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Sunday 29 September 2013 23 Dhul-qa’da 1434 - Volume 18 Number 5837 Price: QR2

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www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Panel formed Citizens angry to study illegal visa trade at reports on DOHA: A special committee has been set up to study the ille- gal practice of trading in visas. The committee has launched workers’ plight a field survey among expatriate labourers as part of the project, Al Sharq reported yesterday. The theoretical aspect of the study has British newspaper biased, say many been completed. The survey team will col- DOHA: Several citizens believe the largest French firms,” wrote lect information from labourers that the controversy raging in another. through a questionnaire. Once the the international media over Another commentator said study is complete, a report will be the plight of foreign workers in such campaign against Qatar submitted to the Prime Minister Qatar is part of a campaign to was coming from a country “that and Interior Minister H E Sheikh tarnish the image of the coun- claims professional ethics while Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa try ahead of the 2022 FIFA it is not followed by their press” Al Thani. World Cup. “About work injuries, we face Some fake companies in the The current debate was trig- this problem all over the world construction sector get involved gered by an article in Britain’s and it has nothing to do with the in the visa trade by misusing their Guardian newspaper last World Cup,” he said. licence to obtain visas, and then Thursday investigating the death “This is not new, they are still sell them out. Victims of such of Nepalese workers in Qatar, who in shock to see that an Arab coun- illegal trade are mostly Africans the daily said were employed in try is going to host the World Cup from countries like Nigeria, projects related to the World Cup. that will take place whether they An underground tank explosion at Al Andalus Petrol Station in Doha yesterday caused a cave-in, also damaging Egypt, Comoros, Morocco and The article went viral on like it or not,” wrote another. two cars. (ABDUL BASIT) Tunisia, said the daily, quoting a social media, with many citi- There were also commenta- source. zens expressing their anger and tors who partially agreed with These companies would hire disappointment. the views expressed in the Cave-in after blast at petrol station labourers by taking huge sums The investigation into a seg- article. of money from them and giving ment of foreign workers has “If the report is true, it is not them attractive offers, but once been viewed by many as explicitly good to host the World Cup at the BY FAZEENA SALEEM Muntazah is closed by the Civil There was no fire or smoke at the they land in Qatar, they would biased and highly exaggerated. cost of people,” said a commenta- Defence “because of the droop- site although the ground had mul- find themselves jobless. Even deaths of workers caused by tor. He however put the blame on DOHA: An explosion in the ing of tanks ground. No injuries tiple cracks. THE PENINSULA heart attacks have been linked to companies for such abuses. underground tank of a petrol were recorded,” said a tweet by About 40 people, mostly Asians, work site abuses, they said. “Work in summer is hell. Why station on C-Ring Road yes- the Ministry of Interior at around were working at the petrol station “This is a clear media war are the companies not being terday caused the ground to 3pm yesterday. and the attached service centre at against the Qatari 2022 bid… At forced to provide air-conditioned cave in leading to panic in the “An underground fuel tank was the time of the incident. Several Today’s edition of least we don’t have any homeless buses to transport their labour- area. No one was injured, the damaged due to the pressure cre- outlets, including those of popu- The Peninsula people with no work nor a place to ers?” said a comment on Qatar Ministry of Interior said. ated during maintenance work,” lar fast food chains Subway and includes live in,” read a popular comment Share, a Qatari social network- Two cars parked at the the Ministry said in another Baskin Robbins, are located in on Twitter. ing site. Al Andalus Petrol Station were Arabic tweet. Police and Civil the premises. “We heard a loud “I am disgusted at the Guardian Reacting to the issue, promi- damaged and lay perched on the Defence personnel cordoned off explosion and the ground col- report on Lusail. Reporting one nent Qatari businessman top of the debris thrown up by the the area. Investigations were con- lapsed. It all happened within week before the FIFA meeting Ahmed Al Khalaf also said the blast. Some residents were seen ducted for more than three hours a few seconds and we just fled,” GUIDEGUGUIDIDE is no coincidence. Lusail City is Guardian article was biased. leaving the area after the explo- after the incident by a safety and said a Bangladeshi worker at the SEPTEMBER 2013 not part of the World Cup and THE PENINSULA sion at about 12.45pm. security team. People working petrol station. THE PENINSULA it is managed partially by one of Continued on page 3 Al Andalus Petrol Station in in nearby shops were evacuated. Continued on page 3 SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Raf drive to help citizens jailed for loan default DOHA: The Sheikh Thani loans. In addition, if they had suf- In all its humanitarian inter- bin Abdullah Foundation for fered any losses, their business ventions initiatives, it has a clear Humanitarian Services (Raf) should not have been against vision and a noble message that has launched an initiative to Islamic teachings. does not discriminate in the form win the release of Qatari citi- Only cases of individuals who of gender, nationality or culture. zens jailed for failing to repay do not have a history of loan To ensure the success of its loans. defaults will be taken up by Raf. message, Raf has adopted the Raf has set up a fund to get the The move aims to bring back values of humanity, quality, neu- loan defaulters freed, and priority smiles on the faces of family trality and universality. Raf also will be given to women, Dr Yahya members of the prisoners before establishes humanitarian part- bin Hamad Al Naimi, Acting Eid Al Adha. nerships with different founda- Director General of Raf, said at Raf is one of the foundations tions who share the same goal, as a press conference yesterday. in Qatar concerned with humani- a formative and executive mecha- Citizens can benefit from this tarian work for relief and social nism to achieve local and interna- campaign only if it is proved that development, both locally and tional programmes and projects. they have no means to repay their internationally. THE PENINSULA SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 03 Judiciary enjoys Call for enhanced safety at petrol stations Continued from page 1 Several residents said they heard a loud bang and felt the independence, ground vibrate, which left them panicked. “We were on the second floor and felt a sound and shaking and we thought it was an earthquake,” says SJC chief said two employees in an office located less than a kilometre from the petrol station. A Filipino family said they were Plans to have more Qatari judges so scared that they decided to move for a few days. They were DOHA: The number of court means of dispute resolution, Al preparing to leave with their cases in Qatar’s Supreme Ameri said that the law deals belongings in their car when Judiciary Council (SJC) with such cases in cooperation The Peninsula met them in front amounted to 81,452 in 2012 and with the Supreme Council for of their house behind the petrol verdicts were issued on 65,363 Family Affairs and the Family station. cases, latest statistics reveal. Consulting Center. Qatar also deals “We want to move,” said a Although the number of Qatari with rental disputes through com- woman of the family, looking A police officer directing employees of Al Andalus petrol station after an explosion yesterday. ABDUL BASIT judges is on the rise, they comprise mittees formed for settlement of shaken. 60 to 65 percent of the total judges rental disputes. Al Ameri said that Brigadier General Abdullah Hamad Al Dahimi, Director of of a petrol station in Hilal area the Mall roundabout in January in the Council, Chairman of the there are plans to raise the number Al Suwaidi, Director General the Control Room, visited the site. injured over 50 people. this year, calling for enhanced SJC Massoud bin Mohammed Al of Qatari judges. of General Department of Civil A similar incident in 2009 due Also, a fire broke out in a small safety measures at such places. Ameri told Qatar News Agency “Efforts are in place to increase Defence and Brigadier General to a gas explosion in diesel tanks cafeteria in a petrol station near THE PENINSULA (QNA) in an interview yesterday. the national cadres in the field of He said that Qatar has sur- judiciary. The process needs a long passed several countries as far time and experience, and we try to as independence of judiciary was blend the two for those who finish concerned in the region. Nearly the courses.” 80 percent of the total cases that The training courses are pro- Ooredoo, Cherie Blair Foundation to help women in Myanmar the courts received were ruled last vided for judges, internally and year. externally, and continue during NEW YORK/DOHA: that women should have equal “Qatar’s judiciary enjoys inde- the judiciary season. Trainees Ooredoo and the Cherie Blair opportunities to access mobile pendence from the very beginning. also have access to the cases in Foundation for Women yes- technology to advance their lives Its independence emerged clearly other countries. The workshops terday announced an innova- and those who depend on them. when the courts came under the and courses are designed to keep tive new partnership that will Ooredoo said it has developed a chairmanship of the Supreme up with the development of Qatar. extend the benefits of mobile strong track record in this area, Judiciary Council and there is no The Chairman said that there technology to underserved com- leveraging mobile technology to other supervision from any other were open means of communica- munities and support women’s empower women across its vari- executive party.” tion that the Qatari judiciary holds entrepreneurship in Myanmar. ous markets and is confident it The SJC was formed under with various organs and parties. The announcement was made can make an important impact Qatar’s Judicial Authority Law and Asked about the fourth con- at the Clinton Global Initiative in Myanmar. the Council presides over all court ference of the heads of Supreme (CGI) annual meeting in New Myanmar is one of the few rulings as well as the appointment, courts, which was held in Doha York, and this initiative is a CGI countries in the world where transfer and assignment of judges. last week, Al Ameri said that the Commitment to Action. mobile phones have not yet Al Ameri said that there were conference discussed a host of key With 25 percent of the popula- reached the masses. Less than 10 many judges who specialised in dif- issues. This included the contri- tion living below the poverty line, percent of the population own a ferent areas such as civil family, bution of the judiciary in laying there is an urgent need to engage mobile phone. commercial and criminal issues. the foundation of social security more women in the country’s eco- Myanmar presents a unique One of the methods which helps in the area of family affairs, the nomic development. As part of its opportunity for Ooredoo, as the in moving the cases forward at a role of judiciary in the application vision of enriching people’s lives company recently obtained a fast pace is the recently launched and enforcement of international and stimulating human growth, licence to operate a mobile net- ‘judicial encyclopaedia’ on the conventions in investment disputes Ooredoo is committed to cham- work in the country, and will roll Council’s website, which gives the and also the issue of specialised pioning women and helping them out its services to the population The Chairman of Ooredoo Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud Al judge easy access to legal informa- courts as a means to promote jus- realise their potential in society. of 60 million. Thani and Cherie Blair announce the initiative. tion. Speaking on the alternative tice.” THE PENINSULA The company said it believes THE PENINSULA

Evening services at Justice Ministry Regional media join debate Continued from page 1 in nine years time to an Arab coun- DOHA: The Ministry of “The injury rate at the construc- try, that there were forces at work, Justice from today will tion sites in Qatar is less compared seeking to push back against the provide services to the to the UK and some other countries. decision. public in the evenings at Causalities at work sites should not “The campaign was low-key at the documentation and be ignored, those found responsible first. It began with the common real estate registration should be punished and the state argument mounted against virtually departments, from 5pm should enact laws to protect the every country awarded a prestig- to 8pm. labourers,” said Al Khalaf. ious sported event — can the neces- The move is to facilitate Regional media have also joined sary stadia and facilities be built in services and alleviate the the debate. time? The speed with which Qatar pressure faced by the min- “However, it might be as well to addressed to mammoth preparations istry and the public during look at the British newspaper’s scan- for the contest, quickly put paid to normal working hours dalous assertions in a wider context. that objection,” Arab News said in The services will be It was clear from the moment that an editorial on Friday. provided on a trial basis FIFA chose to award the World Cup THE PENINSULA for two months over three days a week (Sunday, Monday and Tuesday), before being implemented permanently seven days of the week. A weekly report will be made on the progress of this service to evaluate and avoid any obstacles or observations that may be encountered during the trial period.

NHRC chief meets FIDH president DOHA: Chairman of Qatar National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Dr Ali Ben Smaikh Al Marry yes- terday met the presi- dent of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Karime Lahidji. Talks during the meet- ing dealt with enhancing ties and the exchange of expertise and joint expe- riences between the two sides. FIDH is a non-gov- ernmental federation for human rights organisa- tions. Founded in 1922, FIDH is the oldest inter- national human rights organisation worldwide and today brings together 178 member organisations in over 100 countries. FIDH is nonpartisan, non- sectarian, and independent of any government. QNA SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME ROTA, HBKU to sharpen English skills of adults ‘Train The Trainer’ programme held for volunteers

DOHA: Reach Out To Asia go on to deliver a specially cre- courses are held twice a year (ROTA) has once again joined ated curriculum to low-skilled (September and February) for hands with selected Hamad bin workers employed at four each cohort of trainers deliv- Khalifa University (HBKU) Education City universities and ering ROTA’s literacy train- for the Adult English Literacy Reach Out To Asia . ing programme. Course topics (RAEL) initiative in partner- “Being part of the RAEL pro- include learning to teach the ship with Qatar Petroleum gramme is one of the best parts ROTA Literacy curriculum, (QP) to help low-skilled work- of my job. Since 2009, I have been understanding the issues affect- ers improve their English lan- involved in RAEL as the cur- ing low-income migrant workers, guage skills. riculum developer and teacher methods to facilitate adult learn- The RAEL initiative kicked off training, and it has been a very ing, and the use of facilitation its 2013-2014 programme with a rewarding experience,” says the and community-based learning two-day ‘Training The Trainer’ Curriculum Developer Silvia tools,” says Abdulla Albakri, course for new volunteer stu- Pessoa. Community Development dent tutors. This year, 36 volun- ROTA’s Adult English Manager at ROTA. Officials of Reach Out To Asia and Hamad bin Khalifa University. teers representing Georgetown Literacy initiative enables work- “It is such a great honour for University School of Foreign ers to achieve personal goals and us to develop and deliver RAEL classes are taught during a low-skilled migrant workers. myself mentally for my first ever Service, Texas A & M University, improve life opportunities. By ‘Training the Trainer’ courses 16-week period split into two During the 2012-2013 season, 73 teaching experience with adults. I Weill Cornell Medical College teaching labourers who work for ROTA. Such programmes terms. The first term began on university students taught basic plan on using the skills imparted in Qatar, Carnegie Mellon within their own campus, the match our vision where we aim September 22 and will conclude and intermediate level English to me by the trainers in the best University, and Reach Out To student volunteer tutors also to give an opportunity for all on December 22, with the second to 130 workers across the four possible manner to positively Asia, were trained in RAEL affirm each university’s commit- who live in this blessed country term starting in February and universities, with cleaners, pan- impact the lives of migrants who ‘Training of Trainers’ at ROTA ment to social responsibility and to contribute to nation build- concluding in April 2014. try staff and other support staff have chosen to enter this pro- recently. lifelong learning. ing and at the same time to be Inaugurated in 2009, the among the Education City work- gramme to improve their skills,” After completing the course “We have held a successful able to develop and realise their ROTA’s Adult English Literacy ers, improving their English lan- said Ahwaz Akhtar, one of the developed by Qatar Milestone RAEL Training the Trainer potential,” said Waseem Munla programme was created to guage skills. student volunteer tutor from Training Solutions (QMTS), course. The volunteers were so of QMTS. develop the English literacy “I think that the ROTA train- Georgetown University, Qatar. qualified Literacy Trainers will excited and enthusiastic. The ROTA’s Adult English Literacy and language abilities of Qatar’s ing helped me a lot in preparing THE PENINSULA

Officials of Msheireb Properties with their awards during the Construction Week Qatar 2013 Awards ceremony in Doha. Accolades for Msheireb Properties

DOHA: Msheireb Properties, Qatar’s lead- ing sustainable real estate developer, has won the awards for Sustainable Project of the Year and Sustainability Initiative of the Year Award during a celebratory evening at the Construction Week Qatar 2013 Awards in Doha. In recognition of Msheireb Properties’ pio- neering work in sustain- able urban regeneration, the judging panel described Msheireb Downtown Doha as a “winning initiative that will make a positive con- tribution to the advance of environmental considera- tions in construction, while also demonstrating clear practical applications”. Inspired by the vision of H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Msheireb Properties, Msheireb Downtown is the world’s first sustainable regeneration of a down- town area in an urban environment. The aim of the project is to recap- ture Qatar’s heritage and architectural traditions that have been overlooked amidst rapid development across the Gulf. “We are absolutely delighted and extremely proud to have won the awards, especially as sustainability under- pins all we are striving to achieve at Msheireb,” said Eng Abdulla Hassan Al Mehshadi, CEO of Msheireb Properties. Sustainability is central to the Msheireb Downtown Doha project and sustain- able principles have been fully integrated into its design: the preservation of existing heritage sites, the use of natural light and ventilation, the installation of photovoltaic solar pan- els and the efficient use of water and electricity. THE PENINSULA

SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 06 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME / MIDDLE EAST Folic acid may prevent Spina bifida, say experts National study likely soon to collect data on prevalence of congenital disorder in Qatar

DOHA: A special clinic at prevention and treatment held been able to reduce the occur- the Hamad General Hospital at the Four Seasons Hotel, Doha. rence of Spina bifida as much (HGH), for children with Spina The suggestion to conduct the as by 70 percent and that still bifida, permanently disabling study has been proposed during leaves about 30 percent that birth defect, has seen over 100 the conference hosted by Weill has no prevention. Much of the patients within two and half Cornell Medical College in Qatar research that is going on is to find years and the disease could be (WCMC-Q), in association with alternative ways that may do a prevented by folic acid, suggests Hamad Medical Corporation better job for some families and experts. (HMC) and Sidra Medical and to understand what all are the Spina bifida literally means Research Center risk factors are for the defects,” “split spine.” Spina bifida happens The exact cause of this birth she added. when a baby is in the womb and defect is not known. Experts “This will not be an accurate the spinal column does not close think that genes and the envi- figure and may be not all chil- all of the way. ronment are part of the cause. dren come to our clinic; there Around six to eight patients Children with severe symptoms are some children who have not below 14 years are seen per clinic are sometimes born with fluid been referred to the clinic. And which is held weekly and 37 per- build-up on the brain. there are some cases which came cent of them are Qatari children. They may also have this prob- initially and we did not diagnose. However, a national study is lem after birth. It can cause sei- So we are really very much inter- likely to start on the prevalence zures, intellectual disability, or ested in doing a national study of Spina bifida, as accurate data sight problems. Some children to get accurate data on the inci- about prevalence of the illness in also develop a curve in the spine, dence and prevalence of Spina the country is lacking. such as scoliosis. bifida in Qatar.” “We do not have accurate data “The best prevention is a sim- WCMC-Q Dean Dr Javaid about the incidence and preva- ple vitamin – folic acid, that has Sheikh, faculty from WCMC-Q, lence of the diseases, but in our been shown in clinical studies to HMC and Sidra who are all lead- clinic in the last two and half reduce the risk of Spina Bifida, ing geneticists, practitioners in years we have seen 102 cases,” that has been widely imple- neurology, maternal foetal medi- said Dr Haitham El Bashir, senior mented across the world and even cine and nephrology were also in Professor and Head of Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Development at Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, consultant, paediatric rehabilita- in Qatar and its very powerful but attendance and delivered pres- Dr Elizabeth Ross (left) with other experts at a session during the international conference on Spina bifida in Doha tion, Qatar National Spina Bifida not perfect,” said Dr Elizabeth entations about the Spina bifida yesterday. SALIM MATRAMKOT Clinic at the Hamad Medical Ross, head of the laboratory of during the conference. Corporation said yesterday. neurogenetics and development The conference shares latest He shared the information at Weill Cornell Medical College information on the genetic and forum for overview and discussion public forum provided an oppor- hear about the latest research on sidelines of an International in New York and organiser of the environmental factors contribut- of neural tube defects encoun- tunity for the Doha non-medical into prevention and treatment Conference on Spina Bifida: conference. ing to the development of neural tered in Qatar and the MENA community, especially parents for the disease. Genetic Environmental causes “In some studies folic acid has tube defects. It also provided a region. In addition, an evening of children with Spina bifida to THE PENINSULA Doha set to host ninth annual HSE forum in energy DOHA: Companies must give Sada, the two-day conference and top priority to human develop- exhibition, with workshops on day ment and sustainable health three, is designed to help support and safety of the workforce. initiatives to reduce workplace Any divergence from Health, fatalities, maintain employee Some of the participants of the Qatargas’ second Contractors Safety Forum held at the Renaissance Hotel in Doha. Safety and Environment (HSE) wellbeing and ensure sustainable strategies laid under company’s environmental protection. social responsibility (CSR), may The ninth edition of the con- cause serious threats to the sec- ference themed, “Reflective Qatargas forum stresses importance of working together tor, say HSE experts. Practice: Promoting Collective Aiming to improve the HSE Responsibility”, will once again DOHA: Qatargas hosted its sec- effective partners in providing to achieve Premier Safety per- Qatargas’ commitment to sup- in GCC region’s over $700bn oil bring together over 350 leading ond Contractors Safety Forum a safe and healthy workplace for formance is through the support port and willingness to work and gas sector, local, regional and global industrial stakeholders at the Renaissance Hotel here employees and contractors. of its contractors. We need to together to break the barriers.” international experts from the from the energy sector to chart recently. The Forum, which The format of the forum held speak the same safety language he said. industry are going to discuss the solutions essential to reduce brings together HSE (Health, under the theme “Breaking the and seek the same vision, com- Qatargas has several pro- issues and challenges faced by the workplace fatalities, reinforce vis- Safety, and the Environment) Barriers” incorporated inter- mitment and objectives,” he said. grammes in place that support hydrocarbons sector at the ‘9th ible leadership, improve workforce leaders from Qatargas’ con- active breakout sessions to Mats Gjers, Qatargas Chief its goal of maintaining ‘incident Annual HSE Forum in Energy’, competency and mainstream tractors, shareholders and provide time to discuss issues Operating Officer – Operations, and injury free’ operations. Risk set to open tomorrow at the Doha social responsibility into the busi- Qatargas assets and projects, and brainstorm improvement also delivered an address in which assessments, permit to work sys- Grand Hyatt. ness through an integrated haz- encouraged open discussions opportunities. he stressed the importance of tem, job safety analysis etc are “HSE in the oil and gas sector ard prevention framework. and enabled networking. During the forum, Randy working together and breaking some of these programmes. has to be in line with the busi- Delivering the keynote address The event provided an oppor- Stadler, Qatargas Chief Safety, any barriers between Qatargas Earlier this year, Qatargas ness process and the CSR mis- and setting the tone for the tunity for Qatargas and its con- Environment and Quality Officer and its contractors. launched the ‘10 Life Saving sion. A serious threat exists if forum is Dr Ali Hamed Al Mulla, tractors to showcase their HSE welcomed all the participants and “We are trying to break those Rules’ programme as the next the HSE, the business and CSR Manager Corporate HSE, at QP, programmes and highlight issues urged Qatargas and contractor barriers through collaboration step in the company’s ‘Incident strategies are heading in different who will share his vision for HSE of common concern to further personnel to put their hands and events such as this safety and Injury Free’ Culture. directions and for different pur- - endorsing corporate values and strengthen partnership and together and focus on achieving forum and seeking feedback from The Life-Saving Rules set out poses, said Jumana Mashraqui, promoting collective ownership. promote open and transparent work targets safely, effectively all of you so that we can improve clear and simple Dos and Don'ts Conference Production Specialist, The other panellists at the communication for continued and on time. together. There are lots of oppor- covering activities with the high- at Fleming Gulf, the organiser of executive plenary session include: excellence on critical HSE issues. “Our goal has always been tunities for synergy and collabo- est potential safety risk. They the conference. Corporate HSE Support Manager The forum also explored what to establish real partnership ration. We value all your input help to make sure that rules are “The industry as a whole has at QP, Nasser Mohamed Ali is required of both the contrac- with our contractor. We believe and feedback during this forum. followed and people are protected. to be committed to social respon- Mubarak, QHSE & Security Vice tors and Qatargas to become that the only way for Qatargas And I would like to re-emphasise THE PENINSULA sibility and social development. President of Dolphin Energy, Ali Priority must be given to human Al Rahbi, Executive Director of development and the sustainable IPIECA, Brian Sullivan, Executive health of the workforce, while Vice President of Petrotechnics, social and environmental require- Iain Mackay, Vice President of ments are a must legally,” he said. Safety Division at Total Refining UN resolution orders Syria chemical arms destroyed Held under the patronage of the and Chemicals, Pol Hoorelbeke, Minister of Energy and Industry and Kathy A Seabrook CSP, and Chairman and Managing CMIOSH, ASSE, President Elect UNITED NATIONS: The UN International experts are majority of the estimated 100,000 Russian Foreign Minister Director of Qatar Petroleum (QP), 2013-2014. Security Council unanimously expected to start work in Syria people who have died in the con- Sergei Lavrov said that the coun- H E Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Al THE PENINSULA passed a landmark resolution to meet the tight deadline next flict,” Bolopion said. cil would take “actions which are Friday ordering the destruction week. Britain and China offered “If the killing of civilians by commensurate with the viola- of Syria’s chemical weapons and to finance to the disarmament conventional weapons continues tions, which will have to be proven condemning a murderous poi- operation. unabated, the chemical weapons 100 percent.” son gas attack in Damascus. “Should the regime fail to resolution will be remembered as The resolution also applies to The major powers overcame act, there will be consequences,” an effort to draw red lines, not the Syrian opposition, Lavrov Iran unveils short-range spy drone a prolonged deadlock to approve US Secretary of State John save civilian lives,” he said. said. the first council resolution on the Kerry warned the 15-member Bolopion renewed HRW’s call The resolution “condemns in TEHRAN: Iran’s army yes- of army ground forces General conflict, which is now 30 months council after the vote sealing a for the UN to “refer the situa- the strongest terms any use of terday unveiled a highly mobile Ahmad Reza Pourdastan was old with more than 100,000 dead. US-Russian agreement. tion in Syria to the International chemical weapons in the Syrian propellant-powered reconnais- quoted as saying at the unveiling UN leader Ban Ki-moon, But Kerry hailed the resolution. Criminal Court (ICC), and adopt Arab Republic, in particular the sance drone, according to local ceremony. who called the resolution “the “The Security Council has targeted sanctions against those attack on August 21, 2013, in vio- media. According to photos provided first hopeful news on Syria in shown that when we put aside responsible for mass killings.” lation of international law.” The drone, named “Yasseer,” to Iranian media, the drone is a long time,” said he hopes to politics for the common good, Russia, Assad’s main ally, has Washington has blamed Assad’s can fly for eight hours with a launched from a wedge cata- convene a peace conference in we are still capable of doing big rejected any suggestion of sanc- government for that sarin gas range of 200km and reach an alti- pult, enhancing its mobility. The mid-November. things,” he said. tions or military force against assault on the Damascus suburb tude of 4,500m, the reports said. reports did not provide further Resolution 2118, the result of Human Rights Watch however Assad. It has already used its veto of Ghouta that US officials say It resembles the American details. bruising negotiations between the was not impressed with the deal. power as a permanent Security killed more than 1,400 dead, and ScanEagle, an unmanned short- Pourdastan also spoke of United States and Russia, gives “This resolution fails to ensure Council member to block three threatened a military strike over range aerial surveillance vehi- another newly produced kamikaze international binding force to a justice for the gassing of hundreds Western-drafted resolutions on the attack. cle that Iran claimed to have drone—called Ra’ad 85 -- which plan drawn up by the two to elimi- of children and many other grave Syria. Syria has denied responsibility. captured in late 2012. However, he said was capable of identifying nate President Bashar al-Assad’s crimes,” said the watchdog’s UN There are no immediate sanc- Should Syria not comply with Iranian officials did not mention targets and attacking them. chemical arms. director, Philippe Bolopion. tions over a chemical weapons the resolution, the Security the US drone yesterday. Iran in recent years has boasted The plan calls for Syria’s esti- Efforts to destroy Syria’s chem- attack, but the resolution allows Council agreed to “impose meas- “Yasseer is capable of iden- of capturing US drones it says mated 1,000 tonnes of chemical ical weapons “do not address the for a new vote on possible meas- ures under Chapter VII of the tifying targets... with its very have penetrated its airspace, vow- weapons to be put under interna- reality that conventional weap- ures if the Russia-US plan is United Nations Charter.” powerful camera, and reporting ing to reverse engineer them to tional control by mid-2014. ons have killed the overwhelming breached. AFP them back to the base,” the chief make its own. AFP SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 MIDDLE EAST www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 07

Iran president Shoe thrown at Rowhani’s motorcade gets US ‘gift’ Hundreds hail president’s return from UN General Assembly and historic Obama call of silver griffin

TEHRAN: A shoe was thrown TEHRAN: Iranian President at Iranian President Hassan Hassan Rowhani yesterday Rowhani’s motorcade yesterday brought home a 2,700-year- as he arrived home to a mixed old Persian artifact the US reception after his historic administration gave him as “a call with US President Barack special gift” to Iranians, media Obama, witnesses reported. reports said. Iranian newspapers hailed the “The Americans contacted us first contact with a US presi- on Thursday and said ‘we have dent in more than three decades a gift for you’,” Rowhani told as the ending of a long taboo. reporters on arrival at the air- The Etemad newspaper carried port in Tehran, the ILNA news a front-page photomontage of agency reported. Rowhani and Obama side by side. “They gave it back as a special “Historic contact on way home,” gift to the Iranian nation.” read its banner headline. Rowhani was speaking of a 7th But Rowhani’s 15-minute century BC silver drinking cup conversation with the leader of in the shape of a winged Griffin, a country long derided as the a legendary creature with the “Great Satan” was too much for head of an eagle and body of a some hardliners. Nearly 60 gath- lion. It is reported to be worth ered outside Tehran’s Mehrabad more than $1m. Airport, chanting “Death to An opponent (right) of Iranian President Hassan Rowhani holds his shoes as he chases the president’s car during his arrival at Mehrabad Airport in After being looted from a cave America” and “Death to Israel” Tehran. RIGHT: Rowhani waves to supporters as his motorcade leaves the airport. in Iran, the cup was seized by US as his motorcade passed. custom officials in 2003 when an They were outnumbered by 200 historic call. Rowhani told report- Arman. “International media in Hashemi Rafsanjani said he had agreement will require big con- arts dealer attempted to smuggle to 300 supporters of the president ers at the airport the call had shock over the telephone call.” pulled off a diplomatic coup by cessions from Iran. They include it into the country, according to a chanting “Thank you Rowhani”, been Obama’s initiative. The call was approved by speaking to Obama. the suspension of all enrichment State Department tweet. who were separated from the “We were going to the air- supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Many newspapers carried of uranium beyond the level Mohammad Ali Najafi, head of protesters by police. The shoe port, when I was informed that Khamenei, according to a top front-page photographs of a smil- required to fuel nuclear power Iran’s heritage organisation who was thrown as Rowhani stood up the White House had called the lawmaker. “Rowhani had obtained ing Foreign Minister Mohammad plants, and the closure of Iran’s accompanied Rowhani to New through the sunroof of his car to cellphone of our ambassador to the necessary authorisation from Javad Zarif and US Secretary underground enrichment facility York, welcomed the news. acknowledge the crowd. It failed the UN,” his office quoted him as the establishment for contact of State John Kerry at nuclear near Qom. Back home after the “We hope this will mark the to hit its target. saying. “I was informed President with Obama,” Hossein Naqavi talks in New York. Zarif said he international fanfare, Rowhani beginning of the return of other The airport protest contrasted Obama wanted to speak to me for Hosseini, spokesman for the influ- hoped for a deal within a year. now has to persuade regime scep- artifacts,” he was quoted as saying with the plaudits Rowhani a few minutes.” “The world caught ential foreign policy commission, But Zarif’s Western counterparts tics that these are concessions by the official IRNA news agency. received from the press for the unawares,” crowed reformist daily said. Former president Akbar made clear at the meeting that an worth making. AFP AFP

Tunisia’s Islamists to step down Sudan protesters march for sixth day

TUNIS: Tunisia’s Islamist-led Tunisia’s powerful UGTT the secular opposition onto the KHARTOUM: Sudanese dem- by demonstrators as a martyr. prayers in Khartoum. It was the government agreed yesterday labour union, mediating between streets to demand the fall of a onstrators called President Omar “Freedom! Freedom!” the dem- first time police confirmed that to resign after talks with sec- the sides, proposed three weeks government that critics accused Hassan Al Bashir a “killer” yes- onstrators chanted, calling for people have been shot during ular foes to form a caretaker of negotiations after which the of being lax with Islamist mili- terday, the sixth day of protests the end of Bashir’s regime, which the protests. Yesterday’s pro- administration and prepare for Islamist Ennahda would yield to tants and wanted to impose an sparked by fuel price hikes. describes itself as Islamist. The test occurred after thousands of elections to safeguard the dem- an non-partisan administration Islamist agenda. “Bashir, you are a killer,” demonstrators later dispersed mourners walked through the ocratic transition in the country with a date for parliamentary and Tunisia’s evolution towards shouted about 2,000 men, women when police fired tear gas. streets of the Mansheeya neigh- where the Arab Spring upris- presidential elections. democracy has been generally and youth after the burial of Salah Police said “unknown shooters” bourhood escorting an ambulance ings began. “The dialogue will start on peaceful compared to Egypt, Mudathir, 28, shot dead during gunned down four civilians dur- carrying Mudathir’s body, one The talks, which could begin Monday or Tuesday,” Lotfi Zitoun, where the army overthrew an a protest on Friday and hailed ing demonstrations after Friday witness said. AFP next week, aim to end weeks of a senior Ennahda party official, elected Islamist president after deadlock between the governing said. “Ennahda has accepted the mass protests against his rule, coalition and secular opposition plan without conditions to get the and neighbouring Libya, where that has endangered prospects country out of the political crisis.” the central government is strug- for stable democracy almost three The UGTT confirmed the agree- gling to curb the influence of rival years after Tunisians toppled ment and called on both sides to militias. autocrat Zine Al Abidine Ben Ali. set a time to begin talks next week. In contrast, Ennahda shared The crisis, which erupted in Since the street revolt that power in a coalition with two July after the killing of an opposi- ousted Ben Ali in January 2011, secular junior partners and had tion leader by suspected militants, Tunisia has struggled with divi- sought to defuse worries that it has eroded an already fragile sions over the political role of could impose an strict Islamist financial outlook and unnerved Islam in one of the Muslim’s programme impinging on liberal the North African country’s world’s most secular countries. education and women’s rights. international lenders. The July assassination brought REUTERS

Transitional govt phase to end by spring, says Egypt FM

UNITED NATIONS: Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy said yester- day that the transitional phase of government in Egypt should end “by next spring,” replacing leaders appointed after the army ousted elected president Mohammed Mursi in July. The army ousted Mursi on July 3. An interim gov- ernment was appointed and a roadmap for a tran- sition to new elections was announced. “Work is under way, in line with the road- map, on several tracks. It has so far succeeded in establishing the principles of justice, freedom and democracy, as a basis for governance,” Fahmy told the UN General Assembly. “This will be followed by parliamentary elections, then presidential elec- tions, so that the transi- tional phase ends by next spring,” he said. “We are determined to fully implement the road- map. This requires us to give the utmost priority to the preservation of security and the enforcement of the law, and to counter any intimidation attempts aim- ing at hindering our efforts,” Fahmy told the gathering of world leaders. He said no Egyptians will be excluded from the democratic proc- ess as long as they are com- mitted to peaceful means. REUTERS SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 08 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

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Time for action Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate

AST week, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its fifth assessment report which should make policy markers act with the Obama and Rowhani at the Lsense of urgency it requires. The IPCC said that it is extremely likely human influence has been the dominant cause” of global warming since 1950 and warned of more rapid ice melt and rising seas if governments do UN: Decoding the rhetoric not aggressively act to reduce the pace of greenhouse gas emissions. And the warning needs to be taken seriously BY KORY STAMPER not say. diplomacy waned slightly in the 17th because the IPCC is a panel of the world’s leading climate President Obama massaged the mes- and 18th centuries, but the 19th century scientists and was appointed by the United Nations, which N TUESDAY, President sage a bit more this week at the UN: brought a new influx of Francophonic gives credibility to its findings. “As the ocean warms, Obama gave his address to Mursi was democratically elected, but words into the English diplomatic and glaciers and ice sheets reduce, global mean sea level the UN general assembly, proved unwilling or unable to govern in vernacular, as the upstart colonies in touching on Arab-Israeli a way that was fully inclusive. America declared independence and will continue to rise but at a faster rate than we have peace, the crisis in Syria, Talleyrand would approve. signed a treaty of alliance with France. experienced over the past 40 years,” a scientist said. Some Othe Iranian pursuit of nuclear weapons, The US is a comparative newbie on France’s own attempts at diplomatie other key findings of the report were that the planet is and the need to stand together as an the diplomacy scene. For centuries, (the root of our modern English word warming at a hectic pace without any doubt, and that international community. It followed on diplomacy has been the province of the diplomacy) with its populace and with humans are causing it with 95 percent certainty and that the heels of the address given by Hassan French. France, or some iteration of other nations failed, and the America- Rowhani, the new president of Iran. it, has been a world power for almost France-Britain situation became the the past three decades have been the hottest since the start Much has been said about both speeches a millennium, and French was both a focus of politicians for decades after. of the Industrial Revolution in 1850. Reports say that surface and almost all commentary boils down courtly language as well as an interna- Francophone political words poured temperatures have already risen by 0.89C in the past 200 to this: diplomats never speak plainly, so tional lingua franca. And it shows in the into English, including “federalize”, “sec- years and could rise by a further 3C or more by the end of what exactly did each president mean? language of diplomacy; not only is mod- retariat”, “insurgency”, and – tellingly the century, which will have disastrous consequences for Complaints about the opacity of diplo- ern French an official language of the – “bureaucracy”. human being. People living on matic language predate the UN. “What UN, but French and its ancestors have Though in a different register, politi- a pity it is that diplomatic language, or given us the vocabulary of diplomacy. cians have employed less-than-straightfor- coasts face increased flooding, as lingo, is always, to say the least, so utterly As far back as the ninth century, ward language since the dawn of recorded we are already seeing in several unintelligible”, Britain had dealings with Norman time. In 46 BC, Cicero noted that: The IPCC report parts of the world, while those an unnamed princes and kings, but in the 11th Rhetoricians are permitted to lie living at the edge of deserts, writer for the century most of Britain also became about historical matters so they can on climate which are spreading fast, could New York Times French. William II of Normandy con- speak more nimbly. change is a suffer famine and an increased Diplomacy bemoaned in 1863. quered the Anglo-Saxons in the Battle The politicians of the new United is often the Famous French of Hastings, and all subsequent English States took to this habit like ducks to warning about number of diseases. diplomat Charles kings were Frenchmen and subjects water. George Washington wrote to There is no doubt that the art of deft de Talleyrand- of France – even the famous Richard Virginia’s acting governor in 1758, try- the catastrophe world needs to act urgently to circumlocution Périgord is said the Lion heart, who only spoke French ing to convince him to establish trade that awaits us. reduce carbon emissions. But to have put it this dialects and spent most of his regency with the local Native American tribes unfortunately, we are continuing and constructive way: in the Duchy of Aquitaine. In the years for the good of “firm and lasting peace”. A diplomat who after the Battle of Hastings, England Also in 1758, James Madison noted that to pump greenhouse gases into ambiguity. So says ‘yes’ means became a linguistic mishmash: the aris- rulers who overstepped the rights of the atmosphere at an increased how we do know ‘maybe’, a diplomat tocracy spoke various dialects of French; individuals “exceed the commission from pace. The IPCC report bluntly states that since the when an entente who says ‘maybe’ the average person on the street spoke which they derive their authority, and Industrial Revolution began, we have burned half a trillion means ‘no’, and a only Anglo-Saxon; and official records are tyrants”. “Tyrant” was used three tonnes of carbon from coal, oil and gas, states, what is worse, is cordiale? diplomat who says were generally kept in Latin. times in Obama’s address to the UN on we are set to burn another half trillion in a few decades. ‘no’ is no diplomat. It was the Norman middle manage- Tuesday, and his initial sentiment hark- Talleyrand (or someone putting words ment, essentially, who bridged the lin- ens back to Madison: At the same time, the obstacles in the way of reducing in Talleyrand’s mouth) speaks the truth: guistic divide. They developed their own For most of recorded history, indi- carbon emissions remain as formidable as ever. the language of diplomacy is shaded in lingua franca, a short-lived language vidual aspirations were subject to the Climate talks remain deadlocked, with nations haggling euphemism and hint. The Egyptian that was based on Norman French and whims of tyrants and empires. over each and every term and refusing to budge from their regime change that occurred in July was used in lesser official documents, in President Obama finished his speech hostile positions, countries continuing to burn fossil fuels emphatically not a military coup, accord- the lower courts, and anywhere where by saying: with no sincere and large-scale efforts made to create ing to the Obama administration. Calling French gentry mixed with upwardly We are ready to meet tomorrow’s it a “military coup” would restrict US aid mobile Anglo-Saxons. This language, challenges with you – firm in the belief public awareness, and the number of climate change deniers to Egypt and therefore be a diplomatic called Anglo-French or Anglo-Norman that all men and women are, in fact, increasing all over the world. It has been said that those disaster; but abandoning the democrati- and used as a language of cultural created equal, each individual possessed who deny climate change rely on wrong data, while the cally elected head of an allied govern- negotiation, gave English many words with a dignity that cannot be denied. latest report, which runs into 2,000 pages, paints the correct ment is also a diplomatic disaster. How having to do with administration and That’s a paraphrase of the famous picture. does one navigate this awkwardness? An diplomacy: “treaty”, “ratify”, “ally” and passage from the Declaration of unnamed senior Obama administration its relative, “allegiance”, “ambassador”, Independence. Mark Lyall Grant, British The IPCC report provides a golden opportunity for official charted the course: and “broker” (as in, “peace brokers”) all ambassador to the UN and skilful diplo- countries to shed their lethargy and initiate measures to We will not say it was a coup, we will derive from Anglo-French. mat that is he, didn’t bat an eyelid. prevent a catastrophe in the future • not say it was not a coup, we will just The influence of French words in THE GUARDIAN The other side Quote of Spain turns a blind eye the day HE Spanish National Court has because of his role in challenging the statements in Cuba, including a video witnesses who could confirm or deny dismissed a complaint from the Castro regime. It is a shame that the interview in which he was ordered to Carromero’s account. Why not try to find family of Oswaldo Paya, the Spanish court has turned a blind eye. read lines written by a Cuban security out if there are other witnesses to the India is committed TCuban dissident (and Spanish Carromero was tried and convicted officer. Carromero told us, and he has coverup? The Paya family’s complaint sincerely to citizen) who was killed in a car wreck in Cuba on a charge of vehicular homi- told others, that the car he was driv- to the court quoted a text message, in eastern Cuba on July 22, 2012. cide, sentenced to four years in prison ing was rammed by a vehicle bearing sent that evening to a friend abroad resolving all issues The family, seeking a credible and and later released to Spain to serve out Cuban state license plates. from Carromero’s cellphone, saying that independent investigation, pointed to the remainder of his term. In accepting In dismissing the complaint and someone had tried to run them off the with Pakistan, evidence that the car in which Paya was Carromero back, Spain acquiesced to refusing to conduct a new investigation, road. That ought to be enough to war- including the issue a passenger was intentionally hit from Cuba’s verdict. But Carromero did not National Court Judge Eloy Velasco said rant digging further. The Spanish judge behind and forced off the road, killing remain silent. On The Washington Post that Carromero’s description of events also rejected the suggestion from Paya’s of Jammu and him and youth activist Harold Cepero. At op-ed page in March, he described in is “juridicially incongruent” with the family that the case should be investi- Kashmir, through the wheel of the car carrying Paya was harrowing terms how he was brow- testimony he gave the Cuban court. gated under the principle of “universal a Spanish politician, Angel Carromero, beaten into accepting the Cuban ver- Exactly right. Carromero had to leave jurisdiction,” that certain crimes are so bilateral dialogue who had come to Cuba to assist Paya, sion of events — that he was speeding, the Cuban dungeon to speak freely. Why serious that they can be pursued across a leading voice for democracy. The lost control of the car and hit a tree. should this be a barrier to further inquiry? national boundaries. on the basis of the Manmohan Singh death of Paya was suspicious, not least Carromero renounced his testimony and The judge also cited the lack of any The Washington Post Simla Agreement. Indian Prime Minister SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 09 World unprepared to police chemical arms Syria’s example offers another lesson: We need to investigate the value of building a large, mobile chemical-weapons demilitarisation plant.

BY DAN KASZETA The intelligence agencies of the major powers need to be able to look at vapour e may never get to the clouds from a distance, perhaps shine bottom of what hap- a laser on them and be able to tell if pened on August 21 in sarin or VX, for example, had been Ghouta, on the out- used. Some great ideas and even a few skirts of Damascus. embryonic technologies are out there; WThe report by United Nations inspec- They need to be pushed from concept tors concluded that rockets containing to laboratory to product. the nerve agent sarin were used against Second, we need to do a better job civilians, including children, as well as of video analytics. In the immediate combatants on a relatively large scale. aftermath of the Ghouta attack, the Circumstantial evidence suggests Syrian world was reduced to examining ama- government troops fired them, but the teur video recordings to determine what lack of proof has given the regime, and did or did not happen. its backers in Russia, room to blame There are many limitations to this rebel forces. evidence, but even intelligence agencies, For those of us who have long grap- it seems, were relying on YouTube clips. pled with chemical weapons, the uncer- Intelligence officials and other arbiters Sarin, the deadly nerve gas which the United States says was unleashed last month by the Syrian regime in a Damascus suburb, was tainties present a familiar frustration. of truth, such as journalists, need to fig- To this day, the world doesn’t know the ure out better ways of gleaning time, developed by Nazi scientists in 1938. full story of what happened in Halabja, place and medical details from video Iraq, where the Saddam Hussein regime footage. time UN inspectors will gain access to agents and precursor chemicals. These flown in 40-foot cargo containers to in 1988 killed uncounted thousands of Third, we need to improve sample a suspected chemical attack site, espe- materials can be safely destroyed only where it is needed and assembled on Iraqi Kurds using unknown chemi- collection. In any conflict that affects cially given the consequences for Syria in specially constructed facilities, which the spot, just like field hospitals and cal weapons, or in Srebrenica, where as many interests as Syria’s civil war, of the Ghouta massacre. don’t exist in Syria. Transporting weap- forensic laboratories. allegations arose in 1995 that Bosniak there are multitudes of spies. Agents Better forensic evidence, produced ons for destruction poses the risk of It would be naive to think that once survivors fleeing the city came under a working for Western parties should more quickly, might have made a horrific chemical accidents and diver- Syria’s chemical arms are cleaned up, chemical attack by Bosnian Serb forces. be trained, in the event of a chemical more powerful case that troops loyal sion by terrorists. there will be no need for such a facility. There are lessons to learn from these attack, to quickly collect solid, liquid, to President Bashar Al Assad were In this respect, Syria’s example offers In the event of civil war or regime ambiguities, ways civilised countries can gas and blood samples that can be use- responsible for the attack. Although another lesson: We need to investigate collapse in North Korea, we may face make the use of chemical weapons more fully analysed. prosecution for war crimes is unim- the value of building a large, mobile an urgent situation there; the US thinks transparent so as to better deter would- Equipped with a sterile glass jar, an aginable with Russia protecting the chemical weapons demilitarisation the country has significant chemical- be transgressors and hold guilty parties air-sampling bag and a thermal desorp- regime, definitive proof might have plant. Small mobile systems exist, but weapons stores. Sometimes stockpiles accountable. tion tube — standard gear for hazmat humbled Assad, thereby discouraging none that could rapidly destroy Syria’s turn up with no warning. Albania First, we need to develop the capacity technicians and environmental crimes Syria from violating a US-Russian time- arsenal. unveiled in 2005 that it had discovered for “stand-off” detection of chemical detectives — spies could provide mate- line for the destruction of its chemical- The plant could be ship-based, like 16 tons of sulfur mustard hidden away weapons. The world today has no tools rial more useful than 100 YouTube clips. weapons programme. the two emergency hospitals the US by its Marxist dictatorship in the 1970s. to accurately recognise the dispersal Just one sample of the actual substance Even if the regime eagerly cooperates, Navy dispatches to disaster zones The world will almost certainly be of chemical warfare agents from a dis- used on August 21, collected at the time, it will be difficult to complete the plan around the world. shocked by chemical weapons again. tance. The most useful detectors have would have saved weeks of speculation by its deadline, the middle of next year. Better yet would be a system that The least we can do is a better job pre- to be present at the site of the attack, and mystery. Syria is thought to possess more than could go anywhere, including land- paring for it. rather than on a drone or a satellite. Plus, there’s no guarantee that next 1,000 metric tons of chemical warfare locked areas. Its components could be WP-BLOOMBERG Mall attack bolsters Kenyatta Edward Snowden’s Kenya is seen as a leaks are misguided key ally in the fight BY DAVID OMAND against violent Islamist s Edward Snowden a hero or a criminal guilty of the most damag- ing espionage? It appears he is seen as both. Some will say he is a extremism in the Horn whistleblower who has fuelled the debate around the interception Iof communications in cyberspace. But it was no surprise to those who study the subject that a powerful search tool like Prism – and of Africa. buffering software – is needed to find the communications of the ter- rorist or criminal among billions of others. BY EDMUND BLAIR and PASCAL But is revealing intelligence capabilities the way to conduct this FLETCHER debate, or is it gratuitously damaging? For Britain, Snowden’s public interest justification is thin since subsequent investigation has shown hile it hurts Kenya’s tourism and conclusively the British intelligence agency concerned, GCHQ, has at investment, the bloody Nairobi all times acted lawfully. mall assault by Islamist mili- I do not detect that the British public was much shaken, let alone Wtants will help President Uhuru stirred by these misguided allegations of wrongdoing. Nor do I know Kenyatta bolster international support as he anyone who would say we should legislate to prevent the police from confronts charges of crimes against humanity being able to track down terrorists, drug traffickers, kidnappers and at The Hague. paedophiles through their use of the Internet. I know the public does Accused by prosecutors at the International The Westgate mall in Nairobi, where Islamist militants killed dozens of civilians. not want to make the Internet a safe space for those who wish to Criminal Court of fomenting post-election harm us. It is not the existence and power of systems like Prism and bloodletting in 2007/2008, Kenyatta leads a basis, he said, without commenting further. made clear that he is actively seeking interna- the links from NSA and GCHQ to the Internet companies that is the nation that is now in the spotlight as a victim Western governments, obliged to walk tional backing to confront the widening threat problem: that capability is what it takes to do the job society has asked of crimes punishable under international law. something of a diplomatic tightrope in their posed by cross-border jihadists like the week- them to do in the Internet age. The raid on Nairobi’s upscale Westgate relations with the ICC-indicted pair after end mall raiders. The real debate we should be having on the back of the Snowden mall, in which Islamist militants killed dozens their election, now seem willing to work more In a speech addressing the nation and its case is about what privacy in a cyber-connected world can realistically of civilians in a hail of gunfire and grenades, closely with them, especially in anti-terrorism “friends” late on Tuesday when he announced mean given the volumes of personal data we hand over to the private has won Kenya words of support and firm cooperation. that security forces had defeated the attack- sector in return for our everyday convenience, and the continued need condemnations of “terrorism” from leaders ers after a four-day siege, Kenyatta stressed for warranted access for security and law enforcement. around the world. TACKLING TERRORISM that “terrorism is a global problem that Whatever view we take on where as a society we want the balance This could shift the diplomatic scenario “I would regard the need to combat ter- requires global solutions”. between our right to privacy against our right to live in security, we for a 51-year-old president, whose election in rorism as essential business,” the European Since the mall attack, Kenyatta has all need to have confidence that in the hands of our authorities these March as Kenya’s head of state had already Union’s Africa Director Nick Wescott said. He received calls and messages of support from powerful tools of interception are not being abused. added a new dimension to the ICC prosecu- was in Nairobi specifically to discuss with the world leaders, including US President Barack We have to have trust in those we ask to verify the activities of the tion against him. He denies encouraging the Kenyan authorities the security implications Obama and British Prime Minister David state on our behalf: in particular we need to have confidence the sen- post-election violence that killed upwards of of the weekend attack, which killed several Cameron. Kenya is seen as a key ally in the ior judges and parliamentarians (the parliamentary intelligence and 1,200 people. expatriates as well as Kenyans. fight against violent Islamist extremism in security committee, or ISC) can enter deep inside the ring of secrecy Kenyatta’s allies are arguing that the secu- Asked whether this would mean greater the Horn of Africa and Kenyan troops form around police and intelligence work to satisfy themselves that all is rity implications for Africa and the world Western flexibility towards dealing with part of an internationally-backed African well, and have the clout to get things put right if not. The senior judges of the weekend mall attack claimed by the Kenyatta, Wescott said the two issues — the peacekeeping force in Somalia that has put who check on the lawfulness of intelligence work already exercise that Islamist militant group Al Shabaab from Kenyan leader’s ICC trial and his international Al Shabaab on the defensive. legal power. neighbouring Somalia should take priority role in fighting Islamist extremist violence — In contrast, another ICC indictee, Sudanese The ISC now has to show it can understand the issues advanced over the president’s obligations to the ICC, should be kept separate. President Omar Hassan Al Bashir, who is intercept technology poses and must be given the expert help to do that. where he is due to face trial on November Reflecting this intensified cooperation, accused of orchestrating genocide in Darfur Verification by so-called whistle-blowers is certainly not the answer, as 12. Moses Kuria, a strategist for Kenyatta’s Kenyan Interior Minister Joseph ole Lenku and is defying an arrest warrant, is treated the Snowden case is dramatically revealing. When David Miranda, the Jubilee coalition, suggested the ICC suspend its said the United States, Israel, Britain, as a pariah by the West. Kenya’s government, partner of the Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald – who has led on ongoing prosecutions against Kenyatta and his Germany, Canada and the police agency backed by east African states and some other the Snowden story – was stopped by the police at Heathrow airport deputy, William Ruto, for two to three years, Interpol were assisting in the investigation nations on a continent that is increasingly he was found to have on his hard drive 58,000 top secret British intel- to allow them to confront a threat to Kenya’s of the Westgate mall incident and the identi- suspicious of a perceived anti-African bias ligence documents that had been shared with the NSA and stolen by security that the Kenyan leader has called an ties of the attackers. But for those who want by the ICC, had already asked the ICC to Snowden (along with no doubt hundreds of thousands of comparable “international war”. Kenyatta to face justice and an end to what suspend the hearings scheduled for Kenyatta American intelligence documents). The British material covers in detail ICC judges on Monday adjourned Ruto’s they call a culture of impunity in Africa, the and Ruto. all aspects of the intelligence work we conduct alongside the US, from trial, which began this month, for a week idea of giving the Kenyan leader any judicial African leaders are due to discuss the detecting cyberattacks to uncovering terrorist plots, to supporting our to allow him to return home and deal with leeway is anathema. Kenyan prosecutions at the African Union forces in Afghanistan. the mall attack crisis. ICC spokesman Fadi Global risk consultancy Maplecroft said the next month, amid some calls for a walkout Even so, some damage to our security could still inadvertently have El-Abdallah said Kenyatta’s defence lawyers Shabaab attack on Kenya’s leading shopping by African states from the decade-old ICC. been done, since journalists are not best placed to know exactly what had filed a request for the Kenyan president to mall showed up how the ICC trials against the The Hague court’s prosecutor, Fatou detail may complete the jigsaw puzzles of our adversaries. Instead of not physically appear at his trial in the Hague Kenyan leaders would be “hugely disruptive to Bensouda of Gambia, who is leading the cases more revelations, the Guardian should focus on a principled debate next month, but participate via video link. the processes of governance” in east Africa’s against Kenyatta and Ruto, has given no indi- on how to allow intelligence agencies and law enforcement to do their All requests for adjustments, suspen- biggest economy. cation so far that the ICC will ease up on the job in keeping us from harm whilst preventing unjustified snooping by sions or postponements would be con- Kenyatta, who has up to now publicly prosecutions. public or commercial sectors. sidered by the judges on a “case by case” pledged his cooperation with the ICC, has REUTERS THE GUARDIAN SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 10 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INTERNATIONAL 42 die, 100 Kenya faces missing as questions over boat sinks in Nigeria

LAGOS: A boat overloaded mall attack with passengers and goods travelling on the Niger River in central Nigeria has capsized, Sixth Briton killed in siege identified killing 42 people with 100 others missing, the state rescue agency NAIROBI: Kenya is “at war” the Kenyan parliament’s defence told AFP yesterday. with Islamist militants who and foreign relations committee The boat with an estimated attacked a Nairobi shopping which is expected to ask security 150 people on board “split” mall, the government said yes- chiefs how much warning they in two after setting off from terday as it faced questions had of Saturday’s assault. Malilli village in Niger state, said about whether it had received In the mall attack that Mohammed Shaba, head of the advance intelligence warnings extended into a four-day siege, State Emergency Management of the deadly strike. gunmen fired on shoppers and Agency. A week after the raid on the tossed grenades leaving a trail “As of now, we have lost 42 and Westgate shopping centre that of victims and shocking Kenya 100 are missing,” he said of the killed 67 civilians and police and the world. Al Shabaab said it Friday evening disaster. and was claimed by the Somali acted in revenge against Kenyan Rescue teams were on site, militant group Al Shabaab, the troops who have been fighting it searching the waters for further government has been trying to in neighbouring Somalia for two bodies after what Shaba described reassure Kenyans that it can pro- years. as the worst accident to hit the tect them from further attacks. Britain’s government said yes- state in recent years. Three Kenyan newspapers terday a sixth British national “We are going to learn a lesson reported yesterday that a year ago had been identified among those from this,” he told AFP. the country’s National Intelligence killed at the mall. French and According to Shaba, the ves- Service (NIS) had warned of the Canadian nationals also died. Extreme-right Golden Dawn party lawmaker Ilias Panagiotaros is escorted by anti-terrorism police officers as he sel was packed with far too many presence of suspected Al Shabaab The Star quoted another NIS arrives at a courthouse in Athens yesterday. traders as well as the goods they militants in Nairobi and that they briefing in February warning of a acquired from a market in Malilli. were planning to carry out “sui- gun and grenade attack in Kenya While he blamed “overloading” cide attacks” on the Westgate similar to a three-day killing as the primary cause, he also said mall and on a church in the city. spree by militants in the Indian that high waters on the Niger In front-page stories, the city of Mumbai in 2008. Greek police arrest far-right could have been a contributing Nation, Standard and Star news- In an editorial, the Standard factor, following a heavy rainy papers questioned whether the said the reports pointed to “obvi- season in the area. Kenyan government and military ous” security lapses. “It is becom- Nigeria has seen significant may have failed to act on this and ing increasingly apparent that the party chief, four members flooding in regions across the more recent warnings this year country’s top security organs may country in recent years. by local and foreign intelligence have received adequate briefing on ATHENS: Greek police yes- of the suspects also assault and Golden Dawn yesterday urged The Niger is Africa’s third long- services. imminent terror threats,” it said. terday cracked down on the murder, according to a source in its followers to demonstrate est river, behind the Nile and the “It is not a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer,” “Why they did not act in time neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, the Justice Ministry. against what it called an “illegal Congo, extending an estimated Mutea Iringo, principal secretary to save the needless deaths at arresting its founding leader Golden Dawn faced a crack- decision” and several hundred 4200 kilometres. in the Ministry of Interior, told Westgate is astonishing and and four other members in par- down after a self-confessed neo- faithful had gathered in front of The boomerang shaped water- Reuters. dumbfounding,” it added. liament, following the murder Nazi allegedly fatally stabbed the police station where the sus- way begins in Guinea, carves “Every day, we get intelligence The possibility that Al Shabaab, of a leftist musician allegedly by popular hip-hop musician Pavlos pects are being held. north and east through Mali, then and action is taken as per that which has carried out previous a party activist. Fyssas, 34, on September 18, a Amid a sea of Greek flags, the back south through Nigeria expel- intelligence and many attacks smaller gun and grenade attacks The arrests came a day after killing that sparked nationwide protesters chanted the party’s ling into the Gulf of Guinea. averted. But the fact that you get in Kenya, may be planning fur- Golden Dawn threatened to pull protests. slogan, “Blood, honour, Golden Shaba said water levels on the intelligence does not mean ther high-profile strikes presents its lawmakers out of parliament, a About a dozen party members, Dawn”, watched over by anti-riot parts of the Niger have gotten so something cannot happen,” the a major security challenge for move that could trigger a political including two police officers, in police. dangerously high over the last few senior official added. President Uhuru Kenyatta, crisis in the recession-hit country. the Athens area were also being “Golden Dawn is still there, it years that he has advised people “What we are saying is that elected in March. In dawn raids, Greek anti- questioned in the ongoing police will not retreat. You can’t put its living along the river bank to find we are at war, and that every But the incident has also ral- terror police arrested Nikos operation which is expected to ideas in prison, we will fight to a second home where they can day some young Kenyan is being lied foreign support for him Michaloliakos, who founded lead to more arrests, police and the end,” Artemis Matheopoulos, stay when the rains peak. radicalised by Al Shabaab to kill as he confronts charges of the party in 1980, along with judicial sources said. a party MP, told AFP. Passenger boats in Nigeria, Kenyans,” Iringo said, calling on crimes against humanity at the party spokesman and MP Ilias The police sweep came after The party currently has 18 law- especially in more remote areas, citizens across the east African International Criminal Court in Kassidiairis and three other law- Greece’s supreme court, which makers in parliament and prior are often poorly maintained. But nation to be alert and cooperate The Hague. He deines charges of makers, police said. has been charged with inves- to the musician’s murder was operators with narrow profit with authorities. orchestrating violence following The charges against them tigating the far-right group, the third most popular political margins typically try to cram on The newspaper reports emerged Kenya’s disputed 2007 elections. included belonging to a “crimi- issued arrest warrants for some grouping in the country. board an excessive number of pas- ahead of a meeting tomorrow of REUTERS nal organisation”, and for some 30 members. AFP sengers to boost income. AFP Italian govt jolted as US Republicans to amend budget bill, return it to Senate WASHINGTON: The US tomorrow night. Under pressure possible,” Boehner said in a state- back to the Senate,” congressman with the Senate, where Majority House was to vote yesterday on from his party’s far-right con- ment after the meeting. Darrell Issa said after the meeting. Leader Harry Reid has insisted Berlusconi a Republican plan that funds servative wing, Boehner doubled “We will do our job and send “Obamacare is not ready, and that no legislation that defunds or the government through mid- down on his caucus’s bid to stop this bill over, and then it’s up to the delay is clearly essential.” delays the health care law would pulls out December and delays imple- President Barack Obama’s signa- the Senate to pass it and stop a Issa argued that a one-year pass the chamber. mentation of the country’s ture domestic achievement, his government shutdown.” delay “might actually be what He also warned that the only ROME: Italian centre-right new health care law, a strategy health care law, vowing to send a In addition to a one-year saves” the health care law, parts bill that would prevent a shut- leader Silvio Berlusconi that could lead to a crippling bill back to the Senate with barely delay of the law that has become of which are set to take effect on down was the stopgap funding pulled his ministers out of shutdown. any time for legislative action to known as “Obamacare,” one of October 1. “And for those of us measure passed by the Senate on the cabinet yesterday, effec- House Speaker John Boehner avoid a shutdown. the amendments would repeal who believe there are flaws, it Friday. “Harry Reid will be shut- tively bringing down the gov- gathered his caucus and called “Later today, the House will an unpopular medical device tax. gives the president an opportunity ting down the government if he ernment of Prime Minister for a rare Saturday session as vote on two amendments to the “This is exactly what we to do what he said he would do doesn’t accept this pretty sensible Enrico Letta and leaving Congress struggles to break a Senate-passed continuing reso- wanted,” conservative con- afterwards, which is start negoti- solution to the debate that we’re the euro-zone’s third-largest funding impasse that, if unre- lution that will keep the govern- gressman Raul Labrador told ating absurd things like the medi- having right now,” conservative economy in chaos. solved, would see federal agencies ment open and stop as much of reporters. cal device tax out of Obamacare.” congressman Raul Labrador told Talks will now start to find close after the fiscal year ends the president’s health care law as “We’re united on sending (it) The move sets up a confrontation AFP a new parliamentary major- ity to back a new cabinet and avoid going back to elections just seven months after the Nailing it! last one. The relentless political Thatcher’s ashes laid jockeying that has defined Letta’s five-month tenure has already thwarted efforts to push through important to rest in London reforms Italy needs to emerge from a two-year recession, a LONDON: The ashes of late mourners who gathered for a pri- decade-long economic lethargy, British prime minister Margaret vate service at the nursing home’s a 2-trillion-euro public debt Thatcher were laid to rest along- chapel, along with Tim Bell, who and youth unemployment of side the remains of her late hus- masterminded her three success- around 40 percent. band Denis in London yesterday, ful general election campaigns, The resignations will delay at a military nursing home she and Cynthia Crawford, her loyal those reforms even further. had long supported. personal assistant for more than They came a day after Letta An oak casket containing the three decades. challenged Berlusconi’s party ashes of the “Iron Lady”, who died A dozen Chelsea Pensioners to support him in a confidence in April after suffering a stroke — army veterans who live at the vote in parliament. at the age of 87, was placed in historic retirement home in cen- Late on Friday, the cabi- the leafy grounds of the Royal tral London — formed a guard of net failed to agree vital fiscal Hospital Chelsea nursing home honour, dressed in their distinc- measures to bring the budget beside those of Denis, who died tive scarlet coats. deficit within European Union in 2003. Mark, his wife Sarah and Carol limits, leaving the fragile coali- In power between 1979 and took it in turns to place a single tion of traditional rivals from 1990, the former Conservative red rose alongside the casket. the left and right near total leader was Britain’s longest- Thatcher was a long-standing breakdown. serving prime minister of the supporter of the Royal Hospital Tensions between the two 20th century and its only female Chelsea, which in 2009 opened a sides had been rising for Bus driver and union leader Juan Villalba shows a nail that was driven into his hands to fix him to a cross to prime minister to date. state-of-the-art care home named weeks following moves to protest his job dismissal, in Luque, Paraguay, yesterday. Villalba and eight fellow Route 30 bus drivers nailed A plaque bearing the simple in her honour, the Margaret expel Berlusconi from parlia- inscription “Margaret Thatcher Thatcher Infirmary. The hospi- themselves to crosses and demonstrated along city streets for six weeks after they lost their jobs following ment after his conviction for 1925 - 2013” was placed over her tal was founded in 1682 to provide wage negotiations. They ended their protest after reaching an agreement with the bus company for most of tax fraud last month. final resting place. Thatcher’s former soldiers with a suitable them, including Villalba, to be reinstated. REUTERS twin children Mark and Carol, 60, place to spend their retirement. were among the small group of AFP SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 ASIA / PHILIPPINES www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 11 Military campaign in key city ‘over’ MNLF heads Misuari, Malik still not found by govt

MANILA: A military cam- However, neither Misuari nor “The indications are that paign against Muslim gunmen Malik have been found. The gov- they are no longer holding any opposed to peace talks ended ernment believes Misuari has hostages,” military spokesman yesterday with close to 500 gone into hiding in another area Brigadier-General Domingo rebels killed or captured and of the south. Tutaan told reporters in Manila. nearly 200 hostages freed in a Zagala said authorities are Abigail Valte, a spokeswoman key southern city, the army said. checking the identities of some for President Benigno Aquino, “The threat to Zamboanga is of the slain gunmen to determine confirmed that all of those known over. The enemy has no organised whether Malik was among them. to have been taken hostage were resistance left,” military spokes- The justice department has also now accounted for. man Lieutenant-Colonel Ramon announced plans to file charges “Remember that our task from Zagala said on the 20th day of of rebellion against detained sus- day one is to ensure the safety of operations. pects as well as Misuari. the hostages that were taken... Police will now take over from The fighting claimed the lives And that’s already been accom- troops to clear sections of the of 23 soldiers and policemen, as plished,” she said on government vital regional trading centre of well as 12 civilians. radio. Soldiers salute the Philippine national flag, after overrunning a command post of the MNLF yesterday. Moro National Liberation Front The militants seized scores of Yesterday, Defence Secretary (MNLF) stragglers, and find a hostages as they holed up in sev- Voltaire Gazmin and Interior key guerrilla leader who remains eral coastal districts of the city of Secretary Mar Roxas visited Zagala, the military spokesman, residents to return to their com- The MNLF signed a peace unaccounted for, he added. one million people, holding off 4,500 Zamboanga’s Martha Street, the said it could take up to two weeks munities after the police pull treaty in 1996 that granted The military said Nur Misuari, troops sent to root them out. scene of some of the heaviest to clear the conflict areas — 30-40 out. “We have allotted money limited self-rule to the south’s who founded the guerrilla group More than 10,000 homes were fighting, to raise the Philippine hectares of densely packed com- for shelter assistance for the Muslim minority. in the early 1970s, had sent hun- razed to the ground in fierce flag at a warehouse believed to munities, mangrove swamps and families whose homes have been However, the group is opposed dreds of armed followers, led by street battles, forcing over 100,000 have served as the gunmen’s com- ponds where fish are raised — of totally destroyed or totally burned to a planned final peace deal his top lieutenant Habier Malik, people — around a tenth of the mand post. possible MNLF stragglers, unex- down,” she added. between the government and the to Zamboanga three weeks ago in city’s population — to flee. “We honour the fallen, the ploded bombs, and booby traps. Muslim rebels have been fight- remaining major Muslim rebel a bid to derail peace talks with a Philippine officials said yes- brave soldiers and policemen who Military forces involved in the ing since the 1970s for an inde- group, the 12,000-strong Moro rival Muslim rebel group. terday they believed that all 195 died for the sake of their country fighting would remain in the city pendent or autonomous homeland Islamic Liberation Front. A total of 183 rebels were killed hostages held by the gunmen had (and) innocent civilians who were to support the police, he added. in the south of the mainly Catholic The MNLF believes the deal and 292 were detained in the either escaped, been rescued or sacrificed for the selfish interest Valte said government aid agen- Philippines. An estimated 150,000 could leave it sidelined. fighting. released. of a few,” Roxas told reporters. cies would focus on preparing people have died in the conflict. AFP

Abe open to talks, not concessions, with China Tourists urged to boycott NEW YORK: Japanese Prime light of historical facts and based He called for cooperation with there is a dispute,” Wang said Maldives in vote row Minister Shinzo Abe has ruled upon international law and the China, saying that the relation- at the Brookings Institution in out concessions on sovereignty islands are under the valid control ship between Asia’s two largest Washington last week. MALE: The Maldivian oppo- Tourism is a key source of rev- in a tense territorial row with of Japan,” Abe told reporters in economies was critical for the In a speech on Friday to the sition appealed to foreign holi- enue for the Maldives. China, but appealed to Beijing New York on Friday after taking region’s security. UN General Assembly, Wang said daymakers yesterday to boycott Dozens of Maldivian resort for talks to work through their part in the UN General Assembly. “The door to dialogue is always that China was open to talks on the upmarket tourist destina- workers yesterday carried plac- differences. “To our regret, incursions by open and I really hope that the territorial disputes but would also tion as authorities indefinitely ards denouncing the Supreme Abe rejected a recent appeal Chinese government vessels in Chinese side would take a similar “firmly safeguard” its sovereignty. postponed a presidential run-off Court move to suspend yesterday’s from China which said it was our territorial waters are con- attitude and mindset,” Abe said. “We sincerely hope to properly amid mounting international vote pending the investigation ready for dialogue if Japan tinuing. But Japan will not make Chinese Foreign Minister Wang resolve them through negotiation concern. into a complaint of malpractice acknowledged that a set of a concession on our territorial Yi, speaking ahead of the UN and consultation with countries The run-off had been slated for in the first round three weeks ago. islands -- known as the Senkakus sovereignty,” he said. General Assembly, said he sup- directly resolved,” Wang said. yesterday between human rights “The management allowed in Japanese and the Diaoyus in Abe, however, said that Japan ported talks but that Japan first “Those disputes that cannot be activist Mohamed Nasheed and workers to freely express their Chinese -- were disputed. sought calm and “we do not had to declare that the islands in resolved now can be shelved for Abdulla Yameen, a half-brother of feelings, but there has been no “The Senkakus are an inherent intend to escalate this issue any the East China Sea are disputed. future resolution,” he said. former president Maumoon Abdul disruption to work,” an official at part of the territory of Japan in further.” “The whole world knows that AFP Gayoom, who ruled the Maldives the upmarket Anantara resort with an iron fist for three decades said by telephone. before the first elections in 2008. Another hotel manager who “It’s mainly the tourism profits declined to be named said some that go to finance the suppression local employees staged brief pro- of democracy in the Maldives,” tests at resorts, but regular serv- main opposition Maldivian ices were not interrupted. China police rescue 92 abducted children Democratic Party (MDP) spokes- The independent Elections man Hamed Abdul Ghafoor said. Commission announced late on BEIJING: Police in China The arrests come at a time of children in Yunnan and Sichuan blamed in part on the “one-child” “This is why we appeal to other Friday that the Supreme Court have rescued 92 abducted chil- growing public outrage over gangs provinces for deliverymen who policy, which has put a premium countries to slap a tourism ban had ordered the security services dren following a series of raids specialising in the kidnapping and would then drive them to other on baby boys, with girls some- on the Maldives,” Ghafoor said as to prevent any effort to hold the against an organised kidnap- sale of children. regions and into the hands of times sold off or abandoned. the party extended its protests elections the next day. ping gang operating across the Police enquiries were initially sellers. Last month, families in the to resorts in the secluded coral “This is why we are not able to country, state media reported sparked by a child abduction The arrests were made on northern province of Shaanxi islands with pristine beaches. hold the run-off election within yesterday. case in Henan province, central September 11 but only became accused a local doctor of persuad- Nasheed is the candidate of the the constitutional deadline of 21 The children, victims of China’s China, according to the ministry public knowledge with the release ing them to give up their children MDP and was forced to quit as days of the first round,” the com- burgeoning child trafficking statement, and later snowballed of the ministry statement. shortly after birth. Following a president 20 months ago in what mission said in a statement. industry, were rescued along with into an investigation across 11 Abductions and trafficking blaze of publicity, a number of offi- his supporters described as a coup. As the news spread, hundreds two women, according to a state- provincial-level regions primarily in China have caused huge pub- cials in the province were sacked The Supreme Court called off of MDP activists stepped up their ment from the Ministry of Public throughout China’s southwest. lic concern, but despite regular while the doctor and several the runoff amid allegations of nightly protests in the capital Security quoted by state-run According to Xinhua, the inves- government vows to crack down alleged traffickers were arrested. irregularities in the first round in island Male, witnesses said. news agency Xinhua. More than tigation uncovered a gang operat- hard on the crime, incidents still Some of the children were even- which Nasheed narrowly missed He had won the first round 300 gang members were taken ing with “clear divisions of work” emerge on a regular basis. tually returned to their families. garnering 50 percent of the ballots with 45.45 percent of the vote. into custody, the report said. where kidnappers would seize Trafficking of children is AFP needed to claim outright victory. AFP

Miss World Two die as van rams trailer truck Search for survivors NORTH COTABATO: Two persons were killed and six hurt after delayed after boat a speeding passenger van slammed into a trailer truck parked along the Cotabato-Davao Highway in Pigcawayan town, yesterday noon. sinks off Indonesia Police are yet to identify the dead — the driver of the van and the front seat passenger, both of whom died on the spot. JAKARTA: Strong waves pre- Responding members of the Pigcawayan municipal police and vented Indonesian rescuers from barangay officials rushed the injured van passengers to a hospital continuing the search for sur- in Midsayap town, some 20 kilometres northeast of Pigcawayan. vivors yesterday morning in a boat sinking that left at least 22 Milk tea ‘poisoning’ probed Australia-bound asylum-seek- ers, mostly children, dead and ILOILO CITY: A 27-year-man died while 34 were hospitalised scores missing. after showing symptoms of food poisoning. Some 120 asylum-seekers from All of the victims had consumed milk tea with milk pudding or Lebanon, Jordan and Yemen ‘leche flan’ from September 24 and 25 that they had bought from an were believed to be on the boat outlet in Mandurriao district. The patients were treated at St Paul’s that broke into pieces and sank Hospital, Iloilo Doctors’ Hospital, and St Therese-MTCC Hospital off Indonesia on Friday in rough after reportedly suffering stomach pain, dizziness, vomiting, and seas, with 28 plucked to safety and weakness. Of the 34, nine were still in hospital. around 70 still unaccounted for. “The waves are just too high One killed in Quezon smash-up for our speed boats to go out yet. They’re four to six metres. TAYABAS CITY: Members of Iglesia Ni Cristo attending their We hope conditions improve centennial countdown and medical outreach mission here got soon,” Warsono, a police official stranded when nine vehicles were involved in a smash-up along in Cianjur district on Java said, the Maharlika Highway at the Tayabas-Lucena City boundary adding no helicopter had been yesterday morning, leaving one dead and six wounded. Police said deployed. a trailer truck lost control, causing the smash-up with four buses Twenty-two bodies were found and four other vehicles. Miss World 2012, Yu Wenxia (rear) crowns Megan Young of the Philippines as Miss World 2013 during the floating in an estuary, swept Police identified the dead person as Delfin Velasco, 54, and those grand finale of the beauty pageant at Nusa Dua in Bali, Indonesia, yesterday. Marine Lorphelin (left), a medi- ashore by large waves, and were injured as Ligaya Bayona, 60, and her daughter Ellie Rose, Raymond cal student from France, took second place, and Carranzar Naa Okailey Shooter from Ghana, also a medical mostly children who could not Concepcion, John Martoni, Mylene Maala and her daughter Dominga. student, came third. swim, Warsono said. AGENCIES AFP SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 12 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com PAKISTAN / AFGHANISTAN US wants deal on post-2014 forces in Kabul Some issues unresolved in talks

WASHINGTON: A top were not insurmountable. Pentagon official said it would “I think it’s down to the point be a “tragedy” if Afghan and where the issues that remain are US negotiators failed to clinch a very well-defined, (and) I think deal allowing US troops to stay are very resolvable and it just in the country after 2014. takes an act of will to carry it Deputy Defence Secretary Ash across the finish line,” he said. Carter said he told leaders in He declined to disclose the Kabul during a visit earlier this remaining unresolved issues. month that President Barack Afghan President Hamid Obama wanted to see a bilateral Karzai has told Washington he security agreement wrapped up is seeking to secure “broad sup- as soon as possible to provide port” for the security deal and “certainty” to commanders. therefore needs time to organise “We need that soon because we a loya jirga, or large assembly, need to be able to plan. And we that would debate the agreement, need it soon because our allies and according to Carter. partners need to be able to plan,” A security accord would send Carter said in an interview with an important symbolic message newswires. to reassure Afghans and coun- “It would be a tragedy if this tries in the region, while making thing wasn’t concluded soon, it clear to Taliban insurgents that because most Afghans are in the only way forward is to pursue favour of the coalition continu- peace talks, he added. ing its work there to strengthen The Pentagon’s number two Pakistani earthquake survivors receive tents at a distribution centre in the devastated district of Awaran yesterday. the Afghan forces so they can go civilian leader also said disputes on and live a better life.” that had previously held up the His comments reflected grow- withdrawal of US equipment out ing impatience in Washington as of the country through Pakistan the talks on a security agreement were “by and large” resolved. Aftershock kills 15 in quake-hit region have dragged with pivotal Afghan “The big gridlock on the elections looming as well as the Pakistan groundlines of commu- QUETTA: At least 15 people Yesterday, four soldiers were “a lot of people have been trapped Abdul Malik, provincial chief departure of Nato troops. nication, both on the Pakistani were killed yesterday when killed when insurgents attacked under the rubble”. minister of Baluchistan, said Carter also said the US gov- side and the Afghan side, has an aftershock hit a Pakistani an aid convoy being escorted “The telephone system has been that food and other rescue items ernment still viewed October as been eliminated and things are province where hundreds were by government forces, an army damaged and we are not able to talk would be distributed through the target date for clinching the flowing,” said Carter, who paid killed in a major earthquake spokesman said. The insurgents to someone and find out the exact local villagers. post-2014 security accord, a time- a three-day visit to Afghanistan earlier this week. have twice fired on helicopters information about the losses... But He appealed to the local sepa- line favoured by US commanders this month before heading to Yesterday’s 6.8 magnitude carrying aid workers or supplies. we have reports of severe losses in ratist groups to allow rescue offi- as they manage a massive with- India and Pakistan for talks. aftershock destroyed most of The new quake struck the that area,” Baloch said. cials to reach the survivors. drawal of troops and equipment. But he acknowledged some the town of Nokjo in the western remote district of Awaran at a Rescue efforts in Mashkey, “It is a humanitarian tragedy “We need certainty... just from minor problems as “there’s always province of Baluchistan, police depth of 14 kilometres at 12.34pm where the epicentre of the first and I appeal them to allow rescue a military planning point of view,” somebody at some border post said. The town is home to at least according to the US Geological quake was located, had already workers to help the survivors,” Carter said. that hasn’t gotten the word.” 15,000 people. Survey. been complicated by insurgent Malik said late on Friday. The United States plans to pull The Afghan government shut At least 515 people were killed A reporter in Awaran said yes- groups in the area who have Manan Baloch, a leader of the out the bulk of its 57,000 troops the border earlier this year in a in Tuesday’s earthquake in the terday that hundreds of patients launched attacks on relief con- Baluchistan National Movement, in Afghanistan by the end of 2014 dispute over what the US mili- same province. being treated in the aftermath of voys, with local officials saying said that his group will allow only and has tentative plans to retain tary should pay for withdrawing The death toll from yesterday’s the previous quake fled a hospital some 30,000 survivors are still private NGOs and local officials to a smaller force of around 10,000 its gear, with Kabul insisting the aftershock may rise, said Khan in panic as the new tremor hit. waiting for aid. help survivors. forces after that. Americans owed up to $70m in Wasey, the spokesman for the Pakistan’s chief meteorologist The area is a stronghold of “We will not allow army or FC But a new security agreement customs fines. paramilitary Frontier Corps. Arif Mehmood told Express News Baluch separatist rebels waging (paramilitary Frontier Corps) is needed to allow for the post- Washington maintained that Aid deliveries have been com- that the magnitude of yesterday’s a decade-long insurgency against here, only NGOs or local officials 2014 presence, including provi- the military equipment came plicated by the fact that the quake was 7.2. the Pakistani state. are allowed to come here,” he said. sions allowing the United States into the country legally and remote region is home to separa- The Deputy Commissioner of The situation has forced offi- A Pakistan army officer in access to various bases. refused to pay the fees. Afghan tist insurgents who fear the army, Awaran, Abdul Rasheed Baloch, cials to abandon efforts to reach Awaran said the military only Carter said the negotia- authorities eventually reopened which is overseeing aid operations, told Geo TV that the quake survivors directly, saying instead wanted to help locals. “They are tions had made progress and the border. may take advantage of the crisis destroyed hundreds of mud houses they will work through village not ready to accept us,” he said. the remaining disagreements AFP to move more forces into the area. in the Mashkey area, saying that committees and private NGOs. AGENCIES Four new Indian power projects Taliban will have to lay down arms, insists Sharif irk Pakistan ISLAMABAD: Pakistan NEW YORK: Pakistani Prime There cannot be any compro- Taliban laying down their arms shortly,” he said, adding that his has raised objections to four Minister Nawaz Sharif has mise on that,” he added. and accepting the constitution. government stood for peaceful new hydropower projects of said the Taliban would have Sharif said the Taliban them- Asked if there was a possibility resolution of all issues with India, 1,716MW capacity to be built to renounce terrorism if peace selves had offered a dialogue and that Chief of Army Staff General including Kashmir. by India on western rivers in talks were to move forward. the political parties had decided Ashfaq Kayani will be given an Talking about the issue of violation of the Indus Waters In an interview with the Wall to respond to the offer positively. extension, Sharif said no decision Siachen, he said both countries’ Treaty. Street Journal during his first However, the Taliban would have had been reached on the subject. armies were sitting at an altitude With this, the total number visit to New York after being to renounce terrorism, he said. “I’m not saying yes or no. Of of more than 22,000 feet. “I don’t of violations by India of the 1960 elected in May, the prime min- “They will have to say they are course, we will be taking a decision know what sense it makes in this treaty, as claimed by Pakistan, ister said, a consensus had been keen to do business with the gov- on this issue soon.” Responding to modern age that armies are sit- has increased to 10, including reached on a joint strategy ernment. They will have to abide a question about the next army ting at more than 22,000 feet. I Baglihar and Kishanganga, to put an end to terrorism in by the constitution of Pakistan. chief, he said, “there’s still time. think we have to resolve this issue two major cases taken up by Pakistan through peace talks. We’re also waiting for their I’ll handle it.” as well.” Pakistan with the International Asserting that the Taliban had response, what they have to say Asserting that he was the Sharif said he had a good rap- Court of Arbitration or neutral disowned the bomb attacks on All in this regard,” he said. one who had brought India and port with the American govern- experts. Saints Church, he said that the “If we agree on addressing this Pakistan closer in the his previ- ment. “President Obama was very The new controver- Taliban had not done that before, terrorism, (Taliban) will have ous stint in power, Sharif said kind to call me up immediately sial projects include Ratle but the intelligence agencies were Nawaz Sharif to be disarmed, lay down their the two neighbouring countries after my election and express his Hydroelectric Plant (48MW), still investigating the matter. He arms,” the prime minister added, were picking up the threads from desire to work with Pakistan,” he Miyar (120MW), Lower revealed that contrary to media army general in Dir. “As far as the but made it clear that while the where they left off in 1999. said, asserting that he wanted to Kalnai (48MW) and Pakul reports, the Taliban had also dis- tragic incidents are concerned, government wanted a peace- “I will be having a meeting work with the US. Dul (1000MW to be ultimately owned the attack that killed an they are unacceptable. ful resolution, it hinged on the with the Indian prime minister INTERNEWS increased to 1,500MW). Pakistani fashion Oil, electricity Pak-Iran gas pipeline to miss deadline prices to climb ISLAMABAD: With an imminent increase of 30 per- ISLAMABAD: While Iran-Pakistan pipeline project the already-signed deal, Pakistan cent in the power tariff for Pakistani Prime Minister was not included. has already asked the new Iranian domestic consumers next Nawaz Sharif has announced Conceding that the govern- government to completely finance Tuesday, as committed to the in New York that his govern- ment did not make any alloca- the $1.8bn bilateral gas pipeline International Monetary Fund, ment will proceed with the tion for the gas pipeline project project in view of fears that the the Pakistan government is Pak-Iran gas pipeline despite in the budget, a senior Petroleum US sanctions could hit funding for also going to further increase US pressure, the fact remains Ministry official in Islamabad said the venture. the prices of petroleum prod- that Islamabad is set to miss on condition of anonymity that Federal Petroleum Minister ucts by Rs5.77 per litre. the deadline for the 250km por- the project was still on despite the Shahid Khaqan has already stated According to top officials tion which must be completed pressure. last month that the government at the Ministry of Petroleum by December 2014. He said the gas pipeline could would continue work on the pipe- and Natural Resources here This is feared mainly because not be dropped altogether, largely line and discuss the project with yesterday, the price of petrol the Pakistan Muslim League-N because that would invoke a pen- the new Iranian cabinet for seek- (motor gasoline) is likely to government led by Sharif did alty payment to Iran. Instead, he ing the entire financing. be jacked up by a whopping not make any allocation for the said, the government was delay- Iran is facing sanctions and Rs5.45 per litre and HOBC project in the Federal Budget ing the project in a bid to bargain the Foreign Office has been asked (high octane blending compo- for the fiscal year 2013-14, which lower prices from Tehran, based by the government to assess the nent) by Rs5.77 per litre from began on July 1. Though Rs126bn on comparison with coal. impact of the US curbs on the Pakistani models wait backstage on the last day of the Expo Pakistan October 1, 2013. were earmarked for 12 ongoing According to the ministry offi- pipeline project, Abbasi added. 2013 fashion show in Karachi. AGENCIES and six new gas projects, the cial, while trying to renegotiate INTERNEWS SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 INDIA www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 13

Kudankulam to Stop terrorism to make generate power Building collapse peace, PM tells Pakistan by November death toll at 53 CHENNAI: With fine-tun- MUMBAI: The death toll in a Suspected renovation and ing of systems still on, power four-storey building’s collapse alterations carried out in his generation at the first 1,000 here the day before mounted to office-cum-warehouse may have Kashmir an integral part of India: Manmohan Singh MW unit of the Kudankulam 53, with 18 more bodies being led to further weakening of the Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) recovered from the debris yes- dilapidated structure and has- UNITED NATIONS: Reass- is expected to happen October- terday, officials said. tened its collapse. erting that Pakistan was the end or November, a senior offi- Thirty-two people were injured, On a complaint by a civic epicentre of terrorism, Prime cial said yesterday. including four critically, and the official, Sewree police nabbed Minister Manmohan Singh “Fine-tuning of systems are search continues for rescuing a few Ashokkumar J Mehta of yesterday said that India was on. WE have gone up to 20 per- more people who remain trapped Mamamiya Decorators under ready to resolve all issues with cent/200 MW power levels. We under the debris, said the BMC various charges pertaining to cul- it through dialogue provided it might start running the turbine Disaster Control department. pable homicide not amounting to shuts down terrorist machinery next week. We have not run the Among the victims in the trag- murder, according to Additional there. turbine till now. WE are not in a edy was 31-year journalist with Police Commissionner (South) “State-sponsored cross-border position to put a date as to when Sakal newspaper, Yogesh Pawar, Krishna Prakash. He has been terrorism is of particular con- the unit would be connected to and his father Anant Pawar, a sent to three days police custody. cern to India on account of the the grid,” R S Sundar, site direc- civic employee. Situated near the A few years ago, the 28-flat fact that the epicentre of terror- tor of the KNPP said over phone Dockyard Road, south Mumbai, building, of which seven were ism in our region is located in our from Kudankulam. the 33-year-old building served unoccupied, and a ground floor neighbourhood in Pakistan,” said Sundar said the connection to as civic employees’ staff quarters. warehouse leased to the marquee the Indian leader addressing the the grid too is expected to hap- Housing around 21 families, it decorating firm, was declared UN general assembly. pen October or November. The suddenly collapsed around 5.45am “extremely dilapidated”. Noting that his Pakistani coun- first unit at Kudankulam 99.74 on Friday, catching majority of Last month, it was surveyed by terpart Nawaz Sharif speaking percent complete, as of August the sleeping residents unawares, a BMC team which recommended at the same forum had spoken 2013, officials said. The Nuclear the official added. urgent repairs after shifting the of “making a new beginning”, Power Corporation of India Moving to fix responsibility for families living there. Manmohan Singh said he recip- Limited (NPCIL) is setting up the state’s second worst building Chief Minister Prithviraj rocated the Pakistani leader’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addressing the 68th session of the United two 1,000 MW Russian reactors crash tragedy of this year, Mumbai Chavan announced a compensa- sentiments, and looked forward Nations General Assembly in New York yesterday. at Kudankulam in Tirunelveli dis- police arrested the proprietor of a tion of Rs100,000 and city Mayor to meeting him today. trict, around 650 kmfrom here. marquee decoration firm who had Sunil Prabhu announced a com- “India is committed sincerely to presence “still remain focused in whether it is in cyber security, KNPP is India’s first pressu- allegedly carried out illegal modi- pensation of Rs200,000 to the resolving all issues with Pakistan, Pakistan”. non-proliferation or terrorism,” rised water reactor belonging to fications on the ground floor of the families of each of the deceased. including the issue of Jammu and On Kashmir issue too, he also he said. the light water reactor category. doomed building. IANS Kashmir, through bilateral dia- asked Sharif to have a “clear under- Meanwhile, the Prime Minister The first unit attained critical- logue on the basis of the Simla standing of the fact Jammu and made a strong pitch for reforms ity, which is the beginning of the Agreement,” he said. Kashmir is an integral part of India in the UN Security Council saying fission process, for the first time, “However, for progress to be and that there can never, ever, be a these should reflect current reali- July 13. The NPCIL had earlier made, it is imperative that the compromise with the unity and ter- ties. “The UN Security Council said it would connect the first territory of Pakistan and the ritorial integrity of India”. must be reformed and restruc- unit to the grid end-August, gen- areas under its control are not He called on the world com- tured to reflect current politi- erating 400 MW power. utilised for aiding and abetting munity “to renew commitment, cal realities,” Manmohan Singh But that did not happen due terrorism directed against India,” especially here at the UN, for said. “More developing countries to two condenser valve problems Manmohan Singh said. concerted, cohesive and continu- should be included as both perma- which seem to have got stuck. “It is equally important that the ing global action against terror- nent and non-permanent mem- “Everything is fine on the reac- terrorist machinery that draws ism”. “There can be no tolerance bers,” he said. tor side. The problem was at the its sustenance from Pakistan be for states sheltering, arming, The prime minister also said electrical systems side and it was shut down,” he said a day after training or financing terrorists. that multilateral financial insti- also sorted out,” the source said. voicing concerns about terror- Nor can they absolve themselves tutions should also enable an The second unit at KNPP is ism emanating from Pakistan at of the responsibility to prevent enhanced voice for developing expected to start commercial his summit with US President their territories from being used countries in their decision making operations in June next year. The Barack Obama on Friday. to launch acts of terrorism,” structures. “Multilateral efforts NPCIL has loaded dummy fuel He had also told Obama that Manmohan Singh said in another must guide our quest for peace assemblies in the second unit. The the expectations from his upcom- stern warning to Pakistan. and security, wherever they are dummy fuel assemblies are made ing meeting with Sharif “have to “The increasingly complex threatened. And the central- of lead, instead of uranium, and be toned down given the terror challenges to international peace ity and contribution of the UN are the exact replica of the actual Rescue crew search for survivors at the site of a collapsed residential arm which is still active in our and security require a new inter- system to development must be nuclear fuel assemblies, both in building in Mumbai yesterday. subcontinent” and terrorists’ national consensus to be built, restored,” he said. IANS dimension and weight. IANS SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 14 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INDIA

Rahul’s outburst Miss Universe visits Sulabh Sonia due in Kerala today; stirs doubts UDF allies to over PM’s future vent woes THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Allies of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) are Oppn, media urge Manmohan to quit reportedly all set to express their unhappiness to Congress NEW DELHI: Ruling Congress 1990s, when he was finance min- President Sonia Gandhi when party scion Rahul Gandhi’s blis- ister, his reputation has taken a she arrives here today for a two- tering rejection of a government battering as premier. day visit. decree to protect convicted law- The 81-year-old, a Gandhi A senior UDF leader said that makers has made it uncertain dynasty loyalist, has seen his rep- each of the allies will be meeting whether India’s premier can utation as “Mr Clean” tarnished. Sonia Gandhi today evening. “Yes, continue in office, opposition He has been accused of turning of course we do have a few things and media said yesterday. a blind eye to a string of govern- to convey to her and our party will Gandhi, number two in the ment corruption scandals that have a special meeting tomorrow Congress hierarchy, turned on have brought repeated opposition Miss Universe Olivia Frances Culpo from United States (centre) is welcomed by a former manual scavenger (Sunday) to decide on how to make Prime Minister Manmohan calls for him to resign. with rose petals during her visit to Sulabh International Social Service Organisation in New Delhi yesterday. the best use of the meeting with Singh’s government on Friday, The government decree seeks Sulabh International is a social service organisation which works to promote human rights, environmental her,” said a UDF leader. calling its move to allow convicted to overturn a Supreme Court sanitation, non-conventional sources of energy, waste management and social reforms through education. The UDF comprises of the criminals to serve in parliament ruling that politicians convicted Congress, Indian Union Muslim “complete nonsense”. of crimes should be barred from League, Kerala Congress (Mani), Singh “stands diminished”, contesting elections. It is reported Revolutionary Socialist Party Arun Jaitley, a leader of the Hindu to have been steered by Singh. (Bolshevik), Kerala Congress (B), nationalist opposition Bharatiya The government had argued Trinamool suspends North Delhi agog for Kerala Congress (Jacob), Socialist Janata Party, said yesterday. the ruling was unfair, saying poli- Janata Dal, Janathipathiya Sam- “If he’s undermined like this ticians can be convicted on “frivo- rakshana Samithy and Communist as prime minister, he won’t even lous grounds”. Critics had said the MP Kunal Ghosh Modi rally today Marxist Party. The latter two par- be a footnote in history,” he told decree was aimed at protecting KOLKATA: Eight days after he raised the ties do not have legislators. NDTV, adding: “He should quit if allies the Congress might need to standard of revolt, the Trinamool Congress yes- NEW DELHI: The excitement is palpable in Each of the allies have issues with he has any self-respect”. form a government after elections terday announced it has suspended Rajya Sabha north Delhi’s Rohini area where Narendra Modi the Congress. The IUML has sev- “Rahul drops bomb on PM, due next year. While it was criti- MP Kunal Ghosh on disciplinary grounds. will address his first public rallly after being ered ties with state Power Minister government,” said The Hindustan cised by the opposition, it initially Senior leader and party MP Somen Mitra backed named the party’s prime ministerial candidate. Aryadan Mohammed whose feud Times in a banner headline. The had wider all-party support. Ghosh, while the Congress’s claim that eight-10 The rally will be held at a sprawling ground adja- with the IUML is more than three daily said Gandhi had under- Rahul told reporters in New Trinamool MPs could join the party after Diwali cent to the Japanese Park,. decades old. Kerala Congress (Mani) cut Singh “at the worst possible Delhi on Friday that the ordi- (November 2) created further uncertainty. “I stay away from political gatherings but I will is unhappy that Jose K Mani, the time” — when he was on a US nance was “complete nonsense “Ghosh is being suspended from the party with be going tomorrow. I have heard Modi talking on son of their party supremo and state visit to meet US President Barack and should be torn up,” adding: immediate effect until further orders,” Trinamool television. He is such a good orator that I don’t mind Finance Minister K M Mani, was Obama, address the UN and hold “If you want to fight corruption in secretary general and disciplinary committee con- hearing him live,” Manoj Vora, a resident, said. not made a union minister. talks with Nawaz Sharif, premier the country... we cannot continue venor Partha Chatterjee said. The sprawling rally ground is abuzz with activity Kerala Congress (B) chairman R of Pakistan. making these small compromises.” Ghosh, who has been grilled by police multiple from the last 10 days. Party workers, policemen and Balakrishna Pillai’s son K B Ganesh Shekhar Gupta, editor of The motives for the normally times in connection with Saradha chit fund scam, others involved are working overtime to ready the Kumar had to demit office as a Indian Express, said it would be reticient Rahul’s outburst were lashed out against the party leadership at an event on venue. Ten entry points have been made to guide minister early this year after his “heartbreaking” if Singh chose to unclear, but some observers saw September 20, alleging he was being made a scape- the crowd smoothly to the venue. Arrangements are wife approached a court following remain in office in the face of this it as an attempt to reflect popular goat by those involved in the scam and demanded in place to ferry people to the site from the nearest a tiff. Pillai wants his son back in latest “humiliation”. opposition to the decree. a CBI probe. Two other Lok Sabha members Tapas Metro station — Rohini West. An official confirmed the cabinet as the issue between his Southern regional opposition Singh said on Friday that the Pal and Satabdi Roy, who had accompanied Ghosh that the Japanese Park will be open as usual for the son and his wife has been resolved leader N Chandrababu Naidu said issues raised “will be considered at the event, too aired their grievances. Rohini residents. outside the court. JSS and CMP, Singh was being “insulted repeat- on my return”. The decree awaits Both Pal and Roy wrote to West Bengal Chief Around 20 LED screens will be mounted all over too, have issues with the Congress edly” and should quit. presidential approval, but observ- Minister Mamata Banerjee regretting their act and the park for people sitting far from the stage while as they think their parties are While Singh won a place in his- ers said Gandhi’s intervention had tendering an apology. “But Ghosh did not stop his over 100 would be installed in market places and at being sidelined by the ‘big brother tory as the man who lit the fuse virtually killed it. anti-party activities. He did not even respond to the various places in the city for Delhi residents who attitude of the Congress’. for India’s rapid growth in the AFP show cause letter,” said Chatterjee. IANS won’t be going to Rohini. IANS IANS Dollar deposit bonanza for NRIs

RET not if you don’t The bank immediately offers spin-off of the FCNR accounts, have enough cash to the customer a loan against this which are term deposits NRIs can make the most of a weak deposit. The customer uses the maintain in several currencies in Frupee. Moves by India loan to create another FCNR banks onshore and earn a fixed to strengthen its currency have (B) deposit account, against rate of interest. It may be men- given NRIs — rich and poor — the which he is again given a loan. tioned here that last month, the opportunity to take advantage of The process is repeated eight to RBI had also freed interest rates its weakness. 10 times. The customer benefits on FCNR deposits. Not surprising, therefore, that as he earns more interest on It allowed banks to offer as much rich NRIs have already sent in FCNR (B) deposits than he pays as 400 basis points over the London more than $500m to dollar deposits on loans against those. interbank offered rate (Libor) for in Indian and blue collar workers On September 4, the RBI had deposits with maturities between of the state of Kerala alone have announced a swap window to 3 years and 5 years. It exempted remitted in half of this year what attract FCNR (B) dollar funds. these deposits from statutory bank they did in the whole of last year. “The RBI has been receiving reserves. But under the upfront For the wealthy non-resident requests from banks to consider financing scheme, the banks pool Indians, a bunch of foreign banks, a special concessional window for their resources with selected high who also operate in India, are swapping FCNR (B) deposits that networth non-residents and place reportedly set to offer up to 90 per would be mobilised according to deposits in India, thus creating big- cent upfront financing to make dol- the recent relaxations permitted ger deposits with each new account. lar deposits. They would make use by RBI. Accordingly, it has been The low and middle income of the recently introduced Reserve decided to offer such a window NRIs on the other hand can uti- Bank of India (RBI) window to to banks to swap fresh FCNR lise the FCNR accounts to make swap fresh foreign currency non- (B) dollar funds, mobilised for a their dollar deposits yield lever- resident (bank), or FCNR (B), aged returns. As for the financing, dollar funds. The scheme would THE NR EYE such NRIs, particularly those in be operational up to November 30. the Gulf, may leverage bank loans Business Standard reports that to boost their rupee holdings back last week, Deutsche Bank alone Moiz Mannan home in India. raised about $450m FCNR (B) From sending teams overseas deposits from about 10 non-resi- tenure of at least three years, at and setting up core committees dent Indians and swapped it with a fixed rate of 3.5 per cent a year to issuing advertisements, banks the central bank. for the tenure of the deposit,” the based in India are doing everything The funds were mobilised for apex bank had said. possible to trying hard to attract three years and priced at 3-3.5 Government officials have NRIs in the Gulf to put money in per cent a year. The swap window, hinted that the RBI move is FCNR deposits. Already remit- recently made available by RBI, expected to bring in $15bn- tances this year have zoomed. allowed the bank to convert the $20bn in a short term measure According to data released by the dollar funds into rupees at 3.5 per to pull up the beleaguered rupee. State Level Bankers Committee in cent. The paper quoted analysts Economists opine that the scheme Kerala, the remittance flows have who said had it not been for this is in fact a disguised NRI bond surpassed the year-end targets in facility, the swap cost would have without calling it that, because the the first six months alone. been seven or eight per cent, con- deposits would be locked in for at Non-resident deposits with sidering the recent rupee-dollar least three years. An official bond banks in Kerala has shot up forward rates. issue would have entailed ques- from Rs556.63bn in June 2012 According to a Reuters report, tions on international ratings and to Rs758.83bn in June 2013, an foreign banks, including Citi, DBS the fear of under-subscription. increase of more than 36 per- and Standard Chartered Bank Officials have been quoted off- cent year-on-year. The first six are all set to officially launch the the-record as informing that the months of 2013 witnessed an special bank accounts this week, idea of upfront loans was floated in increase of over 21 percent up offering their wealthiest private July at a meeting between invest- from Rs627bn at the end of 2012. banking clients about 90 percent ment bankers and Raghuram There were media reports that of the foreign currency deposit Rajan, who was then with the NRIs were borrowing money from placed in India. finance ministry but is now cen- credit cards and bank loans and Although these loans are priced tral bank governor. Never mind pumping them back to the coun- higher than market rates, NRIs the motive of the Indian authori- try to make arbitrage income, as benefit because the interest on ties, the fact of the matter is that interest rates are low in those FCNR (B) deposits is higher than the NRI investors stand to gain by countries coupled with the steep the payments on these loans. The around 20 percent on their dollar plunge in the rupee. Banks in the process, as bankers and market deposits of which they would have Gulf offer lucrative personal loan participants explains, begins with a put only 10 percent from their schemes. The average interest foreign bank requesting a non-res- pockets. Ten-year Indian govern- rate on loans in these places range ident to open a FCNR (B) deposit ment bonds yield about 8.5 percent. from five to six per cent. account with its India unit. The FCNR (B) scheme is a THE PENINSULA

Sunday 29 September 2013 23 Dhul-qa’da 1434 Volume 18 Number 5837 Price: QR2

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 44557741 | Advertising: 44557837 / 44557780 Pentagon, Lockheed in $7.8bn deal EU watchdog wants to charge foreign clearing houses Agreement for 71 more F-35 fighter jets; Pentagon to spend $392bn on jets LONDON: The European Union’s markets watchdog wants to WASHINGTON: The & Whitney, a unit of United and operational maturity,” Martin The overall contract won’t be charge foreign clearing houses seeking to cash in on new deriva- Pentagon said it had finalised Technologies Corp, under a sepa- said in a statement. negotiated for some time, but tives rules being introduced across the 28-country bloc, an EU two contracts with Lockheed rate contract. “Working together with the the Pentagon plans to award a document showed yesterday. Martin Corp valued at $7.8bn The Pentagon has projected it Joint Programme Office, our entire contract for early procurement The move is a sign of how hard-pressed regulators are struggling for 71 more F-35 fighter jets, will spend $392bn to buy a total industrial team is focused on deliv- of materials for the jet in coming to implement on time a welter of reforms called for by world leaders citing what it called significant of 2,443 stealthy F-35 fighter ering the F-35’s fifth-generation months, said the source. during the financial crisis. reductions in the cost of the jets over the next few decades capabilities to our armed forces South Korean officials have One set of new rules being phased in aims to make derivatives new radar-evading warplane. to replace F-16, F-15, F/A-18 and partner nations at a 4th-gen- been in touch informally with like credit default swaps and interest rate swaps safer after taxpay- The US Defence Department and other warplanes used by the eration price point,” she said. the US military to understand the ers were forced to bail out banks in 2008 that held large amounts said it signed a $4.4bn contract US Air Force, Navy and Marine Industry executives use the timing question, said the source, of them. for a sixth batch of 36 F-35 air- Corps. phrase fifth-generation to refer who was not authorised to speak But the Paris-based European Securities and Markets Authority craft, with the average cost of the The programme is years behind to the jet’s stealthy coatings and on the record. (ESMA), has asked the European Parliament in a letter if it could planes down 2.5 percent from the schedule and nearly 70 percent other features that make it nearly A second source familiar with levy an undisclosed fee on clearing houses, also known as central previous deal. All but $743m of over original cost estimates, but invisible to enemy radar. the F-35 programme said it typi- counterparties or CCPs, from outside the EU. that amount had already been US officials said last week the pro- Lockheed is building three cally takes about two years to build Clearers ensure that derivatives and other financial transactions awarded to the company under a gramme is now making progress variants of the F-35 for the US a jet, and there might be ways to are completed, even if one side of a deal goes bust, and are core to preliminary contract. in flight testing, production and military and eight countries accommodate Seoul if it decided to making the opaque $630 trillion swaps market more transparent The two sides also signed a long-term operating costs. that helped fund its develop- order jets after initial “advanced and safer. Regulators are forcing banks and others to channel swaps $3.4bn contract for 35 aircraft in Lockheed and the Pentagon ment: Britain, Canada, Australia, procurement” funds were awarded transactions through clearing houses, raising the prospect of a big a seventh batch, which reflected announced an agreement in prin- Turkey, Italy, Norway, Denmark, to start ordering parts for the ninth new revenue stream. a six percent drop in the average ciple for the next 71 jets on July and the Netherlands. Israel and batch of jets. Lockheed’s main sub- ESMA Chairman Steven Maijoor said in the letter dated price from the fifth group, it said 30. Rear Admiral Randy Mahr, Japan have also placed orders. contractors on the programme September 24 that the watchdog will have to vet each foreign clear- in a statement. deputy director of the Pentagon’s The F-35 remains in the running are Northrop Grumman Corp and ing house that wants to operate in the EU. The Pentagon’s F-35 pro- F-35 program office, had told for a 60-jet South Korean fighter Britain’s BAE Systems Plc. But this task will be “much more burdensome than originally gramme office said the cost of reporters on Wednesday that competition after Seoul this week The Pentagon said the price of expected” and with “significant budget implications”, the letter said. each F-35 conventional takeoff he expected the contracts to be rejected a bid by Boeing Co involv- the Marine Corps’ B-model jet It had anticipated seven foreign clearers to request authorization A-model jet would drop to $98m wrapped up within days. ing its F-15 Silent Eagle fighter jet. would drop to $104m under the during this year and next but the watchdog has already received in the seventh batch of jets, Lorraine Martin, Lockheed’s South Korea would have to seventh contract from $109m in applications from 34 non-EU clearing houses, none of which was excluding the engine, from $103m F-35 programme manager, said make a commitment by the end of the sixth. It said the cost of the named in the letter. in the sixth lot. It marks the first production costs had declined 2013 to secure a place in the ninth C-model plane, which will land Europe’s top EU-based clearers include LCH.Clearnet and Eurex time the price of the jet will have with each successive lot of jets. low-rate production contract for and take off from aircraft car- Clearing but are set to face competition from foreign rivals seeking dipped below $100m. “That’s a trend we look forward F-35 jets and ensure delivery of riers, would drop to $116m a jet to benefit from the new clearing requirements now being phased in. The US government buys to continuing as this programme the first planes in 2017, said one from $120m in the sixth lot. REUTERS the engines directly from Pratt moves toward full rate production source familiar with the program. REUTERS SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 18 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS GCC capital expenditure to rise, says QNB Qatar, UAE and Saudi rail projects to push spending; Oman spent 14.6pc of GDP last year

DOHA: Gulf Cooperation and the high speed inter-city by virtue of the public-private largely because it includes invest- average. Meanwhile, Kuwait was a capital expenditure, both direct Council (GCC) governments are rail network under construction contract. ment in oil and gas within the laggard, spending just 3.5 percent and through public-private investing heavily in infrastruc- in Saudi Arabia, will all boost In addition, a broad framework budget. In other GCC states the of GDP. This is because of repeated partnerships, will remain high ture, and spent an estimated GCC capital spending going to guide capital investment has accounts of the national oil compa- hurdles to the implementation of throughout the GCC over at least $112bn on capital projects in forward. been provided by vision state- nies, including their capital expen- its 2010-14 Development Plan. the next decade. Common themes 2012, according to their budget Effective public capital expend- ments with a time horizon of ditures, are not consolidated into However, capital expenditure in across the region include rail out-turns. Not only is this high iture in the GCC is even larger decades, such as the Abu Dhabi the overall budget. Non-oil capi- Kuwait is likely to pick up as con- networks to relieve congestion in in absolute terms, it also repre- than the budget data suggests. Economic Vision 2030, which tal expenditure in Oman was still tracts have now been awarded for a major cities and connect the Gulf’s sented 7.1 percent of the GCC This is because government agen- have been developed by most GCC high, around 9.8 percent of GDP, number of significant megaprojects major coastal hubs. Also further region’s GDP, up from just 4.2 cies sometimes spend off budget states. Increasingly they are also equal with Saudi Arabia. such as the Sheikh Jaber Bridge expansions are planned in power percent in 2004. In 2013, QNB and because of the usage of pub- utilising more detailed medium- Conversely, the UAE appears over Kuwait Bay. and water desalination capacity Group forecasts that GCC capi- lic private partnerships for some term plans, such as the Qatar to rank at the bottom regionally, Qatar spent the second largest plus social spending on schools, tal expenditure will rise further megaprojects. These partnerships National Development Strategy spending just 2.1 percent of GDP amount in 2012 ($13.5bn). This is hospitals and housing. Many to 8.2 percent as more projects are particularly used for power (QNDS) 2011-16, to help imple- on budgeted development projects, because of both the major infra- GCC countries have medium get under way. This will be the stations, such as the Al Zour ment these ambitious visions. according to the IMF’s estimated structure projects under way in term spending plans running into second highest share on record North plant recently contracted There are significant differences consolidated federal accounts. the run up to the 2022 World Cup hundreds of billions of dollars. For (after 2009 which was dis- in Kuwait, and the private sec- in relative spending levels between However, this is likely to be an and the significant investments example, Saudi Arabia committed torted because low oil prices tor finances construction under states, however, the data requires underestimate, as capital expendi- in health and education to meet in 2011 to invest $67bn on housing that year reduced regional GDP a long term service agreement some interpretation in order to ture is dispersed widely across gov- the human development goals of alone, to build half a million new by 19 percent, but most capital with the state. Although the pri- compare like-with-like. Although ernmental and quasi-governmental Qatar’s National Vision 2030 and homes. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi projects continued on schedule). vate sector finances the capital Oman ranks first in terms of agencies in the seven emirates. In the QNDS 2011-16. has committed to $90bn in capi- Rail schemes such as the Doha, expenditure, it is originated by capital expenditure as a share of reality, spending in the UAE is Looking ahead, QNB Group tal expenditure between 2013-17. Riyadh and Abu Dhabi metros the state and only made possible GDP (14.6 percent in 2012), this is likely to be closer to the regional expects that government THE PENINSULA

China partner for Peugeot Samsung addresses EU no worry for GM: Official concerns in NEW YORK: General Motors “We bought our seven percent antitrust probe Co, which has been seeking to fix in the first place not because we its ailing European operations, wanted significant influence in believes a crucial partnership PSA, but because we wanted to NEW YORK: Samsung in France would survive even if help them with their capital raise Electronics Co offered remedies the French partner ties up with at the time,” he said. that may settle a European China’s Dongfeng Motor Group Girsky said Peugeot has not Union probe over whether Co Ltd, a top GM executive said. raised the issue with GM and he it breached antitrust rules Reuters reported in June declined to say whether the US through its use of patent law- that the founding family of PSA automaker would be willing to suits against rival Apple Inc. Peugeot Citroen had offered to have its stake in PSA diluted. “Samsung has agreed to pro- give up control of the automaker “We haven’t had discussions. pose commitments that will be as it tried to revive plans for a We don’t know what they’re going market tested,” EU Competition closer tie-up with GM backed by to do, and when they decide what Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said a fresh capital injection. they’re going to do, they’ll pick up in a speech in New York on Friday. “We’re not PSA’s only part- the phone and call us.” “We hope to conclude this case.” ner ... so I don’t think it would Girsky said fixing GM’s The details of the offer were complicate our situation any European operations is the prior- not disclosed, and Samsung could more than it would complicate ity and the alliance with Peugeot not immediately be reached for some of their other partners,” is meant to help. GM and PSA comment. South Korean-based GM Vice Chairman Steve Girsky are still working together to build Samsung attempted to settle with told Reuters in an interview in two minivan-like vehicles on the the European Commission earlier New York, referring to a possible same vehicle platforms, starting but the antitrust regulator had partnership between Peugeot and in 2016, but other unidentified said it wanted more concessions. Dongfeng. products largely for the European Samsung and Apple, the world’s He acknowledged that the markets are also being discussed, top two smartphone makers by impact of such a tie-up on GM’s he said. DS5 cars are parked in a workshop inside the PSA Peugeot Citroen Chinese factory in Shenzhen, south China’s volume and sales, are locked in alliance with Peugeot would GM’s money-losing European Guangdong province, yesterday. patent disputes in at least 10 depend on how much influence unit has been a key focus for countries as they vie for control Dongfeng had. He said another investors since the automaker recovery in the next year or two. to close at the end of 2014, were UAW’s retiree healthcare trust of the lucrative and fast-growing factor would be whether any vehi- went public in the fall of 2010 GM has taken costs out of its ongoing, but declined to say when that owns a big stake in the U.S. mobile market. cles in such a partnership would following a bankruptcy reorgani- struggling Opel unit in Europe they would wrap up or what the carmaker. Samsung dropped injunc- be sold in China, where GM’s joint sation and a $49.5bn US govern- and made the commitment to cost to GM would be. The Detroit Chrysler, 58.5 percent-owned tion requests against Apple in venture partner is SAIC Motor ment bailout. In November 2011, spend $5.2bn on the business by company spent $527m in 2010 to by Italy’s Fiat SpA, filed paper- Europe after the Commission Corp. Chief Executive Dan Akerson the end of 2016 to launch new close a plant in Antwerp, Belgium, work late on Monday in a step filed charges against it last year. Peugeot had also held incon- charged Girsky with overhauling models. Now, GM needs to focus that employed 2,600 people. The toward the flotation of shares held The Commission also charged clusive discussions about selling the European operations, which on making the brand stronger, Bochum plant has 3,300 employees. by the UAW, which owns the rest Google’s Motorola Mobility with a stake to a Dongfeng-led consor- have suffered 13 straight years of and Girsky said Opel was on pace Girsky, who advised the United of Chrysler through the trust. a similar anti-competitive offense tium, sources said in June. losses. for the first time in 15 years to Auto Workers union in talks with Marchionne is proceeding with in May. The Samsung case may GM has so far refused to invest Girsky said the European avoid losing market share in the Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne the initial public offering demanded help bring clarity to technol- more money in Peugeot, a stance automotive market, which hit region. during the company’s 2009 bank- by the union, after the two sides ogy patents known as standard- Girsky reaffirmed on Friday. GM 20-year lows earlier this year, Girsky said talks with the ruptcy, said he was a “fascinated failed to agree on a buyout deal in essential patents, or SEPs, across is Peugeot’s second-largest share- has bottomed out, but GM is not union representing workers at the bystander” watching the talks more than a year of talks. the industry. holder behind the Peugeot family. expecting a huge industry volume Bochum, Germany, plant slated between the Chrysler boss and the REUTERS REUTERS

DP World chief on Equador visit Kaufhof doing well, still wants to sell, Polish banks told to be says Metro CEO smart in buying rivals FRANKFURT: German department store chain Kaufhof WARSAW: Polish central bank that he advocated banks seizing is doing well but its owner Metro governor Marek Belka said the the opportunity “in a smart and wants to sell it, the group’s Chief country’s banks should look for intelligent way”. Executive Officer Olaf Koch told opportunities and attempt to Earlier this year Poland’s larg- WirtschaftsWoche magazine. buy local rivals owned by for- est lender PKO BP announced a “Kaufhof clearly has a better eign lenders in a smart and takeover of Nordea Bank Polska valuation compared to early last intelligent way. valued at 2.83bn zlotys ($907.31m). year when we were in talks to sell Poland, with a banking system In recent years, Commerzbank’s the chain,” Koch was quoted as 70 percent controlled by foreign BRE Bank, millennium BCP’s saying. “The company has made lenders, has seen a spate of deals Bank Millennium, and Bank some fantastic progress.” in recent years as some parent Pekao have all been tipped as Despite the improvement, Koch institutions under pressure to being potentially up for sale. still intends to sell the chain, he boost capital sold their holdings. Poland’s financial sector supervi- said. “It is not about taking some- sor said in June that foreign banks “The department store busi- thing from somebody. But if some- are not targeting any Polish lend- ness cannot be internationalized body is not successful, take them ers at the moment as there is little in the same way as the wholesale over,” Belka said in an interview space for further consolidation. or consumer electronics business. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem (left), Chairman of DP World, with Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa during his in Gazeta Wyborcza daily, adding REUTERS Return on investment is substan- visit at Carondelet palace in Quito yesterday. tially lower.” He ruled out a merger with German rival Karstadt, which earlier this month sold a stake in its luxury and sports stores to Vietnam Air to buy General Electric engines for 787s Austrian investor Rene Benko. “At the moment we don’t seen a reason to look into that option,” NEW YORK: Vietnam Airlines Industry and Trade for Vietnam, The Vietnamese Prime Minister should be signed soon. “The ini- highlighted questions around the Metro executive was quoted has agreed to order General saod. Nguyen Tan Dung, speaking tial agreement, which is of Boeing Vietnam’s expansion into regional as saying. Electric engines to power its For the 787 deal, “President through a translator, said he 737 between VietJet and Boeing, is aviation markets, coming just Metro, the world’s No.4 retailer, Boeing Co 787 Dreamliners, Obama wants to witness the sign- wanted to formally announce also another contract to be signed days after the country’s first pri- in early-2012 suspended the sale according to Vietnamese gov- ing ceremony in Brunei,” Hoang the details of the engine deal on shortly,” Dung said. vately owned airline placed a $9 of its Kaufhof department stores, ernment officials. said. General Electric declined Friday, but the White House had The officials spoke at a Vietnam billion Airbus order. Following the which at the time were valued The number of engines in to comment. Boeing said that asked for the delay until October. investment forum in New York comments about a possible Boeing at ¤2-3bn ($2.7-4.1bn), saying the order could not be learned. Vietnam Airlines has existing Separately, Dung said sponsored by the International purchase by VietJet, the airline potential buyers were struggling The order is due to be formally orders for eight 787s and orders Vietnamese budget airline VietJet Economic Alliance and the Asia itself dampened the prospect of to raise funds. announced next month in Brunei, for another 11 787s through leas- is in talks to buy Boeing 737 air- Society. an imminent order with Boeing. REUTERS Vu Huy Hoang, Minister of ing companies. planes and that the contract The prime minister’s comments REUTERS SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 BUSINESS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 19

QCB to co-host Vintage car auction in Nebraska Euromoney Conference Two-day event to begin on Dec 10

DOHA: At a crucial junction of significant opportunity but when the central banks around also tough decisions. Qatar con- the world are considering to roll tinues to have one of the region’s back bond-buying programmes fastest-growing economies, with and other Quantitative Easing real GDP expected to grow by 6.5 (QE), Qatar Central Bank percent in 2013 and 6.8 percent (QCB) is set to co-host the in 2014, according to a recent ‘Euromoney Conferences’ to report by QNB Group, but will discuss crucial issues, includ- need to raise significant funds to ing the role of capital markets deliver its planned infrastructure in promoting economic growth projects. and development. Euromoney Conferences’ The Euromoney Conferences, Regional Director, Richard Banks, events arm of Euromoney said: “The first Euromoney Qatar Institutional Investor plc, was a significant success because announced that the second it brought together leading mar- Euromoney Qatar Conference ket participants from Europe, the will be held from December 10 Americas, the Mena region and to 11, said a press statement Asia, along with senior policy- yesterday. makers from Qatar, and enabled The two-day event is expected them to have a rigorous discussion Potential buyers and car enthusiasts check out vintage automobiles from the Lambrecht Collection, before they are put up for auction in Pierce, to bring together some of the on the issues facing the economy. Nebraska, yesterday. Over 500 classic cars and trucks from an inventory collected by Ray and Mildred Lambrecht will be sold over the weekend world’s leading financial practi- Given the significant develop- during an auction in which over 10,000 bidders and spectators are expected to attend. tioners with a cross-section of ments of the past year, we believe Qatar’s most prominent finan- that the 2013 event is positioned ciers and policy makers, to tackle to make an even more important some of the key issues facing the contribution to the international global economy currently. debate.” Qatar’s Minister of Finance, Euromoney Qatar 2013 is Qatar key growth area for Mashreq: CEO H E Ali Sherief Al Emadi, the second in the three-year and Deputy Governor, Central series of Euromoney Qatar DOHA: Qatar is a key growth in building its infrastructure a meeting with the bank’s top Bank of the Republic of Turkey, Conferences. It will build upon area for Mashreq and remains and diversifying its economy in executives in Qatar. Ross Officer, Murat Cetinkaya, will be the the success of last year’s inaugu- central to the bank’s expan- line with Qatar National Vision Country Head, Mashreq Qatar keynote speakers in this year’s ral Euromoney Qatar Conference, sion plans, said the bank’s Chief 2030 and view this as an excit- and Niranjan Mendonca, Head conference. “Global Finance: Re-Designed”, Executive Officer Abdul Aziz Al ing opportunity for Mashreq, a of Retail Banking attended the With stock markets and which welcomed more than 600 Ghurair (pictured). Bank which has had a presence meeting. national economies recover- attendees from 30 countries as Al Ghurair, who was in Doha in the country for over 40 years. Al Ghurair continued:, ing, there is now a worldwide participants. last week, met with H E Ali Qatar is a primary market for us “Mashreq places a great deal of debate on the role of capital The financial world’s leaders Sherif Al Emadi, Minister of and we will continue to support emphasis on engaging with lead- markets in promoting growth, and key players will participate Finance and H E Sheikh Abdullah the economic development of the ers and decision makers in the which will be examined at this in panels and interactive work- bin Saud Al Thani, the Governor country.” countries where we are present. year’s Conference by senior rep- shops that debate the world of the Qatar Central Bank. Mashreq’s success with small We also have a keen focus on resentatives of the International economic outlook, the role of Al Ghurair said, “Qatar has and medium enterprises (SME) employee engagement, since it is Monetary Fund (IMF). capital markets and the poten- been a key growth area for banking, its increase in corpo- due to their valuable insight and For Qatar and the Middle tial for developing a local debt Mashreq and remains central to rate and consumer lending and hard work that Mashreq has been East and North Africa (Mena) market. our expansion plans. We recognise growth in wealth management able to enjoy such great success.” region, the current period is one THE PENINSULA the huge steps Qatar is making services were highlighted during THE PENINSULA SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 20 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS

Empire State Bumper canola crop building owner going public Four companies plan IPO this week

NEW YORK: Starting this which owns the Depression-era week, you could own a piece of building, has had a long road to the Empire State Building. its public debut. The New York Or, if iconic New York sky- company first filed for an IPO scrapers aren’t your thing, you in early 2012, but was set back could bite into Potbelly, a sand- by shareholder lawsuits. A judge wich chain with more than 280 cleared the way for an IPO this shops. spring. Investors may buy the Next week, these and two more stock just to say they own a piece companies with familiar names of the historic building, Sweet — the owner of budget-friendly said. Millions of tourists each year clothing store chain Burlington ascend the 102-storey Art Deco Coat Factory and Re/Max, one of skyscraper’s heights to view the the country’s largest real estate city from its observation deck. agencies — are expected to sell And investors may clamour for shares in initial public offerings. shares of Potbelly after the success- A surging stock market is ful IPO of restaurant chain Noodles drawing investors to IPOs. This & Co. It went public at $18 in June past week, 12 companies went and closed on Friday at $44.32. public. That’s the most in one Here are some of the compa- week since November 2007, said nies expected go public next week: Brad Hayward unloads canola into steel storage bins on the farm of Barry Lang near Beiseker, Alberta. Record crops are being produced all across data provider Dealogic. And there — Burlington Stores Inc, which the Canadian prairies this season. have been 151 IPOs in the US runs about 500 stores in the this year, up 47 percent from a US, expects to offer 13.3 million year ago, said IPO research firm shares priced between $14 and Renaissance Capital. $16 each, which would raise up A more active IPO market sig- to $213m. Besides the Burlington Hope of BoE rate hike extends sterling rally nals confidence in the economy, Coat Factory, the Burlington, the because buying into IPOs is con- company also owns the Cohoes sidered a riskier investment than and MJM Designer Shoes stores. LONDON: Bets on further its money-printing stimulus year, a level last seen in July 2012. offer banks more long-term loans investing in established compa- — Empire State Realty Trust sterling strength are mounting unchanged, some analysts say Sterling has risen around nine to keep money-market rates from nies. Companies that raise money Inc, the real estate investment as some in the financial mar- the BoE could even tighten policy percent to above $1.60 since it rising to levels that could hurt the in an IPO can also hire more peo- trust behind the Empire State kets consider the possibility before the US central bank. hit a three-year low of $1.4814 economy. ple and make investments with Building, also manages other office that the Bank of England may All this will push sterling even in early July. It has gained more Richard Usher, head of spot trad- the cash, helping support eco- buildings in the New York City be the first of the world’s major higher, analysts say. While that than 4 percent against the euro ing in EMEA at JPMorgan, said it nomic growth. And when IPOs area. It expects to offer 71.5 mil- central banks to raise interest would have bothered the central since hitting a 4-1/2 month low would be tough for the BoE to ignore gain in their first day of trading, lion shares priced between $13 and rates. bank a few months ago, recent on August 1. the run of strong UK economic data. that bodes well for other compa- $15 each. It could raise up to $1bn. The BoE shows no sign of comments from BoE policymak- Some analysts, including those “The chance of more QE in the UK nies that may go public soon, such — Potbelly Corp, the Chicago- standing in the way of such bets ers indicate a more tolerant atti- at Morgan Stanley and Citi expect is very small now and recent BoE as automaker Chrysler and social based toasted sandwich chain, with policymakers seeming less tude towards the pound’s recent sterling at $1.63 in the near term. comments reflect that change in media company Twitter. expects to offer 7.5 million shares concerned than in recent months rise. BoE minutes released last sentiment,” he said, adding that Investors are closely watching between $9 and $11 each and raise about the impact of a stronger The biggest contrast in expec- Wednesday showed the minority sterling at $1.60-$1.70 would not next week’s lineup. “Brand recog- up to $83m. pound. tations is between BoE policy and of policymakers who had previ- particularly worry the BoE. nition will always foster additional — Re/Max Holdings Inc, a real Upbeat UK economic data has that of the European Central ously backed the case for more The BoE said in its most attraction,” says Scott Sweet, a estate broker based in Denver, fuelled speculation the BoE might Bank, giving the pound even more stimulus had changed their stance recent minutes that a stronger senior managing partner at IPO expects to offer 10 million shares, hike rates sooner than suggested scope to rise against the euro in September. In a newspaper pound had improved the infla- Boutique, which rates IPOs and at up to $21 each, and raise up to by Governor Mark Carney’s for- than versus the dollar. interview published on Friday, tion outlook. invests in them. But worries about $210m. Also on deck for an IPO ward guidance. “There is an increasing risk Carney said he saw no need for Back in February, with sterling a looming government shutdown next week are a methanol pro- By contrast, the European of the BoE raising rates before more bond-buying as the British trading between $1.50 and $1.55, could hurt demand for upcoming ducer, OCI Partners LP, seeking Central Bank is seen more likely the Fed as well as the European economic recovery had “strength- some BoE policymakers said the offerings, warns David Menlow, to raise as much as $368m, and a to cut rates than raise them. Central Bank,” said Kit Juckes, ened and broadened”. pound would have to weaken fur- president of IPO analysis firm mortgage investment firm, Cherry And with the Federal Reserve FX strategist at Societe Generale, By contrast, ECB President ther to support a stagnant econ- IPOfinancial.com. Hill Mortgage Investment Corp. having shocked markets last who expects euro/sterling at 78 Mario Draghi said this week the omy by boosting exports. Empire State Realty Trust, AP week by leaving the pace of pence some time over the next central bank was prepared to REUTERS

Thailand cuts growth outlook as output casts doubt on recovery Raytheon wins $243m US Navy BANGKOK: Thailand cut its Thailand’s finance ministry cut which will result in a trade sur- Some analysts expect Thailand’s of the year, usually the country’s growth outlook this year and the outlook on growth for 2013 to plus of $4.9bn and a current fortunes to improve at the year- export season. order for said policy would stay sup- 3.7 percent from 4.5 percent pro- account surplus of $1.3bn, he said. end and the government has said “Looking ahead, fundamentals portive as poor manufactur- jected in June due to weak exports On August 21, the MPC left the the third quarter would see posi- of the economy remain sound ing output suggested Southeast and slower domestic demand. benchmark rate at 2.50 percent tive quarter-on-quarter growth. overall. Monetary and fiscal SM-6 missiles Asia’s second-largest economy “The MPC (monetary policy for a second straight meeting, “The outlook should be positive, conditions will continue to be may struggle to emerge from committee) is expected to keep saying that was appropriate for judging from improvement in supportive,” Bank of Thailand WASHINGTON: Raytheon recession. the policy rate on hold until next the economy to gain momentum. international countries which Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul Co has won a contract worth The fifth straight month of year to support economic growth,” It next reviews policy on should support the export and told a conference. $243m to build 89 new Standard contraction in manufacturing the ministry’s fiscal policy office October 16, and most economists industrial sectors,” said Pimonwan He said there were some con- Missile-6 interceptors for the output, worst than the market chief, Somchai Sajjapong, told a expect no change. Mahujchariyawong, an economist cerns about the possibility of US Navy, the Pentagon said. had expected, has fanned debate news conference. Weakness in exports and at Kasikorn Research Centre, continued sluggishness in pri- The US Defence Department on when the economy can pull “But next year, there is a slowing domestic demand pulled adding that output should improve vate demand, and supply-side said the contract would run out of a downturn. Thailand is chance that the rate will go higher Thailand into a mild recession in in the final quarter of the year. constraints in the labor market through March 2016. grappling with a current account if inflationary pressure picks up,” the second quarter, as Southeast Thai authorities have said and the production sector could Raytheon’s new SM-6 missile deficit and capital outflow pres- he said. Asia’s second-largest economy the economy should pull out of hold back the future potential of uses the airframe and propulsion sures ahead of a tapering in US Exports were estimated to shrank on a quarterly basis in recession, believing shipments investment and exports. of its legacy Standard Missiles, monetary stimulus. increase just 1.8 percent in 2013, each of the first two quarters.. will rebound in the final months REUTERS but adds the advanced signal processing and guidance con- trol capabilities of its Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air IMF warns Sri Lanka Missile (AMRAAM). When used on Navy cruisers Majid Al Futtaim to delay and destroyers, the new missiles will give military commanders the ability for the first time to intercept targets that are beyond investing in Egypt, Syria the line of sight, or beyond the horizon. The missiles will be part ABU DHABI: Dubai’s Majid retail international development, of the Navy’s sea-based missile Al Futtaim Holding (MAF), the told reporters at the opening of a defence, providing defensive capa- sole franchisee of hypermarket new Carrefour hypermarket near bility against ballistic missiles in chain Carrefour in the Middle Abu Dhabi. their terminal phase of flight. East, will not pursue invest- MAF had also been eye- Raytheon has delivered more ments in Egypt and Syria until ing a major investment in Syria than 50 SM-6 interceptors to the stability returns to the two before the 2011 uprising, and one Navy under low-rate production countries, a senior company Carrefour store in Aleppo was shut contracts. This marks the first official said yesterday. down as a result of the violence. full-rate production contract for MAF, also the only Carrefour The new Carrefour hypermarket the new weapon. franchisee in North Africa in oil-rich Abu Dhabi, the capital Senior Pentagon officials approved and Central Asia, had been in of the United Arab Emirates, is full-rate production of SM-6 missiles advanced talks to buy Egypt’s MAF’s fifth there. MAF operates at a high-level Defense Acquisition largest supermarket chain Metro 19 hypermarkets and 24 regular Board meeting in May. The missiles from the family-owned Mansour outlets across the UAE. defend against fixed- and rotary- Group, sources told Reuters in MAF, franchisee for Carrefour wing aircraft, unmanned planes, and April. hypermarkets in 38 countries, cruise missiles. “Egypt is still unstable, we currently operates in 15 of them Last month, the US Navy fired are waiting for it to settle down and plans to enter the others two SM-6 interceptors from the but we are still in negotiations. gradually. “We are looking at USS Chancellorsville, a guided As for Syria, any investor will entering those markets within the missile cruiser, successfully hold back. It’s not good to move next three to five years, it will also destroying two cruise missile Sri Lankan fishermen paddle their boats along the shoreline in Colombo. The IMF has warned Sri Lanka that forward now with the revolu- include Russia, East Africa and targets in the missile’s first over- its economy may grow more slowly than expected as it urged the island nation to improve its business climate. tion going on,” Younus Al Mulla, some others,” he said. the-horizon test scenario at sea. MAF’s Senior Vice-President for REUTERS REUTERS SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 BUSINESS VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 21

Helped a Ponzi scheme? Brokers’ inside information BY FELIX SALMON banks. Essentially, ICAP made money by of the most lavish on Wall Street: deals are knowing what Hayes wanted, and then commonly lubricated with expensive meals, SEC shows it’s no big deal t’s hard to keep track of all the charges delivering it to him. Champagne, tickets to sporting events coming out today, in a coordinated fash- Hayes’s trades were very profitable or Las Vegas — even nights out at Lady ion, against inter-dealer broker ICAP. not only for UBS, you see, but also for Marmalade Adult Parties. The brokers BY JONATHAN WEIL For those of you who like primary ICAP. Libor derivatives don’t trade on any don’t take on any risk, but they still get paid documents but who don’t fancy wading exchange: they’re entered into bilaterally, enormous sums — and the way they get the ven by the lamentable standards of US banking and secu- Ithrough 26 pages of the English FCA com- between various institutions. And in the money is by persuading the big traders on rities regulators, the settlements unveiled this week with plaint or 58 pages of the US CFTC order, let middle, taking no risk but bringing the dif- Wall Street to use them rather than some Toronto-Dominion Bank for its role in a $1.2bn Florida me recommend the juiciest one of the lot: ferent institutions together so that they can competitor when putting together trades. EPonzi scheme were incredibly lacking. the Justice Department’s criminal complaint trade, sit the inter-dealer brokers like ICAP. If that involves staying up all night blow- Three federal agencies on September 23 said they had struck against three ICAP defendants, Darrell Read, Hayes didn’t use ICAP exclusively — he had ing rails, then that’s what the inter-dealer deals with TD Bank, the Toronto-based lender’s US unit. The Daniel Wilkinson, and Colin Goodman. a similar arrangement with Tullett Prebon brokers are going to end up doing. penalties amounted to $52.5m: $37.5m to settle allegations by Goodman is the cash broker, based in — but he used ICAP a lot, and every time So while ICAP’s behaviour here was par- the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and $15m to the London, who called himself Lord Libor. he traded through them, they would take ticularly egregious, and probably criminal, Securities and Exchange Commission. Per the usual niceties, TD Every day, he would send an email to the a commission. On top of that, ICAP had an there’s something endemic to inter-dealer Bank neither admitted nor denied the agencies’ claims, which various banks which contributed to the daily implicit deal with Hayes that in return for brokers which is deeper and more troubling. ranged from negligence to violations of anti-money-laundering Libor fixing, giving them “suggested Libors” getting him the Libor fixings he wanted, he The New York attorney general is worried laws. It also settled with the Financial Crimes Enforcement for where they should report yen Libor at would be willing to face their other clients about what he calls “insider trading 2.0 , Network, a unit of the Treasury Department, but that won’t 1-month, 3-month, and 6-month tenors. Not on unrelated trades. Essentially, if some- where small groups of traders have infor- result in additional payments. all of the banks would follow Goodman’s body phoned up ICAP looking to do a deriva- mation a few milliseconds before the rest of Now consider this: The total fines are less than the $67m that suggestion all of the time. But most of them tives deal, they knew that Hayes would be the market. But in the world of inter-dealer a single victim of the Ponzi scheme was awarded at a jury trial would take Goodman’s email as an impor- there for them, at something approaching brokers, there’s really no such thing as pub- against TD Bank last year in a Miami federal district court. So tant datapoint, and some of them would the market price, and would provide the lic information at all: all trades are private, you see, it really is possible for motivated, competent lawyers simply turn around and submit whatever liquidity the market needed. all information is private, and the way to to take a big bank to trial over fraud allegations and win. The Goodman told them the rate was. After all, There’s a lot of pretty funny internal make money is entirely a function of what regulators just don’t do it very often. yen Libor was, especially during the finan- ICAP politics in the complaint. Because connections you have and whom you’re able In that case, a firm named Coquina Investments accused TD cial crisis, something of a fiction: it’s meant Hayes was a derivatives dealer, his com- to befriend over the course of long evenings Bank of aiding Fort Lauderdale lawyer Scott Rothstein’s Ponzi to represent the rate at which banks lend missions went to ICAP’s derivatives desk of lavish entertainment. scheme and making fraudulent representations of its own, by to each other in yen, but by the time of the — rather than to Goodman, who was on Or, to put it another way, ICAP’s (alleged) telling investors their money was safe while Rothstein depleted crisis, there was exactly zero interbank yen the cash desk. As a result, both ICAP and criminality is basically just an extension accounts of their cash. The jury awarded $32m of compensatory lending going on. So yen Libor became sim- Hayes had to contort themselves to find of its core business — which is dealing in damages and $35m of punitive damages to Coquina, based in ply whatever the banks said that it was — a some way to pay Goodman for his services. information asymmetry. ICAP’s brokers Corpus Christi, Texas. After the trial, Judge Marcia Cooke sanc- recipe for manipulation. It turns out that Goodman was selling him- know who wants to trade what, in which tioned TD Bank for concealing evidence. The judge ordered the The biggest manipulator of all was Tom self pretty cheap: he seemed to be satisfied direction — and they use that information bank and its former law firm, Greenberg Traurig, to pay portions Hayes of UBS, who was criminally charged with an extra £5,000 per quarter. Plus what- to make risk-free profits. In the case of of Coquina’s attorney’s fees and other costs. She also stipulated, back in June. Hayes made millions for UBS ever “kickbacks” Hayes paid him directly. Hayes, it looks very much as though they for purposes of the court case, that “TD Bank’s monitoring and by entering into derivatives bets about (Those, sensibly, weren’t discussed directly crossed a criminal line in doing so. But the alert systems were unreasonable and that TD Bank had actual where Libor was going to be. And he tended over email, although they were referred to: bigger scandal, in many ways, is the amount knowledge of Rothstein’s fraud.” The bank is appealing the judg- to win those bets not because of some unu- “As for kick backs etc we can discuss that of money they can make entirely legally, by ment and her sanctions ruling. sual degree of prescience, but rather because at lunch and I will speak to Tom about it monetising information which they have All of this makes for a stark comparison. It took about four he would tell ICAP where he wanted Libor next time he comes up for a chat,” wrote and which no one else possesses. Shouldn’t years after the Ponzi scheme collapsed for regulators to bring any to be, and then Goodman would put those Wilkinson to Goodman. Eric Schneiderman be worried about that? actions against TD, which was Rothstein’s main bank. TD Bank numbers into his email to the various fixing The world of inter-dealer brokers is one REUTERS has paid more than $600m in restitution to harmed investors, according to the OCC. All the regulators seem to have done was follow up on the private litigants’ efforts. The bank at one point had more than 200 lawyers from Greenberg Traurig working on the Coquina litigation, the judge noted. The SEC, in a separate lawsuit this week, accused a former TD vice president, Frank Spinosa, of committing securities fraud with intent or knowledge of wrongdoing. (He declined to testify at the Coquina trial, citing his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, but this week his attorney said Spinosa didn’t know about the fraud.) Yet the SEC went easy on TD Bank and accused it only of negligence. The commission explained in its order that it “considered remedial acts promptly taken” by TD Bank, as well as TD’s cooperation. Of course, it would be hard to blame anyone at Coquina for wondering what remedial acts the SEC had in mind, given that the firm is still fighting to collect its damages award. TD Bank continues to deny Coquina’s accusations, even while it neither admits nor denies the government’s claims. Then again, unlike the SEC, Coquina didn’t accuse TD Bank of securities fraud. It convinced a jury that TD committed regular, old-fashioned fraud. So maybe that little distinction explains things somehow. The Justice Department is nowhere to be found when it comes to TD Bank, although federal prosecutors did land a 50-year prison sentence for Rothstein. As for the banking regulators, they pretty much lived up to the public’s meagre expectations. More than a year after a federal judge ruled that TD had actual knowledge of Rothstein’s fraud; the comptroller’s office dinged the company for some violations of the Bank Secrecy Act. No big deal. The $52.7m of fines won’t make much of a dent. Toronto- Dominion has an $82bn stock-market value and had more than $23bn of revenue last year. There is no deterrent effect here. If a big bank services a billion-dollar Ponzi scheme in ways it shouldn’t, it may get a slap on the wrist from the feds, but that’s all. This must be of some comfort to JPMorgan Chase & Co, which still faces government investigations (but hasn’t been penalised) over its ties to Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, almost five years after that $17bn scam blew up. A TD spokeswoman, Ali Duncan Martin, declined to answer questions about this week’s settlements or the Coquina case. However, she was kind enough to send me an e-mail saying “TD Bank is pleased to resolve these regulatory concerns.” I’ll bet it is. WP-BLOOMBERG Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate Alibaba looks at possibility of breaking into the West

BY ZACHARY KARABELL will sell its shares not in Hong thinking may be debatable, but it a different realm, one that only markets, their global reach and earners have seen significant Kong, which is part of China, but is hardly unique. serves the multifaceted needs international participants, as well pressure, but on a global scale ashington may once instead in New York City, which This is more than a “business” of a burgeoning middle class. I as the relatively clear set of rules lives are improving manifestly, again be careening is decidedly not. Only two years story. It is a potent example of recently spoke at a conference make American financial markets and companies such as Alibaba toward an abyss ago, Alibaba made a serious play the continued intermingling of where senior executives in the highly attractive to an entrepre- have been facilitating that by Wof its own making, to buy Yahoo, which was an early the Chinese and US economies, room were asked if they felt posi- neurial company like Alibaba. reducing the cost and compli- but it is not the only story worth investor and is still a substantial and of the globalised nature of tive about the economy going for- Responding to the unwilling- cation of obtaining needed and attending to. It makes good thea- shareholder. Now, Alibaba may business and finance. The expan- ward; almost unanimously they ness of Hong Kong to relax its desired services. tre, but for now we don’t know soon join Yahoo and a host of sion of Alibaba and its possible said yes. Asked if they felt positive rules, one of Alibaba’s founders The fact that its future winds how or if it will fundamentally other competitors as a publicly- decision to list on a United States about Washington, they said no by remarked, “We understand Hong not just through China but pos- shape our lives. traded company listed on a US exchange is one element of a a similar margin. Kong may not want to change its sibly through American finan- So what will? Half a world exchange. powerful story, namely the con- Ma and his peers have helped tradition for one company, but we cial markets is another sign that away, a Chinese company is con- While shares on any exchange tinued evolution of e-commerce propel the next wave of Chinese firmly believe that Hong Kong politics may be frozen but global sidering a public offering. That can trade electronically anywhere and information technology that consumer society. When his must consider what is needed in commerce is not. Trade between would seem of even less import, in the world, where you list shapes is facilitating the emergence of a company began, no one in China order to adapt to future trends the US and China continues to but this is no ordinary company. what information you must report global middle class. shopped online. There was so lit- and changes.” expand at double digits, including It is Alibaba, which is to China and how a company both commu- What’s particularly striking is tle trust of commercial transac- Rather than decrying the US exports to consumer-oriented what eBay and Amazon are to nicates with and is perceived by that this story appears to exist tions conducted that way that American regulatory framework, Chinese buyers. the United States. It is the lead- the public and by investors. But in a completely separate world most purchases were COD — cash Alibaba sees it as favourable com- The price of tea in China does, ing e-commerce company in the listing in the US versus Hong from the political narrative that on delivery. Now, according to pared to China’s. in fact, matter to the fate of the Middle Kingdom, and it is led by Kong is also a powerful symbol, is unfolding in many countries. McKinsey, the market is $210bn Alibaba’s business looks to United States, and the health of a visionary entrepreneur named because it shows where Alibaba Read about politics in the United and has been growing in excess remain almost entirely Chinese, American markets matters to a Jack Ma who has transformed believes its best interests will be States and you would understand- of 100 percent a year. Alibaba has even as its capital will come citizen of Shenzhen, or Rio, or that space in China as surely served. ably assume that the tracks are been a driving force. from investors around the world. Bangkok, and on down the list. as Jeff Bezos has in the United Jack Ma and his partners do warped and the train is about to Yet now this behemoth is con- Its potential moves underscore Those cities and their citizens are States. And now, Alibaba wants not want to cede as much con- go off the rails. Read about poli- templating a listing in the United that the world of commerce and thriving and churning in spite of to go public. The IPO could value trol of the company as Hong Kong tics in China and you’d think that States, and this possible listing capital continue their relent- political crises. Alibaba at as much as $75bn. rules would demand. Like many corruption is everywhere; scandal runs contrary to perceptions that less march toward globalization, We should attend to the perils That would be noteworthy in media and Internet moguls, they is inevitable, and no tycoon is safe American regulations are driv- which is benefitting emerging of politics, but not at the exclusion and of itself, for sheer size and want to be able to determine the from unpredictable government ing capital away. In fact, it’s the middle classes throughout the of equally potent stories that are scope. More intriguing is that, strategy of the company rather crackdowns. Chinese economy and its regula- world. defining our future, and much for according to reports, it is increas- than relinquish those decisions to But the world of technology tions that aren’t flexible enough The benefits are not shared the better. ingly likely that the company shareholders. The wisdom of that and dynamic companies exists in for Alibaba. The liquidity of US evenly, and American wage REUTERS SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 22 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com GECM & TENDERS

GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS MAP (GECM) Every Sunday German consumer sentiment hits British GDP growth at three- highest level in six years year high, but investment falls BERLIN: German consumer confidence New warning issued on China rose to its highest level in six years local government debt US stock futures drop on LONDON: Britain’s economy grew at heading into October, supporting BEIJING: China’s local government South Korea’s national debt shutdown fears its fastest pace in three years in the expectations strong consumer spending growing sharply since 1997 second quarter, probably helped by debt has nearly doubled since 2010, NEW YORK: US stock futures fell on will help Europe’s largest economy to an official newspaper reported Friday, crisis: Data a one-off tax change, but business post moderate growth in 2013. GfK Friday, as economic data continued raising fresh concerns about potential SEOUL: South Korea’s national investment fell, raising some market research group said today its to take a back seat to concern about repayment problems and the health debt has been growing sharply the budget standoff on Capital Hill questions about the recovery’s forward-looking consumer sentiment prospects. Growth between indicator, based on a survey of around of the banking system. the state-run over the past decades, data and a possible government shutdown. Economic Information Daily, quoting the showed Friday, raising concerns Stock-index futures held modest April and June was 0.7 percent 2,000 people, rose to 7.1 going into October from an upwardly revised 7.0 the results of a government audit, didn’t give that such ballooning debt could losses after data had consumer compared with the previous three-month period, in line with previous month. a figure for the new level of local debt. weigh on its fiscal health going spending climbing 0.3pc in August,in forward. According to the data by line with expectations, with July the previous reading, the Office for the finance ministry, the country’s revised to 0.2pc, up from an initial National Statistics said on Thursday. national debt is projected to read of 0.1pc. expand from 480.3 trillion won this year to 515.2 trillion won (US$478.4bn) next year. SA consumer confidence falls to decade low India’s new central bank chief JOHANNESBURG: South African announces surprise rate hike IMF official says talk of Brazilian consumer confidence slumped to a 10- MUMBAI: India’s new central bank crisis overblown year low in the third quarter as strikes governor marked his first policy meeting RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil’s economy hit the manufacturing and mining yesterday with a bold decision to hike is showing signs of recovery and any industries and gasoline costs soared interest rates, wrong-footing analysts talk of crisis is an exaggeration, an to a record. “The consumer confidence and leading to sharp falls on the stock International Monetary Fund (IMF) index is presently at an even more market. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) chief depressed level compared to the low of Australia shares end up 0.2pc; official said here Thursday. Raghuram Rajan, who had warned he was reach new post-crisis high According to Batista, the 2011 minus 4 registered during the height of prepared to be unpopular, ordered a rise SYDNEY: Australian stocks climbed deceleration of the Brazilian economy the 2008 global financial crisis,” FNB in the benchmark interest rate from 7.25 0.2pc Friday, touching a fresh five-year was planned, because the government said. to 7.50 per cent at a mid-quarter policy high, as investors kept faith in a strong believed the economy was overheating. review in India’s financial centre Mumbai. rally this year driven by continuing signs of improvement in the US economy and stabilization in China. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index added 12.6 points to 5307.1 after touching a new high of 5314.3 during the session, beating its previous post-crisis peak of 5300.1 reached last week.

TENDERS

TENDER TENDER CLOSING TENDER TENDER CLOSING No. COMPANY TENDER NO. SUBJECT No. COMPANY TENDER NO. SUBJECT BOND FEES DATE BOND FEES DATE

Feed for deslinated and Ext. of FW Sale & removal of air condition window 3 0 / 0 9 / 2 0 1 3 1 GT13109400 QR 475,000 QR 500 6/10/2013 23 ST13MT0247 QR 2,000 Free network in RLC units and photocopiers (12:00hrs) Supply, Installing and commission of 21/10/2013 Epic of waste management facility at 24 ST13MT0278 simulated distallation (SIMDIS) system QR 8,000 QR 100 2GT13109700 QR 2500,000 QR 500 27/10/2013 (12:00hrs) RLC (Latest model)

Scaffolding services on a call-off basis Stocking and supply of computer 25 GT13110000 QR 500,000 QR 500 3/11/2013 6/10/2013 in Dukhan fields 3LT13MT0059peripherals on call-off basis for a period QR 25,000 QR 500 (12:00hrs) of one (1) year 63 2013- Supply of trolleys used for storage of Monday 26 QR 20,000 QR 250 2014 equipment and breathing aparatus 21/10/2013 Painting, insulation, vinyl ester wrapping 4GT13109800 QR 1000,000 QR 500 27/10/2013 Designing and constructing of the services, DKN FLDs 64 Monday 27 General Guard Complex project QR 3,600,000 QR 750 2013-2014 28/10/2013 Turnaround maint work at FNGLCS in (phase 2) 5GT13110200 QR 200,000 QR 500 10.11.2013 Dukhan fields Supply, installation and operation 65 2013- of educational and demonstration Monday Supply, implementation, maint. 28 Ministry of QR 40,000 QR 250 2014 equipment for the Coasts & borders 28/10/2013 6 LT13108500 and support of a wireless barcode QR 68,750 QR 200 13/10/2013 Interior Security Department warehouse system 66 2013- Supply of large flow fan for fire smoke 29 QR 20,000 QR 250 28/10/2013 Upgrade of halul phase-1 Evsd. DMS and 2014 extraction (Large volume) 7GT13109200 QR 200,000 QR 500 6/10/2013 CMS panels Supply, Installation, testing and 29/09/2013 LTC commissioning of CCTV cameras & time Not later Replacement/Realignment of pipe 30 QR 150,000 QR 500 QR 721/2013 attendance/ Access control system at than 11:00 8 GT13109600 supports & sand clearance on call-off, QR 500 3/11/2013 1500,000.00 Kahramaa-Industrial Area warehouse am DKN Fl 2 7 / 1 0 / 2 0 1 3 Epic for six mechanical PCRS at NGL-3, LTC One year price agreement conference not later 9LT13108200 QR 70,000 N/A 13/10/2013 31 QR 25,000 QR 500 Gas operations, MESAIEED 677/2013 leasing hardware and service than 11:00 am 31/10/2013 Implementation of power factor Epic for installation of pipeline and two GTC Not later 10 LT13108600 QR 70,000 QR 200 27/10/2013 32 monitoring system in bulk customer QR 400,000 QR 3,000 submersible pumps at Dukhan STP 602/2013 than 11:00 substations am Additional slots at Gas lift manifold for 10/10/2013 11 LT13108700 QR 100,000 QR 200 27/10/2013 Three years contract for leak detection new GTC Not later 33 on larger diameters water mains QR 500,000 QR 4,000 539/2012 than 12:00 (300mm diameter up to 1600mm) 30/09/2013 noon 12 ST13MT0262 Emergency escape set QR 16,000 QR 100 (12:00hrs) Three (3) years call-off contract , 3/10/2013 Emergency maintenance works for Not later 6/10/2013 34 GTC/ 555/2013 water service Connections (maintenance QR 2,000,000 QR 5,000 13 LT13MT0031 Supply of wrist watches for CSA-2013 QR 50,000 QR 500 than 11:00 (12:00hrs) & replacement of existing copper SC to am MDPE- 150,000 meter Tanks rehabilitation works (2014-2019) QR 14 GT13109500 QR 500 29/09/2013 Pipelines for Mega Reservoirs Corridor in Dukhan fields 1500,000.00 Main 13 separate packages for material supply, construction, testingand Feed for instln of fo cabl frm lndfall jnt 15 ST13105400 QR 30,000 QR 200 13/10/2013 commissioning of water mains and fibre to SBO & PAB in RLC optic cable ducts within the Northern length of the Qatar National Utility 10/10/2013 Maintenance of swimming pools and GTC Corridor from Umm Birka to Rawdat QR Not later 16 LT13108400 QR 87,000 QR 200 20/10/2013 35 QR 20,000 water features at MIC 600/2013 Rashed as follows; Package A: 61.5km 10,000,000 than 11:00 of 1600mm & 0.7 km of 1200mm dia. am mains, Package B: 48 km of 1600mm & Combined quantitative risk assessment 14km of 1200mm dia. mains Package C: 17 GT13110100 QR 120,000 QR 500 3/11/2013 for MIC 23 km of 1600 mm, 21.5km of 1400mm, 11km 1200mm & 1.5km of 900mm dia. mains Transportation equipment (forklift 07/11/2013 Three (3) years call-off contract and truck cab with flatbelt trailer) for 27/10/2013 GTC Not later 18 GT13MT0033 QR 135,000 QR 1,000 36 for maintenance, replacement and QR 3,500,000 QR 5,000 Erhama bin Jaber Al jalahma ship yard (12:00hrs) 556/2013 than 11:00 upgrading of water networks (Nakilat) am 06/10/2013 Call-off contract for supply of semi- Not later 37 LTC 712/2013 QR 200,000 QR 1,000 Purchase, maintenance and support of skilled labourer than 11:00 19 ST13104900 QR 20,000 N/A 30/09/2013 wellcad software am

Qatar Stars Event company for complete delivery of Servicing refurbishment of gas lift 38 6/2013 ) QR 50,000 QR 500 17/10/2013 20 S13104800 QR 21,000 QR 200 30/09/2013 League Committee the 2014 QFA awards valves in Dukhan fields of tenders and Auctions Event company for complete delivery of Stocking and supply of uPVC pipes & 39 5/2013) QR 50,000 QR 500 3/10/2013 fittings for industrial cities directorate 20/10/2013 the 20th Heir Apparent Cup Final 21 LT13MT0060 QR 149,000 QR 500 (MIC-RLC) on call-off basis for a period (12:00hrs) 06/10/2013 of three (3) years Call-off contract for 11KV feeder not later 40 LTC 694/2013 QR 150,000 QR 1,000 Supply of motorola GP340EX UHF/VHF 28/10/2013 protection modification than 11:00 22 ST13MT0275 QR 22,000 QR 100 handheld radios & accessories (12:00hrs) am SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 23

Baseball Results Boston 12 Baltimore 3 Toronto 6 Tampa Bay 3 Pittsburgh 4 Cincinnati 1 Teams set for ‘big’ season Milwaukee 4 NY Mets 2 Miami 3 Detroit 2 Atlanta 1 Philadelphia 0 The 82-game National Hockey League season set to begin on Tuesday Texas 5 LA Angels 3 Kansas City 6 C W Sox 1 Cleveland 12 Minnesota 6 TORONTO: With the Sochi look and the NHL has given itself NY Yankees 3 Houston 2 Olympics, the biggest Winter a makeover for 2013-14, moving Tyler St Louis 7 Chicago Cubs 0 Classic and a new Stadium from the old six-division format Kennedy Series, the National Hockey to four (Atlantic, Metropolitan, (81) of the Washington 8 Arizona 4 League (NHL) launches its Central and Pacific) with the top San Jose Oakland 8 Seattle 2 most ambitious season since three in each plus two wild cards Sharks LA Dodgers 11 Colorado 0 expansion on Tuesday looking to in each conference making the skates with San Francisco 7 San Diego 3 regain lost momentum and fans. playoffs. the puck For NHL players, winning an The curtain goes up on Tuesday ahead of Olympic gold medal and hav- with a classic Original Six Shane Doan Rangers win ing their names engraved on matchup in Montreal with the (19) of the the Stanley Cup will be the big Canadiens facing off against the Phoenix 5-3 over prizes this season but for a league Toronto Maple Leafs while the Coyotes in recovery mode there is much Stanley Cup champion Chicago during the Angels, still in more is at stake. Blackhawks meet the Washington second After last year’s lockout-short- Capitals and the Winnipeg Jets period of ened campaign the NHL is back take on the Edmonton Oilers in playoff hunt with a full action-packed 82-game another all-Canadian tilt. the pre- schedule designed to put the But there will be plenty of season ARLINGTON, TEXAS: The league in the sporting spotlight other dates circled on the hockey NHL game Texas Rangers finally gained and keep it there with a daring fans’ calendars, the biggest being at Jobing. some ground in the AL wild- lineup of glossy events. the outdoor Winter Classic which com Arena card race with their fifth con- “One of the most important is expected to attract an NHL in Glendale, secutive victory. things to come out of the nego- record crowd of 110,000 on New Arizona. They still don’t have a playoff tiations was 10 years of labour Year’s day at Michigan Stadium. spot with only two games left in peace and that is allowing us to The NHL, more than any of the regular season. begin to execute the plans we North America’s four major pro- venue used for the opening cer- Olympics with games at Dodger teams, particularly those based in “These last two games are have for growing the game and fessional leagues, has successfully emonies of the 2010 Vancouver Stadium, Yankee Stadium on the hockey loving Canada. Not since going to be exciting. We definitely growing revenues,” John Collins, traded on the romanticism of the Olympics. front end and Soldier Field and Montreal celebrated the last of bettered our chances,” closer Joe the NHL’s chief operating officer, sport’s past and will be counting In between, the NHL will stage BC Place on the back end.” their 24 Stanley Cups in 1993 Nathan said after the Rangers’ said. on that appeal to help the league a four-game Stadium Series with After tense negotiations has the treasured trophy been 5-3 victory last night. “Today was “We’ve added a lot of blue chip regain the momentum it lost dur- contests at Dodger Stadium in with the International Olympic paraded through the streets of a a crucial game.” partners on the broadcast and ing the lockout. Los Angeles, Soldier Field in Committee and International Canadian city and the country is Alex Rios had a tiebreaking the sponsorship side, who said The Winter Classic began as a Chicago and two games at New Ice Hockey Federation, the NHL determined to see hockey’s ‘Holy RBI single in the seventh inning, they like where the game is and one-off novelty tribute to hock- York City’s Yankee Stadium. has decided to remain part of the Grail’ return to its spiritual home. and the Rangers moved closer in like where it’s going and want to ey’s outdoor roots but has quickly The most important hockey Olympic programme and will use Nowhere are expectations the wild-card standings for the spend money promoting and acti- grown into a marketing colos- event of the year, however, will the Sochi Games to promote its higher than in Toronto where first time during their winning vating around hockey. sus that has brought the NHL take place in Sochi, the exotic players and league. the Maple Leafs will try to end streak. “They need events like the unprecedented exposure. Black Sea resort that will host Hockey’s biggest names will the NHL’s longest active Stanley Wild-card leader Tampa Bay Winter Classic and Stadium Capitalising on that appeal, the the 2014 Winter Games. back on the Olympic ice from Cup drought. lost at Toronto, dropping the Rays Series to do that.” NHL has scheduled six outdoor “Obviously the Olympics February 9-25 with Pittsburgh The Maple Leafs, the only NHL into a tie with Cleveland for the From the great Olympic stage games. presents a unique opportunity. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby franchise to be worth $1bn, have two spots after the Indians beat to an unconventional outdoor The outdoor extravaganza The fact that we have the best set to lead Canada’s gold medal been a massive success every- Minnesota. The Rangers, looking game in sunny Los Angeles, the begins in Detroit on New Year’s players in the world playing on defence against a Russia team where but on the ice. for their fourth consecutive play- NHL appears determined to leave Day with the Winter Classic that stage and we want to create that has made standing on top of It has been 45 years since the off appearance, are a game back. no marketing stone unturned in between the Red Wings and as much momentum as we can the Sochi podium a top priority. Leafs last sipped from the silver “We just want an opportunity, an effort to rebuild its brand and Maple Leafs and ends with the going into the Olympics and as All that glitters, however, is mug and fans, who pay the NHL’s just want that shot,” Elvis Andrus repair the damage done by a bit- Vancouver Canucks and Ottawa much as we can coming out as we not gold and the chase for the highest ticket prices, are demand- said. ter labor dispute. Senators squaring off in the possibly can,” said Collins. silver Stanley Cup will be the ing more for their money. Ian Kinsler led off the seventh A fresh start deserves a new Heritage Classic at BC Place, the “That’s why we bookended the main target for all 30 NHL REUTERS with a walk off Juan Gutierrez (1-5), then moved to second on an errant pickoff throw by the reliever who had taken over after Hawks soar past Fremantle to C J Wilson threw 121 pitches in Qatar’s Hashim six innings. Rios had his run-scor- ing hit after a sac bunt by Andrus, Salah (extreme then scored on a two-out infield left) is seen in AFL title at packed MCG single by A J Pierzynski. action during MELBOURNE: The Hawthorn Hawks made up for the disappoint- “This is where we want to be the men’s ment of losing last year’s final with a 77-62 (11.11 to 8.14) victory ... still in the hunt,” manager Ron 1,500m final over the Fremantle Dockers to claim the 2013 Australian Football Washington said. at the Islamic League (AFL) title in Melbourne yesterday. The loss was the 82nd for the Solidarity The Hawks, who lost to the Sydney Swans in the previous Grand Angels, ensuring them of only Games in Final, secured an 11th premiership and first since 2008 in front of more their second losing record the Sumatra, than 100,000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. past 10 seasons - a period in Indonesia, For a team that had its attacking credentials hailed in the lead up which they were AL West cham- yesterday. to the match, Hawthorn’s defence was showcased in the early stages pions five times. Salah finished of the match, ensuring the Dockers were unable to kick a goal until “To be totally honest with in 9th spot. the second quarter. you, whether we had run off and The Hawks opened the scoring through a Jack Gunston goal in the gotten over .500 or not doesn’t or fourth minute of the game and did not surrender the lead thereafter. can’t mask our challenge ahead of There were tense moments during the second half as Fremantle how we need to get better,” man- clawed back some of their 23-point halftime deficit to trail by just three ager Mike Scioscia said. “It is very points at one stage and 10 heading into the final quarter. frustrating. Nothing has changed However, the Hawks were able to finish the stronger and hold on for as far as if you want to talk about A Qatari player goes the win on the back of a final quarter push that captain Luke Hodge the whole season being frustrat- for a smash during said was something that had been their trademark. ing. I think that’s a pretty good his team’s volleyball “We’ve finished off last quarters really well this year but it wasn’t buzzword to put on it.” match against Turkey just unexpected, the reason we finished off well is because we’ve worked Alexi Ogando allowed three at the Islamic Solidarity hard,” Hodge said in a post-match television interview. runs with four strikeouts over 5 Games in Sumatra, Hawks midfielder Brad Sewell said the devastation of last year’s loss 1-3 innings. Indonesia, yesterday. to Sydney was in the mind of the players during the final quarter when Nathan, the winner Thursday Turkey won 25-18, Fremantle was attempting to mount a comeback. night when the Rangers won on “It’s one hell of a feeling getting done the way that we did last year rookie Jurickson Profar ‘s game- 25-22, 25-17. and it’s something that nobody’s prepared go to through again,” Sewell ending homer, worked a perfect QOC PICTURES: said. ninth for his 42nd save in 45 MOHAMMED AL EMADI Veteran Brian Lake who joined the Hawks at the end of last year chances. was awarded the Norm Smith medal for a best on ground performance, The Angels didn’t even get a playing in his first Grand Final after 12 seasons in the AFL. runner on base against the four REUTERS relievers. AGENCIES Cycling: Australia happy with Cookson election

FLORENCE, ITALY: A year after cycling suffered had been the first to publicly his home federation as well as McQuaid had been in a fight to Australian cycling chiefs believe a hammer blow due to Lance endorse Cookson because of the Switzerland, where the UCI is the death. Brian Cookson’s (pictured) Armstrong’s spectacular fall from need for change. And while the based, McQuaid desperately tried “He was fighting for his skin, election as president of the grace following a lifetime doping Scots-born administrator does to amend article 51.1 of the UCI for his job. That’s what Irishmen sport’s world governing body ban, the UCI still has damage to not expect a direct impact on the constitution to allow him to be do,” he said. can prompt a positive, global repair. sport Down Under, he believes nominated by another federation. Turning to Cookson, the impact. With plans to run the UCI Cookson can be the “catalyst” But when the vote was put to Australian added: “There was a Cookson was elected presi- differently, and hand anti-dop- that will pull the sport forward. the 42 delegates, McQuaid missed vote and he won the vote. Now dent of the International Cycling ing tasks to an independent Called the Irishman’s bluff out when a secret ballot returned hopefully there will be some Union (UCI) on Friday after body, Cookson is hopeful cycling “We took the decision to come a 21-21 draw. change for the better. There’s a beating embattled incumbent can still reach its “enormous out and publicly support Brian Determined, the Irishman chance to create a better envi- Pat McQuaid at the end of a pro- potential”. Cookson’s candidacy four weeks then presented two Swiss law- ronment for cycling globally. It’s tracted election process. “I have said throughout my ago because we felt he represented yers who said article 51.1 was not about one person. It’s about It capped a long and frustrat- campaign that we must embrace the change that was required,” open to interpretation, allowing an attitude. With any team, you ing day in Florence’s be Palazzo a new style of governance and a Leighton told said on Friday. him to be nominated by the Thai have to have the will to develop Vecchio, where McQuaid, in power collegiate way of working so that “Rather than wait for a secret and Moroccan federations and and progress your objectives.” since 2005, had initially failed to a new era of growth and com- ballot, we started that trend.” claiming the Swiss federation’s He added: “I don’t think it gain nomination but forced his mercial success for the UCI and It was a protracted and at times previous withdrawal of his nomi- will have a massive effect on way through by relying on loop- our sport can begin,” said the dramatic election at Florence’s nation had no legal standing in Australiana cycling ... but cycling holes in the UCI constitution. Englishman. Palazio Vecchio, where McQuaid the country. Cookson ultimately is a global phenomenon and it In the end Cookson called “Ultimately that’s how we are fought tooth and nail to hang on called the Irishman’s bluff, a move requires constant development. McQuaid’s bluff by calling for a going to grow our sport worldwide to the job he took from predeces- he later admitted probably gave Change is a positive thing, but quickfire vote, and was rewarded and get fans into cycling.” sor Hein Verbruggen eight years him the edge. hopefully it will create momen- by gaining 24 votes to McQuaid’s Cycling Australia vice president ago. While Leighton played down tum for more change and that will 18. Jon Leighton said his federation Without endorsements from the drama, he acknowledged feed upon itself.” REUTERS SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 24 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT

Srinivasan set to be Golf: Uihlein Strauss reveals re-elected as rivals stay out eyes title after eagle at Dunhill CHENNAI: Narayanaswamy Srinivasan will be elected unopposed as president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for a third year at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) here today Links along with all other office bearers. Pietersen troubles Srinivasan, however, will know tomorrow whether he can take charge GLASGOW: Peter Uihlein or not only after the Supreme Court decides tomorrow on the petition has set his sights on win- filed by the secretary of the Cricket Association of Bihar. ning the Alfred Dunhill Links Former skipper hits back in new book The CAB, which is not recognised by the BCCI, had moved the Championship after the Supreme Court seeking to restrain Srinivasan from getting re-elected American’s eagle gave him a on the ground that his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, who was the two-shot lead after yesterday’s LONDON: Former England team principal of the popular Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise third round. captain Andrew Strauss has Chennai Super Kings -- owned by Srinivasan’s India Cements -- has Uihlein narrowly missed lifted the lid on his stand-off been chargesheeted for betting in the sixth edition of the Twenty20 an eagle putt on the ninth at with Kevin Pietersen that over- tournament. Kingsbarns on Friday and had shadowed his final days as an CAB secretary Aditya Verma, in his application, also sought to to settle for recording the 17th international cricketer, saying restrain the BCCI from nominating Srinivasan in any of its commit- round of 60 in European Tour his- he felt “let down” by the star tees as a member or allow him to participate in any of the proceedings tory instead of a record-breaking batsman. of the board in any capacity. 59, but he finished his round on And his comments, in yester- “Sorry. Please, I cannot comment on anything now. Please try to the Old Course yesterday in stun- day’s Daily Mail serialisation of understand my situation,” said Srinivasan when IANS reached him ning style. his autobiography, ‘My Driving soon after his unanimous election. The 24-year-old’s pitch from Ambition’ placed a question mark When the nominations for various offices were released this evening, 47 yards looped straight into the over his expressed interest in suc- surprisingly the names of two of its senior vice-presidents, Arun Jaitley hole for an eagle two to complete ceeding Hugh Morris as England’s from North and Niranjan Shah from West were missing. a 65 and 20-under-par total new managing director of cricket Both Jaitley and Shah apparently did not want to be part of a set-up in the pro-am event played at -- a position that would effectively mired in controversies. Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and St mean he was Pietersen’s boss. Jaitley paved the way for his Delhi and District Cricket Association Andrews. Strauss retired in August last (DDCA) secretary Sneh Bansal to move in while Mumbai president Uihlein was only one under year following England’s Test This August 2010 file photo shows England’s Kevin Pietersen (left) sitting Ravi Sawant takes over from Shah. The other new vice-president is after an opening 71 at Carnoustie series loss to South Africa dur- on a bench with then skipper Andrew Strauss at Edgbaston Cricket Rajiv Shukla, president of the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association, who but has played his last 36 holes in ing which the generally good rela- Ground in Birmingham before the second Test against Pakistan. replaces Vidarbha’s Sudhir Dabir. 19 under, eclipsing the previous tions he enjoyed with Pietersen, Cricket Association of Bengal joint secretary Chitrak Mitra and record of 18 under set by Thomas the man he succeeded as captain, former India off-spinner Shivlal Yadav from Hyderabad will continue Aiken in the Alfred Dunhill hit rock bottom. the fall-out seeing the gifted shot- “I feel incredibly tired, as as vice-presidents for one more year. Championship at Leopard Creek The low points came follow- maker dropped from the team though I have simply run out of Baroda’s Sanjay Patel, who was nominated after Sanjay Jagdale quit in 2009. ing reports Pietersen, South that played the final Test against energy -- I have nothing more to in protest against the constitution of the inquiry panel to probe the However, with scoring condi- Africa born and raised, had sent the Proteas. give. I am also wallowing in a ris- alleged betting and spot-fixing by Meiyappan. tions again perfect, that was only derogatory text messages to his “The England cricket team ing tide of sadness. This is not the Haryana secretary Anirudh Chaudhary comes in as the new treas- good enough to lead by two from friends in the Proteas’ dressing are in crisis again. Coach Andy way I wanted my England career urer, replacing Sawant, who was nominated along with Patel when Ernie Els, David Howell, Joost room regarding Strauss, includ- Flower and I have found ourselves to end. Ajay Shirke went out with Jagdale. Luiten, Martin Kaymer, Richard ing advice on how to dismiss the in the middle of a destabilising “I was dumbfounded. I wasn’t Himachal’s Anurag Thakur will continue as joint secretary. McEvoy and Ireland’s Shane left-hander. and potentially damaging PR all that bothered about him send- BCCI sources said that if the case in the Supreme Court lingers on, Lowry, who equalled the course The texts became public after a game between Kevin Pietersen, ing texts to a few South African former president Jagmohan Dalmiya may continue as the officiating record with a 64 at Carnoustie drawn fourth Test in Leeds where the England cricket team and the players he knew quite well. I did, chief. Dalmiya took over after Srinivasan stepped aside after the IPL after a bogey on his final hole. Pietersen scored a superb 149 only ECB (England and Wales Cricket however, have issues with him spot-fixing and the betting scandal broke out. IANS England’s Paul Casey also to say it was “hard being me” in Board), Strauss, recalling his feel- criticising me to the opposition. equalled the course record at St the England dressing room, with ings, wrote. “That felt like talking out of Andrews with a 62, although he school, not to mention giving the was seven off the lead on 13 under. opposition a way to drive a wedge Sunrisers “It was not quite what I was between Pietersen and myself and trying to do but it worked out,” Panesar in spotlight Hyderabad’s the team,” Strauss, who played Uihlein said. “I carried it a bit skipper Shikhar exactly 100 Tests for England, too far but got a bit lucky and it’s added. Dhawan is pretty sweet, a cool finish and a again after ban “From that moment, clear airborne while great way to sign off. battle lines were drawn between attempting an “I felt I missed quite a few putts LONDON: Fresh questions over Monty Panesar’s (pictured) char- Pietersen and the ECB, with both off-side shot coming down the stretch so it acter were raised yesterday when the England spinner accepted sides involved in a PR/legal battle against Titans in makes up for it a little.” he’d acted in a “potentially threatening and intimidating” manner to gain public support and cover their Champions Els has twice been part of win- towards an opponent. themselves in the event of litiga- League 2013, ning Dunhill Cup teams for South Just a few days after being named in tion,” the now 36-year-old Strauss Group B, match in Africa at St Andrews, but would England’s squad for the forthcoming Ashes tour said. Ranchi yesterday. love to win an individual title of Australia, Panesar was given a suspended “There were many involved Titans won by today, especially after making the one-match ban by the England and Wales with English cricket, including eight wickets. cut in the pro-am event with his Cricket Board’s disciplinary commission after myself, who felt particularly let father Neels. pleading guilty to a breach of directive 3.2 in the down. For me, he (Pietersen) had “I’ve been in a bit of a rut County Championship match between Essex crossed the line. He seemed to be playing in the FedEx Cup in the and Worcestershire earlier this month. at best destabilising and at worst States, playing week to week and The ECB did not specify exactly what had undermining our carefully culti- kind of going brain dead. You don’t caused Panesar to be charged, their state- vated team environment.” England’s Buttler leaves know exactly what you’re playing ment referring only to “two incidents” one However, Strauss, who said for,” he said. “To come here and of which was likely a heated exchange with Pietersen had come round to his play with my dad, who turned 70 Worcestershire batsman Ross Whiteley. house to offer an apology in per- Somerset in new move this year, at these beautiful links Experienced umpire Peter Willey, the former Test batsman, inter- son, did not believe he’d passed LONDON: England international Jos Buttler is to leave Somerset courses makes a change and that’s vened while Essex captain James Foster also summoned by the match on tips to South Africa about how in a bid to boost his career as a wicketkeeper, the west country club what I needed. officials. Panesar’s ban will be suspended until the end of next season, best to dismiss him. announced yesterday. “It would mean a great deal to pending any further violations of the ECB code. “If he really had given infor- The 23-year-old Buttler has played 19 one-day internationals for win this event especially with our Yesterday’s ECB statement said Panesar had “apologised for his mation about how to get me out, England but has yet to make his Test debut and was not selected in close connection with (tourna- behaviour during the match”. But it was something both Panesar and well, that amounted to treachery the Ashes squad announced Monday, with Yorkshire’s Jonny Bairstow ment promoter) Johann Rupert the England selectors ciould have done without following the contro- and I would never forgive him,” the back-up gloveman to Matt Prior. and his family. I’ve come close versy surrounding his Test recall. wrote Strauss. “I am confident, Somerset-born Buttler’s bid for more time behind the stumps at quite a few times and I feel I need Last month the 31-year-old left-armer, who has taken 164 wickets in retrospect, that he did not give county level at Taunton has been blocked by fellow England interna- to get my name on that trophy.” at 33.78 in 48 Tests, found himself making the wrong sort of headlines the South Africans information tional Craig Kieswetter. REUTERS after he was fined for urinating on night-club bouncers in Brighton on how to get me out.” It is now expected that Buttler will join Lancashire, who next season on England’s south coast. Pietersen, quickly ‘reinte- will play in the First Division of the County Championship. It was all too much for his then employers Sussex, who promptly grated’ into the England set-up “I am very sad to be leaving Somerset but feel it is a decision I must Dunhill Links released Panesar, now completing the season on loan at rival county during the subsequent tour of take in order to develop my expertise as a wicketkeeper,” said Buttler. Essex. But the fact that Panesar remains England’s second best spin- India under new captain Alastair Buttler impressed with both bat and gloves during England’s recent Scores ner behind off-break bowler Graeme Swann was emphasised by the Cook, is in line to play his 100th one-day series against Australia, making 75 in a losing cause in the GLASGOW: Selected third- wretched Test debut of Lancashire left-armer Simon Kerrigan, whose Test in November’s Ashes opener second ODI at Lancashire’s Old Trafford headquarters in Manchester round scores and totals in eight wicketless overs in the drawn Ashes finale at The Oval last month against Australia in Brisbane. and a match-winning 65 not out in the fourth ODI in Cardiff. the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, Old Course cost 53 runs. REUTERS AFP REUTERS St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, Scotland (GBR and IRL unless stated, par 72): 196 Peter Uihlein (USA) 71 60 65 198 Ernie Els (RSA) 69 65 64, David Howell 67 68 63, Joost Luiten (NED) 67 63 68, Martin Kaymer (GER) 69 66 63 200 Chris Paisley 72 62 66, Christopher Doak 70 67 63 201 Darren Clarke 69 66 66, Michael Hoey 68 66 67 202 Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 68 68 66, Bernd Wiesberger (AUT) 70 65 67, Julien Quesne (FRA) 69 66 67 203 Paul Casey 74 67 62, Jamie Donaldson 65 67 71 205 Bjorn Akesson (SWE) 69 68 68, Paul McGinley 70 68 67 206 Retief Goosen (RSA) 70 68 68, Gregory Havret (FRA) 69 66 71, Padraig Harrington 76 66 64 207 James Kingston (RSA) 72 69 66, Branden Grace (RSA) 70 69 68, Richard Sterne (RSA) 72 70 65 Failed to make the cut 210 Vijay Singh (FIJ) 74 70 66 211 Rich Beem (USA) 72 70 69, Players of Doha First XV and Bahrain battle for the ball during their rugby match at Doha Rugby Football Centre (Doha RFC) in Doha. Doha First XV won the entertaining match 14-10. Teams Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) 74 from Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are also taking part in the tournament. Matches will be played on home and away basis. 69 68, Peter Lawrie 73 69 69, Oliver Fisher 72 69 70 SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 25 Al-Anabi Racing team dazzles Qatar’s Langdon has six-point lead in the NHRA Mello Yello Top Fuel point standings

ST LOUIS, Missouri: The “That 3.76 (second pass) is and is fourth after two of the four first two races of the Countdown pretty close to what we were try- qualifying rounds. to the Championship NHRA ing to run,” Langdon said. “The Al-Anabi team had a very Play-offs have had their chal- “Right now, we are trying to good day – especially with what lenges for the Qatar Al-Anabi focus on smart racing. The six we did at the last race,” alBalo- Racing Top Fuel team, the two- qualifying bonus points we earned oshi said. time NHRA Mello Yello Top are crucial right now. We were “We are the No. 4 qualifier right Fuel World Champions owned trying to make two consistent now; the car is running well, and by Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al runs and get the maximum bonus everything has been good today. It Thani. points we could get, and we did felt very good to run so well today. Yesterday, both Al-Anabi that. The Al-Anabi car had the We have two more runs Saturday teams made magnificent qualify- front end in the air and carried to get ready for race day, but so ing efforts at the AAA Insurance it quite a ways; that’s generally far, so good.” NHRA Midwest Nationals, the a good indication that the car Al-Anabi Racing operates out third of six races that com- launched hard and was going to of multiple locations in both the prise the Countdown to the make an excellent run. I figured United States and Qatar. Championship NHRA Play-offs it would throw a big number up In the United States, the and the 21st of 24 events making on the board, and it was quick.” Brownsburg, Ind.-based opera- up the United States’ 2013 NHRA The news was almost as good tion is a two-car NHRA Mello Mello Yello Drag Racing Series on the gold side of the Al-Anabi Yello Drag Racing Series team season. pit. that is managed by Alan Johnson Qualifying resumes today with After failing to qualify for Racing. eliminations set for tomorrow. the race in Texas last weekend, Sheikh Khalid’s initiative has Silver Al-Anabi driver Shawn Second-year driver Khalid alBa- created increased international Langdon entered the Midwest looshi needed a strong qualify- awareness of the State of Qatar Nationals tied with Doug Kalitta ing effort to get the team back while highlighting the nation’s for first place in the NHRA on track for a return to the form international sports outreach. Mello Yello Top Fuel point that earned the No. 5 seed in the Alan Johnson is a 14-time standings. Langdon was quickest Countdown to the Championship NHRA champion in various in the first round of qualifying Qatar Al-Anabi Racing Top Fuel driver Shawn Langdon launches his qualifying session with the front end of NHRA Play-offs. capacities including crew chief, which allowed him to be in the the car in the air as Langdon raced to the No. 1 qualifying position after two of four qualifying rounds in St The team wasted no time in team owner and team manager. final pair of cars during yester- Louis, Missouri. that process making a smooth yet For additional information day’s session. conservative run in the first ses- on the Al-Anabi Racing Team, After watching six cars run pass at 326.40 mph and is the would be his sixth No. 1 qualifier bonus points in each session and sion, and AlBalooshi was eighth team manager Alan Johnson quicker than his, Langdon was No. 1 qualifier with two qualify- of the season and the 12th of his earned the maximum of six points quickest. or drivers Khalid alBalooshi or seventh before he ran, but he blis- ing rounds remaining. career. After making the quickest today. He now enjoys a six-point In the evening session, Shawn Langdon, one can visit tered the Gateway Motorsports Should Langdon remain No. runs in both qualifying sessions, lead in the NHRA Mello Yello Top AlBalooshi made a marvelous www.alanabiracing.com fro more Park track with a 3.761-second 1 after the two sessions today, it Langdon earned three qualifying Fuel point standings. 3.794-second pass at 322.81 mph details. THE PENINSULA

ACC Level Qatar’s Torrente, Carella 1 Umpiring eye podium finish in China Course begins DOHA: An umpiring course conducted by Asian Cricket LIUZHOU, China: The Qatar since Kiev,” admitted Al Kuwari, position in the F-4S standings Council’s (ACC) and hosted Team’s Shaun Torrente and who runs the team under the after three races (one Ukraine by Qatar Cricket Association defending UIM F1 H20 World umbrella of the QMSF and the race was cancelled) and is a (QCA) got under way here on Champion Alex Carella head to presidency of Sheikh Hassan bin mere nine points behind second- Friday. Liuzhou this week to prepare Jabor Al Thani. placed Niklas Friberg of Sweden. The ACC Level 1 Umpiring for Wednesday’s 19th Grand “But Brendan (Power) has been Germany’s Mike Szymura of the Course will end on October 4, Prix of China, round three of working very hard on the engines Atlantic Team has made the early informed the QCA. the 2013 UIM F1 H20 World in his workshop and I am con- season running and has a five- Successful candidates of Championship. fident that Shaun and Alex can point championship advantage. ACC 0 Level Umpiring Course The pair finished second and continue our success and take a Technical scrutineering and are attending the course. ACC third at the last round in Ukraine one-two finish on the podium in team registration gets the Instructor Bomi Jamula from and now hold first and fourth in China. I really think that we can Liuzhou timetable underway Khalid bin Arhama Al India supported by Malik Nazar the points’ standings, although dominate here. tomorrow and teams will be Kuwari, Team Manager Mohammed from Qatar is con- the Qatar Team does have a “It’s very important that we permitted a first free practice of Qatar Team. The ducting the course. The exami- 25-point lead over the Mad Croc finish the race as well because session tomorrow afternoon Qatar Team which runs nation of the Level 1 Umpiring Baba Racing Team in the UIM there are only six rounds in the from 14.30hrs (09.30hrs Doha Course will be held on October under the auspices Teams’ Championship. championship this year and we time). 4 and the results will be out on of the Qatar Marine The course on the Liu River only have three races left after Free practice continues on November 13. in south eastern China has been China. It’s a crucial race. It’s our Tuesday morning and the first Sports Federation The following are attending the a happy hunting ground for the lucky venue and one of the best of the F-4S time trials begins at (QMSF) is taking part course: Anil Perera, Mohammad Qatar Team - which runs under courses in the calendar.” 10.00hrs (05.00hrs Doha time). in the third round of Hasnain, Shehzad Akram, the auspices of the Qatar Marine Al Kuwari also confirmed that This is followed by further prac- the UIM F1 H20 World Jeshie, Javed Iqbal, Rafi Uddin, Sports Federation (QMSF) - Khalid Abdullah Al Kuwari would tice, the first of the two F-4S Championship in Shehzad Ahmad, Raza Hussain, in the past and team manager represent the Qatar Team in the races at 13.30hrs (08.30hrs Doha Liuzhou China. Fazal Naim, Mohammad Kamrul Khalid bin Arhama Al Kuwari competitive F-4S category for the time) and F1 qualifying from TOP: Qatar’s Shaun Hussain, Abdul Jabbar, Amjad is confident that Torrente can Eurofin Trophy and the two races 15.00hrs (10.00hrs Doha time). Torrente holds a Khan, G Gokul Raj, Narendra extend his single point series that are normally staged at each Wednesday’s action gets under- one-point lead in Singh Tomar, Furqan Dawood lead over Finland’s Sami Selio race venue. way with further free practice the Championship Sange, Rana Mohamamad and Carella can climb above both “We will use Khalid in China and time trials and the second of after two races. The Saqlain, Muhammad Asim, the Finn and Ukraine race win- and then we hope to have two the F-4S races starts at 11.30hrs third round of the Mohan Lal Arya, Lynel Jasbo ner Phillipe Chiappe on this 250th drivers out on the course in F-4S (06.30hrs Doha time). The Grand Championship will take Lobo, Surendra Kumar Thapa, event in the history of the series in Doha for our home race in Prix of China fires into life at place on Wednesday. Riyaz Zainuddin, Nadia Naeem, since its inception in 1981. November.” 15.05hrs (10.05hrs Doha time). Sadia Tahir and Sheeren Nawab. “We have not tested as a team Al Kuwari currently holds third THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA

Handball: Qatar’s Al Qiyadah win Rugby: Bitter-sweet victory for South Africa at Arab Club CAPE TOWN: South Africa lived as fly-half Morne Steyn, Wallaby flank Michael Hooper achieved a bitter-sweet 28-8 winning his 50th cap, slotted his was first to be sin-binned, walking Championship Rugby Championship victory first penalty of the match after to the touchline after 28 minutes over Australia yesterday at captain James Horwill did not roll for a dangerous tackle on lock DAMMAM: Qatar’s Al Qiyadah Newlands in Cape Town. away at a maul. Eben Etzebeth. Hooper felt hard team began their campaign at The home side finished con- Much greater happiness was to done by, and so did Springbok the 2013 Arab Club Handball vincing winners after leading 23-3 follow for the near-capacity crowd lock Flip van der Merwe after his Championship with a 40-27 vic- Zane Kirchner at half-time, but scored only three as the Springboks scored two tries 40th-minute card for leading with tory over Al Nasr of Libya on (right) of South tries and missed the bonus point within three minutes to build a an elbow against Joe Tomane. Friday. Africa is tackled they wanted to put pressure on 17-3 lead with 16 minutes gone. However, French referee Al Qiyaday dominated through- by Nic White of title rivals New Zealand. Hooker Adriaan Strauss dot- Jerome Garces was fully justified out the match and came up with Australia dur- Hopes were high of a four-try ted down after 13 minutes, driving in making both decisions after varied combinations to score con- ing their Rugby victory when the Springboks over from close range after a skip consulting with the television sistently through the encounter Championship scored two within 15 minutes of pass from scrum-half Fourie du match official. against the Libyan outfit. 2013 test match the kick-off, but they had to wait Preez, and Steyn converted. Bismarck du Plessis, wrongly Al Qiyadah take on Barbar of at the Newlands until the closing stages for the Full-back Zane Kirchner red carded during a defeat in New Bahrain in the second clash of the Stadium in only other one. claimed the second try, but it was Zealand two weeks ago, replaced championship. South Africa did move to the a magnificent team effort that Strauss to warm applause 10 min- Cape Town, Al Qiyadah squad includes top of the table on scoring dif- had its origins at a maul deep in utes into the second half. South Africa, Ahmed Zaid Mohammad Al Ali, ferentials, but New Zealand have green-and-gold territory. There was an equally loud wel- Abdullah Yousef Sheraim, Dani yesterday. a chance to move five points clear Du Preez set the move in come for local flank Siya Kolisi, Philips, Mousa Ismail Al Khalaf, South Africa when they play in Argentina late motion, and a series of skip when he entered the fray on the Borja, Yousef Bin Ali, Hassan won 28-8. Saturday passes and a great run by cen- hour mark of a game crying out Yousri, Maher Al Monsef, Mesbah Australia were first on the tre JJ Engelbrecht breached for some excitement. bin Al Mukhtar, Zoran, Ragalivic, scoreboard with centre Christian the Australian defence before Australia gained from the Ali Jarba, Ayman Kharbash, Leali’ifano kicking a simple pen- Kirchner ran in. introduction of Will Genia for Nasser Abdullah Mubarak, alty on seven minutes after No. Another Steyn conversion fol- Nic White at scrum-half and Salim Al Hadwi and Abdullah 8 Duane Vermeulen was caught lowed by two penalties closed the were proving much more stub- Mohammad Thani Al Shamari. offside. scoring in an opening half marred born opponents than in the early QNA But the advantage was short by a yellow card to each team. exchanges. AFP SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 26 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT

Formula One Calendar Marquez on pole in Aragon March 16 Australia (Melbourne) March 30 Malaysia (Sepang) April 6 Bahrain Lorenzo and Pedrosa to start in second and third place on the grid April 20 China *April 27 Korea ALCANIZ, Spain: World May 11 Spain (Barcelona) championship leader Marc Aragon Grand Prix Qualifying Results May 25 Monaco Marquez claimed his seventh ALCANIZ, Spain: Final qualifying times yesterday for today’s *June 1 New Jersey pole position of the season at Aragon Motorcycling Grand Prix at Motorland: June 8 Canada (Montreal) the Aragon Grand Prix yester- MotoGP day ahead of title rivals Jorge June 22 Austria (Spielberg) Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa. 1. Marc Marquez (ESP/Honda) 1:47.804, 2. Jorge Lorenzo (ESP/Yamaha) at 0.010, 3. Dani Pedrosa July 6 Silverstone Marquez, who has a 34-point (ESP/Honda) 0.153, 4. Valentino Rossi (ITA/Yamaha) 0.158, 5. Stefan Bradl (GER/Honda LCR) 0.324, July 20 Germany (Hockenheim) lead over his two compatriots, 6. Alvaro Bautista (ESP/Honda) 0.498, 7. Cal Crutchlow (GBR/Yamaha) 0.849, 8. Bradley Smith (GBR/ Yamaha) 1.050, 9. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA/Ducati) 1.415, 10. Aleix Espargaro (ESP/Aspar) 1.544. July 27 Hungary (Budapest) sealed pole with a stunning lap of Aug 24 Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps) 1min 47.804sec to edge out defend- Moto2 Sept 7 Italy (Monza) ing world champion Lorenzo by 1. Nicolas Terol (ESP/Suter) 1:53.812, 2. Esteve Rabat (ESP/Kalex) at 0.173, 3. Pol Espargaro (ESP/ just one hundredth of a second. Kalex) 0.482, 4. Takaaki Nakagami (JPN/Kalex) 0.586, 5. Jordi Torres (ESP/Suter) 0.752, 6. Simone Sept 21 Singapore “It was a very hard fought qual- Corsi (ITA/Speed Up) 0.783, 7. Julian Simon (ESP/Kalex) 0.789, 8. Alex De Angelis (SMR/Speed Up) Oct 5 Russia (Sochi) ification,” 20-year-old Marquez 0.822, 9. Sandro Cortese (GER/Kalex) 0.875, 10. Johann Zarco (FRA/Suter) 0.878. Oct 12 Japan (Suzuka) told Spanish TV sation Telecinco. Moto3 Oct 26 Abu Dhabi “On the second lap with 1. Alex Rins (ESP/KTM) 1:58.571, 2. Maverick Vinales (ESP/KTM) at 0.702, 3. Alex Marquez (ESP/ Nov 9 United States (Austin) new tyres I was able to get a KTM) 0.711, 4. Philipp Oetl (GER/KTM) 1.335, 5. Efren Vazquez (ESP/Mahindra) 1.361, 6. Jonas Folger *Nov 16 Mexico (Mexico City) bit more and lower my time to (GER/Kalex KTM) 1.585, 7. Miguel Oliveira (POR/Mahindra) 1.650, 8. Luis Salom (ESP/KTM) 1.704, Nov 30 Brazil (Sao Paulo) give me the pole, but tomorrow 9. Arthur Sissis (AUS/KTM) 1.766, 10. Jakub Kornfeil (CZE/Kalex KTM) 1.791. (Sunday) is what is important Spanish MotoGP rider Marc Marquez (right) of the Repsol Honda team and where we will get points for poses with second placed compatriot Jorge Lorenzo of the Yamaha the championship. truth is I didn’t expect a 1min pace early on and he was disap- Factory Racing team after taking the pole position in the qualifying at Sauber rookie “We need to try and have a 47sec lap, to do that on this cir- pointed not to have gone faster Motorland race track in Alcaniz, Spain, yesterday. great race in front of our fans. It cuit is incredible. in his second lap than in his first. Sirotkin gets will be important to manage the “I made a slight error on the “After the first lap I had a good tyres well.” first corner which lost me a few time and I hoped to go a bit better There was frustration for tenths but second place is very in the second, but I couldn’t. to grips with Lorenzo as he had provisionally good for tomorrow.” “In any case the front row is Marquez taken the lead seconds before Indeed the times set by good and we need to fight in the takes Sochi Marquez made his surge for the Marquez and Lorenzo smashed race tomorrow.” part in line. Casey Stoner’s previous track There was a familiar feeling the third LONDON: Sergey Sirotkin However, having come from record by eight tenths of a sec- for seven-time world champion MotoGP gave Formula One a glimpse behind Marquez to win the past ond as six riders in total broke Valentino Rossi as he qualified free of the future when he drove two races in Britain and San the Australian’s time set back fourth behind the Spanish trio practice a Sauber in a demonstration Marino he is still confident of in 2011. and will start on the second row session. event at Sochi, venue for next success today. Pedrosa had been the first to in fourth alongside Stefan Bradl year’s Winter Olympics and the “I am very happy because the break the record as he set the and Alvaro Bautista. AFP inaugural Russian Grand Prix. The 18-year-old Russian, whose arrival in F1 has been surrounded New Concorde by speculation, is expected to race for Sauber next season, subject to New Jersey, Mexico on expanded deal announced him being given a racing driver’s ‘super licence’ by the sport’s for Formula One ruling body, the International Motoring Federation (FIA). PARIS: World motorsport’s “These were my first metres in F1 calendar of 2014 season governing body, the FIA, and its a Formula One car, which is obvi- commercial arm run by Bernie ously something very special even LONDON: Mexico and a new Ecclestone, the Formula One though it was only a short part race on the streets of New Group, yesterday signed a new of the Sochi track,” said Sirotkin. Jersey were among three grands agreement for the next seven “Nevertheless, I was able to prix listed provisionally on a years. gain a first impression and this record 22-round Formula One The so-called Concorde was awesome. It was fun to drive calendar issued by the govern- Agreement, which runs from in front of such a big crowd, par- ing FIA yesterday. 2013-20, is a contract first intro- ticularly because most of them The inaugural Grand Prix duced in 1981 to oversee how were compatriots. Russia can be of the Americas, to be staged Formula One is managed and its proud of this great track.” against a backdrop of New York’s revenues distributed. Sirotkin drove only 700 metres Manhattan skyline, had looked “This agreement provides the of the Sochi circuit and in doing doubtful earlier in the year when FIA with significantly improved so he had to miss free practice it was absent from a draft calen- financial means to pursue its reg- for his “normal” racing activities dar circulated to teams. ulatory missions and to reflect the in the penultimate round of the “The entire Grand Prix of enhanced role undertaken by the Formula Renault championship America team is thrilled to join FIA in Motor Sport,” FIA said in at Le Castellet, in France. the 2014 FIA calendar and we a statement. For him, Sauber and Sochi, look forward to bringing world- “The parties have agreed however, it was an exercise in class Formula One racing to a strong and stable sporting gaining public and media atten- New Jersey,” race promoter Leo governance framework which tion as Russia, and the nation’s Hindery, Jr said in a statement. includes the Formula 1 Group, sports stars, gather momentum The Korean Grand Prix, which the FIA and the participating ahead of hosting such major moves from an October date to teams. events as the Winter Games, April 27, and the return of Mexico “The agreement lays down solid Russian Grand Prix and the City as the penultimate race on foundations for the further devel- World Cup in 2018. November 16 after a 22-year opment of the FIA Formula One Doubts about Sirotkin’s experi- absence also had asterisks against World Championship.” ence and ability, however, contin- them on the list published by The Concorde Agreement, the ued to swirl with Sauber moving the International Automobile last one of which lapsed at the end swiftly to reassure critics that Federation. of 2012, now needs to be ratified he will be fully-prepared for the Russia will make its Formula by the 11 race teams to become challenge of racing with the elite One debut with a grand prix in operational. next season. 2014 Winter Olympics venue Cars drive at the newly opened Sochi International Street Circuit in Sochi, yesterday. Russia will make its Formula FIA president Jean Todt said: His next scheduled run in an Sochi on October 5 and Austria’s One debut with a Grand Prix in 2014. Sochi will host the Formula One race on October 5, 2014. “We can be proud of this agree- F1 car is due to take place at the Red Bull-owned Spielberg circuit ment, which establishes a more end of October as part of a test returns on June 22 after a decade effective framework for the gov- programme aimed at developing off the calendar. The calendar - which has never key personnel such as engineers for next year because the organis- ernance of the FIA Formula One him in readiness for 2014. Whether the long-awaited New before gone beyond 20 races - sees and mechanics as well as the ers ‘haven’t got any money’, while World Championship. He is set to complete at least 15 Jersey race is confirmed for June New Jersey sandwiched between extra costs involved. telling Reuters separately that he “The FIA looks forward to con- days’ driving in an F1 car before 1 remains to be seen, although Monaco on May 25 and the “It remains to be seen which had not written it off. tinuing to fulfill its historic role as the end of the season to ensure commercial supremo Bernie Canadian race in Montreal on one is dropped,” one team princi- The season will start in the guarantor of both regulation he is ready for the start of pre- Ecclestone and sponsors have June 8. pal said this month after seeing Australia on March 16, followed and safety in F1 for many years season testing next year. long sought a grand prix on the The novelty of a ‘triple header’, the earlier schedule that con- by Malaysia two weeks later, and to come.” Sauber had hoped to run him East Coast. particularly the quick turnaround tained 21 races. end in Brazil on November 30. Ecclestone, CEO of the in an older car, but after logisti- The United States also has a after Monaco, could pose consid- New Jersey had been due to Apart from the triple header, Formula One Group, added: “I am cal difficulties decided instead to race in Austin, Texas, scheduled erable logistical problems for the make its debut last year but that there will be five other back-to- very pleased that the agreement pitch him into a 2013 machine. for November 9. teams and will fuel scepticism plan was postponed for finan- back pairings if the provisional between the FIA and the Formula It could be that he also has a The Indian Grand Prix near about it ultimately going ahead. cial reasons and Ecclestone has races are confirmed: Malaysia 1 Group has been concluded.” chance to test a Ferrari -- one New Delhi has been dropped, Many of the teams are wary sounded repeated warnings since and Bahrain, China and Korea, Todt faces a challenge for his of the teams in F1 with a special as previously announced, with of expanding the calendar, which then. The 82-year-old was quoted Germany and Hungary, Russia post in the FIA presidential elec- relationship with Sauber -- in the organisers hoping to return in has 19 races this year, beyond 20 by CNN in August as saying that and Japan and Austin and Mexico. tions in December from Briton next part of his development pro- 2015. rounds because of the impact on the race was ‘not on the cards’ REUTERS David Ward. AGENCIES gramme. AFP Dutchwoman Vos defends world road race title

FLORENCE, Italy: Olympic row is even more difficult,” said rivals and allow Vos some extra “Until the last lap I didn’t feel champion Marianne Vos out- Vos, who now has 11 senior world comfort. too confident but on the steep classed her rivals to claim her titles spread across road, track After the Dutch pair had climb I knew I had the chance to Gold medallist third gold in the women’s road and cyclo-cross. stayed with a five-strong group attack,” added Vos, who was quick Marianne Vos of race at the world cycling cham- Vos, the London Olympic cham- over the two main climbs on the to pay tribute to van der Breggen. Netherlands poses pionships yesterday. pion, was arguably the biggest fifth and last lap of the circuit, “Of course you have to make on the podium of Sweden’s Emma Johansson threat from the field of 139 start- Vos took the race by the scruff of those tactical moves... but it the Elite Women took the silver medal after beat- ers on an undulating race which the neck. was great to have Anna van der Road Race of the ing Italy’s Rossella Ratto in a ended on a 2.8 km flat section. On a steep, 600-metre rise she Breggen there to close down the UCI Road World two-up sprint for the finish line But her third victory, after stunned American climbing spe- attacks, and that gave me the Championships of the 139.6 km race, which began titles in 2006 and 2012, came in cialist Evelyn Stevens with a turn belief I could do something. in Florence, Italy, in Montecatini Terme. large part down to teammate of pace that no one could match “She’s been strong all season “It’s great to defend the title. Anna van der Breggen, whose and after reaching the top of it hit and last year she did the same, yesterday. They always say it’s hard to win numerous counter-attacks on top speed on the closing 2.8 km to great job. She was the one we one, but to do it two times in a the final two laps helped dissuade leave her rivals with no chance. wanted to have in the final.” AFP SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2013 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 27

Berdych and Raonic Kvitova triumphs in Tokyo to clash in The 23-year-old beats Kerber to clinch her second title of the year Bangkok final

TOKYO: Czech Petra Kvitova BANGKOK: Top seed Tomas recovered from a second-set Results Berdych and number three meltdown to beat fellow left- Milos Raonic both battled hander Angelique Kerber 6-2, China Open through for three-set wins to 0-6, 6-3 and capture the Pan set up a final at the Thailand Results from the China Open Pacific Open yesterday for her Petra Kvitova Open today. Women’s Singles Round 1 second title of the year. (centre) of the Berdych struggled for nearly matches yesterday. Seventh seed Kvitova, the 2011 Czech Republic three hours before finally defeat- Wimbledon champion, burst from and Angelique 5-Sara Errani (Italy) bt Kirsten ing Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-7 the blocks in the Tokyo final, Kerber of Flipkens (Belgium) 7-6(3), 6-1; (5/7), 6-2, 7-5. Raonic put out Monica Niculescu (Romania) bt storming through the first set, but Germany defending champion Richard Annika Beck (Germany) 7-6(4), inexplicably suffered the dreaded hold their Gasquet in the second loss of the 0-6 ‘bagel’ in the second. 6-4; Varvara Lepchenko (US) bt day for France, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4. trophies during Heather Watson (Britain) 1-6, She quickly rediscovered her The Canadian winner ham- the award 6-3, 6-3; 10-Roberta Vinci (Italy) poise in the decider, screaming mered 23 aces in a fightback last- ceremony after bt Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) in delight and pumping her fist ing for just under two hours. their final of 6-2, 6-2; Francesca Schiavone as she put away a sharp volley to Czech Berdych had his troubles the Pan Pacific (Italy) bt Alize Cornet (France) take a 4-0 lead. with the game of the 14th-ranked Open in Tokyo, 3-2 (Cornet retired); 12-Carla The 23-year-old put fifth seed Simon, 2012 losing finalist. Suarez Navarro (Spain) bt Kerber out of her misery on her yesterday. Berdych is looking for his first Kvitova Kristina Mladenovic (France) fourth match point, a blistering 6-2, 3-6, 7-5; 11-Sloane Stephens title since Stockholm last October crosscourt forehand ending the defeated Kerber -- he is currently the lone mem- 6-2, 0-6, 6-3. (US) bt Aleksandra Wozniak German’s resistance after an hour (Canada) 6-4, 6-4. ber of the ATP top 10 without a and 39 minutes and giving Kvitova trophy this season. Raonic owns an 11th career singles title. four career trophies - three of “I really want to qualify for the Malaysian Open them won indoors in the now end of season championships but KUALA LUMPUR: Results defunct San Jose event. I want to enjoy this feeling first,” from the $984,300 ATP Berdych beat Raonic in their said Kvitova, projected to rise Malaysian Open in Kuala only previous meeting. from 11th to seventh in the new Lumpur: Berdych lost the opening set world rankings and closing in on Singles semi-finals: Joao after 74 minutes against Simon, sixth place in the race for next Sousa (POR) bt Jurgen Melzer known for long matches and month’s WTA Championships in Djokovic vows to defend (AUT x4) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4; Julien extended passages of play. Istanbul. Benneteau (FRA x5) bt Stanislas After being treated on court for “I felt a bit tired,” added Wawrinka (SUI x2) 6-4, 6-3. back pain on Friday, Simon did Kvitova after her tour-high 32nd not use his courtside chair dur- three-set match of 2013. “Angie Thailand Open ing changeovers in the Berdych came back at me but I tried to top spot at China Open match. BANGKOK: Results on the stay focused and it’s amazing to “It was a very tough match and sixth day of the Thailand win such a big tournament.” BEIJING: World number one But still it was a is seeded third in Beijing, and very tight at the end,” said Simon, Open: It was Kvitova’s first title since Novak Djokovic (pictured) quite good sea- arrives on the back of winning the 2009 champion. Dubai in February and winning yesterday warned a resurgent son for me, but the Korea Open last week, before Semi-final: Tomas Berdych He added: “I played well in the the premier five event earned her Rafael Nadal that he won’t give it’s not over. crashing out of the Pan Pacific (CZE x1) bt Gilles Simon (FRA beginning and then Thomas was $426,000. Kerber, who had been up the top spot without a fight “I want to Open in Tokyo in the quarter- x4) 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 7-5; Milos very strong coming back in the seeking a third title and first of as he prepares to defend his focus on this finals on Thursday. Raonic (CAN x3) bt Richard second set and ultimately was too the year, took home $213,000. China Open crown. week’s China The 24-year-old is up against Gasquet (FRA x2) 3-6, 7-5, 6-4. good in the end.” AFP “It’s tough to answer why I Nadal has been in sizzling form Open because a strong women’s field in China, play so many three-set matches,” this season -- moving to third on this is where including world number one Kvitova said after levelling her the all-time list of Grand Slam I traditionally Serena Williams, and Victoria head-to-head record with Kerber champions after claiming victory play well, and Azarenka, the current world to 2-2. over Djokovic at this month’s US I would like to number two and reigning China “I’ve still not figured out why. Open -- and the Spaniard could have another Open champion. I played two and a half hours become the world number one for successful week.” But Radwanska said she was yesterday (in beating Venus the first time since July 2011 with Djokovic is relaxed despite the tough com- Williams) but that’s not the rea- a good performance in Beijing. the top seed in Beijing, ahead of petition, particularly as she had son. My game is still up and down Djokovic acknowledged that number two Nadal, the ATP said already booked her place in but I keep fighting until the last the current number two has had on its website yesterday. the $6m end-of-season grand point.” a more consistent season, but said The reigning champion will finale, next month’s WTA Kvitova voiced confidence she he is confident he can reproduce play Czech Lukas Rosol, who is Championships in Istanbul, which could push on and win another the form in Beijing which has ranked 46th in the world, in his features the top eight women’s Grand Slam title in 2014. seen him unbeaten in three visits opening game, while Nadal will players. “After winning Wimbledon to the tournament, following up face a qualifier who is yet to be “I’m always very, very happy I know what it takes,” she said. wins in 2009 and 2010 with vic- named. that I still can be one of the top “It’s an unbelievable feeling and I tory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in The men’s competition of 32 seeds here,” she told reporters in really want to experience it once last year’s final. players is still at the qualifica- Beijing. “It’s never easy here, so I more. “As long as there is a chance, tion stages, and organisers are am just really trying not to think “I have a new fitness coach I will fight for that top spot,” he yet to announce the tournament about any pressure, especially (Marek Vseticek) and my condi- said at the dual ATP and WTA schedule. that I made the qualifying already tion has felt good this week,” she event, which is being staged at The women’s tournament, for Istanbul.” Cara Black (right) of Zimbabwe holding her son Lachlan and Sania Mirza said. “It’s a good sign for me. I Beijing’s Olympic Park. which has 64 competitors, began Radwanska faces Switzerland’s of India holding their winner’s trophy - a traditional Japanese battledore, have more confidence on court.” “But, again, with no doubt he yesterday with former champion Stefanie Voegele in her open- pose for photographs after defeating Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Kerber, who paid dearly for has the best results this year. This Agnieszka Radwanska saying that ing game at the tournament Liezel Huber of the US during their women’s doubles final match at the making only 48 percent of her year he’s been the best player in she wanted to emulate her 2011 tomorrow. Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, yesterday. It was Black’s 54th doubles title, first serves in the final set, was the world. I have been having ups success. The China Open will reach its whereas, Mirza clinched her 18th career title in the same category. gracious in defeat. AFP and downs throughout this year. The Polish world number four climax on October 6. AFP

QSL Results and Fixtures Your TV guide for Yesterday Qatar’s Rizq honoured Muaither 1 Al Ahli 1 live matches today Al Gharafa 1 Al Sailiyah 1 Lekhwiya 4 Al Arabi 1 before QSL clash Event Competition Time Channel Played Friday Al Khor 0 Al Rayyan 4 DOHA: Experienced Qatari midfielder Wisam Rizq celebrated his Osasuna vs Levante La Liga 13:00 HD2 100 appearances for club football in the country with a unique cer- Al Wakra 2 Umm Salal 1 Hercules vs Deportivo Spanish 2nd Division 13:00 +4 emony ahead of Eljaish’s clash against Qatar Stars League (QSL) Eljaish 1 Al Sadd 0 Torino vs Juventus Serie A 13:00 +3 champions Al Sadd. Qatar SC 1 Al Kharaitiyat 0 Before the start of the third-round QSL clash at Lekhwiya Stadium, NEC vs Vitesse Eredivisie 13:00 .TV Friday October 4 Rizq was presented a jersey by Spanish star Raul who captains Al Sadd. Rennes vs Nantes Ligue 1 15:00 .TV Al Kharaitiyat vs Eljaish, 6.15pm at Al Khor Stadium Rizq, 32, moved to Eljaish after helping Al Sadd to the QSL title Umm Salal vs Al Sadd, 6.15pm at Qatar SC Stadium last season. Stoke vs Norwich Barclays Premier League 15:00 HD6 Qatar SC vs Al Gharafa, 8.30pm at Qatar SC Stadium Eljaish later beat Al Sadd 1-0 on Friday. Heerenveen vs Cambuur Eredivisie 15:30 .TV Saturday October 5 Rizq, a popular figure in QSL, thanked his fans and team-mates for the ‘special ceremony’. Feyenoord vs ADO den Haag Eredivisie 15:30 .TV Al Sailiyah vs Al Rayyan, 6.15pm at Al Rayyan Stadium The tall midfielder was part of Al Sadd side that won the AFC Sassuolo vs Lazio Serie A 16:00 .TV Al Khor vs Lekhwiya, 6.15pm at Al Khor Stadium Champions League title in November 2011. THE PENINSULA Al Ahli vs Al Arabi, 8.30pm at Al Arabi Stadium Atalanta vs Udinese Serie A 16:00 .TV Al Wakra vs Muaither, 8.30pm at Al Wakra Stadium Catania vs Chievo Serie A 16:00 .TV Hellas Verona vs Livorno Serie A 16:00 .TV Qatar Stars Cagliari vs Inter Serie A 16:00 .TV Twente vs Groningen Eredivisie 17:30 .TV League Standings Celta Vigo vs Elche La Liga 18:00 HD4 P W D L G/F G/A Pts Barcelona II vs Mallorca Spanish 2nd Division 18:00 +1 Qatar SC 3 2 1 0 5 1 7 Al Wakra 3 2 1 0 7 4 7 Ajaccio vs Montpellier Ligue 1 18:00 +3 Al Sadd 3 2 0 1 2 1 6 Sunderland vs Liverpool Barclays Premier League 18:00 HD6 Al Sailiyah 3 1 2 0 5 4 5 Espanyol vs Getafe La Liga 20:00 +3 Eljaish 3 1 2 0 2 1 5 Roma vs Bologna Serie A 21:45 HD6 Lekhwiya 3 1 1 1 7 6 4 Al Kharaitiyat 3 1 1 1 4 3 4 Newells vs Argentine Juniors Argentine Primera División 22:00 +1 Munich’s Thomas Mueller (cen- Muaither 3 1 1 1 3 5 4 Sao Paulo vs Gremio Brazilian Championship 22:00 .TV tre) celebrates with Franck Ribery (left) and Xherdan Shaqiri Al Rayyan 3 1 0 2 5 4 3 Reims vs Monaco Ligue 1 22:00 .TV after scoring during the German Al Gharafa 3 0 3 0 2 2 3 Atletico Mineiro vs Santos Brazilian Championship 22:00 1 Bundesliga match against VfL Al Ahli 3 0 2 1 2 3 2 Qatari midfielder Wisam Rizq of Eljaish (right) is presented a jersey by Al Khor 3 0 2 1 1 5 2 Spanish striker Raul of Al Sadd before their Qatar Stars League (QSL) Betis vs Villareal La Liga 22:00 +3 Wolfsburg in Munich, Germany, yesterday. Bayern Munich won Umm Salal 3 0 1 2 2 4 1 match on Friday. The 32-year-old former Al Sadd player has made 100 Boca juniors vs Quilmes Argentine Primera División 00:00 1 1-0. Al Arabi 3 0 1 2 2 6 1 club football appearances in Qatar. Sunday 29 September 2013 23 Dhul-qa’da 1434 Volume 18 Number 5837 Sport Price: QR2 MotoGP: Kvitova Marquez on triumphs in pole in Aragon Tokyo

Sport | 26 Sport | 27

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 44557741 | Advertising: 44557837 / 44557780 Arsenal go clear at top;

FC Barcelona’s United and City slump Lionel Messi (left) celebrates with team- mate Cesc Fabregas after scoring the Tottenham, Chelsea share points at White Hart Lane opening goal against UD Almeria during LONDON: Arsenal inched clear equalised for Villa early in the sec- the Spanish Liga at the top of the Premier League ond period. However, a fine free- A B Primera Division yesterday after Manchester kick from Leandro Bacuna saw match at Juegos United sensationally crashed at Villa equalise in the 73rd minute Mediterraneos home to West Bromwich Albion before Andreas Weimann ran Stadium, in Almeria, and Manchester City lost at clear and beat Joe Hart two min- Spain, yesterday. Aston Villa. utes later to give Paul Lambert’s A week on from their 4-1 derby side a stunning win. humiliation at City, United were “We played very well and looking to return to winning ways deserved to win, but in five in the league but instead slumped minutes we threw away every- to a 2-1 defeat that left the cham- thing good we did in the rest of pions in 12th place in the table. the match,” said City manager Messi injured On-loan Marseille winger Manuel Pellegrini, whose side Morgan Amalfitano put West host European champions Bayern Brom ahead with an exquisite Munich in the Champions League individual goal in the 54th minute, on Wednesday. picking the ball up on halfway and “The way we lost this game was as Barcelona nutmegging Rio Ferdinand before incredible. We led twice, and we insouciantly dinking the ball over had control of the game.” goalkeeper David de Gea. Arsenal capitalised on their Wayne Rooney equalised three rivals’ setbacks by winning 2-1 at beat Almeria minutes later, with a free-kick Swansea City to move two points from wide on the left that eluded clear of second-place Tottenham everyone, only for 20-year-old Hotspur, and eight clear of United. MADRID: Barcelona ensured second-half. Gerardo Martino midfielder Saido Berahino to The in-form Aaron Ramsey was their best ever start to a continued with his policy of rotat- restore West Brom’s lead with a once again their match-winner, Spanish league season thanks ing his star names but Barca still fierce left-foot drive. teeing up a 58th-minute opener to a 2-0 win at Almeria yester- started the game strongly. Steve Clarke’s side held on for for 18-year-old German winger day, but the victory came at a Andres Iniesta forced Esteban A) Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey C a victory that means United have Serge Gnabry before slamming waves to his team’s cost as Lionel Messi was forced into a fine save after just six min- now made their worst start to a home four minutes later to claim supporters after scoring a off with a thigh injury. utes with a left-footed volley form season since 1989. his eighth goal of the season. goal during their English The champions have now won outside the area before Gerard Yaya Toure gave City the lead Left-back Ben Davies replied their first seven league games for Pique ought to have opened the Premier League match on the stroke of half-time, with for Swansea with eight minutes the first time in their history and scoring when he failed to properly against Swansea at the Edin Dzeko putting the visitors remaining, but Arsenal survived. 12 league games in a row stretch- connect with Messi’s free-kick at back in front in the 56th minute Earlier, Spurs drew 1-1 at home Liberty Stadium, Wales ing back to the end of last season. the back post seven minutes later. after Karim El Ahmadi had to Chelsea at White Hart Lane yesterday. B) Manchester Messi had fired the visitors Messi did then give Barca the in the first managerial meeting United’s Wayne Rooney into a 21st-minute lead with a lead with a sweet strike from the Yesterday’s Results between former colleagues Jose reacts as he leaves the sensational piece of play as he edge of the area to register his Mourinho and Andre Villas-Boas. pitch after a 2-1 defeat cut inside two defenders before 11th goal of the season. Aston Villa 3 Manchester City against West Bromwich 2 Spurs manager Villas-Boas curling the ball in off the far post He was clearly in some discom- saw his side take a first-half lead Albion at Old Trafford in from 20 yards. fort thereafter and was replaced Fulham 1 Cardiff City 2 through Gylfi Sigurdsson, but in Manchester yesterday. However, the Argentine had to by Xavi Hernandez. Hull City 1 West Ham United 0 a frenetic and keenly contested C) Paris Saint-Germain’s be replaced six minutes later due “Messi has a muscular injury in Manchester United 1 West second half, Chelsea equalised Uruguayan forward Edinson to a hamstring problem. his right thigh,” Barcelona said in Bromwich Albion 2 through John Terry before hav- Cavani celebrates after And despite looking far from a statement on the club’s official Southampton 2 Crystal Palace ing Fernando Torres sent off. scoring a goal against their fluent best without the Twitter account. 0 “The second half was not as Toulouse in Ligue 1 at the World Player of the Year, Barca The statement added: Swansea City 1 Arsenal 2 good as we wanted. They did well Parc des Princes Stadium doubled their advantage when “Tomorrow, he will have more Tottenham Hotspur 1 Chelsea to score from the set-piece,” said in Paris, yesterday. Adriano prodded home Cesc tests to discover the exact 1 Villas-Boas. AFP Fabregas’ cross early in the extent of the injury.” AFP Cavani Lekhwiya register first win of season scores as DOHA: Lekhwiya registered their first win of the season by crush- A) Al Ahli’s forward A ing Al Arabi 4-1 in the Qatar Stars League (QSL) yesterday. Meshaal Abdulla (11) PSG go top A hat-trick by striker Adel Ahmed (18, 21 and 58) helped Lekhwiya strikes the ball past lead 3-0 early in the second half. Muaither’s Nadi Sergin Team-mate Youssef Msakni made it 4-0 (66) but two minutes later, PARIS: Striker Edinson Sehailo and forward Jargi the visitors pulled one back through Khuki Baulam (68). Cavani came off the bench to In other results yesterday, Muaither were denied maximum points Jiyakof during the Qatar score a controversial penalty when a goal by Al Ahli’s Fred Danica (90+6) scored deep into extra Stars League (QSL) match as Paris St Germain went top time. Campos (31) scored for Muaither. at Al Gharafa Stadium in of the Ligue 1 table thanks to Former QSL champions Al Gharafa, coached by Brazilian legend Doha yesterday. B) Al Ahli’s a 2-0 home win over Toulouse Zico are still waiting for their first win of the season after being held Fredoon Zandi shows his yesterday. 1-1 by Al Sailiyah. pain after suffering an The Uruguayan, who scored Deepa Naga (41) opened proceeding for Al Sailiyah but former PSG injury. C) Al Shahaniya’s the winner at Valenciennes on striker Nene equalised in the 69th minute. Omer Ibrahim attempts to Wednesday, sealed the victory Two-time champions Lekhwiya got off to a perfect start when tackle Al Gharafa’s Otman 11 minutes from time with his Ahmed, who was called into the starting line-up in place of star striker Hlavi Al Yahri (18) during fourth goal of the season after Sebastian Soria, gave his side a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute. their match. SEE PAGE 27 centre back Marquinhos had put The striker coolly unleashed a left-footed shot high into the net that FOR MORE ON QSL. the French champions ahead four delighted coach Eric Gerets on the sidelines. PICTURES BY: KAMMUTTY VP. minutes before the break. The Belgian, who took over as coach in October last year, soon saw PSG started the game with his side take a 2-0 lead courtesy of another strike by Ahmed three a revamped team as Ezequiel minutes later. C Lavezzi, Cavani and Blaise In the second half, Ahmed scored his third goal of the match in the B Matuidi were all rested ahead of 58th minute. their Champions League Group Lekhwiya grew in dominance as the match went on and were 4-0 C home clash against Benfica on up thanks to midfielder Msakni in the 66th minute. Wednesday. Al Arabi, coached by former Real Madrid and German great Uli Four days after labouring at Stielike, was given an opportunity to reduce the deficit when the referee Valenciennes, they again strug- pointed to the penalty kick two minutes later. gled to create chances despite Al Arabi’s Boulam Khouki made no mistake from the spot smashing dominating the possession until the ball into the middle of the goal. Marquinhos broke the deadlock Two minutes from the end of the match, the referee again awarded by tapping home the ball from Al Arabi another penalty but Khouki blazed his shot high above the bar. close range. Lekhwiya’s next match is away against Al Khor next Saturday at Cavani, who replaced Zlatan Al Khor Stadium, kicking off at 6.15pm. Ibrahimovic midway through the Al Arabi, still winless this season, play at home to Al Ahli on the second half, converted a penalty same day at 8.30pm. the referee had awarded for a foul THE PENINSULA on him. AFP