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QIB profit In-form Qatar grows by 22% to prepare for DPR QR1.95bn in 2015 Korea clash

WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 • 10 Rabia II 1437 • Volume 20 • Number 6681 thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar

Battle-damaged house in Turkey Qatar bids to host FINA World Metrash users Championships can have QNA LAUSANNE: The Qatar Swimming Association (QSA) handed over on Monday in Lausanne the bid file to host either the 2021 or 2023 FINA proxies now World Championships. Qatar Swimming Association President Khaleel Al Jabir handed the Interior Ministry’s system for over the bid file to the FINA Exec- online services. utive Director Cornel Marculescu, The user can now This way, the primary subscriber Qatar Olympic Committee website open a joint account can keep an eye on the co-receiver reported. Al Jaber said that the bid or the secondary subscriber. was endorsed by President of Qatar with whoever he The new system allows the pri- Olympic Committee H E Sheikh desires or appoints mary subscriber to add another Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani. Doha number with existing account to hosted the World Short-Course (a son, a daughter or share the messages made through Championships in December 2014. secretary) to use the the main registered number. The International Swimming A report posted on the web- Federation (FINA) will choose the service on his behalf site of the Interior Ministry, while host cities for the 2021 and 2023 announcing the above service, said World Aquatics Championships in the messages will keep updating so Budapest on January 31. It will coin- A woman and her children stand in the ruins of their battle-damaged house in the Kurdish town both (the primary and secondary sub- cide with World Aquatics Gala and The Peninsula scriber) can view them. of Silopi, in southeastern Turkey, near the border with Iraq, yesterday. Turkey is waging an all-out Award Dinner due to be held in the The co-receiver can share trans- offensive against the separatist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Hungarian capital on the same day. action messages with more than one Last June, FINA said it had original number. However, the pri- received expressions of interest DOHA: A Metrash user can now have mary subscriber can add only one from seven countries, including a trusted family member or personal number to allow its messages to be Argentina and Turkey, neither of secretary who can use this Minis- shared. which have hosted the event before. try of Interior service on his behalf. The ‘co-receiver’, also known as UK seeks partnership with Qatari NGOs in Syria The user can now open a joint secondary subscriber, cannot regis- account with whoever he desires or ter to share messages of the primary appoints (a son, a daughter or secre- subscriber without his permission. By Fazeena Saleem Minister of State at the Department an education initiative together with tary) to use the service on his behalf. The system allows only the primary The Peninsula for International Development, who Education Above All. We have been The new service can be called subscriber to add the mobile number was on an official visit here told The seeing a number of organisations ‘secondary subscription’ and comes in of the ‘co-receiver’ to share the mes- Peninsula that the Department is and all are keen to collaborate and GUIDEGUIDGUIDE handy for people with special needs sages with. looking at projects which could be enter into a mechanism with us,” JANUARY 2016 or the elderly who find it difficult to To avail the new service, the DOHA: A senior British diplomat has implemented for Syrian refugees Swayne said in an interview. operate Metrash on their own. primary subscriber will have to lauded Qatar’s humanitarian initia- together with the charitable and “We want to have partnership with Both the user or the primary log-in into Metrash and click the tives in conflict-torn Syria and said non-governmental organisations others to reach where we can’t nor- subscriber and the secondary sub- icon ‘additional number registra- the UK is seeking opportunities for in Qatar. mally reach and where we don’t have INCLUDED WITH scriber (the interior ministry calls tion’ for Metrash. collaboration with Qatari organisa- “We are interested in developing permission to operate,” he added. him the ‘co-receiver) can share tions in this field. a collaborative relationships with TODAY’S EDITION transaction messages sent through →Continued on page 3 Desmond Swayne, the British Qatar. We are currently working on →Continued on page 3 02 WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 HOME

CRA resolves over 90% of telecom consumer complaints QRCS completes West Darfur project

The Peninsula counterpart and other entities, including The QR18m Social the United Nations Development Pro- gramme, the Sudanese government’s Harmony initiative in Humanitarian Aid Commission, and DOHA: The Consumer Regulatory Authority (CRA) said yes- Arara village in West University of Zalingei, Geneina Branch, terday that it has resolved over 90 percent of the complaints with support from the Sudanese minis- received from consumers last year about the two telecommu- Darfur state lasted 30 tries of agriculture and social welfare and nications providers in the country. months the community of 28,115 in the village. The complaints mostly related to billing, network coverage, QRCS Secretary-General Saleh bin Ali service disconnections and delay in installation and activa- Al Mohannadi said, “The effort seeks to tion of services. create an atmosphere of peace and sta- CRA’s Consumer Affairs Department is working with Oore- The Peninsula bility by addressing conflict factors and doo and Vodafone Qatar to finalise the unresolved complaints, containing tribal tensions first, then taking said a statement. action to enhance the means of making Last year, CRA received 1,985 inquiries from consumers livelihoods, reconstruction and devel- and 1,135 complaints. Of the complaints, less than 10 percent DOHA: Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) opment of natural resources.” are under investigation. The complaints were received through has completed its Social Harmony initi- The war in Darfur had a heavy impact CRA’s official channels -- hotline 103, mobile app Arsel and ative launched about three years ago to on the region, with villages obliterated Twitter channel @CRAqatar. promote peaceful coexistence and pro- and over two million people rendered “CRA is mandated by an Emiri decree to manage a dispute ductive capabilities in West Darfur, Sudan. homeless and forced to refugee camps. resolution system that is transparent, fair, speedy and effective. Lasting 30 months until last Decem- Following the signing of the 2011 peace The figures show that CRA is proactively managing disputes, ber, the project was implemented with agreement, the displaced people returned with nearly 100 complaints received on average each month a $500,000 (QR1,819,340) contribution home with hopes of restoring their nor- Some of the beneficiaries in Arara. against both service providers. from Qatar Development Fund. mal life. However, they faced only painful “Resolving these complaints is a vital part of our role in The project launched in May 2013 reality: Most villages lacked the slightest protecting telecom consumers in Qatar,” said Amel Salem Al aimed to aid 500 post-war repatriated basics of life, infrastructure and serv- The responsibility for the project operating Krinding Medical Centre, which Hanawi, Manager, Consumer Affairs, CRA. families of Arara, a poor village in Beida ices were destroyed and the sources of will be handed over to local govern- serves 61,000 internally displaced people, Common complaints include disconnections, delays in serv- locality, West Darfur state, hit by the armed income no more existent. ment and community committees, who rural hospitals that have so far helped over ice provisions, refunds, incorrect billing, slow Internet, weak conflict. The programme was designed to fos- will be trained in project management 100,000 people, water network installa- broadband services, services not activated or mistakenly discon- To implement the development project, ter social and cultural interaction among and reporting. tion, sanitation and urgent intervention nected, high roaming charges, double debiting, replenishment QRCS joined hands with its Sudanese tribal and ethnic groups of Arara. QRCS’s field contributions includes in disaster management and relief. failures and failure to activate SIM cards. Some 30 percent of the complaints received about Oore- doo’s mobile services were related to billing and 20 percent to network coverage. Thirty percent of complaints about Voda- fone mobile services were related to service disconnection and Katara initiative to promote responsibility on social media 20 percent to billing. From the data collected, 53 percent of Ooredoo fixed line complaints were related to delay in installation and activation Al Kuwari, Chairperson, Qatar Centre for “This is in response to the growing of expression with responsibility and the while 32 percent of the fixed line complaints were related to fixed Voluntary; Hasan Al Sai, Qatari TV pro- number of social media users, especially limitation of personal abuse and the exploi- line disconnection issues. The figures correlate to each serv- Katara aims to develop fessional; and Ammar Mohammed, social among the youth, who spend long hours tation of information. ice provider’s share of subscribers. Ooredoo’s share of mobile rules of conduct, media expert, digital marketing profes- virtually interacting with others. We need Panel members called for the spread of subscribers is 67 percent compared to Vodafone’s 33 percent. particularly for Twitter sional and regional consultant. to consolidate the ethics of social media values among users of social media plat- Ooredoo’s share in the fixed line market is 98 percent as per the Ahmed Al Sayed, Deputy General Man- usage and reduce any negative practices forms in Qatar, the GCC and the wider Arab financial results for Q3 2015 published by the service provider. ager, Operations, Katara, said Katara is that violate community values and traditions world. The adopted values for social media Consumers with a complaint can freely approach the CRA if collaborating with institutions and active and as a result affect the use of meaningful users promoted by Katara include aban- they first complain to their service provider and the complaint accounts on social media in Qatar and the dialogue and useful interaction. Promoting doning pseudonyms and fake accounts, remains unresolved for 30 calendar days, or if they are dissat- DOHA: Cultural Village Foundation - Katara GCC to promote the initiative and its val- social responsibility is needed in dealing banning the spread of rumours, patronising isfied with the resolution offered, said the statement. yesterday launched ‘Tweet Your Name’ ini- ues in light of the huge number of fake with the growing virtual world,” he added. reliable news sources, always mentioning Consumers can contact the CRA if they are first unable to tiative to promote personal responsibility accounts and rumours which often occur The initiative reflects the spirit of information sources, moral commitment resolve their disputes with their service provider within 30 and respect among users of Twitter, Face- within social media platforms. national unity, solidarity and community towards the community and the nation, days using a variety of communication channels: 24/7 hot- book and Instagram. “We aim to develop principles and rules values and seeks to promote the values of avoiding racism and tarnishing others’ rep- line number 103, email at [email protected], using It was unveiled during a press confer- of conduct, including a strong emphasis justice, charity, freedom, equality and mor- utation, banning support of violence and the CRA’s online complaint form via the website, by tweeting ence at Katara in the presence of active on moral and humanitarian values and als. It operates in line with the Universal terrorism, considering fellow users who directly to the CRA @CRAqatar, or by visiting the CRA’s head- social media users and media professionals mutual respect when using social media, Declaration of Human Rights which rec- are women and children and respect for quarters at Al Nasr Tower B. from Qatar and the GCC, including Aisha particularly Twitter. ognises the right of participation, freedom intellectual property rights. HOME WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 03 New law for sports clubs 2022 panel recruiting members ‘promotes transparency’

The 2016 Youth Panel QNA will learn about and get involved in DOHA: Minister of Youth and Sports preparations for 2022 H E Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser Al FIFA World Cup Qatar Ali said the new law issued by Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, regulating sports clubs, serves the interests of the clubs and will The Peninsula reflect positively on sports in Qatar in terms of independence, develop- ment and advancement. The Minister said the new law DOHA: Young residents of Qatar have would enhance transparency and a new opportunity to learn about and governance and enable Qatari youth get involved in preparations for the to practice sports more efficiently, 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar by joining which will reflect on their ability to the Supreme Committee for Delivery & advance and develop sports in Qatar. Legacy’s (SC) Youth Panel 2016 group. He extended thanks and appre- The programme will see them Minister of Youth and Sports ciation to the Emir for support for accompany the development of the the youth and sports sector, stress- H E Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser proposed host venues through to com- ing that all achievements in the field Al Ali pletion and influence their legacy use resulted from this support. thereafter. Thirty-five youngsters, all Last year panel members visited the site of Al Wakrah Stadium, one of the proposed host venues for 2022. The Minister also thanked Dep- sharing a passion for contributing to the uty Emir H H Sheikh Abdullah bin to decision-making, and enhances the development of society, were appointed Hamad Al Thani, Prime Minister and methodological work for sports clubs to the panel last year. positively impact their communities. World Cup. Each of you has an impor- Ramadan, learned about volunteer- Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah in accordance with strategic plans Now, the SC is looking for another The new edition of the panel will tant role to play. If you live in Qatar, ing, charity and social media, among bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, the approved by the general assemblies in group representing Qatari and differ- have two groups, one delivering work- you are part of our journey.” other monthly activities. Advisory Council Speaker and mem- line with Qatar National Vision 2030. ent communities, who are passionate shops in Arabic and one in English, Last year, panel members visited Panellists also attended a workshop bers, the President of Qatar Olympic He said the law activates the role about the 2022 FIFA World Cup and with a maximum of 35 members each. the construction site of Al Wakrah Sta- delivered by Josoor Institute, a cen- Committee, the President of Qatar of the clubs’ general assemblies and its impact on the country. Applicants must be between 15 and 21 dium, one of the proposed host venues tre of excellence in sports and events Football Association, heads of sports gives them powers to supervise and The group meets one Saturday each and passionate about contributing to for the 2022 tournament, and Shaikh industries, to empower and engage clubs and the work team which par- control sports activities independ- month for workshops and activities the World Cup. Faisal Museum for a workshop with young residents and help them advance ticipated in drafting the law. ently in accordance with regulations relating to the tournament. Among Khalid Al Jumaily, Community the art and culture team to review the their professional careers in the field The Minister stressed that the and systems of sports federations. exciting opportunities, they get to Engagement Manager, SC, said: “We strategy for delivering sculptures in of managing and organising sports law enables clubs to play a key The law also promotes par- hear from architects, learn about town encourage all youth to apply and enter each of the stadium precincts. and other events. For details, email role in the development of society, ticipation of Qatari youth in the planning and infrastructure projects the recruitment process for an oppor- They collaborated in an Iftar tent [email protected]. The deadline for defines responsibilities, contributes management of sports clubs, he added. and contribute to the plans that will tunity to learn about the 2022 FIFA for SC construction workers during applications is February 4. Qatar’s humanitarian role a model for other countries: UK Minister

Continued from page 1 of all internally displaced Syrians and is the aim,” he added. among those responded to the human- as food, shelter, medical care and clean refugees in neighbouring countries, The challenge is high with 200,000 itarian response. To date the country drinking water to hundreds of thou- He said the role played by Qatar identify long-term funding solutions, Syrian refugees registered for school- has committed more than £1.1bn in sands of Syrians affected by the conflict, in humanitarian efforts, particularly covering 2016 and following years ing, according to Swayne. humanitarian funding. both inside Syria and outside, the Brit- in putting people on ground in Syria, and address the long-term needs of He said the UK is a leading donor This is for providing support, such ish Minister added. is significant and it should be taken those affected by the crisis by identi- as a model by other countries. fying ways to create jobs and provide Swayne was on a two-day visit to education. Qatar ahead of the Syria Donors Con- “We want to raise the level of ambi- ference 2016 to be held next month tion to fully fund the needs of Syrians in London. within Syria and the refugees. We The conference is jointly hosted by also want to move to a much more the United Nations, the UK, Kuwait, predictable and reasonable funding,” Germany and Norway. said Swayne. It will follow on previous confer- “ The ambition of the conference ences held in Kuwait. is to be able to announce that every Desmond Swayne, British Minister The conference will bring together refugee child in Jordan and Lebanon of State at the Department for leaders from countries around the will be in education at the end of the International Development, world, NGOs and civil society groups academic year 2016-2017. That is a speaking to The Peninsula. to raise more funds to meet the needs very high level of ambition, but that Metrash 2 provides almost all services available at Ministry of Interior centres

Continued from page 1 of vehicle ownership; and transfer of renewal of residency permit for both; vehicle number plates and certificates cancellation of the residency permit; The system will then require for various purposes. changing data on expatriates’ pass- personal ID number and the mobile The other key services include issu- ports and separation of dependents number of the primary subscriber. ance of visit visas -- under personal from an expatriate’s passport. After filling up the required informa- and corporate sponsorships -- fol- There are other services that can tion, the system will send a one-time low-up of applications and approvals; be availed through Metrash and the password to activate the service of ‘co- enquiries and explanations about vari- list is long and includes activation and receiver’. The same instruction should ous issues such as status of application, renewal of e-gate card and queries on be followed to change or cancel the valid visa for use, visa-related viola- travel movements, and about compa- mobile number of the ‘co-receiver’. tions and used visas; visa fee payment; nies, including number of expatriates Metrash provides almost all serv- issuing return visas for visit; payment under sponsorship-owned vehicles. ices that are available at the services of fines for delays; extending visit visa Metrash2 users can look for the centres of the MoI, and they include validity (from inside the country) and ministry’s service centres from their those related to traffic (issuance and renewing unused visit visas. smartphone and communicate with renewal of driver’s licences, includ- The services also include resi- officials. They will get instant notifica- ing the replacement of a lost driver’s dency services such as issuance of tions through SMS on their registered licence); issuance of road permit of a exit permits for company-sponsored mobile numbers indicating the sta- vehicle, issuance of exit permit; transfer or personally-sponsored individuals; tus of their application. Ooredoo app hits 500,000 downloads

The Peninsula numbers and search the phone direc- how far it has come. tory, all from their mobile device. “We’ve listened to people’s feed- Since its introduction, the app has back and expanded services to make revamped services to offer a full range the app a one-stop-shop for all our DOHA: Ooredoo App has hit over of self-service options for customers customers daily Ooredoo needs. This 500,000 downloads, a milestone for from across its portfolio, giving them year, we aim to add more to the service, the company since the service was more control with features such as the and promise to invest more in digital launch late 2013. ability to change or upgrade plans, content so that our users can stay con- The app, which has seen upgrades subscribe to services on the go like nected to our Supernet 24/7.” and features added since its intro- Mobile Internet Packs, activate Oore- The app will work with all smart- duction, was launched to enable doo Passport for low-cost roaming, phone devices, and Ooredoo aim to customers to easily manage their sub- and book appointments at Ooredoo add new smart features to the app scriptions and accounts in a smarter shops from their device. toolbox in the near future. and faster way. Originally customers Fatima Sultan Al Kuwari, Direc- The mobile app is available for free could conveniently view their usage tor, Community and Public Relations, download on Google Play or iTunes for and pay bills, top up Hala credit, man- Ooredoo Qatar, said: “The app was one customers who have iOS, Android or age Shahry accounts, redeem Nojoom of the first self-service programmers Blackberry smartphone. For details points, reserve easy-to-remember in the region and we’re proud to see about the app, visit www.ooredoo.qa. 04 WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 HOME WISE Learners’ Voice Programme begins President of 33 young learners, Mexico arrives including three Qataris, taking part in today on 2-day an intensive, 10-day official visit residential session at Doha: President Enrique QNCC Pena Nieto of Mexico is arriving in Doha today, for a two-day official visit to Qatar. The Peninsula Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will meet Presi- DOHA: The 2015-16 World Innovation dent Nieto tomorrow Summit for Education (WISE) Learn- and discuss relations ers’ Voice Programme brought together between the two coun- 33 young learners from around the tries and regional and world, including three Qataris, for an international issues of intensive, 10-day residential session common interest. at Qatar National Convention Centre. The session sought to provide learn- Ministry recalls ers with a foundational understanding of key concepts and evolving trends Subaru Impre- in education, and delivered expert training in leadership and commu- za and Forester nication skills. The focus on education, leadership, Doha: The Ministry of and communication is designed to sup- The 2015-2016 WISE Learners’ Voice batch with WISE CEO Stavros Yiannouka, WISE team and session facilitators during the first residential Economy and Com- port the participants as they research session at Qatar National Convention Centre. merce, in collaboration and develop innovative education with Mannai Trading Co. projects throughout the year-long W.L.L, dealer of Subaru programme. education and explored innovative second session in Madrid from May The Learners’ Voice Programme represent 29 countries and will ben- vehicles, has announced WISE is a global initiative of Qatar approaches. They began planning 30 to June 10, attending workshops on was established in 2010 as an initia- efit from the expertise of the WISE the recall of Subaru Foundation (QF) and through its youth- collaborative group projects which social entrepreneurship and project tive of WISE to engage the perspectives team and global education specialists, Impreza models of empowerment initiative, brings the identify innovative education solutions development. and creative energies of young peo- including faculty from Yale University 2012-2014 and Forester voices of young people to the challenge to opportunities across the health, envi- Selected projects will have an ple in debates on important education and Babson College. models of 2013-2014 of building the future of education. ronment, technology and arts sectors. opportunity to pitch their proposals issues and challenges facing diverse The programme is supported by because of a defect in During the session, the learn- In addition to online activities, to an audience of potential investors, communities. partners Banco Santander through its the wiring harness coat- ers examined pressing issues in the learners will participate in a donors and partners in the Fall. The 2015-16 learners, aged 18-25, Universities Global Division. ing that could wear off, resulting in malfunc- tion of headlamps and wipers. The ministry said Foggy weather likely again this morning the recall is within the framework of its efforts to protect consum- The Peninsula especially at Umm Qarn traffic intersection. ers and ensure dealers The department increased patrolling in these follow up on vehicles’ areas early in the morning and urged motor- defects and repairs. ists not to change lanes, overtake and drive at The ministry said DOHA: A thick layer of fog engulfed several high speed in foggy conditions. it will coordinate with areas of the country early yesterday, particu- Temperatures may be moderate during the the dealer to follow up larly in the north where some 113 road accidents day but the night will be cold with the mercury on maintenance and were reported. dropping to between 12 and 16 degrees Celsius. repairs and communi- The weather bureau has warned that foggy The coldest place will be Abu Samra on Qatar- cate with customers to conditions may prevail in several parts of the Saudi Arabia border as the mercury may drop ensure repairs are car- country this morning as well. to 12 degrees C at night. ried out. The Traffic Department has urged motorists In Doha, Al Wakrah and Messaieed, nightly The ministry urged to exercise caution. Visibility will be affected temperature has been forecast at 16 degrees, customers to report any due to the fog and may initially be about 1km while the maximum expected there is 24 degrees. violations to its Con- or less and will improve later to four to 6km. It will not be a windy day as northwesterly sumer Protection and No one sustained serious injuries and there wind moving in from the colder regions of Europe Anti-Commercial Fraud were no casualties in the accidents. will be moving at speeds of three to 10 knots. Department through Damaged vehicles were removed from the The wind will later change direction to hotline: 16001; email: accident sites. northeasterly. The direction will be the same [email protected]; Twit- According to department sources, most in the seas (northwesterly), changing later to ter: @MEC_Qatar; accidents were caused as motorists failed to northeasterly. Instagram: MEC_Qatar; follow traffic rules applicable to foggy weather The wind offshore will be moving at speeds and the ministry’s conditions. of five to 12 knots. Notwithstanding foggy conditions, fitness freaks doing their morning exercises at Aspire mobile app for Android The coastal road in Al Khor and Al Shamal Offshore, the weather will be cloudy and Zone early yesterday. Several parts of the country were engulfed in a thick layer of fog and IOS: MEC_Qatar. Road (the northern expressway) were the hazy and the sea relatively calm. The sunrise yesterday, with the Met Office forecasting similar conditions this morning. most affected, and many accidents took place will be at 6.20 and sunset time at 5.09. Pic: Abdul / The Peninsula Third Vodafone Literary Competition deadline extended to February 29

The Peninsula

DOHA: The submission deadline for the third Vodafone Literary Competition has been extended to February 29. To be held under the patronage of Minister of Cul- ture, Arts and Heritage H E Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, the competition is inspired by the theme of this year’s National Day celebrations ‘Our help carries joy to the aggrieved’ - a verse from a poem written by Qatar’s Founder Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani. The contest is open to all citizens and residents and submissions for both categories have to be in Arabic. Taking inspiration from the competition’s theme, the first category is for the best historical story. It should aim to enhance the spirit of patriotism through ancient or modern history. The story may also be on a heroic event of an influential figure in Qatar’s history. Partici- pants can also work on a key historical event, or a story about a leading historical figure who led the nation’s ren- aissance. Indulging in historical details at the expense of literary flair is discouraged. Submissions have to be in the form of a story between 2,000 and 2,500 words. The first place in the category will receive QR50,000; second QR30,000 and third QR20,000. The second category is for the best narrative poetry in classical Arabic, which should deal with a topic of national issue that deepens patriotism, loyalty, the sense of belonging, sacrifice or a key historical event related to the well-known expression about Qatar as ‘The Bosom of the Oppressed’ (Kaaba Almdiom) highlighting Qatar’s authentic values. Prizes for the category are QR20,000; QR15,000; and QR10,000 for the first, second and third place, respectively. Winners will be announced in March. To under- stand terms and conditions or submit literary work, visit www.vodafone.qa/AR. For enquiries, email Vodafone. [email protected] HOME WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 05 QU holds first English language teaching forum

David Nunan, University of Hong Kong Over 600 experts Emeritus Professor of Applied Linguis- tics, Anaheim University President discuss existing Emeritus and well-known author of and emerging ELT textbooks; Dr Lillian Wong, Sen- ior Lecturer, University of Hong Kong developments in Centre for Applied English Studies; English language Dr Mazen Hasna, Vice-President and learning strategies Chief Academic Officer, QU; Dr Dud- ley Reynolds, TESOL President-Elect; and practices at the and Dr Maha Al Hendawi, Director, conference hosted FP, and FP faculty. Dr Al Derham said: “The knowledge by the Foundation and experience local and international Programme speakers bring with them will undoubt- Dr Hassan Rashid Al Derham, edly enrich our discussions today in President, QU, speaking at the that it will provide us with a more rede- event. fined, international and intercultural The Peninsula perspective on the teaching and learn- ing of English as a foreign language. sessions, an invited colloquium on ‘Sec- “The significance of this confer- ond language writing development: ence extends beyond our immediate DOHA: The Foundation Programme Research and classroom applications’ classroom and has implications for at Qatar University (FP-QU) held its featuring presentations from academ- our wider society. Human develop- first international conference on Eng- ics from Zayed University, King Saud ment is a pillar of Qatar National Vision lish language teaching (QU FP ICELT) University, and Carnegie Mellon Uni- 2030 and in this sense, what will be -- Excellence in Teaching and Knowl- versity in Qatar. discussed here today relates to the edge Economy: Engage, Enhance and It also included a session featur- bigger picture of improving educa- Activate -- on January 16 and 17. ing speakers from QU, UAE University tional outcomes and our education Officials given a presentation at the conference. The forum, co-organised by Qatar and Al Bayan Educational Complex system. This will contribute to the goal TESOL, brought together around 600 for Girls and six panel and concurrent of building a successful, prosperous educators, teachers, experts and sessions on topics such as ‘Teaching and sustainable society.” in Baltimore, US, from April 5 until 8. and the conference organising commit- and ‘Towards a globalised knowledge researchers from Qatar, the GCC and Young Learners’; ‘Testing and Assess- Dr Reynolds praised Qatar’s devel- Dr Al Hendawi stressed the need for tee for hard work and contribution to economy: Engaging, enhancing and from across the world to discuss exist- ment’; Language Skills and Creativity’; opments in all sectors and outlined teachers to seek new ways of engag- making the forum a success. The con- empowering learners with informa- ing and emerging developments in ‘Education Technology’; and more. the mission of TESOL International ing learners in the classroom because ference included a session on writing tion technology’. Presentations were English language learning strategies The ICELT was inaugurated by Dr and invited participants to attend the “English is an important tool for profes- colloquium, a plenary and sessions made by academics from QU, Qatar, and practices. A pre-conference event Hassan Rashid Al Derham, President, TESOL 2016 International Convention sional development”. Dr Al Hendawi under the themes ‘Issues and Chal- the UAE, Oman, Poland, the UK, the by Qatar TESOL included three plenary QU, and featured keynote speakers Dr and English Language Expo to be held praised Foundation Programme staff lenges in Integrated Syllabus Design’; US, and Saudi Arabia. Indian troupe wows audience at Cultural Diversity Festival at Katara

The Peninsula Bharatanatyam dances at the Cultural sound track for their routines. Spain, Switzerland and on numerous Unesco office in Doha. will be another 18 performances over Diversity Festival at Katara Espla- The performers also provided occasions across India. “Katara’s aim as a Cultural Village the next five months -- each offering nade last night. music with the ankle instruments Performing for the first time in Qatar, is to stage the kind of performances the a similar level of engaging culture and Dressed in colourful traditional they wore. the troupe provided a fitting introduc- dance troupe brought to the festival fun for people from all walks of life.” DOHA: The Aparajita and Troupe Indian attire, the 11-member troupe A member of India World Cultural tion to the country. The five-month long tonight,” said Katara General Manager The Nairobi National Dance Ensem- from India enthraled the audience offered synchronised poses and dances Forum, the troupe has performed in festival is organised by Katara and the Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti. “There ble will perform on February 1 and 2. with a collection of traditional Indian with traditional music acting as the countries, including Indonesia, Oman,

The Aparajita and Troupe from India performs. Abu Issa Holding hosts cricket event

Officials and participants at the event.

The Peninsula With the innings of 10 overs per looked difficult but with the excellent side, three league games were played. knock from Fiham, the target score The three teams played two matches was reached by Blasters in the fifth with each other. Avengers won both over. Fiham scored 30 runs in the fifth DOHA: The Finance Department at league games, Blasters won one and over, including four sixes and a four. Abu Issa Holding organised a one-day Challengers lost both. At the closing ceremony, the best cricket event at Qatar Cricket Ground The final was held between Aveng- batsman trophy was awarded to Bud- in Lusail. ers and Blasters. Good batting, bowling hraj Vaishnav; Ifas and Nazlan got The members of the department and fielding skills were shown by all the best bowlers trophy and Jawad enjoyed to event despite strong winds players. The final was reduced to seven Ahmed, Captain of Avengers, received and dusty weather. Three teams of 11 overs each. Blasters won the toss and the runners up trophy. Hatim Hussain, each -- Avengers, Blasters and Chal- elected to field. Avengers scored 87 Captain of Blasters, received the win- lengers -- took part. runs in seven overs. Initially, the target ner’s trophy. 06 WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 HOME

Street 1 in Industrial Area to be partially closed from this evening

The Peninsula this evening for six months. Access roads to local and residential areas will remain open as per the map. The closure is part of construction works DOHA: The Public Works Authority (Ash- to develop the Industrial Area to increase the ghal) has announced that a partial closure capacity of roads, support traffic and pro- will be implemented on Street 1 in the Indus- vide the area with integral infrastructure. trial Area. Ashghal apologises for any inconven- One lane in each direction will be closed, ience and urges all road users to abide by while one lane will remain open starting speed limits and traffic signs for safety.

Over 50 buildings have been completed in the township for orphans. Township for orphans on track

Work continues on the township being devel- community centre, 12 small playgrounds, a park RAF has completed almost oped in phases in Al Rayhaniya city of Turkey, and three sport facilities, among others. at a cost of over QR44m. RAF has selected Turkey to build the unique half of the project for In Phase I, the township will have many township because more than 1.8 million Syr- Syrians who have fled buildings and accommodate some 840 orphans. ian refugees, including over 55,000 orphans, The project is a brainchild of Sheikh Thani are based in the country. RAF aims through this their homeland and taken bin Abdullah Foundation for Humanitarian Serv- township to provide complete services to the shelter in Turkey ices (RAF) and is being financed by it. Syrian orphans, including social care, education, It is being developed in collaboration with health, sports and other necessary facilities. Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation, İHH Al Rayhaniya is the nearest Turkish city from (İnsani Yardım Vakfı). Over 50 buildings have Syria and has accommodated large numbers of The Peninsula been completed, said Ahmad bin Rashid Al Syrian refugees. That explains why RAF chose Suwaidi, Assistant Head of Foreign Projects, RAF. this place to build the township. The project was The infrastructure development like drainage launched more than a year ago and received system, water and electricity connections and overwhelming response from donors in Qatar, DOHA: A township with necessary infrastruc- telecommunications lines are ready, he added. RAF said. Donors can approach RAF through ture being built in Turkey by a Qatar-based The township is being developed in an area hotline 55341818 or SMS or its donation col- Holiday Villa Doha to mark charity for Syrian orphans who have fled their of about 60,000 square metres. The project lection centres throughout the country. RAF is homeland and taken shelter in the neighbour- includes 35 villas, schools, mosques, a ware- executing charity projects all over the world, National Sport Day with ‘Biggest ing country is almost half complete. house, a place to prepare food, laundry, clinic, with projects in over 90 countries. Loser: Weight Loss Challenge’ US mentors to back NU-Q students on research The Peninsula Sport Day, the hotel will organise activ- ities for employees, tenants, guests and gym members. The Peninsula In the application process, they will have 18 travelling on research trips. The program includes a marathon race, access to resources on the Evanston campus, As part of the memorandum of under- DOHA: Holiday Villa Doha is gearing up children-oriented physical challenges, including the opportunity to discuss their ideas, standing, an NU-Q faculty member will join for National Sport Day with the launch of cross-fit competition and swimming relay. develop projects and review proposal drafts the Evanston office’s Undergraduate Research the ‘Biggest Loser: Weight Loss Challenge’. The challenge winner will be announced DOHA: Northwestern University in Qatar’s with Evanston faculty members through online Grant Review Committee and NU-Q will provide To build a healthy community by on the day. (NU-Q) undergraduates will benefit from signif- resources, information sessions and direct access the resources -- up to $20,000 annually -- to promoting active and healthy lifestyle, Chen said: “This 2016, we will encour- icantly increased opportunities for independent to a personal adviser. support successful proposals by NU-Q under- the project has opened the doors of the age and give full support to employees research, according to a new agreement with “NU-Q places strong emphasis on devel- graduates. The agreement follows a visit by Dr Activa Fitness Club for the hotel’s quali- who pledge to live by and choose what this the Office of Undergraduate Research at North- oping undergraduates’ research skills,” said Peter Civetta, Director of the office to NU-Q to fied employees. celebration stands for – holistic change western’s home campus in Evanston, Illinois, US. Dr Everette E Dennis, Dean and CEO, NU-Q. meet faculty and students and discuss addi- The programme provides tailor-made towards good health and active lifestyle. The office provides support and advice for “The agreement will significantly enhance tional avenues of collaboration. workout routines and weight-specific “The management will continue to undergraduates as they put class work and aca- their learning experience and help prepare our “We are delighted that, through the home dietary plans for participants under the organise quarterly inter-department games, demic theory into practice through independent students for research-oriented careers after campus, NU-Q students will now have the oppor- supervision of gym and health professionals. including wellness and fitness tourna- research projects. graduation by providing them with additional tunity to engage with academic resources on Leading up to the celebration, the hotel ments and team-building to encourage NU-Q students will be encouraged to apply resources from the home campus.” the Evanston campus,” said Civetta. “There is a takes pride in initiating programmes that employees to live healthy and work hard to all programmes supported by the office for The agreement allows NU-Q students to dynamic emerging research culture in Qatar, and rallies towards good health. as a team,” Chen added. which they are eligible — including grants to build on resources offered by the office that we look forward to working with our colleagues Joey Chen, General Manager of the Holiday Villa Hotel & Residence Doha learn a foreign language and attend a schol- in the 2014-15 academic year led to 27 stu- at NU-Q in enhancing the research projects of hotel, said, “By starting from within, we offers 357 lavishly designed hotel rooms and arly conference. dents working on grant-funded projects and our undergraduate students in Doha,” he added. are not only encouraging our colleagues 396 fully furnished serviced apartments. to support National Sport Day but we also The club features professional train- impart the significance of wellness to our ers and offers personalised training and daily lives – physically, mentally and emo- consultation. tionally; and how it affects the wellbeing For inquiries, call + 974 4408 4888 of our internal community.” /4086. As Qatar marks the 5th National Visit www.holidayvilladoha.com

Officials and winners at a ceremony in Algiers, Algeria. Ooredoo greets 3rd Arab Mobile Challenge winners

The Peninsula business plans to a jury of industry “Ooredoo is a long-term partner Oman and Sudan. experts and professionals. of the challenge, and we continue Each presented idea for an app Two teams received the prize to be impressed by the quality of that could have a positive impact of financial support for their apps the entries and the commitment on their communities, including DOHA: Ooredoo has congratulated to bring them to market -- ‘Vision- of young developers looking to concepts to address specific issues the winners of the regional finals geeks’ developers from Sudan and build these applications. Ooredoo relating to education, healthcare, of the 3rd Arab Mobile Challenge, ‘Bookr’ from Kuwait. is working hard to encourage the entrepreneurship, employability, at a ceremony in Algiers, Algeria, Five winning teams advanced to creation of more locally-relevant and entertainment. earlier this month. compete at the Global Mobile Chal- content and applications, because Ooredoo supports incuba- Launched in 2013, the chal- lenge during GSMA Mobile World we believe they can have a real tion activities and entrepreneurial lenge enables teams of up to six Congress in Barcelona next month. impact on the lives of people across programmes across its footprint, under 35 to develop mobile apps These teams were the devel- our footprint.” including Ooredoo’s tStart and to make a difference across their opers of ‘Synoos’ (Algeria); ‘Doha Organised by Imtiaz Middle iStartprogrammes (Algeria); communities. Guide’ (Qatar); ‘My U Team’ (Kuwait); East, over 20 teams from vari- Start-up Factory (Tunisia); Oore- As a founder and key partner of ‘Gravilog’ (Palestine); and ‘Raye7’ ous countries participated in the doo Indosat’s Ideabox (Indonesia); the challenge, Ooredoo participated (Egypt). regional final, including teams from and the ‘Digital and Beyond’ incuba- in the regional final, which saw Sheikh Saud bin Nasser Al Algeria, Qatar, Tunisia, Lebanon, tor at the Qatar Business Incubation 24 teams present app designs and Thani, Group CEO, Ooredoo, said: Palestine, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, Centre. HOME / GULF / MIDDLE EAST WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 07

AJ+ comes to QA video featuring FC Barcelona stars a big hit big screen with Apple TV launch

airline safety videos. In addition, Qatar Total viewing time of the safety A record among Airways’ new brand campaign, Going video as posted to YouTube equates The Peninsula Places Together, generated extraordi- to a remarkable 39 years and 94 days airline safety videos nary attention online with 31 million since its launch. Salam Al Shawa, Qatar as nearly 40 million views of the new television commercial Airways Senior Vice President of Mar- over the same time period inspiring keting and Corporate Communications DOHA: AJ+ has launched a new dig- view the clip across millions with its message of travel as added: ital experience on Apple TV. This all social media a transformative experience. “Feedback from our passengers, marks its first step in making con- platforms since its In a step-change from the airline’s our staff and the online community tent available through an app on the traditional in-flight safety content, has been phenomenal. The safety video big screen as it has been focused debut in December Qatar Airways communicated the has been called ‘among the best of all solely on native mobile and social airline’s essential safety informa- time’ by mainstream media, a com- distribution of content to-date. tion in scenes which depicted Suarez pliment that we take to heart. There is The new tvOS App allows users taking to the pitch in a life vest, while something for everyone in this video, to consume and engage with AJ+ The Peninsula Pique causes a stir with waiting fans. and everyone likes to see their favour- content and features a unique emoji This safety video will be shown to all ite football players having a little fun reactions feature that replaces the passengers on board every Qatar Air- and showing off their acting skills. Our classic star rating system used by People watching Qatar Airways’ new safety video featuring FC Barcelona DOHA: Qatar Airways’ new safety ways flight, reaching tens of millions approach to the video was the same as many publishers. This not only players Messi, Suarez, Neymar, Pique, Rakitic and Mascherano. video featuring FC Barcelona players of people in addition to the commu- our approach to our new brand cam- allows users to express themselves Messi, Suarez, Neymar, Pique, Rakitic nity of fans online. paign, Going Places Together – we want more emotively but is also chan- and Mascherano landed as a hit across Qatar Airways Group Chief Exec- become just another part of the on- successful partnership with FC Bar- to take something that has become neled back to the newsroom to allow all social media channels, generat- utive Akbar Al Baker said: “We saw an board experience. Safety is of course celona has been so warmly received ordinary and give it a new twist, some- producers to gauge how the content ing nearly 40 million views since its opportunity to bring some of our sig- at the heart of our operations as a glo- in this way by our passengers and the thing that will inspire a fresh look and is performing with the audience. debut in December, a record among nature creativity to something that had bal airline and I am delighted that our online viewing public.” a new experience. With just over a year since its inception in September 2014, AJ+ has built a unique and captivating content catalogue in the news and Ministry of Culture to take part information space with innovative Chinese President in Saudi to bolster ties formats of video centric content. The AJ+ team has and will be curat- in Cairo International Book Fair ing content specifically for Apple TV audiences. Dima Khatib, Managing Director The Peninsula of AJ+, said: “Innovative storytell- ing and reporting about stories that DOHA: The Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage has announced its par- matter in formats that appeal to our ticipation in the 47th Cairo International Book Fair which will take place audience as well as distributing this from January 27 to February 10. content natively to our audience The Ministry will have its own pavilion at the fair in which it will display has always been a key pillar of our important Qatari books on Qatari environment and people through the inno- strategy. We definitely are leading vative works of Qatari writers and the publications of the Ministry which with our mobile first approach for cover art, thoughts and heritage as well as translated books. news and hope to take the lessons The book fair is hosting 34 Arab and non-Arab countries and this year learned over to the big screen. Watch Bahrain will be the guest of honour at the exhibition. Bahrain will present this space as we figure out how to art and culture activities including films, and historical documentary about bring content engagement back to the country. A total of 850 publishing houses consisting of 250 Arab, 550 people’s living rooms.” Egyptian and 50 international publishers will be taking part at the expo. AJ+ is a network of digital prop- With the them “Culture in the front,” the expo will commemorate the erties owned by the Al Jazeera Media late Egyptian writer Gamal El Ghitani. A number of activities, symposiums Network producing and distrib- on the occasion of the 10th death anniversary of the Egyptian novelist and uting content natively for digital Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz. audiences.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Riyadh yesterday. Syria peace talks face hurdles

AFP said the monarch held a luncheon ban- He was referring to the six-nation Agencies The 17 countries pushing for a agreement,” he said. quet in his honour attended by several Gulf Cooperation Council to which peace deal, including the United States, The Geneva talks are to pave the members of the royal family. Saudi Arabia belongs. Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iran, have way to a new constitution and elec- “Since China and Saudi Arabia Today, Xi is to join Salman for a been struggling to agree on the list tions in 18 months to end Syria’s nearly RIYADH: Chinese President Xi Jinping forged diplomatic ties 26 years ago, ceremony to inaugurate an energy UNITED NATIONS: The United of opposition leaders who will have five-year war, which has killed more arrived in Saudi Arabia yesterday, the our relationship has developed by research centre in Riyadh. Nations said it was waiting for a seat at the negotiating table. than 260,000 people and triggered a first stop on a trip to raise the economic leaps and bounds, with mutual politi- And they will also open, remotely regional powers spearheading the “At this stage, the UN will proceed mass refugee exodus to Europe. giant’s political profile in a troubled cal trust deepening continuously and from the capital, a refinery on the king- Syria peace process to agree on who with issuing invitations when the coun- The UN spokesman said there were Middle East. rich results in cooperation in various dom’s Gulf coast. The refinery is a will take part in talks starting in just tries spearheading the international “concerns about arrangements” that Xi, making his first presidential fields,” Xi said in written remarks, cited joint venture between state-owned one week’s time and raised the pos- Syrian Support Group process come had yet to be resolved for the talks to visit to the region, will also travel to by China’s official Xinhua news agency. Saudi Aramco and China Petrochem- sibility of a delay. to an understanding on who among go ahead and added: “If there is any Egypt and Iran during his five-day tour. Xi said he foresaw a fruitful visit ical Corp. The peace talks, the first between the opposition should be invited,” said kind of slippage, we will let you know.” State television showed Xi meet- “conducive to lifting our cooperation Red flags of China are flying in the Syrian government and the opposi- UN spokesman Farhan Haq. A council diplomat separately ing with the Custodian of the Two Holy in various fields to a new level and central Riyadh for the high-profile tion since 2014, are scheduled to open UN Secretary-General Ban said “it’s going to be difficult” to Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz to elevating the collective coopera- visit, to which the Arab News daily in Geneva on January 25, but invitations Ki-moon “urges those countries reach agreement on the list of and the official Saudi Press Agency tion between China and GCC nations.” devoted a 10-page special supplement. have yet to be sent to the delegations. to redouble efforts to reach that participants.

Israel to destroy home of Palestinian teen

Agencies

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday the home of a Palestinian teen accused of stabbing to death a Jewish woman in the occupied West Bank would be demolished as a deterrent. “We are going to destroy the terrorist’s house,” Netan- yahu said as he visited the Otniel settlement in the West Bank, where Sunday’s fatal stabbing occurred, accord- ing to his office. Israeli forces have arrested a Palestinian teenager for the killing, which led to outrage among Israelis. Israel regularly demolishes the homes of alleged attack- ers in what it describes as a deterrent. Rights groups say it amounts to collective punishment, with families forced to suffer for the acts of relatives. About 3,500 slaves held by Islamic State in Iraq: UN

GENEVA: An estimated 3,500 people, mainly women and children, are believed to be held as slaves in Iraq by Islamic State militants who impose a harsh rule marked by gruesome public executions, the United Nations said yesterday. The militant group, which also controls large parts of neighbouring Syria, has committed widespread abuses that may “in some instances, amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and possibly genocide,” the report said. The UN Assistance Mission for Iraq and UN human rights office estimated that 3,500 people were “currently being held in slavery by ISIL numbers”. “Those being held are predominantly women and children and come pri- marily from the Yezidi community, but a number are also from other ethnic and religious minority communities,” said the joint report issued in Geneva. 08 WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 MIDDLE EAST Libya unity govt formed under UN-brokered deal

it seems not to be the case.” The unity The key defence portfolio was given to Colonel Al Mahdi Al Barghathi, government, headed a prominent military figure who is by Fayez Al Sarraj, popular in eastern Libya, from where he hails, and in the west where the who was named GNC is based. prime minister- Barghathi is seen as a rival of Haftar although they fought side by designate under side in Operation Dignity, an offen- the UN-sponsored sive led by Haftar against Islamists accord, comprises 32 in second city Benghazi. His selection to be defence min- ministers ister could help to win the support of the GNC — which opposes Haftar — Residents walk along roads damaged from the fighting, in the Kurdish town of Silopi, in southeastern for the unity government, according Turkey, yesterday. to analysts. AFP “The name of the defence minister could be a game changer in shifting endorse the unity government. the position of some of the people in Two-thirds of the legislature must Tripoli,” said Toaldo. Turkish operations against TRIPOLI: A Libyan unity government approve the new administration within Other key nominations are Al Aref was formed yesterday under a UN-bro- 10 days so that it can begin carrying Al Khoja, as the next interior minister kered deal aimed at ending years of out its work. and Marwan Abusrewil as the future bloodshed, but it was unclear whether There was no immediate reaction foreign minister. militants near completion: PM the leaders have wide support from from the two parliaments. The power-sharing deal has the warring sides. Libya has been in chaos since the been given added urgency by fears World powers are appealing 2011 ouster of longtime dictator Mua- that the Islamic State jihadist group, Reuters been killed in the fighting. “The proc- indiscriminate operations. to the country’s rival parliaments mar Gaddafi. under pressure in Syria and Iraq, is ess is to a large extent completed,” Davutoglu’s comments were pub- to back the new administration to A militia alliance includ- building a new stronghold on Europe’s Davutoglu was reported as telling lished after the governor of Sirnak break political paralysis that has pro- ing Islamists overran Tripoli in doorstep. reporters on his plane travelling to province said a round-the-clock cur- vided fertile ground for jihadists and August 2014, establishing its own France and Italy urged the oppos- ISTANBUL: A Turkish security force London, disclosing plans for a new few in the town of Silopi, near the people-smugglers. government and parliament and ing parties yesterday to seize the campaign against Kurdish militants security structure and reorganisa- Iraqi border, would only be enforced But less than half of the members causing the internationally rec- chance to bring stability to the country. in the southeast has been largely tion of state administration in two between 6pm (1600 GMT) and 5am of the two parliaments signed up to the ognised administration to flee to European Union foreign policy completed, Prime Minister Ahmet border provinces. (0300 GMT) from yesterday. UN-sponsored agreement last month. the country’s remote east. chief Federica Mogherini said Libya Davutoglu was reported as saying “It won’t be like with old oper- The town of Cizre, further west The unity government, headed On December 17, under UN guid- was at a “critical juncture” and urged yesterday, as he outlined plans to ations, withdrawing after streets near the Syrian border, and the Sur by Fayez Al Sarraj (pictured), who ance, around 80 of 188 lawmakers from all sides to endorse the unity govern- maintain tighter control in parts of are cleansed. There will be a more district of the region’s largest city in was named prime minister-designate Libya’s internationally recognised par- ment quickly. the region. orderly security presence,” the Yeni Diyarbakir remain under 24-hour under the UN-sponsored accord, com- liament and 50 of 136 members of the “It is now for the House of Repre- Turkish police and military Safak daily quoted him as saying. “The curfew. Davutoglu said there were prises 32 ministers, the administration Tripoli-based General National Con- sentatives and its presidency to show launched major operations against goal is to build a public order...in which plans to make Cizre the administra- announced on its Facebook page. gress signed the unity government deal. the same spirit of compromise and Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fight- no illegal structure can take control tive centre of Sirnak province, as the Sarraj, a businessman in his 50s Analysts say the unity government sense of leadership, and promptly ers in several towns across the mainly of any streets,” he said. For much of mountainous town of Sirnak was in from the capital Tripoli, holds degrees is unlikely to be quickly embraced convene to endorse the proposed Kurdish region last month, intensify- the 31-year insurgency, conflict has a confined area, as part of a “master in business management and architec- by controversial army chief General cabinet,” she said. ing a conflict reignited by the collapse focused the countryside, but the lat- plan in the fight against terror”, Mil- ture and was a member of a committee Khalifa Haftar, who has already said “Only a united Libyan govern- of a ceasefire in July. est violence has been in urban areas. liyet newspaper reported. that paved the way to national dia- he was unhappy with the UN deal. ment, supported by all its citizens, The army says it killed more than The army says that during the cam- There was a similar plan to move logue in Libya. “The main question is whether this will be able to end political divi- 500 PKK rebels in the campaign, add- paign it has removed trenches and the administrative centre of Hakkari UN envoy Martin Kobler urged the government is supported by Haftar,” sions, defeat terrorism, and address ing to a death toll of more than 40,000 barricades set up by PKK youth wing province, on the Iraqi and Iranian bor- country’s internationally recognised said Mattia Toaldo of the European the numerous security, humanitarian people killed since the PKK took up members to keep security forces out. ders, to Yuksekova because of better parliament, the House of Represent- Council on Foreign Relations. “Read- and economic challenges the coun- arms in 1984. The pro-Kurdish HDP Thousands of locals have left the towns security and service infrastructure atives, to “promptly convene” and ing the name of the defence minister try faces,” she added. party says some 100 civilians have hit by conflict, many complaining of there, he said.

Iran sees $32bn of unfrozen assets Iran’s Khamenei warns against US ‘deceit’ as sanctions end

AFP Monday to provide an update after the innocent human who was kept chained central bank chief Valiollah Seif was alone cannot drive the economy” AFP UN atomic watchdog declared Sat- unjustly by the hands and feet for 12 quoted by state television as saying, towards that goal, he said, signalling urday that Iran had met conditions years,” said the president. adding that the money could be used a shift in policy. stipulated in the nuclear deal. “Sanctions are gone but there is to pay for imports. Iran announced a major boost of TEHRAN: Iran’s supreme leader Ayat- “We have to watch if the other a long way between sanctions and Iran’s economy suffered greatly 500,000 barrels per day in oil pro- TEHRAN: Iran will receive $32bn ollah Ali Khamenei warned yesterday parties fulfil their commitments,” development,” he said, speaking to under the international sanctions that duction on Monday — a move Tehran of unfrozen assets after sanctions against American “deceit”, just days the supreme leader wrote in an economics conference in Tehran. since 2006 targeted the Islamic repub- had long planned for once its nuclear were lifted under its nuclear deal, after the end of sanctions under a response. “Today, our main problem is unem- lic’s nuclear programme and financial deal with world powers took effect. the central bank said yesterday, in nuclear deal that the central bank Washington cut diplomatic ties ployment and recession, the lack of a systems. The next budget starting in March a boost to an economy sapped by said would unblock $32bn. with Iran in 1979, when its embassy booming economy and many struc- Under the previous hardline gov- is based on a projected oil price of $40 years of isolation. The remarks underscored the still- in Tehran was stormed by students, tural and economic deficiencies.” ernment of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, per barrel price and exports of 2.25 The unblocking of funds, which strained relations between Tehran and months after the Islamic revolution, Iran hopes that steps to ease its iso- inflation topped 40 percent. million barrels per day. had been held in foreign banks, Washington, which unveiled new mis- leading to a 444-day hostage crisis. lation, including the re-admission of But moderate Rowhani, whose Iran, a member of the Organiza- comes after the UN atomic watch- sile-linked sanctions against Iran on Khamenei has never endorsed its banks to the SWIFT system of inter- election in 2013 heralded more than tion of Petroleum Exporting Countries dog confirmed at the weekend that Sunday almost as soon as the nuclear- repairing relations with the US and national transactions, will inject new two years of nuclear negotiations with (OPEC), now produces 2.8 million bar- Iran had complied with measures related measures were scrapped. has largely followed a similar tack to vigour into the economy. world powers, managed to curb infla- rels of oil per day and exports just over in the July atomic accord. In his first comments since the Iran’s late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah The central bank said that $28bn tion to 13 percent. one million barrels. The assets will be kept “in cen- atomic agreement was implemented Khomeini, who dubbed America the (¤25.8bn) of the unfrozen funds would Iran needs annual foreign invest- Low oil prices and years of US and tralised and safe accounts” abroad, at the weekend, Khamenei told Pres- “Great Satan”. go to it and $4bn “will be transferred ment of $30-$50bn to reach an eight European Union sanctions that barred central bank chief Valiollah Seif was ident Hassan Rowhani in a letter to Opening up to the world cannot to the state treasury as the share of percent growth target and cash in on much of Iran’s foreign oil sales ham- quoted by state television as say- “guard against deceit and violations completely fix the economy, Rowhani the government”. sanctions relief, the president said mered its income from crude. ing, adding that the money could of arrogant states particularly the said Tuesday in a televised speech, The assets, which had been held Sunday. But despite global prices falling be used to pay for imports. United States”. warning the “difficult road has just in foreign banks, will be kept “in cen- “Untapped potential in many indus- below $30, Iran intends to increase Seif said that $28bn (¤25.8bn) Rowhani wrote to Khamenei on begun”. “Today is just the start for an tralised and safe accounts” abroad, tries indicates that domestic demand production to recoup lost market share. would go to the central bank and $4bn “will be transferred to the state treasury as the share of the government”. Iran hopes that steps to ease its Garbage woes ‘Staggering’ 18,802 Iraqi isolation, including the re-admission of its banks to the SWIFT system of international transactions, will civilians killed since 2014 inject new vigour into the economy. But opening up to the world cannot completely fix the econ- omy, President Hassan Rowhani AFP those who perished from the broader impact of said yesterday in a televised speech, conflict. “Even the obscene casualty figures fail warning that the “difficult road has to accurately reflect exactly how terribly civilians just begun”. are suffering in Iraq,” Zeid said in a statement. “Today is just the start for an GENEVA: The number of civilians killed in “The figures capture those who were killed innocent human who was kept violence in Iraq over the past two years is “stag- or maimed by overt violence, but countless oth- chained unjustly by the hands and gering”, the United Nations said yesterday, with ers have died from the lack of access to basic feet for 12 years,” he said. at least 18,802 people killed and another 36,245 food, water or medical care.” “Sanctions are gone but there is injured. The figures count only documented cas- Some 3.2 million people have been inter- a long way between sanctions and ualties from January 1, 2014 through October 31, nally displaced in Iraq since the beginning of development,” he said, speaking to 2015, and the actual numbers of people killed 2014, including more than one million school- an economics conference in Tehran. and maimed are likely far higher, according to aged children, according to the UN. “Today, our main problem is a new report by the UN Assistance Mission for “Many displaced persons are living in under- unemployment and recession, the Iraq (UNAMI) and the UN human rights agency. resourced locations in poor conditions, and are lack of a booming economy and “These are the minimum figures ... in terms of subject to violence and abuse,” the report said. many structural and economic defi- the impact of the violence on civilians,” UNAMI “The violence suffered by civilians in Iraq ciencies,” he added. chief Francesco Motta told reporters in Geneva by remains staggering.” The dramatic upsurge in Iran’s economy suffered greatly phone from Iraq, adding that the report authors violence and in the numbers of people fleeing under the international sanctions Piles of packed garbage stored at the port of the Lebanese capital Beirut yesterday. used “very high standards for verification.” their homes came with the rise of the Islamic State that since 2006 targeted the Islamic An unending garbage crisis has heightened public health concerns in Lebanon as UN human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein (IS) group, which in 2014 declared a “caliphate” republic’s nuclear programme and the rains are expected to add to existing woes. meanwhile said that the toll only counted people in a large swath of territory stretching across financial systems. killed in violence and did not take into account the Iraqi-Syrian border. ASIA / PHILIPPINES WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 09

Manila blowing Philippine presidential candidate goes to Supreme Court up sea row issue: Beijing

in one of the world’s most volatile areas. The Philippines China claims almost the entire plans to install a South China Sea, believed to have huge oil and gas deposits, but Bru- $1m satellite-based nei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan system on Thitu to and Vietnam also have claims in the track commercial sea, through which about $5 trillion in trade passes every year. flights over the The Philippines and Vietnam pro- South China Sea tested against China’s test flights on the Fiery Cross Reef this month. “The concerns about the recent activities of China along with the rec- lamation activities and construction Reuters of airstrips in the disputed territory is shared by other countries as it adds to the tension in the region,” said Her- minio Coloma, Philippine presidential BEIJING: China accused the Philip- communications secretary. pines yesterday of deliberately trying It “causes concern about the free- to scare people by saying China had dom of freedom of navigation and warned a small civilian plane carrying overflight in the area”, Coloma added. Philippine officials it was trespass- Meanwhile, Vietnam warned ing as they inspected an island in the China against drilling in disputed disputed South China Sea. waters in the South China Sea, after The Philippines said the incident Beijing steered an oil rig at the cen- happened on January 7 to an aircraft tre of a previous stand-off between inspecting Thitu Island in the Spratlys, the countries into a stretch where where Manila plans to set up surveil- jurisdiction is unclear. lance equipment this year, as their Vietnam closely tracks the move- Philippine Senator and presidential candidate Grace Poe waves to supporters as she walks towards the Supreme Court to attend the aircraft flew near a Chinese man- ment of the oil rig which in mid-2014 made island. caused the pair’s worst diplomatic oral arguments on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) disqualification cases filed against her for the forthcoming May elections, in Chinese Foreign Ministry spokes- breakdown in decades when China Manila yesterday. man Hong Lei repeated that China has parked it for 10 weeks in waters Viet- sovereignty over the Spratlys and that nam considers its own. the Philippines had illegally occupied The two communist neighbours eight islands there since the 1970s, share more than $60bn in annual including Thitu, and had been build- trade but anti-China sentiment is ing on them. strong in Vietnam, where people Thailand scrambles to drill wells amid drought “The Philippines’ comments are remain embittered over what many just frightening words to scare people, see as a history of Chinese bullying deliberately exaggerating regional and territorial infringements in the tensions with treacherous intent, and South China Sea. Reuters officials and chaired by the prime four months,” Suphot said, pointing to northeast Thailand, are dug about 300 its plots will not succeed,” Hong said, Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry minister. posters detailing rainfall, farmland and metres deep. Suphot said the govern- when asked about the warning to the spokesman Le Hai Binh said that “The most effective way to make reservoirs across the country. ment’s long-term strategy includes Philippine aircraft. the rig had moved on Saturday to a sure that people have water to use this “We are focusing first on water filling the country’s existing dams to The Philippines plans to install a location where both countries’ con- BANGKOK: Thai authorities are rush- dry season is to drill underground for consumption and daily use - for capacity by tapping into rivers includ- $1m satellite-based system on Thitu tinental shelves overlap. ing to drill thousands of wells across wells,” Suphot, who is also chief of drinking, bathing and washing. We ing the Yuam and Salween along its to track commercial flights over the “Vietnam requests China does not the country to ensure enough water the Department of Water Resources, have asked farmers for their coopera- border with Myanmar. South China Sea, after China landed conduct drilling actions and with- for drinking and washing, as farmers said in an interview in his office on tion to not yet use water for irrigation.” “These are international rivers, so its first test flights this month on a reef draw Hai Duong 981 from this area,” grapple with a drought and a months- Tuesday. The government will divert a apart from an environmental impact it built in the Spratly islands. Binh said, referring to the rig by the long water shortage. The Thai government told farmers 3.5bn baht ($96m ) budget from the assessment and feasibility studies, the Hong said that any activities by Vietnamese name. Authorities examined the water last year to limit their water use and Department of Groundwater Resources Ministry of Foreign Affairs will have the Philippines on the islands it occu- “Vietnam reserves all legal rights supply and demand nationwide - tak- grow alternative crops. The cabinet — originally set aside to dig 6,000 wells to tend this issue with respect to rela- pies were illegal. and interests to this area, which are in ing into account needs for agriculture, also approved a multi-million dol- at temples, schools and farms — for the tions with neighbouring countries,” he China’s increasing military pres- accordance with international laws.” industrial use and human consump- lar budget in October to help farmers urgent construction of the 4,300 wells. said. Worsening drought could prove ence in the Spratlys has stirred fears There was no immediate response to tion — and decided to drill 4,300 cope with the drought. Since October, 1,250 wells have another headache for Thailand’s mil- it could lead to an air defence zone, requests for comment from China, more wells, said Suphot Tovichak- “We estimate that the end of this been drilled. They are usually dug to a itary government, which took power which would escalate tension with where the $1bn deep water rig is chaikul, secretary of the National year’s dry season is May 30. The water depth of 80 to 100 metres, some wells after a 2014 coup and is grappling with other claimants, and the United States, known as Haiyang Shiyou 981. Water Board, comprised of water we have now has to last for the next in Isaan, the agricultural heartland in a lacklustre economy.

Filipinos protest against EDCA Nepal statute North Korea plans rare talks fail to party congress in May end protests

Reuters Reuters exploded a hydrogen bomb. At the congress, Pyongyang is likely to announce policies on mat- KATHMANDU: Talks between the SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim ters ranging from economics and Nepali government and minority Jong Un’s recent nuclear weapon test politics to defence and relations groups to resolve a dispute over a was designed to boost his domes- with rival South Korea. It may even new constitution have fallen apart, tic legitimacy ahead of a rare ruling announce measures lifting restrictions opposition leaders said yesterday, party conference in May that could on the thriving informal economy, dashing hopes that protests that formalise market-based economic said Cheong Seong-chang, a senior have led to crippling fuel shortages experiments in the isolated coun- analyst at the Sejong Institute. will end soon. try, analysts say. “It’s possible Kim Jong Un may free More than 50 people have been The Workers’ Party Congress, once up the market economy at some point killed since August in anti-govern- a regular event, was last held in 1980. during the congress,” said Cheong. ment protests in the Tarai region, a Although violent, the years since Under Kim Jong Un, the unofficial narrow strip of plains that runs along Kim took power following his father’s economy has grown against a tumul- Nepal’s southern border with India. death in late 2011 have moved the tuous political backdrop of high-level A resulting slowdown in cross- country towards increased stabil- purges, including that of Jang Song border truck traffic has plunged the ity and a return to a more “formal” Thaek, the young leader’s uncle by landlocked nation into a fuel crisis way of running the country, said marriage who was accused of faction- that has hampered aid to survivors Michael Madden, an expert on the alism and executed in December 2013. of last year’s deadly earthquakes and North Korean leadership. When the last party congress spawned a lucrative black market. “What some observers and ana- took place over four days in 1980 at The ethnic Madhesi groups who lysts identify as instability is really Pyongyang’s February 8th House of live in the Tarai say Nepal’s new con- more a matter of Kim Jong Un trying Culture, a monolithic concrete pil- stitution, its first since the nation to reset a very entrenched system”. lar-fronted building since renamed abolished its centuries-old mon- While analysts have for years been the April 25th House of Culture, it archy, alienates their members, wrong in predicting major reforms was open to foreign delegations from granting them low representation in — or collapse — in North Korea, the countries friendly to North Korea. parliament and government bodies. fact that the event is taking place for It was then that Kim Jong Il was After talks fell apart on Monday just the seventh time after a decades- controversially anointed successor night, dozens of Madhesi activists long hiatus is a further indication that to his father, Kim Il Sung, creating burned tyres on the road in the south- Kim is transforming the North Korea the communist world’s first heredi- ern business town of Birgunj, police his father Kim Jong Il ruled through tary dynasty when its founder died said, in continuing protest against Filipinos stage a protest against the legality of the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) back-channel dealings into a more in 1994. In signs the younger Kim is the charter’s carving the lowland in front of the Supreme Court in Manila yesterday. An agreement allowing the increased presence of “normal” state where formal proc- moving towards a more traditionally region into federal states dominated US military forces for training in the Philippines is constitutional, the country’s Supreme Court decided. ess is ingrained. bureaucratic state, he has moved sev- by mountain communities. Under the agreement, the US will be allowed to build structures, store as well as position weapons, North Korea conducted its fourth eral high-profile officials between the Nepal blames India for siding defence supplies and material, and station troops, civilian personnel and defence contractors. The nuclear test on January 6, provoking ruling party and military, creating with the protesters and invoking an 10-year deal also allows the US military to transit and station vehicles, vessels and aircraft in the condemnation from its neighbours and more inter-dependence between two unofficial blockade on trucks cross- Philippines, which used to host two US bases before they were evicted in 1992. the United States, although experts bodies which used to face off against ing from India into Nepal, a charge doubt Pyongyang’s claim that it each other, according to analysts. that India has repeatedly denied. 10 WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 VIEWS

ESTABLISHED IN 1996

CHAIRMAN SHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI

ACTING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DR. KHALID BIN MUBARAK AL-SHAFI [email protected]

ACTING MANAGING EDITOR HUSSAIN AHMAD [email protected]

EDITORIAL

Global slowdown In Europe, Sanders

he global economy is going through a rough patch. 2016 has would be centre-right taken off with some turbulence, which is likely to intensify in the coming months as leading economies, financial markets staggering fact is impossible to his home state, Vermont, had haven’t given up on research and the corporate sector battle adverse financial weather. understand. There are debates rejected such a scheme because because they are more tightly The latest warning about the health of global economy American taxpayers there about national health care “by some estimates, it would regulated in their home markets. Thas come from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which has cut do pay less than systems, but not this one. All the double the budget.” Yet Europe’s European governments have its global growth forecasts for the third time in less than a year. The their European big economies there have uni- example shows that univer- also carved out a smaller niche versal health-care systems under sal health care doesn’t have in the health industry for private Washington-based body said the world economy would grow at 3.4 counterparts, but which everyone is insured. Even to be about burdening peo- insurance companies: serving percent in 2016 and 3.6 percent in 2017, down 0.2 percentage point each not everywhere. the most conservative politi- ple with more taxes. It’s not those who want premium care. from the previous estimates made last October. Stock markets are falling cians support them. Sanders’s necessarily even about recon- It makes sense: The profits are and falling, the energy prices have hit the bottom of the barrel and are Some of the EU’s critics say that expanding Medi- sidering the spending structure, made from people who are will- still falling, and optimism is in short supply. To compound the woes, the biggest economies care would cost too much and as Sanders suggested during the ing and able to pay more. Chinese economy is losing steam. The world’s second biggest economy require much higher taxes. With- debate when he said that the Sanders sounds like a rabble- aren’t collecting out big changes in the structure US should be “investing in jobs rousing socialist to Americans grew at the slowest pace in a quarter of a century, at 6.9 percent in 2015 much more tax of US health care, that would be and education, not in jails and when he says: “What this is really compared with 7.3 percent a year earlier. The slowdown came a year true. But that’s also a fact that incarceration.” about is not the rational way to after the country suffered huge capital outflows, a slide in the currency revenue per capita sounds strange to European According to the OECD, go forward -- it’s Medicare for all and a summer stock market crash that created panic. than the US does. ears because European coun- the US already spends a bigger -- it is whether we have the guts The most lethal blows have been reserved for the energy market. tries tend to deliver high-quality share of its economic output on to stand up to the private insur- Brent crude oil dropped to a 13-year care while effectively controlling health care than any of the other ance companies and all of their By Leonid Bershidsky low of less than $28 a barrel on the cost. advanced nations. It might help, money, and the pharmaceutical The Washington Post In general, American tax- of course, if some more of the industry.” Monday after sanctions against Iran payers do pay less than their country’s unusually high defense Sure, his approach is not as were lifted by Western countries, European counterparts, but not spending and higher- than-aver- business-friendly as the current Though the growth triggering fears of a further glut in everywhere. Some of the EU’s age public safety outlay were US policies that Clinton wants to forecasts are not the oil market. Iran’s return threatens ne of the more biggest economies aren’t collect- shifted toward health. That change only incrementally. But in to worsen the oversupply problem important argu- ing much more tax revenue per wouldn’t bring the US into line Europe there’s nothing remotely encouraging, there in the market created by the US ments between capita than the US does. with the European societies, radical- sounding about Sand- Bernie Sanders and In 2014, the US collected though. It would need to simplify ers’s ideas because Germany, are no signs of the shale drillers and Opec members Hillary Clinton dur- $14,202 in taxes per capita, the funding systems for health Britain and Spain, among others, current slowdown with their determination to keep ingO Sunday’s Democratic debate according to the Organiza- care and education, and it would provide certain basic services snowballing into a pumping despite plunging prices. The occurred over whether to push tion for Economic Cooperation need to drive down costs in both to their residents on roughly the collapsing prices have wreaked havoc for “Medicare for all,” as Sanders and Development. That’s about sectors. same amount of per-capita tax major crisis. with the economies of oil producers, insisted, or to build more slowly $3,000 less than Germany, Prescription drugs, for exam- dollars that the US collects. though Gulf countries haven’t been on the limited success of Presi- nearly as much as Britain and ple, are far more expensive in Europeans often complain hit so badly due to their huge reserves dent Obama’s health care law. $4,000 more than Spain. Those the US than in Europe, and the about the quality of their com- Clinton said: “I do not to want three countries, however, all most important reason for that is prehensive health care. Yet the and economic diversification. see the Republicans repeal it, and have universal health-care sys- that European countries regulate residents of Europeans countries Financial turmoils are nothing I don’t to want see us start over tems that are mostly or entirely them and force pharmaceuti- are generally in better health. new to governments and markets though the pain it inflicts is very again with a contentious debate. tax-funded. One can get pri- cal companies to accept thinner It is often said Americans are huge. Sometimes it takes years to recover, and that too after austerity I want us to defend and build vate health insurance there, too, margins, and the US doesn’t. tired of mainstream politics, with measures which would upend the lives of ordinary people. Though the on the Affordable Care Act and but generally it only guarantees European governments don’t the implication that Sanders is as growth forecasts are not encouraging, there are no signs of the current improve it.” quicker access to the same qual- give much credence to big phar- far from the mainstream as the Sanders retorted: “I voted for ity of service. ma’s argument that higher prices man he calls his “good friend,” slowdown snowballing into a major crisis. While any Chinese slowdown it, but right now, what we have to During the Democratic help consumers by paying for Donald Trump. What Sanders is certain to send ripples across the world, the government in Beijing deal with is the fact that 29 mil- debate, NBC anchor Andrea more research and development: suggests, however, is mainstream can be expected to take measures to arrest the slowdown. For example, lion people still have no health Mitchell questioned the feasi- These companies spend more on policy for any European center- global stock markets raced higher yesterday on hopes that the shrinking insurance.” bility of Sanders’s approach to marketing than they do on R&D, right party. It’s not clear why Chinese growth would result in a huge stimulus spending by the For Europeans, that health care, reminding him that and big European drugmakers Americans should settle for less. government in Beijing. Oil producers too need to learn the right lessons from the current crash, even if prices shoot up in future. Economic diversification should not remain just a slogan, or an objective that must be pursued gradually, but a priority that must be implemented rigorously. China’s widening zone of fear

The Washington Post 293 of them last summer, and detaining some things. In other cases, activists and dissidents for as long as six months, China has begun to were rounded up on lesser charges of provok- issue formal charges of subverting state power, ing trouble or creating public disorder. Quote of the day which can carry a sentence of life in prison. The President Xi Jinping is now well into a cam- or all the semblance of a judicial system, charges are akin to saying the lawyers are try- paign to crush independent voices in China. with lawyers, judges and prosecutors, Chi- ing to undermine the regime. Recently, four labor activists were detained, Only a united Libyan Fna’s courts remain a tool of a party-state Among those who have been accused in and China’s security apparatus appears to be that sees itself as above the law. People can be recent days are human rights lawyer Wang behind the disappearance of five booksellers in government, supported by detained for months - they simply disappear Yu and several others from the Fengrui law Hong Kong in recent months. The booksellers - and only later formally charged or tried. In firm in Beijing who were part of the rights had been peddling tomes critical of Mr. Xi. When all its citizens, will be able China, detention means being sucked into the defense movement. Ms Wang was detained they vanished, a chill immediately descended to end political divisions, vortex of arbitrary rule. in July and has not been heard from since, but on their publishing house, which announced In recent years, some lawyers and activists lawyers said a notice from the police about it would not bring out a forthcoming volume defeat terrorism, and address in China attempted, with extraordinary brav- the charges had been sent to her mother. Her on him. the numerous security, ery, to navigate this system and work within husband, Bao Longjun, is also detained and The charge against the lawyers, subverting it. Known as the rights defence movement, the facing charges. state power, is absurd. The lawyers were sim- humanitarian and economic lawyers demanded that authorities follow Chi- Wielding the charge of state subversion ply advising clients how to defend themselves challenges the country faces. na’s own laws and rules. They worked in a sort marks a dark turn of events in China. In some under China’s laws; their intentions were prag- of legal gray zone, tolerated - despite the party- cases in recent years, individual activists were matic and relatively modest. But it is now clear Federica Mogherini state’s intolerance of dissent - because they accused of inciting state subversion, a lesser they touched a very sensitive nerve, and China’s handled individual cases and did not seem to charge. It was leveled against Nobel Peace Prize rulers reacted harshly. The gray zone is being EU Foreign Policy Chief threaten the regime. laureate Liu Xiaobo, who is serving an 11-year turned into a twilight zone of fear, a message Now, these attorneys are being dispatched prison term for advocating greater freedom to anyone that they can be taken away in the to oblivion. After rounding up or questioning of expression and democracy, among other middle of the night.

EDITORIAL TEL: 44557741 / 44557743 FAX: 44557746 / 44557758 P. O. BOX: 3488, DOHA, QATAR E-MAIL: [email protected] ADVERTISING TEL: 44557837 / 780 FAX: 44557870 CLASSIFIED: 44557857 E-MAIL: [email protected] SUBSCRIPTION / HOME DELIVERY TEL: 44557809 /839 FAX: 44557819 E-MAIL: [email protected] OPINION WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 11 Mourning the loss of the Golden triangle

By Fahmi Huwaidi

HAT distinguishes the cur- rent conflict in our region is the fueling of differences and the tensions between broth- Wers, and yet calm and truce between rivals and enemies. There is now an escalation of disagreements between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and a resultant mobilisation of support for Saudi Arabia against Iran, which the Arab League has now become caught up in. The tension between Egypt and Turkey have become daily news in the media, and this negatively reflects on the preparations for the Islamic summit which is supposed to take place in Ankara in April 2016. At a time when ties are being strained between Iran and most of the Arab countries, all Iran’s pathways to the major Western capitals, including Washington, have been GCC Secretary-General Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani (left) with GCC foreign ministers during a meeting in Riyadh recently. opened. Thus Iran has reconciled with the ‘Greatest Devil’ and entered into a dispute with Saudi Arabia, and its relations with World in which he explained the power efforts to solve strategic issues have stum- could count on the role of countries his- most of the GCC states have deteriorated. triangles in the East and the West, in addi- bled and faced difficulties. I do not mean torically known for their role in mediation Surrounded by these disputes and con- tion to the golden triangle of those three here the Israeli brutality only, but also and solving problems between countries, fusion, Israeli leaders look satisfied and countries. important regional cases such as the situ- and I mean here Algeria and the Sultan- happy because they are the major winner The current maps have foiled ation in Syria, Yemen and Libya. The UN ate of Oman. I thought that perhaps a role in what is going on. Israel has maxim- Hamadan’s dream. The unity of the three Secretary General normally assigns spe- that could be played by the two Secre- ised its security cooperation with more regional powers has collapsed and the situ- cial envoys to countries in the region to tary Generals of the Arab League and Arab states, and has started to talk about ation has become worse. There is a setback help settle disputes, and currently he has the Islamic Cooperation Organisation friendly relations with its Arab neighbours. and a dispute so bad that it is bringing us three envoys in Syria, Libya and Yemen. in this regard. However, I changed my The current conflicts I recall here the famous saying of Jamal close to war, similar to the wars between However, there is no envoy to settle the mind when I realised that they are not Hamadan, teacher of political geography the Ottomans (Sunni) and Safavids (Shia) disputes between Saudi Arabia and Iran or independent or neutral, and this disqual- have unveiled the and author of “The Character of Egypt”, in the 16th and 17th century. the conflicts between Turkey and Egypt. ifies them from fulfilling such role. The disturbing volume who used the term “the golden triangle of The current conflicts have unveiled Although there is leaked information say- most important thing here is not to leave regional power”. In his book “The Strat- the disturbing volume of the vacuum from ing that the Americans are trying to sort the fires to continue burning and Arab of the vacuum from egy of Colonisation and Liberation, Cairo, which the Arab world is suffering. Within out their differences, there are still no countries to become toys in the hands which the Arab 1978”. Hamadan was counting on these this vacuum a rational mind has become tangible results on the ground. of provokers and inciters, while lacking powers to achieve the intended renais- a rare coin. This vacuum has made Arabs Whatever we think about this effort, wise elders. Do we need a miracle in the world is suffering. sance in the Arab world and Middle East. lose the compass needed to find their way it is still better than nothing. Arabs at the Arab countries to overcome these prob- Within this vacuum He considered Egypt as one of the heads towards establishing a suitable strategy moment lack the elders who can mediate, lems and develop wisdom? a rational mind has of the regional power triangle, which also that gives priority to the supreme interests and help to reconcile and narrow the gap included Turkey and Iran. This thought of the Arab nation. Due to the continu- between those with differences in order Fahmi Huwaidi is an Egyptian jour- become a rare coin. was accompanied by a map of the Arab ous tensions and escalation of conflicts, to end disputes. However, perhaps they nalist & columnist. Political paralysis leaves Palestinians questioning their future

The Washington Post

s Israel frets about the lifting of sanc- tions on Iran and its troubled relations Awith the European Union, on the other side of the Middle East conflict - the Pal- estinians - an uneasy quiet has fallen that speaks of ideas running out. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, elected to a four-year term 11 years ago this month, rarely appears in public. His pledge to hold a congress of his Fatah party to elect new leaders has repeatedly been put off. Factionalism is growing. Some of those once high up in the party have been removed from their posts, leav- ing those who remain wondering what the plan is, if there is one. At 80, and still smok- ing a packet of cigarettes a day, Abbas has no clear successor. His efforts to raise Palestine’s profile on the world stage, principally by join- ing the International Criminal Court in the Hague last June, appear to have lost momentum. ICC prosecutors have so far “There are no new strategies,” said Hani could tear Palestinian politics asunder. Gaza, was even more withering. “When you declined to open any criminal investiga- Habib, a Gaza-based columnist and polit- Abbas’s spokesman, Nabil Abu Rdainah, listen to a Palestinian leader now, you think tion, despite the Palestinians handing over ical commentator. “There is not even a dismisses the naysayers and says there is he is in a coma. You don’t hear something Palestinian President heaps of evidence. Palestinian thinking or vision, let alone a plan. “International contacts and con- that is relevant to our suffering.” Hopes that the French would usher strategy,” he said, blaming what he called sultations” are underway about holding a The political sclerosis comes at a time Mahmoud Abbas, through a new UN resolution on Palestin- “Palestinian political bankruptcy”. conference, he says, with the aim of end- of stepped up Palestinian-Israeli violence, elected to a four-year ian statehood have not come to fruition, “This is the biggest disaster: the world ing Israel’s 49-year occupation. with 25 Israelis and a US citizen killed in term 11 years ago this even if discussion on the subject continues. does not bother about us and we ourselves “The coming weeks and months will stabbings, shootings and car rammings over And as if efforts to drum up support are careless about our present and future. represent a new track in the Israeli-Pal- the past four months. In the same period, month, rarely appears from Arab states were not enough of a We have lost the respect of the world.” estinian conflict and on the future of the 148 Palestinians, most of them attackers, in public. His pledge struggle in a region swamped with big- Habib is not alone in his sense of despair. Palestinian cause and its consequences,” have been killed by Israeli forces. ger concerns, a member of the Palestinian European diplomats who liaise with the he told Reuters. Overall, it tends to play into Israel’s hands. to hold a congress negotiating team was arrested this week Palestinians have taken to rolling their Ordinary Palestinians find that uncon- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has of his Fatah party to for spying for Israel. eyes when asked how they see the situa- vincing. “People are walking around as condemned the violence and accused Abbas Faced with such an array of problems, tion unfolding. if they were stoned because of the grow- of inciting it. He says he is ready to return elect new leaders has the response from the Palestinian lead- Some mid-level Palestinian officials ing disappointment,” said Jamil Sabaana, to peace talks, but says Abbas is not a reli- repeatedly been put ership has been to resort to an age-old are open about their frustrations and their 34, a trader in the West Bank. “Every day able partner. The upshot is no progress on solution: to call for an international con- concerns not only about divisions between we say things will get better and they get negotiations - the last broke down in April off. Factionalism is ference. Political analysts find themselves Fatah and the Islamist group Hamas in worse. God only know where we are going.” 2014 - and no prospect of any for the fore- growing. aggrieved at the lack of direction. Gaza, but splits within Fatah itself, which Mohammed, a 55-year-old teacher in seeable future.

All thoughts and views expressed in these columns are those of the writers, not of the newspaper. All correspondence regarding Views and Opinion pages should be mailed to the Editor-in-Chief. 12 WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 ASIA / AFRICA

Another missing Heat wave and drought in Johannesburg HK bookseller in China: Police

received information from Chinese The news will authorities that Lee was in China. The spokesman said the letter was add to fears of issued by the public security depart- pro-democracy ment of Guangdong province, which borders Hong Kong, but it did not spec- lawmakers, activists ify where the missing man was. and some residents Hong Kong police have written to the Guangdong security department who believe asking to meet Lee. City officials have mainland authorities been lambasted for what critics call a weak response to the disappearances. are kidnapping critics “It doesn’t seem that the public to try to silence has been calmed,” Hong Kong par- dissent liament’s speaker Jasper Tsang told reporters late Monday. Democratic lawmaker Lee Cheuk- yan added: “People in Hong Kong want to know the truth. Why is he (Lee Bo) Factory workers pile up donated water bottles by South African residents from the Johannesburg outskirts town of Benoni to be delivered AFP in the mainland and how did he end up there?” in drought stricken rural communities, in Benoni. The regional drought, now in its second year, has been brought on by the El Nino weather Lee accused the government of phenomenon and exacerbated by climate change, pushing temperatures higher in a string of blistering heat waves. In early January, both “being passive”, and pressed Leung Johannesburg and the capital Pretoria saw all-time record maximums of 38 and 42.5 degrees Celsius respectively. HONG KONG: China has confirmed to take up the issue with the central that a missing Hong Kong-based government in Beijing. bookseller, one of five men whose Lee’s associate Gui Minhai, who disappearance fuelled fears of an ero- disappeared in Thailand, appeared sion of the city’s freedoms, is on the on Chinese state television Sunday. mainland, the city’s government said. A weeping Gui claimed he had South Africa oppn vows to root out racist members The news will add to fears of pro- returned to China to “take legal democracy lawmakers, activists and responsibilities” for killing a college some residents who believe mainland student in a car accident 11 years ago. authorities are kidnapping critics to Rights campaigners dismissed AFP exposing deep divisions between blacks gains against the all-powerful Afri- “If you’re a racist and you are think- try to silence dissent. Gui’s apparent confession, calling it and whites. One Facebook posting by can National Congress (ANC) in this ing of voting for the DA, please don’t. Lee Bo, who works for a publish- a “smokescreen” to play down con- DA member Penny Sparrow sparked year’s local elections. We are not the party for you. “I will ing house that sells titles critical of cerns that he was being detained by JOHANNESBURG: The first black nationwide fury after she compared But DA efforts to broaden its appeal not tolerate racism in the party I lead.” Beijing, was last seen at a book ware- mainland authorities for his work. leader of South Africa’s main oppo- black beachgoers to monkeys. among black voters have been bruised The party’s new pledge requires house in Hong Kong on December 30. Hong Kong was returned to Chi- sition party vowed yesterday to root “I know that the vast majority of by social media scandals, including a members to acknowledge that apart- He was the fifth employee of the nese rule in 1997 after 150 years as a out racist members, saying the coun- white people don’t think like Penny member of parliament who last year heid was “evil” and that its legacy Mighty Current publishing house to British colony. Under a “One coun- try was “being torn apart” by renewed Sparrow does,” Maimane said. “But I shared a Facebook comment that continues in South Africa’s harshly go missing in recent months. try, two systems” agreement, the racial tension 22 years after apartheid. also know that, for every racist inci- praised apartheid president P.W. Botha. unequal society. Three were in China when they semi-autonomous city is guaranteed Mmusi Maimane last year took over dent that makes the front pages and During a speech at the Apartheid “Members found to be in clear vio- vanished, but the disappearance of freedoms that are not available on leadership of the Democratic Alliance trends on Twitter, there are hundreds Museum in Johannesburg, Maimane lation of this oath will have their party Lee from Hong Kong and of another the mainland. (DA), which has long been seen as a that don’t. “I know that there are peo- announced that party members would membership immediately revoked, man from Thailand has raised fears However, campaigns for greater “white” party, and will face his first ple who talk to each other... as if they have to sign a pledge vowing to fight no questions asked,” he said. Maim- of Chinese authorities operating democracy have been stymied and major test at municipal elections due were still living in the 1970s.” racism. “The DA is not perfect,” he said. ane, 35, who grew up in the township internationally. many activists fear Beijing is impos- between May and August. The Democratic Alliance won 22 “There is no place in the DA for peo- of Soweto, joined the DA in 2009 and A Hong Kong government spokes- ing its authoritarian stamp on the A series of bitter race rows have percent of votes in the 2014 general ple who believe that the colour of their was fast-tracked through the party by man said yesterday that police had freewheeling city. erupted in South Africa in recent weeks, election, and hopes to make further skin renders them superior to others. his predecessor as leader Helen Zille.

Chinese Lunar New Year preparations Indonesia to review ‘Anti-nut rage’ law takes anti-terrorism laws effect in

Reuters parliamentary speaker Zulkifli Hasan South Korea said. “Currently there is nothing in the law covering training. There JAKARTA: Indonesian President Joko is also nothing currently covering AFP Widodo is considering a regulation people going overseas (to join radi- that would prohibit Indonesians from cal groups) and returning. This needs joining radical groups overseas, in to be broadened.” SEOUL: South Korea brought a new an effort to prevent a deadlier attack Proposed revisions would also “anti-nut rage” law into effect yester- than last week’s militant assault on tighten prison sentences for terror- day, prompted by an angry outburst Jakarta. ism offences, he said. Chief security by the daughter of Korean Air’s boss At a meeting yesterday at the pal- minister Luhut Pandjaitan told report- over a bag of macadamias. ace, top political and security officials ers the new regulation would allow The revised aviation law, which agreed to review anti-terrorism laws, suspects to be temporarily detained. drastically toughens punishments which currently allow Indonesians “The point is to give police the on unruly passengers, was a direct to freely return home after fighting authority to preemptively and tem- result of the “nut rage” incident by with Islamic State in Syria. porarily detain (a suspect) while they Cho Hyun-Ah in December 2014, Security forces fear that return- get information to prevent future inci- the transportation ministry said. ing jihadis could launch a much more dents,” Pandjaitan said, adding the The amended law reflects calculated attack than the ama- detention could last up to two weeks. mounting public demand for teurish assault militants launched Widodo said discussions on the enhanced aviation safety and the on Thursday using two pistols and new regulation, which would be a prevention of unruly behaviour dur- eleven low-yield homemade bombs. stop-gap measure until parliament ing flight following the Korean Air Eight people were killed in the attack, can revise its anti-terrorism law, were nut rage incident”, the ministry said A worker arranges lanterns at a factory ahead of the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, in Boai including the four attackers. still at “an early stage”. “This is very in a press statement. county, Henan province, yesterday, “We’ve agreed to review the ter- pressing. Many people have left for Under the new law, anyone who rorism law to focus on prevention,” Syria or returned,” he said. disturbs the pilot during a flight could face up to five years in prison or a 50m won ($41,000) fine. In the past, the same offence incurred only a five-million-won fine without the risk of a jail term. Nasheed thanks world leaders for medical release Under the new law, crew mem- bers are obliged to hand over unruly passengers to authorities and risk AFP released,” his aide, Ahmed Naseem, said. “The Sri The United States, which has pressed for Nash- allegedly corrupt judge in 2012, when he was a 10m won fine for failing to do so. Lankan government has been extremely kind,” eed’s complete freedom, welcomed his temporary still in power. Cho, 41, served five months in Naseem said, referring to an internationally bro- release and urged hardline President Abdulla The United Nations has said his trial was jail before walking free in May last kered deal to secure Nasheed’s 30-day freedom. Yameen to take more steps towards democracy. seriously flawed and he should be released and year after an appeals court over- COLOMBO: Jailed former Maldives president Aides said Nasheed had decided against US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke by compensated for wrongful detention. turned her conviction for violating Mohamed Nasheed yesterday thanked the world speaking to reporters in Colombo yesterday, phone to Nasheed on Monday night, his US lawyer But Yameen has refused to accept the UN aviation safety laws. leaders who helped secure his release for urgent given the intense diplomacy involved in brok- said in a tweet, after his release from the high- ruling and has been resisting international pres- Cho was a Korean Air vice-pres- surgery in Britain, after being granted tempo- ering the deal, and would only meet his doctors security Maafushi prison located on a small islet sure to release Nasheed. ident at the time of her meltdown rary leave from his prison cell. in Colombo before flying directly to London. near the capital Male. The government initially said Nasheed could on board a Seoul-bound flight that Nasheed, whose conviction last March on ter- He had been due to leave the Maldives on “Release of Nasheed is step in the right direc- have the procedure on the tiny archipelago, but had just left the gate in New York. As ror-related charges has been widely criticised, Sunday after the government said he could travel tion, urge more engagement from Government then agreed to allow him to travel to Britain. the plane was taxiing to the runway, left the Maldives late on Monday for Sri Lanka, for urgent spinal cord surgery under the deal of Maldives on democracy, shared challenges,” Nasheed’s opposition Maldivian Demo- Cho, sitting in first class, became after a delay caused by a legal dispute with the brokered by diplomats from India, Sri Lanka Kerry said on Twitter early yesterday. cratic Party agreed Monday to the government’s enraged when a flight attendant honeymoon island nation’s hardline government. and Britain. Nasheed, 48, became the first democrati- amended demand for his brother to instead served her some nuts in a bag, rather The opposition leader spent his first day of But he refused a government request to leave cally elected president of the Maldives in 2008 update authorities on Nasheed’s whereabouts than on a plate. freedom since his imprisonment in a top hotel a relative behind to act as a guarantor liable to and served for four years before he was toppled while abroad. She lambasted the chief steward in the capital Colombo and is due to fly to Brit- prosecution if he failed to return to serve the in what he called a coup backed by the military The Maldivian government in a statement over the behaviour of his cabin crew ain today. “He is making calls to world leaders rest of his 13-year sentence, leading to a tense and police. He was sentenced to 13 years in jail insisted that all legal formalities had been fol- and then ordered the plane back to thank them for their support in getting him back and forth over conditions. on terrorism charges relating to the arrest of an lowed before Nasheed was allowed to leave. to the gate so he could be ejected. PAKISTAN WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 13

Afghans angry after man Strengthening relations cuts off wife’s nose

is said to be on the run. media, prompting calls for tough “My husband (Mohammad Khan) action against the husband follow- The man tortured his tied up my hands and cut off my nose,” ing the attack in Ghormach district in wife and cut her nose Gul told reporters in a frail voice from the northwestern province of Faryab. with a pocket knife, her hospital bed, with a white band- Local officials said Gul would age on her face. need reconstructive surgery, which the woman told “He tortured me a lot,” she added, was not possible in the local govern- reporters with her one-year-old baby wailing ment hospital. by her side. Gul, who was married off five years The incident highlights the ago as a teenager, said she suffered endemic violence against women in regular physical abuse from her hus- AFP Afghan society, despite reforms since band, forcing her to flee to her parents’ the hardline Taliban Islamist regime home in a Taliban-controlled area. was ousted in a 2001 US-led invasion. While there, she said, the insur- “Such a brutal and barbaric act gents mediated in her case, making MAIMANA: A photograph of an Afghan should be strongly condemned,” Kabul- her husband, an unemployed man, woman whose nose was sliced off based women’s rights activist Alema to swear by the Koran that he would by her husband in a fit of rage has told reporters. not hurt her again. sparked revulsion across the country, “Such incidents would not hap- But soon after she returned to him, with activists demanding punishment pen if the government judicial system he sliced off her nose. for the “barbaric act”. severely punished attacks on women,” “Gul’s village is under Taliban Reza Gul, 20, was rushed to hospi- added Alema, who goes by one name. control... but the police are trying to tal after she was attacked with a pocket The disfigured woman’s photo- chase her husband,” Faryab police knife on Sunday by her husband who graph was widely shared on social chief Sayed Aqa Andarabi said. The Afghan government has vowed to protect women’s rights but that has Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (left) talking to Iran President Hassan Rowhani in Tehran not prevented violent attacks. yesterday. Sharif is in Iran after visiting Saudi Arabia in a bid to ease tensions between the two “Horrifying cases like this one regional rivals. happen all too often in Afghanistan,” Heather Barr, a researcher with Human Rights Watch, told reporters. “The level of impunity for violence against women encourages some men to continue to feel that women are their Bomber kills 10 in tribal belt property and violence is their right.” In November a young woman was stoned to death after being accused Reuters line officer,” Khan said. have stepped up their fight against the of adultery in the central province Among the dead were at least five Taliban along the border with Afghan- of Ghor. police officers including the line officer istan, following the massacre of more And last March a woman named whose vehicle was targeted by the than 150 people in December 2014. Farkhunda was savagely beaten and PESHAWAR: A suicide bomber blew bomber, as well as a child and a local Attacks have fallen since the gov- set ablaze in central Kabul after being himself up close to a police checkpoint journalist, officials said. TV footage ernment crackdown and the Taliban falsely accused of burning a Quran. in northwestern Pakistan yesterday , showed the burnt-out remains of cars squeezed into small pockets of terri- The mob killing triggered angry killing at least 10 people and wound- as rescue workers rushed to evacu- tory, but militant groups remain able to nationwide protests and drew global ing more than 20, officials said. ate the wounded. launch hit-and-run and suicide attacks attention to the treatment of Afghan The bomber rammed his motor- The Pakistani Taliban senior on security forces. women. cycle into a police vehicle next to the commander Maqbool Dawar claimed A spokesperson for the Hayatabad In 2010, Time magazine put the roadside checkpoint in the Jamrud responsibility for the attack. He said it Medical Complex in nearby Peshawar, photograph of a mutilated 18-year- area on the edge of Pakistan’s volatile was revenge for what he alleged were the to where the wounded were evac- old, Bibi Aisha, on its cover. Her nose Federally Administered Tribal Areas, recent deaths of arrested Taliban men uated, said earlier that the hospital was cut off by an abusive husband. local government official Munir Khan while in government custody, and said had received six bodies, including The cover provoked a worldwide told reporters. that the journalist was not the target. A that of a child. Last month, a suicide outpouring of sympathy for Aisha, “He was riding an explosives- Taliban splinter group also claimed it bomber attacked a government office Reza Gul lies on a bed with her baby as she receives treatment at a who was taken to the United States laden motorcycle and hit the was behind the bomb. The attack took in northwestern Pakistan, killing at hospital in the northern province of Faryab yesterday. where she was given a prosthetic nose. checkpoint and the vehicle of the place in an area where security forces least 23 people. Afghan forces struggle to Government admits Pakistan get three Helmand districts has no industrial safety law Reuters the districts of Gereshk, Sangin, and Marjah around the provincial cap- AFP Supreme Court had directed that a killed when a fire tore through a cloth- Inspections are often farmed out ital Lashkar Gah, Helmand’s police draft bill be submitted to provincial ing factory in Karachi. . to local contractors and it is difficult chief, Abdul Rahman Sarjang, said. and federal governments to evolve A judicial probe into the blaze was to get a clear picture of safety con- LASHKAR GAH: The Taliban were Some of the fighting is hundreds a consensus, but that the court had damning, pointing to a lack of emer- ditions in the factories, particularly threatening yesterday to capture three of meters from the main highway ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has no inde- given no timeframe for the exercise. gency exits, poor safety training for as government inspectors are noto- key strategic districts in Afghanistan’s linking the major southern city of pendent industrial safety law and no In November last year, 45 workers workers, the packing in of machinery riously susceptible to bribery. province of Helmand as fierce fight- Kandahar with the western city of timeframe for developing one, the gov- were killed and more than 100 were and the failure of government inspec- With workers paid around $100 a ing with government forces stoked Herat, he said. ernment admitted this week, despite pulled alive from the rubble after the tors to spot any of these faults. month, textiles make up more than half fears over the Islamist insurgents’ “The Taliban are putting all their the country’s grim history of accidents four-story Rajput Polyester polythene Before its devastating fire, the of Pakistan’s exports, mainly bound gains in their traditional heartland. efforts in,” Sarjang said. “We have that have claimed hundreds of lives bag factory came crashing down in Ali Enterprises factory was given a for Europe. Pakistan won the prized The arid, semi-desert southern received some reinforcements and in recent years. the eastern city of Lahore. safety certificate, but the document “GSP+” status in 2013 from the Euro- region is a major center of opium culti- we will get more soon.” “At present, there is no independ- Officials said the facility may have was fake, issued by a company sus- pean Union, a highly favourable tariff vation where the Taliban have stepped The biggest problem for security ent legislation on occupational safety suffered structural damage when a pected of fraudulently “inspecting” exemption regime that is a boon to up pressure on security forces since forces is hit-and-run attacks by the and health issues in Pakistan,” Human 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit Paki- around 100 Pakistani factories. textile exporters. After GSP+, Paki- the withdrawal of international troops Taliban, as when reinforcements move Resource Development Minister Pir stan and Afghanistan in October, but Many foreign companies are reluc- stan’s exports to EU increased from from combat last year. to one district they attack another, Syed Sadaruddin Shah Rashidi told workers blamed poor construction tant to send their own staff to inspect $6.21 bn in 2013 to $7.54 bn in 2014, The government has sent rein- said Omar Zwak, a spokesman for lawmakers at the National Assembly. work for the collapse. factories in a country beset by near- and increase of 21 percent, accord- forcements from Kabul to protect the provincial governor. Rashidi said two years ago the In 2012, at least 255 workers were daily Islamist attacks. ing to commerce ministry statistics.

Pakistan Braving odd weather Makhdooms record test-launches cruise missile 13th victory from Hala

Internews votes followed by Majlis-i-Wahdatul ISLAMABAD: Pakistan conducted Muslimeen’s Farman Shah at 1,300. a successful flight test yesterday The count of the other candidates of a locally developed cruise mis- was still lower. sile named “Ra’ad” with a range of KARACHI: The Makhdooms of Hala “We don’t have a contest here,” 350 kilometres, the military said. crushed their opponents in the by-elec- quipped the PPP candidate while “The state of the art Ra’ad ALCM tions for their home constituency of responding to a reporter’s query at (air-launched cruise missile) is NA-218 Matiari yesterday, recording the Government M G High School polling equipped with highly advanced 13th consecutive victory from the area. station where he cast his vote. “The guidance and navigation system The national assembly seat had opponents fought [in the by-election] that ensures engagement of tar- fallen vacant after the demise of Paki- without a sound reason. It would have gets with pin point accuracy,” the stan Peoples Party Parliamentarians’ been better if they hadn’t.” military said in a statement. chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim Hala is hometown of the Makh- Yesterday’s test is the latest in a in November 2015. dooms, the spiritual leaders of the series carried out by Pakistan and its Although the voter turnout Sarwari Jamaat that has hundreds arch-rival India since both demon- remained low at around 30 percent, and thousands of disciples. strated nuclear weapons capability the PPP’s candidate, Makhdoom It was the general elections of 2013 in 1998. Saeeduz Zaman, a brother of the that the constituency witnessed its first Relations between Pakistan and late Fahim, obtained a massive real electoral contest in five decades. India have always been fraught, but lead over the five contestants in Pakistan Muslim League-Function- soured further last August amid a People carry goods as they cross a railway track during a cold and foggy morning in Lahore yesterday. the fray. al’s Abdul Razzak Memon had bagged rise in clashes along their borders Ongoing foggy weather in Punjab and other parts of the country has badly affected flight and rail According to the initial and 72,423 votes against 95,724 of Fahim. and a row over a Pakistani diplo- schedules. unofficial results from 126 polling However, the by-elections yes- mat meeting Kashmiri separatists. stations, Zaman bagged over 42,000 terday were a sombre event. 14 WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 INDIA Dalit’s suicide: Pressure on PM to sack ministers

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sack two ministers who allegedly interfered in the internal matters of the University of Hyderabad, culminating in the suicide of Rohit Vemula

IANS

NEW DELHI: Protests over the suicide of a Dalit student in Hyderabad spread to other cities yesterday as opposition parties mounted pressure on the BJP-led NDA government to sack Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya for allegedly driving the scholar to end his life. Police have booked Dattaterya, the vice- chancellor of University of Hyderabad Appa Rao and two members of the right-wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for abet- ment of suicide by 26-year-old Rohit Vemula, who was among the five research scholars sus- pended by the university and also one of the accused in a case of assault on a student leader. The five were suspended, allegedly after Police detain a National Students Union of India (NSUI) activist during a protest against the death of Rohit Vemula, a 26-year-old doctoral student at the university of Dattaterya wrote a letter to HRD minister Smriti Hyderabad, who was found hanged in his hostel on Sunday. RIGHT: Students hold placards as they shout slogans at a university hostel in Mumbai. Irani describing the university as a “den of casteist, extremist and anti-national politics.” An umbrella organisation of student groups judicial probe and personally tender an apology Hyderabad, deny them access to library facil- duty bound to uplift Dalits. Instead, Modiji’s the vice chancellor created conditions which launched an indefinite strike at the university to the aggrieved family, the Dalit community ities and finally have them suspended from ministers got five Dalit students ostracised led to research scholar Rohith Vemula com- seeking the vice-chancellor’s resignation, esca- and the people of this country,” Kejriwal said the university itself,” the chief minister said. and suspended,” the chief minister tweeted. mitting suicide. lating their protests over the suicide. in a statement here. “The searing injustice of these actions was Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi yes- Backing the students’ demand for action Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal yes- Rohith was found hanging from the ceil- such that it finally took Rohith’s life. In his sui- terday favoured the students’ demand for action against the union minister, the university VC terday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi ing of a room in the New Research Scholars’ cide note, he describes the oppressive weight against union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, and others allegedly responsible, he said the to sack the two ministers who allegedly inter- Hostel late on Sunday. He was one of the five of caste-based prejudices. This incident has the Hyderabad University vice chancellor and students should have the right to express them- fered in the internal matters of the University Dalit students suspended and expelled from shaken the collective conscience of the entire others allegedly responsible for the suicide of selves on the university campus. of Hyderabad, culminating in a Dalit student’s the hostel and was staging a protest on the nation,” Kejriwal said. a Dalit scholar here. Rahul Gandhi, who spent nearly two hours suicide. campus for the past 15 days. Earlier in the morning, Kejriwal described Addressing students at the University of meeting four other suspended Dalit students and He also sought the prime minister’s apology “On January 18, the country watched how the suicide as “murder of democracy, social Hyderabad premises, where the Dalit research consoling the family of Vemula, also demanded to the Dalit community over the suicide on Sun- two powerful cabinet ministers — Human justice and equality”. “It’s not suicide. It’s mur- scholar committed suicide, he asserted that compensation to the family. day by Rohit Vemula, a second-year research Resource Minister Smriti Irani and Labour der. It’s murder of democracy, social justice there was no question of politicising the issue More than 300 members of various students’ scholar of science, technology and society stud- Minister Bandaru Dattatreya — endorsed and and equality. Prime Minister Narendra Modiji but assured all support to the students in their bodies staged a protest outside Shastri Bhavan ies department at Hyderabad university. abetted Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s should sack the two ministers and apologise to “struggle for justice”. here on Monday, demanding the resignation “I strongly urge the prime minister to imme- systematic targeting campaign to first socially the nation,” Kejriwal said in a tweet. Without naming anybody, the Congress of the Hyderabad University vice-chancellor diately sack the two ministers, order a high-level ostracise five Dalit students at the University of “The Modi government is constitutionally leader said the union minister in Delhi and over the suicide of a Dalit scholar.

New Kashmir PM assures Rs10bn package for Bodo development government

IANS plains will be granted the Sched- He announced that the Central “I was under the impression there of each penny given to the states. I by month-end uled Tribes (ST) status, the Bodo Institute of Technology (CIT), Kokra- is no problem in Assam. Assam is the was told when the Centre releases Kachari community of the hill areas jhar, will be upgraded to a Deemed state from where the prime minister Re.1 only 15 paise of it reaches to like Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao University within a year and more aca- was elected for 10 years. The Con- the villages.” IANS KOKRAJHAR, ASSAM: Avoiding district will also be granted the ST demic and administrative autonomy gress has ruled the state for the last “So where does the money go? the statehood issue and the Rs10bn status soon. would be granted to the institute. 15 years,” Modi said. The Centre has started asking for the package demand for the Bodoland Yesterday’s rally assumes signif- “I was told that there is an airport “But I am shocked to see the prob- accounts. Thus, many do not like me Territorial Areas Districts, Prime Min- icance ahead of Assam legislative here, which has not been in use for a lems and issues here. So what has the these days,” he said while launching a JAMMU: As the new government ister Narendra Modi yesterday said no assembly polls as it has indicated a long time. I assure you that as soon prime minister, who was elected from scathing attack on the Congress gov- in Jammu and Kashmir should be stone would be left unturned to develop pre-poll alliance between the Bharatiya as the state government settles the the state for 10 years, done?” ernment in Assam. in place by January-end, the BJP is Assam’s Bodo-inhabited lands. Janata Party and the BPF, which is rul- issue of giving the land for the air- “They (the Congress) have not been While the BPF has been demand- likely to place a woman leader in The prime minister was addressing ing at the Bodoland Territorial Council port, the Rupsi airport will be opened able to do anything in last 15 years and ing a Rs10bn package for development charge of party affairs in the state to a public rally organised by the Bod- (BTC) that runs the administration in for the Indian Air Force as well as for they (the Congress) want me to do eve- of the BTAD, several Bodo organisa- streamline coordination with coa- oland Peoples’ Front (BPF) at Kokrajhar four district of the BTAD. the common people,” Modi said while rything in 15 months time. You tell me tions have also been demanding that lition partner PDP, highly-placed town in Assam. The BPF was a partner of the addressing the massive rally. if it is justified?” said Modi. the prime minister make the Centre’s BJP sources here said. Stating that the Bodoland Terri- ruling Congress in Assam since its He said the Central government is “You have seen their 15 years of stand clear on the issue of statehood “Now that the initial hiccups are torial Areas Districts (BTAD) will be inception in 2003 but it severed its also working on extending the Kan- rule and the 15 months of BJP govern- to the Bodoland. over, the next Peoples Democratic developed like any other part of the ties with the Congress in 2014 over chanjunga Express to Assam’s Barak ment in power. We have been working The All Assam Koch Rajbong- Party-Bharatiya Janata Party gov- country, the prime minister said he some differences. Valley to boost connectivity of the each of the minutes in these 15 months shi Students’ Union has also called a ernment should be in place before has three-point programme for the The prime minister, however, on region. for the betterment of the country,” the 48-hour Assam bandh from Monday the end of this month,” the sources development of the backward BTAD the occasion cautiously avoided the Modi also targetted the erstwhile prime minister said. morning to protest the Centre’s failure said. The sources said BJP general region — “development, development issue of statehood to Bodoland and Congress-led United Progressive Taking a dig at recent Congress to grant the Scheduled Tribes status secretary Ram Madhav is likely to and development”. the BPF’s demand for a Rs.1,000 crore Alliance government and the ruling campaigns against him, Modi said: to six communities in Assam, includ- have a lesser role in the state once He said while the Karbis of the package for development. Congress government in Assam. “Delhi has started asking for accounts ing the Koch Rajbongshis. PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti assumes charge as chief minister. Madhav is looking after BJP affairs in Jammu and Kashmir since the Mufti Mohammad Say- Jaitley meets Osbourne Anticipatory bail denied to eed-led government took office on March 1, last year. “The party high CPM leader in murder case command is looking for a woman leader to coordinate issues with the PDP since Ram Madhavji will get IANS busy with elections in Assam and other states. “The new incharge of state BJP is likely to be a woman holding important position in the KANNUR, KERALA: A court near here yesterday central government and the party,” rejected the anticipatory bail plea of senior Kerala the sources said. CPM leader P Jayarajan (pictured), in the Kathirur Mehbooba Mufti is likely to Manoj murder case. Manoj, one of those accused of need more support from the BJP making an unsuccessful bid on Jayarajan’s life in 1999, to anchor herself as the first woman was attacked by a seven-member gang on Septem- chief minister of the country’s only ber 1, 2014, in Kathirur near Kannur. The assailants Muslim-majority state. “She has to first threw a bomb on the RSS activist’s vehicle and carry forward the legacy of her late later hacked him to death. father, but doesn’t have his political Jayarajan, 63, a former legislator, was asked to stature or experience. She needs to appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation prove her governance capabilities (CBI) early this month. He had moved an anticipatory quickly. “For that, she needs a more bail plea in the court. CBI counsel opposed the leader’s plea on the ground direct access to the BJP high com- that it could not be granted since the case was registered under the Unlaw- mand. She must have somebody on a ful Activities (Prevention) Act and it was accepted by the Tellichery district one-on-one equation to work things sessions court. out in Delhi,” PDP sources said. Jayarajan’s anticipatory bail petition was rejected last year as well. The Ram Madhav and PDP leader Communist Party of India-Marxist leader was questioned for over four hours Haseeb Drabu last year drafted the Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osbourne (left) greets India’s Finance Minister Arun by the CBI last year in the state capital in the case but let off. The central agenda of alliance that formed the Jaitley at number 11 Downing Street in London yesterday. agency has so far arrested 23 people in this case. Jayarajan is currently on basis for power-sharing between bail in another murder case. the BJP and the PDP in the state. INDIA WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 15

Police probing All security letter threatening Modi and Parrikar

PANAJI: The Goa Police have begun agencies to be investigating a letter, with IS scribbled on it, which has threatened Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for alleg- edly pursuing anti-beef policies. strengthened Inspector General of Police V Renganathan confirmed the con- tents of the letter, which he said was written in English, saying the a global challenge, the minister said postcard containing the threats Plans to put up India was committed to fight it. to the two political leaders was “Terrorism is a global challenge. posted locally. “Since you are not laser fences along India supports countries fighting allowing to eat beef, you will be vulnerable stretches against it,” he added. taken care of,” the postcard said The home minister also appreci- while referring to Modi and Par- of India’s border ated Jammu and Kashmir Governor rikar. The letter was signed with with Pakistan after a N N Vohra’s suggestion on the occa- the word IS. deadly attack on one sion for setting up National Security The letter, received at the state Administrative Services to deal with secretariat here on Thursday, was of the air force bases, challenges like terrorism and other later handed over to the Anti-Terror Men warm themselves near a fire during a cold winter morning in New Delhi yesterday. Winter takes a says home ministry security issues. Squad and the North Goa district “I appreciate the suggestions made heavy toll each year around northern India, as poverty forces many homeless people to live outdoors. police. Police sources said Par- official by the governor and will take them rikar’s security was reviewed in up at the appropriate forum,” he said. view of the threat letter. Vohra, besides suggesting need for National Security Administrative IANS & AFP Services, also said that there should Ghaziabad schools closed for Gurgaon engineer be separate ministry to deal with ter- rorism and other security issues. held for three The governor said that state dozen thefts NEW DELHI: Union Home Min- governments should not fight over three days due to cold wave ister Rajnath Singh yesterday said whether a particular case shoudl security agencies like the National be investigated by the NIA or police. GURGAON: A 35-year-old man, Investigation Agency (NIA) would be Meanwhile, India is planning to working as an executive engineer strengthened in view of the enor- put up laser fences along “vulnera- IANS the situation and would act accord- temperature at most places dipped at a multi-national company here, mous challenges facing the country. ble” stretches of its border with arch ingly,” Sharma added by 5-8 degrees below normal. has been arrested for his involve- “Organisations like the NIA are rival Pakistan after a deadly attack Dense fog and cold wave con- Vehicular and train movement ment in over three dozen cases of to be empowered. They have to be on one of its air force bases, a home ditions across north India affected was affected in the region due to fog theft, police said yesterday. well organised in order to carry out ministry official said. GHAZIABAD: All government, private normal life yesterday, and badly hit in many places. Visibility was reduced Shivraj, who has a B.Tech their duties,” the home minister said New Delhi blames gunmen and public schools here will remain road and rail traffic as well as flights. to less than 100 metres at many places. degree and was getting a salary of while addressing a gathering of NIA belonging to a Pakistan-based mil- closed from January 20 to22 due to Shimla town received snowfall Ambala and Narnaul in Haryana over Rs40,000 per month from the officials on the occasion of the agen- itant group for the audacious attack the bitter cold, an official announce- yesterday, bringing cheer to tourists recorded a high of 12 degrees Celsius, firm at Sohna Road, was arrested cy’s Raising Day here. on the base in Punjab state close to ment said yesterday. in the hill station. This was the heavi- seven and eight degrees below nor- for targeting flats of his own resi- “Modern equipment are needed. the Pakistan border earlier this month “In view of the bitter cold felt today, est snowfall in the Himachal Pradesh mal, while Patiala in neighbouring dential society. He and his father Work is on in this direction and that left seven soldiers dead. the public and private schools have capital this winter. Punjab had a high of 13 degrees, six Omkar Singh lived in their flat in efficiency of the NIA will increase “We will soon use laser wall tech- been instructed to close their organ- With dense fog engulfing the Indira degrees below normal. Ludhiana and Kendriya Vihar in Sector 56. further,” Rajnath Singh said. nology developed by India’s Border isations for teaching the pupils,” said Gandhi International (IGI) airport in Amritsar recorded highs of 13.7 and Shivraj, who was a divorcee, He said the NIA has been “per- Security Force to plug all riverine and Ghaziabad district magistrate Vimal New Delhi, many flights were affected. 14.8 degrees, respectively. used to steal cash, jewellery, elec- forming professionally” ever since other unfenced vulnerable stretches Kumar Sharma. Most of the flights, especially in the Chandigarh experienced a high tronic and other items to fulfill the it came into being in 2009, and the along the Pakistan border in Punjab,” Students face a tough time in the morning, departed much later than of 15.7 degrees Celsius, five degrees demands of his girlfriends and sell government will provide it with all a senior official, who spoke on con- morning chill while going to school. their scheduled time. below normal. In Jammu and Kash- the rest of the items online, Assist- modern equipment needed to increase dition of anonymity, said. This may pose a health hazard, so with The visibility in New Delhi at 8.30 mir, cold wave conditions, especially ant Commissioner of Police Hawa its efficiency. A laser beam over a river sets off their well being in mind all private am was 300 metres and humidity was in the Kashmir Valley, continued, with Singh said. After collecting infor- The NIA, set up on January 19, a loud siren when someone passes and government schools have been recorded at 97 percent. According to Srinagar recording a low of minus 2.3 mation about flats whose occupants 2009, aims to match international through it, the Press Trust of India instructed to shut down till January the Northern Railway, 14 trains were degrees. In Himachal Pradesh, places were away, he used to steal the standards in investigating coun- reported this week. 22, the official said. running late due to fog in and around located at higher altitudes were cut items at night, and worked at his ter-terrorism and other national Laser fences have already been The students would get relief for the national capital. off from the rest of the country due to firm in the day time, the police security-related cases at the national tested along stretches of the border five days since the two days after In the plains of Punjab and Har- heavy snowfall. “Shimla and its nearby officer said. level. in the disputed Kashmir region, an this are Saturday and Sunday when yana, people shivered due to cold areas experienced snowfall,” an official Omkar Singh was employed Terming terrorism as a curse and unnamed security official said. schools are closed. “We shall evaluate wave conditions, as the maximum of the meteorological department said. at IIT-Delhi before his retirement and was working with the secu- rity cell of the residential society. Acid-attack survivor becomes face of fashion brand 12,000 students competing in

Reuters the company said is aimed at rais- at Viva N Diva in Surat, in the western the victims. Despite the severity of the petitioned the court for a complete school fest ing awareness of those who have state of Gujarat. “We have received a crime, acid remains easily available ban on the sale of acid. She received lost their physical beauty to acid very good response and we hope other in India, where it is used in the man- an International Women of Courage THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A attacks. A video clip titled ‘Face of companies will follow the example.” ufacture and processing of cotton and Award from US First Lady Michelle staggering 12,000 school students MUMBAI: An acid-attack survivor Courage’ shows Laxmi being made Globally, there are as many as 1,500 rubber, even after a 2013 Supreme Court Obama in 2014. will compete for prizes in 232 events in India has been made a model for up and then striding down the cat- recorded acid attacks every year, with order to curb sales. “We want to bring acid-attack at the 56th State School Arts Festi- a fashion brand, drawing attention walk while smiling at the cameras, more than 1,000 cases estimated to Last year, the court ruled that survivors into the mainstream world, val, said to be the biggest of its kind to the crime in the country with one her scarred face in focus. occur in India alone. However, many victims should receive free medical and this campaign shows it is possi- in Asia in terms of participation, of the highest rates of acid violence “We had seen some pictures of other attacks go unreported because vic- treatment and a minimum compen- ble,” said Alok Dixit with the Chhanv that began here yesterday. in the world. acid-attack survivors, and we thought, tims are too afraid of reprisals to come sation of 300,000 rupees ($4,500). Foundation in New Delhi, which has The event is held for students Laxmi features in an advertising if we can create an opportunity for even forward. Laxmi, who was 15 when she led a campaign to stop acid attacks. from state-run schools and com- campaign for a new range of apparel one of them, it would be worthwhile,” Attackers frequently target the head was attacked by a 32-year-old man “It shows even survivors can be seen petition takes place between the from Viva N Diva in an initiative said Manan Shah, managing director and face to maim, disfigure and blind whose advances she had spurned, has as normal.” 14 districts of the state.

Guard of honour Red Fort attack case: Plea for open court hearing allowed

IANS this verdict would be heard by a three case where on account of September judges bench in open court. 2, 2014 verdict, he could not get an In the case of pending death row open court hearing of his plea. convicts, the court had said that in Around 9pm on December 22, NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court cases where the review plea have been some armed intruders entered the Red yesterday permitted Pakistani Lashkar- already rejected but curative petition Fort and started indiscriminate firing, e-Taiba militant Mohammad Arif alias has not been moved or decided, the killing three soldiers of the Rajpu- Ashfaq’s plea for an open court hear- death row convicts can, within one tana Rifles, deployed in the Red Fort ing of his petition seeking review of its month, move afresh for an open court for its protection. A Quick Reaction August 10, 2011 verdict upholding his hearing of their review plea. Team returned the fire but none of death sentence in the December 22, The court bhad said that the win- the attackers was hit, and they were 2000 Red Fort attack case. dow of an open court hearing of the successful in escaping by scaling over Making exception to its September review plea would not be available the rear side boundary wall of the fort. 2, 2014 verdict limited to the case of to those death row convicts in whose While upholding the death sen- Arif, the constitution bench of Chief case both review plea and curative tence of Arif, the apex court by its Justice T S Thakur, Justice Jagdish Singh petition have been declined. August 10, 2011 verdict had said that Khehar, Justice J Chelameswar, Jus- Seeking the recall of the Septem- “this is a unique case where there is tice A K Sikri and Justice Rohinton Fali ber 2, 2014 order, Arif had contended one most aggravating circumstance Nariman gave him a month’s time to that he was the only death row con- that it was a direct attack on the unity, file fresh review plea that would be vict who was denied the opportunity integrity and sovereignty of India by heard in the open court. of an open court hearing as he came foreigners. Thus, it was an attack on The court also permitted Arif to in the category where even the cur- Mother India. This is apart from the raise additional grounds supporting his ative petition too had been rejected. fact that as many as three persons plea for the review of the 2011 verdict. Taking on record the contention by had lost their lives.” The apex court by its September 2, Arif’s counsel and Additional Solicitor The court had said that Arif had 2014 verdict had said that in the cases General Tushar Mehta appearing for “built up a conspiracy by practicing Maldives Defence Minister Adam Shareef inspects a guard of honour during a ceremonial reception where the death sentence has been the Central Bureau of Investigation, deceit and committing various other at the Defence Ministry in New Delhi yesterday. upheld by it, the convict will have a the court made an exception to Arif’s offences in furtherance of the con- right that his petition seeking review of case noting that his was the solitary spiracy to wage war against India. 16 WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 EUROPE

Charities warn Pressure builds on Merkel to shut borders of ‘desperate’

in her right-left coalition. in elections in three states in March. use of existing law,” states the letter. to take in quotas of refugees, push for plight of With three closely watched regional “There’s a clear trend against con- One of the initiators of the letter reception centres to be built on Europe’s With three closely elections looming in March, Merkel is servatives in Germany. Time is short said a total of about 100 conservative external borders and pay Turkey to keep refugees in snow watched regional facing the toughest spell of her 10-year to turn this sentiment round before the lawmakers backed it. refugees from entering the bloc are not chancellorship over her handling of regional votes in March,” INSA chief It comes after Germany’s transport working. There are signs that Merkel, elections looming in the refugee crisis. Hermann Binkert told Bild. minister urged Merkel on Monday to traditionally known for her pragmatic AFP March, the German Conservative allies in Bavaria, the Merkel’s insistence that Germany prepare to close Germany’s borders approach, is hearing at least some of entry point for most migrants, are reg- will cope with the influx of 1.1 million to stem the influx, a highly unusual the criticism but she has remained firm Chancellor is facing ularly breaking ranks and criticism is migrants last year and more this year, move for a cabinet member. in resisting a cap. the toughest spell also mounting from her Social Dem- has angered local authorities strug- The letter is just the latest head- Last December she reassured her BELGRADE: Leading children’s over her handling of ocrat (SPD) coalition partners. Some gling to house people, many fleeing ache for Merkel. The CSU wants a cap CDU that the number of migrants would charities warned yesterday that media have even started to speculate war zones in Syria and other Middle on migrants and some members are fall. Her government is trying to speed young refugees crossing through the refugee crisis about Merkel’s future. East countries. talking about taking the government up asylum procedures and make it the Balkans were at serious risk from An INSA poll in yesterday’s top-sell- Pressure is mounting on her to shut to the Constitutional Court. easier to deport failed asylum seekers. the bitterly cold weather and lack- ing Bild newspaper showed support for the borders five months after Germany The Social Democrats (SPD), at Coalition officials said on Monday ing adequate shelter in the snowy Merkel’s conservative bloc down 2.5 opened its doors to asylum seekers from odds with conservatives on planned Germany wanted to limit migra- conditions. Reuters percentage points at 32.5 percent, its Syria, effectively suspending EU rules. new rules on migrants, are also step- tion from North Africa by declaring “It’s an absolutely desperate sit- lowest since the 2013 election. In a letter to Merkel, 44 conserva- ping up criticism. Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia ‘safe uation,” Valentina Bollenback, a It also put the right-wing Alternative tives —many from her own Christian “It is not on if Mrs Merkel lets herself countries’. spokeswoman for Save the Chil- for Germany (AfD), which campaigns Democrats (CDU) as well as Bavaria’s be cheered for inviting over one mil- Merkel still enjoys higher ratings dren, said in southern Serbia near BERLIN: A group of conservative law- against refugees, up 1 point at 12.5 per- Christian Social Union (CSU) —urged lion refugees ... while her CDU bows out than most post-war German chan- the Macedonian border, where the makers urged Angela Merkel to reverse cent. The AfD has gained from worries Merkel to change course. of responsibility for long-term integra- cellors and with no clear successor ground is currently covered with her open-door refugee policy as a poll about migrants, exacerbated by attacks “We are facing excessive demands tion,” SPD Chairman Sigmar Gabriel said in sight, it is still widely expected that about six inches (15 centimetres) showed a slide in support for her bloc on women in Cologne and other cities on our country. We believe a change this week in an unusual dig at his boss. Merkel will stand in the 2017 federal of snow. yesterday, raising the stakes for a Ger- at New Year blamed largely on asylum is urgently needed in current migra- Conservatives fear Merkel’s elections. But some media are start- She said refugees were forced man Chancellor exposed by deep rifts seekers, and is likely to make big gains tion practice ... by a return to the strict attempts to persuade other EU countries ing to question the future. to trudge through the snow for two kms to cross the border into Ser- bia. They then travel to the Presevo registration centre, where she had Sweden probes seen shivering children with chat- Coldest temperature in Britain tering teeth and blue lips. “There’s an increasing risk of minister’s rental hypothermia, pneumonia, and other life-threatening illnesses,” Bollen- home buy back said. While tents were being heated AFP and local authorities were “stepping up” their efforts, she said a better system was needed to give a “dig- STOCKHOLM: A Swedish anti-cor- nified and humane” response to ruption prosecutor said yesterday he refugees. Unicef also released a had opened an inquiry to determine statement warning that children whether a crime was committed arriving in southeast Europe were when Foreign Minister Margot Wall- “physically exhausted, scared, dis- strom obtained a Stockholm rental tressed and often in need of medical apartment from a union. assistance”. “The recent sub-zero “The media has published temperatures and snowy conditions reports that representatives for (are) exacerbating children’s poor the trade union Kommunal have physical condition as many children since 2014 until April 2015 promised on the move do not have adequate and then obtained a rental contract clothing, or access to age-appropri- for Foreign Minister Margot Wall- ate nutrition,” the statement added. strom in one of the union’s buildings “This has been worsened by in Stockholm,” special prosecutor the lack of shelter and inadequate Alf Johansson said in a statement. heating in some reception centres He said he had “decided to open as well as buses and trains.” an inquiry into both the giving and More than one million migrants taking of a bribe. The scandal and refugees crossed the Mediterra- erupted when daily Aftonbladet nean Sea to Europe in 2015, nearly revealed that influential munic- half of them Syrians, according to ipal workers’ union had allowed the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. the minister to move into a rent- Despite the cold weather, men, controlled apartment, bypassing a women and children continue to queue for ordinary tenants. Stock- travel from Greece across the People walk through Richmond Park in London yesterday. Local media reported that Britain witnessed its coldest temperature of the holm has an acute housing shortage Balkans in hope of reaching more and the average waiting period to winter this year, falling to under -12.4C in Kinbrace in Sutherland yesterday morning. prosperous western European coun- obtain a rental apartment is 13 years. tries, particularly Germany. Chinese couple in UK steps up counter-extremism push despite Muslim concern

AFP ministers launched a website to help and “wanting to shut down debate or whether Muslim girls should be allowed French court over parents who are worried their chil- pursue the path of segregation”. to wear full-face veils at school. dren may be at risk of radicalisation. The measures come amid grave While Britain currently has no ban Speaking at a school in east Lon- concern over the number of people on veils, unlike other European coun- grisly murders LONDON: Britain’s government backed don from which a trio of girls moved travelling from Britain to Syria to try tries like France, schools are allowed to schools that want to ban Muslim women to Syria last year, Education Secretary to join jihadist groups such as IS. prohibit them. Morgan emphasised this and girls from wearing full-face veils as Nicky Morgan said the website was Some 800 Britons have gone to yesterday but added: “There are certain it ramped up efforts yesterday to coun- targeting “an enemy... putting poison the war-torn country since 2012, with things... particularly learning to read and AFP “My client maintains she was act- ter the appeal of groups like Islamic in the minds and hatred in the hearts half of them still thought to be there. to speak, where actually seeing the teach- ing in self-defence,” said the nanny’s State (IS). of our most vulnerable young people.” A further 600 have been stopped er’s mouth is very, very important”. lawyer Alexis Guedj. The day after Prime Minister David The Educate Against Hate site says from travelling. Ahead of the web- Michael Wilshaw, the head of A lawyer for the family of the Cameron warned Muslim women to signs for parents to look out for include site’s launch, Cameron’s government schools watchdog Ofsted, has backed PARIS: A Chinese couple —a nanny child’s mother, Chloe Arnoux, said learn English or risk deportation, children spending too much time online was drawn into a fresh debate about a ban on veils in schools. and her partner —appeared in a Paris Hui “was not able to tell them to their court yesterday, accused of killing and faces that their child was dead, so she dismembering the parents of a baby brought the baby’s body into the sit- who had died in the babysitter’s care. ting room.” She does not believe the Chechnya leader Hui Zhang and her boyfriend Te claim of self-defence, arguing that the Paying tributes Lu, both aged 34, face up to 30 years defendants prepared for the meet- calls for war on in prison for the gory crime worthy ing by equipping themselves with the of a film plot. sharp weapons. The case first came to light in June Trying to cover her tracks, Hui Putin’s critics 2012 after two joggers came upon a then chopped up the two bodies in bare leg, cut off at the ankle, in the the bathroom with an electric saw, AFP Vincennes forest on the edge of the using the washing machine to cover French capital. Several days later, a the noise. She then wrapped the body guide dog found a human torso in parts in rubbish bags and scrubbed MOSCOW: The strongman leader the same area, but the hunt for fur- her apartment clean. Her boyfriend of Russia’s Chechnya region, Ram- ther remains was fruitless. Te confirmed her version of events. zan Kadyrov, yesterday threatened Police knew the victims were He said he fell unconscious during to eradicate “enemy” opposition Asian and initially thought the mur- the fight and remained so while Hui in Russia, raising more concerns ders could be the work of the Chinese cut up the bodies. When he came to about the fate of Kremlin critics and mafia, or that of Luka Rocco Mag- he helped her get rid of the remains. independent media in the country. notta, a Canadian convicted of killing “He was violently hit, it has been Kadyrov, who rules with an iron and dismembering a Chinese student medically recorded,” said Te’s law- grip the North Caucasus region, who had spent time in Paris. yer Eric Dupond-Moretti, arguing penned a lengthy diatribe in pro- But before the bodies could that his client was not complicit in Kremlin daily Izvestiya against the even be identified, Hui Zhang and the murder. After the couple turned critics of President Vladimir Putin, Te Lu turned themselves in. Hui told themselves in, they directed police calling them a “gang of jackals” who police she had been babysitting a to the locations of more body parts “dream of destroying our state.” two-month-old baby who had died around the forest. “We will save Russia if we don’t in his sleep. She and her partner Te However they did not find the spare the enemy,” Kadyrov wrote, Lu decided to offer the child’s par- baby’s body, which Hui said she had calling himself “Putin’s foot soldier.” ents money to try to get them not to thrown in rubbish bins along with The latest broadside by former report the boy’s death. They invited some of the other remains. rebel Kadyrov —accused by human the parents to their home, but said Police say there were no indica- French members of Parliament observe a minute of silence in homage to the victims of an attack rights groups of overseeing torture their plans quickly went awry faced tions that Hui and Te, who arrived in in Ouagadougou, which killed 30, prior to a session of questions to the Government at the French and extrajudicial executions came with the fury of the grieving couple. France in 2004, were predisposed to National Assembly in Paris yesterday. A jihadist attack on a top Burkina Faso hotel was carried out after he called liberal independent Hui claims the parents had first this sort of grisly crime. by six gunmen, three of whom are still on the run, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said yesterday. media “enemies of Russia” that seek attacked them with a butcher’s knife. The trial will continue until Friday. to sow “chaos” in the Caucasus. EUROPE WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 17 Fire at Paris hotel under renovation

“We are having to go metre by The fire broke out metre from the roof. It is too small to access from the interior,” he said. on the top floor of The operation is expected to last sev- the hotel, the place eral hours, he added. Bot said no one was in the five- where Princess Diana star hotel aside from the some 150 and Dodi Fayed dined construction workers who were evac- uated from the site, and there were before their fatal car no casualties but a “large” part of the crash in 1997 building was affected. A column of smoke could be seen rising above Paris from the hotel’s location on the Place Vendome, in AFP the heart of the city’s luxury district near the Opera Garnier. Some 60 firefighters and around 15 fire engines were dispatched to the PARIS: A major fire yesterday rav- blaze. Police reported a “major fire” aged a section of the landmark Paris on their Twitter account and advised Ritz hotel, which has been closed for motorists to avoid the area. Several over three years for renovations and streets were closed around the square. had been set to reopen in March, the The classically styled hotel, owned fire service said. by Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al The fire broke out at around 7 m Fayed, has undergone top-to-bottom (0600 GMT) on the top floor of the renovations after promising a “leg- luxury hotel, vividly remembered by end to be reborn” when it closed for Firefighters dousing the flames at the Ritz Hotel, Paris, yesterday. many as the place where Princess the works in 2012. Diana and Dodi Fayed dined before The hotel founded by Swiss entre- their fatal car crash in 1997. preneur Cesar Ritz in 1898 is storied heaven, the action always takes place in had been requisitioned in June 1940 where he is said to have run up a tab for while being chased by paparazzi. Firefighters brought the blaze as the lodging of choice of Charlie the Paris Ritz,” Hemingway once said of by the Nazis and occupied by German 51 dry Martinis. In more recent history The refurbishment of the hotel, esti- under control several hours later but Chaplin, Coco Chanel and Ernest the hotel that inspired the word “ritzy”. brass including on occasions Hermann however, the Ritz has become known mated at €140m ($150 million) in 2012, were battling to extinguish flames in Hemingway, who has a small bar The American writer famously ral- Goering and Joseph Goebbels. as the place where Britain’s Princess was aimed at sprucing up the ageing the attic, said fire services spokes- named after him. lied a group of Resistance fighters to go However he was too late as the Nazis Diana spent her last hours before a car hotel to cater to the tastes of its mega- man Yvon Bot. “When I dream of afterlife in and liberate his beloved hotel which had already left, so he took to the bar accident in a tunnel in the French capital rich clientele. French House to probe 2015 attacks 17 die of German minister AFP That is the date of an attack on the called for the parliamentary enquiry swine flu Charlie Hebdo satirical weekly in Paris, “so that the French people will know which was followed two days later by a the whole truth about the conditions to visit Poland hostage drama at a Jewish supermar- in which these attacks could have PARIS: The French parliament will ket. A total of 17 people were killed in happened.” in Russia create a commission to investigate the three days in the coordinated attacks. The Republicans party has fiercely government’s handling of last year’s The rest of the year was marked criticised the Socialist government’s AFP AFP terror attacks, the parliamentary leader by sporadic attacks and foiled plots in response to the attacks. of the opposition Republicans party the name of the Islamic State group, “Were all the lessons learned from said yesterday. culminating in the death of 130 peo- the January attacks? The answer is no, MOSCOW: At least 17 people have The probe will examine “the ple on November 13 as gunmen and too much time has been wasted,” party died of swine flu in Russia since last BERLIN: German Foreign Minister resources put in place by the state to suicide bombers attacked Parisian leader and former president Nicolas month, according to the statements Frank-Walter Steinmeier (pictured) fight terrorism since January 7, 2015”, nightspots. Sarkozy said after the November of regional health authorities, as the said yesterday that he would travel to Christian Jacob told reporters. Four days after that attack Jacob bloodshed. virus gains ground in the country. Poland this week in a bid to shore up “Five people have died from relations amid rising tensions between the H1N1 virus in Saint Petersburg,” the EU neighbours. the spokeswoman for local health Steinmeier said he would meet authorities, Maria Khitarishvili, said with representatives of the Polish gov- Spectacular creation yesterday. “Identification proce- ernment and civil society in Warsaw dures for three other flu-related on Thursday in a spirit of reconcil- deaths have yet to be completed.” iation given the enduring weight of Local authorities in Russia’s the brutal Nazi occupation of Poland second-largest city said that 313 on their ties. “Of course there is no people had been hospitalised with relationship (that Germany has) with the virus in the last 10 days. another country that is more sensitive Four swine flu-related deaths and burdened by history than with were also recorded in the south- Poland,” he told reporters. ern region of Rostov among the 120 “That does not mean that we reported cases of the virus in the cannot speak about the things that area, authorities said. concern us. But it can influence the Commenting on the step, Stein- These latest cases follow the way we do it.” meier said: “I assume that Poland will deaths of four adults and one child Polish Foreign Minister Witold now make an effort to answer their from the virus in the nearby region Waszczykowski last week took the questions.” of Dagestan, and the deaths of two rare measure of summoning the Ger- Meanwhile Poland’s opposition infected patients in Yekaterinburg man ambassador after several German to taking in refugees has irked Ger- and the southern region of Adygea. and other European politicians criti- many, which is pressing for an EU State media reported another cised recent media and justice reforms solution to the crisis after it saw a deadly case in the northern city of by Poland’s new right-wing govern- record 1.1 million asylum seekers Novy Urengoy in mid-December. ment as an erosion of liberties. arrive last year. Top state doctor Anna Popova Last month, European Parliament Steinmeier said Berlin and Warsaw told Russian news agencies that President Martin Schulz, a German had worked in the quarter-century the number of people infected with Social Democrat, compared the polit- since German reunification and the swine flu would “inevitably” grow ical situation in Poland to a “coup”, end of the Cold War to build strong next month. Three people have died prompting Prime Minister Beata Szy- ties, and urged more discretion and of swine flu in Armenia since the dlo to demand an apology. diplomacy. start of the year, authorities of the The European Commission last “Given how the German-Polish Caucasian country said last week. week launched an unprecedented relationship has grown in the last Authorities in Georgia said ear- probe into whether Poland’s new leg- 25 years, I believe it shouldn’t be A car half-covered in nails, created by artist Rachel Ducker, was displayed at the London Art Fair in lier this week that a first deadly case islation governing its Constitutional sacrificed on the altar of public north London yesterday. The fair is set to run until January 24. of the virus had been reported in Court violated the bloc’s democracy confrontation at every opportu- the country’s west. rules and merited punitive measures. nity,” he said. British inquiry report on killing of ex-Russian spy to be published

AFP at a hotel by a cup of tea laced with Litvinenko’s killing caused wide- Marina has long supported. He was sanctions against Russia as a result of him and Lugovoi, who has since been polonium-210 —a rare radioactive iso- spread public outrage in Britain after working for the British spy agency MI6 the inquiry’s findings, as these could elected to the Russian parliament as tope only available in closed nuclear traces of the radioactive poison were when he was poisoned. harm delicate talks on Syria. a member of the far-right national- facilities —in a story which could have found at various sites around London. A All eyes will be on whether the The original police investigation ist LDPR party, has loudly protested LONDON: A British inquiry into the come from a grisly Cold War thriller. lawyer representing the late spy’s family inquiry’s chairman, judge Robert led British prosecutors to demand the his innocence. death by poisoning of former Russian The ex-KGB agent turned freelance called it “an act of nuclear terrorism”. Owen, points the finger at Russia and extradition from Russia on murder The latest inquiry has focused less spy Alexander Litvinenko in London investigator and Kremlin critic pub- The inquiry’s lawyer Robin Tam said what the diplomatic fallout could be charges of Andrei Lugovoi, a former on Lugovoi and more on his friend and will publish its findings on Thursday licly accused President Vladimir Putin at one of its hearings that there are “a if he does. The Guardian newspaper Kremlin bodyguard who had tea with associate Dmitry Kovtun, a former Red in a move likely to strain relations with of ordering his killing before he died number of strands of evidence relating yesterday reported that British diplo- Litvinenko at the Millenium Hotel Army soldier and businessman who the Kremlin again. three weeks later in agony on Novem- to possible Russian state responsibil- mats are urging Prime Minister David in London’s upmarket Mayfair area. was also at the meeting in the hotel Litvinenko was allegedly poisoned ber 23, 2006. ity” —a claim that Litvinenko’s widow Cameron not to launch new economic Russia has refused to extradite with Litvinenko. 18 WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 AMERICAS Americans freed by Iran reunited with families

Washington Post reporter Jason Reza- ian and Marine veteran Amir Hekmati Relatives and saw them for the first time since being supporters of released and shared group photo- Washington Post graphs. The family of Saeed Abedini was expected to arrive later. reporter Jason The fourth freed Iranian-American, Rezaian and Marine named as Nosratollah Khosravi-Rood- sari, apparently chose to remain in Iran. veteran Amir Hekmati Very little is publicly known about him. saw them for the Rezaian, 39, told his editors he was “feeling good” physically as he first time since being met with them for the first time since released and shared his release from Iran’s notorious Evin prison following a July 2014 arrest, The group photographs Washington Post reported. In a photograph released by the paper, the usually portly Rezaian Jason Rezaian (left) is pictured with his wife Yeganeh Salehi (second right), mother Mary Rezaian and brother Ali Rezaian (right) in this handout appeared to have lost a significant AFP amount of weight. “I want people to photo taken in Landstuhl, Germany, on Monday. know that physically I’m feeling good,” Rezaian told the Post, dressed in a gray hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. WASHINGTON: Americans freed by “I know people are eager to hear Concerns about missing Levinson linger Iran over the weekend reunited with from me, but I want to process this for their families late on Monday at a US some time.” The Post noted that recov- military base in Germany, but rela- ery in similar cases can take months Reuters & AFP “Crushed and outraged” rela- Of the US citizens who have been Moriarty noted that US officials took tives of another hostage expressed or even years. Relatives met with Hek- tives of an American missing in Iran freed by Iran, four were part of a pris- more than an hour to confirm to his serious disappointment he had not mati for about 15 minutes, along with for nine years expressed deep frus- oner swap with America, while a fifth wife that he was not part of the deal. been released. Congressman Dan Kildee of Michigan, tration that he was not included in a was released in a separate process. “We are thankful that the pres- Tehran released four Iranian- according to a family statement. On WASHINGTON: US President Barack prisoner exchange over the weekend. Moriarty denounced “the calculated ident mentioned my father in his American dual nationals, some of his Twitter feed, Kildee shared what Obama and his administration have “Why did Iran prisoner swap not risk that was taken to decide that five speech on Sunday, but he has yet to whom had been held for years, in a he said was a personal message from repeatedly pressed Iranians to pro- include my father?” asked Sarah Mori- hostages were enough for this deal.” reach out to my mom to tell her what prisoner swap, while a fifth Ameri- Hekmati. vide information on former FBI agent arty, daughter of ex-FBI agent Robert “A deadline to wrap up everything ‘cooperating’ means, or what he is can was freed separately. “Dear Mr President, thank you for Robert Levinson, an American who Levinson, who has been missing for about our current relations with Iran doing next to get my dad home,” Mori- In exchange, Washington granted making my freedom and reunion with went missing in Iran eight years ago, nearly a decade. in a pretty bow on January 16... meant arty wrote. clemency to seven Iranians. And it with- my family possible. I’m humbled that White House spokesman Josh Earnest Levinson, 67, disappeared in mys- to our family that our government was “We believe the US government did drew international arrest notices for you were personally involved in my said yesterday. terious circumstances in March 2007 satisfied with leaving my father behind. not use the best leverage it ever had to 14 Iranians. case and proud to have you as my pres- The White House believes Levin- during a visit to the Iranian island of Again,” Moriarty added. demand that my dad be brought home.” The prisoner swap came as the UN ident,” the message read. son is no longer in Iran, Earnest said Kish. He was reportedly investigating “We watch as the TV cameras Although there has been no official nuclear watchdog confirmed Iran had The American released separately, at a news briefing, but will continue cigarette counterfeiting in the region. and newspaper and Internet head- confirmation of Levinson’s wherea- put a nuclear bomb beyond its immedi- Matthew Trevithick, returned home to to press the Iranians for “as much Speaking on behalf of her “crushed lines capture every moment of these bouts for the better part of a decade, ate reach and the US and EU lifted their Massachusetts on Sunday for an emo- information as they have about his and outraged” family, Moriarty noted families happily embracing their long- Moriarty insisted: “my family believes most draconian economic sanctions. tional reunion with his family after 40 whereabouts”. the capture and US negotiations for the missed loved ones, while my father, Iran knows exactly where my father US diplomats insisted, to wide- days in prison, according to The Boston Earnest said the White House have release of a number of Americans dur- the longest-held hostage in American is and that our government is aware spread skepticism, that the two Globe. His detention was not publicly been in touch with the Levinson family ing her father’s long captivity — 3,237 history, languishes somewhere over of this.” breakthroughs were entirely sepa- acknowledged until his release. as recently as December. “We’re obvi- days thus far. there, growing weaker by the day. All She vowed never to give up until rate. On Monday, three of the freed “We’re very excited. We were ously very sensitive to the concerns “We are happy for their families. but forgotten. Again.” Levinson is reunited with his family. Americans were receiving medical happy to hear Matt’s voice today. We of the Levinson family,” Earnest said. We shared their pain. But this news She also spoke of the American “We will not go away. We will not be check-ups at US military facilities in are thrilled he is out of Iran,” his mother Asked if the US government knew if deeply hurts. And we can’t hold back government’s “betrayal” for not giving silent. We will never give up, we will Landstuhl, Germany. Amelia Newcomb told CBS Boston Levinson was alive, he said he did not our devastation, let alone our anger, Levinson’s family advance warning of never stop — until my father is home,” Relatives and supporters of before his arrival. have an updated assessment. any longer,” she wrote on CNN.com. the prisoner exchange. Moriarty wrote.

Trump in Iowa Guatemala tries Lack of diversity at Oscars 11 ex-soldiers worries Academy chief over wartime massacres

AFP and actress Jada Pinkett Smith said they would boycott the Oscars cer- AFP emony because of the all-white slate of actors. Their nomination last week LOS ANGELES: Following an out- set social media abuzz with the hash- GUATEMALA CITY: A Guatema- cry over the all-white roster of actors tag #OscarsSoWhite. lan judge opened a trial yesterday nominated for this year’s Oscars, the Isaacs, who is black, has pushed of 11 retired soldiers accused of president of the film academy said for more diversity in the Academy’s taking part in massacres of indig- that she was heartbroken by the lack ranks since her election in 2013. But enous civilians during the country’s of diversity and working to imple- she acknowledged in her statement bloody 1960-1996 civil war, justice ment change. that “change is not coming as fast as officials said. “This is a difficult but impor- we would like.” “We need to do more, The decision followed days of tant conversation, and it’s time for and better and more quickly,” she said. the judge, Claudette Dominguez, big changes,” Cheryl Boone Isaacs, “In the ‘60s and ‘70s it was about hearing arguments and weighing president of the Academy of Motion recruiting younger members to stay evidence for a trial. Picture Arts and Sciences, said. vital and relevant. In 2016, the man- That included DNA evidence Isaacs said that while it was date is inclusion in all of its facets: from 558 human remains found important to acknowledge the work of gender, race, ethnicity and sexual on the grounds of a former army the actors nominated for the awards orientation”. base in the north. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump looks on as he receives the endorsement of Aissa being given out on February 28, she The Academy has some 6,000 The indicted were among 18 Wayne, John Wayne’s daughter, at the John Wayne Birthplace Museum in Winterset, Iowa, yesterday. was “both heartbroken and frustrated members, all of whom work in the former Guatemalan soldiers arrested Trump is making a campaign swing through Iowa before its crucial first in the nation caucus. about the lack of inclusion.” film industry and are elected by their January 6. The judge exonerated Earlier, filmmaker Spike Lee peers for life. three of the 18 from the trial, say- ing evidence against them “lacked merit” and ordering them released. The other four under arrest are suspected of a separate war-era crime: that of the disappearance Haiti candidate not to participate in election run-off of a boy in the capital, Guatemala City. The merits of that case are yet to be decided. AFP against government-backed rival Jovenel Moise against Moise’s 32.8 percent, an outcome he called “On January 24, there will not be elections. Among those going on trial is who came out ahead in first-round polling in a “ridiculous farce.” An independent electoral We will have our machetes and stones in hand. Benedicto Lucas Garcia, the armed October. Sunday’s polling “is a no-go” Celestin commission concluded in a report that the vot- We say to everyone: Close your doors and stay forces chief during the 1978-1982 told AFP during the interview. ing was marred by fraud and irregularities. It inside because we will not be participating in presidency of his brother Fern- PORT-AU-PRINCE: Haiti’s opposition presi- “I will not go to this farce. It will not be an said 60 percent of poll workers could not do elections,” cautioned protester Betty Milou. ando Romeo Lucas Garcia, who dential candidate Jude Celestin said yesterday election. It will be a selection because there is their jobs properly. But Celestin is advocating peace and he rejects ruled over the darkest years of that he will not participate in a planned run- only one candidate,” he said, referring to Moise, Despite this, Haiti’s CEP decide to go ahead the idea of a transitional government. the conflict. off, calling it a farce with only one candidate. who is supported by President Michel Martelly. with the elections—which include both the sec- “In any democracy, there’s an elected presi- Lucas has proclaimed his The January 24 election is the latest attempt Yet Celestin has not officially withdrawn his ond-round presidential and partial legislative dent who replaces an elected president. We are innocence, and expressed disap- to restore stability in one of the poorest and most candidacy with the Provisional Electoral Coun- polling. They did, however, postpone them from clear on that point,” he said. He also denounced pointment with the judge’s decision unstable countries in the Americas. Since the end cil (CEP), the body in charge of Haiti’s elections. December 27 to Sunday, to give the independent what he called “interference by the international to put him in the dock. of the Duvalier dictatorship in 1986, Haiti has “I still have time before the elections to with- commission more time to evaluate the process. community,” which largely financed the vote. “I was never in the area” where been jolted by coups and contested elections that draw if I have to,” Celestin said. “But I am sure In protest, Celestin has refused to participate in “These are election for a certain part of the the massacres occurred, he said. have further undermined the fragile economy. that, whether I withdraw or not, the elections the campaigning process. international community, elections for the gov- Another of the accused, Raul After being mired for years in a political cri- cannot take place with one sole candidate.” On Monday, radical opposition protesters ernment to assure the dictatorial succession,” Dehesa Oliva, argued that “just sis that kept any elections from being held, Haiti “It takes two to tango and this election is a blocked streets using barricades made of burning he said. The opposition candidate said he had because people were command- went on an electoral marathon in 2015, hold- one-way affair,” he said. tires and set two vehicles on fire, demanding a been approached by foreign diplomats but was ers or sub-commanders” they should ing legislative, municipal and presidential polls. Celestin has contested the first-round poll- transitional government be put in place to organ- “under the impression that they had nothing to not be put on trial for crimes com- The second round vote on Sunday pits Celestin ing in which he drew 25.3 percent of the vote ize new elections. do with what the population actually thought”. mitted by troops. AMERICAS WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 1917 US top court to hear Obama immigration plan

which was crafted to let millions of illegal immigrants whose children are The White House American citizens or lawful perma- expressed confidence nent residents to get into a programme that protects them from deportation the court would and supplies work permits. now deem as lawful Texas Attorney General Ken Pax- Obama’s immigration ton, a Republican, said courts have long recognised the limits to presi- action, which was dential authority. “The court should crafted to let millions affirm what President Obama said himself on more than 20 occasions: of illegal immigrants that he cannot unilaterally rewrite whose children are congressional laws and circumvent the people’s representatives,” Pax- American citizens or ton said. lawful permanent The nine justices will review a November ruling by the New Orleans- residents to get based 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals into a programme that upheld a February 2015 decision that protects them by US District Judge Andrew Hanen in Brownsville, a city along the Texas from deportation border with Mexico, to halt Obama’s and supplies work action. With some of his major legislative permits initiatives suffocated by Republican lawmakers, the Democratic president has resorted to executive action to get around Congress on issues includ- Reuters ing immigration, gun control and the Obamacare healthcare law. The most recent executive action came this month when he acted unilater- WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court ally to expand background checks for yesterday agreed to hear President certain gun purchases. A protester holds her sign up as immigrants and community leaders rally in front of the US Supreme Court to mark the one-year anniversary of Barack Obama’s bid to resurrect his His executive actions have antago- plan to shield more than 4 million ille- nised Republicans who accuse him of President Barack Obama’s executive orders on immigration in Washington, in this November 20, 2015 file photo. The Supreme Court yesterday gal immigrants from deportation, a unlawfully taking actions by executive agreed to hear President Obama’s bid to resurrect his plan to shield more than 4 million illegal immigrants from deportation, a unilateral executive unilateral executive action he took fiat that only Congress can perform. action he took in 2014 to bypass the Republican-led Congress. in 2014 to bypass the Republican-led Those eligible for Obama’s pro- Congress. gram would be able to work legally Obama’s action was blocked by and receive some federal benefits. passed by Congress and the decisions executive actions. Future presidents, died in the House of Representatives. hopefuls, Hillary Clinton and Bernie lower courts after Texas and 25 other States were not required to provide of the Supreme Court, Hoffine added. Republican or Democratic, could face The immigration issue has driven Sanders, said the court should uphold Republican-governed states sued to any benefits. His order expanded on a The case raises several legal issues, new constraints if the states win. The a wedge between Hispanics, a voting Obama’s action. Republican candi- stop it, contending he exceeded his 2012 programme that provided similar including whether states have legal case is one of the most important the bloc with rising clout, and Republi- dates Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio said presidential powers under the U.S. relief for people who became illegal standing to sue the U.S. government Supreme Court will decide during its cans, many of whom take a hard line as president they would undo Obama’s Constitution. The case will be argued immigrants as children. over decisions on how to enforce federal current term, along with a challenge against illegal immigrants. Most of the immigration moves. before the high court in the coming “Like millions of families across laws. The high court added a separate to a restrictive Texas abortion law. estimated 11 million illegal immigrants Senate Democratic Leader Harry months, with a ruling due by the end this country — immigrants who want question on whether the president’s If the court sides with Obama, he are Hispanics, coming from Mexico Reid welcomed the court’s decision to of June. to be held accountable, to work on the guidance violates a provision of US would have until his term ends in Janu- and other Latin American countries. hear the case and said Obama’s execu- The case is not the first time Obama books, to pay taxes and to contribute Constitution that requires the pres- ary 2017 to implement the immigration Republican presidential candi- tive actions relied on well-established has asked the Supreme Court to rescue to our society openly and honestly - ident to “take care that the laws be plan. With the US presidential elec- dates have talked tough against illegal constitutional authority. He said he a major initiative. The court in 2012 we are pleased that the Supreme Court faithfully executed.” tion looming in November, it would immigrants. For example, business- recently met with the illegal immigrant and 2015 rejected conservative chal- has decided to review the immigra- The case could have repercussions be up to the next president to decide man Donald Trump called illegal parents of U.S citizens and lawful per- lenges to his signature healthcare law. tion case,” White House spokeswoman beyond immigration because it would whether to keep it in place. immigrants from Mexico rapists and manent residents, saying that “these The White House expressed con- Brandi Hoffine said. Obama’s moves set a precedent for the circumstances Obama’s executive action came criminals and has vowed to build a law-abiding men and women con- fidence the court would now deem as were “consistent with the actions taken under which states can sue the fed- after a bipartisan immigration pol- wall along the US-Mexican border. The tinue to live in constant fear of being lawful Obama’s immigration action, by presidents of both parties, the laws eral government over a whole range of icy overhaul bill passed by the Senate two leading Democratic presidential separated from their children.

Biden pledges AyyayayayayayayyyySnow likely in Manhattan faster US nod Zika virus scare spreads for cancer as Brazil gears up for drug cocktails Carnival and Olympics Reuters

Reuters most infections and Zika-related birth DAVOS: US Vice-President Joe defects are concentrated. Biden said yesterday that the United In Rio, more than 1,600km to the States would speed up the approval south of the worst-affected regions, of promising new drug combina- RIO DE JANEIRO: Olympic and tour- Olympic and tourism officials say they tions in his government’s newly ism officials in Brazil downplayed risks are heeding government warnings announced drive to cure cancer for foreign visitors from the mosquito- but see no signs of trip cancellations “once and for all”. borne Zika virus yesterday, even as or of disruption to the Games, which Biden, who lost his 46-year-old the health ministry warned preg- begin August 5. son Beau to brain cancer last year, nant women to consult doctors before “The Olympic and Paralympic ven- set out his plans at a World Economic visiting the country amid a widen- ues will be inspected on a daily basis,” Forum meeting of international can- ing scare. said Philip Wilkinson, a spokesman for cer experts in Davos, a week after Alarm over the virus, linked to a Rio 2016, adding that organizers are being appointed to lead the initiative rising number of mental birth defects following guidance from local and fed- by President Barack Obama. Two technicians work amid snowmaking guns in New York’s Central Park as they prepare an area of the among children of mothers infected eral health officials. So-called combination ther- park for the annual “Winter Jam” winter carnival in the Manhattan borough of New York City yesterday. by it, comes two weeks before nation- Expected to attract as many as apy is increasingly seen as central Frigid winter temperatures arrived in the Northeast US with the possibility of snow at week’s end. wide Carnival celebrations, a highlight 500,000 foreign visitors to Rio, the to fighting tumours, as scientists of Brazil’s tourism calendar. It also Olympics are small compared with the unlock the different genetic fac- comes 200 days before Rio de Janeiro tourism generated annually in the city tors driving cancer cell growth, but hosts the opening ceremonies of the and across the country by Carnival. bringing such cocktails to market 2016 Olympics. Even in the state of Pernambuco, can be a slow and costly. Following a warning by the US the epicenter of the Zika outbreak and Biden said he had hosted a meet- Centres for Disease Control and a historic hub of Carnival revelry, offi- ing at his home with three unnamed US justices reject Arkansas Prevention last week that pregnant cials said tourism has not been hit. large drug companies and the head women should not travel to 14 coun- “There are at least as many res- of the US Food and Drug Adminis- tries and territories in the Caribbean ervations as last year and in the case tration (FDA) at which both sides and Latin America where the virus of some hotels even more,” said Alex- had pledged to do more to get novel bid to revive abortion law has spread, Brazil’s health ministry andre Albuquerque, a spokesman for cancer drug cocktails to patients. said pregnant women should seek the state tourism secretary. He said “The head of the FDA made a medical advice before visiting. Carnival, which this year starts the commitment that everybody would Reuters arguments on March 2 in its first major landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling Municipal authorities in São Paulo first week of February, attracted 1.5 move much more rapidly in approv- abortion case since 2007, a challenge that “sets in stone” the viability of the said they had distributed faster test- million tourists last year. ing combinations,” Biden said. by abortion providers to parts of a fetus as the point at which a state’s ing materials to help public hospitals Still, authorities across Brazil are At the same, the pharmaceuti- restrictive, Republican-backed Texas interests, including its desire to pro- identify patients infected with den- reminding visitors to take precautions, cal industry executives had all said WASHINGTON: The US Supreme law they contend are aimed at shutting tect the life of the fetus, can trump a gue, another mosquito-borne virus such as using insect repellent and they were “open to different way of Court, which is due to hear arguments clinics that perform the procedure. woman’s right to an abortion. whose outbreaks have worsened in long sleeves to avoid mosquito bites. doing business” in order to ensure in March in an important abortion case While the high court legalised Viability occurs around the recent years. Despite the alarm, local Brazil’s health ministry in Novem- that promising drugs from different from Texas, yesterday rejected a bid by abortion more than four decades 23-to-24-week mark of a pregnancy. officials in the run-up to the Olympics ber confirmed the Zika virus was companies were tested together as Arkansas to revive a state law blocked ago, abortion remains a contentious Lawmakers in Arkansas and other and Carnival say current measures to linked to a fetal deformation known early as possible, he added. by a lower court that had banned abor- issue in the United States. Some states, conservative states have sought to prevent the spread of Zika and other as microcephaly, in which infants are Cancer experts are particularly tions after 12 weeks of pregnancy. particularly those governed by Repub- ban abortions at an earlier stage, cit- mosquito-borne viruses should be born with smaller-than-usual brains. excited by the promise of new immu- The justices left in place a May 2015 licans, have sought to chip away at ing among other things hotly debated enough to ensure that tourists and Since October, at least 3,500 sus- notherapy medicines that help the ruling by the St Louis-based 8th US a woman’s right to end a pregnancy medical research suggesting a fetus locals minimize the chance of infection. pected cases of microcephaly have body’s immune system fight tumours Circuit Court of Appeals that struck by passing laws imposing a variety feels pain starting at 20 weeks of Cities across Brazil are working to been reported by the health minis- and which have been shown to down the 2013 law, saying it violates of restrictions. gestation. educate residents about the dangers try, over 30 times more than had been work well when used alongside a woman’s right to terminate a preg- Lawyers for Arkansas said their The Arkansas ban prohibits abor- of pooled and stagnant water, where reported each year since 2010. other drugs. Francis Collins, direc- nancy at a point before the viability appeal does not directly challenge tions after 12 weeks, when a fetal mosquitoes reproduce, and in some The Zika virus is transmitted by tor of the US National Institutes of of the foetus. A lower court in 2014 a woman’s right to have an abor- heartbeat is detected, except in cases cases have targeted breeding areas the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is Health, described their potential blocked the law. tion. They said it instead questions of rape, incest or when the health of with insecticides. Efforts are particu- also known to carry the dengue, yel- as “breath-taking”. The Supreme Court is set to hear the Supreme Court’s finding in the the mother is in danger. larly intense in the northeast, where low fever and Chikungunya viruses.

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FAJR 05.01 am ZUHR 11.45 am MAGHRIB 05.11 pm HIGH TIDE 02:45 - 11:45 Some clouds and hazy. SHOROOK 06.21 am ASR 02.48 pm ISHA 06.41 pm LOW TIDE 09:15 - 19:45

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Agency of “flag row” Taiwan K-pop 3 star under cyber attack

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A child is wrapped in blankets while waiting with its parents to depart to Croatia at a train station in Presevo, Serbia, yesterday.

Japan rejoices as boyband SMAP averts split INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY AFP popular and often stay together for members bowed deeply before each infighting between the agent in charge decades. offered short remarks. of SMAP and other top managers at Devastated fans on social media Takuya Kimura, the most popular Johnny & Associates, the powerful tal- had called on each other to “protect” member and a veritable megastar in ent agency that gave birth to SMAP. TOKYO: Fans of ageing Japanese boy- SMAP members by buying their old hit Japan, explained they hastily arranged Media reports of the intra-agency People band SMAP breathed a sigh of relief songs, in the hope it would avert a split. for live speeches to be injected into feud and possible break-up prompted working yesterday at the news the middle-aged Those wishes came true late on their taped variety show “SMAPxS- an emotional outcry in Japan and other out despite heartthrobs were staying together, after Monday when the band — which has MAP”, acknowledging that the group parts of Asia. Japanese Twitter was heavy fog in their agent said they were mulling a been together since 1988 and whose had been on the verge of a “midair flooded by fans during and immedi- the morn- breakup. members now range in age from 38 to breakup”. ately after the live announcement. The ing at Aspire The news of the possible disband- 43 — carved out time on their weekly Member Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, said: apology “shows how tough it is to be a Zone. Photo by ment last week shook Japan, where television show to apologise for caus- “I am relieved that we five are again SMAP member,” read one tweet. “Any- Abdul Basit groups such as SMAP — tightly con- ing anxiety and pledge to remain an together right here.” The group’s way, I am glad they did not break up trolled by their managers — are wildly item. Wearing black suits, the five troubles were reportedly sparked by because I’ve been a fan for a long time.”

First flower Stormtrooper models Eagles guitarist Glenn blooms on ISS Frey dead at 67 AFP

WASHINGTON: A bright orange AFP knowledge of popular music and a zinnia has blossomed aboard the work ethic that wouldn’t quit.” International Space Station, mark- The Eagles, fronted by Frey and ing a first in space. drummer-vocalist Henley, dominated “First flower even grown in NEW YORK: Guitarist Glenn Frey, the American rock charts throughout space makes its debut,” US astro- who helped make The Eagles one of the 1970s with hits including Take It naut Scott Kelly wrote on Twitter, the most successful acts in US rock Easy, One of These Nights and Hotel with a photo of the flower. history with hits such as Hotel Cal- California — songs that endure as Zinnias grow easily on Earth ifornia, died on Monday. He was 67. cover-band classics to this day. and blossom in abundance in sum- “It is with the heaviest of hearts The Eagles pioneered the West mer. But on the ISS, where they were that we announce the passing of our Coast sound of laid-back, country- taken to carry out experiments, they comrade, Eagles founder Glenn Frey, tinged rock that dominated early 1970s have had trouble adapting to micro- in New York City,” the Grammy Award- American pop and saw a changing gravity. Several were doing poorly winning band wrote on its website. cast of core members throughout the back in December as mold grew on Frey died of complications from decades. some of their their leaves because rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative The Eagles’ 1975 greatest hits of high humidity, Nasa said. colitis and pneumonia, The Eagles collection has sold more than 29 But Kelly was seemingly able to said. “We are all in a state of shock, million copies in the United States, nurture them back to health. Grow- disbelief and profound sorrow,” fellow more than any album except Michael Models of First Order’s Stormtrooper Battle Buddy from the film “Star Wars - The Force Awakens” are ing such flowers — zinnias are edible Eagle Don Henley said in a statement. Jackson’s “Thriller,” according to — is part of a long term Nasa project displayed in a shop in Shanghai, China, yesterday. “He was the spark plug, the man the Recording Industry Associa- known as Veggie. with the plan. He had an encyclopedic tion of America. It is designed to produce food with an eye to long, manned mis- sions to Mars. Such autonomy is key to astronauts’ survival in space, Nasa says. Crew on the ISS have already More than 7,000 babies stillborn every day: Report grown and eaten lettuce last year aboard the orbiting craft and hope to produce tomatoes by next year. AFP stillbirths that occur during delivery, The Lancet Nutrition, lifestyle factors such as obesity or chance of her baby being born alive as does a Growing vegetables on the space editors Richard Horton and Udani Samarasek- smoking, and non-infectious diseases like dia- woman nowadays in a high-income country,” station began in mid-2014. era wrote in a comment. “The idea of a child betes, cancers or cardiovascular problems, each the study said. They are grown aeroponi- being alive at the beginning of labour and dying accounted for about 10 percent of stillbirths. But the series also highlighted wide gaps cally — without soil, in an air or PARIS: About 7,200 babies are stillborn every for entirely preventable reasons during the next Malaria infection accounted for about eight between rich and poor people even in high- mist environment. day — some 2.6 million per year — and half of few hours should be a health scandal of inter- percent of stillbirths and syphilis 7.7 percent, the income countries. A poor woman in a wealthy The system requires much less these deaths occur during delivery, according national proportions. Yet it is not.” analysis showed. An estimated 6.7 percent of still- country has about double the risk of stillbirth water and fertilizer, and plants grow to a quintet of studies published by The Lan- For the purposes of the study, stillbirths were births was attributed to the expectant mother than a rich one. three times faster than on Earth, cet yesterday. counted as foetuses lost during the final three- being older than 35, and 4.7 percent to eclamp- The country with the lowest rate, with 1.3 Nasa says. The figures for 2015 represented a meagre month trimester, or after 28 weeks of pregnancy. sia — a serious condition of pregnancy that can stillbirths per 1,000 total births, was Iceland, and Gioia Massa, a scientist work- drop from around 24.7 to 18.4 deaths for every Deaths before this cutoff are termed miscarriages. cause seizure-inducing high blood pressure. Denmark was next at 1.7 per 1,000. They were ing on the Veggie project, said the 1,000 total births from 2000 to last year, the The series found that prolonged pregnancy— Sub-Saharan Africa had more stillbirths than followed by Finland, the Netherlands, Croatia, plants grown so far are not per- medical journal reported. The overwhelming delivery several days beyond the estimated birth any other region. Japan, South Korea, Norway, Portugal and New fect but have helped researchers on majority of stillbirths, about 98 percent, occur date — was the main cause of stillbirths, con- Given the slow rate of improvement, “over Zealand. The worst performer, out of 186 coun- Earth understand better how they in low- and medium-income countries. tributing 14 percent. Next in line were maternal 160 years will pass before the average preg- tries measured, was Pakistan with 43.1 stillbirths grow in conditions of microgravity. “But the truly horrific figure is 1.3 million” health problems. nant woman in sub-Saharan Africa has the same per 1,000 total births. www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

PAGE | 22 QE 8,986.50 +469.68 PTS PAGE | 23 Qafco-Texas A&M DOW 16,033.96 +45.88 PTS QIC premium reports highlights managing FTSE100 5,876.80 +96.88 PTS 49% increase to carbon emissions BRENT $29.00 +$0.45 QR8.35bn in 2015

WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 • 10 Rabia II 1437 thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar

QIB profit grows by 22% to QR1.95bn in 2015

year-on-year increase. growth over 2014. Customer depos- industry. QIB continues to pursue the implementation of the Bank’s strategy Basic earnings per share reached its have registered a strong growth of conservative impairment policy with to grow its financing and investment Board proposes QR8.27 compared to QR6.78 in Decem- 37 percent and now stand at QR 92bn. the coverage ratio for non-performing activities during 2015. The Bank has also 42.5% dividends ber 2014. In line with the improved Total income for the year ended financing assets reaching 113 percent as managed to strengthen the key perform- profitability, QIB Board of Directors December 31, 2015 was QR4.5bn, regis- of December 2015, up from 102 percent ance and risk metrics through proactive proposed a profit distribution to share- tering a 24 percent growth compared to as of December 2014. Total shareholders’ financial and risk management.” holders of 42.5 percent of the nominal QR3.63bn for 2014. Income from financ- equity of the bank reached QR13.4bn, He added, “QIB remains committed share value (QR4.25 per share), sub- ing and investing activities has grown an increase of 7.6 percent as compared to support the local economy through its The Peninsula ject to approval of Qatar Central Bank by 26 percent to reach QR3.89bn at the to December 2014. The Bank also raised innovative Shari’ah compliant solutions and General Assembly. end of 2015 compared to QR3.09bn for Basel III compliant Additional Tier 1 offered to its large number of corpo- Total assets increased by 32 per- 2014, reflecting a healthy growth in Capital by issuing perpetual sukuk for rate customers who are handling major cent compared to 2014 and now stands the Bank’s core operating activities. an amount of QR2bn. national projects across different sectors. DOHA: Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), at QR127bn driven by a robust growth QIB was able to maintain the ratio Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin The Bank continues to recruit and invest Qatar’s leading Islamic lender, recorded in the financing activities that have of non-performing financing assets Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani (pictured), in local talent and fulfill its responsibility a net profit of QR1.95bn for the year now reached QR87bn having added to total financing assets at less than Chairman of QIB, said: “these positive as a corporate citizen through its sup- 2015, representing a strong 22 percent QR28bn, representing a 46 percent 1 percent, one of the lowest in the financial results reflect the successful port to a number of social initiatives.” Qatar’s oil consumption rose 190% in a decade QNB Commodity Fund - Quarterly Report for December 2015

Total Net Asset value (QR) 26,409,084 By Sachin Kumar from 106,000 barrels per day in 2004 Desalination plants also use oil and The Peninsula to 307,000 bpd in 2014. Saudi Arabia’s gas to meet drinking water demands NAV per unit (December 2015) 8.309 oil consumption rose from 1.9 million of residents. Most of the GCC coun- bpd in 2004 to 3.2 bpd in 2014. It is tries have seen consistent growth in NAV per unit (November 2015) 8.601 also the largest consumer of oil in the the population which also has fuelled DOHA: Oil consumption in the Mid- Middle East. Iran is the second larg- demand of power. Fund Performance dle East has risen substantially over est consumer of oil in the region. Its GCC countries have already taken the past decade. The region, which consumption of oil increased from 1.6 steps to diversify source of power gen- MTD (December 2015) -2.45% is the largest producer of oil in the million bpd to 2 million bpd in 2014. eration and to cut dependence on fossil world, increased its consumption of United Arab Emirates came out fuels. Saudi Arabia is proceeding with YTD (2015) -12.66% oil by about 47 percent during 2004- as the third largest consumer of oil plans to add 41 gigawatt of solar power, 2014 period. which saw consumption rising from 18 gigawatt of nuclear power, and 4 Since Inception (June 2014) -16.10% Qatar witnessed the highest growth 484,000 bpd in 2004 to 873,000 bpd gigawatt from other renewable sources in the region in percentage terms by in 2014. Total oil consumption in the to expand electricity supply in addi- Fund Information registering 190 percent growth in oil Middle East region increased from 5.9 tion to its attempts to improve energy consumption during the period. million bpd in 2004 to 8.7 million bpd. efficiency. Other countries have also Fund Type Open-End Fund Saudi Arabia saw highest growth Increasing energy needs due to step up efforts to use renewable source in terms of absolute amount by regis- rising population and many develop- of power to generate power. Currency Qatari Riyal tering a growth of 1.3 million of barrel ment projects are the major factors With recent fall in crude oil prices, per day or 67 percent during the same behind region’s growing consump- countries in the Middle East are likely Regulator Qatar Central Bank period, according to the BP Statistical tion of oil. to take more efforts in coming future Review of World Energy 2015 report. Countries in this region are to reduce dependence on fossil fuels Subscription / Redemption Monthly Qatar’s consumption increased using oil and gas to generate power. to generate power. Management Fee 1.50% per annum Subscription / Redemption Fee 2.00% / 0.50% China’s growth hits 25-year low Custody Fee 0.50% per annum Auditor KPMG Custodian QNB S.A.Q. Reuters China GDP Founder QNB China’s economy grew 6.9 percent in 2015, the slowest QNB Banque Privée expansion in 25 years. Quarterly growth slowed to 6.8 Fund Manager SHANGHAI: China’s economy grew at its weakest pace (Suisse) SA in a quarter of a century last year, raising hopes Beijing percent, the slowest since the global financial crisis. would cushion the slowdown with more stimulus policies, ANNUAL GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT which in turn prompted a rally on the country’s roller- Year-on-year percentage change coaster share markets. Growth for 2015 as a whole hit 6.9 percent after the 15 fourth quarter slowed to 6.8 percent, capping a tumultu- ous year that witnessed a huge outflow of capital, a slide 6.9% 2015 in the currency and a summer stocks crash. Concerns 10 about Beijing’s grip on economic policy have shot to the top of global investors’ risk list for 2016 after a renewed plunge in its stock markets and the yuan stoked worries that the economy may be rapidly deteriorating. 5 China’s slowdown, along with the slump in commod- QNB Commodity ity prices, prompted the International Monetary Fund Fund. 0 to cut its global growth forecasts again yesterday, and it 1980 1990 2000 2010 said it expected the world’s second-largest economy to see growth of only 6.3 percent in 2016. Data from China’s statistics bureau showed that indus- dropped for a second year in row, illustrating how a slow- trial output for December missed expectations with a rise ing economy and shift to consumer-led growth is hurting of just 5.9 percent, while electric power and steel output fell industry. December retail sales growth was also weaker for the first time in decades last year, and coal production than expected at 11.1 percent last month. 22 WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 BUSINESS

Craig International Qatar projects to compete for MEED awards opens offices to expand in Mideast have won the highlight coveted MEED Thompson, Editorial Director, MEED. shed the spotlight not just on excellence built, is in its early stages. Quality Project of the Year, the only The construction sector remains and quality, but also on the valuable Among the new categories include MEED announces country to have achieved the feat in one of the brightest spots for the Gulf contribution to the economic develop- Upstream Oil and Gas Project of the The Peninsula launch of the 2016 the six-year history of the awards states, where billions of dollar-worth of ment of the Region that such projects Year, Downstream Oil and Gas Project programme. projects are underway or in the pipe- make,” said John Iossifidis, Group Head the Year,Airport Project of the Year, edition of MEED The Pearl GTL Project received the line. Although lower oil prices may of Corporate and Investment banking Tall Building Project of the Year, Retail Quality Awards for distinction in 2012, with Qatar Founda- continue to be a challenge, ongoing at Mashreq. Project of the Year, Mixed-Use Project DOHA: Oilfield procurement Projects tion’s Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies projects will have enough impact to The awards also send a clear of the Year, Education Project of the specialist, Craig International, is Project replicating the achievement stimulate economic growth and help message to the market that quality is Year, Residential Project of the Year, expanding in the Middle East follow- last year. alleviate the concerns of the industry by essential in all parts of the project man- Commercial Project of the Year; Rail, ing award of a contract to manage “The GCC is home to some of the replenishing diminishing order books. agement process; from design planning Metro, Tram Project of the Year; and a $55m client spend with a major world’s most impressive and unique This could only mean that the list to engineering and construction. We Road, Bridge, Tunnel Project of the Year. operator in Qatar. The Peninsula buildings, and MEED’s awards pro- of completed schemes will continue wish all participants the very best of Owners, architects, engineers, The five-year contract for out- gramme is designed to recognise the to grow, and thousands of teams will luck,” said Iossifidis. contractors and consultants of com- sourced procurement services has highest quality developments leading play their part to ensure major schemes Qatar’s FIFA World Cup 2022 prep- pleted projects in Qatar from January led Craig International to open a the projects market in Qatar, and the are completed to the highest quality. arations are entering a new phase, with 2011 to December 2015 have until Jan- base in Doha and another in Dubai. DOHA: Leading business intelligence rest of the region.It has distinguished To ensure such stringent quality some contracts already awarded for uary 31 2016 to submit their entries. The offices will initially employ nine firm MEED has announced the launch itself as the premier recognition pro- standards are maintained, the MEED the construction of the planned facil- The MEED Construction Leadership people with more planned as the of the 2016 edition of the MEED Qual- gramme in the projects market because Quality Awards for Projects, in asso- ities, such as the Al Bayt stadium in Al Summit, takes place on May 25, the company expands its business in ity Awards for Projects, in association it evaluates the outcome of the con- ciation with Mashreq has launched Khor and the upgrade of the existing Summit a high-level gathering of the the region. with Mashreq, the region’s only awards struction process, rather than the its latest search for the Gulf’s highest Khalifa Stadium which will increase Gulf region’s construction leaders that Jill MacDonald, joint manag- programme that recognises project process itself. MEED is proud to have quality projects. its seating capacity to 60,000. seeks to promote an open dialogue ing director of Craig International excellence and benchmarks best prac- created an independent judging proc- “We are proud to support the Another stadium is up for bid in between stakeholders to explore the said: “This prestigious contract has tice in project delivery. ess, with the help of the Societies of awards programme for the past three Education City. Lusail Stadium, the strategic direction of the region’s con- allowed us to bring forward our Two of Qatar’s flagship projects Engineers across the GCC,” said Richard years now. The awards have definitely largest of the stadiums that will be struction industry. plans for the Middle East, a region we have been eyeing for some time. We have worked hard in the last few months to find and move into suit- able premises and employ qualified people, both nationals and expats.” Qafco-Texas A&M “By outsourcing the manage- ment of procuring oilfield products and services, our client will ben- efit from major cost-savings and highlights managing greater efficiencies. At Craig Inter- national, we can procure virtually anything, from any source, and deliver it on time, wherever it’s carbon emissions needed. And given our consider- able consolidated buying power, our relationship with suppliers and The Peninsula institutional learnings of industry and the efficiencies of our system, we academia can mutually benefit. I hope guarantee cost-savings.” MacDon- the conference becomes the platform ald added. for sharing ideas to find solutions for Craig International has a global DOHA: The 2016 conference was the short and long-term issues facing us.” network of pre-qualified suppliers, eighth presented in cooperation with This year’s conference focused on over 60 experienced and qualified Texas A&M at Qatar’s longtime indus- managing CO2 and renewable energies. buyers in six countries covering try collaborator, the Qatar Fertiliser Conference co-chair and Texas A&M every continent, proven outsourcing Co (Qafco). at Qatar chemical engineering profes- experience, recognised interna- “The conference highlighted sor Dr Konstantinos Kakosimos said tional accreditations and online the pressing need for industry and that developing technology, industry procurement tools and processes. academia to work together to develop and commercial applications have led With bases in Houston, Calgary, new knowledge and create scientific to an increase in overall energy con- Cape Town, Warsaw and Hamburg, solutions that have direct impact on the sumption, which has in turn led to two Craig International provides a truly world around us,” said Dr Ann Kenimer, important problems: energy resources global service. The company has Interim Dean, Texas A&M at Qatar. and environmental pollution. evolved from an oilfield supply com- “Qafco has been a steadfast and With fossil fuels such as oil and pany to a provider of out-sourced Qafco CEO Khalifa Al Sowaidi and Dr Ann Kenimer, Interim Dean, Texas A&M at Qatar, at the event. dynamic partner to Texas A&M at gas diminishing, renewable energy is procurement services. Qatar through the years, and I thank more important than ever. But renew- Craig International is a division Qafco for its unwavering belief in the ables energy such as wind and solar given this dilemma, it is imperative (Switzerland), as keynote speaker this chemistry and chemical engineering of privately-owned shipping and strength of our academic and research are limited by daylight hours or windy to find new ways of managing CO2 year, and were pleased to welcome research in Qatar and the region.” energy services firm, Craig Group. programs, our faculty, and our conditions. At the same time, pollu- to make emissions friendlier to the our 14 distinguished invited speakers The conference featured an impres- Douglas Craig, chairman and current and former students,” Dr Ken- tion caused by the consumption of environment and our health. from the US, Europe, Asia and Middle sive technical programme, and sessions managing director of Craig Group imer said. fossil fuels — mainly due to the high Konstantinos said, “We are proud to East. “We hope this conference has showcased opinions and research from added: “This is the first venture in the Qafco CEO Khalifa Al Sowaidi said, emission of greenhouse gases, such have had Prof Michael Graetzel, direc- been an outlet for exchanging scientific some of the world’s most respected Middle East for Craig International “The Qafco – Texas A&M Conference as CO2 — results in a series of prob- tor of the Laboratory of Photonics and knowledge, sharing ideas, discuss- names in managing CO2 and energy. It and, combined with its extensive 2016 is a confluence of ideas. I believe lems such as global warming and poor Interfaces in the Institute of Chemical ing future collaborations and building also provided a forum for the exchange operations in Europe and North conferences such as these can help air quality. Science and Engineering at the Ecole new projects. This annual conference of ideas and opportunities for future America, significantly widens its give better insights into issues wherein Conference organisers said that Polytechique Féderale de Lausanne reaffirms our pursuits of cutting-edge collaborations. global reach.” Beema posts QR63m GAC and Qatar Chamber conduct Morgan Stanley training workshop on ATA Carnet beats forecasts net profit in 2015 and plans more cost cuts The Peninsula

NEW YORK: For Morgan Stanley, belt-tightening is DOHA: The net profit of the share- becoming a way of life. holders of Damaan Islamic Insurance’s The investment bank (Beema) touched QR63m for the full- posted better-than-forecast year 2015. fourth-quarter results largely The financial results were thanks to greater cost cutting, announced after the company’s board including moves to slash 25 of directors’ meeting yesterday. The percent of its fixed income meeting was chaired by Abdullatif headcount to adapt to a pro- Abdulla Zaid Al Mahmoud, the Dep- tracted slump in bond trading. uty Chairman of the company. Now Chief Executive Addressing the meeting, the dep- James Gorman is focusing on uty chairman said Beema has achieved ways to cut even more deeply, a gross contribution of QR314m in leaning on technology and the year 2015; a 23 percent increase increased outsourcing to cut on year-on-year; and a surplus of outcome of Beema’s primary goal of another $1bn in costs this year. QR16.5m from insurance opera- reaching out to customers by providing “They’re looking at the tions, up 114 percent compared to the a comprehensive range of innova- Participants at the workshop. environment and have deter- year 2014. The shareholders profit tive products, services and delivering mined that they can’t get increased 17 percent to QR46.5m. quality customer services. enough returns for share- The investment portfolio achieved “Thus, we are constantly develop- The Peninsula international developments, especially which speed up goods and equip- holders through significant an income of QR19.2m during the ing new customer service initiatives in areas of commerce and investment, ment clearance in cases of export and increases in banking or mas- year 2015, thanks to the outstand- to make our customers’ lives easier, to facilitate customs procedures, said import. She added that Qatar is the sive increases in assets under ing performance and the diversity such as our doorstep service whereby the chairman of legal affairs depart- third country in the region applying management,” said Ryan Kel- of products, innovative services and customers are able to renew or buy DOHA: In collaboration with the Gen- ment at QC, Abdulaziz Saleh Al Kawari, ATA Carnet and it will boost business ley, a portfolio manager at expanding customer base. their comprehensive motor insurance eral Authority of Customs, the Qatar at the opening of the workshop. and Qatar’s status as a key w global Hennessy Funds and a Mor- The outstanding results achieved for their cars over the phone, from the Chamber (QC), yesterday launched He added that the Istanbul Inter- investment destination. gan Stanley shareholder. “The by Beema, confirms its ability to comfort of their office or their home. a training workshop on ATA Carnet. national Convention on Temporary A Carnet or ATA Carnet is used best way to get there is through achieve the best results in the face We put customer service at the heart The workshop aims at familiarising Admission has a condition that there to clear customs in 74 countries and continued cost cuts.” of competition within the Qatari insur- of what we do and strive to provide the participants with the international must be “National Guarantor” who territories without paying duties and Morgan Stanley plans ance market, despite it being only a Takaful solutions that provide out- customs and temporary export-import issues the documents of temporary import taxes on merchandise that are to lean on technology and five-year-old company. standing cover and protection to our document known as ATA Carnet. admission guaranteeing fees and to be re-exported within 12 months. outsourcing to reach its lat- Beema has proven itself to be a valued clients against the widest pos- The workshop was attended by customs rights if the goods entered Carnets facilitates temporary est cost-cutting target. Banks worthy contender in Qatar’s insur- sible risks,” he said. Lee Ju-sung, executive manager of the temporarily are not re-exported on imports of commercial samples, pro- are grappling with regulations ance market, he added. Beema is constantly developing International Chamber of Commerce time. QC is the national guarantor. fessional equipment, goods for fairs discouraging them from risky Nasser Al Misnad (pictured), Chief innovative products/services for the for Asia, and a number of personnel Ju-sung emphasised that Carnets and exhibitions, and entertainment trades along with concern Executive Officer, said Beema’s growth benefit of their customers, whilst con- from the GAC, and the Qatar Chamber. are merchandise passports or pass- on the condition of re-exporting them about China and oil prices. and achievements during the past tributing to the economic development Qatar is seeking to keep pace with ports for companies and institutions within the permitted time. three quarters of 2015, is the direct of the country, he added. BUSINESS WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 23 City Centre Rotana officially opened IMF cuts global

52-storey tower growth forecast features 287 luxurious modern rooms and suites and 94 serviced as China slows apartments Reuters stock market crash. Shares in Europe and Asia rose and the dollar gained after the China The Peninsula data was released, as investors antic- WASHINGTON: The International ipated greater efforts by Beijing to Monetary Fund cut its global growth spur growth. forecasts for the third time in less Concerns about Beijing’s grip on DOHA: Doha’s new five-star hotel, than a year yesterday, as new figures economic policy have shot to the top City Centre Rotana Doha, celebrated from Beijing showed that the Chinese of global investors’ risk list for 2016 its official opening in the presence of economy grew at its slowest rate in a after falls in its stock markets and the a number of VIPs, and senior man- quarter of a century in 2015. yuan stoked worries that the econ- agement team from Rotana as well as To back its forecasts, the IMF cited omy may be rapidly deteriorating. Al Rayyan Tourism Investment Com- a sharp slowdown in China trade and The Fund said a steeper slowing pany (ARTIC) — the developers of City weak commodity prices that are ham- of demand in China remained a risk Centre Rotana. FROM LEFT. Omer Kaddouri, President and CEO Rotana, Nasser Al Nowais, Chairman Rotana, Sheikh mering Brazil and other emerging to global growth and that weaker- This newest addition to the Rotana Mohammed bin Faisal Al Thani, Vice-Chairman ARTIC, and Joseph Coubat, General Manager, City Centre markets. than-expected Chinese imports and portfolio, and the third hotel for the The Fund forecast that the world exports were weighing heavily on Rotana during the press conference in Doha yesterday. Pic: Kammutty VP/The Peninsula group in Qatar, City Centre Rotana is economy would grow at 3.4 percent in other emerging markets and com- a tribute to Doha and its pulsating cos- 2016 and 3.6 percent in 2017, both years modity exporters. mopolitan spirit. Strategically located in Rotana has been a long-standing Kaddouri, President and CEO of Rotana, to be launched in the country under down 0.2 percentage point from the “We don’t see a big change in the the West Bay area, City Centre Rotana player in Qatar’s hospitality scenario said: “The opening of City Centre Rotana the lifestyle affordable brand Centro previous estimates made last October. fundamentals in China compared to is characterised by its connection to and the launch of City Centre Rotana is a major milestone for us and we are Hotels by Rotana, which will then add It said policymakers should what we saw six months ago, but the the City Center Doha shopping com- reaffirms this position. proud to be managing this new jewel in another 229 rooms to our portfolio in consider ways to bolster short-term markets are certainly very spooked plex. The hotel is also only 30 minutes Speaking during the inaugural cer- the heart of Doha. This 52-storey tower Qatar,” he added. demand. The updated World Eco- by small events there that they find away from the airport, 15 minutes away emony, Nasser Al Nowais, Chairman, features 287 luxurious modern rooms Joseph Coubat, General Manager nomic Outlook forecasts came as hard to interpret,” IMF economic from the traditional Souq Waqif and Rotana, said: “City Centre Rotana is our and suites and 94 serviced apartments of City Centre Rotana, explained: “This global financial markets have been counsellor Maurice Obstfeld said in the Museum of Islamic Art. third presence in the country, thanks to as well as state-of-the-art meetings new experience in the heart of Doha roiled by worries over China’s slow- a videotaped statement. Addressing the official opening of the vision of ARTIC’s Chairman, Sheikh and banqueting facilities, Bodylines city will transform customer engage- down —confirmed by official Chinese He said global financial markets City Centre Rotana, Sheikh Mohammed Faisal bin Qassim, his faith and belief Fitness & Wellness Club and an excit- ment. Today, Doha is considered to be data yesterday — and plummeting oil seemed to be overreacting to falling oil bin Faisal Al Thani, ARTIC’s Vice-Chair- in supporting our brand. We look for- ing collection of restaurants. With this the most vibrant place in the region, prices. The IMF maintained its pre- prices and the risk of a sharp down- man said: “The tourism sector in Qatar ward to strengthening this partnership new upscale hotel, we will offer the due to its position on the global confer- vious China growth forecasts of 6.3 turn in China. Obstfeld also said it was is witnessing a remarkable growth, and and helping with the development of best amenities for business and leisure ences and exhibitions’ map. Moreover, percent in 2016 and 6.0 percent in critical that China is clear about its we are committed to playing a key role the tourism sector in the country.” guests in the West Bay area.” the city has been attracting major sports 2017, which represent sharp slow- overall economic strategy, including in supporting this growth. In line with “Going forward, we have an exten- “With the opening of City Centre leagues and tournaments, especially downs from 2015. its currency. “It’s not a stretch to sug- this, the launch of City Centre Rotana is sive expansion plan in Africa and Rotana, our company’s inventory in the 2022 World Cup – the most awaited China reported that growth for gest that (markets) may be reacting a unique addition to Qatar’s hospitality Europe, which is in line with our vision Doha has increased to more than 1000 event. So, our launch today enhances 2015 hit 6.9 percent after a year in very strongly to rather small bits of market, and we are delighted to wel- to reach 100 hotels by 2020,” Al Now- rooms. Moreover, the second quarter our brand’s existence in this country which the world’s second biggest econ- evidence in an environment of vol- come our guests to the latest addition of ais added. of this year will witness the opening and also supports the government’s omy endured huge capital outflows, atility and risk aversion,” Obstfeld ARTIC’s high quality assets portfolio.” Commenting on the launch, Omer of Centro Capital Doha, our first hotel efforts to boost the tourism sector. a slide in the currency and a summer said at a news conference.

Indian Railways QIC premium reports 49% increase to QR8.35bn in 2015

mulls land sales The Peninsula for $4.7bn

wage bill DOHA: Qatar Insurance Company (QIC), the leading insurer in the Middle East and North African (Mena) region, NEW DELHI: Indian yesterday announced the financials Railways,the world’s for 2015, posting a record growth of fourth-longest network, is 49 percent in its ‘Gross Written Pre- considering land sales and miums’ (GWP) at QR8.35bn ($2.29bn). exports of trains to Asia and The QIC Group, in a statement, Africa to help fund a looming said the company benefitted from wage increase of Rs320bn the successful diversification of the ($4.7bn). The state-run net- firm into more geographies and lines work is exploring other steps of business. such as selling advertising Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin space, the people said, ask- Ali Al Thani, Chairman of the Board ing not to be identified as and Managing Director of QIC, the the information isn’t pub- Board of Directors approved the finan- Board of Directors at the meeting. lic. Increases in fares are cial results at its meeting yesterday. unlikely and the railway Key drivers of growth included could cut costs by about 15 reinsurance premiums, generated specialty insurance markets. Against with both QIC’s regional peers as well in 2015. Buoyant personal lines markets a branch in the Dubai International percent in one to two years. through QIC’s dedicated global rein- the backdrop of growing regional and as diversified international insurance in the Middle East and a rapid expan- Financial Centre and a representa- The pay increase, rec- surance subsidiary, Qatar Re, which global financial market volatility, the and reinsurance groups. At Decem- sion into global specialty (re) insurance tive office in Singapore. ommended by a panel that grew at a rate of 116 percent, now group’s net investment result came in ber 31, 2015, QIC Group’s shareholders’ markets in particular have offset the In addition, the company relocated advises on remuneration accounting for 50 percent of the at QR712m. equity stood at QR5.99bn, up by 1 per- impact from declining equity markets to Bermuda, now licensed as a class 4 for federal employees about group’s total premium income. This was partially offset by a cent from QR5.92bn at the end of 2014. in the Middle East.” reinsurer, benefiting from the jurisdic- once a decade, threatens to QIC Group’s consolidated net very strong net underwriting result Khalifa Al Subaey, Group President 2015 was marked by a sustained tion’s Solvency II equivalency, a closer crimp Prime Minister Naren- profit for the full year 2015 came in of QR926m, a significant increase of and CEO of QIC Group, said: “2015 was pace of the Group’s international expan- proximity to the US, the world’s larg- dra Modi’s push for faster at QR1.06bn (about $292.2m), register- 39 percent on the previous year. a challenging year for Middle Eastern sion. Some 67 percent and 13 percent est insurance market, and improved investment in network ing a growth of 3.8 percent compared QIC’s overall profitability also ben- and a number of global investment of its overall gross written premiums capital efficiency. modernisation. The rail- to QR1.03bn (about $281.5m) for the efited from the Group’s continued cost markets. On the back of our excellent are now sourced from outside Qatar Sheikh Khalid said: “We’re opti- way has about 1.3 million same period last year. discipline. geographical and product diversifica- and the Middle East, respectively. mistic about our outlook for 2016.With workers and has struggled This result reflects regional eco- Return on Equity for the report- tion and sustained profitability of our The Group’s reinsurance subsidiary, renewed focus on international expan- to achieve the kind of oper- nomic and investment headwinds ing period declined to 18.1 percent, insurance and reinsurance book, we Qatar Re, ranked amongst global top sion in areas of high potential, we aspire ating efficiency the people due to lower oil prices and continued against 18.4 percent in the previous have proven our resilience, successfully 50 reinsurers, continued to expand its to be ranked amongst Global Top 50 said it would need to avoid softening of global reinsurance and year. This result compares favourably navigating through the turbulent waters global operating platform by opening insurance Groups by 2030.” making losses because of the climbing wage bill. They said they remain hopeful of assistance from the finance ministry, even Gulf states unlikely to after an initial request for the Qatari stock index surges 5.5% full Rs320bn was rebuffed. The strategy of boosting non- fare revenues and curbing Reuters bought back, said one trader. Nevertheless, fund managers said drop dollar peg: S&P costs will probably be a Major Middle East bourses climbed that with oil prices still vulnerable to key part of Railway Minis- more than 2 percent yesterday after further falls and global bourses shaky, ter Suresh Prabhu’sbudget global oil and equity markets stabilised, it was too early to call a bottom for speech for the network due DOHA: Qatar stocks surged 5.5 encouraging investors to buy stocks Gulf markets. AFP Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United late February, the people said. percent encouraging investors to buy with beaten-down valuations. “The rebound in small and mid- Arab Emirates — peg their currencies Modi’s vision is to add stocks with beaten-down valuations The Saudi index, which had cap stocks, or so-called speculative to the greenback while Kuwait links track, world-class stations yesterday, before settling at 8,987 tumbled 20 percent since the end of stocks, does not categorise today’s its dinar to a basket of currencies. and bullet trains to ease con- points. last year, jumped 4.0 percent to 5,746 performance as a rally,” said Natheer DUBAI: Gulf states are not expected Speculation has increased recently gestion and spur economic Masraf Al Rayan jumped 9.7 points. One of the top performers was al Mahdi, head of Saudi mutual funds to drop their long-term monetary link about GCC states ending the dollar growth. India also plans to percent and was the best-performing Southern Province Cement, a mid-cap at Riyad Capital. to the US dollar after the sharp drop in peg in favour of a flexible exchange transport more freight, such stock. Qatar’s second-largest bank by materials company, which rocketed Dubai’s stock index rose 3.3 percent oil prices and fiscal reserves, Stand- rate regime. as coal, on dedicated lines. market value reported a 3 percent 9.8 percent after it reported a 21.6 as builder Arabtec and Amlak Finance ard and Poor’s said yesterday. “At a time of already significant India has opened the fall in fourth-quarter net profit to percent increase in fourth-quarter each rose more than 10.0 percent. Abu “We expect GCC countries to change and regional geopolitical doors to foreign investment QR559m ($153.5m), compared to net profit. Dhabi’s bourse climbed 2.5 percent maintain the exchange rate peg over instability, politically conservative in railroads, part of a push analysts’ forecast of QR553m. Other mid-caps in various sectors as investors bought blue-chip stocks. the medium term, mainly because regimes such as the GCC are unlikely for an ambitious 8.5-trillion- Qatar Gas Transport, which was also carried the bourse higher. Bupa First Gulf Bank and Abu Dhabi we assess GCC states as having suf- to decide to increase uncertainty about rupee revamp of the network. added to MSCI’s emerging markets Arabia was up 8.7 percent after the Commercial Bank rose 5.3 and 2.4 ficient funds available to defend their their economic stability by amend- index in November, surged 7.9 percent insurer reported a 69 percent jump percent respectively, in their second currencies,” the ratings agency said. ing this fundamental macroeconomic as both foreign and local investors in quarterly profit. day of gains. Five of the GCC states — Bahrain, policy,” S&P said. 24 WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 BUSINESS Japan’s leveraged ETF takes off as stocks fall

yen ($1.5 billion) this year, boosting volumes in futures as well as our The leveraged fund assets by 7 percent through Monday assets daily, and are carefully deciding even as stocks tumbled, according to whether we can continue to maintain caused a stir last year data compiled. our correlation” with the Nikkei 225, after doubling in size The fund’s current size of 786 bil- Hironaka said. “It’s likely contrarian lion yen is about the same as when its investing.” in just five months, manager, Nomura Asset Management Nomura Asset cited a lack of liquid- with investors Co suspended orders for two months ity in the Osaka futures market when from October. The ETF uses futures to it stopped taking orders in October. blaming it for produce twice the Nikkei 225 Stock The Bank of Japan acknowledged amplifying moves in Average’s return, and is down 20 per- the focus on the fund in a paper pub- cent in 2016. lished January 14, saying leveraged the futures market The Nikkei 225 has dropped 10 per- ETFs had drawn attention for increas- cent this year amid a global equities ing price swings and causing stress in sell off and is less than two percent- the market. There’s adequate liquidity age points away from a bear market. to soak up the orders and the funds’ Bloomberg The leveraged fund caused a stir tendency to attract inflows when the last year after doubling in size in just market’s dropping and see redemptions five months, with investors blaming as shares rise reduces their impact, it for amplifying moves in the futures according to the central bank. TOKYO: Investors are putting more market. The ETF has become so pop- “Assets have blown up to the levels money into Japan’s giant leveraged ular that it’s often the most-traded when they last closed it, so it’s probably exchange-traded fund (ETF) than any security on the Tokyo exchange. not far off until they stop orders again,” other equity ETF around the world as Nomura Asset hasn’t decided whether said Tomoichiro Kubota, a senior ana- stocks in Tokyo extend their worst to halt orders again, said Kazumasa lyst at Matsui Securities Co. “At these start to a year on record. Hironaka, a spokesman at the fund levels, people are starting to worry The Next Funds Nikkei 225 Lev- manager. again that the fund is impacting the This file picture taken on Saturday shows employees working at the Tokyo Stock Exchange. eraged Index ETF took in 177.4 billion “We’re monitoring changes to futures market.’ Cnooc to cut spending UK inflation flat despite December lift and output as oil slips Reuters at IHS Global Insight. The rise in con- that supermarkets have passed on food, alcohol and tobacco, also rose sumer prices in December was driven all of the fall in wholesale prices,” to an 11-month high of 1.4 percent by a 26.8 percent annual increase Tombs said. British inflation compared with economists’ expec- in airfares, the largest annual rise has hovered near zero since early tations for it to hold at 1.2 percent. LONDON: British inflation edged up since 2011. 2015, boosting the spending power Services price inflation rose at its to an 11-month high in December after The ONS said the move was driven of consumers that have spearheaded fastest pace since September 2013, a spike in airfares, but prices for 2015 by long-haul flights and could reflect Britain’s economic recovery but up 2.9 percent on the year. Factory as a whole were flat for the first time different return dates used compared- remaining far below the Bank of gate prices dipped 1.2 percent -- the since records began in 1950, putting with the previous year. England’s 2 percent target. smallest drop in a year, and in line the Bank of England under no pres- Economists said this effect could The central bank is now expected with economists’ forecasts in a Reu- sure to raise rates. easily unwind next month, though to raise interest rates only in the third ters poll. Consumer prices rose by 0.1 per- some, such as Pantheon Macroeco- quarter of this year, according to a The ONS also released figures cent on the month to take December’s nomics’s Samuel Tombs, did see signs Reuters poll last week of economists, for November house price inflation, annual inflation rate to 0.2 percent, of an underlying rise in general prices. who a month ago had pencilled in a which showed an 7.7 percent annual its highest since January 2015, offi- “CPI inflation will continue to rise in move in the second quarter of 2016. rise across the United Kingdom as a cial data showed yesterday. early 2016, as the drag from lower An ONS measure of core con- whole compared with 7.0 percent in A woman walks past the entrance of the headquarters of China For 2015 as a whole, inflation aver- oil prices continues to fade and food sumer price inflation, which strips October—the biggest increase since National Offshore Oil Corp (Cnooc) in Beijing. aged zero, down from 1.5 percent in inflation begins to strengthen now out changes in the price of energy, March. 2014 and the lowest reading since comparable records began in 1950, Bloomberg billion worth of investment on 68 the Office for National Statistics said. major upstream projects, accord- The data is the latest to suggest ing to industry consultant Wood the BoE will be able to take its time Mackenzie Ltd., and has forced glo- before raising interest rates for the HONG KONG: Cnooc Ltd., China’s bal producers from BHP Billiton Ltd. first time in almost a decade, partic- biggest offshore oil and gas producer, to BP Plc to write down the value of ularly as wage growth is slowing and plans to cut spending and reduce pro- assets and fire workers. a weak global economy is weighing duction this year amid oil’s plunge “With the decrease in capital on British output. below $30 a barrel. expenditures, the company expects The public will get a fresh insight The Beijing-based explorer will to achieve the whole-year targets by into the BoE’s economic outlook at decrease capital expenditure of “no cost control and efficiency enhance- 1200 GMT, when Governor Mark Car- more than” 60 billion yuan ($9.1 bil- ment,” Cnooc said in the statement. ney makes a speech in London. Last lion) this year from a target of as much Cnooc shares closed up 4 percent week central bank policymakers said as 80 billion yuan for 2015, while to HK$7.01 in Hong Kong. The stock a new plunge in global oil prices to producing 470 million to 485 mil- dropped 23 percent in 2015, compared their lowest in 12 years would only be lion barrels of oil equivalent, it said with a 7.2 percent decline in the city’s a slight drag on inflation, and should in a statement to the Hong Kong stock benchmark Hang Seng Index. Brent oil boost British growth. exchange yesterday. Cnooc produced rose as much as 3.5 percent to $29.54 Sterling rose and British govern- an estimated 495 million barrels of a barrel on Tuesday in London. Prices ment bonds fell after the data release, oil equivalent last year. dipped below $28 on Monday after but the move was short-lived. Brent crude has fallen more than international sanctions on Iran were “We believe it is pretty unlikely 70 percent the past 18 months as lifted, paving the way for increased that the Bank of England will raise Organization of Petroleum Export- oil exports, worsening a global over- interest rates until at least August ing Countries effectively abandoned supply. The explorer plan to start four given increased probability that infla- output limits amid a global surplus. new projects this year while drilling tion will stay lower for longer,” said The price collapse has delayed $380 115 exploration wells, it said. Howard Archer, chief UK economist Unilever posts five percent drop in 2015 profits

AFP The stock market took the news in America also delivered “double digit its stride with Unilever shares on the underlying sales growth”, but Asian Amsterdam AEX exchange up some markets were a mixed bag. 3.0 percent in early trade at 38.6 euros. The news came as Beijing THE HAGUE: Dutch food and cosmet- Analysts said that in 2014 Uni- announced that China’s GDP grew at ics giant Unilever yesterday posted a lever had boosted net profits thanks 6.9 % last year, the slowest rate in a 5.0 percent fall in 2015 profits from to the major sale of North American quarter of a century in the world’s sec- the previous 12 months, saying it had activities of its Ragu and Bertolli pasta ond economy. “With the relief from the been a “challenging year” amid the sauces, as well as the sale of dietary news about the Chinese economy, it’s economic slowdown. food brand SlimFast. a good day to publish results” for Uni- Turnover was up 10% to $53.3 bil- Consumer demand for the group’s lever, analyst Joost van Beek, from the lion thanks to increased volumes and products, which include such brand Theodoor Gilissen bank Said. a favourable exchange rate, but net names as Knorr soup, Dove beauty He said investors had been paying profit attributable to shareholders was care items, Hellmann’s mayonnaise particularly close attention to Unilev- down to $4.91 billion, compared with and Lipton tea, remained “fragile,” the er’s core operating margin which was $5.2 billion in 2014. company said in a statement. up from 14.5 percent in 2014 to 14.8 “We are preparing ourselves for Despite underlying sales growth percent. tougher market conditions and high vol- of 4.1 percent, “many emerging mar- Global stock markets were ris- atility in 2016, as world events in recent kets continued to be weak, particularly ing Tuesday on the back of Beijing’s weeks have highlighted,” Chief Exec- those dependent on oil and other com- announcement, which had been largely utive Paul Polman said in a statement. modity exports,” Unilever added in its expected, as dealers bet it would lead He noted that 2015 had been “a 2015 earnings statement. to new monetary easing measures, challenging year with slower global European markets however including interest rate cuts. Unilever economic growth, intensifying geo- returned to growth last year, with was founded in 1930 and has grown A worker scans barcodes by a chiller cabinet of Flora margarine at a Sainsbury’s supermarket in London in political instability, and high currency home care products and ice cream sales into a massive conglomerate, employ- and commodity volatility” for the Rot- growing strongly. Food sales were par- ing some 173,000 people around the this file photograph dated February 6, 2008. terdam-based group. ticularly robust in Britain and Germany. world.. BUSINESS WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 25 China to merge over 40 plane engine entities

said, asking not to be identified because percent Tuesday in Shenzhen, while China is eager to the discussions are private. Avic Aviation Engine Corp. ended up The Chinese government and 6.7 percent in Shanghai. AviChina develop its own companies including Aviation Indus- Industry & Technology Co. was up 7.2 engine to power try Corp. of China, known as AVIC, percent as of 3:08pm in Hong Kong. will invest an additional 35 billion The new company will con- its planes, and also yuan under the plan, which could be tain almost all assets related to is keen to push announced as soon as this month, aerospace engines in China, the they said. people said. China’s State-owned its economy from China is eager to develop its own Assets Supervision and Adminis- labour- intensive engine to power its planes, and also is tration Commission, the Ministry of keen to push its economy from labour Industry and Information Technol- work into more intensive work into more sophisti- ogy, and AVIC didn’t immediately sophisticated sectors cated sectors. The Made in China respond to requests for comment 2025 blueprint, released last March, by fax and phone. cited aerospace as a sector that lead- The plan to merge engine assets, ers hope will help make China into which Bloomberg first reported in Bloomberg an advanced economy along the October, is part of the government’s lines of Japan and Germany. efforts to streamline the state-owned Shanghai-based Commercial sector while creating companies that Aircraft Corp. of China, known as are globally competitive. BEIJING: China plans to merge more Comac, is developing the C919 sin- The government merged two than 40 entities working on plane gle-aisle jet, which is expected to leading rail-equipment companies engines into a group with 145 billion make its first test flight this year. last June, and announced a plan in yuan ($22 billion) in assets as part of a CFM International, a joint venture December to reorganize two major broader push into advanced industries between GE Aviation and a division shipping groups. to propel its economy, people famil- of France’s Safran SA, will supply a China also plans to combine iar with the proposal said. version of its LEAP engine for the some assets of its three biggest The entities have combined assets initial C919s. Shares of Avic Aero- airlines, a person familiar with the of about 110 billion yuan, the people Engine Controls Co. closed up 7.7 proposal said in October. Aircraft are on display at a plane engine manufacturing company in Beijing. Renault to recall Frutarom CEO mulls US Oil rout threatens to scupper 15,800 cars to listing for bigger takeovers fix erroneous demand for palm oil in biofuel pollution filter Bloomberg

Bloomberg palm oil over low sulphur gasoil of crude oil prices, the amount of PARIS: Renault SA will recall 15,800 LONDON: Frutarom Industries Ltd. futures to almost $290 a metric ton biodiesel that has to be subsidized Captur SUVs to fix pollution-control Chief Executive Officer Ori Yehudai from the five-year average of a $13 per liter has increased.” systems and offer voluntary emis- (pictured) is considering a US listing discount. That’s clouded the outlook The government subsidy may sions- system updates for about for the Israeli creator of food flavors JAKARTA: Crude oil’s slump has been for palm oil prices, according to Tho- rise to 5,000 rupiah (36 cents) per 700,000 vehicles as the French car- like alfalfa and wild cherry bark as so severe that it’s now threatening mas Mielke, executive director of liter from 2,230 rupiah per liter, maker seeks to avoid a Volkswagen the veteran of more than 50 acqui- the government-aided biodiesel pro- Oil World, an industry researcher. Fadhil said. AG-type crisis. sitions eyes larger takeover targets. grams in the world’s top producers “This is one of the big uncer- The government may face a The recall begun last month will Last year’s best performer on Tel of palm oil. tainties,” Mielke said in interview shortfall of 2 trillion rupiah in biodie- probably be limited to the 110-horse- Aviv’s benchmark TA-25 index, Fru- Indonesia may miss its target in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. sel subsidies, estimated at total of 18 power diesel version of the Captur tarom could sell shares to fund the of raising blending to 20 percent “To what extent will the widen- trillion rupiah for this year, he said. small sport utility vehicle, the com- purchase of a publicly-traded US com- “We have more and more for- if crude stays below $30 a barrel, ing price premium of biodiesel over The Malaysian cabinet will dis- pany said yesterday. Production on pany or “finance a future deal or two,” eign investors,” Yehudai said. “The according to Fadhil Hasan, execu- fossil fuels reside in lower-than- cuss next month the B10 mandate the model began in July, and the Yehudai said on a phone interview combination of a larger acquisition tive director at the country’s palm expected biodiesel consumption? that was expected to absorb 1 mil- problem was detected in September, from its headquarters in Haifa. It listed together with the desire to be listed oil association. This is one of the swing factors we lion metric tons of palm oil, Embas at which point it was fixed, Renault shares in London in 2005, though the on additional stock exchanges, like The slump in crude will impact have to watch.” said. The country has capacity to executives said. stock is largely inactive. the US stock exchange, in an active the implementation of the biodiesel Palm oil futures rose 9.7 percent produce 2.6 million tons of biodie- “We’re not cheating, we are The maker of extracts, fragrances way is quite interesting.” program in Malaysia, the nation’s in Kuala Lumpur last year on con- sel, he said. meeting the norms, and we are and essential oils began operations Raising money for acquisitions Plantation Industries and Com- cern the strongest El Nino in almost Crude palm oil production from not trying to trick the consumer,” in 1933 cultivating and processing would be a departure from Frutarom’s modities Minister Douglas Uggah two decades and a haze from Indo- Malaysia may rise only 0.7 percent said Chief Executive Officer Thi- aromatic plants and flowers. mergers and acquisitions strategy Embas told an industry conference nesia’s forest fires will cut supplies. to 20.1 million tons this year as the erry Bollore. Fixing the filters in the Frutarom is now on the heels to date. in Kuala Lumpur. The two nations Futures rose 0.1 percent to 2,473 effects of El Nino impact crops, Choo Captur will take about half a day of market leaders Givaudan SA and The company has generated $500 account for 86 percent of the glo- ringgit a ton on the Bursa Malaysia Yuen May, director general of the per engine. International Flavors & Fragrances million in cash flow over the last five bal palm oil supply. Derivatives by 5:44 p.m. local time. Malaysian Palm Oil Board, told the The carmaker has lost 3.3 billion Inc. and attracting investors such as years, money that’s been pumped into Oil is down about 21 percent this Brent crude ended 39 cents lower at Kuala Lumpur conference. euros ($3.6 billion) in market value Fidelity. Yehudai, who joined in 1986 a myriad of smaller takeovers of fam- year amid volatility in Chinese mar- $28.55 on Monday, the lowest close Prices may rise in 2016 “helped since revealing last Thursday that when the company had sales of $3.5 ily-owned or founder-run companies kets and speculation the removal since December 2003. by a modest recovery in the global its offices in France were searched million, rose to become CEO within worth less than $50 million. Yehudai of restrictions that capped Iran’s “If crude oil prices remain at $30, economy in the second half of the by government fraud investigators a decade. He kickstarted a flurry of said growing in the US, Latin Amer- crude sales will help to prolong a B20 program cannot be sustained year,” she said. Public urged the gov- as part of a probe into vehicle emis- deals that’s taken the Frutarom’s mar- ica and Asia are “prime targets” for global glut. in Indonesia,” Fadhil said in Kuala ernment to find a suitable solution sions. Begun last year in the wake ket value to 11.7 billion shekels ($3 bn). the next few years. That’s sent the premium of crude Lumpur. “With the continued decline for the mess at the earliest. of Volkswagen’s cheating on diesel- emission tests, the probe involves testing 100 randomly chosen vehi- cles, including 25 Renault cars. There are other brands that Swedish central bank should Vietnam emerges as frontier exceed emissions limits, French Environment Minister Segolene Royal said in an interview with be flexible, says report market standout in shaky world RTL Radio, declining to name them. These carmakers have been sum- moned to the ministry, she said. Bloomberg expansion. “In a very subdued glo- Renault said the rest of the tests Reuters policy, analysts said. bal environment, domestic demand is won’t result in more recalls of its “Given the strong Swedish econ- king,” said Trinh Nguyen, a Hong-Kong vehicles, though it will offer about omy and the elevated credit growth, this based senior economist for emerg- 700,000 customers the option this points to a less accommodative mone- HANOI: Entrepreneur Le Thi Hang ing Asia at Natixis SA said. “People summer of voluntarily bringing in STOCKHOLM: Sweden’s central bank tary policy stance and gives no support is scouting sites to open two more in Vietnam are becoming more opti- their cars for an emissions-technol- should be given leeway to deviate from for additional stimulus measures from convenience stores in Hanoi, encour- mistic about the future. In both the ogy update. The company delivered its inflation target for a while if it deems the Riksbank,” Nordea analyst Torb- aged by rising sales at her one-year regional and global landscapes, it’s about 607,000 autos in France last it necessary, an independent report on jorn Isaksson said in a note. old shop. set to outperform.” Vietnam’s econ- year, out of global sales of 2.8 mil- Riksbank policy said yesterday. The Swedish crown strengthened “I don’t want to miss this chance,” omy is forecast to expand 6.7 percent lion vehicles. The manufacturer’s The inflation target should be in early trade to stand at around 9.30 said Hang, 32, who expects revenue to this year, the same pace as in 2015, shares fell as much as 3 percent and changed from 2 percent headline infla- to the euro at 1000 GMT, 0.4 percent double this year with the expansion. according to Bloomberg surveys. were trading down 0.2 percent at tion to the CPIF measure, which excludes stronger on the day. Sales of food items including instant Communist party officials gath- 74.05 euros as of 11:23am in Paris. interest rate changes, the report added. King and Goodfriend also recom- noodles, fish sauce, sugar, bread and ering to choose the next party general The faulty filters turned on The report, by former Bank of mended a change to the structure of milk are rising, she said. secretary will also be tasked with between 17 degrees Celsius (63 England governor Mervyn King and the Riksbank’s board and that it should While the world’s largest emerging setting a growth path that avoids a degrees Fahrenheit) and 35 degrees US economist Marvin Goodfriend, fol- have a clearer role in policing threats economies including Russia, Brazil repeat of past mistakes, including C. European tests for engine emis- lows widespread criticism of the central to the economy. and China falter, Vietnam’s steady eco- soaring credit growth that saddled sions are run at temperatures of 20 bank which has undershot its 2 percent An enquiry should look into how nomic growth at near 7 percent this banks with bad debt and preferen- degrees to 30 degrees C. Average inflation target for years. responsibility for financial stability is year will make it among the fastest- tial treatment of state companies that real-world temperatures in Paris are “It may then be appropriate to devi- divided between the Financial Super- growing markets in the world. Rising created inefficiencies. much lower, however. Daytime aver- ate from targeting inflation in order to visory Authority and the Riksbank, the domestic demand and booming for- “Vietnam is positioned to have age highs there exceed 17 degrees C correct ‘imbalances’ in the economy authors said. eign direct investment are helping another stellar year in 2016,” econ- only between May and September. ... in order to prevent major swings in The FSA was given the primary the Southeast Asian nation counter omists at Australia & New Zealand “We urgently need to have a output and employment later on,” the responsibility in 2013 for finding meas- global threats that’s sparked a wave Banking Group Ltd. led by Eugenia new test method to bridge the gap report said. ures to head off a housing bubble. But of stock selling and currency depre- Victorino said in a report this month. between the current laboratory Critics say the Riksbank woke up to efforts have hit legal hurdles and a plan ciation this year. “Nonetheless, the long-term outlook testing of pollutant emissions, as the threat of deflation too late because it a more flexible approach to monetary to introduce tighter mortgage repay- That comes as the country begins will depend on the outcome of the defined by law, and the very dif- was worried about high levels of house- policy would be closely watched by pol- ment rules has been delayed until June. a leadership transition this week that political changes expected over the ferent conditions experienced on hold debt and its narrow focus on hitting icy makers in Europe. Swedish households are among will set the tone for economic reform next 12 months.” The central bank’s the road,” Erik Jonnaert, secretary its inflation target is criticised as stok- Sweden’s parliament decides on the most indebted in Europe, leading and growth. The Communist party’s recent efforts to make the exchange general of the European Automo- ing a housing bubble. changes to the Riksbank’s mandate, but if to worries a fall in sky-high house prices draft socioeconomic plan for 2016 to rate more flexible will also strengthen bile Manufacturers’ Association, The Riksbank has not been alone the recommendations are adopted, they could flip the fast-growing economy 2020 shows the nation will target as macro-economic stability and help said in a statement. in fighting the threat of deflation and could lead to more flexible monetary into recession. much as 7 percent average annual ease pressure on reserves, she said. 26 WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 BUSINESS

QE INDICES SUMMARY QATAR STOCK EXCHANGE QE Index 8,986.50 5.51 % QE Total Return Index 13,968.23 5.51 % QE Al Rayan Islamic Index 3,215.85 6.01 % QE All Share Index 2,384.39 5.08 % QE All Share Banks & Financial Services 2,409.82 4.53 % QE All Share Industrials 2,684.7 4.43 % QE All Share Transportation 2,134.32 5.60 % QE All Share Real Estate 1,994.94 8.15 % QE All Share Insurance 3,640.16 1.42 % QE All Share Telecoms 918.56 5.48 % QE All Share Consumer Goods & Services 4,856.24 5.94 %

QE MARKET SUMMARY COMPARISON 19-01-2016 Today 18-01-2016 Previous day Index 8,986.50 8,516.82 Change 469.68 10.93 % 5.51 0.13 YTD% 13.83 18.34 Volume 14,008,809 9,994,857 Value (QAR) 367,336,763.12 306,937,686.62 Trades 6,881 6,156 Up 36 | Down 05 | Unchanged 0

WORLD STOCK INDICES Index Day’s Close Pt Chg % Chg Year High Year Low All Ordinaries 4982.154 -8.537 -0.17 5379.6 4941.3 Cac 40 Index/D 4413.86 101.12 2.34 4586.11 4312.74 Dj Indu Average 16398.57 52.12 0.32 18351.4 15370.3 Hang Seng Inde/D 19711.76 -176.74 -0.89 21794.84 19865.18 Iseq Overall/D 6683.05 128.79 1.96 6791.68 6483.58 Karachi 100 In/D 32265.65 -54.4 -0.17 33304.4 32290.4 Nikkei 225 Index 17218.96 -479 -2.71 18951.12 17509.64 S&P 500 Index/D 0 0 0 2134.72 1867.01

EXCHANGE RATE Currency Buying Selling US$ QR 3.6305 QR 3.6500 UK QR 5.1647 QR 5.2364 INTERNATIONAL MARKETS - A LIST OF SHARES FROM THE WORLD Euro QR 3.9339 QR 3.9886 COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME CA$ QR 2.5365 QR 2.5936 NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED Swiss Fr QR 3.6009 QR 3.6510 Yen QR 0.0306 QR 0.5864 A C C-A/D 1240.45 12.75 6070 Escorts Fin-B/D 4.62 0.02 50547 Kalpat Power-B/D 196 11.65 8531 Saur.Cem-B/D 54.4 1.7 100939 Aus$ QR 2.5050 QR 2.5543 Aarti Drugs-B/D 495 -5.95 4920 Escorts-A/D 133.1 4.75 125940 Kalyani Stel-T/D 147.6 -4.1 59294 Thirumalai-B/D 177.3 3.2 5252 Ind Re QR 0.0534 QR 0.0545 Aban Offs-A/D 192.05 0.8 269013 Essar Oil-T/D 259.3 0 13255 Kanoria Chem-B/D 59.9 3.65 19853 Til Ltd.-T/D 370.25 -12 12925 Ador Welding-B/D 271 4.3 1622 Eveready Indu-/D 259.4 -0.4 309014 Kg Denim-B/D 49.5 2.6 16800 Timexgroup-T/D 28.8 0.9 95271 Pak Re QR 0.0344 QR 0.0351 Aegis Logis-B/D 92.2 4.1 46657 F D C-B/D 195.05 10.05 4961 Kilburnengg-Xd/D 69.1 3.35 12458 Tinplate-B/D 68.15 0.35 98785 Peso QR 0.0758 QR 0.0774 Alembic-B/D 40.2 1.45 186702 Federal Bank-A/D 48.6 0.5 208980 Kinetic Eng-B/D 86.1 -0.4 20952 Ucal Fuel-B/D 110.9 6.4 15812 SL Re QR 0.0250 QR 0.0256 Alkyl Amines-B/D 311.6 1.4 2693 Ferro Alloys-B/D 5.5 0.14 27851 Kopran-B/D 55.15 2.45 360883 Ucal Fuel-B/D 110.9 6.4 15812 Alok Indus-A/D 5.48 -0.03 2066249 Finolex-A/D 274 -1.25 3507 Lakshmi Elec-B/D 376.7 15.7 3297 Ultramarine-B/D 104.5 4.9 13876 Taka QR 0.0460 QR 0.0469 Apollo Tyre-A/D 132.35 -1.75 196051 Gail-A/D 341.9 3.45 52636 Laxmi Prcisn-B/D 44.35 2.15 3343 Unitech P -A/D 5.73 0.24 9052168 Nep Re QR 0.0334 QR 0.0340 Asahi I Glass-/D 153.95 5.75 9502 Gammon India-T/D 15.7 0.6 112308 Lgb Broth-B/D 464.25 14.25 3028 Univcable-T/D 72.35 -0.35 1069 SA Rand QR 0.2165 QR 0.2208 Ashok Leyland-/D 86.85 3.7 1318027 Gangotri Tex-T/D 2.19 0.01 8538 Lloyd Metal-B/D 9.59 0.39 8245 Uppergsugar-T/D 72.95 4.6 1367 Bajaj Hold-A/D 1501 -40.2 1448 Garden P -B/D 25.15 0.55 20946 Lok.Hous&Con-B/D 6.88 0.23 40772 LONDON Ballarpur In-B/D 16.2 0.6 256198 Godfrey Phil-B/D 1059.25 -20.8 48362 Lumax Ind-B/D 399.1 0.6 2188 GOLD AND SILVER Banaras Bead-B/D 40.25 1.35 1393 Goodricke-B/D 177.5 -1.4 18942 Lupin-A/D 1699.75 -3.05 36557 Bata India-A/D 464.4 7.25 14540 Goodyear I -B/D 481 7.75 3601 Lyka Labs-T/D 87.9 2.7 131252 3I Group/D 435.5 9.4 257979 GOLD QR127.5740 per gramme Beml Ltd-A/D 1115.55 2.8 15050 Hcl Infosys-B/D 47.95 2.3 761901 Mafatlal Ind-B/D 289 10 7492 Assoc.Br.Foods/D 3017 15 405443 SILVER QR1.649 per gramme Bh Electronic-/D 1259.2 19.8 12888 Him.Fut.Comm-T/D 19.9 2.9 6575910 Mah.Seamless-B/D 146 1.3 2056 Barclays/D 192 4.35 13328790 Bhansali Eng-T/D 20.45 0.8 76350 Himat Seide-B/D 205.75 23.7 120458 Mangalam Cem-B/D 184.5 15.5 22394 Bg Group/D 941.6 13 3121488 Bharat Bijle-B/D 811 135 81303 Hind Motors-T/D 6.61 -0.08 68737 Maral Overs-B/D 32 2.5 16473 Bp/D 349.1 8.6 13906089 Bharatgears-B/D 77.65 0.3 2531 Hind Org Chem-/D 15.15 0.5 31865 Mastek-B/D 138.9 0.9 50925 Brit Am Tobacc/D 3650 38 629126 Bhartiya Int-B/D 513 18.75 19273 Hind Unilever-/D 811.35 0.75 83851 Max India L-A/D 457.55 8.45 25506 Bt Group/D 466.5 7.1 5533263 Bhel-A/D 144.2 1.85 444846 Hind.Petrol-A/D 828 4.95 88865 Mrpl-A/D 64.85 0.7 98120 Centrica/D 210.5 5.2 4055253 Gold drops as Bom.Burmah-B/D 415.95 6.5 40484 Hindalco-A/D 71.8 0.6 914548 Nagreeka Ex-B/D 32.05 0.05 1552 Hsbc Holdings/D 491.5 11.8 7615239 Bombay Dyeing-/D 54.8 0.45 116731 Hous Dev Fin-A/D 1152.6 18.75 159440 Nagreeka Ex-B/D 32.05 0.05 1552 Imperial Tobac/D 3582.5 14.5 477717 Camph.& All-B/D 482 10 2934 I F C I-A/D 22.5 0.45 1158671 Nahar Spg.-B/D 100.9 2.6 20785 Kingfisher/D 333 5.5 1348231 appetite for Canfin Homes-B/D 883.9 -16.15 4960 Idbi-A/D 58 2.6 1852636 Nation Alum -A/D 34.75 0.25 289240 Land Secs Grou/D 1092 24 1171222 Caprihans-Xc/D 90.35 5.8 13906 Ifb Agro-B/D 409.8 9.6 1971 Navneet Edu-B/D 85.4 2.35 10418 Legal & Genera/D 247.2 8.2 4257485 Castrol India-/D 418.55 -0.15 31053 India Cement-A/D 83.8 2.45 430271 Nepc India-T/D 2.35 -0.12 22500 Lloyds Bnk Grp/D 66.09 2.13 76638446 risky assets fades Century Enka-B/D 170.7 1.5 11470 India Glycol-B/D 84.2 2.7 22463 Neuland Lab-B/D 703 -0.25 4225 Marks & Sp./D 423.7 6.5 1567855 Century Text-A/D 517.85 18.4 147983 Indian Card-B/D 246.6 10.6 1821 Nrb Bearings-B/D 130 3.9 4006 Next/D 6740 95 128164 Chambal Fert-B/D 58.65 1.05 21469 Indian Hotel-A/D 107 -1 43324 O N G C-A/D 218 3.1 266182 Pearson/D 703 11 1286920 Chowgule St-T/D 18.6 -0.9 2300 Indo-Tcount-T/D 1074 33.15 4548 Ocl India-B/D 495.25 0.6 1756 Prudential/D 1404 57.5 2687626 Reuters Cimmco-B/D 78.8 0.45 24862 Indusind-A/D 896 -0.2 48873 Oil Country-B/D 27.6 0.65 1398 Rentokil Initi/D 152.6 2.5 378114 Cipla-A/D 597.1 6.25 112363 J.B.Chemical-B/D 247.5 4.75 24960 Onward Tech-B/D 80.8 0.2 10718 Rolls Royce Pl/D 556 17.5 1143978 City Union Bk-/D 80.05 -0.15 24000 Jagatjit Ind-X/D 65 2.6 3774 Orchid Pharm-B/D 47.2 0.3 241695 Rsa Insrance G/D 409.2 10.2 1525312 Colgate-A/D 918 5.6 54770 Jagson Phar-B/D 39.8 1.5 66681 Orient Hotel-T/D 25 1.65 46432 Sainsbury(J)/D 240.3 0.8 1516586 LONDON: Gold fell yesterday as the dollar and equity Container Cor-/D 1182 23.3 9486 Jamnaauto-B/D 133.5 4 181337 Orient.Carb.-T/D 520 6.25 4363 Schroders/D 2602 79 53736 markets rose after data showing China’s weakest eco- Dai-Tichi Kar-/D 328.9 -23 7021 Jbf Indu-B/D 211.55 1.25 17709 Orient.Carb.-T/D 520 6.25 4363 Severn Trent/D 2114 43 204449 nomic growth in years fanned stimulus hopes and spurred Dcm Shram Ind-/D 92.9 3.95 1808 Jct Elect P -B/D 0.4 0 5935 Oudh Sugar-B/D 40.2 3.6 3980 Smith&Nephew/D 1106 3 536331 investors towards riskier assets. Dhampur Sugar-/D 65.25 1.3 101878 Jct Ltd-B/D 6.93 0.12 1609883 Punjab Chem.-B/D 148.4 0 20849 Smiths Group/D 898.6574 17 221404 Spot gold was down 0.4 percent at $1,084.60 an ounce Dr. Reddy-A/D 2910.05 33.15 25791 Jenson&Nich.-B/D 8.92 -0.39 96154 Radico Khait-B/D 107.45 2.75 2858842 Standrd Chart /D 501.3 12.2 2365001 by 1247 GMT after a lethargic session on Monday when E I H-B/D 117.5 4.4 8436 Jik Indust-T/D 0.98 0.04 15640 Rallis India-A/D 149.55 -8.3 69613 Tate & Lyle/D 589.5 1 366165 US markets shut for the Martin Luther King holiday. US E.I.D Parry-A/D 185.75 9.75 47187 Jktyre&Ind-A/D 88.2 0.95 231804 Rallis India-A/D 149.55 -8.3 69613 Tesco/D 160 -1.55 20897023 gold for February delivery fell 0.6 percent to $1,084.20. Eicher Motor-A/D 15794 340.1 5730 Jmc Projects-T/D 211.8 2.4 5964 Reliance Indus/D 366.25 7 164564 Unilever/D 2909 66 1312852 Bullion had scaled a two-month high of $1,112 on Eimco Elecon-T/D 442 21 1097 Kabra Extr-B/D 88.5 3.4 2815 Ruchi Soya-B/D 26.25 0.4 32096 United Util Gr/D 921.5 16 332024 January 8 as investor appetite for risk decreased on Electrosteel-B/D 21.65 1.1 158054 Kajaria Cer-A/D 924.9 17.2 16821 S Bk Bikaner-B/D 473 -2.35 2117 Vodafone Group/D216.264 2.75 14403939 Emco-B/D 26.7 1.55 50290 Kakatiya Cem-B/D 132.1 5.3 2408 Salora Inter-B/D 47.5 -2.95 3450 Whitbread/D 3951 51 149072 renewed concerns about global growth, especially a slowdown in China and whether authorities in Beijing can manage it. “As long as there is confusion about how China man- ages exchange rate policy, how they will intervene in the stock market and so on, there will be some safe- Stocks rise as slowing China boosts stimulus prospects haven demand for gold,” Danske Bank senior analyst Jens Pedersen said. “However, even though for the Martin Luther King Day hol- with the pan-European FTSEu- largest listed companies in Shang- yen. The euro fell 0.1 percent to we have seen Gold slid 10% last iday, looked set to open higher, with rofirst 300 index up 2.3 percent, hai and Shenzhen closed up 3.0 $1.0879. The Australian dollar, a re-pricing Concerns about index futures up 1.6 percent. rebounding from a 13-month low percent while the Shanghai Com- whose fortunes are closely linked of the Fed’s rate year on fears that China’s ability to Oil prices rose after strong Chi- hit on Monday. posite gained 3.2 percent, after to China, a major market for Aus- hike this year higher US interest rebalance slowing nese fuel demand halted a slide to The STOXX Europe 600 Basic hitting a 13-month low on Monday. tralia, rose 1.1 percent to $0.6935. (the market 2003 lows triggered by the lifting at Resources index, which includes Tommy Xie, economist at OCBC Sterling hit a seven-year low doesn’t expect rates would lower economy have the weekend of sanctions on Iran, miners, added 5.9 percent and Brit- Bank in Singapore, said he expected of $1.4207 after the comments a full rate hike demand for the non- rattled investors while metals prices also gained. ain’s miner-heavy FTSE 100 index more stimulus from the Chinese from Carney, who earlier said he before Decem- Concerns about Chinese rose 2.1 percent, with Anglo Amer- central bank, but that the stabil- had no set timetable for when the ber), we haven’t interest-paying asset authorities’ ability to rebalance ican up 11.5 percent and Glencore ity of the yuan, also known as the BoE would raise interest rates and seen much and continued dollar the slowing economy have rattled 12.8 percent. renminbi, was critical to main- that inflation, which was flat for dollar weak- investors this year, after a plunge “As figures weaken in abso- taining growth. 2015, would need to move “nota- ness and strength caps upside Reuters in stock markets and the yuan cur- lute terms, we can potentially see “If the renminbi continues to bly” towards the bank’s 2 percent that’s because rency raised concerns growth may additional stimulus measures. That weaken, the volatility and capi- target. the market be slowing more rapidly than pre- is helping investors’ appetite for tal outflows get worse, then that is The rise in stock markets is expecting viously thought. risk,” said Philippe Gijsels, head likely to pose a challenge to growth.” nudged yields on low-risk German monetary easing from other central banks.” LONDON: Shares in Europe and In a harbinger of slower growth of research at BNP Paribas Fortis The yuan traded at 6.5769 to government bonds higher. Ten- Gold slid 10 percent last year on fears that higher US Asia rose yesterday and the dollar to come, December retail sales, Global Markets. MSCI’s broadest the dollar in onshore markets, little year yields rose 3.2 basis points interest rates would lower demand for the non-interest- gained after data showing China’s industrial output and fixed-asset index of Asia-Pacific shares outside changed from the previous close. to 0.50 percent. paying asset and continued dollar strength caps gold’s economy grew last year at its slow- investment all came in below the Japan rose 1.7 percent, bouncing Expectations that Beijing will Oil prices took heart from data upside. Weak physical demand from top gold consumers est pace in a quarter of a century expectations of analysts polled. off a four-year low. take further action, possibly as soon showing Chinese fuel demand last China and India has also limited gold’s upside potential, led investors to anticipate more As metals prices rose following Chinese shares rose on as next month, helped the dollar year rose compared with 2014, up analysts said, with Chinese consumer spending dented efforts by Beijing to spur growth. the Chinese data, mining company strengthened expectations of more gain against the safe-haven Japa- 2.5 percent to 10.32 million bar- by its slowing economy. Wall Street, closed on Monday shares led European stocks higher, stimulus. The CSI 300 index of the nese yen, up 0.6 percent to 117.90 rels a day. BUSINESS VIEWS WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 27

Venezuela seeks For HSBC investors, it’s HQ to share economic debate vs identity issue emergency pain

AFP rubber-stamped by a friendly National Assembly. This is the first time the legislature enezuelan President has been in his rivals’ hands Nicolas Maduro’s move since his late mentor, Hugo Vto decree an “economic Chavez, came to power in emergency” seeks to make 1999, launching Venezuela on the ascendant opposition a socialist “revolution.” share the political cost of the Economic analysts say South American oil giant’s rather than make funda- economic mess, analysts say. mental changes to the The decree, which gives oil-dependent economy, Maduro 60 days of extraor- Maduro will probably double dinary powers to combat a down on the state-heavy pol- deep recession and triple- icies of the past 17 years. digit inflation, was issued For many, his appoint- on Friday and now passes ment of a radical leftist to the opposition-control- sociologist, Luis Salas, as his led National Assembly, which new economy minister only must approve it, reject it deepened concerns. or demand changes within More of the same will not eight days. That presents fix the Venezuelan economy, a conundrum for the frac- especially as oil prices con- tious opposition coalition, the tinue to collapse, analysts Democratic Unity Roundtable said. “Mr Maduro’s previ- (MUD). “It’s a trap by Nico- ous emergency decrees — he las Maduro’s government to ruled by decree for most of share the political costs with last year — have resulted the opposition,” said econo- in zero economic policy mist Luis Oliveros. changes,” said research firm While the decree may Capital Economics. “It’s diffi- allow Maduro to take “some cult to see the economic crisis A man walks past a logo of HSBC office in Hong Kong. measures” to right the sinking alleviating anytime soon.” economy — such as cutting Diego Moya-Ocampos, a huge petrol subsidies — it Latin America analyst at IHS contains few new ideas to Country Risk, predicted the By Sinead Cruise and about high costs, lacklustre returns and how fight the crisis, he said. legislature would reject the Lawrence White to adapt to a regulatory framework hostile Instead, it challenges the decree or at least demand Reuters to global banks. “It is a bigger issue than just so-far unsullied opposition sweeping changes. where to have the HQ,” said one of HSBC’s to dive into the trenches of “The government is likely top-15 investors, speaking on condition of governance. Opposition law- to deem this as unacceptable anonymity because of the sensitivity of the makers must now decide and claim that the opposition s HSBC prepares to decide which issue. “Being a global bank has to have ben- whether to fight the socialist is attempting to obstruct or country it should call home, a grow- efits for large corporate clients but that does HSBC’s board is due leader’s interventionist eco- sabotage its efforts, leaving ing number of its investors want not mean that HSBC has to offer all services to meet later this nomic model or sign off on the government-controlled the bank to address a bigger ques- to all clients in all areas.” his plans, however grudgingly, Supreme Court to take a deci- tion: what does it really want to An HSBC spokeswoman, commenting on month and is expected and share the responsibility, sion over the enforcing of the Abe? HSBC’s board is due to meet later this the HQ issue and future strategy, referred to to discuss whether Oliveros said. decree,” he said. month and is expected to discuss whether the bank’s third-quarter results statement in it should quit its UK If they choose to fight, it Even the one area where it should quit its UK headquarters and shift November, when it said the domicile review would give him ammunition Maduro and the opposi- overseas, with Hong Kong seen as the most would focus on long-term perspectives, as headquarters and shift to blame MUD if the recession tion appear to agree — the likely alternative. opposed to short-term factors. overseas, with Hong deepens, as many economists need to end fuel subsidies But for investors, analysts and some HSBC “An announcement (on domicile) will be predict it will. The measure that allow Venezuelans to fill executives, the real debate underlying this made when the board makes its final deci- Kong seen as the most gives the administration spe- their cars for less than a dol- decision is whether it wants to continue to sion and if necessary a further update will be likely alternative cial powers to commandeer lar, but which are estimated be a global corporate lending giant with a provided at the time of the full-year results private companies’ resources, to cost the state more than large investment banking announcement (in late February),” she said. impose currency controls and $12.5bn annually — is politi- and trading business or Last June, HSBC looked set to be opting for take “other social, economic cally explosive. Venezuelans become a simpler, Asia- the narrower Asian option, when it unveiled or political measures deemed exasperated with stand- focused trading and retail its Asia “pivot” strategy — a plan to redeploy “But if you decide you want to be global, fitting.” ing in long lines to scour bank. If the former is up to $230bn in assets saved from cuts else- then I’m not sure the next two generations With concern mount- bare supermarket shelves the case, London — as a where to the region and the urban sprawl of of senior non-Asian stakeholders — cus- ing over just how far those for goods they cannot afford major financial trading China’s Pearl River Delta in particular. tomers, capital providers, regulators and powers reach, the adminis- may explode into violence at centre with a favourable But seven months on, the region’s markets employees — will be ready to embrace that tration sought to soothe fears any further deterioration in time zone — is the more and economy look anything but welcoming. change of domicile.” Monday by denying that the their living standard, warned obvious choice, some As Chinese growth has slowed, perceived A senior source inside HSBC said the tur- decree allowed the expropri- Moya-Ocampos. Somehow, say. Otherwise it should missteps by the authorities have stoked con- moil in Chinese stock markets is viewed by ation of private companies. something must change, said HSBC first need to abandon a country with cerns in global markets that Beijing might be Gulliver as a short-term issue and should “People are saying the economist Orlando Ochoa. decide what they one of the toughest reg- losing its grip on economic policy. not influence a “50-year” decision about decree creates a kind of With oil prices at 12-year want to be, then they ulatory regimes globally China’s benchmark Shanghai Shenzhen its headquarters. But if the company shifted ‘express expropriation.’ That’s lows, by the second half of and return to Asia, where CSI 300 index has tumbled around 16 per- base, the cost of raising capital from Europe a lie,” Trade and Industry Min- this year, “it will be impos- can figure out which the bank was born more cent since the start of the year. and the United States through bonds may ister Miguel Perez Abad told a sible to supply the country jurisdiction suits them than 150 years ago. “They (HSBC) first need to decide what they rise, say analysts. “Should it play out that meeting of business owners. with food and medicine and Chief Executive Stu- want to be, then they can figure out which investors are more nervous around the name Maduro has held simi- service the debt with this best. If that business art Gulliver has already jurisdiction suits them best. If that business under a new non-UK domicile, then the bank lar decree powers in the past, same political and economic model is Asian, then led a drive to slim down model is Asian, then fine, a move makes sense,” might have to pay a bigger premium for the but at the time they were model,” he said. Europe’s biggest bank, said Barrington Pitt Miller, equity analyst so-called increased risk of being a quote- fine, a move makes pulling it out of 78 coun- at US fund firm Janus Capital, who said the unquote emerging market name,” said Oliver sense tries or businesses since Chinese slowdown had raised a “big ques- Judd, a senior credit analyst at Aviva Inves- 2011. But concerns linger tion mark” about the bank’s business plan. tors, which owns HSBC bonds. SoftBank plan at risk as Sprint goes from bad to worse

By Pavel Alpeyev and Takashi Amano away precious time from the 58-year-old as he in financing from a phone leasing company SoftBank is the fourth-riskiest company on Bloomberg tries to secure his legacy. “He was very over- created by SoftBank to help lower equipment the Markit iTraxx Japan credit-default swap confident from SoftBank’s success in Japan,” costs and relieve pressure on its cash supply. index, after Sharp Corp, its own unit Ymobile said Amir Anvarzadeh, a manager of Japanese “The scenario has gone completely awry,” Corp and Toshiba Corp. equity sales at BGC Partners Inc in Singapore. said Yasuaki Kogure, chief investment officer at Sprint Chief Executive Officer Marcelo Claure he acquisition of Sprint Corp was sup- “With Sprint, it seems like Son’s luck with these SBI Asset Management Co. “It’s becoming clear plans to cut $2.5bn from the company’s more posed to help Masayoshi Son realise his big, splashy acquisitions has run out.” to investors just how high the hurdle is now.” than $20bn in annual costs. Sprint booked its vision of transforming SoftBank Group SoftBank paid $22bn for a controlling stake Sprint closed down 10 percent on Friday fifth consecutive quarter of losses, and Soft- Corp into the world’s most-valuable in the No. 3 US wireless operator at the time. That after a report said the company was finalising Bank may record a charge of as much as $1.2bn, Tcompany. Instead, the 2013 deal has become his investment has lost $7.3bn in value, according plans to cut $1bn in network costs through meas- the company said in November. biggest setback so far, dragging down SoftBank to SoftBank, and Sprint is now the No. 4 carrier. ures analysts called risky. Sprint is working to “Son has promised a rapid recovery,” said shares and cutting into the billionaire’s wealth. Hiroe Kotera, a spokeswoman for SoftBank, move radio equipment to spots on lower-cost, Hideki Yasuda, an analyst at Ace Research Sprint deal has proven a SoftBank tumbled the past two days to its declined to comment. government-owned properties, according to a Institute in Tokyo. “As it failed to materialise, lowest level since the Sprint deal closed 2 1/2 At the press conference announcing the report in Re/code. investors began to lose hope.” dramatic blow for Son, years ago. Son’s fortune has shrunk by $3.2bn over Sprint deal in October 2013, Son reminisced SoftBank fell 1.3 percent to 5,046 yen in The strategy of trading losses for subscriber one of Japan’s most the past 12 months, according to the Bloomberg about his first trip to the US as a 16-year-old. Tokyo on Tuesday, after tumbling 7.9 percent gains has taken a toll on Sprint’s market value. Billionaires Index, as the Japanese company’s The experience inspired him to create SoftBank, yesterday. At the same time, a slowdown in China brought enigmatic entrepreneurs stock plunged. which he since transformed from a distributor During the next three years, Sprint must down shares of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, Soft- who has said he has The Sprint deal has proven a dramatic blow of PC software to one of Japan’s largest acquir- address six bonds coming due with an aggre- Bank’s biggest holding, by 22 percent last year. a 300-year plan for for Son, one of Japan’s most enigmatic entrepre- ers, with more than 1,000 investments. gate principal amount of $7.6bn. These issues SoftBank is still investing aggressively in neurs who has said he has a 300- year plan for “Today, more than 30 years later, I once account for 28 percent of all communications startups. Nikesh Arora, the president Son hired SoftBank and wants to SoftBank and wants to build an Internet empire again make a major advance into America,” bonds set to mature by year-end 2018, Bloomb- from Google, is leading the effort and plans to build an Internet empire unrivaled in “profit, cash flow and market value.” Son said at the time. erg Intelligence analyst Stephen Flynn wrote put about $3bn into companies each year. The Instead, as Sprint losses mounted, Son found He then tried to acquire T-Mobile US Inc in a note Friday. goal is to back startups that can become the unrivalled in profit, cash himself spending hours a night on the phone to combine with Sprint, but regulators blocked The cost to insure the company’s debt from next Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce com- flow and market value with its engineers and executives. The prospects him, scuttling his plans to achieve profitability default climbed to the highest since Novem- pany that pulled off the largest initial public of a turnaround may be slipping away, taking in the US market. Sprint subsequently got $1.2bn ber 2012 on Monday, according to CMA data. offering ever. 28 WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 BUSINESS BACK TO BUSINESS

These are the world’s most sight innovative economies This billionaire’s

Bloomberg wealth grew most

n the world of ideas, South Korea as oil plunged is king. Germany, Sweden, Japan and Switzerland rounded out the top five in the 2016 Bloomberg Bloomberg Innovation Index, which scored Ieconomies using factors including research and development spend- NEW DELHI: Oil’s plunge and ing and concentration of high-tech the impact on the global econ- public companies. omy is hurting many a billionaire. South Korea notched top scores Indian tycoon Mukesh Ambani worldwide for manufacturing value- (pictured) isn’t one of them. added as well as for tertiary efficiency Reliance Industries Ltd., con- — a measure that includes enrollment trolled by Ambani, is benefiting in higher education and the concen- from low crude prices as margins tration of science and engineering swell at the company’s refining graduates. While the country’s No. complex, the world’s largest. 39 ranking for productivity might Ambani’s net worth increased is the largest contributor to pass for mediocre, it was second for $620 million as of Friday, the most the bottom line,” said Sanjeev R&D intensity, high-tech density and in the world in 2016, according Panda, Mumbai-based analyst at patent activity and ranked sixth for to the Bloomberg Billionaires Sharekhan Ltd. The shares have researcher concentration. South Korea’s almost six-point edge economy, everything else equal, Index. That’s almost five times gained “because of the sharp fall While the top spot is befitting for on No. 2 Germany — and outpacing of you’re going to tend to have higher more than the second-biggest in crude reflecting positively on a country that puts a lot of money neighbors Japan (No. 4) and China (No. productivity growth, and that goes gainer this year, Walmart heir- the margins.” toward developing new technolo- 21) — also might understate the degree hand-in-hand with rising living stand- ess Alice Walton, who’s up $130 Brent oil has fallen more than gies and produces its fair share of the of economic competition felt among ards over time,” said Jay Bryson, global million. Among India’s 13 billion- 70 percent the last 18 months as world’s engineers, the conversation those in the southeast Asian nation. economist at Wells Fargo Securities aires in the world’s richest 400, the Organization of Petroleum in South Korea has been more about South Korea is “squeezed between LLC in Charlotte, North Carolina. “The Ambani is also the only one to Exporting Countries effectively how the economy can get the bang for low-wage China on the one hand and pie expands for everyone.” see an increase in his fortune. abandoned output limits amid its buck in innovation, according to more technologically advanced Japan The world’s largest economy, Profit for the December quar- a surplus. Marcus Noland, director of studies at on the other, so there’s this sense of the US, took No. 8 in the rankings. ter jumped 42 percent from a year Reliance’s shares climbed the Washington-based Peterson Insti- anxiety, or a certain degree of urgency, The placement for the world’s sec- earlier to 72.2bn rupees ($1.07 about 14 percent in 2015, ending tute for International Economics, with about maintaining this performance,” ond-largest economy, China, at No. bn), beating the 70.1 billion-rupee a seven-year jinx of under-per- a focus on North and South Korea. said Noland. 21 in the innovation index is reason- mean of 17 analyst estimates in a forming the S&P BSE Sensex. The Fresh ideas in Silicon Valley might Many of the same risks gripping able given its status as a developing Bloomberg survey. Higher refin- stock slid 37 percent from 2008 translate to a burgeoning start-up busi- countries outside of South Korea — country in which technologies are ing margins underpinned the through 2014, versus a 35 percent ness that adds to the US economy, but sluggish growth, rising inequality, largely copied rather than created, performance as oil prices dur- advance in India’s benchmark pitches stay too close to home in the fewer full-time jobs — have made said Bryson. ing the quarter were 42 percent equity gauge, as the company South Korean workplace, he said. “If policy makers and consumers alike The same could be said for other lower on average from the year- spent billions of dollars to expand you’re a scientist or engineer at Sam- in even the world’s most innovative countries where the comparative earlier period. its chemicals capacity and plowed sung Electronics, and you come up area “anxious” about the economy, advantage is still relatively cheap labor Reliance earned $11.50 for $15bn in a telecommunications with some brilliant new idea, you don’t he said. rather than cutting-edge technologies. every barrel of crude it turned venture. The shares climbed quit and start pitching your ideas to More recently, tumult in Chinese The standings reflect the North-beats- If you’re a scientist into fuels, compared with $7.30 2.6 percent to 1,043.6 rupees venture capitalists and set up your markets has shaken South Korea, South tale of the global economy: or engineer a year and $10.60 in the three on Tuesday. own firm — you go to management where central bankers last week down- Africa, with No. 46 Tunisia and No. at Samsung months ended September, the Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd., within Samsung.” graded their forecasts for economic 48 Morocco, and Latin America, with company said after the close of Ambani’s telecom unit, plans to South Koreans also are aware of growth. Gross domestic product will Argentina at No. 49, are scarcely rep- Electronics, and you market hours yesterday. sell 150bn rupees of shares to institutional factors that might be lim- expand at a 3 percent pace in 2016, resented on the top 50 list. Six of the come up with some Investors including BlackRock existing stockholders, accord- iting how much they take advantage down from an estimate of 3.2 percent top 10 economies hail from Europe, Inc. have bought Reliance shares, ing to an exchange filing late of innovative behavior, Noland said. in October, they project. The growth and three from Asia. brilliant new idea, making the Mumbai-based com- Monday. “Emphasis on wages being deter- estimate for 2015 was cut to 2.6 per- The ranking began with over you don’t quit and pany the best performer on the “Start of projects worth $30 mined by tenure and seniority, together cent from 2.7 percent. 200 economies, from which those Bloomberg World Oil & Gas Index billion across segments will make with a lack of pension mobility, means At the same time, an appearance that didn’t report data for at least six start pitching your over the past three months. 2016 the biggest year in Reliance’s that there’s not that much inter-firm or anywhere in the top-50 list should of seven categories measured were ideas to venture “Any increase in refining history,” Vikash Kumar Jain, an inter-sectoral movement of people,” he give an economy something to cheer eliminated, trimming the list to 84. capitalists and set margin helps Reliance’s profit sig- analyst at CLSA, wrote in a Jan- said. “It’s thought within South Korea about, since it could mean a boost to Bloomberg released overall and cate- nificantly because that business uary 4 note. that that hurts them, especially in this longer-run growth. gory scores for the top 50 innovative up your own firm innovative area — there’s less churn.” “If you’re a really innovative economies.

Global financial markets seem to be overreacting Capital to falling oil prices and China. It’s not a stretch to suggest that (markets) may be reacting very Maurice Obstfeld, Comment strongly to rather small bits of evidence Chief Economist, IMF

TOP TWEETS BLOGS AND VIEWS Market Talk JPMorgan reshuffles Moody’s Ratings News @ FT Alphaville MoodysRatings top European ranks Asian high-yield bond NAME IN THE MARKET: GLOBAL GROWTH UPDATE covenants weaken in Q4 2015 Global currency markets Bloomberg Beck and Klaus Hessberger will become co-heads of financial have taken their cue from sponsors coverage, which over- China and commodities, LONDON: JPMorgan Chase sees buyout firms. Conor Hillery Deutsche Bank @ & Co., the largest US bank by was named the head of EMEA DeutscheBank and the resulting shifts assets, reshuffled senior ranks industry coverage for financial #Oil price slump forces are causing something of at its European investment bank, institutions, which includes banks structural changes in elevating three advisers to vice and insurers, and Jake Donavan #SaudiArabia: service a headache for the major chairmen positions and pro- was appointed the head of EMEA sector to be strength- central banks moting several bankers to larger industry coverage for corporates. ened. Budget deficit at roles, according to a memo seen Banks have been bolstering 20% by Bloomberg. their advisory and equity capi- The New York-based firm tal markets businesses as tighter Project Syndicate @ named Isabelle Seillier vice regulations weigh on some trad- ProSyn MoneyBeat chairman of Europe, the Mid- ing activities. JPMorgan last week dle East and Africa investment said fourth-quarter profit rose China’s new #Silk- banking and appointed Laurence 10 percent after earnings at the Road could be a game Hollingworth vice chairman of corporate and investment bank changer for all of Asia EMEA equity capital markets. surged and expenses from litiga- - if it can be led to Oil prices could keep falling Charles Harman will become vice tion and employee compensation success this year as the market faces chairman of JPMorgan Cazenove, shrank. according to the memo, whose JPMorgan ranked second an “enormous strain” on BlackRock @blackrock contents were confirmed by a on Bloomberg’s merger advi- its ability to absorb new spokesman. sory league tables in the EMEA How far are we from JPMorgan also chose Harry region last year, after taking part the next bear market? supplies from producers such Hampson to lead a newly-cre- in deals including Anheuser- Will equities surprise to as Iran ated strategic investors group, Busch InBev NV’s takeover of the upside? See what which will include private equity, SABMiller Plc and Royal Dutch 2K advisors had to say sovereign wealth funds and fam- Shell Plc’s planned acquisition ily offices, the memo said. Axel of BG Group Plc. www.thepeninsulaqatar.com PAGE | 34 PAGE | 35 McCullum to Curry, Warriors give Cowdrey annihilate James’ LectureL at MCC Cavaliers 132-98

WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 • 10 Rabia II 1437 thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar

AFC Under-23 Championship In-form Qatar prepare Fixtures Group D Today Jordan vs Australia Kick-off: 1930hrs Venue: Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium for DPR Korea clash United Arab Emirates vs Vietnam Kick-off: 1930hrs Venue: Grand Hamad Stadium

FOOTBALL Results Our aim is the AFC U23 CHAMPIONSHIP Group B Saudi Arabia 1 Japan 2 quarter-final and North Korea 2 Thailand 2 there is no second and our opponents were pushing and Group B Qualifiers: we received a goal, but the mentality Japan and Thailand chance and we will of the team was very good after we Group C try to compete well conceded,” said Qatar coach Sanchez, Iraq 1 South Korea 1 and play well, says after the Syria match. Uzbekistan 3 Yemen 1 The Spaniard gave full credit to Group C Qualifiers: Qatar coach Sanchez his boys for the fighting win. South Korea and Iraq Qatar captain Abdelkarim Hassan celebrates after scoring a goal “We scored three and this gave us the rhythm of the game and I think against Syria during the Group A match of the AFC U23 Championship in the second half we created many in Doha on Monday. Qatar topped Group A with an all win record and Attendance The Peninsula chances to score more goals and finally will take on Group B runners-up Thailand in the quarter-finals on Friday. it was 4-2 and I am proud of the players landmark for their effort. It is amazing against a team who it is difficult to play against, over China to remain in the qualifica- the edge of the wall. Qatar completed In the second half, the contest DOHA: Hosts Qatar will be on the but I think we deserved the result.” tion picture, Syria took the lead after the turnaround just 15 minutes later appeared to be heading for a tense at AFC U23 guard against conceding an early goal Sanchez said his players are in just four minutes as Yousef Kalfa rifled as Ahmed Alaa rounded off a swift finish as Omar Kharbin converted from in their upcoming quarter-final clash high spirits after three wins in as home from the edge of the penalty area counterattack by holding off defender the penalty spot with nine minutes against DPR Korea when the two clash many matches. past an unsighted Muhannad Naim in Abdullah Al Shami before firing low remaking after Nakkdahli had been The Peninsula at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Friday. “Our aim is the next game which is the Qatar goal after Amro Jeniat had across Nassan from inside the area fol- bundled over inside the area by Musaab Coach Felix Sanchez (pictured) the quarter-final and there is no sec- been given a second chance to deliver lowing Afif’s charging run from inside Al Khidir. Any thoughts of a comeback, conceded and early goal, in the first ond chance and we will try to compete the ball into the box. his own half. though, were quickly extinguished a five minutes of the match, against Syria well and play well in the next game But the lead lasted just six minutes And just three minutes later minute later as Alaa raced onto Ali DOHA: Attendance figures at but rallied to register a 4-2 win to finish to be in the next stage which is the as captain Abdelkarim Hassan bun- Qatar added a third as Ali muscled Asad’s perfectly weighted through ball the AFC U23 Championship with an all-win record and top Group semi-final. The players are highly moti- dled home via the underside of the off defender Mouaiad Al Ajaan to race before beating Nassan with a com- Qatar 2016 have already sur- A, with Iran finishing second. vated and looking forward to play in crossbar from the edge of the six yard onto Afif’s sublime chipped pass before posed finish. Qatar earlier registered passed the final figure recorded “It is obviously not the start of the next game and to win to be in the area after Akram Afif’s poor free-kick calmly rounding exposed goalkeeper wins over China and Iran to set-up a at the competition’s 2013 edi- the game we expected, we were a bit semi-final.” from the edge of the area had fortu- Nassan and rolling the ball into the quarter-final meeting with the run- tion. After the completion of sleepy in the beginning of the game Looking to build on Friday’s 3-1 win nately deflected off a team-mate on empty net. ner-up from Group B on Friday. Monday’s final Group A games, 43,139 spectators have attended the 18 matches played thus far, a landmark statistic which eas- ily outstrips the previous total of 34,712. DPR Korea squeeze into quarter-finals of AFC U23 “We strive in every com- petition to improve on the last edition”, said AFC Tournament The Peninsula Weerawatnodom levelled, only for Yun Il- guarantee them a place in the knockout phase Director Shin Man Gil. gwang to give Yun Jong-su’s side the lead at of the competition, started in lively fashion, “Again, just like in the the half-time break. with Kim Yong-il constantly putting the Thai AFC Asian Cup in 2015, the DOHA: DPR Korea squeezed into the quarter- Chanathip Songkrasin claimed a second defence under pressure. AFC U23 Championship has finals of the AFC U23 Championship yesterday equaliser for the Thais 12 minutes from time, Inside the first six minutes, goalkeeper recorded attendance figures as a 2-2 draw with Thailand was just enough but it was not enough to take Kiatisuk Sena- Somporn Yos twice denied the 21-year-old that have built on the previ- to secure second place in Group B behind win- muang’s side into the quarter-finals. before also collecting Im Ju-song’s eighth- ous corresponding event. I ners Japan. “We had a very fierce match because both minute attempt. am delighted to see that the Three teams were still in with a chance of teams had to win if they wanted to qualify,” But by the 17th minute, DPR Korea were in organisation in Qatar for the joining the East Asians in the last eight on a said Yun. “Both teams’ put in a very good front, and it was no surprise that it was Kim U23 Championship has also thrilling final day of Group B action, and with performance. who claimed it as he rose fractionally ahead achieved the world class stand- Japan maintaining their 100% record wit a 2-1 “We had a lot of chances in the first half of Sompron to meet Ri Un-chol’s centre to ards to which we aspire in all defeat of Saudi Arabia. and in the second half but I never thought we head the ball into the top corner. our tournaments.” DPR Korea’s draw with Thailand at the were going to lose this game because I trusted nathip fired off from just outside the area, Host nation Qatar, who are Grand Hamad Stadium saw Yun Jong-su’s the players and they did their best to the end the ball moving enough in the air to confuse through to the quarter-finals, side secure second place ahead of the Sau- so I had no worries about that. goalkeeper An Tae-song. have attracted the highest dis and Thais courtesy of the greater number “We knew if we go to the next round we Both sides pushed for the winner, with the attendances, with their clash of goals scored in the group matches between will play Qatar, the hosts. It’s going to be a Thais cranking up the pressure at the end, but against Iran topping the lot Kim Ju Song (left) of DPR Korea and Tristan Do of the teams concerned as all three sides ended very tough match all of the players will have DPR Korea held on to progress by the narrow- thanks to the 11,026 attendance Thailand vie for ball possession during their AFC their group stage campaign with two points. to show their best in terms of mentality and est of margins. figure recorded at the Jassim U23 Group B match at the Grand Hamad Stadium Kim Yong-il opened the scoring for physical condition.” “I would like to congratulate DPR Korea for Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha. in Doha yesterday. Picture by: Salim/The Peninsula the North Koreans before Narubadin DPR Korea, knowing victory would going through to the next round,” said Kiatisuk. Grand Slam star Serena to feature at Qatar Total Open

The Peninsula The 64-player event will give direct the main draw: Serena Williams, Simona entry to 43 players, Qatar Tennis Fed- Halep, Muguruza Garbiñe, Sabine Lisicki, eration (QTF) said yesterday. Agnieszka Radwanska, Maria Sharap- DOHA: Grand Slam star Serena Wil- The total prize money at the ova, Petra Kvitova, Angelique Kerber, liams of the US will be one of the top WTA Premier 5 even is a staggering Lucie Safarova, Monica Niculescu, Karo- players confirmed for next month’s $2,517,250. lina Pliskova, Madison Brengle, Carla Qatar Total Open, the organisers said Tournament Director, Saad Al Suárez Navarro, Coco Vandeweghe, yesterday. Mohannadi, said yesterday: “Qatar Timea Bacsinszky, Alizé Cornet, Belinda Williams, who has 21 Grand Slams will host a very high quality field next Bencic, Julia Goerges, Roberta Vinci, in her stellar career, will lead a vir- month at the Qatar Total Open. It is an Mona Barthel, Caroline Wozniacki, tual star cast at the February 21-27 extraordinary field and I think it will Barbora Strycova, Sara Errani, Var- event to be held at Doha’s iconic Kha- ensure quality matches. It will be excit- vara Lepchenko, Elina Svitolina, Zarina lifa Tennis Complex. ing to see if Serena can make another Diyas, Jelena Jankovic, Annika Beck, Tennis diva Maria Sharapova of memorable moment here in Doha and Ekaterina Makarova, Andrea Petkovic, Russia, 2014 champion Simona Halep to watch Safarova if she can defend her Svetlana Kuznetsova, Timea Babos, of Romania, Poland’s Agnieszka title for a second time.” Shuai Peng, Margarita Gasparyan, Kris- Radwanska, former Wimbledon Tickets for the event can be pur- tina Mladenovic, Irina-Camelia Begu, Qatar Tennis Federation and Paris Saint Germain (PSG) President Nasser Al Khelaifi (left) and Serena Williams champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech chased online beginning on January Lesia Tsurenko, Caroline Garcia, Cam- Republic and last year’s winner Lucie 20th afternoon at www.qatarten- ila Giorgi, Daria Gavrilova, Nao Hibino, of the US pose for a picture with PSG jerseys in this February 17, 2013 file picture. Right: Serena reacts after Safarova will also be in Doha next nis.org. Lucie Hradecka and Anna Karolina defeating Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic during their quarter-final match of the Qatar Open in this month. The following players will feature in Schmiedlova. February 16, 2013 file picture. 30 WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 SPORT

Belgium set up friendly against Portugal

Reuters EURO 2016 FOOTBALL

on Italy (June 13 in Lyon), Ireland (June BRUSSELS: Belgium will play four 18 in Bordeaux) and Sweden (June 22 friendly matches and hold a training in Nice) in their opening round group. camp in Switzerland to prepare for the Wilmots said that Finland would European Championship in France, offer a similar style of play to that coach Marc Wilmots said on Monday. of Sweden, while they had hoped to The top-ranked Belgians will meet prepare for the Ireland showdown Portugal, Finland and Norway in Brus- with a warm-up against Scotland. sels and Switzerland before they leave But when that match failed to mate- for the tournament in June. rialise, they turned to Norway. The will play fellow finalists Meanwhile, Portugal will host Portugal on March 29 - the only Bulgaria in a friendly match in Lis- international Belgium have sched- bon on March 25 as part of the home uled before league seasons end across side’s preparations for the Euro 2016 Europe in May. finals, the Bulgarian Football Union “I don’t think that is a bad thing, (BFU) said on Monday. the calendar is already so overloaded Bulgaria, who failed to qual- for the players. My players from the ify for Euro 2016, will also travel to Premier League (in England) will play neighbouring Macedonia for another some 60 games in a season, that is friendly in Skopje on March 29 as they more than enough,” Wilmots said. look to the 2018 World Cup qualify- The team will assemble in Knokke, ing campaign. Flanders on May 19 before spending Portugal kick off their Euro 2016 a week in Lausanne. They will play campaign against Iceland in Saint- against the Swiss in Geneva on May 28. Etienne on June 14. They take on Swansea’s captain Ashley Williams (third from left) scores their team’s winning goal against Watford on Monday. Belgium’s squad will then be based Austria in Paris four days later before in Genk from May 29-June 6, dur- meeting Hungary in Lyon on June 22 ing which time will travel the short in their final Group F game. distance to the capital for friendlies Fernando Santos’s men reached against Finland on June 1 and Nor- the finals after finishing top in qual- way on June 5. Belgium leave for their ifying Group I with 21 points from Swansea outplay Watford to base in Bordeaux on June 7 and take eight matches, seven ahead of Albania. Watford sign Amrabat, Liverpool move out of relegation zone extend Mignolet’s contract

SOCCER: ENGLISH Watford stayed 12th on 29 points, after the break but failed to create a Reuters came with added responsibility: “I’m Skipper Williams PREMIER LEAGUE having suffered a fourth successive single clear-cut chance at Liberty Sta- getting older as well and coming into scores the winner defeat after a bright spell in Decem- dium and were lucky not to concede the years where people would say ber, when striker Odian Ighalo was a second when substitute Bafetimbi those are the years a keeper is at his through a header gave them a 1-0 win over Watford on named the Premier League’s player of Gomis rattled the post in stoppage time. LONDON: Watford have signed best,” he said. Monday just hours after they named the month and coach Quique Sanchez “It was one of our better perform- Morocco international forward Nor- Serbian defender Nemanja Vidic Francesco Guidolin as their new head Flores bagging the managerial award. ances of the season,” Curtis told Sky din Amrabat from Spanish La Liga has left Inter Milan after his contract coach. Reeling after winning just one Sports television. “We could have done side Malaga, the Premier League club was terminated by mutual consent, Reuters The 60-year old, appointed until of their last 11 games, Swansea pro- with the second goal but it is a huge said on Monday. the Italian club said. the end of the season to work along- duced a gritty performance and were three points. The crowd played a huge The 28-year-old Dutch-born The former Manchester United side caretaker manager Alan Curtis, rewarded with a 27th-minute winner, part as well. Everyone is delighted and player, whose previous clubs include skipper moved to Inter in July 2014 watched from the terraces as Swan- when Williams rose above his markers it is the start of a long road between PSV Eindhoven and Galatasaray - and made 28 appearances last season LONDON: Swansea City climbed out sea leapfrogged Newcastle into 17th to head home a Ki Sung-Yueng cross now and the end of the season. was due to join up with his new team but has been sidelined due to injury of the relegation zone after a first-half position on 22 points from as many from the right. “I’m sure the new manager will be mates after Monday’s league game at this season. header by captain Ashley Williams games, one more than the Magpies. Watford were more purposeful more than pleased with what he saw.” Swansea City, Watford said on their “FC Internazionale would like to website (www.watfordfc.com). announce that the club has terminated Sky Sports television reported the Nemanja Vidic’s contract by mutual Hornets had activated a six million consent,” Inter said on its website. pound ($8.54 million) release clause “I would like to wish the club the Pennant signs in his Malaga contract. greatest success in the future. Forza Former FIFA Meanwhile, Liverpool goalkeeper Inter forever!” added the 34-year-old. deal with President Simon Mignolet has been handed a Vidic, who formed a formidable Sepp Blatter contract extension in a strong vote of partnership with Rio Ferdinand at confidence by the Premier League club the heart of the United defence and Singapore club that media reports said would keep won five English league titles as well the Belgian international at Anfield as the Champions League in 2008, AFP until 2021. thanked Inter and the club’s fans. Mignolet said his new contract

SINGAPORE: Former Arsenal and Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant signed with a Singa- pore football club yesterday, hoping to revive what was once one of the game’s most promising Liverpool will not careers and boost the ailing local professional league. The 33-year-old reformed wild boy joined give up on top-four Tampines Rovers, five-time winners of the local S-League, under a one-year contract. Tampines chairman Krishna Ramachandra would not give details of his salary. The Straits Times newspaper finish: Henderson said last week that Pennant would be paid about Sg$40,000 ($28,000) a month, or less than a quar- ter of his last drawn salary with Wigan Athletic. Reuters His salary could rise with bonuses related to his number of appearances, performance and team’s achievements, state broadcaster Chan- Blatter still receives salary nel NewsAsia reported. LIVERPOOL: Liverpool’s Premier Despite the hefty cut, Pennant will be the League defeat against bitter rivals highest paid player in the S-League’s 21-year Manchester United has hurt their history. He was also presented with a car at the despite ban from FIFA ambitions of breaking into the top signing ceremony. four but the club will not give up hopes “No matter where you go in the world, it’s of qualifying for the Champions always a great chance to prove yourself, no mat- Reuters president on February 26, Mr “The duty of supervision is League, captain Jordan Henderson ter the level,” said Pennant, who has insisted that Blatter is the elected president listed explicitly in the target agree- has said. his wild days are behind him following the birth and therefore - according to his ments for the payment of bonuses. A Luis Suarez-inspired Liverpool of his son in 2010. Pennant will don the number contract - is entitled to receive The compensation committee finished second in the 2013-14 season nine jersey for Tampines, the league’s runners-up MIAMI: FIFA’s Sepp Blatter may his remuneration,” Bantel said. has therefore decided, at its last to return to Champions League foot- last season. The winger, approaching the tail- have been banned for eight years FIFA is facing the worst cor- meeting, not to make any further ball after a gap of four years. end of his once-promising career, had been on from the game but he is still receiv- ruption crisis in its history as a bonus payments to Mr Blatter,” But the Uruguayan striker left trial with the club since arriving on January 7. ing his president’s salary from total of 41 individuals and enti- said Bantel. at the end of that campaign and the Pennant was England’s most expensive teen- world soccer’s governing body, a ties, including many former FIFA The size of Blatter’s compen- Reds went on to finish sixth the fol- ager when he was snapped up for two million spokesman for FIFA’s Audit and officials, have been charged with sation from FIFA has remained lowing term. pounds by Arsenal as a precocious 15-year-old. Compliance Committee said on corruption-related offences in secret although reforms to be After Sunday’s 1-0 loss, Juergen He was acquired by Liverpool in 2006 for 6.7 Monday. the United States. voted on at the organisation’s Klopp’s men find themselves ninth million pounds. Blatter was suspended for 90 The US investigation is far February Congress call for the in the table after 22 games, eight He later featured for a number of clubs includ- days by FIFA on October 8 and from over and FIFA also faces disclosure of individual compen- points behind fourth-placed Tot- ing Stoke City, Wolves, Wigan and Spanish side then banned from the game for a parallel Swiss probe. Blatter’s sation for the president and top tenham Hotspur. Real Zaragoza. But Pennant’s career was marred eight years last month for ethics bonuses have been stopped executives. Henderson admitted he was not Liverpool captain by his off-pitch misdemeanours, including dis- violations over a $2m payment because he was not carrying It is also unclear what Hay- sure if Liverpool could still finish in Jordan Henderson ciplinary issues and drink-driving convictions. FIFA made to European soccer out his duties of supervising the atou is getting paid to be acting the top four to assure themselves a In 2005, while on loan from Arsenal at Birming- boss Michel Platini with Blatter’s organisation, including its gen- president. FIFA’s finances may spot in the continent’s top tourna- have to keep fighting, keep putting ham City, Pennant played wearing an electronic approval in 2011. eral secretary. have taken a blow in the past ment for clubs. performances in I am sure we will win tag after being freed from jail for drink-driving. But Blatter, a Swiss national Only last week, FIFA year because of the costs and “We have to keep going right until more than we lose. Whatever it is, we Despite his chequered past, Ramachandra has who has been president of FIFA announced that Jerome Valcke distractions of the corruption the very end and see what happens,” need to make sure we give our all.” been impressed by the player, describing him as since 1998, will continue to be paid was fired from his position as gen- scandal. Henderson told British media. Liverpool host fourth-tier side a “total professional”. until a new president is elected eral secretary. It gave no reason According to a report from the “Like I have always said, whether Exeter City in their third round FA Before arriving in Singapore, Pennant also had on February 26, the spokesman but an investigation had followed UK’s Press Association late last you are in the mix or you are not, you Cup replay today and then travel to a spell with Pune City in India and tried out with Andreas Bantel said. allegations of corruption related year, the organisation suffered have to take each game as it comes. relegation-threatened Norwich City Thai Premier League outfit Muangthong United. “Until the election of a new to World Cup ticket sales. its first loss last year since 2001. “At the minute, we are not but we in the league on Saturday. SPORT WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 31

Scrapping records would taint clean athletes, says Coe

AFP DOPING IN ATHLETICS

PARIS: IAAF president Sebastian Coe that have in the past, as a matter of said he was reluctant to scrap all world historic record, produced athletes records in track and field for fear of that have probably not done this tainting clean athletes. legitimately.” In an interview, Coe admitted “That’s a very different thing from that some records, notably in wom- penalising clean athletes who have en’s disciplines, were not legitimate. gone about this over half of their young But to sweep away existing records lives, with clean coaches and clean would harm athletes competing with- federations.” Reigning Asian High Jump out resorting to doping, he said. Coe added: “You have to be very indoor champion and Area Athletics finds itself mired in argu- careful here. I can understand the record holder, Qatar’s Mutaz ably its worst ever crisis, with reports frustration. I know there are records Essa Barshim will lead the by the World Anti-Doping Agency on the book which are a real inhibi- hosts’ goal to match the alleging corruption was “embedded” tor, particularly in some of the female heroics of the 2014 team in the sport’s world governing body, events, for athletes... in thinking that which topped the medal table the IAAF. there isn’t any reasonable hope that in Hangzhou with 5 golds and Russia has been banned over they’re going to get within records 3 silvers. state-sponsored doping, with top that were set 30 or 40 years ago.” IAAF officials found guilty of brib- But he also gave his backing to ing doped athletes. clean athletes. In the wake of the doping-linked “I also understand the nervous- corruption scandal, Britain’s athletics ness amongst clean athletes who federation called for a raft of pol- legitimately hold records that could icy changes including “resetting the run the risk of just losing their his- clock on world records for a new era”. tory and actually the implication that “We should be open to do what- they weren’t doing it cleanly.” Records expected to tumble at ever it takes to restore credibility in “There is absolutely a debate to the sport,” UK Athletics chairman Ed be had but we have to tread carefully Warner said last week. here,” he said. While agreeing there should be Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba and debate, Coe hesitated when asked if Poland’s Anita Wlodarczyk set new Doha’s 2016 Asian Indoors he backed a total rescinding of records. world records for the women’s 1500m “I have a concern of course, like and hammer throw respectively last anybody else who’s come through season. ASIAN INDOOR ATHLETICS the 7th Asian Indoor Athletics Cham- specialist Samuel Francis, the record the sport, that some records are more But those were a comparative rar- One month remaining CHAMPIONSHIP 2016 pionships in Doha, showcases the with the most cumulative gold med- secure and safer than others,” said ity, with many of the existing records before the Aspire tremendous efforts the Asian Athlet- als (3 apiece) in all editions, but it is Coe, who won two Olympic 1500m dating back to the 1980s and 90s and ics Association and the Qatar Athletics Mohamed Al-Garni the one who has gold medals for Britain. seemingly well out of reach for the Dome hosts the Asian their quest for Championships glory. Federations had put in, in the last couple won the most medals than any other “We know that through systems modern crop of top athletes. Indoor Athletics With 36 countries having already of years, to develop and expand ath- Qatari with 5 (2 gold and 3 silver) in checked in for the 2016 edition - letics throughout our vast continent,” total, but, unlike the other two, he has extravaganza according to the provisional entry said the AAA and QAF President Major competed in two different events, the list, it seems that the first record will General Dahlan Al Hamad. 1500m and the 3000m. fall even before the competition will “I am also proud to see the number The Qataris also possess five Asian officially kick off. of female Qatari athletes qualified to Indoor Championships records: in the The Peninsula These 36 nations will be repre- compete internationally, upsurge in 60m (6.58 -set by two athletes, Sam- sented by 400-420 athletes, a number recent years.” uel Francis and Femi Ogunode), the that will produce yet another Cham- As was previously reported the 1500m (3:40.86 by Thamer Kamal Ali), pionships’ record. reigning Asian High Jump indoor cham- the 3000m (7:39.77 by Said Saaeed DOHA: With exactly one month The hosts are expected to field pion and Area record holder, Mutaz Sheheen) and the High Jump (2.37 by remaining until the multi-event ath- their largest ever delegation, beat- Barsim will lead the hosts’ goal to match Mutaz Barshim). letes will set foot in Doha’s magnificent ing their previous record of 19 athletes the heroics of the 2014 team which Nevertheless, the Chinese who have Aspire Dome arena, to commence the (15 men and 4 women) set on home topped the medal table in Hangzhou won 44 gold medals in the previous six 7th Asian Indoor Athletics Champi- soil in 2008. with 5 golds and 3 silvers. editions, more than any other nation, onships action, quite a lot standing Given that Qatar athletics pass Overall, Qatar has gained 29 med- are leading the records’ ranks as well, competition-wise records look certain through a phase of rapid develop- als (16 gold, 9 silver and 4 bronze) since owning eight. The 7th Asian Indoor to fall, starting from the participat- ment and has grown as one of Asia’s 2006, when the nation first competed Championships will be held from Feb- ing nations. superpowers, QAF has nominated a at the Asian Indoor Championships. ruary 19 to February 21 in Doha and The current record with the most 28-athlete strong team, consisting of Mutaz Barshim, who opted to limit is supported by Aspire and Aspetar, countries entering the Championships 21 male and 7 female athletes. his indoor appearances this season, two giant Qatari organisations in the IAAF President is dated back to 2008, when in Doha “The increasing numbers of nations to concentrate in his Summer Olym- sports’ industry and trusted partners Sebastian Coe 29 nations sent at least one athlete in and athletes, who are set to compete at pics target, holds, along with the 60m of QAF in recent years.

WBC world Heavyweight Ewan tops first stage of Tour Down Under Champion Deontay Wilder AFP CYCLING: TOUR DOWN UNDER- DAY 1 ADELAIDE: Australia’s newest cycling star Caleb Ewan unleashed a withering turn of speed to claim Tour Down Under from the local the opening stage of the UCI Tour team made up of promising Aus- Down Under in South Australia tralian riders. yesterday. Lake was joined at the front by Ewan, 21, burst onto the world France’s Alexis Gougeard (AG2R La cycling scene in 2015 with a series Mondiale) and Dutchman Martin of strong results, including winning Keizer (Lotto NL-Jumbo) with the a stage at Spain’s Vuelta. trio breaking away to lead by over He showed his class yester- two minutes. day, biding his time perfectly to But the peloton, led by ORICA overwhelm the rest of the field and GreenEDGE’s Michael Hepburn, Wilder in negotiations win in three hours, 24.13 minutes. never let them get away and slowly The ORICA GreenEDGE rider began to reel them in. finished a clear bike length ahead Keizer was dropped with 38 to fight mandatory of fellow Australian Mark Renshaw kilometres to go and Gougeard (Team Dimension Data) and Can- gave up at the 22km mark, but nondale’s Wouter Wippert from Lake persevered until inside the challenger Povetkin the Netherlands. last 10 kilometres, when he was “I felt really good all day and finally caught. the team obviously backed me all First Team Sky and then Afri- Agencies In an interview reported on box- day because they rode at the front can outfit Dimension Data came ingscene.com, WBC president Mauricio from the start,” Ewan said. to the front to try and set the race Sulaiman said: “The next fight will “I’m just so happy I could fin- up for their respective sprint- NEW YORK: Deontay Wilder has absolutely see Wilder against the man- ish it off for them.” ers Ben Smith and Renshaw. But entered negotiations to fight man- datory challenger, Alexander Povetkin. The 130.8-kilometre opening Ewan glided up on the long fin- datory challenger Alexander Povetkin, “Right now, there is a negotiating proc- stage from Prospect, just north of ishing straight and with 50 metres the WBC has confirmed. ess in which the parties have 30 days Adelaide, to the Barossa Valley town to go, changed gear and surged to WBC world heavyweight cham- [to reach a deal]. I think the fight will of Lyndoch, went ahead in oppres- the lead for an emphatic victory. pion Wilder (36-0-KO35) defended his take place in May or June.” The loca- sive heat that tested the cyclists in “You have to be super-con- belt against Artur Szpilka in New York tion of the bout is a point of interest, their first race of the year. servative because the sprinters on Saturday night via ninth-round with Povetkin hopeful of securing Temperatures reached 40 are so fast these days it’s usually stoppage. home advantage while Wilder claims: degrees Celsius throughout the day, the guy with the freshest legs and Next up for the 30-year-old Amer- “Russia is too cold.” while riders also had to deal with the strongest team who wins,” said ican looks to be Russia’s Povetkin Povetkin, 36, is a former WBA strong winds and high humidity. Ewan, who will now wear the ochre (30-1-KO22), who was last in action world heavyweight champion but The first stage had a famil- leader’s jersey. in November when he stopped Mar- lost his belt when he suffered his only iar feel to it when UniSA’s Sean Today’s 132km second stage Australian rider Caleb Ewan (front) sprints to win the first stage of the Tour iusz Wach in the final round to cement career defeat - on points to Wladimir Lake attacked at the four-kilome- starts in Adelaide and finishes in his mandatory status. Klitschko in Moscow in October 2013. tre mark, a standard tactic at the the picturesque town of Stirling Down Under cycling race in Lyndoch, near Adelaide, Australia yesterday. 32 WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 SPORT

QUOTES OF THE DAY FROM THE 2016 AUSTRALIAN OPEN

“I think it would be silly to look at Venus’ age and somehow consider that as a reflection Fernando Verdasco of of her level.” Spain reacts during - British star Johanna Konta his first-round match on whether age had anything against Rafael Nadal of to do with 35-year-old Venus Spain at the Australian Williams’ first round exit. Open in Melbourne, Australia, yesterday. “I’m hoping my phone hasn’t been buzzing in my bag. Kim will message my team if any- thing goes on and we’ll see what happens.” - Dad-to-be Andy Murray, keenly awaiting news from wife Kim Sears in case she has gone into labour.

“Be nice if his wife went into labour overnight. I might be just cheering for that one.” - Australian Sam Groth who plays Andy Murray in the sec- ond round. Murray says he’ll leave Melbourne to dash home Verdasco wins five-set thriller for the birth. “Just to not grind my teeth while I play. It just causes stress and headaches sometimes.” - Canadian Milos Raonic on why he wears a mouthguard, against former champ Nadal on and off court. “I was feeling so sad, I couldn’t win one match even. But I’m increasingly looks a fading force. Nadal, DAY TWO AT THE feeling no, I want to come back, Simona Halep also 29, has only ever lost once before in AUSTRALIAN OPEN I want try one more time, only a Grand Slam first round, at Wimble- one more time.” gets knocked out don 2013, but he has not gone further Rising star Garbine Muguruza beat - Chinese giant-killer Zhang in Melbourne while than the quarter-finals at the majors Estonian debutante Anett Kontaveit Shuai reveals she almost quit since he won the 2014 French Open. 6-0, 6-4 in one hour exactly -- and last year but decided to play Andy Murray wins “It’s tough, but at the same time, immediately set her sights on dethron- one last Grand Slam -- the with ease and then I know I did everything that I can ing Serena Williams in the final. Australian Open where she waits for the ‘good to be ready for it,” said Nadal, after “To win the Grand Slam here you upset second seed Simona 45th-ranked Verdasco’s 7-6 (8/6), 4-6, are going to have to beat Serena (Wil- Halep. news’ on day two 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 win in four hours, liams). It will be great if I can play 41 minutes. against her,” said the confident Span- “Was not my day. Let’s keep going. ish world number three. That’s the only thing. There is no more Temperatures of 33 Celsius (91.4 Raonic AFP thing to do than keep practising hard, Fahrenheit) took their toll and Diego keep practising the same way that I Schwartzman was stretchered off after takes guard was doing the last four, five months.” retiring in the fourth set against John MELBOURNE: Rafael Nadal and The big upsets at least drew Millman with cramps. against Simona Halep were sent crashing attention away from a match-fixing While Murray and Muguruza out of the Australian Open first round controversy which hit the start of the motored through, seven-time Grand grand slam yesterday as a dramatic day of upsets tournament after a report said top play- Slam champion Venus Williams suf- shifted the landscape of the year’s first ers had been under suspicion but never fered an early exit when she lost to Grand Slam. punished. British number one Johanna Konta grind Nadal suffered one of the worst Andy Murray, a four-time final- 6-4, 6-2. Grand Slam results of his career as ist who is seeking his first win in Williams, 35, was the oldest player he was stunned by fellow Spanish Melbourne, dispatched Germany’s in the women’s draw but Konta said it Reuters left-hander Fernando Verdasco in a Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 in hot would be “silly” to focus on the Amer- five-set thriller which recalled their conditions to move into the second ican’s age. epic 2009 semi-final. round. “I think it would be silly to look at MELBOURNE: Canada’s Milos Halep, the women’s world number Afterwards the world number two, Venus’ age and somehow consider that Raonic (pictured below) has found two, soon followed him out in an who is awaiting the imminent birth of as a reflection of her level,” said the a novel way to help alleviate the ten- almighty upset by Chinese qualifier his first child and has pledged to race 24-year-old. “I think it’s irrelevant how sion that inevitability surrounds a Zhang Shuai -- who wept as she won her home if his wife goes into labour, imme- old she is because she’s such a cham- grand slam tennis tournament, he first Grand Slam match in 15 attempts. diately checked his phone for news. pion with so much experience and so has taken to wearing a mouth guard. While Halep’s defeat to Zhang, the “I’m hoping my phone hasn’t been much knowledge about the game.” Reporters spotted the mouth- world number 133, came out of the blue, buzzing in my bag. Kim will message Milos Raonic, who is now work- guard the tall 25-year-old, whose it was Nadal’s loss which created con- my team if anything goes on and we’ll ing with Carlos Moya and beat Roger languid movement around court cern as the 14-time Grand Slam-winner see what happens,” he said. Federer in this month’s Brisbane final, obviously belies the nervous ten- breezed past Lucas Pouille and into sion he is fighting, during his 6-1 the second round. 6-4 6-4 Australian Open victory Gael Monfils of But it was a different story for Gilles over Lucas Pouille yesterday. France in action Muller, who came through four tie- “Just to not grind my teeth while against Yuichi breaks to beat Fabio Fognini, but not I play,” Raonic said when asked why Sugita of Japan before the Italian showed flashes of he was wearing a protective device in Melbourne his famous temper. in a sport not known for its contact yesterday. Jeremy Chardy had an even bigger Belarus’s Victoria Azarenka between players. struggle, winning the fifth-set 13-11 to bows as she celebrates after “It just causes stress and head- finally overcome Ernests Gulbis after victory her singles match aches sometimes,” he added. “I guess four hours and 43 minutes. against Belgium’s Alison maybe its just a way to calm down.” Among the evening matches, Aus- Van Uytvanc in Melbourne Raonic said he had been advised tralia’s former world number one yesterday. to wear the guard to alleviate the Lleyton Hewitt was playing compa- effects of teeth grinding, not by a triot James Duckworth in what is his dentist, but by a chiropractor. last tournament before retiring. “Maybe it’s helping my back,” he added. While the mouthguard may help him calm down in the heat of a tournament, Raonic said he was now using it virtually all day. Questions return as Nadal leaves Melbourne “I wear it all the time other than when I’m eating, so I got used to it pretty quickly,” he said. “Maybe I fiddle it with it too Reuters Against Verdasco, a player he had beaten 14 lower-ranked players prepared to attack him -- much while I play, but other than times in 16 meetings, the physical ailments that as Verdasco did to devastating effect. that it’s pretty much there all the have dogged his stellar career were not appar- As Toni watched on in the final games, Nadal time.” MELBOURNE: Rafa Nadal (pictured left) was ent, his game just looked stale. seemed powerless to stem the tide. Raonic, who beat Roger Federer heading back to the drawing board yesterday “The game is changing a little bit,” the world “You cannot be in the middle of being offen- to claim the Brisbane International after another startling early loss at a Grand Slam number five told reporters after only his sec- sive or defensive, because it is obvious that finally title before the season opening grand deflated his early-season optimism and left him ond career loss in the opening round of a grand you don’t have a consistent strategy, then you slam, will play either Tunisia’s Malek questioning his strategy. slam tournament. are lost,” Nadal said. Jaziri or Spain’s Tommy Robredo in The Spaniard arrived in Melbourne for the “Everybody now tries to hit all the balls. There The Mallorca native can only hope that he the second round. start of the Australian Open talking of his ‘happy are no balls that you can prepare (for) the point. can respond to his first-round defeat like he did feelings’ after a strong run at the end of last year The game has become a little bit more crazy in when losing to Belgium’s Steve Darcis in the open- and a positive opening to 2016 following a rig- this aspect. ing round at Wimbledon in 2013. orous pre-season fitness camp. “I was practicing a little bit different, try- Then, Nadal rebounded to win the US Open But any hope that Nadal, who turns 30 this ing to be more aggressive. I can play defensive a few weeks later, rolled into the following year year, can revive the glory days when he ruled or offensive. by reaching the Australian Open final and went tennis were blown away in the first round by “But if you stay in the middle, then I am dead,” on to claim his ninth French Open title. compatriot Fernando Verdasco, who roared to Nadal said. “I have been playing and practicing great,” a 7-6 (6) 4-6 3-6 7-6(4) 6-2 triumph. At his peak Nadal, coached throughout his he said. Nadal has suffered some crushing early defeats career by his uncle Toni, wore down opponents “It’s tough when you work so much and a since he won the last of his 14 Grand Slam titles with an attritional baseline game before finish- very important event arrives and you go out too at the French Open in 2014 -- Dustin Brown (at ing them off with clinical winners. early,” Nadal said. Wimbledon) and Fabio Fognini (US Open) to name These days, with wear and tear dulling his “Was not my day, but let’s keep going, that but two, but in those he lacked form and fitness. lightning speed, his game looks vulnerable against the only thing I can do.” SPORT WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 33

Halep looks for positives after More players reveal cash offers ‘tough’ upset AFP

in Melbourne, according to BuzzFeed. Britain’s Arvind The controversy is just the latest to MELBOURNE: World number two hit the sports world after allegations of Simona Halep said she simply had Parmar says he doping cover-ups rocked athletics and an off-day after she was sensation- turned down cash football body FIFA was engulfed by a ally dumped from the Australian string of corruption scandals. Open at the first hurdle yesterday offered an hour On Monday, Serbian world by Chinese qualifier Zhang Shuai. before a second-tier number one Novak Djokovic detailed The Romanian, who has been a $200,000 match-fixing approach struggling with a niggling achilles tournament in the earlier in his career surrounding a injury, had no answers to Zhang’s Netherlands tournament in St Petersburg, Russia. dominant baseline game with the Tennis authorities strongly denied Chinese number four scoring a covering up any match-fixing evidence, stunning 6-4, 6-3 win on Marga- but they are likely to come under ret Court Arena. increasing pressure to act against The odds had been heavily AFP what is a threat to the sport’s integrity. stacked in Halep’s favour with “If there is corruption in any sport, Zhang playing 14 Grand Slam you know, you want to hear about it,” matches ahead of yesterday and MELBOURNE: More players revealed said world number two Andy Murray losing them all -- the worst record match-fixing approaches yesterday at the Australian Open. of any top-300 player. as the Australian Open Grand Slam “As a player you just want to be But she was a different player tournament came under close scru- made aware of everything that’s going on Margaret Court Arena, punish- tiny following claims that corruption on. I think we deserve to know every- ing the Romanian’s scrappy service in tennis was widespread. thing that’s sort of out there,” he added. game while dominating at the net Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis said In another indication that match- and from the baseline. he had been targeted through social fixers are preying on tennis players, “She was better today. It’s tough. media, while a British former Davis 19-year-old Kokkinakis, the world I’m really disappointed. But it’s only Cup player said he was once offered number 86, told Australia’s 3AW that one day, only one match. Tomor- an envelope stuffed with cash to throw he had been approached through row, it’s a new day,” said Halep, who The ‘Australian Fanatics’ cheer during the first round matches of the Australian Open Grand Slam in Melbourne, a match. Facebook. denied her injury played a part in According to Australian media, “Just these randoms (people) from Australia, yesterday. the defeat. police were also on the look-out for nowhere saying ‘I’ll pay you this much before I was due on court,” Parmar, more than I would have earned from said police, aware the BBC and Buzz- “I have to look forward and to suspicious results in the first round of money to tank a game’. I try and block 37, told The Times. winning the tournament and more Feed report was about to be released, stay motivated. You know, every- the Australian Open, which is currently it and get rid of that stuff and focus on “I was approached by a random than most players at that level would had quizzed people within tennis about one can lose, everyone can win. I under way in Melbourne. what you need to do,” he said. guy as I was coming off the practice make in a year.” which first-round matches at the Aus- know that. I have just to take it like The latest developments come after Separately, Britain’s Arvind Parmar courts. He showed me the money and An unnamed former tennis trader tralian Open might be at risk. it is and look ahead.” the BBC and BuzzFeed, citing leaked said he turned down a cash-stuffed said that I had to lose in two sets. He for a bookmaking company also told The Australian Open’s first round, Zhang burst into tears during documents, said 16 players who have envelope which was offered to him an seemed anxious, nervous, and after The Times that he suspected matches featuring 256 men’s and women’s sin- her courtside interview as the enor- reached the top 50 had repeatedly fallen hour before a match at a second-tier a few quick words he began trying to were fixed “on a regular basis, partic- gles players, concluded yesterday which mity of the upset sunk in and the under suspicion without facing action. Challenger tournament in the Neth- press an envelope stuffed with euros ularly towards the end of the season” is day two of the tournament at Mel- crowd gave her a generous ovation. “More than half” of the players, who erlands in 2004. into my hand. because of irregular movements in the bourne Park. “I’m so excited that I played include singles and doubles Grand Slam “I was offered an envelope full of “It was a substantial amount of betting odds. The high profile event ends on Jan- so well,” she said. “I’m so happy, champions, are at the Australian Open euros to lose in two sets, only an hour money -- tens of thousands -- way Melbourne’s The Age newspaper uary 30. so excited at beating the world’s number two player.” The 27-year-old, ranked 133 in the world, added that it was the “most memorable moment of my tennis life”. Lleyton Hewitt of Few would given her any hope ‘Education is the right Australia returns the ball as the two walked out on court, but to James Duckworth of Halep didn’t know what hit her as Australia during their Zhang raced to a 4-0 lead. first-round match at the The second seed finally got a way to kill fixing menace’ Australian Open. break in the fifth game and looked to be clawing herself back into the match at 2-4, but she lost focus as Reuters “I do think it’s important that from The profile given to match-fixing sweat poured off her and Zhang a younger age players are better edu- by the report’s release on the opening pounced again to take the set. cated and are made more aware of morning of the year’s first Grand Slam Halep appeared to regain MELBOURNE: Young tennis players what they should do in those situ- is nevertheless likely to see corrup- her composure as the second set need to be educated about the impli- ations and how a decision like that tion tackled with more vigour, perhaps unfolded, taking a 3-1 lead before cations of match-fixing and the sport can affect your career, can affect the with a funding boost to allow the TIU Zhang again stepped up her game, needs to be more proactive in talking whole sport. to expand beyond its current six staff. reeling off a forehand winner to about the issue, world number two “I think across all sports, I don’t Murray, who said he had never secure the biggest scalp of her Andy Murray said yesterday. think that that’s done particularly well. been approached, was of the view it career. The start of the Australian Open You know, I think you should be learn- would have been better if the first the “I think it wasn’t my good day, has been overshadowed by a report ing about those things from 15, 16, 17 players had heard of the matter had but I give her a lot of credit because I accusing tennis authorities of failing years old and being warned about it.” not been through the media. think she played really well,” Halep to take action against players repeat- Australian teenager Thanasi Kok- “You have to go and speak to the said. edly flagged up to the Tennis Integrity kinakis told local radio in Melbourne players rather than them reading about “She played without fear and Unit (TIU) over suspicions of matches that he had been approached on social it in the newspapers or listening to she hit every ball, she had good being thrown. media about throwing matches. it on the TV or the radio,” he said. “I rhythm. I think I played a little bit Speaking after he eased into the “You read some stuff on your Face- think the more proactive you are with too short in the first set. Then she second round at Melbourne Park, Mur- book page, just these randoms from educating young players the better...” was dominating me because she ray said Novak Djokovic’s revelation nowhere saying, ‘I’ll pay you this much World number 14 Milos Raonic felt the ball really well.” that he had been offered $200,000 to tank the game’,” the 19-year-old bemoaned the fact the report was over- Despite trying to be positive, it to throw a match in the early years told 3AW Radio. “You don’t really take shadowing the Australian Open and was a huge setback for Halep, who of his career highlighted the tempta- it seriously.” said he too had never been approached is enjoying her highest ever rank- tion facing young players. Tennis authorities on Monday to fix a match. ing after a stellar 2015 in which she “I think when people come with rejected suggestions they had sup- “The closest I have ever come to won titles at Shenzhen, Dubai and those sums of money when you’re that pressed match-fixing cases and is people sort of cussing off at me for Indian Wells. age I think sometimes people can make backing the TIU’s ability to fight cor- losing matches when they lose money,” She made clear ahead of the mistakes,” the Briton told reporters. ruption in the sport. the Canadian said. tournament that the ultimate goal was Grand Slam glory, with that dream now on hold. Game, set Serena, Djokovic back in and ‘thatch’ action on day three today

AFP Reuters

MELBOURNE: Brief stories from the MELBOURNE: Defending women’s champion Serena Williams resumes her Australian Open yesterday: pursuit of a seventh Australian Open singles title against Taiwan’s Hsieh Su- wei today, after fifth-seed Maria Sharapova takes on Aliaksandra Sasnovich Crowd violation at the Rod Laver Arena. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga became so Williams defeated Italian Camila Giorgi in the first round, dispelling incensed with rowdy fans during his doubts about her troublesome knee which forced her to retire mid-match match with Marcos Baghdatis that he during the Hopman Cup two weeks ago. urged the umpire to give them a code Switzerland’s Roger Federer meets world number 35 Alexandr Dolgo- violation. “You give a warning -- then polov on centre court and defending men’s champion Novak Djokovic -- on (they) stop,” said the irate Frenchman an unbeaten run stretching back to August -- plays in the night session against Australian tennis fans cool off during the first-round matches of the during the evening match on Monday. France’s Quentin Halys. The 19-year-old Halys, a wildcard entry, is look- Tsonga’s words during a change-over Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia, yesterday. ing to become the first teenager to beat a world number one at a grand slam could hardly be heard above the noise since Nick Kyrgios defeated Rafa Nadal at Wimbledon in 2014. of the chanting fans, many of them from crashed out in the first round on Tues- the crowds by firing one of his rocket Women’s fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska kicks of the night session Melbourne’s Greek community who day, when it said the “tennis world is serves at the backside of a friend. The against 2014 semi-finalist Eugenie Bouchard from Canada while Japan’s Ken pledge allegiance to Cyprus’s Bagh- in crisis mode” about Nadal’s thin- often controversial Kyrgios, watched Nishikori, seeded 12th, starts things off at the Margaret Court Arena against datis. Ultimately, however, Tsonga did ning hair. “The state of the Spanish by hundreds of fans at an outside court, American Austin Krajicek. quiet the raucous fans when he won star’s once-luscious dark locks has delivered a pinpoint serve which thud- Three women’s seeds will be in action on Margaret Court, with number in four sets to reach the second round. been a major talking point at Mel- ded into his friend, who was kneeling 12 Belinda Bencic facing Hungary’s Timea Babos and 10th-seed Carla Sua- bourne Park after he stepped out at obligingly on the other side of the court. rez Navarro up against Greece’s Maria Sakkari. China’s Zhang Shuai celebrates Game, set and thatch the players’ party on Sunday night It was not the only time that Kyrgios Sixth seed Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic will take on Austral- Rafael Nadal’s troubles aren’t all on looking a lot thinner on top,” noted has drawn attention this week. Contin- ia’s Daria Gavrilova in the night session, after men’s ninth seed Jo-Wilfried after victory in her singles the court -- he’s also got a few prob- a gossip column headlined “Head- uing a running battle with Australia’s Tsonga clashes with another home favourite, Omar Jasika. match against Romania’s lems in the hair department, according band hides all”. Aussie Rules footballers, he hit out at Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, winner of last week’s Sydney Interna- Simona Halep on day two of to some reports. Melbourne’s Herald Rock bottom the “galoots” involved in a nude photo tional, faces Ukraine’s Kateryna Bondarenko and big-serving Czech Tomas the 2016 Australian Open in Sun sounded the alarm for Nadal, who Australia’s Nick Kyrgios entertained scandal this week. Berdych meets Bosnia’s Mirza Basic. Melbourne yesterday. 34 WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 SPORT Cricket: Qatar’s Gulf Cup proposal ‘well received’ at ICC meet in Dubai

ICC ensures full support, asks QCA to hold discussion with Quinton de Kock other regional cricket bodies to finalise De Kock to be schedule and venue assessed before

The Peninsula fourth Test

Reuters DOHA: Qatar’s bid to initiate a Gulf Cup of cricket among the GCC coun- tries was ‘well received’ as the game’s governing body - International Cricket CAPE TOWN: Wicketkeeper Council (ICC) welcomed the idea and Quinton de Kock will have a final ensured its ‘full support for the regional assessment on his troublesome tournament’. knee today ahead of the fourth In a bid to promote the game in Test against England in Pretoria, the region, the Qatar Cricket Associ- Cricket South Africa said. ation (QCA) floated the idea to launch De Kock was injured while Gulf Cup which also received posi- walking his dog on the eve of the tive response from the neighbouring third match at the Wanderers and cricket bodies. replaced in the side by Dane Vilas. The QCA last week conveyed the Qatar Cricket Association (QCA) Secretary-General Manzoor Ahmed (third left) is seen with ICC Development Officer Iqbal SIkander (fifth left) Opener Stiaan Van Zyl’s dismal proposal to game’s global governing and neighbouring officials at the International Cricket Council (ICC) headquarters in Dubai recently. series is over after he was released body in the meeting involving Associ- from the squad with uncapped ates and Affiliate Members in Dubai. Stephen Cook set to replace him “The ICC has welcomed the idea and Member ‘anytime’. matches and conduct training ses- will arrive in Doha tomorrow and play at the top of the order in the match wants the event to take place,” QCA Sec- CRICKET GULF CUP GETS Meanwhile, QCA President MA sions as we have enough time for the a Twenty20 the same day. which starts on Friday. ICC’S GREEN SIGNAL retary-General Manzoor Ahmed who Shahid announced that Qatar will field tournament,” he added. The two sides will meet in a one- Van Zyl, usually a middle-order attended the meeting said yesterday. a ‘strong’ team in an U-19 Regional The QCA Secretary-General added day game on January 22 followed by batsman, scored just 69 runs in five “The ICC has ensured its full sup- tournament scheduled to be held in that Qatar’s national team was ready the second and last Twenty20 match innings at an average of 13.80. port and has asked us to engage all the earlier from nearly all the Gulf Coun- September. to take on Saudi Arabia at the Friendly on January 23. Fast bowler Dale Steyn has regional cricketing bodies. They (ICC) tries and now the QCA will resume The venue of the 10-team com- Cup this weekend in Doha as this is The two Twenty20 games will already been ruled out as the Pro- has no issues if all the Gulf cricket- discussion with them to finalise the petition is yet to be decided, he said. the first step after the decision in ICC start at 6:30pm while the one-day teas seek to give him more time to ing bodies will agree to start the Gulf venue and schedule. The ICC has also “We will select best squad for the meeting. which will be played on Friday will recover from a shoulder injury ahead Cup,” he said. asked us to do the same,”Ahmad said. tournament. It’s an important tour- “We have selected the best squad start at 2pm. of the five-match one-day interna- The QCA official was optimistic in “We are hoping the proposal to nament as the winner will get a berth following a trial match last week,” All the matches will be played at tional series starting on February 3. finalising the schedule and venue for get materialise soon,” said Ahmed in the Asia Cup in 2017, and the win- he said. Asian Town Cricket Stadium. England have won the Test series the proposed event as every country before adding that ICC has given QCA a ner of Asia Cup will play ICC World “The players are in good shape The QCA has announced that entry after taking an unassailable 2-0 has to propose venue to play the tour- go-ahead to arrange series with any- Cup U-19 tournament,” Shahid said. and eying a good show against the at the stadium during the Friendly Cup lead ahead of the final match at nament. “We got positive response neighbour country and any Associate “The QCA is planning to hold trial visitors,” said Ahmed. The Saudi side games will be free for fans. Centurion Park.

Indian off-spinner Chandila banned McCullum to give Cowdrey Lecture

for life over fixing AFP Crowe, Pakistan’s Imran Khan, Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, as well MUMBAI: Indian off-spinner Ajit as notable figures from outside cricket Chandila was banned from cricket such as South Africa’s Archbishop Des- for life on Monday for his involve- LONDON: New Zealand captain Bren- mond Tutu. ment in a spot-fixing scandal while don McCullum (pictured) will deliver McCullum, who follows last year’s batsman Hiken Shah was suspended this year’s Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey speaker Rodney Marsh, the former Aus- for five years over corruption. Lecture at Lord’s, the Marylebone tralia wicket-keeper turned chairman The BCCI found Chandila, who Cricket Club (MCC) announced yes- of selectors, said in an MCC statement: does not play international cricket, terday. “It was an honour to be asked to deliver guilty of spot-fixing while playing The lecture is named in honour of the MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lec- for the Rajasthan Royals franchise the late former England captain Colin ture – especially given the stature of in the IPL in 2013. Cowdrey, an all-time great batsman some previous speakers – so I was “Ajit Chandila is banned for life who was also renowned for the cour- very pleased to accept the invitation.” from playing or representing cricket teous way he played the game. MCC president Roger Knight added: in any form or to be associated in The 34-year-old McCullum, a vet- “Brendon McCullum is one of the best Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews is surrounded by media as any way with the activities of the eran of 99 Tests, is due to retire from cricketers of his generation, and I’m he leaves the police Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) board or its affiliates,” BCCI secre- international cricket next month before has captained New Zealand. He will sure will be a very engaging speaker building in Colombo yesterday. tary Anurag Thakur said. heading to Lord’s to play for county deliver his address at Lord’s on June – especially given his insight in to the “Hiken Shah is banned for five side Middlesex in English domestic 6, three days before the start of the modern game. years from playing or representing cricket’s Twenty20 Blast competition. Lord’s Test against Sri Lanka. “He has embodied the play hard, cricket in any form or to be associ- One of the most hard-hitting bats- The inaugural Cowdrey Lecture play fair message of the MCC Spirit of Mathews questioned in ated in any way with the activities men of his generation, McCullum has was given by the late Richie Benaud Cricket throughout his playing career, of the board or its affiliates,” Thakur also won plaudits for the aggres- in 2001 and subsequent speakers have especially in his captaincy -- so is a fixing probe by SL police added. sive yet sporting way in which he included New Zealand great Martin perfect fit for this event.”

AFP Herath took 10 wickets. Mathews said it was the players themselves who had Australia’s Hauritz announces retirement reported the approach. However, the police investigation was launched COLOMBO: Sri Lankan police yes- after Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasek- Reuters don’t need that anymore’. I just want terday questioned skipper Angelo era lodged a formal complaint. to get away. Mathews as part of investigations into On Monday, the Sri Lanka cricket “The highs and lows (are too much). an attempt to bribe players to under- board suspended its fast bowling I need to get off that up-and-down perform in a cricket Test against the coach Anusha Samaranayake for MELBOURNE: Australia off-spin- rollercoaster and get back to a bit of Australia’s Nathan West Indies. two months and sacked a part-time ner Nathan Hauritz announced his normality in life. Hauritz appeals Mathews said the police Finan- employee, net bowler Gayan Vishwa- retirement from competitive cricket “I competed as hard as I could but unsuccessfully cial Crimes Investigation Division jith, for their alleged roles in trying yesterday, bringing the curtain down I just felt that me competing as hard for the wicket of (FCID) recorded a statement about to bribe players. on a 15-year career during which he as I could wasn’t good enough. England’s Kevin what he knew of an approach to two The FCID has already recorded represented the national side in all Hauritz made his Australia debut Pietersen during the Sri Lankan players to arrange a shock statements from wicketkeeper Perera three formats. in a one-day international against first Ashes cricket defeat at the hands of the West Indies and Herath over the incident. Hauritz, one of the many spinners South Africa in 2002 before playing Test in Cardiff Wales at Galle last October. Sports Minister Jayasekera said Australia turned to after the retirement his first Test against India in Mumbai in this July 8, 2009, “This is about a player approach, last month that an unnamed man of bowling great Shane Warne, did not two years later. file photo. no investigation against any of the linked to a bookmaker had offered have a state contract for the last two He took 63 wickets in 17 Tests, the cricketers,” Mathews said after spend- the two players some 10 million rupees seasons and was used by his Big Bash last of which he played against India ing over five hours at the FCID office (around $70,000) to lose the match. League side Melbourne Renegades for in 2010. in Colombo. The West Indies, who have never one match this season. He has the same number of dis- He said he was questioned about won a Test match in Sri Lanka and The 34-year-old failed to take a missals in 58 ODIs and also played three what he knew of the approach made went on to lose the two-match series wicket in that clash, against Perth Twenty20 internationals for Australia. to Kusal Perera and Rangana Her- 2-0, were rank outsiders for the show- Scorchers, and conceded 29 runs in “I have a lot of good memories, ath, to fix the result of a Test played down in Galle. his two overs. obviously a few bad ones mixed among at the Galle International stadium. Betting is illegal in most of the “I was just so shattered after the them,” Hauritz added. The two players refused the offer cricket-mad Indian subcontinent, but game,” he told reporters. “But I will definitely look back at of some $70,000 and Sri Lanka beat backstreet bookmakers -- many of “I realised I hadn’t come down my career very proud and very happy the tourists by an innings and six whom have links to the underworld here to be that disappointed about a with what I achieved,” he said before runs after veteran left-arm spinner -- still flourish. game of cricket anymore. I thought ‘I h o p i n g f o r b r i g h t A u s t r a l i a n f u t u r e . SPORT WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 35 Curry, Warriors annihilate James’ Cavaliers

Curry scores 35 points as Warriors impose heaviest home defeat on Cavs with 132-98 victory

AFP

LOS ANGELES: Steph Curry scored 35 points as the Golden State Warriors dished out the heaviest home defeat of LeBron James’ career with a 132-98 pummeling of the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday. The eagerly anticipated rematch between the reigning NBA champion Warriors and last year’s beaten final- ists turned into a night to forget for Stephen Curry (second left) of the Golden State Warriors and LeBron James (second right) of the Cleveland James and the Cavaliers as Golden State ran riot. Cavaliers react during the first half of their NBA game at Quicken Loans Arena on Monday in Cleveland. Curry was tormentor-in-chief as he returned to the stadium where he helped the Warriors clinch last year’s scored 31 points as Chicago overcame and where our minds are at” NBA title. NBA ROUND-UP the disappointment of Joakim Noah’s In Charlotte, Kemba Walker scored The silky-skilled 27-year-old point season-ending injury with a 111-101 a career-high 52 points as the Char- guard had reportedly angered certain win over the Detroit Pistons. lotte Hornets downed the Utah Jazz Cavaliers players in the build-up by dejected Cavaliers fans leaving Cleve- The Spanish star also contributed 124-119 in double overtime. Walker’s joking that he hoped the locker room land’s Quicken Loans Arena well before 12 rebounds, while Derrick Rose added final haul was a franchise record for “still smells a little bit like champagne.” the end of the game. 20 points with Jimmy Butler contrib- Charlotte and also marked the first But any plans the Cavaliers had to Curry received able backing from uting 16 points and nine assists. time any Hornets player had topped make Curry regret his choice of words Andre Iguodala with 20 points while The game was Chicago’s first since 50 points in an NBA game. were torn up within a few minutes of Draymond Green chipped in with 16 Noah suffered a dislocated left shoulder “When I had my shots, I was just the tip-off. The Warriors raced into points, including 10 assists. on Friday, an injury expected to leave trying to be aggressive and take them.... an early lead and never looked back. A satisfied Curry said the win him sidelined for four to six months, and they were falling in,” Walker said. By the fourth quarter, the Cava- would remind the Warriors of their ruling him out of the rest of the regu- liers trailed by a mammoth 43 points potential. lar season and possibly the playoffs. -- the largest deficit James has faced “It’s a good message that we sent Gasol said Chicago had consciously at any point in his 1,127-game career. to ourselves -- this is what we’re capa- sought to block out the disappoint- NBA RESULTS The 34-point loss was the heaviest ble of,” Curry told ESPN. ment of losing Noah to a season-ending NY Knicks 119 Philadelphia 113 margin of defeat James has suffered “We bring the energy, we get the injury. Charlotte 124 Utah 119 in a home defeat, according to ESPN game to our pace, take care of the bas- “We spoke about it in practice emo- Portland 108 Washington 98 Statistics. ketball, make shots and play well. tionally after knowing Jo’s going to be Memphis 101 New Orleans 99 The dominance of the Warriors “We’ve got a high IQ on this team -- out for a while, if the team was going proved too much for James at one point, and we move the ball and look for the to notice it or feel it in this game,” said Chicago 111 Detroit 101 with the superstar losing his composure best shot on every possession. We’re Gasol, who also had three assists and Atlanta 98 Orlando 81 in an off-the-ball tussle with Curry who tough to beat.” three blocks. Toronto 112 Brooklyn 100 ended up being grappled to the floor. The win saw the Warriors improve “I think the team did a good job Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry celebrates a three-point Golden State 132 Cleveland 98 James finished with 16 points to 38-4 for the season while the Cav- just focusing in, playing and competing basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the third quarter of their NBA Dallas 118 Boston 113 but his personal tally was an irrele- aliers went to 28-11. and getting a huge win. It speaks a lot game at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland on Monday. vance on a night which finished with Elsewhere on Monday, Pau Gasol for our team, about our concentration LA Clippers 140 Houston 132

James and Curry head USA Olympic basketball squad

AFP

LOS ANGELES: NBA superstars LeBron James and Stephen Curry Magic Johnson were named in a 30-man provi- sional squad on Monday from which the final United States Olympic bas- first in line for LA ketball squad will be chosen for Rio Olympics. Rams tickets Curry was one of five players from the NBA champion Golden Goaltender Al Montoya Reuters State Warriors included in the (left) of the Florida squad, joining Klay Thompson, Panthers stops a shot Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes by Nail Yakupov of the LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles and Andre Iguodala. Edmonton Oilers during Rams’ bid to generate momen- Cleveland Cavaliers star James their NHL game at the tum ahead of their return to the is a three-time Olympic medallist BB&T Center on Monday. West Coast is off to a great start aiming to head to Rio de Janeiro in The Oilers defeated the as Basketball Hall of Famer Magic August for a fourth Games. Panthers 4-2. Johnson (pictured) was first in line The 30-man squad will eventu- for tickets. ally be whittled down to 12 players The Rams, who last week won later this year. approval from National Football “Obviously selecting the official League owners to return to Los roster of 12 players for the Olympics Angeles after spending the prior in 2016 will be a very, very difficult 21 seasons in St Louis, launched process,” said USA Basketball chair- their season ticket deposit cam- man Jerry Colangelo, the managing paign earlier on Monday. director of the USA Men’s National “We’ve got our first #Rams Team since 2005. deposit! The Legend @Magic- “As has been the case with past Hall fires a brace as Oilers down Panthers Johnson!,” the Rams said on their USA Basketball teams, the goal once Twitter account. Johnson won five again is to select the very best team National Basketball Association possible to represent the United Agencies Eichel and Jamie McGinn scored reserve on Monday with a lower-body titles during a career spent entirely States. NHL ROUND-UP power-play goals in the second period injury. Benn, 28, has recorded nine with the Los Angeles Lakers and is “The depth of talent that exists and Johnson made 26 saves to give points (one goal, eight assists) in 43 also part of the ownership group in the national team programme is the Sabres (19-23-4) their fourth win games this season. that purchased Major League Base- extraordinary. Repeating as gold NEW YORK: The Florida Panthers, in five games. The Arizona Coyotes assigned ball’s Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012. medallists at the 2016 Olympics who had not lost at home since Avalanche 2, Jets 1 Senators 4, Sharks 3 (shootout) forward Steve Downie to the Spring- “I got my @RamsNFL season will not be easy, but we feel confi- December 8, were beaten 4-2 by the The Colorado Avalanche put a little Mika Zibanejad was the only player field Falcons of the American Hockey tickets! I’m so excited and can’t dent that we have 30 finalists who Edmonton Oilers at the BB&T Center. bit of breathing room between them- to score in the shootout as the Ottawa League on Monday. wait to see OUR team next season! offer amazing basketball abilities Edmonton winger Taylor Hall selves and Winnipeg for the second Senators beat the San Jose Sharks 4-3 Downie, 28, has collected six points #Rams,” Johnson tweeted. and special versatility.” scored two goals and has 18 for the wild-card playoff spot in the Western at SAP Center. (three goals, three assists) in 25 games The Rams joined the NFL in The 30 players represent 17 dif- season. Teddy Purcell had the primary Conference with a workmanlike 2-1 Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson with the Coyotes this season. 1937 as the Cleveland Rams and ferent NBA teams, with the Warriors assist on both of Hall’s goals. victory over the Jets. denied Joe Pavelski, Joonas Donskoi first moved to Los Angeles in 1945 leading with five while the Cav- Blues 5, Penguins 2 The Avs improved to 23-21-3 and and Logan Couture in the shootout. where they remained until relocat- aliers and Clippers each feature Paul Stastny scored one goal and 49 points while the Jets fell to 21-22-3 Ottawa winger Bobby Jones tripped ing to St. Louis for the 1995 season. three players. assisted on two more in the third and 45. Sharks defenseman Brent Burns at NHL RESULTS Having gone two decades since Retiring Los Angeles Lakers period to lift the St. Louis Blues to a Sabres 2, Coyotes 1 3:08 of overtime to give the hosts just Edmonton 4 Florida 2 the NFL left Los Angeles, experts guard Kobe Bryant formally with- 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Buffalo rookie center Jack Eichel their second power play of the game, St Louis 5 Pittsburgh 2 have said the returning Rams are drew from consideration last week, Stastny also assisted on a goal in had a goal and an assist and goaltender but the Sharks failed to score despite Colorado 2 Winnipeg 1 expected to require a strong mar- saying he wanted to free up space the first period to record his first four- Chad Johnson won his second game putting four shots on net. Buffalo 2 Arizona 1 keting campaign to mark out their for the next generation of US play- point game in his two years with the in three nights in the Sabres’ 2-1 vic- Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars placed territory in an already crowded Ottawa 4 San Jose 3 ers,” he added. Blues. tory over Arizona at Gila River Arena. defenseman Jordie Benn on injured entertainment marketplace. WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2016 36

US amateur DeChambeau to make debut at Qatar Masters

The Peninsula

DOHA: Amateur sensation Bryson DeChambeau will make his Commer- cial Bank Qatar Masters debut later this month when the 6-foot 1-inch American competes in the 19th edi- tion of The European Tour event at Doha Golf Club. DeChambeau, 22, made history last year when he became only the fifth player to win the US Amateur Championship and NCAA Division I Action from the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) League match between Al Sadd and Al Shamal at Al individual title in one season, joining Gharafa Indoor Stadium in Doha yesterday. Al Sadd won 88-82. Jack Nicklaus (1961), Phil Mickelson (1990), Tiger Woods (1996) and Ryan Moore (2004). DeChambeau’s US Amateur vic- tory earned him starts in this year’s US amateur sensation Bryson DeChambeau will make his Commercial El Jaish crush Qatar SC as first three Majors – the Masters Bank Qatar Masters debut later this month. Tournament, US Open and Open Championship – and two more PGA has a lot of big names like Ernie Els, starting 2016 by continuing to travel Tour events in June. Retief Goosen, Adam Scott, Henrik to new countries. It’s a very exciting However, the Californian is cur- Stenson and Sergio Garcia, so I’m period of my life and my career, so I’m rently focused on his visit to the Middle excited to play there and compete looking forward to every new experi- Al Sadd edge Al Shamal East, where the $2.5m Commercial with top European Tour players,” said ence and making the most of it.” Last Bank Qatar Masters from 27 – 30 Jan- DeChambeau, who usually wears a June, DeChambeau became the first uary sits at the heart of The European flat cap while playing. golfer from South Methodist Univer- Tour’s three-week ‘Desert Swing’. “It was so special to follow the sity to win the NCAA men’s title when Deba top scores “I’m really looking forward to NCAA win with the US Amateur title. he beat Pan Cheng-tsung of Taiwan my debut at the Commercial Bank Later, I was able to compete in tourna- by one stroke at the Concession Club for Al Sadd in Qatar Masters. The list of champions ments all around the world and now I’m in Bradenton, Florida. 88-82 victory over Al Shamal in QBF League Action from AFC U23 match

The Peninsula

DOHA: Al Sadd and El Jaish posted contrasting victories in the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) League yesterday. Al Sadd had to battle for their win over Al Shamal, whereas, El Jaish showed no mercy to Qatar SC in two National League games at Al Gharafa Indoor Hall. Kone Mohamed Deba dunked 26 points while team-mate Raffa Anthony managed a tally of 23 as Al Sadd edged past Al Shamal 88-82 at Al Gharafa Indoor Hall. Abdi Khalid Suliman (16) and Daoud Mousa (12) also reached fig- ures to give Al Sadd the edge in the Action from the QBF League match between El Jaish and Qatar SC. hard-fought battle yesterday. Ali Saad Abdulrahman chipped with 4 points and 7 assists while Suli- In the second game of the day at For Qatar SC, Jefferson Conste- man managed 5 assists in Al Sadd’s the same venue, El Jaish hammered veous was the top scorer with 25 points tough win. Qatar SC 107-70. and 9 assists. For Al Shamal, Hachad Mohamed Monroe Jr II Sammy (33) and Mack- Al Muftah Abdulrahman Ibrahim Kamal dominated proceedings alone lin Vernon Leon (30) were the heroes (13) and White Malcolm Anthony (12) as he managed an impressive 35 points of the day for El Jaish by reaching the also reached double digits for Qatar to go along with his 6 assists. 30-mark. SC. Abdalla Ahmed Mahmood man- Ambres Mildon (24 points) also Leon had 8 assists while Sammy aged 9 points and 3 assists for Qatar SC. sparkled along with Kamal. managed 5 in the one-side campaign. El Jaish dominated all four quarters. Kosar Abdulqadir (10) was the Al Malki Saeed Ibrahim (15) and In the today’s games, Al Ahli take on Kim Yong Il (left) of DPR Korea and Tristan Do of Thailand vie for ball possession during their AFC U23 third Al Shamal player to reach dou- Ali Ali Turki (14) also reached double Al Wakrah at 5:30pm while Al Gharafa Group B match played at the Grand Hamad Stadium in Doha yesterday. Picture by: Salim/The Peninsula ble figures. figures for El Jaish. face Al Rayyan at 7:30pm. South Korea draw 1-1 Jordan coach confident with Iraq, top Group C ahead of Australia clash

The Peninsula Uzbekistan as Shahad Abdulghani The Peninsula order to win the next game and to made wholesale changes to his team. qualify. DOHA: A stoppage-time equaliser The match, as a result, had a dis- “The pressure on the Jordan team from Amjed Hussein earned Iraq a 1-1 jointed feel for much of the first half, DOHA: Coach Jamal Ahmad is con- is going to be less than the Austral- draw with Korea Republic but Shin but the East Asians managed to take fident Jordan can pick up the point ians because we have two chances, Tae-yong’s side still claimed top spot the lead in the 22nd minute when Lee they need against Australia today to to draw and to win, while Australia in Group C of the AFC U23 Champi- Chang-min clipped the ball into the qualify for the quarter-finals of the only have one hope, to win the game. onship as both sides progressed to centre and Kim Hyun powered his AFC U23 Championship from Group D. That’s a benefit for us and we will pre- the quarter-finals. header home via the palms of goal- Jordan, who finished third at the pare the players to win the game so Kim Hyun’s header found the back keeper Karrar Ibrahim. AFC U-22 Championship at the start we don’t need the results from any of the net in the 22nd minute to give It took the Iraqis until eight min- of 2014, shared a goalless draw with other teams.” the South Koreans the lead but with utes from half time before they created the United Arab Emirates on Sunday Australia put their challenge back seconds remaining Hussein struck their first opening, only for Amjed Hus- evening having started the tourna- on track with a 2-0 win over Vietnam from close range to secure a point sein’s header to be easily collected by ment with a 3-1 victory over Vietnam. in the second round of group matches, Saudi Araabia’s for Shahad Abdulghani’s team. Kim Dong-jun, while a minute later And with Australia having lost ear- but Vidmar’s side now must also win. Abdduullahh Madu Korea Republic will now face the Lee Yeong-jae fired his long-range lier in the tournament to the Emiratis, “Jordan is an excellent side and runners-up in Group D in the quarter- attempt over the Iraq goal. (leftft) ana d JaJ ppan’s the pressure is on Aurelio Vidmar’s we saw their game against Vietnam finals on Saturday while Iraq, who The Iraqis grew increasingly des- OnO aiiwu Adodo loocked Olyroos with Jordan currently a point and they have also made improve- had also booked their place in the perate as time ticked down but Mazin in ann aerial bbaattle clear at the top of the table alongside ments over the last few years and it last eight after the second round of Fayyadh’s looping 80th minute header duurring theeirr AFC the UAE heading into the final round will be a tough game,” said Vidmar. matches, will meet with the Group was as close as they went to levelling U23 maatch at of fixtures. “They have lots of technical play- D winners on the same day. the scores as it clipped the top of the QQatar SC Sttaadium “Australia is a very strong team, ers and also physical attributes. We Korea Republic coach Shin started crossbar before bouncing to safety. in Doha yesterdaay. but we know that we are also a good started slowly in the game against with just four of the line-up that But with seconds remaining, Jappan woon 2-1. team and so are the Emirates,” said the UAE, and had we shown the same kicked off the 5-0 win over Yemen substitute Mohannad Abdulraheem PiPicture by: Baherer/TheTh Jordan coach Ahmad. intensity in the UAE game that we did on Match day 2 while only midfielder centred from the right to Hussein, who Peninsula “These three teams make this against Vietnam, we would be sit- Ali Qasim survived from the Iraqi slid in to score from close range and group one of the strongest in the tour- ting in a better position, so I see us side that started in the 3-2 win over seal a point for the Iraqis. nament, but now it’s in our hands in improving in the next game again.”