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Wednesday 16 January 2013 4 Rabial I 1434 - Volume 17 Number 5581 Price: QR2

Qatar committed UAE and Iraq to sustainable reach Gulf growth: Al Sada Cup final

Business | 17 Sport | 27

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Jewish pianist Emir meets Libya’s Interim PM wows crowds at Katara Debate over inviting Israeli to Qatar

BY RAYNALD RIVERA those who are making noise (a reference to Barenboim’s critics) DOHA: Hundreds of music that he is a famous and excellent enthusiasts, including Qatari musician. Although Israeli Jewish, men and women, gave a stand- he is an open backer of the peo- ing ovation to renowned pianist ple of Palestine and Gaza,” said and composer Daniel Barenboim another. after an enthralling performance “Barenboim calls himself secu- by him at the Katara Cultural lar and progressive. He is a man Village here yesterday. of peace,” he added, even as many There were doubts whether of the musician’s critics dubbed anyone, especially Qatari citizens, yesterday’s event a shame. The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani with Libya’s Interim Prime Minister Ali Zaidan Mohammad and his accompanying delegation at would turn out for the perform- “We couldn’t get hold of any the Emiri Diwan yesterday. They discussed bilateral ties and means to develop them. ance by Barenboim, a Jew, after other musician?, asked an angered media reports about his visit Qatari. “Our country has a led to a heated debate on local respectable stance vis-à-vis the social networking sites, stoking a Palestinian issue, but this event controversy. would spoil our history,” he said. But the Opera House at “Qataris are changing with Katara Cultural Village was time and it is a welcome sign. Qatar keen to promote Afghan peace process almost filled to capacity last Opinion in the community is at evening and among Barenboim’s least divided on Barenboim’s issue DOHA: Qatar aims to see a them to a democratic system it bankrupt, a week after Qatar Islamist fighters. The 15-nation fans could be seen Qatari citi- and we see some supporters as peace process in Afghanistan accepted by all, or most, of the said it would lend Egypt $2bn and UN Security Council on Monday zens as well as other Arabs, and well,” a community observer told by the time Nato combat opera- parties in Afghanistan,” he added. grant it an extra $500m outright. expressed its unanimous sup- they sat through the perform- this newspaper. tions end in 2014, the Prime US President Barack Obama “I think it is in the interest of port for the French offensive. ance literally mesmerised. Three of Barenhoim’s shows Minister and Foreign Minister and his Afghan counterpart the World Bank and the inter- But the Organisation of Islamic It was, arguably, the first were cancelled last year at the H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem Hamid Karzai said last week national community not to see Cooperation, of which Mali is a time that despite a large Katara Music and Dialogue bin Jabor Al Thani said yes- they supported the opening of a Egypt brought down,” he said. member, called for an “immedi- number of Qatari nationals Festival. terday as the Afghan Taliban Taliban office in Doha. About the crisis in Mali, the ate ceasefire, dubbing the offen- expressing displeasure on social The performances, with an movement prepared to open an The planned office is one of Premier said he believed it could sive “premature” and urging all networking sites — especially orchestra featuring Palestinian office here. a series of gestures, including be solved through dialogue. “I do parties to return to negotiations. Twitter — over Barenboim’s and Israeli musicians, were can- Preparations were under way the possible transfer to Qatar not think force would solve the On Libyan-Qatari ties, the visit and music show, many had celled a week before they were to open the Taliban’s office as soon of Taliban detainees from the problem,” he said. Prime Minister said Qatar was spoken openly in favour of him scheduled apparently due to pres- as possible to facilitate talks, the US military’s Guantanamo Bay He stressed that the issue must dealing with the elected Libyan and asked why music should be sure from Boycott, Divestment, Premier said. “The US and others prison, aimed at injecting momen- be discussed among Mali’s neigh- government without any financial mixed with politics and hatred and Sanctions activists to boycott will withdraw in 2014, and I think tum into the tentative reconcilia- bours, the African Union and the or political ambitions. “We’re a among nations. all Israeli artists. it’s an important core ideal that tion efforts. UN Security Council, adding that state of institutions and deal with “So what if he is an Israeli? Security was tight yesterday, at least there is a political proc- A senior European diplomat Qatar was ready to be a part of the official authorities in Libya He is a supporter of the with no cameras allowed dur- ess in place, to have stability,” he said last week that several Taliban any effort to solve the crisis, but with all respect, and we do not Palestinian cause,” a Qatari ing the show, but the audience, said at a news conference with his representatives were already in not as the sole mediator. “Our interfere in affairs of any party, woman said in social networks, composed mainly of Europeans visiting Libyan counterpart, Ali Doha but a formal office had not policy is to try to help but not to and if they want any help to the risking criticism from her com- and Latin Americans, took pho- Zaidan Mohammad. been opened yet. intervene politically.” extent required by the Libyan patriots opposed to the musi- tos of the concert with their “Our aim from this effort is to Asked about Qatar’s financial France launched a cam- government, we will deal from cian’s presence here. cell phones. try to help our Afghan brethren assistance to Egypt, the Prime paign of air bombardments on this standpoint,” he said. “What’s the problem?” asked THE PENINSULA find a peaceful solution... a politi- Minister said Doha would stand Friday to halt an advance on QNA/AGENCIES another Qatari. “I want to tell Continued on page 5 cal solution, which could lead by Cairo and did not want to see the Malian capital Bamako by Picture on page 2

19 conscripts killed in Cairo mishap Qatar dismiss Brazil Central agency to coach Autuori DOHA: Qatar have parted ways with Brazil’s Paulo monitor charities Autuori and named his assist- ant Fahad Thani as the new DOHA: Qatar hopes to soon is on preventing the use of non- head coach of the national soc- enforce a law establishing a profit organisations to finance cer team. The Qatar Football central agency that would regu- terrorism. Association said that they had late and monitor the activities Addressing the workshop, mutually agreed to end the ten- of charitable bodies and dona- Mike Smith, Executive Director ure of Autuori, who replaced tions made for charity. of the UN Counterterrorism fellow Brazilian Sebastiao The aim is to ensure that chari- Committee, criticised Middle Lazaroni last February. table funds are not routed to Eastern countries, saying most Full report on page 28 finance terrorism, the head of the of them were not taking enough banking regulator, Qatar Central measures to prevent the use of Oman mulls control Bank, announced while opening a non-profit bodies for financing workshop here yesterday. terrorism. over hiring of expats QCB Governor, H E Sheikh Non-profit organisations are People inspect the wreckage of a train in the Giza neighbourhood of Badrashin, 40km west of Cairo, yesterday. Abdullah bin Saoud Al Thani, said an important part of the eco- MUSCAT/DUBAI: Oman’s At least 19 people were killed and 105 injured when the train carrying conscripts derailed. that Qatar had taken a number of nomic wheel as a mind-boggling government has asked its measures to combat the financ- $2.3 trillion worth of funds are departments to review policies ing of terrorism, including requir- managed and circulated by them on hiring of foreign workers. ing banks to freeze the assets of annually worldwide. If this sum The government asked depart- suspected terrorists and terror is handed to a country, it would ments to propose rules on issu- organisations that are on the become the seventh largest econ- ing new permits for recruiting 50 nations push for Syria war crimes probe UN 1267 Sanctions Committee’s omy in the world, said Smith. foreign workers, and to assess Consolidated List. These non-profit bodies employ which sectors should be the UNITED NATIONS: More atrocities, but the United Nations the letter sent by Switzerland on In 2002, Qatar set up a 56 million people worldwide and focus of efforts to employ than 50 countries asked the UN says the government and its allies behalf of more than 50 states, and national panel to review the UN need protection in order to thrive, Omani nationals. Security Council to refer the have been more culpable. UN supported by permanent council Consolidated List and recom- since they play a very dynamic Full report on page 6 Syria crisis to the International rights chief Navi Pillay has also members France and Britain. The mended action against suspected social role. Criminal Court, which prose- called for Syria to be referred to US, China and Russia, the other individuals and entities. Speaking of the workshop, cutes people for genocide and war the International Criminal Court. three permanent council members, As a precaution, Qatar doesn’t Smith said the initiative began crimes, in order to send a signal “We are firmly of the view that are not members of the ICC. allow people other than citizens, in London in 2011, and the next to Syrian authorities. the Security Council must ensure Meanwhile, twin blasts ripped legal foreign residents and nation- meeting of expert groups on the More than 60,000 people have accountability for the crimes that through the university campus in als of other GCC states to open a issue (of preventing the use of QATAR PERSPECTIVE been killed during a 21-month-old seem to have been and continue to Aleppo yesterday killing at least 82 bank account here. All accounts non-profit bodies for financing PAGE WILL APPEAR revolt against Syrian President be committed in the Syrian Arab people and injuring 160. At least must be opened in person. terror) will be held in New York Bashar Al Assad. Both sides Republic and send a clear signal 152 people were killed nationwide. The three-day regional work- after two months. EVERY THURSDAY have been accused of committing to the Syrian authorities,” read See also page 7 shop that kicked off yesterday THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME

Emir receives Omani Speaker Heir Apparent meets Libyan PM

The Emir, H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, received the Speaker of the Omani Advisory Council (Majlis The Heir Apparent H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met yesterday Libya’s Interim Prime Minister Ali A’Shura) Sheikh Khalid bin Hilal Al Ma’awali and his delegation. Talks during the meeting dealt with bilateral Zidan Mohammed and his delegation. The Heir Apparent stressed Qatar’s constant support for the Libyan relations and issues of common concern. Advisory Council Speaker H E Mohammad bin Mubarak Al Khulaifi people. The Libyan Prime Minister expressed thanks and appreciation to the Heir Apparent, the government was present. and people of Qatar.

Attiyah meets Italian envoy Joint press conference

The Chairman of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority, H E Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah, The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani and Libya’s Interim met the outgoing Italian Ambassador, Andrea Ferrari. They discussed issues of common concern. Prime Minister Ali Zidan Mohammed during a joint press conference in Doha yesterday. (SYED OMAR) Qatalum recruited 15 nationals last year; aims at 50pc Qatarisation by 2020

BY MOHAMMAD SHOEB school and university students.” 600,000 tonnes of aluminium He added: “Not only vocational products annually, which is 15,000 DOHA: As part of its training programmes for freshers, tonnes above their average capac- Qatarisation efforts, Qatalum we also sponsor 10 students for ity since full production began in recruited 15 Qataris in 2012, their higher education in Qatar September 2011. taking the ratio of nationals and abroad every year.” The company is all set to sup- working in the company to 4.9 Senior Qatalum officials, includ- ply the global automotive indus- percent, a senior Qatalum offi- ing Mohammed Al Mahmoud, try with high-quality aluminium cial told reporters at a press Head of Sales, Nafal Al Hajri, and take another step in achiev- conference. Logistics Manager, and other ing Qatalum’s strategic objective “We have plans to achieve staff, including newly recruited of industrial diversification as the 50 percent target by 2020. nationals, held a round table part of Qatar’s National Vision Last year, we recruited about 15 meeting with local media persons 2030. Qataris in different positions and at the company’s Mesaieed office Qatalum is getting ready to are encouraging more to join”, to discuss its achievements during start implementing new strate- said Faraj Naseeb Al Abdullah, the year 2012. gies for the year 2013, which are Qatarization and Development According to the officials, expected to deal with the role of Manager at Qatalum. Qatalum recently celebrated the aluminum in various downstream Asked if the company had production of one million tonnes industries in Qatar. According to plans to provide vocational of liquid metal, which is sent to a senior official of the company, training to young graduates its cast house, calling it a mile- it currently supplies only 10,000 aspiring to work for it, he said: stone achieved through dedicated metric tonnes of aluminium to the “Yes, time to time we launch teamwork and improvement in downstream industries in Qatar, vocational training programmes, efficiency. which is less than two percent of and also organise and participate Currently, Qatalum’s pot lines the company’s annual production. in career fairs to recruit high are producing approximately THE PENINSULA

Following the shepherd

A shepherd herding his goats in the Wukkair area of Al Wakrah. (SALIM MATRAMKOT) WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 03

Qatar Executive Book depicts history of Arab women launches Sheikha Moza who wrote foreword for Gulf Women attends book launch ceremony Arabic, Russian websites

DOHA: Qatar Executive, Qatar Airways’ private jet division, has launched its corporate web- site in Arabic and Russian. Available at qatarexec.com.qa/ ar and qatarexec.com.ru from the home page of the corporate website, the new sites mirror Qatar Executive’s English lan- guage Internet presence. With this new added value offering, extensive information on the fleet and aircraft specifications are now accessible for the Arab and Russian communities in their native language. The pro-active step towards its growing international audience demonstrates Qatar Executive’s commitment to the Middle East The cover page of the book and up-and-coming growth regions, where the private jet company has BY ISABEL OVALLE developed a loyal and continuously growing customer base over the years. Qatar Executive currently DOHA: The book Gulf Women, operates an all-Bombardier fleet of with foreword by H H Sheikha six corporate jets, a press release Moza bint Nasser and edited said yesterday. by Professor Amira El Azhary Qatar Airways Chief Executive Sonbol, was launched yester- Officer Akbar Al Baker said: “The day at Georgetown University launch of our Arabic and Russian School of Foreign Service in websites improves Qatar Executive’s Qatar (SFS-Q). Sheikha Moza ability to serve existing customers attended the launch ceremony. in the region and attract new clients The volume, published by in new booming markets. Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation, is “The Middle East and Russia a collection of essays written by 12 H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser speaking with the editor, Dr Amira El Azhary Sonbol, and two of the contributors to Gulf Women, during its launch. are key markets due to the con- academics detailing the history of tinuing booming economy in these Arab women, aimed at countering systematic research the authors had been done so far. the father and the mother. She to this major scholarly book, the regions. We are proud to be able misconceptions about women in had to do to find new sources in “We succeeded, thanks to a said that this circumstance is first of its kind, and to be part to facilitate business for high-pow- the region. various countries like Yemen, stellar team, and tried to keep only due to the use of Western of recording the rich historical ered entrepreneurs in this part of El Azhary, Professor at Qatar, Saudi Arabia or the United away from existing conceptions paradigms to simplify family legacy of the region.” the world, by providing the fast- Georgetown University, and fel- States. “We found records in to make the context speak for trees. The book focuses on diverse est and most convenient means of low contributors, Dr Moneera numerous countries and left no itself,” said Dr El Azhary. “The For Al Ghadeer, this book was topics such as tribalism, love dis- travel for their global businesses.” Al Ghadeer and Amira El Zein, stone unturned,” she added. most difficult thing was finding an opportunity to “create a new course, women and the economy, Since its inception in 2009, talked about the chapters, which Gulf Women is the result of sources, because we were looking speech about women in the Gulf education and religious activi- Qatar Executive has grown with a address symbolic representa- three years of work that began for traditional ones. Ultimately, and dismantle the colossal cli- ties, the family in the Arabian fleet that is set to expand. Besides tions of the Arabian Peninsula by with an idea from Sheikha we tried to understand the Gulf ches that surround them.” Peninsula and in Gulf History, three Challenger 605s, and two discussing feminine poetry, and Moza who, said the editor, “was within itself,” she added. Amira El Zein, who wrote the and gender rights, among others. Global 5000s, Qatar Executive songs and literature by analysing an inspiration for all of us”. El Azhary referred to the lack chapter ‘Love Discourse in Hijazi Gulf Women is now available in also operates a luxurious Global how they were reflected through During this time the contribu- of female presence in genealogy, Society Under the Umayyads: A stores across Qatar and retails Express XRS featuring a spacious class and gender. tors met approximately every despite the fact that families in Study in Class and Gender,’ said: for QR100. two cabin configuration. The editor referred to the three months to evaluate what the Arab world were named after “I was delighted to contribute THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA Qatar University focuses on new strategy to engage students

Qatar university officials during the conference.

DOHA: Qatar University (QU) Academic Affairs Dr Mazen more inter-college collaboration held a two-day conference to Hasna encouraged the faculty and a greater use of technology discuss new strategies to engage members to continue motivating have been introduced. OFID also students in their learning. and engaging students. This aims piloted an online training pro- The university’s Office of to foster greater involvement in gramme, providing electronic, Faculty and Instructional university and community life, modularised workshops. Development (OFID) concluded collaboration with their peers Workshops and seminars at the its fourth annual symposium yes- and more commitment to their conference discussed best prac- terday focusing on issues of active studies. tices across the university, includ- learning, technology, assessment, Dr Hasna said: “The univer- ing teaching methods focusing on community service and research- sity’s mission is to provide stu- team-based learning, engaging based teaching and learning. dents with a quality education. critical reflection, role play, the role Opening the event at the uni- Our role is to do our very best of technology in advancing learn- versity’s Ibn Khaldoon Hall, for them.” ing and project-based learning. Acting Vice-President for Workshops on student writing, THE PENINSULA

Qtel set for ultra-fast 4G launch

DOHA: Qtel is set to boost from Al Shamal to the Inland Sea, buildings in Qatar. mobile network coverage and Qtel customers are connected In addition, this year Qtel cus- performance in Qatar through- across the country. The company tomers will be able to enjoy the out 2013, it announced today. is in the process of establishing ultra-fast 4G mobile broadband The company consistently dozens of new sites across the network, with speeds that are benchmarks key factors such as country to further enhance call three-to-six times faster than the call set-up, quality and coverage quality and network support. 3G network. against some of the world’s best Qtel is also investing in new More than 30,000 customers operators to deliver the highest technologies to improve indoor currently enjoy the Qtel Fibre level of service, and has identified and outdoor coverage, includ- home broadband network, with some clear performance areas for ing a DC-HSPA deployment to Internet speeds that are at least the coming year. enhance 3G network capacity 10 times faster than the current With hundreds of Qtel network and an in-building solution to copper wire connection. sites from Doha to Dukhan and improve coverage in high-rise THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME

Condolences sent to Egypt president No plan to shift central market DOHA: The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has sent a cable of condolences Doha Municipality to overhaul market; explore possibility of setting up more facilities and sympathy to Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi on DOHA: The Doha Municipality the victims after a train derailed is working on a complete over- in South Cairo on Monday haul of the central market, but night. The Heir Apparent H H there is no plan to shift it out of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Doha in the near future, a sen- Thani and the Prime Minister ior official of the Municipality and Foreign Minister H E has said. Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Responding to public com- Jabor Al Thani, also sent cables plaints about the poor condition of condolences to the Egyptian of the central market, Mohammed president. Al Sayed, Director of the Doha Municipality, told a local Arabic Cairo allows Qatari daily that a project is under way to upgrade the infrastructure and building materials administrative structure of the market. into Gaza He, however, ruled out the possibility of shifting the market GAZA: Egyptian authorities from its current location in the allowed the passage of 45 trucks near future. He said the proposed carrying Qatari construc- overhaul will cover all parts of tion materials into Gaza Strip the market “in a away that will through the Rafah crossing. require redistribution of the sec- The trucks passed to Gaza on tions to make it a model market.” Monday and were carrying 1,100 Quoting a senior Hassad Food cubic metres of gravel that will be official, a local daily reported used for construction work and recently that more central mar- building roads. Palestinian sources kets have been planned in differ- said that the Egyptian authorities ent parts of the country and they had allowed the passage of 477 would be ready in 28 months. The Qatari trucks into Gaza in the central market in Doha would be past two weeks. The trucks car- closed down once the new facili- ried 11,395 cubic metres of gravel ties are open, said the report. Customers buying vegetable at the Doha central market. according to Palestinian sources. Al Sayed said there is a study Meanwhile, security sources on establishing a number of cen- have the capacity to accommodate market citing poor infrastructure, “It is better to shift the market the authorities should develop the said that Qatari construction tral markets outside Doha to the increasing number of visitors. shortage of parking space and the to the outskirts of Doha in a place market on a war footing,” said a materials will pass daily through reduce the pressure on the exist- Many citizens, meanwhile, called foul smell originating from the fish that is not far from the city. If citizen. the Rafah crossing into Gaza for ing market, because it does not for immediate steps to upgrade the and animal markets. there is no plan to shift it, then THE PENINSULA the next two years. 725 submit Fishing licences available on black applications to volunteer on market, cost QR30,000 each Sports Day DOHA: Fishing licences are up for grabs of controlling wholesale as well as retail DOHA: Over 725 people on the black market and the going price pricing of fish but in vain. already submitted their online for one is a huge QR300,000 ($82,000) The government didn’t respond and applications to become volun- as the government stopped issuing new the situation today is that the wholesalers teers for the upcoming National fishing licences some 14 years ago. and retailers are both taking consumers If we have an Sports Day (NSD), just a few One of the main reasons why fish for a ride. Citing an example, Al Mannai association we days after the Qatar Olympic prices keep going up is that no fresh said that outlets access a kilogram of would not let the Committee (QOC) had opened licence has been issued for the past 14 hamur fish for between QR18 and QR20, the programme. years and fishermen’s repeated calls for but they sell the stocks at double the rate. prices go haywire QOC had worked in past events forming an association that would con- “If we have an association we would and stop the with volunteers, such as at the trol pricing have fallen on deaf ears, local not let the prices go haywire and stop exploitation of the first edition of the National Sport Arabic daily Al Raya reported yesterday. the exploitation of the hapless consumer hapless consumer by Day in 2012 and the Arab Games. “Because of the government policy, by fixing wholesale and retail prices,” The QOC started receiving people are forced to rely on the black said Al Mannai. fixing wholesale and applications on January 9 to create market and buy licences from those According to him, another problem retail prices. a group of individuals committed who have old ones but aren’t in the fish- facing the Qatari fishing industry is that to supporting QOC’s contribution ing business any more,” said Yusuf Al nets and other fishing equipment are to the NSD by improving the com- Mannai, a fisherman. brought from UAE at double the prices. fishing equipment locally, said Al munity through sports and who He said that some 10 years ago, he “And then transportation costs add to Mannai. take pride in assisting friends and and other fishermen tried to form a our overheads.” This indirectly hits the Another fisherman, Ahmed Salem Al neighbours. business association with the purpose end user as he pays for the added costs. Haamli, echoing similar woes, said he was With the availability of positions The fishing industry gets afraid that due to a lack of government sup- ranging from marketing and survey no subsidy from the gov- port to the fishing industry, their younger support, to special events, media ernment nor is even diesel generations were not keen on remaining in operations and other NSD-related made available to fishing the business. “This is our heritage but I am activities, the volunteer programme vessels at subsidised rates. afraid our sons and grandsons might leave offers everyone the opportunity to No effort has so far been fishing and take to other occupations for a put their skills in use, enhance their made to set up industries livelihood,” said Al Haamli. knowledge, gain significant experi- that would manufacture THE PENINSULA ence, make long-lasting friendships with people from diverse backgrounds and contribute to the success of the NSD, while witnessing first-hand the activities of the day. The NSD is celebrated every second Tuesday of February and is an initia- tive adopted by HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Heir Apparent. More information about the event can be had from www.sportday.qa. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economy and Finance announced the formation of a com- mittee for NSD. It said that the committee will prepare a programme for organising and conduct- ing the ministry’s sports events on the day. One million use Vodafone network

DOHA: Vodafone Qatar said yesterday that more than one million customers are now using its network. This marks a significant milestone in the growth of the company in Qatar. Vodafone Qatar’s CEO Richard Daly said: “We are very proud that in just three years of operations over one million cus- tomers have chosen to become Vodafone customers. To have 55 percent of the population using our services is a great achievement for our share- holders, staff and partners.” THE PENINSULA/QNA WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 05 Unified holiday move to cause rush for tickets Many airlines jack up fares

DOHA: The early announce- as well as crowding at the ment of the unified summer airports. holidays for schools this year “We have made an early could lead to a huge rush for air announcement because families tickets, say industry sources. travelling home during sum- The Supreme Education mer can book the tickets well in Council (SEC) on Monday advance. There is likely to be a announced the unified holi- huge rush and as far as we know, day schedule for the all the seats to several Indian destina- Idependent and private schools tions are almost full on June 26 in Qatar. Accordingly, the sum- and the following days,” he said. mer holidays will be from June 26 The official said there was a to September 9. similar experience some years ago The SEC has allowed some when the summer holidays fell on community schools to follow a more or less similar dates. different holiday schedule, but “At that time we received calls the school sources say that the from the airport asking fami- exemption is only in the case of lies to drop their baggage two or winter holidays. three days before their departure Daniel Barenboim during a concert at the Katara Cultural Village Opera House yesterday. BELOW: The audience in rapt attention. KAMMUTTY VP) In line with the SEC sched- to control the crowding,” he said. ule, several private schools have Enquiries with the travel indus- already started announcing their try revealed that many airlines summer holidays. companies have already jacked up “We have scheduled our holi- their fares ahead of the summer days from June 26 to September holidays. 9 as per SEC instructions and For instance, very few seats we have already issued circular are available in the low fare cat- to the students,” said an official egory to some Indian destination. of an Indian school. During the last week of June, a He said most other expatriate return ticket to Kozhikode and schools are also expected to follow Kochi, two major destinations a similar schedule. in the southern Indian state of This will be the first time Kerala, cost more than QR3,000 most of the schools will be clos- while the normal fares will be ing for the summer holidays around QR2,000. on the same date. Thousands “Even at this high rate seats of expatriate families will be are not available in some flights heading home during summer while others have very few vacan- and the unified holidays could cies,” said a travel agent. cause a huge rush for tickets THE PENINSULA

Man jailed for drunken revelry aboard Qatar Airways flight DOHA: A criminal court has sentenced a man to a year in jail and fined him QR1,000 ($274) for creating nuisance after drink- ing aboard a Qatar Airways flight that was bound for Doha. The man, who was in his mid-30s, was hugely drunk and misbe- haved with air hostesses. According to details of the case, he first began talking to a hostess and suddenly kissed her on the lips. The hostess ignored the behaviour of the passenger thinking that he was drunk. He then proceeded to the washroom and leaving the door open got undressed and then came out nude giggling, shocking the passengers seated in the economy class, including women and children, no end. He then slapped another hostess nearby on her back. At this stage both the hostesses became furious and reported the matter to the captain. The captain in turn informed the authorities at the Doha International Airport that a passenger who was drunk on-board Barenboim to join son for concert tomorrow was creating nuisance. The crew present on-board somehow managed to pin him down and make him sit still until the plane landed. Security personnel Continued from page 1 Franz Schubert’s Sonata in C show, with some fortunate enough pianist Elena Bashkirova. The were waiting for the passenger when the plane landed. He was The 70-year-old Argentine- Minor, D.958 and Franz Schubert to have an autograph from him. programme for the concert to be taken into custody, questioned by the police later and charges were born Israeli musician displayed in A Major, D. 959 was met with Daniel Barenboim will fea- held at the Katara Opera House filed against him for sexually assaulting hostesses and drinking virtuosity playing the piano, defy- repeated applause. ture again in a chamber music will comprise four Franz Schubert even though he was a Muslim. The court gave its verdict in the ing his age with his music. A number of fans patiently concert tomorrow with his son masterpieces. case recently. The two-hour show featuring waited after the conclusion of the Michael on violin and renowned THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA Critchley named Dean and Chief Executive Officer of UCQ

DOHA: Dr Kim Carolyn Byrne, who eager to make a positive contri- Edward Island (UPEI) School as dean between 2005 and between 2008 and 2012. Critchley (pictured) served UCQ for the bution to the university and to of Nursing, where she served 2012, and as full professor THE PENINSULA has been named Dean past three years. work with everyone on the very and Chief Executive “I am very pleased talented UCQ team. I would also Officer of University to accept the position. like to thank Qatar for support- of Calgary –Qatar I want to personally ing our nursing programme and (UCQ). thank the members of its overall vision and planning “Dr Critchley is no the selection commit- for the future of healthcare stranger to her new role tee for providing me advancement,” said Dr Critchley. after serving as Acting with this opportunity. Dr Critchley came to UCQ and Interim Dean and UCQ is a reputable from the University of Prince CEO of UCQ since insti- September 1. She has tution a long and distinguished career that provides in nursing in post-secondary exciting oppor- education in Canada,” said Dr tunities in the Dru Marshall, Provost and Vice- areas of edu- President (Academic). cation and Dr Critchley replaces Dr research. I am WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 06 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MIDDLE EAST Oman plans more control on hiring foreigners Government orders departments to propose rules for issuing new permits to recruit expatriate workers

MUSCAT/DUBAI: Oman’s “The discussions came in a bid the past two years introduced Balushi said government spend- “The government employees nearly 180,000 new private sector government has asked its to regularise the recruitment of quotas for firms’ hiring of Saudi ing had created 36,000 jobs for work only seven hours a day as jobs were filled by foreigners in departments to review policies manpower as per the real need nationals. Omanis in 2012; he pledged to opposed to nine hours in the pri- January-November, a 16 percent on hiring of foreign workers, in for them, especially in light of In Oman, which has faced spo- create a further 56,000 this year, vate sector. Pay is also much bet- jump from end-2011, while 2,500 a sign that the sultanate, like having qualified Omani cadres,” radic street protests demanding of which 20,000 would be in the ter in the civil service and security Omanis left the sector over the some other Gulf states, may try ONA said. jobs and denouncing corruption government sector. forces,” said Ahmed Saleem, a jobs same period. to shift more jobs from expatri- “The Council of Ministers since early 2011, around 1.3 mil- consultant at recruiter Capital So fresh restrictions on the ates to its own citizens. stressed the importance of being lion of the population of about STATE FINANCES Manpower Co. employment of foreigners, which The government asked depart- serious in enforcing the laws that 3.3 million are foreigners, most But Oman’s fiscal position is “The vacant positions left could force firms to improve ments to propose rules on issuing regulate this issue.” of them workers brought in to do much weaker than those of most by Omanis are quickly filled by wages and conditions to attract new permits for recruiting foreign Government departments jobs in the oil, construction and of the Gulf Arab oil exporters. expatriates, and this may have Omanis, may be the only way to workers, and to assess which sec- should conduct field surveys to services industries. The IMF has predicted its state negative consequences on future meet Oman’s jobs challenge. tors should be the focus of efforts ensure that the work of expatri- The International Monetary budget could slip into the red Omani job seekers.” “There are half a million to employ Omani nationals, state ates is compatible with the nature Fund estimates unemployment as soon as 2015, as government H M Sultan Qaboos bin Said, youngsters in basic education at news agency ONA reported. of the jobs for which they are among Omani citizens may have spending increases. 72, who has ruled the small oil the moment and they will all be The Council of Ministers, licensed, ONA added. exceeded 20 percent in 2010. Also, Omanis have not been exporting country for 42 years, looking for jobs at one time or which had been discussing labour Social unrest in the Arab Government officials say that keen to join the private sector, told an advisory council in another,” said Khamis Al Juma, issues since December, also said world has prompted some of the estimate is far too high and that because pay is lower and working November that Omanis needed a labour market analyst. it wanted to identify the type of oil-rich Gulf monarchies to try the number of registered unem- hours are longer than for govern- to understand the private sec- “We must seriously restrict businesses that Omanis should be to cut unemployment among ployed was reduced by three- ment jobs. Omanis accounted for tor would be their key source of expatriate employment and find encouraged to set up, and to col- their citizens by reducing quarters to about 17,000 last year. just 12 percent of nearly 1.5 mil- employment in the long run. a way to attract Omanis to the lect data on foreigners who were companies’ reliance on foreign Earlier this month, Financial lion private sector employees in The trend appears to be moving private sector.” violating labour laws. workers. Saudi Arabia has in Affairs Minister Darwish Al November. in the opposite direction, however; REUTERS

Bahrain court upholds Iran to make own movie jail for Shia ex-MP to counter ‘distorted’ Argo DUBAI: Bahrain’s appeals court upheld yesterday a TEHRAN: Iran is to make its rupture of diplomatic ties between 15-month jail sentence for a own movie about the American Washington and Tehran. former Shia opposition MP over hostage drama during the 1979 Argo chronicles the hostage his role in anti-regime protests Islamic revolution to counter drama, with Hollywood actor- in 2011, lawyers said. the “distorted” film Argo by director Affleck playing a CIA Jawad Fairooz, a leading mem- Ben Affleck, which swept the agent who rescues six US diplo- ber of Al Wefaq, the largest Golden Globes awards, media mats from the Canadian ambas- opposition formation in the Gulf said yesterday. sador’s residence in Tehran. kingdom, was sentenced for tak- Iranian actor and filmmaker The movie has been accused ing part in unauthorised protests Ataollah Salmanian was quoted in of taking liberties with history, that broke out on February 14, the reports as saying the screen- notably by exaggerating the role 2011, before being brutally quelled play for the Iranian movie was of the CIA in getting the US dip- a month after, lawyers said. ready. lomats out, at the expense of the He was also convicted of call- “The draft of the movie, Setad Canadian envoy in Tehran at the ing for protests without notify- Moshtarak (The General staff), time. ing authorities, but acquitted of has been approved by (Iran’s) art Affleck won both best dramatic inciting hatred against the regime centre and it awaits budget to film and director awards at the of the Sunni Al Khalifa dynasty, start shooting,” Salmanian said. Golden Globes on Sunday for the and of spreading false informa- “The movie is about 20 movie. “Argo has been banned in tion, lawyers said. American hostages who were Iran but pirated copies are being In November, Fairooz and 30 handed over to the US embassy circulated in the country. other activists were stripped of by Iranian revolutionaries at the Iranian media dismissed the their Bahraini citizenships over beginning of the (Islamic) revo- movie’s success and criticised accusations of “jeopardising state lution. This movie... can be an the Golden Globes as a “political security.” Israeli border police officers evict Palestinian, Israeli and foreign activists from an area known as “E1”, which appropriate response to distorted ceremony.” Al Wefaq once had the largest connects the two parts of the occupied West Bank outside Arab suburbs of East Jerusalem, yesterday. movies such as ‘Argo’.” Argo is a sign of Ben Affleck’s single bloc in Bahrain’s elected On November 4, 1979, Iranian attempt to recreate Tehran in chamber, holding 18 out of 40 Islamist students stormed the 1980. While his attempt might seats before it decided to walk US embassy in Tehran and be ridiculous for Iranians, it has out in February 2011 in pro- Israel police block Palestinians took American diplomats hos- delighted American experts and test over violence used against tage, holding them for 444 days critics,” said the daily 7Sobh. demonstrations. from reoccupying protest camp in an action that caused the AFP AFP

RAMALLAH: Israeli police, make their way up. Police pushed Revolution anniversary using stun grenades, blocked Second Palestinian the protesters back down the about 50 Palestinian activists hill,” police spokesman Micky who tried yesterday to reoccupy youth killed Rosenfeld said. “Two stun gre- tents they pitched last week BUDRUS, WEST BANK: nades were used to disperse the on a patch of West Bank land Israeli soldiers shot dead protesters and prevent attempts which Israel wants for Jewish 17-year-old Palestinian to climb back up.” settlements. Sameer Awad near the Twenty Palestinians were Israel has drawn strong inter- village of Budrus in the detained for questioning, he said. national criticism over plans to Israeli-occupied West Bank For years Israel froze build- build settler homes in the area, yesterday, Palestinian wit- ing in E1, which houses only a known as “E1”, which connects nesses and medics said, police headquarters, after com- the two parts of the Israeli- and a second boy was shot ing under pressure from former occupied West Bank outside Arab and injured by soldiers in a US President George W Bush to suburbs of East Jerusalem. nearby village. keep the plans on hold. On Sunday, hundreds of police Awad was the second But Prime Minister Benjamin officers evicted the protesters, Palestinian killed in four days Netanyahu announced plans late who had claimed the area in the by Israeli troops in the West last year to expand settlements name of a future Palestinian state. Bank, where most clashes in after the Palestinians won de- The large, steel-framed tents recent years have not ended facto statehood recognition at the remained standing at the site with fatalities. AFP United Nations General Assembly pending the outcome of Israeli in November. Many countries Supreme Court hearings on view Jewish settlement build- Israel’s intention to remove them. One activist wore a white ing in areas captured by Israel Protesters who tried to return bridal gown and their cars were in a 1967 war as illegal and echo to the tents were confronted by decked out in bright ribbons, Palestinians concern such con- police officers who told them the making the protest look like a struction could deny them a via- site had been designated off-limits traditional Palestinian wedding. ble and contiguous state. by the army. “The protesters continued to REUTERS A girl with her face painted in the colours of the Yemeni flag sits with a relative during a festival marking the second anniversary of the start of the revolution in Yemen, in the capital Sana’a, yesterday.

Tunisian killed by Libyan armed group Saudi clerics protest appointment of women in Shura council TUNIS: A Tunisian man JEDDAH: Dozens of Saudi clerics outside the Royal Court to women in the Shura Council “There is a contradiction ... The clerics, banning protests. has been killed and another clerics staged a rare protest in suggested wider disquiet among ... they waited for two hours but real Salafis do not do what these Meanwhile King Abdullah wounded by an unidenti- front of the Royal Court yes- conservatives in the world’s top were denied access,” Waleed Abu (clerics) are doing,” said political issued yesterday a number of fied group of armed Libyans terday against the Custodian oil producer. Al Khair said by phone. analyst Khaled Al Dakheel. royal orders according to which in southern Tunisia, Foreign of the Two Holy Mosques King A Saudi activist in touch with Saudi Arabia has little toler- “Maybe we are now faced with the Senior Scholars Council of Minister Rafik Abdessalem said Abdullah bin Abdulaziz’s deci- the clerics confirmed the accu- ance for dissent and allows cler- a socio-political change in the the Grand Mufti was reconsti- yesterday. sion to appoint women to a body racy of photographs showing ics wide powers in society where society where we have the tra- tuted under chairman of Sheikh “We are saddened by the that advises the government them standing in a group as they they dominate the judicial system ditional Salafi school of thought Abdulaziz bin Abdullah bin death of a Tunisian man who on new laws, a sign of growing demanded a meeting with King and run their own police squad to that adheres to all its prin- Mohammed Al Al Sheikh , as the was killed on Tunisian soil by an conservative unease at modest Abdullah and his top aide Khaled enforce religious morals. ciples and now there is a new President. The order provides armed Libyan group that is not social reforms. Al Tuwaijri, seeking to offer them In Saudi Arabia, women are not generation of Salafis emerging that the Senior Scholars Council connected to the Libyan authori- On Friday, King Abdullah “advice”. allowed to drive and need permis- that hopes for different propos- will include 20 other members. ties,” Abdessalem told reporters. appointed 30 women to the Shura Tuwaijri, the Royal Court chief sion from their male guardians als. This requires examination,” The king also issued royal The victim, from the town Council, giving them a fifth of the of staff, is believed to be King -father, husband or brother - to go Dakheel said. orders terminating the serv- of Ben Guerdane, 30km from seats in the consultative body - Abdullah’s right-hand man and is abroad or take certain jobs. A close ally of the United ice of Sheikh Abdulrahman the Libyan border, was killed a move he promised to make in seen by many Saudis as a driving This is the second time in two States, Saudi Arabia escaped bin Abdulaziz Al Kulliyah, the and a relative injured after a 2011. force behind the country’s cau- days that clerics, who have issued the kind of unrest that toppled President of the Supreme Court, car chase by the Libyan gun- The kingdom’s top religious tious reforms. a religious edict banning any kind leaders across the Middle East and appointing Sheikh Ghaihab men, according to the Tunisian authorities including the Grand “The clerics were in front of of public protest, have publicly in the past two years thanks to bin Mohammed bin Abdullah Al authorities. Mufti accepted that decision, the royal court to address the expressed concern at decisions a massive social spending pack- Ghaihab in the rank of a minister. AFP but the gathering of about 50 king and Tuwaijri with regard by the king. age and the religious edict from REUTERS/QNA WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 MIDDLE EAST www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 07 Russia rejects Syria war crimes court referral Assad plans to contest 2014 election: Report

DAMASCUSS/MOSCOW: Syria, a major Russian weap- people, put their programmes and Permanent UN Security Council ons customer, is not a party to be elected by the people,” Muqdad member Russia said it opposed the Rome Statute, which set up told the BBC. Muqdad’s remarks an effort by dozens of countries the ICC, so the only way the court come after Assad unveiled in to refer the Syrian crisis to the can investigate the situation is if a rare speech on January 5 in International Criminal Court it receives a referral from the Damascus his own three-step (ICC), calling the initiative “ill- Security Council. peace initiative for the strife-torn timed and counterproductive”. President Bashar Al Assad may country. More than 50 countries asked defy calls to step down and stand He offered dialogue with the the Security Council on Monday for election in 2014, an official opposition to end the conflict - to refer the conflict in Syria to said, as his army pounded rebel but only with elements he deemed the court, which prosecutes peo- zones with shells and air strikes, acceptable, not rebel-affiliated ple for genocide and war crimes, killing dozens. groups he termed “killers” and in a letter saying the move would In a bloody day for Syria as “terrorists” manipulated by for- “send a clear signal to the Syrian it marked 22 months since the eign powers. authorities”. eruption of an anti-regime revolt His plan was rejected outright Russia, which like China and that has morphed into a fullscale by the entire opposition as well the United States is not an ICC civil war, a bomb rocked Aleppo as by the West, and it was criti- member, said the referral would University in the country’s north cised heavily by UN-Arab League not help end the civil war. killing at least 52 people, while 45 peace envoy Brahimi who termed “We believe this initiative is others died in shellings and air it “one-sided”. ill-timed and counterproductive raids elsewhere, a watchdog said. The conflict began on March Syrians gather at the scene of an explosion outside Aleppo University, yesterday. Fifty-two people were killed and to resolving the main task at The latest violence came a day 15, 2011, with peaceful protests this moment: an immediate end after a senior official said Assad that erupted into deadly violence dozens injured in a blast that rocked the University, the top academic institution in northern Syria’s embattled city. to the bloodshed in Syria,” the should be allowed to run for elec- in the wake of a harsh regime Russian Foreign Ministry said in tion in 2014. “We are opening the crackdown. Contradictory reports A military official in Aleppo including three women and two than 28,000 inhabitants. a statement. way for democracy, or deeper meanwhile emerged on the ori- said the explosion occurred after children. More than 150,000 registered Both Syria’s government democracy. In a democracy you gin of yesterday’s blast in Aleppo rebels tried to shoot down a war- A fire broke out at a tent camp Syrian refugees are now living and those fighting it have been don’t tell somebody not to run,” University, which struck the cam- plane with a missile, but failed to for Syrian refugees in southeast- in camps in Turkey, with tens accused of committing atrocities said Deputy Foreign Minister pus on the first day of exams. hit their target. ern Turkey yesterday, killing of thousands more living in in the 21-month-old conflict, in Faisal Muqdad in an interview “The explosion caused casual- Other sources said a car bomb a pregnant Syrian woman and towns and cities throughout the which 60,000 people have been with the BBC on Monday. ties among both students on their attack was behind the blast. three of her children, Turkish country. killed, but the United Nations He repeated the Syrian regime’s first day of exams, and people Elsewhere in Syria, an artil- officials said. Two people were killed and at says the government and its allies insistence that calls for Assad to displaced from areas of the city lery attack on the town of Houla The fire was started by an elec- least six were injured last July have been more culpable. step down immediately are for- damaged by terrorist attacks in the central province of Homs tric heater in the family’s tent at when a fire broke out at a refu- Russia has used its veto power eign-backed and illegitimate. and who have sought refuge in killed 12 people, including seven a refugee camp in Ceylanpinar gee camp in Yayladagi in Hatay to block three Western-backed “It is a coup d’etat if we listen the university complex,” said the minors, the Observatory said. in Sanliurfa province near the province further to the west. UN Security Council resolu- to what those armed groups and official Sana news agency. In Homs city, warplanes struck border with Syria, the officials The refugees are fleeing fight- tions aimed at putting pressure those elements of Syria are pro- State television blamed “ter- the besieged districts of Jobar and said. They said the fire had been ing between Syrian President on Syria’s President Bashar Al posing,” said Muqdad. rorists”, without specifying the Sultaniyeh, while in the northern extinguished. Bashar Al Assad’s forces and Assad or pushing him from power. “The president now and many nature of the explosion, while province of Aleppo, an air raid The Ceylanpinar camp is one rebel fighters trying to overthrow It says his exit must not be a pre- other candidates who may run (in anti-regime activists said it was in on the rebel-held town of Al of some 15 camps in Turkey and his government. condition for a peace deal. the 2014 elections) will go to the the caused by an air strike. Bab killed at least eight people, is one of the largest, with more REUTERS/AFP

Suicide bomb kills Sunni Iraqi Egypt court postpones case against parliament MP, six others CAIRO: Egypt’s top court take back legislative powers had issue a recommendation or when does finally issue a decision. Mubarak-era loyalists. But the postponed yesterday a ruling the upper house been declared the court would rule. Although the upper house was changes under the new constitu- FALLUJAH: A militant posing on a case that challenged the invalid, opening him up to the The case was raised by inde- elected based on the same election tion have meant one outspoken as a construction worker killed legitimacy of the upper house possibility of renewed criticism pendent lawyers opposed to Mursi law that the court found lacking critic of Mursi and others who a Sunni Iraqi MP and six others of parliament and threatened that he is monopolising power. and his fellow Islamists who dom- when it declared the lower house Islamists saw as close to the old yesterday by wrapping his arms further political uncertainty Egypt’s transition to democracy inated both houses. The court’s void, one expert said the new order were removed from the around the lawmaker before for the nation and its troubled since the fall of Hosni Mubarak declaration last year that the constitution changed the legal Supreme Constitutional Court blowing himself up, as a politi- transition to democracy. two years ago has been plagued by lower house was void led to that landscape and said this could panel. cal row engulfs Iraq. The decision means the upper street violence and a slew of com- assembly being dissolved. undermine the case. Another case challenging the The killing of Ayfan Saadun Al house, which has lawmaking plex legal wrangles - frustrating Subsequently, Mursi temporar- The make-up of the Supreme make-up of the assembly that Essawi comes just two days after power in the absence of a lower ordinary Egyptians and unnerv- ily added legislative powers to his Constitutional Court, the highest drew up the newly approved Finance Minister Rafa Al Essawi, house, can continue working for ing investors, taking a heavy toll executive role, prompting oppo- in the land, has also changed since constitution was also before the a fellow Sunni and a member of now and could ensure its stays in on the economy. nents to accuse him of hogging the ruling against the lower house court on Tuesday. The court post- the same tribe and political bloc, place until a new lower house is The head of the Supreme power. Lawmaking powers only because the new constitution cut poned that case to a session on escaped an apparent assassina- elected in an election expected to Constitutional Court, Maher Al moved to the upper house after a the number of judges on the panel February 3. Liberals walked out of tion attempt as his convoy passed start in April. Beheiry, told reporters that the new constitution was approved in and changed the rules for their the Islamist-dominated constitu- near where Tuesday’s attack took It also lifts the immediate pres- case would be referred back to an a December referendum. appointment. ent assembly saying their voices place. sure from President Mohammed advisory legal panel to review. He For now, it is not clear which Islamists had said the previ- were not being heard. No group immediately claimed Mursi, who would have had to did not say when that panel would way the court will rule when it ous court panel was stuffed with REUTERS responsibility, but Sunni mili- tants often target officials and high-profile individuals in a bid Search operation to destabilise the government and push the country back towards the bloodshed that raged from 2005 to 2008. Essawi’s killing is likely to fur- ther enflame tensions, with Iraq already grappling with a politi- cal crisis pitting Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki against Essawi’s secular Sunni-backed Iraqiya bloc. Essawi, 37, had been inspect- ing a road being paved south of Fallujah when the attacker, who was dressed as a construction worker, came up to him. “The moment he stepped out of the car to check out this road between Fallujah and Amriyah, at this moment, there was a man,” said Sohaib Haqi, the lawmaker’s office chief. “He came to him, hugged him, said Allahu Akbar Somali police forces guarding suspected Al Shabaab members during an operation in the Madina district (God is greatest), and blew him- of capital Mogadishu, yesterday. self up.” Fallujah hospital’s Doctor Assem Al Hamdani put the overall death toll at seven dead -Essawi, four of his bodyguards and two civilians. Another six were wounded, including four of UAE court jails citizen for spying the lawmaker’s guards. Three days of mourning were ABU DHABI: A United confessed to establishing con- and Lesser Tunb, which lie declared in Anbar province, Arab Emirates court sen- tact in 2008 with two officials in the strategic Strait of and the lawmaker’s funeral was tenced an Emirati national at an unnamed consulate “to Hormuz at the entrance to expected to be held on Wednesday. married to an Iranian help him with a private mat- the Gulf. Essawi was also a former woman to seven years in jail ter concerning his Iranian Iran took control of the leader of the Sahwa, a collec- yesterday after convicting wife,” it said. islands in 1971 when Britain tion of Sunni tribal militias that him of spying, the official The court heard that he withdrew from the Gulf, in an turned against Al Qaeda and WA M news agency reported. provided the diplomats with annexation still contested by sided with the US military from Salem Musa Fairuz Khamis information on the UAE the UAE. late 2006, helping turn the tide of was convicted of “having con- armed forces based on his The UAE is a staunch ally Iraq’s bloody insurgency. He was tact with a foreign country” at knowledge as a retired soldier of the United States, Iran’s himself inducted into parliament the Supreme Federal Court, in return for money. arch rival, which is leading after another Sunni MP, Khaled the UAE’s highest court, Wa m Iran and the UAE are at international efforts to curb Al Fahdawi, was killed in a suicide said. loggerheads over the islands Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. attack at Baghda’s Umm Al Qura The defendant had of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb AFP mosque in 2011. AFP WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 08 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

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Aiding peace Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate

he opening of a Taliban office in Doha would give Qatar a small but crucial role in the Afghan peace process. The news of Qatar hosting a Taliban office The culture of violence against Thas been doing the rounds for some time, but the official confirmation from the Qatari authorities came on Monday when a Foreign Ministry official welcomed ‘bad Muslims’ in Pakistan the move, and follows talks between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and US President Barack Obama held in Washington recently. Unlike the reconciliation efforts undertaken by Qatar in BY KAMILA SHAMSIE in the mid-winter chill, to stage a the protesters were Shia: we are still several conflict areas, the Afghan peace process is riddled sit-in beside dozens of coffins bear- far from a full-throated chorus of “No with complications. Karzai and Obama have been struggling AST Thursday, the 33-year-old ing shrouded bodies, and insisted they more” from a nation of 180 million. hard to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table but the Pakistani activist Irfan Ali told would not move their dead until the Instead it remains true that “com- Lhis Twitter followers he had nar- provincial government (under whose mon cause” is a rare beast in Pakistan latter have proved to be untamable and unpredictable, and rowly escaped a bomb blast in the pro- watch attacks on Hazaras have accel- (though Irfan Ali understood it well – if all sides are still persisting, it’s because of the havoc the vincial capital, Quetta, which killed 12 erated) had been removed from office his Twitter profile says “I was born to militant group can unleash in Afghanistan once the US people and injured 25. In the next hour and the army had launched an operation fight for human rights and peace.”). In troops exit by the end of 2014. he tweeted three more times about the against the LeJ. a country where extremists target eve- The opening of Taliban office can help the peace process terrorism wreaking havoc on Pakistan Human Rights Watch released a ryone who doesn’t fit into their narrow and the “genocidal pressure” faced by statement making it plain where cul- definition of a “good Muslim”, be they in several ways and marks a new chapter in Qatar’s the Hazaras — an ethnic group which pability lies: “By their inaction in the Shia, Ahmadiyya, Hindu, Christian, peace diplomacy. Holding the negotiations in a perfectly is primarily Shia. face of massacre after massacre and accused-blasphemer, those asking for peaceful setting in Doha, which is strategically located A few hours later there was another killing after killing, Pakistan’s political changes to the blasphemy laws, or girls too, compared to the boom of guns and the thunder of bomb blast, this time in a snooker hall leaders, law enforcement agencies, judi- who want to go to school, it too often bomb blasts in Kabul, would certainly give a fillip to the frequented by Hazaras. While helping ciary and military are presiding over a feels as though people can’t bring them- negotiation process. Qatar can the injured, Irfan Ali was killed by a collective failure to address the growing selves to do more than guard their own suicide bomber who waited until the perception that they are either in sym- turf, or try to stay under the radar. use its rich experience in peace- hall was filled with rescue workers pathy with Sunni extremists or utterly And, most worryingly of all, there are The opening making to prod the two sides to before detonating incompetent, and unable those who simply don’t move on when talks stall or face his explosives. In to provide basic security.” disagree sufficiently with of Taliban hurdles. all, 81 people It doesn’t take a deep the extremists to do very office in Doha Addressing media persons Pakistan’s died in the knowledge of Pakistan to much about it. yesterday, Qatar’s Prime snooker hall know that the “utterly In the end, perhaps Many commentators political leaders, and 110 were incompetent” part of the talk about the 80s as the marks a new Minister and Foreign Minister it isn’t so very law enforcement wounded. The equation attaches itself decade in Pakistan when chapter in H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem extremist to the civilian branch surprising that the rot set in, but in fact bin Jabor Al Thani said Qatar agencies, judiciary Sunni group of government and the the nation which it was there at the very Qatar’s peace was happy to aid the peace and military are Lashkar-e- “sympathy with Sunni birth of the nation. I’m process in Afghanistan and Jhangvi (LeJ) extremists” part to sec- never said “Never not talking about 1947, presiding over a was quick tions of the security which is the year in diplomacy. looked forward to playing a again” should be collective failure to to claim services, who are widely which a country called role. The fact that Taliban have responsibility. believed to have allied condemned to East and West Pakistan agreed to the plan shows their trust in Qatar and belief in address the growing There themselves with extrem- “again, and again, came into existence. That its influence to smoothen the process. Doha would be the perception that are certain ist groups including the nation ceased to exist in actions which LeJ for their own strate- and again”. 1971, when East Pakistan centre of global media attention as the peace-making takes they are either in off. even the most gic ends. became Bangladesh and sympathy with Sunni wretched Will the recent carnage Pakistan’s population The Doha office is just one of a series of gestures nation should change any of this? In an unprecedented shrank by more than 50 percent. meant to inject momentum to the reconciliation efforts. extremists or utterly be able to rely show of solidarity with the mourners in So it is in 1971 that present day Washington is likely to transfer to Qatar Taliban detainees incompetent, and on following Quetta, protests sprang up in a great Pakistan was really formed – on the from the US military’s Guantanamo Bay Prison. The unable to provide an act of such many parts of the country, finally forc- back of massacres and mass rapes of transfer can help build confidence and once it happens, monstrosity: ing the government to respond – which Bengalis, for which no one in Pakistan Qatar will be taking a major responsibility. basic security. a televised it did by imposing the executive author- has ever been held accountable. address by the ity of the governor over the province Among the reasons cited to justify the As the US works out the logistics of exiting Afghanistan head of state, and directing the police and paramili- Pakistani state’s brutality against its by 2014, there is huge concern about the future of the condolence visits to the families of the tary to act against the groups involved. Bengali citizens was that they weren’t country due to fears that the Afghan troops are ill-equipped dead by national and provincial leaders, On Monday, in the wake of the govern- good Muslims. All this is erased from to face the challenges from the Taliban. At the same time, substantial media coverage, and swift ment’s response, the mourners said they Pakistan’s history books. So in the end, faced with a mounting death toll and war bill, Obama is in a reprisals against the LeJ, who may be would bury their dead, after nearly 70 perhaps it isn’t so very surprising that “underground” but are hardly invisible. hours of sitting with them. the nation which never said “Never tearing hurry to pull out his troops even before fulfilling the None of this happened. Instead, the While there is no discounting the sig- again” should be condemned to “again, objectives which George Bush had set out when he started day after the carnage mourners and nificance of the nationwide protests, it’s and again, and again”. the invasion. • activists gathered outdoors in Quetta, important to acknowledge that most of THE GUARDIAN Letters Quote of Assault over women in India: Death penalty is not the solution the day T is sad that politicians leading the country have remember that we also have our fathers, brothers and and friends of the family. It’s going to be a long line-up very less awareness of the sources of problems sons, who could be sent to their death in future on false of recognisable faces. and spend very little time researching/studying charges if they are falsely implicated by corrupt peo- Will hanging the familiar ones address the clear and Ithe problem before coming up with solutions to ple. Amendments to any law have to be clearly studied present need to examine how violence works inside our any. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha proposing from many angles. Why aren’t politicians talking about own homes, within our own families? France has no death penalty and chemical castration for rapists is an ending the easy availability of alcohol and drugs? Do There is no use of fighting over equality for women or example. There is absolutely no evidence to suggest not forget that the recent assault in Delhi involved men increasing police patrolling on the streets if they still go intention of staying that the death penalty will act as a deterrent. (including a minor) who were extremely drunk and out back to face cruelty and fear in their own homes, where In fact, this would worsen the problem, wherein rap- of their senses. they should feel safe and free in the first place. Instead of in Mali, but we have ists, after committing the crime, would make sure to The occurrences of assault, if carefully researched, stigmatising the poor victims and wrecking their future, murder the victim due to the fear of letting the only show that most assaults are not committed by stran- criminals should be stigmatised and bought to public an objective, that is witness live, which could bring them the death penalty. gers. One can say with confidence that on average over attention by the media. Instead of advocating the death when we leave there Chemical castration is another impractical method of 80 percent of assaults in India are committed by people penalty, the minimum punishment for assault should be punishment as we have clearly seen in the case of the known to the victim, from their localities — perfectly raised. Proper parental guidance, quality education, should be security in recent assault on the Delhi woman, which involved ordinary uncles, brothers, fathers, teachers etc. The cutting down on alcoholism/drug addiction are among Mali. abuse with physical objects and beating. people who will be hanged, more than 80 percent of the the primary issues to target. Francois Hollande If the death penalty comes into play, one has to also time, won’t be strangers but local shopkeepers, tutors Romi Sebastian French President WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 09 Obama calling it quits in Afghanistan

President Joe Biden was the only one in The central goal to the room who argued that counterinsur- gency wouldn’t work: It would take too disrupt, dismantle long and cost too much; the American people would lose patience. It was bet- ter, Biden argued, to focus on attacking and defeat Al Al Qaeda and Taliban soldiers along the Afghan-Pakistani border — and on train- Qaeda and bring ing the Afghan security forces, so they can carry on the fight after we leave. The generals argued that this wouldn’t Osama bin Laden to work, that we also needed to change the conditions that created the insurgency. justice is a mission (As Galula wrote, it wasn’t enough to swat the fleas; you needed to drain the swamp where the fleas were bred.) accomplished. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton fur- ther argued that the American people BY FRED KAPLAN would support the war if results were achieved. f there were any doubts, President Clinton and the generals were right in Barack Obama’s press conference theory, but Biden turned out to be right last week with Afghan President in practice. The policy that Obama now Hamid Karzai should dispel them: pursues — and has been since the mid- We are so out of there, at least as a dle of 2011 (that is, 18 months after he Ifull-bore fighting force, and sooner than put the counterinsurgency experiment previously scheduled. in motion) — is essentially Biden’s policy. Nato had planned, with Karzai’s assent, Obama did not say yesterday — prob- to pull out all Western combat forces ably because he hasn’t yet decided — how from Afghanistan by the end of 2014. But many troops, if any, the US will keep in Obama said yesterday that he will scale Afghanistan after 2014. The military back US troops to a “support role” start- wants at least 10,000. Some in the White ing this spring — that is, sometime in the House are reportedly talking about 2,500 next few months. From then on, he said, to 6,000 or perhaps even zero. The more Afghan forces “will take the lead,” while basic question is what the president “the nature of our work will be a training, wants the troops to do. assisting and advising role.” His national-security spokesman, Ben Obama spun the news as a victory Rhodes, said that the missions will con- lap. “It will be a historic moment,” he tinue to be dismantling and defeating proclaimed, “another step toward full Al Qaeda, training and equipping the Afghan sovereignty.” That’s one way to US President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai shake hands after a joint news conference in Washington. Afghan security forces, and conducting put it. counterterrorism — that is, going after When one reporter asked if our accom- Taliban militias along the Pakistani bor- plishments in this war had been worth all success. He’d treated the strategy as an leaving and that they could simply wait services, justice or something else that the der. If US forces are going to do all of this, the bloodshed, Obama recalled the reason experiment; he gave it 18 months to work, us out”. There might be something to this people demand. To win an insurgency war 10,000 is probably a minimally reasonable we intervened in Afghanistan in the first and his generals assured him that would argument. But the bigger, central prob- requires not just killing and capturing bad number; if the Afghans are going to do place — the 3,000 Americans killed on be enough time for the Afghan military lem was with Afghanistan. guys but helping the government regain the bulk of counterterrorism, the number Sept. 11, 2001, as a result of an attack to take the lead in a majority of the coun- Of all the foreign leaders installed by legitimacy — which, in turn, would dry up could be much smaller. that Al Qaeda had planned on Afghan try’s districts, even though some of them Western powers in the last 60 years, the people’s support for the insurgents. Are the Afghan soldiers and police ready soil. Our “central goal” ever since, he said, knew very well it would take longer. They Karzai has been one of the most frus- David Galula, a French colonial officer to take on the burden, not just in 2014 has been to disrupt, dismantle and defeat gambled that enough progress would be trating. In 2009, the US ambassador, who wrote a 1962 book Counterinsurgency but, as Obama announced last week, this Al Qaeda while also bringing Osama bin made to convince the president to give Karl Eikenberry, complained in a widely Warfare (which its adherents treat as a spring? It’s unclear. But for too long now Laden to justice. Mission accomplished. them more time and more troops. They leaked memo that Karzai was “not an sort of bible), calculated that these kinds Karzai has been allowed to play a game, But this answer was misleading. It gambled wrong. After 18 months, almost adequate strategic partner”. A year later, of wars were 80 percent political and only not just with Obama but with George W. sidestepped the fact that, at the end of to the day, Obama announced that he after one of the Afghan president’s more 20 percent military. Bush before him. He has been convinced — 2009, Obama sent an additional 33,000 would start pulling out all 33,000 surge petulant fits, the top US commander, Gen Afghanistan proved to be less-than- by the talk and action of these presidents troops to Afghanistan, a surge of nearly troops — and not replace them with any David Petraeus, threatened to pull his fertile ground for that 80 percent. In fact, and their military commanders — that the 50 percent above the 68,000 already there new ones. This too he publicly presented support for the mission, telling one of Galula’s book contains a chapter titled United States has more at stake in the — and that he did so not to go after bin as a victory, and by the same rationale: Karzai’s advisers, “Your president has put Prerequisites for a Successful Insurgency. war than he does; that he can therefore Laden and Al Qaeda (a task that could bin Laden had been killed, Al Qaeda deci- me in an untenable position. Please take They include a corrupt government, a keep playing his domestic power games, have been handled with far fewer forces) mated, Taliban foot soldiers routed. But note of that word. I chose it carefully”. largely rural and illiterate population, a and abetting his network of corrupt min- but rather to pursue a counterinsurgency the goals of the surge — the goals of the Karzai calmed down, for a while. bordering state that serves as a sanc- isters and district officials, and we won’t strategy, at least in the cities, particularly counterinsurgency strategy — had not The problem wasn’t so much Karzai as tuary for insurgent fighters... from top do anything about it. in the southern districts. This strategy been accomplished. Obama simply — and the politics, the demographics, even the to bottom, it’s a portrait of Afghanistan. Back in 2009, Obama announced when involved not only killing and capturing wisely — rejected them; the experiment terrain of Afghanistan. Counterinsurgency Galula even draws a sketch of what an the pullout would begin at the same time bad guys but also helping to reform the was over; he wasn’t going to double down. doctrine, which Petraeus had long pro- ideal country for insurgency would look that he announced the surge, as a way of Afghan government and providing the Some officers and analysts blame moted and which Obama provisionally like; it’s a dead ringer for Afghanistan. telling Karzai he had to get serious about people with basic services — in short, Obama for the failure. They argue that endorsed, holds as its premise that insur- During the behind-doors sessions that reform. Karzai didn’t take it seriously. nation-building. by announcing the beginnings of a troop gencies rise when the local government Obama and his top national-security Now he must. Whether it’s too late, we’ll What Obama didn’t mention is that pullout before the surge even began, he loses its legitimacy among the popula- advisers held over Afghan-war policy soon see. this surge and this strategy were not a signalled to the Taliban that “we were tion, often because it fails to provide vital all through the latter half of 2009, Vice WP-BLOOMBERG Mali bombing highlights lessons of Western intervention

BY GLENN GREENWALD interventionism. Yet the top- American-trained officer over- same time that the French are US war actions in the region: own country and Europe,” pro- pling of Muammar Gaddafi’s threw Mali’s elected government, now killing civilians in Mali, a “The US military has based claimed French Defence Minister s French war planes dictatorship had consequences setting the stage for more than joint French-US raid in Somalia a growing number of armed Jean-Yves Le Drian. bomb Mali, there is that Western intelligence serv- half of the country to fall into the caused the deaths of “at least Predator drones as well as F-15 As usual, this simplistic car- one simple statistic ices probably never even bothered hands of Islamic extremists.” eight civilians, including two fighter jets at Camp Lemonnier, toon script distorts reality more Athat provides the key to imagine. Tuaregs – who tra- In other words, the West is women and two children”. which has grown into a key instal- than it describes it. There is no context: this west African nation ditionally hailed from northern once again at war with the very To believe that the US and lation for secret counterterrorism doubt that the Malian rebels have of 15 million people is the eighth Mali – made up a large portion forces that it trained, funded and its allies can just continue to go operations in Somalia and Yemen. engaged in all sorts of heinous country in which Western powers of his army. When Gaddafi was armed. Nobody is better at cre- around the world, in country after The defence official declined to atrocities (“amputations, flogging, — over the last four years alone — ejected from power, they returned ating its own enemies, and thus country, and bomb and kill inno- identify the aircraft used in the and stoning to death”), but so, too, have bombed and killed Muslims to their homeland: sometimes for- ensuring a posture of endless war, cent people — Muslims — and rescue attempt but said they were have Malian government forces — — after Iraq, Afghanistan, cibly so as black Africans came than the US and its allies. Where not be targeted with “terrorist” fighter jets, not drones... including, as Amnesty chronicled, Pakistan, Yemen, Libya, Somalia under attack in post-Gaddafi the US cannot find enemies to attacks is, for obvious reasons, “It was unclear, however, why “arresting, torturing and killing and the Philippines (that does not Libya, an uncomfortable fact fight against it, it simply empow- lunacy. As Bradford University Obama felt compelled to reveal Tuareg people apparently only on count the numerous lethal tyr- largely ignored by the Western ers them. professor Paul Rogers told Jones, this particular operation when he ethnic ground”. annies propped up by the West media... The Libyan war was Third, Western bombing of the bombing of Mali “will be por- has remained silent about other As Jones aptly warns: “Don’t fall in that region). For obvious rea- seen as a success... and here we Muslims in yet another coun- trayed as ‘one more example of specific US combat missions in for a narrative so often pushed by sons, the rhetoric that the West are now engaging with its cata- try will obviously provoke even an assault on Islam’”. Whatever Somalia. Spokesmen from the the Western media: a perverse is not at war with the Islamic strophic blowback.” more anti-Western sentiment, hopes that may exist for an end White House and the Pentagon oversimplification of good fighting world grows increasingly hollow Over and over, Western inter- the fuel of terrorism. Already, to the “war on terror” are sys- declined to elaborate or answer evil, just as we have seen imposed with each new expansion of this vention ends up — whether by as the Guardian reports, French tematically destroyed by ongoing questions Sunday night.” on Syria’s brutal civil war.” militarism. But within this new ineptitude or design — sowing fighter jets in Mali have killed “at aggression. The Obama administration has, The French bombing of Mali, massive bombing campaign, one the seeds of further interven- least 11 civilians including three Fourth, for all the self-flatter- of course, draped its entire drone perhaps to include some form of finds most of the vital lessons tion. Given the massive instabil- children”. France’s long his- ing rhetoric that Western democ- and global assassination cam- US participation, illustrates every about Western intervention that, ity still plaguing Libya as well as tory of colonisation in Mali only racies love to apply to themselves, paign in an impenetrable cloth lesson of Western intervention. typically, are steadfastly ignored. enduring anger over the Benghazi exacerbates the inevitable anger. it is extraordinary how these of secrecy, ensuring it remains The “war on terror” is a self-per- First, as the New York Times’ attack, how long will it be before Back in December, after the UN wars are waged without any beyond the scrutinising reach of petuating war precisely because background account from this we hear that bombing and inva- Security Council authorised the pretence of democratic process. media outlets, courts, and its own it endlessly engenders its own morning makes clear, much sions in that country are — once intervention in Mali, Amnesty Writing about the participation citizens. The US and its Western enemies and provides the fuel to of the instability in Mali is the again — necessary to combat International’s researcher on West of the British government in the allies do not merely wage endless ensure that the fire rages without direct result of Nato’s interven- the empowered “Islamist” forces Africa, Salvatore Saguès, warned: military assault on Mali, Jones war aimed invariably at Muslims. end. But the sloganeering prop- tion in Libya. Specifically, “heavily there: Forces empowered as a “An international armed interven- notes that “it is disturbing – to They do so in virtually complete aganda used to justify this is so armed, battle-hardened Islamist result of the Nato overthrow of tion is likely to increase the scale say the least – how Cameron secrecy, without any transpar- cheap and easy — we must kill the fighters returned from combat that country’s government? of human rights violations we are has led Britain into Mali’s con- ency or accountability. Meet the Terrorists! — that it’s hard to see in Libya” and “the big weaponry Second, the overthrow of the already seeing in this conflict.” flict without even a pretence at Western “democracies”. what will finally cause this to end. coming out of Libya and the dif- Malian government was ena- As always, Western govern- consultation”. Identically, the Finally, the propaganda used to The blinding fear — not just of vio- ferent, more Islamic fighters who bled by US-trained-and-armed ments are well aware of this Washington Post this morning justify all of this is depressingly lence, but of Otherness — that has came back” played the precipi- soldiers who defected. From consequence and yet proceed reports that President Obama has common yet wildly effective. Any been successfully implanted in the tating role in the collapse of the the NYT: “Commanders of this anyway. The NYT notes that the acknowledged after the fact that Western government that wants minds of many Western citizens is US-supported central govern- nation’s elite army units, the French bombing campaign was US fighter jets entered Somali to bomb Muslims simply slaps the such that this single, empty word ment. As Owen Jones wrote in an fruit of years of careful American launched “in the face of long- air space as part of the French label of “terrorists” on them, and (Terrorists), standing alone, is suf- excellent column this morning in training, defected when they were standing American warnings operation there; the Post called any real debate or critical assess- ficient to generate unquestioning the Independent: needed most — taking troops, that a Western assault on the that “a rare public acknowledg- ment instantly ends before it can support for whatever their govern- “This intervention is itself guns, trucks and their newfound Islamist stronghold could rally ment of American combat opera- even begin. “The president is ments do in its name, no matter the consequence of another. The skills to the enemy in the heat of jihadists around the world and tions in the Horn of Africa” and totally determined that we must how secret or unaccompanied by Libyan war is frequently touted battle, according to senior Malian prompt terrorist attacks as far described the anti-democratic eradicate these terrorists who evidence it may be. as a success story for liberal military officials.” And then: “An away as Europe.” Indeed, at the secrecy that typically surrounds threaten the security of Mali, our THE GUARDIAN WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 10 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INTERNATIONAL

Germany puts France to stay until Mali stabilises: Hollande alleged KGB spy African troops due as battle rages couple on trial STUTTGART: A married BAMAKO/DUBAI: France couple accused of spying for will end its intervention in Mali the Russian secret services for only once stability has returned more than 20 years went on to the West African country, trial in Germany yesterday, French President Francois in one of the biggest espionage Hollande said yesterday, raising court cases since the Cold War. the prospects of a costly, drawn- The pair, identified only by out operation against Al Qaeda- codenames Andreas and Heidrun linked rebels. Anschlag, are accused of having Paris has poured hundreds been planted in West Germany of soldiers into Mali and car- from 1988 by the Soviet Union’s ried out air raids since Friday in KGB and later used by its SVR the northern half of the coun- successor secret service. try, which Western and regional The defendants, whose alias states fear could become a base surname means “attack” in for attacks by Islamist militants German, declined to confirm any in Africa and Europe. details about their identity or the Thousands of African troops charges as the trial got underway are due to take over the offensive in the higher regional court here. but regional armies are scram- Defence lawyer Horst-Dieter bling to accelerate the opera- Poetschke said they had Russian tion — initially not expected for citizenship. Prosecutors say one months and brought forward of them arrived in still divided by France’s bombing campaign Germany in 1988 — a year before aimed at stopping a rebel advance the Berlin Wall fell — and the on a strategic town last week. French troops from the “Licorne” operation based in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) arrive at the 101st military airbase near other in 1990, posing as Austrian “We have one goal. To ensure citizens who had been born and Bamako yesterday to reinforce the “Serval” operations, before their deployment in the north of Mali. that when we leave, when we end grew up in South America. our intervention, Mali is safe, has According to the Federal legitimate authorities, an elec- Bamako overnight, bringing to planes and helicopters to help, but say are mobile and well-armed, would be on the ground in a week. Prosecutor’s Office, light could toral process and there are no about 750 the number of French West Africa’s armies need time to have shown they can hit back, dis- Senegal, Burkina Faso, Niger, only be shed on the last three more terrorists threatening its troops in Mali. become operational. lodging government forces from Nigeria and Guinea have all years of their alleged activities territory,” Hollande told a news Paris has said it plans to Mali’s north, a vast and inhos- Diabaly, 350km from Bamako on offered troops. Col Mohammed as agents. They had “the mission conference during a visit to the deploy 2,500 soldiers in its pitable area of desert and rugged Monday. Residents said the town Yerima, spokesman for Nigeria’s from SVR headquarters to obtain United Arab Emirates. former colony to bolster the mountains the size of Texas, was was still under Islamist control defence ministry, said the first Nato and EU political and mili- Foreign Minister Laurent Malian army and work with the seized last year by an Islamist despite a number of air strikes 190 soldiers would be dispatched tary secrets”, federal public pros- Fabius, accompanying Hollande, intervention force provided by alliance combining Al Qaeda’s that shook houses. within 24 hours. ecutor Wolfgang Siegmund said. said the offensive against the West African states. north African wing AQIM with Malians have largely welcomed France said on Monday that Prosecutors say the couple Malian rebels could take some West African defence chiefs splinter group MUJWA and the the French intervention, having the US, Canada, Denmark and set up a “middle-class exist- time, and the current French met in Bamako yesterday to home-grown Ansar Dine rebels. seen their army suffer a series of Germany had also offered logis- ence” to cover up their activity level of involvement could last approve plans for speeding up Any delay in following up on defeats by the rebels. “With the tical support. Fabius has said Gulf for the secret services. Andreas weeks. Elections, however, would the deployment of 3,300 regional the French air bombardments arrival of the French, we have Arab states would help the Mali Anschlag studied engineering take months to organise. troops, foreseen in a United of Islamist bases and fuel depots started to see the situation on the campaign while Belgium said it and worked in the auto indus- French aircraft earlier hit Nations-backed intervention plan with a ground offensive could front evolve in our favour,” said Aba would send two C130 transport try while Heidrun was a house- rebels with fresh air strikes and to be led by Africans. allow the insurgents to slip away Sanare, a resident of Bamako. planes and two medical helicop- wife. Even their own daughter a column of dozens of French Nigeria pledged to deploy sol- into the desert and mountains, Aboudou Toure Cheaka, a sen- ters to Mali following a request had no idea about their double armoured vehicles rumbled into diers within 24 hours and Belgium regroup and counter-attack. ior regional official in Bamako, from Paris. lives. They face up to 10 years the dusty riverside capital of said it was sending transport The rebels, who French officials said the West African troops REUTERS in prison if found guilty. AFP

Snowball fight Three killed in 50-car pile-up Robbers dig STOCKHOLM: At least three people were killed and over a dozen injured 100-foot tunnel yesterday in a massive pile-up in southern Sweden caused by icy roads and heavy fog that reduced visibility, police said. “We have had three deaths confirmed. Between 15 and 20 people were to raid bank injured,” police spokesman Jimmy Nordin said. “The accident involved at BERLIN: German police least 50 vehicles,” he added. Local media said up to 100 vehicles may have say robbers dug a 30-metre been involved. (100-foot) tunnel into the safe The crash took place shortly after 11am (1000 GMT) on a bridge on deposit room of a Berlin bank the E4 motorway north of Aastorp, said another police spokesman, Cindy and escaped with their haul, Schoenstroem-Larsson. “The road is slippery and visibility is poor,” he said. setting a fire as they left to The injured were taken to hospital in the nearby city of Helsingborg. Other cover their tracks. drivers and passengers were evacuated by bus. The affected area will be closed Berlin police spokesman to traffic until midnight, the police said. Thomas Neuendorf says the AFP tunnel led from an underground garage into the bank’s safe deposit room. Neuendorf said that the tun- nel was “very professional” and must have taken weeks or even months to complete. It was elabo- rately constructed and even had ceiling supports. Young people participate in the big snowball fight that is organised through social media at the Valkenberg Police were alerted to the Park in Breda, The Netherlands, yesterday. The idea arose spontaneously but grew on Facebook into break-in early on Monday when a big event where more than 1,100 people registered for it. a security guard noticed smoke coming from the deposit room. Neuendorf says police are still trying to determine what Berlusconi says valuables were stolen from the CAR rebels want Tiangaye as PM deposit boxes. BRAZZAVILLE, CONGO: The Seleka rebel alliance in the would back Draghi Details of the heist called to Central African Republic yesterday said that it backed oppo- mind the spectacular robbery sition figure Nicolas Tiangaye to become prime minister in a as president of another Berlin bank in 1995. move that advances a peace deal reached last week. During that robbery thieves “We have just confirmed Tiangaye as prime minister. He is the ROME: Former Italian prime entered the bank through the future prime minister, there is no more objection,” the Seleka minister Silvio Berlusconi said door, took hostages and demanded leader Michel Djotodia said here after talks with the Republic of yesterday that he would back a helicopter and ransom. Congo’s President Denis Sassou Nguesso, who heads a follow-up Mario Draghi if the head of the Police besieged and even- committee monitoring the accord. European Central Bank was tually stormed the safe room Djotodia and several other rebel delegates were accompa- proposed as the country’s next where the thieves had holed up nied in the meeting by Tiangaye, a lawyer who was last week president, a prospect the bank only to find they had escaped chosen as government chief by the political opposition in the ruled out. through a tunnel dug by accom- unstable and impoverished landlocked nation. “We come out Berlusconi, who will lead a cen- plices. Several of the thieves of this meeting with much optimism about the future of our tre-right coalition into national were later caught. country,” Tiangaye said. elections next month, said former AP AFP Bank of Italy governor Draghi would be a good successor to current head of state Giorgio Napolitano, who will step down by May. “Absolutely yes, if there is a Serbia holds out chance of UN seat for Kosovo majority that proposes (Draghi)..., I would vote for him,” Berlusconi BELGRADE: Serbia held out the chance of remarks carried by state news agency Tanjug. said on a morning talk show on a seat at the United Nations for Kosovo yes- “We are seeking a comprehensive settlement, but La7 television. terday, contradicting a historic claim over its for that to happen something has to be given.” In Frankfurt, the ECB said former province as it tries to remove the big- “They (Kosovo) are pressuring us through the Draghi was committed to seeing gest obstacle to joining the European Union. European Union, and we’re not letting them into out his tenure at the bank. Serbia has vowed never to recognise Kosovo’s the United Nations. Are we supposed to go on “Mario Draghi’s term of office 2008 secession but Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, sparring like that for years?” he said. as President of the ECB is eight under pressure to normalise ties with Kosovo’s In a speech to parliament on Saturday, Dacic years until 31 October, 2019. He Albanian-dominated government in talks medi- said Serbian sovereignty over Kosovo was “practi- is committed to serve his term ated by the EU, said Serbia now wanted a “com- cally non-existent” and Belgrade could no longer fully,” a spokesman said. prehensive” settlement. afford to “keep its head in the sand”. They rep- Berlusconi, whose coalition has The West wants Serbia to loosen its grip on a resent some of the boldest statements on Kosovo been closing an opinion poll gap small, Serb-populated pocket of northern Kosovo by a Serbian leader since Nato went to war in with its centre-left rivals, had and establish functional, neighbourly relations with 1999 to halt a brutal Serbian counter-insurgency earlier said he had a candidate in its former province without formally recognising under late Serb strongman Slobodan Milosevic. mind to be the next president who it as independent. Kosovo’s government said this Nato air strikes forced the withdrawal of Serbia’s would be acceptable to the left, but week its ultimate aim in the talks was to secure army and police and Kosovo, where 90 percent of did not want to reveal his name for recognition of statehood by the United Nations. the 1.7 million people are ethnic Albanians, became fear of spoiling his chances. “We can agree on everything,” Dacic said in a ward of the UN. REUTERS REUTERS WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 INTERNATIONAL www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 11 Home, shattered home! New York set to tighten gun control State assembly takes up tough bill

NEW YORK: New York State on Monday, Obama signalled he will lawmakers yesterday began final ask Congress to ban military-style debate on one of the toughest gun assault weapons, stronger back- control bills in the United States ground checks for gun buyers and and the first major legislation on tighter controls on high-capacity the matter since the killings at an magazine clips. elementary school in neighbouring The assault rifle used in the Connecticut last month. Newtown attack is based on a mili- The Democrat-led state Assembly tary rifle and can be equipped with took up the bill passed late on magazines that hold up to 30 rounds Monday by the majority Republican of ammunition. state Senate. If approved as New York’s bill tightens the state’s expected, it could be signed into law existing assault weapons ban to by Democratic Governor Andrew include semiautomatic weapons with Cuomo. detachable clips that have one fea- Cuomo pressed for passage of the ture associated with military weap- bill a month after the mass shooting ons. The current ban includes assault that killed 20 students and six adults weapons that have two military-style at Sandy Hook Elementary School in features. Connecticut. It includes an expanded The proposal also limits magazine ban on assault weapons, limits on capacity to no more than seven car- ammunition capacity and new meas- tridges — the current limit is 10 car- A view of homes damaged by flood waters during Hurricane Sandy in the New Dorp neighborhood of Staten Island, New York, yesterday. The ures to keep guns out of the hands of tridges — and requires a statewide US House of Representatives is moving towards a vote on allocating federal aid money to people affected by the hurricane. mentally ill people. re-registration of all handguns and It also mandates a life sentence grandfathered in assault weapons. without parole for anyone who mur- It also would require mental health ders a first responder, in response professionals to report dangerous to the sniper deaths of two fire- patients to county mental health Obama to unveil plans to curb gun violence fighters near Rochester who were officers for potential action and would ambushed by an arsonist gunman add provisions to suspend or revoke WASHINGTON: US President Barack in 2004, curbs on high capacity magazine backlash and political ammunition for pro- on Christmas Eve, just two weeks licences for people found to pose a Obama will today unveil comprehensive clips and universal background checks for gun groups, repeatedly stressed that Obama after the Newtown, Connecticut, danger to themselves or others. plans to thwart America’s scourge of gun gun purchases. believes in the Second Amendment to the school massacre. “I believe it is the most com- violence, surrounded by children who Obama may also suggest ways of improv- US Constitution that enshrines the right Yesterday in Danbury, Connecticut, prehensive package in the nation,” wrote to him after last month’s Newtown ing mental health care, following a spree to bear arms. not far from Newtown, gun con- Cuomo told reporters after the vote massacre. of shootings by disturbed gunmen who fell David Keene, president of the top gun trol advocates gathered outside a on Monday. Obama will unveil “concrete” proposals through the cracks of the existing medical rights group the National Rifle Association Walmart store in a rally to demand “Much of this is common sense. to “prevent future tragedies” like the hor- system. (NRA) told CNN on Sunday that an assault Wal-Mart Stores Inc, the nation’s Unfortunately, common sense has ror in the Connecticut school in which 20 But the fate of those measures that weapons ban was unlikely to make it largest gun retailer, stop sell- eluded us for many, many years when young children and six adults were killed by require Congress to act, against the power through Congress. ing assault weapons. Among those it comes to this issue,” Cuomo said. a gunman with an assault rifle, his spokes- of the pro-gun lobby, is unclear, after Obama The NRA opposes most of the White expected to attend were Lori Haas, The proposal was not directed at man Jay Carney said. himself questioned on Monday whether House’s likely proposals, and has instead whose daughter was injured in the and would have no impact on hunters He will be joined at the event at the there would be sufficient support among called for armed guards at every US school. 2007 shooting at Virginia Tech, and or sport shooters, Cuomo said. White House at 1645 GMT by his young lawmakers. “The president is committed But Obama on Monday called on law- Pam Simon, who was wounded in the Cuomo said last week that the correspondents, who wrote to express fears to pushing these proposals,” Carney told makers to examine their consciences over 2011 shooting in Tucson, Arizona, current ban on assault weapons about gun violence and school safety after reporters. “He is not naive about the chal- whether the carnage at Sandy Hook elemen- that also critically injured former had so many loopholes that it was the horror in Newtown on December 14, lenges that exist, but he believes that... if tary school should prompt a new approach. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. unenforceable. For example, current and their parents. even one child’s life can be saved by the “My starting point is not to worry about The Newtown killings plunged the law bans magazines that hold more The plans, drawn up after an exhaustive actions we take here in Washington, we the politics. My starting point is to focus rural New England town of 27,000 than 10 rounds of ammunition, but policy review by Vice President Joe Biden must take those actions.” on what makes sense, what works. What into grief along with much of the exempts those made before 1994. in the last month, are expected to include a The Washington news organisation should we be doing to make sure that our nation and prompted President The new legislation would also mix of legislative plans and executive orders Politico reported yesterday that the White children are safe?” Obama said at a White Barack Obama to form a task force increase monitoring of high-volume using presidential power. House had pulled together 19 executive House press conference. headed by Vice President Joe Biden to ammunition purchases in-person or Key White House players have hinted the actions that Obama could take unilaterally, Biden met an NRA representative along find ways to curb gun violence. Biden over the Internet and current owners package could include efforts to renew a designed to enforce and implement exist- with other gun rights groups last week as is due to submit recommendations to of assault weapons would be required law banning assault weapons that expired ing laws. But officials, seeking to avoid a part of his gun policy review. AFP the president later this week. to register them, as is required with In a White House news conference handguns. REUTERS Stewardess wins case over wearing cross

STRASBOURG, FRANCE: Eweida had worked since I have suffered anxiety, frustra- A British Airways employee 1999 as a flight attendant for tion and distress.” suffered discrimination at BA, whose uniform code stipu- Shirley Chaplin, a 57-year- work over the wearing of a lated that women must wear a old geriatrics nurse, whose cross, the European Court high-necked shirt and a cravat, employer also stopped her wear- of Human Rights ruled without any visible jewellery. ing necklaces with a cross, lost yesterday. When the wearing of the her case after the court ruled But at the same time the cross provoked a dispute in that the reason for asking her court decided against three 2006, she was offered an alter- to remove it “was inherently of other people from Britain native job within the company, much greater importance”. who had filed cases claiming which she refused. Her employer had said the their religious rights had been She eventually returned to cross posed a health and safety violated. work in February 2007 when issue as it could interfere with Nadia Eweida (pictured), a BA’s policy was changed to per- open wounds. 60-year-old Coptic Christian, mit the display of religious sym- Chaplin told a press confer- took BA to the European rights bols, with the cross and the star ence in London: “This to me is court after British courts upheld of David permitted. a bit like a wedding band so to the airline’s decision to ban her Speaking outside her law- take it off and to hide it is like from wearing a crucifix. yer’s offices in London, Eweida divorcing God. I felt my beliefs The Strasbourg-based judges said: “I’m very happy and very were marginalised and ignored,” ruled that the British courts pleased that Christian rights she said. The other unsuccessful had given “too much weight” to have been vindicated in the UK claimant was Gary McFarlane, BA’s desire to “project a certain and Europe. 51, a marriage counsellor who corporate image” and her right “I’m very pleased that after was sacked after saying he to manifest her religious beliefs all this time the European court might object to giving therapy had been violated. has specifically recognised... that advice to ‘queer’ couples. AFP

18 human heads at Another cholera outbreak in Cuba airport trigger alarm

HAVANA: A new cholera ministry said in a statement cholera was “generated by a CHICAGO: Officials scrambled outbreak — Cuba’s second in published in the official news- food vendor, an asymptomatic yesterday to get 18 human heads four months after a 130-year paper Granma. It said 51 chol- carrier of the disease, con- off to their final destination, a stretch without the disease era cases had been confirmed. tracted earlier in other regions crematorium, after they were — has sickened 51 people in The Pedro Kouri Institute of the country,” the Health seized by US customs inspectors Havana, the Health Ministry of Tropical Medicine traced Ministry said. It first appeared before Christmas at Chicago’s said yesterday. the disease back to the same in a working class district called main O’Hare airport. Three people died and 417 strain of cholera that caused Cerro situated in the center of The heads, each tagged with were infected in eastern Cuba last year’s outbreak in the city Havana, between the Plaza of a name plus place and cause of last year, the first time chol- of Manzanillo, 800km east of the Revolution and the city’s death, had originated in the United era had been reported on the Havana in Granma province. main baseball stadium. States for use at a research facil- Caribbean island since 1882. That outbreak was declared Rumors of a cholera out- ity in Rome, spokeswoman Mary The latest outbreak was eradicated on August 28, nearly break spread in recent days Paleologos of the Cook County detected on January 6 after a two months after it was first after doctors and nurses began medical examiner’s office said. surge in cases of acute diar- detected. The Havana outbreak going door to door in certain In the meantime, the heads rhoea in the Cuban capital, a “is in a phase of extinction,” neighborhoods to distribute remain in storage at the Cook city of 2.2 million people, the the ministry said. It said the medicines to residents. AFP County morgue. AFP WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 12 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com ASIA / PHILIPPINES US despatches Rally against cyber crime law team to resolve Seoul-Tokyo row Dispute over islands in spotlight

WASHINGTON: The United Russel, the National Security Council States sent its top Asian diplomacy senior director for Asian affairs, and security officials to South will meet with officials in Seoul and Korea and Japan to calm ten- Tokyo. sions between two US allies whose US officials regularly meet coun- squabbling has frustrated efforts terparts from the two countries, to deal with a troublesome North which have been American allies Korea and an increasingly asser- since the 1950s and together host tive China. most of the 80,000 US troops in Asia. The high-powered delegation from But the antagonistic nationalism that the White House, Pentagon and State flared up in Asian capitals last year Department departed on Monday makes this trip anything but routine. and will be visiting the region shortly The Japan-South Korea dispute after the election of a new national- intensified in August when President ist-leaning Japanese government in Lee Myung-bak became the first December and before Seoul inaugu- South Korean leader to set foot on rates a new president in February. islands claimed by both countries but Washington hopes South Korea controlled by Seoul. They are known and Japan can put a lid on spats over as Dokdo in Korea and Takeshima history and territory stemming from in Japan. Japan’s 1910-45 occupation of Korea. Lee’s visit and his call for Emperor US officials also seek to reassure Akihito to go beyond earlier expres- Tokyo as it confronts almost daily sions of “deepest regrets” for Japan’s A protest against an anti-cyber crime law in front of the Supreme Court in Manila, yesterday. challenges from China over which colonial rule followed South Korea’s nation has sovereignty of disputed last-minute cancellation of a bilat- islets in a separate, more dangerous, eral agreement with Japan on shar- territorial row with Beijing. ing intelligence. China award for The long-simmering disputes The troubles between Seoul and China to carry out island survey; erupted anew last year, plunging Tokyo coincided with a stand- Tokyo’s ties with Seoul and Beijing off between Japan and China over reporting food to troubling lows and casting a cloud another cluster of islets, known as over President Barack Obama’s sig- the Diaoyu in China and the Senkaku air exercises held with Japan law violations nature policy for East Asia — rebal- in Japan. ancing security forces in the region The dispute sparked violent anti- BEIJING: China will offer up to — in part to cope with a surging Japanese protests in China last BEIJING: Beijing is to carry after Japan’s hawkish Shinzo China has repeatedly sent 300,000 yuan ($48,200) as a cash China. summer that damaged Japanese busi- out a geographical survey of Abe won a landslide elec- maritime surveillance ships to reward to people who report on “We want to see the new Japanese nesses in China. Last year’s protests islands in the East China Sea, tion victory following cam- the area and carried out naval others who violate food safety government, the new South Korean have been followed by a consumer state media said yesterday, paign promises to reinvigorate exercises, and both Tokyo and laws, state media said yesterday, government, all of the countries in boycott and repeated incursions by the latest salvo in an increas- Tokyo’s security alliance with Beijing have scrambled fighter as the government tries again to Northeast Asia working together Chinese boats and planes into seas ingly tense dispute with Washington and take a more jets to the area in recent weeks crack down on a persistent prob- and solving any outstanding issues, and airspace around the islands, Tokyo over the uninhabited robust line against Beijing. in a further escalation. lem. “Actions taken to report whether they are territorial, whether which are controlled by Japan. territory. The dispute over the islands, Commentators say Beijing violations of food and drug safety they’re historic, through dialogue,” The ships and aircraft that have The announcement came known as Diaoyu in Beijing and wants to prove that Japan does laws will be rewarded,” state State Department spokeswoman appeared to challenge Japanese con- as Japanese fighter jets were Senkaku by Tokyo, which con- not have effective control over news agency Xinhua said. “The Victoria Nuland said last week. trol of those waters and force Tokyo scrambled in response to a trols them, has simmered on the chain to draw Tokyo into reward for each case, in princi- Troubles between Asia’s sec- to end its refusal to acknowledge that Chinese state-owned Y-12 plane and off for years but intensi- concessions. ple, will not exceed 300,000 yuan.” ond and fourth biggest economies a territorial dispute exists have been flying close to — but not inside fied in 2012 when Japan nation- The cartographic survey was Rewards will be paid out after are frustrating to Washington at a Chinese government vessels. So far — the islands’ airspace, accord- alised those it did not already part of a programme to map authorities confirm the veracity time when a defiant North Korea China has stopped short of sending ing to Tokyo’s defence ministry. own, triggering anger and dem- China’s “territorial islands and of the tip-offs, the report said. has tested a long-range rocket and military vessels into disputed areas. Separately, official Chinese onstrations in China. reefs” and safeguard its “mari- Repeated campaigns to crack may be poised to conduct its third But analysts warn of the potential media reported that Beijing’s The protests were allowed to time rights and interests”, the down on the problem and the nuclear test. for miscalculation. Any Japan-China armed forces have been take place by the Communist official Xinhua news agency meting out of tough punish- In one of the final acts before conflict could embroil the United instructed this year to train authorities in Beijing, who use said, without saying when it ments have failed to bring an Obama brings in a new national States, which says that the islets are for battle, while a Tokyo offi- nationalism to bolster their would take place. end to China’s food safety woes. security team for his second term, covered under the US-Japan security cial said US and Japanese claims to legitimacy, particu- It did not make clear whether Frequent media reports refer to Assistant Secretary of State Kurt treaty — even though Washington fighter jets carried out joint air larly regarding Japan, which it would involve activities on cooking oil being recycled from Campbell, Assistant Secretary of takes no position on the sovereignty exercises. occupied parts of China in the land or be purely sea-based. drains and carcinogens in milk, Defence Mark Lippert and Daniel dispute. REUTERS This week’s tensions come 20th century. AFP and fake eggs. REUTERS Court hears graft case against Khaleda Zia

DHAKA: A court yesterday Zia was present at the is a trustee of the charity. said the case was “false” and paved the way for corruption crowded court hearing in The court will now hear argu- “politically motivated”, add- charges to be pressed against Dhaka. ments on whether it should ing the charity was a private Bangladesh’s opposition leader Judge Zahirul Haque of the press charges against Zia. If organisation and not under the which could end up preventing Metropolitan Sessions Court convicted, she could face a maxi- jurisdiction of the anti-graft the former premier from con- accepted the chargesheet which mum seven years in jail and be body. testing next year’s election. named her the “main accused” banned from taking part in any Both Hasina and Zia were Khaleda Zia is accused by the in the case, prosecution lawyer future elections. detained for a year until the Anti-Corruption Commission Mosharraf Hossain said. Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist middle of 2008 as part of an of abusing her power while in “The case has been taken Party was crushed in the last anti-corruption crackdown office between 2001-6 by forc- for cognisance for the purpose parliamentary elections in 2008 launched by an army-backed ing people to donate to a charity of trial,” Hossain said, adding by the Awami League party of caretaker government. named after her late husband, that the court would also issue her bitter rival Sheikh Hasina, The charges against Hasina a former president who was an arrest warrant against her who is now prime minister. have all been thrown out since assassinated in 1981. fugitive political secretary who Her lawyer Sanaullah Mia she came to power. AFP

Pollution shield Myanmar denies killing three in Kachin hub

YANGON: Myanmar has post on his Facebook page seen denied allegations that its yesterday. military killed three civil- “We have learnt... that there ians in an artillery attack on were no planes or helicopters a Kachin rebel stronghold, flying around that region. So and called for independent we need to get independent confirmation of the incident. confirmation for the reason The Kachin Independence of this explosion.” Army on Monday said three His comments come amid people, including a teenager mounting international out- and elderly man, died and cry over the military’s use of several others were wounded air strikes in an upsurge of after army shells landed in fighting since December, that the centre of Laiza, a town has raised questions over the bordering China that is the government’s commitment to rebels’ base. reform after a transition from But presidential spokesman military rule. Ye Htut said that the military Britain joined the US and — or Tatmadaw — had not UN in criticising the mili- fired at the time of the morn- tary’s use of jets and helicop- ing incident. ters in the festering conflict, A woman wears a face mask at the Tiananmen Square in Beijing, yes- “There was no firing which erupted again in June terday. Smog looms over large swathes of China, threatening people’s with heavy weapons from 2011 when a 17-year ceasefire health and alarming environmentalists. Tatmadaw side,” he said in a collapsed. AFP WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 PAKISTAN / AFGHANISTAN www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 13 Supreme Court orders Ashraf’s arrest Government under mounting pressure from protesters

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s it survive until elections are called near the federal parliament with Supreme Court ordered the within a few months. thousands of supporters until his arrest of the prime minister President Asif Ali Zardari demands for the resignation of yesterday in connection with hopes to lead the first civilian the government were met. an alleged corruption scandal, government that will complete its ratcheting up pressure on a gov- full term and hold elections. Any WASTED ernment locked in a showdown move to oust the prime minister The fiery orator returned home with a cleric who has a history would not automatically trig- from Canada less than a month of ties to the army. ger the collapse of his coalition ago to lead a call for electoral The combination of the arrest since lawmakers can simply elect reforms to bar corrupt politicians order and a mass street pro- another prime minister. from office that has made him an test in the capital Islamabad led But power struggles distract instant hit among Pakistanis dis- by Muslim cleric Muhammad the government from tackling illusioned with the state. Tahirul Qadri raised fears among an array of problems — a Taliban In a speech from behind a bul- politicians that the military was insurgency, economic stagnation let-proof shield in front of parlia- working with the judiciary to and growing sectarian tensions ment, Qadri praised the military force out a civilian leader. triggered by bomb attacks and and the judiciary, the country’s “There is no doubt that Qadri’s tit-for-tat shootings. two other power centres. march and the Supreme Court’s The Supreme Court gave “(The government) has wasted verdict were masterminded by authorities 24 hours to arrest and brought a bad end to our the military establishment of Ashraf and 16 others in connec- armed forces, those armed forces Pakistan,” Fawad Chaudhry, tion with an alleged corruption who are highly sincere, highly an aide to Prime Minister Raja scandal involving power plants competent and highly capable Pervez Ashraf, said. while he served as water and and highly professional,” he said, “The military can intervene power minister. alternating between Urdu and at this moment as the Supreme Government officials said English. Court has opened a way for it.” they were baffled by the arrest “Even they can’t do anything Thousands of followers of order, which came hours after because the political government Qadri camped near the federal Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry isn’t able to deliver anything from parliament cheered as television said elections should go ahead as this land. Judgments are being channels broadcast news of the scheduled. passed by our great, independent Supporters of cleric Muhammad Tahirul Qadri protest in Islamabad, yesterday. Supreme Court’s order to arrest “This was totally unexpected,” judiciary but the government is Ashraf on charges of corruption, an official in Ashraf’s office said. not ready to implement them.” who took over in June after judges “The prime minister and two or Qadri is demanding that the purely personal capacity, said added. “It is totally incorrect to Qadri can mobilise thousands of disqualified his predecessor. three of his friends were watching government dissolve the legisla- there was no appetite in the say the army is behind Qadri. But members of his Minhaj-ul-Quran Pakistan’s powerful army has Qadri speak on television and this ture and announce the forma- military to repeat the coups seen if he brings thousands of people to religious organisation, which runs a long history of coups and inter- suddenly happened.” tion of a caretaker government in Pakistan’s past, but added the the streets and things get worse, a network of schools and clinics vening in politics. These days it Pakistan’s stock exchange to oversee the run-up to elections. stand-off could be resolved if the there may be very few options.” and organises relief for victims seems to have little appetite for fell by more than 500 points, or He said on Friday that the mil- army played a role in the forma- of natural disasters. a coup but many believe it still nearly three percent, on news itary could play a possible role tion of a caretaker government as LIFE ON THE LINE “He’s spent huge money and tries to exert behind-the-scenes of the court order, due to fears in the selection of the interim a “moderator”. The government and opposition he’s putting his life on the line, influence on politics. over fresh political turmoil, which administration, a stance which “We should try as far as pos- are poised to start negotiating the he’s here to redeem the people,” The ruling coalition led by comes against a backdrop of mili- has sharpened fears he may be sible to abide by the constitution formation of a caretaker admin- said Mohammed Waqas Iqbal, a the Pakistan Peoples’ Party has tant bombings and tension on the working at the army’s behest. and law in looking for change. The istration to oversee the run-up to local government official who had weathered a series of crises with border with India. The military denies any ties to army chief has made this clear,” the polls as soon as parliament is travelled from a village in north- the judiciary and military over Qadri, who played a role in him. the officer said. dissolved, which is due to happen ern Punjab to attend the rally in the last few years and hopes its backing a military coup in 1999, One senior military officer, “But things seem to be mov- in March. An election date has Islamabad. parliamentary majority will help threatened to remain camped out who said he was speaking in a ing beyond control,” the officer yet to be announced. REUTERS

Play time BRIEFLY Imran Khan tells Zardari to resign

LAHORE: Pakistani opposition minister over corruption allega- politician Imran Khan called tions, and as 25,000 people took Afghan Taliban yesterday on President Asif Ali part in the largest political pro- Zardari to resign to make way test in Islamabad since Zardari’s condemn French for free and fair elections. government took office. intervention in Mali Khan, a former cricket star “The government should imme- who captained Pakistan to world diately announce new elections KABUL: Afghanistan’s cup victory in 1992, has no seat in and should also announce a date Taliban insurgents yesterday parliament but has helped to set for it,” Khan said. “Change is not condemned France’s military the political agenda by campaign- possible without holding of free intervention in Mali, warn- ing on a ticket of reform before and fair elections.” ing that it would have “disas- elections scheduled by mid-May. The government has said it will trous” consequences. “President Asif Ali Zardari disband parliament only in mid- France, which pulled its should resign immediately. He March at the end of its mandate, last combat troops out of cannot hold free and fair elections after which elections would have Afghanistan in December, because he is holding two offices,” to be held by mid-May. Cleric launched airstrikes on Friday Khan told a news conference in Tahirul Qadri is demanding that to back the Malian army in the eastern city of Lahore. a caretaker government be set up an operation against Islamist Khan was referring to Zardari’s immediately. Khan did not back rebels and is sending troops role as head of state and chair- calls for judiciary and military into the West African nation. man of the main ruling Pakistan intervention in the caretaker The Taliban said in a state- People’s Party. administration. He said it should ment on their website that His call came after the be created “with mutual consen- France should have learned Supreme Court issued an order sus and should consist of neutral Afghan children play in a street in Herat, yesterday. Over a third of Afghans are living in abject poverty, as lessons from the “failed” wars for the arrest of the prime people”. AFP those in power are more concerned about addressing their vested interests rather than the basic needs of in Afghanistan and Iraq. the population, a UN report said. “When France began its withdrawal process from Afghanistan in recent times it seemed as the French gov- ernment would likely expand its anti-war stance to other Raisani says his sacking was for gold-copper mines regions of the world,” spokes- man Zabihullah Mujahid said. QUETTA: Sacked Chief by terrorists from the banned the Dutch, Germans, Chinese, and there is nothing else at work. the police. I never interfered in “However it broke off its Minister of Pakistan’s trou- Sunni sectarian organisation Russians and Americans have to He added “This is openly a the policing matters and gave commitment to peace by trans- bled southwestern Balochistan Lashkar-e-Jhangvi but denied to do with the Reko Diq, Whenever sectarian strife. What happened them liberty to work. Now, what’s gressing militarily in Mali.” province, Aslam Raisani, has take responsibility and instead I meet a diplomat, he would ask in Quetta on the Alamdar Road clear is that I cannot myself go on said that his government was questioned why other provincial what I was doing about Reko Diq. was the result of sectarian Shia- patrolling with a force of my own ambushed through a conspiracy governments had not been sacked. I would question them why were Sunni tussle. It is happening in to establish law and order. What Peshawar checkpost because he had refused to hand He said no one from the they interested in it and that they Gilgit-Baltistan, the Punjab, and I did was to give policy to them; it over the Reko Diq gold and cop- Pakistani authorities consulted, should mind their own business. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and all over was their responsibility to imple- attack kills 10 per mines rather than the alle- discussed or called him prior to Global players are playing their the country. It’s happening else- ment the policy,” he said. PESHAWAR:Dozens of mil- gations of terrorism. his sacking on Sunday night. He game in Balochistan. They have where in the world and has actu- Raisani was very bitter about itants attacked a Pakistani “They should have waited for claimed that conspiracies against made Balochistan a playground ally now spread to Indonesia also. his sacking and again and again checkpoint, sparking clashes four days or so for my return his government had started after for their aims. They are playing It happens in the Punjab where mentioned his angst at the way that killed six security per- to Pakistan. Whatever has hap- he refused to be bribed over the the game.” the population is 100 million. he was shown the door. He said sonnel and four militants in pened is not right. It will have issue of Reko Diq, the world’s Raisani claimed that he enjoyed Balochistan has a population of his Pakistan People’s Party was the tribal belt overnight, offi- serious repercussions as some largest gold mines in the resource the support of the majority of coa- only 9.5 million, that’s the reason not against him despite the fact cials said yesterday. people will say that if this hap- rich Balochistan. lition partners. “The majority is why killings in Balochistan are that he had been sacked from the The fighting took place in pens to a pro-Pakistan Baloch, “I am not shocked at my sack- with me, they are still supporting highlighted but go unreported in party and was no longer a mem- the northwestern Khyber dis- then what happens to others. It ing. Do I look shocked or worried, me. I gave my opponents a free the case of Punjab because such ber. “It’s wrong how I have been trict, where troops are fre- has not sent a good message at no, I am actually laughing at them hand to bring an in-house change news can be buried because of the sacked. I secured the vote of con- quently locked in clashes with all,” he said, and stressed that he as what they have done. I was pre- if they wished to. I am with my population.” fidence and there was no way they homegrown Islamist militia was ‘not at all shocked’ over his pared for this day for over three partners wholeheartedly and I am Raisani categorically refused could remove me democratically, Lashkar-e-Islam. sacking as ‘I knew something was years. I was being pressurised to thankful to them for the way they to take responsibility for the law so they dissolved my government,” “Around 100 militants in the offing’. start negotiations with the glo- have supported me.” and order situation in the prov- he said. attacked a Frontier Corps Speaking exclusively to Geo bal copper companies over Reko Raisani lashed out at those ince and said that he did every- Raisani said he was visiting the checkpost in the Shalobar News in Cambridge, in a report Diq. They offered me money and who had particularly picked on thing possible to help the people country for the medical check- area of Bara in Khyber tribal broadcast yesterday, Raisani, who tried to bribe me but I refused to Balochistan, the strife-ridden of his province and held the law up of his ‘vocal chords’ which col- region on Monday night, which was present in the city with his be bought, I refused to meet or province hit by insurgency and enforcement agencies responsible lapsed in 1997. triggered a firefight,” a secu- family members after arriving in entertain them,” he said. sectarian violence. for the current situation. “I come to Europe once in a rity official said on condition Cambridge, said that he regret- He linked the sacking of his He called for the governor’s “I took every step to correct while for the check-up. There is of anonymity. ted the loss of lives of Hazara government with an international rule in other provinces too if sec- the situation. I gave a free hand no other reason.” AFP Shia community who were killed conspiracy. “My question is what tarian killing is the only reason to the Frontier Constabulary and INTERNEWS WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 14 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INDIA Protest in Goa after Ansari in Hanoi rape of schoolgirl The seven-year-old was molested in school toilet

VASCO DA GAMA, INDIA: appeal for calm. A massive man- given a medical examination. Thousands protested in the holi- hunt has been launched to trace The girl was taken to hospital day state of Goa yesterday after a the attacker, thought to be in his and has since been discharged, a seven-year-old girl was raped in a early 20s, who managed to get charity worker accompanying her school toilet, sparking fresh out- into the premises despite security said. “She is fine now and recu- rage in India following a deadly guards posted at the school gate. perating at home,” she said. gang-rape on a bus. A police official, speaking on The victim’s identity has been Crowds began gathering out- condition of anonymity, said that protected in line with the law. side the Deepvihar High School the youngster was raped after Thousands of people sur- in the city of Vasco da Gama being dragged inside the toilet sit- rounded the school on Monday on Monday night after news of uated next to the headmistress’s night, shouting to demand the the attack emerged, prompting office during a break in classes. arrest of the headmistress and police to arrest the headmistress Police were alerted after the the perpetrator. on charges of neglect as well as girl complained of pain and was Demonstrations then spread to The Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari with Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang during their meeting other parts of the city yesterday, at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam, yesterday. with shops and businesses closing in protest. Goa’s Chief Minister Odisha gang rape victim dead Manohar Parrikar visited the spot to try and calm the tense BHUBANESWAR: A teenaged girl, who had tried to immolate gathering. Digitisation of presidential library herself after being gangraped in Odisha on January 2, died at a “We will not spare the accused hospital in Andhra Pradesh yesterday, police said. and anyone involved in this Four people had dragged the 16-year-old orphan to a forest near crime,” he told the crowds, after Anjiapeta village in Rayagada district, around 390km from here. which the headmistress was high on Mukherjee’s agenda She was returning home from work. They fled after raping her. She detained. She was later arrested was spotted by some women and brought to the village. for alleged negligence of duty, the NEW DELHI: Briefing the - the history of the transfer of president is also keen on writing a Unable to bear the trauma, the girl tried to immolate herself a police official said. media at an informal interface power and how the financial couple of books. “Not an autobiog- day later and suffered over 80 percent burn injuries. The case has been transferred yesterday, President Pranab business of the government was raphy or anything like it,” he said. She was admitted to a hospital in Rayagada town but was shifted from local police to the state Kumar Mukherjee said the transacted. The first budget was The president said “he did to a private hospital in Vishakhapatnam town on January 7 after crime branch, which has taken library in Rashtrapati Bhavan passed in 1892,” Mukherjee said not want to add anything new her condition deteriorated. The girl died yesterday at a hospital in up the help of a teacher to draw was big enough for “anybody to adding digitisation of old books to Rashtrapati Bhavan but “just Visakhapatanam, inspector in-charge of Rayagada police station a sketch of the accused, seen loi- spend five years reading”. and reports was his priority. restore the building to its origi- Prashant Bhupati said. Police would soon file a chargesheet against tering in the school compound. “The library has records as old An aide to the president said: nal glory”. “I will not change any- the four accused, who were arrested soon after the incident. The attack comes after the as government proceedings of “Out of the 24,000 documents thing. I am traditionalist,” he said. The girl was staying with her grandmother and worked at a gang-rape of a student on a bus 1891. Right now, the documents and records, only 4,000 have been Mukherjee said he has recently photocopying shop in Rayagada. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in New Delhi last month sparked are dumped on the floor are being digitised during president A P J watched “Lincoln” that won its condoled her death and said strong action would be taken against nationwide protests and fuelled removed and put in order. After Abdul Kalam’s tenure”. But the lead actor Daniel Day Lewis a the culprits. Patnaik also announced a compensation of `1m for the anger across India over the alarm- seeing the library in order, I will “hardware is outdated and restor- Golden Globe award and has kin of the victim. IANS ing incidence of sexual assault. concentrate on reading. ers are trying to retrieve them bought a copy of Ramachandra AFP “I want to read official records in a user-friendly format”. The Guha’s new essays. IANS

US to seek 30-year jail for Mumbai terror suspect Rana Mamata Banerjee slams media for CHICAGO: US federal prosecu- attacks, he was convicted of Mumbai and Danish terrorism Blegen, downplayed his client’s said the alleged Danish plot tors are seeking the maximum supporting LeT and its aborted plots, and was the star prosecu- role in the Danish scheme, say- involved beheading newspaper negative publicity 30-year sentence for Pakistan- plot to attack Danish newspaper tion witness at Rana’s trial. ing he was kept in the dark employees and depositing theirs born Tahawwur Rana for Jyllands-Posten for publishing A Chicago jury convicted Rana about much of the plot. He also heads onto Copenhagen streets HALDIA, WEST BENGAL: providing support to Pakistan- cartoons of Prophet Muhammad in June 2011 on the charges of noted Rana’s recent health prob- and described it as “murder on a West Bengal Chief Minister based terror group Lashkar- (peace be upon him). providing Headley cover as lems, including a heart attack. grand, horrific scale.” Mamata Banerjee yesterday e-Taiba (LeT) that staged the Headley, son of a Pakistani an employee of his immigra- Rana, 52, is to be sentenced Prosecutors said Rana, who accused the media of nega- 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. father and an American mother, tion business to scout targets in Chicago tomorrow. Headley lived in Chicago and owned a tive publicity against her while Although Chicago businessman who changed his given name of in Mumbai and the newspaper would be sentenced a week later Northwest Side immigration and addressing an investment sum- Rana, a boyhood friend of David Dawood Gilani to scout targets in office in Copenhagen. on January 24. travel service, operated the busi- mit here. Coleman Headley, was acquit- Mumbai without arousing suspi- In a filing unsealed on Monday According to Chicago’s local ness as a front for funnelling ter- “Some media groups based in ted of supporting the Mumbai cion, pleaded guilty in both the evening, Rana’s lawyer, Patrick WLS TV, Chicago prosecutors rorist money overseas. IANS Bengal sing paeans about Gujarat. They’ve been constantly compar- ing our state with Gujarat and doing negative publicity,” Banerjee said at the second industry sum- mit, Bengal Leads, in this indus- trial town of East Midnapore district, 120km from Kolkata. Omar inducts 10 ministers “They (media) don’t love us. They don’t want us as I am not JAMMU: Jammu and Wani and Waqar Rasool from from the Congress. The gover- from a family with a golden Kashmir Chief Minister the Congress coalition partner nor accepted the resignations spoon,” the Trinamool Congress Omar Abdullah yesterday also got ministerial portfolios. with immediate effect. chief said. inductd 10 ministers and With this expansion, the The state government yes- Highlighting a host of upcom- dropped seven from his cabi- number of the council of minis- terday nominated Kafeel-ul- ing projects in the state includ- net. Governor N N Vohra ters has gone up to 25, including Rehman, a legislator from, ing those by NTPC, SAIL and the administered the oath of office the chief minister. Karnah as the Vice-Chairman Indian Railway, she accused the to former National Conference While Sadhotra is from the of the Advisory Board for media of indulging in “rumour ministers Ajay Sadhotra, legislative council, the others the Development of Pahari mongering” about West Bengal Choudhary Mohammad are from the legislative assem- Speaking People. He will be not getting any big ticket Ramzan, Saifullah Mir, bly. Six of them are cabinet a minister of state. Radhay investment. Nazir Gurezi, Sajjad Kichloo ministers, three ministers of Sham Sharma, a legislator from “SAIL is investing `200bn and and Feroz Khan, among state with independent charge Nowshera, was appointed Vice- there are several projects by the others. Assembly speaker and one minister of state. Chairman of the Advisory Board NTPC and the railways. All these Mohammad Akbar Lone was Abdullah had forwarded the for the Development of Kisans projects, are rumours? Some peo- also included in the cabinet. resignations of six National in the state. Sharma would also ple are doing bad propaganda for Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Majid Conference ministers and one be a minister of state. IANS their own interests,” she said. She also claimed that West Bengal’s state domestic product growth was higher than the coun- Taming the bull try’s GDP growth in the last two quarters and rubbished assertions that lack of availability of land was adversely affecting invest- ment in the state. “Fourteen cases got project clearances in just seven days,” she said. “Some channels have no work other than doing negative publicity,” she added. Mamata took strong exception over the comparison of her state with Narendra Modi’s Gujarat on the industry front, saying the west- ern state enjoyed geographical, demographical and financial advantages. “Some media which are based here here but sing paeans to Gujarat. I am happy at that, but one must not forget that Gujarat has huge geographical and busi- ness potential. They have a huge advantage over us,” Banerjee said. Banerjee also slammed the erstwhile Left Front government A villager falls next to a bull during a bull-taming festival on the outskirts of Madhurai town, about indirectly saying: “Some people 500km from the southern Indian city of Chennai, yesterday. The annual festival is part of the harvest are very jealous. Sadly there is festival of Pongal. no medicine for jealousy.” IANS WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 INDIA www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 15 No business as usual with Pakistan: PM Manmohan gets tough with Islamabad after soldiers’ killings; army will avenge deaths, says general

NEW DELHI/JAMMU: The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said yesterday that those who brutally killed two Indian soldiers will be brought to book and there can be “no business as usual” with Pakistan. “There can be no business as usual after the barbaric act,” the prime minister said when journal- ists asked about the government’s move to hold back visa on arrival for senior Pakistani citizens. He was speaking at a get- together here hosted by Army Chief General Bikram Singh on the occasion of Army Day. The visa on arrival was to start yes- terday. “Those responsible for the heinous act will be brought to book,” Manmohan Singh said. The prime minister was refer- ring to the January 8 killing of two Indian soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir, about 600 metres away from the Line of Control (LoC). One of the soldiers was beheaded and his head taken away by the raiders. The other soldier’s body was mutilated, Indian offi- cials say. The brutality has out- raged India. Meanwhile, Lt Gen K T Parnaik declared that the army had a “definite plan” to avenge the brutal killing of two soldiers by The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh interacts with awardees during the Army Day Reception at Army House in Pakistani troops. New Delhi, yesterday. “We have definite plans to retaliate but not in haste and meeting on Monday at Chakan da of their bodies but they were in a returned to them. anger, and at the time and place Bagh in Poonch district, Pakistan denial mode,” Gen Parnaik said. Gen Singh has called the killing of our own choice,” the head of fired at three Indian forward “This was Pakistan’s way of of Lance Naik Hemraj and Lance the Northern Command told the posts in Mendhar sector. The telling lies”, he said. According to Naik Sudhakar Singh as a “grue- Pakistani Rangers (right) and Indian Border Security Force personnel media. Indian Army retaliated. Gen Parnaik, there were 43 ter- some and an unpardonable act”. perform the ‘flag off’ ceremony at the Wagah Border Post, yesterday. He was speaking at an investi- He maintained that Indian rorist launching pads in Pakistani The Bharatiya Janata Party ture ceremony at Akhnoor, 40km troops did not cross the border in Kashmir and 400-500 terrorists (BJP) yesterday lauded the prime west of Jammu. Uri sector on January 6 — the day were prepared to infiltrate into minister for talking tough with with Islamabad. She said the inci- by Pakistani troops. Congress Gen Parnaik said there was a Pakistan claimed that one of its Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan, saying he had under- dent was “so barbaric” that the spokesman Manish Tewari said lot of anger among army units soldiers was killed — nor thereaf- Gen Bikram Singh will today stood the mood of the nation after prime minister had “understood the government’s future action after the Pakistani troops killed ter despite the high provocation. visit the family of Lance Naik the brutal killings. the mood of the country”. —diplomatic and tactical — two Indian soldiers. “But I paci- “Pakistan was given all the evi- Hemraj, who was decapitated by BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said The BJP leader said she spoke “should be left to the foreign fied them,” he said. dence of (their) laying mines on Pakistani troops. Manmohan Singh’s “most impor- to National Security Adviser office and the national security Gen Parnaik said that even the Indian side of the LoC, killing The family has been demanding tant statement” was that there Shivshankar Menon a day establishment.” after the brigadier-level flag of Indian soldiers and mutilation that the soldier’s severed head be could no more business as usual after the soldiers were killed IANS Visa-on-arrival for Pakistani senior citizens put on hold NEW DELHI: India yesterday The new visa agreement Myanmar 109 and Laos 10. put on hold the visa-on-arrival between India and Pakistan Overall, 16,084 VoAs were (VoA) regime for senior citi- was operationalised by Home issued in 2012 compared to 12,761 zens of Pakistan amid tensions Minister Sushilkumar Shinde in 2011, a jump of 26 percent, on the Line of Control (LoC) and his Pakistan counterpart officials said. over the killing and mutilation Rehman Malik in Delhi last Last year, the highest number of two soldiers. The regime month. The agreement allowed of VoAs were issued at Delhi air- was to start yesterday but was for relaxations in visitor and port (9,596), followed by Mumbai not operationalised because of business visas. Sources said no (3,276), Chennai (2,273) and “technical issues” that are yet new date had been decided for Kolkata (939). to be sorted out, an official said. operationalising the VoA scheme Officials said in December last The decision to defer the pro- for senior citizens from Pakistan. year, they issued 2,181 VoAs com- vision came a day after the army pared to 1,640 during the same made a strong protest over the JAPANESE BENEFITED month in 2011 — up 33 percent. killing and mutilation of sol- Tourism officials, mean- The number of visas issued in diers at a flag meeting with the while, said Japanese tourists December 2012 for nationals of 11 Pakistan Army. were issued the maximum VoAs countries were Japan (691), New India has conveyed its serious last year, followed by New Zealand (505), Indonesia (310), concern to Pakistan. Army chief Zealanders. A total of 4,604 Singapore (256), the Philippines Gen Bikram Singh on Monday VoAs were issued to tourists (239), Finland (104), Vietnam termed the incident as a “grue- from Japan, followed by those (34), Myanmar (20), Cambodia some and an unpardonable act”. from New Zealand (3,150) and (13) and Luxembourg (9). No Official sources said agencies the Philippines (2,444). VoAs were issued to citizens of had sought some clarifications Visitors from Indonesia Laos. on the visa-on-arrival and one were issued 2,426 VoAs, while The scheme was launched by of the issues raised was whether the figures for Singapore were the government in January 2010 Pakistani citizens needed a spon- 1,974, Finland 914, Vietnam 186, to attract more foreign tourists sor in India. Cambodia 157, Luxembourg 110, to India. IANS

Army Day parade

Tanks are displayed during the Army Day parade in New Delhi, yesterday. WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 16 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MORNING BREAK

PRAYER TIME Snow showman

Fajr (Dawn) 5:01 Shorook (Sunrise) 6:21 Zuhr (Noon) 11:44 Asr (Afternoon) 2:45 Maghrib (Sunset) 5:07 Isha (Night) 6:37

WEATHER

Today Thursday Friday Weather Conditions: Partly sunny Clear Clear Slightly dusty to dusty during High: 19° High: 23° High: 22° the day/ Low: 13° Low: 15° Low: 16° relatively cold by night.

DOHA - SUN & SEA SUN TIDE SEA SUNRISE | SUNSET HIGH | LOW WIND 06:21 17:07 08:00 & 20:30 01:00 & 15:00 12-22/26KT

THE REGION TODAY TOMORROW

HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER

MUSCAT 22/14 Mostly sunny 22/12 Mostly sunny MAKKAH 31/21 Clear 30/21 Clear KUWAIT 15/08 Clear 15/10 Partly sunny Jin Songhao stands in snow during a cold endurance performance in Yanji, in China’s Jilin province. He set the Guinness record for the longest time BAHRAIN 19/16 Mostly sunny 21/15 Mostly sunny spent in direct full body contact with snow on January 17, 2011 clocking 46 minutes and 7 seconds. SANAA 22/05 Mostly sunny 23/06 Mostly sunny RIYADH 15/05 Clear 15/05 Clear DUBAI 23/15 Mostly sunny 22/14 Mostly sunny BAGHDAD 15/03 Mostly sunny 13/06 Partly sunny

THE WORLD TODAY TOMORROW Obama is a cool guy, likes to party

HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER WASHINGTON: President Boehner, it had not helped get nice to them and we have a won- Some commentators have unfa- Barack Obama yesterday dis- things done. derful time.” vourably compared Obama to past ATHENS 18/10 Mostly sunny 19/11 Partly sunny missed the perception that he “With respect to this ‘truism’ “But it doesn’t prevent them presidents like Lyndon Johnson, WASHINGTON 07/03 Rain 08/00 Mostly sunny is aloof and disdains the back- about me not socialising enough from going onto the floor of the Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, SYDNEY 27/18 Mostly sunny 28/22 Clear slapping bonhomie a US leader and patting folks on the back House and blasting me for being a who were known for hobnobbing LONDON 03/-4 Mostly sunny 03/-1 Mostly sunny sometimes requires to drive his and all that stuff, most people big-spending socialist,” the presi- with opponents and slick inter- PARIS 00/-4 Chance of rain 01/-5 Partly sunny priorities through Congress. who know me know I’m a pretty dent quipped. personal political skills. ISTANBUL 13/07 Mostly sunny 12/08 Partly sunny Obama put his often polaris- friendly guy. And I like a good “I think that really what’s gone Obama, who will be sworn MANILA 27/21 Mostly sunny 29/22 Chance of rain ing differences with Republicans party,” Obama said. on in terms of some of the paraly- in to begin his second term on DHAKA 26/13 Clear 27/11 Mostly sunny down to politics rather than per- The president said that when sis here in Washington or difficul- Sunday, said that ultimately, it DELHI 18/11 Mostly sunny 24/10 Clear sonal antipathy, arguing that he has members of Congress to ties in negotiations just have to do was up for public opinion to con- though he had enjoyed a round the White House for an annual with some very stark differences vince warring political factions in ISLAMABAD 18/05 Clear 17/06 Mostly sunny of golf with House Speaker John picnic: “Michelle and I are very in terms of policy.” Washington to compromise. AFP

Bringing out Jumbo petition the fiction Lo! teacher has from sci-fi, UK students do it fear of young kids CINCINNATI: A former high the best academic experience for PARIS: Remember that daz- schoolteacher is accusing school students, which certainly wasn’t zling moment in the “Star district administrators of dis- accomplished by her walking out Wars” movies when the criminating against her because on them in the middle of the year.” Millennium Falcon goes into of a rare phobia she says she Waltherr-Willard and her hyperspace and a kaleidoscope has: A fear of young children. attorney, Brad Weber, did of stars streaks past the ship? Maria Waltherr-Willard, 61, not return calls for comment Sadly — like a lot of things had been teaching Spanish and yesterday. in sci-fi movies — that really French at Mariemont High Winters also denied Walter- wouldn’t happen, a team of School in Cincinnati since 1976. Willard’s claim that the district British science students have Waltherr-Willard, who does not transferred her out of retaliation calculated. have children of her own, said that for her unauthorised comments Han Solo, Luke Skywalker and when she was transferred to the to parents about the French pro- Princess Leia would not see any district’s middle school in 2009, gramme ending — “the begin- approaching stars as they accel- the seventh- and eighth-graders ning of a deliberate, systematic erate through the galaxy because triggered her phobia, causing her and calculated effort to squeeze of the Doppler effect, students at blood pressure to soar and forcing her out of a job altogether,” the University of Leicester said. her to retire in the middle of the Weber wrote in a July 2011 let- This is the phenomenon by 2010-2011 school year. ter to the US Equal Employment which the wavelength of electro- In her lawsuit against the Opportunity Commission. magnetic radiation shortens or district, filed in federal court in The lawsuit said that Waltherr- lengthens depending on whether Cincinnati, Waltherr-Willard said Willard has been treated for her the source is nearing or moving that her fear of young children falls phobia since 1991 and also suf- away from the person who is per- under the federal American with fers from general anxiety dis- ceiving it. Disabilities Act and that the dis- order, high blood pressure and The classic example of the trict violated it by transferring her a gastrointestinal illness. She Doppler effect is the siren of a fire in the first place and then refusing was managing her conditions engine or ambulance, whose pitch to allow her to return to the high well until the transfer, accord- changes relative to the bystander school. The lawsuit seeks unspeci- ing to the lawsuit. Working with as it races down the street. fied damages. Gary Winters, the the younger students adversely Because the Millennium Falcon school district’s attorney, said yes- affected health, the lawsuit said. is speeding towards the stars, the terday that Waltherr-Willard was She was “unable to control her wavelength of the stellar light transferred because the French blood pressure, which was so high would shorten, which means it programme at the high school was at times that it posed a stroke would move out of the visible being turned into an online one risk,” according to the lawsuit, part of the energy spectrum and and that the middle school needed which includes a statement from into the X-ray range, the students a Spanish teacher. her doctor about her high blood calculated. “She wants money,” Winters pressure. “The mental anguish On the other hand, cosmic said of Walter-Willard’s motiva- suffered by (Waltherr-Willard) microwave background radiation An animal welfare activist wearing an elephant costume holds petition documents calling for the transfer of tion to sue. “Let’s keep in mind is serious and of a nature that — the backwash of radiation from an elephant from the Manila Zoo to a sanctuary in Thailand, during a symbolic petition action outside the that our goal here is to provide no reasonable person could be the Big Bang which created the Department of Agriculture in Quezon City, Philippines, yesterday. Activists petitioned the government for the best teachers for students and expected to endure the same.” AP Universe 14 billion years ago — shifting the 38-year-old mammal. would lengthen in wavelength and suddenly become visible. To those onboard the Millennium Falcon, this ancient energy would appear as a central Social graph: Facebook comes out with new search feature disc of brilliant light. “If the Millennium Falcon existed and really could travel MENLO PARK, event since its May initial public shared with them. Critics have content, data and membership as Zuckerberg said. that fast, sunglasses would cer- CALIFORNIA: Facebook Inc offering. long deemed the social network’s the “social graph” — will initially The world’s largest online social tainly be advisable,” said Riley CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Speaking to reporters at its current search capabilities let users sort through mainly network, Facebook is moving to Connors, 21, who worked with yesterday a feature to help its Menlo Park, California head- inadequate. photographs, people, places and regain Wall Street’s confidence in three other final-year Master of billion-plus users search for quarters, Zuckerberg described Available as a “beta” or early members’ interests, he added. the wake of a rocky IPO and con- Physics students in an offbeat people and places within the what he called “graph search,” version now, the new feature — “You need to be able to ask cerns about its long-term money- project aimed at stimulating out- social network, in the compa- which allows users to sort dubbed “graph search” because the query, like, who are my making prospects. of-the-box thinking. AFP ny’s first major product launch through content that has been Facebook refers to its growing friends in San Francisco,” REUTERS Wednesday 16 January 2013 4 Rabial I 1434 Volume 17 Number 5581 Price: QR2

New QIB scheme to help SMEs

Business | 20

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 44557741 | Advertising: 44557837 / 44557780 Qatari banks Anti-money laundering meet opens ‘over-exposed’ to realty sector Disappointing 3Q for many developers

BY SATISH KANADY

DOHA: The rising real estate exposure is raising concerns about Qatari banks. Qatar’s banking sector has large expo- GCC’s focus to sure towards real estate devel- lower reliance on opers and contractors, which comprise 40 percent of pri- hydrocarbons is vate sector lending of banks, positive for the cautioned a report titled GCC private sector and Banking Sector Outlook for 2013. Most listed Qatari real estate expects to see FROM LEFT: Andre Dubois, Ambassador of Canada to Qatar, Sheikh Fahad bin Faisal Al Thani, Deputy Governor and Chairman of National Anti- companies reported disappointing greater borrowing Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Committee, Sheikh Abdullah Saoud Al Thani, Governor Qatar Central Bank, Mike Smith, Executive results in 3Q 12. Director of the United Nations Counter Terrorism Committee and Martin Aeschbacher at the opening of the fifth regional workshop on “Preventing Among its covered banks, QNB demand. Banks are abuse of the non-proft sector to finance terrorism” in Doha, yesterday. ABDUL BASIT has remained focused toward pub- well capitalised, and lic sector lending and is unlikely with ample liquidity to see any significant asset qual- ity deterioration, while other in the system, they Qatari banks with their increased are capable of exposure to the real estate sec- meeting increased Qatar ‘committed to sustainable growth’ tor in 2011 and 2012, may face asset quality deterioration going lending needs. DOHA: Qatar yesterday reiter- forward. ated its commitment to sustain- “We expect to see real estate able growth. Clean energy a top priority, says minister related asset quality deterio- This came as the Minister of ration, as the substantial real operations focusing on Egypt, Energy and Industry, H E Dr DOHA: The Minister of clean energy and a sustain- of renewable energy worldwide. estate development is unmatched Turkey and parts of Asia. Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada, Energy and Industry and able environment through the IRENA has 105 member coun- by demand… Qatari banks have “We believe that this will con- took part as a panellist in a minis- Chairman & Managing responsible management of our tries, with 55 others serving as aggressively increased lending to tinue in 2012, as the banks have terial session entitled “Renewable Director of Qatar Petroleum hydrocarbon resources, Dr Al IRENA signatories or applicants the real estate sector; however, we a strong capital base, except one, Energy in an Evolving Global H E Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Sada said. for membership. expect a rise in real estate delin- and may look to diversify their Energy Market” in Abu Dhabi. Al Sada addressed the third “Since joining IRENA in 2010, Qatar officially became a quencies at some point,” Bahrain- earnings. It was part of the World Future session of the International Qatar has developed a strong member of IRENA in June 2010. based Investment Bank SICO’s “Although international expan- Energy Summit (WFES) being Renewable Energy Agency renewable energy agenda and At last month’s United Nations research note said yesterday. sion may be positive for banks’ held at the Abu Dhabi National assembly held on Sunday and promoted the use of renew- Climate Change Conference in However, the research contin- balance sheet growth, the impact Exhibition Centre. Monday at St. Regis Hotel in able energy sources through Doha, Qatar signed a Letter of ued to prefer QNB with its strong on the share price will depend The session was moderated by Abu Dhabi. enhanced collaboration and Interest to formalise its partici- public sector lending growth on each target’s valuation and Maria van der Hoevan, Executive The assembly of the knowledge sharing. In partner- pation in IRENA’s Global Atlas potential, which is underpinned attractiveness, and the success- Director of the International International Renewable Energy ship with IRENA, we have signed for Solar and Wind Energy by a low operating expense and ful operational merger of the Energy Agency. Agency (IRENA) brought an agreement to collaborate on project. strong asset quality. acquired entities,” the report said. “We have a clear vision for the together ministers and senior the Global Renewable Energy On the sidelines of the IRENA SICO analysts expect strong The 2013 outlook that noted future of sustainable growth and officials from over 150 countries, Atlas initiative, which will even- assembly, Dr Al Sada met public sector lending to continue GCC banks’ balance sheet growth prosperity of Qatar,” said the and was aimed to chart the way tually produce and make avail- Alfred Rollen Carlot, Minister in Qatar, with many development will continue to remain strong in minister, who is also Chairman forward in doubling the global able, high-quality renewable of Foreign Affairs and External projects in the pipeline. QNB, 2013. and Managing Director of Qatar use of renewable energy by 2030. energy resource data,” he added. Trade of the Republic of Vanuatu. with its strong public sector ori- The report said it is bullish on Petroleum (QP). Dr Al Sada focused on pro- Formally established in 2009, Talks covered issues of mutual entation, well-capitalised balance Saudi Arabian banks at current “It includes our commitment grammes and initiatives imple- IRENA is the first major inter- interest as well as cooperation sheet, low loans-to-deposits ratio, valuations; but see no major trig- to the development of renewable mented for the development national organisation to be head- between the two countries, and high quality of assets, is best gers for Qatari banks in the com- energy as an important constitu- of renewable energy in Qatar. quartered in the Middle East, mainly in the energy and indus- placed to capitalise on this lend- ing year. ent of our energy mix driven by Under its National Vision 2030, and its mandate is to promote try sectors. ing opportunity. The GCC governments’ focus adequate policy and initiatives Qatar is committed to develop the sustainable use of all forms THE PENINSULA “We expect to see lending on economic diversification to factoring in measures like appro- growth of 24 percent CAGR dur- lower their reliance on hydro- priate feed-in tariffs, separation International Renewable Energy Countries. It will focus on invest- and clean technologies worldwide. ing 2011-13. Moreover, QNB has carbons is positive for the private of generation and transmission Conference yesterday. ment opportunities and energy Now on its sixth edition, the increased its dividend payout sector and expects to see greater of energy, green banking and In addition, he was present at cooperation between the two annual event brings together top ratio from 28 percent in 2011 to borrowing demand. strategic plans for the develop- the Zayed Future Energy Prize regions’ hydrocarbon and renew- officials, industry leaders, policy- 45 percent in 2012 and expects the GCC banks are well capitalised, ment of renewable resources,” he ceremony at the Emirates Palace able energy markets. makers, investors and other stake- bank to sustain dividend payout at and with ample liquidity in the explained. Hotel. Supported by QP as the gold holders for in-depth discussion of the current level. system they are capable of meet- He also attended the joint open- Today, he will attend the First sponsor, WFES is a premier issues and challenges shaping the Qatari banks are looking at ing increased lending needs. ing of the WFES, the International Energy Ministerial Meeting of event dedicated to advancing future of renewable energy. expanding their international THE PENINSULA Water Summit and the Abu Dhabi the Arab and South American future energy, energy efficiency THE PENINSULA

EQ launches contract, partnership exchange portal Oil price steadies below $112 LONDON: Brent crude oil steadied under $112 per barrel yes- DOHA: Enterprise Qatar of government procurement and said. Ahead of establishing the terday on optimism that the eurozone economy may finally be (EQ), the organisation tasked contracting.” exchange, the SPX Portal will stabilising and that US consumers are beginning to spend again with promoting entrepre- Noora Al Mannai, CEO of help Qatari buyers, big clients, after several years of belt tightening. neurship and good business, EQ, said: “The problem in Qatar suppliers and small and medium Brent futures are near the top of an $8 range seen over the last yesterday announced the is by no means a lack of com- enterprises (SMEs) by offering three months with investors encouraged by world economic trends, launch of its ‘SPX Portal’, panies, investors or entrepre- company profiles for over 230 despite some negative data suggesting downward risks for global the first stage in establishing neurial aspirations… but lack of suppliers and between 20 and 30 oil demand and prices. Qatar’s Subcontracting and communication opportunities. buyers. The German economy contracted by a larger-than-expected 0.5 Partnership Exchange Centre Suppliers and SMEs have few It will provide a collection of percent in the final quarter of 2012, data showed on Tuesday, but (SPX). ways to access available tenders, technical information on the most economists expect it to recover in the months ahead, sup- The Subcontracting and some may find it difficult to meet manufacturing capabilities and porting the euro zone. Partnership Exchange Centre selection criteria, and often don’t capacities of their member enter- US retail sales rose more than expected in December as is the first project to be know where to find support they prises, initially in five selected Americans shrugged off the threat of higher taxes and bought a implemented as part of the need to expand their business”. sectors — plastic, rubber, metal range of goods, suggesting momentum in consumer spending as Government Procurement and “Buyers and big clients, in turn, works, electric and electronics. the year ended, data showed yesterday. Contracting Programme. are eager to engage with Qatari The SPX portal will also act as Brent futures for February were down 50 cents at $111.38 per The Minister of Business Government Procurement and SMEs, even resorting to yellow- a match-making service to link barrel by 1445 GMT. The contract, which expires on Wednesday, and Trade H E Sheikh Fahd Contracting Programme (GPCP), page services or online searches subcontractors with contract- settled $1.24 higher in the previous session. bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al the first of its kind to be launched — but often with only partial suc- ing enterprises — in effect, act- US oil was down 20 cents to $93.94. Abdurrahman Al Thani (pic- in the region. The GPCP is meant cess. Qatar SPX services, starting ing as a clearing house between “Optimism among investors is at a record high and the general tured) emphasised the sig- to provide support to small and with the SPX Portal, will provide those seeking and those providing market sentiment is positive so there is no reason for them to nificance of the SPX Centre: medium enterprises through consolidated information in one industrial subcontracting, sup- withdraw,” said Carsten Fritsch, senior oil analyst at Commerzbank “Launching the SPX Qatar marks enhancing their opportunities for place about SMEs and tenders for plies and partnerships. in Frankfurt. REUTERS the first step in implementing the business expansion in the form all interested parties,” Al Mannai THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 18 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS Qatar Airways Bourses across the Gulf end in red denies talks Qatar Exchange dips for a third day to buy India’s DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s banks YESTERDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS dragged down the bourse yes- terday after fourth-quarter QATAR: The index fell 1 percent to SpiceJet stake earnings from the sector missed 8,532 points. most analysts’ forecast and SAUDI ARABIA: The index NEW DELHI/DOHA: Qatar other regional markets also fell. dropped 1 percent to 7,019 points. Airways is not interested in The kingdom’s index lost 1 ABU DHABI: The index advanced buying a stake in Indian budget percent, down for a third session 0.3 percent to 2,774 points. carrier SpiceJet Ltd or any since Saturday’s four-month high. EGYPT: The index dipped 1.4 per- other Indian airline, its chief Bank Al Jazira, which reported cent to 5,657 points. executive said, quashing media an 11 percent decline in fourth- DUBAI: The index eased 0.06 per- reports that the carrier was in quarter net profit on Monday, fell cent to 1,735 points. talks for a potential investment. 3.6 percent, while Riyad Bank, KUWAIT: The index gained 0.2 per- Shares in India’s SpiceJet Ltd which missed the average ana- cent to 6,117 points. rose by as much as 8.5 percent lyst forecast with a 4.1 percent OMAN: The index slipped 0.3 per- yesterday after the Times of India quarterly profit gain, dipped 0.7 cent to 5,837 points. reported the budget carrier was percent. BAHRAIN: The index ticked up close to selling a stake to a foreign “Bank Al Jazira’s decline in 0.09 percent to 1,074 points. carrier, which it said was most non-interest income, due to likely to be Qatar Airways. lower Tadawul trading, resulted fourth-quarter net profit earlier In a statement yesterday, CEO in slower top-line growth. This, on Tuesday. Akbar Al Baker denied it was coupled with increased provi- The petrochemical sector involved in any discussions for a sions, led to the decline in profits,” slipped 0.3 percent. possible investment. Mahmood Akbar, banking analyst Elsewhere, Qatar ended lower “Qatar Airways categorically at NCB Capital, said in a note. for a third day in heavy selling as Jordanian dealers monitor price movements at the investors’ gallery of the Amman Stock Exchange, yesterday. denies it is interested in invest- “Although the bank is rapidly weak quarterly earnings disap- ing in Spicejet or any other Indian growing its loan and net income, pointed investors. airline,” CEO Akbar Al Baker said we remained concerned on its Doha-listed National Leasing Qatar’s benchmark fell 1 per- closing high, up 0.3 percent to earlier and foreign investors are in a statement. low return on equity, weak asset (Alijarah Holding Company) cent, trimming January’s gains to 2,774 points. It failed to break participating, while they weren’t “This is pure speculation by quality and high dependence on dropped 10 percent after the com- 2.4 percent. Investors are cash- strong resistance around 2,777 last year,” said an Abu Dhabi- individuals who deliberately brokerage.” pany reported a 11.8 percent fall ing out after an early-year surge points, the previous peak of April based trader who asked not to be want to spread such unfounded The negativity extended to Al in full-year net profit. driven by dividend expectations. 2011. identified. rumours to raise the stock value Rajhi Bank, the kingdom’s larg- “People were expecting them The market hit a nine-month Heavyweights Etisalat and “We’re still a bit early for profit of their entities.” est listed bank, which has yet to to outperform 2011 but it missed peak on Thursday. First Gulf Bank rose 0.6 and 0.4 taking - but institutional inves- Al Baker said Qatar Airways report its numbers. It dropped 2.9 estimates in the third-quarter There will likely be renewed percent respectively. tors are taking a breather. Retail would only look at investing in percent. and it’s hard to make up those selling pressure after dividends Developers also advanced, with investors are rotating positions.” India once it believed that laws The exception was Saudi numbers,” said Yassir Mckee, are paid in February, Mckee Aldar Properties up 1.2 percent Elsewhere, Cairo’s benchmark and regulations in the country British Bank (SABB), which wealth manager at Al Rayan added. and Sorouh Real Estate adding dropped 1.4 percent to finish at had been “properly liberalised”. beat analysts’ average forecast Financial Brokerage. “Some Losers outnumbered gainers 16 1.3 percent. 5,657 points, down for a third SpiceJet said in a statement with a 24.4 percent rise in Q4 net short-term investors are disap- to four. Qatar National Bank and Global market gains and signs session in the last four since the earlier in the day that it was pre- profit. The bank’s shares gained pointed, but it’s a good stock for Qatar Electricity and Water both of a gradual recovery in the UAE’s market found resistance last mature to comment on the pos- 1 percent. the long term.” shed 0.7 percent, while Industries real estate sector have boosted week. The index peaked at 5,884 sibility of selling shares to any Away from the banking sector, The firm’s board recommended Qatar fell 1.5 percent. investor confidence in local points on Wednesday, which is investor, but that some interest Sipchem shed 2.3 percent after a cash dividend of 20 percent or 2 In the UAE, Abu Dhabi’s meas- equities. near 5,896 points, the previous had been shown after a recent posting a 25.3 percent drop in riyals per share. ure rose to a fresh 19-month “This year, we started the rally peak hit in October. REUTERS rule change allowing foreign car- riers buy stakes in local airlines. “(A) few investors have evinced interest in the company post gov- ernment of India allowing FDI Investcorp sells CCC Information Services (foreign direct investment) in Saudi sets deadline for telecom licence bids the civil aviation sector to for- DUBAI: Investcorp, one of the Middle East’s largest private equity eign airlines,” SpiceJet said in a houses, has sold CCC Information Services to US-headquartered DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s tel- The Saudi regulator, the two subscriptions for every resi- statement to the Bombay Stock Leonard Green & Partners, the Bahrain-based firm said yesterday. ecoms regulator has a set a Communications and Information dent, so MVNOs are expected to Exchange. “It will be very prema- No value for the sale of the insurance industry software provider was May 4 deadline for companies Technology Commission (CITC), compete for customers from other ture to comment on the possibili- given, but it unlocks more than $550m in proceeds for Investcorp and its to submit applications for three will issue up to three MVNO companies rather than bring in ties of any fresh equity issuance investors, the private equity house said. CCC’s EBITDA (earnings before mobile virtual network opera- licences, which will lease capac- new subscribers. to such interested parties or con- interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) has increased by more tor (MVNO) licences in the ity from either Saudi Telecom Co Former monopoly STC and firm/deny names of any specific than 50 percent since Investcorp acquired the firm in February 2006, kingdom. (STC), Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) Mobily dominate the market, entity,” the company added. it added. This is Investcorp’s second exit from a North American asset The country would be only the or Zain Saudi. accounting for 48 percent and 41 SpiceJet shares closed up 4.1 in the past three months, after it sold truck and trailer parts distribu- second of the six Gulf Cooperation United Arab Emirates company percent of revenue respectively percent at 45.85 rupees on the tor FleetPride to private equity firm TPG for over $1bn in November. Council members after Oman to du of and Oman MVNO Friendi for the nine months to September Mumbai Stock Exchange. They Investcorp, which previously took public luxury brands Gucci and permit MVNOs, which do not have both expressed interest in 30, with loss-making Zain Saudi surged 161 percent last year on Tiffany & Co, had $11.5bn in assets under management as at June 30. own the networks they use to obtaining a Saudi MVNO licence. claiming the remainder, NBK expectations that the airline REUTERS provide communications serv- The winners of the licenses will Capital estimates. would eventually sell a stake to a ices. They instead lease capacity be announced 12 weeks after the The big two have largely foreign carrier. from network operators and pay bid deadline. As well stating a bid focused on wealthier custom- In September India allowed QATARI MARKET a percentage of their revenue as submission deadline and a likely ers, while Zain Saudi, which has foreign airlines to buy a maxi- Bond Coupon Maturity Currency Mid-Price Yield Moody’s S&P well as fees. licence issue date, the CITC docu- long struggled against its better- mum 49 percent stake in local Qatar Govt 5.15% 4/9/2014 USD 105.50 0.63 % Aa2 AA Such virtual networks are ment also sets the fee at SR5m resourced rivals, has an inferior carriers, opening the prospect of widespread in Europe and other ($1.33m). The MVNOs will also network and is unable to offer the its battered airlines getting fresh Qatar Govt 3.125% 1/20/2017 USD 105.88 1.61 % Aa2 AA developed markets, but regulators pay 15 percent of their annual same comprehensive Internet and funding. Qatar Govt 6.55% 4/9/2019 USD 126.50 2.01 % Aa2 AA in the Gulf have been reluctant to revenue to the regulator. phone packages. Jet Airways, India’s second- Qatar Govt 5.25% 1/20/2020 USD 120.25 2.13 % Aa2 AA open their markets to increased There will be a further annual Consequently, Zain Saudi’s largest carrier, is in talks with Qatar Govt 4.5% 1/20/2022 USD 115.38 2.58 % Aa2 AA competition because most of the licence fee of 1 percent of revenue, main means to compete is through Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways to Qatar Govt 9.75% 6/15/2030 USD 182.00 3.45 % Aa2 AA region’s 15 mobile operators are plus other miscellaneous charges. undercutting its rivals, making sell a stake, it said earlier this Qatar Govt 6.4% 1/20/2040 USD 139.00 4.02 % Aa2 AA ultimately government-controlled Saudi Arabia’s mobile penetra- it more vulnerable to MVNOs, month, in what could be the first Qatar Govt 5.75% 1/20/2042 USD 129.13 4.04 % Aa2 AA and are often a key source of state tion is the fourth highest in the which often target lower-income deal in the sector following the revenue. world at 191 percent, or nearly groups. REUTERS rule change. REUTERS Qatari Diar 3.5% 7/21/2015 USD 105.25 1.37 % Aa2 AA Qatari Diar 5% 7/21/2020 USD 117.00 2.50 % Aa2 AA Comqat 5% 11/18/2014 USD 106.00 1.68 % A1 A- Comqat 3.375% 4/11/2017 USD 104.44 2.27 % A1 A- QIB 3.856% 10/7/2015 USD 105.00 1.96 % NR NR QNB 3.125% 11/16/2015 USD 103.63 1.81 % Aa3 A+ Cb makes key senior management appointments QNB 3.375% 2/22/2017 USD 104.75 2.16 % Aa3 A+ Doha Bank 3.5% 3/14/2017 USD 104.38 2.39 % A2 A- DOHA: Commercialbank (Cb) Qtel 3.375% 10/14/2016 USD 105.63 1.81 % A2 A has made five key senior man- Qtel 7.875% 6/10/2019 USD 131.38 2.53 % A2 A agement appointments in the Qtel 4.75% 2/16/2021 USD 113.00 2.93 % A2 A retail and corporate banking Qtel 5% 10/19/2025 USD 112.25 3.78 % A2 A leadership teams with immedi- Rasgas 5.5% 9/30/2014 USD 107.13 1.27 % Aa3 A ate effect. Rasgas 5.832% 9/30/2016 USD 109.38 3.13 % Aa3 A “This move comes as part of the Rasgas 5.298% 9/30/2020 USD 112.88 3.38 % Aa3 A bank’s keen interest to further develop and enhance its retail, SOVEREIGNS branch and personal banking Bond PDA* Maturity Currency Mid-Price Yield Moody’s S&P services. These senior appoint- Abu Dhabi Govt 5.5% 4/8/2014 USD 106.00 0.57 % Aa2 AA ments will leverage the Bank’s Abu Dhabi Govt 6.75% 4/8/2019 USD 129.13 1.79 % Aa2 AA strategic strength and support leading the business to even Dubai Govt 6.7% 10/5/2015 USD 111.25 2.40 % NR NR more profitable growth,” a release Dubai Govt 4.9% 5/2/2017 USD 108.88 2.70 % NR NR issued by the bank said yesterday. Dubai Govt 7.75% 10/5/2020 USD 128.50 3.50 % NR NR Khalifa Nasser Al Rayes has Dubai Govt 6.45% 5/2/2022 USD 119.38 3.94 % NR NR been appointed Senior Assistant Qatar Govt 4% 1/20/2015 USD 105.63 1.16 % Aa2 AA General Manager and Head Bahrain Govt 6.273% 11/22/2018 USD 115.88 3.27 % NR BBB of Private Banking, bringing Bahrain Govt 5.5% 3/31/2020 USD 110.38 3.84 % NR BBB a wealth of experience to this new role. Khalifa has been with Egypt Govt 5.75% 4/29/2020 USD 101.75 5.45 % B2 B- Commercialbank for eight years, Morocco Govt 4.5% 10/5/2020 EUR 104.75 3.78 % NR BBB- serving in numerous senior retail *Periodic Distribution Amount IMPORTANT NOTE: banking functions. Group CEO of Commercialbank Andrew Stevens with the new senior managers of the bank. Published by HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, P O Box 57, Doha, Qatar which Reham Sabri Thawabi has is licensed and regulated by Qatar Central Bank and Jersey Financial Services been appointed AGM and Head Commission. Information quoted is from publicly available sources or proprietary of Retail Branches. Reham has considerable experience having cornerstone in the Retail team Commenting on these key data and subject to change. HSBC accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising been with the bank for 17 years worked in various leadership roles in Commercialbank for over 12 management appointments, out of the use of all or part of this material. This information is general and does not take into account individual circumstances, objectives or needs. The price of bonds and has held a number of sen- in Corporate Branches, Trade and years, serving in a variety of sen- Andrew Stevens, Group CEO can and does fluctuate. The secondary market for bonds may not provide significant ior Marketing and Retail bank- Enterprise Banking, and more ior roles. of Commercialbank said: “I am liquidity or may trade based on prevailing market conditions. Past performance is not ing roles, including playing an recently as a Vice President in Aref Mohammed Tayyeb has delighted that we have so many a reliable indicator of future performance. You should consider these matters and instrumental part in the crea- Private Banking. been appointed AGM and Head of talented and capable leaders consult your financial advisor prior to making any investment decisions. tion of the Bank’s Sadara Wealth Roya Khajeh has been appointed Corporate Branches. Throughout emerging from within our busi- Management business. AGM and Deputy Head of Cards his career spanning over 30 ness who understand Qatar, Bouchra A M Sebbata has and Payments. Throughout her years at Commercialbank, Aref Commercialbank, and most been appointed AGM and Head career at Commercialbank, Roya has worked extensively across importantly our clients and cus- of Sadara Wealth Management. has gained extensive retail bank- the bank’s retail, corporate and tomers needs.” Bouchra brings to this role ing experience. She has been a Islamic banking businesses. THE PENINSULA

WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 20 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS

Shell empowers QIB launches scheme to help SMEs students on last day of GTL meet Bank to open dedicated branch on Salwa Road DOHA: As the three-day BY MOHAMMAD SHOEB The launch of the new pro- financing and for not providing World GTL Congress wrapped gramme was held at the Four customer friendly services unlike up here yesterday, more than DOHA: Qatar is expected to Seasons Hotel which was attended other banks in Qatar. a dozen students from vari- witness about 2,000 to 4,000 new by QIB’s existing SME clients and “I hope that under the new ous universities across Qatar Small and Medium Enterprises stakeholders. programme the bank will no seized the opportunity to enable (SMEs) over the next five years, Basem Shahrouri, QIB’s Head longer take two to three months them for roles in the oil and gas and Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), of Business Banking gave a to complete the process of project industry on the final day. in its efforts to facilitate the detailed presentation about the financing,” said a senior official of Empowering the university- growth of this key sector in line Aamaly programme and the ben- a private company. level engineering students for with the Qatar National Vision efits for SMEs that will include: According to QIB, it is for the the prospective environment was 2030, has launched a dedicated Dedicated relationship manag- first time in Qatar, the bank has a day-long case study challenge new scheme to provide spe- ers, special SME-centric banking introduced specific sector-related organised by Qatar Shell. cial services to the SMEs from centres, 24-hour banking, payroll packages to meet the different “It was a great opportunity to construction, trade and service services, cash and cheque collec- needs of SMEs starting with the participate in a real life simula- industry. tion, overnight vaulting and time key sectors of construction, trad- tion such as Shell’s case study The country’s largest Shariah deposits, together with flexible ing and services, where they will challenge. We read about these compliant banking service pro- lending and financing options. be eligible to receive discounted things in the books but to actually vider has also plans to open an Asked to comment about fees for letters of guarantee, for be out here and get involved in SME-dedicated branch along at the bank’s definition of SMEs, bid bond guarantees in the con- some of the processes was a truly Salwa Road to provide SMEs with Shahrouri said: “Unfortunately, struction sector; discounted fees enlightening experience,” said financial assistance, guidance and we still do not have a clear cut for export letters of credit in the Abdullah Al Anzi, a Chemical advice. definition for SMEs here. But trading sector; and reduced rates Engineering student from College Under the new scheme Aamaly, usually we follow general defini- for equipment and machinery of North Atlantic in Qatar. QIB will work in close coopera- tions. Any firm with an annual financing, as well as preferential Wael Sawan, Managing tion with Al Dhameen, another income of up to QR25m comes rates for payroll services in the Director and Chairman of Qatar SME-dedicated initiative by the under small enterprise, while services sectors. Shell, said: “We are very pleased Qatar Development Bank (QDB). businesses with an annual income In addition, there are other fea- to be able to organise the stu- Customers will be provided with of up to QR100m are categorised tures that SME clients can enjoy, dents’ day on the sidelines of the letters of guarantee, for bid bond as medium enterprises.” such as free debit and credit cards, first World GTL Congress. We guarantees in the construction Ahmad Meshari, QIB’s acting complimentary cheque books and engaged with university students sector, discounted fees for export CEO informed the guests about discounted fees on transfers, as through this Shell case study ena- letters of credit in the trading the new service and stressed well as various other perks. bling them to take crucial deci- sector, and reduced rates for on the importance of the bank’s Meshari said that the SME sec- sions to salvage a failing refinery.” equipment and machinery financ- exclusive programme. tor in Qatar is promising, and is “This engagement is part of ing, as well as preferential rates Many existing customers were expected to grow rapidly to play QIB’s acting CEO Ahmad Meshari at the launch of the Aamaly programme our continued commitment to for payroll services in the services critical of the bank’s services an important role in Qatar’s over- at Four Seasons Hotel yesterday. KAMMUTTY VP support Qatar’s national vision of sectors. such as indefinite delay in project all growth. THE PENINSULA developing human resources. This engagement also allows us to tap into the pool of talented resources in Qatar with the potential of attracting and recruiting the brightest talent into Qatar Shell.” Big oil firms The Shell’s case study com- Indian loophole helps Iran bolster oil exports plemented the last day of the show interest inaugural World GTL Congress NEW DELHI: A loophole in reply to a question in parliament due to commercial and technical Co Ltd all declined to comment which, following two days of stim- an Indian insurance scheme has in November on the insurance reasons, one source said. Another for the story. ulating debate around the entire in UK shale gas allowed Iran’s state-run tanker scheme did not specify if Iran shipping source privy to the deal D K Mittal, secretary for gamut of GTL from processing company NITC to bolster oil could charter vessels with Indian said Omvati Prem discharged financial services at the finance to promotion, featured a series of partnerships exports by chartering a ves- insurance cover for supplies. in Mangalore on January 8. ministry, and Syed Akbaruddin, technical and educational forums, sel insured by India’s state-run Use of the scheme effectively Mangalore Port’s website showed spokesman at India’s foreign min- as well as an open public exhibi- LONDON: British exploration firms, industry and shipping transfers the liability for any dam- the vessel arrived on January 7. istry, were not immediately avail- tion at St. Regis Doha, the event firm IGas Energy has received sources said yesterday. age or spill to India’s state-run NITC has struggled to keep able for comment. venue. interest from some of the oil European Union and US sanc- insurers, and ultimately to New the flow of oil going to India as it India, along with Iran’s other “By the end of the first-ever industry’s biggest names to look tions to force Iran to curb its Delhi. When NITC uses its own lacks vessels of small enough size major Asian clients including World GTL Congress, nearly for shale gas in the UK, its chief nuclear programme cut Iran’s vessels, the liability stays with its to dock at India’s Mangalore port. China and Japan, has won an every topic on the GTL indus- executive said, amid growing oil exports by more than half Iran-based insurer. One of the sources said NITC had exception to US sanctions on try has been pried open. We are demand to develop the coun- last year. An EU ban on insuring India established the scheme chartered the Omvati Prem for financial institutions that process extremely thankful to our speak- try’s unconventional resources. vessels carrying Iranian oil was to keep some oil flowing after EU about two months. oil payments by reducing Iranian ers and sponsors for supporting ExxonMobil was linked with among measures that disrupted sanctions came into effect and “Iran offered Mercator a bet- oil imports. and joining us at this unique IGas in December over a possible the flow to top Asian buyers, as disrupted shipping. The govern- ter rate than MRPL, that’s why NITC was the target of fresh event,” said Symon Rubens, partnership. IGas has been run- the maritime insurance industry ment arranged emergency cover they have taken the risk of joining EU sanctions imposed in October Managing Director, IQPC Middle ning a process since June to find is mostly based in Europe. that was meant for use by Indian hands with NITC,” another ship- and was declared by Washington East, Africa and South Africa. a partner to help it explore for National Iranian Tanker flagged vessels chartered by local ping source said. “Mercator has to be an extension of the Iranian Organised by IQPC (the shale gas at its licenses in north- Company (NITC) has for the first refiners. There was little appetite taken a risk as NITC is a black- state in July 2012. That prevents International Quality & ern England. time chartered an Indian vessel for Indian shippers for the scheme listed company under sanctions.” US companies from dealing with Productivity Centre), the event “The kind of names that have covered under a scheme arranged as the insurance was limited to Mercator paid $26,105 for P&I it. NITC has changed many tanker welcomed more than 500 del- been talked about in the market by New Delhi through state-run $50m, a fraction of the $1bn cov- cover to United India Insurance names as it adopts new tactics to egates from around the world to are the kind of names that we’ve insurers, sources said. erage that a supertanker would Company and `1,852,710 ($34,000) keep Iran’s oil exports flowing in Doha — the global GTL capital seen interest from,” said Chief NITC has chartered the ves- typically have from reinsurers for hull and machinery cover to response to sanctions. — where a range of topical discus- Executive Andrew Austin. “It’s sel the Omvati Prem, owned against personal injury and pol- The New India Assurance for a China, India, Japan and South sions ensued around this new oil more majors.” by Mumbai-based Indian ship- lution claims. voyage between December 28 and Korea are the top four buyers of and gas industry. Britain’s potential to produce per Mercator Ltd, and used it Mercator was the only com- January 27. Iranian crude and have all strug- The first edition of the World shale gas, a resource which has to carry an oil cargo that sailed pany to use the scheme. Before Sources at the two insurance gled to find ways around the ship- GTL Congress was supported by helped transform the US energy from Iran in December for Indian NITC chartered the Omvati companies were not aware that ping insurance ban. leading Qatar and global organi- market, has come into focus since refiner Mangalore Refinery and Prem, MRPL had used the vessel Mercator had used the policy to Japan provides its refiners with sations, including QP, Shell, the government lifted a ban last Petrochemicals Ltd , the sources — which can carry about 635,000 deliver an Iranian cargo on a CIF government-backed insurance of ORYX GTL, Tasweeq, CCC, Sasol, December on the fracturing proc- said. The deal included cost, insur- barrels — to import Iranian crude. basis. Mercator did not respond to up to $7.6bn per tanker to ship Veolia Water Solutions, Gasal & ess used in extraction, signalling ance and freight (CIF), they said. MRPL is India’s biggest buy- enquiries. MRPL, India’s shipping Iranian oil, in line with cover Air Liquide, Gulf Warehousing its support. India’s junior oil minister ers of Iranian crude and did not ministry, United India Insurance from the international P&I Club. Company and Qatar University. Big oil firms are seen as key Panabaaka Lakshmi in a written charter the vessel for this voyage and The New Indian Assurance REUTERS THE PENINSULA to developing British shale gas as their financial firepower and technical support could help the nascent industry move from the Russian car sales flat exploration to the production stage. Deal with debt ceiling Funding for shale exploration is currently on a small scale. Igas said earlier yesterday it raised £23m via a placing at 95 pence drama: Fitch warns US per share, around a 17 percent discount to its closing price on PARIS: Fitch ratings agency and that the risk of a US sovereign Monday, to help it look for shale issued a strong warning to the default remains extremely low.” It gas. The company said around US yesterday to deal with its continued: “Nonetheless, and in £15m ($24m) of the proceeds of recurrent debt-ceiling dramas line with our previous guidance, its placing would be used to drill in a way which strengthens the failure to raise the debt ceiling in two wells to appraise its shale economy in the long term, saying a timely manner will prompt a resources. that its top “AAA” credit rating formal review of the US sovereign “The $25m planned spend on was at stake. ratings.” the UK shale is high risk but Fitch said it might revise down- The legal ceiling for the US potentially high reward if the ward its notation for the US from federal debt reached the limit of company can demonstrate sub- the “AAA” level if Congress did not $16.394tn at the end of December. stantial commercial potential,” reach agreement on raising the US lawmakers must agree on how Jefferies analysts said. ceiling for the national debt. to raise this limit within the next He said he expects a partner- Fitch said that failure to raise few weeks. Otherwise the United ship agreement to be signed in the limit in time would lead to a States will be unable to borrow to either the fourth quarter of 2013 formal revision by Fitch of its rat- pay its bills. or early 2014, adding that “non- ings of US debt instruments, but The US found itself in a similar traditional” companies had also the agency also said the risk of a situation in August 2011. Deadlock expressed an interest. US default was extremely low. within Congress caused one of the The future of Britain’s shale However, Fitch also warned that other top three rating agencies, gas resources, the exploration of fundamental strengths in the US Standard & Poor’s, to downgrade which are at a very early stage, economy were being undermined its top-notch rating for US debt. received a boost when the gov- by the weight of debt and associ- The Fitch statement said: “In ernment established a dedicated ated strains. Fitch’s opinion, the debt ceiling is office for shale gas in December, Fitch warned, that even if a cri- an ineffective and potentially dan- something which Austin said sis over the ceiling were averted in gerous mechanism for enforcing came as a surprise. the immediate future, if the solu- fiscal discipline. It does not prevent “That confidence from the gov- tion did not address the debt in tax and spending decisions that ernment and that positive sup- a way which supported growth, will incur debt issuance in excess port from the government has led An employee drives a new car onto a transporter at the Hyundai factory outside St Petersburg, yesterday. then it was set to downgrade the of the ceiling while the sanction to people’s increased appetite to Russian car sales are expected to be around flat in 2013 after rising by 10.6 percent last year, the Association US rating later in the year anyway. of not raising the ceiling risks a have a good look at what’s going of European Businesses said. Fitch Ratings said it expects that sovereign default and renders such on,” he said. REUTERS “Congress will raise the debt ceiling a threat incredible.” AFP WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 BUSINESS VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 21

Is WTO about to abandon North Africa needs dream of global free trade?

BY TOM MILES

S IT seeks a new chief to lead it out of a negotiat- economic integration ing death-spiral, the World Trade Organisation looks doomed to be fatally undermined by new global carve- BY GHAZI BEN AHMED managing the transition, generating eco- learned by similar platforms elsewhere. Aups that will leave many of the world’s poorest sidelined. & ELLEN LAIPSON nomic growth, tackling regional disparities It won’t be easy. The main border crossing At its creation 18 years ago, as the “third pillar” of the post-World and fighting corruption. between Tunisia and Libya has been closed War Two economic system alongside the World Bank and the WO years after the fall of Despite significant challenges, we believe in recent weeks due to protests, often vio- International Monetary Fund, tariffs fell by a third and world Tunisian President Zine El Tunisia’s evolution toward democracy will lent, in a town on the Tunisian side, over markets, from farm produce to finance, were opened up. Abidine Ben Ali, the economic continue, provided that the economy doesn’t lack of economic development. A boom in commerce ensued, gathering pace when China imperative for political stabil- collapse. The immediate priorities are to The main task will be to engage business became a member in 2001. But then, at a meeting in Doha that ity in North Africa requires tackle high youth unemployment — which leaders, civil society members and policy year, the WTO launched an ambitious attempt to push for further some bold and fresh thinking. the International Monetary Fund esti- makers, and to educate them about what liberalisation that would help developing countries most of all. TOne idea worthy of more attention is pro- mates at 30 percent — and address dec- economic integration can deliver. Specific The talks dragged on for 10 years, failing to resolve a split moting regional economic integration. ades of neglect that caused large disparities cross-border efforts should then follow in between the developed and developing worlds, mostly over agricul- Commerce among the Maghreb coun- between Tunisia’s developed coast and eco- order to broaden support for economic ture. WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy, who vowed in 2005 to tries — Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and nomically depressed interior. Additional integration beyond Tunisia, and to build up make them his “first, second and third priority”, finally declared Mauritania — has been hovering around 3 measures include accelerating market regional relationships. Broad campaigns will an “impasse” in 2011. The WTO’s first head, Peter Sutherland, percent to 4 percent of all the trade they reforms, institution building, and improv- also be needed to bring people from all over wrote in an op-ed published on December 31 that it was “a unique conduct, making the region probably the ing labour markets, which are marked by the region together for further dialogue and failure in the history of multilateral trade negotiations”. least integrated in the world. Overcoming significant rigidities and skill mismatches. relationship building. This will take years The stalemate triggered a scramble to arrange preferential trade this failure would help to open borders and All of this is achievable. The situation is of persistent work. terms outside the WTO — regional deals such as the US-led Trans- allow for greater efficiencies, economic ripe for fresh, bold thinking, and the old big As a matter of priority, private-sector Pacific Partnership and bilateral agreements such as the one the diversification and economies of scale, draw- idea of Maghreb economic integration can business leaders need the governments to European Union is pursuing with the United States. “If either ever ing on each country’s relative strengths in help. Robust regional trade would enable harmonise labour laws and investment codes comes to pass, which I doubt, a huge share of world trade would be human and natural resources. North African states to deliver concrete across the region — starting with Libya and conducted within a discriminatory framework,” wrote Sutherland. Tunisia, for example, has a surplus of dividends to citizens and consolidate popular Tunisia — two steps that would allow the Such deals were already common before the “impasse”, but skilled and manual workers. Libya lacks support for new institutions. benefits of economic integration to begin afterwards they became the main focus for many countries seek- skilled labour, but has Africa’s largest Unfortunately, none of the region’s gov- to flow. Also important is to strengthen ing a route back to economic growth. British Prime Minister reserves of oil and a huge project of recon- ernments has yet embraced the idea, which each country’s banking sector, to ease the David Cameron has made an EU-US deal one of three priorities struction to undergo. Algeria has natural should come as no surprise. In the 1990s, the requirement for cash guarantees to provide for the UK’s presidency of the G8 group of nations, which began gas and is trying to diversify its economy. United States promoted regional economic credit to traders, and to harmonize payment this month. “The big question is this: Does the WTO retain its Morocco, meanwhile, excels in agriculture. integration across the Maghreb, as a way procedures. All of this is doable, given the centrality in the trading system? It’s down to the next WTO head,” Integrating these often complementary to attract investment and expand trade. political will. It’s up to the private sector to said Simon Evenett, professor of international trade at St Gallen strengths and weaknesses is a strategic goal The idea faltered due to lack of interest show governments the way. University in Switzerland. that should start with Tunisia and its neigh- from Morocco and Algeria, in particular, More than half a century ago, the US Jagdish Bhagwati, professor of economics at Columbia University bours, Libya and Algeria, before eventually where a continued territorial dispute over helped Europe to overcome the devastation in New York, compared the WTO system to a three-legged stool, encompassing all of North Africa. This can’t the Western Sahara blocked cooperation. and divisions of war, by promoting economic resting on negotiations, rule-making and dispute settlement. With be achieved quickly, but might prove trans- To avoid repeating that failure, inte- integration between former enemies. For one leg broken, the others start to wobble. formative for a critical region in transition. gration efforts should start where they North Africa, a public commitment to eco- “You can’t do away with bilaterals and regionals, but as long as Any success would have to begin with have the best chance to succeed, in Tunisia nomic integration as a strategic goal would the first leg is not broken, the second and third won’t be,” he said. Tunisia’s development of a stable and open and Libya, two countries whose leaders create a new dynamic for smart economic “The director-general has to come in and say that these things economy. The coalition government led need new ideas and aren’t entrenched in policy making, and over time, it would make are here to stay, but how do I reconcile all this with the purposes by the Islamist Ennahda party hasn’t yet the past. Private businesses are ready to an important contribution to regional peace of the WTO system which I am guardian of?” demonstrated that it is up to the task of take the initiative and can draw on lessons and security. WP-BLOOMBERG Nine candidates vying to succeed Lamy will make their pitch to the WTO’s membership at the end of this month. Many in the audience have spent a decade toiling over Doha, so none of the hopefuls is likely to trash it or claim to have an easy fix. Instead, Evenett said, they will distance themselves obliquely, with lines like: “It was not our finest hour” or “There’s still some way to go”, while suggesting they could be part of a creative proc- ess to try and figure out how to move on. “This is not business as usual,” said Richard Baldwin, professor of international economics at the Graduate Institute of Geneva. “By analogy, the WTO needs a Bernanke or Draghi — a policy leader who can think out of the box and understand how the world has changed and how the policy must change with it — not a Greenspan or Trichet, who were simply implementing the old rules in a faithful, dogmatic style,” he added. But the chances of a revolution are slim. “The way I see it now,” said Baldwin, “the US and China are happy to let the WTO languish — China has nothing to complain about that could be fixed by any conceivable version of Doha, and the US sees no sub- stantial gains from finishing Doha on the current terms”. Both he and Evenett said there was a chance that the WTO would pick a “placeholder” director-general. “If they want a quiet time, you might not want a particularly ambitious WTO head. Someone who just treads water might be acceptable,” said Evenett. That would allow the surge of regional deals to continue unchecked. They would entrench and lubricate corporate supply chains, a bonus to big business, but would do nothing to assuage developing countries wanting a fairer deal on agriculture or better access to rich markets for their exports and services. Bhagwati said the TPP was not transparent and influenced by lobbyists, ensuring that it was full of side conditions, such as stipulations on labour and intellectual property, which made it impossible for developing countries to sign up to. “The lobbyists have to be sidelined,” he said. If the TPP and the “mega-bilaterals” succeed, Baldwin said, global trade will be back to the pre-WTO days, dominated by the “Quad” — the United States, EU, Canada and Japan, with negotia- tions run by and mostly for the Quad members. REUTERS Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate In recession-hit Spain, hints of new competitiveness

BY PAUL DAY & domestic demand has slumped, in wage levels, while the country’s was doing fine until 2007. Cheap Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Peru, diversified into Mexico and SEBASTIAN MOFFETT some companies have converted plunge in land prices has encour- credit fuelled a ballooning housing Venezuela and Brazil. Colombia, as well as Algeria. “We themselves into exporters. aged a new wave of foreign direct market, and the Spanish economy “I realised we couldn’t have all now survive just because of our S a provider of finan- Latin American markets have investment. was growing faster than the rest our eggs in one basket,” he said. foreign business,” said founder cial security systems, been a prime target for Spanish In Italy, businesses have of Europe. “We spent two years travelling in and CEO Ismael Mora Avila. Spanish tech company companies because of their lan- applauded the way the govern- That boosted business for finan- these countries. I’d visit a poten- New investment could pro- ARealsec might easily guage advantage, and giants such ment loosened rigid employment cial institutions, which needed tial partner, talk to him, see if the vide a further boost, as Spain’s have fallen victim to the coun- as Telefonica and Banco Santander rules in the hope that it will lead to Realsec’s encryption systems for information we’d been provided 26 percent unemployment rate try’s banking crisis and economic have increased their exposure more investment and hiring. None secure credit card payments and was really the situation on the puts downward pressure on slump. Yet Realsec is currently there to compensate for problems of these things mean Europe’s eco- ATM transactions. More business ground. During this time we were wages and adds to its allure as a enjoying double-digit growth in in their domestic market. nomic crisis is over. Governments came from the Spanish govern- investing everything we could.” low-cost production base. In the revenues thanks to new clients in Spanish exports have shot up are still grappling with how to ment, which wanted to secure Investing in a region experienc- World Economic Forum’s Global Latin America. around 40 percent since 2009; encourage growth while paying online pension payments and ben- ing rising use of credit cards and Competitiveness Index, Spain has Eighty percent of its revenues and in the first 10 months of 2012 down debt. But taken together, efit applications against hackers internet banking paid off. Realsec risen to rank 36 in 2012-2013, up now come from overseas, com- Spanish exports to Latin America they offer some hope that the past and would-be identity thieves. has been growing at around 20 from 42 in 2010-2011. pared with 20 percent in 2009. rose 18.5 percent over 2011, more few years of pain may be having But exposure to the banking percent annually in recent years: In November, Renault said it Staff numbers are up from 15 in than for any other region. some positive impact. sector made the company vul- it had total revenues of ¤4.2m would increase production and 2007 to 32 now, and CEO Jesus In July last year Spain regis- “Better exports reflect to a large nerable to changes in the prop- in 2010 and ¤5.5m in 2011, and create 1,300 jobs in Spain. To be Rodriguez is searching for new tered its first current account extent an improvement in compet- erty market. So when talk began is expecting ¤6.7m for 2012. sure, Spain still has the worst premises: his offices overlooking surplus — net money inflows itiveness — falling labour costs, bet- to circulate in 2007 that Spain’s Rodriguez is targeting annual short-term growth prospects Real Madrid’s football stadium from trade and other sources — ter productivity, lower wages,” said housing boom might soon end, revenues of ¤9m by 2015, with 90 among big European economies. are getting too small. since August 1998, and it posted Pier Carlo Padoan, chief economist Rodriguez started looking for new percent from outside Spain. Even if the export uplift lasts, “In 2007, Spain was our primary another current account surplus at the Organisation for Economic customers. Other companies are starting economists caution that it won’t market, but that froze in 2009,” he in October. Net exports were fore- Co-operation and Development, He got advice and financial to realise the potential, he said. fix the country’s economic prob- said. “If it hadn’t been for our pres- cast by the European Union to the Paris-based think-tank. help from a government agency, “Just a couple of years ago, there lems on its own. Unemployment ence abroad, it just wouldn’t have contribute 2.7 percentage points Nevertheless, the OECD says the PromoMadrid, and paid for a was no one in Mexico. The other is painfully high. An estimated been possible to keep going.” to GDP growth in 2012, compared short-term outlook for the euro study into the feasibility of doing day I went in to a bank in Mexico 1 million homes remain unsold Realsec points to a glimmer of with minus 4.4 percentage points zone’s weaker economies remains business in 22 Latin American and there were three Spanish after the property market hope for the euro zone’s fourth for domestic demand. poor. “The euro area will be in countries. For the next two years, companies there, all of which had crashed. Solving such problems largest economy, even though Spain’s export success is one recession till the end of the year, as the financial crisis acceler- been working there for more than will require a recovery in domes- the International Monetary Fund of a few green shoots around and unemployment is rising still,” ated, Rodriguez and three asso- three months.” tic spending, something that looks expects Spain to remain in reces- Europe. In Ireland, some busi- Padoan said. ciates travelled to make contact Impulsa, a small Andalusia- several years away. sion through much of 2013. As nesses are benefiting from falls Realsec’s domestic business with potential finance clients in based construction firm, has REUTERS WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 22 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MARKET

QE Indices Summary QE Index 8,534.78 1.21 % WORLD STOCK INDICES GOLD & SILVER EXCHANGE QE Al Rayan Islamic Index 2,497.28 1.80 % QE Total Return Index 11,546.08 1.25 % RATE QE All Share Index 2,049.32 1.23 % INDEX Day’s Close Pt Chg % Chg Year High Year Low QE All Share Banks & Financial 1,989.15 1.31 % GOLD Buying Selling Services All Ordinaries 4745.719 11.946 0.25 4770.2 4664.6 QE All Share Industrials 2,672.55 1.40 % QR197.0237 US$ ...... QR 3.6305 QR 3.6500 QE All Share Transportation 1,375.37 0.25 % Cac 40 Index/D 3723.61 17.59 0.47 3733.93 3683.82 UK ...... QR 5.8061 QR 5.8870 QE All Share Real Estate 1,624.04 0.46 % SILVER Euro ...... QR 4.8208 QR 4.8877 QE All Share Insurance 1,889.96 2.29 % Dj Indu Average 13488.43 17.21 0.13 13661.9 12035.1 QR 3.6488 QE All Share Telecoms 1,092.08 0.96 % CA$ ...... QR 3.6594 QR 3.7307 QE All Share Consumer Goods & Egypt Cma Gn Idx 1026.29 32.57 3.28 999.95 312.38 4,753.88 1.31 % Swiss Fr ...... QR 3.9025 QR 3.9586 Services Hang Seng Inde/D 23413.26 149.19 0.64 23486.6 22860.25 Yen ...... QR 0.0404 QR 0.0412 QE Market Summary Comparison Aus$ ...... QR 3.8158 QR 3.8905 Iseq Overall/D 3479.35 -2.13 -0.06 3526.74 3396.67 CRUDE OIL Today Previous day Ind Re ...... QR 0.0661 QR 0.0674 15-01-2013 14-01-2013 Karachi 100 In/D 16633.18 -1.53 -0.01 16935.52 16379.47 Index 8,534.78 8,639.68 BRENT Pak Re ...... QR 0.0370 QR 0.0378 Change 104.90 45.04 Nikkei 225 Index 10801.57 148.93 1.4 10743.69 10398.61 Peso ...... QR 0.0889 QR 0.0907 % 1.21 0.52 $ 111.41 SL Re ...... QR 0.0285 QR 0.0291 YTD% 2.10 3.36 S&P 500 Index/D 1472.05 -0.07 0 1474.51 1266.74 DUBAI Taka ...... QR 0.0450 QR 0.0462 Volume 5,124,070 3,701,502 Straits Times/D 3206.59 -9.91 -0.31 3237.78 3186.28 Nep Re ...... QR 0.0415 QR 0.0424 Value (QAR) 263,139,155.48 245,422,504.13 $ 109.20 Trades 3,355 2,867 SA Rand ...... QR 0.4112 QR 0.4193 Straits Times/D 2989.31 24.69 0.83 3035.78 2657.77 Up 07 | Down 33 | Unchanged 01

QATAR EXCHANGE | DAILY TRADING REPORT | 15-01-2013

INTERNATIONAL MARKETS A List of Shares from the world

COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED

A C C-A/D 1387.35 24.9 36504 Chambal Fert-B/D 68.5 -0.6 79558 Hcl Infosys-B/D 41 1.9 403305 Kilburnengg-B/D 20 0.2 11379 Orient.Carb.-B/D 128.15 1.05 3839 Imperial Tobac/D 2480.5 11 385328 Aarti Drugs-T/D 239.35 5.7 5737 Chola Invest-B/D 285.55 3.95 3922 Him.Fut.Comm-B/D 10.32 0.16 1283699 Kin.Motor-B/D 11.46 0.24 15799 Orient.Carb.-B/D 128.15 1.05 3839 Kingfisher/D 287.5 0.6 1068777 Aban Offs-B/D 379.9 -4.5 54321 Chowgule St-B/D 19.5 -0.1 8912 Himat Seide-B/D 40.5 -0.2 10312 Kinetic Eng-T/D 100.85 0.85 4060 Oudh Sugar-B/D 25.65 0.7 5635 Land Secs Grou/D 828 1 281260 Ador Welding-B/D 139.7 -2.15 2885 Cipla-A/D 418.45 2.25 354714 Hind Motors-B/D 11.93 0.58 525873 Klg Systel-T/D 19.3 0.05 3109 Radico Khait-B/D 145.9 -0.2 11895 Legal & Genera/D 148.9 -0.9 3894356 Aegis Logis-B/D 183.7 -1.3 7389 City Union Bk-/D 60.5 0.65 84724 Hind Org Chem-/D 19.15 0.3 30346 Kopran-B/D 20.9 -0.1 2493 Rallis India-B/D 149.3 -1.6 47021 Lloyds Bnk Grp/D 54.9955 0.07 58733853 Ahmed.Forg-B/D 144 2.25 1979 Cmc Ltd-B/D 1366.65 -4.6 8746 Hind Unilever-/D 504.65 -0.5 177575 Lloyd Metal-B/D 15.05 -0.35 3565 Rallis India-B/D 149.3 -1.6 47021 Marks & Sp./D 366.613 -0.5 1478032 Alembic-B/D 16.85 -0.1 13216 Colgate-A/D 1468.75 -20.85 21450 Hind.Petrol-A/D 331.6 1.1 186580 Lloyd Steel-B/D 13.55 0.32 86334 Reliance Indus/D 476.2 6.45 201611 Next/D 3947 -13 138215 Alkyl Amines-B/D 198.05 4.8 14405 Dai-Bichi Kar-/D 43 0.3 8795 Hindalco-A/D 129.05 0.8 549572 Lloydsfin.-B/D 1.66 0.07 38860 Ruchi Soya-B/D 72.9 0.9 97851 Pearson/D 1215 33 1527163 Alok Indus-B/D 11.88 -0.19 1349457 Dcm Financia-B/D 1.71 -0.02 15801 Hous Dev Fin-A/D 823.55 -1.65 58853 Lok.Hous&Con-B/D 27.65 -0.55 66356 S Bk Bikaner-B/D 475 4.6 11183 Prudential/D 928 2 1192368 Andhra Paper-B/D 286.55 -0.8 10230 Dcm Shram Ind-/D 41.5 0.1 3942 I F C I-A/D 38.35 -0.4 3847211 Lupin-A/D 583.1 4.3 135417 Thirumalai-B/D 129.85 4.2 96259 Rank Group/D 147.3 2.3 26944 Apollo Tyre-A/D 90.05 0.85 339807 Dhampur Sugar-/D 51.05 0.4 7791 Idbi-A/D 115.3 -0.55 183903 Lyka Labs-B/D 11.82 -0.45 6032 Timexgroup-B/D 24.15 -0.2 62112 Rentokil Initi/D 91 -0.3 580876 Asahi I Glass-/D 51.7 0.75 9380 Dr. Reddy-A/D 1898.95 -13.6 4855 Ifb Agro-B/D 199.7 4.65 3669 Mafatlal Ind-T/D 126.85 -0.65 2466 Tinplate-B/D 52.15 0.15 11616 Rolls Royce Pl/D 897.5 -0.5 1105462 Ashok Leyland-/D 26.45 -0.5 791424 E I H-B/D 70.55 0.5 19584 Ifb Ind.Ltd.-B/D 115.2 9.45 81596 Maha Scooter-B/D 518 2.4 11900 Ub Engineer-B/D 35.25 -0.2 13411 Rsa Insrance G/D 125.6 -0.9 2194431 Bajaj Hold-A/D 990.45 -17.7 1998 E.I.D Parry-B/D 191.1 -2.8 8037 India Cement-B/D 88.2 0.75 125496 Mangalam Cem-B/D 162.85 -0.1 43807 Ultramarine-B/D 53.7 -1 44291 Sainsbury(J)/D 326.01 -0.5 1546685 Ballarpur In-B/D 22.8 -0.05 67325 Eicher Motor-A/D 2767.5 -9.3 1571 India Glycol-B/D 171.7 6.5 46863 Maral Overs-B/D 15.28 0.24 4374 Unitech P -A/D 39.7 -0.3 8576339 Schroders/D 1870 2 112561 Banaras Bead-T/D 47.45 2.25 2600 Electrosteel-B/D 26.5 -0.85 288512 Indian Hotel-A/D 65.45 0.45 118967 Mastek-B/D 144.8 -1.25 15041 Univcable-B/D 42.1 -0.1 1601 Severn Trent/D 1545 -5 143217 Bata India-A/D 853.55 -4.35 24962 Emco-B/D 30.45 0.3 36076 Indo-Tcount-T/D 14.1 -0.4 2051 Max India L-A/D 250.25 -0.15 5201 Uppergsugar-B/D 46.7 1.65 2873 Smith&Nephew/D 694 2.5 438255 Bayer Crop-A/D 1233.8 11.2 2830 Escorts-B/D 73.15 0.65 146929 Indusind-A/D 441.2 1.7 168588 Mrpl-A/D 66.05 0.1 43401 Smiths Group/D 1207.825 -10 192469 Beml Ltd-B/D 277.5 0.1 13411 Essar Oil-A/D 72.8 -0.45 1598274 J.B.Chemical-B/D 90.35 0.15 31822 Nagreeka Ex-B/D 21.45 0.15 17094 LONDON Standrd Chart /D 1678 -5 1044334 Bh Electronic-/D 1297.45 -1.1 1610 Eveready Indu-/D 23.45 -0.65 139675 Jagson Phar-B/D 13.49 -0.03 7791 Nagreeka Ex-B/D 21.45 0.15 17094 Tate & Lyle/D 762 3 137553 Bhansali Eng-B/D 15.24 0.04 1925 F D C-B/D 93.5 1.4 32823 Jbf Indu-B/D 122.9 -0.8 8478 Nahar Spg.-B/D 84.1 0.8 44042 3I Group/D 242.9 1.4 875893 Tesco/D 350.05 -1.15 5960168 Bharatgears-B/D 57.4 0.55 29845 Federal Bank-A/D 525 5.15 56075 Jct Elect P -B/D 0.7 0 47649 Nation Alum -A/D 49.65 0.35 113639 Assoc.Br.Foods/D 1522 22 959973 B Tomkins/D 0 0 0 Bhartiya Int-T/D 184.45 0.7 59769 Ferro Alloys-B/D 6.8 -0.01 34880 Jct Ltd-B/D 1.47 0 53804 Navneet Pub.-B/D 64.45 -0.65 51751 Sky B/D 780.5 5.5 482719 Unilever/D 2393.175 15 840538 Bhel-A/D 229.3 0 361836 Fgp Ltd-B/D 2.44 -0.11 1199 Jenson&Nich.-B/D 3.89 0.28 31807 Nepc India-B/D 2.74 -0.08 9102 Barclays/D 296.7 -2.2 19417170 United Util Gr/D 687.5 2.5 Bom.Burmah-B/D 150.15 1.5 343108 Finolex-B/D 61.05 -0.25 15341 Jik Indust-B/D 2.9 0.13 500940 Neuland Lab-B/D 121 -1.55 1419 Bg Group/D 1063 15 2555606 1164923 Vodafone Group/D 161.935 -1.95 Bombay Dyeing-/D 131.05 1.5 138880 Forbes-B/D 686 9 8044 Jktyre&Ind-B/D 124.35 1.55 19256 Nrb Bearings-B/D 36 -0.05 5732 Bp/D 456.7 -2.6 7636449 38088960 Whitbread/D 2417 4 163298 Cable Corp.-B/D 23.2 0.35 1951 Gail-A/D 372.05 2.1 92633 Jmc Projects-B/D 115.45 -0.5 1687 O N G C-A/D 306.7 2.2 448563 Brit Am Tobacc/D 3164 22 741711 Camph.& All-B/D 151.55 -3.45 4328 Galada Power-B/D 3.94 -0.2 3895 Kajaria Cer-B/D 229.7 0.75 7511 Ocl India-B/D 151.7 3.25 1795 British Airway/D 276.4574 0 0 Canfin Homes-T/D 177.55 -2.5 5076 Gammon India-B/D 39.9 -0.35 54734 Kalpat Power-B/D 98.35 -2 19149 Oil Country-B/D 55.6 -0.4 328503 Bt Group/D 239.715 -3.5 6318686 Castrol Ind-A/D 312.9 -2.55 14922 Garden P -B/D 63.5 -0.4 2536 Kalyani Stel-B/D 58 -0.3 62032 Onward Tech-T/D 42 -1.4 2374 Centrica/D 331.5 -1.4 2239812 Century Enka-B/D 128.4 -0.95 8968 Goodricke-B/D 152.05 -2.15 3094 Kanoria Chem-B/D 39.05 -0.45 8121 Orchid Chem-B/D 100.1 0.15 90679 Gkn/D 243.3 2.2 1920491 Century Text-A/D 427.35 3.8 148481 Goodyear I -B/D 332.85 -4.15 1802 Kg Denim-T/D 14.91 -0.26 9029 Orient Hotel-B/D 23.1 -0.05 4005 Hsbc Holdings/D 678.1 2.3 8757264 WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 24 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT

NBA: Jazz beat Heat as Woods plays down rivalry Miami’s road woes continue

UTAH: The Miami Heat were with good friend McIlroy unable to complete a furious second half fightback as the defending NBA champions con- The American and world number one to play together in opening round tinued to struggle on the road, falling to a 104-97 loss to the Jazz in Utah yesterday. ABU DHABI: This week’s Abu even more time in McIlroy’s LeBron James scored 32 points Dhabi Championship is billed company when the 23-year-old to help the Heat cut a 21-point as a desert duel between Rory Northern Irishman finally moved deficit to just two when they McIlroy and Tiger Woods but into his new US home. pulled within 93-91 in the final the American says theirs is “Having him in Florida I’m sure few minutes, but the Jazz held a new rivalry and cannot yet we’ll have a few dinners together firm to consign Miami to a third compare to past on-course bat- and certainly hang out a bit loss in four contests on their six- tles he has had. more,” said Woods. game road trip. Fourteen-times major winner McIlroy, who last year added “The game was too close to Woods believes it will take time the US PGA Championship title be nervous,” Utah big man Al to develop the same sort of rivalry to the US Open he won in 2011, Jefferson told reporters. with world number one McIlroy also spoke of the friendship he “I knew they would make their that he has experienced with the had forged with Woods since fin- run, they are too good.” likes of Phil Mickelson, Vijay ishing second behind Rock in Abu Gordon Hayward scored seven Singh and Ernie Els. Dhabi. of his 22 points in the final three “I think I’ve gone head-to-head “We have spent more time minutes, Al Jefferson added 23 against Phil, Ernie and Vijay together,” said the Northern and 11 rebounds as Utah (21-19) the most over the course of my Irishman. “Before this time last made sure their early hard work career,” the former world number year we would say hello in passing would result in a victory. one told reporters at the Abu but not really anything else. After being buried by the home Dhabi Golf Club yesterday. “I think once Tiger sort of gets team’s assault through the first “For something like 16 or 17 to know you and trusts you and three quarters, Miami (24-12) years we’ve been going at it like let’s you in, it’s great. embarked on a 21-5 spurt in the that but it takes time. Rory and I “We get on really well, we share fourth to get back into the game. haven’t really had the amount of the same interests and we are Hayward responded with a pair head-to-head duels that I’ve had both big sports fans. The bulk of jump shots down the stretch with Phil, Vijay and Ernie ... so of our conversations are about and the Jazz made free throws as let’s just see how it pans out.” sport.” the Heat misfired. While Woods was keen to play McIlroy joined Woods in the “We can’t dig ourselves a hole,” down the competitive nature of Nike stable on Monday after said James, who moved to within his rivalry with McIlroy, the duo signing a new deal with the US Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Tiger Woods of the US (right) hold their coffee cups as they are offered 18 of becoming the youngest NBA have clearly built a strong bond sportswear firm that, according traditional Arabic coffee during a photo-call ahead of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championships, yesterday. player to reach 20,000 career since they were paired together in to media reports, will be worth points. Abu Dhabi 12 months ago. $250m over 10 years. “Low energy against a team “It started here last year,” said With demands growing on like this in their building in front the 37-year-old American. “I McIlroy’s time with every new of their amazing crowd - we can’t played the front nine with him in contract and every new tourna- McIlroy unfazed by expectations play with low energy.” practice on the Tuesday (yester- ment victory, the young Northern Chris Bosh added 16 and day) and we were paired together Irishman has been grateful to be ABU DHABI: Rory McIlroy yesterday said that more of a chance to win than anyone else, that’s fine. Dwyane Wade scored 11 for on the first three days too. able to turn to Woods for the he was unfazed by his position as world number “But I know that I’m going to have to play really Miami, who were also out- “Our relationship has grown occasional spot of advice. one and the weight of expectations, as the game’s good golf this week to have a chance and that’s what rebounded by a comfortable 40-23 since then,” added Woods who fin- “I’ve asked him about time top stars gathered in the Gulf for the season I want to try and do. It’s no different. I’ll try and margin. ished joint third behind surprise management and practice and opener. approach every week the same way.” Wade did not play in the fourth British winner Robert Rock in the how he likes to do things and the The Northern Irishman, who on Monday signed Woods, the 14-time Major champion and former quarter with coach Erik Spoelstra 2012 Abu Dhabi Championship. structure and the setup around a 10-year deal with sportswear giant Nike believed world number one, goes into the tournament as a opting for an unconventional “We’ve hit it off and our friend- him,” said the world number one. to be in the region of $250m, making him one of the relative underdog and was peppered with questions lineup. ship’s gotten better.” “At one point last year I felt like highest earners in all sports, said his rise over the about his rival. But he, too, said it would not change “I don’t know. I just always stay World number two Woods and I wasn’t getting the time I needed last 12 months had changed nothing. his approach. ready,” Wade said. McIlroy will again play together to go and do my practice. There “It doesn’t really make a difference to me,” the Asked if he will be motivated to do better as The loss meant Miami’s Eastern in the opening round of this year’s were so many commitments and 23-year-old told a news conference in the United McIlroy steals the limelight, Woods, 37, said: “You Conference lead was trimmed to tournament, along with triple everything else. Arab Emirates, where the $2.7m Abu Dhabi Golf know, it doesn’t. The whole idea is to get better and just half a game ahead of their former Abu Dhabi champion “He has had to deal with that Championship gets under way tomorrow. that’s what I’m trying to do each and every year. trip to Golden State tomorrow. Martin Kaymer, tomorrow. more than anything else so it “I’ve always had high expectations of myself and “If I get better, then I’m going to win golf tourna- REUTERS The Florida-based American has been good to chat about that every time I come into a tournament I want to feel ments. And I just need to continue focusing on what said he was expecting to spend stuff.” REUTERS like I have a chance to win. And if people think I have I can do,” he said. AFP NBA Results Washington 120 Orlando 91 Apollo Scaffolding signs deal with Qatar Masters organisers Boston 100 Charlotte 89 Chicago 97 Atlanta 58 DOHA: The Commercial Bank as additional scaffolding needs The 2012 Ryder Cup Team LA Clippers 99 Memphis 73 Qatar Masters organisers have throughout pre-event prepara- Europe member Paul Lawrie will Dallas 113 Minnesota 98 announced a brand new part- tions and the tournament itself. return to defend his Commercial Utah 104 Miami 97 nership with local Qatari firm, Apollo Divisional Manager Bank Qatar Masters title and Oklahoma City 102 Phoenix 90 Apollo Scaffolding. Barry Britton, said: “It is very attempt to become the tourna- Sacramento 124 Cleveland 118 This is the first time Apollo exciting for Apollo Scaffolding ment’s first three-time winner. Scaffolding has sponsored the to bring our expertise in project Andrew Stevens, Group CEO, European Tour sanctioned tour- operations to the Commercial Commercial Bank of Qatar said: nament, which will take place Bank Qatar Masters team as a “Successfully staging a world- Ichiro fired up from January 23-26 at Doha Golf sponsor and an official supplier class golf tournament requires Club. this year. It is an honour to be reliable, professional partners. after re-signing As an official supplier, the involved with one of the biggest We are therefore very pleased to Apollo Enterprises Scaffolding sporting draws in Qatar and an have a company with a reputation with Yankees and Formworks Division will annual focus of the golf world as strong as Apollo Scaffolding on bring almost 20 years of Qatar internationally.” board as an official supplier and market experience to the event. A European Tour event, the sponsor.” TOKYO: Ichiro Suzuki feels a The company will provide the 16th annual Commercial Bank He added in a statement: “It is renewed sense of passion after scaffolding necessary to erect the Qatar Masters will be staged next great to see local Qatari compa- finally signing a two-year con- Winner’s Enclosure, one of the week at Doha Golf Club by the nies supporting the tournament tract to stay at the New York Paul Lawrie of Scotland in action during the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters focal areas of the acclaimed hospi- Qatar Golf Association (QGA) and contributing to what is now Yankees, the Japanese out- at Doha Golf Club in this 2012 file photo. tality offering at the Commercial in collaboration with the Qatar a leading international sporting fielder said yesterday. Bank Qatar Masters, as well Olympic Committee (QOC). event.” THE PENINSULA The 39-year-old, a career .322 hitter with 2,606 hits in 12 sea- sons in Major League Baseball (MLB), called the storied ‘Bronx Bombers’ a unique ballclub. “Re-signing for the Yankees has awakened a fresh determi- Handball: Spirited Qatar lose to Russia nation in me,” the 10-times All Star told Japanese media after a SEVILLA: Qatar put on a brave side reach 13-16 at the break. very big. after the match I was workout in Kobe. display but went down fight- Qatar showed courage who were very satisfied with the discipline “This is a team that can select ing in their 22-29 loss against aiming to grab their first win of of my team and I am really happy, A-Rod as a pinch-hitter we’re Russia at the 23rd IHF Men’s the competition. because it was a really trough talking about,” he added, refer- Handball 2013 Championship in With 10 minutes remaining, match.” ring to fellow future Hall of Sevilla yesterday. they were only four goals behind His opposite number, Sung Famer Alex Rodriguez. The result leaves Qatar in fifth at 20-24. Sup Lee said: “Today (yesterday) Ichiro’s future with the place in Group B. But Russia stepped up their wer showed the will to win. But Yankees had hung in the balance, For Russia, who lost against a tempo and scored the goals to put we were surprised by the tough the player unhappy that talks on strong Denmark side, are in sec- the match beyond Qatar’s reach, defence and the good goalkeeper a new deal were taking so long ond place, having sealed four out to seal a 29-22 win. of Belarus. In the second half, it and threatening to negotiate with of a possible 6 points in the com- Qatar can take courage from was especially difficult for us to other clubs. petitions so far. the defeat against one of the tour- score.” However, after agreeing terms In the first half, Qatar used an nament favourites, who also put Meanwhile, Tunisia condemned on a deal worth $13m over two open 5-1 defence that disrupted a strong performance after their Montenegro to their third years, Ichiro is expected to be the the quality of the Russian pivot. loss against Macedonia. straight loss in the competition, team’s starting right fielder this The Europeans seemed dense Elsewhere, Belarus earned a courtesy of a 27-25 win season. in attack and couldn’t take the crucial victory against Korea in The result leaves the African “It is an absolutely unique lead until the seventh minute of the race for the fourth rank. champions on four points, while team,” said Ichiro, who reportedly the match. It was far from an easy victory, Montenegro remain pointless in turned down more money from The defensive formation and for the Belarusians, who were Group A. other MLB teams to remain in the improvement in percentage made to work for their 26-20 win. In another clash to take place Russia’s right back Sergiy Shelmenko (left) vies with Qatar’s Hamad Alhajri the Yankees pinstripes. of saved shots from the keeper Belarus coach said after his in Sevilla yesterday, Egpyt and (right) during the 23rd Men’s Handball World Championships preliminary “Being able to take my place Yafai Mohsin (six saves in 30 side’s Group C match: “We put Algeria drew in the All-African round Group B match at the Palacio de Deportes San Pablo in Sevilla, alongside such players has been minutes) contained Russia’s Oleg a lot of tension into this match. duel in their Group D clash. something I have thinking about,” yesterday. Kuleshov’s seven, who helped his Our wish to win this game was THE PENINSULA he said. REUTERS WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 25 Serena scare as Federer cruises through at Open Murray wins; Date-Krumm beats Petrova to make history in Melbourne Wu Di of China plays a return MELBOURNE: Serena during his match against Ivan Williams’ bid for a historic Dodig of Croatia in Melbourne, Grand Slam hit an injury hur- yesterday. dle at the Australian Open yes- terday, as Roger Federer and Andy Murray coasted and a landmark for Chinese tennis Australian Open proved short-lived. Federer and Murray opened Results their accounts with superlative MELBOURNE: Collated wins on a sun-drenched Rod results from day two of the Laver Arena, as they joined Novak Australian Open yesterday: Djokovic in the second round and Women’s Singles stayed on course to meet in the First Round: Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) bt semi-finals. Nadia Petrova (RUS x12) 6-2, 6-0; Svetlana As the tennis world reeled Kuznetsova (RUS) bt Lourdes Dominguez Lino from news that ATP chief Brad (ESP) 6-2, 6-1; Peng Shuai (CHN) bt Rebecca Drewett was stepping down after Marino (CAN) 6-3, 6-0; Carla Suarez Navarro being diagnosed with motor neu- (ESP) bt Sara Errani (ITA x7) 6-4, 6-4; Maria rone disease, Wu Di became the Kirilenko (RUS x14) bt Vania King (USA) 6-4, first Chinese man to play a Grand 6-2; Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x10) bt Sabine Slam match, losing in four sets. Lisicki (GER) 2-6, 6-3, 6-3; Hsieh Su-wei And there was drama when (TPE x26) bt Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino (ESP) Williams, gunning for the first 7-6 (7/5), 6-2; Varvara Lepchenko (USA x21) sweep of all four major titles in bt Polona Hercog (SLO) 6-4, 6-1; Shahar the same year since 1988, was on Peer (ISR) bt Alexandra Panova (RUS) 6-4, court for only 19 minutes against 1-6, 6-3; Elena Vesnina (RUS) bt Caroline Edina Gallovits-Hall before going Garcia (FRA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1; Serena Williams over heavily on her right ankle. (USA x3) bt Edina Gallovits-Hall (ROM) 6-0, Japan’s Kimiko Date-Krumm celebrates after victory in her women’s singles match against Nadia Petrova of Russia at the Australian Open in Melbourne, However, after medical treat- 6-0; Victoria Azarenka (BLR x1) bt Monica yesterday. RIGHT: Roger Federer of Switzerland serves to Benoit Paire of France during his match. ment and despite hobbling around Niculescu (ROM) 6-1, 6-4; Roberta Vinci the court, the 15-time Grand (ITA x16) bt Silvia Soler-Espinosa (ESP) Slam-winner astonishingly won 6-3, 7-5; Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) bt 6-0, 6-0 in just 54 minutes as she “Oh, I’ll be out there. I mean, draw wide open and may ben- before winning 6-1, 6-4. Caroline showed little mercy in his 6-2, 6-4, Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor (ESP) 2-6, 6-4, belted every winner in sight to unless something fatal happens to efit defending champion Victoria Wozniacki, last year’s top seed 6-1 win over Frenchman Benoit 6-3; Lucie Safarova (CZE x17) bt Mirjana keep her running to a minimum. me, there’s no way I’m not going Azarenka, who is scheduled to and now ranked at 10, also had Paire and next faces Russian Lucic-Baroni (CRO) 7-6 (7/4), 6-4; Petra The 31-year-old said she felt to be competing,” she said. “I’m meet Williams in the semi-finals. to dig deep before reeling off six Nikolay Davydenko. Kvitova (CZE x8) bt Francesca Schiavone pain and swelling and may need alive. My heart’s beating. I’ll be The world number one from third-set games in a row to beat It was a typically sumptuous (ITA) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2; Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) an X-ray, but pledged to soldier on fine.” Belarus beat Romania’s Monica Germany’s Sabine Lisicki. performance from the popular bt Christina McHale (USA) 6-1, 6-7 (0/7), in her quest for a sixth title at the Any lasting injury to the hot Niculescu, but had to come Former Wimbledon champion Swiss, who is bidding to become 6-2; Ayumi Morita (JPN) bt Anna Tatishvili year’s first Grand Slam. favourite could throw the women’s from 3-0 down in the second set Petra Kvitova also won but Italy’s the first man since Roy Emerson (GEO) 6-3, 6-3; Laura Robson (GBR) bt seventh seed Sara Errani became in the 1960s to win five Australian Melanie Oudin (USA) 6-2, 6-3; Donna Vekic the biggest casualty so far. Open titles. (CRO) bt Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) 6-1, Elsewhere, Japanese number Federer paid tribute to 6-2; Sloane Stephens (USA x29) bt Simona one Kimiko Date-Krumm, aged Australia’s Drewett, a former Halep (ROM) 6-1, 6-1; Annika Beck (GER) 42, became the oldest female to player who took over as ATP chief bt Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ x28) 6-2, 6-7 win a main draw match at the last year, as the sudden revelation (7/9), 6-3; Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB) bt Australian Open, upsetting 12th of his serious illness prompted a Mathilde Johansson (FRA) 6-4, 6-2; Luksika seed Nadia Petrova 6-2, 6-0. wave of sympathy. Kumkhum (THA) bt Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) In the men’s draw, Murray, in “It’s a very sad situation for all 7-6 (7/5), 6-4; Jana Cepelova (SVK) bt Greta An offical stands his first Grand Slam match since of us. I saw him yesterday and he Arn (HUN) 6-2, 6-2; Eleni Daniilidou (GRE) bt near Serena Williams becoming a major-winner, showed told me the news. Obviously very Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 7-5, 5-7, 6-4; Daria of the US after she his class in a 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 disman- emotional,” Federer said. Gavrilova (RUS) bt Lauren Davis (USA) 6-3, fell over during tling of Dutchman Robin Haase. “He was so influential.” 6-7 (2/7), 6-4; Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) bt her singles match The Scot said he hoped the Out on Court 8, China’s Wu Timea Babos (HUN) 6-3, 4-6, 11-9; Garbine at the Australian experience of September’s US made history just by turning up, Muguruza (ESP) bt Magdalena Rybarikova Open win would help him later but despite fighting back from Open tournament in (SVK) 4-6, 6-1, 14-12; Jamie Hampton in the tournament. a set down the world number Melbourne, yesterday. (USA) bt Urszula Radwanska (POL x31) 6-2, “I think when I would see the 186 could not stave off defeat to 6-4; Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) bt Anastasia benefits of that is if I get myself Croatia’s Ivan Dodig, who won Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x24) 7-5, 3-6, 7-5; deep into a Slam this year and 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL x20) bt Jarmila you’re playing against the top “I’m really happy, but I lost,” Gajdosova (AUS) 6-1, 7-5 players. That’s when I think you’ll smiled Wu, when asked if he was Men’s Singles draw on that experience and use pleased with the way he played, it in the right way,” he said. revealing that a text message First Round: Andreas Seppi (ITA x21) bt Federer, who is drawn to face from Li Na had helped him pre- Horacio Zeballos (ARG) 6-2, 6-4, 6-2; Andy Murray (GBR x3) bt Robin Haase (NED) 6-3, Murray in the semi-finals, also pared for the match. AFP 6-1, 6-3; Joao Sousa (POR) bt John-Patrick Smith (AUS) 6-4, 6-1, 6-4; Blaz Kavcic Today’s Australian (SLO) bt Thomaz Bellucci (BRA x29) 6-3, Federer pays tribute Juan Martin Del 6-1, 6-3; Ricardas Berankis (LTU) bt Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) 6-2, 7-6 (7-4), 7-5; Denis Open Schedule Potro of Argentina Istomin (UZB) bt Igor Sijsling (NED) 4-6, MELBOURNE: Order of play hits a forehand 6-3, 6-4, 6-2; Florian Mayer (GER x25) bt for selected courts today to ailing ATP boss return during his Rhyne Williams (USA) 2-6, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 ROD LAVER ARENA match against (14/12), 6-1; Milos Raonic (CAN x13) bt Jan 11:00 am (0000 GMT) Adrian Mannarino MELBOURNE: Roger Federer told me the news. Obviously very Hajek (CZE) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 7-6 (7/0); Jeremy Irina-Camelia Begu (ROM) vs Agnieszka of France at the Chardy (FRA) bt Adrian Menendez-Maceiras paid an emotional tribute to emotional,” Federer said. “I’ve Australian Open Radwanska (POL x4) Brad Drewett (pictured) yes- known Brad ever since I came on (ESP) 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-1; Jo- in Melbourne, Followed by terday after the Men’s tennis tour and I started to play a bit Wilfried Tsonga (FRA x7) bt Michael Llodra Australia, (FRA) 6-4, 7-5, 6-2; Roger Federer (SUI x2) Guillaume Rufin (FRA) vs Tomas Berdych boss said he was stepping down better. yesterday. bt Benoit Paire (FRA) 6-2, 6-4, 6-1; Philipp (CZE x5) after being diagnosed with “He was so influential. He goes Kohlschreiber (GER x17) bt Steve Darcis Zheng Jie (CHN) vs Samantha Stosur (AUS motor neurone disease. so far back and has touched so The 54-year- many people, (BEL) 6-2, 6-3, 6-4; Amir Weintraub (ISR) x9) bt Guido Pella (ARG) 7-6 (7/2), 7-5, 6-2; 7:00 pm old Australian throughout his said he will con- career as a player Alejandro Falla (COL) bt Josselin Ouanna Venus Williams (USA x25) vs Alize Cornet tinue as execu- and then also as (FRA) 6-4, 7-5, 6-4; Go Soeda (JPN) bt (FRA) Del Potro realistic about Luke Saville (AUS) 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-2, 6-3; tive chairman an executive and Followed by and president of then CEO. Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG x6) bt Adrian Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) vs Ryan Harrison the Association “So it’s been Mannarino (FRA) 6-1, 6-2, 6-2; James (USA) of Tennis very hard to see hopes of top-four spot Duckworth (AUS) bt Benjamin Mitchell (AUS) 6-4, 7/6 (10/8), 4-6, 5-7, 8-6; Benjamin HISENSE ARENA Professionals him not doing (ATP) until a so well, we wish MELBOURNE: Juan Martin with my forehand. I served well. Becker (GER) bt Aljaz Bedene (SLO) 4-6, 11:00 am replacement is him the best, of del Potro, the only player out- I made very good start to this 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (7/1); Lu Yen-Hsun (TPE) bt Nicolas Almagro (ESP x10) vs Daniel appointed. course. I can only side the “big four” of men’s ten- Open.” Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (ESP) 6-2, 6-1, 4-6, Gimeno-Traver (ESP) “It has been thank him for nis to have won a grand slam in Despite his good start and the 6-1; Richard Gasquet (FRA x9) bt Albert Followed by a privilege to everything he’s the last eight years, remained absence of the injured Rafa Nadal, Montanes (ESP) 7-5, 6-2, 6-1; Ivan Dodig Li Na (CHN x6) vs Olga Govortsova (BLR) serve as execu- done already and circumspect about his chances Del Potro was not confident of (CRO) bt Wu Di (CHN) 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3; Gilles Simon (FRA x14) bt Filippo Volandri Tatsuma Ito (JPN) vs Marcos Baghdatis tive chairman more.” of breaking back into the elite emerging from a half of the draw (ITA) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2; Jesse Levine (CYP x28) and president World number after a winning start at the which also includes Roger Federer of the ATP, an three Andy Australian Open yesterday. and Andy Murray. (CAN) bt Tommy Robredo (ESP) 7-6 (7/5), Misaki Doi (JPN) vs Maria Sharapova (RUS 6-7 (2/7), 6-4, 6-4; Marin Cilic (CRO x12) x2) organisation that I’ve been a Murray said he was shocked at The tall Argentine lost a year of “They are so far from me at the part of for more than 35 years the news. his career to a wrist injury after moment,” he added. “We play five bt Marinko Matosevic (AUS) 6-4, 7-5, 6-2; Margaret Court Arena since I became a professional “It’s obviously very shocking winning the US Open in 2009. sets and matches can be tough Lukas Rosol (CZE) bt Jamie Baker (GBR) 7-6 11:00 am tennis player,” Drewett said in a news. Very sad. He’s done a very Yesterday, the sixth seed beat for all the players, so I (am) just (7/5), 7-5, 6-2; Marcel Granollers (ESP x30) Angelique Kerber (GER x5) vs Lucie statement. good job for the tour,” he said. qualifier Adrian Mannarino 6-1, thinking about my second round. bt Grega Zemlja (SLO) 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5), Hradecka (CZE) “I hold the ATP very close to “He’s done a good job of bring- 6-2 6-2 to reach the second round, “Hopefully I can go far, but I 1-0 ret; Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) bt Tommy Haas (GER x19) 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-3, 4-6, Julia Georges (GER x 18) vs Romina Oprandi my heart and it’s with sadness ing the tournaments together and an improvement on the four sets need to play better and better. that I make the decision to enter arranging the meetings we had he took to beat the Frenchman at “I think the favourites are the 8-6; Bernard Tomic (AUS) bt Leonardo Mayer (SUI) (ARG) 6-3, 6-2, 6-3; Daniel Brands (GER) bt David Ferrer (ESP x4) vs Tim Smyczek (USA) this transition period due to my with the slams. He’s definitely had the same stage last year. same even if Rafa is not here. ill health.” an impact in the time he’s been “I played really well,” he said. If Rafa was here, he would be Martin Klizan (SVK x27) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; Ana Ivanovic (SRB x13) vs Chan Yung-jan The news, prompted expres- working there. “I remember last year when we a favourite for sure also. But Rajeev Ram (USA) bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (TPE) sions of sympathy from Federer “It’s a big shame to hear some- played the first round also, and Roger, Novak, Andy Murray, and (ESP) 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2; Nikolay Davydenko 7:00 pm and Andy Murray. thing like that happen. Hope he’s he had a better match than today. other guys are the favourites to (RUS) bt Dudi Sela (ISR) 3-6, 6-1, 7-5, 6-3; Xavier Malisse (BEL) vs Fernando Verdasco “It’s a very sad situation for all okay,” he added after his match “But I think I played really win the tournament,” he said in Gael Monfils (FRA) bt Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR x18) 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-3. (ESP x22) of us. I saw him yesterday and he yesterday. AFP aggressive. I made a lot of winners Melbourne. REUTERS WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 26 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT Qatar gears up for Beach Soccer Philippines and Afghanistan among the 16 Asian nations to participate in Doha

DOHA: A total of 16 Asian nations will participate in the 2013 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Asian Qualifier Asian qualifiers for the FIFA Date Group Stage Matches Kick off Time Beach Soccer World Cup Tahiti Saudi Arabia vs UAE 14:00 2013 to be held at the Katara Uzbekistan vs Palestine 14:00 Beach from January 22 to 26. Philippines vs Iran 15:15 The 2011 Asian Beach Soccer Jan 22 Bahrain vs Lebanon 15:15 Champions Japan alongside China vs Iraq 16:30 with hosts Qatar, Afghanistan, Oman vs Australia 17:45 Australia, Bahrain, China, Iran, Thailand vs Japan 19:00 Iraq, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Afghanistan vs Qatar 20:15 the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain vs Thailand 14:00 Thailand, the United Arab Iran vs Iraq 14:00 Emirates and Uzbekistan are the UAE vs Palestine 15:15 participating teams. Oman vs Afghanistan 15:15 The first placed teams from Jan 23 Uzbekistan vs Saudi Arabia 16:30 each group advance to the semi- Japan vs Lebanon 17:45 finals. The two finalists and the China vs Philippines 19:00 third place play-off winner will Qatar vs Australia 20:15 qualify for the seventh edition of Lebanon vs Thailand 14:00 the Beach Soccer World Cup, to Iraq vs Philippines 14:00 be held from September 18 to 28 Palestine vs Saudi Arabia 15:15 in Papeete, on the Pacific island Jan 24 UAE vs Uzbekistan 15:15 of Tahiti. Australia vs Afghanistan 16:30 Afghanistan, the Philippines The Asian qualifiers of the 2013 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup will be held at Katara Cultural Village from January Japan vs Bahrain 17:45 and Thailand have been late addi- 22 to 26. Sixteen top teams from Asia will compete in the tournament. The finalists and the third-place team will Iran vs China 19:00 tions to the initial draw made in Qatar vs Oman 20:15 December last year. qualify for the 2013 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Tahiti in September. At the original draw, held at the Play-off for the 13th Place 14:00 Ritz-Carlton Hotel on December, interest from Asian countries to person, temporary stadium will GROUPINGS Jan 25 Play-off for the 9th Place 15:15 Play-off for the 5th Place 16:30 13 teams were drawn into four participate in the qualifiers. be built on the shore at Katara Qatar, Oman, Australia and Group A groups for the FIFA Beach Soccer The draw for the addi- Beach. Spectators can attend Afghanistan. Semi-final 1 at 19:00 World Cup 2013 - AFC Qualifiers. tional three teams occurred at all matches free of charge and a Japan, Bahrain, Lebanon and Semi-final 2 at 20:15 But after several national FIFA’s Headquarters in Zurich, small fan zone will also be set up Group B Thailand. Play-off for the 15th Place 15:15 member associations asked for Switzerland recently. adjacent to the stadium. United Arab Emirates, Jan 26 Play-off for the 11th Place 15:15 additional time to complete In the last edition of the Qatar, hosts for the 2022 FIFA Group C Uzbekistan, Palestine and Saudi Play-off for the 7th Place 16:30 their application to the competi- Asian FIFA Beach Soccer World World Cup is hosting the FIFA Arabia. Play-off for the 3rd Place 17:45 tion, registration remained open Cup 2011 qualifiers 11 teams Beach Soccer World Cup Asian Final at 20:15 following the original draw to participated. qualifers for the first time. Iran, China, Iraq and the Group D VENUE: Katara Beach accommodate such high-levels of A state-of-the-art, 3,000 THE PENINSULA Philippines. Qatar to host Fencing GP from January 18 at Aspire Academy

DOHA: Qatar will be host- ing the 10th edition of Qatar International Fencing Championship – Grand Prix 2013 for Men and Women in Epee - from January 18 to 21 at the Indoor Hall of Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence. Hosts Qatar Fencing Federation (QFF) has been organising A file picture from last year’s action in the Jet Ski Championship organ- the Grand Prix since 2005 in ised by Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF) at Wakra Bay, Fishing accordance with Federation Docks area. Internationale D’Escrime (FIE). Around 300 athletes and officials from 41 countries are expected to arrive in Qatar for QMSF to host Jet Ski Drag the championship, says a facebook status update from QFF. The tournament is open for all fencers holding a FIE license for Racing on January 19 at the 2013 season and also who have Qatar Fencing Federation getting ready for the 2013 Fencing Grand Prix. made a request for a license with the FIE. second place, while the two bronze with FIE regulations. Formula Al Shammari, Mohammed Katara Cultural Village The individual events will take medal winners will get $2,000. of the FIE Grand Prix Events is Al Dosari, Abdulrahman Al place on January 20 while fencers Park Kyoung-Doo of South applicable to individual and teams Hashemi, Ebrahim Al Tairi, DOHA: The first round of the Ali (Bahrain), Abdullah Naim Al will compete in the team’s events Korea won the individual cham- events. Abdulla Jemaan, Mohammad Ali four-leg Jet Ski Drag Racing Baker (Qatar)and Khamis Sbeit the next day. pionship last year here in Qatar. Meanwhile, hosts Qatar have Mirzaei and Abdullah Sayyari championship of Qatar Marine AL Hosni (Qatar). In the individual events 64 Navarria Mara of Italy won the announced their men’s and wom- Qatar Women’s Team: Noora Sports Federation will be Class: Runabout Super Stock fencers will be pitted against individual championship last year en’s teams for the event. Al Dosari, Ayah Madadi, Abraar held on January 19 at Katara Bader Hasan Ali (Bahrain), each other, in both the men’s and while collecting total prize money Ten local competitors will be in Al Attef, Sara Al Emadi, Thkrayat Cultural Village, the organis- Ali Ahmad Al Safar (Bahrain), women’s section. of $21,000 for her effort through- action in the men’s section and 11 Al Abdulla, Wadha Al Ali, Wadha ers of the event informed here Hamad Jassim Hedar (Bahrain), The total prize money in the out the championship. of them in the women’s. Al Bdulla, Aisha Al Musalmani, yesterday. Bader Mahmoud AL Sharshani men’s section in the individual The number of fencers per Qatar Men’s Team: Ali Al Hanadi Al Yami, Fatima Hammad The championship will be (Qatar), Mohamed Jassim AL event is $23,000, with the win- country authorised to participate Boenain, Ahmad Al Dosari, and Ghada Haroun Hassan. contested in three categories Obaidli (Qatar), Younis Abdul ner taking home $10,000 and the in this event will be in accordance Mohammed Al Shamari, Hamad THE PENINSULA Runabout Stock, Runabout Super Wahid Al Janahi (UAE), Ali Stock, and Runabout open class. Muhamed Al Lanjawi (UAE), Around 45 riders from UAE, Ahmad Issa Al Madani (UAE), Bahrain, and Kuwait besides Mahmood Abad Al Bloosi Qatar will take part in the open- (UAE), Hamad Yousuf Allanjawi ing round of the championship (UAE), Ahmad Rashid Al Dawas QCA Division C: Galfar emerge winners which will end with fourth and (Kuwait), Khamis Sbeit AL last round on March 2. The sec- Hosni (Qatar), Mubarak Ahmad DOHA: Galfar Cricket Club, ond and third round of the event Ali (Bahrain), Ahmad Jassim the cricket team of Galfar will be held on January 26 and (Bahrain), Yahya Ali (Bahrain), Construction Company, emerged February 9. Ahmad Kaled Naddoum on top in the Qatar Cricket Waleed Mahmoud AL (Kuwait), Yousef Abdullatif Al Association (QCA) Division C. Sharshani will lead Qatar’s chal- Awadi (Kuwait), Muhamed Saeed In final of Division C, Galfar lenge in the Runabout Stock Al Hajri (Qatar), Muhsin Saeed defeated PAK Stars Cricket Club class in which 10 competitors Al Hajri (Qatar), Abdullah Naim to pick up the top prize by regis- will vie for top honours. The Al Baker (Qatar) and Khalifa tering a five-wicket win. other local competitors include Mohammed Badi (Qatar). This is the third year Galfar Mohamed Jassim Al Obaidli, Class: Runabout open class have been competing in Division Bader Mahmoud AL Sharshani, Waleed Mahmoud AL C of the QCA tournament Abdullah Naim Al Baker and Sharshani (Qatar), Majed The much-fancied Galfar Khamis Sbeit Al Hosni. Mahmoud AL Sharshani (Qatar), team was captained by Sumil In the Runabout Super Stock, Bader Hasan Ali (Bahrain), Ali Ranasinghe. a record number of 21 drivers will Muhamad Al Lanjawi (UAE), The final match of the tourna- be action, while in the Runabout Ahmad Issa Al Madani (UAE), ment was played in the 40-overs open class the field will consists Mahmood Abad Al Bloosi (UAE), per side format at the QCA The victorious Galfar team with officials, Sreekumar (Team Manager), Joy G Pettah (Senior General Manager), of 14 drivers. Majed Sharaf Al Alalawi (UAE), ground at West Bay. Hemachandran (Senior General Manager), Anupam Kar (General Manager - Finance), Shetty and Mohan Menon Class: Runabout Stock Younis Abdul Wahid Al Janahi Winning the toss, Galfar (Senior Manager). Waleed Mahmoud AL (UAE), Hamad Yousuf Allanjawi elected to field first, which proved Sharshani (Qatar), Mohamed (UAE),Ahmad Kaled Naddoum a wise decision as PAK Stars were contribution of 32 runs and 3 Fonseka 3 wickets, Paruvatha Nuwan Ekanayake 26, Saman Jassim AL Obaidli (Qatar), Bader (Kuwait), Yousef Abdullatif Al bowled out for 181 in 36 overs. wickets. Raja 3 wickets, A Narayanan Fonseka 32 not out and Sumil Mahmoud AL Sharshani (Qatar), Awadi (Kuwait), Muhsin Saeed In reply, Galfar reached the Brief Scores: 2 wickets, Jinto 1 wicket and Ranasinghe 57 not out. Ali Muhamed Al Lanjawi (UAE), Al Hajri (Qatar), Muhamed Saeed target in 30 overs losing five PAK stars: 181 all out (36 Rajkumar 1 wicket. Bowling: Bowling Hamad 2 Hamad Yousuf Allanjawi (UAE), Al Hajri (Qatar), and Khalifa wickets. overs) Galfar Cricket Club: 182 for wkts, Wajid and Yousef one wicket Mubarak Ahmad Ali (Bahrain), Mohammed Badi (Qatar). Saman Fonseka was named Batting: Shuman 28, Yousef 5 (30 overs) each. Ahmad Jassim (Bahrain), Yahya THE PENINSULA Man of the Match for his 37, Fahad 32. Bowling: Saman Batting: Ramesh Kumar 16, THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 16 JANUARY 2013 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 27

Qatar’s Nasser UAE, Iraq reach Gulf Cup final out of Dakar Rally: Team

Bahrain lose in penalty shootout; Khalil nets match winner for UAE CORDOBA, Argentina: Nasser Al-Attiyah has pulled MANAMA: Ahmad Khalil Gulf Cup Results At the other end, Kuwait’s out of this year’s Dakar Rally scored a last-gasp goal to guide influential midfielder Mutwa con- due to mechanical failure, dash- Semi-finals the United Arab Emirates into tinued to play a key role in conjur- ing his dreams of another title the final of the Gulf Cup with United Arab Emirates 1 Kuwait 0 ing most of his team’s moves with in the celebrated race, his team a 1-0 victory over defending Iraq 4 Bahrain 2 some deft and delicate passes, announced yesterday. champions Kuwait yesterday. Final on January 18 mainly to lone striker Yousef Al Attiyah, 42, and his co- The all-important goal came al-Salman. driver Lucas Cruz had been seconds into the final minute of match of two equal halves with Salman’s first decent attempt pushing for the overall lead of regular time when the never- the UAE dominating the first at goal came as late as the 35th the race until repeated break- say-die Omar Abdulrahman ini- and 11-time champions Kuwait minute with a long-range effort downs on the 851km stage nine tiated a move inches outside the the second. and eight minutes later he was in between Tucuman and Cordoba penalty area on the left and sent Both teams came close to scor- the thick of action again, heading in Argentina forced them to aban- Abdulaziz Sanqor through with a ing, with the UAE’s best chance a well-taken Mutwa free-kick just don. A broken water pump was well-timed diagonal pass. coming in the 60th minute when over the crossbar. to blame. Sanqor did well to beat his a long-range free-kick by Khamis But it was UAE who again At the start of the ninth stage, marker Mohammed Frieh and Ismael struck the crossbar and came close to scoring just Al Attiyah was second in the over- send a cross past the face of the bounced back twice off the shoul- before half-time as Balooshi all classification for cars, just over goal to Khalil, who jabbed the ball der of Kuwait goalkeeper Khaldi. and Abdulrahman combined three minutes behind Frenchman low and to the right of Kuwait Nine minutes later it was a well just outside the Kuwait Stephane Peterhansel, who is goalkeeper Nawaf al-Khaldi. close shave for Khaldi’s Emirati penalty area to create a chance pushing for his 11th Dakar Rally It was Khalil’s third goal of counterpart Ali Khaseif as Fahad for Khalil, but the latter could win. the championships and the UAE al-Ansari, Bader al-Mutwa and not shake off his markers and The Qatari driver, who won stands, packed with fans espe- Hussain Hakem all had their close his shot crashed into the near the race in 2011 and was sec- cially flown in by 21 chartered shots saved, the Emirati defence post. The UAE and Khalil’s ond in 2010, was taking part in a planes, went wild. just managing to scramble the patience and perseverance paid buggy developed over the last five The UAE, whose previous Gulf ball clear. off in the final minute. months by Red Bull Motorsport. Cup victory came in 2007, will Kuwait had another chance in Meanwhile, Brazilian striker The Red Bull Rally Team’s take on former Asian champions the 86th minute when second-half Nene has left Paris Saint- other buggy, driven by Spain’s Iraq in the final on Friday. substitute Fahad al-Enezi covered Germain for Qatari club Al Carlos Sainz, was withdrawn on In the second semi-final Iraq the length of the ground but could Gharafa on a two-and-a-half the sixth stage, also because of defeated hosts Bahrain 4-2 in a not shake off his markers and his year contract, it was announced mechanical problems. AFP penalty shoot-out. move went abegging. in Doha yesterday. At the end of full time the The UAE had been at their No details on the deal were teams were locked one all after attacking best between the 20 and given, though sources have said Pakistan stars the end of full time play. 30th minutes when they created a that Nene will likely receive a sal- the 30 minutes of extra time flurry of chances with short and ary of around 4.5m euros a year. out of new play too failed to break the one- fluent passing and pleasing foot- “I want to win the Asian all deadlock. work inside the penalty area. Champions League with India league In the penalty shootout, Iraq Khalil first tested Khaldi, Al-Gharafa, having not been able kept their nerve to book a place swiftly followed by efforts from to win the Champions League Iraq’s Younis Mahmood (right) celebrates with team-mate Ali Al Tameemi in the final. Abdulaziz al-Balooshi and Omar with PSG,” Nene said. after scoring against Bahrain during their Gulf Cup Tournament semi-final NEW DELHI: Nine Pakistani The first semi-final was a Abdulrahman. AGENCIES match in Isa Town, yesterday. Iraq and UAE will clash in the final on Friday. players were yesterday with- drawn from a new field hockey league in India and asked to return home in the wake of pro- tests following border tension Fergie set to ring changes against Hammers between the arch-rivals. None of the Pakistanis fea- MANCHESTER, United three weeks. The schedule does FA Cup missing the last five games with a against them,” said Allardyce. tured in the opening match of Kingdom: Manchester United not get any easier for the foresee- knee ligament injury. “They are in the bottom two of the Hockey India League (HIL) Arsenal vs Swansea City (1930) manager Alex Ferguson plans able future. Should they overcome Javier Hernandez could also the league and we have already in New Delhi on Monday and offi- to rest a number of key players West Ham, United face five league Manchester United vs West Ham United make an appearance after the lost to Reading, who were in the cials said they will not take part for today’s FA Cup replay with and cup games before they travel (2005) Mexico international did not fea- bottom two when we played them. in the entire four-week event. West Ham United as the English to Spain to take on Real Madrid ture in the 2-1 win over Liverpool “We can’t keep losing to the “Due to extraordinary cir- giants eye a treble success. on February 13. week’s replay could lead to trou- on Sunday, United’s ninth win people below us who are strug- cumstances, it has been decided Seven points clear at the “I shall continue to juggle my ble. Midfielder Michael Carrick, in 10 league games. West Ham gling as it gets them closer and to send the nine Pakistan players top of the Premier League and squad because although December defender Patrice Evra and winger manager Sam Allardyce made no we don’t want that.” home,” Hockey India chief and the with an eagerly-awaited last 16 was a busy month, there is still no Ashley Young were all absent for attempt to disguise his anger at West Ham will face United league’s main organiser Narinder Champions League encounter let-up,” said Ferguson. the original tie which ended 2-2 his side’s performance after their without centre-back James Batra told reporters in New Delhi. with Real Madrid on the hori- “The replay with West Ham at Upton Park. 3-0 defeat at Sunderland last Collins who damaged his ham- “The interests of the players zon, United will book a fourth is quickly followed by an away United came within minutes of weekend and admits he cannot string at Sunderland and now will be protected and they will be round home tie with Fulham or trip to Spurs. Then we will hope- exiting the FA Cup before Robin allow the prospect of a trip to Old joins fellow defenders Joey paid the full fees due to them. It Blackpool if they overcome the fully have a fourth round tie van Persie, who had started on Trafford to distract the Hammers O’Brien and George McCartney was a mutual decision between Hammers at Old Trafford. against Fulham or Blackpool to the substitutes bench, forced a from their league campaign. on the injury list. us and the Pakistan Hockey Although Ferguson is unlikely give us another two-game week replay. “While Manchester United is Allardyce added: “We want Federation.” to admit it, West Ham’s visit is before another busy week of fix- Van Persie, who has scored 17 the glory of the cup competition to improve the strength of the The 34-match HIL, sanc- a game United could do without. tures against Southampton and goals in 22 league games since and it will be fantastic to go to Old squad. I’d like to add a defender tioned by the sport’s world gov- Not only is it his team’s 32nd Fulham.” signing from Arsenal in August, is Trafford, QPR next Saturday is as we’ve now only got two centre erning body, features top stars game of the campaign, it is Ferguson will be mindful that set to be rested as Wayne Rooney our bread and butter and we must halves left in James Tomkins and from around the world playing United’s sixth match in little over resting too many players for this looks to make his comeback after make sure we secure three points Winston Reid. AFP for five city-based franchises till February 10. The cities in the fray are New Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Ranchi Poyle Judy wins Umm Al Houl Cup and Jalandhar. Four Pakistanis, Mahmood Rayyan ease past Qatar SC; Rashid, Fareed Ahmed, Muhammad Tousiq and Imran Butt, were hired by Mumbai. Gharafa rally to down Wakra AFP

DOHA: Al Rayyan pushed Nadal to return hard late in the final quar- ter to upstage a fighting Qatar at Brazil Open Sports Club 87-75 of the Qatar Men’s Basketball League at SAO PAULO: Spanish tennis the Al Gharafa Indoor Arena star Rafael Nadal, out of action yesterday. since the middle of last season Qatar SC came out blazing at because of injury, could return the start of the match, leading to the court at next month’s 10-2 with ex-Al Rayyan import ATP Brazil Open in Sao Paulo, Chauncey Leslie taking charge. organisers said yesterday. Al Rayyan clamped down on A statement from tournament defense to limit their foes’ output sponsors DGW Comunicacion, in the next stage and went on to The Mohammad Hamad Al Attiya’s trainee was ridden to victory by which recently was involved cut the deficit at 24-20 at the end jockey Marvin Suerland in Umm Al Houl Cup. With this, Suerland com- with a Roger Federer exhibition of the first quarter. pleted a double success. Earlier, he had taken Chewdeh to victory. The appearance in Brazil, said the Rayyan picked up speed at 1,200-metre contest for Thoroughbreds (horses rated 50 to 70) ended event will “mark the return to the onset of the third and equal- with Poyle Judy edging the front running Mallak to win in a time of one the circuit of one of world tennis’ ised at 24-all but Qatar SC ran top stars”. minute and 13.72 seconds. Mallak was further pushed to third by Yes the brakes and rolled out a 10-2 And Luis Felipe Tavares, chair- We Can Dream. The eight-race day saw trainer Jassim Al Ghazali and run for a 34-26 lead after three man of sports company Koch minutes. jockey Yanis Auoabed combination taste a double. Auoabed rode Al Tavares, told Estado de Sao Paulo The cat-quick Boney Watson Ghazali’s Zajil Athba and Ghalaa to victories. daily that “a name such as Nadal would then lead a 9-3 assault to will definitely whip up a lot of put Al Rayyan a basket closer at interest”. 37-35 before giving his team their Contacted, the company had first taste of the lead, 39-37, with not made any further comment three minutes left in the second by yesterday afternoon. quarter. Qatar SC tied the game Nadal, currently ranked four in the ensuing play for a 42-all in the world, has won 11 Grand count at halftime. Slams but injuries have dogged Al Rayyan pushed hard in the him and the 26-year-old Spaniard third session to wrest the lead but hasn’t played since June. Leslie kept the fire burning for He had to miss the Australian Qatar SC and gave them a 66-63 Open because of a stomach virus advantage after three quarters. while a succession of knee injuries Watson carried the scoring for have plagued his career. Al Rayyan with 24 points. Nadal, who had been widely Earlier, Al Gharafa came back expected to return to action in from an 11-point deficit early in Acapulco, Mexico, at the end of the third period and held off a February, two weeks after Sao determined Al Wakra, 66-58. Action from the Qatar Men’s Basketball League at the Al Gharafa Indoor Paulo, won the Brazil Open in THE PENINSULA Arena yesterday. 2005. AFP Wednesday 16 January 2013 4 Rabial I Safar 1434 Volume 17 Number 5581 Sport Price: QR2

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www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 44557741 | Advertising: 44557837 / 44557780 McGinley QFA and Autuori part ways gets Europe captaincy for Fahad Thani to take over as head coach of Qatar national team Ryder Cup DOHA: The Qatar Football and said he had a memorable five Association (QFA) have parted and a half-years in Qatar. He said: ABU DHABI: Ireland’s Paul ways with national team “It’s time to spend more time with McGinley has been appointed coach Paulo Autuori, the QFA his family in Brazil.” captain of Europe’s Ryder Cup announced yesterday. Speaking of Thani’s appoint- team for the biennial match Autuori’s last match in charge ment, Sheikh Hamad said: “The against the United States next was the 1-0 loss against Bahrain decision to appoint Fahan Thani Paulo Autuori year, the Players’ Committee at the Gulf Cup on Friday, in came after close consideration watches Qatar said yesterday. which Qatar failed to qualify for of his coaching credentials, not- play Tajikistan The 46-year-old, who holed the the semi-finals. withstanding the fact he has been in a friendly winning putt in the 2002 match Qatar finished their Gulf Cup working closely with the national match in this at The Belfry, edged former skip- campaign in third place in Group team for quite some time, as Paulo September 2012 per Colin Montgomerie in a vote A, with three points from three Autuori’s assistant.” file photo. The taken by the 15-man committee matches, having played Oman, He added: “Moreover, he inti- Qatar Football in Abu Dhabi. UAE and Bahrain. mate knowledge of the national Association and “This is a position I’m really In a statement on the QFA team and Qatari football in gen- thrilled to be in. It’s also a very Autuori have website (www.qfa.com.qa), Qatar’s eral and will be a great addition hunbling experience and I can’t parted ways, it football governing body said they to our team.” wait to get into the role of captain had mutually agreed to end the Autuori, who enjoyed success in was announced and to working with the players,” tenure of Autuori, who will be Brazil with the country’s leading yesterday. he told a news conference replaced by Fahad Thani. clubs, most notably leading Sao McGinley replaces Spain’s Jose Thani assisted Autuori during Paulo to the FIFA Club World Maria Olazabal. his stint as Qatar coach. Cup in 2005, arrived in Qatar to The Irishman has twice been a QFA President Sheikh Hamad manage Al Rayyan. vice-captain, to Montgomerie in bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani The Brazilian coach soon made Wales in 2010 and to Olazabal two thanked Autuori and wished the an impact and led Al Rayyan to years later. Brazilian coach the best of luck. successive victories in the Emir McGinley served his appren- He said: “We thank Autuouri for Cup in 2010 and 2011. of Qatar, Autuori had been the that his side claimed a double over Iran and Uzbekistan in June this ticeship as a skipper when he led the commitment he had shown The 56-year-old, also coached Olympic team coach for five Lebanon. year. Britain and Ireland to victory towards the development of the the Peruvian national team from months. Qatar has seven points from Prior to the crucial away match over Continental Europe in the national team and football in 2003 to 2005 and has also man- The Brazilian, who took over five matches, and sit in fourth against South Korea, Thani’s Seve Trophy team event in 2009 Qatar. We wish him every suc- aged clubs in the Portuguese as coach of the national team in place in the Asian Zone Group A immediate task is to oversee and 2011. cess in this future endeavours.” Premier Division during his February 2012, leaves Qatar with FIFA qualification round. Qatar’s opening qualification He played in three Ryder Cup Autuori, who replaced managerial career that started a chance of reaching the FIFA Their next match is against match for the 2015 Asian Cup at comeptitions, from 2002-2006, Frenchman Bernard Simondi as in 1979. World Cup in 2014, after the 1-0 Asian giants South Korea on home on February 6. and was triumphant on each one. Olympic coach, thanked the QFA Prior to becoming the coach win in November 2012, ensured March 26, before matches against THE PENINSULA REUTERS

This photo received India crush England, level series yesterday courtesy of OWN: Oprah NEW DELHI: India finally boundaries three overs later. Winfrey found their winning touch England were scoring at a brisk Network, as they relied on a brilliant pace, more than five an over, and shows Oprah all-round display to thrash Ishant Sharma’s introduction in Winfrey’s England by an emphatic 127 the 10th over did not stop the flow exclusive runs in the second cricket one- of runs and the pacer was greeted interview dayer yesterday. with two boundaries by Pietersen. with Lance India first posted a competitive Just as England looked like set- 285, riding on captain Mahendra tling down after the initial jolt, Armstrong. Singh Dhoni’s 72 and Ravindra Bhuvneshawr Kumar rocked the Jadeja’s 61, before the bowlers visitors run chase with a double skittled out the visitors for a pal- strike in three deliveries. try 158 in just 36 overs to level the Cook, who was looking solid, five-match series 1-1. missed a good length delivery off Armstrong admission The hosts did well in all depart- Kumar, the first ball of the 11th ments of the game, though the over, and the umpire signalled the batting of the top order contin- dismissal of the batsman. Cook’s ued to be a concern with Gautam 17 came from 27 balls and was could see cycling Gambhir (8) and Ajinkya Rahane studded with three boundaries. (4) failing to deliver while the Two balls later, Kumar dealt a form of Virat Kohli remained massive jolt to England innings dropped from Games patchy though he scored 37 by taking the wicket of Pietersen yesterday. with a gem of a delivery. Pietersen It was Dhoni’s 66-ball 72 and was bowled off a sharp incutter WASHINGTON: Cycling said Pound, the former head of Jadeja’s blistering unbeaten knock which, after pitching at good could be dropped from the the World Anti-Doping Agency. of 61 in just 37 balls which pro- length, jagged past the inside edge Olympic programme if Lance “It was the same in weightlift- vided the late flourish. Suresh of the batsman’s angled bat before Armstrong implicates the ing a few years ago, all of a sudden Raina (55) and Yuvraj Singh (32), crashing onto the wickets. sport’s governing body of cov- when you get right up against it who was distinctly unlucky to be Pietersen’s 42 came from 44 ering up a widespread doping things go fuzzy and they say, ‘well, given LBW, were the other nota- balls and was studded with seven scheme, International Olympic we can’t punish innocent athletes ble contributors. fours. Committee (IOC) member Dick in these sports by dropping the Bhuvneshwar Kumar (left) celebrates after stumping England batsman Kevin With the Nehru Stadium pro- Kumar returned four overs Pound said yesterday. sport from the programme.’” Pietersen during the second ODI in Kochi, yesterday. viding ample assistance to the later to remove Eoin Morgan for Pound said the IOC might be Elsewhere, Armstrong, bowlers in the second half, the a duck with captain Dhoni hold- left with no choice other than to answered the questions that “peo- Scoreboard Indians exploited the conditions ing a superb, low catch to his left take drastic action if Armstrong ple around the world have been to the hilt to bundle out the visi- to leave England at 73 for four in proved the International waiting to hear” talk show host INDIA Ian Bell c Dhoni b Shami Ahmed ...... 1 tors with Kevin Pietersen being the 15th over. Cycling Union (UCI) had acted Winfrey said yesterday. Ajinkya Rahane b Finn ...... 4 Kevin Pietersen b Kumar ...... 42 the top-scorer with a 58-ball 42. The quick jolts led England improperly. “I didn’t get all the questions Gautam Gambhir b Dernbach ...... 8 Joe Root b Jadeja ...... 36 Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/29), R to slow down with Joe Root (36) “The only way it is going to asked, but I think the most Virat Kohli c Bell b Woakes...... 37 Eoin Morgan c Dhoni b Kumar ...... 0 Ashwin (3/39) and Jadeja (2/12) and Craig Kieswetter (18) trying clean up is if all these people important questions and the Yuvraj Singh lbw b Tredwell ...... 32 Craig Kieswetter c Raina b Ashwin ...... 18 were the pick of the Indian bowl- to consolidate rather than being say ‘hey, we’re no longer in the answers that people around the Suresh Raina b Finn ...... 55 Samit Patel (not out) ...... 30 ers to give the hosts a resound- adventurous and at the halfway Olympics and that’s where we world have been waiting to hear M S Dhoni c Root b Dernbach ...... 72 Chris Woakes lbw Jadeja ...... 0 ing victory in front of a capacity mark they were 106 for four with want to be so let’s earn our way were answered,” she said on CBS Ravindra Jadeja (not out) ...... 61 James Tredwell lbw Ashwin ...... 1 crowd. the asking rate shooting over back into it,’” Pound said in a tel- “This Morning.” “I can only say I Ravichandran Ashwin (not out) ...... 1 Steve Finn c Dhoni b Ashwin ...... 0 It was rookie Shami Ahmed seven an over. ephone interview. was satisfied by the answers.” Extras (LB-5, W-10) ...... 15 Jade Dernbach (run out-Jadeja/Dhoni) ...... 2 who gave India an early break- Jadeja returned in the 31st Pound made his comments Armstrong, who has consist- Total (for 6 wkts in 50 overs) ...... 285 Extras (B-4, LB-3, W-4) ...... 11 through with the wicket of Ian over for a double strike as he after talk show host Oprah ently denied drug-taking, on Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-18, 3-71, 4-119, Total (all out in 36 overs) ...... 158 Bell (1) who chased a wide ball removed Root and Chris Woakes Winfrey confirmed media reports Monday recorded a two-and-a- 5-174, 6-270. Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-58, 3-73, 4-73, 5-110, which pitched up and swung, only (0) in the space of four balls to that Armstrong admitted to using half hour interview with Winfrey Bowling: Steve Finn 10-1-51-2; Jade Dern- 6-132, 7-132, 8-135, 9-135, 10-158. to take an edge to Dhoni. leave England tottering at 132 for performance-enhancing drugs in in his hometown Austin, Texas. bach 9-0-73-2; Chris Woakes 9-0-60-1; Samit Bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 10-2-29-3; As if taking revenge for Bell’s seven. an interview that was taped on The New York Times and USA Patel 10-0-43-0; James Tredwell 10-0-48-1; Shami Ahmed 4-1-24-1; Ishant Sharma 4-0- wicket, England captain Alastair Ravichandran Ashwin, played Monday and will be broadcast Today newspapers both cited Joe Root 2-0-5-0. 28-0; Ravindra Jadeja 7-1-12-2; Yuvraj Singh Cook punished Shami for two his part with three wickets in his tomorrow and Friday. sources with knowledge of the ENGLAND 4-0-19-0; Ravichandran Ashwin 7-0-39-3. fours in the fourth over and two overs as he polished off James “The IOC would have to deal taping that the American would Alastair Cook lbw Kumar ...... 17 Series: 5-match series, level 1-1. Pietersen joined his skipper by Tredwell (1), Steven Finn (0) and with it, the (UCI) is not known for admit using banned substances in carting the same bowler for three Jade Dernbach (2). AGENCIES its strong actions to anti-doping,” his career. AGENCIES