WHO HOLDS 2 BILLION PEOPLE COULD CATCH H1N1 Alarm on Tamiflu-resistant strain 72 new cases in Kuwait

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1 baseball NOT FOR SALE Page 51 THE FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY IN FREE KUWAIT Established in 1977 NO WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2009 / SHABAN 14, 1430 AH 52 PAGES 150 FILS WHO HOLDS 2 BILLION PEOPLE COULD CATCH H1N1 Alarm on Tamiflu-resistant strain 72 new cases in Kuwait WASHINGTON, Aug 4, (Agencies): Health officials raised the alarm about a strain of swine flu that is resistant to the Tamiflu treatment as the virus claimed more lives on Tuesday, with Vietnam reporting its first fatal case. India and South Africa both reported their first deadly cases of the A(H1N1) virus late Monday. Maria Teresa Cerqueira, head of the Pan-American Health Organization office in La Jolla, California, said a Tamiflu-resistant mutation of A(H1N1) had been found around the US-Mexico border in El Paso and close to McAllen, Texas. Experts had gathered in La Jolla, California, on Monday to discuss responses to the outbreak, and warned that resistant strains were likely emerging because of overuse of antivirals like Tamiflu. In the United States Tamiflu is sold with a prescription, but in Mexico and Canada it is sold freely and taken at the first sneeze. Then, when it is really needed, it doesn t work, said Cerqueira late Monday. This image made from video broadcast, Aug 4, by KRT, shows a still photograph of former US president Bill Clinton (right), standing with North Korea s leader Kim Jong II in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP) Journalists freed Bill braves Pyongyang SEOUL, South Korea, Aug 4, (AP): North Korean leader Kim Jong Il issued a special pardon for two jailed American journalists and ordered their release at former US president Bill Clinton s request, North Korean media reported Wednesday. The move to free reporters Laura Ling and Euna Lee reflected North Korea s humanitarian and peaceloving policy, the Korean Central News Agency said in a dispatch from Pyongyang early Wednesday. Clinton landed in the North Korean capital on Tuesday on a private mission to negotiate the freedom of the two women working for former Vice President Al Gore s Current TV media venture. During his visit, he held rare talks with Kim the reclusive North Korean leader s first meeting with a prominent Western figure since reportedly suffering a stroke a year ago. Lee, 36, and Ling, 32, were arrested in March after crossing into North Korea from China, where they had been reporting on North Korean defectors. They were sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for illegal entry and engaging in hostile acts. Washington had pushed for their release, with Clinton s wife, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, requesting last month that they be granted amnesty. She described the women as remorseful, Continued on Page 43 US$/KD /60 Euro/KD Yen/KD British /KD KSE pts at closing, Aug 4 See Page 41 Dow pts at closing, Aug 4 See Page 42 Nasdaq pts at closing, Aug 4 FTSE pts at closing, Aug 4 Nikkei pts at closing, Aug 4 Gold $ per oz (London) NYMEX crude $70.79 per barrel Brent crude $73.33 per barrel 3-month $ LIBOR rate 0.47% Cases of A(H1N1) that were resistant to the anti-viral medicine have now been found in the United States, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong and Japan. In Vietnam, officials reported the country s first swine flu fatality after a 29-year-old woman died from the disease in the southern coastal province of Khanh Hoa. Nearly 1,000 people have been reported infected in Vietnam and about 500 of those are receiving hospital treatment, according to the health ministry. In South Africa, authorities said a 22-year-old student at Stellenbosch University near Cape Town had died after contracting the virus, while in India a 14-year-old girl in the western city of Pune died. With the world s highest number of HIV/AIDS-affected people nearly 19 percent of a 49-million-person population South Africa is considered particularly at risk because people with compromised immunity are more likely to fall prey to the disease. South Africa s swine flu caseload has increased fourfold since the country s first case was reported on June 14. In India, the government said that 2,479 people had been tested for swine flu so far out of whom 558 had tested positive for H1N1. Some health officials in India have suggested a combination of climatic and meteorological factors such as high temperatures and humidity and social factors are likely to lower the risk of transmission there. The virus continued to disrupt plans for public events. The Russian state health agency warned football fans to stay away from the national team s World Cup qualifying tie with Wales in Cardiff on Sept 9. This would be an extremely unnecessary and inappropriate undertaking at a time of a flu epidemic, the head of Russia s state health agency Gennady Onishchenko said, according to local news agencies. Onishchenko expressed fears Continued on Page 43 Act within 36 hours of symptom onset Hand hygiene, face masks help cut home transmission HONG KONG, Aug 4, (RTRS): Frequent handwashing and the wearing of face masks at home can help reduce the transmission of influenza viruses within the household if the measures are implemented in good time, a study in Hong Kong has found. The findings, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, are seen as important as patients may need to A general view of Dukan Resort, where three American hikers were last seen, near Sulaimaniyah, 260 kms (160 miles) northeast of Baghdad, Iraq, Aug 3. Iranian authorities have given no word on three Americans detained after reportedly wandering across the border with Iraq last week during a hike in the Iraqi Kurdish region. (AP) Photo by Monzer Alakhrass A young Kuwaiti sailor, taking part in the Kuwait Pearl Diving Festival off the Kheiran coast, holds an oyster containing pearls Tuesday. See Pages 3 & 27 Americans arrested for illegal entry: Tehran Powers could sanction Iran fuel imports WASHINGTON, Aug 4, (Agencies): The United States and Israel are discussing the feasibility of curbing Iran s imports of gasoline and other refined oil products if Tehran refuses to enter negotiations over its nuclear program, an Israeli official said on Monday. US officials refused to say whether they were considering such a curb, which would represent a critical escalation of existing sanctions against the Islamic state and would hit the average Iranian hard in the pocket book. But the Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a possible gasoline import ban has been discussed for a long time between the allies, but that policymakers in Washington were concerned Tehran s response could have implications for global oil markets. Tehran has threatened to retaliate against a cutoff of its gasoline imports by stopping its crude oil exports to Western countries. Iran could also disrupt oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. About 17 million barrels of oil a day pass through the strait. President Barack Obama has given Tehran a deadline of September to agree to international talks about its uranium enrichment program. Israel and Western powers fear Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons while Tehran says the program is intended to generate electricity. be quarantined at home in a pandemic if hospitals run short of isolation facilities. During a pandemic, resources may not be available to isolate all infected individuals, and home isolation of some patients may be required, the researchers wrote. Our results suggest that hand hygiene and facemasks can reduce influenza virus transmission if implemented Iran has the world s third largest proven oil reserves but still imports 40 percent of its gasoline to meet growing demand because of limited refining capacity. The White House and State Department on Monday would not comment on whether a gasoline import ban was an option under discussion with Israel and European allies. With respect to the potential actions that might be undertaken by the international community (against Iran), we re not going to be commenting on what might or might not be done, said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. So we re not prepared to talk about any specific steps. But I have said repeatedly, in the absence of some positive response from the Iranian government, the international community will consult about next steps and certainly next steps can include certain sanctions, she added. Iran says it will prosecute security forces and officials accused of abusing civilians in unrest following the disputed June 12 election. State news agency IRNA says security personnel and judicial officials could be among those charged. Pro-reform leaders have called for trials against those accused of killing or torturing demonstrators. At least 30 people have been killed and hundreds British researchers halt epilepsy in mice LONDON, Aug 4, (KUNA): British scientists have prevented epilepsy caused by a faulty gene from being passed down the generations in mice, it was reported Tuesday. The key gene Atp1a3 regulates levels of chemicals such as sodium and potassium in brain cells. It has long been suspected that an imbalance of these chemicals may cause some cases of epilepsy. The study by researchers at the University of Leeds, in northern England, which appears in Continued on Page 43 early after symptom onset in an index patient. Led by public health expert Ben Cowling at the University of Hong Kong, the researchers recruited patients who tested positive for either influenza A or B. Along with other household members, they were then randomly assigned to one of three groups one with Continued on Page 43 Iranian protester Farzaneh Dadkhah (centre), is helped after collapsing on the sixth day of a hunger strike outside the US embassy in London Tuesday against treatment of Iranians living in Iraq. (AFP) detained in clashes sparked by claims of fraud in President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad s re-election. More than 100 people, including prominent Continued on Page 43 Eight in sleeper cell grilled to stand trial KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: The Public Prosecution has completed interrogations with eight Kuwaitis, believed to be members of a terrorist sleeper cell, and referred the case of the men to the Criminal Court, reports Al-Rai daily quoting knowledgeable sources. Earlier, it had been reported the eight men had been accused of financing terrorism. They are charged with sending money to terrorist networks in Afghanistan and other countries. It has also been reported one of the suspects was arrested in Yemen. However, the suspects claim the money was collected to send it to charity organizations. Newswatch RIYADH: The Saudi offices of a Lebanon-based satellite station controlled by tycoon Prince Alwaleed bin Talal could face closure over a racy talk show featuring a man boasting about his sex life, a newspaper reported on Tuesday. The local operations of the Saudi billionaire s broadcaster LBC could be shut down because of the offensive nature of the programme, Abdullah al-othaim, a senior district judge in Jeddah, told the pan-arab Asharq Al-Awsat. Contacted by AFP, LBC chief executive Pierre Daher said the company had decided not to comment publicly on the controversy. (AFP) ISLAMABAD: At least seven Pakistanis and an Iranian sailor starved to death, their bodies thrown out to sea during a failed mission to smuggle illegal migrants to the Gulf, an official said Tuesday. Four survivors managed to reach the town of Dera Ghazi Khan in Pakistan s central Punjab province where they informed authorities about the incident. The four survivors told us that eight of the 12 died because of starvation and their bodies were thrown out to sea. This is a case of human trafficking, Hassan Iqbal, the top local administration official, told AFP by telephone. (AFP) LONDON: Rules on assisted suicide must apply whether Continued on Page 43

2 LOCAL 2 New free tools, latest information easily available Trend Micro revamps online threat resource center DUBAI, UAE, Aug 4: TrendWatch (trendmicro.com/us/trendwatch/index.html), Trend Micro s online threat resource center, is revamped and refreshed with even more free tools, information, news and advisories, and resources for customers and partners to better educate themselves about the latest online threats and attacks all consolidated in one, easy-to-navigate location. Both free tools are available for download at TrendWatch. VM Protection, gained from Trend Micro s recent acquisition of Third Brigade, is a free-of-charge software package for enterprises and service providers who want to fully take advantage of their virtual environments, up to 100 virtual machines. It complements the security-hardened VMware platform and helps organizations achieve protection and compliance for VMware virtual machines (VMs) that are deployed in private or public cloud computing environments. The free software can be deployed quickly and managed centrally, and is integrated with the VMware platform. Multiple layers of protection are combined in a single software agent to increase security and gain visibility into malicious activity targeting VMs. The TrendWatch Widget is a free Web site threat resource tool for consumers, IT staff, channel partners and anyone interested in receiving up-to-date information on the security of the Web. The widget provides current threat levels for Web, and file; the latest Trend Micro malware blog entries; current security advisories (malware and vulnerabilities); and the ability to check the safety of a URL directly from the desktop by linking into the company s cloud-client infrastructure, the Trend Micro Smart Protection Network, to help identify and block threats before they have a chance to reach the desktop and cause infection. With a fresh new look and feel, TrendWatch holds immediate, streamlined access to information on current threat activities, awareness and prevention tools, educational videos, and detailed threat analysis reports generated by our leading threat researchers from TrendLabsSM Trend Micro s global network of research, service and support centers. Some of the newest additions to TrendWatch include: A series of educational and understandable videos on how the Trend Micro Smart Protection Network protects millions of customers. Podcasts by David Perry, global director of education, on what s happening in the threat landscape. The first episode, Invisible Malware, details online threats that lurk in your computer and can t be seen with the naked eye. Useful tools that check the safety of a URL, file or an IP address. Interesting facts and figures organized by country and region. Trend Micro s popular Top 10 Lists of most spoofed companies, most popular spam, most spammed countries, and more. Monthly threat round ups that gather up all the global threat news and happenings of that month in one report. Analytical threat studies that examine some of the world s most notorious Web threats. The recent June report centers on the WALEDAC Botnet and its use of social engineering, encrypted communication and fast-flux networks to infiltrate computers. Visit the new TrendWatch here: MP praises govt for putting Bedouns on list of priorities Khanfour presents draft on citizenship Burgan Bank official (center), with some of the students who attended the program. 30 trainees encouraged to enhance financial business knowledge Burgan Bank holds training program KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: Burgan Bank amongst the leading and most dynamic commercial banks in the state of Kuwait avowed its commitment to supporting knowledge-acquisition by conducting a summer training program for 30 promising trainees to enable them to gather knowhow and experience in the field of banking. The training program will acquaint students from different colleges, universities and members of organizations across Kuwait with the different business functions, operations and basic management skills that enable the bank to successfully meet its business goals and customer expectations. Encouraging young generations to realize their potential has always been a key focus area of the Bank s Corporate Social Responsibility program, says the Bank s Chief Human Resources & Development Officer Mrs Maliha Al-Ayar. We look forward to giving young students the chance to learn about how our bank functions. This will prepare them to jumpstart their careers. Giving them an opportunity to learn from veterans in the field of banking Info to make summit a success: The Ministry of Information is taking great care to facilitate the success of the forthcoming GCC summit in December, reports Al-Seyassah daily. According to a source, the Ministry is considering the possibility of creating an information center similar to the one that covered the events of the Arab Economic and Social Summit which took place in January. He said the Ministry plans to make the information center a permanent location for major international conferences. The source further said the center is likely to be located in the capital as foreign and Arab officials, including print and electronic journalists, normally stay there during conferences. He added the through hands-on training and internships is a way in which we fulfill our commitment to promote banking expertise. This summer, 30 talented and eager-to-learn youth will interact with senior executives and management members from Burgan Bank, and practice what they learn at the bank. This learning-plus-application approach will further the development of their skills, and help them to not only jumpstart their career but also equip them with necessary experience to play an important role in the nation s business and economic development as today s youth will help shape the future, she adds. Following an assessment of their strengths and aptitude, each of the 30 trainees will be allowed to gain practical business knowledge at different departments of the bank. Understanding how different departments and functions in the bank complement each other and how each person can make a contribution to the collective success of the bank, is one of the most important lessons that we encourage our trainees to learn, explains Maliha Al Ayar. This is the basis of Burgan Bank s News in Brief Ministry is currently working to rectify all noted flaws that occurred during the previous summit in order to provide effective gadgets, computers, audiovisual equipment and adequate translation facilities for the translators along with separate transmission studios for all satellite stations. The Ministry will do its best to surpass past achievements in terms of media coverage of the summit, the source said. Egyptian-Kuwaiti ties excellent : Kuwait s cultural attache to Alexandria Dr Khalifa Behbehani underscored Tuesday the strong bilateral ties between Kuwait and Egypt, especially in the academic Brand Values (of Trust, Commitment, Excellence and Progression) and our Driving Principles for Action (of Cooperation, Ownership, Improvement, Inspiration). We are glad to give these promising trainees an opportunity to internalize the essence of our corporate philosophy. The Bank s HRD Department has been consistently working to integrate learning and training programs into its annual calendar and thereby promote advancement of the nation s human capital. Recently, the bank recruited 81 nationals into its diverse workforce, which raised its Kuwaitization ratio to a favorable 58.5 percent. Burgan Bank presents a successful model of a private sector firm s ability to attract young, ambitious Kuwaitis, she added. The bank strives to reward deserving trainees through merit-based recruitment opportunities into the bank s workforce. It also provides employees with best-in-class benefit programs and paves the road for them to take advantage of the various promotion venues and career development opportunities. field. This came in a statement to KUNA, following a meeting between a delegation from Kuwait Scouts Society with Alexandria s Governor Major General Adel Labeeb, who welcomed the visiting Kuwaiti scouts and their representatives. The scouts are their country s future, hope, and peace keepers, Labeeb said. Labeeb valued Kuwaiti-Egyptian ties and described them as a good example for other Arab countries to follow. Meanwhile, head of children s activities at the Kuwait Scouts Society, Fatema Al- Oseimi, told KUNA that such a visit was considered the first of its type, and the scouts visited the monuments, cultural and tourist sites in the city. (KUNA) By Dahlia Kholaif and Abubakar A. Ibrahim Arab Times Staff KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: MP Saifi Mubarak Al-Saifi has commended the government for including the problems of Bedouns in its list of priorities for the next legislative round. This came after the government submitted its list of priorities to the Parliament Office earlier this week. The Bedouns issue is just one of many draft bills included in the government s list, in addition to the new private sector labor law and establishment of a public authority for the stock market. These bills, which were derived from the five-year developmental plan of the Cabinet, are also among the projects left pending for quite a long time due to unending standoffs between the executive and legislature. Other draft bills included in the government s list are services for the handicapped, close monitoring of the privatization process, establishment of a public communications authority, incriminating human trafficking, amendments of law number 17/1959 for foreign residents in Kuwait, and granting citizenship to qualified applicants. Urging the government to refrain from politicizing the issue, Al-Saifi underscored the importance of preventing the recurrence of problems encountered earlier. He revealed the committee formed by the previous government under the leadership of Sheikh Thamer Al- Jaber has raised suspicions on the naturalization procedures, claiming that citizenship has been granted to undeserving applicants, while those who meet the specified conditions have been deprived of their right to obtain citizenship. He appealed to the government to lay down fair and impartial regulations before restarting the processing of naturalization applications to avoid repetition of previous mistakes and violations. Draft In a related development, MP Saad Al-Khanfour has presented a draft bill on granting citizenship to Bedouns. Article One of the bill stipulates granting citizenship to Bedouns included in the 1965 Census, those who have no security restrictions, those with DNA test results showing good health conditions, those who participated in the 1967, 1973 and liberation wars, prisoners of war (POWs), and children of Bedouns and non-kuwaitis who were killed while carrying out special duties in and outside the country. Article Two instructs the Cabinet to issue an executive bylaw in accordance with the recommendation of the Ministry of Interior. Article Three states the prime minister and ministers should implement this law immediately after its publication in the official gazette. Meanwhile, MP Saleh Ashour raised doubts on the measures and proposals submitted by the government to solve the Bedouns issue, describing such efforts as hollow promises. Ashour urged members of the parliamentary Committee for the Affairs of Stateless People (Bedouns) to take stern measures against the consecutive cabinets that failed to address this protracted issue and grill those responsible for this failure. MP Musallam Al-Barrak, on the other hand, had earlier expressed similar sentiments and he threatened to grill the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah in case the Cabinet fails to find root-level solutions to the problems of Bedouns. Agencies add: MP Dr Yousef Al-Zalzalah has unveiled plans to grill Minister of Oil and Information Sheikh Other Voices Injustice being spread Wasta has made Kuwait lag behind By Lidia Qattan Special to the Arab Times While the other Gulf countries with less natural resources are moving ahead catching the eyes of the world through innovatory developments that make their people proud, Kuwait, once the torch of culture and development in the region, is sadly lagging behind. The wasta is not bad in itself; everyone needs a helping friend sometime, what made the wasta in Kuwait a corrupting factor, has been the spreading of injustice through it, turning it into a phenomenon that did not exist in the frugal old days when everyone had to work hard for his living. The oil revenues enabled Kuwait to become a model welfare state with a higher standard of living; its prosperity and work opportunities attracted not only foreign workers, but also many tribe on the border of Kuwait. The infusion of tribal culture began to be felt as a major influence in government affairs with the implementation of the modern version of democracy; for it was through the parliament that it began to gain power in decision making, the same as the pro-iranian minority did, thereby making the Kuwaiti society divided into three fields. Incidentally it was through some MPs the wasta began to spread as a malady that affected the life of the nation and causing drag and corruption that affected the entire system. When in a country the ability of individuals counts less than influential connections, injustice sets in, especially when those who reach higher positions through influential connections, are not fit for the responsibility invested on them. Such individuals not only cause obstacles, they also spread injustice, when they employ less worthy candidate in jobs that require skill and honest dedication. Consequently the most valuable elements, the people who could work and produce are left behind or abused with over-work, while those who hardly do any work, get bonus and privileges. People are made of feelings. Even those most dedicated to their job, soon lose enthusiasm, when they see others who don t pull their weight, getting the same wages, even moving on to a higher position. Frustrated, many chose to resign, those who remain on the job, are no longer motivated. When lethargy sets in, the whole system suffers. A major crisis often shakes off the lethargy of a nation. It was hoped that the Iraqi invasion would cause a revival of the old Kuwaiti spirit, as Qattan Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al- Sabah in October or November, at the latest, in case he fails to handle efficiently the questionable oil contracts worth billions of dinars, reports Arrouiah daily. In a press statement recently, Al-Zalzalah stressed the need to grill Sheikh Abdullah if he fails to establish a neutral committee to investigate alleged violations in the contracts. He said the committee should look into the Audit Bureau report that highlighted dubious aspects of the contracts. He also advised the minister to take serious steps to avoid any political uproar, asserting Sheikh Abdullah has enough time until October to address the issue. Meanwhile, sources affirmed the Popular Labor Bloc has forwarded a letter to Sheikh Abdullah, seeking clarifications when during the invasion people inside Kuwait fought and died for their country. Their daring deeds even surprised the Iraqi Mukhabarat. Students and professors and others who never did manual work set to work running the water distillation and electricity plants, the refinery and petrol-stations, even clearing the garbage and baking bread. When the government in exile began to smuggle in Iraqi currency for the people to buy food, the resistance took charge of distributing the money at a great personal risk, for those who were caught were tortured to death. The few who survived were maimed for life or died soon after. During the invasion Kuwait was declared a restricted military zone, but the information the resistance smuggled out, revealed to the world what was going on inside. This in itself was a major contribution to the freedom campaign. People s expectation in a rebirth after the liberation soon disappeared, when the same vitiated spirit returned, indeed it became more virulent and consequential than before, mainly because many of those who were abroad during the invasion did not suffer deprivation. Nowhere in history has a government in exile looked after its people. The Kuwait government was an exception, for it provided a monthly salary to its people stranded abroad to enable them to live with dignity. Some indeed got involved in the freedom campaign, working hard to free their land and suffering the tension and anguish of being away from home. But others did not get involved, nor did they feel what others felt of anguish and despair, being well provided some even misbehaved thereby giving a bad name to their countrymen. For scandalous behavior always catches the attention of the world faster than any good deed. When those people returned home they were yet more spoiled than when they left for their summer holidays. Accustomed to the easy life they returned to the same routine unaffected by the crisis that transformed the life of their country, and the wasta continued to rule yet more virulent than before. How can a nation prosper if corruption affects the whole system? How can the old solidarity return if people are divided by vested interests? The lethargy caused by the incrustation of corruption through the wasta it is hard to overcome, but it is not impossible. The present crisis affecting the global economy might just be the chance Kuwait needs to escape its state of torpor and regain its vitality once again, but people must come together with the same objective, with one common goal that would redeem the old spirit of solidarity that built Kuwait and made it prosperous long before oil entered the human equation. MoC to give owners 90-day grace period Fines on small boats, jet skis to be cut By Wael Al-Fulaifel Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: The Ministry of Communications is planning to reduce the fines imposed on owners of small boats, and jet skis who fail to renew their licenses, reports Al-Seyassah daily quoting senior ministry officials. The current fine, which ranges between KD 300 and KD 100, will be cut down to KD 10. However, extra one dinar will be added to the KD 10 each day after the expiration period to renew the license. Owners will be given a 90-day grace period, the sources explained. A number of citizens who own small boats and jet skis have requested to be exempted from the fines which have been inflicted on them, in line with Law No 36 of 1960 and amendment No 50 of 1996, the sources indicated. In a related development, the General Department for Marine Transport has submitted a proposal to the ministry s Legal Affairs and Supervision Department to prepare a memorandum aimed at amending some articles of the small boats law. about the controversial oil contracts. Sources explained the bloc took this step to reprimand some high-ranking oil sector officials, not the minister. Sources said the bloc also warned the minister against protecting these officials from parliamentary queries as such an act might lead him to trouble, considering he is not involved in these controversies.

3 LOCAL 3 Banking association launches campaign Don t fall prey to fraud letters, s, SMS, warns KBA KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4, (KUNA): In the past few years, people around the world have been receiving fraud letters and messages on mobile phones, claiming that the recipient has won a grand prize or large sum of money which they can collect after making a phone call or logging on to an internet website. Often, the recipient is told that his or her phone number or was entered into a random draw, and that they are the lucky ones among millions others - which cannot be logical in any sense. Responses to such letters differ from one individual to the other; some know these are merely false claims, while others may be naive and fall into the trap. Such letters are sent by organized crime groups whose members are expert at dealing with and convincing people. Some are easier manipulated than others, especially after the severe impact of the international economic crisis on families and their status of living. Therefore, Kuwait Banking Association (KBA) has arranged special campaigns to warn people of such fraud letters and of the different approaches that crime groups use in order to protect them against bankrupcy. KBA is trying to fight electronic fraud, which is considered among the most complicated and speedy criminal means due to its reliance on the internet and electronic banking. Fraudsters send international fraud letters through s to bank clients in order to get their banking information using forms similar to those of banks. Among the forms of scams are letters sent by anonymous parties asking people to help them release their money by providing their account numbers and other personal information so that a money transfer can take place, promising them a percentage of the money. Hacking s or the sites of companies or banks is considered another type of electronic fraud. Some fraudsters make phone calls to bank clients under the pretext that they are bank employees, asking them to provide them with their banking information for an update. Others may call as if to promote tourist or hotel services and ask for the credit card number to pay for a membership. Analysts consider such fraud as a major and complicated problem because its exercised, whether through the internet or outside the country s geographic borders, making it hard for security authorities to detect. KBA and banks in general are keen to warn their clients of such scams through sending them text messages or letters. Zain telecommunications company has also warned its clients of such international fraud letters and phone calls in press releases. KBA and telecommunications companies advised their clients to fully ignore such letters and phone calls, and not to provide third parties with banking or any personal information. Clients are advised to double check websites before any banking transaction is made. They are also advised not to display their secret codes in front of others in public places. People are advised to protect their computers using anti-virus softwares. Iraq reparations to Kuwait could be reduced, says UK Degree of understanding required between both countries UNITED NATIONS, Aug 4, (RTRS): Britain s UN envoy on Tuesday endorsed Iraq s request to lower its war reparation payments to Kuwait but said any reduction would need the Kuwait Today Prayer Timings Fajr... 03:42 am Sunrise... 05:10 Zohr... 11:54 Asr... 03:30 pm Maghreb... 06:37 Isha... 08:02 Night Pharmacies Kuwait City: Kaifan Cooperative Society, Tel: Hawally: Manar Block 13, Salmiya, Tel: Fahaheel & Ahmadi: Yasmin Clinic St, Block 23, Fahaheel, Tel: Farwaniya & Kheitan: Rehab Cooperative Society, Tel: Jahra: Rayan St 3, Block 3, Tel: Weather Expected weather for the next 24 hours By night: Relatively hot with light to moderate north westerly wind, with speed of km/h. By day: Hot with moderate to fresh north westerly wind, with speed of km/h causing rising dust. Kuwait Weather Station Max Min Rec Exp Kuwait City Kuwait Airport Nuwaiseeb Wafra Salmi Abdaly Jalaliyah Failaka Ahmadi Port Umm Al-Maradem deaths Mohammad Saleh Al-Natefi, 72, years-old, buried on Tuesday. Condolences: (Men) Andalous, block 13, St 13, house 4, Tel (Women) Mubarak Al-Kabeer, block 7, St 22, house 6, Tel Hasan Bekhat Ghossn Al-Ajmi, 63 years-old, buried on Tuesday. Condolences: Dahiyat Jaber Al-Ali, block 5, St 51, house 12, Tel Mahmoud Ahmad Abdullah Al- Abdul Ilah Al-Qenaie, 89 years-old, buried on Tuesday. Condolences: (Men) Shuwaikh, Diwan Al-Qanaat, Tel (Women) Salwa, block 2, Aksa Mosque St, house 35. Ahmad Ibrahim Hasan Abu Khalaf, 73 years-old, buried on Tuesday. Condolences: Sulaibikhat, block 4, St 114, house 251, avenue 2, Tel Anoud Mohammad Saud Al-Sahew, 49 years old, widow of Jasem Ibrahim Al- Khader, to be buried on Wednesday after Asr prayers. Condolences: (Men) Yarmouk, block 4, St 1, house 12, Tel (Women) Shuhada, block 2, St 202, house 39, Tel Ibrahim Mohammad Ibrahim Al-Rabeah, 27 years- old, to be buried on Wednesday at 09:00 am. Condolences: (Men) Qosour, block 7, St 34, house 43, Tel (Women)Qosour, block 7, St 36, house 4, Tel Abdul Wahad Ali Hamad Al-Zuabi, 47 years-old, buried on Tuesday. Condolences: (Only for Women) Salwa, block 7, St 5, house 165, Tel Warba-Bubiyan Marine Forecast Station Max Min Sea Todays Exp Rec Surf Waves Height Direction South Dolphin ft SE Ahmadi L/V ft SE Beacon M ft SE Beacon N ft SE Umm Al-Maradem ft SE Sea island buoy ft SE Salmiyah ft SE Julaia Port ft SE Tide times at Shuwaikh Port 1st high tide:... 00:30 2nd high tide... 10:45 1st low tide:... 05:15 2nd low tide:... 18:45 blessing of both Baghdad and the Kuwaiti authorities. After the 1991 Gulf war, the UN Security Council ordered Iraq to compensate countries that suffered as a result of its occupation of neighboring Kuwait. Baghdad now must set aside 5 percent of its oil revenues for reparation Photos by Monzer Alakhrass The dhows which had left Bahrain reached Kheiran to continue with the annual pearl diving. Top: trainees prepare for the pearl diving expedition, and (above) a male comedian dressed as a woman during a cultural show. See Page 27 August 4, 2009 Sunrise:... 05:10 Sunset:... 18:37 Recorded yesterday at Kuwait Airport Max temp Min temp Max Rh... 16% Min Rh... 05% Max Wind... N 60 km/h Total Rainfall in 24 hr mm Recorded yesterday at South Dolphin Min/Max/ Air Temp... 32/40C Min/Max Rel Hum... 11/49% Wind Direction/Wind Speed... N/65 km/h Prev Wave Dir/Max Wave Ht... N/2 ft Min/Max Sea Surface Temp... 30/31 C Sea Current... Up welling Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Meteorological Dept. payments, most of which go to Kuwait. Iraq wants the council to cancel Iraq s obligation to pay reparations to Kuwait. It has asked UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to support its request to slash or even cancel the payments so the money can be used for investments inside Iraq. British UN Ambassador John Sawers told Reuters in an interview he hoped all outstanding issues between Iraq and Kuwait including missing Kuwaiti citizens and archives, access to the sea and other issues will be resolved. We would like to be able to move forward so that... all these issues can be agreed within the context of the existing border and within the context of a reduction of compensation payments by Iraq to Kuwait, he said. But that requires a degree of understanding between Baghdad and Kuwait, which is what we (the Security Council) are trying to build, said Sawers, who is the council president for the month of August. In a report to the 15-nation Security Council last week, Ban mentioned Iraq s bilateral discussions with Kuwait on reparations, including Baghdad s idea of converting the outstanding payments into investments. Ban said he would strongly encourage Iraq and other stakeholders to come up with alternative solutions to Baghdad s reparation payments. While he did not explicitly back a reduction in the payments to Kuwait, Ban said any new solution should help Iraq meet its reconstruction needs and be beneficial to the region as a whole. Unfair Iraq says the reparations are an unfair burden and wants the percentage reduced so it has more money for reconstruction and development projects. It has called for annulling Security Council decisions requiring reparation payments under Chapter 7 of the UN charter. Kuwait opposes ending Iraq s Chapter 7 status and has so far successfully lobbied the Security Council to support it. But council diplomats say they may vote to lift the restrictions at the end of this year, which would enable Iraq to renegotiate the amount of reparations it pays to Kuwait. Iraq has said it still owes $25.5 billion in reparations, $24 billion to Kuwait alone. Relations between Iraq and Kuwait have become tense recently, with politicians in both countries trading accusations over the reparations. Ban s report stopped short of declaring that Iraq no longer posed any threat to international peace and security, which was the official justification for the sanctions imposed on Iraq when the late Saddam Hussein was in power. But Ban said Iraq in 2009 is not the same country it was before the US-led invasion in March 2003 that toppled Saddam s government. Sawers made clear Britain believed Iraq no longer represented a threat to global peace and security. KUNA photo His Highness the Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received on Tuesday Arif Ghareeb Dukhi Al-Anizi, who presented him with a medal of invention genius which he won at the International Exhibition Ideas-Inventions in Germany. He then received at Al-Sief Palace, Aisha Salem Al-Rushaid (above left). (KUNA) Kuwait yet to cancel sponsorship By Najeh Bilal and Sayyed Al-Qassas Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: The representative of the International Labor Organization in Kuwait Thabet Al-Haroun said Kuwait has yet to officially cancel the kafil (sponsor) system, and a decision is expected to be made in the next few days. The Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Dr Mohammad Mohsen Al-Afasi spoke about this issue in recent statements. He said the government is seriously working on this file and intends to solve the problem of labor sponsors that international organizations consider slave trade. Reliable sources in the Ministry said Dr Al-Afasi discussed alternatives to the kafil system with other officials. If the decision to cancel this system is issued, an employee will be able to obtain a transfer when his contract with the sponsor ends. News in Brief Millionaire for a few hours!: An Arab reporter of a local daily became a millionaire for few hours when about KD 6 million was mistakenly deposited into his account, reports Al-Rai daily. After discovering the error the beneficiary reported the matter to the manager of the bank and the latter thanked him for his honesty and rewarded him with a KD 100 cash gift. Shuwaikh road to be closed: The General Traffic Department has announced that an internal road behind the new Audit Bureau in Meanwhile, Dr Al-Afasi has reaffirmed his ministry s commitment to ease procedures for citizens and expatriates at the six labor offices across the country, reports Al-Shahid daily. Al-Afasi made the statement during his first official visit to the Capital Labor Office recently. He assessed work procedures at the seven-floor labor office in Behbehani Building in Sharq. He said the visit has given him a chance to personally evaluate the situation and proffer solutions to any problems. Commenting on reports about some companies that allegedly reduced salaries of employees by more than 20 percent, Al-Afasi asked the concerned officials not to process the transactions of such companies. It is unbelievable that salaries of some employees have declined from KD 350 to KD 80, so our officials should not accept any reduction by more than 20 percent of the previous amount stipulated in the work permit, he asserted. Shuwaikh will be closed for drainage work from 4:00 pm on Aug 6 for a period of 45 days. Naval force to hold live drills: Kuwait s naval force announced Tuesday that it would be conducting an exercise with live ammunition tomorrow in the area between Umm El-Maradem and the Garoh Islands, north of Kuwaiti waters. The navy s public relations and moral support department said that the exercise would start at nine am and would end at one pm local-time. All sea enthusiasts and fishermen must stay away from the mentioned area during the exercise, the statement concluded. (KUNA)

4 LOCAL 4 DIWANIYA A DIGEST OF PUBLIC OPINION AFTER the Iraqi troops were ignobly driven out of Kuwait, the UN Security Council issued a resolution ordering Iraq to set aside 30 percent value of the sales of its oil to be paid to Kuwait to compensate the country for damages resulting from its invasion and occupation of Kuwait, columnist, former Editor-in-Chief of Al-Furqan magazine and the Deputy Chairman of Islamic Heritage Revival Society Dr Wael Al-Hassawi wrote for Al-Rai daily Tuesday. However, this percentage was later reduced to 10 and then to five. But right now Kuwait s Deputy Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Dr Mohammad Al- Sabah, is negotiating with the UN to reduce this percentage to just one percent. Kuwaitis have not complained about this reduction although the percentage is relatively low. In other words, if we presume that Iraq is currently selling three million barrels of oil per day (bpd), then the money deducted from its sale will not exceed halfa-million Kuwaiti dinars per day and this means the settlement of compensation payable by Iraq to Kuwait will last more than 100 years and I don t think that Al-Hassawi a rich country like Iraq will not be unable to pay this money. But the question is: Is the settlement of compensation issue complex for the Iraqis because some Iraqi parliamentarians have strongly reacted and started insulting Kuwait. Moreover, these MPs are accusing Kuwait for Iraq being under the UN Chapter VII. Following this reaction, the Iraqis have intentionally removed the iron fence along the Kuwaiti-Iraqi border which symbolized the demarcation of frontiers between the two countries. In my opinion the issue is bigger than just a spontaneous reaction of some Iraqis. It is a method adopted by many Iraqi parties topped by the ruling parties to promote conflicts between the two countries. In this context, we cite what has been attributed to the Iraqi intellectual Mustafa Al-Ani who was quoted as saying the Iraqis since their childhood are taught that Kuwait is part and parcel of Iraq. However, although attempts made to separate Kuwait from Iraq have succeeded, it will not result in the Iraqis to abandoning their objective claims that Kuwait is part and parcel of Iraq, particularly since they have sacrificed too much to realize this imaginary objective. For the time being, the Iraqis who look upon themselves as giants feel an ant has hurt them. In light of the above, we infer the sedatives which the Iraqi leaders feed the Kuwaitis through their sweet talk are no longer commensurate with the behavior of the Iraqi MPs towards Kuwait to such an extent anybody who listens to the statements issued by these MPs will inevitably conclude that they are grooming themselves to commit another aggression on Kuwait. Such being the case, we suggest we should deal with our neighbor with wisdom and patience. Apart from the above, we call upon the concerned authority to hire psychologists to study the Iraqi psychology and how to deal with it. Likewise, we suggest Kuwait must cooperate with those Iraqis who love Kuwait and have proved their keenness to boost the relationship with them. Furthermore, we should work to fortify our border with Iraq using the latest technology to protect the country from further Iraqi aggressions. Also: The nineteenth anniversary of the Iraqi invasion of our country comes amid atmospheres of political tensions which currently govern the relationship between the two countries. These atmospheres are charged with political and informational campaigns in Iraq against Kuwait, columnist Zayed Al- Zaid wrote for Annahar daily Tuesday. The Iraqis want Kuwaitis to write off the debts and compensations payable by them. Not just that, at the moment, they cast doubts on land and maritime borders demarcated through the UN Security Council resolution between both countries in the wake of Kuwait s liberation from the Iraqi invasion and occupation in Moreover, the Iraqis are calling upon us to pay them compensations for allowing the US to use our country as a launch pad in 2003 to liberate Iraq from the despotic regime of former ruler Saddam Hussein. Needless to say these types of claims are full of grudge against Kuwait and contraventions. These contraventions rest in the fact that there is no country in the world which was invaded and occupied by another country and then its rights, particularly since we know the debts and the compensations payable by Iraq to Kuwait is our right. Such being the case, the Kuwaitis represented by their elected MPs reserve the right to determine how to deal with this right because Iraq is not a poor country. In this context, we suggest if the Iraqi officials intensify their efforts to retrieve the money stashed away in foreign banks by the deposed Saddam Hussein and his family members, Iraq will have restored tens of billions of US dollars if not hundreds of billions. Some members of the National Assembly such as Ahmed Al-Saadoun and Musallam Al-Barrak are exerting direct efforts almost on a daily basis to pursue fight against corruption in the country, columnist and attorney Mohammad Al-Jassem wrote for Alam-Alyawm daily Tuesday. These efforts come through parliamentary queries to concerned ministers and this was evident when two MPs threatened to grill the Prime Minister. However, in spite of the significance of the efforts in question to stop and expose corrupt activities, it is needless to say these efforts alone are not sufficient to achieve the targeted objectives to surmount corruption. In this context, we say Kuwait at the moment suffers from corruption on many fronts. Such being the case, we say a few MPs will not be able to fight corruption with is an organized process in the country. It is a known fact that corruption is patronized and managed by organized networks which are capable of penetrating all government organizations and the decision-making centers and protect themselves. In other words, these established networks, have a strong base and are capable of protecting their members in times of need. For their part, the MPs are working on two fronts to fight corruption by addressing queries to the concerned ministers and enacting laws and legislations to fight the corruption in the country. In spite of above, the efforts exerted by these MPs need support from outside the National Assembly to provide them necessary objectives to fight corruption in the country. In other words, fighting corruption in Kuwait requires a political decision to be issued by the supreme terms of references in the country in order to dismantle the corruption networks which currently dominate the political decision-making process in the country. The Saddamist invasion of Kuwait in 1990 was a bitter and painful experience for all in general and for Kuwait and Iraq in particular, columnist Mohammad Al-Khaldi wrote for Al-Anba daily Tuesday. During this invasion both Kuwait and Iraq incurred exorbitant losses in the form of devastation of their infrastructures, and the death of many innocent people. In other words, both the Kuwaitis and Iraqis fell victim to the avariciousness of the despot Saddam Hussein through his brutal aggression on Kuwait. These days as we celebrate the nineteenth anniversary of the painful invasion, we must actually take this opportunity to review our accounts with our new/old neighbor Iraq through a rational manner, away from fanaticism. Needless to say the Iraqis reserve the right to rescue their country from the restrictions which have been imposed by the UN Chapter VII and work to rehabilitate their country. In the meantime, we also reserve the right not to waive the compensations and debts payable to us by Iraq in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions prior to Iraq being lifted from the UN Chapter VII. But does duty not entail that we must support the new Iraq as an Arab and Muslim country and shun acute manners while dealing with Iraq over its obligations towards Kuwait? In other words, we must shun this policy of black and white while dealing with Iraq, particularly since we know there is lot of grey to deal with Baghdad that may satisfy all. However, in my opinion the settlement of the issue of land and marine borders for good is more important than the compensation issue. In other words, if the Iraqis currently argue that they are not in a position to settle the overdue compensations due to economic burdens, I think they will find no excuse to justify their procrastination in terms of demarcating the frontiers between the two countries. The Saudi Foreign Minister HH Prince Saud Al-Faisal s recent statement in which he has turned down the proposal submitted by the United States of America to normalize ties with Israel in return for freezing the construction of Jewish settlements in the West Bank of Palestine is indeed laudable, columnist Abdullah Al-Saadoun wrote for Awan daily Tuesday. Not just that, this Saudi rejection was issued in Washington through a joint press conference that was attended by the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al- Faisal. Clinton prior to the press conference had called on the Arab states to make what she called tangible arrangements to normalize ties with Israel and groom their people to accept peace with Israel. Needless to say the attitude of Prince Saud Al-Faisal during the press conference in question actually reflects the firm attitude of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia towards Israel and the rejection of the unbalanced US peace initiatives with Tel Aviv, particularly since we know the latter still insists not to surrender for the sake of peace with Arab countries. In this context, we cite how Israel still declares itself a pure Jewish state to justify its usurping of Palestinian territories in the West Bank. Moreover, Israel is going ahead and annexing East Jerusalem. Not just that, Israel is seemingly planning to swallow the Gaza Strip after transforming it into a big jail to house the Palestinians. As a matter of fact, the statement of Prince Saud Al-Faisal in question is a clear cut message to Barack Obama s administration whose soft policy is not different from that of consecutive former administrations Republicans and Democrats. Kuwait once boasted about the most successful Minister of Health in Dr Mohammad Al-Jarallah. He belonged to the technocrat category, conducted and still conducts the most complicated surgeries with precision and high level of skill, columnist Abu Khalid wrote for Freedom Journal. Besides he had the tact and the magic ability to deal with MPs in the National Assembly but as usual some MPs found him to be an obstacle to their election interests and forced him out of the government. Today we see history repeating itself with the current Minister of Health Dr Hilal Al-Sayer who has taken charge of the ministry and is keen to develop the health services in the country. In spite of all his efforts he has not found favor with some MPs. Our government is well known for going back on its word in the field of economics and politics making life difficult for citizens. At one point it approves the implementation of project and even gives licenses only to withdraw them at a later stage, columnist Abdullatif Al-Duaij wrote for Al-Qabas daily. For example, the government approved the establishment of many companies and then cancelled the licenses. Not just that recently the government granted nationality to many people and later withdrew it. It agreed on the Dow Chemicals project and then went back on its word. This phenomenon has become routine for the government, particularly over the past few years. Now the government attempts to transfer this malady to the National Assembly. It looks like Kuwait has entered a new era and become the land for torture. I say this from the bedoun point of view because this denomination of the people have been suffering for 18 years without solution to their problem, columnist Mona Al-Wuhaib wrote for Arrouiah daily. Another problem is that of the jobless citizens who have been made redundant by the private sector and are unable to fulfill their obligations towards their families. The sad part is this is the first government that encouraged them to join the private sector with bright slogans and has now abandoned them to their fate. The declaration of human rights signed in Cairo by many Muslim states to which Kuwait is also a signatory, obliges Kuwait to provide jobs for its citizens. Any information leaked by authorities is paid attention to and followed up by people to ensure its reliability. But what about news stories related to the Bedoun community in the country? It will be pleasing if the news is good, especially since they have lived in the country for decades with our citizens, wrote Ahmed bin Fahad for Al-Sabah daily. A news story published by Al-Rai daily is an example of such good news which deserves to be discussed and followed up. The news story spoke about an end to all problems faced by Bedouns, by means of demanding final solutions from the government. The government said it will officially announce the steps which will be issued by the Council of Ministers to solve the problems. Thus the question that arises from this news story is whether the government will tackle the issue of the politicization of the Bedoun files by many politicians. MP Dr Salwa Al-Jassar indirectly blames the MP who accused the Minister of Interior Sheikh Jaber Al-Khalid of exploitation of public funds and corruption, without officially revealing his name, saying There are some people who are bargaining politically over the transfer of the Minister of Interior to the Ministers Court, which signifies Al- Jassar believes MP Ahmad Al-Saadoun is wrong, while honorable MPs such as Mussallam Al-Barrak are into political bargaining, Mohammad Al-Mulla wrote for Al- Shahid daily. It is apt for the noble MP to ensure the public funds are protected, who shall not give up his constitutional responsibilities to attain position in the government. The MPs should also understand history always writes its own pages, but cheating the people that elected them into authority will be their greatest blunder. It is obvious Al-Jasser as MP supports the government, and will soon realize that if everything is done to satisfy others, then every other thing will be lost. The ugly political situation in the National Assembly continues to worsen with each passing day, Tariq Edris wrote for Al- Seyassah daily. Meanwhile, thorough examination of statements issued by the lawmakers, attitudes of the blocs, discussions in seminars and efforts of certain lawmakers to cause tension by creating problems for the parliament shows everybody that the National Assembly is currently balanced precariously. This will definitely have a huge impact, so it is important for us to hold bilateral and multilateral talks to bring back stability. However, if there is still doubt about such an achievement, and the efforts to destabilize political trends continue to increase, any effort to hold political dialogue is useless. It then simply becomes a matter of waiting to embrace the imminent catastrophe. The present parliament is not different from the previous ones in terms of political crises, due to certain elements who wish democracy s premature end. As Kuwaitis, we are disheartened every time a compatriot serves the interests of his bloc that propagates radical ideologies and issue statements against other groups, Abdulaziz Abdul Kareem Al-Hindal wrote for Al-Dar daily. Kuwait means more than a piece of land or a certain regime. It is our life and we share this life for better or for worse. Whether we are Shiites, Sunnis, tribesmen or civilians, we all defended the country during the Iraqi invasion, directly or indirectly and through various ways. No one can categorize the loyalty of citizens to their country in accordance with their sects. Issuing statements against each other does not and will never serve the interests of Kuwait. We should set aside our differences for the sake of the nation. The responsibility of lifting up the country is common among various parties. In Kuwait, the Constitution grants the ruling family the authority to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and ministers, dissolve the Parliament and issue decrees, Dr Fahed Saleh Al-Khannah wrote for Al-Watan Arabic daily. The ruling family also plays a crucial role in other institutions like the National Assembly, civil societies political, social, economic and educational sectors, and media. Who will build the nation if the government and these institutions fail to do their jobs properly and channel all their energies to unnecessary disagreements? Who will work towards development, particularly human resource development through education? The general environment in Kuwait is full of tension. Relations between institutions in charge of building the nation are not good. Such relations have also affected citizens who made matters worse by buying academic certificates from unrecognized universities abroad. These citizens know nothing about their supposed fields of specialization, yet they have been appointed to vital posts in which they are expected to take wise decisions. Instead of going forward, Kuwait has been regressing, so the concerned officials should pay more attention to raising the standards of education, since it is regarded as a fundamental tool to achieve national development. It is unfortunate the leadership is dealing with social and national issues in a nonserious and melodramatic manner, as if the government is not the highest authority that has control over political activities, and responsibility to the citizens, Dr Hassan Abdullah Jowhar wrote for Al-Jareedah daily. The first attempt by the government to respond to social issues started when it denied there were no problems, which dragged on until the parliamentary criticism escalated beyond control, until it was threatened with questioning. The situation has degenerated to the level where it has become the main issue in both the print and electronic media, as well as diwaniyas. Subsequently, the government admitted there were problems while at the same time, it denied responsibility for the situation, un-prepared to bear the brunt. The escalation within the National Assembly continues to flare while there are proposed legislations to solve the problem. This has surprisingly pushed the government to quickly resolve the problems to signify their concern for the plight of the citizens. For government to bring about meaningful compensation of over 700 Kuwaiti families who are affected by mass lay-offs, there is a need to hold a special Assembly session on Aug 18 for approval of benefits which these citizens and their children deserve. Compiled by Zaki Taleb Oil minister in Italy Kuwait committed to develop HR ROME, Aug 4, (KUNA): Minister of Oil and Information Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on Monday stressed the government s commitment towards developing Kuwaiti human resources which he regarded as the main resource of the state. The minister made the comment shortly after arriving in the Italian capital, Rome s Ciampino Airport, where he had arrived from Brussels. The visit is part of a European tour that also included the Netherlands in order to inspect Kuwaiti oil investments in these countries. The minister in his current visit will meet employees working at Q8 Petroleum Italia S.p.a.; a Kuwaiti government-owned company which has several petrol stations and an oil refinery in Italy. The minister said that his meeting with the company s administration will focus on its strategy and operations and acquiring its targets, while getting familiar with the challenges of the Italian market and solutions to these obstacles. The company s Kuwaiti employees have a huge significance and Kuwait is dedicated to developing them as a national wealth, noted the minister. Established in 1984, Kuwait Petroleum Italia S.p.A. engages in distribution of petroleum products. Based in Rome, Italy, the company operates as a subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI). See Also Page 35 Govt scrambles to counter rapid rise in swine flu victims: official By Abubakar A. Ibrahim Arab Times Staff KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: The parliamentary Health Committee will meet Wednesday to discuss latest developments regarding swine flu and measures taken by the Ministry of Health to combat the disease, Committee Chairman MP Saad Al-Khanfour announced Tuesday. Al-Khanfour said the committee has invited Minister of Health Dr Hilal Al-Sayer to the meeting. He explained the minister will brief the committee on measures taken to contain the virus which, he said, has been spreading at an alarming rate. He stressed the need to provide vaccines immediately, indicating the committee will discuss latest arrangements in this regard. He said the committee expects a detailed report from the minister, which includes date of arrival of vaccines to Kuwait and actual quantity purchased by the ministry. In the meantime, Parliament Secretary MP Dulaihi Al-Hajri criticized the substandard measures taken by the Ministry of Health in dealing with the swine flu scare. Are we waiting for the announcement of the first Kuwaiti death due to swine flu before taking the necessary steps to control the virus? Why did the ministry plan to conceal the actual number of swine flu cases in the country? he asked. Al-Hajri pointed out the public should know the actual number of swine flu cases, so they can take the necessary precautionary measures and contribute to the authorities efforts to contain the virus. Other items in the committee s agenda include the plight of Kuwaitis laid off from work in the private sector. MP slams MoH for not doing enough KUNA photo The Kuwaiti boy scouts pose for a picture with their team leaders at their residence in Beirut. The boy scouts are visiting Lebanon to take part in a camp. Boy scouts ambassadors of their country Kuwaiti boy scouts must become good ambassadors for their country, reflecting the true value of their great nation, said Kuwaiti Ambassador to Lebanon Abdula al Al-Qinaee on Tuesday. Speaking to KUNA after meeting with a 14-member Kuwaiti boy-scouts team partaking in a camp in Ariya region near Beirut, Aug 1-10, Al-Qinaee called the members of the delegation to focus on the reputation of Kuwait during the course of the camp. He called on them to reflect true Kuwaiti values and help their counterparts partaking in the camp. Head of the delegation Abdullah Al- Bulushi told KUNA that the delegation would be visiting other Lebanese cities and sites and would meet with members of the Lebanese scouts society. (KUNA)

5 LOCAL Kuwait great friend of US Kerry; Amir-Obama talks very fruitful WASHINGTON, Aug 4, (KUNA): Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator John Kerry described Kuwait as a great friend of the United States and said that his country had enormous respect for that relationship. Kerry was speaking to KUNA following his meeting late Monday with His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- Jaber Al-Sabah at his residence in Blair House. The senator affirmed that Kuwait was a great friend of the United States. We have enormous respect for that relationship and it was good to visit with a good friend, referring to His Highness the Amir. He said that he discussed with His Highness the Amir a wide range of issues about the relationships in the Middle East, peace in the Middle east and the Peace Process. He added, We also discussed concerns about how we proceed forward with Syria, what we do with respect to Iran and some of the outstanding issues with Iraq. He stressed that all of these issues were all of which a real concern. He also underscored the importance of moving the Peace Process forward and that everybody does something. Israel needs to take steps, but at the same time the Arab world needs to conform to the outlines of the Arab Peace Initiative, he remarked. He said, I believe they have to be prepared. They have to decide now what they are prepared to do to advance a normal relationship so that everybody can have an understanding of how we move this forward. The talks HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah held with US President Barack Obama were very fruitful, Kuwait Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammed Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah affirmed in Washington Monday. Relations Following the meeting HH Sheikh Sabah held with Obama, Sheikh Dr Mohammed said that bilateral relations were discussed during the meeting, as well as Arab relations, as H.H. the Amir is the chairman of the Arab economic Summit and in light of Kuwaits chairmanship of the GCC summit, due at the end of the year. The Foreign Minister added that among the topics discussed were the Peace Process in the Middle East, Iraq, and Iran. He noted that HH the Amir informed Obama of the importance of having real progress on the Middle East peace process and that such track would be according to what has been agreed on during the Beirut Arab Summit and the Peace Arab Initiative which Kuwait is committed to. He stressed that this requires initiatives from the Israeli side to respond to the Arab initiative and that Israel works on activating the principals of the Madrid Conference and the Arab Initiative. We also discussed with President Obama the Kuwaiti-Iraqi relations and affirmed that there is no Kuwaiti- Iraqi dispute but there are differences in viewpoints but no dispute, Sheikh Dr. Mohammed pointed out. He said We supported and welcomed the report of the UN Secretary General and we positively reacted to it. We are ready to meet with our Iraqi brothers under the UN umbrella, as called upon by the Secretary General to discuss the speed up and facilitation of Iraqs implementation of the international resolutions, which would speed up Iraqs exit of Chapter VII. He affirmed We want to help and cooperate with Iraq in this matter and we have agreed to hold several meetings under the UN umbrella to help Iraq implement these commitments. Kuwaits Foreign Minister indicated that the Iranian nuclear file issue was discussed and we affirmed and stressed the importance to cooperate with this dossier through the diplomatic channels. Furthermore, Sheikh Dr Mohammed affirmed that HH the Amir praised Obamas first message and desire to close down the Guantanamo detention camp and return the four Kuwaiti detainees. Obama has promised to follow-up with HH the Amir on this issue, he noted. No dispute with Iraq: FM News in Brief Donations only via bank cheques: The Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Dr Mohammad Mohsen Al-Afasi has announced that charity societies during the Holy month of Ramadan will accept donations only via bank cheques, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily. In a press statement, Al-Afasi said charity societies in Kuwait deserve financial assistance because they use all the donated money to help needy people in Kuwait. He also refuted rumors that the Ministry had reservations about the work done by the charities, saying he and the coordinator of the US Foreign Policy had already identified ways to determine genuine charities. Naval force to conduct exercise: Kuwait s naval force announced Tuesday that it would be conducting an exercise with live ammunition tomorrow in the area between Umm El-Maradem and the Garoh Islands, north of Kuwaiti waters. The navy s public relations and moral support department said that the exercise would start at nine a.m. and would end at one p.m. local-time. All sea enthusiasts and fishermen must stay away from the mentioned area during the exercise, the statement concluded. (KUNA) GCC agric quarantine system praised: Kuwait s Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) on Tuesday lauded the GCC agricultural quarantine system mainly purposed to protect environment and floral materials. The agricultural quarantine system, which has been put in place over recent period, HH the Amir and the Kuwait delegation with Senator John Kerry. KUNA photo Book to be published Articles on corruption being collected KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: The Chairman of the so-called committee of Writers Against Corruption affiliated to the Kuwait Transparency Society (KTS) Dr Riyadh Al-Faras has announced that the society has decided to publish articles written by local columnists that tackle issues of corruption in Kuwait, reports Al-Seyassah daily. These articles will be published in a book which will be released by the KTS on Dec 9 to coincide with the celebrations of the International Day against Corruption. In a statement to the press, Al-Faras said the committee met last July to select its core members. He said Writers Against Corruption aims to collect and evaluate all articles published on the issue of corruption by local dailies or Kuwaiti websites between November 2008 and December The criteria for the selection of articles are the themes, which should be corruption, transparency, the right to information or protection of public funds. The article should also be on par with journalistic standards. would safeguard the agricultural sector and facilitate the transport of agricultural and floral materials between the GCC member countries and other world countries on scientific and healthy basics, the PAAAFR said in a release. As per the recently applied system, shipments containing plants, floral products, deceased species and others are to be checked, and incompatible consignments shall be destroyed, it added. Anyone found breaking the system will be sentenced to three months in prison and fined KD 225 or possibly face both penalties, it said. Importers are required to disclose all their floral and plant imports for necessary inspection in line with the system, the PAAAFR pointed out. (KUNA) Media vital in diplomatic work : Media is an important element in diplomatic work and is vital for diplomatic missions to fully play their roles, said Kuwaiti Ambassador to Jordan Sheikh Faisal Al- Humoud Al-Malik Al-Sabah on Tuesday. Speaking to KUNA on the sidelines of his meeting with representatives of the media, he said that media played an important role in supporting Kuwaiti diplomatic missions abroad, and helping them deliver their message in line with directives of the Gulf state s leadership. (KUNA) Siniora thanks Kuwait for support SIDON, Lebanon, Aug 4, (KUNA): Outgoing Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora lauded the moral and financial support that Kuwait presented to his country, under the directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- Jaber Al-Sabah. This came in a speech he delivered at a ceremony held by the Sidon Orphan Care Society Monday night, in honor of Kuwaiti philanthropists of the Al-Othman, Al- Shaye and Al-Saeed families, as well as Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), in appreciation of their efforts to assist Lebanon. The ceremony was attended by Kuwaiti Charge d Affaires Tareq Al-Hamad, KFAED Regional Director Marwan Al-Ghanim, Lebanese Minister of Education and Higher Education Bahiya Al- Hariri, State Minister Khalid Qabbani, Chairman of the Sidon Orphan Care Society Dr Saeed Al-Makkawi, as well as residents of Sidon. The Kuwaiti government, for many decades and under the directives of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al- Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, has stood by Lebanon, and provided direct and indirect political, economic and social assistance, Siniora said. He also noted that facilitated loans of KFAED, which contributed to financial projects in the health, education, and infrastructure sectors. Always stood by Lebanon 5

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7 LOCAL 7 Quick Al-Sayer response to KACCH question stuns MP Al-Mubarak defends charity organisation KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: MP Mubarak Al-Waalan has expressed surprise over quick response of the Minister of Health Hilal Musaed Al-Sayer to the questions related to the Kuwait Association for the Care of Children in Hospitals (KACCH). Al-Waalan said the minister had quickly answered the query on KACCH while leaving 90 other parliamentary questions unanswered, reports Al-Shahid daily. Al-Waalan said Al-Sayer should learn how to answer questions according to the constitution of the country, adding his Fingerprint ID to improve services: Municipal services will improve soon after the approval of the fingerprint identification system for employees, said Minister of Public Work and Minister of State for Municipal Affairs Dr Fadel Safar on Tuesday. Speaking to the press during a field inspection for the fingerprint system in Mubarak Al- Khabeer governorate, Safar News in Brief Safar affirmed that as soon as the system was fully implemented, all of the governorate s employees would abide by the times set for work, adding that such notion would improve services in the municipality. The fingerprint identification system will monitor if employees were sticking to the time-table where they should be coming and leaving from work. Employees who violate the time-table and do not use the system to check in and out will be subjected to salary deductions. (KUNA) Council must review draft budget: The Municipal Council s draft budget of must be reviewed by the council members before being approved, said Council President Zaid Al-Aazmi on Tuesday. Al-Aazmi told the press that the council, in accordance with article 12/1 of fifth law of 2005, must review the budget before approval, adding that the council must also discuss the final account of last year s budget. He added that not discussing the draft budget for the new year was considered a violation against the council s authority in auditing its financial assets. (KUNA) Processing applications suspended: The Ministry of Education (MoE) has suspended the processing of applications of non- Kuwaiti teachers in all fields of specialization until October, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily quoting sources. Sources said the ministry temporarily stopped the processing of applications of non-kuwaiti teachers to pave way for the recruitment of Kuwaiti and Bedoun teachers. Sources clarified the non-kuwaiti teachers who submitted their applications before July 25, 2008 will be scheduled for interview, while those who will apply in October will be considered for the 2010/2011 educational year, not the upcoming school year. DGCA to participate in ICAO: Preparations at the Directorate-General for Civil Aviation (DGCA) are underway to participate in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) conference, which will take place between Oct 7 and 9 in Montreal, Canada, reports Al-Seyassah daily. According to a source, the conference s focal point will be issues pertaining to gas emission due to aviation activities, which has contributed to the global climatic change. He said the decision to hold the conference emanated from statement of the 36th general assembly of the organization. The source said the ICAO is concerned about the need to stem down gas emission. He quoted paragraph 22 of decision number A36, which states that the organization should draw general policies and activities relating to environmental protection. strong response to defend KACCH is highly misleading. He also called KACCH a missionary society. In the same context, MP Maasouma Al-Mubarak expressed anger over accusations against KACCH, saying it is not a missionary society, but a Kuwaiti association with Kuwaiti volunteers. She added ties between KACCH and the Ministry of Health date back to 2007 and the association is functioning very efficiently. On the other hand, the announcement by Al-Sayer that swine flu cases will not be announced to the media anymore has evoked a strong response from the parliament. The Chairman of the Health Committee in the parliament MP Saad Ali Khanfour Al-Risheedi threatened to grill Al-Sayer if he hides the truth on swine flu in the country. A member of the Health Committee, MP Salwa Al-Jassar, announced the committee has invited officials at the Ministry of Health to attend a meeting to discuss a number of issues including vaccination for swine flu and the preparation of health centers for these cases. Meanwhile, a meeting between an influential minister in the government and a media official at National Democratic Alliance took place to discuss exempting the minister from a possible grilling by two MPs in the next parliament session, reports Al-Shahid daily quoting a parliamentary source. The source said the meeting spilled into the early hours of the next day, in which the minister capitalized on the strength of his relations with the alliance and asked for their support in the grilling. The official reportedly reassured the minister and promised to prepare a media campaign on the matter, in which all government ministers including HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al- Sabah would be made to look like probable targets to protect him from looking like the only Minister subject to a grilling. Also: KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait Association for the Care of Children in Hospitals (KACCH) is a charitable humanitarian project mainly meant to provide health, psychological and social care to children, a KACCH board member said here Monday. The association shoulders the responsibility of taking care of Kuwaiti children struggling with death, Yussef Al-Nesif told KUNA. KACCH is planning to set up a new center for medically treating 300 children annually, using modern effective ways, he said. KACCH is a non-governmental charitable organization registered with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour in It was founded informally in 1989 to help children and their families cope with the stress of hospitalization. It is managed by volunteers and funded by donations from organizations, businesses, banks, schools and individuals within Kuwait, he said. (KUNA) Hernie Gernale (middle, with glasses) and The Filipino Magazine staff and contributors. Inset: Hernie with Vangie. Mashaaer posts KD 3.1m profit KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4, (KUNA): Kuwait s Hajj and Umrah Services Company (Mashaaer) posted KD 3.1 million in net profits, or 41 percent, in the first half of this year; profitability of 19 fils per share. The company s positive results reflect its successful restructure strategy and ability to resist the negative reflections of the global financial crisis that has dented all sectors, the company s chairman and managing director Khalid Al-Ahmad said in a news release. Growth in the company s total assets hit five percent in January- June, he said, adding that the group was carefully seeking to achieve higher revenues in the foreseeable future. The company is finessing the world economic slowdown by hinging upon operating investments and contributions buoying predictions of sustained profitability and growth, Al-Ahmad boasted. Just a social service TFM celebrates 4th anniversary By Boie Conrad Dublin and Marlon Aquino Malinao Arab Times Staff KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: Alpha Solutions celebrated Saturday the fourth anniversary of its free monthly publication, The Filipino Magazine (TFM), by hosting a dinner party for friends and supporters at the waterfront Ruby Tuesday restaurant, along Gulf Road. It started out in black and white and now, four years later, the magazine is in full color and going strong. Among the guests during the occasion were: Labor Attaché Atty Josephus B. Jimenez and his wife, Welfare Officer Yolanda Penaranda, Magdi Lahib of Etihad Airways, Abu Omar Al Shaheen of Western Express Cargo, National Ranges (Mayadeen) General Manager General Ahmad Al-Saleem and some Filipino community leaders. TFM publisher Hermie Gernale, in a speech, recalled the magazine s humble beginnings, from simple, black and white photocopied pages with only the front cover in color entitled Kabayan, huwag naman! which he used to distribute to churchgoers at the Holy Family Cathedral during Fridays in It was an eight-page magazine that catered to Tagalog readers. Favorite He said he came up with the idea of a magazine while hanging out with other OFWs at a popular downtown mini mall during evenings, watching their favorite programs on a Filipino satellite channel and browsing through Filipino publications like Liwayway, for one. That was when I thought of coming out with a freestyle magazine in Taglish (Tagalog/English) format, not just for the entertainment of its Filipino readers but to encourage participation even from among those without any writing experience who want to express their views and opinions on whatever subject they like, in either English or Pilipino he said. Though his initial publishing venture lasted just four months as he was alone at the time, and due to a change in sponsor, he was encouraged by the positive reaction to the magazine and the prodding of friends to continue. When wife Vangie arrived the following year, he said he discussed the idea with her and daughter Syrna, assuring them it was an effective marketing strategy prior to starting a business, meet people and widen their circle of friends. Viewpoint To make TFM more visually appealing, Hermie and Vangie recruited their own daughter Syrna as layout artist. Her young viewpoint and fresh ideas made the magazine in vogue. Hermie said the first issue of what was then Study essential for experts New book tackles oil media KUWAIT, Aug 4, (KUNA): Oil Media in the Arab World is a newly released book in seven chapters that discussed the oil and gas sector as covered by the media, as well as the inception, aims, functions, and components of such specialized media. In the preface of the book - considered the first of its kind in Arabic - the researcher Dr Abdullah Badran notes that such a study is essential to experts in the field, due to its advancement and diversified fields. This prompts a need for media development in order to accomodate the oil and gas sector, Badran adds. called Kuwait Pinoy magazine in Taglish format came out the same year with an initial print of 10,000 copies, he recalled, adding printing costs at the time were minimal. He said he was careful in establishing the magazine as a strictly non-religious and nonpolitical publication both in style and content. As with a newborn infant, the magazine went through birth pangs. Printing costs went up and we were forced to dip into our meager savings, just to keep the issue out every month, according to Hermie. Add to that the tedious and time-consuming effort in distributing the magazines in places frequented by OFWs, such as shopping centers and at sporting events in different venues. According to him, he dropped the magazine s Kuwait Pinoy moniker after about a year when he found out it was already in use as an Internet domain name and after some lengthy brainstorming sessions with family and advisers, decided on the current name, which was suggested by Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Ricardo Endaya. Positive He said the name change yielded positive results with more and more readers attracted to it and best of all, business entities have expressed interest in advertising with the magazine due to its growing circulation over four years of its existence that has perked even the interest of non- Filipino readers with its eclectic mix of feature stories, travel and tourism, legal advice, humor, health and beauty tips, cooking recipes and many other useful information. The jokes and picture pages Oil media is important in the Arab world, yet this has yet to be well understood here as in the West in order to reap its benefits. This is because Arab countries that have such specialized media do not highlight the features nor the specifications of the sector as should be, author notes. The book focuses on specialized media, the beginning of oil and gas media, as well as its aims, functions, and components. It also covers advertisment of such media, and oil boycott of 1973, in addition to oil culture and organizations. of the magazine were considered the best outlet for the wistful. Some of the great literary works published were from contributors who really put their hearts and minds to making every Filipino smile. Even with the rising costs in printing, we have resisted suggestions from well-meaning people to sell the magazine even for a minimal 100/150 fils per copy to help us recoup some of our expenses, because we feel we are doing a kind of social service to our fellow OFWs who not only find it a source of entertainment but could draw inspiration from some of its contents as well, he said adding, The Filipino Magazine will always remain free of charge. TFM gained the support of Western Union and some advertisers, which ensured the magazine s survival. Hosting the dinner is our way of expressing our appreciation and gratitude to all those who helped us in putting up The Filipino Magazine by way of their inputs and contributions and sticking with us through thick and thin, he exclaimed. Putting a smile in every Filipino s faces is the driving force of The Filipino Magazine, says Vangie, who serves as Marketing Manager. Looking back, the Gernales felt blessed with the love and support of individuals who made TFM live on. The Gernales wish to thank The Philippine Embassy, Ambassador Ricardo Endaya, POLO/OWWA, Labor Attaché Josephus Jimenez, Bong Pagutayao, Nathaniel Corrales, Empoy, contributors, General Ahmad Al-Saleem, Western Union and sponsors.

8 LOCAL 8 Five children dead, three survive Panel to probe psychological status of man in kids poisoning A vanette lies on its roof after colliding with another vehicle. 6 Kuwaitis, 3 expats injured By Munaif Nayef Special to the Arab Times A number of accidents took place in various parts of the country injuring 6 Kuwaiti citizens and 3 expatriates. A Kuwaiti citizen aged 57 years was injured in an accident on 7th Ring Road going towards Jahra. He was referred to Farwaniya hospital by paramedics. Meanwhile, an Iraqi expatriate sustained fractures and injuries when his vehicle collided with another car on King Fahad Motorway. He was taken to Adan hospital by paramedics. In a similar story, a Kuwaiti youth aged 22 years was injured after his collided into a police vehicle in Hawalli. He was taken to Mubarak hospital by paramedics. In another story, a two-vehicle collision on Burglars hit co-op Compatriot cheats Kuwaiti woman By Munaif Nayef Special to the Arab Times MP warns plotters: MP Saleh Al-Mulla warned those who destabilize Kuwaiti sports, saying they will face the wrath of the law, reports Al-Rai daily. Al-Mulla said he will demand for the setting up of a research committee to investigate sporting crises since 2007 and related ambiguous correspondences. He reiterated his intention to ensure the committee refers all involved parties to the Public Prosecution with the allegation of making foreign contracts to distort the national sports law. He expressed sadness over the request of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that Kuwait should amend any regulations that contradict its resolutions. Al-Mulla noted the so-called coalition clubs are the only group talking about violations. He accused the coalition clubs of disrespecting HH the Amir s wish and plotting against it. He also pointed out that a major problem facing Kuwaiti sports is the presence of certain sections that feel they are above the law and decide to direct affairs of the country with personal discretions. The government and the National Assembly should act accordingly by dealing decisively with those behind problems in Kuwaiti sport, the MP recommended. All complaints heard : The National municipal authorities deal seriously with any complaints regarding irregularities in the residential districts, an official affirmed on Tuesday. The Deputy Director General of Kuwait Municipality in Hawalli and Mubarak Al-Kabeer provinces, Ahmed Al-Manfouhi, confirmed readiness and sincerity by the municipality apparatuses in dealing with citizens complaints regarding any law-breaching acts in the residential areas. Al-Manfouhi noted, in a press release, gravity of the offense of occupying residential units by singles or expatriate laborers in the private housing areas, stressing that the municipality has been implementing for years all related laws, particularly 125/1992 regarding such issue in these districts. The official has also indicated at mechanisms regarding imple- News in Brief 6th Ring Road opposite Messila resulted in the injury of a Kuwaiti woman aged 46 years. She was referred to Mubarak hospital. Also, a two-vehicle collision on Fahaheel Motorway opposite Amghara Scrap Area resulted in the injuries of an Iranian national and a Kuwaiti citizen aged 57 and 23 years respectively. They were taken to Jahra hospital by paramedics. In another accident, a Kuwaiti citizen aged 28 years was injured when his car collided with another vehicle on King Fahad Motorway. He was admitted unconscious to Adan hospital and a case was registered. Also, a collision and overturning of a vehicle on Jahra Motorway opposite Al-Qaser area resulted in the injury of an Arab expatriate and a Kuwaiti citizen. They were taken to Jahra hospital by paramedics. KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: A Kuwaiti woman has filed a case in Faiha police station against her compatriot friend who allegedly cheated her of KD 16,000 after the accused reportedly lured her into investing in a venture which, she promised, would yield good income. The complainant reported the episode to the police when her business partner refused to return the money, saying she lost the total sum. The case was registered for investigation. Bottled water spilt: A heavy duty vehicle carrying bottled water swerved and flipped over along Doha junction towards Jahra, and resulted in a huge financial loss. The road was reportedly blocked to traffic for 15 minutes. Co-op hit: Police are looking for unidentified burglars for breaking into the branch of the Faiha Cooperative Society and stealing an undisclosed sum of money from the safe, reports Al-Qabas daily. Personnel from the Criminal Evidences Department have lifted fingerprints to identify the culprits. 3 hurt in mishap: Three people a Kuwaiti couple and an unidentified youth driving a sports car were injured in a two-vehicle collision on the Fifth Ring Road, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily. Without going into details the daily said the injured have been admitted to the Farwaniya Hospital. Egyptian injured: An Egyptian man was injured in a two-vehicle collision in front of a petrol station in Adan, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily. It has been reported the victim was getting out of the petrol station and a half lorry crashed into the side of his vehicle. Interior Ministry photo The accused with the drugs seized. Ex-serviceman selling drugs By Munaif Nayef Special to the Arab Times An unemployed former military man was arrested for trading in hashish. Acting on received information, the Director-General of the Anti Drug Department Brigadier Ahmad Al-Khalifa Al-Sabah directed officials to contact the dealer. He was lured into meeting the officials to sell them a roll of hashish for KD 75, and was arrested upon reaching the meeting spot. Security officials then raided his house in Salmiya and found three rolls of hashish, which they confiscated. The man was taken for questioning where he confessed to his crime. He did not, however, divulge any information about his supplier. The man and the drugs have been referred to Public Prosecution for further action. mentation of the relevant laws, noting that citizens complaints are being answered by the municipality s various offices and governors. Al-Manfouhi added implementation of the relevant laws also requires cooperation among various government departments, namely the Ministry of Justice to determine the owners of such real estates, and the Ministry of Social Affairs to freeze rent allowance for those who violate the law. (KUNA) By Moamen Al-Masri Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: The Criminal Court on Tuesday referred a Kuwaiti, identified as M. Al-Saeedi, who had been convicted of the premeditated murder of five of his eight children and attempted murder of the other three, to a tripartite committee, consisting of professors from the Faculty of Medicine at Kuwait University (KU), to assess his mental state and determine whether he is still suffering from psychological problems or not. This came after the court received a recommendation letter from the Psychiatric Hospital to discharge Saeedi as his condition is said to have stabilized, but he is still required to visit the hospital regularly. On April 21, 2007, the court declared Saeedi is not responsible for his acts due to his unstable mental state and referred him to the Psychiatric Hospital. Case files indicate on April 21, Saeedi poisoned his eight children, and then swallowed the deadly potion himself after his wife walked out on him. Workers in quandary as files of 11,000 companies reported lost KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor has disclosed 11,000 files of companies are missing and workers sponsored by these companies are facing problems when transferring their residence permits to other companies, reports Freedom Journal quoting knowledgeable sources. The Kuwait Trade Union has called upon the ministry to find a solution to the problem particularly since the workers sponsored by these companies have now become residence law violators. Pakistani detained: Police have arrested a Pakistani man for allegedly stabbing a Sri Lankan woman on a street in Fahaheel, reports Alam Alyawm daily. According to reports police combed the area after passersby reported the incident to Operations Department of the Ministry of Interior and arrested the suspect. Earlier it was reported a 22-year-old Sri Lankan woman was found in a pool of blood by passersby after she was stabbed by an unknown person who was seen escaping from the scene of the crime. Shoes cost cleaner trouble: Police have arrested a Bangladeshi cleaning company worker for causing damage to the offices in the National Assembly building, reports Alam Alyawm daily. Investigations conducted by police and after reviewing the recording of a CCTV cameras, the worker was arrested from his home in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh. However during interrogation it was revealed there were no criminal motives behind the incident. It has been revealed the services of the worker had been terminated a few days ago and he went to collect his personal stuff. However to his bad luck the worker forgot his shoes in one of the offices and was mistakenly locked inside after employees left the building. Since he was well acquainted with the place, he knew where the keys of the rooms are kept so he broke open the office to get the keys. Police are said to have believed his story because nothing was found stolen. However, the Al-Seyassah daily said the worker was locked inside while he was busy searching for food and that he left the building the next morning. Satan worshippers prevalent : Personnel from the Criminal Investigation Department have arrested a Kuwaiti transvestite who is believed to be in his 30s and referred him to the authorities for interrogation, reports Al- Dar daily. During interrogation the transvestite said he befriended a well-known female artiste in Europe and she always invited him for fun parties and he made a lot of money. He blames his lust for fun and at the same time earn money changed his life in this direction. Meanwhile, director of the Hawalli Educational Directorate Muna Al-Sallal Jogging Indian doctor s car broken into, cash stolen KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: Police are looking for an unidentified thief for breaking into the car of an Indian doctor and stealing 70 Canadian dollars, $45, KD 60 and identification documents, reports Al-Shahid daily. The incident took place when the doctor was jogging along a beach on the Arabian Gulf Street. Personnel from the Criminal Evidences Department have lifted fingerprints to identify the culprit. This resulted in the death of five of his children. Four of the eight children Salem (10), Anoud (8), Taif (4) and Aswar (3) died before the arrival of police, Police detain Pakistani for stabbing Lankan woman has said a few cases of Satan worshippers and cross-dressers are prevalent in schools around the country. This behavior, she said, cannot be considered a phenomenon but mere imitation to what these children see in films, on satellite TV channels and the Internet. Al-Sallal added a number of these persons have given up their bad habits following psychological treatment sessions. Thieves caught red-handed: Police have arrested two bedoun for stealing compressed iron from a factory in Jahra, Sponsor party to crime: Acting on information, police rushed to a house in Riqqa and arrested an Ethiopian housemaid for killing her fetus on the roof of her sponsor s home, reports Al-Jareedah daily. According to reliable sources the female sponsor helped the maid to get rid of the fetus. Police are said to have detained the sponsor for interrogation and the maid has been admitted to the Adan Hospital. The daily did not give more details. The drug traffickers with their merchandise. Drugs found in Kuwaiti trio s vehicle Three Kuwaitis, two men and a woman were arrested in Mubarak Al-Kabeer for the possession of drugs, states a press release from the Ministry of Syrian in Egyptian s kill Hearing on Sept 14 in Jleeb murder case By Moamen Al-Masri Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: The Criminal Court on Tuesday set Sept 14, 2009 to hear the case of a Syrian man, identified as H. Al-Khalaf, who has been charged with the premeditated murder of an Egyptian man at the suburb of Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, to give his lawyer enough time to prepare his argument. During a previous session, the lawyer for Khalaf, Attorney Abdul Mohsen Al-Qattan, reiterated his demand to release his client on any guarantee, arguing his client had denied the charge before the Public Prosecution. Khalaf was arrested in Jordan as he left Kuwait on the same day he Qattan allegedly committed the crime. When he was handed over to the Kuwaiti authorities, he admitted the crime. However, when while the fifth, Zekrayat (16), was declared dead upon arrival at Jahra Hospital. Three other children Bader (14), Ohoud (12) and Barrak (9) and Interior (MoI) Tuesday. The three citizens were returning to Kuwait from a neighboring country by car and were stopped by security officials. A Court overturns father s petition reports Al-Watan Arabic daily. The suspects were arrested in the act while selling the loot at the Amghara Scrapyard. They have been referred to the authorities. Call traders nabbed: Police recently raided three apartments in Bneid Al-Gar and arrested three Bangladeshis for robbing telephone lines and offering illegal overseas call services, reports Al-Qabas daily. During the raid police are said to have Travel agency robbed: Police are looking for an unidentified burglar who reportedly broke into a travel agency in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh and escaped with KD 7,000 cash, reports Al-Rai daily. Personnel from the Criminal Evidences Department have lifted fingerprints to identify the culprit. Copper cables stolen: Police are looking for unidentified thieves for stealing 28 copper cables from a power transformer in Rumaithiya, reports Alam Alyawm. he was summoned by the P u b l i c Prosecution for the second time, he retracted his previous statement and denied the charge, claiming he Saqer admitted the crime under duress. The session was presided over by Judge Abdurrahman Al-Darmi. Saeedi himself survived and they were confined at the intensive care unit (ICU) of the same hospital. The session was presided over by Judge Adel Al-Saqer. Interior Ministry photo search of the vehicle revealed the drugs. The arrested persons and the confiscated drugs were referred to the concerned authorities for investigation. Let the girl wed man of her choice By Moamen Al-Masri Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: The Personal Status Court of Appeals overturned Tuesday the verdict of a lower court and ordered a Kuwaiti man to allow his daughter, Israa, to marry the man who proposed to her. During a previous session, the lawyer for Israa, Attorney Hassan Al- Ajmi, told the court a good man approached his client s father and offered to marry her, yet he refused, similar to what he had done to other men who previously proposed to his daughter. Since this man has a good reputation with great morals, high education, and very good position at a foreign company as an engineer, he has the ability to provide his future wife and children with a comfortable life, Ajmi explained. Ajmi further said his client is getting older and her chances of getting a good husband have started to dwindle. He added his client s father had rejected all the men who offered to marry her. On April 7, 2009, the Court of First Instance dismissed the case, saying the plaintiff was not serious as she failed to submit any documents or present witnesses to prove her claims. Ajmi appealed the verdict and the Personal Status Court of Appeals overturned it, allowing Israa to marry the man. confiscated from the men telephone sets, stop watches and computers and referred them to the authorities. Minister denies report: Minister of Communications Dr Mohammad Al- Busairi has denied a report published by a local Arabic daily which said an unidentified Egyptian worker had died on his farm when he accidentally stepped on a land mine, reports Al-Shahid daily. Al-Busairi added he owns no farm and the question of the man dying on his farm does not arise. Personnel from the Criminal Evidences Department have lifted fingerprints to identify the culprits. Dentist insults officer: A senior police officer has filed a complaint with the police accusing a Syrian dentist of humiliating him while he was on duty, reports Al-Shahid daily. According to reports this happened when the dentist was issued a citation for talking on his cell phone while driving and not wearing a seat belt.

9 MIDEAST 9 Abbas admits errors at congress Fatah to keep armed struggle option BETHLEHEM, West Bank, Aug 4, (Agencies): Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas s Fatah faction opened its first conference in 20 years on Tuesday, set to endorse a two-state solution but keep an option of armed struggle with Israel. Officials said a draft of Fatah s new programme calls for new forms of resistance such as civil disobedience against Jewish settlement expansion and a West Bank barrier Israel says is for security but which Palestinians see as a land grab. Crucially, the draft leaves open the option of armed struggle if peace talks with Israel fail and does not rule out a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood in the West Bank and Gaza Strip if peace negotiations remain stalemated. Fatah s 400 delegates who live in the Gaza Strip were banned from travelling to the city of Bethlehem for the conference by the territory s Hamas rulers. Abbas urged his party to seek a new start and admitting a litany of past errors. Listing where Fatah went wrong, Abbas mentioned the impasse in the peace process, some of our attitudes which the public rejects, our weak performance, our losing touch with the pulse of the street, and our lack of discipline. He said these faults were to blame for the long-dominant party s upset defeat at the polls and its routing from the Gaza Strip. Fatah, which is at the helm of the Palestinian Authority, exercised undivided power among Palestinians before it was trounced by the rival Islamist Hamas movement in the 2006 Public urged to assist with info Israel to register private antiquities collections Tel Aviv criticised for eviction of Palestinian families WASHINGTON, Aug 4, (AP): Jordan on Monday joined Saudi Arabia in publicly rejecting US appeals to improve relations with Israel to help restart Middle East peace talks, throwing a damper on the Obama administration s push for Arab support behind new negotiations. After talks here with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said confidence-building measures that the US wants Arab states to take will not produce a resolution to the conflict. Judeh and Clinton both criticized Israel for its weekend eviction of Palestinian families from an Arab neighborhood in east Jerusalem. But as Clinton looked on at a joint news conference at the State Department, Judeh rebuffed calls for Arabs to take incremental steps in normalizing relations with Israel before Israel agrees to withdraw from occupied Arab territory. In the Middle East, there has been in the past an overinvestment, perhaps, by the parties in pursuing confidence-building measures, conflict-management techniques, including transitional arrangements, and an overemphasis on gestures, perhaps at the expense of reaching the actual end game, he said. Judeh said that piecemeal approaches that never lead to peace and that have proven repeatedly to be confidence-eroding, rather than confidence-building must be avoided. Sitting with youth from Israel and Palestine, Israeli ambassador to Japan Nissim Ben Shitrit (2nd left) and Palestinian representative in Japan Hisham Nassar (3rd left), listen to Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso (right foreground), at the premier s official residence, in Tokyo, Japan, Aug 4. Youth from Israel and Palestine meet to enhance dialogue between both parties. (AP) Two Kurdish rebels killed in Turkey Man assaulted for missionary activities ISTANBUL, Aug 4, (AFP): A 24-year-old street seller assaulted a man on grounds he was proselytizing Christianity, holding a knife to his throat in downtown Istanbul before surrendering to police, newspapers reported Tuesday. The incident, the latest in a string of religiouslymotivated attacks in Turkey in recent years, happened Monday on a busy avenue in Istanbul s Kadikoy district, before the eyes of dozens of passers-by. The assailant identified as 24-year-old pirate CD vendor Yasin Karasu wrapped a Turkish flag around the head of Ismail Aydin, 35, put a knife to his throat and shouted This is Turkey, you cannot distribute Bibles here, the Haberturk newspaper said. The stand-off lasted for 20 minutes before the police persuaded the assailant to surrender, according to the Sabah daily. Policy shifts Jumblatt holds up Lebanon govt BEIRUT, Aug 4, (RTRS): The formation of Lebanon s new government will be held up by Druze leader Walid Jumblatt s departure from the anti-syrian March 14 alliance, politicians said on Tuesday. Jumblatt has redrawn the political map by leaving the alliance led by Sunni prime minister-designate Saad al- Hariri. Hariri, a Saudi- and US-backed billionaire businessman, had been expected to conclude talks this week on the formation of a coalition government grouping his alliance with pro-syria parties including the powerful Hezbollah movement. But he travelled to France on Karasu later told the police he was angry with Aydin for converting to Christianity and engaging in missionary activities, Sabah said, while the Vatan daily suggested the assailant was mentally disturbed. Proselytizing is generally viewed with suspicion in Turkey, whose population is predominantly Muslim, with tiny Greek Othodox, Catholic, Armenian and Jewish communities, concentrated in Istanbul. An Italian Roman Catholic priest was shot dead in 2006 and three Protestants a German missionary and two Turkish converts had their throats slit in Meanwhile, two Kurdish rebels have been killed in fighting with paramilitary troops in eastern Turkey, security sources said Tuesday. The fighting erupted late Monday when troops patrolling a mountainous area in Van province, near Monday night for a holiday, his media office said. Hariri had reached agreement last week on the division of cabinet seats, splitting the portfolios between his alliance, the rival March 8 alliance and a group of ministers to be named by President Michel Suleiman. Jumblatt has said the three ministers he is expected to be allocated in the 30-seat cabinet will be aligned with neither March 14 or March 8, the coalitions whose rivalry has defined Lebanese politics since the 2005 assassination of Hariri s father, former prime minister Rafik al- Hariri. JERUSALEM, Aug 4, (AFP): Israel on Tuesday announced a drive to register the country s private antiquities collections, saying this should lead to important discoveries of artefacts hidden from public view. We call on members of the public that hold pieces of history to assist us in gathering the archaeological information, which is part of the whole puzzle that makes up our past, the Israel Antiquities Authority said in a statement. The campaign is likely to result in a flood of important US to present new peace plan soon JERUSALEM, Aug 4, (RTRS): Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said the US would present a Middle East peace plan within weeks and Israel should accept it. In the coming weeks, their plan will be formulated and presented to the parties, Barak said, according to a spokesman for Israel s parliament who briefed reporters on the defence chief s remarks to its Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee. Barak has held a series of meetings with US President Barack Obama s Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, on Washington s demand for a Jewish settlement freeze that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been resisting. archaeological discoveries that are today hidden behind closed doors, said Amir Ganor who is leading the drive. Israel is one of the world s richest countries in archaeological artefacts, and at least 100,000 people are considered to be collectors of antiquities, the IAA said. The agency insisted that the registration campaign would not adversely affect private ownership of the items, saying the goal was merely to document and keep track of national treasures. legislative election. Longstanding Hamas-Fatah tensions boiled over in June 2007 when the Islamists seized control of Gaza after a week of deadly street clashes, confining Abbas s power base to the West Bank. We also almost lost what was left of the Palestinian Authority, but we resisted, held firm and took initiatives, Abbas said. Abbas, who has led Fatah since the 2004 death of iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, urged the 1,900 delegates to use the three-day congress as a platform for a new start, consolidating our struggle to achieve our main goals: liberation and independence. The congress in the West Bank city of Bethlehem is due to adopt a new political programme and replace some of the top leaders of Fatah. It is only the sixth conference since the party was founded by Arafat in the late 1950s. Internal disputes which have significantly weakened the movement, flared up in recent weeks, with Fatah secretary general Faruq Kaddumi publicly accusing Abbas of plotting with Israel to get rid of Arafat. Jordan rejects US call to improve ties with Israel the Iranian border, encountered militants from the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the sources said. Last month, the PKK said it was extending a unilateral truce by six weeks until September 1 in anticipation of peace proposals by its jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan. But Ankara, which lists the PKK as a terrorist group, has never recognised such truces and military operations against the rebels have continued. The PKK took up arms for self-rule in Turkey s Kurdish-majority east and southeast in 1984, sparking a conflict that has claimed about 45,000 lives. The government is currently working on a package of reforms to expand Kurdish freedoms in a bid to win over the restive community and erode popular support for the PKK. And, he criticized Israel for its refusal to halt construction of Jewish settlements in occupied Palestinian territory and said the Israelis should respond to a 2002 Arab peace offer. Now, in 2009, many would say it is time for Israel to reciprocate, he said. Judeh s comments marked the second time in three days that an Arab foreign minister bluntly refused US calls to improve ties with Israel with measures such as opening trade offices, allowing academic exchanges and permitting civilian Israeli aircraft to overfly their airspace as a way of demonstrating their commitment to peace. On Friday, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-faisal expressed similar sentiments, also at a news conference with Clinton. Unlike Jordan, though, which has signed a peace deal with Israel, Saudi Arabia does not recognize the Israel. Despite the statements, Clinton maintained that US special Mideast Peace envoy George Mitchell was making progress and praised Jordan for its playing a strong and vital role in the region and expressed hope that negotiations could soon resume. We are working with the Israelis, the Palestinian Authority and Arab states to take the steps needed to make that possible, she said. The foreign minister and I discussed this effort, and I expressed our deep appreciation for Jordan s leadership in working with other Arab states to support peace with deeds, as well as words. At the same time, she criticized Israel for the eviction of the Palestinian families in east Jerusalem to enforce a ruling by the country s Supreme Court that the houses belonged to Jews and that the Arab families had been living there illegally. I think these actions are deeply regrettable, Clinton said. Jewish immigrants from the United States, including 55 young men and women who will be serving in the Israeli army, pose for a group photo upon their arrival at Ben Gurion International airport near Tel Aviv on Aug 4. (AFP) From left: Fatah leader Hamdan Ashur, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Ahmed Qureia, a senior Fatah official and the chief Palestinian negotiator with Israel, clap during the Fatah conference in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Aug 4. (AP) SHAIZAR CASTLE, Syria, Aug 4, (RTRS): Only a few decades ago, fish were plentiful in the Orontes river which for thousands of years has provided water to the lush Syrian plains, at the crossroads of the ancient world. These days the Orontes s 12th century norias, enormous water wheels famous for their distinctive creak, barely turn in the weak tides. Algae covers the river s surface and the desert has been closing in. The river has become so polluted. The quality of our produce has suffered and there is barely enough now to feed my family, said 80- year-old farmer Mohammad al- Hamdo. Syria s worst drought in decades has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and raised calls for a coordinated water policy for the Middle East as the region faces a dryer climate and water supplies depleted by damming and water well drilling. Yet whether a coordinated water policy is even possible is in doubt in a region riven by tensions and rivalry and where water politics is often seen as a zero-sum game. The Euphrates River, which flows from Turkey through Syria and Iraq, is polluted and salinized. Damming by Turkey and demands for water by ballooning populations have drastically reduced its flow. Mohammed Okla is among an estimated 200,000 to 250,000 Syrian farmers and their families who in the past three years have been forced to abandon their land due to drought, according to a recent United Nations study. I lost two-third of my cattle after the water wells dried up, said Okla, who fled the badly-hit eastern Hasaka province five months ago and now lives in a tent with his two wives and 15 children next to the main garbage dump in Damascus. Okla s family have turned from wheat and cattle farmers into virtual refugees. Flies cover the faces of his barefooted children who play among scraps of metal and trash pulled from the dump as substitute toys We can hardly buy bread and tea to feed ourselves. No government official sees us. We received no help, he said. Farmers from areas as close as 30 kms (19 miles) to Damascus Desert closing in Water crisis hits farmers in Syria News in Brief Obama to welcome Mubarak: US President Barack Obama will welcome Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Aug 18 to discuss the Middle East peace process, the war on terrorism, and other issues, the White House said Monday. The two leaders will discuss the full range of issues of common concern including Middle East peace, combating extremism Mubarak and other regional threats, and promoting reform across the Arab world as well as how to strengthen the bilateral relationship, spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement. The president looks forward to building on his discussions with President Mubarak during his visit to Cairo on June 4th, when the US leader delivered a passionate speech to the Muslim world, said Gibbs. (AFP) Paris regrets ban on paper: France said Tuesday it regretted Morocco s decision to block sales of the French daily Le Monde after it published an opinion poll on King Mohammed VI s first 10 years in power. We are surprised by this measure which we regret, a foreign ministry spokesman told reporters. We are particularly attached to freedom of expression, which is protected by the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Morocco has ratified, and its corollary, freedom of the press, he said. Moroccan authorities on Monday blocked the sale of Le Monde after it published the poll, which ironically showed that Moroccans have an overwhelmingly positive view of have deserted their land for tents, or shantytowns. Syria is a major farm commodities producer in the region. Sales of wheat, olive oil, cattle and fruit and vegetables contribute 20 percent of its $45 billion GDP, and about half of its 20 million population earn their income from agriculture. The country s rivers and 420,000 ground wells, half of which were dug illegally over recent decades, have been drying up and drought and mismanagement of water resources have hit agriculture hard, especially in the Hasakah region bordering Iraq. Hasakah s wheat production is forecast to drop to 892,000 tons this year, compared to a planned 1.9 million tons. Malnutrition cases in the province rose 370 percent since 2006, and 229 percent in the bordering region of Deir al-zor on the Euphrates, according to the study. A recent United Nations study said the drought now covers over 60 percent of Syria s land mass and 1.3 million people have been affected so far, with regions around Damascus, Aleppo and Hamah receiving the bulk of the displaced. Leading economist Aref Dalila said a misguided agricultural policy, including subsidizing wheat production over the last two decades has contributed to the present crisis. Dalila, who served 7 years in jail for criticizing the government s economic policy and was only released last year, said the state allowed wheat farming in semi-dry areas reserved for pasture and encouraged the drilling of illegal wells that damaged the water table. Syria strove to become a wheat exporter, which is rare in the third world. Now we are forced to import wheat and animal feed. Pasture and water have diminished, he said. The topic is politically sensitive. The government, controlled by the Baath Party since it took power in a 1963 coup and banned all opposition, has touted its management of agriculture as a strategic triumph. But the policy has come under rare criticism after a lower than expected 2008 harvest forced the state to import wheat for the first time since the 1990s. Islamists open fire Four civilians slain in Algeria ALGIERS, Aug 4, (AFP): Four civilians were killed on Monday by an armed group near Tadmait in the Kabylie region of northeast Algeria, local residents said. Presumed Islamists opened fire on a vehicle three kilometres (two miles) from Tadmait near Tizi Ouzou killing the four passengers, the residents said. There was no immediate official confirmation of the attack. Elements of Al-Qaeda s North African wing are active in the region. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claimed Saturday it was behind an ambush of an Algerian military convoy in which at least 11 soldiers were killed on July 29 near the town of Tipaza. Algerian newspaper reports said the military convoy had been ambushed outside the coastal town of Damous, near Tipaza, about 70 kms (45 miles) from the capital Algiers. Local sources said that the soldiers were returning after escorting to base a group of Chinese workers building the future motorway intended to cross the whole of the north African country from east to west. their 45-year-old monarch. Moroccan magazine TelQuel and its Arabic version Nichane, which joined forces with Le Monde for the survey, were taken off news stands on Saturday. (AFP)

10 INTERNATIONAL 10 No casualties reported 5 rockets hit Kabul, 1 near US Embassy KABUL, Aug 4, (AP): At least five rockets slammed into Kabul at daybreak Tuesday, one of them falling near the US Embassy in a rare attack on the Afghan capital fewer than three weeks before presidential elections, police and residents said. The explosions, heard by AP reporters, occurred to the east of the city, toward the international airport and near several residential areas. The impact of one of the rockets could be seen about 200 yards (meters) from the US Embassy on a main road in central Kabul. It hit the house of a senior Interior Ministry official but caused no casualties, security officers said. At the scene, Maj Ghulam Rasul of the Afghan national army said he believed the rockets were of the long-range BM1 type, which can be fired from portable rocket launchers positioned on the ground several miles from their target. The capital is closely guarded. They had to fire from far away, Rasul said. Col. Fatih Uddin, the security chief at the damaged Interior Ministry house, estimated the building probably wasn t the main target of the attack. Of course, it seems that the target was more the American Embassy, Uddin said. The US Embassy strongly questioned whether this was the case. There s no indication these rockets were targeting any particular site in Kabul, embassy spokeswoman Fleur Cowan said. She said the embassy had not implemented any special security measures Tuesday beyond its usual response in cases New HQ to handle day-to-day running of war NATO OKs operational command for Afghanistan BRUSSELS, Aug 4, (AP): Nato s governing body approved a plan on Tuesday to reorganize the alliance s command structure in Afghanistan by setting up a new headquarters to handle the day-to-day running of the war. Nato spokesman James Appathurai said the new Intermediate Joint Headquarters in Kabul will be commanded by US Lt Gen David Rodriguez. Rodriguez participated in Tuesday s deliberations of the North Atlantic Council governing body by videoconference along with his boss, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top US commander in Afghanistan. of indirect fire. Kabul s deputy police chief, Mohammad Khalil Dastyar, said it was too early to ascertain what the attackers were aiming for. Dastyar said seven rockets rather than the five most people heard had been fired from the northeast of Kabul a few The decision is part of a reorganization of the US and Nato command structure aimed at easing the pressure on McChrystal by removing his burden of the day-to-day operation of the war. It is similar to the model used in Iraq, where overall command of the multinational forces was under a four-star American general, while a three-star general ran daily operations. Nato has about 64,000 troops half of them Americans in Afghanistan. The new headquarters will not control the separate US contingent of about 10,000 soldiers that is deployed along the border with Pakistan, Appathurai said. minutes before 5 a.m. He blamed Taleban fighters for the attack. They re just trying to sabotage and create tension in Kabul, Dastyar said. Police have found that only one child was injured by the rockets, he said. No damage was caused to any parts of the international airport. Australian police foil Islamist suicide plot, 4 people arrested MELBOURNE, Aug 4, (Agencies): Australian police said Tuesday they had arrested four people after foiling a Somali-linked suicide plot to storm a military base in what would have been the country s worst extremist attack. About 400 police swooped on homes around Melbourne, netting four Australian men of Suspects had links with Somalia s Shebab group Police search a car at a Melbourne suburb after a pre-dawn raid at one of 19 locations, Aug 4, in Australia. (AP) Nigeria urged to avoid unlawful killings Somali and Lebanese descent who were allegedly planning to attack a Sydney army barracks with automatic weapons. The alleged offenders were prepared to inflict a sustained attack on military personnel until they themselves were killed, said Tony Negus, acting chief commissioner of the Australian Federal Police. The men s intention was to go into these army barracks and to kill as many people as possible... This would have been, if it had been able to be carried out, the most serious attack on Australian soil, he added. Sect planned attack during Ramadan MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, Aug 4, (Agencies): Members of a radical Islamic sect in northern Nigeria were caught with bomb-making equipment weeks before an uprising in which close to 800 people were killed, a senior state government official said. Borno state deputy governor Alhaji Adamu Dibal said Mohammed Yusuf, a charismatic preacher and leader of the militant Boko Haram sect, had been well-known to intelligence agencies for several years and had been planning bomb attacks targeting the local authorities. Mohammed Yusuf was preparing to launch an attack in the month of Ramadan, which is in about two weeks time, Dibal told Reuters in an interview late on Tuesday at his residence in the state capital Maiduguri. That is why most of the equipment they used in Police find 20 youngsters Taleban training boys to fight MINGORA, Pakistan, Aug 4, (AP): In a voice barely above a whisper, I.H. stared at his feet as he recounted haltingly how the Taleban kidnapped him and a classmate as they played in the street. They cleaned dishes for a few days in a militant training camp in northern Pakistan before escaping during Friday prayers, he said. The Pakistani army says it has so far found 20 boys like I.H., who is only being identified by his initials for his safety, in the battle-scarred Swat Valley, scene of a major offensive against the Taleban this spring. They believe the Taleban hoped to turn the boys into informants, fighters or even suicide bombers. Some escaped, others were rescued by preparing bombs was all at the preparatory stage, he said, opening photographs on his laptop computer of barrels of chemicals seized during police raids. Yusuf, who was shot dead in police detention last Thursday, was vehemently anti-establishment. Boko Haram, which means Western education is sinful, is loosely modelled on the Taleban in Afghanistan and wants a stricter implementation of sharia (Islamic law) across Nigeria. Yusuf s followers staged a five-day uprising in several northern cities last week, attacking buildings seen as symbols of authority from prisons and police stations to primary schools and local government offices. UN human rights chief Navi Pillay called on Nigeria Tuesday to avoid unlawful killings and investigate incidents during its crackdown on Islamist authorities. Maj Nasir Khan said many more are believed to be in that hands of militants. Eleven such boys the youngest only about 7 years old were presented to journalists Monday at a military base in Swat s main town of Mingora. The Taleban have been known to use children as fighters before in Afghanistan, and the army seems keen to capitalize on the boys capture, hoping their stories will help turn public opinion against the militants. The spring offensive in Swat to clear the region of militants after they flouted a peace deal and expanded their area of control was relatively popular in Pakistan. Lithuania ship crew attacked VILNIUS, Aug 4, (RTRS): Gunmen attacked a Lithuanian cargo ship off the Nigerian coast on Monday night and took five crew members hostage, Lithuania s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. The ship owned by Lithuanian Limarko Shipping Company (LLK) was attacked at the Escravos anchorage late Monday while waiting to be unloaded, and five crew members taken away in a speedboat, the ministry said in a statement. It s the first time Lithuania has faced such a hostage problem. We are looking into the circumstances of the attack and whereabouts of the crew members, ministry spokesman Rolandas Kacinskas said. rebels in which more than 800 people died. She said she recognised the Nigerian government faced a major crisis with fighting in several northern states but hoped that the government makes every effort to achieve security with full adherence to legality and respect for human rights. Pillay said in a statement that every effort should be made to avoid unlawful killings, arbitrary arrest and detention while calling upon the Government of Nigeria to fully investigate all incidents and hold those responsible to account. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said she was concerned over reports of the killing of civilians during the fighting, wide-scale arrests and detentions, displacements and people being forced to flee their homes to take shelter in barracks for safety. Police said the men, aged in their twenties, had links with Somalia s Shebab Islamists and members of the group had previously travelled to the anarchic African nation to fight in the insurgency there. Nayef El Sayed, 25, appeared in court charged with helping prepare an armed attack on the Holsworthy army base in western Sydney. Prosecutors asked for further time to interview the other three men arrested, while a fifth man detained earlier was also being questioned. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the arrests were a chastening reminder of the threat of terrorism but refused to contemplate withdrawing Australia s 1,550 troops from Afghanistan. The sobering element of today s development is the reminder to all Australians that the threat of terrorism is alive and well, and this requires continued vigilance on the part of our security authorities, Rudd said. New South Wales police commissioner Andrew Scipione, whose jurisdiction includes the Holsworthy base, said the attack was believed to be imminent. I m not sure of the timing other than to say than it was likely imminent, he told reporters. That was part of the reasoning behind in moving like we have. Negus said a core group of some 150 police had been investigating the planned attack since January in a massive physical and electronic surveillance operation. He added that the group had been seeking a fatwa, or religious edict, to justify its actions, without giving further details. Police will allege that the men were planning to carry out a suicide terrorist attack on a defence establishment within Australia involving an armed assault with automatic weapons, Negus said. Police said the group had also been spotted carrying out surveillance at military sites other than the sprawling Holsworthy base on Sydney s outskirts, which is home to thousands of troops including an anti-extremism unit. The arrests come after Australian Islamic convert Shane Kent last week admitted plotting to kill thousands of people in an attack on a major sports event in Melbourne. Boys who were allegedly kidnapped by Taleban militants, conceal their identities, during an interview with the AP at an army headquarters in Mingora, capital of Swat Valley district, Pakistan, Aug 3. The army says it has recovered 20 boys from the Swat Valley and nearby areas who were being trained by the Taleban to become informants, fighters or suicide bombers. (AP) Sazdq (right), wishes Zaman luck during a visit to a go cart racing facility in Mooresville, NC, July 28. The lives of nearly three dozen Afghan children spending the summer in North Carolina are being transformed by more than the medical care they re receiving and the time they spend with American families. (AP) Children get care in US Afghan kids set aside differences MOORESVILLE, NC, Aug 4, (AP): When they step off the plane, the sick and injured Afghan children shed their surnames, stripping themselves of a label that often carries tribal or religious implications and enabling them to form friendships most once thought impossible. Friendships with children from other tribes and faiths, children they might otherwise grow up to fight. And friendships with the Americans who take them in while doctors treat their wounds. In America, I m learning every day, 17-year-old Zaman Rashid, who is from the embattled western province of Farah, said recently as he sat in front of a laptop at his host family s suburban home in Statesville. I m learning every day in Afghanistan just, I m learning war - how to kill a person. The Charlotte-based nonprofit Solace for the Children has been bringing groups of children, nearly three dozen this summer alone, from Afghanistan to North Carolina for medical treatment since Dick Wilson, a retired insurance agent and his wife, Patsy, a real estate agent, started the organization in 1996 by bringing children from Belarus affected by the Chernobyl nuclear accident to the US for medical treatment. As the need there diminished, the Wilsons turned their focus to Afghanistan. Along the way, they discovered that healing for the 50 children who have so far taken part doesn t stop after American doctors treat their physical injuries. When they got here we witnessed a phenomenon that took us by surprise. We learned that many of the children were from warring tribes, said Patsy Wilson. They wouldn t have been speaking to each other at all in Afghanistan. During that first summer, the children decided among themselves to drop any part of their names that carried an ethnic, regional or religious implication. In the two summers since, organizers have encouraged the children to continue the practice. When they dropped parts of their names, everything relaxed, Wilson said. Territory, resources, religion and political power contribute to conflict in Afghanistan that pits families against families, said Rick Barton, a co-director and senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. The country has really been so torn apart, Barton said. To survive over the last 20 years people had to do just about anything, to include killing their neighbor. As the children learn to get along with one another, their American host families are learning from them. He puts things into perspective for us, said Carole McCay, Rashid s host mother in North Carolina for the past three summers. He s a wonderful child, she said. He s our son. Rashid first came to America in 2007 to have a tumor removed from his sinus cavity. He returned this summer to have his soft palate restored after a botched surgery in Pakistan and he s using his experiences to show the other kids how they can make peace in their country. He s taught himself English and talks enthusiastically of life in the US but anxiously about life in Afghanistan where he s been deafened by shoulder-fired rockets and seen police officers slain by Taleban fighters. Our lives in Farah, it s between death and life. We don t know if maybe we will die. It happens so fast, said Rashid, who wants to make a life in Afghanistan after college so he can help his country. Mohammad charged with conspiracy Authorities name 8th suspect in terror case RALEIGH, North Carolina, Aug 4, (AP): A 20-year-old US citizen who traveled to Pakistan in 2008 to engage in violent jihad has been named as the eighth suspect in a terrorism case, according to court documents released Monday. Jude Kenan Mohammad is charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to murder, kidnap, maim and injure persons in a foreign country, according to a newly unsealed indictment. The indictment specifically mentions Mohammad s trip to Pakistan in October Authorities have said he is not in custody and is believed to be in Pakistan. Mohammad s uncle, Evan Risueno, scoffed at the accusations. I think it s ridiculous, said Risueno, who helped raise Mohammad. He s not that kind of kid. The indictment alleges that Daniel Boyd, 39, bought guns and led the group of men all but one of them US citizens who were planning to kidnap, kill and maim people in other countries. The indictment also names two of Boyd s sons Zakariya, 20, and Dylan, 22. The rest of the men were arrested last week and are scheduled to appear Tuesday in federal court for a detention hearing. Their family members have said the accusations are unfounded. Mohammad was officially identified as the eighth suspect after federal prosecutors requested that the full indictment be made public. His name had been redacted from court papers made public last week, although law enforcement sources had told The Associated Press that he was the suspect. Prosecutors haven t said whether the terror suspects had any specific timelines or targets, although the indictment said some of them took trips over the past three years to Jordan, Kosovo, Pakistan and Israel to engage in violent jihad. The indictment said the elder Boyd received terrorist training in Pakistan and Afghanistan two decades ago and, more recently, recruited followers in North Carolina. It also said he began stockpiling weapons and conducted military-style training at a rural site. Risueno said Mohammad went to Pakistan to visit his father, who lives there. He hasn t talked with Mohammad and didn t know how long his nephew planned to stay overseas. Mohammad was initially arrested in October when he tried to enter the Pakistan s Mohmand tribal region, an area considered a haven of al-qaida and Taliban militants, police there said at the time. Mohammad made an appearance in court with a beard and dressed in the long shirt and baggy trousers worn by many Pakistani men. On Monday, FBI spokeswoman Amy Thoreson said Mohammad was at large. Earle Purser, a Raleigh attorney who represented Mohammad after he was charged in 2008 with driving 105 miles per hour (169 kilometers per hour) in a 55-mph (88-kph) zone, said he remembered a conversation with Mohammad about religion. He said that Muslims were peaceful people, they didn t believe in war unless they had to and didn t believe in killing anybody, Purser said. He impressed me a whole lot.

11 INTERNATIONAL 11 Event a waste of time and money Police criticised for veiling exercise LONDON, Aug 4, (AP): Two female British police officers have dressed in full-body Muslim veils as part of a daylong community relations exercise, drawing ridicule from critics who called the event a waste of time and money. British media reported Monday that three officers in the northern England city of Sheffield dressed in conservative Islamic garb and wandered around the city s center accompanied by a group of Muslim women. A picture published on the Mail Online website appeared to show two officers wearing niqabs full-body black veils with eye slits while the third was shown wearing a black head scarf. The Press Association news agency cited an interview with one of the officers in an in-house police magazine in which she said the experience gave her an appreciation and understanding of what Muslim females experience when they walk out in public in clothing appropriate to their beliefs. PA said the program, called In Your Shoes, took place earlier this year but did not say exactly when. The UK Taxpayers Alliance called the exercise an absurd diversion. The Center for Social Cohesion, a London-based think tank which studies extremism and community relations, said solving crimes would have been a better use of police Public appealed for info Police arrest man linked to Dowler murder LONDON, Aug 4, (RTRS): A 40-year-old man from London was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the murder of 13-year-old Milly Dowler in 2002, police said. Surrey Police said the man was being questioned about the potential disposal of a red Daewoo Nexia car. They also appealed to the public for information about the car as part of their investigation into the murder. Dowler was abducted in broad daylight in March 2002 as she walked home from the local train station after school. time. A call left with the South Yorkshire Police was not immediately returned late Monday, but media reports said the force defended the exercise as a means of strengthening the police s relation with minority communities. The issue of whether full-body veils are appropriate remains Her remains were discovered in September 2002 by a couple picking mushrooms in woodland about 25 miles from her home town of Walton-on-Thames in Surrey. Despite a huge police inquiry that at one stage even involved the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, her killer has never been caught. The suspect was arrested at 10 a.m. on Tuesday after voluntarily attending a police station, police said in a statement. sensitive in Britain, which is home to a sizable Muslim minority. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair criticized the dress as a mark of separation, while Jack Straw, now the country s justice minister, caused a stir three years ago when he said he requested that Muslim women remove face-covering veils during one-on-one meetings. British govt denies that UK condones, engages in torture LONDON, Aug 4, (AFP): The British government denied Tuesday that it condones and engages in torture amid allegations that security agents colluded in the harsh interrogations of terror suspects. An influential scrutiny body of lawmakers said earlier that the government was hiding behind a wall of secrecy over the allegations. The Joint Committee on Human Rights urged an independent inquiry into claims of British knowledge of use of torture on suspects held abroad, branding government accountability of the issues woefully deficient. 51-year-old being questioned Man arrested over soldier killing BELFAST, Aug 4, (AFP): Northern Irish police arrested a 51-year-old man Tuesday over the murders of two British soldiers which threatened to plunge the province back into sectarian bloodshed. The man was being questioned over the killings of sappers Patrick Azimkar and Mark Quinsey, who where gunned down on March 7 outside the Massereene Barracks in Antrim, northwest of Belfast, as they collected a pizza delivery. The 51-year-old was also being questioned over the attempted murders of five others wounded in the attack. The male has been taken to the Britain has nothing to hide: Foreign Office minister serious crime suite in Antrim for questioning, a police spokeswoman said. The shootings were claimed by the Real Irish Republican Army, a splinter faction of the IRA, the nowdefunct Catholic paramilitary group. The attack, followed two days later by the killing of a policeman, sparked fears of a resurgence in violence in the province. Three decades of sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland was largely ended with the signing of the Good Friday peace accords in 1998, which paved the way for a power-sharing government between the Protestant and Catholic communities. Police charge UK protesters LONDON, Aug 4, (AP): Authorities say they have charged 11 protesters with impersonating police officers during demonstrations against the Group of 20 summit in London earlier this year. The protesters were driving an armored car around London s financial district when they were pulled over by police on the morning of April 1. Photos showed police swarming the vehicle as a man in blue overalls emerged from the turret. The six-wheeled car was an Alvis Saracen, a model once used by the British army in Northern Ireland. In a report, the committee said such an inquiry was the only way of restoring public confidence in the intelligence and security agencies in the wake of the extremely serious accusations. The recent allegations should be a wake-up call to ministers that the current arrangements are not satisfactory, the report said. We look to the government to respond positively to our recommendations and not to continue to hide behind their wall of secrecy. In response, Foreign Office minister Ivan Lewis insisted Britain did not have anything to hide, adding that Prime Minister Gordon Brown had pledged to publish guidance given to intelligence officers. Britain does not engage in, collude with or condone torture, he told BBC radio. Johannes Paul holds a frame covered in bees taken from a Beehaus urban beehive at a garden allotment in central London on Aug 4. The new contemporary beehive will make it easy for anyone to help bees find a home in urban gardens around the country. The beehaus has twice the room of a traditional hive (measuring about 1 metre wide and 0.5 m high) and with good access to local sources of nectar it s possible to collect over 20kg of honey in a good year. (AFP) GMG conducting strategic review Guardian to emerge as smaller group LONDON, Aug 4, (RTRS): Britain s Guardian Media Group is considering options for its Guardian newspaper, Observer Sunday newspaper and online publications as it faces the fact it will emerge from recession as a smaller organisation. In a letter to staff written in response to media reports that the company was mulling closing the Observer, GMG s chief executive said Guardian News & Media was conducting a strategic review and it was too early to say what the outcome would be. When the economy recovers, so - to a degree - will our advertising revenues. However, due to structural change, these revenues will not be at the levels they were in the past, Carolyn McCall wrote in an seen by Reuters on Tuesday. This inevitably means we will be a smaller organisation, she added. A wide variety of different options, approaches and scenarios is being developed and will be considered. She said every aspect of GMG s publishing strategy and titles would be examined, including the Observer, the world s oldest Sunday newspaper, which was first published in Guardian Media Group, which is owned by the Scott Trust, last Friday reported a pretax loss of 89.8 million ($152.1 million) for its 2008/09 fiscal year, compared with a profit of million the previous year. GMG s turnover increased slightly to million, including its share of two joint venture companies. The Scott Trust was created in 1936 to safeguard the Guardian s journalistic freedom and liberal values. Its stated core purpose is to preserve the financial and editorial independence of the Guardian in perpetuity. It does not mention the Observer. However, war on terror allies did not always have the same standards as Britain, he added. We can t possibly stop working with those countries in terms of our national interest or the security interests of British citizens, but we also make it clear in every debate in the international community about acceptable standards that torture can never be justified, he said. We don t have anything to hide, but... it s a balance between the highest standards of human rights and Britain will always fight to protect those and sometimes protecting the security of our citizens. The committee also urged the British government to follow the United States by releasing any instructions given to agents on questioning and detention of suspects abroad and legal advice about the issues. The group looked at eight terror suspects who claimed they were visited by British security agents while they were detained and allegedly tortured in Pakistan since It also examined the case of former Guantanamo Bay detainee Binyam Mohamed who claims he was tortured and questioned by US and British agents during his six and a half years in US custody. After he was released in February without charge, British police last month launched a criminal probe into his claims that British agents were linked to his torture. The government has opposed his legal bid to secure the release of a secret document about his allegations, saying it could prompt Washington to limit its intelligence-sharing. Tuesday s report made no conclusions on the truth of any of the allegations, but said any proof of British complicity of torture would be a clear breach of international human rights treaties. The report slammed stonewalling by ministers, including refusing to give oral evidence to the committee, ignoring some of its written questions as well as giving poor answers to others. This picture take on April 1, 2009, in London, shows police officers investigating an armored car driven by protesters during the demonstrations against the Group of 20 summit in London. Authorities say they have charged 11 protesters with impersonating police officers during demonstrations against the Group of 20 summit in London earlier this year. (AP) British newcomers Fei Comodo arrive for the Kerrang Awards 2009, at the Brewery in London, Aug 3. (AP) Londoners sexual health poor Sexting craze up among children LONDON, Aug 4, (RTRS): A growing number of teenagers are swapping sexually explicit images of themselves on mobile phones leaving them open to bullying and victimisation by their peers, police and a children s charity said on Tuesday. The practice, known as sexting, has also resulted in intimate images of children being posted on websites used by paedophiles without the knowledge of the sender, according to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP). We are getting an increasing number of reports from the public, children and parents alike, who are concerned about this kind of behaviour, said Helen Penn, head of education at CEOP, a law enforcement agency tied to the police. We have seen an increase in children producing sexual images of themselves, and as result we are seeing children s Penn normal sexual exploration being translated into public property, she told Reuters. Penn said advances in mobile phone technology, including bluetooth, and the ability to post a picture or video on the internet at the click of a button, was making the practice more widespread with unforeseen consequences. If a relationship breaks down or someone finds that phone, then the image could end up on a website, a social networking site like Facebook, or could even end up in the wrong hands, as has happened, and end up on a paedophile network, Penn said. A survey of 2,000 young people released by children s charity Beatbullying on Tuesday found that more than a third of 11 to 18- year-olds had received a sexually explicit text or . It also found that 70 percent of young people knew who had sent the message. Chief executive of Beatbullying, Emma-Jane Cross, said it was important parents and schools understood the rise of the phenomenon, which was well documented in the United States and Australia, but comparatively unknown in Britain. Girls were particularly vulnerable, the charity said, with evidence showing they were being bullied into taking and sharing intimate pictures by boyfriends. CEOP s Penn said another key issue that had been overlooked is News in Brief UK urges push for peace: British Foreign Office Minister Ivan Lewis on Tuesday urged Syria to help push deadlocked Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and also resume its own negotiations with the Jewish state. Lewis also told reporters that Israel should return the strategic Golan Heights to Syria as part of a comprehensive peace between the two archfoes, following talks with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem. We want Syria to use its influence in terms of helping to create the conditions now for the two-state solution between the Israelis and the Palestinians so crucial to the stability of the region, Lewis said. We expressed the hope that as soon as it is possible the negotiations resume between Israel and Syria on the question of the Golan Heights and also the question of normalising relations between the two countries, he added. Lewis, who arrived on Monday for talks with Syrian leaders, said a keynote speech in June by US President Barack Obama in Egypt to engage the region had struck optimism for Middle East peace. We think that there is now a very important opportunity that perhaps hasn t existed in the past for one of the world s great conflicts to begin to come to an end, the conflict of the Middle East, he said. A solution, he said, should include a that children holding, or distributing indecent images of a person under 18 to someone else, could be breaking the law. A survey of 70 young people aged 11 to 16 by CEOP s youth panel found that almost all of those questioned had no idea that holding on to the images or distributing them could be breaking the 2003 Sexual Offences Act. Obviously the law wasn t set up to prosecute children. It was set up to prosecute adults who were distributing this kind of image...but if they re (children) doing it maliciously, there are grounds perhaps to look at it as (a case of) harassment, Penn said. Also: LONDON: Young Londoners sexual health is still among the worst in the country, despite innovative projects and improved services, the London Assembly said on Wednesday. A report by the Assembly s Health and Public Services Committee found that teenage pregnancy rates in 18 London boroughs are higher than the national average and in some boroughs one in 13 young girls is falling pregnant. Boroughs with the highest teenage pregnancy rates include Southwark, Lambeth, Lewisham and Haringey while Richmond, Kingston and Harrow have the lowest. Although London s overall rate has fallen, more than one in four boroughs has failed to reduce its teenage pregnancy rate. The report found that the capital s rate of sexually transmitted infections remains above the national average, and year olds account for nearly half the sexually transmitted infections diagnosed in specialist London clinics. The committee said there was not enough education about sex and relationships in London schools and a lack of regional leadership on the issue. Whilst we welcome the achievements and improvements made by PCTs (primary care trusts) and their partners since our 2005 report on this topic, our most recent investigation shows that Londoners sexual health remains worryingly poor, Committee chairman James Cleverly said. The Assembly has already found that sexual health clinics that have made themselves more appealing to youngsters by altering decor and appearing less clinical are proving the most successful, and this could be mirrored in other clinics. viable Palestinian state alongside Israel and a comprehensive peace between Syria and Israel which includes the return of the Golan Heights. Turkey last year brokered four rounds of indirect talks between Israel and Syria, but these were suspended when Israel launched an offensive against the Gaza Strip in late December. Syria has conditioned the resumption of talks to Israel s return of the Golan, which was seized by the Jewish state during the 1967 Six Day War and later annexed. (AFP) British lord escapes injury: The US Coast Guard says the pilot of a helicopter that made an emergency water landing near Maine s Little Deer Isle is a member of Britain s House of Lords. Chris Barry, a Coast Guard search and rescue coordinator, tells the Bangor Daily News that Irvine Laidlaw was at the controls of the helicopter when it went down Saturday afternoon. The Scottish multimillionaire is currently on leave from the House of Lords. The Coast Guard says the helicopter was en route to Laidlaw s helipadequipped yacht, the 182-foot ( meter) Lady Christine, when it ran into trouble. A small boat from the yacht retrieved Laidlaw and his three passengers, who suffered bumps and bruises. (AP)

12 ISSUES 12 Al-Maliki and Asaib Ahl al-haq group reach deal Shiite group agrees to renounce violence in Iraq BAGHDAD, Aug 4, (AP): An extremist Shiite group believed responsible for the killing of five American soldiers in a bold raid south of Baghdad and the kidnapping of five British men has agreed to renounce violence, a government adviser said Monday. The deal was reached during a weekend meeting between Prime Minister Nouri al- Maliki and representatives of Asaib Ahl al- Haq, or League of the Righteous, a group the US alleges is backed by Iran and refuses to adhere to a militia cease-fire. The group promised to lay down its weapons and join the political process, according to government aide Sami al- Askari, who was at the meeting. In return, al- Maliki promised to seek the release of the detainees in US custody, al-askari said. The deal comes as the Shiite-led Iraqi government moves increasingly to assert its sovereignty and solidify its power base ahead of national elections scheduled for January. The US military also has seen its influence wane as it begins to pull back its troops with plans for a full withdrawal by the end of The transformation of the remaining Shiite militant groups into political organizations would be a significant development for Iraq as it prepares for the end of the US military role. It also could boost Tehran s leverage in the neighboring country, although Iran s government denies any links to Shiite extremists in Iraq. Iraqi politicians with links to the Asaib al- Haq have said the group wants to participate in next year s parliamentary vote, either by fielding its own ticket or backing candidates from other Shiite parties. Government spokesman Ali al-dabbagh also confirmed the deal, according to Iraqi state television. The delegation of the Asaib Ahl al-haq group announced its support for the political process, renounced violence and offered support for efforts to achieve national unity, he told reporters. Both sides agreed to solve the pending problems, especially the issue of detainees whose hands have not been stained with Iraqis blood and who have no criminal evidence against them. Detainees Several high-profile Shiite detainees have been released from American custody this summer, including key Asaib al-haq member Laith al-khazali in June. He and his stilldetained brother, Qais, were accused of organizing a daring attack on a local government headquarters in Karbala that killed five US soldiers on Jan 20, The US military has been freeing inmates or transferring them to Iraqi custody as part of a security pact that took effect on Jan 1. Al-Khazali s release was widely believed to be part of negotiations for the release of five British hostages captured two years ago in a raid on Iraq s Finance Ministry that was blamed on the group. However, the bodies of two of the kidnapped contractors were found and returned to England earlier this summer, and Britain said last week that two others were likely dead. The IT consultant the contractors had been guarding, Peter Moore, is believed to be alive. A cease-fire called by anti-us cleric Muqtada al-sadr after his forces were routed in American-backed Iraqi government offensives has been a key factor in ebbing the rampant sectarian violence that pushed the country to the brink of civil war. But Asaib Ahl al-haq and other Shiite extremist factions broke with al-sadr, raising fears that the bloodshed could resume. The group s main liaison with the government, Salam al-maliki, said only that many issues were discussed. The Iraqi government is getting its full sovereignty on Iraqi land, especially after signing the security pact and accelerating the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq, he told state television. Bombing The Shiite militia cease-fire, along with a Sunni revolt against al-qaeda in Iraq and a 2007 US troop buildup have led to a sharp decline in attacks nationwide. But a series of recent bombings has raised fears that violence could resurge. A suicide car bomber struck a police checkpoint Monday in Saqlawiyah, west of Baghdad, killing at least three people and wounding seven in the seventh attack in Anbar province in two weeks. A total of 24 people have been killed in the series of bombings that began on July 20. Provincial security official Sheik Efan Saadoun blamed political rivalries for destabilizing the situation and said the Americans pulled back too fast. The US military maintains a presence in the region and has said it is ready to help if requested. We lack the military and the security power they enjoy in controlling movement at the main security checkpoints in addition to their sophisticated detection instruments, Saadoun said. We were extremely dependent on the Americans in this field. In other violence reported by police Monday, roadside bombs killed two Iraqi soldiers and wounded four others in separate attacks in the northern city of Mosul. Bombs also exploded on two buses leaving the mainly Shiite city of Hillah, killing two people and wounding 25 south of Baghdad. Separately, Iraq said it has arrested a man suspected of killing a well-known Iraqi TV journalist who was abducted while covering the Feb 22, 2006 bombing of a Shiite mosque north of Baghdad. Atwar Bahjat of the Dubaibased Al-Arabiyah and two colleagues were abducted while covering the bombing in her hometown of Samarra that set off years of sectarian violence. Their bullet-riddled bodies were found the next day outside the city, north of Baghdad. All three were Sunni Arabs, but the station has a reputation as being critical of Iraq s Sunni insurgency. Iraqi military spokesman Maj Gen Qassim al-moussawi confirmed the arrest but provided no other details. Journalists have frequently been targeted or caught up in Iraq s violence. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists has recorded 139 journalists and 51 media support workers killed since the March 2003 US-led invasion. Clinton invited N. Korea eyes better US ties SEOUL, Aug 4, (AFP): After months of rising tensions and bellicose rhetoric, North Korea has signalled it wants better relations with arch enemy the United States by inviting former President Bill Clinton, analysts say. Clinton arrived Tuesday on a surprise visit to the communist state. South Korean media said his mission was to negotiate the release of two US female journalists jailed for 12 years for an illegal border crossing. Seoul analysts said that for Pyongyang at least the trip will also have a political dimension, with Clinton highly likely to meet leader Kim Jong-Il as well as to fly home with the women. They said the visit could warm icy relations between the North and the United States and its allies, following Pyongyang s nuclear and missile tests this spring and subsequent tougher United Nations sanctions. But some cautioned against expecting any dramatic breakthrough in the decadesold nuclear standoff. Kim Yong-Hyun, a North Korea studies professor at Dongguk University, said the former US leader was expected to discuss a series of political issues including the nuclear programme. There will be no major breakthrough with his trip alone but I believe it will provide a fresh momentum for nuclear disarmament talks, Kim said. It is also possible for North Korea and US to start bilateral talks in parallel with six-party negotiations. Cheong Seong-Chang of the Sejong Institute think-tank said the North Korean side was seeking a breakthrough in relations by allowing the visit. It will also be used for domestic propaganda as it comes amid growing concerns about Kim s health, Cheong said. Kim, 67, is widely believed to have had a stroke last August. US and South Korean officials say the North s recent hardline behaviour including multiple missile launches and a nuclear test is aimed at shoring up Kim s authority while he puts in place a succession plan involving his youngest son. With Clinton s trip, Pyongyang will seek to improve relations with Washington or to end the current tense standoff over its nuclear test and UN sanctions, Cheong told AFP. Talks Clinton s visit will pave the way for bilateral talks on a package of issues including the North s nuclear programme, he said. Yet it may not come back to six-party negotiations for a while. North Korea will resume six-party negotiations only when there is considerable progress in bilateral talks. The North quit the six-party talks after the UN censured its long-range rocket launch in April. Last week it again dismissed the forum but indicated willingness for direct talks with Washington. The Obama administration has not rejected direct dialogue but is eager not to sideline the six-party forum, which groups the two Koreas, China, Russia, Japan and the United States. It says the fate of the journalists should not be linked to the nuclear standoff. Yang Moo-Jin, a professor at Seoul s University of North Korean Studies, noted that senior officials received Clinton at the airport. It was sending a signal that it was treating the former US leader with great hospitality and also that it was willing to have a political dialogue, including nuclear disarmament. Paik Haksoon, also from the Sejong Institute, said Clinton is certain to meet Kim. Clinton s visit will usher in a new era of US-North Korean relations, Paik said. But the North, while insisting its atomic weapons are for defensive purposes only, still wants to be recognised as a nuclear power. The US and its regional allies say this is out of the question. Denny Roy, senior fellow at the Honolulu-based East-West Center, told Yonhap News Agency the visit will not necessarily lead to any breakthrough in the overall relationship. If North Korea is not prepared to negotiate denuclearisation and the US is not prepared to accept North Korea as a nuclear weapon state, the relationship will remain at an impasse, he said. Georgia Children play near buildings destroyed during a Georgian assault in August 2008 in Tskhinvali, regional capital of Georgia s breakaway province of South Ossetia, Aug 3. Georgia accused Russia on Monday of trying to take more territory outside the breakaway province of South Ossetia as tensions rose before the first anniversary of the Russian-Georgian dispute last summer. (AP) Legacy of brief Georgia conflict remains Europe war no longer unthinkable LONDON, Aug 4, (RTRS): Markets might have moved on after their initial shocked reaction to last year s Georgia war, but the legacy of the brief conflict remains that war in Europe is much less unthinkable than it once was. Russia s stockmarket lost roughly a quarter of its value in August 2008, while the cost of insuring sovereign debt in the credit default swaps market rose as far afield as Poland as investors reappraised regional risk. The war had such market impact because it was so unexpected. Investors and many analysts had assumed that conflict risk in emerging Europe was close to zero. The overnight outbreak of fighting in the disputed South Ossetia region shattered that, forcing an immediate reappraisal of the whole region. It put in immediate focus on countries such as Ukraine with its Russian-speaking Crimea region and base for Moscow s Black Sea Fleet as well as other nearby frozen conflicts left over from the demise of the Soviet Union. Such areas include the breakaway region of Transdniestria, a Russian speaking region demanding independence from Moldova, and Armenianspeaking Nagorno-Karabakh, a separatist area within Azerbaijan. The war came as a surprise to most people and focused attention on a lot of other potential conflicts, said Control Risks analyst Anna Walker. It drew attention to countries with significant Russian populations, even Central Asian states such as Kazakhstan. It wasn t that people expected war, but it did make them more uneasy. When a row erupted last year between Moscow and Ukraine over the Black Sea Fleet days into the war, markets reacted abruptly and Ukrainian CDS rose sharply as politics built on existing economic worries. But a year later and in the aftermath of a global financial crisis that has hit countries in the region harder than most, markets have again moved on and are now focused on shattered economies rather than geopolitical tensions. Risk When they worry about political risk, it is more likely to be over social unrest, labour disputes or policy risks linked to the wider crisis than conventional conflict. When arguments broke out again around the Black Sea Fleet last month with diplomats expelled and Ukrainian police halting Russian military vehicles there were no discernible market movements at all. There was a strong initial reaction to the war, said Michael Ganske, head of emerging markets research at Commerzbank in London. But markets are now looking at other things. In part, that is because of the magnitude of the economic issues facing many of the countries in the region, which suffered more than most from the financial crisis. Last month, investors in Ukraine had to contend with the announced restructuring of debts of state oil firm Naftogaz end questions over whether the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would continue funding the now-shattered economy. Regional equity markets and most currencies remain significantly weaker than pre-georgia levels, while CDS debt insurance premiums remain significantly higher. Ukrainian credit default swaps are now quoted at around 1500 basis points, meaning it would cost $1.5 million a year to protect $10 million of five-year debt against restructuring or default compared to 400 basis points last year before the war, implying heightened default risk. Analysts say the sharp market reaction to the conflict was in part fuelled by factors well outside the war, from the beginnings of a global emerging markets sell-off sparked by a resurgent dollar to a string of perceived attacks on foreign investors in Russia. Overreaction Some suggest there was also a kneejerk overreaction. In the immediate aftermath, there were a lot of analysts saying things would escalate and Russia would take similar action in other regions such as Crimea but I think that was too quick an analysis, said Sabine Freizer, head of the Europe programme at International Crisis Group. Russia wants to keep some of these areas unstable but that is not the same thing as intervening militarily. A new US administration trying to press the reset button in relations with Moscow is seen reducing further conflict risk, and the swiftness of the Russian victory is seen putting other former Soviet states off squaring off against their giant neighbour. That means investors are, for example, likely to be less nervous that any new pro-western government in Moldova might spark a confrontation over Transdniestria. Most analysts see a Russia weakened by low oil prices, slumping growth and rising unemployment as also reducing the risk although some suggest it could also prompt Kremlin leadership to pick foreign fights to provide a distraction. Certainly, few would now dare rule out any further war, most likely erupting over a summer period when better weather makes fighting ground wars more appealing. It is a risk that is always worth watching, said Joanna Gorska, deputy head of Eurasia desk at risk consultancy Exclusive Analysis. But if we get through to September or October without anything, we are probably safe for another year.

13 SUBCONTINENT 13 Prosecutor pushes for death penalty Sentencing adjourned on 2003 Mumbai bombers MUMBAI, Aug 4, (AFP): An Indian judge on Tuesday adjourned sentencing on three people found guilty of planting bombs that killed 52 people in Mumbai in 2003, as the prosecutor pushed for the death penalty. Judge M.R. Puranik, sitting at a special anti-terror court in the city, deferred judgement on Haneef Sayyed, his wife Fahmeeda Sayyed and Ashrat Ansari until Thursday after hearing arguments from their lawyers. All three were convicted of a string of charges last week, including murder and attempted murder, after two bombs exploded at the Gateway of India monument and the Zaveri Bazaar jewellery quarter on Aug 25, The court heard the blasts were carried out in retaliation for Hindu atrocities against Muslims during riots in western Gujarat state in 2002 and the trio claimed to be members of the so-called Gujarat Muslim Revenge Force. Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam also claimed they were members of the banned, Pakistan-based Islamist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, which was also allegedly behind Mumbai attacks last year that killed 166 people. Haneef Sayyed s lawyer, Abdul Wahab Khan, argued that his client, now 51, should not be put to death but instead be given a life sentence without parole. Because of his age, he would probably die in prison, he said. Fahmeeda Sayyed s counsel, Sudeep Pasbola, told the judge she was a poor, uneducated woman who was pressured into committing the crime by her husband out of Muslim duty and was taken along to camouflage the group s intentions. She has children to look after. If both (she and her husband) are hanged, they will be orphans. She has not played any part in the conspiracy. Her role was limited and therefore a lesser sentence is enough, he Population of hangul now estimated to be between 201 & 234 Endangered Kashmir deer in comeback as violence dips DACHIGAM, India, Aug 4, (RTRS): An endangered species of red deer found only in Kashmir has made a rapid comeback in the past year due to a decline in violence and conservation efforts, wildlife officials said on Tuesday. The population of the hangul, also known as the Kashmir stag, is now estimated to be between 201 and 234, against in March 2008, according to a census. said. Ansari s lawyer made no submissions. Nikam rejected the arguments, saying the offences fell into the rarest of rare category of crimes deemed appropriate for a judge to pass the death sentence. The bombings, meticulously planned and executed, were of extreme brutality leading to the massacre of innocent people, he said. On the plea for leniency for Fahmeeda Sayyed, he added: We all An anti-india insurgency that broke out two decades ago in the disputed Himalayan region ruined the habitat of the red deer, killed for its meat by both rebels and security forces. The deer were estimated to number around 900 when fighting first erupted. Wildlife guards say poachers also killed the deer for its meat and antlers, which fetch high black market prices. Worst hit were its chief breeding ground in the upper reaches of Dachigam Sanctuary near Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. In the early 90s, Dachigam was a den of militants and later security forces moved into areas where the hangul used to graze, making its life hell, said wildlife ranger Imtiyaz Ahmad Mali. We dared not move into these areas then. But now it is near peaceful and poaching has also stopped. know that the fair sex is regarded as a weakling. However, discrimination applies only to human beings and not to the animal kingdom. A tiger and a tigress are both equally violent... I m sorry to say that Haneef and Fahmeeda are also travelling in the same boat. There were no mitigating circumstances for any of the three, Nikam said, adding: It would be a mockery of justice if the death penalty is not imposed. Fahmeeda Syed Mohammed Haneef, one of the accused in the 2003 Mumbai bombings, is escorted by policemen outside the Byculla Jail before being taken to court in Mumbai, India, Aug 4. (AP) Pakistan quizzes 200 over killings Church group urges protection of Christians ISLAMABAD, Aug 4, (Agencies): Police questioned more than 200 people to determine if rioting that killed eight Christians was spontaneous or planned by a militant group, a Pakistani official said Tuesday. Another top official suggested militants fleeing an army offensive in the northwest Swat Valley were involved. Hundreds of Muslims attacked a Christian neighborhood in the eastern Pakistani city of Gojra on Saturday after reports that Christians had desecrated a Quran. The assault, which also torched dozens of homes, underscored the precarious existence of religious minorities in this Muslim-majority nation where extremist Islam is on the rise. Punjab province Law Minister Rana Sanaullah told The Associated Press that members of the banned Sunni group Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan and its al-qaeda-linked offshoot Lashkar-e-Jhangvi were arrested as suspected attackers. The question is how long or whether they had planned the attack. A Pakistani intelligence report some two months earlier suggested militant groups may be switching from suicide attacks to creating sectarian strife in cities, he noted. We need to locate and arrest those who were wearing masks during the carnage, Sanaullah said, referring to the attackers who were covering their faces during the rioting to avoid being identified. The demonstrations began Thursday but reached their violent zenith Saturday, allegedly after hardline clerics began making speeches against the Christians. Authorities say an initial probe had debunked the Pakistani Christian women visit a house destroyed by an angry mob in Gojra, 360 kms (224 miles) from Islamabad, Pakistan, Aug 3. The attack, which came after rumors that some Christians had desecrated a Holy Quran, drew condemnation Monday from the pope and sent a chilling reminder that minority religious groups are especially vulnerable in Pakistan now that extremist Islam, alongside the Taleban-led militancy, is on the rise. (AP) Leading human rights group releases report Indian police undermine democracy, rights NEW DELHI, Aug 4, (RTRS): India s police discriminate against people on the basis of caste and financial status and consider themselves above the law, undermining the country s democratic ideals, a leading human rights group said on Tuesday. The New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a report that Indian police also stood accused of illegally detaining crime suspects, torturing them and even carrying out extra-judicial killings in custody with impunity. The report collated from interviews with about 80 policemen of various ranks and victims of police atrocities said several officers admitted in private that suspects were often tortured and beaten to extract confessions. In one case, a woman suspect was killed in custody and her killing was passed off as suicide. She was found hanging from a tree, the report said. In other instances, suspects have been tied to wooden sticks and tortured by turning them upside down until they fainted, the group said in the report titled Broken System: Dysfunction, Abuse and Impunity in the Indian Police. India s status as the world s largest democracy is undermined by a police force that thinks it is above the law, Brad Adams, Asia Director of Human Rights Watch, said. India s junior Home Minister Ajay Maken told parliament on Tuesday that the government was moving to address the issue of police atrocities, including supporting judicial investigations into every suspected custodial death. Official figures showed 23 policemen were charged with atrocities since 2005, but none has been convicted. Adams said Indians avoided contact with police out of fear because they perceived them as discriminating on the basis of caste and financial and social status. Colonial-era police laws also enable politicians to interfere, manipulating police to have investigations dropped against influential people and to harass or file false charges. These practices corrode public confidence, Adams said in a statement. India s Congress party-led government said after winning back power in May that it would make police more accountable, and introduce reforms, responding to reports of rising fake encounters and torture across the country. In 2006, the country s Supreme Court ordered reforms in the police force, but the central government and state governments have failed to comply, the group said. claims that the Muslim holy book was defiled. Christians in the community attended special church services for the victims Tuesday. Separately, Punjab province Gov Salman Taseer, on a visit to Gojra, said those who were evicted from Swat have a hand in this incident. Taseer offered no evidence to back up this claim. Pakistan s army is engaged in a threemonth-old offensive in Swat, a northwest valley that was once a prominent tourist destination. The military claims to have killed 1,800 suspected militants in the operation. Christians including Protestants and Catholics make up less than 5 percent of Pakistan s 175 million people, according to the CIA World Factbook. They generally live in peace with their Muslim neighbors. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif promised Tuesday that the government would cover the cost of rebuilding the charred houses and pledged to bring the perpetrators of the weekend attack to justice. There couldn t be any cruelty more harsh than this, he said in an address to Christians in Gojra. Pakistan has also been fighting militants in its semiautonomous tribal regions in the northwest. In the latest violence, four security forces and 11 civilians died, two intelligence officials said Tuesday. Suspected militants fired rockets at a military base camp in the North Waziristan tribal region late Monday, killing the four security forces. Also late Monday, mortar shells fired by an unknown source hit two homes in two villages of the same region, killing 11 civilians, the officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. Meanwhile, the World Council of Churches said Monday that Pakistan s security forces had failed to guard against recent killings and attacks on Christians in Punjab province, and called for better protection. The killing of seven Christians on Saturday in the northeastern village of Gojra reconfirms the fear that the government is constantly failing to protect its citizens, WCC General Secretary Samuel Kobia said in a letter to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. The Geneva-based WCC brings together the main Christian and Orthodox faiths, except the Roman Catholics. The killings and destruction of houses could have been avoided if the police and security forces were vigilant and had taken timely action against the militant Islamic groups who constantly threaten the Christian minorities with false allegations of desecrating the Quran and try to use the controversial blasphemy laws against them, Kobia added. In the letter released by the council, he appealed to Zardari to ensure the safety and security of the victims of the riots and take necessary actions against the perpetrators. The WCC called the torching of 40 houses and a church in Gojra by an angry mob of Muslims an intensive and organized attack, and said it was the third such incident in the last two months in Punjab. School children pose for photographs with a 30 feet (9 meters) long Rakhi, or sacred thread displayed at a school building in Ahmadabad, India, Aug 4. (AP) Bid to save children UN program has little effect: experts LONDON, Aug 4, (AP): The UN unveiled a multimillion dollar strategy a dozen years ago to save children worldwide, but a new study has found the program had surprisingly little effect in Bangladesh, one of the world s poorest countries. Since 1997, more than 100 countries have adopted the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness Program, designed by the World Health Organization and UNICEF. It was supposed to reduce deaths in children under age 5 due to diarrhea, pneumonia, measles and malnutrition, which make up about 70 percent of all child deaths. Bangladesh is the only country where researchers compared results between areas that implemented the UN strategy with those that did not. In research published in the medical journal Lancet recently, experts found the program had no major impact on saving children. UN officials could not say how much the program in Bangladesh cost, but said millions have been spent on its implementation around the world. It s remarkable the program has achieved so little, said Philip Stevens, a director at the International Policy Network, a London think-tank. And it s baffling that it has been rolled out globally without any evidence that it works. The UN strategy has three main components: training health workers; improving health systems, which includes ensuring drugs are available; and encouraging communities and parents to do things like maintain good hygiene and have their children immunized. In Bangladesh, international researchers found the strategy improved the skills of health workers and convinced more people to seek treatment when they got sick. In the areas where the UN strategy was used, more children were breast-fed and the prevalence of stunted growth dropped by 20 percent. But in areas where the program wasn t implemented, slightly more children were vaccinated against measles, and there was no big difference in death rates. Researchers weren t sure why the program had failed, but said the community part of the UN strategy was less effective than expected. The study was paid for by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, WHO, and the US Agency for International Development. Slaying of 17 workers in Lanka Rights group seeks external probe COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Aug 4, (AP): A human rights group Tuesday demanded an international inquiry into the execution-style slaying of 17 workers of a French aid agency in Sri Lanka three years ago, after a government inquiry reportedly failed to identify the killers. New York-based Human Rights Watch said that for three years, no one has been arrested or convicted of the killing of local Sri Lankan employees of Action Against Hunger who were assisting in reconstruction following the 2004 tsunami. They were found dead in August 2006 in a region rocked by heavy fighting between government soldiers and separatist Tamil Tiger rebels. At the time, European monitors said they were convinced government troops were involved, but the government blamed the rebels. The rights group said Tuesday that the government s gross mishandling of the investigation raised further concerns about the investigation and demonstrates the need for an international commission of inquiry. The government, under intense international pressure, appointed a presidential commission two years ago to probe wartime abuses including aid workers massacre. Last month, the commission exonerated the military of any involvement in the massacre, according to newspaper reports. Bangladesh set to start village courts DHAKA, Bangladesh, Aug 4, (AP): Bangladesh launched a campaign Tuesday to formally establish village courts in 500 rural administrative councils to settle small-scale disputes outside formal courts. Human rights groups have complained the old system where women can be caned or separated from the family for romantic relationships outside of marriage keeps the rural poor from real justice. The new rural judicial system will also reduce the pressure on the already overburdened legal system, where half a million cases are still pending, Robert Juhkam, the acting resident representative said. Flood victims rest on the embankment of the River Bhagmati in Sitamadhi district in Bihar state, India, Aug 3. Flood waters have inundated dozens of villages in India s east, leaving nearly 40,000 people homeless, an official said Monday. Several days of incessant rain caused the Bhagmati river to breach its embankment Saturday, flooding three districts of Bihar state. (AP)

14 INTERNATIONAL 14 World News Roundup Media Fast, powerful AP s Hudson news honored NEW YORK, Aug 4, (AP): AP s fast, multidimensional coverage of the splashdown of a passenger jet into the Hudson River has been honored for Deadline Reporting by the Associated Press Managing Editors Association. The world expects The Associated Press to react well to breaking news, especially when it occurs in the main office s backyard, the APME judges said in making the award to AP s New York City staff. But when a US Airways jetliner crash-landed in the Hudson River on Jan 15, the AP staff in New York really shone, producing a series of insightful, compelling and exclusive stories that demonstrated the power of the world s largest news organization. From the first alert at 3:51 pm (2051 GMT) until 11 pm the main story was updated 19 times. By then, AP also had produced Hamra sidebars, including profiles of the pilot and passengers, a reconstruction of the flight and the dangers birds pose to aviation, the judges noted. It was a company-wide effort that included several powerful and exclusive images by many photographers on the ground; multiple video packages; interactive graphics that explained how the flight failed; and bureaus around the country being enlisted in the reporting effort, from California to North Carolina to Washington, DC, they said. A job well done on news that literally fell from the sky. Outstanding The association of editors at AP s 1,500 member newspapers in the US and newspapers served by the Canadian Press in Canada annually recognizes outstanding work by the company s journalists. The judges reviewed nominated work published between June 1, 2008, and June 30, The awards will be presented during the APME annual conference with the Associated Press Photo Managers Oct in St Louis. Gaza photographer Khalil Hamra received the News Photos award for images chronicling the destruction, chaos and Palestinian rage associated with the Israeli incursion into Gaza, the neighborhood where Hamra lived with his partner, pregnant with twins when the fighting began. Islamabad photographer Emilio Morenatti earned honors for Feature Photos for his portraits of women victims of acid attacks in Lahore, Pakistan. The Iraq war was central to three AP staff awards. National writer Sharon Cohen was honored for Feature Writing for a seven-part story on the longest deployment of an American unit, soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard. Photos taken for that package, Long Haul, were part of a portfolio that earned Jae C. Hong the John L. Dougherty Award for a newer AP staffer. Coverage Springfield, Illinois, newsman John O Connor received the Charles Rowe Award for Distinguished State Reporting for a body of work that included coverage of the misconduct of ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, wasteful spending by bureaucrats and details about the parole status of the man accused of killing singer Jennifer Hudson s family. The judges also awarded the following honorable mentions: Deadline Reporting: reporters in Chicago, Washington and elsewhere for coverage of Blagojevich s arrest. Feature Writing: special correspondent Helen O Neill for a profile of a brilliant young chef who faces cancer of the tongue; O Neill for a profile of an aging racist who apologized for beating a young black activist a half-century ago; Texas sports editor Jaime Aron for a narrative about the premature birth of his twin sons and the tiny babies struggle to survive; and Orange County, California, correspondent Gillian Flaccus for a look behind the roll call of the dead reading of the names of 148,000 veterans at Riverside National Cemetery. Enterprise Reporting: breaking news, scoops and features from the US- Mexico border by San Diego-based writer Elliott Spagat; medical writer Marilynn Marchione for a critical look at the claimed curative powers of alternative medicine; AP teams in Afghanistan and Pakistan for groundbreaking stories from the region; and the investigative team of Jeff Donn, Martha Mendoza and Justin Pritchard for reporting that America s drinking water supplies are contaminated with trace concentrations of a multitude of pharmaceuticals. John L. Dougherty Award: Kenya correspondent Katharine Houreld for a variety of stories from the region. Best Use of Multimedia: the Washington multimedia team for presentation of the 2008 election. Best Use of Video: Julie Pace, Jason Bronis, Bonny Ghosh, Rich Matthews, Sagar Meghani and Michael Waldon for coverage of the inauguration of Barack Obama. News Photos: David Guttenfelder, chief of Asia photos and based in Tokyo, for dramatic photos from being embedded with an American military unit in Afghanistan; Morenatti for photos of refugees from Swat Valley violence. This undated photograph released by the White House shows one of the president s official planes flying near the Statue of Liberty in New York. (Inset): In this Dec 3, 2008 file photo, General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner steps out of a Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid at his hotel in Washington after driving from Detroit to testify at Congressional hearing on the auto industry bailout. (AP) Jason Aquino, 23, of New York City appears with his attorney, Matthew Kamholtz, during his arraignment in Cambridge District Court in Medford, Mass, on Aug 3. Aquino was arraigned on charges including murder and armed robbery in connection with the shooting death of Justin Cosby, 21, of Cambridge, Mass, at a Harvard University dorm. Prosecutors say Aquino was one of three men involved in the shooting of Cosby on May 18, in a common area of Kirkland House. (AP) Haynes America Sirleaf 3 seeking custody of baby: The uncle, aunt and estranged boyfriend of a slain woman in Massachusetts whose baby was cut from her womb announced their intentions Monday to seek custody of the infant girl. A closed-door custody hearing was held Monday in Worcester Juvenile Court. The baby s mother, 23-year-old Darlene Haynes, was eight months pregnant when she was found slain in her apartment last week. Her landlord found her body wrapped in bedding in a closet. The exact cause of her death has not been determined, but police said she suffered head trauma. The baby was found two days later at a New Hampshire homeless shelter with Haynes former neighbor, Julie Corey. Corey has been charged with kidnapping and is being held on $2 million bail. The infant is now in state custody. (AP) Arrest in death of Holocaust survivor: A New York City woman has been accused of strangling an 89-year-old man who survived the Holocaust after being sent to Auschwitz. Guido Felix Brinkmann, who used to run a nightclub in New York, was found in his bed with his hands bound Thursday. He had been beaten and asphyxiated, police said. His apartment was messy, but there was no sign of forced entry, according to authorities. Politics Peg Deam, Suquamish, welcomes paddlers as they approach the Suquamish, Wash, shore on Aug 3, to mark the end of the 20th Annual Tribal Canoe Journeys. More than 80 canoes paddled to the shores of the Suquamish Nation in Suquamish, Wa, arriving Monday for a week-long celebration. (AP)s Message loud & clear but not face-to-face You re fired Obama style WASHINGTON, Aug 4, (AP): In his first six months as president, Barack Obama has not flinched at cutting people loose. The message you re outta here comes through loud and clear, though typically not face-to-face from Obama himself. In that regard, he s not like real estate mogul Donald Trump who told contestants on his reality TV show: You re fired. Those who have made a swift exit include Afghan war commander Gen. David McKiernan, White House Military Office Director Louis Caldera, and in a maneuver stretching all the way to Detroit General Motors Corp CEO Rick Wagoner. Obama was accused by some of not being tough enough during last year s presidential campaign and this year s health care debate, but his list of formers keeps growing. The latest casualty was Gerald Walpin, the inspector general of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Walpin was driving to a judicial conference in upstate New York last month when a White House lawyer called to tell him he was out. Within 24 hours, his account had been shut down and his office keys deactivated. GM s Wagoner, who survived years of jostling and intrigue in the struggling auto industry, was ushered into a Investigators said he regularly invited younger women to his apartment for sex, but his relationship with the woman wasn t clear. Brinkmann s doorman told police a man and a woman went to the home the night before his Treasury Department office one Friday this spring and told to step aside or there would be no more federal bailout money for GM. By Monday, he was gone. McKiernan had been on the job as commander of the war in Afghanistan for less than a year when Defense Secretary Robert Gates flew to Kabul in May to tell him he was being sacked. Days later, Gates told a Pentagon news conference that McKiernan was being replaced because the military needed new thinking and new approaches in Afghanistan. Asked if the general s military career was over, Gates said: Probably. Exit Caldera made his exit after taking responsibility for the Air Force One flyover of the Statue of Liberty this spring that left panicked New Yorkers fearing another terror attack. He says he stepped down voluntarily. But his chewing-out by White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina was loud enough to be heard through the closed doors to Emanuel s office, according to West Wing aides who overheard the ruckus. In most of these cases, Obama s fingerprints have been light. He tossed laurels at some of those headed out the door. Obama fires people in a way that makes it quite unclear whether he actually did the firing, said Paul Light, a New body was found. The two were later seen in Brinkmann s car. (AP) Man stuck in window dies: A man in York University expert on White House organization. He is not Donald Trump. Someone else calls em in and says you re fired. Trump himself who s showcased his skills at executing brutally direct firings on NBC s TV show The Apprentice gives Obama high marks. The president also has been lucky that most of those who ve departed have gone without a fuss. Wagoner, for example, issued this statement after word leaked out about his Walpin sacking: On Friday I was in Washington for a meeting with administration officials. In the course of that meeting, they requested that I step aside as CEO of GM, and so I have. Obama left it to GM to announce that Wagoner was out, and allowed that, This is not meant as a condemnation of Mr. Wagoner, who has devoted his life to this company. In McKiernan s case, it was Gates who gave the general the news that he was being sacked, and Gates who announced it at a Pentagon news conference. Respect The White House issued a statement Maryland who often lost his keys died after climbing a fire escape and getting wedged in a window of his third-floor apartment, authorities said Monday. Building manager Donald Donahoe said a Tennessee shooting Dad kills daughter DYERSBURG, Tennessee, Aug 4, (AP): Police say a man accused of abusing his teenager daughter shot her to death and killed her foster father, then committed suicide. Authorities identified the gunman Monday as 34-year-old Christopher Milburn of Dyersburg, which is in northwest Tennessee. A police news release says the attack happened Sunday night at the home where Milburn s 15-year-old daughter had been placed by the state Department of Children s Services while the abuse claim was investigated. Police found the girl and her foster father, 46-year-old Todd Randolph, dead inside the home. Randolph s wife, Susan, also was shot but survived. The 45-year-old woman was released Monday from a Memphis hospital. saying that Obama agreed with the recommendation, adding that the move in no way diminishes the president s deep respect for Gen. McKiernan and his decades of public service. At his retirement ceremony last month, McKiernan declared he was dismayed, disappointed, more than a little embarrassed by his firing. But he also said no one should offer any condolences about recent events. Gates himself conceded last month that he could have framed it better when he announced McKiernan s ouster. Caldera, for his part, announced his resignation in a letter that said the controversy over the New York flyover has made it impossible for me to effectively lead the White House Military Office. This after the White House made it clear that the president was furious about the mix-up, and Obama himself publicly vowed it would not happen again. The White House also made public a report stating that Caldera did not offer a coherent explanation for failing to notify higher-ups about the planned flyover. Contrast that with Obama s unmistakable vote of confidence in his treasury secretary when rumors began to swirl in March that Timothy Geithner s job was in jeopardy. Obama said that if Geithner offered to resign, the answer would be, Sorry buddy, you ve still got the job. And five months later, he still does. neighbor saw legs dangling outside the window Sunday evening and assumed it was a prank until Monday morning. The neighbor called then, and Donahoe said he found 55-year-old Carson Corum s body and notified police. (AP) Official wants to meet rape victim: Liberia s deputy ambassador will travel to Phoenix in hopes of meeting with an 8-yearold rape victim, the four boys accused of attacking her, and their Liberian families in part to help dispel notions that rape is condoned in the West African country. Edwin Sele told The Associated Press Monday that he ll arrive on Wednesday and stay about a week. It s important to go to Phoenix and see for myself and get to understand the situation, he said. Liberians all over the world are very much outraged and don t want to be stigmatized by this. Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf requested the nation s embassy in the U.S. send someone to look into the situation, Sele said. Police have said the attack occurred after four boys, ages 9 to 14, lured the girl to an empty storage shed July 16, promising her chewing gum. In addition to being concerned about the girl, Sele said government officials are worried about how Liberia is being portrayed in news reports that describe rape as being condoned there. (AP)

15 INTERNATIONAL 15 Taxes Obama dilemma No-tax pledge faces challenge WASHINGTON, Aug 4, (Agencies): President Barack Obama is struggling to find a way to pay for an overhaul of the US health care system without violating his campaign promise not to raise taxes on the middle class. Obama s dilemma was highlighted this week when two top economic advisers refused to rule out a middle class tax hike as a possible way to pay the health care overhaul bill or to reduce the rapidly escalating federal deficit. They were quickly overruled by a White House that insisted Obama intends to keep his campaign promise. The scene underscored the peril of Obama s refusal to endorse specific proposals put forth by lawmakers to pay for a heath care overhaul that extends coverage to the uninsured and Geithner achieves the other broad goals he has outlined. Without a firm plan the White House can call its own, Obama has exposed himself and the officials who speak for his administration to an intense scrutiny of their every word. For months, Obama has said that controlling rapidly escalating health cares costs is the cornerstone to bringing the federal deficit under control. And he has promised that paying for the changes won t add to the current deficit. Alternative The problem is that his preferred financing alternative limiting charitable deductions by the wealthiest of Americans has gained no traction on Capitol Hill. And his nodding acceptance of a House plan to use a surtax on those with incomes above $350,000 has proven a nonstarter in the Senate. So as lawmakers head back to their homes for August, Democrats are facing the prospect of defending a sweeping health care overhaul without having any solid commitment from Obama on how the changes will be financed. And the last thing Democratic lawmakers want is for their town hall meetings with voters on the health care overhaul to be dominated by a debate on whether a middle class tax increase is the best way to pay for the changes Obama wants. It would be a distraction from the already difficult sales job needed for Obama s top domestic priority. Critics have booed and jeered lawmakers at home while political parties and interest groups flood the air with a cacophony of competing ads. So it was no shock when congressional Democrats quickly phoned the White House for clarification after hearing that Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Council of Economic Advisers chief Larry Summers had declined to rule out middle class tax hikes during separate Sunday television talk show interviews. Idea There is a lot that can happen over time, Summers said, adding that the administration believes it is never a good idea to absolutely rule things out, no matter what. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, peppered with questions about the economists comments on Monday, insisted Obama intends to keep his campaign pledge not to raise taxes on those making less than $250,000. And he said Obama told his economic team as much during a closed-door meeting in the Oval Office. Ultimately, the decision to propose tax hikes remains with the president, not a government economist or Cabinet official. Obama s position has not changed: New taxes on the middle class are not a politically viable option. The fallout reminded White House political aides that breaking the president s promise not to raise the middle class tax burden would be a blow to his re-election chances in 2012 and would prove noxious to his party in the 2010 midterm elections. But keeping that option off the table and out of the August congressional town hall debates over health care won t be easy unless Obama himself signals to lawmakers in the House and Senate which of the various financing plans he s willing to accept. So far, he s left that to his aides and advisers. All of them. Also: CHICAGO: A scheme directed by an American in Israel in which fake income tax returns were filed on behalf of US prison inmates netted refunds of more than $4 million, prosecutors said on Monday in announcing fraud charges. Marvin Berkowitz, 62, was arrested on Sunday in Jerusalem by Israeli authorities based on a US indictment charging him with 34 counts of mail and wire fraud and six counts of identity theft. Nine other men, some of them Berkowitz s relatives in the United States and Israel, were also charged. Beginning in 2003, prosecutors said Berkowitz s conspirators collected from federal courthouses the names and Social Security numbers of federal inmates and submitted 3,300 federal and state income tax returns in their names demanding refunds. The prisoners were unaware of the scheme. Former Virginia Sen John Warner listens as President Barack Obama speaks at a ceremony celebrating the Post-9/11 GI Bill on Aug 3, at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. (Inset): Obama gestures while speaking during a ceremony celebrating the Post-9/11 GI Bill on Monday, at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. The event was held to mark the implementation of the post 9/11 GI Bill, which will provide veterans with comprehensive educational benefits. (AP) In this July 28, 2009 file photo, Sen Arlen Specter, D-Pa, speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. Specter, who faced an antagonistic crowd at a health care town hall on Aug 2, says the experience could be a sign of the tough road for overhauling the nation s system. (AP) Lynn America Gates Majority back WWII A-bomb: A poll finds a majority of Americans surveyed believe dropping atomic bombs on Japan during World War II was the right thing to do. The Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday found 61 percent of American voters questioned believe the US did the right thing. Twenty-two percent called it wrong and 16 percent were undecided. The first bomb was dropped Aug 6, 1945, on Hiroshima. An estimated 140,000 people were killed instantly or died within a few months. Tens of thousands more died from radiation poisoning in the years following. Three days later, another bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, killing about 80,000 people. Japan surrendered less than a week later. (AP) Military reviews social networks: The US Defense Department is reviewing the use of Facebook and other social networking sites on its computers with an eye toward setting rules on how to protect against possible security risks. The Marine Corps on Monday banned the use of Marine networks for accessing such sites as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. The order does not affect Marines private use of such networks on personal computers outside of their jobs. US Defence Secretary is Robert Gates. However, the service s computer network already effectively blocks users from reaching social networks, officials said. Marine officials said part of the reason for the new ban was to set up a special waiver system that govern access for Marines who need to reach the sites as part of their duties. Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn, meanwhile, ordered a review of both the threats and benefits of using emerging Internet capabilities, which the military has widely used for recruiting, public relations and sharing information with allies and military families, officials said Tuesday. (AP) Saudi Academy OK d to expand: Officials have granted a zoning exemption that will allow a Saudi-funded academy in Virginia to expand its campus. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, which voted 6-4 Monday to grant the exemption, emphasized that the decision was made on zoning Healthcare US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, take part in a joint news conference at the State Department in Washington, on Aug 3. (AP) Harbinger of things to come Public passions rise on reform WASHINGTON, Aug 4, (AP): Booed, jeered and occasionally cheered in a raucous session with the public, a Democratic senator said Monday that other lawmakers can expect the same as they face voters on the divisive issue of overhauling the U.S. health care system. I wouldn t be surprised if that s the harbinger of things to come, Pennsylvania s Sen. Arlen Specter said a day after facing the rowdy crowd in Philadelphia. A House member who was surrounded by protesters shouting Just say no! to Democrats health plans in Texas over the weekend accused Republicans of organizing the opposition. This mob... did not come just to be heard, but to deny others the right to be heard. And this appears to be part of a coordinated, nationwide effort, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a Texas Democrat, said in a statement. What could be more appropriate for the party of no than having its stalwarts drowning out the voices of their neighbors by screaming Just say no! With Congress monthlong recess looming, lawmakers are encountering growing public doubts about President Barack Obama s push to remake the system for providing medical care, evident in polls that find confidence in the president s handling of the issue has fallen since January. The White House is determined to frame the debate on its terms this month and counter fears about government-run insurance plans, a growing federal deficit, the impact on small businesses, abortion and end-of-life provisions all issues that have dominated the health care debate. Political parties and special interest groups will add to the cacophony by spending millions of dollars on competing ads. For lawmakers such as Specter and Doggett, the weekend events captured the issues, not what goes on in the classrooms of the Islamic Saudi Academy. Scores of people spoke at hearings in the spring and summer on the academy s plans. public mood and the obstacles for the Obama administration. Concerns At Specter s forum Sunday in Philadelphia, some chanted Obama s Yes we can campaign slogan, while others carried signs that said, Tell Washington no. Specter and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius faced an antagonistic, standing-room-only crowd at the National Constitution Center. Specter said he thought political organizations orchestrated some of the commotion, but individuals with serious concerns some in dire medical conditions were there as well. I do think there s a big concern in America, Specter said in an interview Monday. We heard it yesterday about the growing deficit and national debt. Specter is a recent Republican-turned- Democrat who indicated earlier this year that he s open to a government health insurance plan that would compete with private insurers, an idea backed by Obama and many Democrats. Four of five congressional committees have approved versions of health care bills, but lawmakers fell short of Obama s deadline for the House and Senate to vote on bills before their August recess. That sets up a September showdown on the legislation and all sides have moved into high gear. The House has begun its recess, with the Senate to follow on Friday, as lawmakers continue to work on bipartisan legislation. Frustrated with the pace of those talks, Democratic leaders promised to push a sweeping health care bill through the Senate whether they get Republican support or not. Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the Some neighbors were against the expansion because of traffic worries. Others opposed the plans because of ideological concerns about what the school teaches. third-ranking Senate Democrat, raised the prospect of the leadership crafting a bill to Democratic specifications and using a rare legislative procedure to expedite it. We will have contingencies in place, Schumer told reporters on a conference call. These plans will likely be considered as a last resort, but they are on the table. He would not elaborate. After numerous delays, three Democrats and three Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee are facing a Sept. 15 deadline to wrap up secretive talks and come up with a plan. If we cannot produce a bipartisan solution by then, you have to wonder if the Republicans will ever to be willing to agree to anything, Schumer said. However, one of the negotiators Republican Sen. Mike Enzi of Wyoming said Monday he did not recognize such a deadline. Target After those objections were voiced, Finance Chairman Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat, said that senators were looking at a target date internally but the main thing is we got to get it right. Baucus said a draft bill would be ready by the end of this week. Senators have plenty of action on the Senate floor this week, including a vote on Judge Sonia Sotomayor s Supreme Court nomination, but health care is still a focus. Senate Democrats are lunching at the White House Tuesday and will hear from White House adviser David Axelrod and Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina at a closed-door session Thursday. Schumer said Democratic leaders continue to look at invoking a procedural maneuver that would allow them to pass the health care reform bill with 51 votes instead of 60. That route is viewed as a last The community will get an awful lot of development, said supervisor Penelope A. Gross. I think (it) will improve the community. resort, in part because it would probably limit the breadth of policy initiatives. On the same call, Sen. Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, accused Republican leaders of trying to hinder bipartisan progress to deny Obama a political victory. Don Stewart, a spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky scoffed at the complaints. He noted that Schumer himself hasn t committed to supporting whatever the Finance Committee negotiators produce and that other Democrats have also criticized the plan that s taking shape. Seriously, how can any Democrat who doesn t support what the bipartisan group of Finance members is working on complain about there not being a bipartisan approach? Stewart asked. Has Sen. Schumer or anyone in the Democrat leadership offered a bipartisan bill? Schumer and many other liberals favor a strong new government-run insurance plan that would compete with private insurers, and all the plans approved so far have included that. But Republicans nearly uniformly oppose a new public plan, saying it would drive private insurers out of business, so the Finance negotiators are looking at a system of nonprofit health co-ops instead. Schumer said negotiations on the Finance bill were continuing. No one s drawing any lines in the sand right now, but I feel very strongly we need a public option and that fight is continuing, he said. The United States is the only developed nation that does not have a comprehensive national health care plan for all its citizens, and about 50 million of America s 300 million people are without health insurance. Perfect go-between The approval drew jeers from critics of the academy. Jim Lafferty, one of the critics, vowed political retaliation against the supervisors who supported it. (AP) Sleuth of civil rights era killings dies JACKSON, Mississippi, Aug 4, (AP): Retired FBI agent Jim Ingram, who helped state and federal officials reopen long-dormant investigations of killings from Mississippi s violent civil rights era, has died. He was 77. Ingram, a 30-year FBI veteran, died Sunday of complications from pancreatic cancer, said his son, James M. Ingram. The elder Ingram led bureau offices in Chicago and New York before retiring in The Oklahoma native was among the agents who opened the FBI s first office in Mississippi in the Ingram weeks after three civil rights workers disappeared in Neshoba County on June 21, In what was known as the Mississippi Burning case, agents found the bodies of Michael Schwerner, James Chaney and Andrew Goodman buried in an earthen dam on Aug. 4, 1964, several miles (kilometers) from where they had been abducted by Ku Klux Klansmen, a white supremacist group. In 1967, seven men were convicted of federal charges of violating the civil rights of the men killed. None served more than six years in prison. The trial for Edgar Ray Killen, a reputed Klan leader and part-time preacher, ended in a hung jury. State Attorney General Jim Hood said Monday that Ingram was invaluable to the revived investigation, knocking on doors and persuading witnesses to speak to authorities. He had the trust of the confidential informants to be able to contact them and they knew that he would not disclose their identity, Hood said. He was the perfect gobetween, between us and the confidential informants whose identities have been and will continue to be protected forever.

16 INTERNATIONAL 16 World News Roundup Europe Nazi hitman trial set: Admitted Nazi hit man Heinrich Boere will go on trial in October for the execution-style killings of three Dutch civilians during World War II, a German court spokesman said Tuesday. The Aachen state court has scheduled 13 court sessions for Boere s trial on three counts of murder, to begin Oct 28 and run through Dec 18, spokesman Georg Winkel said. Boere, who will turn 88 in September, was ruled fit to stand trial last month, despite suffering medical problems. A Cologne appeals court overturned a lower court s decision earlier this year not to put him on trial. It was not yet clear whether the trial sessions would be limited in length in deference to Boere s age and health issues, Winkel said, though that is usually the case in such situations. He said more trial dates could be added if necessary. Boere s attorney, Gordon Christiansen, was not available for comment, his office said. Christiansen has said that his client suffers a serious heart condition. (AP) Schreiber ordered held: A German court on Tuesday ordered Karlheinz Schreiber kept in custody after his extradition from Canada, calling the businessman who is linked to a financing scandal surrounding former Chancellor Helmut Kohl a flight risk. The Augsburg state court decided at a closed-door hearing that the 75-year-old former arms-industry lobbyist should be held pending his trial, court spokesman Karl-Heinz Haeusler said. Schreiber arrived in Germany on Monday after losing a 10-year fight to avoid extradition from Canada. The dual Canadian and German citizen faces charges of tax evasion, bribery and of being an accessory to breach of trust and fraud. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison. Prosecutor Reinhard Nemetz said Schreiber, through his lawyer, disputed the accusations against him at Tuesday s hearing. The charges stem from money that allegedly flowed in due to an early 1990s delivery of German armored vehicles to Saudi Arabia. The court now has to decide on a trial date. It was not immediately clear when that decision would come. (AP) 3 more Belgian prisoners escape: Belgian authorities were chasing three more escaped prisoners on Tuesday, bringing the total to 12 over the past two weeks. The ongoing news of escapes has heaped embarrassment on the government, which claims its plans to better secure key jails and courthouses have been held back by budget constraints and administrative burdens. The justice ministry says the three escaped early Tuesday from the sprawling Palace of Justice courthouse in central Brussels when two armed men burst into a court hearing and took them with them. Two weeks ago, three convicts broke out of a high-security prison near Bruges when a helicopter flew into the compound to take them away. Last week, six prisoners escaped from a prison near the port city of Antwerp by scaling the wall with a ladder. In all, five of the escaped inmates have been caught again, but seven remain at large. There have been plans to put nets over exercise yards to make it impossible for helicopters to land, but implementation has been slow. (AP) Reporter jailing a travesty : US-based Human Rights Watch has accused Uzbekistan of bringing politically motivated charges against a journalist critical of the government and said his trial was a travesty of justice. A ship sails in the Lithuanian Baltic Sea port of Klaipeda on Aug 3 after the finish of the Tall Ships Races: Baltic (AFP) A woman holds a candle during church service for the victims of the Croatian offensive, marking its 14th anniversary, in Belgrade St Marko Church, Aug 4. More than 200,000 Serbs fled the advancing Croatian troops in August 1995, after Zagreb launched the offensive to recapture its land held previously by the rebel Serbs. The Croat-Serb war started in 1991, after Croatia declared independence from former Yugoslavia, triggering a Serb uprising. (AP) Felicitas Von Preussen dies Wilhelm Princess Felicitas von Preussen, the great-granddaughter of the last German emperor, has died, her family said Tuesday. She was 75. Von Preussen died Saturday in Wohltorf, near Hamburg, the family said on its website, It did not give a cause of death. Von Preussen was born in 1934 in Bonn to Prince Wilhelm von Preussen and his wife, Dorothea von Salviati. Wilhelm was the son of Crown Prince Wilhelm, the heir of Kaiser Wilhelm II, the last German emperor. Wilhelm II went into exile in the Netherlands after the fall of the monarchy in 1918 following World War I. Von Preussen was married twice and had five children. She was to be buried in Aumuehle, near Hamburg. (AP) Western nations have long accused Uzbekistan, Central Asia s most populous state, of human rights violations. But Washington and Tashkent have recently taken steps to improve relations, at a time when the United States wanted to send supplies through Uzbekistan to its troops in Afghanistan. Uzbek reporter Dilmurod Saidov was found guilty of extortion and forgery on July 30 and sentenced to 12-1/2 years in jail, the rights group said in a statement late on Monday. Several witnesses withdrew testimony during the trial, it said. Saidov is well known for his courageous Conflict Georgia warns of risk as Russia raises battle-readiness Fears of new war escalate TBILISI, Aug 4, (AFP): Georgia warned of the risk of a new war with Russia on Tuesday as Moscow raised the battle-readiness of its forces ahead of the first anniversary of their conflict over the rebel South Ossetia region. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili called on the United States and European Union to send a clear message to Moscow to help avert a new war, as both sides exchanged accusations of attacks and provocations in the region. There is a risk. The Russians are exerting constant pressure, Saakashvili told French radio station RTL when asked about the possibility of renewed conflict. The latest (Russian military) manoeuvres are worrying. They refuse to respond to calls from European observers and unfortunately the media in Moscow are announcing a situation of imminent conflict, he said. Despite all that, I am confident that Europe and the United States will send a clear message to Moscow, he said. The Russian foreign ministry meanwhile said its forces had heightened their state of battle-readiness in South Ossetia. The situation is very worrying and the Georgian provocations ahead of the work to expose rampant corruption in Uzbekistan, and this conviction is clearly an attempt to stop him, said the group s Europe and Central Asia director Holly Carter. The trial was a travesty of justice, and anniversary of last year s war are not halting, foreign ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said in a statement. In connection with this, the battlereadiness of Russian troops and border guards stationed in South Ossetia has been heightened, he said. Tensions Tensions have been rising between the two countries as they prepare to mark the one-year anniversary on Aug 7 of the outbreak of their five-day war over the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia. At the moment, the main thing is not to allow an escalation and development of the shootings into a more serious clash. We are doing and will do everything to avoid this, said Nesterenko. Georgia placed the blame for mounting tensions squarely on Moscow, insisting that it was not seeking a conflict. The Russian occupants and the proxy regimes continue to pursue their efforts aimed at further enhancing tension, the Georgian foreign ministry said in a statement Tuesday. Full responsibility for such actions rests with Russia. Earlier Tuesday, Russia had accused Georgia of preparing a series of provocations on its de-facto border with South Ossetia, as both sides traded Saidov should be freed immediately. Uzbek officials could not be reached for comment. (RTRS) In this photo taken on Aug 3, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is seen riding a horse in the mountains of the Siberian Tyva region (also referred to as Tuva), Russia, during his short vacation. (AP) accusations of carrying out grenade and mortar attacks. Russian deputy foreign minister Grigory Karasin also angrily accused the US of re-arming the Georgian military. Washington is playing the main role in re-equipping the Georgian war machine, he told the Interfax news agency in an interview. Also: TASHKENT: Uzbekistan has slammed Russian plans to station additional troops in its neighbour Kyrgyzstan, in the latest sign of a rift between Moscow and ex-soviet Central Asia s most populous state. The Uzbek foreign ministry s house news agency Jahon said in a statement late Monday that the deployment of the force in Kyrgyzstan could force a destabilising military build-up in the region. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a deal last week with his Kyrgyz counterpart Kurmanbek Bakiyev to station more Russian troops in the Central Asian state within marching distance from Uzbekistan s borders. The implementation of such projects... may create an impetus for strengthening the processes in terms of militarisation, Jahon said in the statement posted on its website. Russian mulls helicopter carrier: Russia could spend around 400 million euros on buying a helicopter carrier from Nato member France, with talks under way on Novartis attacks Mom s ashes stolen BERN, Switzerland, Aug 4, (AP): Drug maker Novartis AG said Tuesday that animal rights activists have stolen the ashes of its CEO s mother and set fire to his Austrian hunting lodge. Swiss authorities, however, said they didn t know who was behind the attacks. In the latest incident, CEO Daniel Vasella s Tyrollean lodge in Bach, Austria, was badly burned early Monday morning. It was arson with a professional fire accelerator, Novartis spokeswoman Isabel Guerra said in Basel. One week earlier, someone dug up an urn containing the ashes of Vasella s mother, who died in 2001, and took them from her grave in the eastern Swiss city of Chur, leaving behind the spray-painted message Drop HLS Now in red letters on the gravestone. what would be its first major foreign military purchase, local media reported on Tuesday. Moscow is trying to re-equip its outdated Soviet-era military as part of a broader defence reform but has to date focused on buying hardware from its own arms industry, which remains one of the country s key export sectors. Interfax, quoting unnamed sources in the Russian navy headquarters, confirmed earlier reports in the French media about Moscow s interest in buying a multi-purpose carrier. The possibility of buying a Mistral-class helicopter carrier was discussed at the naval show held in St. Petersburg in June, Interfax quoted a naval headquarters source as saying. Quoting an unnamed senior officer in Russia s naval headquarters, RIA news agency said that such a deal with France could cost Moscow up to 400 million euros ($575.6 million). Such talks are being conducted at the level of experts, the officer told RIA. In September we will prepare a report with our final conclusions for the defence ministry. (RTRS) New trial in journalist s murder: A new trial into the killing of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya opens Wednesday, with Russia s failure to solve her case under renewed scrutiny after the murder of a close colleague. Russia s supreme court last month annulled a February jury verdict acquitting all the suspects accused over Politkovskaya s 2006 murder, a decision widely seen as a major embarrassment for prosecutors. The murder last month of prominent Russian rights activist Natalya Estemirova who worked continuously with Politkovskaya to investigate abuses by Russia forces in Chechnya has again brought the case to the fore. The first hearing will Politkovskaya start Wednesday at 11:00 am (0800 GMT) and will be open to the public, Alexander Minchanovsky, a spokesman for the military court where the trial is to held, told AFP. Politkovsksya, who was sharply critical of Russia s strongman Vladimir Putin and his policies in Chechnya, was gunned down in the stairwell of her appartment building on on Oct 7, 2006 in an apparent contract killing. The suspects are all accused of being accessories to the murder and the authorities have still failed to find the triggerman, let alone identify the mastermind of the killing. Politkovskaya s family say the entire investigation has been mishandled. Instead of a retrial, her daughter Vera and son Ilya are calling for a new investigation into the murder of the journalist. (AFP) Bear who killed woman sought: Russian hunters are pursuing a bear that killed a woman in the centre of a far eastern town on Tuesday before escaping into the forest, news agencies reported. Professional hunters and security officials launched the bear hunt in Palana, a town of about 4,000 people at the northern end of Kamchatka peninsula, Interfax news agency said, citing local sources. A male Kamchatka brown bear can weigh 700 kg (1,500 lb) and have a body length of 3 metres. A handful of bear attacks are reported in the remote region every year, and three people have died in the past 12 months, RIA reported. But town centre attacks are rare. Palana is the capital of the Koryak administrative region, which was a autonomous region prior to being merged into Kamchatka in (RTRS) Dog mauls five-year-old: A five-year-old Italian girl was viciously attacked by a dog inside a Polish restaurant during a family vacation in Krakow, forcing her to get emergency surgery, officials said Tuesday. The girl is in stable condition after reconstructive facial surgery, Magdalena Oberc, spokeswoman for the Krakow-Prokocim Children s Hospital, told AFP. The child s cheek and nose were both torn in the mauling and multiple stitches were required, Oberc said. She refused to reveal the girl s name or her city of origin in Italy. The girl was expected to remain in hospital under observation for the next few days, Oberc said. The mauling occurred Monday evening in a restaurant in the centre of Krakow s picturesque Old Town, popular with tourists, where the girl s family was having dinner. A 10-month-old female American Staffordshire Terrier a breed also known as Am Staff attack dogs belonging to the restaurant s owner mauled the girl when she went to the bathroom with two other children. We will direct this case to state prosecutors for further investigation, Krakow provincial police spokeswoman Katarzyna Cislo told AFP, specifying charges were likely to be pressed against the dog-owner. Cislo also declined to identify any of the persons involved in the case. (AFP) Envoy gets organ evidence: Serbia has given an EU envoy what it regards as evidence that Kosovo s ethnic Albanian guerrillas allegedly removed the organs of kidnapped Serb civilians and sold them, an official said Tuesday. Swiss Senator Dick Marty is leading the Council of Europe probe into the allegations of trafficking in kidneys, livers and other organs during the Kosovo conflict. Marty ends a two-day visit to Serbia on Tuesday before traveling to Albania. Serbian officials say hundreds of Kosovo Serbs vanished without a trace in the conflict. They claim at least some of them may have had organs removed and trafficked on the black market. We have presented Marty with analysis, investigation results, evidence extensive material that backs our claims, said Bruno Vekaric, the spokesman for Serbia s war crimes prosecutor. The Serb war crimes investigators have said they have concrete proof that at least 10 people were the victims of an international organ trafficking operation, but that many more may have been operated on in makeshift hospitals in neighboring Albania before being dumped in mass graves. The Kosovo Liberation Army, an ethnic Albanian rebel force, fought Serbian troops loyal to the late strongman Slobodan Milosevic in a conflict that claimed at least 10,000 lives. The bloodshed ended after NATO pummeled Serbia with airstrikes and sent in peacekeepers in June Kosovo s ethnic Albanian leaders declared independence in February (AP)

17 INTERNATIONAL 17 China Kids forced to blame Kadeer denies Chinese report SYDNEY, Aug 4, (Agencies): Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer on Tuesday rejected Chinese reports her own children blamed her for inciting deadly unrest, as she arrived in Australia for a visit which has drawn strong protests from Beijing. The exiled head of the World Uighur Congress (WUC) touched down in Sydney for a 10-day trip during which she will attend the premiere of a documentary about her life and meet members of Australia s Uighur community. Kadeer, who lives in the US, has been accused by the Chinese government of inciting unrest on July 5 that led to the deaths of at least 197 in the mainly Muslim region of Xinjiang in northwest China. She denies the accusations. Chinese state Kadeer media on Monday published open letters reportedly written by some of her children which were critical of Kadeer s alleged involvement in the unrest. Kadeer told Radio Free Asia that China s official Xinhua news agency had forced her children to blame her for inciting last month s violence in the Xinjiang regional capital Urumqi. China has power, she said, according to the radio station. They are able to control my children s speech and turn their tongues against me, but they can t control the love created by God between me and my children. It s not worth wondering who wrote that letter, I know my children. No one wants to blame his or her mother for something, even if they did do something wrong, she added. Discredit Kadeer said the letters were an attempt to discredit her among the Uighurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority, and damage her global reputation. I know all the old and new methods of the Chinese authorities for criticising their enemies, the mother of 11 said at Sydney airport. This is not the first time this has happened to me. The two letters, which were widely quoted in Chinese media, were purportedly from Kadeer s son Khahar and daughter Roxingul, as well as her younger brother Memet. Because of you, many innocent people of all ethnic groups lost their lives in Urumqi on July 5, with huge damage to property, shops and vehicles, Xinhua quoted a letter addressed to Kadeer as saying. A second letter from the relatives, addressed to the families of those killed, said the unrest was organised by the WUC, led by Rebiya Kadeer, and implemented by a group of separatists within the Chinese borders. After the airing of Kadeer s radio interview, three of her children appeared on Chinese television Tuesday to denounce their mother though it was not clear if they were speaking of their own free will, with one shown in jail. Separatist She will not succeed in her separatist endeavours. Kadeer s visit to Australia, as a guest of the Melbourne International Film Festival, sparked diplomatic ructions with Beijing, who demanded she be denied a visa and summoned Canberra s ambassador in protest. All Chinese-language films and funding were also pulled from the festival, Australia s biggest. But Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said Australia had no information or evidence to suggest Kadeer was a terrorist and would allow her into the country. The exiled leader, who described herself Tuesday as outspoken and honest about the situation of the Uighurs, caused a furore in Japan last week with suggestions that 10,000 people disappeared during the Xinjiang unrest. Smith said he had no plans to meet Kadeer, and declined to join her call for a United Nations investigation into the ethnic clashes. He insisted that relations with key trade partner China, already under strain after the July detention of a mining executive in Shanghai, would not be affected. Also: BEIJING: Chinese police have detained 718 people suspected of involvement in deadly ethnic rioting in northwestern Xinjiang region last month, the official Xinhua agency said on Tuesday. It was not clear if this number represented the total number of people held after the riots because the report did not mention anybody being released. Officials had previously said that more than 1,500 had been detained. The report cited Chen Zhuangwei, head of the Public Security Bureau in Urumqi, Xinjiang s capital. Separately, state radio reported that authorities have arrested 83 suspects the first such formal arrests after the riots. The suspects included both Uighurs and Han Chinese, and the range of allegations spanned murder, arson, assault and disturbing social order, it added. Police officers patrol around the Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima, western Japan, Aug 4. People in Hiroshima observe the 64th anniversary of the world s first atomic bombing that obliterated this city and killed 140,000 people on Aug 6 (AP) Chinese retired engineer Wang Guanshun shows off his self-made water-bicycle in Hefei, in east China s Anhui province on Aug 3. Wang is popularly known for his various makeshift inventions using bits and pieces of equipment. (AFP) In this April 27, 2008 file photo, Macau tycoon Stanley Ho (center), his wife Angela (right), and prize presenter Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh (left), watch horse racing at the Shatin race track in Hong Kong. (AP) Ho OK after brain op Veteran Macau gaming tycoon Stanley Ho is in a satisfactory condition after undergoing brain surgery in Hong Kong, his office and media reports said on Tuesday. Shares in his flagship gaming firm traded lower. The 87-year-old was taken to a Hong Kong hospital last week after falling and hurting his head during a family gathering, the Apple Daily newspaper reported Ẇhile the paper reported he d undergone brain surgery to ease internal bleeding, Ho s office wouldn t give specifics. Dr. Ho was admitted to hospital and has undergone a surgical procedure, his office said in a brief statement. He is in satisfactory condition and is progressing well in his recovery. Sometimes known as the godfather of gambling, Ho, a patriarch of mixed European and Chinese parentage, heads an extended clan of 17 children born to his four wives. Several of Ho s relatives visited him at the private Adventist Hospital on Hong Kong island, including two wives and one daughter who said her father was doing quite well. Shares in Ho s gaming flagship, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau (SJM) Holdings were 5 percent lower in early trading, lagging other Macau-linked gaming sector stocks which have rebounded strongly of late. It closed 4.55 percent lower. Analysts have said the succession of Ho s vast business holdings could be problematic given his extended family and simmering family feuds including a bitter court battle with his sister Winnie who delayed SJM s Hong Kong listing last year. Ho was worth $8 billion last year, according to Forbes magazine, making him the world s 113th wealthiest individual, but his wealth took a big hit from the financial crisis and dwindled to just $1 billion this February according to Forbes. (RTRS) Asia Japan Xu Opposition fails to close gap with business Tokyo mulls US alliance boost TOKYO, Aug 4, (RTRS): Japan should ease restraints on the military, partly to boost its alliance with Washington, a government panel proposed on Tuesday, but the opposition Democrats said they would re-think such plans if they took power. The panel s proposals would further stretch the interpretation of Japan s post-war pacifist constitution, allowing Tokyo to support Washington, for example by trying to shoot down missiles headed for US territory. Such plans could potentially alarm neighbours China and South Korea, where many suffered under Japanese militarism before and during World War Two. The committee also suggests relaxing restrictions on the import and export of weapons, to allow Japan s defence industry to develop. The proposals are intended for inclusion in key five-year defence plans which are scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. But the panel s ideas could be scrapped if the main opposition Democratic Party, which has vowed to be more independent from the United States, ousts Aso s long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in an Aug. 30 election. Opinion polls show they have a good chance of taking power. Basically these are proposals that have been produced under the auspices of the LDP and presented to the LDP, Democratic Party leader Yukio Hatoyama told reporters on Tuesday. If we take power, we will of course have to rethink them from our own point of view, he added. The Democrats policy chief, Masayuki Naoshima, said in an interview with Reuters last week he saw no need to rush to complete the five-year plans. As the world s second-largest economy struggles to emerge from its worst recession since World War Two Chinese activist held: A leading Chinese legal activist detained by authorities last week has been accused of tax evasion, his brother said Tuesday. Xu Zhiyong, a prominent legal scholar who co-founded the Gongmeng legal aid organization, was taken from his Beijing home about 5 a.m. last Wednesday by police. At the time, it was unclear why he was being held. On Tuesday, his brother Xu Zhihong told The Associated Press that officials from the Beijing University of Post and Telecommunications, where Xu Zhiyong taught, said they were notified that the scholar was being detained for tax evasion. Xu s detention comes as China has stepped up an official push to restrain activist lawyers. Last month, more than 50 Beijing lawyers, many of whom focus on politically sensitive human rights issues, had their licenses revoked. China is gearing up for the 60th anniversary of the communist nation s founding on Oct 1 a period when dissent is not tolerated. (AP) Internet addict killed: A teenager was allegedly beaten to death by trainers at a rehabilitation camp in southern China where his parents had sent him to cure his Internet addiction, reports said Tuesday. The three supervisors who allegedly beat Deng Senshan, 16, were arrested after the boy s death early Sunday, his father Deng Fei told the Global Times. We are investigating a case where a high school student was beaten to death by his camp supervisors. The case is still under investigation, a police officer in Nanning, Guangxi region, was quoted as saying. Deng Fei said he paid 7,000 yuan ($1,000) to give his son a month s training at the Guangxi Qihuang Survival Training Camp to rid him of his addiction to the Internet. But instead, he said, the boy and unemployment nears a record high, the Democratic Party has focused on boosting household incomes ahead of the election. Threats The LDP has attacked them for what they say is an inability to handle defence issues, amid growing regional threats from North Korean missiles and China s burgeoning military. Security is not a vote-winner, said Ikuo Kayahara, a retired major-general and now a professor at Tokyo s Takushoku University. The LDP has been campaigning on security and there may be some people who applaud that. But people who don t know where the next meal is coming from see it as something that can be put off until later, he added. Some analysts say the Democratic Party, which was formed by unlikely alliances across the political spectrum, is likely to be hampered by deep rifts over security policy. The party s lawmakers include former Socialists, LDP defectors and hawkish younger lawmakers. But others say the reality of the security threats surrounding Japan will force the Democrats to treat a path very close to that of the LDP. In other news, Japan s main opposition party, which could win the Aug 30 election, on Tuesday sought to improve ties with industry but differences remained over issues including climate change and a proposed ban on casual workers in manufacturing. Senior lawmakers of the Democratic Party met members of the Nippon Keidanren, the country s biggest business lobby, which has long enjoyed cosy ties with the business-friendly ruling Liberal Democratic Party, to explain their campaign manifesto. Lee was put in solitary confinement shortly after his arrival and then beaten to death by his trainers who scolded him for running too slowly. (AFP) Collapse kills 17: An unfinished factory building collapsed amid a violent thunderstorm Tuesday in northern China, killing 17 people, state media and a government official said. The two-story building housing an iron casting company crumbled Tuesday morning as torrential rain hit the city of Shijiazhuang, the Xinhua News Agency reported. It said 20 people, most of them employees of the Tengfei Malleable Iron Casting Co Ltd., were buried in the collapse, but only three people had been rescued and hospitalized. (AP) Green plan unveiled: South Korea govt of LeeMyune-Bak pledged for the first time on Tuesday to set a 2020 emissions reduction target, as the OECD s fastestgrowing carbon polluter voluntarily joined richer nations in setting hard goals to roll back climate change. By commiting itself to one of But the head of the business lobby, Fujio Mitarai, said the Democrats, who have vowed to put more money in the hands of consumers than companies to boost domestic demand, did not provide enough detail on economic growth strategies or how they would fund their proposed steps. He added that the party s climate change targets would pose too heavy an economic burden. The opposition Democrats have vowed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent from 1990 levels by 2020 and by more than 60 percent by 2050, a target much higher than the government s current goals. Pledge In a session with business leaders, Democratic Party Secretary-General Katsuya Okada said that for Japan to lead the G8 powerful nations pledge to cut emissions by 80 percent by 2050, Tokyo itself needs to set a strong target. But he failed to convince the business lobby. A 25 percent cut would be a significant burden. We cannot agree with Japan having such a big goal, Mitarai told reporters after a one-hour session. Mitarai also said the Democrats pledge to impose a ban on casual workers in manufacturing would narrow career options for workers and make it harder for small firms to find employees once the economy recovers. Still, Democratic Party leader Yukio Hatoyama said earlier in the day that the party could improve ties with the lobby. There are quite a few issues, including the environment, on which we have yet to close the gap with Keidanren, Hatoyama told a regular news conference. We believe it is entirely possible to obtain the understanding of Keidanren through dialogue. three options, all of which are relatively modest compared to the cut-backs pledged by developed economies, Seoul is establishing a precedent that might encourage much bigger emitters like China and India to agree to targets of their own, although their resistance is unlikely to bend soon. (RTRS)

18 INTERNATIONAL 18 World News Roundup A Filipino offers prayers outside the home of the Philippines People Power icon Corazon Cory Aquino in suburban Quezon city north of Manila on Aug 4. Inset: Maria Imelda Josefa Imee Marcos (left), and Ferdinand Marcos Jr (center), children of the late strongman Ferdinand view the casket of Aquino at the Manila Cathedral on Tuesday. (AFP/AP) Asia American on trial hospitalized: An American on trial for secretly entering the house of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been hospitalized after suffering seizures, hospital sources said Tuesday. John Yettaw, 53, was admitted to Yangon s main hospital Monday, but his condition is improving, according to the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals in the military-run nation. Yettaw faces up to five years in prison on charges he helped violate the terms of Suu Kyi s house arrest by swimming uninvited to her lakeside residence and staying two nights. A court is to deliver a verdict next week in the case, which charges Suu Kyi with violating the terms of her detention. The 64- year-old Nobel Peace laureate could also be imprisoned for five years along with two companions who resided with her. Yettaw Yettaw, of Falcon, Missouri, testified that he swam to Suu Kyi s house to warn her that he had had a vision that she would be assassinated. He reportedly suffers from epilepsy, diabetes and other health problems, including post traumatic stress disorder from his time in the US military. His lawyer Khin Maung Oo said earlier that Yettaw had been kept in the hospital of Insein prison, so authorities could monitor his health. (AP) Trial tests system Suu Kyi: Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has told the court trying her that her trial on charges she violated her house arrest is a test of the military-run country s legal system. Suu Kyi s full testimony in the closed-door trial was released for the first time by her opposition political party, the National League for Democracy. The court is due to reach a verdict next week. The 64-year old Nobel Peace laureate who is facing five years in prison for giving temporary shelter to an American man who swam to her house uninvited in early May declared that the court s decision is already painfully obvious. Critics say the ruling military has seized upon the bizarre intrusion as an excuse to keep Suu Kyi jailed through next year s scheduled elections the country s first in nearly two decades. The charges against Suu Kyi, who has been detained for 14 of the last 20 years and was under house arrest at the time of the incident, have refocused international outrage on Myanmar. The Court will pronounce on the innocence or guilt of a few individuals. The verdict will constitute a judgment on the whole of legal, justice and constitutional system in our country, Suu Kyi said in her statement during final court arguments on July 24. Her party released the full statement Monday. (AP) Booze ban could fuel feud: Malaysia s Islamist party on Tuesday demanded full implementation of a rarely enforced alcohol ban for Muslims in the country s most developed state, a move that could reignite a feud in the country s opposition. The opposition Pan Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), which rules the state of Selangor along with two other parties, also called for the Rescuers recover the body of a dead victim from a train collision in Bogor in West Java on Aug 4. One person was killed and 60 were injured when an express train bound for Jakarta slammed into an economy-class train that had inexplicably stopped on the same track, Bogor police officer Arifin said. (AFP) Rudd Turnbull Inquiry clears PM An official inquiry on Tuesday cleared Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of influence peddling as a top civil servant reportedly admitted forging the that sparked the allegations. The auditor-general s office launched an investigation after the surfaced that appeared to show Rudd s staffers lobbying officials on behalf of a car dealer, John Grant. This was seized on by opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull, who in June demanded Rudd and Treasurer Wayne Swan resign over the affair, only to find his own position under threat after police confirmed the was a forgery. The Australian newspaper reported Tuesday that a senior public servant had admitted to making up the and supplying it to Turnbull. Treasury official Godwin Grech allegedly made the confession from a psychiatric ward where he was voluntarily admitted suffering depression shortly after the scandal broke, the newspaper reported. Grech said he concocted the because Turnbull and other members of the conservative opposition were pushing for documentary proof of his claims that Rudd s office had sent an putting pressure on the Treasury. It is at this point that I made an error of judgement, he told the newspaper. (AFP) removal of an ethnic Chinese state leader who protested the recent seizures of beer from convenience stores in the state. Philippines Her aura was her armour Marcoses, rebels salute Aquino MANILA, Aug 4, (AFP): Military rebels who tried to unseat Corazon Aquino by force paid tribute to the late Philippines democracy icon Tuesday as a nation united in grief prepared to bury her. Her aura was her armour. You couldn t possibly hurt her, said retired navy commodore Rex Robles, who as a young colonel was among a group of officers who sought to topple Aquino in the late 1980s immediately after the fall of the Marcos dictatorship. The 76-year-old widow died at the weekend after a long battle with cancer, uniting the fractious Southeast Asian archipelago in a national outpouring of grief and sympathy. While Aquino brought democracy back to the country in introduced reforms, her term was marked by seven bloody coup attempts by restive military officers. Some of the leaders of the coup on Tuesday saluted Aquino as a brave commander-in-chief. Former plotter Robles recalled that in one of the attempts that he co-led with ex-colonel and now Senator Gregorio Selangor, home to Malaysia s only two breweries, Guinness Anchor Bhd and Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Bhd, was one of Honasan, he and his fellow officers wavered at the last minute. I asked Greg, If we manage to penetrate Malacanang (the presidential palace), what do we do with her? If she extends her hand and tells us she wants to talk to us, what do we do then? Robles said. We would surely lose, Greg said, because all of us would readily surrender to her, Robles said. Honasan was later be captured, but given amnesty. Marine Colonel Ariel Querubin, who helped lead a coup against Aquino in 1989, said in a statement: She braved the night and the anti-riot police to be one with the people in prayer. Bravery Through the years I have learned to admire her bravery and courage very much. She was brave up to her final moments, said Querubin, detained in connection with another failed 2006 coup against Arroyo. Brigadier General Danilo Lim, who as a captain joined Honasan in one of the bloodiest attempts to oust Aquino in 1989, said while he has had an uneasy history with her as president, she Animal Control officers Eric Teukura (right), and Kerry Beckett capture a dog near Putaruru, New Zealand, Aug 4, after a woman was attacked by a pack of dogs a day earlier. (AP) would be remembered as a guiding light of democracy. Lim, now detained along with Querubin in connection with the 2006 coup attempt, this time against Arroyo, said Aquino s quiet but steadfast belief in God made her a powerful message of hope to this nation of 90 million. Meanwhile, the son and daughter of former Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos surprised thousands of ordinary people queuing up for a glimpse of Aquino s remains at Manila Cathedral on Tuesday by attending the wake. Drawing on the Roman Catholic Asian nation s long tradition of setting aside rivalries on the occasion of death, House of Representatives member Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Junior and elder sister Imelda Imee Marcos arrived unannounced in early afternoon. They shook hands with Maria Elena Ballsy Cruz, one the former president s daughters, and chatted with Aquino s grandchildren. Imee Marcos kissed the cheek of Agapito Aquino, the late president s brother-in-law. five states won by the Anwar Ibrahim-led Peoples Alliance in general elections last year. The move again highlights weaknesses within the rainbow opposition grouping made up of PAS, the stridently secular and mainly ethnic Chinese Democratic Action Party (DAP), and Blob of blood Dogs maul jogger WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Aug 4, (AP): A New Zealand woman jogger looked like a blob of blood from multiple bite wounds after eight pig hunting dogs attacked her as she ran past a rural property on North Island, her husband said Tuesday. Margit Christensen, 36, suffered scores of bites to her scalp, arms and legs before the dogs ran off. Rescue services flew the woman to Waikato Hospital by helicopter where she had nine hours of surgery overnight Monday, emergency specialist Dr John Bonning said. There were serious injuries pretty much all over her body, said Sergeant Jason Shailer of Te Awamutu police in central North Island. Husband Sven Christensen said a friend was cycling nearby when she heard the mother of two screaming as three dogs attacked her. Anwar s own People s Justice Party (PKR). The initiatives are to free the Muslims of Selangor from the influence and culture of alcohol which is forbidden in Islam, and not to interfere in the rights of non-muslims, said Hasan Ali, Selangor PAS chief. (RTRS) K. Rouge guard boring job : A former guard and interrogator at the Khmer Rouge s notorious main prison told Cambodia s war crimes court Tuesday that his work was both boring and horrendous at the late 1970s jail. Lach Mean, 52, was testifying at the trial of his former boss Duch, who is accused of overseeing the torture and execution of about 15,000 people at Tuol Sleng prison, also known as S-21. It was kind of a boring job and we had no freedom to move about. And we had to be careful because any mistake would result in punishment, said Lach Mean, who first worked as a night guard and was then trained as an interrogator. The witness said his other co-workers also felt overworked, bored and homesick and could regularly hear prisoners screams. The work was horrendous, exhausting. We walked on patrols for long hours sometimes I walked into a wall, Lach Mean told the UN-backed court. (AFP) Politician defamed Cambodian PM: A Cambodian court convicted an outspoken opposition legislator on Tuesday of defaming Prime Minister Hun Sen, despite complaints from rights groups that the lawsuit was aimed at silencing critics. During a closed door hearing, Phnom Penh Municipal Court Judge Sem Sakola found lawmaker Mu Sochua guilty and ordered her to pay 8.5 million riel ($2,000) to the state and another 8 million riel ($1,882) in compensation to Hun Sen. Mu Sochua said the ruling showed the courts were at the mercy of powerful politicians, an allusion to Hun Sen who dominates the country s political scene. Sochua I do not accept the ruling of the court, Mu Sochua said before marching with supporters two miles (three kilometers) to the headquarters her Sam Rainsy Party. I am a victim in the case. I will continue the fight until justice is provided to me. Outside the court, about 100 supporters of Mu Sochua clashed with police, with witnesses telling reporters that several were beaten with batons and kicked. No one was seriously injured. (AP) Malaysian police to probe opposition: Malaysia s top opposition leaders will be called in for questioning over a massive weekend protest against internal security laws that saw 589 people arrested, police said Tuesday. In the biggest demonstration in Malaysia for nearly two years, police used tear-gas and water cannon Saturday to disperse more than 15,000 people calling for the abolition of laws that allow for detention without trial. The police will be calling in those believed to be responsible for the demonstration, deputy police chief Ismail Omar told AFP, saying there were 11 key figures on the list. Ismail did not name the 11, but police earlier said they included opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, veteran legislator Lim Kit Siang from the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Abdul Hadi Awang from the Islamic party PAS. Anwar s Keadilan party has partnered with the Chinese-based DAP and the conservative PAS to form the Pakatan Rakyat, an opposition alliance that made huge strides against the ruling coalition in elections a year ago. On Monday, 29 demonstrators including a teenage boy were charged in court over the protest. (AFP) Thai police charge Iranian: Thai police have charged an Iranian man with drugs trafficking after he was arrested in possession of more than five kilos of meth at a Bangkok airport, customs officials said Tuesday. The 47-year-old was detained at Suvarnabhumi international airport after he arrived from Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight on Monday afternoon, a statement from Thai customs officials said. Officials at customs clearance handed him over to police after finding 5,065 grams of methamphetamine hidden in compartments of his luggage, which had a street value of 23 million baht ($676,470), the statement said. He was the second Iranian arrested for drugs trafficking in less than a week at the airport. A 25-year-old was detained as he arrived from Tehran last Thursday with 4,382 grams of meth, worth $588,000. (AFP) Booting monks not repression : Monks following a world-famous Buddhist teacher are being evicted from a Vietnamese monastery for failing to clear their activities with the government, an official said Tuesday, but he denied the dispute was about religious freedom. Followers of Thich Nhat Hanh, who has sold more than 1 million books in the West, say the government is punishing them because their France-based leader suggested that his native Vietnam s communist government should abolish its control of religion. However, Bui Huu Duoc of the government s Committee on Religious Affairs, blamed the dispute on a failure to abide by local regulations and said it is normal for governments to oversee the operations of religious groups operating within their borders. Managing religious groups doesn t mean controlling them, Duoc, who oversees Buddhist affairs for the committee, said in an interview with The Associated Press. We re here to facilitate their efforts to do good things for the country. However, Duoc did allow that officials were very surprised at postings on the main Web site for Hanh s main monastery in southern France calling for the government to disband religious police. (AP) Fiji says elections due 2014: Fiji will hold elections in 2014 and not next year as demanded by the Commonwealth, the island nation s defiant military leader said Tuesday as other South Pacific leaders gathered for their annual meeting. Fiji was suspended from the Pacific Islands Forum in May, and its officials will not attend this week s meeting in the Australian city of Cairns. Fiji s prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, was responding to a Commonwealth ultimatum to agree by Sept. 1 to its request for 2010 elections. (AP)

19 INTERNATIONAL 19 Africa Judge adjourns trouser trial : The trial of a Sudanese woman journalist who faces 40 lashes for wearing trousers was adjourned on Tuesday as police used tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators outside the Khartoum court. The judge decided to delay the trial to September to determine whether Lubna Ahmed al-hussein, who also works with the United Nations, has legal immunity, defence lawyer Jalal al-sayyid said. Hussein, who is in her 30s, has been charged with public indecency after she was arrested last month along with 12 other women who were wearing trousers at a Khartoum restaurant. Hussein has said that she wants to be tried, in defiance of a law that decrees whipping for wearers of indecent clothes, and told a hearing last week that she wished to waive her UN immunity. But in an apparent Hussein disagreement within her defence team, a lawyer argued that she had immunity and asked the judge to ignore Hussein s wishes, Sayyid said. The judge will defer the issue to the Sudanese foreign ministry ahead of her next court date on Sept 7, he said. Police dispersed hundreds of women and activists from Sudanese opposition political parties who demonstrated in support of Hussein outside the court house after they tried blocking a road, an AFP correspondent reported. On emerging from the court, which was closed to reporters, Hussein again insisted she wanted to be tried and said she had resigned from her job in the UN s media office in Sudan. The court should not have delayed the trial, she told journalists. (AFP) Tribal violence claims 185: Armed tribesmen attacked a fishing village in southeast Sudan where hundreds of displaced people were camped near a river, leaving at least 185 people, most of them women and children, dead in the worst violence in three months, a southern Sudan official said Monday. A flare-up of tribal clashes in south Sudan over cattle and territory has left more 1,000 people killed so far this year. The violence is separate from the six-year-old conflict between rebels and government forces in Darfur, the vast western region of Sudan. UN and local officials expressed concern that the violence in the south, which has increasingly targeted women and children, could hamper preparation for national and presidential elections scheduled for April The elections are a key component of a deal that ended a 21-year civil war between Sudan s north and south in If violence prevents the voting, that could re-open a path to war. The peace agreement created a semiautonomous government in the south, battered by the war and flooded with guns. Sunday s violence is part of a series of attacks between southern tribes that have their roots in territorial claims or cattle theft. But local officials say recent attacks have been fueled by revenge and the widespread availability of arms. (AP) Minister spends night in shack: South Africa s Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale, spent a wintry night in a shack in a shantytown to probe the root of recent violent protests over service delivery, media reported Tuesday. Sexwale, one of the country s richest men, said he was collecting information for President Jacob Zuma s cabinet on how best to serve the poor. I ve just woken up at 6.30am. It is very, very cold and one can understand why some of these children here do suffer from hypothermia. It is heart-rending conditions, Sexwale told public radio. He said he had met with the community in Diepsloot, in the north of financial capital Johannesburg, until 3am in the morning. What we are doing here is to work with people, to have an understanding of the problems and I come out very happy and with very valuable information, he was reported as saying by private radio 702. (AFP) Kenya commutes all death sentences: Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki on Monday commuted death sentences for more than 4,000 convicts to terms of life imprisonment, but said the death penalty would remain on the country s statutes. Kibaki said in a statement that the decision does not in any way suggest the abolition of the death penalty... the sentence still remains a lawful punishment under Kenyan laws. However, the president said he had ordered a study into whether the continued existence of capital punishment was an effective deterrent against crime. Kenya has an established practice of not carrying out the death penalty. Its last execution was in 1987 when several army officers were hanged for plotting a failed 1982 coup. Kibaki s more immediate concern is getting death row inmates working. Legally, death row convicts do not take part in manual labour or community service thus leading to idleness and subsequent negative impact on prison discipline. (AFP) Vote on power extension begins: Voters in Niger went to the polls Tuesday in a referendum designed to tighten President Mamadou Tandja s grip on power, despite international worries that it undermines democracy. Tandja, who defied parliament and the constitutional court to hold the referendum, cast his ballot in the capital Niamey insisting that he had answered to a popular demand for the vote. I am fully satisfied that I have done my duty as president of the republic in the face of the demands of the people of Niger, the 71- year-old told reporters. It s a great day, our wish has been fulfilled, he added. Strongman Tandja forged ahead with his plans to hold the referendum to scrap presidential term limits despite fierce opposition and protests, raising international concerns of instability in a country that borders on seven others, including Chad and Nigeria. Around six million of the country s 15 million population are eligible to vote. The opposition has called for a boycott of the referendum. (AFP) Soldiers attend a flag-raising ceremony at the presidential palace in Tegucigalpa, on Aug 3. Micheletti said on Saturday that his government is resisting with pride the international condemnation and sanctions that have included the suspension of aid programs and freezing of military assistance. (Inset): Ousted Honduran president Manuel Zelaya talks with journalists upon his arrival at the presidential hangar, in Mexico City, on Monday. Zelaya is in Mexico for a two-day official visit. (AP/AFP) Video grab showing pro-chavist activists taking by assault the private critic TV Globovision headquarters in Caracas, on Aug 3. Around 30 activists threw gas grenade and threatened guards with weapons, injuring one and a police officer. The United States urged Venezuela to stop intimidating the news media and take action to uphold a free press as well as the principles enshrined in the Inter-American Democratic Charter. (AFP) Uribe Lat/Am El-Aissami Alleged drug operative held: Police raided a church service in western Mexico and arrested a man known as The Truck who is suspected of moving a half ton of crystal methamphetamine into the United States each month, federal officials said Monday. Authorities detained Miguel Angel Beraza and another suspect after surrounding a church in Apatzingan in drug-plagued Michoacan state, said Ramon Pequeno, head of the Federal Police s anti-drug unit. About 40 others at the Mass were brought in for questioning. DEA Acting Administrator Michele Leonhart said Beraza is a high-ranking lieutenant in the drug cartel known as La Familia and called his arrest the result of the resolute partnership between the US and Mexico. (AP) US military plan draws ire: A plan to increase the number of US troops in Colombia is drawing opposition, not just from left-wing populist leaders in the region but from the moderate governments of Brazil and Chile as well. The mounting criticism threatens to isolate Colombia from its neighbors as it seeks help from the United States to combat drug-running guerrillas and cocaine cartels. President Alvaro Uribe will tour South America this week to try to ease concerns about the upcoming military pact. Colombia, Washington s main ally in the region, says the deal is aimed at strengthening anti-drug efforts. The United States is in talks with Uribe s government about relocating US drug interdiction flight operations to Colombia after being kicked out of neighboring Ecuador. Colombia expects to sign a deal this month after a final round of talks in Washington. The plan is expected to increase the number Venezuela Miguel Beraza (front center), an alleged member of the Mexican drug cartel known as La Familia, is escorted by police officers during his presentation to the media in Mexico City on Aug 3. (AP) Ecuador to take over broadcast industry: Correa 34 radio stations forced off air CARACAS, Venezuela, Aug 4, (AP): Radio hosts hung their heads as their FM station was forced off the airwaves along with 33 other broadcasters targeted by President Hugo Chavez s government in what critics say is a campaign to muzzle his foes. For the first time in decades, CNB FM fell silent over the weekend after Venezuela s telecommunications regulators revoked some of the 34 stations licenses and refused to renew others. But CNB challenged the government action within hours by starting to transmit programming over the Internet. Sportscaster Juan Carlos Rutilo told his online listeners: Today freedom of expression is being restricted.... Today you have one less option. Media groups and human rights activists note more than 200 other stations are under investigation for allegedly not being properly licensed and accuse Venezuela s leftist leader of pursuing a widening crackdown to silence dissent. In a similar step, one of Chavez s leftist allies, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, announced Monday that many radio and TV frequencies will revert to the state over what he called irregularities in their licenses. He gave no specifics. A majority of the stations affected in Venezuela aired criticisms of the government, though they were not overtly anti- Chavez and much of their programming ranged from American rock to salsa and traditional Venezuelan music. In the country s polarized media landscape, CNB took a relatively balanced of US troops in Colombia above the current total of less than 300 but not above 800, the maximum permitted under an existing military pact, officials said. (RTRS) Caracas to probe arms allegation: President Hugo Chavez s government said Monday it will investigate to find out if antitank rocket launchers sold to the Venezuelan military during the 1980s ended up in the hands of Colombia s largest rebel group. Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami said authorities had launched an internal investigation... to determine the origin and destination of these weapons, referring to Swedish-made AT- No damage, injuries 6.9 prompts alarm MEXICO CITY, Aug 4, (AP): A powerful earthquake Monday shook fishing villages along Mexico s Gulf of California and prompted alarm as far away as Phoenix, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The US National Earthquake Information Center said the 6.9- magnitude quake struck at 12:59 pm (1:59 EDT, 17:59 GMT) and was centered 76 miles (122 kms) north-northeast of Santa Isabel in Baja California and 331 miles (533 kms) southeast of the border city of Tijuana. It was the strongest of four quakes of 5.0-magnitude or greater that struck the area over a 45- minute period late Monday morning. approach by interviewing pro-chavez lawmakers while also having opposition politicians among its talk show hosts. Venezuela still has many private radio stations and newspapers that take a hard line against Chavez and strongly criticize the government through both news reports and commentary. But in the last decade, the government has built a growing coalition of state-run media outlets, and some TV channels once virulently anti-chavez have toned down their criticism. Investigations The only stridently anti-chavez television channel that remains on the open airwaves, Globovision, is facing multiple investigations that could force it off the air Ṫensions ran high at Globovision s studios Monday as government supporters, riding motorcycles and waving the flags of a radical pro-chavez party, tossed tear gas canisters at the station. The channel said one guard suffered a burned hand when he tried to pick up one of the canisters, and a police officer posted outside was hit in the head by a hurled object and required stitches. Globovision broadcast video showing clouds of tear gas outside the building as employees ran for cover. Two workers were treated after inhaling tear-gas. Globovision s director, Alberto Federico Ravell, condemned the violence and urged Chavez to control his backers. He said some of some of the armed assailants threatened security guards. Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami condemned this violent action against a television channel and said authorities were investigating. The telecommunications agency s decision to act against the 34 radio stations set off an outcry from press freedom groups and rights activists, who contend Chavez is trying to gradually push aside critical voices. Outrage Hundreds of Venezuelan protesters gathered outside the CNB radio station over the weekend to express their outrage. I feel the country that I knew, where I was raised, is slipping away, said Alix Villareal, a 43-year-old maid who cried alongside other demonstrators. I m sad because little by little they are taking away everything, and nobody does anything. Public Works Minister Diosdado Cabello, who heads the telecommunications agency, announced the decision to force the 34 stations off the air Friday, and denied the government is trying to punish critics. Cabello said the stations violated regulations by failing to update their registrations or allowing their licenses to expire. Others held licenses granted to a person who is now deceased, he said. The state is retaking control of concessions that were being used in an illegal manner during more than 30 and 40 years, Cabello said. It s an act of justice. Chavez has defended the decision to sideline the radio stations as part of a struggle against the media war, against the lies of the bourgeoisie and the oligarchy terms he frequently uses for his opponents. It remains unclear what will become of the radio frequencies that have been vacated. Chavez has suggested some could be handed over to create popular radio in the hands of the people. While some of the 34 stations are now transmitting over the Internet, most have simply shut down and are mulling their next move. Five of the 10 stations owned by CNB president Nelson Belfort lost their licenses. The broadcaster s revenues are expected to tumble, putting the jobs of its 200 employees at risk, CNB vice president J.J. Bartolomeo said in an interview at the station s offices in Caracas. The station is looking at all the possible alternatives so the impact is reduced, he said. Also: QUITO, Ecuador: Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa says many radio and TV frequencies will revert to state control due to what he s calling irregularities. The president has been at war with Ecuador s news media since taking office in January He has called TV stations and newspapers corrupt and mediocre, and twice fined an opposition broadcaster. Correa did not specify Monday what sort of abuses or irregularities broadcasters have committed. Nor did he name any alleged offenders. The announcement coincides with regulators revoking or refusing the renew the licenses of 34 radio stations in Venezuela. 4 launchers that Colombia says were found in a cache belonging to guerrillas. El Aissami gave no indication, however, that Chavez s administration was easing its stance toward Colombia amid a diplomatic fight that erupted last week after Colombian President Alvaro Uribe complained the weapons had been acquired by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. Chavez recalled his ambassador to Colombia and threatened to sever diplomatic ties completely, freeze commerce and expropriate Colombian-owned businesses if Uribe s government leveled any more accusations against Venezuela. (AP) Zelaya to meet Calderon: Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was in Mexico Tuesday for a meeting with President Felipe Calderon in a bid to revive stalled negotiations over resolving the political crisis in Honduras. Mexico is a big brother for all of Central America, Zelaya said late Monday upon landing at the airport in Mexico City for a two-day visit. I believe Mexico s opinion will carry weight in Latin America, said Zelaya, who arrived from Nicaragua where he spent the past week in a failed bid to cross the border with Honduras and return home. The leader had been invited to Mexico by Calderon after a military backed coup ousted Zelaya in late June, plunging the impoverished Central American nation into its worst crisis in decades. (AFP)

20 INTERNATIONAL 20 World News Roundup Environment Infestation cyclical Forests fall to beetle plague Ryan MEDICINE BOW NATIONAL FOREST, Wyoming, Aug 4, (RTRS): From the vantage point of an 80-foot (25-metre) tower rising above the trees, the Wyoming vista seems idyllic: snow-capped peaks in the distance give way to shimmering green spruce. But this is a forest under siege. Among the green foliage of the healthy spruce are the orange-red needles of the sick and the dead, victims of a beetle infestation closely related to one that has already laid waste to millions of acres (hectares) of pine forest in North America. The gravity of the situation is very real, said Rolf Skar, a forest campaigner with Greenpeace. The plague has cost billions of dollars in lost timber and land values and may thwart efforts to combat climate change, as forests are major storing houses of carbon, the main greenhouse gas blamed for global warming. The beetle outbreak, which has taken a lesser, but mounting, toll on spruce trees, could make it that much tougher to meet the ambitious target to reduce US carbon emissions by 17 percent of 2005 levels by 2020 and 83 percent by That is laid out in a climate bill that narrowly passed in the US House of Representatives and waits Senate debate. Many researchers have also linked the infestation in the US and Canadian West to climate change, notably a dearth of winters cold enough to kill the voracious little bugs. Pine beetle infestations are cyclical in nature and have been occurring for thousands of years but what is making things worse now is the effects of global warming, said Skar. If you don t have the real cold extremes to kill off the larvae under the bark you are going to have extreme infestation events, he said. Implications In the Medicine Bow National Forest, scientists are getting a firsthand look at the carbon implications. The forest is home to the US Forest Service s Glacier Lakes Ecosystem Experiments site in a tower with gadgets that, among other things, examine the carbon flux of the forest Ṫhe site was established a decade ago, before the spruce beetle infestation, and gives scientists a unique chance to measure the changes to carbon storage wrought by the insects. We are getting readings here every half hour, said Colorado-based US Forest Service scientist Mike Ryan, shouting above the wind as he pointed to an instrument that measures carbon. This gas analyzer resembles a small space capsule on the end of horizontal a metal pole. In the terminology of trees and carbon, a healthy forest is a net sink, with trees storing carbon as they grow. When they die and rot they emit carbon back into the atmosphere, and so a dead or dying forest becomes a net source of greenhouse gas, meaning it emits more carbon dioxide than it stores. Ryan said the net carbon storage in this patch of woods is about half of what it was three or four years ago. In another three or four years, he believes it will become a net source. This scenario is being replayed across the West. In Colorado, aerial surveys show that from 1996 to 2008 Colorado lost almost 2.5 million acres (1 million hectares) of pine forest to the beetle outbreak, Wyoming 677,000 acres (274,000 hectares) and South Dakota 354,000 acres (143,000 hectares). Ravaged Over the same period of time, the spruce beetle, which has also ravaged forests as far north as Alaska, took out 374,000 acres of spruce trees in Colorado and 340,000 in Wyoming. That cumulative total of over 6 million acres (2.5 million hectares) is an area larger than Israel or South Africa s Kruger National Park. Farther north in Canada, the pine beetle has attacked trees over an area of about 39 million acres (14.5 million hectares) in British Columbia since the the 1990s. The sheer scale of the damage can be seen northwest of Denver in Colorado s Yampa Valley. Vast tracts of formerly evergreen forest now have huge splashes of orange running through them. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, a third of the United States land area is covered in forest but it is only expanding at a rate of about 0.1 percent per year. This handout picture released on Aug 3, 2009 by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) shows fossilised tracks of a type of giant worm that lived 475 million years ago and was up to one metre (three feet) in length discovered in the Cabaneros National Park in central Spain. (Inset): A paleontologist digging fossilised tracks of a type of giant worm that lived 475 million years ago. (AFP) Giant marine worms lived 475 mln years ago: scientists Spanish researchers said Monday they have discovered evidence of a type of giant worm that lived 475 million years ago and was up to one metre (three feet) in length. The fossilised tracks of the marine worms were found in the Cabaneros National Park in central Spain in an area This Greenpeace handout photo taken Aug 4, shows activists (center) occupying Abbott Point coal export terminal in Queensland. Greenpeace activists said they occupied part of Australia s northernmost coal terminal, Aug 4, in a stunt directed at a nearby meeting of Pacific island leaders on climate change. Greenpeace said a group of protesters climbed atop Xstrata Coal s Abbot Point terminal in northern Queensland state to unfurl a banner calling for decisive action on emissions cuts. (AFP) Gillies Research Heuer Atom-smasher relaunch delayed: The world s biggest atom-smasher, idle since breaking down only days after its launch last September, will likely restart in November, a spokesman for the European Organisation for Nuclear Research said Tuesday. When the collider will be switched on, and at what power level, will be decided at a meeting of CERN scientists and officials later this week, said James Gilles, head of communications. We are not going to announce a precise date but we are looking at the middle of November, he said, CERM s Director General Rolf Dieter-Heuer Nestled inside a 27-km (17-mile) underground tunnel straddling the Franco-Swiss border, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) promises to unlock deep mysteries about the Universe and the fundamental nature of matter. But the machine has been plagued with electrical glitches and faulty magnets designed to drive high-energy particles at close to the speed of light, leading to a series of delays. (AFP) Rare garter snakes found: A Northern that was a seabed during the Lower Ordovician period, the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) said. It said the creatures lived in horizontal galleries of five metres in length and centimetres in diameter under the seabed. The galleries were lined with mucous Fossils secretions to harden them and prevent their collapse, which has facilitated their preservation, said paleontologist Juan Carlos Gutierrez Marco. They are the oldest tracks of giant worms ever discovered, pre-dating those found in Devon, England, this year and which dated from 200 million years ago, the CSIC quoted him as saying. He explained why the worms, which were up to one metre in length and 15 centimetres in diameter, could attain such great size. For more than 450 millions years ago our country was part of a marine platform Theft all-too-common reality of an ancient continent called Gondwana, Gutierrez Marco said. The Iberian Peninsula was then near the south pole of the era. Organisms living in very cold water have a metabolism that allows them to grow bigger what is known as polar gigantism. (AFP) New technique targets looters SALT LAKE CITY, Aug 4, (AP): Looters who plundered one of Utah s newest troves of dinosaur bones got away with ribs, vertebrae and part of an ancient legbone they had to bust apart to remove. They also stole hidden scientific clues about the life of a young diplodocus dinosaur that roamed the area some 150 million years ago. It s like pieces of a puzzle that are now gone, said Scott Williams, collections and exhibits manager at the Burpee Museum of Natural History, the Rockford, Illinois-based institution that has been digging at the US Bureau of Land Management-owned site. The bones and the thieves from the site near Hanksville haven t been seen since the theft last fall. And, odds are, they won t. Stolen dinosaur bones and other fossils snatched illegally from federally California biologist says he has found a population of giant garter snakes, a federally threatened species that many thought had vanished. owned land often disappear into living rooms, lucrative underground markets or expensive private collections. But a new forensic technique something akin to DNA fingerprinting could give investigators a longsought tool to track fossil thieves. Researchers are testing methods designed to match chemical signatures of naturally occuring elements that seep into bones during fossilization with surrounding soil. The process which analyzes a group known as rare earth elements could someday lead to a database of site fingerprints used to link bones to looted areas. More work is needed, but early signs are encouraging that the technique could be useful in nabbing those capitalizing on looted fossils, said Dennis Terry, a researcher at Temple University Biologist Eric Hansen of Sacramento says he discovered the snakes, which emit a fishy odor and can grow up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) British engineer Richard Jenkins poses with the world s fastest wind-powered land vehicle the Greenbird at the Science Museum in central London on Aug 3. The wind powered vehicle goes on show at the Science Museum until Aug 6. (AFP) in Philadelphia. Hope I really hope we can make use of this to deter the ones out there really trying to make a profit from this, said Terry, who is working on the project with fellow Temple researcher David Grandstaff. Testing on the technique continues in Wyoming this summer. It has been honed since 2005 at Nebraska National Forest, another hotspot for fossil thieves. So far, results indicate the analysis could tie 85 percent to 98 percent of fossil samples back to their original sites. Terry is also speaking with officials at South Dakota s Badlands National Park about starting a database of the park s most poached sites. So often we catch people with fossils in their car or something like that but we can t prove they were collected in the long, in a wetland north of Stockton. The snake has lost about 90 percent of its habitat in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. park, said Rachel Benton, a paleontologist at Badlands, which has a long history of fossil poaching. Fossil theft is a frustrating and all-toocommon reality for paleontologists working on federal land who say the objects aside from being government property hold irreplaceable information in trying to piece together the story of ancient life. We re not making T-rexes any more, said Vincent Santucci, who heads the National Park Service s paleontology programs. That rarity also feeds high prices. There are legitimately collected fossils taken from private land with permission from the land owner. The complete skeleton of a 150-million-year-old dryosaurus found on private land in Wyoming was put up for auction earlier this year with a minimum price of $300,000. Hansen received a federal grant to find out how many of 13 historic subpopulations of giant garter snakes are still around. (AP) Impact on marine life ups concern Experts study ocean garbage patch LOS ANGELES, Aug 4, (RTRS): Marine scientists from California are venturing this week to the middle of the North Pacific for a study of plastic debris accumulating across hundreds of miles (kms) of open sea dubbed the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. A research vessel carrying a team of about 30 researchers, technicians and crew members embarked on Sunday on a three-week voyage from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, based at the University of California at San Diego. The expedition will study how much debris - mostly tiny plastic fragments - is collecting in an expanse of sea known as the North Pacific Ocean Gyre, how that material is distributed and how it affects marine life. The debris ends up concentrated by circular, clockwise ocean currents within an oblong-shaped convergence zone hundreds of miles (km) across from end to end near the Hawaiian Islands, about midway between Japan and the West Coast of the United States. The focus of the study will be on plankton, other microorganisms, small fish and birds. The concern is what kind of impact those plastic bits are having on the small critters on the low end of the ocean food chain, Bob Knox, deputy director of research at Scripps, said on Monday after the ship had spent its first full day at sea. The 170-foot (52 meters) vessel New Horizon is equipped with a laboratory for on-board research, but scientists also will bring back samples for further study. Little is known about the exact size and scope of the vast debris field discovered some years ago by fishermen and others in the North Pacific that is widely referred to as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Large items readily visible from the deck of a boat are few and far between. Most of the debris consists of small plastic particles suspended at or just below the water surface, making it impossible to detect by aircraft or satellite images.

21 Most difficult of Wagner s works Boos at Swastikas, Nazis in Bayreuth s Parsifal Opera BAYREUTH, Germany, Aug 4, (AFP): The Bayreuth Festival s new leadership may be ready and willing to investigate the Nazi past of the legendary month-long music fest dedicated exclusively to the works of Richard Wagner ( ). But judging by the storm of boos and whistles when Swastika flags were unfurled and goose-stepping soldiers crossed the stage in a production of Parsifal by Norwegian director Stefan Herheim on Sunday, the audiences here still have a long way to go before they, too, are ready for such an undertaking. Herheim s reading of Wagner s impenetrable last work was first staged last year, before half-sisters Eva Wagner-Pasquier, 64, and Katharina Wagner, 31, officially took over the running of the world s oldest and most prestigious summer music festival. As part of their joint leadership bid, the duo pledged to open up the family archives to independent historians to shed light on Bayreuth s darkest era when Adolf Hitler was a regular visitor and close friend of then festival head, Winifred Wagner. Artistic In many ways, Herheim s Parsifal is the artistic pendant to such a venture, tracing the history of Germany from Wagner s own lifetime, through World War I and the Third Reich to post-war Germany and the present day. Simultaneously, it traces the reception of Wagner s oeuvre in general and Parsifal in particular, while also re-telling the original Arthurian legend of the knights of the Holy Grail. Parsifal is probably the most difficult of Wagner s works to stage. Composed between 1877 and 1882, it is more religious ceremony than opera. Indeed, Wagner termed it a Buehnenweihfestspiel, which literally means a stage consecrational festival play, and is a dense, almost impenetrable mix of mysticism, Christianity and Buddhism. The only work that Wagner composed specifically with the unique acoustics of Bayreuth s Festspielhaus theatre in mind, the composer s widow Cosima forbade it from being performed anywhere else but there for decades after its premiere in It was Cosima, too, who introduced the rule that audiences should not applaud at the end of Act I but remain seated in reverential silence, even if only the most dyed-in-the-wool Wagnerians abide by that tradition nowadays. Herheim s staging, for all its intellectuality, is also a sumptuous visual feast, a magic lantern, full of poetic imagery. Before the curtain rises, we see Wagner s ivy-covered grave as the prompter s box. During the prelude, a pantomime is acted out showing the boy Parsifal resisting a final caress from his dying mother Herzeleide. Her deathbed is set in the garden of Wahnfried, Wagner s home in Bayreuth, and the villa forms the setting for most of the action. Variety Features WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2009 In this undated photo released by CJ Entertainment on Aug 4, Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi s appears in a scene from Sophie s Revenge. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star Zhang is trying her hand at romantic comedy after a series of dramas. In Sophie s Revenge, the 30-year-old actress will play a comic book artist who plots to get her fiance back after losing him to an actress. (AP) HONG KONG: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star Zhang Ziyi is trying her hand at romantic comedy after a series of dramas. In Sophie s Revenge, the 30- year-old actress will play a comic book artist who plots to get her fiance back after losing him to an actress. Written and directed by Chinese-American filmmaker Eva Jin, the 50 million Chinese yuan ($7.3 million) Chinese-language film also stars Chinese actress Fan Bingbing as Sophie s rival Joanna and South Korean actor So Ji-sub as Sophie s fiance Jeff. In response to written questions from The Associated Press, Zhang described Sophie s Revenge as a fun-loving movie. We will follow Sophie s journey in the movie, crying with her and laughing with her. I hope a story like this will resonate with everyone, Zhang said. Sophie s Revenge, which will be released in China on Aug. 14 and in South Korea on Aug. 20, marks a change of pace for Zhang after four dramas. She played a Japanese escort in the 2005 Hollywood film Memoirs of a Geisha, then an empress in The Banquet, Chinese director Feng Xiaogang s 2006 adaptation of Hamlet. Zhang next portrayed a friend of late Peking Opera star Mei Lanfang in Chen Kaige s 2008 biopic Forever Enthralled. She also played a villain alongside Dennis Quaid in the 2009 American-Canadian crime thriller Horsemen. (AP) LOS ANGELES: Charlize Theron and Sam Worthington finally got their passports. The Oscar-winning actress and the much-in-demand Aussie star, who is taking over for Tom Cruise, have signed on to a remake of the 2005 French spy thriller The Tourist. Theron has long been attached to the project, which revolves around an American tourist manipulated by a female Interpol agent in Europe. Filming is scheduled to begin in Film Distorts the life Childs share Julia recipe wrong LOS ANGELES, Aug 4, (RTRS): You feel hunger pangs all the way through Julie & Julia. Platters of boeuf bourguignon, sole meuniere, fresh oysters, trussed chickens and calves livers served with crusty baguettes and desserts of fromage blanc move tantalizingly before your eyes. But there is another hunger: As enjoyable as this foodie movie is, you wish it would take a deeper, more nuanced measure of the women who, in two different eras, star in the movie s kitchens. Writer-director Nora Ephron tells of two reallife people, newly wed and restless with illdefined ambitions, and how they discover their true selves in gourmet cooking. They are America s first food star, the late cookbook author and TV personality Julia Child, and an otherwise unknown 30-year-old wife in Queens, N.Y., Julie Powell, who blogged about her attempt to cook all 524 recipes in Child s legendary Mastering the Art of French Cooking in a single year. The film, which Columbia releases Friday, is primed to do extremely well with female audiences in many markets, an attraction only enhanced by stars Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. Ephron, who certainly delights in parallel story lines Sleepless in Seattle, You ve Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally... has merged two recent memoirs, My Life in France, which Child wrote with her grandnephew Alex Prud homme, and Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously, by Powell. Life-changing Probably this merger makes commercial sense: Neither memoir is the stuff of popular moviemaking, though Child s reminiscences of her life-changing experiences in postwar France where she fell in love with French culture, January. Bharat Nalluri ( Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day ) is directing from a screenplay by Julian Fellowes and Jeffrey Nachmanoff. Universal-based Spyglass Entertainment is partnered on the project with French producer Canal Plus. Worthington last starred in Quaid cuisine, local markets and her classes at the Cordon Bleu might have been worth a try. Powell s story about her single-minded engagement with Child s cookbook has an almost unpleasant taste of self-absorption. And by sharing that story with Child s, Ephron throws the wrong emphasis on Child s delightful memoir of the early years in her ideal marriage to Paul Child. True, the movie shows that Paul played with modest self-effacement by Stanley Tucci against Streep s larger-than-life Julia encourages his beloved wife s every experiment in the kitchen and the writing of her seminal book. But by contrasting that memoir with Powell s, the movie somewhat distorts the life the Childs share as they revel in their love for la belle France and each other. Streep delivers yet another uncanny impersonation, getting every shade of the famously hearty voice and extravagant, life-loving personality that was Julia. The evocation of late- 40s Paris encourages a terrific sense of nostalgia, whether or not one was alive or even in France then. After Julie & Julia, you feel like you were. The details of the couple's life and their meals, Julia's Kismet-like meeting with Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle, with whom she wrote her first cookbook, and all mood swings as publishers reject -- and Knopf enthusiastically accepts -- the monumental work fill the screen with joie de vivre. Adams' Julie is more of a lost soul. She lives with a ''saint,'' as she often calls her husband, Eric (Chris Messina), in an iffy apartment above a pizza parlor. She works in a federal government office overlooking the World Trade Center crater and laments that she has never finished anything in her life. Thus her determination to complete the cookbook marathon. Theron Terminator Salvation. He next stars in James Cameron s Avatar, which Fox will release in December, and Clash of the Titans, which Warner Bros. will release in March. Theron, last seen in the 2008 Will Smith movie Hancock, returns to theaters in the fall with Guillermo Arriaga s directorial debut, The Burning Plain, and the Cormac McCarthy adaptation The Road. Cruise had been flirting with The Tourist since last year, before he finally moved on to an untitled Fox project with Walk the Line director James Mangold. (RTRS) LOS ANGELES: Carla Gugino has been cast in Sucker Punch, an action fantasy from Watchmen director Zack Snyder. The 1950s-set tale follows a girl (Emily Browning) confined to a mental institution by her evil stepfather, who intends to have her lobotomized in five days. She and her friends enter an alternate reality where they begin planning an escape. Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Jena Malone and Abbie Cornish co-star. The actors are currently in fight training for the Warner Bros. project ahead of a fall shoot in Vancouver. (RTRS) ATHENS: Greece s new Acropolis Museum on Tuesday said it will undo controversial editing of a video showing the Parthenon temple vandalised by early Christians in a row that has sparked complaints of Churchbacked censorship. The video will be restored after its maker, renowned French- Greek filmaker Costa-Gavras, said he meant to attach no blame to Christian priests for the destruction, museum director Dimitris Pantermalis said. Following this self-evident clarification which the museum accepts... the information film will resume display, Pantermalis said in a statement. The museum had excised a 12- second segment from the video showing robed figures hacking away sculptures from the iconic Parthenon when Christianity supplanted paganism in Greece after the fourth century AD. The Acropolis Museum initially denied censoring Costa- Gavras, noting that the segment was cut to avoid misunderstanding as the circumstances of the Parthenon s transformation into a church are not fully known. In statements to Greek TV station Mega, Costa-Gavras a well known director of politically inspired films had blamed the powerful Orthodox Church for the change. I think it s sad and unacceptable for Greece, a member of the European Union, that the state would bow to pressure from the Church, the Greek-born filmmaker had said. (AFP) CAMROSE, Alberta: Kevin Costner says he hopes to return to Alberta to support those affected by the collapse of an outdoor stage during a severe thunderstorm that killed one person and injured dozens more at a country music festival We are so sad about the loss of life and injury that occurred on a day that carried so much promise, but turned so wicked so quickly, the actor said in a statement Monday. We hope to return to Alberta in the future to help with the healing. Costner and his band, Modern West, were the next band scheduled to take the stage when a terrifying windstorm swept through the site of the Big Valley Jamboree. The strong blast of wind collapsed the main stage so quickly that organizers did not have time to warn thousands of fans crowded around it. Concertgoer Donna Moore, 35, was killed when a giant speaker fell on her and two others suffered critical injuries. (AP)

22 NEWS/FEATURES 22 People & Places Turmoil Embezzlement exposed Priest claims bishop threat NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, Aug 4, (AP): A former priest claims a bishop who played a leading national role in responding to the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal threatened to send him to live with nuns after he hired a private investigator to look into his pastor. The pastor, the Rev Michael Jude Fay, later pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge and was sentenced to three years in prison for stealing more than $1 million from St. John Roman Catholic Church in Darien to support a luxurious lifestyle. The priest who hired the investigator the year before, the Rev. Michael Madden, made the claim about the threat of Fay being sent to live with nuns in a deposition for a lawsuit by the church s bookkeeper, who says she was harassed and threatened for exposing Fay s embezzlement. Deposition Madden was asked in the deposition in June for bookkeeper Bethany D Erario s lawsuit if church officials told him they were going to send him to a nunnery. Nunnery is probably not the word, but, yes, the bishop was going to pull me out of the parish that day just as I thought and send me to live with nuns, Madden said, according to the deposition, which was filed Monday in Waterbury Superior Court. Asked if that was a punishment, Madden said, It certainly was. An attorney for the church on Monday denied that Bishop William Lori had threatened to punish Madden like that. At no time did Bishop Lori ever threaten to send Mr. Madden to live with nuns, attorney Daniel Schwartz said. That is not an accurate description of their conversation. D Erario s attorney, Mark Sherman, said Monday he plans to call Lori, who served on a national committee to respond to the sexual abuse crisis that rocked the Catholic Church beginning in 2002, as a witness. He said the church had treated Fay better than it treated his client and Madden, who quit the priesthood. The only motive Beth and Mike Madden had in blowing the whistle was to stop Father Fay s embezzlement, Sherman said. As a thank you gift, the church and diocese cut her health benefits, slandered her name and did everything they could to push her out the door. Apologized Madden initially defended his hiring of the investigator at a Mass in 2006, saying he was sorry and angry that the diocese failed to come to my rescue when there were red flags waving everywhere. Later that day, the diocese issued a letter from Madden in which he wrote that he made a huge mistake in hiring the investigator, apologized and defended the diocese s handling of the matter. Schwartz, the church s attorney, said Madden hired the investigator after he found out church officials were investigating Fay. He also said Madden was less than truthful with the bishop and other church officials when he initially was asked if he had hired the investigator. Lori was grilled over his handling of the incident by parishioners who supported Madden. Some of those supporters said they suspected the letter signed by Madden was coerced. A church spokesman in 2006 denied the letter was coerced, insisting Madden wrote it. But Madden said in the court papers that church officials gave him a letter of apology to sign for hiring the investigator and that he signed it because he felt he had little choice. His attorney declined to comment Monday. Lori said at the time he was deeply saddened by the developments surrounding Madden. They have cast a shadow on all the hard work the diocese has done to be open and honest with the parish family of St. John s about this extremely difficult situation, Lori said. A wildfire burns on Terrace Mountain, north of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada on Aug 3. Thousands of residents living along Lake Okanagan spent a second night out of their homes because of the rapidly growing Terrace Mountain fire. (AP) Jaeme Griffin (right), and Michael Cirelli (left), show off their wedding rings after being married at the at the Wedding Chapel on Aug 1, in New York. The chapel was created by the owners of the space, Kevin Fey and Joseph Peter, who decided to change its purpose every four months. This time, it s a chapel dedicated to organizing marriage ceremonies, charging between $100 and $500 per couple. (AFP) Jon 3,000 evacuated after fires in British Columbia Almost 3,000 people have been evacuated since Sunday and 85 percent of British Columbia remains on high alert as lightning strikes and tinder-dry forests continue to fuel wildfires on Canada s Pacific coast. British Columbia Forest Service spokeswoman Alyson Couch said Monday conditions remain hot and dry. She said extra firefighters from across Canada, and some from Australia, are Relationships Smith NEW YORK: A US reality television show about a family with eight children was back on air on Monday despite the parents splitting up. The show Jon & Kate Plus 8, aired by cable channel TLC, resumed after a six-week hiatus spawned by the break-up of parents Jon and Kate Gosselin which sent ratings soaring. As the series resumed its fifth season, the parents now living apart and taking turns looking after their 5-year-old sextuplets and twin girls. For despite the split, the pair decided their lives and the lives of their children would continue to be led in the public spotlight and the show would go on. The resumed series lacked the hostility between the couple of earlier shows and was dominated by mundane domestic issues such as renovations and recreation. This is a very, very difficult time right now... but my main goal is to make this transition as easy and painless, if that s possible, for the kids as possible, said Kate Gosselin during one of two 30 minute episodes that resumed the series. One notable change in the show, which is expected to continue with each parent taking turns staying in the home with the children, was greater commentary from the toddlers addressing the cameras directly. Razzing their mother s dubious outdoorsmanship in a second episode during which Kate and the children camped out in the backyard, they variously opined: She did a terrible job trying to pitch a tent, and We d probably die if we lived in the nature with her after she struggled to start a joining those already in the forests. Couch said people have been asked to stay out of the backcountry to cut the risk of human-caused blazes. Authorities have banned campfires and open burning across British Columbia. The fires caused a drop in tourist numbers two weeks ago but tourism had been returning to normal, said Catherine Frechette, a tourism spokeswoman in the worst hit region. Relationships Since April, 2,200 fires have torched 170,171 acres (68,867 hectares) compared to 1,066 that burned 27,170 acres (11,000 hectares) last year. Provincial Premier Gordon Campbell said the wildfire risk is at the highest level in recent memory. The province has endured a heat wave for several weeks. Most fires are being caused by lightning strikes, Couch said. It could be at least Wednesday before In this June 29,2009 file photo released by Robin Layton, actors Matthew Broderick, (right), Sarah Jessica Parker (left), and their son James Wilkie Broderick pose with their new daughters Marion Loretta Elwell Broderick (left), and Tabitha Hodge Broderick in New York. The village council in Bridgeport, Ohio, voted on Aug 3, to put Police Chief Chad Dojack on leave pending the outcome of the charges against him and another Police Chief which involves the woman who carried twins for actors. (AP) Plot for revenge unfolds firefighters can expect any reprieve from the weather with some rain forecast. On Monday, there were 33 wildfires of note burning throughout the province. Many of them left nearby residents on evacuation alerts. In the town of Lillooet, 2,500 people were forced from their homes as a fire raged less than a mile (1.6 kms) away. Another 120 in nearby Brooksmere were also evacuated. The evacuations came two weeks after 11,000 were forced to flee their homes near West Kelowna. In 2003, lightning strikes near Kelowna triggered a fire that scorched 96 square miles (248 sq. kms), destroyed more than 200 homes and caused millions of dollars in property damage. Current weather conditions are similar to those during the 2003 disaster. (AP) Women tie up cheating husband WAUSAU, Wis, Aug 4, (AP): A married man who planned to rendezvous with one of his handful of lovers at a Wisconsin motel instead found himself bound, blindfolded and assaulted by a group of women out for revenge, according to court documents. Four women, including his wife, eventually showed up to humiliate the man, who ended up with his penis glued to his stomach to punish him for a lover s quadrangle gone bad, according to the documents filed in Calumet County. Now it s the women who face punishment, perhaps six years in prison, and at least one said Monday she s embarrassed now. I am disturbed. I am upset. I am having a hard time handling life, an emotional wreck, Wendy Sewell, 43, of Kaukauna, said in a telephone interview from her home. I am ashamed. Sewell, Therese Ziemann, 48, of Menasha, Michelle Belliveau, 43, of fire using a lighter. I am going to do things that I have never done before, Kate vowed. I have to. It is not their fault that what has transpired has transpired. The Gosselins are famous for having twins and sextuplets, which made for a crowded house, and the show documented the family s trials and triumphs as the children grew up. But the couple announced they were ending their 10-year marriage during a one-hour Neenah, and the man s wife are charged with being party to false imprisonment, a felony. Ziemann also is charged with fourth-degree sexual assault. Free The women are free on $200 cash bail each. Investigators say all the women but Belliveau were romantically involved with the man. The Associated Press is not naming the man s wife to protect his identity as an alleged victim of sexual assault. Online court records didn t list defense attorneys for any of the women Monday. The women s plot for revenge unfolded last Thursday at the Lakeview Motel about 30 miles (39 kms) southwest of Green Bay in the tiny village of Stockbridge near the scenic shores of Lake Winnebago. Criminal complaints filed Friday allege the man agreed to be bound with sheer sheets and blindfolded with a pillowcase for a rub down by episode in June, ending months of speculation and reports about their deteriorating relationship and allegations of affairs, which created a tabloid media frenzy. The break-up episode attracted TLC s biggest prime-time audience ever at 10.6 million total viewers. Cable channel TLC is a unit of Marylandbased Discovery Communications. Kate Gosselin says she feels a sense of peace after making the decision to separate Ziemann. She instead cut off his underwear with a scissors and summoned the others to the room. Ziemann struck the man in the face, and used Krazy Glue to attach his penis to his stomach when the other women arrived, according to the complaint. The man told investigators he also was threatened with a gun. Ziemann told investigators she didn t have a gun but may have told the victim, Do you know how much I want to shoot you? Fearful He started screaming and the women rushed off fearful that he could get loose and hurt them but allegedly took his wallet, vehicle and cell phone. Ziemann told investigators she met the man online through Craigslist, fell in love and paid for a room at the motel for the past two months. She said she gave him about $3,000. Then last Wednesday, she learned from the man s wife that he was married, had other girlfriends and Parker s surrogate case Police chief on leave BRIDGEPORT, Ohio, Aug 4, (AP): One of two police chiefs accused of snooping on a celebrity surrogate mother has been placed on paid leave. The village council in Bridgeport voted Monday to put Chief Chad Dojack on leave pending the outcome of the case, which involves the Ohio woman who carried twins for actors Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick. Dojack and Police Chief Barry Carpenter of neighboring Martins Ferry in eastern Ohio pleaded not guilty on Friday to several felonies. A special prosecutor said the men conspired to take items from the surrogate s Martins Ferry home to sell to paparazzi. was using them for money. She expected the money to be repaid, according to the documents. During Thursday s confrontation with the man, Ziemann told investigators that Sewell asked him, Which one do you love more? and the man s wife made a derisive remark about him being scared. The man got free from the bed by chewing through one of his bindings, went outside and borrowed a telephone from the motel owner to call police. Ziemann and Belliveau are sisters and Belliveau didn t do anything wrong, Sewell said Monday. She was just there for moral support. She wasn t even dating the guy. She stood at the door the whole time and didn t participate or nothing. Ziemann s husband answered the telephone at their home and declined comment. There was no telephone listing for Belliveau. The man had no telephone listing in Fond du Lac. from her husband, Jon. So should fans of Jon & Kate Plus 8, who may have fretted that this family-oriented reality show would be jeopardized by the co-stars estrangement. For better or worse, the TLC series is as warm and fuzzy as ever, if two new episodes that aired Monday are any indication. The episodes marked the end of a hiatus that began in June, when the Gosselins revealed to a huge audience of 10.6 million viewers their decision to split. The TLC network said then the couple needed time to regroup, an odd word choice for a broken marriage. But the revamped show s focus on separately parenting (another TLC term) is still focused on everyday family activities with the couple s eight kids 5-year-old sextuplets and 8-year-old twins. With a kitchen renovation project under way at the Gosselins Pennsylvania home, Kate fled the chaos with the kids for a beach in North Carolina. Jon stayed home to oversee the construction. (Agencies) NEW HAVEN, Connecticut: A woman whose husband disappeared from their honeymoon cruise in 2005 plans to remarry. Jennifer Hagel Smith, 29, plans to marry financial analyst Jeff Agne in the fall, said her father, John Hagel. We couldn t be happier, Hagel said Monday. We re just thrilled she s been able to move on with her life and start a new life with Jeff. We couldn t be prouder for both of them. Hagel Smith s husband, George Smith, of Greenwich, was aboard a Royal Caribbean ship when he vanished between Greece and Turkey following a night of heavy drinking. His body hasn t been found. The cruise line said his wife was found passed out on a floor far from their cabin. The FBI has investigated Smith s disappearance, but no one has been charged. Smith s family is challenging a nearly $1.1 million settlement his wife reached with Royal Caribbean, which is based in Miami. The deal was approved by a probate court, but Smith s family appealed to Stamford Superior Court. An attorney for Smith s family declined to comment Monday. (AP)

23 NEWS/FEATURES 23 Television Emmy move criticised Changes will improve show PASADENA, California, Aug 4, (AP): Emmy host Neil Patrick Harris said he hopes industry resistance to streamlining the television awards show next month will ease when the plan is made clear. More than 150 members of the Writers Guild of America, including Marc Cherry of Desperate Housewives and other prominent writer-producers, signed a petition criticizing the decision to pre-tape two writing awards and air edited clips during the live show. Six other awards, divided among the Harris acting, directing and producing categories, are to be similarly time-shifted under the approach approved by the TV academy s board of governors for the Sept. 20 telecast. I think there is a bit of miscommunication about what time-shifting means, Harris told a meeting Monday of the Television Critics Association. We re just trying to edit down the standing and the hugging... and the walking down the aisle. Upset Harris said he was unaware TV writers were upset, adding, I hope they won t be when they see what we end up doing. It s certainly not out of a lack of respect or anything. It s so we can show the best show we can to the audience. The only slight, said the star of How I Met Your Mother, is that those attending the ceremony will have to walk the red carpet and be in the theater earlier than in the past for the estimated 45 minutes of pre-taping. Instead of the typical three-hour ceremony, the Nokia Theatre audience must brace for nearly four hours of sitting. The plan s intent isn t to undermine the integrity of the Emmys but to make them relevant to viewers, according to executive producer Don Mischer. The ceremony, crammed with 28 awards, has struggled in the ratings: Last year s broadcast drew a record-low audience of 12.3 million. In contrast, awards shows including the Tonys and Grammys have gotten a ratings bounce by including more entertainment and popular fare, Mischer said. Pre-taping the eight Emmy categories will save up to 15 minutes and allow for attention to hit shows and memorable TV moments, whether nominated or not, he said. Most-watched The 12 most-watched series from last season, including American Idol and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, garnered only two awards, Mischer said. In contrast, Mad Men, which has drawn lavish acclaim but modest ratings, triumphed as best drama series. According to academy-commissioned research, potential viewers indicated they didn t tune in because the Emmys featured shows they didn t know and weren t interested in. Guild members opposed to the change could withhold permission for the academy s use of clips from non-nominated shows, but Jack Sussman, CBS executive vice president for specials and live events, said he believes cooler heads will prevail. HBO also has protested the timeshifting proposal, which likely will involve several of the movie and miniseries categories that the cable network dominates. Also: LOS ANGELES: Jesse Ventura, the former Navy SEAL, wrestler and Minnesota governor, will explore the mysteries behind modern-day conspiracies in a new cable TV series. TruTV, formerly Court TV, has ordered seven episodes of Conspiracy Theory With Jesse Ventura, which will premiere in late Additionally, trutv has teamed with Conspiracy producer A. Smith & Co ( Hell s Kitchen ) for a pair of new shows Full Throttle Saloon and Surprise Inspection, both of which are slated for The four-part Full Throttle will provide an inside look at the world s largest biker bar, Mike Ballard s Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis, S.D. The two-parter Surprise Inspection will follow public health inspectors in Providence, RI., as they visit some of the city s dirtiest places, including restaurants, hotels, convenience stores, gas stations, stadium concession stands, public swimming pools and health clubs. A model parades a fashion from the Simona label during the David Jones fashion launch in Sydney, Aug 4. The launch of David Jones Spring/Summer range was to showcase the department store s collection from Australia s most celebrated designers. (Inset): A model parades a fashion from the Easton Pearson label. (AFP) A model parades a fashion from the Ginger and Smart label. (AFP) Variety NEW YORK: Naomi Sims, a black model who opened the white-dominated fashion industry to African Americans in the 1960s, has died, reports said Tuesday. She was 61. Sims, sometimes dubbed the first black supermodel, died of cancer Saturday in Newark, New Jersey, the New York Times and TheFashionInsider.com reported. Born in racially segregated Mississippi in 1948, Sims made history in August 1967 as the first black model on the cover of Fashion of the Times, a supplement to the New York Times. She scored another first when she made the cover of Ladies Home Journal and went on to feature on the covers of Life Magazine and Cosmopolitan. Thanks to her proven personal initiatives as a true pioneer, she succeeded in creating a real place for black women in the modeling industry, said Marcellous Jones, chief editor at TheFashionInsider.com. (AFP) NEW YORK: Law enforcement officials say the son of Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas has been arrested on a drug charge at an upscale New York City hotel. Two people familiar with the investigation Cosmetics say 30-year-old Cameron Douglas was arrested July 28 on a methamphetamine-dealing charge at the Hotel Gansevoort in Manhattan. They spoke Monday on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. Cameron Douglas has acted in movies including 2003 s It Runs in the Family, starring his father and grandfather Kirk Douglas. He also was arrested in California in 2007 on cocaine possession charges. His attorney then said the arresting officer didn t do his job properly. Legal dispute faces latest twist Suncream kicks up trademark stink MARSEILLE, France, Aug 4, (AFP): The mythical Monoi oil of Tahiti, associated with the beauty of Polynesian women and prized in suncream the world over, is kicking up a trademark stink among the island s producers. Ever since Paul Gauguin s paintings brought the magic of Tahiti into the boudoirs of the wider West, the unique blend of coconut oil and tiare flowers used to moisturise skin and hair has acquired global miracle allure. So much so that producers in Tahiti, part of French Polynesia in the southern Pacific Ocean, obtained their equivalent of champagne status with an official Appellation d Origine trademark label from French authorities in Global exports of the oil, to everywhere from Australia to the US, doubled between 1998 and 2007, and the defenders of the trademark have not taken kindly to what they say is rogue use of the stamp by one French distributor. In fact, the association of producers jealously guarding their hard-won seal has been fighting a court battle since 2006, with judges in French Polynesia trying to rule on a 1.35-million-euro (1.92 million dollars) damages case. Global sales of the oil have slipped, according to Tahiti official statistics, since the row first broke out and the legal dispute faces its latest twist with a decision in the court case expected later this year. Demand Amid fast-growing demand, monoi oil made by the Tevi cosmetics laboratory went on sale in Carrefour hypermarkets in France in 2006 at which point the association of AOC producers accused Tevi of counterfeit labelling. Carrefour stopped distributing the Tevi oil this year, citing a lack of sales a charge hotly denied by Tevi s Luc Peeters, based in France, who said the GIMT cartel had applied pressure on shops to withdraw the product line. Association director Eric Vaxelaire hit back saying Tevi are doing down the appellation but leaning on it at the Cameron Sims same time and pointing out that there is no monoi mafia because all producers from the area are free to join the club. Yves Touboul, head of distribution company Pacific South, which handles around 60 percent of monoi oil exports from Tahiti and is based near Marseille in southern France, said: Do we have a right to confuse the consumer? But Tevi director Gerard Brigant in Tahiti said the real reason for the dispute is that his company s innovative products, not using preservatives or chemical colourants, have led to falling sales among GIMT members. Touboul said sales have been slipping since the end of 2008 but blamed the decline on the economic crisis rather than increased competition from Tevi. Tevi meanwhile is losing no time in its marketing drive and, without waiting for the court ruling, has rolled out a new bio version which uses cold drying of the coconut kernel instead of the more common heat treatment. There s no telephone listing for him. It s unclear whether he has a new attorney. Michael Douglas publicist and agent haven t returned calls. The hotel says it has no comment. (AP) NEW YORK: Former TV news anchor Dan Rather sued CBS Chief Executive Leslie Moonves and former CBS News President Andrew Heyward Monday in a bid to have them reinstated as defendants in his $70 mil- lion lawsuit against the network. In a lawsuit filed in New York State Supreme Court, Rather accused the two men of fraud relating to his claim that CBS made him a scapegoat in a scandal over a 2004 report on then-president George W. Bush s military record. These are the two individuals who committed the crime on behalf of CBS and we re holding them personally responsible, said Rather s lawyer, Martin Gold. Rather claims CBS breached his contract and its fiduciary duty in part by not giving him enough on-air assignments after he was removed in March 2005 after 24 years as anchor of the CBS Evening News. CBS has appealed to have Rather s entire 2007 lawsuit thrown out, and the appeal is being considered by the state appellate division. If anything, this latest tactic confirms that the whole charade is more a tiresome plea for attention by Rather than a serious lawsuit, CBS said in a statement. Moonves and Heyward were both named in Rather s original 2007 lawsuit. But in April 2008, New York State Supreme Court Judge Ira Gammerman rejected Rather s charge that CBS executives damaged his future job prospects, saying Rather could not support the claim. Gammerman also threw out a fraud claim against CBS on grounds that Rather could not prove he had lost any income as a result of the network s actions. But last month, Gammerman accepted an amended complaint that once again included a fraud claim against CBS, after Rather s attorney argued Rather s income had been reduced by several million dollars following his departure from CBS. Gold said he expected the claims against the executives to be reinstated for the same reason. In its report on Bush, CBS later acknowledged that documents used in the Sept 8, 2004, story could not be authenticated. The network aired the report two months before the presidential election pitting Bush against Democrat John Kerry. Rather now produces an hour-long news program, Dan Rather Reports, for cable channel HDNet, available to viewers with high-definition TV sets. (RTRS) PASADENA, California: Julianna Margulies says her character in television s new fall drama The Good Wife is no silly little wallflower. Margulies stars as Alicia Florrick, the wife of a politician who faces a sex and corruption scandal. Chris Noth of Sex and the City plays her spouse. In the pilot episode, Alicia is seen standing tensely but quietly by her husband s side at a news conference about his transgressions. When they re alone afterward, she gives him a ferocious slap which left Noth with a red welt across his face. Margulies told the Television Critics Association on Monday that it took several times to deliver the blow properly, but Noth was a good sport. He was like, Oh please I ve been hit so many times, she recounted, smiling. The former ER star said she has a newfound respect for wives of politicians caught in scandals, adding that Patti Blagojevich, wife of ousted Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, is not in the same category. He didn t cheat on her, he cheated on everyone else, right? Then she went on some reality show, said Margulies, a reference to NBC s I m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! Rod Blagojevich has pleaded not guilty to federal corruption charges, which allege that he sought to sell or trade President Barack Obama s former US Senate seat and use his office to gain campaign donations. (AP) LOS ANGELES: New CSI star Laurence Fishburne is getting a makeover after ratings for the veteran crime drama fell sharply upon his arrival last season. Fishburne wore glasses and suits during his introductory season, when he took over for departing lead William Petersen. You re going to see Fishburne more settled in his role: a more leadership capacity, CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler told reporters on Monday, noting that the network spent a lot of time canvassing producers and fans. He s had a little bit of a wardrobe makeover. Our research said they wanted to see him more comfortable in his clothes. Additionally, the Nick Stokes character played by George Eads will be promoted at the Las Vegas crime lab, while CSI favorite Jorja Fox will reprise her role as Sara Sidle for the first five episodes. Fox was last seen in a cameo in Petersen s final episode in January. Fox originally exited the show in November The 10th season of CSI begins on Sept 24. (RTRS) LOS ANGELES: Two veteran actresses have booked new TV gigs. Swoosie Kurtz has joined the Lifetime comedy series Rita Rocks in a recurring role, and Brenda Vaccaro has been added to the lineup of You Don t Know Jack, HBO Films biopic of Jack Kevorkian. Rita Rocks, which has been renewed for a second season, stars Nicole Sullivan as an overworked mom leading a garage band. Kurtz, who most recently co-starred on ABC s Pushing Daisies, will play her mom. Jack follows the rise of Kevorkian (Al Pacino) as he builds his mercy machine and sets out to perform assisted suicides. Vaccaro will play his doting sister, Margo Janus. In another HBO casting, Jennifer Ehle has been added to the pilot Game of Thrones, an adaptation of the George R.R. Martin fantasy-book series. Ehle will play Catelyn Stark, Ned Stark s (Sean Bean) wife who originally was betrothed to Ned s older brother. When the older brother was killed, she fulfilled her duty by marrying Ned and securing the alliance between their two houses. (RTRS) LOS ANGELES: Grammy-winning pianist Herbie Hancock will take over from bassist Christian McBride next year as the Los Angeles Philharmonic s creative chair for jazz. The 69-year-old Hancock says the two-year stint involves choosing artists to perform at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. Hancock says he wants to integrate jazz with other genres, from dance to film and computer graphics. Hancock is also working on a new album he describes as peace through global collaboration, with guests including Chaka Khan and Ravi Shankar s daughter Anoushka Shankar. (AP)

24 NEWS/FEATURES 24 People & Places Music Lumidee s rare act Rapper makes video in Cuba HAVANA, Aug 4, (Agencies): It s well after midnight and the New Yorker is strutting down a crumbling sidewalk in impossibly high red-sequined heels, lip-syncing a few seconds of her rap while cameras roll for a music video. Almost inevitably, a misstep on Havana s cracked and uneven concrete sends her pitching forward. Sorry, I m going again, giggles singer and rapper Lumidee, regaining her balance and turning sharply on the same heel that nearly toppled her to head back down the block. Yeah, director Michel Miglis yells from behind a camera perched on a secondfloor balcony over her head. And don t smile! Best-known for her summer smash of six years ago, Lumidee Never Leave You think Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh 24-year-old Lumidee has come to Cuba to finish a video for Iranian-born signer Arash Labaf s song Kandi, to which she contributed rap solos. It s Labaf s third video in Cuba, but including Lumidee makes the production one of very few music videos filmed on the island to feature an American. Forty-seven years of US economic sanctions have choked off nearly all travel and trade between the two countries. Thaw Her trip to Cuba is more proof that while the Obama administration and the government of Cuba talk tentatively about improving relations, the entertainment world is already well into the thaw. When I heard the shoot was in Cuba I panicked. I didn t know what to expect, and I was a little bit scared to come, said Lumidee, who was born Lumiana DeRosa Cedeno. You don t know how it s going to be. Like you re not wanted here, and the people would not like you, she said. But Cubans just seem happy and laid back. The video, in which Labaf plays himself and three goofball characters vying for the girl, includes shots on a beach east of Havana and at the famed Bacardi Building downtown, which served as headquarters of the rum giant before it fled the island after Fidel Castro took power in US jazz and folk musicians have often worked with Cuban colleagues. Collaborations have included Ry Cooder in the Buena Vista Social Club recordings of the 1990s and jazz festival appearances by the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Charlie Haden and Jack DeJohnette. Audioslave broke the decades-long barrier to US rock concerts in Cuba with a thundering show on the Cuban capital s seaside Malecon in But Washington s trade sanctions and the Cuban government s ambivalence toward rock and rap have kept most American musicians away. Lumidee, who is of Puerto Rican heritage, grew up in Spanish Harlem. She and an entourage including her manager and husband, makeup artist and a DJ friend had to fly through a third country because of their US passports. She asked that her full itinerary not be published to avoid problems with American authorities. Attracted It s more old-fashion, more pure, she said of Havana s stuck-in-the-1950s air. Coming from New York, you know, everyone s angry over there. It s nice here. US actors have long been attracted to Cuba. When Lumidee checked into Havana s iconic Hotel Nacional, she ran into Bill Murray, James Caan and Robert Duval, who are here on a research trip. Puerto Rican-born actor Benicio del Toro is also in town. I think everyone should see it, see Cuba, Lumidee said. All Americans deserve to come here, too. But for now, Americans are still an oddity. Lumidee did her strutting for the cameras on Lealtad Street amid stately but decaying old buildings that neither the communist state nor the people who live in them can afford to maintain. Also: LONDON: Arctic Monkeys will release their new single Crying Lightning through Oxfam shops, with proceeds going to help the charity s work around the world, Oxfam said on Tuesday. The limited-edition 7, the first single from their new album Humbug, goes on sale at Oxfam s 700 charity shops on Aug 17. It marks the first time Oxfam shops have sold a new release single for 25 years. The Crying Lightning 7 features a cover of the Nick Cave classic Red Right Hand as a B-side. Each single will cost 2.99 and come with a download code allowing fans to get an MP3 version of the songs free. Domino Records and Arctic Monkeys urged fans to bring any unwanted albums or singles to their local Oxfam shop when they pick up a copy of their single. In this photo taken Aug 1, 2009, US singer Lumidee performs during the filming of a music video of Iranian-Swedish singer Arash Labaf in Havana. Lumidee is of Puerto Rican descent, grew up in Spanish Harlem and holds a US passport. (AP) This July 5, 2009 file photo shows Katherine Jackson (left), and an unidentified driver entering the Jackson family home in the Encino section of Los Angeles. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff appointed Katherine Jackson as the permanent guardian of the late singer s three children during a court hearing in Los Angeles on Monday. (AP) Daltrey Variety Cobain DETROIT: With the Who inactive for the moment, Roger Daltrey is gearing up to launch his first solo tour of North America since The Use It Or Lose It theater trek a nod to the 65-year-old singer s vocal cords kicks off Oct 10 in Vancouver, B.C., and runs through Nov 30 in Clearwater, Fla. Daltrey will dust off material from his nine solo albums, some covers (he s previously preformed songs by Queen, Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen) and, of course, a generous selection of Who favorites. I feel so passionate about (Who guitarist/songwriter Pete) Townshend s music, what he wrote and his standing in the big scheme of things, Daltrey told Billboard.com. I love playing Townshend s music old, new, whatever. Daltrey said the Who had no intention of stopping but that after more than 45 years together he s learned to be patient. I think Pete s got every intention of writing more new Who stuff, Daltrey said, but he hates to say that until he s actually written it cause it s in the lap of the gods, isn t it? I wish I could write it, cause we d be doing it tomorrow. But, sadly, I m not the writer that Townshend is. One genius is enough in a band...you just have to be there for him if he needs you. That s my function. I m just an instrument for him, and...i m quite happy with that. (RTRS) ABERDEEN, Washington: The late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain is igniting a new controversy in his hometown of Aberdeen, Washington state. This one involves one of the quotes attributed to him on a new granite marker at an unofficial neighborhood park honoring him. Aberdeen city officials are upset about the quote that says, Drugs are bad for you. They will f- you up. The marker contains the full Jackson F-word, an expletive. The Daily World reports the property is considered a right of way for both Tori Kovach, who lives adjacent to the land and had the idea for the park, and the city, which also owns the nearby Young Street Bridge, where Cobain is said to have spent some time in his youth. Cobain struggled with drugs and committed Bono, singer of the Irish rock band U2 performs on stage at the Veltins Arena in the western German city of Gelsenkirchen on Aug 3. The concert was the second in Germany of their 350 degrees tour. (AFP) Web petition seeks Nobel prize for Michael Jackson Star s mother wins kids custody LOS ANGELES, Aug 4, (Agencies): The wishes Michael Jackson expressed in his will began to come into reality Monday during a lengthy court hearing, with his mother placed firmly in charge of rearing his children and the two men he designated still at the reins of his financial empire. As a media frenzy buzzed outside, a surprise motion from Jackson s longtime dermatologist injected some drama inside the courtroom: An attorney for the doctor, Arnold Klein, tried to enter objections to the parenting of Jackson s children. Klein has had a lengthy part in Jackson s story line. He not only served as Jackson s doctor, but one of his employees, Deborah Rowe, married Jackson in 1996 and gave birth to two of the singer s children. Most recently, Klein s medical records have been subpoenaed as part of the police investigation of Jackson s death. Given tabloid reports that Klein is the biological father of Jackson s two oldest children, the attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, quickly told the judge and dozens of reporters covering the hearing that biology wasn t the source of the objections. Objections Legally, he is not a presumed parent, Kaplan said. Rather, he said Klein knew Jackson and his children well and had concerns about their education and other dayto-day parenting issues. Kaplan s objections created a few tense moments in the courtroom, but Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff quickly dispatched him, saying Klein did not have legal standing. The appointment of Katherine Jackson as permanent guardian of her son s children did not disperse the crowds of reporters who convened on the downtown courthouse. Satellite trucks lined the street outside the courthouse, reporters arrived more than an hour before Beckloff took the bench to try to get a courtroom seat, all while a smattering of onlookers waited outside and played to the cameras. Who gets the Ferris wheel, one man questioned an attorney for the men administering Jackson s estate after the hearing, which stretched from 9 a.m. until mid-afternoon. The hearing itself was decidedly more low-key. Katherine Jackson arrived at the courthouse early and entered the courtroom from a back entrance, flanked by daughters LaToya and Rebbie and son Randy. She and Beckloff exchanged pleasantries shortly after the judge named her permanent guardian of Jackson s three children. Records John Branca, one of the men who Beckloff ruled can continue to administer the singer s estate, sat across the aisle from the Jacksons. Branca served as Jackson s longtime attorney and was named along with music executive John McClain to serve as co-executors of Jackson s will, signed in To date, court records show the men have recovered some of Jackson s personal belongings, $5.5 million in cash, and the singer s life insurance payout, all of which will end up in a private trust account. That money will help pay for a monthly stipend that Beckloff approved for Katherine Jackson, 79, and for each of the singer s three children, Prince Michael, 12, Paris Michael, 11, and Prince Michael II, 7. The youngest is also known as Blanket and was born to a surrogate mother who has never been identified. Diane Goodman, an attorney for Katherine Jackson, said the surrogate did not have any parental rights. No one else formally filed for custody of the children, although a pair of women who dogged Jackson throughout his life claiming relationships had sought the youngsters, and exorbitant amounts of money. Beckloff did not acknowledge either of their filings on Monday. He also did not reveal how much Katherine Jackson and the children will receive per month from the singer s estate. Similarly, he did not disclose any terms of a deal reached by concert promoter AEG Live and other groups involved with the King of Pop s planned comeback concerts in London and the singer s estate. Beckloff ordered AEG Live to turn over records related to the settlement and the contract for the 50 shows to Katherine Jackson, but placed restrictions on who else could see the information. The judge has a week to review the settlement and decide whether to approve it. The settlement is another piece of Jackson s finances that is being placed into a private trust set up primarily to provide for his mother and children. The four have a combined 80 percent stake in Jackson s estate, with the rest going to unspecified charities. Deals An attorney for the executors of Jackson s estate said Monday that deals worked out in partnership with the King of suicide in (AP) NEW YORK: Jarvis Cocker has written three Idol panel DioGuardi returns LOS ANGELES, Aug 4, (RTRS): Kara DioGuardi, who made her debut this year as the fourth judge on No. 1-rated TV singing show American Idol, will return to the panel for the upcoming ninth season, producers said Monday. But the fate of Paula Abdul, who has been on the show s judging panel since its inception in 2002, is still up in the air with only a few days to go before auditions begin for the new season. DioGuardi, a songwriter and recordproducer, was brought in to freshen the show after the Fox network s talent contest viewership began to slip. But with only a one-year contract, her future was unclear until Monday s announcement. (Kara) is a breath of fresh air, and her passion for music and her understanding of talent is invaluable, American Idol creator Simon Fuller said in a statement. Pop s concert promoter could provide millions of dollars to his estate. Since his death in June, numerous reports have speculated that concert promoter AEG Live and the executors of Jackson s estate were working on arrangements to make videos, DVDs and other merchandise based on the Thriller singer s planned comeback. Attorney Howard Weitzman, who represents Jackson s longtime lawyer John Branca and music industry executive John McClain, the two executors of Jackson s will, said after a court hearing Monday that Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff, who is overseeing matters related to the estate, will likely approve business agreements at an Aug 10 hearing. Weitzman said the deals will bring millions of dollars of revenue to Michael Jackson s estate. Also: OSLO: More than 15,000 people have signed an Internet petition calling for the late pop star Michael Jackson to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in Started by an American college student, the petition praises Jackson for his commitment to humanitarian causes and calls on the Norwegian Nobel Institute to name the singer as next year s winner. We the Undersigned, believe Michael Jackson has given of himself completely and selflessly in a lifelong effort to help better global conditions for children, and all of humankind, the petition said. Michael Jackson has undoubtedly earned the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize, said the petition posted at songs for the upcoming film Get Him to the Greek, a spinoff of the hit 2008 comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The former frontman of UK rock band Pulp said that what he s written so far is rather silly, but it s a silly film. The songs would be performed by Russell Brand s character Aldous Snow, a hapless rock star who is about to open a huge tour at Los Angeles Greek Theatre. The Judd Apatowproduced film, which also stars Jonah Hill and Rose Byrne, is expected to be out in Last week, Cocker wrapped a short tour in support of his second solo album, Further Complications, with a sold-out show in Brooklyn, NY, and an appearance on NBC s Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. Three European festival gigs are on tap in August. (RTRS) JONESBORO, Arkansas: Billy Lee Riley, a rambunctious performer who helped develop the Sun Records sound as a studio musician for other headliners, has died. He was 75. Riley s singles included Red Hot and Flyin Saucers Rock & Roll, the latter of which led him to call his band The Little Green Men for a time. Riley died Sunday in Jonesboro, according to Dillinger Funeral Home in Newport, which is handling arrangements. He had been suffering from colon cancer, and it had moved to his bones, his wife, Joyce, told The Commercial Appeal newspaper in Memphis, Tennessee. (RTRS)

25 NEWS/FEATURES 25 Film Spanish actress Penelope Cruz poses for photographs as she arrives for the premiere of her latest film Broken Embraces in Berlin on Aug 3. The film is set to open on Aug 6 in the German cine mas. Inset: Cruz arrives for the German premiere of the movie Los abrazos rotos, Broken Embraces, in Berlin, Germany, Aug 3. (AFP/AP) Mummy-ji This file picture taken on Aug 17, 2008 shows Indian Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor performing at the 11th Rajiv Gandhi Awards ceremony in Mumbai. They were once a feared presence on set, keeping an eye on their daughters to protect them from roving eyes or hands. But the days of Bollywood heroines being chaperoned by their mothers are numbered. Mummy-ji, as everyone from the director downwards always called her, is becoming a thing of the past, as actresses in India s popular Hindi-language film industry prefer to forge and manage their careers alone. (AFP) Stock still very high Apatow is down but not out with People NEW YORK, Aug 4, (RTRS): In the wake of the middling $22.6 million opening for Judd Apatow s latest film Funny People, Hollywood eagerly declared the prolific filmmaker s stock was still very high. Managers, agents and development executives interviewed Monday said Apatow s minor misstep at the box office as well as some industry grumbling about the picture s 146-minute length and tone weren t likely to affect his standing with studios. This is someone who still makes movies at a pretty low cost, works with amazing talent and has the box office track record to back him up, one talent rep said. Or as Underground Management s Trevor Engleson, who represents a number of comedy clients, put it: If I were his manager, I wouldn t tell him to change anything. The town is going to let him continue making the movies he wants to make. People underperformed compared to Apatow s last picture, Knocked Up, which opened to $30.7 million on the way to a $149 Apatow million domestic total. Although it outgrossed the $21.4 million opening of Apatow s first directorial effort, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, People is not expected to show the leggy holding power that ultimately boosted Virgin to $109.4 million at the domestic box office. Still, the new Universal release nonetheless earned about one-third of its estimated $75 million budget, and it could break even when all is said and done. Question Many also were willing to give Apatow a pass because he tried something off-brand by tackling more serious themes: Adam Sandler stars as a comedian diagnosed with a fatal disease. They said that Universal, which last week signed him to a three-picture directing deal, made the right move to lock up Apatow despite the shaky advance buzz for People. Since the movie pushed in a dramatic direction with mixed critical and commercial results, there s a question about what direction those upcoming Universal pictures could take will Apatow continue with the dramatic elements of People or revert to earlier form? Because the filmmaker tends to write his own material, developing his scripts with an intimate group and then casting among an almost equally small coterie, little is known about his projects while they re in development. Nor do they take a long time to come together; Apatow has been on a bi-annual directing schedule since 2005 s Virgin. One talent rep said that he believes Apatow would find a way to go back to the high-concept material that marked his previous ideas, the kind that could be summarized succinctly ( Schlub gets hot girl pregnant ) while still tapping into the zeitgeist. I still think he does something relevant and very observational, the rep said. But I think he goes back to something with a big hook. Others said they could envision him continuing in a dramatic direction, and that People would smooth the way. He has to ease his way up the slope, said Conan Smith, the former Endeavor rep who has launched his own comedy-centric banner, Ante Up Prods. But once you get to the top of that slope, you have a newfound audience. Change If there is a more significant change in the cards, it will be on the producing side. After some mixed results with his production slate during the past 18 months, Apatow Prods. will likely concentrate on its homegrown talent. Arguably the two movies from the Apatow Prods. factory that struggled the most, Sony s recent period comedy Year One and Paramount s Owen Wilson-starrer Drillbit Taylor, were not developed and honed in-house in the way that, say, Pineapple Express was. The cupboard is now a little more bare than it s been in the past, when several Apatow Prods. were shooting or in post at the same time. In fact, there s only one unreleased project now beyond the development stage. For the first time since 2006, next year will bring only one Apatow Prods. title: the music comedy Get Him to the Greek, which spins off Russell Brand s deluded rock star from Forgetting Sarah Marshall and reunites that picture s Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller as writer and director, respectively. That lull should allow Apatow and producing partner Shauna Robertson to decide what direction they d like to take. There are titles on the Apatow Prods. slate with proven Apatow proteges like Jonah Hill (the adoption comedy The Middle Child, which Hill has written) and another Stoller-Segel collaboration, the couples tale Five- Year Engagement. At the same time, the calm offers a chance to develop newer names within the Apatow fold. That includes figures like Ian Berger and David Krumholtz, who have penned development projects like the buddy comedy A Whole New Hugh and hip-hop sendup Attorneys at Raw, respectively. Judd was smart. He struck while the iron is hot, one development exec said in describing the development slate. That means he s not going to have as much as he once did. But knowing him, he ll put a few other things forward. Even if 2010 is quiet, 2011 will be busy again. From left: In these undated file photos taken in Mumbai, Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is pictured with her mother. Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty (centre), is pictured with her moth er (right), and sister Samita and Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor is pictured with her mother. (AP) Today s Indian heroines lead their own lives In Bollywood, moms no longer know best MUMBAI, Aug 4, (AFP): They were once a feared presence on set, keeping an eye on their daughters to protect them from roving eyes or hands. But the days of Bollywood heroines being chaperoned by their mothers are numbered. Mummy-ji, as everyone from the director downwards always called her, is becoming a thing of the past, as actresses in India s popular Hindi-language film industry prefer to forge and manage their careers alone. I think the prime reason is because our industry has become more corporate and sleazy people have disappeared, said Celina Jaitley, the daughter of an Indian army colonel, whose first break was in the 2003 hit film Janasheen. Heroines are more confident to decide their lives on their own, unlike in the past, the 29-year-old former Miss India added. Bollywood has changed almost beyond recognition in recent years, not least in that it is now considered a profession worthy of girls from respectable families. But that wasn t always the case. When film-making first began in India in the early 1900s, there were few actresses at all, leaving men to play the female roles. Later on, well-known female singers and dancers began sending their daughters to act. Then, in the 1950s and 1960s, many girls from poorer families entered Bollywood. Even in the 1970s, when an increasing number of young women from more high-profile, urban backgrounds got into film, it was still considered a socially inappropriate profession for a middle-class woman. Chaperoning by mummy-ji persisted until the 1990s, fuelling stories of interfering mothers and their sometimes impossible demands, like asking for mango juice out of season, which film crews bent over backwards to try to meet. But since the explosion in satellite and cable television here from the turn of the 21st century, attitudes towards India s entertainment industry have changed, along with expectations for women in society İndia s film industry is projected to grow at 11.6 percent a year over the next five years, from 107 billion rupees ($2.2 billion) in 2008 to 185 billion rupees in 2013, PricewaterhouseCoopers said in a study out last week. While Bollywood heroines have always been idolised, now actresses from non-film backgrounds like Aishwarya Rai, Katrina Kaif, Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty are successful role models for millions of Indian women. When they are not acting or running their own production companies, they can be found using their fame and hard-earned cash to launch beauty products, promote yoga videos or invest in Indian Twenty20 cricket teams. Asin Thottumkal, daughter of a businessman and a medical doctor, bought her own home in India s entertainment capital Mumbai after a successful debut in Aamir Khan s hit film Ghajini late last year. I am loving my own space, the 23-year-old said. But the strong family ties that still bind in India have not been loosened completely. Though I have moved into my own house, my parents are just a few metres away, she said. Priyanka Kothari, whose film Agyaat (Fear) is released on Friday, agreed. I take my own decisions in life but my parents are always there to guide me, the 25-year-old chemistry graduate said. There are other reasons, though, why her mother no longer accompanies her to film sets and prefers to spend time with her father. Now she herself does not want to come because she gets bored when my working hours stretch endlessly. She just has to sit and do nothing, she said.

26 26 click Drinking problem?: Drinking Problem: You are no longer alone! Confidential helpline Narcotics Anonymous: NA can help with addiction problems. Totally confidential: English/Arabic. Latest FCA-K holds chess tourney: FCA-K invites you for Summer Chess Open Tournament Class A & B 9 Rounds Swiss System starting from Aug 7, to Sept 25, at the basement of Salhiya Tower, Kuwait City. For more queries call: Oliver , Manny Aug 6 KTAA plans workshops for Aug: The Kuwait Textile Arts Association under the auspices of Sadu House have the pleasure to announce that the following workshops are available during the month August. One Day Workshops Thursday, Aug 6: Foundation Pieced Blocks by Shyamala Rao. Sunday, Aug 9: Bonnie Bag by Janet Vigeant and quilted coffee cup sleeve by Alanna Petrusich. Sunday, Aug 16: Duffle Bag by Janet Vigeant. Regular Workshops Photo Fabrication by Shyamala Rao: A 4-day workshop. Learn to generate original designs using computer skills, image transfer, adobe photo shop and photo fabrication techniques. Make a wall Quilt. Tatting for beginners by Paramjeet Bawa: A 2-day workshop to learn the basics of Tatting, supplies included. Art Quilt for beginners by Paramjeet Bawa: A 4-day workshops suitable for those who want to try art quilting for the first time. (New) All inquiries need to be addressed to the workshop committee. ktaaworkshop@yahoo.com. Some art houses going broke to stay open Art of a recession: Gallery owners struggling SCOTTSDALE, Arizona, Aug 4, (AP): Art gallery owners across the country are finding they have a tough sell these days. With houses going up for auction, unemployment continuing to rise and the threat of layoffs seemingly ever-present, many gallery owners in art communities such as Scottsdale, Arizona, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Portland, Oregon, and New York City are closing shop, going broke to stay open or drastically changing the way they do business. Art is a very discretionary sort of object, and we are in the worst recession arguably in the postwar era, said Jay Bryson, a global economist with Wells Fargo Securities in Charlotte, North Carolina. Obviously somebody who has lost their job in a factory in Indiana probably is not buying art. Even people with plenty of discretionary money aren t spending much on it. You re a billionaire and you took a 40 percent hit on your portfolio, now you only have $600 million left, Bryson said. That s still pretty deep pockets, but 40 percent is 40 percent. By Francois Becker Ninety years after it began revolutionising design, art and architecture and six decades after the Nazis banned it, Germany s famed Bauhaus movement is luring huge crowds to a new show in Berlin. With prized pieces on loan from New York s Museum of Modern Art, the avant-garde movement s biggest-ever exhibition, Bauhaus A Conceptual Model, showcases the famed school and its huge impact on modern aesthetics. Since its opening last month, the anxiously-awaited show has drawn more than 20,000 people a little more than we expected, one of the exhibition s organisers, Klaus Boesl, told AFP. The Bauhaus legacy can be seen in everything from the UN headquarters building in New York to mass-market Ikea tables, with clean lines and the marriage of the work of artists and artisans its signature characteristics. The design school, which counts among its disciples Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky, regarded as the creator of abstract art, and Swiss surrealist Paul Klee, had at its core the idea of making art accessible to all social classes. Its idealism was rooted in the modernist ideology of Germany between the wars, inspired by leaps in technological development, and aimed to remake not just the face of design. The movement s founder, Walter Gropius, did not want Bauhaus to become a style it simply aimed to offer an artistic direction, to enable art to be available to all, said Ulrike Bestgen of the Weimar Classics Foundation, one of the show s organisers. In the gallery district of downtown Scottsdale, at least a half dozen galleries have closed in the past year or are in the midst of closing. Others still are wondering how much longer they can make it. One recent day, Leslie Levy sat quietly amid the contemporary art she sells in her gallery, which was just as deserted as the streets outside, where the temperature was in the triple digits. Closing The summers here are always slow because of the heat, but this one is much worse than usual. That s partly why Levy is closing her doors at the end of August after 32 years in business and becoming a private art dealer online. I ll tell you what if I was younger, I d just keep at it knowing we ve not seen times quite as bad as this before, Levy said. Longtime customer Marylyn Gregory of Bernardsville, New Jersey, came in the gallery that day to see it one last time and check out what pieces Levy had left of her and her husband s favorite artist. Gregory told Levy she was surprised and upset when Faithful to the school s socialist ideology, Gropius wanted the painter and the architect no longer to work for himself but within the wider artistic community, Bestgen added. The exhibition with 1,000 objects charts the history of the movement from Gropius founding of the school in 1919 in Weimar, 250 kms (155 miles) southwest of Berlin, to the Nazi ban in Hitler persecuted the movement as degenerate art and closed the school which ironically only served to propagate Bauhaus as its practitioners fled Germany and spread around the globe, taking their ideas and designs with them. she heard the gallery was closing but added, You re probably doing the right thing. Gregory didn t end up buying anything that day, saying she needed to check with her husband. Before, she might have been more spontaneous. Sometimes you d go to an opening and have a glass of wine, and you re like, OK, she said. It s certainly the method to get everyone to open their checkbooks. But like many other art lovers, the Gregorys are more conservative with their money these days. Levy understands. People are watching what they spend cutting back and spending on the necessities of life. That makes sense to people. Revenue Becky Smith knows that all too well. She owned the Bellwether Gallery in Manhattan s Chelsea neighborhood for a decade, but closed at the end of June after watching her revenue plummet to $80,000 gross in the first quarter of She had $40,000 net, and $10,000 of it went to rent each month. Prime examples of its architecture can be seen in the United States, Canada and Israel. Tel Aviv s stunning collection of Bauhaus buildings was placed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in On a smaller scale, the iconic Wassily chair designed by Marcel Breuer in 1926 is among the pieces on display in Berlin. The chair was seen as revolutionary at the time for its use of bent tubular steel and leather and is still a huge hit in the design world although it was not, as often thought, designed for Kandinsky, explained Bestgen. It was only in the 1980s, when the chair was being reedited by other designers, that they christened it the Wassily Chair for marketing reasons, she told AFP. Kandinsky s influence is evident in another popular exhibit Peter Keler s 1922 wooden crib made from basic shapes such as triangles, discs and rectangles and painted in primary colours. But fans will be disappointed if they are hoping to view one of the movement s most celebrated works Oskar Schlemmer s Bauhaus Staircase painting of 1932 which has not left the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA) as it is the object of an ownership dispute in Germany. Visitors will have to make do with a copy. The $80,000 figure was down from about $350,000 the same quarter in 2008 and about $600,000 during that period the year before. I was really startled, Smith said. It was the spring of 08 where I saw three shows that should have been blockbusters underperform, and I was in shock. Things were booming so intensely a couple years ago and the pendulum has swung so far in the opposite direction, it was impossible to know where I stood, she said. And I didn t want to be paying for a storefront while I was figuring it out. Threat In the past two years, at least 24 galleries have closed in Manhattan, mostly in Chelsea, according to New York City-based Artnet magazine, which covers the fine art world. That s really dramatic, said Artnet editor Walter Robinson. In Santa Fe, New Mexico, between 10 and 15 galleries have closed this year, said Christy Walker, managing director of the Santa Fe Gallery Association. A lot of people have this idea that running a gallery, the owners make a lot of The 90th anniversary of Bauhaus coincides with the 20th year after the fall of the Berlin Wall which was a key factor in being able to host the show, said Bestgen. Before German unification it would have been very difficult to organise such an exhibition, she said, as two of the key locations in Bauhaus history Weimar and Dessau were on the communist-controlled side of the Iron Curtain. The exhibition will be hosted by Berlin s Martin Gropius Bau museum, named for Walter s great-uncle, another famed architect, until October. It will transfer to the MoMA in November. (AFP) art money, when it s just a lot of effort to make a living off of it, she said. It s a hard business to be in, and when things are good, things are good, and when times are tough, it s a really tough business to maintain. Kraig Foote of art one gallery in Scottsdale has done everything he can think of to avoid shutting down. His house is about to go up for auction because he hasn t made a payment in seven months, he has laid off his two employees and he has resorted to selling his own beloved art collection for a fraction of what it s worth. I have given up everything, he said recently in the very empty gallery, which sells work by local high school- and collegeage artists. And still, the threat of closure looms. I m trying to make it to December, Foote said. I think people will start spending again once they get to the next holiday. They ll say, We ve saved, let s get something. He paused. I don t know. Recent picture of a woman walking past Swiss artist Johannes Itten s Tower of Fire at the Bauhaus. A Conceptual Model exhibition in Berlin on July 23, The exhibition running from July 22 to Oct 4, 2009, recounts the story of the Bauhaus in a comprehensive presentation with works of its masters and students. (AFP) Aug 7 PABAK games: 21st Conference PABAK schedule of games on Aug 7, 2009 at the Hawally Disabled Club. 1st game: 7:00-8:30 Berksmen Barako vs Bad Bananas 2nd game: 8:30-10:00 Adan Hospital vs Al Razi Hospital 3rd game: 10:00-11:30 Kaico Sports vs Kout Food Group 4th game: 11:30-1:00 Heisco vs National Aviation Services 5th game: 1:00-2:30 Houndogs vs Hotline Cargo 6th game: 2:30-4:00 KEO vs Yiaco Medical Company 7th game: 4:00-5:30 Pogi Points vs Manila Cargo 8th game: 5:30-7:00 Aru Logistics vs New Cliffe Con ting 9th game: 7:00-8:30 RCS Tamaraw vs Gulf Net Museum curators place sculptures of life size casts of horses by Belgium artist Note: A 15 minutes grace period shall be Berlinde De Bruyckere, in a gallery at the National Museum of Singapore on Aug 3, given to all scheduled games to avoid default in Singapore. This art installation was inspired by photographs of battlefields during the First World War. (AP) Continued on Page 30 Books Rain Gods intricate tale Perfect Life is not so perfect By M. L. Johnson erfect Life by Jessica Shattuck P(W.W. Norton & Co, 320 pages, $24.95): Jenny Callahan thought she had the perfect solution to her husband s infertility: They could have a baby using sperm donated by her intelligent but wayward college boyfriend. Everyone could see it was a bad idea except Jenny and her insecure, selfinvolved ex, Neil Banks. Jenny wanted a baby. Neil wanted to prove to Jenny that he was important. He had no interest in having a child until the birth announcement arrives. On the day of the baby s baptism, he shows up outside the church. The new novel by Jessica Shattuck, author of The Hazards Shattuck of Good Breeding, is more interesting than enjoyable. Most of Shattuck s female characters, including the overpowering Jenny, are sympathetic, so the plot gives the same sinking feeling as watching a good friend date a man who is totally unsuitable. Within days of his reappearance, Neil has inserted himself back into the lives of Jenny s two college roommates. Confronted with his disdain for wealth and the luxuries it buys, Laura Trillian feels guilty about her husband s success in business and shamed by her life as a stay-at-home mom. Geneticist Elise Farber begins to feel she has sold out by working for the pharmaceutical company where Jenny is an executive. But as Neil tells himself, everything he touches goes bad, and Jenny s former roommates feel isolated rather than liberated by their sudden questioning of their perfect or at least perfectly comfortable lives. Meanwhile, Jenny is re-evaluating her climb up the corporate ladder as her husband struggles with cancer. By the time she finds the increasingly obsessed Neil in her son s nursery in the middle of the night, she s ready to rethink the deal that sparked his meltdown. Perfect Life is perfectly timed. The novel is set just before the market collapse. Many of its characters forebodings about the result of material excess reflect the chagrin many Americans struggling in the recession feel about the past decade. Jenny builds the perfect house, and then slowly and sadly comes to terms with the fact that she and her son may soon be living there alone. Laura impulsively married a man flush with cash but feels stifled and neglected as a work widow. Elise realizes she must sacrifice her research agenda for the company s if she wants to keep collecting a big paycheck. But while it must have been tempting for Shattuck to paint Neil as the visionary who sees through material trappings to the emptiness underneath, she resists that and takes a more interesting path. Neil may disdain Jenny s and the others materialism, but he, too, has sold out, leaving his job as a computer game reviewer to become a corporate hack. He hates himself for helping develop a crassly commercial sequel to a video game blockbuster yet finds himself falling in love with his creation. And always, there is the nagging question: What is his legacy? It is sitting in Jenny s nursery? Perfect Life is a social commentary on rampant capitalism, unbridled science, love and fidelity. It may raise more questions than it answers, but as the main characters learn, nothing need be perfect to be good. Rain Gods (Simon & Schuster, 434 pages, $25.99), by James Lee Burke: As the story begins, Sheriff Hackberry Holland is poking around behind an abandoned Spanish mission, investigating an anonymous report about shots fired. Moments later he radios for help: We ve got a mass murder. The victims are all Asian, some of them hardly more than children. Burke s fans have met Hackberry before. Back in 1971, he was an ACLU lawyer in one of the author s early novels, Lay Down My Sword and Shield. Thirty-eight years later, Burke has brought him back as the law in a little Southwest Texas town. Like Burke himself, Hackberry is in his 70s now. He s fled to this remote corner of the country to seek refuge from his past, but the memories that haunt him aren t the sort one can run from. Hackberry still aches for his dead wife Rie. And he dreams obsessively of snowy hills south of the Yalu River, and dead Chinese troops in quilted uniforms scattered randomly across the slopes.... The wounds on the American dead piled in the backs of six-bys looked like roses frozen inside snow. This is a familiar theme in Burke s work. His best characters, including Louisiana detective Dave Robicheaux and his buddy Clete Purcell, are similarly stalked by demons. It s not long before Hackberry figures out the anonymous call was placed by an eyewitness, Pete Flores, an Iraqi War veteran whose emotional and physical scars are fresh and deep. So Hackberry sets out to find Flores before the bad guys can hunt him down and silence him. (AP)

27 27 Pearl Diving Bahrain voyage end celebrated Trainees mark sailors night By Valiya S. Sajjad Arab Times Staff KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: Five boats that left for Bahrain on a pearl diving expedition arrived at Khairan Monday, leading to celebrations and festivity in the traditional way. The 23rd Al Ghous Festival was seeing its most defining moment on Monday, when the trainees, captains and other crewmembers were joined by veteran skippers and prominent personalities from the Kuwait Sea Sporting Club to celebrate the successful mission of the festival s first ever foreign voyage. In its 23-year history, pearl fishing has never been undertaken in foreign waters, and with Bahrain the festival was breaking a long-standing tradition. The five teams that went to Bahrain returned with 44 pearls that gleamed with a yellowish twinge. Of the three days that pearl hunters explored in the oyster banks of Bahrain, they could only garner that many pearls from the thousands of oysters culled. Retired General Fahad Al-Fahad, Chairman of Kuwait Sea Sporting Club, speaking to the Arab Times said that the oyster shells in Bahrain were clean unlike the mossy shells found in Kuwait. The pearls are also different in their quality and sheen. Merge The teams returning from Bahrain joined their counterparts in Khairan, whose pearl expedition is still going on. This year, the pearl diving expedition was split into two parts: one in Khairan and one in Bahrain. Khairan has been the traditional fishing site for the festival; however, this year the sea club decided to venture into new banks. The fleet to Bahrain weighed anchor on July 23. The boats to Kharian left Kuwait Sea Sporting Club on July 30. The two fleets will merge now at Khairan for joint pearl fishing activities, and together they will return to the club on Aug 8. When the idea of Bahrain, which has been historically famous for its rich pearl banks, came up, the club authorities contacted the leadership in Bahrain. Ali Al-Qabandi, the head of the heritage committee at the club, told the Arab Times that the response from Bahrain was overwhelming and the club was invited for further talks. The contingent that arrived in Bahrain from Kuwait met with top-level officials in Bahrain including the king s son and daughter, who is holding an important post in the cultural affairs ministry in the state. Detailed plans were drawn and with the unqualified support of the Bahraini side and the hard work of the club members and the heritage officials the voyage became a success. Al-Fahad said that when the teams arrived in Bahrain, we were awestruck by the reception offered to us. It was grand. Every minor detail of our stay and expedition was arranged for and we felt more than at home. Memorable The general also noted that the teams took 3 days and 2 nights to reach Bahrain. A special celebration was arranged by Bahrain s Ministry of Information. We had taken some heritage special gifts from Kuwait to the king of Bahrain, and we offered them, and in return received very memorable gifts from the king. We had the honor of taking a special team from UNESCO on our boats who wanted to study our heritage, Al Fahad added. Monday night was the night of festivity for the young sailors. There was much hugging and kissing as trainees reunited after a short separation. The sea song of celebration was in full swing, spiced by small sketches for comic relief, when men dressed in veils sent the gallery into peals of laughter with some slapstick comedy. Kuwait s dance traditions go hand in hand with its vocal traditions. However, the formality and the strict rules and regulations that govern most other traditional art forms are quiet alien to Kuwait s sea culture. Audience enjoyed the sight of tutors performing with the trainees and dishing out plaudits and rebukes to the performers as the show was in progress. Express The sea songs have various branches and what was performed on Monday belonged to the celebratory variety. Traditionally it was a means for women to express their joy over reuniting with their men. Pearl diving involved many risks and posed a threat to the life of the divers, which gave the welcome ceremony more relevance. Before the cultural events, the captains displayed their hauls of shining white balls placed in a satin cloth. Some of them could cost up to KD 5,000, said one of the captains. Kuwaiti pearl banks seem to be richer than the ones in Bahrain. By exploring for 3 days in Bahrain, the teams could only gather 44 pearls, while a single day s exploration in Kuwait provided a catch of 140 pearls. The count is still climbing up. Media was given the opportunity to witness the actual diving by trainees during Tuesday s expedition. Eleven pearl diving boats set sail from the shores of Khairan to oyster banks about a kilometer away, flaunting their colorful sails. A mother boat accompanied the smaller boats holding a large number of crewmembers. When the bank was reached, the sails were folded up and the anchors dropped. Bare-bodied divers climbed down into the water holding ropes suspended from oars sticking out perpendicularly from the sides of the boats. Crewmembers on board helped them with their oyster baskets attached to a long rope. With clips tightly pinching their noses, the divers broke the surface of the sea and disappeared to return after a little while with their baskets overflowing. The oysters thus gleaned were passed onto the mother boat where young sailors applied their industrious hands using a curved knife to crack open the shells for the precious find. The oysters are left on the deck for a day to make cracking easy. On Tuesday the young trainees were cracking open shells culled from Bahrain, and kept the possibility of the pearl count from the foreign voyage going up open. Some tiny pearls were found. Photos by Monzer Al-Akhrass Anticlockwise from top main picture: Boats on their pearl diving expedition. Top ranking officials of KSSC cut cake to mark end of Bahrain voyage and sailors night celebration. Trainees, captains and veteran skippers celebrate with song and dance; Retd Gen Fahad Al Fahad displays a pearl; a young trainee prying open an oyster; a sailor returns after his dive; pearls from this year s festival being displayed and group of sailors pry open oysters aboard a dhow.

28 28 Int l Dialing Codes emergency 777/ Important Tel. Nos. Afghanistan 93; Algeria 213; Argentina 54; Australia 61; Austria 43; Bahrain 973; Bangladesh 880; Belgium 32; Bolovia 591; Brazil 55; Bulgaria 359; Canada 1; Chile 56; China 86; Colombia 57; Croatia 385; Cyprus 357; Denmark 45; Egypt 20; Finland 358; France 33; Germany 49; Ghana 233; Greece 30; Guatemala 502; Hong Kong 852; Hungary 36; India 91; Indonesia 62; Iran 98; Iraq 964; Ireland 353; Italy 390; Japan 81; Jordan 962; civil ID info Kazakhstan 7; Kenya 254; Korea 82; Kuwait 965; Lebanon 961; Libya 218; Luxembourg 352; Malaysia 60; Malta 356; Mauritius 230; Mexico 52; Morocco 212; Nepal 977; Netherlands 31; New Zealand 64; Nigeria 234; Norway 47; Oman 968; Pakistan 92; Philippines 63; Poland 48; Portugal 351; Qatar 974; Russia 7; Saudi Arabia 966; Singapore 65; Somalia 252; South Africa 27; Spain 34; Sri Lanka 94; Sudan 249; Sweden 46; Switzerland 41; Syria 963; Turkey 90; United Arab Emirates 971; United Kingdom 44; United States 1; Venezuela 58; Yemen 967; Zambia 260. Electricity: Kuwait City , ; Fahaheel , ; Hawalli /4; Kuwait City ; Hawalli , ; Jahra ; Kheitan /7; Salmiya , ; Shuwaikh ; Street lights Water: Emergency (drains) ; Ahmadi , ; Jahra , ; Salmiya ; Shuwaikh , ; Sulaibikhat , Hospitals: Amiri Casualty ; Al Sabah / ; Mubarak Al Kabeer to 709; Farwaniya , ; Adan ; Ibn Sina ; Al Razi ; Al Jahra ; Maternity ; Allergy ; Blood Bank ; Burns Centre ; Cancer Control Centre ; Chest Diseases , ; Drug Control ; Infectious Diseases ; Islamic Medicine Centre Private Hospitals: Ahmadi ; Dar Al Shifa Ambulance: Central ; Emergency ; Adan / ; Amiri Hospital ; Dai ya ; Dasman ; Fahaheel ; Faiha a ; Farwaniya ; Farwaniya ; Jahra ; Mubarak Al-Kabir ; Nuwaisib ; Sabah ; Salmiya ; Shuaiba Consumer Protection Hotline: / Traffic Violation Inquiry: 198 The Scientific Center: Labour Complaints Hotline: Tel , Fax Social Work Society of Kuwait (Human Rights Organization): Tel , Fax Q8sws@q8sws.com, Conceptis Sudoku indoor gardening beauty tips taste buds The grid must be so completed that every row, column and 3x3 box has every digit from 1 to 9 inclusive. Jasminum Jasmine why use body scrub beef sausage rolls Answer to yesterday s puzzle Jasmine can be thought of as an evergreen, branching vine that can be trained as a shrub, or as a spreading, vine-like shrubs. The stems and leaves are covered with a downy pubescence that gives the plant an overall grayish-green appearance. The leaves are ovate and rounded at the base, up to 2 long, and opposite each other on the stem. The white, clustered, starshaped flowers appear nearly year-round and are not as fragrant as other jasmines. There are several Jasmines which can be grown as house plants all are climbers which bear flowers in clusters which bear flowers in clusters. Site: Brightly lit spot. Keep well away from direct sunlight. Temperature: Average warmth in summer minimum 60F in winter. Water: Keep compost moist at all times but never waterlogged. Body scrub or Body glow, is a thick mixture of either sea salt or pure sugar in an oil base, or carrier oil, like Almond oil. Nature Botanical extracts, essential oils and other natural ingredients can be added for delicious combinations like chamomile-rose, eucalyptus-peppermint and coconut-lime. 1. Many body scrubs contain moisturizing chemicals to enhance soft or smooth skin by replacing the natural oils your body produces, which you lose by showering. 2. Overall, body scrubs are designed to remove dead skin cells and other dirt and oil from the outermost layers of the skin. 3. When scrubbing, use firm and circular motions in areas which are usually plagued with cellulite. 4. Commercialized body scrubs have added chemicals to include fragrances with specific psychological or physiological effects. Ingredients: 300g beef mince, 1 small brown onion, finely chopped; 1 carrot, peeled, grated; 1 egg, lightly beaten; 1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped; 1/2 teaspoon dried mixed herbs; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, partially thawed; 1 tablespoon milk; tomato sauce, to serve. Method: Preheat oven to 220 C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Combine mince, onion, carrot, egg, parsley, dried herbs and pepper in a large bowl. Mix until well combined. Cut pastry sheets in half. Shape one-quarter of the mince mixture into a sausage and place along 1 long edge of pastry. Roll up pastry to enclose mince mixture. Cut roll into 4. Place, seam side down, on prepared tray. Repeat with remaining mince mixture and pastry. Brush sausage roll tops with milk. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and puffed. Allow to cool on tray for 5 minutes. Serve hot with tomato sauce. Challenger DIRECTIONS: Fill each square with a number, one through nine. Horizontal squares should add to totals on right. Vertical squares should add to totals on bottom. Diagonal squares through center should add to total in upper and lower right. Ithihadu Shubbanil Mujahidheen (ISM) Kerala Vice-President and Varthamanam Newspaper Executive Director Jb Abdul Lateef Karumbilakkal participated as chief guest in the closing ceremony of Ideology campaign with a caption misinterpretation of Islahi dogma conducted by Indian Islahi Center at Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh Jamia Community hall. He illustrated with lucid evidence that the ideology deviation attributed towards the principal leaders of KNM was totally baseless and creational. The ideology of Islahi dogma is based up on Qur an and Sunnah, and the new inventions of super natural help besides the Almighty God is quite new and against the principle of Qur an and Sunnah, revealed by Jb Karumbilakkal in his speech and also as reply of some questions from audience. IIC President Jb M.T. Mohamed presided the function, Jb Abdulwahab and Jb Mohamed Aripra extended welcome speech and vote of thanks respectively. Above left: Jb Abdul Lateef Karumbilakkal addressing the audience of IIC campaign and the audience (right). what s on today THERE MAY BE MORE THAN ONE SOLUTION. Today s Challenge Time 5 Minutes 7 Seconds Your Working Time Minutes Seconds Yesterday s solution legal clinic PRO BONO LEGAL ADVICE Driving licence I am an Indian national and recently shifted to Kuwait. My salary is above KD 800 per month. I want to apply for a driving license but I don t have any four wheeler license from India. Can I apply for a driving license in Kuwait? Name withheld Answer: The Indian driving licence is no problem as you will be applying for a learner s licence. But you are not eligible for a Kuwait driving licence because you must have spent at least two years in Kuwait at the time of application and you don t meet this requirement. The other two conditions are that you should be earning at least KD 400 a month and must also be a university graduate. The Arab Times invites questions on all aspects of Kuwaiti law. If you face a problem, or need specific advice on any legal matter, from commercial and investment law to divorce and labour, send questions to the Managing Editor, Arab Times, P.O. Box 2270, Safat, Kuwait, or Fax to English lecture: An English lecture will be held every Wednesday from 07:15 pm to 08:15 pm on: The Sublime Character of Prophet Muhammad in Light of Imam Al-Tirmidhi conducted by Mohammed Daniel. Location: Masjid Al Kulaib, Qurtoba (Masjid next to co-op in Qurtoba). Shama il Al-Tirmidhi: Emanway Foundation, in cooperation with the Grand Mosque, invites all to join a free, comprehensive study (in English) of Imam at-tirmidhi s renowned collection of Hadith on the noble character and lifestyle of our beloved Prophet (Peace and Blessings be upon him), with Ijazah on completion. Time: Wednesdays 7-8:15 pm (between Maghrib & Isha Prayers). Location: Masjid Al-Kulaib, Qurtoba (the large mosque near the co-op). Offered by Imam Mohammed Daniel, Official Ministry of Awqaf Lecturer. To register and/or to remain informed about future events, musk.misk@gmail.com. For information call th IMAX Film Festival: The Scientific Center of Kuwait is pleased to announce the 4th IMAX Film Festival has begun and will run until Aug 20, Special ticket prices have been introduced to celebrate the new films: Adult tickets are KD and child tickets are KD The four films showcased have never before seen in Kuwait, they will take the viewers into a totally different three dimensional world full of excitement and adventure. Galapagos 3D takes you to the Galapagos Islands 3,000 feet underground to the lava tubes to encounter largely unknown marine life including huge marine lizards and world s largest shark the Whale Shark! Ultimate G s 3D puts the viewer in the front seat of an Extra 300 aerobatic monoplane; enjoy thrilling flying sequences over Grand Canyon! Misadventure 3D Meet Professor Turcinovic & his trusted robot Max caught in an unknown zone between 2nd and 3rd Dimensions. Aliens of the Deep 3D offers an extraordinary glimpse of unbelievable creatures! Take a once in a lifetime journey and make contact with another world. Journey to Mecca and Fires of Kuwait will continue to be screened during the film festival. Visit for more details. Free summer course for ladies: Islam Presentation Committee offer a free intensive course of Arabic language for non-arab ladies in summer has commenced and will continue till August Classes will be in the afternoon and twice a week. Interested foreign ladies irrespective of their religion can register now. Class for advanced level is offered. Also offers Islamic subjects and Quran memorization in different languages. For information, call your nearest branch: Rawdah , ; Salmiya , ; Khaitan , ; Salwa , ; Mangaf , ; Jahra , AWARE Islamic drawing course: AWARE announces Islamic Geometric Patterns 5-week drawing course which teaches the needed skills to practice the art of Islamic geometric designs. Wednesday evening 5:30-8:30pm (Seating limited to 6 participants). For Further details contact AWARE by Tel: or visit us online at s may be sent to info@aware.com.kw. Football referees coaching classes: Football referees coaching classes for new recruits and refresher classes for active members will be conducted by the Indian Football Referees Association (IFRA) Kuwait from at the Indian Public School, Salmiya from 9:30 am onwards. All new candidates desiring to quality as football referees are requested to contact Sarto Baptista on tel (after 6 pm), Junifer Rodrigues on (after 5 pm) and also C.O. John on (Mangaf/Fahaheel/Ahmadi area) for more information. IFRA was founded in the year 1980 by the late FIFA referee J.P. D Mello who was also instrumental in the formation of KIFF in IFRA is an independent body and not a subordinate of any federation nor affiliated to any club/federation in Kuwait. It is the only association in Kuwait which conducts coaching classes for football referees by experienced qualified referees amongst expatriates and is registered with the Indian embassy since Extra beginner swimming class: The British School of Swimming is pleased to announce the release of extra beginner learn Items for the What s On page can be sent directly to the Arab Times, P.O. Box 2270, 13023, Safat or faxed to or to arabtimes@-arabtimesonline.com. All items on this page are published as a courtesy to the public. These announcements can include birthday greetings, weddings, social functions or any other non-commercial events. Photographs of all events are welcome. to swim classes at 3:45 pm on Sundays and Wednesdays. We have listened to your requests and adjusted our programme accordingly. We can now also help with your transportation needs. Many happy returns of the day on your 8th birthday Miss Levey Lourdes Rodrigues. Wishing you good luck and happiness. From Papa, Mama, brothers Lejoy and Leron and sister Lesha Victoria. Feel free to visit us at The British School of Kuwait in Salwa, Block 1, Street 1 to view our heated indoor pool. If you would like to make an appointment to get more information or discuss registration please call David on PFA Summer camp: Kuwait s Premier Football Summer Camp The Premier Football Academy Summer Football Camp sponsored by Go Sport continuing for nine action packed weeks in the new indoor, air-conditioned Astroturf football centre in the Discovery Mall, Soor Street, Kuwait City. Each weekly course runs from Sunday to Thursday from 0930 to 1300 and features skills development, games and competitions. Free football, T-shirt, medal and certificate for all players. Lunch and refreshments included. Courses are for 6-8 year olds and 9-12 year olds. Registration forms are available from Goal! Venue, Discovery Mall or Go Sport, The Avenues. For further details contact; , , or ; premier_fa_kuwait@yahoo.com. Places strictly limited so don t delay register your place today with the Premier Football Academy in association with Everton F.C. Madrassa Vacation Classes: Vacation classes of Indian Islahi Center started at Indian Central School, Abbasiya, 4:00 to 6:00 pm, Sunday to Wednesday. Main subjects will be Quran reading, Quran memorization, Arabic and Malayalam languages, Islamic rituals, moral studies, believers true concept, Islamic history, prayers in day-to-day life, etc; will be taught by well experienced teachers (both ladies and gents). Students of any age may be accommodated conveniently to share the Islamic mandatory studies for the overall development of moral ethics. Those who are willing to utilize this chance for their children may please contact , , ESF Summer: The English School Fahaheel is open all summer! For your convenience our summer hours are Saturday Thursday 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. For any registration inquiries please call , Places are limited and a waiting list is available For the latest news on ESF log on to our flash Have a great summer!

29 29 Cinema Cinema programme (Thursday 30/07/09 to Wednesday 05/08/09) travel wednesday, august 5, 2009 Imagine That (Eddie Murphy, Thomas Haden Church) Sharqia 1 13:30, 18:00, 22:30 Muhalab 2 13:00, 15:30, 20:00 Muhalab 2 00:30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Fanar 4 19:45, 22:00 Fanar 4 00:15 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Marina 2 13:00, 15:15, 17:30 Avenues 5 12:45, 15:00, 18:00, 21:00 Avenues 5 00:05 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Avenues 6 12:45, 15:00, 18:00, 21:00 Avenues 6 00:05 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) :45, 15:45, 18:45, 21: :45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) :00, 17:00, 20:00, 23:00 Al Kout 3 13:15, 15:30, 19:45 Al Kout 3 00:05 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Passengers (Anne Hathaway, Patrick Wilson) Sharqia 1 15:45, 20:15 Sharqia 1 00:45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Muhalab 2 17:45, 22:15 Fanar 4 13:10, 17:30 Fanar 5 22:00 Fanar 5 00:30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Marina 1 19:55 Marina 1 00:45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Avenues 2 19:00, 22:00 Avenues 2 01:00 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) :30, 16:30, 19:30, 22: :30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Al Kout 4 17:00, 21:45 Al Kout 4 23:45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Laila Ajial 3 23:00 (Thu to Tue) 22:15 (Thu to Tue) The Children (Rachel Shelley, Hannah Tointon) Sharqia 2 20:30, 22:15 Sharqia 2 00:05 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Sharqia 3 12:30 Muhalab 3 18:30, 20:15 Muhalab 3 00:45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Fanar 2 19:05, 21:00, 23:00 Fanar 2 01:00 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Marina 3 18:15 Marina 3 22:45 Marina 3 00:30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Avenues 11 12:45, 14:45, 16:45, 18:45, 20:45, 22:45 Avenues 11 00:45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) :00, 15:00, 17:00, 19:00, 21:00, 23: :00 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Al Kout 1 16:45, 21:15, 23:00 Al Kout 1 00:45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Plaza 15:45 Laila 21:15 (Thu to Tue) Metro 1 23:15 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson) Sharqia 2 13:15, 16:00 Muhalab 1 15:45 (Sun to Thu) Muhalab 1 18:45 Fanar 1 18:15 Fanar 5 13:15, 16:00 Marina 3 12:30, 15:30, 20:00 Avenues 9 15:15, 18:15, 21:15 Avenues 9 00:15 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) :30, 15:30, 18:30, 21: :30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) :45, 16:45, 19:45, 22:45 Al Kout 1 14:00, 18:30 Laila 15:45 Ajial 3 16:45 G-Force (Nicolas Cage, Steve Buscemi) Sharqia 2 18:45 Muhalab 3 12:30, 16:45 Fanar 2 13:00, 15:00, 17:00 Marina 2 19:45 Avenues 1 19:30 Avenues 2 13:30, 16: :30, 17:30, 20:30 Al Kout 2 17:30 Public Enemies (Johnny Depp, Christian Bale) Sharqia 3 14:15, 21:45 Sharqia 3 00:30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Muhalab 1 12:45 Muhalab 1 00:05 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Fanar 1 12:45, 15:30, 21:15 Fanar 1 00:05 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Marina 2 21:30 Marina 2 00:15 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Avenues 3 12:30, 15:30, 18:30, 21:30 Avenues 3 00:30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Avenues 4 12:30, 15:30, 18:30, 21:30 Avenues 4 00:30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) :45, 15:45, 18:45, 21: :45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) :00, 18:00, 21: :05 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Al Kout 2 12:30, 19:30 Al Kout 2 Laila 00:30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) 18:30 (Thurs to Tue) Bo Bos (Adel Emam, Yousra) Sharqia 3 17:00 Muhalab 3 14:30 Fanar 3 17:15 Marina 1 17:45 Avenues 7 14:00, 23: :15, 17:15, 20: :15 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Al Kout 2 15:15 Metro 2 Granada 22:30 (Sat to Tue) 16:00 (Thu, Sat, Mon) Dokan Shehata (Ifa Wahabi) Sharqia 3 19:15 Fanar 3 12:30, 19:30 Marina 1 12:45, 22:00 Avenues 10 13:45, 16:15, 19:15, 22:15 Avenues 10 01:00 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) :15, 18:15, 21: :15 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Al Kout 4 14:15, 19:00 Plaza 22:45 (Thu to Tue) Ajial 4 16:00 Metro 1 20:45 (Thu to Tue) Magadheera (Telugu) (Ram Charan, Kajal Agarwal) Muhalab 1 15:45 (Fri, Sat) Ajial 4 18:30, 21:30 Metro 2 22:30 (Thu, Fri) Granada 14:00 (Fri) Granada 18:15, 21:15 The Final Cut (Robin Williams, Mira Sorvino) Fanar 3 15:15 Fanar 3 00:45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Avenues 1 13:30, 16:30, 22:30 Avenues 1 01:15 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) :45, 17:45, 20: :15 (Sun, Tue, Wed) :45 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Al Kout 3 17:45, 22:00 Ajial 1 Metro 1 21:45 (Thu to Tue) 18:45 (Thu to Tue) Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Eunice Cho, Karen Disher) Fanar 4 15:20 Marina 1 15:45 Avenues 8 14:30, 17: :00, 18:00, 21:00 Badel Faked (Ahmed, Mona Shalabi) Fanar 3 22:15 Avenues 8 23:00 (Sun, Tue, Wed) Avenues 8 23:30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) :15, 16:15, 19:15, 22: :00 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Al Kout 2 22:15 Plaza 20:30 (Thu to Tue) Love Aaj Kal (Hindi) (Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone) Fanar 5 19:00 Avenues 7 17:00, 20:00 Plaza 17:30 Omar Wa Salma2 (Tamer Hosny, Mai Ez Eldien) :00 (Sun, Tue, Wed) :30 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Ramadan Mabrouk Abu El 3 Alamain Hamuda Avenues 8 20:30 Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen (Megan Fox, Shia Labeouf) :30, 15:30, 18: :45 (Sun, Tue, Wed) :00 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Land of the Lost (Will Ferrell, Anna Friel) :05 (Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat) Space Station 3D (Imax) 21:30 Eee Pattanathil Bhootam (Malayalam) (Mammootty, Kavya Madhavan) Ajial 1 16:00, 19:00 Luck (Hindi) (Sanjay Dutt, Neha Oberoi) Ajial 3 19:30 (Thu to Tue) Metro 1 16:00 Metro 2 19:30 (Thu to Tue) Modhi Vilaiyadu (Tamil) (Vinay, Kajal Agarwal) Ajial 2 15:45, 18:45, 21:45 Movies inquiries and Fax Back hotline Irabic (English headsets are available upon request). Film schedule is subject to changes without notice. IMAX Imax film programme at The Scientific Center Wednesday Aliens of the Deep 3D 10:30 am, 02:30 pm, 07:30 pm Galapagos 3D 11:30 am, 10:30 pm Ultimate G s 3D 12:30 pm, 06:30 pm, 09:30 pm Misadventure in 3D 01:30 pm, 08:30 pm Journey to Mecca 03:30 pm, 04:30 pm For visitor information call or visit Notes: Journey to Mecca is in Arabic (English headsets are available upon request). Film schedule is subject to changes without notice. Rescue workers inspect a Bangkok Airways plane after it skidded off the runway and hit the control tower at Samui airport on Thailand s Ko Samui (island) on Aug 4. A pilot was killed and dozens of passengers injured when the passenger plane, a 70-seat Turboflot aircraft, skidded off the runway as it landed. (AFP) Pilot dead, 42 hurt after Thai jet skids off runway A passenger plane skidded off the runway and crashed into a building after landing on the Thai resort island of Samui on Tuesday, killing the chief pilot and injuring at least 42 people including foreign tourists. The Bangkok Airways flight landed in stormy weather and hit the airport s old air traffic control tower, which had been converted into a fire station, said Kanikka Kemawutanond, director-general of the Department of Civil Aviation. The copilot and six tourists were hurt. The heavy damage was at the front of the plane where the pilot was. It looks like he suffered from the impact, police Maj Col Sayan Sartsri said. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue removes victims from a Continental Airlines flight from Rio to Houston, Aug 3, at Miami International Airport after severe turbulence injured 26 people, four seriously just before 6 am and forced an emergency landing in Miami, officials said. (AP) In these above photos released by passenger Camila Machado, the interior of Continental Airlines flight 128 is shown after the jet hit turbulence, Aug 3. (AP) I felt like I was on a roller coaster Terror as turbulence hurts 26 on US jet MIAMI, Aug 4, (AP): Some passengers were snoozing while others snacked when the first turbulence rattled Continental Flight 128 over the Atlantic. Suddenly, the jetliner began to plunge and shake violently, hurling passengers over seatbacks and slamming them against luggage bins. The Boeing 767 made an emergency landing in Miami early Monday so at least 26 injured, four seriously, could receive medical help. But the sudden turbulence that rocked the overnight flight from Rio de Janeiro was an all-too-real reminder of an Air France flight also traveling from Rio that crashed into the mid-atlantic in June during thunderstorms, killing all 228 people on board. I immediately thought of the Air France flight, that we re going to fall. We re going to fall, said Herman Oppenheimer of Rio, one of 179 people on the flight. Said 20-year-old passenger Camila Machado, who was going to Las Vegas and was treated for a bruised cheek: I felt like the airplane was going to crash. I felt like we were going to die. Like, the first thing I thought about was Air France. Cause Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen cautioned against drawing any parallels between the two flights and said the cause and severity of the turbulence in the Continental case was still being investigated. I wouldn t draw any conclusions, Bergen said. Meteorologists differed on weather conditions at the time the Houston-bound plane encountered the turbulence just northwest of Puerto Rico. Henri Agramonte, an assistant forecaster at the Dominican Republic national office of meteorology, said there were thunderstorms early Monday, which were caused by a tropical wave that could have generated strong winds off the country s northern coast. But Brian Wimer, a meteorologist from the State College, Pennsylvania-based The co-pilot, who was stuck in the aircraft for more than two hours, was among the last evacuated from the stricken plane. Television footage showed rescue workers pulling him from the aircraft and into an ambulance on the runway. Kannikka, who earlier reported that 34 people were injured, said only seven were hospitalized while others sustained bruises and shock. Samui, located 298 miles (480 kms) south of Bangkok, is an island in the Gulf of Thailand popular with foreign tourists. Puttipong Prasartthong-Osoth, managing director of Bangkok Airways, said the foreign passengers included nationals of Italy, Spain, Accuweather, said there were no thunderstorms in the area. Wimer speculated that the plane may have encountered clear air turbulence, which occur at high altitudes in tranquil and cloudless conditions. There s really no easy way to detect that, said Wimer. It can cause problems if it s severe enough. Normally, if the pilots are aware of it, people sit down and belt in. Bergen said it s premature to say whether clear air turbulence was the cause of the Flight 128 problem. She said the FAA, NASA, and private companies are working to develop turbulence warning technology that could be used in flight. Fastened Aviation officials say air turbulence is rarely more than a nuisance. Still, turbulence was responsible for 22 percent of all US airline accidents and 49 percent of serious-injury accidents between 1996 and 2005, the National Transportation Safety Board reported in an annual safety review in March. Unexpected turbulence is why pilots often tell passengers to keep their buckles fastened even if they have turned off the seat belt sign and the skies are clear. It was just so sudden you didn t really have time to react, said passenger Carolina Portella, 18, describing what happened on Flight 128. I grabbed the hand of the person next to me, and just held on, she said. I mean it was really frightening. Flight attendants in the aisle were thrown against the ceiling. Passengers who weren t belted in went flying into the overhead compartments; one woman hit a luggage bin so hard that her head stuck there. Oxygen masks dropped. A child smacked his chest on a tray table and started bleeding. One lady, she just came out of her seat and flew over the middle row, hit her head on the wall and landed on her back, said 13-year-old passenger Switzerland, France, Germany, Great Britain and Israel. Thailand s public health ministry said 42 people were injured in the crash. Among the injured, Bangkok Airways president said four passengers one Italian, two British and one Swiss were hurt seriously. The flight landed on the south runway and skidded off on the left side before it hit an abandoned air control tower. The aircraft was damaged, Puttipong Prasattong Osot told a press conference. The captain was killed and the co-pilot was evacuated from the aircraft and is now hospitalised, he said. (Agencies) Diego Saavedra, whose nose was bandaged as he spoke with reporters in the terminal of Miami International Airport. All of a sudden there were people coming up off their seats, people screaming, little kids crying, people saying please, ow, help please, Saavedra said. Photos taken by a passenger showed overhead lighting compartments that had been cracked by the impact of passengers heads; another photo showed the guts of an entire panel hanging down, the oxygen tanks inside exposed. Aloiso Dias said he grabbed the seat in front of him and held on. Treated I felt like I was on a roller coaster. I couldn t even see what was going on with my wife, Dias said. Passengers said the terror lasted only a few seconds and the cabin quieted down fast when it was over. A doctor sitting in first class made the rounds through the aircraft and helped the injured, while the decision was made to land the plane in Miami so the injured passengers could be treated. The plane landed in Miami at 5:30 am EDT (2130 GMT). Fourteen people were taken to Miami-area hospitals and were treated for their injuries; four were in serious condition. Other passengers were sent to Houston or reticketed on other Continental flights. Some had to stand in long lines for their new tickets, and during their wait, spoke with the media about their ordeal. Machado was treated at the hospital for the injury to her cheek, while her mother, Glauria Machado, was seen for a gash in her head. Camila Machado cautioned anyone flying to wear their seatbelts even when it is calm. Fasten your seatbelt. That s why we re here, to tell everybody, she said. Always fasten your seatbelt, because that s what saved a lot of people. Everybody who had their seatbelt on, wasn t injured. airport inquiry tel: 161 ANCHORAGE, Alaska: A spokeswoman for Holland America Line says a passenger who went overboard from its cruise ship Zaandam appears to have committed suicide. Based on evidence and information to date it does not appear to be foul play, Sally Andrews said Tuesday from Seattle. It appears to be a suicide. The woman believed to have fallen overboard was identified as Amber Malkuch, 45, of Washington state, Alaska State Troopers said Monday. Malkuch was reported missing by a traveling companion Monday morning when the Zaandam was in Glacier Bay National Park, about 75 miles (120 kms) northwest of Juneau. She was last seen hours earlier after she ordered room service, when the vessel was near Alaska s Douglas Island. A woman s body was found Monday afternoon after a massive search but troopers spokeswoman Beth Ipsen said the body hasn t been positively identified. However, Coast Guard Lt. Nathaniel Johnson in Juneau said Monday night his agency has suspended its search. The glacier-fed waters in the area are 57 degrees (14 Celsius). State troopers planned to meet the cruise ship when it docks Tuesday in Sitka, Ipsen said, adding they would be talking to the woman s companion and anyone else who could help explain how she disappeared off the vessel. The body was taken to Juneau for positive identification. Ipsen said an autopsy would be standard procedure. (AP) HONOLULU: The National Transportation Safety Board has confirmed an initial finding that the captain and first officer of a flight that overflew its destination in Hawaii inadvertently fell asleep while the plane was on autopilot. The NTSB on Monday issued its final report in the case of a 2008 go! airlines flight from Honolulu that overflew Hilo International Airport by 30 miles (48 kms). A contributing factor in the incident was the captain s previously undiagnosed severe obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that likely caused him to experience chronic daytime fatigue and contributed to his falling asleep during the Feb 13, 2008, flight, the NTSB said. Another contributing factor was the flight crew s then-recent work schedules, which included several consecutive days of early morning start times, it said. (AP) JAYAPURA, Indonesia: Wreckage from a plane that went missing over Indonesia s rugged Papua region with 16 people on board was found Tuesday in dense jungle, an airline executive said. Search and rescue teams are trying to land in the area by helicopter but there is little hope any passengers or crew, all Indonesians, will be found alive. The Merpati Nusantara Airlines plane crashed into a mountain range Sunday as it flew from Jayapura to Oksibil. The tail of the plane was spotted at 6:00 am (2100 GMT), Merpati chief director Bambang Bhakti said. An airborne search team saw the wreckage near Ampisibil village in Bintang Mountains Regency, at a height of 2,850 metres (9,300 feet), he added. The site of the crash is about 37 kms (23 miles) south of Oksibil. Indonesia relies heavily on air links across the archipelago but its safety record is one of the worst in Asia and accidents are common. (AFP) LOS ANGELES: Craig Ferguson, who earned his pilot s license last week, says he loves aviation because it s the complete opposite of show business. The host of CBS Late Late Show says that getting ahead in entertainment means claiming to be able to do anything that s asked. In aviation, Ferguson says, a person has to tell the truth or risk death. He likes to keep much of his life involved in more rational areas than entertainment, Ferguson told reporters Monday at a meeting of the Television Critics Association. Asked to assess guests he s had on his show, Ferguson says his favorite was actress Betty White. His least favorite? An actor he declined to name. (AP) MIAMI: A Brazilian singer s lawsuit claims flight attendants called him racial slurs on a trip from New York to his home county and that his producer was stabbed with a sharp pen. Dudu Nobre, his wife and the producer filed the lawsuit against American Airlines last week, seeking $4 million in damages. Nobre, who is black, claims one flight attendant repeatedly called him a monkey in Portuguese and made monkeylike sounds and gestures during the flight last year to Sao Paulo, Brazil. The lawsuit claims the attendant threatened a fight and stabbed Nobre s producer with a pen as they were getting off the plane. American Airlines officials declined comment Monday. (AP) DUBLIN: Irish airline Aer Lingus said on Tuesday it had agreed with Airbus to cap its long-haul fleet at eight aircraft until 2013, significantly reducing its capital commitments for the next three years. Aer Lingus, which appointed Christoph Mueller as its new chief executive last month, will take one new aircraft as planned next year but adjusted the delivery of five more until between 2013 and The loss-making carrier also announced that it would reduce its current long-haul fleet through the early termination of existing lease agreements on two aircrafts, adding the revised schedule was negotiated at no additional cost. This deferral plan is very welcome in the face of the strong competition on the routes and the drag on the group s net cash position from the capex plans, Goodbody Stockbrokers analyst Eamonn Hughes wrote in a note. (RTRS) JOHANNESBURG: Airlines at Africa s busiest airport were asked to voluntarily cut back fuel usage by 30 percent, as supply problems whittled stocks to a two-day stockpile, an airport official said Tuesday. Jet fuel requirements for OR Tambo International had not been met for several weeks, affecting stock levels that are usually kept at a five day store, said Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) spokesman Solomon Makgale. We have two days where we would be able to supply fuel. The fuel coupled with the 30 percent reduction will keep the airport operational until the stock levels are back up, he told AFP. The shortage only affects OR Tambo, the busiest airport on the continent, with 18 million passengers and 300,000 tons of cargo passing through its terminals annually, he said Makgale. (AFP) LIMA: Three Belgian mountain climbers a woman and two men fell to their death in a ravine in the Peruvian Andes, police officials said Monday. The accident took place on Sunday while the group was trying to scale Tocllaraju mountain, whose peak is 6,032 meters (19,790 feet) high, Ingrid Villanueva of the Huaraz police station told AFP. Ann Houttekviet, 22, Koen de Bacher, 26, and Hans Marien, 20, were already dead when rescuers arrived at the scene, and their bodies were brought to Huaraz, 180 kilometers (112 miles) northeast of Lima. It was the third accident in just 10 days in the treacherous Peruvian mountains. (AFP)

30 30 CBS says no plans to change focus on scripted shows Couch slouch contract bridge By Steve Becker Too much TV bad for kids BP NEW YORK, Aug 4, (RTRS): You knew too much TV could be bad for kids in general. Now, hints a study released Monday, too much time in front of the tube, even playing video games, may increase a child s risk of developing high blood pressure. The findings held regardless of whether the children were overweight or thin. We ve known from previous studies that sedentary behaviors are linked to obesity, and that obesity is linked to high blood pressure, but this is the first time that we ve linked those behaviors directly to elevated blood pressure, Dr Joey C. Eisenmann of Michigan State University in East Lansing, who was involved in the study, noted in an to Reuters Health. In the study, Eisenmann and colleagues tracked the physical activity levels of to 8-year-olds for one week. The children wore an accelerometer to determine how active they were and parents reported how much time their youngster spent watching TV, playing video games, painting, sitting or taking part in other lowexertional activities. The results showed that the children were sedentary for an average of 5 hours each day and logged an average of 1.5 hours of screen time each day. And while sedentary behavior was not significantly related to blood pressure, TV viewing and screen time but not computer use did seem to impact blood pressure. Regardless of body weight, blood pressure was significantly higher in children who had the most TV and screen time compared to children with the lowest TV and screen time (less than 30 minutes per day, on average), the team found. The researchers report their findings in the latest issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. To combat the problem, Eisenmann stresses that parents and children need to adhere to limits set by the American Academy of Pediatrics of no more than 2 hours of TV watching per day and that needs to be combined with at least 60 Say Anything starring John Cusack, Ione Skye and John Mahoney is shown on Star Movies at 20:30 hours. In this classic 80s teen romantic comedy, John Cusack plays Lloyd Dobler, a dorky high school student who has fallen for Diane Court (Skye), the beautiful class valedictorian. Determined to win her affections, Lloyd devotes himself to pursuing Diane. minutes of physical activity a day. It appears other factors, which occur during excessive screen time, should also be considered in the context of sedentary behavior and elevated blood pressure development in children, Eisenmann said. TV viewing often comes with unhealthy snacking behavior, and also can lead to stress responses that disrupt sleep, he explained. Less sleep has been tied to higher blood pressure. Also: LOS ANGELES: CBS television, the most-watched US network, has no plans to change its primetime schedule of mostly scripted programming to include more reality shows, Entertainment President Nina Tassler said Monday. Tassler also told TV critics at a meeting previewing the upcoming 2009 fall season that CBS was confident about meeting the challenge of Jay Leno moving his NBC chat show to primetime in September in a major shake-up of network TV. We re very selective about what we put on and because we do well with scripted programming, why would we change?, said Tassler. We re not going to fix what isn t broken. CBS finished the season with an 11 percent growth in its average overall nightly viewership to million. The other three major US networks News Corp s Fox, Walt Disney Co s ABC and General Electric Co s NBC all dropped viewers by between 3 percent and 13 percent. tv highlights click Latest Continued from Page 26 and technicalities. Call , or Rod Cerezo. rodcerezo@yahoo.com. Theater & Music Nov 6 BAIA announces new course: The British Academy of International Arts (BAIA) is pleased to announce this new course designed to enable every child to communicate effectively. The course is in line with the BBC programme Voices and UK schools programmes Every child can and will concentrate on, amongst others, the skills and techniques required for developing a beautiful and cultured voice, reading aloud, standing in front of an audience and using a microphone. The course will be taught by UK registered speech tutor Alison Shan Price and ESL tutor Fiona McCulloch and is aimed for children aged 5-12 years. For further information please contact Gregan Davis, Head of Faculty of Speech, Tel x112 or administrator@baia.com.kw. General Pehla Star World 07:00 I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here 09:00 Most Haunted 09:50 Dilbert 10:00 Ghost Whisperer 10:50 Diff'rent Strokes 11:00 How I Met Your Mother 11:25 How I Met Your Mother 11:50 Who's The Boss? 12:00 Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? 12:50 Dilbert 13:00 Rodney 13:30 The Bold And The Beautiful 14:00 7th Heaven 14:50 Diff'rent Strokes 15:00 Ghost Whisperer 15:50 Who's The Boss? 16:00 [V] Tunes 17:00 Most Haunted 18:00 I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here 20:00 Samantha Who? 20:25 Samantha Who? 20:50 Dilbert 21:00 Shark 21:50 Diff'rent Strokes 22:00 Boston Legal 22:50 Who's The Boss? 23:00 Jimmy Kimmel Live! 23:50 Dilbert 00:00 Shark 00:50 Diff'rent Strokes 01:00 Boston Legal 01:50 Who's The Boss? 02:00 [V] Tunes 03:00 The Simpsons 03:30 Ngc Program 04:00 [V] Tunes 05:00 [V] Tunes 06:00 7th Heaven 07:00 I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here Orbit America Plus 06:00 Good Morning America 08:00 Good Morning America Health 08:30 What`s The Buzz 09:00 All My Children 10: :00 Law & Order 12:00 All My Children 13:00 In Plain Sight 14:00 Good Morning America 16:00 Good Morning America Health 16:30 What`s The Buzz 17:00 Law & Order 18:00 In Plain Sight 19:00 Gilmore Girls 20:00 Life On Mars 21:00 Smallville 22:00 Smallville 23:00 Cold Case 00:00 Life On Mars 01:00 Smallville 02:00 Trading Spouses 03: :00 Law & Order 05:00 In Plain Sight 06:00 Good Morning America VH1 07:00 Espresso 09:00 VH1 Music 11:00 Aerobic 12:00 Top 10 13:00 Making The Movie 13:30 Cribs 14:00 VH1 Pop Chart 15:00 VH1 Music 15:30 VH1 Music 16:00 VH1 Music 16:30 VH1 Music 17:00 VH1 Weekly Album Chart 18:00 VH1 Music 19:00 VH1 Viewer's Jukebox 20:00 VH1 Music 21:00 VH1 Hits 22:00 Music For The Masses 23:00 VH1 New 00:00 VH1 Rocks 00:30 Smells Like The 90s 01:00 Greatest Hits 02:00 VH1 Music 05:00 Chill Out 07:00 Espresso Hollywood Channel 06:10 Innertainment 06:35 In Your Dreams 07:00 Caribbean Work Out 07:25 Breathing Space Yoga 07:50 Yoga Zone 08:15 African Workout With Maobong Oku 08:40 Saturday Kitchen 09:05 Sizzle 09:30 Arresting Design 10:00 Divine Design 10:25 Divine Design 10:50 Diva On A Dime 11:15 Big Boutique 11:40 Saturday Kitchen 12:10 Place In The Sun 13:00 Perfect Getaway 13:25 I Do- Let`s Eat! S1 13:50 Retail Therapy 14:15 A Cook`s Tour 14:45 I Do- Let`s Eat! 15:10 Bridezillas 16:00 Arresting Design 16:25 Arresting Design 16:50 A Place In The Sun 17:45 Maxed Out 18:10 Hollywood Pets 18:35 A Cook`s Tour 19:00 Place In The Sun 19:55 Diva On A Dime 20:20 Diva On A Dime 20:45 My Parent`s House tv today S4 21:10 A Place In The Sun 22:00 Bridezillas 22:55 Take My Kids Please! 23:20 Take My Kids Please! 23:45 Beyond Stardom 00:10 Maxed Out 00:35 Arresting Design 01:05 Arresting Design 01:30 My Parent`s House S4 01:55 Real Weddings From The Knot 9 02:20 Girly Ghosthunters 02:45 Singles 03:10 Place In The Sun 04:05 Retail Therapy 04:30 Real Weddings From The Knot 1 04:55 Real Weddings From The Knot 2 05:20 Fashion Avenue 05:45 Girly Ghosthunters 06:10 Innertainment Orbit Disney 06:00 My Friends Tigger And Pooh 06:25 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 06:45 Little Einsteins 07:10 Handy Manny 07:20 Special Agent Oso 07:35 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse 08:00 Replacements 08:20 Fairly Odd Parents 08:45 Phineas And Ferb 09:00 Replacements 09:25 I Got A Rocket 09:35 Hannah Montana 10:00 Wizards Of Waverly Place 10:25 The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody 10:45 Phineas And Ferb 11:00 Quack Pack 11:25 House Of Mouse 11:45 Tarzan 12:10 Lilo And Stitch 12:35 Recess 12:55 American Dragon 13:20 Kim Possible 13:40 Famous Five 14:05 Fairly Odd Parents 14:30 Phineas And Ferb 14:55 Replacements 15:15 American Dragon 15:40 Kim Possible 16:00 High School Musical 2: Sing-A-Long 17:35 Phineas And Ferb 18:00 Wizards Of Waverly Place 18:25 I Got A Rocket 18:35 Hannah Montana 19:00 Brandy And Mr Whiskers 19:25 Emperor's New School 19:50 Replacements 20:10 Hannah Montana 20:35 Brian O Brian. 20:40 The Suite Life Of Zack And Cody 21:05 Cory In The House 21:30 Phil Of The Future 21:55 Classic Cartoons 22:00 Tarzan 22:25 Lilo And Stitch 22:50 Recess 23:10 American Dragon 23:35 Kim Possible 23:55 Famous Five 00:20 Fairly Odd Parents 00:45 Phineas And Ferb 01:10 Replacements 01:35 American Dragon 02:00 Kim 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31 HEALTH 31 Health Potential glaucoma treatment tested Exercising the mind could stall dementia NEW YORK, Aug 4, (Agencies): A new study in Bronx seniors provides yet more evidence that keeping your brain active for fun can keep dementia at bay. Dr Charles B. Hall of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, New York, and his colleagues found that every day per week that a person engaged in one of six mentally stimulating leisure activities delayed the onset of dementia by about two months. Hall and his colleagues had previously shown that people with more years of education who developed dementia did so later than less educated individuals. In the current study, he said, it was the cognitive activity that mattered, not the education. In the current study, published in Neurology, Hall and his team looked at 101 people who developed dementia. All were participating in the Bronx Aging Study, which has been following 488 people since the early 1980s. All of the study participants, who ranged in age from 75 to 85, had reported their years of formal education at the study s outset, as well as how often each week they read, wrote, did crossword puzzles, played board or card games, participated in group discussions, or played music. A person scored 1 for each day that they did each activity. The study participants, all of whom were dementia free at the beginning of the study, underwent cognitive testing every 12 to 18 months. The higher a person s score on the activity scale, the later the onset of accelerated mental decline, Hall and his colleagues found. For example, a person in the top 25 percent based on their activity scale, who engaged in 11 activity days a week, started their accelerated decline 1.29 years later, on average, than a person in the bottom 25 percent, with four activity days a week. But once that decline began, it happened faster in people with higher activity scores. The findings back up the idea of cognitive reserve, Hall noted, which is the theory that education and brain exercise build extra capacity into the brain so it can better handle the damage to neurons caused by Alzheimer s disease. But once that damage reaches a certain point, a person will develop dementia. Being more mentally active might keep you out of a nursing home for a year or two, Hall said. But it s not going to prevent Alzheimer s disease unfortunately, at least that s the theory, and this is evidence toward that theory. Eventually, he said, the disease would overwhelm whatever reserve you had. Hall and his colleagues are now investigating which of the six activities in the current study might give the most brainpreserving bang for the buck. Studies will need to tease out whether education and later-life mental activities have effects that are independent of one another. With what we know now, he added, engaging in these activities could helpand it certainly won t hurt. You might get depressed from not being able to do a crossword puzzle, but there s really very little of a downside here. Glaucoma: A new type of eye drop may point the way to treatment for glaucoma, though it has only been tested in three Italians so far. One of the leading causes of blindness, glaucoma occurs when the optic nerve is damaged, often by high pressure within the eye. Treatment can delay progress of the disease but can t reverse damage already done. Now a team of Italian researchers reports that vision improved in three patients they treated. The tests in people were tried after success in treating rats with the eye drops containing a protein known as nerve growth factor, the researchers said. The team, led by Alessandro Lambiase of the department of ophthalmology, University of Rome, reported its findings in Tuesday s edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. Nerve growth factor assists portions of the central nervous system that have been damaged by disease or injury. In tests it prevented nerve degeneration in rats with glaucoma, leading the researchers to launch the human tests. The patients, two men and a woman in their 60s and 70s, had advanced glaucoma, some for 20 years or more. After three months of treatment all patients showed improvements in visual sharpness and ability to detect contrast, the researchers said. Two of the three showed improved visual fields, while the visual field stabilized for the third. And, the researchers said, the improvements remain even three months after the treatments were finished. Dr David J. Calkins, director of research at the Vanderbilt Eye Institute, welcomed the finding with guarded optimism. Calkins, who was not part of the research team, said the work deserves a good, hard look, because patients with disease as advanced as the patients in this study had been thought to be beyond repair. However, the success must be repeated in further experiments, he stressed. The research was funded by the Italian Ministry of Health and the Italian Ministry of University and Scientific Research. Bladder cancer: Researchers said on Monday they had found primitive bladder cancer cells that cloak themselves with a don t eat me signal that scares off immune system cells, allowing them to mature into tumors later on. But they found a way to unmask this disguise and said their findings may lead to new approaches for treating cancers of several different types. The immediate hope is to find a way of telling apart patients who have dangerous bladder cancer from those who have more benign forms. Bladder cancer is mostly Awareness raised Rare deaths spur sickle cell testing WASHINGTON, Aug 4, (AP): Thousands of families carry the gene that causes sickle cell disease and don t know it even though almost every newborn in the US today is tested for what is called sickle cell trait, and starting this summer more college athletes are getting tested, too. Spurred in part by rare but tragic collapses of athletes from overexertion, work is beginning to find families missed by newborn screening or who did not understand that sickle cell trait has ramifications: Aside from sports safety, if both parents carry the gene they could have a baby with full-fledged sickle cell disease, a devastating blood disorder. Sickle cell is most common in black Americans about 10 percent have the trait and also in people of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Central and South American ancestry. In short, almost anyone can have it. In late June, the National Collegiate Athletic Association recommended that colleges and universities test student-athletes, many of whom were born before widespread newborn screening. The move helped settle a lawsuit from the family of a 19-year-old freshman football player at Rice University, Dale Lloyd II, who died from sickle cell trait complications during a conditioning workout in September Athletes should be tested but so should everybody else, says Dr Lakshmanan Krishnamurti of the Children s Hospital of Pittsburgh, whose sickle cell program, prompted by the NCAA recommendation, is preparing to offer testing for anyone in that city s schools, both high school and college. There is a lack of awareness all around, adds Krishnamurti, who spearheaded a separate effort to improve notification of new parents. It s really quite a travesty. Don t misunderstand: Sickle cell disease demands immediate treatment for babies, and state testing programs make tracking down those families a priority. About 80,000 Americans have sickle cell disease, in which oxygen-carrying hemoglobin clumps inside red blood cells, turning them into a sickle shape that can t squeeze through tiny blood vessels. That causes pain, infections and eventually life-threatening organ damage. Sickle cell trait is different. More than 2.5 million Americans have it, meaning they carry one copy of the abnormal hemoglobin gene, not the two needed to cause full disease. Trait carriers only occasionally experience health problems, like blood in the urine, some blood clumping at high altitudes and the athletes risk in which intense exercise can cause blood cells to sickle enough to block blood flow to muscles, which rapidly break down. The National Athletic Trainers Association, which also recommends athlete testing, has counted a dozen sports-related deaths since 2000 from that exertional sickling, most of them college football players during training but also two 12-year-olds. slow-growing and easily treated, but 15 percent of cases become invasive and deadly. Dr Irving Weissman of Stanford University in California and colleagues found that the so-called cancer stem cells disguise themselves using a protein called CD-47. Immune system cells called macrophages usually eat cancer cells but CD-47 is a signal that turns them off. This is first time we ve found this don t eat me signal in a stem cell of a solid cancer, Weissman said in a statement. We re now moving as fast as we can to look at other tumors to see if this is a universal strategy of all or most cancer stem cells. The same team earlier found that some types of leukemia cells also use CD-47 as a disguise. Samples from bladder tumors showed that most were rich in CD-47. Weissman s team found that CD-47 was expressed more, meaning it was more active, among cancer cells from patients who went on to develop the dangerous kind of bladder tumor. They think they can use this unique pattern to help diagnose patients better, allowing those with aggressive cancers to get more immediate treatment. Wounded US servicemen and their families white water raft on the Colorado River on July 31, near No Name, Colorado. They were part of a group of a dozen war wounded and their families participating in the Vail Veterans Program summer retreat. The program is designed to help recently severely wounded US military forces rehabilitate and rebuild confidence through outdoor sports, including rafting, fly fishing, skeet shooting and horseback riding. Most of the wounded are flown in from Walter Reed Army Medical A model holds up a Japanese mobile communication giant NTT docomo s mobile RakuRaku Phone 6 handset for senior users that includes health monitoring interface in Tokyo on July 28. The new waterproof handset, equipped with sensors that measures heart rate and exercise and can also enable infrared communication with a bathroom for daily health monitoring, produced by Japanese computer giant Fujitsu, will go on sale from Aug 7. (AFP) Health AstraZeneca, Bristol drug cleared: AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb s new once-daily diabetes drug Onglyza will cost the same as Merck & Co Januvia, setting up a head-to-head battle for US market share. Onglyza will have a US average wholesale price of $5.72 per pill for both the 2.5 and 5 milligram doses, the same as Merck s medicine, an AstraZeneca spokesman said on Monday in response to inquiries. The drug was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration lapte on Friday. Merck s product is likely to continue to dominate the so-called DPP-4 market, as Onglyza is not significantly different, but the new entrant may slow the growth profile of Januvia, which has so far had the US market to itself, according to analysts. (RTRS) Induced labor best in hypertension: Pregnant women with disorders that cause high blood pressure should have labour induced once pregnancy reaches the 37-week mark, according to a study released Tuesday. The new recommendations apply in particular to patients with mild pre-eclampsia, a condition that causes hypertension, swelling and sudden weight gain in expectant mothers. The only way to relieve the symptoms which in extreme cases can lead to death is to give birth. About seven percent of all pregnancies are complicated by hypertension disorders, including pre-eclampsia, which can contribute to health problems during pregnancy. But it has remained unclear whether it was better for the well-being of the woman to systematically induce delivery in case of consistent high blood pressure, or to allow such pregnancies to continue until labour occurs spontaneously. To find out, a team of researchers in the Netherlands led by Corine Koopmans of University Medical Centre in Groningen set up a clinical trial with 756 women past the 36th week of their pregnancy all with mild hypertension or pre-eclampsia divided into two, randomly selected groups. Induction of labour at 37 weeks gestation and beyond seems to improve obstetric outcomes in patients with hypertension and preeclampsia, Donna Johnson, a researcher at the Medical University of South Carolina, said in a commentary, also in The Lancet. (AFP) New Gaucher drug for FDA nod: Shire s new Gaucher disease drug velaglucerase alfa moved closer to market on Monday, following positive Phase III trial results and the start of a rolling submission to US regulators. The US Food and Drug Administration new Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said last month it was moving to speed up access to experimental drugs for Gaucher disease to help offset likely shortages of Cerezyme, the topselling drug made by Genzyme. Patients with Gaucher are deficient in an enzyme that breaks down a certain type of fat Center in Washington, DC. Some 250 wounded troops have participated, both in the summer and winter programs since The visits to the Rocky Mountain retreat have been incorporated into Walter Reed s rehabilitation program for troops who have suffered from traumatic injuries, including amputations, brain injuries and other severe wounds, most of which sustained in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. (AFP) Depressive orders can be chronic in preschoolers Depression seen in young kids CHICAGO, Aug 4, (AP): Depression in children as young as 3 is real and not just a passing grumpy mood, according to provocative new research. The study is billed as the first to show that major depression can be chronic even in very young children, contrary to the stereotype of the happy-go-lucky preschooler. Until fairly recently, people really haven t paid much attention to depressive disorders in children under the age of 6, said lead author Dr Joan Luby, a psychiatrist at Washington University in St. Louis. They didn t think it could happen... because children under 6 were too emotionally immature to experience it. Previous research suggested that depression affects about 2 percent of US preschoolers, or roughly 160,000 youngsters, at one time or another. But it was unclear whether depression in preschoolers could be chronic, as it can be in older children and adults. Luby s research team followed more than 200 preschoolers, ages 3 to 6, for up to two years, including 75 diagnosed with major depression. The children had up to four mental health exams during the study. Recurrent Among initially depressed children, 64 percent were still depressed or had a recurrent episode of depression six months later, and 40 percent still had problems after two years. Overall, nearly 20 percent had persistent or recurrent depression at all four exams. Depression was most common in children whose mothers were also depressed or had other mood disorders, and among those who had experienced a traumatic event, such as the death of a parent or physical or sexual abuse. The new study, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and released Monday in the August issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, did not examine depression treatment, which is highly controversial among children so young. Some advocates say parents and doctors are too quick to give children powerful psychiatric drugs. Though sure to raise eyebrows among lay people, the notion that children so young can get depressed is increasingly accepted in psychiatry. University of Chicago psychiatrist Dr Sharon Hirsch said the public thinks of preschoolers as carefree. They get to play. Why would they be depressed? she said. But depression involves chemical changes in the brain that can affect even youngsters with an otherwise happy life, said Hirsch, who was not involved in the study. When you have that problem, you just don t have that ability to feel good, she said. Research And, in fact, Luby said she has separate, unpublished research showing that chemical changes seen in older children also occur in depressed preschoolers. Dr Helen Egger, a Duke University psychiatrist who also has studied childhood depression, said it is common among people in her field to first see depressed kids in their teens. Their parents will say symptoms began very early in childhood, but they were told, Your child will grow out of them, Egger said. Typical preschoolers can be moody or have temper tantrums, but they quickly Hamburg Drug use not up among blacks Antidepressant use doubles in US WASHINGTON, Aug 4, (RTRS): Use of antidepressant drugs in the United States doubled between 1996 and 2005, probably because of a mix of factors, researchers reported on Monday. About 6 percent of people were prescribed an antidepressant in million people. This rose to more than 10 percent or 27 million people by 2005, the researchers found. Significant increases in antidepressant use were evident across all sociodemographic groups examined, except African Americans, Dr. Mark Olfson of Columbia University in New York and Steven Marcus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia wrote in the Archives of General Psychiatry. Not only are more US residents being treated with antidepressants, but also those who are being treated are receiving more antidepressant prescriptions, they added. More than 164 million prescriptions were written in 2008 for antidepressants, totaling $9.6 billion in US sales, according to IMS Health. Drugs that affect the brain chemical serotonin like GlaxoSmithKline s Paxil, known generically as paroxetine, and Eli Lilly and Co s Prozac, known generically as fluoxetine, are the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressant. But the study found the effect in all classes of the drugs. Olfson and Marcus looked at the Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys done by the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, involving more than 50,000 people in 1996 and During this period, individuals treated with antidepressants became more likely to also receive treatment with antipsychotic medications and less likely to undergo psychotherapy, they wrote. The survey did not look at why, but the Johnson researchers made some educated guesses. It may be more socially acceptable to be diagnosed with and treated for depression, they said. The availability of new drugs may also have been a factor. Although there was little change in total promotional spending for antidepressants between 1999 ($0.98 billion) and 2005 ($1.02 billion), there was a marked increase in the percentage of this spending that was devoted to direct-to consumer advertising, from 3.3 percent ($32 million) to 12 percent ($ million), they added. Dr. Eric Caine of the University of Rochester in New York said he was concerned by the findings. Antidepressants are only moderately effective on population level, he said in a telephone interview. Caine, who was not involved in the research, noted that several studies show therapy is as effective as, if not more effective than, drug use alone. There are no data to say that the population is healthier. Indeed, the suicide rate in the middle years of life has been climbing, he said. Olfson and Marcus said out-of-pocket costs for psychotherapy and lower insurance coverage for such visits may have driven patients away from seeing therapists in favor of an easy-to-prescribe pill. The rise in antidepressant prescriptions also is seen despite a series of public health warnings on use of antidepressant drugs beginning in 2003 after clinical trials showed they increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children and teens. In February 2005, the US Food and Drug Administration added its strongest warning, a so-called black box, on the use of all antidepressants in children and teens. bounce back and appear happy when playing or doing everyday activities. Depressed children appear sad even when playing, and their games may have themes of death or other somber topics. Persistent lack of appetite, sleep problems, and frequent temper tantrums that involve biting, kicking or hitting also are signs of possible depression, Egger said. Luby said another sign is being preoccupied with guilt over common mishaps. For example, a depressed 3-year-old who accidentally breaks a glass might keep saying, Mommy, I m sorry I did that, and appear unable to shake off that sense of guilt for days, she said. Compromissed University of Massachusetts psychologist Lisa Cosgrove said she is skeptical about the accuracy of labeling preschoolers as depressed, because diagnostic tools for evaluating mental health in children so young aren t as well tested as those used for adults. And Cosgrove said that while early treatment is important for troubled children, we just have to make sure that those interventions aren t compromised by industry pressure to use drugs. Previous research has suggested that rising numbers of preschoolers are taking psychiatric drugs, including Prozac, which is used to treat depression. Egger said that there is little research on the effects of psychiatric medicine in very young children, and that psychotherapy should always be tried first. Dr David Fassler, a University of Vermont psychiatry professor, stressed that depression in very young children is still pretty rare. However, without treatment, it can have a devastating and often lasting effect on a child s social and emotional development, he said. Hopefully, studies such as this will help parents, teachers, and pediatricians recognize the signs and symptoms of preschool depression so they make sure young children get the help they need and deserve, Fassler said. molecule. Fatty cells accumulate in different parts of the body, including the spleen, liver and bone marrow. Shire plans to provide the drug free of charge initially, in order to provide access to patients as quickly as possible. Britain s third-biggest drugmaker said the first of three Phase III studies of velaglucerase alfa had produced positive clinical results and the FDA had accepted its treatment protocol for the enzyme replacement therapy. (RTRS)

32 HEALTH 32 Russia to up border control after plague outbreak in China Plague kills third man in sealed-off Chinese town BEIJING, Aug 4, (Agencies): Medical staff raced to disinfect a sealed-off town in northwestern China on Tuesday after a third person died within four days in a pneumonic plague outbreak in the farming community of 10,000, local authorities said. Police set up checkpoints around Ziketan in Qinghai province after the outbreak was first detected last Thursday. The lung infection is highly contagious can kill a human in 24 hours if left untreated. Medical staff are disinfecting the area and killing rats, insects and fleas that can be carriers for the bacteria, a notice on the provincial health department Web site said. Authorities are keeping close track of people who came into contact with those infected. Authorities urged anyone who had visited the town since mid-july and has developed a cough or fever to seek hospital treatment. Pneumonic plague is spread through the air and can be passed from person to person through coughing. Victim The latest victim was a 64-year-old man named Danzhi, the official Xinhua News Agency said. He was a neighbor of a 32-year-old herdsman in Ziketan and a 37-year-old man who died earlier. A further nine people mainly relatives of the herdsman are infected and in a hospital, according to the local health bureau. Of those, one is in an extremely serious condition and one other has developed symptoms of coughing and chest pain, but the rest are in stable condition and there have been no reports of new infections, Xinhua and the health department said. Police checkpoints were set up in a 17-mile (28-kilometer) radius around Ziketan and people were not allowed to leave, a resident said. Many shops remained closed Tuesday, residents said, although more vehicles Lawrence Brown Jr (center), was accompanied by his parents, Georgina (left), and Lawrence (right), as he demonstrated his ability to walk without the use of a guide, July 31, at the El Paso International Airport in El Paso, Texas. Lawrence Jr, was returning from China after a 6-week trip to receive stem cell injections as a possible cure for his blindness. (AP) were out on the street. Some people tried to leave the quarantined area on Monday evening after the third death was reported, mostly by foot, one resident reached by The Associated Press said Tuesday. A lot of people ran off last night when they heard that another person died of this plague. They are mostly from other provinces, said a foodseller surnamed Han who runs a stall at the Crystal Alley Market. They headed back home with food, mineral water and their donkeys. It was unclear if the people who headed ed animals. Pneumonic plague is caused by the same bacteria that causes bubonic plague the Black Death that killed an estimated 25 million people in Europe in the Middle Ages. The WHO office in China said it was in close contact with Chinese health authorities and that measures taken so far to treat and quarantine sickened people were appropriate. The man who died Sunday was identified only as 37-year-old Danzin from Ziketan, the stricken town in Qinghai province, the official Xinhua News Agency said. Danzin was a neighbor of the first person who died, a 32-year-old herdsman whose name was not given. Another 10 people, mostly relatives of the first deceased man, were infected and undergoing isolated treatment in hospital, Xinhua said in a report late Sunday. The town of 10,000 people has been sealed off and a team of experts was sent to the area, the local health bureau said Sunday, warning that anyone with a cough or fever who visited the town since mid-july should seek treatment at a hospital. Disinfected A food seller surnamed Han at the Crystal Alley Market in Ziketan said authorities have said homes and shops should be disinfected and residents should wear masks when they go out. He said 80 percent of shops in the town were closed and prices of disinfectants and some vegetables have tripled. People are so scared. There are few people on the streets, Han said by telephone. There are police guarding the quarantine center at the township hospital but not on the streets. The situation in Ziketan was stable, said an official surnamed Wang at the local disease control center, who added the measures taken were scientific, orderly, effective and in accordance with the law. A woman who lives in Ziketan, who refused to give her name, said out of the town made it past the police checkpoints. Officials at the local and provincial level were unavailable to comment. According to the World Health Organization, pneumonic plague is one of the deadliest infectious diseases, capable of killing humans within 24 hours of infection. A 2006 WHO report from an international meeting on plague cited a Chinese government disease expert as saying that most cases of the plague in China s northwest occur when hunters are contaminated while skinning infectcounty officials distributed flyers and made TV and radio announcements on how to prevent infection. The woman contacted by phone said police checkpoints were set up in a 17-mile (28-kilometer) radius around Ziketan and residents were not allowed to leave. Pneumonic plague is spread through the air and can be passed from person to person through coughing, according to the World Health Organization. It is caused by the same bacteria that occurs in bubonic plague the Black Death that killed an estimated 25 million people in Europe during the Middle Ages. Bubonic plague is usually transmitted by flea bite and can be treated with antibiotics if diagnosed early. Pneumonic plague is one of the deadliest infectious diseases, capable of killing humans within 24 hours of infection, according to the WHO. Russia will boost monitoring at its border with China following an outbreak of pneumonic plague in a neighboring north-western region, Russia s top sanitary doctor said Monday. Control over people crossing this border will be stepped up, including both Chinese and Russian nationals, Gennady Onishchenko said as quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency, adding that the region was fairly remote. Facts Below are some facts about plague: What is plague? Plague circulates mainly among small animals and fleas. It is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and can also infect humans. It is transmitted between animals and humans by the bite of infected fleas, direct contact, inhalation and rarely, ingestion of infectious materials. Plague can be a very severe disease in people, with a mortality rate of between 30 and 60 percent if left untreated. What do we know about the bacteria? Y. pestis is easily destroyed by sunlight and drying. Even so, when released into air, the bacterium can survive for up to one hour. It is endemic in many countries in Africa, the former Soviet Union, the Americas, and Asia. What are its symptoms? Infected persons usually start with flu-like symptoms after an incubation period of 3 to 7 days. They experience fever, chills, head and body-aches and weakness, vomiting and nausea. Plague manifests itself in three forms depending on the route of infection: bubonic, septicaemic and pneumonic. What is bubonic plague? Bubonic plague is the most common form of plague. This occurs when an infected flea bites a person or when materials contaminated with Y. pestis enter through a break in a person s skin. Patients develop swollen, tender lymph glands (called buboes) and fever, headache, chills, and weakness. Bubonic plague does not spread from person to person. What is septicemic plague? Septicemic plague occurs when plague bacteria multiply in the blood. Patients have fever, chills, prostration, abdominal pain, shock, and bleeding into the skin and other organs. Septicemic plague does not spread from person to person. What is pneumonic plague? It is the most virulent and least common form of plague. Pneumonic plague occurs when Y. pestis infects the lungs. This type of plague can spread from person to person through the air. Transmission can take place if someone breathes in aerosolized bacteria, which could happen in a bioterrorist attack. Treatment and prevention Rapid diagnosis and treatment is essential to reduce complications and risk of death. Effective treatment methods include antibiotics and supportive therapy.

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34 Dubai gold sales plummet as tourists stay at home dinar rises Gold jewellery sale volumes in Dubai fell around 40 percent in July on a year ago, as the economic downturn and summer heat deterred tourism, retailers said on Tuesday. Tourists are a large part of the market for Dubai s tax-free gold, but recession has eaten into disposable incomes and hit the flow of visitors to the emirate, deepening the seasonal downturn in visitors as desert temperatures peak. There are no more tourists walking around the souk, said a salesman from ARY Jewellery based in Dubai s old gold souk. The situation for us is really bad, our sales are down nearly 40 percent. The heat and the fact that tourists have no money to travel are affecting the business and there are no indications of an improvement. Almost 8 million tourists visited the emirate, which brands itself as the City of Gold, last year. There were no official figures on the number of visitors so far this year, but hotel revenues in the emirate fell 40 on the year in May and June, according to a report issued by hospitality consultancy STR Global. I don t see the situation improving much because the month of Ramadan is coming up soon and all people are thinking about is food, not gold, said Muhan Al Awadi, a sales manager at Al Ansari Jewellery in Dubai s Gold and Diamond Park. Sales at his shop fell by as much as 50 percent in July, he added. Ramadan, a holy month for Muslims when they fast from sun rise to sunset, is expected to start on 21 August. Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, is less dependent on tourists than Dubai and saw sales in July up 30 percent on the year as expatriates bought jewellery before leaving for summer breaks. Gold has risen around 28.8 percent to about $ an ounce on Tuesday from a low near $680 in October, as investors see the metal as a safe haven in a time of economic uncertainty. But in the Middle East retail consumers make up more of the market than investors and rather than buying gold, cash-strapped consumers are selling it. At this time a lot of people in the Middle East are taking advantage of the high gold prices and selling their jewellery, said Rozanna Wozniak, Investment Research Manager at the World Gold Council told Reuters. (RTRS) Following are details of the latest dinar reference rate versus the dollar set by Kuwait s central bank. Mid point: , Change from day earlier: pct, Change since May 19, 2007: pct. The central bank severed the dinar s peg to the dollar on May 20, 2007 and started tracking a basket of currencies. It has declined to give the composition of the basket, saying only that the dollar is its biggest component. (RTRS) Market Movements Points Closing pts AUSTRALIA - ASX , JAPAN - Nikkei , BELGIUM - Bel , SWEDEN - OMX SOUTH KOREA - KRX , PHILIPPINES - PSE All , Points Closing pts HONG KONG - Hang Seng , EUROPE - DJ Stoxx , FRANCE - CAC , GERMANY - DAX , NETHERLANDS - AEX NORWAY - OSE Industry INDIA - Sensex , Business Bids for bonds amount to KD 308 million Kuwait C.bank to issue KD 100 mln in treasury bonds KUWAIT, Aug 4, (RTRS): Kuwait s central bank said on Tuesday it would issue 100 million dinars ($348.8 million) of one-year treasury bonds on Aug. 5 at a coupon of 1.5 percent. Bids for the bonds amounted to 308 million dinars, central bank data showed. Kuwait s central bank has been increasing number of bond issues this year to absorb excess liquidity. The last issue was on May 13, for 100 million dinars, with 2 percent coupon. Boubyan Bank appoints new CEO KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4, (RTRS): Islamic lender Boubyan Bank said on Tuesday it has appointed Adel al-majed as its new chief executive. Majid, who comes from the National Bank of Kuwait with more than 30 years of banking experience, will become Boubyan s new CEO effective Aug 11, the bank said in a statement. Last month, NBK, the country s biggest by market value, bought a 13.2 percent stake in Boubyan Bank for 84.7 million dinars ($295.4 million) in an auction, becoming the largest shareholder in the Islamic lender. Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), the country s sovereign wealth fund, sold its 19.8 percent stake in Boubyan in an auction in which Securities Group Co also competed and bought the remaining 6.6 percent stake. Chairman of the board for Boubyan Bank, Ibrahim Al-Qadi, said that the decision of choosing Al-Majed was based on his long experience in the banking industry, affirming that the choice would enable Boubyan bank to pursue its interest in Kuwait and the region. excellent choice, says chairman Gulf Bank names Michel Accad new Chief Exec Accad KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: On behalf of the Board of Directors, Gulf Bank named Michel Accad, a highly-experienced banker, as the new Chief Executive Officer and Chief General Manager of Gulf Bank, following the approval of the Central Bank of Kuwait yesterday. We are delighted to welcome Michel to Gulf Bank. He comes with a wealth of experience in this region which makes him an excellent choice as our new Chief General Manager and Chief Executive Officer said Ali Al-Rashaid Al-Bader, Chairman of Gulf Bank. Michel is a Lebanese national, who brings with him 30 years banking experience in the Middle East and Africa and joins Gulf Bank from Arab Bank in Jordan, where he was Assistant Chief Executive Officer. During his tenure at the Arab Bank, he made significant contribution overall, and was responsible for all banking business globally, including Corporate Banking, Investment Banking, Retail Banking, Private Banking, Credit and Treasury. In addition to his role as Assistant Chief Executive Officer, he served on several Boards of the Group, including Europe Arab Bank, Arab Tunisian Bank (as Chairman since 2008) and Arab Invest (the Investment Banking and Brokerage arm of the Group). NAPESCO posts KD 1.71 million profit Ahli United H1 hits $143.5m KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) announced that the Board of Directors of Ahli United Bank (AUB) met on Tuesday and adopted the interim financial statements for the periods ending June 30, For the three months ending June 30, 2009, AUB earned a profit of $57 million equivalents to KD 16.7 million with EPS valued at 3.5 fils compared to a profit of $117 million or KD 34 million for the same period of Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) Profit ($) 143,542, ,720,224 EPS ($) Profit (KD) 41,637,273 61,413,685 EPS (fils) Total current assets ($) 13,435,097,408 13,887,073,000 Total current assets (KD) 3,857,888,221 3,987,673,012 Total assets ($) 25,850,658,228 26,953,031,847 Total assets (KD) 7,423,016,510 7,739,563,095 Total current liabilities ($) 12,301,083,500 16,861,615,000 Total current liabilities (KD) 3,532,256,127 4,841,812,747 Total liabilities ($) 23,305,335,696 24,312,032,330 Total liabilities (KD) 6,692,127,145 6,981,200,084 Total shareholders equity ($) 2,545,322,532 2,640,999,517 Total shareholders equity (KD) 730,889, ,363,011 The total unrealized income from transactions is worth KD 1,350,152 and total outstanding expenses amounting to KD 19,942,103. Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) approved the request of Burgan Bank of Kuwait (Burgan) dated Aug 03, 2009, to extend the period for repurchasing 10 percent maximum of its issued shares for six months. The extension period will start as of the expiry date of the current approval on Aug 05, Burgan should abide by CBK rules and regulations of corporate stock buyback. It should also comply with provisions of Article No. 115 bis of Corporate Law and the Ministerial Decree No. 10/1987 and its amendments, by virtue of the Ministerial Decrees No. 11/1988 and 273/1999. Governing council of Hajj and Umrah Service Consortium Company met on Monday and adopted the interim financial statements of the company for the second quarter period ending June 30, Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) Profit (Loss) (KD) 3,115,339 2,206,384 EPS (LPS) (fils) Total current assets 21,161,365 46,859,910 Total assets 97,391, ,764,328 Total current liabilities 20,217,958 45,755,181 Total liabilities 29,536,496 61,117,458 Total equity 67,854,860 86,646,870 For the three months ending June 30, 2009, it earned a profit of KD 2.2 million with EPS valued at 14 fils per share compared to a profit of KD 4 million or 5.4 fils earned for the same period ending June 30, National Petroleum Services Company s (NAPESCO) Board of Directors met on Sunday and adopted the financial statements for the first half period ending June 30, 2009 as follows. Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) Profit (Loss) (KD) 1,716, ,090 EPS (LPS) (fils) Total current assets 9,212,033 6,468,836 Total assets 18,519,994 15,791,475 Total current liabilities 3,183,025 3,648,298 Total liabilities 6,881,665 5,613,698 Total equity 11,638,329 10,177,777 The board stated that for the three months ending June 30, 2009, it earned a profit of KD 1.4 million with EPS valued at fils compared to a profit of KD 397 Bid to improve transparency UAE mulls EIBOR mechanism ABU DHABI, Aug 4, (RTRS): The United Arab Emirates central bank said on Tuesday it is in talks to establish an official interbank offered rate for the dirham to better reflect market conditions, raising concerns about transparency. The central bank did not provide details on how a new Emirates interbank offered rate mechanism would work, saying only that it would be under the aegis of the central bank. That could mean participating banks would send their offered rate directly to the central bank, instead of a third party, which would then calculate the official rate. Interbank rates in the UAE remain stubbornly above others in the region, particularly Saudi Arabia The UAE s three-month interbank rate stood at 2.45 percent on Tuesday, while the comparable Saudi rate was 0.64 percent. Benchmark three-month dollar Libor rates were just over 0.47 percent. The bank s announcement signals its dissatisfaction with the pace of lending in the country. Data last month showed the gap between loans and deposits increased by 51.6 percent in June from the month before. The central bank said on Tuesday that it wanted to ensure the interbank rates fairly represent market conditions, adding it had already had discussions with concerned banks. thousand or 7.48 fils earned for the three months ending June 30, Governing council of Kuwait Real Estate Holding Company met on Tuesday and adopted the interim financial statements for the six month period ending June 30, For the three months ending June 30, 2009, it incurred a loss of KD 438 thousand or 1.41 fils per share compared to a profit of KD 1.8 million or 6.05 fils earned for the same period ending June 30, Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) Profit (Loss) (KD) (853,725) 3,134,751 EPS (LPS) (fils) (2.74) Total current assets 13,574,689 19,046,836 Total assets 76,152,854 74,032,374 Total current liabilities 33,578,520 21,332,678 Total liabilities 39,861,339 31,985,384 Total equity 36,241,702 42,046,990 The net profit Includes unrealized income worth KD 12,981 and unpaid expenses amounting to KD 1,269. Board of Directors of Credit Rating and Collection Company (CRC) met on Aug 4, 2009 and adopted interim financial statements for the period ending June 30, Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) Profit (Loss) (KD) 484,302 1,762,025 EPS (LPS) (fils) Total current assets 21,681,688 24,407,507 Total assets 24,267,812 26,820,904 Total current liabilities 412, ,528 Total liabilities 566, ,765 Total equity 23,701,009 26,327,139 For the three months ending June 30, 2009, it earned a profit of KD 459 thousand or 2.78 fils per share compared to a profit of KD 611 thousand or 3.71 fils earned for the same period ending June 30, The net profit includes unrealized revenue worth KD 583,712. Kuwait Stock Exchange announced that It did not give further details. The market would need more transparency in the fixing of the interbank rate. Further clarification from the central bank might be needed to gauge the real impact on the interbank rate, Standard Chartered rates analyst Delphine Arrighi said. In the current system, 10 local and foreign banks submit their rates and the average of eight is calculated excluding the highest and lowest figures. The 10 banks are: Abu Dhabi Bank Commercial Bank, ABN Amro, Citibank, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Emirates Bank, National Bank of Dubai, HSBC Bank, Lloyds TSB Bank, National Bank of Abu Dhabi and Standard Chartered Bank. These rates are better determined by the market. The central bank agrees with that but is putting in a more robust framework, said the head of treasury at one Abu Dhabi-based bank. The central bank said it will complete the process with a selected panel of banks. Any new system may include banks in Sharjah and displace ones currently on the list. A treasury manager at another Abu Dhabi bank said the central bank move may better reflect market conditions because there will be a check and it will be related to the policy of the government. the governing council of Palms Agro Production Company (PAPCO) met on Aug 04, 2009 and adopted the interim financial statements for the half year period ending June 30, For the three months ending June 30, 2009, it reported a profit of KD 164 thousand or 1.61 fils per share compared to a profit of KD 307 thousand with EPS valued at 3 fils earned for the same period ending June 30, Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) Profit (Loss) (KD) 611, ,913 EPS (LPS) (fils) Total current assets 11,496,246 12,016,958 Total assets 13,869,687 13,736,960 Total current liabilities 842, ,243 Total liabilities 1,246,586 1,099,216 Total equity 12,623,101 12,637,744 Kuwait Gypsum Manufacturing Company s board approved on its financial statements for the first half period ending June 30, 2009, dated Aug 3, The board reported a profit of KD 274 thousand with EPS valued at 9.17 fils for the three months ending June 30, 2009 compared to a profit of KD 156 thousand or 5.21 fils earned during the three months ending June 30, Particulars June 30, June 30, (6 months ending) Profit (Loss) (KD) 400, ,837 EPS (LPS) (fils) Total current assets 1,989,152 2,620,035 Total assets 4,900,713 4,884,525 Total current liabilities 199, ,871 Total liabilities 271, ,366 Total equity 4,629,443 4,483,259 Real Estate Asset Management Company (REAM) signed a contract for the sale of their real estate investment in Kuwaitat a at a sale price of KD 532,000 making a profit of KD 338,474 which will appear in the company s financial statement for the third quarter of Oil rallies back towards $70 amid volatile trade Kuwait surplus could touch KD 6 bn in FY2009/10 By National Bank of Kuwait KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: In its latest economic brief on the oil market and budget developments, NBK reports that, crude oil prices witnessed considerable volatility through July. After dropping back nearly $10 to $61 per barrel (pb) in the first half of the month, the price of Kuwait Export Crude (KEC) recovered nearly all of its losses as the month drew to a close, reaching $69 on July 27th. If sustained, this momentum could push prices above their post-crisis highs. Prices have more than doubled from their December lows. In part, the rally could be viewed as a sign of successful attempts by global policy makers to induce economic recovery through ultra-easy monetary policy. Equities and property markets benefited as well. But there are also more concrete signs that oil market fundamentals are tightening; the US crude inventory overhang that existed in the spring is steadily being eliminated through a combination of OPEC production cuts and traditional seasonal forces. Some analysts are highlighting improved economic performance in Asia as a further factor boosting oil market sentiment, symbolized by better-than-expected annual growth of 7.9% in oil-hungry China s 2Q 09 GDP. A mildly positive spate of 2Q corporate results particularly in the US may have helped, too. Futures Prices of other major global benchmark crude prices also rallied back towards the $70 pb mark in the second half of July and now stand just short of their June highs. The price of both West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and Brent averaged $64 pb in July to the 28th of the month, down slightly on the average for June but still up around 50% since January. Unsurprisingly perhaps, futures prices have rallied by much less by around 12-13% since January for the December 2012 contracts reflecting the deep discounts that were being applied to spot prices at the start of the year. But this underperformance has not stopped renewed calls by some US authorities for limits on positions of futures traders, which they blame for imparting excess volatility on the market as a whole. Such a move currently under discussion at the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission could have a significant bearing on the volume and manner in which oil futures are traded. After becoming ever more pessimistic in the first few months of the year, NBK noticed that analysts forecasts for the drop in global oil demand in 2009 have been more stable over the past couple of months, reflecting the more cautiously optimistic general mood. The International Energy Agency (IEA) kept its forecast of a 2.5 million barrels per day (mbpd, or 2.9%) fall in Budget Estimate/Forecast for Fiscal Year 2008/09 and 2009/10 Million KD, unless otherwise noted Under Alternative Oil Prices Scenarios FY 2008/09 FY 2009/10 Official Closing Official Low Base High Budget Account Budget Case Case Case Oil Price ($/barrel) Total Revenues 12,680 21,005 8,075 11,485 16,027 17,137 Oil Revenues 11,650 19,710 6,925 10,335 14,877 15,987 Non-Oil Revenues 1,030 1,295 1,150 1,150 1,150 1,150 Expenditures (official) 18,968 18,262 12,116 12,116 12,116 12,116 Surplus (deficit) -6,286 2,743-4, ,911 5,021 After RFFG -7, ,849-1,780 2,308 3,307 Expenditures (NBK estimate) 11,510 11,268 10,904 Surplus (deficit), NBK estimate -25 4,759 6,233 After RFFG -1,174 3,156 4,519 KEC Price (Scenarios) ($/barrel) Low Mid High Q FY08/ Q09f Q09f Q09f f Q10f FY07/10f demand this year unchanged in July, for example. Forecasts for 2010 are more upbeat. The IEA expects incremental oil demand to bounce back to 1.4 mbpd (1.7%) next year, almost entirely as a result of growth in the non-oecd area (though a much weaker recovery is also expected in the OECD). Other mainstream analysts such as the Centre for Global Energy Studies (CGES), however, generally predict both a less savage downturn this year (-1.6 mbpd) and a more modest recovery next (+0.5 mbpd). The latter s less vigorous recovery forecast is partly the result of base effects, but also a reflection of the view that recent demand strength has partly been driven by Chinese stockpiling, which will fade. The latest published figures from OPEC show crude output of the OPEC-11 (i.e. excluding Iraq) rising by 58,000 bpd to mpbd in June, its third consecutive monthly rise. Significant production increases were seen in Iran (26,000 bpd) and more surprisingly Saudi Arabia (23,000 bpd). The latter, however, is still shouldering more than its share of the burden of the output cuts that the organization has been trying to enforce this year: 46%, much higher than its share of total output. The cartel is next due to decide on quota levels in Vienna on September 9th. The latest rally in prices may have been enough to stay its hand, but recent comments by the Algerian oil minister suggest that further production cuts may still be on the table if crude supply is perceived to be outstripping demand. Given the prospect of rising seasonal demand and falling inventories over coming months, indications of a hawkish OPEC could lift prices even higher. Although tightening crude markets partly a result of negligible increases in non- OPEC supply - are expected to offer automatic support for prices in the second half of 2009, the precise impact could vary significantly according to OPEC s response. If demand rises by 1.4 mbpd in 2H 09 resulting in a 1.6 mbpd fall for the year as a whole OPEC may decide to do nothing, content to see prices drift upwards. Fears of a renewed dip in global demand, however, could still restrain sentiment and keep price increases in check. Under this scenario, the price of KEC edges upwards to $65 in 4Q 09, then eases off slightly as the end of winter sees demand fall back. Prices average $63 for FY2009/10 as a whole. But there remains a substantial risk that the hoped-for recovery in the world economy will not materialize. If so, global oil demand may remain flat in 2H 09, rather than see its traditional bounce. In this case, KEC prices drop sharply to below $40 pb by 1Q 10 and average $48 in FY09/10. Prices would be unlikely to stay this low for long, however, since OPEC would surely rein in its output significantly. Disruption NBK says that a higher price scenario could be associated with a combination of rising global crude demand in 2H 09 and some disruption to oil supplies possibly a hurricane-inflicted loss of 500,00 bpd to non-opec production in 3Q 09. If OPEC failed to fill the gap left by lower non-opec supplies, a drawdown in crude stocks would push crude prices above $70 going into next year. In this case, the price of KEC averages $67 in FY09/10. All of these three scenarios would leave the price of KEC in FY09/10 above the conservative-looking $35 pb that the government has assumed in its budget for this year and in the two higher cases, considerably so. If, as we expect, expenditures ultimately come in at 5-10% below budget, the fiscal position for FY2009/10 would likely end-up between balance and a KD 6.2 billion surplus before allocations of 10% of budget revenues to the Reserve Fund for Future Generations (RFFG), well above the government s prediction of a KD 4.0 billion deficit. The government s caution in its spending plans for this year while not providing much of a boost to the macro economy at least seems likely to ensure that the drop in oil prices in 2008 leaves Kuwait s financial position relatively unscathed. Cayman s Mayfair launches UAE distressed prop fund DUBAI, Aug 4, (RTRS): A Cayman Islands-based wealth management firm has launched a $50 million shariah-compliant distressed property fund in the United Arab Emirates to tap into the country s suffering real estate sector. Mayfair Wealth Management expects the fund to deliver an annual return of percent by way of leasing and rental income, the firm said in a statement on Tuesday. We have identified a significant opportunity that stems from the slowdown in the UAE property market, one that will breath new life to undervalued but potential-laden projects in the country, said Amani Choudhry, the firm s chief executive.

35 BUSINESS 35 Algerian firms worried by government import curbs Algerian importers have warned they could be driven out of business by tough new government restrictions, the latest in a series of measures that some investors say are weakening market reforms. Oil and gas producer Algeria is under pressure to rein in imports after the slump in world crude prices slashed the value of its exports. The country of 35 million people depends heavily on imports of goods from cars to food. A new government directive prevents importers from bringing in goods unless they have lodged payment in advance with a bank a change companies say will tie up their working capital for months while they wait for the deal to be processed. A pro-government member of parliament in Algeria, Africa s third-largest economy, said the new rules would make currency flows more transparent. But Moulay Ahmed, an Algerian book importer, told Reuters: It is a disastrous decision. It means that I will have to stop my activity. I can t put all my money in a bank and wait for months. A banker based in Algiers, who asked not to be identified, said the change would drive up prices for imported goods. Small importers will disappear, and big importers will find it more difficult to continue business, said the banker. The government last week barred banks from issuing consumer loans, another measure that business people said was targeted at reducing imports. Algeria s trade surplus in the first six months of this year fell to $1 billion, from $19.75 billion in the same period last year. That was caused by the slump in the value of oil and gas sales, which account for 97 percent of exports. Until now, firms were able to import goods into Algeria without proving to the authorities they could pay. Riad Anane, a lawmaker with Algeria s governing National Liberation Front, said the new restriction was a good decision. (RTRS) Unidentified men work on pipelines in the desert oil fields of Sakhir, Bahrain on Aug 3. Oil prices leapt above $70 a barrel Monday in Asia on investor expectations a recovering global economy will boost crude demand. (AP) Increases expected NCB ups provisions RIYADH, Aug 4, (RTRS): National Commercial Bank (NCB), the biggest Saudi bank by assets, saw loan provisions jump more than seven-fold to million riyals ($113 million) in the second quarter, the highest level reported by local banks so far. The increases were widely expected after regional lenders outside the kingdom detailed their exposure to Saad Group and Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi & Bros (AHAB) which are facing massive debt restructuring. Like other Saudi lenders, unlisted NCB did not say whether it was exposed to these groups despite calls by analysts to improve transparency. Gulf banks outside Saudi Arabia have been more open about exposure to Saad and Algosaibi. The state-owned bank had made provisions worth 56.3 million riyals in the second quarter a year ago, according to a financial statement published in the local press on Tuesday. NCB s provisions are the highest reported so far by local banks, topping the million riyals by Al-Rajhi, the country s biggest Islamic lender. HSBC s Saudi affiliate SABB booked million riyals, according to bourse data. NCB also booked provisions of million riyals in the quarter for decrease in the value of of assets, down from million riyals in the same period last year. Below are details of provisions in million riyals for losses made by Saudi banks during the second quarter and comparative figures for previous periods. NCB (unlisted) Q2/09: m Q2/08: m Riyad Bank Q2/09: m Q2/08: m Q1/09: m 2008: m Al Jazira Bank Q2/09: m Q2/08: m Q1/09: m 2008: m Saudi Investment Bank Q2/09: m Q2/08: m Q1/09: m 2008 : m Saudi Hollandi Bank Q2/09: m Q2/08: m Q1/09: m 2008: m Banque Saudi Fransi Q2/09: m Q2/08: m Q1/09: m 2008: m SABB Bank Q2/09: m Q2/08: m Q1/09: m 2008: m Arab National Bank Q2/09: m Q2/08: m Q1/09: m 2008: m Samba Financial Group Q2/09: m Q2/08: m Q1/09: m 2008: m Al-Rajhi Bank Q2/09: m Q2/08: m Q1/09: m 2008: billion riyals Bank AlBilad Q2/09: m Qatar shines Q2/08: m Q1/09: m 2008: m GCC indexes close mixed DUBAI, Aug 4, (RTRS): Gulf Arab markets were mixed on Tuesday, with early-session gains eroded as traders booked profits from a recent rally and a slight pull-back in oil prices and global equities dented confidence. Dubai fell for the first session in four and Saudi Arabia declined for the second time this week, but Qatar and Abu Dhabi claimed new seven-week highs and Kuwait and Bahrain made minor gains. Egypt edged slightly higher. Dubai s benchmark slipped 0.4 percent as investors booked profits from a three-day, 4.1 percent rally. Emirates NBD surged 4.7 percent and Emaar Properties rose 0.3 percent, with the latter up 5.1 percent intraday. We have to be mindful of over-cooking it like before, when we saw the market give everything back, said Julian Bruce, EFG-Hermes director of institutional equity sales. This refers to a fleeting recent rally, when Dubai s measure surged nearly 600 points between April 30 and June 14, only to subsequently lose 568 points within a month. The increase this time has been steadier, with investors waiting for the second-quarter numbers to come out earnings were down from last year, but there weren t any really nasty surprises, said Bruce. Last week, Emaar reported a second-quarter net loss of $351 million after it wrote off a US unit. Retail traders sold off Emaar on the company s bottom line, but many foreign investors will have been pleased it took the full write down, said Bruce. Abu Dhabi s benchmark climbed 0.9 percent to its highest finish since June 15. Volumes hit a seven-week high. Oil retreated from Monday s seven-week closing high to be down 1.4 percent at $70.57 at 1255 GMT, while European equities also fell after hitting a nine-month high the previous day. These declines weighed on sentiment in the later-closing Saudi benchmark, which slipped 0.7 percent. Kuwait s index rose for a fourth trading day, reaching a seven-session high, although all these gains have been less than 1 percent and it is down 4.4 percent since the end of June. Kuwait has lagged other regional markets, because of negative sentiment over banks likely exposure to Saad and Algosaibi, which is weighing on the market, said Shahid Hameed, Global Investment House head of asset management for the Gulf. NBK (National Bank of Kuwait) is the only Kuwaiti bank to declare its exposure to Saad and Algosaibi, while a lot of banks have taken out heavy provisions in the second quarter, which indicates they have a large amount of non-performing loans and some of these must be from the two Saudi groups. Troubled Saudi conglomerates Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi and Brothers and Saad Group are restructuring billions of dollars of debts and analysts say other regional companies may into similar difficulties. Saudi Arabia The measure dropped 0.7 percent to 5,779 points. Dubai The index fell 0.4 percent to 1,878 points. Qatar The benchmark climbed 1.7 percent to 6,903 points. Abu Dhabi The benchmark rose 0.9 percent to 2,863 points. Kuwait The index climbed up 0.1 percent to 7,728 points. Egypt The index edged up 0.1 percent to 6,435 points. Oman The measure climbed 0.2 percent to 6,074 points. Bahrain The index rose 0.8 percent to 1,494 points. Substantial shortfall in bank s assets S&P cuts Algosaibi Bahrain to D/D status MANAMA, Aug 4, (RTRS): Ratings agency Standard & Poor s cut on Tuesday its rating of The International Banking Corp (TIBC), part of troubled Saudi group Algosaibi, to default status after Bahrain s central bank took control of the lender. S&P said in a statement it had lowered its rating on TIBC, owned by Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi & Bros (AHAB) to default status D/D from selective default SD/SD after Bahrain s central bank said last week there was a substantial shortfall in the bank s assets compared with its liabilities. Algosaibi as well as Saudi private Saad group ran into financial difficulties in May but have released little information since, leaving a large number of banks wondering whether they will recover their loans. S&P had downgraded TIBC to selective default on May 12, saying the bank had defaulted on some of its debt. Bahrain s central bank last week assumed control of TIBC as well as Saad s Awal Bank and said it would appoint an external administrator to identify creditors claims and manage the distribution of the remaining assets. TIBC had assets worth $3.8 billion at the end of the year, according to its website. Kuwait hopes to see oil at $70-$80 pb for rest of year KUWAIT, Aug 4, (Agencies): Kuwait hopes to see oil prices at $70-80 a barrel through the rest of the year and sees that as suitable for the global economy, state news agency KUNA reported the oil minister as saying on Tuesday. US crude traded at $70.89 a barrel on Tuesday, after rising about 3 percent in the past three days. Oil prices above $80 a barrel were good for oil producers, but a rise above $100 could fuel global recession, Sheikh Ahmad Al- Abdullah Al-Sabah told KUNA. Oil prices reflected optimism about the global economic recovery rather than oil market fundamentals, Sheikh Ahmad said. Opec member Kuwait is the world s fourth-largest oil exporter. Last month, the oil minister said oil prices should rise later this year on a seasonal increase in demand and an oil price near $65 a barrel was reasonable and good for the Gulf Arab state. Oil Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah welcomed the recent improvement in oil prices, and hoped they would stabilize at $70-80 by year-end, given that the global economic crisis seemed to be emerging from recession. Speaking to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on the sidelines of his current visit to Italy, he said that oil prices continued to fail to reflect the supply and demand mechanisms, at a time when data indicated a surplus in supply. Improvement He said that the recent improvement in the price of the oil barrel, which exceeded $70 yesterday, reflected the state of optimism that came with the improvement of financial markets alongside speculations, as well as reports of profit-making by large companies - indicating that the economic recession curve had hit the bottom and that economic growth would once again resume. Sheikh Ahmad added, We do not want to see oil prices exceeding $100, as this will only drag down the economy into the quagmire of recession. He hoped that prices would remain at $70-80 until the end of the year, saying that this was suitable for the economic status that the world was now going through. Moreover, he said that for oil prices to exceed $80 was good for oil-producers provided that it does not exceed $100, as this would reflect negatively on the performance of the global economy, and subsequently on demand, and would lead to another freefall of prices. The Kuwaiti minister had arrived in Rome last night, as part of a European tour that also saw him in Belgium and Holland. The aim of the tour is to inspect Kuwaiti oil investments in these countries. Saudi Arabia Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia is expected to lower the price of all its crude grades heading to Asia for September on slow demand from regional refiners deterred by their current high costs, traders said on Tuesday. A poll of seven refiners and traders said they saw no upside for Saudi crude prices to Asia as they estimated the August official selling prices (OSPs) to be too expensive and after Abu Dhabi issued very competitive OSPs late on Monday. The Saudi OSPs are too expensive now and I think some have already lowered their requirements, a trader with a refiner said. A major North Asian refiner told Reuters last month that it had requested, and received, a 30 percent cut in term volumes for August as he did not need more and found the August OSPs too high. Traders and refiners expected September Arab Medium to be priced at a discount to Saudi seen cutting all crude prices to Asia Govt to acquire 17% of firm KRG to take stake in merged Heritage/Genel LONDON, Aug 4, (RTRS): UK-based oil explorer Heritage Oil Plc said the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will acquire about 17 percent of the enlarged company to be created by the proposed merger with Genel Energy International Ltd. Heritage said on Tuesday it will issue million shares, or about 50 percent of the company as enlarged by the planned acquisition, to acquire Genel. In June, Heritage said it agreed to merge with Genel, a unit of Turkey s Cukurova Group, to create an oil producer focused on Iraqi Kurdistan worth around $5.5 billion. Genel Energy Chief Executive Mehmet Sepil, who will become CEO of the merged company, said the company agreed with Heritage to raise the number of shares to be issued from the previously announced 260 million. The KRG will receive a total of 96.0 million shares to extinguish Genel s previously announced $1.1 billion infrastructure projects liability in Kurdistan. The KRG said it intends to be a long-term shareholder in the merged group. Shares in Heritage rose as much as 5.7 percent before paring gains to trade up 0.3 percent at 557 pence at 1002 GMT. Heritage s update on the proposed merger with Turkey s Genel Energy shows that the deal is moving ahead with the key issue of Genel s $1.1 bln liability with the KRG now resolved, said Richard Griffith, analyst at Evolution Securities. More good news could follow in the next couple of weeks with the result of the Miran West-1 flow test, he added. Heritage has two main assets: stakes in oil blocks in Uganda, which it believes contain hundreds of millions of barrels of oil, and a controlling stake in the Miran block in Kurdistan. Genel shareholders will acquire the remaining million shares to be issued, giving them about 33 percent of the enlarged company. Heritage plans to hold an extraordinary general meeting in September when shareholders will be asked to approve the transaction. UAE s Janan, Egypt to sign agriculture agreement CAIRO, Aug 4, (RTRS): A United Arab Emirates company will sign a deal with Egypt to cultivate 100,000 feddans, about 42,000 hectares, of land with wheat, corn and feed, the official news agency MENA reported on Tuesday. UAE agricultural investment firm Janan will sign the deal with Egypt s Agriculture Ministry next week for the project which will extend until 2015, the agency said. Oman/Dubai, down from a 30-cent premium for August, in what would be the grade s first negative number since the May OSP. Saudi crude OSPs are usually released around the fifth of each month, and set the trend for Iranian, Kuwaiti and Iraqi prices, affecting some 7 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude bound for Asia. Refining margins have turned negative in Asia for Dubai crude run in a simple refinery since June, and averaged at a 5-cent loss in July, Reuters data show. Margins at a complex refinery have narrowed to a $2.36 a barrel profit for July, from $3.00 in June, and the lowest since November September crude traded on the spot market has suffered from the refinery losses with all grades trading at weaker differentials than for August. Bahrain s Banoco Arab Medium traded at discounts of 30 cents or deeper to the Saudi Arab Medium OSP for September, indicating the OSP of the Saudi grade was above market value. Responding to the market signals, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) slashed Murban s premium to Dubai quotes by a hefty 86 cents a barrel to $1.38 in its latest retroactive July OSP, the lowest premium in more than six years, and a much wider cut than expected. I was a little surprised by ADNOC s drastic cut of July differentials, said a trader with another refiner. The sharp cut could force Saudi Arabia to consider a similarly deep reduction in rival Arab Extra Light, with two traders polled forecasting a 90-cent fall in the grade to a $1.00 premium to Oman/Dubai, which would leave it at its lowest since December State oil giant Saudi Aramco, which has contracted to sell up to 3.38 million bpd of crude to Asia this year, sets its crude prices based on recommendations from customers and after calculating the change in the value The land is located in the south west of Egypt in the agricultural development area of East Oweinat and all grain production will be for consumption within Egypt. The project is expected to produce 350,000 tonnes of wheat a year all for local consumption, he said. Egypt, the world s top wheat importer, consumes around 14 million tonnes of wheat a year and relies on foreign imports of its oil over the past month, based on yields and product prices. Opec Opec is unlikely to cut oil output further at its meeting next month if oil prices remain around current levels, two delegates from the producer group said on Tuesday. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has said it will cut supply by 4.2 million barrels per day about 5 percent of world demand as recession erodes oil use. It meets on Sept. 9 to set policy. It is hard to predict now, but I don t think there is a need to do anything, said one of the delegates, who declined to be identified. The market is OK. Oil prices have risen above $70 a barrel this week, close to the high for the year and within sight of the $75-$80 that many in Opec have said is needed to secure investment in new supplies for the long term. But analysts say that rising equity markets and hopes of economic recovery are powering oil s rally, rather than a tighter oil supply and demand balance. Some in Opec have floated the idea of a further supply cut. Algeria said on July 20 Opec might need to lower output again and Iran said on July 31 some members may push for a cut if prices fell. Saudi Arabia, the most influential member in the 12-country group, has made no comment. The market has rallied despite large amounts of oil in storage. Inventories in industrialised countries equalled 62.5 days of demand at the end of May, far more than the days Opec would like to see. A second Opec delegate said that while inventories were high, it would be difficult for the group to justify a further cut in output given the weak economy. Stocks are still high but crude stocks are not as high as before. Product stocks are high, especially middle distillates. Now winter is coming, so maybe middle distillate stocks will go down, the delegate said. for around half of its needs. The most populous Arab country with around 76 million people, Egypt has a bread subsidy system on which the poor depend and disruptions to the programme have led to sometimes violent protests in the past. The project will be executed over several phases, each phase comprising 20,000 feddans, the agency quoted Mohammed bin Rashed, the president of Janan, as saying. the bottomline AMMAN: The Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) has granted a foreign bank licence to the National Bank of Abu Dhabi to undertake commercial banking services in the country, officials said on Tuesday. The UAE s biggest bank by market value was granted approval by the CBJ board to set up a subsidiary with a minimum capital of 50 million dinar ($71 mln) as stipulated by the country s banking regulations, a central bank source told Reuters. The bank will become the ninth foreign bank licensed to operate in an overcrowded banking sector where 15 local banks already exist. Liberalised laws allow foreign banks to engage in the same retail and wholesale banking services as Jordanian banks. Among the foreign banks that already operate in Jordan are HSBC, Standard Chartered, Citigroup, Iraq s Rafidain Bank, the National Bank of Kuwait, and Lebanon s Bank Audi and Blom. Arab investors already hold sizeable stakes in several leading local banks, including Arab Bank and Housing Bank, the two largest lenders. The last foreign entrant in Jordan was Dubai Islamic Bank, which started operations last month after buying a majority stake in Industrial Development Bank of Jordan. (RTRS) ABU DHABI: State-backed mortgage provider Abu Dhabi Finance Co expects its total lending to exceed 1 billion dirhams ($272.3 million) by November as demand for property increases, the firm s CEO said on Tuesday. Philip Ward also said the company, majority-owned by the Abu Dhabi government investment agency Mubadala, would break even within five years. As of end-july, we received applications for 770 million dirhams and 600 million dirhams is approved for lending. By November we will cross the 1 billion mark if you look at the trajectory, Ward told reporters. Launched in November 2008, Abu Dhabi Finance is 52 percent owned by Mubadala with the remainder held by Aldar Properties, Sorouh Real Estate and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank. The company, which has a capital of 500 million dirhams, has not yet turned profitable but it will break even certainly not beyond five years, Ward said. Abu Dhabi s property market remains robust due to strong economic fundamentals coupled with an increase in the working population and a shortfall in residential supply that is forecast to continue for four to five years, he said. All this taken together, there is a very positive outlook for the medium and long-term market in Abu Dhabi, Ward said. The mortgage market has improved in the last three months after slowing down in April and May. The appetite for mortgages is healthy in the short to medium term, he said, adding that mortgage penetration was still below 10 percent. Ward said Abu Dhabi Finance has had no defaults and has no exposure to Dubai. In Dubai, government-backed mortgage lenders Amlak and Tamweel have been paralysed by the financial crisis and property collapse that hit the emirate late last year. Ward said interest rates, currently between 7.3 percent and 9 percent, were likely to fall. We would like it to go lower because it would make the market affordable. We will see some interest rates reduction, he said, without elaborating. (RTRS) DUBAI: Saudi Arabia s private owned Shuaiba Water and Electricity Company (SWEC) has started operating its Shuaiba-3 plant at full capacity, pan-arab newspaper al-hayat reported on Tuesday. The plant has capacity to generate 900 megawatts of electricity, and 800,000 cubic meters of desalinated water per day. The plant burns crude oil for fuel, according to the website of state utility the Saudi Electricity Company. The kingdom has increased burning of crude this year to keep new oil wells pumping and to produce cleaner power. (For a related analysis click on) The plant will supply the grid in the western region, feeding the cities of Mecca, Jeddah and Taif. The kingdom has faced costly power outages of up to 5 hours a day in the industrial zone of the commercial hub of Jeddah. The continued increase in population density in the kingdom lead to the increasing need for the consumption of electricity and desalinated water, Hayat reported Yahya Al Yahya, head of SWEC s board of directors, as saying. (RTRS) PARIS: Standard & Poor s Ratings Services said today that it has lowered its counterparty credit ratings on Bahrain-based The International Banking Corp. (TIBC) to D/D (default) from SD/SD (selective default). The rating action follows the July 30, 2009 announcement by the Central Bank of Bahrain (A/Stable/A-1), that with immediate effect it has exercised its powers to appoint an administrator to TIBC. CBB has determined that TIBC has a substantial shortfall of assets compared to its liabilities. We downgraded TIBC to SD/SD on May 12, 2009, following the bank s default on some of its debt. According to our rating definitions, we assign a D rating when we believe that any default will be a general default and that the obligor will fail to pay all or substantially all of its obligations as they come due. Our default definition includes payment defaults on both rated and unrated financial obligations. We assign an SD rating when we believe that the obligor has selectively defaulted on a specific issue or class of obligations but will continue to meet its payment obligations on other issues or classes of obligations in a timely manner. TIBC is a small wholesale bank registered in Bahrain with total assets of $3.8 billion on Dec 31, It is wholly owned by Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi & Brothers Company (the Algosaibi Group, not rated). The Algosaibi Group, based in Saudi Arabia s Eastern Province, is active in financial services, bottling and distribution, can manufacturing, real estate investment, hotels, shipping, and contracting. We understand that the Algosaibi Group, including TIBC, has entered into debt restructuring discussions with its creditors.

36 BUSINESS 36 Egypt NSGB s Q2 net profit falls 25 pct Jordan s Arab Bank H1 down 26.7% Egypt s National Societe Generale Bank (NSGB) said on Tuesday net profit for the second quarter of 2009 fell 25 percent to 255 million Egyptian pounds ($46.03 million), blaming the world economic downturn. But net income in the first six months of 2009 increased 3.6 percent to million Egyptian pounds ($102.5 million), up from a restated million pounds in the first half of One analyst said the first-half figure was just below forecasts. In a context of deep and global economic downturn, the growth rates delivered in the past periods are starting to slow down, the statement said. NSGB is more than 70 percent owned by Societe Generale of France. We had expected net income of 600 million pounds for the first half, so this is slightly lower but not a big difference, said Nancy Fahmy, an analyst at Beltone Financial. Assets as of June 30 rose to billion pounds from billion at the end of 2008, while customer deposits increased to billion from billion. Loans to customers and banks net of provisions dipped to billion from billion, a decline the banks said was signalling a slowdown in activity very much in line with the rest of the economy. However, the bank said the quality of its loan portfolio was improving. (RTRS) Arab Bank, Amman, said on Tuesday its first-half pre-tax profit after provisions fell 26.7 pct to $452 million. A bank statement, which did not disclose H1 net profits, said the bank was affected by the impact of the financial crisis. However, the group, which includes Arab Bank Switzerland based in Zurich, said both its deposits and assets showed healthy rises in the first six months of the year. Assets rose 6 percent to $48.5 billion in the first half of the year from 45.6 billion at the end of last year. Deposits rose 5 percent to $32.9 billion at the end of June, up from $31.4 billion at end of the year. (RTRS) Egypt rejects France Telecom appeal on Mobinil bid CAIRO, Aug 4, (RTRS): France Telecom lost an appeal on Tuesday to overturn a ruling by Egypt s market regulator rejecting the French firm s bid for Mobinil shares. The regulator has rejected three offers by France Telecom to buy all outstanding shares in Mobinil, which is at the centre of a row between the French firm and Mobinil s other main shareholder, Orascom Telecom (OT). Today it was a decision of a judicial committee, which has decided to reject the claim and approve the decision of the authority, said Khaled Serry Seyam, the deputy chairman of the Capital Markets Authority. The appeal related to the rejection of FT s second offer, in May. The market regulator has since July 1 come under the broader umbrella of the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority, which published the decision on its website. A France Telecom spokesman said the firm would make a further appeal against the committee s decision, and if this failed would seek international arbitration. FT said it would not launch any further offers above 237 Egyptian pounds ($42.78) per share. The decision confirms that there is a real problem in Egypt concerning the respect for international law and also for stock exchange norms applied at the main financial centres, the spokesman said. OT and FT took their ownership dispute to an arbitration court in 2007, which ruled in April that FT should buy OT s stake in a holding company that owns 51 percent of Mobinil for 273 pounds per share. OT and Egypt s regulator have said this decision compels FT to make a similar offer for the remaining shares, which FT disputes. OT also has a 20 percent direct stake in Mobinil. Seyam at the CMA said the committee ruled that the original rejection was based on valid legal arguments. That ruling rejected the offer as it violated the principle of giving equal opportunity to all shareholders. Analysts say the long-running dispute has kept Mobinil s share price elevated as investors bet on FT paying a hefty premium. FT appears keen to acquire Mobinil given the persistent flow of bids, Naeem telecoms analyst Ahmed Adel wrote ahead of the decision, recommending Mobinil shareholders accept any offer over 220 pounds per share. Shares in Mobinil dipped sharply in late trade to end 4 percent lower at 208 pounds. While we would expect FT to pay a premium for control of Mobinil, we think recent bids are generous and overvalue Mobinil, Adel wrote. investment funds Fund Manager Liquidity Evaluation date Currency Net Asset Value (NAV) Prev NAV Prev NAV Dated National Bank of Kuwait Money Market Funds Watani KD Money Market Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly July 28, 2009 KD July 21, 2009 Watani KD Money Market Fund (Islamic) NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly July 28, 2009 KD July 21, 2009 Watani Foreign Currency Money Market Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly July USD July 21, 2009 Watani Foreign Currency Money Market Fund (Euro) NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly July 28, 2009 Euro July 21, 2009 Watani USD Money Market Fund (Acc NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Weekly July 28, 2009 USD July 21, 2009 to Islamic Shariah principles) Equity Funds NBK Gulf Equity Fund NBK Weekly July 23, 2009 USD July 16, 2009 NBK Kuwait Equity Fund NBK Weekly July 23, 2009 KD July 16, 2009 NBK Qatar Equity Fund NBK Weekly July 23, 2009 USD July 16, 2009 Ijara Fund Islamic Ijara Fund IV Wafra Investment Advisory Group Inc Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Islamic Ijara Fund V Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Islamic Ijara Fund VI Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Islamic Ijara Fund VII Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Islamic Ijara Fund VIII Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Islamic Ijara Fund IX Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Islamic Ijara Fund X Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Islamic Ijara Fund XI Wafra Capital Partners LP Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Thahabi Ijara Fund I Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Thahabi Ijara Fund II Wafra Investment Advisory Group Inc Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Thahabi Ijara Fund III Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2009 USD Mar 31, 2009 Thahabi Ijara Fund IV Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Thahabi Ijara Fund V Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Islamic Ijara Fund 1 Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Monthly Watani US Real Estate Income & Growth Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Quarterly Mar 31, 2008 USD 1, , Dec 31, 2008 Alternative Funds Watani European Real Estate Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Quarterly Dec 31, 2008 Euro 1, , Sept 30, 2008 Central European Real Estate Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Quarterly Mar 31, 2008 Euro 10, , Sep 30, 2008 Islamic European Real Estate Fund A Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Quarterly Mar 31, 2009 Euro 1, , Dec 31, 2008 Islamic European Real Estate Fund B Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Quarterly Mar 31, 2009 Euro 1, , Dec 31, 2008 Islamic Asian Real Estate Fund Wafra Investment Advisory Group Inc Quarterly Mar 31, 2009 USD 10, , Dec 31, 2008 Islamic China India Real Estate Fund Wafra Capital Partners L.P Cayman Islands Quarterly Mar 31, 2008 USD 1, , Dec 31, 2008 NBK Multi-Strategy Hedge Fund NBK Global Asset Management Co. Ltd. Monthly May 29, 2009 USD 1, , April 30, 2009 Real Estate Security Islamic Global Real Estate Securities Fund A Wafra Capital Partners L.P. Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Funds Islamic Global Real Estate Securities Fund B Wafra Capital Partners L.P. Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Islamic Turkey Real Estate Fund Wafra Capital Partners L.P. Mar 19, 2009 USD 1, Multi Asset Funds Thahabi Multi Asset Fund Conservative portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Thabi Multi Asset Fund Moderate Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 NBK Frontier Multi Asset Fund Conservative Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 NBK Frontier Multi Asset Fund Moderate Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 NBK Frontier Multi Asset Fund Plus Portfolio Frontier Capital Management (Jersey) Ltd Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Gulf Bank GB Capital protected Investment - Index Basket Daily Aug 04, 2009 USD 1, , Aug 03, 2009 Al Basha er GCC Equity Fund Kwt. Fin. & Inv. Co. & Gulf Fin. House Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Coast Fund Coast Investment Co. Monthly July 31, 2009 KD June 30, 2009 Noor Fund for Local & Arab Equity Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Sanaya Dow Jones Kuwait Index Fund Industrial & Financial Investment Co Monthly July 31, 2009 KD June 30, 2009 Commercial Bank Tijari Investment Fund Commercial Bank of Kuwait Weekly July 30, 2009 KD July 22, 2009 Tijari Money Market Fund Commercial Bank of Kuwait Weekly July 30, 2009 KD July 28, 2009 Tijari GCC Equity Fund Commercial Bank of Kuwait Monthly July 29, 2009 KD June 30, 2009 Tijari Islamic Fund Commercial Bank of Kuwait Weekly July 30, 2009 KD July 22, 2009 Tijari Indian Fund Commercial Bank of Kuwait Twice Monthly Aug 03, 2009 KD July 31, 2009 Tijari Islamic Money Market Fund Commercial Bank of Kuwait Weekly July 30, 2009 KD July 28, 2009 Al Ahli Bank Al Ahli Kuwaiti Fund Al Ahli Bank Monthly July 29, 2009 KD June 24, 2009 Al Ahli Gulf Fund Al Ahli Bank Monthly July 27, 2009 KD June 29, 2009 Boubyan Bank Boubyan Financial Fund (KWD) Boubyan Bank Weekly July 29, 2009 KD July 22, 2009 Boubyan Financial Fund (USD) Boubyan Bank Weekly July 29, 2009 USD 9, , July 22, 2009 Global Real Estate Fund Boubyan Bank Quarterly Mar 31, 2009 KD Dec 31, 2008 Boubyan Sukuk Fund Boubyan Bank Annually Jan 28, 2009 USD , June 18, 2008 Burgan Bank Burgan Financial Fund Burgan Bank Daily Aug 03, 2009 KD Aug 02, 2009 Burgan Equity Fund Burgan Bank Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Kuwait Finance House Net Lease (Al Mumayaz Industrial Real Estate Fund II) KFH Monthly Sept 30, 2008 USD 1, , Aug 31, 2008 MALC (Millennium Aircraft Co Fund) KFH Quarterly Dec 31, 2008 USD 102, Kuwait Investment Co. Local Fund Al Raed Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly July 30, 2009 KD July 22, 2009 Kuwait Investment Fund Kuwait Investment Co Quarterly May 31, 2009 KD April 30, 2009 Al Hilal Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly Aug 03, 2009 KD July 30, 2009 KIC Bond Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Al Atheer Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 International Global Bond Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly July 22, 2009 USD July 15, 2009 Diversified Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly July 22, 2009 USD July 15, 2009 European Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly May 31, 2009 Euro April 30, 2009 Pacific Equity Fund Kuwait Investment Co Weekly July 23, 2009 USD July 16, 2009 Al-Awaed Fund Kuwait Investment Co Quarterly Mar 31, 2009 USD Nov 30, 2009 North American Equity Fund Kuwait Investment Co Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 lnternational Financial Advisors Local Fund IFA Khaleeji Fund IFA Univest Capital Ltd Twice Monthly Nov 30, 2008 USD Oct 30, 2008 IFA Islamic Fund International Financial Advisors Monthly July 30, 2009 KD June 30, 2009 IFA Investment Fund International Financial Advisors Monthly July 30, 2009 KD June 30, 2009 International IFA International Guaranteed Fund International Financial Advisors Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 National Investment Co. (NIC) Equity Funds Al- Wataniya Fund NIC Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Al-Safwa Fund NIC Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Al-Darji Fund NIC Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Mawarid Fund NIC Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Zajil Fund NIC Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Al Mada Investment Fund NIC Monthly Feb 28, 2009 KD Jan 31, 2009 Money Market Funds Al- Wataniya Money Market Fund NIC Weekly Nov 09, 2008 KD Oct 05, 2008 Alternative Funds Al Tahawut Hedge Fund NIC Monthly Jan 16, 2009 KD Nov 21, 2008 GulfInvest International Al Huda Islamic Fund GulfInvest International Weekly July 31, 2009 KD July 22, 2009 Al Shorooq Fund GulfInvest International Weekly July 31, 2009 KD July 22, 2009 Gulf Fund GulfInvest International Monthly April 30, 2009 USD Mar 31, 2009 Coast Investment Co. Coast Investment Fund Coast Investment Fund Monthly July 31, 2009 KD June 30, 2009 Coast Pearl Fund Coast Investment Fund Daily Aug 04, 2009 KD Aug 03, 2009 Securities Group Al Anoud Investment Fund Securities Group Weekly July 30, 2009 KD July 22, 2009 Group Islamic Fund Securities Group Weekly July 30, 2009 KD July 22, 2009 Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz) Mumtaz Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly July 31, 2009 KD 4, July MIDAF Kuwait Financial Center Weekly July 31, 2009 KD July 23, 2009 Islamic Fund Kuwait Financial Center Weekly July 31, 2009 KD July 23, 2009 GCC Fund Kuwait Financial Center Monthly July 31, 2009 USD July 23, 2009 FORSA Financial Fund Kuwait Financial Center Monthly July 31, 2009 KD ,147 June 30, 2009 Atlas Diversified Class A Kuwait Financial Center Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Atlas Diversified Class B Kuwait Financial Center Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Atlas Fund of Hedge Funds Kuwait Financial Center Monthly Dec 31, 2009 USD Nov 30, 2008 Atlas Emerging Market Thematic Class Kuwait Financial Center Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Energy Fund Kuwait Financial Center Quarterly June 30, 2009 KD March 31, 2009 Real Estate Fund Kuwait Financial Center Half Yearly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Kuwait & Middle East Financial & Inv. Co. Al Rou yah Fund KMEFIC Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Gulf Gate Fund KMEFIC Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Al-Awsat Money Market Fund KMEFIC Weekly Mar 16, 2009 KD Mar 15, 2009 Al-Awsat Money Market Fund USD KMEFIC Weekly Mar 16, 2009 USD Mar 15, 2009 Amal Money Market Fund KMEFIC Weekly Mar 16, 2009 KD Mar 15, 2009 Global Investment House Hedge Funds Global Umbrella Fund - US Global Monthly April 30, 2009 USD Feb 28, 2009 Global Umbrella Fund - Europe Global Monthly April 30, 2009 USD Feb 28, 2009 Global Umbrella Fund - Asia/Japan Global Monthly April 30, 2009 USD Feb 28, 2009 Global Umbrella Fund - Advanced Sciences Global Monthly April 30, 2009 USD Feb 28, 2009 Global Distressed Fund Global Monthly April 30, 2009 USD Feb 28, 2009 Fund Manager Liquidity Evaluation date Currency Net Asset Value (NAV) Prev NAV Prev NAV Dated Zenith Fund Global Monthly April 30, 2009 USD Feb 28, 2009 Mayur Hedge Fund Global Fixed Income Funds Global KD Bond Fund Global Monthly Aug 03, 2009 KD July 22, 2009 Global Kibor Plus Fund Global Monthly July 30, 2009 KDxxxxxx June 30, 2009 Index Funds GCC Large Cap Index Fund Global Weekly July 31, 2009 KD July 22, 2009 Global US Equity Index Fund Global Weekly July 31, 2009 USD July 17, 2009 Global European Equity Index Fund Global Weekly July 30, 2009 Euro July 17, 2009 Equity Funds Global Local Fund Global Weekly July 30, 2009 KD July 22, 2009 Al-Mamoun Fund A Global Monthly July 30, 2009 KD July 22, 2009 Al-Mamoun Fund B Global Monthly July 27, 2009 KD July 22, 2009 GCC Large Cap Fund Global Weekly July 27, 2009 USD July 20, 2009 Al-Noor Fund Global Bi-weekly July 28, 2009 SAR July 21, 2009 Global Saudi Equity Fund Global Bi-weekly July 28, 2009 SAR July 21, 2009 Money Market Funds Global KD Money Market Fund Global Daily Aug 03, 2009 KD July 22, 2009 Global USD Money Market Fund Global Weekly July 28, 2009 USD July 21, 2009 Guaranteed Funds Global Increasable Guaranteed Fund Global Monthly July 31, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Islamic Real E. Funds Global US Real Estate Fund Global Quarterly Sep 30, 2008 USD June 30, 2008 GCC Real Estate Fund Global Global Asia Real Estate Fund Global Quarterly Dec 31, 2008 USD Sept 30, 2008 Global Real Estate Ijarah Fund Global Global GCC Real Estate Fund II Global Private Equity Funds Global Opportunistic Fund Global Quarterly Dec 31, 2008 USD Sept 30, 2008 Global Opportunistic Fund II Global Quarterly Dec 31, 2008 USD Sept 30, 2008 Private Equity Fund Global Quarterly Mar 31, 2009 KD Dec 31, 2008 Global Buyout Fund Global Quarterly Dec 31, 2008 USD Sept 30, 2008 Country Fund Palestine Dedicated Fund Global Monthly July 31, 2009 USD June 30, 2009 Global Jordan Fund Global Monthly July 31, 2009 USD June 30, 2009 The Delmon Fund Global Monthly June 30, 2009 BD May 31, 2009 Global Egypt Fund Global Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Sectoral Funds EPADI Fund Global Monthly July 30, 2009 USD June 30, 2009 Islamic Funds Global GCC Islamic Fund Global Monthly July 31, 2009 USD June 30, 2009 Al-Durra Islamic Fund Global Weekly July 30, 2009 KD July 22, 2009 Global Islamic Funds of Fund Global Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Global Islamic Funds Global Monthly July 30, 2009 KD July 22, 2009 Others Al-Sanabil Fund (A) Global Monthly Feb 28, 2009 QAR Jan 31, 2009 Al-Sanabi Fund (B) Global Monthly Feb 28, 2009 QAR Jan 31, 2009 Global Energy, Petrochemical, and Downstream Industries Fund Global Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Kuwait Finance & Investment Co (KFIC) Al Wasm Fund KFIC Weekly July 22, 2009 KD July 15, 2009 Al Basha er GCC Equity Fund KFIC & Gulf Finance House Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 KAMCO Bond & High Yield Fund KAMCO Quarterly June 30, 2009 KD Mar 31, 2008 KAMCO Investment Fund KAMCO Monthly May 31, 2009 KD April 30, 2009 Private Equity Opportunities Fund KAMCO Monthly Mar 31, 2009 KD Dec 31, 2008 Kuwait Education Fund KAMCO Semi-Annually Mar 31, 2009 KD Dec 31, 2008 Energy Services Fund KAMCO Mar 31, 2009 USD Feb 28, 2009 Al Madar Finance Shuwaikh Real Estate Fund Al Madar Quarterly April 17, 2009 KD Mar 31, 2009 US index Fund Al Madar Bi-Weekly Mar 27, 2009 USD Mar 20, 2009 Al Madina Finance & Investment Co. India Fund Al Madina Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Al Madina Fund Al Madina Quarterly Mar 31, 2009 KD Dec 31, 2008 Wafra International Investment Co. Wafra Equity Fund Wafra Co. Monthly Feb 28, 2009 KD Wafra Bond Fund Wafra Co. Monthly Feb 28, 2009 KD Fajir Islamic Fund Wafra Co. Monthly Feb 28, 2009 KD Shuaa Capital Co. Al Tawfeek Gulf Equity Fund Shuaa Capital Twice Monthly July 15, 2009 USD June 30, 2009 Kuwait Gateway Fund First Investment Co Monthly June 30, 2009 USD April 30, 2009 Arab Islamic Gateway Fund Shuaa Capital Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 26, 2009 Saudi Gateway Fund Shuaa Capital Monthly July 28, 2009 USD July 21, 2009 The Arab Gateway Fund Shuaa Capital Monthly July 28, 2009 USD July 21, 2009 The Oman Gateway Fund Shuaa Capital Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Emirates Gateway Fund Shuaa Capital Monthly July 28, 2009 AED July 21, 2009 Qatar Gate Fund (Q) Shuaa Capital Monthly June 30, 2009 QAR April 30, 2009 Qatar Gate Fund (N) Shuaa Capital Monthly June 30, 2009 QAR April 30, 2009 Investment Dar Co. Al Dar Real Estate Fund Tharwa Investment Co Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May Al Dar Fund of Funds Al Dar Asset Management Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May Al Dar Money Markets Fund Al Dar Asset Management Weekly Aug 03, 2009 KD July 27, 2009 Al Dar Securities Fund Al Dar Asset Management Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May Al Nokhba Fund Al Dar Asset Management Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May Al Aman Investment Al Aman Islamic Fund Al Aman Investment Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Housing Finance Company (ISKAN) Masaref Fund ISKAN Weekly June 11, 2009 KD June 04, 2009 Gulf Investment Corp. Gulf Bond Fund Gulf Investment Corp Monthly July 17, 2009 USD July 10, 2009 Gulf Premier Fund Gulf Investment Corp Weekly July 31, 2009 USD July 23, 2009 Gulf Islamic Fund Gulf Investment Corp Monthly July 31, 2009 USD July 23, 2009 GIC KD Bond Fund Gulf Investment Corp Monthly July 16, 2009 KD July 09, 2009 First Investment Co. First Arabian Equity 2000 Fund First Investment Co Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 First Gulf Equity First Investment Co Monthly June 30, 2009 USD May 31, 2009 Al-Muthana Fund First Investment Co Weekly July 27, 2009 KD July 20, 2009 Bayan Investment Company Ea mmar and Estethmar Fund Bayan Investment Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Al Themar Securities Fund Bayan Investment Monthly May 31, 2009 KD April 30, 2009 Tharwa Investment Co. Tharwa Investment Fund Tharwa Investment Co Monthly July 30, 2009 KD July 22, 2009 Tharwa Islamic Fund Tharwa Investment Co Monthly July 30, 2009 KD July 22, 2009 Tharwa Arab Investment Fund Tharwa Investment Co Monthly May 31, 2009 USD April 30, 2009 Tharwa Islamic Money Market Fund Tharwa Investment Co Bank Al-Bilad Al Seef Fund Bank Al-Bilad Weekly July 30, 2009 KD July 23, 2009 Commercial International Bank Commercial Int t Bank Fund I (Osoul) CI Asset Management Weekly July 23, 2009 EGP July 16, 2009 Commercial Int t Bank Fund II (Istethmar) CI Asset Management Weekly July 23, 2009 EGP July 16, 2009 CIB and Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt Fund CI Asset Management Weekly July 23, 2009 EGP July 16, 2009 Noor Financial Inv. Co. Noor Islamic Fund Noor Financial Investment Co Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Noor Local & Arabian Fund Noor Financial Investment Co Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Noor Islamic US Equity Large Cap Fund Noor Financial Investment Co Monthly May 31, 2009 USD April 30, 2009 Noor Islamic US Equity Mid Cap Fund Noor Financial Investment Co Monthly May 31, 2009 USD April 30, 2009 Noor Islamic US Equity Small Cap Fund Noor Financial Investment Co Monthly May 31, 2009 USD April 30, 2009 Noor Islamic Development Markets Ex US Fund Noor Financial Investment Co Monthly May 31, 2009 USD Mar 31, 2009 Kuwait Real Estate Investment Consortium Kuwait Real Estate Fund Kuwait Real Estate Investment Consortium Monthly Mar 31, 2009 KD Dec 31, 2008 Manafae Investment Co. Manafae First Fund Manafae Investment Co Monthly July 31, 2009 KD June 30, 2009 Al Zumorroda Investment Co. Zumorroda GCC Fund Al Zumorroda Investment Co Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Al Safat Investment Co. Al Safat Local Shares Equity Fund Al Safat Investment Co. Monthly June 30, 2009 KD May 31, 2009 Al-Imtiaz Investment Company Al-Imtiaz Money Market Fund Al-Imtiaz Investment Company Weekly July 27, 2009 KD July Al-Imtiaz Investment Fund Al-Imtiaz Investment Company Jan 29, 2009 KD Oct 27, 2008 Al-Imtiaz Real Estate Fund Al-Imtiaz Investment Company Quarterly Mar 31, 2009 KD Dec 31, 2008 BankMuscat BankMuscat MSCI Kuwait Fund BankMuscat Daily Aug 03, 2009 USD July 30, 2009 Al-Muthana Investment Company Muthanna Islamic Index Fund Al-Muthana Investment Company Bi-monthly July 31, 2009 KD June 30, 2009 Muthanna GCC Islamic Banks Fund Al-Muthana Investment Company Monthly July 31, 2009 KD June 30, 2009

37 BUSINESS 37 trustee to keep tabs on Ruth Madoff s spending Ebay s PayPal shut globally for an hour Bernard Madoff s once free-spending wife has suffered another financial indignity: She now must report any purchases over $100 to a trustee. US Bankruptcy Court Judge Burton Lifland signed off on an agreement last week that imposed the monthly reports while freezing Ruth Madoff s assets in response to the court-appointed trustee s $45 million claim against her. The order in the Manhattan court allows Ruth Madoff only to pay reasonable legal and living expenses and up to $589,000 in back taxes until the matter is resolved. Mrs. Madoff s lawyer, Peter Chavkin, declined comment on Monday. Last week, he called the claim by Trustee Irving Picard wrong as a matter of law and fairness because his client already has forfeited nearly all her wealth to federal prosecutors. Picard appointed to locate and liquidate Madoff s assets to pay back thousands of burned customers sued the disgraced financier s wife last week, claiming she used investor money to finance a life of splendor. The suit alleges Mrs. Madoff pocketed $23.7 million from the business in the last two years, including $1.1 million to pay personal expenses charged to her American Express card and $2.7 million in 2007 to pay for her yacht. (AP) EBay Inc s online payments service, PayPal, shut down worldwide for about an hour on Monday after the Internet retailer encountered internal problems with the fast-growing division. The outage began at 10:30 a.m. Pacific Time and affected all users for about an hour. All customers had regained service as of 3:30 p.m., ebay spokesman Anuj Nayar said. I haven t heard the absolute clear definition of what happened from the engineering team yet, he said. I can confirm that it was an internal problem, not an external problem. EBay, facing increasing competition from Amazon.com and coping with weak business at its MarketPlaces auctions and retail division, had been relying on PayPal to help drive future growth. PayPal, which accounts for roughly a third of ebay s sales but a smaller proportion of profits, has about 75 million active users and is the world s largest Internet-based payment system. It handles $2,000 a second in online transactions, Nayar said. Sales at PayPal rose 11 percent while revenue slid 14 percent at MarketPlaces in the second quarter. Analysts discounted a huge financial blow for ebay from Monday s incident. I wouldn t expect it to be a large monetary loss for them. Overall, PayPal is a relatively small part of ebay s profitability, Kaufman Bros. analyst Aaron Kessler said. (RTRS) Over 4 unemployed for every ad vacancy in July US report: 560,000 fewer online job ads posted JACKSON, Mississippi, Aug 4, (AP): Online job advertisements remained steady from June to July, but a national report shows over 560,000 fewer advertised US vacancies last month compared with the same period a year earlier, a private research group says. The Conference Board released its monthly Help-Wanted Online Data Series report on Monday. Online job advertisements increased by a modest 700 in July. There were about 3.3 million ad vacancies last month, a 568,600 drop from July Since record monthly declines of 507,000 and 506,000 in December and January, online ad vacancies have leveled off. But there were over four unemployed people for every ad vacancy in July as the number of unemployed increased. And the monthly number of ad vacancies this year continues to be about 1.2 million below the average of 4.5 million in 2008, the New York-based research group said. June Shelp, economist for The Conference Board, said the online job figures and other indicators don t suggest a large bump in employment anytime soon. I think it is going to be a little tough, Shelp said. We are not in as bad a shape, but I don t see that it s going to bounce back up that quickly. Michigan had close to 11 unemployed people for every advertised vacancy, the highest total on record since the data series began in Indiana had over seven unemployed people for every advertised vacancy followed by Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina, and South Carolina with over six. The Help-Wanted Online Data Series measures the number of new online jobs and openings reposted from the previous month on more than 1,200 major Internet job boards and smaller websites that serve niche markets. Larger states in the South, including North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland, continued Post office looks at changing hundreds of offices WASHINGTON, Aug 4, (AP): The local post office long has been the center of many American communities, but with people turning increasingly to the Internet to send messages and pay bills, financial losses are forcing the Postal Service to consider consolidating or closing hundreds of local facilities. The post office is facing a $7 billion loss this year despite a 2-cent rate increase. The agency has shed 150,000 workers since 2000, removed hundreds of mail collection boxes and taken other steps to to show modest gains, but the trend is still down in the West. New York showed the largest increase in the Northeast with 16,800 additional job ads, save money. Now the agency has sent a list of nearly 700 potential candidates for closing or consolidation to the independent Postal Regulatory Commission for review, and officials say more may be added. Some of the offices could be closed while others might have some of their functions consolidated with other offices. For example, in some cases preparing mail for delivery may be shifted from Office A to nearby Office B, but the first office still might offer services such as while Pennsylvania increased by 6,800 followed by New Jersey with 2,300. Sales and related occupations and management positions experienced the largest selling stamps and mailing parcels and letters. In other cases one of the offices might be closed. Postal Vice President Jordan Small told a congressional subcommittee that local managers will study activities of approximately 3,200 stations and branches across the country, considering factors such as customer access, service standards, cost savings, impact on employees, environmental impact, real estate values and long-term Postal Service needs. No changes are expected before the increases in job demand in July. Based on the number of unemployed relative to the number of advertised vacancies, workers looking for jobs in the management field will end of the current fiscal year on Sept 30. There are 32,741 post offices across the US. We anticipate that out of these 3,200 stations and branches (being reviewed), under 1,000 offices could be considered as viable candidates to study further for closing, Small said. In addition to the switch of business to the Internet, the recession has hurt the post office by reducing advertising mail. Last year s high gas prices also siphoned millions of dollars from its coffers. find it somewhat easier than those looking for sales positions, Gad Levanon, senior economist for The Conference Board, said in a news release. Auto sales shoot up Obama admin withholds clunkers program data WASHINGTON, Aug 4, (Agencies): The Obama administration is refusing to release US government records on its cash for clunkers rebate program that would substantiate or undercut claims of the car purchase program s success. President Barack Obama wants $2 billion more to boost car sales just days after the first $1 billion was made available for the program. Obama has promised greater transparency for his administration, but transportation officials say they do not have time to turn over sales data car dealers have provided that would shed light on the program. The information released so far shows most buyers are not picking Ford, Chrysler or General Motors vehicles, and six of the top 10 vehicles purchased are Honda, Toyota and Hyundai. Deadline Facing a White House deadline, Senate Democrats are struggling to win over enough reluctant Republicans to pass a $2 billion extension of a popular rebate program that gives consumers up to $4,500 to trade in their old gas guzzlers for more fuel-efficient vehicles. Senate discussions are expected to continue Tuesday after the Obama administration and backers of the cash for clunkers program picked up support from three lawmakers who wanted the program limited to the purchase of even more fuel-efficient vehicles. Data released by the administration showed the new vehicles purchased under the program were 61 percent more fuel efficient than the trade-ins. Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham said Tuesday morning he thinks the Senate will approve it. I think the Senate will act this week and get some of the clunkers off the road, Graham said in an interview with NBC television. The fuel efficiency gains helped sway some lawmakers who had complained that smaller rebates of $3,500 were going to people buying new cars that get as little as four more miles per gallon (less than 2 more kilometers per liter) than the gas-guzzlers they traded in. As of Monday afternoon, $563.8 million worth of rebates had been processed through the government program, representing 133,767 new vehicles, according to figures provided by the Department of Transportation. Car shoppers can still take advantage of the incentives, but the White House said the incentives were unlikely to continue into the weekend if the Senate fails to approve the funding. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs estimated the additional $2 billion would allow consumers to take advantage of the incentives through September. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, a former Republican congressman, said some 80 percent of the traded-in vehicles are pickups or sport utility vehicles, meaning many gas-guzzlers are being taken off the road. The Ford Focus is a leading replacement vehicle. General Motors Co, Chrysler Group LLC and Ford Motor Co accounted for 47 percent of the new vehicles purchased. Most consumers are buying smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles under the program, according to a list of the top- 10 selling cars released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is administering cash for clunkers. That includes Honda Civics, Toyota Corollas and Dodge Calibers. The Toyota Prius hybrid, which gets 46 miles per gallon (20 kms per liter) according to EPA estimates, is the fourth best-selling car. There is one SUV on the list, the Ford Escape, which also comes in a hybrid model that can get up to 32 miles per gallon (14 kms per liter). Many Republicans remained skeptical, raising objections to the additional costs amid questions about the management of the overwhelmed car rebate program. I ve talked to too many dealers who say it s the most inept and poorly run program they ve ever dealt with, said Sen. Jim DeMint, a Republican. We need to get to the bottom of that before we spend $2 billion more. The clunkers funding was running into a busy Senate calendar, only days before lawmakers were to depart for an August recess. As the Senate works to extend the program, many dealers said they were concerned they could be on the hook for some of the money if the Senate fails to act. The popular Cash for Clunkers incentive helped kickstart the US auto market in July, with Ford leading the way Monday by registering its first increase in sales for almost two years. Total sales hit a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of million vehicles in July, the first time this year that figure has risen above the depressed rate of 10 million, according to industry researcher Autodata. It s obviously working quite well, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said of the government-funded Cash for Clunkers program which pays consumers up to $4,500 to trade in a gasoline-guzzler for a more fuel efficient vehicle. The initiative burned through one billion dollars in its first week and the US House of Representatives voted Friday to pump in another two billion. But the effort has hit resistance in the senate, prompting President Barack Obama invited senators to attend a White House lunch on Tuesday in an effort to push through the funding before legislators break for their summer holidays on Friday. The auto industry, still reeling from a collapse in sales last fall which helped contribute to the bankruptcies of both General Motors and Chrysler, says it can sorely use the help. While the Cash for Clunkers program boosted auto sales by as much as 200,000 vehicles in a single week, overall industry sales remain at levels not seen since the recession of the early 1980s. July s sales of 1.14 million vehicles were 12.2 percent lower than a year earlier and overall sales are down 32.1 percent for the year to date, according to Autodata. Quality General Motors estimates that 5.5 million vehicles could qualify as trade-ins under the program, but cautioned it could take months to burn through another two billion dollars in funding. You ll start running out of the available number of people with eligible vehicles and the wherewithal to buy, GM sales analyst Mike DiGiovanni said. The incentive has helped release pentup demand in the market and came at a very good time to help boost the economy, said DiGiovanni, who estimated extra sales and production could boost third quarter GDP by 0.5 percentage points. GM said it posted its highest US retail sales in 10 months, even as total sales fell 19.4 percent to 155,569 vehicles. Its market share fell to 18.8 percent from 20.4 percent in July 2008, according to Autodata. Ford Motor Co was the clear winner in July, posting its first monthly sales increase since November 2007 and seeing its share of the US market rise to 15.9 percent from 13.7 a year earlier. Cash for clunkers put us over the top, said George Pipas, Ford s manager of sales analysis. US consumer spending surges WASHINGTON, Aug 4, (Agencies): Americans opened their wallets and pocketbooks a bit more in June, increasing their spending for the second straight month while saving a bit less, even as incomes fell sharply. Consumer spending is closely watched because it accounts for about 70 percent of total economic activity. Many economists warned that despite the slight increase in June, falling wages and rising unemployment likely will keep spending sluggish for the rest of this year. The Commerce Department said Tuesday that consumers boosted their spending 0.4 percent in June, slightly ahead of analysts estimates. That comes after spending rose 0.1 percent in May. Pending home sales index rises again in June In this May 7, 2009 file photo, people move past a Bank of America branch is shown in downtown Philadelphia, May 7, Bank of America on Aug 3, 2009 agreed to pay a $33 million penalty to settle government charges that it misled investors about Merrill Lynch s plan to pay bonuses to its employees. (AP) Former Citi CFO takes Bank of America job BoA to pay $33m to settle charges NEW YORK, Aug 4, (Agencies): Bank of America Corp has agreed to pay $33 million to settle charges that it made false and misleading statements to investors about bonuses at Merrill Lynch & Co, the US Securities and Exchange Commission said on Monday. Bonuses paid at Merrill and other banks became a hot-button issue last year with a public outcry and several investigations, including one by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and other state prosecutors. Cuomo s office said last week that $33 billion was paid in bonuses at nine banks, including Merrill, that were among the first recipients of US taxpayer money to help them survive. In announcing the civil charges and settlement with Bank of America, the SEC said the bank had neither admitted nor denied the allegations. The agency said its investigation was continuing. Marshall Front, chairman of Front Barnett Associates investment counseling firm in Chicago, said the settlement did not change the fundamental outlook for the bank but was a concern for its chairman, Kenneth Lewis. This is not something that I would worry about as an investor, Front said. Ken Lewis should worry about it, but not an investor. In a lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court, the SEC said Bank of America told investors that Merrill had agreed not to pay year-end performance bonuses or incentive compensation before the Jan. 1, 2009, merger of the firms without Bank of America s permission. But, in fact, Bank of America had authorized Merrill to pay discretionary year-end bonuses, according to the SEC. Merrill paid $3.6 billion in bonuses for 2008 despite losing $27.6 billion that year. As Merrill was on the brink of bankruptcy and posting record losses, Bank of America agreed to allow Merrill to pay its executives billions of dollars in bonuses, David Rosenfeld, associate director of the SEC s New York Regional Office, said in a statement. Shareholders were not told about this agreement at the time they voted on the merger. The SEC said Bank of America misled investors in proxy statements soliciting votes of shareholders on the proposed acquisition of Merrill. The agency said the bank had already contractually authorized Merrill to pay up to $5.8 billion in bonuses for Settlement Bank of America said the settlement represents a constructive conclusion to this issue. This is an important step forward for Bank of America and allows us to focus our energies on enhancing stockholder value by continuing to execute our strategies for the long-term success of our business, the bank said in a statement. Cuomo, New York state s top legal officer, said on Monday that we want to be clear that our investigation of these and other matters will continue. Members of the US Congress have expressed outrage over the Bush administration s involvement in the deal between Bank of America and Merrill. Some have accused Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson of coercing Lewis to go ahead with acquiring Personal income fell 1.3 percent, the steepest drop in more than four years. Incomes rose by the same amount in May, boosted by one-time payments from the government. Economists expected personal incomes, the fuel for future spending, to fall 1 percent. Incomes benefited in May from a one-time payment of $250 that was mailed to 50 million Americans receiving Social Security and other government benefits, as part of the Obama administration s $787 billion stimulus package. Excluding the impact of the stimulus, personal income would have fallen 0.1 percent in June after a flat reading in May, the department said. Wages and salaries fell 0.4 percent in June from May, the eighth straight monthly drop. That makes it unlikely consumers will ratchet up their spending anytime soon, economists said. The US consumer will not be much of a help during the early stages of the economic recov- Merrill despite the investment bank s deteriorating finances. Also: CHARLOTTE, North Carolina: Bank of America Corp shuffled some of its top executives Monday and said some of the managers might be in a position to succeed CEO Ken Lewis. One of the changes brought former Citigroup Chief Financial Officer Sallie Krawcheck to Bank of America to run its global wealth and investment management operation. The company also announced that its head of consumer banking was leaving and that other executives were being moved into new positions. The bank, which received $45 billion in bailout money, is under pressure from the federal government to improve its performance. Those are some substantive changes, said Tony Plath, a finance professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The government is pressing not only for changes in BofA s board, but in their management team. Bank of America spokesman Robert Stickler said the government had nothing to do with the job changes. The management changes were done by Chief Executive Ken Lewis in consultation with the board, Stickler told The Associated Press. Krawcheck is taking over for Brian Moynihan, who will become head of consumer banking. Moynihan is succeeding Liam McGee, who is leaving the company after a nearly 20-year career. ery, Joshua Shapiro, chief US economist at consulting firm MFR Inc., wrote in a note to clients. Amid the longest recession since World War II, the personal savings rate has surged as Americans seek to rebuild their nest eggs after home values and stock portfolios plummeted last year. While saving can be good in the long run, rapid increases in saving can slow the economy. The department said the personal savings rate fell to 4.6 percent in June, after jumping to 6.2 percent in May, which was the highest since February The rate dropped as low as 1 percent last year. Spending may increase in July and August due to the government s cash for clunkers program, which has spurred thousands of Americans to trade in old cars for newer vehicles, Shapiro said. But the savings rate is likely to keep rising later this year. Investors appeared unfazed by the economic report and focused on locking in some profits after a 14 percent climb in stocks since July 13. The Dow Jones industrial average and broader indices dipped slightly in morning trading. Revised The department also revised its spending and income data back to 1929, as it did last week when it reported second-quarter gross domestic product, the broadest measure of the economy s output. The changes show that Americans saved slightly more than previously thought. For example, the department revised the savings rate in 2008 to 2.7 percent from 1.8 percent. The government reported last week that the overall economy, as measured by the GDP, shrank at an annual rate of 1 percent in the second quarter, far less severe than the 6.4 percent decline in the first quarter and a 5.4 percent decline in the fourth quarter of Sluggish consumer spending has held back the sales of food and beverage companies. Tyson Foods Inc., the world s largest meat producer, said Monday that sales fell 3 percent in its third quarter. The company posted a strong profit due to cost cuts. And sales for MillerCoors, the US joint venture owned by Molson Coors Brewing Co. and SABMiller, increased by only 1 percent in the most recent quarter, Molson Coors reported Monday. I think the data shows that consumer confidence appears to be bottoming and turning higher, though headwinds from job losses remain a significant hurdle, said Alan Gayle, senior investment strategist at Ridgeworth Investments in Richmond, Virginia. Personal incomes declined 1.3 percent in June, however, as the effects of one-time government stimulus checks in May wore off, and U.S. stock index futures extended losses after the report while government bond prices rose. Home sales Pending US home sales rose in June for the fifth straight month, another encouraging sign of life for the embattled US housing market, the National Association of Realtors reported Tuesday. For June, the Realtors group said its pending home sales index rose 3.6 percent to 94.6, from an upwardly revised reading of 91.3 in May. The last time there were five consecutive monthly gains was July The results were far better than analysts expected. Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters expected the index to come in at The report tracks signed contracts to purchase previously owned homes and is considered a barometer for future home sales. Typically there is a one- to two- month lag between a sales contract and a completed deal.

38 BUSINESS 38 Google launches rare ad campaign to sell more apps Google Inc is so well known that it has become a synonym for search, making advertising unnecessary. Getting businesses to buy Google s online suite of office applications requires a little more elbow grease and marketing muscle. In a rare commercial campaign, Google is leasing billboards along major highways in New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Boston this month to promote a bundle of business applications that sells for $50 per worker annually. A different message will be displayed each weekday through August, starting with Monday morning s commute. Google has been peddling its apps package since 2007, but only recently realized it needed a more aggressive sales pitch. People don t necessarily think of Google when it comes to how we can help companies, said Michael Lock, director of sales and operations for Google s enterprise division in North America. For now, Google doesn t plan to advertise its business applications in other offline media like magazines, newspapers, television or radio, said Andy Berndt, managing director of the company s creative labs. The billboard campaign underscores just how determined Google is to lure corporate customers away from Microsoft Corp. s service and industry-leading applications for word processing, spreadsheets and scheduling. To a lesser degree, Google also is targeting IBM Corp. Google has been escalating its attack against Microsoft just as its search engine is under assault. Hoping to narrow Google s commanding lead in the online ad market, Microsoft last week forged a search partnership with Yahoo Inc in a deal that still requires regulatory approval. Microsoft also upgraded its search engine in June and renamed it Bing a change that is being trumpeted in a $100 million marketing campaign. By contrast, Google has rarely bought advertising to promote its search engine since its inception nearly 11 years ago. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company instead has relied primarily on word-of-mouth and free media exposure to establish the search engine as the Internet s most powerful tool. The strategy has worked well, with the advertising connected to its search engine generating $10.7 billion in revenue during the first half of this year. Software licensing, including Google s sales of business applications, and revenue from other non-advertising sales accounted for just $365 million in revenue during the same period. Google says about 1.75 million businesses, schools and government agencies use its online applications. (AP) Firm taps social, scientific utility of volunteer computing Intel lets Facebook users focus computer power on research SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 4, (AFP): Intel unveiled a software program Monday that lets Facebook users devote spare computer processing power to researching diseases or climate change. The world s largest computer chip company teamed with nonprofit group GridRepublic to create a Progress Thru Processors application based on the popular online social networking service s operating platform. The application enables Facebook users to allot idle computing power to work on projects for Rosetta@home, Climateprediction.net or Africa@home. Rosetta@home uses donated computing power to seek cures for cancer, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer s and other diseases. Climateprediction.net seeks to enhance understanding of climate change by predicting and testing weather models. Africa@home is focused on finding effective ways to combat malaria by studying simulation models of disease transmission and the potential impact of new drugs and vaccines. The social and scientific utility of volunteer computing is a function of the number of participants; the more people we sign up, the greater the good we can collectively do, said GridRepublic executive director Matt Blumberg. He said the relationships will help bring large numbers of new people into volunteer computing, enabling research and discovery which would otherwise be impossible. In July, Facebook reported that it passed the 250-million-member mark. Volunteers taking part in Progress Thru Processors essentially provide researchers with an online pool of computing power that can be used to work on complex tasks that would be daunting for a single machine. Nintendo DSi users get to share pictures on Facebook Small contributions made by individuals can collectively have a far-reaching impact on our world, said Deborah Conrad, Intel vice president and general SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 4, (AFP): Nintendo said Monday that it is updating DSi software to allow users to upload pictures from the camera-equipped handheld videogame devices to hot social-networking website Facebook. The Facebook photo-sharing feature is to be live after 5:00 pm in California (0000 GMT Tuesday) and usable with a free system update to be available online. Facebook and Nintendo DSi build on the trend of personalization that is so important to consumers, Nintendo of America executive vice president of sales and marketing Cammie Dunaway said in a statement. We re giving people the tools to express themselves in creative new ways and show off the results to their friends and family on Facebook. DSi users will be able to tap an onscreen icon to send photos from DSi camera albums to Facebook profile pages by means of wireless broadband Internet connections, according to Nintendo. The Japanese videogame titan has sold more than 1.7 million DSi devices in the United States since the third-generation of the game system was launched here in April, according to figures from industry-tracker NPD Group. Nintendo reported last week that sales of its Wii consoles have plunged, triggering a sharp drop in recent-quarter profits after years of spectacular growth. The company had been riding high in recent years after trumping rivals Sony and Microsoft in the battle for dominance of the multi-billion dollar home videogame industry with its family-friendly Wii. But the console s worldwide appeal seems to be fading: Wii sales more than halved to 2.23 million units in April-June from 5.17 million a year ago. Demand for handheld consoles also cooled, with sales of the DS line falling to 5.97 million units from 6.94 million. Together with a stronger yen, the weak demand pushed Nintendo s net profit down 60.6 percent in the quarter from a year earlier to billion yen ($445 million), dousing hopes that the industry would be recession-proof. manager of corporate marketing. By simply running an application on your computer, which uses very little incremental resources, you can expand computing resources to researchers working to make the world a better place. A beta, or test, version of the application was launched online at facebook.com/progressthruprocessors. The application is designed to run unnoticed as a background process on computers, according to Intel. Gaming ME firm in deal with Gazillion Top digital video game makers pause, reload NEW YORK, Aug 4, (AP): Kathleen Byrnes and Justin Choi, a married couple attending medical school at Tulane University, say $40 is just too much to fork over for a Nintendo Wii game they might not enjoy. They haven t bought one since last fall, when they picked up Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Since then? Nothing really interesting came out, said Byrnes, 23. Their reluctance helps explain why this is a rough summer for the video game business. More people than ever are playing the games, but it s been a while since a blockbuster title arrived. Consumers are watching their money more closely in the recession and managing to resist games that can cost as much as $60. The trends came into play last week as Sony Corp and Nintendo Co each reported console sales are dropping. Sony posted a loss for the April-June quarter, while Nintendo Co revealed a large drop in its profit. The Microsoft Corp division that makes the Xbox 360 said last month it lost money in the last quarter too. The health of the industry is terrible, said Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter. For gamers, at least, there s some good news: Console prices will probably come down. Sony s PlayStation 3, the costliest of the bunch, still sells for $400. Nintendo hasn t lowered the $250 tag on the Wii since its 2006 launch an extreme rarity for an industry that relies on regular price cuts to broaden its audience. Despite the bad earnings results, Sony and Nintendo both reaffirmed their forecasts for the year. And Pachter thinks each company has no prayer of meeting the target without cutting prices to lure buyers. In Nintendo s case, that might mean keeping the Wii at $250 but throwing in more free games. Recession At first, it didn t seem the recession would be big trouble for the video game business, which has managed to expand its audience in recent years and become a mainstream form of entertainment. By many estimates, the video game industry is now larger than the music business. Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft, as well as software publishers like Electronic Arts Inc. and retailers like GameStop Corp, have pitched video games as cheap entertainment. Players can get many more hours in front of a TV screen from a $60 video game than from a $25 DVD. But people squeezed by the economy may not have even that to spend. Many have turned to online games that are cheaper or free. Even loyal, hardcore gamers are being more selective instead of lining up to buy every new release, and many are trading used games among themselves. They re also waiting for bigger, better titles coming later in the year in the holiday season, when video game companies often roll out their biggest blockbusters. With many players now expecting something close to movie quality in their games, these titles can take years and tens of millions of dollars to develop. When the spring of 2008 brought massive hits like Grand Theft Auto IV and the exercise game Wii Fit, that was an exception. Grand Theft Auto IV raked in more than $500 million in its first week in stores. Last year s big spring would have made for tough comparisons this year even in normal circumstances. But by industry standards, the first half of 2009 has been unusually slow when it comes to top-flight game launches. Combine that with the recession, and you get one chilly summer. Ben Nielsen, a 29-year-old architectural designer in Portland, Oregon, usually buys three or four games a year. This year he s gotten only one: Mirror s Edge for the Xbox 360. And that s only because it was on sale, at $30. He also has a Wii, but for that system, Nielsen said he hasn t seen anything compelling enough to buy, especially considering the pay cut we took at my firm earlier this year. Byrnes and Choi might spring for the $50 Wii Sports Resort, a recently launched follow to the Wii Sports game that comes with the Wii and buoyed its popularity. Wii Sports Resort also comes with an accessory that attaches to the Wii s controller to make it more sensitive. In general, though, they remain cautious. They own seven games for their Wii, and say they were disappointed with about half of them. With that kind of a track record, said Choi, who is 25, we are not about to take more chances on future titles. Also: DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: A media company bankrolled by the government of Abu Dhabi says it is teaming up with a California video game developer to create online games for the Arab world. Abu Dhabi Media Company says its joint venture with Gazillion Entertainment includes plans to build an online gaming studio in the capital of the oil-rich United Arab Emirates. Financial terms of Tuesday s deal were not disclosed. Gazillion specializes in so-called massively multiplayer online games, which let thousands of players interact over the Internet simultaneously. The San Mateo, California-based company agreed in March to produce online games featuring Marvel Entertainment super heroes such as Spider-Man and the Incredible Hulk. Microsoft sees size as search answer in long-term Yahoo partnership deal Combined market share estimated at 30 percent REDMOND, Washington, Aug 4, (AP): Microsoft is hoping that a long-term partnership with rival Yahoo will give it the size and insight it needs to bring in more traffic, more advertisers and ultimately more revenue. By handling Yahoo Inc s searches along with its own, Microsoft Corp. can learn more quickly what works and what doesn t. A smarter search engine might draw more Internet users, and more advertisers could follow, driving up prices. Size, though, may wind up being far from the magic bullet that Microsoft is counting on in forging a 10-year partnership to power all Yahoo searches. Search leader Google Inc has had a head start in technical development, and Microsoft File photo taken on April 18, 2009 showing supporters of the Pirate Bay website, one of the world s top illegal file sharing websites, demonstrating in Stockholm. Swedish Internet users have slowed down illegal downloads after the adoption on April 1 of a stricter law, which has been hailed by the music, film and video industry. Sweden s tough new anti-piracy law has led to a sharp drop in illegal downloading but critics say the effects will be short-lived and argue it is an excessive breach of personal privacy. (AFP) Crackdown on piracy bears fruits Swedish illegal filesharing drops STOCKHOLM, Aug 4, (AFP): Sweden s tough new anti-piracy law has led to a sharp drop in illegal downloading but critics say the effects will be short-lived and argue it is an excessive breach of personal privacy. Sweden s legislation, based on the European Union s Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Directive, is credited with a 30 percent fall in the country s total web traffic the day after it came into effect. Experts say that the drop in Swedish web usage is explained by the fact that illegal downloading represents between 50 and 75 percent of Internet traffic worldwide. The new law, effective as of April 1, gives copyright holders the right to force Internet service providers to reveal details of users sharing files, opening the way for legal action that could see downloaders pay damages and fines. Data from Internet service provider Netnod show usage is still free-falling, four months after the law was passed. In France, lawmakers have kept a close eye on Sweden s approach to illegal downloads as they look set to pass their own anti-piracy bill later this year. It s obvious that those who are using filesharing have been scared and moved somewhere else, like streaming music sites, said Daniel Johansson, a researcher at KTH Institute of Technology in Stockholm. Some popular Swedish artists have seen their downloading on websites like The Pirate Bay go down by up to 80 percent, he added. The Pirate Bay claims to have some 22 million users worldwide. While unauthorised downloads are on the slide at a time when global record sales are booming, the amount of music bought from legal download sites have shot up by 57 percent compared to last year. Music retailers say their overall sales have risen by 14 percent, according to data from IFPI, an association that represents the recording industry worldwide. Music But it is not just music that is downloaded illegally films and video games are also popular with Internet pirates. Per Stroemback, a spokesman for the Swedish Games Industry association, describes Sweden s tough stance on piracy as a historic example of effective legislation. No one could predict such a dramatic decrease in illegal traffic and not only that there s also been a huge increase in the legal services, he told AFP. As yet, no one person has been charged under the new law but Lisa Cronstedt, a Sweden-based spokeswoman for IFPI, told AFP that the group plans to sue individual illegal file-sharers within the next month. Five audio book publishers have already secured a landmark victory against Swedish Internet service provider Ephone when it already has had plenty of search queries to analyze - yet it remains stuck at No. 3. Adding more data might not make a difference. They have lots of scale. They have lots of traffic. Even being the third-place player, they have huge amounts of data to understand their own relevancy, said Danny Sullivan, editor of the search news site Searchengineland.com. I just don t know why they keep putting that argument out. The deal still needs regulatory review on such issues as whether it will promote or hinder competition and how the two companies will share the personal data collected in searches. If approved, Microsoft s technology will process Yahoo s searches behind the scenes. The only nod to Microsoft will appear - with credit placed at the bottom of the page - when a user gets results from a Web search. In exchange, Microsoft will keep 12 percent of the ad revenue those searches generate. That s a better deal for Yahoo than most agreements of this sort, though the terms go up for review halfway through the deal. Microsoft has yet to turn a profit on its search and advertising business despite having invested billions. The software maker s stockholders so far have been guardedly positive about the deal, perhaps because it did not require a $9 billion upfront payment to Yahoo, a condition of a similar deal proposed last year. If Microsoft can t use this partnership to improve its search finances, though, they will eventually run out of patience. Microsoft expects to spend up to $700 million to get the arrangement up and running, something that could take two years to fully deploy worldwide. It may spend up to $200 million within the next 12 months alone. But the company believes it s worth it. With the partnership, Microsoft will funnel Yahoo s nearly 3 billion monthly Web searches. Add that to the 1 billion Microsoft gets on its own, and the software maker will quadruple the queries it processes, allowing its search engine to gain even more insight into how to improve the experience. Every move a search user makes is fed back into the system, so when the next person comes along with a similar problem, the search engine is a little bit smarter about solving it. For example, if five people in a row click on the fifth link on the results page for Seattle Space Needle, the search engine - a sophisticated computer program - might try moving that link up to the top. Search When search results give people what they re looking for right away, they re more likely to come back. It s a case of the sum totaling more than its parts: The deal is about more than simply combining search traffic from the two sites. More people doing more searching on Microsoft-powered sites should then attract more companies wanting to peddle their products through short text ads next to search results. Some may not have bothered advertising on Microsoft and Yahoo separately, because as separate sites their audiences were too small to make up for the hassle of recreating Google search ad campaigns on a second and even a third system. refused to release data of customers believed to have downloaded copyrighted material Those advertisers may be enticed by the illegally. convenience and reach of this partnership, or Ephone s chief executive has said he plans by the idea of having a solid second place to to appeal the judgement, which said the company could be fined if it does not hand over check. spend their ad dollars to keep Google in the information. Right now, Microsoft estimates that Google Companies like Ephone fear they will lose gets 7 cents in ad revenue for every search, customers if forced to release data such as while Yahoo gets 4.3 cents and Microsoft gets Internet protocol (IP) addresses, which identifies which computers are used to surf the Microsoft mistakenly posted online. 3.9 cents, according to a PowerPoint slide web. Once Microsoft is handling Yahoo s Christian Engstroem, a member of the searches, Microsoft predicts revenue per European Parliament and the deputy leader of search for both companies will rise to 5 cents. Sweden s Pirate Party, argues Internet users Subtracting the commission Microsoft will will be unfairly punished under the new legislation. a decent return of $400 million. pay Yahoo, Microsoft expects to start making This is a completely unequal law, where The number of searchers is a vital driver ordinary people will become scapegoats and of success, said Tim Cadogan, CEO of will be asked for hundreds of thousands or online advertising company OpenX and a former senior vice president in Yahoo s advertis- millions of (Swedish) crowns by the industry, Engstroem told AFP. ing division. Being able to get nearly 30 percent catapults Microsoft from a tougher posi- I don t think it will be efficient in the long run. I believe the traffic is going to climb up tion to a more viable place from which they again after some months, he said, adding can build. that eventually people will find new ways to And build it must. Google gets about twothirds of US search queries, according to avoid being traced. Engstroem s party, which calls for greater comscore Inc Yahoo handled about a fifth of web privacy and legalised file-sharing, soared US searches in June, and Microsoft fielded in opinion polls shortly after a Stockholm less than half of that. The partnership would court in April found the four Swedish men bring the two companies combined share to behind popular download site The Pirate Bay nearly 30 percent, still less than half of guilty of promoting copyright infringement. Google s total.

39 BUSINESS 39 growth in key UK money supply gauge slows in Q2 UK regulator seeks ombudsman for grocers Annual growth in a key component of British money supply slowed to its weakest since 1999 in the second quarter, Bank of England data showed on Tuesday, just two days before the central bank decides whether to expand its quantitative easing programme. M4 broad money supply growth, excluding holdings of intermediate other financial corporations, slowed to an annual rate of 3.1 percent in the second quarter of 2009 from a downwardly revised 3.8 percent in the first quarter. The BoE has identified this subcomponent of M4 growth as a key gauge of whether its quantitative easing policy is boosting the money supply, because it strips out the volatile and sometimes inflated money holdings of firms such as clearing houses included in the overall M4 measure. It still shows that money growth is weak up to and including the second quarter, said Philip Shaw, economist at Investec. If I was a policymaker, I wouldn t take too much comfort from the quarterly trend, and look at the overall slowdown. The conclusion is that QE isn t boosting money growth, though it s early to be making a judgment, he said. When the BoE started buying billions of pounds of gilts and corporate debt with newly-created money in March, it said the aim was to boost the money supply to sustain spending and borrowing during Britain s worst recession in decades. (RTRS) Britain s competition watchdog urged the government on Tuesday to establish an ombudsman to rule on disputes between supermarkets and their suppliers after a majority of retailers failed to agree a voluntary arrangement. The Competition Commission (CC) published a new and strengthened code of practice for grocers aimed at better protecting suppliers, and gave them six months to comply. The measures follow a two-year investigation by the CC from 2006 to 2008 and a period of consultation during which it sought to convince supermarkets of the need to introduce more safeguards for their suppliers. The strength of Britain s top four grocers Tesco, Asda, J Sainsbury and Morrison has helped to keep prices down for shoppers, the CC found in its investigation. But it also warned consumers could suffer if suppliers were too weak to invest in products and innovate. During the consultation period, most grocery retailers opposed an ombudsman, saying it would create an unnecessary and costly layer of bureaucracy and could lead to higher prices. Only Marks & Spencer, Waitrose and Aldi backed the idea. We made every effort to persuade retailers of our case as it would be the quickest way to establish the ombudsman, CC Chairman Peter Freeman said in a statement. (RTRS) GKN, Cookson see markets starting to improve British manufacturers resilient through H1 slump LONDON, Aug 4, (RTRS): British manufacturers largely weathered the global economic downturn during the first half, after the collapse of key industrial markets at the end of 2008, and pointed to signs of improving demand. Industrial materials group Cookson and pump maker Weir impressed with strong cash generation during the first half, while cost cuts at aerospace engineer GKN appeared to be taking effect, with a return to profit in the second quarter. The world s looking a little brighter than it did in May, Cookson CEO Nick Salmon told Reuters. I think we re through the worst. GKN CEO Kevin Smith told reporters on a conference call the company s automotive and aerospace markets were looking better for the rest of We saw some improvements in automotive demand in the second quarter and while we expect demand to remain flat during the third quarter, it is set to improve after August and into the fourth quarter, he said, adding that aerospace sales are likely to be solid in the second half. Aerospace rival Meggitt, meanwhile, said it has seen signs of the slump in civil aviation markets bottoming out. GKN and Cookson also expect cost-cutting measures to benefit performance in the second half and into 2010, with GKN announcing a further 1,200 job cuts on Tuesday, taking the total number of jobs losses for 2009 and 2010 to 3,600 people. Cookson is cutting 3,200 jobs, equivalent to 20 percent of its workforce, while Meggitt is also cutting 850 jobs to mitigate reduced demand. For a Factbox on job cuts announced in Britain since March, please click on Glasgow-based Weir upgraded its guidance for 2009 profit to near 169 million pounds ($286 million) after benefitting from the weak pound and a strong performance from its service and spares operations in the first half, sending its shares up UK retailers say inflation at 6-month low year results in line with expectations after posting record first-half profit and revenue, although it sounded a more cautious note LONDON, Aug 4, (AP): Prices in UK retail shops rose half a percent in July, the lowest annual rate since December when sales tax rates were cut, the British Retail Consortium said Wednesday. Shop price inflation was down from 0.7 percent in June, according to the BRC-Nielsen Shop Price Index. Food price inflation declined for the fourth straight month to 3.8 percent as much as 5 percent. Destocking reversed in the second quarter and confidence is growing in general market areas, and that should provide a pretty good second half, Weir CEO Mark Selway told Reuters in a telephone interview. Cookson, which carried out a deeply discounted 240 million pound rights issue and suspended dividends at the start of the year, cut net debt by more than expected to about 440 million pounds and said it was seeing signs of improvement in its key ceramics and electronics end-markets. from 5.6 percent in June, while nonfood prices were down 1.3 percent compared to a drop of 1.9 percent in June. Customers are benefiting from the high degree of competition between UK retailers. With some commodity price falls still to filter through, the rate of inflation could yet fall further, said Stephen Robertson, director general of the Consortium. The biggest drops noted in the survey were for clothing and footwear, down 5.1 percent, and electrical goods, down 4.6 percent. Nonfood prices are still lower than this time last year, said Mike Watkins of Nielsen. Weak demand and the unpredictability of the weather put downward pressure on prices in seasonal products such as do-it-yourself projects and gardening, he said. The comments on outlook come a day after purchasing managers data showed British manufacturing activity grew last month for the first time since March Valve specialist Rotork, which is classed as late-cycle due to its focus on the oil, gas and water industries, said it expected full- on the outlook for Some projects have been deferred from the first half into the second half and 2010, with some cancellations related to oil sands in Canada, CEO Peter France told Reuters via telephone. He added that the pricing environment is expected to remain competitive for the next few years and that Rotork had implemented a hiring freeze in most of its locations. While Rotork s quality is unquestioned... the outlook statement given by Rotork is the most cautious yet, KBC Peel Hunt analyst Jonathan Hurn wrote in a note. By 0946 GMT, shares in GKN were up 5 percent, Cookson was up 4.8 percent, Weir was up 3.5 percent, Rotork was up 1.6 percent while Meggitt was down 0.9 percent. The FTSE 250 index for mid-caps was down 0.26 percent. EU forestry hurt by crisis: UN Turkey eyes energy role for Putin s visit ANKARA, Aug 4, (AFP): Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will visit Ankara Thursday for talks expected to focus on energy cooperation, at a time when Turkey is increasing its role in projects to carry gas and oil to Europe. In talks Tuesday ahead of the visit, the two countries energy ministers pledged to boost energy cooperation and said companies from both sides, among them Russian gas giant Gazprom, were close to signing agreements. We want to develop our traditional energy cooperation. We want concrete projects, Sergei Shmatko of Russia said. Situated between Europe and the vast oil and gas fields of the Caspian Sea and the Middle East, Turkey has emerged as a hub for pipelines to supply the energy-hungry West. Last month, Ankara hosted the signing of an accord to build the Nabucco pipeline to carry Caspian gas via Turkey to Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria, bypassing Russia. The project, scheduled to go online in 2014, aims to reduce European reliance on Russia and avoid a repetition of cut-offs that disrupted winter supplies and sparked accusations Moscow was using gas as a political weapon. Turkey however has been careful not to antagonise Russia its top trading partner and main gas supplier and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has insisted that Russia should be one of Nabucco s suppliers. This is a long-term proposal, an aide to Erdogan said. Russia s participation in the project would not harm the aim of diversifying energy supply. In direct competition with Nabucco, Russia is pushing for its own project to pump gas to Europe South Stream and has invited Turkey to join, with an eye on using Turkish territorial waters in the Black Sea instead of Ukraine for the pipeline. Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said Tuesday it was too early to discuss whether or how Ankara would participate. Turkey is already directly linked to Russia through the Blue Stream gas pipeline, which runs under the Black Sea. Promoting Hoping to attract Russian and Kazakh oil, Ankara is also promoting a pipeline from its Black Sea port of Samsun to Ceyhan on the Mediterranean coast. It already serves as a terminal in conduits pumping oil from Azerbaijan and Iraq. The two sides are to sign a protocol during Putin s visit expressing Russia s possible interest as a supplier to the conduit, Yildiz said. Shmatko added that Turkish companies such as Calik Holdings and AKSA would soon sign agreements with Russia s Gazprom, Inter Rao and Rosneft in the fields of gas, oil and power. Putin s energy agenda in Ankara is also likely to include a long-delayed project to build Turkey s first nuclear power plant. Russia s state firm Atomstroyexport was the only bidder in an auction in January, but the Turkish government has yet to decide whether to award it the project amid misgivings over the financial terms the company offered. Erdogan s aide said the two prime ministers would also discuss regional affairs in the Caucasus. Russia has been mediating talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorny Karabakh dispute, the settlement of which is crucial for speeding up Ankara s efforts to reconcile and establish diplomatic ties with Yerevan. Another prominent issue is Georgia, whose NATO membership Turkey supports, despite fierce Russian opposition. Russia s military intervention in the former Soviet republic last year briefly strained relations with Turkey, which has close economic and political ties with Georgia, its northeastern neighbour. Despite sometimes shaky political ties, economic exchange between the two countries has boomed since the fall of Communism: in 2008, their trade volume hit 37.8 billion dollars, making Russia Turkey s number one trading partner. Russia supplies about 60 percent of Turkey s gas imports, and more than a million Russian holiday-makers boost Turkey s vital tourism sector each year. Also: GENEVA: The forestry industry in Europe, the ex-soviet Union and North America has suffered the biggest drop in demand for wood since the 1970s with the slump in housing markets, the United Nations said Tuesday. But as the industry closes down sawmills and restructures, it can see a booming new market for environmentally-friendly wood-based energy, such as pellets and biofuels, the UN Economic Commission for Europe said. This year we had one of the biggest drops ever in consumption of forest products, said Ed Pepke, one of the authors of the UNECE s annual market review of forest products. This was an amazing turnaround from a few years ago when we were at record levels of consumption, Pepke said. Consumption of sawn wood, paper and board in the UNECE region fell 8.5 percent in 2008 to about 1.26 billion cubic metres, the sharpest decline since the oil crisis in 1973, as the biggest consumer of wood, the construction industry, slumped. Much of this has to do with the housing crisis in the United States first and, secondly, in Europe, Pepke said. From a peak of 2.2 million homes built in the United States in 2006, construction has fallen to about half a million houses in 2009, with a 50 percent drop in the past year alone, according to industry data cited by UNECE. With the paper industry also declining due to the growth in electronic communications, the crisis has prompted the closure of sawmills and massive restructuring in Nordic countries and Canada, the report said. There s a lot of change in emphasis from wood and paper products to wood energy as a result of this, Pepke told reporters. Wood energy is accelerating in the UNECE region, with production of wood pellets for heating and furnaces growing from about two million tonnes in 2000 to more than 10 million tonnes this year. Wood energy markets are surviving the economic crisis better than the other sectors, said Tapani Pahkasalo, UNECE Forest Products Marketing Specialist. The report forecast that the market for wood fuel pellets is expected to double by 2012 from the 2008 level of nine million tonnes. UBS posts $1.3 bln Q2 loss Standard Chartered H1 profit swells 5.5% to $1.88 billion GENEVA, Aug 4, (AP): Hard-hit Swiss bank UBS AG reported another quarterly loss Tuesday while France s BNP Paribas posted a 6.6 percent increase in net profit. The divergence continued this earning season s trend that has seen a number of big A branch of Northern Rock is seen in the City of London, Aug 4. Nationalized bank Northern Rock on Tuesday reported that it lost 740 million ($1.25 billion) in the first half, up 31 percent from the same period a year ago. (AP) German car sales up 29.5 pct SPD s millionaire assails banks BERLIN, Aug 4, (Agencies): A 37-year-old multi-millionaire picked by German chancellor candidate Frank-Walter Steinmeier to coordinate economic policies said in an interview that small businesses are being crippled by the lingering credit crunch. Harald Christ, a former banker from a family of car industry assembly line workers, told Reuters banks reluctance to lend to small- and medium-sized businesses that are the backbone of German industry was alarming and endangering economic recovery. A surprise choice on Steinmeier s team of shadow ministers, the self-made millionaire also said he would set up a new office in the chancellery to run long-neglected small business policy if the Social Democrats win power in the Sept 27 election. A lot of small and medium-sized business are really feeling the effects of the credit crunch, he said. That s where 90 percent of the jobs are in Germany and a large share of taxes are. The credit crunch is a major issue for a lot of companies. Christ, whose SPD trails Chancellor Angela Merkel s conservatives by about 12 points in opinion polls, said the credit crunch was imperiling economic recovery. That s why I appeal to banks to start living up to their responsibilities. They shouldn t forget it was the taxpayers who jumped in to stabilise the banking system. The banks in return have a responsibility to help stabilise the economy. The lifeblood of the economy can t be compromised, said Christ, who added he thought the European Central Bank has done a good job of supporting the economy and small business. Christ, whose father and grandfather spent decades working on assembly lines at Opel factories, held a variety of senior positions at Deutsche Bank, WestLB and Weberbank. He made his fortune as CEO and owner of Christ Capital AG in Berlin. Aligned to the centre-left SPD despite his enormous wealth, the entrepreneur s inclusion on Steinmeier s team was a big surprise. The SPD hopes Christ can attract managers and workers at small businesses who usually vote for other parties. My job is to give small and medium sized business a voice, said Christ, who drives a high mileage two-seat compact car. It s a new office in the chancellery. I hope to bring in my expertise. We want to show we re going in new directions. Christ is the SPD antidote to the conservatives popular Economy Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, also aged 37. Car Sales Sales of new cars in Germany were up 29.5 percent on the year in July, official figures showed Tuesday. The pace of growth was slower than in previous months, suggesting that a boom triggered by a cash-for-clunkers bonus is fading. The Federal Motor Transport Authority said nearly 340,000 new cars were registered last month. The year-on-year increase followed rises in the previous five months, but was well short banks produce stronger results while others are still struggling from the fallout of the financial crisis. A number of big banks have announced bigger profits for the quarter, including Deutsche Bank AG, Credit Suisse Group, Wells Fargo & Co., Bank of America, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. But Morgan Stanley joined UBS in reporting a loss, and others like Citigroup Inc. and HSBC Holdings PLC, were in the black but still weighed down by problem loans. UBS, beset by a US tax evasion probe, posted a second-quarter loss of 1.4 billion Swiss francs ($1.3 billion) in an improvement over the first three months of the year. BNP Paribas net profit was 1.6 billion euros ($2.3 billion) in the three months ended June 30, up from 1.5 billion euros a year earlier. Chief Executive Baudoin Prot said the bank is well positioned to take on the challenges of the current economic environment. The Italian bank UniCredit SpA said its net profit for the quarter fell 74 percent to 490 million euros ($705 million), because of lower fees and commissions. In Britain, Standard Chartered PLC said is first-half profit rose 5.5 percent to $1.88 billion even as provisions for bad loans more than doubled to more than a billion dollars. But nationalized bank Northern Rock saw its first half loss rise 31 percent to 740 million pounds ($1.25 billion) as bad loan provisions swelled to over a billion pounds. Lloyds and France s Societe Generale are to report Wednesday, and Royal Bank of Scotland will announce its results Friday. UBS, which has been struggling to recover from major losses in the US mortgage crisis, said the result was more than three times the 395-million franc loss for the same period in 2008, when UBS was also saddled with writedowns of $5.1 billion. Daylight The bank, however, could see daylight after being caught in the middle of a US-Swiss legal battle over the Internal Revenue Service s search for US tax evaders. The two governments said Friday they reached a settlement in of the 40.5 percent climb seen in June, when some 427,000 new vehicles were registered. The mini and small car segments saw yearon-year increases of percent and 67.5 percent respectively in July, the authority said. However, bigger cars fared less well, and new registrations of sports cars were down 29.1 percent on the year. A 2,500 euros ($3,580) bonus for people who scrap cars at least nine years old and buy new ones was introduced earlier this year in an effort to boost the auto industry a key part of Germany s recession-hit economy. Boosting The program was credited with strongly boosting sales. In April, the government decided to expand the program s funding to a maximum #5 billion from 1.5 billion euros. Last month, officials acknowledged that the funding could be exhausted in September but ruled out pumping in any more money. The coming months likely will see continued sales growth, but the level of the first half of the year won t be reached again, said Volker Lange, the head of Germany s car importers association, VDIK. Detractors have portrayed the scrap bonus program as a dubious gift to voters ahead of Germany s Sept 27 election, arguing that it may just delay a slump in car sales. Telemarketing companies that pester people with unwanted phone calls without their permission in Germany face a 50,000-euro ($72,000) fine under new laws that took effect on Tuesday. the case in which thousands of wealthy Americans are suspected of hiding billions of dollars with the Swiss banking giant. Swiss media have reported that under the deal, whose details are still being worked out, the bank will escape paying a fine, but will have to hand over the names of 5,000 investors where there is strong evidence of tax evasion. We look forward to a definitive resolution of the US cross-border matter, said Chief Executive Oswald J. Gruebel and Chairman Kaspar Villiger. They said the announced settlement was a positive development in a matter that has adversely affected our efforts to regain the trust of our clients and to restore momentum to our businesses. The bank, once the largest wealth manager in the world, said outflows of money rose sharply in the quarter as investors withdrew assets. The net new money outflow in the quarter was 39.4 billion francs ($37 billion), compared with 14.9 billion francs in the first quarter. Gruebel and Villiger said the outflows were mainly in the international business sector, probably because the tax evasion dispute with the US was causing American depositors to withdraw money they had invested with UBS abroad. The bank said that on the bright side, its capital ratios were strong and that it had achieved a significant reduction in legacy risk positions and associated losses, including lower credit loss expenses. While our second quarter results were clearly unsatisfactory, they show significant progress towards returning to profitability and restoring client trust, they said in a letter to shareholders. BNP Paribas revenue rose nearly 33 percent in the quarter to 10 billion euros, thanks in part to the acquisition of troubled Belgian lender Fortis Bank. Excluding this acquisition, BNP Paribas revenue rose 20 percent in the quarter. Barclays, another bank in the winners circle, also benefited by picking up a loser in the financial crisis the North American business of bankrupt US investment bank Lehman Brothers.

40 BUSINESS 40 official: China jobs situation still very grave China s jobless situation is very grave, with millions out of work due to the global crisis and the threat that unemployment might rise despite recent improvements in the economy, the government said Tuesday. Beijing is trying to create jobs for laid-off workers, new college graduates, migrants and others, said Wang Yadong, deputy director of job promotion at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. The employment situation in China is still very grave. We are still under enormous pressure to provide employment services, Wang said at a news conference. Officials have warned that China s recovery is not firmly established despite an acceleration in economic growth last quarter to 7.9 percent over a year earlier, up from 6.1 percent the previous quarter. That was boosted by Beijing s 4 trillion yuan ($586 billion) stimulus, which is pumping money into the economy through building highways and other public works that have created construction jobs. To make things worse, the financial crisis has still not bottomed out, Wang said. There is still a great potential risk of unemployment. Employment is especially sensitive for the communist government, which bases its claim to rule on delivering economic gains and worries about unrest among jobless workers. As many as 30 million migrants lost jobs when factories closed as global demand for exports collapsed last year, according to the government. It has given no details of overall unemployment and how many new jobs have been created. Wang said Beijing is confident it can keep official urban unemployment below 4.5 percent this year after it hit 4.3 percent in the first two quarters. That rate measures only a narrow segment of the economy, focusing largely on big and state-owned companies, and it is unclear whether it shows anything about overall employment. Wang said the government would continue trying to boost domestic demand to spur job growth. (AP) A passer-by walks in front of the electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo, Japan, Aug 4. The benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average rose points, or 1.1 percent, to close at 10, in the morning session. (AP) No change to scrutiny of inward sovereign investment Australia to ease investment rules after China saga SYDNEY, Aug 4, (RTRS): Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan announced an easing of foreign-investment rules on Tuesday as the nation looked to reassure investors that its door was open despite recent tensions over Chinese investment. Swan, speaking to a Thomson Reuters Newsmaker event in Sydney, said the rules would be changed to effectively fast-track investments by allowing more of them to go ahead without being vetted first by the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB). Looking forward, the investment outlook will be less bullish, as a consequence of the slower global economy, he said. We want to ensure Australia s regulatory framework promotes our competitiveness and attractiveness as a destination for international capital. Our mission is to compete globally more effectively, to take a larger slice of a currently smaller pie. The FIRB, which critics describe as secretive and sometimes unpredictable, will remain the gate-keeper for major foreign investments such as China s recently failed $19.5 billion tie-up with Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto But Swan said the threshold for triggering a notification to the board would be roughly doubled for private investments in existing businesses to A$219 million from A$100 million ($84 million) now, with the new amount to be indexed for inflation. The new threshold applies only to privatesector foreign investors, leaving the existing arrangement for close scrutiny of all sovereign foreign investments unchanged. Swan denied that his meant the new rules could actually discriminate against Chinese investment, which is predominantly from state-owned enterprises. State or sovereign investments are always reviewed by the FIRB, regardless of the size of the deal. It s not related to any particular country...we welcome Chinese investment, Swan said. The government aims to make the changes in September. The new rules mean that around 20 percent of all business applications will no longer need to be screened by the FIRB, based on investment proposals lodged for the year to Australian interest rate remains at 49-year low CANBERRA, Australia, Aug 4, (AP): Australia s central bank left its benchmark interest rate at a 49-year low of 3 percent on Tuesday, saying strengthening economic conditions and consumer spending reduced the chance of a recession. It was the fourth month in a row that the Reserve Bank of Australia left its cash rate unchanged. The decision matched market expectations. RBA governor Glenn Stevens said economic conditions in Australia were stronger than a few months ago, with June 2009, Swan told the Newsmaker event, the first to be held in Australia. The government has had a torrid time managing foreign investments after a new wave of Chinese state investment arrived on its shores late last year looking to secure access resilient consumer spending and exports. This suggests that the risk of a severe contraction in the Australian economy has abated, he said in a statement. The most likely outcome in the near term is a period of sluggish output, with consumer spending likely to slow somewhat and investment remaining weak. In a sign that interest rates are more likely to go up, the central bank said it was more concerned about fast how the economy would grow, rather than contract. The board will continue to monitor how to Australia s natural resources. Chinese investors, mainly state-owned firms, announced more than $12 billion in investment into Australia in the first five months of 2009, almost four times the amount they invested in all of 2008, though this economic and financial conditions unfold and how they impinge on prospects for sustainable growth in economic activity and achieving the inflation target, Stevens said. He said the global economy was stabilizing, led by China, which was having a positive impact on other economies in the region. The statement said Australian business borrowing was still in decline as companies postponed investment plans and sought to reduce debt. year s tally includes money that would have been invested in Australia under the failed Rio Tinto deal. The demise of the deal, which was scrapped by Rio Tinto while Australian investment approval was still pending, upset China, where some critics blamed delays in Australia s murky approvals process for creating uncertainties and undermining the deal. Australia approves about 99 percent of large foreign investments, the vast majority being routine property purchases, but it does occasionally reject contentious deals that it deems to be against the national interest. It rarely, if ever, gives a detailed public reasoning for such decisions. For factbox on investment decisions, click on Australia dodged a recession this year, with massive government stimulus and record-low interest rates offsetting a sudden and heavy fall in business investment. Some economists even worry the stimulus announced since last October, equal to about 5 percent of gross domestic product, might end up being too successful and they point to early signs of a bubble in its housing sector. Swan played down concerns over rising house prices, but he added that interest rates would inevitably rise at home and that the global economic outlook looked challenging once government stimulus tapered off and firms completed rebuilding their stocks. MUMBAI, India: Ratings agency Standard & Poor s downgraded its ratings of Tata Motors on Tuesday because of high debt and the poor performance of Jaguar and Land Rover, two brands the Indian auto giant acquired from Ford Motor Co last year. Standard & Poor s said it cut Tata Motors long-term corporate credit rating and the rating of the company s senior unsecured notes to B from B+, both of which are below investment grade ratings. We lowered the rating on Tata Motors to reflect the challenging operating performance at Jaguar and Land Rover (JLR) for the year ended March 31, 2009, and our expectations of a similar operating performance in fiscal This, along with a high debt level, has placed significant pressure on Tata Motors consolidated financial metrics, Standard & Poor s credit analyst Suzanne Smith said in a statement. While domestic vehicle sales have shown signs of rebounding, the 2008 acquisition of Jaguar and Land Rover continues to weigh on Tata Motors, India s largest commercial vehicle maker. Tata Motors struggled to refinance the $3 billion bridge loan it took out to fund the acquisition. It has since plowed an additional billion dollars into the struggling brands and engaged two management consultants to come up with an urgent turnaround plan. Tata Motors executives have pledged to rein in capital expenditure and have begun to chip away at the company s growing debt burden by selling its stakes in other Tata group companies. Borrowings stood at billion rupees ($3.52 billion) at the end of June, up from billion rupees ($2.58 billion) at the end of March (AP) SEOUL: South Korea and India will sign a free trade agreement this week after three years of negotiations, officials said Tuesday. The two sides will sign the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in Seoul on Friday, the foreign ministry said in a statement. The CEPA is designed to phase out tariffs on most goods between five and eight years after ratification, according to ministry officials who refused to elaborate. The deal is the first of its kind between South Korea, Asia s fourth largest economy, and the BRICS group of fast-growing developing economies, made up of Brazil, Russia, India and China. Two-way trade between South Korea and India was worth billion dollars last year, Seoul s official data shows. The new trade pact is expected to boost bilateral trade by as much as 3.3 billion dollars a year, according to the state-run Korea Institute for International Economic Policy. Yonhap news agency said the South Korean-Indian deal would take effect early next year after South Korea s parliament ratifies it. The two countries, which began negotiations in March 2006, initialled the deal in February this year. South Korea is pursuing free trade pacts worldwide to promote its export-dominated economy. (AFP) SYDNEY: The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group said Tuesday its acquisition of Asian units from Royal Bank of Scotland would give it two million new customers and a platform for growth in the dynamic region. ANZ, the smallest of Australia s big four banks, announced it had spent 550 million US dollars for six of troubled RBS s units in the region using money raised through a recent share issuance in Sydney. ANZ has demonstrated in recent years it has the capability and management experience to deliver in Asia, said Alex Thursby, ANZ chief for the Asia-Pacific, Europe and America. We believe these selected RBS franchises together with ANZ s capabilities and existing organic growth plans can deliver significant opportunity and growth, he said in a statement. The deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, will see the Australian firm take over RBS s retail and commercial banking operations in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore and Taiwan. It will also take control of RBS s institutional banking operations in the Philippines and Vietnam. The deal will see the bank take on about an extra two million clients to add to its current six million, it said. (AFP) the bottomline SYDNEY/LONDON: BHP Billiton Ltd/Plc, the world s largest miner, named veteran former Ford Motor Co Chief Executive Jac Nasser as its new chairman, following an 18- month selection process. He will succeed Don Argus, the chairman for more than 10 years, who will retire in early 2010, the miner said on Tuesday. Nasser, whose reputation as a cost-cutter has earned him the nickname Jac the Knife, was rumoured to be one of the front runners for the job. He joined the BHP Billiton board as a non-executive director in 2006 and is a member of the board s risk and audit committee. Shares in BHP Billiton were down 2.0 percent at 1,593 pence in London at 0906 GMT, outperforming the UK mining index which was 3.0 percent lower. Nasser, 61, was born in Lebanon and migrated to Australia at the age of four. He began his 33-year career with Ford in Australia before being named head of the global automotive business in 1996 and becoming CEO in He was ousted as CEO in October 2001, a year the automaker reported a $5.45 billion loss. The loss in 2001 included the cost of eliminating 35,000 jobs, or about 10 percent of Ford s workforce, and closing at least three North American assembly plants. One of the leading criticisms of Nasser among Wall Street analysts at the time was that he went on an acquisitions binge during his tenure at Ford, burning through cash to buy up companies like Volvo cars and Land Rover. He is currently managing director of private equity company One Equity Partners and an independent non-executive director of BSkyB (RTRS) TOKYO: An alliance between carmakers Nissan and Renault said Tuesday it had reached an agreement with the government of the Australian state of Victoria to promote the use of electric cars. The companies said in a press release they had signed a preliminary accord to identify potential areas of cooperation for electric vehicles. Nissan Australia Chief Executive Dan Thompson said in the release that his company hopes to sell a battery-powered family sized car in the country by Nissan Motor Co. and Renault SA, which have had an alliance since 1999, have fallen behind other companies in gas-electric hybrid technologies and are looking to take the lead in purely electric, or zero-emission, vehicles. The alliance has partnered with local governments in the US, Europe and Asia to promote the cars. Nissan, Japan s No. 3 automaker, showed an electric hatchback called the Leaf to reporters in Japan earlier this week. The company said the car will cost about the same as gas-powered models and have a range of 100 miles (160 kilometers) on a single charge. General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and other automakers are also planning electric vehicles in the near future. Governments in the US, Europe and Japan are offering or planning tax breaks and other incentives for environmentally friendly vehicles. (AP) HONG KONG: Moody s Investors Service says that the performance of Korean auto loan transactions has been stable, while the performance of Korean credit card transactions has improved after a deterioration that started from late According to the quarterly report, entitled, Korean ABS Performance Review, for auto loan transactions, more auto loans haven been taken out from various delinquency buckets for legal proceedings, though the increase is not substantial. These loans, together with those over 180 days delinquent, are less than 1.4% of the original pool balance plus all replenishments. The subordination levels of around 16% in the rated transactions provide substantial buffer against performance deterioration, and so we do not expect any rating implications, says Marie Lam, a Moody s VP/Senior Credit Officer and author of the report. Meanwhile, the performance of credit card ABS receivables deteriorated since late 2008 when the unemployment rate in Korea started to pick up, but delinquency ratios have receded in the past three months. In June 2009, the 90+ days overdue ratio was less than 1% of the then outstanding pool balance. Toyota sinks $819m into red Automaker trims forecast, cautious on demand recovery TOKYO, Aug 4, (AP): Toyota reported a smaller-than-expected billion yen ($819 million) quarterly loss and expects less red ink for the full year even as the world s top automaker battles plunging sales and a strong yen. The maker of the Corolla subcompact and Lexus luxury models said Tuesday it expects a 450 billion yen ($4.7 billion) loss for the fiscal year through March 2010, better than the 550 billion yen ($5.8 billion) loss initially projected. The result for the April-June quarter underlines that Toyota Motor Corp is getting some traction from aggressive cost-cutting. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters had forecast a fiscal Vehicles are burned by fired workers of Ssangyong Motor Co at the automaker s factory in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, South Korea, Aug 4. South Korean police commandos on Tuesday stormed the auto factory to break up a strike by fired workers, though stopped short of assaulting the plant s flammable paint shop where hundreds have held out for more than two months. (AP) Commandos storm factory to break up strike S. Korea moves against auto strikers PYEONGTAEK, South Korea, Aug 4, (AP): South Korean police commandos on Tuesday stormed an auto factory to break up a strike by fired workers, though stopped short of assaulting the plant s flammable paint shop where hundreds have held out for more than two months. The raid at Ssangyong Motor Co s Pyeongtaek factory, which houses its sole assembly line, comes after weeks of tension that has seen workers use slingshots and molotov cocktails against approaching riot police, who have responded by dropping tear gas from helicopters. The fifth-largest South Korean carmaker has been in court-approved bankruptcy protection since February amid falling sales and mounting red ink. Troubles have deepened in the past two months with hundreds of dismissed workers occupying the factory s paint shop - packed with flammable materials - to protest massive layoffs. An officer with the Gyeonggi provincial police said about 80 commandos had taken over a few factory buildings occupied by strikers and were being supported by three police and two fire helicopters. Strikers fought back, hurling firebombs at police, he said. The officer added there were injuries, though he had no details. South Korea s Yonhap news agency reported that at least 23 people had been injured, including police and Ssangyong employees, but it was unknown how many of the striking workers were hurt. The injured were hospitalized, it said. Estimates by police and Ssangyong have put the number of people occupying the factory s paint shop - the focal point of the protest - at up to 600, though some have given up in recent days. The facility is located in the city of Pyeongtaek, some 45 miles (70 kms) south of Seoul. By late afternoon, the situation was in a lull and the strikers had ceased firing at police, the police official said. Police had earlier closed in on the paint shop but did not enter it. Union spokesman Lee Chang-kun said a police assault on the paint shop would be deadly. We will respond to it, bracing ourselves for death, he said. The paint shop is said to contain flammable material which besides the risk of a violent showdown has raised fears of an inferno if there is a full-blown police assault. Lee Won-muk, a Ssangyong spokesman, said that between 500 and 540 people were still occupying the paint shop after about first quarter loss of 210 billion yen. Toyota, which dethroned General Motors Corp as the world s top selling automaker in 2008, raised its global vehicle sales forecast for the fiscal year by 100,000 to 6.6 million vehicles. The increase reflected improved sales in Japan, partly because of government measures to boost green car sales. The better forecast is still markedly below the 7.57 million vehicles Toyota sold worldwide for the fiscal year ended March, showing how far Toyota has to go to stop the flow of red ink, now into its third straight quarter. Toyota sold 1.4 million vehicles around the world during the quarter, a decrease of 785,000 vehicles from a year earlier. Quarterly sales dropped 38.3 percent to trillion yen ($40.4 billion) as vehicle sales slipped in almost all regions, including North America, Europe, Japan and the rest of Asia. Other Japanese automakers have also reported better-than-expected earnings, with No. 2 Honda continuing to stay in the black, bucking expectations for losses. Analysts say Toyota, because of its bigger size, may need longer for a full recovery. Tatsuo Yoshida, auto analyst at UBS Securities Japan, said a solid recovery can come only when the global economy starts improving and people start buying cars again. The damage was great at Toyota because it was heading toward aggressive expansion with its foot slammed on the accelerator, he said, comparing the global financial crisis to a car wreck. The growing popularity of environmentfriendly vehicles has given Toyota some respite from the meltdown in auto demand. The automaker s new Prius gas-electric hybrid has been the top-selling model in Japan, for two months straight, the first time a hybrid clinched that spot, and is reportedly on track to take that spot again for July. Tax-free The Japanese government recently made hybrids tax-free and began a cash-for-clunkers program, helping boost sales of all ecological vehicles, including rival Honda Motor Co s Insight. The last fiscal year, Toyota posted its worst loss ever in its seven-decade history, running up billion yen of red ink. For the April-June quarter last year, it had posted a 100 gave up on Sunday and another 17 on Tuesday. Numerous ambulances and fire trucks were standing by. Strikers had set Ssangyong vehicles on fire and were also burning tires. A thick cloud of smoke rose above the facility. Unionists have been occupying the facility for more than two months to protest massive job cuts by Ssangyong, which is seeking to reorganize after entering bankruptcy protection. A major restructuring plan calls for the shedding of 2,646 workers, or 36 percent of the work force. Some 1,670 have left the company voluntarily but nearly 1,000 opposed the move. The standoff intensified last month when riot police began gradually moving in to kick protesters out of the compound. Talks last week to end the occupation broke off Sunday, with management threatening to take steps toward bankruptcy unless the union accepted a compromise offer on layoffs. The company offered to keep more workers than before in a compromise proposal, but the union insisted on no layoffs. The unrest has cost Ssangyong over 300 billion won ($ million) in lost production since it began, said Lee, the company spokesman billion yen profit. Toyota had appeared almost unstoppable before the global financial crisis, with sales booming on its reputation for mileage and quality. It planned to sell 9.85 million vehicles in calendar 2008, but its annual sales ended up dropping for the first time in a decade to just short of 9 million vehicles, as the financial crisis on Wall Street morphed into a global recession. The automaker has aggressively cut costs to ride out the downturn slashing jobs and production, trimming managerial pay, reducing investment and foregoing travel and other expenses. Still, vehicle sales continued to suffer as the recession crushed demand. Japan quarterly sales totaled 407,000 vehicles, down 105,000 from the previous year, while Toyota said it sold 387,000 vehicles in North America, down 342,000. Although we were able to make certain improvements in fixed cost and cost reduction efforts, the decline in vehicle sales and the appreciation of the Japanese yen had a severe impact on our earnings, said Toyota Senior Managing Director Takahiko Ijichi. Toyota, based in Toyota city, central Japan, lost 140 billion yen ($1.5 billion) during the quarter ended June 30 because of the appreciation of the yen. It lost another 650 billion yen ($6.8 billion) in operating income because of miserable auto sales. Other Japanese automakers are also reporting signs that the worst may be over. Honda posted a 7.5 billion yen ($79.8 million) profit for the April-June period, and raised forecasts for the full year on optimism auto sales will improve. Nissan Motor Co, the nation s third-biggest car maker, reported a smaller-than-expected 16.5 billion yen ($175.5 million) loss for April through June. Earlier this year, Toyota chose Akio Toyoda, the grandson of the automaker s founder, as its new president in an effort to use his charisma to bring the ranks of workers, dealers and suppliers together.

41 BUSINESS 41 Aref Energy Holding BoD to meet on Aug 5 Aref Energy Holding Company s Board of Directors will meet on Aug 5, 2009 at 1:00 pm, to discuss the interim financial statements for the Q2 period ending June 30, Kuwait Stock Exchange announced that the Board of Directors of Union Real Estate Company will meet on Aug 6, 2009 at 12:30 pm, in order to discuss the interim financial statements for the second quarter period ending June 30, Also the Governing Council of United Industries Company (UIC) will meet on Aug 6, 2009 at 12:30, in order to discuss the interim financial statements for the Q 2 period ending June 30, Board of Directors of the Contracting and Marine Services Company will meet on Aug 5, 2009 at 12: 30 pm, to discuss the interim financial statement for the half year period ending June 30, Agility rallies 3.3 pct, Zain ends flat Late rally in select scrips helps KSE index gain 37 pts amid volume surge By John Mathews Arab Times Staff KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: Kuwait stocks posted modest gains on Tuesday, helped by a last minute spurt in buying. The index rose 37.4 points on back of Agility and National Bank of Kuwait even as other blue chips closed mixed. The bourse closed 0.5 percent higher at points after fluctuating around the opening level for most part of the session. The weighted index was up 2.92 points at points. Agility rallied 3.3 percent after stagnating in the previous session. It closed at KD on with a volume turnover of 14.2 million shares. National Bank of Kuwait added 1.6 percent after posting identical rise on Monday. It ended at KD after trading 20 fils below the red earlier in the session. The scrip had dropped 4.6 percent in July and is trading 13 lower from the close of The bourse, which added almost 41 points in the last three days, has been trading range bound since July in absence of strong cues to bolster the sentiments. It had slid almost 5 percent in July and is trading 1.5 percent year-todate. It has slipped briefly below the 2008 close level in last week of July dragged by the underlying bearish trend. Zain ended flat wiping an intra-day gain of 40 fils on a volume of nearly 10 million shares. There is a lot of confusion surrounding Zain, with contradictory news coming out and so the stock has been volatile over the past month and a half, Reuters quoted Shahid Hameed, Global Investment House head of asset management for the Gulf region. With such volatility, it will attract large volumes. It is a bellwether name and people like to trade in it. Rallied Among other market heavy weights, Wataniya rallied 40 fils wiping the modest loss in the previous session. It ended at KD with low volume turnover. National Industries Group rose 15 fils to close at KD on back of 27 million shares. The scrip had climbed 3.33 percent in July. Kuwait Gulf Links inched 2 fils to KD after trading in a 8 fils range during the session. Banking stocks closed mixed. Gulf Bank did not budge from its previous close of KD after climbing higher on Monday. The stocks saw a volume turnover of 3.4 million shares. Al Ahli Bank too ended flat while Commercial Bank was not traded during the session. Bank of Kuwait and Middle East slipped 10 fils to close at KD while Burgan Bank slid 20 fils after eking marginal gains on Monday. Kuwait Finance House was down 20 fils at KD with a volume turnover of 2 million shares. Investment conglomerate KIPCO continued to stagnate at KD while International Investment Group took in 1 fils. Aref Investment Group has up 4 fils at KD recouping the drop in the previous day. International Financial Advisors added 4 fils to close at KD while National Investment Co rallied 25 fils. Securities House Company gained 8 fils on razor thin volume. In the bourse related news earnings reports dominated. Kuwait Real Estate Company announced a second quarter net profit of KD 1,745,784 and earnings per share of 1.93 fils compared to a net profit of KD 487,807 and earnings per share of 0.54 fils for the same period in For the six-month period ended June 30, the company posted net profit of KD 2,928,299 and earnings per share of 3.23 fils. KIPCO Asset Management Company (KAMCO) has logged a the second quarter net profit KD 275,760 and earnings per share of 1.08 fils compared to a net profit of KD 5,321,972 and earnings per share of fils. The six-month period recorded a net profit KD 527,730 and earnings per share of 2.06 fils compared to a net profit of KD 10,530,086. Aayan Leasing and Investment Company closed unchanged at KD while Bayan Investment Co rose 4 fils to KD on a volume of 3.2 million shares. Global Investment House too did not budge from its previous close of KD after slipping lower on Monday. The stock had gained 6.3 percent in July. Al Deera Holding Co was up 5 fils at KD while Al Safat Investment Co edged 2 fils higher to KD Burgan Bank has announced its second quar- Photo by Hamdy Shawke Seen in the file photograph, investors at the KSE trading floor. The bourse posted modest advance on Tuesday, extending its gains to 4th straight day. ter profit of KD 1,119,000 and earnings per share of 1.1 fils compared to a net profit of KD 22,329,000 and earnings per Share of 22 fils for the same period in In the six-month period ended the lender posted a net profit of KD 12,464,000 and earnings per share of 12.3 fils. Kuwait Cement Co has posted a second quarter profit of KD 21,251,427 and earnings per share of fils. In the six months period ended 30/6/2009 the company made KD 12,311,948 and earnings per share of fil. Higher The sectoral indices mostly managed to closed higher. Banking sector fell 0.3 percent weighed by Kuwait Finance House and Boubyan Bank while investment sector climbed 1 percent led by National Investment Co and Securities Group. The two sectors makes for the majority of shares traded in the bourse. Real estate rose 0.5 percent paced by National Real Estate Co and Mabanee Co which gained 10 fils and 30 fils respectively. Insurance sector dropped 2 percent whereas industrials ended flat as stocks within the sector moved in both direction in almost equal measure. Services sector climbed 0.9 percent led by Agility and Wataniya Telecom while Danah Al Safat Foodstuff Co helped pull the food sector 0.2 percent. Non-Kuwaitis rose 0.8 percent on paced by Fujairah Cement Co. Kuwaiti real estate sales plunged 47 percent Al-Rifai an industry veteran Dow Jones Indexes recruits Failaka founder as director NEW YORK, Aug 4: Dow Jones Indexes, a leading global index provider and premier provider of Shari ah compliant indexes, announced Tariq Al-Rifai as its new director of Islamic indexes. Al-Rifai was tapped to bring his extensive expertise as a leading authority on Islamic equity and private equity funds to Dow Jones Indexes to further advance its leading position in providing Shari ah compliant indexes to the investment world. He will be based in Dubai and will focus on extending the reach of Dow Jones Indexes Shari ah compliant index products globally. He also will maintain relationships with financial institutions around the world. His key responsibilities will be to work with Dow Jones Indexes institutional clients to identify new business opportunities, develop new Shari ah compliant indexes and work with money managers and educate investors. As the leading Islamic finance expert Al-Rifai will be the main liaison between Dow Jones Islamic Market Shari ah Supervisory Board of five international scholars and Dow Jones Indexes maintenance, research and development teams, which are responsible for screening the Shari ah compliant index universe as well as building new indexes. Having Tariq join our team is a great win for Dow Jones Indexes. His knowledge about Islamic Finance and his broad industry relationships will assure that the Dow Jones Islamic Index family continues to be the leader in Islamic indexing. Tariq will reinforce and support Dow Jones Indexes commitment to innovative, meaningful and relevant Islamic indexes in the future, said Michael A. Petronella, president, Dow Jones Indexes. The Dow Jones Islamic Market Indexes are unique, were first to market and continue to be the standard of Islamic indexing around the globe. The 13-year Islamic industry veteran founded Failaka Advisors in 1996 to promote and develop Islamic financial instruments. The research organization became a leading provider of Islamic market research and fund performance. Since May 2004, Al-Rifai has served as vice president, UIB Capital, Inc, Chicago. Previously he was vice president Islamic Banking at HSBC Bank in New York and was partner at The International Investor, a Kuwaiti shareholding company. Al-Rifai has a bachelor degree in International Business Finance from Saint Cloud State University in Minnesota and an MBA in International Business management from DePaul University in Chicago. in the second-quarter compared to the year earlier period, as a result of the global financial crisis, official data showed. Property sales in the country fell to KD million from KD million d in the second quarter last year, it showed. Residential property deals, which makes for the biggest chunk of total transactions, fell 28.1 percent in the quarter while investment property sales fell 55.6 percent to.commercial property sales were down 64.1 percent in the second quarter of 2009, compared to the year earlier period. Volume of shares more than doubled to 317 million as investors chased value shares across the sectors on bargain buying. The volume had plunged below the 200 million mark at the start of the month as investors toed caution in wake of weak sentiments. The market opened slightly positive and rose gradually as some of the blue chips and middle level notched gains. The index touched an intra-day high of 7730 points and moved almost sideways thereafter as sentiments turned brittle. It slipped to the day s low of 7698 before a spurt in buying in select counters helped push the benchmark well above the opening level. The market spread was markedly biased towards the winners. 67 stocks advanced while 29 closed lower. Of the 133 counters active on Monday, 37 closed unchanged deals worth KD million were transacted a whopping 126 percent rise in value over previous session. Name: Kuwait Sharia Compatible Indices Providers: Al Madar Finance & Investment Co. Description: Index of Sharia compatible companies traded on the KSE Website: Today s Previous Bloomberg Today s closing closing % 1-week 3-month YTD 12-month 24-month Index name ticker value as of value value change change change change change change Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Composite AMIC August 4, % 0.35% 7.99% 11.85% % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Kuwait Only AMIC August 4, % -0.73% 11.76% 13.51% % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Active AMIC August 4, % -2.41% 6.74% 32.53% % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Banking Sector AMIC August 4, % -0.76% 8.49% 7.70% % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Investment Sector AMIC August 4, % -1.98% -1.21% % % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Insurance Sector AMIC August 4, % -2.17% 5.29% 3.10% % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Real Estate Sector AMIC August 4, % 0.19% -1.83% 0.05% % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Industrial Sector AMIC August 4, % 1.76% 14.30% 29.53% % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Services Sector AMIC August 4, % -1.09% 19.26% 22.65% % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Food Sector AMIC August 4, % -2.69% -1.03% 22.27% % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Islamic Sector AMIC August 4, % -0.98% 2.68% 4.67% % % Kuwait Sharia Compatible Index - Non Kuwaiti Sector AMIC August 4, % -0.21% % 18.84% % % Kuwait Stock Exchange Index - Price KWSEIDX August 4, , , % 0.20% 0.00% -0.70% % % S&P 500 SPX August 3, , % 2.08% 10.93% 12.57% % % DJ Islamic Index. DJIM August 3, , , % 2.02% 14.81% 19.82% % % Price to Earnings Multiple is calculated on the basis of Earnings for the period ending 31/ 12/ 2008 and current prices. Current Yield for individual stocks is based on 2008 dividends and current prices, the avg. for the sectors is a weighted avg. based on market cap. Companies with different fiscal years are treated on an individual basis.( NA not applicable, NM Not meaningful). # Avg. daily trading volume for new companies based on the number of trading days since the listing date, as for the sectors and the market it is based on trading days since the beginning of the year. *YTD- 09 return for individual stocks is calculated based on change in share price. For more information please contact KAMCO Investment Research Department, Tel , e- mail: kamco_ research@ kamconline. com www. kamconline. com

42 BUSINESS 42 A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in late afternoon trading on Aug 3 in New York City. Stocks rose on Monday following reports that US manufacturing contracted at a slower pace in July, while construction spending surged unexpectedly in June. The Dow was up over 100 points before the closing bell. (AFP) GMAC Inc, said Tuesday it posted a wider secondquarter loss of $3.9 billion as it shifted from being primarily an auto and mortgage loan company to an online, retail bank. In the year-ago period, the company posted a loss of $2.48 billion. Revenue during the quarter fell 28 percent to $1.27 billion from $1.76 billion. The bulk of the latest quarterly loss stems from a $1.6 billion charge related to company s mortgage business. GMAC also incurred a $1.2 billion tax charge on its conversion from a partnership, or LLC, to a privately held corporation. The company GMAC Financial posts wider Q2 loss of $3.9 billion remains a preferred lender to General Motors Co. Excluding those charges, GMAC said its second-quarter loss was about $400 million. GMAC s results in the quarter were dramatically affected by a series of strategic actions that produced a short-term negative impact to financial performance but are expected to lead to longerterm benefits, said GMAC CEO Alvaro G. de Molina in a statement. This is about gaining funding and operational flexibility, expanding on our strengths, and shedding legacy and non-strategic assets, allowing us to focus on the core automotive and mortgage origination and servicing businesses. Results were weighed down by ResCap, GMAC s mortgage division, which posted a loss of $841.1 million in the quarter. That was narrower than the $1.86 billion loss suffered in the second quarter of The ResCap results included an $817 million gain on debt extinguishment. Excluding that gain, ResCap lost $1.66 billion in the latest quarter, compared with a loss of $2.5 billion a year ago. Chief Financial Officer Robert Hull said on a conference call with analysts that it would retain its ResCap unit, despite the losses. (AP) the bottomline Global market rally falters as EU NEW YORK: CIT Group Inc on Monday cleared another hurdle in its restructuring effort as it attempts to avoid bankruptcy protection, saying it has received enough offers to complete a debt repurchase program. The embattled commercial lender, which nearly collapsed last month, said that as of Friday nearly 65 percent of $1 billion in bonds due Aug 17 have been tendered for repurchase. CIT Group has said failing to complete the offer could result in a bankruptcy filing. CIT, which is one of the largest US lenders to small and midsize businesses, said it needs 58 percent of the debt to be tendered for repurchase to complete the deal. Shares of CIT jumped 10 cents, or 11.5 percent, to 97 cents Monday afternoon. The update on the tender offer comes as CIT also sweetened the offer to buy back the debt. CIT said Monday it is now paying all bondholders $875 for every $1,000 in notes tendered for repurchase. (AP) FAIRFIELD, Connecticut: General Electric Co. says it will pay a $50 million penalty to settle government charges that its accounting procedures violated provisions of US securities laws. The Securities and Exchange Commission opened an investigation into GE s accounting practices related to four matters in 2002 and Those include its since-discontinued commercial paper hedging program, certain yearend rail business transactions and certain swap derivatives where fees were paid or received at inception. GE says it has previously corrected these matters in financial statements filed with the SEC between May 2005 and February The company agreed to pay the civil penalty without admitting or denying allegations. (AP) PITTSBURGH: Heavy equipment maker Caterpillar said Tuesday its cost cuts and strategic planning had positioned the company for long-term profitability whether the global economy improves or remains mired in recession. The world s largest maker of construction and mining equipment affirmed its 2009 forecast and said it expects profit of $8 to $10 per share within five years if the world economy recovers and $2.50 per share annually if the recession continues. We believe a recovery will come, and that Caterpillar will benefit from the world s need for the products we make, CEO Jim Owens told analysts at the company s Peoria, Illinois, headquarters. His remarks were broadcast over the Internet. (AP) DECATUR, Illinois: Archer Daniels Midland Co said Tuesday its fiscal fourthquarter profit tumbled 83 percent as its results were pressured by higher corn costs, lower average selling prices and softer demand. The Decatur, Illinois-based agribusiness company earned $64 million, or 10 cents per share. That s down from $372 million, or 58 cents per share, in the same period a year ago when the company benefited from crop prices that hit all-time highs. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters, whose estimates generally exclude one-time items, forecast profit of 45 cents per share for the period ended June 30. In the fourth quarter, we felt the impact of the global economic downturn, as we concluded a year of good performance overall, Chairman and CEO Patricia Woertz said in a statement. Revenue fell 24 percent to $16.53 billion from $21.78 billion but beat Wall Street s estimate of $15.24 billion. ADM said lower average selling prices reduced sales by about $5.8 billion, partly offset by increased sales volumes. Corn processing operating profit fell partly on higher corn costs, while weakening demand hurt oilseeds processing and agricultural services results. Full-year net income slipped 5 percent to $1.71 billion, or $2.65 per share, from $1.8 billion, or $2.79 per share, in the previous year. (AP) MILWAUKEE: Months after its first offers were rejected, PepsiCo Inc. said Tuesday it plans to buy its two biggest bottlers, Pepsi Bottling Group and PepsiAmericas, in deals worth a total of $7.8 billion. The world s second-biggest drink maker said Tuesday the deals will allow it to respond more quickly to a changing market as consumers seek out healthier options like juices and teas, rather than soft drinks. It will also allow the company, whose soft drink sales have been slipping, to control costs and more tightly manage its business. PepsiCo, which makes brands like Pepsi and Gatorade, will pay $36.50 per share for the shares it does not own of Somers, New York-based Pepsi Bottling Group and $28.50 per share for the shares it does not own of Minneapolis-based PepsiAmericas. (AP) NEW YORK: Pulte Homes Inc and Centex Corp posted quarterly results Monday reflecting the recent improvement seen in the battered US housing market. Pulte and Centex, which are merging to form the largest US homebuilder, each reported that new-home orders picked up during the first half of the year. New-home sales for the industry are up almost 17 percent from January, and construction of homes and apartments is almost 20 percent higher, according to Commerce Department reports last month. Although year-over-year performance numbers for the second quarter show the market stress, sequentially, we have seen some positive signs..., Richard J. Dugas, Jr, Pulte s president and chief executive, said in a statement. (AP) LONDON/FRANKFURT: Germany s Munich Re and British insurer Legal & General saw their shares fall on Tuesday as investors digested tough details from their financial results amid a financial market rebound. Shares in L&G, Britain s fifth-biggest life insurer, fell nearly 13 percent at one stage after it said a one-off drop in investment returns knocked more than 90 percent off operating profit in the first half of the year. The world s biggest insurer said its investment income rose almost 40 percent, helping it deliver second-quarter net profit comfortably ahead of analysts expectations, though down 30 percent on the year. However, Citigroup analyst James Quin said Munich Re s substantial realised gains masked weaker operating results. (RTRS) OSLO: Norwegian oil company StatoilHydro ASA on Tuesday saw its profits vanish in the second quarter and blamed lower crude and gas prices. The state-controlled oil concern said its net profit for the April through June period plummeted to zero kroner from 18.9 billion kroner ($3.1 billion) in the same time last year, when oil prices soared. Stavanger-based StatoilHydro said earnings had been hurt by a 40 percent drop in oil prices and an 18 percent drop in natural gas prices year-to-year. The group was also hit by a falloff in oil production, it said, but said those losses were offset by an increase in gas production and improved margins for natural gas. Currency exchange rates and other oneoffs also hurt profits. Sales in the quarter came to billion kroner, down almost 40 percent from billion in the same three months a year ago. StatoilHydro said 2008 was one of the most volatile periods seen in the natural gas, product, gas liquid and crude oil markets, and said it expects those prices to continue to be volatile in the near term. (AP) stocks retreat over profit-taking LONDON, Aug 4, (Agencies): A global stock market rally faltered on Tuesday as European stocks fell on profit-taking, despite Tokyo striking a 10- month high on global economic optimism and company earnings news. Europe s main equity markets fell into the red in Tuesday morning deals after striking their highest points so far this year on Monday. There has been some profit-taking, but the main trend is still positive so this could be the market taking a breather, said ETX Capital trader Manoj Ladwa. Continued talk of economic recovery and the plethora of better than expected economic readings are showing that at worst we are nearing the bottom of this recession, added CMC Markets analyst James Hughes. Many are of the opinion that the turnaround is well underway and one thing that will show us that will be the (US) jobs report on Friday. US Stocks edged higher in midday trading Tuesday as investors tried to extend a huge three-week rally. Stocks had wavered in early trading, pausing from a recent surge that catapulted the Standard & Poor s 500 index past the 1,000 mark on Monday for the first time since November. At first, investors appeared little fazed by the day s earnings and economic news, focusing instead on locking in some profits following a 14 percent climb in the S&P 500 and Dow Jones industrials since July 10. But reports showing an uptick in consumer spending and a fifth straight monthly increase in pending home sales provided the latest evidence that the economy is stabilizing. The path of least resistance seems to be up, said John Canally, economist at LPL Financial. Investors have seen better-than-expected corporate earnings reports and encouraging outlooks this summer as well as improvements in manufacturing and housing. Those promising signs have driven hopes that the nearly two-year-long recession is coming to an end, pushing stocks up to levels not seen since last fall. Analysts generally believe the market s near-term trajectory is upward, with investors seeing dips as an opportunity to put money to work. At midday, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 24.11, or 0.3 percent, to 9, The Standard & Poor s 500 index rose 3.29, or 0.3 percent, to 1,005.92, while the Nasdaq composite index added 1.97, or 0.1 percent, to 2, Advancing stocks outnumbered decliners by nearly 2-to-1 on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume came to million shares, compared with million shares at the same time a day earlier. The market s gains were held in check, however, by Friday s looming jobs report. Investors are more optimistic about the Wall St pauses after hitting key milestones economy, and more confident in companies ability to make money, than they were last fall at the peak of the financial crisis. But concerns about the financial health of consumers as well as rising unemployment have yet to subside. This market will be prone to pullbacks, said Janet Engels, senior vice president and director of private client research group at RBC Wealth Management. I m optimistic that the economic data has stabilized, I m optimistic that earnings are beating expectations, but a return to growth is not necessarily a return to health. Among the day s earnings news, homebuilder DR Horton Inc. reported a smaller loss than the same period a year ago, beating Wall Street s estimates, while Toyota posted a smaller-than-expected loss on booming sales of its Prius hybrid. That came a day after US automakers reported better sales for July thanks to the government s wildly successful cash for clunkers program. Europe European stock markets fell Tuesday ahead of an expected lower opening in the US as downbeat news from the financial sector led investors to book profits from recent market highs. Germany s DAX fell points, or 1 percent, to 5, while the CAC-40 in France was points, or 0.6 percent, lower at 3, Meanwhile in Switzerland, UBS AG reversed early gains and saw its share price drop over 5 percent as investors booked profits accumulated in the wake of last week s news that the Swiss and US governments had reached an agreement over the Internal Revenue Service s search for US tax evaders. The bank s third straight quarterly loss did little to encourage any further buying. Elsewhere, luxury automaker BMW AG saw its share price fall nearly 5 percent after it reported a 76 percent fall in second-quarter profit and opted not to provide a forecast for the rest of the year, citing the highly volatile state of the markets and uncertainty with regard to future developments. UK Britain s bluechip shares edged lower in early trade on Tuesday, a day after hitting a high for 2009, as oil majors retreated on falling crude prices while Standard Chartered dropped after announcing a fundraising. By 0823 GMT, the FTSE 100 was 0.6 percent, or points lower at 4,654.62, after ending at 4, on Monday its highest closing level since the collapse of Lehman Brothers in early October The index also rose to an intraday high for 2009 of 4, on Monday, and has gained over 30 percent since hitting a trough in March 9. Energy stocks were lower as crude prices fell back below $71 a barrel after pushing above that level on Monday. Oil majors BG Group, BP and Royal Dutch Shell fell between 0.3 and 0.5 percent. Explorer Tullow Oil, however, was up 0.5 percent after striking oil in Uganda s Ngara- 1 well. Asia Asian markets mostly rose Tuesday on stronger commodity prices and overnight Wall Street gains driven by signs the US recession might be ending. European stocks fell in early trade. Investors in Asia were encouraged after the Standard & Poor s 500 index a key US market measure broke through the 1,000-point level for the first time since November. A trade group said American manufacturing might improve next month for the first time since early Hong Kong s Hang Seng index slipped 10.83, or 0.1 percent, to 20, in back and forth trade while South Korea s Kospi rose 0.1 percent to 1, Elsewhere, Australia s benchmark rose 1.1 percent while Singapore s market measure dropped 0.9 percent and Taiwan s Taiex fell 1.4 percent. As trading got underway in Europe, benchmarks in Britain, Germany and France were down 0.5 perent or more. BHP Billiton Ltd, the world s biggest miner, was up 2 percent in Sydney after prices for copper, tin, aluminum and other metals gained Monday. Rival Rio Tinto Ltd was up 4.3 percent. Commodities trading house Mitsubishi Corp climbed 2.1 percent in Tokyo and Sumitomo Corp jumped 3.7 percent. Japan Japan s benchmark stock index hit a 10- month high Tuesday, buoyed by fresh US manufacturing data that bolstered optimism about an economic recovery. The Nikkei 225 stock average rose points, or 0.2 percent, to 10, the highest closing level since Oct. 6. The broader Topix added 0.2 percent to Overnight on Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrials rose 1.3 percent to 9, after a report from the Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing executives, signaled US manufacturing activity should grow next month for the first time since January The news, which sparked a rally in commodities, sent shares of Japanese trading houses sharply higher. Oil prices fell slightly to near $71 a barrel Tuesday in Asia, following a $2.13 rise to $71.58 Monday. Mitsubishi Corp. climbed 2.1 percent to 1,956 yen, and Sumitomo Corp jumped 3.7 percent to 960 yen. Mitsui & Co soared 5.7 percent to 1,247 yen. Investors cheered solid earnings for the major trading company, which said its April- June net profit dropped 44 percent from a year earlier to 57.3 billion yen. Shares of Panasonic Corp rose 0.3 percent to 1,507 yen after its quarterly results beat expectations. The electronics maker said it posted a billion yen ($558 million) loss but expects to return to the black in the months ahead. Missing out on the gains were auto and motorcycle makers. Yamaha Motor Co tumbled 9.9 percent to 1,096 yen amid a flood of sell orders. The company said that it swung into the red in the six months through June 30 and forecasts even deeper losses for the full year. China Chinese shares rose for a fourth session Tuesday on optimism about an economic recovery but banks fell after regulators announced a review of capital adequacy as they try to cool a lending boom. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index edged up 8.85 points, or 0.3 percent, to close at 3,471.44, a new 14-month high. The Shenzhen Composite Index for China s smaller second exchange added 0.8 percent to Investors are getting more and more certain the economy is reviving, and the buying sentiment is strong, said Mao Sheng, an analyst for Huaxi Securities in the western city of Chengdu. Investors were encouraged by data suggesting the US recession might be ending, which could help to revive Chinese exports. Two separate surveys released Monday showed Chinese manufacturing expanding in July. Oil The price of oil struck a near 10-month high here on Tuesday, helped by a recent weakening of the dollar, but analysts are warning that crude futures are unlikely to maintain their recent run higher. Brent North Sea crude for delivery in September hit dollars a barrel the highest point since Oct 15. In late London trade the contract showed a gain of 53 cents to dollars from Monday s close. New York s main contract, light sweet crude for September, fell one cent to $71.57 a barrel. New York crude had on Monday hit $72.20, its highest level since late June. Oil pricing has been supported by forces in the financial market, said Victor Shum, senior principal at Purvin and Gertz energy consultancy. A weak greenback is boosting oil prices because the commodity is traded in US dollars, making it cheaper for holders of stronger currencies. The dollar has faltered owing to signs of economic improvement, traders said. Banks are posting better-than-expected earnings and manufacturing output is rising strongly across the globe. Currency The euro stabilised against the dollar on Tuesday after falling from a record high as investors took profits from a rally in risky currencies and the economic outlook remained strong, traders said. In late London trading on Tuesday, the European single currency was at $ from $ in New York late on Monday. Against the Japanese currency, the dollar was up to yen from the level of yen reached late Monday. The euro had soared above $1.44 on Monday, scraping an eight-month high, as positive economic data from the United States, Europe and China encouraged risk taking. The euro is seen as a higher-risk investment than the dollar and tends to strengthen in times of increasing confidence. Gold On the London Bullion Market, the price of gold rose to $ an ounce from $ an ounce late on Monday. exchange rates Aug 4 BEC Muzaini Dollarco Commercial Bank Gulf Bank NBK Burgan Bank ABK Oman BEC Muzaini Dollarco Commercial Bank Gulf Bank NBK Burgan Bank ABK Oman BEC Muzaini Gulf Bank ABK Buy Sell Sell Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Sell Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell Sell Buy Sell Buy Sell travellers cheques Cash Cash Cash US dollar Sterling pound Euro Japanese yen Swiss franc Canadian dollar Swedish kroner Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Danish kroner Indian rupee Pakistani rupee Sri Lanka rupee Bangladesh taka Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash 5Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft BEC Commercial Bank Gulf Bank Al-Ahli Bank local gold BEC Muzaini Exchange Transfer Philippine peso Draft Cash Transfer Cash Transfer Cash Saudi riyal Draft Transfer Cash UAE dirham Draft Transfer Australian dollar Hong Kong dollar Singapore dollar Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Cash Bahraini dinar Draft Transfer Jordanian dinar Draft Transfer Cash Cash Omani riyal Draft Transfer Egyptian pound Draft Cyprus Pound Yemeni riyal Thai baht South African rand Korean won Syrian pound Iranian riyal Lebanese pound Malaysian ringgit Indonesian rupiah New Zealand dollar Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft Transfer Cash Draft US dollar Sterling Euro Gold 999 kg Gold tola 1, Gold ounce Gold gm 22k Gold gm 21k Gold gm 18k gm gm All rates in KD per unit of foreign currency Transfer Transfer

43 INTERNATIONAL 43 Al-Qaeda operatives arrested Iraq speaker blasts politicians for anti-kuwait remarks BAGHDAD, Aug 4, (Agencies): Iraqi Parliament Speaker Iyad Al-Sameraee on Tuesday rapped recent fiery statements by some Iraqi politicians over the relation with Kuwait, urging political solutions instead. All (Iraqi) politicians have to try to find practical or realistic solutions to crises the country is facing, instead of making media overstatements, he was quoted by the information office of the Iraqi parliament as saying in a release. Outstanding issues with Kuwait, or any other issues whatsoever, cannot be resolved by fiery media remarks, he said. Al-Sameraee voiced belief in the principle of quiet diplomacy, which he said could lead to concrete solutions acceptable to all parties. Unneeded furor will lead to nothing, but will be counterproductive, he added. He unfolded that an Iraqi parliamentary delegation would visit Kuwait soon to discuss with Kuwaiti members of parliament a suggested parliamentary friendship committee between both neighbors. Several Iraqi parliamentarians have recently dismissed overtures suggesting a possible conversion of Kuwaiti debts on Iraq into investments in the country, calling for writing off all such debts. Meanwhile, the deputy commander of a radical Islamic group linked to al-qaeda has been arrested in northern Iraq, the US military said Tuesday. The group, Ansar al-islam, is believed by the military to be behind attacks on US and Iraqi troops in Mosul, considered the last urban stronghold of al-qaeda in Iraq, and elsewhere in the country. Fakri Hadi Gari, also known as Abu Abbas and Mullah Halgurd, and nine other suspected members were arrested July 24 during a joint US-Iraqi operation, the US military said. Described as a key operative, Gari is accused organizing attacks as well as recruiting and financing operations, the military said. He also is accused of coordinating the movement of insurgents across the borders of Iraq. Spanish authorities have said a cell connected to a group also named Ansar al-islam, was behind the March 11, 2004, Madrid bombings that killed 191 people and wounded around 1,800. It is not clear that the two groups are the same, however. Among those arrested in Mosul was a man described as a financial emir as well as driver for other key leaders of Ansar al-islam, the statement said, which added that the arrests came following investigations by Iraqi army and police. Iraqi authorities have arrested a man on suspicion of murdering Atwar Bahjat, a wellknown Iraqi journalist kidnapped and killed while covering the 2006 bombing of a shrine that unleashed a wave of sectarian slaughter. Baghdad security spokesman Qassim al- Moussawi said on Tuesday that Yasser Mohammed al-takhi and two others were arrested a few days ago in Baghdad s southern Doura district. In a taped televised confession, a man identified by Moussawi as Takhi described how he and three other men had abducted Bahjat, who worked for Dubai-based al-arabiya television, and her camera crew and later killed them. We arrested them... and we took them (Atwar, the driver and the cameraman) in the car to an area called al Hawi, (5 km south of Samarra), the man said. A girl caught wearing a vest packed with explosives in an aborted suicide attack in Iraq last year has been sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, a court official said on Tuesday. Then 15 years old, Rania Ibrahim was arrested in August 2008 in Iraq s northeastern Diyala province, whose uneasy mix of Sunni and Shi ite Muslims had given rise to some of the worst sectarian violence in Iraq since the US-led invasion in US military officials had described Ibrahim previously as an unwilling suicide bomber, as did the girl herself in a TV interview. Diyala juvenile court has ruled to convict the minor Rania Ibrahim and sentences her to seven years and six months... The sentence is initial and can be appealed, an Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council official said, declining to be named. The sentence was handed down on Monday. Initial reports said Ibrahim had given herself up, but police later said she had been searched and they had found the vest. Many suicide bombers detonate themselves when discovered. Television footage at the time showed Iraqi forces gingerly approaching a visibly distraught Ibrahim to remove the suicide vest. The top US general in Iraq said Tuesday that he disagrees with a colonel s memo urging an early troop withdrawal although the security situation is better than expected since American forces turned over security in urban centers to the Iraqis more than a month ago. Gen Ray Odierno, the first senior American official to comment on the memo, told The Associated Press the Americans need to stay the course in Iraq. The Iraqi security forces face corruption and other problems but overall it s gone very, very well, he said. But, he added, the Americans are still needed to protect security gains. Alarm on Continued from Page 1 that the expressions of emotion on the part of football fans involving intense shouting could lead to the airborne transmission of the flu virus. Russia has to-date been relatively unscathed by the pandemic, with just 55 confirmed cases. The World Health Organisation stuck on Tuesday to its statement that about two billion people could catch H1N1 influenza by the time the flu pandemic ends. But the estimate comes with a big health warning: no one knows how many people so far have caught the new strain, and the final number will never be known as many cases are so mild they may go unnoticed. By the end of a pandemic, anywhere between percent of a population will have been infected by the new pandemic virus, WHO spokeswoman Aphaluck Bhatiasevi said in a statement. Thirty percent is a midpoint estimate and 30 percent of the world s population is 2 billion. But she added: We must remember however, that attempts to estimate infection rates can only be very rough. Early in the outbreak, which was first detected in April, Dr Keiji Fukuda, acting Assistant Director-General of the UN agency, fuelled accusations the WHO was creating panic about the disease when he used the two billion figure. But the WHO, which raised its global flu alert to the highest level on June 11, declaring a worldwide pandemic, has since said the strain is already spreading much faster than previous flu pandemics. At the same time, because most victims suffer only mild symptoms, it has told countries they no longer need to try to report each case, but concentrate on monitoring suspicious concentrations of the disease and tracking deaths. Bhatiasevi earlier told a briefing the WHO was coordinating a network of independent institutions trying to project the total number of cases. Because no one currently has such an estimate, it is not possible to state the H1N1 mortality rate. The WHO s latest update on July 27 said a total of 816 people had died from H1N1, while the total number of laboratory-confirmed cases, including deaths, was 134,503 a figure well below the likely real total of infections which may already be in the millions, according to health experts. Kuwait National health authorities declared 72 new swine flu cases on Tuesday bringing the total number of patients infected with the communicable virus to 386, mostly branded as mild cases. In the afternoon Kuwait announced 47 cases and then 25 in the evening. Meanwhile, a female Kuwaiti vacationer in Sharm El-Sheikh has tested positive for the virus, said Kuwait Embassy s Health Bureau on Tuesday. Acting bureau chief, Dr Eid Al-Adwani, told KUNA that the woman had come in contact with her brother, who tested positive for the virus yesterday. He said the bureau was following up on these cases, and that they were undergoing treatment, adding that all other family members tested negative for the virus. Director of the General Health Department at the Ministry of Health Dr Rashid Al- Uwaish recently declared the first batch of the H1N1 Swine Flu vaccine is expected in the country by October 2009, while the second batch will be available here February 2010, reports Al-Seyassah daily. He stressed the hajj pilgrims will be vaccinated with the first batch of the vaccines and the second batch will be used for students. Meanwhile, Al-Uwaish added in a statement the Health Ministry is coordinating with the Ministry of Education, to make the required arrangements to receive students from the private schools. Moreover, the Ministry of Health is scheduled to meet with health authorities at the school clinics to provide them with adequate information about the disease and its precautionary measures, including masks which will be distributed to the students, he disclosed. Saudi Arabia Two new swine flu cases have been reported by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, taking the country s total number of A(H1N1) virus death toll up to six. The first death case was of a 32-year-old Sri Lankan woman, while the other belonged to a 15-year-old Saudi boy, the Saudi Ministry of Health said in a release. The Kingdom had reported four swine flu death cases, with the number of infection cases increasing. The ministry claimed that it was normal for the country to see swine flu cases due to the growing outbreak of the virus. It urged anybody who may suffer from swine flu symptoms, including coughing, fever and difficulty in breathing, to go to the nearest clinic for examination. Spain A 35-year-old woman has died of complications linked to swine flu, bringing the total number of confirmed deaths from the disease in Spain to eight, the Spanish health ministry said Tuesday. The woman had been suffering from various chronic diseases before contracting swine flu and had been in hospital in the northeastern city of Girona since Monday, it said. Spain has 1,806 confirmed cases of the A(H1N1) virus, the ministry said in its most recent bulletin released on July 27. Egypt Nine new cases of the swine flu A(H1N1) virus were confirmed, among them eight Egyptian citizens and one Kuwaiti female, putting the toll of cases at 298, Egyptian Ministry of Health said on Tuesday. Netherlands The Netherlands on Tuesday reported its first swine flu death after a 17-year-old boy died overnight, health officials said. The boy had been very sick. He died last night, Harald Wychgel, a spokesman for the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment told AFP. The teenager had already been sick when he contracted the flu. At the request of the victim s family, Wychgel would not say whether or not the teenager had died in hospital or how he contracted the A(H1N1) virus. To date, 663 people in the Netherlands have tested positive for the virus, Wychgel added. Nine have been hospitalised since the first diagnosis, that of a three-year-old, was made on April 30. Some have since been discharged. Iran Sixteen new swine flu cases have been confirmed in Iran, bringing the total number to 124 cases, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday. The 124 swine flu cases involved those who have just arrived in the country from holidays abroad, said head of the ministry s epidemics prevention department, Mohammed Koya, in a press release. Among the cases, 84 percent had arrived from holidays abroad, and 55 percent had come from Saudi Arabia after performing Umrah (smaller pilgrimage), he added. The number of people infected with the disease in Tehran was at 105 just two days ago, and it quickly jumped to 124. Poland Poland has recorded 100 swine flu cases since the end of April, health authorities announced Tuesday, but stressed there was no cause for alarm. Since April 28 we have logged 100 cases in Poland of the A(H1N1) virus, Andrzej Wojtyla, Poland s chief health inspector, told reporters. Deputy Health Minister Marek Haber said: The virus virulence is weak. It is not spreading among people living in Poland. The majority of people with the virus have caught it abroad. But Haber said the number of cases could rise, notably when Poles return from summer holidays overseas. Poland, a nation of 38 million people, has not had any swine flu deaths. Tunisia Tunisia s health ministry Tuesday reported nine new cases of swine flu in people who had travelled to the north African country from Canada, Spain, France, Britain and Mali. There are now a total of 19 cases of the A(H1N1) virus in Tunisia, the ministry said. The latest patients four foreigners and five Tunisians are between the ages of 19 and 52 and had entered Tunisia between late July and the start of this month, Mongi Hamrouni, the ministry s director of health care, told AFP. Mexico Mexico has recorded a big jump in swine flu cases with more than 1,100 in just five days, bringing the total number in the country where the pandemic began to 17,416, the health minister said Tuesday. Vaccines Novartis has started human testing of H1N1 swine flu vaccine candidates while Sanofi- Aventis, the world leader in flu shots, will commence within days, company officials said on Tuesday. The launch of clinical trials is a key part of a widening programme of work being undertaken by big pharmaceutical companies as they prepare for mass vaccination from next month. GlaxoSmithKline, the other big three flu vaccine supplier, said it would initiate clinical studies later this month. Healthcare officials are relying on a vaccine to contain the spread of disease, providing a potential sales windfall for those companies that are able to deliver quickly and in large volume. Australia s CSL has so far been the fastest commercial operator, after starting its first clinical trials in Australia two weeks ago. Now others are catching up. We started a little over a week ago, Novartis spokesman Eric Althoff said by telephone from Basel. Bill braves Continued from Page 1 and expressed their families anguish. Lee, a South Korean-born US citizen, is married and has a 4-year-old daughter in Los Angeles; a native Californian, Ling is the married younger sister of TV journalist Lisa Ling. State media said Clinton offered Kim words of sincere apology for the women s transgressions, and courteously conveyed President Barack Obama s gratitude for North Korea s leniency, KCNA said. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs, however, denied Clinton went with a message from Obama. That s not true, he told reporters in Washington. Clinton s landmark visit, which was not announced in advance by North Korea or the US, comes at a time of heightened tensions Iraqi special anti-terror forces stage a raid during a military exercise in Baghdad on Aug 4. Iraq is preparing to take over its security as all US combat troops are due to pull out by the end of August 2010 and a security pact between Washington and Baghdad requires all American forces to leave by the end of (AFP) between Washington and Pyongyang, foes during the Korean War of the 1950s, over the regime s nuclear program. North Korea in recent months has conducted a nuclear test and test-fired an array of ballistic missiles in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, with Washington leading the push to punish Pyongyang for its defiance. It s only the second visit to Pyongyang by a former US leader. Jimmy Carter traveled to North Korea for talks with Kim s father, Kim Il Sung, in 1994 in a groundbreaking meeting during a time of similar tensions. Though Clinton was in North Korea on a private basis, his visit was treated by North Korea as a high-profile visit, with senior officials including Kim Kye Gwan, the vice foreign minister who serves as the country s chief nuclear negotiator meeting him on the tarmac. Footage from the APTN television news agency showed the arriving Clinton exchanging warm handshakes with the officials and accepting a bouquet of flowers from a schoolgirl. Kim later hosted a banquet for Clinton at the state guesthouse, Radio Pyongyang and the Korean Central Broadcasting Station reported. Photos in state-run media of the visit showed Kim, with a broad smile, standing next to a solemn-looking Clinton. The two also posed with Clinton s party in front of a mural, and another picture showed the men and others seated around a conference table. Clinton s visit will contribute to deepening the understanding between North Korea and the US, KCNA said. The two nations fought against one another during the Korean War, and do not have diplomatic relations Though Clinton does not hold office, his stature and good relations with Pyongyang had the potential to yield positive results, analysts said. This is a very potentially rewarding trip. Not only is it likely to resolve the case of the two American journalists detained in North Korea for many months, but it could be a very significant opening and breaking this downward cycle of tension and recrimination between the US and North Korea, Mike Locals angry at immigration Chinese, Algerians fight in Algiers ALGIERS, Aug 4, (RTRS): About a hundred Algerians and Chinese migrant workers fought using knives and bludgeons in the capital Algiers, witnesses said on Tuesday, in an unprecedented flare-up of local anger at Chinese immigration. Planeloads of Chinese workers have been arriving in the North African oil producer, mostly to work on state-funded construction projects, but their presence has fuelled resentment in a country where 7 out of 10 adults under 30 are unemployed. Witnesses said three people were injured in the brawl on Monday in the eastern district of Bab Ezzouar, an area known to locals as Chinatown. They said it was sparked by a confrontation between a shop owner and Chinese motorist. I told him not to park his car in front of my shop, but he insulted me, shopkeeper Abdelkrim Salouda, who was wearing a bloodstained gown, told Reuters. I punched him, I thought it was over, but after 30 minutes he came back with at least 50 Chinese to take revenge. It is a miracle I am still alive, said Salouda, 31, whose head was bandaged. Witnesses told Reuters about 60 Algerian residents also joined in the brawl. China last month warned its citizens in Algeria about possible attacks from al Qaeda s North African wing in retribution for a Chinese government crackdown in the Muslim region of Xinjiang. Some local people at the scene of the fighting in Algiers said on Tuesday Chinese migrants did not respect Muslim traditions. But there was no evidence of any direct link between the brawl and the recent clashes between Muslim Uighurs and Han Chinese in China s northwestern region of Xinjiang. Official estimates put at 35,000 the number of Chinese in Algeria, a Muslim former French colony and Africa s third-biggest economy. Many local people believe the real figure is much higher. Employers say Chinese workers will accept lower pay and are often better qualified than Algerians. The Chinese influx mirrors a broader trend across Africa. Academics estimate there could be about 750,000 Chinese in Africa, making them one of the continent s biggest foreign communities. Investment has flooded in from Chinoy, author of Meltdown: The Inside Story of the North Korean Nuclear Crisis, said in Beijing. Clinton left North Korea on Wednesday after securing the release of two jailed American journalists, state media reported, without saying whether the reporters were with him. Bill Clinton, former president of the United States, and his party left here today by air, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. They were seen off at the airport by Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the Supreme People s Assembly, and Kim Kye Gwan, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs. Powers could Continued from Page 1 reformists, are facing a mass trial on accusations of seeking to undermine the state. Prominent defeated presidential candidate Mehdi Karoubi on Tuesday vowed to keep up pressure on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad whose re-election sparked off Iran s worst unrest since the Islamic Revolution of Ahmadinejad will be sworn in by parliament on Wednesday when the authorities will want to avoid any repeat of the street unrest after the disputed June 12 poll in which at least 20 people were killed and hundreds were detained. Leading moderates have accused the government of electoral fraud and have already branded the next Ahmadinejad government illegal. US President Barack Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday summed up the position of some Western nations which are locked in a standoff with Iran over its nuclear ambitions. I don t have any reason to believe we will send any letter, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters. There is no plan to send any message, an official at the Elysee Palace told Reuters. A German government spokesman said: In view of the circumstances of the contro- Chinese firms seeking access to Africa s mineral resources. At the scene of the brawl, groups of Algerian residents stood outside buildings on Tuesday where Chinese people live. Other residents said Chinese families were trapped inside their homes because they feared an attack if they go outside. We can t live with them, said shop owner Rachid Azoug, who was among a group of men watching a row of Chinese shops that were boarded up. They drink alcohol and do not respect our religion. They must leave. An official at the Chinese embassy in Algiers said it would be issuing a comment later on Tuesday. Nacer Jabi, a teacher of sociology at Algiers University, said Algerians were unaccustomed to contact with migrants because a conflict between Islamist militants and the government in the 1990s had made the country off-limits to most foreigners. In poor areas, unemployment is higher and that could explain the anger of Algerian youth towards the Chinese workers, Jabi told Reuters. versial re-election, the chancellor will not, as usual, write the normal letter of congratulation. Iranian opposition groups called for a new round of street protests to coincide with the inauguration ceremony for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday. The pro-reform movement claims the June 12 election declared for Ahmadinejad was fraudulent and opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi was the real winner. Americans Iran has arrested three Americans who strayed across the border from Iraq on allegations they illegally entered the country, and a lawmaker said Tuesday that authorities are deciding whether they will be accused of spying. Officials in northern Iraq s Kurdish region said Sunday that the three Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Joshua Fattal were tourists who inadvertently crossed into Iran on July 31 while hiking in the region. Friends and family say the three were adventurous travelers who accidentally stumbled into the wrong place at the wrong time. Their arrest and Iran s accusations could spark a new standoff with the United States at a time when Iran is already mired in its worst political crisis in decades over the disputed June 12 presidential election. Earlier this year, the two countries faced off over American-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi, who was held for more than three months and accused of spying. Hand hygiene, Continued from Page 1 some health education, a second that undertook to wash hands frequently and a third undertook to wash hands and wear surgical facemasks. Of the 259 households completing the study, 60 household members were found infected in the seven days after the measures were introduced. But there were fewer transmissions in households where the two measures were implemented in timely fashion. Hand hygiene and facemasks seemed to prevent household transmission of influenza virus when implemented within 36 hours of index patient symptom onset, the researchers wrote. These findings suggest that non-pharmaceutical interventions are important for mitigation of pandemic and interpandemic influenza. British researchers Continued from Page 1 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences magazine, raises hopes of new treatments for the condition. Lead researcher Dr Steve Clapcote said An imbalance of sodium and potassium levels has long been suspected to lead to epileptic seizures, but our study is the first to show beyond any doubt that a defect in this gene is responsible. Much work is needed to determine whether the same mechanism is in play in humans, but, the human ATP1a3 gene is more than 99 percent the same as the mouse version, the researchers said. Epilepsy is a common neurological condition that affects almost one in every 200 people. However, the causes are unknown in the majority of cases. Current drug treatments are ineffective in around one-third of epilepsy patients. Dr Clapcote said Our study has identified a new way in which epilepsy can be caused and prevented in mice, and therefore it may provide clues to potential causes, therapies and preventive measures in human epilepsy...our results are very promising, but there s a long way to go before this research could yield new antiepileptic therapies. He added that his team had started to screen DNA samples from epilepsy patients to investigate whether Atp13a gene defects were involved in the human condition. See Also Pages 31 & 32 Newswatch Continued from Page 1 the death takes place in Britain or in countries where the practice is allowed, Britain s chief prosecutor was quoted Tuesday as saying. Helping someone die is a crime in Britain, but prosecutions are rare. Dozens of Britons have killed themselves at Swiss clinics run by the group Dignitas in the last decade, and no one has been charged for helping them travel there. Last week, Britain s top court ordered the government to draw up rules for when it will and won t prosecute assisted suicide. (AP) NEW YORK: Charles Gwathmey, an architect known for his influential modernist home designs and such famous clients as director Steven Spielberg, has died. He was 71. His stepson, Eric Steel, says Gwathmey died in Manhattan on Monday. The cause of death was cancer. The architect formed the firm of Gwathmey Siegel & Associates with Robert Siegel in (AP) NEW YORK: Naomi Sims, whose 1968 Ladies Home Journal cover shot was a breakthrough for black fashion models, has died. She was 61. Sims, said by some to be the first black supermodel, died Saturday of cancer in Newark, New Jersey, her son Bob Findlay told The New York Times. It had been decades since she left the runway to become an author and launch her own beauty empire. (AP) WASHINGTON: Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Tuesday he will convene a summit of US experts in Washington next month to figure out what to do about cell phone use and texting while driving, a practice studies and a growing number of accidents show can be deadly. LaHood said at a news conference that he intends to gather senior transportation officials, safety advocates, law enforcement representatives, members of Congress and academics who study distracted driving for the summit. If it were up to him, he would ban texting while driving, LaHood said. (AP) OTTAWA: An elderly man out for a morning stroll in Western Canada was apparently gored and killed by a bison on the weekend, media reports said Monday. Keith Conrad, 71, was found dead along a gravel road near Pincher Creek, Alberta, that runs through grasslands used for grazing. (AFP) MIAMI: Forecasters say Tropical Storm Felicia has formed in the Pacific while Tropical Storm Enrique is strengthening not far from it. The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Felicia s maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph (72 kph) while Enrique, which is farther east, has winds near 60 mph (97 kph). (AP) MIAMI: The Colorado State University storm research team reduced its 2009 Atlantic hurricane season forecast on Tuesday, predicting that 10 tropical storms will form and four of those will strengthen into hurricanes. The noted forecasting team founded by pioneering storm researcher William Gray had predicted on June 2 that the season would see 11 tropical storms, including five hurricanes. (RTRS) VIENNA: Austria s Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner aborted on Tuesday her attempt to reach the peak of Pakistan s K2, the world s second-highest mountain, due to chest-deep snow, her husband said. Kaltenbrunner, 38, turned back just 300 metres below the 8,611-metre peak, her husband Ralf Dujmovits wrote on the mountain climber s website. (AFP)

44 LEISURE 44 N E W Y O R K T I M E S CROSSWORD Sherman s Lagoon By J. P. Toomey Mutts By Patrick McDonnell Hagar The Horrible By Chris Browne Beetle Bailey By Mort Walker Garfield By Jim Davis Baby Blues By Rick Kirkman & Jerry Scott Veterinarians implant a microchip into an endangered Assamese Macaque at the state zoological park in Guwahati, India, Aug 3. (AP) odds n ends BRISBANE, Australia: Nine years after vanishing from outside her Australian family s home, Muffy the dog was reunited with her eager owners Tuesday after completing a mysterious journey of 1,200 miles (2,000 kilometers). Inspectors with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found the fluffy white mutt last month sleeping on a scrap of cardboard in the backyard of a home in the southern city of Melbourne. A microchip in Muffy s neck identified her owners who hadn t seen her since she disappeared from their backyard in the eastern city of Brisbane nine years ago. On Tuesday, 17-year-old Chloe Rushby cradled her long-lost pooch in her arms, marveling at her pet s muchdelayed and miraculous return. I feel totally overwhelmed, the teen said. I m never letting her out of my sight again. The owners of the Melbourne house where Muffy was discovered said they found the dog about a year ago wandering along a street. But Muffy s whereabouts for the previous eight years along with how she made the 1,200 mile (2,000 kilometer) journey to Melbourne remain a mystery. Muffy was suffering from a fleainduced skin infection when she was found, but after some love and care from the RSPCA s vets, she is doing much better. Chloe s father Dean Rushby said the family s two pet dogs both died in the past few months, so Muffy s return came at the perfect time. (AP) CINCINNATI: Police say the owner of a bar owner took an 11-year-old girl s skateboard at gunpoint and has been charged with armed robbery. Police say 50-year-old Jack Connerton was angry over children cutting through his parking lot on skateboards. He was arrested on the felony count Saturday after police say he pointed a gun, took the girl s skateboard, and snapped photos of four children, The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. The girl s mother, Misty Bragg, says neighborhood children have to pass Connerton s Towerview Sports Pub in Cincinnati to get to a recreation center and park. She says they stay on the sidewalk and are respectful. Bragg says police seized Connerton s camera and got her daughter s skateboard back. Phone calls to Connerton weren t answered Tuesday. (AP) TORONTO: A YouTube video showing a 7-year-old boy at the wheel of a sport utility vehicle with his family cheering him on has prompted an investigation by Quebec police and family services, police said on Tuesday. The video, apparently shot by the boy s father from the SUV s passenger seat as the boy drives and his mom and siblings watch from the back seat, was brought to the attention of Quebec Provincial Police on Monday, Sergeant Chantal Mackels said. We now know who the person is, Mackels said, noting charges are still being worked out. Finding the family wasn t much of a challenge, given the father s enthusiastic narration of the video, including their location in Quebec and the boy s first name. The woman in the back seat also calls out the father s name, apparently urging him not to distract the child. During the video, the father calls out to Samuel to smile for the camera. The boy, chewing gum, obliges. The father also panned the camera into the back seat of the vehicle to show the mother, with an unrestrained young girl on her lap, and an older boy. Police are considering both criminal charges and traffic violations and have also contacted the province s department of child protection to investigate the family, Mackels said. (RTRS) CAPE TOWN: Two robbers have been left pink-faced after a security device in a cash box exploded, covering them in dye and putting police hot on the trail of any rosy-hued suspects. We are looking for the suspects who were coloured pink when the security device in a cash box activated, Eastern Cape police spokeswoman Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg was quoted as saying in the Cape Times newspaper. The two men pounced on a security guard who was collecting money from a fast food outlet, and made off in a stolen car with the cash box. The vehicle was later found with pink smoke billowing out the windows. The car was still idling, we could see the powder through the windows. The safety device exploded leaving everyone inside the vehicle dyed pink. Even the roof outside the vehicle had a pink tinge, said Janse van Rensburg. (AFP) dearabby Tired husband leaves family By Abigail Van Buren Dear Abby: My husband, Aaron, and I have been married five years. We hit a rough patch, and when I d ask him what was wrong, he would always say he was just tired. One day I returned from work and found a note saying he had left me. My husband has been gone more than a month now. We have a 3-yearold daughter. I have spoken to Aaron on the phone, and he tells me he s coming home, but he never shows. Our daughter is asking questions about her daddy that I don t know how to answer, so I just hug her and tell her he s not coming home right now. I can t understand what has happened. Aaron says he still loves me. How can he put me through this? I could never leave my child for this amount of time. I hold out hope that he will come back, but deep down I know I should move on. I love him, though, and so does our daughter. How do I give up on that? Broken and lost in Kentucky Dear broken and lost: Unless your husband is in jail or witness protection, the chances are that he is with someone else. It would be better for you and your daughter if he would be honest and admit what s going on, but it appears he doesn t have the courage. Because you re not ready to give up, you should stand pat. Sooner or later you ll learn the score, and when you do, you ll have a better idea of how to handle the situation. Your Horoscope Happy birthday for Wednesday, August 5, 2009: This year, changes could occur in an electric manner. If you are a man, an identity crisis might not be a surprise. For a woman, if you re single, this also could mean a new relationship and/or a change in the relationship with a man. Don t try to predict what will occur, but rather be ready to deal with the unexpected. If you are single, of course your status could change, and a new opportunity will appear when you least expect it. If you are attached, understand a partner s identity crisis if you are a woman. If you are a man, don t play out an identity crisis in your relationship. Work that through first. Aquarius plays devil s advocate. The Stars Show the Kind of Day You ll Have: 5-Dynamic; 4- Positive; 3-Average; 2-So-so; 1-Difficult Capricorn - (Dec 22 - Jan 19): **** Your more possessive side emerges when dealing with others. You also might have an instinct to move forward and not get hung up on the details of finances, people and issues. Sooner or later, you will need to. Understand what is motivating you. Tonight: Take a hard look at the bills. Aquarius - (Jan 20 - Feb 18): ***** Listen to feedback before you impulsively go down a path or cause a problem. The lunar eclipse in your sign adds to the emotional and impulsive quality of what you do. Even you might have difficulty keeping yourself under control. Tonight: Some actions and words cannot be undone. Pisces - (Feb 19 - Mar 20): ***** Your ability to understand what is going on behind the scenes is tuned in, but not necessarily right-on. Give yourself space to make a decision or to work through a problem or insight. Time is your ally. Tonight: Chill! Aries - (Mar 21 - Apr 19): **** The Full Moon eclipse weaves an interesting dance for all. You try to push creative ideas forward. Bottom-out issues with those who might not be family, but who you love deeply. A child could be a player here too. Tonight: Hold on to your hat. Get ready for many calls and conversations. Taurus - (Apr 20 - May 20): *** Pressure keeps building. Others hope you will take the lead. You will and can because of your innate talents. You might have trouble juggling all the innate demands of the day. Tonight: Say no if need be. Dear Abby: My mother-in-law is a hoarder, and anything her son (my husband) and I do to bring it to her attention makes her angry. When we had a meeting with her and her doctor about the situation, she denied that she had a problem. She straight-out lied to him and said she s working on the issue. In reality she has done nothing. It has reached the point that my mother-inlaw is sleeping on a corner of her couch because the Abigail Van Buren clutter has forced her out of her bedroom. Is there any organization out there that we can contact for support and guidance on how to address this? Hoping to help, Pueblo, Colo Dear hoping: When the tendency to hoard becomes as overwhelming as your motherin-law s has, it may be a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The Obsessive- Compulsive Foundation is a reliable resource that may be able to help you help her. It has many local chapters that educate about this treatable neurological disorder, and they can refer you to qualified professionals. The OC Foundation offers individuals with this disorder the support they need to manage their symptoms, and can Make mistakes help you persuade your MIL to seek the help she needs. Its address is P.O. Box , Boston, MA Its phone number is (617) and its Web site is Dear Abby: My fiance and I are very much in love and plan on being married in October. We re both in our 50s. I have a secret that I haven t told him and I m afraid to because I m worried he won t love me anymore if I do. My secret is I wear dentures. He s always telling me what beautiful teeth I have and he wishes his were as pretty as mine. I feel that I should be honest about this before we get married. Should I tell? Sparkling white in Texas Dear sparkling: Of course you should tell him because he is going to find out eventually anyway. Here s how to approach it. The next time he compliments you, tell him if he wants teeth as beautiful as yours, it s doable; all he has to do is call your dentist. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby at or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA (Source: Universal Press Syndicate) Word by Word Numbers 5000 By Jacqueline Bigar Gemini - (May 21 - June 20): ***** You do a seesaw all day, juggling issues. Communication of all types floods your door. Your ability to zero in on the bottom line could prove to be powerful. Refuse to see situations as either or. Tonight: Don t react if possible. Detach if you can. Cancer - (June 21 - July 22): *** Use caution with your finances. If you can avoid making a money decision, do. Because, within one week, more information could play into the situation through another source or person. Tonight: Keep costs down. Leo - (July 23 - Aug 22):***** Juggling work, people and/or situations could go haywire. The eclipse occurs in your opposite sign, yet demands you to handle different interests. You have the skills, but do you have the energy to handle a multi-area high-voltage scene? Tonight: Let someone else lead. Virgo - (Aug 23 - Sept 22): **** You might want to renew a commitment that involves your daily life, work and/or your health. Your awareness will be necessary with events now and in the near future. Trust your sixth sense before acting. Tonight: Make it easy. Libra - (Sept 23 - Oct 22): ***** Dig into your bag of creativity and find solutions and new ways. If you are on top of your game, you ll discover the power of your creativity and sometimes unusual thoughts in finding a solution. Are you triggering someone unnecessarily? Tonight: Enjoy the moment. Scorpio - (Oct 23 - Nov 21): *** Your depth and understanding will come into play. How you deal with a key personal situation involving different people could define the issue. Your ability to understand another s motives is key. Tonight: Hide away at home. Sagittarius - (Nov 22 - Dec 21): ***** You could be very overwhelmed by what someone is sharing or the many people who seem to suddenly seek you out. If possible, detach and see past the obvious others cannot right now. Tonight: Hanging out could be lively. Born today: Astronaut Neil Armstrong (1930), actress Kajol (1975), director John Huston (1906) Five thousand Khamsat alaaf (Yokhte ) He who makes no mistakes makes nothing. Man la yokhte la yaf al shae.

45 SPORTS 45 Massa arrives in Brazil for more tests Formula One to return to Montreal in 2010: report FRANKFURT, Aug 4, (Agencies): Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone says motor racing s premier sport will return to Montreal next season. The Grand Prix du Canada was taken off the F1 calendar this year after a contractual dispute. But Ecclestone said in Tuesday s edition of Motorsport Aktuell magazine that we ll be driving in Montreal again in Ecclestone also ruled out a return to Indianapolis, which last hosted an F1 race in In Sao Paulo, injured Ferrari driver Massa Felipe Massa arrived home in Brazil on Monday after nine days of treatment in a Budapest hospital and said he hoped to make a swift return to Formula One. The 28-year-old, who fractured his skull in an accident during qualifying at last month s Hungarian Grand Prix, went directly from Sao Paulo s international airport to one of the city s best hospitals, where he will undergo more medical exams on Tuesday. Massa, who flew by private jet to Brazil, entered the hospital on his own feet on Monday and doctors expect him to make a full recovery. I m feeling much better now and I want to recover as soon as possible to get back behind the wheel of a Ferrari, Massa told the Italian Formula One team s website ( He said he did not remember the accident on July 25, in which he was hit just above his left eye by a bouncing spring from fellow Brazilian Rubens Barrichello s Brawn car. It is sort of a strange feeling, he said. I know exactly what happened, that a spring came off Rubens car and hit me on the helmet, but I didn t feel anything when it happened. They told me that I lost consciousness at the moment of the spring s impact on my helmet and I ran into the barriers, then I woke up in hospital two days later. I don t remember anything and that s why what the doctors did had to be explained to me. The last thing I remembered was when I was behind him (Barrichello) at the end of my fast lap in Q2 and then it s blank. Massa, last year s championship runnerup, spent several days in an induced coma and on a respirator before being released from an intensive care unit last Wednesday. Germany s seven-times Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher, who retired in 2006, is set to replace the Brazilian at Ferrari while he recovers. Massa is confident his former team mate will do a fine job. He knows how to win, he knows how to drive and he s great, he said. It was the best choice, handing over the car to such a fantastic person. MOTOR RACING No timetable has been given for Massa s return to Formula One. In London, seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher s return to Ferrari will be an education for some Formula One rivals, Bernie Ecclestone said on Tuesday. I think he s going to give one or two of them a driving lesson, the F1 supremo told a news conference. The 40-year-old German is poised to return to the track at the European Grand Prix in Valencia on Aug. 23 in place of Ferrari s injured driver Felipe Massa. The Brazilian is recovering from a fractured skull after being hit by a bouncing spring before crashing during qualifying for the Hungary Grand Prix last month. He obviously wouldn t have decided to come back unless he thought he was going to be competitive and Michael is a competitive guy, Ecclestone added. The surprise return of F1 s most successful driver, who retired at the end of 2006, has been hailed by motor sport fans and will provide intrigue ahead of the race in Spain. His comeback will see McLaren s current world champion Lewis Hamilton, as well as Red Bull s title contender Sebastien Vettel Critics question ARU costly exercise Aussie union experiment brings pain, little gain SYDNEY, Aug 4, (AFP): As Lote Tuqiri s sensational sacking heads to the courts and Timana Tahu seeks a contract release, the Australian Rugby Union s bold experiment of recruiting high-profile rugby league stars has spectacularly imploded. The ARU created headlines when it splashed out big money early this decade to entice crowd-pulling stars from its rival code to bolster the Wallabies playing ranks. Wendell Sailor and Mat Rogers kicked it all off when they made the switch late in 2001, to be followed two years later by Tuqiri, with Tahu crossing the great divide last year. All have now left rugby, either in disgrace or rancour, leaving behind many misgivings in the 15-a-side game. Critics have questioned the ARU s costly exercise of short-term gain for long-term financial pain. Of the backs quartet, Tuqiri, 29, enjoyed the greater success. Sixty seven international appearances, immensely popular with the fans and merchandising gold for the marketeers with his flowing dreadlocks. The Fijian-born winger played in two World Cups for the Wallabies, scoring a try in the 2003 final loss to England, and finished with 30 tries. Yet trouble stalked the charismatic Tuqiri, eventually leading to his dramatic dumping last month. The ARU have refused to divulge what triggered their decision to terminate Tuqiri s lucrative contract halfway through its five-year run, fearing it might prejudice their position in any future litigation. nicknamed Baby Schumi by his compatriots race for the first time against the man who dominated the sport for a decade. He s always been super popular even though he won too many races and people said he was boring. He was never boring and he won t be boring now, Ecclestone said. I think I was just as surprised as Willi Weber his manager he didn t know he was coming back (either). I think it was (Ferrari president) Luca di Montezemolo that convinced him. Schumacher s preparations were hampered But he had a far from squeaky clean off-field record in his six years as a Wallaby. He was fined and given a suspended two-match ban for his part in an icethrowing incident in Cape Town which resulted in teammate Matt Henjak being sent home. Tuqiri was sent home from a Wallabies RUGBY training camp in January 2007 for failing a fitness test and a few months later was banned for two matches and fined A$20,000 ($16,500) for registering an alcohol reading at a team breath test. Sailor, 35, who is now resurrecting his playing career with National Rugby League pacesetters St George Illawarra, on Monday by the Red Bull and Williams teams who have opposed Ferrari s request to let the German test in Massa s F60 car prior to Valencia. Formula One regulations do not allow track testing during the season, although Schumacher completed 70 laps in a 2007 version Ferrari at Mugello near Florence last Friday. Ross Brawn, the head of Formula One s leading team Brawn GP, could be banned from driving after being charged with speeding, a court confirmed Tuesday. was banished from rugby union after testing positive for cocaine after playing for the NSW Waratahs in His contract was terminated after he was found guilty of taking the prohibited substance and was suspended for two years. Sailor was a moderate success in rugby with 13 tries in 37 internationals, but he was inhibited by his inability to kick his way out of trouble when under pressure. He once notably was forced to tuck the ball under his arm when closed in on his own try-line and burst away for a lengthof-the-field try against Wales in Sydney in Rogers fell out of love with rugby after five injury-riddled years and 45 internationals and jumped ship back to league in late Brawn is accused of driving at 100 miles (161 kms) per hour on a 70 mph (113 kph) road in Devon, southwest England, on May 30. The 54-year-old did not appear Monday at Plymouth Magistrates Court in Devon as he is abroad preparing for the forthcoming Grand Prix races in Spain and Belgium. No plea was entered to the charge and the case was adjourned to September 4. Brawn GP lead the Formula One constructors championship, ahead of Red Bull and Ferrari.

46 SPORTS 46 NTCC Bowleros, West End continue winning streak Nusantara, Pasaway roll past third week rivals By Miguel Carlos Special to the Arab Times KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: After absorbing second round setbacks, the Indonesian pin crackers of Nusantara and the lane masters of Pasaway were again back in contention as they rolled past their respective rivals at the on-going 2009 ACDC Summer League Bowling Tournament being held at the Kuwait Sea Sport Club every Friday. Still at the top of their games, league leaders NTCC Bowleros and West End Watches Company had little difficulty in extending their hot winning streak to three matches while in the other two match ups of the week Frost Real Estate and TISOK emerged victorious over their equally tough opponents. Featuring the dynamic duo of Gofar Husin and Nunun Mulyana, Nusantara wasted no time in occupying the driver s seat by trouncing United in game one 9-4. In the next game, Fahmi Ahmad and Naning together with Ayi Mulyana further broke the ranks of the disoriented United keglers en route to a scintillating 11-1 win. With the outcome of the match already decided going to the final game, Mohammad Armin checked in to finish what the rest of his team mates have started helping them eke out a 6-5 decision that gave them a final winning tally. Bowling for the hapless United quintet were Gody Caluag, Tala Jalal, George Gaerlan, Carl Polite and Jheng Liwayway. Back with vengeance, the hard headed Pasaway lane masters made up for their dismal performance last week by demolishing the neophytes of the Amateurs Taking full advantage of their light assignment, Edwin de Mesa, Myra Manalo, Cris Bulacja, Shahab Khamaly and Orlando Umbrete cruised home with easy 7-1, 9-1 and 9-0 game victories. Manning the lanes for the pin hun- UK female rower completes 124-day Indian Ocean solo crossing PORT-LOUIS, Aug 4, (AFP): British rower Sarah Outen, 24, arrived in the African island of Mauritius late Monday, completing her solo crossing of the Indian Ocean 124 days after leaving Australia. It was an incredible experience, Outen said as she was greeted by the inhabitants of the small coastal villages of Mahebourg and Bois des Amourettes. Outen was expected to rest for a few days in Mauritius after rowing more than 3,000 miles (4,800 kms) in the sixmetre-long Serendipity, a boat gry Amateurs were Ansely, Abdullah, Usman, Anastasius, Samantha and Monali. Looking at the third week performance of the league pace setters, the NTCC Bowleros hurdled their assignment with relative ease while stamping their class over the overmatched Delta Corporation After barely BOWLING defeating Delta in the low scoring game one 4-3, Ed Mendoza, Tony Siasat, Jon Sabin Freddie Santos, Carmen Toliver and Caloy Garay made the necessary adjustments in the next two games where they prevailed 9-1 and Top point contributors for Delta in this encounter were Rico Galang, Rod Dulay, Mel Valladolid, Armando Gutierrez and Mandy Manalo. Going to the exploits of the second running West End Watches Company, the time masters kept the Honey Bees at bay in designed to right itself immediately if it overturns in rough weather. She reached Mauritian shores in very difficult weather conditions and it s fair to say it was a pretty close call, Lindsay Noe, a Mauritian member of ROWING the welcome team, told AFP Tuesday. We were a whole team waiting for her on the Ile de la Passe (a small southwestern island). We knew she was close but were very worried not to sight her... Eventually, we spotted her... thanks to the moonlight, Noe said. Outen was helped ashore by a police helicopter and a local ship. A keen rower since she was 14, Outen decided several years ago to row across the Indian Ocean but originally planned to do it as part of a team. However, when her father died suddenly in 2006 after battling rheumatoic arthrities for 20 years, she decided to go solo and has dedicated her quest to raising money for research into the crippling disease. clinching a victory over the stingers. Precise in hitting their marks, West End blew away the Bees in the first game 9-1. An 8-3 win in game two dished out by Bima Nitikusumo, Tony Bustria, Lisa, Farida and Laras Pratiwi put the buzzing pin busters back into the match. Just as the Honey Bees were starting to build up another victory hive, Nelson D Souza, Colin Costa, Lloyd Fernandes, Brian Fernandes and Fatima Sequeira and Andrea Fernandes wiped it out with a 10-3 success in game three. The other two matches of the week ended in a thrilling finish with Frost Real Estate nipping Abannte at the wire Mousa Abdullah, Toto Abear, Bert Pantanilla, Gary Bonifacio and Vicky Navarro handed Abannte an 8-4 advantage in the opening game that was followed by the 7-3 victory of the real estate magnates in the next game that left the two teams tied with 11 points each. Abannte then snatched the deciding and tightly contested game three 6-5 but Frost Real Estate managed to go home with the match as they grabbed the pivotal 3 points when they edge Abannte in total pin falls Top scorers for Frost in this match were Michelle Cunanan, Cris Autida, Fe Ferer, Perla Virly,Michelle Avila, Bong Autida, Jess Cunanan and Obet Cabrera. Finally in the only match, TISOK also relied on its higher total pin falls in subduing the tough D Strikers Leading TISOK in eking out this nail biting win were Coni Madi, Alice Gonzaga, George Bouchebel and Sarto Baptista. The team standings after two weeks are as follows (read as rank, team name and points for), 1. NTCC Bowleros-86, 2. West End Watches Co.-73, 3. Pasaway.-66.5, 4. Delta Corporation-60, 5. TISOK-60, 6. Frost Real Estate-60, 7. Abannte-57, 8. Nusantara-52, 9. United-43, 10. D Strikers-39.5, 11. Honey Bees-30, 12. Amateurs-2. The second running Time Masters of West End Watches Co. Boks name unchanged side to face Aussies in Tri-Nations The Indonesian pin busters of Nusantara after subduing United. CAPE TOWN, Aug 4, (RTRS): South Africa named an unchanged starting line-up for Saturday s Tri-Nations test against Australia in Cape Town with flyhalf Ruan Pienaar the only change on the bench. Pienaar missed the win over New Zealand in Durban on Saturday with an ankle strain and his replacement, Morne Steyn, scored all of South Africa s points to Wallabies not out to con ref: Sharpe In this file photo, New Zealand s Keven Mealamu passes the ball down the line, during their Tri-nations series rugby match against South Africa in Durban, South Africa, Aug 1. (AP) Players found guilty of missing drug tests Ex-Bath trio banned for 9 months LONDON, Aug 3, (RTRS): Former Bath players Michael Lipman, Alex Crockett and Andrew Higgins were banned for nine months by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) after being found guilty on two charges of missing drugs tests. Charges relating to taking drugs were dropped at the beginning of the disciplinary hearing last week. RUGBY Alex Crockett, Andrew Higgins and Michael Lipman have today been found guilty of two charges of conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game of rugby union in failing to submit to drugs tests on two separate occasions when requested by Bath Rugby, the RFU said in a statement. The RFU Disciplinary Panel today takes no pleasure in imposing its sanction as the players involved are decent young men. If the three players had taken the test there is no reason to suppose the results would not have been negative and no further action would have been taken. The starting point is a 15-month suspension and this has been reduced because of good character and concerns about the advice they received, the statement added. The trio, who quit Bath in June shortly before they were due to attend an internal club hearing over the alleged missed tests, will be eligible to play rugby again on Feb 28, England international Lipman, together with former joint Bath captain Crockett and Higgins, said at the time they had quit Bath because their positions at the club had become untenable in the light of scurrilous and unsubstantiated allegations. set a record as the leading scorer in a Tri-Nations match. The 25-year-old Pienaar, who has also played scrumhalf, fullback and wing for the Springboks, replaces centre Wynand Olivier on the bench. If the players conduct themselves in the manner they have recently, then it is always easy choosing the team, coach Peter De Villiers told a news conference on Tuesday. Ruan has always been part of our plans and I still believe he is a top-class player. But I will do an injustice if I bring him straight back in. We now have a situation in the team where if you are injured and lose your spot, it is hard to work your way back. The Springboks lost to the Wallabies in August last year before exacting their revenge a week later by routing their opponents 53-8 at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. De Villiers refuted suggestions the Wallabies would start as underdogs on Saturday. I believe Australia have the quality to beat us, they beat us last year in Durban and I can never forget that because I was booed, he said. It wouldn t have taken that long for the scars of Ellis Park to heal and this game we will start at zero, nothing that s happened in the past can help us. A statement issued by the players solicitor Richard Mallett said they were considering their position. The three have 14 days to appeal the decision. All three players are absolutely devastated by today s result and that they have now been suspended from playing the game they love, the statement said. We would like to emphasise that the charges against the players that they had actually taken cocaine were dismissed at the beginning of the proceedings. They are of course considering their position and feel that it would be wholly inappropriate to comment further at this stage. Last month their former Bath colleague Justin Harrison was suspended for eight months after admitting taking cocaine. Bath and England prop Matt Stevens was given a two-year ban after testing positive for cocaine earlier this year. RUGBY Australia will bring a lot of different challenges to New Zealand. They like to keep the ball for much longer, they are very patient with their phases and they wait to see if there are any holes they can probe. Team: 15-Francois Steyn, 14-JP Pietersen, 13-Jaque Fourie, 12-Jean de Villiers, 11- Bryan Habana, 10-Morne Steyn, 9-Fourie du Preez, 8-Pierre Spies, 7-Juan Smith, 6- Heinrich Brussow, 5-Victor Matfield, 4- Bakkies Botha, 3-John Smit, 2-Bismarck du Plessis, 1-Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: 16-Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17- Jannie du Plessis, 18-Andries Bekker, 19- Danie Rossouw, 20-Enrico Januarie, 21-Ruan Pienaar, 22-Adrian Jacobs. Meanwhile, Wallaby lock forward Nathan Sharpe has dismissed suggestions from South Africa coach Peter de Villiers that Australia try and con referees into awarding them penalties at scrum time. De Villiers said the mindset of the Wallabies was to target the grey areas, put doubt in the mind of the referee and then let him decide the 50/50 calls. It s a brilliant tactic if you can get it right, De Villiers said. Sharpe, capped 77 times by the Wallabies, said no team in world rugby would deliberately pull down the scrum and leave it up to chance. That would just be too great a risk, Sharpe told reporters on Tuesday. We conceded a few penalties at scrum time against the All Blacks in Auckland (Australia lost 22-16) and that didn t work out too well for us. Discipline is paramount at the set-piece. South African Springbok Morne Steyn warms up during a training session on Aug 4, at the Florida Park rugby ground on the outskirts of Cape Town ahead of their Tri Nations match against Australia next Aug 8, at Newlands stadium in Cape Town, South Africa. (AFP) Brazil probe incomplete Quebec Coroner seeks Arturo Gatti document TORONTO, Aug 4, (AP): Quebec s Coroner s office is seeking former boxer Arturo Gatti s autopsy and police files from Brazil before issuing their report on a second autopsy. Quebec Coroner s Office spokeswoman Genevieve Guilbault said Monday they requested Canada s federal government to ask Brazil for autopsy documents and other documents related to the circumstances and the description of the scene so they can have a clearer idea of what happened to Gatti. We ll have to wait at least a few weeks before all the documents come in and the pathologists are able to complete their work, Guilbault said. Quebec authorities completed a second autopsy on Saturday. It came two days after Brazilian police classified Gatti s death a suicide. Until Thursday, police in the northeastern Brazilian city of Recife considered Gatti s death a homicide and held his wife Amanda Rodrigues as the prime suspect. Now, police say Gatti hanged himself with a handbag strap from a staircase column more than seven feet off the ground at an upscale resort in Brazil on July 11. Gatti s family has rejected that conclusion. A second autopsy performed at the request of Gatti s family has not ruled out homicide in his death, according to a pathologist who was hired by the family to witness Saturday s second autopsy. Michael Baden, the former chief pathologist for the New York State Police and host of HBO cable TV show Autopsy, said that an autopsy performed by Quebec coroners found that an investigation by Brazilian authorities was incomplete and that the second autopsy could not rule out homicide in his death. Baden said there were definite injuries that had not been seen by the Brazilian authorities and that Quebec pathologists need additional information, including a toxicology report. In Brazil, Pernambuco state prosecutors office were examining all documents related to the case on Monday. A spokesman for the prosecutors office, which has the power to reopen the case, had no comment. Milena Saraiva, spokeswoman for police in Recife who carried out the investigation, also had no comment, and Celso Avelino, Rodrigues lawyer, didn t immediately return phone calls. Gatti, a Canadian who captured two world titles in his 16-year pro career, retired in 2007 with a record of Many of his friends and family have expressed disbelief at the suicide ruling. Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon said in a statement Friday that government officials will seek more information from Brazilian authorities. A spokeswoman for the minister said there no new developments since Friday. Gatti s 23-year-old wife was released last week after being held BOXING since July 12 in Recife. She and Gatti arrived with their 10-monthold son a few days before in the resort town of Porto de Galinhas, where they rented an apartment. Police concluded that he hanged himself in the apartment early on July 11 from a wooden staircase column that was about 7 feet off the ground. He stood on a stool and kicked it out from under him, police said. The autopsy report said Gatti was suspended for about three hours before his body fell to the floor. NSW CRU withdraws its bid SYDNEY, Aug 4, (RTRS): One of the prospective Australian bidders for the 15th Super rugby team when the competition is expanded in 2011 has withdrawn its interest in continuing with the bid, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) said on Tuesday. The New South Wales Country Union (NSW CRU), who had joined three parties from the southern state of Victoria, two from Queensland and one from Western Sydney in expressing initial interest last month in running the team, withdrew on Tuesday. Unfortunately, we were unable to meet all of the key criteria set by (governing body) SANZAR and felt it proper to withdraw... to allow the ARU to work with the other applicants, NSW CRU president Bruce Worboys said in an ARU statement. The Super rugby competition is being expanded and reorganised in 2011 along a conference system based in each of the three SAN- ZAR (South Africa New Zealand Australia Rugby) partners. South Africa and New Zealand already have five teams in the existing competition. The 15th team will be included in the Australian conference.

47 SPORTS 47 Panthers starting DT Kemoeatu tears Achilles tendon Eagles say Bradley injured, but Reid not talking BETHLEHEM, Pasadena, Aug 4, (AP): Upset by press reports that starting middle linebacker Stewart Bradley could miss the season with a knee injury, Eagles coach Andy Reid said Monday he s not talking about it. The Eagles confirmed Sunday night that Bradley suffered a knee injury in practice. On Monday, reports surfaced that the thirdyear pro has a torn ACL is likely lost for the season. After practice, Reid criticized the media instead of discussing the injury. He said some reporters violated his pact with them, which Reid said dictates that reporters ask only him about team Bradley injuries, not players or other team personnel. We won t talk about injuries today, Reid said. Some of your colleagues here decided that they would go to the players and/or other personnel here and ask about injuries. I made a pact with you guys when I first got here that I would disclose to you the injuries just stay away from the players, stay away from other personnel in the organization, and I would take care of you with that. That part was breached... Asked why he decided to punish the entire press corps, Reid said, That s the way it works. Peer pressure is the best pressure there is. You can work it out with your colleagues. Reid did acknowledge Bradley s absence from practice. He did not practice today, and that s where I ll leave it, said Reid, who would not NFL says Lynch s 3-game suspension will stand NEW YORK, Aug 4, (AP): Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch s threegame suspension for violating the NFL s personal conduct policy will stand. The league announced that Lynch s appeal was denied in a statement released Monday afternoon. Lynch s suspension begins on Sept 5 and ends on Sept 28, a day after the Bills play the New Orleans Saints in their third regular-season game. Lynch, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his two seasons with the Bills, will be allowed to participate in all preseason practices and games before say when he will again discuss injuries. When I decide that people can abide by the rules, I ll do that. While Reid declined to talk about FOOTBALL Bradley s absence, his players did. Stu was our starting linebacker, so it s a blow, safety Quintin Mikell said. But it s the NFL. We got to have guys that are ready to step up, and I believe we have those guys. Said linebacker Chris Gocong: Obviously it s really unfortunate, but that s football, and you really do have to roll with the punches and stay on your toes. In Spartanburg, South Carolina, Maake Kemoeatu lasted fewer than 30 minutes in Carolina s first training camp practice Sept 5. Lynch pleaded guilty in March to a misdemeanor gun charge in Los Angeles. He was sentenced to 80 hours of community service and three years probation. We are disappointed, obviously, Bills head coach Dick Jauron said after the team s afternoon practice at St John Fisher College in Pittsford, NY. We ll lose a real good football player for three games. But, hopefully, Marshawn has learned a good deal from it. The suspension resulted from the player s arrest in Culver City, Calif, on Feb 11, when police searched a parked car Lynch Monday before tearing his right Achilles tendon, leaving the Panthers in disarray at the position where they entered with the least depth. The mammoth defensive tackle s Achilles tendon snapped while he was running in a non-contact position drill. He was carted to the locker room, then taken to Charlotte, where the tear was discovered Monday night. General manager Marty Hurney was given the news as the team was on the field for Monday s second workout. He had few details and refused to say Kemoeatu would for sure be placed on injured reserve. However, that injury takes several months to heal, likely ending his season. Obviously he s disappointed. That s understandable, Hurney said. I talked to him after it was done. Just like anybody it s a hard thing to deal with. was in and found a 9mm semiautomatic handgun in a backpack in the trunk. Police also found four marijuana cigarettes in the car, but no drug charges were filed. It was Lynch s second run-in with the law following a hit-and run-accident in Buffalo in May In that incident, he pleaded guilty to a traffic violation and admitted to driving off after striking a female pedestrian with his car near Buffalo s downtown bar district. The Bills signed veteran running back Dominic Rhodes and re-signed Fred Jackson in the offseason. The 6-foot-5, 345-pound Kemoeatu was the key cog in Carolina s run defense, often drawing double teams and opening up lanes for speedy middle linebacker Jon Beason to make plays. His absence is compounded by Carolina s lack of depth. Handicapped by the salary cap gobbling $16.7 million contract defensive end Julius Peppers is playing this season under the franchise tag, the Panthers did not sign a single unrestricted free agent from another team. Backup defensive tackle Darwin Walker also wasn t re-signed. The Panthers threw undrafted rookie Marlon Favorite in Kemoeatu s position in the morning practice. Second-year pro Nick Hayden, who filled in for an injured Kemoeatu last season when the New York Giants rushed for 301 yards in an overtime win, was there in the second workout. Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell (17) works with running back Clinton Portis (26) in drills during NFL football training camp at Redskins Park in Ashburn, Vancouver, Aug 4. (AP) Hamlin holds off Montoya to end 50-race winless streak Hornish Jr 4th, best finish in Cup car LONG POND, Pennsylvania, Aug 4, (AP): Denny Hamlin ended a 50-race winless skid Monday, holding off Juan Pablo Montoya over the final riveting laps at Pocono Raceway to win the Pennsylvania 500 before choking up with grief in Victory Lane. Hamlin won for the third time in eight career starts at the triangle track that has become his personal playground. He has had three other top 10s there. He was in tears following the race, the victory coming days after his grandmother s death. There was a catch to his voice as he spoke, and he wiped his face with a towel before walking away for a subdued celebration. His grandmother, Thelma Clark, died Friday at 91. Brian Vickers, driver of the #83 Red Bull Toyota, races to a sixth place finish in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 at the Pocono Raceway on Aug 3, in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (AFP) NASCAR Sprint Cup-Pennsylvania 500 Results Results Monday from the NASCAR Sprint Cup-Pennsylvania 500 at the 2.5-mile (4- kilometer) Pocono Raceway (satrt position in parentheses): 1. (6) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 200 laps, rating, 195 points; 2. (10) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 200, 104.3, 170; 3. (16) Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 200, 94.1, 170; 4. (29) Sam Hornish Jr., Dodge, 200, 79.6, 160; 5. (8) Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 200, 122.4, 160; 6. (15) Brian Vickers, Toyota, 200, 97.6, 150; 7. (9) Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 200, 104.7, 151; 8. (3) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 200, 109.3, 142; 9. (4) Kurt Busch, Dodge, 200, 114.5, 143; 10. (1) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 200, 75.4, 134; 11. (12) Matt Kenseth, Ford, 200, 89.5, 135; 12. (23) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 200, 83.4, 127; 13. (2) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 200, 108.2, 129; 14. (7) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 200, 96.3, 121; 15. (11) Greg Biffle, Ford, 200, 89.1, 118; 16. (14) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 200, 82.8, 115; 17. (27) AJ Allmendinger, Dodge, 200, 76.4, 112; 18. (5) Carl Edwards, Ford, 200, 99.1, 109; 19. (24) Martin Truex Jr., Chevrolet, 200, 65.2, 106; 20. (20) Jamie McMurray, Ford, 200, 68.7, 103; 21. (17) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 200, 63.3, 100; 22. (30) David Ragan, Ford, 200, 62.9, 97; 23. (37) Scott Speed, Toyota, 200, 53.1, 94; 24. (25) Elliott Sadler, Dodge, 200, 55.9, 91; 25. (21) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 200, 50, 88; 26. (33) Paul Menard, Ford, 200, 42.1, 85; 27. (19) Joey Logano, Toyota, 200, 69.1, 82; 28. (22) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 200, 69.5, 79; 29. (13) David Reutimann, Toyota, 200, 78.1, 81; 30. (35) John Andretti, Chevrolet, 200, 38.3, 78; 31. (31) Michael Waltrip, Toyota, 198, 38.7, 70; 32. (32) David Stremme, Dodge, 196, 52.7, 67; 33. (34) Robby Gordon, Toyota, 195, 48.2, 64; 34. (18) Marcos Ambrose, Toyota, 192, 62.4, 66; 35. (26) Reed Sorenson, Dodge, 185, 53.8, 58; 36. (28) Bobby Labonte, Ford, accident, 180, 39.4, 55; 37. (41) Patrick Carpentier, Toyota, transmission, 38, 35.4, 52; 38. (36) Sterling Marlin, Dodge, transmission, 36, 29.3, 49; 39. (39) Joe Nemechek, Toyota, ignition, 30, 34.5, 46; 40. (40) Dave Blaney, Toyota, overheating, 26, 32.1, 43; 41. (38) David Gilliland, Chevrolet, alternator, 24, 35.1, 45; 42. (43) Tony Raines, Dodge, power steering, 17, 26.4, 37; 43. (42) Mike Wallace, Toyota, parked, 13, 27.9, 34. Race Statistics Average Speed of Race Winner: mph ( kph). Time of Race: 3 hours, 57 minutes, 21 seconds. Margin of Victory: seconds. Caution Flags: 10 for 39 laps. Lead Changes: 17 among 11 drivers. Lap Leaders: J.Johnson 1-22; We definitely had some angels with us today, Hamlin said. The race had been delayed a day because of rain. Usually not known at a track that produces exciting races, this one was wild and unpredictable almost from the start. Clint Bowyer was third. Sam Hornish Jr. was fourth for his best finish in a Cup car, and Kasey Kahne was fifth. Things haven t been going our way all year long so it feels good to have something swing our way, Bowyer said. This was Hamlin s first victory since Martinsville Speedway in March He backed up his predicted victory and strengthened his bid for a spot in the Chase for the championship. Denny was the car to beat all day, Kahne said. Three-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson battled an unruly car all day, falling three laps down and needing a carburetor change with 60 laps left before rebounding with a solid 13th-place finish. Johnson was scheduled to visit with President Barack Obama on Monday in honor of his 2008 Sprint Cup title. Tony Stewart, who won Pocono in June, finished 10th and increased his points lead to 197 over Johnson. Montoya rebounded nicely after the crushing disappointment of losing a victory last week at Indianapolis because of a pit road speeding penalty. Montoya insisted when he got to Pocono that he had moved on and kept his eye solely on the points standings. He went from 10th to eighth in D.Gilliland 23; D.Hamlin 24-54; J.Andretti 55; D.Hamlin 56-90; D.Reutimann 91; M.Kenseth 92; M.Ambrose 93; D.Hamlin 94-97; K.Kahne ; D.Hamlin ; K.Kahne ; D.Hamlin ; M.Martin ; Ku.Busch ; C.Bowyer ; D.Hamlin Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Led, Laps Led): D.Hamlin, 6 times for 91 laps; K.Kahne, 2 times for 35 laps; C.Bowyer, 1 time for 23 laps; J.Johnson, 1 time for 22 laps; Ku.Busch, 1 time for 14 laps; M.Martin, 1 time for 10 laps; M.Kenseth, 1 time for 1 lap; D.Reutimann, 1 time for 1 lap; J.Andretti, 1 time for 1 lap; M.Ambrose, 1 time for 1 lap; D.Gilliland, 1 time for 1 lap. Top 12 in Points: 1. T.Stewart, 3,188; 2. J.Johnson, 2,991; 3. J.Gordon, 2,989; 4. Ku.Busch, 2,751; 5. D.Hamlin, 2,713; 6. C.Edwards, 2,665; 7. K.Kahne, 2,642; 8. J.Montoya, 2,631; 9. R.Newman, 2,627; 10. M.Martin, 2,622; 11. M.Kenseth, 2,564; 12. G.Biffle, 2,563. NASCAR Driver Rating Formula A maximum of 150 points can be attained in a race. The formula combines the following categories: Wins, Finishes, Top-15 Finishes, Average Running Position While on Lead Lap, Average Speed Under Green, Fastest Lap, Led Most Laps, Lead-Lap Finish. (AP) CAR RACING the standings and is in good shape to make the Chase for the first time. My goal this year is making the Chase, Montoya said. That s the bigger picture. The 18 (Kyle Busch) has won three races this year and he s like 150 points out. Bowyer, who wasn t won in 47 races, moved up to 15th in the Chase standings. There are five races left before the 12-driver field is set for the 10-race sprint for the title. Bowyer lost the lead with eight laps left. There wasn t a straight finger on my car, Bowyer said. Once they caught me, they caught me. Hamlin had a rare poor outing in the June race at Pocono because of a fuel pump problem that sent him to the garage after only two laps. He returned and finished 38th, but has been one of the hottest drivers over the last seven races. Hamlin recorded four top fives over that span and did all he could to move up the standings except win. I feel like we re the best car other than the Hendrick cars, Hamlin said. The Hendrick cars were mostly out of the picture over the final laps, leaving a pack of drivers who haven t contended for many checkered flags this year going for the win. Montoya, Bowyer and Hornish are all winless, and Kahne has one victory. Hamlin led 91 laps, but had fallen to 11th. He bumped David Reutimann with 25 laps left to bring out a caution. Fueled by emotion, Hamlin scrapped any ideas of a conservative approach for points and took off for the win. One member of Hamlin s crew recently lost his mother, and the whole team competed with heavy hearts. Hamlin couldn t keep his emotions in check. Every lap. Every single lap it comes out, Hamlin said. When I got behind, it really started getting Hamlin frustrating from my standpoint. I thought I was going to let it slip away with 50 to go. He went from sixth to second on one lap after a strong restart late in the race to set himself up for the win. This puts the confidence back in me that I can come back with 30 to go and win the race, Hamlin said. Houston Texans tight end James Casey hits a blocking pad during a NFL football training camp workout, Aug 4, in Houston. (AP) Ex-Giants star faces 3-1/2-yr imprisonment Burress indicted by grand jury on weapons charges NEW YORK, Aug 4, (AP): Former New York Giants star Plaxico Burress was indicted by a grand jury on weapons charges for shooting himself in the thigh at a Manhattan nightclub and faces a minimum prison sentence of 3 1/2 years if convicted, prosecutors announced Monday. The indictment charged the 31-year-old Burress with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and one count of reckless endangerment, Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said. The grand jury applied the law to the facts of this case, Morgenthau said. He said the accidental shooting at the Latin Quarter nightclub on Nov. 29 was treated like any similar case against any other defendant. Burress lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, said he was disappointed but not surprised by the indictment, which came after Burress testified before the grand jury and expressed remorse. When you have the mayor and the district attorney both publicly demanding a maximum prison sentence, it was perhaps too much to hope for the grand jury to conduct a sympathetic review of the unique facts of this sad case, Brafman said in a statement. Burress former teammate Antonio Pierce, who was with Burress in the club and drove him to the hospital, was not indicted. The panel also did not indict the nightclub security guard who carried the gun to Pierce s car or the hospital staff members who failed to notify police that Burress had been shot. Morgenthau said hospital personnel were guilty of a screw-up rather than a cover-up and the security guard exhibited bad judgment in the first degree but did not commit a crime. Pierce, who also testified before the grand jury last week, was practicing with the Giants in Albany when he learned of the panel s decision. Giants President John Mara said the team was pleased that the linebacker was not indicted. We said last week we felt strongly that Antonio s actions did not warrant criminal charges, and obviously the grand jury, having heard all of the testimony, felt the same way, he said. Pierce s lawyer, Michael Bachner, said, By appearing before the grand jury for almost three hours and answering the grand jury s very direct and very considered questions, it was clear to us that they understood that Mr. Pierce acted as any citizen under extraordinary circumstances would have acted. Burress was at the Latin Quarter nightclub Nov. 29 when a gun tucked into his waistband slipped down his leg and fired, shooting him in the right thigh. Prosecutors said Monday that after taking Burress to the hospital, Pierce drove the gun to his own home in New Jersey ó not to Burress home, as was originally reported. They said he later arranged for it to be taken to Burress home. Assistant District Attorney John Wolfstaetter said the bullet that hit Burress narrowly missed a nightclub security guard who was standing inches away. The bullet lodged in the floor and was recovered by a bartender, Morgenthau said. He wanted it as a souvenir but we told him he had to turn it over, he said. The gun was not licensed in New York or in New Jersey, where Burress lived, prosecutors said. Burress license to carry a concealed weapon in the state of Florida had expired in May The charges Burress was indicted on carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 3 1/2 years in prison. He pleaded not guilty to weapons charges earlier this year and is free on $100,000 bail. The grand jury indictment comes after plea bargain negotiations broke down, apparently because Morgenthau was insisting that Burress serve at least two years in prison under any plea agreement. Assistant District Attorney Mark Dwyer said it is standard policy to request a two-year sentence as part of a plea bargain on such serious charges. Vick homecoming celebration postponed NEWPORT NEWS, Va, Aug 4, (AP): Michael Vick s hometown celebration was postponed Monday because of a conflict, an organizer said. The Michael Vick Community Celebration scheduled for Saturday will be held later because the job-hunting former NFL quarterback has an event that day in Atlanta with the Humane Society of the United States, organizer Andrew Shannon said. Vick informed him of the conflict, he said. A spokesman for the Humane Society did not immediately return a telephone message left by The Associated Press. Shannon did FOOTBALL not know the nature of the Atlanta event or whether it was open to the public. Vick has been conditionally reinstated in the NFL after completing a 23-month federal sentence for running a dogfighting ring. The Newport News celebration was to be his first announced public event since his freedom. Shannon, president of the Peninsula chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, said organizers were committed to celebrating Vick s return to the community and would not be swayed by negative public opinion.

48 SPORTS 48 I m number one, like it or not: Safina Sharapova starts quickly at Los Angeles tennis LOS ANGELES, Aug 3, 2009 (Agencies) - Unseeded Maria Sharapova easily defeated Jarmila Groth of Slovakia 6-0, 6-4 in the first round of the 700,000 dollar WTA Los Angeles Tennis Championship on Monday. Sharapova, whose best finish in this event was two semi-final berths, advances to play third seeded Victoria Azarenka in the second round. Still trying to recover from major shoulder surgery, Sharapova was one of four Russians to advance on Monday on the hardcourts located in Peng the south central LA suburb of Carson. Sharapova reached the quarterfinals last week in Stanford. Russia s Anna Chakvetadze defeated 11th seeded Virginie Razzano of France 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 Monday. Unseeded Chakvetadze advances to face fellow Russian Alisa Kleybanova. Elena Vesnina cruised past Agnes Szavay of Hungary 6-1, 6-0 and Kleybanova beat compatriot Alla Kudryavtseva 6-1, 6-3. In other matches Monday, China s Peng Shuai outlasted Michaella Krajicek 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3 and Italy s Flavia Pennetta, seeded 10th, needed three sets to top unheralded American Varvara Lepchenko, 6-2, 5-7, 6-0. Pennetta was last year s runner-up to Dinara Safina, the top seed here. The tournament features five of the world s WTA Tour LA Women s Tennis Championships Results Results Monday from the LA Women s Tennis Championships, a $700,000 WTA Tour event played on hardcourts at The Home Depot Center (seedings in parentheses): Singles First Round Alisa Kleybanova, Russia, def. Alla Kudryavtseva, Russia, 6-1, 6-3.; Ai Sugiyama, Japan, def. Carly Gullickson, top 10 players including world number one Safina of Russia. The 23-year-old Safina is fresh off her third title of the year, winning a marathon three-hour match in the Portoroz final. The top eight seeded players receive a bye through the first round. TENNIS Wild card Vania King, of the US, advanced by stopping Austrian Sybille Bammer 6-3, 6-2, while Japanese veteran Ai Sugiyama topped American qualifier Carly Gullickson 6-3, 6-1. An annoyed Dinara Safina has had enough of people questioning whether she can justify being the world number one, despite not having won a grand slam title. The Russian bristled at the Los Angeles United States, 6-3, 6-1.; Vania King, United States, def. Sybille Bammer, Austria, 6-3, 6-2.; Lucie Safarova, Czech Republic, def. Kaia Kanepi (15), Estonia, 6-3, 7-6 (4).; Yanina Wickmayer, Belgium, def. Nicole Vaidisova, Czech Republic, 6-1, 6-1.; Jill Craybas, United States, def. Francesca Schiavone, Italy, 7-6 (7), 6-2.; Shahar Peer, Israel, def. Anastasia Rodionova, Russia, 7-5, 4-1, retired.; Elena Vesnina, Russia, def. Agnes Championships on Monday when asked about world number two Serena Williams comments she was the people s number one as she holds the US, Australian Open and Wimbledon titles. I didn t do the ranking system, said Safina. If she has questions, she can give these questions to the WTA who is doing the ranking system. It s the result of how you play the whole year, not just the four grand slams. I ve been playing the whole year and I ve been having great results all through the grand slams. Safina has won at Rome, Madrid and Portorotz and reached the Australian Open and the French Open finals, as well as the Wimbledon semi-finals this year. However, she has been thrashed in all of those grand slam matches, to Serena at the Australian Open, to Svetlana Kuznetsova at Szavay, Hungary, 6-1, 6-0.; Peng Shuai, China, def. Michaella Krajicek, Netherlands, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-3.; Anna Chakvetadze, Russia, def. Virginie Razzano (14), France, 7-6 (5), 6-3.; Flavia Pennetta (10), Italy, def. Varvara Lepchenko, United States, 6-2, 5-7, 6-0.; Alona Bondarenko, Ukraine, def. Meghann Shaughnessy, United States, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.; Maria Sharapova, Russia, def. Jarmila Groth, Australia, 6-0, 6-4. Roland Garros and to Venus Williams at Wimbledon. Her top ranking was also questioned by former world number one Jelena Jankovic, who also had similar criticisms levelled at her when she held the mantle as the top-ranked player. If I had to pick someone after me, I d pick Serena, Jankovic told Reuters last week. To be number one, you should be complete and if you are number one you have to be beating the Williams sisters. I m one of the rare players who has a positive record against the Williams sisters. Safina, who is a combined 2-9 against the Williams sisters while Jankovic is 8-8, said the Serb s perception of what should define the number one ranking was ill conceived. The ranking system is not only based (on) if you beat Serena and Venus, she said. It s based on how you play the whole year. Hewitt advances, Roddick ready for return at Legg Mason Classic WASHINGTON, Aug 4, (AP): Australia s Lleyton Hewitt advanced to the second round of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Donald Young on Monday. Hewitt, who won this tournament in 2004, is playing in Washington for the first time in three years. He will next face 15th-seeded Dudi Sela of Israel, who recieved a first-round bye. India s Devvarman ousts Sugita Somdev Devvarman of India returns a shot against Yuichi Sugita of Japan during Day 1 of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on Aug 3 in Washington, DC. (AFP) Tennis results Results Monday from the Legg Mason Classic tennis tournament, a $1.402 million ATP event played on hardcourts at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center (seedings in parentheses): Singles First Round Mikhail Youzhny, Russia, def. Robert Kendrick, United States, 7-5, 3-6, 6-1.; Yenhsun Lu, Taiwan, def. Michael Russell, United States, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5.; Philipp Petzschner, Germany, def. Teimuraz Gabashvili, Russia, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.; Somdev Jamaicans to miss worlds as hearings continue KINGSTON, Aug 4, (RTRS): The five Jamaican athletes who tested positive for a banned stimulant will miss the world championships due to their doping hearings not being completed, a Jamaican athletics official said on Monday. The five, none of whom won medals at the Beijing Olympics, tested positive for the stimulant methylxanthine at the national championships in June. Their names have not been made public. Based on what is going on, they will not be able to go to Berlin, Dr Warren Devvarman, India, def. Yuichi Sugita, Japan, 6-0, 7-6 (6).; Frank Dancevic, Canada, def. Santiago Giraldo, Spain, 6-4, 6-3.; Lleyton Hewitt, Australia, def. Donald Young, United States, 7-5, 6-2.; Alejandro Falla, Colombia, def. Jesse Witten, United States, 6-1, 6-4.; Marc Gicquel, France, def. Jerzy Janowicz, Poland, 7-5, 2-6, 6-4.; John Isner, United States, def. Andrey Golubev, Kazakhstan, 7-6 (8), 6-3.; Igor Kunitsyn, Russia, def. Frederico Gil, Portugal, 7-6 (1), 6-4. Odlum Brown Van Open Results First Round Prakash Amritraj, India, def. Ivan Dodig, Blake, second vice president of the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA), told Reuters in an interview. We would have had to name them on the final team list by today, but the hearings began today and will not be completed until later this week, Blake added. It is therefore fair to say that the five will miss being on the team, as they can t be selected until they are cleared. The world championships are scheduled for Aug in Berlin. Hearings for the five athletes, four men Croatia, 7-5, 6-3.; Marinko Matosevic (8), Australia def. Michael Yani, United States, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (2).; Ryan Sweeting (5), United States, def. Andrea Stoppini, Italy, 6-4, 6-3.; Alex Bogdanovic, Britain, def. Igor Sijsling, Netherlands, 6-2, 5-7, 7-5.; Sergei Bubka, Ukraine, def. Alex Kuznetsov, United States, 6-4, 6-4.; Philip Bester, Canada, def. Kaes Van t Hof, United States, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.; Kyu Tae Im, Korea, def. Rik De Voest, South Africa, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.; Scoville Jenkins, United States, def. Rajeev Ram (1), United States, 7-6 (4), 6-4. (Agencies) and a woman, are scheduled to continue on Wednesday and Friday. The main aim now is for justice to be done and they get a proper hearing, Blake said. Whether they are guilty or innocent, the result must be able to stand the test of time. Methylxanthine, while not listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list, falls within a category of stimulants banned by the agency, anti-doping experts said. It is frequently found in nasal inhalers. TENNIS The former world No. 1 Hewitt won three of five break opportunities in each set to beat the 20-year-old American. Young battled Hewitt through the first set that featured five service breaks before Hewitt held serve in the deciding game. Hewitt then took the final three games of the second set for the win. We both seemed to return serve pretty well out there, Hewitt said. We both didn t serve great, either, so that made life for the returner easier. Hewitt had not played since losing to Andy Roddick in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon. It s always hard after a few weeks off, Hewitt said. It s nice to get through in straight sets. Mikhail Youzhny of Russia beat American Robert Kendrick 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 and will play fifth-seeded Robin Soderling in the second round. Qualifier Somdev Devvarman of India advanced to the second round with a 6-0, 7-6 (6) win against Japan s Yuichi Sugita. Taiwan s Lu Yen-hsun defeated Michael Russell of the United States 4-6, 6-1, 7-5; Germany s Philipp Petzschner won 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 against Teimuraz Gabashvili of Georgia, and Canada s Frank Dancevic advanced by beating Colombian Santiago Giraldo 6-4, 6-3. Marc Gicquel of France won 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 against Poland s Jerzy Janowicz, whilecolombia s Alejandro Falla advanced with a 6-1, 6-4 win over American Jesse Witten. Top-seeded Roddick, who hasn t played since his loss to Roger Federer in the Wimbledon final, said Monday he s recovered from the right hip flexor he sustained in the July 5. Roddick, who has won the Washington event three times, was originally scheduled to open play Tuesday after an opening-round bye, but his start was pushed back to Wednesday. Defending champion Juan Martin del Potro is the No. 2 seed. Physically I feel great, Roddick said. I didn t want to make the error of coming back until I felt physically prepared to play in an event. Roddick injured his hip when he fell in the fourth set against Federer. He went on to play for another 1-1/2 hours before losing in the longest fifth set in Grand Slam final history, a match that is still on Roddick s mind. Heartbreaking, Roddick said. But at the same time, not a lot of people get a chance to play for that title and be a part of something like that, so that part of it is never lost on me. Ten seconds after the final, I still realized it s a pretty special thing. Roddick said the hip didn t bother him in the final Adrenaline does a lot for you but he compared the feeling in the days after to falling on a rock. He said he doesn t expect any lingering problems. Last year, Roddick was upset in the quarterfinals of this tournament. He s hoping this year the Legg Mason puts him in position to replicate his Wimbledon performance at the US Open, which will be played Aug 31 to Sept. 13 in New York. However, the extended layoff may mean it will take a few times out before he is fully back up to speed. This is the start of the process toward the US Open, Roddick said. I d love to get off to a great start, but I think it would be presumptuous of me to Hewitt expect that in my first match in over a month. That being said, if I can get through one or two matches then maybe we can get it going. Maria Sharapova of Russia hits a backhand to Jarmilla Groth of Slovakia in the LA Women s Tennis Championships on Aug 3, at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. (AFP) Flavia Pennetta of Italy hits a forehand to Varvara Lepchenko in the LA Women s Tennis Championships on Aug 3, at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. (AFP) Agassi, Clijsters suit up for WTT Rafa will return to action in Montreal, says coach MADRID, Aug 4, (Agencies): World number two Rafael Nadal will return to action at next week s Montreal Masters event after a twomonth lay off with injury, his coach and uncle Toni Nadal said on Monday. The Spaniard has been suffering from tendinitis in both knees and has not played a competitive match since being knocked out in the fourth round of the French Open by Robin Soderling on May 31. Rafa will play in Montreal. It is good news for us, Toni Nadal told Radio Marca. It s another thing to know what standard he will be at. I imagine he won t be in very good condition. He has been training but without really pushing it very much. To see what form he s in we ll have to see how he copes in a proper match. During his time away from the court, Nadal lost his French Open and Wimbledon titles and his number one ranking to Swiss rival Roger Federer. In an interview last week, Nadal cast doubts as to whether he would be fit to defend his title in Montreal. There is no particular objective at present, Nadal s coach continued. The challenge is to get back into form and to be in good shape for the US Open. The US Open starts on Aug 31. Also: NEW YORK: Andre Agassi wanted to smack some tennis balls around this summer, so he decided to take Billie Jean King up on her offer. King, the co-founder of World Team Tennis, and commissioner Ilana Kloss traveled to his home in Las Vegas earlier this year and asked the eight-time major champion to play in their league. I mean, how do you say no to Billie? Agassi said. She s changed the face of sports. She s given anybody that has a daughter a chance at a life in sports. I have so moston Lobsters and at Newport Beach, California, on July 17. I wanted to sort of re-engage in certain respects, said Agassi, who recently played an exhibition with wife Steffi Graf at Wimbledon. Show an appreciation for the life and platform that tennis has given me. While Agassi played for the Sacramento Capitals from , Michael Chang and former No 1 Kim Clijsters will make their WTT debuts this month. Chang will play for the Capitals, and Clijsters, who plans to return to the WTA tour after a two-year retirement, will suit up for two matches with the St. Louis Aces. They ll join stars Serena Williams (Washington, D.C.), Venus Williams (Philadelphia), Maria Sharapova (Newport Beach), Martina Navratilova (Boston) and John McEnroe (New York) in the league King started in We always get good players, King said. They don t have to play. Players that like teams and like to give back to communities, they like our league. WTT is getting a boost this summer from its new partnership with the US Tennis Association and a new team in New York City. In January, the USTA became a 25 percent owner of the league in an effort to expand the USTA Junior Team Tennis program. TENNIS The USTA s QuickStart clinics will be held in WTT cities which also include Kansas City, Mo., Springfield, Mo., and Albany, N.Y. providing balls, rackets and court dimensions tailored to youth under 10 years old. Serena Williams, Bob and Mike Bryan, and other pro players are scheduled to conduct the pre-match clinics. Where we really want to make the mark is to get more 6- to 10-year-olds in the game, said USTA executive director and COO Gordon Smith. Tennis overall is doing well as a sport. We need to do better with the younger demographics. The WTT s kid-friendly atmosphere includes mascots, coaches, cheerleaders and music between games. Among young players, some will always rise to the top because they have the financial means. Smith said it s more of an attempt to find the Billie Jean King s of the world she took her first lesson at a public park in Long Beach, Calif. A huge percentage of all tennis is played in public parks, Smith said. We want a network of regional training centers. While professional tennis comes to 16 U.S. cities during the ATP and WTA seasons, the WTT franchises also provide a great opportunity to bring pro tennis and market the pro game across the board, he said.

49 SPORTS 49 The coach must go Pakistan bosses under fire after S. Lanka defeat KARACHI, Aug 4, (AFP): Former players Tuesday called for a major shake-up in Pakistani cricket after the national side lost the five-match one-day series against Sri Lanka 3-0. Sri Lanka, who won the preceding three- Test series 2-0 to post their first home series win against Pakistan, crushed Pakistan by six wickets on Monday to secure the limitedovers contest as well. Sri Lanka have never won a home one-day CRICKET series against Pakistan before and are now eyeing a clean sweep. Mahela Jayawardene scored a brisk 123 for his first one-day century in two years to help Sri Lanka overhaul a daunting 289-run target at the Rangiri International Stadium. Pakistani former captain Zaheer Abbas said the defeat stressed the need for a major overhaul. The World Twenty20 win had hid all the weaknesses in the team and the cricket board, said Abbas, referring to Pakistan s triumph in England in June. The top man doesn t know much about the intricacies of cricket and is taking decisions to please his friends, Abbas said of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt. From top to bottom we need changes. Since this board has taken over we have lost the Champions Trophy, we have been stripped of World Cup 2011 matches and we have failed to handle the team, so this is total mismanagement, which is unacceptable, said Abbas. Security fears in Pakistan forced the International Cricket Intikhab Council (ICC) to relocate the biennial Champions Trophy to South Africa in February. Two months later, the ICC also had to move World Cup 2011 matches out of Pakistan. The coach (Intikhab Alam) must go, and the captain (Younus Khan) also lacks the qualities of a good leader, said Abbas. Former chief selector Abdul Qadir demanded resignations from the board and the team. They should feel ashamed, said Qadir, who resigned in June after alleging interference in selection matters from the PCB and Alam. Defeats are part and parcel of the game, but shameful defeats are unacceptable. Former captain Aamir Sohail, who last month resigned as the PCB s development director after differences with management, also slammed the Pakistani setup. No one, from the board officials to the team management, seems to have a clear plan in mind, he said. Some of the decisions make no sense, like two regular openers were sent to Sri Lanka but we used makeshift openers in the series which we have lost now. But another former captain, Rashid Latif, differed. Changes are not the solution, said Latif. I think the team needs to go back to basics and there should be no interference in team planning. The team must play to its own plan. England add Sidebottom, uncapped Trott to squad Flintoff keeps place despite fitness concern LEEDS, England, Aug 4, (AFP): England s selectors added left-arm quick Ryan Sidebottom and uncapped batsman Jonathan Trott to the 14-man squad they announced Tuesday for the fourth Test against Australia here at Headingley. All the 11 players, including Andrew Flintoff, who took the field for the drawn third Ashes at Edgbaston retained their places. Meanwhile in form fast bowler Stephen Harmison, who was England s Stuart Broad bowls on the fifth day of the third cricket Test match between England and Australia at Edgbaston cricket ground in Birmingham, England, Aug 3. (AP) BCCI plans own testing regime NEW DELHI, Aug 4, (RTRS): India s cricket board, under fire for rejecting the World Anti- Doping Agency s (WADA) whereabouts clause, wants to introduce its own testing system for domestic players from next year, local media reported on Tuesday. This year, the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) will first educate every association about dope testing, chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty told the Indian Express. We can t just issue templates of WADA and expect them to read it. The language used by WADA is difficult to understand, so we ll be hiring experts to give lectures on this, he said. The BCCI has stirred a controversy after backing national players on Sunday over their in the squad for that match but didn t play, also kept his place despite bowling with blistered feet for county champions Durham. England have tried to plan for fast bowling all-rounder Flintoff s possible absence through a longstanding right knee injury by giving themselves additional pace bowling options in Harmison and Sidebottom, who has been taking wickets for Nottinghamshire, as well as an extra batsman in Trott. England are 1-0 up in the Ashes with two Tests to play. If Trott does make his debut at Headingley, his inclusion could see England playing six batsmen as they bid for a victory that would see them regain the Ashes after they were thrashed 5-0 in Australia in 2006/07. We will need to carefully assess the pitch and the overhead conditions at Headingley before finalising our eleven for this Test and the inclusion of Stephen Harmison and Ryan Sidebottom will give us different types of pace bowling options, said England national selector Geoff Miller. Both players have been in good form for their counties in recent weeks and as selectors we are delighted that competition for places in the side is so strong. There are just three days between the end of Monday s match at Edgbaston and Friday s start at Headingley. Flintoff top scored with 74 at Edgbaston but looked at times to be struggling with his knee injury. Having bowled England to victory in the second Test at Lord s, he went wicketless at Edgbaston and in both matches he needed injections before he could take the field in what Flintoff has said will be his final Test series. refusal to sign up to the WADA clause, which requires them to inform their whereabouts on a daily basis for three months in advance. Other major cricketing nations have signed up, but the influential Indian board says its players have privacy and security concerns and tests should not be done during the off-season. The board and players have faced sharp criticism even from within the cricket-mad nation, with sports minister Manohar Singh Gill urging them to happily accept the WADA rules. The BCCI feels cricket, seen as a low-risk sport for doping but due to make its debut in next year s Asian Games, needs its own set of rules. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has referred the Indian stand to its board. We will continue to closely monitor Andrew Flintoff s fitness in the build-up-up to Headingley, said former England off-spinner Miller. His right knee will be reassessed by our medical staff over the next forty-eight hours and no final decision on his availability will be taken until closer to the start of the Test match. Sidebottom - included in a Test squad for the first time this season - knows Headingley well, having started his career there with Yorkshire while Harmison, although erratic at international level, remains England s quickest bowler. Former England captain Nasser Hussain has been among those questioning the current side s ability to take 20 wickets in a Test if the ball is not swinging and Harmison s raw speed would give the attack a different dimension. At Edgbaston, England didn t have a spare batsman after 28- year-old Trott s Warwickshire colleague Ian Bell was recalled after Kevin Pietersen s seriesending Achilles injury. Trott, like Pietersen born in South Africa, found his only previous experience of international cricket tough going, scoring 11 runs in two Twenty20 internationals against the West Indies at the Oval three years ago, but CRICKET Flintoff he has impressed at county level. England squad: Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Ravi Bopara, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Matthew Prior (wkt), Andrew Flintoff, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Graham Onions, Stephen Harmison, Ryan Sidebottom, Jonathan Trott. Pakistan s cricket team captain Younis Khan hits a shot on the third one-day international cricket match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, Aug 3. (AP) Australia s Michael Clarke plays a shot on his way to an unbeaten 103 on the fifth day of the third Ashes cricket Test match between England and Australia in Birmingham, England, Aug 3. (AP) Ponting says Flintoff going downhill Draw revives Ashes hopes: Aussie media SYDNEY, Aug 4, (AFP): Australia s battling draw in the third Test has exposed weakness in England s bowling attack and given Ricky Ponting s men a fighting chance of retaining the Ashes, media here said Tuesday. Australian commentators hailed a 185- run fifth-wicket partnership between Michael Clarke and Marcus North that prevented England taking a 2-0 lead in the five-test series. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation s Joe O Shea said the draw keeps the series well and truly alive while former Test offspinner Greg Matthews asked: Is the series turning again? Matthews, in his blog for Ashes broadcaster SBS, said England s attack looked a bit toothless when conditions did not produce swing and talisman Andrew Flintoff was not firing due to injury niggles. If the ball doesn t swing England look average, especially with Flintoff on one leg, he said. The Australian s Ben Dorries acknowledged Clarke had more lives than a cat on his way to an unbeaten 103 but credited the vice-captain with saving the match and giving Australia some momentum going into the fourth Test. Clarke continued the form that has made him Australia s leading run-scorer this Ashes... with another triple-figure score, he wrote. English County Scores English county scores on Monday: County Championship Division One At Riverside: Durham dec (M Di Venuto 254 no, W Smith 101, D Benkenstein 69) and 80-1 v Sussex 245 (M Yardy 97, C Thorp 5-86) and 304 (L Wright 118 no, C Nash 55, S Harmison 3-68); Durham won by nine wickets. At Old Trafford: Yorkshire 181 (A Gale 54, T Smith 6-46) and (J Rudolph 127, A Gale 121) v Lancashire dec (M Loye 146, V V S Laxman 109, P Horton 84); Match drawn. At Taunton: Somerset dec (J Langer 79, Z de Bruyn 74, C Kieswetter 67, P Trego 66 no, A Suppiah 51, R Sidebottom 5-106) and (A Suppiah 151, M Trescothick 99) v He was also full of praise for Shane Watson, who was called on to replace dropped opener Phillip Hughes at short notice and received bruising treatment as England s quicks struggled for a breakthrough. Watson has been in the past unfairly accused of being soft but he was as hard as nails last night as he refused to show any sign of pain or call for medical attention, he said. But Malcolm Conn in Sydney s Daily Telegraph questioned Australian skipper Ponting s state of mind after he was dismissed for five in the second innings. It was his second poor Test after a majestic 150 in Cardiff and left the nagging feeling that he carries so much with this inexperienced team that maybe, just CRICKET Nottinghamshire 356 (C Read 98, S Newman 87, M Ealham 64 no, C Willoughby 4-71); Match drawn. At New Road: Warwickshire 309 (I Trott 67, T Ambrose 63, R Clarke 50, R Jones 4-66) and 47-1 v Worcestershire 111 (N Carter 5-37, C Woakes 4-30) and 244 (S Moore 88, Naqaash Tahir 5-67); Warwickshire won by nine wickets Division Two At Bristol: Gloucestershire dec (A Gidman 128, Kadeer Ali 53) and (Kadeer Ali 67no) v Glamorgan dec (H Gibbs 96, W Bragg 92, G Rees 82, J Lewis 5-73); Match drawn. At Canterbury: Derbyshire 303 (W Hinds 74, P Jones 53 no, C Rogers 53, J Tredwell 4- maybe, it is starting to wear the 34-year-old down, he said. The Sydney Morning Herald s Peter Roebuck said a draw may still not be enough for Australia to retain the Ashes. Unless Flintoff breaks down or the Australian pace bowling improves beyond measure, England will win the Ashes, he said. Admittedly, it is never wise to underestimate any Australian team but the gap between the sides is widening not shrinking. Meanwhile, Australia captain Ricky Ponting tried to put the boot into England by saying the fitness of the home side s star all-rounder Andrew Flintoff was going downhill pretty quickly. There are only three days between the third Ashes Test, which ended in a draw here at Edgbaston on Monday, and the start of the fourth match of the series at Headingley on Friday. The injury-prone Flintoff, who plans to bow out of Test cricket after the Ashes, has recently been struggling with a knee problem which requires extensive ice treatment. He looked anything but hampered at Lord s where he bowled England to a 115- run second Test win that put them 1-0 up in the five-match Ashes campaign. But it was a different story at Edgbaston for the 31- year-old Lancashire quick who, although he top scored with 74 in England s only innings of the match, did not take a single wicket. Flintoff was powerless to prevent Australia, who at lunch on Monday s final day were still in danger of losing a match where, in effect, two days had been lost to bad weather, from ultimately closing out the contest in comfortable fashion thanks mainly to vice-captain Michael Clarke s unbeaten hundred. Fred bowled just 11 overs on Monday after clearly looking less than 100 percent while running between the wickets. 92) and 303 (C Rogers 107, G Park 53, J Tredwell4-93) v Kent 289 (J Tredwell 86 no, G Wagg 5-96, T Groenewald 4-69) and (R Key 110, G Jones 100, M van Jaarsveld 51); Kent won by three wickets. At Lord s: Northamptonshire 288 (A Wakely 61, N Boje 55, R White 51) and 293 (J van der Wath 85, M Wessels 57, T Murtagh 4-51) v Middlesex 360 (N Compton 82, S Robson 75, E Morgan 71, J van der Wath 4-107) and 186 (S Udal 94, D Lucas 4-38, J van der Wath 3-38); Northamptonshire beat Middlesex by 35 runs. The Oval: Leicestershire dec (J Taylor 207 no, J du Toit 100 no, H Dippenaar 86, H Ackerman 75, T New 53) and 23-0 v Surrey (M Ramprakash 274 no, S Walters 188, U Afzaal 70); Match drawn.

50 SPORTS 50 American has plenty to focus on Golden Phelps eyes road to London ROME, Aug 4, (AFP): Olympic great Michael Phelps found all the motivation he needed to launch out on the long road to the 2012 Games at the swimming World Championships. A defeat, and a dazzling victory over Milorad Cavic in the 100m butterfly will give Phelps plenty to focus on as he plots his next Olympic exploits. He became the first man to break the 50- second barrier with a time of 49.82, reaffirming his superiority over the Serb after beating him by just one-hundredth of a second at the Beijing Games. The coolest thing is being able to have races like this, Phelps because it brings the best out of everyone, Phelps said of the tension-filled rematch. That s what sport is about, you have to go to the next level when racing these kind of people. Phelps also won gold in the 200m butterfly, finally posting a world record that lived up to his lofty expectations in the event. Three relay golds took his total to five to balance his defeat by German Paul Biederman in the 200m freestyle. Michael s back in the game, which is good for us, said Phelps s personal coach, Bob Bowman, who was also head coach of the US men s team. I know for Michael you can expect anything, so I m never really surprised, Bowman said. He can always pull out something like the 100 fly when he really needs it. In the wake of his glorious campaign in Beijing, where he earned a record eight gold medals to take his total to 14, Phelps took six months off. He d barely gotten back in the water when he found himself tabloid fodder - a London paper publishing a picture of him holding a marijuana pipe at a party. A sprinkling of his sponsors tut-tutted, the USA Swimming federation slapped his wrist with a three-month ban, and the welter of negative publicity had Phelps saying he wasn t sure he wanted to swim on through the Preparations towards Commonwealth Games Rude Delhi to be taught good manners NEW DELHI, Aug 4, (AFP): Authorities in Delhi have admitted the city s residents are rude, impatient and arrogant and vowed to tackle anti-social behaviour before the Commonwealth Games open in the Indian capital next year. Lawless driving, discarded litter and spitting in public are commonplace in Delhi but a campaign under the slogan care, share and concern hopes to transform the reputation of its teeming millions. This is an attempt to generate a sense of pride towards the city and a feeling of ownership towards the assets in the capital, Uday Sahay, director of information and publicity of the Delhi government, told AFP. SWIMMING People tend to be nice at home but they turn rude, impatient and arrogant on the roads because they don t feel a sense of belonging to the city. He said that the campaign would focus on road rage, rubbish, defacing of monuments and individual relationships like the attitude of a young man towards an old man on the street or a woman. The Commonwealth Games, featuring athletes from 71 nations and territories of the former British Empire, are seen as a major showcase for India, which has recently experienced rapid economic growth. But the development has brought problems for cities like Delhi, with huge numbers of poor migrant workers pouring in from the London Games. Nor has all gone smoothly in the pool, as he tried, and finally rejected, a new freestyle stroke designed to help him become a player in the 100m free. Phelps s personal uncertainties all played out against the backdrop of a costume controversy splitting the sport. The debate over the super-fast polyurethane swimsuits gained a new intensity when Biedermann seized Phelps s 200m free world record while wearing one of the speedy models - which are headed to the countryside to look for work on construction sites or in factories. Many live in makeshift slum settlements around the city evidence that the boom times have benefited only a lucky few of India s 1.1 billion people. The social behaviour campaign will hit the streets in October, a year before athletes, officials, dignitaries and spectators arrive for the two weeks of sport. An advertising blitzkrieg in the form of hoardings, bus shelter posters and slogans on metro panels and pillars will be unveiled, Sahay said. Lessons in etiquette are already being imparted to the city s auto-rickshaw drivers, who have been criticised for their fast, dangerous driving and for over-charging foreigners. scrapheap next year. Biedermann ended Phelps s run of 10 straight individual victories in world and Olympic competition - a record stretching back to 2005 and including five individual golds at the 2007 World Championships and five in Beijing. His last major defeat had been at the hands of compatriot Ian Crocker in the 100m butterfly final at the 2005 worlds. We re going to go back and work on the 200 free, that s a big motivator for him if he wants to race this kid, Bowman said. Hometown hero Leong targets Selangor Masters title defence Top: In this photo taken Sept 24, 2008,US Army Sgt Sylvia Portillo, bungee jumps as she takes part in Warrior Adventure Quest, near Amboy, Wash. The program seeks to help soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan adjust to life outside of the war zone through exposure to adventure sports. Above: Sgt Sylvia Portillo, reacts to her bungee jump. (AP) Aussie Beck eyeing another top finish at event A Chinese man flies kites bearing pictures of Beijing Olympic mascots outside the National Olympic Stadium, known as Bird Nest in Beijing, China, Aug 4. The National Stadium will host its first sporting event since the Olympics only on the games one-year anniversary, with an Italian Super Cup match between Inter Milan and Lazio. (AP) A year after green Olympics, city s smog is back Beijing skies shrouded in haze again BEIJING, Aug 4, (AFP): One year after staging a mostly pollution-free Olympics, Beijing has seen its skies shrouded in haze again, highlighting what observers call a mixed Olympic legacy on the environment. Amid fears the city s chronic smog could damage athlete s health, Beijing took drastic steps to prevent that last August, moving or cleaning up polluting factories, curbing traffic, and ordering a halt to all construction work. State-of-the-art facilities like the Bird s Nest Olympic stadium and Water Cube aquatic centre showcased the latest in energy-efficient design, and hopes were raised the green push would spread beyond the capital. All of the steps Beijing took to stage the Games have undeniably had a long-term positive impact on the city s environment, said Wei Fusheng, former chief engineer at the China National Environmental Monitoring Centre. The biggest and clearest impact has been an improvement in pollution levels. But while few dispute that things have improved, data illustrates just how far Beijing still has to go. An air quality index published on social networking site Twitter by the US embassy set up as an alternative to official Chinese data widely criticised as downplaying pollution has catalogued neardaily unhealthy readings in recent months. Just last week, as the anniversary neared, the embassy s US-standard readings spiked to hazardous as a familiar choking pall settled on the city. Touting a Green Olympics no doubt helped solidify environmentalism on the city s and nation s agenda but the followthrough has left much to be desired, said Greenpeace China climate and energy campaigner Yang Ailun. It changed the public mentality and made people remember the clear days we had 20 years ago and wonder why can t we have that again. That s a big achievement, said Yang. However, the fact that China had to basically shut down much of the city of 18 million to meet its Olympic clean-air promises, showed that little real progress has been made. The Beijing experience did not provide OLYMPICS any examples of cost-effective policies that can actually deliver results. All the major measures taken by the city were expensive and not easily replicated elsewhere, she said. So from that standpoint, I don t think the Olympics were that successful. Beijing is no doubt better off a year after the Games, observers agree. Long-term benefits are expected from the curbs on factory pollution and the Olympics-linked completion of new subway lines. In addition, Beijing has maintained some driving restrictions that, while less stringent than those during the Games, still keep hundreds of thousands of the city s more than three million vehicles off the roads each day. But with 1,500 new cars added to the mix daily, those measures may soon be overwhelmed, warn experts. These steps don t change the fact that this city is still developing at a fast rate, said Greenpeace s Yang. The city government touts data that it says show dramatically improved air quality during and since the Olympics but some experts have said weather and even the slowing economy might also have played significant roles. And questions continue to surround Beijing s data, especially the particulate matter emitted largely by motor vehicles. When the US embassy data flags hazardous smog, Beijing s own official pollution index rates it as slightly polluted, due mainly to the fact that Beijing measures large particulate matter. The embassy s US standards, however, measure much smaller particles that are more easily inhaled and pose a greater health threat. The Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau declined to respond to AFP requests for comment, except to issue a statement saying: Our figures show air quality in the first half of the year and in July was better than last year. And while Beijing officials are quick to stress that its own particulate readings are among the best in a decade as a result of the Olympics measures, they remain several times higher than World Health Organization standards. PETALING JAYA, Malaysia, Aug 4, (AFP): Defending champion Ben Leong of Malaysia hopes to put a poor season behind him when he tees off at the Selangor Masters starting Wednesday. Barely 12 months after winning his maiden Asian Tour title, Leong intends to ride on happy memories of the Seri Selangor Golf Club in an attempt to reproduce his best golf this week. The field for the one-million-ringgit ($300,000) tour event includes last week s Brunei Open champion Darren Beck of Australia, in-form Indian Gaganjeet Bhullar, South Korea s Noh Seung-yul, Thailand s Prom Meesawat and Singaporean Mardan Mamat. Last year, Leong defeated 12-time Asian Tour winner Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand by one stroke but the 23-year-old has been inconsistent this season. Playing the practice round here this week, I have been thinking about my victory, especially the last hole where I needed to make a good bogey to win last year, he said Tuesday. There were also some big par saves which I had to make so it is a GOLF pleasure to be back here to defend my title. Leong has seen several coaches to try to fix his swing woes but conceded he may be a victim of paralysis by analysis. I ve seen a few people and I m trying different things so I hope I can get things right, he said. Fresh from winning his first Asian Tour title at the Brunei Open, Beck is eyeing another top finish at the Selangor Masters. The big-hitting Aussie said he found something in my putting last week and hopes to continue with his strong form. It was an exciting victory but it has not sunk in just yet. The win changes everything as I now have a two year s exemption and can start picking my events, said Beck, who is now 12th on the money ranking. Bhullar, 21, is the man in form following his breakthrough triumph in the Indonesia President Invitational two weeks ago and a play-off loss in Brunei on Sunday. A child comes out from the water as other swim in the training pool at the National Aquatics Center, known as the Water Cube, in Beijing, China, Aug 4. The Water Cube was the venue for swimming competition at the 2008 Olympic Games. (AP) In this photo taken Sept 24, 2008, Jesse Czesnowski shows off the tatoos he received while in the US Army as he prepares for his turn to bungee jump as part of the Warrior Adventure Quest, near Amboy, Wash. (AP) chance to calm our brothers down US army using extreme sports to help war vets FORT LEWIS, Washington, Aug 4, (AP): Sgt Sylvia Portillo went first. Secured with elastic cords to a railroad bridge more than 200 feet over a gorge south of Mount St Helens, Portillo s mission was to dive over the edge. She pretended to throw up, getting a nervous laugh out of the troops behind her. Then, keeping her own anxiety in check, she bungeejumped into the lush green below. Dozens of soldiers in the 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment and the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team took the plunge that day last fall. Most had been recently deployed in Iraq. Few had bungeejumped before. As he stood at the edge, Sgt Steve Damron felt a mix of trepidation and adrenaline that he likened to patrols through Baghdad. It s a chance to calm our brothers down, he said, to push that adrenaline out. That s the idea. More than 323,000 army soldiers have served more than one deployment in Iraq or Afghanistan, according to Defense Department statistics entering June, and the army had the highest rate of suicides on record last year. Researchers reported this month that 37 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans seeking care at Veterans Affairs clinics for the first time are being diagnosed with mental health disorders. The situation has the military searching for ways to supplement and redefine its counseling and self-awareness evaluation programs, and now, for ways to bring the thrilling terror of war home through safe outlets. The battle-weary 4th Stryker Brigade based at Fort Lewis, outside Tacoma, was picked for the third and final trial of a new Army program called Warrior Adventure Quest. It sends soldiers just back from war on outings of paintball, mountain biking, scuba diving, sky diving, whitewater rafting, alpine skiing, snowboarding and rock climbing. Army officials say they ve learned that soldiers who are used to life in a war zone suddenly find life at home to be moving at a glacial pace. The theory is that extreme experiences such as thrill sports can help troops overcome what one soldier in the 4th Stryker Brigade called the Rambo syndrome the emotional need for some of the tension and fear-tinged excitement of combat. If they want adrenaline, let s give them adrenaline. Let s give it to them in a manner in which they are going to survive, said John O Sullivan, the army s program manager for outdoor recreation and the Warrior Adventure Quest. Damron said bungee jumping worked on an emotional level. It s like your first time going in a house in Iraq, he said. You have no clue what s on the other side. You hit one room, awesome sweep. Now, OK, you ve got to hit another room. You re walking in the middle of the night. You have no clue what s out there like bungee jumping. Warrior Adventure Quest is really a postdeployment extension of an emotion-based battlefield assessment the military has developed for small-unit leaders. It goes beyond the traditional review of tactics to include immediate assessments of soldiers reactions and the acknowledgment of the need for self and buddy aid. The team that began developing Warrior Adventure Quest recommended debriefings after each activity. The sessions are aimed at helping soldiers realize the connection between the extreme sport experience and challenges of reconnecting to their daily lives back home. It s a final reset before returning to society, said Lt Col Ed Busher, the deputy director of the behavioral health department in the army s Office of the Surgeon General, who traveled to Fort Lewis for the program s final test. It s been unanimously well received, he said. Every iteration, there s been this experience of, Oh, this reminded me of Iraq. The Army began implementing Warrior Adventure Quest into platoon-sized units of 30 to 40 soldiers in January, at Grafenwoehr and Ansbach in Germany, and then at Fort Drum, New York, Fort Stewart, Ga, Fort Campbell, Ky, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. By this fall, the Army will have started Warrior Adventure Quest at 26 posts worldwide. Dr Dan Blazer is intrigued by the program but cautions not to put too much faith in its effects for the long term. A professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University Medical Center who works with World War II veterans still struggling with their experiences, Blazer said in an to The Associated Press that the premise is both interesting and in some ways sound (just as vigorous exercise can in theory relieve anxiety).

51 SPORTS 51 Braun, Parra power Brewers past Dodgers Padres down Braves 4-2 LOS ANGELES, Aug 4, (AP): Ryan Braun had a three-run homer among his four hits, and Milwaukee closer Trevor Hoffman got Manny Ramirez on a bases-loaded fly to right to finish the Brewers 6-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League on Monday. Manny Parra pitched eight outstanding innings, but Milwaukee nearly blew a four-run lead after he gave up two hits to open the ninth. James Loney hit Hoffman s first pitch for a two-run double, and Orlando Hudson drove him home to cut Milwaukee s lead to a run. After the Dodgers loaded the bases on a swinging bunt and a hit batsman, Ramirez could only manage the fly ball, keeping him without an RBI in 10 straight games. Hoffman earned his 24th save despite giving up three hits and a run for the Brewers. Padres 4, Braves 2 At San Diego, Mat Latos pitched seven strong innings, and fellow rookie Will Venable drove in the go-ahead run and made a run-saving catch as San Diego downed Atlanta. Latos settled down after allowing a run in each of the first two innings. He retired 15 of 16 batters in one stretch and got a huge lift when Venable saved at least one run in Latos the seventh with a diving catch in right field to end the inning. Latos (3-1) gave up Brian McCann s sacrifice fly in the first and a solo homer by Adam LaRoche in the second. He allowed two runs and six hits in his third solid start since coming up from Double- A on July 18. Heath Bell pitched a perfect ninth for his 27th save and San Diego won for the sixth time in seven games. Venable had three hits and put San Diego ahead 3-2 in the third with a single that scored David Eckstein, who led off with a triple. Kenshin Kawakami (5-9) allowed three runs and eight hits in six innings as he lost for the third time in four starts. Cubs 4, Reds 2 At Cincinnati, rookie right-hand pitcher Randy Wells took a shutout into the eighth inning and Mike Fontenot hit a three-run homer off slumping Aaron Harang as Chicago downed Cincinnati. The Cubs have gone since July 1, and are 13-5 since the All-Star break, the best mark in the majors. Wells (8-4) allowed six hits, including Alex Gonzalez s solo homer, over innings while getting his fourth straight victory. Fontenot homered in the second inning off Harang (5-13), who leads the majors in losses. Harang hasn t won since May ATLANTA, Aug 4, (AP): Three-time boxing champion Vernon Forrest was remembered Monday by some 1,500 friends, family and fellow athletes as a soft-spoken, modest competitor defined more by his work helping others than his victories in the ring. The 38-year-old Forrest, a former twodivision champion who gained notoriety when he became the first boxer to defeat Sugar Shane Mosley, was shot and killed July 25 in Atlanta. Police have said he exchanged gunfire with at least two robbery suspects before being shot several times in the back. I believe in God and the justice system, his brother Alfonso Forrest told about 1,500 people at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, just east of Atlanta. We want justice fulfilled to the fullest within the law. It will happen. Notable athletes in attendance included former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield and boxers Antonio Tarver, Robert Allen and Buddy McGirt. Former NFL players Ray Buchanan and Jamal Anderson also attended. Holyfield said before the service that Forrest was one of the great men whose community service work should be celebrated. Forrest has been lauded since his death for his help launching the Destiny s Child group homes in Atlanta, which work to provide homes for the mentally disabled. He s great and what he did for the 25, going 0-9 in his last 13 starts. Carlos Marmol gave up a run-scoring double by Gonzalez in the ninth inning before retiring Willy Taveras on a grounder for his fourth save. Astros 4, Giants 3 At Houston, Geoff Blum and Kaz Matsui homered off Matt Cain as Houston snapped the San Francisco pitcher s six-start unbeaten streak. Blum led off the fifth with a homer, the first earned run allowed by Cain in 14 innings. That cut the Giants lead to 2-1 and Matsui put Houston on top in the sixth with a two-run shot off the rightfield foul pole. Cain (12-3) also gave up Carlos Lee s RBI single in the eighth. Mike Hampton (7-8) gave up eight hits, only one after the Giants took a 2-0 lead in the third. He struck out six and won for just the third time in eight starts. Jose Valverde gave up an RBI double to Pablo Sandoval with two outs in the ninth, but earned his 13th save. Blum s sixth homer of the season was only the second allowed by Cain in seven starts. Diamondbacks 6, Mets 5 At New York, Mark Reynolds hit two home runs to powering Arizona past New York. Reynolds and Miguel Montero capped Arizona s three-run first with only the second set of back-to-back homers at the new Citi Field. Reynolds added a tworun shot off Nelson Figueroa (1-1) in the second. Gerardo Parra had three hits and drove in a run for the Diamondbacks, who nearly blew a six-run lead. Dan Haren (11-6) allowed five runs and eight hits over seven innings, and is 7-2 with a 2.44 ERA in his last 10 starts. Daniel Murphy homered and Luis Castillo drove in two runs for New York, which has lost four of five after winning five consecutive games. Reynolds has seven home runs in his last seven games and is batting.387 (24 for 62) with eight homers since the All- Star break. Nationals 8, Pirates 4 At Pittsburgh, Adam Dunn and Ryan Zimmerman homered as Washington rallied from a three-run deficit to beat Pittsburgh. Cristian Guzman had two hits and two RBIs and Tyler Clippard (2-1) earned the win with three hitless innings of relief for Washington, which won the last two games to split the four-game series between the last-place teams. Andrew McCutchen homered for the fourth time in three games and Ryan Doumit went 3 for 5 for the Pirates, who have lost seven of nine. Mike MacDougal earned his eighth save by getting Delwyn Young, the only batter he faced, to ground out with two runners on. Charlie Morton (2-4) allowed all four of his runs and four of his six hits in the sixth. Hundreds pay respects to Forrest Slain boxer remembered as soft-spoken champion Rodney Reid reacts during a funeral service for his friend, former boxing champion Vernon Forrest, at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Ga, Aug 3. (AP) FUNERAL BASEBALL community was great, said Holyfield, who said he had known Forrest since he was 12. Numerous photos flashed of Forrest on two large TV screens during the service of him posing with Muhammad Ali, Evander Holyfield and him flexing his arms while wearing his title belt. Three family members wore Forrest s championship belts at the service. We will never let him die, Forrest s brother LaVert said as the boxer s only son, Vernon Jr, stood beside him. He ll always be within our hearts and never will be forgotten. Les King, a close friend, said the soft-spoken Forrest never let success in the boxing ring get to his head. People wanted him to be flamboyant, but that just wasn t him, King said. Forrest, a native of Augusta, Georgia, who lived in Atlanta, was a member of the 1992 Olympic team along with Oscar De La Hoya. The popular fighter later won welterweight and junior middleweight titles and compiled a professional record of 41-3 with 29 knockouts. Forrest turned pro not long after the Barcelona Olympics, when he was stricken with food poisoning and lost in the opening round. He won his first world title by defeating Raul Frank at Madison Square Garden for the vacant IBF welterweight belt in May 2001, and less than a year later handed Mosley his first career loss to capture the WBC title. Chicago Cubs closer Carlos Marmol pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the ninth inning of a baseball game, Aug 3, in Cincinnati. The Cubs won 4-2. (AP) MLB Scoreboard NEW YORK, Aug 4, (Agencies): Major League Baseball results on Monday. Tampa Bay 10 Kansas City 4 Detroit 6 Baltimore 5 Washington 8 Pittsburgh 4 Arizona 6 NY Mets 5 Chicago Cubs 4 Cincinnati 2 Houston 4 San Francisco 3 San Diego 4 Atlanta 2 Oakland 3 Texas 2 Milwaukee 6 LA Dodgers 5 Standings American League Eastern Division W L PCT GB NY Yankees Boston /2 Tampa Bay /2 Toronto Baltimore Central Division Detroit Chic White Sox Minnesota /2 Cleveland /2 Kansas City /2 Western Division LA Angels Texas /2 Seattle Oakland National League Eastern Division Philadelphia Florida Atlanta /2 NY Mets Washington /2 Central Division Chicago Cubs St Louis Houston Milwaukee Cincinnati /2 Pittsburgh /2 Western Division LA Dodgers Colorado /2 San Francisco Arizona Rays overpower Royals 10-4 Davis 2-run triple wins game for A s OAKLAND, California, Aug 4, (Agencies): Pinch-hitter Rajai Davis tripled down the right field line to drive in two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning and lift the Oakland Atheletics to a 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers in the American League on Monday. C.J. Wilson (4-5) blew his third save in 16 chances after allowing singles to Jack Cust, Tommy Everidge and Mark Ellis, before Davis triple. Mike Wuertz (6-1) pitched innings to earn the win. Marlon Byrd drove in a run and Hank Blalock scored the game s first run on a double play for the Rangers. A s starter Brett Anderson gave up six hits BASEBALL over innings with eight strikeouts and three walks. Dustin Nippert, who started in place of the injured Kevin Millwood, gave up one hit in five innings. He walked two and struck out five. Neftali Feliz, one of the Rangers top pitching prospects, made an impressive major league debut by striking out the side in the top of the sixth in relief of Nippert. He retired all six hitters he faced. Rays 10, Royals 4 At St. Petersburg, Florida, Carl Crawford had three hits and three RBIs and to lead Tampa Bay past Kansas City. Crawford, who stole his league-leading 49th base, went 3 for 3 against Kansas City starter Zack Greinke (10-7) after having just one hit in 16 previous at-bats against him. San Diego /2 Linescores Monday s Major League Linescores American League Kansas City Tampa Bay x Greinke, Tejeda (6), Mahay (6), R.Colon (7), J.Cruz (8) and Olivo; Kazmir, Balfour (7), Shouse (7), Bennett (8), Howell (9) and M.Hernandez. WKazmir 6-6. LGreinke HRsKansas City, Y.Betancourt (3). Tampa Bay, W.Aybar 2 (10). Baltimore Detroit Tillman, Meredith (7), Baez (8) and Wieters; Verlander, Rodney (9) and Laird. WRodney 2-2. LBaez 4-5. HRsBaltimore, B.Roberts (9). Detroit, Mi.Cabrera (21), Thomas (7). Texas Oakland Nippert, Feliz (6), F.Francisco (8), Guardado (8), O Day (8), C.Wilson (9) and Saltalamacchia; Bre.Anderson, Wuertz (8) and K.Suzuki. WWuertz 6-1. LC.Wilson 4-5. National League Washington Pittsburgh Mock, Clippard (5), Sosa (8), S.Burnett (8), Kensing (9), MacDougal (9) and J.Bard; Morton, Karstens (7), S.Jackson (7), Veal (9) and Doumit. WClippard 2-1. L Morton 2-4. SvMacDougal (8). HRsWashington, Dunn (27), Zimmerman (21). Pittsburgh, McCutchen (7). Arizona New York Haren, Rauch (8), Qualls (9) and Montero; Figueroa, Redding (2), Parnell (6), Feliciano (8), Stokes (8) and Santos. WHaren LFigueroa 0-2. SvQualls (20). HRsArizona, Reynolds 2 (32), Montero (11). New York, Dan.Murphy (7). Chicago Cincinnati R.Wells, Grabow (8), Marmol (9) and K.Hill; Harang, Weathers (8), Herrera (9) and Hanigan. WR.Wells 8-4. LHarang SvMarmol (4). HRsChicago, Fontenot (9). Cincinnati, Ale.Gonzalez (3). San Francisco Houston x4 8 1 Cain and B.Molina; Hampton, Sampson (7), A.Arias (8), Valverde (9) and I.Rodriguez. WHampton 7-8. LCain SvValverde (13). HRsHouston, Blum (6), K.Matsui (5). Atlanta Willy Aybar hit solo homers from both sides of the plate for the Rays, who won nine of 10 games in the season series with Kansas City. Aybar homered left-handed off Greinke in the fifth and went deep from the right side against Ron Mahay two innings later. Greinke allowed six runs and 10 hits over San Diego x Kawakami, O Flaherty (7), Moylan (7) and McCann; Latos, M.Adams (8), Bell (9) and Alfonzo. WLatos 3-1. LKawakami 5-9. SvBell (27). HRsAtlanta, Ad.LaRoche (13). San Diego, Blanks (6). Milwaukee Los Angeles M.Parra, Hoffman (9) and Mi.Rivera; Kershaw, Jef.Weaver (5), Ja.McDonald (8) and Ausmus. WM.Parra 6-8. LKershaw 8-6. SvHoffman (24). HRsMilwaukee, Braun (22). MLB Leaders America League BATTING: ISuzuki, Seattle,.364; Mauer, Minnesota,.355; Bartlett, Tampa Bay,.337; MiCabrera, Detroit,.334; MYoung, Texas,.324; Jeter, New York,.322; BAbreu, Los Angeles,.322. RUNS: Figgins, Los Angeles, 84; BRoberts, Baltimore, 79; Pedroia, Boston, 77; Scutaro, Toronto, 75; Damon, New York, 72; Morneau, Minnesota, 72; Kinsler, Texas, 71. RBI: Morneau, Minnesota, 86; Longoria, Tampa Bay, 78; Teixeira, New York, 77; AHill, Toronto, 76; Bay, Boston, 74; BAbreu, Los Angeles, 73; Markakis, Baltimore, 73. HITS: ISuzuki, Seattle, 155; Jeter, New York, 134; Crawford, Tampa Bay, 132; AHill, Toronto, 132; MYoung, Texas, 132; MiCabrera, Detroit, 131; Cano, New York, 127. DOUBLES: BRoberts, Baltimore, 37; Lind, Toronto, 35; Byrd, Texas, 32; Markakis, Baltimore, 32; Scutaro, Toronto, 32; Butler, Kansas City, 31; Pedroia, Boston, 31; MYoung, Texas, 31. TRIPLES: Bloomquist, Kansas City, 7; Figgins, Los Angeles, 7; Crawford, Tampa Bay, 6; Cuddyer, Minnesota, 6; DeJesus, Kansas City, 6; Gardner, New York, 6; Zobrist, Tampa Bay, 6. HOME RUNS: Morneau, Minnesota, 28; AHill, Toronto, 26; CPena, Tampa Bay, 26; Teixeira, New York, 26; NCruz, Texas, 25; Branyan, Seattle, 24; Dye, Chicago, 24. STOLEN BASES: Crawford, Tampa Bay, 49; Ellsbury, Boston, 48; BUpton, Tampa Bay, 33; Figgins, Los Angeles, 31; BAbreu, Los Angeles, 22; Kinsler, Texas, 22; ISuzuki, Seattle, 22. PITCHING: Beckett, Boston, 13-4; FHernandez, Seattle, 12-4; Verlander, Detroit, 12-5; JerWeaver, Los Angeles, 11-3; Wakefield, Boston, 11-3; Halladay, Toronto, 11-4; Buehrle, Chicago, STRIKEOUTS: Verlander, Detroit, 180; Greinke, Kansas City, 162; Lester, Boston, 148; FHernandez, Seattle, 141; Beckett, Boston, 132; Halladay, Toronto, 129; JerWeaver, Los Angeles, 126. SAVES: MaRivera, New York, 30; Fuentes, Los five innings, and is 0-4 in six starts since his last win on June 28. Tigers 6, Orioles 5 In Detroit, Detroit outfielder Clete Thomas smacked a two-out home run in the bottom of the ninth to complete a stirring 6-5 comeback victory for the Tigers over the Baltimore Texas Rangers Josh Hamilton (32) is tagged out by Oakland Athletics shortstop Cliff Pennington on a second-inning steal attempt during a baseball game, Aug 3, in Oakland, Calif. (AP) Angeles, 30; Nathan, Minnesota, 29; Papelbon, Boston, 27; Aardsma, Seattle, 25; Jenks, Chicago, 22; Rodney, Detroit, 21. National League BATTING: HaRamirez, Florida,.342; Sandoval, San Francisco,.327; Tejada, Houston,.324; DWright, New York,.321; Kemp, Los Angeles,.317; Helton, Colorado,.317; Braun, Milwaukee,.316. RUNS: Pujols, St Louis, 82; Zimmerman, Washington, 77; Braun, Milwaukee, 76; Utley, Philadelphia, 76; Victorino, Philadelphia, 74; Reynolds, Arizona, 71; Bourn, Houston, 70. RBI: Fielder, Milwaukee, 93; Pujols, St Louis, 92; Dunn, Washington, 78; Howard, Philadelphia, 78; Ibanez, Philadelphia, 75; Braun, Milwaukee, 73; Reynolds, Arizona, 73. HITS: Tejada, Houston, 138; Victorino, Philadelphia, 128; Braun, Milwaukee, 127; HaRamirez, Florida, 125; DWright, New York, 125; Kemp, Los Angeles, 124; Sandoval, San Francisco, 124. DOUBLES: Tejada, Houston, 33; Sandoval, San Francisco, 31; Helton, Colorado, 30; HaRamirez, Florida, 29; FSanchez, San Francisco, 29; DWright, New York, 29; Hawpe, Colorado, 28; Hudson, Los Angeles, 28. TRIPLES: Bourn, Houston, 9; SDrew, Arizona, 7; GParra, Arizona, 7; Bonifacio, Florida, 6; Braun, Milwaukee, 6; Kemp, Los Angeles, 6; Morgan, Washington, 6; Pagan, New York, 6; JUpton, Arizona, 6; Victorino, Philadelphia, 6. HOME RUNS: Pujols, St Louis, 34; Reynolds, Arizona, 32; AdGonzalez, San Diego, 28; Dunn, Washington, 27; Fielder, Milwaukee, 26; Howard, Philadelphia, 26; Ibanez, Philadelphia, 26. STOLEN BASES: Bourn, Houston, 38; Morgan, Washington, 32; Fowler, Colorado, 24; Pierre, Los Angeles, 23; Rollins, Philadelphia, 23; DWright, New York, 23; Kemp, Los Angeles, 22. PITCHING: Cain, San Francisco, 12-3; Lincecum, San Francisco, 12-3; Marquis, Colorado, 12-7; Wainwright, St Louis, 12-7; JSantana, New York, 12-8; Haren, Arizona, 11-6; Billingsley, Los Angeles, STRIKEOUTS: Lincecum, San Francisco, 191; JVazquez, Atlanta, 158; Haren, Arizona, 149; Gallardo, Milwaukee, 147; Billingsley, Los Angeles, 140; Wainwright, St Louis, 140; WRodriguez, Houston, 128; JSantana, New York, 128; Jimenez, Colorado, 128. SAVES: Street, Colorado, 28; BrWilson, San Francisco, 27; Bell, San Diego, 27; Franklin, St Louis, 24; Hoffman, Milwaukee, 24; FrRodriguez, New York, 24; Broxton, Los Angeles, 24. Orioles on Monday. The Orioles raced out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning but the resolute Tigers chipped away at the deficit to tie the game by the bottom of the fifth before Thomas capped the scoring to increase Detroit s lead in the AL Central to two games. Baltimore shocked Detroit ace Justin Verlander (12-5) by scoring all their runs in the first inning before the pitcher, the American League leader in strikeouts, settled down to keep the Orioles subdued for the next seven innings. He s coming of age, Tigers manager Jim Leyland told reporters. That shows you tonight why he s a horse. He s one of the best pitchers in baseball. They shell-shocked him right off the bat, but he gathered himself. Verlander wound up allowing nine hits with eight strikeouts and one walk. I think in the past, I would have fallen apart, Verlander said. It s mostly mental. In this one, I was able to settle down, make economical pitches and last eight (innings). Our hitters came through and picked me up and this was a fantastic win for this ballclub. Brian Roberts led off the game with a home run and the next three Baltimore hitters singled to load the bases. Luke Scott s two-run double completed the productive first inning for the Orioles but that was all they could muster off Verlander. Detroit immediately answered back with three runs in the first on an RBI double by Placido Polanco and a two-run double from Miguel Cabrera.

52 52 PRIME TIME wednesday (all times are kuwait local) 11:30 arca re/max series... fox sports 13:00 golf central int l... fox sports 13:30 euro challenge tour... fox sports 14:00 usl... fox sports 18:00 ladies euro tour... fox sports 19:00 dream team season 7... fox sports 20:00 mlb... fox sports 23:00 fighting spirit cage fighter... fox sports Sports Doubt turned to excitement World Cup will bring races together: Jordaan JOHANNESBURG, Aug 4, (RTRS): Next year s soccer World Cup will have a major impact in building racial harmony and stimulating future economic growth in South Africa, organising committee chief Danny Jordaan said on Tuesday. In an interview, Jordaan also dismissed concerns over transport, accommodation and crime during the World Cup. He said June s Confederations Cup, viewed as a rehearsal for 2010, had seen whites and blacks, rich and poor, mixing and sitting together at matches. It is an experience that many people never had in this country. All of those things convey the kind of images and the mood we want the world to see of a country of both black and white celebrating football. If the same atmosphere prevailed during the much bigger World Cup next June and July then I think we will have taken a significant step forward to create that nonracial country that (Nelson) Mandela was dreaming of. Jordaan said the success of the Confederations Cup had changed the atmosphere ahead of 2010 from doubt and questioning to anticipation and excitement. The doubting Thomases are now believing Thomases, he said. Asked about crime, a serious concern because of South Africa s record levels of murder and rape, Jordaan said visiting fans would be in the same situation as the 9.5 million tourists visiting South Africa annually, almost all without Jordaan problems. Security around the event, when the fans, teams and tourists would be in known locations which police could monitor, was completely different to random general crime. South Africa had successfully staged many events, including a rugby and cricket world cup and hosted the recent British and Irish Lions rugby tour at the same time as the Confederations Cup without major incident. This country has the capability and the capacity to deal with security from an event standpoint. Crime is a different challenge. Asked about South Africa s current winter of discontent of labour disputes, which included a now-resolved strike by workers building World Cup stadiums, Jordaan said working class South Africans were football fans and committed to the event. I think the workers understand the importance... for the country. We want not just infrastructure improvement and increased tourism. We want to see it as a SOCCER nation building exercise, we want to see a brand building image makeover for this country and the continent... we want to attract more tourists, more foreign direct investment, greater trade, so that it will be a lasting legacy beyond the event. The World Cup had brought a top international airport in Johannesburg, a high speed train to the city from there, an improved road infrastructure, 25 new hotels, new sophistication in banking and significant investment in telecommunications, technology and broadcasting. Celtic looking to make history against Dynamo Hoops have mountain to climb Hamburg s goalkeeper Frank Rost saves a penalty during the German Soccer Cup, DFB-Pokal, match between Fortuna Duesseldorf and Hamburger SV in Duesseldorf, Germany, Aug 3. Hamburg won with six goals to four after a penalty shoot out. Rost saved two penaltys. (AP) Hamburg win penalty shootout Goalkeeper Frank Rost saved two penalties in a shootout to steer Hamburg SV past Fortuna Duesseldorf in the German Cup first round on Monday. Hamburg won the shootout 4-1 after the teams had remained locked at 3-3 after extra time, hosts Fortuna scoring a last gasp equaliser with a deflected shot by Andreas Lambertz. Cup first rounds are tricky for Bundesliga clubs as the seeding system pits them away against lower league teams in one-leg ties. Croatia international Mladen Petric fired Hamburg into the lead after four minutes but Oliver Fink levelled with a near post tap-in seven minutes later. Fortuna, Bundesliga regulars in the 1970s and 80s who won promotion to the second division last season, went 2-1 up in the 16th with an own goal by Hamburg defender Jerome Boateng. Brazilian Ze Roberto almost equalised with a powerful shot from inside in the box after a solo run but was denied by Fortuna keeper Michael Melka s spectacular save in the 53rd minute. However, a minute later Ze Roberto set up Piotr Trochowski, who hit the target from 18 metres to take the match into extra time. Hamburg looked to have won it when Trochowski converted a 95th-minute penalty, awarded when Jonathan Pitroipa was brought down, before determined Fortuna came back in the last minute to force penalties. Rost saved two of them, allowing Marcell Jansen to seal Hamburg s victory with a low, well-struck spot kick. (RTRS) Premiership clubs risk financial ruin UEFA concerned at Real, City spending LONDON, Aug 4, (AP): UEFA is concerned that Real Madrid and Manchester City have distorted the transfer market in Europe by paying big fees for new players and high wages. Backed by its wealthy Abu Dhabi owners, Manchester City is still spending despite having paid about 100 million ($170 million) for Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz, Gareth Barry, Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure. With Real Madrid having spent 160 SOCCER million ($271 million) on Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema, other clubs are struggling to compete for new players - a situation that is displeasing European football s ruling body. I would say in this financial climate, it is surprising - a little bit destabilizing of the market, UEFA general secretary David Taylor said Tuesday in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp. It is certainly raising the ante in terms of the player costs, in terms of the general market place, which is not a thing that gives us a great deal of comfort in these difficult times. UEFA president Michel Platini has already expressed his disquiet at the likes Salgado parts company with Real MADRID, Aug 4, (AFP): Veteran Spanish international defender Michel Salgado is to part company with Real Madrid after ten years with the club, the Primera Liga giants said on Tuesday. Real Madrid and Miguel Angel Salgado (Michel Salgado) have agreed to end their collaboration, the club said on its website. The 33-year-old arrived at Real from Celta Vigo in 1999 and had a contract of Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea financing their spending by taking on debt - a practice that has been to referred to as financial doping. With Leeds still struggling in the third tier of English football five years after being relegated from the Premier League with huge debts, Taylor highlighted the danger of spending huge sums trying to compete with big clubs. We ve seen what has happened in recent years with a number of very highprofile clubs - Leeds United for example, he said. They fell into serious financial difficulties by overextending themselves. Newcastle faces challenges both on and off the pitch after being relegated in May. until 2011, but played little last season. The announcement comes after the news that the club have agreed to buy Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso from Liverpool. Salgado won two Champions League titles with Real Madrid in 2000 and 2002, the Intercontinental Cup in 2002 and four Primera Liga titles in 2001, 2003, 2007 and Just days ahead of its first match of the season in the League Championship, it has no manager and has been unable to trade players because owner Mike Ashley is trying without success to sell the club. Ashley bought Newcastle for 134 million (then $270 million) two years ago and paid another 110 million (then $222 million) to reduce its debt. But relegation severely hit the club s value and has left him trying to sell for 100 million ($169 million). There are stories concerning some English clubs that are of significant concern, Taylor said. There are a number of English clubs where the value of the club itself has fallen significantly. SOCCER MOSCOW, Aug 4, (AFP): Celtic assistant manager Peter Grant believes his side can make history by claiming a victory in Russia on Wednesday against Dynamo Moscow in the return leg of their Champions League qualifying match. The Hoops slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Parkhead last week as Tony Mowbray s first game in charge ended in disaster with Celtic now in danger of crashing out of the competition. Celtic will need to rewrite the history books if they are to keep their Champions League ambitions alive with the Old Firm giants having never before overturned a first leg deficit in European competition. Grant, who left West Bromwich Albion to join Mowbray at Parkhead, knows Alexander Korobin s vital away goal has given the Hoops a mountain to climb in Moscow. But the former Celtic player says his side showed enough in the first leg for him to believe they have a realistic chance of progressing. I don t think we should be going there with any fear because we showed that we had enough to compete with Dynamo Moscow, Grant said. I know it is easy to say that if we had taken our chances we would have won the game by a decent margin, but the fact is that we did create a lot of openings and that has to give us hope. I think Dynamo are an excellent side, there is no doubt about that. They have great pace and they are capable of hitting on the break and their two wide players are always dangerous. Tony Mowbray Chinese and Australian women football players brawl during a under-19 match in Wuhan, in central China s Hubei province on Aug 3. China won the Asian under-19s championship match 2-1, holding on for victory despite a late appeal for a penalty from the Australians, as the match ended with a mass brawl and accusations of cheating. (AFP) Aussie coach slams Chinese hosts Women s match ends in mass brawl BEIJING, Aug 4, (RTRS): An ill-tempered women s under-19 match between China and Australia ended with a mass brawl and accusations of cheating on Monday, Chinese media reported. It was another blow for the reputation of Chinese football two weeks after a referee was attacked by players in a men s inter-provincial tournament, resulting in one player being banned for life. China won the Asian under-19s championship match 2-1, holding on for victory despite a late appeal for a penalty from the Australians, who were aghast to see the referee award a free kick outside the box. Australia s Jessica Seaman was dismissed on full time and a bench-clearing brawl ensued, with the Wuhan crowd joining in by pelting the visitors with water bottles as they left the pitch. There is no getting away from that but we know what we have to do. There is nothing on our minds other than going there and getting the win. Dynamo will be even stronger for the game in Moscow with captain Dmitri Khokhlov, who was suspended for the first leg, returning. But Grant believes the secret for Wednesday is for Celtic to take their chances when they come. They have the luxury of bringing their captain back for this one and they will be even stronger than at Celtic Park, Grant said. So I don t think we are kidding anyone when we say we know it is going to be tough. I was really disappointed with the manner in which we lost the goal because it was sloppy. We had chances and should have scored them and the bottom line is that the chances we created but missed were bad misses. In the Champions League, and at the highest level of football you have to take your chances. When you are playing sides that are strong, as Dynamo Moscow are, you won t get many chances so it is imperative that you take them. Celtic could be boosted by the return of last season s player China coach Gao Rongming blamed his team s inexperience for their part in the incidents but Australia s Alen Stajcic said the match was an embarrassment for the hosts. We ve prepared for 12 months to have an embarrassing sporting event take place like that in China, he told the Asian Football Confederation website ( That s not sport. Sport s played by two equal teams battling for sporting supremacy, not that kind of behaviour. On the field, off the field, it s not good enough. It s not good enough, I d be embarrassed if I were the host of this event after that game. It s not good enough. The tournament also acts as a qualifier for FIFA s under-20 World Cup and the defeat makes Australia unlikely to secure a spot in Germany for next year. of the year Scott Brown. The midfield maestro, who missed last week s first leg as he recovered from ankle surgery, made a return to the line-up for the friendly defeat to English Premiership side Sunderland. Celtic s management team will continue to monitor the Scotland star s fitness but Mowbray is cautious not to rush Brown back before he is ready. I know Scott had a great season last year, said Mowbray. But I don t feel a great urgency to think that our game on Wednesday is down to whether Scott is fit or not. Fellow midfielder Barry Robson will miss the must win tie due to injury. THE FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAILY IN FREE KUWAIT Published by: Arab Times Publishing House Editor-in-Chief AHMED AL JARALLAH Editorial Office: Airport Road, Shuwaikh P.O. Box 2270, Safat, Kuwait Telephones: & Fax: arabtimes@arabtimesonline.com Advertising: Tel: /7 Fax: Annual Subscriptions: Individuals KD 45/- Companies and Official Departments KD 75/- Airmail charges extra for overseas Tel: Fax: