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Hopefulson thehunt

Hopefulson thehunt

Hopefulson thehunt

PAGE 9

For more than 25 years I’ve taught The A to Zs ofBuying a Franchise at the International FranchiseExpo (IFE), which attracts visitors from across the

world. At the end of my seminar in New York City, threeyoung men walked up to say hello. “We’re all fromGUST!” they announced. Isn’t it a small world?

I knew of one student by reputation: Suhaib Alsenan,an accounting major, had created Trolley, a conveniencestore, at Gulf University for Science & Technology (GUST)in Kuwait. Joining him were Hamed Alkhamis, a financemajor, and Abdullah Al-Sheeha, a public relations major.Unfortunately I had not taught any of the three until myseminar, but I was thrilled to meet them at the IFE. Theytraveled to the expo to find a franchise that they coulddevelop in Kuwait, and once I understood their mission Ioffered to visit their franchisor of choice and put in agood word for them. During their earlier chats with thefranchisor, it seemed to them that the franchisor wasn’tall that interested in talking to three students. Of course,not many franchisors want to speak to students becausestudents don’t buy franchises.

Capabilities of Kuwait TrioTo the franchisor’s credit, he already was working a

lead from the Middle East, and while the students wereinterested in developing Kuwait initially and the MiddleEast secondarily, the franchisor was hoping to find alicensee who would develop several countries simulta-neously. It’s an ambitious goal, and it usually doesn’t panout, so just in case he needed a backup plan (and I wascertain that he would) I urged the franchisor to take aclose look at the capabilities of the Kuwait Trio.

Most students do not have the capabilities required ofa franchisee, but the Kuwait Trio brings as much if notmore to the bargaining table than do many prospectivefranchisees. Every business needs accounting, finance

and public relations, their academic majors. Every busi-ness needs operational capability, and the trio’s got it,including knowing something about how to replicate abusiness. After he successfully established Trolley atGUST, Alsenan opened multiple locations around Kuwait.Additionally, Alkhamis is the founder of EntrepreneurGeneral Trading, and owns a restaurant. These are notmerely students who are earning a college degree,which, frankly, doesn’t count for much today. These arestudents who are acquiring life-changing skills, includinga college degree. That combination makes a huge differ-ence.

Building private enterpriseThe important point here is not buying a franchise

(even though I hope the Kuwait Trio succeeds), but thatpeople in Kuwait recognize that some students are notmerely students. Some are not lazy, clueless or goal-less.Some sit in classrooms dreaming about a future thatthey intend to help shape. The Kuwait Trio values privateenterprise, and we need more students with their values.“We don’t want to work for the government or anyoneelse,” one of trio explained. “We want to build our ownbusinesses and depend on ourselves.”

Isn’t that what Kuwait wants to hear and see? Isn’tthat what Kuwait needs to transform the country in thenext 25 years? These three students - perhaps “entrepre-neur” defines them more accurately - are Kuwait’s future.There are more of them in Kuwait than most of us know,and they are searching for opportunities to change theworld.

Of course, no matter how successful they become, theworld will remain small. It’s about to get even smallerbetween America and Kuwait because during the week-end the Kuwait Trio heard from the franchisor. They gotan offer to develop multiple units in Kuwait. It’s too earlyto announce the brand, but wait a few months for anupdate about the trio’s success. Meanwhile, Kuwait, lookfor ways to reward student entrepreneurs!

Dr John P Hayes heads the Business Administration depart-ment at GUST. Contact Dr Hayes at [email protected], or via Twitter @drjohnhayes.

L o c a lFRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013

Kuwait’s my business

By John P Hayes

[email protected]

I met Kuwait’s future in New York City

Local Spotlight

By Muna Al-Fuzai

[email protected]

‘A l Bernameg’ is an Arabic satirical showthat monitors media coverage in Egyptright since the early days of the Egyptian

revolution from Jan 25, 2012. By now, the showhas risen to become one of the most popularshows not only in Egypt but in the Arab world aswell. It criticizes the misleading stances and flawsof the Egyptian leadership.

Until a year ago, I was not familiar with thename of Bassem Youssef. At least not until recentlywhen a friend of mine told me about his weeklyshow. At first I thought it was just one more satiri-cal program, like the many other Arabic comedyshows that desperately try to elicit some laughs.However, after watching a couple of episodes, Iknew I was wrong. In fact, these kind of showshelp analyze the exact nature of some groups likethe Muslim Brotherhood and where they want todrag us.

The show is like playing a puzzle in which theydepict for the benefit of the audiences parts of cer-tain speeches or acts that were made or done butwhich simply are in contradiction to the ostensibleclaims of the Muslim Brotherhood. This showexplains the contradiction bearing in mind thatthere are Muslims Brothers all over the world, notonly in the Arab world. They are there even in theWestern world, except that they are sleeper cells.

Every week, this show comes up with some sur-prises and one of the biggest was when well-known US satire show host Jon Stewart featured asa guest star in Youssef’s show ‘Al Bernameg’, orsimply, ‘The Program’. Jon Stewart is in the MiddleEast to direct his film “Rosewater” and it was theright time for him to stop by at the show hostedby his friend and Egyptian counterpart Youssef.Stewart used a few Arabic words that he knew.

For Stewart, it was the perfect show since he is astar in the world of satire. He even said satire is alaw in US. Youssef was also a guest on Stewart’s“The Daily Show” in April this year to discuss hisarrest. He was arrested for allegedly insulting Islamand Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi on his pro-gram. I think having such shows in the Arab worldis like a whiff of fresh air.

I think Bassem Youssef is a great example of thekind of political satire which is not accepted orwelcomed in many Arab countries. I think mostcountries would not welcome such shows becauseno regime likes to see its political figures beingexposed to public criticism or becoming a butt ofjokes. However, in this age of technology, no onecan control such satire. The power of the media ishuge and if anyone tries to do so, people wouldonly feel more pressurized and we will only wit-ness more suppression. Youssef’s show is great funsince i t shows the real i ty of the Musl imBrotherhood in political life.

Satire sells

KUWAIT: Girls perform at an anti-drugs event to mark the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking onWednesday. — Photo By Joseph Shagra


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Limited uptake of new technology has had animpact on economic development in Kuwait,according to a recent report. In its “Growth and

Jobs in a Hyper-connected World”, released in April, theWorld Economic Forum (WEF) said that despite someadvances, Kuwait is finding it difficult to fully utilise theeconomic potential of information and communica-tions technology (ICT) and is not keeping pace withothers in the region in the race to get connected.

Kuwait is ranked 62 out of the 144 countries coveredby the WEF study, the same ranking as in 2012. “Stableat 62nd place, Kuwait continues to lag behind in theregion in terms of leveraging ICTs, with low levels ofboth social (85th) and, especially, economic impacts(125th),” the report said. “Despite a very sharp rise inICT uptake in terms of Internet users (26th) and house-holds with computers (38th), as well as internet access(44th), the country still suffers from a shortage of skills(71st). This shortage, coupled with a low capacity toinnovate (113th) and an environment that is less busi-ness friendly (71st) than those of other GCC states,result in the low economic impacts.”

According to Anas Merza, CEO of Kuwait’s NationalTechnology Enterprises Company, a subsidiary of theKuwait Investment Authority, the inability to maximisethe economic benefits of ICT is, in part at least, theresult of the low priority given to information technolo-gy in the workplace. “Businesses sometimes hesitate toinvest in ICT unless there is a sense of urgency.However, this is changing as vendors work to makebuyers more aware of the benefits of next-generationsolutions,” Merza said in a recent interview with OBG.

Hasibat Information Technologies CEO Mazen Ishbibagrees, saying one of the biggest challenges facingKuwait’s high-tech industry is to sell the idea of ICT tobusinesses, even before the product or service. “Theyhave no idea that there is a system out there that canmake their lives easier,” Ishbib told OBG. “To implementa new system you must first understand the culture,second come with a convincing angle and third makethem feel the urgency.”

Nonetheless, both Merza and Ishbib noted that theyexpect the private sector to begin to embrace technol-ogy in the near future, with the greatest uptake likelyto occur in finance, health, energy (both conventionaland renewable) and aviation. These and other sectorswill increasingly need next-generation ICT if they are tostay linked with their partners and keep pace with theircompetitors.

Meanwhile, in the public sector, vendors are facingsome of the same challenges. In a 2012 report pub-lished by the London School of Economics, researchersHendrik Kraetzschmar and El Mustapha Lahlali foundthat Kuwait’s e-government service development hasbeen slowed by lack of cross-agency cooperation on e-services delivery, and observed an overall reluctance bycivil servants to change the way ministries interact withthe public.

These issues will be increasingly important as theGCC member states move to create an integrated e-government platform to facilitate intra-regional trade,in part through the efforts of the Ministerial Committeeof GCC E-Government, of which Kuwait is a member.The committee met in Bahrain in March 2013 to moveforward on its plan for multilateral e-government serv-ices, and Kuwait will host the next meeting, scheduledfor March 2014.

In the meantime, Kuwait can regain its competitiveedge in ICT development by promoting its e-govern-ment services as well as doing more to encourage high-tech firms to set up shop locally. However, while thegovernment can promote greater understanding of theeconomic benefits of information technology solutions,it may be up to service providers themselves to providethe hard sell needed to restart Kuwait’s climb up theinternational rankings. — OBG

Calls for ICT to reconnect

in Kuwait

By Ben Garcia

Volunteering work is not just avocation but a gift from God thathumanity is badly in need of in

this age. There are groups of people,and often just individuals, who aredoing their best to extend help and per-form charitable and benevolent actionsfor other people. One such person isGhadeer Al-Saqabi, a lawyer and arbitra-tor at Kuwait’s Ministry of Justice whoprovides free lawyers and legal consul-tancy to Asian embassies in an attemptto ensure that the most vulnerable sec-tions of the society - domestic helpers -receive justice.

Her work is evident across a numberof Asian embassies, including those ofthe Philippines, Indonesia, Nepal, Indiaand Sri Lanka. She has been recognizedand gratefully appreciated for her work.Saqabi has a proven track record in car-rying out many voluntary initiativesranging from environmental concernsto human rights. She has helped bringto a logical end many cases dealing withissues of maltreatment, abuse, rape andmore.

Saqabi is particularly concernedabout vulnerable and exploited workersin Kuwait, especially domestic helpersfrom the Philippines. She deals withempathy with Filipino Overseas Workers

(OFWs) and those from countries fromwhich most household workers comefrom. In order to make sure that she isable to extend help appropriately to aneven greater number of Filipinos, shehad asked for approval from formerPhilippines’ Ambassador ShulanPrimavera to assist Filipinos, especiallyon the legal front.

Even before seeking Primavera’sapproval, she started her work at theembassy by donating sanitary napkins,food and even cash to housemaids inorder to help them buy plane ticketsand for the hospitalization of sick run-away housemaids. After receiving aSpecial Power of Attorney (SPA) signedby the then Head of the Assistance toNationals Unit, she started her voluntarywork at the legal desk.

Saqabi and her team were permittedto litigate the cases filed by theembassy, including permission todefend, plead and sign papers of differ-ent types of cases of Filipinos that she

represented. Indeed, she has been agreat help to the Filipinos and deserveda salute from everyone for extendingher professional advice without seekinganything in return.

“I cannot attend to individual cases,and in fact, I am not allowed to take upany cases privately since I work as anarbitrator at the Ministry of Justice. Butin order to help and assist the Filipinos, Ihire lawyers to attend to individual cas-es. I do this for charity and I have nevercollected any money. I pay the lawyersfrom my own pocket and from the mon-ey collected through donations by mycompatriots,” she told Kuwait Times. “Iwant innocent people to be spared thefalse accusations crafted against themby their abusive employers. There aremany innocent domestic helpers lan-

guishing because of false accusations. Iam telling you that most of them turnout to be invented cases. So I really wantto help as much as I can,” she said.

Saqabi disclosed meeting higher jus-tice officials and Ministry of Interior offi-cers to ask for their support and help formany cases. She also pays regular visitsto the hospital and takes down thenames of the Filipinos who are in needof assistance and provides a copy to theembassy.

Ghadeer Al-Saqabiselflessly and tirelessly

works to amelioratethe suffering of abused

domestic workers

Speaking for the voiceless

Ghadeer Al-Saqabi


By Hanan Al-Saadoun

KUWAIT: The Interior Ministryannounced yesterday the arrest of 10persons - two Iranians, two Egyptians,

four Indians and two Kuwaitis - oncharges of smuggling subsidized dieseland polluting the environment, as well asentering and leaving the country illegal-ly. The ministry said in a press statement

that the group was under surveillance bythe Criminal Investigations Department,adding that the group stored the dieselin a chalet in Doha and smuggled it outonboard a ship. The ministry said that the

gang had been smuggling diesel for along time, and their crude methods ofcollecting, storing and smuggling dieselled to the contamination of the sur-rounding environment.

10 arrested for smuggling subsidized diesel

DUBAI: World countries are showingdetermination to unite efforts in thefight against i l legal drugs with allmeans possible, Head of Operations atKuwait Interior Ministry’s Drug ControlDepartment Colonel Mohammad Al-Hazeem told KUNA. The official wasspeaking on the sidelines of the 9thInternational Forum on Drugs’ Issues,which opened Wednesday under theslogan “International Smuggling andControl Mechanisms”. The event isorganized by Dubai Police under theaegis of Lt Gen and chief of the DubaiPolice Force Dhahi Khalfan. The policechief attended the launch of the eventon Wednesday, which coincided withInternational Day against Drug Abuseand Illicit Trafficking.

In his remarks to KUNA, Hazeemnoted that the Kuwait i Inter iorMinistry is keen on taking part in allsuch events, stressing this forum is animportant meeting place of a numberof international bodies leading thefight against drugs. The participatingbodies include the Regional Office ofthe United Nations Office on Drugsand Crime for the Gulf Cooperation

Council, as well as the Anti-NarcoticsArab Bureau of the Council of ArabMinisters of Interior. Also taking part isthe Criminal Information Centre toCombat Drugs, a lso a GCC body.Although the Gulf Cooperat ionCouncil countries are key targets fortraffickers, their integrated effort andtheir cooperation with both Arab andinternational bodies enables them tofoil many attempts to smuggle nar-cotics into their boundaries, the offi-cial said.

Also speaking to KUNA, LegalAdvisor at Kuwait’s Saad Al-AbdullahAcademy for Security Sciences TahaniAl-Obaidli said the forum discusses animportant aspect of the drugs prob-lem. She said she contributed a work-ing paper on breach of customs regu-lations in drugs trafficking from a legalperspective with reference to theGCC’s unified customs law.

The two-day forum discusses thelaws and regulations in place in theArab region and how effective theyare in the battle against organizeddrug trafficking. Attendants also makecomparisons between the laws in the

region and those in other regions orcountries and those adopted by inter-national organizations in this regard.The participants in the sessions repre-sented 23 countries, and the organiz-ers held an exhibition on the sidelineswith the aim of raising public aware-ness on the issue and on the role andservices and functions of specializedbodies. A delegation representingKuwait’s regional success story - theNational Project Against Drug Abuse(Giras) - was among key participants inthe exhibition.

The International Day against DrugAbuse and Illicit Trafficking is a UnitedNations International Day against drugabuse and the illegal drug trade. It hasbeen held annually since 1988 on June26. Marking this day, the UN’s websiteshows a message from UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki -moon. “On thisInternational Day against Drug Abuseand Illicit Trafficking, I call on govern-ments, the media, and civil society todo everything possible to raise aware-ness of the harm caused by illicit drugsand to help prevent people profitingfrom their use,” it reads. — KUNA

Kuwait hails joint effort against drug traffickers

‘Giras’ success story highlighted at forum

DUBAI: Kuwaiti delegates are seen at the 9th International Forum on Drugs Issues. — KUNA

UN recognizes betterIraq-Kuwait relations

UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council brought Iraq onestep closer yesterday to ending United Nations sanctionsimposed on Baghdad more than two decades ago after for-mer President Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait In 1990. The15-member council unanimously agreed that the issue ofmissing Kuwaiti people, property and archives should be dealtwith under Chapter 6 of the UN Charter - which urges coun-tries to peacefully resolve any conflicts - instead of Chapter 7.Chapter 7 of the charter allows the Security Council to author-ize actions ranging from sanctions to military intervention ifstates do not abide by council demands.

The move by the council is a significant political boost forBaghdad as it struggles to restore its international standing adecade after a US-led invasion of Iraq toppled Saddam in2003. The Security Council resolution recognized ìthe impor-tance of Iraq achieving international standing equal to thatwhich it held prior to (1990).’ US-led troops drove Iraq out ofKuwait in the 1991 Gulf War. The only issues linked to Iraq’sinvasion of Kuwait that remain under Chapter 7 are an armsembargo and Baghdad’s payment of $52 billion in compensa-tion to Kuwait, diplomats say. Iraq still owes $11 billion andhas said it expects to pay by 2015.

There are still a range of Chapter 7 issues imposed onBaghdad after Saddamís ouster in 2003, diplomats say, includ-ing the freeze and return of Saddam-era assets and trade banon stolen Iraqi cultural property. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has recommended that the UN political mission in Iraqshould take responsibility for facilitating the search for miss-ing Kuwaitis, or their remains, property and the country’snational archives. — Reuters

KUWAIT: Acting National Guards Undersecretary Maj GenEng Hashim Al-Rifae held a meeting with the support com-mand of the American Army to set up a coordinationmechanism for their next training season. The two sidesalso discussed the means to improve the level of jointtraining and exercises.


KUWAIT: Candidates began registering yesterday forKuwait’s second parliamentary election in eight monthsamid a political crisis that has stalled development in thewealthy Gulf state and a boycott by the opposition.Hopefuls prayed that Kuwait’s sixth election since mid-2006would bring political stability and put development back onthe right track. On June 16, the nation’s top court dissolvedparliament on the grounds that the last election was uncon-stitutional. However, it upheld controversial changes to theelectoral law that sparked a standoff with the opposition.

“We are passing through a very difficult political situationaffected by high regional tension,” former MP Saleh Ashoursaid after filing papers. “The Kuwaiti people have theresponsibility of safeguarding their country and achievingpolitical stability.” Another former MP, Abdullah Al-Maayouf,expected a bigger turnout in the July 27 polls than in theDecember 1 election, when a widespread opposition boy-cott kept it to under 40 percent.

Kuwait has 435,000 eligible voters who elect a 50-mem-ber parliament for a four-year term. None of the past six leg-islatures have completed their terms because they were dis-solved either by the emir or by court order. Leading opposi-tion figure Musallam Al-Barrak reiterated at a gathering lateon Wednesday that the opposition will not participate in theelection because the reasons for boycott still exist. “Today,we are at a crucial crossroads... They (the regime) want tobuild a sheikhdom state and we want a state based on insti-tutions and the constitution... The next election is a crimeand a conspiracy against the constitution,” Barrak said.

But the main liberal opposition group, the NationalDemocratic Alliance, and the country’s largest bedouintribe, the Awazem, said they are taking part after boycotting

the December election. Kuwait, OPEC’s fourth largest pro-ducer pumping about 3.0 million barrels of oil per day, hasbeen rocked by a series of political crises over the past sevenyears between MPs and the government. Despite accumu-

lating massive assets exceeding $400 billion from high oilprices, development projects have been stalled because ofthe political turmoil. Registration will continue for 10 days.— AFP

Candidates register for polls

KUWAIT: Interior Minister and acting PM Sheikh Ahmad Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah tours the election registration officeyesterday. Candidates began registering for Kuwait’s second parliamentary election in eight months amid a politi-cal crisis that has stalled development in the state and a boycott by the opposition.

— Photos by Yasser Al-Zayyat and Fouad Al-Shaikh

Abdulhameed Dashti Salah Ashour Abdullah Al-Maayouf

Saadoun Hammad Faleh Al-Ajmi Reham Al-Jlewe

Rawdhan Al-Rawdhan Youssef Al-Zalzalah Faisal Al-Duwaisan

12Turkey PM to visit Gaza soon:Hamas11 14

Morsi standsground amid crisis

Snowden free toleave: Russia

FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013

AMMAN: US Secretary of State John Kerry’sdrive to revive Middle East peace talks hit famil-iar warning signals yesterday as Israel’s primeminister stressed security needs and aPalestinian negotiator denounced Israeli settle-ment building. Kerry, on his fifth visit to theregion, will hold separate talks with Jordan’sKing Abdullah and Palestinian PresidentMahmoud Abbas in Amman and Israeli PrimeMinister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem overthe next three days.

Israeli settlement building on occupied landPalestinians seek for a state remains a mainstumbling block to the resumption of peacetalks that collapsed over the issue in 2010.Kerry’s arrival in Amman on Wednesday coincid-ed with news that Israel had approved 69 newhousing units in a Jewish settlement in EastJerusalem, while building continues elsewhere.

“Obviously steps like this are unhelpful, butwe remain hopeful that both parties will recog-nize the opportunity and the necessity to goback to the table,” the State Department said.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has long

demanded that settlement activity stop beforepeace talks resume, despite US and Israeli callsfor negotiations without preconditions.

“Settlement activity in and around occupiedEast Jerusalem is one of the main reasons whythe two-state solution is disappearing, as with-out East Jerusalem there will be no Palestinianstate,” Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,professing his support for creation of aPalestinian state, which he says must be demili-tarized, has quietly frozen housing starts in set-tlements in the occupied West Bank and EastJerusalem. But in a speech yesterday, heappeared to put the United States on notice thathe would stick to his security demands even atthe risk of failed peace efforts should theyresume. Israelis, he said, “do not want a bi-national state” but they understand that securityis a “fundamental condition for our existence”.

Netanyahu has called for an Israeli militarypresence along the eastern border of aPalestinian state, a demand opposed by Abbas,and spoken of the danger of rocket fire at Israel

from the West Bank unless tough securityarrangements are agreed. Kerry has revealedfew details of his strategy to bring the sidestogether. But he has said he wants to showprogress before September, when the UnitedNations General Assembly, which has alreadygranted de facto recognition to a Palestinianstate, resumes its debate over the Middle East.

Israel is concerned that the Palestinians, inthe absence of peace talks, could use the UNsession as a springboard for further unilateralstatehood moves.

Israeli newspapers expressed skepticism thatKerry’s mission would achieve anything substan-tial. “Kerry is still not trying to twist the leaders’arms to get them to sign a painful historicpeace, but only to sit down together,” said aneditorial in Israel’s popular Maariv daily.

“The fact that the Americans have becomebogged down in the attempts to resume thetalks is telling, in and of itself, of American weak-ness, and projects pessimism as to the processitself, which has not yet begun,” it said. Kerry hasagain called on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to

take hard decisions for peace. “It is urgentbecause time is the enemy of a peace process,”he said in Kuwait on Wednesday.

In a possible trial balloon related to Kerry’smission, Israel’s Haaretz newspaper quoted anunnamed minister from Netanyahu’s right-wingLikud party as saying the prime minister knew apeace deal would mean giving up most of theWest Bank.

“Netanyahu understands that for a peaceagreement, it will be necessary to withdrawfrom more than 90 percent of the West Bankand evacuate more than a few settlements,” hesaid. “He knows this is one of the things that willbe discussed.”

In an address to the US Congress in 2011,Netanyahu talked of a land-for-peace bargain,but gave no percentages. The bulk of IsraeliWest Bank settlers live in blocs that take up 5-6percent of the territory, so a pullout on the scaleenvisaged by the minister could leave most ofthem in place.

A spokesman for Netanyahu said he had nocomment on the Haaretz report.— Reuters

Kerry resumes tough Mideast peace driveUS official to meet Palestinian, Jordanian and Israeli leaders

AMMAN: US Secretary of State John Kerry meets with Jordan’s King Abdullah II at Al-Hummar Palace in Amman yesterday. —AP

I n t e r n a t i o n a lFRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013

Rights groups: Islamistsin UAE jails tortured

CAIRO: Egypt faces a showdown in thestreets after President Mohamed Morsifailed, in an address to the nation, to sat-isfy the demands of opponents whowant the Islamist to step down after ayear in office.

Days of brawling between his sup-porters and their rivals have already leftseveral dead and scores injured and thecamps now plan mass rallies, raising therisk of bigger clashes that the armywarns could prompt it to take commandagain. Today, Morsi’s MuslimBrotherhood and their allies will gatherin Cairo, as will some opposition groups.On Sunday, the opposition hopes mil-lions will heed their call, a year to the daysince Morsi became Egypt’s first freelyelected leader. “I am more determinedthan ever to go out on June 30 todemand the removal of an absolutelyirresponsible president,” KhaledDawoud, spokesman for a coalition ofliberal parties, said on Thursday afterMorsi’s marathon late-night address.

The army, which helped protesterstopple Hosni Mubarak in 2011, says itwill act if politicians cannot reach con-sensus. The United States, which contin-ues to fund the military as it did under

Mubarak, has urged Egypt’s leaders topull together. Morsi described his oppo-nents as “enemies” and “saboteurs” loyalto the ousted dictator, whose “corrup-tion” had thwarted him and driven theeconomy into crisis, though he conced-ed he had made some mistakes andpromised reforms. He also offered talkson “national reconciliation” and constitu-tional change to end the polarizationand paralysis that he said threateneddemocracy. Opponents dismissed thatas nothing new. Morsi and his allies com-plain that their opponents, defeated bythe highly mobilized Islamist groups in aseries of elections last year, are bad los-ers who have repeatedly snubbed offersto cooperate.

They in turn say Morsi makes suchproposals in bad faith, accusing him ofusurping the revolution by entrenchingBrotherhood control of the state and“Islamising” society to the detriment ofmore secular Egyptians and religiousminorities. “I feel ashamed that this manhas become a president of my state,”said Mahmoud Badr, the 28-year-oldjournalist behind a petition which hesays has garnered 15 million signaturescalling on Morsi to quit or face mass sit-

ins from Sunday. “Our demand was earlypresidential elections and since that wasnot addressed anywhere in the speechthen our response will be on the streets

on June 30,” said Badr, who told Reutershe had voted for Morsi in last year’s pres-idential run-off against Mubarak’s lastprime minister. — Reuters

Morsi stands ground amid crisisPresident’s friends and foes gear for showdown

BEIRUT: Syrian activists said yesterday a prominent rights lawyer believedto be in government custody for more than eight months is suffering fromdeteriorating health and called for his immediate release. The lawyer,Khalil Maatouk, was abducted while driving to his Damascus office inOctober and hasn’t been heard from since. The 54-year-old is one of thou-sands of Syrians who have disappeared since the uprising againstPresident Bashar Assad began more than two years ago, and many ofthem are believed to be held in government detention centers.

Amnesty International estimates that tens of thousands of Syrians arebeing held incommunicado by the Assad regime but does not have exactfigures. The Syrian government denies such cases exist, and says all arrestsare carried out legally. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for HumanRights said Maatouk, who is known to have lung disease, is being held inan underground Syrian intelligence detention facility. The Observatory,which relies on a network of activists on the ground in Syria to gatherinformation, said Maatouk’s health is deteriorating and called on theUnited Nations high commissioner for Human rights to help secure hisrelease. —AP

CAIRO: Egyptians shop for food at a popular market in Cairo yesterday.Opponents of the country’s Islamist President Mohammed Morsi are hopingto bring out massive crowds Sunday, saying they have tapped into wide-spread discontent over economic woes, rising prices and unemployment,power cuts and lack of security. — AP

DAMASCUS: Syrian detainees who took part in anti-governmentprotests sit in a courtroom before their release, in Damascus. Syrianactivists said yesterday a prominent rights lawyer believed to be ingovernment custody for more than eight months is suffering fromdeteriorating health and called for his immediate release. —AP

Health of detained Syrian deteriorating

TRIPOLI: Tension was palpable in the Libyan capi-tal yesterday, a day after deadly fighting broke outbetween groups of ex-rebels, highlighting thecountry’s continuing insecurity nearly two yearsafter dictator Moamer Kadhafi fell.

Much of Libya’s recent unrest has centred on theeastern city of Benghazi, the cradle of the 2011uprising against Gaddafi, where attacks blamed onIslamists have targeted both the authorities andWestern interests. But it now seems to be spread-ing to Tripoli, where brigades of ex-rebels remainentrenched despite government efforts to disarmthem and impose its authority.

Since the fall of Gaddafi’s regime, militia groups,

mostly ex-rebels, have managed border controls,prisons, strategic facilities in the country and vitalinstitutions.

Coming from different parts of the country, rep-resenting different tribes and with varying ideolo-gies, they have received salaries and perks from theauthorities, and some have even benefitted fromsmuggling and extortion. Deadly events onTuesday and Wednesday epitomized the sense oflawlessness that surrounds them. A group of armedmen from the city of Zintan who had been guard-ing oil facilities in the southern desert, attacked theTripoli headquarters of the petroleum industrysecurity force on Tuesday. — AFP

DUBAI: Islamists detained in the United ArabEmirates for allegedly plotting to overthrow theregime have been subjected to systematic mistreat-ment including torture, three human rights groupssaid yesterday. Ninety-four Islamists who are mem-bers or supporters of Al-Islah group linked to theMuslim Brotherhood are on trial in the UAE andexpecting a verdict on July 2 from the Court of StateSecurity. In a joint statement, Human Rights Watch,Amnesty International and Alkarama said theyreceived 22 handwritten letters sent by some of thedetainees citing “systematic mistreatment and tor-ture”. “The mistreatment described in the letters isconsistent with other allegations of torture at UAEstate security facilities, and indicates that torture is asystematic practice at these facilities,” the groupssaid. They said that on March 4, at their first trialhearing, some defendants told the judge they had

been “seriously ill-treated during months in deten-tion”.

The groups called on the UAE authorities to“ensure prompt, independent, and impartial inves-tigations into allegations of torture and other ill-treatment, enforced disappearances and other seri-ous human rights violations”. The detainees, arrest-ed between March and December 2012 and eight ofwhom are being tried in absentia, are accused ofbeing part of an “illegal secret group plotting totake power”. On June 19, the UAE authorities alsoannounced they were charging a group of 30Egyptian and Emiratis with setting up an illegalbranch of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood.

The United Arab Emirates is one of the most sta-ble countries in the Middle East and has so far notseen any attacks by Al-Qaeda. It has also beenspared in the wave of Arab Spring uprisings. — AFP

Tensions high in Libya as capital hit by battle


Turkey PM to visit Gaza soon: Hamas

Edrogan’s office denies July 5 dateGAZA CITY: Turkish Prime MinisterRecep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Gazanext week, a senior official in the rulingHamas movement told a newspaperyesterday, although Ankara insisted adate has not yet been set. “The visit ofTurkish Prime Minister Erdogan is totake place on July 5,” AbdelsalamSiyyam, secretary general of the Hamasgovernment said in an interview withFalestin, a daily considered very close tothe Islamist movement. But the Turkishleader’s press secretary denied the triphad been planned for July 5, saying thedate was still undecided.

“The announced date is not correct.The prime minister has other scheduledprograms in Turkey around thosedates,” the aide said. “The visit will takeplace, but its date has not yet beendecided.”

The Turkish leader has long pledgedto push ahead with plans to visit theHamas-run Gaza Strip, despite opposi-tion from the United States which says itwould be a “distraction” from efforts torevive the peace process.

Washington also fears such a visitcould damage the rapprochement

between Israel and Turkey which waspersonally brokered by President BarackObama in March. “Two Turkish delega-tions, one governmental and one press,arrived in Gaza two days ago and metwith prime minister (Ismail) Haniya anddeputy foreign minister Ghazi Hamad tolook into the details of the visit,” Siyyamtold the paper.

“They informed us about the timingof the visit.” Last week, Haniya andexiled Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal metwith Erdogan in Ankara to discuss theplanned visit.

The Turkish leader has previouslysaid his visit to Gaza would be aimed atpushing for an end to Israel’s blockadeon the tiny coastal territory which hasbeen in place since 2006.

In May 2010, a six-ship flotilla of pro-Palestinian activists, many of themTurkish, tried to reach Gaza by sea indefiance of the blockade. Israeli com-mandos tried to stop them, sparking abloody showdown which left nineTurkish nationals dead and the Jewishstate’s once-close ties with Ankara in tat-ters. Repeated attempts to bridge thedivide between Washington’s two key

regional all ies went nowhere untilMarch when US intervention broughtabout an Israeli apology which pavedthe way for a reconciliation. However,bilateral talks over Israeli compensationfor the families of the victims-a key ele-ment of the reconciliation-ran aground,a source close to the Turkish delegationtold AFP yesterday.

Last month, on a trip to Washington,Erdogan said he would also be visitingthe West Bank in a step he linked topeace moves. “It will not be a visit onlyto Gaza. I will also go to the West Bank,”Erdogan said. “I place a lot of signifi-cance on this visit in terms of peace inthe Middle East. I’m hoping that that vis-it will contribute to unity in Palestine.”

The planned visit will take place asUS Secretary of State John Kerry pushesahead with a five-month campaign todraw Israel and the Palestinians back tothe negotiating table after a hiatus ofnearly three years. It also comes asErdogan faces the biggest challenge tohis decade-plus rule in the form of massanti-government demonstrations whichhave prompted a brutal police crack-down. — AFP

KHARTOUM: Fighting between two Arabtribes vying for control of a gold mine haskilled around 50 people in Sudan’s troubledDarfur region, a tribal leader and a UNsource said yesterday.

The clashes erupted on Wednesday, pit-ting the Bani Hussein against the Rizeigat,tribal groups which began fighting inJanuary over the use of the gold mine nearEl Sireaf in North Darfur, Masar Al-DumaAtim, a Bani Hussein leader, told Reuters.

“Between 40 and 50 people were killed inEl Sireaf on Wednesday,” he said. “Theyattacked us at 9 am.” A UN source said 54

members of the Bani Hussein had beenkil led and 24 wounded when Rizeigattribesmen attacked them while they weregrazing cattle in two villages outside ElSireaf.

A spokeswoman for the internationalpeacekeeping force UNAMID said bothtribes had suffered casualties, without giv-ing figures. The Rizeigat and the army couldnot be reached for comment.

Years of international peace efforts havefailed to end conflict in the westerly regionof Darfur, where mainly African tribes tookup arms in 2003 against Sudan’s Arab-led

government, which they accuse of discrimi-nating against them.

Violence is down from its peak in 2004-05, but has picked up again this year as Arabtribes, many of which were armed by gov-ernment early in the conflict, are now fight-ing among themselves over resources andland. Around 300,000 people have beenforced to leave their homes in Darfur thisyear due to fighting between the army,rebels and rival tribes, according to theUnited Nations.

The initial fighting over the gold mine inJanuary killed 500 people and destroyed

more than 68 villages, a pro-governmentSudanese lawmaker said in February. Goldhas become Sudan’s top export and earnerof foreign currency. Half a million peopledig for gold in mostly unlicensed mines andsell it to traders and the central bank. TheInternational Criminal Court has issuedarrest warrants for Sudanese President OmarHassan Al-Bashir and some aides on chargesof masterminding war crimes in Darfur. Theydeny the charges and refuse to recognizethe court. Events in Darfur are hard to verifyas Sudan restricts travel by journalists, aidworkers and diplomats. — Reuters

Tribal clashes kill 50 near gold mine in Darfur

ANKARA: Swedish chemical weapons expert Ake Sellstrom (second right), who is leading the investigation team onSyria’s alleged use of chemical weapons poses next to Turkey’s Foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu prior to a meeting,yesterday in Ankara. UN-appointed inspectors, blocked from entering Syria, are in Turkey to gather information aboutpossible use of chemical weapons in the civil war. — AFP

TEHRAN: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei castshis ballot in the presidential election without publiclyendorsing a candidate, in Tehran. Iran’s supreme leadersays a solution to the nuclear impasse with the West is“easy” if the country’s foes are serious about reaching adeal. —AP

Nuke solution‘easy,’ says Iran

top leaderTEHRAN: Iran’s supreme leader said a solution to the nuclearimpasse with the West would be “easy” if the United States andits allies are serious about seeking a deal, Iranian media reportedyesterday.

The remarks by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are his first on thenuclear issue since the presidential election earlier this month ofHasan Rouhani, who supports direct talks with Washington. Itsuggests Khamenei also could endorse bolder diplomacy byTehran if talks resume with world powers.

Several newspapers, including the hard-line Jomhouri Eslami,quoted Khamenei as saying “the solution to Iran’s nuclear case isan easy and smooth job” if Western powers want to strike a deal.“The opposition front against Iran does not want the nuclearissue to be solved,” Khamenei told a group of judiciary officialsWednesday. Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, sin-gled out the US for what he called “new excuses” to block possi-ble headway on negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program.

No other details were given in the press reports, but Rouhanihas suggested greater openness on Iran’s nuclear program inexchange for easing sanctions. The West suspects Iran seeks anuclear weapon. Tehran denies the charge, saying its nuclearactivities aim at peaceful purposes such as power generation andmedical isotopes. Khamenei also urged all governmental bodiesto support Rouhani, a former nuclear negotiator who has thebacking of reformist leaders. He formally takes over from outgo-ing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in August.

“Managing the country is a difficult job, indeed,” Khameneisaid. “All individuals and bodies must help the president-elect.”Also Wednesday, Iran’s foreign minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, said Iransupports direct flights to the US as a way to serve the largeIranian community in Southern California and elsewhere. Therehave been no direct air routes between the two countries sincethe US broke ties after the storming of the American Embassy inTehran in 1979 in the wake of the Islamic Revolution.

Previously, Iran’s national carrier Iran Air operated the longestnonstop flight at the time between Tehran and New York.—AP


PRETORIA: Former South AfricanPresident Nelson Mandela is still clingingto life, his eldest daughter Makaziwesaid yesterday, but she blasted foreignmedia “vultures” for violating his privacyas he lay critically i l l in hospital.Makaziwe’s outburst came after the gov-ernment reported another downturn inthe condition of the 94-year-old anti-apartheid hero, who is admired acrossthe world as a symbol of resistanceagainst injustice and of reconciliation.

A deterioration in Mandela’s statusafter 20 days of treatment for a lunginfection forced South African PresidentJacob Zuma to cancel his participation ina regional summit in neighboringMozambique yesterday. “I won’t lie, itdoesn’t look good. But as I say, if wespeak to him, he responds and tries toopen his eyes. He’s still there. He mightbe waning off, but he’s stil l there,”Makaziwe told state broadcaster SABCafter visiting her father at the hospital inPretoria where he is being treated.

Accompanied by a group of grand-children, she angrily criticized the “badtaste” of foreign media she said wereintruding on the privacy of Mandela andhis family at this difficult time.

“There’s sort of a racist element withmany of the foreign media, where theyjust cross boundaries,” she said, afterrunning the gauntlet of the pack of cam-era crews and reporters gathered out-side the hospital. “It’s truly like vultureswaiting when the lion has devoured thebuffalo, waiting there for the last of thecarcass. That’s the image we have as afamily,” Makaziwe added.

Her criticism followed several sharprebukes from Zuma’s spokesman againstsome foreign media reports that havegiven alarming details of Mandela’sdeteriorating condition.

Spokesman Mac Maharaj declined tocomment on the latest report by a majorUS. TV news network that South Africa’sfirst black president was on life support.He said this was part of Mandela’s confi-dential relationship with his doctors.

Daughter Makaziwe said: “If peoplesay they really care about NelsonMandela, then they should respect that.They should respect that there is a partof him that has to be respected.”

She compared the massive mediaattention on Mandela, who has been inand out of hospital in the last fewmonths with a recurring lung infection,

with the coverage of the death in Aprilof former British prime ministerMargaret Thatcher.

“We don’t mind the interest but I justfeel it has gone overboard. When

Margaret Thatcher was sick in hospital, Ididn’t see this kind of media frenzyaround Margaret Thatcher,” she said. “Itis only God who knows when the time togo is.” —Reuters

Mandela ‘still there’: Daughter

PRETORIA: Children pray in front of the Medi Clinic Heart hospital in Pretoriayesterday. South African President Jacob Zuma said that the condition of ailinganti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela had improved overnight and was now crit-ical but stable. — AFP

Makaziwe raps media vultures, hints at racism

DAKAR: President Barack Obama said yester-day he had not spoken to Chinese PresidentXi Jinping or Russian President Vladimir Putinabout the US request to extradite formerAmerican spy agency contractor EdwardSnowden because he “shouldn’t have to”.

Speaking at a press conference in Senegal,where Obama started a three-country tour ofAfrica, the US president said normal legalchannels should be sufficient to handleWashington’s request that Snowden, who leftHong Kong for Russia, be returned. “I havenot called President Xi personally or PresidentPutin personally and the reason is...numberone, I shouldn’t have to,” Obama said.

“Number two, we’ve got a whole lot ofbusiness that we do with China and Russia,and I’m not going to have one case of a sus-pect who we’re trying to extradite suddenlybeing elevated to the point where I’ve got tostart doing wheeling and dealing and tradingon a whole host of other issues,” Obama said.

Almost four centuries after Africans startedbeing shipped to North America as slaves, thefirst US president of African ancestry will onThursday visit an infamous embarkation pointfor those destined for lives in chains. In hisfirst - and, many Africans say, long-overdue -extended tour of the continent, PresidentBarack Obama will focus on political and eco-nomic issues, but is also paying homage to apainful chapter in American history.

On the first leg of his eight-day visit he istaking his family to the House of Slaves, a fortbuilt in the late 18th century on Goree Island,off the coast of Senegal, as a transit point forthe human traffic and now a museum.

The visit will be a sombre reminder of ashameful period in US and world history andprovide a powerful contrast betweenObama’s stature as leader of the world’s mostpowerful nation and the historical status ofAfricans, once treated as property in thecountry he governs. — Reuters

SOFIA: Bulgarian lawmakers succeeded inopening parliament for the first time thisweek yesterday, defying vegetable-throwingprotesters posted outside. As many as 300angry Bulgarians besieged the legislature incentral Sofia in pouring rain to try to preventlawmakers from entering and to press for thegovernment’s resignation, hoping for arepeat of the protest that forced the cancella-tion of Wednesday’s session.

Tomatoes and cucumbers were thrownat the bui lding as protesters shouted“Mafia!” “Red Garbage!” and “Resign!”, butpolice fences barred the crowd’s access tolawmakers.

During the session, parliament approvedthe appointments of two new vice premiers,Daniela Bobeva to oversee the economy andInterior Minister Tsvetlin Yovchev as vice pre-mier for interior and security affairs.Thousands of Bulgarians-sick of a political

class they see as too dependent on shadowyoligarchs-have taken to the streets everynight since June 14, just four months afteranti-poverty and corruption rallies ousted theprevious conservative cabinet.

Public outrage this time was sparked byPrime Minister Plamen Oresharski’s appoint-ment-which has since been withdrawn-of acontroversial media magnate as head of thecountry’s top security agency. In office for lessthan 30 days, Oresharski, known as a sterntechnocrat, has so far refused to resign.

But Wednesday’s blockade showed his cab-inet’s dependence on the unpredictable ultra-nationalist party Ataka, when its deputies’refusal to brave the crowd forced the cancella-tion of the parliamentary session. Yesterday,Ataka’s flamboyant leader Volen Siderovurged the interior ministry to take harderaction, including arrests, against what hecalled “a crowd of raging hooligans.” — AFP

DAKAR: US President Barack Obama, center, accompanied by first lady Michelle Obama,center left, greets Senegalese dignitaries as he arrives at the airport in Dakar, Senegal. —AP

No wheeling dealing on Snowden: Obama

Bulgaria parliament resumes business

SOFIA: Protesters pelt lawmakers with tomatoes on Wednesday in a sign of mounting frus-tration over the government’s refusal to quit over a security scandal. —Reuters


MOSCOW: Russia said fugitive USintelligence leaker Edward Snowdenwas free to leave the Moscow airportwhere he has been holed up for thelast five days but confusion reignedThursday over whether he had theappropriate documents allowing himto travel.

Snowden, who is wanted by the USauthorities for leaking sensationaldetai ls of US survei l lance to themedia, is said by the Kremlin to havebeen at the transit zone ofSheremetyevo airport since arrivingon a flight from Hong Kong Sunday.But in a mystery that has captivatedthe world, there has not been a singlesighting of Snowden at the airportand his onward travel plans remainan enigma after he failed to board aflight on which he was booked toHavana on Monday.Citroen

“He has not violated Russian law,he has not crossed the border, he is inthe transit zone of the airport and canfly anywhere that he wants,” RussianForeign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

Echoing comments by PresidentVladimir Putin indicating thatMoscow is keen to see the back of itsunexpected visitor, Lavrov added:“The sooner this (he flies onwards)happens, the better”.

The United States has told Russiathat it has a clear legal basis to expelSnowden but Putin has flatly rejectedthe idea, saying Moscow has no extra-dition treaty with Washington.

But according to the White House,the two sides are in contact over theformer National Security Agency(NSA) technician. “We are having con-versations with Russian governmentofficials. I’m not at liberty to get intothe details of those conversations,but we’re having the conversations,”said White House spokesman JayCarney.

Ecuador, whose embassy inLondon is already giving refuge toWikiLeaks founder Julian Assange ashe faces extradition to Sweden onsexual assault charges, has said it isconsidering an asylum request fromSnowden. But senior Ecuadorean for-eign ministry official Galo Galarzadenied claims by the anti-secrecywebsite that Quito gave Snowden a

travel document after his US passportwas cancelled. “He doesn’t have adocument supplied by Ecuador like apassport or a refugee card as hasbeen mentioned,” Galarza said.

Ecuadoran Foreign MinisterRicardo Patino warned earlier duringa visit to Malaysia that it could takeweeks to decide whether to grantasylum to Snowden. But he laterbackpedalled, writing on Twitter thatreporters had misinterpreted him andthat it could take “one day, one weekor, like it happened for Assange, itcould take two months.” MeanwhileVenezuelan President Nicolas Madurosaid that Venezuela would “almostcertainly” grant political asylum toSnowden if the fugitive US intelli-gence leaker applied for it.

Maduro, who l ike EcuadorPresident Rafael Correa is a leftistanti-American populist, is by coinci-dence expected in Moscow next weekfor an energy summit. Snowden hadbeen expected to leave Moscow onan Aeroflot f l ight on Monday toHavana, from where he could havecaught a connection to Quito. Hemissed another flight on Tuesday andthere was no service on Wednesday.

A Moscow-Havana flight is sched-

uled at 1005 GMT Thursday but therehave been no reports that he has abooking. The next direct connectionis then on Saturday. But the confu-sion over his travel documents andSnowden’s failure to leave the transitzone has raised the prospect that hecould be in limbo for weeks or evenmonths while a solution is found.WikiLeaks has confirmed that he isbeing “escorted at all times” by BritishWikiLeaks staffer Sarah Harrison, ablonde who is one of Assange’s clos-est aides.

Putin has also denied suggestionsthat Russia could be holding upSnowden deliberately to allow anextensive debriefing at the hands ofRussian special services.

He arrived in Moscow on Sundayon an Aeroflot flight from Hong Kong,a special administrative region underChinese rule, prompting anger fromWashington over how the localauthorities there allowed Snowden totravel.

Snowden abandoned his high-pay-ing intell igence contractor job inHawaii-which he himself described as“living in paradise, making a ton ofmoney”-and went to Hong Kong onMay 20. —AFP

Confusion reigns over documents

MOSCOW: The Airbus A330 aircraft being used Aeroflot flight SU150 fromMoscow to Havana, is prepared at Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow yes-terday. A dozen of Russian and foreign journalists continued to occupy thetransit zone of the Sheremetyevo airport as yet another Havana-boundflight left Moscow with no sight of National Security Agency leaker EdwardSnowden who is believed to remain at the transit zone. —AP

LONDON: Sarah Harrison, assistant to WikiLeaksfounder Julian Assange, thanks supporters outsideEcuador’s embassy in west London.—Reuters

WikiLeaks advisorSarah ‘helpingSnowden flee’

LONDON: Holed up with a fugitive computer expert andnegotiating a legal minefield to avoid the US authorities-WikiLeaks staffer Sarah Harrison has been here before. As oneof Julian Assange’s closest aides, the blonde, willowy Briton isuniquely qualified to help US intelligence leaker EdwardSnowden avoid extradition to the United States for exposing amassive surveillance program.

Snowden and Harrison have been stuck together in thetransit zone of a Moscow airport since the weekend, after sheaccompanied him on a flight from Hong Kong as part ofefforts by anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks to help theAmerican. Harrison has been closely involved in Assange’sown battle to avoid extradition to Sweden to face allegationsof sexual assault, which he fears will lead to transfer to theUnited States and possible prosecution over his whistleblow-ing activities.

She virtually lived with the Australian WikiLeaks founderwhen he was under house arrest in the English countryside,and there have been reports that they were in a relationship.Harrison now acts as a kind of gatekeeper at the Ecuadorianembassy in London where Assange sought asylum last year-amove which personally cost her £3,500 ($5,300, 4,100 euros)she had put up for his bail. Friends said the researcher,believed to be in her late 20s, was an obvious choice to helpSnowden.

“She’s completely trusted,” said Vaughan Smith, a videojournalist who owns the house in Norfolk in eastern Englandwhere Assange lived under strict bail conditions betweenDecember 2010 and June 2012. Harrison had her own roomand was at the house most of the time, but Smith rejectedsuggestions she was simply Assange’s adoring lackey.

“I don’t think I ever saw her washing socks,” Smith told AFP,referring to one newspaper report from the time. “She’s a keypart of the team, she’s one of the people who makes every-thing happen. “She was very committed to the idea of greatergovernment openness, very hard-working-and put up withconditions of a very difficult job under great pressure.”

Smith refused to comment on rumors that Harrison wasAssange’s girlfriend. “I know everything about it, but I’m notprepared to talk about that,” he said. Both are fiercely commit-ted to their cause and Harrison appeared to complementAssange during a recent visit to the embassy by AFP, seemingorganized and efficient where he is dreamy and remote, andhelping him to find documents he has misplaced. Harrisonhas worked for WikiLeaks since late 2010 as a researcher,media organizer and occasional spokeswoman, and is nowSnowden’s constant companion as he seeks refuge from USlaw. A former WikiLeaks intern who asked not to be nameddescribed her as “formidable”. “Miss Harrison has courageous-ly assisted Mr Snowden with his lawful departure from HongKong and is accompanying Mr Snowden in his passage tosafety,” WikiLeaks said of her role. — AFP

Snowden free to leave: Russia

Gibraltar protests to CameronGIBRALTAR: The tiny British-held territoryof Gibraltar, known as The Rock, hasprotested to British Prime Minister DavidCameron of repeated Spanish incursionsinto its waters as a diplomatic row growsover allegations that Spanish police firedshots at a jet ski. Spain’s government hasflatly denied accusations that its policefired shots while chasing a jet ski onSunday in waters off Gibraltar and it hascriticized Britain for giving credence torumors.

As the dispute mounted, GibraltarChief Minister Fabian Picardo sent a letterto Cameron, according to a statement lateWednesday by the territory’s government.

In it, he complained that Spanish incur-

sions into British territorial waters atGibraltar “constitute a serious challenge toGibraltar’s jurisdiction and British sover-eignty”.

Picardo said Spanish military-linkedGuardia Civil police shot at the jet skiinside British territorial waters, an incidenthe described as “dangerous and whollyunacceptable”. “Diplomatic action to dateappears to have had no material effectand I fear that Spain will not be deterredby yet another verbal protest no matterhow robust,” he said.

“It is important that Spain feels the trueweight of British reaction to continuingviolations of our sovereignty.” Britain’sMinister for Europe David Lidington

protested the “illegal incursion” to hisSpanish counterpart during a EuropeanUnion meeting in Luxembourg onTuesday. And the British embassy’s num-ber two man in Madrid, Daniel Pruce, hasdemanded from the Spanish foreign min-istry a “full explanation”. But a spokesmanfor Spain’s foreign ministry told AFP therewas no shooting and expressed disquietthat Britain was repeating an “unverifiedand unfounded rumor”. In Gibraltar, theman reportedly at the centre of the inci-dent, 32-year-old David Villa, told onlinenews site Olive Press that he had beentesting his new jet ski with family andfriends on Sunday when the Spanishpolice gave chase.—AFP


DEHRADUN: Rescue workers steppedup the search for bodies yesterday inIndia’s flood-ravaged north and masscremations took place as fears grewover outbreaks of disease, officials andreports said.

More than 100,000 mainly pilgrimsand tourists have been evacuated fromthe disaster zone while some 4,000remain in relief camps after the flashfloods and landslides that hit the stateof Uttarakhand on June 15.

Rivers swollen by monsoon rainshave swept away houses, buildings andentire villages in the Himalayan state,which was packed with tourists and pil-grims travelling to Hindu shrines.

Around 1,000 people have died, thestate government has told AFP,although officials have warned thedeath toll could rise as more victims arefound. Persistent bad weather is ham-pering evacuations from the reliefcamps, officials said, and their focus isincreasingly on recovering bodies toprevent the spread of disease. “Theremaining people will be evacuated asand when the weather clears,” a seniorofficer overseeing rescue operationstold AFP.

“The bigger worry is finding thescores of dead bodies that may be stillburied under debris,” said the officer,who did not want to be named as he isnot authorized to speak to the media.

Health officials have warned localsagainst drinking river water on concernsof contamination from rotting bodies.Six bodies were found floating in theGanges in Allahabad on Wednesday,some 650 kilometers (404 miles) down-stream from Kedarnath, according toreports, highlighting the difficulty oflocating all those who perished.

Rescue workers are clearing awaylarge amounts of debris and scouringremote areas for victims. More than1,000 bridges have been damagedalong with roads, cutting off villagesand towns. A team of police, doctors

and firemen has been deployed to theworst-hit Hindu temple area ofKedarnath Valley to recover bodiesthere, the officer said from the state cap-ital Dehradun.

All survivors in that area have alreadybeen picked up. “They are carryingsaws, plate-cutters and also saline waterwhich is needed to preserve bodyparts,” the officer said.

The team includes mountaineers toretrieve bodies found in the jungle, val-leys and gorges, and help carry themout on foot, as well as photographerswho will send pictures to the police tospeed up the identification process.Mass cremations of victims were underway in the Kedarnath area, to preventoutbreaks of disease, said RavikanthRaman, a rescue operations officer inGuptkashi, a village near Kedarnath.

“We are now quickly cremating thebodies which have been recovered,”

Raman told the Press Trust of India newsagency. “But given the scale and natureof the tragedy, there is a likelihood thatmany bodies could still be lying in openspots, where rescue personnel have notbeen able to find or reach them,” hesaid. DNA samples from the bodies arebeing taken before cremation and arebeing preserved by the authorities, offi-cials said.

The search for bodies and the crema-tions came as villagers accused authori-ties of ignoring the needs of local resi-dents and instead focusing rescue andrelief efforts on visiting pilgrims andtourists. “There were 67 houses in ourChandrapuri village out of which 63were washed away by the Mandikini riv-er,” Birendra Singh, a former army offi-cer, told AFP at a relief camp inDehradun. “Not a single official has visit-ed our village as yet. We have nothing togo back to,” he said. — AFP

India steps up grim search for bodies Mass cremations after devastating floods

PANDUKESHWAR: Members of Indo Tibetan Border Police revive a strandedperson at Pandukeshwar in Uttarakhand. —AFP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former President and militaryruler Pervez Musharraf arrives at an anti-terrorism courtin Islamabad, Pakistan. —AP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan yesterday moved a step closer to put-ting former military leader Pervez Musharraf on trial for trea-son, appointing a committee to investigate him for subvertingthe constitution. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar told parlia-ment that a four-member committee had been set up toprobe charges that Musharraf committed treason under arti-cle six of the constitution while in office from 1999-2008.

“It is a four-member committee or commission. This com-mittee shall keep the interior ministry posted about theprogress of the inquiry on a weekly basis and should submitits findings within a short space of time,” Nisar said. The com-mittee will be made up of officers from the FederalInvestigation Agency, he said.

The retired general, who returned from four years of self-imposed exile in March, has been under house arrest at his vil-la on the edge of Islamabad since April 19.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who made an astonishingcomeback in May by winning elections 13 years after beingdeposed by Musharraf, said Monday that the ex-leader shouldbe tried for treason. The offence carries the death penalty orlife imprisonment. Musharraf faces a slew of other cases relat-ing to his 1999-2008 rule, including conspiracy to murder for-mer prime minister Benazir Bhutto, who died in a gun and sui-cide attack in 2007.

The government yesterday informed the Supreme Court ofits intention to investigate Musharraf for treason. Pakistan’shighest court has been hearing a petition from lawyersdemanding that Musharraf be tried for subverting the constitu-tion by imposing emergency rule and sacking judges in 2007.Musharraf’s lawyer Ibrahim Satti urged the Supreme Court togive his client a fair trial, accusing the media and Sharif of beingbiased against him. “In this background the answering respon-dent is expecting and having full hope that this bench will safe-guard and protect the interest and civil right of him regardingfair trial,” said Satti, speaking in English. —AFP

Pakistan names investigators in

Musharraf treason case

DHAKA: A Bangladeshi university lecturerwas sentenced to jail in absentia yesterdayfor threatening to kill Prime Minister SheikhHasina and defaming her on Facebook, aprosecutor said.

A court sentenced Hafizur RahmanRana, a lecturer at a prestigious university,to seven years in jail for posting the com-ments last April during a protest on cam-pus, prosecutor Tapash Kumar Pal said.

Rana, 28, who has gone into hiding inrecent months, is the second Bangladeshito receive a prison sentence for makingthreatening comments on Facebookagainst the premier, the prosecutor said.On the social network site, Rana likenedHasina to a hyena who had also destroyedthe country and was trying to destroy his

employer, the Bangladesh University ofEngineering and Technology (BUET).

“First I will shoot you (Hasina) in thehead and in the stomach,” the prosecutorquoted the post as saying. “Then will put(your) head on display in front of the BUETto ward off other hyenas,” the post said.

Bangladesh authorities launched aseries of prosecutions last year over materi-al on Facebook pages mocking or threaten-ing Hasina, and her father, the country’sfounding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

In January last year, a 29-year-oldBangladeshi man, a lecturer at anotherpublic university, was sentenced in absen-tia to six months in jail after posting aFacebook message that appeared to wishfor Hasina to die in a car accident. — AFP

NEW DELHI: The United States said yesterdaythat it expected the Taleban to continue tomount attacks in Afghanistan even as therebels hold peace talks from their new officein Qatar. Taleban gunmen and bombers usingfake NATO identification attacked an entranceto the Afghan presidential palace and a near-by building known to house a CIA base onTuesday, leaving three security guards dead.

“Frankly I anticipate that Taleban will con-tinue to try to negotiate from a position ofstrength,” US special envoy to Afghanistanand Pakistan, James Dobbins, told reportersin New Delhi. “The Taleban will want to con-tinue to put pressure on, to make it look likethe United States is leaving as a result of thatpressure rather than a result of its success,” headded. Dobbins, who is on the last stop of atour through South Asia, said he had briefedhis Indian counterparts about the uncertain

peace process, which has caused concern inNew Delhi. “They clearly had anxieties, anxi-eties that we all have.

Nobody knows how this is going toprogress,” Dobbins said. India, which hasspent more than $2.0 bill ion of aid inAfghanistan, fears any return of the influenceof the Taleban, hardline Islamists that arealigned with Pakistan. India and Pakistan arelocked in a fight for influence in Afghanistan,but Dobbins saw the prospect of improvedrelations between the neighbors which havefought three wars since independence. In for-eign policy matters, Pakistan’s new PrimeMinister Nawaz Sharif has made improving rela-tions with India his “top priority,” said Dobbinsafter his talks in Islamabad on Tuesday. “Anyimprovement in India-Pakistan ties will almostautomatically improve Afghanistan’s situation,”he added. —AFP

Bangladeshi jailed for Facebook threat on PM

US sees more Taleban attacks despite talks


CANBERRA: Kevin Rudd was sworn inas Australian prime minister for the sec-ond time yesterday, a day after top-pling Julia Gillard and three monthsahead of elections in which opinionpolls show the ruling Labor Party facesa devastating defeat. Rudd’s return asprime minister follows three years ofsquabbling within the Labor leadershipand as the world’s 12th largest econo-my faces challenges stemming from aslowdown in top trade partner China.

Rudd, a Mandarin-speaking formerdiplomat, has highlighted the difficul-ties associated with “the end of China’sresource boom” and said he wouldwork to rebuild the government’sstrained relations with the businesscommunity. He left open the option ofchanging the September 14 electiondate, telling parliament that prime min-isters had the right to choose the date.“There is not going to be a huge varia-tion one way or the other,” he said.Australian business was scathing of thepolitical instability and urged Rudd toabandon laws that strengthen tradeunion access to the workplace andtighten rules for temporary skilled

immigration.“Our tolerance factor withinstability in the leadership ofAustralia’s government is at breakingpoint, matched only by a swathe ofanti-business policies which havebrought business frustration to boilingpoint,” said Peter Anderson, chief exec-utive of the Australian Chamber ofCommerce and Industry. “The econom-ic challenges facing Australia, especial-ly our declining competitiveness, highcost structure and low confidence, areserious.” The favourite to win the com-ing elections, opposition leader TonyAbbott, has promised to scrap a carbontax and a 30 percent tax on iron oreand coal mine profits if he wins power.He has also promised tighter control ofpublic spending, a speedier return tosurplus budgets and stronger econom-ic growth.

Rudd’s first task will be a major cabi-net reshuffle after a string of seniorministers loyal to Gillard resigned,including former deputy prime minis-ter and treasurer Wayne Swan, TradeMinister Craig Emerson and ClimateChange Minister Greg Combet. FormerImmigration Minister Chris Bowen was

sworn in as Treasurer and TransportMinister Anthony Albanese was swornin as deputy leader yesterday. Financialmarkets see few implications for the$1.5 trillion economy, which is strug-gling to cope with the end of a historicmining boom as commodity prices falland a record pipeline in resourceinvestment starts to falter.

Manufacturing has been hurt by astrong Australian dollar and other sec-tors of the economy are struggling to

pick up the slack as the mining bonan-za fades. “While some bounce in thepolls and possibly confidence is expect-ed, the political games will be largely asideshow to deeper issues in theAustralian economy,” Nomura interestrate strategist Martin Whetton said ofRudd’s re-appointment.

Illustrating the challenges, almost1,000 jobs were cut from Australiancoal mines this week alone.

Voters welcomed back Rudd, alwaysamong the most popular of politicians.“I am glad that we’ve now been giventhe opportunity to have the prime min-ister we voted in several years ago,”said Peter Mayson, who works in thebuilding industry in Sydney.

Rudd, who was prime minister fromlate 2007 until 2010, said thoughts ofthe good of the nation had spurredhim to abandon a promise this yearnever to run for office again, followinga failed bid to unseat Gillard. Opinionpolls had shown Gillard’s minority gov-ernment could lose up to 35 seats, giv-ing the conservative opposition a mas-sive majority in the 150-member parlia-ment. — Reuters

Rudd sworn in as Australian PMGillard overthrown as voters welcome change

CANBERRA: Australian PrimeMinister Kevin Rudd speaks duringquestion time at Parliament for whatis likely to be its last day before elec-tions in Canberra yesterday. —AP

BEIJING: China’s president welcomed hisSouth Korean counterpart yesterday as an“old friend of China” and agreed to make apush for new talks with North Korea yester-day as two of Asia’s newest leaders met forthe first time. Park Geun-hye, one of Asia’sfew women leaders, took office in Seoul inFebruary amid war threats by North Korea,while China’s Xi Jinping was appointed inNovember and has sought to rein in theNorth’s nuclear weapons program, backingtougher economic sanctions againstBeijing’s traditional ally. “The two leadersshared a common view on denuclearizingNorth Korea, maintaining peace and stabili-ty on the Korean peninsula and resolvingissues through dialogue and negotiations,”Park’s office said in a statement after theymet.

China backed North Korea in the 1950-53 Korean War with late leader MaoZedong’s eldest son dying in the conflictwith the South. The 60th anniversary of theend of the war is July 27. Beijing is the maineconomic and diplomatic lifeline for theimpoverished and isolated state, whosethree nuclear weapons tests since 2006have threatened Asia’s security. China hasboosted sanctions on its ally, which thisyear conducted a nuclear test in defiance ofinternational criticism. It has also closedaccess for North Korean banks in China.

Xi was appointed Communist Partychairman, China’s most powerful position,last November and named president inMarch. In April, he told an internationalforum in southern China that no country“should be allowed to throw a region andeven the whole world into chaos for selfishgain”. While Xi did not name North Korea,

his comment came amid the highest ten-sion on the peninsula in years, with dailythreats from Pyongyang to attack SouthKorea and the United States. Xinhua,China’s state news agency, appeared tocriticize Pyongyang ahead of the visit, say-ing that “hard-earned trust among con-cerned parties has been evaporating fol-lowing unfortunate incidents one afteranother” since 2009. In 2009, the Northwalked out of denuclearization talks bro-kered by China, carried out its secondnuclear test and in 2010 was accused ofsinking a South Korean naval vessel andshelling a South Korean island. — Reuters

TURPAN: Armed police in China’s ethnical-ly divided Xinjiang blocked the road yester-day to the site of riots that left 27 peopledead a day earlier, in the restive region’sdeadliest violence in years. Officers sta-tioned 40 kilometers (25 miles) outsideTurpan city’s Lukqun township checked carpassengers’ IDs and barred journalists fromentering, citing safety concerns.

A visitor in Turpan-which lies about 250kilometers from the regional capitalUrumqi-said he saw another roadblock witharmed officers and about 20 police vehicles.The Xinhua state news agency saidWednesday that “knife-wielding mobs”attacked police stations and other locations,and nine police or security guards and eightcivilians were killed before police openedfire. A resident surnamed Chai said a heli-copter arrived on the scene along withmany police and soldiers.

Xinjiang is home to around 10 millionmembers of the mostly Muslim Uighur eth-nic minority. Many complain of religiousand cultural repression by Chinese authori-ties. Authorities deny that and have pushedinvestment in the resource-rich region in anattempt to boost development and growth.

A handful of residents in Turpan inter-viewed yesterday said they had heardabout the incident but declined to elabo-rate. Life went on as normal as residentsnapped on the side of the road near mud-brick homes and grape fields.

The reason for Wednesday’s violencewas not immediately clear. A verifiedTwitter account by state-run broadcasterCCTV called the incident a “riot”, saying itwas correcting an earlier message which

described it as an “insurgent attack”.According to official figures, 46 percent ofXinjiang’s population are Uighur, whileanother 39 percent are Han Chinese, aftermillions from the majority group movedthere in recent decades to find work.

The Han settlement drive has caused fric-tion with the existing community. Similartensions have arisen in Tibet, which neigh-bors Xinjiang to the south. Both are hometo sizeable ethnic minority populations andare officially “autonomous regions” despiteclose oversight by Beijing.

Xinjiang saw its worst ethnic violence inyears in July 2009 when riots involvingUighurs and Han settlers in Urumqi leftaround 200 people dead. Chinese authori-ties closely restrict information about unrestin Xinjiang, blocking access across theregion for several months after the violencein 2009. —AFP

China, South push for North Korea talks

SEONGNAM: South Korean PresidentPark Geun-hye waves before leaving forChina at the Seoul Military Airport inSeongnam, South Korea yesterday. —AP

Police block site of deadly China Xinjiang riot

XINJIANG: Chinese security forcesdemonstrate how they stop protestsin Urumqi, China’s farwest Xinjiangregion. —AFP


WELLINGTON: A New Zealand meteor-ologist took the last known calls fromthe seven people aboard an Americanschooner, “The weather’s turned nasty,how do we get away from it?” Thephone calls and texts ended June 4.More than three weeks later, searcherssaid yesterday they have grave concernsfor the crew on the classic 85-year-oldwooden vessel that went missing whilesailing from New Zealand to Australia.Attempts to contact the crew by radioand an aerial search this week haveproved fruitless.

Authorities say the skipper of the 70-foot (21-meter) vessel Nina is AmericanDavid Dyche. They say there are twoother American men and threeAmerican women aboard, agedbetween 17 and 73. Also aboard is aBritish man, aged 35. Messages postedonline by friends indicate the boat origi-nally left from Panama City, Florida.Meteorologist Bob McDavitt said hetook a satellite phone call from the boatJune 3. A woman named Evi asked howto get away from the weather. He said tocall back in 30 minutes after he’d stud-ied a forecast. She did.

“She was quite controlled in hervoice, it sounded like everything wasunder control,” McDavitt said, addingthat the call itself indicated she was con-cerned about the conditions.

McDavitt said he spoke only briefly toEvi, advising her to head south and tobrace for a storm with strong winds andhigh seas. The next day he got a text,the last known communication from theboat: “ANY UPDATE 4 NINA? .. . EVI”McDavitt said he advised the crew tostay put and ride out the storm anotherday. He continued sending messagesthe next few days but didn’t hear back.Friends of the crew got in touch withMcDavitt soon after that, and then alert-ed authorities June 14.

Kevin Banaghan, who is spearhead-ing search efforts by Maritime New

Zealand’s Rescue Coordination Centre,said rescuers weren’t worried at firstbecause there had been no distress callfrom the boat and its emergency locatorbeacon had not been activated. He saidrescuers on June 14 initiated a commu-nications search, in which they triedcontacting the boat over various radiofrequencies as well as contacting othervessels in the area to see if they’d spot-ted the Nina.

This week, he said, rescuers escalatedtheir efforts. An Air Force plane onTuesday searched the area where theboat went missing. A second search bythe plane on Wednesday went as far asthe Australian coast but again turned upnothing. Banaghan said searchers areconsidering their next options. The boatleft the Bay of Islands in northern NewZealand on May 29 bound for the portof Newcastle, near Sydney. The last com-munication was from 370 nautical mileswest of New Zealand.

Banaghan said the crew hoped to

arrive in Australia mid-June but that,given the conditions, he considered arealistic arrival date to be about June 25.He said Dyche is a qualified captain andthe crew has varying degrees of experi-ence.

“We’re very concerned for their safetyand wellbeing,” he said. Authorities saythe storm three weeks ago saw windsgusting up to 110 kilometers (68 miles)per hour and waves of up to 8 meters(26 feet). Banaghan said the Nina is a“lovely old craft” which won races whenit was new and had been maintained inexcellent condition. He added that ithad a new engine installed in recentmonths which had apparently createdsome initial leaking problems.

He said there are several possiblescenarios, including the boat losingcommunications, drifting off course, orthe crew taking to lifeboats. He saidthere’s also a possibility the boat suf-fered a catastrophic failure and sankbefore anybody had time to react. —AP

7 aboard US schooner missing in South Pacific

Phone calls, texts ended June 4

The yacht Nina is tied at dock at a unidentified location. Searchers said yesterdaythey have grave concerns for seven people aboard the American schooner thathas been missing for three weeks between New Zealand and Australia. — AP

HUNTSVILLE: Donna Aldred (left) and her daughter LeslieLambert (right), listen during a news conference after theexecution of Kimberly McCarthy at the Texas Departmentof Criminal Justice Huntsville Unit, where the death cham-ber is located on Wednesday in Huntsville, Texas. —AP

Texas carries out 500thexecution since 1982

HUNTSVILLE, Texas: Texas marked a solemn moment in criminaljustice, executing its 500th inmate since it resumed carrying outcapital punishment in 1982. Kimberly McCarthy, who was put todeath Wednesday evening for the murder of her 71-year oldneighbor, was also the first woman executed in the US in nearlythree years. McCarthy, 52, was executed for the 1997 robbery,beating and fatal stabbing of retired psychology professorDorothy Booth. Booth had agreed to give McCarthy a cup of sug-ar before she was attacked with a butcher knife and candelabraat her home, south of Dallas. Authorities say McCarthy cut offBooth’s finger to remove her wedding ring.

It was among three slayings linked to McCarthy, a former nurs-ing home therapist who became addicted to crack cocaine. Shewas pronounced dead at 6:37 p.m. local time, 20 minutes afterTexas prison officials began administering a single lethal dose ofpentobarbital. In her final statement, McCarthy did not mentionher status as the 500th inmate to be executed or acknowledgeBooth or her family. “This is not a loss. This is a win. You knowwhere I’m going. I’m going home to be with Jesus. Keep thefaith. I love you all,” she said, while looking toward her witnesses -her attorney, her spiritual adviser and her ex-husband, New BlackPanther Party founder Aaron Michaels.

As the drug started to take effect, McCarthy said, “God isgreat,” before closing her eyes. She took hard, raspy, loudbreaths for several seconds before becoming quiet. Then, herchest moved up and down for another minute before shestopped breathing.

Friends and family of Booth told reporters after the executionthat they were not aware that Texas had carried out its 500th exe-cution since 1982. They said their only focus was on Booth’s bru-tal murder. Five-hundred is “just a number. It doesn’t really meanvery much,” said Randall Browning,

who was Booth’s godson. “‘We’re just thinking about the jus-tice that was promised to us by the state of Texas.” Donna Aldred,Booth’s daughter, reading a statement to reporters, said that hermother “was an incredible person who was taken before hertime.” Texas has carried out nearly 40 percent of the more than1,300 executions in the US since the Supreme Court allowed capi-tal punishment to resume in 1976. The state’s standing stemsfrom its size as the second-most populous state as well as its tra-dition of tough justice for killers.

Texas prison officials said that for them, it was just anotherexecution. “We simply carried out the court’s order,” said TexasDepartment of Criminal Justice spokesman Jason Clark. Withincreased debate in recent years over wrongful convictions, somestates have halted the practice entirely. However, 32 states havethe death penalty on the books. Though Texas still carries outexecutions, lawmakers have provided more sentencing optionsfor juries and courts have narrowed the cases for which death canbe sought. In a statement, Maurie Levin, McCarthy’s attorney, said“500 is 500 too many. I look forward to the day when we recog-nize that this pointless and barbaric practice, imposed almostexclusively on those who are poor and disproportionately onpeople of color, has no place in a civilized society.” Outside theprison, about 40 protesters gathered, carrying signs saying“Death Penalty: Racist and Anti-Poor,” “Stop All Executions Now”and “Stop Killing to Stop Killings.” As the hour for the executionapproached, protesters began chanting and sang the old Negrospiritual “Wade in the Water.” In recent years, Texas executionshave generally drawn fewer than 10 protesters. A handful ofcounter-demonstrators who support the death penalty gatheredin another area outside the prison Wednesday.—AP

QUITO: Ecuador said yesterday it waswaiving preferential rights under a UStrade agreement to demonstrate itsprincipled approach to the asylumrequest of former American spy agencycontractor Edward Snowden. Officials inQuito added that the US fugitive’s casehad still not been processed because hehad not reached any of its diplomaticpremises.

In a deliberately cheeky touch fromthe leftist government of PresidentRafael Correa, Ecuador also offered amultimillion donation for human rightstraining in the United States. Snowden,30, is believed to be at Moscow’s inter-national airport. “The petitioner is not inEcuadorean territory as the lawrequires,” government official Betty Tolasaid at an early morning news confer-ence in Ecuador.

Bristling at suggestions Quito wasweighing the pros and cons ofSnowden’s case in terms of its owninterests, officials also said Ecuadorwould not base its decision on its desireto renew the Andean Trade PreferencesAct with Washington. “Ecuador gives up,unilaterally and irrevocably, the saidcustoms benefits,” said another official,Fernando Alvarado.

“What’s more, Ecuador offers theUnited States economic aid of $23 mil-l ion annually, similar to what wereceived with the trade benefits, withthe intention of providing educationabout human rights,” Alvarado added.

“Ecuador does not accept pressure orthreats from anyone, nor does it tradewith principles or submit them to mer-cantile interests, however importantthose may be.”— Reuters

Ecuador waives US trade rights over Snowden case

QUITO: Fernando Alvarado, Ecuador’scommunications minister, arrives toannounce that Ecuador is renouncingtrade preferences that are up for UScongressional renewal during a newsconference in Quito yesterday.—AP


SAN FRANCISCO: Backed by rainbowflags and confetti, thousands celebrat-ed in California’s streets after USSupreme Court rulings brought majoradvances for gay marriage proponentsin the state and across the country.Though wedding bells may be weeksaway, same-sex couples and their sup-porters filled city blocks of SanFrancisco and West Hollywood onWednesday night to savor the long-awaited decisions as thumping musicresounded.

“Today the words emblazonedacross the Supreme Court ring true:equal justice under law,” said PaulKatami, one of the plaintiffs who chal-lenged California’s gay marriage ban,as he celebrated in West Hollywood. Inone of two 5-4 rulings, the high courtcleared the way for gay marriages toresume in California, holding that thecoalition of religious conservativegroups that qualified a voter-approvedban for the ballot did not have theauthority to defend it after state offi-cials refused. The justices thus let standa San Francisco trial court’s ruling inAugust 2010 that overturned the ban.In the other, the court wiped away partof a federal anti-gay marriage law, theDefense of Marriage Act, or DOMA,putting legally married gay couples onequal federal footing with all othermarried Americans, allowing them toreceive the same tax, health and pen-sion benefits.

The court sidestepped the largerquestion of whether banning gay mar-riage is unconstitutional, and statesother than California and the 12 otherswhere gay couples already have theright to wed were left to hash out theissue within their borders. As the sunset on San Francisco, a crowd surgedfrom hundreds to several thousand in

the city’s Castro neighborhood, withrainbow flags and confetti filling theair. James Reynolds, 45, was among therevelers, saying he had been married tohis partner of 23 years several times,including once in California.

“It’s been taken away from us,”Reynolds said as he stood in a cross-walk near the barrier blocking off thestreet for the celebration. “But we’ll bemarried again.” In Southern California,an all-day celebration in WestHollywood grew to hundreds by night,including many gay couples dressed inred, white and blue and one sign thatread “Today we are American.”Brendan Banfield, 46, stood on the veryspot under a tree in West HollywoodPark where in 2008 he married his part-ner, Charles, becoming one of an esti-mated 18,000 couples that got marriedduring the 41/2 four months when gay

marriage was legal in California. “I wantto cry,” Banfield said. “It’s been a longjourney. I’m grateful I’m alive to see it.”

It remained unclear, however, whenCalifornia’s gay marriages might startagain. Backers of the ban known asProposition 8 have 25 days to ask theSupreme Court to reconsider. The 9thUS Circuit Court of Appeals also mustlift a hold it placed on the lower courtorder before the state can be free toissue marriage licenses to same-sexcouples.

Still, state officials moved quickly.Gov. Jerry Brown said he had directedthe California Department of PublicHealth to start issuing licenses as soonas the hold is lifted, and state AttorneyGeneral Kamala Harris went even fur-ther, publicly urging the appellatecourt to act ahead of the final wordfrom the Supreme Court. —AP

Gay couples cheer high court moves

Wedding bells may be weeks away

OREGON: Kara Mineehan, 27 (left) and Kim Walsh, 28, celebrate theSupreme Court’s decision to rule the same-sex marriage ban as unconstitu-tional. The event was hosted by Oregon United for Marriage with severalguest speakers. — AP

MANILA: US destroyer USS Fitzgerald arrives at the for-mer US naval base in Subic Bay, Olongapo City, northof Manila yesterday to join the Cooperation AfloatReadiness and Training (CARAT) exercises close to aflashpoint area of the South China Sea. — AFP

NEW YORK: In the chaotic days after Superstorm Sandy,an army of aid workers streamed onto the flood-ravagedRockaway Peninsula looking for anyone who needed help.Health workers and National Guard troops went door todoor. City inspectors checked thousands of dwellings fordamage. Seaside neighborhoods teemed with utilitycrews, Red Cross trucks and crews clearing debris.

Yet, even as the months dragged by, nobody thoughtto look inside the tiny construction trailer rusting away in ajunk-filled lot at the corner of Beach 40th Street andRockaway Beach Boulevard. If they had, they would havefound the body of Keith Lancaster, a quiet handyman whoappeared to have been using the trailer as a home thenight Sandy sent 5 feet of water churning through theneighborhood.

It took until April 5 before an acquaintance finally wentto check on the 62-year-old’s whereabouts and found hispartially skeletonized remains. His body lay near a calendarthat hadn’t been turned since October and prescription pillbottles last refilled in the fall.

New York City’s medical examiner announced this weekthat Lancaster had drowned, making him the 44th personruled to have died in New York City because of the storm.Neighborhood residents described Lancaster as a lonerand something of a drifter, and police said he had neverbeen reported missing. No one stepped forward to claimhis body from the city morgue, either, after he was finallydiscovered this spring. He was buried in a potter’s field onan island in Long Island Sound, the medical examiner’soffice said. A police missing-person squad is still trying toidentify any relatives. —AP

Body of NYC storm victim lay undetected for months

OTTAWA: Canada lodged charges against MohktarBelmohktar, former head of Al-Qaeda in the IslamicMaghreb (AQIM), for his role in the kidnapping of twodiplomats five years ago, a spokesman said. AQIM isknown for May suicide bombings in Niger that killed atleast 20, as well as the dramatic January seizing of adesert gas plant in neighboring Algeria in a siege that left38 hostages dead, also in retaliation for intervention inMali. Back in December 2008 AQIM, snatched CanadianRobert Fowler, UN special envoy to Niger, and his assis-tant Louis Guay west of Niamey.

AQIM claimed responsibility in February 2009 for thekidnapping of the Canadian diplomats, and of fourEuropean tourists snatched in January 2010. After morethan four months in detention at the hands of the group,the Canadians were finally released after a Malian media-tor spoke with Belmohktar. Federal police (RCMP) filedcharges of kidnapping with the intent to raise money forterror against Belmohktar and Omar Ould Hamahathe for

snatching the Canadians in Niger in 2008, said RCMPspokesman Laurence Trottier.

While the hostages were abducted in Niger they werereleased in northern Mali close to the border. Both Maliand Niger have been plagued by Tuareg uprisings in theregion making military control of the zone more difficult.The Sahel, with vast stretches of inhospitable desert, isnotoriously difficult to control. Rebel movements andother armed groups roam largely unhindered over bor-ders between the countries. Al-Qaeda of the IslamicMaghreb has said it intended to unify armed Islamistgroups in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, as well as emerg-ing groups in countries bordering the Sahara like Nigerand Mali. It has also claimed a series of deadly suicidebombings in Algeria, other attacks in the region and sev-eral kidnappings.

Born in the Algerian Sahara in 1972, Belmokhtar ledthe AQIM for years before leaving to lead a splinter groupin late 2012. — AFP

WASHINGTON: Day after day, Sen Jeff Sessions arguesagainst an immigration overhaul bill that GOP party leaders,and a sizable share of his Republican colleagues, say is criti-cal to any chance of a national comeback for the party out ofpower in Washington.

The legislation headed for passage in the Senate wouldcost the nation jobs and depress wages, Sessions says in theJudiciary Committee, on the Senate floor, in hallway inter-views and to just about anyone who asks. It’s not paid for, heargues. Nor, Sessions adds, would it guarantee better borderenforcement. Lawmakers don’t really know what the bill does,seeing that it consumes 1,100 pages, according to Alabama’sjunior senator. The 66-year-old former prosecutor used a simi-lar approach to help defeat an immigration overhaul in 2006and 2007, when a president of his own party, George W Bush,declared it a priority. Now that Democrat Barack Obama hasit atop his domestic agenda, Sessions is again the face ofRepublican opposition to a path to citizenship for millions ofpeople living in the US illegally. The playing field has changedsince then, but the path toward a bill actually becoming law isno clearer than it was six years ago now that a sizable tea par-ty faction holds sway in the House. —AP

Alabama senator leads immigration opposition Canada charges ex-Qaeda

unit leader Belmokhtar

BusinessFRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013

India’s current account data boosts rupee

PAGE 20

Ireland in recession as bailout exit approaches

LONDON: A child poses for photographs on a Clydesdale Prancing Pony during a photocall at Hamleys toy shop in London yesterday. Hamleys unveiled the ‘must have’ toys forChristmas 2013@ at the company’s flagship Regent Street store in London. — AFP

PAGE 21

EU agrees on new bank rescue rules Deal to shift burden from taxpayers

BRUSSELS: European finance ministersyesterday agreed a deal on new rulesto shift the burden for future bank res-cues from taxpayers to the financialsector in a bid to quell public angerover massive bailouts in recent years.The measures, which still have to beadopted by the European Parliament,will force bank owners and bond hold-ers firstly and then depositors withmore than 100,000 euros ($130,000) tobear the losses.

“Our aim is to have a commonapproach throughout Europe so ourtaxpayers no longer have to shoulderthe burden,” said Irish Finance MinisterMichael Noonan, who chaired the talksas current holder of the EU presidency.Noonan said governments would nolonger have to save banks that were“too big to fail” as the deal would endthe “vicious link” that forced countriesto step in and rescue lenders in orderto prevent wholesale collapse.

The agreement on a key stumblingblock for European integration camejust ahead of the start of a summit ofEU leaders that will aim to tackle anoth-er aspect of the crisis fallout-the sharprise in youth unemployment. The cruxof the issue was who should foot thebill when a bank fails, and what room

for manoeuvre governments can haveto decide on a rescue strategy after thewidely differing experiences seen inEurope in recent years.

Under the proposed rules, publicfunds to rescue banks would only beallowed exceptionally after a minimumlevel of losses equal to eight percent ofthe total liabilities. “This establishes‘bail-ins’ as the new rule,” Noonan said,referring to a term for forced losses puton the bank instead of “bailouts” whichuse public funds. The Irish presidencysaid it hoped the new rules would befinalized by early next year at the latestand the plan is that they would thencome into effect from 2018. “This isvery important for financial stability inthe European Union,” French FinanceMinister Pierre Moscovici told reportersas he came out of the talks.

His Dutch counterpart JeroenDijsselbloem, who is also head of theEurogroup, said: “If a bank gets in trou-ble we will now throughout Europehave one set of rules on who pays thebill.”

“The financial sector itself will nowto a very, very large extent becomeresponsible for dealing with its ownproblems,” he said.

The resolution mechanism is a key

step toward a “banking union”, the newoverall European Union regulatoryframework meant to restore the bank-ing sector to health and so prevent anyrepeat of the bloc’s debt crisis. Up tonow, the taxpayer has paid for most ofthe state and bank bailouts-a massivesum put at 4.5 trillion euros for the2008-11 period which has stoked grow-ing popular disquiet and added to debtlevels.

To address this problem, the EU, theEuropean Central Bank and theInternational Monetary Fund in Marchagreed a Cyprus rescue which ‘bailed-in’ larger depositors in its two biggestbanks to pay for their restructuring.

Further steps towards bankingunion and greater integration betweeneuro members are not expected anytime soon however as most analystsare expecting a pause for Germany’sgeneral election in September. An EUdiplomat speaking on condition ofanonymity said that the easing of theeuro-zone debt crisis meant there wasno longer the same sense of urgencyfor reforms. “The project seems to bemoving forward but much slower.There is a realization that they have togo ahead with integration but it’s nothappening at breakneck speed.” — AFP

LONDON: Airport retailer Dubai Duty Free (DDF) is set toreprice a $1.75 billion, six-year syndicated loan that signedin July 2012, banking sources close to the deal said. Theoriginal loan was split between a dirham-denominatedtranche and a US dollar denominated facility, which wereboth priced at 325 bps (basis points) over LIBOR. As part ofthe repricing exercise, margins will be reduced by 100 bpson the dirham-denominated tranche and by 75 bps on theUS dollar tranche, the sources said.

“Pricing in the loan market in the UAE is now comingin,” said one of the banking sources. “This is just a mark tomarket exercise.” The repricing for the world’s largest sin-gle airport retailer is expected to close next week. Theoriginal senior unsecured financing was led by coordina-tors, mandated lead arrangers and bookrunners Citibank,Dubai Islamic Bank, Emirates NBD and HSBC Bank MiddleEast. Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank pre-committed to thefacilities as a mandated lead arranger and bookrunner.

DDF was established in 1983 as the sole duty free oper-ator at the departure and arrival areas of all terminals atDIA. DDF could not be reached for comment. — Reuters

Dubai Duty Free repricing

$1.75bn loan

B u s i n e s sFRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013

MUMBAI: India’s current account deficitnarrowed to 3.6 percent in the first quar-ter of 2013, data showed yesterday,helping to reverse a dramatic slide inthe rupee to historic lows.

The better-than-expected figureseased pressure on the currency, whichlost nearly 2.0 percent on Wednesdaywhen it touched a record 60 to the dol-lar. The current account data came a dayearlier than expected and dealers specu-lated its release might have been movedforward by the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) to boost sentiment.

The rupee, which hit a lifetime low of60.72 to the dollar on Wednesday,strengthened to 60.33 after the data wasreleased. It was trading at 60.53 by at0630 GMT. The deficit for the threemonths to March was $18.1 billion, com-pared with a record $32.6 billion, or 6.7percent of gross domestic product, forthe previous quarter, the RBI said in astatement.

The imbalance in the currentaccount, which measures the gapbetween inflows of foreign currency andoutflows and is the broadest gauge oftrade, is the biggest risk to the economy,according to the bank. After the data,India’s Finance Minister P Chidambaramyesterday warned that the deficit “maywiden” in the current quarter because ofrecent money outflows.

“The data has calmed the (forex) mar-ket somewhat,” said Shubhada Rao,chief economist with private Yes Bank.She said the deficit numbers for theMarch quarter improved as non-oil and

non-gold imports declined. India’sdeficit stems mainly from large oil andgold imports and weaker exports amidthe global economic downturn, whichhas raised inflation concerns. Foreigninvestors have been pulling out moneyfrom India-besides other emerging mar-kets-in June, to safer havens such as USTreasury bills. The deficit figures come asIndia’s Congress-led government strug-gles to stimulate the economy, which

grew at a decade-low of five percent lastyear, ahead of elections due next year.For the full fiscal year ended March, thecurrent account gap was $87.8 billion, or4.8 percent of GDP, compared with $78.2billion a year earlier. “The data was wellabove our expectations, as the servicessector performed better than expected inthe March-end quarter,” said SiddharthaSanyal, chief India economist withBarclays Capital. — AFP

India’s current account data boosts ailing rupee

Chidambaram warns deficit may widen

NEW DELHI: A commuter walks near a shop dealing in foreign currencyexchange in New Delhi yesterday. The rupee touched an all-time low of 60.72against the dollar Wednesday, but rose 0.3 percent to 60.5350 per dollar yes-terday morning. —AP

AFGHANISTAN: An Afghan farmer harvests wheat on the out-skirts of Mazar-i-Sharif yesterday. Only about 15 percent ofAfghanistan’s land, mostly in scattered valleys, is suitable forfarming with about 6 percent of the land actually cultivatedwith wheat being the most important crop. — AFP

SINGAPORE/DUBAI: Abu Dhabi National Oil Company is planningto blend its Lower Zakum and Umm Shaif oils into a new exportcrude called Das from early 2014, oil market trade sources said yes-terday.

“From April, Lower Zakum and Umm Shaif will be combined intoone grade. The API will be about 39 and the grade will be calledDas,” a trade source familiar with the plan said. “It makes sense toconsolidate as they are of relatively small volumes and of similarquality.” A source at state-run ADNOC said the plan was still beingfinalized but said that “everyone will benefit” from blending thetwo similar crude streams which are already exported from thesame terminal on Das Island.

Oil output from Lower Zakum, which has an API gravity of 40.5degrees and a sulfur content of 1.04 percent, is around 350,000 bar-rels per day (bpd), while around 280,000 bpd of Umm Shaif crudehas a similar weight of 36.9 degrees and 1.44 percent sulfur.

A buyer of ADNOC crude said there has been a lot of market talkabout the two United Arab Emirates crudes being blended, but thatADNOC had not informed traders of the plans.

“We haven’t received anything officially from ADNOC. They alsohaven’t shared any plans about merging the grades so far with us,”the north Asian buyer said.

It is not clear how the Das Island blend crude would be priced.The UAE typically sells Lower Zakum at a premium to Umm Shaif,while the benchmark Murban crude is usually sold at a premium toboth. — Reuters

UBAI: Abu Dhabi’s Sorouh Real Estate rose yesterday in its lasttrading session before being delisted as part of its state-backed merger with Aldar Properties, while all regional mar-kets gained ahead of the weekend.

The tie-up, aimed at reviving the emirate’s battered realestate sector, creates the second-largest listed property firmin the United Arab Emirates and one of the biggest in theMiddle East with assets of about $13 billion.

“The merged company is attractive at this stage; the back-log of Abu Dhabi projects is strong,” said Ali Adou, portfoliomanager at The National Investor. “I’m bullish on the contract-ing, construction and cement sectors in the UAE so it’s a goodplay to be in over the next two years.” Sorouh shares rose 4.6percent to 2.72 dirhams ($0.74), while Aldar gained 2.9 per-cent to 2.14 dirhams per share.

Under the merger proposal, Sorouh shareholders will get1.288 Aldar shares for every share they own. Sorouh will bedissolved and delisted from the local bourse. The mergedentity’s shares will open on Sunday at 2.14 dirhams with atotal paid-up capital of 7.86 billion dirhams. Abu Dhabi’sbenchmark climbed 1 percent, heading into a sideways trendsince hitting a 56-month peak on June 13.

Dubai’s index added 0.4 percent, its second rise in the lastsix sessions, to take year-to-date gains to 37 percent.

Investors began booking profits on sharp early-year gainslate last week, tracking the move on global markets after theUS Federal Reserve said it would end its stimulus program. InKuwait, the measure ticked up 0.2 percent, but has lost 4.7percent this month in a bout of profit-taking after sharp early-year gains. The market is up 33.3 percent in 2013. The Kuwaitigovernment on Wednesday set a fresh date of July 27 for aparliamentary election, delaying by two days the sixth assem-bly contest in seven years in the politically volatile Gulf coun-try. “Many retail investors aren’t here - transactions and trad-ing value have shrunk,” said Fouad Darwish, head of broker-age at Global Investment House, pointing to selling ahead ofsummer vacations and the Muslim holy month of Ramadan,due to start around July 9, as well as due to political uncertain-ty. Qatar’s bourse added 0.4 percent, extending gains sincethe smooth transfer of power to the new ruler, Amir SheikhTamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

In Egypt, local investors bought blue-chips that have beenhammered in recent weeks but trading volumes were thindue to near-term political uncertainty.

The opposition has planned protests against PresidentMohamed Morsi on June 30 - the one-year anniversary of himtaking office. Two people were killed and 90 wounded instreet clashes on Wednesday between Morsi’s supporters andopponents. Investors are largely staying away from tradingbecause of renewed political tensions and foreign investorsthat were net buyers in this month’s sell-off have changedtheir stance and are reducing risk as Egypt’s outlook worsens.Orascom Construction Industries rose 0.8 percent, extendinggains after a buyout offer from Dutch-listed parent OCI NVreceived regulatory approval.

OCI shares closed at 240 pounds ($34.21), presenting fur-ther upside due to the tender offer price being 255 pounds-per-share. Cairo’s index rose 1 percent, its third straight gainsince Monday’s one-year trough. — Reuters

DUBAI: Qatar’s government yesterday raised itsforecast for real gross domestic product growth in2013 to 5.3 percent from 4.8 percent, citingchanges to its expected output of oil and gas.

The General Secretariat for DevelopmentPlanning predicted growth of 4.5 percent next year.In 2012, GDP rose 6.2 percent. Pipeline gas produc-tion will rise this year and unscheduled shutdowns,which limited energy output in 2012, are unlikely tobe repeated, the secretariat said in a report.

“In 2014, upstream oil and gas is expected tocontract as output from maturing oil fields tapersoff and gas production hits installed-capacity lim-its,” it said. The government’s fiscal surplus in Qatar,the world’s top exporter of liquefied natural gas, isexpected to drop to 4.7 percent of GDP in 2014from an upwardly revised 8.1 percent this year, thesecretariat said. In its previous report lastDecember, it had forecast a 2013 surplus of 5.4 per-cent. “The overall surplus is expected to narrow in2014 in the wake of the substantial increases incapital spending needed to keep Qatar’s capitalprojects on track,” it said.

Qatar plans to spend some $140 billion on infra-structure in the next decade, partly in preparationto host the 2022 World Cup soccer tournament.Inflation is expected to be 3.6 percent in both 2013and 2014, up from 1.8 percent last year, the secre-tariat predicted. “This forecast is consistent withsomewhat higher inflation in the second half of2013, but also anticipates that the acceleratinginflationary trend seen since the second quarter of2012 will peter out by end-2013,” it said. — Reuters

Abu Dhabi’s Sorouh up; most stocks rise

MIDEAST STOCK MARKETS

Qatar lifts GDP growth forecast to 5.3%

UAE’s ADNOC plans new Das crude blend


MADRID: Spain has lost its direct influ-ence in International Airlines Group inthe midst of its controversial restructur-ing, after nationalized lender Bankiasold its stake in the airline company for675 million euros ($877 million).

Bankia, bailed out to the tune of 24billion euros by the state last year, soldthe 12 percent stake on Thursday as partof a recovery plan agreed with the gov-ernment and the European Union.

International Airlines Group (IAG)was formed in 2011 by the merger ofBritish Airways and Spain’s Iberia. Lossesat the Spanish airline, however, have ledIAG to launch a restructuring at Iberiawhich includes thousands of lay-offsand sparked strike action earlier thisyear in a country where over a quarterof the workforce are jobless.

“A forced sale like this one tends tohave dangerous implications. The

(Spanish) government should be able tohave a say in its only national airline,which has a major role in the economy,”said Jose Maria Marin, a professor at thestate-run National University of DistanceEducation (UNED).

As a result of the stake sale, theSpanish government - through Bankia -will lose a seat on IAG’s board. However,certain safeguards for Iberia’s businessthat were put in place at the time of themerger - such as the routes it can fly -remain in place until 2016.

“Spain’s influence in IAG is reducing,”said Cantor Fitzgerald analyst RobinByde. “Iberia now accounts for around26 percent of IAG’s capacity ... maybethose who said the merger was more ofa BA takeover were right.” The buyers ofBankia’s stake are unknown, thoughfinancial sources told Reuters thatbookrunner Merrill Lynch had sold the

224 million shares to a wide range ofinvestors.

Bankia and IAG said in statementsonly that the shares had been placedwith “institutional investors”. Last yearIAG Chief Executive Willie Walsh saidthere was no strategic value in havingBankia as a shareholder and that thegroup was open to another airline tak-ing Bankia’s stake, though analystsdoubted a rival would step in.

There had been speculation QatarAirways may be interested in the stakebut both Walsh and Qatar Air CEO AkbarAl Bakar dismissed the possibility.

Iberia has become unprofitable in allmarkets, including long haul, and itsproblems are critical, IAG said last week.The Spanish airline reported an operat-ing loss of 202 million euros in the firstquarter.

Staff staged two five-day walkouts in

February and March but halted industri-al action after IAG reduced the numberof lay-offs at the Spanish flag carrier to3,141. Bankia’s stake in IAG was sold at256 pence per share, Bankia said, a 3percent discount to Wednesday’s clos-ing price, and bringing in a 167 millioneuro capital gain for the lender.

“There was a bit of fear about thesale because 12 percent of the compa-ny’s capital is quite a lot ... but the dis-count was pretty small,” said Renta 4analyst San Felix. IAG’s shares weredown 1 percent to 261.4 pence by 1303GMT, versus a 0.1 percent decline forEuropean travel stocks.

Bankia’s recovery plan following itsstate rescue last year targets 8 billioneuros from the sale of stakes in listedcompanies, which also include a 5.1 per-cent stake in utility Iberdrola and 20 per-cent of tech firm Indra. — Reuters

Spain loses influence in IAG as Bankia sells stake

DUBLIN: Ireland’s economy slid intorecession late last year and continued tocontract sharply in early 2013, new andrevised figures showed yesterday, justmonths before it is due to exit its EU/IMFbailout program.

Gross domestic product shrank 0.6percent in the first quarter of this yearfrom the previous three months, con-founding analysts’ expectations of 0.3percent growth - a shock reading thatshows the euro member is recoveringfrom financial crisis much more slowlythan previously thought.

Revised data also showed a quarterlycontraction of 0.2 percent in the fourthquarter of 2012, meaning Ireland’s econ-omy has shrunk for three successivequarters and is in its first recession since2009. “It clearly shows that we’re notimmune to what’s going on globally.Given these numbers you’d be hardpushed to have growth for the year as awhole,” said Alan McQuaid, economistat Merrion Stockbrokers.

Ireland has been one of the few eurozone countries to have eked out mildgrowth as the currency bloc’s debt crisishas unfolded, despite harsh spendingcuts and tax hikes imposed to help bringdown one of Europe’s highest budgetdeficits. Though Irish people have notprotested against austerity as angrily as

those in other indebted states such asGreece and Spain, many have enduredsalary cuts of up to a fifth and big tax ris-es. Unemployment has more thantripled, to 14 percent.

The second euro-zone country to berescued, in November 2010, it is due tocomplete its bailout later this year andhas made a limited return to bond mar-kets, although yields on its debt haverecently started to rise again. Analystssay the country has enough cash to cov-er most of its funding needs throughnext year, however, and should exit theaid deal on schedule, providing theEuropean Union with a badly-neededsuccess story for austerity.

The poor economic data rounds off abad week for Ireland, where publicanger is growing over leaked tapes ofbankers laughing about a governmentrescue of the financial system that led tothe bailout and years of austerity. Threeyears on, a split in society is becomingclearer - property is selling fast inupmarket areas of Dublin, while shells ofunfinished houses litter ghost estatesand suburbs around the country.Overall, house prices have fallen by half.

“Dublin is booming, but I go to myhome town and most of the shops areclosed down,” said human resourcesworker Lynn, who did not want to give

her second name. “It’s heartbreaking.Here it’s completely different. I can’t findproperties to rent for people who arerelocating.” Thursday’s data showed theeconomy grew by just 0.2 percent lastyear, rather than the 0.9 percent initiallythought, and an export-led recoverystalled in the second half of 2012, largelybecause of the slowdown in the rest ofthe euro-zone.

The Irish government is targetinggrowth to bounce back this year to 1.3percent and return towards the levelseen in 2011, when the economyexpanded by 2.2 percent - a figure thatwas revised upwards yesterday. But thatnow looks unrealistic after personal con-sumption fell 3.0 percent in the firstquarter, its sharpest drop in four years.Exports of goods and services had aneven steeper decline of 3.2 percent, themost since Ireland’s economic crisisbegan.

The prospect of easing up a little onausterity, which the government hasbeen considering given leeway offeredby a deal which eased the terms of debtrepayment, now looks trickier.

“It ’s very fragile and it probablymeans we have to be very careful aboutthe scale of adjustment in budget 2014,”said KBC Ireland economist AustinHughes. — Reuters

Ireland in recession as bailout exit approachesRevised data shows 3 quarters of shrinkage

BERLIN: A man looking at ads for job vacancies at theemployment centre “Agentur fuer Arbeit” yesterday inBerlin. German unemployment registered a surprising fallto 6.8 percent this month when the labor market inEurope’s biggest economy proved robust, official datashowed yesterday.—AFP

Merkel open to futureEU ‘solidarity fund’

BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel yesterday said shewould be open to a future euro-zone “solidarity fund” for cri-sis-hit nations, once the zone has agreed a unified financialand economic policy.

But she did not define how such a body would look, andstressed that Europe did not needs another fund but structur-al reform. In particular the European Union needed to investin education and research to stay globally competitive.

The first priority was for euro-zone countries to agree on“the content and substance” of joint financial and economicgovernance, which would have to be settled and thenapproved by national parliaments.

“Given such a context, I could imagine a solidarity mecha-nism, tightly linked to conditions, for example in the form of afund for the euro-zone,” Merkel told the German parliament.

However Merkel, who faces elections in September, wasquick to stress that Europe’s biggest economy does not wantto dole out money but make sure the entire bloc is economi-cally competitive. “I will say quite clearly: whenever Europespeaks of a solidarity mechanism, it is immediately increasedand broadened, and in the end no-one speaks about theparameters for competitiveness anymore, but only about anew source of funding-and this is something Germany won’tstand for.”

She said Berlin “insists that the problems in Europe and theeuro-zone are tackled at the root and solved step by step sothat the monetary union will finally become a stability union.“For that, in Europe, we need a solid financial policy, to boostgrowth through structural reforms, and more investment ineducation and research.”

Speaking hours before the start of an EU summit inBrussels, she also struck a hopeful note: “I am more convinced,more than ever, that if Europe learns from its mistakes andsticks to the path it has chosen, we will achieve our goals, astrong Europe ... stability and growth”. — AFP

Russia scales back privatization driveMOSCOW: Russia unveiled yesterday ascaled-down state assets privatizationdrive that is now valued at $50 billion (38billion euros) and keeps the Rosneft oilgiant under firm government control.

The new three-year plan through 2016emerged after the energy-export-drivencountry’s top economic officials wentthrough a list of all the big enterprises thatstill remain in state hands.

Economists said the scale of the projectis about half the size of the original plan.Privatization is emerging as a vital sourceof income for Russia because of its recent

economic underperformance, with manyfearing that the country may slip intorecession by the end of the year. But topministers and other officials have beenloath to part with industries over whichthey exercise control. One of the mostnotable revisions of the medium-term pro-gram was the decision not to see the gov-ernment’s control of the Rosneft behe-moth-Russia’s biggest oil company andthe largest listed energy firm in the world-fall to less than 50 percent. The firm isheaded by Igor Sechin-one of Russia’sbiggest powerbrokers and a close associ-

ate of President Vladimir Putin. PrimeMinister Dmitry Medvedev appeared totake an open swipe at Sechin for manag-ing to save his company from going most-ly private. “We should say this out in theopen,” news agencies quoted Medvedevas saying. The failure of past privatizationprograms “can be traced to the pro-ener-gy lobbying of specific government agen-cies and individual officials,” saidMedvedev. “These people are ready to killthemselves before they allow somethingto be sold off, seeing them lose control ofthe corresponding property.”— AFP


WASHINGTON: US consumer spend-ing rebounded in May and new appli-cations for unemployment benefitsfell last week, suggesting the econo-my remained on a moderate growthpath. The Commerce Department saidyesterday consumer spendingincreased 0.3 percent last month aftera revised 0.3 percent drop in April.Consumer spending in April was pre-viously reported to have declined 0.2percent. Last month’s spendingincrease was in line with economists’expectations. When adjusted for infla-tion, consumer spending rose 0.2 per-cent last month after dipping 0.1 per-cent in April.

In a separate report, the LaborDepartment said initial claims forunemployment benefits fell 9,000 to aseasonally adjusted 346,000. The four-week moving average for new claims,which irons out week-to-week volatili-ty, fell 2,750 to 345,750. US stockindex futures slightly added to earliergains after the data. US Treasuriesprices extended price gains and yieldsfell to session lows, while the dollarpared gains against the yen.

Recent data, including housing,regional factory activity, businessspending plans and consumer confi-dence, have pointed to an economythat is regaining some speed after

stumbling early in the second quarter.That is broadly supportive of the viewthe Federal Reserve expressed lastweek that the downside risks to theeconomy’s outlook have waned. FedChairman Ben Bernanke said the U.S.central bank could start scaling backon the pace of its monthly bond pur-chases this year. Consumer spendingaccounts for 70 percent of US eco-nomic activity. Though the pace of

spending has slowed from the 2.6 per-cent annual rate notched in the firstthree months of the year, consumerswill likely continue to drive growth inthe second quarter. The firminggrowth theme held as other details ofthe Commerce Department reportshowed income grew 0.5 percent lastmonth, the largest gain sinceFebruary, after nudging up 0.1 per-cent in April. —Reuters

US consumer spending rises, jobless claims fallIncome jumps 0.5%, saving rate up

MONTPELIER: A shopper looks over the clothes at the Vermont TradingCompany in Montpelier, Vermont. Consumers spent more in May as theirincome increased, encouraging signs after a slow start to the year, accord-ing to data released by the Commerce Department yesterday. —AP

LISBON: Two men wait at Santa Apolonia station dur-ing the general strike in Lisbon yesterday. Public trans-port crawled to a standstill in Portugal as unionsstaged their fourth general strike in two years againstgovernment austerity measures adopted in return foran international bailout. — AFP

LISBON: Portuguese unions halted public transport yester-day in a peaceful one-day strike against austerity measureswhich have led to the worst economic slump since the1970s and sent unemployment to record levels. Trains,metro services and many public offices shut down. Butrestaurants and shops opened as hard-up Portuguese whocould not afford to miss a day at work opted to go by car,clogging many entry points to Lisbon with traffic jams.

Strikes and protests over the tough terms of a 78-bil-lion-euro bailout by the European Union and IMF in 2011have been mostly peaceful in Potugal, unlike the unrest incountries such as Greece, or more recently Brazil andTurkey. The Portuguese are fed up with austerity and thesharpest tax rises in living memory this year but they aremore fearful of losing their jobs with unemployment atrecord levels near 18 percent and three years of recession.

“It’s simple - if I don’t work, I don’t eat. The governmentdisgusts me, the austerity is stifling us, but protestingwon’t feed my family,” said Augusto Nery, a 53-year-oldelectrician.

Unions hope the fourth general strike in two years willforce the government to boost economic growth and easethe belt-tightening. The government won an easing of toughbudget deficit goals from creditors in March and has said itcould request further flexibility if the economic outlook wors-ens. “What we have is an exceptionally large strike,” saidArmenio Carlos, head of the CGTP union. — Reuters

Anti-austerity strike hits Portuguese transport

DAK LAK: A group of hilltribe ethnic Ede farmerspreparing land to grow cassava in the CentralHighlands’ province of Dak Lak. All land in the commu-nist nation is owned by the state and usage rights arefrequently opaque, allowing corrupt local officials andwell-connected businessmen to seize land with impuni-ty, according to activists. —AFP

LONDON: Britain did not suffer a double-dip recession ear-ly last year as previously thought, but household livingstandards suffered their biggest drop in a generation at thestart of 2013.

The Office for National Statistics said yesterday that fol-lowing a major annual revision of historic economic data,figures now showed that output flat-lined in the first threemonths of 2012 rather than contracting. This meant Britaindid not suffer the two consecutive quarters of contractionwhich commonly define a recession - fillip for finance min-ister George Osborne, whose spending cuts since 2010 areblamed by political opponents for causing unnecessarilyslow economic growth.

LONDON: The public cost of the British monarchy roseby just under £1 million last year to £33.3 million ($51million, 39 million euros) but fell in real terms, palaceaccounts revealed yesterday. Diamond jubilee celebra-tions marking Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th year on thethrone made the 2012/13 financial year “challenging”,Buckingham Palace said. But it added that the Britishtaxpayer was paying £3 million less for the monarchythan five years ago once the figures were adjusted forinflation, due to falling travel costs and a rise in royalincomes. The 87-year-old monarch has been scalingback the gruelling travel schedule that has kept her jet-setting for six decades, and is increasingly handing overduties to younger royals. The queen’s official expendi-ture rose by £900,000 in 2012/13, when the grant wasset at £31 million including an extra million pounds topay for the diamond jubilee. An additional £2.3 millionwas drawn from reserves. —AFP

Britain’s double dip recession fears ease

British monarchy costs taxpayer £1m more

However, other figures from the ONS were almostunremittingly grim. Britons’ real disposable income fell by1.7 percent in the first three months of 2013, the biggestquarterly drop since 1987, driven down by an outright fallin wages and rising prices, causing households to reducetheir savings to the lowest share of income since early 2009.Britain’s current account deficit with the rest of the worldunexpectedly widened to 3.6 percent of gross domesticproduct and business investment slumped by 16.5 percenton the year, casting doubt on government hopes for aneconomic recovery driven by exports and capital spending.“Overall it does look as if UK economic history has beenrevised in a negative direction,” said Victoria Clarke, aneconomist at Investec.

“It certainly looks as if the UK is a step further away nowfrom ‘escape velocity’. We suspect that this, coupled withsome inflation projections in August, will be enough to tiltthe balance for the (Bank of England) to sanction more QE,”she said, referring to asset-buying quantitative easing.Further historic revisions now also show that the recessionbetween the second quarter of 2008 and the second quar-ter of 2009 inclusive was deeper than thought, leading to a7.2 percent fall in output, compared with previous estimatesof a 6.3 percent fall.

Britain’s slowest economic recovery on record since thenmeans that output is still 3.9 percent below its pre-reces-sion peak - compared with an earlier estimate of 2.6 per-cent below.

The one figure that was not revised was the estimate of0.3 percent quarterly growth in the first three months of2013, a figure that surprised many economists who hadbeen fearing a ‘triple-dip’ recession before it first came outin April. Other recent data and surveys have also pointed toa strengthening of growth in the second quarter, with theBank of England forecasting a 0.5 percent expansion.

However, the economy remains fragile and many econo-mists expect the central bank to restart its quantitative eas-ing asset purchases of provide other stimulus soon afterformer Canadian central bank chief takes Mark Carney takesover from governor Mervyn King on July 1. —Reuters

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O p i n i o nFRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013

By Taieb Mahjoub

Qatar’s young new emir is likely to stay the course onmost of his father’s policies while opting for a lessassertive approach on pressing diplomatic matters,

including the Syrian war, analysts said. In his first addressto the nation late on Wednesday, Sheikh Tamim binHamad al-Thani focused on what he called his govern-ment’s “top priority” of promoting development in the Gulfstate. He made no mention of the Syria conflict which haskilled more than 100,000 people and which was a core pol-icy of the past few years under the rule of his father, SheikhHamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani.

The outgoing emir had strongly backed rebels fightingthe regime of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, and hisprime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem Al-Thani took thelead among Arab states in the Libyan and Syrian uprisings.“Qatar will not change its policy. But it’s normal for a newteam to choose a new style in the exercising of power,”said Emirati analyst Abdulkhaleq Abdulla. “In the shortterm, domestic political imperatives will overwhelm for-eign diplomacy, as Sheikh Tamim’s government will be lis-tening to the people in its quest for popularity,” saidAbdulla.

As a result, he added, the important role played byQatar in Arab Spring countries, among them Syria, would“diminish in the absence of the two main pivots of Qataridiplomacy: the former emir and his prime minister,” thedriving force behind Qatar’s rise to global prominence.“Qatar’s experience will not be repeated elsewhere in theGulf,” said Abdulla, pointing out that Sheikh Hamad’s abdi-cation on Tuesday was “not politically convincing” as ittook place at a time when the gas-rich state was rocketingtowards the peak of its glory.

At the age of 33, Sheikh Tamim became the youngestGulf monarch. In his moderate 15-minute speech onWednesday, he said that “the change in the person of theemir, does not mean that the challenges and responsibili-ties have changed”. Qatar “has sided with the Arab peoplein their desire for freedom and dignity, and against corrup-tion and tyranny,” and it will remain “the Kaaba of theoppressed”, he said in reference to Islam’s holiest sitetowards which Muslims across the world pray.

“The emir will continue (with his father’s policy) but in adifferent style,” according to London-based analystAbdelwahab Badrkhan. “The lack of reference to Syria inthe sovereign’s speech does not mean a change in policy,although the emir may reconsider Qatar’s support to

Islamists” who came to power in Arab Spring countriessuch as Tunisia and Egypt.

For Ibrahim Sharqieh, deputy director of the BrookingsDoha Center, “Sheikh Tamim deliberately avoided men-tioning difficult matters, including the Syrian conflict, how-ever, he reiterated Qatar’s fixed policies Arab-wise, includ-ing its support for the Palestinian question.” “It’s normalthat he has focused on internal political matters during hisfirst address to Qataris, who had just pledged allegiance tohim,” said Sharqieh. “The line drawn by Sheikh Hamad binKhalifa’s policy will be maintained, but in a different style

after the departure of Hamad bin Jassem,” he said. KhaledAl-Attiyah, who was promoted to foreign minister in thenew government from minister of state for the same port-folio, “ran the major issues in the region for years”. “It willbe the same policy, but with less aggression,” saidSharqieh. “However, we will miss Hamad bin Jassem’sfrank, direct and sometimes inflammatory remarks,” hesaid, speculating that the former premier would “one dayemerge as a major player on the international arena, likeAlgeria’s Lakhdar Brahimi,” the international peace envoyto Syria. But in the meantime, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem,who heads the Qatar Investment Authority at a timewhen Qatar’s gas and oil wealth is generating billions ofdollars that are being invested in energy and infrastruc-ture projects, will continue to oversee the country’sinvestments and assets abroad, according to severalsources in Doha. — AFP

By Ben Sheppard

The United States, the government in Kabul andTaleban insurgents are all scrambling for advan-tage as the clock ticks down in the search for an

unlikely peace deal before foreign military interven-tion ends in Afghanistan. US troop numbers will halveto 34,000 within eight months. The British operate just13 bases in the hotbed province of Helmand, downfrom a peak of 137. Other NATO allies have alreadywithdrawn. But the Dec 2014 deadline to leaveincreasingly looks like a hostage to fortune as theTaleban ramp up attacks in Kabul and pose as thegovernment-in-exile at their new office in Qatar.

“The Americans need this negotiation, not theTaleban,” said Waheed Mujda, an analyst who workedas a foreign ministry official in the 1996-2001 Talebangovernment. “Without a peaceful settlement, the situ-ation will worsen. The Taleban will intensify attacks,more rural areas will fall under their control, and thehighways and main roads will become insecure. “Theythink that this way they will have the upper hand inany peace talks. As they often say ‘the Americans havethe watch, but we have the time’.”

US President Barack Obama was accused earlier inhis presidency of being slow to seek a political solu-tion to end the 12-year conflict, but concerns are ris-ing that a deal must now be bought at any cost. Whenthe Taleban opened their office in Qatar last week,raising their flag and using the name of the IslamicEmirate of Afghanistan, a furious President HamidKarzai broke off security talks with the Americans andthreatened to boycott any peace process altogether.

Bruce Riedel, director of the Brookings IntelligenceProject, said that the US failure to orchestrate asmooth opening of the office reinforced suspicionsabout Obama’s bottom-line. “The perception in theregion is that Washington is so desperate for a politi-cal process that it’s willing to sacrifice the interests ofits Afghan partner,” he said. “That’s a very dangerousperception now sitting out there.”It’s got to become aprocess in which Afghans talk to Afghans. And Karzaihas said he’s not going to talk. He wants negotiationswith a Taleban that reinvents itself as a political party.”

Pakistani author Ahmed Rashid, who has writtenextensively about Afghanistan and the Taleban, saidKarzai’s intransigence partly reflected wider Afghananger but accused him of being part of the problem.“He has always envisaged a kind of Taleban surrenderto him or a Pashtun meeting of tribes in which theTaleban would acknowledge Mr Karzai as their leaderand tie the traditional turban around his head,” Rashidwrote this week in The Financial Times. “Clearly, noneof this is going to happen. Why would the Talebansurrender when they had beaten the US military to astandstill or bow before the Afghan they mostdespise? Yet Mr Karzai refused to accept anythingless.”Only hours after the Qatar office opened, aTaleban rocket attack killed four Americans on thelargest military base in Afghanistan. Just days later, asuicide squad targeted the presidential palace and aCIA office, in the most audacious assault in Kabul inyears. “The insurgents’ primary mode of politicalexpression in the near future will remain fighting, notparty politics,” said a paper released on Wednesday bythe International Crisis Group think tank.

Amrullah Aman, a former Afghan general turnedpopular TV pundit, said that as 2014 gets closer, theTaleban are convinced that “their success is directlyproportional to American withdrawal”. “Their politicaloffice in Qatar has emboldened them to do moreoperations to put pressure on the government to givein to their demands,” he told AFP.

But others do not believe the Taleban hold all theaces, despite the fast-approaching US exit and a weakAfghan government that faces a tricky presidentialelection in April. —AFP

By Barry Parker

The stunning return to power ofKevin Rudd has thrown openupcoming Australian elections

the conservative opposition was solong tipped to win at a canter. Withthe resurrection of the 2007 generalelection victor, the Labor Party hopesto have given itself a fighting chancefor 2013, if the pundits are to bebelieved. Polls had consistently tippedRudd to increase Labor’s vote by up toa third or more if he returned to theleadership. And the first post-returnsurvey duly reported an immediateswing to the Labor Party.

Research firm Morgan Poll ques-tioned 2,530 Australians by SMS onWednesday night after Rudd defeatedPrime Minister Julia Gillard in a caucusballot for the party leadership. Theresult gave Labor 49.5 percent - up fivepercent on Morgan polling last week-

end. The Liberal-National Party coali-tion lost five percent to 50.5 percent.“If a federal election were held todaythe result would be too close to call,”Morgan predicted after months inwhich Labor feared an electoral wipe-out.

“Suddenly Abbott faces an oppo-nent far more popular than himself,”said the Sydney Morning Herald, refer-ring to opposition leader Tony Abbott.“The opposition leader’s assured runto election victory has been radicallydisrupted,” added the daily’s PeterHartcher. Rudd spoke directly to votersdeclaring that he had to come back,despite firm vows never to challengefor the leadership again, to haltAbbott’s “destructive” intent. “What lit-erally thousands of Australians havesaid to me over the last year or so isthat they are genuinely fearful of whatMr Abbott could do to them if he’selected with a massive majority,” said

Rudd. Abbott demanded yesterday inparliament that the Sept 14 electionbe brought forward to the earliest pos-sible date to let the people decide.“When will they get the chance todecide who is the prime minister ofthis country?” he asked. The oustedGillard, gracious in defeat, urged theLabor Party not to “lack the guts” towin the election. “I know that it can bedone ... That will best be done by usputting the divisions of the pastbehind us and uniting as a politicalparty,” she said.

Politics professor John Wanna toldAFP Labor badly wanted Rudd’s elec-tioneering talents and populism tostave off crushing defeat. “His messageis much better than Gillard’s, that’sbeen very clear,” said the AustralianNational University academic. “He is apopulist. “He is much better at cam-paigning. They are the skills they(Labor) are looking for. — AFP

Any Afghan deal will do?

Emir to change style, keep father’s policy

A Dec 24, 2012, file photo shows then Qatari CrownPrince Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani smiling as hearrives in the Bahraini capital of Manama to attend theannual Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit. — AFP

Rudd boomerang opens up polls

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A South Korean Taekwondo performerbreaks a wooden plate during an eventfor tourists in Seoul, South Korea,Wednesday, June 26, 2013. — AP

F o o dFRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013

Acold drink on a hot day is one of summer’s pleasures.Multiply your refreshment with some new drink ideas.A soda is just a beverage, but a homemade soda is car-

toon character reaction good. One sip and your eyes will popout of their sockets and your mouth will get “WOW” big. That’show good it is. Ripe cherries in the back yard inspired this ver-sion, but a soda made with blackberry, peach or strawberrysyrup will have you dreaming of putting summer’s fruits togood use. Fix and stash a batch or two in the freezer. The sug-ar content keeps the syrup from freezing hard, so it’s alwaysready to mix with seltzer.

If cooking syrup seems like a tad too much work, then turnit into a chiller by combining 1 cup seltzer with 3 tablespoonsfruit puree. For peach puree, “The Lee Bros. Charleston

Kitchen” (Clarkson Potter, $35) recommends combining 1pound ripe peaches, peeled and pitted, with 1\2 cup limejuice (three limes), 1 teaspoon sugar and } teaspoon salt. Pureethe ingredients in a blender. For each drink, pour 6 ounces (}cup) seltzer water over ice into a highball glass. Stir in 3 table-spoons peach puree and garnish with a peach slice.

A squirt of lemon in water is just the starting point forrefreshing the palate and quenching your thirst. Steeped andinfused water, with or without tea, offers even more choices.The tamarind water is a wake-up call to go outside your com-fort zone in reaching for a cold one. It’s tart and sweet and -most important - refreshing. Tamarind in pliable bricks can befound in Asian markets.

Herbs add another element when slaking your thirst. Steeprosemary, lemon verbena, basil, lavender or chamomile andchill and drink, or freeze in trays and add to drinks as icecubes. And don’t forget spices. Cinnamon sticks, a pinch ofsaffron and sweet fennel are more flavor options.

Finally, there’s no better way to end an evening than withan ice cold egg cream. This soda, consisting of chocolatesyrup, milk and seltzer, probably dates to the 19th century,according to “New York Sweets: A Sugarhound’s Guide to theBest Bakeries, Ice Cream Parlors, Candy Shops, and OtherEmporia of Delicious Delights,” by Susan Pear Meisel (RizzoliInternational, $29.95). “The modern versions contain neitheregg nor cream, although earlier versions did include eggs inthe ingredients,” according to the book. Whatever its origins,it sure hits the spot.

SOUR CHERRY SYRUPMakes 2 cupsIngredients:2 quarts fresh sour cherries, pitted

F o o dFRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013

2 cups sugarJuice of 1 lemonInstructions:In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine the

cherries, sugar and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Simmer for30 minutes. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer anddiscard the fruit solids. Store the syrup in an airtight containerin the refrigerator for up to seven days. Pour over ice cream orstir into milk.

Cherry soda: Fill tall glass with ice. Add 3 tablespoons syrupand add a few dashes citric acid solution or acid phosphate.Top with seltzer and mix gently.

Cherry cream soda: Fill a tall glass with ice. Add in 3 table-spoons syrup, pour in seltzer until the glass is almost full. Stir.Top with 3 tablespoons milk and serve.

Cherry lassi: Add 3 tablespoons yogurt to a pint glass. Stiruntil smooth. Add 3 tablespoons cherry syrup and stir untilsyrup and yogurt are incorporated. Fill three-quarters full withwater, stir and top with ice.

Bourbon and cherry chocolate: Add 1} ounces Maker’s Markbourbon, 1 tablespoon cherry syrup and dash of chocolatebitters to a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice. Shake and strainover fresh ice cubes or into a rocks glass, or serve neat in amartini glass.

Cherry ice cream soda: Fill a tall glass with ice. Add 3 table-spoons syrup. Add enough seltzer until the glass is two-thirdsfull, stirring briskly. Add 1 scoop vanilla ice cream, then topwith more seltzer, taking care that it doesn’t run over.

The syrup recipe and most of the serving suggestions arefrom “Make Your Own Soda: Syrup Recipes for All-NaturalPops, Floats, Cocktails and More,” by Anton Nocito (ClarksonPotter, $14.99).

TRADITIONAL CHOCOLATE EGG CREAMServes 1Ingredients:1 cup (3 ounces) whole milkAbout 1 cup (6 ounces) very cold seltzer3 tablespoons (1 ounce) chocolate syrupStraight pretzel rod for garnishInstructions:Pour the milk into a 12-ounce glass and add the seltzer.

Using a long spoon, stir vigorously for a few seconds. Gently

pour the chocolate syrup into the glass, then stir again, takingcare to stir mostly at the bottom of the glass to incorporate.Garnish with a straight pretzel rod.

This recipe is from “New York Sweets: A Sugarhound’sGuide to the Best Bakeries, Ice Cream Parlors, Candy Shops,and Other Emporia of Delicious Delights,” by Susan PearMeisel (Rizzoli International, $29.95).

INFUSED AND FLAVORED WATERSCool cucumber, pungent rosemary and tart tamarind.Ingredients/instructions:Cucumber water: 1 cucumber, peeled and seeded; juice of

1 lime; 5 cups water; sugar, to taste; 1 lime, sliced, for garnishIn the jar of a blender, blend the cucumber and lime juice

and then strain through a fine-mesh sieve for an hour. Add thejuice to the water, along with a little sugar to taste. Serve gar-nished with a lime slice.

Rosemary lemon iced tea: 1 bunch rosemary, well washed;zest of 2 lemons; juice of 2 lemons; 1 cup sugar; 5cups water

Put the rosemary, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar in aheatproof container. In a small saucepan, bring the water to aboil and then pour it over the rosemary. Stir and let infuse fortwo hours. Strain and serve cold.

Tamarind tea: 5 cups water; 1 cup tamarind paste; 1 cupsugar

In a small saucepan, bring the water to a simmer overmedium heat. Add the tamarind and sugar and stir for aboutfive minutes, then let soak for two hours. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and serve cold.

This recipe is from “Mediterranean Cooking,” by TheCulinary Institute of America and by Lynne Gigliotti(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $34.99).

LEMON AND MINT INFUSIONServes 1Ingredients:2 slices lemon and 2 sprigs fresh mintInstructions:For a refreshing start to the day, place the lemon and mint

into a heatproof glass and cover with boiling water. Allow tosteep for two minutes before drinking. This recipe is from“Share: The Cookbook That Celebrates Our CommonHumanity” — MCT

T r a v e lFRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013

ISTANBUL, TURKEYThe only city in the world to straddle two continents,

Turkey’s fabled city of Istanbul is the historic crossroadsbetween East and West, a city of minarets and palaces and theperfect choice for a refreshing city break. 2013 will be a land-mark year to visit Istanbul, marking the 90th anniversary ofthe founding of the Turkish Republic by Ataturk, with celebra-tions including the opening of the Marmaray tunnel under theBosphorus linking Europe and Asia and the Ataturk CulturalCentre in Taksim.

LISBON, PORTUGALThe good weather and long days are an irresistible invita-

tion to discover and experience the city with a relaxed andleisurely walk of its seven hills, taking breaks at the varioussightseeing spots along the way. The viewpoints of GraÁa,Senhora do Monte, Santa Luzia, Sao Jorge Castle or Sao Pedrode Alcantara are just some of the scenic spots of Lisboa, whereyou can admire the most beautiful panoramic views of thePortuguese capital, also known as “Cidade da Luz Branca”(City of White Light).

VIENNA, AUSTRIAVienna invites you to participate in comprehensive enjoy-

ment in 2013: the coffee house, Viennese cuisine stands forthe enjoyment culture of the city on the Danube. Vienna isalso globally known as a metropolis of art and culture. No few-er than three new cultural institutions are set to enrich the cityin 2013: the Chamber of Art and Wonders in theKunsthistorisches Museum shines with a new splendor, theMuTh - the new concert hall of the Vienna Boys’ Choir in theAugarten invites visitors to regular performances, and theStadtpalais Liechtenstein offers art of the Biedermeier andClassicism periods.

Euro trippin’: Top 10 destinations in Europe

20 selected towns competed for the prestigious title of Best European Destination 2013.Istanbul is elected the Best European Destination 2013 and won the title ahead of 19 bigEuropean cities.

Lisbon (with only 439 votes behind the winner), Vienna, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Madrid,Valletta, Nice, Milan and Stockholm are the next best destinations for a holiday or city-trip in2013.

Vienna

Istanbul

T r a v e lFRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013

BARCELONA, SPAINIn Barcelona, you don’t have to choose between going

shopping or sightseeing. Wherever you go, you’ll see thatshops are part of city life. And while you discover unforget-table sights, you’ll be welcomed by the window displays ofleading international brands, modern designer shops and tra-ditional shops that have been there since time immemorial.

AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDSIt’s likely you’ve seen a picture of Amsterdam’s winding

waterways. Perhaps you’ve heard it’s home to almost as manybikes as residents. Or maybe you’re aware of its tolerant andlaid-back atmosphere. But there’s more to Amsterdam thanmeets the eye.

MADRID, SPAINMadrid is one of the world’s liveliest, most entertaining and

vibrant cities during the day, but even more so at night. TheSpanish capital does not only offer art, shopping, nightlife andexcellent gastronomy but it also presents both visitors andlocals with all imaginable options for leisure. The Spanish cap-ital makes everyone feel right at home while providing themwith some of the world’s most interesting tourist attractions.

VALLETTA, MALTAEurope’s smallest capital it may be, but Valletta has the

vibrancy and diversity - not to mention the rich cultural andhistorical offering-of a city many times its diminutive size.Valletta’s most compelling charms come to you slowly, insnippets: during a lazy walk through its tangled sun-bleachedstreets, where you’ll catch a glimpse of the harbors throughsilhouettes of 16th-century homes.

NICE, FRANCEA seaside city in the centre of Europe, Nice has been enjoy-

ing, in recent years, a genuine economic, cultural, artistic andarchitectural revolution. Creative, dynamic, cosmopolitan,young, Nice is bubbling with innovative realizations worthy ofEurope’s greatest capitals. Innovation is everywhere. Nice ison the move, constantly growing and evolving, alwaysexcelling.

MILAN, ITALYMilan is the hub of Italian culture and media. While you

visit, let the atmosphere of Italy’s most modern and advancedcity seep in. You will be captured by the elegance and style;by the energy and the international flair. An incredible shop-ping experience for all tastes and pockets, in a place wheredesign and fashion have made their home.

STOCKHOLM, SWEDENStockholm is a ground breaking, welcoming and innova-

tive trendsetter. Fashion, technology, music, film, design andthe game industry thrive here like never before. It is a placewhere creativity grows, and where dreams and new ideas arerealized. But most of all - A city open for everyone!

— www.europeanbestdestinations.org

Madrid

Barcelona

Milan

Lisbon

32H e a l t hFRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013

Before you jump on that Stairmaster orstart pounding the pavement, makesure you have a cardio exercise plan

that will give you the most bang for yourmuscle burn.

Whether it’s pounding the pavement,logging miles on the bike, or climbing thosestairs that seem to go nowhere, it’s all aboutcardio exercise. But other than a sweaty t-shirt, what do you have to show for yourworkout? A slimmer stomach? Killer quads?Are you exercising for the right amount oftime to reap the full health benefits of car-diovascular fitness, or often enough?Exercise experts, including fitness mavenDenise Austin, answer cardio questions forWebMD, so you can make the most of yourmuscle burn.

Cardio exercise: The heart of the matter“Cardiovascular exercise is any type of

exercise that increases the work of the heartand lungs,” says Tommy Boone, PhD, afounding member of the American Societyof Exercise Physiologists. “Walking, jogging,and running are common forms of cardio-vascular, or aerobic, exercise.”

From running and walking, to swimming,elliptical cross-training, biking, Stairmaster,and rowing-to name a few-the physicalbenefits of cardio exercise abound, explainssays Len Kravitz, PhD, senior exercise physi-ologist for IDEA Health and FitnessAssociation. They include:

Reduced risk of heart diseaseImproved blood cholesterol and triglyc-

eride levelsImproved heart functionReduced risk of osteoporosisImproved muscle mass“The American College of Sports

Medicine and the CDC recommend, forhealth, that adults should accumulate 30minutes of moderate-intensity physicalactivity on most days of the week,” saysKravitz, who is also a coordinator of exercisescience at the University of New Mexico.“And to improve cardiovascular endurance,they recommend 20 to 60 minutes on threeto five days per week.”

Now that you know the benefits of car-dio exercise, where should your heart-pumping fitness plan begin?

Getting into the zoneTo help you make the most of your car-

dio exercise workout-help your heart,increase muscle, and lose fat-Denise Austin,fitness expert, author of seven books,including Shrink Your Female Fat Zones,and star of 50 fitness videos, gives WebMDsome tips.

“To reap all the benefits of a cardio work-out, you should sustain your workout for 20minutes or more-I do 30 minutes myself-ona schedule of about three to four times perweek,” says Austin. Not only that, but youneed to get in the zone, which calculatesinto burning calories and fat. “The best wayto find out if you are burning fat is to takeyour pulse halfway into your cardio workoutfor six seconds, then add a zero to thatnumber,” Austin tells WebMD. This numberis your heart rate per minute.Next, calculate your zone

“Take the number 220, then minus yourage, then calculate 70 percent of that num-ber for your target beats per minute,” says

Austin, and that’s your zone. “If your heartrate halfway through your workout is overthat 70% mark take it down a level, and ifunder, pick up the pace.”

Not a math wiz? There are easier ways tofigure it out.

“Another great way to find out your zoneis to get a pulse monitor, which takes themath out of it,” says Austin. “Or very simply,take the talk test: while you are doing aero-bics, talk a sentence. If you are too windedto finish the sentence, you are overdoing it,or if it’s too easy to say, kick it up a notch!”

Getting cut with cardio

If you’re looking for ripped abs andtoned arms, interval training will help getyou there-especially if you throw in someweights.

“I love interval training because it consis-tently jump-starts your metabolism,” saysAustin. “Let’s say you are walking-you couldpower-walk really fast for three minutes toget the burst of calorie burn, and then walkcalmly and slowly for one minute, whichoffers recovery? By switching back andforth, you push the muscle and let it relaxover and over and this gives you maximumresults.” You can do interval training on anytype of cardio exercise machine-alternatinga high intensity with a more moderate level.

Austin suggests doing weights during

your recovery time, such as bicep curls ortricep toners, to reap the benefits of bothcardio exercise and weight training, andalong with interval training, add dedicatedweight sessions to your regimen to burn fatand sculpt muscle at the same time.

“Do cardio four days a week for 30 min-utes, and add a weight-training workout atleast two times a week at 20-minute ses-sions,” says Austin. “Cardio will burn the fat,and it’s the weight training that gives youthe toned sculpted look that will have youbikini ready.”

Cardio’s best fat burner

So you want the bottom line: Which car-dio exercise will fat-bust the best?

“Running is the best option for calorieburning, in my opinion,” says NikiKimbrough, personal fitness expert withBally Total Fitness. “Whether it’s outside oron a treadmill, it’s the best exercise becauseyou’re burning calories and you’re strength-ening your legs and heart-it’ll get you niceand lean.”

Beginners should start with 20 minutes,explains Kimbrough, and work their way up.“It takes about 20 minutes for your body toget going, and then your body starts to kickit to another level,” says Kimbrough.“Ideally, you want to run for about 30 or 45minutes.” For those with bad knees,

Kimbrough recommends the ellipticalmachine as a good second choice.

In case running isn’t your game, Kravitztakes another track. “I really feel the mostimportant message is to chose a cardiomodality or modalities that you like,” saysKravitz. “Because in the final outcome, if aperson enjoys a mode of exercise, that iswhat all research shows they will choose.”

Splitting it upWhile it may not be the fastest way to a

body built for the beach, splitting up yourcardio exercise still has its benefits. “In orderto achieve the best results, and also in order

to maintain a healthy heart, it is best to notsplit up your cardio workouts,” says Austin.“You need the consistency of 20 minutes ormore of an elevated pulse to ensure greatresults. However, something is better thannothing.? If all the time you have is 10 min-utes or even five minutes, it is better thansitting still; you will still be garnished bene-fits and lose weight.”

— www.webmd.com

Kick it up with cardio exercise

L i f e s t y l eFRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013

Television talk show queen Oprah Winfrey wasnamed the most powerful celebrity in the world onWednesday as Forbes.com released its annual list of

the top movers and shakers in the entertainment indus-try. Winfrey, 59, who was ranked in the top spot despiteher signature daytime television show Oprah ending its25-year run in 2011, headed a 100-strong list which fea-tured six women in the top 10.

Forbes.com uses a complex methodology to come upwith its list, taking into account various factors includingearnings, the number of mentions each celebrity gets inprint and television and their Internet presence beforedeciding the rankings. The website also gives eachcelebrity a marketability score out of 100 developed by aCalifornia-based market research form. Winfrey made anestimated $77 million between June 2012 and June 2013,significantly less than other rivals on the list but came outon top after scoring well in areas such as press mentionsand social networking power, Forbes.com said.

In second place was eccentric pop star Lady Gaga, whoearned $80 million in the same period, while Hollywoodtitan Steven Spielberg was third. The legendary directorand producer earned a cool $100 million in the past year.The next three spots were occupied by women from themusic world, with Beyonce Knowles in fourth ($53 mil-lion), Madonna in fifth ($125 million) and Taylor Swift ($55million).

Rock band Bon Jovi took seventh with $79 millionwhile Swiss tennis ace Roger Federer was the only athleteto make the list as he came in eighth. Federer, sensation-ally dumped out of Wimbledon in the second round onWednesday, pocketed $71 million. Rounding out the top10 were singer Justin Bieber ($58 million) and televisioncomedienne Ellen DeGeneres ($56 million). — AFP

An employee of the Kunstverein Hannover art association poses next to the work ‘Into the Groove Vol II’ by German artistOliver Blomeier yesterday during a preview of the show ‘Vom Hier und Jetzt’ (About Here and Now) in Hanover, centralGermany. From June 29 to August 25, 2013, the exhibition will be presenting works from more than 40 regional artists.—AFP

Tempers flared and police had to be called yes-terday as anxious Singaporeans rushed toMcDonald’s outlets to buy Hello Kitty plush

toys being sold by the fastfood chain as a promotion.Hundreds had begun queueing from Wednesdaynight to get their hands on a kitten in a skeleton out-fit, depicting a character from the German fairy tale“The Singing Bone”. It was the last of a series of sixlimited-edition Hello Kitty characters dressed in dif-ferent outfits from popular fairy tales which werebeing sold by McDonald’s this month.

In some outlets, chaos broke out amid rampantqueue jumping as supplies of the toys ran out soonafter the stores opened for business yesterday. Onevideo uploaded on YouTube showed police officersmediating between two customers in front of aMcDonald’s counter. Another showed an irate manasking an agitated crowd “Is he Singaporean? Is heeducated?”, apparently in reference to someone whohad gotten a queue ticket ahead of others.—AFP

Director Joe Carnahan continues to assem-ble an impressive ensemble for hisaction-comedy “Stretch,” adding Ray

Liotta, David Hasselhoff and Shaun Toub. PatrickWilson stars in the Universal Pictures andBlumhouse Productions film as a down-on-his-luck limo driver named Stretch who discoveredhe only has one shift left to pay off a big debt toa bookie. When the chauffeur picks up a reclu-sive billionaire (Chris Pine) with some deviantappetites, Stretch vows to fulfill his everyrequest, no matter how weird, to score the bigtip that could settle his score.

As the night grows stranger and Stretch ispushed into some dangerous encounters, heworries that the freak in his back seat might justbe his final fare. Toub will play the no-nonsenseowner of the limo company that employsStretch, while Liotta and Hasselhoff are expect-

ed to cameo as themselves, according to anindividual familiar with the project.

Ed Helms and James Badge Dale co-staralongside Brooklyn Decker. Blumhouse’s JasonBlum will produce with Tracy Falco andCarnahan, while Leon Corcos and Nila Najandwill co-produce. Charles Layton will executiveproduce. Universal will release the low-budgetmovie in North America on March 21, 2014.Production begins June 30 in Los Angeles. Liottarecently starred in “The Place Beyond the Pines”and has several movies on the horizon includingthe Disney sequel “Muppets Most Wanted” and“Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” in 2014. He’srepped by UTA, Untitled Entertainment andattorneys Stewart Brookman and CraigJacobson.

Hasselhoff is best known for his heroic por-trayal of Mitch Buchannon on “Baywatch,”

which holds the Guinness World Record formost watched television series in history. He’scurrently in pre-production on the indie comedy“Killing Haselhoff,” which he’ll produce and starin. He’s repped by manager Eric Gardner ofPanacea Entertainment. Toub co-starred in “TheLast Airbender” as well as “Iron Man” and “IronMan 3.” He’s currently in production on theErnest Hemingway movie “Papa,” which reuniteshim with his “Crash” producer Bob Yari. Toub isrepped by Abrams Artists Agency.

Singapore gripped by Hello Kitty frenzy

This photograph made available by The Straits Times newspaper yes-terday shows people waiting in a queue to purchase a Hello Kitty toy ina skeleton outfit at a Mcdonalds restaurant in Singapore. — AFP


So this was the deal: For $50, you got to see Brad Pitt’s hotlyanticipated zombie thriller “World War Z” before all yourfriends. You also got 3D glasses to keep, popcorn and sodas,

a poster, the DVD when it comes out, and an intimate dinner withBrad. Just kidding! No dinner with Brad. But hundreds of fans didpay $50 for the other stuff last week in a small-scale marketingexperiment in five theaters - and the studio, Paramount Pictures,says it worked well. With all the recent talk about future movieticket prices climbing into the stratosphere, is it a harbinger ofthings to come?

Before you scoff, it’s worth noting that premium pricing hap-pens all the time: in Broadway theaters, where you could get sec-ond-row seats for Tom Hanks in “Lucky Guy” this week if you paid$300 a pop, or at concerts, where you could pay well over $1,000for, say, a Rolling Stones VIP package. At Yankee Stadium, a top-tier Legends seat can also top $1,000 per game, but season hold-ers can get perks like a free trip to spring training.

Still, the idea of $50 for a movie strikes a lot of fans the wrongway. “That’s my dinner,” noted a Philadelphia moviegoer,Cheyanne Farmer, 15. “That’s my allowance,” added Rahyaan Hall,her friend. “For a month.” In New York though, one fan did somequick calculating and saw a reasonable value. “With the DVD andall those other things you mention, it probably comes to morethan $50,” said Alex Leighton, 24, who’d just bought tickets to“World War Z.” “So you’re getting more than the movie.” That’sthe point that Paramount wants to make.

“This ended up being a headline that didn’t really representwhat the offer was,” says Megan Colligan, the studio’s presidentof domestic distribution and marketing. “These people steppedup and made their commitment to us, and we gave them a greatexperience.” That experience, which involved just one show eachat five theaters across the country, included not merely seeing thefilm two days early and the free stuff; the “mega-ticket” buyersalso got to bring friends along at regular price and they got a par-ty atmosphere, including a DJ and photo booths.

Colligan says that four of the theaters sold out - they averaged250 seats each - and one was 80 percent full. She wouldn’t getmore specific in terms of revenue, but said: “It was a fun, positiveexperience for everyone.”

The offer might have gone largely unnoticed, had it not beenfor its timing: The special showings came just a few days afterHollywood heavyweights Steven Spielberg and George Lucas,speaking at the University of Southern California, issued dire pre-dictions about the future of movie prices, with Lucas estimatingtickets could end up at “$50, maybe $100, maybe $150,” andSpielberg predicting differentiated pricing according to a film’sbudget - with the next “Iron Man” costing $25 perhaps, but thenext “Lincoln” costing $7.

How realistic were those projections? As for the Lucas esti-mates, there’s no way prices could reach that high, says TomAdams, analyst and director of US media for IHS Electronics &Media. “I just don’t see what we could add to the experience tomake it worth that much,” he says.

But differentiated pricing is much more realistic, he says.“When you think of it, it’s strange to have an industry where everyproduct costs the same, no matter how good or popular,” he says.“I think consumers are smart - they can figure out that ‘Avatar’costs a lot more to make than a romantic comedy. And we seewith 3D movies that price flexibility is possible, for a differentviewing experience.”

At Paramount, Colligan points out that her studio’s $50 experi-ment is not really about Lucas’ dire price projections, but aboutthe need to find new, creative ways to market the movie experi-ence, both in theaters and at home. “This is all part of wanting totake risks, to develop new strategies of how we do business,” shesays. “There’s going to be more experimenting to come. You can’tdo what you did 10 years ago and have the same results.”

The advantages of a “mega-ticket”-like scheme, if people gofor it, are clear for the studio (Paramount partnered with RegalEntertainment Group, the large movie-theater circuit). First, youget customers buying the DVD at the same time they see themovie, rather than buying it later and only if they really loved thefilm. Perhaps even more important, you help generate early buzz,with moviegoers spreading the news on social networks two daysbefore opening. It’s like having theaters full of critics ready to posttheir reviews - but here, the critics are fans, predisposed to lovingthe film.

The upside for fans? They get to see the film early - not a smallthing, depending on the fan and the movie. It may work evenbetter for installments of huge franchises, mused Leighton, theNew York movie fan, and his friend, Florian Baier, 22. “I wouldn’thave done it for this movie, but maybe for the next ‘Star Wars’film or maybe ‘Lord of the Rings,’” Leighton said. “I’d also bechecking the online reviews - I’d have to know the movie wasgood.” Added Baier: “I wouldn’t do it for the DVD. That is not adraw.” Leighton agreed: “There are easier ways to watch online. IfI even have the time.” Note to studios: Maybe you should thinkabout offering that dinner with Brad, after all. — AP

Channing Tatum has been enjoying a stellar rise to moviestardom over the last few years, and even if “WhiteHouse Down” isn’t the explosive hit he’s hoping for, his

career is showing no signs of flaming out any time toon. While“White House,” Roland Emmerich’s $150 million exercise inthe art of CGI destruction, is only on track to rake in around$30 million at the domestic box office this weekend, Tatumhas at least three other potential moneymakers in some levelof production.

The biggest of the three, at least in size and scope, is“Jupiter Ascending,” the next sci-fi spectacular from “Matrix”directors Lana and Andy Wachowski. Tatum stars oppositeMila Kunis in Warner Bros.’ summer 2014 release, which fol-lows a destitute woman (Kunis) targeted for assassination bythe Queen of the Universe because her very existence threat-ens to end the Queen’s reign over the cosmos. Tatum willexpand his action star power as a genetically engineered ex-military hunter who arrives on Earth to track Kunis down.

Although Tatum’s showbiz success has been steadilyincreasing since he made young women swoon as a troubledbreakdancing janitor in 2006’s “Step Up,” the 33 year oldproved his comedic chops in last year’s breakout comedy hit,“21 Jump Street,” which he also executive produced.Following a hilarious cameo in Seth Rogen and EvanGoldberg’s “This Is the End,” Tatum hopes comedy fans willonce again flock to see him go undercover alongside JonahHill in “22 Jump Street” - another project that should assureTatum has a strong summer showing next year.

And just as Tatum proved his worth as a funny person,“Foxcatcher” - a wrestling drama based on a tragic true story -should elevate his thespian status in the eyes of the most seri-ous filmmakers. Tatum stars in “Moneyball” director BennetMiller’s next film as Olympic Wrestling Champion MarkSchultz, whose brother, Olympic Champion Dave Schultz(Mark Ruffalo), is killed by paranoid schizophrenic JohnduPont (Steve Carell). Columbia Pictures is releasing theAnnapurna Pictures production on Oct. 15.

Tatum is also busy building his producing credits, whichbegan with the 2010 documentary “Earth Made of Glass,” fol-lowed by the 2011 ensemble high school reunion flick, “10Years.” Tatum’s company, 33andOut Productions, is develop-ing Peter Pan origin adventure, “Neverland,” which GavinO’Connor (“Warrior”) will direct for for Sony Pictures.

Most recently, Tatum has set his ambitions toward makingit on the small screen, too. He is attached to executive pro-duce a television pilot written by actor Nick Zano. Still unti-tled, the project is in very early stages of development atWarner Bros. Television. The half-hour, multi-camera comedyis based on Zano’s own experience being raised in a multi-generational house of seven women in New Jersey.

Still want more Tatum? Cross your fingers 20th Century Foxcan close a deal with him to appear alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the theatrical adaptation of classic musical, “Guys andDolls.” So with a bevy of projects on the heels of release,entering production, or graduating from development, the“Magic Mike” star’s future appears to be brighter than a strobelight flashing in a Florida strip club. — Reuters

This publicity image released by Paramount Pictures shows a scene from ‘World War Z.’ — AP

Actor Channing Tatum attends the ‘White House Down’premiere at the Ziegfeld Theatre on Tuesday. — AP


An exhausted Michael Jackson warned that tourpromoters AEG Live were going to “kill” him ashe rehearsed for a marathon concert tour

shortly before his death, his son Prince testifiedWednesday. The 16-year-old also recounted the har-rowing scenes on the day Jackson died in 2009,recalling how his younger sister Paris was “scream-ing” as doctor Conrad Murray was trying to revive herfather. “He just wished he had more time forrehearsals,” he told the wrongful death trial, in whichthe Jackson family accuses AEG Live of negligentlyhiring Murray to care for the star for his doomed “ThisIs It” shows.

Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaugh-ter in 2011 for having given Jackson an overdose ofthe anesthetic propofol, to help him cope withchronic insomnia as he rehearsed for the series of 50planned London shows. Previous testimony at themanslaughter trial, and at the current civil case, hasheard details of how the self-styled King of Pop’sstate of health deteriorated rapidly in the monthsbefore his death. On Wednesday-a day after thefourth anniversary of Jackson’s death-his son Princesaid the singer was upset on the phone “a lot oftime,” most of the time with AEG Live chief RandyPhillips.

“He would cry sometimes. He said: ‘They’re gonnakill me, they’re gonna kill me.’” Asked who he wastalking about, he said: “People in AEG, RandyPhillips.” The teenager was dressed in a dark suit andtie, with long hair brushed behind his ears. Heappeared reasonably relaxed, smiling as some videosand photos of the family were shown in court. The16-year-old, the highest-profile witness to testifysince the civil trial started in late April, recalled June25, 2009, the day his father died at his rented HolmbyHills mansion outside Los Angeles. “I was downstairs

in the sitting room. I heard screaming upstairs. I sawDr Conrad, (personal chef) Kai (Chase) looked nerv-ous and said ‘Dr

Murray wants you upstairs.’“I ran upstairs and I saw Dr Murray doing CPR on

my dad. Dr Murray was screaming while doing CPR.Then my sister came upstairs. She was screaming allthe time saying she wants her dad,” he added.Appearing to fight back tears, he recalled how thechildren followed the ambulance which took Jacksonto hospital, in a separate car. “My dad always told usthat angels were looking after him. At the hospital,“Dr Murray said ‘Sorry kids, dad is dead. We justcried,” he told the jury.

Jackson’s lawyers have called a series of AEG exec-utives-including Phillips-and experts as witnessesover the last two months, and are expected to handover to the AEG defense in the near future. His son’spowerful testimony was likely an attempt to make apersonal appeal to the 12-person jury before mainJackson family lawyer Brian Panish closes their side ofthe case. During the testimony Wednesday, Panishshowed a lot of pictures of the children, including avideo shot at Christmas in which they are asked whatthey want to do when they are grown up.

In one clip Blanket-now 11 years old-says “I don’tknow,” and Paris talks about gymnastics and “helpingthe poor.” Prince told the court he wants to studyfilm and business or mechanical science and businessat the University of Southern California (USC). Of hisfather, he said: “He wanted to know what we werelearning, how we were doing at school and how wewould use that to better the world. He always saidyou have to be creative and think with the right sideof your brain.” Jackson’s 15-year-old daughter Pariswas also originally listed among witnesses due to be

called. But it is now thought unlikely she will testify,after she was hospitalized earlier this month follow-ing a suicide attempt. Her elder brother was askedabout his sister at Wednesday’s hearing. “She was mydad’s princess,” he recalled. — AFP

File photo shows from left,Prince Jackson, Prince

Michael II ‘Blanket’ Jacksonand Paris Jackson arrive on

stage at the MichaelForever the Tribute

Concert, at the MillenniumStadium in Cardiff,

Wales.—AFP

Lionsgate will bring exclusive video of “The HungerGames: Catching Fire” and “I, Frankenstein” toComic-Con, the studio announced on Wednesday.

Lionsgate is the first film studio to reveal its plans for thefan confab in July; its panel will take place Saturday July20.

Lionsgate’s decision to bring “The Hunger Games” is ano-brainer. The first film was one of the most successfulfilms in recent years, catering to the often underservedbut equally rabid female fans who swarm the San DiegoConvention Center every summer. Fans crave newfootage and stars at each panel, and they’ll get the newfootage. Lionsgate said it would provide an exclusive

trailer and never-before-seen footage from “I,Frankenstein,” which stars Aaron Eckhart in an adapta-tion of Kevin Gevioux’s graphic novel.

Yet it remains unclear whether “Hunger Games” starJennifer Lawrence wil l be in attendance, asWednesday’s announcement merely said “talent fromboth films will be in attendance.” A spokesperson forLionsgate had no comment when TheWrap inquired,and Lawrence’s publicist said it had yet to be deter-mined as she is currently filming the latest X-Menmovie, “Days of Future Past.”— Reuters

Festival goers look out from a viewing tower on the first day of the Glastonbury Festival of ContemporaryPerforming Arts near Glastonbury, southwest England yesterday. The festival attracts 170,000 party-goers to the dairy farm in Somerset, and this year’s tickets sold out within two hours of going on sale. TheRolling Stones will perform at the festival for the first time, headlining tomorrow night. — AFP


Belgian designer Raf Simons on Wednesdaygot Paris fashion week off to an unconven-tional start, bussing hundreds of people out

to the distinctly less than fashionable Paris suburbof Le Bourget. But the designer, who as well as hishaving his own label is also artistic director atChristian Dior, made up for the hour-long trek onthe Paris ring road and A1 motorway with a highlyexperimental collection with some pieces creatingthe impression the models were wearingminidresses.

In one look, a bare legged male model sportedwhat appeared to the uninitiated to be a short-sleeved button-up black minidress teamed withblack shoes and calf length socks. Fashion websitefashion.com, however, praised the outfit as“unquestionably the drop crotch short-short onesieof the season”. Other ensembles had a similarlyfeminine feel including black shorts that lookedlike a miniskirt worn with a black and white stripedbelt and long-sleeved pink shirt.

Motifs were embroidered with sequins andtunic tops came in pink and purple stripes.Unusually, the event was held outside Paris at USart mogul Larry Gagosian’s cavernous art venue,northeast of the city. Opened in 2012, it is the firstmajor gallery to be set up inside airport grounds,aiming to showcase works too big to be accommo-dated by inner city Paris or London locations.Simons’ label said the Gagosian Gallery was chosenso the collection could be unveiled alongside thework of artists he “intensely relates to”, adding thatit would continue his “ongoing exploration of ayoung man in the city”.

Earlier, on the first of five days of menswear col-lections, young designers Julien David andGuillaume Henry gave the fashion world a taste ofwhat’s in store for spring/summer 2014, from sockswith sandals to bow ties with boiler suits. Tokyo-based Frenchman David presented a reggae-inspired mix of casual and formal. Long “stadium”and military-style jackets were worn over shorts,again creating a skirt-like look, while flamboyantneckwear was teamed with one-piece suits.

Models present creationsby Raf Simons during the

men’s spring/summer 2014ready-to-wear fashion

show. — AP/AFP photos


Elsewhere shirts and t-shirts were emblazoned with tropi-cal motifs or the words “madness”, “peace” and “war” andcombined with low rise, jacquard or chino trousers. At Carven,creative director Henry, who like David is in his mid-thirties,opted for short cut jackets and cropped trousers in dustygreen, mustard, orange or grey, with models sporting floppyhats and an androgynous look. It was the French designer’sfootwear, however, that stood out-strappy blue and beigeleather sandals worn with socks. One Twitter user comment-ed: “Anyone else feeling conflicted about the sandals andsocks styling?”

The men’s collections wind up on Sunday with SaintLaurent designer and champion of the pencil-thin skinny suitHedi Slimane’s second menswear collection for the label fol-lowing a grunge dominated debut. The intense interest in theFrench designer’s work comes as men’s collections becomeever more important commercially. Indeed, until last year,menswear at London fashion week was restricted to a singleday at the end. It has now been allocated four.

Then, on Monday, the highlight of the season — ChristianLacroix’s return to Paris fashion for the first time in four years-will mark the start of four days of autumn/winter 2013/2014haute couture. The darling of 1990s fashion editors will pres-ent 18 pieces paying tribute to Elsa Schiaparelli, the Italiandesigner who died in 1973 and who was famed for her collab-orations with Salvador Dali and Jean Cocteau.

The label, which closed in 1954 after failing to adapt topost-war austerity, was officially reopened in July 2012 havingbeen purchased in 2006 by Diego Della Valle, head of theItalian leather goods company Tod’s. Lacroix lost his fashionhouse in December 2009 when a Paris bankruptcy courtapproved a plan to end production of the classic label’s hautecouture and ready-to-wear lines. The house had run up lossesof 10 million euros (about 15 million dollars) in 2008 afterbeing hit by the sharp downturn of the luxury market. — AFP

Models present creations by Rick Owens during the men’s spring/summer 2014 ready-to-wear fashion show.


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P e t sFRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013

Aboy at the Compass Center proudlyshowed a Summit County, Ohio, judgethe eggplants he was tending in the

center’s garden. He was learning how to growthe vegetables - even though he didn’t knowwhat to do with them, said Juvenile JudgeLinda Teodosio, who had sentenced the boyto an Ohio Department of Youth Servicesdetention center. “He didn’t know muchabout eggplant, so I made the boys a tray ofeggplant parmigiana. I think the ability toconnect with caring adults is always a benefitfor youth,” Teodosio said of the faith-basedcenter more commonly known as the “don-key farm.”

The farm, where young felons learn to trustthose in authority by working with live ani-mals, is the centerpiece of the True NorthMinistries program. The nonprofit ministryoffers young felons from all of Ohio’s 88 coun-ties an opportunity to learn new skills throughoutreach programs, vocational training andmentoring.

The donkeys, bees and chickens the boysand young men care for are merely conduitsfor learning how to trust, True NorthExecutive Director Becky Retzer said. Some ofthe ministry’s 45 mentors, through their faithin God, are teaching youths to do jobsrequired on a working farm - skills they canuse in the future, she said, but the lessons gomuch deeper.

“It’s more than about saving them. It’smore about building relationships,” Retzersaid. “I want the kids to find their faith and tofind God, but I also want them - whether theyget to that point or not - to look at themselvesas to who they can be and not what they’vedone.” It’s one of the reasons volunteers useonly first names when addressing the boysand don’t ask about the crimes they havecommitted.

For a young felon to be eligible for the pro-gram, a detention center official must deemhim ready for off-ground privileges, which isachieved by exhibiting a certain level of good

behavior. In Summit County, Teodosio thendecides which young felons would benefitfrom signing on to work at the farm.

“Most of the kids that participate in theprogram have done well at the Department ofYouth Services and are able to attend as apositive incentive,” said Teodosio, who saidshe views the program as a privilege to be

earned. Retzer, who formerly worked withyouth offenders at the Summit CountyJuvenile Detention Center, established theministry in 2002 and leased the property forthe Compass Center on Boettler Road inGreen in 2007.

The program has 200 volunteers who workwith incarcerated young people throughout

the state and makesmore than 2,500contacts each yearthrough mentoring,outreach programsand the donkeyfarm. Youths canparticipate in theprogram one tothree days a weekup to three months,Retzer said.

The ages of par-ticipants range fromabout 17 to 21years, said ShayneRowlands, parolesupervisor with theOhio Department ofYouth Services. “Thevolunteers at thefarm work on self-esteem and careerreadiness. Theyhave employedthree of our kids aslandscapers whoare on parole. Theyare able, besidespaying them, to alsomentor them aswell,” he said.

Grants fromfoundations anddonations fromlocal businesses and

more than 60 church-

es finance the program. On a recent day, ayoung man from Cuyahoga Hills JuvenileCorrectional Facility in Warrensville Heightscollected five freshly laid eggs from the farm’schicken coop - a daunting task for someonewho had never before been close to a livechicken.

After gathering the eggs in a basket, heupdated the figure - the number of eggs col-lected from the farm’s eight hens in a year’stime - on a chalkboard hanging on the coopto 890. Nine miniature jennies (female don-keys) were roaming in the pasture unawarethat Rusty, the only jack in the pack, was in aseparate pen recuperating from surgery thatwould prevent him from making any more lit-tle donkeys.

Rusty has earned a reputation of sorts. Forthe past seven years, each young man thatshovels manure or grooms or feeds the smallburros leaves with a T-shirt that reads: “I sur-vived a day with Rusty.” Property managerDave Duffey is in charge of maintenance atthe 15-acre farm, handing out assignmentsand teaching the young men how to do thework. He said the youths aren’t the only peo-ple benefitting from the program.

“Not only does it help the kids, it helps me.I’ve learned that God can give you strengthand help you learn to be more patient. Itenables me to understand and help them,” hesaid as he worked alongside his charges lastmonth. Antonio Boalden, a general activitytherapist from Warrensville Heights whoaccompanied five youths, some from as faraway as Cincinnati and Columbus, said theexperience teaches the boys there are peoplewho care about them. “The program has avery positive effect on these kids. Most ofthem think people don’t care. But they learnthrough mentoring and faith in God that peo-ple they never before met in their lives reallydo care,” Boalden said. — MCT

‘Donkey farm’ helps adults mentor young offenders

Donkeys roam in a pasture at True North Ministries in Green, Ohio. — MCT photos

A Project Achieve participant (left) feeds Joanie, a 22-year-old miniature donkey, a carrot.

S t a r sFRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013

Afghanistan 0093Albania 00355Algeria 00213Andorra 00376Angola 00244Anguilla 001264Antiga 001268Argentina 0054Armenia 00374Australia 0061Austria 0043Bahamas 001242Bahrain 00973Bangladesh 00880Barbados 001246Belarus 00375Belgium 0032Belize 00501Benin 00229Bermuda 001441Bhutan 00975Bolivia 00591Bosnia 00387Botswana 00267Brazil 0055Brunei 00673Bulgaria 00359Burkina 00226Burundi 00257Cambodia 00855Cameroon 00237Canada 001Cape Verde 00238Cayman Islands 001345Central African Republic 00236Chad 00235Chile 0056China 0086Colombia 0057Comoros 00269Congo 00242Cook Islands 00682Costa Rica 00506Croatia 00385Cuba 0053Cyprus 00357Cyprus (Northern) 0090392Czech Republic 00420Denmark 0045Diego Garcia 00246Djibouti 00253Dominica 001767Dominican Republic 001809Ecuador 00593Egypt 0020El Salvador 00503England (UK) 0044Equatorial Guinea 00240Eritrea 00291Estonia 00372Ethiopia 00251Falkland Islands 00500Faroe Islands 00298Fiji 00679Finland 00358France 0033French Guiana 00594French Polynesia 00689Gabon 00241Gambia 00220Georgia 00995Germany 0049Ghana 00233Gibraltar 00350Greece 0030Greenland 00299Grenada 001473Guadeloupe 00590Guam 001671Guatemala 00502Guinea 00224Guyana 00592Haiti 00509Holland (Netherlands)0031Honduras 00504Hong Kong 00852Hungary 0036Ibiza (Spain) 0034Iceland 00354India 0091Indian Ocean 00873Indonesia 0062Iran 0098Iraq 00964Ireland 00353Italy 0039Ivory Coast 00225Jamaica 001876Japan 0081Jordan 00962Kazakhstan 007Kenya 00254Kiribati 00686

Kuwait 00965Kyrgyzstan 00996Laos 00856Latvia 00371Lebanon 00961Liberia 00231Libya 00218Lithuania 00370Luxembourg 00352Macau 00853Macedonia 00389Madagascar 00261Majorca 0034Malawi 00265Malaysia 0060Maldives 00960Mali 00223Malta 00356Marshall Islands 00692Martinique 00596Mauritania 00222Mauritius 00230Mayotte 00269Mexico 0052Micronesia 00691Moldova 00373Monaco 00377Mongolia 00976Montserrat 001664Morocco 00212Mozambique 00258Myanmar (Burma) 0095Namibia 00264Nepal 00977Netherlands (Holland)0031Netherlands Antilles 00599New Caledonia 00687New Zealand 0064Nicaragua 00505Nigar 00227Nigeria 00234Niue 00683Norfolk Island 00672Northern Ireland (UK)0044North Korea 00850Norway 0047Oman 00968Pakistan 0092Palau 00680Panama 00507Papua New Guinea 00675Paraguay 00595Peru 0051Philippines 0063Poland 0048Portugal 00351Puerto Rico 001787Qatar 00974Romania 0040Russian Federation 007Rwanda 00250Saint Helena 00290Saint Kitts 001869Saint Lucia 001758Saint Pierre 00508Saint Vincent 001784Samoa US 00684Samoa West 00685San Marino 00378Sao Tone 00239Saudi Arabia 00966Scotland (UK) 0044Senegal 00221Seychelles 00284Sierra Leone 00232Singapore 0065Slovakia 00421Slovenia 00386Solomon Islands 00677Somalia 00252South Africa 0027South Korea 0082Spain 0034Sri Lanka 0094Sudan 00249Suriname 00597Swaziland 00268Sweden 0046Switzerland 0041Syria 00963Taiwan 00886Tanzania 00255Thailand 0066Toga 00228Tonga 00676Tokelau 00690Trinidad 001868Tunisia 00216Turkey 0090Tuvalu 00688Uganda 00256Ukraine 00380United Arab Emirates00976

You take an attitude of gratitude today as youmove forward with your career plans--loved ones support your ideas.Your system of values may deepen, providing you with a better sense ofdiscrimination and good taste. You will begin to make good choices inthe area of investments now. There is a lot of mental energy to completeyour plans but there must be a balance maintained so you are not toostressed. At home you get down to the business of cleaning up your act,taking care of loose ends and attending to any details you may haveneglected up to now. Health, food and physical condition come underscrutiny and you work to care for these matters. Perhaps you willencourage loved ones to join you in some new and fun daily exercise

Aries (March 21-April 19)

There could be some restrictions on your activities at worktoday--you may find yourself pacing the floor much of the morning.Inactivity can be just as stressful as too much activity. Repairing machin-ery or perhaps taking inventory would be beneficial. Perhaps you couldfind ways in which you can be of help to someone. This will speed thingsalong and then you will find a busy afternoon. Your ambitions areadmirable but sometimes one has to take small steps before a leap for-ward can be beneficial. Things are beginning to look better in the finan-cial realm and this would be a good time to seek financial advice oninvestments. Honest, frank and to the point, you hate routines and lovethe outdoors, travel and sports. It is time to consider a vacation.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Your outward seriousness and no-nonsense approach tothings are obvious to all. This deliberate sense of responsibility comesacross and is central to your personality and the way you relate to otherpeople. Everything is run through your checkpoint to see if it holds upand can pass the test. You can be a stickler with details today. Today, cir-cumstances occur that create the urge for you to be more driven thanusual and it may be a time element. You gather your strength and moveforward and others pile in beside you to help you complete whatevertask is before you. After work there is time for each of you to receive a lit-tle pat on the back from each other. A dinner to take home would bebest this evening. Perhaps a nice long shower as well.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

When it comes to your work or home, your conservativevalues clash with whatever is unconventional and different. You may notcare for the furniture or appliance someone has chosen. You do not valuenovelty and do your best to ignore changes. Ignoring the changes maybe best for now and within your own space you might be able to create acolor splash with a few flowers from your own garden. Perhaps a child'sdrawing or a fun calendar would help. There are regular infusions ofchange, which you may find disturbing. Occasionally, you surprise otherswith your positive response. You may find yourself pursuing very differ-ent methods of responding to others. There are breakthroughs in rela-tionships and the social life in general.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Others may find you especially witty and eccentric at thistime. Much of your personal life hinges on pursuing your own growthand success. Your sense of favoritism and the ability to recognize a shift isa crucial element in your personality. Today you may find yourself incharge of people that you like very much and you do not care to beaggressive with them. Therefore, this talent to sense a shift will save youmany upsets. This can be a creative time as you observe others and seewhere requests are important to write down and report back to thesupervisors or department head. Tonight you can enjoy a relaxedevening and if you are dating, perhaps a romantic time. If you have amate, you may find that he or she is contemplating your wishes.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

You are a cheer leader for whoever needs support, alwaysmoving into the important facts of importance. It is amazing that you candraw the best out of people of all ages. Your energies run effectivelytoward making yourself felt in the world of matter. An artistic presenta-tion or mathematical work sheet is something with which you havespent much time. You can be an action person if you want to be. Yougain attention and will encourage others to become motivated in posi-tive ways. Some circumstances of your life suggest extroversion. You mayfind it more convenient to neglect your mental, conceptual and organi-zational abilities as social opportunities arise. People value your ideas andguidance. You are a good mentor.

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

You are a very feeling person and can sense the drift of asituation without a lot of study or wasted time. This immediate hands-onapproach might be contrasted with one that is more deliberate. Youcould be left with a bit of an inferiority complex when it comes to mattersof education, philosophy and conceptual ability. In a word, you reverethis kind of stuff, not because it is natural to you, but rather because itmay not come easily. You have to work for it--but then--you are to becongratulated for aiming high and continuing to stretch and learn. Donot be afraid to promote your own abilities. Feel good about yourself.This evening is a great time to continue in your self-improvement activi-ties, which may mean new clothes or reading a book.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

Try not to worry so much--your abilities are much moreaccurate than you realize. Your general sense of concern for everythingmakes you valuable when anything needs doing but, if left unoccupied,you have been known to worry needlessly. Given only a few facts, youare able to take in a situation and come up with a real picture of what ishappening. Today your checklist is much too long and it may take thehelp of two or three other people to knock the list down. With permis-sion, a group of you will be able to accomplish quite a lot and the higher-ups are quite pleased. This could mean a display needed to be moved ora project initiated. So, be realistic and use your worry energy productive-ly. Take a walk this evening and enjoy the out-of-doors.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

You have an instinctive urge to save, salvage and conserve.You could and probably will teach others the secret of your success--whatever that might be. You always want to help, to be of service, and tobe fully useful. You hate waste and are very thorough and precise. Forthe most part, you are accepting. There is a need to be the center ofattention this afternoon when you discover an investment you made wasa good choice. Careful--you could defeat your purpose. Emotionally, youare also hot stuff, rushing into areas and handling subject matters thatothers would never come near. Vulnerable issues, sensitive areas of theself and psychology are the first places you head. This amounts to a pas-sion with you. You have ideas that will help others.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

The support you need is within your reach. This is a goodtime to solve problems and make important decisions. You will find away around almost any obstacle and are in control and able to guideyourself with ease. Your sense of inner direction is good and should leadto many opportunities. You model the type of employee that you wantto be and that you want to work with. You may find that soon you will bein charge of many employees. The higher-ups trust you to join them inleading others in extraordinary ways. This may take a while or it will hap-pen quickly; just keep being the best you can be and you will go far inyour business. Everything brings out your unique and unusual qualities.A new book or music can be enjoyed this evening.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

There may be confusion today over a professional or careerdecision. You do not like making career decisions any more than the restof us--this time you might consider some professional advice. Otherwise,the question at hand could become somewhat more complex. Makingyour mark on the world has special significance for you. Achievement,ambition and authority take on a greater importance. Organizing andadministering people and projects will become central to your lifestyle.This may mean a more prestigious or powerful job or it could mean younow have your own business. The cycle that begins for you now will bemarked by a more intense focus on mental and communicative activitythan you may ever have experienced before.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

You will tend to enjoy socializing at work today. You canalways put your ideas into words and describe or analyze situations foryourself and others. Your theories may be fine, but you may lack thepatience to let things ripen. Write down your ideas and present them toan administrator instead of talking about them to co-workers. You willget credit for your own ideas and the people in control of business pro-duction will appreciate your input. Work on patience; new opportunitiesare present. Careful attention to finances will help you to see where youdo not need to spend money just now. This will ease soon. You havemade some discoveries today that warrant attention. You are the centerof attention tonight.

Aquarius (January 20- February 18)

COUNTRY CODES

S t a r sFRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013

ACROSS1. The most common computer memory which can be used by programs to per-form necessary tasks while the computer is on.4. Red Asian weaverbirds often kept as cage birds.12. 100 puls equal 1 afghani.15. An agency of the United Nations affiliated with the World Bank.16. Round gourd of the calabash tree.17. A constellation in the southern hemisphere near Telescopium and Norma.18. A soft-finned fish of the family Gadidae.20. In or of a state of physical or nervous tension.21. Lacking in light.22. A large fleet.23. Angular distance above the horizon (especially of a celestial object).24. A port city in southwestern Iran.26. An edge tool with a heavy bladed head mounted across a handle.27. A unit of length equal to one thousandth of an inch.29. The capital and largest city of Yemen.32. Large herbivorous tropical American arboreal lizards with a spiny crest along theback.33. A soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electricaland thermal conductivity of any metal.34. A white metallic element that burns with a brilliant light.36. A complete metric system of units of measurement for scientists.37. Petty quarrel.41. A state of northeastern India.42. (informal) Very tired.45. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).46. A radioactive gaseous element formed by the disintegration of radium.47. A federal agency established to coordinate programs aimed at reducing pollu-tion and protecting the environment.48. (Greek mythology) The goddess of youth and spring.50. An undergarment worn by women to support their breasts.51. Title for a civil or military leader (especially in Turkey).54. Sudden mass fear and anxiety over anticipated events.56. A condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experi-ence that is taken as true by many people.59. A flat wing-shaped process or winglike part of an organism.60. Trade name for an alloy used to make high-energy permanent magnets.64. The basic unit of money in Bangladesh.68. The periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of themoon.71. Advanced in years.72. Made over usually with changes.75. Lacking sufficient water or rainfall.76. A loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth.77. One of the most common of the five major classes of immunoglobulins.78. Large South African oryx with a broad black band along its flanks.81. A wooden pin pushed or driven into a surface.82. Tranquilizer (trade name Dalmane) used to treat insomnia.

C R O S S W O R D 2 3 483. A small cake leavened with yeast.

DOWN1. Port city that is the capital and largest city of Latvia.2. The sixth month of the civil year.3. An insane person.4. Harsh or corrosive in tone.5. A woman of refinement.6. A silvery ductile metallic element found primarily in bauxite.7. An imaginary line on the surface of the earth following (approximately) the 180thmeridian.8. Norwegian mathematician (1802-1829).9. Artists or writers whose ideas are ahead of their time.10. The slender spear of the Bantu-speaking people of Africa.11. An inhabitant of ancient Thebes.12. A genus of Ploceidae.13. Bearded reddish sheep of southern Asia.14. A genus of Lamnidae.19. A city of southeastern Mexico.25. By bad luck.28. A wrongful dispossession.30. Growing old.31. A river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine.35. Lower in esteem.38. A metabolic acid found in yeast and liver cells.39. A city in northern India.40. An official language of the Republic of South Africa.43. According to the Old Testament he was a pagan king of Israel and husband ofJezebel (9th century BC).44. The branch of engineering science that studies the uses of electricity and theequipment for power generation and distribution and the control of machines andcommunication.49. Small and round and shiny like a shiny bead or button.52. A bag used for carrying money and small personal items or accessories (especial-ly by women).53. A farewell remark.55. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.57. A radioactive element of the actinide series.58. Functioning correctly and ready for action.61. Owing or owed feudal allegiance and service.62. The syllable naming the fourth (subdominant) note of the diatonic scale insolmization.63. American professional baseball player who hit more home runs than Babe Ruth(born in 1934).65. Small terrestrial lizard of warm regions of the Old World.66. Cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables.67. A city in southern Turkey on the Seyhan River.69. A set of tags and rules (conforming to SGML) for using them in developinghypertext documents.70. A Chadic language spoken south of Lake Chad.73. One of the five major classes of immunoglobulins.74. A unit of length of thread or yarn.79. A gray lustrous metallic element of the rare earth group.80. A Russian river.

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S p o r t sFRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013

Cruz, Beltre lead Rangers to 8-5 win over YankeesNEW YORK: Nelson Cruz homered and theTexas Rangers got consecutive two-run doublesfrom Adrian Beltre and AJ Pierzynski in an 8-5victory over the New York Yankees onWednesday night. Rangers rookie Justin Grimmpitched just well enough to beat Andy Pettitte,and the AL West leaders won for the seventhtime in nine games following a six-game slide -their longest of the season. Texas improved to6-12 against the Yankees since the start of 2011.

Lyle Overbay and Ichiro Suzuki homered forNew York on a hectic day at Yankee Stadium,where baseball ’s most storied franchiseannounced that first baseman Mark Teixeiraneeds season-ending surgery on his right wrist.Manager Joe Girardi and GM Brian Cashmanalso discussed the latest Alex Rodriguez drama,and the team said all parties involved are on thesame page about posting injury updates onTwitter after A-Rod called Cashman for a clarifi-cation chat. Grimm (7-5) allowed three runs infive-plus innings. Joe Nathan got three quickouts for his 26th save in 27 tries. Pettitte (5-6)settled in after a rocky third but dropped histhird start in a row since earning his 250th win.

INDIANS 4, ORIOLES 3Scott Kazmir took a no-hitter into the sev-

enth as the Indians scored two ninth-inningruns off Baltimore closer Jim Johnson to pullout the victory. A leadoff double in the seventhby Manny Machado was the only hit allowed byKazmir, who gave up one unearned run in sev-en innings. He came out to the mound for theeighth but left with an apparent injury beforethrowing a pitch. Baltimore promptly scoredtwice against Joe Smith (4-0) to take a 3-2 lead,but the Indians rallied against Johnson (2-6) inthe ninth. After Michael Brantley drew a leadoffwalk, Jason Giambi hit his 400th career double.An intentional walk loaded the bases for LonnieChisenhall, who hit into a run-scoring fielder’schoice. Drew Stubbs also hit into a fielder’s

choice to bring home pinch-runner Mike Avilesand chase Johnson. Vinnie Pestano worked theninth for his fifth save.

ANGELS 7, TIGERS 4Mike Trout homered and drove in three runs,

and Erick Aybar’s two-run shot gave LosAngeles the lead for good in its eighth consecu-tive win over the Tigers. The Angels haveoutscored the Tigers 55-21 during the streak.Miguel Cabrera and former Angels outfielderTorii Hunter homered for Detroit. Los Angelesemergency starter Billy Buckner gave up threeruns and three hits in three-plus innings. Hereplaced Tommy Hanson, who was scratchedafter feeling tightness in his right forearm whilewarming up in the bullpen before the game.Dane De La Rosa (2-1) pitched two innings forthe win and Ernesto Frieri got three outs for his18th save. Detroit starter Jose Alvarez (1-1)allowed four runs and seven hits in 5 2-3innings.

BLUE JAYS 3, RAYS 0R A Dickey pitched a two-hitter for his first

complete game of the year, helping Toronto toits 12th win in 14 games. Dickey (7-8) retired hisfirst 13 batters before James Loney grounded asingle between shortstop and third base withone out in the fifth. Yunel Escobar had a one-outsingle in the sixth, and then was erased whenMatt Joyce hit a double-play grounder. AdamLind and Edwin Encarnacion homered for theBlue Jays, who had lost two in a row after tyingtheir team record of 11 straight wins. Jose Reyeswent 0 for 4 in his return from a two-month lay-off due to a severely sprained left ankle. TampaBay’s Roberto Hernandez (4-9) gave up threeruns and six hits in eight-plus innings.

INTERLEAGUEATHLETICS 5, REDS 0

AJ Griffin pitched a two-hitter for his first win

in more than a month, and Josh Donaldson hit athree-run homer for Oakland. Griffin (6-6) struckout seven and walked two in a 108-pitch gemfor his first career complete game, helping theA’s sweep the two-game series. The shaggy-haired right-hander had been 0-3 in five startssince winning at Houston on May 25. He didn’tallow a hit until Devin Mesoraco’s one-out sin-gle in the fifth, and Xavier Paul added a two outdouble in the seventh for Cincinnati. Redsstarter Homer Bailey (4-6) allowed four runs andsix hits in six innings. He also struck out sevenand walked two.

PIRATES 4, MARINERS 2Jordy Mercer hit a go-ahead single with two

outs in the ninth inning, leading Pittsburgh tothe victory. The Pirates (48-30) moved 18games over .500 for the first time since 1992,their last winning season. Neil Walker hit atwo-run homer off Felix Hernandez to putPittsburgh ahead in the fourth. Seattle tied itin the sixth on Raul Ibanez’s team-leading 18thhome run. Mercer put the Pirates in front withhis clutch hit off Yoervis Medina, and TravisSnider scored on a wild pitch. Vin Mazzaro (4-2) picked up the victory with two innings ofscoreless relief. Mark Melancon earned his sec-ond save. Charlie Furbush (1-4) got the loss.

RED SOX 5, ROCKIES 3John Lackey struck out a season-high 12

over seven strong innings and Daniel Navadrove in two runs, powering Boston to asweep of the two-game series againstColorado. Shane Victorino had three hits andDustin Pedroia was 2 for 4 for the Red Sox.Colorado got two solo homers from MichaelCuddyer, who extended his hitting streak to 23games -matching Dante Bichette’s club recordset in 1995. The Rockies finished a road trip inwhich they lost seven of nine. Lackey (5-5)gave up two runs and eight hits without walk-

ing a batter. Koji Uehara worked a perfectninth for his second save. Roy Oswalt (0-2),making his second start since being recalledfrom Double-A, allowed five runs and nine hitsin six innings for the Rockies.

ROYALS 4, BRAVES 3Alex Gordon drove in David Lough in the

10th inning, giving the Royals a split of theirtwo-game series against the Braves. Loughhad entered the game the previous inning as apinch hitter, but was still up because ElliotJohnson was picked off first base to end theninth. Lough singled off Alex Wood (0-2) tostart the 10th and then reached second whenMiguel Tejada laid down a perfect sacrificebunt. That set the stage for Gordon, who hit asolo home run earlier in the game. He droppeda base hit into shallow left field, allowingLough to score easily as the Royals spilled fromtheir dugout. Aaron Crow (4-3) worked the10th inning for the Royals, who had lost five ofsix.

METS 3, WHITE SOX 0Shaun Marcum pitched eight crisp innings

for his first win of the season, and Eric Young Jrhad three hits and drove in a run for the Mets.Marcum (1-9) won for the first time since Oct 1,2012, while pitching for Milwaukee. He avoid-ed becoming the first to start a season 0-10since St Louis’ Anthony Reyes did it in 2007.Marcum had lost his previous four starts andposted a 9.58 ERA in his last two outings. Theveteran right-hander faced just three battersover the minimum. He scattered four hits andpitched around two walks. Bobby Parnellpitched a perfect ninth for his 13th save.Chicago’s John Danks (1-5) allowed three runs- one earned - and seven hits. He struck outseven and didn’t walk anyone in 7 1-3 innings.Alexei Ramirez had two of Chicago’s fourhits.—AP

LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles Dodgers’ AJ Ellis (right) is forced out at second as San FranciscoGiants second baseman Marco Scutaro throws out Juan Uribe at first during the eighthinning of their baseball game in Los Angeles. — AP

LOS ANGELES: Clayton Kershaw outpitchedTim Lincecum in the seventh regular-seasonmatchup between the former Cy YoungAward winners, rookie Yasiel Puig as the LosAngeles Dodgers rallied to beat the SanFrancisco Giants 4-2 on Wednesday night fora three-game sweep of the defending WorldSeries champions. Kershaw (6-5) allowed tworuns and four hits in eight-plus innings andhad seven strikeouts. Lincecum (4-8) gave upfour runs and 10 hits in 5 1-3 innings andstruck out four. The Giants have lost four in arow and nine of 12, putting them a season-worst two games under .500.

NATIONALS 3, DIAMONDBACKS 2Jordan Zimmermann dominated after a

shaky start and rookie Anthony Rendon hadhis third three-hit performance as theNationals defeated the Diamondbacks. TheNL West-leading Diamondbacks have lostthree straight. Zimmermann (11-3) surren-dered two runs in the first inning, but heldthe Diamondbacks scoreless with one hit overhis final six innings. He allowed three hitsoverall, retired the final 10 batters he facedand improved to 13-0 at home dating back toMay 17, 2012. Wade Miley (4-7) allowed threeruns, including an unearned run in the fifth.Denard Span scored on Ryan Zimmerman’sdouble play after Tyler Moore’s solo homer inthe fourth tied the game.

CUBS 5, BREWERS 4Scott Feldman pitched six solid innings,

Anthony Rizzo had a key two-run single and

the Cubs held on to beat the Brewers.Feldman (7-6) gave up just three runs and sixhits while striking out three and walking nonefor his first victory this season against an NLCentral Division opponent. He retired 11 ofthe last 14 batters he faced. Kevin Gregg gotthe last three outs for his 12th save in 12chances. Starlin Castro returned to the Cubs’lineup with two hits and a run after sitting outTuesday’s game which snapped his 269 con-secutive games played streak. YovaniGallardo (6-7) struggled with his commandearly and often, giving up five runs - threeearned - and eight hits in four innings. Hewalked four and struck out five.

PHILLIES 7, PADRES 5, 13 INNINGSSecond baseman Logan Forsythe bobbled

Ben Revere’s grounder in the 13th inning andthen threw home wildly, leading to twounearned runs in the Philadelphia Phillies’ 7-5win over the San Diego Padres on Wednesdaynight. Chase Utley, who was hit by a pitch,and Domonic Brown, who walked againstTommy Layne (0-2) scored the decisive runs.Forsythe bounced a throw as he tried to pre-vent Utley from scoring. The ball bouncedaway from catcher Nick Hundley, allowingBrown to score also. Joe Savory (1-0) workedone inning and Jonathan Papelbon got thefinal three outs for his 15th save in 19chances. The Phillies, who trailed 5-2 after sixinnings, rallied to tie it with an unearned runin the seventh and two runs in the eighth ona two-run home run by Delmon Young offLuke Gregerson.— AP

Dodgers overpower Giants


Waikato Chiefs set to reclaim Super 15 lead

JOHANNESBURG: Waikato Chiefs will reclaim topplace in the Super 15 standings today by winning aNew Zealand derby against visiting WellingtonHurricanes. Title-holders Chiefs trail Australian side ACTBrumbies by three points in the southern hemisphereprovincial championship, but have played two match-es less. Third-place Northern Bulls can also go abovethe inactive Canberra outfit if they collect a bonus-point victory on Saturday at home to struggling fellowSouth Africans Southern Kings.

Otago Highlanders host record seven-time champi-ons Canterbury Crusaders in another New Zealandshowdown and Western Stormers have home advan-tage against Central Cheetahs in a second all-SouthAfrican affair. The lone fixture with an internationalflavour pits the South African Coastal Sharks, who part-ed ways with coach John Plumtree this week after apoor season, against the Auckland Blues from NewZealand in Durban.

None of the five Australian franchises are involvedthis weekend or next because of Test matches againstthe British and Irish Lions in Melbourne and Sydney.Chiefs, who overwhelmed travel-weary Sharks in theprevious final, have made three changes to the sidethat conquered Crusaders 28-19 last month ahead ofthe three-week Test window. Right-wing Lelia Masaga,outside centre Tim Nanai-Williams and tight-head propBen Afeaki are drafted in as Chiefs seek a double overthe ‘Canes’ after a five-point win last month.

“Hurricanes are still in the competition mathemati-cally and have everything to play for. It will be prettyphysical-two positive teams on the field having a realarm wrestle,” said Chiefs coach Dave Rennie. The‘Canes’ are seven points behind sixth-place Crusaders,who occupy the last play-offs place, and skipper andoutside centre Conrad Smith is among seven returningAll Blacks in the starting line-up. Coach Mark Hammettducked questions about snatching an improbableplace in the knock-out stage, saying his aim was simplyto defeat Chiefs, Otago Highlanders (home) andCrusaders (away).

Highlanders have had a rotten season, lying bottomwith only two wins from 13 outings, but a 38-28 earlyJune success over the Blues proved they are capable ofmuch better than the place on the standings suggests.While the men from Dunedin play for pride, aCrusaders team stacked with All Blacks back from a 3-0series whitewash over France cannot afford any slips asthey seek to consolidate a top-six place. “It is a hugegame for us,” admitted veteran scrum-half Andy Ellis,“as the next three are must-win matches. Highlandersreally stood up against the Blues and played somestunning rugby.”

Although the Blues lie eighth, they are best placedof the teams outside the top six to squeeze into theplay-offs, provided they can overcome the Sharks andCheetahs on a two-match South African tour. “We arestill in the hunt,” stressed veteran Blues hooker KevenMealamu. “Our aim is to go over there (South Africa)and make sure we push the team a bit further in thiscompetition.” Sharks and 2012 semi-finalists Stormershave flopped this season-losing seven of 13 gameseach-and the Cape Town-based side will lack unfit cen-tre and skipper Jean de Villiers for the visit of fifth-place Cheetahs.

The revelation of this season, the Cheetahs will lookto stars like hooker Adriaan Strauss, centre RobertEbersohn and right-wing Willie le Roux to secure a winthat would greatly boost hopes of a first top-six finish.A bicep injury has sidelined Bulls No. 8 and skipperPierre Spies for the rest of the season and SpringboksJJ Engelbrecht (centre), Morne Steyn (fly-half) andJuandre Kruger (lock) start on the bench against theKings.— AFP

Super15 PreviewMOSCOW: New Zealand will be aiming to translate their world-beating form on the IRB sevens circuit into a title tilt at the June 28-30 Rugby World Cup Sevens, with one eye on the Rio de JaneiroOlympics in 2016. The abbreviated sport of rugby sevens hasreceived a massive boost after its inclusion as one of the new sportsat the Rio Games, with newly-tapped Olympic funding increasingfunding and player interest. One of the reasons behind its inclusionis the unpredictability of the sport, with much closer competitionbetween teams than in the 15-a-side game, albeit that the AllBlacks have won 11 of the 14 IRB World Sevens Series titles.

Wales are the unlikely world sevens champions, winning the lastCup in Dubai in 2009 at startling odds of 80-1 after the fourfavorites fell by the wayside in four dramatic, breath-taking quarter-finals. “It’s in the back of our minds,” admitted Wales coach PaulJohn, who has just playmaker Lee Williams remaining from hissquad four years ago. “We’re trying to treat this as just anothertournament, but the title defence is an added incentive that theboys are aware of, and as a World Cup it’s a special occasion any-way.” Inspirational captain DJ Forbes will be back for the All Blacks,as one of three players in Gordon Tietjens’ squad that alsoappeared in Dubai, alongside veteran Fiji-born Tomasi Cama andLote Raikabula. “We really want to do well as we haven’t won theCup since 2001,” said Tietjens. “This is also the last World Cupbefore the Olympics so Moscow is also going to be very valuable interms of our planning to ensure we are in the best possible shapefor Rio in 2016.”

Twenty-four teams will contest the men’s title, with Australiaseeking to defend their title in a 16-strong women’s competition.With the wider spaces available to players, all eyes will be on CarlinIsles when the United States run out on to the paddock to playGeorgia on Friday. Isles became an internet sensation after scoringa raft of tries that showboated the speed that saw him ranked inthe top 40 US 100-metres sprinters with a personal best time of10.13 seconds. “I stay humble and don’t let it get to me,” Isles said.“I try to keep it more about the team.”

The Ohio native only switched to rugby last summer with aneye on the Olympics, and the IRB can only rub their hands at thelikes of the might of sporting powerhouses the United States andRussia fixing their sights on sevens glory at the Rio Games. Not onlyare the USA and the hosts playing alongside the traditional rugbypowers, but there are the likes of Tunisia and the Philippines in themen’s competition and Brazil and the Netherlands in the women’s.

Brazil’s women’s captain Julia Albino Sarda said she and herteammates had a rare opportunity to promote a sport in a coun-try where football rules. “The game of rugby in Brazil is growingreally well,” she said. “Now young girls often see rugby on televi-sion and two years ago that would never have been the case. “Forus our focus is to grow and grow for 2016. A lot of our players willbe able to get better funding after the World Cup to buildtowards that and that is important to us because we need to betogether more and train more like the teams we are up against inthis World Cup.”— AFP

All Blacks eye World Cup sevens title

MELBOURNE: Mindful of a wounded Australia backlash but intoxi-cated by the whiff of a rare series victory, the British and Irish Lionswill aim to ramp up the intensity in tomorrow’s crunch second testin Melbourne even as both sides recover from the bruising opener.The Lions stumbled over the line at a heaving Lang Park for tomor-row’s heart-stopping 23-21 win, aided by the wayward boot ofWallabies fullback Kurtley Beale, that exacted a huge physical toll onboth sides. Now another 80 minutes of gut-busting punishmentlooms under the closed roof of Docklands Stadium where coachWarren Gatland has demanded the tourists finish the job and wintheir first series since 1997. “This is a do-or-die match for Australia.It’s going to be a real battle out there,” the New Zealander toldreporters.

“We can win this series by winning tomorrow, that’s what ourwhole focus needs to be. The last thing we want to do is think aboutgoing and being 1-1 and having to go and play another game inSydney.” Australia’s backline was torn asunder in the Brisbanethriller, with three taken from the ground by stretcher, but the hostsshowed enormous grit to claw their way back. A business-as-usualattitude has pervaded the Wallabies camp, with the coaching staff

re-assembling another backline dripping with glittering talent.Robbie Deans may well be coaching for his job at Docklands

Stadium, and again at Sydney should the Wallabies survive, butremains as unfazed as ever, having long stared down the axe. “Ithought the boys did incredibly well under the circumstances (lastweek), particularly as it was a domino effect that went from there tothe extent where we had to play a forward in the backline,” he toldreporters. “Clearly this week we’ve had the benefit of some morepreparation and hopefully we’ll have a lit bit more fluency in ourgame.” Australia head into game two with history as inspiration,having come back from a match down to overhaul the Lions in 2001and 1989.

They will be mindful that the John Eales-captained side droppedthe opener in Brisbane but leveled the 2001 series at the same ven-ue before closing it out in Sydney. Their preparations have not beenideal, however, with off-field distractions caused by three of othertheir backs. Winger Digby Ioane was ruled out of the series with ashoulder injury on Monday but not before news broke that a war-rant had been issued for his arrest for missing a court appearancerelated to an assault charge.—Reuters

Lions sniff rare series victory in Melbourne

MELBOURNE: British and Irish Lions rugby union player Tom Youngs (second left) goes through his stretching exercises duringtraining as the team prepares to take on the Australian Wallabies, in Melbourne yesterday. — AFP


Photo of the day

Tom Schaar does a 900 on the Mega Ramp atWoodward West in Tehachapi, Ca., USA

LONDON: Trent Waterhouse and his WarringtonWolves teammates made a huge statement withtheir win over Wigan on Monday but the formerAustralian international insists it is the nextmonth that will define their season. Table toppersWigan came to the Halliwell Jones stadium onMonday on the back of a 13-game winning runthat had seen them open up a five-point lead atthe top of the Super League table. But they raninto an inspired Wolves side and in the mostentertaining game of the season so far it was theWire who emerged 22-12 winners after two latetries. It does not get any easier for Waterhouseand company however as in the next month theyface a trip to Bradford, welcome defending cham-pions Leeds and have a Challenge Cup quarter-final against Huddersfield to contend with. Buthaving closed the gap at the top of the leaguetable with their win against Wigan, Waterhouseinsists he and his teammates still have anothergear to go to when the going gets tough. “Thenext month is massive for us so to have kicked offsuch an important set of games with the win overWigan is fantastic,” he said.

“But we are not going to get carried away withthat result, it was a fantastic game and the fanswere great. There was a real intensity in trainingso to come out and get the result was important.“I still feel that there is another level for us to goto as a team, there are a few areas we can still

improve on but that’s a good sign. “Two biggames in Super League and then the ChallengeCup game with Huddersfield Giants where wewant to defend our title, this is a crucial month forus. “But these are the sort of games I came overhere for, this is a great club and we want to beplaying in the big games come the end of the sea-son.”

First up for the Wolves is a trip to Odsal to takeon Bradford and Bulls full-back Brett Kearney hascalled on his teammates to up their game or riskmissing out on the play-offs. “We expect to be inthe top eight and we are not at the moment,” saidthe former Cronulla Shark. “Every team has a flatspot in a season and we are having ours in themiddle but we want to finish the season stronglylike we started it to get that top-eight spot thatwe feel we deserve.”

And St Helens head coach Nathan Browninsists he is planning for the future after announc-ing the signing of Penrith Panthers prop MoseMasoe. Masoe will join up with Saints next seasonalongside teammate Luke Walsh who is also leav-ing the Panthers and Brown cannot wait for theiraddition to the squad. “Mose is a big forward whowill add a lot of size to our pack next year,” saidthe former St George Illawarra Dragons headcoach. “He is young, still developing and will com-plement the squad we are putting together for2014.”— AFP

Wolves face ‘massive month’: Waterhouse

SILVERSTONE: Mark Webber will leavechampions Red Bull and Formula Oneat the end of the season to joinPorsche’s new Le Mans sportscar pro-gram, the Australian driver announcedyesterday. “I’m very much looking for-ward to this new challenge after mytime in Formula One. I can hardly waitto pilot one of the fastest sports cars inthe world,” he said on his website(www.markwebber.com). Porsche saidhe had signed a multi-year contract.Red Bull said a decision on his replace-ment would not be made until later inthe season. The oldest driver on thestarting grid, who will be 38 next yearand is in his 12th season, Webber hasyet to win a race in 2013 but has a goodchance to rectify that at this weekend’sBritish Grand Prix. The straight-talkingAustralian - who drives a Porsche forprivate use - has won two of the lastthree races at Silverstone, including lastyear’s, and has finished on the podiumat what amounts to a home race everyyear since 2009.

He has won nine grands prix, all forRed Bull, since his debut with Minardi in2002 but has been eclipsed in thechampionship by German team mateSebastian Vettel who is chasing a fourthsuccessive title. Lotus driver KimiRaikkonen, the 2007 world championwith Ferrari, has been strongly tippedto take Webber’s place. That movewould replace one of the sport’s mostoutspoken drivers with the most taci-turn and, at 33, second oldest afterWebber. In a separate statement, RedBull thanked Webber for his extensivecontribution in his seven years with theteam and their three successive con-structors’ crowns. “I am sure Mark

thought long and hard before makingwhat has no doubt been a very difficultdecision,” said principal ChristianHorner, who co-owns a GP3 team withWebber and is close to the Australian.“His achievements in Formula One areextensive and I am sure he will continueto push hard and build on that recorduntil the end of the season,” added theBriton. “We support Mark’s decision, hehas been an excellent addition to theteam since joining us in 2007 and wewish him all the best in the next stagesof his career.” Webber has renewed hisRed Bull contract on a year-by-year

basis for some time and his decision tocall it a day came as no surprise.Speculation that this would be his lastseason moved up a notch or two afterthe Malaysian Grand Prix, when Vetteldisregarded ‘team orders’ to staybehind Webber and finish in one-twoformation. That ‘betrayal’ led to an evenfrostier relationship - or lack of one -between the two Red Bull drivers whohave kept matters strictly professionalfor some time. Webber has long com-plained that Vettel, still only 25, is the

Austrian-owned team’s favourite andthat position will only be enhanced forthe remaining 12 races now that he hasdecided to leave. The Australian hadhoped to become his country’s firstchampion since Alan Jones in 1980 butthe closest he came was 2010 when hewent into the final race in Abu Dhabisecond overall and eight points behindFerrari’s Fernando Alonso.

Vettel, who had been a further sevenpoints adrift of Webber and had not ledthe championship all year, won thatrace and snatched his first title as thestrategy unravelled in nightmare fash-ion for the Australian and Alonso.Webber ended up third overall, repeat-ing the feat in 2011. At Minardi, Jaguarand Williams he did his best in largelyuncompetitive cars, beating a string ofteam mates including Nico Rosberg -now a winner with Mercedes. Webberhas twice raced at Le Mans, with notentirely fond memories. With Mercedesin 1999 his car flipped into the air twicein practice and the warm-up before theteam withdrew for safety reasons.

“I’m very pleased to have securedMark Webber for our LMP1 (Le Mansprototype) project as one of the bestand most successful Formula One pilotsof our time,” Porsche board member forresearch and development WolfgangHatz said in a statement. “Mark is with-out doubt one of the world’s best racedrivers, he has experience at the LeMans 24 hour race and on top of thathe’s been a Porsche enthusiast formany years.” Webber will compete inthe world endurance championshipwith Switzerland’s Neel Jani, TimoBernhard and Romain Dumas also con-firmed in the Porsche lineup.— Reuters

SILVERSTONE: Lewis Hamilton carries the hopes ofhome fans and several leading championship con-tenders when he bids to halt Sebastian Vettel’s seem-ingly-irresistable surge towards a fourth drivers worldtitle at this weekend’s British Grand Prix. The 28-year-old Englishman, who won the race for McLaren on theway to his championship triumph in 2008, is the onlyBritish winner on home soil in 12 years since Scot DavidCoulthard succeeded twice in succession for the sameteam. That experience, and the potential competitiveperformance of his much-improved Mercedes car-hehas qualified on the front row of the grid four times inthe last five races-suggest he is the best hope of homesuccess again.

In the wake of last week’s controversial ‘secret tyretesting’ tribunal hearing, Hamilton and his Mercedesteam-mate and friend, Monaco winner Nico Rosberg ofGermany, will be crowd favorites as they seek to stopthe Vettel express. But Vettel, the defending tripleworld champion, has won three of this year’s sevenraces in his Red Bull machine - built in nearby MiltonKeynes-and not been outside the top four this seasonas he has built up a formidable 36-points lead ahead ofFernando Alonso of Ferrari.

Alonso, like everyone else, knows that anotherVettel demonstration of supremacy at the exhilaratinghigh-speed Silverstone track could give him a truly sig-nificant advantage even before the 19-race seasonreaches the halfway mark. Alonso, like Vettel’s Red Bullteam-mate Mark Webber, has won twice at the famousold former war-time airstrip, which was an original partof the inaugural 1950 world championship, in recentyears and will be seeking to complete a personal hat-trick. But he knows that it is almost more important toend Vettel’s run, and so restrict his chances of increasinghis lead, than to grab more personal glory. —AFP

Webber to leave F1 for Porsche Le Mans

Mark Webber of Australia

Home hopes on Hamilton

at Silverstone


CORSICA ISLAND: Spain’s Alberto Contador (second position left) rides with his Saxo-Tinkoff teammates during atraining near Porto Vecchio, southern Corsica island, France yesterday. — AP

Contador promises more exciting Tour de France

PORTO VECCHIO: Alberto Contadorhas promised a more exciting Tour deFrance this year after Bradley Wiggins’sTeam Sky dominated all the way to theChamps-Elysees in the 2012 edition.Double champion Contador of Spain,back in the race after a one-year hiatusbecause of a doping suspension, isunlikely to settle for second againstTeam Sky leader Chris Froome, theoverwhelming favorite.

“We are not the only two actors inthis film,” Contador, who won the Tourin 2007 and 2009, told a packed newsconference at his team hotel onThursday. “There will be more actionthan last year.” Last year, Wiggins’srivals seemed to quickly abandon hopeof winning the Tour as the Briton domi-nated the time trials and relied onTeam Sky’s conservative tactics in themountains. Wiggins is out of the race,which starts on Saturday, for healthreasons but Team Sky directors are like-ly to use the same methods to helpFroome to reach Paris with the yellowjersey.

Australian Michael Rogers, who wasTeam Sky’s road captain last year buthas switched to Contador’s Team Saxo-Tinkoff this season, knows a thing ortwo about the British outfit’s way of

operating. “ I think Sky are moreadvanced in training, in sports science -they know exactly what’s required fromdomestiques to do the job properly inthe last week, they know so much moreabout the internals of the sport, in myopinion, than any other team,” he toldreporters. “I think Alberto uses his emo-tions in the races, whereas I think Chrisis very calculated and Brad was verycalculated last year. (At Team Sky) youknow what you’re capable of and youdon’t go outside of that.”

ATTACKING OPPORTUNITIESContador, instead, is a hot-blooded

racer who is able to turn around des-perate situations. In last year’s Vuelta,he launched a devastating surpriseattack in the 17th stage to snatch theoveral l lead from fel low SpaniardJoaquim Rodriguez. In the 2011 Tour,although he did not win the race,Contador attacked 92 kilometres fromthe finish at l’Alpe d’Huez as he tried tomake up for lost t ime againstAustralian Cadel Evans. He is ready touse the same approach this time ifneeded. “We will think about tacticsafter the second time tr ial . I t wil ldepend on the overall standings,”Contador said. “Depending on my posi-

tion, we will be more aggressive ormore conservative. However, there willbe more movement than the previousyear. “This year’s race gives opportuni-ties to attack far from the finish.”

The odds are that Contador, one offive men with titles in all three grandTours, will be behind Froome after the11th stage, an individual time trial toMont St Michel. Froome has beatenContador in all their confrontations instage races this season, but theSpaniard is not concerned. “At the(Criterium du) Dauphine (this month), Iwas at 75 percent,” he said. “Now I’maround 90 percent, which was my goala few days before the start of the Tour.”

Contador will have a much betterteam than in 2011, with Rogers, CzechRoman Kreuziger and Irishman NicolasRoche. “Michael has a lot of experience,he wil l be our road captain,” heexplained. “He knows how Sky work soit will be helpful. “Having a strongerteam gives me tranquility because Iknow I have the riders to put me in agood position in the mountains.” TheTour starts from Porto Vecchio inCorsica, an is land that could giveContador a few attacking opportuni-t ies. “Anything is possible,” hewarned.—Reuters

Franklin, Lochteshine at World

Champ trialsINDIANAPOLIS: Olympic stars Missy Franklin and RyanLochte shared the spotlight Wednesday night, both claim-ing a pair of titles at the US swimming championships andWorld Championships trials. Franklin’s night began with awin in the women’s 200-meter freestyle at the IndianaUniversity Natatorium.

Ahead by a body length at the halfway mark, shetouched the wall in one minute 55.56 seconds followed byKatie Ledecky in 1:57.63, Shannon Vreeland in 1:58.13 andJordan Mattern in 1:58.27. The win qualified Franklin-thewinner of four gold medals and one bronze at the 2012London Olympics-for the 200 free at the WorldChampionships in Barcelona, July 28-August 4. She alsomade the American 4x200 freestyle relay team, along withLedecky the winner of Tuesday’s 800 free event-Vreelandand Mattern.

Less than 90 minutes later, the recent high school grad-uate won the women’s 200 backstroke in 2:05.68, theworld’s fastest time this year and an American open recordas the best-ever performance in the US. Franklin main-tained a lead throughout to finish ahead of ElizabethPelton, whose 2:06.29 clocking was the world’s second-fastest of 2013. “That last fifty hurt so much,” she said. “I’mecstatic with the 2:05. But I’m definitely hurting now.”

With three days to go at nationals, Franklin is eligible forfive events at Worlds. Her first-place finish in Tuesday’s 100free earned her a berth in that event as well as a spot theAmerican 4x100 relay squad. Lochte, the winner of fiveOlympic medals in London (two gold, two silver, onebronze), won the men’s 200-meter free and came back anhour-and-a-half later to finish first in the 200 backstroke.Swimming in lane two in the 200 free, Lochte led at thefirst turn and was never headed.

He finished in 1:45.97 ahead of Conor Dwyer, MattMcLean and Charlie Houchin. The quartet will comprisethe US men’s 4x100m relay team at Worlds. In Lochte’s sec-ond event of the night, he outdueled 2012 Olympic cham-pion Tyler Clary in the 200 backstroke. Lochte won in1:55.16 with Clary the runnerup in 1:55.58. “I knew justfrom the lack of training this year that I had to go out fast,”said Lochte. “I knew I was going to die either way, so Imight as well just go out fast and hope for the best. I don’twant to go through that pain again. That double washard.”

Tuesday night, Lochte made the US 4x100 relay teamwith a fourth-place finish in the men’s 200 free. He’s noweligible for four events (200 free, 200 back, 4x100 and4x200 freestyle relays) in Barcelona. Kevin Cordes broughtthe crowd to its feet in the men’s 200-meter breaststroke.Cordes, 19, was on world-record pace at the halfway mark.He finished short of the world mark (2:07.01 by Japan’sAkihiro Yamaguchi in 2012), but settled for the year’s topperformance with a time of 2:08.34.

Breeja Larson stroked into the lead in the women’s 200breaststroke on the final turn and won in 2:23.44. In majorsurprise, Allison Schmitt failed to qualify for the women’s200 freestyle final. Schmitt, the American record holder inthe event, was the 2012 Olympic champion. She also swamon the gold medal-winning US 4x200 freestyle relay teamin London. The 50-meter butterfly was contested for thefirst time at the national meet. Christine Magnuson wonthe women’s title in 26.08 while the men’s race went toEugene Godsoe in 23.29. — AFP

PARIS: Cycling’s greatest race, the Tour deFrance, begins tomorrow, hoping to cast offthe recent cloud of suspicion and scandal ofdoping with a celebration of its historic 100thedition. A total of 198 riders from 22 teamswill line up for the 212-kilometre first stagefrom Porto-Vecchio to Bastia on theMediterranean island of Corsica. Three weeks,3,403.5 kilometers and 20 stages later, onlythe very best-and most fortunate-will finish.

Last year’s runner-up behind Britain’sBradley Wiggins, Chris Froome, is favorite towin the race after successes in Oman, theCriterium International, Tour of Romandie andthe Criterium du Dauphine. But the 28-year-old Team Sky rider is likely to face stiff compe-tition from 2007 and 2009 Tour winnerAlberto Contador of Spain, despite his lack ofvictories this season. Challenging both meninclude Spain’s Joaquim Rodriguez, who was

runner-up in the Giro d’Italia in May, andAustralian outsider Cadel Evans, the 2011 win-ner, who could become the Tour’s oldest vic-tor at 36. This year’s race is the first to be heldafter the Lance Armstrong doping scandal,which sent shockwaves through cycling andthe world of sport. The US rider, who wasunmasked as a serial drug cheat in a devastat-ing US Anti-Doping Agency report last year,was subsequently stripped of his record seven

Tour wins between 1999 and 2005. Raceorganizers have refused to nominate a winnerin his place, as cycling was plunged into aperiod of deep introspection about the extentof drug use in the peloton in the 1990s and2000s. The spectre still looms large over theTour, after the 1997 winner and three-timerunner-up Jan Ullrich of Germany admitteddoping last weekend-and said it was wide-spread. —AFP

Cycling prepares for 100th Tour de France


PARIS: Laurent Blanc was officiallyconfirmed as Paris Saint-Germain’snew manager on Tuesday, anappointment that came with themandate of steering the ambitiousFrench champions towards Europe’selite. Former French star Blanc, 47,was handed a two-year deal by theQatari-owned club, four days afterBeInSport, a television channelbelonging to the club’s owners, letslip news of an “agreement” betweenthe two parties.

“The Board of Paris Saint-Germainhas given Laurent Blanc the missionto build on last season and to contin-ue the club’s ascendancy towards thesummits of the European game,” reada statement on psg.fr. Blanc is set tobe presented to the media at a newsconference yesterday and will official-ly take charge of the squad on July 1for the start of pre-season training.The French Ligue 1 winners’announcement of his appointmentcame just moments before Real

Madrid said that outgoing PSG bossCarlo Ancelotti would take over fromJose Mourinho at the SantiagoBernabeu.

Ironically, Ancelotti won’t have towait long before renewing acquain-tances with his former employerswith the clubs scheduled to play afriendly in Sweden on July 27.However, Blanc’s managerial CV palesin comparison to that of Ancelotti,whose highlights include twoEuropean titles with AC Milan and aPremier League crown with Chelseaas well as a French championship,with the Frenchman evidently not ini-tially a leading candidate for the post.

PSG were caught off guard byAncelotti’s plea to leave the club inMay and subsequently saw a host ofpotential successors such as JoseMourinho, Rafael Benitez, FabioCapello and Andre Villas-Boas landelsewhere or elect to stay put. Blanchimself, who had been out of a jobsince leaving his role as coach of the

French national team following theirdisappointing quarter-final exit atEuro 2012, had been linked with thevacant managerial post at Romabefore the Serie A side opted for ex-Lille boss Rudi Garcia.

A decorated player for both cluband country, with whom he won the1998 World Cup and Euro 2000,Blanc’s only other professional coach-ing experience came at Bordeaux,where he was in charge from 2007 to2010 and led the club to a Frenchchampionship and league cup title in2009. He also led them to the quarter-finals of the 2009/10 ChampionsLeague, matching PSG’s progress theseason just finished when theybowed out on away goals despite avaliant two-legged display againstBarcelona, but the man nicknamed“Le President” will be expected totake the capital club, bolstered bytheir considerable financial might, tothe next level.

UEFA president and French great

Michel Platini praised Blanc’s hiring,saying: “It’s a good challenge for himand it’s good that PSG have a Frenchcoach. “He has some good players, sohe has a good chance to win,” addedPlatini. However, key to Blanc’s suc-cess will be the future of ZlatanIbrahimovic.

The Swedish striker plunderedopposing defenses for a league-best30 goals last term, but there remainsa question mark over his status at theclub after he said in May that hewould consider leaving if Ancelottideparted Paris. Ibrahimovic, who hastwo years left on his contract, said lastmonth: “When they ask me what myfuture will be if Carlo leaves, I knownothing, it’s not (an) easy (situation).”He also said that if Ancelotti were toleave that PSG would “need a coachwho’s not only going to manage aFrench team but an international onewith world-class players. It’s not easyfor a manager and only a big one cancome in (to take over)”. —AFP

Blanc tasked with taking PSG to Europe’s elite

MADRID: Real Madrid secured the transfer of midfielderFrancisco “Isco” Alarcon from Malaga yesterday, addingone of Europe’s most prized young players to its alreadystar-studded squad. Madrid announced on its website thatthe 21-year-old Isco had agreed to a five-year contract. Hewill be presented on Wednesday after a medical exam. Iscohelped Malaga reach the Champions League quarterfinalslast season and guided Spain to the European Under-21title this summer.

Malaga said in a statement that it wanted “to thank Iscoand his family for their commitment, implication andimpeccable behavior while being a Malaga player.” Neitherclub released the financial details of the transfer.Manchester City was reportedly also interested in drawingIsco away from Malaga, especially after hiring his formercoach Manuel Pellegrini. But Madrid club presidentFlorentino Perez could hardly let another desired playerslip away after losing the bidding war for Brazil starNeymar to Barcelona.

After Malaga lured him away from Valencia in 2011, Iscoquickly blossomed into a well-rounded attacking threatwith his incisive passing, skilled dribbling and goal-scoring.He netted 12 goals in all competitions for the Costa del Solside last season. Isco will now have to compete for playingtime with a group of attacking players that featuresCristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil, and Luka Modric, whilemedia reports also point to the possible arrival of Uruguayforward Luis Suarez from Liverpool.

Isco had said this summer that he would have to thinklong and hard about joining Madrid, where he could getstuck on the bench alongside former world player of theyear Kaka and thereby join a list of young Spanish playerswho failed to earn a spot in Madrid’s rotation like SergioCanales and Pedro Leon. Madrid hired Carlo Ancelotti asmanager on Wednesday to replace Jose Mourinho after hereturned to Chelsea following a season without a majortrophy.

The former Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and AC Milancoach said at his presentation that Isco was a talentedplayer. “He is very good,” said Ancelotti. “Spain’s under-21side has fantastic players, (but) he has the most quality ofall of them. Isco can play for any club.” Isco is Madrid’s sec-ond signing this offseason after it paid Bayer Leverkusen torecover right back Daniel Carvajal. Isco is the last in a grow-ing line of players which includes Santi Cazorla and NachoMonreal that Malaga have sold over the past year since itsQatari owners drastically changed course after a spendingspree to build a team that qualified for the ChampionsLeague for the first time in club history. — AP

MANCHESTER: Carlos Tevez sealed his move to Juventus onWednesday after four controversy-filled years at ManchesterCity and was handed the unenviable task of trying to emu-late club hero Alessandro Del Piero. Italian champions Juveannounced his arrival with a picture of the Argentine strikerholding up Del Piero’s old number 10 jersey alongside clubpresident Andrea Agnelli. A statement said he had reached adeal to sign a three-year-contract. There was no word on thetransfer fee but media reports have put it at 12 million euros($15.60 million).

“The Argentine is used to winning. He has done so wher-ever he has been,” Juve’s website (www.juventus.com)added. Del Piero spent almost 20 years at Juve, helping themwin the 1996 Champions League and sticking by the clubwhen they spent one season in Serie B in 2006/07 after beingdemoted for match-fixing. He left for Australia’s Sydney FClast year having broken almost every Juve record in thebook. Michel Platini and Roberto Baggio also famously woreJuve’s number 10 shirt. Handing Tevez the ex-Italy striker’sformer shirt is a mark of intent from Juve, who have won theSerie A twice in a row without a big name forward but arenow targeting renewed European glory.

Coach Antonio Conte has rotated between any two ofSebastian Giovinco, Alessandro Matri, Mirko Vucinic andFabio Quagliarella, who have shared the goals evenlybetween them. Athletic Bilbao forward Fernando Llorentejoins Juve next month. Matri could now be sacrificed to suit-ors AC Milan, who had been tracking Tevez. Earlier Tevez waswhisked to Turin after hundreds of fans greeted him amidchaotic scenes at Milan’s Malpensa airport. Television pic-tures showed Tevez being mobbed by fans before being tak-en back into the terminal by Juventus staff and put into a carvia a side entrance. During his seven years in England thespotlight, whether positive or negative, was never far fromthe 29-year-old. Tevez, along with fellow Argentine JavierMascherano, arrived at Premier League side West HamUnited in 2006 from Brazilian club Corinthians and had animmediate impact. West Ham, struggling to remain in thetop flight, were rescued from relegation by Tevez whoscored the only goal in a win against Manchester United onthe final day of the 2006-07 season.

CONTROVERSIAL MOVEDespite the success of Tevez and Mascherano, their regis-

trations were owned by third parties - a contravention ofPremier League rules. West Ham were fined for their role inthe transfer deals, but Tevez had worked his magic and waspromptly on his way to Manchester United. At Old Trafford,Tevez helped the side to two league titles, the 2008Champions League and 2008 FIFA Club World Cup. But hisrelationship with manager Alex Ferguson soured and hesealed a controversial move to United’s arch-rivalsManchester City in July 2009. Following his arrival, an infa-mous billboard stating ‘Welcome to Manchester’ with a pic-ture of Tevez in a City shirt made his former employers atUnited boil. Tevez’s first two seasons at City were highly pro-ductive and he wore the captain’s armband during the 2011FA Cup victory against Stoke City, which broke a barren runof 35 years without a major trophy for the club. Having previ-ously handed in a transfer request to leave City, Tevez had apublic fall ing out with manager Roberto Mancini inSeptember 2011 when he refused to warm up as a substituteduring a Champions League match against Bayern Munich.Fined two week’s wages, Tevez returned to Argentina foralmost four months where he was often pictured playinggolf. It looked likely he would be sold in the January transferwindow, but the talisman returned to England in February2012 and contributed to Manchester City’s first PremierLeague title in 44 years. — Reuters

Tevez joins Juventus, takes Del Piero’s shirt

TURIN: Argentina’s striker Carlos Tevez poses with hisnew Juventus’ jersey, during his official presentationyesterday. — AP

Real, Isco ink deal


LONDON: Kimiko Date-Krumm set up a potentialWimbledon showdown with defending championSerena Williams as the Japanese veteran defeatedRomania’s Alexandra Cadantu 6-4, 7-5 in the secondround yesterday. At 42, Date-Krumm is the oldestplayer competing in the main draw at the AllEngland Club, but age hasn’t eroded her talent asshe enjoyed her second consecutive straight setswin. She is back in the last 32 at Wimbledon for thefirst time since her run to the semi-finals 17 yearsago.

And the reward for Date-Krumm, who alsoreached the third round at the Australian Open inJanuary, is a likely clash with world number oneSerena. Barring a major upset, Williams should

brush aside French qualifier Caroline Garcia andgive Date-Krumm a first career meeting with thefive-time Wimbledon champion. Cadantu is rankedjust three places below world number 84 Date-Krumm and had shocked Austrian 28th seed TamiraPaszek in the first round. But the 23-year-old wasappearing in the second round of a Grand Slam forthe first time.

In contrast, Date-Krumm was playing in her104th Grand Slam match and competing atWimbledon for the 12th time. Date-Krumm enjoyeda fairytale run to the Wimbledon semi-finals in 1996before suddenly announcing her retirement. Shereturned to the tour 12 years later and enjoyed twonotable landmarks, becoming the oldest player to

beat a top-10 opponent and the second oldest towin a WTA Tour title when she triumphed in Seoulaged 38.

Date-Krumm took just 44 minutes to routGerman teenager Carina Witthoeft in the first roundand made the perfect start with a break in the open-ing game against Cadantu. Cadantu looked to havecontrol of the set when she broke twice for a 4-2lead. But Date-Krumm’s wealth of experience paidoff as she clawed her way back into the match witha pair of quick-fire breaks, clinching the first set bywinning four successive games. Date-Krumm wasbroken at 5-4 when she served for the second set,but she recovered to take the next two games andseal the win. — AFP

Ageless Kimiko turns back time at Wimbledon

LONDON: Kimiko Date-Krumm set up a showdown with defendingchampion Serena Williams as the Japanese veteran defeatedRomania’s Alexandra Cadantu 6-4, 7-5 yesterday to become the old-est woman to reach the third round at Wimbledon in the Open Era. At42, Date-Krumm’s presence in the last 32 means she has surpassedBritain’s Virginia Wade, who reached the same stage aged 39 years362 days in 1985. The Japanese player is back in the last 32 atWimbledon for the first time since her run to the semi-finals 17 yearsago. And the reward for Date-Krumm, who also reached the thirdround at the Australian Open in January, is a clash with world numberone Williams, who brushed aside French qualifier Caroline Garcia togive the Japanese player a first career meeting with the five-timeWimbledon champion. Williams admitted she has tremendousrespect for Date-Krumm’s longevity, even if the 31-year-old insiststhere is no chance she will still be playing at the same age as theJapanese star.

“I’ve never played her but I have so much respect for her,” Serenasaid. “She’s so inspiring to be playing such high level tennis at her age.And she’s a real danger on the grass court, I know that. “I didn’t seemyself playing at 31, so I definitely do not see myself playing at 42.” Aswell as admiring Date-Krumm’s passion for the game, Serena also hasa healthy awareness of the potential threat she poses to her title bid.“Kimiko has great hand eye coordination. She returns unbelievable

shots,” Serena said.“It doesn’t matter how hard you hit it, she sees the ball and gets it

back. “She has great hands, has a wonderful great volley, comes to thenet a lot, which on grass can be tricky. She plays really flat, so the ballstays really low. “I definitely will have to be ready. It’s for sure notgoing to be easy, but I’ll be ready.” While Serena has never faced Date-Krumm before, she will seek advice from her sister Venus, who isabsent from this year’s tournament due to injury but won an epicthree-set battle against the veteran at Wimbledon in 2011.

“I did see that match. I think I lost four years of my life watchingthat match,” Serena added. “So I will definitely be talking to Venus andfiguring out what I can do to do the best that I can in my next match.”Cadantu is ranked just three places below world number 84 Date-Krumm and had shocked Austrian 28th seed Tamira Paszek in the firstround. But the 23-year-old was appearing in the second round of aGrand Slam for the first time. In contrast, Date-Krumm was playing inher 104th Grand Slam match and competing at Wimbledon for the12th time. Date-Krumm enjoyed a fairytale run to the Wimbledonsemi-finals in 1996 before suddenly announcing her retirement. Shereturned to the tour 12 years later and enjoyed two notable land-marks, becoming the oldest player to beat a top-10 opponent and thesecond oldest to win a WTA Tour title when she triumphed in Seoulaged 38. — AFP

Murray challengesSerena to Vegas

showdownLONDON: US Open champion Andy Murray has challengedwomen’s world number one Serena Williams to a showdown in LasVegas that would evoke memories of the famous ‘battle of the sex-es’ 40 years ago. Murray threw down the gauntlet to Serena afterresponding to a Twitter follower who claimed the American couldbeat her male counterpart.

The world number two’s proposal, however light-hearted heintended it to be, sparked thoughts of the time when 55-year-oldBobby Riggs, a tennis superstar of the 1930s and 1940s, took onfemale greats Margaret Court and Billie Jean King. Those matches in1973 drew huge worldwide attention, with Riggs easily beatingCourt in the first clash. That prompted King to challenge Riggs to amatch in Houston and this time it was the woman who won an his-toric meeting which is now regarded as a defining moment in therise in popularity of the feminist movement. In 1992, JimmyConnors defeated Martina Navratilova in Las Vegas. And the idea ofa similar clash in America’s self-styled ‘Sin City’ seems to appeal toMurray. “I have been challenged by someone on Twitter to takingon Serena Williams. I’d be up for it, why not?” Murray wrote in hiscolumn on the BBC’s website. “I’ve never hit with her but she’s obvi-ously an incredible player and I think people would be interested tosee the men play against the women to see how the styles matchup. “It’s happened in the past with Jimmy Connors and MartinaNavratilova. How about Las Vegas as a venue?”— AFP

Date-Krumm: Oldest woman to reach Wimbledon last 32

LONDON: Japan’s Kimiko Date-Krumm celebrates beating Romania’s Alexandra Cadantu during their second round women’ssingles match on day four of the 2013 Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament at the All England Club in Wimbledon,southwest yesterday. Date-Krumm won 6-4, 7-5. — AFP

Federer faces downlessons of the

Wimbledon historyLONDON: Roger Federer was confronting the collapse of histennis world yesterday, desperate to avoid the Wimbledonfate suffered by his hero Pete Sampras, whose All EnglandClub career ended in a punch-drunk haze. Federer’s bid tobecome the first man to win the title eight times was endedby Russian literature fan Sergiy Stakhovsky, the world num-ber 116, whose 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/5), 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) second-round win has possibly ended one of the sport’s greatest sto-ries. His earliest exit from a major since a second-round lossat the 2003 French Open and his worst defeat at the AllEngland Club in 11 years came on the 10th anniversary of hisfirst Wimbledon title. The defeat also ended his astonishingrun of 36 consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final appearances,a streak stretching back nine years.

Federer, the winner of a record 17 majors, is adamant thathe will be back next year when he will be six weeks short ofhis 33rd birthday. However, his failure to defend his titlealready means he will fall to number five in the world rank-ings after the tournament-his lowest place since June 2003. Ifhe were to win a record eighth Wimbledon in 2014, hewould become the oldest man to clinch the title, surpassingArthur Ashe who was six days away from his 32nd birthdaywhen he triumphed in 1975.—AFP

Tevez joins Juventus, takes Del Piero’s shirt

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