Fi access acrossKuwait International airport as a tremen-dous leap forward for such a vibrant facilityas the airport shopping mall, providing oneof the most frequently-requested enhance-ments by an ever increasing amount of air-port travelers and visitors reaching over amillion each year.

This initiative plays an important role inimproving internet services offered at theairport’s shopping mall, allowing users toconnect to the Internet in a fast, effective,and convenient manner. With this newachievement, FASTtelco has proven its

commitment to continuously introduce thelatest in the field of communication tech-nology and to deliver sustainable and inno-vative solutions that contribute to the com-munity’s development and success.

Al-Nakib added: “FASTtelco is proud tohave succeeded in meeting travelers andvisitors main requirements and expecta-tions at Kuwait’s International Airport’sshopping mall by signing a new agreementwith United Project Company providingthe fastest and most innovative Internetconnections through its fast Wi-Fi service.”Al-Nakib further added that “FASTtelco hasaccomplished major achievements byoffering internet and data communicationservices at one of the most vibrant facilitiesin a country that caters to the largest num-ber of internet users.

FASTtelco is the first company that hasworked towards developing the Internetand data communication fields that benefitKuwait in general”. On the other hand,Chief Operations Officer at United ProjectsCompany, Hamad Malallah commented:“FASTtelco has been chosen to offer itsservice at the airport’s mall because it hasbeen placed among the leading Internetand Wi-Fi Service Providers in Kuwaitaccording to research and various studiesthat assessed FASTtelco’s Wi-Fi services interms of speed, efficiency and technicalsupport.”

Malallah added that United ProjectCompany aims at providing the best servic-es available on the market to all its cus-tomers, whether visitors or travelers, sothey can easily accomplish their operationswhilst visiting the airport’s mall. This agree-ment reflects the development ofFASTtelco that recently won the BizzInternational Award of 2012 for being themost inspirational company as well as theAnnual GCC HR Excellence Award for BestChange Management Strategy of 2012.

The Airport’s shopping mall chooses FASTtelco

Abdulwahab Al-Nakib

KUWAIT: Summertime is travel time. So whetheryou’re going back and forth from work, or plan-ning a road trip to visit friends and family, thenBMW has a whole host of top summer travel tipsto help keep you safe on the roads during thehottest months of the year.

SERVICINGThe high summer temperatures put excessive

strain on mechanical components like coolingsystems, batteries and tyre pressure, so if youhave not yet had time to book your car in for aservice this summer, here are a few self-check tipsyou can do at home to at least make sure your caris in top working condition. Before you pull out ofthe driveway you should check the owner manualin your vehicle for guidance on how best to checkthat your vehicle has: Correct level of enginecoolant; Oil is at the correct levels; The air condi-tioning works efficiently; A full tank of fuel. Neverleave it until you reach your reserve!; Tyres havesufficient and correct air pressure; Tyres havetread depth of at least 3mm, the recommendeddepth

CHECK THE PRESSURENever underestimate the importance of check-

ing the pressure once a month at any BMW Groupshowroom or leading gas station. Something assimple as a burst tyre can cause a terrible acci-dent.

OIL CHANGEOil is the lifeblood of your car. It keeps hard-

working engine parts running clean, smooth andmost importantly, cool. All service informationincluding when the oil needs changing or toppingup is projected on to the onboard computer in allBMWs making it easy and efficient for owners toreceive service information.

BRAKE EASYYour brakes are the single most important safety

feature on your car, especially in the summer whenthe roads can become slippery and overheated. Soyou need to make checking your brake linings a pri-ority. Here are some signs that your brakes need tobe checked: Your brake pedal is very hard andresistant; Your brake pedal rests too low or toohigh; Indication or warning lights on the dash-board; Loud scraping and grinding sounds comingfrom the brakes. If you have any doubt aboutwhether or not your brakes are working in tip topcondition, you should contact your authorizedagency partner’s service centre.

BUCKLE UPBe it summer or really anytime of the year, safety

is paramount and the easiest way to increase yourchances of survival in the case of an accident is towear your seat belt. While this is not only for just

summer, it is an important point to note at all times.BMW recommends that this isn’t just necessary asthe driver, but for every passenger in your vehicletoo. Seat belts really do save lives, and being caughtwithout one can cost you on your insurance too!

INSURANCE & ROADSIDE ASSISTANCEIf you are planning road trips across the region

this summer, make sure that you have adequatemotor insurance to cover you on the road or if youare involved in a collision. Also check with yourinsurance company what your road side assistance

entitles you to.

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCYAs well as offering a whole host of 24-hour

roadside assistance options and top notch insur-ance packages, BMW also recommends that youstay calm and follow the below steps in the caseof an emergency: Turn your hazard lights on andpark on the far right lane of the road out of theway from other drivers. Keep your boot open anduse your red-emergency triangle to warn othermotorists that you are stationary.

Keep cool this summer with BMW driving tips

By Ramez Shehadi

KUWAIT: For many years the approach to achieving long-termprosperity and stability in the Middle East and North Africa(MENA) has been economic growth. That approach has tochange. Instead, governments should be pursuing sustainabledevelopment. Unlike previous policies, sustainable develop-ment is a strategy for economic progress that aims to createjobs, alleviate poverty, provide education, and carefully man-age the environment.

Companies have a particularly important role to play in thesustainable development through corporate social responsi-bility (CSR) initiatives. Many MENA companies are increasingthe scale and range of their CSR projects, part of a globaltrend and an extension of longstanding cultural traditions.Unfortunately, too many companies conduct these initiativeson an ad hoc basis that limits their effectiveness. For maxi-mum impact, companies need to align CSR projects withnational development goals and coordinate with govern-ments, academia, and civil society.

Such a coordinated effort is critical to tackle regional sus-tainable development, including the main challenge of train-

ing and educating young people for jobs. Just keepingemployment at 2011 levels will require an additional 75 mil-lion jobs by 2020-a 43 percent increase on the number of jobsin 2011, according to the World Economic Forum.

Until recently, too many MENA companies consider CSRinitiatives an optional extra and define such work too narrow-ly, and too few governments fully comprehend how CSR candovetail with national development. One sign that the tide isturning is the number of regional companies that have joinedthe UN Global Compact-a strategic policy initiative for busi-nesses committed to ten principles in the areas of humanrights, labor, environment and anti-corruption. The list of sig-natories from the MENA region has grown from just three in2003 to 262 by the end of 2012.

As more companies conduct CSR projects, they are estab-lishing best practices that other companies can follow. Thesebest practices include ensuring high-profile support andengagement of senior leaders, and practicing more transpar-ent corporate governance to encourage candid discussionsand create clear guidelines for tackling CSR issues. These CSRleaders also integrate CSR with their operating model by, atthe very least, coordinating the activities of their company’s

businesses, functional units, and partners. They also focus on afew CSR themes that leverage the company’s expertise; andthey tap the credibility and expertise of civil society organiza-tions, public-private partnerships and social business ven-tures. Finally, these CSR pioneers measure CSR results toassess and refine their initiatives.

In tandem with companies aligning their CSR projects withnational development goals, governments need to helpdefine these goals and create an environment in which CSR isencouraged and, indeed, expected from companies.Encouragingly, MENA governments have become more activein their promotion of CSR. Almost all Gulf Cooperation Councilmembers now have corporate governance codes or guide-lines in place for publicly listed companies.

Eventually, when the CSR environment is mature, MENAgovernments may not need to intervene, except to offerencouragement. For the time being, however, given theregion’s substantial development needs and the undevelopednature of CSR, governments need to play a more active role insetting CSR priorities. At the very least, governments candefine and mandate minimum standards for business per-formance through legislation. Governments can also facilitate

CSR by naming a ministry or department to coordinate CSRstrategies and policy making. The authorities can also offerincentives for companies to pursue CSR. Governments canprovide funding and research around CSR, and can spearheadtraining and promotional campaigns.

The education sector also has an important role to play inshaping the attitudes of future business leaders. Universitiesand business schools can influence the mindset of tomorrow’smanagers and entrepreneurs by introducing CSR-related con-cepts into the curriculum. Civil society organizations, for theirpart, can form partnerships with private companies to lendcredibility to CSR initiatives, and can monitor the performanceof the private sector on issues ranging from child labor, to fairtrade, to community involvement, and environmental protec-tion.

While there is an important role for government, and to anextent civil society and academia, the main burden of CSR andsustainable development falls on companies. By aligning theirCSR work with national development goals, MENA companiescan be good corporate citizens, and by supporting sustain-able development can contribute to the betterment of thesocieties in which they operate.

Middle East should nurture CSR for economic prosperity

t e c hnolo g yTHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

WELLINGTON: When Google chose New Zealand tounveil secret plans for a balloon-driven wi-fi net-work last weekend, it cemented the country’s repu-tation as a test bed for global tech companies look-ing to trial their latest innovations, industry expertssay. They said New Zealand, tucked away deep inthe southern hemisphere, offers a tech-savvy,English-speaking population where firms such asGoogle and Facebook can quietly test new productswithout risking major fallout if anything goeswrong.”We tend to be early adopters, any technolo-gy that reduces the tyranny of distance we’re keenon,” said Malcolm Fraser, chief executive of theAuckland-based Future Cities Institute, who hasresearched the trend.

“We’re a small market, which means it doesn’tcost that much to test something here and if any-thing screws up we’re far enough from major mar-kets for it not to have a spillover effect.” Facebook

has enthusiastically used New Zealanders as guineapigs, last year trialling a scheme where users canpay to make their posts more prominent on friends’newsfeeds. It also rolled out its timeline feature firstin New Zealand in 2011, saying at the time: “As aglobal company, we need to gain perspective andinsights from outside the US. “New Zealand is agood place to start because it’s English speaking, sowe can read the feedback and make improvementsquickly.”

The LinkedIn social network also tested itsendorsement feature in New Zealand last year, butFraser said the country had been a laboratory forexperimental technology since the mid-1980s,when the world’s first electronic payments systemwas introduced. In the early 2000s, telecoms giantVodafone debugged the GPRS network whichreplaced dial-up Internet connections for Kiwisbefore releasing it internationally. “It comes down

to the fact that (New Zealand) is a perfect micro-cosm of a global community,” said Candace Kinserfrom technology industry group NZITC.

“Auckland has immigrants as more than 50 per-cent of its population, from nearly every country inthe world (and) Kiwis take up technology rapidlyand use it well.” Fraser said hosting leading-edgeprojects helped boost New Zealand’s IT sector,which boasts world leaders in sectors such as com-puter gaming and digital special effects.

“When these organisations come along, theydon’t bring their whole R&D (research and develop-ment) department, they just bring one or two keypeople, along with the new product or technology,”he said. “So we get quite a lot of benefit from that,in terms of people in our technology gettingtrained up to fill the void.” The Google foray intoNew Zealand, dubbed Project Loon, is perhaps themost ambitious high-tech test carried out in the

country, aiming to bring Internet to the two-thirdsof the global population currently without webaccess.

It involved sending 30 helium-filled balloons tothe edge of space above the South Island lastSaturday, each carrying transmitters capable ofbeaming wi-fi Internet access down to antennae onproperties below.

The ultimate goal, which Google admits remainsa distant dream, is a network of thousands of suchballoons creating a network that provides onlineaccess anywhere in the world.

The first person to access the web under thescheme was dairy farmer Charles Nimmo, who saidhe appreciated the chance to work with one of theworld’s largest companies to push the frontiers oftechnology. “It ’s been weird,” he told the NewZealand Herald. “But it’s been exciting to be part ofsomething new.” — AFP

NZ emerges as guinea pig for global tech companies

SINGAPORE: Google’s plans to beam theInternet from giant balloons sent to the strato-sphere could boost small businesses in ruralparts of Asia by connecting them online, thecompany said yesterday. Karim Temsamani,Google’s head of Asia Pacific, said in a speech atthe Communicasia conference in Singapore, thatthe Internet balloons might also facilitate com-munication during disasters.

Google last week revealed top secret plans tolaunch thousands of balloons to provideInternet connections to remote parts of theworld, allowing the more than four billion peo-ple with no access to get online. Its scientists onSaturday released up to 30 helium-filled test bal-loons flying 20 kilometres (12.4 miles) aboveChristchurch in New Zealand, carrying antennaelinked to ground base stations.

“What’s devastating is that only a tiny fractionof SMEs (small-medium enterprises) all acrossAsia are online right now,” Temsamani told theconference. He said India, one of the region’semerging economies, has 47 million small busi-nesses, but only one percent are online. “Gettingmore businesses online is crucial to every singlecountry in the region,” he said.

The experimental balloon project, calledProject Loon, is one way to provide affordableInternet access to “rural, remote and under-served” regions, Temsamani said. “For farmers inremote rural areas, this would bring marketinformation that allows them to get better pricesfrom merchants,” he added.

The balloons, which once in the stratospherewill be twice as high as commercial airliners andbarely visible to the naked eye, will also help in dis-asters when communication infrastructure isdown, Temsamani said. “For places with few doc-tors, this could help relay drug information. In dis-

asters, this could help coordinate supplies,” he said.The balloon network is controlled by ground

stations connecting to the local Internet infra-structure and beaming signals to the balloons,which are self-powered by solar panels. Usersbelow have an Internet antennae they attachthe side of their house which can send andreceive data signals from the balloons passingoverhead. Some 50 people were chosen to takepart in the trial in New Zealand and were able tolink to the Internet.

Temsamani cautioned that the project

remained in an experimental stage, and wouldrequire a lot of work from participating nations.“These balloons need networks’ co-operationto function, we’re all going to have to worktogether on this,” he said. He said Googleexpects half a billion people in emerging mar-kets worldwide, most of them in Asia, to haveInternet access “between now and 2015”.“These people will drive this transformationeven faster. They will not have all the desktop-based habits we’ve developed over the past 10years,” he added. — AFP

Internet balloons to help small businesses: Google

Google expects half a billion people to have Internet access

CHRISTCHURCH: This file photo shows visitors standing next to a high altitude WiFi internethub, a Google Project Loonballoon, on display at the Airforce Museum in Christchurch. — AFP

OSAKA: Osaka Mayor and co-leader of the Japan Restoration Party Toru Hashimoto(foreground center) along with Shingo Nishimura (foreground right) a former mem-ber of the House of Representatives, waves to supporters during their party’s elec-tion campaign in Japan. — AP

TOKYO: On the Internet, no one can save youfrom yourself. That is a lesson many Japanesepoliticians have learned recently in painful, awk-ward and at times costly fashion. In the latestflap, a senior reconstruction official in charge ofhelping victims of the Fukushima Dai-ichinuclear crisis was dismissed last week after heused a scatological insult on Twitter to deridecivil activists. Another official’s loss of compo-sure at a United Nations committee meetingmight have gone unnoticed in another time, buttoday it ’s on YouTube. Even Prime MinisterShinzo Abe has been reproached for remarks onFacebook that some deemed disrespectful to hisopponents.

Japan only began allowing use of socialmedia in political campaigns in April. As cam-paigning heats up for a pivotal July 21 electionfor the upper house of parliament, this relativelynew tool for reaching the public appears asmuch a liability as it is a blessing. Japanesepoliticians and government agencies controlaccess to information through a system of pressclubs, and to keep their memberships, tradition-al Japanese media often have overlooked politi-cians’ gaffes. Politicians’ aides also help themavoid making embarrassing comments on TVand in print media. But those filters disappearwhen a politician posts a comment online.

“It takes only one emotional sentence. Onceyou hit the comment or tweet button, it’s toolate. You’re caught by gaffe watchers on the net,with your true nature exposed,” said JunichiroNakagawa, an editor at the Internet news siteShunkan Research News. Yasuhisa Mizuno, theformer Reconstruction Agency official forFukushima-Dai-ichi victims, was fired over thistweet: “Attended a meeting where I was merelyyelled at by leftist (vulgarity). Surprisingly, I’mnot outraged. I only have pity for their lack ofintelligence.”

He posted the comment March 7, but it wasoverlooked for several weeks before “gaffewatchers” discovered it and made it more widelyknown. In late May, Hideaki Ueda, Japan’s repre-sentative to the United Nations’ committee ontorture, shouted while defending Japan’s judicialsystem against criticism by an envoy fromMauritius who said its lack of protections for sus-pects’ rights was “medieval.”

Speaking in somewhat broken English infootage shown on YouTube and an official web-site, Ueda said, “Certainly Japan is not theMiddle Age. We are one of the most advancedcountry in the field.” To giggles from the audi-

ence, he shouted, “Don’t laugh! Why you arelaughing?” “Shut up! Shut up!” he said. ByWednesday the video had been viewed onYouTube more than 200,000 times. The footagewas also repeatedly shown on mainstreamJapanese T V and in newspapers until theForeign Ministry reprimanded him last week.

Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto said andtweeted that sex slavery by Japan’s ImperialArmy before and during World War II was a “nec-essary” wartime evil. He also used Twitter to posthis suggestion that the US military patronizeadult entertainment to help reduce sex crimescommitted by American troops.

US officials characterized the comments as“outrageous and offensive.” Hashimoto, a co-founder of the nationalist Japan RestorationParty, apologized, but only for his adult enter-tainment remark. He has continued tweeting hisassertions about the Imperial Army’s use ofprostitutes. Sophia University political scienceprofessor Koichi Nakano said gaffes by politi-cians and others spotlight a lack of sensitivity toa variety of issues, and to opposing views.

“ The society that leaves such problemsunchecked could become one that is insensitive,”Nakano said. “People gradually lose sensitivityand then think nothing of it anymore.” One labelthat has drawn attention is the word “leftist,”which appears to be a catch-all term for liberalssupportive of minority rights and pacifism, andwho sometimes challenge conservative values.

The media and the political opposition aretaking Abe to task for using the term too casual-ly. Abe has also called former Prime MinisterNaoto Kan a leftist, criticizing his civil activistbackground and relatively lenient stance towardNorth Korea. Abe, who is known for his national-ist and hawkish views, complained in a recentFacebook entry about hecklers at a public rally.“A group of leftists came into the crowd,intensely trying to interfere with my speech byshouting into a loudspeaker and bangingdrums, full of hatred,” he wrote “Mr. Abe, what doyou mean by ‘leftists?’” asked Hideo Matsushita,senior editor at the liberal-leaning Asahi news-paper, in a commentary published Sunday.

Many of the hundreds of commentsattached to Abe’s Facebook entry expressedsupport for his remark, along with hatred of thepolitical left, ethnic Koreans and China. But oth-ers questioned for using the word “leftists” todescribe hecklers who were apparently oppos-ing Abe’s plans to join a US led trans-Pacifictrade bloc. —AP

Online gaffes plague Japanese politicians

SINGAPORE: A promoter displays Huawei’s Ascend P6 phone, billed as the world’sthinnest smartphone, at the CommunicAsia telecom and broadcast event yesterdayjust hours after its global launch in London. — AFP

WASHINGTON: Google said Tuesday it asked a spe-cial US court handling national security investiga-tions for permission to publish the number of gov-ernment requests for data to the Internet giant. Thecourt filing in Washington came amid a firestorm ofprotests over revelations that the National SecurityAgency had accessed vast amounts of data in a sur-veillance program under the supervision of the spe-cial court, which operates in secret. Google said italready publishes in its “transparency report” dataon requests from law enforcement and so-calledNational Security Letters from the FBI.

“However, greater transparency is needed, sotoday we have petitioned the Foreign IntelligenceSurveillance Court to allow us to publish aggregatenumbers of national security requests, includingFISA disclosures, separately,” a Google spokespersonsaid. “Lumping national security requests togetherwith criminal requests-as some companies havebeen permitted to do-would be a backward step forour users.”

FISA refers to the Foreign IntelligenceSurveillance Act, which authorized the secret court.Google said it was seeking a court ruling to allow itto publish “limited, aggregate statistics” on ordersfor the company to hand over data. “Google’s repu-tation and business has been harmed by the falseand misleading reports in the media, and Google’susers are concerned by the allegations,” the petitionsaid. The company said it was asking the court toaffirm its “right” under the First Amendment of theUS Constitution to publish the information.Google’s legal move came as the nonprofitElectronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) ramped up acampaign to pressure Congress to put an end toonline snooping and come clean about what hasbeen done to date.

More than 215,000 signatures have been loggedin support of a petition at a stopwatching.us web-site launched last week by the EFF. “This type ofblanket data collection by the government strikesat bedrock American values of freedom and priva-cy,” the petition contends, arguing that dragnetonline surveillance violates Constitutional protec-tions.

“We are calling on Congress to take immediateaction to halt this surveillance and provide a fullpublic accounting of the NSA’s and the FBI’s datacollection programs.” The EFF on Tuesday teamedwith Fight for the Future to launch CallDay.org web-site and provide a telephone number that automat-ically routes callers to US legislators.

“We’re asking everyone concerned about theirprivacy to call Congress today and throughout therest of the week,” the EFF said in a message at itswebsite. Apple, Facebook, Microsoft and severalother top Internet and technology companies havecome under heightened scrutiny since word leaked

of a vast, covert Internet surveillance program USauthorities insist targets only foreign terror suspectsand has helped thwart attacks.

Google chief Larry Page and Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg have publicly con-demned online spying and called for governmentsto be more revealing about snooping on theInternet. “We understand that the US and othergovernments need to take action to protect theircitizens’ safety-including sometimes by using sur-veillance,” Google chief and co-founder Larry Pagesaid in a blog post.

“But the level of secrecy around the current legalprocedures undermines the freedoms we all cher-

ish.” Google, Facebook and other technology firmshave vehemently denied that they knowingly tookpart in a secret program called PRISM that gave theNational Security Agency (NSA) and the FBI back-doors into servers.

The program was reportedly set up in 2007 andhas grown to become the most prolific contributorto President Barack Obama’s Daily Brief, the USleader’s top-secret daily intelligence briefing. Someof the biggest firms in Silicon Valley were involvedin the program, including Apple, AOL, Facebook,Google, Microsoft, PalTalk, Skype, Yahoo andYouTube, reports said. Internet titans contacted byAFP denied providing intelligence agencies withbackdoors to networks and held firm that they onlycooperated with legal “frontdoor” requests for infor-mation.

Meanwhile, Google has resolved a shareholderlawsuit blocking a long-delayed stock split, clearingthe way for the Internet search leader to issue a

new class of non-voting shares later this year. Thesettlement announced Monday came on the eve ofa scheduled Delaware chancery court trial thatthreatened to cast an unflattering light on Googleco-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. The class-action by the Brockton Retirement Board inMassachusetts and another Google shareholder,Philip Skidmore, alleged that Page and Brin engi-neered the stock split in a way that unfairly benefitsthem while shortchanging the rest of the compa-ny’s shareholders.

Google denied the allegations and maintainedthat the proposed stock split announced 14 monthsago would benefit shareholders by ensuring that

Page and Brin would preserve the power that hasenabled them to make the same kinds of bold betson technology that has helped increase the compa-ny’s market value by more than $260 billion duringthe past nine years. The split calls for a new class of“C” stock with no voting power to be issued for eachshare of an existing category of “A” voting stock. Thestructure is designed to ensure that Page and Brinretain control over the company, even though theyonly currently own about 15 percent of Google’soutstanding stock, combined.

Page, Google’s CEO, and Brin, an executive whooversees special projects in the company’s secret XLab, hold 56 percent of Google’s voting powerthrough a “B” class of stock that gives them 10 votesper share. By creating a new class of non-votingshares, Google will be able to keep rewarding otheremployees with more stock and financing potentialacquisitions of stock without undermining the vot-ing power of Page and Brin. —Agencies

Google asks US court to allow data query release

Google settles suit

MOUNTAIN VIEW: In this file photo, a Google sign is seen inside Google headquarters inMountain View, Calif. — AP

H E A LT H & S C I E N C ETHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

TRENTON: If doctors and patients usedprescription drugs more wisely, theycould save the US health care system atleast $213 billion a year, by reducing med-ication overuse, underuse and other flawsin care that cause complications andlonger, more-expensive treatments,researchers conclude. The new findingsby the IMS Institute for HealthcareInformatics improve on numerous priorefforts to quantify the dollars wasted onhealth care. Numerous experts previouslyhave estimated that tens of billions, per-haps hundreds of billions of dollars, couldbe better used each year to improvepatient care and outcomes and to slowdown spending by government healthprograms, insurers and consumers.

The institute, part of data analysis andconsulting firm IMS Health, used its pro-prietary data on prescriptions written bydoctors - many of which patients never fill- plus other information to produce a cur-rent, more reliable estimate of avoidablecosts solely related to medication use. IMSarrived at the $213 billion figure based onsix categories in which doctors, patientsor both could be making better use ofmedication, from getting a prompt diag-

nosis when new symptoms arise to taking medicines as directed

by the doctor. Across the six categories,the researchers generally focused onspending on a handful of very commonor very expensive diseases - from highcholesterol and blood pressure to HIV anddiabetes - for which costs of care andcomplications are well documented.

“There’s even larger avoidable costs ifwe were to look at all disease areas”where patients aren’t getting optimalcare, Murray Aitken, the institute’s execu-tive director, told The Associated Press inan exclusive interview. “There’s a bigopportunity for improvement.” The $213billion equals nearly 8 percent of themore than $2.7 trillion the US spent onhealth care last year. Those billions couldpay for the health care of more than 24million Americans currently uninsured,according to IMS. And Aitken said more-appropriate use of medication - taking itexactly as prescribed, not taking antibi-otics for viral illnesses, preventing med-ication errors and the like - could prevent6 million hospitalizations, 4 million tripsto the emergency room and 78 millionvisits to doctors and other outpatient care

providers each year.“Those are staggering numbers,”

Aitken said. The report, titled “AvoidableCosts in Healthcare,” found the biggestarea of waste is patients not taking medi-cines prescribed by their doctor, either atall or as directed. IMS estimates the costof such “non-adherence” at about $105billion a year. Reasons for the longstand-ing problem include patients fearing drugside effects, not understanding complica-tions that can occur without treatment,having mental health issues and notbeing able to afford their medicines. Pricehas become less of a factor, though, asthere are now relatively inexpensivegeneric versions of drugs for most dis-eases.

“I think there’s really good, solid evi-dence that if you adhere to medications,that keeps you out of the hospital,” said M.Christopher Roebuck, president of healthpolicy consultants Rx Economics LLC.Roebuck, who was not involved in thestudy, said it’s well done. But he said theestimates of potential savings are “quiteconservative” for medication non-adher-ence and treatment delays. Those delaysare blamed for racking up about $39 bil-

lion a year in avoidable care costs - due topatients putting off doctor visits and notgetting medications they’re prescribed, ordoctors not promptly starting treatmentsproven to prevent expensive complica-tions. “We’ve got a lot of people withoutinsurance who are not routinely going tothe doctor, and even some with insurancearen’t,” Aitken said.

Other areas of waste noted in thereport include:

Prescribing antibiotics inappropri-ately, as for patients with the flu oranother viral infection, costing about$35 bil l ion annually. This can con-tribute to bacteria becoming resistantto antibiotics, resulting in more expen-sive treatment and even hospitaliza-tion with a future infection.

Medication errors, costing about$20 bill ion annually. Those includesloppy handwriting leading to thewrong drug or dose being dispensedand doctors not checking to see thatthe patient is getting better, meaningthey’ve been getting the right medi-cine. Those errors are on the declinedue to more doctors using electronic

prescriptions and other changes.Not using generic drugs when they

are available, costing about $12 billionannually. That’s a decreasing problem, asstrategies of health plans and pharmaciesencourage patients to choose genericsby setting copayments for brand-namedrugs a few times higher than for thegenerics. Without insurance, generics cancost 90 percent less than brand-namedrugs. Today, when a generic is available,it’s dispensed about 95 percent of thetime.

Multiple medication confusion, cost-ing about $1.3 billion annually. For elder-ly patients taking five or more medicines,it’s easy to mix up which pills should betaken when, and for those who are frail,those mistakes can cause serious harm.That problem likely will grow significantlywith our aging population.

The report will be shared with govern-ment, medical and policy groups andother stakeholders in the health system,Aitken said. The institute, whose clientsinclude major drugmakers, noted that itsreport was prepared without fundingfrom government or the pharmaceuticalindustry. —AFP

Study: Wiser medication use could cut health costs

MANILA: This photo taken on June 5, 2013, shows children playing dice,using freshly-made charcoals as their bets at an unregulated charcoal facto-ry locally known as “Ulingan” in the slums of Manila. —AFP photos

MANILA: This photo shows a worker and a child taking a rest at an unregu-lated charcoal factory locally known as “Ulingan” in the slums of Manila.

PYONGYANG: In the lobby ofPyongyang’s maternity hospital, agovernment guide pauses during atour, pointing down to an elaborateflower pattern glowing in buffed redand green marble. “One hundred andsixty-five tons of rare stones wereused on the floor,” Mun Chang Unproudly tells the foreign visitors beingoffered an unusual glimpse inside. Hewalks toward a row of tiny boothswith mounted TVs, video cameras and‘70s-style phones, explaining that the“high-tech” video conferencing sta-tions are used to protect mothers andnewborns from visitors’ germs. Just afew floors upstairs, he says, a well-equipped breast cancer center wasrecently opened under new NorthKorean leader Kim Jong Un.

It’s a rehearsed picture of healththe reclusive government wants theoutside world to see, complete withspotless granite corridors. But the real-

ity of that image is clouded every timeMun takes a breath that explodes intoicy wisps. The hospital is so cold dur-ing this February visit, patients remainbundled in thick coats, gloves andscarves during exams, while nursesswish with every step as they hustlethrough the halls in white snow pantsand matching puffer jackets. Munhimself wears big, furry teddy bearslippers.

The contrast raises one fundamen-tal question: If there’s no heat in manyparts of one of the country’s bestshowcase hospitals in Pyongyang -where temperatures can plummetwell below zero - what type of healthcare exists at small clinics in therugged mountainous countrysidewhere even government officials sayelectricity and running water aresometimes hard to find?

As with so much in North Korea, it’sdifficult to know what the true overallpicture of health really looks likebeyond the face presented. Only ahandful of foreign aid groups and UNagencies operate in the country, andnone of them can move around freely.Some areas remain totally off limits.Even in the gleaming capital, somehealth facilities appear to be a throw-

back to another time. Hulkingmachines and antiquated equipmentin exam rooms could have arriveddecades ago, when there was still asteady flow of medical supplies fromthe former Soviet Union.

The government also typically col-lects and analyzes health data, raisingquestions about accuracy and sam-pling methods. Some prominent for-eign aid workers in Pyongyang saythey were initially skeptical, but nowtrust the numbers after independentattempts to check their accuracyrevealed similar results. Yet even theMinistry of Public Health’s own recentreports reveal glimpses into a systemwhere all is not well. More than one infour children under 5 years old sufferfrom stunted growth due to a chroniclack of food; tuberculosis is ragingwithin the country; infant death rateshave jumped to levels higher than inthe 1990s. Foreign doctors, aid work-

ers, North Korean defectors and vari-ous reports, such as a scathing 2010assessment by Amnesty International,paint an even darker picture.

They describe beer bottles used asIV drips and broken legs splinted withsticks instead of plaster. Amputationsperformed without anesthesia. Dirtyneedles reused. A husband holdingup a candle while a doctor removes afetus from his hemorrhaging wife.Surgeons operating with Soviet-erainstruments with no heat or runningwater.

The health system has crumbledand languished over the past fewdecades amid deepening poverty anddesolation. Government healthspending ranks among the world’slowest, with one World HealthOrganization estimate putting it atless than $1 per person in 2006.Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions haveresulted in further isolation and yearsof crushing international sanctions,with the toughest-ever restrictionscoming after the country’s thirdnuclear test in February. Humanitarianaid is not supposed to be affected, buthealth officials say the sanctions havemade it difficult to import medicineand supplies. Donors have also been

reluctant to offer support amid risingtensions. The United Nations recentlyreported a desperate shortage offunds for its North Korea operation,resulting in a scarcity of drugs andvaccines for children and pregnantwomen. The country also lacks thebasic health infrastructure andhygiene to reduce diarrhea and pneu-monia, the two biggest child killersworldwide.

“Overall, it’s a stark contrastbetween Pyongyang - which is thewindow to the world for North Korea -and the rest of the country,” saysKatharina Zellweger, who has traveledto every province during nearly twodecades of humanitarian work. Sheroutinely found clean facilities withold equipment, limited drugs andintermittent supplies of water andelectricity. “There is an extendedhealth infrastructure across the wholecountry. The question is really howwell does it function?” Back at thePyongyang Maternity Hospital, Mun,the facility’s director of foreign affairs,steps off an elevator with flickeringlights and begins spitting facts aboutthe newly built Breast CancerResearch Center.

Here, it’s like being transported to aheated exam room in the US orEurope equipped with high-techmachines for mammograms, radia-tion and ultrasound. Mun refuses tosay how much this new addition cost,adding only that one X-ray machinetotaled 700,000 euros, or $910,630,and that the late leader Kim Jong Iland his successor son spared noexpense. (Young Kim’s mother isrumored to have died from breastcancer, but when asked, a hospitalofficial declined to answer). There wasjust one thing missing from the modelhealth center: patients. A waitingroom with rows of shiny chromebenches is deserted, while a lonenurse sits almost hidden behind atowering work station. Mun says 80 ofthe hospital’s 100 beds are full, butonly one room shared by threewomen is shown.

“This morning there were manypatients,” says Pak Hyang Sim, directorof the hospital’s diagnostic imaging.“They were all diagnosed. That’s whyit’s so empty now.” Defectors and aidworkers say hospitals everywhere areoften eerily vacant. Bad roads, a lackof transportation and no moneymake it impossible for many to accesshealth centers. Medicine and care aresupposed to be free. But in reality,everything has a price. “There’s a say-ing in North Korea: If your relative hascancer then your entire family isruined because everything will go togetting that medicine,” says Jeon, a24-year-old defector in Seoul whofled North Korea five years ago andasked that only one name be used tosafeguard her father still living acrossthe border. “Some families who can’tafford the medicine have no choicebut to watch their loved ones die.”

Despite the new center, breastcancer is far from the top of the list ofhealth problems gripping the coun-try, revealing a disconnect betweenwhere the government spends andwhat the people really need. Hungerremains perhaps the biggest healthconcern, with 16 million NorthKoreans - two-thirds of the popula-tion - not getting enough to eat. Theresulting malnutrition exacerbates arange of health issues, from hijackingchild brain development to maternaldeath. In the famine of the 1990s,hundreds of thousands of NorthKoreans are believed to have died.The government launched a “let’s eattwo meals a day” campaign, and peo-ple foraged for bark, roots and grass-es, according to the AmnestyInternational report.

The period, known inside thecountry as the “arduous march,” left adevastating mark on its overall healthdespite food aid from the internation-

al community that continues today.Child stunting rates remain high, at28 percent nationally and 40 percentin the worst-hit isolated province ofRyanggang. North Korean men areup to 3 inches shorter than theirSouth Korean counterparts, accord-ing to findings published two yearsago by Daniel Schwekendiek, aneconomist at SungkyunkwanUniversity in South Korea. NorthKoreans also can expect to diearound 12 years earlier than theirsouthern neighbors.

However, some say the outsideworld’s perceived picture of healthmay also be skewed. North Korea, forinstance, has lower stunting ratesthan Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,Myanmar and Nepal. “We think it’s aconstant situation where you findmalnutrition or you find undernutri-tion or you find people not well fed,”says Gerhard Uhrmacher, programmanager for the German humanitari-an aid organization Welthungerhilfe,who has traveled extensively in NorthKorea over the past decade. “This isgenerally almost all over the country,but it’s not to the extent where hun-dreds of thousands of people aredying. We don’t believe that.” He saysthe government’s propagandamachine also twists reality to fit itsneeds. He recalls foreign journalists ayear and a half ago being shown ahospital “where they took childrenwho were in very, very bad shape toreinforce their request for food aid.”

At the Kyongsang Clinic inPyongyang, the impact of donormoney is on display, along withpageantry and a heavy dose of prop-aganda. Plump children in pouffybright traditional dresses and militaryuniforms howl in their mothers’ arms,as nurses force crushed Vitamin Atablets and chalky deworming pillsinto their mouths. In a nearby nursery,children take the medicine and thengo onstage to sing traditional songspraising the leaders. The campaign,supported by UNICEF, reaches 1.7 mil-lion children twice a year. Eliminatingparasites helps combat malnutrition,but it’s clear none of these childrenare going to bed with empty bellies.

The clinic does, however, show-case one of the bright spots in a gen-erally bleak scene: A focus on preven-tion, which is central to the overallhealth system. In the early years,North Korea set up an army of house-hold doctors, each responsible foroverseeing basic health within theircommunities. Tens of thousands ofthese physicians still exist today, withone doctor responsible for about 130households. North Korea has beenapplauded by the WHO and othersfor its mass mobilization, successfulchild immunization programs andhealth promotion - systematicapproaches commonly deployed intop-down socialist countries.

These programs are among thefew reminders left of a free universalhealth system that in the 1960s boast-ed more hospital beds and a lowerinfant death rate than the South. Now,it’s mostly Pyongyang that benefits. Atthe new breast cancer center, guideMun stops on the stairs to show off awide strip of jade colored marble that“looks like a waterfall flowing down.”He explains that the wooden railingwas replaced with stone because KimJong Un thought anything less wouldcheapen the facility. A female doctorlater stops to point out shimmeringprisms dangling from a golden chan-delier before leaning in to whisper:“Look closely, doesn’t it look like abreast?” At the end of the tour, in aroom with photos of founding leaderKim Il Sung and son Kim Jong Il loom-ing overhead, Mun hands visitors alarge guest book filled with pages ofmessages scrawled in many lan-guages. Please write your impressionof the hospital, he says smiling, hand-ing over a pen. —AP

Frigid hospitals cloud N Korea’s picture of health

NORTH KOREA: Photo shows a doctor measures the head of achild during an exam at the Kaeson Clinic in Pyongyang’sMoranbong District. —AP

NORTH KOREA: A nurse sits inside a laboratory at thePyongyang Maternity Hospital.

MANILA: A sinewy man covered in thick sootstands in a grey cloud of smoke, watchingover a slow-burning pile of wood that sus-tains his life but may also eventually kill him.Nearby, emaciated children with their bonesvisible through their skin bet over a game ofdice using charcoal instead of money. Morethan 1,500 people live in this makeshift char-coal factory in one of the sprawling slumsthat dominate large chunks of the Philippinecapital of Manila. They mine a neighboringgarbage dump for scraps of wood, whichthey place into crude furnaces. After a weekthe charcoal is placed into sacks and hauledoff to market.

While the country’s rich enjoy electricityand gas delivered into their homes, charcoalremains a vital source of fuel for the poormasses. The Philippines, for decades one ofthe Asia’s economic laggards, has attractedglobal attention for remarkable growth sincePresident Benigno Aquino came to power in2010. The stock market has hit record highs,credit agencies have upgraded the country’srisk ratings and new skyscrapers are beingbuilt with speed reminiscent of China’s con-struction boom. Yet that has done little tochange a huge rich-poor divide that seesroughly a quarter of Manila’s 12 million peo-ple surviving on a dollar a day or less.

Nowhere can the chasm be felt as deeplyas in Ulingan, the squatter community whoseresidents make their living from charcoal.Among them is 34-year-old Rose Mingote,the creases in her tired face filled with blackpowder after a night of filling sacks. “I am notsure if I can bring a child into this kind ofworld,” says Mingote, who has been marriedfor four years. “This is as good as it gets forme.” On a nearby broken bench that alter-nates as a sleeping space, a mother and herthree children share a single plate of rice.

The youngest of the three stares blanklyinto the distance, with only a ripped tarpau-lin providing shade. Everyone is forced toinhale the smoke that billows from the char-coal pits, turning the dire landscape into aneerie monochrome. Those who toil here riskcontracting a range of health problems,

from respiratory illness to skin disease. JuanVilla, an outreach worker with local charitygroup Project Pearls, says asthma, bronchitisand lung cancer are major problems atUlingan. Project Pearls has helped some ofthe slum dwellers relocate, but most arereluctant to go.

Despite the daily torture, making charcoalcan return up to 2,000 pesos ($50) a week,providing a better existence than for manyothers in the slums. “To everyone else, this is

dirty, but to poor people like me, it’s oursource of life,” says mother-of-three MadelynRosales, 33. “We’ve had different jobs and dif-ferent homes but it’s only through workinghere that my children have been able to tastemeat and hotdogs.” For gap-toothed 13-year-old Biboy Amores, money earned here goesto his education. “It’s hard but I need to payfor school,” he says. —AP

Blackened lives inPhilippine charcoal field

MANILA: This photo shows a boysorting out freshly-made charcoal atan unregulated charcoal factorylocally known as “Ulingan” in theslums of Manila.

H E A LT H & S C I E N C ETHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

MUMBAI: An overworked and overweight Indian ele-phant called Bijlee is fighting for her life in Mumbaiafter collapsing in the street, sparking anguishamong animal activists and Bollywood stars. Bijlee,aged 58 and weighing five tons, was found lying inpain in a northeastern suburb last week after decadesof alleged overwork and neglect. Local reports saidshe was used by her owners to beg on the streets andentertain at weddings without a break for more than50 years. On Tuesday, elephant specialist K.K. Sharmawas flown in from northeastern India to treat Bijlee,and who now has helpers caring for her around theclock and a crane to help her stand up.

“Everybody shows their concerns but unfortu-nately the prospects are very bad,” Sharma told AFP.He said Bijlee, whose name means “lightning” inHindi, is 1.5 tons overweight and suffering degenera-tive joint disease, but even a strict diet many not helpmuch. Vets say Bijlee’s owners have been feeding herjunk food for years, including popular Indian snackssuch as the “vada pav”, a spicy potato pattie. Indianelephants’ usually live off grass and tree bark. “Thedamage has been done already. We’re trying to con-trol the pain and supplement the vitamin deficiency,give fluid and strengthen her nerves and muscles.”

On Tuesday, the #savebijlee hashtag began trend-ing on Twitter and she appeared on the the frontpage of Wednesday’s Mumbai Mirror. Bollywood’sveteran superstar Amitabh Bachchan is among thosemoved by her plight, posting pictures and appealingfor help on his blog. “A compassionate appeal to allanimal lovers,” he wrote on Twitter, asking them tosupport the “Animals Matter To Me” charity that is car-ing for Bijlee. Elephants are a common sight on thestreets of many Indian cities although their move-ments are officially restricted in Mumbai, the coun-try’s largest city. —AFP

Mumbai fights for ailing elephant’s life

MUMBAI: An Indian vet give medical assistance to Bijlee, an elephant aged 58 and weighing five tones, lying insidethe temporary shelter in Mumbai yesterday. —AFP

EU fines Denmark’s Lundbeck 94m euros

in generic drugs caseBRUSSELS: The EU executive yesterdayimposed a fine of 93.8 million euros on Danishpharma firm Lundbeck for colluding withgenerics producers a decade ago to delay thesale of a cheap version of a popular anti-depressant. The generics producers were alsofined 52.2 million euros for breachingantitrust rules by agreeing in 2002 to delaythe sale of generic versions of Lundbeck’sbranded citalopram, a widely selling antide-pressant. “It is unacceptable that a companypays off its competitors to stay out of its mar-ket and delay the entry of cheaper medicines,”said Joaquin Almunia, the EU’s CompetitionCommissioner.

“Agreements of this type directly harmpatients and national health systems, whichare already under tight budgetary constraints.The Commission will not tolerate such anti-competitive practices”. The generics firmsinvolved include notably Alpharma (now partof Zoetis), Merck KGaA/Generics UK (GenericsUK is now part of Mylan), Arrow (now part ofActavis), and Ranbaxy. Citalopram, a block-buster antidepressant, was Lundbeck’s best-selling product at the time. —AFP

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W H AT ’ S ONTHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Announcement

Issue of online visa by Indian embassy

Foreigners requiring visas for India need toapply it online from 16th June 2013. Applicantsmay log on to the Public portal at www.indian-

visaonline.gov.in. After successful online submis-sion, the hard copy, so generated, has to be signedby the applicant and submitted with supportingdocuments in accordance with the type of visa alongwith the applicable fee in cash at any of the two out-source centres at Sharq or Fahaheel. It is essentialthat applicants fill in their personal details as exactlyavailable in their passports. Mismatch of any of thepersonal details would lead to non-acceptance ofthe application. Fees once paid are non-refundable.All children would have to obtain separate visa ontheir respective passports.

Indian Embassy sets up helpline

The Indian Embassy in Kuwait has set uphelpline in order to assist Indian expatriates inregistering any complaint regarding the gov-

ernment’s ongoing campaign to stamp out illegalresidents from the country. The embassy said inpress release yesterday that it amended its previousstatement and stated if there is any complaint, thesame could be conveyed at the following (as amend-ed): Operations Department, Ministry of Interior,Kuwait. Fax: 22435580, Tel: 24768146/25200334. Itsaid the embassy has been in regular contact withlocal authorities regarding the ongoing checking ofexpatriates. The embassy has also conveyed to themthe concerns, fears and apprehensions of the com-munity in this regard. The authorities in Kuwait haveconveyed that strict instructions have been issued toensure that there is no harassment or impropertreatment of expatriates by those undertakingchecking. “The embassy would like to request Indianexpatriates to ensure that they abide by all locallaws, rules and regulations regarding residency, traf-fic and other matters,” the release read. It would beprudent to always carry the Civil ID and other rele-vant documents such as driving license, etc. In casean Indian expatriate encounters any improper treat-ment during checking, it may be conveyed immedi-ately with full details and contact particulars to theembassy at the following phone number 67623639.These contact details are exclusively for the above-mentioned purpose only.

IMAX film program

Thursday:** 9:30am Showtime Available for GroupsFlight of Butterflies 3D  10:30am, 5:30pm,8:30pmBorn to be Wild 3D 11:30am Tornado Alley 3D 12:30pm, 7:30pm, 9:30pmTo The Arctic 3D 6:30pm

Friday: Fires of Kuwait 2:30pmTornado Alley 3D 3:30pm, 5:30pm, 8:30pmTo The Arctic 3D 4:30pm, 7:30pmFlight of Butterflies 3D 6:30pmBorn to be Wild 3D 9:30pm

Saturday:** 9:30am Showtime Available for Groups Flight of Butterflies 3D 10:30am, 1:30pm, 8:30pmTornado Alley 3D 11:30am, 2:30pm, 5:30pm,7:30pm, 9:30pmTo The Arctic 3D  12:30pm, 6:30pmBorn to be Wild 3D 3:30pmJourney to Mecca 4:30pm

Notes:All films are in Arabic. For English, headsets areavailable upon request. “Fires of Kuwait” is in English. Arabic headsets areavailable upon request.Film schedule is subject to changes withoutnotice.

IMAX

“My message to you today is a simple one. Havea plan for your life, but be alert to new oppor-tunities as they arise and be open to altering

your path. And then, most importantly, be mindful thatyour successes are seldom, if ever, solely your own. Beaware of the role that others play in your success, andthank them. And, be sure to call your parents,” said theAmerican University of Kuwait (AUK)Interim President andProvost, Dr Nizar Hamzeh in the AUK 2013Commencement Ceremony held on June 13th at theKuwait International Fairgrounds (KIF).

The ceremony, which celebrated the graduation of350students,was attended by the AUK Chair of the Boardof Trustees Shaikha Dana N Al-Sabah, board members, par-ents and families, and numerous dignitaries and diplomats.The keynote address of the commencement was deliveredby Dr Dale F Eickelman, Ralph & Richard Lazarus Professorof Anthropology & Human Relations, Chair of theDepartment of Anthropology at Dartmouth College, andDartmouth-AUK Program Relationship Coordinator.

After the Kuwait national anthem and a recitation of theHoly Quran, the event commenced with the student pro-cessional, long awaited by the parents and families. Led bythe AUK President’s party, deans, and faculty members, thegraduating class marched through the central aisleof thehall in a ceremonial atmosphere marking the official startof the event.

Delivering his opening speech to hundreds of students,parents, and guests, Interim President Hamzeh urged the

graduating class to use their education wisely, believe inthe future, and pay gratitude to those who contributed totheir success. “As you walk the stage out into the world, Ihope you will carry forward the spirit of AUK and the liberalarts education you have received. The future is now in yourhands,” Said Dr. Hamzeh “For our faculty and staff, this is aday of accomplishment, of knowing you have mentoredtomorrow’s leaders. And we thank you for your hard workand dedication.”

The keynote speaker, Dr Eickelman, was next invited tothe podium, where he spoke to the graduating class aboutthe value of liberal arts education, referring to the histori-cal background of the liberal arts philosophy that con-tributed to America’s “unprecedented growth and expan-sion” in the early 20th century. “In a like manner to the US,Kuwait entered a period of massive and rapid growth-including in education-since the mid-20th century.Training in the liberal arts and critical thinking, analyzingthe unexpected and assessing alternative solutions, offersa critical edge in thinking and acting in both local andglobal environments,” said Dr Dr Eickelman.

Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Carol Ross-Scottthen introduced the Class of 2013 Valedictorians, Huda Al-Rashid and Nada El-Badry who have earned a cumulativegrade point average of 4.0 Summa Cum Laude (with thegreatest honor). On behalf of the valedictorians and theClass of 2013, Al-Rashid delivered a speech calling on herfellow graduates to be “altruistically compassionate,” to“treasure the gift of knowledge,” and to use it “for passion-

ate innovation and enthusiastic development.”The event proceeded with the main highlight of the cer-

emony, where the graduates walked on stage to receivetheir degrees, greeted with cheers and applause of familiesand friends. Interim Dean of the College of Arts andSciences Dr Rawda Awwad recommended the conferral ofdegrees for the graduates of the College of Arts & Sciences,while Dean of the College of Business and Economics, DrDoug Munro recommended the conferral of degrees forthe graduates of the College of Business and Economy, toInterim President Hamzeh, who then conferred upon the350 graduates their respective degrees. Graduates werethen awarded their bachelor’s degree diplomas by DrHamzeh, Dr Doug Munro and Dr Rawda Awwad.

In keeping with the academic tradition, the graduateswere then asked to move their tassels from right to left,thereby marking their official graduation from AUK. As theceremony drew to a close, the graduating class celebratedthe traditional cutting of the Class of 2013 cake, and tookphotos with their families and friends.

The AUK 2013Commencement coincides with impor-tant milestones in the history of AUK as it overlaps with the10th Anniversary of AUK and the renewal of theMemorandum of Understanding between AUK andDartmouth College, the USA affiliate of AUK. Building onits academic excellence and leadership, the AmericanUniversity of Kuwait has introduced academic expansionplans for the year 2013-2014, including the initiation of anacademic degree in Electronic Engineering.

AUK graduates a new class

Information

Embassy

EMBASSY OF AUSTRALIAThe Australian Embassy Kuwait does nothave a visa or immigration department. Allprocessing of visas and immigration mattersin conducted by The Australian Consulate-Generalin Dubai. Email: info.ausdxb@vfshelpline.com (VFS)immigration.dubai@dfat.gov.au (Visa Office); Tel:+971 4 355 1958 (VFS) - +971 4 508 7200 (VisaOffice); Fax: +971 4 355 0708 (Visa Office). In Kuwaitapplications can be lodged at the Australian VisaApplication Centre 4B 1st Floor, Al-BanwanBuilding Al-Qibla Area, Ali Al-Salem Street, oppositethe Central Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait.Working hours and days: 09:30 - 17:30; Sunday -Thursday. Or visit their website www.vfs-au-gcc-com for more information. Kuwait citizens canapply for tourist visas on-line atwww.immi.gov.au/e visa/e676.htm.

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EMBASSY OF CANADAThe Embassy of Canada in Kuwait doesnot have a visa or immigration depart-ment. All processing of visa and immigra-tion matters including enquiries is conducted bythe Canadian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE.Individuals who are interested in working,studying, visiting or immigrating to Canadashould contact the Canadian Embassy in AbuDhabi, website: www.UAE.gc.ca or www.going-tocanada.gc.ca, E-mail: abdbi-im-enquiry@inter-national.gc.ca. The Embassy of Canada is locatedat Villa 24, Al-Mutawakei St, Block 4 in Da’aiyah.Please visit our website at www.Kuwait.gc.ca.The Embassy of Canada is open from 07:30 to15:30 Sunday through Thursday. The reception isopen from 07:30 to 12:30. Consular services forCanadian citizens are provided from 09:00 until12:00, Sunday through Wednesday.

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EMBASSY OF US Parents of Kuwaiti citizen children maydrop off their sons’ and daughters’ visaapplications - completely free of aninterview or a trip inside the Embassy. The chil-dren must be under 14 years of age, and addi-tional requirements do apply, but the servicemeans parents will no longer have to scheduleindividual appointments for their children, norcome inside the Embassy (unless they areapplying for themselves). The service is onlyavailable for children holding Kuwaiti pass-ports. To take advantage, parents must drop offthe following documents: Child Visa Drop-offcover sheet, available on the Embassy website(http://kuwait.usembassy.gov/child_visas.htm)- Child’s passport; The Child’s previous pass-port, if it contains a valid US visa; 5x5cm photoof child with eyes open (if uploaded into DS-160, photos must be a .jpg between 600x600and 1200x1200 pixels, less than 240kb, andcannot be digitally altered); A completed DS-160 form; Visa Fee Receipt from Burgan Bank; Acopy of the valid visa of at least one parent. Ifone parent will not travel, provide a visa copyfor the traveling parent, and a passport copyfrom the non-traveling parent with a letterstating no objection to the child’s travel. - Forchildren of students (F2): a copy of the child’s I-20.

Children born in the US (with very fewexceptions) are US citizens and would not beeligible for a visa. Parents may drop off theapplication packet at Window 2 at the Embassyfrom 1:00 to 3:00 PM, Monday to Wednesday,excluding holidays. More information is avail-able on the U.S. Embassy website:kuwait.usembassy.gov/child_visas.html

EMBASSY GREECE The Embassy of Greece in Kuwait has thepleasure to announce that visa applica-tions must be submitted to Schengen VisaApplication Centre (VFS office) located at 12thfloor, Al-Naser Tower, Fahad Al-Salem Street, Al-Qibla area, Kuwait City, (Parking at Souk Watia). Forinformation please call 22281046 from 08:30 to17:00 (Sunday to Thursday). Working hours:Submission from 08:30 to 15:30. Passport collec-tion from 16:00 to 17:00. For visa applicationsplease visit the following websitewww.mfa.gr/kuwait.

W H AT ’ S ONTHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

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EMBASSY OF VATICANThe Apostolic Nunciature Embassy ofthe Holy See, Vatican in Kuwait hasmoved to a new location in Kuwait City.Please find below the new address: Yarmouk,Block 1, Street 2, Villa No: 1. P.O.Box 29724,Safat 13158, Kuwait. Tel: 965 25337767, Fax:965 25342066. Email:nuntiuskuwait@gmail.com

In an effort to strengthen the relation-ship with the youth, Yusuf A AlghanimAutomotive sponsored the Kuwaiti

Camaro Club’s ‘Best Looking Camaro’ con-test on Thursday (13, June 2013) at theHistorical, Vintage & Classic Cars Museumin Shuwaikh. The Kuwaiti Camaro Club dis-played a range of Camaros at the contestwhere the audience voted on the ‘BestLooking Camaro’ (based on design andadded accessories) in each of the follow-ing categories:• 1st generation Camaro (1966-1969)• 4th generation Camaro (1993-2002)• 5th generation Camaro RS (2010- pres-ent)• 5th generation Camaro SS (2010- pres-ent)• Modified Camaro

Yusuf A Alghanim Automotive awardedthe 5 wining Camaro owners in each cate-gory with certificates and vouchers fromAlghanim Automotive Service Center. Theevent attracted many Camaro and sportscar enthusiasts in Kuwait who were excit-ed to be part of this fun and thrilling con-test.

The contest created a great platformYusuf A. Alghanim Automotive to present

the new 2013 Camaro ZL1 to the youthmarket and true Camaro fans acrossKuwait.

Apart from having a long and rich his-tory, the Chevrolet Camaro has been theultimate drive that won over the hearts ofthrill-seeking youth ever since it was intro-duced back in 2010. The Chevrolet Camarois equipped with three engines: a V8, 6.2-liter engine that has a massive 426 hp,, aV6, 3.6-liter engine with an impressive 323hp. And the latest addition is the 580-horsepower Camaro ZL1 which is thefastest Camaro ever built. The ZL1 isequipped with a 6.2L supercharged V8engine and 556 lb.-ft. of torque, thisCamaro goes beyond raw power. TheCamaro ZL1 performance and precision issupported with a Magnetic Ride Control,world-class braking and 4-wheel inde-pendent suspension. The Camaro ZL1 isthe kind of vehicle that engineers dreamof designing and speed lovers crave todrive.

Apart from providing the youth withtheir dream car, Alghanim Automotivegoes beyond a driver’s experience on theroad with its quality maintenance optionsand competitive prices on spare parts, all

of that is provided by a team of profes-sional and skilled team members andtechnicians. An element that furtherenhances customers’ peace of mind isAlghanim Automotive’s service center thatis distinguished by its continuous and suc-cessful efforts in providing the highestquality of services that have set an interna-

tional standard. The largest in the world,the service center is equipped with a largevariety of the most advanced equipmentoperated by a team of skilled professionalsand effective consultants who ensuretimely service.

Yusuf A Alghanim Automotive sponsors Kuwaiti Camaro Club contest

As the world becomes more con-scious about health and the envi-ronment, making the right choic-

es has become a priority for most. Inresponse, our culinary team atMovenpick Hotel Kuwait has combinedall that’s good about going green,healthy and sustainable in one deliciousprogram “Go Healthy”.

At MovenpickHotel Kuwait, we usethe finest selection of seasonal fruits,fresh-cut vegetables, and superb kinds ofsea-fruits from the Arabian Gulf in addi-

tion to dairies delivered from trustworthyprivate farms, all to provide splendidhealthy meals and support the sustain-ability of the local market. From the chefspecial Caesar salad and the PepperCrusted Salmon Steaks to the AromaticRice Pudding with Pistachio, all are defi-nite must tries.

“Go healthy” dishes are available sev-en days a week during the operatinghours at Bays restaurant for lunch anddinner.

Movenpick Hotel Kuwait celebrates the Go Healthy Menu

KKMA to hold DDA training, awareness program Friday

Kuwait Kerala Muslim Association (KKMA), aleading social welfare organization of Indiannationals in Kuwait, will conduct a

Defensive Driving Awareness (DDA) Training andAwareness Program on Friday, ( June 21, 2013) atIndian Community School, Salmiya (Senior).

Addressing a press conference, KKMA office-bearers, said the program would be held as part ofKKMA’s skill development programs for its mem-bers and well wishers. “It is a community outreachprogram by KKMA organized in association withAmerican Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) -Kuwait Chapter to provide local drivers sensibleadvice for choosing safe, responsible, and lawfuldriving behaviors and habits.”

The program will be conducted in two parts. Adefensive driving awareness training programheld earlier in the afternoon will be attended bynearly 200 expatriate drivers working at local com-panies and households who already have regis-tered for the program. The organization will con-tinue organizing similar free of cost program in

coming days.The second part of the program is a Public

Awareness Seminar on Defensive Driving, Causesand Costs. The event will begin at 7 pm in whichIndian ambassador Satish C Mehta, Major AbdulFattah Al Ali, Assistant Undersecretary for TrafficAffairs of Kuwait along with subject experts willparticipate.

KKMA chairman Sageer Trikarpur, Vice chair-men Akbar Siddique and NA Muneer, PresidentAbdul Fathah Thayyil, general secretary K Basheer,treasurer Sayed Rafeeque, working presidentsIbrahim Kunnil, A P Abdul Salam and Iqbal B Mand organizing secretary Hamza Payyanur, adminsecretary KC Rafeeque and vice president for skilldevelopment SM Basheer attended the pressmeet.

American Society of Safety Engineers - KuwaitChapter is a non-profit organization of profession-als committed to the advancement of Health,Safety and Environment (HSE) practices amongthe Industrial sectors and social groups in Kuwait.

T V PR O G R A M STHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

ONDINE ON OSN MOVIES HD

WANDERLUST ON OSN CINEMA

14:35 Border Security15:05 Auction Hunters15:30 Auction Kings16:00 Fast N’ Loud16:55 Yukon Men: Last Chance17:50 Mythbusters18:45 Sons Of Guns19:40 Industrial Junkie20:05 How It’s Made20:35 Auction Hunters21:00 Storage Hunters21:30 Sons Of Guns22:25 Amish Mafia23:20 Hellriders00:15 Sons Of Guns01:10 Amish Mafia

14:50 Combat Countdown15:45 Clash Of The Dinosaurs16:40 Great Planes17:35 Mystery Cars18:00 Mystery Cars18:25 I Shouldn’t Be Alive19:20 American Car Prospector20:10 Living With The Kombai Tribe21:05 Why Ancient Egypt Fell22:00 American Car Prospector22:55 Legend Detectives23:50 Most Evil00:45 Mystery Cars01:10 Mystery Cars01:35 American Car Prospector

14:20 Food Factory14:45 Food Factory15:10 Thunder Races16:00 Nextworld16:55 Mega World17:45 Joao Magueijo’s Big Bang18:35 The Gadget Show19:00 The Tech Show19:30 Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger19:55 Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger20:20 Finding Bigfoot21:10 Food Factory21:35 Food Factory22:00 Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger22:25 Bigger, Better, Faster, Stronger22:50 The Science Of Fear And Lust23:40 Food Factory00:05 Food Factory00:30 How Do They Do It?

14:00 Storage Wars14:30 Storage Wars15:00 Storage Wars15:30 Storage Wars16:00 Storage Wars16:30 Storage Wars17:00 Storage Wars17:30 Storage Wars18:00 Storage Wars18:30 Storage Wars19:00 Ax Men20:00 Pawn Stars20:30 Storage Wars21:00 Ancient Aliens22:00 Counting Cars22:30 Counting Cars

14:00 C.S.I.15:00 Glee16:00 Emmerdale16:30 Coronation Street17:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show18:00 C.S.I.19:00 Switched At Birth20:00 Fairly Legal21:00 Suits22:00 The Hollow Crown23:00 Greek00:00 Glee01:00 The Hollow Crown02:00 Switched At Birth

03:00 Ben And Kate03:30 The Simpsons04:00 Seinfeld04:30 The Tonight Show With JayLeno05:30 Two And A Half Men06:00 All Of Us06:30 Til Death07:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon08:00 Seinfeld08:30 Two And A Half Men09:00 Ben And Kate09:30 Modern Family10:00 The Mindy Project10:30 Til Death11:00 The Tonight Show With JayLeno12:00 All Of Us12:30 Seinfeld13:00 Two And A Half Men13:30 Til Death14:00 The Simpsons14:30 The Mindy Project15:00 Modern Family15:30 The Daily Show With JonStewart16:00 The Colbert Report16:30 All Of Us17:00 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon18:00 New Girl18:30 Family Tools19:00 Community19:30 Parks And Recreation20:00 The Tonight Show With JayLeno21:00 The Daily Show With JonStewart21:30 The Colbert Report22:00 The League22:30 Entourage23:00 The Ricky Gervais Show23:30 Late Night With Jimmy Fallon00:30 The Daily Show With JonStewart01:00 The Colbert Report01:30 The League02:00 Entourage02:30 The Ricky Gervais Show

05:15 Brandy & Mr Whiskers05:35 Brandy & Mr Whiskers06:00 Prankstars06:25 Suite Life On Deck06:45 Shake It Up07:10 A.N.T Farm07:35 Jessie07:55 Good Luck Charlie08:20 Good Luck Charlie08:45 Doc McStuffins09:05 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse09:30 A.N.T Farm09:55 A.N.T Farm10:15 Jessie10:40 Jessie11:05 Good Luck Charlie11:25 Good Luck Charlie11:50 Good Luck Charlie12:15 Shake It Up12:35 Shake It Up13:00 Austin And Ally13:25 A.N.T. Farm13:45 Jessie14:10 Shake It Up14:35 Suite Life On Deck15:00 Gravity Falls15:25 Good Luck Charlie15:50 Jessie16:10 Shake It Up16:35 A.N.T. Farm17:00 Austin And Ally17:20 Gravity Falls17:45 Suite Life On Deck18:10 Good Luck Charlie18:30 That’s So Raven18:55 Austin And Ally19:20 Jessie19:40 Gravity Falls20:05 A.N.T. Farm20:30 Good Luck Charlie20:50 Suite Life On Deck21:15 Austin And Ally21:40 That’s So Raven22:00 Shake It Up22:25 A.N.T. Farm22:50 Austin And Ally

23:10 Wizards Of Waverly Place23:35 Wizards Of Waverly Place00:00 Hannah Montana00:20 Hannah Montana00:45 Brandy & Mr Whiskers01:05 Brandy & Mr Whiskers01:30 Emperor’s New School01:50 Emperor’s New School02:15 Replacements02:35 Replacements

14:30 Style Star15:00 Kourtney & Kim Take NewYork16:00 Kourtney & Kim Take NewYork17:00 Ice Loves Coco17:30 What Would Ryan Lochte Do?18:00 E! News19:00 THS20:00 Kourtney And Kim Take Miami21:00 Married To Jonas21:30 Fashion Police22:30 E! News23:30 Chelsea Lately00:00 Opening Act00:55 Style Star01:25 E!es

03:05 Coastal Kitchen03:30 Food Poker04:15 Bargain Hunt05:00 To Build Or Not To Build?05:25 To Build Or Not To Build?05:50 Cash In The Attic06:35 Coastal Kitchen07:00 Food Poker07:45 Planet Cake08:15 Phil Spencer - Secret Agent09:05 Bargain Hunt09:50 Antiques Roadshow10:40 Extreme Makeover: HomeEdition11:25 MasterChef Australia11:50 Food & Drink12:15 Come Dine With Me13:05 Planet Cake13:30 New Scandinavian CookingWith Claus Meyer13:55 Bargain Hunt14:40 Cash In The Attic15:25 Antiques Roadshow16:15 Extreme Makeover: HomeEdition17:00 Phil Spencer - Secret Agent17:55 The Good Cook18:25 The Roux Legacy19:00 Baking Mad With Eric Lanlard19:25 New Scandinavian CookingWith Claus Meyer19:50 Come Dine With Me20:35 Extreme Makeover: HomeEdition21:20 Antiques Roadshow22:15 Bargain Hunt23:00 Phil Spencer - Secret Agent23:55 Food Poker00:40 Come Dine With Me

03:00 Unique Sweets03:25 Food Wars03:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives04:15 Unique Eats04:40 Chopped05:30 Iron Chef America06:10 Food Network Challenge07:00 Guy’s Big Bite07:25 Guy’s Big Bite07:50 Andy Bates American StreetFeasts08:15 Unique Sweets08:40 United Tastes Of America09:05 Barefoot Contessa09:30 Food Network Challenge10:20 Extra Virgin10:45 Kid In A Candy Store11:10 Charly’s Cake Angels11:35 Unique Sweets12:00 Amazing Wedding Cakes12:50 Have Cake, Will Travel13:15 Barefoot Contessa - Back To

Basics13:40 Barefoot Contessa - Back ToBasics14:05 Food Wars14:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives14:55 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives15:20 Guy’s Big Bite15:45 Chopped16:35 Barefoot Contessa - Back ToBasics17:00 Barefoot Contessa - Back ToBasics17:25 Food Wars17:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives18:15 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives18:40 Charly’s Cake Angels19:05 Unique Sweets19:30 Amazing Wedding Cakes20:20 Chopped21:10 Chopped22:00 Food Network Challenge22:50 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives23:15 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives23:40 Food Wars00:05 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives00:30 Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives00:55 Unwrapped01:20 Unwrapped01:45 Food Network Challenge

03:00 The Muppets-PG04:45 The Way-PG1507:00 Flicka 3-FAM09:00 New Year’s Eve-PG1511:00 Sherlock Holmes: A Game OfShadows-PG1513:15 Outlaw Country-PG1515:00 Journey 2: The MysteriousIsland-PG17:00 New Year’s Eve-PG1519:00 Safe House-PG1521:00 Prometheus-PG1523:15 Cedar Rapids-1801:00 Ondine-PG15

07:00 The Winning Season-PG1509:00 John Carter-PG1511:15 This Means War-PG1513:00 A Dog Named Duke-PG1514:45 The Way-PG1517:00 Extremely Loud & IncrediblyClose-PG19:15 How I Spent My SummerVacation-PG1521:00 Powder Blue-1823:00 Wanderlust-R01:00 How I Spent My SummerVacation-PG15

00:00 Trans World Sport01:00 Futbol Mundial01:30 NRL Full Time02:00 ATP Tennis04:00 AFL Premiership Highlights05:00 European Tour Weekly05:30 Inside The PGA Tour06:00 Trans World Sport07:00 Super Rugby Highlights

00:00 NRL Full Time00:30 ICC Cricket 36001:00 European Senior TourHighlights02:00 Asian Tour Highlights03:00 Ladies European TourHighlights04:00 World Pool Masters05:00 World Cup Of Pool06:00 Trans World Sport07:00 Asian Tour Highlights08:00 Golfing World09:00 NRL Full Time09:30 ICC Cricket 36010:00 Asian Tour Golf Show10:30 Asian Tour Highlights11:30 Total Rugby12:00 World Pool Masters13:00 World Cup Of Pool14:00 Super League16:00 Trans World Sport17:00 International Rugby Union19:00 International Rugby Union21:00 Golfing World22:00 UK Open Darts

04:00 The Man Inside-PG1506:00 Iron Sky-PG1508:00 Mission To Mars-PG1510:00 X-Men: First Class-PG1512:15 True Justice: One Shot, OneLife-PG1514:00 Mission To Mars-PG1516:00 Superman vs. The Elite-PG1518:00 True Justice: One Shot, OneLife-PG1520:00 Saving Private Ryan-1823:00 Scream Of The Banshee-1801:00 Saving Private Ryan-18

08:00 Police Academy 4: Citizens OnPatrol-PG1510:00 Good Boy!-PG12:00 The Wish List-PG1514:00 Police Academy 5:Assignment Miami Beach-PG1516:00 Good Boy!-PG18:00 Turner & Hooch-PG1520:00 Detention-1822:00 Spread-R00:00 Venus And Vegas-PG1502:00 Detention-18

09:45 Cinderella PT 1-PG1511:30 Cinderella PT 2-PG1513:30 Page Eight-PG1515:15 I’ve Loved You So Long-PG1517:15 Dolphin Tale-PG19:15 The Terminal-PG1521:15 Mad Bastards-1823:00 7 Days In Havana-1801:15 Coriolanus-PG15

00:30 International Rugby League02:30 NRL Full Time03:00 IRB Junior WorldChampionship05:00 IRB Junior WorldChampionship07:00 Trans World Sport08:00 PGA European Tour Weekly08:30 Inside The PGA Tour09:00 International Rugby Union11:00 AFL Highlights12:00 NRL Full Time12:30 ATP Tennis14:30 Inside The PGA Tour15:00 PGA European Tour Weekly15:30 Live PGA European Tour19:30 AFL Highlights20:30 Futbol Mundial21:00 PGA European Tour Weekly21:30 Inside The PGA Tour

04:00 Flypaper-PG1506:00 Every Jack Has A Jill-PG1508:00 People Like Us-PG1510:00 A Thousand Words-PG1512:00 Flypaper-PG1514:00 Treasure Buddies-PG16:00 People Like Us-PG1518:00 The Makeover-PG1520:00 Seeking Justice-PG1522:00 Peacock-1800:00 Failure To Launch-PG1502:00 People Like Us-PG15

08:00 UK Open Darts12:00 IRB Junior Championship14:00 IRB Junior Championship16:00 Futbol Mundial16:30 NRL Full Time17:00 International Rugby Union19:00 WWE NXT20:00 ATP Tennis22:00 Trans World Sport

00:00 NHL02:00 Motor Sports 201302:30 Mass Participation03:00 Ping Pong World04:00 US Bass Fishing05:00 NHL07:00 WWE Smackdown09:00 Ping Pong World10:00 US Bass Fishing11:00 NHL13:00 WWE Vintage Collection14:00 WWE Bottom Line15:00 Motor Sports 201315:30 Motor Sports 201316:30 UIM Powerboat Champs17:30 UIM Powerboat Champs18:30 Mass Participation19:00 UFC The Ultimate Fighter20:00 UFC Prelims22:00 UFC

Hollywood’s gamble on a crowded summer movieseason chockablock with pricey tentpoles is pay-ing off, with the box office running 12.7 percent

ahead of last summer and on track to possibly break theall time summer record. That $4.4 billion record was setin 2011; last summer the box office dipped back downto $4.29 billion. If the box office continues on this torridpace, this summer will easily top last year.

Last month was the biggest ever at the box office,and June is tracking to be record-breaker, too, accordingto BoxOfficeMojo.com. “Man of Steel” debuted to $128million last weekend for the biggest June opening ever,and this weekend, with Disney’s “Monsters University”and Paramount’s “World War Z” opening and “Man ofSteel” returning, could be the year’s biggest so far.

Before the season began, studio executivesexpressed concerns that the summer schedule was toocrowded with pricey tentpoles. But those concerns haveso far proved unfounded: The booming box-office num-bers say moviegoers are welcoming the more-is-betterapproach. With a crowded end of summer looming, thequestion now is how many big movies can thrive in thepopcorn movie season. “If things keep going, it’s goingto be a record, and this will be how summers are goingto look for the next few years, with a ton of big-budgetfranchise movies,” Exhibitor Relations vice-president andsenior analyst Jeff Bock told The Wrap. “Moviegoers aretelling the studios what they want, and they’re going togive it to them.”

Indeed, Sony on Monday announced 2015 and 2016dates for the third and fourth Spider-Man movies onMonday. Disney had “Avengers 2” next year and has dat-ed Marvel projects in May on 2016 and 2017. It has alsoset dates for several major animation projects from itsown animation unit and Pixar, as has Fox with itsDreamWorks Animation and Blue Sky Studios projects.There are 20 movies with production budgets around$100 million or above this summer, compared to 14 lastyear. The rest of this summer’s box-office season is justas jammed as the front half.

The summer got off to a robust start with the $175million opening of Disney’s “Iron Man 3’ on the firstweekend in May. “Iron Man 3” remains the highest-grossing movie of the season - and year - with morethan $400 million domestically. That’s nearly double thetake of the summer’s No 2 and 3 movies, “Fast & Furious6” ($219 million) and Paramount’s “Star Trek IntoDarkness” ($211 million).

But this summer is a departure from last summer,when superhero movies “The Avengers,” “Dark KnightRises” and “The Amazing Spider-Man” went 1-2-3 andleft little room in market for other fare. There’s not just

more diversity in terms of subject matter this year,there’s more overall depth.

Last year at this time, four summer movies had hitthe $100 million mark at the domestic box office. Thisyear, six have done it already and a seventh will soon.Besides the top three, the biggest movies of the sum-mer so far are Warner Bros.’ “The Great Gatsby” ($140 mil-lion), “Man of Steel” ($128 million) and “The HangoverPart III” ($108 million). Fox’s animated kids film “Epic” isat $96 million.

“I think moviegoing can create more moviegoing,because people come back to work Monday and talkabout what they’ve seen and get other people excited,”Bock said, “and that ends up helping the overall market.”He said a weekend with two, or possibly three, newwide releases is idea in terms of fostering business.“When you get people talking and thinking aboutmovies, they take note of some films that they normallymight not. Both ‘The Purge’ and ‘Now You See Me,’ forexample, both benefited from being something differ-ent in the market.”

The box-office smashups that some feared due to thecrowded slates haven’t materialized, at least not yet.“Hangover III” underwhelmed domestically but Sony’s$130 million Will and Jaden Smith sci-fi adventure “AfterEarth” has been the season’s only real dud so far. But themarket can only expand so much, and the rest of sum-mer looks as if it will test those limits. August in particu-lar looks jammed, with 15 wide releases scheduled onthe last four weekends.

“They’ve gotten away with it so far,” Bock said,” but atsome point it’s just too many movies.” While this year isespecially crowded, studios typically jam their biggest-budget releases, particularly superhero and franchisemovies that skew young, into the summer when kids areout of school, the weather is good and there is a historyof successful launches. At some point, Bock said,Hollywood is going to have to look at releasing some ofthese big-budget franchise movies in April orSeptember. “They may not want to do it, and it would bea risk, but at some point things will get so crowded thatif you don’t expand the summer, you’ll be makingbombs,” he said. — Reuters

p32_Layout 1 6/19/2013 10:02 PM Page 1

ClassifiedsTHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

SHARQIA-1WORLD WAR Z (DIG) 1:30 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 3:45 PMLAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 6:15 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 8:15 PMLAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 10:45 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 12:45 AM

SHARQIA-2THE LEGEND OF SARILA (DIG-3D) 12:45 PMMONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG-3D) 2:30 PMMONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG-3D) 4:45 PMMAN OF STEEL (DIG-3D) 7:00 PMMAN OF STEEL (DIG-3D) 9:45 PMMAN OF STEEL (DIG-3D) 12:30 AM

SHARQIA-3TATTAH (DIG) 2:00 PMSCENARIO (DIG) 4:30 PMTATTAH (DIG) 7:15 PMSCENARIO (DIG) 9:30 PMTATTAH (DIG) 12:05 AM

MUHALAB-1MAN OF STEEL (DIG) 1:30 PMMAN OF STEEL (DIG) 4:15 PMSCENARIO (DIG) 7:00 PMMAN OF STEEL (DIG) 9:30 PM

MUHALAB-2WORLD WAR Z (DIG) 1:30 PMLAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 3:45 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 5:45 PMLAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 8:00 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 10:00 PM

MUHALAB-3MONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG-3D) 1:00 PMTHE LEGEND OF SARILA (DIG-3D) 3:30 PMMONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG-3D) 5:15 PMTATTAH (DIG) 7:30 PMTATTAH (DIG) 9:45 PM

FANAR-1WORLD WAR Z (DIG) 12:30 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 3:00 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 5:30 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 8:00 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 10:30 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 1:00 AM

FANAR-2MONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG) 1:00 PM

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG) 3:15 PMMONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG) 5:30 PMSCENARIO (DIG) 7:45 PMSCENARIO (DIG) 10:15 PMTATTAH (DIG) 12:45 AM

FANAR-3LAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 1:45 PMLAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 3:45 PMNOW YOU SEE ME (DIG) 5:45 PMLAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 8:00 PMLAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 10:00 PMLAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 12:05 AM

MARINA-1LAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 1:30 PMSCENARIO (DIG) 3:30 PMLAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 6:00 PMSCENARIO (DIG) 8:00 PMLAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 10:30 PMSCENARIO (DIG) 12:45 AM

MARINA-2WORLD WAR Z (DIG) 12:30 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 2:45 PMMAN OF STEEL (DIG) 5:00 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 7:45 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 10:00 PMMAN OF STEEL (DIG) 12:15 AMNO SUN+ TUE+WED

MARINA-3THE LEGEND OF SARILA (DIG-3D) 1:30 PMMONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG-3D) 1:15 PMTHE LEGEND OF SARILA (DIG-3D) 3:30 PMMONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG-3D) 5:15 PMTATTAH (DIG) 7:30 PMTATTAH (DIG) 9:45 PMTATTAH (DIG) 12:15 AM

AVENUES-1LAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 1:15 PMLAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 3:15 PMLAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 5:15 PMLAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 7:15 PMLAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 9:15 PMLAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 11:15 PMLAY THE FAVORITE (DIG) 1:15 AM

AVENUES-2SCENARIO (DIG) 2:15 PMSCENARIO (DIG) 4:45 PMSCENARIO (DIG) 7:15 PM

SCENARIO (DIG) 9:45 PMSCENARIO (DIG) 12:15 AM

AVENUES-3WORLD WAR Z (DIG-3D) 1:45 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 4:15 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG-3D) 6:45 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 9:15 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 11:45 PM

360º- 1WORLD WAR Z (DIG) 12:30 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 3:00 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 5:30 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 8:00 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 10:30 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG) 1:00 AM

360º- 2SCENARIO (DIG) 1:15 PMSCENARIO (DIG) 3:45 PMSCENARIO (DIG) 6:15 PMSCENARIO (DIG) 8:45 PMSCENARIO (DIG) 11:15 PM

360º- 3THE LEGEND OF SARILA (DIG-3D) 1:00 PMTHE LEGEND OF SARILA (DIG-3D) 3:00 PMTHE LEGEND OF SARILA (DIG-3D) 5:00 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG-3D) 7:00 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG-3D) 9:30 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG-3D) 12:05 AM

AL-KOUT.1MONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG-3D) 1:15 PMMONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG-3D) 3:30 PMMONSTERS UNIVERSITY (DIG-3D) 5:45 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG-3D) 8:00 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG-3D) 10:15 PMWORLD WAR Z (DIG-3D) 12:45 AM

AL-KOUT.2TATTAH (DIG) 12:45 PMTATTAH (DIG) 3:00 PMTATTAH (DIG) 5:15 PMSCENARIO (DIG) 7:30 PMTATTAH (DIG) 10:00 PMTATTAH (DIG) 12:30 AM

AL-KOUT.3MAN OF STEEL (DIG) 1:00 PMMAN OF STEEL (DIG) 3:45 PMMAN OF STEEL (DIG) 6:30 PM

KuwaitKNCC PROGRAMME FROM THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY

(20/06/2013 TO 26/06/2013)

MATRIMONIAL

Fajr: 03:13

Shorook 04:48

Duhr: 11:49

Asr: 15:23

Maghrib: 18:50

Isha: 20:23

Prayer timings

No: 15845

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Home Page (www.kuwait-airport.com.kw)

DIAL 161 FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION

Arrival Flights on Thursday 20/6/2013Airlines Flt Route TimeBBC 43 DHAKA 00:05QTR 148 DOHA 00:05RJA 644 AMMAN 00:30SAI 441 LAHORE 01:30JZR 539 CAIRO 00:40JZR 267 BEIRUT 00:20THY 764 SABIHA 01:40ETH 620 ADDIS ABABA 01:45GFA 211 BAHRAIN 01:55UAE 853 DUBAI 02:25ETD 305 ABU DHABI 02:30THY 768 ISTANBUL 02:50FDB 67 DUBAI 03:10RJA 642 AMMAN 03:10RBG 555 ALEXANDRIA 03:15MSR 612 CAIRO 03:15QTR 138 DOHA 03:30THY 770 ISTANBUL 04:35DHX 170 BAHRAIN 05:10FDB 69 DUBAI 05:50BAW 157 LONDON 06:30JZR 1541 CAIRO 06:25JZR 555 ALEXANDRIA 06:20JZR 529 ASSIUT 06:40KAC 412 MANILA 06:15KAC 206 ISLAMABAD 07:25FDB 53 DUBAI 07:45UAE 855 DUBAI 08:25IRA 605 ISFAHAN 08:40IZG 4161 MASHAD 08:45ABY 125 SHARJAH 08:50QTR 132 DOHA 09:00IRA 617 AHWAZ 09:10FDB 55 DUBAI 09:15ETD 301 ABU DHABI 09:30SYR 341 DAMASCUS 10:10GFA 213 BAHRAIN 10:40MEA 404 BEIRUT 10:55MSC 403 ASSIUT 12:40UAE 871 DUBAI 12:45MSR 610 CAIRO 13:00THY 766 ISTANBUL 13:10KAC 362 COLOMBO 08:45KAC 332 TRIVANDRUM 07:55JZR 561 SOHAG 12:20JZR 165 DUBAI 11:35JZR 241 AMMAN 12:35JZR 503 LUXOR 07:40UAE 4987 DUBAI 10:35KAC 382 DELHI 07:30KAC 302 MUMBAI 07:50KAC 284 DHAKA 08:15KAC 352 COCHIN 08:05KNE 480 TAIF 13:20QTR 140 DOHA 13:45FDB 57 DUBAI 13:50ABY 121 SHARJAH 14:25SVA 500 JEDDAH 14:30KNE 472 JEDDAH 14:35OMA 645 MUSCAT 14:40KNE 470 JEDDAH 15:05NIA 251 ALEXANDRIA 15:50RJA 640 AMMAN 15:55QTR 134 DOHA 16:15

ETD 303 ABU DHABI 16:35UAE 857 DUBAI 16:55ABY 127 SHARJAH 17:10UAL 982 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 17:15GFA 215 BAHRAIN 17:20SVA 510 RIYADH 17:20TAR 327 TUNIS 18:00QTR 144 DOHA 18:25FDB 63 DUBAI 18:55GFA 219 BAHRAIN 19:05AXB 393 KOZHIKODE 19:15JAI 572 MUMBAI 19:35KAC 672 DUBAI 13:40KAC 774 RIYADH 19:25KAC 542 CAIRO 18:15KAC 674 DUBAI 19:25KAC 614 BAHRAIN 19:35KAC 502 BEIRUT 18:50KAC 118 NEW YORK 16:00KAC 618 DOHA 19:10JZR 787 RIYADH 16:15JZR 177 DUBAI 17:30JZR 777 JEDDAH 17:50JZR 535 CAIRO 16:10JZR 125 BAHRAIN 16:25JZR 257 BEIRUT 14:30JZR 269 BEIRUT 19:15RBG 553 ALEXANDRIA 19:40OMA 647 MUSCAT 20:00FDB 61 DUBAI 20:00ABY 129 SHARJAH 20:05RBG 557 ALEXANDRIA 18:20KAC 546 ALEXANDRIA 14:15KAC 786 JEDDAH 18:30KAC 788 JEDDAH 15:00KAC 104 LONDON 18:45KAC 562 AMMAN 14:40KAC 176 GENEVA 17:45JZR 239 AMMAN 22:30JZR 185 DUBAI 22:40JZR 135 BAHRAIN 23:00JZR 513 SHARM EL SHEIKH 23:20JZR 189 DUBAI 20:10MEA 402 BEIRUT 20:15AFG 415 KABUL 20:20MSC 405 SOHAG 20:25MSR 618 ALEXANDRIA 20:30KNE 474 JEDDAH 20:50MSC 401 ALEXANDRIA 21:00ALK 229 COLOMBO 21:10UAE 859 DUBAI 21:15ETD 307 ABU DHABI 21:30QTR 136 DOHA 21:35GFA 217 BAHRAIN 21:45QTR 146 DOHA 22:00JAI 576 COCHIN 22:05THY 6512 ISTANBUL 22:20FDB 59 DUBAI 22:20AIC 981 CHENNAI 22:25UAL 981 BAHRAIN 22:40DLH 636 FRANKFURT 23:10JAI 574 MUMBAI 23:20MSR 614 CAIRO 23:30KLM 411 AMSTERDAM 23:40THY 772 ISTANBUL 23:45FDB 8053 DUBAI 21:30

Departure Flights on Thursday 20/6/2013Airlines Flt Route TimeAIC 976 GOA/CHENNAI 00:05AXB 490 MANGALORE 00:15JAI 573 MUMBAI 00:20UAL 981 WASHINGTON DC DULLES 00:25DLH 637 FRANKFURT 00:30MSR 615 CAIRO 00:30BBC 44 DHAKA 01:30JZR 502 LUXOR 01:30THY 773 ISTANBUL 02:20SAI 442 LAHORE 02:30THY 765 ISTANBUL 02:40ETH 621 ADDIS ABABA 02:45RJA 645 AMMAN 03:05THY 769 ISTANBUL 03:40UAE 854 DUBAI 03:45FDB 68 DUBAI 03:50RBG 556 ALEXANDRIA 03:55MSR 613 CAIRO 04:15ETD 306 ABU DHABI 04:20QTR 139 DOHA 04:25QTR 149 DOHA 05:15JZR 560 SOHAG 05:55FDB 70 DUBAI 06:30RJA 643 AMMAN 06:35GFA 212 BAHRAIN 07:00THY 771 ISTANBUL 07:10JZR 240 AMMAN 07:10KAC 545 ALEXANDRIA 07:20JZR 164 DUBAI 07:25BAW 156 LONDON 08:25FDB 54 DUBAI 08:25JZR 256 BEIRUT 08:50JZR 534 CAIRO 09:10KAC 561 AMMAN 09:25KAC 671 DUBAI 09:25ABY 126 SHARJAH 09:30KAC 787 JEDDAH 09:35IRA 606 MASHHAD 09:40IZG 4162 MASHHAD 09:45UAE 856 DUBAI 09:50FDB 56 DUBAI 09:55QTR 133 DOHA 10:00IRA 616 AHWAZ 10:10ETD 302 ABU DHABI 10:15KAC 101 LONDON 10:25SYR 342 DAMASCUS 11:10KAC 501 BEIRUT 11:10UAE 4987 BEIRUT 11:20GFA 214 BAHRAIN 11:25KAC 541 CAIRO 11:30KAC 165 ROME 11:45MEA 405 BEIRUT 11:55JZR 776 JEDDAH 12:25JZR 786 RIYADH 12:50KAC 785 JEDDAH 13:00JZR 176 DUBAI 13:20JZR 124 BAHRAIN 13:30JZR 268 BEIRUT 13:35MSC 406 SOHAG 13:40MSR 611 CAIRO 14:00THY 767 ISTANBUL 14:10KNE 481 TAIF 14:10UAE 872 DUBAI 14:15FDB 58 DUBAI 14:30

QTR 141 DOHA 14:55ABY 122 SHARJAH 15:05KAC 673 DUBAI 15:05KNE 473 JEDDAH 15:30OMA 646 MUSCAT 15:40KAC 617 DOHA 15:45KAC 773 RIYADH 16:00JZR 188 DUBAI 16:00KNE 471 JEDDAH 16:00SVA 505 JEDDAH 16:00KAC 613 BAHRAIN 16:35NIA 252 ALEXANDRIA 16:50RJA 641 AMMAN 16:55JZR 238 AMMAN 17:05JZR 512 SHARM EL SHEIKH 17:15QTR 135 DOHA 17:20ETD 304 ABU DHABI 17:20JZR 538 CAIRO 17:40ABY 128 SHARJAH 17:50UAE 858 DUBAI 18:15GFA 216 BAHRAIN 18:20SVA 511 RIYADH 18:20JZR 184 DUBAI 18:30UAL 982 BAHRAIN 18:30JZR 266 BEIRUT 18:40TAR 328 TUNIS 18:50RBG 558 ALEXANDRIA 19:00QTR 145 DOHA 19:25FDB 64 DUBAI 19:35GFA 220 BAHRAIN 19:50JZR 134 BAHRAIN 20:05AXB 394 KOZHIKODE 20:15KAC 283 DHAKA 20:15RBG 554 ALEXANDRIA 20:20JAI 571 MUMBAI 20:35FDB 62 DUBAI 20:40ABY 120 SHARJAH 20:45KAC 331 TRIVANDRUM 20:50KAC 343 CHENNAI 20:55OMA 648 MUSCAT 20:55KAC 351 KOCHI 21:05MEA 403 BEIRUT 21:15AFG 415 JEDDAH 21:20MSC 404 ASSIUT 21:25MSR 619 ALEXANDRIA 21:30KAC 543 CAIRO 21:30KNE 475 JEDDAH 21:45DHX 171 BAHRAIN 21:50MSC 402 ALEXANDRIA 22:00FDB 8054 DUBAI 22:10ETD 308 ABU DHABI 22:15ALK 230 COLOMBO 22:20UAE 860 DUBAI 22:25QTR 137 DOHA 22:35KAC 301 MUMBAI 22:40GFA 218 BAHRAIN 22:45FDB 60 DUBAI 23:00KAC 205 ISLAMABAD 23:00QTR 147 DOHA 23:05JAI 575 ABU DHABI 23:05JZR 554 ALEXANDRIA 23:20JZR 1540 CAIRO 23:25KAC 411 BANGKOK 23:40KAC 415 KUALA LUMPUR 23:50JZR 528 ASSIUT 23:55

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(C 4441)12-6-2013

CHANGE OF NAME

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18-6-2013

I, Kamasani Damodaramholder of Indian passportNo. E6147415 issued atHyderabad on 26-08-2003, Iwish to change my nameKamasani Damodar Reddy.

(C 4443)15-6-2013

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

ARIESThese next years are ones in which you should plan to work hard to bring

out and give shape to the ideas you have had recently. You are beginning to really moveforward now and can expect rewards. There is an increase in self-confidence. A growingsense of direction and self-worth will find you reaching out and establishing yourself.You have plenty of enthusiasm and warm up to things and people quickly. You have aninner self-confidence that is obvious but very positive and contagious. Lovers, childrenand other people or things dear to your heart are emphasized this evening. Eat foodshigh in fiber to avoid water retention and a clogged body. This also brings to mind that

it would be good to exercise in some forward-moving activity.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

STAR TRACK

Work, school or just life in general is a bit more relaxed today. You are gre-garious, even to the point of bringing out the performer in others. You somehow alwaysmanage to find a creative environment or the creative in any environment. You are greatwith kids and big on animals, sports and the out-of-doors. You are an instant umbrellaof warmth, friendship and self-expression. This afternoon will present opportunities forgroup sports. Your friends, partners and relationships mean a lot to you. They are a pri-mary source of strength and you always look to them for support and encouragement.You are indeed a social being and will happily weave this fact into your lifestyle. A vari-ety of entertainment choices will be tempting you.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

You feel like being different, trying something new and unusual. This is aperfect time for new ideas, a breakthrough in thinking, a novel approach.

You have the mind of a lawyer, always able to size up a problem and come up with asolution. However, do not go against tradition or become too independent for groupapproval. You could become carried away and make mistakes you might regret. Usingyour mind to negotiate obstacles is a great talent. You have an innate ability to guide andlead others through the hurdles and hassles of life. You could be very much in demand asa counselor just now. Your problem-solving abilities are excellent and your best results

now will come from a slow and patient attitude. Group involvement is positive.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Marriage and other close relationships give rise to great expectations. This is atime to enjoy and appreciate your ties to others and to seek and promote har-

mony in the interaction between people. You are happy in most settings and can do withoutthe extras in life that others seem to think are necessities. You enjoy making do with thebasics. Your love of simplicity is good for politics too. It brings out the truth and a sense ofhonesty in a group. Religion, truth and the world of philosophy and ideas are of interest toyou. You may become involved in some interesting subjects during the lunchtime. Perhaps anadventure is in order. Long distance travel for your work is possible if you let the right peopleknow that you want to be included in the plans.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

You are very much a creature of habit and the encircling network offriends and relationships is crucial to your success or lack thereof. You are nourished ingreat measure by the atmosphere and conditions you are able to arrange. You may havetrouble controlling your urge to rush through things today. You may tend to fluctuatebetween uninspired routine and crazy binges. Your sense of responsibility and the wayyou go about organizing your life sometimes seems like a prison sentence. You couldfind yourself rebelling against the ordinary. You get set in your ways, so much so thatyou revolt and break away. Neurolinguistic programming and learning to organize yourtime may help. Relax, drop the expectations and flow with the energies.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

It is easy for you to convey yourself to others and you manage to make agood appearance. You have an easy manner and find it easy to relate to just about any-one. This can be an incredible time. In fact, you have rarely been in a better position tobe in control. You will inspire yourself and others to new accomplishments. Somethingfrom which you have been excluded is now opening up for you. This could mean a newseat at important meetings or a new position that is more suited to your talents. You likebeautiful surroundings, everything that is calm, tasteful and harmonious. You may beplanning a water garden for those hot summer days—maybe some goldfish. You dis-cover new and flattering things about a loved one this evening.

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

Your comprehension of issues is broadened today and your inner peacemakes you tolerant of dissenting views. You realize that this is part of life and the processof elimination that is needed to find good results. This workday brings insight as well asaccomplishments your way. While visiting with friends this afternoon, you may be sur-prised to find strong support for certain issues that you feel enthusiastic about thesedays. This could mean air emission controls or the study of the impact that some gov-ernment decision has on society, etc. You enjoy working in the garden or the yard thisafternoon. There are thoughts running around in your head of becoming a famous pho-tographer until you remember, or discover, freelancing costs.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

Things are fast and furious today—you may not remain calm for long.There is, however, that feeling that anything is possible. Your thirst for experience andgrowth keeps you always on the move. You work through an enormous amount ofchange compared to an average person. You are quite lucky today and may find thatyou magically get green lights, parking places, etc. This is a great day for making money.This evening you enjoy your family and friends in some social type of get-together. Astrong need for nurturing is a bigger than usual element in your life. After a busy day,you can really enjoy the company of family and friends. You are a natural guide andcounselor, when others need help, you will probably be the first to know.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

You have a great gift for sensing the limits and truth of any matter. Yoursense of responsibility is clear and requires no training or education. There

is a sign of clarity and competence in practical and business matters today. There maybe some small loose ends to tie together before you see any end results—but the endto some long-time project is in sight. You are able to change your way of thinking whenit comes to what you believe in; however, you may be in a struggle this afternoon overhow not to become carried away with some new vision. Make an effort to stay to themain idea and positive results will happen. The world of your imagination is a majorfocus of change. Relationships are the keys to emotional satisfaction for you now.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

A difficult time schedule can be put behind you now. Hopefully, you havelearned to always leave a space open each day for relaxation time and to reor-

ganize—or to organize your thoughts. Government or community issues come to your atten-tion. Perhaps during the noon break, you will talk about change. You dream of that perfectrelationship—one that is sensational. You wish for a kindred soul—a sunny relationship filledwith light, power, energy and strength. Good news yesterday, today and tomorrow has thepotential to enhance, renew or strengthen your faith in love. Someone new or the resurgenceof an old love will put a sparkle back in your eyes and that extra zest in your step. Key playersto some future goal of yours are falling into place.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

Work-related decisions need your guiding hand. You seem to have luck onyour side today for moving ahead in great leaps. You may feel blocked in a group situa-tion, however. Easy does it—perhaps the listening attitude will help you get yourthoughts together. You could say things you might regret—think through yourthoughts a moment and ask yourself if you can make a positive difference. Your inbornlove of law and order helps you find the answers you could be seeking. Any problems orobstacles do not put you off today. You have a large circle of friends and tonight severalof you might be out enjoying a dinner together and decide to make plans for a big sum-

mer party. Perhaps some grilled food, drinks and music.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

Your mind runs to domestic issues; home and family are always on yourmind. This trait could work against your career interests, especially if your job requiresmanagerial and organizational skills. Perhaps a home business would be good. Workwithin a system and schedule in which you can enjoy, achieve and excel. You will be ableto create this for yourself soon. You have a fine sense of appreciation and are very atten-tive to others’ needs. You love to help take care of others, expressing a first-rate sense ofcompassion. You possess an almost infinite ability to respond to the unsaid request. Inlooking for a bit of quiet time for yourself, look for ways to enjoy a hobby or talent youmay have forgotten you had.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18)

CROSSWORD 226

ACROSS1. A unit of pressure.4. Resistor for regulating current.12. A compartment in front of a motor vehi-cle where driver sits.15. The cry made by sheep.16. The range within which a voice can beheard.17. Step on it.18. United States architect (born in England)(1802-1878).19. Cook and make edible by putting in a hotoven.21. A beverage made by steeping tea leavesin water.22. A doctor's degree in education.24. Small translucent lancet-shaped burrow-ing marine animal.27. A car driven by a person whose job is totake passengers where they want to go inexchange for money.28. An esoteric or occult matter that is tradi-tionally secret.35. (Old Testament) In Judeo-Christianmythology.36. 1,000,000,000 periods per second.37. A religious belief of African origin involv-ing witchcraft and sorcery.38. A Chadic language spoken south of LakeChad.40. Obvious and dull.43. The 13th letter of the Hebrew alphabet.44. (prefix) Opposite or opposing or neutral-izing.45. An interior passage or corridor ontowhich rooms open.50. Worthy of high praise.53. An isogram connecting points havingequal barometric pressure at a given time.55. A severe or trying experience.56. A shop where a variety of goods are sold.59. American dramatist (1928- ).61. A translucent mineral consisting ofhydrated silica of variable color.64. An informal term for a father.68. Thigh of a hog (usually smoked).72. An anxiety disorder characterized bychronic free-floating anxiety and such symp-toms as tension or sweating or trembling oflight-headedness or irritability etc that haslasted for more than six months.73. The use of nuclear magnetic resonance ofprotons to produce proton density images.74. Any plant of the genus Alocasia havinglarge showy basal leaves and boat-shapedspathe and reddish berries.75. A benevolent aspect of Devi.76. The 7th letter of the Greek alphabet.77. A long Turkish knife with a curved bladehaving a single edge.78. A river in north central Switzerland thatruns northeast into the Rhine.

DOWN1. Lie adjacent to another.2. A long thin piece of cloth or paper as usedfor binding or fastening.3. Type genus of the Majidae.

4. Put a new heel on.5. A bag used for carrying money and smallpersonal items or accessories (especially bywomen).6. A trivalent metallic element of the rareearth group.7. The ball-shaped capsule containing thevertebrate eye.8. Fastener consisting of a resinous composi-tion that is plastic when warm.9. The basic unit of money in Bangladesh.10. Lacking a centromere.11. The fifth day of the week.12. (Mexican) Ground beef and chili peppersor chili powder often with tomatoes and kid-ney beans.13. An officer who acts as military assistant toa more senior officer.14. Biennial Eurasian plant usually having aswollen edible root.20. The cardinal number that is the sum offive and one.23. An official prosecutor for a judicial district.25. A coral reef off the southern coast ofFlorida.26. God of love and erotic desire.29. A city in southern Turkey on the SeyhanRiver.30. Of or relating to the African people whospeak one of the Bantoid languages or totheir culture.31. (informal) Uncomplimentary terms for apoliceman.32. In bed.33. Any of various deciduous or evergreenornamental shrubs of the genus Abelia hav-ing opposite simple leaves and cymes ofsmall white or pink or purplish flowers.34. A young unmarried woman.39. Any organic compound containing thegroup -CONH2.41. The sacred city of Lamaism.42. Evergreen trees and shrubs having oilyone-seeded fruits.46. Little known Kamarupan languages.47. A three-year law degree.48. Not widely known.49. Combined or joined to increase in size orquantity or scope.51. The face of a timepiece.52. Any plant or flower of the genus Lobelia.54. A motley assortment of things.57. Remote and separate physically or social-ly.58. Any of various cycads of the genus Zamia.60. Restraint consisting of a rope (or lightchain) used to restrain an animal.62. A public act of violence by an unrulymob.63. Type genus of the family Arcidae.65. Largest known toad species.66. Fallow deer.67. The sixth month of the civil year.69. Grass mowed and cured for use as fodder.70. A flat wing-shaped process or winglikepart of an organism.71. A local computer network for communi-cation between computers.

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34s ta rs

Daily SuDoku

informat ionTHURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Ahmadi Sama Safwan Fahaeel Makka St 23915883Abu Halaifa Abu Halaifa-Coastal Rd 23715414Danat Al-Sultan Mahboula Block 1, Coastal Rd 23726558

Jahra Modern Jahra Jahra-Block 3 Lot 1 24575518Madina Munawara Jahra-Block 92 24566622

Capital Ahlam Fahad Al-Salem St 22436184Khaldiya Coop Khaldiya Coop 24833967

Farwaniya New Shifa Farwaniya Block 40 24734000Ferdous Coop Ferdous Coop 24881201Modern Safwan Old Kheitan Block 11 24726638

Hawally Tariq Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St 25726265Hana Salmiya-Amman St 25647075Ikhlas Hawally-Beirut St 22625999Hawally & Rawdha Hawally & Rawdha Coop 22564549Ghadeer Jabriya-Block 1A 25340559Kindy Jabriya-Block 3B 25326554Ibn Al-Nafis Salmiya-Hamad Mubarak St 25721264Mishrif Coop Mishrif Coop 25380581Salwa Coop Salwa Coop 25628241

OphthalmologistsDr. Abidallah Al-Mansoor 25622444Dr. Samy Al-Rabeea 25752222Dr. Masoma Habeeb 25321171Dr. Mubarak Al-Ajmy 25739999Dr. Mohsen Abel 25757700Dr Adnan Hasan Alwayl 25732223Dr. Abdallah Al-Baghly 25732223

Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)Dr. Ahmed Fouad Mouner 24555050 Ext 510Dr. Abdallah Al-Ali 25644660Dr. Abd Al-Hameed Al-Taweel 25646478Dr. Sanad Al-Fathalah 25311996Dr. Mohammad Al-Daaory 25731988Dr. Ismail Al-Fodary 22620166Dr. Mahmoud Al-Booz 25651426

General PractitionersDr. Mohamme Y Majidi 24555050 Ext 123Dr. Yousef Al-Omar 24719312Dr. Tarek Al-Mikhazeem 23926920Dr. Kathem Maarafi 25730465Dr. Abdallah Ahmad Eyadah 25655528Dr. Nabeel Al-Ayoobi 24577781Dr. Dina Abidallah Al-Refae 25333501

UrologistsDr. Ali Naser Al-Serfy 22641534Dr. Fawzi Taher Abul 22639955Dr. Khaleel Abidallah Al-Awadi 22616660Dr. Adel Al-Hunayan FRCS (C) 25313120Dr. Leons Joseph 66703427

For labor-related inquiries and complaints:

Call MSAL hotline 128

Sabah Hospital 24812000

Amiri Hospital 22450005

Maternity Hospital 24843100

Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital 25312700

Chest Hospital 24849400

Farwaniya Hospital 24892010

Adan Hospital 23940620

Ibn Sina Hospital 24840300

Al-Razi Hospital 24846000

Physiotherapy Hospital 24874330/9

Kaizen center 25716707

Rawda 22517733

Adaliya 22517144

Khaldiya 24848075

Kaifan 24849807

Shamiya 24848913

Shuwaikh 24814507

Abdullah Salem 22549134

Nuzha 22526804

Industrial Shuwaikh 24814764

Qadsiya 22515088

Dasmah 22532265

Bneid Al-Gar 22531908

Shaab 22518752

Qibla 22459381

Ayoun Al-Qibla 22451082

Mirqab 22456536

Sharq 22465401

Salmiya 25746401

Jabriya 25316254

Maidan Hawally 25623444

Bayan 25388462

Mishref 25381200

W Hawally 22630786

Sabah 24810221

Jahra 24770319

New Jahra 24575755

West Jahra 24772608

South Jahra 24775066

North Jahra 24775992

North Jleeb 24311795

Ardhiya 24884079

Firdous 24892674

Omariya 24719048

N Khaitan 24710044

Fintas 23900322

Al-Madeena 22418714

Al-Shuhada 22545171

Al-Shuwaikh 24810598

Al-Nuzha 22545171

Sabhan 24742838

Al-Helaly 22434853

Al-Faiha 22545051

Al-Farwaniya 24711433

Al-Sulaibikhat 24316983

Al-Fahaheel 23927002

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh 24316983

Ahmadi 23980088

Al-Mangaf 23711183

Al-Shuaiba 23262845

Al-Jahra 25610011

Al-Salmiya 25616368

GOVERNORATE PHARMACY ADDRESS PHONE

Plastic Surgeons

Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalaf 22547272

Dr. Abdal-Redha Lari 22617700

Dr. Abdel Quttainah 25625030/60

Family Doctor

Dr Divya Damodar 23729596/23729581

Psychiatrists

Dr. Esam Al-Ansari 22635047

Dr Eisa M. Al-Balhan 22613623/0

Gynaecologists & Obstetricians

DrAdrian arbe 23729596/23729581

Dr. Verginia s.Marin 2572-6666 ext 8321

Dr. Fozeya Ali Al-Qatan 22655539

Dr. Majeda Khalefa Aliytami 25343406

Dr. Ahmad Al-Khooly 25739272

Dr. Salem soso 22618787

General Surgeons

Dr. Amer Zawaz Al-Amer 22610044

Dr. Mohammad Yousef Basher 25327148

Internists, Chest & Heart

Dr. Adnan Ebil 22639939

Dr. Mousa Khadada 22666300

Dr. Latefa Al-Duweisan 25728004

Dr. Nadem Al-Ghabra 25355515

Dr. Mobarak Aldoub 24726446

Dr Nasser Behbehani 25654300/3

Paediatricians

Dr. Khaled Hamadi 25665898

Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rashed 25340300

Dr. Zahra Qabazard 25710444

Dr. Sohail Qamar 22621099

Dr. Snaa Maaroof 25713514

Dr. Pradip Gujare 23713100

Dr. Zacharias Mathew 24334282

(1) Ear, Nose and Throat (2) Plastic Surgeon

Dr. Abdul Mohsin Jafar, FRCS (Canada) 25655535

Dentists

Dr Anil Thomas 3729596/3729581

Dr. Shamah Al-Matar 22641071/2

Dr. Anesah Al-Rasheed 22562226

Dr. Abidallah Al-Amer 22561444

Dr. Faysal Al-Fozan 22619557

Dr. Abdallateef Al-Katrash 22525888

Dr. Abidallah Al-Duweisan 25653755

Dr. Bader Al-Ansari 25620111

Neurologists

Dr. Sohal Najem Al-Shemeri 25633324

Dr. Jasem Mola Hassan 25345875

Gastrologists

Dr. Sami Aman 22636464

Dr. Mohammad Al-Shamaly 25322030

Dr. Foad Abidallah Al-Ali 22633135

Endocrinologist

Dr. Abd Al-Naser Al-Othman 25339330

Dr. Ahmad Al-Ansari 25658888

Dr. Kamal Al-Shomr 25329924

Physiotherapists & VD

Dr. Deyaa Shehab 25722291

Dr. Musaed Faraj Khamees 22666288

Rheumatologists:

Dr. Adel Al-Awadi 25330060

Dr. Khaled Al-Jarallah 25722290

Internist, Chest & Heart

DR.Mohammes Akkad 24555050 Ext 210

Dr. Mohammad Zubaid MB, ChB, FRCPC, PACC Assistant Professor Of Medicine Head, Division of Cardiology Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital

Consultant Cardiologist

Dr. Farida Al-Habib 2611555-2622555 MD, PH.D, FACC Inaya German Medical Center Te: 2575077 Fax: 25723123

Soor CenterTel: 2290-1677Fax: 2290 1688

info@soorcenter.comwww.soorcenter.com

Psychologists/Psychotherapists

PRIVATE CLINICS

William Schuilenberg, RPC 2290-1677Zaina Al Zabin, M.Sc. 2290-1677

Kaizen center25716707

Afghanistan 0093Albania 00355Algeria 00213Andorra 00376Angola 00244Anguilla 001264Antiga 001268Argentina 0054Armenia 00374Australia 0061Austria 0043Bahamas 001242Bahrain 00973Bangladesh 00880Barbados 001246Belarus 00375Belgium 0032Belize 00501Benin 00229Bermuda 001441Bhutan 00975Bolivia 00591Bosnia 00387Botswana 00267Brazil 0055Brunei 00673Bulgaria 00359Burkina 00226Burundi 00257Cambodia 00855Cameroon 00237Canada 001Cape Verde 00238Cayman Islands 001345Central African 00236Chad 00235Chile 0056China 0086Colombia 0057Comoros 00269Congo 00242Cook Islands 00682Costa Rica 00506Croatia 00385Cuba 0053Cyprus 00357Cyprus (Northern) 0090392Czech Republic 00420Denmark 0045Diego Garcia 00246Djibouti 00253Dominica 001767Dominican Republic 001809Ecuador 00593Egypt 0020El Salvador 00503England (UK) 0044Equatorial Guinea 00240Eritrea 00291Estonia 00372Ethiopia 00251Falkland Islands 00500Faroe Islands 00298Fiji 00679Finland 00358France 0033French Guiana 00594French Polynesia 00689Gabon 00241Gambia 00220Georgia 00995Germany 0049Ghana 00233Gibraltar 00350Greece 0030Greenland 00299Grenada 001473Guadeloupe 00590Guam 001671Guatemala 00502Guinea 00224Guyana 00592Haiti 00509Holland (Netherlands) 0031Honduras 00504Hong Kong 00852Hungary 0036Ibiza (Spain) 0034Iceland 00354India 0091Indian Ocean 00873Indonesia 0062

Iran 0098Iraq 00964Ireland 00353Italy 0039Ivory Coast 00225Jamaica 001876Japan 0081Jordan 00962Kazakhstan 007Kenya 00254Kiribati 00686Kuwait 00965Kyrgyzstan 00996Laos 00856Latvia 00371Lebanon 00961Liberia 00231Libya 00218Lithuania 00370Luxembourg 00352Macau 00853Macedonia 00389Madagascar 00261Majorca 0034Malawi 00265Malaysia 0060Maldives 00960Mali 00223Malta 00356Marshall Islands 00692Martinique 00596Mauritania 00222Mauritius 00230Mayotte 00269Mexico 0052Micronesia 00691Moldova 00373Monaco 00377Mongolia 00976Montserrat 001664Morocco 00212Mozambique 00258Myanmar (Burma) 0095Namibia 00264Nepal 00977Netherlands (Holland)0031Netherlands Antilles 00599New Caledonia 00687New Zealand 0064Nicaragua 00505Nigar 00227Nigeria 00234Niue 00683Norfolk Island 00672Northern Ireland (UK)0044North Korea 00850Norway 0047Oman 00968Pakistan 0092Palau 00680Panama 00507Papua New Guinea 00675Paraguay 00595Peru 0051Philippines 0063Poland 0048Portugal 00351Puerto Rico 001787Qatar 00974Romania 0040Russian Federation 007Rwanda 00250Saint Helena 00290Saint Kitts 001869Saint Lucia 001758Saint Pierre 00508Saint Vincent 001784Samoa US 00684Samoa West 00685San Marino 00378Sao Tone 00239Saudi Arabia 00966Scotland (UK) 0044Senegal 00221Seychelles 00284Sierra Leone 00232Singapore 0065Slovakia 00421Slovenia 00386Solomon Islands 00677

INTERNATIONALCALLS

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

M u s i c & M o v i e s

l if e s t y l e

British comic Russell Brand told Katy Perry he was divorc-ing her by text message, the US pop star said in a newmagazine interview, adding that she hasn’t heard from

him since. Brand issued a statement in December 2011announcing that he had filed for divorce 14 months after thepair were wed in India, saying that “I’ll always adore her and Iknow we’ll remain friends.” Perry, in an interview in the latestedition of Vogue magazine, which features her as its cover sto-ry, tells it differently.

“He’s a very smart man, and I was in love with him when Imarried him,” she told the magazine, adding: “Let’s just say Ihaven’t heard from him since he texted me saying he wasdivorcing me December 31, 2011.” In court documents filed inLos Angeles, the British actor and comedian cited “irreconcil-able differences” as a reason for divorce. The couple, marriedon October 23, 2010, after a whirlwind romance, had no chil-dren.

Perry said Brand’s in-your-face humor was “hysterical insome ways. Until he started making jokes about me and hedidn’t know I was in the audience, because I had come to sur-prise him at one of his shows. She added: “At first when I methim, he wanted an equal, and I think a lot of times strong men

do want an equal, but then they get that equal and they’relike, I can’t handle the equalness. “He didn’t like the atmos-phere of me being the boss on tour. So that was really hurtful,and it was very controlling, which was upsetting.

“I felt a lot of responsibility for it ending, but then I foundout the real truth, which I can’t necessarily disclose because Ikeep it locked in my safe for a rainy day. “I let go and I waslike: This isn’t because of me; this is beyond me. So I havemoved on from that.” Brand, 38, a former drug addict with areputation as a womanizer, found fame as a comedian andlater as a TV and radio presenter in Britain before starring inhit Hollywood films “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Get Himto the Greek.” Perry, 28, is best known for hit songs, “TeenageDream,” California Gurls,” and “I Kissed a Girl.” Her debutalbum “One of the Boys” garnered two Grammy nominations,and her second record “Teenage Dream” was given sixGrammy nods.—AFP

File photo shows Katy Perry and Russell Brand arriving for the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) at the NoikaTheatre in downtown Los Angeles, California. — AFP

British actress Gemma Arterton does not need to wor-ry about typecasting with roles ranging froma fairytale character and literary heroines to MI6 agent

Strawberry Fields in the 2008 James Bond film “Quantum ofSolace.”

In “Unfinished Song,” a comedy-drama that opens in UStheaters on Friday, Arterton, 27, stars as Elizabeth, a musicteacher in a boys’ school. She also directs a choir for sen-iors, which includes Marion, played by Vanessa Redgrave,and forges a special friendship with her cantankerousretired husband, played by Terence Stamp. The followingweek Arterton will be seen in US theaters as a sexy vampirein Neil Jordan’s film “Byzantium.” Arterton spoke to Reutersabout her choice of characters, sharing the big screen withRedgrave and Stamp, and her first French-speaking role inthe upcoming film “Gemma Bovery.”

Q: You have some interesting films coming out. Twoare opening in the space of a week. How did you man-age that?

A: It’s weird that it happened that way. I made themabout three months apart. It’s nice. I remember when theBond film came out in the UK I also made the TV showcalled “Tess of the D’Urbervilles” and they were so differentand it was really good that it happened. It’s nice when peo-ple can see the range.

Q: “Unfinished Song” is a small British film that isabout as far away as you can get from a Bond film.What attracted you to the role?

A: The script. I was making an action-comedy at thetime and it was a long shoot, a four- or five-month shoot,and I thought I just want to do something real, somethingclose to home. My agent sent me the script and I read itand I was crying.

Q: In the film you develop a special relationship withTerence Stamp. What was that like?

A: Everyone thinks that Terence Stamp is a very serious,stern Englishman. I was thinking he was going to be a verygrumpy guy but for some reason we just got on really welland we brought out the best in each other and we’refriends now ...

In the film we warmed to each other and ended uphelping each other in certain ways. He is such a lovely guy.It was so lovely to see him play that kind of role. Usually he

plays these gangsters or villains and for him to take on thatrole was a real decision because he is playing an old man.He was nervous about it but it was beautiful and he didsuch a good job.

Q: How intimidating was it working with VanessaRedgrave and Terence Stamp, both highly acclaimedBritish actors?

A: It was incredible. Vanessa is one of my all-time the-ater idols. For me she just represents the ultimate instrength and dignity. She can do anything. Working withher made me quite nervous and I was fascinated by theway she was working. This film was really, really importantto do. It was a love letter to her sister (Lynn Redgrave), whodied of cancer. You could feel it was a special thing for her.

Q: How do you choose your roles?A: At first I was quite mindless. I didn’t really think about

it. I was pleased I was being offered stuff ... And then I real-ized I’m not happy with what is going on and had to be abit more thoughtful. Now I think about what I want to doin relation to what I have just done.

Q: What projects do you have coming up?A: I am just preparing now for my next film, which is my

first French film. It is called “Gemma Bovery” and AnneFontaine is directing it. She directed “Coco Before Chanel.”It is my first French-speaking movie so I am a bit nervousabout it.

Q: Are you fluent in French?A: I started learning French in January and then in

February this script came through called “Gemma Bovery,”based on “Madame Bovary” ... For me it’s a really big chal-lenge but I feel if I can do it then I have opened anotherdoor. I love French cinema and some of my favorite actorsare French. It would be something I would really be proudof doing. I start filming that in August.—Reuters

This film publicity image released by The Weinstein Company shows Gemma Arterton, left, and Terrence Stamp in‘Unfinished Song.’—AP

Rapper Kanye West pushes the boundaries of hiphop with his latest album “Yeezus,” usingaggres-sive electro-dance music beats to channel his

anger and win over critics, who have called the record“daring” and “ambitious.” “Yeezus,” the 36-year-old rap-per’s seventh solo studio album, has also sped to thetop of the iTunes digital music chart upon its releaseon Tuesday, led by the single “Black Skinhead.” Thealbum’s release coincides with the birth of West andreality star girlfriend Kim Kardashian’s first child

together, a baby girl born over the weekend. But on the album the famously ironic and self-ref-

erential West avoids mentioning Kardashian and theirhigh-profile romance, which has been heavily trackedby paparazzi and the Kardashian clan’s plethora ofreality shows on the E! Network. Instead, he lets hisanger out against critics, the public and “haters” ontracks such as “I Am a God,” “Send It Up” and “BlackSkinhead,” a scathing message on modern day racism.

While West rages against the world, critics havebeen taken aback with the new sounds that Westexplores, moving away from the traditional hip hop ofhis earlier albums and fusing electro-dance and syn-thesizers with thumping beats. “Yeezus” has so farearned a score of 87 out of 100 on review aggregatorMetacritic.com.

Jon Pareles at the New York Times called thealbum “an aggressive demand for attention” whileRolling Stone’s Jon Dolan said, “‘Yeezus’ is the darkest,most extreme music Kanye has ever cooked up, anabrasive album.” USA Today’s Steve Jones called thealbum “daring and infectious,” while the New Yorker’sSasha Frere-Jones labeled it “ambitious” and West’s“most satisfyingly narcissistic record.”

“Yeezus” features collaborations with French DJduo Daft Punk - who provide beats on four songs,including “I Am God” and “Black Skinhead” - folk singerJustin Vernon from Bon Iver on “Hold My Liquor,” andrappers Chief Keef, Kid Cudi and King L. Billboard mag-azine, which compiles the weekly U.S. music chartsbased on Nielsen SoundScan sales figures, projectedthat “Yeezus” could sell 500,000 copies in its first week,making it one of 2013’s big debuts along with JustinTimberlake’s “The 20/20 Experience.”—Reuters

Kanye West

Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj will take the stage atthe BET Awards. BET announced Tuesday thatIndia.Arie and Ciara will join the former ‘American

Idol’ judges as performers at the June 30 awards show.Previously announced performers include Chris Brown,

Miguel, R Kelly and Kendrick Lamar. Rapper-singer Drake

leads with 12 nominations, while Lamar and 2 Chainz are upfor eight awards each. Chris Tucker will host the BET Awardslive from the Nokia Theatre LA Live. Presenters include PaulaPatton, LaLa Anthony, Angela Bassett and Gabrielle Union.— AP

Melissa Etheridge believes Angelina Joliejumped the gun with her double mastec-tomy. The singer, a breast cancer survivor,

told The Washington Blade that she has the sameBRCA gene mutation as Jolie. When asked aboutJolie’s choice to undergo a preventative doublemastectomy, Etheridge called Jolie’s decision “themost fearful choice you can make when con-fronting anything with cancer.” “I wouldn’t call it thebrave choice,” the singer said. Invoking her ownexperience with cancer, Etheridge suggested stressreduction and proper nutrition as better preventa-tive steps.

“My belief is that cancer comes from inside youand so much of it has to do with the environmentof your body,” she told the Blade. “It’s the stress thatwill turn that gene on or not.” Jolie announced herelective surgery in a May 14 Op-Ed for The New YorkTimes titled, “My Medical Choice.” In the piece, sherevealed that her doctors told her she would other-wise be at an 87 percent risk of getting breast can-cer. Here’s the entire Blade/Etheridge exchange:

Blade: As a breast cancer survivor yourself, whatdid you think of Angelina Jolie’s announcement?

Etheridge: I have to say I feel a little differently. Ihave that gene mutation too and it’s not somethingI would believe in for myself. I wouldn’t call it thebrave choice. I actually think it’s the most fearfulchoice you can make when confronting anythingwith cancer. My belief is that cancer comes frominside you and so much of it has to do with theenvironment of your body. It’s the stress that willturn that gene on or not.

Plenty of people have the gene mutation andeverything but it never comes to cancer so I wouldsay to anybody faced with that, that choice is waydown the line on the spectrum of what you can doand to really consider the advancements we’vemade in things like nutrition and stress levels. I’vebeen cancer free for nine years now and lookingback, I completely understand why I got cancer.There was so much acidity in everything. I reallyencourage people to go a lot longer and furtherbefore coming to that conclusion. — Reuters

Melissa Etheridge

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

l if e s t y l eM u s i c & M o v i e s

Brad Pitt wanted to build a better blockbuster. During theyears Hollywood shifted toward increasingly bigger spec-tacles and superhero tentpoles, one of the movies’ biggest

stars largely stayed on the sidelines, focusing instead on ambi-tious ensembles (“The Tree of Life,” “Inglourious Basterds”) andunlikely dramas (“Moneyball”). But the zombie apocalypse“World War Z,” which opens Friday, is Pitt’s bold, long-gestating,big-budget effort to enter the franchise fray. It’s his attempt toengineer not just a disaster thrill ride like 1974’s “The ToweringInferno” (a beloved film to Pitt, who saw it repeatedly as a kidgrowing up in Missouri), but to make a thought-provoking actionflick filled with geopolitical questions.

It’s been a humbling crusade. “These films are much more dif-ficult than I realized,” Pitt said in a recent interview over coffee at arestaurant off Times Square. Based on the 2006 sci-fi novel “WorldWar Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War” by Max Brooks (son ofMel), the $200 million-plus film has had a rocky path to theaters.It’s gone through a swarm of screenwriters, several key crewchanges, a postponed release date and, most notably, a reshotending. But most moviegoers that make it to the film - far fromthe flop many predicted - will likely wonder what all the fuss wasabout. As Pitt’s producing partner Dede Gardner points out, noone ever says: “Honey, let’s go to this movie this Friday. I swear itwas on-budget and on-schedule.”

The reviews have largely been positive for “World War Z,” a riv-eting, brisk thriller with a refreshingly - and, for summer movies,atypically - human protagonist who relies purely on his intellectand experience as he shuttles around the world trying to solvethe zombie pandemic that’s engulfed most of the planet. Pitt’s

former United Nations investigator has no superpowers, no gun,and as Pitt says, “can’t even run that fast.” It may sound paradoxi-cal, but though “World War Z” is awash with gruesome hordes ofsnarling zombies, it is - alongside Superman and Godzilla-sizedsea monsters - one of the most human-scaled blockbusters of thesummer.

While Hollywood awaits the film’s box office performancewith bated breath, Pitt is confident. He’s shaped the film as a pro-ducer since his production company, Plan B, acquired the bookrights in 2006. “I know it works,” the 49-year-old actor says. “Iknow everyone involved is going to be happy. It’s just a questionof how happy. We’re proud of it. When you get involved with afilm like this at this scale, at this cost, there’s more responsibility tomeet that number immediately.” Not unlike his character, Pitt hasbeen flying around the world to promote “World War Z.” He spentFather’s Day with his family, but at 40,000 feet, he says. “I’ve got afew countries to go,” he says with a grin.

Though he acknowledges the film has been “a learning expe-rience,” he’s upbeat, repeatedly citing the “good fun” of making abig movie for the multiplexes. Adapting the book - a series offirst-person dispatches from around the globe - required not justfinding a narrative drive to the story, but capturing the novel’stheorizing of how self-interested nations would fare in a globalcatastrophe. (Faring well, for example, is walled-off Israel, thelocation of the film’s most extreme set piece, shot in Malta withsome 900 extras.)

But in the end, the principles of making a popcorn-friendlymovie often bested the filmmakers’ higher ambitions. Much ofthe allegory had to be cut. “It got too dense,” Pitt says. “We got too

weighed down on it. We spent a couple years on it. We couldn’tget it into one movie. We had to walk a line between using thefilm as a Trojan horse for some of that, but these things have tobe fun. And we were bored, ourselves.” Instead, the filmmakers,including director Marc Forster (“Quantum of Solace,” “StrangerThan Fiction”), wrestled with finding what Pitt calls “the pace ofthe summer action film, the cadence it needs.” “Movies have aDNA,” says Gardner. “They have their own identity. This one justfought back. It fought back, ultimately, in a way that I reallyappreciate because it sort of met our ambitions for it with its ownambitions.”

The most painful part of taming “World War Z” was decidingthat the third act - a large-scale battle with the zombies inMoscow’s Red Square, filmed in Budapest - didn’t work. It was agut-wrenching realization, made after the filmmakers andParamount executives screened the film. “It was abysmal,” saysPitt. “It was really painful. What it means is that after you’ve put inthat much work, you go, ‘Oh, we’re so far away.’ It just means wegot a lot more to go. You go home, you have one too many beersand you get up the next day and you go, ‘OK. This is what we gotto do.’”

While tinkering with a movie in post-production is normal,hiring screenwriters (Damon Lindelof, Drew Goddard) to write anentirely new ending is quite uncommon. Instead, a more quietlytense sequence set in Wales was constructed, with productionresuming for a $20 million reshoot. “We just decided it wasn’tgood enough,” says Gardner. “I see that as a good thing. We werevery fortunate to have partners at Paramount who were interest-ed in doubling down. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for that.”

The need for such a reshoot, though, contributed heavily to earlyperceptions of the film. While Pitt admits the production was ini-tially difficult, he says once solutions were found, the process was“really fun.” (Forster was not made available for this article.)Gardner, too, chafes at what she calls the unfair over-scrutinizingof the film.

“You often hear of the artists in a studio not getting along,”says Pitt. “This was absolutely a really nice experience.(Paramount) has been so supportive and came to the table withgreat creative ideas.” Whether “World War Z” will spawn sequels,as was the initial hope, will have to wait for the box-officeresponse. In a packed summer schedule, the film will have tocompete with “Man of Steel” in its second week of release. After along battle with “World War Z,” Pitt (who’ll this fall star in DavidAyer’s World War II thriller “Fury”) says he’s just “not really the fran-chise kind of guy.” “We spent so much time on this,” he says.“We’ve got so many good story lines stemming from the book orinspired by the book and then just generated from our own pow-wows. It might still be fun. We’ve got enough material, that’s forsure. We’ll see, we’ll see how this works, we’ll see how everyonefeels afterward.”— AP

File photo shows Brad Pittposing for a portrait inNew York. — AP

This publicity image released by ParamountPictures shows, from left, Mireille Enos as KarinLane, Sterling Jerins as Constance Lane, AbigailHargrove as Rachel Lane, and Brad Pitt as Gerry

Lane in a scene from ‘World War Z.’ — AP

Lil Wayne says he wasn’t intentionallystepping on the American flag whenshooting his latest video. Video of the

rapper from his music video shoot for thesong “God Bless Amerika” hit the Web onMonday. In it, he appears to be stepping ontop of the American flag. But he said in aFacebook post Tuesday the flag on theground will not appear in the clip.

He writes it was never his intention “todesecrate the flag of the United States ofAmerica.” He says the flag will reveal a groupof people behind him in the video. The NewOrleans-based rapper says in the statementhis environment helped shape the way heviews America and his song and video repre-sent the people he grew up with. — AP

Strapped in an orange suit in his spaceship, YuriGagarin smiles as the rockets roar and chirpilytells mission control: “Let’s go!” A new Russian

film-”Gagarin. First Man in Space”-is the first full biopicon the pioneering cosmonaut ever to be released inRussia or the Soviet Union. Until now, Gagarin’s 108-minute orbit of the Earth in 1961 appeared almosttoo hallowed a subject to be tackled in drama. Butthe state-subsidized film has been made amid a newdrive for patriotic cinema as post-Soviet Russia looksfor heroes.

It recreates Gagarin’s pioneering space voyage indetail and also tries to reveal something of the manwho became a Soviet legend: his childhood, familylife in the cosmonaut training centre at Star City andhis rivals for the number one role. But critics havecomplained the film failed to portray a rounded flesh-and-blood figure, instead portraying a person so per-fect that Gagarin loses all traces of human character.

“Any humanity is carefully hidden from us. Westop believing at all in the existence of the personnamed Gagarin,” wrote Ogonyok weekly magazine.The cosmonaut is shown as a virtually flawless figure:he thoughtfully buys his wife flowers, he carefullyswaddles his baby daughter and he flashes a white-toothed smile after being tested with G-forces at StarCity. The director Pavel Parkhomenko “made a deadlyretro film as if he was turning a feature from (Sovietmouthpiece daily) Pravda into a film”, said one review-er on the TV channel Rain.

The film received state funding as part of a drivefor patriotic cinema and has been supported byGagarin’s family-his widow and two daughters, Yelenaand Galina. The family has previously vetoed aGagarin musical and legally forced the makers of a fic-tional film drama to cut all references to Gagarin,even changing its title which had included his name.“At first the Gagarin family were suspicious becausebefore there were attempts to make films and itsomehow didn’t work out. For them this is a delicatetopic and there have always been a lot of unneces-sary rumours and sensation around it,” producer OlegKapanets said at a Moscow presentation.

“They had even stopped believing that it was pos-sible to make honest cinema. But time passed andthey were OK with it all.” He said he asked Gagarin’sdaughters to check with their mother Valentina whois still alive but rarely seen in public-on details such aswhat flowers Gagarin used to give her (in the film it ischrysanthemums). The film ends as Gagarin para-chutes back to Earth, without touching on his lateryears of hobnobbing with Soviet pop stars and worldleaders such as Queen Elizabeth II.

Neither does it refer to his death at 34 in a planecrash, an incident whose circumstances have neverbeen fully explained. Archive footage shown at theend of the film of the real Gagarin depicts a man with

a swagger and cheeky grin who seems very differentfrom his portrayal in the film. “Flashing past in a sec-ond, he absolutely repudiates the acting performanceof Yaroslav Zhalnin” who plays Gagarin, wrote criticMikhail Trofimenkov in Kommersant business daily.

From untouchable god to metaphor for modern life

The film’s strength is its careful recreation of Gagarin’straining and flight showing the bizarre endurancetests-such as reading out poetry in a steam room-andthe cramped and basic spacecraft. Despite its critical

drubbing, the film won praise from Russian SpaceAgency officials who watched it in Moscow. “It gotthrough to me, I’ll be honest, it was great. We stillknow how to make films-not just rockets,” said headof manned flight programs at Roscosmos, AlexeiKrasnov. The film is the first biopic of Gagarin evermade, although several post-Soviet films have shownhim as a symbolic figure.

“Soviet film treated Gagarin as a god whom it wasa sin to depict, while in post-Soviet film he is a kind ofmetaphor for all of Soviet life,” wrote Ogonyok. Thefilm came out as the Kremlin aims to boost patriotismamong the young with the help of locally grownheroes-preferably Soviet ones. A film about hockeystar Valery Kharlamov and his Soviet teammates beat-ing Canada in 1972, called “Legend Number 17”, hasmade 920 million rubles ($28.5 million, 21.5 millioneuros) after significant state funding. It was hailed asthe highest grossing Russian feature film in five years.

Another recent success was a portrayal of VladimirVysotsky, a cult singer and actor of the 1970s,that alsohad state funding. But other films have struggled toreplicate the formula and as “Gagarin” launched,many expressed doubts it would recoup its budget ofaround $10 million. In its first weekend it made 15.75million rubles ($497,606). Last month PresidentVladimir Putin dressed down a group of top filmdirectors including Oscar-winner Nikita Mikhalkov forfailing to persuade people to watch local cinema. Thisyear, the Kremlin will finance films to the tune of 6.61billion rubles ($204.4 million). However Russian filmsonly account for 15 percent of cinema tickets, Putincomplained. — AFP

Cher is no stranger to tabloid fodder. The67-year-old singer who has spent mostof her life in the spotlight offered this

advice to young artists on navigating theworld of paparazzi attention: “You’re screwed.That’s my advice.” “You don’t deal with it. Youjust try to get a place where no one can findyou and that’s your little sanctuary,” continuedthe “Believe” singer in an interview Tuesday. “Ihave a fabulous house that I love and it’s mysanctuary.” Looking ever the rock star in leatherand studs, Cher took the stage Tuesday for theseason finale of NBC’s “The Voice.” She per-formed “Woman’s World,” the first single off herupcoming album of the same name - her 26thalbum since she began recording in the 1960s.

Cher said reality singing competitions aresimply a modern incarnation of classic star-makers like “The Ed Sullivan Show” and “ArthurGodfrey’s Talent Scouts.” “It’s just another vehi-cle, you know what I mean? Talent is talent,”she said on the red carpet following the finalewhich crowned 16-year-old country singerDanielle Bradbery the winner. The young pow-erhouse from Blake Shelton’s team beat outindie rocker Michelle Chamuel and countryduo the Swon Brothers for the season fourtitle.

A handout file picture provided by Russian film producer and distributor Central Partnership andtaken shows Russian actor Yaroslav Zhalnin playing Yuri Gagarin and Vadim Michman as GermanTitov while shooting the film, ‘Gagarin.—AFP photos

A file picture taken on April 12, 1961 shows YuriGagarin, 27, wearing spacesuit inside theVostok 1 command capsule at the Baikonur cos-modrome. — AFP

Photo shows Danielle Bradbery and Cher, right, pose after Bradbery won season-four of‘The Voice’ Tuesday. —AP

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

l if e s t y l e

By Sahar Moussa

Japan was a place I always dreamt about visiting, it was onmy to do list, and I guess I was lucky that Emirates airlinesstarted its non-stop service from Dubai to Tokyo

International Airport (Haneda) to make my dream come true.Although Emirates already operates a daily flight to TokyoNarita and Osaka Kansai but I was the lucky one this time towitness the launch of its inaugural flight as a journalist fromKuwait.

When I used to dream about Japan, I used to visualizemyself walking under the cherry blossom trees, which is a cen-turies-old practice of picnicking under a blooming Sakura orUme tree, a practice called “Hanami”.

I used to think that one can enjoy this blissful sight any timeof the year, only to be disappointed by the fact that the blos-soming in Tokyo starts at the end of March or in the beginningof April, and unfortunately I was there in June. Although Ididn’t see the cherries blossoming, I was more than satisfied totouch and smell the trees that carry that soft, pinkish flowerwhich flourishes like thousands of fairies in their pink andwhite attire celebrating and welcoming the next season.

Emirates First Class Lounge My journey to Japan started when I reached Dubai airport

from Kuwait on an Emirates airlines, ensconced in a businessclass seat and was led to the Emirates first class lounge at theDubai’s airport; a welcoming and generous gesture on the partof the Emirates staff in order to make the hours-long flight ascomfortable as possible.

Here, I can confidently say that my voyage started through-out which I was spoilt. The Emirates first class lounge is locatedon the fourth floor. There is a reception area and the reception-ists behind the counter at the welcome desk check your board-ing passes before entering the lounge.

I was really impressed by how huge the first class lounge is.On top of it, they have not missed the smaller details to makethe first class passenger as satisfied as possible in every aspect.There is a private duty-free shopping area, and it made me feellike a Hollywood star to have my own shopping center. As amatter of fact, the entire floor is an integrated first class loungeand a departure gate area. You can board the flights directlyfrom the lounge.

The lounge’s design is so elegant and its warm colors makeyou feel relaxed. There are a lot of seating areas with differentbuffets at each individual gate. The lounge offers an a la cartemenu as well as a cold buffet and light appetizers to suit alltastes. What I appreciated the most were two things other thanthe high quality of food and the spacious areas; the quiet roomand the swank toilets. The room has a daybed and loungechairs that come with pillows, and trust me, you can take a napor fall asleep like a baby in a second.

As for the toilets, these are highly maintained, welldesigned with marble stone and wood frames on the mirrorswith big shower rooms. But the most relaxing experience thatI had was the 15 minutes free back massage at the TimelessSpa that is complimentary for the first and business class pas-sengers.

As I have mentioned before, the first class lounge has a gatefor each flight exclusively for first class passengers. You don’thave to stand in queues and once your documents arechecked, you can easily and smoothly walk down the hallwaytowards the elevator to the jet bridge. Before proceeding to

the airplane, I was introduced to Hatem K Omar, the PublicRelations Manager of Corporate Communications for EmiratesAirlines.

I finally met the person with who I was communicating overthe phone for a week in order to prepare the right documents.He greeted me with his friendly looks, a welcoming face and asmile. Omar’s professionalism, punctuality and kindly wayshelped make my journey to Japan a memorable experience.

My second voyage on board Emirates began with warmsmiles of the cabin crew right from the moment I stepped onthe EK312 which departed Dubai at 09:35hrs. The seats werespacious and comfortable; the cabin attendants were dynamic,friendly and empathetic. The food was delicious and I felt I wasin heaven. Honestly, I think that Emirates airlines flights are forpeople who want to be treated special. Depending on howmuch you pay, you are treated accordingly. Even if you chooseto travel economy, and have to pay a bit more than other air-lines, I bet you will not find such quality in any other airlines.

Reaching JapanShangri-La Hotel Tokyo: Making the world feel at homeWe reached Haneda 00:01hrs the following day. I personally

didn’t feel so much exhausted after all those long flying hours.At the airport, there was a Japanese representative from thetourism agency that welcomed us and was scheduled toaccompany us throughout our Tokyo visit. She took us to theShangri-La Hotel.

If you are searching for a place that combines comfort, luxu-ry and warmth, Shangri-La Hotel in Tokyo is your first choice.Shangri-La Hotel is the place where you want to be after a longflight or a long day discovering Tokyo. The hotel’s modern out-er design that is reflected imperially on the river’s glossy sur-face with a park nearby, hides inside secrets of the culture’shospitality that you feel from the moment you enter the lobby.

You cannot ignore the smallest details in this hotel - thewarm earthly colors, the elevator and the furniture thatembraces your mood for a calming effect - to the huge chan-deliers made up of thousands of crystal teardrops.

One of the main hallmarks of Shangri-La is its grand chan-delier features. There are more than 50 chandeliers adorningthe Shangri-La Hotel, of which more than 20 were designedspecifically for the hotel. Paying homage to the city of Tokyo,the hotel showcases a series of chandeliers with intricatelycarved crystal pieces in the shape of ginkgo leaves - a symbolof Tokyo.

As for the rooms, if it is your first time to check in at theShangri- La Hotel, I guarantee that you will find your room athrilling and exciting experience. I have personally spent morethan an hour discovering the hidden technological treasuresfound in every corner of the room, and the genius-designedelectronic toilet.

In the room, you can find every single facility that onewould consider a basic amenity which guarantees conven-ience for both leisure and business travelers. Anything that canmake your life easier, you will definitely find in the room. Andto my surprise, I even found a copy of the Holy Quran in thedrawer next to the bed, a prayer carpet and a qibla that marksthe prayer destination; it was a very unique gesture.

After I finished surveying the room, I decided to draw asidethe curtains for the view. It was dark when I reached Tokyo, soyou can imagine how the night view would have been fromthe 32nd floor. It was as if one was residing in the sky andwatching the stars twinkling above. As for the day view, it islike living it up while thinking how lucky you are.

The hotel offers views of the Marunouchi business area, theImperial Palace, Shinjuku’s skyscrapers as well as Mount Fuji, ifthe weather is fine and clear. From another side of the hotel,one is able to view the soaring Tokyo Sky Tree tower, Tokyo’s

newest landmark, and Tokyo Bay in the distance. The 200-room Shangri-La Hotel, Tokyo opened on March 2,

2009 as Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts’ first property in Japan.The hotel occupies the top 11 floors of the 37-floor, mixed-useMarunouchi Trust Tower Main building, located adjacent toand with direct access to the Tokyo Station, which serves as theterminus for the Shinkansen bullet train network that extendsnationwide as well as the city’s railway hub that connects thelocal train and subway lines with regional services.

The hotel’s dining facilities include Piacere, a signatureItalian restaurant; Nadaman, which serves authentic Japanesekaiseki cuisine and The Lobby Lounge. CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La Hotel, Tokyo features ancient Chinese healing therapies andis the first CHI spa to open in Japan. CHI offers six treatmentrooms that form the largest self-contained spa suites in Tokyo.

Talking about hospitality, I really appreciated the welcom-ing hand-written card with my name from the GeneralManager, Jens Moesker. I can’t hide the fact that it made mefeel at home. Moesker has 23 years of experience in the hospi-tality industry, and has been with the Shangri-La Hotels andResorts since 2000. I was really lucky to meet the tall, elegantand well-spoken man the day I had to leave the hotel. We metat the breathtaking presidential suite. With just a few words,well-articulated phrases and his warm and deep voice, hemade me feel not only welcome and special in this exceptionalhotel but also made me understand for a fact that the nexttime I will visit Tokyo, I would without hesitation know whichhotel I will stay in.

Emirates’ press conference My first day in Japan was pretty exciting. From the bus you

could see the well organized streets, well structured buildingsand neat streets. The air was so fresh that you could actuallybreathe clean air and everything around you appears so clear,the colors appearing richer and more vibrant.

We were scheduled to attend a press conference forEmirates’ launch of its inaugural flight from Dubai to Haneda.The press conference was held at the Palace Hotel Tokyo. Atthe conference, there was Salem Obaidalla, Emirates’ SeniorVice President, Commercial Operation Far East & Australasia;Thierry Antinori, Emirates’ Executive Vice President, PassengerSales Worldwide; Shigeyuki Taguchi, Managing Director ofTokyo International Air Terminal Corporation and RichardEngelmann, Emirates’ Manager Japan. They delightfullyanswered the journalists’ questions.

The waterfall at theGajoen Kanko hotel.

Tokyo Tower

Wall paintings at theMeguro Gajoen.

The Meiji Jingu Shrine.

Mount Fuji

At the conference, Antinori stressed the importance of thegeographical advantage that Dubai offers to connect theworld together, facilitate business and trade mentioning thegrowth in revenue by two percent which proves good busi-ness. He also talked about the extraordinary services thatEmirates offers to its passengers, from the on board entertain-ment with 150 channels running, Japanese cuisine, the arrivalpremium pass and the On Air-Wi-Fi in the sky.

While Obdaidalla expressed his gratitude to the wonderfuland long relationship between Dubai and Japan, he was grate-ful for Japan to allow them the route.

Japan, old and new Meguro Gajoen

For dinner, we went to the Gajoen Kanko hotel whichturned out to be a very interesting hotel, offering a real taste ofJapan. From the minute you step in, you will enjoy the embod-iment of beauty and technology, especially the marvelousview of a gallery type corridor on your right and a Japanesegarden planted with seasonal flowers in full bloom on yourleft. But the most impressive sight was the atrium garden witha waterfall, full of light surrounded by water and covered withtrees.

If you go to the Gajoen Kanko Hotel, visiting MeguroGajoen or the older parts of the premises which became amuseum is a must. The old Gajoen is often called a ‘departmentstore’ of ornamentation, or a Showa era version of the fairy tale

palace of the Sea God. Established in 1931, the Old Gajoencomprises seven rooms, to access which you have to climb astairway of 100 steps. I was asked to remove my shoes whileclimbing the stairs, and by touching the floor with my barefoot I was transferred back in time in the flash of a second as if Iwas in the presence of great painters drawing the stunning

paintings and carved ceilings in each and every room.Climbing the 100 steps was like climbing the stairways to heav-en, discovering an artistic treasure with each step.

Imperial Palace PlazaImperial Palace Plaza was our second trip on our second

day in Tokyo. The Imperial Palace is the main residence of theEmperor of Japan. In order to see the palace, you have to crossa large park-like area. I have never seen greener and wellarranged pine trees than the ones I have seen in that park.There is a big statue of Masashige Kusunoki at the entrance,which is one of the three major statues in Tokyo. TheMasashige Kusunoki was a royal Samurai who fought for theemperor against Kamakura government.

If you pass the park you can see Nijubashi which means the‘Double Bridge’ which is also the most well-known bridge inJapan. The bridge only opens on special occasions and peopleare allowed to enter the East Palace twice a year, on January 2which is called “People’s visit to the Palace for New YearGreetings” and on December 23, which is the Emperor’s officialbirthday.

Meiji Jingu ShrineOur quest to discover Japan’s treasures, we went to the

Meiji Jingu Shrine. Meiji Jingu Shrine is a piece of old Tokyo youdon’t want to miss. It is a Shinto shrine built in 1920 to honorEmperor Meiji, who reigned as Japan opened to the rest of theworld after centuries of isolation. The shrine is surrounded byman-made tree forest. It is covered by an evergreen forest of120,000 trees of 365 different species, which were donated bypeople from all parts of Japan when the shrine was estab-lished.

Passing the entrance, the first thing to see on your right arethe huge barrels of sake wrapped in straw. If you keep walking,you will be stunned by the nation’s largest wooden “torii” gatewhich is 40-foot-high (12 meters). There is a second one like itcloser to the shrine itself. Crossing the “torrii” gate is like cross-ing a spiritual gate to the other world, letting the spirits of theold ancestors see your naked spirit without the barriers of thebody. You can stop at the cleansing station where you can dipinto a communal water tank and purify your hands and mouthbefore offering a prayer. By doing this cleansing ritual, you onlywish to wash some of your sins leaving them to disappear inthe running water.

You can also write wishes on little pieces of paper or wood-en plates and tie them onto the prayer wall, or do as the localsdo - toss some yen into the offering box, bow your head twice,clap twice, so the spirits can hear you, say your name, whereare you from and pray with a sincere heart and bow oncemore.

Tokyo TowerTokyo Tower was our next stop. It is one of the best-known

towers in the world, made of prefabricated steel. It is stillcalled light because it weighs only 4,000 metric tons. At aheight of 1,092 feet (333 meters), it is the world’s tallest self-supporting steel tower.

Since its opening in 1958, it has become well known to visi-tors around the world, not only as one of Tokyo’s popular sight-seeing attractions, but also as the symbol of Tokyo as an inter-national city. You can see a big part of Tokyo from above, theview is really outstanding.

GeishaHow can you visit Japan without meeting a real geisha? At

night, we went to an authentic Japanese restaurant called‘Hisago-an’ restaurant. Taking off your shoes at the entrancebefore entering the restaurant is a must and part of theJapanese traditional experience. The room where we were todine had a simple and relaxing atmosphere. They offer amaz-ing Japanese food accompanied with a performance of twogeishas wearing kimonos with their faces painted white.During dinner, they danced, sang and taught us games to keepus entertained.

Mount Fuji, Lake Ashi and Owakudani Volcano Our third and last day in Japan was spent visiting Mount

Fuji. Mount Fuji is considered to be the inspiration of artists forits magical, captivating and secretive shape. At 3776 meters, itis Japan’s highest mountain. It is not surprising that the nearlyperfectly shaped volcano has been worshipped as a sacredmountain and has enjoyed huge popularity among artists andcommon people throughout the centuries.

Mount Fuji is an active volcano, which most recently erupt-ed in 1708. It is located on the Honshu Island and it took us atleast two hours by bus to reach Fuji visitors center from ourhotel. We were lucky that it was a clear sunny day and we had aclear view of the mountain. In order to have a better view ofMount Fuji, we traversed Lake Ashi using a big ferry where wewere blessed to enjoy the captivating views.

From there we went to the Owakudani Volcano, which is anactive volcanic zone. The place is filled with sulfuric smell dueto the sulfurous fumes. You can also experience the hot springsand hot rivers. Passing by the souvenir shop, I bought boiledeggs cooked in the naturally hot water where its shells hadgone black from the sulfur. The legend says that if you eat oneegg, it can prolong one’s life by seven years. I ate three.

Japan, the never ending story On our way back to the hotel, we took the train due to our

tight schedule. We packed and went to the airport and natural-

ly the return flight to Dubai was by Emirates EK313 whichdeparted Haneda at 01:30hrs and arrived at Dubai at 07:05hrsthe same day. I can describe no more my luxurious experienceon the First class while heading back to Dubai because it wasexceptional, especially in my private suite on the plane.

Japan is a squeaky clean and extremely organized countrywhere they smartly use every inch of their land to their favor.The Japanese people are very friendly, humble and hospitable.The young generation has an amazing sense of fashion and isvery polite with tourists with the minor problem being theEnglish language that at times becomes a barrier. It was kind ofa purifying and thrilling journey for me, where I left my impuri-ties in the Shinto temple, felt free and tall in Tokyo Tower,defied my fears at the Owakudani Volcano and reinforced myinner strength by the Samurai’s voices that I heard, theirechoes coming from Mount Fuji.

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

l if e s t y l e

A geisha playingmusic at theJapanese restau-rant ‘Hisago-an’.

A geisha dancingat the Japanese

restaurant‘Hisago-an’.

(From left) SalemObaidalla, Emirates’Senior Vice President,Commercial OperationFar East & Australasia;Thierry Antinori,Emirates’ Executive VicePresident, PassengerSales Worldwide;Shigeyuki Taguchi,Managing Director ofTokyo International AirTerminal Corporation andRichard Engelmann,Emiratesí Manager Japanat the press conference.

The presidentialsuite at Shangri-La Hotel.

The exterior viewof Shangri-LaHotel, Tokyo.

The Deluxe Roomat Shangri-La

Hotel.

The cleans-ing ritual

area at theMeiji Jingu

Shrine.

TheTorriigate at theMeiji Jingu

Shrine.

The Masashige Kusunoki statue at the entrance of the Imperial Palace Plaza.

Nijubashi or the ‘Double Bridge’ at the Imperial Palace Plaza.

38Japan: A spiritual

journey in the land of

the rising sun

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

A man walks past a 3D wall portrait of British musician David Bowie, created by Australian street artist James Cochran, also known as Jimmy C, in Brixton, South London, yesterday. The artwork is based on the iconic cover for Bowie’s 1973 album,Aladdin Sane. — AFP

After an absence of 10 years, the Miss Algeria beautycontest is to resume on Friday in the western city ofOran, organizers said. A total of 20 women aged

between 18 and 26 have been carefully selected fromAlgeria’s main cities to line up for the beauty pageant, co-organizer and jury member Hamza Ameziane told AFP yes-terday.

The women must be “at least 1.7 meters tall with classic(bust, waist, hip) measurements of 90, 60, 90 centimeters,”and are expected to have had French language training, he

said. The competition was suspended in 2003 after thedeath of Cheradi Hamdad, who launched the beauty con-test in 1996 during Algeria’s devastating civil war andwhose son Faycal Hamdad has now taken up the mantle.“This first edition was difficult to organize because of a lackof sponsors,” Hamdad told the French-language newspaperLiberte, adding that with this show he hoped to “restore theimage of Algeria.”

The judges include stars of Algerian cinema, notably theactress Bahia Rachedi, as well as Genevieve de Fontenay, an

81-year Frenchwoman who has presided over the MissFrance contest for more than 50 years. It is too late for thewinner to participate in this year’s Miss World contest, dueto be held in Bali in September, but Ameziane says she willvie for the “Best model of the world” title in Brussels later in2013. — AFP

Models showcases a creation byMalaysian designer Tom Abang Saufi

during the Kuala Lumpur FashionWeek 2013, yesterday. — AFP photos